President Donald Trump speaks during a news briefing at the White House in Washington on July 28, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trump Announces Deal with Kodak to Manufacture Active Drug Ingredients for US

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the administration is set to finalize a deal with Kodak to transform it into a pharmaceutical company to produce generic active pharmaceutical ingredients, helping to reduce the reliance on other countries for critical generic drugs.

The federal government is expected to provide the photography company with $765 million to support the launch of Kodak Pharmaceuticals, which will be able to produce 25 percent of generic active pharmaceutical ingredients in the country once fully operational, the White House announced. The loan will go toward supporting startup costs needed to repurpose and expand Kodaks existing facilities in Rochester, New York, and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Kodak Pharmaceuticals will make critical pharmaceutical ingredients that have been identified as essential but have lapsed into chronic national shortage, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration. The company will work with the administration and drug product manufacturers to identify products that are most needed to meet national security requirements.

The deal marks Trumps 33rd use of the Defense Production Act.

Kodak will now produce generic active pharmaceutical ingredients, which is a big deal, Trump announced at a White House press conference on Tuesday. Using advanced manufacturing techniques, Kodak will also make the key starting materials that are the building blocks for many drugs in a manner that is both cost-competitive and environmentally safe. Well be competitive with almost all countries, and soon with all countries.

A Kodak slide projector in Philadelphia on Jan. 25, 2011. (Matt Rourke, File/AP Photo)

Directly, the deal will create at least 360 jobs at Kodaks factory in Rochester in the initial phase of the deal, Trump said. He praised the deal as a breakthrough in bringing pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States.

The United States consumes about 40 percent of the worlds supply of active ingredients needed to make generic drugs, but only produces 10 percent of the ingredients, according to the U.S. International Development Finance Corp.

Trump noted that while 90 percent of all prescriptions in the United States are for generic drugs, more than 50 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients needed to make these generic drugs are made in India and China.

Trump said that restoring American manufacturing is a core matter of national security and that this idea has become ever clearer since the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus spread to the country.

We must never be reliant on a foreign nation for Americas medical or other needs, and that includes many other needs, Trump said.

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the White House in Washington on July 28, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

If we have learned anything from the global pandemic, it is that Americans are dangerously dependent on foreign supply chains for their essential medicines, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said in a statement. He added that the partnership is a huge step forward towards American pharmaceutical independence.

The president said that the administration has, via the DPA and other authorities, invested more than $3 billion in the United States industrial base, engaging in contracts with various companies to produce ventilators, N95 masks, gloves, gowns, and tests for the CCP virus.

This is just the beginning. In the coming months, we will continue the largest onshoring campaign in American history. We will bring back our jobs, and we will make America the worlds premier medical manufacturer and supplier. Thats whats happening already. Its been happening now for quite some time, Trump said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan received on July 29 French Ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacote, the ministry told Armenpress.

Issues relating to the ongoing cooperation and the regional security were discussed during the meeting.

Introducing the recent situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact, the Armenian defense minister highlighted the role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries  Russia, US and especially France as a member of the UN Security Council, the EU and the NATO, in easing the tension and continuing the negotiation process.

Touching upon the Turkish-Azerbaijani joint military exercises, the Armenian defense minister said the tactical nature of these drills from military perspective is not concerning, but its important for these drills not to turn into provocative actions near the borders, defense structures and other infrastructures of Armenia.

The minister said the Armenian side will closely follow the process of the military exercises and the future developments.

In his turn the Ambassador reaffirmed Frances mediation role in settling the conflict exclusively peacefully and also highlighted the balanced environment in Armenia at this entire period which was free from nationalist manifestations, as well as war calls.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
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Linkedin Mathieu Gorse (Agence France-Presse) Madrid, Spain  Wed, July 29, 2020 09:24 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1b22c 2 World Spain,Britain,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,COVID-19-travel-ban,COVID-19-quarantine Free

After Britain's quarantine move and a travel warning from France, Germany became the latest country to advise Tuesday against holidays in parts of Spain with a surge in virus cases.

Although many are desperate for a holiday after months of lockdown, governments are concerned about what they might bring home, with Berlin warning against travel to three areas of northern Spain, including the hugely popular Catalan coast.

The call followed warnings from France against travel to Catalonia and Britain's decision to quarantine anyone arriving from Spain for 14 days.

As one of the world's top tourist destinations, it has been a major blow to Spain which relies heavily on British tourism.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez quickly hit back at the move, denouncing it as "unbalanced" and insisting that Spain's most popular tourist destinations "might even be safer" than the UK.

"We want to send a clear message.. We are a secure destination that has made preparations and strengthened itself to deal with the virus and any outbreaks," said government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero.

But British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended the decision in light of "the signs of a second wave of the pandemic" in Europe.

"I'm afraid if we do see signs of a second wave in other countries, it is really our job, our duty to act swiftly and decisively to stop reinfecting, to stop travellers coming back from those places and seeding the disease here in the UK," he said.

Madrid had wanted an exemption for areas like the Canary Islands or the Balearic islands where there has been a very low incidence of the virus, but London refused.

Madrid toughens rules

In Spain, where the virus has claimed more than 28,400 lives, there has been a surge in cases in recent weeks.

According to Tuesday's count, an average of more than 1,800 new cases per day have been detected over the past seven days, two-thirds of them in the northeastern regions of Catalonia and Aragon.

It's a figure which has more than tripled in two weeks, prompting Spain's autonomous regions to step up security measures.

The Madrid region moved to make mask-wearing obligatory at all times in public on Tuesday, even while having a drink at a bar terrace, where gatherings will now be limited to groups of 10.

Restricting numbers to a maximum of 10 guests has also been recommended for people entertaining at home.

Although less affected by the recent outbreaks, Madrid has decided to ready a field hospital at a conference center on the city's eastern outskirts.

But Catalonia, where the virus has flared up, has taken more drastic steps and on July 18, advised four million residents in and around Barcelona to stay at home.

'Safer than in England'

Even so, tourists could still be found visiting the city, saying they felt safe, with British yacht skipper Paul Callahan, 62, telling AFPTV he felt safer in Spain than back home.

"More people have died in England this week than anywhere else in Europe, I believe, and certainly 30 or 40 times more than in Spain... so if you look at it that way, it's safer to come to Spain," he said.

And Ines Meinen, a 53-year-old hotel employee from Germany, said she too felt safe.

"It's very quiet, people are keeping their distance, everyone is respecting each other."

Although Spain is the country with the highest instance of cases per 100,000 people, other European countries are also struggling to contain outbreaks.

Belgium has toughened the rules after a "worrying" surge saw virus cases rising by more than 70 percent, imposing a curfew in its second city Antwerp, limiting gatherings and making face masks compulsory where social distancing is not possible.

The rapid rise in numbers in Germany is also very worrying, top health experts said on Tuesday, urging citizens to keep their distance and wear face masks.

And Greece said it was making masks compulsory again in shops and public services after a recent rise in infections.
TUNIS - The sixth edition of 'Cinema au Musee', the film festival at the archaeological museum of Sousse, will open on August 16 with the screening of the restored version of Federico Fellini's masterpiece "La strada".



The idea is for movie connaisseurs to enjoy old classics after they are restored. The film will be presented by the great Tunisian theater director Fadhel Jaibi. The event, organized by the Association "Cine-Sud Patrimoine", with the artistic direction of Mohamed Challouf, will take place on August 16-19, with the support of the Italian cultural institute in Tunis and the collaboration of the Centre national du Cinema et de l'Image (Cnci), the regional delegation for cultural affairs of Sousse and l'Agence de Mise en Valeur du Patrimoine et de la Promotion Culturelle (Amvppc).



This year's program, under the theme "Dialogue and exchanges among actors of Tunisian civil society", was drafted thanks to the Association of African Students and Trainees in Tunisia (Aesat), the association for research and studies on memory of Sousse (Arems), the association of former high school students in Bizerte and the Bizerte Cinema Association (Abc). Cinema au Musee 2020 will celebrate in particular two centennials: the birth of Italian film genius Federico Fellini and the arrival of 6,000 Russians in Bizerte fleeing the Russian revolution. The event will open with "La strada" and the evening will close with an homage to Anastasia Chirinsky and the local Russian community with the screening of "Anastasia de Bizerte" by Tunisian director Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud, a documentary screened in 1996 at the Venice film festival. On August 17-18, evenings will be entirely dedicated to the film culture and heritage of sub Saharan Africa. It will be a great opportunity to get to know different African communities in Sousse and see two classics of African cinema in their restored version: "Yaaba" by Idrissa Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso) and "Muna Moto" by Dikongue Pipa (Cameroon). International classics will star in this year's edition, which will also feature the forgotten images of Tunis with two silent short films from the 1920s found in the archives of the Amsterdam Eye Cinematheque.



Along with the four evenings of cinema, music, dance and meetings, the 2020 edition of "Cinema at the museum" will present a unique show called "The pearl of Sahel in memory of images" thanks to which the public will be able to admire some 100 rare postcards of Sousse dating back to 1900-1920, a treasure offered by Mohsen Mouelhi, a friend of the association "Cine-Sud Patrimoine" and a great collector.
- Ghana has requested a dialogue with regard to the decision of the European Commission to blacklist it

- The country is one of 22 states that has been set for blacklisting in October 2020 due to money laundering and anti-terrorism activities

- Ghana argued that a number of mechanics have been implemented to halt the challenges

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The Ghanaian government has called on the European Commission (EC) to suspend a planned blacklist of 22 states in October 2020.

The call follows a decision by the EC to suspend the countries, including Ghana, after it received reports of terrorism and money laundering.

The EC, which is the executive branch of the European Union (EU), earlier published a list of High-Risk Third Countries and Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorists.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey Source: Ghana Web

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Ken Ofori-Atta calls for reforms in Africa; says global investors are unfair

It noted that the countries were serious threats to its financial system due to failings in dealing with the two challenges.

The decision implies that financial institutions would be required to closely scrutinise clients who do business with such countries.

A report by classfmonline.com shows companies in such countries would also be banned from receiving funding from the EU starting from October 2020.

During the course of a virtual session of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Council of Ministers on Monday, 27 July 2020, the deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Charles Owiredu, called for dialogue on the matter.

He noted that a number of countries on the list, including Ghana, have enacted laws to deal with money laundering and terrorism.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the EU has blacklisted Ghana, among several other countries, for money laundering.

The EU said, under the Anti-Money Laundering Directive, the Commission has revised its list, taking into account developments at the international level since 2018, and that the new list is now better aligned with the lists published by the Financial Action Task Force".

READ ALSO: Government is ready to protect jobs and businesses - Ken Ofori-Atta

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Download YEN's news app on Google Playstore now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our page or on Instagram with your stories, photos, or videos.

Source: YEN.com.gh
The Tibetan-governement-in-exile has now spoken up in favour of US' allegations against Chinese consulate in Houston, claims US ordered its closure for stealing technology for Covid-19 vaccine.

The US government has rightly accused China of stealing intellectual property especially in COVID vaccines technology, TG Arya, Spokesperson for Tibetan-government-in-exile said on Tuesday referring to the recent decision to close Chinese consulate in Houston.

The American government asked for it to be closed because it was observed that diplomatic facility was involved in the theft of intellectual property, especially in covid vaccines technology, he told ANI, while adding there were reports that many spying agents were also working there.

The US recently ordered China to close its Consulate General in Houston over allegations of espionage. In retaliation, China ordered America to close its diplomatic facility in Chengdu.

American government has been telling China to contain the coronavirus. Human rights abuse in Tibet is also a matter of concern, but China is not listening, he said.

Also read: Amid global boycott calls, China forges cooperation with Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan

Also read: China collecting DNA samples to develop tool for genetic surveillance: Report

Now the American government has come to realise that China appeasement policy is not working. Now they need to confront the Chinese government. So thats why they have ordered the Chinese diplomatic facility in Houston to be closed because activities were doubtful, he added.

Arya also questioned as to why files were being burnt in Chinese diplomatic facility in Houston.

Many files have been burning. Why these files have been burned? It shows that there is something wrong. Now in order to retaliate, the Chinese government has ordered to close US diplomatic facility in Chengdu, he said.

Also read: US-Australia to take on Beijings aggression in South China Sea today: Reports

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SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play, a global innovation platform and accelerator, today announced that Cargill will serve as a founding partner for its newest location in Topeka, Kan. focused on animal health and agriculture technology. Through this partnership, Plug and Play and Cargill will work with startups that are creating new technologies and products to build successful food and agricultural businesses and communities.

"Cargill is partnering with Plug and Play to bring together some of the brightest minds and boldest ideas in agriculture and protein production," said Rob Stewart, president of growth ventures and emerging markets in Cargill's North America protein business. "Together we will leverage our unique expertise to help new companies across the food supply chain identify market opportunities, attract customers and accelerate growth."

This partnership will incubate global innovation around Animal Health and Agtech from the heart of cattle country and the Kansas City animal health corridor, making the most of both companies' strengths. Plug and Play's global reach will help startups enter new geographic locations, find new customers and grow. Cargill will bring scale, a broad expertise and the strength of a global supply chain.

"Plug and Play is incredibly excited to launch this program in partnership with Cargill as our first founding partner. Their support and dedication will lay the foundation for entrepreneurs and startups to access the best resources available, beginning with industries such as Animal Health and Agtech," said Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play.

Plug and Play will bring eight to 10 startups to the city every six months. Later this fall, the company will run their first virtual accelerator out of the Topeka location. Those startups will go through three-month accelerator programs aimed at helping the businesses get off the ground, providing mentorship, resources and office space. There is a 70 percent average success rate for companies that go through a Plug and Play accelerator program, measured in follow-on capital raised.

"Topeka proudly welcomes Cargill as the first founding partner of the Plug and Play Platform. This investment is a vital step, it will propel our community forward as we work to become a hub for Animal Science and Agtech research. I am grateful to our partners in GOTopeka for making this possible, and am excited to watch a new generation of startups and entrepreneurs find their success in our great city," commented Mayor Michelle De La Isla.

"We are thrilled to welcome Cargill as the first founding member of the Topeka Animal Health and Agtech focused innovation platform powered by Plug and Play. Cargill has made significant investments in innovation throughout Kansas over the last decade and we are proud to collaborate with this organization and help shape the future of agriculture for our State. Plug and Play's proven innovation platform will create substantial economic impact for the entire region," said Katrin Bridges, Senior Vice President of Innovation for Greater Topeka Partnership.

Corporations and startups interested in Plug and Play's Animal Health and Agtech program in Topeka can apply here: https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/join/

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 30 locations globally, giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 30,000 startups and 400 official corporate partners, Plug and Play has created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Companies in our community have raised over $9 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club and PayPal. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/

About Cargill

Cargill's 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 155 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

SOURCE Plug and Play

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Protesters calling for strict adherence to blasphemy laws have been blocking major highway into capital for 10 day

Islamabad, Pakistan  A Pakistani court has ordered authorities to clear an anti-blasphemy protest that has blocked a major highway into the capital Islamabad for the last 10 days, prompting fears of clashes between police and demonstrators.

Hundreds of demonstrators remained gathered at the protest site on Friday, located at a major entry point to the city, vowing to hold their ground unless their demands were met.

We have been told to clear the protest, by hook or by crook, said Mushtaq Ahmed, a top local administration official. We have been told to enlist the services of the [paramilitary] Rangers and FC as well, if required.

The protesters first gathered at the Faizabad interchange on November 8, demanding the resignation of the federal law minister over a change of wording in an electoral law that they perceived as softening the states official designation of members of the Ahmadi sect as non-Muslim.

Ahmadis are a minority sect, numbering in the hundreds of thousands in Pakistan and up to 10 million worldwide, who identify as Muslim while maintaining that the Prophet Muhammad was succeeded by the founder of their faith, Mirza Ghulam Ahmed, as a subordinate prophet in the late 19th century.

They face widespread discrimination in Pakistan and other Muslim-majority countries. In Pakistan, they are forbidden from referring to themselves as Muslim and are frequently the target of violent attacks.

Political unknowns rise

The protesters are led by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, a hard-right conservative who is known for his vitriolic rhetoric against the Ahmadi community, and who has recently risen to prominence as the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) political party.

A relative political unknown, Rizvis party bagged third place in a recent by-election in the eastern city of Lahore, about 275km south of the capital, held to elect a replacement for Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified from the prime ministers office in July on corruption allegations.





Sharifs party, embattled on several political and legal fronts, struggled to control the protest in its early days, with party leaders telling Al Jazeera they did not want to be perceived as alienating Pakistans largest Sunni Muslim sect, a part of which Rizvi represents.

On Friday, however, it appeared that the Islamabad High Courts patience with the blockade, which has caused massive traffic jams and disruptions to businesses and educational institutions across Islamabad and its adjoining twin city Rawalpindi, had run out.

We will write them a letter first, and then if they do not respond or clear the area, we will have to carry out a police operation against them, said Ahmed.

Why should we leave?

The mood was defiant at the rally, as hundreds of protesters prepared for Friday prayers, while dozens of riot police gathered at roadblocks erected around the demonstration.

There is no need to worry [] God willing, this will be a historic day! boomed an announcement from loudspeakers across the protesters tent village. We ask you to conduct yourself calmly and bravely.

Protesters sat under large fabric tents, raising their hands in unison and chanting in time to cries of Labbaik, labbaik ya Rasool Allah, a slogan indicating solidarity with Islams prophet.

Volunteers manning their makeshift barricades, constructed out of buses, wooden branches and paving stones, carried large wooden batons, some with iron hooks embedded in them.

We do not accept the court order. Why should we leave? asked Nisar Ahmad, 30, a shopkeeper from Lahore. The courts did nothing in the case of Salmaan Taseers [alleged] blasphemy either. It was Mumtaz Qadri who had to show bravery.

Black laws

Qadri, a policeman, murdered Taseer, then the governor of Punjab province, over alleged blasphemy in January 2011. Taseer had publicly defended a woman accused of blasphemy and called Pakistans strict blasphemy laws, which prescribe a mandatory death penalty for some forms of blasphemy, black laws.

At least 73 people have been murdered over blasphemy allegations in Pakistan since 1990, according to an Al Jazeera tally.

We will face the police if needed, because we have the strength of faith on our side, said Ahmad, the protester.

Others struck a more conciliatory tone.

We will stay peaceful for as long as we can, we do not want to take the law into our own hands, said Hafiz Qasim, 27, an electrical engineer from Lahore.

Everything comes after the prophets honour, however. The police, the courts, even Pakistan itself.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras Web Correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @Asad Hashim.




Hilla (Iraq):

A suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group killed at least 70 people, mainly Shiite pilgrims, south of Baghdad on Thursday, in the latest jihadist attack as Iraqi forces battle to retake Mosul.



The huge truck bomb blast ripped through a petrol station where buses packed with faithful returning from the Arbaeen commemoration in Karbala were parked, officials said.



Most of the victims were Iranians, the largest contingent of foreigners in the pilgrimage, which is one of the worlds largest religious events and culminated on Monday.



The attack took place near a village called Shomali, about 120 kilometres southeast of Baghdad.

Also read | Sickening ISIS school textbooks brainwash children



IS, which is fighting to defend its Mosul stronghold in northern Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attack.



In a statement quoted by the SITE Intelligence Group, IS said a bomber blew up his vehicle amidst their assembly, inflicting among them more than 200 killed and wounded, including Iranians.



Falah al-Radhi, head of the provincial security committee for Babylon, the province where the bombing happened, said it had targeted several buses.



A large truck exploded among them. It was a suicide attack, he told AFP. There are at least 70 dead, fewer than 10 are Iraqis, the rest are Iranians.



Videos circulating on social media showed debris scattered over a large area along the main highway linking Baghdad to the main southern port city of Basra.



There are completely charred corpses at the scene, said Radhi, who added that at least 20 wounded were transferred to nearby hospitals.



The Joint Operations Command in Baghdad issued a statement saying the truck was packed with 500 litres of ammonium nitrate, a chemical compound used in many explosive devices.



Up to 20 million people visited Karbala, home to the mausoleum of Imam Hussein, for Arbaeen this year. According to the Iraqi authorities, around three million of them were Iranians.



Iraq had deployed around 25,000 members of the security forces in and around the shrine city, which lies southwest of Baghdad, to protect the pilgrims from a feared IS attack.



The jihadist group, which is losing ground in Mosul, has carried out a series of high-profile diversionary attacks since Iraqi forces launched a huge offensive against their northern stronghold last month.



Elite forces battled IS jihadists in eastern Mosul today, looking for fresh momentum in their five-week-old offensive to retake Iraqs second city.



Maan al-Saadi, a commander with the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), said on the front line in Mosul that his forces were fighting IS in the neighbourhood of Al-Khadraa.



They cannot flee. They have two choicesgive up or die, he said.



Over the past few days, Iraqi forces have cut off the main supply line running from Mosul to the western border with Syria, where IS still controls the city of Raqa.



The US-led coalition also bombed bridges over the Tigris river that splits Mosul in two, reducing the jihadists ability to resupply the eastern front.

Also read | Mosul offensive: More than 68,000 Iraqis displaced since October, says United Nations

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Samuel Anyanwu, former senator representing Imo east, says the allegation by Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, that he ...

Samuel Anyanwu, former senator representing Imo east, says the allegation by Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, that he got contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is shocking.





Anyanwu was named by Akpabio as one of the lawmakers who got contracts awarded by the NDDC  the former senator is said to have gotten 19 contracts.





While appearing before a house of representatives panel probing the mismanagement of N81.5 billion, the minister had said federal lawmakers were the biggest beneficiaries of NDDCs contracts.





Speaking with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, Anyanwu challenged Akpabio to provide evidence that he got any contract from the commission.





First I was shocked to hear my name; very shocked that honourable minister of Niger Delta could mention my name that I was awarded contracts, he said.





It is disheartening. As politicians, you have political enemies who would act on this to work against you and that is why I feel very very hurt on this issue and I felt I had to clear the air and so you hear my side of the story.





It was only three names I saw  senator Matthew Urhoghide, chairman of the committee, James Manager and we were about 18 members in that committee. Even James Manager was not even a member of the committee.





If there are issues, I feel the honourable minister is educated enough. Please let us see the projects, the contracts, names of the companies, the bank where the money was paid. CAC is there; why do you have to insult people like that?





Im no longer in the senate. Almost two years, I have left and managing my quiet life and watching what Nigeria will turn out to be. So, if you have issues with the national assembly members, which I understand since he became a minister he has, that has nothing to do with me.





According to him, some of the ordeals he is going through is because he stood with Bukola Saraki, a former president of the senate.





Before we left, our position with Saraki is part of the things we are suffering today. Thats the truth. Im the only one not in the senate. Why mention my name when I have nothing to do with it? I felt very very hurt, he said.





Anyanwu said his lawyer would write to Akpabio to retract the allegation and if the minister refuses, he will take the next step.




The Supreme Court Wednesday allowed filing of a fresh plea challenging the June 17 environmental clearance (EC) granted to the ambitious Central Vista project, covering 3-km stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate in Lutyens' Delhi, for constructing a new Parliament House and other government buildings. A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheswari and Sanjiv Khanna allowed senior advocate Shyam Divan to file within a week a fresh plea challenging the EC by the Central Vista Committee' to the project.

The central government will respond to the petition a week after it is filed.

The top court, which posted the petition to be filed for hearing in the week commencing August 17, said however that it was not sure whether physical hearing would commence by then. It has been holding hearing via video conferencing since the COVID-19 lockdown in March.

We permit a week to Divan to file the petition and a week to Centre to reply within a week of receiving the plea... Matter to be posted after two weeks, the bench ordered.

The bench was hearing as many as seven pleas, including two transfer petitions from the Delhi High Court, on the issue and they have been filed by persons like activist Rajeev Suri and retired Lt Col. Anuj Srivastava against various permissions given to the project by the authorities including the nod to change the land use.

At the outset, Divan, appearing for one of the petitioners, said the case was primarily against the permission on change of the land use and then there was an environmental clearance granted on June 17 to the project.

He said there were multiple causes of action and the grant of the EC can be challenged before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the apex court cannot use its power to curtail that challenge to the EC before the NGT.

The bench said that there were two other petitions which raised the environmental issues and the fresh plea on EC will be governed by the orders of the apex court only.

Lawyer Shikhil Suri, appearing for Suri, said that one of the pending petitions challenged the grant of EC to the parliament project only, but now the issue of grant of EC to entire Central Vista project has come up.

There is no We versus They' here. Our parliament is being constructed. In future also defence and finance ministry buildings will be constructed, said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, adding that private individuals are before the court as also the public spirited individuals.

The project has to go through every level of scrutiny that a citizen can invoke. The clearance granted was for the construction of new and renovation of the existing parliament building, Divan said.

Opposing the grant of the EC, Divan said a piecemeal approach was adopted and the entire central vista project was needed to be registered as a township project and then the EC should have been granted Recently, the CPWD has supported the the project and sought dismissal of the pleas challenging it.

Earlier, the apex court had said that any change at the ground level made by authorities for the Central Vista project will be "at their own risk".

It had made it clear that the fate of the project, which includes several new government buildings and a new Parliament House, will depend on its decision.

The pleas have challenged the grant of a no-objection certificate by the Central Vista Committee (CVC) and also the environmental clearances for the construction of a new parliament house building.

One of the pleas was filed against a Delhi High Court order which had said the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was not required to apprise it before notifying changes in the Master Plan to allow the Central Vista project.

The division bench of the Delhi High Court had on February 28 stayed an order of its single judge bench which had asked the DDA to approach the court before notifying any change in the Master Plan for going forth with the Centre's ambitious project to redevelop the Central Vista.

The high court's stay order on the single judge bench's February 11 direction had come on the intra-court appeal of the DDA and the Centre.

The petitioners before the high court had opposed the Central Vista project on the ground that it involves a change in land use of the green area adjoining Rajpath and Vijay Chowk for building new Parliament and government offices.

Gujarat-based architecture firm HCP Designs has won the consultancy bid for the Centre's ambitious project to redevelop the Central Vista.

The revamp, which was announced in September last year, envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, that is targeted to be constructed by August, 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day. The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024.
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Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) share slipped in trade today after the conglomerate issued a clarification to BSE with respect to a report that it may buy Future Group's retail biz for Rs 27,000 crore. The firm said, "We are unable to comment on media speculation and rumors and it would also be inappropriate on our part to do so."

Share price of RIL fell after eight consecutive days of gain. RIL share lost 4.89% intra day to Rs 2,071 against previous close of Rs 2,177 on BSE. Later, the stock closed 3.75% or Rs 81.60 lower at Rs 2,095.

Reliance Industries share stands higher than 5 day, 20 day, 50 day, 100 day and 200 day moving averages. Market cap of the firm fell to Rs 13.28 lakh crore on BSE. Share price of India's largest firm by market cap has risen 72.63% in one year and 38.09% since the beginning of this year. In a month, the share has gained 21.34%. Total 15.23 lakh shares changed hands amounting to turnover of Rs 323.17 crore.

RIL in a clarification to BSE said, "Our company evaluates various opportunities on an ongoing basis. Further, there is no information which has not been announced to the stock exchanges and which should have been announced by the Company in terms of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015."

BSE had sought clarification from RIL with respect to a news article titled "RIL May Buy Future Group's Retail Biz For Rs 27,000 crore" which appeared in LiveMint. The article said RIL was close to buying Future Group's retail assets for Rs 24,000-27,000 crore to bolster its position in India's retail segment."

On July 27, 2020, RIL share hit its all-time high of Rs 2,198 on the back of positive investor sentiment arising out of several global investors announcing fund infusion into the conglomerate's digital arm. Buying sentiment was further noticed on reports that Amazon was in talks to acquire nearly 10% stake in Reliance Retail.

Mukesh Ambani-led RIL may acquire Future Group's retail business for Rs 27,000 crore

On July 15, RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani announced global technology giant Google would invest Rs 33,737 crore for a 7.73 per cent stake in Jio Platforms, the subsidiary which houses its telecom and digital operations.

RIL share hits all-time high; market cap nears Rs 14 lakh crore mark

Before the AGM, a string of investments by global firms led to the rally in RIL stock. Jio attracted several big-ticket investments from technology companies and financial funds.

A series of fund infusion started with social media giant Facebook saying that it would invest $5.7 billion in Jio to acquire 9.9 per cent stake. Gradually more money came Jio's way, including investment from Intel and Qualcomm. "With Google investment), the total investment from financial and strategic investors into Jio Platforms stands at Rs 1,52,056 crore," said Jio.

Share Market Highlights: Sensex ends 421 points lower, Nifty at 11,202; pharma shares outperform
President Donald Trump speaks as White House chief of staff Mark Meadows (C) listens outside the White House on July 29, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trump Administration Submits Petition to FCC in Bid to Prevent Online Censorship

The Trump administration this week submitted a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as part of an effort to prevent online censorship.

The Department of Commerce filed a petition to the commission on July 27 requesting clarification on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, including whether the act permits social media companies that alter or editorialize users speech to escape civil liability.

Provide clearer guidance to courts, platforms, and users, on what content falls within (c)(2) immunity, particularly section 230(c)(2)s otherwise objectionable language and its requirement that all removals be done in good faith,' the petition states.

The FCC was also asked to provide transparency requirements on the moderation practices that platforms use.

Many Americans rely on online platforms to stay informed and connected, sharing their thoughts and ideas on issues important to them, which can oftentimes lead to free and open debate around public policies and upcoming elections, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said in a statement.

It has long been the policy of the United States to foster a robust marketplace of ideas on the Internet and the free flow of information around the world. President Trump is committed to protecting the rights of all Americans to express their views and not face unjustified restrictions or selective censorship from a handful of powerful companies.

The petition came after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in May aimed at preventing people from being censored online.

Trump said social media companies such as Twitter and Facebook wield immense power to shape how the public sees events and are using the power to censor, delete, and disappear information.

Twitter in particular has ramped up censorship of Trump himself, hiding some of Trumps tweets from users or attaching a warning to them, while not touching the account of former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

In a statement drawing attention to the petition, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Trump will continue to fight back against unfair, un-American, and politically biased censorship of Americans online.

Section 230 is widely seen as shielding social media companies from liability but is coming under scrutiny because of tech giants escalation of censorship.

In this photo illustration, a Twitter logo is displayed on a mobile phone with President Trumps Twitter page shown in the background in Arlington, Va., on May 27, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

According to the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan group that provides reports to Congress, Section 230 generally prevents some companies from being held liable for hosting content that someone else created.

For example, if someone writes and posts a defamatory statement on Twitter, the defamed person could sue the tweets author, a report (pdf) from June stated.

Section 230, however, would likely require a court to dismiss any lawsuits against Twitter or a second Twitter user who merely retweets the original statement without commentso long as neither Twitter nor the second Twitter user helped to develop the initial tweet.

The law was enacted in 1996 after a trial court ruling opened up an online platform to liability for hosting defamatory speech because the platform had said it would police its site for unwanted speech.

The service said it remains an open question whether the FCC is authorized to issue rules interpreting Section 230, a question that may only be resolved by a court ruling.

The FCC is an agency overseen by Congress that regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. It has five commissioners, including Chairman Ajit Pai.

Trump administration efforts to clarify Section 230 drew mixed reviews from the commissioners.

The rules the Department of Commerce proposed are ill-advised, and the Commission should dispose of this Petition as quickly as possible, Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said in a statement.

The department seems to have failed to grasp how vast and diverse the ecosystem of interactive computer services is, he said. Every comment section on the Internet would be subject to scrutiny. Imposing intermediary liability on those servicesor creating an environment in which those services have an incentive not to moderate content at allwould prove devastating to competition, diversity, and vibrant public spaces online.

Commissioner Brendan Carr said he welcomed the petition, which he described as providing an opportunity to bring much-needed clarity to the statutory text.

And it allows us to move forward in a way that will empower speakers to engage in a forum for a true diversity of political discourse, as Congress envisioned when it passed Section 230, he said in a statement.

There is no set time for dealing with petitions, according to the FCC website. Reviews of petitions include examining whether a new rule is necessary or if less burdensome alternatives could fix issues that arise.
Limited progress has been made since a 1,350-mile-long rail network stretching across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries was announced more than 15 years ago.

Al-Monitor reports in its article GCC Railway: a train across a fractured Gulf? that repeatedly delayed, the megaproject is now expected to be partially completed in 2023, linking Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, Saudi newspaper Al-Jazirah reported. Although the report specified Bahrain and Kuwait would be added to the network two years later, Qatar, part of the original proposal, is not mentioned.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a blockade on Qatar in June 2017, accusing the emirate of backing Islamist radicals and Iran. Doha denies the charges. The prospect of one single railway network that integrates all six of the GCC states seems uncertain, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow for the Middle East at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston, told Al-Monitor. Once a symbol of unity, the ambitious project could pay the price of a political crisis that has weakened regional cohesion.

In an interview with the president of Al-Monitor, Andrew Parasiliti, in late June, Qatar's Ambassador to the United States Meshal Al-Thani said some countries are trying to undermine the work of the GCC. The Secretariat General of the GCC did not respond to requests for comment sent by Al-Monitor.

Economic uncertainties

Since 2014, low crude prices have destabilized Gulf economies and delayed investments in megaprojects. The $15 billion railway project, which connects domestic rail infrastructures built separately by each country, is highly vulnerable to cuts in capital expenditures. The COVID-19-induced economic downturn is adding further pressure, as the debt of GCC governments is expected to soar by a record-high this year, S&P Global Ratings said.

According to Ulrichsen, portions of the railway could still see the light of day based on economic interests  the UAE completed a domestic line in 2015 to carry sulfur from the Al Dhafra region to the port of Ruwais. Yet even the construction of limited links may still be vulnerable to regional tensions and the ongoing economic uncertainties, he added.

Talking to Al-Monitor, Olivier Le Ber, Middle East and North Africa Transport Manager at the World Bank, pointed out the close interrelation between each portion of the GCC railway. For example, The rail segment in Qatar is not meaningful unless connected to the Saudi network, he said in reference to technical aspects.

Until December 2016, the World Bank was mandated by the Secretariat General of the GCC to help in designing the project. We provided advice mainly on technical harmonization toward the adoption of common guidelines for all six countries  for example, selecting the same signaling system to avoid changing locomotives at the border," Le Ber said.

During its advisory mission, the World Bank also recommended establishing a single rail operator to centralize the exploitation of the network, rather than six independent entities. So far, and to our knowledge, they dont seem to be working on this option, he said. Etihad Rail and the Saudi Railway Company did not respond to requests for comment.

Facilitate trade

Yet the prospect of a railway running from the Gulfs northernmost state of Kuwait all the way to Oman remains a source of enthusiasm. In 2018, the former GCC Secretariat General said it could have a far-reaching impact in terms of socio-economic development.

Many Gulf citizens view the project as a positive development. All the region will be united, cooperating together to be one GCC, which is very helpful, beneficial and productive to all, Omar Haitham BuAisha, a Saudi communication specialist, told Al-Monitor. It would also reduce the GCCs carbon footprint, Le Ber added. Etihad Rail estimated rail transportation cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 70 to 80% compared to trucking.

Indeed, besides easing the mobility of millions of passengers, the GCC railway could carry up to 29 million tons of freight, boost regional trade and reduce transportation costs. Although trade barriers are low, intra-GCC non-oil trade remains weak. Established in 1981, the GCC lacks uniform economic policies, highlighted by Saudi Arabias recent decision to triple its value-added tax while Oman, Qatar and Kuwait have yet to implement it.

In the long term, GCC countries could also take advantage of a rail network to facilitate trade with the wider Middle East. According to Le Ber, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently exploring opportunities to connect its rail tracks to neighboring Iraq and Jordan. A promotional video released by Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 2019 also said the Jewish state intends to revive the Hejaz railway and connect it with Saudi Arabia.

Disrupt the supply chain

By easing freight movements, the GCC railway would strengthen alternative hubs from where imported commodities and hydrocarbons shipments could enter/exit the region while avoiding security risks faced by tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran regularly threatens to close the strategic chokepoint that serves as a transit for most crude exported by GCC countries. In this context, ports located out of the Hormuz corridor, such as Omans Duqm or terminals on the Red Sea coasts, could emerge as cost-effective gateways.

However, such a scenario would disrupt the current GCC supply chain and challenge the role played by the UAE's Jebel Ali port as a major re-export hub for the Gulf region. Re-exports between Dubai and other Gulf countries account for about half of the total intra-GCC trade in 2017. Surely more than any other megaproject, the GCC railway requires regional interests to be placed above national ones and for Gulf policymakers to look in the same direction.

Earlier this month, Kings College London assistant professor Andreas Krieg told Al-Monitor, Multilateralism in the Gulf has been replaced with unilateralism and bilateralism. Although the coronavirus crisis threatens the GCCs hydrocarbon-centered model of development and urges the region to diversify its economy earlier than expected, attempts for further economic integration are likely to remain dictated by political fault lines.
Residents of Barauni locality in Hardoi district celebrated as the first batch of five Rafale fighter jets from France landed at the air force base in Ambala on Wednesday.

Barauni is the ancestral town of fighter pilot Wing Commander Abhishek Tripathi who was among the air crew flying the French fighter jets to India. The crew was headed by Group Captain Harkirat Singh, a decorated fighter pilot and commanding officer of the No. 17 Squadron.

Also Read: Moments after Rafale fighter jets land, Rajnath Singhs veiled warning to China

Celebrations at Wing Commander Abhisheks village began soon after the pictures of the air crew entering Indian airspace went viral.

Wing commander Abhishek was among the few chosen ones, who were assigned the task to fly the Rafale to India. Indeed its a matter of pride and a moment to celebrate for our district. We are proud of him, said Anurag Tripathi, Abhisheks cousin who distributed sweets.

Abhishek was born and brought up in Jaipur but was always in touch with his friends and relatives at his ancestral town. We always used to catch up at the family functions and get-togethers. It is no less than a Diwali for us, he said.

Also Read: Missile systems, cold-engine start make multi-role Rafales all the more deadly

Abhisheks father Anil Tripathi, who is a government employee, had shifted to Jaipur almost three decades back.

People remained glued to the TV sets to catch the glimpse of the fighter jets and started celebrating by bursting fire crackers as the fighter jets landed safely in India. Sandilas giant laddu (a type of sweet) now wont be the only famous thing that belongs to Sandila. Abhishek, too, has made our small town famous, said Saroj Tripathi, Abhisheks uncle.

District Magistrate of Hardoi, Pulkit Khare confirmed Tripathis participation in the air crew that had flown the much-awaited fighter jets to India.

It is a matter of pride for the district and inspiration for the youth of Hardoi that Wing Commander Abhishek was a part of this significant moment in the history of Indian defence. I hope it motivates more youth of our district to serve the nation and display their patriotism through their deeds, Khare said.

Apart from Group Captain Harkirat Singh and Wing Commander Abhishek Tripathi, the crew included Wing Commander MK Singh, Group captain R Kataria, Wing Commander Siddhu and Wing Commander Arun.

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SAO PAULO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Telefonica Brasil - (B3: VIVT3 [Common Shares] / VIVT4 [Preferred Shares];NYSE: VIV), announces its results for 2Q20.

Investments focused on the future technologies maintaining solid cash generation in the quarter and maximizing shareholder profitability.

R$ million 2Q20 % y-o-y 6M20 % y-o-y









Net Operating Revenues 10,317 (5.1) 21,142 (3.2) Net Mobile Revenues 6,618 (5.1) 13,688 (2.6) Net Handset Revenues 373 (40.9) 954 (22.4) Net Fixed Revenues 3,700 (5.1) 7,454 (4.3) Operating Costs (6,214) (5.9) (12,532) (5.2) Recurring Operating Costs (6,214) (5.9) (12,608) (4.6) EBITDA 4,103 (3.8) 8,610 (0.2) EBITDA Margin 39.8% 0.5 p.p. 40.7% 1.2 p.p. Recurring EBITDA 4,103 (3.8) 8,534 (1.1) Recurring EBITDA Margin % 39.8% 0.5 p.p. 40.4% 0.9 p.p. Net Income 1,113 (21.6) 2,266 (17.9) Free Cash Flow after Lease Payments 2,772 27.3 5,362 62.6









Total Subscribers (thousand) 92,012 (2.5) 92,012 (2.5) Mobile subscribers 74,408 0.9 74,408 0.9 Fixed subscribers 17,603 (14.6) 17,603 (14.6)

Broadband accesses reached 6,554 thousand customers in 2Q20 and FTTH had record-breaking 210 thousand net additions, making the fiber subscriber base grow 31.9% y-o-y. Broadband ARPU increased 17.6% versus 2Q19, reaching R$ 74.5.

Mobile market share of 33.0% in May 2020, 8.6 p.p. more than the second player. Postpaid accesses grew 3.4%, accounting for 57.9% of total mobile accesses, with a market share of 38.9% in May 2020, up 14.2% over 2Q18.

FTTH and IPTV revenues continue to grow significantly (+47.6% y-o-y and +22.3% y-o-y, respectively) while the trend of mobile revenue growth was interrupted by lower commercial activity caused by the pandemic.

Operating costs decreased 5.9% y-o-y mainly due to lower commercial activity and lower commercial expenses due to digitalization and automation initiatives.

EBITDA totaled R$ 4,103 million in 2Q20, down 3.8% y-o-y, with an EBITDA margin of 39.8% (+0.5 p.p. y-o-y).

Capex totaled R$ 1,909 million in 2Q20, focused on the expansion of the FTTH network and increased quality and capacity of our 4G and 4.5G networks.

Net income stood at R$ 1,113 million in 2Q20 with profit distribution based on the 2Q20 reaching R$900 million.

Free cash flow after leasing grew 62.6% y-o-y, to R$ 5,362 million in 6M20.

To download the complete version of the Company's earnings release, please visit our website: http://www.telefonica.com.br/ir

SOURCE Telefonica Brasil

Related Links

http://www.telefonica.com.br


By Kang Seung-woo



North Korea is highly expected to use a defector who recently returned to the North with alleged coronavirus symptoms to promote its regime's healthcare system, according to watchers of the reclusive state, Wednesday.





This photo shows a culvert in the northern part of Ganghwa Island that may have been used by a North Korean defector to return home. The other side has been blurred for security purposes. / Yonhap
The flame retardant apparel market is expected to grow by USD 902.10 million during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect the impact to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005518/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Flame Retardant Apparel Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Request challenges and opportunities influenced by COVID-19 pandemic Request a free sample report of flame retardant apparel market

The increase in the number of residential and non-residential construction projects in countries such as the US, China, and India has significantly contributed to the growth of the global construction industry. By 2030, the construction output volume is expected to grow by over four to five times and about USD 15 trillion worldwide. Governments in countries such as India, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are making significant investments in the development of smart cities. For instance, in October 2018, Saudi Arabia announced its project NEOM for building a multi-billion-dollar megacity. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2025. Many activities in the construction industry require workers to set up electrical circuits and welding of materials, which could pose serious hazards. Also, workers are required to adhere to various regulations regarding protective workwear and wear apparel to reduce accidents. These factors have increased the demand for flame retardant apparel, which is driving market growth.

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR44141

As per Technavio, stringent fire safety regulations will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024.

Flame Retardant Apparel Market: Stringent Fire Safety Regulations

Every year hundreds and thousands of workers are injured by electrical arcs and flash fires across industries. To minimize the instances of injuries caused by fire hazards, governments across the world are implementing regulations regarding the use of flame-resistant wear in various industries. For instance, in July 2018, the International Fire Safety Standards (IFSS) Coalition was launched at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. The coalition provides universal rules for classifying and defining fire safety standards at project, state, national, regional, and international levels. The introduction of many such fire safety regulations is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the global flame-retardant apparel market during the forecast period.

"Integration of e-commerce channels for the sale of apparel and an increase in the number of fire mishaps will further boost market growth during the forecast period", says a senior analyst at Technavio.

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Flame Retardant Apparel Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the flame retardant apparel market by end-user (industries, firefighting and law enforcement, and others) and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, and South America).

The APAC region led the flame retardant apparel market in 2019, followed by North America, Europe, MEA, and South America respectively. During the forecast period, APAC is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to the increasing investments in the commercial real estate sector in the region.

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005518/en/

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Calvin Harris has been spending a lot of time at home, as he quarantines amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

And the Grammy winner is putting one of his homes up for sale, as he updates his massive real estate portfolio.

He recently put his cozy 6,000 square-foot home in the discreet Los Angeles neighborhood of Hollywood Hills back on the market for $5.5million.

Hollywood hideaway: Calvin Harris recently put his cozy 6,000 square-foot home in the discreet Los Angeles neighborhood of Hollywood Hills back on the market for $5.5million

All-star team: The 36-year-old has listed the house through Million Dollar Listing stars Joshua Altman and Matthew Altman of Douglas Elliman (pictured in February, 2019)

The 36-year-old has listed the house through Million Dollar Listing stars Joshua Altman and Matthew Altman of Douglas Elliman.

He bought it a little over two years ago from DJ and record producer Steve Angello for just more than $5million.

Harris unsuccessfully attempted to unload the gorgeous hideaway last year through Hilton & Hyland for $5.75million.

He also rented out the property at the time for $25,000 a month, before dropping the price to just below $20,000.

Pretty penny: He bought it a little over two years ago from DJ and record producer Steve Angello for just more than $5million

Back on the market: Harris unsuccessfully attempted to unload the gorgeous hideaway last year through Hilton & Hyland for $5.75million

Rental: He also rented out the property at the time for $25,000 a month, before dropping the price to just below $20,000

Multiple wings: The hillside manse features multiple wings with four bedrooms, four full bathrooms and two half bathrooms

Natural lighting: Nestled high above the street, the private spot offers unlimited natural lighting with floor-to-ceiling windows

Perfect for company: It comes with a double-height living room, a cozy den with a cushioned banquette and an eat-in kitchen that opens up to the pool

Bedtime: A two-story master suite features a sitting room on the first level

The hillside manse features multiple wings with four bedrooms, four full bathrooms and two half bathrooms.

Nestled high above the street, the private spot offers unlimited natural lighting with floor-to-ceiling windows.

It comes with a double-height living room, a cozy den with a cushioned banquette and an eat-in kitchen that opens up to the pool.

A two-story master suite features a sitting room on the ground level, which also spills out to the pool.

There's also a duplex guesthouse with a double-height bedroom, private decks and a spacious walk-in closet converted into a music lounge.

Dive in: The ground level of the master suite also spills out to the pool

Plenty of room: There's also a duplex guesthouse with a double-height bedroom and luxurious stone-tiled bathrooms

Gorgeous views: It comes with several private decks, featuring gorgeous views of Los Angeles

Jam sessions: There's also a spacious walk-in closet converted into a music lounge

Lap of luxury: There's also plenty of room for shoes with a spacious walk-in closet. It features luxurious bathrooms with his and hers sinks

Homes sweet homes: Harris has built an impressive portfolio in the Los Angeles area

The 90210: He dropped $15million on a Beverly Hills compound back in 2014

Fresh Prince vibes: He later snatched up a $14million Bel Air property in 2018

Harris has built an impressive portfolio in the Los Angeles area, dropping $15million on a Beverly Hills compound in 2014, before snatching up a $14million Bel Air property in 2018.

He sold another Hollywood Hills property of his back in February, a compound back sitting above the Sunset Strip that went for $7million, seven years after he bought it for the same price.

The Funk Wav Bounces artist is one of the highest-earning DJs in the world, raking in a whopping $38.5million last year, according to Forbes.

Harris previously spent six consecutive years at the top of the list, before he was dethroned by The Chainsmokers in first place and Marshmello in second.

Moving out: He sold another Hollywood Hills property of his back in February, a compound back sitting above the Sunset Strip that went for $7million, seven years after he bought it for the same price

Sugar daddy: The Funk Wav Bounces artist is one of the highest-earning DJs in the world, raking in a whopping $38.5million last year, according to Forbes
Shopify nearly doubled its revenue in the second quarter, crushing analysts' estimates as a flood of merchants moved their businesses online during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sales grew 97% to $714.3 million from the same quarter a year ago, Ottawa-based Shopify said in a statement Wednesday. Analysts had expected about $512 million, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Gross merchandise volume, a key metric that represents the value of all goods sold through Shopify's platform, surged 119% from a year earlier or to $30.1 billion. Analysts were expecting a 49% increase to $20.6 billion. Sales of food, beverages and tobacco doubled over the first quarter, the company said.

"The strength of Shopify's value proposition was on full display in our second quarter," Chief Financial Officer Amy Shapero said in the quarterly release. "We are committed to transferring the benefits of scale to our merchants, helping them sell more and sell more efficiently, which is especially critical in this rapidly changing environment."

E-commerce companies have been big winners of late, with the coronavirus closing many physical retail stores. Many analysts predict this boost will be lasting. Shopify shares jumped as much as 12.5% in early New York trading, touching a fresh high, and are up 169% this year.

New stores created on the Shopify platform grew 71% in the second quarter compared with the first quarter, driven in part by the company's decision to extend the free-trial period on standard plans from 14 days to 90 days.

Large sellers continued to migrate to Shopify Plus, resulting in a record quarter for new merchant additions to the platform.

"Strong transactional revenue, far ahead of even the highest expectations, point to Covid-19 tailwinds that are stronger at SHOP than most anticipated," said Citigroup analyst Walter Pritchard. "Key from here will be sustainability of demand from newly acquired merchants," he said in a report.

Still, the company chose not to provide forecasts for the third quarter, citing uncertainty surrounding covid-19. It said it's monitoring the impact of rising unemployment on new store creation, consumer spending habits and the rate at which brick-and-mortar merchants move online. The tech company suspended its forecast full-year forecast in April.

This year, Shopify has formed partnerships with Walmart Inc. to expand its third-party marketplace site and with Affirm Inc. to allow consumers to break purchases into a series of smaller payments -- moves aimed at stepping up competition with Amazon.com.

The company said in May that it will keep its offices largely closed for the rest of the year as it designs its space for a "digital by default" mindset, adjusting to a remote work environment.

"This also represents an opportunity for Shopify to open up, further diversify our talent pool, unconstrained by physical location," Shapero said on the earnings call today.

The company took a $31.6 million impairment charge as it exited some of its secondary offices in major cities, she said. Second-quarter results includes $37.1 million of incremental expenses related to changes in its facilities, she added.

'Right Time'

After its shares more than quadrupled in 2019, Shopify blew past Royal Bank of Canada this year to become the most valuable company in Canada's S&P/TSX Composite Index. It's the best-performing company in the index this year.

"It remains clear that Shopify is at the right place and the right time with the leading e-commerce software and services platform enabling the 'digital transformation" for thousands of businesses," said Baird analyst Colin Sebastian.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama is condemning the arrests of nine people who were protesting at the steps of the Alabama Capitol on Tuesday.

Hank Sanders, who served as a state senator for nearly 40 years, was arrested along with several others during a press conference and demonstration held by Alabama SaveOurselves (SOS) and Black Lives Matter leaders.

Demonstrators told AL.com the point of the press conference was not only to push for the expansion of Medicaid in Alabama, but to also condemn the loss and mistreatment of Black lives by law enforcement officials.

ACLU of Alabama Executive Director Randall Marshall pointed out in a press release that the arrests happened just days after the city honored civil rights icon and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who passed away on July 17.

Once again, we see Alabama police officers using the power of the government to unnecessarily seize and detain people who are exercising their constitutionally protected First Amendment right to assemble and protest, Marshall said.

While the Constitution does not explicitly protect people from legal repercussions when protesting crosses into civil disobedience, we paid tribute mere days ago to the life and legacy of Representative John Lewis, a man dedicated to peaceful civil disobedience. His phrase good trouble was called that precisely because protesting unjust laws means breaking those laws. Nevertheless, we have seen time and again that change does not happen without protesters who are willing to accept these consequences in order to upend the status quo and those who uphold it.

Montgomery police Sgt. Saba Coleman told Al.com Tuesday evening that the protesters were detained but were released with pending charges. Coleman said protesters didnt obtain a permit to paint on the street.

This is the second time SOS members have been arrested within the past few weeks.

On July 16, five SOS members spray painted the words Black lives matter and Expand Medicaid near the Capitol steps. While no one was arrested after the demonstration, warrants were issued against the SOS members hours later for defacing public property charges. City officials then painted over the spray paint.

On July 20, former Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford, Karen Jones, Faya Rose Toure, John Zippert and Juan McFarland II turned themselves in to Montgomery police for the misdemeanor charges.

After their arrests, both SOS and the ACLU said the two Black female protesters, Toure and Jones, were stripped searched, but the men were not. SOS members said in a press release that they also witnessed city jail employees without face masks and were kept in the jail for five hours for misdemeanor charges during the coronavirus pandemic.

SOS addressed these issues during Tuesdays press conference while also pushing for Medicaid expansion.

Toure, Sanders wife who was also arrested again on Tuesday, said Zippert was speaking during the event when Sanders attempted to respray paint the words Black lives matter and Expand Medicaid near the Capitol steps. Based on video obtained by Al.com, police then arrest Sanders before handcuffing two other protesters were for also participating in the spray painting.

Those who came to watch the press conference and demonstration started singing the civil rights anthem Aint Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around as more protesters were arrested. Toure said she was walking down the Capitol steps to see what was happening when an officer told her she was going to be arrested after telling her to get out the street.

He said, Im going to get you for disturbing the peace. I said, Sir, that makes no sense. Number one, Im not on the street. Im on the side of the road where cars are parked.

Toure said Another woman was arrested for questioning police about Toures arrest.

About four or five cops surrounded her and arrested her and they put chains on her feet. Shes the only one who they not only put handcuffs on, but chains on her feet, Toure said.

Toure has been criticizing the way the police department has been treating women custody since she turned herself in on July 20. In a letter addressed to Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, Toure went into detail about the strip search process she and Jones endured. She described the strip search as humiliating and challenging to her soul.

Toure sent the letter to the mayors office on Monday. City of Montgomery Public Information Director Michael Briddell said Reed hasnt seen the letter because he has been out of the office and wont be back until later this week.

After being searched, Toure said in her letter that she and Jones were given a plastic mat, a piece of soap and a roll of tissue. They were then placed in a jail cell, where police informed them that they would be released soon.

So why were we being treated like hardened dangerous criminals suspected of drugs or guns, Toure wrote in her letter, The only reason to justify such an intrusive search on our bodies was our lives did not matter.

Toure stated in her letter that the humiliation she felt was amplified after she found out that none of the men who were also arrested on July 20 were stripped searched.

I initially felt that I somehow should have been able to protect myself from this humiliation and abuse, Toure wrote. But I now realize I am not different from women throughout history who have been blamed for not resisting and thus made to feel responsible for their own degradation. I will not allow that to happen here.

Toure said no women were stripped searched during her second arrest on Tuesday, but she said police did strip search a white male protester. Toure believes the treatment the white protester received was in relation to her letter.

Since I wrote an open letter to the mayor telling him how humiliating it was to be stripped searched at 75 years old for what, as John Lewis would say, getting in good trouble for saving lives in Alabama, I think they decided to strip search only one of us this time to prove me wrong and he was white and male, Toure said.

Toure said she was disappointed by Tuesdays arrests. She said protesters were doing what Reed encouraged citizens to do the day after Lewis death, which was to honor Lewis legacy by getting into good trouble whenever injustice is present.

The mayor said we have to get in good trouble and all we were doing today was putting pressure on this governor, who is a woman, to pass Medicaid to save lives in Alabama  Black, white, brown, all lives, Toure said. And what happens? We get jailed again.
Initially, some Trump aides said they did not like the idea of him wearing a mask publicly because they believed it would be bad politically and make the president look weak. They thought it might lead others to panic or think the pandemic was worse than it was. There were also fears among some in the presidents circle that his supporters would rebel against anything that smacked of a government directive.
Ministers have today signed a multi-million pound deal with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur for 60million doses of another potential Covid-19 vaccine.

Number 10 has now secured four different types of experimental coronavirus jabs, giving the UK access to a total of 250million doses  enough to allow everyone in Britain to have four each, if they work.

Scientists have yet to trial GSK/Sanofi's vaccine on humans and studies to prove it works won't begin until September. Other contenders purchased by Number 10 have already shown signs of promise in tests.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the jab  bought in a deal rumoured to cost 500million  could be given to high-risk Britons as early as the first half of next year, if it passes trials.

Britain last month began shoring up stocks of experimental jabs all over the world in its spread-betting approach in the hope that at least one of them will pay off.

Health chiefs hope the Oxford University vaccine it has agreed to buy  considered one of the front-runners in the global race to end the pandemic  could even be ready before the end of the year.

The deal has been signed with GlaxoSmithKline (pictured) and Sanofi Pasteur

WHAT FOUR VACCINES HAVE THE UK SECURED DEALS WITH? 1. GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur: 60million doses The Government revealed on July 29 it had signed a deal with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi Pasteur If the vaccine proves successful, the UK could begin to vaccinate priority groups, such as frontline health and social care workers and those at increased risk from coronavirus, as early as the first half of next year, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said. Human clinical studies of the vaccine will begin in September followed by a phase 3 study in December. 2. AstraZeneca (manufacturing University of Oxford's): 100million AstraZeneca, which is working in partnership with Oxford University, is already manufacturing the experimental vaccine after a deal was struck on May 17. Professor Sarah Gilbert, who is leading the Oxford team, is confident the jab could be ready for the most vulnerable people by the end of the year. Her comments came after the results from the first phase, published in The Lancet on July 20, showed promise. 3. BioNTech/Pfizer: 30million US drug giant Pfizer  famous for Viagra  and German firm BioNTech were revealed to have secured a deal with the UK Government on July 20. It reported positive results from the ongoing phase 2/3 clinical trial of one called BNT162b1 on July 1. The company is still running phase 2 trials at the moment. 4. Valneva: 60million The Government has given Valneva  whose vaccine is understood to be in the preclinical stages of development  an undisclosed amount of money to expand its factory in Livingston, Scotland. While the Government revealed a 60million dose deal on July 20, the company said it had reached agreement in principle with the UK government to provide up to 100million doses. Advertisement

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: 'Our scientists and researchers are racing to find a safe and effective vaccine at a speed and scale never seen before.

'While this progress is truly remarkable, the fact remains that there are no guarantees.

'In the meantime, it is important that we secure early access to a diverse range of promising vaccine candidates, like GSK and Sanofi, to increase our chances of finding one that works so we can protect the public and save lives.'

A vaccine is considered crucial to ending the pandemic, which has so far led to the deaths of almost 660,000 people.

It would be the only way to promise people protection against catching the coronavirus, by triggering an immune response which the body remembers how to strike up again if it is infected with the real virus in future.

But until a jab is proven to be safe and effective, controlling cases relies on social distancing, regular hand washing and wearing face masks.

Governments know this is not a long-term solution to the disease because prevention measures and lockdowns have crippled economies, causing thousands of job losses and sparking warnings of the worst recession in 300 years.

Scientists are racing to find a vaccine that will protect millions, with 25 already being tested in humans and 140 in pre-clinical trials.

The Government's deal with GSK/Sanofi allegedly costs 500million, The Sunday Times reported earlier this month, which will be paid in stages as the vaccine progresses through clinical trials.

It is not expected to reach phase 3 trials  the last phase of testing before it can be approved for use on humans  until December.

Earlier this month, the Government secured a deal of 30million doses from BioNTech, which is working with Pfizer, and 60million from the French firm Valneva.

It is not clear exactly how much the Department of Health has paid for the vaccines, but it announced in May a 131million fund to develop vaccine-making facilities.

And it has given Valneva  whose vaccine is understood to be in the pre-clinical stages of development  an undisclosed amount of money to expand its factory in Livingston, Scotland.

A further agreement has been signed with AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford for their jab, which is in the phase 3 stage of trials, to produce 100million doses for the UK.

The Government is also working with Imperial College London to speed up their developments. Its jab started human trials in June.

Kate Bingham, chairwoman of the Government's Vaccines Taskforce, said: 'This diversity of vaccine types is important because we do not yet know which, if any, of the different types of vaccine will prove to generate a safe and protective response to Covid-19.

'Whilst this agreement is very good news, we mustn't be complacent or over-optimistic.

'The fact remains we may never get a vaccine and, if we do get one, we have to be prepared that it may not be a vaccine which prevents getting the virus, but rather one that reduces symptoms.'

The Government said almost 72,000 people have volunteered in the past week to receive information about joining clinical studies to find a vaccine but many more are needed.

People can sign up for the NHS Covid-19 vaccine research registry. Ministers hope to get 500,000 people signed up by October.

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, visiting a Sanofi Pasteur laboratory last month

MODERNA'S VACCINE PREVENTS COVID-19 IN MONKEYS Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine prevented the coronavirus from replicating in the noses and lungs of monkeys, a study published yesterday revealed. Two doses of an experimental vaccine made by the US firm induced robust immune responses and rapidly controlled the coronavirus, findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine said. It prevented the virus from replicating in the nose and lungs - seen as particularly crucial in preventing it from being transmitted onward to others. The candidate vaccine, mRNA-1273, was co-developed by scientists at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center and at Moderna. In the animal study, three groups of eight rhesus macaques received either a placebo or the vaccine at two different dose levels - 10 micrograms and 100 micrograms. All vaccinated macaques produced high levels of neutralizing antibodies detected in the blood, with those receiving high dose levels producing antibodies at levels higher than those found in humans who have recovered from the disease. The authors reported that the vaccine also induced the production of a different immune cell known as T-cells that may have helped boost the overall response. Four weeks after the monkeys received their second injection, they were exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, both through the nose and directly to the lungs via a tube. Remarkably, after two days, no replicating virus was detectable in the lungs of seven out of eight of the macaques in both vaccinated groups. Moreover, none of the eight macaques vaccinated had detectable virus in their noses two days after virus exposure. But all eight placebo-injected animals continued to have replicating virus in the lung. This is the first time an experimental COVID-19 vaccine tested in nonhuman primates has been shown to produce such rapid viral control in the upper airway, the investigators said. The results of the animal study published today complement recently reported phase 1 clinical trial on humans. Scientists are speeding ahead to start a 30,000-person trial later this month to prove the vaccine really is strong enough to protect against the coronavirus. Advertisement

The vaccine produced by GSK and Sanofi, which together have the largest vaccine manufacturing capability in the world, is based on the existing technology used to produce Sanofi's seasonal flu vaccine.

Genetic material from the surface protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is inserted into insect cells  the basis of Sanofis influenza product.

The 'spike' protein is what the virus uses to bind with cells in the body to invade them and has become the focus of scientific research.

The vaccines aim to prime the bodys immune system to bind to the protein and disable the virus before it takes hold in the body.

An adjuvant  an ingredient added to enhance the immune response  will be added to the vaccine. This part is made by GSK.

An adjuvant can reduce the amount of vaccine protein required per dose, which allows more vaccine doses to be made quicker.

The combination of a protein-based antigen together with an adjuvant is well-established and used in a number of vaccines, including for shingles and hepatitis B.

Roger Connor, president of GSK Vaccines, said: 'We believe that this adjuvanted vaccine candidate has the potential to play a significant role in overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic, both in the UK and around the world.

'We thank the UK Government for confirmation of purchasing intent, which supports the significant investment we are already making as a company to scale up development and production of this vaccine.'

The science behind Oxford and Imperial's vaccine also attempt hinges on recreating the 'spike' proteins that are found all over the outside of the Covid-19 viruses.

Both will attempt to recreate or mimic these spikes inside the body but have different ways of achieving this effect.

AstraZeneca, which is working in partnership with Oxford University, is already manufacturing a vaccine in the hope that it will work.

Professor Sarah Gilbert, who is leading the Oxford team, is confident the jab could be ready for the most vulnerable people by the end of the year.

Her comments came after the results from the first phase, published in The Lancet on July 20, showed promise.

After being given to 543 people, the jab was shown to provoke an immune reaction that lasts for at least two months.

The vaccine boosted two types of immunity  antibodies, which are disease-fighting substances; and T-cell immunity, with T cells able to produce antibodies and also to attack viruses themselves.

Meanwhile Valneva, the French company developing a vaccine which has not reached clinical trial, is creating a jab based on injecting people with dead versions of the coronavirus.

This is called an inactivated whole virus vaccine and works by injecting the virus itself but versions that have been damaged in a lab so that they cannot infect human cells.

Kate Bingham, chairwoman of the Government's Vaccines Taskforce, hailed the deal

VACCINE 'WON'T BE READY BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF 2021' A German government minister said on Wednesday that a coronavirus vaccine was unlikely to be widely available before the middle of next year. Research Minister Anja Karliczek told a news conference: 'We must continue to assume that vaccines for the broader population will only be available from the middle of next year at the earliest.' Germany awarded grants to three biotech companies - BioNtech , CureVac and IDT Biologika - to help them speed up the development of coronavirus vaccine candidates. 'All three of them are promising candidates but we must of course always expect setbacks during the testing phase because it's one thing to have an effective vaccine but it's another to have a safe vaccine that people want,' Ms Karliczek said. Her comments came amid fears Germany is beginning to see a possible 'second wave' of the deadly virus. Europe's largest economy has reported a rise in infections in recent days, with the head of Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases blaming negligence and saying it was unclear if a second wave was underway. 'We should not expect a miracle', Ms Karliczek said, calling for people to maintain social distancing and mask-wearing to avoid jeopardising what Germany had achieved in recent weeks in terms of bringing the pandemic under control. Advertisement

They can be damaged using heat, chemicals or radiation.

Even though the viruses are inactivated the body still recognises them as threats and mounts and immune response against them which can develop immunity.

The BioNTech vaccine, on the other hand, is one which injects RNA - genetic material - which codes the body to produce proteins that look like the spike proteins that would be found on the outside of the real coronavirus.

Pfizer, the drug giant working with BioNTech, reported positive preliminary results from the ongoing phase I/II clinical trial of its main candidate, called BNT162b1, on July 1.

Tests on 24 volunteers showed that it was well tolerated and produced dose dependent immunity.

Dr Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer's head of vaccine research and development, said the vaccine 'is able to produce neutralizing antibody responses in humans at or above the levels observed' in Covid-19 survivors.

Yesterday US pharmaceutical company Moderna revealed more hopeful study results from animal research, having already revealed humans in their studies are showing signs of immunity.

The company has not secured a deal with the UK Government but is speeding ahead towards a 30,000-person trial later this month to prove the vaccine really is strong enough to protect against the coronavirus.

Findings published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed monkeys who were given the vaccine showed a strong immune response against SARS-CoV-2.

Scientists were unable to find detectable levels of replicating virus in the lungs of seven out of eight of the macaques in vaccinated groups after they had been exposed. None of the eight macaques vaccinated had detectable virus in their noses.

However, all eight placebo-injected animals continued to have replicating virus in the lung.

It comes after experts at the Massachusetts-based firm said human participants in their trial all successfully developed antibodies as well as T cells.

The vaccine works by tricking the body into thinking it's infected with Covid-19 and causing it to produce immune substances that have the ability to destroy it.

Moderna was the first US company to start human testing of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus on March 16, 66 days after the genetic sequence of the pathogen was released.

Russia claims it's on track to approve Covid-19 vaccine in less than two weeks, despite concerns over safety Russia has claimed that it will be able to approve a coronavirus vaccine in less than two weeks, despite concerns over its safety and effectiveness. It is also unclear whether the country has cut corners in developing the vaccine. Officials told CNN they are working to get the vaccine approved by August 10 and frontline healthcare workers will be given it first. It is being developed at the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow. The head of the Russian vaccine financing company, Kirill Dmitriev, compared the country's claims of nearing completion with the vaccine to Sputnik - the world's first satellite union launched in 1957. Russia has released no scientific data on its vaccine testing and it's impossible to find whether the alleged vaccine is safe. Critics have said the country's pushing or a vaccine is as a result of pressure to make Russia into a global scientific force. There are also wide concerns the human testing of the vaccine is incomplete. According to CNN, the Russian vaccine is yet to complete its second phase. Developers plan to complete that phase by August 3, and then conduct the third phase of testing at the same time as vaccinating medical workers. Russian officials say their scientific data will be made available for peer review and publication in early August. Dmitriev said: 'Russia marshalled its leadership position in vaccine development and its proven Ebola and MERS vaccine platform to bring the first safe and efficient solution to the world's biggest problem'. The World Health Organization says there is no approved vaccine for MERS. Advertisement
ALBANY  Seven Capital Region bars and restaurants are among the 443 businesses statewide that have been cited by the State Liquor Authority since mid-March for not following regulations instituted as part of the response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Charges against all seven were leveled in April and May for allegedly violating the state's mandate at the time that bars and restaurants offer only takeout and delivery of alcohol. In the Capital Region, outdoor dining didn't resume until early June, with service in dining rooms and at bars being allowed later in the month. Earlier this month, in response to crowds of alcohol drinkers in front of bars, mostly in New York City, Cuomo instituted a statewide edict that food be ordered with all initial alcohol purchases at bars and restaurants, and that their patrons be seated when consuming alcohol.

The cited businesses are Arsenal City Tavern in Watervliet, Dee Dees Tavern in Latham, Dozers Bar and Grill in Ballston Spa, Greenbush Inn in East Greenbush, Jonathans Pizza & Italian Cuisine in Duanesburg, Marios Restaurant & Pizzeria in Niskayuna and River Road House Bar & Grill in Rotterdam Junction.

The charges against the local establishments don't give details of the individual alleged offenses. Each of the charges for violating Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive order temporarily banning on-premises consumption of alcohol, in effect in the Capital Region from March 16 through June 4, was accompanied by a second charge for what the SLA calls failure to supervise the conduct of the licensed business. The charges have a maximum penalty of the loss of a liquor license, though that rarely happens for initial offenses unless the alleged incidents are judged egregious. Penalties more typically are fines and/or a short suspension of a liquor license.

The state's enforcement of coronavirus-related regulations for alcohol sales has ramped up recently, with a new task force conducting nearly 1,100 compliance checks in three days last week. Those visits resulted in 84 citations being issued and the SLA suspending the liquor licenses of 10 New York City and Long Island bars and restaurants, according to the governor's office. SLA Chairman Vincent Bradley personally conducted three of the inspections last week that led to license suspensions, the governor's office said. The SLA board met Monday to issue more suspensions, a spokesman said, who said details of the suspensions will be released later Tuesday. None of the suspensions are for businesses in the Capital Region, according to the spokesman.

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

"We're watching the bar and restaurant violations and the congregations in front of these establishments, as we believe it's connected to the increased infection rate with young people," Cuomo said in a statement. "We've tasked the State Liquor Authority and the State Police to help local governments more aggressively enforce the law, and they are doing just that."

The SLA and State Police are leading the task force, with assistance from local authorities and investigators from the state departments of health, financial services, motor vehicles, taxation and finance, agriculture and markets and the New York State Insurance Fund, the governor's office said.

In the greater Capital Region, three businesses have had their liquor licenses suspended for coronavirus-related offenses. The SLA pre-emptively suspended the licenses of Liberty Ridge Farm in Schaghticoke and Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon after they refused to modify plans for Fourth of July events that did not comply with restrictions on capacity and social distancing, according to the SLA. The agency spokesman said the suspensions were lifted afterward and no charges were filed. In June, Loopies Pub in Tribes Hill, between Amsterdam and Johnstown, paid a $10,000 fine to get back a liquor license suspended in May, according to SLA records.
Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture has reiterated governments recognition to the potentials abounds in the Creative Arts industry and the Tourism Sector in general hence, the various package outlined for them.



She said the aim of all these incentive packages into the tourism and creative arts sector, was to revamp the sector to become buoyant and translate into Ghana's GDP growth, by creating employment opportunity for the the Ghanaian citizenry.



The Minister made this observation at a stakeholders meeting with the leadership of the creative arts industry, in Accra.



She said the meeting was to collate views on how to help practitioners in the creative arts space to access government Stimulus Package as announced by the Minister for Finance during his Mid-year Budget review.



She said the GHc 50 million earmarked by government for the sector was a welcoming news to cushion the industry and her outfit would further engage the Finance Ministry to tailor in the appropriate modalities that would be suitable for the sector to access the Fund.



Mrs Oteng- Gyasi charged practitioners who would want to access the facility to endeavour to liaise with the Ghana Revenue Authority to generate Tax Identification Number(TIN) for them to qualify for the package.



She also urged the leadership of the practitioners to fashion out the appropriate modalities that would help the Ministry engage with the Finance Ministry such that the larger segment of them would qualify for the fund.



Mr. Divine Owusu- Ansah, World Bank Project Coordinator of the Tourism Ministry, said for practitioners to be qualified to apply for the package, they must satisfy certain requirements.



"Amongst other things, the applicant must be a Ghanaian, registered with the Registrar- General's Depatment, and must also register with the Ghana Tourism Authority", he noted.



President of the Ghana Association of the Visual Artists, Nana Atuo Owouhene Achampong appealed to the Minister, to get a technical team to look into the suitable mechanism for practitioners to qualify for the package offered by the government to the industry.



He expressed appreciation to government and the Sector Minister for their relentless commitment to turn the economic fortunes of Ghana's Tourism industry.

Source: GNA









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LANSING (AP)  Michigans top election official is urging people with an absentee ballot to return it to their local clerks office or drop box instead of using the mail to ensure its counted in the Aug. 4 statewide primary.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson gave the guidance Tuesday, a week before the election. A ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Night to be counted.

Voters can return their ballot to the drop box in their city or township. A list can be found online.

Benson also said all absentee ballot requests should be made in person at the clerks office. Voters should prepare to both request and vote their ballot in the same visit, due to the possibility of postal delays.

Nearly 2 million absentee ballots had been issued as of Tuesday, 3.6 times the 546,000 that were issued at the same point in 2016. About 903,000 had been returned, a nearly threefold increase from four years ago.

Absentee voting is on the rise following the approval of no-reason absentee voting in 2018 and is being emphasized as a safer option than in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
Diane Abbotts son had crystal meth delivered to her home when she was Shadow Home Secretary, a court heard yesterday.

The diplomat is then said to have chased her around her 1.2million home with scissors, claiming he had a gun in his dressing gown pocket.

James Abbott-Thompson was high on a cocktail of drugs when he started threatening his mother with violence. He then went on a drug-induced rampage, attacking nine police officers, doctors, nurses and security guards at various hospitals.

Yesterday it emerged the rising star had been hooked on drugs even before he joined the Foreign Office fast-track scheme in 2014.

Diane Abbotts son, James Abbot-Thompson (pictured) had crystal meth delivered to her 1.2million home when she was Shadow Home Secretary, a court heard yesterday

Wood Green Crown Court heard the Cambridge graduate had been taking crystal meth, the chemsex drug GBL and cocaine since 2013. At just 27, he was posted to the British Embassy in Rome as first secretary for exiting the EU, advising Britons in Italy on their post-Brexit rights.

But his addiction and mental health issues ended his career.

Yesterday the ex-diplomat was handed an indefinite hospital order and banned from entering the Foreign Office after attacking police officers there and throwing a stone at a member of the public when he was refused entry after being sacked last summer. Prosecutor Benn Maguire told the court the Labour MP was chased around her home by her son who said he had a gun in his pocket, although no gun was later found.

Police were called to her home in East London on July 26 last year to find Abbott-Thompson naked except for a dressing gown making wild claims of being raped by someone at the Home Office, and yelling at officers: Stop raping me.

Miss Abbott locked herself in a room and Abbott-Thompson bit a police officer then tried to escape from an ambulance. Mr Maguire said the 999 call about the gun and the scissors, which formed the basis of several officer witness statements, came from Diane Abbott herself.

He went on: The officers had information that he had had crystal meth delivered to the home address and police officers later found items consistent with crystal meth in Mr Abbotts room. He was assessed as suffering from a drug-induced psychosis and sectioned.

But he went on to carry out a terrifying series of attacks in various London hospitals, beating up a two nurses, a doctor, a therapist and five police officers.

Abbott-Thompson threw punches and kicks at one mental health nurse after telling her: I will get you. A security guard who tried to protect her was punched and kicked in the head and hand.

On another occasion, he smashed a female nurses glasses, saying: Bitch you think you are white? You want some of this? Another doctor was doused with a bowl of hot custard and later a canteen tray was used to hit a female therapist.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott appearing on the BBC One current affairs programme, The Andrew Marr Show, in December 2017

On November 29 Abbott-Thompson turned up unannounced at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and asked to see a welfare officer. When told they werent there, he flew into rage and went on to attack two police officers. He also hurled a stone from a flower pot at a member of the public in reception.

Sarah Elliott, QC, defending, said the 28-year-old had been self-medicating due to mental health issues, revealing his mother had first taken him to a child psychologist as early as 13. Miss Abbott made headlines when she decided to send him to the 10,000-a year City of London School in 2003 after criticising colleagues for choosing private schools.She was not in court yesterday.

Her sons lawyer presented character references from his godfather Jonathan Aitken and the Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy.

At an earlier hearing he pleaded guilty to 12 assaults, racially aggravated criminal damage, making threats and exposing himself.

Yesterday Judge Aaronberg QC told him: You were a model citizen, you had a good education, a good degree and good employment. You need to resist the temptation of taking illicit drugs in the future.
Benjamin Dimongso has commended the good people of Nakpanduri-Bunkpurugu constituency for coming out to support him on his out-dooring as the parliament candidate for Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) in the constituency.

The grandson of the late Naa Bagamsa Dimongso paid a courtesy call on the Nakpanduri, Najong 1 and Binde chiefs to present himself and seek their blessings.

His grandfather Pib-Rana, the late Naa Bagamsa Dimongso, was part of the chiefs and representatives of chiefs who formed the Northern Peoples Party (NPP) in 1953, a precursor to the modern day New Patriotic Party (NPP), to represent the interest of the chiefs and peoples of the north and to ensure that peoples of the north were part of the political development leading to the attainment of independence in the near future.

Electorates have predicted doom for the NPP and NDC due to the introduction LPG Nakpanduri-Bunkpurugu Constituency candidate because he comes from Binde which is always seen as the decider for the general elections.

The 26-year old parliamentary candidate who specialized in research and rural community development boosted of implementing several projects in the areas of women empowerment and child Empowerment in the Nakpanduri-Bunkpurugu district.

The youth of Nakpanduri-Bunkpurugu saw that, Im capable and have the potential to represent them in parliament unlike those who have already gone and have no record to show to the people of Nakpanduri-Bunkpurugu

The LPG Nakpanduri-Bunkpurugu said that he is a young man who understands issues of development and have been in the constituency for several years, thus have been implementing projects that aim at empowering women and children.

He debunked claims of NDC and NPP supporting him, stating that both party's nothing to do with his decision.

If we are talking about development, its about research and technology, how many of the past and current member of parliaments can do research and for that matter understands the issues of development in our constituencies?

It is for this reason, the youth supports and want me to lead them in the LGP party and bring development closure to the people.

---Daily Guide
The Belgian protection authority has handed Google a record fine for breach EU privacy regulations. Bloomberg reports that Google has received a 600,000 euros ($681,400) fine for its behaviour.

The fine was for failing to delete links regulators deemed harmful to a persons reputation. The breaches the European Unions right to be forgotten regulation.

This comes in the midst of quite a chaotic week for Google. First, an Australian regulator accused the company of failing to abide by data privacy regulations. It has also emerged how the company has lobbied federal policy over recent years. This latest blow will come as the last thing Google wants to see.

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Record Privacy Fine For Google

The report by the Belgian data protection authority found that Google was grossly negligent in its behaviour. By not removing links to articles that involved unproven harassment claims the company was in breach of regulations.

This, in essence, meant that Google did not do enough to protect those that had had their reputations unfairly damaged in the past. These articles surfaced 10 years ago but Google had allowed them to stay despite the fact that the claims were unproven.

The Belgian authority said this was the largest fine it has ever imposed. A private individual backed the complaint who reportedly plays a role in Belgian public life. This person sought to remove these links in what regulators called political labelling

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Google continues to fight right to be forgotten regulation

The EU brought in the right to be forgotten regulation back in 2014. This forced Google to remove links to websites that contain out of date or false information that could unfairly harm a persons reputation.

Since then the company has fought many top European regulators over the imposition of this clause. Google responded to the decision in an emailed statement. The company said, We didnt believe this case met the European Court of Justices criteria for delisting published journalism from search.

It also went on to point out that we thought it was in the publics interest that this reporting remain searchable. However, Alphabet Inc., Googles parent company, said it planned to challenge the decision.

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In doing so it hoped that they could strike a sensible, principled balance between peoples rights of access to information and privacy.

The behaviour surrounding privacy issues are coming increasingly under scrutiny. Man big tech companies are facing pressure to reform their practices to fall in line with expectations. How this all plays out in the next few months could have a huge impact on well-known companies such as Google, Amazon, Facebook and others.
The New Education Policy will boost equity and access and provide education to millions of people, higher education secretary Amit Khare told Amandeep Shukla in an interview. Edited excerpts:

What impact will the NEP have in the short and long run?

The NEP will have major impact on access, equity and quality, all three of them. One, the universalisation of school education will be up to Class 12. More than two crore children will be brought to back to school. In higher education, access will be improved. The GER [gross enrolment ratio] will be raised from 26% to 50% which would mean another 3.5 crore seats. Multidisciplinary colleges including vacation and general education will improve the quality of learning. Similarly, research will be improved by the formation of the National Research Foundation (NRF). For improving equity, there will be gender inclusion fund. For SC [scheduled caste], ST [scheduled tribe] and other disadvantaged sections, the policy has recommended provisions. For backward regions, the policy advocates Special Education Zones. Thanks is due to Dr K Kasturirangan and his team for drafting it.

Also read | New Education Policy 2020 Highlights: Key takeaways of NEP to make India a global knowledge superpower

The NEP moots a single regulator. What will happen to existing regulators UGC and AICTE?

Their functions will be redefined and they will be merged into the single regulator. A bill will be moved in the parliament for the formation of the HECI [Higher Education Commission of India]. There will be a repeal and saving clause in the bill. That bill is under process. Consultations are required, so may be in winter session it will be there.

The NEP also allows foreign universities to come to India. Can you elaborate?

Only the top 100 (foreign varsities). Indian universities quality will be improved so that they attract foreign students. Indian universities that are in the Top 100 will be allowed to set up campuses abroad. And since, we are allowing our universities to go abroad, we are also allowing top 100 world universities into India. Right now deemed universities, there are restrictions on having campuses, so regulatory provisions will be changed for Indian institutions to have campuses abroad.

The policy says IITs will be encouraged to teach non-science subjects to turn multidisciplinary. Will it not dilute their core strengths?

It actually improves. The quality of research improves when it is multidisciplinary. For instance, Covid has a medical side, a scientific side and also a social side about behavioural change. So if an institutions is looking at all (aspects), it will be more effective than only doctors doing the treatment or only sociologists looking at behavioural change. That ways multidisciplinary institutions will be better.

What is the status of National Research Foundation?

It is at an advanced stage. It will have 10 wings. Social science also has been included as a wing. A note has been circulated by the Principal Scientific Advisor.

The initial draft had suggested that breakfast also be provided in schools?

It has been included. It was felt cooking may not be easy early in the morning. So nutritious supplements like chana [gram] may be given.

Foreign universities have been allowed, but will there be systems to ensure there is no commercialization?

Any university coming here, policy clearly says commercialization will be curbed. If there is any surplus it will have to be invested in education sector. Funds cannot be taken out of education. Somebody makes money and then starts making telephones or opens transport business, that is not allowed.
Federal officers will start pulling out of Portland on Thursday in a phased withdrawal and state troopers will arrive instead to help safeguard the federal courthouse downtown that has become a national symbol of political conflict as well as a focal point for protests calling for consequential police reform.

Gov. Kate Brown made the announcement in a statement Wednesday and described the federal officers as an occupying force that has refused accountability and brought strife to our community.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad F. Wolf, in a separate announcement, said he had been in talks with the governor in the last day and agreed to a joint plan to end the violent activity in Portland directed at federal properties and law enforcement.

But he tempered the statement later in a call with the media, saying federal law enforcement officers will remain in Portland. Let me repeat: Our entire law enforcement presence that is currently in Portland yesterday and the previous week will remain in Portland until we are assured that the courthouse and other federal facilities will no longer be attacked nightly and set afire.

He pledged to re-evaluate conditions over time and surge up or surge down depending on the circumstances on the ground.

Wolf said Brown reached out to him after she had talked with Vice President Mike Pence about the coronavirus pandemic and the protests. He said he welcomed the governors decision to allow state police to help Portland police secure the streets around the courthouse and coordinate with the Federal Protective Service officers inside the courthouse, as should have been the case from the start.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump sent a message on Twitter, contending that, If the Federal Government and its brilliant Law Enforcement (Homeland) didnt go into Portland one week ago, there would be no Portland -- It would be burned and beaten to the ground.

The development comes as the city marks the 62nd day of consecutive demonstrations after the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets to decry police brutality and systemic racism. Most of the demonstrations focused on the Multnomah County Justice Center next to the federal courthouse and had begun to wane until early this month.

On July 3, some in the crowd tried to barricade the front doors of the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse and they shattered. President Trump sent 114 federal officers from the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to bolster Federal Protective Service workers at the courthouse.

Since then, the number of people demonstrating has swelled as have the demands for the extra contingent of federal officers to go home. Brown and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler have repeatedly condemned the federal presence as Trump, Wolf and U.S. Attorney General William Barr have said the officers must stay until violent clashes at the courthouse stop.

The downtown protest scene typically devolves late at night as some protesters lob fireworks, bottles and cans at the courthouse and the officers, shine lasers in their eyes and try to dismantle a reinforced fence installed outside the courthouse. Federal tactical officers, many dressed in camouflage fatigues, respond with aggressive force, firing tear gas and impact munitions into the crowds and pushing people several blocks away. Some recent protests have drawn more than 5,000 people.

Starting Thursday, all Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will leave downtown Portland, Brown said.

After discussions with the Vice President and administration officials this week, the federal government has agreed to my demand and will withdraw these officers from Portland. They will also clean up the Courthouse, removing the graffiti, Brown said in a statement.

While state police and the Federal Protective Service will be responsible for the exterior of the courthouse, a limited number of federal officials, including U.S. Marshals Service and Federal Protective Service officers who provide building security year-round, will remain focused on the interior of the building, she said.

I have grown increasingly concerned at the nightly confrontation between local community members and federal officers, Brown said. We need to recognize that the protests in Portland are not solely about the federal presence. They started before federal agents descended on our city and they will likely continue after they leave.

Wheeler said he appreciated the governors leadership and willingness to allow state police to assist in the city. In the last month, Brown had declined Portland police requests for state troopers to back them up for crowd control during the protests, concerned about local police tactics that had come under criticism.

The federal occupation of our community has brought a new kind of fear to our streets, Wheeler said in a statement. Federal agents nearly killed a demonstrator, and their presence has led to increased violence and vandalism in our downtown core. The daily coverage of their actions has distracted our community from the Black voices at the center of this movement, and the urgent work of reform.

Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton, in an email to his officers Wednesday morning, said he had been very reluctant to expose the agencys mobile response team and SWAT troopers to the Portland protests under the current climate.

But he said, Simply put, our law enforcement partners and the community needs OSPs assistance -- which we will provide.

State police special operation teams and some uniformed troopers will start a two-week rotation to help the Federal Protective Service and the Portland Police Bureau.

We will serve fixed locations at the Federal Courthouse and at mobile locations within the city, Hampton said. They will have the appropriate means to do their jobs and stay as safe as possible -- but all eyes of the nation will be on us, particularly when we supplant federal officers at the courthouse in an effort to bring down the protest temperature. It is not a stage we wished to be on, but we will do our part for Oregon. Well do our best.

State police will draw about 100 people from offices across the state to go to Portland. Theyll primarily be troopers from the state police special operation team, as well as logistical support and command staff. The state police will work in cooperation with federal officers and Portland police but report to state police command staff in joint command centers, according to state police spokesperson Mindy McCartt.

Hamptons direction to his troopers is to facilitate free speech to the best of their ability and present a restrained and proportional response to observed criminal conduct, McCartt said.

Community support and communication is obviously imperative for OSPs involvement to offer any chance at success,' she added.

Wheeler said state police, Portland police and the Multnomah County will continue working together to keep Portlanders safe.

The Governor and I have given clear direction: we expect that they will continue engaging only if there is violent criminal activity, he said.

Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said he welcomed the state police assistance to de-escalate the situation, noting that the Police Bureau trains with the state police crowd management team. Portland police, also denounced for their use of tear gas against peaceful demonstrators, face court-ordered restrictions to use tear gas and impact munitions only when lives or public safety are at risk.

Federal officers face multiple lawsuits for firing rubber bullets, pepper balls, pepper spray and tear gas that have injured medics, journalists, legal observers and demonstrators.

Federal officials also are investigating the shooting of 26-year-old Donavan La Bella earlier this month and the baton beating of Navy veteran Christopher Davis.

La Bella, who returned to the hospital this week suffering complications from his wound, was shot in the forehead with an impact munition fired by a federal officer outside the courthouse as he was holding a music speaker above his head. A deputy U.S. marshal repeatedly hit David as he tried to speak with federal officers.

Wolf said there have been more than 245 law enforcement injuries, ranging from minor bruises to concussions and broken bones. Since July 4, either the Federal Protective Service or the Portland Police Bureau have declared 16 unlawful assemblies or riots, he said.

A lawsuit Monday challenged the Homeland Security secretarys authority to direct federal officers in his acting role as head of the department. Many civil rights authorities also have argued that the federal forces have overstepped their jurisdiction under the Homeland Security Act by making arrests blocks from the courthouse, sweeping the citys Lownsdale Square across the street and pressing crowds several blocks away from the federal building.

Oregons Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum last week was unsuccessful in her attempt to convince a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order to restrict federal tactics. She presented evidence of two people who were taken off the street by officers in camouflage and placed in an unmarked van to be questioned without facing charges. But U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman found that the states case was too weak.

Oregons Democratic U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley praised the exit of the federal forces but Wyden said hell closely monitor whether whats promised actually occurs and is not the administrations usual penchant for fiction. He said hes concerned theres no specific timeline for a full withdrawal.

Thats a loophole big enough to drive an armored personnel carrier through. Bottom line, this occupation should never have happened, he wrote in a Twitter message.

Portlands mayor and City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty had urged Wolf to personally meet in Portland with them to discuss a so-called cease fire and removal of the federal officers. Sonia Schmanski, one of Wheelers deputy chiefs of staff, said federal authorities acknowledged the request earlier this week but said nothing more.

I think it was becoming clear to everybody that the situation on the ground here was unsustainable and that state resources were going to be a necessary part of the agreement with the feds to leave, Schmanski said. Were just glad theres a deal.

After Wednesdays announcement, Wheeler said during a news conference with the mayors of Seattle, Albuquerque, Oakland and Philadelphia that federal authorities spoke directly only with the governors office and information was relayed back to the city.

He said the governor had a number of conversations with federal authorities and the city was looped in on Tuesday.

While Wheeler said hes pleased weve reclaimed Portland or will soon,' he added:

We would do well to remember that this movement is not about the legal right of federal law enforcement to operate in our cities. Its about the urgent and necessary work of criminal justice, racial justice and policing reform.

Staff Writer Everton Bailey Jr. contributed to this story.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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HOUSTON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (NYSE: COG) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular dividend of ten cents ($0.10) per share on the Company's common stock. The dividend will be paid on August 27, 2020 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 13, 2020.

Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas is a leading independent natural gas producer, with its entire resource base located in the continental United States. For additional information, visit the Company's homepage at www.cabotog.com.

CONTACT

Matt Kerin (281) 589-4642

SOURCE Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation

Related Links

http://www.cabotog.com


ATLANTA, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Marine Products Corporation (NYSE: MPX) announced its unaudited results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. Marine Products is a leading manufacturer of fiberglass boats under three brand names: Chaparral, Robalo and Vortex. Chaparral's sterndrive models include SSi and SSX, along with the Chaparral Surf Series. Chaparral's outboard offerings include OSX Luxury Sportboats, the 257 SSX OB, SSi outboard models and SunCoast Sportdecks. Robalo builds an array of outboard sport fishing boats, which include center consoles, dual consoles and Cayman Bay Boat models. Chaparral also offers jet powered boats under the Vortex brand name.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2020, Marine Products generated net sales of $40,818,000, a 54.0 percent decrease compared to record net sales of $88,696,000 in the same period of the prior year. The decrease in net sales was due to a 57.9 percent reduction in the number of units sold during the quarter as compared to the prior year. Unit sales declined in every product category due to the temporary suspension of manufacturing operations for five weeks during the quarter. Average selling price per boat during the second quarter rose by 7.8 percent due to a favorable model mix.

Gross profit for the second quarter of 2020 was $7,831,000, a 61.7 percent decrease compared to gross profit of $20,424,000 in the same period of the prior year. Gross margin was 19.2 percent of net sales in the second quarter of 2020 compared to 23.0 percent in the second quarter of 2019. Gross margin as a percentage of net sales declined due to manufacturing cost inefficiencies resulting from the temporary operational suspension during the quarter, partially offset by a favorable model mix consisting of larger boats.

Operating profit for the second quarter of 2020 was $2,074,000, a decrease of 81.8 percent compared with operating profit of $11,379,000 in the second quarter of last year. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $5,757,000 in the second quarter of 2020 compared to $9,045,000 in the second quarter of 2019. The significant decrease in these expenses was due to reductions in costs that vary with sales and profitability, such as incentive compensation and warranty expense. In addition, selling, general and administrative expenses declined due to lower salaries arising from employee furloughs and reductions in other expenses due to the temporary operational suspension during the quarter. These decreases were partially offset by increases in research and development expenses as the Company continued development of new models for the 2021 model year. Selling, general and administrative expenses were 14.1 percent of net sales in the second quarter of 2020 compared to 10.2 percent of net sales during the second quarter of 2019.

Net income for the second quarter of 2020 was $1,707,000, a decrease of $7,666,000, or 81.8 percent, compared with record net income of $9,373,000 in the second quarter of 2019. Diluted earnings per share were $0.05 in the second quarter of 2020 compared to $0.27 in the second quarter of 2019. The effective tax rate for both the second quarter of 2020 and 2019 was 18.3 percent. Net sales for the six months ended June 30, 2020 were $99,937,000, a decrease of 41.8 percent compared to the first six months of 2019. Net income for the six-month period of 2020 was $5,915,000 or $0.17 diluted earnings per share, compared to net income of $16,842,000, or $0.49 diluted earnings per share in the prior year.

Richard A. Hubbell, Marine Products' President and Chief Executive Officer stated, "As we announced a few months ago, in late March we temporarily suspended manufacturing operations in response to concerns over the potential spread of COVID-19. Our Nashville, GA production facility did not resume operations until the second week in May, and as a result, our production and sales were dramatically impacted for almost half of the quarter. During this shutdown we continued with our research and development efforts, modified our marketing efforts to maintain our presence with dealers and customers, and reduced costs wherever possible. In addition, we expedited the shipment of as many boats as possible to our dealers to meet high retail demand.

"We resumed operations on May 6th at slightly higher production levels than during the first quarter. We are continuing to increase production early in the third quarter because of significantly higher dealer and consumer demand since mid-March. At the end of the second quarter, our dealer inventory was significantly lower than at the end of both the first quarter of 2020 and the second quarter of the prior year, and our order backlog was at its highest level in several years.

"It is clear that American consumers are choosing recreational boating as a safe, enjoyable outdoor activity suited for social distancing. We are very pleased to begin our 2021 model year in this favorable environment, and are working to increase production to meet this surge in demand with appealing new models. As always, we will monitor macroeconomic factors closely, and maintain a balance among high product demand, potential supply chain constraints, and our desire to produce quality products," concluded Hubbell.

Marine Products Corporation will hold a conference call today, July 29, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results for the second quarter. Interested parties may listen in by accessing a live webcast in the investor relations section of Marine Products' website at marineproductscorp.com. Additionally, the live conference call can be accessed by calling (833) 968-2235 or (825) 312-2057 for international callers, and using conference ID number 8297112. A replay will be available in the investor relations section of Marine Products' website beginning approximately two hours after the call.

Marine Products Corporation (NYSE: MPX) designs, manufactures and distributes premium-branded Chaparral sterndrive and outboard pleasure boats, Vortex jet drive boats, and Robalo outboard sport fishing boats. The Company continues to diversify its product lines through product innovation. With premium brands, a solid capital structure, and a strong independent dealer network, Marine Products Corporation is prepared to capitalize on opportunities to increase its market share and to generate superior financial performance to build long-term shareholder value. For more information on Marine Products Corporation visit our website at MarineProductsCorp.com.

Certain statements and information included in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements that look forward in time or express management's beliefs, expectations or hopes. In particular, such statements include, without limitation, the belief that American consumers are choosing recreational boating as a safe, enjoyable outdoor activity suited for social distancing. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Marine Products Corporation to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These risks include the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, its impact on the U.S. and global economy and its disruption of our supply chain and the duration of the recent increase in dealer and consumer demand. Additional discussion of factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations is contained in Marine Products' Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for the year ended December 31, 2019.

For information contact:

BEN M. PALMER JIM LANDERS Chief Financial Officer Vice President, Corporate Finance (404) 321-7910 (404) 321-2162 [email protected] [email protected]

MARINE PRODUCTS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

































































CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands except per share data)



















Period ended June 30, (Unaudited)

Second Quarter











Six Months





2020



2019

% BETTER

(WORSE)





2020



2019

% BETTER

(WORSE)

Net Sales $ 40,818

$ 88,696

(54.0) %

$ 99,937

$ 171,749

(41.8) % Cost of Goods Sold

32,987



68,272

51.7





79,999



132,626

39.7

Gross Profit

7,831



20,424

(61.7)





19,938



39,123

(49.0)

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

5,757



9,045

36.4





13,010



18,876

31.1

Operating Profit

2,074



11,379

(81.8)





6,928



20,247

(65.8)

Interest Income

15



95

(84.2)





76



152

(50.0)

Income Before Income Taxes

2,089



11,474

(81.8)





7,004



20,399

(65.7)

Income Tax Provision

382



2,101

81.8





1,089



3,557

69.4

Net Income $ 1,707

$ 9,373

(81.8) %

$ 5,915

$ 16,842

(64.9) %







































































EARNINGS PER SHARE

































Basic $ 0.05

$ 0.27

(81.5) %

$ 0.17

$ 0.49

(65.3) % Diluted $ 0.05

$ 0.27

(81.5) %

$ 0.17

$ 0.49

(65.3) %



































AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING

































Basic

33,970



34,090









33,955



34,166





Diluted

33,970



34,090









33,955



34,166







MARINE PRODUCTS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES





















CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS









At June 30, (Unaudited)

(in thousands)



2020



2019 ASSETS









Cash and cash equivalents $ 22,614

$ 12,967 Accounts receivable, net

9,568



14,752 Inventories

43,190



50,904 Income taxes receivable

154



122 Prepaid expenses and other current assets

1,642



1,389 Total current assets

77,168



80,134 Property, plant and equipment, net

14,754



15,244 Goodwill

3,308



3,308 Other intangibles, net

465



465 Pension assets

7,693



7,354 Deferred income taxes

3,810



3,688 Other assets

3,682



3,661 Total assets $ 110,880

$ 113,854











LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY









Accounts payable $ 8,710

$ 9,265 Accrued expenses and other liabilities

14,510



16,199 Total current liabilities

23,220



25,464 Long-term pension liabilities

10,577



8,770 Other long-term liabilities

515



544 Total liabilities

34,312



34,778 Common stock

3,397



3,404 Capital in excess of par value

-



- Retained earnings

75,781



78,220 Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(2,610)



(2,548) Total stockholders' equity

76,568



79,076 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 110,880

$ 113,854

SOURCE Marine Products Corporation

Related Links

http://www.marineproductscorp.com


Princess Anne's husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence has admitted he was 'surprised' to discover the Royal Family's homes are 'full of laughter' when he married into The Firm.

The Princess Royal's second husband of almost 30 years made the remarks in a new ITV documentary about his wife ahead of her 70th birthday in August, which aired tonight.

Having attended many family occasions at the Queen's Balmoral, Sandringham and Windsor Castle estates, Sir Tim, 65, said he was shocked by the amount of amusement shared at the events.

He also talked about the similarities between Anne and her 94-year-old mother - insisting his wife shares her 'humour and fun' with Her Majesty.

Princess Anne's husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence (pictured together in March 2020) has said he was 'surprised' to discover the Royal Family's homes are 'full of laughter' after marrying into The Firm

The Princess Royals second husband of almost 30 years (pictured) made the remarks in a new ITV documentary about Anne ahead of her 70th birthday, which is set to air at 9pm

Speaking on the programme, he said: 'One of the great surprises for me, when I first went to Balmoral and to Sandringham and Windsor was that these places are full of laughter.

'The similarities with her (Princess Anne's) father are much talked about, but what is less spoken about is the similarities with her mother, the Queen... the common theme is humour, fun.'

Anne's son Peter Phillips, 42, who also featured on the documentary alongside his sister Zara Tindall, 39, praised Sir Tim and Anne's relationship.

'They both have an understanding of what being a part of the wider family means and what is required,' he said, before adding: 'He's been a very strong support for [my mother].'

Sir Tim also talked about the similarities between Anne and her 94-year-old mother, the Queen (pictured together) - insisting his wife shares her 'humour and fun' with Her Majesty

During his candid interview, Sir Tim also revealed the similarities and differences he shares with his wife.

'We are both map and chart people. We like to know where we are and see where we are going,' he explained. 'We both follow, with great enthusiasm, the Scottish rugby team... as you may have noticed they don't always win.'

However there is one sport that the pair don't share a love for, and that's horse riding, with Sir Tim confessing: 'She grew up with horses, horses have been part of her life, it's not something I share with her. Sadly I've never been bitten by the horse bug.'

Anne (pictured) was followed for more than a year by film-makers for the documentary, which will feature unseen family footage and conversations with the princess herself, her children and her husband

Talking about Anne's first marriage to Captain Mark Phillips, which ended in 1992, Sir Tim also joked: 'It's quite amusing that she married first an army officer and then a naval officer. So there must be something about the military that attracts her.'

Anne and Sir Tim, 65, who live together on the royal's Gloucestershire estate Gatcombe Park, married on December 12 in 1992 at Crathie Kirk in Balmoral, Scotland.

The royal was followed for more than a year by film-makers for the documentary, which will feature unseen family footage and conversations with the princess herself, her children and her husband.

'A role model for future generations': Princess Anne is praised by viewers for her strong work ethic after ITV documentary marking her 70th birthday reveals her hectic schedule

By Jessica Green For Mailonline

Viewers have praised hardworking Princess Anne after getting a glimpse of her hectic schedule during tonight's in-depth ITV documentary about the Queen's daughter - with one branding her 'the future queen that will never be'.

The Princess Royal, 69, who lives on her Gloucestershire estate Gatcombe Park with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, 65, was followed for more than a year by the filmmakers behind Anne: The Princess Royal at 70.

Released ahead of the royal's 70th birthday in August, the documentary features unseen family footage and conversations with the princess herself, her children and her husband.

Twitters users were keen to applaud Anne for her strong work ethic while watching the programme, in which the princess quipped: 'Slow down? I thought I had slowed down.'

Viewers have praised hardworking Princess Anne (pictured) after getting a glimpse of her hectic schedule during tonight's in-depth ITV documentary about the Queen's daughter

The Princess Royal (pictured at an investiture earlier this year), 69, who lives on her Gloucestershire estate Gatcombe Park with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, 65, was followed for more than a year by the filmmakers behind Anne: The Princess Royal at 70

Released ahead of the royal's 70th birthday in August, the documentary features unseen family footage and conversations with the princess herself, her children and her husband. Pictured: a person's Twitter reaction to the programme

One fan tweeted: 'Pleased #PrincessAnne is getting some positive publicity. For me, she should be next in line to the throne. She is intelligent, loyal, hard working and down to earth. A definite role model for future generations.'

Another said: 'Watching HRH Princess Anne, The Princess Royal on ITV.... One of my favourite royals. Hard working, genuine, fun and family-oriented. Happy Birthday Your Royal Highness!'

A third added: 'Princess Anne.. what a complete legend.. others could do worse than follow her lead,' while another wrote: 'Princess Anne is the future Queen that never will be, isnt she? Lets face it that woman is committed.'

Known as the 'hardest working royal', the Princess Royal has carried out around 500 public engagements a year for half a century.

But when asked if anyone has raised the question ahead of the princess's 70th birthday on whether she should be slowing down, her daughter Zara Tindall, 39, said: 'Good luck!'

Reaction: Royal fans and Twitters users were keen to applaud Anne for her strong work ethic when watching the programme

Known as the 'hardest working royal', the Princess Royal (pictured on the programme) has carried out around 500 public engagements a year for half a century

But when asked if anyone has raised the question ahead of the princess's 70th birthday on whether Anne (pictured) should be slowing down, her daughter Zara Tindall, 39, said: 'Good luck!'

'Slow down? I thought I had slowed down,' Anne replies when asked a similar question.

'I think the thing that nags away is that after all this time, you should have learnt something. And I think that's important  before you become irrelevant,' Anne added.

Other more cynical viewers implied that the timing of the documentary would pull focus from Prince Andrew and his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

During the programme, viewers are treated to an amusing moment between Princess Anne and her mother the Queen.

When Her Majesty, 94, took part in her first public video call last month to support the nation's carers, it was Princess Anne who assisted her mother in getting set up on Webex.

Anne asks Her Majesty: 'Can you see everybody? You should have six people on your screen.'

Other more cynical viewers implied that the timing of the documentary would pull focus from Prince Andrew and his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein

When the Queen took part in her first pubic video call last month to support the nation's carers, it was Princess Anne (pictured) who assisted her mother

In the ITV documentary marking the royal's 70th birthday, Anne asks Her Majesty (pictured): 'Can you see everybody? You should have six people on your screen.'

When the Queen replies: 'Yes, well I can see four anyway,' the princess is quick to remark: 'Actually, you don't need me. You know what I look like!'

The amusing clip left royal fans praising Anne for her humorous antics. One social media user wrote: 'One is amused. Awesome,' while another added: 'Puts a smile to my face!'

A third said: 'Brilliant. Princess Anne is great and it's been lovely watching the Queen during lockdown. Can't wait to watch this.'

At the start of the clip, which took place during National Carers' Week, Anne is seen waiting for her mother to enter the call from Windsor Castle.

The amusing clip left royal fans praising Anne for her humorous antics. One social media user wrote: 'One is amused. Awesome,' while another added: 'Puts a smile to my face!'

The amusing clip left royal fans praising Anne for her humorous antics. One social media user wrote: 'One is amused. Awesome,' while another added: 'Puts a smile to my face!'

'It's Tom here,' the Queen's Assistant Private Secretary Tom Laing-Baker says as the pair tune in. 'I'm just going to introduce Her Majesty The Queen.'

Anne is then heard saying: 'Ah. Good morning at Windsor,' before the Queen replies: 'Good morning. I'm very glad to have been able to join you.'

The Queen joined the Princess Royal on the conference call in June with four carers living across the UK who have been responsible for looking after family during the coronavirus crisis.

Speaking from a sitting room at the castle, the monarch spent 20 minutes listening to the women about their experiences and asking questions about the pressures they face.

The documentary also sees Anne reveal her views about one of social media's most popular platforms, Twitter, saying: 'I wouldn't go anywhere near it if you paid me frankly.'

The documentary, Princess Royal: Anne at 70, which airs ahead of her milestone birthday in August also sees Anne (pictured) reveal her views about one of social media's most popular platforms, Twitter , saying 'I wouldn't go anywhere near it if you paid me frankly'

Elsewhere, Zara Tindall and brother Peter Phillips (pictured) opened up about their mother's relationship with their daughters in the documentary

Many royals, including Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry all have social media accounts but Princess Anne's work is shared on the Queen's Royal Family platforms.

Commenting on social media Anne says: 'With online technology... being in touch is one thing but it's not quite the same. The ability to meet people, that's what makes the difference.

'I mean, I know what Twitter is but I wouldn't go anywhere near it if you paid me frankly. But that's a slightly different issue.'

Elsewhere, Zara and brother Peter Phillips opened up about their mother's relationship with their daughters in the documentary.

Zara, 39, shares Mia Grace, six, and Lena Elizabeth, two with husband Mike. Peter, 42, is father to Savannah, nine and Isla, eight, and the siblings said that their mother loves to have their daughters over for lunch on Sundays - joing it proves very convenient for them.

However, the Princess Royal, who will turn 70 on August 15, quipped that her family has yet to take her up on her offer of home-schooling and 'outdoor learning' for the children.
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With Raksha Bandhan just around the corner, a rakhi maker in Gujarats Ahmedabad city has taken the opportunity to package his products with messages to spread awareness about Covid-19.

Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated in the country on August 3.

Iqbal Behlim, who has been manufacturing rakhis and kites since 1980, put slogans such as keep distance while talking, mask is must and stay home to stay safe on his products hoping to create awareness about the deadly infection.

The 65-year-old claims that his rakhis with relevant messages are selling like hot cakes and reaching every corner of the country.

Apart from the packaging material, I have also tried to print such messages on rakhi bands. Before tying these rakhis, every woman will remind her brother to wear a mask or maintain social distancing after reading these messages, said Behlim.

This is not the first time that the rakhi maker chose to address a social cause.

Earlier Behlim had put up messages about female infanticide, de-addiction and boycott of Chinese goods.

I hired 50 artisans to make rakhis and I have managed to sell around 15,000 rakhis with these messages every day, the sexagenarian said, adding that online sales have taken his products to every corner of the country.

Business is booming for local rakhi makers after people voluntarily decided to stay away from China-made products, he said.

Appreciating this initiative, one of Behlims regular customers, Mukesh Bhagat said, Such informal ways of conveying important messages always prove effective. Until we have a vaccine, only precautions will protect us from the virus.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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Seth Rogen is known for speaking his mind, and hes always been very open about the inspiration he gets from his Jewish faith and culture. And in a recent interview with comedian Marc Maron, the actor and producer talked about growing up in the faith, and he suggested he was fed a huge amount of lies about Israel his entire life.

Seth Rogen| Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Seth Rogen embraces his faith and culture

Whether its through his projects or characters, Rogen is often inspired to use his Jewish experiences as inspiration. In a 2019 interview with The New York Jewish Week, the comedian talked about his social justice work for Jewish organizations, but admitted that he isnt particularly religious.

Its not something I ever really shied away from, its something thats always been just a very big part of my life, although Im not an observant person or a particularly religious person, he said. One of the great things about being Jewish is you can not believe in any Judaism and you are still a Jewish person. The first jokes I ever wrote were about it, it was a very inherent part of who I was.

RELATED: How The Lion King Actor, Seth Rogen, Is Helping in the Fight Against Alzheimers Disease

In his upcoming film, Rogen plays a 1920s immigrant

Rogens new movie, An American Pickle  which is based on author Simon Richs 2013 New Yorker novella  tells the story of Herschel and Ben Greenbaum (Seth Rogen plays both roles). Herschel is a labor worker who immigrated to the United States in 1920, and Ben is his grandson who now works as a computer programmer. When talking to The New York Jewish Week, Rogen said that he was drawn to the film because its story was similar to that of his grandparents.

The opening essentially follows the journey that my grandparents families took and that most Jewish families took, Rogen explained. It starts in Eastern Europe and the Old Country and the Cossacks trying to kill all the Jews and the Jews having to flee and immigrate to America. It was an interesting reminder to me that the reason that Im here, and that pretty much every Jewish person I know is in North America, is because people were trying to wipe us off the planet in our home country of Ukraine or Poland or Eastern Europe and I do think thats something that most Jews dont think about that often; Oh were here because everyone was trying to kill us.'

Seth Rogen says he was fed lies about Israel his entire life

In a chat with Marc Maron for his WTF podcast, Rogen opened up about his experiences growing up in a Jewish family and attending Jewish schools. Then, when talking about Israel, Rogen suggested that he was fed misinformation about the creation of the country his whole life.

I also think that as a Jewish person, like I was fed a huge amount of lies about Israel my entire life, Rogen told Maron. You know, they never tell you, that oh by the way, there were people there. They make it seem like it was  just sitting there, oh the f**king doors open.'

Literally they forget to include the fact to every young Jewish person, basically, oh yeah, there were people living there, he added. I dont understand it at all. I think for Jewish people especially who view themselves as progressive and who view themselves as analytical and who view themselves as people who ask a lot of questions and who really challenge the status quo  Like, What are we doing?

Rogen and Maronss entire conversation can be heard on the WTF with Marc Maron Podcast website. An American Pickle premieres on HBO Max on Aug. 6.
COLUMBIA, Md., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) today released a report detailing a deflagration incident at a 2.16 MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system (ESS) facility in Surprise, Arizona. The report provides a detailed technical account of the explosion and fire service response, along with recommendations on how to improve codes, standards, and emergency response training to better protect first responders, maintenance personnel and nearby communities.

"The ability to study lithium-ion battery-related fires on this scale with first-person accounts from the responding firefighters is critically important to protecting the lives of first responders in similar situations," said Steve Kerber, vice president of research at UL FSRI. "We're dealing with new technology, which brings about new fire-related hazards. We have an opportunity to learn from this incident and improve future outcomes by sharing resources and enhancing training and safety protocols."

This report is a first-of-its-kind research effort from UL FSRI to capture the experience of surviving firefighters to better understand a potentially devastating situation. Four career firefighters with specialized hazardous materials (hazmat) training were severely injured in the explosion. They recounted their experience to help inform the report, the investigation team's understanding of how the fire and gases behaved, and subsequent recommendations for ESS safety training.

"Typically, these kinds of events are examined when a fatality occurs," Kerber continued. "But with this report, we're trying to make sure the firefighter experiences are taken into account, providing valuable context to the findings so that they can be channeled into actionable insights for other fire service personnel to prevent future close calls and potential fatalities. We're incredibly grateful for Peoria and Surprise Fire-Medical teams and Arizona Public Service for providing information to support learning from this incident."

Lithium-ion battery ESS facilities have proliferated in recent years, presenting new challenges for the fire protection community. Sourcing the experiences of the firefighters, the UL FSRI report recommends new standards and codes for ESS sites, research programs, and curricula. Recommendations include fire service training with an emphasis on ESS safety, remotely accessible gas monitoring systems, explosion prevention protection, and full-scale testing research to understand the most effective and safest tactics for fire service response to lithium-ion battery ESS incidents.

To read the full report and all recommendations, please visit https://ulfirefightersafety.org/posts/four-firefighters-injured-in-lithium-ion-battery-energy-storage-system-explosion.html.

About UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute

UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) advances fire research knowledge and develops cutting edge, practical fire service education aimed at helping firefighters stay safe while more effectively protecting people and property. Guided by a global advisory board comprised of fire service personnel, UL FSRI investigates residential, commercial, and industrial fires through full-scale testing, field-testing, and modeling to replicate actual fires faced by firefighters. Research results are shared through interactive training courses that have reached hundreds of thousands of firefighters globally. To learn more, visit ULFirefighterSafety.org . Follow UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook .

About Underwriters Laboratories

Underwriters Laboratories is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the UL public safety mission through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summits of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being. To learn more, visit UL.org .

CONTACT: Jennifer Williams, [email protected].

SOURCE Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ul.org


Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 16:33:11|Editor: huaxia

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HANOI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam attracted foreign investment of 18.8 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of this year, seeing a year-on-year decline of 6.9 percent, its General Statistics Office said on Wednesday.

Specifically, Vietnam licensed 1,620 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with total registered capital of 9.5 billion U.S. dollars, and saw 619 operational FDI projects raise their capital by 4.7 billion U.S. dollars, according to the office.

Between January and July, foreign investors also spent 4.6 billion U.S. dollars buying shares or contributing capital to Vietnamese firms, down 45.6 percent on-year.

Among the 10.1 billion U.S. dollars FDI disbursed, 71.1 percent were poured into the processing and manufacturing sector, 15 percent into the real estate sector, and 7.1 percent into the electricity, gas, hot water, steam and air-conditioner production and distribution sector.

Among 65 countries and regions which had investment projects licensed in Vietnam in the first seven months of this year, Singapore was Vietnam's largest source of foreign investment, followed by China and South Korea, said the office. Enditem
While any transition of power can be jarring  particularly between two presidents of opposite parties  the shift from President Trump to Biden would be among the most head-snapping in American history. There is still a long campaign to run, with scaled-back party conventions next month and three debates expected in the fall, but Biden more and more of late has talked about, strategized over and begun planning for what he would do on Day 1, according to his aides and a review of his public statements.
One lucky Australian is unaware they are almost $6 million richer after winning Tuesday's Oz Lotto.

A Queensland resident holds one of two winning tickets for the $10 million jackpot and is set to take home $5,865,030.22.

But Oz Lotto has no way of contacting the winner because the ticket wasn't registered.

The winning ticket was purchased at Premier News & Casket on Merthyr Road in New Farm, Brisbane.

One lucky Queensland resident has no idea they are almost $6 million richer after selecting the winning number for Tuesday's Oz Lotto (stock picture)

Premier News & Casket owner David Dunley said he and his team were excited to see one of their customer's score a massive multi-million-dollar win.

'We're happy for whoever has won it. I hope they don't take too long to check their ticket and claim their prize,' he said.

'About three months ago we sold a 1st Prize in Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot, which was $100,000. This one blows that one out of the water!'

The Lott spokesperson Lauren Cooney said she was eager to confirm the news with the winner and unite them with their prize.

'Someone in Brisbane could have gone to work this morning with no idea they've woken up almost $6 million richer,' she said.

'Make sure you check your wallet, handbag, fridge door, or anywhere else you may have stored your tickets.

'Previous winners have found valuable tickets in all sorts of places.'

The winning numbers in Tuesday's Oz Lotto draw were 10, 27, 26, 18, 23, 32 and 36, while the supplementary numbers were 20 and 5.

The lucky winner is urged to call phone 131 868 to claim their winnings.
By Troy Stangarone





It shouldn't be surprising that the United States and South Korea have yet to reach an agreement on Seoul's contribution to the cost of stationing U.S. troops in South Korea given the way the talks have gone.



Imagine if your insurance company sent you a notice that next year your policy was going to increase by more than 400 percent. We all expect prices to rise over time and are willing to pay reasonable increases, but an increase of 400 percent would be seen as completely unreasonable.



In the case of an insurance policy, most individuals would simply find a new insurer that was willing to provide the same coverage at a more reasonable price. But alliances are different.



Military alliances are a deeper relationship than an insurance policy. South Korea and the U.S. fought side by side during the Korean War, but also in Vietnam and they worked together to ensure the safety of shipping off the Horn of Africa.



The alliance at its core is commitment by both countries to work together to ensure their national security and to lend military support should one of the allies find its territory under attack in the Pacific region, but both countries have also invested significantly in building a more robust economic and cultural relationship that extends beyond the military alliance.



While South Korea spends more on national defense than NATO and most U.S. allies, there may be a legitimate discussion to be had on how Seoul can contribute more. In that context the Trump administration may never have truly expected South Korea to accept a reported request of $5 billion. But as a starting point for negotiations it made reaching a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) needlessly difficult.



The U.S. request has come down significantly, but the decision to furlough some 4,000 South Koreans working for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic only complicated the discussions.



The furloughs were clearly designed to pressure South Korea in the negotiations, but were damaging in that they did not reflect what the U.S. was doing domestically to protect jobs nor were they reflective of American values.



While the furlough issue has been resolved, the talks face a new challenge. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Pentagon has presented the White House with options for reducing the U.S. military presence in South Korea. The options are reported to be part of a broader review of how to position U.S. forces internationally and potential overseas reductions.



The U.S. has already announced that it will withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell suggested that allied contributions were a factor when he remarked that Americans "are getting a little bit tired of paying too much for the defense of other countries," including South Korea.



Withdrawing some U.S. troops from South Korea, however, is more complex than the planned withdrawal from Germany. Contrary to the remarks by former Ambassador Grenell, the American public is actually quite supportive of U.S. troops in South Korea.



According to polling done by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, 69 percent of Americans think that the U.S. troop presence should be either maintained or increased. Only 16 percent of Americans think it should be reduced. The survey also found a strong bipartisan majority of Americans view the alliance as strengthening U.S. national security.



Congress shares that support. It has specifically placed language in the National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting the reduction of U.S. troops in South Korea below 28,500 without the secretary of defense certifying that the reduction is in U.S. national security interest and that U.S. allies be consulted on the reduction.



While these provisions would not necessarily preclude the Trump administration from reducing troop levels in South Korea, it does reflect the opposition in Congress to reductions.



While there is a lack of support in the United States for reducing U.S. troop levels in South Korea, Seoul and Washington should not be opposed to the idea of U.S. troop reductions or restructuring.



But rather than as part of cost-sharing talks, the issue of changes to the USFK presence should be in the context of what U.S. force structure best supports the mission of deterring North Korea, defending against potential attacks against South Korea and promoting peace and stability in Northeast Asia.



A better approach would be for the U.S. and South Korea to agree to a two- or three-year agreement at a reasonable increase and then use that time to engage in serious discussions about the future of the alliance.



That would allow for a proper assessment of the alliance's needs and potential future threats that would help inform for both sides what the U.S. force posture should look like in the years ahead.





Troy Stangarone (ts@keia.org) is the senior director of congressional affairs and trade at the Korea Economic Institute.




Why is public denied access to beaches?

Re: Locals-only beaches are illegal, Port Colborne told, July 15

I have to question whats going on in Fort Erie at Bay Beach and the idea of limiting access to that beach only to residents of that town.

The major improvements done there over the past few years were funded, in part, by Niagara Regions Waterfront Improvement Plan, which is taxpayers money from everyone in the region. To think Fort Erie can deny access to Bay Beach to residents living outside of that town is unacceptable.

As a homeowner and a longtime taxpayer in Niagara, I have to protest that I am not allowed to use a beach where my money has been used for improvements. Why are our regional councillors not all over this.

Seems COVID-19 is being used as an excuse to deny public freedoms. The residents of the Bay Beach area have been trying to limit access for years now because it interferes with their private enjoyment of a large waterfront.

Long Beach property owners in Wainfleet are denying people the ability to sit on their beach. When one witnesses the two tiny slivers of beachfront the public are allowed to use on that vast expanse of beach, the absurdity of the situation is obvious.

Point Abino has an amazing beach where access is forbidden to all but rich property owners.

This is another issue I believe needs to be addressed by our provincial and federal government in terms of private ownership of beachfront properties awarded through antiquated land deeds that were given out during a time when Canada was trying to encourage settlement.

The population of Niagara and surrounding areas continues to expand and we are now starting to see the issues that private ownership of our limited beaches creates.

There would not be overcrowding of beaches if the public had access to more beachfront.

Tracy JenningsSt. Catharines

Time for new leadership at St. Catharines Downtown Association

Re: Merchants say St. Catharines Downtown Association absent in supporting role, July 21

I would agree the downtown association is long overdue for an overhaul given it is clearly unable or unwilling to be responsive to the needs its younger and more progressive stakeholders.

Businesses such as Arts & Crafts amongst others have injected life into what was previously a tired downtown core. If the association is not supporting these businesses, listening to their suggestions and promoting them in board roles, what exactly is the associations purpose?

Tisha Polocko seems to have been sitting comfortably in this role for 20 years. If she doesnt have the will or know-how to respond promptly to her clients requests because the board is on holiday during a global pandemic, her priorities in maintaining the status quo are clear.

Anthony CiavarellaSt. Catharines

Wheres the criticism of Trudeau?

Re: Cambridge MPP had the integrity  or audacity depending on your viewpoint  to vote against the governments sweeping COVID-19 legislation, July 24

If democracy is to survive in Ontario, indeed, in Canada, the arguments in this editorial, and its condemnation of Premier Doug Ford, are well justified and to be applauded. All the more so because up until recently Conservatives still claimed to be the party that respects democracy and the rule of law.

What is surprising is there has not been a single editorial in this newspaper taking our Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to task for the ever increasing and undemocratic decisions he is imposing as he continues to rule by dictate, without any reference to Parliament or any ideals of democracy.

Andrew WattsWainfleet

Letters welcome

We welcome letters from our readers. Send them to letters@niagaradailies.com or mail to 55 King St., Suite 600, St. Catharines, Ont., L2H 3HR. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Please include your name, address and phone number for verification purposes.

Read more about:
The President of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG), Chukwuemeka Nnaji says the Ghana government must protect their members at Abossey Okai from threats and intimidation from the Ghana Union Traders Association (GUTA).

According to him, GUTA in their recent threat is asking all Nigerian traders to close their shops on Wednesday, July 28, 2020 and subsequently submit their business documents to the association for perusal.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Tuesday, Chukwuemeka Nnaji said GUTA came around with a van and a public address system announcing the directive for the closure of shops belonging to Nigerians.

They said we should not open on Wednesday and so we should bring documents to their office. I dont know whether there is any institutions coming with them or its just themIt was just an open-air announcement, they brought a van to broadcast the information, he said.

He said the Nigerian traders do not have challenges if government agencies are involved and tasked to review their documents.

He also added that while they are allowed to trade under ECOWAS protocols in Ghana, they may have no option but to leave the country.

We are taking this [threat] very seriously. We are calling on the government to protect the lives of Nigerians in Obossey Okai because we dont want any lives to be lost. If they think there is any problem, they should bring authorities to come and check our documentsThe police and the government of Ghana should protect our lives, he said.

The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) and Nigerian traders in the country have in the past few months been in bad terms following series of actions taken by GUTA to stop the Nigerians from trading within the retail space.

Some shops of Nigerians at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle were recently allowed to operate recently after they were forcibly closed by GUTA months ago over as a result of the fracas between the two associations.

----citinewsroom
The mobility brand Free2Move becomes an autonomous, unified and agile entity

Composed of 150 experts in tech, data, design and e-commerce

Free2Move expands its offer and puts its technological expertise at the heart of its activity

Regulatory News:

Groupe PSA (Paris:UG):

Because the world is changing, Free2Move has been created to simplify and guarantee mobility for everyone. With a presence in 170 countries, Free2Move has new ambitions with a full range of mobility services for individuals and professionals.

An enhanced mobility offer

Free2Move offers tailor-made and complementary offers to meet the needs of travel:

from a few minutes to a full day with its car sharing service

from several days to a month with its short term rental offer

from one month to several years thanks to its monthly subscription with no commitment and long term rentals

Thanks to the Free2Move platform, customers now have access to a parking offer in 65 countries, VTC driver reservations in 150 countries, and electricity recharging throughout Europe. A connected fleet management tool complements this offer for companies.

TravelCar integrates with Free2Move

Since 2016, TravelCar and Free2Move have been getting closer. The latest major joint project is Free2Move Rent: a 100% digital short-term rental service offering cars from Peugeot, Citroen, DS and Opel brands on a single platform. The service, which is already available in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Luxembourg with more than 300,000 customers, will be rolled out in 9 countries in the course of 2020.

As a global aggregator of parking and car rental solutions for travellers, the integration of TravelCar services enhances the global mobility offer within a strong brand: Free2Move. At the heart of this new structure, TravelCar's founding team will bring its know-how and 100% digital technology.

A new organisation that relies on its technological know-how

This new organization will have a head office located in Paris and a team of 150 people worldwide. Thanks to its technological expertise, Free2Move marks a new stage with the creation of a unique website and an unparalleled mobile application bringing together the entire portfolio of services of its new offer.

About Free2Move

Created in September 2016, the Free2Move brand brings together all new mobility services to meet the travel needs of its individual and business customers: car sharing, short, medium and long-term rental, access to recharging stations, parking and connected fleet management.

Free2Move becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Groupe PSA.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005557/en/

Contacts:

Press: Olivier Rubellin +33 6 31 11 93 49, olivier.rubellin@free2move.com
CAL Fire crews gain control of Rainbow Fire with smoke diminishes in the sky View Photos

Update at 4:30 p.m.: Crews continue to make progress on the Rainbow Fire that ignited in grass and spread to a structure in the one oclock hour. The blaze that ignited in the 7400 block of West Old Immigrant Trail, between Hangmans Tree and Rustlers Pass in Mountain Ranch. CAL Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff updates, Forward progress has been stopped on the 11.5-acre fire. One structure and one vehicle have been destroyed. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Red Cross has been called in to help the residents of the home that was destroyed. Residents on both sides of West Old Immigrant Trail, between Hangmans Tree and Rustlers Pass, were forced to leave their homes for about 45 minutes as a mandatory evacuation was ordered. Crews will be working towards full containment and mopping up for the next couple of hours.

Update at 3:50 p.m.: Crews are getting a handle on the Rainbow Fire that ignited in grass and damaged a structure. The flames broke out around 1 p.m. in the 7400 block of West Old Immigrant Trail, between Hangmans Tree and Rustlers Pass in Mountain Ranch. The blaze remains seven acres in size. All aircraft have been released from the fire with crews working towards full containment. The CHP has reopened West Old Immigrant Trail to traffic. A structure was damaged in the fire with more than half the structure engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene. There is no update on the type or damaged sustained to the building.

Update at 3:20 p.m.: The Rainbow Fire burning in the 7400 block of West Old Immigrant Trail, between Hangmans Tree and Rustlers Pass in Mountain Ranch is holding at seven acres. CAL Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff reports that the main fire is holding within the retardant lines with some spot fires igniting outside the lines that have quickly been contained. Crews continue to work towards full containment. Residents that were evacuated are being allowed back into their homes along West Old Immigrant Trail, but the roadway remains closed to the public. One structure was damaged in the fire, but there are no details regarding the type of building.

Update at 2:30 p.m.: CAL Fire ground and air units are making progress on the Rainbow fire burning in the grass in the 7400 block of West Old Immigrant Trail, between Hangmans Tree and Rustlers Pass in Mountain Ranch. One structure was on fire. CAL Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff updates, The fire is approximately seven acres and its holding within the retardant lines. The mandatory evacuations on West Old Immigrant Trail have been lifted. However, CHP is keeping a hard closure of the roadway in the fire area, which is inside the Butte Fire burn scar. The public is asked to remain out of the area so that crews can continue unimpeded, states Shoff.

Update at 1:50 p.m.: The Rainbow fire has grown to five acres and one building is 50 percent burned while another is threatened. The flames ignited in some grass in the 7400 block of West Old Immigrant Trail, between Hangmans Tree and Rustlers Pass in Mountain Ranch just after 1 p.m. Crews are working to knock down a fire in a structure and another is threatened. CAL Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff that there are mandatory evacuations on both sides of that roadway as the flames could potentially jump the road. The CHP is reporting that West Old Immigrant Trail is being shut down in the area of the fire. Also, CAL Fire is asking that the public stay out of the area as there is plenty of activity going on with lots of personnel and equipment.

Update at 1:40 p.m.: CAL Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff reports that the dubbed Rainbow Fire, which is burning in the 7400 block of Old Immigrant Trail, between Hangmans Tree and Rustlers Pass in Mountain Ranch, is a half-acre in size and moving at a moderate rate of spread. She adds that one building is 50 percent engulfed in flames at this time and threatening a second structure. There is no word on the type of buildings impacted.

Original post at 1:15 p.m.: Mountain Ranch, CA  CAL Fire resources including all Columbia aircraft are battling a vegetation fire into a structure in the Mountain Ranch area of Calaveras County.

The fire broke out in some grass in the 7400 block of Old Immigrant Trail, between Hangmans Tree and Rustlers Pass. Cal Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff relays that it is a small grass fire and crews are working on knockdown of the flames in the structure, but she did not know what type of building it is. An update will be provided as soon as new information comes into the newsroom.
Leading Global Financial Broker Adds Defendants, Charges to Money Laundering Case

NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Whistleblower Victor Carlstrom, a leading global financial broker, recently filed an 88-page amended complaint in his $4.2 billion lawsuit that alleges myriad illegal activities of leading Swedish firms Folksam and Swedbank, their executives, and two Swedish government agencies - equivalent to the IRS and SEC in the United States - to execute a complex money laundering scheme. The complaint now includes charges against Swedish banking giant Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB). Swedish conglomerate Areim has been added to the amended complaint (but not named as a defendant) for their key roles in the scheme and threats from Turkey against Mr. Carlstrom's life. Vinacossa Enterprises is an investment company founded by Mr. Carlstrom in 2013.

Both Swedbank and SEB are already under investigation by U.S. authorities and other nations. Mr. Carlstrom's $4.2 billion RICO lawsuit seeks to further expose a deeply corrupt Swedish financial system.

"Something is rotten in the State of Sweden," said Lawrence Schoenbach, attorney for Mr. Carlstrom. "Major financial and insurance institutions are working in concert with government agencies to silence Victor Carlstrom through threats, intimidation, and financial ruin."

According to the complaint, SEB was an active participant in money laundering operations by the Swedish financial executives and organizations and violated several banking and privacy laws in the process. Areim accounts in SEB, nominally owned by a Swedish citizen not mentioned in the suit, are actually owned by a former Turkish prime minister and close political associate of Turkey's President Recap Erdogan. Attacks on Mr. Carlstrom from Turkey began almost immediately after reporting illegal financial activity by Areim and forced him to seek asylum in the United States

Mr. Carlstrom is a Swedish citizen and former fund manager whose company worked under a contract with Folksam beginning in 2013. Carlstrom's company quickly became the largest source of client investment funds for Folksam by providing a successful investment product with the government-owned bank SBAB. Mr. Carlstrom became the largest cash supplier month-after-month in 2014, securing significant money and new clients for SBAB and Folksam. When Mr. Carlstrom's new clients started to ask questions of Folksam, Folksam responded by directing Mr. Carlstrom to decrease his number of clients. Suspicious of Folksam's reaction, Mr. Carlstrom started his own investigation into Folksam's operations.

Mr. Carlstrom's investigation revealed systematic and widespread bribery and money laundering. After Mr. Carlstrom voiced his concerns to Folksam about the company's operations, Folksam abruptly severed the relationship.

Among the defendants are Swedbank executives - CEO Jens Henriksson, the former Folksam CEO; the Director General of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority Erik Thedeen; and Director General of the Swedish Tax Agency Katrin Westling Palm.

Since discovering widespread corruption, money laundering, bribery and other crimes in the Swedish financial system and government, Mr. Carlstrom has been subject to numerous death threats, mostly deriving from Turkey, and multiple assassination attempts, the lawsuit explains.

This timeline dates back to 2006 and further showcases the timing of events leading to Mr. Carlstrom's original lawsuit filed on December 17, 2019.

Mr. Carlstrom is represented by the Law Offices of Lawrence H. Schoenbach, a boutique New York law firm with affiliate offices in Zurich, Paris, the U.S. Virgin Islands and China. The firm represents individual and corporate clients in complex, high-risk legal matters, primarily in U.S. federal courts throughout the nation and internationally.

Also representing Mr. Carlstrom is Dratel & Lewis, P.C., a nationally recognized, full-service law firm. Established in 1996, the firm has built a reputation for excellence in federal and New York State cases, including trial and appellate representation in criminal defense and civil litigation.
In a forecast discussion, the NHC stressed that the ultimate track is very sensitive to where the storms center initially forms within that broad low. If the current forecast shifts to the north by a hundred miles, it could keep more of the rain and wind offshore in the western Atlantic, while a shift to the south would bring the heart of the storm into the Caribbean Sea and over the terrain of Hispaniola.

As a result of that spread, and possible weakening from wind shear later this week, the intensity of future-Isaias is also subject to plenty of uncertainty.

If it strengthens to hurricane force at some point, a northward trend in the track becomes more likely. A weaker storm would be confined farther to the south and possibly stay out of the western Atlantic entirely. A similar situation clouded the formative stage of Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Had it collided with the terrain of Hispaniola as originally predicted, it might not have had the opportunity to strengthen into the monster storm that devastated parts of the Bahamas.
KITCHENER  When the Mars rover Perseverance touches down on the Jezero Crater next February to search for evidence of past life, a Kitchener firms fibre optic cables will play a crucial role in the robots mission.

An instrument called SuperCam will use a laser to zap rocks to help study their composition, and cables designed by FiberTech Optica will carry information along wires thinner than a human hair to various instruments and subsystems on board the rover for further analysis.

Were a really tiny cog in the giant machine, but its a critical piece, said chief technology officer Rafal Pawluczyk. Each wire is about half the diameter of a human hair, and 19 are bundled in a very specific pattern to form cables that are about 15 centimetres long.

FiberTech Optica was contacted by Los Alamos National Laboratory about four years ago to supply the cables.

After arriving at the lab in New Mexico, the wires underwent a series of rigorous tests to ensure they would not only survive the six-month trip to Mars, but could also endure the inhospitable Martian landscape for the duration of the 687-day mission.

To build it in a way that it would survive was quite challenging, said Pawluczyk, whose company typically supplies cables for industrial applications in the petrochemical or pharmaceutical industries. In recent years, its cables have also seen increased use in telescopes here on Earth.

Founded in 2000, FiberTech Optica employs 15 people.

This is the first time weve actually gone to space, said Pawluczyk. Its quite exciting.

The rover is slated to launch between July 30 and Aug. 15, depending on conditions, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The rovers laser will be able to blast rocks up to eight metres away, allowing the machine to study materials it cant reach with its robotic arm.

The lasers dot is smaller than a pencil point and examines rock textures and chemicals to find those that formed or changed in water on Mars long ago, which can tell us about past habitability of the planet. It also looks for rocks and soils that could preserve signs of past microbial life, if any existed, said Roger Wiens, the lead scientist on SuperCam at Los Alamos National Laboratory, in an interview on the lab website.

Scientists believe Jezero Crater, a 45-kilometre-wide crater just north of the Martian equator, was possibly an oasis in the planets distant past and gives them their best chance at finding evidence of past life.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Enigma Securities ( www.enigma-securities.io ), a crypto-focused financial institution specialized in electronic execution services is expanding its compliance and security protocols to include advanced blockchain forensics through a recent partnership with Elementus ( www.elementus.io ).

Utilizing Elementus' Lens product, Enigma is now able to screen any and all cryptocurrency transactions, allowing it to confidently confirm the coin is not sourced from risky or nefarious activity.

"We are thrilled to provide top-tier compliance tools supporting Enigma's best-in-class liquidity solutions for digital assets," said Max Galka, CEO and founder of Elementus.

"With the addition of Lens to our KYC/AML arsenal, Enigma feels confident that we can steer clear of transacting with counterparties involved in illicit activities," said Josipa Deak, COO at Enigma Securities. "Products like Lens are essential for the cryptocurrency market to continue its path towards mainstream adoption."

Note to editors:

About Enigma Securities ( www.enigma-securities.io )

Enigma Securities is a leading, regulated crypto-focused financial institution, specialized in electronic execution services. Headquartered in London, UK, the firm works with institutional and corporate clients to provide a full suite of crypto services and bespoke liquidity solutions through its proprietary electronic trading platform and API access.

Enigma was first established in 2017 as the crypto arm of international brokerage firm Makor Group by Co-Founders Mr. Michael Halimi and Mr. Avi Bouhadana, in response to growing institutional demand for trusted digital asset trading. Looking to seize new, exciting opportunities presented by cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, Enigma quickly became one of the first regulated brokerage firms to set up banking relations and custody solutions to meet institutional standards.

Since its launch, the firm continues to expand its capabilities targeting a full-stack financial institution model with client-focused agency, leading innovation while working to bridge the gap between traditional financial services and cryptocurrency markets.

About Elementus ( www.elementus.io )

Elementus is the institutional solution for organizations requiring intelligent insights from data transmitted within blockchain networks. Using proprietary data science, Elementus solves the inherent difficulties in interpreting decentralized data flows by capturing the high-signal information and organizing it into structured and queryable repositories. Their data pipeline supports any blockchain protocol and has delivered powerful analytical solutions for financial institutions, the public sector, and other entities looking for clear and actionable information derived from decentralized networks. For more information, please visit our website ( www.elementus.io ).

Contact Details:
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) passed a package of real estate-related bills through parliamentary standing committees this week, including two on Wednesday, in a process vehemently protested and boycotted by the main opposition party.



Earlier in the day, the standing Legislation and Judiciary Committee, where 11 out of the total 18 seats are held by the DP, approved two bills to revise the Housing Lease Protection Act in its plenary session.



This was after the DP fast-tracked the passage of another 11 real estate-related bills through three standing committees including the Strategy and Finance Committee, based on its lion's share of 176 seats in the 300-member parliament.



Those bills aim to raise tax burdens for owners of multiple houses and curb property market speculation in line with the government's broadening efforts to bring the overheated real estate market, especially apartments in Seoul and nearby cities, under control.



On July 10, the Moon Jae-in government said it will raise property ownership tax for multiple-home owners and ease regulations to supply more homes in the capital area, marking the latest action to cool a surge in prices that has fueled public discontent. The government also plans to announce a package of fresh measures to boost home supply on Aug. 4.



If the envisioned bills are approved at a full floor session, they will better protect the rights of tenants in the face of skyrocketing house prices.



They will also legally guarantee tenants' rights to extend their house lease contracts by up to two more years from the first two-year deals. Under the revisions, the maximum rate of rent increase is capped at 5 percent in the event of contract renewals.



Under the bills, the home acquisition tax levied on owners of two homes will also be increased to as high as 8 percent, while the rate for owners of three homes will be revised up to 12 percent.



Meanwhile, those who buy their first homes will get a 50 percent discount in acquisition tax under the bills, according to the content of the bills.



The passage of bills through the standing committees, however, was single handedly led by the DP, as lawmakers of the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) boycotted the committees' votes and brought the procedures into question.



As DP Rep. Yun Ho-jung, chairman of the legislation committee, put two bills to a vote Wednesday, all the committee members affiliated with the UFP walked out of the meeting room in a boycott of the vote.



Rep. Kim Do-eup of the UFP, who is a member of the committee, accused the chairman of leading the plenary committee meeting in a "unilateral manner" and trying to railroad the bills.



Protesting the series of actions by the DP as "parliamentary dictatorship," the UFP has also threatened to further boycott committee meetings and take legal action.



"(Discriminately) tabling bills proposed by certain lawmakers and railroading them for vote without proper discussion constitute an act of deluding the public and the National Assembly," Rep. Yoo Sung-kull said in a press conference Tuesday.



"Given the clear flaws, the bills should be invalid, and (the UFP) will take legal action," the lawmaker said.



Despite growing opposition protest, officials at the DP said the party is planning to pass all the bills through the final full-floor vote by Aug. 4 to back the government's efforts to stabilize the market. (Yonhap)




More than 272,000 customers of banks, including 260,000 individuals and 9,527 SMEs have benefitted from the AED50 billion ($13.61 billion) Targeted Economic Support Scheme provided by the UAE's Central Bank, it was revealed today.

Banks in the country had withdrawn AED43.6 billion, which is equivalent to 87.2 per cent of the AED50 billion support. Banks used 95 per cent of the amount (AED41.42 billion) to postpone loan payments for the affected sectors, registering an increase of about 37.6 per cent compared to the amount used at the beginning of last June.

A total of 26 banks benefited from the support provided, of which 17 banks withdrew 100 per cent of their share (compared to 15 banks in the beginning of June). The total number of affected clients that benefited from the support stands at 272,382, which is twice the number that was registered in the beginning of June, a report said.

Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, reviewed a detailed report on the progress of efforts undertaken by the Interim Committee to Deal with the Impact of Covid-19 on the National Economy, during the committees fifth virtual meeting, which was chaired by the minister.

He was briefed on the economic and financial implications of all the measures adopted by the federal and local governments over the past months since the onset of the pandemic, and the extent of their effectiveness in supporting the countrys business continuity during these times.

The meeting was attended by Eng Mohammed Bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy for Economic Affairs; Abdullah Bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy for Foreign Trade Affairs; Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance; Saif Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation for Human Resources Affairs; Saif Hadef Al-Shamsi, Deputy Governor of the UAE Central Bank; Dr Said Ali Bahbouh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice; Rashid Al Balooshi, Undersecretary of Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi; and Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of Dubai Economy.

Al Marri said the committee continues its efforts to support the developments in the countrys economic environment and ensure that it benefits from the most recent measures, initiatives and stimulus packages announced by the Government. Furthermore, the committee is continuously measuring their success in developing sustainable and practical policies and solutions that suit the needs of the business sector and contribute to its speedy recovery.

He affirmed that the ministry and its partners in the committee will directly and periodically assess the implementation of packages and initiatives and will stand by all efforts to support business activities and develop the economy.

He clarified that the measures taken by the members of the committee were divided into several areas, the most prominent of which are: protecting bank customers from individuals and companies; protecting the economic structure; stimulating and supporting the tourism and foreign trade sectors; easing burdens on individuals and private sector institutions and continuing spending on infrastructure projects to drive development, supporting national industries, and the measures taken by the governments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai and local governments to support the business sector in all emirates.

Saif Hadef Al Shamsi, Deputy Governor of the UAE Central Bank, explained the measures introduced by the bank in detail, which helped many of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) continue their operations during the crisis, provided facilities for real estate buyers and improved liquidity of banks to meet the requests for lending and deferred payments.

According to the report, the total amount that SMEs benefited from reached AED4.1 billion, an increase of 28.1 per cent compared to 3.2 billion in the beginning of June. This amount represents 9.3 per cent of the total amount that all affected sectors benefited from. The number of SMEs that benefitted also increased from 7,440 companies in the beginning of June to 9,527 in July 18, with an increase of 28 per cent.

As for individuals, the number of beneficiaries reached 260,616, representing an increase of 110 per cent compared to their number in the beginning of June 2020. The financial value of the support that this category benefited from amounted to AED3.2 billion, which is double of what was recorded at the beginning of last month. With regard to private sector companies, they benefitted from a total of AED33.7 billion.

Saif Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation for Human Resources Affairs, stated that the ministry repaid about AED8.3 billion of bank guarantees to employers, which represents about 50 per cent of the total bank guarantees until the end of June after their owners met the conditions required. This was in line with the decision of the UAE Cabinet to cancel bank guarantees and replace them with the employment insurance system, which has contributed greatly to supporting business continuity and ensuring salaries for workers in the private sector. - TradeArabia News Service
A human rights lawyer has called for limits on the use of firearms by prison officers after the fatal shooting of Aboriginal prison escapee Dwayne Johnston last year.

National Justice Project head George Newhouse said it was absurd that it appeared to be easier to legally justify the killing of an escapee than it was to explain the force used against Long Bay inmate David Dungay jnr.

Black Lives Matter protesters gathering in the Domain earlier this month. Credit:James Alcock

"It seems totally incongruous that the use of force has to be justified inside a prison but a firearm can be used against a prisoner without any qualification  other than a single warning shot  if they are attempting to escape," Mr Newhouse said.

"It's totally absurd."
America has now recorded more than 150,000 COVID-19 fatalities, reaching a grim new milestone in the coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday afternoon, Johns Hopkins University confirmed that 150,034 Americans have now died from the highly contagious virus, with more than half a dozen states clocking their highest daily number of fatalities in the past 24 hours.

American citizens now account for almost a quarter of the 662,577 coronavirus deaths recorded worldwide.

No other country comes close to reporting as many coronavirus deaths as the US. Brazil has seen 88,539 deaths, while the United Kingdom has clocked 46,046 fatalities.

Italy and Spain - which were both hit hard by the coronavirus in April and May - have reported less than 36,000 deaths respectively after their fatality rates sharply declined in the wake of strict stay-at-home orders.

It's a different case in the United States, where the death rate continues to soar, despite the country stretching into its fifth month battling the pandemic.

Fatalities have increased by more than 10,000 since July 17, which marks the fastest increase in deaths since the US went from 100,000 to 110,000 fatal cases over 11 days in early June.

On Tuesday, seven states - Florida, California, Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Oregon and Montana - all reported a record spike in their fatalities.

Nationally, COVID-19 deaths have risen for three weeks in a row while the number of new cases week-over-week recently fell for the first time since June

Texas leads the nation with nearly 4,000 deaths so far this month, followed by Florida with 2,690 and California with 2,500.

While deaths have rapidly risen in July in these three states, New York and New Jersey still lead the nation in total lives lost and for deaths per capita.

Even though deaths are rising across the US, they remain well below levels seen in April when an average of 2,000 people a day were dying from the virus.

Health experts have indicated the death toll may not be as bad this time around possibly because a large share of the current cases are younger people, who are less likely to die, and because of advances in treatment and knowledge of the virus.

Deaths are a lagging indicator and can continue to rise weeks after new infections drop. A coronavirus death, when it occurs, typically comes several weeks after a person is first infected.

Meanwhile, Texas - the second-most populous state - added more than 6,000 new cases on Monday, pushing its total to 401,477.

Only three other states - California, Florida and New York - have more than 400,000 total cases.

A spike in infections in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas this month has overwhelmed hospitals and put the states in a dire situation.

There are signs the virus has also been spreading farther north in recent days, causing alarm among public health officials who fear states are not doing enough to avoid catastrophic outbreaks like those seen in the Sunbelt in the past two months.

Florida reported its highest single day spike for COVID-19 deaths. The death toll in Florida increased by 186 on Monday, bringing the total number of deaths in the third-most populous US state to 6,117, according the state's health department

Texas leads the nation with nearly 4,000 deaths so far this month. The Texas figure includes a backlog of hundreds of deaths after the state changed the way it counted COVID-19 fatalities. Texas - the second-most populous state - added more than 6,000 new cases on Monday, pushing its total to 401,477

California on Tuesday reported 171 deaths. California health officials said Latinos, who make up just over a third of the most populous U.S. state, account for 56% of COVID-19 infections and 46% of deaths

Arkansas reported 20 new deaths on Tuesday, bringing its total to 428. The state reported 734 new cases, bringing the total to 40,181

Oregon recorded a record spike of 14 new deaths on Tuesday, bringing its total to 303. The state reported 328 new cases, bringing the total to 17,416

Montana recorded a single day spike of four new deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total death toll to 51. Cases increased by 94, bringing the total to 3,475

Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Deborah Birx, both White House task force members, have said there are signs the virus could be peaking in the South and West while other areas were on the cusp of new outbreaks.

'We are watching very carefully California, Arizona, Texas, and most of Florida,' President Donald Trump said at a news conference on Tuesday. 'It's starting to head down to the right direction.'

The US is showing early signs that surging case numbers may be leveling out with week-over-week tallies showing infections have dropped two percent for the first time after rising steadily for five weeks.

Infections have been surging since early June when COVID-19 started spreading rapidly throughout the Sunbelt states and the US recorded single daily highs of more than 77,000 infections.

The seven-day average for daily infections this week is now just under 66,000.

The downward trend in cases is prominent in the hotspot states of Florida, Texas, Arizona and California where governors and local officials rolled back reopenings to curb the infection rate.

But even as cases start to plateau in those hard-hit states, 22 other states are currently seeing an increase in new infections.

Cases are mostly rising in the Midwest, which public health officials say is a sign the virus is spreading north from the Sunbelt states.

Fears are growing about the potential for a significant uptick in the Midwest, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and Colorado, which has been fueled largely by a rise in cases among young adults, who have been hitting bars, restaurants and health clubs again.

Republican governors in Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri and South Carolina have all resisted calls to close bars and gyms or issue statewide mask requirements, though some local officials have imposed some of their own restrictions.

'My reaction is that I'm disturbed. I'm disturbed by it,' Dr Fauci said.

Those two efforts and other best practices would help 'prevent the resurgence that we've seen in some of the other Southern states.'

New coronavirus cases across the United States have started to decline for the first time in five weeks. The downward trend in cases is prominent in the hotspot states of Florida, Texas, Arizona and California. But even as cases start to plateau in those hard-hit states, 22 other states - mostly in the Midwest - are currently seeing an increase in new infections

Over the past two weeks, Wisconsin's rolling average number of new confirmed cases has increased by 31%. Minnesota reported its largest one-day case count Sunday, with more than 860 cases.

In Mississippi, nine of the state's biggest hospitals had no open intensive care beds as of Monday, and officials are considering opening pop-up facilities. More than 24% of coronavirus tests have come back positive in Mississippi over the past week, the highest rate in the nation and triple the national average.

In Missouri, larger cities are growing rattled by a spike in cases after the state fully reopened. It reported another daily record in cases, with nearly 1,800. St. Louis is curtailing bar hours and reducing restaurant seating capacity starting Friday, and Kansas City may follow suit.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt returned to his office Monday after two weeks of isolating at home following a positive coronavirus test. It came on the same day the state reported over 1,400 new confirmed cases - the second consecutive day of record highs.

The rise in deaths and infections has dampened early hopes the country was past the worst of an economic crisis that has decimated businesses and put millions of Americans out of work.

The trend has fueled a bitter debate over the reopening of schools in the coming weeks. President Donald Trump and members of his administration have pushed for students to return to class, while some teachers and local officials have called for online learning.

'We are watching very carefully California, Arizona, Texas, and most of Florida,' President Donald Trump said at a news conference on Tuesday. 'It's starting to head down to the right direction.'

'We will fight on all fronts for the safety of students and their educators,' Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said during the union's virtual convention on Tuesday. 'It's the 11th hour; we need the resources now.'

The Texas Education Agency, the state's overseer of public education, said it would deny funding to schools that delay in-person classes because of orders by local health authorities related to the pandemic.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued guidance that health authorities cannot impose 'blanket' school closures for coronavirus prevention. Any such decision is up to school officials, he said.

Local health leaders in the biggest metropolitan areas in Texas, including Houston and Dallas, have recently ordered the postponement of in-person classes.

In Washington, some Republicans in the US Senate pushed back against their own party's $1 trillion coronavirus relief proposal the day after it was unveiled by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, weighing on stocks.

'I'm not for borrowing another trillion dollars,' Republican Senator Rand Paul told reporters.

Democrats have rejected the plan as too limited compared with their $3 trillion proposal that passed the House of Representatives in May. Some Republicans called it too expensive.

Trump said on Tuesday he did not support everything in the Senate Republican coronavirus relief legislation but would not elaborate.

'There are also things that I very much support,' he told a White House briefing. 'But we'll be negotiating.'

Trump also groused about Fauci's high approval ratings and joked 'nobody likes me' as he struggles to improve his standing with voters over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

'It can only be my personality,' Trump said.

Death rates fell by 64% when states closed schools early on in the pandemic, study finds as Trump pushes for K-12 classrooms to reopen

By Mary Kekatos Senior Health Reporter For Dailymail.com

Coronavirus death rates fell when states closed schools early on in the pandemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers found when K-12 classrooms were shut down, cases temporarily dropped by about two-thirds and deaths decreased by more than half.

But states that took action early on saw the greatest effect, according to the team, from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio,

Those that closed schools in early March, when coronavirus prevalence was low, saw 46 percent fewer infections and 17 percent fewer deaths than those that opted to close schools in late March while cases were rising quickly.

This findings come as a debate rages in the US about whether or not schools should reopen and how to strike a balance between alleviating working parents who have to rework their schedules and preventing a potentially deadly spike come autumn.

For the study, published in JAMA, the team looked at six weeks of data collection after school closures in each state from March 9 to May 7.

All 50 states closed schools between March 13 and March 23.

Next, researchers compared closures to infection and mortality rates from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

States that opted to close later, when cases were much higher, saw less of a change at around 49% per week and 53% in deaths (above)

Results showed that, overall, shutting downs schools was linked to a significant decline in cases of the virus, with a drop of about 62 percent each week.

It was also linked to decreases in deaths, with a change of about 58 percent per week.

The team estimates school closures were linked to 1.37 million fewer cases of the virus over a 26-day period and 40,600 fewer deaths over a 16-day period.

However, it was states that closed early, when the increasing incidence of COVID-19 was at its lowest that saw the greatest decline per week at around 72 percent for cases and 64 percent for deaths.

States that were slowest to close schools and had the highest incidence of cases, show saw a change of about 49 percent per week and 53 percent of deaths.

That's a difference of more than 46 percent for cases and 17 percent for deaths.

This means closing schools early was linked to 128.7 fewer cases per 100,000 over 26 days and with 1.5 fewer deaths per 100,000 over 16 days.

'States that closed schools earlier, when cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was low, had the largest relative reduction in incidence and mortality,' the authors wrote.

'However, it remains possible that some of the reduction may have been related to other concurrent nonpharmaceutical interventions.'

This includes interventions such as stay-at-home orders, restaurant closures and increased handwashing.
Paolo Ballesteros shares how he landed his commercial model role

Paolo Ballesteros went to VTRs bringing a lot of "diskarte" with him and he even had to be in the crosshairs with his dad because he wanted to do commercials.
In its affidavit to the Supreme Court (SC), the Mistry firms said several important facts about Tata Sons operating as a public company were withheld by the Tata Sons board to the SC, and therefore, the entire board of Tata Sons must be censured. According to law, any litigant who approaches court is bound to produce all documents executed by him and relevant to the litigation.

If he withholds a vital document in order to gain advantage, he will be guilty of playing fraud on the court as well as on the opposite party. On account of the sheer falsity of these assertions, this ...
(Alliance News) - Smithson Investment Trust PLC on Wednesday reported a first half net asset value rise and outperformed its benchmark during what was a tumultuous period for financial markets.

Smithson's net asset value per share at June 30 came in at 1,447.6 pence, up 15% from 1,255.2p at the end of December.

Shares were down 0.1% at 1,511.00p each in London on Wednesday morning.

The company reported a net asset value total return of just over 15%, below the 28% figure from a year ago but beating its benchmark, the MSCI World SMID Index, which returned negative 4.7%.

"I am delighted to report that the company has again produced extremely good results both in absolute terms and relative to the benchmark during this six month period, particularly in light of the challenges presented to global markets by the Covid-19 pandemic," Chair Mark Pacitti said.

"The company now holds 31 investments. During the period two new investments were made and there were no outright divestments, although there were some changes in the weightings of the investment holdings which resulted in divestments."

The biggest contributor during the half was Danish firm Ambu, which provides disposable medical equipment used for assessing Covid-19 patients. Medical technology firm Masimo was also one of the better performers in its portfolio, likewise Domino's Pizza Enterprises, which owns the pizza chain's franchises in Australia, New Zealand and several European countries.

"It benefited over the last six months by being able to keep many of its stores open whilst all other restaurants were closed. It was mostly unaffected by restrictions on the hospitality industry as it doesn't tend to have table seating in store," Smithson said.

Not faring as well was US firm Sabre, which provides software connecting travel suppliers to airlines and hotels.

London-listed Rightmove PLC also struggled as the UK housing market was shuttered due to lockdowns. Interestingly, Domino's Pizza Group PLC did not fare as well as its Australian counterpart; it saw more mixed results despite its largest market, the UK, performing "relatively well".

As of June 30, 40% of Smithson's investments are in the IT sector, with Industrials next up at 22% and Healthcare at 14%.

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Mumbai, July 29 : Actress Ankita Lokhande, ex-girlfriend of Sushant Singh Rajput, made the shocking revelation on Wednesday that the late actor was quite unhappy because Rhea Chakraborty harassed him.

Ankita made her claim while being interrogated by the Bihar Police team that is in the city to investigate the late actor's death.

According to Ankita, Sushant had told her that he is "quite unhappy in the relationship and wants to end it as Rhea harassed him", a report in dnaindia.com has stated. A few days ago, Rhea introduced herself as Sushant's girlfriend in a social media post addressed to Home Minister Amit Shah.

Ankita recalled how Sushant had a long chat with her during the release of her Bollywood debut film, "Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi" in 2019, during which he opened up on being "harassed" by his then current girlfriend Rhea, claims the website report.

The report further stated that Ankita has shared a copy of her above-mentioned chats with Sushant with the investigation team of Bihar Police.

Sushant dated Ankita, his co-star of the hit TV series "Pavitra Rishta", for almost six years after which they parted ways. After Sushant's demise in June, Ankita had visited the actor's family at his Bandra residence, who were in Mumbai at that time to perform his last rites.

Ankita also visited Sushant's family in Patna after that, during which she had reportedly shown the above-mentioned chats to Sushant's sister Shweta Singh Kirti.

On Tuesday, it came to light that Sushant's father KK Singh has filed an FIR at the Rajiv Nagar police station in Patna accusing six people, including his girlfriend Rhea, for abetment to suicide.

On Wednesday, Ankita took to social media to share a cryptic post. The actress tweeted an image that reads "Truth Wins", on her verified account.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery
In May 2019, three months after he had taken office and a few weeks after releasing a misleading summary of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation of President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Barr was supposed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. He never showed up for that appearance. He refused to testify because he objected to being questioned by staff attorneys, even though there was a firm precedent for such questioning.

More than a year later, Barr got his way. On Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee finally was able to question him for the first time, but without the assistance of staff attorneys. Barr was evasive and confrontational. Without staff attorneys, though, Democratic questioners largely flailed in efforts to effectively confront Barr and get him on the record under oath about a series of apparent abuses of office.

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Indeed, it quickly became very clear why Barr preferred not to face congressional staff questioners. Staff attorneys have been effective in past hearings, as they are generally practiced in cross-examinations and have done more direct research than members of Congress. Staff attorneys might have been able to ask Barr pointed and direct questions to get him on the record on, to name just a few abuses of his office, the handling of the Mueller report, the interference in the cases of Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, and the order to violently clear a crowd of peaceful protesters moments prior to a presidential photo-op. Barr has a lot to answer for. Instead, Democratic committee members floundered in their questioning.

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Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, which has proved to be one of the most incompetent oversight committees in the House, were quickly and easily able to divert the proceedings into farce. Following Chairman Jerrold Nadlers unmemorable opening statement, ranking minority member Jim Jordan was allowed to go well over his allotted time to air what amounted to a lengthy Fox News segment. After accusing the Obama administration of framing Flynn in order to cover up its own crimes, Jordan played a nearly eight-minute video of contextless clips of violence at protests.

The same person who called #Antifa imaginary and a myth doesnt want you to see the truth.



pic.twitter.com/KGskXCScna  Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 28, 2020

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Jordan was allowed to play this video in contradiction to committee rules, and, again, it ran well longer than his allotted time. Nadler then spent much of his question time not actually asking Barr questions or getting responses from him, but again grandstanding with statements that Barr was hiding behind legal fictions. Former House Intelligence Committee staff attorney Daniel Goldman, who did effective staff questioning during the impeachment inquiry, went so far as to note on Twitter how poorly Nadler had done the job.

Ineffective opening line of questioning by @RepJerryNadler.  Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) July 28, 2020

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Throughout the day, when Democratic representatives questioned Barr about specific allegations of abuse of power, they either quickly stepped over their own lines of questioning or interrupted Barr. This tactic may have been effective in preventing Barr from filibustering, but it did nothing to get any answers whatsoever from him.

The Democrats's strategy of not allowing Barr to answer questions is embarrassingly transparent. Deutch screams over Barr's attempts to answer several times here: pic.twitter.com/kCiTc8BZBZ  Eddie Zipperer (@EddieZipperer) July 28, 2020

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The most effective portions of the day, in fact, came when Black members of the Democratic caucus questioned Barr about excessive use of police force. First, when Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee pushed Barr on his views about police brutality, he rejected the idea that systemic discrimination in law enforcement even existed. I dont agree that theres systemic racism in police departments generally, in this country, Barr told her.

WATCH: After some back-and-forth, Attorney General William Barr tells Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas):



"I don't agree that there's systemic racism in police departments generally, in this country." pic.twitter.com/IuG6cQe3ip  PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) July 28, 2020

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Jackson Lee noted that Black people in this country are disproportionately subjected to police use of force and are searched a vastly disproportionate amount throughout the country. Barr then refused to explain why his department had stopped investigating patterns and practices of discrimination in specific police departments, including the Minneapolis Police Department, whose officers killed George Floyd and which is now under investigation by Minnesota state officials.

Later in the hearing, Rep. Karen Basswho is reportedly under consideration to be Joe Bidens vice presidential nomineeconducted a strong round of questioning in which Barr said he was unfamiliar with use-of-force tactics that resulted in the deaths of unarmed Black civilians.

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Rep. Karen Bass: 'Elijah McClain was walking home from a convenience store when he was approached by police. He had not committed a crime. Police held him in a chokehold for 15 minutes then injected him with ketamine...are you familiar with that case?"



AG Barr: "No" pic.twitter.com/u0p1lSnA8h  Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) July 28, 2020

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Bass then clearly articulated how disproportionate policing and use of force in Black communities point to a systemic problem that Barr denies.

When further pressed by Rep. Cedric Richmond, the attorney general gave his opposing view, contradicted by facts, that police are less likely to shoot at a Black suspect, a little bit more likely to shoot at white. However, police are more inclined to use nonlethal force in a contact with an African American suspect.

A few other members were also able to effectively press Barr on his misleading public claims that mail-in voting is marred by fraud. Barr acknowledged he had no evidence for this claim, even as he stood by it, and also acknowledged that he had previously voted by mail personally himself. Critically, in response to questioning from Rep. Greg Stanton, Barr refused to say that he would not use his Department of Justice to bolster the Trump campaign in the event of a contested election. I will follow the law, Barr said, when he was asked, yes or no, if he would refuse to intervene on the presidents behalf to stop states from counting ballots if requested or if he would commit to ensuring the Department of Justice does not get involved in a contested election.

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Bill Barr refuses to commit that the Department of Justice won't get involved in a contested election pic.twitter.com/nZRuvGJOOc  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 28, 2020

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These valuable lines of inquiry forced Barr to say, under oath, that he does not believe structural racism in policing exists, that he may use the DOJ to bolster Trumps campaign, and that he doesnt have any evidence for his claim that mail-in voting is at risk of foreign interference.

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Still, Democrats wasted a rare opportunity to get Barr on the record, under penalty of perjury, specifically explaining the mechanics of his many alleged abuses of power. When, for instance, precisely did he learn about Trumps photo-op? When also did he order federal forces to clear Lafayette Square, whom did he give the order to, and what specifically did he tell them? The answers to these would put him on the record under oath with facts that could be contradicted by other sources if they were misleading. They would almost certainly undermine his sworn claim that it was a complete coincidence that the effort to clear the park happened to occur right before Trumps photo-op. On this, and other specific questions regarding his firing of former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman and the pressure campaigns to protect Stone and Flynn, Democrats faltered. Barr apparently felt that it went so well that he gave a Republican congressman a wrist bump when it was all over.

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Barr exchanges a wrist-bump with Republican @RepMikeJohnson as he leaves the hearing room pic.twitter.com/9BicAgWGEQ  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 28, 2020

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Ultimately, perhaps Democrats evaded pressing Barr on the specifics of his many apparent abuses of power because they saw during the impeachment proceedingswhen the administration refused every single congressional subpoena and declined to turn over a single document to the Housethat there is no mechanism in the current Congress for getting any information out of this administration, or for any form of accountability. Instead, theyve bet everything on Joe Biden winning the next election. If the former vice president fails to do that by a large enough margin, though, we now know that Barr is ready to step in to work on behalf of Trumps personal and political interests at the expense of the country at least one more time.

For more of Slates news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below.
A new Gionee smartphone was listed recently on TENAA and features what appears to be a gigantic 10000 mAh battery. This is one of the highest battery capacities weve seen on a smartphone and indicates that the device might double as a power bank. But what compromises have been made to accommodate the battery?

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

A new Gionee smartphone was recently listed on TENAA, apparently sporting a gigantic 10000 mAh battery. To put that into perspective, thats over twice the battery capacity of the iPhone 11 Pro Max, a device widely praised for its multi-day battery life.

Going by the specs posted in the TENAA listing, the Gionee device appears to be more power bank than phone, with a mediocre 720p display and an octa-core 2.0 GHz processor, possibly a Mediatek model. The smartphone/power bank features a similarly lacklustre camera, with a single 16MP snapper on the back, and appears to be running on Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

These specs raise an important question: exactly who is this device for? As a smartphone, its less capable than most entry-level smartphones like the Realme C11. On the other hand, there are a number of actual power banks on the market with a lower capacity than this device. If pricings right, this looks to be a decent option as a backup or burner smartphone that pulls double duty as power backup for your main device.
The wobble in China's economy is fuelling expectations that a shakeout will present opportunities for acquisitions and takeovers for some of the nation's biggest property management companies, an industry executive said.

Several industry players have boosted their financial firepower this year by raising cash from stock placements to pick up targets. Hong Kong-listed Ever Sunshine Lifestyle Services Group does not want to miss the boat, chief executive officer Zhou Hongbin said.

"We want to seek M&As opportunities in this window, which will quickly disappear after the pandemic [in mainland China] is over," he said in a phone interview on July 21. The firm is eyeing potential targets in eastern provinces and the Greater Bay Area, he added.

The Shanghai-based company, which is controlled by developer CIFI Holdings and other related parties, is ranked 12th in its business, based on its contracts to manage and service about 111 million square metres (1.2 billion sq ft) of commercial and residential properties in 78 mainland cities at the end of 2019.

Zhou Hongbin, CEO of Ever Sunshine Lifestyles Services Group. Photo: SCMP Handout alt=Zhou Hongbin, CEO of Ever Sunshine Lifestyles Services Group. Photo: SCMP Handout

Ever Sunshine raised net proceeds of HK$1.56 billion (US$201 million) from the sale of 134 million new shares in June. At least six of its peers have also tapped the capital markets, raising a combined HK$7 billion through share placements so far this year, according to exchange data.

For example, Times Neighborhood collected HK$779.6 million by issuing 77 million shares on July 20. Greentown Service raised HK$4.1 billion in total from two share placements in May and June.

"Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, many property companies, including firms which manage office buildings and other commercial properties have been facing pressure in terms of cash flow," Zhou added. "Therefore, many opportunities have emerged."

Story continues

"We recently looked at many projects, including in the developed regions as mentioned, as well as some firms in northern and southwestern China, which can strengthen our existing portfolio."

Chinese property management firms are seen as a promising bet this year as their role gained prominence amid the pandemic. They ensure safety by controlling the flow of people and taking pre-emptive health screening within premises under their management.

A record number of property management companies is expected to go public this year. Shares of 30 property managers listed in Hong Kong and on the mainland have risen by about 69 per cent on average this year through July 24, according to data compiled by CRIC Securities.

Ever Sunshine, whose stock has appreciated 177 per cent this year, recorded a 74.5 per cent jump in revenue in 2019 from a year earlier, while earnings jumped 123 per cent to about 224 million.

Given the recent financing trends, Zhou predicts about a fifth of property management firms in China will dominate the market by controlling 80 per cent of the total management area in the next five to 10 years.

But some market observers have said the Chinese property management industry is still immature in its development and lacks diversified development strategies as their services tend to only cover basic maintenance of facilities, cleaning, and security.

"More firms with different management strategies and concepts, and those that have real competitive advantages, will gradually emerge in the property management industry," Zhou said.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON - Democrats clashed with Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday at a congressional hearing marked by angry recriminations over racial justice protests in Portland, Ore., and across the country as the nation's top law enforcement official said additional agents were needed to subdue aggressive, violent crowds.

The hearing before the House Judiciary Committee was acrimonious from the outset, when liberal lawmakers accused the conservative attorney general of politicizing the Justice Department through his deployment of federal agents to U.S. cities, his involvement in high-profile prosecutions of people connected to President Donald Trump, and his posture toward the upcoming presidential election.

Lawmakers spent months seeking Barr's testimony on a host of issues related to the Trump administration's interactions with the Justice Department. With the attorney general finally seated at the witness table, Democrats mostly made speeches or talked over him as he attempted to answer their questions, seemingly squandering any chance of getting new information or an admission out of him.

"This is a hearing; I thought I was the one who was supposed to be heard," Barr said in exasperation.

In a thick fog of partisan bickering, indignant lawmakers argued about mask-wearing etiquette, bathroom breaks and more. In the afternoon, the committee chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., initially refused Barr's request for a five-minute break. "You're a class act," the attorney general said sarcastically, before Nadler relented.

Many of the angriest exchanges focused on the federal government's response to protests over police misconduct and brutality, with Nadler accusing the attorney general of deploying more resources to spark confrontations with protesters because, the lawmaker argued, Trump believes such confrontations will scare Americans into voting for him.

"You are projecting fear and violence nationwide in pursuit of obvious political objectives. Shame on you, Mr. Barr," Nadler said.

3 1 of 3 Washington Post photo by Matt McClain Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Washington Post photo by Matt McClain Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Barr replied that U.S. marshals and other federal agents have a duty to guard the Portland courthouse from people tossing fireworks and trying to vandalize and break into the building. He said they are under siege in that building and need help dealing with a nightly barrage of fireworks, fires, and attacks. Law enforcement personnel have sustained serious injuries, Barr said.

"We are on the defense, we are not looking for trouble, and if the state and the city would provide the law enforcement services that other jurisdictions do, we would have no need to have additional marshals in the courthouse," the attorney general said.

The Washington Post reported Monday that law enforcement officials have decided to send 100 deputy marshals to Portland to beef up courthouse security; Customs and Border Protection is sending an additional 50 agents. The first new batch of deputy marshals, according to internal emails reviewed by The Post, were dispatched to Portland last week.

State and local officials have called for federal agents to leave the city, a demand rejected by the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department.

Republicans and Democrats played dueling videos at the hearing about the protests. The Republicans' video showed police officers and federal agents under siege, being hit with projectiles, and rioters stomping on top of police cars. The Democrats' video showed peaceful protesters singing and chanting for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Barr argued that force was needed to repel rioters, not protesters, arguing that "when people resist law enforcement, they're not peaceful."

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., suggested that Barr use a complex anti-racketeering law known as RICO to go after those committing acts of violence at the protests.

"General Barr, this has to stop. We can't let antifa continue terrorizing our country," said Buck, referring to the far-left anti-fascist movement demonized by Trump. RICO is a complex, decades-old law designed to dismantle criminal organizations, though it is rarely used because it is often simpler for federal prosecutors to charge suspects with conspiracy or other crimes. RICO was most famously used in the 1980s to prosecute the leaders of New York-area Mafia families.

Barr told the congressman that he had assigned counterterrorism investigators to help investigate what he called "violent extremist terrorists who are involved in these activities, and one of the tools obviously we would use is RICO, which could be used against an organization," though he quickly added, "That doesn't mean that we currently have a RICO case pending."

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., accused Barr and those in the GOP of seeking to distract from what the protests were actually about - the "persistent killing of black bodies by law enforcement."

She criticized the move by federal police to clear demonstrators near the White House in early June, just before the president walked across the area to pose for a photo at a nearby church, and contrasted the episode with how Trump supported other protesters, such as those in Michigan, demonstrating against coronavirus-related shutdown measures.

"Apparently the president believes that you can be activated to implement the president's agenda and dominate American people exercising First Amendment rights if they're protesting against him," Jayapal told Barr.

Jayapal asked Barr whether he was aware that the Michigan protesters had called for the state's Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, to be "lynched, shot and beheaded." Barr said he was not. As Jayapal expressed her dismay, Barr began to argue that there are "a lot of protests" in the U.S. and that he was focused on those that threaten federal property.

Barr was equally defensive of his interventions of high-profile, criminal cases involving allies of the president - most notably Trump's longtime friend Roger Stone and former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Democrats accused the attorney general of using the Justice Department to shield Trump and his friends while prosecuting his enemies.

"The message these actions send is clear: In this Justice Department, the president's enemies will be punished and his friends will be protected, no matter the cost, no matter the cost to liberty, no matter the cost to justice," Nadler said.

Barr insisted that the assertion was not true, saying Trump "told me from the start that he expects me to exercise my independent judgment to make whatever call I think is right," adding, "That is precisely what I have done." He challenged his critics to point to a single indictment of one of Trump's foes.

"I'm supposedly punishing the president's enemies and helping his friends," Barr said. "What enemies have I indicted? Who - could you point to one indictment that has been under the department that you feel is unmerited?"

Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his conversations with a Russian diplomat during the presidential transition, though he later hired a new legal team and fought the case. As Flynn awaited sentencing, Barr tapped the U.S. attorney in St. Louis to review how the case was handled and ultimately had the Justice Department move to throw it out. The matter is now tied up in an appeals court, after a federal judge balked at the Justice Department's request.

Stone was convicted last year of lying to Congress as it investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. As he awaited a hearing on his penalty, Barr moved to override career prosecutors' sentencing recommendation in the case. The career prosecutors wanted a term of seven to nine years; Barr pushed for something lesser.

Barr insisted in both instances that his interventions were of his own volition, and not because of Stone and Flynn's relationships with Trump. He took special aim at the career prosecutors, characterizing their recommendation as harsh and out of step with what a judge ultimately imposed.

"This is a 67-year-old man, first-time offender, no violence, and they were trying to put him in jail for seven to nine years," Barr said of Stone. "And I wasn't going to advocate that, because that is not the rule of law."

"The judge agreed with me," he stressed later.

While it is true that a judge ultimately sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison, she did so after calling Barr's intervention "unprecedented." Career prosecutors' dispute with Barr was over a technical point: They wanted to recommend a sentence within what federal guidelines called for, which Justice Department prosecutors almost always do, while Barr believed some leeway was in order.

"The president's friends don't deserve special breaks, but they also don't deserve to be treated more harshly than other people," Barr said Tuesday.

In a similar vein, Barr said that, as it was happening, he was unaware of authorities' move to send Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen back to prison after his release as part of an initiative meant to stem the spread of coronavirus in prisons. Barr said the decision was mostly due to demands of the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services System, which is part of the federal court system, not his department.

Several Democrats sought to press Barr on the 2020 election - particularly whether foreigners were seeking to interfere with it, why he believes mail-in voting would lead to fraud and whether he will ultimately accept the result should Trump lose.

Perhaps the most notable exchange came when Biden ally Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., asked whether he believed the election would be "rigged." In an interview this month, Trump told Fox News that he believes "mail-in voting is going to rig the election" and declined to say whether he will accept the November results.

"I have no reason to think it will be," Barr said.

Barr, however, stood by his repeated public suggestion that mail-in voting could lead to fraud, particularly if the practice is expanded widely. Some of his critics have said there is no evidence to support that assertion, and Barr himself conceded that he has voted by mail at least once.

Barr said Americans "have to assume" that Russia is seeking to interfere in the coming election, though he offered no specifics. In one exchange, he stumbled when asked whether it would be appropriate for the president "to solicit or accept foreign assistance in an election." At first, Barr told Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., "it depends what kind of assistance." But when asked the question again, with Cicilline adding that the assistance could be "of any kind," Barr shifted course.

"No, it's not appropriate," he said.

Unlike Trump, Barr did confirm that he would leave office if the president lost.

"If the results are clear, I will leave office," Barr said.

- - -

The Washington Post's John Wagner and Nick Miroff contributed to this report.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor has scaled down the activities of I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee) in Patna and has said that the prospects of assembly elections in Bihar have dimmed.

Amid speculation that he could wind up from Bihar due to lack of takers, unlike 2015 elections when he was much in demand in the Grand Alliance (GA) and worked closely with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Kishor said he was not in Bihar with any short-term goal of fighting election and there was no question of winding up activities here, though it had been scaled down due to pandemic.

But yes, I do see a fast diminishing prospect of a timely assembly election in Bihar. I am of firm opinion that elections will not be held due to the worsening situation in the state. It should not be held and it would not be held, as the situation in Bihar mandates the entire focus to be on Covid-19 management and control, he said.

Kishor said it was just not feasible to ask seven crore voters to move out of their homes and vote when the Covid-19 situation would be at its peak in the state. The elections are scheduled in October-November.

Bihars Covid-19 tally stands at 45,919. In the last 24 hours, the state reported 2,328 fresh cases. The state is also battling floods at many places.

Kishor warned that the Covid pandemic could get worse in the days to come. I have nothing to do with elections in Bihar this time, as I will not be participating in it, but any attempt to hold elections in the midst of a pandemic would have catastrophic consequences. Political parties have seen the result of virtual rallies, he added.

He said that when the Election Commission (EC) was finding it difficult even to hold by-elections for a few seats, expecting an assembly election involving the entire state was highly unlikely. Since March, no election has been held in the country. The theory of postal ballot was also floated, but the EC has rejected that also, he added.

Kishor said that the I-PAC had enough work across the country and in Bihar it has a long-term vision. We are engaged in the making of CMs in six states, but in Bihar we are with no political party or alliance. We have our set up of I-PAC in Patna and that will continue. The response of Baat Bihar Ki is for anyone to see, but this is not the time to take the risk of virtual campaigning as BJP and JD-U risked, he added.

In February during his first interaction with the media in Patna after his expulsion from the JD-U, Kishor had said that he was not there to get any alliance win or lose elections.

I will work to prepare youth who could take Bihar forward, those who had dreamt to change it to be among the top-10 states in the next 10 years. I have a long-term and medium-term plan, starting with Baat Bihar ki on February 20, a programme to involve 1,000 committed youth from across the state, he had added.
Customer Personal Data Exposed in 80% of Breaches Analyzed; AI and Automation Significantly Reduce Costs

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM Security (NYSE: IBM) announced today the results of a global study examining the financial impact of data breaches, revealing that these incidents cost companies studied $3.86 million per breach on average, and that compromised employee accounts were the most expensive root cause. Based on in-depth analysis of data breaches experienced by over 500 organizations worldwide, 80% of these incidents resulted in the exposure of customers' personally identifiable information (PII). Out of all types of data exposed in these breaches, customer PII was also the costliest to businesses studied.

As companies are increasingly accessing sensitive data via new remote work and cloud-based business operations, the report sheds light on the financial losses that organizations can suffer if this data is compromised. A separate IBM study found that over half of surveyed employees new to working from home due to the pandemic have not been provided with new guidelines on how to handle customer PII, despite the changing risk models associated with this shift.

Sponsored by IBM Security and conducted by the Ponemon Institute, the 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report is based on in-depth interviews with more than 3,200 security professional in organizations that suffered a data breach over the past year.1 Some of the top findings from this year's report include:

Smart Tech Slashes Breach Costs in Half: Companies studied who had fully deployed security automation technologies (which leverage AI, analytics and automated orchestration to identify and respond to security events) experienced less than half the data breach costs compared to those who didn't have these tools deployed - $2.45 million vs. $6.03 million on average.

Companies studied who had fully deployed security automation technologies (which leverage AI, analytics and automated orchestration to identify and respond to security events) experienced less than half the data breach costs compared to those who didn't have these tools deployed - vs. on average. Paying a Premium for Compromised Credentials : In incidents where attackers accessed corporate networks through the use of stolen or compromised credentials, studied businesses saw nearly $1 million higher data breach costs compared to the global average - reaching $4.77 million per data breach. Exploiting third-party vulnerabilities was the second costliest root cause of malicious breaches ( $4.5 million ) for this group.

: In incidents where attackers accessed corporate networks through the use of stolen or compromised credentials, studied businesses saw nearly higher data breach costs compared to the global average - reaching per data breach. Exploiting third-party vulnerabilities was the second costliest root cause of malicious breaches ( ) for this group. Mega Breach 2 Costs Soar by the Millions : Breaches wherein over 50 million records were compromised saw costs jump to $392 million from $388 million the previous year. Breaches where 40 to 50 million records were exposed cost studied companies $364 million on average, a cost increase of $19 million compared to the 2019 report.

: Breaches wherein over 50 million records were compromised saw costs jump to from the previous year. Breaches where 40 to 50 million records were exposed cost studied companies on average, a cost increase of compared to the 2019 report. Nation State Attacks - The Most Damaging Breaches: Data breaches believed to originate from nation state attacks were the costliest, compared to other threat actors examined in the report. State-sponsored attacks averaged $4.43 million in data breach costs, surpassing both financially motivated cybercriminals and hacktivists.

"When it comes to businesses' ability to mitigate the impact of a data breach, we're beginning to see a clear advantage held by companies that have invested in automated technologies," said Wendi Whitmore, Vice President, IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence. "At a time when businesses are expanding their digital footprint at an accelerated pace and the security industry's talent shortage persists, teams can be overwhelmed securing more devices, systems and data. Security automation can help resolve this burden, not only supporting a faster breach response but a more cost-efficient one as well."

Employee Credentials and Misconfigured Clouds - Attackers' Entry Point of Choice

Stolen or compromised credentials and cloud misconfigurations were the most common causes of a malicious breach for companies in the report, representing nearly 40% of malicious incidents. With over 8.5 billion records exposed in 2019, and attackers using previously exposed emails and passwords in one out of five breaches studied, businesses should rethink their security strategy via the adoption of a zero-trust approach - reexamining how they authenticate users and the extent of access users are granted.

Similarly, companies' struggle with security complexity - a top breach cost factor - is likely contributing to cloud misconfigurations becoming a growing security challenge. The 2020 report revealed that attackers used cloud misconfigurations to breach networks nearly 20% of the time, increasing breach costs by more than half a million dollars to $4.41 million on average - making it the third most expensive initial infection vector examined in the report.

State Sponsored Attacks Strike Heaviest

Despite representing just 13% of malicious breaches studied, state-sponsored threat actors were the most damaging type of adversary according to the 2020 report, suggesting that financially motivated attacks (53%) don't necessarily translate into higher financial losses for businesses. The highly tactical nature, longevity and stealth maneuvers of state-backed attacks, as well as the high value data targeted, often result in a more extensive compromise of victim environments, increasing breach costs to an average of $4.43 million.

In fact, the respondents in the Middle East, a region that historically experiences a higher proportion of state-sponsored attacks compared to other parts of the world3, saw over 9% yearly rise in their average breach cost, incurring the second highest average breach cost ($6.52 million) amongst the 17 regions studied. Similarly, businesses studied in the energy sector, one of the most frequently targeted industries by nation states, experienced a 14% increase in breach costs year over year, averaging $6.39 million.

Advanced Security Technologies Prove Smart for Business

The report highlights the growing divide in breach costs between businesses implementing advanced security technologies and those lagging behind, revealing a cost-saving difference of $3.58 million for studied companies with fully deployed security automation versus those that have yet to deploy this type of technology. The cost gap has grown by $2 million, from a difference of $1.55 million in 2018.

Companies in the study with fully deployed security automation also reported a significantly shorter response time to breaches, another key factor shown to reduce breach costs in the analysis. The report found that AI, machine learning, analytics and other forms of security automation enabled companies to respond to breaches over 27% faster on average, than companies that have yet to deploy security automation - the latter of which require on average 74 additional days to identify and contain a breach.

Incident response (IR) preparedness also continues to heavily influence the financial aftermath of a breach. According to the report, companies with neither an IR team nor testing of IR plans experience $5.29 million in average breach costs, whereas companies that have both an IR team and use tabletop exercises or simulations to test IR plans experience $2 million less in breach costs - reaffirming that preparedness and readiness yield a significant ROI in cybersecurity.

Some additional findings from this year's report include:

Remote Work Risk Will Have a Cost: With hybrid work models creating less controlled environments, the report found that 70% of companies studied that adopted telework amid the pandemic expect it will exacerbate data breach costs.

With hybrid work models creating less controlled environments, the report found that 70% of companies studied that adopted telework amid the pandemic expect it will exacerbate data breach costs. CISOs Faulted for Breaches, Despite Limited Decision-Making Power : Forty-six percent of respondents said the CISO/CSO is ultimately held responsible for the breach, despite only 27% stating the CISO/CSO is the security policy and technology decision-maker. The report found that appointing a CISO was associated with $145,000 cost savings versus the average cost of a breach.

: Forty-six percent of respondents said the CISO/CSO is ultimately held responsible for the breach, despite only 27% stating the CISO/CSO is the security policy and technology decision-maker. The report found that appointing a CISO was associated with cost savings versus the average cost of a breach. Majority of Cyber Insured Businesses Use Claims for Third Party Fees: The report found that breaches at studied organizations with cyber insurance cost on average nearly $200,000 less than the global average of $3.86 million . In fact, of these organizations that used their cyber insurance, 51% applied it to cover third-party consulting fees and legal services, while 36% of organizations used it for victim restitution costs. Only 10% used claims to cover the cost of ransomware or extortion.

The report found that breaches at studied organizations with cyber insurance cost on average nearly less than the global average of . In fact, of these organizations that used their cyber insurance, 51% applied it to cover third-party consulting fees and legal services, while 36% of organizations used it for victim restitution costs. Only 10% used claims to cover the cost of ransomware or extortion. Regional & Industry Insights: While studied companies in the U.S. continued to experience the highest data breach costs in the world, at $8.64 million on average, those studied in Scandinavia experienced the biggest year over year increase in breach costs, observing a nearly 13% rise. Responding healthcare companies continued to incur the highest average breach costs at $7.13 million - an over 10% increase compared to the 2019 study.

About the Study

The annual Cost of a Data Breach Report is based on in-depth analysis of real-world data breaches experienced by over 500 organizations worldwide taking place between August 2019 and April 2020, taking into account hundreds of cost factors including legal, regulatory and technical activities to loss of brand equity, customers, and employee productivity.

To download a copy of the 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report, please visit: ibm.com/databreach

Sign up for the 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report webinar on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. ET here: https://ibm.biz/BdqhMf

About IBM Security

IBM Security offers one of the most advanced and integrated portfolios of enterprise security products and services. The portfolio, supported by world-renowned IBM X-Force research, enables organizations to effectively manage risk and defend against emerging threats. IBM operates one of the world's broadest security research, development and delivery organizations, monitors 70 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries, and has been granted more than 10,000 security patents worldwide. For more information, please check www.ibm.com/security, follow @IBMSecurity on Twitter or visit the IBM Security Intelligence blog.

1 Report analyzes data breaches occurring between August 2019 and April 2020. Limitations of the report's methodology can be found in the report.

2 The 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report examines the cost of a mega breach, namely breaches involving the loss or theft of one million records or more, based on a separate analysis of a specific sample.

3 According to the IBM 2020 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index: https://ibm.biz/downloadxforcethreatindex

Press Contact:

IBM Security Media Relations

Georgia Prassinos

gprassinos@ibm.com

(571) 365-6065

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220807/IBM_Data_Breach_Report.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95470/ibm_logo.jpg
Ooredoo Qatar has launched a Nokia-powered cloud-native core network for commercial 5G services.

The new core network facilitates automation for improved network efficiency and streamlined network management. The transformation of the core network also enables Ooredoo Qatar to bring new use cases such as Industrial IOT (IIoT), Voice over Broadband (VoBB), Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) to its subscribers. Furthermore, Nokias equipment and professional services will help Ooredoo Qatar to scale its network more efficiently with automated operations and enhanced robustness.

5G technology demands a dynamic, agile, and easily scalable core network, which can address the ever-increasing traffic without any impact on the performance. The cloud-native core is essential to meet the critical business objectives of 5G, including better bandwidth and latency, the requirement of IoT, and providing new services that go beyond the traditional offerings of voice, broadband and messaging by service providers.

More than ten virtualized network functions (VNFs) are deployed on the cloud platform, covering data, voice, subscriber management registers and policy control enabling voice and data services. The new cloud core network supports 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) architecture and provides a smooth transition to a 5G Standalone network architecture.

Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaisi, Chief Operating Officer at Ooredoo Qatar, said: Collaboration with Nokiawill help us in providing low-latency, high-speed and content-rich services to our subscribers.

Henrique Vale, Vice President of Nokia Software for Middle East and Africa, said: Ooredoo Qatar's new core network will enable it to bring innovative and the latest use cases to its subscribers and also prepares the network for providing scalable 5G commercial services."
DUBAI/RIYADH (Reuters) - Yemen's southern separatists rescinded a declaration of self-rule on Wednesday and a new governor and police chief were appointed in the contested city of Aden, after a Saudi push to reunite allies in a fight against Iran-aligned Houthi forces.

DUBAI/RIYADH (Reuters) - Yemen's southern separatists rescinded a declaration of self-rule on Wednesday and a new governor and police chief were appointed in the contested city of Aden, after a Saudi push to reunite allies in a fight against Iran-aligned Houthi forces.

The United Nations Yemen envoy said the initiative was an important step towards a peaceful resolution of the five-year conflict.

Riyadh is seeking to end a conflict between southern separatists and the Saudi-backed government, which has been based in Aden for five years after being driven from the capital Sanaa by the Houthis.

The government and the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, are the main Yemeni forces in a Saudi-led anti-Houthi coalition. But the Yemeni allies have been in a standoff since last August when the STC took over Aden.

A power-sharing deal between them in November, the "Riyadh agreement", was never implemented. The STC declared self rule in April and the two sides have been fighting in Aden and other southern regions.

Wednesday's developments were part of a new framework unveiled by Saudi Arabia to resolve the quarrel among the allies and implement their power-sharing deal.

STC spokesman Nizar Haitham said the group had rescinded its self-rule declaration and would work under the new framework.

The framework calls for a new governor and head of police for Aden. Yemeni government news agency Sabanet said STC-allied figures were appointed to these positions on Wednesday. The agency also quoted a government official as welcoming the Saudi initiative.

Yemen's prime minister has 30 days to form a 24-member cabinet, representing north and south Yemen equally and including STC representatives.

In those 30 days, medium and heavy military apparatus should leave the Aden governorate, forces in neighbouring Abyan province should separate and return to previous positions, and a ceasefire agreed in June should continue, the Saudi initiative said.

UAE WELCOMES INITIATIVE

"The consent of the Yemeni parties to accelerate the implementation of the agreement reflects the serious desire for dialogue," Saudi vice minister of defence Khalid bin Salman tweeted.

The UAE, which scaled down its military presence in Yemen last year, also welcomed the Saudi initiative and urged all Yemeni forces to cooperate in the fight against the Houthis, according to a foreign ministry statement carried by state news agency WAM.

The Yemen war has driven millions of people to the verge of starvation, requiring the world's biggest humanitarian response.

The dispute within the anti-Houthi camp has been holding up U.N. efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the wider conflict. The United Nations has been holding virtual talks between the warring parties to agree a permanent ceasefire and a restart to peace negotiations, last held in December 2018.

U.N. Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths on Tuesday told the U.N. Security Council: "There is a real risk that these negotiations will slip away, and that Yemen will enter a new phase of prolonged escalation, of the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, and of severe and threatening economic decline."

(Reporting by Hesham Abdul Khalek, Raya Jalabi and Marwa Rashad; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the U.N.; Writing by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Some nightclubs in Spain have been shut following local coronavirus outbreaks (AP Photo)

A Spanish tourist hotspot has shut down its nightclubs after a surge in coronavirus cases.

The city of Gandia, near Valencia on the Costa Blanca, has closed its clubs following an outbreak, El Pais reported.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the coastal city increased to 70 on Saturday, a rise of 21 from Friday.

Regional health chief Ana Barcelo said most of the 20 outbreaks in the region are linked to nightclubs, bars, parties and young people.

She said: We are enormously worried that more cases could continue appearing due to night-life activities.

Nightclubs in Gandia must remain closed until at least August, authorities said, while bars must shut at 10pm.

Separately, an end-of-school event on 10 July at a nightclub in Cordoba, in the southern region of Andalusia, has been blamed for a rise in infections.

Meanwhile, the beaches of Barcelona were packed with people at the weekend even as the city was forced back into lockdown after a surge in coronavirus cases.

The packed Barceloneta beach in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday. (Reuters)

Thousands of sun-seekers ignored pleas from the Catalan authorities to stay at home in one of Spains regions worst-hit from COVID-19.

Access to beaches in Barcelona had to be closed on Saturday and Sunday after too many people took to the sand.

Police patrolled Barceloneta beach and closed it off to new bathers on Sunday afternoon after it reached capacity. Long queues of people formed to gain access to the beach.

People queue to enter a beach in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday. (Reuters)

Barcelona went back into lockdown on Saturday, with gatherings of more than 10 people banned.

On Sunday, Catalonias regional health ministry reported 944 new cases over a 24-hour period, after recording more than 1,200 the previous day.

About 4 million people were advised to only leave home for essential trips, but that did not stop the citys beaches from being overwhelmed.

"Staying at home in the summer is stifling and stressful," said beachgoer Felipe, 24, who wore a face mask.

Read more: Record number of coronavirus cases reported worldwide for second day in a row

Story continues

"I work five days a week and can't spend every day at home. My mental health comes first.

Spain was one of the worst-hit countries in Europe by coronavirus and emerged from a national lockdown on 21 June.

People enjoy the sunny weather at Barceloneta beach in Spain on Sunday. (Reuters)

According to Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than 260,000 cases in Spain and more than 28,000 deaths.

Since national lockdown ended, there have been more than 180 outbreaks across Spain.

The new lockdown measures in Barcelona mean bars and restaurants may remain open but must provide just 50% capacity and two metres between tables outside.

Spanish health minister Salvador Illa urged Barcelona residents to follow the guidelines.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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KEY FACTS 10:20 a.m.: Ontario is reporting 76 new COVID-19 cases

8:45 a.m.: Toronto, Peel get green light to go to Stage 3 on Friday

6:26 a.m.: China reports more than 100 new cases of COVID-19

The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Wednesday. This file will be updated throughout the day. Web links to longer stories if available.

7:50 p.m.: More than 150,000 people have now died from COVID-19 in the United States, by far the highest total in the world.

The Associated Press reports the U.S. surpassed the grim milestone Wednesday.

Earlier this year, U.S. authorities expressed hope the country would see no more than 60,000 people die of the pandemic virus. Later, in May, President Donald Trump said the final death toll might fall between 75,000 and 100,000 deaths.

About 4.4 million Americas have been infected with the disease.

Globally, nearly 665,000 people are dead.

5:30 p.m.: As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Ontarios regional health units are reporting a total of 41,087 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19, including 2,806 deaths, up another 112 cases in 24 hours.

As has been the case in recent days, the new infections reported Wednesday predominantly came outside the GTA.

Inside the region, all five health units reported another day of relatively low case counts. Peel Region reported just nine new cases, its first day in single digits since March; York Region reported eight; Durham Region three; and Halton Region once again reported zero.

In Toronto, the city followed up Tuesdays single reported new infection with 19 case reports Wednesday. (Toronto Public Health also reported it had removed 23 cases from its records after performing routine data work, meaning the citys running total actually fell by four; accounting for those cases, the provinces total rose by just 89 cases overall).

Elsewhere, Windsor-Essex once again reported the worst rate of new infection in the province, with 30 new cases.

On Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford announced that Windsor would remain in Stage 2 of reopening. Toronto and Peel are meanwhile set to join the rest of the province in Stage 3 on Friday.

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 cautions its separate 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.

3:30 p.m.: Toronto City Council has voted to make it mandatory for people to wear masks in condo and apartment building common areas.

The new temporary bylaw, which was recommended by the citys medical officer of health, applies to enclosed common areas, such as lobbies, elevators and laundry rooms.

Building owners or operators will be required to have a policy and signage in place, the city said in a Wednesday news release.

As with the citys broader mask rules, the bylaw includes exemptions for people who cant wear masks for medical reasons.

This measure for masks and face coverings in common areas in apartments and condos was strongly recommended by our public health professionals, Toronto Mayor John Tory said in a statement. Many buildings have already done this voluntarily but we have heard from tenants and condo dwellers asking for this measure to be mandated.

The rule comes into effect Aug. 5. The city is offering printable signage for building operators.

2:30 p.m.: The Blue Jays game on Friday against the Phillies in Philadelphia has been postponed, and will be made up the next day as part of a doubleheader.

One Philadelphia Phillies employee who works in the visiting clubhouse has tested positive for the coronavirus, a person familiar with the results told The Associated Press.

But all Phillies players and on-field staff tested negative for COVID-19 for a second straight day, according to another person with knowledge of the results.

The Phillies four-game, home-and-home series against the New York Yankees was postponed this week following a coronavirus outbreak among the Miami Marlins, who played a season-opening series in Philadelphia last weekend.

The Jays will be the home team for the 3 p.m. doubleheader in Philadelphia. The Blue Jays have been displaced because the Canadian government didnt want players travelling in and out of the country.

1:25 p.m.: Nova Scotia is reporting one new death attributed to the novel coronavirus.

The province said today a woman in her 60s with underlying health conditions died several weeks ago in the eastern health zone and authorities only recently confirmed COVID-19 had been a factor in her death.

Officials say she was not a resident of a long-term care home.

Nova Scotia reported no new cases of COVID-19 today and said it has no active cases of the virus.

Premier Stephen McNeil said in a statement his thoughts are with the family of the victim.

Nova Scotia has reported a total of 64 COVID-19 deaths.

12:50 p.m.: Front-line workers in Manitoba are to receive $1,500 each to recognize the role they have played during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Premier Brian Pallister says 78,000 eligible recipients will get a direct deposit this week.

The money comes from both the federal and provincial governments, but the province got to decide who would be eligible.

Pallister originally estimated the payment, which is taxable, would work out to roughly $1,000 a person. Eligible workers include transportation, health care and social services employees.

12:07 p.m.: The NBA has announced that none of the 344 players on the leagues campus have returned positive tests for the second straight week.

11:55 a.m.: Quebec is reporting 176 new cases of COVID-19 today, but no new deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.

The province has reported a total of 5,670 COVID-19 deaths and 59,073 confirmed cases of the disease, 50,886 of which are considered recovered.

Quebecs infection rate has been stable in recent days, with new cases cropping up mainly in the 15-to-34 age bracket, according to health officials.

Seniors residences remain a concern, including a private facility in the Quebec City area that was taken over by the regional health authority this week after 21 people tested positive and three died.

The number of hospitalizations declined by three compared with yesterday, to reach 190.

Of those, nine patients are in intensive care, an increase of one.

11:50 a.m.: Elementary schoolkids could be spaced about one metre apart in class, high schoolers two metres, and all students should attend every day, experts at Sick Kids hospital say in their updated report on how to safely reopen schools this fall.

The experts, whose advice will inform the governments plans to be announced this week on what families can expect come September, also say smaller class sizes should be a priority strategy as it will aid in physical distancing and reduce potential spread.

While they note that other systems have implemented caps of 10 to 15 children, there is limited evidence on which to base a pre-specified class size. Decisions should take into account the available classroom space in addition to the number of exposures that would occur should a student or staff test positive.

The Stars Kristin Rushowy has the full story.

10:20 a.m.: Ontario is reporting 76 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily increase since March 22, Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted. Hospitalizations, ICU admissions and vented patients have all declined. The province processed over 27,300 tests Tuesday.

9:25 a.m.: At a morning news conference Mayor John Tory called the announcement excellent news but a challenge for us here in the city of Toronto.

Tory lauded Premier Doug Ford for accepting some of the citys requested extra measures to reduce the threat of virus spread, especially in bars and restaurants.

The city reported only one new case of COVID-19 on Tuesday but Tory warned that remaining in Stage 3 hinges on Torontonians ability to follow anti-virus measures.

Its going to involve continued effort on the part of individual people to make sure that we, together, keep wrestling this thing to the ground and keep it there, Tory said.

COVID-19 doesnt go away just because were in Stage 3.

The Stars David Rider has more on what Tory said.

The Stars Francine Kopun has details on what moving to Stage 3 means for Toronto and Peel Region.

8:45 a.m. (updated): Toronto and Peel Region will move into Stage 3 of reopening the province on Friday.

While more restaurants, theatres and businesses can hang up their Open for Business sign, were asking everyone to follow public health advice and act responsibly, Premier Doug Ford said in a news release.

Windsor-Essex County Health Unit region will remain in Stage 2.

The news release also notes that the province is supportive of the proposals made by Toronto Public Health relating to restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments.

Among other measures, Mayor John Tory has asked Premier Doug Ford to make masks mandatory in restaurants and bars for Stage 3 reopening.

The move comes after Toronto reported just one new case on Tuesday.

For regions in Stage 3, gathering limits will increase to a maximum of 50 people indoors and a maximum of 100 people outdoors, with physical distancing in place, according to the province.

Gathering limits apply to all social gatherings and events, as well as some higher risk activities and venues. Gathering limits do not apply to settings such as restaurants and bars, however these settings must be configured so that patrons seated at different tables are separated by a distance of at least two metres, plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier.

The Stars Nick Keung has the story on what other measures the city wants to take regarding the reopening of bars and restaurants in Stage 3.

8:20 a.m.: A judge who once served as the provincial governments lead counsel for the Walkerton tainted water inquiry and prosecuted the notorious Bre-X gold fraud case will head Premier Doug Fords long-awaited commission into the deadly impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, the Star has learned.

Frank Marrocco, an associate chief justice of Ontarios Superior Court, has been named chair of the three-member panel that includes Dr. Jack Kitts, recently retired president and chief executive of The Ottawa Hospital and Angela Coke, a former deputy minister who spent 27 years in Ontarios civil service.

Read the Star exclusive story from Rob Ferguson.

8 a.m. Shopify Inc. is reporting $36 million (U.S.) in profits in the second quarter on a nearly doubling of revenues as it reaped the benefits of COVID-19 lockdowns.

The Ottawa-based tech company says it earned 29 cents per diluted share for the three months ended June 30, compared with a loss of 26 cents per share or $28.7 million (U.S.) in the prior year.

The company says the ongoing effect of the pandemic has been to accelerate the shift of purchase habits to e-commerce with new stores created on the Shopify platform growing 71 per cent in the quarter.

The world is changing fast. With the rapid shift to online commerce, massive disruption to conventional employment, and growing conviction that opportunity needs to be more evenly distributed, entrepreneurship has never been more important, said CEO Tobi Lutke.

7:54 a.m. World Rugby has scrapped the combined mens and womens events in Dubai and Cape Town, the first two rounds of next seasons HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, due to the global pandemic.

The events were provisionally scheduled for Nov. 26-28 and Dec. 4-6, 2020, respectively.

While we share in the disappointment of players, teams, fans, hosts and everyone involved with the popular events in Dubai and Cape Town, this is a prudent decision taken with the health and well-being of the global rugby community and wider society as our top priority and guided by the relevant government and international public health authority advice, World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper said in a statement Wednesday.

The 2020 Series was cut short with events in Langford, B.C., London, Paris, Singapore and Hong Kong cancelled due to COVID-19. New Zealand was announced winner of both the mens and womens divisions based on points already accumulated.

Canada finished third in the womens standings and eighth in the mens.

7:39 a.m. The U.K. is moving swiftly to snap up supplies of future coronavirus vaccines, signing a deal with partners GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Sanofi to secure as many as 60 million doses of their experimental shot.

The latest agreement highlights the aggressive steps the British government is taking to obtain inoculations for its population of 66 million people. The U.K. has now secured the highest number of doses per capita, putting the country ahead of the U.S., according to London-based analytics firm Airfinity.

The pact follows the U.K. governments move last week to buy 90 million doses of potential vaccines from a partnership of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE as well as from Valneva SE. The University of Oxfords partner, AstraZeneca Plc, intends to make as many as 30 million doses available to the U.K. by September as part of a pact to deliver 100 million doses.

7:35 a.m. Russia plans to register a coronavirus vaccine as soon as Aug. 10 to Aug. 12, clearing the way for what its backers say would be the worlds first official approval of an inoculation against the epidemic.

The drug developed by Moscows Gamaleya Institute and the Russian Direct Investment Fund may be approved for civilian use within three to seven days of registration by regulators, according to a person familiar with the process, who asked not to be identified because the information isnt public.

Earlier, the state-run RIA Novosti news service reported the vaccine may be approved by Aug. 15-16.

The Gamaleya Institute and RDIF declined to comment.

No data has been published about the vaccine, which has been touted by its developers as safe and potentially the first to reach the public. It is scheduled to begin Phase 3 trials next week in Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

6:26 a.m.: China reported more than 100 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday as the country continues to battle an outbreak in Xinjiang.

The 101 new cases was Chinas highest daily increase in weeks. The northwestern region of Xinjiang accounted for 89, with another eight in the northeastern province of Liaoning and one in Beijing. Another three cases were brought from outside the country by returning Chinese citizens.

5:09 a.m.: The commander of U.S. forces in Japan says strict measures are in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus by American military personnel entering Japan.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki has voiced worries about an outbreak spreading from the heavy U.S. military presence on the southern island.

According to Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider, the commander of U.S. troops in Japan, positive cases among the service members and other base employees have gone down over the last five days from 189 to 139. Most of the cases were in Camp Hansen and Futenma, both on Okinawa.

5:05 a.m.: Muslim pilgrims, donning face masks and moving in small groups after days in isolation, began arriving to Islams holiest site in Mecca on Wednesday for the start of a historically unique and scaled-down hajj experience reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic.

The hajj is one of Islams most important requirements, performed once in a lifetime. It follows a route the Prophet Muhammad walked nearly 1,400 years ago and is believed to ultimately trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are named in the Bible.

The hajj, both physically and spiritually demanding, is intended to bring about greater humility and unity among Muslims.

Rather than standing and praying shoulder-to-shoulder in a sea of people from different walks of life, pilgrims this year are social distancing  standing apart and moving in small groups of 20 to limit exposure and the potential transmission of the coronavirus.

4:54 a.m.: The European Unions health commissioner says theres concern over an upswing of new coronavirus infections in several European countries caused primarily by complacency and laxity among the public that isnt strictly adhering to personal hygiene rules.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Stella Kyriakides said of her native Cyprus that theres also concern over a localized spike in COVID-19 infections whose source authorities havent so far been able to trace.

She says this shows that a section of the population isnt following health and safety protocols and that a renewed surge of infections can be avoided if people remain vigilant at all times.

4:03 a.m.: The British Columbia government is set to announce its updated plan for a safe return for public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education Minister Rob Fleming says the plan was developed in consultation with a committee made up of teachers, parents, First Nations, principals, trustees, school boards, support workers and health and safety officials.

4:02 a.m.: The Ontario government is expected to announce today whether the only regions still in Stage 2 of the provinces COVID-19 recovery plan can move on to the next phase.

Premier Doug Ford has pledged to lay out when and how Toronto, Peel Region and Windsor-Essex will be allowed to join the rest of the province in Stage 3.

The three areas were held back because officials said they wanted more data before giving the green light for a broader reopening.

Wednesday 4:01 a.m.: The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. on July 29, 2020:

There are 114,994 confirmed cases in Canada.

_ Quebec: 58,897 confirmed (including 5,670 deaths, 50,886 resolved)

_ Ontario: 38,910 confirmed (including 2,768 deaths, 34,567 resolved)

_ Alberta: 10,470 confirmed (including 187 deaths, 8,886 resolved)

_ British Columbia: 3,523 confirmed (including 194 deaths, 3,076 resolved)

_ Saskatchewan: 1,218 confirmed (including 17 deaths, 907 resolved)

_ Nova Scotia: 1,067 confirmed (including 63 deaths, 1,004 resolved)

_ Manitoba: 391 confirmed (including 8 deaths, 319 resolved), 14 presumptive

_ Newfoundland and Labrador: 266 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 259 resolved)

_ New Brunswick: 170 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 165 resolved)

_ Prince Edward Island: 36 confirmed (including 36 resolved)

_ Yukon: 14 confirmed (including 11 resolved)

_ Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved)

_ Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved)

_ Nunavut: No confirmed cases

_ Total: 114,994 (14 presumptive, 114,980 confirmed including 8,912 deaths, 100,134 resolved)

Tuesday 4 p.m.: Toronto has reported just a single new COVID-19 infection in the last 24 hours.

The update, which was announced in Toronto Public Healths daily case tally via Twitter, marks the fewest new cases seen in any single day in the city since March 10  well before the pandemic reached its first peak in Ontario in mid-April.

Case counts have fallen sharply in the city this month.

According to Toronto Public Health, the city has seen a total of 15,338 infected patients, of whom 13,785 have since recovered.

Another two patients have died since Mondays update, the health unit says.

Read more of Tuesdays rolling file
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The Philippines is ranked second deadliest country in the world for people defending the environment with 43 killings in 2019, London-based environmental watchdog Global Witness said in its latest report.

The report, entitled Defending Tomorrow: The climate crisis and threats against land and environmental defenders, said six of those killed were government workers, while 26 were killings related to agribusiness. Both account for the highest share globally.

As for mining, 16 killings were recorded.

The country ranked first in 2018, overtaking Brazil, with 30 deaths. The top spot for 2019 was taken by Colombia with 64 defenders killed.

The group said criminalizing activists is a major concern in the country that led to the death of these defenders.

In the Philippines, individual activists and environmental organizations have been accused of being rebels or communist sympathizers  a practice commonly known as red-tagging.

Global Witness also noted that almost half of the reported killings since the start of the current administration are linked to armed forces, who mostly live in resource-rich regions.

Moreover, many defenders killed in 2019 lived in Mindanao, a trend it has observed since the start of the administration, as well as in Negros, which is also considered to be a heavily-militarized region.

It noted that defenders living in both regions account for 90 percent of activists killed, while indigenous groups are also being forced to leave their land.

With this, Global Witness call for the Philippine government to ensure accountability through independent investigation of the attacks and to remove military units in indigenous land. It is also pushing for policy the repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and to pass the Human Rights Defender Bill.

Implement the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative standard and require mandatory human rights due diligence in all mining operations, and rule on the cancellation or suspension of mining operations started in 2017 under former Secretary Gina Lopez, the group said.

Moreover, the country should also cooperate with the United Nations Human Rights Council and implement the agencys recommendations regarding human rights in the country.

Total killings for 2019 reached 212, or an average of four people killed a week. Mining was the deadliest sector with 50 people killed.
The United States on Wednesday said there were no plans of deploying troops being pulled out of Germany to the Indo-Pacific, contrary to earlier indications from senior officials of the Trump administration..

Right know there are no plans to do so, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters at a briefing on the review of troops posture in the European Command. He was responding to a specific question if troops being pulled out of Germany will be sent to the Indo-Pacific to respond to the Chinese military threat.

The top Pentagon official however, kept open the possibility saying a the US could eventually take a look at the Indo-Pacific during a review of the Indo-Pacific command.

The secretary announced that the approximately 11,900 military personnel will be repositioned from from Germany  bringing down the troops-strength from roughly 36,000 down to 24,000  in a manner that will strengthen NATO, enhance the deterrence of Russia, and meet the other principles.

Of these 11,900, nearly 5,600 will be redeployed within NATO countries, and approximately 6,400 will return to the United States, though many of these or similar units will begin conducting rotational deployments back to Europe, he added.

These changes will unquestionably achieve the core principles of enhancing U.S. and NATO deterrence of Russia; strengthening NATO; reassuring Allies; and, improving U.S. strategic flexibility, said Secretary Esper.

There had been indications from senior Trump administration officials earlier that these troops in Germany could be headed for the Indo-Pacific. Asked about where they could be redeployed at a conference in June, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said, referring to Chinese threats to India, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia challenges in the South China Sea, Were going to make sure were postured appropriately to counter the PLA. We think thats the challenge of our time, and were going to make sure we have resources in place to do that.

National Security Adviser Robert OBrien had been more explicit in an oped he wrote in the Wall Street Journal explaining the Trump administrations reasons just a few days before. Several thousand troops currently assigned to Germany may be reassigned to other countries in Europe. Thousands may expect to redeploy to the Indo-Pacific, where the US maintains a military presence in Guam, Hawaii, Alaska and Japan, as well as deployments in locations like Australia.

He had added, In that theater, Americans and allies face the most significant geopolitical challenge since the end of the Cold War.
How a crystalline sponge sheds water molecules

A microscope image showing a porous, crystalline material called a metal-organic framework, or MOF (the material in purple). This MOF is made from cobalt(II) sulfate heptahydrate, 5-aminoisophthalic acid and 4,4'-bipyridine, and it is shown in its hydrated state. Credit: Travis Mitchell

Scientists use advanced techniques to observe how a specific crystalline sponge changes shape as it loses water molecules

Our group developed a device that allows us to control the environment relative to the crystal: We are able to continuously flow fluid around the crystal as we are collecting data, which provides us with information about how and why these dynamic crystals transform. 

We initiate a reaction  a dehydration. Then we monitor it with x-rays, solving crystal structures, and we can actually watch how this material transforms from the fully hydrated phase to the fully dehydrated phase. 

BUFFALO, N.Y.  How does water leave a sponge?

In a new study, scientists answer this question in detail for a porous, crystalline material made from metal and organic building blocks  specifically, cobalt(II) sulfate heptahydrate, 5-aminoisophthalic acid and 4,4'-bipyridine.

Using advanced techniques, researchers studied how this crystalline sponge changed shape as it went from a hydrated state to a dehydrated state. The observations were elaborate, allowing the team to see when and how three individual water molecules left the material as it dried out.

Crystalline sponges of this kind belong to a class of materials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which hold potential for applications such as trapping pollutants or storing fuel at low pressures.

This was a really nice, detailed example of using dynamic in-situ x-ray diffraction to study the transformation of a MOF crystal, says Jason Benedict, PhD, associate professor of chemistry in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences. We initiate a reaction  a dehydration. Then we monitor it with x-rays, solving crystal structures, and we can actually watch how this material transforms from the fully hydrated phase to the fully dehydrated phase.

In this case, the hydrated crystal holds three independent water molecules, and the question was basically, how do you go from three to zero? Do these water molecules leave one at time? Do they all leave at once?

And we discovered that what happens is that one water molecule leaves really quickly, which causes the crystal lattice to compress and twist, and the other two molecules wind up leaving together. They leak out at the same time, and that causes the lattice to untwist but stay compressed. All of that motion that Im describing  you wouldnt have any insight into that kind of motion in the absence of these sort of experiments that we are performing.

The research was published online on June 23 in the journal Structural Dynamics. Benedict led the study with first authors Ian M. Walton and Jordan M. Cox, UB chemistry PhD graduates. Other scientists from UB and the University of Chicago also contributed to the project.

Understanding how the structures of MOFs morph  step by step  during processes like dehydration is interesting from the standpoint of basic science, Benedict says. But such knowledge could also aid efforts to design new crystalline sponges. As Benedict explains, the more researchers can learn about the properties of such materials, the easier it will be to tailor-make novel MOFs geared toward specific tasks.

The technique the team developed and employed to study the crystals transformation provides scientists with a powerful tool to advance research of this kind.

Scientists often study dynamic crystals in an environment that is static, says co-author Travis Mitchell, a chemistry PhD student in Benedicts lab. This greatly limits the scope of their observations to before and after a particular process takes place. Our findings show that observing dynamic crystals in an environment that is also dynamic allows scientists to make observations while a particular process is taking place. Our group developed a device that allows us to control the environment relative to the crystal: We are able to continuously flow fluid around the crystal as we are collecting data, which provides us with information about how and why these dynamic crystals transform.

The study was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and U.S. Department of Energy, including through the NSFs ChemMatCARS facility, where much of the experimental work took place.

These types of experiments often take days to perform on a laboratory diffractometer, Mitchell says. Fortunately, our group was able to perform these experiments using synchrotron radiation at NSFs ChemMatCARS. With synchrotron radiation, we were able to make measurements in a matter of hours.
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An Garda Siochana have issued a warning over a smishing scam whereby people are being contacted by text message, from individuals purporting to be from Allied Irish Bank (AIB), leading them to believe their bank card has been compromised.

The individual is contacted by text message asking them to log onto a website in order to receive a new card. As part of the process, they are requested to insert their pin number and other personal data. Once this is completed they are requested to send the compromised card to one of three addresses (listed below), none of which are linked to AIB.

GNECB are advising the public as follows:

 Never click a link in an unsolicited text

 Never give away personal data like your PIN, card numbers and passwords

 A financial institution would never request a customer to return a card to the bank in such circumstances

The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) are working very closely with AIB and other financial institutions, to identify those behind this fraud and those who receive, or use the stolen data/cards.



An Garda Siochana are also urging all persons not to respond to such text messages, but instead to take a screenshot of the message, delete it and report to your local Garda station.

Superintendent Michael Cryan speaking this week, reiterated the importance of never giving out personal or sensitive details to unverified sources.

"I would encourage members of the public never to give out personal or sensitive information online unless you are sure of the source. Financial institutions will never contact you in this way and a bank will never request you to return your card in this manner. I would encourage anyone who receives these text messages to take a screenshot of the text, delete the text and to report it to their bank and local Garda station."

The fake addresses people might be asked to send their card are:

Security Centre, 164 New Seskin Court Arena, Whitestown Way, Dublin 24 (D24 A260)

Security Centre, 31 Rathmines Road Lower, Dublin 6 (D06 V4Y1)

Security Centre, 50 North Circular Road, Dublin 7 (D07 V0FY)
Unique leg bands confirm the birds identities. Semel hopes the other youngsters will show up there soon. Hes also talked with Waukegan officials so theyre aware of the plovers presence. Dogs are not allowed on the citys sandy beaches, but some people have not been following the rules, according to Waukegan resident Dawn Fronk, who serves as a plover monitor at the beach in spring and summer, along with 15 other volunteers.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  People around the world looked on in awe at the spectacular satellite images of an undersea volcano erupting in a giant mushroom cloud in the Pacific. Many wondered why the blast was so big, how the resulting tsunami traveled so far, and what will happen next. 
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fast Company today announced its second annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list, honoring businesses and organizations that demonstrate a deep commitment to encouraging innovation at all levels. ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, ranked No. 1 on the list for its innovative and disruptive approach to philanthropy in order to continue to fund the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.

ALSAC is the world's largest healthcare charity, raising more than $1.7 billion last year through generous St. Jude donors and partnerships. It exists solely to cover the operating and growth costs of St. Jude, which has helped increase the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the research hospital opened in 1962. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, because all a family should worry about it helping their child live.

"Supporting the unique mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital requires ALSAC to constantly stay ahead of trends," said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC. "Innovation must be constantin all organizationsto keep pace with the rapidly changing consumer landscape."

Every employee at ALSAC is accountable for innovation and taught innovation methodologies. This year alone, in the midst of a pandemic, the organization created five major virtual events and countless other initiatives to replace more than 100 physical events postponed or canceled so far due to COVID-19.

"We had to pivot on a dime to transform our approaches. It was a monumental effort enabled by years of investment and foresight in innovation," said Melanee Hannock, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer of ALSAC. "Any organization, especially those in philanthropy, should consider themselves in the innovation and technology business."

Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2020 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including computer science, biotech, consumer packaged goods, nonprofit, education, financial services, cybersecurity, and engineering. Working together, Fast Company editors and Accenture researchers scored nearly 900 applications, and a panel of eight eminent judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companiesan increase from last year's list of 50. The 2020 awards feature workplaces from around the world with several of the honorees based outside the U.S.

To see the complete list, go to: www.fastcompany.com/best-workplaces-for-innovators/2020

Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators issue (September 2020) is available online now, and the print issue will be on newsstands beginning August 4, 2020. Join the Best Workplaces for Innovators conversation using #FCBestWorkplaces.

For more information or to donate, visit stjude.org.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food  because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is one of the world's leading business media brands, with an editorial focus on innovation with deep emphasis on creativity, technology, social impact, leadership, and design. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions  underpinned by the world's largest delivery network  Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 482,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

SOURCE ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Related Links

http://www.stjude.org


EPA Watchdog to Review Trumps Vehicle Emissions Rollback

SAFE Vehicles Rule under spotlight as IG investigates

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) watchdog said it will investigate the Trump administrations rollback of vehicle emission rules introduced by the Obama administration.

According to a statement (pdf) from the EPAs independent Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Inspector General Sean ODonnell will attempt to determine whether the EPA followed the necessary requirements when it ruled on the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule Part 2. Specifically, ODonnell will examine whether the EPA followed rules pertaining to transparency, record-keeping, and docketing, and followed the EPAs process for developing final regulatory actions.

When the SAFE Vehicles Rule was finalized on March 31, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao said that the rule reflects the Departments number 1 prioritysafetyby making newer, safer, cleaner vehicles more accessible for Americans who are, on average, driving 12-year-old cars. By making newer, safer, and cleaner vehicles more accessible for American families, more lives will be saved and more jobs will be created.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said at the time that with the SAFE Rule, the EPA had delivered on President Donald Trumps promise to correct fuel economy and vehicle emission standards.

Our final rule puts in place a sensible one national program that strikes the right regulatory balance that protects our environment, and sets reasonable targets for the auto industry, Wheeler said. This rule supports our economy, and the safety of American families.

Requested Investigation

The OIG indicated that on May 18, a senator had contacted the office claiming to have obtained documents that identified a number of potential irregularities surrounding the manner in which the EPA promulgated the regulation.

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.)the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committeeasked the OIG to examine whether the EPA had acted correctly.

The documents obtained by my officewhich have now also been formally requested by the EPA Inspector Generaldemonstrate significant irregularities and illegalities throughout the Trump Administrations preparation and finalization of its SAFE Vehicles rule, which was fraught with fatal flaws from the start, Carper said in a statement.

Im pleased that the EPA Inspector General is opening an investigation into this rule, which was the product of the most procedurally problematic process my office has ever reviewed. If the EPA IG follows the facts, I have no doubt they will find that the Trump Administration failed to follow the law, he said.

The exhaust pipes of an Audi car release invisible emissions during engine start-up in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Nov. 4, 2015. (Martin Meissner/AP Photo)

Under Obamas Clean Power Plan and the earlier Clean Air Act, car manufacturers were to improve fuel efficiency by 5 percent on average each year from 2021 through to 2025.

The SAFE Vehicle Rule reduced this figure to 1.5 percent per year.

Unattainable Obama Requirements

The SAFE Vehicles Rule would provide safer, cleaner cars while reducing the cost of new cars, the White House has said.

The previous administrations unattainable corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) and CO2 emissions standards made new vehicles too expensive for many Americans to afford, forcing them to keep driving their older, more dangerous, and less environmentally friendly vehicles, said former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham in a statement.

Grisham said that research from the Department of Transportations National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the EPA showed that by 2029, the SAFE Vehicles standards will have resulted in an additional 2.7 million new vehicles sold, 397,000 fewer automobile-related injuries, 3,300 fewer crash fatalities, and reductions in technology costs of up to $126 billion.

New research from IHS Markit released Tuesday states that the average light vehicle driving on American roads today is 11.9 years oldone month older than in 2019. The organization said that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus crisis is likely to exacerbate this situation, as growth in the sale of new cars has plateaued and significant upward pressure on vehicle age is expected in the coming months and years.
KAMPALA  Ugandas biggest annual youth meeting on health  the RMNCAH Youth summit, takes place virtually on Saturday August 8, 2020.

RMNCAH is an acronym for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child and Adolescent Health.

Organised by the Ministry of Health and partners, the E-summit will be hosted under the theme Leveraging local government structures to address persistent SHRH challenges of a young population for national development.

The RMNCAH related challenges currently constitute a major public health problem, with young people disproportionately affected.

Almost 28% of maternal deaths in Uganda are attributed to young girls aged 1524 years and 60% of premature deaths among adults are associated with behaviors or conditions that began or occurred during adolescence. Uganda continues to have one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Sub-Saharan Africa, currently at 25%. Yet, Uganda is a young nation  with more than 70 percent of the population aged below 24 years and 50.3% under 15 years old , according to the 2016 Uganda Health Demographic Survey.

Against this background, the RMNCAH Youth Secretariat has been championing a movement to help improve these indicators. Through the annual youth summit, young people are given a platform to speak and share experiences about health issues, engage policy makers and development partners to address these issues or act from an informed point of view.

This years RMNCAH Youth Summit comes amidst unprecedented times. The COVID-19 Pandemic has led to closure of schools, ban on public transport and the total shut down of operations. This has left young people with little or no access to correct and age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) and services.

The 2020 RMNCAH E-Summit will therefore reflect on the potential social-economic effects of COVID19 and SRHR issues among young people, including limited access to family planning, access to safe places and access to economic activities. It will also look at sexual and gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, and sex education among others. During the summit, best practices and lessons on SRHR program implementation during COVID will be shared.

Over 500 youths across the country are expected to attend the summit which will be hosted live on TV, social media, and zoom. Also invited are policy makers, government officials, civil society and development partners.

Commenting on the importance of the Summit, Dr. Richard Mugahi, the Assistant Commissioner of Reproductive Health at the Ministry of Health said:  The RMNCAH Youth E-Summit is an opportunity for us to galvanize our efforts in addressing the reproductive health concerns of young people, even in the most difficult situations like the current COVID-19 Pandemic. We call upon all stakeholders to participate actively for the future of our young people.

Prof. Francis Omaswa, the Executive Director of the African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) said, Creating opportunities for the youth to take charge of their own lives is Africas biggest challenge today. Lets all rally around the youth and listen to them.

Winnie Musubiika, the Deputy Director of Naguru Teenage Information and Health Center said, The summit provides a platform for dialogue where young people are able to engage policy makers, ministry of health, development partners on their SRHR needs and how these can be met.

She added: It is also an opportunity for government and stakeholders to provide accountability to young people on what has been done in addressing young peoples SRHR needs.

Surayah Mwanaisha, a young woman in her early 20s who has already registered for the event, says, I attended last years summit. It is fun and educative. Young people get exposed to new ideas on SRHR , meet new people, and also get to share experiences.. They also get to know what policy makers are doing to improve the issues that affect them.

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SIOUX CITY -- Though methamphetamine was present in her system at the time of her death, a state forensic pathologist testified that Elizabeth Bockholt died from strangulation.

Dr. Jonathan Thompson, who performed Bockholt's autopsy at the Iowa State Medical Examiner's Office in Ankeny, explained in photos shown Wednesday in Woodbury County District Court that Bockholt's neck had red abrasions indicating hemorrhaging. She also had petechiae -- small red spots on her face indicating burst capillaries -- and some hemorrhaging of blood vessels in her eyes.

"She had recently used meth, but in my opinion, strangulation was the cause of death," Thompson said. "She's got a red mark across her neck, the side of her neck, hemorrhages on her face. Somebody strangled her."

Thompson said he could not determine if Bockholt was strangled by hand or with some type of ligature.

Bockholt was found beneath a pile of partially burned bedding in a Sioux City hotel room on Jan. 24, 2019. Jordan Henry, 30, of Sioux City, is accused of killing her, then setting fire to the room. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree arson.

Thompson said the fire played no role in Bockholt's death because no soot or carbon monoxide was found in her airway. Burn marks on her back and right arm were not fatal, Thompson said.

It was not possible to determine exactly when Bockholt ingested the meth, Thompson said, but it had been within a day of her death.

A blood sample taken from Henry about 19 hours after Bockholt's body was found indicated he also had meth in his system, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation criminalist Justin Grodnitzky testified.

Three witnesses testified a day earlier that Bockholt had a meth addiction.

According to court documents, Bockholt, 40, of Hinton, Iowa, and Henry had a romantic relationship prior to Henry being sentenced to five years in prison for theft in 2017. Henry was released on parole on Jan. 16, 2019, eight days before Bockholt died.

On Tuesday, a friend had testified that she took Bockholt to the Wingate by Wyndham hotel at 4716 Southern Hills Drive, where she met up with Henry on the morning of Jan. 24.

At 9:23 p.m. that day, Sioux City Fire Rescue was paged to a fire in room 102 at the hotel.

Sioux City Fire Rescue deputy fire marshal Joe Rodriguez testified the fire had mostly burned itself out by the time firefighters arrived, and they were able to extinguish it with a short blast from a hand-held water can. Investigators found a partially burned phone book by the bedding, which was piled between the two beds. Also found in the debris was a badly damaged smoke detector, which investigators suspect had been removed from the ceiling. A cell phone battery and a cell phone that had been damaged in the fire were found amid the debris, though no evidence was presented to show to whom the phone belonged.

Witnesses testified Tuesday that Henry had rushed from the hotel room when they opened the door to check on Bockholt's status. He was arrested about five hours later outside a relative's house nearby.

Irina Brodsky, a former Sioux City Police ID technician, testified that swabs she collected from Henry's hands and fingernails after his arrest detected no blood, but there was a mixture of DNA from two people, the state's crime lab determined.

Under cross examination, Brodsky, who now works in Virginia Beach, Virginia, said the crime lab was unable to determine the identity of the second source of the DNA found on Henry.

At the conclusion of testimony Wednesday, First Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Mark Campbell rested the state's case. The trial is scheduled to resume with defense witnesses on Friday.

Henry previously waived his right to have a jury trial, choosing instead to have District Judge Steven Andreasen decide his case.

If found guilty of first-degree murder, Henry would receive a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. First-degree arson carries a 25-year prison sentence.

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EASTLAKE, CO / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Hyper Dog Media, a metro Denver area digital marketing company, is proud to host SearchCon, a Digital Marketing and SEO Conference on Thursday, September 10 and Friday, September 11 in Denver, Colorado. Attendees in the digital business world will gain key insight from thought leaders in the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), digital, content, and search marketing with networking and breaks creatively scheduled into the two-day event.

Hyper Dog Media has secured an outstanding lineup of talented thought leaders and influencers. Speakers include Garret Acott, CEO of Tempered, LLC; Cade Lee, Owner of SEO Hog; Holly Starks of Marketing Genius; Jamie Alberico, Technical Website Consultant of Not A Robot, LLC; Brian Kato, Owner of Fusion Vine; Tracy McDonald, Data Strategy Manager, Seer Interactive; Niki Mosier, Sr. SEO Manager, Two Octobers; Noah Learner, President of Bike Shop SEO; Chris Walker, Founder of The SEO Group; Jim Kreinbrink, President of Hyper Dog Media - and a host of other knowledge-laden experts. During the two days of dynamic discussion, attendees will discover industry secrets and gain a new cache of knowledge about the latest in SEO and digital marketing.

"In previous years, SearchCon was an 'escape to the mountains' - where we shared our most advanced and actionable insights with each other. This year, we are going to dig into the fast-changing landscape of digital marketing together - but virtually," said Jim Kreinbrink, President of Hyper Dog Media. "Tried and true best practices from years past aren't enough to be effective at capturing a market share the way they once were. New tools, applications, and tactics for SEO are entering the digital arena on a regular basis. We hope SearchCon will help industry professionals become more digital market savvy and effectively compete in the global marketplace. The presentations are advanced and actionable."

Discounts are available for members of the various organizations, including the Denver/Boulder SEO Meetups. Sponsoring SearchCon at the Silver level are CapSumo, Verblio, Leadfeeder, Growl Agency, Inflow, Ometrics, Marketing Genius, and Opendorse.

For more information and to register for the SearchCon 2020 conference, visit https://searchcon.events. Join pre-conference discussions and thought topics on twitter (@searchconSEO SearchCon) and facebook (@SearchCon).

For more information about Hyper Dog Media, contact the company here:



Hyper Dog Media

Jim Kreinbrink

(720) 489-3790

jim@hyperdogmedia.com

PO Box 588

Eastlake, CO 80614

SOURCE: Hyper Dog Media

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599526/SearchCon-Advanced-SEO-and-Digital-Marketing-Conference-Goes-Virtual-in-2020
He's confirmed to don the fedora of iconic adventurer Indiana Jones for a fifth time at some point in the future.

And Hollywood leading man Harrison Ford looked as fit as ever on Tuesday, when he was seen arriving via his Tesla to Hawthorne Airport in Los Angeles, California.

The actor and pilot, 78, wore a heather grey t-shirt that showed off his physique and muscular arms, along with dark blue jeans.

Movie star charisma: Hollywood leading man Harrison Ford looked as fit as ever on Tuesday, when he was seen arriving via his Tesla to Hawthorne Airport in Los Angeles

The Star Wars alum also wore black boots.

Harrison completed his look with dark sunglasses, a wristwatch and CDC-recommended face mask in black, in light of the ongoing surge of coronavirus in California.

Ford's silver grey hair was tousled as he retrieved a suit, briefcase and some papers from his car before heading off on his way.

Ready to go: The actor and pilot, 78, wore a heather grey t-shirt that showed off his physique and muscular arms, along with dark blue jeans

The Fugitive star, who is married to Ally McBeal star Calista Flockhart, last portrayed Indiana 'Indie' Jones in the ill-received Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008 opposite Cate Blanchett and Shia LaBeouf.

Fans are hoping that the fifth go-round of the franchise, to be directed by Logan's James Mangold, is much more like the much loved (and far better) first three entries in the series: Raiders Of The Lost Ark from 1981, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom from 1984, and 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Ford, who shares 19-year-old son Liam with Flockhart, also has a project called The Staircase in development.

Better luck next time: The Fugitive star last portrayed Indiana Jones in the ill-received Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008

Classic: Fans are hoping that the currently announced fifth go-round of the franchise will be much more like the much loved (and far better) first three entries; seen here with Sean Connery for Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade in 1989

The television series, currently listed in pre-production, follows a man (Ford) who is accused of murdering his wife after she fell down a staircase.

It's based on a documentary series of the same name, following the trial of author Michael Peterson, who claimed his wife died after falling down a staircase, though police believed he staged it to look like an accident.

The septuagenarian film star signed onto the show back in November, and it constitutes his first TV series starring role in his illustrious career, as reported by Variety.

Harrison is also father to four other children, from two previous marriages.

Star Wars buddies: Harrison celebrated his birthday earlier this month, and his Star Wars costar Mark Hamill made sure to tweet at him for the occasion
A large-scale information campaign entitled All About Ukraine has begun in Kuwait.

In continuation of the success achieved during the Week of Ukraine in Kuwait in January 2020, we are launching a comprehensive information campaign All About Ukraine, which will be broadcast in monthly programs by Kuwaiti media outlets, the Ukrainian Embassy in Kuwait reports on its Facebook page.

This is the second stage of the All About Ukraine public diplomacy project, aimed at promoting Ukraine in various and numerous media channels of Kuwait.

Over the next 6 months, Kuwaiti audience will learn more about the pillars of Ukrainian-Kuwaiti friendship, as well as tourism, education, sports, technology, and other prospects for mutual cooperation, the report says.

Photo credit: Ukrinform and the Embassy of Ukraine in Kuwait on Facebook
A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court has struck out an application by a deputy National Youth Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Edem Agbana against the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Dr. Kofi Koduah Sarpong.



Mr Agbanas action was demanding the resignation of Dr. KK Sarpong for staying in office after crossing the retirement age of 65.



In court on Wednesday when the matter was called before the panel chaired by Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, his lawyer Kisi Adjabeng withdrew the action.



It was subsequently struck out as withdrawn.



The applicant contends that Dr. Sarpongs continued stay in office despite crossing the retirement age is a breach of Article 199(1) and (4) of the constitution.



Agbana is praying the court to force Dr. Sarpong to pay back all salaries, allowances and benefits he obtained from the GNPC after he crossed the retirement age.



He also wants an order forcing Dr. Sarpong to resign immediately from his position as CEO of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.



In February 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo appointed Dr. Sarpong as Acting Chief Executive Officer of GNPC.



He replaced Alex Mould who had served as CEO since 2013.



Dr. Sarpong was among eight CEOs working for the State that were supposed to retire by March 2019 because they had hit the statutory retirement age.



They were reportedly directed to proceed on retirement by the Presidency.



The other affected CEOs were 67-year-old Eugene Ofosuhene at the Controller and Accountant General, 68-year-old Maxwell Kofi Jumah at the Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC), 67-year-old Isaac Osei at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), 67-year-old Kwame Owusu at the Ghana Maritime Authority, 65-year-old Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie at the Forestry Commission, 65-year-old Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare at the Ghana Health Service and 64-year-old Dr Samuel Annor at the National Health Insurance Authority.







Source: kasapafmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
By Chen Aizhu

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - What to do with China's abundant stock of coal? Chemical giant Hengli plans to make clothes out of it.

It may sound like something from ancient alchemy, but the privately-owned Chinese company surprised industry watchers in June when it said it was getting into mining with a $20 billion project to convert coal into polyester yarn, used in clothes, packaging and plastic bottles.

The announcement was intriguing. Coal is not a typical raw material for polyester and Hengli's plan will be the world's first of its kind in the China-dominated coal to chemical sector, where investment so far has totalled $85 billion according to the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation.

It also comes after Hengli borrowed heavily to set itself up as an oil refiner, using crude to make polyester.

The shift into coal, a major source of smog and climate-warming greenhouse gases, is at odds with a global push to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and will exact a heavy environmental price, according to industry analysts.

But the project, which Hengli aims to have running by the end of 2025 in Shaanxi province, fits into Beijings enduring commitment to coal and will add Hengli to a roster of Chinese companies, including coal miner Shenhua Group and oil refiner Sinopec, which have moved into the coal to chemicals business.

"By picking Hengli, the country's largest polyester producer with extensive reaches to the consumer textile market, it will help Shaanxi province efficiently develop its rich coal resource and grow the local economy," said Zhu Fang, senior researcher at the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, which represents over 400 oil and chemical firms.

Hengli, as a Chinese company and one of the worlds largest polyester yarn producers, also stands a better chance of getting regulatory approvals for its plan, according to analysts.

Officials from Yulin city, in Shaanxi province where Hengli plans to base its coal-to-polyester operations, approached the company first with the idea of setting up a plant there, according to company spokesman Li Feng, and it took about 10 months for Hengli and the city to reach a deal.

An official inter-provincial alliance between economically lagging Shaanxi and coastal Jiangsu, China's second wealthiest province, where Hengli is headquartered, may also help it gain regulatory support, as the project will generate jobs and boost local revenue, according to a Beijing-based executive from a rival company.

Story continues

Li, Henglis spokesman, declined to comment on the likelihood of regulatory approvals and said the project was about diversification from oil, full integration and economies of scale not politics.

"With technological advances in the large-scale coal-to chemical plants, the cost of building and operating such a facility will become more and more competitive," he said.

Global rivals Dow Chemicals, Saudi Basic Industries (SABIC) and Total faced lengthy regulatory processes when they planned similar ventures in China. Dow and Total ultimately abandoned their plans amid a range of challenges from financial and environmental cost to the competition from cheaper shale gas-based projects in the United States.

SABIC, one of the world's largest petrochemicals groups, said the company has yet to make any further announcement after signing a preliminary deal with Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group in 2016 to build a coal-to-olefin complex.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Established in 1994 as a small weaving factory, Hengli has transformed into one of the worlds largest polyester yarn producers, feeding off China's demand as the world's largest consumer of textile.

Hengli had annual revenues of $80 billion last year, according to the company. It founders, group chairman Chen Jianhua and his wife Fan Hongwei, who heads its listed unit Hengli Petrochemical, were ranked 16th in Forbes magazines annual China rich list.

The company took on 70% debt to fund its 56.4 billion yuan refinery complex leaving it with an eye-watering debt to asset ratio of 78% compared to Sinopec's 50%, according to company figures.

Hengli will finance 30% of the Yulin investment from its own funds and the rest from Chinese banks, said Li.

Henglis plans involve converting 20 million tonnes of coal into 9 million tonnes of fine chemicals and polyester a year and the company told Reuters it has tapped China Tianchen Engineering Corp and Sinopec's Luoyang Engineering to conduct pre-feasibility studies.

Tianchen did not respond to a request for comment. A Luoyang Engineering representative said the company was at an early stage of cooperation with Hengli and declined further comment.

While turning coal into industrial chemicals has been widely applied in China, producing aromatics - feedstocks for polyester -- is a relatively novel process which is not commercialized yet.

"(Hengli) is likely to be the first time on such a scale," said Salmon Lee, principal analyst with Wood Mackenzie.

Coal-based chemical plants typically emit three times more carbon dioxide and waste water for each unit of production, compared to oil-based chemical plants, and require oil at $45-$50 a barrel to break even, said industry experts.

The scale of the Yulin project also means it could consume 60 million tonnes of fresh water every year, said a second Beijing based industry executive. That will be roughly enough to supply the whole of Singapore of six million people for five weeks, according to Reuters calculations based on Singapore's official water usage data.

An economic planning official from Shaanxi said the provincial government supported investments that promoted the efficient use of coal but it was too early to comment on the environmental impact of the proposed project.

"The province, as well as Yulin, will urge Hengli to strictly follow the state regulations over environmental impact and energy conservation," said the official, who declined to be named.

Hengli's Li said the plant's emissions and water use will depend on the final design of the plant.

"So far, we do not foresee any hurdles in winning the emission quotas and water resource(from local government)," he said, adding the company will invest in waste water treatment to maximise the amount of water they can recycle.

(Reporting by Chen Aizhu. Editing by Carmel Crimmins)
"Ntarupt, along with our partners, has led the way in addressing teen pregnancy in North Texas and providing sex education to thousands of teens and parents," says Terry Goltz Greenberg, CEO. "Through grant awards like these, we can better equip teens and their parents with the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and resources needed to make informed life decisions. Never has this been more critical than in today's social, political, and economic environment."

OPA Tier 1 Grant Award

Ntarupt has been awarded $850,000 per year, for a three-year OPA Tier 1 cooperative grant starting July 2020. OPA awarded a total of $56,300,000 to 49 organizations nationwide, and 4 in Texas, to activate initiatives and programs that improve the optimal health of adolescents and reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through community and youth education and access to resources.

For this grant, Ntarupt will partner with Uplift Education, the largest, free public charter school network in North Texas, to implement an inclusive, evidence-based, human sexuality education program for scholars across the Uplift Education network.

UPLIFT's goal is to "completely CLOSE the achievement gap between scholars, regardless of their ethnic or socio-economic background, while ensuring that 100% of ... scholars graduate and enroll in college." UPLIFT is very direct about its culture and aspires to achieve "Intentional equity in all systems and processes." Of UPLIFT's almost 20,000 students currently enrolled, 82% are low-income; 97% are ethnic minorities; 53% are considered at-risk of dropping out of school for one or more academic, social, or economic reasons; and 32% are English-language learnersgroups significantly underrepresented in postsecondary education.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Ntarupt to make sure our youth receive the information and skills that will enable them to prevent pregnancy and related risks, in order to successfully navigate from adolescence into adulthood," Yasmin Bhatia, CEO of Uplift said.

OPA Tier 2 Grant Award

Ntarupt is excited to partner with the University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of social work, one of 13 organizations selected nationally by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services awarded, to pioneer the new Texas Foster Youth Health Initiative to promote optimal health for child welfare involved youth. Current systemic policies and practices limit access to vital sexual health information and skill development. As a result, females in Texas foster care are five times more likely to get pregnant than their same-age peers according to a Texans Care for Children Report released in 2018. Ntarupt will receive approximately $200,000 per year to fund coordination and facilitation of innovative interventions for foster, adoptive and birth parents, and foster youth and youth exposed to violence.

North Texas Alliance to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy in Teens (Ntarupt) (www.ntarupt.org) is the sole organization in North Texas committed to bringing together community resources for both parents and teens with a focus on teen pregnancy prevention and sexual and reproductive health, which it has been doing since its inception in 2014. "Talk About It Dallas" ( www.TalkAboutItDallas.com ) is an online resource from Ntarupt with funding provided by The City of Dallas, The United Way Ground Floor, and various private and public donations. Follow and engage with Ntarupt on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and YouTube , and Talk About It Dallas on Facebook and Instagram .

CONTACT: Ayona Anderson, [email protected]

SOURCE North Texas Alliance to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy in Teens (Ntarupt)

Related Links

http://www.ntarupt.org


A Russian prosecutor has asked a court in Moscow to sentence former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed to nine years and eight months in prison for allegedly assaulting police in the Russian capital in an incident he said he barely remembers.

The prosecutor on July 29 asked the court to find the U.S. citizen guilty of using violence against a law enforcement representative and endangering his life and health.

The 29-year old Reed, who is from Texas, traveled to Moscow in May 2019 to study Russian and spend time with his Russian girlfriend, Alina Tsybulnik.

On August 15, several days before his trip back to Texas, Reed and his girlfriend attended a party organized by her colleagues. He claims to have no memory of what happened following the party, where he says he was encouraged to drink large quantities of vodka.

In a car going home afterward, Reed said he felt unwell, asked the driver to stop, and got out. His girlfriend's co-worker called police and left the site with another colleague, leaving Tsybulnik alone with Reed.

Two police officers reportedly arrived at the site and took Reed in to sober up, telling Tsybulnik to come back in a few hours and pick him up.

Tsybulnik told RFE/RL that when she arrived at the police station later, Reed was being questioned, without a lawyer or interpreter present, by two men who introduced themselves as employees of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Tsybulnik was told that her boyfriend was accused of endangering the lives of the policemen who brought him in by yanking the driver's arm and elbowing another officer who tried to intervene.

However, the case against Reed has been marred by inconsistencies. Video evidence reviewed in court appeared to show no evidence that the police vehicle swerved as a result of Reed's actions, as alleged by the police officers.

Speaking before the judge, the officers themselves have claimed to have no memory of key moments in the journey and have retracted parts of their statements on several occasions or failed to answer simple questions from Reed's defense team.

Reed is one of several American citizens to face trial in Russia in recent years on charges that their families, supporters, and in some cases the U.S. government have said appear trumped up.

Last month, another former U.S. Marine, 50-year-old Paul Whelan, was sentenced by a court in Moscow to 16 years in prison on espionage which he, his supporters, and the U.S. government have questioned.

Whelan's lawyers said earlier in the month that their client might be exchanged for Russian nationals held in the United States, namely Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot serving 20 years on a conviction of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine, and Viktor Bout, jailed in the United States for illegal weapons trafficking.

A year ago, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov proposed a prisoner swap that would involve the release of Yaroshenko in the United States and a U.S. national held in Russia. Ryabkov did not specify whom he meant, but some took the comment as evidence that Moscow is using Americans like Reed as bargaining chips amid tensions with Washington.




Dressing wound cotton forgotten in a womans body after delivery

A new mum whose stitches refused to heal for 8 months after childbirth has revealed what was found in her body when she was referred to another doctor.

The mum said that for 8 months, she was dressing her wounds but it refused to heal. She explained that her doctor didnt take it seriously and kept telling her that it will heal eventually.

She was later referred to another doctor who then told her that something must be in there. She said surgery was scheduled and something that looks like a wire was found in her body.

See below.:
" " Surrogacy can be expensive, but many couples are willing to pay for a baby that's genetically related to them. Alice Edward/Photonica/ Getty Images

The cost of choosing a commercial surrogate varies according to the situation.

Compensation and fees are calculated based on the complexity of the surrogacy agreement. The national average for compensation ranges from $20,000 and $27,000 [source: Alternative Reproductive Resources]. If an egg or sperm donor is also needed, the cost may increase by thousands of dollars.

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In vitro fertilization procedures vary among specialists and currently cost somewhere between $15,000 and $30,000 [source: Northeast Assisted Fertility Group]. Intended parents pay thousands more for counseling for both the surrogate and themselves, surrogate expenses prior to the pregnancy (including attorney fees, lost wages and life insurance premiums), medical and travel expenses, and attorney fees.

If the chosen surrogate doesn't have health insurance or her insurance excludes surrogacy, the intended parents must obtain a policy to cover the pregnancy.

After tallying it all up, the Northeast Assisted Fertility Group (NAFG) advises intended parents to budget an average total cost of $100,000 to $120,000 to carry out a surrogacy arrangement [source: Northeast Assisted Fertility Group].

Despite the significant financial burden, surrogacy is a satisfying option for many people. Some couples endure repeat miscarriages or unsuccessful ART procedures. Others have a genetic defect they do not wish to pass along or they can't carry a pregnancy to term. Gay male couples who want a genetic link to their children may also choose surrogacy.

Women who choose to become surrogate mothers are typically between the ages of 21 and 42 years old, have previously given birth and are high school graduates. The majority of surrogate mothers were raised Christian, about 75 percent are married and approximately one third are employed full-time [source: Center for Surrogate Parenting, Inc.].

Although it's easy to think money is the primary motivation for women who choose to become surrogate mothers, studies have found a variety of reasons impact their decision. Some do choose to become surrogates for financial reasons while others want to share their own gratification of motherhood with an infertile couple.

To begin the process, intended parents have an initial consultation with mental health professionals, their attorney and the staff at the center facilitating their surrogacy program.

Once a couple decides on a program, they prepare to be matched with a carrier. They typically undergo psychological evaluation and testing for sexually transmitted diseases. They also complete a profile that will be presented to the surrogate. The future intended parents choose an IVF clinic and plan their financial affairs with their attorney. They set up an escrow account from which the surrogate's compensation and expenses will be paid.

Women interested in becoming surrogate mothers begin the process in a similar way. A potential surrogate meets with the staff and mental health professionals in her chosen program. Medical and psychological evaluations are completed and an attorney reviews her health insurance policy for surrogate coverage. Potential surrogate mothers also undergo a background check, including criminal and driving records.

At this point, both the intended parents and the surrogate mother are ready for the matching process. Carriers and intended parents are shown profiles from which to choose. If all parties agree, introductions are made and a contract between intended parents and surrogate mother is drafted and signed with the help of an independent attorney. After the contract is prepared, medical procedures -- whether artificial insemination for traditional surrogacy or IVF for gestational surrogacy -- begin.

Do surrogate mothers have any parental rights? What's the "womb-for-rent" controversy? We'll discuss legal aspects of surrogacy in the next section.

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) As defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), ART includes all fertility treatments in which both eggs and sperm are handled outside the human body before fertilization and implantation into a woman's uterus [source: CDC]. Current Assisted Reproductive Technologies include: In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Blastocyst Culture and Transfer

Embryo and Sperm Cryopreservation

Donor Eggs

Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT)

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Transmyometrial Embryo Transfer (Towako)

Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT) [source: Johns Hopkins Medicine ART doesn't include artificial insemination or ovarian hyperstimulation treatments. ART procedures have been associated with multiple pregnancies -- usually twins but sometimes triplets. More than 35 percent of all ART births are multiples. [source: American Society for Reproductive Medicine]. Read More
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Dhaka, July 29 : The relation between Bangladesh and India are tied with the blood-stained history of the 1971 Liberation War, and the neighbouring countries are tested friends, Bangladesh Minister Obaidul Quader has said.

Quader, the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said if relations with neighbouring countries become friendly and strong, it will be easier to make mutual progress and resolve unsettled bilateral issues, He said this on Tuesday while interacting with the reporters after Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das paid him a courtesy call at his secretariat office.

The minister extended his thanks to the High Commissioner for her cooperation in taking ahead of the road infrastructural development projects in Bangladesh.

During the meeting, they discussed the progress of the under-implementation projects in road infrastructural development and public transport in Bangladesh under the Indian Lines of Credit, he added.

Bangladesh and India are now maintaining stronger, friendly, warm, and development-oriented relations than any previous time, added Quader, the general secretary of the ruling party of B'desh Awami League.

He said the relation between the two countries is advancing towards newer dimension.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

Europe-based infrastructure investment firm Antin Infrastructure Partners has wrapped up its fourth fund at its 6.5 billion ($7.63 billion) hard cap.

The vehicle, Antin Infrastructure Partners IV, gathered capital well above the 5.5 billion target and is a substantial increase in size from the firm's predecessor fund, a 3.6 billion vehicle that closed in late 2016.

"The significantly oversubscribed fund makes it one of the largest funds to hold a final closing during the Covid-19 pandemic," claimed a press release from the company.

Antin Infrastructure Partners IV invests in growth-oriented businesses in Europe and North America, with a specific focus on the energy and environment, social, telecommunications and transportation sectors, the release said.

Fund IV saw interest from blue-chip investors seeking resilient businesses capable of generating attractive returns in today's environment, with a significant amount of commitments received during the lockdown period, it said.

The fund is backed by a diverse group of more than 140 leading investors from around the globe. Over half of the fund's capital came from existing relationships, representing a reinvestment rate of nearly 100%. Investors include the 90 billion Alecta Pensionsforsakring, Stockholm.

Mark Crosbie, the managing partner of Antin Infrastructure Partners, said: "The resilience of Antin's strategy and its continued ability to deliver attractive returns during ......................

To view our full article Click here
Alberta nurse Krista Paulsen was driving home with her three children after a visit with her parents in Summerland, B.C., when the left front wheel of her car came flying off.

Local RCMP are investigating potential foul play. Its not the first such case theyve dealt with  since May, police in the Okanagan area have warned people of lug nuts being intentionally loosened on cars.

The frightening incident prompted speculation about whether Paulsen might have been targeted because she was driving a vehicle with Alberta plates in British Columbia.

Its among the stories that are at least raising the question: Has the pandemic brought out the rage in stereotypically nice Canadians?

Experts say maybe.

That theres no justification for ugly, criminal incidents is clear to most right-thinking people.

That notwithstanding, psychologists do turn to evolution to explain why people may get angry and agitated to wide-ranging degrees when faced with a threat such as the coronavirus.

Were designed to have anger and were designed to use it to prepare for something, said Douglas Adams, a Vancouver psychologist of 30 years. It can convert to something like rage as a method for survival.

As Canadians grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, reports have surfaced across the country of incidents of people with out-of-province licence plates being harassed by locals, ostensibly worried that someone might bring the virus into their community or break the rules and protocols officials have put in place.

On Monday, B.C. Premier John Horgan went as far as to suggest that those with non.-B.C. plates take the bus rather than risk getting harassed.

Popular beaches in Port Moody have seen people fighting and even attacking one another with bear spray after the area became crowded over the past week, police said.

In Canadas smallest province, Prince Edward Island, locals have vandalized cars, left angry notes and directly confronted people they perceived as outsiders. Similar scenes have occurred in small towns of southwestern Ontario against cottage owners from Toronto.

Some of the most serious incidents have made long-standing racist attitudes more visible and brutal. A recent Angus Reid Institute poll found that almost 30 per cent of Chinese Canadians surveyed said they have been physically attacked since the COVID-19 crisis began and 43 per cent say theyve been threatened or intimidated.

Paulsen doesnt know if her family was targeted because of their Alberta licence plate, but she suspects foul play because the other three wheels were tightly secured.

She was able to safely steer the car off the Trans-Canada Highway without striking another vehicle, but she was left shaken.

It makes me think there are some very reckless, inconsiderate individuals out there. (Vandalism) is one thing, but dont risk my familys life and others lives ... I just dont get it, she told the Star.

Whatever happened to Paulsen and her family, experts say we are living through a time of heightened tension.

Dr. Joti Samra, a Vancouver psychologist, points to our ancient fight or flight or freeze response.

Theres a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. Its a very shared experience and the new impact of that on all of us, even those of us who are managing well, is that our baseline levels of stress are high, she said.

One possible response to that stress? Fight.

When were faced with a threat, if we go back to cave person days, we had to develop a very good fight response because that would help us and our little cave babies survive, she said.

Now weve got this threat and our body doesnt discriminate. The fact that the coronavirus is this teeny tiny invisible threat  our body is still responding as if its that predator back in the cave person days.

Some of the aggressive behaviour seen over the past several months can be explained by people acting on their bodies impulses to engage that fight response.

Then theres the galvanizing effect of social media.

The hashtag #COVIDIOTS has remained popular since the pandemic began, particularly as parts of the population encourage angry responses to coronavirus rule-breaking  such as performing unnecessary travel, not wearing a mask or gathering in large groups.

Take a look at social media. We know that the larger the group the greater diffusion of responsibility we have, Samra said. Emotions have this contagious effect. They will expand and explode and the larger the number the more that we feel validated in something being OK whether its sharing an opinion or taking an action.

None of the rationales justify loosening lug nuts or screaming at strangers  but they might feel that way to the people doing it, Adams explained.

A lot of these people are seeing themselves as the reasonable heroes, he said, noting how many of the acts seems to come from a place of fear, and a desire to protect themselves and others from the effects of the pandemic.

Weve got a very strong emotional brain and much of the time our rational brain goes along for the ride and selects rationalizations for the impulsivity, Adams said.

Its important for the people in charge to anticipate this and inoculate (these impulses), he said.

B.C.s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, has made repeated calls to the public: Be kind, be calm and be safe.

Adams said xenophobia  at its most basic level, is the fear of letting outsiders into an in group.

That is happily rearing its ugly head at every turn, and we have to again calm ourselves down and say thats not realistic, thats not the issue and we have to have a wider more compassionate view, Adams said.

In the meantime, Paulsen said her family doesnt plan to return to B.C. anytime soon, even though she grew up in the province and still considers it home.

It only takes one person to be a little bit crazy and do this damage, she said.

I generally still believe people are good. I still think most people are kind and welcoming. ... In such bad times, just smile at everybody. It goes a long way.

Joanna Chiu is a Vancouver-based reporter covering both Canada-China relations and current affairs on the West Coast for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @joannachiu

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While visiting my daughter and her family in Elmhurst, Pennsylvania, I was standing in a line waiting to enter an Aldi. Near the doorway, an employee was sanitizing the handles of the carts shoppers had returned from the parking lot and talking to a customer and her teenage daughter. The Aldi employee mentioned her 16-year-old son and how much he missed school. He told me he hasnt learned a thing since the schools closed, she said. Not a thing.

That remark snagged my attention, for it condemns the public educationthe woman named her sons schoolgiven this young man. After 10 years of sitting in a classroom, he had grown accustomed to being spoon-fed information rather than seeking out knowledge on his own.

Systemic Failure

The events of the past five months should give us pause in regard to our system of education. The shuttering of our schools has granted many parents a deeper understanding of what their children are learning in the classroom, and many, I would guess, are unhappy with these findings.

Evidence indicates a dramatic uptick in the fall in the number of homeschooling students. Here in Front Royal, Virginia, for example, the Seton Home Study School, a Catholic outfit providing curricula, lesson plans, and testing services to students around the country and abroad, reported in June a 35 percent increase in enrollments for the coming academic year. School officials informed me that August is the banner month for enrollments, so these numbers will likely increase by the end of the summer. The same surge in enrollments undoubtedly applies to other companies catering to homeschooling families.

Concern about the failures of our schools are decades old. In Guy Bensons online video post, for example, a journalist asks the ambassador to France, Jamie McCourt, whether she is worried that we might be in danger of losing the American Dream. McCourt responds by reminding her audience that the troubles of American education are nothing new:

I am petrified. Im not just worried. I mean, I think its been incrementally coming for many, many, many years.  The education of our children is a little bit different than when I grew up, certainly, because were less focused on the basics, were less focused on civics, were less focused on why certain things are important to our country. People need to understand why it is such a treasure, and theres no place like it in the entire world.

Ambassador Jamie McCourt in 2017. (Public Domain)

Are todays students being taught that their country is a treasure, that theres no place like it in the entire world?

Recent events suggest otherwise. The boarded-up shops in Manhattan, Minneapolis, and other cities, the looted stores, the howling mobs of young radicals, many of them college-educated, the cancel-culture crew, the Marxist slogans, the shrill and derogatory attacks on America itself, all reflect what these people were taught in the classroom.

So what can we do to restore those standards of education mentioned by Ambassador McCourt? How can we encourage critical thinking, the study of history and its nuances, a deeper knowledge of civics, and an appreciation for Western culture in general?

Lets take a look.

Small Is Beautiful

One of my college professors attended grades 18 in a one-room schoolhouse in South Carolina. He was well-acquainted with the other students, other children from that small community, and with the teacher. He later graduated from Washington and Lee, and earned a doctorate in history from the University of Wisconsin. Several times, in his remarks on the value of his early education, he claimed he had learned much from overhearing the teacher instruct students in the upper grades while he was working on his assignments.

Many home-educated families enjoy a similar experience by forming co-ops, where parents, grandparents, and others offer classes in subjects ranging from mathematics to art. For years, I taught homeschoolers in such subjects as Latin, literature, and history, up to and including Advanced Placement courses. Most of them performed splendidly, in part because of the small class size, in part because we came to know each other well.

Our public schools and our universities might take a lesson from these examples. Because so many larger institutions take a factory-style approach to education, such a change would be difficult but not impossible to implement. Hiring more teachers and getting rid of many administrators would at least be a step in the right direction.

Get the Government Out of Education

In 1963, I entered Staunton Military Academy, now long defunct, as a seventh grader. Some of my classmates were from wealthy families and had the advantages of private education, yet in my two years at the academy, I stood at the top of my class, the product of Boonville Elementary School, a small town in Piedmont North Carolina with no public library. I credit my academic success to those Boonville teachers who taught and drilled us in the basics of mathematics, literature, grammar, history, and science.

All without the help of the federal government.

To demand, as the government does today, that 50.8 million public school students, a figure from the National Center of Education Statistics, can be educated according to federal directive is wrongheaded. Five years ago, for instance, Mason Classical Academy in Naples, Florida, abandoned the federal governments Common Core curriculum. Instead, this charter school switched to phonics, basic mathematics, and classical literature, history, and fine arts. When third- and fifth-grade students from Mason took the required exams for Common Core, they ranked in the top two percent of Florida students.

Time to say goodbye to bureaucrats and return our classrooms to our teachers.

Cancel the Culture

Right now, cancel culture means a boycott or a nasty electronic mob attack on someone with whom they disagree. A celebrity makes a remark that some consider sexist and is swarmed by assailants via Twitter; the owner of Goya Foods speaks favorably of President Trump, and the Left urges a boycott of his company, which in this case backfired as others rushed to support Goya by purchasing its products.

Let me suggest that we flip cancel culture on its head and do our best to cancel the ugly, misinformed, and often cruel culture in which we live. Instead of the anti-American history taught in so many of our secondary schoolsI am thinking specifically of Howard Zinns A Young Peoples History of the United States and the New York Times 1619 Projectwhy not use a more balanced textbook like Wilfred McClays Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story? Why not ditch sex-ed and instead teach civ-ed so that a high school graduate knows there are three branches to the federal government and how they work? Why not train our children how to write effectively, a skill needed by practically everyone in todays workforce.

Why not use this history book in schools?

Most of all, why not teach our children how to teach themselves? With our public libraries and our electronic devices, we have at our fingertips the greatest learning tools in the history of the world, leaving us absolutely no excuse for our students abysmal test scores and lack of core knowledge.

Take Responsibility

This year, America is at a crossroads, the likes of which we havent seen since the Civil War. Many in our country, some of them knowingly, some of them unwitting tools, are calling outright for socialism, which is the opposite of those principleslife, liberty, and the pursuit of happinessembraced not only by our Founders but also by generations since then.

Often we hear the term woke these days, a term the Left uses to describe an awareness of social justice issues. Like cancel culture, we should take woke, make that expression our own, and apply it to education. Parents should look carefully at what their children are learning in school. They should examine the textbooks the kids bring home, and if fault is found, they should address their concerns to the school. They should demand more freedom of choice in education, particularly in regard to charter schools. If the system refuses their requests, and if circumstances permit, they should send their children to private schools, homeschool them, or establish learning co-ops, much like the old one-room schoolhouses.

The pandemic has been an opportunity to reflect on how our children are educated. Smaller may be better. (Aaron Burden/Unsplash)

We must be on guard. Remember that poison doesnt always come in a bottle.

Hope and Effort

At the end of her article Four Months of Unprecedented Government Malfeasance, which appeared in the May 2020 edition of Hillsdale Colleges Imprimis, Heather Mac Donald writes: Americas Founders, schooled in a profound philosophical and literary tradition dating back to classical antiquity, understood the fragility of civil peace and the danger of the lustful, vengeful mob.

Our present leaders, the products of a politicized and failing education system, seem to know nothing of those truths. Pulling the country back from the abyss will require a recalling of our civilizational inheritance.

Pulling the country back from the abyss means rescuing and reviving education. Most of our politicians and cultural gurus, and even many of our teachers, display little interest in this rescue attempt; indeed, some seem determined to continue the race to nihilism.

So its up to the rest of us. We must roll up our sleeves and get to work, starting where we are and making sure our children receive an education worthy of the name.

Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C., Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog.
Patna, July 29 : A day after fans came to know that late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's father has filed an FIR at Rajiv Nagar police station, his first cousin and former BJP MLA from Chhatapur constituency in Bihar, Neeraj Kumar Singh said the FIR has been filed after the family somehow overcame the shock of the untimely and sudden demise of the young actor and after a few things came to their knowledge.

He told IANS, "The whole family was in shock after the incident. Many things have come to our knowledge now, so we have filed an FIR at Rajiv Nagar police station." "A team of Bihar police has reached Mumbai and is investigating the matter now," he said.

When asked whether he trusts police or not, he said we have filed the FIR because we trust police. He also welcomed the demands for a CBI probe into the matter.

Sushant's father K.K. Singh filed an FIR at the Rajiv Nagar police station here on Tuesday accusing Rhea Chakraborty, Indrajit Chakraborty, Sandhya Chakraborty, Shauvik Chakraborty, Samuel Miranda, and Shruti Modi of abetment to suicide, fraud and holding Sushant hostage.

He even accused Rhea of stealing Sushant's laptop, cash, jewellery, credit cards with PIN numbers etc. and threatening the late actor with plans to make his medical reports public.

Sushant Singh Rajput allegedly committed suicide on June 14 in his flat in Bandra. He made his Bollywood debut in 2013 with the movie "Kai Po Che". He was appreciated for his performance in "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!", "MS Dhoni: The Untold Story", "Sonchiriya" and "Chhichhore". "Dil Bechara", his last movie which was released online on July 24 on Disney+Hotstar, has drawn praise from the critics.

Several organisations have been demanding a CBI probe into the matter as the death of the actor has literally opened a can of worms with nepotism charges, groupism and lobbying in Bollywood coming to the fore and many people coming forward with their claims of being sidelined by a select group.

Mumbai Police are already investigating the case and several people have been been interrogated. So far, around 40 people have already recorded their statements, including director-producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, filmmaker Aditya Chopra, director Mukesh Chhabra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapoor, film critic Rajeev Masand, director Mahesh Bhatt among others.

Rhea's statement was recorded at Bandra Police Station on June 18, four days after Sushant's demise.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Lissie Harper was married to PC Andrew Harper for a month before he was killed. (PA)

The widow of PC Andrew Harper has written to Boris Johnson to ask for a retrial after her husband's teenage killers were cleared of murder.

Lissie Harper had been married to PC Harper for just a month when he was killed by Henry Long, 19, and Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, as they tried to steal a quad bike.

PC Harper, 28, was dragged for more than a mile along the country lanes of Berkshire when he became entangled in a tow rope attached to the teenagers' getaway car.

Cole and Bowers were convicted of manslaughter by an Old Bailey jury on Friday, but all three defendants were acquitted of murder. Long had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Lissie Harper, the widow of PC Andrew Harper, has asked Boris Johnson for a retrial of the teenagers who killed her husband. (Getty)

In an open letter posted on her Facebook page on Tuesday evening, Mrs Harper wrote to the prime minister, home secretary Priti Patel and Lord Blunkett urging them and others "to right such a despicable wrong for our country.

She wrote: "I implore you to hear my words, see the facts that are laid out before us, and I ask with no expectations other than hope that you might help me to make these changes be considered, to ensure that Andrew is given the retrial that he unquestionably deserves and to see that the justice system in our country is the solid ethical foundation that it rightly should be. Not the joke that so many of us now view it to be.

The Prime Minister said he will comment on Mrs Harpers plea once legal proceedings are over.

The letter comes after an online petition to overturn the verdicts received over 200,000 signatures.

Albert Bowers (left) and Jessie Cole (centre) leaving Reading Magistrates Court following an appearance in relation to the death of PC Andrew Harper. (PA)

PC Andrew Harper was dragged for more than a mile along the country lanes of Berkshire when he became entangled in a tow rope attached to the teenagers' getaway car. (PA)

The original trial was abandoned the day the country went into lockdown in March, while for the retrial Mr Justice Edis ordered extra security measures amid fears of potential juror intimidation by supporters of the defendants.

A female juror was discharged just a day before the remaining 11 started deliberating on their verdicts after she was seen by a prison officer to mouth "Bye boys" to the teenagers in the dock.

The defendants, who had previously been seen laughing, hugged each other after the verdicts were returned following more than 12 hours of deliberations.

Story continues

Speaking outside court, Mrs Harper thanked the police and prosecution who had "stood in our corner and fought to make sure these men were made to repent for their barbaric crimes.

But she criticised the verdicts in the open letter on Facebook.

Henry Long (left) Jessie Cole (centre) and Albert Bowers (right) were cleared of murdering PC Andrew Harper. (PA)

She wrote: "I will keep fighting on behalf of Andrew, the future that was stolen from us and also the victims who find themselves in this unjustly situation in the future.

"After all, who are we if we allow our legal system to fail us?

"What is this country if it does not provide justice for the innocent?

Lissie Harper outside the Old Bailey in London after driver Henry Long was found not guilty of murder. (Getty)

"What does it say to the public and the police officers, old and new if every day they go out and put themselves at risk to detain these criminals just to witness them be treated so exceptionally lightly in the eyes of the law?

"It says that we are weak, that we will roll over to the despicable thieves and vile miscreants of this world and literally let them get away with murder.

Long, Cole and Bowers face sentencing on Friday.
She's been soaking up the sun in Ibiza with her new boyfriend Brandon Myers, who she went public with earlier this week after denying initial romance rumours.

And Gabby Allen turned up the heat as she shared sizzling images from her idyllic trip onto Instagram on Wednesday.

The former Love Island star, 28, garnered attention from the Ex On The Beach hunk, 23, who branded her an 'absolute weapon' on her posts as she slipped into a patterned blue bikini by Jade Clark.

Wow-factor! Gabby Allen turned up the heat as she shared sizzling images from her idyllic trip onto Instagram on Wednesday after going public with Brandon Myers

Highlighting her incredibly toned frame, the fitness enthusiast looked sensational in the two-piece, which featured a tiny bralet and barely-there bottoms.

The media personality styled her swimwear with a bow by Rock n Rose as she tucked into lunch at Bam Bu Ku.

The professional dancer faces a 14-day quarantine when she returns to the UK as the government pulled its air bridge with the holiday hot spot following a spike in COVID-19 cases.

In awe: The former Love Island star, 28, garnered attention from the Ex On The Beach hunk, 23, who branded her an 'absolute weapon' on her posts

Closer than ever: The couple confirmed their romance when they enjoyed a cosy swim earlier this week after denying initial romance rumours

Envy-inducing: Highlighting her incredibly toned frame, the fitness enthusiast looked sensational in the two-piece by Jade Clark

Last month, Gabby insisted her fellow reality star was a 'really good friend' but nothing more following relationship speculation.

They were first reported to be dating in May, when he posted a flirty comment under one of her scantily-clad bikini snaps.

She 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.'

Moving on: Their romantic holiday comes after her ex Marcel Somerville revealed that he is expecting his first child with influencer girlfriend Rebecca Vieira

Their romantic holiday comes after her ex Marcel Somerville revealed that he is expecting his first child with influencer girlfriend Rebecca Vieira.

Marcel and Gabby appeared on the 2017 season of the ITV2 dating show Love Island, in which they placed fourth.

Gabby was previously 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.

In the past: The TV star previously dated Rak-Su's Myles Stephenson until August 2019 when she accused him of cheating on her (pictured in September 2018)
At least one New Jersey school district says its going against the states guidelines and submitting a school reopening plan with all-virtual classes because it fears for the health of its students and teachers as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Bayonne, in Hudson County, says it wants its nearly 9,600 students to remain on all-remote learning so it can keep schools closed when the 2020-2021 school year begins.

The Bayonne Board of Education approved a plan Monday to ask the state for permission to keep students on a virtual learning plan. Anticipating the state might nix that proposal, the board also approved an alternative plan that would reopen school buildings and divide students into three groups that each attend in-person classes for two days at a time on rotating basis.

The virtual plan may not be approved. However, we believe this plan is the safest course for all of our students, their families, our community and our employees, John Niesz, Bayonnes superintendent of schools, said in a letter to parents.

Gov. Phil Murphy and the state Department of Education issued guidelines in June calling for all public school districts to offer some in-person learning when they reopen. The state plan also says schools should try to keep students at least six feet apart in classrooms by setting up split schedules and rotating days in class if needed to keep class sizes small.

The 104-pages of state guidelines do not say what will happen if school districts dont agree with the rules.

All of New Jerseys more than 500 school districts are expected to submit their reopening plans to the state Department of Education at least a month before the start of classes for approval. That means most districts are finalizing their plans now.

Earlier this week, the state also released guidelines so all public school parents in New Jersey will have the option of opting out of in-person classes and choosing an all-remote learning plan for their children for the upcoming school year.

Gov. Phil Murphy was asked about Bayonne submitting a reopening plan with only all-virtual classes Wednesday, but be declined to comment.

I wont comment on any district. We take all the inputs and reports on how they want to reopen seriously, Murphy said. Well look at each one of these plans and look at the dimensions around that particular district and how their plan fits in.

However, the governor said he believes all districts should offer some in-person classes for educational and social reasons. Many working parents and low-income families will have difficulty returning to all-remote learning because they dont have the childcare, money for tutoring or space in their houses for their kids to learn at home, he said.

Nearly 60% of Bayonnes students are economically disadvantaged, 16% have disabilities and 6% are English-language learners, according to the latest available state statistics.

If state officials reject Bayonnes all-remote proposal, the superintendent said the district will move ahead with the back-up hybrid plan, called an AA/BB/CC rotation. Students would be divided into A, B and C groups. The A group would attend two days, while the other two groups stay home for distance learning. Then, the B group would go to class for two days and so on.

School buildings would only be open five days a week, so the days Bayonne students attend school would change every week under the rotation.

The school board also approved a third option of reopening Bayonne schools with everyone coming back at once if the COVID-19 crisis improves dramatically, however at this time that it is very unlikely, Niesz said.

Bayonne expects to notify parents on or around Aug. 4 whether state officials accepted or rejected their all-remote plan, the superintendent said.

The district submitted its plan as some teachers unions and state lawmakers have been calling for New Jersey to reverse its guidelines and keep all students on remote learning plans until coronavirus conditions improve.

Three Assembly Democrats said Wednesday they will submit legislation calling for a ban on regular in-person classes in public schools until at least Oct. 31. Murphy declined to comment on the proposed bill, but reiterated he believes in-person classes are in the best interest of the states school children.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com.

Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking Monday on the coronavirus pandemic, said, This is the sixth time a global health emergency has been declared under the International Health Regulations, but it is easily the most severe.

As of Tuesday evening, close to 17 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported across the globe, according to Worldometer, and more than 662,000 have died. And the pandemic continues to accelerate, the director general said. In the past 6 weeks, the total number of cases has roughly doubled.

In Europe, the pandemic is again threatening to spiral out of control, with a total of 2.8 million cases and more than 202,000 deaths. In Germany, Spain, Belgium and other countries, the resurgence of the virus can be traced to premature reopening of the economy in the interest of corporate profit.

In the US, which now has close to 4.5 million cases and nearly 150,000 deaths, a report Sunday by the White House Coronavirus Task Force, sent to state officials and obtained by the New York Times, cautioned that the number of states with outbreaks serious enough to place them in the red zone had grown to 21.

A day later, speaking in North Carolina, one of these red zone states, President Donald Trump said, A lot of the governors should be opening up states that theyre not opening, and well see what happens with them.

That night, the president was sharing with his 84 million Twitter followers multiple versions of a video published by the ultra-right media outlet Breitbart News. The video featured a group of people wearing white lab coats, calling themselves Americas Frontline Doctors, staging a press conference in front of the US Supreme Court spouting various forms of reactionary anti-scientific views on the coronavirus crisis.

That the president is once again endorsing unfounded, fraudulent views at odds with those of his own scientific advisers comes as no surprise nearly six months into the pandemic. However, from the standpoint of blatantly false theories, and the criminal implications of their promotion, this one might take the prize.

Organized by the right-wing Tea Party Patriots, Mondays press conference was introduced by Congressmen Ralph Norman of South Carolina, one of the newly designated red zone states. Taking center stage at the event was Dr. Stella Immanuel, who described herself as a primary care physician in Houston, Texas. The doctor, who is also a religious minister, said, Im here because I have personally treated over 350 patients with COVID. Patients that have diabetes, patients that have high blood pressure, patients that have asthma, old people.

And the result has been the same, she said. I put them on hydroxychloroquine, I put them on zinc. I put them on Zithromax, and theyre all well.  Weve not lost one patient. The doctor went on, I know you people want to talk about a mask. Hello? You dont need a mask. There is a cure. I know they dont want to open schools. No, you dont need people to be locked down. There is prevention and there is a cure.

It has been scientifically demonstrated in several studies that neither hydroxychloroquine on its own or in conjunction with zinc and/or Zithromax has been proven effective in treating COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, it has been shown to cause unusual heart rhythms and elevated liver-enzyme levels. It is not recommended by the US Food and Drug Administration, and studies on the drug have been stopped due to dangers posed to patients, in the US and elsewhere.

After the Americas Frontline Doctors video began to go viral, it was taken down by Twitter, Facebook and YouTube due to its dubious and dangerous claims. But this did not stop Trump from defending his retweets of the video at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. After falsely claiming, Large portions of our country and coronavirus-free, and that Arizona, Texas, California and even Floridastates that are seeing a massive rise in COVID-19 cases and deathsare beginning to head down in cases, he said that based on a lot of reading he felt that hydroxychloroquine was a legitimate treatment.

It should be noted that Dr. Immanuels statements on hydroxychloroquine are far from her most outrageous medical claims. She has claimed that gynecological problems like cysts and endometriosis are in fact caused by people having sex in their dreams with demons and witches.

She alleges alien DNA is currently used in medical treatments, and that scientists are conspiring to develop a vaccine to prevent people from becoming religious. She also says that the government is run, in part, not by humans but by reptilians and other aliens. It is not necessary to subject the reader to any more of her bizarre mysticism.

But Trump described her Tuesday as a spectacular voice, and said he wondered why Twitter et al. had taken her comments down. While it would be easy to dismiss Trumps endorsement of such lunatic theories as just another demonstration of his demented psyche, there is a more sinister motive underlying his madness.

Also speaking at the doctors press conference was Dr. Bob Hamilton, a pediatrician from Santa Monica, California. He said that children were taking the coronavirus quite well and that they are not the drivers of the pandemic. He made the wild and unsubstantiated claim that there had not been a single documented case in the world where a student had given COVID-19 to a teacher.

Yes, the doctor said, We can send the kids back to school without fear. We need to normalize the lives of our children by getting our kids back to the classroom. The barrier to getting our kids back to school is not the science. Its going to be the unions, the national teachers unions. He said it was fine to give people money for personal protective equipment and other things in the classroom, but that some of [the teachers] demands are ridiculous.

The Trump administrations homicidal policy of forcing teachers back into classrooms as the pandemic continues to spread uncontrollably will lead to the deaths of countless teachers, students and their family members unless it is met by a unified mobilization of teachers, linking up their struggle with other workers and taking it out of the control of the unions.

The driving force behind this criminal policy is to force teachers back into the classroom so that students parents can be forced back on the job to continue to enrich the ruling elite through their labor. As Trump stated on Tuesday, the stock market is approaching its pre-pandemic levels and still rising, which is his primary concern.
It may come as a surprise to followers of American politics that Elon Musk, the worlds seventh-richest individual, is a great student of Marxism. In between his time running Tesla, SpaceX and his other endeavors, Musk has apparently devoted himself to a significant examination of Marxs great three-volume work, Das Kapital (Capital).

In a tweet Monday afternoon, Musk provided the conclusion of his study. Das Kapital in a nutshell, he wrote, is Gib me dat for free.

Indeed, a brilliant insight! We can forgive Musk for the use of an informal vernacular, for he has summed up an important truththat the profits accumulated by the capitalist class come from the fact that the value produced by workers is in excess of what they are paid in wagesthat is, it is unpaid labor.

The process deserves a more detailed explanation.

Marxs Das Kapital is devoted to an analysis of the basic laws of capitalism, the social and economic system that now prevails throughout the world. He begins his work with a study of the fundamental unit of this economic system, the commodity.

Society has at its disposal a reserve of living labor power, the capacity to produce all the requirements of human life, from food and shelter to transportation and communication technology. As a consequence of the division of labor among different producers, the products of this labor assume the form of commodities. Automobiles and cellphones, food and houses, all are produced by different individuals and industries and are bought and sold on the market.

The many complex workings of modern capitalism are all based on a single law, first fully elaborated by Marx: the law of labor value, that is, that the value of commodities is determined by the quantity of socially necessary human labor expended upon them. Thus, for example, a Tesla automobile has a greater value than a gallon of milk, because more human labor goes into the former than the latter. On the market, commodities are exchanged for other commodities of equivalent value (or, with the development of money, for the same amount of money).

However, if commodities are exchanged with each other based on the labor that is required for their production, where does inequality come from? Why are such vast sums of wealth monopolized by a tiny layer, while those who are engaged in actual labor, the working class, are impoverished?

Elon Musk has a net worth of $70 billion. This is more than two million times the median individual income in the United States ($31,000). Does this mean that Musk, in his 49 short years on Earth, labored the equivalent of two million people working for an entire year? Even if we were to accept that Musk is a particularly hard worker, the figures do not add up.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The source of inequality, Marx explained, lies in the peculiar nature of one of the commodities bought and sold on the market: labor power. In common language, it is said that the worker sells his or her labor to the capitalist. This is not correct. What the worker sells to the capitalist is not labor but the commodity labor power, the capacity to work, which goes into the production and value of all other commodities.

The owner of the means of production (the Tesla factory in Fremont, California, owned by Musk, for example) buys the labor power of workers. That is, he buys the capacity of these workers to work in exchange for a certain wage or salary.

Like every other commodity, the value of this particular commodity, labor power, is determined by the amount of labor required to produce it. This is equivalent to the quantity of goods that are necessary for the survival and reproduction of the worker. The less that is required for this survival and the reproduction of the next generation of wage workers, the poorer is the worker and the cheaper is his or her labor power.

Once the capitalist has purchased this commodity, labor power, he or she has the right to consume it. He does so by putting the worker to work. However, and this is the critical issue, the quantity of labor of the worker on the line, in the store or in the fields exceeds the value of his own labor power expressed in his or her wage. To put it another way, a worker labors more than the value of the commodities required to sustain himself or herself.

There is an excess, or surplus, value, the difference between the value produced by the laborer and what is required to keep him alive. The greater the exploitation (the more the capitalist can sweat out of the worker) and the lower the cost of labor power (the less he or she pays the worker to live), the greater the surplus value that is extracted.

The product of the workers labor belongs not to the worker, but to the capitalist. In selling commodities on the market, the capitalist realizes surplus value that has been extracted in the form of profit.

In this way, the capitalist class as a whole extracts a mass of surplus value from the working class as a whole. This surplus value is then divided up among the different sections of the capitalist class in the struggle on the market via the price mechanism, competition, manipulation, trade restrictions, etc. Marx analyses these complexities in Das Kapital. But what is being divided up in the struggle on the market has already been created by the expenditure of the labor power of the working class.

All of this boils down to the fact that the profit and wealth of the capitalist is not the result of his own labor, but the labor of others, the workers. The surplus value, Marx explained in his earlier work, Value, Price and Profit, or that part of the total value of a commodity in which the surplus labor or unpaid labor is realized, I call Profit.

Or, in the somewhat oversimplified version laid out by Musk: Gib me dat for free.

One elaboration, however, is required to understand the present situation, and that is the way in which the ruling class has utilized its control over the apparatus of the state, particularly over the past four decades, to funnel wealth directly into the financial markets and therefore the bank accounts of the super-rich.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the American ruling class, through the US Federal Reserve, has turned over trillions of dollars to Wall Street, driving up share values to an extraordinary degree.

This massive bailout of the corporations and banksanother version of Musks Gib me dat for freewas endorsed, on a nearly unanimous bipartisan basis, in the passage of the CARES Act in late March. Indeed, Musks own wealth derives in large measure from such financial operations. As a result of the soaring stock market, amidst growing death and social misery, Musk has tripled his net worth in the first seven months of this year.

While apparently involving the production of money out of thin air, via the printing press of the Federal Reserve, everything turned over to the rich must be paid for through the exploitation of workers, the source of all value.

This is what is driving the demand by the ruling class for a return to work even as the pandemic rages out of control. Musk himself has played a leading role in insisting that all restraints on the spread of the pandemic must be ended and supplemental unemployment benefits for workers be cut off. Workers must be forced back to producing surplus value and profit.

In words that take on immense relevance today, Marx brilliantly summed up the dynamic of capitalist development and its revolutionary consequences toward the end of the first volume of Das Kapital:

Along with the constantly diminishing number of the magnates of capital, who usurp and monopolize all advantages of this process of transformation, grows the mass of misery, oppression, slavery, degradation, exploitation; but with this too grows the revolt of the working class, a class always increasing in numbers, and disciplined, united, organized by the very mechanism of the process of capitalist production itself. The monopoly of capital becomes a fetter upon the mode of production, which has sprung up and flourished along with, and under, it. Centralization of the means of production and socialization of labor at last reach a point where they become incompatible with their capitalist integument. The integument is burst asunder. The knell of capitalist private property sounds. The expropriators are expropriated.

Some might argue that in his tweet on Marxs Das Kapital, Musk did not intend to summarize the process of capitalist exploitation of the working class. Perhaps he was suggesting that in protesting their exploitation it is somehow the workers who want something for free?

Such a reading would make Musk look like an ignoramus and a blowhard, not to mention a racist. If workers interpret his tweet in this way, however, they will reply that they merely seek to establish a society in which the process of production is controlled democratically, and in which the product of human labor is distributed on the basis of equality and human need, not the accumulation of vast wealth by the few. It is the expropriators, they will say, who must be expropriated, with Musk among the first in line.
BigPay has expanded its international remittance service to China via a collaboration with Chinas online payment platform, Alipay.

To transfer money using this service, you will need to enter the recipients full name and Alipay ID into your BigPay app, after which the transferred amount will end up in the UnionPay card account linked to the recipients Alipay account. If the recipients have yet to link their UnionPay card to their Alipay accounts, they have 24 hours to do so after the transfer is made.

Additionally, the transfer process can be completed within 15 minutes, with the remittance fee to China fixed at RM23 per transfer. However, if this is your first time conducting an international money transfer with BigPay, you get to do it for free.

BigPay also quoted World Banks data, which stated that a total of US$345 million (approximately RM1.46 billion) is sent annually from Malaysia to China. By tapping into Alipay users in China, BigPay users can transfer funds to an additional 900 million people. The financial service further said that frictionless and affordable money transfer remains critical during this time as the regional economy begins to recover from the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With this update, BigPays remittance service now allows its users to send money from Malaysia to 10 other countries, including India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The latest countries to be added to the list prior to China was Australia and Vietnam, recently included in June 2020.

BigPay is available for download on Google Play and the App Store. Alternatively, you can head on over to BigPays website to find out more about this latest update.

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Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Cloudy with morning snow ending, then windy and turning colder with falling temps and some afternoon clearing. A coating to 1-2" of snow expected in the morning. .

Tonight

Partly cloudy, windy, and very cold. Wind chills near or below zero later at night.
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 5, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Commerce Department Petitions FCC to Outline Restrictions of Online Censorship

The Department of Commerce has asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to outline a framework that would constrain online platforms ability to censor users speech.

The FCC needs to clarify when an online platform curates content in good faith, the departments July 27 petition requests, according to the White Houses July 29 press release.

The petition was required under President Donald Trumps May 28 executive order, which suggested that online content restrictions shouldnt be considered in good faith if they are deceptive, pretextual, or inconsistent with a providers terms of service; or  taken after failing to provide adequate notice, reasoned explanation, or a meaningful opportunity to be heard.

The good faith provision comes from the Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. The law generally absolves online platforms from liability for user content as well as for liability for regulating content in good faith to restrict access to or availability of material that the provider or user considers to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected.

The executive order accused online companies of selective censorship that is harming our national discourse and invoking inconsistent, irrational, and groundless justifications to censor or otherwise restrict Americans speech.

Section 230 wasnt meant to shield companies from liability when they engage in deceptive or pretextual actions (often contrary to their stated terms of service) to stifle viewpoints with which they disagree, the order stated.

President Trump will continue to fight back against unfair, un-American, and politically biased censorship of Americans online, the White House stated.

The FCC is led by five commissioners, a maximum of three of whom can be affiliated with the same political party.

Brendan Carr, one of the three Republican commissioners, welcomed the petition.

The Section 230 petition provides an opportunity to bring much-needed clarity to the statutory text. And it allows us to move forward in a way that will empower speakers to engage in a forum for a true diversity of political discourse, as Congress envisioned when it passed Section 230, he said in a July 27 statement (pdf).

Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks, the two Democrat commissioners, opposed the petition.

Rosenworcels July 27 remarks (pdf) say that Trumps order is trying to chill online speech and make our networks less open and more closed to civic debate.

Imposing intermediary liability on those servicesor creating an environment in which those services have an incentive not to moderate content at allwould prove devastating to competition, diversity, and vibrant public spaces online, Starks said in a July 27 statement (pdf).

Regardless of Trumps order, not moderating content at all wouldnt be an option for online platforms as they are still required to remove illegal content.

Neither Carr, Rosenworcel, nor Starks responded to requests for further comment.

Major digital companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google claim that their services are designed and operated to be politically neutral. Mounting evidence indicates, however, that the companies are infusing political preferences into their content policing.

In June, social media platform Reddit adopted new rules against hate speech that discriminate against certain people based on their race, gender, religion, and other characteristics.

Reddit, which is partly owned by Chinas Tencent, seems to be the first tech company to do so openly.
China under Xi Jinping has become more aggressive and bullish, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said, asserting that such a behaviour is unlikely to last long.





Indian-American Haley, in an interview to Fox News, said the Chinese were quiet and strategic during her tenure at the UN. They moved and made sure that they were trying to get positions in certain areas, and trying to get things done behind closed doors, she said.

"Then once President Xi kind of named himself king, they got very aggressive. They got very bullish. They started to kind of point their fingers in countries' faces saying, you'd better vote with us. They started to be very aggressive at the UN in wanting positions and wanting to have leadership roles. And they started talking down to everyone," Haley alleged.



With their Belt and Road initiative, the Chinese started really trying to buy up these infrastructures or partnering with smaller countries on infrastructure projects, she said.



"But yet they go in, they wouldn't assimilate with the countries. The countries didn't like their attitude when they were coming in. Now we look at it, it's getting more aggressive in tone," said Haley, who resigned as UN ambassador in 2018 after nearly two years in the post.



"But this can't last. You know, any country that is not letting its people be free, there will be a time when the people rebel. So right now they're continuing to push, they're continuing to put pressure on Hong Kong, as we've seen. We're starting to see the pressure go to Taiwan, the South China Sea, in India. All of this is them playing kind of a king of the mountain scenario," Haley said.



She said the US needs to "let them know we're on to them, we need to actually follow through on the intellectual property measures that were in that trade deal that we had and hold them accountable".



"We need to make sure we continue to let them know we're building up our military so that they know not to mess with us. We need to make sure that our American companies understand that when you do business in China, you are required to work with the Chinese military. That is a national security threat to America. And we really need to have those conversations with those Americans," Haley said in response to a question.



Supporting US President Donald Trump's decision to close the Chinese consulate in Houston, Haley alleged that these consulates have been "spy centres" for a long time.



"I mean there's no question that they had some illegal activity going on in those consulates. So I was thrilled to see them close down the one in Houston, which was known to be kind of the epicentre of where all of this was going on. And I think, you know, when you have Chinese officials being hidden at consulates, it goes to show you're doing something wrong," she said.



"This is where we really have to crack down on the spying. Whether it's the intellectual property, whether it's the theft that they're trying to do with our research with the vaccine and with what's going on with the coronavirus, we have to really start cracking down. I was glad to see them do that," Haley said.
(Natural News) To choose ones victims, to prepare ones plan minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to bed There is nothing sweeter in the world.

(Article by Gary D. Barnett republished from LewRockwell.com)

Joseph Stalin (1940) Stalins Kampf: Joseph Stalins credo

The State is and has always been an evil, heartless, cruel, and manipulative monster bent only on money, power, and control. Once this truth is learned and accepted, the state is unmasked, and the claim that it is the defender and savior of the people is exposed as a lie. Without the false cover of legitimacy, any government will be easily recognizable as nothing more than a sinister enemy of all those under its rule.

According to research done by the late Professor R. J. Rummel, governments in just the twentieth century alone murdered 262 million innocent people. This number does not include deaths due to internal and foreign wars. There are two major points that should be questioned here. The first is why were wars left out of this calculation since governments cause and prosecute wars? Secondly, all wars of aggression are pure murder, not defensive as in any explicit defense of country, so the state itself is responsible for all those that die, including those volunteers or those conscripted and under orders of the state. With that said, the actual number of those killed due to state involvement is obviously much higher than calculated by Professor Rummel, in both the killing of citizens by their own governments, and due to killing through aggression. It is also important to recognize that since government is now involved at most every level of existence, and is the ruling entity, then no deaths from war or conflict should be left out of any reporting concerning death by government. In addition, Rummels research was restricted only to the twentieth century, and nothing before or after that time was calculated. The killing continues unabated, but much of the killing today is done by stealth. Blame for these atrocities, especially when politically convenient, is directed away from the aggressor state. All these deaths should be considered in order to find the truth of the carnage levied by governments.

What this boils down to is that the state is responsible for most all deaths other than those by natural causes. So why would anyone not be anti-state? Why would any not support the elimination of the state, when it is responsible for so much death and destruction? Do most populations actually believe that their country and its political class are good, but that all others are bad? Has the propaganda been so effective in convincing most of humanity that the state is not only necessary, but a benevolent protector and master? Is the truth never sought or seen, or even desired by the exploited masses? That seems to be the case, and this is not accidental or coincidental, it is a long-planned outcome, and one voluntarily accepted by the masses.

Due to the way this report was structured, the United States was pretty much left out of this conversation. I found this troubling. All concentration was centered on particularly oppressive governments or dictators mainly responsible for the deaths of their own citizens, but if considering all deaths caused by governments, the conversation should not end there.

The United States government is no less oppressive than many discussed by Rummel. The American government today is the most aggressive and powerful on earth, far more deadly than most in the past. U.S. wars of aggression, regime change policies, and proxy wars have been responsible for millions of deaths of innocents. The majority of the deaths by government during the twentieth century were blamed on the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and Communist China, as well as what are said to be lesser murderers like the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese War State, among many others. The main culprits blamed would be Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and Pol Pot, but the U.S. had much to do with all these tyrants, much to do with massive death, and much to do with the murder of innocents.

The U.S. government was involved with all those I mentioned above, and was even complicit in much of what was going on during those times when mass killing and genocide were more evident. The U.S. has been an aggressor nation, a warring nation against innocents, and a facilitator in building brutal regimes and supporting brutal dictators, including Stalin Mao, Hitler, and many others. This is not an innocent nation, and it never has been. In fact, the U.S. has been at war in one form or another, all through aggression, for at least 93% of its entire history. The American government will always claim the high ground, but that high ground is just because the U.S. is on top of the killing pyramid, looking down on the rest of the world. The saying that the victor writes the history rings true, and the U.S. has certainly been able to hide much of its atrocities due to this strategy.

In other words, the United States government is no better than any other government; at least it has not been for a very long time. Many will blame the deaths of so many innocents mostly on Communism, and of course the idea of Communism is horrendous, but like any governmental system, it requires that the people accept it voluntarily. Throughout history, most every political system has been based on master and slave, king and subjects, ruling class and proletariat. If the people wanted a freer system, they could have it, but the common man of today is little different than in the past, as most continually look toward a leader instead of looking to self.

But with this fraudulent virus pandemic, the real U.S. government is being exposed for what it truly is, and now is unclothed so that all can see the truth should they desire to do so. America has gotten away with the lie that it is different, that it is better, and that it is innocent in the horrors of man, but that is all coming to a screeching halt, as the ruling class eugenicists and the political elites in government are showing their true colors, and are aggressively seeking total control over all of humanity. If they succeed in this effort, more will die in this country and worldwide than ever before, and genocide, democide, and mass murder by non-obvious means will occur. Due to the government response to this fake virus hoax, there will be financial ruin, sickness, famine, poverty, vaccination poison, and suicide; all caused by the state, but the state will not take blame for this carnage. No, this will be blamed on a virus, and on society as a whole for not complying with every draconian measure mandated by the despicable state. Since this ordeal began earlier this year, the elderly have been targeted for death, and in many cases purposely left to die in isolation. As this global reset continues however, it will not just be the old that are dying; death will consume all ages, as life will be relegated to one of survival instead of joy.

The state cares nothing about you, your family, your children or your neighbors; it cares only about using you to sustain its power and control. Once the people allow total control to be achieved by the ruling class, there will be little need for the common man except to serve his master the state. A change of this magnitude will leave in the entire global population under the thumb of the few, and worldwide technocratic Communism will have been established. Is this our destiny?

If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America.

~ Nelson Mandela (2012). Notes to the Future: Words of Wisdom, p.152, Simon and Schuster

Read more at: LewRockwell.com and Hoax.news.
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Sushant Singh Rajput's death has created a stir in the country. Right from fans, to politicians and film celebrities, everyone has been talking about the actor's untimely death on June 14. Currently, an investigation is ongoing into the case, which is being helmed by Mumbai police officials.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that filmmakers are keen on making Sushant and matters surrounding his demise a subject of their movies and other ventures. As per a website, film producers' associations have been flooded with applications to register titles of movies on the late actor's life.

However, Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) has clarified that the film body will not allow any title with Sushant's name on it without a No-objection Certificate (NOC) from the family. General Secretary of IMPPA, Anil Nagrath said in the matter, "There have been several applications from our members. However, we, as an association, will not allow any title that has Sushant Singh Rajput's name in it. The titles will be sanctioned only if the producer is able to get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the family."

Read: Sushant Singh Rajput's Cousin: Large Amount of Money Transferred Into Rhea Chakraborty's Account

Recently, a movie titled Suicide Or Murder grabbed limelight when Sushant's look alike Sachin Tiwari was said to be cast in the movie directed by Shamik Maulik. A section of fans, media and film industry watchers were naturally quick to infer that the film in question is a biopic of Sushant.

However, Shamik has insisted the film is neither a biopic, nor does it deal with Sushant's untimely and tragic death. "This is not a biopic. The film is about how young men and women from small towns come to Mumbai with a lot of dreams. They also taste success, and when they are about to reach where they wanted to, suddenly they find other forces stopping them, because those people don't want to lose their position at the top," Shamik told IANS.

Read: Sushant Singh Rajput's Father Alleges Rhea Chakraborty Got Him Treated By 'Conniving' Doctors
More snow on the way in Pennsylvania; here's how much to expect
[July 29, 2020] Business Transformation In Motor Repair Industry - relayr Enlisted By Grupo Marro de Mexico CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- relayr, a global provider of risk-free digital transformations that help organizations achieve their target business outcomes, has engaged in a long-term partnership with Grupo Marro de Mexico, the premier electric motor service provider in Mexico, to implement a predictive maintenance model enabled by the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Relayr will work with Grupo Marro to deploy data-driven services that improve the company's ability to predict maintenance needs in motors they service for customers. Typically, customers only seek repairs if a motor breaks down or fails in some capacity, which can create unexpected downtime that negatively impacts revenue generation. With a predictive maintenance model, however, Grupo Marro can predict when motors will fail and work with customers to schedule maintenance before a failure occurs  a proposition that will ultimately improve operational efficiency for customers. "Relayr's reputation as a true partner in undertaking business transformations  not just digital integrations  was appealing to us on several levels, including the impact it will have on our ability to better meet the needs and desires of our clients," said Ramiro Martinez, CEO for Grupo Marro. "This partnership will allow Grupo Marro de Mexico to become an industry innovator by offering its customers guaranteed uptime for electrical motors through proactive and predictable maintenance based on data." Another benefit is the opportunity to generate recurring revenue in an otherwise single transaction. Instead of only producing evenue from fixing a customer's motor that has broken down or failed, a predictive model will allow Grupo Marro to provide ongoing preventive maintenance and additional touchpoint opportunities that are more proactive and more relevant. "This project isn't just about integrating digital capabilities into Grupo Marro's operations, it's about undertaking a complete business transformation that will better position Grupo Marro to be competitive in today's business landscape while better meeting the needs of customers," said Guneet Bedi, senior vice president of global sales for relayr. "Business leaders  especially those in the mid-market manufacturing space  are looking for ways to make revenue more predictable and insulate against economic uncertainty. We're excited to partner with Grupo Marro to accomplish these goals and better position the company for success." By guiding Grupo Marro through a business transformation, relayr can guarantee maximum production from uninterrupted operations to help them achieve their business goals in cooperation with Hartford Steam Boiler, both part of the Munich RE Group. Both relayr and Grupo Marro take an agnostic approach toward data- and device-management systems. This position allows greater flexibility and agility within the complexity of today's industrial environment. About relayr

Relayr is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) powerhouse delivering the most-complete solution for risk-free digital transformations. We unleash data insights from existing equipment, machines and production lines to improve our customers' business outcomes. We enable industrial companies to shift from CAPEX to OPEX-based offerings to their respective markets, providing a unique combination of first-class IIoT technology and its delivery with powerful financial and insurance offerings  all from a single source trusted by hundreds of companies worldwide. With relayr, manufacturers, operators, and service companies for industrial equipment are empowered to implement fully interoperable IIoT solutions guaranteed to achieve their target business outcomes. About Grupo Marro

Grupo Marro is the trendsetter electromechanical service center in Mexico, delivering quality repairs to our customers, backed by a high-level quality control supported by different accreditation and certification programs. Aiding our customers in keeping a healthy and effective production by analyzing, repairing and renewing their motors. We are a family owned business committed to excellence, always aiming towards innovation and development of our customers, our business and our community. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/business-transformation-in-motor-repair-industry---relayr-enlisted-by-grupo-marro-de-mexico-301102215.html SOURCE relayr

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Businesses are pushing cashless payment services amid demand triggered by social distancing measures imposed to curb Covid-19.

MoMo announced on Tuesday that it plans to tie up with ride-hailing company Be Group to offer its popular e-wallet services to the latters customers.

SmartPay earlier this month signed a deal with Viet Capital Bank to allow the lenders customers to open saving accounts using its e-wallet.

The company, which entered the market in May last year, targets big in Vietnams increasingly crowded e-payment market. It seeks to increase the number of users from 1.7 million to 4 million in the near future.

Another player, AirPay, which has been partnering with online shopping platform Shopee for months, is offering gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dong (VND100,000 = $4.3) to attract customers.

Shopee said its cashless transactions, through credit cards and AirPay, have been rising rapidly in number since Vietnam reported the first Covid-19 case early in the first quarter.

Eighty percent of cashless transactions in Hanoi, Da Nang and central Thua Thien Thue Province are done by users aged 18-34, Shopee said.

Industry insiders said fintech companies and banks are seeking to boost cashless payment as people refrain from going to physical stores amid pandemic fears.

"Banks have been increasing partnerships with fintech companies during the pandemic for payment and other types of financial services," Do Thanh Nam, director of Viet Capital Banks digibanking department, said.

His bank saw online savings increase six-fold year-on-year in the first half, he revealed.

An estimated 10.6 percent of the population aged above 15 use e-wallets, compared to 10.7 percent in Thailand, 17.1 percent in Singapore and 35.2 percent in China, according to global consulting firm Boston Consulting Group.

The government has been seeking to promote cashless payments for transactions like payment of electricity bills and tuition.
YEREVAN.  We have not been working for a long time because of a group of activists; the mine has not been operating since 2018. Liana Hovsepyan, one of the former employees of Lydian Armenia company, mentioned this in a talk with journalists Wednesday.

According to her, several inspections have already been conducted at Amulsar gold mine and no violations have been found there. "Seeing that our voice is not being heard, our petitions are not being processed, we decided to apply to the administrative court. Our petition is being processed, we have been joined by 100 former Lydian employees. The approach of the governmentwhich is silent, does nothing [regarding this matter]is incomprehensible to us," she added, in particular.

And Armen Melkumyan, the lawyer of Lydian Armenia's former employees, informed that the lawsuit of 36 ex-employees had already been submitted to the administrative court, and the first court session will be on August 6. "Another 86 people have joined this lawsuit. Our demand is to recognize the inactivity of the mine as illegal. (). If there will be no judicial act in our favor, we have the opportunity to submit this lawsuit to the ECHR. In that case, if we take into account the high salaries received by the employees [of Lydian Armenia], our demand from the state will be 30-35 million dollars," the lawyer said.
"The administration is now undertaking a comprehensive review of the DACA program and the justifications that have been offered for winding DACA down," a senior administration official said, Xinhua reported.

Washington: The Donald Trump administration in the US said on Tuesday it is reviewing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and will reject new applications.

The official said they will adjudicate all applications for renewal on a case-by-case basis, providing one year, rather than the existing two-year renewal.

Last month, the US Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration's efforts to rescind DACA, arguing that the move did not comply with the Administrative Procedure Act and failed to provide adequate justification.

However, it also made clear that President Donald Trump had the authority to rescind the program.

DACA, created via an administrative memo in 2012 by the previous Barack Obama administration, previously allowed undocumented immigrants brought to the United States when they were children to receive a renewable two-year deferral from deportation and has made applicants eligible for work permits, driver's licenses, and health insurance.

Recipients of DACA, estimated to be about 700,000, are commonly called "Dreamers."

In a statement on Tuesday, Andrea Flores, deputy director of immigration policy for the American Civil Liberties Union, called the Trump administration's new directive on DACA "another step today toward his ultimate goal of destroying the lives of Dreamers."

Trump, who has made the abolishment of the program a key part of his hardline immigration policy, first announced intentions to rescind DACA in September 2017.
A Newspaper In Iran Is Censured For Interview Defending People's Right To Revolt

Radio Farda July 28, 2020

Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, which oversees censorship in the clergy-dominated country, has cnesured Etemad, a local pro-reform daily for an interview touching upon the sensitive issue of revolt against the regime.

The foreboding is based on Etemad's interview with a former Shiism scholar and human rights advocate, Emaduddin Baqi (Baghi.)

In the interview published on July 9, Mr. Baqi defended people's right to "revolt" and "subvert" the ruling establishment if the dominant political system violates its contract with the masses.

Citing a book authored by Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, once the successor to the Islamic Republic's founder, Baqi has asserted that a government, regardless of being theocratic or secular, is essentially based on an agreement between the people and the rulers.

"The government is not a divine or a God-given asset and does not secure special rights or privileges for anyone," Baqi has argued, adding, "It is a contract between the people who entrust their authority to a few to regulate and coordinate their public affairs."

A veteran journalist and the caretaker of Etemad's management, Behrooz Behzadi, tweeted the Ministry's notice on Sunday, July 26 divulging that the Press Supervisory Board discussed the content of Baqi's interview and ruled that it was "an attempt to promote the right to subversion." Therefore, the council voted to give Etemad a warning notice, Behzadi said.

In his interview with the pro-reform daily, Baqi has also insisted that if a ruler or government violates its contract with the public, the people can dismiss the deal and overthrow the establishment.

"If the ruler decides to resist the people's will, he is not permitted to use the power at his disposal against them; since his power is 'borrowed' from the public and cannot be used for suppressing it," Baqi has reiterated.

Thus, according to Baqi, people can revolt, overthrow the ruler(s), and retain the power that was "loaned" to the ruler.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/a-newspaper-in -iran-is-censured-for-interview-defending- people-s-right-to-revolt/30751099.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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United States President, Donald Trump, has hailed a Nigerian-born doctor in America, Stella Immanuel, for her stance on COVID-19 treatme...

United States President, Donald Trump, has hailed a Nigerian-born doctor in America, Stella Immanuel, for her stance on COVID-19 treatment.





Trumps commendation was sequel to her insistence that coronavirus has a cure.





At a news conference in Washington D.C., Immanuel insisted that three drugs were effective against the virus.





The physician listed them as, Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc, and Zithromax.

Trump had shared a footage of Immanuel addressing the media.





But the video, already viewed by millions worldwide via different platforms, was taken down by Twitter.





Other social media majors, YouTube and Facebook did the same.





The deletion sparked a fresh debate about the purported conspiracy of the pandemic and if COVID-19 truly has a cure.





Trumps critics have launched attacks on Immanuel, accusing her of misinformation.





But the American leaders supporters insist that her comments should not be discarded, wondering why opponents were being pessimistic.





At a White House briefing on Tuesday, Trump answered a question about Immanuel and her claim.





She was on air along with many other doctors. They were big fans of hydroxychloroquine, the president said.





I thought she was very impressive in the sense that from where she came, I dont know which country she comes from, but she said that shes had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients.





Trump added: I thought her voice was an important voice but ut I know nothing about her.





As the reporter pressed further, Trump said: Okay, thank you very much everybody, thank you. He then walked out of left the room.





"I thought her voice was an important voice, but I know nothing about her," President Trump says of the video he retweeted where a woman claims masks don't work & there's a cure for Covid-19. Instead of explaining the contradiction given he's endorsed masks, Trump left the room. pic.twitter.com/k8jKdrI1oz July 28, 2020 During her speech, Immanuel asserted that she successfully treated 350 patients with Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc and Zithromax. During her speech, Immanuel asserted that she successfully treated 350 patients with Hydroxychloroquine, Zinc and Zithromax.





Trump has been a strong advocate of the mixture, insisting it was the solution to coronavirus.





Medical experts disagree and opine that only a vaccine could guarantee a total cure.





Below are excerpts of Immanuels speech.





Hello, Im Dr Stella Emmanuel. Im a primary care physician in Houston, Texas. I went to medical school in West Africa, Nigeria, where I took care of malaria patients, treated them with hydroxychloroquine and stuff like that. So Im used to these medications.





Im here because I have personally treated over 350 patients with COVID-19. Patients that have diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, old people. I think my oldest patients are 92, 87-year-olds. And the result has been the same. I put them on hydroxychloroquine, I put them on zinc, I put them on Zithromax, and theyre all well.





After taking care of over 350 patients, weve not lost one. And on top of that, Ive put myself, my staff, and many doctors that I know on hydroxychloroquine for prevention because by the very mechanism of action, it works early and as a prophylaxis. The study that made me start using hydroxychloroquine was a study that they did under the NIH in 2005 that says it works.





Recently, I was doing some research about a patient that had hiccups and I found out that they even did a recent study in the NIH, which is our National Institute of Health. I know youre going to tell me that you treated 20 people, 40 people, and it didnt work. Im a true testimony. So I came here to Washington DC to tell America nobody needs to get sick.





This virus has a cure. It is called hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and Zithromax. I know you people want to talk about a mask. Hello? You dont need a mask. There is a cure.I tell all of you doctors that are sitting down and watching Americans die. Youre like the good Nazi, the good Germans that watched Jews get killed and you did not speak up.




Taiwan military hopes to be invited to 2020 RIMPAC as observer

ROC Central News Agency

07/28/2020 04:54 PM

Taipei, July 28 (CNA) Taiwan is still hoping to receive an invitation to participate as an observer in the world's largest international maritime drill to be staged next month, a Ministry of National Defense (MND) spokesman said Tuesday.

The list of the 25 countries that will take part in the biennial U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise scheduled for Aug. 17 to 31 was announced in May and Taiwan was not on the list, but the issue of Taiwan's participation was raised again Tuesday at an MND briefing.

MND spokesman Shih Shun-wen () said that while Taiwan has not been officially invited to take part, the military is still fighting for the chance to be invited as an observer "given cordial Taiwan-U.S. relations."

If it were to be invited, the military would prioritize observing first hand the joint operations among participating forces and humanitarian assistance programs in the large-scale drill, Shih said.

Taiwan's military previously saw this year as a window of opportunity for participating in the RIMPAC exercises given the absence of China since 2018.

It also gained optimism from the U.S. Senate's passage of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on July 23.

The 2021 NDAA highlights U.S. support for the development of Taiwan's military and specifically suggests that Washington should invite Taiwan to the RIMPAC exercises, if appropriate.

The exercises began in 1971 and were held annually until 1974, when it became a biennial exercise due to its scale. The founding nations are the U.S., Australia and Canada.

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) participated in the 2014 and 2016 versions of the exercise, but the U.S. stopped inviting the PLA in 2018.

The U.S. Navy's Third Fleet in San Diego, which plans the RIMPAC drills, announced in May that all 25 nations that were invited to participate in the 2018 RIMPAC event were asked to return to Hawaii in mid-August for this year's exercises.

The 25 nations are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.

A total of 46 surface ships, five submarines, 17 land forces, and more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel participated in the 2018 RIMPAC exercises.

(By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/ls

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Uniphar CEO Ger Rabbette says the firm is navigating the new normal

Diversified healthcare services business Uniphar has reported a 5pc increase in organic gross profit for the first half of this year.

In a trading update which contain limited financial detail, the company said it has performed "in line with expectations" for the six months to June 30 at both a gross profit and earnings level.

The Covid-19 trading environment has given rise to "significant challenges", according to the company.

Nonetheless, Uniphar said it has also created "several opportunities" for growth across all three of its divisions - commercial and clinical, product access, and supply chain and retail.

Uniphar CEO Ger Rabbette said: "Despite the difficult trading backdrop, we have continued to deliver gross profit growth across all our divisions and strong gross profit organic growth at group level.

"Our suite of digital capabilities continues to be a key strength as we navigate through the pandemic and adapt to the new normal."

During the six-month period, the commercial and clinical division made progress, winning new clients and leveraging existing relationships into new places.

While this division was most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, due to non-urgent elective surgeries being delayed, the company said the diversity of its portfolio has helped mitigate any negative impact.

Elsewhere, the supply chain and retail division delivered a "robust" performance.

Looking forward, the company said it is well positioned to deliver gross profit growth for this year across all three of its divisions.

Commenting on the update, analysts at Davy said they have raised their 12-month price target for the company to 2.35 "but argue that a 3.00-3.35 share price is a credible possibility in a couple of years if the company continues to execute."

Uniphar last July raised gross proceeds of 139.4m from its IPO.

Last year it agreed to pay 30m (25.7m) to acquire UK-based Durbin, a supplier of specialist medicines.

Durbin has offices in the UK and US and is active in 160 markets around the world.

The business is now a part of Uniphar's product access division.

The company will publish its final results for the six months to June 20 on September 2.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: With Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for the construction of Ram temple just a week away, donations from various quarters have already started pouring in.

After the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony to be attended by PM Narendra Modi on August 5, the temple construction would start. Meanwhile, as part of preparations for Bhoomi Pujan event, a team of 500 sanitary workers has been deployed to deck up the temple town.

While spiritual guru and story narrator (Katha vachak) Morari Bapu has announced a donation of Rs 5 crore from his Vyaspeeth to Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust, Prince Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, a self-proclaimed descendent of Mughals, has offered a gold brick weighing one kg to the PM towards temple construction.

Morari Bapu had announced the donation during an online spiritual talk on Monday and appealed to his followers to contribute voluntarily.

However, the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has already made it clear that it was open to receive donations from anyone who wanted to contribute towards the temple construction. In its last meeting in Ayodhya, the trust general secretary Champat Rai had made it clear that the temple would be constructed through the donations.

The Trust is not averse to taking donations from Muslims if they are willing to donate, said Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, successor designate of chairman of Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.

A day after the Trusts Ayodhya meeting, the UP chapter of the Indian Bullions Association had donated 33 kg sliver brick to the Trust in a simple ceremony in Ayodhya on July 21, 2020. The silver bricks will be used in Bhoomi Pujan.

As per the key sources, even trust chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das has got a silver brick weighing 40 kg prepared and it would be placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the proposed Ram temple during the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony by the PM.

Politicians have also started donating money for the Ram Mandir. UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, who visited Ayodhya to take stock of the preparedness recently, donated Rs 6.60 lakh.

Earlier on March 25 while relocating the idol of Lord Ram from the makeshift temple to his new temporary bullet-proof pre-fabricated fibre abode on Ram Janmabhoomi premises, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had donated Rs 11 lakh to the Trust.

Moreover, Mahavir Mandir Trust of Patna has also announced a donation of Rs 10 crore for the cause with installments of Rs 2 crore to be paid every year as per the instructions of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust. The first installment has already been paid towards the cause.

Besides, the devotees are also donating gold and silver to the Trust. Hyderabad-based jeweller K Srinivas has donated a one-kg gold brick and a five-kg silver.

The trust has appealed to the donors to give cash as it would be ready to use in the construction work.

Through online donations in the past four months, the Trust has received around Rs 6 crore in its two bank accounts in State Bank of India, the main branch, Ayodhya. The Trust is also sending acknowledgment receipt of donations along with thanks letter by post to donors.

The VHP has planned to launch a campaign in the days to come to connect with 10 crore families across the country and collect donations ranging from Re 1 to Rs 10 from each family for the Ram Mandir.

Over 500 Sanitary workers deployed

A team of 500 sanitary workers has been deployed in the temple town to deck up the temple city.

Walls in the main streets of Ayodhya have been decorated with graffiti and paintings depicting scenes from the Ramayan.

According to Ayodhya Mayor Rishikesh Updadhyaya, ward-wise meetings are being conducted to make Ayodhya ready to welcome PM Narendra Modi on August 5.

Those, who were involved in the management of Kumbh Mela in 2019, have been deployed to take care of every small thing during the August 5 event.

A separate team of BJP workers led by Ayodhya MLA Ved Prakash Gupta is trying to reach out to every household to make sure all houses in temple town are decked up with lights and earthen diyas for two days from August 4. Around 1.25 lakh earthen lamps would be lit to bring the temple town to life during the event.

Locals have been asked to decorate their houses with rangoli, bandanwar (a garland made of flowers), decorative lights, and earthen diyas on August 4, 5 for the Bhoomi Pujan, said Gupta.
(Newser)  Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, who recovered from COVID-19 and whose moving Easter performance sought to raise hopes during the pandemic, is striking a different public note, saying Italy's lockdown made him feel "humiliated and offended" by depriving him of his freedom. Bocelli spoke at a panel Monday in a Senate conference room, where he was introduced by right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini, who has railed against the governments stringent measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak. Bocelli told the conference at the Senate that he resented not being able to leave his home even though he "committed no crime" and revealed, without providing details, that he violated lockdown restrictions, the AP reports.

story continues below

At the height of lockdown, Italians could only leave home to go to essential jobs, walk dogs or buy food or medicine. Dismayed, Health Ministry Undersecretary Pierpaolo Sileri on Tuesday said that perhaps Bocelli "wanted to express the inconvenience of every Italian who, because of lockdown, stayed home." "I wouldn't have said those words, but I imagine he'll be able to explain it somehow, Sileri added. The conference was held on the eve of Premier Giuseppe Conte's appearance in the Senate where he laid out his center-left government's case for extending for three months a state of emergency for the pandemic, which expires on July 31. Conte said the extension is aimed at preserving measures that allow an efficient response should the virus spike again, not to :spread unjustified fears" among the population.

(Read more Italy stories.)
WARSAW, Poland - Six Polish towns that declared themselves as LGBT Free zones or banned campaigning for the rights of same-sex couples had their requests for European Union community funding rejected, an EU spokesman said Wednesday.

At a news conference in Brussels, spokesman Adalbert Jahnz confirmed that the EU turned down six applications from Poland for an EU program that funds activities to build links between communities in different nations. He refused to name the towns, citing an EU rule against identifying rejected applicants.

EU Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli tweeted Tuesday to say that six town twinning applications from Polish authorities that adopted LGBTI free zones or family rights resolutions were rejected.

EU values and fundamental rights must be respected by the 27 member countries, Dalli said.

Communities can obtain up to 25,000 euros ($29,000) under the EUs Town Twinning program, which links two or more communities in different nations and supports their joint development programs. Some other applicants from Poland were granted funds from the program.

Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro called the rejection decision unfounded and unlawful and urged the government to take steps with the EU Commission to reverse it. He argued that under the EU treaties, the national identities of its 27 members and the views of all citizens should be respected by all European bodies.

Polands right-wing government has cast LGBT rights as a threat to the countrys traditional Roman Catholic values and national identity. It opposes same-sex marriages.

Influenced by the positions of Polands ruling Law and Justice party, some local authorities have declared their communities LGBT Free zones or opposed to the LGBT rights movement. The declarations have no legal power or consequences but are seen in the EU as highly discriminatory.

Discrimination of any kind can never be tolerated in the EU, the blocs justice commissioner, Didier Reynders, wrote on Twitter. The Union values must be upheld in all the EU funded programmes.

Some Polish cities have already lost twinning with partners in western Europe over their LGBT Free declarations.
Reading the accounts of those killed during the Troubles can be a distressing experience, not only because of the nature of the crimes which were committed on all sides during the conflict, but because of the number of victims who've been forgotten.

For their families, each death meant a lifetime of trauma. For everyone else, it was all too often a passing headline on the news, soon replaced in the mind as some abhorrent fresh atrocity took its place. It's important to keep remembering the names and faces of the people who died, and the unforgivable circumstances in which they lost their lives, if only to combat the efforts of those who tirelessly seek to whitewash the past.

A few days ago it was the 46th anniversary of the murder of Ann Ogilby, a 32-year-old single mother-of-four, who was beaten to death with bricks and sticks in a disused building in Sandy Row in July 1974, before her body was dumped near the M1.

A motive was never established conclusively, but most theories suggest her main "crime" was having an affair with a married UDA commander.

That dreadful date may have passed without remembrance too, if it hadn't been for victims' advocates on Facebook making sure to mark its passing.

It's not hard to appreciate why they felt this young mother's death needed to be memorialised.

Even by the depraved standards of the Troubles, the so-called "romper room" murders committed by loyalists were especially brutal; but what makes this one more notorious still is that it was ordered and carried out by members of the local women's unit of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), an organisation which, incredibly, remained legal until 1992.

The involvement of women in such a callous murder seems to run counter to all our inherent ideas that they should be more caring, nurturing, and compassionate than men.

How could women act this way towards a fellow human being, not least one of their own sex?

The awful truth is that it was more common than we like to imagine. Even among those who weren't "involved" directly, the nature of society at that time turned too many female hearts to stone.

There is footage of mothers in the 1970s saying they'd gladly hand their own daughters over to be tarred and feathered if they cavorted with British soldiers, and, whilst the vast majority of active terrorists in Northern Ireland may have been men, there were many notable exceptions.

On the republican side, the Price sisters and Donna Maguire (once described as Europe's most dangerous woman for her role in a continental bombing campaign) were every bit as ruthless as their male counterparts.

Jean McConville was taken from her home at gunpoint by four women, and never seen alive again. Dolours Price admitted driving the Protestant mother-of-ten across the border to her death.

Mary McArdle, later a Sinn Fein special adviser at Stormont, was likewise convicted over her role in the 1984 murder of teacher Mary Travers, a young woman like herself.

Outside of politically-motivated violence, there have been plenty of female murderers, including some serial killers. Peterborough woman Joanna Dennehy was convicted in 2013 of stabbing three men to death and dumping their bodies in ditches.

She was given a whole life sentence, one of only three women in the UK ever to be locked up without hope of release. The other two are Myra Hindley (now dead) and Rose West.

Some like to delude themselves that women who commit murder only do so because they are under the influence of evil men - what you might call the Myra Hindley defence - but the killing of Ann Ogilby exposes that as a fiction.

Her death was conceived and carried out entirely by other women, and the leader of the female loyalist unit made no bones about the fact it was "not a UDA operation", saying it was "just a move between a lot of women, a personal thing".

Even Joanne Dennehy, who was deemed at her trial to have no normal human emotions, told acquaintances during her own killing spree that she did not want to kill other women, especially not women with children. Those considerations clearly did not cross the mind of those who abducted Ann Ogilby and her young daughter back in 1974.

It's worth stressing that violent crime has, throughout history, overwhelmingly been a male occupation, and there may well be convincing evolutionary reasons for that, in terms of the different roles men and women played going back to the time of the hunter-gatherers.

Whatever the reason, most crime, including violent offences, is still carried out by men, and they make up by far the largest proportion of prisoners.

There are currently 78,000 men behind bars in the UK right now; that's 94.9 per cent of prisoners.

Just over 3,000 are women, and more than 80 per cent of them are in for non-violent offences.

When women do kill, their crimes tend to fall into specific patterns.

One way in which Ann Ogilby's murder fits the pattern is that women are much less likely to target strangers. They kill closer to home, for personal reasons. How it differs is in the level of violence used. Women generally use less brutal means to end life, such as poison and suffocation.

That's what makes this case so disturbing.

What's equally unsettling is that the two teenagers convicted of her murder - who were just 18 and 17 at the time of their conviction six months later, when they too were said to be "without feeling or remorse" - probably went on to live quite ordinary lives on their release after nine years in prison.

What darkness possessed them we may never understand, because the psychology of female killers remains far less studied than that of their male counterparts.

We explain them away as aberrations from the norm, because that's easier than admitting the uncomfortable possibility that they may be just as capable of sadistic barbarity as men, and it's merely a thin veil of socialisation which stops them giving in to their most evil urges more regularly.
The United States on Wednesday imposed fresh sanctions aimed at depriving the Syrian government of funds, and warned that Washington would blacklist anyone doing business with President Bashar al-Assad's government until he supports a negotiated end to the country's nearly decade-long war.

Among the 14 blacklisted Wednesday were Assad's son, Hafez, a Syrian businessman and nine entities a senior U.S. official accused of helping to fund the Syrian government's "campaign of terror", as well as the Syrian Arab Army's First Division unit, among others.

"The steady drumbeat of designations on persons and entities that support the Assad regime will continue until the regime and its associates cease obstructing a peaceful political resolution of the conflict" as called for by the U.N. Security Council, a senior U.S. official told reporters.

The sanctions, imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act and other measures, come as the Syrian leader grapples with a deepening economic crisis after a decade of war.

It marks the second round of sanctions imposed by the Washington under the Caesar Act, which aims to deter "bad actors who continue to aid and finance the Assad regimes atrocities against the Syrian people while simply enriching themselves."

"It is time for Assad's needless, brutal war to end. This, above all, is what our sanctions campaign is meant to bring about," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

Already, U.S. and European Union sanctions have frozen the assets of the Syrian state and hundreds of companies and individuals. Washington has banned American exports to and investment in Syria, as well as transactions involving oil and hydrocarbon products.

The new sanctions cover many more sectors, and they can freeze assets of anyone dealing with Syria, regardless of nationality. The measure also targets those dealing with entities from Russia and Iran, Assads main backers.

Syrian authorities blame Western sanctions for widespread hardship among ordinary residents, where the currency collapse has led to soaring prices and people struggling to afford food and basic supplies.

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Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: Haryana's law enforcement agencies on Tuesday busted a five-member international gang involved in selling drugs for COVID-19 treatment such as Remdesivir to Iraq.

The drug is priced at Rs 5,400 per vial in the city, but is said to be available in Iraq for as high as Rs 1 lakh. Similarly, Fabiflu, available at Rs 2,500 per strip, was allegedly sold in Iraq for Rs 8,000.

Another drug, Lopikast Vila, being sold at Rs 3,990 in India is available at Rs 15,000 in Iraq. In two separate raids, the Gurugram Drug Controller and the Flying Squad along with CIA officials, busted the drug cartel and seized Covid-19 drugs  Remdesivir, Fabiflu, Lopikast  and narcotics besides Rs 74 lakh in cash.

Five suspects, four Iraqi nationals and one woman from Uzbekistan have been arrested. Sources said the cartel accessed the passenger list bound for Iraq and planned to send the medicines in small batches through the Iraqi nationals.

The raids were conducted at two different residential premises at Aloha Gurgaon Group Housing, Sector 57 and House No. 478/P, Sector 47. In the first raid at Sector 57, two suspects -- Aws Raad Nealmah Al- Hendi and Akram Faiz, both Iraqi nationals  were arrested.

A case under NDPS Act, Drugs and Cosmetics Act and relevant Section of IPC was registered on the complaint of Drugs Control Officer Gurugram, Amandeep Chauhan.

In the second operation, two more Iraqi nationals and one woman from Uzbekistan were arrested. They had allegedly been stocking medicines used in the treatment of Covid-19: Remdesivir (48 vials), Fabiflu (55 strips), Lopikast (18 packs) along with the antibiotics, antacids, anti-allergic, antipyretic and medicines used in treatment of cancer and HIV. The three have been identified as Mohnnad, Othmana A Aeed, and Nilufar.
Back in October 2019, Microsoft unveiled the Android-powered Surface Duo foldable device. To recall, it was announced to be made available in Holiday 2020.

According to a tweet from Zac Bowden, the Microsoft Surface Duo has already entered production and will reportedly go on sale in the week of August 24.

The recent listings on the FCC and Bluetooth SIG websites suggested the device might come out early. However, there is no official confirmation yet from the Redmond giant. It is expected that the company might start accepting pre-orders in the next couple of weeks.

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Surface Duo production reportedly started

We are also yet to know the complete specifications of Microsofts first-ever foldable device. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Fold or Moto Razr, the Surface Duo doesnt actually sport a foldable display.

At its press event in New York City last year, the company mentioned the Surface Duo will sport two separate 5.6-inch AMOLED displays with a resolution of 1800 by 1350 pixels each.

These two displays are connected by a 360-degree hinge, which will allow the device to be folded inwards or outwards. It comes powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform and packs 6GB of RAM.

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The foldable will be available in 64GB and 256GB storage variants. In terms of optics, the Surface Duo comes equipped with a single 11MP camera that acts as both the front and rear camera.

With two AMOLED displays and a flagship chipset, the device only features a 3,460mAh-capacity battery. It might not even last a single day with a full charge.

Microsoft is yet to reveal the complete specifications

Hopefully the company makes a few changes like bigger battery capacity and newer chipset with the final version. The Surface Duo will run on Android 10 with Microsoft Launcher UI by default.

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Once Android 11 goes public, we can expect Microsoft to bring the latest Android version for better compatibility with dual-screen apps.

Recently, Microsoft announced that it will be supporting Googles Android dual-screen developer API. We can expect the popular Microsoft apps to take advantage of the dual screens from day one.

The company should be revealing the complete details before the Microsoft Surface Duo goes on sale.

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Last year, the company also demoed the Project xCloud (Xbox cloud gaming service) on the Surface Duo. When playing games, one of the two displays can be used just for controls.

Alongside the Surface Duo, Microsoft also showcased the Windows-powered Surface Neo with much bigger displays. As per the leaks, the Surface Neo will likely make its debut in early 2021.
If its a hearing, Bill Barr asked with an irked tongue in cheek, arent I the one whos supposed to be heard?

His frustration was more than justified. Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.) and the other Democrats who control the House demanded for months that Barr come to a hearing and testify. But of course, it wasnt anything like an actual hearing, and they didnt want him to testify  as in actually answer questions. The session was a coveted election-year opportunity for Democrats to berate the attorney general of the United States in five-minute installments, accusing Barr of corruption, perjury, violating his oath, betraying the Constitution  at one point, even of killing thousands of COVID-19 victims (apparently, by being attorney general during a pandemic).

Especially at the beginning of the hearing, Barr easily parried the hostile questions  soliloquies with question-marks at the end. He picked apart their misstatements and disingenuous premises, and answered with aplomb. Democrats thus dropped the threadbare pretense that this was a hearing. In the main, the rest of the afternoon was devoted to raging, mock-anguished perorations about how Trump is a dictator and how Barr is helping him destroy our democracy.

These were punctuated by the occasional petulant demand that Barr answer yes or no a question that was either loaded or incoherent. When Barr would begin to answer, there would be foot-stomping, indignant, Im reclaiming my time interruptions, claims that there was no question pending (usually after a question had just been posed), and then more Democrat filibustering about how the American people could clearly see that Barr was afraid to answer their questions . . . that they wouldnt let him answer.

It was an embarrassing spectacle.

Some days, it just feels like were doomed. Today is one of those days. And not simply because this should have been an important oversight hearing featuring an important witness  one whom a serious committee would have wanted both to hear out and to challenge. It is, after all, the nature of the Justice Departments work that there are many tough judgment calls; no one gets them all right.

Story continues

What happened on Capitol Hill Tuesday was a debacle to despair over because Democrats do not act this way because they are preternaturally rude. They act this way because their voters expect and demand that they act this way.

It is not hard to understand, even if it is hard to accept. Democrats do not merely disagree with Donald Trump. They abhor him. Their supporters and media friends so loathe him that each hearing, each issue, becomes a contest of who can be the most indecorous and contemptuous. Who among us can spew the most bile?

Barr brings out the worst in them, which is saying something. He is learned and quick, he is prepared, and he doesnt get rattled. Unlike many government officials, he thrives in the give-and-take of civil discourse.

So then we obviously must not permit civil discourse.

The pols are becoming indistinguishable from the ends of the spectrums where they draw their support. In the Democrats case, these include people who see America as a despicable, incorrigibly racist force for imperialism and exploitation. They see Republicans and their deplorable supporters, Trumpists in particular, as the instantiation of these abominations.

Again and again, Barr explained that in Portland, a federal courthouse is under siege. The executive branch of the federal government has a duty to protect such installations. The very Congress to which Barr was trying to testify has enacted law that obliges the executive branch to safeguard federal courthouses. It is simply a fact that, had the Trump administration not acted to send more law enforcement agents  not troops as Democrats claim, not stormtroopers as House speaker Nancy Pelosi slanderously put it, but law enforcement officers  the courthouse would now be destroyed. And the taste of destroying it would have whet the anarchic appetite for more destruction.

It is impossible that Democrats do not know the difference between peaceful protesters and rioters, but they mulishly pretend the latter are the former. They either turn a blind eye toward the ongoing mayhem or maintain, straight-faced, that the destruction is a righteous reaction to Trump. That is the deal: No stratagem that paints the president and his administration as deserving of anything more than contempt is beyond the pale.

The transparent point is a cynical political one: Dont engage the opposition, dont talk out our disagreements. Portray the opposition as such anathema that voting for the incumbent president in November would be too monstrous to contemplate.

At a minimum, it means there is no point in having congressional hearings. What it portends, though, is far more dire than that. It doesnt matter how you feel about Donald Trump or Bill Barr. A faction that would rather delegitimize than debate its opposition can do that to anyone or anything. At that point, its about power, not policy or progress. Anyone who wants power that badly shouldnt be anywhere near it.

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Revenue of 2,166.7m, equating to negative organic revenue growth* of 2.6%, favourably situated with respect to the initial guidance range disclosed on 24 April 2020 (between -2% and -6%)

Operating margin on business activity of 6.1% (6.8% in H1 2019)

Net profit attributable to the Group of 43.7m (60.9m at 30/06/2019)

Net financial debt slightly below its 31 December 2019 level thanks to free cash flow of 37.1m in H1 2020

Regulatory News:

At its meeting on 28 July 2020 chaired by Pierre Pasquier, Sopra Steria's (Paris:SOP) Board of Directors approved the financial statements for the first half of 2020. The Statutory Auditors have conducted a limited review of the financial statements.

Sopra Steria: 2020 Half-year results H1 2020 H1 2019 Amount Rate Change Amount Rate Key income statement items Revenue m 2,166.7 -1.8% 2,207.1 Organic growth - 2.6% Operating profit on business activity m 132.8 6.1% -12.0% 151.0 6.8% Profit from recurring operations m 111.6 5.1% -16.2% 133.1 6.0% Operating profit m 87.7 4.0% -23.9% 115.3 5.2% Net profit attributable to the Group m 43.7 2.0% -28.3% 60.9 2.8% Weighted average number of shares in issue excl. treasury shares m 20.23 20.22 Basic earnings per share 2.16 -28.3% 3.01 Recurring earnings per share 3.06 -15.4% 3.61 Key balance sheet items 6/30/2020 6/30/2019 Net financial debt m 495.9 -20.6% 624.3 Equity attributable to the Group m 1,395.7 10.5% 1,263.5 * Alternative performance measures are defined in the glossary at the end of this document

General comments on H1 2020 activity

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis in March 2020, the Group's priority has been protecting the health of its employees and ensuring continuity of service. In the acute phase of the crisis, the use of remote working was scaled up to include more than 90% of employees, and governance was adjusted to ensure more agile management of the Group. Cost-cutting programmes were launched starting in April.

With the spread of the pandemic and measures restricting movement and imposing lockdowns, there was a widespread decline in client orders and additional business under existing contracts. However, the extent of this decline varied widely from one business sector to another. The aeronautics sector which made up around 10% of the Group's revenue at the end of Q1 2020 was particularly and lastingly hard hit, with the industry projected to contract between 20% and 30% starting in the second quarter.

Amidst this crisis, Sopra Steria was able to draw on its resilient fundamentals. Its activities are centred around recurring contracts, which make up around 40% of its revenue (business process services, IT infrastructure management, application maintenance and software maintenance). It also has a sizeable presence in the public sector, which contributes around one third of its revenue. Lastly, its sales strategy focuses on strategic clients, which are mainly key accounts.

As such, Sopra Steria's revenue was relatively resilient.It came to 2,166.7 million at 30 June 2020, down 1.8% with respect to first-half 2019. Changes in scope had a positive impact of 30.8 million, and currency fluctuations had a negative impact of 12.5 million. At constant scope and exchange rates, revenue fell 2.6%, which is favourably situated with respect to the initial guidance range (a drop in revenue of between 2% and 6%) disclosed in the press release on first-quarter revenue dated 24 April 2020.

Operating profit on business activity came to 132.8 million, or a margin of 6.1% (6.8% in H1 2019).

Detailed analysis by reporting unit of operating performance in the first half of 2020

In France, revenue was 864.6 million, corresponding to an organic decrease in revenue of 5.5%. The strongest declines were seen in product lifecycle management and consulting, especially in the 2nd quarter, whereas IT infrastructure management showed more limited negative growth. In terms of vertical markets, the drop in business activity was particularly significant in the aeronautics sector in the second quarter. This sector represented around 20% of the region's revenue at the end of Q1 2020. However, defence and the public sector continued to perform very well during the half-year period. At 30 June 2020, the operating margin on business activity was 8.2% (9.3% at 30 June 2019).

In the United Kingdom, revenue came to 338.5 million, representing an organic decrease of 4.7%. This change mainly arose from softer business activity in the private sector and the suspension of the visa service provided for the UK government from the end of March to the end of May. This service was gradually reopened at the beginning of June. Joint ventures in the public sector (NHS SBS and SSCL) were not affected; they saw organic revenue growth of 4.9% over the period, and growth is expected to accelerate in the second half of the year. The rest of the public sector, defence and security proved fairly resilient. At 30 June 2020, the operating margin on business activity was 4.6% (6.1% at 30 June 2019).

The Other Europe reporting unit posted organic growth of 6.6%, with revenue totalling 638.8 million. This increase was due to the strong growth recorded in Scandinavia (up 9.4%) and the development of business related to Sopra Financial Technology's operation of the Sparda banks' information system in Germany (revenue of 107.9 million in the first half). Business activity for the other countries in this region was either stable or slightly down over the period. At 30 June 2020, the operating margin on business activity was 7.4% (6.5% at 30 June 2019).

Sopra Banking Software generated revenue of 205.4 million, representing an organic decrease of 10.9%. This change resulted from negative growth in licence sales and a deterioration in services activities during the lockdown period. Product roadmaps were carried out as planned for the Sopra Banking Platform and the Sopra Financing Platform. The new version of Cassiopae 4.7, launched on 31 March, has gone live for a number of clients in the specialised lending solutions business, and a gradual upgrade plan is now in place. At 30 June 2020, the operating margin on business activity was -3.3% (-4.7% at 30 June 2019).

The Other Solutions reporting unit posted revenue of 119.4 million, representing negative organic growth of 5.0% due to a decline in licence sales, the postponement of certain projects and the temporary drop in the volume of services outsourced during the lockdown period. These changes were relatively comparable across both business lines. The difference between actual revenue and initial growth forecasts affected the reporting unit's operating margin on business activity, which was 5.0% at 30 June 2020 compared with 11.7% at 30 June 2019. A substantial improvement in profitability is expected in the second half of 2020.

Comments on the components of net profit for the first half of 2020

Profit from recurring operations came to 111.6 million. It included a 2.2 million share-based payment expense and a 19.1 million amortisation expense on allocated intangible assets.

Operating profit was 87.7 million after a net expense of 23.8 million for other operating income and expenses (compared with a net expense of 17.8 million in first-half 2019), of which 7.7 million was attributable additional costs related to Covid-19. Reorganisation and restructuring expenses totalled 15.7 million.

The tax expense was 23.7 million in the half-year period, versus 34.4 million in the first half of 2019, translating to a Group-wide tax rate of 31.2%.

The share of the profit/loss from equity-accounted companies (Axway Software) was a loss of 1.9 million (loss of 2.0 million in first-half 2019).

The net profit attributable to the Group was 43.7 million (vs 60.9 million in first-half 2019) after 6.5 million in minority interests

Basic earnings per share came to 2.20 (3.00 per share in the first half of 2019).

Financial position at 30 June 2020

Sopra Steria's financial position at 30 June 2020 is robust in terms of both financial ratios and liquidity.

Despite weaker results and a traditionally unfavourable seasonal effect in the first half of the year, and thanks to strict management of the working capital requirement, free cash flow for the first half of 2020 amounted to a cash inflow of 37.1 million (versus a 21.8 million outflow in the first half of 2019). It included an inflow of 57 million from non-recurring items.

Net financial debt totalled 495.9 million at 30 June 2020, down slightly from its level at 31 December 2019 (513.9 million). It equated to 1.27x pro forma 12-month rolling EBITDA before the impact of IFRS 16, compared with 1.63x at 30 June 2019 (with the financial covenant stipulating a maximum of 3x).

External growth transactions

On 9 July 2020, Sopra Steria announced that it had signed the acquisition agreement for a 94.03% controlling interest in Sodifrance, at a price equivalent to 62.8 million for 100% of its share capital. The acquisition is expected to take place in September 2020. The delisting offer (offre publique de retrait) could be finalised in October 2020 and the mandatory delisting procedure could take place in November 2020.

Workforce

At 30 June 2020, the Group's workforce totalled 46,603 people, with 19.1% working in X-Shore zones (44,959 at 30 June 2019).

Social and environmental footprint

Sopra Steria firmly believes that digital technology, when closely linked to humanity, is a rich source of opportunity and progress. The Group sees its contribution to society as sustainable, human-focused and guiding.

As one measure of its deep commitment to this role, Sopra Steria is proud to have been a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact since 2004. On 19 May 2020, the Group joined 154 other companies spanning all business sectors to support the Science Based Targets initiative and its goal for companies of limiting global warming to 1.5C.

In the first half of 2020, Sopra Steria's corporate social responsibility policy earned two additional distinctions. For the second year in a row, the Group was ranked within the top 1% of companies assessed by EcoVadis in the area of corporate social responsibility, scoring 74/100 and achieving "Platinum" level, introduced for the first time in 2020. In June 2020, the Group was also rated "Advanced" by Vigeo Eiris, with an ESG score of 62/100, a substantial increase from 2018.

Targets for 2020

Based on the economic environment observed at end-July 2020, Sopra Steria has set the following targets for the full 2020 financial year:

Organic change in revenue of between -2% and -4%

Operating margin on business activity of between 6% and 7%

Free cash flow of between 80m and 120m

However, the overall environment remains highly uncertain. The reinstatement of measures restricting movement and/or requiring physical distancing in the geographies where Sopra Steria operates could negatively impact the situation, as could any decisions to further adjust costs that may be made by certain clients in the second half of the year.

Presentation meeting

The results for the first half of 2020 will be presented to financial analysts and investors in a French/English webcast on Wednesday, 29 July 2020 at 9:00 a.m. CET.

Register for the French-language webcast here

- Register for the English-language webcast: here

Or by phone:

French-language phone number: +33 (0)1 70 71 1 59 PIN: 75132735#

- English-language access number: +44 207 194 37 59 PIN: 94236675#

Practical information about the presentation and webcast can be found in the 'Investors' section of the Group's website: https://www.soprasteria.com/investors

Next financial release

Wednesday, 28 October 2020 (before market open): publication of Q3 2020 revenue.

Glossary

Restated revenue Revenue for the prior year, adjusted for the consolidation scope and exchange rates of the current year.

Revenue for the prior year, adjusted for the consolidation scope and exchange rates of the current year. Organic revenue growth Increase in revenue between the period under review and restated revenue for the same prior-year period.

Increase in revenue between the period under review and restated revenue for the same prior-year period. EBITDA This measure, as defined in the Universal registration document, is equal to consolidated operating profit on business activity after adding back depreciation and amortisation included in operating profit on business activity.

This measure, as defined in the Universal registration document, is equal to consolidated operating profit on business activity after adding back depreciation and amortisation included in operating profit on business activity. Operating profit on business activity This measure, as defined in the Universal registration document, is equal to profit from recurring operations adjusted to exclude the share-based payment expense for stock options and free shares and charges to amortisation of allocated intangible assets.

This measure, as defined in the Universal registration document, is equal to profit from recurring operations adjusted to exclude the share-based payment expense for stock options and free shares and charges to amortisation of allocated intangible assets. Profit from recurring operations This measure is equal to operating profit before other operating income and expenses, which includes any particularly significant items of operating income and expenses that are unusual, abnormal, infrequent or not predictive, presented separately to give a clearer picture of performance based on ordinary activities.

This measure is equal to operating profit before other operating income and expenses, which includes any particularly significant items of operating income and expenses that are unusual, abnormal, infrequent or not predictive, presented separately to give a clearer picture of performance based on ordinary activities. Basic recurring earnings per share : This measure is equal to basic earnings per share before taking into account other operating income and expenses net of tax.

: This measure is equal to basic earnings per share before taking into account other operating income and expenses net of tax. Free cash flow Free cash flow is defined as the net cash from operating activities; less investments (net of disposals) in property, plant and equipment, and intangible assets; less lease payments; less net interest paid; and less additional contributions to address any deficits in defined-benefit pension plans.

Disclaimer

This document contains forward-looking information subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may affect the Group's future growth and financial results. Readers are reminded that licence agreements, which often represent investments for clients, are signed in greater numbers in the second half of the year, with varying impacts on end-of-year performance. Actual outcomes and results may differ from those described in this document due to operational risks and uncertainties. More detailed information on the potential risks that may affect the Group's financial results can be found in the 2019 Universal Registration Document filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) on 10 April 2020 (see pages 35 to 52 and 27 to 275 in particular). Sopra Steria does not undertake any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this document beyond what is required by current laws and regulations. The distribution of this document in certain countries may be subject to the laws and regulations in force. Persons physically present in countries where this document is released, published or distributed should enquire as to any applicable restrictions and should comply with those restrictions.

About Sopra Steria

Sopra Steria, a European leader in consulting, digital services and software development, helps its clients drive their digital transformation and obtain tangible and sustainable benefits. It provides end-to-end solutions to make large companies and organisations more competitive by combining in-depth knowledge of a wide range of business sectors and innovative technologies with a fully collaborative approach. Sopra Steria places people at the heart of everything it does and is committed to making the most of digital technology to build a positive future for its clients. With 46,000 employees in 25 countries, the Group generated revenue of 4.4 billion in 2019.

The world is how we shape it.

Sopra Steria (SOP) is listed on Euronext Paris (Compartment A) ISIN: FR0000050809

For more information, visit us at www.soprasteria.com

Annexes

Sopra Steria: Impact on revenue of changes in scope and exchange rates H1 2020 m H1 2020 H1 2019 Growth Revenue 2,166.7 2,207.1 -1.8% Changes in exchange rates -12.5 Revenue at constant exchange rates 2,166.7 2,194.6 -1.3% Changes in scope 30.8 Revenue at constant scope and exchange rates 2,166.7 2,225.4 -2.6%

Sopra Steria: Changes in exchange rates H1 2020 For 1 % Average

rate

H1 2020 Average

rate H1

2019 Change Pound sterling 0.8746 0.8736 +0.1% Norwegian krone 10.7324 9.7304 +10.3% Swedish krona 10.6599 10.5181 +1.3% Danish krone 7.4648 7.4651 -0.0% Swiss franc 1.0642 1.1295 -5.8%

Sopra Steria: Revenue by reporting unit (m %) H1 2020 H1 2020 H1 2019

Restated* H1 2019 Organic

growth Total

growth France 864.6 914.7 914.9 -5.5% -5.5% United Kingdom 338.5 355.1 429.6 -4.7% -21.2% Other Europe 638.8 599.4 534.9 +6.6% +19.4% Sopra Banking Software 205.4 230.6 204.0 -10.9% +0.7% Other Solutions 119.4 125.6 123.6 -5.0% -3.4% Sopra Steria Group 2,166.7 2,225.4 2,207.1 -2.6% -1.8% * Revenue at 2020 scope and exchange rates

Sopra Steria: Revenue by reporting unit (m %) Q2 2020 Q2 2020 Q2 2019

Restated* Q2 2019 Organic

growth Total

growth France 400.0 457.7 457.8 -12.6% -12.6% United Kingdom 157.2 177.3 216.2 -11.3% -27.3% Other Europe 311.9 298.1 267.5 +4.6% +16.6% Sopra Banking Software 99.7 123.8 110.8 -19.5% -10.0% Other Solutions 57.8 64.4 63.4 -10.2% -8.8% Sopra Steria Group 1,026.7 1,121.3 1,115.7 -8.4% -8.0% * Revenue at 2020 scope and exchange rates

Sopra Steria: Performance by reporting unit H1 2020 H1 2020 H1 2019 m m France Revenue 864.6 914.9 Operating profit on business activity 70.8 8.2% 85.2 9.3% Profit from recurring operations 65.3 7.6% 81.7 8.9% Operating profit 58.6 6.8% 76.1 8.3% United Kingdom Revenue 338.5 429.6 Operating profit on business activity 15.5 4.6% 26.4 6.1% Profit from recurring operations 9.4 2.8% 20.4 4.7% Operating profit -0.7 -0.2% 19.8 4.6% Other Europe Revenue 638.8 534.9 Operating profit on business activity 47.4 7.4% 34.5 6.5% Profit from recurring operations 45.2 7.1% 32.7 6.1% Operating profit 40.6 6.4% 28.6 5.4% Sopra Banking Software Revenue 205.4 204.0 Operating profit on business activity -6.7 -3.3% -9.5 -4.7% Profit from recurring operations -13.9 -6.8% -15.6 -7.6% Operating profit -16.1 -7.8% -21.2 -10.4% Other Solutions Revenue 119.4 123.6 Operating profit on business activity 5.9 5.0% 14.5 11.7% Profit from recurring operations 5.5 4.6% 13.9 11.2% Operating profit 5.3 4.5% 11.9 9.6%

Sopra Steria: Consolidated income statement H1 2020 H1 2020 H1 2019 m m Revenue 2,166.7 2,207.1 Staff costs -1,386.2 -1,338.5 Operating expenses -558.2 -636.1 Depreciation, amortisation and provisions -89.6 -81.5 Operating profit on business activity 132.8 6.1% 151.0 6.8% Share-based payment expenses -2.2 -4.3 Amortisation of allocated intangible assets -19.1 -13.6 Profit from recurring operations 111.6 5.1% 133.1 6.0% Other operating income and expenses -23.8 -17.8 Operating profit 87.7 4.0% 115.3 5.2% Cost of net financial debt -5.1 -4.4 Other financial income and expenses -6.7 -7.7 Tax expense -23.7 -34.4 Share of net profit from equity-accounted companies -2.1 -2.0 Net profit 50.2 2.3% 66.8 3.0% Attributable to the Group 43.7 2.0% 60.9 2.8% Non-controlling interests 6.5 5.9 Weighted average number of shares in issue excl. treasury shares (m) 20.23 20.22 Basic earnings per share () 2.16 3.01

Sopra Steria: Change in net financial debt (m) H1 2020 H1 2020 H1 2019 Operating profit on business activity 132.8 151.0 Depreciation, amortisation and provisions (excl. allocated intangible assets) 88.7 81.5 EBITDA 221.5 232.5 Non-cash items 3.2 -4.6 Tax paid -43.3 -34.3 Change in operating working capital requirement -25.7 -112.2 Reorganisation and restructuring costs -20.0 -16.7 Net cash flow from operating activities 135.7 64.8 Lease payments -55.8 -51.1 Change relating to investing activities -25.2 -20.6 Net interest -5.8 -3.2 Additional contributions related to defined-benefit pension plans -11.9 -11.7 Free cash flow 37.1 -21.8 Impact of changes in scope -8.3 7.3 Financial investments -0.9 -1.1 Dividends paid -2.3 -2.3 Purchase and sale of treasury shares -6.9 -3.4 Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates -0.6 0.8 Impact of the initial application of IFRS16 16.9 Change in net financial debt 18.0 -3.4 * Free cash flow after restating for the sale of trade receivables in 2017 for 37 million Net financial debt at beginning of period 513.9 620.9 Net financial debt at end of period 495.9 624.3

Sopra Steria: Simplified balance sheet (m) 30/06/2020 6/30/2020 12/31/2019 Goodwill 1,771.3 1,813.9 Allocated intangible assets 158.0 181.5 Other fixed assets 257.0 267.9 Right-of-use assets 315.3 320.4 Equity-accounted investments 195.4 195.0 Fixed assets 2,697.0 2,778.8 Net deferred tax 90.7 98.1 Trade accounts receivable (net) 1,056.3 1,074.3 Other assets and liabilities -1,160.6 -1,256.1 Working capital requirement (WCR) -104.3 -181.8 Assets WCR 2,683.4 2,695.1 Equity 1,442.1 1,422.2 Provisions for post-employment benefits 326.8 339.7 Provisions for contingencies and losses 81.2 77.0 Lease liabilities 337.4 342.1 Net financial debt 495.9 513.9 Capital invested 2,683.4 2,695.1

Sopra Steria: Workforce breakdown 30/06/2020 6/30/2020 6/30/2019 France 19,677 19,013 United Kingdom 6,741 6,407 Other Europe 10,807 10,095 Rest of the World 499 344 X-Shore 8,879 8,255 Total 46,603 44,959

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200728006081/en/

Contacts:

Investor Relations

Olivier Psaume

olivier.psaume@soprasteria.com

+33 (0)1 40 67 68 16

Press Relations

Caroline Simon (Image 7)

caroline.simon@image7.fr

+33 (0)1 53 70 74 65
New Delhi July 29 : India needs to link the production of local goods to the manufacturing state or province in order to become self reliant, according to spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

The founder of the Art of Living Foundation, also has an FMCG brand 'Sri Sri Tattva' with both online and offline presence.

Speaking at the inaugural session of "Wisdom Series" organised by ASSOCHAM, he said that linking a product to its manufacturing province can be a possible exploration point to promote local products globally as this will aid in marketing and brand creation.

He went on to give examples of products like Mysore's sandalwood, Moradabad's brass business, Agra and Mathura's 'petha' sweet, among others.

"In this manner, each province of our nation was linked to a product in the past. One reason for China to have progressed economically so well as per my understanding is that they too have tied a province to a product in a similar manner. This would be a great way of going about Atmanirbhar Bharat," he said.

He added that if Indian consumers do not support local products then it will be difficult to progress.

Anil Rajput, Chairman, ASSOCHAM FMCG Brand Promotion and Protection Council, said: "We need a holistic India-centric approach where all stakeholders think in unison to make India a global economic powerhouse. The Prime Minister's clarion call for Vocal for Local has already laid the foundation to build a strong self-reliant India of tomorrow, and it is now time for all of us to contribute meaningfully towards this vision.
A man has been shot dead following an attack in north London around 9pm on Wednesday

Police, paramedics and London's Air Ambulance spent an hour battling to safe the man's life before he was declared dead at the scene.

The victim is believed to be in his mid 20s.

Scotland Yard said they received reports of the shooting on Beaconsfield Road, Edmonton at 9pm.

Forensic crews worked into the early hours of this morning gathering clues to find the killer

An officer guards the scene in Edmonton hours after the shooting at 10pm last night

A spokesperson said: 'Officers attended and found a man - believed to be in his mid-20s - in the street suffering from a gunshot injury. They immediately provided first aid.

'The London Ambulance Service and Londons Air Ambulance also attended but despite the efforts of officers and paramedics, the man was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 22.00hrs

'A crime scene has been put in place. There have been no arrests. Enquiries continue.'

Emergency services spent an hour battling to save the young man's life, who was declared dead around 10pm

A witness said the gunman chased the victim in a car and got out of the vehicle before shooting the young man in the chest and fleeing the scene.
File image: Rhea Chakraborty

Bollywood actor Rhea Chakraborty on July 29 moved the Supreme Court seeking a transfer of the FIR lodged against her in Patna to Mumbai, where the investigation in the death case of Sushant Singh Rajput is going on.

The move came a day after Sushant's father KK Singh filed an FIR against Rhea and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the 34-year-old actor's suicide.

Advocate Satish Maneshinde, who is representing Chakraborty, said he has filed a petition in the apex court seeking transfer of the case from Patna to Mumbai.

In her plea, Rhea has also sought a stay on the investigation till the disposal of her plea in the top court, the lawyer said.

A four-member team of Patna police is in Mumbai for investigation.

Mumbai police is already probing the alleged suicide case, and has questioned several Bollywood bigwigs, including filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Rhea Chakraborty has also recorded her statement.

Sushant Singh Rajput was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.

Several political leaders and film personalities have also demanded a CBI probe into his death.

Rajput's suspected death by suicide has also triggered a debate on alleged nepotism and favouritism in the Hindi film industry.

Several top production houses had allegedly boycotted the Patna-born actor, causing him distress and compelling him to end his life.
Agricultural production is highly sensitive to weather and climate, which affect when farmers and land managers plant seeds or harvest crops. These conditions also factor into decision-making, when people decide to make capital investments or plant trees in an agroforestry system.

A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture focuses on how agricultural systems are impacted by climate change and offers a list of 20 indicators that provide a broad look at what's happening across the country.

The report, "Climate Indicators for Agriculture," is co-authored by Colorado State University's Peter Backlund, associate director of the School of Global Environmental Sustainability.

Backlund said the research team started with the scientific fact that climate change is underway.

"We looked at the U.S. agricultural system and examined the climate stresses," he said. "This report outlines data that farmers and land managers can use to understand how climate change is affecting their operations, and, hopefully, guide the development of effective adaptation."

In the report, the authors outline how the changes taking place in agriculture affect the system that many people make their livelihoods from.

"We want to help farmers, ranchers and land managers adapt better under climate change, which requires understanding what is actually happening on the ground. These indicators offer ways to measure the impacts of change," said Backlund.

20 climate indicators, based on robust data

The climate indicators described in the report are arranged in five categories, including physical (extreme precipitation and nighttime air temperature), crop and livestock (animal heat stress and leaf wetness duration), biological (insect infestation in crops, crop pathogens), phenological (timing of budbreak in fruit trees, disease vectors in livestock) and socioeconomic (crop insurance payments, heat-related mortality of agricultural workers).

Backlund said the research team chose these indicators based on the strength of their connection to climate change and availability of long-term data, which is needed to identify how impacts are changing over time and whether adaptive actions are having the desired effect.

"There had to be a measurement of a variable strongly coupled with climate," he said. "As we go forward, we will better understand the impact of climate change by using these indicators."

Researchers opted to include nighttime air temperatures as opposed to general temperature because nighttime temperatures have a big effect on the way plants develop.

Some of the indicators have national data, while others are more regional. Heat stress on livestock, a huge issue for feedlot operators, will be of interest to farmers and ranchers in states including Colorado.

"Heat interferes with the rate of reproduction and rate of weight gain," Backlund said. "This presses on the whole operation; it's not just that a few more animals will die from getting too hot."

The crop insurance payment indicator offers insight on the repercussions of climate events.

"You can see if you have a big climate event, like drought, one region will be much more affected than another," he said. "If farmers have good irrigation, they'll be much more capable in dealing with periods of low rainfall."

Backlund said the indicator covering weed range and intensity was also notable. As carbon dioxide concentrations increase, researchers are seeing extreme northern migrations and expanded ranges for weeds.

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China's Defence Attache to the UK: PLA unswervingly promotes world peace and development

PLA Daily

Source: Chinese-embassy.org.uk

Editor: Chen Zhuo

2020-07-28 10:14:45

This year marks the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army of China. Over the past 93 years, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, the PLA has made its mark in history with splendid achievements. It has committed itself to the liberation and wellbeing of the Chinese people, and to the independence and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Over the past 93 years and with complete dedication to the people, the PLA has served the people wholeheartedly as per its founding principles. Entering the New Era, guided by the Xi Jinping Thoughts on building a strong military, the PLA remains true to its original aspiration and keeps its mission firmly in mind. It has faithfully fulfilled every mission entrusted by the Party and the people. No danger or challenge could ever stop the PLA from advancing with tremendous courage and morale, be it border patrol or counter terrorism, exercise or training, UN peacekeeping or maritime escort, disaster relief or disease control. With its infinite loyalty, striving and sacrifice, the PLA has made continuous contribution to the world. History and reality prove that the PLA is indeed a force of victory, of iron discipline, and of peace. The growth of the PLA provides not only solid protection to the national sovereignty, security and development interest of China, but also robust support to the global peace and progress.

As President Xi Jinping points out, China will be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and an upholder of the international order. China's military will always be a staunch force that safeguards world peace. Going forward, the PLA will continue to advocate common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, perform the international duty that is required of the military of a big country, and make greater contribution to the building of lasting peace and universal security.

Firstly, the Chinese military unswervingly pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. This is determined by China's decision to follow the path of peaceful development. On the one hand, the pursuit of both development and security is an integral part of the China Dream, which aims at building both a prosperous country and a powerful military as required by the grand rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. A peaceful and stable environment is essential for China's development. Faced with multiple and complex security threats and challenges, the PLA will resolutely safeguard China's national security and core interests, support its sustainable development, and take active defensive actions in order to prevent crises, and deter and win wars. The PLA will never allow the secession of any part of Chinese territory by anyone or any force by any means at any time. On the other hand, the Chinese nation has always loved peace and opposed militarism. Since its founding 70 years ago, the People's Republic of China has never started any war or provoked any conflict. The PLA has never taken by force an inch of land from any other country. It is not by relying on handouts from others or by engaging in military expansion or colonial plunder that China has grown from a poor and weak country to what it is today. History proves and will continue to prove that China will never follow the beaten trail of previous powers who sought hegemony. No matter developed it becomes, China will never seek hegemony, expansion or spheres of influence.

Secondly, the Chinese military unswervingly serve the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Today's world is faced with more pronounced instability and uncertainty. No country can respond alone or stand aloof. The world is increasingly becoming a community with a shared future, where interests and security needs are intertwined. The PLA has responded faithfully to the call for building a community with a shared future for mankind, and has expounded, through its peaceful actions, on the global implication of China's defense capability. This year, in the face of a sudden outbreak of the Covid-19, the PLA responded promptly when called upon to meet the severe challenge, and made remarkable contribution to the nationwide efforts to put virus under control. At the same time, the PLA also actively joined hands with the international community in fighting the pandemic. Medical supplies has been sent to the armed forces of nearly 50 countries, including Pakistan, Thailand, Tajikistan, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Argentina, Peru etc. Online conferences have been held to exchange the experiences of controlling Covid-19 with over 10 countries such as Russia, South Africa, Singapore, Indonesia etc. The PLA medical expert teams have been dispatched to the Laos, Cambodia and many other countries. With profound sincerity and efforts, the PLA has been working together with partners around the world to overcome the current difficulties and has made substantial contribution to the global fight against Covid-19. All these fully demonstrate that the PLA is committed to honoring its international responsibilities as the armed forces of a responsible country. The PLA is willing to continue working side by side with defense forces of other countries around the world, in a joint effort to win the ultimate victory in the global battle against Covid-19.

Thirdly, we unswervingly promote world peace and development. The PLA will continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with the military of foreign countries, to participate actively in international joint response to global security challenges and to provide more public security goods to the international community.

We are determined to continue participating in the UN peacekeeping operations. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the PLA's participation in the UNPKOs. Over the past 30 years, China has participated in 25 UN peacekeeping missions and has contributed more than 40,000 peacekeepers. Fifteen Chinese military personnel have sacrificed their lives in the UNPKOs. China is the largest troop contributor and the second largest budget contributor among the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

We will continue to safeguard the security of international maritime passages. Since the year 2008, the PLA has dispatched 35 convoys to regular vessel escort operations in, for example, the waters near the Gulf of Aden. In total, escort has been provided to nearly 7,000 ships in over 1,300 operations, half of which were non-Chinese commercial ships.

We will continue to facilitate international and regional counter-terrorism cooperation. Over the past years, a series of "Peace Mission" military exercises have been held and counter-terrorism intelligence has been shared under the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The "Great Wall" international forum on counter-terrorism has been held.

Multilateral activities have also been organized such as the "Beijing Xiangshan Forum", which provided a platform where dialogues on regional security can be held to promote mutual trust and cooperation. Through safeguarding world peace, China creates favorable conditions for its development; through self-development, China is able to do more to safeguard world peace. Facts have shown that a stronger PLA helps strengthen the force that upholds peace and deters war, and hence making greater contribution to peace and development in the world.

As China's Defence Attache to the UK, I feel proud of the progress made by the PLA towards the goal of building a strong army. I am also delighted to see that pragmatic communication and cooperation have been conducted on multiple levels and in a variety of domains between the PLA and the British Armed Forces, thanks to the joint efforts of both sides. Achievements have already been made in fields like military training, peacekeeping, personnel training, etc. At present, the prolonged spread of Covid-19 worldwide has accelerated the profound changes in the world unseen in a century. The human society is once again standing at a new crossroads and faced with major choices between multilateralism and unilateralism, between cooperation and confrontation, and between win-win collaboration and zero-sum game. These would be vital choices that will have a significant impact on global development and human destiny. The PLA attaches great importance to cultivating friendly and cooperative relations with the British Armed Forces. It is hoped that the strategic communication and coordination between the two could be strengthened while engagement and cooperation could be broadened.

First, China and the UK should enhance strategic mutual trust. While the two countries differ in history, culture and social system, our differences should not prevent us from strengthening mutual trust and cooperation. Given the profound changes the world is currently faced with, China-UK relationship is gaining global and strategic significance, and should be seen and handled from the strategic and long-term perspectives. The two countries should regard each other as an opportunity rather than a threat, a partner rather than an adversary. We should respect each other's core interests and major concerns, deepen strategic mutual trust and enhance engagement and cooperation, so that the bilateral and mil-to-mil relations could develop in a healthy fashion.

Second, China and the UK should carry on with pragmatic cooperation. Given the complex changes of today's international strategic climate, the cooperation between the PLA and the UK Armed Forces is invaluable for both sides in addressing various challenges on security and development. Building on our past achievements, both sides need to further remove obstacles and explore potentials in order to widen and deepen engagement and cooperation on a more regular basis. In the short run, priority could be accorded to the two-way communication and exchanges, academic symposium and personnel training in fields like pandemic prevention & control, military medical science, logistics management, international peacekeeping, military training, humanitarian aid, disaster relief and so on. These would not only serve the interests of China and the UK but also promote the wellbeing of the world.

Third, China and the UK should work together to safeguard world peace. Today's world is characterized by sophisticated strategic rivalry. The risk to global and regional stability remains high. As permanent members of UNSC, China and the UK shoulder the responsibilities of maintaining global and regional peace and stability. Both countries and our armed forces need to join hands in fulfilling our international duties and obligations. By working together to cope with global security challenges of various kinds, China and the UK could write a new chapter on safeguarding world peace and stability, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

As President Xi Jinping says, "At different times there are different challenges. Each generation has its own mission." Winston Churchill also said, "The price of greatness is responsibility."

We should understand the historical mission and responsibility entrusted on us in our times. For the sake of the wellbeing of both Chinese and British people, and for the peace, stability and prosperity of the world, we need to increasingly substantiate our bilateral relations, handle our differences properly, to mitigate disruptions, and seek common grounds for win-win cooperation. We believe that through our joint efforts, the development of the China-UK mil-to-mil relations will gain a healthy momentum, bringing more positive energy to a sustained "Global Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" between the two countries, as well as to the global and regional peace and stability.

The Chinese Embassy in Uk will host an on-line photo and video exhibition in celebration of the 93rd Anniversary of The Founding of The People's Liberation Army of China.

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Heathrow Airports chief executive has urged the government to consider testing all arrivals for coronavirus in a bid to reduce the two-week quarantine time for those travelling from countries deemed high-risk.

Ministers are reported to be mulling proposals to reduce the mandatory length of self-isolation in a bid to shore up the travel sector and rescue the summer tourism season.

While testing at airports is unlikely to rule out the need for quarantines, new scientific modelling has suggested that a series of staggered tests could reduce the necessary isolation period by several days.

Introducing tests one week after arrival, with a turnaround time of 24 hours, could reduce the amount of coronavirus entering the country by 94 per cent, according to research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), which has not yet been peer-reviewed.

This would reduce the necessary quarantine period to eight days  cutting it by almost half.

While the current two-week quarantine results in a 99 per cent reduction in infections entering the UK, according to LHSTM modelling, they found that testing travellers on day five of their quarantine with a view to releasing them on day six would see that figure fall to 88 per cent.

In the wake of the sudden decision to impose quarantine arrivals from Spain, Heathrow Airport boss John Holland-Kaye proposed on Tuesday that travellers could be tested upon arrival at a cost of 150, with a second test either five or eight days later.

His airport could have a test up and running in two weeks, he told The Telegraph, meaning those who have just embarked upon Spanish holidays could feasibly benefit from such a system.

Transport minister Grant Shapps is believed to be in favour of such a system, and the paper reported that he has floated the idea during recent Cabinet meetings.

A number of countries have already implemented such systems to reduce quarantine times, including France and Germany.

However, Boris Johnsons recent rhetoric suggests that some in his government are concerned about the rise of infections in Europe.

Lets be absolutely clear about whats happening in Europe, amongst some of our European friends, Im afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic, the prime minister said on Tuesday.

Its vital that when people are coming back from abroad, if they are coming back from a place where Im afraid there is another outbreak, they must go into quarantine.

Thats why we have taken the action that we have and we will continue, throughout the summer, to take such action where it is necessary.

Amid speculation that Belgium, France or Germany may be the next countries to be removed from the list of exemptions from quarantine, he added: These are decisions for families, for individuals, about where they want to go.

But Mr Johnson also appeared to confirm reports that ministers are seeking ways to reduce the quarantine time, the government is always looking at ways in which we can mitigate the impact of the quarantine.
Healthcare's post-COVID-19 normal will depend on systems to improve patients' financial access to care. In no uncertain terms, the ability for a hospital to engage financially with their patients will ultimately be just as important as their ability to engage clinically - Kevin Fleming, CEO, Loyale Healthcare

Across the industry, hospitals have experienced alarming damage to their financial health because of the COVID-19 crisis. According to analysis published recently by Kaufman Hall titled, The Effect of COVID-19 on Hospital Financial Health, before the pandemic the median operating margin for hospitals in America was a very modest 3.5% with many hospitals operating at negative margins.

The report goes on to point out that, When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, hospitals had to stop all but the most urgent non-COVID care. The result was a dramatic slowdown in volume of patients and in revenue, while expenses remained high. This is borne out by the experience of HCA Healthcare, one of the largest for-profit healthcare systems in the country. HCA employs Loyale Patient Financial Manager as its patient financial engagement platform enterprise-wide.

During its second quarter earnings call for 2020, executives at HCA reported that revenues declined $1.5 billion (13.8%) compared to the same period last year. The worst month of the quarter was April, which showed a decline in patient admissions of 28%. With sequential improvement in admissions for the remainder of the period, admissions for the entire quarter were down 12.8%.

However, in what may be the exception that proves the industrys rule, HCA Healthcare reported strong overall financial performance for the second quarter of 2020. Like many healthcare providers across the country, HCA benefited financially from CARES Act stimulus payments, pointing out that for the quarter $822 million had been received to help offset the reduced revenue and higher costs associated with the pandemic. As a result of HCAs vigorous cost cutting efforts (down 11%), increases in admissions and care acuity and federal payments, HCA reported diluted earnings of $3.16 per share, up 40% compared to last year.

Significantly, HCA executives and the authors of the above-mentioned Kaufman Hall analysis continue to be uncertain about the future. The analyst report posits two broad scenarios for the COVID-19 crisis. The first, more optimistic scenario assumes a slow but steady decrease in COVID-19 cases. The second, less optimistic scenario anticipates periodic surges in COVID-19 cases. These two scenarios were given a 40 percent and 60 percent weighting respectively, but the recent surge in cases suggests conclusively that the latter is indeed coming to pass. This scenario, predictably, brings with it much more troublesome financial probabilities.

According to the report, Across the industry, COVID-19 is expected to drive median hospital margins from positive to negative. Noting that, Funding from the CARES Actis mitigating the impact to a certain degree. Median margins are forecast to drop to -3 percent in the second quarter of 2020; however, those margins would have been -15 percent without CARES Act funding. Kaufman Halls forecast shows that, without further government support, margins could sink to -7 percent in the second half of 2020an unsustainable level for Americas hospitals. The range, depending on the longer-term severity of the pandemic, calls for median margins of -1 percent to -11 percent, with half of Americas hospitals operating at negative margins.

In summary, the financial condition of Americas hospitals in the wake of the COVID-19 public health crisis is poor and the future uncertain. HCA Healthcare CEO, Sam Hazen acknowledged that, we believe it is too early for us to make any conclusive statements about the future or provide any guidance for the rest of the year, and went on to point out the many headwinds facing HCA and the rest of the industry. As we manage the company through these remarkable times, we are mindful of our mission as well as the many uncertainties that remain with respect to the broader recovery of the economy, uninsured levels, government regulations, state budgets and the resurgence and duration of COVID-19.

How Healthcare Will Rebound from the COVID-19 Crisis

For hospitals in the United States, financial recovery and longer-term success will depend on the successful execution of strategies (like HCAs) to reduce operating costs, improve efficiencies, sustain high-quality clinical care and respond to the rapidly changing expectations of consumers - their patients. Post-COVID, patients will hold the key to provider success in an expanding universe of care providers. Innovation stimulated by the crisis has already forged the path forward in the clinical dimension of care. Now the rest of the patient experience must follow - especially the patient financial experience. Fortunately, in our experience these adaptations can be completed in just months with, immediate payback in cost reductions, along with the added benefit of increased patient satisfaction.

Most of the innovation weve witnessed during the COVID-19 crisis has focused on the clinical dimension of the patients experience. In an article published this spring, following the peak (at the time) of the pandemic crisis in the U.S., titled, How Will COVID-19 Change Patient Experience, Healthcare Delivery?, author Sara Heath of PatientEngagementHIT, shared the observations of Thomas Lee, MD, a primary care physician at Brigham & Womens Hospital in Boston and the chief medical officer for Press Ganey. Dr. Lee is among the many clinicians who, despite the dire circumstances, are witnessing an evolution in the patient experience that will redefine healthcare in the future.

When the pandemic was declared a national emergency, a frenzy of healthcare industry activity ensued, much of it focused on supply chain matters related to testing and personal protective equipment (PPE). Just as significant has been an explosion in the use of telehealth and other digital health services, and the rapidly accelerated innovation of the health IT field, which, according to the article, included health information exchanges and Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR) vendors promising better data interoperability. According to Dr. Lee, The pace of change has been staggering and challenging, exactly what the doctor ordered.

Dr. Lee envisions several lasting outcomes for the healthcare industry as a result of the COVID-19 experience. He has staunchly advocated for an adjusted healthcare delivery model based on patient segmentation. If theres ever a situation where one size does not fit all, it is this. From a clinical perspective, that may mean sending non-COVID patients to other facilities or departments. More generally, it allows clinicians to more specifically zero in on the needs of different types of patients.

The same principle must apply across the entire patient experience. At the conclusion of his interview, Dr. Lee said that, now healthcare is reframing what it means to take good care of people. In the time of coronavirus, that means telemedicine to keep healthy patients out of the office or foregoing a blood test or x-ray that isnt absolutely essential, because moving a patient means exposing more people. He went on to say that, Care is getting better because of this. And its because we have been thinking about nothing except meeting peoples needs. And then the payment system will evolve to support good care.

Dr. Lees concluding statement about the payment system is too important to overlook, because it has a meaningful impact on patient decisions about their care and provider performance. We and others have written extensively on the financial barriers to care for many Americans. These barriers existed for years before the COVID-19 crisis, and the crisis has made a desperate situation worse. Patients now represent a growing portion of hospital revenue, whether that revenue comes in the form of out-of-pocket payments for high deductibles, copayments and/or by directing their insurers payment to the in- or out-of- network provider they have chosen. Regrettably, millions of Americans have now lost their employer-sponsored healthcare coverage due to COVID-19 related job losses. This critical source of hospital revenue is more at risk now than ever before.

In no uncertain terms, the ability for a hospital to engage financially with their patients will ultimately be just as important as their ability to engage clinically. Here, as in the clinical dimension, digitally powered solutions and patient segmentation will matter. Just as people need care thats suited to their personal circumstances, they also need administrative and financial solutions that encourage them to seek, and pay for, their care without the anxiety associated with affording it.

In the clinical dimension of care, weve seen that telehealth and the rapid improvement of interoperability enabled by healthcare exchanges and EHR companies have enabled millions of Americans to access care while improving their experiences. These digital capabilities, by their very structure, deliver hospitals the reduced costs and improved efficiencies theyll need. But to recover financially from the COVID-19 crisis and achieve long-term success, the same digital strategies must be widened to include the patient financial experience. In the end, we believe healthcares post-Covid-19 new normal will be a better place - for hospitals and for the people they care for. We at Loyale are privileged to play a part.

Kevin Fleming is the CEO of Loyale Healthcare.

About Loyale Healthcare

Loyale Patient Financial Manager is a comprehensive patient financial engagement technology platform leveraging a suite of configurable solution components including predictive analytics, intelligent workflows, multiple patient financing vehicles, communications, payments, digital front doors and other key capabilities.

Loyale Healthcare is committed to a mission of turning patient responsibility into lasting loyalty for its healthcare provider customers. Based in Lafayette, California, Loyale and its leadership team bring 27 years of expertise delivering leading financial engagement solutions for complex business environments. Loyale currently serves approximately 12,000 healthcare providers across 48 states. Loyale is proud to have an enterprise-level strategic partnership with Parallon which includes the deployment of Loyales industry leading technology at all HCA hospitals and Physician Groups.
There are often many differing viewpoints and rules when it comes to weddings, especially over cost. Should there be an open bar? Should you have to buy a present?

But one that often triggers fiery debate is whether the bridal party should have to pay for their own - often expensive - outfits.



A UK woman reignited the discussion on popular parenting forum Mumsnet asking if she was unreasonable for being angry at having to fork out for a birdesmaid dress.

In the post, the woman explained how she and her sister had been asked to be bridesmaids for their cousin's big day, who they "used to be very close to".

"We aren't short of money but the dresses she has chosen for us to wear and asked us to pay for ourselves are 350 (NZ$670) each," she wrote.

"I wouldn't say no and look cheap, but if it was my wedding I'd never ask this of someone.

"Is she a [control freak]?"

The post racked up over 200 replies from people throwing in their passionate two cents.

Many thought it was outrageous the bridesmaids were required to pay for their own dresses in the first place.

"So you have to pay for a dress she wants? Zero chance that would be happening! Ridiculous waste of money," one person commented.

"You definitely shouldn't be paying for your own dress! Why on earth does she want dresses that expensive!" another questioned. "My wedding dress was only 400... madness to have the same for bridesmaids."

Others said that if the bride wants their bridesmaids to pay for their dresses, they should at least have some say in the matter.

"I asked my two adult bridesmaids to get their dresses. All I asked they get was a colour... they could have spent 25 or 100," one person wrote.

"If you get to choose your own then it would be more reasonable to ask you to pay as you can choose something you may wear again and within your own budget," another agreed.

It's not the first time people have been up in arms over which rules are still appropriate for a wedding in 2020. Earlier this year a guest raised eyebrows by attending a wedding wearing a bright red, sheer lace dress.

Newshub.
A new mandatory Pentagon training course aimed at preventing leaks refers to protesters and journalists as "adversaries" in a fictional scenario designed to teach Defense Department personnel how to better protect sensitive information.

The new course was recently launched as part of Defense Secretary Mark Esper's effort to improve "operational security," or OPSEC, and clamp down on leaks. The training materials are public and include a video message from Esper, as well as a July 20 memo outlining his concerns about operational security and directing all DoD personnel  military, civilian and on-site contractors  to take the course within the next 60 days.

Unfortunately, poor OPSEC practices within DoD in the past have resulted in the unauthorized disclosure or 'leaks,'" Esper writes in the memo. The Department of Defense (DoD) remains committed to transparency to promote accountability and public trust. [However] unauthorized disclosures jeopardize our DoD personnel, operations, strategies and policies to the benefit of our adversaries.

The training comes amid worsening relations between the federal government and protesters. President Donald Trump in June threatened to deploy active-duty troops in U.S. cities to tamp down protests against police brutality, and more recently, federal agents wearing military-style uniforms have cracked down on vandalism and demonstrations in Portland, Ore. And while Trump has repeatedly labeled news outlets as "the enemy of the people," the Defense Department has been careful to avoid doing the same.

Lt. Col. Uriah Orland, a Pentagon spokesperson, defended the use of the term "adversaries" in the training.

"An adversary  a common generic term for a person or group that opposes ones tactical goals  is acting counter to our information security objectives and therefore personnel must understand that threat," Orland said in a statement. "Attempting to read more into the use of the term obfuscates the clear purpose of the training: to prevent information from falling into unauthorized hands regardless of its potential use."

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George Little, who was a Pentagon press secretary and CIA spokesperson in the Obama administration, called the characterization "appalling and dangerous."

"It brings to mind the same tin ear Secretary Esper recently demonstrated when he used the military term battlespace to describe America's city streets," Little said. "The Pentagon and the press have a long history over working alongside each other in service of the American people. Even when they don't see eye to eye on the issues, there's been a long history of respect for their common mission, and it's unfortunate that the current Pentagon leadership has largely abandoned it."

In one section of the course, trainees are given a fictional scenario in which news of a secret military exercise gets out, and TV cameras and hundreds of "anti-government protesters" show up. The exercise and the protest end up as the lead story on the evening news.

In such a scenario, the course instructs trainees to identify the "adversaries," who it says are driven to exploit "vulnerabilities" for their own gain. In the particular scenario in the course material, the exercise organizers aimed to keep the event unnoticed, a goal that was contrary to the aims of reporters and protesters, Orland explained.

The protest group was an adversary, not because of its political beliefs, but because its intentions were contrary to the success of the training mission," the narrator says. "Reporters also had contrary intentions and capabilities. They wanted to capture exercise activities and on video and report them on the evening news. In this instance, the reporters are adversaries.

In the scenario, the protest group "clearly exploited one or more vulnerabilities," the narrator states.

In another section of the course on insider threats, the media is labeled an adversary, and DoD personnel are instructed to report any contact with the press to their "information security office."

Orland noted that the training highlights that media personnel are not typically considered a threat, however "their actions of collecting and reporting classified/proprietary information can be just as damaging.

Price Floyd, who served as acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs in the Obama administration and director of media relations at the State Department in the George W. Bush administration, also criticized DoD's new policy on operational security and response to leaks.

I think this administration confuses leaks with stories that are written that they dont like, Floyd said. Because this administration, of course, gives out information to the press without attribution all the time. In other words, theyre leaking. They want the stories the way they want them.

He also took issue with how the training course is framed, arguing that in his experience it inaccurately portrays the overall relationship between the military and the media.

If for some reason a reporter got wind of something that was classified or secret, all it would take is a conversation with public affairs and someone to say, look this is classified, it is secret, talking about it right now puts lives in danger.

"I think this witch hunt by Esper is just a way to try to clamp down on what they view as fake news, he added, when in fact all the media is doing is reporting the facts.

Mick Mulroy, an ABC News analyst who served as the Pentagon's Middle East policy official in the Trump administration, said he does not believe DoD intended to label all protesters and journalists as threats, but called the language in the training materials "poor word choice."

"'Adversary' is a loaded term, we use it to define Russia, for example," Mulroy said, drawing a distinction between protesters and journalists appropriately exercising their constitutional rights with "protesters that use violence against the military or service members that leak classified information."

"However, in this climate of labeling the media being a threat to the people and protesters all being lumped together (both violent and nonviolent) the military will want to ensure that they are not adding to the problem with this type of terminology," he said. "I don't believe they intended to do that with this choice of terms, but it should be adjusted."

The new OPSEC effort was launched just weeks after Esper told lawmakers in a hearing that he had begun an investigation to go after leaks, following a New York Times report about intelligence that Russia was paying militants to target American forces in Afghanistan.

Leaks "hurt our nation's security, they undermine our troops, their safety, they affect our relations with other countries, they undermine our national policy," Esper told lawmakers this month. "It's something we need to get control of. It's bad and it's unlawful and it needs to stop."

A separate memo released around the same time as the first laid out new guidelines for the force when interacting with members of the news media.

Bryan Bender contributed to this report.
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE) is expected to release Tamil Nadu SSLC class 10th results 2020 in a couple of days. Although DGE has not yet confirmed the date and time for releasing the results, it is being speculated that the board would release the SSLC class 10th results in the first week of August 2020.

Once officially declared, students will be able to check their Class 10 results on Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Government Examination (DGE) official websites - dge.tn.gov.in, dge1.tn.nic.in, tnresults.nic.in.

Over 9 lakh students appeared for Tamil Nadu Class 10 exam in 2020. The exams were scheduled from March 27 to April 13.

List of official websites to check Tamil Nadu SSLC results:

dge.tn.gov.in

dge2.tn.nic.in

manabadi.co.in

dge1.tn.nic.in

tnresults.nic.in

schools9.com

The DGE would announce the online on official websites and the students can check their score by filling required credentials asked on the website. The Tamil Nadu Class 10 exam in 2020were scheduled from March 27 to April 13.

Under the present circumstances, the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary results 2020 will be made available in online mode only.

Here's how to check Tamil Nadu SSLC Class 10 results 2020 online:

1. Visit the official website- tnresults.nic.in

2. Click on the link of 'SSLC Exam - March 2020 Results'

3. Enter the registration number and date-of-birth

4. The result will appear on the screen. Check for any discrepancy

5. Save and download the result

6. Take a print copy of the same and secure it for future

Students can also access the Tamil Nadu SSLC Result 2020 via the app. They will need to download the TN SSLC Result app on their smartphone. To check their scorecard, visit the Results link in the app and enter credentials like Date of Birth and registration number and submit details. The Tamil Nadu class 10th SSLC Results 2020 will appear on the screen.

While 80% weightage will be given to marks in quarterly and half-yearly assessment tests, 20% weightage will be given to attendance. It is to be noted that DGE had released Tamil Nadu Board Class 12 Results 2020 on July 16.
The 22 story glass tower, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, will border attractions such as The Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, CNN Center and Center for Civil and Human Rights and is just minutes away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena. The custom-built resort will feature the distinct vacation personalities of Margaritaville Vacation Club and Club Wyndham, and will help to further evolve the timeshare concept for customers who enjoy the upscale vacation experiences provided by both clubs.

"We are leading the evolution of the timeshare industry by opening new destinations and creating more experiences for travelers in the places they want to explore," said Michael Brown, president and CEO of Wyndham Destinations. "Downtown vacation destinations are the number one request from our owners, and Atlanta is at the top of everyone's travel list. This will be an extremely popular location for our members, adding to our stellar city-center vacation club locations."

Today's timeshare experience with Wyndham Destinations' portfolio of vacation club brands provides flexibility, variety, and consistency, allowing owners to celebrate a lifetime of adventure. With the club's points-based system, members enjoy access to more than 230 resorts within the Wyndham Destinations family of brands in more locations than any other timeshare company. Most resorts feature multi-bedroom suites that offer all the comforts of home like fully equipped kitchens, separate living and dining areas, washer/dryers, and outdoor grills to prepare and enjoy the local cuisine.

Upon completion, anticipated in early 2022, the resort will mark the fifth destination for owners in the Margaritaville Vacation Club. With current locations in Rio Mar, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, USVI, Downtown Nashville, Tenn., and the newest resort in Las Vegas, the addition of the Atlanta resort location offers club members a third continental U.S.-based resort destination to enjoy a vacation filled with music, fun and relaxation. As a vacation club resort, the Margaritaville Vacation Club's suites will bring to life the laid-back escapism of Margaritaville, with spacious one-bedroom standard and one-, two- and three-bedroom deluxe and presidential configurations that offer beautiful furnishings, separate bedrooms, and roomy living and dining areas. Every suite also offers kitchenettes or fully equipped kitchens, complete with a Frozen Concoction Maker in the Margaritaville suites, so club members can create their favorite drinks in the comfort of their private suite.

Club Wyndham is one of the world's largest vacation clubs, offering more than 100 destinations worldwide. The company recently added new destinations for its members in Austin, Texas, Orlando, Fla., and Portland, Ore.

"The Atlanta development exemplifies the strategy to utilize our established brands to grow our business in new markets," Brown continued. "The breadth of our brand portfolio allows us to access the best development options in the best markets and enables us to put our owners and members on great vacations. In addition, we appreciate the support of the City of Atlanta and look forward to becoming a member of that vibrant community with a world-class vacation destination."

Strand Capital Group, LLC, will be developing the project, and upon completion of construction, Wyndham Destinations will purchase units at the resort and manage the sales and marketing of vacation ownership, resort operations, and timeshare homeowners' association management. Strand Capital and Wyndham Destinations previously worked together on the Club Wyndham Ocean Boulevard vacation ownership resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

About the resort

Purely modern, the Atlanta resort will reflect the city's future-thinking approach as the modern hub of the New South. The building's design blends urban modern materials with warm woods, emphasizing floor- to-ceiling glass and spectacular city views. A sophisticated color palette that reflects the city center location is a nod to Atlanta's storied history, one that will be celebrated and showcased to guests.

The lobby, a blend of the Margaritaville island vibe and Club Wyndham sophistication, is set in the context of Atlanta dynamism. Paying homage to Georgia's movie industry influence, CNN's headquarters, and TBS, the resort's lobby allows the property to reflect this dynamic city in its constant forward trajectory.

Positioned at the south end of Centennial Park, with strong composition of solid materials offset by large spans of glass, the 22 story building will complement the modern buildings within Atlanta's skyline while providing an urban oasis for guests to put up their feet. The building includes a chic rooftop terrace with a pool and bar area with soaring views of the city, providing the perfect escape for those who want to relax poolside with their favorite cocktail in hand.

The resort features more than 200 suites with a range of room options  from studios to three- room presidential suites. Guests will arrive at a covered entry featuring valet service and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

To learn more, owners can visit ClubWyndham.com/MargaritavilleVacationClubAtlanta

Editor's Note: Renderings* of the planned new resort are available to download here.

About Wyndham Destinations

Wyndham Destinations (NYSE:WYND), the world's largest vacation club and exchange company, is on a mission to put the world on vacation. The company offers more than four million members and owner families the opportunity to own, exchange or rent their vacation experience while enjoying quality, flexibility and great value from a trusted brand. The company's Wyndham Vacation Clubs offer 230 resorts that provide a contemporary take on the timeshare model through brands Club Wyndham WorldMark by Wyndham, and Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham. With a global presence in 110 countries, the company's membership travel business -- Panorama -- includes today's leading vacation exchange, leisure travel, and technology brands including RCI, the world's leader in vacation exchange that provides access to 4,200+ affiliated resorts around the world; and Extra Holidays, offering condo vacations at hotel prices. Year after year, our worldwide team of associates delivers exceptional vacation experiences to families around the globe as they make memories to last a lifetime. At Wyndham Destinations, our world is your destination. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

*Images are artist renderings of proposed resort spaces; subject to change.

SOURCE Wyndham Destinations

Related Links

http://www.wyndhamdestinations.com


Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  More confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday at a Cibola County prison, as the states total number of cases since the pandemic started surpassed the 20,000 mark.

New Mexico public health officials announced 352 new cases, bringing the cumulative total to 20,136, with 76 of those new cases coming from the Cibola County Correctional Center.

The privately run facility, which holds immigration detainees and other types of inmates, has now reported 266 total cases  all but a few of them in the past few days  after conducting mass testing of staff and detainees last week.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health also said six additional New Mexicans had died due to complications related to coronavirus, bringing the states total death tally from the virus to 632.

Three of those who died were Bernalillo County residents  a man in his 90s, a woman in her 80s and a woman in her 60s. All three were residents of different senior living homes.

The other three deaths were a woman in her 60s from Chaves County, a man in his 50s from McKinley County and a man in his 60s from Rio Arriba County.

Despite the steady increase in deaths, New Mexicos death rate from COVID-19 remains below peak levels from mid-May.

And the number of individuals hospitalized around the state due to the disease has fallen from 178 to 158 over the past week.

Those trends have prompted Republican Party leaders to urge further loosening of business restrictions, even though the states seven-day rolling average of new cases per day hit a record high of 331 on Wednesday.

New Mexicos existing public health order expires this week, but is expected to be extended by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration.

The governor warned during a news conference last week that New Mexicans should expect to see deaths increase, though she said the state was doing better in its efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 than some of its neighbors.

I dont think it gets better tomorrow, and I dont think it gets better next week, Lujan Grisham said.
When Jeff Bezos, the Amazon chief executive officer, worlds richest man and retail disruptor extraordinaire, went to Washington, he still managed to do it on his own turf  cyberspace.

But signing in digitally didnt help him avoid the heat as lawmakers steered their questioning to Amazons complicated relationship with third-party sellers.

At least he wasnt alone.

Bezos tech titan cohort  including Apple ceo Tim Cook, Facebook ceo Mark Zuckerberg and the head of Google parent Alphabet Inc.s ceo Sundar Pichai  were all there, video calling in to the long-awaited House Judiciary Committee hearing looking into whether the industry is simply too big and influential for everybodys good and should be curtailed under antitrust regulations. That the four men  who repeatedly thanked their interrogators for their questions  took the hearing very seriously was evidenced by their attire. While Cook, Pichai and Bezos are most often seen in T-shirts, turtlenecks and jeans, on this day they were all clad in dark suits, white or, on Cook, very pale blue, shirts and ties  with only Zuckerbergs slightly loosened.



It was a Washington versus Silicon Valley square-off thats been brewing for years and, due to the coronavirus, was held digitally, but followed no less breathlessly.

While Pichai and Zuckerberg drew heat early in the hearing, as representatives drilled down on Facebooks Instagram acquisition and whether Google robs content from competitors, Bezos avoided fire at first.

But Bezos  who has done more than perhaps anyone else to shape the contours of retail this century and is looking to expand more, including in luxury  came under much more sustained fire soon enough.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) took her turn for five minutes of questions, as Amazons hometown representative put Bezos on the spot and pressed him on whether Amazon uses data on third-party sellers to give its own products a leg up on its marketplace.

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Bezos tried to occupy some kind of a middle ground in his answer, noting the company has policies against that, but that he couldnt be sure that policy hasnt been violated, as has been alleged.

If competing retailers listening in started feeling any schadenfreude, that feeling probably passed quickly as Bezos added that Amazon goes beyond the industry standard.

The fact that we have such a policy is voluntary, Bezos said. I think no other retailer has such a policy. We should treat that like any internal policy and if we found someone violated that, we would take action.

In her turn at the mic, Rep. Lucy McBath, (D., Ga.) said the committees investigation has turned up a pattern where third-party sellers feel Amazon is a bully that induces panic and fear.

She pointed to a businesswoman who had a growing textbook business on Amazon that suddenly went away and who was then not acknowledged in a meaningful way even after 500 attempts to connect with the web giant and Bezos personally.

It does not at all seem like the right way to treat her, Bezos said. And Im surprised. Its not the systemic approach we should take I can assure you. I dont understand it, but I would like to understand it better.

But themes emerged during the hearing, as representatives hammered on the third-party seller issue and whether counting marketplace vendors as both customers and competitors was a conflict of interest.

Bezos noted, The customer is the one whos ultimately making the decision of what to buy and at what price and from whom and maintained that the growth of the marketplace was evidence that many third-party sellers were thriving.

The billionaire, when questioned by Hank Johnson, (D., Ga.), also took on the issue of counterfeits on the Amazon platform and described fakes as a scourge that the company was working on.

I would much rather lose a sale than a customer, said Bezos, noting shoppers could be scared off if they dont get the real deal when they shop on Amazon.

But Johnson pressed on, touching on Amazons scale and might with an example of a company selling PopSockets that was besieged by knockoffs until the seller agreed to pay for advertising on the platform.

If those are the facts and someone inside Amazon said, Buy X dollars of ads and well help you with your counterfeit problem, thats unacceptable, Bezos said.

So it went with Bezos, who made sweeping statements on Amazons ambitions and ideals and policies, but was confronted repeatedly with specific examples to the contrary.

A company the size of Amazon will have examples of just about everything in its operations, but the effect was that the representatives in the hearing seemed to have more questions rather than fewer (although its also not clear many of the representatives came to the hearing prepared to be swayed).

Bezos started off his testimony, seen in a small thumbnail feed on the picture on the committees web site, by addressing his enormous fortune, but with a twist.

I was born into great wealth, said Bezos, who was referring to his loving family rather than his $179.1 billion net worth, which ranks him as the worlds richest person, according to Forbes.

He followed that kind of folksy line in his prepared remarks and his in-person opening statement, which echoed the tone of his shareholder letters, mixing personal anecdote with a rosy take on how the company puts consumers first, builds up small businesses and has pushed retail to become a better version of itself.

He spoke about his mother, who was 17 when she gave birth to him in Albuquerque, N.M., and his father, a Cuban immigrant who adopted him when he was four, and his grandfather, a rancher who, he said, taught me that you can take on hard problems. When you have a setback, you get back up and try again. You can invent your way to a better place.

That is very much Bezos narrative for Amazon  one of a company that has invented its way to a better way of conducting retail.

Certainly its a way that has helped the company grow dramatically, with revenues last year of $233 billion.

While lawmakers tried to chip away at that narrative, pointing to specific areas of concern  which many people in retail fret over  Bezos in his prepared remarks sought to thread the Amazon story into a larger theme.

Bezos talks regularly about nurturing a Day One culture at Amazon, where the company, no matter how big, maintains the vitality of an enterprise just starting out.

Its still Day One for this country, and even in the face of todays humbling challenges, I have never been more optimistic about our future, Bezos said.

And if the sentiment of many of the lawmakers in the hearings ultimately holds sway, its still Day One when it comes to viewing tech through the lens of anti-monopoly laws.

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"There have been more outbreaks in other parts of Greater Sydney, and that will now become a COVID-declared hotspot," she said. "It is going to cause an inconvenience to families  but it is too important, we must protect Queenslanders." Ms Berejiklian said she was not informed in advance of that decision. "It would have been nice if she told me, but that's fine," she said.

Ms Berejiklian added the border closure would hurt Queensland much more than it would hurt NSW. "The only challenge for NSW is limited freedom of movement for our residents," she said. Loading "The economic consequences in Queensland or South Australia will hurt much more than it hurts NSW, we are in the strongest position in the nation which we want to maintain obviously. "It's always finding that right balance, so making sure that the virus is in check, but also providing sufficient freedoms for our residents."

In western Sydney, 10 of the new cases confirmed in NSW have been linked to the Thai Rock Wetherill Park outbreak, three have been linked to the funerals cluster in the Bankstown area, and one has been linked to the Crossroads Hotel. The Potts Point outbreak has also grown to seven, and NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Jeremy McAnulty said there was still no clear link between the clusters at the two Thai Rock venues. "We are continuing to investigate," he said. "What we look for is links between cases while they're infectious and we haven't been able to find any." As NSW grapples with ongoing community transmission, tighter restrictions have been placed on gyms and fitness studios. NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Jeremy McAnulty and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian at a press conference on Wednesday, Credit:Brook Mitchell

Ms Berejiklian said from 12.01am on Saturday, gyms will be required to register a COVID safety plan and have a dedicated hygiene marshal on duty at all times. The Premier said while 24-hour gyms that dont normally have staff on during the night would either need to have personnel on during those hours, or reduce hours to adhere to the new rules. "I think it's really important we give people confidence to be able to go to the gym," Ms Berejiklian said. Dr McAnulty said the restrictions were being brought in as gyms have been recognised as "a potentially risky venue". "People might be clustered close together and maybe reusing machines without cleaning in between," he said.

Ms Berejiklian said gyms that do not normally have a staff member on will now have to as new regulations are introduced. Credit:Brook Mitchell Business fined as Premier begs community to keep 1.5 metres apart A bakery in Sydney's south has received a $5000 fine after not requiring people to register when eating in at the venue. The Kogarah bakery's 34-year-old male owner received the fine police officers attended before 12 noon on Tuesday, as part of a proactive health order compliance operation. There, they observed a patron who was eating inside the venue, although no record was being kept of their visit.

It comes after Ms Berejiklian urged people to leave venues if they felt those businesses were not operating in a safe manner. "We are as I said at a critical time and Id much rather be harder now than deal with a worse situation in a couple of weeks time," she said. Loading Ms Berejiklian said the 1.5-metre social distancing has to be "part of our lives for the duration of the pandemic". The rule is not just for strangers - Ms Berejiklian said if youre seeing friends or family who are not part of your immediate household you should maintain that gap.
Versant Ventures Launches Bright Peak Therapeutics

Details Category: Proteins and Peptides Published on Wednesday, 29 July 2020 11:18 Hits: 1671

--Next-wave engineered protein company with pipeline of cytokine therapeutics developed in Versants Ridgeline Discovery Engine--

--First IL-2 development candidate shows superior properties to all known competitors--

--Industry veteran Sef Kurstjens joins as president and CEO--

BASEL, Switzerland & SAN DIEGO, CA, USA I July 28, 2020 I Versant Ventures today announced the debut of Bright Peak Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a platform to chemically synthesize and optimize the structure and function of proteins. Versant has made a $35 million Series A commitment to the company, which was launched out of the firms Ridgeline Therapeutics Discovery Engine based in Basel, Switzerland.

Bright Peaks technology platform, licensed from ETH Zurich, allows a wide range of proteins to be chemically assembled de novo. Unlike recombinant technologies, the platform enables specific modification and conjugation at any atom and at multiple sites in the structure of the target protein to optimize its function. Importantly, the technology also allows for the introduction of conjugation handles that can expand an optimized protein into a portfolio of conjugated or multi-targeted products.

The company has validated the platform by creating a portfolio of designer cytokines with the potential to be advanced as novel immune-oncology therapeutics. Amongst other constructs, these include an optimized IL-2 conjugated with targeting antibody moieties such as PD-1 or PD-L1.

Cytokines are emerging as a fundamental backbone in immuno-oncology, said Alex Mayweg, Ph.D., managing director at Versant and Bright Peak board member. Bright Peaks platform is exciting because it allows us to design and construct superior molecules by precisely engineering the desired pharmacological effects and pharmacokinetic properties.

Precision engineering to create superior therapeutic proteins

Bright Peaks chemistry know-how originated in the laboratory of co-founder Jeffery Bode, Ph.D., and was exclusively licensed to the company. Dr. Bode is a professor of organic chemistry at ETH Zurich and a leader in the chemical synthesis of proteins. He has developed and optimized the technology over the past several years.

During a two-year stealth period, critical proof of principle experiments have been executed across four areas of protein engineering. These include optimizations of the receptor biology of various cytokines, half-life extensions, fusions to monoclonal antibodies and masking or conditional activation strategies to further harness the therapeutic potential of these proteins.

This is a true medicinal chemistry approach to optimizing the molecular structure of proteins with disease-relevant biology, said Dr. Bode. Its gratifying to see the technology delivering substantial quantities of precisely tailored proteins in our CMC campaigns and I look forward to exploring the breadth of this approach with the team at Bright Peak.

A growing internal pipeline

A pipeline was developed within Versants Ridgeline labs in collaboration with ETH Zurich. This included modified versions of IL-2, IL-18 and IL-7 optimized for the desired biology and pharmacokinetic profiles. Through further conjugation to antibodies or other moieties, each molecule can additionally be turned into its own portfolio of next-generation therapies.

Bright Peak made three modifications to its IL-2 molecule. The first was to completely block the cytokines ability to engage the CD25 receptor on regulatory T cells, which dramatically shifted the balance of activity towards effector T cells and eliminated vascular toxicities. The second was to enhance potency on the beta/gamma receptors, which augmented the desired effects on CD8 T cell and NK proliferation. Finally, the molecules half-life was significantly extended through site-specific modifications.

The resulting compounds have shown best-in-class properties in a variety of preclinical models. Based on these results, Bright Peak is currently running IND-enabling studies and has launched scale-up and CMC campaigns on the first IL-2 development candidate with the expectation of entering the clinic within a year.

The portfolio is being expanded by installing a conjugation handle on the optimized IL-2 compounds to attach other cytokines or targeted monoclonal antibodies, such as checkpoint inhibitors. The company expects to select a second development candidate from this program later this year.

Bright Peaks pipeline also includes a modified IL-18, also known as IFN--inducing factor. This cytokine plays a critical role in both the innate and adaptive immune response, but the wild-type version is quickly quenched by its native IL-18 binding protein. This limits the use of the natural protein in cancer therapy.

A modified IL-18 has been designed to specifically overcome these limitations in the natural protein. Enhancements such as half-life extension and further tumor-targeting strategies are underway to unlock its full potential as a cancer therapeutic.

Company leadership and operating plans

Versant has recruited Sef Kurstjens, M.D., Ph.D. to join as Bright Peak president and CEO. Dr. Kurstjens possesses more than 28 years of biotech and pharmaceutical drug development experience, having most recently served as chief medical officer at Astellas Pharma Inc., where he was a member of the corporate executive committee. Dr. Kurstjens also served as president and CEO at Astellas Agensys Inc. affiliate.

Im excited to lead such a promising company with the potential to transform the field of protein therapeutics by developing products that possess markedly superior properties, said Dr. Kurstjens. Each molecule we design can become a portfolio within a protein, which speaks to the power of this technology platform.

Bright Peaks internal R&D team is based in Basel and has been working alongside a founding team of leading scientists who have made major contributions to the fields of protein engineering. The companys scientific founders and advisors include:

Jeffery Bode, Ph.D., professor of organic chemistry at ETH Zurich. His group has focused on the synthesis of molecules and conjugates that are currently outside the reach of conventional synthetic methods, as well as new approaches to generate structural and functional complexity in small organic molecules. Dr. Bodes research and teaching have been recognized by numerous awards including an MIT Technology Review TR35 (2006) and the Elias J. Corey Award for Outstanding Original Contribution in Organic Synthesis by a Young Investigator (2011).

John Teijaro, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of immunology and microbiology at the Scripps Research Institute. Dr. Teijaro has published extensively on mechanisms of immune cell stimulation and suppression. His group recently discovered a mechanism for promoting the proliferation of self-renewing T cells, offering a potential new pathway for enhancing cancer immunotherapy.

Markus Enzelberger, Ph.D., partner at Versant. Dr. Enzelberger possesses deep expertise in the development of proteins and antibodies. He served as CSO and a member of the management board of MorphoSys AG. He joined that company in 2002 and is recognized as an authority in the field of protein engineering.

Bright Peak will operate across sites in Basel, Switzerland, and in San Diego, California. This allows the new company to further refine the protein engineering platform and in parallel launch multiple programs from its current pipeline of candidates.

With Versants anchor investment, the company plans to expand its 20-member team to more than 30 scientists this year and expects to advance its lead program into clinical testing in 2021.

To capture the expanding opportunities in the field of cytokine therapeutics and beyond, Bright Peak will pursue Pharma partners in parallel with financial investors over the coming months.

About Bright Peak

Bright Peak Therapeutics is a biotechnology company with a platform capable of chemically synthesizing and optimizing natural proteins such as cytokines. Bright Peak was founded by Versant Ventures, and emerged from Versants Ridgeline Therapeutics Discovery Engine in Basel, Switzerland.

About Versant Ventures

Versant Ventures is a leading healthcare venture capital firm committed to helping exceptional entrepreneurs build the next generation of great companies. The firms emphasis is on biotechnology companies that are discovering and developing novel therapeutics. With $3.2 billion under management and offices in the U.S., Canada and Europe, Versant has built a team with deep investment, operating and R&D expertise that enables a hands-on approach to company building. Since the firms founding in 1999, more than 75 Versant companies have achieved successful acquisitions or IPOs. Versant is currently investing out of its seventh fund, Versant Venture Capital VII, a $600 million global biotech fund closed in December 2018. In parallel the firm co-invests out of its Canadian strategic fund Versant Voyageurs I and its later-stage biotech opportunity fund Versant Vantage I. For more information, please visit www.versantventures.com.

SOURCE: Versant Ventures
Moscow is accused of spreading pandemic disinformation

Newly declassified U.S. intelligence accuses Russia of spreading misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, as it tries to influence Americans with the November election approaching.

The English-language propaganda and disinformation pushed by the G.R.U., Russias military intelligence agency, includes the amplification of false Chinese arguments that the virus was created by the American military, as well as articles that say Russian medical assistance could bring about a new detente with Washington.

Many of the pieces were published on InfoRos, a site controlled by the Russian government, and OneWorld.Press, a nominally independent site that American officials said had ties to the G.R.U.

What this means: The campaign is a refinement of what Russia tried to do during the 2016 presidential campaign. The fake social media accounts and bots it used then are relatively easy to stamp out. Its far harder to stop the dissemination of propaganda on websites that seem legitimate, experts say.
Singapore (AFP) - A grandson of Singapore's founding leader Lee Kuan Yew and nephew of the current prime minister was convicted Wednesday of contempt of court over a Facebook post criticising the judiciary during a bitter family feud.

Li Shengwu, an academic at Harvard University, was also fined Sg$15,000 ($11,000) by the High Court over the 2017 post in which he described the Singapore government as "very litigious and has a pliant court system".

He will have to serve a week's jail if he does not pay, Justice Kannan Ramesh said in the judgement, although Li is currently living in the United States.

Li is the eldest son of business executive Lee Hsien Yang, who has been at loggerheads with his brother, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, over their father's legacy.

He made the Facebook post as the family feud raged publicly following the death of the Lee patriarch in 2015. The spat pitted his father and aunt against his prime minister uncle.

The Attorney-General's Chambers had described his post as "an egregious and baseless attack on the Singapore Judiciary" and lodged contempt proceedings against him.

Li initially took part in the proceedings through his lawyers, but withdrew later.

"I disagree with the judgement," Li said in a Facebook post Wednesday after learning about the court's decision.

He said he was worried that the verdict would reinforce the ruling People's Action Party's "tendency to suppress ordinary political speech" in the city-state.

The PAP was returned to power in elections earlier this month although with a sharply reduced share of the popular vote and with the opposition gaining more seats in parliament.

Li's father Lee Hsien Yang joined an opposition party before the polls and campaigned for its candidates although he did not run.
Pune saw 2,543 Covid-19 patients discharged on Wednesday, after being declared as cured of the infection. This is the highest number of people discharged in just 24 hours in the city.

This takes the progressive count of those being cured to 32,623 as per data released by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

The state health department reported 1,458 fresh positives in Pune on Wednesday, taking the progressive positive count to 55,035.

The state also reported 40 deaths in the city, taking the death toll in PMC to 1,358.

The PMCs progressive count of Covid-19 cases stood at 51,738, including 1,308 fresh cases reported on Wednesday, as per its own data.

The death toll as per the civic body stood at 1,254 including 39 deaths reported on Wednesday.

The deaths included a nine-month-old girl, reported dead from the Bharati Vidyapeeth hospital, a resident of Yerawada.

Of the 17,861 active cases, 845 are in critical care of which 432 are on the ventilator and 413 in ICUs without a ventilator.

Details of the 39 deaths include 10 deaths reported from Sassoon General Hospital, four deaths each from Bharati Vidyapeeth hospital, Deenanath Mangeshkar and Inlaks & Budhrani hospital; three deaths from Symbiosis hospital; two deaths each from Naidu hospital, O&P hospital and Jehangir hospital; and one death each from KEM, Surya Sahyadri, District Hospital - Aundh, Kashibai Navale, Sahyadri Hospital, Inamdar hospital and Shree hospital.

Four deaths were reported of residents from out of PMC limits - two each from O&P hospital and Sassoon.
Stormy Daniels claims she had sex with Trump, and alleges she was paid hush money during the 2016 election: Getty Images

Donald Trump refiled a lawsuit on Monday aimed at blocking Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance from obtaining his tax returns, with his lawyers saying the prosecutor's subpoena was issued in "bad faith."

The filing by the president's personal legal team comes a few weeks after the Supreme Court ruled Mr Vance could continue his pursuit of Mr Trump's financial records. Democratic lawmakers have tried to pry them loose for years, but the president claims he is under audit by the Internal Revenue Service, and therefore cannot make them public; the IRS has declined comment.

The high court rejected the Trump team's argument that Mr Vance could not be investigated by New York state officials while he occupies the Office of the President. But the justices said Mr Trump could challenge the subpoena on other grounds of his choosing.

"The District Attorney issued a grand-jury subpoena he knew was overbroad and sought irrelevant records," Mr Trump's lawyers wrote in their suit.

"That the District Attorney dubiously claims he did this for 'efficiency' reasons does not save the subpoena from invalidation," according to team Trump. "It confirms that he lacked a goodfaith basis and that the subpoena amounts to harassment of the President."

Mr Vance reportedly is looking into cash payments Mr Trump made paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels after an alleged sexual relationship she said was consensual.

Read more

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DALLAS, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Trend Micro co-founder and CEO Eva Chen to its 2020 list of Top 100 Executives.

The prestigious annual listing honors the tech visionaries who drive and disrupt the IT channel and wider technology industry. It identifies executives who have "demonstrated exemplary leadership and innovative ideas" in the midst of a fast-changing market, who hold roles at the head of some of the world's most successful technology companies.

Eva Chen's vision and leadership has cemented Trend Micro's position as the global leader in cloud security. Over the past twelve months, the company has launched Trend Micro Cloud OneTM, its unified cloud security platform designed to meet the needs of modern global organizations as they transform their data centers in to the cloud with protection across cloud workloads, containers, cloud file and object storage, serverless and applications, and cloud network environments. The industry-leading platform also features cloud security posture management, following the acquisition of leading provider Cloud Conformity, with capabilities designed to tackle a primary cloud security challenge today: misconfiguration.

These efforts have helped Trend Micro maintain its overwhelming lead in the hybrid cloud security market, with a market share three times the size of the number two player, according to IDC 1 .

"I'd like to accept this recognition on behalf of all the employees who make this company the innovative, customer-focused success story it is today, alongside our partners, who are critical to our growth. I'm both humbled and proud to be the founder and leader but I will share this recognition with all our Trend Micro employees," said Eva Chen, Trend Micro CEO and co-founder. "It's more important than ever in these uncertain and troubling times, when equality is still for a struggle for so many, that business leaders stand up as champions of diversity. That's why I'll continue to use my position as CEO to push for the changes needed to make the world a more equitable and tolerant place."

During her time at Trend Micro, Eva has continually emphasized the company's values, and desire to be a responsible global corporate citizen, through a wide range of philanthropic work and a top-down commitment to providing a safe, empathetic and respectful environment for all employees.

Eva Chen is passionate about seeking greater diversity in the IT industry, through initiatives like Close the Gap, which engages more women and gender-diverse talent and finds them opportunities to advance their careers in technology.

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, helps to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our innovative solutions for consumers, businesses, and governments provide layered security for data centers, cloud environments, networks, and endpoints. All our products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and control, enabling better, faster protection. With more than 6,000 employees in over 50 countries and the world's most advanced global threat intelligence, Trend Micro secures your connected world. For more information, visit www.trendmicro.com .

1 Worldwide Hybrid Cloud Workload Security Market Shares, 2019, IDC, doc #US46398420, June 2020)

SOURCE Trend Micro Incorporated

Related Links

www.trendmicro.com


A couple in northern Mexico has found some solace after they were able to save their pet dogs when Hurricane Hanna flooded their home.

Betty Vaquera Escandon recorded the moment her parents Santos Vaquera Herrera and Beatriz Escandon pushed a bucket with their 10 dogs down a street in Santa Cecilia, a neighborhood in the border city of Reynosa.

'My parents lost everything... but they were able to get their babies out,' Escandon wrote on Facebookafter sharing the viral video footage Monday.

The heartwarming video of Vaquera Herrera and Escandon dragging the bucket through the flooded street on Sunday morning generated a host well wishers who offered their support and said they wanted to buy the animals.

'We are not putting the puppies for sale or profiting from them. For us they are part of the family,' Vaquera Escandon.

Santos Vaquera Herrera and Beatriz Escandon pushed a bucket with their 10 dogs down a street in Santa Cecilia, a neighborhood in the northern Mexican border city of Reynosa that was slammed with up to 16 inches of rain as a result of Hurricane Hanna

Santos Vaquera Herrera and Beatriz Escandon had their home flooded after Hurricane Hanna made landfall in Reynosa, a city in northern Mexico near the border with Texas. They lost everything but were able to save their 10 dogs

Vaquera Escandon told DailyMail.com that when her husband arrived at her parents' home of 28 years, he found them sitting on a table with their dogs inside the bucket.

Vaquera Escandon's parents and their neighbors were still waiting to see if they will get any government assistance.

'Unfortunately they live in a disaster area since the neighborhood is near a sewage drain,' Vaquera Escandon said. 'The [state and city] government have been asked many times to help fix that area because when it is flooded, what comes out is pure wastewater.

'But they pay very little attention to the calls, I imagine because in Reynosa we are not the only ones that are flooded, there are many more colonies that have the same problem.'

Santos Vaquera Herrera and Beatriz Escandon with their granddaughter

Hanna was the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season. At least two people died in the Mexican city of Ramos Arispe, and three people were reported missing in the border city of Reynosa. Three people were also said to be missing in Monterrey.

Hurricane Hanna blew ashore as a Category 1 storm late Saturday afternoon with winds of 90 mph not far from Port Mansfield, Texas which is about 130 miles south of Corpus Christi. It hovered over parts of northern Mexico and southern Texas, drenching it with up to 16 inches of rain.

In the Mexican border city of Reynosa, a maternity hospital was damaged by heavy rain, with some patients moved to upper floors and others evacuated to other facilities, said Pedro Granados, director of civil protection for Tamaulipas state.

In Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas, more than 1,300 asylum seekers, including newborns and elderly people, at a refugee camp braced for the impact of flooding from the Rio Grande due to Hanna. The river was expected to rise and likely flood the camp in the next few days.
 Flash

Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Arancha Gonzalez Laya expressed Spain's support for Greece in stability in the Mediterranean region during her visit to Athens on Tuesday when meeting with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and her Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias.

According to government sources, Turkey's recent conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque was also discussed.

Gonzalez Laya said after meeting her Greek counterpart that during her visit to Turkey on Monday she had the impression that Turkey was interested in dialogue, adding that this needs to be proven in action.

In terms of Libya, the Greek FM urged for an active role of EU on constant violations of an arms embargo imposed on Libya.

"We should all support the IRINI operation. Turning Libya into a failed state, would be a great problem for the EU," he said.

The Spanish FM said all sides should respect the arms embargo, by air, land and sea.

"We need to promote a sincere effort by all the political parties in Libya, to reach a political understanding that we want to see unconditional ceasefire," she pointed out.

Both sides committed to expanding their coordination on the migration issue, as both countries are points of entry and first reception for refugees and migrants.

They reaffirmed their mutual content over the EU recovery fund granted to all EU member states to deal with the coronavirus repercussions on their economies.
Hurricane Hanna's aftermath will slow the U.S.-Mexico border trucking industry temporarily, as some key freight lanes were closed as of Monday, July 27, according to trade officials

"The challenge today will be for trucks circumventing surface roads with standing water between the warehouses and freeways. Expect transportation-related delays as a result for the next few days as the region dries up," said Dante Galeazzi, the president and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association (TEXIPA).

TEXIPA is based in Mission, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the regions where Hanna dumped as much as 20 inches of rain on Saturday and Sunday (July 25-26), and produced sustained winds of 90 mph.

At least three tractor-trailers were over-turned by high winds from Hurricane Hanna on State Highway 281 near Edinburg over the weekend. (Photo: Dante Galeazzi)

"The city of Edinburg reported on Sunday morning that at least three 18-wheelers had blown over on State Highway 281 and were being cleared off the roads," Galeazzi said.

Border officials said all Texas-Mexico ports of entry and international bridges are open for business, including the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge and the World Trade Bridge in Laredo.

"The commercial cargo facilities within the Laredo field office are fully functional and have not changed their hours of operation," said Armando Taboada, assistant director of field operations at the Laredo Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in an email to customs officials and media on Monday.

In addition to the Laredo and Pharr ports of entry, the CBP Laredo Field Office oversees cargo facilities in the cities of Roma, Del Rio, Brownsville, Eagle Pass, Rio Grande City and Progreso.

While the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge is open, some of the main feeder roads around the bridge were still flooded as of Monday morning, said Aaron Acosta, corporate relations manager for Pharr-based Villita Avocados.

Story continues

"McColl, Jackson and 10th street [in Pharr and McAllen]  which are the main thoroughfares going north from the Pharr International bridge  no truck or car traffic was heading north because the flood zone is still almost at capacity," Acosta said.

Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge has been the busiest entry point for Mexican produce into the U.S. for the past three years.

Villita Avocados, which imports Hass avocados from the state of Michoacan in central Mexico, averages around 30 to 50 trucks per week at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge.

Acosta said he was working from home today, since the road to his company's produce warehouse was also flooded.

"We're just pushing orders 24 hours," Acosta said. "I am thinking, tomorrow morning, if there's no more rain, or anything else that pops up, things will be back to normal."

In addition to disrupting truck routes, Galeazzi said Hurricane Hanna also affected crops in South Texas.

"Cotton is really the big crop right now, and those damages are likely to be extensive," Galeazzi said. "Produce-wise, the big issue will be Texas grapefruit and oranges. While it's still too early to tell the extent of the damage and the impact to the crop, a lot of folks reported a lot of young fruit had been knocked off the trees due to the high winds."

Click for more FreightWaves articles by Noi Mahoney.

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See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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Dr Reddy's is expecting to launch a generic version of anti-viral drug Remdesivir next month. It has a voluntary license from Gilead Sciences to manufacture and distribute the drug in 127 countries including India.

The company has sought approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the application is currently under review.

On supply capacity, Erez Israeli, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dr. Reddy's hinted at substantial Remdesivir supply capacity.

"(We have capacities) as much as India needs and beyond," Israeli said, a company's post earnings media briefing.

Cipla, Hetero and Mylan have till now launched the generic versions of Remdesivir in India. Jubilant Life Sciences, also has approval and is expected to launch the drug in August. Both Cipla and Hetero can produce up to 2 lakh doses a month; the production capacity of Mylan is not known. Dr Reddy's, Zydus Cadila and Syngene are other companies that have licenses from Gilead to manufacture and distribute Remdesivir generic versions but are yet to get approval from DCGI.

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

Pankaj Patel, Chairman of Zydus Cadila in an interview to Moneycontrol earlier this month told Moneycontrol said that the company has the potential to produce as high as 3-4 lakh doses a month, and it plans to launch the drug by August.

Remdesivir is prescribed for hospitalised patients who are on oxygen. The drug has to be taken for five days, with 200 mg IV (intravenous) on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV daily for four days.

With a rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, the demand for Remdesivir is also soaring, but the current capacity is still way short than the demand. Prices of the drug in the black market have soared many times its MRP.

To go ahead on Favipiravir

On another antiviral Favipiravir, which is prescribed for mild COVID-19 cases, Dr Reddy's said it will be going ahead with the product, despite Glenmark's clinical trial data being statistically significant. The DCGI along with Glenmark has approved Favipiravir versions of half a dozen companies including Cipla, Hetero, Brinton Pharmaceuticals and Jenburkt.

Dr. Reddys has earlier signed with the innovator company Fujifilm, which offered the company exclusive rights to develop, produce, and sell Avigan (Favipiravir) overseas in combination with Dubai-based Global Response Aid. The new agreement covers all countries other than Japan, China and Russia.

"We have the brand product, as well as access to all relevant clinical trials, may be others can not," said Israeli.

Currently, a clinical trial on 1000 patients is underway in Kuwait to investigate if the antiviral drug can work as a treatment for COVID-19, he added.

The trial was to be conducted in Japan originally. It was designed to involve 96 people through late March to June. The trial reportedly ran out of patients, due to containment of COVID-19 in Japan.

Kuwait had a large number of COVID-19 cases compared to Japan, so Fujifilm is hoping there will be a steadier stream of participants for the trialIf the trial proves successful, Fujifilm will use the data to show that the treatment can be used in Japan.
The appointment of an acting director general of police (DGP) by the Jharkhand government has been challenged in the Supreme Court. A public interest litigation (PIL), filed by a person from Jharkhand's Giridih, has alleged that MV Rao has been "unlawfully appointed as in-charge DGP in gross violation of the directives and guidelines given by this court with regard to the appointment and tenure of DGP in every state".

Prahlad Narayan Singh has in his petition in the top court argued that Rao was fourth in seniority among Jharkhand cadre's Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and, therefore, his appointment could be seen as a move by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government to satisfy their political interests.

The appointment of the state director generals of police is usually monitored quite closely because such charges of nepotism are often levelled at the state governments for placing people politically inclined towards the ruling party in important positions. A petition was filed this month against the appointment of the Haryana DGP. Not so long ago, the appointment of Uttar Pradesh's DGP was also challenged in the Allahabad High Court.

Controversies over these picks are often generated because state functionaries are frequently accused of not following the norms, for the appointment of the top policemen, laid down by the apex court. In its 2006 Prakash Singh versus Union of India judgment, the Supreme Court had clearly defined the procedure that needs to be followed by any state government in this case. Its most basic points were:

1. The head of state police force is to be selected by the state government from among the three seniormost officers empanelled by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on the basis of  length of service, very good record and the range of experience for heading the police force.

2. The selected DGP must have a minimum tenure of two years. In subsequent directions in 2018 and 2019, after Prakash Singh, the former DGP of Uttar Pradesh, argued for modification of its order, the SC made it clear that preparation of panel should be purely on the basis of merit from officers who have a minimum residual tenure of six months i.e officers who have at least six months of service prior to the retirement.

3. The appointment should be done on the basis of merit and seniority should be given due weightage.

The Supreme Court also weighed in against the appointment of "acting DGPs". To understand whether the latest PIL against the appointment of the head of Jharkhand's police force had any merit, News18 spoke to former DGPs, including Prakash Singh who is often hailed for ushering in many police reforms in the country.

"The Supreme Court's directions in this case are quite clear. You simply cannot appoint an acting DGP. The procedure is that you send a panel of suitable officers to the UPSC, five to six, of which they shortlist three names and then the chief minister of the state has to decide from within those three names. If this procedure has not been followed in the case of Jharkhand, then the appointment can certainly be challenged," Singh said.

Another former IPS officer and ex-DGP of UP, who has been known to speak for police reforms, Vikram Singh, said, "The proposal to appoint the DGP is made as per a defined protocol. The drill is laid out. The procedure of appointing the acting DGP is against the directives of the Supreme Court." He said that the Supreme Court had in its 2006 judgement clearly spelled out the seriousness with which such appointments are to be made. "This is about the appointment of the person leading the force, not the appointment of a sentry. There cannot be two ways about how the laid-out procedures should be followed " he said.
Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Gunji are the four places that are contested by India and Nepal

India has asked Nepal to prevent its citizens from "illegally" visiting the Indian territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Gunji, according to local media reports.

In a letter to the Nepali administration, an Indian official earlier this month said that Nepalese people in groups wanting to illegally enter into these Indian regions would create problems for both the countries.

The Deputy District Commissioner, Dharchula, Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand, Anil Shukla, in his letter dated July 14 also urged the Nepali authorities to share information with the Indian authorities about such activities, the Himalayan Times reported.

"We have received a letter and phone call regarding India's decision to prohibit Nepalis from crossing into the territories", Sharad Kumar Pokhrel, Chief District Officer of Darchula, Nepal, was quoted as saying by the paper.

However, local people have informed that they have not been stopped while crossing to the aforementioned areas, Pokhrel said.

In its reply, the Nepalese authorities said that the movement of its citizens in Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Gunji areas is "natural" as the regions belong to the country, the paper said.

"The movement of Nepalese nationals in these areas are natural," said the letter signed by Tek Singh Kunwar, Assistant District Administrator of Darchula, Nepal, according to Kantipur daily.

The letter was sent to the Indian official following instructions from the Nepalese Home Ministry, Pokharel was quoted as saying by Rising Nepal daily.

Nepal last month completed the process of redrawing the country's political map through a Constitutional amendment, incorporating strategically important Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas which India maintains belong to it.

India has termed as "untenable" the "artificial enlargement" of the territorial claims by Nepal.

The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-kilometre-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on 8 May.

Nepal reacted to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.
It's time to take this love story to the 'gram.

For pop culture fans following Megan Fox's new romance, you may want to head over to Machine Gun Kelly's social media page for a special photo. If you didn't already guess, this musician is ready to go Instagram official with his leading lady.

On Tuesday afternoon, Machine Gun Kelly (whose real name is Colson Baker) shared a selfie with Megan, where they wrapped their arms around each other while posing with their tongues out.

"Waited for eternity to find you again..." he captioned the photo that has already received excitement from a few famous friends.

"Happy for you brother," mixed martial artist Stipe Miocic wrote in the comments section. Fellow musician Phem added, "Holy s--t this makes me so happy."

It's the latest step for a Hollywood couple who recently participated in their first joint interview together.

Celebrity Couples We Admire

While appearing on a July 22 recent episode of the Give Them LalaWith Randall podcast, both Megan and Machine Gun Kelly opened up about their romance that first began on the set of an upcoming movie titled Midnight in the Switchgrass.

Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly

"Our trailers were next to each other so I just waited outside on my trailer steps everyday I worked just to catch one glimpse of eye contact," Machine Gun Kelly shared. "She has the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen."

Megan, who recently split from husband Brian Austin Green, continued, "The second that I was in a room with him and said hello to him and looked into his eyes, I knew right away that he was what I call a twin flame. We're actually two halves of the same soul I think. I said that to him almost immediately. I felt it right away."

That chemistry was captured in photos back in June when Megan confirmed her relationship by holding hands with the rapper outside a restaurant in Southern California.

As for their upcoming movie project, director Randall Emmett couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"I knew there was a chemistry but I didn't know anything on a personal level. When I was watching you guys, it was very captivating," he shared on his podcast. "The chemistry that was going on was very magical."
Covering the climate crisis requires the ability to look in many different directions at once, and reconcile them. Right now, it requires making room for urgent climate storiesfrom hurricanes in North America and record heat in Siberia to recently-updated future projections for global heatingamid an intensely crowded news cycle. As I wrote last week, it requires identifying and teasing out the intimate structural similarities and connections between the impact of climate change and this moments two biggest stories, the coronavirus pandemic and the movement for Black lives. It also requires, as Times Justin Worland suggested recently, looking forward in time, to imagine how future generations might assess the climate action we did and didnt take in this historic year, and what we can still do now to influence the judgment of history.

And it requires looking back in timeto understand the roots of the ways we talk about climate change today, and how that legacy continues to influence our coverage. To that end, two recent studies are instructive. They shed light, respectively, on major outlets long-term indulgence of climate skepticism and the more recent impact of improved climate coverage in TV meteorology.

ICYMI: Dont blame the election on fake news. Blame it on the media.

The former study was published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Rachel Wetts, an assistant professor at Brown University, took nearly 1,800 climate press releases that were issued, between 1985 and 2014, by business, government, and advocacy groups, and ran them through plagiarism-detection software to see how often they were cited in three widely-circulated US newspapers: the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Wetts found that despite press releases discouraging action on climate change being relatively rare, the three papers were nearly twice as likely to cite them as releases advocating climate action, which were disproportionately ignored. She also found that releases issued by big businesses were more likely to be cited than those issued by groups that have scientific expertise, such as the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the American Geophysical Union. (The full, paywalled study is here. Grist also has a useful summary.)

Discouragingly, Wetts reported no meaningful improvement in her findings in more recent years, and found that the presence of the Journal, whose editorial orientation skews conservative, did not disproportionately inform her results. Instead, she suspects that traditional norms of journalistic objectivity (those again) have encouraged major outlets to channel the notion of a climate debate in their coverage, even though the science has been increasingly clear that there are not two sides to the question. My findings suggest that journalists continue to provide false balance on the issue of climate change, despite some scholars claims that this practice is a thing of the past, Wetts writes. The study, she adds, also offers further evidence that the structural power of business interests lends them heightened visibility in policy debates.

By contrast, the latter study, published recently in Weather, Climate, and Society, a journal of the American Meteorological Society (and available for free here), offers a more positive assessment of a different area of climate coverage. The authorsacademics from George Mason, Colorado State, and Ohio State universities, as well as a researcher from the AMS, and Bernadette Woods Placky of Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and journalistsassessed the impact of Climate Matters, a program, launched nationally in 2013 by George Mason and Climate Central with support from the AMS and two federal agencies, that helps TV meteorologists incorporate climate science into their broadcasts. (Climate Central is a partner on Covering Climate Now, a collaboration headed by CJR and The Nation that aims to make climate coverage more visible in local, national, and international media.)

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The study has some methodological limitations: its authors arent entirely disinterested, and measuring viewer responses to specific examples of coverage is very hard to do. Still, its results suggest that including climate change in the TV weather report may increase the scientific literacy of viewers. The authors found that in markets where the Climate Matters program has been active, people were more likely to strongly recognize that climate change is real, manmade, and a threat to humansfacts that Climate Matters uses to structure broadcastsand were also more likely to perceive proximate climate harms to their families and communities. (The study did not find enough evidence to support a second hypothesis: that these effects are stronger among viewers who pay the most attention to TV weather forecasts.)

Its increasingly clear that news consumers want more and better climate coverage. A third recent study, the Reuters Institutes annual Digital News Report, provided evidence of that, and of how people in multiple countries get their climate news. According to Simge And, a researcher at the Reuters Institute, more than two thirds of respondents to the institutes international media-consumption survey said they think that climate change is a very or extremely serious storya figure that rose in countries, such as Chile and South Africa, that have recently experienced severe drought. (In 2018, I reported for CJR from Cape Town on water coverage in South Africa.) Across all markets and age groups, a plurality of respondents said they paid most attention to climate news on TV, though younger consumers also rely on social media. Overall, just under half of respondents said that the media does a good job of accurately covering climate. Nineteen percent of respondents said we do a poor job.

The three reports mentioned here differ greatly in methodology, limitations, and scope. Collectively, however, they seem to offer the news media a pretty clear lesson: our audiences generally care about the climate story, and many of them think we could do better in covering it. To that end, we need to dispense once and for all with false equivalence and instead put climate science front and centerparticularly in settings, such as the TV weather report, that are trusted, widely-consumed, and community-rooted. Among other initiatives, CJR and The Nations Covering Climate Now project is working to strengthen science-led climate coverage across the worlds media. If you want to get involved, you can find out more here. Its not too late.

Below, more on climate coverage:

More studies: For Grist , Kate Yoder reflects on two other recent studies exploring why many Americans still reject the facts on climate change . The takeaway: Evidence alone isnt enough, Yoder writes. The underlying reason people dismiss climate science, it turns out, has more to do with political identity than logic. Elsewhere, Caroline Porter writes, in a recent report for the Center for Cooperative Media , that climate-journalism collaborations, including Covering Climate Now, are increasingly popular, and can reduce the noise around issues of bias and mistrust in climate reporting.

The Flood Watcher: Writing for CJR last year, Lucy Schiller profiled Eric Sorensen , a meteorologist at WQAD News 8 in Davenport, Iowa, who has incorporated the local effects of climate change into his work. Climate Matters has supported Sorensens work, yet he emphasized how much work meteorologists must still do on their own, to educate themselves, to find novel ways of presenting on the climate crisis, and to convince station managers that environmental coverage matters, Schiller writes.

Talking shop: Covering Climate Now has been hosting a series of Talking Shop webinars focused on various aspects of the climate story. Tomorrow at noon Eastern, were bringing together Worland, from Time ; Al Ortiz, from CBS; Savannah Sellers, from NBC; Jane Spencer, from The Guardian ; and Bill Weir, from CNN, to discuss climate coverage and the election. Attendance is open to journalists only, but you dont have to be affiliated with Covering Climate Now to join. You can RSVP here .

Next steps: From September 21 to 28, Covering Climate Now will coordinate a week of increased climate coverage among its partner outlets, the third time it will have done so. To kick off the week, CCN partners including The Guardian, VICE Media Group, NBC News, and NowThis will invite first-time voters and other young people to collaborate with editors on special projects, including videos, podcasts, and social media content. You can find out more here.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: The modern dilemma of TikTok journalism

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Migrants rescued by Maltese Armed Forces are checked by a UNHCR official upon their arrival in La Valletta

Malta's military have rescued 95 migrants found in distress on a dinghy off Libya and ferried them ashore near Valletta.

By Nathan Morley

The terrifying ordeal of those on board finally came to an end 33-hours after the distress call had been issued.

On Sunday, the NGO Alarm Phone posted an alert warning people were in serious risk of drowning near Maltese waters, with some passengers reportedly jumping into the sea as the rubber dinghy filled up with water.

Alarm Phone said those on board could not bail out the inflatable because it was too overcrowded.

Remarkably the vessel  drifting of the Libyan coast - remained afloat before Maltas military rescued all on board on Monday afternoon.

The passengers  mostly from Eritrea - were taken to an army facility near Valletta, the capital of Malta.

Although Malta closed its ports to asylum seekers in April because of the coronavirus pandemic, recent weeks have seen an up-tick in Mediterranean crossings due to the warm weather and calm seas.

Activists have complained about the lack of independent rescue ships in the central Mediterranean, which is one of the worlds most treacherous passages.
CNN host Jake Tapper demanded Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) apologize on Tuesday for playing an edited montage at the House Judiciary Committee's hearing with Attorney General Bill Barr that misleadingly suggested reporters were calling violent protests "peaceful."

The big picture: In the full clips played by Tapper, the CNN reporters that Jordan had clipped were noting that the protests tended to remain peaceful during the day and turn violent at night. Jordan's video was part of an effort to show that violent mobs have been attacking law enforcement and causing destruction in American cities, and that the Trump administration's response has been warranted.

What they're saying: "Our reporters, Dianne Gallagher and Josh Campbell, as you saw, accurately described the protests as peaceful and then often exploding into something else, including violence at night," Tapper said.

"But Congressman Jordan, you just quoted the part of what they said that said "peaceful protests," when that wasn't the full context. That's not what they said, they weren't calling violent protests 'peaceful.'"

"Congressman Jordan, you did a disservice to them. And, more importantly, you did a disservice to the American people, and you did a disservice to the truth."

The other side: Asked about the video on Fox News, Jordan responded: "The video speaks for itself. You had two reporters in that video saying these are peaceful protests while there's a building burning in the background, for goodness sake. So we just presented the truth."

Go deeper: Press freedom incidents have surged during police protests
T he mother of Harry Dunn said his family is "setting him free" as his ashes were scattered a month before the anniversary of his death.

Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn said they decided to scatter Harry's ashes in Portland Bill in Dorset on Wednesday.

The Dunns took their annual holidays in Dorset and their 19-year-old son spent his last day in his favourite town on July 29, last year.

A month later Harry died when a car driven by Anne Sacoolas collied with his motorbike near RAF Croughton in August 2019.

Mrs Sacoolas, who is the wife of a US intelligence official, claimed diplomatic immunity after the crash and was able to return to her home country.

Tim Dunn (far right) and his wife Tracey Dunn (second right), as they gather with friends and family at Portland Bill / PA

Harry's mother described Wednesday as the hardest day weve ever had to face in our lives.

Mrs Charles and Mr Dunn, alongside their partners Bruce and Tracey, met with other extended family members and friends in Weymouth before scattering Harrys ashes in a private ceremony on the nearby island of Portland.

Mrs Charles said although they were setting him free, the fighting will continue to get US suspect Anne Sacoolas back to the UK.

Asked before the private ceremony if her sons funeral provided any closure, Mrs Charles said: No, and we were really numb back then  very much a bunch of zombies, to put it mildly.

Charlotte Charles (centre), the mother of Harry Dunn, walks away with her partner Bruce (left) / PA

We dont remember a lot about the first few weeks at all. Obviously weve been through so much since then  weve been to hell and back on many, many occasions.

Were not numb any more, we just hurt all day every day. The hurt is there constantly and it never, ever goes away.

But now, 11 months on, today is going to be the hardest day weve ever had to face in our lives, and I cant imagine it getting any harder.

You shouldnt have to scatter your own childs ashes.

Speaking briefly on behalf of the family afterwards, Mr Dunn said the private ceremony was beautiful  adding there was a lot of crying, it was very special.

A green justice for Harry ribbon is tied to a post near to Portland Bill lighthouse, where friends and family have gathered to scatter his ashes / PA

Mr Dunn shared how visiting Weymouth became a tradition for the family.

From a very early age, Tracey and I first came with Harry and Niall to Weymouth on our first family holiday back in 2002, and every year we would come back on the same week," he told PA.

It became a tradition, and as we know poor Harry died last year and today is exactly the last day he was here  he came for a night with his friends so its a year to the day since he was last in Weymouth and were here to scatter his ashes and let him ride free.

Mrs Charles added: We can rest assured that hes definitely out there riding the skies and going everywhere that he wants to go.

Weve found a beautiful spot where we are going to take him and were sure that the wind will carry his ashes and the waves will be splashing up on the rocks to help him travel too.

So well feel like weve set him free.

Harry Dunn's mother reacts to diplomatic immunity loophole being 'plugged'

Commenting on what is next for the family, Mrs Charles said: Proper closure. Which is to make sure that Anne Sacoolas goes through the UK justice system. That has to happen.

You and I would have had to have done it  in my view she is no different.

So we will keep fighting  today is going to be extremely tough, but the determination never wavers, ever.

It doesnt matter what today takes out of us, tomorrow will be yet another day of fighting. Today is just for us but the fighting will continue.

Asked if they had been able to properly grieve, Mrs Charles said: I dont think weve been able to grieve properly at all.

Of course there are days that are really, really bad and you dont want to see anyone and you just want to cry.

There are days that are just so overwhelming that we havent had time to properly grieve. Today will help us along the way with that, for sure, but I still dont think the proper grieving process will kick in until we have had justice done.

Additional reporting by PA Media.
Trade between Vietnam and ASEAN during 2015-2019 (million USD) (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Vietnams participation in ASEAN 25 years ago has helped the country enjoy strong growth in trade with other member nations.

Since Vietnam became an official member of ASEAN on July 28, 1995, bilateral trade has increased sharply, making ASEAN the fourth largest importer of Vietnam at present, following the US, the EU and China.

In 2019, the trade value reached 57.3 billion USD, up 1.1 percent from a year earlier. That consisted of 25.2 billion USD of Vietnams exports, rising 1.5 percent and accounting for 9.6 percent of the countrys total overseas shipments, and 32.1 billion USD of imports from ASEAN, up 0.9 percent year-on-year and making up 12.7 percent of total imports.

The trade deficit of 6.85 billion USD last year fell 1.3 percent from 2018.

Among ASEAN markets, Vietnam mainly ships products to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Its key export items include steel; mobile phones and components; computers, electronic products and components; machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts, and textile-garment products.

Director of the Foreign Ministrys ASEAN Department Vu Ho said Vietnams integration into ASEAN has been carried out effectively, contributing to economic growth over the last more than 25 years.

In 1995, Vietnam joined the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and negotiated to sign the Common Effective Preferential Tariff Scheme for the AFTA. Without the AFTA, Vietnam might not have been able to ink the free trade agreement with the EU and the bilateral trade agreement with the US.

Taking part in ASEAN was a preparatory step for Vietnam to participating in others on a larger scale, Ho noted.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), ASEAN is a market not only in close proximity to Vietnam but also sharing similarities in culture and consumer habits. It is home to 636 million people and has combined GDP of 2.76 trillion USD.

Therefore, there remains huge room for boosting the export of Vietnamese goods to ASEAN countries, the ministry said.

Besides, the countrys main imports from the bloc include computers, electronic products and components; petrol; machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts; raw plastics; base metal; and chemicals.

While many domestic production industries have yet to ensure sufficient supplies of input material, the ASEAN market has created chances for Vietnamese firms to seek abundant material supplies with reasonable prices and access capital sources and high technologies, thus helping them reduce production cost and improve product quality.

Nguyen Cam Trang, Deputy Director of the MoITs Export-Import Department, said amid current difficulties in exports to the US and the EU, stepping up the capitalisation on the ASEAN market is a common trend shared by many businesses, and this is also a good way to diversify export destinations and avoid dependence on certain markets.
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper

The United States will slash its military presence in Germany by 11,900 troops in what the Pentagon on Wednesday called a "strategic" repositioning but President Donald Trump said was to punish Berlin for its weak defense spending.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the Pentagon will be sending home about 6,400 of its military personnel in Germany, and move nearly 5,600 to other NATO countries, including Italy and Belgium.

Some could also be relocated to Poland and the Baltic countries if Washington can reach agreements with them, he said.

The move, which will cost the US government several billion dollars, will cut the presence of US military personnel in Germany to around 24,000.

Esper stressed that the action is part of his broader plan to reposition US military forces globally to better address key threats, including their combined stance with NATO against Russia.

But at the White House, Trump told reporters that Germany has not paid its fair share for the defense of Europe.

"They are there to protect Europe, they are there to protect Germany, and Germany is supposed to pay for it," Trump said of the troops.

"We don't want to be the suckers anymore.... We're protecting Germany, so we're reducing the force because they're not paying the bills."

- 'Strategic and positive shift' -

"The repositioning of our forces in Europe constitutes a major strategic and positive shift," Esper said.

"These changes will unquestionably achieve the core principles of enhancing US and NATO deterrence of Russia; strengthening NATO; reassuring allies; and, improving US strategic flexibility," he said.

The goal is "to enhance deterrence and reassure allies along NATO's southeastern flank," Esper said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the US decision shows it is still committed to the joint defense pact.

Esper's decision "underlines the continued commitment by the United States to NATO and to European security," he said in a statement.

"As we face a more unpredictable world, we are stronger and safer when we stand together."

- Belgium, Italy to benefit -

The US decision to slash troops in Germany comes amid a rift over politics and trade between German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and US President Donald Trump

In moves that could begin within weeks, some US command operations currently in Germany will be moved to Belgium and Italy, where they will be located with their NATO counterparts, Esper said.

The planned relocation of 2,500 US air force personnel from Britain to Germany has been cancelled.

The Pentagon also will move an F-16 fighter squadron from Germany to Italy, where they can help protect NATO's southeastern region near the Baltic Sea, he said.

Another command unit and US troops could be rotated into Poland, Esper said, if Warsaw signs a cooperation agreement crafted by Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda in June.

- German jobs hit -

The move could have a significant economic and strategic impact in Germany, where tens of thousands of US troops have been stationed since the end of World War II.

The move could particularly hit the city of Stuttgart, which will lose the US European Command headquarters and Special Operations Command Europe to Belgium

"The US administration under president Trump is rushing to break off the close relationship built over decades, in a punitive action against an ally," said Stuttgart Mayor Fritz Kuhn.

Roger Lewentz, interior minister of Rhineland-Palatinate where 18,500 US soldiers are based, said it would cost jobs and deal a "heavy blow" to the western German region

Earlier this month, the leaders of four German states urged the US Congress to block the troop reduction, warning it could weaken the Atlantic alliance's front against Moscow.

- Trump and Merkel -

US military personnel and M1 Abrams tanks in German ahead of war games in February 2020

Esper said the move was long-discussed and was not the result of President Donald Trump's unhappiness with the relationship between Washington and Berlin.

Trump abruptly announced plans for the cut in June amid rising political and trade tensions between the two countries.

That came after German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected Trump's plan to convene the Group of Seven leaders in Washington, citing the ongoing coronavirus threat. At the time, Trump maintained the virus' spread was in decline.

Angered, Trump postponed the summit and then said he would expand the group to include Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia was expelled from the elite group after its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region on the Black Sea in 2014.
Q3-F2020 performance highlights

Revenue of $3.05 billion , down 2.2% year-over-year or down 3.5% in constant currency;

, down 2.2% year-over-year or down 3.5% in constant currency; Adjusted EBIT of $448.0 million , down 5.5% year-over-year;

, down 5.5% year-over-year; Adjusted EBIT margin of 14.7%, down 50 basis points year-over-year;

Net earnings of $260.9 million , for a margin of 8.5% and diluted EPS of $1.00 ;

, for a margin of 8.5% and diluted EPS of ; Net earnings excluding specific items* of $308.4 million , for a margin of 10.1% and diluted EPS of $1.18 ;

, for a margin of 10.1% and diluted EPS of ; Cash provided by operating activities of $584.8 million , up $209.6 million , representing 19.2% of revenue;

, up , representing 19.2% of revenue; Bookings of $2.84 billion for a book-to-bill of 93% and;

for a book-to-bill of 93% and; Backlog of $22.30 billion or 1.8x annual revenue.

*Specific items in Q3-F2020 include: $18.2 million in acquisition-related and integration costs and $29.3 million in restructuring costs, both net of tax; Specific items in Q3-F2019 include: $27.9 million in acquisition-related and integration costs, net of tax.

Note: All figures in Canadian dollars. Q3-F2020 MD&A, interim condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes can be found at cgi.com/investors and have been filed with both SEDAR in Canada and EDGAR in the U.S.

To access the financial statements  click here (PDF)

To access the MD&A  click here (PDF)

MONTREAL, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB) reported Fiscal 2020 third quarter results this morning.

"Our Q3 performance continues to reflect the resilience of our company and the strength of our strategy and leadership team," said President and Chief Executive Officer, George Schindler. "Our strong cash generation in the quarter was driven by the quality of our client relationships and delivery excellence. Looking ahead, we believe market and business conditions for our end-to-end services will gradually improve throughout the rest of this year, and we see expanding opportunities for profitable growth through both build and buy."

For the third quarter of F2020, the Company reported revenue of $3.05 billion, representing a decrease of $67.1 million, or 2.2% year-over-year. On a constant currency basis, revenue decreased by 3.5% as foreign exchange fluctuations positively impacted revenue by $42.1 million.

Adjusted EBIT was $448.0 million, a decrease of $26.2 million when compared to Q3-F2019. Adjusted EBIT margin of 14.7% is down from 15.2% in the year ago period.

On a GAAP basis, net earnings were $260.9 million in Q3-F2020, and earnings per diluted share were $1.00 compared with $1.12 in Q3-F2019.

When excluding $47.5 million in acquisition related, integration and restructuring costs, net earnings were $308.4 million in Q3-F2020, representing a margin of 10.1%. On the same basis, EPS of $1.18 per diluted share in Q3-F2020 compares with $1.22 in the year ago period.

Bookings were $2.84 billion in Q3-F2020, representing 93.1% of revenue. Over the last twelve months, bookings have totaled $11.78 billion, or 96.6% of revenue. At the end of June 2020, the Company's backlog stood at $22.30 billion.



Cash provided by operating activities was $584.8 million, or 19.2% of revenue, representing a year-over year increase of $209.6 million. Over the last twelve months, $1.85 billion in cash has been generated by operating activities, or 15.2% of revenue.

In millions of Canadian dollars except earnings per share

and where noted Q3-F2020 Q3-F2019 Revenue 3,052.7 3,119.8 Growth (2.2)% 6.1% Growth at constant currency (3.5)% 6.6% Adjusted EBIT 448.0 474.2 Margin 14.7% 15.2% Net earnings 260.9 309.4 Margin 8.5% 9.9% Net earnings excluding specific items* 308.4 337.2 Margin 10.1% 10.8% Diluted earnings per share 1.00 1.12 Diluted earnings per share, excluding specific items* 1.18 1.22 Weighted average number of outstanding shares (diluted) 261.4 277.3 Net finance costs 30.7 19.4 Net debt 3,243.5 2,336.1 Net debt to capitalization ratio 28.0% 25.2% Cash provided by operating activities 584.8 375.2 Days sales outstanding (DSO) 48 52 Return on invested capital (ROIC) 13.0% 15.0% Return on equity (ROE) 17.3% 18.1% Bookings 2,841 2,951 Backlog 22,295 22,418



**Specific items in Q3-F2020 include: $18.2 million in acquisition-related and integration costs and $29.3 million in restructuring costs, both net of tax; Specific items in Q3-F2019 include: $27.9 million in acquisition-related and integration costs, net of tax;

At the end of June, net debt stood at $3.2 billion dollars, representing a net debt-to-capitalization ratio of 28.0%, up from 25.2% last year. When excluding the impact of adopting IFRS 16, the net debt to capitalization ratio would have been 22.2%.

With cash of $1.4 billion on hand at the end of June, 2020 and its revolving credit facility, the Company has more than $2.9 billion in readily available liquidity to pursue its profitable Build and Buy strategy.

Q3-F2020 results conference call

Management will host a conference call this morning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time to discuss results. Participants may access the call by dialing 1-877-879-0631 (Conference ID: 1495772) or via cgi.com/investors . For those unable to participate on the live call, a podcast and copy of the slides will be archived for download at cgi.com/investors .

About CGI

Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With approximately 77,500 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. With Fiscal 2019 reported revenue of C$12.1 billion, CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com.

Non-GAAP financial metrics used in this press release: Constant currency growth, adjusted EBIT, adjusted EBIT margin, net debt, net debt to capitalization ratio, bookings, book-to-bill ratio, backlog, DSO, ROIC, ROE, net earnings margin, net earnings excluding specific items, net earnings margin excluding specific items, and diluted EPS excluding specific items.

CGI reports its financial results in accordance with IFRS. However, management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors regarding the company's financial condition and results of operations as they provide additional measures of its performance. Additional details for these non-GAAP measures can be found on pages 3 and 4 of our MD&A which is posted on CGI's website, and filed with SEDAR and EDGAR.

Forward-looking information and statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable United States safe harbours. All such forward-looking information and statements are made and disclosed in reliance upon the safe harbour provisions of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Forward-looking information and statements include all information and statements regarding CGI's intentions, plans, expectations, beliefs, objectives, future performance, and strategy, as well as any other information or statements that relate to future events or circumstances and which do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts. Forward-looking information and statements often but not always use words such as "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", "predict", "project", "aim", "seek", "strive", "potential", "continue", "target", "may", "might", "could", "should", and similar expressions and variations thereof. These information and statements are based on our perception of historic trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other assumptions, both general and specific, that we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. Such information and statements are, however, by their very nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, of which many are beyond the control of CGI, and which give rise to the possibility that actual results could differ materially from our expectations expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not restricted to: risks related to the market such as the level of business activity of our clients, which is affected by economic and political conditions, external risks (such as pandemics) and our ability to negotiate new contracts; risks related to our industry such as competition and our ability to attract and retain qualified employees, to develop and expand our services, to penetrate new markets, and to protect our intellectual property rights; risks related to our business such as risks associated with our growth strategy, including the integration of new operations, financial and operational risks inherent in worldwide operations, foreign exchange risks, income tax laws, our ability to negotiate favorable contractual terms, to deliver our services and to collect receivables, and the reputational and financial risks attendant to cybersecurity breaches and other incidents; as well as other risks identified or incorporated by reference in this press release, in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and in other documents that we make public, including our filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators (on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (on EDGAR at www.sec.gov). For a discussion of risks in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, see Pandemic Risks in section 8.1.1. of our Q3 2020 quarterly MD&A. Unless otherwise stated, the forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and CGI disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. While we believe that our assumptions on which these forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are based were reasonable as at the date of this press release, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking information or statements. Furthermore, readers are reminded that forward-looking information and statements are presented for the sole purpose of assisting investors and others in understanding our objectives, strategic priorities and business outlook as well as our anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Further information on the risks that could cause our actual results to differ significantly from our current expectations may be found in the section titled "Risk Environment" of CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A, which is incorporated by reference in this cautionary statement. We also caution readers that the above-mentioned risks and the risks disclosed in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and other documents and filings are not the only ones that could affect us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial could also have a material adverse effect on our financial position, financial performance, cash flows, business or reputation.

SOURCE CGI Inc.

Related Links

www.cgi.com


Authorities tightened security and imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana on July 28 ahead of the arrival of five Rafale jets from France, banning shooting of videos and photography.

The Ambala district administration also prohibited people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the air base, an official said.

Deputy Commissioner Ashok Sharma said in an order that Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in the villages adjoining the air base, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

The jets took off from France on July 27 and will arrive at the Air Force station on July 29, after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates. The fleet comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft, according to an IAF official.

The Ambala deputy commissioner said shooting of videos or taking photographs of the boundary wall of the air base and its adjoining areas will remain strictly prohibited during the imposition of the prohibitory orders.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said Ambala police have taken the necessary measures. The BJP leader and six-term MLA from Ambala Cantt said the people of Ambala are very enthusiastic and thousands would have come out on the streets to welcome the fighter jets before the touch down had there not been a pandemic.

BJP's Ambala City MLA Aseem Goyal urged to people to light candles in their homes between 7-7.30 pm on July 29 to welcome the Rafale jets.

Also read: Rafale jets | Fighter aircraft to touch-down in India soon; here's all you need to know

Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France for 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities.

The first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at the Ambala air base. The five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into the IAF on July 29, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later.

No 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows, has been resurrected at the Ambala base to operate the Rafale aircraft. The resurrection ceremony in September 2019 was presided over by then Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa, who had commanded the 17 Squadron during the Kargil conflict in 1999.

The IAF has undertaken major infrastructure upgrades at the Ambala base for the deployment of the first Rafale squadron. Built in 1948, the air base is located on the east side of Ambala in Haryana and is used for military and government flights.

The air base has two squadrons of the Jaguar combat aircraft and one squadron of the MIG-21 Bison. Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh was the first commander of the base.
The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, warned of contempt proceedings against IIT Bombay for backing out of the proposal to construct a smog tower in Delhi to combat air pollution.

A three-judge bench, headed by justice Arun Mishra, was particularly angry after solicitor general Tushar Mehta informed the court that IIT Bombay had expressed unwillingness to take responsibility for the project.

How can they back out from a central government project after this court passed orders? Is it a childs game? We will not tolerate this nonsense. We will draw contempt proceedings against them, a livid justice Mishra remarked during the hearing of a case concerning air pollution in the national capital.

The court during the last hearing, on July 21, had asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IIT Bombay and Tata Projects Limited within seven days for installation of smog tower in Delhi.

Non-compliance with this order of July 21 incensed the bench on Wednesday which said that if IIT Bombay had any issues, it should have informed the bench in January of the same and not after six months.

We will punish IIT Bombay. How can they back out after six months? justice Mishra said.

Tushar Mehta, however, told the court on Wednesday that the Centre was exploring new options with National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and IIT Delhi since IIT Bombay had backed out but the court found the suggestion unacceptable.

Justice Mishra was particularly incensed.

We will proceed against IIT Bombay. I cannot tolerate this nonsense, he said.

The bench, which also comprised justices Vineet Saran and MR Shah, insisted Mehta to talk to the IIT officials and get back to the court with instructions within 15 minutes. Mehta, however, expressed his inability to obtain instructions at such a short notice and requested the court to grant time till tomorrow.

How can I take instructions within 15 minutes? I dont know anyone there (IIT Bombay), Mehta replied.

We are not happy with IIT Bombay for violating the order of this court and for backing out, the court said, posting the case for tomorrow when IIT Bombay is expected to respond to the court.

Calls to IIT Bombays public relations office went unanswered.

Rising pollution levels in national capital despite various orders by the Supreme Court had incensed the apex court during a hearing on November 25 last year. The court had then asked the CPCB and the states of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to take a concrete decision on installation and operation of smog towers to control pollution. It had also asked the centre to constitute a high-level committee to study the use and feasibility of various technologies.

A high level committee was constituted by the centre two days later on November 27 to examine and implement various technological options to arrest air pollution in the capital.

The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had then proposed installation of smog towers as a pilot project in collaboration with IIT Bombay. Subsequently, the top court had on January 13 given green signal for the proposal and asked CPCB to install a smog tower at Anand Vihar in east Delhi within three months. Another order was passed on February 28 to start work on smog towers and intimate the court about its status by March 6.

The CPCB initiated various rounds of talks with IIT Mumbai regarding the project and three versions of MoU were exchanged between CPCB and IIT. However, the talks bore no fruition as IIT was not ready to take overall responsibility for the project including verification of works carried out by Tata Projects Limited (which was involved by IIT for construction, operation and maintenance of smog tower).

The MoEF and the CPCB then filed an affidavit before the apex court on July 20 stating that the work on smog tower could not commence due to a deadlock with IIT regarding the finalisation of the terms and conditions of the proposed MoU.

The IIT was not willing to take up overall responsibility for the installation of the tower even though the project itself was conceptualised and developed by IIT in co-ordination with various other partners/agencies, the CPCB said in its affidavit.

Due to the same, the MoU has not been signed so far and ground work for installation of tower could not commence, it was submitted.

The top court, however, refused to accept the stance by the CPCB during the hearing on July 21 and ordered signing of MoU with IIT Bombay within seven days.
WASHINGTON - For weeks, Rep. Louie Gohmert has defied expert advice on how to thwart the spread of the coronavirus.

He was seen walking the halls of the Capitol without wearing a mask. He often did not maintain social distance.

Then, on Wednesday came the bad news: Gohmert, R-Texas, tested by the White House in advance of a planned Air Force One flight with President Donald Trump, learned that he had become infected.

But even as the conservative congressman vowed to avoid spreading it to others, he continued to ignore expert advice. He insisted on returning to the Capitol. And he used his platform to spread false information about the virus, saying those who test positive later become immune and suggesting that face masks make it more, not less, likely that one will become infected.

"It is interesting, and I don't know about everybody, but when I have a mask on, I'm moving it to make it comfortable, and I can't help but wonder if that puts some germs in the mask," Gohmert said in a video that he appeared to record from his office.

He added: "Keep your hands off your mask. But anyway, who knows. But now that I apparently have it, I will be very, very careful to make sure I don't give it to anybody else, and we'll see how it goes."

By the end of the day Wednesday, Gohmert had emerged as a national model for exactly how experts say people should not behave during a pandemic. He was depicted by Democrats as a pariah who should leave the complex, where he sleeps at night in his office, to avoid further spread. And he was the inspiration for a new rule imposed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to require members to wear masks on the House floor.

"Louie Gohmert lives and sleeps in his Capitol Hill office," Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., said in a tweet. "Now that he's tested positive, he cannot be allowed to quarantine there. He's put Members and staff at enough risk already. I wish you well, @replouiegohmert. But you need to figure out a better option."

The news of Gohmert's diagnosis reverberated on Capitol Hill, raising fresh questions about testing of lawmakers and protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic, and prompted the Justice Department to announce that Attorney General William Barr would be tested.

Late Wednesday, the Justice Department said Barr tested negative.

Gohmert, who has frequently walked about the Capitol without wearing a mask or maintaining social distance from others, was in proximity to the attorney general on Tuesday before a congressional hearing at the Capitol - and both were maskless.

Pelosi announced that she was implementing a new order that will require all lawmakers to wear a mask while appearing on the chamber floor and is also considering other measures to more strictly enforce the wearing of masks across the Capitol complex.

In the spring, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rejected an offer from the Trump administration to get the sort of tests that are now routine at the White House, but Gohmert's diagnosis prompted senior lawmakers to reconsider their opposition on mandatory testing for members of Congress.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said the Trump administration is standing by to help should leaders on Capitol Hill agree on a plan.

News of Gohmert's diagnosis was first reported by Politico.

Gohmert has made dubious claims about the novel coronavirus, mask-wearing and testing as Trump has worn a mask on just a few occasions and some other Republicans have been resistant to the practice, which has become highly politicized.

In May, at a White House event with Trump, Gohmert said, "We had tests and nobody in here has the coronavirus unless it's somebody in the media. So the only reason we would wear masks is if we were trying to protect ourselves from you, in the media. And we're not scared of you."

Gohmert has urged the Food and Drug Administration to approve hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug that Trump has promoted as a treatment that doctors have said is ineffective against the virus, which causes the disease covid-19. In April, Gohmert also said that German hospitals were using a disinfectant powder in mist form to kill the virus for up to 14 days - a claim widely debunked by German health officials who said no such product was being used.

Gohmert said he was in contact with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., one of the first of dozens of lawmakers to test positive for the virus.

"Rand Paul was just texting me that the good news is that in 10 days or so, I should be fairly well immune," Gohmert declared.

Public health experts remain uncertain about whether recovered covid-19 patients are actually immune to the disease, and there are reports of some patients testing positive months after they were first diagnosed. Even after his return to the Senate, Paul, an ophthalmologist, refused to wear a face mask, telling reporters, "I have immunity."

It was not immediately clear in what location Gohmert was planning to self-isolate. His office did not respond to requests for comment. Gohmert is among the dozens of House members who sleep in their offices, according to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, and some of his colleagues voiced concern Wednesday that the lawmaker may continue to do so even after contracting the coronavirus.

"Louie Gohmert lives and sleeps in his Capitol Hill office," Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., said in a tweet. "Now that he's tested positive, he cannot be allowed to quarantine there. He's put Members and staff at enough risk already. I wish you well, @replouiegohmert. But you need to figure out a better option."

In the wake of Gohmert's announcement, Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, announced that she is self-quarantining "out of an abundance of caution" because of recent close contact with the congressman. Granger was seated next to Gohmert on a flight from Texas to Washington on Sunday night, Sarah Flaim, a spokeswoman for the 77-year-old Granger, said in a statement.

Because of the memorial services for the late congressman John Lewis, D-Ga., the full House has held only one roll call vote, at lunchtime Monday, over the past five days, so many lawmakers would not have been around Gohmert in recent days.

Gohmert has typically worn a mask as required during House hearings, including during Tuesday's nearly six-hour testimony by Barr before the House Judiciary Committee.

That session was held in a massive auditorium with lawmakers spaced out, and Gohmert appears to have adhered to the committee rules that one must wear a mask at all times unless it is his or her turn to speak.

Soon after news of Gohmert's diagnosis, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., criticized Gohmert and other Republicans who have declined to wear a mask for "showing no personal responsibility or consideration for others."

Hoyer said Gohmert's positive test should restart consideration for a mandatory testing program for all lawmakers, dozens of whom have been traveling back and forth this summer to states that are considered coronavirus hot spots, such as Texas.

"This is a moment where we ought to discuss it again," Hoyer told reporters on a conference call, suggesting that he would discuss the matter with Pelosi and GOP leaders.

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., chairman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, told reporters Wednesday that he has renewed his push to require regular coronavirus testing for members of Congress who travel, as well as testing for staffers "every couple of weeks or a month."

Ultimately, Blunt said, any proposal will need to garner the support of McConnell and the Capitol physician.

"I think, particularly for members of Congress who are going back and forth, they represent sort of the perfect Petri dish for how you spread a disease - you know, send 535 people out to . . . 535 different locations on about 1,000 different airplanes and bring them back and see what happens," Blunt said. "It seems to me there's a better path forward."

Meadows, too, said Wednesday that it would be "prudent" for congressional leaders to agree to institute testing for members of Congress.

In a brief exchange with reporters, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., confirmed that he and Meadows discussed testing. He also blamed Pelosi for previously rejecting the Trump administration's offer to supply Capitol Hill with rapid coronavirus tests, even though McConnell joined the speaker in writing a joint letter in May declining the proposal.

"Testing would be critical, because people can be here and have it and you would not know," said McCarthy, who referred to Gohmert as "Congressman Covid" before quickly correcting himself.

McConnell's office declined to comment Wednesday on testing members of Congress. The two leaders have indicated that health professionals and others should get priority in testing.

In Wednesday's video, Gohmert pushed back against the notion that he has been lax in wearing face coverings while on Capitol Hill.

"Look, I've worn a mask more the last week or two than I have in the whole last four months. And I was wearing my mask at the Judiciary hearing," he said, adding that "a couple of the other guys weren't wearing the mask."

The blowback from the Gohmert situation did not seem to faze some Republicans, who continued to bemoan the safety precautions in the House.

During a House vote after the news of Gohmert, Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., walked off the House floor and complained about a possible new precaution: closing the chamber between roll call votes to wipe down and sanitize the seats. Lawmakers have been spacing out their votes to ensure social distancing, which means votes take much longer than usual. Cleaning everything in between, Duncan argued, would further slow things down.

"This is crazy!" he said, predicting that zero members of Congress have caught the coronavirus on the floor. "How much is this costing the taxpayers?"

His colleague tried to politely remind him about Gohmert.

- - -

The Washington Post's Rachael Bade, Meagan Flynn, Erica Werner and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report.

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MIAMI, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With Covid-19 impacting the world, and humanity showing a spirit to overcome much like Benigna did at a young age, now more than ever, you will gain an appreciation and connection to these luxury perfumes which will bring joy, happiness, and harmony during these uncertain times.

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Launch event : An event to honor and celebrate the world with our exquisite fragrances to celebrate the world's resilient spirit during these unprecedented times. on July 30th in Paris, France. There will also be a live stream of the celebration party via Twitter , Instagram and Facebook @BenignaParfums. Please join us and view the celebration at 19H (GMT+2) or 1pm (EDT).

Benigna collaborated with Award-winning French Perfumer Cecile Zarokian, to translate her vision into three magnificent scents which represent an homage to her life's journey. This collection is masterfully created for those who desire to seek out superior quality and true distinction. Elegant perfumes that embrace the power of oneness, yet tell a unique story on everyone's skin.

The gender-neutral niche perfumes reflect upon memories of Benigna's childhood and her aspirations in life to overcome obstacles - all achieved through grace, hard work, unwavering ambition, and knowing that even the sky is not the limit. These perfumes were created for those who love and seek out superior quality and distinction.

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Learn more about our Fragrances - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4z9JWt5M-jBsmaFxSVqpWQ
An SPC plant in Tianjin, China / Courtesy of SPC Group



By Nam Hyun-woo



SPC Group has been slapped with a combined 64.7 billion won ($54 million) in fines for charges of unfair trading among its affiliates to help ensure the chairman's sons have a smooth transition to leadership, according to the antitrust agency, Wednesday.



The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) also said it has filed related complaints with the prosecution against SPC Group Chairman Hur Young-in, Paris Croissant CEO Hwang Jae-bok and a number of other group executives.



According to the FTC, the group's affiliates, including Shany, Paris Croissant and BR Korea, have been supporting SPC Samlip to improve its value through various acts of unfair trading between affiliates. SPC companies offered support worth 41.4 billion won over seven years from 2011 to 2018, the FTC said.



Within SPC Group, a bakery giant in Korea, Paris Croissant is the de facto holding firm, controlling other affiliates. For smooth ownership succession, the group needs to raise the stake of Chairman Hur's two sons in Paris Croissant. Hur has a 63.5 percent stake in the company, followed by first son Hur Jin-soo with 20.2 and second son Hur Hee-soo with 12.7 percent.



To this end, the group attempted to improve the value of SPC Samlip, in which Hur Jin-soo holds an 11.68 percent and Hur Hee-soo has 11.94 percent, with the purpose of trading the sons' SPC Samlip shares for shares in Paris Croissant, the FTC said. If SPC Samlip's value was to increase, it would allow the sons to secure more Paris Croissant shares in a potential trade.



From 2011 to 2018, SPC companies have been supporting SPC Samlip through various unfair trades. Shany, which specializes in packaged bread, handed its sales network over to SPC Samlip at a low price and allowed SPC Samlip to use Shany's trademark for free.



For additional help, Paris Croissant and Shany sold their stakes in a milling subsidiary to SPC Samlip at a low price. Paris Croissant, dough maker SPL and BR Korea, which runs Baskin Robbins and Dunkin' here, also purchased raw ingredients and bread produced by eight production affiliates through SPC Samlip, even though the company did not play any role in producing them.



Through these practices, the FTC said SPC Samlip enjoyed 41.4 billion won of unfair benefits, as well as sharp improvements in its earnings. In 2010, SPC Samlip logged 269.3 billion won in sales and a 6.4 billion won operating profit, which jumped to 1 trillion won in sales and 28.7 billion won in operating profit in 2017.
Laced with wit and creativity, Nagpur Police has shared an advisory post. Chances are the post will not only make you giggle but will also remind you how not to wear a mask.

On the occasion of Global Tiger Day 2020, the department has used an image of a tiger along with a caption. The two combined together add the aspect of hilarity to the tweet.

That moment when we see people wearing masks below their nose, the department tweeted. They added an image of a tiger with its paw in front of its face. If you look at the image with the context of the caption then it gives the feel as if the animal is face palming about the fact that some people think its effective to wear mask below their nose.

Take a look at the post to see what were talking about:

That moment when we see people wearing masks below their nose: pic.twitter.com/Hq7x9r3nIM  Nagpur City Police (@NagpurPolice) July 29, 2020

The post, since being shared only a few hours ago, has gathered close to 300 likes  and counting.

In a reply to their own tweet, Nagpur police also wrote Be a Tiger. Wear masks properly along with the hashtag #InternationalTigerDay.

There were some people who shared laughing out loud emojis to express themselves. You guys actually have some really good memes, wrote a Twitter user. The tiger is the king of the jungle, #Nagpur Police is the king of Social Media, commented another. Thank you for creating the awareness, commented a third. Correct, wrote a fourth.

Heres how others reacted:

What do you think of Nagpur Polices post?

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
GRAHAM, N.C. - On Saturday morning, as 100 demonstrators stood in a small downtown plaza chanting racial justice slogans, Barrett Brown decided to raise the stakes.

Brown, the president of the NAACP's area branch, grabbed a cardboard poster and slipped across the line of orange cones that demarcated the legal protest zone. He crossed a traffic circle and stood silently next to the Confederate monument in front of the Alamance County Courthouse.

One of the 12 deputy sheriffs guarding the 30-foot-tall monument, a marble statue of a Confederate soldier atop a granite column, directed Brown to leave. When he refused, the deputy handcuffed him and charged him with resisting an officer and impeding traffic. Three more protesters, including a member of the Alamance County Board of Elections, were arrested a few minutes later on the same charges.

Civil rights activists in this former textile-manufacturing city have been sparring for weeks with elected officials over limits on protests and what constitutes free speech. In addition to the ban on protests at the monument and courthouse, Graham Mayor Jerry Peterman has also declared five states of emergency, citing the potential for "civil unrest" or "severe damage" in this city of 15,600. Most of his emergency orders imposed curfews, and one temporarily suspended all demonstration permits. "Any group(s) attempting to protest without a permit, will be in violation and subject to arrest," the Alamance County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook June 26.

Brown felt frustrated by these restrictions. Cordoning off the monument, he said, glorifies the "Lost Cause," a nostalgic view that bathes the antebellum South in "magnolia and moonlight" and downplays slavery. "I'm tired of people telling me what I can do, and where I can stand, and where I can go," he said, "and having to accommodate a system that's not trying to accommodate us at all."

Earlier this month, the NAACP branch and eight individuals sued Graham and Alamance County's top officials in U.S. District Court. The plaintiffs claim the leaders have abridged their First Amendment rights to free speech and free assembly and their Fourteenth Amendment rights to due process.

"Proximity and symbolism matter when we think about speech," said Kristi Graunke, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, one of several groups representing the plaintiffs. "When you want to challenge white supremacy, when you want to challenge the way that the Lost Cause myth has been perpetuated by public institutions and public systems, where would you go other than the Confederate monument?"

The lawsuit also says that neo-Confederate demonstrators long gathered at the monument without interference.

The police killing of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests, from cities to suburbs to small towns. The events unfolding in Graham lack the drama of cities such as Portland, where federal forces have used tear gas and flash bang grenades to disperse anti-racism protesters. But they raise similar questions about how much municipal officials can limit free speech to avoid unrest.

"The courts have traditionally recognized that local officials dealing with the situations are in the best position to judge how imminent the threat is," says Norma Houston, an emergency-management-law expert at the University of North Carolina School of Government. "[But] there has to be some factual basis. The threat has to be imminent or actual."

Law enforcement has shut down even small, quiet protests in Graham. In late June, a Facebook video shows, at least 10 city and county officers responded to a one-man sunrise vigil at the monument. Colin Dodd, now one of the plaintiffs, said he left before he could be arrested.

None of the 14 defendants agreed to be interviewed about the lawsuit. Peterman and six others said they could not discuss pending litigation.

In a June 27 news release, the Graham Police Department explained that City Hall had suspended protest permits because of a "clear and imminent threat to public safety." Police said they had received "viable intelligence" that Graham had been targeted by a group that "had been involved with other protests in the state that had turned violent."

A few days later, Peterman suggested that he was trying to safeguard civil rights activists by limiting protests. Downtown Graham has been a gathering spot for self-described "Southern rights" advocates who display Confederate flags and sometimes carry weapons. In June, two Elon University professors, one protesting racism and the other taking photos, were assaulted on camera.

"[W]e are being sued by some of the very people we set out to protect," the mayor wrote on Facebook. He later deleted the post.

After the lawsuit was filed, the two sides reached an agreement on one issue. The Graham City Council repealed a 1978 ordinance requiring permits for any assembly of "two or more persons for the purpose of protesting any matter." The ordinance also allowed police to limit gatherings on busy streets to six people.

Still unresolved are the mayor's emergency orders and the ban on protests at the courthouse and Confederate monument. On Tuesday, the plaintiffs asked the court for a temporary restraining order that would, in effect, prevent a repeat of last Saturday's arrests. The new motion said Graham's emergency orders are "unsupported by actual or imminent emergencies."

The history of Graham's courthouse square makes the access issue particularly charged. In 1870, during an outbreak of white-supremacist violence, members of the Ku Klux Klan kidnapped a Black town commissioner named Wyatt Outlaw. They dragged him to the courthouse and hanged him from a tree. According to a news report, witnesses found a card pinned to his body that said, "Beware! you guilty parties - both white and black."

One of those implicated in the murder, but never convicted, was Jacob Long, the leader of two local Klan chapters. In 1914, Long helped unveil the Confederate monument. "It is well for us . . . to recall the achievements of the great and good of our own race and blood," he said that day.

Race relations here remain tense. In 2016, Alamance Sheriff Terry Johnson signed a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department to dismiss an appeal of a federal lawsuit accusing him of targeting Latinos. (A lower court had found in Johnson's favor.) In May, at an Alamance County Board of Commissioners meeting, commissioner William Lashley, a former police officer, said of today's law enforcement standards: "You can't do now what we could do when I was on. We used to beat the hell out of them." He later apologized.

In June, a video circulated on social media of someone showing off a gun at a downtown store and saying, "No looting in Graham." According to the Burlington Times-News, the business is co-owned by Jennifer Talley, a city council member. Talley did not respond to interview requests but told the Times-News that she had not authorized the display of firearms.

"There's a pall over the city," said the Rev. Tamara Kersey, associate pastor at Graham's Wayman Chapel AME Church and a plaintiff in the lawsuit. "There's like this cloud."

Graham city manager Frankie Maness, a defendant, said City Hall is working to improve the racial climate by talking with residents, recruiting minority job candidates and adopting policing policies like a ban on chokeholds. "People of color are certainly welcome [in Graham]," he said. "If you experience anything contrary to that, I would like to know about it. I would like to address it."

As the lawsuit awaits a hearing, more than 300 elected officials, faith leaders, business owners and others have called for the relocation of the Confederate statue. The list includes the mayor of nearby Burlington and the president of Elon University.

A 2015 state law makes it difficult to remove monuments from public land absent a "threat to public safety." In an email to county commissioners advocating for relocation, Bryan Hagood, the Alamance County manager, raised the specter of a violent confrontation between law enforcement and protesters. "I believe this would be a terrible thing for Alamance County," he wrote, "to have someone seriously injured or killed by one of our deputies or a Graham Police Officer in an altercation that began as protecting the memorial."

At Saturday's rally, speakers took comfort in the mounting calls for relocation. After leading a round of chants, emcee Azurre Walker-Roberson pointed across the traffic circle to the deputies guarding the monument. "If we weren't close to winning," she said, "I promise you, they wouldn't be over there."
A second woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud involving a former Birmingham-area psychology clinic that defrauded the Alabama Medicaid Agency of at least $1.5 million.

Heidi Elizabeth Robertson, 35, entered her plea in the case that centered on counseling services that were never provide, according to a joint statement issued Wednesday by Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services OIG Special Agent in Charge Derrick Jackson.

Authorities say Robertson was the primary biller for Capstone Medical Resources LLC which filed false claims for individual and group counseling services for at-risk youth. The owner of the facility, former Birmingham psychologist Sharon D. Waltz, pleaded guilty in 2019 and is awaiting sentencing in federal court.

The Program Integrity Division of the Alabama Medicaid Agency launched an investigation after an audit showed that billings submitted by Capstone for counseling services had increased from $99,000 in 2015 to more than $2 million in 2017. The Program Integrity Division referred its findings to the Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit after Waltz submitted falsified records during the Program Integrity Audit.

A subsequent investigation was conducted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Office of Investigations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. This investigation determined that the majority of claims submitted by Capstone during 2016 through 2018 were fraudulent.

Robertsons role in the scheme included submitting claims using the Medicaid identifications of the children of friends and family members for counseling services that never took place. Waltz paid Robertson a 10 percent commission for all claims paid by Medicaid. Robertson was employed by Waltz from 2016 through late 2017.

The defendants actions demonstrated reckless disregard for at-risk youth, Escalona said. The U.S. Attorneys Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the members of our community that are the most vulnerable, our children.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services OIG, the Alabama Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Program Integrity Division of the Alabama Medicaid Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward and Assistant Attorney General Bruce Lieberman, working as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, prosecuted.

This defendant engaged in an illegal and immoral scheme to profit at the expense of children in need by claiming payment for services that were never provided,' Marshall said. As Attorney General, I stand committed with the U.S. Attorney and the Department of Health and Human Services to punish those who plunder the public treasury and betray the at-risk youth they were entrusted to serve.

Let this be a warning to medical billers around the State of Alabama that if you facilitate the submission of fraudulent claims, you will be held accountable for your actions, said Jackson.
As soon as he stepped away from the podium, we would have blasted him the way we did McConnell for acting as though he supported Lewis political positions. It was sickening to hear McConnell repeat Kings words, The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice, though he is actively blocking a bipartisan bill to restore voter protections the U.S. Supreme Court removed from the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The landmark bill came about as a result of the lifes work of King, Lewis and other civil rights champions.
Pilgrims were quarantined Tuesday in the Muslim holy city of Mecca ahead of the dramatically downsized hajj as Saudi authorities strive to prevent a coronavirus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage. Up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom will participate in the annual ritual starting Wednesday, according to hajj officials, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million international pilgrims that attended last year. Those selected to take part in this year's hajj were subject to temperature checks and placed in quarantine as they began trickling into Mecca at the weekend. State media showed health workers sanitising their luggage, and some pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts. Workers, clutching brooms and disinfectant, were seen cleaning the area around the Kaaba, the structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque draped in gold-embroidered cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray. Hajj authorities have cordoned the Kaaba this year, saying pilgrims will not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection. They also reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims, who will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing. "There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but it is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic," Khalid bin Qarar Al-Harbi, Saudi Arabia's director of public security, told reporters on Monday. Some 70 percent of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in the kingdom, while the rest will be Saudi citizens. All worshippers were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in Mecca and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the kingdom nears 270,000 -- one of the largest outbreaks in the Middle East. They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilised pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the ihram, a seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a hajj ministry programme document. - 'Indescribable feeling' - The foreign press are barred from this year's hajj, usually a huge global media event, as the government tightens access to Mecca. Saudi authorities initially said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom would be permitted for the hajj but local media reports say as many as 10,000 will be allowed to take part. The hajj ministry has fielded a deluge of anguished queries on Twitter from rejected applicants. But Hajj Minister Mohammad Benten insisted the process was transparent, telling the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television that "health determinants" formed the basis of selection. "I did not expect, among millions of Muslims, to be blessed with approval," Emirati pilgrim Abdullah Al-Kathiri said in a video released by the Saudi media ministry. "It is an indescribable feeling... especially since it is my first pilgrimage." The ministry said non-Saudi residents of the kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process. But it did not explain how many applied, and some disappointed pilgrims have complained that the government-run lottery was not clearly outlined and say no reason was given for their rejection. Despite the pandemic, many pilgrims consider it is safer to participate in this year's ritual without the usual colossal crowds cramming into tiny religious sites, which make it a logistical nightmare and a health hazard. Even in a regular year, the hajj leaves pilgrims exposed to a host of viral illnesses. The government scaled back the pilgrimage as it could be a major source of contagion, but the move will deepen the kingdom's economic slump, analysts say. It comes as Saudi Arabia faces a sharp downturn in oil prices due to a collapse in global demand driven by national lockdowns, which triggered austerity measures including the tripling of a value added tax and cuts to civil servants' allowances. The hajj and the year-round umrah pilgrimages together rake in some $12 billion (10.3 billion euros) annually.
VATICAN CITY (RNS)  For French Catholics, the recent fire at the cathedral of Nantes is yet another sign that their religion is in danger.

Over the past week, theyve felt both anger and profound sadness after seeing another beloved cathedral in flames, only to learn that the fire was deliberately set by one of their own.

A volunteer who worked as an altar server at the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Nantes, France, confessed on Sunday (July 26) to setting the fire that damaged stained-glass windows of the historic Gothic church.

We are split by contradictory feelings: stupor, incomprehension, anger towards a man who has abused the trust which was placed in him; but also compassion for this man who made this crazy gesture, read a statement by the Diocese of Nantes published on its website on Tuesday.

The fire at the medieval church came only 15 months after an accidental blaze destroyed the vault and spire of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris during Holy Week.

For some Catholics, the fire at Nantes is yet another heavy blow to the shrinking community, but also a symbol of Catholicism becoming a minority religion in France.

While Catholics make up 41% of the French population, the number of practicing faithful may be as low as 5%.

And attacks on Christians have been on the rise in recent years.

In 2019 there were 1,052 anti-Christian hate crimes in France, which is almost twice the amount of cases of anti-Semitism and 10 times the number of anti-Muslim acts, according to data released annually by the French Ministry of the Interior.

The Nantes fire hit Catholics particularly hard, Thierry Sanson, manager and founder of the Catholic pilgrimage service Lumen Terra, told Religion News Service in an interview on Monday.

For French Catholics, its a new disaster, he said. We saw the cathedral of Nantes burning and we wonder what is the sign of the Lord for our church in France? he said.

Sanson said he felt personally affected by the disaster, since he lived in Nantes for 15 years and his mother still lives in the city in the northwest of France.

He described the experience of living as a Catholic in France as being part of a minority that is deeply split. The church, he said, lacks strong and vocal leadership while facing obstacles and hate.

Sometimes we feel like we are living Holy Saturday. Its a big silence. We feel that Jesus has died and there is no hope, he said, referring to the day on the Christian calendar between the crucifixion and the resurrection.

Year after year we dont feel at home in France, he added.

Reaction on social media to the blaze was a mixed bag of comforting words and hate speech against Catholics.

Some tweets suggested that the blaze was a part of a conspiracy. Others were happy to see the cathedral in flames.

Some people hate the church and Catholics, said French Catholic Arnaud Boutheon, co-founder of a yearly national event dedicated to evangelization, Congres Mission, in phone interviews.

There is a mix of sadness and anger. We feel its unfair, why all these attacks against Catholics? he asked.

The online debate surrounding the blaze of the Nantes cathedral was exacerbated by the fact that the man who admitted to the crime was an asylum-seeker from Rwanda.

Immediately after the fire on July 18, French police began investigating possible arson. Since they found no evidence of a break-in, they took into custody a 39-year-old who worked as an altar server at the cathedral and was in charge of closing it after hours.

The man, identified only as Emmanuel, was immediately released, according to published reports.

Upon further questioning on Sunday, the suspect reportedly admitted to starting the fire. His lawyer told local media that his client was consumed by remorse.

The suspect, who is presumed innocent under French law, could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $175,000 for destruction and damages caused by the fire if convicted, according to the AFP news agency.

We are not here to judge but to evangelize and be joyful, Boutheon said, I think that the best thing is to pray for this guy, to pray for his soul because he certainly feels very, very guilty.

As in many other countries, debates surrounding immigration are high-strung in France. The Catholic Church, under the leadership of Pope Francis, has adopted a strong pro-immigration stance that has garnered both praise and scorn.

The Diocese of Nantes confirmed to RNS on Tuesday that it had helped the suspect apply for refugee status when he moved to France between three and four years ago and also helped him find a living accommodation in a home run by the Catholic community.

The diocese also stated that Emmanuel was a Catholic and a regular Mass-goer who was well accepted by the community.

What reasons could have led him to commit this senseless act? It is up to Justice to establish it, said the diocese in its statement.

We are not taking the place of those charged with investigating and imposing a conviction. But we will ensure that the bruising suffered by our cathedral church is not added to that inflicted on the Church of Christ by hatred and denial of brotherhood.

The reputation of the Catholic Church in France has also been tarnished by the sex-abuse scandals and cover-up involving several high-profile members of the clergy. The combination of these factors, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which deeply affected religious congregations around the globe, has left French faithful feeling like Catholicism and Christianity is softly disappearing.

Yes, we are not happy, said Boutheon. We are not here to worship and adore buildings. We need to read all these events with the light of faith.

READ THIS STORY AT RELIGIONNEWS.COM.

Article originally published by Religion News Service. Used with permission.

Photo courtesy: RNS/AP Photo/Laetitia Notarianni
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:31:39|Editor: huaxia

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FREETOWN, July 29 (Xinhua) -- China has donated face masks and other items to Sierra Leone as the two countries celebrated their 49th anniversary of diplomatic relations on Wednesday.

The donated items include 3,000 surgical face masks, 300 T-shirts, some caps, solar flashlights, pencil cases, stationeries, school bags, raincoats, mosquito nets, and sewing machines.

The two countries have enjoyed a fruitful and reliable friendship over the years, which has led to several development activities achieved on both sides, said Hu Zhangliang, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, as he handed over the donated items by the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone to Sierra Leone's Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs to promote women's and children's welfare.

Hu described the day as "great and memorable", saying the two countries have been trusted friends no matter what situation arises.

"We have enjoyed truthful cooperation in various fields like agriculture, health, and education," he added.

Hu further commended the fruitful outcomes achieved over the years by the two countries and pledged China's continued support to the government and people of Sierra Leone.

On July 29, 1971, China and Sierra Leone formally established diplomatic ties. Enditem
The fight in Congress over the next round of coronavirus relief legislation is shaping up to be a long one, and that's bad news for the economy and the stock market.

Why it matters: Assistance from the government and the Fed has been an integral part of the stock market's rally since March 23.

The big picture: And, with upwards of 32 million people receiving unemployment benefits and record bankruptcies and business closures expected (as well as a possible wave of evictions from newly unemployed renters), the latest fight on Capitol Hill carries significant weight.

What's happening: The rebound and relative calm in financial markets have seemingly unraveled the spirit of unity and urgency that pushed through the $2.2 trillion CARES Act in March.

The House, Senate and White House remain far apart on a final bill that was supposed to be put to a vote before the end of this week, Axios' Alayna Treene and Marisa Fernandez reported Tuesday.

Between the lines: Its a mess. I cant figure out what this bills about," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said yesterday.

"We have no idea what the final bill will be, and well be the last to know, Hawley added, suggesting the White House, not Senate leadership, would be negotiating with House Democrats.

What we're hearing: The U.S. economy is "still in a really bad place," Claudia Sahm, director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, tells Axios.

"The CARES Act was written and designed for us to be back on our feet in July. That was a mistake, to think that the world would be better. It is not and now [Congress] needs to do more and they need to do a lot more."

$4 trillion in aid is closer to what's needed than the Senate's $1 trillion proposal, she says.

By the numbers: The extra $600 in weekly unemployment insurance benefits that effectively expired Saturday has been called the most effective part of the CARES Act as it helped maintain Americans' income and spending despite a tsunami of job losses.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis found the enhanced benefits increased incomes by $842 billion in May, on an annual basis.

The last word: "Theres plenty of evidence that economic recovery has stalled, and may have taken a step backward," Michael R. Strain, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote in a Bloomberg op-ed Monday.
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Earlier this month, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper made an announcement. Actually, he made more of a non-announcement: He wasnt sure whether North Carolina schools would reopen this fall.

A few hours later, the state governments website, which handles parents applications to homeschool, crashed. According to the error message, the crash was due to an overwhelming number of submissions.

Like so many problems brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 pandemic, the schooling crisis doesnt have an easy solution. (Last week, Governor Cooper gave schools Plan B and Plan C for reopening, but not, apparently, Plan A.)

Since the Spring, school officials have sounded the alarm on distance and digital learning, saying its not enough. At the end of May, Chicago Public Schools reported they had had zero contact with more than 2,000 students since schools had closed in March. This was after schools had sent more than 120,000 laptops and tablets to kids homes. And, earlier this month, education officials in South Carolina said theyd lost contact with more than 16,000 students. Similar anecdotes continue to emerge from other states. Announcing, as so many schools did in mid-March, that grades would be frozen for the year, probably didnt help.

Meanwhile, many parents are also saying that online school, at least the kind hastily created of necessity this spring, is not working. Many are stuck juggling their own work-from-home jobs with their kids school needs, trying to share tech devices and limited bandwidth among multiple family members.

While some health and government officials warn that a return to five-day-a-week in-person school in the fall will be too risky, the Secretary of Education is pushing for reopening schools nationwide. Its a high-stakes Catch-22.

This is the time for good-old-fashioned Christian innovation in education.

My friend Todd Marrah is the superintendent of Tree of Life Christian Schools in Columbus, Ohio. Because Tree of Life prioritizes smaller class sizes, they have the space inside their schools to allow kids to come back full-time in the fall while following strict social distancing guidelines. At the same time, some of Ohios public school districts are planning for students to come back just two days a week  at most.

Of course, the pandemic and its shutdowns have caused real trouble for private and Christian schools. Most rely on donations and tuition to stay afloat, revenue streams that are strained for many. Some private schools, like six Catholic academies in Brooklyn and Queens alone, will close.

For those able to stay open, however, this is a moment for Christian education to shine brighter. Parents who didnt consider private school in the past might now consider it. If they do, they should be pleased to find that these schools are more innovative and successful than theyre often portrayed to be. Yes, they lack government funds, but that comes with the freedom to try new things, to pursue what works and to leave behind what doesnt. It also means they dont have to include Planned Parenthood presentations to or the New York Times historically iffy and ideologically-motivated 1619 Project in their curriculum.

Tree of Life and many other schools I know of are already innovating. Parents can choose whether to send their kids to the classroom full-time this fall or to take advantage of a fully online curriculum.

Private schools have been serving and improving their communities for years. Maybe this unique challenge will allow them to demonstrate their value new and compelling ways. Maybe more states will adopt programs similar to the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts in Arizona, which allows parents to use their public school tax dollars to pay for private or home-schooling instead.

Our friends at the Home School Legal Defense Association are also expecting a migration to homeschooling this fall among parents who hadnt considered it before. Homeschooling is no small undertaking, and its not possible for everybody, but HSLDAs website has great resources for families considering that option. Theyre also keeping a helpful tally of the way different states are making homeschooling easier for families this coming year.

There is no doubt that this fall is going to be tough, for families, for teachers, for school administrators, for government officials, and for kids. Still, like every other curveball this pandemic has thrown at us, God isnt surprised. Maybe Hes using this pandemic to use His people to start another educational renaissance.

Originally published at BreakPoint
Forex and CFD online trading platform Skilling pushed forward with its 2020 global expansion, extending its physical presence to London, UK, under its new senior appointment, David Berg. David joined Skilling Group earlier this month as a global sales director and is in charge of creating a global commercial customer facing division for Skilling in the UK.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005382/en/

Forex and CFD online trading platform Skilling pushed forward with its 2020 global expansion, extending its physical presence to London, UK. (Photo: Business Wire)

Commenting on the appointment, Pavel Spirin, CCO at Skilling Group has said:

"London is a global financial centre and a key location for us in terms of growth and further expansion. Not only does it give us access to, probably, the world's most diverse talent pool but also positions us well for building key relationships in the industry with our customers, suppliers, and regulatory authorities. David is a key hire for us, and I am very excited to see it through."

Skilling has already obtained an FCA UK Branch authorisation earlier this year, to continue operating in the UK after Brexit, and will initially open a representative office in London to accommodate its immediate hiring and strategic goals in 2020, with further evaluation to follow at the end of the year.

David joins Skilling with over 13 years of industry experience having previously served in various senior sales and commercial roles at ActivTrades, ATFX, eToro, London Capital Group, among others.

"I am thrilled to join Skilling at such an exciting stage in the company's growth cycle and look forward to driving the sales and commercial operations from London with new product offerings and initiatives,'' David said, commenting on his new role at Skilling Group.

Founded in 2016, Skilling holds CySEC and FSA Seychelles licences, and an FCA UK Branch authorisation. The trading platform primarily operates in Europe, but expanded into non-European markets earlier this year with the acquisition of FSA Seychelles licence and addition of MetaTrader 4 trading platform.

69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005382/en/

Contacts:

Skilling Group

Pavel Spirin

Chief Commercial Officer

marketing@skilling.com
Today is a historic day for four CEOs of the most powerful companies in the world: Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple's Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerburg, and Google's Sundar Pichai. Each of these men will be answering questions from U.S. lawmakers. And each will try to defend their companies' business practices.

In advance of the hearing, each executive was given the opportunity to present a written statement. Both Tim Cook's and Sundar Pichai's statements were a tad over 1,300 words long. Mark Zuckerberg's was more than double that, coming in just short of 2,800 words (complete with subheadings).

But Jeff Bezos's statement blows the others out of the water:

It's a whopping 4,540 words long.

Maybe it's because this is the first time Bezos is testifying. (Pichai, Zuckerberg, and Cook have all appeared before Congress previously.) Or maybe it's because Bezos has a special fondness for the written word.

But as I read Bezos's statement this morning, which he published on Amazon's official blog, I couldn't ignore the lessons it teaches in emotional intelligence--both for good and quite possibly for evil.

Here are some of the highlights, along with my comments.

It's a masterpiece in storytelling

Amazon's chief begins by telling the story of his mom, who gave birth to Bezos as "a 17-year-old high school student in Albuquerque." Bezos talks about his mom's determination to finish her education, attending night school with little baby Bezos in tow.

He follows with the story of his dad, Miguel, a Cuban immigrant who adopted Jeff when he was 4. "He didn't speak English and didn't have an easy path," writes Bezos. "What he did have was a lot of grit and determination." Bezos's father ended up studying in Albuquerque, where he met Bezos's mother.

Bezos then speaks of his grandparents, focusing on his grandfather--a civil servant and rancher who taught Bezos the lesson of self-reliance and resourcefulness. "When you're in the middle of nowhere, you don't pick up a phone and call somebody when something breaks," Bezos writes about his grandfather. "You fix it yourself."

Bezos tells of the many "seemingly unsolvable problems" his grandfather was able to resolve, from "restoring a broken-down Caterpillar bulldozer" to "doing his own veterinary work."

"[My] grandfather taught me that you can take on hard problems," writes Bezos. "When you have a setback, you get back up and try again. You can invent your way to a better place."

Each of these stories helps to humanize Bezos. They paint the picture, not of the person who would become the richest man in the world, but of a man with humble roots.

No regrets

Next, Bezos talks about the beginning of Amazon, an idea that began simply: "an online bookstore with millions of titles."

When Bezos told his boss at a New York City investment firm that he was leaving to pursue this dream, his boss responded: "You know what, Jeff, I think this is a good idea, but it would be a better idea for somebody who didn't already have a good job."

The boss persuaded Bezos to think things over for two days before making a decision. This was very emotionally intelligent advice: You don't want to make a permanent decision based on a temporary emotion. But, for Bezos, there would be no turning back.

"When I'm 80 and reflecting back," writes Bezos, "I want to have minimized the number of regrets that I have in my life. And most of our regrets are acts of omission--the things we didn't try, the paths untraveled. Those are the things that haunt us. And I decided that if I didn't at least give it my best shot, I was going to regret not trying to participate in this thing called the internet that I thought was going to be a big deal."

Grit and resilience

Bezos goes on to detail Amazon's many stumbles through the years. Cumulative losses of nearly $3 billion by the year 2001 (the first year Amazon produced a profitable quarter).

"At the pinnacle of the internet bubble," writes Bezos, "our stock price peaked at $116, and then, after the bubble burst, our stock went down to $6. Experts and pundits thought we were going out of business."

Bezos and company stuck with it, and Amazon eventually reached financial success.

But it took a lot of risk-taking to get there

"In addition to good luck and great people," writes Bezos, "we have been able to succeed as a company only because we have continued to take big risks. To invent you have to experiment, and if you know in advance that it's going to work, it's not an experiment."

For example, analysts couldn't understand why a company known first as a bookseller would get into the business of selling digital storage and server capacity, the backbone of Amazon Web Services (AWS). And while AWS eventually turned out to be a smashing success, it was alongside the many risks that didn't work out. (Remember the Amazon Fire phone, anyone?)

"Amazon has made billions of dollars of failures," writes Bezos. "Failure inevitably comes along with invention and risk-taking, which is why we try to make Amazon the best place in the world to fail."

How to use empathy

One of the key reasons Amazon became such a powerhouse is the company's relentless focus on the customer.

"Customers are always beautifully, wonderfully dissatisfied, even when they report being happy and business is great," writes Bezos. "Even when they don't yet know it, customers want something better, and a constant desire to delight customers drives us to constantly invent on their behalf."

It was this focus, says Bezos, that inspired one of the company's most successful initiatives: Amazon Prime. "No customer ever asked Amazon to create the Prime membership program," writes Bezos. "But it sure turns out they wanted it."

This extreme focus goes beyond what typical companies do; it's a real-life example of how to use empathy in the business world. Because if you can put yourself in the shoes of your customer, you can better understand them--and better satisfy them.

Business is about winning trust

"Customer trust is hard to win and easy to lose," writes Bezos. "When you let customers make your business what it is, then they will be loyal to you--right up to the second that someone else offers them better service."

Bezos continues, "You earn trust slowly, over time, by doing hard things well. Delivering on time; offering everyday low prices; making promises and keeping them; making principled decisions, even when they're unpopular; and giving customers more time to spend with their families by inventing more convenient ways of shopping, reading, and automating their homes."

In my book EQ Applied, I compare all relationships--including the one between business and customer--to a bridge. Any strong bridge must be built on a solid foundation--and for relationships, that foundation is trust.

Criticism is a gift--if you allow it to be

Bezos has long made it clear that Amazon makes decisions based on long-term value, not shortsighted gains. But that doesn't mean the company is always right.

"When we're criticized for those choices, we listen and look at ourselves in the mirror," writes Bezos. "When we think our critics are right, we change. When we make mistakes, we apologize. But when you look in the mirror, assess the criticism, and still believe you're doing the right thing, no force in the world should be able to move you."

The ability to assess and process all kinds of feedback--even negative feedback--is a mark of emotional intelligence.

I like to compare feedback to a freshly mined diamond. Although unattractive to the naked eye, the rock's value becomes obvious once it's cut and polished. Negative feedback is like that unpolished diamond: To the recipient, it's ugly. But it's often rooted in truth, providing insight you can use to grow.

And even if the feedback is off base, it's still valuable--because it can help you understand others' perspectives. Because if one person feels this way about your message, you can count on others feeling similar. Knowing this can help you clarify your message so that others understand it better, or help you to prepare yourself for future criticism.

Either way, much like a diamond cutter can take a raw diamond and turn it into a thing of beauty, you can turn criticism into a learning experience.

Using emotions to influence--for good or bad

It's here that Bezos's statement begins to take a turn.

Knowing that Congress is likely to challenge and criticize Amazon, Bezos attempts to show all the ways his company helps individuals, helps the U.S., and even helps the world. He knows that raw data won't accomplish that alone; so he combines data with storytelling to try to evoke an emotional response.

For example, throughout several paragraphs of his statement, Bezos highlights Amazon's:

Focus on providing jobs within local communities

Numerous company programs and employee benefits

Individual employees, including numerous personal names and stories

Direct and indirect investments into the American economy

Efforts regarding Covid-19

Relatively high minimum wage of $15 per hour

Contribution to shareholder wealth, including investors like fire, police, and school teacher pension funds, as well as 401(k) mutual funds and university endowments

Contributions to support initiatives focused on reversing climate change

Opening of Washington State's largest homeless shelter

To conclude, Bezos gets patriotic, in an effort to appeal to lawmakers' nationalism. He brings the story full circle, drawing on his father's immigrant background. He even compares the U.S. to Amazon itself, saying that it's "still Day One" for America, alluding to Amazon's philosophy of always thinking like a small company, always striving to keep itself from going out of business.

But it's here is where I urge readers to be careful. Because, while the use of emotions to persuade or influence others isn't always bad, it can be used to blind an audience to the truth.

I don't agree with everything in Bezos's statement. But I find it's an excellent case study of how emotional intelligence works in the real world.
Samuel Young, 23, was arrested Monday on suspicion of attempted homicide after he allegedly shot and wounded two people at a weekend protest in Aurora, Colorado

A man who shot and wounded two demonstrators at a protest in Colorado over the weekend has been arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide.

Samuel Young, 23, was taken into custody on Monday in the Denver suburb of Wheat Ridge.

Investigators said Young was among the hundreds of protesters who were blocking Interstate 225 in neighboring Aurora on Saturday when a Jeep managed to pass through barricades and barreled toward the crowd.

Young allegedly raised his rifle and was aiming at the Jeep when he opened fire, striking one male protester in the leg and grazing another man's head.

'It was the most reckless thing I have seen in a long time,' Aurora's Deputy Chief Harry Glidden said.

Investigators are still trying to determine why the driver of the Jeep sped into the protesters as they demonstrated the death of Elijah McClain, a black man who died after being stopped by police in Aurora last year.

No one was struck by the vehicle as the crowds parted in time.

Police say Young was aiming at a Jeep that barreled into a crowd of protesters on a highway in Aurora on Saturday when he accidentally shot two demonstrators. A man can be seen pointing a gun down the highway in the photo above

Investigators are still trying to determine how and why the driver of the Jeep passed through barricades before driving into the crowd of protesters on Interstate 225

A man is seen pointing a gun at the Jeep after it came to a stop on the highway

The Jeep driver has not yet been arrested or identified publicly. Police said they are waiting for more information about how it ended up on the closed roadway before considering charges.

CBS4 reported that the driver has since hired an attorney, who told the outlet that his client has been unfairly labeled as a 'white supremacist and terrorist' - which he said 'couldn't be further from the truth'.

Young is currently being held at the Jefferson County jail on four counts of attempted murder and is scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment on Wednesday.

Authorities had published two photos of a person of interest that were submitted by a witness at the scene on Sunday and asked the public for help in identifying him.

Authorities released two photos of a person of interest on Sunday and asked the public for help in identifying him

The Jeep did not strike any protesters and its driver has not yet been arrested

Aurora Police officers and volunteer medics tend to a protester who was shot and wounded when a suspect identified as Young opened fire on the highway on Saturday

It appears that their plea for information proved successful as Young was arrested the following day.

CBS4 spoke to one woman who said she contacted police after recognizing him as one of her classmates from the University of Colorado.

'I just saw a post on Instagram, and it had the article with a picture of someone with a CU (University of Colorado) shirt, and it said justice for Elijah McClain, and I recognized him from freshman year,' she said.

'I am very very supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement so it was really upsetting.'

The woman, who was not named, said that Young worked in a residence hall at the university in Boulder. The man in the person-of-interest photos appears to be wearing a shirt that says 'Res Life'.

A witness to Saturday's shooting had told police that the suspect was carrying an 'old school wild west gun' at the protest.

They described how the suspect 'entered a state of shock' after he opened fire and appeared 'horrified at what he did'.

While a small group of protesters have praised Young for attempting to stop the Jeep driver, police condemned his actions as shockingly irresponsible.

'It's the height of somebody doesn't know how to handle a firearm,' Glidden said. 'It's not the place to pull a gun and randomly shoot it.'

Protest medics tend to an injured demonstrator who police believe was shot by a fellow protester while on Interstate 225 in Aurora on Saturday
InStyle 25: Jessica Alba looks Back at Her InStyle Covers

12 years, 3 kids, and an entire company later, @JessicaAlba says not much has changed since her first InStyle cover shoot. I was a dork! Still a dork. #InStyle25

Yes, even Jessica Alba is an embarrassing mom.

The actress and Honest Company co-founder recently appeared in an ASMR video with her pal Lizzy Mathis as well as Albas very own first-born daughter, 12-year-old Honor Warren.

Alba kicked things off by calling the pre-teen a nickname she did not appear to appreciate (Honor-cita-mama-mita). I dont think she likes when I call her that, but its OK because I pushed her out of my body, the multi-hyphenate said to the camera.

Youre 12. Do you feel bad for me that Im not 28 anymore? Alba asked her daughter, noting the approximate age she was when she had her (according to the internet, she was actually 27).

No, Honor replied.

The video, at its core, revolved around the three guests eating acai bowls, a meal both Alba and her daughter first ate while on a trip to Brazil. When asked how the acai bowls Alba had prepared compared to those theyd eaten in Brazil, Honor rated them a 4 out of 10. Thats not nice, Honor, Alba chided.

This is going to be the cringiest video in the whole world, Honor told her co-hosts as they crunched on granola and berries.

RELATED: Jessica Alba Has a Brilliant Hack For Avoiding Morning Hair Flyaways

Midway through their bowls, Alba attempted to wipe her daughters mouth, to which the 12-year-old naturally resisted. Honor, I wiped your ass for a long time, the actress reminded her.

The video ended with a call to action from Honor: Dont watch this video while eating this, she said, pointing at the bowl.
The only participant in Netflixs Indian Matchmaking who came close to finding a life partner was Akshay. But despite a roka ceremony having been performed, it was soon learned that Akshay had broken off his engagement with Radhika, a woman from Udaipur, chosen from among the many options that Akshay had been presented with.

In a video shared by Netflix India, Akshay said that he called off the engagement not because there was anything wrong with Radhika, but because he couldnt bring himself to hold a conversation with her. When I met her we tried talking, till the ritual happened. The entire night I couldnt sleep. Im just like what is going on with my life.

Akshay in the show is shown to be perpetually pestered by his mother to find a bride. He was 25 during filming. I couldnt even hold a conversation with this girl for five minutes, he said. So how am I supposed to spend the rest of my life with her?

Also read: Indian Matchmakings Sima Taparia reacts to not being able to match a single person on the Netflix show

To the Los Angeles Times, Akshay had said after the shows premiere, A few days later, there were some things which we found out that did not go down well with us, and eventually I called it off. But in the new video, he said, Its not that theres something wrong with the person, its just that were two completely different people, I cant see myself spending the rest of my life with her.

He said that after thinking about it, he told his parents that he cant go through with the marriage. Its like a burden (lifted). I feel so free, he said, about coming clean.

Like Akshay, none of the participants in the show ended up with a life partner. Matchmaker Sima Taparia told Hindustan Times that shes disappointed by this, but that its all up to destiny.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Arizona, once the rock-solid Republican home of party legends John McCain and Barry Goldwater, could well have its first Democratic legislature in almost three decades next year.

If it does, Republicans will have covid-19 to blame.

Arizona's Senate and House are among 13 chambers in seven states that the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is targeting, as polling suggests the party is poised for its best Election Day in years -- and that the pandemic is hurting the GOP. Democrats are targeting disgruntled independents, highlighting President Donald Trump's haphazard covid response and pounding related issues like access to health care.

"There is no doubt that the Democrats are feeling their oats," said Tim Storey, executive director of the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures. "The first ballots go out in September in some states. This election is going to start in just five or six weeks."

Cook Political report analyst Louis Jacobson this month shifted his predictions for eight chambers, six held by Republicans, in the Democratic direction. One reason the GOP is on defense is that the party has the most seats to defend. Republicans have held most statehouses for nearly a decade. Even after the 2018 election eroded that dominance, the party controls 60% of legislative chambers nationwide.

Partisan switches could bring policy changes on gun control, education funding, environmental rules, Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, abortion and voting rights. They could also decide in most states the critical question of which party will draw legislative and congressional district maps for the coming decade.

Republican-drawn maps from 2011 have spawned years of court battles. Some made it impossible for Democrats to win legislative majorities even while dominating the popular vote. One disenfranchised North Carolina's black voters with "almost surgical precision," according to the federal judge who threw it out.

This year, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is on track to raise $50 million to flip seats, 10 times what it raised in 2010. The party's 2020 targets include House chambers in Michigan, Texas and Iowa, the Minnesota Senate, and both chambers in Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. There are also longer shots like Kansas and Wisconsin, where Democrats are trying to block Republican supermajorities capable of overriding governors' vetoes.

Virus politics can play to both parties, and some Republicans have positioned themselves as champions of freedom opposed to dictatorial public health rules. But polling suggests Republicans are suffering the greatest damage, particularly in recent weeks. A Gallup survey released July 14 found a sharp downturn in public satisfaction with Republican governors' handling of the pandemic.

The Republican State Leadership Committee, the counterpart to the DLCC, didn't respond to a request for comment.

In many states, Trump is the main Democratic foil.

Sensing buyer's remorse over Michigan's narrow 2016 vote for Trump, Democrats there are comparing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's swift reaction to covid-19 to the president's nonchalance. Democrats need just four wins in the 110-seat House of Representatives to gain control. Three are in the Detroit suburbs where Trump is unpopular and Whitmer's pandemic response plays well, said DLCC President Jessica Post.

The party sees Trump's pandemic response as a message in itself: "Trump has put the Republican party in a horrible position on Covid," Post said.

In some competitive states, like North Carolina and Texas, Democrats are hammering hardest on the fact that legislatures haven't expanded Medicaid.

Brandy Chambers, a Democrat running for the Texas House of Representatives in Dallas's northern suburbs, said expansion is a big part of her pitch in a state where 18% lack insurance.

"The need for it has really been highlighted in the pandemic," she said. "It's no longer just that knee-jerk 'no.' People are willing to listen."

In Minnesota, where Democrats need to win two seats to take the Senate, the squabble is about masks. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka has blasted Democratic Gov. Tim Walz's mandate as "heavy handed," and Walz called the opposition "ginned up, like whether you're wearing a flag lapel pin or not."

In Arizona, Republicans have a two-seat majority in the House and a three-seat edge in the Senate. The Cook Political Report rates both as toss-ups.

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey's action -- and inaction -- handling the virus created "a seismic reaction within the electorate," said Chuck Coughlin, founder of the lobbying and political consulting firm HighGround Inc.

Ducey was slow to shut down the state to combat the virus, quick to reopen and initially banned local governments from mandating masks as the virus surged. More than half of Arizonans disapprove of Ducey's handling of the pandemic, according to a public opinion survey by Nationscape Insights.

"I wouldn't be surprised if at least one chamber flips," said Stuart Goodman, a business lobbyist.

Democrats there are also campaigning on broader issues like health care and education, calculating that stresses exposed by the pandemic have shifted public opinion their way.

"Everything is connected," said Kathy Knecht, a former school board member running for the state House in Peoria, a Phoenix suburb.

Then there's Wisconsin, arguably the perfect model of partisan pandemic dysfunction: Anger at the Republican-led legislature is high yet the chances of flipping either chamber are low because of the way legislative maps were drawn in 2011.The legislature has stymied Democratic Gov. Tony Evers's efforts to slow the virus and "people are just fed up," said Deb Andraca, a school teacher and gun control advocate running for the state's Assembly from the Milwaukee suburbs.

Another Democratic candidate, the three-term mayor of South Milwaukee, is running against the partisan divide itself. Erik Brooks said the pandemic has made it "glaringly obvious" that the state's government has been broken by a decade of rancor."The polarization, the division, the discord, the negative tone, it's been building for years and the pandemic has brought it to forefront," said Brooks, who faced fury after supporting virus-fighting measures for his suburb.

On Friday, Brooks held a rare in-person campaign event on his patio, to watch the Milwaukee Brewers season opener against the Chicago Cubs on an outdoor television. There were masks and a limit of 10 people.By some measures, it was a bust: Many guests were relatives and the Brewers lost.

Brooks was still pleased. The weather held, his wife is a Cubs fan and at least two of the non-family guests were Republicans, also upset about the dysfunction in Madison, the capital."I have been really happy to see the number of Republicans willing to support me," he said. "They are really tired of the madness. They're saying this has to end."
Tapestry Health will provide free COVID-19 testing in Springfield and Agawam as part of the Stop the Spread testing initiative. The free testing will be done through a drive-through and is available for both asymptomatic and symptomatic people.

Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday announced that the state is expanding its free coronavirus testing program to eight more communities with slightly higher rates of infections, including Springfield and Worcester.

The initiative, dubbed Stop the Spread, launched on July 10, and included free COVID-19 testing at sites in Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Marlborough and New Bedford, where officials have observed higher rates of infection and lower testing levels.

On Monday, Baker announced that the program will be expanded into Agawam, Brockton, Methuen, Randolph, Revere, Springfield, Taunton and Worcester. These communities represent roughly 10% of the Massachusetts population, but roughly 15% of the states positive COVID-19 tests over the past week or so, Baker said.

Free COVID-19 testing available in Agawam 8/5 3-6pm, 8/6 12-3pm, 8/12 3-6pm and 8/13 12-3pm. Call (413)364-2149 to schedule an appointment. Springfield dates TBD https://t.co/DYcjoZM0ys  Tapestry (@TapestryWMass) July 29, 2020

Springfields testing site has yet to be confirmed but a spokesperson at Tapestry Health told MassLive that they are working with the Department of Public Health to find locations but confirmed the testing will take place on the weeks of Aug. 3 and Aug. 10.

Massachusetts launched a strategic testing program in communities across Massachusetts that have continued to see a higher number of residents testing positive for COVID-19. This program will support the testing of asymptomatic individuals in these communities to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Tapestry Health advises residents to make appointments over the phone, however, if this hasnt been done people wont be turned away if the health professionals can help it. Testing will be done by a nasal swab and results will be available within 48 hours.

Tapestry has been working with Western Massachusetts communities for more than 40 years providing sexual and reproductive healthcare, syringe services, overdose prevention and education, Narcan training and access, HIV support and prevention services, and WIC food access services.

Agawam testing site will be at the Junior High School on 1305 Springfield St. The days will be:

Aug. 5 - 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Aug. 6 - 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Aug. 12 - 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Aug. 13 - 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts
Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Morning high of 30F with temps falling to near 20. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Bitterly cold. Mostly cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy late. Low 8F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
When we think about the future of automotive, vehicles equipped with health care systems, is not the first thing that springs to mind. More than that a car that tracks the drivers condition and is capable of responding to an emergency should be next on the cards.

It is understandable given that driverless cars, shared mobility, and electrification have been widely talked about in recent times and will change the way we travel in a few years, writes Bang Sun Jeong, Vice President, Head of Hyundai Motor Company Middle East & Africa HQs.

The revolution of technology is not just transforming the way cars are being manufactured and driven but also how they operate and what it offers.

What if these vehicles installed necessary tools that can read the mind of the driver and detect health warnings such as drowsiness? In other words, a car that tracks the drivers condition and is capable of responding to an emergency.

In this day and age, the car that we drive daily is not a medical asset as it will not know your medical condition, for example, if you are feeling drowsy or suffering from stress.

But that is almost certain to change and will soon become a reality due to the on-going evolution of technology.

Investing in technology that monitors the drivers health can benefit both the automotive and healthcare industries. With careful planning and collaboration with other organisations, vehicles integrated with health care systems could help reduce the number of road fatalities. It is about recognising a drivers health status and connecting it to the vehicle system to induce safe driving.

With the rapid wave of changes across the automobile industry, Hyundai Motor Group is working on welcoming these innovative technologies to match the vehicles that we are manufacturing.

Hyundai is already working with global ICT companies by investing in startups to promote the development of connected technology and innovation. It includes investing in the face recognition Artificial Intelligence (AI) startup Deep Glint which will recognise faces in 3D. This will be key to identifying the drivers face and status inside vehicles.

We are also working on developing other aspects such as the collection of bio-information through non-contact and contact sensors, which can help detect movements of the driver and any levels of fatigue or undesirable driving postures.

We have also developed a Driver State Monitoring (DSM) system that will be able to help prevent road fatalities by signalling whether the driver is feeling drowsy. Other plans include a purpose-built vehicle which can serve as self-driving mobility and be used as a mobile clinic.

Hyundai Motors also proposed a new concept mobility solution at this years CES which can be implemented in healthcare. It is the Purpose-built vehicle (PBV) and the Mobility transfer hub (Hub). The PBV is self-driving ground mobility which can change into various shapes and can act as a mobile clinic. In the future, we might be able to receive emergency treatments in a mobile clinic, not in an ambulance with minimum equipment.

The base of such PBVs is the Hub. Basically, it acts like an airport or a terminal. The Hub has the docking station to be connected to PBVs, and upon connection with PBVs, it can be used in many ways. As it is not fixed into a single form, it can be utilised as a regional hub general hospital depending on the need. It is still to be realised, but when the day comes, a new world where patients are treated in a moving vehicle free from time and space limitations will open up.

There is still a long way to go before vehicles with the connected health care systems hit the roads. Extensive work still needs to be undertaken. But it is another step forward and an opportunity that Hyundai is relishing.

With peoples health and wellbeing so important, vehicles installed with car health systems can no longer be an option. It is a necessity that can help protect and enhance the quality of our lives. More importantly, it can be a game-changer for the industry. -- Tradearabia News Service
State Forest Rangers rescued injured, stranded and exhausted hikers in a series of recent incidents in the Adirondacks and the Catskills.

The rescues occurred between July 20-26. All information below was supplied by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Town of Harrietstown, Franklin County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 21 at 1:51 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from an injured hiker on Donaldson Mountain in the Western High Peaks Wilderness. The caller slid down a rock while descending and heard a snap in his ankle. During the initial contact, the caller indicated he would try to continue down the mountain on his own after splinting the injury. At 4:30 p.m., Forest Ranger DiCintio contacted the hiker, who had only been able to descend halfway down the mountain and was requesting assistance. Forest Rangers Burns and DiCintio responded with an ATV to Calkins Creek and hiked 1.5 miles to reach the subject. After re-splinting the injury, the 46-year-old from Lockport was assisted back to the ATV and brought out to Coreys Road at 9 p.m. for transport to a local hospital.

Town of Hunter, Greene County (Kaaterskill Wild Forest)

Wilderness Rescue: On July 20 at 2:15 p.m., DECs Central Dispatch was notified that a 72-year-old man from Galloway, New Jersey, slipped on wet rocks near Kaaterskill Falls causing an ankle injury. Forest Rangers Breigle, Dawson, and Fox and Assistant Forest Rangers France and Lasselle responded to the scene. The hiker was immobilized in a vacuum air mattress and placed into a litter. He was then carried out to a Rangers vehicle and transported to the trailhead. The hiker stated he would seek additional medical care on his own.

Town of Indian Lake, Hamilton County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 20 at 6:28 p.m., Hamilton County 911 transferred a call to DECs Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a 22-year-old female hiker from Oneonta on Blue Mountain with a non-weight-bearing injury to her lower leg. Coordinates provided by 911 placed the hiker about halfway down the mountain. Forest Rangers Scott, Miller, Lewis, and Milano responded along with the Blue Mountain Fire Department. At 8:05 p.m., the hiker was located and first aid was provided for her injury. The subject was then carried in a litter down the mountain to the trailhead where she opted to seek further medical attention on her own.

Town of Webb, Herkimer County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 21 at 1:37 p.m., Herkimer County 911 transferred a call to DECs Ray Brook Dispatch about an injured 75-year-old female hiker on the Moss Lake trail. While hiking the loop trail around Moss Lake, the hiker from Tonawanda stepped down a bank and rolled her ankle. Forest Rangers McCartney and Hanno responded along with the Inlet Police Department, Inlet Volunteer Ambulance, and the Eagle Bay Fire Department. The hiker was packaged by EMS and evacuated via ATV by the Rangers. She was then transported to a local hospital for additional medical treatment.

Town of North Elba, Essex County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 24 at 12:45 p.m., DECs Ray Brook Dispatch was contacted about two 19-year-old hikers from Rye, New York, and Louisville, Kentucky, who were trapped on the Western slope of the Trap Dike. Forest Rangers Burns, DiCintio, Mecus, and Praczkajlo responded with the help of the New York State Police Aviation Unit for a hoist rescue operation. Ranger Burns and Climbing Specialist Crofoot flew from Lake Clear to Lake Placid and picked up Forest Rangers Mecus and Praczjaklo at 2:30 p.m. From there, the officers flew and lowered the rescue team to the Trap Dike to the hikers location high up on the slide. At 3:30 p.m., contact was made, and using a series of technical rope systems, the hikers were lowered to safety. At approximately 6:30 p.m., the rescue team was at the base of the Trap Dike along with the hikers who were then able to walk out on their own.

Town of Webb, Herkimer County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 25 at 10 a.m., Forest Ranger Lt. Murphy was monitoring the parking area at the Fulton Chain Wild Forest Bald Mountain Rondaxe trailhead when he was approached by a hiker running down the trail. The hiker stated there was a 14-year-old male who needed medical assistance further up the trail. Lt. Murphy notified Herkimer County 911 requesting Old Forge Fire and Rescue EMS to respond. Lt. Murphy located the injured hiker with his mother about a quarter of a mile up the trail and provided first aid. Upon arrival, Old Forge Fire and Rescue provided additional medical treatment. The hiker from Auburn was put in a rescue litter, brought down to the trailhead, and transported by Old Forge Rescue to a local hospital.

Town of Indian Lake, Hamilton County

Wilderness Search: On July 26 at 4:20 a.m., DECs Central Dispatch received a call from New York State Police Dispatch reporting a missing 75-year-old man. The call was made by the mans son who had last seen his father about three hours prior. Forest Rangers Scott and Temple made the initial response to the mans last know location, and after a preliminary search of the area with negative results, additional Rangers were requested to respond. Forest Rangers Lomnitzer, Arnold, DiCintio, Martin, Milano, Nally, Quinn, Thompson, and Praczkajlo responded to assist. After hours of searching, the man was located at 1:25 p.m. in good condition.

Town of Shandaken, Ulster County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 26 at 3:40 p.m., Forest Ranger Martin overheard a call for an injured hiker on Giants Ledge. Ranger Martin arrived on scene with Shandaken EMS and Big Indian Fire Department. The Chief of the Big Indian Fire Department reported a hiker suffering from heat stroke approximately five miles up the blue trail. At 4:05 p.m., Ranger Martin entered the woods hiking toward Giants Ledge from the CR 47 parking area. At 4:55 p.m., the Ranger located the ill hiker and his partner near the corner of Giants Ledge and Panther Mountain. The 42-year-old hiker from Ulster Park was dehydrated and suffering from severe cramping. After receiving water and food, the group hiked out to a waiting UTV on the Winnisook Trail and transported out.

Town of Fort Ann, Washington County

Wilderness Rescue: On July 26 at 6:10 p.m., Warren and Washington County 911 transferred a call to DECs Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a separated and lost hiker on Buck Mountain in the Lake George Wild Forest Area. Forest Rangers Donegan and Poulton responded to the area of the hikers last known coordinates and at 8:36 p.m., the 25-year-old woman from Antwerp, New York, was located. At 9:56 p.m., Rangers and the lost hiker were back at the trailhead where she was reunited with the rest of her party.

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Police arrest stolen vehicle suspect who fled, entered occupied home

The homeowner was able to get out of the home safely, but Aberdeen police are now negotiating the surrender of the suspect.
Boris Johnson's push to encourage more workers to physically return to their desks in August received a boost today as the boss of Barclays bank said he wants his staff to return to their offices.

The bank's CEO, Jes Staley, said 'it is important to get people back together in physical concentrations' and that a return would take place on a 'prudent time schedule'.

Mr Staley said he and the bank 'expect and want' employees to head back to work 'over time'.

He also insisted the bank has a 'responsibility' to places where it has offices, like Canary Wharf and Manchester.

Mr Staley's comments are likely to be warmly welcomed by Downing Street after Mr Johnson announced earlier this month that work from home rules will be relaxed in a bid to stimulate the economy.

Jes Staley, Barclays' CEO pictured in Downing Street in January 2018, said today 'it is important to get people back together in physical concentrations'

The comments came after Boris Johnson, pictured in Beeston yesterday, urged workers to physically return to their desks in August

There are growing fears in the Government that the work from home guidance which was in place during lockdown represents a threat to the UK's chances of a swift economic recovery.

That guidance said people should work from home if they are able to.

British Airways is 'exploring every option to control our costs' amid claims it will mothball 200m HQ British Airways said today it is 'exploring every option to control our costs' amid reports that it is mothballing its 200million headquarters near Heathrow Airport. The embattled airline's Waterside offices, which opened 22 years ago, have been mostly empty since the coronavirus pandemic took hold four months ago. Frequent flier website Head For Points had claimed BA's global operations team including senior management would move to Technical Block C at Hatton Cross, where the airline was based until 1998. But BA is not expected to shut Waterside, with its operational teams remaining there and its back office functions continuing to work remotely as they have been during the crisis. A BA spokesman told MailOnline: 'We are exploring every option to control our costs. We have a large property estate and we are always seeking ways to manage it in the optimum way.' Its owner, International Airlines Group, has previously said it is burning through cash and does not expect to return to full capacity until 2023. Advertisement

But Mr Johnson said at a press conference on July 17 that from August 'instead of government telling people to work from home, we're going to give employers more discretion and ask them to discuss how their staff can work safely'.

Ministers are hoping that the return of more workers to their pre-lockdown routines will help save deserted town and city centres.

Mr Staley signalled during an interview with Bloomberg today that he wants his staff to head back to the office.

'In terms of people working from home, it is extraordinary,' he said. 'We have some 60,000 people working from their kitchen tables.

'That we had the technology, the systems, the controls, the compliance to do all that is quite something.

'But I should also add that we have 20,000 people in the UK that are actually working from offices or working from our branches, they are working from our call centres.

'We expect and want to get, in a prudent time schedule, taking care of the health and wellbeing of our employees, it is important to get people back together in physical concentrations.

'We need to do it, considering the pandemic. But we also have a responsibility to places like Canary Wharf, like Manchester, like Glasgow, so we have learned a lot through this dynamic work environment.

'I am sure we will use a lot of the things that we have learned going forward but also we want our people back together, make sure we ensure the evolution of our culture, our controls, and I think that will happen over time.'

Mr Staley's comments came as it emerged that Barclays took a further 1.6 billion hit from the coronavirus crisis in the second quarter of the year even as the investment arm of the bank managed to keep it in profit.

The bank said it would see a pre-tax profit of 1.27 billion in the first half of the financial year, down from 3 billion the year before. It came on revenue of 11.62 billion in the first half of 2020.

Earlier this year Barclays revealed a 2.1 billion hit in its first quarter, citing the impact of coronavirus. It takes the total impairment for the first half to 3.7 billion.

However, while the retail arm of the bank saw a major hit from the coronavirus, the bank's corporate investment arm saw a 31 per cent jump in income to 6.9 billion, helping to keep Barclays in the black during the first half.

Mr Staley said: 'Credit impairment charges increased to 3.7 billion in the first half due to the forecast impact of Covid-19.

'However, our improved pre-impairment performance ensured that we still delivered 1.3 billion profit before tax for the first half of 2020, post impairment.

'While the remainder of 2020 will be challenging, our diversified model means we can remain financially resilient and continue to support our customers and clients.'
New Delhi, July 29 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed petitioners to challenge the environmental clearance (EC) granted on June 17 to the Central Vista project, which involves construction of a new Parliament building.

A bench comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna told Senior Advocate Shyam Divan that his clients are allowed to file a petition within a week under Article 32 of the Constitution to challenge the environmental clearance to the project.

Divan argued in an intervention application filed on behalf of private individuals having expertise in the field.

The top court also asked the Centre to file a reply within a week after the filing of the petition.

The matter was posted for further hearing in the week commencing August 17.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, contended before the bench that the petitioners should bear in mind that the central government is not dealing with private industry.

"This project deals with national interest. There are verdicts which state that issues of public law like here (in the case) cannot be raised by public-spirited individuals. Intentions here look to delay the project," Mehta submitted while contesting Divan's arguments.

The apex court allowed Divan to file an appeal in the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

"We will first decide the land-use issues here at the Supreme Court and after that if the question on environmental clearance remains, then the NGT can look into it. If land use itself is not permitted, then the EC is not permitted," noted the bench.

Divan argued before the bench that the process of EC suffers from several "illegalities" as there is "non-application of mind on part of the environment appraisal committee (EAC)" and that the mandatory legal process was subverted in the case.

The bench replied: "Is the challenge only on procedural grounds? The impression you are creating is not correct. Will your arguments be different in the NGT?" In response, Divan contended: "I will challenge the full EC in a complete way. No piecemeal challenge." The plan for the project has been prepared in accordance with India's 75th Independence Day in 2022. The work on the Central Vista is slated for completion by November 2021.

The Central Vista houses iconic buildings like Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the North and South Block buildings, which house important ministries, and also the India Gate.

The Centre proposes to redevelop by constructing a new Parliament House, a new residential complex, which would house the Prime Minister and the Vice-President besides several new office buildings.
THE ISSUE:

The Trump administration lied to punish New York for its driver's license program for undocumented immigrants.

THE STAKES:

The administration is again guilty of an unconscionable abuse of power.

---

There was suspicion from the get-go that kicking New Yorkers out of the federal Trusted Traveler program had everything to do with politics and punishment and nothing to do with the safety of air travel.

New evidence proves it.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice acknowledged in court documents that federal officials made false statements as they excluded New Yorkers from programs, like Global Entry, that smooth international travel by quickening processing at airports and border crossings.

The lies  let's be clear about what they were  targeted New York's Green Light Law, which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

As part of the law passed last year, New York made its DMV database off limits to sweeping searches by the federal government, so that officials couldn't use it to track down illegal immigrants who obtained licenses and registered vehicles in good faith.

The Green Light Law is a good one, because it allows an untold number of illegal immigrants to come out of the shadows and operate motor vehicles legally  and, thus, more safely.

But it's a law that President Donald Trump, who has made demonizing undocumented immigrants core to his political career, couldn't abide. So his administration's Department of Homeland Security lied about the Green Light Law to exclude New Yorkers from Trusted Traveler programs. Responding to a lawsuit brought by the state, DHS claimed that New York alone put national security at risk by keeping federal officials from examining records needed to vet program participants.

That wasn't true; other states have similar restrictions, but their residents weren't excluded from Trusted Traveler programs. Only New Yorkers were singled out.

In a court filing Thursday, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss apologized on behalf of DHS for the false claims, withdrew from the suit ended the ban on New Yorkers.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

No harm done? Hardly.

By blocking access to the program, the feds harmed New York's economy while inconveniencing thousands of its residents. The Trump administration forced New Yorkers to wait in long lines at the border or in crowded airports  and it did so during a pandemic, jeopardizing their health. And it lent official credibility to an outright lie, poisoning the debate and setting New Yorkers against each other.

In short, the Department of Homeland Security, formed to protect all American citizens, was used as a weapon against residents of one state. It used New Yorkers as pawns in a political fight, needlessly punishing them simply because they happened to live in a state that passed a law the Trump administration did not like.

This was yet another unconscionable abuse of power from a president who abuses power with disturbing ease, again proving an unfortunate reality of this grim national moment:

It is Mr. Trump who cannot be trusted.
After a long delay, the Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar released the detailed 656page report on the All India Tiger Population Estimation, 2018, on the eve of Global Tigers Day.

In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that India had 2,967 wild tigers. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had arrived at this number after sifting through a record-breaking 3.4 crore photographs that were obtained from camera traps placed at 26,838 locations.

Though the tiger population has increased over the year, the governments detailed report has flagged several issues which need immediate attention, as these issues have the potential to sour the conservation success story.

Tiger conservation is chiefly centred on protected areas such as tiger reserves, national parks and regional landscape-level. And within regional landscapes, there are tiger corridors which serve as crucial habitat for them outside of notified parks and reserves.

Broadly, there are between 33-35 major tiger corridors and several smaller ones in the country. The report clearly states that there are several fragmentation threats to these corridors due to burgeoning development and infrastructure projects along with anthropogenic pressures.

The NTCA and WII report- Status of tigers, co predators and prey in India, stated that many tiger reserves and protected areas in India are analogous to small islands in a vast sea of ecologically unsustainable land uses of varying degrees. Many tiger populations are confined within small protected areas and some have habitat corridors that permit tiger movement between them. However, most of the corridor habitats in India are not protected areas, and are degrading due to unsustainable human use and developmental projects, the report reads.

Tiger corridors are the connecting source of tiger population- for ensuring genetic exchange through dispersal and as an alternative habitat to protect them from man-made and natural disasters. These landscapes are  Shivalik and Gangetic Plains; Central India and the Eastern Ghats, the Western Ghats, North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra floodplains, and Sundarban. The governments report has also detailed the fragmentation and existential threats to corridors within these landscapes.

Fragmentation of tiger corridors and habitats

The Achanakmar-Kanha-Pench corridor is home to the largest contiguous tiger population- 308 tigers in the Central Indian landscape. While the source populations of Kanha and Pench national parks in Madhya Pradesh have shown sustained growth in tiger numbers. However, the population of Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh continues to slide.

The reports further state that there are infrastructure interruptions in these corridors, as the Highway 12A traverses the core zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve and Phen Wildlife Sanctuary. To add, the Bodai-Daldali bauxite mines are also located within this corridor.

Kanha Reserve, in turn, is also connected to its south to Maharashtras tiger population in Tadoba and Navegaon-Nagzira and to Indravati tiger reserve in Chhattisgarh. However, the corridor between Tadoba and Indravati is fragmented by the National Highway (NH) 6, thus affecting connectivity to Telangana as well.

Not only connectivity, NH6 and NH7, which traverses the Kanha-Pench corridor poses a threat of speeding vehicles.

Meanwhile, in southern Indias Western Ghat tiger landscape, highways are affecting connectivity between tiger habitats. Movement of tigers from the high-density source of Nagarahole-Mudumalai-Wayanad to sink habitats of Kudremukh-Bhadra complex is likely to be an important component for tiger population dynamics in this low-density landscape. Two National Highways (234, 48) and State Highways (8, 27, 37, 85, 88, 89, 91, 114) traverse through these corridors at various places. Development along these roads needs to be monitored and controlled within forested areas, the report states.

In Southern India, the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary shares its north-eastern border with Nagarhole and Bandipur reserves in Karnataka and Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu. Expansion of the urban sprawl of Kutta township threatens the habitat connectivity of Wayanad with Brahmagiri and Brahmagiri with Nagarhole. Wayanad is connected to the Silent Valley NP in Kerala through Mudumalai and Mukurti in Tamil Nadu," the report added.

Even as highways and railway lines get planned through these corridors, the government has also recommended a few mitigation measures, which includes, wildlife passages to ameliorate the impact of these infrastructure projects. However, following a long legal battle in National Green Tribunal, Delhi, and in Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, the National Highways Authority of India agreed to build a wildlife passage on NH7 in order to help the movement of tigers, bears and leopards between the Kanha-Pench corridor.

The government of India has guidelines in place that outline the mitigation measures to reduce the impact of infrastructure projects. These mitigation measures though have to be site-specific to be functionally viable in the tiger corridors, SP Yadav, Additional Director-General of Forests (Project Tiger) and Member Secretary NTCA, said.
Casdin Capital leads the $50M extension; funding will support commercial launch of SYNTAX the world's first enzymatic DNA printer.

DNA Script today announced a $50 million extension to its Series B financing, bringing the total investment of this round to $89 million. This oversubscribed round is led by Casdin Capital and joined by Danaher Life Sciences, Agilent Technologies, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, through its corporate venture arm, M Ventures three of the world's leaders in oligo synthesis LSP, the Bpifrance Large Venture Fund and Illumina Ventures. Eli Casdin, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Casdin Capital, will join DNA Script's Board of Directors.

"DNA Script has established itself as an early leader in the development of enzymatic synthesis," said Eli Casdin, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of Casdin Capital. "Enzymatic DNA synthesis can enable the production of much longer strands of DNA at faster speeds without the need for environmentally harmful solvents, such that the commercial introduction of this technology will be a much-needed catalyst for applications across biology from accelerating diagnostic and drug development to advancing precision medicine to enabling the development of DNA data storage systems and the bioengineering of new materials."

Funding from this investment round will enable DNA Script to accelerate the development of its suite of enzymatic DNA synthesis (EDS) technologies in particular, to support the commercial launch of the company's SYNTAX DNA benchtop printer.

"The SYNTAX EDS system was inspired by the wide availability of in-lab and benchtop next-generation sequencing systems and the impact they have had on genomics research and personalized medicine," said Thomas Ybert, CEO and Co-founder of DNA Script. "This first-of-its-kind DNA printer makes writing DNA as simple and straightforward as reading DNA is currently, meaning that research and clinical labs will be able to do same-day synthesis of oligonucleotides, saving precious time when it comes to iterating experiments or developing diagnostic or confirmatory tools."

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, laboratories all around the world have experienced the importance of controlling their supply of synthetic DNA as a critical reagent, in several cases turning to DNA Script to support their efforts to develop diagnostic tests. The current global pandemic has made clear the value of in-lab tools like the SYNTAX system to enable quick research iteration without relying on centralized distributors that can be hampered by capacity and shipping bottlenecks.

"The quality of the functional DNA being produced by DNA Script has impressed the Agilent team," said Sam Raha, President of Agilent's Diagnostics and Genomics Group. "In addition, DNA Script's vision of a future with manufacturing platforms focused on enzymatic synthesis of high-fidelity nucleic acids of world-class length is a vision that holds great promise to transform the molecular and synthetic biology solutions market."

DNA Script will soon begin testing the SYNTAX system with a select group of partners, with plans to launch a beta testing program later this year and take orders for the DNA printer by next year. Over the long term, funding from the Series B financing will enable DNA Script to further develop the company's core enzymatic synthesis technology in particular, towards the development of new synthesis platforms as well as to ramp up its commercial and manufacturing capabilities.

In addition to launching the SYNTAX system, DNA Script is working on the development of deployable DNA data storage and retrieval technology as part of the Molecular Encoding Consortium, along with partners at the Broad Institute and Harvard University a project funded by a $23 million grant from the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity's Molecular Information Storage program.

About DNA Script

Founded in 2014 in Paris, DNA Script is a disruptive DNA synthesis company engineering biology to accelerate breakthroughs in life science. The company is pioneering an alternative to traditional DNA synthesis called enzymatic DNA synthesis, making this technology accessible to labs with the world's first benchtop enzymatic synthesis instrument, SYNTAXTM. By putting DNA synthesis back in the lab, DNA Script is transforming life science research through innovative technology that gives researchers unprecedented autonomy. www.dnascript.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005054/en/

Contacts:

Press contact in the US

Seismic

Eric Schubert

415-939-4366

eric@teamseismic.comS

Press contacts in Europe

ALIZE RP

Caroline Carmagnol

06 64 18 99 59

caroline@alizerp.com

DNA Script Contact

publicrelations@dnascript.co
H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

DANBURY  Local teachers will demand more funding to ensure a safe reopening of schools during a car caravan on Thursday afternoon.

Educators and community members from more than two dozen towns plan to participate in these simultaneous rallies across the state, said the Connecticut Education Association, which is organizing the caravans. The largest event will begin in West Hartford and travel to Gov. Ned Lamonts house in Hartford.
'Get back in the office, Ron  we BOTH know your holiday in Spain was cancelled'
Thiruvananthapuram, July 29 : For the second successive year, rating agency CRISIL has accorded 'CRISIL A/Stable' rating to Electronics Technology Parks Kerala (Technopark) for financial stability.

This rating comes at a time when Technopark, the first technology park of the country, here, enters its third decade, where at present it houses over 450 companies in the IT and IT-enabled sector, with a total of 62,000 employees.

The rating reflects Technopark's steady cash flow with diversified clientele occupancy and healthy debt protection metrics, backed by sufficient liquidity.

"The current rating incorporates the positive track record of Technopark and the future expectations of revenue growth. It is significant that CRISIL has noted that Technopark's outlook is sound, considering its financial stability and track record", said P.M. Sasi, CEO, IT Parks, Kerala.

The rating agency noted that the management's pro-active approach towards property maintenance has helped retain tenant continuity and asset quality.

It said the firm's liquidity is healthy as steady revenue flow from lease rent is sufficient to meet debt obligation over the medium term. Also, it has ample liquidity of fixed deposits and bank balance to meet its daily operations as well as debt servicing.

Set up by the Government of Kerala in 1990, Technopark is the flagship brand of Kerala IT.
Rating Action: Moody's assigns Aa2 to Tucson, AZ's water revenue bonds Series 2020

Global Credit Research - 29 Jul 2020

New York, July 29, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned an Aa2 rating to the City of Tucson, Arizona's $57 million Water System Revenue Obligations, Series 2020. Moody's maintains Aa2 ratings on the water enterprise's $378.2 million in outstanding parity revenue bonds. The outlook for the water enterprise is stable.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The Aa2 ratings reflects the water enterprise's large, primarily residential service area that extends beyond the City of Tucson. Although the coronavirus pandemic has had a negative effect on general economic conditions in the area, there has not been a significant decline in water demand or a material growth in delinquencies. Drought conditions are a challenge for the water enterprise, though the city's sophisticated management team and pro-active approach to supply management substantially mitigate associated risks. Debt service coverage levels and liquidity are healthy, and governance and management of the water system is particularly strong.

RATING OUTLOOK

The stable outlook reflects our expectation that the essential nature of the service along with affordable rates will mitigate the negative economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and that management will continue to make appropriate financial and operational adjustments to maintain the health of the system.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OF THE RATING

- Improvement in the system's financial performance, including debt service coverage and liquidity levels

- Strengthening of the underlying credit quality of the system's service area, including growth in resident wealth measures

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING

- Weakening of the system's financial performance, including a decline in debt service coverage and thinner liquidity levels

- Disruption in water delivery due to issues related to the Central Arizona Project

Story continues

- Significant growth in near-term borrowing

LEGAL SECURITY

The bonds are secured by the net revenue pledge of the water enterprise on parity with any senior lien water system revenue bonds and obligations. The bonds are additionally secured by a springing debt service reserve requirement.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Bond proceeds will be used to finance various capital improvements to the city's water system.

PROFILE

The water system provides water to an estimated 730,000 people across a 400 square-mile service area that includes the City of Tucson.

METHODOLOGY

The principal methodology used in this rating was US Municipal Utility Revenue Debt published in October 2017 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBM_1095545. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.

For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

The rating has been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent (s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.

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Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.

The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.

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William Oh Lead Analyst Regional PFG West Moody's Investors Service, Inc. One Front Street Suite 1900 San Francisco 94111 US JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Helen Cregger Additional Contact Regional PFG West JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653

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New Delhi, July 29 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a meeting with the stakeholders of banks and NBFCs and discussed issues in the financial sector, including credit growth and risk aversion.

The meeting largely talked about the vision and roadmap for the future.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that the crucial role of the financial and banking system of supporting growth was discussed. It was noted that the small entrepreneurs, SHGs and farmers should be motivated to use institutional credit to meet their credit needs and grow.

"Each bank needs to introspect and take a relook at its practices to ensure stable credit growth. Banks should not treat all proposals with the same yardstick and need to distinguish and identify bankable proposals and to ensure that they get access to funding on their merit and don't suffer in the name of past NPAs," it said.

Risk aversion by banks has been a major concern of late as credit and liquidity are the need of the hour amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Reserve Bank of India's latest Financial Stability Report said that heightened risk aversion has pulled the overall credit growth rate of scheduled commercial banks to 5.9 per cent on a year-on-year (y-o-y) in March 2020.

"Bank credit, which had considerably weakened during the first half of 2019-20, slid down further in the subsequent period with the moderation becoming broad-based across bank groups," the report said.

During the discussion on Wednesday, the Prime Minister noted that the government is firmly behind the banking system and is ready to take any steps necessary to support it and promote its growth.

"Banks should adopt fintech like centralised data platforms, digital documentation and collaborative use of information to move towards digital acquisition of customers. This will help increase credit penetration, increase ease for customers, lower costs for banks and also reduce frauds," the statement said.

It was stressed that India has built a robust, low cost infrastructure which enables every Indian to undertake digital transactions of any size with great ease and banks and financial institutions should actively promote the use of RUPAY and UPI among its customers.

Further, the Prime Minister also reviewed the progress of schemes like emergency credit line for MSME, additional KCC cards, liquidity window for NBFC and MFI.

"While it was noted that significant progress has been made in most schemes, banks need to be proactive and actively engage with the intended beneficiaries to ensure that the credit support reaches them in a timely manner during this period of crisis," the statement said.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Armenias policy of occupation poses a threat to energy and transport projects in the region, Azerbaijans Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said during the 5th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on July 28.

Addressing the meeting held in a video format, Jabbarov said that Armenia, with its aggressive policy, impedes expansion of economic cooperation and limits the full realization of economic potential of the region.

Jabbarov said that Yerevan purposefully creates tension in the region. He recalled Armenias recent provocation in Tovuz region, saying that starting from July 12, Armenian armed forces fired artillery shells at Azerbaijani positions located not in the frontline zone, but on the border between the two countries, as a result of which military personnel and civilians were killed and wounded.

The minister said that over the past three decades, 20 percent of Azerbaijans internationally recognized territories have been under Armenian occupation. More than a million people have become refugees and internally displaced persons.

Furthermore, the minister emphasized that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the development of cooperation with AIIB as evidenced by the joint projects. Mentioning the countrys favorable geographical location, Jabbarov said that Azerbaijan has turned into an international transport hub with its modern infrastructure projects. He spoke about the role of the shortest transport route between Asia and Europe - Baku- Tbilisi- Kars railway - and the Baku port in expanding cooperation between regional countries.

Commenting on the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, Jabbarov noted the work done to eliminate these consequences in the country, such as the creation of favorable business environment and the innovative reforms aimed at the development of the private sector. It was noted that the the regional branch of the World Economic Forum's Fourth Industrial Revolution Center has been established in Azerbaijan, which will serve as an important platform for global multilateral cooperation.

During the webinar, the parties also discussed long-term trends and short-term macroeconomic changes in the development of the Asian region, measures taken by the AIIB to combat COVID-19, support offered to member countries by the bank, and other issues.

Additionally, during the meeting the AIIB report for 2019 was presented and the parties exchanged views on the admission of new members and the annual meeting to be held next year.

---

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Both said their Bismarck hospitals have the capacity to handle increased cases.

"We're meeting the demands and meeting the needs of the community right now," Schley said.

The number of North Dakota patients currently hospitalized in North Dakota was 39 on Wednesday, up four from Tuesday.

LeBeau said 23 people were hospitalized at Sanford, and Schley said seven people were being treated at his hospital on Wednesday.

While the task force in the Fargo area has been successful in driving down positive cases, Moch told The Associated Press the effort likely will be more difficult in Burleigh and Morton counties.

"We are a more conservative area versus Fargo," she said. "It will be a bit more of a challenge and we'll have to reach those with different viewpoints."

Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney, a physician and member of the Red River Valley COVID-19 Task Force, attributed the region's drop from a high of nearly 10% in positive cases to increased testing and a "vigorous" contact-tracing program used to identify and isolate groups of those who may be infected.
Eastman Kodak will receive a federal loan of $765 million to help reduce the country's reliance on other countries for ingredients used in generic drugs.

Shares of the one-time photography giant, based in Rochester, more than tripled on the announcement by the U.S. International Development Finance Corp.

Kodak has branched out to offset the large scale loss of its film business. Adam Boehler, who heads the IDF, said he learned that the company was interested in creating a start-up that could supply ingredients for pharmaceuticals.

"If you look at drugs, 90 percent of the drugs that we take today are generics, and they are almost all made overseas," Boehler said in an interview on CNBC. "The dominant manufacturer of ingredients for generics is China, and number two is India. And so, we said if we're going to re-shore and bring things back and we're going to have safety and security going forward, we need to change that."

Boehler said the agreement will create 360 jobs in Rochester, and 1,200 jobs in the construction and revamping of facilities in the area.

Kodak Pharmaceuticals will make critical pharmaceutical ingredients that have been identified as essential but have lapsed into chronic national shortage, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration.

The Kodak unit will have the capacity to produce up to 25 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients used in non-biologic, non-antibacterial, generic pharmaceuticals.

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

The government loan will help support startup costs needed to repurpose and expand Kodak's existing facilities in Rochester and St. Paul, Minn.

It is the first use of new authority delegated by President Donald Trump's recent executive order that allows the DFC and the Department of Defense to collaborate in support of the domestic response to COVID-19 under the Defense Production Act.

Kodak referred to the prepared U.S. statement on the loan when asked for comment Tuesday.
Microsoft has officially rolled out the Family Safety app for Android phones and the Apple iPhone. Microsoft had first shown off the Family Safety app back in April, at the time when the company reconfigured the Office 365 subscriptions to the more encompassing Microsoft 365 subscriptions that include the Family Safety app, a consumer version of the popular video meeting and productivity app Teams and an AI-powered service called Microsoft Editor. The Microsoft Family Safety app is free to download from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store now.

The Microsoft Family Safety app is designed as a tool for parents to get insights on the activity of their child, across multiple devices. This will be able to log activity on Windows PCs, Android phones and the Xbox console, all synced in one place. Parents can set time limits for apps and games and specific apps can be completely blocked as well. There are web filters that can limit the browsing to certain websites, and this works on the Microsoft Edge web browser on Windows 10, Xbox and Android devices. The location sharing feature should allow families to be up to date with critical movements, like when their child reaches or leaves school or if a parent has reached work safely. Microsoft had rolled out a preview of the app for Android and iOS earlier and extensively tested it over the past few weeks.

The Microsoft 365 subscription plans replaced the earlier Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal subscriptions. The new Microsoft 365 Personal subscription costs Rs 4199 a year while Microsoft 365 Family option is priced at Rs 5299 a year and can be shared with up to 6 users. Before this change, Office 365 Home for up to 6 people costs Rs 5,299 per year while Office 365 Personal for single user is priced at Rs 4,199 per year. The Microsoft 365 plans will include access to the Office apps including Word, Outlook and Publisher, as well as the OneDrive cloud storage and video chat platform Skype.

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Authorities in Maine say the shark that killed a woman in a rare attack off the states coast was a great white, the same species that served as the inspiration for the movie Jaws.

The shark bite killed Julie Dimperio Holowach, 63, of New York City, the Maine Department of Marine Resources said.

The shark fatally bit Holowach off Bailey Island on Monday while she was swimming.

Name of shark attack victim released - officials urge caution for swimmers and paddlers in Casco Bay region https://t.co/DetvpACgQ5  Maine DMR (@MaineDMR) July 28, 2020

Scientists were able to later identify the shark as a great white using a tooth fragment, state officials said.

Great whites are not common in Maine, which is the northern tip of their range, but recent summers have brought reports of sightings of the giant fish.

The Maine Marine Patrol said a witness saw Ms Holowach swimming off the shore of Bailey Island when she was bitten.

Two kayakers helped her get to shore and an ambulance provided further assistance, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, the marine patrol said.

There had previously only been one recorded unprovoked shark attack in Maine, and it was 10 years ago off Eastport, Maine Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher said. He said that bite involved a different species of shark.

He described the Monday attack as highly unusual, but added it is cause for vigilance among beachgoers.

The rarity of this event does not mean its not going to happen again, Mr Keliher said.

The attack happened about 30-40 feet offshore, and the rescuers were a man and woman in a rented tandem kayak, said Jeff Cooper, co-owner H2Outfitters on the island, which offers instruction, rentals and sales of kayaks.

The kayakers were on the shore when one of them saw something breach, and realised something was wrong, Mr Cooper said.

They happened to be right there at the scene. They were courageous enough to jump in and retrieve the victim, Mr Cooper said.

One of the kayakers grabbed Ms Holowach, and the other paddled to get her back to shore, said Cathy Piffath, the other co-owner. The kayakers asked not to be identified.

Ms Holowach and her family own property in the area and are well known in the community, which is shaken by her death, said Rob Beal, major of the Maine Marine Patrol.

The Marine Patrol has urged swimmers and boaters to use caution near Bailey Island and to avoid swimming near schooling fish or seals.

Large sharks like great whites prey on seals, which are common off Maine. Two coastal state parks, Popham and Reid, are not allowing swimmers beyond waist deep water, state officials said.

Bailey Island is part of the town of Harpswell, about 40 miles up the Maine coast from Portland.

Harpswell is a town of about 4,700 that is popular with holidaymakers and second homeowners for its coast, beaches and sweeping views of Casco Bay.
Officials around the world reintroduced a raft of restrictions Monday -- from beach closures to quarantine measures -- to try to tamp down coronavirus hotspots as the official global death toll passed 650,000. European countries trying to repair the economic damage caused by the earlier lockdowns struggled to balance keeping the lifeline of tourism open while guarding against new flare-ups of infection. Spain's tourism industry faced fresh misery after British travelers -- and one major tour operator -- cancelled flights there following London's decision to reintroduce quarantine for travellers returning from the country. Hong Kong mandated wearing masks in public in response to a new wave of infections. Belgium tightened its social distancing measures to try to halt what one expert called a "worrying" surge in cases. In Washington, meanwhile, the White House announced that another senior administration figure, national security advisor Robert O'Brien, had contracted the virus. As of Monday evening, the US, the worst-hit nation in the world, had added another 57,000 cases of infection and its recorded death toll stood at 147,588, said Johns Hopkins University. Until Sunday, the number of US daily infections had exceeded 60,000 for 12 straight days, with some days notching more than 70,000 new cases. But as the grim figures kept rolling in, the World Health Organization argued against a wholesale closing of borders. This was "not necessarily a sustainable strategy for the world's economy, for the world's poor, or for anybody else," said WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan. A "global one-size-fits-all policy" was impossible because outbreaks were developing differently in different countries, he added. - Hong Kong situation 'remarkably severe' - The WHO said its emergency committee would meet later this week to discuss the crisis, six months after the organization declared the pandemic an international public health emergency. The global death toll from the pandemic passed 650,000 Monday, nearly a third of that number in Europe, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources at 1600 GMT. Since emerging in China late last year, the virus has killed a total of 650,011 people -- but more than 100,000 deaths have been recorded since July 9, and the global toll has doubled in just over two months. China reported its highest number of coronavirus cases in three months, part of a worrying swell of infections hitting Asia and Europe. Indonesia confirmed its 100,000th coronavirus case Monday, as the Red Cross warned that the crisis in the world's fourth most-populous country risked "spiralling out of control." New infections have also surged in Hong Kong, which for weeks appeared to have infection rates under control. Now, however, everyone in the densely populated territory must wear masks in public from this week. "The epidemic situation in Hong Kong is remarkably severe," Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said as he announced the measure, as well as a ban on more than two people gathering in public and restaurants restricted to serving takeaway meals. - Tourism hit hard - Spain, which has already paid a high cost in human lives and economic losses during the pandemic, suffered a further blow after tour operator TUI cancelled all British holidays to the Spanish mainland from Monday until August 9. They were reacting to Britain's decision late Saturday to require travelers returning from Spain to quarantine for two weeks. "There have already been cancellations and more are expected," said Emilio Gallego, secretary general of Spain's hotels association. "Nobody is going to come here for a week's holiday and then spend 14 days shut away when they get back home." Irish no-frills airline Ryanair said Monday that it had nosedived into the red in the first quarter, noting that the pandemic had grounded its fleet for nearly four months. "The past quarter was the most challenging in Ryanair's 35-year history," said a company statement. - Fresh preventive measures - Other countries took a different approach to fears over rising infections. Germany will make coronavirus tests mandatory for travelers returning from risk areas, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Monday. "We must prevent returning travellers from infecting others unnoticed and thus triggering new chains of infection," Spahn wrote on Twitter. Belgium announced that from Wednesday, people there would be allowed to see five people at most outside their family circle, reducing the permitted "social bubble" from 15. The measures came after the country recorded 1,952 new cases over the past week, more than 70 percent up on the previous week. France ordered night-time curfews for beaches in the Brittany resort of Quiberon on the Atlantic coast, after a fast-spreading COVID-19 cluster emerged there last week. Tehran warned Iranians against wedding and funeral gatherings as the coronavirus outbreak showed no signs of abating in the Middle East's hardest-hit country. And Britain launched a campaign against obesity, days after a Public Health England report found that the condition increased the risk of death from coronavirus by 40 percent. US biotech company Moderna began a final phase of clinical trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine on Monday -- the same day it emerged President Trump's national security advisor Robert O'Brien had contracted the virus. O'Brien, the most senior US figure so far to come down with the virus, "has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site," said a White House statement.
Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, today announced it has collaborated with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to create the UNFPA COVID-19 Population Vulnerability Dashboard. This new interactive tool will provide public health workers, policy makers, and the general public with access to useful information on populations vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in order to target preparedness and response and to help save lives.

The dashboard highlights population vulnerabilities at the national and subnational levels, using data from the latest Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) census samples for 94 countries. It identifies populations at older ages, including those living alone, and includes risk factors for COVID-19 transmission such as residential density (household size and persons per room) and access to piped water and other amenities.

Daily updates on COVID-19 cases and deaths are embedded in the dashboard, as is global data on health sector readiness. This includes the density of available health care workers, hospital beds, and intensive care units (ICUs).

"National and subnational disparities in vulnerability can be striking," said Linda Peters, Esri global business development manager. "How these differences will affect overall transmission and health risk will be shaped by critical factorssuch as the scale and timing of government lockdowns. But geographic comparisons help us anticipate potential risks, and remind us of the huge differences in underlying development needs and health sector readiness between countries."

Since the census data included is in the public domainand therefore from the 2010 census samplesthe dashboard also provides WorldPop projections of the 2020 population numbers among older age groups, organized by sex and population density, for more than 200 countries.

To learn more about vulnerable-population data for addressing COVID-19 and to view the dashboard, visit covid.pdp.unfpa.org.

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, offers the most powerful geospatial cloud available, to help customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations including 90 of the Fortune 100 companies, all 50 state governments, more than half of all counties (large and small), and 87 of the Forbes Top 100 Colleges in the U.S., as well as all 15 Executive Departments of the U.S. Government and dozens of independent agencies. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most advanced solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.

Copyright  2020 Esri. All rights reserved. Esri, the Esri globe logo, The Science of Where, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners.

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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.

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New York police have arrested two men who they say attacked multiple workers in a Manhattan Trader Joe's after they were told to wear masks in the store.

John Carrero and Alejandro Escobar, both 34, refused to leave the Trader Joe's on East 32nd Street on July 14, after entering the grocery store at around 8.50pm.

Several employees told authorities that they asked the duo to leave the store after they refused to wear masks, a NYPD spokeswoman said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

Police claim that the pair started their assault by pulling one of the employee's mask off their face.

Two men at an Manhattan Trader Joe's on East 34 are said to have attacked numerous employess

Alejandro Escobar (pictured), 34, and John Carrero were both given a number of charges and are expected to appear in court on October 13

Carrero is then alleged to have hit a 22-year-old female employee in the head with a wooden paddle used by checkout staff.

Another member of staff had their hair pulled.

Escobar is also said to have threatened to return to the store with a firearm, which police said caused 'fear and alarm to employees and customers inside of the store.'

Eight members of Trader Joe's staff were injured in the attack, and one was taken to hospital.

As the two left the store, Escobar allegedly used a chair to strike the store window in a bid to regain entry.

Both were charged with disorderly conduct, harassment and criminal trespassing. Carrero was also charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

Escobar, from the Bronx, was also charged with menacing. Both have since been released and are due in court on October 13.

On his Twitter page, video blogger Escobar said that he had a video of the altercation but added that police currently had the footage.

He also claimed that the accounts of them attacking workers were not true, declaring that the video would show that naysayers would 'look as stupid as Trader Joe's is gonna look.'

On his Twitter page, the video blogger did share that he had a video of the altercation but added that police currently had the footage

Escobar could not be reached for comment.

Kenya Friend-Daniel, a spokeswoman for Trader Joe's, said that eight employees 'suffered some sort of injury.' One employee had to be treated at the hospital, NBC News reports.

'All the crew members are doing OK, and they're all back at work,' Friend-Daniel said on Tuesday.

All employees at the store have been given the opportunity to transfer to another location or receive paid time off.

'They all said that they wanted to continue to work and were fine,' she added.

A security guard has since been hired at the store.

'We are extremely grateful that everyone is OK and they're back at work and it isn't worse,' Friend-Daniel said.

Friend-Daniel said the company did not believe the incident was triggered by a request to wear a mask, adding: 'We feel there was a different motivation behind it, such as wanting to start some trouble.'

But a Facebook page attributed to Escobar often lists conspiracy theories surrounding the coronavirus.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo took to his own Twitter to slam the incident and said every NY business is permitted to refuse entrance to customers not wearing masks

Escobar has also shared video in support of Stella Immanuel, the controversial doctor who has championed hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo took to his own Twitter to slam the incident.

'Every NY business is permitted by law to refuse entrance to customers who are not wearing masks,; he declared.

'No one has the right to endanger the health of store employees or other customers.'
Acting CPP General Secretary, James Kwabena Bomfeh has applauded the Electoral Commission (EC) for ensuring law and order in the ongoing new voter registration exercise.



The EC has repeatedly addressed any challenges that characterize the exercise.



First, the Commission, realizing some malpractices of its officials at the various registration centres, released a statement to condemn the acts and pledged to sanction the culpable ones.



They also issued a statement to condemn the shooting incident that happened at the Awutu Senya East constituency in the Central Region involving the Member of Parliament of the constituency, Hawa Koomson.



Hawa Koomson, who doubles as Minister for Special Initiatives Development, went to a registration center at the Awutu Senya East and fired gunshots resulting in chaos at the center.



According to her, she acted in self-defence after realizing her life was in danger.



Speaking on 'Kokrokoo' on Peace FM, James Kwabena Bomfeh, also called Kabilla eulogized the EC saying they have been prompt in resolving issues relating to the registration exercise.



Kabila, however, admitted that not all the challenges have been addressed but generally the exercise has been peaceful and smooth.



"I'm glad with the responsiveness and promptness of the Electoral Commission to almost all the challenges that have come up including accusations that some of their temporary staff were involved in the bad practices we were talking about. They changed them immediately. I've even heard that some of the staff members found culpable are to be arraigned before court," he said.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Aries Clean Energy, LLC ("ARIES"), an environmental leader in technology addressing our world-wide need for sustainable waste management and waste-to-energy solutions, rejects EQTEC's July 28 announcement on every point.

EQTEC's assertion that ARIES "abruptly filed suit" alleging infringement of ARIES' US-patented technology is without foundation. ARIES and EQTEC had been in negotiations since January 2020, and after months of fruitless discussions ARIES was forced to file suit in response to EQTEC's repeated refusals of ARIES' requests for information. Providing ample warning of the seriousness of the issues, ARIES' counsel forwarded a draft complaint to both EQTEC and its US customer, North Fork Community Power, on June 16, 2020. In reaction to EQTEC's continued lack of responsiveness, ARIES then filed its patent infringement suit on July 7, 2020.

It is noteworthy that EQTEC apparently lacks any US-patented technology, especially in view of their baseless disparagement of ARIES patents, which are at the center of the infringement suit.

Although EQTEC has requested that ARIES withdraw its patent infringement suit, ARIES has no intention of doing so. ARIES will be unrelenting in its protection of its intellectual property rights in the US and worldwide.

About Aries Clean Energy

Aries Clean Energy, LLC, based in Franklin, Tennessee, develops, designs, and builds innovative proprietary downdraft and fluidized bed gasification systems and projects using its eight patents granted to date. Its projects provide for the sustainable disposal of biosolids, biomass and waste, reduction of carbon emissions, the production of clean thermal and electrical energy and beneficial biochar. For more information, please visit our website: www.ariescleanenergy.com.

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ITS on the streets that youll see evidence of just how stir crazy we had become over recent months and just how glad we are to (safely) explore and rediscover the cultural attractions on our doorsteps.

And so, its pretty fitting that a world-famous Irish artist who often uses urban buildings as his canvas will headline a major Cork design festival this month.

Contemporary muralist Maser will join forces with award-winning designer Kim Mackenzie-Doyle at Design Pop which promises some inspirational days out from August 28-30. Best of all, you can take those creative vibes home and make your interiors more fabulous than ever.

Resilience is the apt theme of the second annual event that celebrates architecture and design.

Maser started out as a teenage graffiti artist in Dublin and has had commissions across the globe. Six of his murals are to be found around Dublin and he also painted the mural on the towers in Ballymun in 2010 before their demolition.

Kim MacKenzie of WhyDesign.

Kim Mackenzie-Doyle is an internationally recognised product designer, winning multiple worldwide design awards. Former President and Director of the Institute of Designers Ireland and currently sits on the National Design Forum, a government-led initiative to drive Ireland's capability and reputation as a source of design innovation and is CEO of The BIG Idea, a creative awarding programme to champion and encourage creativity in students, launching in Ireland 2021.

They will be special guests leading discussions at a festival that offers three pop-up pavilions, and Irish design shop, exhibitions, furniture showcase and over 16 free events.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Design Pop aims to celebrate innovation and creativity, says its founder, Amy McKeogh. It takes place in various locations across Cork: Thompson House, Elizabeth Fort, Emmett Place, and Blackrock Castle.

The intention of Design Pop has always been to celebrate the incredible talent in architecture, design, and food and drink producers in Ireland. It is more important than ever to celebrate creativity, collaboration, and support our local talent, says Amy.

This year's theme for the festival is Resilience, which will be explored through the pavilions, talks, and conversations, happening over the weekend. The programme features over 16 free events, and two special ticketed events.

The launch night, Friday night, August 28, will feature talks and discussions with guests The Project Twins. This graphic art duo, James and Michael Fitzgerald, will speak about their studio and some of their interesting projects to date. Meanwhile, the founding director of The Glucksman, Fiona Kearney, will share her insight on running a leading museum for creative learning and access to the visual arts.\

Saturday morning, August 29, offers a creative workshop for children, with plant-based food company Banana Melon; later, a panel discussion about gender equality in design will be led by Founder of WhyDesign Kim Mackenzie-Doyle.

Into the afternoon, there will be a networking lunch for women by WhyDesign. Talks will feature OHK OHerlihys, Kinsale, and the Dublin-based architecture and design team at Studio Anois. A discussion Creative Process Behind Launching a New Brand features guests Graham Vard (Billion), Ernest Cantillon (Kinsale Gin and Red Earl Whiskey), Tony Speight (West Cork Coffee) and Clonakilty Black Pudding.

Design Pop festival director Amy McKeogh and CCAE architecture student James Pearce bringing a splash of colour to Cork for Design Pop. Picture: Clare Keogh

On the Saturday evening, Darragh Breathnach of DUA - Design Urbanism Architecture takes to the hot seat to discuss his studio and projects to date, followed by chats with renowned contemporary artist Maser.

The final day of the festival welcomes many more special guests from food and design backgrounds: A panel discussion on Interior design and finding new ways of diversifying will be moderated by Kate ONeill (The Visual Loop), Niamh McCabe (Spacey Studios), Cathy Angelini (Flamingo Interior Design) and Lisa Marconi (Dust Design).

Photographer Brid ODonovan is joined by William Murray (Currabinny Foods) to discuss food style and the creative process behind it.

Printmaker and visual artist Shane O'Driscoll.

Simon Roche (Bureau), printmaker and visual artist Shane ODriscoll, and Robin Foley (Hurrah Hurrah) host Graphic Design, Print Art, and finding new ways of diversifying; Architecture on the Edge presents Rural Architecture  a discussion moderated by Frank Monahan (Architecture on the Edge), Alan Macilwraith (JCA architects), and Rae Moore (Atelier Rae)  all at Thompson House, MacCurtain Street.

At the core of the festival, Design Pop brings together top Irish design teams to create pop-up installation structures, which will go on display in various outdoor locations across Cork city. Each designer is paired with a Cork-based food or drink producer to create a bespoke space which the public are invited to explore and interact with. Ciaran Meade and Mark Cronin from Bobos Cafe team up with computational designer Mark Horgan to create a pavilion at Elizabeth Fort.

The Crawford Gallery Cafe joins forces with a collective of young architects and designers for a pavilion at Emmett place.

Blackrock Castle and Observatory team up with Cork Architectural School for a pavilion at Blackrock Castle.

On Sunday night, a talk with all the designers and collaborators that created the pavilions will close out the festival.

Thompson House will also be home to a pop-up Irish Design Shop for the duration of the festival, showcasing some of Irelands best handcrafted textiles, prints, artworks and much more. At the festival HQ, youll also find The Glucksmans New Light exhibition of eight different poster-based artworks, and finally, The Milking Stool exhibition featuring 13 Irish furniture designers. These stunning furniture pieces will be sold off by silent auction during the festival.

All events are free with the exception of the Why Design panel discussion (6) and the MASER event (10). Tickets are available on designpop.ie or EventBrite.

Abiding by the current Covid-19 regulations, each event will be 45 minutes long and restricted to a capacity of 50 in the venue at all times. This capacity number may change in line with the government guidelines and phases. After each 45-minute event, organisers have a team to clean and sanitize the seating and venue to have it ready for the next speaker or panel discussion. The seats will be set out in accordance with the social distancing guidelines. There will be a number of sanitising stations throughout the venue and organisers strongly encourage everyone who enters the venue to wear a mask.
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Senior lecturer of the University of Ghana and Political Scientist, Prof. Yaw Gyampo has scored the running mate to former President Mahama; Prof. Jane 70% for the delivery of her speech at an outdooring event on Monday.

According to Prof. Gyampo, he would have scored Prof. Jane more if she had started her speech by speaking extempore just as an accomplished academician would do without the help of even a teleprompter.

Prof. Gyampo in assessing the Monday' outdooring event noted few things which he talked about in his latest Facebook post.

In the Facebook post, the Prof Gyampo noted that Prof. Jane Naana touched on few issues which can be solved with her help if her party, NDC wins the elections. He admitted that the issues indicated by Prof. Jane are elementary problems the country is facing.

Prof. Gyampo further observed that Prof. Jane endeared herself to the listeners and people who watched the live event on TV. He noted that Prof. Jane Naana's posture makes it impossible for anyone to tag her as arrogant.

However, Prof Gyampo indicated that John Mahama spoke too much; indicating that his long address at the event could have been summarised.

This, according to Gyampo will give chance to his opponents to compare his speech to that of his running mate's speech which could lead to the exposure of contractions in the two speeches. Something that opposition communicators can chance on to score cheap political points.

At the concluding part of his statement; Prof. Gyampo revealed that pairing Prof. Jane Naana to former President John Dramani Mahama will make this year's elections very competitive.

Gyampo however noted that Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia and Prof. Jane are incomparable citing their different personalities and unique attributes.

Read full post below:

My Assessment of Prof Naana Opoku Agyemangs Out-Dooring:

1. The absence of Podium during the initial presentations of Asiedu Nketiah and Ofosu Ampofo, was a needless lapse, as it made speaking/reading a bit difficult for Ofosu Ampofo in particular. Flipping through the pages without a Podium was tight.

2. Asiedu Ntetiahs extempore speech was good, particularly as he damage-controlled Sammy Gyamfis gaffe and showed much political maturity in handling the threat to deal with alleged unprofessional conduct of some security officers, in the on-going registration process by a future NDC administration.

3. The day wasnt for JM. He spoke too much. He shouldnt have given us the chance to compare his speech to that of his Vice Presidential Candidate.

4. The religious solemnity and the rendition of music by the choir, arrested much attention. The event (especially the beginning) was almost turned into a church. But given that we are a notoriously churchical and religious people, this didnt spoil anything.

5. Prof Naana Opoku Agyemang endeared herself to her listeners and watchers. You cannot say you hated her after her speech. She borrowed Obamas style of tracing background to season speeches, and in my view, this worked fine.

6 it was an outdooring and hence I was expecting her to be brief in her speech. She could have properly owned her speech by speaking extempore, as an accomplished academic, without the aid of a tele-prompter. This would have addressed the challenge she suffered at the concluding part of her speech, when clearly, the prompter stopped working.

7. She outlined a few issues that may be tackled with her support, including meaningful, quality and comprehensive education; vocational and technical training; institutional reforms to address youth aspirations; and creating opportunities that transcends political patronage. To my mind, these are known, basic and elementary challenges confronting us.

8. The economy is the most important consideration for all countries at the moment, given the impact of COVID-19 on the world. I was therefore hoping to hear something small around the area, especially, as she decided to outline some issues confronting us, that require action. But there was nothing said about the economy. One doesnt need to be an economist to talk about our economy. Our Parliamentarians arent all economists, yet they debate governments budget and economic policies.

9. All in all, I think she did well and she is one of the reasons why the 2020 elections would be competitive. I will score her 70 percent. I am unable to compare her to Dr Bawumia because they are two different personalities, each with unique attributes.

---Ghana Vanguard
The Hagia Sophia transitioned on July 24 to a mosque with Friday prayers and sermons. The prayer was invitation only. The discretion to invite was given exclusively to the Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate (the Diyanet). The Diyanet decided to omit the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). This discrimination is against the constitution, protested HDP members. Their pleas were ignored.

Indeed, this sort of discrimination has become the norm since June 7, 2015, when the peace process collapsed, said HDP parliament member Mahmut Togrul. The HDP has been excluded from almost all national gatherings, even to the post-July 15 National Unity Day events at Yenikapi Square in Istanbul. HDP members have little to no media presence and are not even allowed to participate in TV discussions about the HDP.

Togrul told Al-Monitor, The [Justice and Development Party (AKP)] and its coalition partner act as if the HDP was not a legal party that was sanctioned by the courts of this country and met all proper requirements officially. We are being treated as an enemy, criminalized, arrested, removed from our democratically elected positions. Togrul explained how HDP members are interrogated with mind-boggling questions. Our mayors were asked, You were seen entering the mayors office. Why? Police officers yell, You are not my parliamentarian or Get out of the parliament, go to the mountains and fight us. How can we expect the people who have voted for us not to lose their trust in the system?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was rather upset as the HDP passed the 10% national vote threshold and gained seats in parliament in 2015 and then again in 2018. He labeled the HDP the party under the control of a terror organization and criticized those who dared to talk to the HDP.

Aykan Erdemir, senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington and a former member of the Turkish parliament, told Al-Monitor, This [deliberate exclusion] sends a clear message to Turkeys Kurdish electorate that they are not welcome to partake in politics unless they bow down to the Erdogan government and its discriminatory policies. The Turkish governments systematic exclusion of Kurdish citizens is an ill-advised move that pushes Kurdish youth to political violence as the only available domain to express their discontent.

This is indeed a taboo that most pundits dare not touch in Turkey. However, we must ask what the potential consequences are if a party assumed to have a paramilitary wing is pushed out of the political scene.

There are three main consequences of excluding the HDP from the political domain. First, the HDP did not lose its voters. Second, the AKPs divide and conquer policies against the opposition backfired, as the opposition realized they are just like the HDP in the eyes of the government and they need the HDP. Third and most detrimental is what failed at the political party level seems to have worked for the public as anti-Kurdish sentiment has increased over time.

Yektan Turkyilmaz, a research fellow at the Forum Transregionale Studien in Berlin, told Al-Monitor, By omitting the HDP from all platforms, the AKP hoped the HDP electorate would forget about the party. Rather, they increased the dependency of the CHP (the main opposition Republican Peoples Party) on the HDP. The opposition parties no longer can say it only happens to the HDP because they know they are next. Today, political parties are even talking about what happens if elections are eliminated altogether, Turkyilmaz said.

He explained that the HDP comes from the decadeslong Kurdish movement; that is where its roots are. But its branches spread to several grievances of people in Turkey  grievances concerning womens rights, the environment, workers' rights and religious minorities. The HDP has proven to serve and stand up for the interests of all these disadvantaged groups. The HDP has not wavered from its efforts to demonstrate the damage government's policies caused to the whole country, not just to the Kurdish regions, Turkyilmaz said.

Murat Somer, professor of political science and international relations at Koc University in Istanbul, told Al-Monitor, These exclusionary policies and vilification of the HDP as 'untouchable' have more consequences on Turkish democracy than on the Kurdish issue itself. They feed an undemocratic atmosphere that facilitates the curtailment of rights and freedoms for all.

Somer was still hopeful, saying, At the same time, the need for the participation of Kurds to form a winning majority may force opposition parties to revise their orientation toward the Kurdish issue. This creates the potential for peace and reforms in the future.

Turkish involvement in Syria and a failed peace process coupled with government-encouraged, ultra-nationalistic programming helps deepen existing Kurdophobia in the country. Public opinion can be remolded. In 2013, public optimism for the peace process reached 84%.

Erdogan claimed for years the government was only targeting Kurdish criminals and those who aid and abet terrorists. But these claims are indefensible. For example, Selahattin Demirtas  the HDPs former chairperson  has been in prison since November 2016. Even ultra-nationalist Good Party parliamentarians demand his release.

Kumru Toktamis, associate professor of political sociology at the Pratt Institute, told Al-Monitor, This deliberate disregard of the HDP constituency evokes a state-imposed ethnic uniformity and invokes an authoritarian polity for the country where Kurdish demands are delegitimized. However, at least this has created an opportunity for the Kurds to comfortably claim it is not their claims that introduce separatism in Turkey. That understanding has been crucial for the growing support in opposition.

Turkyilmaz said, There [are no more Kurds in] this administration. There is not one Kurdish minister. The government-appointed people in Kurdish regions are no longer of Kurdish origin. There used to be accepted, maybe conservative Kurds who were working for the government. All those considered to be potentially in the Kurdish movement [have been] eliminated. It is politicide. Even in the region, Erdogan no longer talks to his long-time Kurdish friends.

Kemal Can, a columnist for the daily gazette Duvar, told Al-Monitor the HDP was able to guide its voter base strategically to strengthen the gains of the opposition parties in the last municipal elections. The government could not make much progress in its efforts to isolate the HDP, but in the meantime, it reduced its own political sphere [to] maneuver."

The governments attitude toward the HDP and its arbitrary actions in all areas is worrisome. It has taken years off the peace process, which could have saved countless lives and a significant amount of resources.
Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has been named a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Life Science Drug Safety Services, 2019-2020 Vendor Assessment Building for Innovation (Doc US45863116, January 2020).

The report mentions that "Relative to other vendors discussed in this document and based on feedback from multiple customer references, Wipro received high marks for its solid delivery capabilities, rapid onboarding, ability to deliver high value for money, and significant commitment to investing in innovation in the Drug Safety Services (DSS) space."

"The Life Sciences industry is in transition. Technological advances and scientific discoveries contribute to new capabilities, data, and insights, that have the potential to transform existing best practices and accelerate the development of new treatments and cures," said Lynne Dunbrack, Group Vice President, IDC Health Insights.

She added, "As an experienced global service provider to the life science industry, Wipro is well positioned for continued growth. Transforming from a service partner to strategic partner is a mature transition, and Wipro is benefiting its existing clients, while building up a project-based innovation success portfolio across the life sciences value chain."

Highlighting Wipro's capabilities, the report mentions "Wipro's approach to DSS Centre of Excellence is multifaceted, with groups focused on optimizing DSS client engagement, Pharmacovigilance (PV) process transformation leveraging cognitive automation, and PV quality and process excellence. This approach is very well aligned with industry and sponsor needs, and Wipro is already beginning to gain success in its innovation and transformation initiatives."

Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies are increasingly turning to digital transformation for help. In light of this, Wipro's rich R&D domain experts worldwide and strategic partners have delivered innovative thinking and reinvented processes for 8 out of 10 pharmaceuticals. Partnering with global software solutions providers, supported by its own enabled start-up ecosystem, Wipro continues to leverage its end-to-end integration and digital consulting expertise to accelerate and cover the full range of R&D solutions required. This is supported by industry solutions like Digital R&D Labs that create collaborative environments to accelerate drug discovery and drug discovery time, AI enabled literature search and Pharmacovigilance services leveraging Wipro HOLMES, AI Digital Imaging, Digital Integrated Clinical Enterprise, and Digital anti-counterfeiting cold chain to name a few.

"Global regulatory authorities, pharmaceutical firms and caregivers continue to push the frontiers of drug safety through sustained efforts. Our drug safety philosophy is characterized by sound understanding of clinical and regulatory legislation supported by comprehensive technological expertise built on a mature global footprint," said Steve Duryee, Global Head of Life Sciences, Wipro Limited. "We aim to forge a long-term and trusting relationship with our clients who give us this great opportunity to enable drug safety successes worldwide."

Download the report excerpt here.

About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

About Wipro Limited

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 180,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future.

Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro's beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro's control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro's growth prospects, its future financial operating results, and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. The conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could decrease technology spending, adversely affect demand for our products, affect the rate of customer spending and could adversely affect our customers' ability or willingness to purchase our offerings, delay prospective customers' purchasing decisions, adversely impact our ability to provide on-site consulting services and our inability to deliver our customers or delay the provisioning of our offerings, all of which could adversely affect our future sales, operating results and overall financial performance. Our operations may also be negatively affected by a range of external factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are not within our control. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005577/en/

Contacts:

Nisha Chandrasekaran

Wipro Limited

nisha.chandrasekaran@wipro.com
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Montreal, Canada  Wed, July 29, 2020 10:00 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1da4a 2 World Canada,mass-shooting,inquiry Free

Canada said Tuesday it was launching a public inquiry into the country's deadliest mass shooting to shed light on the tragedy and respond to demands for transparency by victims' families.

The Nova Scotia arson and shooting rampage that killed 22 people April 18-19 ended with police gunning down the shooter after a 13-hour manhunt.

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said that Canadians "deserve answers to how such a tragedy could occur" as he announced the full public inquiry.

"We have heard calls from families, survivors, advocates, and Nova Scotia Members of Parliament for more transparency," he said in a statement.

The killing spree was carried out by a male dental health care professional identified as Gabriel Wortman, 51. Authorities said he was wearing a police uniform, driving a mock police car and had several guns with him, including at least one assault-style weapon.

Police gunned down Wortman on April 19 after a 150-kilometer manhunt, during which time the gunman shot dead 22 people, including a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) constable.

The government announced last week it was launching an independent probe to determine why police took more than 12 hours to stop the shooter.

But in recent days there have been several demonstrations in Nova Scotia, supported by 37 senators, calling on authorities to go further and launch a public inquiry.

A public inquiry will provide investigators with additional powers, including summoning witnesses and compelling them to appear for testimony or provide documents.

In addition to the shooting, Wortman had a long criminal history, according to reports by a media consortium that had access to federal police documents.

For several years Wortman had been dealing in weapons and drugs brought over from the US state of Maine that he hid in secret compartments at several of his properties.

Canadian police were criticized for using Twitter to warn the public that an armed suspect was on the loose, rather than issuing a formal emergency alert.
Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil, 54, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday

Mumbai: A special court here on Wednesday remanded associate professor Hany Babu of Delhi University (DU), who was arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case, in NIA custody till August 4 .

Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil, 54, associate professor in the Department of English, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday in connection with the case.

He was produced before a special NIA court in Mumbai on Wednesday. The probe agency told the court that the accused was arrested for his alleged involvement in the case.

It submitted that the accused had links with the CPI (Maoist) party. During the investigation, various letters were recovered from the seized electronic articles, which indicated his involvement in the case, the NIA said.

The lawyer, who appeared on behalf of the accused, submitted that Hany Babu was being interrogated by the NIA for the last four to five days, and hence his further custody was not required.

Special court judge, AT Wankhede, after perusing the document on record, found that the allegations made against the accused are of serious nature. The court then remanded him in seven days of NIA custody.

The case relates to an Elgar Parishad event of December 31, 2017, organised by theKabir Kala Manchat Shaniwarwada in Pune, where alleged provocative speeches were made, promoting enmity between various caste groups and

leading to violence resulting in loss of life and property and statewide agitation in Maharashtra.

The Pune police filed a charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet in the case on November 15, 2018 and February 21, 2019 respectively.

The NIA took up the investigation of the case on January 24 this year and arrested Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on April 14.

During further investigation, it was revealed that Hany Babu was propagating Naxal activities and Maoist ideology and was a "co-conspirator" with the other arrested accused, the NIA has said.
India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Govt

We will continue to deal with Chinese PLA in firm, resolute manner: Army chief

Chinas statement on disengagement incorrect says India

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 29: The frontline troops of China and India have "completed" disengagement at most locations of their border, a senior Chinese official said on Tuesday, adding the situation on the ground is easing.

However, Indian government sources in New Delhi said this statement is not correct.

Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin had made the claim at a briefing in Beijing when he was asked whether the border troops from India and China have completed the disengagement from Galwan, Gogra and Hot Spring areas in eastern Ladakh. The reference to Pangong Tso, a major friction point, was conspicuously absent in the question asked by a reporter from China's official media.

China says disengagement of troops has taken place at most locations

Unlock 3: Gyms to open from August 5th, Night curfew removed | Oneindia News

During the briefing, the spokesman noted that China and India have recently conducted "intensive communication through military and diplomatic channels."

"Now the frontline border troops have completed disengagement in most locations and the situation on the ground is easing," Wang said.

At the briefing, Wang said, "We have held four rounds of commander level talks and three meetings of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC)."

"Now we are preparing for the fifth round of commander level talks to study the settlement of the remaining issue. We hope India will work with China to implement our consensus and uphold peace and stability along our border areas," he added.

Asked when the next commanders level meeting will be held, Wang said the information will be released in due course.

The ministry of external affairs on Friday said that India and China agreed on "early and complete" disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh and may hold more military talks soon to work out further steps to ensure "expeditiously" complete "disengagement and de-escalation" and restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Indian Navy's clear message to Beijing following escalation of border tension

India had also asked China to "sincerely implement" the understanding on troop withdrawals reached by senior military commanders of the two sides.

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 between the armies of the two countries in eastern Ladakh.

Both China and India commenced the disengagement process from July 6 following talks between Doval and Wang who are Special Representatives for the boundary question.

The tension in eastern Ladakh escalated manifold after the violent clashes in the 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. As per US intelligence reports, the Chinese army suffered 35 casualties.
Areas that are considered zones of conflict and left unchecked have become one of the biggest threats to the world today. At present, after the Second World War, about 80 hotbeds of conflict have been registered internationally. These conflicts have a negative impact on the peaceful coexistence of mankind and threaten global security. Modern Diplomacy reports in its article Drug flow from Nagorno-Karabakh to Europe that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which arose as a result of Armenias military aggression against Azerbaijan and is still unresolved, is one of the main threats today. We are talking not only about the violation of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but also about the serious threats to the European areas that are the main features of the conflict.

At the same time, this conflict still poses a serious threat to the implementation of other large-scale transnational projects in the region which could be important for Europe also.For example, the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains a serious obstacle to the full realization of regional potential. The continuing occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia is an obstacle to greater regional cooperation. Some regional perspectives, including interactions, trade projects and other initiatives, remain a captive of unresolved conflicts. But in the current situation, one of the main threats is the drugs sent from Nagorno-Karabakh to the world, including Europe, and the presence of some terrorist groups here.

Such situation shows that the whole world is experiencing problems due to the protracted resolution of the conflict. It is a fact that the main goal of Armenia is to expand its territory at the expense of Azerbaijani lands. The occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions is part of Armenias plan in this direction. Ethnic cleansing was carried out in the occupied territories and about 1 million Azerbaijanis became internally displaced persons. Although the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions on this issue, unfortunately, it did not take effective measures against Armenia, which refused to implement those resolutions. Even today, most organizations, including the United Nations, which are tasked with upholding the principles of international law, as well as the worlds leading powers, continue to be spectators to the fact of open occupation.

In this situation, Armenia has created other sources of serious danger to humanity in the occupied Azerbaijani lands. The involvement of terrorist groups, the training of terrorists in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the creating of drug plantations are proof of these. It should be noted that as a result of the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijans territory by Armenia, the countrys 132-kilometer border has become uncontrolled. This creates favorable conditions for the Armenian side to pursue its criminal goals from those territories.

Armenians have been smuggling drugs along the Afghanistan-Iran-Nagorno-Karabakh route for a long time. This process continues. The lack of control over the occupied territories and the failure of international organizations to take appropriate steps in this direction deepens the problem. On the other hand, it shows that the uncontrolled areas used for transnational crime are source of threat to the world. Because the drugs transported from here reach to Europe and even the United States. At the same time, drugs transported from Karabakh are widely sold in Russia and in other countries of Commonwealth of Independent States.

It is also known that drug laboratories operate in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region, where more dangerous drugs are produced. Another dangerous point is that money from drug trafficking where are used. The taken research shows that money from that illicit trafficking serve to spread separatism and terrorism on a larger scale. For example, it is no secret that thanks to the Armenia, representatives of the PKK terrorist organization come to Karabakh from time to time. You may see often ASALA and other some terrorist organizations in occupied territories. One of the main factors is that terrorists who come to the area are both rehabilitating and increasing their training.

They continue their activities in different parts of the world. But the biggest threat is Armenia, which is creating conditions for terrorists to operate here and its ongoing occupation policy. Apparently, this policy has become a great threat not only to Azerbaijan, but also to the entire region, the West and the whole world. In this sense, the scale of the threats is periodically brought to the attention of the world community, relevant international organizations and states by Azerbaijan. Now the world community must take decisive action against it. These are very important for the worlds own security. So, it is very important to respond to the issue on the international level.

Another dangerous point is where the proceeds from drug trafficking are used. Research shows that the proceeds from that illicit trade serve to spread separatism and terrorism on a larger scale.Apparently, Armenian this policy has become a great threat not only to Azerbaijan, but also to the entire region, including the West and the CIS. The worlds salvation depends on a speedy settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The question of legal representation for Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo became contentious when a case filed against his official capacity by Isaac Wilberforce Mensah was called at the Supreme Court today, July 29.

Mr. Mensah is questioning the independence of the Auditor-General in relation to the limitation on his administrative actions.

The suit was filed against the Auditor-General, the Audit Service Board and the Attorney-General.

Though Mr. Domelevo announced Kizito Beyou and Kofi Bentil as his lawyers on record, a Deputy Attorney General, Godfred Dame also announced himself as representing the Auditor-General and the Audit Service Board.

Also, both the substantive Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo, and the Acting Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoa Asiedu were both present in court for the case today, July 29, 2020.

Though Mr. Beyuo said he had the instruction of the Office of Auditor-General to represent the Office in the matter, Mr. Dame maintained it laid within the mandate of the Attorney Generals Department to represent all public officials in legal matters.

In the frustration of the court, Justice Dotse remarked that the office of the Auditor-General is a very important office under the scheme of our dispensation and nobody should toy with it.

Justice Nene Amegatcher, on the other hand, insists that the Auditor-General, through an office, has a human being in it.

The court thus said it refused to be drawn into the conflict and directed the parties to go and resolve the issue by themselves.

The conflict resurfaced when the case involving the Auditor-General, Kroll and Associates, and Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo was called.

The Court, at its last hearing, directed the Auditor-General to inspect documents relating to the performance of the $1m contract being the subject of contention.

Lawyers for Mr. Osafo-Maafo had hoped, these documents, classified as confidential for purposes of national security, would end the issue in dispute.

Mr. Domelevo was, however, directed to go on an accumulated leave and to hand over all official functions to Mr. Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, just before the inspection took place.

In court on Monday, lawyers for Mr. Domelevo argued that the Acting Auditor-General should be joined to the case to respond to the issue of the inspection of the documents since Mr. Domelevo, though substantive, was not active in Court at the time of the inspection of the documents.

Again the Court said it did not want to be drawn into the conflict at the Audit Service.

On the substantive issue, however, the Audit Service says it is satisfied with the documents inspected as reflective of the work done by Kroll and Associates.

The Court consequently struck out the reference by the trial High Court to it since it has become moot following the inspection of the document by the Auditor-Generals office. Challenge of accumulated leave

And still in the Supreme Court on Monday, the Court is set to hear a suit challenging President Akufo-Addos decision to send the Auditor on accumulated leave.

The suit filed by US-based Ghanaian Professor of Accounting, Stephen Kwaku Asare, had the substantive Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelovo and the Acting Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu joined in as defendants.

He had also asked the Court to place an injunction on the executive order.

The Court, however, ruled that there was absolutely no legal basis for the Substantive and Acting Auditors-General to be joined to the suit.

It also struck out the injunction application as withdrawn.

 citinewsroom
The OnePlus Nord has been barely into the market and a follow up may already be in the works. And it appears the upcoming Nord phone will be powered by the recently unveiled Snapdragon 690 SoC, which is Qualcomms cheapest 5G solution. In all likelihood, the new OnePlus Nord will be even cheaper than the current model.

The folks at XDA Developers have discovered references to an upcoming OnePlus smartphone codenamed Billie in the latest version of OxygenOS 10.5 for the OnePlus Nord. They found references to SM6350 products in the OxygenOS Settings APK. SM6350 is the part number for the Snapdragon 690.

They also found multiple calls to a method called isSM6350Products in the Settings APK. This method checks the model of the device and returns true if the model name matches BE2025, BE2026, BE2028, or BE2029, reports XDA.

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These could be four different versions of the new OnePlus Nord, possibly intended for different markets including the US. One Plus CEO Karl Pei has already confirmed that a Nord-branded smartphone will hit the US markets by the end of this year. The current model is only available in Europe and India as of now.

The BE in the model numbers of the new phone likely refers to the devices codename Billie Eilish. Yes, the teenage music sensation. OnePlus does tend to internally name its phones after music stars. The current Nord bears the model numbers AC2001 (India) and AC2003 (Europe), where the AC stands for Avicii.

Code strings in the latest OnePlus Launcher APK reveal that there could be two different Billie devices in development: Billie2T and Billie8T. While theres no way to confirm these device names, theres a good chance theyll launch under the Nord series. 5G support, cheaper Qualcomm SoC, all points towards the OnePlus Nord lineup.

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OnePlus phone with Snapdragon 690 spotted on Geekbench

An unannounced OnePlus smartphone with model number BE2028 was spotted on Geekbench earlier this month. It featured a 6GB of RAM and an octa-core Qualcomm processor with codename lito, which suggested it to be the Snapdragon 765/765G.

However, the base frequency of 1.71 GHz suggests its the Snapdragon 690. The codes also mention an Adreno 619 GPU. Only the Snapdragon 690 has that graphics processing unit. The Snapdragon 765/765G gets the Adreno 620 GPU. The Geekbench listing also revealed 6GB of RAM.

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Although these benchmarks are way too easy to spoof, the recent discovery by XDA suggests such a device is indeed in the works, and most probably under the Nord series. Well now just have to wait for OnePlus to begin teasing the new Nord phone.
A Perth man who killed his baby grandson blinked back the emotion as his family called out in support while he was sentenced to seven years and six months in jail.

Wayne Downing. Credit:Facebook

Wayne William Downing was charged over the 2016 death of three-month-old Noah after the mother returned to family's Midland home at 8.30am on May 5 to find the infant "cold to the touch" in his cot.

During sentencing in the Supreme Court, Justice Anthony Derrick said Downing, 53, had shaken Noah for four to six seconds when the baby was crying at 3am, after having only had an hour's sleep himself on the couch.

Upon putting Noah back in the cot he knew he had done something wrong because Noah's head shook from side to side and back and forth, and eventually he became quiet, the court heard.
PITTSBURGH, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- "We wanted to create this invention to help the elderly and other mobility limited people shop on their own while staying safe and comfortable," said two inventors from Oakland, Calif. "So, we invented the E & R SMART GROCERY CART."

The invention fulfills the need for a redesigned shopping cart that would make it easier to load and unload the contents of a cart, while also employing a unique braking system for added safety and convenience. The design is novel, convenient, and easy to operate. It could prevent damage to other cars in a parking lot, and prevent a cart from rolling away from the user, and could also prevent muscle strain and injury to individuals trying to lift heavy items from within shopping carts. Additionally, it would especially be useful to the elderly, pregnant women, and other individuals with physical limitations.

The inventors describe the unique qualities of their idea. "This shopping cart would greatly improve the convenience and safety of a shopping cart."

The original design was submitted to the San Francisco sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 19-SFO-732, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

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The amount of compensation required to be paid to states for their revenue shortfall in the current financial year is expected to be at least Rs 1.88 lakh crore even if the Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection remains at the same level as last year, around Rs 12 lakh crore, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said. In 2019-20, the Centre paid a compensation of Rs 1,65,302 crore to the states; the last instalment of this was paid on this month.

On Wednesday, The Hindu reported that revenue secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance on Tuesday that the government may not be in a position to pay compensation to states this year.

The people cited in the first instance sad that this is likely given sluggish economic activity on account of the Covid-19 pandemic , the national lockdown that ended on May 31, and localised lockdowns that are still ongoing in some parts of the country.

As per GST law, states have been assured a 14% increase in their annual GST revenue, but GST collection in 2020-21 is unlikely see any growth, they added.

There is virtually no money left to pay compensation to states from April 2020, one of the three said. The states were paid Rs 1,65,302 crore GST compensation in 2019-20, even as total cess collection for the fiscal year was a mere Rs 95,444 crore. The gap was met from the balance in the compensation cess account of previous years and some money was transferred from the consolidated fund of India, he added.

At the time of introducing the new indirect tax regime, the GST law assured states a 14% increase in their annual revenue for five years (up to July 1, 2020) and the Centre committed to meet any shortfall in revenue through the cess levied on luxury goods and sin products such as liquor, cigarettes, aerated water, automobiles, coal and other tobacco products.

According to a note circulated in the 40th GST Council meeting held on June 12, compensation cess collected in 2017-18 was Rs 62,612 crore, rose to Rs 95,081 crore in 2018-19 and further to Rs 95,444 crore in 2019-20. Compensation paid in 2017-18 was however, less than the total collection at Rs 41,146 crore and Rs 69,275 crore in 2018-19.

The second person, who is a legal expert, said the law provides that the compensation will be paid out of the GST Compensation Fund, specifically created for this purpose. Nowhere in the Compensation Act has been stated that in regard to a situation of shortfall in the GST Compensation Fund, the gap will be met by the central government, he said.

It is now up to the GST Council to find a solution  how to augment revenue collection. Theoretically, the options before the Council for meeting the shortfall could be to rationalise tax rates, include more items under the compensation cess or increase the compensation cess, or recommend higher borrowing by states to be repaid by the future collection into the compensation fund, the third person said.

Finance ministers of some states, however, said paying compensation is the responsibility of the Union government. According to news reports the hearing before Standing Committee on Finance, Centre has taken the stand that GST Compensation cant be paid and present arrangements be revised by Council. Such a brazen betrayal of federal trust! Convene the Council meeting immediately as promised, Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac said in a tweet.

The union finance ministry did not respond to e-mails seekinmg comment. GST Council is the apex federal body that takes all decisions related to the indirect tax. It is chaired by the Union finance minister. Finance ministers of states and union territories are its members and the council decisions are often unanimous.

The third official said the Council will meet in August to resolve this matter. This is not a systemic issue. The compensation cess fund has depleted because of the pandemic and not due to any system flaw in the GST regime. Covid-19 was an act of god, a force majure. The Council will take an appropriate view on this matter soon.

Pratik Jain, partner and leader of the indirect tax practice at PwC India said that a dialogue between the Centre and states is the only viable solution. Increasing the ambit or rate of cess may not be a practical solution at this stage. The only viable option seems to be a renegotiation between the Centre and states about the quantum and period of compensation. Eventually, we will have to find a way to ensure that state finances are self sustainable and this compensation is not needed at all.

Abhishek Jain, tax partner at consultancy firm EY India said, With expectations of lower cess collections in the next couple of months with already muted collections in the first quarter, the government possibly will need to explore avenues for funding the shortfall -- through increased tenure of compensation cess levy or rate increase in later years, etc.

According to government data, the GST collection in first three months of current financial year saw a decline of about 41% at Rs 1,85,220 crore compared to Rs 3,14,095 crore in the same period last year.

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Fred Willard on Tuesday was nominated for an Emmy for his role on Modern Family two months after his death from cardiac arrest at 86.

The late actor got a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for playing Frank Dunphy on the ABC series, which wrapped up earlier this year.

Williard was previously nominated for Primetime Emmys on four occasions, including one for Modern Family in 2010, and three consecutive years - 2003, 2004 and 2005 - for playing Hank on Everybody Loves Raymond.

Honored: Fred Willard on Tuesday was nominated for an Emmy for his role on Modern Family two months after his death from cardiac arrest at 86

The show paid homage to the nomination on its Twitter, writing: 'Honoring Fred Willard on his posthumous #Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. #ModernFamily.'

The Tinseltown veteran's relatives expressed their joy over the honor, writing in response on his Twitter, 'Our family is very excited! Thank you!'

The late actor was nominated against a host of notable names including Eddie Murphy, Brad Pitt and Adam Driver for their roles on Saturday Night Live; Dev Patel (Modern Love) and Luke Kirby (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).

Modern Family's co-creator Christopher Lloyd opened up to EW about Willard's word ethic in an interview earlier this year.

The late actor got a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for playing Frank Dunphy on the ABC series, which wrapped up earlier this year

Lasting legacy: Following his death, Williard was hailed by a slew of show business peers over his five-decade-plus career in Hollywood

'Hes really a consummate comedic actor, and weve been a fan of his for decades,' Lloyd told EW at the time. 'So we always loved having him on the show. He just has a light touch with comedy, but theres nothing easy about it for him.

The actor, who was also known for his work in Anchorman, This Is Spinal Tap and Best In Show, rehearsed and practiced 'in his trailer endlessly,' Lloyd said. 'So he makes it look easy by working very, very hard.'

Following his death this past May, his daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement, 'My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old. He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much. We will miss him forever.'

Homage: The show paid homage to the nomination on its Twitter and Fred's family said it was 'very excited' over the honor

Following his death, Williard was hailed by a slew of show business peers over his five-decade-plus career in Hollywood.

They included Jimmy Kimmel, Steve Martin, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Judd Apatow and his Modern Family co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who said, 'I am so honored that our lives intersected.

Carell said, 'Fred Willard was the funniest person that I've ever worked with. He was a sweet, wonderful man.'

Martin wrote, 'RIP, Fred. You were always my comic hero. I was thrilled to work with you in Roxanne.'

The Emmys will be hosted by Kimmel and air on ABC September 20.
PORTLAND, Ore.  Ive been on the front lines of the protests here, searching for the radical-left anarchists who President Trump says are on Portland streets each evening.

I thought Id found one: a man who for weeks leapt into the fray and has been shot four times with impact munitions yet keeps coming back. I figured he must be a crazed anarchist.

But no, he turned out to be Dr. Bryan Wolf, a radiologist who wears his white doctors jacket and carries a sign with a red cross and the words humanitarian aid. He pleads with federal forces not to shoot or gas protesters.

Put your gun barrels down! he cries out. Why are you loading your grenade launchers? Were just standing 
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated actress Ashley Judd's sexual harassment claims against Harvey Weinstein. (Evan Agostini / Invision/Associated Press)

Harvey Weinsteins legal woes continue.

On Wednesday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court decision, ruling that actress Ashley Judd can go forward with a sexual harassment claim against the disgraced movie producer.

One of the first actresses to speak out publicly against Weinstein, Judd claimed that in 1998, the once powerful Hollywood figure, lured her to his room at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. Once there, he made unwanted advances, including asking her to watch him shower and attempted to give her a massage, she said.

In April 2018, Judd sued Weinstein, claiming that he retaliated against her professionally and sabotaged her career after she rejected his overtures.

In the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Judd alleged that Weinstein made false and malicious statements about her, which resulted in a lost opportunity to work in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.

Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, later confirmed that he removed Judd from consideration for the films after meeting with Weinstein.

In September, a federal judge struck down Judds sexual harassment claim against Weinstein, saying Californias sexual harassment law didnt apply to her case because she was not an employee and did not have a professional relationship with Weinstein.

However, the judge allowed her to pursue her defamation and retaliation suit, as well as to amend her sexual harassment complaint.

Subsequently, the California Legislature changed the law specifically to include directors and producers as those covered under the law.

In its ruling, the three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit found that the lower court erred, saying there was an inherent power imbalance, and that Weinstein was uniquely situated to exercise coercion or leverage over Judd by virtue of his professional position and influence as a top producer in Hollywood.

Judds lawyer Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, in a statement called the ruling an important victory not only for Ms. Judd but for all victims of sexual harassment in professional relationships. The court correctly holds that California law forbids sexual harassment and retaliation by film producers and others in powerful positions, even outside the employment context, and we look forward to pursuing this claim against Mr. Weinstein at trial.

Story continues

Weinstein's lawyer, Phyllis Kupferstein, said in a statement: "We are glad that both Ms. Judd and Mr. Weinstein will have their day in court, where we expect the truth will come to light. The most minimal investigation of the events will show that Mr. Weinstein neither defamed Ms. Judd, nor hindered or interfered with her career, and certainly never retaliated against her. Instead, Mr. Weinstein championed her work and approved her casting for two of his movies."

Earlier this month, a federal judge rejected a proposed civil settlement between the disgraced mogul and nine women who said he sexually assaulted or abused them. U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in New York said he wouldn't consent to the $18.9-million settlement in part because the agreement tried to include claims by women who asked to be excluded from the deal.

He said the proposed settlement unfairly included women who simply met Weinstein, in addition to those who were sexually assaulted by him.

In February, Weinstein was convicted of rape and felony sex crime in New York City and sentenced to 23 years in jail.

The Hollywood producer behind such Oscar-winning hits as Shakespeare in Love, Chicago and The Kings Speech was fired from his namesake company in October 2017 after dozens of women accused him of sexual misconduct.

In addition to a class-action suit filed by alleged victims and former Weinstein Co. employees, multiple women have filed individual suits against Weinstein alleging sexual misconduct, assault or harassment.

Weinstein has denied having nonconsensual sex with women who have accused him of misconduct.




The World Trade Organization's dispute settlement body on Wednesday decided to set up a panel to look into South Korea's complaint against Japan's export restrictions, a month after the decision was put off due to Tokyo's opposition.



Under the WTO rules, an investigation panel can be set up unless there is unanimous opposition from all members.



In June, South Korea reopened the WTO complaint over Japan's export curbs on key industrial materials, as Tokyo remained unresponsive to Seoul's call for the removal of the export restrictions it imposed one year ago.



The bilateral dispute began in July last year, when Japan abruptly announced it would regulate South Korea-bound exports of the three materials  photoresist, etching gas and fluorinated polyimide that are critical for the chip and display industries, the backbone of Asia's No. 4 economy.



A month later, Japan even removed South Korea from its list of trusted trading partners, provoking Seoul to take tit-for-tat action in September.



Tokyo blamed Seoul for failing to effectively control trade of sensitive items that can be diverted for military purposes, but it has not yet provided clear evidence on how South Korea violated international rules.



Japan's export curbs are viewed as retaliation against a South Korean court's decision that ordered Japanese companies to provide compensation for their wartime slavery of Korean workers.



With the two countries making no clear progress in resolving the dispute, South Korea filed a complaint with the WTO on the issue in September.



The country had suspended the process in November 2019 in a goodwill gesture, with Japan also lifting some regulations for photoresist.



As there were no further developments, in May 2020, South Korea warned it would have no choice but to resume the WTO complaint unless Japan put forward any moves to address the issue.



South Korea has argued that Japan "fails to administer its laws, regulations, decisions and rulings of general application relating to the restrictions on exports in a uniform, impartial and reasonable manner," according to a WTO document. It said such moves conflict with WTO agreements that call for free and fair movement of goods, services and intellectual property.



Seoul's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said the WTO will move to appoint panel members, receive written arguments from both sides outlining their positions on the matter, as well as listen to oral testimonies.



"From the setting up of the panel to a final decision being reached in principle takes between 10 to 13 months, although this can be shortened or pushed back, depending on developments," it said.



So far, Tokyo's retaliation has caused more damage to Japan than South Korea.



In 2019, South Korea's exports to Japan moved down 6.9 percent, whereas its imports nose-dived 12.9 percent.



The ongoing "boycott Japan" movement among South Korean consumers dealt a harsh blow to Japanese consumer goods companies. Demand for Japanese beer became nearly nonexistent here, a development far different than the past when South Korea used to be the top buyer of Japanese beer through 2018.



South Korea also managed to diversify its sources to secure the crucial items while making efforts to foster its technologies for equipment, parts and materials as well.



Data compiled by the Korea International Trade Association showed South Korea's imports of hydrogen fluoride from Japan over the January-May period plunged 85.8 percent on-year. Accordingly, Japan only accounted for 12 percent of South Korea's total imports of the material, down from 44 percent posted last year.



But for South Korea, settling the trade row with the Asian neighbor is still important, as Japan could come up with more regulations down the road. The country also has enough uncertainties on its plate due to the new coronavirus pandemic.



South Korea's exports are expected to fall 9 percent on-year in July, possibly extending a slump to the fifth consecutive month, a poll by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency, showed this week. (Yonhap)


Activist Gene Stilp plans to burn pro-Trump, Confederate, Nazi and Russian flags Thursday in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties as protests against President Donald Trump.

But Lackawanna County wont allow the protest on the grounds of Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton for safety and liability reasons, county spokesman Joe DArienzo said.

Stilp said hes going to do it anyway.

And if he gets arrested?

So be it, said Stilp, a Wilkes-Barre native who lives near Harrisburg.

Stilp said he held a similar protest Thursday in Williamsport and was arrested, released and told hell get a citation in the mail.

In November of 2017, Stilp burned a combined Nazi/Confederate flag outside the Luzerne County Courthouse in what he called an attempt to educate people and get them to think for themselves.

On Tuesday, Stilp announced hell go Thursday to Wilkes-Barre at 11 a.m. and to Scranton at 2 p.m. to burn two-sided flags that combine Trumps Make America Great Again slogan with each of the Confederate flag, the Nazi swastika flag and the Russian/Soviet Union hammer-and-sickle flag. He plans to burn the three, 3-feet-by-5-feet, two-sided flags in a metal trash can.

We confront it wherever we find it, and right now theres a lot of racism in northeastern Pennsylvania, Stilp said of the reason for the protests. Im very embarrassed by the residents of northeastern Pennsylvania voting for Trump. Being a Wilkes-Barre native its very sad for me to see.

Lackawanna County requires that a request for public use of Courthouse Square be made at least two weeks in advance, by filling out a form with various details. One of those requirements is a certificate of liability insurance having the county listed as additionally insured, and which the county has not received from Stilp, DArienzo said.

Burning flags in a garbage can raises a concern about embers possibly drifting aloft and landing elsewhere, including on the grounds of the square, on the historic courthouse itself, or on passersby or vehicles in public, DArienzo said.

Its a safety concern, DArienzo said. Its a risk were not going to take.

Stilp disputed the notion that flag burning would pose a safety hazard, noting the garbage can is metal and he will have a fire extinguisher on hand. Hell also wear a mask and be socially distanced during his one-man protest, he said.

Luzerne County officials will not try to stop Stilp in Wilkes-Barre.

The county will follow the same protocol as it did for a similar event in 2017 where Stilp burned a combined Confederate/Nazi flag, county Manager David Pedri said. Sheriffs deputies will monitor the flag-burning and the county will notify the city fire department as a precaution, Pedri said.

Eric Mark, staff writer, contributed to this report. By Jim Lockwood, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa. (TNS)

More:

Flag-burning activist sues Lewisburg, claims its burn law violates free speech

Harrisburg activist gets Trump flag-burning citation thrown out

Lady Liberty endures  from knucklehead idea to a beloved landmark
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says landlords do not have any reason to increase rents or lease agreements because they are...





The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says landlords do not have any reason to increase rents or lease agreements because they are not the collection agents.





Muhammad Nami, the FIRS executive chairman, told Nigeria Info in Abuja on Tuesday that tenants would be the ones to remit the applicable stamp duty at any commercial bank of their choice, not to any landlord.





The stamp duty is charged at graduated rates. Stamp duty on rent or lease from one year to less than seven years is 0.78 percent. If your rent is N100,000 stamp duty due on it is N780. Your stamp duty could be as low as N200 or N300 if you live in a room and parlour or in the village where rent is low, a statement by Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad, director of FIRS communications and liaison department, quoted Nami to have said.





If you can afford to pay your rent between seven to 21 years, your stamp duty is three percent on the rent. If you can afford to pay rent at once from 21 years and above the stamp duty due is six percent, which is very rare but we created room for it because some renters prefer long leases.





Once youve reached an agreement with your landlord on the amount to pay for your rent of less than seven years, you should calculate 0.78 percent of the amount, go to a nearby bank and ask to pay the 0.78 percent into the stamp duty account. Collect the teller and tender it to your landlord to legalise your transaction with him or her.





It is the responsibility of the landlord before he or she issues a receipt or sign a rent or lease agreement with a tenant to make sure that the tenant presents evidence of stamp duty payment.





A landlord that does not insist on evidence of stamp duty payment will bear the cost of the stamp duty if the FIRS eventually finds out. You do not pay stamp duty on your own residential accommodation if you are the owner of the property even if you live in a ten storey building.





Nami said the 2019 finance act has exempted 60 percent of taxpayers, including small and micro enterprises (SMEs) from paying tax because only companies which make up to N25 million turnover now pay tax or collect value-added tax (VAT).





This has therefore relieved millions of Nigerians and SMEs, including many businesses impacted by COVID-19, of their tax obligations to the government, which is a form of long-term tax palliative to them even before the pandemic, he added.




A 2016 Toyota Highlander and a 2000 Freightliner dump truck collided about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday at Route 873 and Neffs Laurys Road in North Whitehall Township, seriously injuring the driver of the SUV, Pennsylvania State Police report.

A 57-year-old township woman was behind the wheel of the Toyota, police said. Her 57-year-old passenger, also from the township, was hurt as well, police said. The pair were taken by Northern Valley EMS for treatment at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township, police said.

Two people were injured about 5:15 p.m. July 28, 2020, when a 2016 Toyota Highlander collided with a 2000 Freightliner dump truck at Route 873 and Neffs Laurys Road in North Whitehall Township, police say.Mike Nester | lehighvalleylive.com contributor

The 71-year-old Slatington man driving the truck was not hurt, police said.

All involved were wearing seat belts and the airbags went off in the Toyota, police said.

Neffs Laurys Road, Bellview Road and Route 873 come together at the crash site.

Two people were injured about 5:15 p.m. July 28, 2020, when a 2016 Toyota Highlander collided with a 2000 Freightliner dump truck at Route 873 and Neffs Laurys Road in North Whitehall Township, police say.Mike Nester | lehighvalleylive.com contributor

The Toyota was coming from Neffs Laurys Road while the truck was on Route 873, which curves to the left at the crash location, police said. There is a stop sign at Neffs Laurys Road and again before entering Route 873 from a right turn. Its not clear if the Toyota was making a right or left. The crash remains under investigation, police said.

Neffs Volunteer Fire Company assisted at the scene and Ironton Auto Body towed the SUV, police said. The truck, which appeared to have minor front-end damage, was driven from the scene, police said.

Two people were injured about 5:15 p.m. July 28, 2020, when a 2016 Toyota Highlander collided with a 2000 Freightliner dump truck at Route 873 and Neffs Laurys Road in North Whitehall Township, police say.Mike Nester | lehighvalleylive.com contributor

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Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
Friends, loved ones and strangers have rallied together to help the family of a Perth woman diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Dawn Perrin is due to arrive from the UK on Wednesday to be the full-time carer for her daughter Vicki Perrin, 46.

When her flight was booked last month, Vicki's daughter Olivia Thornton, 22, says she was told by the Department of Home Affairs that the government would foot the bill for her grandmother's 14-day hotel quarantine.

Ms Thornton put out a call for help last week after her grandfather was told they would have to fork out the $2,500 bill themselves due to a rule change which came into effect on July 17.

The Western Australian government announced the change in rules a week earlier on July 10.

Olivia Thornton (left) has been inundated with support since finding out her family has to foot the bill for her grandmother Dawn's (middle) hotel quarantine. They're pictured with Olivia's mum Vicki Perrin (right), who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year

'Despite months going by with hotel costs being waived, based on compassionate grounds of my Nan moving to this country to become my Mum's primary carer, and based on us being informed differently, they are refusing to take this in to account,' Ms Thornton wrote on a GoFundMe page.

'In speaking with the department of health, they have told me they will not budge and we are being charged this cost despite everything stated above and despite our compassionate exemption.'

'We were told that our case was different. They say only permanent residents and citizens can apply for a waiver on these fees, my Nan is neither.'

Until now, Mr Thornton has cared for her mother with the help of her grandfather and younger brother since the shock diagnosis last year.

Her desperate public plea for help has since paid off with almost $3,400 raised within five days to cover the hotel quarantine bill.

Olivia Thornton (pictured) put out a call for help and was inundated with support

A shocked but very grateful Ms Thornton was left loss for words.

'We dont even know where to begin to thank everyone enough. This has made such a huge impact on us all. Since my mum being diagnosed last year, weve not been faced with many positive things,' she wrote on Tuesday.

'You have all shown me and my family an overwhelmingly positive outcome after we have been dealing with a lot of negativity for a while, thank you so much,'

Ms Thornton agrees taxpayers shouldn't have to fork out the bill for hotel quarantine for returned travellers.

'But when it comes to scenarios like this one in which me and my family physically can't cover this cost and that my nan should have been in this country before this rule ever came into place, but she was not due to her application not being approved in time, I feel an exemption should be made,' Ms Thornton wrote.

She's now on a mission to campaign for the improvement of rules and laws regarding the care of her mum.
Authorities in China return to demolish Christians homes after razing church

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A month after partially demolishing a church structure in Chinas Fujian province, dozens of security guards and officials came back to bulldoze homes in the residential compound where the church once stood.

Guards and officials from the local Ethnic and Religious Bureau stormed the Xingguang Church building in Xiamen city last Wednesday for further demolition of Christian homes in conjunction to the house church, reports the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern.

A Christian preacher, Yang Xibo from Xunsiding Church posted videos on Facebook in which dozens of officials from the Urban Management Law Enforcement department can be seen marching toward the remaining structures that were not demolished in June.

While breaking into a Christian home, the officials didnt show any papers of authorization for their action. When a 67-year-old woman tried to stop them, officials  some of them equipped with anti-riot shields  shuffled her off.

Other Christians at the scene who were trying to intervene were blocked at the stairs and prevented from moving further. When they questioned the authorities why they illegally entered private property and demolished peoples residence, they were met with silence, ICC said.

For the Chinese government to frantically persecute Christians even after their churches were shut down shows how Beijing has no interest in respecting religious freedom," Gina Goh, ICCs regional manager for Southeast Asia, said. What the Chinese Communist Party does not understand is that Christianity will not be wiped out just because the buildings no longer stand. The more the government erodes the rights of Chinese citizens, the more enemies it creates within its territories. One day, this pressure cooker will explode, threatening the CCP regime, the exact endgame it is fearful of.

On June 11, more than 100 officers from four different agencies came to demolish parts of the Xingguang Churchs interior of five rooms, removing panelling and partition walls, according to the U.K.-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

Authorities also removed church property, including furniture and educational materials, from the churchs school section.

The timing of the destruction coincided with the State Departments annual report on international religious freedom, including a lengthy section on freedom of religion or belief violations by the Chinese government.

Xingguang Church was earlier raided on April 19, followed by another violent raid on May 3, in which many members were injured and some were briefly detained, according to ICC, which said the churchs preacher, Titus Yu, recently filed a complaint pursuant to Chinas Supervision Law against three officials for their abuse of power and illegal intrusion of personal property. The preacher received no response.

The Italian-based magazine Bitter Winter, a publication produced by the Center for Studies on New Religion which covers human rights issues in China, reported in June that authorities removed crosses from more than 250 state-sanctioned churches in Anhui province between January and April.

In its 2020 annual report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that not only have authorities removed crosses from churches across the nation, but they have also banned youth aged 18 and younger from participating in religious services.

On Open Doors USAs World Watch List, China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians. The organization notes that all churches are perceived as a threat if they become too large, too political, or invite foreign guests.
More than four months after being plunged into an unprecedented economic and social lockdown, Toronto is on the brink of a shocking return to near-normalcy.

But the citys ability to continue keeping a lid on COVID-19 infections after Friday, when bars reopen, indoor dining resumes, fitness clubs unlock doors and tape comes off playgrounds, rests squarely on the shoulders of Torontonians.

The hard work really begins now, Mayor John Tory said Wednesday after the Ontario government announced Toronto and Peel Region are ready to join municipalities already in Stage 3 of reopening, leaving only Windsor-Essex behind.

Almost all businesses and public spaces are set to reopen, albeit with restrictions.

Most of this is going to rely on personal responsibility  and I think people are ready for that. They dont want to go backwards to Stage 2 restrictions, Tory said.

Not satisfied with provincial rules for the new phase, which will also see the reopening of nail salons, theatres and amateur sports leagues, city council imposed some additional rules recommended by city public health chief Dr. Eileen de Villa.

They include no wandering or mingling by bar patrons, and residents of apartments and condominiums having to cover their faces in common areas, including lobbies and laundry rooms.

Tory said he has been eager for this day since first ordering lockdown measures in March.

But the mayor warned that if Torontonians celebrate loosened rules at big backyard parties and crowded beaches, or otherwise ignore physical distancing and other measures that pushed the city to Stage 3, he will act.

I would have no hesitation in communicating with the premier and saying  we have to go back to Stage 2 or restore some restrictions, he said, if rule-breaking risks a COVID-19 resurgence like those seen in Ottawa and some other cities.

No hesitation at all.

The Ontario government said it will approve some extra rules requested last week by Toronto. But it was unclear Wednesday if they will duplicate the city-imposes rules, or make new ones, such as a midnight closing for bars requested by Tory.

Restaurant owners, meanwhile, reported confusion over the citys additional rules as they scramble to prepare for indoor guests. They said the city should have imposed the measures earlier, knowing that Stage 3 was looming.

For example, Ontarios Stage 3 reopening rules impose no cap on the number of people allowed in bars or restaurants as long as people can stay two metres apart. The city imposed a cap of 100 people on indoor businesses, no matter the size.

Council also decreed that restaurants and bars cant seat more than 10 guests at a table inside or outside, and must have a protocol to screen staff for COVID-19  at least a questionnaire  before they start each shift.

I just want them to be giving clear rules for all restaurants, Celina Blanchard, owner of Lambretta Pizzeria in Roncesvalles, told the Star as she moved tables indoors from her makeshift patio.

Industry association Restaurants Canada said it has had a generally good relationship with Toronto Public Health but would have welcomed an invitation from Tory to discuss concerns he raised to Ford in a letter last week.

Basically, what restaurants are asking for is: Just make it clear what you want from us and well do it, said James Rilett, the organizations vice-president for central Canada.

Cinemas are also deciphering city and provincial rules to see if they can reopen.

Cineplex and the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Wednesday were reviewing the rules, unsure if patrons will be allowed to escape the heat and catch a flick on Friday. The Ted Rogers Hot Docs Cinema confirmed it will remain closed to work on a reopening plan.

Coun. Joe Cressy, Torontos public health chair, said all the new rules faced by Torontos many thousands of affected business should be clear soon.

All the measures city council adopted today  the measures for bars and restaurants, the mask bylaw for condos and apartments, the extended physical distancing bylaw  will now be part of Phase 3, he said Wednesday.

What we dont know yet (and may not for a couple of days), is whether the provincial order will replace any of them.

Parents like Betsy Moss, a Toronto art historian and mother of three, said she and her kids are thrilled playgrounds are finally reopening.

Ive been really looking forward to this for a long time, she said.

Her 10-year-old son gets outside every day but has still spent much of his time during the lockdown sitting in front of a screen, and Moss said he misses the challenge of being on a playground. Likewise, her three-year-old twins are drawn like magnets towards the local play structures in their Annex neighbourhood.

Moss said she set up a slide in the backyard, but its not the same.

She thinks the city should have reopened playgrounds sooner because the research suggests the risk of transmission on outside surfaces is low.

Moss feels like children have been left behind in Torontos recovery plans while the city focused on getting economic drivers like bars and restaurants humming again.

Dorianne Emmerton said it will be a relief to get her son Callum, 8, back on the playgrounds in their neighbourhood on the border between Regent Park and Corktown Common.

The boy has been affected both physically and emotionally by the months (of) not having an outlet for all of his energy and having to be stuck at home, she said, adding that without being able to clamber around outside, his pent-up energy has been coming out in unhelpful ways.

His body literally needs to climb and hang upside down and swing back and forth, she said. Emmerton said she wasnt worried about Callums health on the playground because he understands the importance of not getting too close to other people.

Other Torontonians said they have mixed feelings about Stage 3.

As he biked to an outdoor fitness class, Matthew Weeks, a 27-year-old programmer, told the Star that before the crisis he went to the gym nearly every day to lift weights. He was initially excited when he heard he would be able to start going again but the more he thought about it, the more hesitant he became.

He pictured a room full of people grunting and sweating, and wondered whether gym-goers, who in his experience arent always considerate, would be diligent about wearing masks and practising physical distancing.

Then, on Wednesday, he got an email from his gym saying it had requested the government to increase the number of people allowed to work out at the same time.

That scares the heck out of me, Weeks said. Hes particularly concerned about contracting COVID-19 and passing it to relatives, some of whom have health problems like asthma.

I dont want to get any of my family members sick just because I wanted to go and pump some iron, he said. Im going to give it a shot but Im going to be pretty careful and if I even get the slightest bit concerned Im probably not going to continue going.

Meanwhile, the dangers of reopening are playing out elsewhere. In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is warning he might have to reimpose a March lockdown that has since been lifted.

Weve made progress in Illinois, but weve also seen that it can be fleeting, Pritzker told the Chicago Tribune. I want to remind everyone that it doesnt take long at all for a trajectory of success to turn into rising hospitalizations and deaths ... And if things dont change, a reversal is where were headed.

Torontos new daily COVID-19 infections plummeted to only one on Tuesday, then jumped Wednesday to 19 confirmed or probable cases. De Villa was unconcerned, saying Torontos indicators remain in a long-term downward trend.

Allowing people to gather in more places and get back to near-normal life will almost certainly result in a rise in Torontos case count, de Villa said. Public health testing and tracing of contacts of infected people should keep it manageable.

The more Torontonians keep physically distancing, cover their faces and wash their hands, the more likely it is that public health officials can contain the virus until scientists develop vaccines or treatments, de Villa said.

Lockdowns can harm peoples health, including the effects of lost income and reduced social interactions, she said, adding there is no magic number of new infections that would trigger more restrictions or eve a retreat back to Stage 2.

That actually rests with all of us.

With files from Jacques Gallant and Francine Kopun

David Rider is the Stars City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider

Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation for the Star. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr
In the first half of 2020, exports of oilseeds from Ukraine totaled USD 326 million, down 47.4% compared to the same period in 2019.

"In January-June 2020, Ukraine exported oilseeds to the tune of $326 million, down 47.4% compared to the same period last year ($619 million)," the Institute of Agrarian Economics (IAE) informs.

Soybeans remain the major export item of this group. In the first half of 2020, more than 0.8 million tonnes of soybeans were exported to the tune of $289 million. In addition, 18,000 tonnes of rapeseed totalling $7 million and 33,000 tonnes of sunflower seeds totalling $14 million were exported during this period.

January-June 2020, the largest importers of Ukrainian oilseeds were Turkey (19.6% of total cost of Ukrainian oilseeds supplies), Belarus (16.4%), Greece (9.0%), Italy (8.5%), Germany (6.6%), Lebanon (6.1%), the Netherlands (5.6%) and China (4.5%).

In the first half of 2020, exports of fats and oils from Ukraine amounted to about $2.9 billion, up 24% compared to the same period last year. The main export item of this group is sunflower oil. In the first half of 2020, Ukraine exported sunflower oil to the tune of $2.7 million, up 24% compared to the same period last year

The major importers of Ukrainian fats and oils were India (23.6%), China (15.8%), the Netherlands (8.8%), Iraq (7.6 %), Spain (7.3%), and Italy (5.3%).

As reported, exports of Ukrainian agricultural products in January-June 2020 increased by $0.1 billion compared to the same period last year, reaching $10.4 billion.

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US among highest in per-capita deaths globally as Florida reports record increase in COVID-19 deaths for second day.

United States deaths from the novel coronavirus surpassed 150,000, a number higher than in any other country and nearly a quarter of the worlds total.

Mainland China has reported 101 new cases of the novel coronavirus  the highest in more than three and a half months. Of the new cases, 89 are in the far western region of Xinjiang.

Nearly 16.7 million people around the world have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus. Some 9.7 million patients have recovered, and more than 659,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Here are the latest updates:

Wednesday, July 29

23:00 GMT  Masks to be required in the US House of Representatives

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, on Wednesday announced that members and staff will be required to wear masks in the House during the coronavirus pandemic.

Members will be allowed to remove their masks to speak in the House when addressing the chamber, Pelosi said on the House floor.

The chair expects all members and staff to adhere to this requirement as a sign of respect for the health, safety, and wellbeing of others present in the chamber and surrounding areas, Pelosi said.

Speaker Pelosi helping to perpetuate the COVID-19 pseudoscience of the Fauci-Birx doctrine of destruction by mandating masks on the House floor. This is an outrageous action by a tyrant, who would like nothing less than complete government autonomy over American freedom. https://t.co/kBHcIIpPkG  Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) July 29, 2020

The move came after Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert, who steadfastly refused to wear a mask during the coronavirus pandemic, said on Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, leading at least three of his colleagues to say they would self-quarantine.

22:40 GMT  UK to extend required isolation period for persons with COVID-19 symptoms

The isolation period for anyone with symptoms of possible COVID-19 in the United Kingdom will be increased to 10 days from the current seven, according to media reports late on Wednesday.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce on Thursday the increase in the isolation period, the reports said.

Hancock also will say on Thursday that ministers are now exploring ways to reduce the 14-day quarantine period for those entering the UK, which could mean that quarantine and self-isolation periods are standardised at 10 days.

22:00 GMT  US drug regulator may authorise emergency use of blood plasma to treat COVID-19 patients

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could authorise emergency use of antibody-rich blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat people infected with the coronavirus as early as next week, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

An FDA emergency-use authorisation could allow faster access to a therapy for the disease. People who survive an infectious disease like COVID-19 are left with blood plasma containing antibodies, or proteins the bodys immune system made to fight off a virus.

This can be transfused into newly infected patients to try to aid recovery, and since the beginning of the pandemic, doctors have been transfusing convalescent plasma into critically ill COVID-19 patients.

SHORTAGE ALERT: We have an emergency shortage of convalescent plasma to help those currently battling the coronavirus. People who have fully recovered from #COVID19 are urged to sign up to give.  American Red Cross (@RedCross) July 22, 2020

21:15 GMT  Brazil sets daily record for both cases and deaths

Brazil set a daily record on Wednesday for both confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and related deaths, with 69,074 new cases and 1,595 fatalities, data from the Ministry of Health showed.

Brazil has now registered more than 2.5 million confirmed cases of the virus and 90,134 deaths since the pandemic began, according to ministry data.

Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro holds a box of chloroquine outside of the Alvorada Palace, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Brasilia, Brazil, July 23, 2020.REUTERS/Adriano Machado TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

20:26 GMT  Key jobless benefit at risk as US Congress coronavirus talks stalled

US congressional Republicans and Democrats, struggling to reach a deal for new economic aid to those hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, were sliding towards letting a $600-per-week unemployment benefit lapse, at least temporarily, when it expires.

High-ranking Trump administration officials were meeting privately with Democrats on Wednesday to see whether they can bridge vast differences over the enhanced jobless benefit that began in late March. Many other issues remained, including what to do about a moratorium on housing evictions that expired last Friday.

Senator John Thune, the No 2 Senate Republican, said lawmakers might have a better idea by the end of this week on whether there is even a chance for a deal so that we could actually get to a package by the end of next week.

19:40 GMT  US CDC reports 4,339,997 coronavirus cases

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 4,339,997 cases of the novel coronavirus, an increase of 59,862 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 1,194 to 148,866.

The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, as of 4pm ET on July 28 versus its previous report a day earlier.

The CDC figures do not necessarily reflect cases reported by individual states.

18:34 GMT  France reports almost 1,400 new COVID-19 cases in one-month high

French health authorities reported another 1,392 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, representing the highest daily increase in more than a month and taking the total to more than 221,000.

There were also 15 new deaths linked to the disease, taking the total of deaths to 30,238, a figure higher than a daily average of nine deaths seen over the last week.

In a statement, authorities said the number of people in hospital for COVID-19 went down again, pursuing a two-month downward trend.

18:05 GMT  Dutch government will not advise public to wear masks

The Dutch government said it will not advise the public to wear masks to slow the spread of coronavirus, asserting that scientific evidence of their effectiveness is mixed.

The decision was announced by Minister for Medical Care Tamara van Ark after a review by the countrys National Institute for Health (RIVM).

The government will instead seek more adherence to social distancing rules after a surge in coronavirus cases in the country this week, Van Ark said at a press conference in The Hague.

17:27 GMT  World Banks IFC to launch $4 bln medical supply financing platform

The World Bank Groups private-sector arm said it is launching a $4bn financing platform aimed at boosting the production and supply of critical healthcare products in developing countries to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The International Finance Corporations initiative is largely aimed at private-sector projects to manufacture products such as personal protective equipment, ventilators and other medical equipment, coronavirus test kits, therapeutic drugs and vaccines.

The IFC is contributing $2bn in internal resources with plans for another $2bn to come from private-sector partners.

17:05 GMT  Confirmed deaths from the coronavirus in the US hit 150,000, highest toll in the world

United States deaths from the novel coronavirus surpassed 150,000, a number higher than in any other country and nearly a quarter of the worlds total.

Of the 20 countries with the biggest outbreaks, the US ranks sixth in deaths per capita, at 4.5 fatalities per 10,000 people.

Only the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Peru and Chile have a higher per capita rate, the tally shows, with US deaths making up nearly 23 percent of the global total of 660,997.

The increase of 10,000 deaths in 11 days is the fastest in the United States since early June.

The United States ranks sixth in deaths per capita worldwide, at 4.5 fatalities per 10,000 people [File: Drew Angerer/Getty Images]

16:35 GMT  US Attorney General to be tested for COVID-19 after being in contact with Congressman Gohmert

US Attorney General William Barr will be tested for COVID-19 after coming in close contact with Texas Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert on Tuesday when Barr testified before the House Judiciary Committee, a Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed.

Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec added that Barr already faces routine testing for COVID-19 at the White House.

16:01 GMT  Mask-shunning Republican lawmaker Gohmert tests positive for COVID-19

Louie Gohmert, a Republican congressman who steadfastly refused to wear a mask as the coronavirus pandemic took hold, tested positive for COVID-19, Politico reported.

The US representative from Texas, where coronavirus cases have surged since the state reopened, tested positive in a prescreening at the White House, the news outlet said, citing multiple sources. Gohmert was supposed to fly to his home state with fellow Republican President Donald Trump, it said.

15:14 GMT  Hanoi to shut bars and ban big gatherings after COVID-19 outbreak in Danang

Vietnams capital, Hanoi, has ordered bars and pubs to shut and banned large gatherings from midnight because of a COVID-19 outbreak in the city of Danang, the head of the citys administration said.

Hanoi on Wednesday registered its first case of COVID-19 linked to the Danang outbreak.

We have to act now and act fast. All large gatherings will be banned until further notice, Nguyen Duc Chung, Hanois chairman, said in a statement on the citys website.

Over 21,000 people returned to Hanoi from Danang will be closely monitored and will undergo rapid testing, he said.

14:53 GMT  Florida reports record increase in COVID-19 deaths for second day in a row

Florida reported a record increase in new COVID-19 deaths for a second day in a row, with 217 fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to the state health department.

Florida also reported 9,446 new cases, bringing its total infections to over 451,000, the second highest in the country behind California. Floridas total death toll rose to 6,457, the eighth highest in the nation, according to a Reuters tally.

14:30 GMT  Gambia VP tests positive for coronavirus, president self-isolating

Gambias Vice President Isatou Touray has tested positive for COVID-19, leading President Adama Barrow to enter self-isolation for the next two weeks, the presidency said.

The presidencys statement did not provide any further details about Tourays condition. Touray, who is 65, was named vice president last year.

Gambia, mainland Africas smallest country, has recorded 326 cases of COVID-19, including nine deaths, the lowest number in West Africa.

Isatou Touray was named Gambias vice president last year [File: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters]

14:10 GMT  Trump says administration, Democrats far apart on coronavirus relief bill

US President Donald Trump said his administration and Democrats in Congress were far apart in their efforts to come together on a coronavirus relief bill, and he suggested he was not in a hurry to strike a deal.

Trump, speaking to reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas, accused Democrats of not taking care of Americans with their proposals, and said when Democratic leaders come together to do that, relief efforts could move forward.

13:30 GMT  Moderna says COVID-19 vaccine pricing to ensure broad access

Moderna Inc plans to price its experimental coronavirus vaccine in a way that ensures broad access, it said, adding that it did not intend to conduct late-stage trials of the shot outside the United States.

Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel declined to comment on the specific price of the vaccine during a conference call with analysts.

The Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources, that the company was planning to price the vaccine at $50 to $60 per course, at least $11 more than another vaccine from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech.



Hello, this is Arwa Ibrahim in Doha taking over from my colleague Umut Uras.



12:40 GMT  Spanish airports see traffic falling after UK quarantine scares off tourists

Spanish airport operator AENA has noticed a decline in traffic since British authorities announced a quarantine on travellers from Spain last weekend.

The effect of the quarantine, which is scaring off some tourists, is hard to predict, as it could be lifted within a few weeks, AENAs Chief Executive Maurici Lucena told investors during a conference call held on Wednesday.

Lucena added the company will meet its traffic target for the year despite the effect of the quarantine.

12:15 GMT  Russian COVID-19 vaccine approval imminent

Russias first potential COVID-19 vaccine will win local regulatory approval in the first half of August and be administered to front-line health workers soon afterwards, a development source close to the matter told the Reuters news agency.

A state research facility in Moscow  the Gamaleya Institute  completed early human trials of the adenovirus-based vaccine this month and expects to begin large-scale trials in August.

The vaccine will win regulatory approval from authorities in Russia while that large-scale trial continues, the source said, highlighting Moscows determination to be the first country in the world to approve a vaccine.

11:40 GMT  EU buys limited supply of COVID drug remdesivir

The European Unions executive said it has agreed to buy a limited supply of the COVID-19 drug remdesivir from United States-based drugmaker Gilead to address the short-term needs of European patients, and hoped to be able to order more later.

Remdesivir is the only drug so far authorised in the EU for use against COVID-19, but nearly all available supplies have already been bought by the United States.

The EU Commission has agreed to pay 63 million euros ($74m) to buy enough doses to treat about 30,000 patients, it said in a statement.

The US signed a deal with Gilead in June for more than 500,000 courses of treatment, which accounts for most of the production through September.

11:15 GMT  Portugal: Some EU states breaking pact to reinstate free movement

Portugals foreign ministry said some member states in the European Union have broken a pact to reinstate freedom of movement inside the bloc after coronavirus lockdowns were lifted.

We understand we were all required to reinstate freedom of movement within the EU from July 1 the latest, the ministry said in a statement sent to the Reuters news agency.

We believe restrictions and decisions taken by member states related to other member states manifestly disregard this bond.

10:45 GMT  India coronavirus cases hit 1.5 million, new study questions data

Coronavirus infections in India have passed 1.5 million and deaths neared 35,000, but test results in the city of Mumbai have cast further doubt on official data in the worlds second-most populous nation.

Even as the number of cases soar and more areas impose lockdowns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this week India was in a better position that other countries and winning international praise.

Read more here.

epa08545475 An Indian health worker wearing smart helmet conducts thermal screening of residents of a slum in Mumbai, India, 14 July 2020. Countries around the world are still taking measures to stem the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus which causes the COVID-19 disease and have intensified their research for treatment. EPA-EFE/DIVYAKANT SOLANKI

10:00 GMT  UK cancels holidays to Balearics and Canary Islands until August 4

Travel company TUI UK said it had cancelled holidays to the Balearics and Canary Islands until August 4 after Britain advised against all non-essential travel to the islands due to its assessment of COVID-19 risks in Spain.

The UK guidance was issued on Monday. On Saturday, Britain had said all travellers from Spain would be subject to a 14-day quarantine due to a spike in new coronavirus cases there.

TUI UK has cancelled all holidays to mainland Spain until August 10, but criticised the blanket British policy for the whole of Spain when the outbreaks have been focused regionally.

Passengers wearing face masks arrive at Son Sant Joan airport on the Spanish Balearic Island of Mallorca, Spain [Joan Mateu/ AP]

09:40 GMT  Takeda-led plasma treatment unlikely to meet July goal of trial start

A group led by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co have completed testing of a blood plasma treatment for COVID-19, but pending regulator approval will likely prevent clinical trials from meeting a July start date.

The CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance is ready to start shipping vials to study sites once the trial is approved by regulators in the US, said Julie Kim, president of the plasma-derived therapies unit of Takeda.

The group originally aimed to begin clinical trials in July. The National Institutes of Health in the US is the trial sponsor, and is looking at study sites around the world, according to Kim, who also serves as co-leader of the alliance.

09:15 GMT  Indonesia reports 2,381 new coronavirus infections

Indonesia reported 2,381 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, taking its total to 104,432, data from the countrys COVID-19 task force showed.

The Southeast Asian nation also reported 74 new COVID-19 related deaths, taking total fatalities to 4,975.

Indonesia reported 74 new COVID-19-related deaths on Wednesday [Reuters]

08:50 GMT  Hong Kong reports 118 new coronavirus cases

Hong Kong reported 118 new coronavirus cases, including 113 that were locally transmitted, as strict new measures including a restriction of gatherings to two people and a ban on restaurant dining, took effect.

The measures, the toughest introduced since the outbreak, are to last for at least one week as leader Carrie Lam warned the city is on the brink of a large-scale outbreak.

The global financial hub reported 106 new cases on Tuesday. Since late January, about 3,000 people have been infected in Hong Kong, 24 of whom have died.

08:20 GMT  Russias coronavirus cases near 830,000

Russia reported 5,475 new cases of the novel coronavirus, pushing its national tally to 828,990, the fourth-largest in the world.

Officials said 169 people had died in the last 24 hours, pushing the national death toll to 13,673.

The official death toll has risen to 14,606 across the country in the last 24 hours [Sefa Karacan/Anadolu]

07:50 GMT  Britain has no alternative to quarantine yet: minister

Britain does not yet have a viable alternative to imposing a 14-day quarantine on travellers returning from countries deemed to have a high risk of coronavirus, culture minister Oliver Dowden said on Wednesday.

Britain issued a quarantine order for travellers from Spain at the weekend, sparking chaos for airlines and travel companies at the height of the summer holiday season.

07:20 GMT  Half of Mumbais slum residents have had coronavirus: study

Over half the people living in the slums of Mumbai have had the coronavirus, according to a city-commissioned study that raises fresh doubts about Indias official case numbers.

Blood tests on 6,936 randomly selected people found that 57 percent of slum-dwellers and 16 percent of non-slum residents had virus antibodies.

Mumbai, a city of 20 million where about 40 percent of the population lives in slums, has reported just over 110,000 infections and more than 6,000 deaths so far.

In Mumbai, it is estimated that 40 percent of the population lives in slums [AP]

07:00 GMT  Indias Hetero wins approval to launch COVID-19 drug favipiravir

Indias Hetero Labs Ltd said it received local regulatory approval to launch its version of anti-viral drug favipiravir for the treatment of COVID-19.

The drug, priced at 59 rupees (79 US cents) per tablet, will be available at drug stores from Wednesday, privately held Hetero said.

06:15 GMT  European border closures must be avoided if possible: French minister

The closure of borders between European countries because of the COVID-19 pandemic must be avoided as much as possible, French Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune told France Inter radio.

Beaune said that while political responses to the crisis were prone to change, responses such as European border closures were to be avoided.

Hello, this is Umut Uras in Doha taking over from my colleague Kate Mayberry.

05:15 GMT  Sanofi, GSK reach deal to supply UK with COVID-19 vaccine

Sanofi and GSK have reached an agreement with the UK government to supply as many as 60 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine.

No vaccine has yet been found, although many are in development.

The two drug companies expect to start clinical trials of their vaccine in September. It will be developed by combining Sanofis S-protein COVID-19 antigen with GSKs pandemic adjuvant technology.

05:10 GMT  Vietnam national TV says cases confirmed in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnamese government-owned television is reporting that coronavirus cases have been found not only in Hanoi but also in Ho Chi Minh City.

The country had been free of the virus for months until an outbreak was detected in the central city of Danang at the weekend.

Eight cases were reported there this morning.

URGENT: Health ministry issues notice to trace people who may have come into contact with #COVID19 cases https://t.co/zLTEzf5Ghb pic.twitter.com/NtqpHGgvN4  Viet Nam News (@VietnamNewsVNS) July 29, 2020

04:15 GMT  Hanoi warned on risk of coronavirus outbreak

The Vietnamese government is warning authorities in Hanoi to prepare for a potential coronavirus outbreak.

The warning follows local media reports that a person working at a pizza restaurant in the capital had tested positive for the virus.

Hanoi has a population of about eight million and had not reported a case of coronavirus for months.

03:10 GMT  Virus behind pandemic has been in bats for decades

Another interesting study on the evolution of the coronavirus  this time published in Nature.

A group of scientists from around the world who have been tracing the viruss origins say their findings indicate that the lineage giving rise to the SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating unnoticed in bats for decades.

Writing on Twitter, award-winning science author Laurie Garrett says the study has a number of significant implications.

BREAKING: Multinational team uses 3 different methods to determine where #SARSCoV2 came from: each leads to horseshoe bats found widely in Asia. The virus now causing a human #pandemic has been in bats "for decades," only now reaching people.

MOREhttps://t.co/5Cs2GD49yc  Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) July 29, 2020

Scientists say the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic has been circulating in bats for decades [File: Menahem Kahana/AFP]

02:40 GMT  Moderna vaccine worked well in monkeys: Study

Modernas experimental COVID-19 vaccine worked in monkeys and prevented the virus from replicating in their noses and lungs, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Scientists said monkeys who received even a low-dosage vaccine produced more antibodies than people who had recovered from the virus, and it appeared to stimulate an immune response from so-called T-cells.

The study also found that two days after the vaccinated monkeys were exposed to the coronavirus through the nose and directly to the lungs, no replicating virus was found in the lungs of seven of the eight animals.

02:10 GMT  Hong Kong warns on brink of large outbreak

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam is warning that the city is on the brink of a large-scale outbreak.

Strict new measures to curb the spread of the virus came into force on Wednesday with a ban on gatherings of more than two people, the closure of restaurants for all but takeaway and mandatory mask-wearing.

Quarantine measures for ship and airline crews have also been tightened.

The Star Ferry arrives in Kowloon from Hong Kong Island. Masks are now mandatory in the territory [Anthony Wallace/AFP]

01:55 GMT  Queensland closing border to people from Sydney area

Annastacia Palaszczuk, premier of the northern Australian state of Queensland, says the state will be closed to people from the Sydney area from the early hours of Saturday.

Queensland residents returning home will also be required to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine at their own expense.

BREAKING: Queensland will close its borders to all of Greater Sydney. From 1am Saturday, more hotspots will be declared and no one from Sydney will be allowed into Queensland. #COVID19au pic.twitter.com/044iZeTZ1g  Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) July 29, 2020

01:15 GMT  China reports highest number of new cases since mid-April

Chinas National Health Commission has just announced the latest coronavirus data for the country.

It has reported 101 new cases  up from 68 previously  the highest since mid-April.

Of the new cases, 89 were found in the far western region of Xinjiang where mass testing is under way.

Chinese mainland reported 101 new confirmed #COVID19 cases (89 in Xinjiang, 8 in Liaoning, 1 in Beijing), and 27 new asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. pic.twitter.com/uOtWITJkho  Global Times (@globaltimesnews) July 29, 2020

00:30 GMT  Australia deploys emergency response team to nursing homes

The Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) has been deployed to nursing homes in Melbourne, where more than 679 active cases have been found, making them the centre of the current coronavirus outbreak in the state of Victoria.

AUSMAT teams, which include doctors, nurses, paramedics, radiographers and pharmacists, are usually sent to disaster zones.

Local media says Victoria is likely to announce about 295 cases on Wednesday.

#BREAKING: Victoria is expected to announce just under 295 new coronavirus cases today, the ABC understands.  ABC News (@abcnews) July 29, 2020

00:00 GMT  Stark divisions in Congress over relief plan

Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress are divided over a $1 trillion coronavirus aid package that Republicans announced on Monday.

Under the plan, unemployment benefits would be cut to $200 a week, compared with $600 under earlier relief measures due to end Friday, and would give many Americans direct payments of $1,200 each, provide billions in loans to small businesses and help schools reopen.

Democrats say the package is too limited, and too late. Some Republicans say it is too expensive.

You can read more here.

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wears a face mask while walking to the House Chamber before a vote on an additional economic stimulus package, on Capitol Hill in Washington, US [Tom Brenner/Reuters]

23:30 GMT (Tuesday)  MSF tells Cepheid to drop price of coronavirus test

Aid group Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, MSF) is urging US diagnostics firm Cepheid to refrain from profiteering off of the pandemic and cut the price of its COVID-19 tests (Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2) to $5, from the nearly $20 it charges in the worlds poorest countries.

MSF said its research shows the tests could be sold at a profit for $5 each.

Cepheid developed the Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 cartridge with $3.7m in public funding from the US governments Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The test delivers results in less than an hour.

-

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur.

Read all the updates from July 28 (yesterday) here.
A woman who refuses have to children to help the environment says those who choose to have a large family 'haven't considered' the impact on the planet, and how they're using up school and hospital places.

Anna Hughes, 37, from London, decided in her early 20s never to have children in order to reduce her carbon footprint, and feels people need to make an 'informed choice' when it comes to expanding their families.

The campaigner belongs to Population Matters, a UK-based charity that addresses population size and its effects on environmental sustainability, and appeared on Lorraine this morning to discuss her decision to remain childless.

She told that while she does not want to 'ban or limit' people from having children, she feels those with large families have not considered the wider impact of their choice, such as taking up 'school and hospital places' and increasing consumption.

Anna Hughes (pictured), 37, from London, decided in her early 20s never to have children in order to reduce her carbon footprint

The campaigner belongs to Population Matters, and appeared on Lorraine this morning to discuss her decision to remain childless

'It's difficult when you talk about banning or limiting', said Anna, 'because it really is a choice, and should reman so. It needs to be an informed choice, we need to be educating people about the impact of having lots of children.

'My personal choice is not to have a family, and I would encourage others to choose to have a small family.

'I would argue those who choose to have a large family haven't really considered the impact on the planet or our futures and everyone else as well.

'It's not just our emissions, it's school places and hospital places and our consumption, all of these things go up the more people they are, and these are all wider considerations we can make when choosing our family sizes. '

Anna told that while she does not want to 'ban or limit' people from having children, she feels those with large families have not considered the wider impact of their choice

Anna decided not to have children because she's 'aware of the number of people on this planet' and while she understands most won't share the same mindset, she hopes people will consider the impact on the planet before starting a family.

'I decided a couple of decades ago having kids weren't for me because I am aware of the number of people on this planet and resource use,' she said. 'And naturally everyone has a carbon footprint and not having a family is part of reducing that.

'Not everyone will make the same choice, but it is important we make these decisions with the impact of the planet in mind.'

While she has been called 'selfish' for her decision not to have children, Anna says that more and more people are becoming aware of the 'impact on the planet' having a family has.

'Lots of people said, "You'll change your mind" and thought I was selfish for this decision and it is tricky.

Anna told host Christine Lampard (pictured) she feels people need to make an 'informed choice' when it comes to having kids

The activist explained that her relationships have rarely been effected by the choice not to have children, and says she'll adopt a child if she ever wants to start a family

'Even today we're looked at funny, us women who decide not to have kids, and I have lots of friends who feel the same and don't want to have loads of kids and it's a normal thing.

'I think more and more people are becoming aware of our impact on the planet and the dangers of climate change. '

The activist explained that her relationships have rarely been effected by the choice not to have children, and says she'll adopt a child if she ever wants to start a family.

She told: 'There's only been one relationship where it has broken up because he wanted children, all the other people it wasn't an issue or they already had a family of their own.

Anna decided not to have children as she's 'aware of the number of people on this planet' and hopes others will 'consider the impact' before starting a family

'But because it's something I feel so passionate about, I would choose someone who also doesn't want children.'

She went on: 'If I decided I wanted a family then I would adopt. I'm not against children, I don't not want kids. At this moment in time, it's not right for me. But if it were, so many children are in need of a loving home.'

When quizzed on the argument that an ageing population will be in need of people to look after them, Anna said: 'The answer to an ageing population is not to simply have more children.

'It needs a restructuring of society and the way we're set up at the moment doesn't appreciate our older people enough, doesn't look after them enough.

'It takes restructuring, it doesn't mean we should continue to have more children.'
A local authority in London has been criticised for removing meat from the menu of its catering services in time for Christmas 2020.

Enfield Borough Council has outlined a number of steps they are taking as part of the councils climate action plan.

Among the various measures included in the 40-page document are plans to ban meat, which would be enforced by December 2020.

It is understood to be the first time a local authority in the UK has agreed to ban meat from its events.

It states: "All events held by the council where catering is provided to offer only vegan or vegetarian options."

The controversial step is designed to "influence the behaviour of Enfields key partners, suppliers and wider economy."

Enfield Catering services currently provide meals for schools as well as thousands of meals to older residents in the North London Borough.

The Labour controlled authority uploaded the extensive Enfield climate action plan 2020 online in response to their own declared climate emergency.

Responding to the move, the Countryside Alliance said the council 'failed' their residents by not explaining the benefits of sourcing local British meat, produced to high standards.

It argued that a ban would 'completely ignore' the efforts being put in by UK farmers to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.

Mo Metcalf-Fisher of the Countryside Alliance said banning meat was the 'wrong approach': "That this ban has gone through with what appears to be very limited public consultation, is damning.

"Enfield Borough Council would do well to actually liaise with the farming community, properly consult their local residents and drop this proposed ban immediately, he said.

The ban follows similar moves taken at both Goldsmiths and Cambridge University, which saw red meat removed from campus menus.
Spice up your life with the next big flavor sensation  Korean hot-chile paste known as gochujang (go-choo-jang). It has a distinctive savory (umami), sweet flavor with an enjoyable burst of heat.

Gochujang is a beloved Korean condiment, but its about to have its moment in the States.

It is a thick, red paste made from chile peppers, rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. Its too strong to be used as a finishing sauce like sriracha or Tabasco, so its normally used in combination with other ingredients like soy sauce, chopped garlic, sugar, or toasted sesame oil, or added into a dish as an ingredient (rather than a condiment).

Gochujang delivers heat, sweetness, and body to deliciously thick Korean stews, Korean bulgogi (marinated grilled steak), spicy rice cakes, and Korean bibimbap (fried rice, meat and vegetable bowl).

Cooks are finding that gochujang pairs well with foods that are well-loved here like grilled steak, tacos, pulled pork, grilled cheese, chicken wings, and burgers. It adds a depth of flavor to everything into which it is stirred like soups, marinades, or salad dressings.
SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio - Lox, Stock and Brisket is set to open officially Saturday, Aug. 1, in Van Aken Districts Market Hall.

Anthony Zappola opened Lox, Stock & Brisket at 13892 Cedar Road in University Heights in April 2018. It outgrew the space, he said, and closed May 31 this year. Days later he moved his Rice Shop - which features rice bowls - into that location before preparing to move Lox, Stock & Brisket into Van Aken, at 3441 Tuttle Road, just west of Warrensville Center Road.

It's just another step in Zappola ingratiating his culinary talents in his hometown.

"I love Cleveland," said Zappola, 40. "I like it a lot more than I thought. I thought there was no way I could move back. I was gone 21 years."

"Food," he said, "became cool everywhere."

The native Northeast Ohioian - who previously worked in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas and Los Angeles - returned to his hometown and opened The Rice Shop, which occupied one of the original spaces in Ohio City Galley in 2018. That incubator-restaurant concept, which held a quartet of eateries on West 25th Street, closed in February.

"In 1998, there was not much (in Cleveland) for an aspiring young chef," he said. "You had to go to New York City to learn how to cook."

The menu at Lox, Stock & Brisket will remain focused on chicken and brisket sandwiches, the tried and true for his customers, Zappola said. The restaurant will be open seven days a week in the Market Hall, which holds a series of various sized stalls of diverse eatery options. You can get sausage and poutine at Banter, flavorful spicy dishes with curry at Chutney B., to pizza and a lot more. Carmen Paponetti recently opened Domo Yakitori and Sushi, adding yet another option. With the stall concept, Zappola doesnt have to be worried about tables or chairs or bathrooms - just the food.

The menu can more specific, he said. You dont have to appeal to everyone. We can do what we do and do it well. In Van Aken you can get a sandwich from me and your wife or girlfriend or boyfriend or whoever can get pizza.

Zappola said he works off of inspiration and hopes to "bring some new things to Van Aken." But at the same time he knows to stick to his core customer favorites "and give people what they expect."

I dont know what the future holds. We were able to adjust and grow, he said. Heres what I found: Less is more. The longer we were at our Cedar Road location I never added to the menu; I just took things off. Brisket sandwich, chicken sandwich, lox - overwhelmingly, thats what were selling.

An added bonus: Zappola's two restaurant concepts are only six minutes apart.

"Definitely a lot better for me," he said.

I am on cleveland.coms life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories, heres a directory on cleveland.com.

(Photo courtesy Your Social Mask)

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Martin Lewis says he kept working after selling his website for 86 million because he felt 'responsibility to give back' and thought 'luck' was a big part of his success.

The Money Saving Expert, 48, from Manchester, started the site from his living room in 2005, and reportedly pocketed at least 35million after selling the platform to MoneySupermarket.com in 2012.

However, speaking on the podcast Full Disclosure with James O'Brien , Martin explained that the website was already making 'millions a year' and he was simply tired of the pressures that come with being a boss, insisting that wealth is 'not what drives him'.

He explained that he's often quizzed on how his life changed after becoming 'rich overnight', but says that he has to acknowledge being 'lucky' is a large part of his wealth and success.

Martin Lewis (pictured) says he kept working after selling his website for 86 million because he felt 'responsibility to give back' and thought 'luck' was a big part of his success

The Money Saving Expert started the site from his living room in 2005, and reportedly pocketed at least 35million after selling the platform to MoneySupermarket.com in 2012

'People say "What happened when you became rich overnight?",' said Martin. 'I didnt, all I did was crystallise wealth into cash.

'The website was already phenomenally successful and making millions of pounds a year. So, if were being straight, I was already loaded, its not what drives me.

He explained that selling the website was a 'de-risking' strategy, and wanted to escape the 'pressure' of running the website - what that amount of money gives you.'

Martin added: 'Its important for people to understand there are four things you need to be F-off successful.

Martin, pictured in London 2016, explained that the website was already making 'millions a year' and he was simply tired of the pressures that come with being a boss

'The first is talent, the second is hard work, the third is the focus and the most important one, the last one, is luck and people say you create your own luck, but thats not true.

'My success was partially down to luck and if you believe that, which I do, then with that comes a responsibility to give back, because you have to recognise you were lucky. The first thing I did was dump 10 million into a charity account I could never give back.'

Martin set up MoneySavingExpert.com from his living room in 2003 for 100, and the website soon grew to become the UK's biggest consumer site, with over 15 million monthly users.

The 2012 deal saw Lewis receive 35 million cash upfront in addition to shares in MoneySupermarket.com worth 25 million, as well as 27 million in future payments.

One 'sliding door moment' Martin recalls is bagging his spot on ITV breakfast show This Morning, days after vowing that he would quit his dream if he had no success soon. Martin is pictured giving advice on the show

Who is Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis? Born in Manchester in 1972, Martin grew up in Cheshire's Delamere Forest and now lives in London with his wife, Lara Lewington, a presenter on BBC's Click and their seven-year-old daughter, Sapphire. Lewis attended the King's School, an independent school in Chester, and read government and law at the London School of Economics. In 1997, Lewis became a postgraduate student in broadcast journalism at Cardiff University Centre for Journalism Studies. After graduating, Lewis became a producer for the BBC Business Unit working on the BBC Radio Five Live business programmes and as an editor of BBC Radio 4's Today programme business slot. Lewis then moved to Sky's programme Simply Money, fronted by Angela Rippon, where he solidified his role as the Money Saving Expert. In 2001 the show was cut and nearly all of its staff, including Lewis, lost their jobs. In 2003 Lewis set up MoneySavingExpert.com from his living room for 100. With a focus on how to cut your bills without cutting back, it soon saw explosive growth. It is now the UK's biggest consumer site with over 15 million monthly users and 12 million who asked to receive the weekly Money Tips email. In 2012 the website was sold for 87million to MoneySupermarket.com, with Lewis reportedly pocketing at least 35million. Martin used some of the proceeds to set up a 10 million charity fund. As well as the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, major projects include 2 million to Citizens Advice and launching 'financial triage' at Trussell Trust foodbanks. In 2008, Martin launched The MSE Charity, and is still its patron. It has so far helped connect more than 660,000 in small grants to local consumer finance and education charities. In 2014 Lewis was awarded an OBE for services to consumer rights and charitable services. Advertisement

Martin used some of the proceeds to set up a 10 million charity fund which raises currently goes to support the MSE Charity, which gives grants to groups providing education and support to help people learn how to manage their money better.

One 'sliding door moment' Martin recalls is bagging his spot on ITV breakfast show This Morning, days after vowing that he would quit his dream of becoming a money saving expert if he had no success in the next few months.

After first launching his money saving website in 2003, success was slow and Martin had met with his father Stuart to tell him that if he'd had no luck in three months, he would go back to his job in financial PR.

'I worried, said Martin, 'And I spoke to my dad and my income was drying up, I didn't have enough to earn a living properly and I said "Dad, I'm giving it three months".'

The 2012 deal saw Lewis, pictured on The Martin Lewis Money Show, receive 35m cash upfront in addition to shares in MoneySupermarker.com worth 25m, as well as 27m in future payments

The next morning, Martin was asked onto BBC Radio 5 Live to debate economist Evan Davis, and attracted the attention of the then editor of This Morning, who was at home looking after her child who had been sent home from school.

Martin explained: 'It was one one of my better days and it so happens, sliding door moment, the editor of This Morning, her daughter had been ill and she hadn't been able to go into work that day.

'She was listening to the radio and I had been trying for two years to get on This Morning because I thought it was the perfect place for me and they had just said "Money doesn't work".

'She heard me and called up my agent and said "Why doesn't he come in and do a phone in on Friday".'
All is not well for Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka ahead of an August 9 election in which he is seeking a new term.

Coronavirus cases continue to rise, with many Belarusians blaming his refusal to order lockdowns, and he announced on July 28 that he had weathered a case of COVID-19 himself. The economy is in trouble, exacerbated by the tense ties with Moscow and reduced supplies of the subsidized Russian energy he has long relied upon.

The political picture also looks unpleasant for Lukashenka. His standing is shaky enough that a candidate, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has no government experience and was virtually unknown just months ago, is now drawing thousands of people to rallies at towns and cities across the country. Belarusians appear electrified by her message of change, prompting analysts to ponder how long Lukashenkas rule, which dates back to 1994, can last.

Still, theres at least one place where Lukashenka appears to be in control and where he is as popular as ever: state-run media.

Belarus 1, the countrys main state-controlled TV channel, earlier this month highlighted an opinion poll that showed Lukashenka far out in front of the four others allowed on the ballot, with 69.4 percent. And Tsikhanouskaya, the political upstart who seems to have tapped into rising discontent? She polled at just 2.2 percent.

The survey was quickly ridiculed on social media and on independent news sites whose own polling results have led to a mocking nickname for Lukashenka that has taken off as an opposition meme: Sasha 3 percent.

The scale of these lies is just gargantuan, London-based country risk analyst Alex Kokcharov wrote on Twitter.

For Lukashenka -- who has sometimes been called Europes last dictator and is also its longest-serving leader, in power for 26 years -- media outlets outside the state-controlled stable are largely treated with suspicion or contempt.

He recently lashed out at some foreign media, including RFE/RL, arguing that their correspondents coverage was fomenting mass disturbances  a claim RFE/RLs acting president called outrageous -- and that they should be expelled.

"The Belarusian authorities consider the foreign and independent media as well as new social media in Belarus part of the problem, said Arsen Sivitski, director of the Minsk-based Center for Strategic and Foreign Policy Studies.

While many older Belarusians may still get their news from state media, younger generations are relying more and more on social media and online independent sites, observers and experts say.

And those sources are far from loyal, let alone fawning, when it comes to Lukashenka. Compounding his media woes ahead of the election: Russian outlets, which have a large audience in Belarus, have highlighted the COVID-19 crisis that critics say he brought upon the country.

Back In The U.S.S.R.?

Nadia Buka, an artist, illustrator, and magician, also has journalist on her eclectic resume. Buka was a journalist at Belarusian state-run Capital TV (CTV) until she got fed up and left years ago.

She said nothing has changed at state media outlets since the Soviet days when blatant propaganda was the norm.

The Soviet Union has survived on television. Its the same as it was 10 years ago, 20 years ago," Buka told Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Practically nothing has changed.

Echoing what researchers have long contended, Buka said state media is being watched mainly by elderly Belarusians.

Unfortunately, people who are 65 and above watch TV here, and, unfortunately, they dont use the Internet, and therefore they believe the propaganda coming from their screens, she said.

Besides pumping up perceptions of Lukashenkas popular support, state media in Belarus have downplayed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which the president dismissed in March as the product of a mass psychosis.

The Russian Factor

Russian state media, meanwhile, offered critical reporting of the pandemic in Belarus. In May, Minsk got so fed up that it stripped two Russian journalists of accreditation after accusing them of spreading false information in their coverage of the coronavirus pandemic in Belarus.

Relations between Minsk and Moscow have been tense since Lukashenka balked last December at plans for deeper integration with Moscow. Russia then decreased energy supplies to Belarus, which depends on cheap gas and oil to run much of its inefficient, state-run economy.

Amid this simmering feud, Russian state media outlets provided not only negative coverage of the Belarusian authorities but also a platform for opposition candidates, according to Savitski.

Even the algorithms of Russian state news websites target visitors with political ads presenting critical views on Lukashenka and promoting the alternative candidates, Sivitski told RFE/RL in written comments.

Meanwhile, Belarusians whose day-to-day experiences made them question the official line on COVID-19 appear to have turned away from state media in search of accurate information, said Nika Aleksejeva, a digital researcher at the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab).



The cognitive dissonance between what Belarus state channels were saying and how people viewed the situation on the ground and elsewhere may have facilitated increased consumption of alternative information sources, including Belarusian vloggers like Tsikhanouskayas husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, Aleksejeva told RFE/RL in e-mailed comments.

Tsikhanouskaya entered the presidential race after her husbands bid to get on the ballot was rejected by the authorities. He is now in jail.

'They Will Never Hear The Truth'

For many younger Belarusians -- especially members of the Lukashenka generation who have known no president other than the former Soviet state farm chief whose domineering style has earned him the nickname Batka (Father) -- online media are the choice for news and information, Buka said.

Modern societyunderstands what is going on, they all watch online channels, independent media, Buka said, referring to younger and more progressive citizens.

Everyone already understands perfectly well they will never hear the truth coming from TV screens, she said.

Lukashenkas would-be challengers  including several top opponents who were not allowed to run  have used social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get their message out.

Tsikhanouski has some 250,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, A Country For Living, which shines a spotlight on alleged graft and corruption in Belarus.

Viktar Babaryka, the top potential rival to Lukashenka until his arrest on embezzlement charges that backers dismiss as politically motivated, has over 300,000 followers on Instagram. Social-media efforts helped his campaign gather hundreds of thousands of signatures in support of his candidacy in the nation of less than 10 million people.

Social Media And Dissent

For activists and a growing number of other Belarusians, social media has become not only a tool to organize but to vent anger and frustration with Lukashenka and his governments repressive ways.

DFRLab recorded an uptick in such posts around June 18, when Babaryka and his son were detained on embezzlement charges that he and supporters dismissed as trumped up.

I cannot call myself a person who is interested in politics, wrote Yekaterina, who identified herself as an animal rights activist. When I look at you, I do not feel anger or disgust, I feel shame.

A Facebook user named Dima Naryshkin who identified himself as a comedian, addressed Lukashenka in a post, writing: Aleksandr Grigorevich, you are #notmypresident.

Moving Targets

With their influence growing, bloggers, independent journalists, and activists have been targeted by the Lukashenka government with arrests and intimidation.

On June 25, under what rights groups called spurious charges, Belarusian authorities arrested Ihar Losik, the administrator of the popular Telegram channel Belarus Of Brain, who is also an RFE/RL consultant on new-media technologies; Syarhey Pyatrukhin, administrator of the Telegram channels Peoples Reporter and YouTube Deputies; and Syarhey Sparish, a leader of the new opposition party Peoples Hramada.

The Belarusian authorities are carrying out a full-scale purge of dissenting voices, using repressive laws to stifle criticism ahead of the elections. Now those active on social media are being targeted, said Aisha Jung, Amnesty Internationals senior campaigner on Belarus.

Overall, the government has detained some eight YouTube and Telegram bloggers who advocated or disseminated views critical of Lukashenkas policies.

The government reacts like this to bloggers and Telegram channels because its afraid that the countrys population is becoming more informed about whats going on in the country right now, Losiks wife, Darya, contended.

More than 40 journalists have been arrested during the past 2 1/2 months of election campaigning, but the prosecutor-general announced on July 24 that he would not investigate the way their reporting had been obstructed.



Sivitski suggested that Lukashenka is likely to continue seeking to silence inconvenient voices as he struggles with a changing media landscape.

Old school propaganda techniques simply don't work, the analyst said.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Belarus Service and Current Time
Its been a busy week in state government: analyzing different scenarios to reopen schools, working on a refined COVID-19 testing strategy, preparing for the possibility of a gap in $600 weekly benefits for 135,000 New Mexicans and answering an unusual number of letters, emails and even an op-ed from an angry and/or alarmed physician about recent initiatives to try to address our record number of daily cases here in New Mexico.

While we welcome and encourage debate on these matters, using the word insanity to describe the states approach is perhaps based on some old data, faulty math and imprecise methods.

Both of us, after initially grumbling, exercise regularly with masks and find that we no longer complain. Is there a reason, then, why some people still wont wear them? After hundreds of emails from constituents and colleagues, one appealing theory is that in order to learn to live in a COVID-positive world, we need to reach acceptance about what must change for a year or so until we are vaccinated. This includes masks.

Many of you are familiar with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. A quick review of COVID-19 related op-eds and letters to editors over the past four months highlight the fact that many New Mexicans are working with us through these stages. But denial and anger wont change the infectivity of the virus. So lets go through a quick fact-check:

Do masks cause the retention of CO2? Not according to the World Health Organization and Vanderbilt University.

Is the flu deadlier than COVID-19? No. The data shows the flu fatality rate is 0.2% while COVID-19s is much higher at 1.3%.

Did California epidemiologists estimate there are 50-80 untested COVID-19 cases for every one reported case? Yes. But the scientific community quickly reached the conclusion that the data was overstated as a result of faulty antibody tests with high false-positive rates.

Friday, the CDC reported a ratio of known-to-unidentified cases of 1:6 to 1:20 but also acknowledged potential issues with antibody testing. We do a lot of testing in New Mexico and calculate this ratio in our state to be 1:4.8. But we are nowhere close to herd immunity. In Sweden, officials let the virus spread unimpeded by any public policy initiatives. They have still failed to achieve herd immunity with a rate of only 7.3%. Plus, new research suggests only 17% of people develop an immunity that lasts three months or more.

Does controlling the spread cost jobs? No. The Washington Post compared New Mexicos cautious approach to Arizona where they opened up restaurants, gyms and bars much faster. While more jobs returned initially, their death rate grew to three times our number and they shut back down again. We are now in the exact same place economically. And Swedens strategy did not result in more jobs and has instead left them with a far deadlier outbreak than their Nordic neighbors.

Saying we need to trade lives for jobs is a false choice. By slowing the spread of COVID we get to the same place economically while keeping more of our friends and neighbors alive. And the only way to restore our economy and begin the long march back to prosperity is to defeat the virus  those two goals are not mutually exclusive; in fact they reinforce one another.

Our governor has been accused of insane policies that are driving people to despair and suicide. Many New Mexicans who are glad for the safety and health of their families and loved ones strongly disagree. The medical literature is now replete with data which documents profound worldwide increases in alcohol and drug intake, depression and anxiety that occur after peaks in COVID cases. Every New Mexican should know that their lives are valuable and help is just a phone call away at 1-855-662-7474. We believe these behavioral health consequences come as a result of the effects of the pandemic itself, as they occur everywhere, independent of public policy decisions.

And anger is a common symptom of depression, a symptom that can be prolonged and indeed lead to severe depression and death unless we each move through our stages of grief toward acceptance of our new lives in a COVID-positive world, at least for the next year.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey from Junior Achievement (JA) by research firm ENGINE Insights shows that two-thirds of teens (66%) are concerned about attending school in-person this fall, with a significant percentage (39%) responding that they are "extremely" or "very" concerned. Nearly three-in-four teens (71%) say that their parents or caregivers are concerned about them attending school in-person this fall. The survey of 1,000 teens between the ages of 13 and 17 was conducted July 14-19, 2020.

Despite these concerns, most teens (53%) say that the quality of their online classes from the spring was "fair" or "poor." A quarter of teens (26%) reported that they would prefer to attend school in-person five days a week, while more than a third (36%) prefer a blended schedule, where they would attend school in-person a couple of days a week and take the rest of their lessons online. Just under a third (30%) say that they would prefer classes exclusively online this fall.

The survey also asked teens about their concerns about the future:

The top concern shared by nearly half of respondents (49%) is that the quality of their education will suffer due to the pandemic.

Nearly as many (47%) are concerned that they or a member of their family will get sick from COVID-19.

More than a quarter of respondents (28%) said that they are concerned that their dreams won't come true due to current circumstances.

Other concerns include:

Not being able to have a job or career that pays a living wage (27%)



Their family's financial situation getting worse due to the economy (26%)



Not being able to provide for themselves or their families as an adult (21%)



Having to borrow too much for college (20%)



They or someone they know not being treated equally as adults (15%)

"These results show that our young people are just as overwhelmed and conflicted by current events as many adults are," said Jack E. Kosakowski, President and CEO of Junior Achievement USA. "They also show that teens are struggling to remain hopeful in the face of the pandemic, economic upheaval, and inequity. That's why at Junior Achievement, we are committed to providing young people with the tools, resources, and support they need to navigate these uncertain times and strive toward a better future."

Junior Achievement is making its programs available to students in-person, online, and in blended form, including virtual volunteers. To learn more, visit www.JA.org.

Methodology

This Youth CARAVAN survey was conducted by ENGINE INSIGHTS among a sample of 1,000 respondents aged 13-17. This survey was live on July 14-19, 2020.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have volunteered to participate in online surveys and polls. The data have been weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the 18+ population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to multiple sources of error, including, but not limited to sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.

About Junior Achievement USA (JA)

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches nearly 4.8 million students per year in 105 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.2 million students served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.

SOURCE Junior Achievement USA

Related Links

www.ja.org


Maximum Securitys nose score in the July 25 San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar was a comeback win of sorts. The star-crossed 4-year-olds victory in Southern California was his first for new trainer Bob Baffert, replacing Jason Servis, who has been charged with administering performance-enhancing drugs in a sweeping doping scandal that broke soon after Maximum Security had won the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup in late February.

The colt, who races for breeders Gary and Mary West and the Coolmore triumvirate of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, is also the first 3-year-old to have been disqualified from first place for race interference in last years Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). He was placed 17th after impeding with several horses as he bobbed and wove his way around Churchill Downs turn for home.

Comeback or no, we do know one thing: Maximum Security is game and is a winner, having won nine of 10 starts (barring the Derby) since beginning his career as a $16,000 maiden claimer.

Another winner is Steve Haskin, whose catchy prose has graced the pages of BloodHorse and BloodHorse.com since 1998. Haskin, who has been honored with just about every award available to a Turf writer during his illustrious career, has his final column appearing this week on our website. Its been a magical 22-year ride.

It was deep in December 1989 when we first met Haskin. The longtime Daily Racing Form staffer was toiling as the librarian in the Hights-town, N.J., office while also writing as a correspondent for the late Thoroughbred Times. We worked together for nearly nine years at DRF, and while he had a limited role as a writer for most of his career there, he was instrumental in developing the now long-running Derby Watch column.

In different stages we transitioned from DRF to BloodHorse in 1998, and Haskins deep list of contacts, sharp analysis, and descriptive manner were crafted into the Derby Dozen that first appeared on these pages in 1999. In that initial run Haskin might not have had Charismatic on top or even among his top 12 that year (few selected the 30-1 outsider; Haskins pick was Stephen Got Even and runner-up Menifee), but that was one of the few times he didnt tab the winner, whether it was a price horse or one of the favorites. Prior to this years delayed Derby, Haskins top pick was Tiz the Law, winner of the June 20 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), and he remains the leader of the division.

While the Derby Dozen was anxiously awaited each February, Haskins popular Hangin With Haskin column/blog on the website as well as timely profiles, features, and historical pieces gracing the print edition gave readers deep insight throughout the year. He has a unique way to capture the spirit of the Thoroughbred as well as get to the essence of the personal bond that can develop between horse and human.

Haskins run at BloodHorse lasted 17 years as he gracefully retired as our national correspondent following American Pharoahs sweep of the 2015 Triple Crown. By the end of 2015, Haskin had reached the pinnacle of his craft, having been elected to the Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Most might not remember his brief exit because it lasted all of about two weeks before he agreed to return in a part-time role, sticking to the Derby Dozen and his blog.

Weve all been able to enjoy his colorful commentary, behind-the-scene views of Americas best horses, trainers, and riders, and deep historical knowledge that dates back to the late 1960s when he was enthralled by Dr. Fager, Damascus, and Buckpasser.

Hes done little else since, other than be a loving husband to his wife, Joan, and doting father to daughter Mandy and grandchild Theo. Haskin has few hobbies other than racing. As the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel once said: He dont know nothin else.

While were sure we havent read the last from Haskin, his contributions of chronicling the sport for BloodHorse and other publications have been immense. The bonus of his sharing his insight for the last five years has offered a thick layer of icing to the cake.

The rescheduled Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby without Haskins final take on the contenders for the Run for the Roses on a BloodHorse platform is just another of the way-too-many firsts for a bizarre 2020.


Demonstrators gathered in downtown Miami Tuesday night to demand police drop all charges filed against protesters and end their use of excessive force tactics at protests.

About 40 people gathered at the Torch of Friendship in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, holding signs bearing phrases like dismantle the system and end police brutality while chanting Black Lives Matter. A row of police cars lined a nearby street as the protest took place.

Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina confirmed in an emailed statement to the Miami Herald Friday that the departments protest response has gotten tougher, specifically by arresting anyone illegally blocking the streets while protesting.

Purposely impeding the safe flow of traffic places protesters, drivers and officers in great danger and cannot continue to be tolerated, Colina said. The Miami Police Department will continue to take the necessary enforcement action to protect everyones safety and allow for the legal and peaceful exercise of everyones Constitutional right to protest.

While protests downtown are smaller than they were in the first weeks of protests after the killing of George Floyd on May 25, some argue police are aggressively making arrests. As of Friday, 56 protesters were arrested on various charges in July, the majority for blocking the roadways.

Kristine Padgett, 26, attends Miami protests to give medical aid to anyone who gets hurt. She said she has experienced cops increasingly using more force; she said she has been teargassed and hit by rubber bullets. Most recently, she was arrested along with a large group of protesters over the weekend.

We started with a lot of people and our numbers have slowly dwindled, Padgett said. And as our numbers have dwindled, we have actually gotten more and more police brutality and more and more escalation of the police being here.

She said Miami police charging protesters with blocking traffic does not make any sense.

Story continues

The thing is tourists will jaywalk here in the middle of the street all the time right next to us, Padgett said. But well be walking across the crosswalk when we have a cross sign and theyll arrest us because were blocking traffic.

At the protest, Francois Alexandre, founder of Justice 4 Miami, read a demand letter addressed to the police chief, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle that was signed off by more than 30 community leaders and activists.

In recent weeks, we have witnessed an escalation of arrests and excessive force by Miami police against peaceful demonstrators, Alexandre said. The obvious purpose is to intimidate demonstrators and discourage the exercise of constitutionally protected free speech rights. The police department itself admits they have escalated tactics against peaceful demonstrations since July 2.

The letter says that police are targeting known street protest leaders and are charging them with crimes to hurt the protest movement.

We are appalled that our chief of police has personally been leading a media offensive that excuses violent and unnecessary confrontations by officers under his command, Alexandre said, while spreading the unfounded claim that the Black Lives Matter protests are responsible for the rise in Florida of COVID-19.

The letter signers demanded Miami police officers stop using force on protesters, drop all charges against protesters who have been arrested since the death of Floyd, and end efforts to discredit the local Black Lives Matter movement.

Activist Yasmin Webb and others hold signs while speakers share their experiences of getting arrested during a Black Lives Matter protest to denounce what they say is excessive force by police in confronting the protesters. The rally of about 40 people took place at The Torch of Friendship in Miami on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

Yasmin Webb, 19, said she protests at the Torch of Friendship almost every day. She has been arrested four times, most recently on Sunday, where she said she sat in a hot police car for hours before being taken inside the police station.

It was a terrible experience, Webb said. I couldnt breathe.

Jo Martinez, 28, said he was teargassed and shot with rubber bullets by police while protesting recently.

The police have and continue to escalate their tactics as of the beginning of July to make it seem like we are violent or even to paint the picture that what were doing is not justified, Martinez said. But we have consistently been exercising our First Amendment rights and we will continue to until we get the things were demanding.

He said the number of cop cars that showed up for the small gathering Tuesday was unnecessary.

This is a waste of our tax dollars right now, Martinez said. Theyre not keeping anyone safe
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Republic of Korea's Daejeon City Government has commissioned DriWay Technologies to install its dehydration devices in the city's bomb shelters, to reduce the invasive moisture within the structures. This partnership begins with a three-month pilot project in the Dunsan Fire Station bomb shelter, with installation to take place the first week of August 2020.

South Korea maintains approximately 19,000 bomb shelters throughout the country for civilian use in an emergency, such as potential missile attacks from North Korea. Many such shelters are located within structures like fire stations.

Daejeon, the country's fifth largest metropolis, has declared its commitment to ensuring that the air quality in these bunkers is safe and healthy for its citizens. Upon encountering invasive building moisture that obstructed a summer 2020 renovation project in the Dunsan Fire Station, Daejeon city leaders initiated a partnership with DriWay to address the problem using DriWay's dehydration devices.

DriWay's patented technology naturally breaks the attraction that causes groundwater to rise into buildings, allowing a combination of evaporation and gravity to remove excess water from the walls. Without requiring any potentially hazardous chemicals or electrical power, it provides a sustainable, permanent, and environmentally friendly solution for building owners, managers, and occupants.

"The leadership of Daejeon, including Construction Department Chief Kim Jong Shin, have shown admirable dedication to the security and wellbeing of the people they serve. It is an honor for us to be entrusted with something as important as keeping the air within these bunkers safe and healthy for the city's residents," said Steve Kim, COO of DriWay Korea.

"We are proud to serve the city of Daejeon and help protect its residents by providing them with better air quality in its shelters," said Roy Judelson, Global Chairman and CEO of DriWay Technologies. "These shelters are critical for keeping residents of South Korea safe from outside harm, and our priority is to support Daejeon's leadership in also keeping residents safe from health hazards caused by invasive moisture inside the shelters."

About DriWay Technologies

DriWay Technologies is a building health technology company that addresses the environmental and health hazards caused by invasive moisture: mold-causing ground moisture that naturally enters building foundations, basements, and ground floors and can inflict health risks, structural damage, and increased thermal insulation costs. This problem plagues 10% of buildings in the US, and higher percentages in other regions of the world, according to a 2019 EY market study.

DriWay is headquartered in London, with subsidiaries in the US, UK, UAE, and South Korea. It is currently providing its services to the US Government and marquee clients such as Grosvenor Group in London, Nakheel Properties in Dubai, Olshan Properties in New York City, and Hyundai Corporation in South Korea. In the next year, DriWay will also be expanding its operations into India, Japan, Indonesia, Greece, and Cyprus after recently completing a Seed Round financing at a $100 million valuation.

For all media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

SOURCE DriWay
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks to the media about the new national security law introduced to the city at her weekly press conference in Hong Kong on July 7, 2020. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images)

Hong Kong Government Could Postpone Elections, Citing Rise in COVID Cases: Report

Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, may cancel upcoming legislative council elections due to the citys recent COVID outbreak wave, according to local media. But with pro-China politicians plummeting popularity and the United States attentively monitoring Hong Kong elections, critics suggest there may be more behind this decision than public health.

Jasper Tsang, the founding chair of pro-Beijing political party DAB, suggested last Saturday that the election could be delayed for a whole year. Local media, Hong Kong 01 revealed that the Hong Kong government intends to postpone the election for a year by submitting a resolution to Chinas National Peoples Congress.

For months, Hong Kong has been largely successful at preventing a mass CCP Virus outbreak. Coronavirus deaths remained at a record low of seven, and total cases hovered around 1,000.

But after a stretch of no local transmissions, Hong Kong is currently in its seventh consecutive day of daily triple-digit CCP Virus cases. The total number of infected people has tripled to 3,000, with deaths rising to 24 in the past week.

AsiaWorld-Expo, the original ballot-counting venue for elections, is being used as a community isolation facility. As is the back-up counting station, Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre. Yet, the government has not made any comments on whether it will make additional arrangements to prepare for the elections scheduled for Sept. 6.

Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders are calling the intent to push back elections due to COVID an excuse.

Lams approval ratings have plummeted since the pro-democracy protests last summer. According to a July poll conducted by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, only 18 percent of Hong Kong people would vote for Carrie Lam to continue as Chief Executive. Her partys popularity has also nosedived due to public blame for the National Security Law and the surge in local CCP Virus cases.

The Secretary for Food and Health, Sophia Chan, has conceded that there is empirical evidence that the governments quarantine loophole led to the recent CCP Virus surge, in an interview with RTHK. Under the provision, certain peopleincluding Chinese government officials, companies listed on Hong Kong stock exchange, and business ownersare exempt from CCP Virus quarantine.

Over 200,000 were exempted from compulsory CCP Virus quarantine per the Security Bureau in a report to Hong Kongs Legislative Council.

Last month, Hong Kongs democracy camp held its first-ever election primaries. Despite Beijing and the Hong Kong government warning against participation through the national security law, the turnout was over 600,000 Hong Kong residents.

Hong Kongs legislators predict an un-interfered with election will likely produce a pro-democracy majority in the government for the first time in the citys history. In the past, in a bid to prevent pro-democracy majorities, Beijing utilized tactics such as disqualifying candidates they deem dangerous to the ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

In recent weeks, the United States has stepped its actions to counter threats posed by the CCP, including in response to Beijings tightening control over Hong Kong.

After the participation of over a half a million in the primary, Lam warned that democratic primary elections may have violated Chinas new national security law. In response, U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo condemned Lams warning, and maintained that the United States will continue closely monitoring the fairness of Hong Kong elections.

After the passage of Chinas National Security Law, the U.S. Congress passed a bipartisan bill, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. It emphatically protects Hong Kong civil rights as an autonomous region of China through sanctions by the president.

President Trump also removed Hong Kongs preferential trading status in response to Beijings imposition of the National Security Law.

Its not only the United States thats closely watching. The UK, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, and Canada, have all voiced their support for Hong Kong civil rights.
Juliet Stevenson has slammed the 'strong push in culture' that actors must only play characters which tell their own story.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, the actress, 63, said she didn't want to tell her own 'tedious' memoir or be picked for roles due to her race, religion or background being the same as the character's.

Juliet, who is a legendary English actress of stage and screen, said she thinks the term 'woke' should be about 'doors opening, not rearranging prejudice'.

Opinion: Juliet Stevenson has slammed the 'strong push in culture' that actors must only play characters which tell their own story (pictured in February)

She said: 'I'm in favour of inclusiveness. We need to invite people in who've been excluded. But let's not fight prejudice with prejudice, let's not fight hatred with hatred. Let's not say: you can come in and you are now out.

Talking about how this applies to the acting world, Juliet divulged: 'There really is a strong push in the culture now that you must tell your own story and only you have the right to tell your own story.

'Where does that leave Macbeth? Where does that leave almost any play? Do you mean you have to be a murderer to play a murderer? Do you have to be Jewish to play Jewish? Our job is transformation.'

Transformation: The actress, 63, said she didn't want to tell her own 'tedious' memoir or be picked for roles which are the similar to her own character (pictured in 2015 film Departure)

Juliet went on to say she became an actor to portray other people's lives, rather than telling 'my own tedious story'.

The stage star also discussed her close friendship with the late Alan Rickman.

Juliet is known for her role in the film Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991) in which she starred alongside Alan.

She told the publication she regarded the late actor as her brother and still on her shoulder 'always telling me how to live and what not to do, how to behave better', four years after his death.

Always remembered: The stage star also discussed her close friendship with the late Alan Rickman saying he 'always tells me how to live' (pictured in 1990 in Truly, Madly, Deeply)

Juliet was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in the nineties film.

Her other notable film appearances include Emma (1996), Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Mona Lisa Smile (2003), Being Julia (2004), and Infamous.

Although she has gained fame through her television and film work, and has often undertaken roles for BBC Radio, she is known as a stage actress.

Significant stage roles include her performances as Isabella in Measure for Measure, Madame de Tourvel in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, as Anna in the UK premiere of Burn This in 1990, and as Paulina in Death and the Maiden at the Royal Court theatre and the West End (199192).

For the latter, she was awarded the 1992 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress.
Abdulahi Shire (left) was caught on CCTV helping to kick and stamp on Zakir Nawaz following a 'minor road prang'. (SWNS)

A suspect who fled the UK following the death of a man in a road rage incident has been tracked down and arrested.

Abdulahi Shire, 24, left the country after Zakir Nawaz, 21, was killed on a Birmingham street on 10 September, 2016.

Warsame Mohamed, 23, was caught on CCTV helping to kick and stamp on Mr Nawaz following a minor road prang.

Shire, who was in the car with Mohamed, then allegedly fatally stabbed Mr Nawaz in the chest after the accident in Highfield Road in Washwood Heath.

Zakir Nawaz was killed on a Birmingham street on 10 September, 2016. (SWNS)

Mr Nawaz, who had become a father for the second time 10 days before the attack, died at the scene while Mohamed and Shire drove off.

Mohamed fled to Holland but sneaked back into the UK and was arrested after police spotted him walking on the M40 in High Wycombe on 29 January, 2017.

MORE: Widow of PC Andrew Harper asks Boris Johnson for retrial of teenage killers

The Somali national was jailed for seven years after he admitted manslaughter at Birmingham Crown Court.

A third man, Waseem Raja Azram, 29, was jailed for two years for violent disorder relating to Mr Nawazs killing.

West Midlands Police and Europol issued an international arrest warrant for Shire, who is originally from Holland.

Abdulahi Shire is due at Birmingham Magistrates' Court to face a charge of murder. (Wikipedia)

He was finally arrested in Norway earlier this month.

A police spokesperson said: Abdulahi Shire was sought over the fatal stabbing of Zakir Nawaz in Highfield Road, Washwood Heath, on 10 September, 2016.

A European Arrest Warrant was issued shortly after the killing  which had been sparked by a minor road rage collision  and our detectives were working with Europol in a bid to locate Shire.

Shire, of no fixed address, has been charged with murder and is due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Mawson Resources Limited ("Mawson") or (the "Company") (TSX:MAW)(Frankfurt:MXR)(PINKSHEETS:MWSNF) is pleased to announce that Mawson is among 24 companies to receive Queensland State Government support for exploration focused on new economy minerals including silver, copper and gold, aimed to increase exploration and to drive future resource jobs in Australia.

Highlights:

Mawson will receive $200,000 funding under Collaborative Exploration Initiative (CEI) to fund deep drilling for silver, copper and gold near the world-class silver-lead Cannington mine;

The Mt Isa area is one of the most metal-endowed areas of the world, and contains 5% of the world's silver resources, 1.7% of the world's copper resources, 21.2% of the world's lead resources and 11% of the world's zinc resources, within numerous world-class mines. Most of these mines were discovered within outcrop or subcrop areas.

The Mt Isa block extends to the south almost as far under 100-500 metres of cover as it extends on the surface for a combined total of 600 kilometres. The gravity target which Mawson will drill test ("F11") is part of Mawson's Mt Isa SE project that encompasses a new search space along the eastern margin of the Mt Isa block;

While the Company remains focussed in Finland and Victoria for gold, over the last 3 years Mawson's strategy has been to acquire district-scale areas undercover and along strike from large mines. The Company has built a significant position of 483 square kilometres of granted exploration licences in the Cloncurry district of Mt Isa, over a combined 60 kilometres of strike, and is surrounded by South32 Ltd and Sandfire Resources Ltd (Figure 1);

The F11 target is strike-parallel to South32 Ltd's Cannington silver-lead mine, the ninth largest silver producer in the world with 12.3 Moz produced in 2019. At its prime in the early 2000s Cannington was the world's largest single silver producer, and represented about 6% of the world's primary silver production. Deposit styles sought at F11 include both Cannington silver-zinc (Broken-Hill type) and iron-oxide copper-gold (IOCG);

The Queensland grant will fund a single wildcat drill hole to test a coherent and large multi-point residual 1.5 mgal gravity undrilled anomaly ("F11") with an offset magnetic high. The anomaly has a shallow peak of 400 metres depth and average depth of 600-700 metres. Depth of cover is estimated to be less than 300 metres (Figures 2 and 3).

Mr. Hudson, Chairman and CEO, states, "We are thrilled and thankful to the Queensland Government that Mawson has been recognized for its quiet hunt for silver and copper/gold resources in the prolific Mt Isa region of Australia. The Company has now been funded to drill our best target in the Mt Isa area, located 50 kilometres south-southeast from the silver-lead Cannington mine, which provides a tremendous opportunity in true "elephant" country. Shareholders can now anticipate results from drill programs from three prospective global precious-metal terrains during the remainder of the year."

The Queensland Government considers exploration critical to keep up with the soaring global demand for tech minerals, creating these grants to put the State resource industry on the front foot. Mawson is among 24 companies to receive State Government funding and is thankful for the support and recognition of our work completed to date. Round 4 of the program was provided under the New Economy Minerals Initiative (NEMI).

During 2019, Mawson was successful in receiving co-funding from the Queensland Government Round 2 CEI. This funding enabled Mawson to complete a 936 station, 1 kilometre spaced ground gravity survey and a 4,750 line-kilometre, 200 metre line-spaced aeromagnetic survey across an 80 kilometre long target area in the Mt Isa region. A direct result of the co-funded CEI Round 2 work was the delineation of a number of gravity/magnetic targets which included the definition of the first priority F11 target. Subsequent geophysical modelling and 3D inversion has permitted precise drill targeting of F11. A simple profile model of F11 indicates a complex set of four bodies sourcing the anomaly. The principal anomaly source may have a shallow peak at 400 metres, with most of the body being at a depth to top of 600 to 700 metres.

The F11 gravity target is structurally well positioned. It is located 2.5 kilometres and lateral to the interpreted trace of the Cloncurry Fault, a significant regional fault with many splays evident in the seismic line interpretations. South32 Ltd's Cannington silver-lead mine is proximal to the same fault zone. Additionally, F11 is located at the southeastern tip of a regional gravity feature, suggesting a spatial association with a second order structure parallel to the Cloncurry Fault (Figures 2 and 3).

The Mt Isa area contains 5% of the world's silver resources, 1.7% of the world's copper resources, 21.2% of the world's lead resources and 11% of the world's zinc resources within numerous world-class mines. Most of these mines were discovered within outcrop or subcrop areas. The Mt Isa block extends to the south almost as far under 100-500 metres of cover as it extends on the surface. Mawson's strategy has been to acquire undercover areas within prospective host sequences in data poor environments. The deposit styles targeted are iron-oxide copper gold (IOCG) deposit or Cannington silver-zinc (Broken-Hill type). Copper, gold, zinc and silver are all considered "New Economy Minerals" and are vital contributors to a clean, electrified and low carbon new economy. The total resource at Cannington in May 2007 (Bailey, 1998) comprised 43.8 Mt @ 538 g/t silver, 11.6% lead, 4.4% zinc for 758Moz of silver.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, widespread use of geophysical techniques and drilling persistence led to the discovery of a number of major deposits under cover in the Mt Isa region, such as Cannington (about 60 metres deep), Century (40 metres) and the iron oxide-copper-gold type Ernest Henry deposit (40 metres). Since that time, grassroots exploration worldwide has decreased, while the search space depth, driven by technology and increasing exploration maturity has increased. Following the discovery of Cannington in 1990 the area immediately west of Mawson's tenure area was subject to multiple drilling campaigns as well as ground and airborne geophysical surveys. However, drilling is sparse where cover depths exceed 200-300 metres.

Technical and Environmental Background

Nick Cook, President for the Company, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has prepared or reviewed the preparation of the scientific and technical information in this press release.

About Mawson Resources Limited (TSX:MAW, FRANKFURT:MXR, PINKSHEETS:MWSNF)

Mawson Resources Limited is an exploration and development company. Mawson has distinguished itself as a leading exploration company with a focus on the flagship Rajapalot gold-cobalt project in Finland and its Victorian gold properties in Australia.

On behalf of the Board,





"Michael Hudson"

Michael Hudson, Chairman & CEO Further Information

www.mawsonresources.com

1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7

Mariana Bermudez (Canada), Corporate Secretary, +1 (604) 685 9316, info@mawsonresources.com



Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although Mawson believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate, and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Mawson cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 on the Company's business, planned drill programs and results varying from expectations, delays in obtaining results, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, local community relations, dealings with non-governmental organizations, delays in operations due to permit grants, environmental and safety risks, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mawson's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Mawson disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

Figure 1: Map of the Mt Isa SE project showing exploration permits, competitors, outcropping areas, gravity structures and the F11 drill target. (to include inset map of Mt Isa)



Figure 2: 3D inversion of F11 gravity anomaly looking northeast. Vertical depth from surface to central gravity peak is ~400 m.



Figure 3: F11 gravity contours overlain on magnetic imagery (1-3) and Hinman (2018) lithostructural interpretation (4).



SOURCE: Mawson Resources Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599490/Mawson-Funded-to-Drill-Gold-and-Silver-Targets-in-Mt-Isa-Queensland-Australia
Tame Impala Special Edition Nalgene Bottle

Rock band Tame Impala today announces the release of a special edition Nalgene bottle created with non-profit organizations REVERB.org and Oxfam to raise money for COVID-19 relief.

A limited number of Tame Impala Nalgene bottles will be available via Nalgene.com beginning July 29, 2020 with profits from the sale benefiting Oxfams COVID-19 relief efforts and REVERBs environmental work. These limited edition bottles are available for $24.99 via Nalgene.com, with $15 of every bottle directly impacting not-for-profit environmental and public health causes.

For seven consecutive years REVERB and Nalgene have partnered to reduce single-use plastic from music events around the country and increase usage of reusable bottles among fans and artists. To date, the Nalgene and REVERB partnership, knows as #RockNRefill, has raised more than $2,000,000 for over 100 environmental & social causes and has diverted more than 3,000,000 single-use bottles from landfills. Nalgene has donated over 300,000 custom-designed reusable bottles to the effort.

Tame Impala works with REVERB to reduce the environmental impact of touring while also engaging fans in social and environmental causes at shows. They had just begun the 2020 tour in San Diego, California on March 9, 2020, when COVID-19 shut down all of live music. At the shows, fans were offered the chance to donate to causes for a similar bottle. As part of the RockNRefill program, REVERB provided water refill stations to ensure the bottles were useful immediately, eliminating hundreds of disposable plastic bottles from use at each show.

Live music events have been a great way to educate about how reusable water bottles are for more than the gym or camping, says Elissa McGee, general manager, Nalgene Outdoor. Were proud that with this program, even without live concerts right now, RockNRefill can still cut disposable plastic use while also supporting important causes.

REVERBs Co-Founder and Co-Director Adam Gardner adds, REVERBs work is about engaging fans in supporting a better future for people and the planet. We know social and environmental causes are intrinsically linked, and were proud to bring our artist partners together with Nalgene and Oxfam. Were especially impressed with Oxfams immediate and powerful response to help people suffering due to COVID-19.

As communities around the world struggle to cope with COVID-19 Oxfam is working with local communities in more than 60 countries and the U.S. to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid and to help slow the spread of the virus, said Bob Ferguson, Music Outreach Manager at Oxfam. Oxfam has a long history of working with partners in the music industry, and we're thrilled to have Tame Impala, REVERB, and Nalgene on our team as we work to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable communities around the world.

The Tame Impala bottle samples and photos are available to the media upon request.

About Nalgene

NALGENE Outdoor Products is based in Rochester, New York. Founded in 1949 as a manufacturer of the first plastic pipette holder, the company soon expanded its product line to include state-of-the-art polyethylene labware under the NALGENE brand. By the mid-1970s, outdoor enthusiasts had discovered the taste and odor-resistant, leak-proof and rugged properties of NALGENEs large selection of plastic containers. In response to this emerging demand, NALGENE Outdoor Products was formed and today the consumer-oriented business offers its customers a wide choice of safe, environmentally friendly, BPA- and BPS- free products that meet their lifestyle needs. For more information, contact NALGENE Consumer Products or visit http://www.nalgene.com.

About REVERB

REVERB is an environmental nonprofit empowering millions of music fans to create a better future for people and the planet through taking action at concerts and beyond. We partner with artists, festivals, and venues to reduce the environmental impact of live music tours and events while engaging the music community  music-makers and music-lovers  to create real, positive change. Since 2004, REVERB has worked on over 5,000 concert events and 250 tours, including Billie Eilish, Maroon 5, P!NK, Harry Styles, Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, and many others. Learn more at REVERB.org

About Oxfam

Oxfam is a global organization working to end the injustice of poverty. We help people build better futures for themselves, hold the powerful accountable, and save lives in disasters. Our mission is to tackle the root causes of poverty and create lasting solutions. Oxfam is responding to COVID-19 by protecting and advocating for the most vulnerable people here in the United States and around the globe. We are working with partners in more than 60 countries to meet the needs of those who are suffering the worst impacts. Join us at oxfamamerica.org.
The federal and Nova Scotia governments dragged their feet for far too long but on Tuesday they finally did the right thing. They ordered a full public inquiry into the 13-hour rampage that claimed 22 innocent lives in Nova Scotia in April.

Before that abrupt about-face, both levels of government had stubbornly insisted the three-member review panel they appointed last week was capable of properly investigating one of the worst mass murders in Canadian history.

They were wrong. Even before it could begin its work, the panel had been widely rejected by the people of the province it was mandated to serve. Hundreds of angry protesters in Nova Scotia said so on Monday.

The panel simply wasnt equipped to properly respond to an atrocity of this magnitude. On the evening of April 18, and continuing through the following morning, Gabriel Wortman killed 22 people either by shooting them or setting their homes on fire before he was himself killed in a shoot-out with police.

Within hours of the massacre, troubling questions were being asked about both Wortman and the police. How was the killer able to run amok for so long? Why didnt police evacuate the areas where his killing spree was occurring? And why did the RCMP fail to issue a public alert to cellphones, choosing instead to spread information far less effectively on Twitter?

Nor were the questions about the RCMPs response to Wortman confined to those 13 bloody hours. Police had been alerted about him before. In 2001, he was charged with assaulting a 15-year-old boy.

In 2010, he made death threats against his parents while in 2011, a police safety bulletin warned he had a stash of guns and had expressed a desire to kill a police officer. Then, in 2013, police received a complaint that Wortman had violently attacked his spouse and possessed a small arsenal of weapons. As it turns out, he held those guns illegally.

Any probe into Aprils bloodbath must determine why police didnt rein in this frightening individual long before he began killing. The review panel couldnt be counted on to do this because it had two fatal flaws.

First, it couldnt force anyone to testify before it and, therefore, could not count on getting all the necessary information. Second, because it was not required to conduct its business in public, there would be legitimate suspicions that not all of its findings would see the light of day.

Perhaps such suspicions were unfair. But not only do Wortmans crimes require a thorough investigation, the public must be able to see the investigation is thorough and unsparing of police sensitivities.

Beyond all these arguments, there was a final, irrefutable argument for a public inquiry, whatever its cost and however long it takes. At its heart, justice is about trying to set right, even in a small way, something that has gone very wrong. Because he is dead, Wortman can never be held accountable for his depraved actions.

Today, womens groups, legal experts, a group of senators and thousands of Nova Scotians refused to accept a review. They wanted an inquiry.

In addition, the families of the 22 victims argued that only a public inquiry could provide any kind of closure. They all deserve a chance to be heard at a forum of their choosing. Thats the closest theyll get to touching justice.

We commend the federal and Nova Scotia governments for at last trying to help them do this with a public inquiry.

Read more about:
The Duggar family may be media savvy, but family followers noticed that they arent particularly social media savvy. Over the weekend of July 24, family followers noticed that the Duggar family, along with other familys in the ultra-conservative Christian social circle, was doing some serious Instagram clean up. There was a ton of unfollowing and refollowing going on. Now, family followers strongly believe the Duggars and those within their social circles are doing some digital distancing. Could news of another scandal be on the horizon?

The Duggar family unfollowed than refollowed the Bates family

The Duggar family and the Bates family were once incredibly close. In fact, some of the Duggar kids consider some of the Bates kids their best friends. Joy-Anna Duggar and Carlin Bates, for example, often speak openly about their friendship. Regardless of the close connection the kids have formed, some family followers have theorized that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and Gil and Kelly Jo Bates are no longer on speaking terms. That theory appeared to gain some traction over the weekend when the Duggar family unfollowed the Bates familys main account on Instagram.

RELATED: The Bates Family and the Duggar Family Differ in This Major Way

Katie Joy of Without a Crystal Ball noticed the change over the weekend and brought it to the attention of family followers on her Instagram page. Shortly after Katie Joy and the Reddit community picked up on the unfollowing, the Duggars quickly refollowed the Bates familys account. They are still not following the majority of the adult Bates children who have Instagram pages.

The Duggars have been dropped on Instagram by another famous, fundamentalist Christian family

The Rodrigues family may not have a television show, but they are well known in Reddit circles that discuss ultra-conservative Christian families. The Rodrigues family recently obtained an official familial tie to the Duggars, but they have apparently decided to cut their digital tie to the clan. On July 24, Nurie Rodrigues, the eldest daughter of Jill and David Rodrigues, married Nathan Keller. Nathan is the younger brother of Anna Duggar, who married Josh Duggar in 2008. While Anna and Josh appeared to attend the wedding, family followers noticed some Instagram shuffling on the Rodrigues part shortly after the reception.

The Duggar family | Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

RELATED: Counting On: How Many of Anna Duggars Siblings Have Left the Familys Ministry?

The Rodrigues family was originally following Anna and several other members of the Duggar family. Shortly after the wedding, they dropped Anna from their following list. At the same time, the Rodrigues family began following Priscilla and David Waller. Priscilla is Annas sister. She appeared on 19 Kids and Counting during the lead up to Anna and Joshs wedding special. Reddit followers believe there may be a feud between Anna and Jill, but no one is sure what that feud might be about.

Could another Duggar family scandal be on the horizon?

Some family followers believe that all the social media movement might indicate that a Duggar family scandal is about to break. At this time, there is no indication that anything of note is about to happen. In fact, all has gone quiet at the familys Springdale, Arkansas compound. In November 2019, there was chatter that the FBI was investigating the family. That rumor turned out to be false, but the Department of Homeland Security did confirm that their agents were at a property owned by a Duggar family member. No further information has been released.

RELATED: Counting On: 3 of the Wildest Theories About the Duggar Family

If the investigation is ongoing, it could be months before family followers learn the reason behind the departments visit. While several theories have been floated online, no official explanation has been offered. Such investigations can take more than a year to complete, so it could be several months before any information is released to the public if it ever is.
D onald Trump branded Germany "delinquent" as he spoke of plans to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from the country.

The US unveiled plans on Wednesday to withdraw around 11,900 army and air force personnel from Germany and transfer about 5,600 of the troops to other countries in Europe such as Belgium and Italy.

The president had previously announced his intention to remove a third of 36,000 troops in Germany over claims the country was failing to meet NATO's defence spending target of 2 per cent of its GDP.

We dont want to be the suckers any more, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House.

Were reducing the force because theyre not paying their bills; its very simple. They're delinquent."

President Donald Trump spoke to reporters before leaving the White House on Wednesday for Texas / AFP via Getty Images

The president made the comments as he addressed reporters at the South Lawn on Wednesday before leaving for a day trip to Texas.

He continued: "We spend a lot of money on Germany, they take advantage of us on trade and they take advantage on the military, so we're reducing the force.

"They're there to protect Europe, they're there to protect Germany, and Germany is supposed to pay for it. We don't want to be responsible anymore."

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said the plan will cost "single digit" billions of dollars and it will take years to relocate the troops.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney condemned the move as "a grave error" on Twitter.

"It is a slap in the face at a friend and ally when we should instead be drawing closer in our mutual commitment to deter Russian and Chinese aggression," he said.

"It is a gift to Russia coming at a time when we just have learned of its support for the Taliban and reports of bounties on killing American troops.

"The move may temporarily play well in domestic politics, but its consequences will be lasting and harmful to American interests."

Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soder said the move could further weaken the NATO alliance and the US as a country.

He said: "We very much regret the U.S. government's decision. Unfortunately, this puts a burden on the German-American relationship."


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The deadlock over convening the Rajasthan assembly ended Wednesday with Governor Kalraj Mishra agreeing to call a session from August 14.

IMAGE: Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra and chief minister Ashok Gehlot. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Raj Bhavan announcement came a couple of hours after the Ashok Gehlot Cabinet sent a fourth proposal to the Governor for summoning the Rajasthan assembly, mentioning August 14 as the new date.

The government argued that this met the 21-day notice requirement on which the Governor was insisting, counting the days from July 23 when the first proposal for the session was sent to the Raj Bhavan.

The Congress government had earlier asked for the session to begin on July 31.

The Governor had turned down three earlier proposals, saying if the government wanted the assembly summoned at short notice it should state that it planned to hold a vote of confidence.

Otherwise, it should give 21 days' notice, he had said.

On Wednesday, the Raj Bhavan returned the third proposal sent by the government on Tuesday. But the fourth proposal sent Wednesday night after another cabinet meeting was approved.

The Rajasthan Governor has approved the Cabinet proposal to call the assembly session from August 14, a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said.

"He also gave verbal directions to make the necessary arrangements for the prevention of COVID-19 spread during the session, the official added.

While returning an earlier proposal Tuesday, Governor Mishra highlighted three points: a 21-day notice, live broadcast of the proceedings if there is a trust vote, and social distancing during the session.

As the impasse over calling a session seemed to deepen Wednesday, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a 15-minute meeting with Mishra at the Raj Bhavan.

Hours later, the state Cabinet met to redraft the proposal, setting the new date.

Speaker C P Joshi also met the Governor at the Raj Bhawan, making what was described as a courtesy call. It was also Joshi's birthday.

After the Cabinet meeting, a minister announced that the government is sending a new proposal which it hoped will end the deadlock.

Neither the Governor nor the government wants confrontation. The Cabinet has passed a revised proposal for forwarding to the Governor, transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told reporters.

Gehlot is caught in a tussle for power in Rajasthan with his now sacked deputy Sachin Pilot, who leads a group of 18 other dissident Congress MLAs.

A part of this drama is being played out in the Rajasthan high court, which the 19 dissident MLAs had earlier approached against the disqualification notices served to them by the Speaker.

On Wednesday, the high court also began hearing a plea by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Madan Dilawar, challenging the Speaker's decision to reject his complaint against the merger of six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs with the Congress.

Justice Mahendra Kumar Goyal will also hear a Bahujan Samaj Party petition on the same issue.

At a Pradesh Congress Committee meeting, where the new state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra took charge, Gehlot told party workers that there was nothing to worry about as the leadership in Delhi was with them in the crisis.

"The love letter has already come. Now, I am only going to have tea with him, he said before heading for the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Mishra.

He was referring to the note from the Governor, returning for the third time his Cabinet's proposal to convene the state assembly.

According to a press release from the Raj Bhavan, the Governor had also referred to the coronavirus pandemic while returning the government's proposal.

He questioned why the lives of over 1,200 people be put in danger without any special reason.

After Wednesday's cabinet meeting, a minister said it was for the Speaker to ensure these arrangements.

The Raj Bhavan statement, made before the cabinet meeting in the evening, had also referred to the MLAs who are holed up in hotels.

The note said it is the constitutional duty of the Governor to ensure their free movement and presence in the House.

Pilot, who was sacked as Rajasthan's deputy chief minister and the state's Congress chief after he rebelled, congratulated Dotasra on being appointed to the post he once held.

I expect that without any pressure or prejudice, you will give full respect to those workers through whose hard work the government was formed," he tweeted in Hindi, in an apparent reference to himself and the other dissidents.

"Thank you very much Sachin ji, Dotasra tweeted back.

I also hope that you will leave the hospitality of the BJP and the (Manohar Lal) Khattar government and come to Jaipur to stand with the Congress government for maintaining the honour of all Congress workers whose hard work formed the government.

Including the 19 dissidents, the Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member assembly.

The BJP has 72.
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Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 14:57 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a358e3 1 Business import,trade-barriers,export,industry-ministry,agus-gumiwang-kartasasmita,import-tariff,trade-remedies Free

The government is planning to impose several measures to reduce imports in the short and medium term and strengthen the local manufacturing industry.

The planned measures included imposing restrictions, raising tariffs, adding new trade remedies and implementing more technical barriers, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said Tuesday. He proposed, for instance, to impose restrictions in the form of an import license requirement and minimum import price and quota application on 28 commodities.

However, he stopped short of naming the commodities.

It is way too easy for foreign products to enter Indonesia, Agus said in a virtual discussion held by news outlet Bisnis Indonesia.

Read also: Indonesia books $1.27b trade surplus in June as economic activity resumes

The plan emerged as President Joko Jokowi Widodos administration gears up to reduce imports of raw materials by 35 percent to US$82 billion in 2022 by nudging local companies to produce import substitutes.

It also came at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic brought down global trade, which was projected by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to decline by between 13 percent and 32 percent this year.

In the first half of the year, Indonesia booked a trade surplus of $5.49 billion. While its exports declined by 5.49 percent year-on-year (yoy) to $76.41 billion, imports fell faster, namely by 14.29 percent yoy to $70.91 billion.

Agus said he was also seeking to reduce imports that flooded Indonesia by implementing more trade remedies, arguing that Indonesia had imposed fewer safeguards, antidumping and countervailing duty measures than China, Thailand, the Philippines and India.

China, which is Indonesias largest trading partner, imposes a total of 1,020 safeguard measures, while Indonesia imposes only a total of 102 safeguard measures, according to data compiled by the ministry.

The European Union, Indonesias third-largest source of imports, imposes 4,004 technical barriers, equivalent to Indonesias national standard certificate, in total. Meanwhile, Indonesia imposes just 172 technical barriers.

Indonesia has been hit by trade remedies involving nine trading partners that launched an investigation into alleged unfair practices by the country, resulting in potential foreign exchange losses of up to Rp 26.5 trillion (US$1.9 billion), Trade Ministry acting director general of foreign trade Srie Agustina said in June.

Read also: Indonesias horticultural products more expensive than neighbors, says Japans Nanyang

Trade remedies are trade defense measures against imports to protect a countrys domestic industries from unfair practices, such as dumping and subsidies, or to cope with a sudden surge of foreign goods, according to the WTO.

The three tools accepted by the WTO are antidumping, countervailing and safeguard measures.

Agus also proposed a special arrangement on entry points at seaports in Eastern Indonesia for certain commodities.

This is to curb the flows of imported products that are already flooding Indonesias market, he said.

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data show that Indonesias imports of consumer goods grew by 37.15 percent yoy in June due to a sharp increase of garlic shipments from China and frozen meat from Australia, among other items. Imports of raw materials plummeted by 13.27 percent, while imports of capital goods grew by 2.63 percent, driven by higher demand for laptops from China.

Trade Ministry national export development director general Kasan Muhri said Tuesday the government also had made a plan to push Indonesias exports amid the pandemic.

The plan included boosting products that are growing in shipment, such as processed food and beverages, healthcare goods, agriculture and fishery products as well as commodities expected to benefit from the pandemic, like pharmaceutical products.

The government will focus on tapping into countries that have somewhat curbed the coronavirus pandemic, like Australia and Germany.

Read also: Govt seeks to renegotiate trade, investment deal with Japan

Kasan also said the government was reviewing both tariff and nontariff barriers slapped by other countries on Indonesias products as his office started receiving reports that Canada and China were requiring certificates declaring food products to be free from the coronavirus.

This is among the non-tariff barriers that emerge and are related to the handling or situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Kasan.

With the pandemic having slowed economic activity in many countries, Indonesia might see a further decline in trade, as its main trading partners, such as Japan and Singapore, were expected to fall into recession, said Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman Rosan Roeslani in the same discussion.

Six of our 10 main trading partners are projected to fall into recession. This will hit our trade going forward, said Rosan.

Singapore, the fifth-largest export destination for Indonesia, entered recession in the April-June period as its economy contracted by 12.6 percent yoy.
By PTI

KOLKATA: Two contractual workers of a company engaged in the East West Metro construction work have donated their plasma to a government hospital here, after recovering from COVID-19, an official said on Wednesday.

The two workers, Nizamuddin and Subhnarayan Shaw, donated their plasma last week at Calcutta Medical College Hospital, where the state government has set up a plasma bank for treatment of COVID-19 patients, the official said.

Some other workers who have recovered from the disease are also planning to donate for the purpose, he said.

Construction of the East West Metro Railway, connecting Sector V in Salt Lake with Howrah Maidan, has resumed since the easing of the nationwide lockdown.
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NASA is set to launch an SUV-sized rover to Mars on Thursday, July 30 with the hopes of answering one question  is there life on the planet?

The Perseverance rover will take flight aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 7:50am ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida and is scheduled to arrive on the Red Planet in February 2021.

The descend to Mars has been described as 'seven minutes of terror,' but if the rover makes a successful landing it will travel to Jerzo Crater - a region scientist speculate was home to a lake 3.5 billion years ago.

Here Perseverance will hunt for biosignatures of past microbial life and collect rock core samples in slender, metal tools that will be cached on the Martian surface to be retrieved in 2026 for a return trip to Earth.

The prized rover is not making the journey alone, as it will be accompanied by a helicopter named Ingenuity.

NASA is comparing this mission to the Wright brothers moment, as it will be the first time in history an aerial vehicle has flown on another world.

NASA is gearing up to send its Perseverance rover to Mars. The six-wheeled vehicle is currently at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as it waits to for its 314 million mile journey to the Red Planet

Matt Wallace, the Mars 2020 missions deputy project manager at JPL, said: Were doing transformative science.

Really, for the first time, were looking for signs of life on another planet, and for the first time were going to collect samples that we hope will be part of the first sample return from another planet.

The Red Planet's surface has been visited by eight NASA spacecraft and this one  the ninth  will be the first that involves gathering samples to bring back to Earth.

NASA says the mission will also demonstrate key technologies to help prepare for future robotic and human exploration  possibly within a decade.

However, the prized rover is not making the journey alone  it will be accompanied by a helicopter named Ingenuity. NASA is comparing this mission to the Wright brothers moment, as it will be the first time in history an aerial vehicle has flown on another world

Only eight missions have been able to descend to Mars, a feat that has been described as seven minutes of terror. If the rover is able to make a successful landing, it will travel to Jezero Crater, which scientists speculate was once home to a lake 3.5 billion years ago

The first landers to arrive on the Red Planet were Viking 1 and Viking 2, which landed in 1976 to look for signs of life.

Although the technologies provided new insight of the Martian surface, they failed to uncover evidence of life.

However, Kenneth Farley, the project scientist for Perseverance and a professor at the California Institute of Technology, told The Verge that the Viking landers were not equipped with the best technology.

Compared to what we know today, they did not have a very sophisticated understanding of how to actually look for life, he said.

NASA has sent a number of orbiters to Mars, which allowed them to find Perseverances target  the 28-mile Jezero Crater.

The massive crater is said to have flowed with water and is littered with carbonates and hydrated silica.

Carbonates located in the crater's inner rim have been found to survive in fossils on Earth for billions of years and hydrated silica was discovered in the delta that is known for its ability to preserve biosignatures.

And this is where Perseverance will use its advanced technology to find ancient signs of life.

NASA has sent a number of orbiters to Mars, which allowed them to find Perseverances target  the 28-mile Jezero Crater

The massive crater is said to have flowed with water and is littered with carbonates and hydrated silica. Carbonates located in the crater's inner rim have been found to survive in fossils on Earth for billions of years and hydrated silica was discovered in the delta that is known for its ability to preserve biosignatures

The rover stands seven feet tall, is nine feet wide, weighs 2,260 pounds and although it relies on Curiositys design, the 2020 robotic vehicle is specifically created to collect samples.

It is fitted with seven cutting-edge instruments, including advanced cameras, radar, a laser and a massive hand fitted with the coring drill.

The rover will use the high-powered laser called SuperCam at the top of its mast to shoot pulses capable of vaporizing rocks up to 20 feet away.

The laser beam heats the target to 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to transform the solid rock into plasma that can be imaged by a camera for further analysis.

This instrument will help researchers identify minerals that are beyond the reach of the rovers robotic arm or in areas too steep for the rover to go.

Another spectacular innovation traveling with the rover is MOXIE.

This technology will attempt to turn carbon dioxide in Mars atmosphere into oxygen that could be used by the human astronauts to walk on the Martian surface.

NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover will be able to study, analyze and even collect samples of rock and soil from the Red Planet to search for signs of ancient life. It also has a weather station, surface radar and panoramic camera onboard

The rover will use the high-powered laser called SuperCam at the top of its mast to shoot pulses capable of vaporizing rocks up to 20 feet away. This instrument will help researchers identify minerals that are beyond the reach of the rovers robotic arm or in areas too steep for the rover to go

Perseverance stands seven feet tall, is nine feet wide, weighs 2,260 pounds and although it relies on Curiositys design, the 2020 rover was specifically created to collect samples

It is fitted with seven cutting edge instruments, including advanced cameras, radar, a laser and a massive hand fitted with the coring drill

However, the main job of Perseverance is to collect samples, which it will do with its large robotic arm strapped with a drill.

The rover will drill into the dusty surface and gather material into titanium, germ free tubes that will be placed in the vehicles belly  there are a total of 43 tubes to fill.

NASA aims to gather at least 20 samples with a variety of material that can be brought back to Earth for further analysis.

Perseverance is not bringing the samples back to Earth  when the rover reaches a suitable location, the tubes will dropped on the surface of Mars to be collected by a future retrieval mission, which is currently being developed.

NASA has teamed up with the European Space Agency for the follow up mission that would send two or more spacecraft in 2026.

Once the first pieces of Mars land on Earth, scientists will cut the slabs into thin sheets of rock in order to determine if individual microbial cells are hiding in the samples.

Perseverance is not embarking on the 314 million mile journey alone.

NASA is sending the Ingenuity helicopter along for the ride, which is tasked with investigating Mars atmosphere.

The copter will fly at an altitude that is similar to 100,000 feet on Earth, allowing it to gather geology data in areas the rover is unable to travel.

This will be the first time a terrestrial helicopter has not only flown at such altitudes, but also the first time it will take flight on another planet.

Since the Wright brothers first took to the skies of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, December 17, 1903, first flights have been important milestones in the life of any vehicle designed for air travel, NASA said in a statement.

Perseverance and Ingenuity will launch inside the United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairing (pictured)

Perseverance and Ingenuity will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex 41, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida

NASA has been gearing up for this mission for year and over the past few months it was looking grim for the American space agency.

The rover's name, Perseverance, has taken on added meaning in the last few months, according to NASA officials, who say COVID-19 presented new hurdles.

The coronavirus pandemic meant NASA scientists had to work in smaller teams, with some working from home, to meet the strict launch window deadline.

The original day was July 17, but due to ground system equipment problems involving a faulty crane the team pushed it to July 20 and then again to July 22.

NASA will still have two weeks of potential launch windows before Mars and Earth are no longer aligned in a way that makes the mission possible.

The Mars 2020 team said that 'the first launch opportunity is scheduled for no earlier than July 30, 2020.'

'The launch windows will last approximately between 30 minutes and two hours, with a unique launch opportunity every five minutes.'
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Most private school students in Central New York will return to a nearly normal experience this fall: In-person school all day for five days a week.

The 22 Catholic schools throughout the region, Manlius Pebble Hill and the Syracuse Hebrew Day School all plan to offer full-day, in-person education.

William Crist, the superintendent of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse schools, said the diocese schools all have enough space and staff to accommodate students for full school days when they reopen in the fall.

We believe that based on school sizes and enrollment, currently, we can go back into 5-day-a-week, in-person school setting, Crist said. The diocese schools have an average class size of 13.

Each school will make its own choices and come up with its own plan, but Crist said he expects all will offer a full week of school. Schools also will be coming up with hybrid plans and fully-online plans in case there is a spike in Covid-19 cases and for families who arent comfortable sending students back full-time.

The diocese has 11 schools in Onondaga County, including two 7-12 schools: Bishop Grimes and Bishop Ludden. Elementary school averages $5,000 a year; 7-12 is $7,000.

Christian Brothers Academy is separate from the Roman Catholic Diocese and does not plan to announce its decision on school reopening until later this week.

Syracuse Hebrew Day School also will be having kids come back to school all day, five days a week, said the schools director Laura Lavine. Right now, that school has 34 students and class sizes are capped at 10, but they have the room and resources to expand enrollment, she said.

Manlius Pebble Hill, too, plans to bring students back for in-person learning five days a week. That school has 320 students in pre-K through 12th grade. Tuition there ranges from $9,500 for lower grades to more than $24,000 for high school.

The private school plans are in stark contrast to the choice that nearly all of the larger districts in the region are making. Most are going with a hybrid option because they do not have the space or the resources to open their doors to every student every day.

Some large public districts will allow each student to come to school a few days each week. Others are keeping entire grades home. In the Syracuse City School District, all of the high school students will be home, learning online, through January.

Nationally, the same trend is playing out. Public schools are struggling to find the money and space to reopen to everyone safely while private schools, with fewer students and often more resources, are able to offer an experience that is close to normal.

Syracuses Catholic schools had been struggling for enrollment in years past. But that may change this year. Crist said hed heard from some new parents already and expects to hear from more as public school plans are released.

He said most diocese schools still have the space to take new students. And about 20 percent of the families have said they are not ready to send their students back for in-person learning, which could open additional spots, Crist said.

Syracuse Hebrew Day School also has room to add more students, Lavine said. She said she can keep the class sizes at 10 students and increase enrollment 20 percent or more.

I think were in a good position to conduct business as usual, Lavine said. She said shes been getting calls from parents interested in enrolling children who had been previously attending public school. The cost there is $12,100 for the first child in a family, $9,400 for each sibling. Lavine said the school offers financial aid.

Private schools have to follow the same rules as public ones when it comes to health and safety. In most situations students and teachers will wear masks and be socially distanced in the classrooms. And students will be broken into small, cohort groups that stay together, similar to what most public schools are planning.

Crist said the Catholic schools depend on the public schools for transportation, which could be a problem in some areas. Schools are encouraging parents to drive their kids when possible and to set up carpools, if possible.

Private schools are generally not staffed by unionized teachers, while public schools are. NYSUT, which represents more than 500,000 teachers across the state, has demanded that everyone wear masks and be socially distanced in classrooms, even though the state guidelines appear to require one or the other, not both.

Some Western New York districts had their plans set for less than six feet between students, who would wear masks, when the union raised concerns. The districts changed their plans.

The 700 districts across the state have until Friday to turn in their back-to-school plans.

Private and religious schools have to turn in their health plans Friday, but have until Aug. 7 to complete their full plans.

Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo set Covid-19 thresholds hold opening and closing schools. To open, the infection rate must be under 5 percent. If a regions rate goes above 9 percent, the state will close the schools.

While Cuomo set the cutoffs for opening and closing, he did not announce whether schools would open. That decision is expected next week.

Marnie Eisenstadt is a reporter who writes about people and public affairs in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter | Facebook | 315-470-2246
By AFP

WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on the son of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, extending efforts to block funds for the war-torn country's regime.

Hafez al-Assad, 18, named after his grandfather, will not be allowed to travel or maintain assets in the United States, the State Department said.

The designation was part of a second set of sanctions under the Caesar Act, a US law that took effect in June that aims never to normalize the Assad regime even as it succeeds in winning back most of Syria after a brutal nine-year war.

"We will continue to hold Bashar al-Assad and his regime accountable for their atrocities, while keeping the memory of their victims alive," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

"It is time for Assad's needless, brutal war to end," he said.

Also hit by the new sanctions is the Syrian businessman Wassim Anwar al-Qattan, who is involved in major construction projects in Damascus.

The United States, however, has not yet targeted business interests from Assad's key ally Russia. Fears of action against foreign investors under the Caesar Act have wreaked havoc on Syria's war-ravaged economy by clouding hopes for reconstruction.

The United States has already imposed sanctions on Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma.

A senior US official said the sanctions against their only adult child was meant to stop Hafez from becoming a conduit for his family overseas.

"It's also because we have seen a rise in his prominence within the family," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

"Adult children are essentially continuing to conduct business in the name and on behalf of their sanctioned parents or other adult relatives," he said.

The young Hafez al-Assad has mostly made headlines for his passion for math, taking part in international competitions in Brazil and Romania.

In 2017, he finished in 528th position out of 615 in a contest in Rio de Janeiro.
A nursing home in Pennsylvania where 73 residents died in the coronavirus pandemic has been censured for administering hydroxychloroquine to more than 200 patients without state approval.

The Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Beaver was the site of Pennsylvania's single largest outbreak, and was cited in May for egregious violations of infection control guidelines.

In a report publicly released this week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health said that the facility had obtained consent forms and administered hydroxychloroquine as an 'Experimental Post Exposure Prophylaxis' treatment for 205 of 435 residents in April.

'This treatment is an "off-label" use, which means that the drug manufacturers of Hydroxychloroquine, nor the FDA, have said the drug can be, or should be, used to prevent a person from becoming infected with COVID-19,' the report stated.

The Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Beaver was the site of Pennsylvania's single largest outbreak, with 73 residents dying

Hydroxychloroquine, which has long been used to treat malaria and some inflammatory conditions, has been at the center of contentious and highly politicized debates as a possible treatment for coronavirus.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month revoked its emergency-use authorization for hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 after several studies cast doubt on its effectiveness.

President Donald Trump regularly promoted the drug and said he had used it himself, and this week Twitter removed a video he shared of a doctor promoting the drug, calling it medical misinformation.

The report on Brighton Rehabilitation said that the facility failed to obtain the necessary approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Health prior to administering hydroxychloroquine to residents.

Earl Denbow Jr., 73, died at Brighton in April after contracting coronavirus

According to state data, 332 residents and 113 staff at Brighton Rehabilitation were infected, and 73 residents died.

The care home was treating the East Wing of its 4th floor as lockdown unit, the Post-Gazette reported. It's where residents with behavioral issues or dementia issues are housed.

Earl Denbow Jr., 73, died in April after contracting coronavirus. He had lived at Brighton Rehabilitation for two years after developing Parkinson's and kidney disease.

'I kind of figured it was going to happen sooner or later,' the deceased man's daughter Keri Boyer said. 'It's not the cleanest of facilities.  And there are always people going in-and-out all day.'

Boyer also claimed the facility did not have enough employees to take care of patients and maintain sanitary conditions during the pandemic.

'It wasn't like these people weren't working; they worked hard,' she told the Post-Gazette. 'I just think it was too much for them to keep up with.'

Hydroxychloroquine, which has long been used to treat malaria and some inflammatory conditions, has been at the center of contentious and highly politicized debates as a possible treatment for coronavirus

The facility is the subject in a wrongful death lawsuit filed earlier this month by the family of Elizabeth Wiles, a housekeeping employee who was contracted to work at Brighton.

Wiles died May 10, apparently from Covid-19. Her family alleges the virus 'spread through the Brighton unchecked, infecting and killing numerous residents and workers at the facility, including plaintiff's decedent Elizabeth Wiles.'

Brighton issued a statement to CNN regarding the lawsuit saying, 'Ms. Wiles was not an employee of our facility, nor did we supervise her or set her schedule. Further, we do not yet know whether Ms. Wiles acquired COVID-19 at all, let alone at our facility.'

The statement continued: 'As for the unfounded allegations, we will not tolerate litigation through slander and are working with counsel to determine the appropriate legal response.'

The company said that 'it is scientifically recognized by OSHA and Workers' Compensation Boards that where and how exactly an individual contracted this virus cannot be determined.'

In May, the situation at Brighton grew so dire that the National Guard was sent in to help assist in medical care and cleaning.

An inspection in May found that hand-washing and infection control violations left residents in nine of 11 nursing units at the facility in 'immediate jeopardy'.

The most egregious incidents documented included a nurse aide not changing gloves, washing hands or cleaning a thermometer and pulse oximeter after testing a resident with coronavirus before using the same equipment to test two non-COVID-19 residents.

In a statement, management at Brighton Rehab maintained that staff have followed all guidance from governing agencies.

'Throughout the pandemic, Brighton has adhered to all guidance and protocols issued by government authorities, and has held, and continues to hold, regular training sessions and in-services to ensure that staff is competently trained on best practices. In any instance where a staff member may have gone outside of proper protocols, leadership works to immediately correct the staff and ensure compliance,' management said in a statement.
In a bid to rationalise its expenses in the wake of the economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian Railways plans to put on hold infrastructure projects sanctioned in the current financial year other than those related to safety work, according to a Railway Board order.

The railway ministry has clarified that the order, which has been reviewed by HT, will not affect any ongoing vital infrastructure projects of the railways.

In a communication sent to all zones and public sector undertakings (PSU) on Tuesday, the board said projects that were previously approved but have made insignificant progress shall be kept frozen till further orders except those which are essentially required for safe running of trains.

The national carrier has estimated a financial loss of around Rs 40,000 crore in its passenger segment due to suspension of regular passenger trains since March 22.

In pursuance of Ministry of Finances Office Memorandum No.42(02)/PFC-1/2014 dated 04.06.2020 on the subject and in view of the circumstances prevailing in the current financial year, following decisions have been taken by Board: New works/ Umbrella works included in Pink Book 2020-21 shall be kept in abeyance. However, those works which impact the safe running of trains and are considered essential and inescapable may be considered for sanction, the boards order said.

Unutilized projects identified as umbrella works of 2018-19 and 2019-20, if any, may be suspended, the order added. Umbrella works refer to projects that have been sanctioned combining similar work at different locations.

The board has instructed zonal railways to review all projects already approved by them.

Exemption for sanction of works which are considered essential and inescapable will be obtained from the ministry of finance, the order added.

The order issued by the railway board refers to a directive issued by the finance ministry in June on government spending in the year.

It may be appreciated that in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is an unprecedented demand on public financial resources, and a need to use resources prudently in accordance with emerging and changing priorities. However, many new proposals for in-principle approval are being received from ministries/departments, the directive said.

No new proposal for a scheme/ sub-scheme, whether under delegated powers to Administrative Ministry including Standing Finance Committee proposals or through Expenditure Finance Committee should be initiated this year (FY 2020-21)except the proposals announced under the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Package, Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package and any other special package announcement, it said, adding that in-principle approval for such schemes will not be given in this financial year.

The initiation of new schemes already approved in FY 2020-21 will remain suspended for one year till 31 March 2021 or till further orders, it added.

This means all new and existing works across railway units are basically halted as they dont come under safety of train operations and are neither essential nor inescapable, a railway official explained.

When contacted by HT, a spokesperson for the railways ministry said it has to abide by the instructions of the finance ministry, adding sufficient resources exist and have been provisioned for to ensure that wheels of progress and modernisation continue to move at rapid speed.

The order is not going to impact any of any vital infrastructure projects of Railways. It is not going to impact our mission of 100% electrification of routes, doubling tracks , any of railway high speed corridors or DFCCIL, vital signalling projects , projects to launch new modern trains / locomotives, passenger amenities or any project to enhance safety. It may be noted that there is no capital expenditure reduction for infra works and full capex will be utilised, he said.

Railways, earlier this month, sent detailed orders announcing several cost-cutting measures. The Railway Board had all zones to review contracts and manpower requirements to curtail expenditure.

It is understandable. As it is, Indian railways had one of the most alarming operating ratios. So with Covid happening, they ended up incurring massive losses. Also, they incurred losses while transporting people to their home states during lockdown. However, Rs 40,000 crore loss is very large by any standard. So it is prudent to start cutting on expenditure that can be reduced, said Jaijit Bhattacharya, president of the Centre for Digital Economy Policy Research (CDEP), a think tank.

Railway Board chairman VK Yadav on Tuesday said the railway ministry aims to make up for the losses in the passenger segment through freight revenue. Freight traffic on July 27 was marginally more than that on the same day last year in spite of Covid-19 related challenges, he said.
Australian bushfire fighters should change tactics to focus on early detection and extinguishment of blazes rather than their containment as climate change has altered the nature of fires on the continent, an expert group has recommended.

Former Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner Greg Mullins said that in the hotter and drier conditions more common in Australia due to global warming, containment was more difficult or impossible at times  and on high-danger days, firefighters should seek to detect and put out fires as fast as possible.

Experts are calling for a change in firefighting tactics, including the rapid water-bombing of new fires. Credit:Justin McManus

The change in tactics would require increased funding by governments so bushfire authorities could use early-warning technologies including thermal-imaging drones and satellites and increase the number of highly trained airborne firefighting teams of the sort that defended the famous grove of ancient Wollemi Pines in the Blue Mountains.

Further, on such days, aircraft should be deployed as soon as fires are detected, said Mr Mullins.

A shortage of airborne firefighting equipment means they are often not deployed until firefighters on the ground have surveyed the fire, by which time it was often too late, Mr Mullins said.
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One of the most easily identifiable buildings along South Donahue Drive in Auburn recently received a major facelift.

The Agricultural Heritage Park Pavilion, located on South Donahue Drive on Auburn Universitys campus, closed for improvements in December 2019, but is now reopened and redesigned to host events for the region. Events at the pavilion already are underway but subject to safety precautions in light of COVID-19, including a limit to fewer than 50 people and requirement to wear face coverings.

The interior of this focal point on campusmade iconic by its red exteriorreflects the region and states agricultural heritage, said Paul Patterson, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station.

We know that Ag Heritage Park is a destination of choice for many College of Agriculture alumni, friends, faculty and staff and the publicwhether they are attending events in the pavilion or the weekly farmers markets in the summer," Patterson said. We are thrilled to see our mission at Ag Heritage Park continue through the revitalization of this important venue.

Ag Heritage Park is a joint venture of the Auburn University College of Agriculture and the Agricultural Alumni Association located on approximately 30 acres at the southwest corner of Samford Avenue and Donahue Drive. The park pays tribute to Alabamas farmers and agricultural sector while also serving as a gathering place for students, faculty, alumni and friends throughout the year.

The improvements replaced the pavilions original garage doors with large windows that overlook the parks pond and greenspace, added a floor-to-ceiling, stone-clad electric fireplace and improved lighting, flooring, furnishings and finishes throughout the venue, according to Misty Glazier, director of business and fiscal administration, who led this project for the College of Agriculture.

As of July 2016, the College of Agriculture and The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center share operation of event venues at Ag Heritage Park, including the pavilion.

"This really is a collaboration across campus units, said Hans van der Reijden, managing director of The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. This was the College of Agriculture, the College of Human Sciences interior design program, the universitys Facilities Division and the hotel teams all working together in a great cross-campus collaboration for almost two years with beautiful results.

According to Van der Reijden, the hotel has teamed with the universitys interior design program on interior renovations for years. Not only does this allow for beautiful new venues on campus, he said, but it provides practical application for students in interior design to take what they learn in the classroom and put it to work on a job.

For the pavilion project, interior design students worked with a professional designer to submit potential designs for the space. There were so many great ideas in the submissions, said Van der Reijden, that aspects of five students designs were used in the final renovation. Katherine Burkholder, a graduate of the interior design program in the College of Human Sciences, served as a lead designer on the project through CMH Architects Inc. in Birmingham.

"The opportunity that the College of Agriculture and The Hotel at Auburn University provided for the interior design students to contribute to a real-life projectand then see their ideas actually come to lifewas incredible, said Anna Ruth Gatlin, assistant professor of consumer and design sciences, who worked with the interior design class on the project. Multi-disciplinary partnerships like these are so important for every major; in the real world, work isnt done in silos.

The renovations have catapulted the pavilionwhich already has booked a number of weddings in the coming monthsto the top of the list of competitive rental venues in the area, according to Van der Reijden.

The pavilion was originally designed to honor Alabama farmers and their contributions by providing a gathering space for activities and events at the states largest land-grant institution. The initial build was made possible thanks to funding from the Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa Insurance.

Thanks to recent renovations, the Alfa pavilion is once again the crown jewel of Ag Heritage Park," said Jimmy Parnell, president of the Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa Insurance. Its a modern, open, comfortable venue that will easily flex with the needs of various events. We look forward to seeing others enjoy the newly renovated Alfa pavilion, while remembering the importance of agriculture to Alabama and Auburn University.

For more information or to check availability at the Ag Heritage Park Pavilion, contact the sales department at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center at 334-321-3177 or by email at agpark@auhcc.com.
Arshad Khan By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A day after it was reported that India has banned another set of Chinese apps, the Chinese Embassy in India sharply criticised the move and said that the Indian government has the responsibility to protect the legitimate rights and interests of international investors in India, including Chinese businesses.

The Indian government has the responsibility to protect the legitimate rights and interests of international investors in India, including Chinese businesses, in accordance with market principles. Practical cooperation between China and India is mutually beneficial. Deliberate interference in such cooperation will not serve the interests of the Indian side, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, Counselor Ji Rong, said on Tuesday.

Rong added that China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. Indias move to ban another set of apps comes barely a month after banning the first ban on 59 mobile applications. Most of the new apps banned are virtual clones of the apps banned in June.

While the government did not immediately release the names of the 47 apps, sources said the more recent list includes Tiktok Lite, Helo Lite, SHAREit Lite and BIGO LIVE Lite.

According to sources, India is closely monitoring another 250 plus Chinese apps over user privacy and national security violations. The popular Tencent-backed gaming app PUBG and apps linked to one of Chinas biggest firms Alibaba fall in this list.

Experts say that India would continue to put pressure on Chinese companies where it sees an easy replacement and no major impact on its domestic industry. Chinese apps can be easily replaced with homegrown apps. This does not impact India in a big way, but it is a big deal for China. It would be interesting to see what sort of action China takes. While China has very few options to hurt Indian companies in their territory, it certainly can hurt India if it decides to limit/restrict exports. It will severely hurt their companies earnings but can cause serious implications on Indias economy, said a senior analyst requesting anonymity.

Second app ban
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Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi, Evi Mariani and Dwi Atmanta (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 15:03 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a373d2 1 National sexual-abuse-in-Catholic-Church,sexual-abuse-Catholic-church-Indonesia,kekerasan-seksual-di-gereja,safeguarding-protocol-Catholic-Church,Vatican,#catholicsexabuse Free

Top officials in the Catholic Church have said that they are coming up with a protocol to protect minors and vulnerable adults, but they reiterated that physically and mentally able adult women who have sexual relations with clergymen  consensual or otherwise  will not be the beneficiary of the protocol.

While admitting there were power dynamics and cases of power abuse between clergymen and laywomen or nuns, Father Sunu Hardiyanta, who has been working on a system to prevent and handle cases of sexual abuse at the Catholic Church since 2012, told The Jakarta Post and Tirto.id that the topic of handling cases involving adult women was different and required a separate protocol.

Adult relationships are more an ethical matter, code of conduct, a wrong behavior, he said. The most important thing here is correct authority, correct leadership.

Sunus statement is in line with Ignatius Cardinal Suharyos statement in December: [The Pope] is very strict toward priests who have sexually abused minors and adults with disabilities. Women are not included on the list. Thats because cases of abuse among adults are different, Suharyo, who is also the Archbishop of Jakarta, said.

The Vaticans definition of vulnerable adults has been the subject of heated debate globally. It defines a vulnerable adult in the context of abuse cases as anyone who is in an infirm state, of physical or mental deficiency, or deprivation of personal freedom, that in fact, even occasionally, limits their capacity to intend or to want or in any way to resist the offense. The definition was issued in March last year.

Father Sunu said an adult woman who was having a temporary psychological problem (undergoing a serious problem at home, for example) and involved in a sexual relationship with a priest to which she sought help when she was down did not fall into the category of vulnerable adult.

Patriarchy in the Catholic Church

Some people who know of cases in which an adult woman has been in a relationship with a clergyman refuse to go into semantics over what constitutes vulnerability. To them, women who are suffering need help from the Church to gain justice. But often times, these women do not get it from the Church and have to bear the brunt of any burdens that might arise from the relationship.

Sister Chatarina Supatmiyati said in a public discussion held by independent Catholic media outlet Katolikana that patriarchy in the Catholic Church had led to refusal from the Churchs elites or officials to regard adult women as victims of sexual abuse. Most of them see the problem as a mere violation of the chastity oath.

In a rare bold admission, however, Chatarina discussed the sufferings of women who got involved in relationships with priests. She has witnessed several cases in which a woman had to raise her children alone while being ostracized from society, while the priest who fathered the children continued on as respected figure in a different place.

Ordained priests that have high status in the society can easily manipulate their target of lust, said John Mansford Prior, an ordained member of the Society of the Divine Word. (JP/Hengky Wijaya)

Human rights activists have called on the Church to help these women more. One of them is Iswanti, an activist with church lay group Mitra ImaDei. She argued that women could be in a vulnerable condition even if they were physically and mentally able, as they could face certain problems or mental health issues, such as depression.

Even when the women are not having problems, they are still in a vulnerable situation due to the power dynamics, Iswanti said, explaining how such dynamics could occur in a very subtle way such as through deception or manipulation, with the person in power abusing their authority toward unethical ends.

Another activist, Mike Verawati Tangka, who on several occasions has helped victims of sexual abuse by clergymen, said that power relations played a significant role in special relationships between religious leaders and adult women.

[These relationships] would have never happened in the first place if the clergymen, who are the powerful parties, did not start them, Mike said.

People always say its the womans mistake for being willing to enter a relationship with a religious leader, while in fact these women are the vulnerable ones.

Activist Damairia Pakpahan further underlined that the presence of an authority figure in these cases had prevented women from achieving a fair solution to the sexual abuse they experienced.

He doesnt deserve respect

In some cases, victims who report abuse to Church leaders or institutions are silenced, with the accused priest only facing mild punishment, such as the transfer to another parish. It is not a solution. It is merely a means of transferring a problem to another place, said Damairia.

One woman, who has chosen to go by the alias Dea to protect her privacy, has sought justice over a relationship with a Catholic priest at Santo Aloysius Gonzaga Church in East Jakarta in 2008. She has called for the priest to be stripped of his religious title because she believes that he does not deserve such respect anymore.

When contacted for clarification over the issue on July 23, the priest did not respond.

About two weeks after Dea was introduced to the priest, identified only as Father M, he went to her new restaurant with three young Catholic activists. Kiss me, he is alleged to have said to Dea when no one was listening. Dea just smiled and ignored him. In the following days, the priest allegedly continued to pursue a sexual relationship with Dea by playing footsie, tugging her arm, attempting to hug her, asking for kisses and engaging in verbal sexual coercion. He promised marriage despite Deas reminder that he took a chastity oath.

Dea said she was manipulated by Father M to engage in sexual intercourse with him as he offered to marry her only within a month after the priest was appointed the new head of the parish. But the priest later denied his words when she asked him about marriage.

The news eventually reached the ears of the priests order leader at the Redemptorist Congregation in Indonesia (CSsR), who later visited Dea and asked for an explanation of the allegations. Dea later made a written testimony in 2008 and she reported her case to several authorities, including an official at the Jakarta Archdiocese.

They, however, did not provide me with any solution, she said.

Not long after, the priest was transferred to Indonesia CSsRs headquarters in Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, Dea said. She hoped that he would be dismissed as an ordained priest but, as of today, Father M is still a priest, although, to Deas knowledge, he does not have any duties at the Church.

The Post and Tirto.id did not receive a response after contacting CSsR leader Wilhelmus Ngongo Palla for comment.

An ordained member of the Society of the Divine Word, John Mansford Prior, who has worked as an educator for almost 40 years, has criticized the common practice of transferring priests in trouble to other places, and therefore urged the Church to uncover and settle all cases of alleged abuse.

The practice of hiding such cases to protect the Churchs reputation will only exacerbate this scandal, Prior said.

He said in an email sent to the Post and Tirto.id on July 20 that based on his observations as an educator in many places  including Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and numerous locations in Indonesia  only around 50 percent of ordained priests never got entangled in [cases of] sexual harassment or intimate relationships that violated their calling.

Prior has worked in eastern Indonesia since 1973 and is currently a lecturer at the Ledaleros School of Theology and Philosophy in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara.

He said even though relationships between priests and adult women were different than those involving minors or vulnerable adults, he insisted that unequal power relations in patriarchal society rendered these adult women victims and the priests perpetrators.

Ordained priests that have high status in society can easily manipulate their target of lust, Prior said.
Sabena Aerospace, a BLUEBERRY Company, and Blue Aerospace, a HEICO Company, today announced the award of the sale of the Belgian Defense C-130 aircraft fleet and associated equipment inventory by the Belgian Defense Organization. This award resulted from the Belgian Defense Tender No. MRMP A/A2 N 19AAV01 and consists of all assets related to the Belgian Air Force C-130 fleet including, aircraft, engines, propellers, spare parts, and ground support equipment..

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005524/en/

Stephane Burton, BLUEBERRY President and Sabena Aerospace CEO commented, "The award will guarantee Sabena Aerospace with continued work for its C130 maintenance line in Belgium, as the Belgian Air Force moves operations to the A400 fleet. This will also provide the Belgium economy with a tangible return and allow Sabena Aerospace to expand its end-to-end C130 maintenance offering to new or existing C130 operators. We are very pleased to be partnering with Blue Aerospace, an industry leader in defense aftermarket support, and we see this as the beginning of an expanding and long-term relationship that will lead to other platforms and projects under the newly created BLUEBERRY company.

Eric Mendelson, Co-President of HEICO Corporation and President CEO of HEICO Flight Support Group commented, "We are very excited to team with BLUEBERRY and its subsidiary SABENA Aerospace. This purchase will further accelerate HEICO's continued growth in the defense sustainment market, as we make the assets available for resale to end users worldwide.

Michael Navon, Blue Aerospace President, added, "We are delighted to team with Sabena Aerospace on this well-maintained fleet of C130H aircraft, utilizing Sabena's decades of experience in maintaining this fleet. We also see this as the beginning of a long-term cooperation with other BLUEBERRY portfolio companies.

About Sabena Aerospace

SABENA AEROSPACE is an independent Belgian MRO provider operating at an international level and offering maintenance and operational solutions for both civil and military aircraft. The activities of Sabena Aerospace are structured in four Business Units: Engineering Training, Operational Support, Components and Defense. Sabena Aerospace employs over 400 people and develops its activities from its historic headquarters at Brussels Airport, thanks to its facilities in nine countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

For more information: www.sabena-aerospace.com

Sabena Aerospace is part of the group BLUEBERRY. Through its subsidiaries Sabena Aerospace and Sabca, BLUEBERRY is active in the design, development and manufacture of aviation and aerospace equipment, offers maintenance services for aircraft (Transport aircraft (C130, A400M), Fighter aircraft (F16, Mirage, Alphajet, etc.), helicopters and UAVs) and will bring solutions to drive the development of the industry as a whole.

About Blue Aerospace

BLUE AEROSPACE is dedicated to aerospace aftermarket sustainment to the international military end user community and their respective maintenance facilities. Blue Aerospace holds several long-term agreements with OEM's such as Lockheed, General Dynamics, Rolls Royce, Cobham, Heroux, Moog, GKN, Meggitt, HEICO and others.

For more information: www.blueaero.com

About HEICO Corporation

HEICO Corporation is engaged primarily in the design, production, servicing and distribution of products and services to certain niche segments of the aviation, defense, space, medical, telecommunications and electronics industries through its Hollywood, Florida-based Flight Support Group and its Miami, Florida-based Electronic Technologies Group. HEICO's customers include a majority of the world's airlines and overhaul shops, as well as numerous defense and space contractors and military agencies worldwide, in addition to medical, telecommunications and electronics equipment manufacturers.

For more information: www.heico.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005524/en/

Contacts:

Eric A. Mendelson, (954) 744-7555

Carlos L. Macau, Jr., (954) 987-4000
MIDLAND, Texas - President Donald Trump took sweeping digs at crazy left radical Democrats on a trip Wednesday to the fracking fields of West Texas, launching unsubstantiated claims that a Democratic administration would destroy everything from the countrys suburbs to the U.S. energy industry.

Trump, speaking in front of stacked oil barrels, also played down the difficulties of the U.S. oil and gas industry, which is still struggling with the pandemic economic downturn and global oversupply that briefly drove oil prices into negative territory this spring. Prices have rebounded to around $40 a barrel, still below what some producers here need to break even.

Were OK now. Were back, were back, Trump said to a crowd scattered with people wearing cowboy hats and face masks. He sought to contrast his support for oil and gas with Democratic rival Joe Bidens more climate-friendly energy plan, though Biden himself has stopped short of calling for a ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the production method that spurred U.S. oil and gas to a yearslong boom that started under President Barack Obama.

If they got in, you would have no more energy coming out of the great state of Texas, warned Trump, whose poll numbers for the 2020 election are lagging. He claimed the same, without evidence, for Ohio and Pennsylvania, two fracking states that also are battlegrounds in the presidential race.

Speaking under a tent on a hot, windy day, Trump alluded to the opposing party in the most extreme terms, saying a Democratic White House win and the policies of the Washington crazy left radical Democrats would mean the death of American prosperity. It would destroy our country.

Trump also praised a step he took last week to rescind an Obama-era fair housing rule for low-income families, one that had Trump tweeting warnings to what he called the Suburban Housewives of America. Its been hell for suburbia, he said Wednesday.

They want to uproot and demolish every American value. They want to wipe away every trace of religion from national life. They want to indoctrinate our children, defund our police, abolish the suburbs, incite riots and leave every city at the mercy of the radical left, Trump declared.

Trump was combining campaigning and fundraising in his first trip to an oil and gas rig and his first visit as president to the Permian Basin. He expected to raise $7 million, including $100,000 per person for one event.

Trumps loyal donors and supporters in the oil and gas industry are dealing with the states fierce coronavirus outbreak and the boom-turned-bust of oil and gas.

Texas, over the past month, has experienced a dramatic spike in newly confirmed cases, hospitalizations and fatalities. The state became one of the nations hot spots as Texas politicians debated masks and other measures. The outbreak even impinged on Trumps trip Wednesday, as an unexpected positive test result for the coronavirus kept Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican who like Trump often declines to wear a mask, from joining the presidents flight. A Republican congressional candidate also tested positive.

Even as Air Force One carried Trump to Texas, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported American petroleum use plummeted to a nearly 40-year low this spring, owing to the pandemic lockdown and market oversupply, partly because of intensive oil and gas production that Trump encouraged.

Trumps government has exerted itself for the oil and gas industry. That includes rolling back environmental and public health protections and speeding up permitting as part of what Trump describes as an American march to global energy dominance.

His administration has moved to open up vast wilderness areas to oil and gas interests over the objections of environmental groups. Trump also has sought to override various regional objections to oil and gas pipelines with executive orders.

And next month, the administration is expected to announce its latest effort to block regulation of the industrys emissions of methane, a potent agent of climate change. West Texas environmental activists say the methane emissions are part of a too-little-regulated industrys assault on the air, water and public health in the regions yearslong expansion of oil and gas production. Successful legal challenges stopped the administrations earlier attempts.

Flying at night into the West Texas city of Odessa, among the areas Trump visited, it looks like a huge birthday cake, there are so many flares out here from facilities burning off methane as an oil and gas byproduct, said the Rev. Gene Collins, an activist demanding more regulation of what environmental groups and satellite data-gathering depict as surging methane emissions in the Permian Basin.

For years, Democrats have been watching Texas demographics  with growing populations of Latinos, young people and ex-Californians  and pining for the election cycle when it would be in play.

Although Trump won the state comfortably in 2016, former Democratic Rep. Beto ORourke gave Republican Sen. Ted Cruz a scare two years ago, and Democrats have used that race to try to build an organization that could swing the state blue. Sensing an opportunity, Biden has begun airing advertisements in Texas as coronavirus cases surge there.

Losing Texas would upend Republicans plan for capturing the electoral vote needed to hold the White House. Though privately Trump campaign officials concede the need to spend time and money in Texas, assets they would prefer to spend elsewhere, they remain confident they can retain the state and have expressed hope that Democrats will waste resources trying to obtain a prize that is out of reach.

The president does have plans to frequently visit Texas. Trumps Wednesday visit allowed him to raise needed money  Biden has cut into the presidents fundraising advantage  and showcase both his administrations deregulation agenda and its attempts to get the economy roaring again.

___

Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press writers Matthew Brown in Billings, Mont., and Cathy Bussewitz in New York contributed to this report.
He was caught out by the overnight changes to the Spanish airbridge during a getaway to La Cala, Mallorca and Ibiza.

And Mark Wright is filling the time in quarantine by resuming his training schedule at home, after revealing he had put on a bit of 'podge', during his boozy break.

The former TOWIE star, 33, revealed that he indulged in 'too much' aioli, bread and beer while holidaying with his wife Michelle Keegan, also 33.

Back at it! Mark Wright is filling the time in quarantine by resuming his training schedule at home, after revealing he had put on a bit of 'podge', during his boozy break

Mark told fans on Instagram: 'Three days La Cala, five days Majorca, three days Ibiza. Of course ending with a bang of course, Ibiza. First session back, I'm telling you now. Not only am I a little bit podge, but I am out of my (depth).

'Tomorrow will be a better day. I didn't want to do it. If you don't want to do anything else right now, get up, get it done, and 'Train Wright'.'

Mark told his fans that he 'wanted to get back into it' following his return from holiday, as he insisted that training eventually 'becomes addictive'.

Holiday fun: The former TOWIE star, 33, revealed that he indulged in 'too much' aioli, bread and beer while holidaying with his wife Michelle Keegan, also 33

Mark told fans on Instagram: 'Three days La Cala, five days Majorca, three days Ibiza. Of course ending with a bang of course, Ibiza. First session back, I'm telling you now. Not only am I a little bit podge, but I am out of my'

The presenter enjoyed one last cheat meal upon his return, as he shared a snap of his Chinese takeaway before saying he'd back 'back on the gym buzz' the next day.

Despite appearing to initially be happy to be home, the holiday blues soon set in as Mark shared a snap of himself enjoying a cocktail while watching the sunset.

Mark shared his travel woes as he uploaded an image of himself and the actress sporting face masks during their flight on Monday.

'How's ya luck?' Later in the day, the TV presenter uploaded an image of himself in bed watching TV, before treating himself to some Chinese food

'Back to quarantine life!' Mark shared his travel woes as he uploaded an image of himself and the actress sporting face masks during their flight

Sharing an image of himself in bed watching TV, presenter Mark penned: 'Quarantine life. 2 weeks!! How's ya luck !! Oh well. Looks like I will be doing a whole lot of this.' (sic)

Mark's ex Sam Faiers and presenter Maya Jama could also be hit by the restriction, with them both enjoying picturesque breaks in Ibiza and Marbella.

The UK government pulled its air bridge with Spain on Saturday night with almost immediate effect following a spike of novel 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.

Full relaxation mode: Mark was caught out by the overnight changes to the Spanish airbridge during a getaway to La Cala, Mallorca and Ibiza

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 COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 290,000 cases and over 28,000 deaths.

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
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has banned three Nairobi-based companies found to be manufacturing substandard face masks.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Authority said it carried out countrywide surveillance on face masks and established that some manufacturers were taking advantage to sell substandard masks.

The three brands are Wandas manufactured by Wandas General Supplies, Arax brand of masks by Arax Mills Ltd, and a brandless mask manufactured by Hela Intimates EPZ.

KEBS ordered the three manufacturers to discontinue manufacturing and recall its products from the market. It noted that the use of substandard medical face-masks is highly risky and increases the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

The manufacturers are required to recall all the substandard masks from the market and institute corrective actions whose effectiveness shall be confirmed by KEBS before the suspension of the standardization mark permits is lifted. Manufacturers are also advised to strictly adhere to marking and labeling requirements as per the relevant Standard, the regulator said in the statement.

KEBS further urged Kenyans and traders to verify the authenticity of any quality marks on the label product before purchasing face masks.

The agency appealed to members of the public to notify it when they find the substandard products in the market through its toll-free number 1545.

KEBS also published standards that must be met while manufacturing facemasks.

The mask shall be made from four layers of fabric. These layers comprise an outer layer, filter layer, a unidirectional moisture layer, and an absorption layer, in that order, said the regulator.

All four layers shall be pleated horizontally with three pleats finished depth 15 mm and at the front of the mask the top pleat shall face upwards and the other two shall face downwards. The top edge of the mask shall be bound with tape to a depth of 15 mm, enclosing, on the front side, an aluminum strip and the top edge shall also be bound with a reinforcing strip to a depth of 20mm at the front of the mask and 10 mm at the back of the mask.
He is a man who loves his Dunkin coffee.

And Ben Affleck made his daily run to the chain coffee shop on Tuesday, with a strong message on his tee shirt.

The actor's shirt read 'Believe In Solidarity Justice Diversity Action Equity Change Boston,' as headed into a Los Angeles office building with his drink in hand.

Message: Ben Affleck made his daily run to the chain coffee shop on Tuesday, with a strong message on his tee shirt, in Los Angeles

The Gone Girl actor looked cool in the black shirt, with white writing.

He teamed it with black skinny jeans, black and white sneakers and a blue disposable face mask amid coronavirus guidelines.

The actor was without his girlfriend Ana de Armas, who he has been nearly inseparable from since starting a romance earlier this year.

Affleck was spotted with Ana on Saturday as the pair stepped out for lunch in Los Angeles with Ana's darling dog Elvis.

His look: The actor's shirt read 'Believe In Solidarity Justice Diversity Action Equity Change Boston,' he teamed it with black skinnt jeans and black and white sneakers

The couple - who began dating earlier this year - recently adopted a black and white Havanese named Salsa, which happens to be the national dog of Ana's native Cuba.

Last week, Ana introduced Salsa to her 3.2million followers on Instagram.

'Welcome to the family Salsa,' captioned de Armas, who also included a slew of photos of herself and precious pup.

Affleck also has a dog of his own, a German Shepherd named Hutch, who he is often seen walking around the Venice area.

Quarantine partners: Affleck has been quarantining with de Armas amid the coronavirus pandemic; Ana and Ben pictured in June

New addition: The couple - who began dating earlier this year - recently adopted a black and white Havanese named Salsa, which happens to be the national dog of Ana's native Cuba; Ana and Salsa pictured on Instagram on July 17

Ben and Ana were first linked romantically in March, when they vacationed in her hometown of Havana, before jetting off to Costa Rica for a romantic getaway.

The pair met for the first time in the fall of 2019, while on set of their erotic thriller Deep Water, which was filmed in New Orleans.

Prior to de Armas, Ben was married to actress Jennifer Garner from 2005, until their divorce in 2018.

The former couple share daughters Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11, and son Samuel, 8.
By PTI

JAIPUR: The Congress on Tuesday started an online campaign #GetWellSoonGovernor as the party urged Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra to come out of his "oppressive thinking" and call the state assembly session without any delay.

AICC general secretary Avinash Pande, in a series of tweets, accused the Governor of "bias" and "oppressive thinking" and wished that he recovers from it soon.

"The political developments in Rajasthan reflect that our Governor is also influenced by the oppressive thinking of the BJP, and he does not seem healthy with his biased thinking," he tweeted in Hindi with #GetWellSoonGovernor hashtag.

ALSO READ | Rajasthan crisis: Gehlot government insists on July 31 for assembly session, won't mention trust vote in agenda

In another tweet, Pande said, "It is my appeal that the Governor may recover from the infection of biased thinking so that he can give his consent to convene an immediate assembly session to protect the Constitution and democracy without any partiality."

This is the second online campaign started by the Congress amid the political crisis in Rajasthan.

The party had on Sunday carried out the "Speak Up For Democracy" campaign that sought to "expose" what it called the the saffron party's "designs" to topple the Ashok Gehlot dispensation in Rajasthan and other state governments run by non-BJP parties.

The Rajasthan government on Tuesday sent a revised proposal for an assembly session to the Governor, sticking to its demand that the sitting should begin on July 31 and refusing to mention if it would seek a trust vote.

ALSO READ | Didn't fulfil 'constitutional obligations': Lawyer files plea in Rajasthan HC to remove Guv Kalraj Mishra

Amid nationwide protests by Congress workers over the Governor's apparent reluctance to call a session, Mishra had on Monday said he had no such intention.

But he sought a redrafted proposal, the second time in the past few days, including three points - a 21-day notice for calling a session, live broadcast of the proceedings if there is a trust vote, and social distancing.

In addition, the Governor had written that a session can be called at a short notice if the government says in its new proposal that it planned to seek a vote of confidence.

Pande also said that the country is battling the coronavirus pandemic and Rajasthan lacked financial support from the Centre.

He said the Governor should give first priority to the issues of the Rajasthan Cabinet and not to any particular party, as the state is facing scarce rains and multiple locust attacks.

The Congress general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan also questioned the Governor for not calling the state assembly session.

"Kalraj Mishra is identified as a skilled administrator and a seasoned leader who respects political integrity, and holds a dignified post of the Governor of Rajasthan. His image has always been that of an idealistic leader," he tweeted.

"But in the context of the crisis in Rajasthan, the Governor of Rajasthan is adopting a biased approach to fulfil the interests of a particular party, which is violation of the rules mentioned in our Constitution," he added.
For UC Berkeley students, move-in day this fall will lack much of the commotion of a regular year. There will be no meeting roommates, no families unloading cars and carrying boxes through the halls. This years cohort will have an entirely new set of challenges.

Instead of one big day of arrivals, students will be assigned days and times to move in, with only two people permitted to help. After that, students will sequester themselves for a week to 10 days. They will all get tested for the coronavirus within 24 hours of moving in and again after the isolation period.

As coronavirus numbers continue to rise in California, Bay Area universities are making  and constantly revising  plans for the fall term. Like Berkeley, Stanford, St. Marys College, Santa Clara University, and San Jose and Sonoma state universities are all planning to bring at least some students back to campus, but with a host of new rules and restrictions. In their detail and complexity, they bring to light the practical challenges that come with reopening colleges.

Berkeleys logistics for new arrivals come after the university decided this month to conduct all classes online in the fall. Students who still opt to live on campus will have fewer neighbors. All dorms will be single-occupancy only, restricting the number of students living in university housing to 3,200, a little more than half the typical number.

Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle 2020

Its going to be a very different experience, Glenn DeGuzman, director of residential life, said at a meeting with university officials on July 21.

Meals will be delivered to outdoor areas near the dorms. During sequestration, students will not be allowed to venture out to restaurants or grocery stores. They can leave their rooms to pick up food, use the restroom or shower.

Get in, get out, go back to your room, DeGuzman said. We are a large space and large community, and we have to make sure everyone is taking care of themselves.

If students suspect that they have the virus or test positive, they will move into a separate isolation housing complex, and university officials will trace their contacts.

After the second round of testing, students will be expected to remain in designated cohorts or social bubbles, limiting contact with others, DeGuzman said.

I see the bubble as this unique opportunity to develop lifelong friendships with one another, he said. Your Berkeley bubble has to be based on trust. If its going to be very difficult for you to stay in a social bubble, then maybe the choice for you is not to be here.

Students arent as optimistic.

Jessie Song is an incoming Berkeley freshman. Even though she has the option, she is not planning on living on campus in the fall.

It doesnt seem very worth it, she said. Youre kind of missing out on the essential college experience.

She added that with coronavirus cases rising in the Bay Area, she and her family dont think it would be safe to relocate.

Kendra Dunsmoor will be a senior at Stanford and work as a freshmen residential assistant, a role that normally focuses on building community within freshman dorms. But with Stanfords fall plans, Dunsmoor isnt sure that shell be able to create an experience like her own first year.

Stanford will rotate which students are allowed on campus by class year. The university, which typically houses almost all undergraduates on campus, plans to house only freshmen and sophomores in the fall. Juniors and seniors will be allowed to return to campus for the winter and spring quarters.

Its obvious that my senior year is going to be very different from what I originally planned, Dunsmoor said, but Im even more sad for the experience first-years are missing out on.

As at Berkeley, all students at Stanford will have their own room. A fifth of the residence spaces normally used by undergrads will be closed to use as isolation housing for students who test positive. Families and guests will not be allowed in residences to help students move in.

Students will also have their temperature checked before going into dining halls, where they will receive prepacked meals. Events and parties will not be allowed, and small gatherings among students will be limited and subject to a campus compact, a social agreement regarding safety precautions and behavior.

UC Berkeley

Santa Clara announced July 15 that it will reduce on-campus housing to 70% of normal capacity, for a total of 2,210 undergraduates. All rooms will be single-occupancy, and move-in days will be staggered.

Students who live on campus must wear a face covering any time they are not in their own room, including when they are in hallways or communal restrooms.

St. Marys College will offer housing at a reduced capacity and will have students use a health screening app to check their symptoms daily.

Both Santa Clara and St. Marys will have buildings dedicated to isolation for anyone who tests positive.

Despite the reduced capacity, schools say housing costs will remain the same  students will pay a double-room rate for a single.

COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California.

The universities all stress that plans remain subject to change. Stanford sent an email to its undergraduates on July 22 that these plans could still be revised in light of the worsening coronavirus crisis, with a final decision to come in mid- to late August. St. Marys and UC Davis made similar announcements, saying housing would be subject to public health guidelines.

We have contingency plans as well, William Mullen, vice provost for enrollment and communications at St. Marys, said. If weve learned one thing, we know things change very quickly.

Stanford also recommended that students only bring what they can carry to campus and purchase refundable tickets for travel.

The situation seems to change every few weeks, so its really hard to plan ahead, Dunsmoor said. While I know the campus is trying to do its best to protect its students, it is incredibly saddening to watch your plans for a year and a half of your college experience fall apart without being able to do anything about it.

Other colleges plan to provide housing only for students who really need it. Those with housing or financial insecurity, who lack reliable internet at home or are from abroad will get priority.

USF originally planned to house students in lower-density residence halls, but announced July 15 that only those with the most significant needs would qualify for university housing, citing the resurgence of the coronavirus as the reason for the change.

Any students coming from outside the nine Bay Area counties who do get housing will be required to quarantine in place for 14 days upon moving in.

San Francisco State University is also limiting on-campus residences to students who have no alternative housing.

While students are certainly disappointed with how the year is shaping up, they are also understanding of the position colleges are in.

I understand why all this is happening, and I feel like its for the best, Song said. I dont get the people that constantly go out and put themselves and other people in danger ... I feel like if I went to Berkeley, I would just be contributing to the problem.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Jill Tucker contributed to this report.

Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev
Kaia Gerber and her mother Cindy Crawford donned matching ensembles as they left their SoHo apartment in New York on Tuesday evening.

The mum/daughter duo each donned masks as they stepped out, each lugging hefty suitcases.

The pair were thought to be heading to the airport together, taking no risks against the COVID-19 crisis by donning their PPE.

Taking a trip? Kaia Gerber and her mother Cindy Crawford donned matching ensembles as they left their SoHo apartment in New York on Tuesday evening

18-year-old Chanel model Kaia wore a white crop-top, flashing her waist and light blue jeans - with her mother, 54, in a similar ensemble.

Cindy tucked a crisp white shirt into form-fitting jeans, adding a tan belt and sandals.

Both girls wore shades, with Cindy adding a black mask to the look while her daughter wore a stripped one.

Kaia also wore a Letterman jacket in navy and yellow.

Masked up: 18-year-old Chanel model Kaia wore a white crop-top, flashing her waist and light blue jeans

Packed: The mum/daughter duo each donned masks as they stepped out, each lugging hefty suitcases

Duo: The pair were thought to be heading to the airport together, taking no risks against the COVID-19 crisis by donning their PPE

Matching: Both girls wore shades, with Cindy adding a black mask to the look while her daughter wore a stripped one. Kaia also wore a Letterman jacket in navy and yellow

Smiley: Her manicure featured a smiley face design

Travel ready: She was dressed for comfort, finishing the look off with white trainers

Kaia also showed off her freshly manicured nails. Her manicure featured a smiley face design.

She recently posted a selfie to Instagram as she snuggled with a fuzzy puppy while in Malibu.

For the past four months, the daughter of Cindy and Rande Gerber has been helping out the LaBelle Foundation by taking care of puppies before they can find their forever homes.

Her little guy: Kaia shared a beautiful portrait with a furry friend this weekend. She was seen in a yellow triangle top bikini as she snuggled with a fuzzy puppy while in Malibu

'Thank you @thelabellefoundation for finding me the perfect forever cuddle buddy & the best friend a girl could ask for. welcome to the family milo boy, mama loves you,' said the catwalk princess who used to date SNL vet Pete Davidson.

Fostering is a good distraction from the doldrums that come with being on lockdown. And it must be a welcomed break for Kaia who is used to traveling all over the world for her modeling career.

In the new image, Kaia wore her hair down and blonde as she added a yellow gold necklace and bracelet.

The puppy looked only a few weeks along. She was at home with clothing on the hardwood floor.

His name is Milo: 'Thank you @thelabellefoundation for finding me the perfect forever cuddle buddy & the best friend a girl could ask for. welcome to the family milo boy, mama loves you,' said the catwalk princess who used to date SNL vet Pete Davidson

So chic: The teenager also put her pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses on her four-legged friend

Last week the star was seen carrying the same puppy as she exited Earth Bar in West Hollywood with smoothies in hand. The runway star also flaunted her many tattoos, as well as her newly lightened and perfectly highlighted tresses with baby blue painted nails.

Kaia is currently fostering two puppies from The Labelle Foundation, a Los Angeles foster based animal rescue that focuses on advocating, rehabilitating and rescuing dogs.

Last week, the model posted an adorable snap of herself cuddling the adorable pups as she enjoyed a day outside soaking up the sun in her bikini.

Too cute for words: Last week, the model posted a snap of herself cuddling the adorable pups as she enjoyed a day outside soaking up the sun in her bikini

Her sweet snap comes just one month after revealing her cast off her wrist and forearm was finally removed.

Posing in a slightly unbuttoned white top with jeans and a mask, Kaia held her cast in the air in her May 27 Instagram post; she had her wrist and forearm still wrapped;.

Kaia captioned the image: 'Got my elbow back!'

Good news: Posing in a slightly unbuttoned white top with jeans and a mask, Kaia held her cast in the air in her May 27 Instagram post; she had her writs and forearm still wrapped; Kaia captioned the image: 'Got my elbow back'

Kaia revealed her injury on May 16 when she posted a photo of herself at home in an olive bikini and a fiberglass cast.

'Had a little accident but I'm okay,' the model captioned it.

A second photo she shared was an X-ray that revealed she had dislocated her wrist.

Feel better: Kaia revealed her injury on May 16 when she posted a photo of herself at home in an olive bikini and a fiberglass cast

Ouch: A second photo she shared was an X-ray that revealed she had dislocated her wrist

One week later, the model showed off her impressive artwork despite her right arm in a cast in a new Instagram post she shared.

The teen wore a gingham printed skirt with her neon bikini top, adding a straw hat.

She had her right arm, with its blue cast, on her leg while she painted with her left hand.

Kaia had both of her pieces propped up against a table as she sat on a towel with her paint besides her.

A second image she shared showed four books on a picnic table with the ocean in full view ahead of her.

Talented: One week later, the model showed off her impressive artwork despite her right arm in a cast in a new Instagram post she shared
The World Bank Board of Directors has approved $500 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE).

The projects goal is to improve secondary education opportunities among girls in targeted areas.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the bank said adolescent girls face many constraints in accessing and completing secondary education.

In northern Nigeria, the lack of secondary schools is significantly greater with up to ten primary schools for every secondary school. The poor condition of infrastructure and a lack of water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities makes it difficult for girls to stay in school it said.

It also said that nearly 80 per cent of poor households are in the north, which makes it very challenging for them to cover the direct and indirect costs of schooling.

The bank said these factors have contributed towards limiting the number of girls that have access to secondary school.

If nothing is done, 1.3 million girls out of the 1.85 million who began primary school in 2017/2018 in the northern states will drop out before reaching the last year of junior secondary school.

It said the AGILE project will use the secondary school as a platform to empower girls through education, life skills, health education (e.g. nutrition, reproductive health) GBV awareness and prevention, negotiation skills, self-agency, and digital literacy skills.

A minimum of 6 million girls and boys are expected to benefit from the project and many more cohorts of students will continue benefiting after the project ends.

There is no better investment to accelerate Nigerias human capital development than to significantly boost girls education.

The AGILE project will enable Nigeria to make progress in improving access and quality of education for girls, especially in northern Nigeria. Addressing the key structural impediments in a comprehensive way will create the enabling environment to help Nigeria ensure better outcomes for girls, which will translate into their ability to contribute to productivity and better economic outcomes for themselves and the country the release quoted the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, as saying.

Beneficiaries

The bank said the ambitious project will support access to secondary education and empowerment for adolescent girls in 7 states: Kano, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Plateau, and Ekiti.

Specifically, the project will benefit about 6.7 million adolescents and 15.5 million direct project beneficiaries will include families and communities in participating states.

The project has also been adapted to respond to COVID-19 and will support a blended learning approach using technology and media (TV and radio) to implement remote and distance learning programs.

The AGILE project will expand existing primary and Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) to include both JSSs and Senior Secondary Schools to make schools functional, safe, and inclusive to teaching and learning.

This entails building more than 5,500 JSSs and 3,300 classrooms for SSSs, as well as improving 2,786 Junior Secondary and 1,914 Senior Secondary schools with safe, accessible, and inclusive infrastructure. About 340,000 girls will receive life skills training in safe spaces, which will help them navigate challenges in life.

This will incorporate health information and key information on climate change, safety, and gender-based violence awareness. To help girls thrive in the digital economy, 300,000 girls will receive digital literacy training.

It also said the project will offer half a million girls from the poorest households with financial incentives in the form of scholarships to further support their retention and completion of secondary school.

The project will also support raising awareness to address social norms and promote positive behaviours for a supportive and enabling environment for girls education using communication and high-level advocacy.
A judge who once served as the provincial governments lead counsel for the Walkerton tainted water inquiry and prosecuted the notorious Bre-X gold fraud case will head Premier Doug Fords long-awaited commission into the deadly impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, the Star has learned.

Frank Marrocco, an associate chief justice of Ontarios Superior Court, has been named chair of the three-member panel that includes Dr. Jack Kitts, recently retired president and chief executive of The Ottawa Hospital and Angela Coke, a former deputy minister who spent 27 years in Ontarios civil service.

Ford will announce details of the commission Wednesday and said he remains eager to hear from families, medical personnel and health experts about how the highly contagious novel coronavirus invaded nursing homes  killing almost 1,800 residents and accounting for two-thirds of Ontarios death toll.

Its a real challenge when this virus gets in these homes. It goes through there like an Australian bushfire and were doing everything we can to make sure that never happens again, Ford said Tuesday in Ajax where he announced a new 320-bed nursing home to be built by the end of next year.

The government has been accused of over-preparing hospitals for a potentially overwhelming number of COVID-19 patients that did not materialize and under-preparing nursing homes despite promising an iron ring of measures to protect vulnerable residents.

Eight health-care workers in nursing homes also died, with unions for nurses and personal support workers blaming a lack of mask and other personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as severe staff shortages and a lack of comprehensive inspections.

Ford said more PPE is now available as the province awaits a potential second wave of COVID-19 and a plan to improve staffing will be made public by the end of the week.

Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton, a former family doctor, said nursing homes were short of staff heading into the pandemic that also exposed the dangers of overcrowding, lax infection control and a lack of integration with hospitals.

That staffing crisis has been decades in the making and the neglect of the long-term-care sector is really profound in the last 20 years.

Several homes where Canadian Armed Forces medical teams were called in by Ford lost as much as 80 per cent of their staff to COVID-19 and attrition as many workers feared for their own health, leaving remaining colleagues hard-pressed to provide adequate care.

A military report later detailed how some residents were left unturned for days or weeks and developed painful bedsores, were forcefully fed to the point of choking or left unfed to the point of malnourishment, and left in soiled diapers and beds for hours or days, crying for help. The province also issued orders allowing local hospitals to take over management of 11 hard-hit nursing homes for 90 days to stabilize infections and staffing, sending in SWAT teams to help with care, cleaning and infection control.

The military report prompted Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube to launch his own investigation into how higher standards and more inspections could have saved lives in long-term care. Ontarios patient ombudsman is also conducting a probe.

New infections continued in nursing homes Tuesday, with one more resident and two more health-care workers testing positive, bringing those totals to 5,885 residents and 2,529 staff in the last few months, according to Ministry of Health figures.

There were also 32 ongoing outbreaks in nursing homes Tuesday, an increase of one from Monday. To date, there have been 387 outbreaks in the provinces 626 nursing homes since the pandemic began.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner called on the government Tuesday to pass legislation guaranteeing every nursing-home resident gets four hours of direct care every day  for feeding, dressing, grooming, toileting as well as medical needs.

That move, long advocated by New Democrats as well, would require a surge in hiring of nurses and personal support workers. The Ontario Long-Term Care Association has repeatedly warned nursing homes are not ready for a second wave of COVID-19 that could come at any time, while the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has calculated an extra $1.8 billion a year in funding is needed to hire more staff.

The Walkerton tragedy 20 years ago killed seven residents and sickened 2,300 as dangerous E.coli bacteria found its way into well water and flowed into the towns water system. Dennis OConnor, who was then a justice on Ontarios Court of Appeal, led an inquiry that lasted more than a year and found poorly trained water-system operators and a lax provincial government inspections to blame.

His final report led to stronger laws on the protection of water resources, treatment standards, training and certification for water plant operators, and reporting of incidents. Two brothers who ran the water system in Walkerton, a two-hour drive north of London, were criminally convicted for falsifying entries to well logs.

Following the Walkerton inquiry, Marrocco became involved in the prosecution of Bre-Xs former chief geologist John Felderhof, who was later found not guilty of insider trading and misleading investors, and as a judge ruled that a lack of safeguards for prisoners makes solitary confinement unconstitutional.

In the early 1990s as an immigration lawyer, Marrocco represented Wisconsin murder fugitive and former Playboy Club waitress Lawrencia Bambi Bembenek as she fought deportation after being captured in Thunder Bay. Marrocco was played by Canadian-born actor Victor Garber in Woman on Trial, a 1993 movie about the case.

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SARATOGA  A proposal to build a house on an eroding cliff above Saratoga Lake, an effort that was blocked by a judge in March, is back in front of the towns Zoning Board of Appeals.

And so are neighbors who oppose the construction of a 2,421-square-foot home on an unstable, quarter-acre lot at 1191 Route 9P.

Richard Vale, owner of the Saratoga Lake Motel, is among those fighting the landowner's plan to raze a 768-square-foot home on the crumbling hillside and replace it with a two-story home with an attached two-car garage. Vale's motel is across Route 9P and the home would be built between his property and the shore of Saratoga Lake.

At board meeting Monday, Vale brought his attorney, Justin Grassi, to argue against the board's reconsideration of the project. He argues landowner Sherry Treiber wants to build a house 315 percent larger to make a greater profit on the eventual sale of the property. He also argued it would be to the detriment of the neighbors.

The variances would have a significant adverse effort or impact on the physical and environmental conditions in the immediate neighborhood, as well as to Saratoga Lake, Grassi wrote in a five-page memo to the board.

Previously: Judge rejects plan to build house on eroding cliff above Saratoga Lake

Grassi argued construction on the lot pose safety hazards, reduce privacy and visibility and cause environmental degradation.

Treiber could not be reached for comment. It is unclear if she has a lawyer. When the project was initially approved in August, Treiber told the town zoning board that "her husband did a lot to make sure the bank was stabilized."

Williams Moreau, the chair of the zoning board, who, in the past, argued construction would stabilize the embankment, could not be reached by the Times Union on Wednesday. The board tabled a discussion in order to review Grassis memo, however.

Grassi was able to slow the project in March. At that time, state Supreme Court Judge Thomas Nolan Jr. ruled the ZBA's decision to allow construction was not valid because the board did not give specific fact finding or reasons for the board's conclusion." The matter was sent back for the panel for further work.

Vale argued the new house would hamper his view from the motel. He also told the town in a letter that the back porch of the existing home fell into the lake. As an owner of other properties on Route 9P, he said he "can attest that they are all on cliffs which are receding."

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

Vale is also troubled that the proposed home's architect, George Olsen, is on the town's planning board. He called zone board approval a conflict of interest.

Olsen did not respond to a Times Union request for comment.

John Cashin, who also opposes the project, said he was concerned that the neighbors were not notified of Mondays meeting.

It would appear that the minimal requirements of an open government would be to provide some notice of variance hearings when such decisions affecting adjoining property owners are being made, Cashin said.

As far as the public is concerned, this was overturned by the court and if they dont look at the meeting agenda, they would never know it was being taken up again for approval. In my view that is simply unfair.
COLUMBUS, OhioThirty-two Northeast Ohio lawmakers from both parties asked a top state utility regulator Wednesday for a reconsideration of a ruling they claim would doom the construction of Icebreaker Wind, the nations first freshwater offshore wind farm, in Lake Erie.

In a letter to Ohio Power Siting Board Chair Sam Randazzo, the legislators said that even though the board technically approved the project, it unlawfully inserted a poison pill provision  namely, that the turbine blades cant move at night between March 1 and Nov. 1, on the grounds that it limits risk to birds and bats.

The lawmakers offered several reasons why they believe the nighttime shutdown order is unlawful, including that the board offered no compelling evidence to override a recommendation by staff on the Siting Board and Ohio Department of Natural Resources to approve the project without the limit.

In addition, the Siting Board wrongly required separate approvals for construction and the ability to run the wind farm at night, the lawmakers continued, and it contradicts the formal finding by the federal US Fish and Wildlife Service that the project is low risk.

The six-turbine project, which would be several miles northwest of Cleveland, is projected to generate both 20 megawatts of clean power and $250 million for the local economy, creating more than 500 jobs, according to the letter.

Our region of the state has patiently awaited approval of Icebreaker for over a decade, the letter stated. We believe the time is now for the Board to approve this innovative demonstration project without onerous, over-reaching regulatory conditions and allow us to reap the economic and environmental benefits.

Both proponents and opponents of the wind farm have asked the Power Siting Board to reconsider its ruling -- supporters to overturn the nighttime ban, opponents to rescind the boards overall approval of the project.

Opponents, including the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association, the nonprofit Lake Erie Foundation and the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, argue that a deeper environmental analysis is needed. Theyve expressed concern that the turbines would be both a hazard to birds and that it would open the door to turbines popping up elsewhere around Lake Erie.

Power Siting Board spokesman Matt Schilling declined to comment on the letter itself. But he said the board is still considering whether to rehear its decision. The earliest the board could announce a decision is at its next board meeting, scheduled for Aug. 20.

Here is the lawmakers letter, which (according to a release) was championed in particular by state Sen. Matt Dolan, a Chagrin Falls Republican, and Sandra Williams, a Cleveland Democrat, as well as state Reps. Jeff Crossman, a Parma Democrat, and Dave Greenspan, a Westlake Republican.

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Every so often, the world of tennis is thrown into the spotlight for reasons that have littl
CAIRO - An international charity Wednesday urged Libyan authorities to release over 200 Europe-bound migrant children intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea and returned to detention centres in the conflict-stricken country this year.

Most of the children are African and between 12 and 15 years old, and some are infants, said the International Rescue Committee. Over 50 of the children have disabilities or are children at risk because their caregivers are sick, it said.

The children, the majority of them Somalian, Eritrean and Sudanese, are at risk not only because of the pandemic, but also because of violence and abuse, the charity said.

Libya has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty for a better life in Europe. The trend developed amid years of chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Most migrants in Libya attempt to make the perilous journey to European shores in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats. Over 20,000 migrants died since 2014 while trying to cross the Mediterranean, according to the U.N. migration agency.

Thousands have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya. They are often left at the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centres that lack adequate food and water, according to rights groups.

Every day, they know they could be abducted, detained and held for ransom. Every day, they struggle to earn a living to make ends meet, said Tom Garofalo, director of the International Rescue Committee in Libya.

The U.N. said Libyan authorities in the western town of Khoms on Monday shot and killed three Sudanese migrants who tried to escape after they returned to shore. The dead were among over 70 Europe-bound migrants who were intercepted off Libya, including 15 children.

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Surfers and swimmers have been warned to watch out for great white sharks at New South Wales beaches, after a teenager was mauled to death earlier this month.

A 2.38m great white shark was tagged and released using a new SMART drumline on South Ballina Beach, 50 minutes south of Byron Bay, on Monday.

The popular coastline is said to be 'teeming' with the huge sharks, which have attacked several swimmers in the past few months while deaths are at a ten-year high.

Experts said the sharks are being drawn closer to the NSW coast by nutrient rich waters, which are progressively getting warmer.

Using the drumlines, shark catchers tagged 14 great whites in just four days between Lennox Head and Evans Head, both south of Byron, between July 20 and July 24.

Three of the great white sharks caught by NSW SharkSmart last week (pictured). Shark catchers tagged 14 great whites in just four days between Lennox Head and Evans Head

A shark contractor who tags and releases the marine predators said the NSW north coast is 'teeming with life', according to Beach Grit.

The mass shark taggings come after surfer Mani Hart-Deville, 15, was mauled to death by a shark at Wooli Beach, north of Coffs Harbour, on July 11.

Once the predators are tagged, they can then be detected by 21 shark listening stations along the NSW coast.

Receivers can detect tagged animals within a 500 metre radius of the listening station and provide real time updates next to surfing and swimming zones, potentially saving hundreds of lives.

A shark was detected at Bennet's Beach in Hawks Nest, one hour north of Newcastle, using the technology on Wednesday, while two more were detected near Crescent Head Beach earlier in the day.

A total of 20 great white sharks were detected by Front Beach in South West Rocks and Main Beach in Yamba on Thursday alone.

Dr Paul Butcher (pictured, left) extracts blood from a female white shark to examine her stress levels while Dr Amy Smoothey (centre) carefully internally tagged the animal

Earlier this month, 15-year-old surfer Mani was paddling out to his first wave of the day when he was viciously attacked by a shark.

Surfer friends tried to fight the shark away before rushing the boy to the shore where he was given first aid for serious leg injuries but he could not be saved and died on the beach.

Shark deaths have this year reached a ten-year high while statistics show the number of attacks has doubled over the last two decades.

Marine biology expert Robert Harcourt blamed the increase on warmer waters, claiming sharks were spending longer periods in popular surfing spots.

After teenager Mani Hart-Deville, 15, (pictured) was mauled to death by a shark north of Coffs Harbour a marine biology expert warned there is an increasing risk of shark attacks in NSW

Dr Vic Peddemors tagging a 285 cm male Bull Shark while in tonic immobility (pictured). Tonic immobility is a trance-like state sharks go into when turned upside down

Mr Harcourt said the warm eastern current, pulling nutrient rich water from the bottom of the sea, was attracting prey fish and sharks.

'Great whites off the northern NSW coast and bull sharks in Sydney used to stay around for about two months but now that's increasing to about five months,' he told The Australian.

'With the warming of the eastern Australian coast, we predict bull sharks are spending more time down south.

'We predict they will be spending a lot more time here in Sydney in the next decade.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the NSW Department of Primary Industries, which runs the Shark Smart Program, for comment.

A drone records a shark in Ballina on the NSW North Coast. The DPI is also using drones to detect sharks, with SharkSmart saying: 'Drones are the future for localised beach surveillance.'

Shark catchers can now easily catch and tag the marine animals thanks to SMART drumlines, which currently being trialled on the North Coast from Lennox head to Evans Head.

Other trials were carried out across NSW in Newcastle, Sydney, Ulladulla, Kiama, Forster, Tathra, Merimbula and Coffs Harbour.

'SMART' is an acronym for Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time. Once a shark is caught by a drumline, catchers are immediately alerted.

They then go by boat to the shark, tag it, and release it 1km away from shore.

The DPI is also using drones to detect sharks, with SharkSmart saying: 'Drones are the future for localised beach surveillance.'
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that he has not spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about U.S. intelligence reports of Russian bounties given to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

"I have never discussed it with him, no," Trump said during a taping of "Axios on HBO." He said he did not bring up the issue during his most recent conversation with Putin in the past week, which Trump said was "a phone call to discuss other things."

The Trump administration in recent weeks has questioned the veracity of the intelligence. But some of Trump's own senior intelligence officials viewed the information as credible enough to warn the Pentagon and allies so they could ensure they had measures in place to protect their forces in Afghanistan and to begin developing options for responding to such a Russian operation, national security adviser Robert O'Brien said earlier in the month.

During the interview, Trump continued to cast doubt on the intelligence, saying, "Frankly, that's an issue that many people said was fake news."

Pressed by Axios's Jonathan Swan on whether he believes the intelligence, Trump did not answer directly.

"You know, it's interesting," Trump said. "Nobody brings up China. They always bring Russia, Russia, Russia."

When reports of the possible bounties emerged in June, Democrats seized on Trump's reluctance to take action as another sign of an unwillingness to challenge Putin - a charge that gained currency in the wake of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Trump's "continued infatuation with Putin is a direct threat to U.S. national security - as evidenced by the fact that he did not raise an issue that has direct implications for the lives of US servicemembers with the government accused of orchestrating these killings," Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., said in a tweet Wednesday. Earlier, Andrew Bates, a spokesman for Democrat Joe Biden's presidential campaign, said that not confronting Putin on the intelligence was part of "an indefensible pattern of Donald Trump weakening the United States in the world in a manner that no American president ever has before, and it's absolutely despicable."

Speaking to reporters Wednesday as he left the White House on a trip to Texas, Trump said he would be "very angry" if Russia had ordered bounties."So I don't know why they'd be doing it, but if you tell me they're doing it, I will certainly take that under consideration," he said. "I would respond appropriately." Trump insisted that "nobody's been tougher on Russia" than him.

During the Axios interview, Trump stressed that he was not orally briefed on the intelligence about possible Russian bounties.

"It never reached my desk," Trump said. "You know why? . . . Intelligence didn't think it was real. . . . If it reached my desk, I would have done something about it."

Trump did not respond directly to a question about news reports that the intelligence was included in a written briefing. In response to a question from Swan, Trump said he reads his written briefings.

"They like to say I don't read. I read a lot," Trump said.

He said that "a lot of people," including some foreign policy officials from the administration of President George W. Bush, were convinced that the intelligence was not real.

Trump also pressed his frequent argument that there are opportunities to improve U.S.-Russian relations.

"If we can do something with Russia, in terms of nuclear proliferation, which is a very big problem - bigger problem than global warming, a much bigger problem than global warming in terms of the real world, that would be a great thing," Trump said.

Administration officials said earlier in the month that the White House was not planning an immediate response to intelligence reports of Russian bounties because Trump does not believe the reports are true or "actionable."

- - -

The Washington Post's Ellen Nakashima contributed to this report.
Media coverage of the March 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings contributed to an increase in public support for gun control, a study by researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington has found.

The researchers studied print media coverage for the three months following the attacks, in which 51 people were killed while gathering to worship at two mosques in Christchurch. The attacks were livestreamed to Facebook by the shooter.

Dr Susanna Every-Palmer, the head of the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Wellington says one of the most notable features of media coverage was the refusal by most media outlets to name the shooter.

Of the 749 reports that focused on the mosque shootings, only 53 (7.1 per cent) mentioned his name, and only twice did it appear in the headlines.

She says this was likely influenced by the strong message delivered by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern four days after the attack, in which she vowed never to speak the gunman's name and asked others to follow her lead.

Dr Every-Palmer says the media's decision to leave the perpetrator nameless and faceless meant New Zealanders were far more likely to support changes in government policy, rather than blaming the event on the actions of an individual.

"The New Zealand media's focus on the ease with which someone could legally obtain dangerous weapons and the environment in which terrorism can grow, rather than on the shooter himself, is important.

"There is also evidence that not naming the shooter may reduce the risk of copycat events," she says.

The New Zealand media's decision not to sensationalise the perpetrator and his views differed markedly from the approach to previous mass shootings with 85 per cent of print media articles naming the perpetrators of the mass shootings in Norway in 2011 and in Las Vegas in 2017 in the six months following the attacks.

The researchers analysed print-based media reports from major New Zealand newspapers covering the mass shooting between 15 March and 15 June, 2019. They identified 958 reports. Of these, 749 had the mosque shootings as a central focus.

Dr Every-Palmer says there were more articles on the mosque shooting than any other event in 2019, with the story dominating the headlines for three months.

"Several factors, including the scale of the Christchurch attacks - the worst in New Zealand's history - the media focus on the fact that the weapons had been legally obtained, and the fear of further violence all meant there was strong support for changes to gun laws, and a sense of urgency about implementing them."

Within a week of the mass shootings, the Government had announced a ban on military style semi-automatic weapons. The following month, legislation to restrict semi-automatic firearms and magazines with more than 10 rounds passed in Parliament with near unanimous support. The second tranche of gun control reforms, which includes a register for firearms, was passed by Parliament in June this year.

Dr Every-Palmer says the Government's rapid action on the first tranche of gun control measures coincided with the window of maximum support for legislative change.

"Opinion polls in the United States reveal peaks in public support for gun control that appeared to coincide with mass shootings such as that at Columbine High School in the United States in 1999, although such peaks quickly dissipated," she notes.

Dr Every-Palmer says bipartisan support for gun control in New Zealand was also likely generated by the shootings which acted as a 'focusing event'.

"This could reflect New Zealanders holding broadly similar attitudes towards gun ownership in a way that has not been observed in other countries such as the United States."

###

The full article, 'The Christchurch mosque shooting, the media, and subsequent gun control reform in New Zealand: a descriptive analysis' is published in the international journal, Psychiatry, Psychology and Law and can be viewed at this link https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/MCFMAQP47AYGFDK4NBUV/full?target=10.1080/13218719.2020.1770635
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Portland police officers in riot gear stand outside the Portland Justice Center during protests on May 31, 2020. John Rudoff/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Insider spoke to a Portland police officer, who weighed in on the Trump administration's decision to send federal agents to the city.

Portland has been the scene of nightly protests since George Floyd's death in Minneapolis at the end of May.

The officer said the federal agents have only reinvigorated the protests, and riled up a "hardcore anarchist group" that has been getting involved in many demonstrations in the city.

"They're not Black Lives Matter, they're people with a range of issues and they're happy to jump onto whichever one," he said.

But he also defended the Portland police's use of tear gas, which has been widely criticized as excessive, and the arrests of protesters by unidentified local and federal agents.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Portland, Oregon, has been the scene of nightly protests for more than two months now.

What started as demonstrations against police brutality have in recent days morphed into anti-government protests after President Donald Trump's administration sent federal agents to the city to quell the unrest.

While both protesters and government officials have spoken at length about the protests, local police officers caught in the middle have been mostly quiet.

On Tuesday, Insider spoke to one Portland Police officer who gave his perspective on the protests and the federal government's intervention.

He is a five-year veteran of the force, and normally patrols the downtown area, where nightly protests have been taking place.

He asked to remain anonymous because he was not given clearance to talk to the press, but his identity is known to Insider.

Protesters gather outside the Mark O. Hatfield US Courthouse in Portland on July 22, 2020. Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Protests were diminishing when the feds arrived

Demonstrations in the city began after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May.

The crowds had been getting smaller, with just 100 people a night turning up, until federal agents showed up two weeks ago and reinvigorated the local movement, he said. Now the city is back to seeing crowds in the thousands.

Story continues

"It's much more energized. I feel like they've expanded the appeal outside of the group, the Black Lives Matter group. Because now it's more generally a Trump thing and then also a federal-government-authority thing," he said.

"It's definitely extended this whole timeline."

The officer said he understands why the federal government may have wanted to send in reinforcements to help protect federal buildings in downtown Portland, which have been routinely defaced during the protests. But this decision has had ramifications, he said.

"There's a question of if it's reasonable," he said. "Sure, bring people in to protect the building from burning down ... But was it a good choice strategically or tactically? Could it have been handled differently? I don't have a good answer for those."

Federal officers arrest a protester after she crossed a fence line set up around the federal courthouse building in downtown Portland on July 23, 2020. Nathan Howard/Getty Images

'People with a range of issues ... happy to jump onto whichever one'

The officer said the city's protests have also empowered local extremists who have been piggybacking onto every local demonstration.

"The issue is we have this hardcore anarchist group that jumps into every protest," he said. "It's figuring out how to deal with them that's constantly a problem for us."

Many have accused the far-left antifa group of being behind much of the violence in Portland, but the officer said he wouldn't name them as the perpetrators.

"I'm sure we've got a large number of people in town who could call themselves antifa," he said. "But there's about 200 rock-throwers, Molotov-cocktail-making types  the types actually ready to engage in violence that I wouldn't even say is antifa, it's just some specific people who are particularly interested in direct conflict."

"They're not Black Lives Matter, they're people with a range of issues and they're happy to jump onto whichever one."

The officer added these radical protesters have thrown a range of items at him at recent rallies, including rocks, beer cans, fireworks, frozen Gatorade bottles, and balloons full of paint.

Actions like these, he said, cross the line.

"It's really annoying when probably one minute into [a protest] someone hit me with a glass bottle," he said, adding that he was "being treated as a prop in somebody else's morality play."

He also said that officers have found guns on several people arrested during the protests.

"My fear is we're just waiting for that one person who may be home on social media, who is mentally unstable enough that they actually cause some more extreme incident," he said.

Protests distracting from other serious calls

Several members of Portland's Black community have complained in recent days that the city's protesters had co-opted the Black Lives Matter movement.

The officer agreed with this sentiment, and pointed out the irony in anti-police protests taking place in a city that he believes has a very progressive view of law enforcement.

"Yelling at me about killing people  I've never killed anyone. Not even gotten into a fight with anybody," he said. "But I have responded to hundreds of domestic violence calls. I do that all the time. Tons of overdoses."

"Nobody becomes a Portland Police officer unless they are interested in a more modern sort of reform-minded style of policing," he said.

"That's why it's unfair that this is happening here. A lot of reform needs to happen in the country, but Portland already has fewer police officers than it really needs and has been struggling for a long time."

A crowd of about 1,500 protester gather at the Multnomah County Justice Center in Portland on July 20, 2020. Nathan Howard/Getty Images

He also said it's difficult to work protests when he knows there are serious issues that need his attention.

"Every time you're on the line they're just screaming at you for hours, trying to get to you," he said. "What's frustrating is the whole time I'm thinking: 'When can I just go back to responding when some lady says she's hiding in her bathroom from her husband?'"

"We didn't have enough police before. People in my area, they're calling for help every day."

Defense of tear gas and arrests by unidentified agents

In the interview, the officer defended some of the actions taken by local police, such as tear gas and arrests by undercover agents. He also said the Trump administration had only made things worse by getting involved.

Portland police officers were criticized early on in the protests for their liberal use of tear gas on protesters, so much so that the governor banned them from using it unless a riot was declared.

The officer said he understands why the police's use of tear gas caused an uproar, but said he felt cops had been "pretty reasonable" with it.

"I understand that it affects people that weren't doing anything wrong, but it's kind of an emergency situation," he said.

Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland reacts after being exposed to tear gas fired by federal agents on July 22, 2020. Nathan Howard/Getty Images

The inarguable turning point in Portland's protests came about two weeks ago, when reports detailed how unidentified federal agents were arresting people off the street and taking them away in unmarked cars.

But the officer we spoke to was sympathetic to the feds on this issue, saying there's a good reason why agents wouldn't drive into a protest in a marked car, for example.

Doing so is only going to "create a mob that will require more force," he said.

Instead, he said it would be better to "establish cause and wait to arrest" a suspect once they've broke off from the crowds.

No end in sight

The latest news out of the Portland protests is that local officials are speaking with the White House to try and get the federal agents recalled from the city.

But the officer we spoke to said he thinks the protests will rage on for the foreseeable future.

"I think there's two theories right now. If nothing terrible happens for four weeks, it will die down. The other is that it will run through the election, assuming Trump loses. And if he wins, then it's going to be bad," he said.

At the end of the day, as long as the protests are nonviolent, he has no issues with them, the officer said. He said he's even taken part in protests like the Women's March in Portland in the past.

"The Portland Police, we don't have a problem with people protesting," he said. "People protest here all the time. But you don't get to hit me in the face with a glass bottle as some sort of statement."

"If we can just not burn down any buildings or hurt anybody, protest all you want."

Expanded Coverage Module: black-lives-matter-module

Read the original article on Insider
The department of telecommunications (DoT), under oversight from the government of India, has reportedly recommended that Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE be kept out of setting up 5G infrastructure in India. According to CNBC-TV18, sources with knowledge of the matter at DoT has stated that a panel set up by the body has cited cyber security as the key reason for keeping Chinese players out of Indias 5G bid. However, officials within telecom companies reportedly said that no official communication has been made by DoT yet, on either the timeline of 5G spectrum auction in India, or whether Chinese equipment providers will be allowed to play a part in India.

According to sources, the DoT panels move stands in line with a newly instated government policy that seeks to restrict the participation of Chinese companies in government tenders. At the centre of this restriction is the Indian governments unwillingness to allow remote access to critical network infrastructure to companies based in China, and as such, are suspected of having ties to the Chinese government. The sources also stated that DoTs move is in line with Indias data localisation policy, in which case the government is prioritising Indian equipment players over their Chinese counterparts.

Government sources have claimed that both Huawei and ZTE, the two firms that are majorly under fire across the world in terms of 5G deployment, had submitted applications to participate in setting up 5G communications infrastructure in India. If the DoT panels recommendation is seen through, officials with telecom operators have suggested that the equipment procurement cost may go up by almost 25 percent, and may also cause a delay in the date of 5G trials.

The setback in Indias 5G trials, the sources have claimed, may lead to a further delay of up to nine months in the 5G spectrum auction. According to sources, Indias 5G auctions should ideally happen by end-2020, in order to meet a tentative deadline of 2021 for commercial launch. This will see India keep pace with other nations as well.
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Max Property Group (MPG), a real estate investment specialist, has received approval from Dutch financial authorities to launch Max Crowdfund, an international real estate crowdfunding platform on blockchain technology on which real estate-backed loans will be placed. The Financial Markets Authority in the Netherlands (AFM) has green-lighted the platform, which will use the Ardor public blockchain developed by Jelurida. The deal paves the way for a first-of-its-kind regulated platform for tokenized real estate backed loans.

After gaining approval from the AFM (approval number 19000066), Max Property Group will now proceed with rolling out the platform, aided by advisory support from Jelurida on the blockchain component. First loans will be placed soon.

The crowdfunding platform will make real estate investments available to everyone, regardless of wealth or status. Investors will be able to make real estate investments from as little as 100, with the entire process fully automated and 100% transparent.

Max Crowdfund is an international real estate crowdfunding platform allowing developers and investors to raise money from the public via loans. MPG's crowdfunding platform will make qualified national and international real estate investment opportunities available to a global audience. With over 70,000 registered users on Max Crowdfund, the platform will launch with a strong base of investors seeking exposure to the $10T real estate market, $300B of which is expected to be claimed by online platforms by 2025.

Erwin van Kekem, Max Property Group's CTO, said: "It has been several years since we initiated the development of Max Crowdfund and obtaining the approval from the AFM was a long 10-month process due to the blockchain component, but we are extremely pleased that we can finally officially go live."

MPG's experienced real estate investment team will perform due diligence on opportunities before approval for listing on Max Crowdfund. Investors pay a one-off 0.1% fee on their investment and a monthly administration fee of 0.1%. The 0.1% one-off fees will be used to buy and burn MPG tokens. Max Crowdfund is the first real estate crowdfunding platform on blockchain technology to be approved by the AFM and potentially the first one in the world. For property developers, it provides fast funding from an international pool of real estate investors, with automated processes keeping fees to a minimum. Investors, meanwhile, can enjoy stable and consistent returns on their investment.

Within the Max Crowdfund platform, investors are shown their current account balance, portfolio status, and performance and will receive monthly, quarterly and annual investment reports. Additional investments as well as new deposits or withdrawals can be made in seconds while in-depth investment portfolio performance and statistics are available to view. Available for iOS and Android, the app gives retail investors exposure to the real estate market for as little as 100.

About Max Property Group

Max Property Group (MPG) was founded in 2016 by a team of real estate professionals with a combined real estate industry experience of over 100 years in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The Financial Authorities-approved group oversees four property investment funds, has raised over 6M, and invested in property worth more than 8M. Operating in the Netherlands, Germany, and UK, MPG oversees Max Crowdfund and runs a Master Class Academy.

For more information please visit www.maxpropertygroup.com and www.maxcrowdfund.com

About Jelurida

Founded in Switzerland in 2017, Jelurida is a software company that develops and maintains the Ardor and Nxt blockchains. Now a multinational organization with offices on three continents, Jelurida is focused on helping enterprises capitalize on the benefits of blockchain through making it easier to deploy applications connected to the open Ardor and Nxt networks.

For more information please visit www.jelurida.com

Contact:

Dan Edelstein

pr@marketacross.com

+972-545-464-238

SOURCE: Jelurida

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599430/Max-Crowdfund-First-to-Receive-Regulatory-Approval-to-Operate-International-Real-Estate-Crowdfunding-Platform-on-Blockchain-Technology
The tentacles of coronavirus have snaked into South Africa's Eastern Cape province, delving stealthily into its under-equipped hospitals and impoverished townships. The province is the third worst-affected in South Africa, which has recorded over a quarter of a million coronavirus cases since March -- the highest in Africa. In the industrial capital of Port Elizabeth, four people on the front line -- a survivor, a doctor, a nurse and an undertaker -- shared their experiences with AFP. - The elderly survivor - Nomonde Baatjies, 71, sat propped up in bed in a white fluffy dressing gown, still weakened by 14 days of intensive care treatment. Her 45-year-old daughter Mpumie said she had feared her mother would only return in "a box wrapped in plastic". Now, as her mum convalesces at home, she is intensely relieved. As a diabetic with blood clots and hypertension, Baatjies has rolled the dice with COVID-19. "I wasn't breathing by myself," she recalled of the days she spent on oxygen. "What I was afraid of is death." She recalled many sleepless nights in a "full" hospital ward. "In the morning you would see somebody new -- the other (patient) that was there, you didn't know if they were discharged or something else." Still shaky from the experience, Baatjies points to a bowl of oranges by her bedside which have helped to revive her taste buds. The avid baker is getting better. "Yesterday... I sat in a chair (and) called my children: bring the flour, the dry yeast. I made fat cakes," she said, referring to a local form of doughnuts. - The doctor - At the beleaguered Livingstone public hospital, medics are working around the clock to fill in for sick colleagues. "It's a constant battle to move this system forward," said Dr. John Black, an infectious disease specialist, blinking back fatigue at the end of a long shift. Staff there have staged recurrent protests over working conditions and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). Last month, pictures of rubbish-strewn corridors and dirty linen were circulated on social media after cleaners and porters refused to work. Over 800 healthcare workers have contracted coronavirus in the province, of whom at least 24 have died. "We were already under a lot of strain before COVID happened," Black said. "This additional strain is taking its toll". "We are 30 to 40 percent down on our workforce trying to treat double the number of patients." Staff relied on "hand to mouth" PPE donations and critical supplies for patients were lacking. "No-one should die because of lack of oxygen," he said. - The nurse - "I found out yesterday," the nurse said, peering through the window on her first day of home isolation after testing positive with COVID-19. "I was shaking with chills and I knew something was going on," she recalled. The nurse, who did not wish to be named, had been expecting to catch coronavirus at her clinic -- where she attends a growing influx of suspected cases without proper protection. Aged 53, she was grateful her symptoms remained mild. Puffy-eyed in green pyjamas, the nurse admitted she felt "failed" by the government's response to the pandemic. "They should go the extra mile to spend on us to keep us safe and have fresh PPE every day," the nurse said, noting that she was often forced to recycle disposable aprons. "We just sprayed it off at the end of the day and we didn't know how effective that is." - The undertaker - Glass doors shut behind a last handful of mourners as they filed out of Sello Headbush's funeral parlour, stepping into an afternoon drizzle. "They came to view a body," he said, but because of the highly infectious virus, "we are not allowed to show them." The small family-run business in Kwazakhele township has been preparing 50 percent more bodies since coronavirus hit. "We must make sure that it is sealed in a body bag," Headbush explained, diligently reciting the new protocol. "From here the body must to straight to the graveyard (where) only my guys with PPE are allowed to touch the coffin." Despite the uptick in business, he felt sorry for relatives unable to pay their loved-one a proper tribute. "It causes a lot of distress," he said. When possible, Headbush arranged for the hearse to drive by its mourning household for a quick last prayer "from the car" before burial. Four of his friends succumbed to the virus last week. "There is no (hospital) beds, you can wait there and die before the doctor sees you." sch/sn/ri
BEIRUT - The U.S. State Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions on President Bashar Assads eldest son, Hafez, keeping up pressure on the Syrian leader and his inner circle.

Separately, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it had imposed sanctions on prominent Syrian businessman Wassim al-Qattan and nine entities for enriching the Syrian regime through construction of luxury real estate.

The Treasury sanctions are the result of legislation known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, named after the pseudonym of a Syrian policeman who turned over photographs of thousands of victims of torture by the Assad government.

The U.S. began implementing the legislation last month with a raft of economic and travel sanctions for human rights abuses and blocking a settlement of the countrys bloody nine-year conflict. Sanctions imposed last month included Assad and his wife, Asmaa, members of the extended Assad family, senior military leaders and business executives. Many of those on the list were already subject to U.S. sanctions, but the penalties also target non-Syrians who do business with them.

The law punishes any individual or business that enters into business with the Syrian government.

It was the first time that the sanctions name any of Bashar Assads three children. Hafez Assad, born in 2001, is his eldest.

In its designation, the Treasury described Al-Qattan as a prominent Syrian businessman who holds several contracts with the Syrian government to develop government-owned shopping malls and hotel properties in Damascus.
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.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of the United Nation's World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, July 30, United Way Worldwide is announcing new efforts supported by UPS to fight the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world, including a ground-breaking approach that galvanizes communities in new ways to detect, stop and prevent human trafficking. The partnership is fueled by a $3 million fund, seeded by UPS employees who provided charitable contributions for these efforts for the past two years as part of the organization's giving program.

Led by United Way and funded by UPS employees, this comprehensive approach convenes community leaders  including relief and human service agencies, medical providers, local government, employers, advocates, citizens and more  around the singular issue of fighting local human trafficking, in many cases, for the first time. Through this collaboration, they're identifying needs and gaps at the community level, including housing, services, training and policy.

"Human trafficking is one of the world's most tragic and overlooked issues, affecting millions of people in cities and countries everywhere," said Brian Gallagher, President and CEO of United Way Worldwide. "Fighting back against it takes a collaborative effort across all sectors of society, and our partnership with UPS reflects our joint commitment to helping vulnerable individuals in communities large and small. We're proud to partner with UPS on this critical effort  one which reminds us of the importance of fighting for every person in every community."

This initiative builds on UPS's existing partnership with Truckers Against Trafficking, aimed at training all UPS drivers to spot the signs of trafficking and report them to appropriate authorities.

"Our goal is to make sure every UPS driver in the U.S. has the knowledge needed to spot and report on signs of trafficking," said George Willis, president of UPS U.S. Operations. "We know that reliable tips to law enforcement are critical to making arrests and rescuing victims," Willis continued. UPS's new Brakes on Trafficking Steering Committee, led by Willis and comprised of leaders from across the organization, will help strengthen the company's strategic approach to ending human trafficking.

The expanded partnership with United Way is an example of how the company is stepping up its efforts to strengthen communities, particularly in Black and other communities of color, where victims of trafficking often get recruited. In fact, the U.S. Department of Justice estimates that more than 68 percent of human trafficking victims are people of color.

United Way and UPS's innovative approach is being piloted in Atlanta; Las Vegas; Louisville, Kentucky; and Brownsville, Texas. Each of the programs will focus on addressing issues identified by the local United Ways as needing greater support, including housing (Atlanta); building stakeholders in poverty-stricken communities (Brownsville); the intersection with child abuse and neglect (Louisville); and tackling trafficking in a community with a prevalent commercial sex market (Las Vegas). The two-year pilots will be overseen by the United Way Center on Human Trafficking and Slavery. The end result will be community-based strategies that can be adapted across the world.

The pilot program is one of the key initiatives emerging from the new impact fund launched by United Way, United Against Human Trafficking, which is dedicated to expanding the research- and community-based efforts to find, stop and prevent human trafficking. The fund will invest in training, policy advocacy and community mobilization around human trafficking. United Way and UPS, partners in human trafficking prevention for more than four years, are also stepping up their collective efforts to include virtual training of community leaders to identify and stop human trafficking building a "train-the-trainer" program, piloted by local United Ways and 400+ community leaders in Atlanta, Denver, Milwaukee, San Francisco and San Jose. Additionally, the investment will support a new United Way partnership with the UN's International Labor Organization that will conduct rigorous research to develop a global blueprint of comprehensive interventions required to end forced labor and human trafficking and costing model to better understand costs to bring these efforts to scale around the world. The ILO estimates that profits generated from forced labor add up to $150 billion annually. That amounts to a greater daily profit than the global community spends to combat human trafficking over the course of an entire year. This two-year project will build on data and practice gleaned from stakeholders from around the world.

UPS's leadership in the fight against human trafficking began in 2016. Since that time, the company has extended awareness training to more than 100,000 employees, provided systemic program investments, connected to local community-based partners and convened public private partnerships around the nation. The UPS Foundation, which leads the global citizenship programs for UPS, has also allocated new funding of more than $530,000 in additional support for non-profit organizations leading the fight to combat human trafficking and support those impacted.

United Way for its part is pushing hard at the state and local level for meaningful change, too. As an example, after realizing that young women were being trafficked through Georgia, where UPS is headquartered, United Way of Greater Atlanta and its women volunteers, Women United, fought to get an initiative on the statewide ballot. Women United took on the challenge of educating Georgia citizens that despite its global reach, human trafficking takes place locally. In 2016, Georgia voters passed the State Constitutional Amendment for the Safe Harbor for Sexual Exploited Children Fund. This created a dedicated source of funding to support minors who are survivors of sex trafficking, and supports restorative services like safe housing, trauma counseling and medical treatment.

SOURCE United Way Worldwide

Related Links

www.unitedway.org


A woman called Karen has made a video to dispel the notion she is an entitled, rude woman.

The popular name has in recent months became a derogatory term aimed mainly at white, middle-aged women who show disrespect to shop assistants or demand to speak with the manager, especially during the coronavirus crisis.

Karen Hayes, the chief executive of Guide Dogs Victoria, has made a Facebook video to show she is one of the 'good Karens' as her home city of Melbourne remains in lockdown.

'I'm here today to reclaim the name, Karen,' she said.

Karen Hayes, the chief executive of Guide Dogs Victoria, has made a Facebook video to show she is one of the 'good Karens' as her home city of Melbourne remains in lockdown

'On behalf of the Karens who do the right thing during this pandemic.

'The ones who self isolate at the first sniffle or throat tickle, and the ones who don't carry on down at Bunnings, well unless they don't have any snags.'

Her mocking of entitled women was put on social media after Elizabeth 'Lizzy' Rose, a self-proclaimed psychic, filmed herself at Bunnings refusing to wear a mask at a Melbourne hardware store - contravening a Victorian public health order.

'I wear my mask to protect others and help Australia get back to work sooner,' Ms Hayes said.

'I don't throw my groceries out of my trolley like a toddler when I'm asked to sanitise my hands.'

Last month, an American woman at a Dallas, Texas supermarket threw items from her shopping trolley after being asked to wear a face mask.

Her mocking of entitled women was put on social media after Elizabeth 'Lizzy' Rose', a self-proclaimed psychic, filmed herself at Bunnings refusing to wear a mask at a Melbourne hardware store - contravening a Victorian public health order

Her volley of swearing at a Fiesta supermarket on West Illinois Avenue, was widely circulated on social media.

Ms Hayes also had a dig at Jodi Grollo, dubbed the 'real Karen from Brighton', for boasting about walking around her affluent beachside suburb of Melbourne during lockdown.

'And I've not yet "done all of Brighton",' she said.

Ms Hayes, who was last year appointed a Member of the Order of Australia on Australia Day, also had a message for those women who demanded to speak to the manager.

Ms Hayes also had a dig at Jodi Grollo (pictured), dubbed the 'real Karen from Brighton', for boasting about walking around her affluent beachside suburb of Melbourne during lockdown. 'And I've not yet "done all of Brighton",' she said

'And no, I don't want to speak to the manager,' she said.

'Unless I want to commend the, of course, on their fabulous frontline staff.'

Ms Hayes called on the Karens and the 'Kazzas of the world to unite as one and stand up as bright, shining examples of the Karens you want to see in the world'.

'I know there are good Karens out there and it's time we come together and show the world it's hashtag #NotAllKarens,' she said.

The non-profit group leader had messages of support on her Facebook page from other women called Karen with Karen Peter declaring: 'I stand up with you, Karen Hayes.'
The US has been accused of air piracy, after a US jet entered an international air corridor and approach a plane flying over Syrian lands writes Al-Masdar.

The Director General of Syrian Civil Aviation, Bassem Mansour, revealed the action his country has taken after US fighter jets intercepted an Iranian passenger plane last Thursday.

Mansour told Irans Tasnim Agency that, the plane was in Syrian airspace and close to the al-Tanf area while crossing the Civil Air Corridor extending from Iraq through Syrian lands to Lebanon, and the forces of the so-called US-led aggressive International Coalition launched an air piracy operation.

The Syrian official pointed out that, exposure to civil aviation is a dangerous precedent and it is air piracy that deserves condemnation and accountability, noting that they filed a complaint to the Arab Civil Aviation Organization and informed Iranian aviation of this incident and formed a joint investigation committee to audit this incident and review the air navigation centers records with the pilot and recorded radar images that clearly show this air piracy and infringement on the plane.

He said that, this is air piracy and a violation of international agreements that regulate air navigation, on top of which is the Chicago agreement that regulates civil aviation and air corridors between countries and the safety of air navigation between countries.

Mansour continued, The plane was passing through the approved air corridor that links Iraq to Syria with Lebanon to Cyprus. An international air corridor is distributed with all international maps and the plane did not leave this corridor and was in contact with the air navigation center at Damascus Airport who were following the plane and the rest of the planes in the corridor.

The Director General of Civil Aviation revealed that the US had previously intercepted a Cham Wings flight from Qamishli to Damascus and an Iraqi Airways flight from Baghdad to Damascus.

Regarding the Syrian technical stance related to what happened, Mansour said, We informed the Syrian Air Aviation Organization as stipulated in the agreements and informed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which must in turn stop this piracy of air navigation lanes, as these lanes are regulated by agreements and navigation. Air is organized by international customs and charters. 

He stressed that, these agreements and charters should not be violated because it leads to air disasters for planes, and this issue is agreed upon between countries and the air corridor is clearly known, and American planes should not be entering it.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:36:41|Editor: huaxia

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Video: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on July 28, 2020 calls for efforts to build sustainable cities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua)

Guterres stresses the need to ensure that all phases of the pandemic response tackle inequalities and long-term development deficits and safeguard social cohesion.

UNITED NATIONS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for efforts to build sustainable cities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a video message for the launch of his policy brief on COVID-19 and cities, Guterres said urban areas are ground zero of the pandemic, with 90 percent of reported cases. But he added that cities have the resilience to build back better.

"We must pursue a green, resilient and inclusive economic recovery," he said. "Many cities have created new bike lanes and pedestrian zones, reclaiming public spaces and improving mobility, safety and air quality. By focusing on high ecological transformation and job creation, stimulus packages can steer growth toward a low-carbon, resilient pathway and advance the Sustainable Development Goals."

Community workers patrol near a beach in Barcelona, Spain, July 27, 2020. (Barcelona City Hall/Handout via Xinhua)

The rapid adoption of telecommuting illustrates how societies can transform seemingly overnight to confront urgent threats; there is a need to act with the same urgency and resolve to transform cities and address the climate and pollution crises, he said.

"Now is the time to rethink and reshape the urban world. Now is the moment to adapt to the reality of this and future pandemics. And now is our chance to recover better, by building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities."

Guterres stressed the need to ensure that all phases of the pandemic response tackle inequalities and long-term development deficits and safeguard social cohesion.

A woman looks at baggages as people wait for free trips back to their hometowns at a stadium in Manila, the Philippines on July 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

"We must prioritize those who are the most vulnerable in our cities, including guaranteeing safe shelter for all and emergency housing to those without homes. Access to water and sanitation is also vital."

The inadequate state of public services in many cities requires urgent attention, particularly in informal settlements. Nearly one quarter of the world's urban population lives in slums, he said.

He also asked for the strengthening of the capacities of local governments. "This requires decisive action -- and deeper cooperation between local and national authorities. Stimulus packages and other relief should support tailored responses and boost local government capacity."

A commercial motorcycle rider carries a passenger in Kampala, Uganda, July 27, 2020. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua)

Cities are bearing the brunt of the crisis -- many with strained health systems, inadequate water and sanitation services, and other challenges. This is especially the case in poorer areas where the pandemic has exposed deeply rooted inequalities, said Guterres.

But cities are also home to extraordinary solidarity and resilience, he said. "As we respond to the pandemic and work toward recovery, we look to our cities as hubs of community, human innovation and ingenuity. Today, we have an opportunity to reflect and reset how we live, interact and rebuild our cities." 
The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Sa-eed, has made a fervent appeal to the people of his region to ensure discipline by observing all the COVID-19 safety protocols.



This, he said, would help people in the Northern Region in particular, and the country as a whole, to minimise the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic in the country.



I want to make a passionate appeal to the citizens of Northern Region in particular, and Ghanaians in general, to self-imprison COVID-19 by wearing nose mask, practising social distancing and staying at home when we do not have any essential thing to do in town, he advised.



The northern regional minister made the appeal when he launched the second phase of the markets, lorry parks, public toilets disinfection, fumigation and cleaning exercise in his region at the Jubilee Park, Tamale, Northern Region, on Sunday, (July 26, 2020).



The exercise  a collaboration between the ministry of local government and rural development (MLGRD)  was aimed at curbing the spread of the new coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19).



According to Hon Salifi Sa-eed, ensuring self-discipline by observing the COVID-19 preventive protocols was very key in the fight against the virus. He described as sad the notion that many were still doubting the reality of COVID-19.



Let me re-emphasise that the novel virus [COVID-19] is real, and that the doubting Thomases must have a rethink and follow the protocols, he urged.



He used the chance to commend various institutions that have been playing crucial roles in the regions fight against the epidemic.



These, he mentioned, included health workers, security agencies [comprising the military, police, and fire service], media and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.



Speaking to the media, the General Manager (GM), Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Northern Region, Mr Peter Dawuni, said, his outfit started the exercise at exactly 4:00 a.m., which involved the use of equipment including foggers, mechanised sweepers, atomisers and Knapsack sprayers.



In total, we are disinfecting and cleaning 365 markets, 400 public toilets respectively in addition to chiefs places, mosques and lorry parks, he disclosed.



The exercise, he said, would be completed on Monday, [July 27, 2020] with a huge clean-up exercise in all the disinfected markets and public places.



While stating that the first phase of the exercise was good, he stressed that there was the need for his company to improve upon its operations.



Again, Mr Dawuni reiterated the need for the country to do periodic disinfection, especially of public places, to help contain the virus..



Tamale Central Market and Lorry Park, Aboabo Market, Savelugu Market and Lorry Park, Damongo Market and Yapei Market were some of the facilities that benefited from the exercise.



The team also disinfected chiefs palaces, public toilets and other public places along the line.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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New Delhi: A day after Sushant Singh Rajput's father KK Singh lodged an FIR against Rhea Chakraborty and her family for cheating, exploiting and abetment to suicide, Bihar police will step up its investigation in the case in Mumbai.

Sushant Singh Rajput's father lodged the FIR in Patna's Rajiv Nagar police station under IPC Sections 341, 342, 380, 406, 420 and 306. A four-member police team has been constituted to probe the case which flew to Mumbai to carry out an investigation along with the Mumbai Police.

According to the source, the Bihar police will visit the bank today which has been mentioned by his father in the FIR. The cops will check the account and its last transactions to cross-check the facts. Late actor's father has alleged that a whopping amount of Rs 15 crore was spent by Rhea Chakraborty. The money was withdrawn from Sushant's account.

The police will also question Sushant's sister who stays in Mumbai and record her statement.

As per sources, the Bihar police team met DCP Bandra upon reaching in Mumbai and is most likely to meet DCP Crime today. The former is seeking a document from Mumbai police on the basis of the FIR lodged in Patna which they are yet to receive.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai police have assured full assistance to Bihar police in the case.

In Sushant's death case, the Mumbai police had only ADR - Accidental Death Report lodged and not an FIR. However, now with an FIR lodged in Bihar in relation to actor's death, there is now a possibility for reaching out to CBI for the probe.

Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020. Over 37 people have been questioned so far in relation to the actor.
Panaji, July 29 : The Rafale fighter jets are a "modern technological marvel" and will provide a major boost to the Indian Air Force, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday, ahead of five jets arriving at the Ambala airbase in Haryana.

"The Rafale fighter jets are arriving in India today. This modern technological marvel will provide a major boost to Indian Air Force and enhance our overall defence capabilities. I congratulate PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji for his strong and decisive leadership," Sawant tweeted.

"I am also very proud of the fact that our beloved leader Late Shri Manohar Bhai Parrikar played a key role in the procurement process of the fighter jets," he added.

Former Goa Chief Minister and Sawant's predecessor late Manohar Parrikar served as Defence Minister from 2014-17, during which the 36 Rafale fighter jet deal was negotiated and sealed with the French government.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
When it comes to saving for retirement, every additional dollar matters. Evoshares mission to capture a portion of everyday spending and convert that to additional retirement contributions aligns with [iJoin's] core goal of helping savers knowand reach--their retirement funding goal.

EvoShare, a microsavings oriented FinTech startup based in Berkeley, CA, and LDI-MAP LLC (d.b.a. iJoin), a uniquely personal, goal-based retirement plan experience for employees, headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, are announcing their partnership to add a unique benefit to iJoins participant experience. This partnership with iJoin, one of the most rapidly adopted retirement plan technologies in the industry, provides retirement investors an easy path to saving more for their financial future, powered by their existing spending habits.

EvoShares proprietary system turns a percentage of every dollar spent at over 10,000 partnered local and online stores into additional contributions for a financial savings account like a 401(k), 529 College Savings Plan or HSA. This, combined with iJoins personalized, goal-based enrollment, engagement, and managed account program, can help drive participant engagement, satisfaction and success.

iJoins technology, like EvoShares, delivers a one-of-a-kind experience for retirement savers and the retirement industry. Together, we can help millions of American workers figure out and ultimately achieve their retirement goals, said Eugeny Prudchyenko, CEO of EvoShare.

iJoin is a personalized, goal-based retirement plan experience for investors at every step of their savings journey. iJoin considers dozens of personal data points including each persons income, savings, age, location, gender, and retirement destination to calculate their retirement funding goal. This immediate clarity initiates suggestions to optimize individual savings potential to reach their retirement income goal. For recordkeepers using iJoin, it just got much easier to offer a powerful new incentive for enrollment and re-enrollment.

iJoins CEO Steve McCoy added, When it comes to saving for retirement, every additional dollar matters. Evoshares mission to capture a portion of everyday spending and convert that to additional retirement contributions aligns with our core goal of helping savers knowand reach--their retirement funding goal.

EvoShares revolutionary platform for recapturing spending as additional retirement contributions is another tool in iJoins arsenal of retirement outcome personalization. Together, the two platforms will boost employees long-term savings success, without sacrificing their present-day lifestyle.

###

About EvoShare:

EvoShare is a financial platform that enables employees to save for their 401(k) or 403(b) while shopping online and locally at stores, bars, and restaurants. The service allows employees to spend at their favorite businesses, and receive up to 30% cash-back toward their retirement plan through their employer.

EvoShare is the premiere cash-back retirement savings program that is giving employees a new, automated way to save for their 401(k). EvoShare provides employers with a set it and forget it experience where plan participants can spend as usual at over 12,000 participating businesses and receive up to 20% cash back toward a financial account; 401(k) or 403(b) plan, IRA, HSA, student loan, or 529 plan. EvoShare has been featured in Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and The Huffington Post. It won the 2019 DC Genie Award from 401(k) TV for Best Financial Technology and was a finalist for KNect365s 2019 Finovate Award for Top Emerging Tech Company.

About LDI-MAP, LLC (dba iJoin):

The iJoin team is committed to personalizing retirement success and making it easy for millions of savers to get on a path to better retirement outcomes. As a financial technology partner to the retirement plan industry, iJoins goal-based retirement plan enrollment experience helps people immediately understand their retirement funding need and encourages action to get on track. iJoin supports financial advisors and recordkeepers with actionable data and tools to more effectively engage both employers and their employees. LDI-MAP (d.b.a. iJoin) is a registered investment advisor with the State of Arizona  14646 N. Kierland Boulevard, Suite 125 Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Learn more at http://www.ijoinsuccess.com.
Zimbabwes Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister, Retired Air Marshal Perrance Shiri has died.

According to the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced Shiris death when he addressed the 342nd Ordinary Session of the Politburo today in Harare.

Mnangagwa is quoted as saying, I am deeply saddened to inform the Nation of the death of the Minister of Agriculture, Air Chief Marshall Perrance Shiri, a long time friend and colleague. Cde Shiri was a true patriot, who devoted his life to the liberation, independence and service of his country.

Mnangagwa did not disclose the cause of Shiri's death.

Shiri was one of the commanders of the North Korean-trained Five Brigade, which allegedly killed an estimated 20,000 people, mostly PF Zapu supporters, in Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces in the 1980s at the height of the conflict between the late Joshua Nkomos party and Zanu PF led by Robert Mugabe.

Shiri also helped President Emmerson Mnangagwa in toppling the late former President Robert Mugabe in 2017.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Handshake , the number one site for college students to find jobs and get hired, today announced the availability of an end-to-end virtual job search and recruiting solution. With this new offering, colleges and universities can host virtual career fairs, employers can leverage the first seamless solution to manage all virtual recruiting for early talent, and college students can participate in virtual fairs and events to get on the fast track to get hired. This virtual solution includes a purpose-built mobile and web video experience, enabling authentic personal engagement through the recruiting process.

With on-campus events and traditional career fairs on hold for the rest of the year, employers and higher education institutions are looking to digital solutions to achieve their goals. Students, too, are looking for ways to stand out to top employers and get an inside look into company culture, job and internship opportunities in a virtual setting. While some industries have seen significant decreases in job postings, employers across several industries including education, healthcare, government and technology are actively hiring early talent. Handshake regularly updates its " Hiring on Handshake " list of 500 popular employers recruiting on Handshake to spotlight companies in a wide range of locations and every state. But the current environment continues to pose challenges, and recent Handshake survey data shows that more than a third (38%) of students who have participated in online recruitment events struggle to find the right way to network at these events, and 35% are frustrated by the challenges of standing out in a virtual environment.

"As the future of work rapidly changes, we are finding new ways to help democratize opportunity for early talent by helping them navigate the job landscape, especially at this challenging time," said Handshake's CEO, Garrett Lord. "We have seen first-hand the immense need and demand to provide a robust virtual recruitment solution and we believe that our new offering will play an important role in meeting the needs of employers, career centers and students."

Digital Engagement, Events and Workflow for Employers

A survey of employers conducted by Handshake found that 71% of employers are rapidly extending their digital recruiting capabilities  at a faster rate in 2020 than in any prior year. Over 67% of them are looking for support on information sessions, video panels and more. Handshake's comprehensive virtual recruiting solution allows employers to:

Receive up-to-date candidate recommendations based on network activity and their specific hiring criteria from the nationwide Handshake school network that includes over 1,000 colleges and universities. Spend more time engaging with students, building meaningful personal connections through video, audio, and chat directly within Handshake's website and mobile app. Build their brand by allowing employee 'Ambassadors' to engage in online dialogue with students from their alma maters.

"In the last major market downturn, we made the decision to pull way back on hiring interns, and as a result, we have been challenged by a gap in our management pipeline. This challenge was exacerbated by our significant growth coming out of the recession. We are committed out the gate not to do that this time around," said Lauren Nunnally, Chief Talent Officer at Swinerton Builders. "Handshake's new solution provides us with the end-to-end workflow we need to engage early talent and manage them through every stage from initial contact to hiring."

Virtual Career Fairs and Event Support for Higher Education and Students

With the absence of on-campus career development activities since COVID-19 began, higher education career centers have adapted quickly to provide more digital services to students to help in their job and internship searches. A Handshake survey of 574 career center administrators at institutions of higher education revealed that their first priority for serving students during COVID-19 has been to develop new ways to provide services to students virtually.

According to Handshake's student survey, 91% of students would consider taking a fully virtual job after graduation, and 54% of students want their school's career center to advise them on how to conduct a search for virtual internships or jobs, reinforcing the need for colleges and universities to help students adapt.

Handshake's technology for virtual career fairs and events provides students a more curated, efficient experience, eliminating many of the pitfalls of in-person job fairs. Instead of plotting out a map of booths and waiting in lines, students can now browse employers ahead of time and schedule all of their sessions in advanceor, they can click the link on the day of the fair and join sessions that day. In addition, students can attend one-on-one video sessions with employers, and get an inside look into company culture, internships, and jobs during virtual sessions.

Handshake's virtual offering also provides comprehensive promotional, administrative, and reporting tools to help higher education career centers ensure they can continue to provide their students with access to a wide range of internships and job opportunities.

"We've been a partner of Handshake for three years, and we are excited that the company accelerated its roadmap to offer a series of virtual career fairs this fall," said Tom Devlin, Executive Director of the Career Center at The University of California, Berkeley. "Their strategy represents an innovative and comprehensive solution that enables our students to continue to engage with employers who won't be able to recruit on campus this year."

For more information and to learn about the new virtual events and recruiting platform employers click here , and students and career services administrators click here .

For additional information about Handshake visit https://www.joinhandshake.com/ .

ABOUT HANDSHAKE

Handshake is the number one site for college students to find a job. Today, the Handshake community includes 17 million students and young alumni at over 1,000 colleges and universities  including 120+ minority-serving institutions. We connect up-and-coming talent across all 50 states with nearly 500,000 employers recruiting on Handshake  from every Fortune 500 company to thousands of small businesses, nonprofits, startups, and more. Handshake is democratizing opportunity and ensuring college students have the support they need to find a great job and kick-off a meaningful career regardless of where they go to school, what they choose as a major, and who they know.

STUDENT SURVEY METHODOLOGY

This online survey of 1,003 US college students, primarily targeting 17-24 years, was conducted by Propeller Insights on behalf of Handshake between June 26 and June 30, 2020. Propeller Insights strives to achieve a statistically significant sample that meets the industry standard of a 95 percent confidence level and a 5-percentage margin of error, based on the population being represented for all online quantitative surveys.

UNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES SURVEY METHODOLOGY

This online survey of 574 career services administrators at US colleges and universities was conducted by Propeller Insights on behalf of Handshake between June 29 and July 21, 2020. Propeller Insights strives to achieve a statistically significant sample that meets the industry standard of a 95 percent confidence level and a 5-percentage margin of error, based on the population being represented for all online quantitative surveys.

EMPLOYER SURVEY METHODOLOGY

Handshake surveyed 112 employers from its online platform that consists of nearly 500,000 employers and 17 million students and young alumni. The data was collected in April 2020.

SOURCE Handshake

Related Links

http://joinhandshake.com


He was struck once in the head, and someone drove him toward St. Bernards Hospital and Health Center, but the black sedan that he was in crashed at 63rd Street and Yale Avenue, police said. No one in the car suffered injuries from the crash.
MariMatic, a specialist in automated solid waste collection systems (AWCS) and vacuum conveying systems for underground waste collection, said it has been signed up to deploy its key MetroTaifun systems in the Saudi city of Makkah.

The latest design, build and operate contract from Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company (UAQ) is for a new part of the city called Masar Makkah. It also includes operation & maintenance until the end of 2030, said a statement from MariMatic.

In Masar Makkah, the core components - walking boulevards - are equipped with waste bins and over 210 plots with hotels and hotel apartment buildings connected to a pipe network, it stated.

In addition, a new order with the Saudi Binladin Group (SBG) has been received, for the area of Mataf within the holy mosque. This area will be connected to the worlds largest Automatic Waste Collection System supplied by MariMatic.

With this, the recently secured contracts in Saudi Arabia has now risen to 60 million ($70.3 million), it added.

Under this new system, waste is collected by vacuum conveying to a transfer terminal, where the waste ends up in containers, said a company spokesman.

This relieves the complete area from litter and waste bins with disturbing waste trucks. The system is dimensioned for up to 300 tons of waste per day, he explained.

"Just imagine the amount of waste trucks driving around emptying waste bins, or the amount of personnel needed to service litter bins along the boulevard, he added.

According to him, the key to MariMatics energy efficient Automatic Waste Collection Systems is to use smaller diameter pipes, often 300 mm, instead of 500 mm, commonly required in the Middle East.

Also in these cases with the high capacity system, the same principle has been applied, by using 400 mm piping with MariMatics formator technology for up to 250 liter waste bags, instead of 600 mm piping used by the competitors, he noted.

Usage of smaller pipe diameter not only reduces energy consumption, but it also minimizes the possibility of blockages, as the waste easier fills up the pipe, giving higher vacuum force for conveying. The pipe systems are also built up with MariMatics patented Ring-Line configuration, allowing change of air flow direction, to facilitate removal of possible blockages, he added.

Recently, MariMatic was also awarded the contract of a system to a new neighborhood in the city of Amsterdam. The public tender was focused on technology, reliability, performance and quality, achieving a life cycle of 60 years. MariMatics technology and solutions achieved maximum scores.

MariMatic is a technology company, developing and marketing vacuum pipe conveying systems. Development of the products and solutions began in 1983 and since then, over 1000 systems have been delivered to over 40 countries.-TradeArabia News Service
A longtime Baton Rouge district judge who was told last week that shes too old to run for another term claims Louisiana's mandatory judicial retirement age of 70 is nothing more than a voter suppression tool.

Janice Clark, 73, is asking the Louisiana Supreme Court to reverse its July 21 ruling upholding the age cap and send her age discrimination lawsuit back to a lower court for trial.

Well-known judges Janice Clark, Harry Cantrell can't run again, new Supreme Court ruling says Just hours before they might have tried to qualify for reelection, the Louisiana Supreme Court effectively ended the judicial careers of well-

Clark, who has been a 19th Judicial District Court judge since 1992, filed qualifying papers Friday despite the high court's decision. She has not ruled out seeking relief in federal court. Federal judges are appointed for life.

In a rehearing application filed late Tuesday at the state Supreme Court, Clark's attorneys contend the mandatory retirement age for judges "results in voter suppression because the voters are not allowed to vote for candidates of their choice regardless of the age of the candidate."

"This Court's ruling relies on the conclusive presumption that judges over 70 are somehow less qualified than their younger counterparts," lawyers Ernest Johnson and Arthur Thomas also argue in the rehearing petition.

Judges who reach 70 while in office are allowed to finish their term. Clark's six-year term expires at the end of the year.

The Louisiana Judiciary Commission is the agency that makes recommendations to the state Supreme Court concerning the removal of judges. Ultimately, it is up to the high court to remove a judge from the bench.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Another local jurist, 1st Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Toni Higginbotham, also qualified Friday to seek another 10-year term despite being 74.

The state Supreme Court said last week that changing the mandatory retirement age could only happen with a change to the state constitution. Voters roundly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment in 2014 that would have done away with the age cap of 70.

Baton Rouge attorneys Dele Adebamiji and William "Will" Jorden also qualified last week to run for the Division D seat held by Clark.

In addition to Higginbotham, three other candidates qualified for the 2nd District, Subdistrict 1, Division A seat that she has held since 2010. They are Baton Rouge City Court Judge Chris Hester and lawyers Melanie Newkome Jones and Johanna R. Landreneau.

Appelate Judge Higginbotham runs for reelection, second judge to defy mandatory retirement ruling Court of Appeal Judge Toni Higginbotham qualified to run for reelection Friday afternoon, becoming the second incumbent Baton Rouge judge to r

The mandatory retirement age for judges also could be an issue in a Baton Rouge City Court runoff race on the Aug. 15 ballot between lawyers Johnell Matthews and Whitney Higginbotham Greene, who is Toni Higginbothams daughter.

Matthews was 69 when she qualified in January to run in what was to be an April 4 election, but the coronavirus pandemic and resulting statewide stay-at-home order pushed the election date back to July 11. She turned 70 in early June.

Matthews says she should not be penalized for a pandemic pushing the election date beyond her 70th birthday.
The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has refuted suggestions the eligibility age for retirement in Ghana has been reduced.



The current retirement age is 60 in accordance with the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766), as amended by the National Pensions (Amendment) Act, 2014 (Act 883).



However, the Ministry said Opera News recently published an article claiming that the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has announced a reduction of the age of retirement of state employees from 60 to 50.



Refuting the claim, the Assistant Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Osei-Opoku Gyamfi said that there is no such move by the government.



"The Ministry has not made any statement in that regard and as far as the Ministry is concerned there has been no move to reduce the retirement age of government employees, nor has there been a proposal discussed or contemplated at any level in the government", he said.



False publication

A press statement later described the online publication which bore the headline "Public Sector retirement age in Ghana to be reduced to 50 years" as misleading and urged the public to disregard the false publication.



"The minister has noted with great concern the misleading publication by Opera News. The Ministry wishes to inform the public that the said publication is untrue and malicious", the statement noted.



To its stakeholders, clientele and public, it also hinted that the government has not taken any decision to review the retirement age from 60 to 50.



Ghanas public and private sector pension systems are integrated, with every Ghanaian citizen able to access a modern, three-tier structure, which is overseen by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).





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MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Sphinx Resources Ltd ("Sphinx") (TSXV:SFX) is pleased to announce that Pierre-Andre Viens has been appointed to the Corporation's Board of Directors as an independent director.

Mr. Viens is Director and Vice-President, Finance of CMAC-Thyssen Global Holding Inc., where he is in charge of financing and corporate development. Previously, Mr. Viens worked for Xstrata Nickel at the Koniambo nickel mine and at the Raglan mine as Project Manager, Operational Performance and Corporate Development Engineer respectively. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Viens was Investment Manager for Desjardins Capital de Risque. From 2003 to 2005, he served as an Investment Analyst for Innovatech Regions Ressources.

Mr. Viens holds an MBA, a master's degree in mineral economics (mining engineering department), a bachelor's degree in business administration (Finance) and a bachelor's degree in mining engineering, all from Universite Laval. Mr. Viens is a member of the Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec and is holds the CFA designation.

About Sphinx

Sphinx is a mineral exploration company that focuses its activities in southwestern Quebec in search of deposits of precious metals (gold, silver, palladium and platinum) and base metals (copper, zinc and lead). Sphinx is particularly active in the MRC Pontiac where its President resides. It has a strong local shareholding that contributes towards social acceptability.

For further information, please consult Sphinx's website or contact:

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Arbaaz Chauhan (left), Matis Cohene (centre) and Shaan Khanyal (right) pleaded guilty to robbery, kidnap and false imprisonment. (SWNS)

A gang who kidnapped a young couple at a house party before subjecting them to a two-day ordeal have been jailed.

Shaan Khanyal and Arbaaz Chauhan, both 24 and from Coventry, pleaded guilty to robbery, kidnap and false imprisonment at Warwick Crown Court and were sentenced on Monday.

Matis Cohene, 18, of Coventry, who was only 15 at the time of the incident in October 2017, also pleaded guilty to the same offences.

Khanyal told a woman who attended the party that she owed money for the food and drinks, and she and her partner agreed to hand over 30 by the end of the month, West Midlands Police said.

However, Khanyal insisted on meeting the pair, who were both aged 19, at a flat in Radford rather than be sent a bank transfer.

When they arrived, the couple were told to deactivate the location settings on their phones as they handed over the money before the man was taken for a drive to be taught a lesson.

Arbaaz Chauhan (left) and Shaan Khanyal (right) were jailed for nearly 20 years between them. (West Midlands Police)

Chauhan took the man in his Audi A3 back to his home address before using a Taser all over his body and hitting him with a steering lock, knocking him out.

The group of men then stripped the man naked and threw eggs and flour at him.

The gang stole his PS4, jewellery and other property, and he was forced to dress in his girlfriends clothes before being taken to an ATM where he was made to withdraw 240.

He and his girlfriend were then taken to another house where the boyfriend was burned with a cigarette and slapped.

MORE: Widow of PC Andrew Harper asks Boris Johnson for retrial of teenage killers

The couple were then ordered to close their eyes and the girlfriend was told a gun with a silencer had been put against her head.

The next day a man called Max threatened the girlfriend before subjecting her to more humiliating abuse.

Daniel Oscroft, prosecuting, said: Max produced a butchers knife and held it to her throat and she was told to write down the names of everyone she had told about the previous day.

Khanyal then poured juice over her and Chauhan squeezed talc over her head.

Story continues

The gang were sentenced at Warwick Crown Court. (Flickr)

They opened the attic and told her to go up, but she would not go.

Hours later the gang cut off her long blonde hair and sprayed Fabreze air freshener into her mouth.

A Taser was then used on the boyfriends genitals before the gang stole more of their valuables.

The next day the couple were released and they reported the ordeal to police.

In a victim impact statement, the male victim said: Because of these events I have moved away from Coventry and my friends and family.

MORE: Government signs deal for 60 million doses of coronavirus vaccine

I have had to start a whole new life, and I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Khanyal was sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison, while Chauhan was sentenced to nine years for the same offences. The teenager was given a two-year detention and training order.

DC Richard Walker, from force CID, said: This was an absolutely sickening sustained attack on two people who had done nothing wrong. They were hounded, harassed and humiliated and I hope the prison sentences offer them some comfort after what they went through.

I am glad to see these men behind bars and I would always urge anyone who has ever been subjected to anything of this nature to come forward. We will always do all we can to find those responsible.
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Linkedin Zuzy Anna (The Jakarta Post) Bandung  Wed, July 29, 2020 08:39 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a13044 3 Opinion SDGs,COVID-19,pandemic,Sustainable-Development-Goals,communication,World-Bank,United-Nations Free

Today we are facing an implausible pandemic that has affected the lives of the entire population. The economy is slowing, if not stagnating; it is like an invisible hand suddenly pressing the pause button.

The pandemic has also put the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) global agenda in jeopardy. Even before COVID-19 struck, many had cast doubt over whether all the goals would be achieved in 2030 as targeted when the SDGs were launched during the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015.

Economics professor William Esterly from New York University quipped that SDGs could be abbreviated to "senseless, dreamy, garbled". In one of its reports, The Economist describes SDGs as "sprawling and misconceived, [] unfeasibly expensive" costing US$2 trillion to $3 trillion per year and are impossible to realize. In fact, many say the SDGs are utopian and ambitious.

A year before the pandemic, the lack of global commitment to SDGs was beginning to be felt, particularly in terms of advocacy and media communication. A World Bank study (2019) showed that 31 percent of its "knowledge products", which include recommendations for the SDG action plan, had never been downloaded and 87 percent had never been cited.

In a 2018 report titled "How the Indonesian Media Deals With SDGs", University of Indonesia (UI) lecturer Irwansyah claims that not all SDGs are understood by the local media and only a few are framed based on public policy concerns. He concludes that the Indonesian media is not well informed about SDGs and the goals are not considered an interesting news topic.

Today, the media is more interested in political issues, especially in the time of COVID-19. SDGs have disappeared from the news, overshadowed by coronavirus headlines.

Looking at the performance of Asia-Pacific countries over the last five years, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) reported that in line with the current trajectory, the region will not achieve any of the 17 SDGs by 2030. Progress exists but at a sluggish pace, with efforts to meet over a half of the goals stagnating or even moving to the opposite direction.

In Indonesia, not all provinces have regional action plans to meet SDGs, let alone include them in their middle and long-term development plan. At the national level, some targets have not even been determined.

Based on monitoring conducted by the SDGs Center of Padjadjaran University, progress had been made up 2018 in achieving SDG target indicators. The SDG target score increased in 28 out of 34 provinces that year.

The arrival of COVID-19 has surely slowed down the countrys bid to meet its SDG targets. Almost all goals will be directly or indirectly affected, given that each goal does not stand alone but is interconnected with another. The UN SDGs report 2020 stated that now due to COVID -19 crisis, efforts to achieve the coals are even more challenging.

COVID-19 is impacting health, the economy, education, poverty alleviation, gender equality, the environment, climate change and other issues to be addressed under the SDG agenda. A quick simulation by Andi Sumner et al. (2020) in 138 developing countries and 26 developed countries shows that even in a moderate scenario, COVID-19 has added a poor population of 85 million people. While SMERU Research Institute found about 8.5 million Indonesians would plunge into poverty due to the pandemic.

The delay in achieving SDGs is unavoidable as states have reallocated their budgets to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. A study by the United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNDESA) shows there has been a change in the quality of the environment amid COVID-19, but it may not last long as large-scale recovery measures post-pandemic may warm the planet again.

The role of nonstate actors such as the private sector is difficult to predict, given that the pandemic has severely affected businesses.

The pandemic, however, is not an excuse to stop efforts to achieve SDG targets by 2030. COVID-19 is instead offering opportunities for us to do more to fulfill the goals. For one, the health crisis has taught us how to live a healthy life, to care for and share with others  the renewed mindset we need the most to achieve SDG targets.

The pandemic has also proven that everybody is equal. COVID-19 affects the young and old, poor and rich, men and women; the pandemic has put us all on the same boat.

Other blessings in disguise of this pandemic are the rise of global cooperation and strengthening of science-based decision-making, both of which provide an ideal opportunity for states to achieve their SDG targets.

The question is: How can we maintain this momentum? First, it is important for all actors to improve the communication strategy of SDGs and step up their campaigns. Second, there is a need to reset national and regional SDG targets for all indicators. Third, identify the right policies and suggestions needed to achieve the SDGs. This will require the government to determine the level of urgency, with priority given to the low-hanging fruit. Fourth, renew political will and commitment.

Fifth, develop knowledge, capacity and innovation to implement SDGs. Sixth, seek more funding sources for SDGs through partnerships, philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and synchronization of a national SDGs financing hub and the SDG Indonesia One platform.

***

The writer is director of the SDGs Center at Padjadjaran University, Bandung, West Java.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
In another twist to the ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan, rebel Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma from the Sachin Pilot camp, filed a plea in the Rajasthan High Court seeking the transfer of investigation of the case with reference to the audio tapes case released by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's camp that hinted at an alleged conspiracy to topple the Gehlot government, to the National Investigation Agency from the Special Operations Group, which is presently probing the case.

Sharma on Tuesday moved the court demanding the transfer of the investigation to the NIA from the SOG of the Rajasthan Police, the current agency investigating the case.

The SOG had registered an FIR against Sharma on July 17 for sedition (124 A) and criminal conspiracy (120 B) under the Indian Penal Code on a complaint filed by Congress Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi.

The SOG team has been frequently searching Haryana hotels for the accused MLAs to take their voice samples.

The complaint was filed after three audio tapes emerged in one of which purportedly Sharma's voice is heard while speaking to Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat while planning to topple the Gehlot government through horse-trading.
The F4 Phantoms on the USS Forrestal were participating in air raids during the Vietnam War.

As the crew of the Forrestal prepared for more raids, disaster struck.

Jets were lined up on the carrier  wing-to-wing, armed and fueled - when a Zuni rocket fired from an F-4B Phantom and struck the external fuel tank of an A-4 Skyhawk.

Edwin Q. White of the Associated Press wrote, Flames raced across the flight deck. Bombs, rockets and other fuel tanks exploded. Fire dipped down to the cavernous hangar deck, where ammunition, rockets and bombs were being readied for the next strike.

Sailors and airmen toiled to save the ship. They pushed burning planes over the side and rolled endangered bombs into the sea.

It was July 29, 1967 when 134 men aboard the Forrestal off the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin died.

Naval planes burn aboard the USS Forrestal in the Tonkin Gulf off the coast Vietnam, July 29, 1967, after an F-4 Phantom accidentally fired a zuni rocket into an A-4 Skyhawk which caused massive explosions on the aft end of the flight deck. This tragic accidental launch damaged the aircraft and claimed the lives of 134 crewmen. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS

The rocket had hit a Skyhawk parked on the deck and piloted by John McCain, the late senator from Arizona.

As the rocket continued on its path it struck an external fuel tank.

Hundreds of gallons of jet fuel were spilled.

The jet caught fire and the fire spread on the deck, engulfing several other aircraft and detonating first a 1,000-pound bomb and then another bomb.

From history.com, A chain reaction of explosions blew holes in the flight deck and had half the large ship on fire at one point. Many pilots were trapped in their planes as the fire spread. It took a full day before the fires could be fully contained.

Hundreds of sailors were seriously injured and 134 lost their lives in the devastating fire. Twenty planes were destroyed. It was the worst loss of a life on a U.S. Navy ship since World War II. Temporary repairs were made to the ship in the Philippines before the Forrestal headed back to Norfolk, Virginia. It was repaired and put back into service the following April, but never returned to Vietnam.

According to the U.S. Navy website, another pilot, Lt. Cmdr. Robert Bo Browning, was in the cockpit of his Skyhawk when the fire started. Browning also escaped from his plane. He said that he saw fire-fighting teams running into the fire just before the bomb cooked off. He said each of those men were a hero of the first magnitude.

Another 161 sailors were injured.

The Associated Press reported that some of the crew escaped the flames by jumping into the ocean.

McCain, who died Aug. 25, 2018, survived the fire but in October of the same year was shot down over Hanoi, seriously injured and captured by the North Vietnamese. He was a prisoner of war until 1973. He retired from the Navy in 1981 and in 1982 was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1987 he was elected to the U.S. Senate and was re-elected five times.

McCain ran for the GOP nomination for president in 2000 but lost to George W. Bush. He received the GOP nod in 2008 but lost the general election to Barack Obama.

The USS Forrestal with burning planes on deck, is shown in this 1967 file photo. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS

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The acting chief of the Park Police on Tuesday defended federal law enforcement agents clearing protesters from outside the White House last month just before President Trump walked through the area for a photo op at St. Johns Episcopal Church.

Chief Gregory Monahan said that while he was aware Trump was scheduled to walk through Lafayette Square on June 1, the decision to clear protesters from the park was unrelated to the presidents visit less than a half hour later and was not ordered by the White House.

We were notified earlier in the day that the president was going to visit Lafayette Park to view the damage that was done to the park over the course of the preceding days, but we were not given a time on when he was visiting, Chief Gregory Monahan said during testimony to a House Natural Resources Committee hearing.

There is 100 percent zero correlation between our operation and the presidents visit to the church, he added.

The largely peaceful protest in front of the White House was forcefully dispersed by law enforcement minutes before Trump walked over to St. Johns, which protesters had set fire to the previous night. Viral video footage of federal officers including Park Police aggressively pushing protesters back from the area sparked criticism and speculation about whether their First Amendment rights had been violated.

Monahan said the videos of the incident did not show previous violence against law enforcement and one of the most violent protests he has ever encountered in his decades as a law enforcement officer. Officers used tremendous restraint in clearing the demonstrators from the area, he said.

The use of force that we utilized was in direct correlation to the level of violence that we were subjected to and was in line with our policies and procedures, the Park Police chief said.

Attorney General William Barr defended the decision several days after it occurred, saying the group was becoming increasingly unruly and had been asked to move three times.

Story continues

Barr added that he was unaware of Trumps plans to walk to St. Johns until later in the day, after our plans were well underway to move the perimeter so there was no correlation between the two events.

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First Ares Armoured Vehicles Delivered to the Army

UK Army

Named for the ancient Greek god of war, Ares delivers a step-change in the British Army's battlefield capability. Last week, the first six vehicles were delivered to the Household Cavalry Regiment at Bulford, Wiltshire.

27 July 2020

Ares, and the other variants in the Ajax family of armoured vehicles, will replace the Army's Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) vehicles which have been the mainstay of armoured reconnaissance for almost fifty years.

CVR(T) has proved itself on the battlefield in the Falklands and the in the deserts of the Middle East, but now requires a replacement to maintain the Army's position as a top tier performer and to match the needs of the twenty-first century.

The Ajax family consists of Ares a troop-carrying reconnaissance vehicle, Ajax armed with a formidable 40mm cannon, support variants Apollo and Atlas, a command and control variant Athena, and an engineer variant  Argus.

Ares, part of the Ajax family of armoured vehicles, is being built by General Dynamics in Merthyr Tydfil, bringing hundreds of jobs and wider opportunities to Wales. The vehicles will give the Army's Armoured Infantry and Strike Brigades a critical advantage over any likely opponent, through a combination of the latest technology, exemplary levels of crew protection, and, of course, our world-class professional soldiers.

Colonel Justin Kingsford, the Ajax Programme Director said: 'This is an exciting moment for the Army. The delivery of ARES this week is an important step on our journey to give the Army an amazing state of the art, world beating Armoured Fighting Vehicle'

Describing the vehicle in greater depth, he went on to say:

'Ajax will allow us to manage battlespace information faster from a modern digitised platform, with increased lethality through the new 40mm cannon. Better mobility, alongside enhanced protection levels and increased reliability underline the transformational nature of the capability. A comprehensive simulated training suite supports this fleet and ensures we invest fully in our crews to get the very best of this capability.'

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Sumi Sukanya Dutta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: One of the greatest puzzles of the Covid-19 pandemic in India so far is the consistently high case fatality rate (CFR) in Gujarat, a state not particularly known for weak health systems as compared to many other northern and eastern states.

The state has a CFR of 4.09% and what has intrigued many is that the western state has maintained the highest CFR in India almost consistently since the beginning of the pandemic, except for a brief spell initially when West Bengal was at the top.

The average CFR of the country on the other hand, which has been improving steadily, now stands at 2.23%.

Maharashtra, the worst-hit Indian state in the pandemic has a CFR of 3.6% while Tamil Nadu with the second-highest caseload has a CFR of 1.6% only.

When it comes to total confirmed Covid-19 cases, Gujarat stands at number 8 with 57,982 cases. With 2,372 confirmed fatalities, the state is followed by Maharashtra, Delhi, and Tamil Nadu, each of which has at least 2.5 times or more confirmed cases than Gujarat when it comes to recorded deaths.

Within the state, Ahmadabad has the highest number of confirmed cases at 26,032 and has witnessed 1,583 deaths so far taking the citys CFR to a little above 6% while the second worst-hit city with 12,223 cases and 379 deaths fares much better in comparison with a CFR of around 3%.

The reasons being attributed to the high proportion of the deaths in the western state include late detection of cases, low testing rate, high burden of non-communicable diseases.

But even the governments at the state and the Centre seem to be struggling to find a definitive answer.

Earlier this month, the Centre had dispatched a four-member team led by Niti Aayog member (health) Dr V K Paul who also heads the country's top advisory task force on Covid-19 to the state to advise it on how to reduce the worrying infection fatalities.

It's only a few districts such as Aravalli, Patan, Porbandar, and Ahmadabad, whose high CFRs are raising the CFR for the whole state, a senior official in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told this newspaper.

When contacted for her comments, Union health secretary Preeti Sudan said Gujarat is working to reduce its Covid-19 CFR.

Some public health experts in the state said that they too are at a loss of exact explanation for the high Covid-19 fatalities in Gujarat and in the absence of a concrete answerthere are some theories doing the rounds.

It includes a high burden of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes which considerably increase the risk of mortality in those infected and the possibility of a more virulent strain of SARS CoV 2 prevalent in the region.

Then, there is very high penetration of the private sector in the state which means that a large number of people with mild infections may not be getting documented as they simply consult family physicians and get cured, said Dr. Bhavesh Modi, a community medicine specialist at GMERS medical college, Gandhinagar.

He also pointed out that the H1N1 flu outbreak in 2009 had also caused a significantly higher mortality in the western India  mainly Gujarat and Maharashtra  a phenomenon that has not been properly explained even a decade later.

Public health researcher Dr Oommen John, on the other hand, reckoned that the high CFR could be a reflection of the demand on the health systems, when there are a large number of people requiring high dependency care and they don't get it as early intervention.

All other things being equal this looks like a plausible reason unless a large number of those who are infected in Gujarat are at high risk with co-morbidities or are elderly, he said.
According to finance executives at Saitama Rakuten International, Walmart Inc. has invited suitors to submit second-round bids for its U.K. grocery unit Asda by early September, as it pushes ahead with its resurrected sale of the business.

"Private equity firms who are considering binding offers before the deadline include Apollo Global Management Inc., Lone Star Funds and TDR Capital," said Son Jun-Ho, Research Director at Saitama Rakuten International. "Asda should get around $10 billion in the sale with other potential buyers still to emerge," he added.

Apollo, Lone Star and TDR all offered bids for Asda earlier this year and were then invited to enter the second round of bidding, according to analysts at Saitama Rakuten International. Walmart then shelved the process a few weeks later to concentrate on running the business in the face of overwhelming demand from customers stockpiling for the Covid-19 lockdown.

Last week, Walmart announced it was reviving its intended sale of Asda, which it has sought to offload for the previous two years. It reached an agreement with competing supermarket chain J Sainsbury Plc in 2018, only to see the U.K. antitrust authorities block the proposed 7.3 billion-pound ($9.4 billion) deal.

Research analysts at Saitama Rakuten International also reported "Asda's comparable sales climbed 3.5% in the three months through March. They added "Due to the increased customer demand, it was receiving 3,500 visits to its website every minute in the week starting March 18."

Asda is among the top three supermarkets in the U.K., claiming an estimated 15% of the market. In recent years, it has faced aggressive competition from discount chains, predominantly Aldi and Lidl from Germany.

About Saitama Rakuten International

Saitama Rakuten International is a comprehensive wealth management company based in Tokyo, with assets of more than US$7.7 billion. The company provides a wide array of retail products and services including independent estate and wealth planning, advisory discretionary portfolio management services and stockbroker solutions.

For more information, please visit: www.sribrokerage.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005706/en/

Contacts:

Son Jun-Ho, Research Director

son.junho@sribrokerage.com

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 21:58:41|Editor: huaxia

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People wait in line to take COVID-19 test at a health centre in Hyderabad, India, on July 29, 2020. India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 1.5 million-mark on Wednesday, reaching 1,531,669, announced the federal health ministry. (Str/Xinhua)

By Pankaj Yadav

NEW DELHI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 1.5 million-mark on Wednesday, reaching 1,531,669, announced the federal health ministry.

The ministry said 768 new deaths due to COVID-19, besides fresh 48,513 positive cases, were reported during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 34,193 and total cases to 1,531,669.

"As on 8:00 a.m. (local time) Wednesday, 34,193 deaths related to novel coronavirus have been recorded in the country," read the information released by the ministry.

On Tuesday morning the number of COVID-19 cases in the country was 1,483,156, and the death toll stood at 33,425.

According to ministry officials, so far 988,029 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement.

"The number of active cases in the country right now is 509,447," read the information.

According to a statement by the federal health ministry, coordinated implementation of "Test Track Treat" strategy by the Union and State Governments has effectively ensured that the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) is maintained at a low level when compared to the global scenario, and it has been progressively falling.

Presently the CFR stands at 2.23 percent and it is the lowest since April 1, it added.

The federal government is presently focusing on ramping up the number of tests carried out every day.

As per the figures of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), for the past three days the total number of samples tested is over 500,000 per day. Only on Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that this would be increased to 1 million tests per day in the coming weeks.

Till Tuesday as many as 17,743,740 COVID-19 tests could be conducted, with 4,08,855 samples tested on July 28 alone.

Two days ago, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated three new testing labs which would help in increasing the number of tests by around 10,000 in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

In the wake of prevailing COVID-19 conditions, the Indian government has decided to extend the existing restrictions on limited domestic flight operations and caps on air fares till November 24.

Currently, domestic flight operations are allowed to function at 45 percent of their total capacity.

Meanwhile, the country's capital city of Delhi has shown a significant improvement in controlling the virus spread. Compared to the situation in June, there has been a decline in the number of COVID-9 deaths. In June, around 100 COVID-19 patients used to die every day, but now it has come down to around 20 per day.

Earlier (in June), for every 100 persons tested for COVID-19 around 35 used to test positive, and this has come down to 5 percent now, according to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

In the second week of June, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had expressed fears that the capital city would have more than 550,000 cases by July-end. But there has been a complete turnaround, thanks to the concerted efforts of both the Delhi and the centre governments. Enditem
Rajasthan Joshis petition argued that the high court, which agreed to examine the constitutional validity of a provision in the anti-defection law, amounted to gross judicial indiscipline and judicial impropriety since a Constitution Bench of the top court had already given its ruling way back in 1992. The high court, Joshi argued, could not act as a appellate court over the correctness of the decision by the top court.

Joshi also cited verdicts by the top court to argue that there was no question of the high court entertaining the joint petition filed by 19 Congress lawmakers led by Sachin Pilot because only the final decision of the speaker is amenable to judicial review on limited grounds.

The high court had, however, stopped speaker CP Joshi from taking any action on the disqualification notices that he had issued to the 19 lawmakers on a complaint from the Congress. The Congress had invoked the anti-defection law to question the conduct of the rebel lawmakers and asked the speaker to disqualify them. The rebels, who were given three days to respond, however, rushed to the high court which stayed proceedings.

The legal battle in Jaipur and national capital Delhi is the fallout of a rebellion by about 18 lawmakers led by Pilot against chief minister Ashok Gehlot. The Congress appeared to have outsmarted the rebels about a fortnight back when it moved for their disqualification. If speaker CP Joshi concurs with the ruling Congress in Rajasthan, the strength of the assembly would have declined, lowering the majority mark. This move, however, didnt succeed due to the high courts intervention.

Ashok Gehlot, who has a tenuous majority in the 200-member assembly with about 101-102 lawmakers on his side, had gone ahead to ask governor Kalraj Mishra to convene the assembly so that he could prove his majority. But Kalraj Mishra has been holding off for now, insisting that the government should give a 21-day notice for the assembly to be convened.

At one point, Mishra said he was fine with exempting the provision that requires 21-day advance notice to be given provided the Gehlot government declares in writing that he intends to face the trust vote. The Gehlot government has been reluctant to spell out the agenda of the assembly session, accusing Raj Bhavan of violating constitutional norms and not issuing the formal orders as requested by the state cabinet.
Aaron Brady's defence counsel has told jury members a manslaughter verdict is open to them if they find the shot that killed Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was a warning fired by his client.

Michael O'Higgins concluded his closing speech on behalf of the accused, who denies capital murder and robbery at Lordship Credit Union on January 25, 2013.

Addressing the jury yesterday, Mr O'Higgins criticised the garda investigation and said it was "beyond comprehension" that aspects of his client's acc-ount, which the defence says are "very significant", were never checked.

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This was simply done, he said, because the senior investigating officer, Pat Marry, "didn't believe" Mr Brady was at a diesel-laundering yard.

Mr Brady says he was moving laundered fuel waste cubes at a yard on Concession Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, for 90 minutes at the time of the robbery, and Mr O'Higgins said gardai never asked the PSNI to search that site.

Counsel told the Central Criminal Court the prosecution had come to court with a "highly sculpted" and "editorialised" case against his client.

Mr O'Higgins said it is the defence case that Mr Brady was not at the credit union at the time of the robbery, and therefore was not involved in the crime.

He added that if the jury do find he was one of the robbers, they have a number of verdicts open to them, including capital murder, murder and manslaughter.

He said they can also find him guilty of robbery but not guilty in relation to the death of Det Gda Donohoe.

He pointed to the evidence of Det Gda Joe Ryan, who said the man with the shotgun was around six-foot-one. Mr Brady, he said, has been measured at five-foot-seven to five-foot-nine.

The jury were also told they had to be sure beyond reasonable doubt that the gunman knew or was reckless to the fact that Mr Donohoe was a garda acting in the course of his duty at the time in relation to capital murder.

Mr O'Higgins said Det Gda Ryan's evidence was that the robbers shouted at him "Give me the f**king money" and asked if this was consistent with them knowing they were guards.

In relation to a manslaughter verdict, he said CCTV footage shows the man with the shotgun recoil, suggesting someone inexperienced with a firearm.

He said if the jury found it was a warning shot, then that, while reprehensible, results in an unlawful killing or manslaughter, not murder.

Mr O'Higgins described the circumstantial prosecution case as "smoke and mirrors", adding: "There is smoke, but where is the fire?"

He asked the jury to stress test the arguments made by the defence.

Mr O'Higgins also asked the jury if the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

"In my respectful submiss- ion, it has not," he said.

Mr Justice Michael White then began his charge to the jury.

Accidental

He said that in relation to the shot being a warning shot or an accidental discharge, it was open to the jury to find, if intention to kill or cause serious harm is not proved, that the correct verdict would be manslaughter.

He added that, in his view, it would be unusual, but this was only his opinion and it was a matter for the jury.

Yesterday was the 112th day of the trial, with evidence being heard in front of the jury over 66 days.

In total, 132 witnesses were called by the prosecution, with many giving evidence over several days or being recalled, while the defence called seven witnesses.

Mr Justice Michael White's charge will continue today.
Made for PBSs Frontline, this documentary series examines the sorry state of the US and the events that have propelled the country to its current, bitterly polarised place. Written by Michael Kirk and Mike Wiser and directed by Kirk, the two-part production examines "a decade of division defined by Barack Obama and Donald Trump". Each dense and detailed episode runs just under two hours, the first focusing on Obama and the second on Trump.

Although its punctuated by news footage and evocative black-and-white photos of the leaders, the chronology resembles a procession of talking heads. High-level political advisors and presidential staff, journalists, broadcasters and authors analyse events and offer opinions on how they were received in the White House and by the country.

America's Great Divide Credit:SBS

As if in recognition that a succession of interview excerpts might become monotonous, the producers periodically insert night-time aerial shots of cars travelling along intersecting freeways. I dont know why this was seen as an appropriate motif, but it does provide a welcome break.

The first episode opens with Obamas attention-grabbing 2004 keynote speech to the Democratic convention and ends with his final State of the Union address in 2016. In between, it charts the challenges of his presidency. He inherited an ailing economy and a simmering society. There was anger that the banks weathered the Global Financial Crisis aided by trillions of dollars of government money while workers lost their jobs and their homes.
The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation ( HSBC), the UK's biggest bank, dominates the Hong Kong skyline.

The Norman Foster-designed headquarters of the 100billion colossus sits at the heart of the frenetic Central district, symbolising HSBC's status as the most powerful financial group in Asia.

With a significant presence in China, it has found itself between a rock and a hard place over the past year in the escalating war of words between China and the US.

Imposing: HSBC's Norman Foster-designed headquarters sits at the heart of Hong Kong's frenetic Central district

That position is unlikely to get any easier following the UK decision to ban Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from any involvement in the UK's 5G infrastructure, a blow to fraught Sino-British relations.

But HSBC has made its allegiance clear as, in recent weeks, Boris Johnson's Government has flexed its muscles in defence of Hong Kong after China imposed a draconian security law on the former territory.

HSBC supported the People's Republic's authoritarian regime, with a statement by Peter Wong, the bank's Hong Kong-based chief executive for the Asia-Pacific region.

The principle of 'one country, two systems' in the deal signed between China and Britain before the Union flag was lowered over the territory in 1997, permitted freedoms unknown on the Chinese mainland.

It was designed to preserve the democratic, legal and regulatory framework which has allowed Hong Kong to prosper and develop as Asia's most important financial hub.

Until now China has ruthlessly exploited the trust in Hong Kong conferred by its special status. It has used it to raise hundreds of billions, if not trillions, in US dollars by effectively privatising many of its largest and most successful companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

HSBC's kowtow to Beijing has aroused high passions in London and Washington. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab denounced the bank in the House of Commons while the US passed laws allowing sanctions on any Western bank providing services to Chinese officials responsible for the clampdown in Hong Kong.

And if anything should give pause to HSBC's directors at its headquarters at London's Canary Wharf it should be this: in 2012 after a Congressional investigation, it was fined 1.5billion by US authorities after settling charges of money laundering for Mexican drug kingpins and sanctions-busting in the Middle East. HSBC was placed on notice that it could lose its American licence. That would seriously threaten operations. The bank operates the main monetary artery which connects Hong Kong to investors and commerce in New York. In 2019, some 8trillion was pumped through this channel with nine of the ten largest Chinese banks using HSBC's systems.

However, British chairman Mark Tucker is betting that there are limits to the amount of self-harm that London or Washington are willing to deliver to their own financial systems and to trade in defence of political freedoms in Hong Kong.

He is doubling down on China. In my conversations with Tucker, he vehemently makes the point that politics have changed in Hong Kong and China down the ages but HSBC has survived and prospered.

The bank started out as the financial arm of the Peninsular & Oriental shipping company (P&O). It has been established in Hong Kong since 1865, a period covering opium wars, the rise of communism, Mao's long march and President Nixon's diplomatic overtures to the People's Republic in 1971. Its skill in navigating the tides of history has imbued the bank with a sense of invulnerability.

With the political battle over the UK's relationship with China at boiling point over the role of Huawei, HSBC is deter - mined to push ahead with its China strategy, in defiance of Downing Street, the Commons and at least one top shareholder, the insurer Aviva.

Early this month the bank announced that it is hiring 100 more 'wealth managers' as a part of a push into the mainland. Such expansion, when the bank is cutting 35,000 jobs around the world, will alarm China hawks in London and Washington.

It is understandable that with so much economic value  up to 90 per cent of its revenues come from Hong Kong and Asia HSBC feels it has no choice but to operate under the beady eye of Beijing and its security services.

But when it expressed obeisance to an invasive, undemocratic security law, it overstepped the mark.

Big companies often have to live with hostile regimes but generally are careful not to directly become involved in politics. By siding with China, which has an appalling human rights record, HSBC has done itself enormous damage in Westminster and the City.
Residents living near Foyle Port where a significant fire broke out in a grain store on Wednesday morning say they were terrified as they watched the flames and thick, black smoke spiral into the air.

Geraldine Devine who witnessed the blaze from her home in the Clonmeen Drive area of Strathfoyle said they were saved from the effects of smoke inhalation by the way the wind was blowing.

The Fire Service were alerted to the blaze shortly before 11am on Tuesday morning when a total of 12 appliances and 46 firefighters helped bring the fire under control.

Around 150 civil service workers were evacuated from the Department for Communities building close to the site, however residents were not asked to leave their homes.

Ms Devine said: "I looked out the window and could see the black, black smoke rising into the air and then the flame shooting up so I knew it was something really bad.

"I knew we were not in immediate danger because of the way the wind was blowing but it was terrifying to watch and we were worried in case the wind did change direction.

"I knew to close our windows and not go outside but my main concern was what was burning and I was afraid it was something that could have exploded or it was something toxic. I have heard since that is was a grain shed and thankfully the fire service were here quickly and brought it under control."

Expand Close Smoke rises over Foyle Port at Strathfoyle outside Derry where a large fire is being tackled by the Fire Service. Picture Martin McKeown. 29.07.20 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Smoke rises over Foyle Port at Strathfoyle outside Derry where a large fire is being tackled by the Fire Service. Picture Martin McKeown. 29.07.20

Paul Hughes from the Enagh Youth Forum based in Strathfoyle said the fire highlights concerns residents have raised on many occasions about the effect of living surrounded by industry on their health and safety which was the subject of a study carried out by Ben Cave and Associates Ltd, commissioned by the former Derry City Council.

He said: "From the local community's perspective our biggest concern is that this is not the first time there has been a fire in that store over the past few years, albeit there has never been a fire on this scale before.

"We would appeal to Foyle Port and Derry and Strabane Council to explore the recommendations that were outlined in the Ben Cave Health Impact Study of 2015 which looked at emergency procedures and evacuations around fire.

"We have raised concerns before about pollution and emissions from existing industry in this area and a fire like this will only add to it.

"Visibility here for the first few hours of this fire was very poor and even when we arrived here at the scene, the smoke was so thick we had to move away.

"Luckily enough the wind is taking the smoke away from the houses but had that not been the case we would have been looking at a major residential evacuation of a couple of hundred people."

Alliance Party councillor, Rachel Ferguson, who is also a Commissioner at the Foyle Port and Harbour, said: "I live close by and as soon as I saw the billowing smoke and I could see where it was coming from.

"When I arrived on scene I was made aware it was at the Port and I was informed by the CEO of Foyle Port, Brian McGrath that the Fire Service is dealing with the situation.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Smoke rises over Foyle Port at Strathfoyle outside Derry where a large fire is being tackled by the Fire Service. Picture Martin McKeown. 29.07.20 Fire crews at the scene of a large fire at Foyle Port outside Derry. Picture Martin McKeown. 29.07.20 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Smoke rises over Foyle Port at Strathfoyle outside Derry where a large fire is being tackled by the Fire Service. Picture Martin McKeown. 29.07.20

"The fire was in one of our sheds and was brought under control by the Fire Service.

"All staff as far as I am aware were evacuated from the site and we continue to work with the NIFS to establish the cause."
A new blood test could detect Alzheimer's disease even before symptoms appear, studies suggest.

Scientists on Tuesday reported results of multiple studies on advances in blood tests for a specific form of protein - p-tau217 - which spikes in people carrying the illness.

Changes in brain proteins amyloid and tau, and their formation into clumps known as plaques and tangles respectively, are defining physical features of Alzheimers disease in the brain.

Presenting the findings at the Alzheimers Association International Conference 2020, researchers studying three different cohorts of more than 1,400 cases said that blood p-tau217 could help distinguish Alzheimers from other neurodegenerative disorders with diagnostic accuracy between 89-98 per cent.

The researchers were led by Dr Oskar Hansson, from Lund University in Sweden, who said the test "opens the possibility of early diagnosis of Alzheimers before the dementia stage".

The team estimated the test may be able to detect changes in the brain 20 years before dementia symptoms occur.

Currently, scans and tests of spinal fluid are the only ways to detect the brain changes that occur before Alzheimers symptoms appear. But these methods are expensive and invasive.

Early diagnosis is important because it could translate into more opportunities to treat the disease and help determine whether a drug can hold it off before it does too much damage to the brain.

Alzheimer's causes memory loss and damages other cognitive abilities by destroying connections between nerve cells in the brain when proteins build up in the brain and cause these cells to die.

Changes in brain proteins amyloid and tau, and their formation into clumps known as plaques and tangles respectively, are defining physical features of Alzheimers disease in the brain / Shutterstock

Another research team at Washington University School of Medicine meanwhile found that looking at p-tau217 in the blood gave as good a picture of a patient's condition as a brain (PET) scan.

The scientists were able to observe elevated levels of the p-tau217 protein in as little as 4ml of blood.

The researchers had suspected that p-tau217 might also be present in the blood of Alzheimers patients, albeit at very low levels that would make it difficult to detect.

Randall Bateman, professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, said: We therefore wanted to quantify the levels of different tau proteins, especially p-tau217, in the blood and compare them with amyloid pathology and onset of dementia to assess their potential as blood-based Alzheimers disease biomarkers.

Dr Bateman, Nicolas Barthelemy and colleagues found that p-tau217 accumulates in the cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimers patients before the onset of cognitive symptoms.

It increases with disease progression, and can accurately predict the formation of amyloid plaques, according to the study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

Dr Bateman said: Our findings support the idea that tau isoforms in the blood are potentially useful for detecting and diagnosing Alzheimers disease pathology.

Moreover, our assay for measuring plasma tau levels could be used as a highly sensitive screening tool to identify tau changes associated with amyloid plaque formation in normal subjects, replacing costly PET imaging.

Commenting on the developments, Dr Amanda Heslegrave, a senior research fellow at the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, told the BBC the findings were great news for research.

But she added but added that "while these are exciting results, you could not say that they indicate a definitive test for potential Alzheimer's disease is available right now".
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Sen. Rob Portman on Wednesday urged Congress to come to an agreement on the federal unemployment insurance supplement, telling CNBC that a solution needs to be in place this week.

"If we do nothing because we end up in a partisan gridlock here and both sides go to their corners, the people who get hurt are the workers because the $600 will end," the Ohio Republican said on "Squawk Box." "There's a cliff, and we can't let that happen so we need to do something before Friday."

In their roughly $1 trillion coronavirus relief plan released Monday, Senate Republicans proposed a reduced benefit of $200 a week through September. The GOP plan then proposes to replace it with a different formula that would cap total state and federal unemployment benefits at 70% of lost wages.

The $600-per-week boost  on top of state-level benefits  is technically on the books until Friday. But because of a technicality with unemployment programs, states have stopped paying it out to the millions of Americans receiving jobless benefits.

Republicans contend the $600 weekly benefit, which was instituted as part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed in March, can act as a deterrent for some workers to return to the job because they might make more on unemployment insurance than before the pandemic.

Democrats in Washington want to extend the $600 benefit at least into next year, arguing the assistance is still necessary to help laid-off workers weather perhaps the worst economic crisis in the U.S. since the Great Depression.

Portman's comments Wednesday came shortly after a new CNBC/Change Research poll of voters in six swing states found that 62% of respondents were in favor of extending the $600-per-week federal unemployment insurance.

Portman, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, said he felt "very strongly" about the need for congressional action this week on the unemployment enhancement

"We cannot allow us to go through a period where there is no employment insurance going out to people. Six hundred dollars to zero is not a good option," Portman said. "But again, there are practical solutions here."
China on Wednesday expressed its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to smears against China on a series of issues by the U.S. and Australia, and has lodged solemn representations with them, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry said at a press briefing.

Wang's remarks came after the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper met with their Australian counterparts during the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations.

China has lodged solemn representation to the U.S. and Australia, said Wang, urging them to handle related issues with a proper attitude.

We urge the U.S. and Australia to stop interfering in China's internal affairs and stop actions that harm China's interests, said Wang, hoping the two countries can create favorable conditions for the development of their bilateral ties with China and contribute more to regional peace, stability and development.

A spokesperson at the Chinese Embassy in Australia on Wednesday also firmly rejected and opposed the unfounded accusations and attacks against China on issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea made in the recent Joint Statement of Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations.

"Their assertions, in disregard of basic facts, violated international law and basic norms governing international relations and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs," the spokesperson said in a statement.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

TORONTO, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adventus Mining Corporation (Adventus or the Company) (TSX-V: ADZN) has today entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters co-led by Raymond James Ltd., Haywood Securities Inc., and National Bank Financial Inc. (the "Underwriters") pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a "bought deal" basis, 27,559,100 common shares of the Company (the "Shares") at a price of C$1.27 per Share (the "Offering Price"), representing total gross proceeds of C$35,000,057 (the "Offering").



In addition, the Company has granted the Underwriters an option (the "Underwriters' Option"), exercisable in whole or in part, for a period of up to 30 days after the closing date of the Offering, to purchase up to 4,133,865 additional Shares at the Offering Price. In the event that the Underwriters' Option is exercised in its entirety, the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering will be C$40,250,066.

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company to fund exploration and development activities at the Curipamba project, including the completion of a feasibility study for the El Domo copper-gold deposit, exploration activities at the Pijili and Santiago projects, and general administration and corporate purposes.

The Shares will be offered by way of short form prospectus in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador, pursuant to National Instrument 44-101  Short Form Prospectus Distributions. The Shares will not be offered or sold in the United States except under Rule 144A, Rule 506(b) of Regulation D or in such other manner as to not require registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Closing is expected to occur on or about August 14, 2020 and is subject to regulatory approval including that of the TSX Venture Exchange and the applicable securities regulatory authorities.

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This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the Shares in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Shares have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements.

About Adventus

Adventus Mining Corporation (ADZN.TSXV) is a unique copper-gold exploration and development company, focused primarily in Ecuador. Its strategic shareholders include Altius Minerals Corporation, Greenstone Resources LP, Resource Capital Funds, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp., and the Nobis Group of Ecuador. Adventus is leading the exploration and engineering advancement of the Curipamba copper-gold project in Ecuador as part of an earn-in agreement to obtain a 75% ownership interest. In addition, Adventus is engaged in a country-wide exploration alliance with its partners in Ecuador, which has incorporated the Pijili and Santiago copper-gold projects to date. Adventus also controls an investment portfolio of equities in several junior exploration companies as well as exploration projects in Ireland with South32 as funding partner. Adventus is based in Toronto, Canada, and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ADZN.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This press release contains "forward -looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "pending", "intends", "plans", "forecasts", "targets", or "hopes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "will", "should" "might", "will be taken", or "occur" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking information herein includes, but is not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that Adventus expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Although Adventus has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Adventus undertakes to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

For further information from Adventus, please contact Christian Kargl-Simard, President and Chief Executive Officer, at +1-416-230-3440 or christian@adventusmining.com.
Intel Corps Chief Engineering Officer Murthy Renduchintala is departing, part of a move in which a key technology unit will be separated into five teams, the chipmaker said on Monday.

Intel said it is reorganizing its technology, systems architecture and client group. Its new leaders will report directly to Chief Executive Officer Bob Swan.

Ann Kelleher, a 24-year Intel veteran, will lead development of 7-nanometer and 5-nanometer chip technology processes. Last week, the company had said the smaller, faster 7-nanometer chipmaking technology was six months behind schedule and it would have to rely more on outside chipmakers to keep its products competitive.

Renduchintala, who was president of the wide-ranging group before its reorganization and widely seen as a No. 2 to Swan, joined Intel in 2015. He was executive vice president of Qualcomm Inc , and has been on Accentures board since April 2018.

Renduchintala was one of several key hires from outside Intel, which had been famous in Silicon Valley for developing and promoting talent from within. He was hired as part of a strategy to go after broader markets than the central processing units, or CPUs, the company became known for in the PC era.

One major effort, creating modem chips to connect smart phones to mobile data networks, ended last year. Intel sold the business to Apple for $1 billion, a fraction of what it had invested in the effort.

Renduchintala eventually took responsibly for turning around Intels process technology, which struggled with years of delay for its current 10-nanometer process. CEO Swan told investors in November that Intel was set start catching up to rivals with its 7-nanometer process in early 2021, but was forced to reverse himself last week because of the delays.

Intel said Renduchintala will depart Aug. 3.

(Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and David Gregorio)

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Armenian former President Robert Kocharyan said in an interview with three Armenian TV channels that if it were not for criminal prosecution, he would have to return to politics

After the end of my presidency, I sincerely decided to leave. Of course, I did not expect such developments. I considered it my duty to respond to the questions with which I disagreed and which had a wide public voice, I gave regular, infrequent interviews on those issues, I was not interested in the rest, I considered that I had fulfilled my mission...We tried to refute the defamatory information via the office, but then realized that with internet we either have to deal with this every day, or it is better not to do it at all, because it required too much time and resources. I considered that I had a much more interesting job to do, a desire to lead a more interesting life, than to he imprisoned and justify myself, to defend myself, he said.

The issue is not political persecution, the issue is that a policy is being pursued in the country that endangers the existence of Armenia and Artsakh in general, in this case, if there was no criminal prosecution, it is one thing, I should have returned to politics.
Hitting out at US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on Tuesday said the US always seeks selfish gains under the pretext of upholding law.

Replying to a question about Pompeo's tweet, wherein, he had said that the South Sea is not China's maritime empire, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China's policy on the South Sea remains constant.

According to a transcript of the press conference available on the website of Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang said: "Pompeo surely talked a lot about law, but as is known to all, the US always seeks selfish gains under the pretext of upholding law. Its all-time principle is to apply international law in a selective and utilitarian way."

"The US, having withdrawn from over 10 international treaties and organizations, is indeed the world's number one quitter," he said.

The fact is, he said, the country that is militarizing and stoking tensions in the South China Sea is the US, not China.

"According to media reports, in the first half of this year, US military aircraft carried out over 2,000 missions in the South China Sea. Since July 15, US military aircraft have conducted close-range reconnaissance in the South China Sea for 12 consecutive days," he said.

"Recently the US also sent two aircraft carriers to these waters while calling on its allies and partners to send warships and join it in making waves in the South China Sea. This is bad news for regional peace and stability and doesn't serve the interests of littoral countries in the region. The US must unmask its hidden agenda," added Wang.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said US aims to drive a wedge between China and ASEAN countries and stir up trouble so it has one more card to play to contain China.

"We must tell Pompeo that the South China Sea is not Hawaii; the regional countries and all peace-loving people won't stand by if several US politicians attempt to muddy the waters," he said.

In one of the strongest attack by the United States on Beijing's illegal territorial claims in the SCS, State Secretary had on Saturday stressed that Washington's policy in the region is crystal clear and said that the disputed territory in the South China Sea (SCS) is "not China's maritime empire".

"The United States' policy is crystal clear: The South China Sea is not China's maritime empire. If Beijing violates international law and free nations do nothing, history shows the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will simply take more territory. China Sea disputes must be resolved through international law," Pompeo said in a tweet.

The South China Sea is grouped into three archipelagos. China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its sovereign territory and it has aggressively asserted its stake in recent years.

This comes weeks after the United States officially dismissed China's claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea and termed Beijing's campaign of bullying to control them as "completely unlawful."

Earlier on July 13, Pompeo had issued a statement on the US position on Maritime claims in the South China Sea, saying that the Chinese government has no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the region.

Washington announced that it is aligning the US position on the Chinese government's claims in the South China sea with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal's decision.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwes government on Wednesday signed a deal with former white farmers to pay them billions of dollars in compensation roughly two decades after they lost their land in often violent invasions.

But because the government does not readily have the money, the farmers will be part of a team tasked with raising the cash.

About 4,000 farmers lost large swathes of land when Zimbabwes late leader Robert Mugabe launched the often-chaotic land reform program which he said was aimed at addressing colonial-era land inequities. White farmers had owned the majority of prime farmland. Agricultural land now belongs to the government.

According to the agreement, signed at President Emmerson Mnangagwas official residence and witnessed by representatives of the former farmers, the $3.5 billion compensation is not for the land but for infrastructure such as wells, irrigation equipment and buildings. The farmers initially wanted over $5 billion.

The full payment is expected to be done within five years. But it is unclear if the former farmers will receive the money given that Zimbabwe is financially troubled and burdened with a huge debt.

The government will borrow on international markets and the farmers will be part of a joint resource mobilization committee tasked with raising the money, according to the agreement.

Mnangagwa, who took power in 2017 after Mugabe was forced to resign, has encouraged former white farmers to apply for pieces of land.

The president said the latest developments have brought closure.
Im not a doctor, but thats what my observation is, that were not going to be able to take off the mask and go about everything we were doing seven, eight months ago for a few more months, maybe six-plus months, Pritzker said Monday at a news conference.
India must harness the potential of the $400 billion global space economy, former ISRO chairman Dr A S Kiran Kumar said.

Space economy is a 400 billion dollar market from launch vehicles, satellites, applications & services. India being one of the key players in technology, now the question is about how we can make use of it in a global economy. Also, it is to be remembered that space is also for common good, wherein countries will continue to work together at international level, Kumar said at the Mumbai-based Nehru Science Centres lockdown lecture on 'Space - An Opportunity for India'.

Touching upon a wide range of issues including space debris, he said: Like a city faces traffic issues, the space also faces similar issues. More and more satellites in orbit which are both functional and non-functional add to the space traffic issue. Space traffic management is a crucial area that requires attention since the satellites in orbit can come in the way of each other.

Thus, space debris management and monitoring plays a crucial role as many countries are becoming players. Space debris monitoring removal has estimated market revenue of around 2.7 billion dollar in the 2020s, he said.

Space mining is another area with tremendous opportunities. There are asteroids which are left over from the early days of our solar system and they have tremendous minerals in them He said there are many countries that are providing licenses to companies for doing this work. The huge amount of space materials when brought to earth can boost our ability for undertaking various activities.

Currently there are more than 2 million asteroids that pass closer to earth every year and value of the total asteroid mining related activities have been estimated at 5 trillion dollars, he said.

Space tourism is another opportunity for further exploration. There are companies selling tickets, One Way Ticket To Mars. This is a booming industry where already many multi-millionaires have travelled to space as tourists, Kumar said during the online presentation.

On farming solar power in the Cosmos, he said: The availability of solar energy or the visibility of Sun is not continuous due to earths rotation. But in space where the access to sunlight is continuous, the sunlight can be converted into various forms of energy, either by direct beaming or through other means. Thus it enables generation of tremendous amount of renewable energy.

Human beings have been conquering land, ocean and air. Today the question is of conquering the space, he said how every country in the world is exploring this space.

Today, more than 40 nations are engaged in full-fledged space activities while more than 100 nations are utilizing space systems and services. We should remember, space technology is not only for national development but also for the benefit of entire humanity, he added.
A massive fire that ignited Tuesday morning in San Francisco's Mission District and tore through multiple buildings was still burning 24 hours later, officials said.

Firefighters were soaking hot spots with water Wednesday morning to prevent flare ups at the scene of the blaze that impacted a two-block area between 13th and 14th streets and South Van Ness and Folsom.

"The San Francisco Fire Department will be on scene of this fire for an estimated two to three days," said SFFD Lt. Jonathan Baxter.

Baxter explained that two buildings collapsed on top of one another and the hot spots are within the "layers upon layers of debris."

"It's foreseeable that we'll have to do what we did with Pier 45 and bring heavy machinery out there to move the debris and get this completely extinguished," said Baxter, referring to another large conflagration at a warehouse on the bay in May.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

The Mission District fire ignited at about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday near the Central Freeway, and quickly escalated from a two-alarm fire to a five-alarm incident impacting six structures.

More than 150 firefighters battled the blaze that created tall flames and pumped out a towering cloud of black smoke.

Baxter said Wednesday morning that two buildings burned to the ground and the others were damaged. A few of these may need to be demolished, while others were moderately damaged.

Falling power lines and transformers impeded firefighting efforts and knocked out power in the area.

"PG&E equipment has been damaged by the fire and crews will begin to make repairs as soon as its safe to do so before customers can be restored," PG&E said in a statement.

One firefighter was injured and was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, before being released in the afternoon. Baxter said he is doing well.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Baxter said the department is looking into whether the Tuesday fire is linked to a mattress fire in a homeless encampment in the same area Monday night. He added rumors are spreading in social media that the fire was caused by PG&E equipment or was started near a San Francisco Sheriff's Department building are false.

"This fire didn't start near the Sheriff's Department at all," he said. "There's been talk of the PG&E transformers ... They fell as a result of this fire."

Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.
July 28, 2020

News

By C. Todd Lopez , DOD News

Defense.gov

U.S. Space Effort's Future Hinges on Private Industry

When the United States sent men to the moon in the 1960s, the effort was largely driven by the government. But the future of the U.S. space effort will be agile innovators in the private sector who partner with the government, the Space Force's chief scientist said.

"We're very much at a precipice where private investment in space is driving the technology, not necessarily government investment as it has been in the past," Dr. Joel B. Mozer said today during a virtual panel discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

The U.S. government, in its pursuit of advancements and participation in the space domain, can contribute through investments in science, technology, infrastructure and science, technology, engineering and math  or STEM  education, Mozer said, as well as through development of policies and regulations that strengthen space efforts.

Defense Department officials must have a unique perspective on space, how it can be used, and what must be done to achieve national security objectives, Mozer said.

"Firstly, it's going to shape the environment that we operate in and will evolve our mission to protect U.S. interests both here on Earth and beyond in the future," he explained. "Second, many of the technological innovations that are now coming and will continue to come from entrepreneurs and industrialists in the space business are from those entrepreneurs. We must harness those innovations for our mission to support the joint fight when we're called upon to do so."

Finally, Mozer said, those involved in the military's pursuit of space must overmatch America's strategic competitors.

"Space is now a warfighting domain," he said. "We must work with industry, as well as our allies, to protect our ability to operate in that domain and to defend our capabilities and ensure that they're there when needed as well as to ensure that the technological advantage in space goes to freedom-loving states who desire to keep space lines of commerce open for all."

In May, NewSpace New Mexico sponsored a four-day conference to discuss civil, commercial and national security space strategy. That conference produced the nearly 90-page report "State of the Space Industrial Base Report 2020."

Mozer, one of the report's authors, said 10 recommendations regarding the future of space  six for the U.S government and four for industry  were the key takeaways.

The No. 1 recommendation, Mozer said, is that the U.S. government develop and endorse a whole-of-government "North Star" vision and strategy for the industrial development of space and that a presidential task force be established to execute that strategy.

"This recommendation is particularly important, and I believe that we're getting there," Mozer said. "In recent years and months, we've seen a lot of action and direction in this direction."

As examples of progress, he cited NASA's Artemis mission, which plans to put the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024. The establishment of the Space Force is also an example of progress.

"There's a lot of thought being put into this 'North Star' vision, and we're laying some groundwork for it," he said. "However, it is still significant that this recommendation came out on top from the workshop. It tells me that we still have some work to do to describe this future vision, a vision that the nation could get behind and adopt."

The "North Star" vision must be specific about what the United States wants its future in space to look like, and U.S. officials must make sure the decisions they make now move the nation toward a future in space that Americans can aspire to and be proud of, Mozer said.

Other nations, specifically China, already have a long-term vision of the future of space and are making investments toward their own visions, he noted.

"The importance of such a vision is that it has the potential to derive national pride and to instill a culture of progress, and it highlights the value of STEM education for aspiring youth," he said. "There's lots of benefits of such a vision. The value is immense of a 'North Star' vision, and the consequences of a lack of such visual are potentially disastrous."

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New Delhi July 29 : As the Enforcement Directorate (ED) turns the heat on the liquor mafia, politicians and bureaucrats in Punjab in one of the biggest liquor scams in the country, the police and the state excise department seem to be buying time in sharing evidence with the central probe agency.

The multi-crore scam, which smells of a big time money laundering racket, is giving sleepless nights to several prominent politicians close to power.

Top sources in the ED said that Punjab Police had been asked to provide copies of FIRs, investigation findings and bank details of those involved in the liquor scam. The ED is also awaiting crucial documents to be handed over by the Punjab Excise Department, which raided distilleries and bottling plants in the past two years.

When asked about not providing the information to the ED, an official on behalf of the Principal Secretary (Excise and Taxation) told IANS, "We will respond as per rules." The scam, according to the opposition parties Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), runs into several thousand crores of rupees. SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal has said that illicit liquor trade in Punjab has robbed the state exchequer to the tune of Rs 5,600 crore.

The SAD has alleged that at least 4 MLAs of Congress and top bureaucrats are involved in the scam. Initial findings also point towards a political-bureaucrat nexus which patronised the liquor mafia in the state.

The scam was unearthed in May during the lockdown when an illegal liquor bottling plant was busted in Shambu area of Ghanaur constituency in Patiala. A Congress sarpanch, Amrik Singh, and Dipesh Kumar of Rajpura, an aide of a ruling party MLA, were booked in the matter.

A few days later, a large quantity of raw alcohol was recovered from Pabri village of Ghanaur. Similarly, an illegal distillery was also unearthed in Khanna. Several places in Ludhiana too were raided by the police.

Sources said that several distilleries, in connivance with the excise officials, were also reportedly involved in liquor smuggling. Once a truckload of liquor is smuggled out of the distilleries, the liquor mafia transports it to different parts of the country, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and even Bihar, where alcohol is prohibited.

The all-powerful mafia was able to carry on its smuggling operations even during the countrywide lockdown since March 25. SAD leaders alleged that the liquor mafia and the ruling party leaders are hand-in-glove.

Barbed with such serious allegations, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh promised to book the guilty and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to unravel the nexus which has been actively hitting the excise revenues of the state.

Meanwhile, when Chief Minister's media advisor Raveen Thukral was contacted on the non-cooperation of the state agencies with the ED, he did not respond to the IANS query.
New Delhi:

As many as 35 school buildings were set ablaze and 11 others damaged in Kashmir Valley in the last four months, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

"35 school buildings were set ablaze and 11 school buildings were damaged in Kashmir Valley since July 8 till November 11, 2016," Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said in reply to a written question.

As many as 24 persons, identified for being involved in setting the school buildings afire, have already been arrested, he said.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 00:15:38|Editor: huaxia

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JUBA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan and the UN migration agency, International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday joined forces to fight human trafficking in the east African country.

IOM said it helped the South Sudanese government set up a body to help the conflict-torn country track and respond to human trafficking.

Majak Akec Malok, Inspector General of Police, said the partnership with IOM will boost the country's efforts to combat trafficking.

Established late last year, the Technical Task Force on Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants will enable the government to respond, raise awareness and train front line actors on victim identification and participate in regional policy dialogues and evidence collection on data.

The body released its first report in Juba on Wednesday, which finds that there is widespread human trafficking ongoing in South Sudan.

The report indicates that the prevalent forms of trafficking in South Sudan are forced recruitment into armed forces and armed groups, forced marriage, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation particularly among women and children, as well as labor exploitation.

It added that human traffickers took advantage of ill-equipped government institutions to target and exploit vulnerable groups. Enditem
Australian Ninja Warrior returned this week for a new season.

And while it's already become a huge hit with fans, some disgruntled viewers have accused the series of becoming too 'overproduced' now.

One on Reddit singled out the Channel Nine show for putting too much focus on sob stories.

Divided: The new season of Australian Ninja Warrior has divided some viewers, with some enjoying the 'sob stories' on the show while others would prefer to see less of it

'Is it just me or has this show been overproduced to the point that its basically The Voice on an obstacle course?' they wrote.

'It used to be great action, now each season feels like more time is spent on building personalities and attempting to force emotional investment with peoples stories rather than focusing on the course itself,' they continued.

'Some of the people who run the course look more like Instagram influencers the producers have headhunted to build an audience rather than people whove spent a year training for the show.'

'Is it just me or has this show been overproduced to the point that its basically The Voice on an obstacle course?' One viewer criticised the series in a Reddit post

One Ninja Warrior viewer responded to the post, writing: 'They did the same thing Shark Tank... it used to be about great ideas... now it's just sob stories...'

Another added: 'The main reason I won't watch any of these shows is the sob stories, honestly, I don't give a f**k, we've all got stories to tell, just get to the singing or jumping or whatever the f**k this show is spose to be about.'

However, the feedback wasn't all negative, with many fans claiming that they love hearing powerful and inspiring personal stories from the contestants.

One Ninja Warrior viewer responded to the post, writing: 'They did the same thing Shark Tank... it used to be about great ideas... now it's just sob stories...'

After amputee Mark Daniels competed, one viewer wrote: 'A true inspiration to everyone. Well done.'

Another added: 'What a absolute inspiration he is to people losing a limb, coming to terms with that and then coming out with the determination he has, having that disadvantage!

'He shows us all how you can overcome it and not only that, but you can climb all obstacles despite lifes adversities.'

Australian Ninja Warrior is currently airing on Channel Nine.
An Arizona utility and the South Korean battery maker LG Chem Ltd. are at odds over what caused an explosion at an energy-storage facility last year that left multiple fire fighters injured.

A defective battery cell overheated, melting other nearby cells and leading to the buildup of flammable gases, Pinnacle West Capital Corp.s Arizona Public Service utility said in a report released Monday.

But LG Chem, the supplier, counters that protective measures at energy storage facilities go beyond batteries, and that newer sites now include fire suppression equipment and improved safety systems. The company is conducting its own investigation into the fire, a spokesman said by text message.

LG Chem has a different view on the cause of fire and the company will soon make an announcement on the matter, the spokesman said.

Firefighters unintentionally ignited the gases when they opened a door to the facility located near Phoenix in April 2019, according to the report, which was prepared by DNV GL for Arizona Public Service and submitted to state utility regulators.

LG Chem Investigation

Jacob Tetlow, senior vice president of operations for Arizona Public Service, said the utility stands by the findings of its report. The utility included LG Chem and other parties in the investigation and also brought in outside experts.

Seoul-based LG Chem said its investigating the incident with Exponent, a company that specializes in battery analysis, and plans to release its own report on the cause of fire.

The storage facility was assembled by Fluence Energy, a joint venture between AES Corp. and Siemens AG. Fluence worked with APS during the investigation and will incorporate the findings of the report to prevent future incidents, according to an emailed statement.

The explosion forced Arizona Public Service to halt plans to install 850 megawatts of battery storage on its grid, one of the most ambitious efforts by a U.S. utility at the time. It came after a series of fires at energy storage facilities in South Korea, a global leader in battery manufacturing and deployment. The energy storage industry has been working to address safety concerns about its equipment, which is seen as critical to helping make solar and wind power more reliable and ubiquitous.

The Arizona Public Service probe found that a fire suppression system failed to stop a faulty cell from melting other nearby cells, leading to a cascading thermal runaway. Limited space between cells, inadequate ventilation for flammable gases and a lack of proper training for emergency workers also contributed to the blast, according to the report.

Arizona Public Service will use the reports findings to establish new requirements and standards, Tetlow said.

Our intent is to be very transparent and share this widely, he said. We believe there is a lot of lessons to be learned here.

With assistance from Rob Verdonck.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Beijings Draconian Law Could See CCP Suppression at Australian Universities

Australians who discuss or protest Hong Kongs political situation could be arrested if they enter Hong Kong, under an obscure section of the draconian National Security Law Beijing imposed on the once-autonomous city.

Article 38 of the National Security Law states that offences under this law committed against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from outside the region by a person who is not a permanent resident of the region can be prosecuted.

Bing Ling, a Professor of Chinese Law at the University of Sydney, told The Age on July 1 he was worried that regardless of nationality or residency a person could be arrested if they enter Hong Kong after talking about Hong Kong independence or sanctions.

It is a heavy-handed piece of legislation, not only in terms of the conduct that it criminalises but in terms of the institutions it establishes, the powers that it confers and the scope of the jurisdiction that this law is going to have, said Bing. This is going to apply not only to Hong Kong but people outside Hong Kong.

Ling also noted that this would mean that the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central Peoples Government in Hong Kong would be able to prosecute the offences on the mainland, taking those accused into Chinas opaque and often corrupt judicial system.

The controversial new law that was imposed on July 1 and allows the CCP to imprison those convicted of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces for life if they so desire and to prosecute them in mainland China.

Are Freedoms At Risk At Aussie Universities?

There are also concerns that citizens of Hong Kong, Chinese-Australians, or even Australian academics could fall foul of the CCP and Hong Kong authorities if they participate in activities like the democracy protests that occurred at the University of Queensland in 2019, which are now classed as subversive or secessionist.

According to Austrade in 2017, there were 17,772 students enrolled in Australia from Hong Kong, and they may now be affected by this law.

University of Tasmania lecturer, Mark Harrison, told The Age on July 24 that the national security law will present difficult choices for universities about freedom of expression and their duty of care for international students. The reach of the law could motivate some universities to discourage activism by Hong Kong students, but this challenges the principles and purpose of the university as an institution.

One of Australias highest-ranking universities The Australian National University (ANU) assured The Epoch Times on July 28 that academic freedom is a core value of The Australian National University and a core principle of all our teaching and research.

But according to an ANU statement on academic freedom (pdf), said freedom is contingent upon the rights to free expression that are protected by the law of the wider community.

When asked about how ANU will keep its academics safe if they are in Hong Kong, the university stated that there were clear procedures in place for any travel destination considered to be a risk.

Determinations regarding international travel will be based on Australian Government travel advice at the time, as well as the specific circumstances in individual countries, said the university.

Hong Kong Off Limits To Queensland Activist

Hong Kong rights activist and University of Queensland (UQ) student Drew Pavlou agrees with these concerns after incurring the ire of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for organising a peaceful protest in support of Hong Kong freedom in 2019.

Speaking to The Epoch Times on July 28, Pavlou said he believed even his student activism against the genocidal Communist Party makes him a target to disappear.

Even travelling through Hong Kong airport would make me nervous, said Pavlou, noting he would definitely avoid it.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued do not travel advisory on July 7, warning Australians that under the draconian new laws they may face arbitrary detention in China and Hong Kong, possibly even if only transitting through an airport.

An estimated 200 CCP supporters turned up to Pavlous small, peaceful sit-in, assaulting Pavlou, and attacking others in the demonstration, forcing police to send a large presence to the campus.

Pavlou also explained that many of his Hong Kong friends and activists were very anxious since the national security law was imposed, saying they were choosing to go out less in public and wear more face coverings.

Pavlou has commenced legal proceedings against the Chinese Consul-General in relation to the UQ incident.

When the Chinese consulate sent covert agents to my court hearing against the consul general, Hong Kongers were scared to testify against the consul general for fear of actions under the NSL, said Pavlou.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: As many as 765 Telugu journalists on Wednesday urged the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and Bombay High Court and the Maharashtra Chief Minister to take steps for the release of ailing revolutionary writer Varavara Rao from jail on bail.

The journalists, in separate letters to the three dignitaries, reminded them that Varavara Rao, at 81, was suffering from acute ill-health and that it was the responsibility of everyone to protect him as he is an asset to the nation.

"Varavara Rao is known to everyone. He, as an editor, journalist, poet, writer and speaker, has influenced the people in the country. He brought an awareness among the people on the problems and issues that bedevilled society. He has made them question whenever the need arose. His works had been translated into several Indian languages and also into English, French, Italian and Spanish," they said.

They said that Varavara Rao, all his life, stood up for people and questioned the authorities for justice which led to him being implicated in conspiracy cases but in all cases that the government had foisted against him, he came out clean and unscathed.

"At present, he is in Taloja jail in Maharashtra in the Bhima-Koregaon case. As he has been in jail for the last 22 months, his health had deteriorated to the extent that he is not able to recognise his family members. We are shocked to learn that recently he had tested positive for COVID-19. As laws lay down that bail is the rule and jail is only an exception, his case for bail should be considered. It is the responsibility of everyone to protect him. We also urge you to release on bail Prof. Saibaba, who is 90 per cent physically challenged, from Anda Cell in Nagpur jail," they said.

The journalists who signed the letters included Telangana Media Academy chairman Allam Narayana, Indian Journalist Union editor K Srinivasa Reddy, Editors K Srinivas, Vardhelli Murali, Ankam Ravi, S Veraiah, Mutyala Prasad, Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, N Venugopal, legislators Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy and Chanti Kranthi Kiran, executive editors R.Dileep Reddy and Majid and senior journalist Pasham Yadagiri.
After months of lockdown, Chile cautiously starts to lift restrictions, while its neighbours across Latin America struggle to get a grip on the coronavirus pandemic.

The battle to contain the coronavirus pandemic is putting pressure on nations as they seek to find a balance between public health and saving economies.

After months of lockdown in Chile, the country has begun lifting restrictions in parts of the capital.

But some medical experts say the government is not following recommendations from the World Health Organization.

Al Jazeeras Lucia Newman reports from Santiago.
Maharashtra SSC Result 2020, MSBSHSE 10th results 2020, mahresult.nic.in.maharashtraeducation.com, and mahahsscboard.maharashtra.gov.in: Maharashtra Board of Secondary Education (MSBSE) has released the result of class 10 or SSC for the year 2020 on its official website mahresult.nic.in. Know where and how to check the results.

Maharashtra SSC Result 2020, MSBSHSE 10th results 2020, mahresult.nic.in: Maharashtra State Board of Secondary Education (MSBSE) will announce the Maharashtra SSC or class 10 results for the year 2020 on its official website mahresult.nic.in, maharashtraeducation.com, and mahahsscboard.maharashtra.gov.in. at 1 p.m. today. The Maharashtra SSC Result 2020 or MSBSHSE 10th results 2020 will first be announced in a press conference and will later be uploaded on the website. As per the sources, this year over 17 lakh students appeared for Maharashtra SSC exam. Also, this year one exam was cancelled by the board due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

The education minister of Maharashtra, Varsha Gaikwad, tweeted in Marathi that the board of Maharashtra is set to release the result of class 10 on July 29, 2020, at 1 p.m. She wished luck to the students who appeared in the MSBSE SSC exams 2020. Her tweet was a confirmation of todays result declaration.

Maharashtra SSC Result 2020: Check MSBSHSE 10th results 2020 online:

Go to the official website of the state board, mahresult.nic.in. Click on the link that reads Maharashtra SSC result 2020 for Class 10 result. Enter your roll number and other login credentials. Click on View Result button. Your MSBSE SSC/10th result 2020 will appear on your screen. Download and print your result for future reference.

Also read: Active job seekers confident about career progression as economy reboots: LinkedIn

Also read: SBI CBO Recruitment 2020 Notification: Online Registration begins @ sbi.co.in, check eligibility, salary, exam dates

Maharashtra SSC Result 2020: How to check MSBSHSE 10th results 2020 via SMS:

This year Maharashtra Board is providing the class 10 or SSC results to the students through SMS as well. This being done to avoid congestion on the website. As soon as the news of result declaration goes out, almost all the students start checking their results together and that makes the website collapse.

So to get the result via SMS, students just have to send an SMS to 57766, in the format mentioned below,

MH<Exam Name> <Seat Number>

Also read: Arvind Kejriwal launches portal for job-seekers in Delhi

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Cash flow increased 30% and earnings more than doubled year-over-year, as balance sheet continued to strengthen

TORONTO, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX: K, NYSE: KGC) today announced its results for the second-quarter ended June 30, 2020.



(This news release contains forward-looking information about expected future events and financial and operating performance of the Company. We refer to the risks and assumptions set out in our Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information located on page 20 of this release. All dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.)

2020 Q2 highlights:

Production 1 of 571,978 attributable gold equivalent ounces (Au eq. oz.), and sales of 584,477 Au eq. oz.

All Kinross mines continued production during the quarter , as the Companys comprehensive COVID-19 response plans mitigated operational risk and continued to help protect the health and safety of employees and host communities.

Kinross three largest producing mines Paracatu, Kupol and Tasiast delivered 63% of total production and were the lowest cost mines in the portfolio, with an average cost of sales of $596 per Au eq. oz.

Reported net earnings 2 and adjusted net earnings 3 both more than doubled to $195.7 million, or $0.16 per share, and $194.0 million, or $0.15 per share, respectively, compared with Q2 2019.

Operating cash flow of $432.8 million and adjusted operating cash flow 3 of $416.9 million, a 30% and 45% increase, respectively, compared with Q2 2019.

Production cost of sales 1,3 of $725 per Au eq. oz. and all-in sustaining cost 1, 3 of $984 per Au eq. oz. sold, both of which are within the Companys original annual 2020 guidance range.

Attributable margin per Au eq. oz. sold 4 increased 53% to $987 per Au eq. oz. compared with Q2 2019, outpacing the 31% increase in average realized gold price to $1,712 per Au oz. compared with Q2 2019.

Cash and cash equivalents of $1,527.1 million and total liquidity of $2.3 billion at June 30, 2020, as both improved quarter-over-quarter. The Company also further improved its debt metrics, including its net debt to EBITDA ratio, and has no debt maturities until September 2021.

While the Company withdrew its full-year guidance as a precautionary measure given the global uncertainties caused by the pandemic, production, cost of sales per ounce, all-in sustaining cost per ounce and capital expenditures are on track to meet Kinross original 2020 guidance.

On June 15, 2020, Kinross announced an agreement in principle with the Government of Mauritania to enhance the parties partnership.

On July 15, 2020, Kinross announced the results of the Lobo-Marte project pre-feasibility study in Chile, which added 6.4 million Au oz. 5 to the Companys mineral reserve estimates and increased its reserve life index by approximately 2.5 years 6 .

Story continues

CEO commentary:

J. Paul Rollinson, President and CEO, made the following comments in relation to 2020 second-quarter results.

Kinross had a strong second quarter, as we generated robust free cash flow, more than doubled earnings year-over-year, and continued to strengthen our investment grade balance sheet. Our margins increased 53% year-over-year, well above the 31% increase in the average realized gold price. Our portfolio of mines performed well and continued production during the quarter, with our three largest producing mines Paracatu, Kupol and Tasiast delivering the lowest costs.

We have been able to effectively manage COVID-19 impacts on our portfolio of mines during the first half of the year, as our comprehensive pandemic response plan continued to help protect the health of our employees and communities, while supporting the successful continuation of our business. Although we prudently withdrew our full-year guidance given the potential impacts of the pandemic on our operations, we continue to work towards the safe delivery of our annual targets. I would like to thank our employees around the world for their dedication, hard work and commitment to safety during these challenging times.

During the quarter, we announced an agreement in principle with the Government of Mauritania that enhances our partnership and will provide further stability for the long-term success of our Tasiast mine. Earlier this month, we also announced an addition of 6.4 million ounces to our gold reserve estimates with the completion of the Lobo-Marte pre-feasibility study. This high-quality asset increases our reserve life index and further enhances optionality on our long-term development project pipeline.

For the first half of the year, more than 50% of our production came from the Americas, and more than 80% from five key assets in five diverse regions. With the recent acquisition in Russia, and taking into account our track record of exploration success, we expect these assets and regions will continue to produce for at least 10 years.

Financial results

Summary of financial and operating results

Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars, except ounces, per share amounts, and per ounce amounts) 2020 2019 2020 2019 Operating Highlights Total gold equivalent ounces (a) Produced (c) 575,846 653,586 1,147,620 1,264,849 Sold (c) 588,485 641,149 1,145,161 1,244,206 Attributable gold equivalent ounces (a) Produced (c) 571,978 648,251 1,139,305 1,254,282 Sold (c) 584,477 636,035 1,137,219 1,233,684 Financial Highlights Metal sales $ 1,007.2 $ 837.8 $ 1,887.0 $ 1,624.0 Production cost of sales $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Depreciation, depletion and amortization $ 210.4 $ 179.9 $ 403.5 $ 344.0 Reversal of impairment charge $ 48.3 $ - $ 48.3 $ - Operating earnings $ 321.1 $ 144.3 $ 513.7 $ 259.7 Net earnings attributable to common shareholders $ 195.7 $ 71.5 $ 318.4 $ 136.2 Basic earnings per share attributable to common shareholders $ 0.16 $ 0.06 $ 0.25 $ 0.11 Diluted earnings per share attributable to common shareholders $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.25 $ 0.11 Adjusted net earnings attributable to common shareholders (b) $ 194.0 $ 79.6 $ 321.4 $ 162.9 Adjusted net earnings per share (b) $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.26 $ 0.13 Net cash flow provided from operating activities $ 432.8 $ 333.0 $ 732.4 $ 584.6 Adjusted operating cash flow (b) $ 416.9 $ 287.7 $ 835.5 $ 518.5 Capital expenditures (d) $ 214.3 $ 275.8 $ 405.7 $ 519.7 Average realized gold price per ounce (b) $ 1,712 $ 1,307 $ 1,648 $ 1,305 Consolidated production cost of sales per equivalent ounce (c) sold (b) $ 728 $ 665 $ 742 $ 673 Attributable (a) production cost of sales per equivalent ounce (c) sold (b) $ 725 $ 663 $ 739 $ 672 Attributable (a) production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis (b) $ 707 $ 650 $ 722 $ 659 Attributable (a) all-in sustaining cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis (b) $ 971 $ 918 $ 976 $ 917 Attributable (a) all-in sustaining cost per equivalent ounce (c) sold (b) $ 984 $ 925 $ 988 $ 925 Attributable (a) all-in cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis (b) $ 1,208 $ 1,242 $ 1,226 $ 1,240 Attributable (a) all-in cost per equivalent ounce (c) sold (b) $ 1,217 $ 1,243 $ 1,233 $ 1,242

(a) Total includes 100% of Chirano production. "Attributable" includes Kinross' share of Chirano (90%) production

(b) The definition and reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures is included on pages 14 to 19 of this news release

(c) "Gold equivalent ounces" include silver ounces produced and sold converted to a gold equivalent based on a ratio of the average spot market prices for the commodities for each period. The ratio for the second quarter of 2020 was 104.49:1 (second quarter of 2019: 87.98:1). The ratio for the first six months of 2020 was 98.85:1 (first six months of 2019: 85.78:1)

(d) "Capital expenditures" is as reported as Additions to property, plant and equipment on the interim condensed consolidated statement of cash flows and excludes Interest paid capitalized to property, plant and equipment.

The following operating and financial results are based on 2020 second-quarter gold equivalent production. Production and cost measures are on an attributable basis:

Production 1 : Kinross produced 571,978 attributable Au eq. oz. in Q2 2020, compared with 648,251 Au eq. oz. in Q2 2019. The decrease was mainly due to lower production at Paracatu, Round Mountain and Chirano, partially offset by higher production at Bald Mountain and Kupol.

Production cost of sales 1, 3 : Production cost of sales per Au eq. oz. was $725 for Q2 2020, compared with $663 for Q2 2019. Production cost of sales per Au oz. on a by-product basis was $707 in Q2 2020, compared with $650 in Q2 2019, based on Q2 2020 attributable gold sales of 574,299 ounces and attributable silver sales of 1,063,572 ounces.

All-in sustaining cost 1,3 : All-in sustaining cost per Au eq. oz. sold was $984 in Q2 2020, compared with $925 in Q2 2019. All-in sustaining cost per Au oz. sold on a by-product basis was $971 in Q2 2020, compared with $918 in Q2 2019.

Revenue : Revenue from metal sales increased 20% to $1,007.2 million in Q2 2020, compared with $837.8 million during the same period in 2019.

Average realized gold price 7 : The average realized gold price in Q2 2020 increased 31% to $1,712 per ounce, compared with $1,307 per ounce in Q2 2019.

Margins: Kinross attributable margin per Au eq. oz. sold 4 increased 53% to $987 per Au eq. oz. for Q2 2020, compared with the Q2 2019 margin of $644 per Au eq. oz. sold.

Operating cash flow : Adjusted operating cash flow 3 for Q2 2020 increased significantly by 45% to $416.9 million, compared with $287.7 million for Q2 2019, primarily due to the increase in margins.

Net operating cash flow was $432.8 million for Q2 2020, an increase of 30% compared with $333.0 million for Q2 2019.

Earnings : Adjusted net earnings 3 more than doubled to $194.0 million, or $0.15 per share, for Q2 2020, compared with adjusted net earnings of $79.6 million, or $0.06 per share, for Q2 2019, primarily due to the increase in margins.

Reported net earnings 2 also more than doubled to $195.7 million, or $0.16 per share, for Q2 2020, compared with net earnings of $71.5 million, or $0.06 per share, in Q2 2019. The increase was mainly due to higher operating earnings and a non-cash impairment reversal of $48.3 million at Lobo-Marte as a result of the addition of mineral reserves at the project in conjunction with the recently completed pre-feasibility study, partially offset by the increase in income tax expense in Q2 2020.

Capital expenditures : Capital expenditures were $214.3 million for Q2 2020, compared with $275.8 million for the same period last year, primarily due to a decrease in spending at Tasiast as a result of impacts of the pandemic on stripping rates, and decreases at Bald Mountain and Round Mountain.

Balance sheet and financial position

As of June 30, 2020, Kinross had cash and cash equivalents of $1,527.1 million, which increased compared with $1,138.6 million at March 31, 2020. The quarter-over-over increase was due to free cash flow generated during Q2 2020 and the $200 million drawdown from the Tasiast project financing.

The Company had additional available credit of $811.2 million as of June 30, 2020, and total liquidity of approximately $2.3 billion, with no scheduled debt repayments until September 2021. The Company had total debt of approximately $2.7 billion, which includes the $750 million draw from the revolving credit facility in the first quarter and the $200 million in Tasiast project financing, and net debt 8 of approximately $1.1 billion. Kinross has further improved its debt metrics, including its net debt to EBITDA ratio.

The Company drew down from its revolving credit facility in March 2020 as a precautionary measure to protect against economic and business uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company repaid $250 million of the drawn amount on July 24, 2020 given the increase in the Companys cash and cash equivalents and its strong financial position, and does not plan to deploy the remaining funds.

On July 1, 2020, Kinross extended the maturity date of its $300 million letter of credit guarantee facility with Export Development Canada for two years to June 30, 2022.

Operating results

All of Kinross mines continued production during Q2 2020, as the Companys ongoing response to COVID-19 safeguarded the health and safety of employees and host communities and mitigated material operational impacts to the portfolio. However, COVID-19 did partially affect overall performance and productivity rates, mainly as a result of global travel constraints and the implementation of rigorous safety protocols and measures at all mines and projects.

Mine-by-mine summaries for 2020 second-quarter results can be found on pages nine and 13 of this news release. Operational highlights from Q2 2020 include the following:

Americas

Paracatu performed well during the quarter, with production increasing compared with Q1 2020 mainly due to higher mill throughput and grades, while cost of sales per ounce sold decreased largely as a result of favourable foreign exchange rates. Production was lower compared with Q2 2019s record performance, as grades and recoveries decreased as planned. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher year-over-year mainly due to the lower production, which was offset by favourable foreign exchange rates.

At Round Mountain , production was lower quarter-over-quarter mainly due to fewer ounces recovered from the heap leach pads, and decreased year-over-year mainly due to lower mill grades. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher versus Q1 2020 and Q2 2019 largely due to lower production as a result of fewer ounces from the heap leach pads, with higher maintenance and contractor costs also contributing to the increase year-over-year.

Bald Mountain had good performance during the quarter, as production increased compared with Q1 2020 and Q2 2019 largely as a result of more ounces recovered from the Vantage Complex heap leach pad and higher grades. Cost of sales per ounce sold increased compared with Q1 2020 mainly due to higher cost ounces recovered from the heap leach pads, and was largely in line with Q2 2019.

At Fort Knox , production increased compared with Q1 2020 primarily as a result of higher mill grades and recoveries, while cost of sales per ounce sold decreased mainly due to higher mill grades and lower energy costs. Production was largely in line year-over-year, with cost of sales per ounce sold increasing mainly due to a higher percentage of operating waste mined and higher maintenance costs, partially offset by lower energy costs.

Russia

The Russia region continued its strong and consistent performance during the quarter, with production at Kupol and Dvoinoye increasing quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year, mainly due to higher gold grades. Cost of sales per ounce sold was lower compared with Q1 2020 largely as a result of favourable foreign exchange rates, and was higher versus Q2 2019 mainly due to higher royalties associated with the increase in the average realized gold price.

West Africa

At Tasiast , production was lower compared with Q1 2020 and Q2 2019 mainly due to the 17-day strike during the quarter and mine sequencing, which was slightly offset by higher grades. The principal impact of COVID-19 was a lower-than-planned mining rate, which resulted in deferrals of some stripping and associated capital expenditures. Production is expected to increase during the second half of the year, and, as a result, 2020 production is not expected to be materially impacted by the deferrals. Throughput performance adjusted for the impact of the strike continued to be strong, with average daily rates slightly better than the record performance in Q1 2020. Cost of sales per ounce sold increased compared with the previous quarter mainly due to the lower production and impacts from COVID-19. Cost of sales per ounce sold decreased compared with the previous year mainly due to lower fuel and overhead costs.

In 2021, stripping rates and capital expenditures are expected to be higher compared to those presented in the Tasiast Technical Report as the mine makes up for the stripping deferred from 2020. A modest reduction in 2021 gold production is also expected compared to the Technical Report due to a longer-than-planned period of stockpile feed and delayed access to higher grade ore. The Company expects no impacts to Tasiasts life of mine production, mineral reserve estimates and overall value, and was able to adjust short-term mine plans given the availability of large stockpiles at site.

At Chirano , production was lower quarter-over-quarter mainly due to temporary downtime at the mill and decreased mining rates from COVID-19 impacts, both of which were slightly offset by higher grades, while cost of sales per ounce sold decreased mainly due to lower operating waste mined. Production decreased compared with the previous year mainly due to lower throughput, grades and recoveries, with cost of sales per ounce sold increasing mainly due to higher operating waste mined.

Development projects

Tasiast 24k

The Tasiast 24k project continues to advance and remains on schedule to increase throughput capacity to 21,000 t/d by the end of 2021, and then to 24,000 t/d by mid-2023. During Q2 2020, COVID-19 impacts affected progress on power plant construction, while civil works in the processing plant, including the gravity circuit, thickener and screens, progressed well. The project team continues to explore measures to mitigate potential impacts of prolonged constraints on the global movement of people and supplies, which could affect the project schedule. However, by late June, the Company reinstated more regular rotations of expatriate staff in Mauritania, which has improved the situation.

Fort Knox Gilmore

The Fort Knox Gilmore project continues to progress well and is on schedule and on budget, with the new Barnes Creek heap leach expected to be completed in Q4 2020. Stripping is advancing well and the project is now approximately 80% complete.

Chulbatkan

At the Chulbatkan development project in Russia, the 2020 drill program is ramping back up after COVID-19-related challenges reduced drilling rates in the second quarter and remains on track to be completed by year-end. As of the end of Q2 2020, approximately 35,500 metres of infill, step-out and metallurgical drilling was completed, with drilling confirming the well disseminated nature of the orebody, including large lower grade intercepts, combined with pockets of high grade intercepts. In the third quarter, the drilling program will focus on further defining the high-grade zone of the known resource through additional tight-spaced drilling. The project currently has a large, near-surface estimated mineral resource, with highly continuous mineralization that is open along strike and at depth.

For Chulbatkan cross-section figure:

y https://www.kinross.com/files/doc_financials/2020/q2/KGC-Chulbatkan-Exploration-Figure.pdf

La Coipa Restart and Lobo-Marte

At the La Coipa Restart project, work is ramping up after limitations on people movement challenged the project in the first quarter. Mining crews are being mobilized and fleet rebuilds are commencing in preparation for pre-stripping, which is expected to start in early 2021, with first production expected in mid-2022. The project team continues to study opportunities to optimize the mine plan and potentially extend mine life.

On July 15, 2020, Kinross announced results for the Lobo-Marte pre-feasibility study (PFS). The project added a significant 6.4 million gold ounces 5 to Kinross 2019 year-end probable mineral reserve estimates and increased the Companys reserve life index by approximately 2.5 years 6 . The PFS estimate includes total life of mine production of approximately 4.5 million Au oz. during a 15-year mine life, and pending a positive development decision, is expected to commence production after the conclusion of mining at the La Coipa project.

The long-term Lobo-Marte project provides Kinross with an excellent, organic development option that has attractive all-in sustaining costs and strong returns at the consensus long-term gold price. The project is expected to realize significant upside value and increase margins at higher gold prices without having to increase stripping or current cost estimates as the pit design would remain based on a $1,200/oz. gold price. The Company plans to commence a feasibility study later this year, with scheduled completion in Q4 2021, and will continue to prioritize balance sheet strength and disciplined capital allocation as it moves forward with the project.

Exploration update

Exploration activities during the first half of the year continued to focus on promising targets around current operations, and areas where existing infrastructure can be leveraged, with the goal of extending mine life and adding to the Companys mineral reserve and resource estimates. Highlights include:

Kupol: During the first half of the year, exploration within the existing footprint of Russia operations were very encouraging, with positive results from the Kupol NE Extension, Kupol Deeps South, Moroshka and Providence. Exploration will continue to focus on these targets for the rest of 2020, with the goal of adding significant ounces to Kupols mineral reserve and resource estimates at year-end and extending mine life.

Chirano: Exploration at Chirano showed promising results during the first half of the year as the Company continued to target multi-year mine life extensions. To date, a total of approximately 29,000 metres of drilling was completed at the Akwaaba, Tano, Obra and Mamnao West areas. At Obra, drilling yielded significant results and has extended the depth of high-grade mineralization. For the second half of the year, Kinross will continue to explore the underground mining potential at Obra by commencing initial works on an exploration drift to drill from the underground in order to increase accuracy and targeting. Drilling will also continue to explore the extensions of Akwaaba, Tano and Suraw, and the potential for open pit mining at Mamnao West.

For Chirano Obra cross-section and long-section figures:

https://www.kinross.com/files/doc_financials/2020/q2/KGC-Chirano-Exploration-Figures.pdf

Round Mountain: At Round Mountain, drilling continued at Phase X, which is the northwest continuation of Phase W mineralization. Results received to date have been encouraging, as drilling has intersected significant mineralization in the upper portions within the shallow portion of Phase X to potentially optimize the pit shell design, and confirmed that mineralization extends from Phase W. Further drilling is assessing mineralization to reduce the strip ratio at Phase X.

Curlew Basin Project: The 2020 Curlew exploration program has focused on areas around the historical K2 mine, which is located approximately 35 kilometres north of the Kettle River mill. The program added 162 Au koz. with grades of 8.8 g/t to Kinross indicated mineral resource estimates at year-end 2019, and high level engineering and economic assessment of potential mining at the Curlew Basin achieved encouraging results during the first half of the year. Exploration activities will continue to target incremental high-margin ounces proximal to and extensions of the K2 and K5 deposits by constructing a series of exploration drifts to explore the highly prospective areas. The drifts will allow for underground drilling that will test the large prospective ground at optimal drill angles and at expected lower costs.

Exploration work for the second half of the year is expected to also continue at the Companys other brownfield targets, including Fort Knox, Bald Mountain and La Coipa. As well, Kinross expects to focus on growing mineral resource estimates at Tasiast Sud in Mauritania and progressing work at district targets around Kupol-Dvoinoye in Russia.

Agreement in principle with Government of Mauritania

On June 15, 2020, Kinross reached an agreement in principle with the Government of Mauritania to resolve outstanding matters between the parties. The terms are subject to finalizing definitive agreements and provide Kinross with a 30-year exploitation license for Tasiast Sud, with expedited permitting and the possibility of early mining. The terms also provide for the reinstatement of a tax exemption on fuel duties and repayment by the Government to Kinross of outstanding VAT refunds. Kinross also volunteered to update the royalty structure for Tasiast so it is tied to the gold price, is in line with Mauritanias current mining conventions and codes, and further aligns interests by ensuring the country receives an appropriate share of economic benefits from the Tasiast mine.

2020 Guidance

The following section of the news release represents forward-looking information and users are cautioned that actual results may vary. We refer to the risks and assumptions contained in the Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information on page 20 of this news release.

On April 1, 2020, the Company made the prudent decision to withdraw its full-year guidance. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has not materially impacted Kinross overall business performance during the first half of the year, the pandemic continues to present the potential for further business disruptions.

To date, Kinross ongoing and comprehensive response to the pandemic has enabled the Company to safeguard employees and local communities, help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and mitigate operational risk. The Company continues to target the safe delivery of its operating plans and is on track to meet its original 2020 guidance for production, cost of sales per ounce sold, all-in sustaining cost per ounce sold and capital expenditures.

Q2 2020 conference call details

In connection with the release, Kinross will hold a conference call and audio webcast on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. ET followed by a question-and-answer session. Please enter the passcode: 5161488 to access the call.

Canada & US toll-free +1 (833) 968-2237; passcode: 5161488

Outside of Canada & US +1 (825) 312-2059; passcode: 5161488

Replay (available up to 14 days after the call):

Canada & US toll-free +1 (800) 585-8367; passcode : 5161488

Outside of Canada & US +1 (416) 621-4642; passcode : 5161488

You may also access the conference call on a listen-only basis via webcast at our website www.kinross.com . The audio webcast will be archived on www.kinross.com .

This news release should be read in conjunction with Kinross 2020 second-quarter unaudited Financial Statements and Managements Discussion and Analysis report at www.kinross.com . Kinross 2020 second-quarter unaudited Financial Statements and Managements Discussion and Analysis have been filed with Canadian securities regulators (available at www.sedar.com ) and furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at www.sec.gov ). Kinross shareholders may obtain a copy of the financial statements free of charge upon request to the Company.

About Kinross Gold Corporation

Kinross is a Canadian-based senior gold mining company with mines and projects in the United States, Brazil, Russia, Mauritania, Chile and Ghana. Kinross maintains listings on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol:K) and the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:KGC).

Media Contact

Louie Diaz

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

phone: 416-369-6469

louie.diaz@kinross.com

_________________________________________________

Investor Relations Contact

Tom Elliott

Senior Vice-President, Investor Relations and Corporate Development

phone: 416-365-3390

tom.elliott@kinross.com



Review of operations

Three months ended June 30, (unaudited) Gold equivalent ounces Produced Sold Production cost of sales

($millions) Production cost of

sales/equivalent ounce sold 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 Fort Knox 56,031 55,440 56,465 55,740 $ 66.1 $ 50.7 $ 1,171 $ 910 Round Mountain 74,351 90,833 71,087 87,106 51.6 57.8 726 664 Bald Mountain 48,368 40,564 49,594 31,547 42.7 27.0 861 856 Paracatu 138,851 186,167 140,646 186,520 83.6 106.8 594 573 Maricunga - 6,648 1,159 9,474 0.8 8.0 690 844 Americas Total 317,601 379,652 318,951 370,387 244.8 250.3 768 676 Kupol 130,983 127,684 130,771 124,873 79.3 70.2 606 562 Russia Total 130,983 127,684 130,771 124,873 79.3 70.2 606 562 Tasiast 88,579 92,901 98,679 94,748 57.8 58.9 586 622 Chirano (100%) 38,683 53,349 40,084 51,141 46.6 46.7 1,163 913 West Africa Total 127,262 146,250 138,763 145,889 104.4 105.6 752 724 Operations Total 575,846 653,586 588,485 641,149 428.5 426.1 728 665 Less Chirano non-controlling interest (10%) (3,868 ) (5,335 ) (4,008 ) (5,114 ) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) Attributable Total 571,978 648,251 584,477 636,035 $ 423.8 $ 421.4 $ 725 $ 663 Six months ended June 30, (unaudited) Gold equivalent ounces Produced Sold Production cost of sales

($millions) Production cost of

sales/equivalent ounce sold 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 Fort Knox 107,697 93,053 107,233 93,677 $ 130.7 $ 89.5 $ 1,219 $ 955 Round Mountain 158,816 175,968 156,802 170,720 107.7 113.8 687 667 Bald Mountain 90,456 87,819 91,970 74,777 78.4 56.2 852 752 Paracatu 263,217 332,943 261,843 332,917 171.1 201.7 653 606 Maricunga - 17,364 2,470 17,098 1.6 12.8 648 749 Americas Total 620,186 707,147 620,318 689,189 489.5 474.0 789 688 Kupol 251,868 257,772 252,795 255,287 156.2 148.2 618 581 Russia Total 251,868 257,772 252,795 255,287 156.2 148.2 618 581 Tasiast 192,416 194,259 192,629 194,506 109.7 124.9 569 642 Chirano (100%) 83,150 105,671 79,419 105,224 94.4 90.7 1,189 862 West Africa Total 275,566 299,930 272,048 299,730 204.1 215.6 750 719 Operations Total 1,147,620 1,264,849 1,145,161 1,244,206 849.8 837.8 742 673 Less Chirano non-controlling interest (10%) (8,315 ) (10,567 ) (7,942 ) (10,522 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Attributable Total 1,139,305 1,254,282 1,137,219 1,233,684 $ 840.4 $ 828.7 $ 739 $ 672

Interim condensed consolidated balance sheets

(unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars, except share amounts) As at June 30, December 31, 2020 2019 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,527.1 $ 575.1 Restricted cash 13.3 15.2 Accounts receivable and other assets 134.1 137.4 Current income tax recoverable 166.1 43.2 Inventories 985.0 1,053.8 2,825.6 1,824.7 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 6,688.3 6,340.0 Goodwill 158.8 158.8 Long-term investments 105.2 126.2 Investment in joint venture 18.3 18.4 Other long-term assets 568.5 572.7 Deferred tax assets - 35.2 Total assets $ 10,364.7 $ 9,076.0 Liabilities Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 451.8 $ 469.3 Current income tax payable 53.6 68.0 Current portion of provisions 60.6 57.9 Other current liabilities 43.4 20.3 Deferred payment obligation 141.5 - 750.9 615.5 Non-current liabilities Long-term debt and credit facilities 2,671.6 1,837.4 Provisions 813.4 838.6 Long-term lease liabilities 32.6 38.9 Unrealized fair value of derivative liabilities 15.9 0.8 Other long-term liabilities 89.2 107.7 Deferred tax liabilities 370.2 304.5 Total liabilities $ 4,743.8 $ 3,743.4 Equity Common shareholders' equity Common share capital $ 4,472.0 $ 14,926.2 Contributed surplus 10,704.3 242.1 Accumulated deficit (9,511.0 ) (9,829.4 ) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (59.4 ) (20.4 ) Total common shareholders' equity 5,605.9 5,318.5 Non-controlling interest 15.0 14.1 Total equity 5,620.9 5,332.6 Total liabilities and equity $ 10,364.7 $ 9,076.0 Common shares Authorized Unlimited Unlimited Issued and outstanding 1,257,998,978 1,253,765,724

Interim condensed consolidated statements of operations

(unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Revenue Metal sales $ 1,007.2 $ 837.8 $ 1,887.0 $ 1,624.0 Cost of sales Production cost of sales 428.5 426.1 849.8 837.8 Depreciation, depletion and amortization 210.4 179.9 403.5 344.0 Reversal of impairment charge (48.3 ) - (48.3 ) - Total cost of sales 590.6 606.0 1,205.0 1,181.8 Gross profit 416.6 231.8 682.0 442.2 Other operating expense 52.9 29.5 74.8 62.4 Exploration and business development 17.9 28.4 37.0 47.9 General and administrative 24.7 29.6 56.5 72.2 Operating earnings 321.1 144.3 513.7 259.7 Other income (expense) - net 9.2 (2.5 ) 8.6 0.2 Finance income 1.0 1.9 3.0 4.0 Finance expense (32.8 ) (26.1 ) (58.5 ) (53.6 ) Earnings before tax 298.5 117.6 466.8 210.3 Income tax expense - net (102.5 ) (46.5 ) (147.5 ) (74.6 ) Net earnings $ 196.0 $ 71.1 $ 319.3 $ 135.7 Net earnings (loss) attributable to: Non-controlling interest $ 0.3 $ (0.4 ) $ 0.9 $ (0.5 ) Common shareholders $ 195.7 $ 71.5 $ 318.4 $ 136.2 Earnings per share attributable to common shareholders Basic $ 0.16 $ 0.06 $ 0.25 $ 0.11 Diluted $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.25 $ 0.11 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding (millions) Basic 1,257.6 1,252.3 1,256.1 1,251.5 Diluted 1,268.5 1,261.2 1,266.9 1,260.3





Interim condensed consolidated statements of cash flows

(unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net inflow (outflow) of cash related to the following activities: Operating: Net earnings $ 196.0 $ 71.1 $ 319.3 $ 135.7 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided from operating activities: Depreciation, depletion and amortization 210.4 179.9 403.5 344.0 Reversal of impairment charge (48.3 ) - (48.3 ) - Share-based compensation expense 2.8 3.0 7.3 7.6 Finance expense 32.8 26.1 58.5 53.6 Deferred tax expense (recovery) 44.1 5.8 112.5 (31.4 ) Foreign exchange (gains) losses and other (20.9 ) 1.8 (17.3 ) 9.0 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable and other assets (49.1 ) (40.3 ) - (127.7 ) (25.7 ) Inventories 31.6 12.6 39.3 50.0 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 96.4 56.6 112.2 42.4 Cash flow provided from operating activities 495.8 316.6 859.3 585.2 Income taxes (paid) recovered (63.0 ) 16.4 (126.9 ) (0.6 ) Net cash flow provided from operating activities 432.8 333.0 732.4 584.6 Investing: Additions to property, plant and equipment (214.3 ) (275.8 ) (405.7 ) (519.7 ) Interest paid capitalized to property, plant and equipment (3.8 ) (0.9 ) (26.1 ) (21.8 ) Acquisitions - - (128.3 ) (30.0 ) Net additions to long-term investments and other assets (1.4 ) (5.9 ) (3.3 ) (12.3 ) Net proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment 0.7 1.2 2.2 2.1 Increase in restricted cash - net (24.9 ) (0.2 ) (23.1 ) (0.8 ) Interest received and other - net 0.7 1.2 1.7 2.1 Net cash flow used in investing activities (243.0 ) (280.4 ) (582.6 ) (580.4 ) Net cash flow of discontinued operations provided from investing activities Financing: Proceeds from drawdown of debt 200.0 100.0 950.0 260.0 Repayment of debt - (80.0 ) (100.0 ) (105.0 ) Interest paid (3.4 ) (1.1 ) (29.0 ) (28.4 ) Payment of lease liabilities (4.8 ) (3.9 ) (9.5 ) (7.2 ) Other - net 2.0 (0.4 ) (4.6 ) (0.2 ) Net cash flow provided from financing activities 193.8 14.6 806.9 119.2 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 4.9 1.3 (4.7 ) 3.0 Increase in cash and cash equivalents 388.5 68.5 952.0 126.4 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 1,138.6 406.9 575.1 349.0 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 1,527.1 $ 475.4 $ 1,527.1 $ 475.4





Operating Summary Mine Period Ownership Tonnes Ore Mined (a) Ore Processed (Milled) (a) Ore Processed

(Heap Leach) (a) Grade (Mill) Grade

(Heap Leach) Recovery (b) Gold Eq Production (e) Gold Eq Sales (e) Production

cost of sales Production

cost of sales/oz Cap Ex (g) DD&A (%) ('000 tonnes) ('000 tonnes) ('000 tonnes) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (ounces) (ounces) ($ millions) ($/ounce) ($ millions) ($ millions) Americas Fort Knox Q2 2020 100 6,116 2,048 4,783 0.73 0.23 83 % 56,031 56,465 $ 66.1 $ 1,171 $ 33.9 $ 23.3 Q1 2020 100 6,795 1,859 5,694 0.60 0.23 80 % 51,667 50,768 64.6 $ 1,272 19.1 22.8 Q4 2019 100 7,648 2,615 5,498 0.43 0.20 81 % 53,183 55,040 65.9 $ 1,197 37.1 25.0 Q3 2019 100 7,094 2,097 5,250 0.52 0.21 83 % 54,027 51,606 58.3 $ 1,130 37.4 24.7 Q2 2019 100 4,829 1,811 3,440 0.59 0.20 81 % 55,440 55,740 50.7 $ 910 34.9 22.6 Round Mountain Q2 2020 100 4,431 911 4,357 0.80 0.36 84 % 74,351 71,087 $ 51.6 $ 726 $ 36.9 $ 10.2 Q1 2020 100 3,700 954 3,594 0.83 0.43 83 % 84,465 85,715 56.1 $ 654 41.8 12.6 Q4 2019 100 7,408 882 7,140 1.00 0.36 82 % 103,501 108,402 79.3 $ 732 62.7 12.6 Q3 2019 100 7,128 1,004 7,557 1.05 0.32 85 % 82,195 81,617 57.5 $ 705 43.1 9.1

Q2 2019 100 4,074 909 3,910 1.17 0.33 86 % 90,833 87,106 57.8 $ 664 58.7 10.2

Bald Mountain (h) Q2 2020 100 4,051 - 4,051 - 0.53 nm 48,368 49,594 $ 42.7 $ 861 $ 29.6 $ 30.2

Q1 2020 100 3,254 - 3,254 - 0.55 nm 42,087 42,376 35.7 $ 842 31.5 26.7

Q4 2019 100 2,928 - 3,007 - 0.48 nm 66,147 65,381 49.8 $ 762 54.6 36.3

Q3 2019 100 6,494 - 6,494 - 0.41 nm 33,995 37,644 30.6 $ 813 38.9 14.8

Q2 2019 100 3,725 - 4,138 - 0.36 nm 40,564 31,547 27.0 $ 856 57.3 12.2

Paracatu Q2 2020 100 15,223 14,703 - 0.40 - 74 % 138,851 140,646 $ 83.6 $ 594 $ 49.1 $ 45.2

Q1 2020 100 12,350 13,224 - 0.39 - 75 % 124,367 121,197 87.5 $ 722 14.4 37.7

Q4 2019 100 12,393 14,168 - 0.38 - 76 % 140,224 140,430 111.1 $ 791 21.4 42.8

Q3 2019 100 12,442 14,731 - 0.38 - 78 % 146,396 145,662 99.5 $ 683 36.8 39.5

Q2 2019 100 12,307 14,439 - 0.48 - 80 % 186,167 186,520 106.8 $ 573 34.5 45.2

Maricunga (h) Q2 2020 100 - - - - - nm - 1,159 $ 0.8 $ 690 $ - $ 0.3

Q1 2020 100 - - - - - nm - 1,311 0.8 $ 610 - 0.3

Q4 2019 100 - - - - - nm 3,221 17,455 11.7 $ 670 - 0.4

Q3 2019 100 - - - - - nm 18,016 9,203 7.0 $ 761 - 0.4

Q2 2019 100 - - - - - nm 6,648 9,474 8.0 $ 844 - 0.5

Russia Kupol (c)(d)(f) Q2 2020 100 386 416 - 9.73 - 95 % 130,983 130,771 $ 79.3 $ 606 $ 5.9 $ 31.1

Q1 2020 100 500 425 - 8.73 - 95 % 120,885 122,024 76.9 $ 630 5.6 34.4

Q4 2019 100 468 435 - 9.14 - 95 % 132,009 135,083 83.3 $ 617 15.8 34.8

Q3 2019 100 338 431 - 9.65 - 95 % 137,562 136,088 82.6 $ 607 7.6 32.2

Q2 2019 100 431 432 - 9.23 - 94 % 127,684 124,873 70.2 $ 562 8.3 30.7

West Africa Tasiast Q2 2020 100 1,134 1,168 - 2.40 - 94 % 88,579 98,679 $ 57.8 $ 586 $ 40.6 $ 54.8

Q1 2020 100 1,160 1,467 - 2.31 - 95 % 103,837 93,950 51.9 $ 552 69.2 40.3

Q4 2019 100 1,129 1,379 - 2.39 - 96 % 102,973 101,940 50.4 $ 494 86.1 35.0

Q3 2019 100 1,010 1,297 - 2.37 - 97 % 93,865 86,357 55.1 $ 638 68.2 32.0

Q2 2019 100 819 1,281 - 2.19 - 97 % 92,901 94,748 58.9 $ 622 74.9 32.2

Chirano - 100% Q2 2020 90 679 785 - 1.85 88 % 38,683 40,084 $ 46.6 $ 1,163 $ 5.8 $ 13.1

Q1 2020 90 690 873 - 1.73 - 88 % 44,465 39,335 47.8 $ 1,215 5.1 15.9

Q4 2019 90 737 844 - 2.00 - 91 % 48,984 47,186 49.0 $ 1,038 8.0 21.4

Q3 2019 90 714 801 - 2.02 - 92 % 46,641 49,458 50.0 $ 1,011 4.8 22.0

Q2 2019 90 619 904 - 1.95 - 92 % 53,349 51,141 46.7 $ 913 2.7 23.8

Chirano - 90% Q2 2020 90 679 785 - 1.85 - 88 % 34,815 36,076 $ 41.9 $ 1,163 $ 5.2 $ 11.8

Q1 2020 90 690 873 - 1.73 - 88 % 40,019 35,401 43.0 $ 1,215 4.7 14.3

Q4 2019 90 737 844 - 2.00 - 91 % 44,086 42,468 44.1 $ 1,038 7.2 19.3

Q3 2019 90 714 801 - 2.02 - 92 % 41,977 44,512 45.0 $ 1,011 4.3 19.8

Q2 2019 90 619 904 - 1.95 - 92 % 48,014 46,027 42.0 $ 913 2.4 21.4

(a) Tonnes of ore mined and processed represent 100% Kinross for all periods presented.

(b) Due to the nature of heap leach operations, recovery rates at Maricunga and Bald Mountain cannot be accurately measured on a quarterly basis. Recovery rates at Fort Knox, Round Mountain and Tasiast represent mill recovery only.

(c) The Kupol segment includes the Kupol and Dvoinoye mines.

(d) Kupol silver grade and recovery were as follows: Q2 2020: 70.36 g/t, 86.1% Q1 2020: 80.02 g/t, 84.1% Q4 2019: 65.63 g/t, 84.8%; Q3 2019: 67.44 g/t, 87.8%; Q2 2019: 75.29 g/t, 84.9%

(e) "Gold equivalent ounces include silver ounces produced and sold converted to a gold equivalent based on the ratio of the average spot market prices for the commodities for each period. The ratios for the quarters presented are as follows:

Q2 2020: 104.49:1, Q1 2020: 93.34:1, Q4 2019: 85.59:1; Q3 2019: 86.73:1; Q2 2019: 87.98:1"

(f) Dvoinoye ore processed and grade were as follows: Q2 2020: 113,472, 9.55 g/t; Q1 2020: 117,502, 9.24 g/t; Q4 2019: 100,685, 9.89 g/t; Q3 2019: 113,497, 9.82 g/t; Q2 2019: 113,872, 9.24 g/t

(g) "Capital expenditures" is as reported as Additions to property, plant and equipment on the interim condensed consolidated statement of cash flows and excludes Interest paid capitalized to property, plant and equipment.

(h) "nm" means not meaningful.

Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures

The Company has included certain non-GAAP financial measures in this document. These measures are not defined under IFRS and should not be considered in isolation. The Company believes that these measures, together with measures determined in accordance with IFRS, provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. The inclusion of these measures is meant to provide additional information and should not be used as a substitute for performance measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures are not necessarily standard and therefore may not be comparable to other issuers.

Adjusted net earnings attributable to common shareholders and adjusted net earnings per share are non-GAAP measures which determine the performance of the Company, excluding certain impacts which the Company believes are not reflective of the Companys underlying performance for the reporting period, such as the impact of foreign exchange gains and losses, reassessment of prior year taxes and/or taxes otherwise not related to the current period, impairment charges (reversals), gains and losses and other one-time costs related to acquisitions, dispositions and other transactions, and non-hedge derivative gains and losses. Although some of the items are recurring, the Company believes that they are not reflective of the underlying operating performance of its current business and are not necessarily indicative of future operating results. Management believes that these measures, which are used internally to assess performance and in planning and forecasting future operating results, provide investors with the ability to better evaluate underlying performance, particularly since the excluded items are typically not included in public guidance. However, adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per share measures are not necessarily indicative of net earnings and earnings per share measures as determined under IFRS.

The following table provides a reconciliation of net earnings to adjusted net earnings for the periods presented:

Adjusted Net Earnings (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S dollars,

except per share amounts) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net earnings attributable to common shareholders - as reported $ 195.7 $ 71.5 $ 318.4 $ 136.2 Adjusting items: Foreign exchange (gains) losses (9.7 ) 4.1 # (7.4 ) 2.0 Foreign exchange losses (gains) on translation of tax basis and foreign

exchange on deferred income taxes within income tax expense 27.6 (5.6 ) # 53.9 (6.8 ) Taxes in respect of prior periods 9.1 5.7 # 6.1 11.4 Reversal of impairment charge(a) (48.3 ) - (48.3 ) - COVID-19 and Tasiast strike costs(b) 28.7 - 29.5 - U.S. CARES Act net benefit (5.0 ) - # (25.4 ) - Fort Knox pit wall slide related costs - 4.9 # - 11.4 Restructuring costs - - # - 9.2 Other 1.1 0.3 # 0.1 2.2 Tax effect of the above adjustments (5.2 ) (1.3 ) # (5.5 ) (2.7 ) (1.7 ) 8.1 3.0 26.7 Adjusted net earnings attributable to common shareholders $ 194.0 $ 79.6 $ 321.4 $ 162.9 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - Basic 1,257.6 1,252.3 1,256.1 1,251.5 Adjusted net earnings per share $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.26 $ 0.13

(a) During the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company recognized a non-cash reversal of impairment charge of $48.3 million related to property, plant and equipment at Lobo-Marte.

(b) Includes $6.0 million of Tasiast strike costs.

The Company makes reference to a non-GAAP measure for adjusted operating cash flow. Adjusted operating cash flow is defined as cash flow from operations excluding certain impacts which the Company believes are not reflective of the Companys regular operating cash flow, and excluding changes in working capital. Working capital can be volatile due to numerous factors, including the timing of tax payments, and in the case of Kupol, a build-up of inventory due to transportation logistics. The Company uses adjusted operating cash flow internally as a measure of the underlying operating cash flow performance and future operating cash flow-generating capability of the Company. However, the adjusted operating cash flow measure is not necessarily indicative of net cash flow from operations as determined under IFRS.

The following table provides a reconciliation of adjusted operating cash flow for the periods presented:

Adjusted Operating Cash Flow (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S dollars,

except per share amounts) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net cash flow provided from operating activities - as reported $ 432.8 $ 333.0 $ 732.4 $ 584.6 Adjusting items: Working capital changes: Accounts receivable and other assets 49.1 40.3 127.7 25.7 Inventories (31.6 ) (12.6 ) (39.3 ) (50.0 ) Accounts payable and other liabilities, including income taxes paid (33.4 ) (73.0 ) 14.7 (41.8 ) (15.9 ) (45.3 ) 103.1 (66.1 ) Adjusted operating cash flow $ 416.9 $ 287.7 $ 835.5 $ 518.5

Consolidated production cost of sales per gold equivalent ounce sold is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as production cost of sales as per the interim condensed consolidated financial statements divided by the total number of gold equivalent ounces sold. This measure converts the Companys non-gold production into gold equivalent ounces and credits it to total production.



Attributable production cost of sales per gold equivalent ounce sold is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as attributable production cost of sales divided by the attributable number of gold equivalent ounces sold. This measure converts the Companys non-gold production into gold equivalent ounces and credits it to total production.

Management uses these measures to monitor and evaluate the performance of its operating properties. The following table presents a reconciliation of consolidated and attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold for the periods presented:

Consolidated and Attributable Production Cost of Sales

Per Equivalent Ounce Sold (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars,

except ounces and production cost of sales per equivalent ounce) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production cost of sales - as reported $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(a) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Attributable(b) production cost of sales $ 423.8 $ 421.4 $ 840.4 $ 828.7 Gold equivalent ounces sold 588,485 641,149 1,145,161 1,244,206 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(j) (4,008 ) (5,114 ) (7,942 ) (10,522 ) Attributable(b) gold equivalent ounces sold 584,477 636,035 1,137,219 1,233,684 Consolidated production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold $ 728 $ 665 $ 742 $ 673 Attributable(b) production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold $ 725 $ 663 $ 739 $ 672 See pages 18  19 of this news release for details of the footnotes referenced from within the table above.

Attributable production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis is a non-GAAP measure which calculates the Companys non-gold production as a credit against its per ounce production costs, rather than converting its non-gold production into gold equivalent ounces and crediting it to total production, as is the case in co-product accounting. Management believes that this measure provides investors with the ability to better evaluate Kinross production cost of sales per ounce on a comparable basis with other major gold producers who routinely calculate their cost of sales per ounce using by-product accounting rather than co-product accounting.



The following table provides a reconciliation of attributable production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis for the periods presented:

Attributable Production Cost of Sales Per Ounce Sold

on a By-Product Basis (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars,

except ounces and production cost of sales per ounce) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production cost of sales - as reported $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(a) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Less: attributable(b) silver revenue(c) (17.5 ) (15.5 ) (33.9 ) (32.6 ) Attributable(b) production cost of sales net of silver by-product revenue $ 406.3 $ 405.9 $ 806.5 $ 796.1 Gold ounces sold 578,300 629,206 1,124,267 1,219,031 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(j) (4,001 ) (5,108 ) (7,925 ) (10,506 ) Attributable(b) gold ounces sold 574,299 624,098 1,116,342 1,208,525 Attributable(b) production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis $ 707 $ 650 $ 722 $ 659 See pages 18  19 of this news release for details of the footnotes referenced from within the table above.

In November 2018, the World Gold Council (WGC) published updates to its guidelines for reporting all-in sustaining costs and all-in costs to address how the costs associated with leases, after a companys adoption of IFRS 16, should be treated. The WGC is a market development organization for the gold industry and is an association whose membership comprises leading gold mining companies including Kinross. Although the WGC is not a mining industry regulatory organization, it worked closely with its member companies to develop these non-GAAP measures. Adoption of the all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost metrics is voluntary and not necessarily standard, and therefore, these measures presented by the Company may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The Company believes that the all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost measures complement existing measures reported by Kinross.



All-in sustaining cost includes both operating and capital costs required to sustain gold production on an ongoing basis. The value of silver sold is deducted from the total production cost of sales as it is considered residual production. Sustaining operating costs represent expenditures incurred at current operations that are considered necessary to maintain current production. Sustaining capital represents capital expenditures at existing operations comprising mine development costs and ongoing replacement of mine equipment and other capital facilities, and does not include capital expenditures for major growth projects or enhancement capital for significant infrastructure improvements at existing operations.

All-in cost is comprised of all-in sustaining cost as well as operating expenditures incurred at locations with no current operation, or costs related to other non-sustaining activities, and capital expenditures for major growth projects or enhancement capital for significant infrastructure improvements at existing operations.

Attributable all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis are calculated by adjusting total production cost of sales, as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, as follows:





Attributable All-In Sustaining Cost and All-In Cost Per Ounce Sold

on a By-Product Basis (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars,

except ounces and costs per ounce) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production cost of sales - as reported $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(a) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Less: attributable(b) silver revenue(c) (17.5 ) (15.5 ) (33.9 ) (32.6 ) Attributable(b) production cost of sales net of silver by-product revenue $ 406.3 $ 405.9 $ 806.5 $ 796.1 Adjusting items on an attributable(b) basis: General and administrative(d) 24.7 29.6 56.5 63.0 Other operating expense - sustaining(e) 1.2 6.0 5.6 11.5 Reclamation and remediation - sustaining(f) 12.4 11.9 25.9 23.3 Exploration and business development - sustaining(g) 10.4 18.2 22.3 32.1 Additions to property, plant and equipment - sustaining(h) 97.9 97.8 164.3 176.2 Lease payments - sustaining(i) 4.5 3.5 8.8 6.4 All-in Sustaining Cost on a by-product basis - attributable(b) $ 557.4 $ 572.9 $ 1,089.9 $ 1,108.6 Other operating expense - non-sustaining(e) 12.3 12.0 23.2 28.2 Reclamation and remediation - non-sustaining(f) 1.2 1.8 2.5 3.5 Exploration - non-sustaining(g) 7.2 10.0 14.2 15.5 Additions to property, plant and equipment - non-sustaining(h) 115.2 177.8 238.1 342.5 Lease payments - non-sustaining(i) 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.8 All-in Cost on a by-product basis - attributable(b) $ 693.6 $ 774.9 $ 1,368.6 $ 1,499.1 Gold ounces sold 578,300 629,206 1,124,267 1,219,031 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(j) (4,001 ) (5,108 ) (7,925 ) (10,506 ) Attributable(b) gold ounces sold 574,299 624,098 1,116,342 1,208,525 Attributable(b) all-in sustaining cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis $ 971 $ 918 $ 976 $ 917 Attributable(b) all-in cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis $ 1,208 $ 1,242 $ 1,226 $ 1,240 See pages 18  19 of this news release for details of the footnotes referenced from within the table above.

The Company also assesses its all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost on a gold equivalent ounce basis. Under these non-GAAP measures, the Companys production of silver is converted into gold equivalent ounces and credited to total production.



Attributable all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost per equivalent ounce sold are calculated by adjusting total production cost of sales, as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, as follows:

Attributable All-In Sustaining Cost and All-In Cost

Per Equivalent Ounce Sold (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars,

except ounces and costs per equivalent ounce) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production cost of sales - as reported $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(a) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Attributable(b) production cost of sales $ 423.8 $ 421.4 $ 840.4 $ 828.7 Adjusting items on an attributable(b) basis: General and administrative(d) 24.7 29.6 56.5 63.0 Other operating expense - sustaining(e) 1.2 6.0 5.6 11.5 Reclamation and remediation - sustaining(f) 12.4 11.9 25.9 23.3 Exploration and business development - sustaining(g) 10.4 18.2 22.3 32.1 Additions to property, plant and equipment - sustaining(h) 97.9 97.8 164.3 176.2 Lease payments - sustaining(i) 4.5 3.5 8.8 6.4 All-in Sustaining Cost - attributable(b) $ 574.9 $ 588.4 $ 1,123.8 $ 1,141.2 Other operating expense - non-sustaining(e) 12.3 12.0 23.2 28.2 Reclamation and remediation - non-sustaining(f) 1.2 1.8 2.5 3.5 Exploration - non-sustaining(g) 7.2 10.0 14.2 15.5 Additions to property, plant and equipment - non-sustaining(h) 115.2 177.8 238.1 342.5 Lease payments - non-sustaining(i) 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.8 All-in Cost - attributable(b) $ 711.1 $ 790.4 $ 1,402.5 $ 1,531.7 Gold equivalent ounces sold 588,485 641,149 1,145,161 1,244,206 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(j) (4,008 ) (5,114 ) (7,942 ) (10,522 ) Attributable(b) gold equivalent ounces sold 584,477 636,035 1,137,219 1,233,684 Attributable(b) all-in sustaining cost per equivalent ounce sold $ 984 $ 925 $ 988 $ 925 Attributable(b) all-in cost per equivalent ounce sold $ 1,217 $ 1,243 $ 1,233 $ 1,242

(a) The portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest represents the non-controlling interest (10%) in the production cost of sales for the Chirano mine.

(b) Attributable includes Kinross' share of Chirano (90%) production.

(c) Attributable silver revenues represents the attributable portion of metal sales realized from the production of the secondary or by-product metal (i.e. silver). Revenue from the sale of silver, which is produced as a by-product of the process used to produce gold, effectively reduces the cost of gold production.

(d) General and administrative expenses is as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, net of certain restructuring expenses. General and administrative expenses are considered sustaining costs as they are required to be absorbed on a continuing basis for the effective operation and governance of the Company.

(e) Other operating expense  sustaining is calculated as Other operating expense as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, less other operating and reclamation and remediation expenses related to non-sustaining activities as well as other items not reflective of the underlying operating performance of our business. Other operating expenses are classified as either sustaining or non-sustaining based on the type and location of the expenditure incurred. The majority of other operating expenses that are incurred at existing operations are considered costs necessary to sustain operations, and are therefore classified as sustaining. Other operating expenses incurred at locations where there is no current operation or related to other non-sustaining activities are classified as non-sustaining.

(f) Reclamation and remediation - sustaining is calculated as current period accretion related to reclamation and remediation obligations plus current period amortization of the corresponding reclamation and remediation assets, and is intended to reflect the periodic cost of reclamation and remediation for currently operating mines. Reclamation and remediation costs for development projects or closed mines are excluded from this amount and classified as non-sustaining.

(g) Exploration and business development  sustaining is calculated as Exploration and business development expenses as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, less non-sustaining exploration expenses. Exploration expenses are classified as either sustaining or non-sustaining based on a determination of the type and location of the exploration expenditure. Exploration expenditures within the footprint of operating mines are considered costs required to sustain current operations and so are included in sustaining costs. Exploration expenditures focused on new ore bodies near existing mines (i.e. brownfield), new exploration projects (i.e. greenfield) or for other generative exploration activity not linked to existing mining operations are classified as non-sustaining. Business development expenses are considered sustaining costs as they are required for general operations.

(h) Additions to property, plant and equipment  sustaining represents the majority of capital expenditures at existing operations including capitalized exploration costs, periodic capitalized stripping and underground mine development costs, ongoing replacement of mine equipment and other capital facilities and other capital expenditures and is calculated as total additions to property, plant and equipment (as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statements of cash flows), less capitalized interest and non-sustaining capital. Non-sustaining capital represents capital expenditures for major projects, including major capital stripping projects at existing operations that are expected to materially benefit the operation, as well as enhancement capital for significant infrastructure improvements at existing operations. Non-sustaining capital expenditures during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, primarily related to major projects at Tasiast, Round Mountain and Fort Knox. Non-sustaining capital expenditures during the three and six months ended June 30, 2019, primarily related to major projects at Tasiast, Round Mountain, and Bald Mountain.

(i) Lease payments  sustaining represents the majority of lease payments as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statements of cash flows and is made up of the principal and financing components of such cash payments, less non-sustaining lease payments. Lease payments for development projects or closed mines are classified as non-sustaining.

(j) Portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest represents the non-controlling interest (10%) in the ounces sold from the Chirano mine.

(k) Average realized gold price per ounce is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined as gold metal sales divided by the total number of gold ounces sold. This measure is intended to enable Management to better understand the price realized in each reporting period. The realized price measure does not have any standardized definition under IFRS and should not be considered a substitute for measure of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

______________________________________

1) Unless otherwise stated, production, production costs of sales per Au eq. oz., and all-in-sustaining costs per Au eq. oz., in this news release are based on Kinross 90% share of Chirano production.

2) Net earnings figures in this release represent net earnings attributable to common shareholders.

3) These figures are non-GAAP financial measures and are defined and reconciled on pages 14 to 19 of this news release.

4) Attributable margin per equivalent ounce sold is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as average realized gold price per ounce less attributable production cost of sales per gold equivalent ounce sold.

5) For more information on Lobo-Martes mineral reserve and resource estimates, see Kinross news release dated July 15, 2020 on kinross.com.

6) Calculated as estimated 2019 proven and probable gold reserves divided by 2019 gold production.

7) Average realized gold price is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined as gold metal sales divided by the total number of gold ounces sold.

8) Net debt is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as Long-term debt and credit facilities less Cash and cash equivalents.

9) Refers to all of the currencies in the countries where the Company has mining operations, fluctuating simultaneously by 10% in the same direction, either appreciating or depreciating, taking into consideration the impact of hedging and the weighting of each currency within our consolidated cost structure.



Cautionary statement on forward-looking information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained or incorporated by reference in this news release including, but not limited to, any information as to the future financial or operating performance of Kinross, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including the provisions of the Securities Act (Ontario) and the provisions for safe harbor under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release, include, but are not limited to, those under the headings (or headings that include) CEO commentary, Development projects, Agreement in principle with Government of Mauritania and 2020 Guidance and include, without limitation, statements with respect to our guidance for production, production costs of sales, all-in sustaining cost and capital expenditures; the schedules and budgets for the Companys development projects; mine life; and continuous improvement initiatives, as well as references to other possible events, the future price of gold and silver, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, estimates and the realization of such estimates (such as mineral or gold reserves and resources or mine life), success of exploration, development and mining, currency fluctuations, capital requirements, project studies, mine life extensions, government regulation permit applications and conversions, restarting suspended or disrupted operations; environmental risks and proceedings; and resolution of pending litigation. The words continue, , estimates, expects, explore, focus, forward, goal, guidance, mitigate, on budget, on schedule, on track, opportunity, option, outlook, plan, potential, progress, schedule, target, upside, or variations of or similar such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should or will be achieved, received or taken, or will occur or result and similar such expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Kinross as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The estimates, models and assumptions of Kinross referenced, contained or incorporated by reference in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, the various assumptions set forth herein and in our MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2019, and the Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2020 as well as: (1) there being no significant disruptions affecting the operations of the Company, whether due to extreme weather events (including, without limitation, excessive or lack of rainfall, in particular, the potential for further production curtailments at Paracatu resulting from insufficient rainfall and the operational challenges at Fort Knox and Bald Mountain resulting from excessive rainfall, which can impact costs and/or production) and other or related natural disasters, labour disruptions (including but not limited to strikes or workforce reductions), supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment, pit wall slides (in particular that the effects of the pit wall slides at Fort Knox and Round Mountain are consistent with the Companys expectations) or otherwise; (2) permitting, development, operations and production from the Companys operations and development projects being consistent with Kinross current expectations including, without limitation: the maintenance of existing permits and approvals and the timely receipt of all permits and authorizations necessary for the operation of the Tasiast Phase One expansion, and the development and operation of the 24k Project; operation of the SAG mill at Tasiast; land acquisitions and permitting for the construction and operation of the new tailings facility, water and power supply and continued operation of the tailings reprocessing facility at Paracatu; and the Lobo-Marte project in a manner consistent with the Companys expectations; (3) political and legal developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations including, without limitation, the impact of any political tensions and uncertainty in the Russian Federation and Ukraine or any related sanctions and any other similar restrictions or penalties imposed, or actions taken, by any government, including but not limited to amendments to the mining laws, and potential power rationing and tailings facility regulations in Brazil, potential amendments to water laws and/or other water use restrictions and regulatory actions in Chile, new dam safety regulations, and potential amendments to minerals and mining laws and energy levies laws, and the enforcement of labour laws in Ghana, new regulations relating to work permits, potential amendments to customs and mining laws (including but not limited to amendments to the VAT) and the pending implementation of revisions to the tax code in Mauritania, the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation or similar legislation in other jurisdictions and potential amendments to and enforcement of tax laws in Russia (including, but not limited to, the interpretation, implementation, application and enforcement of any such laws and amendments thereto), and the impact of any trade tariffs being consistent with Kinross current expectations; (4) the completion of studies, including optimization studies, scoping studies and pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, on the timelines currently expected and the results of those studies being consistent with Kinross current expectations, including the completion of the Lobo-Marte feasibility study; (5) the exchange rate between the Canadian dollar, Brazilian real, Chilean peso, Russian rouble, Mauritanian ouguiya, Ghanaian cedi and the U.S. dollar being approximately consistent with current levels; (6) certain price assumptions for gold and silver; (7) prices for diesel, natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and other key supplies being approximately consistent with the Companys expectations; (8) production and cost of sales forecasts for the Company meeting expectations; (9) the accuracy of the current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates of the Company (including but not limited to ore tonnage and ore grade estimates), mine plans for the Companys mining operations, and the Companys internal models; (10) labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Kinross current expectations; (11) the terms and conditions of the legal and fiscal stability agreements for the Tasiast and Chirano operations being interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with their intent and Kinross expectations and without material amendment or formal dispute (including without limitation the application of tax, customs and duties exemptions and royalties); (12) goodwill and/or asset impairment potential; (13) the regulatory and legislative regime regarding mining, electricity production and transmission (including rules related to power tariffs) in Brazil being consistent with Kinross current expectations; (14) access to capital markets, including but not limited to maintaining our current credit ratings consistent with the Companys current expectations; (15) that the Brazilian power plants will operate in a manner consistent with our current expectations; (16) that drawdown of remaining funds under the Tasiast project financing will proceed in a manner consistent with our current expectations; (17) potential direct or indirect operational impacts resulting from infectious diseases or pandemics such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; (18) the effectiveness of preventative actions and contingency plans put in place by the Company to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, social distancing, a non-essential travel ban, business continuity plans, and efforts to mitigate supply chain disruptions; (19) changes in national and local government legislation or other government actions, particularly in response to the COVID-19 outbreak; (20) litigation, regulatory proceedings and audits, and the potential ramifications thereof, being concluded in a manner consistent with the Corporations expectations (including without limitation the ongoing industry-wide audit of mining companies in Ghana which includes the Corporations Ghanaian subsidiaries, litigation in Chile relating to the alleged damage of wetlands and the scope of any remediation plan or other environmental obligations arising therefrom, the ongoing litigation with the Russian tax authorities regarding dividend withholding tax and the ongoing Sunnyside litigation regarding potential liability under the U.S. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act); (21) that the Company will enter into definitive documentation with the Government of Mauritania in accordance with, and on the timeline contemplated by, the terms and conditions of the term sheet, on a basis consistent with our expectations and that the parties will perform their respective obligations thereunder on the timelines agreed; (22) that the exploitation permit for Tasiast Sud will be issued on timelines consistent with our expectations; and (23) that the benefits of the contemplated arrangements will result in increased stability at the Companys operations in Mauritania. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: sanctions (any other similar restrictions or penalties) now or subsequently imposed, other actions taken, by, against, in respect of or otherwise impacting any jurisdiction in which the Company is domiciled or operates (including but not limited to the Russian Federation, Canada, the European Union and the United States), or any government or citizens of, persons or companies domiciled in, or the Companys business, operations or other activities in, any such jurisdiction; reductions in the ability of the Company to transport and refine dore; fluctuations in the currency markets; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold or certain other commodities (such as fuel and electricity); changes in the discount rates applied to calculate the present value of net future cash flows based on country-specific real weighted average cost of capital; changes in the market valuations of peer group gold producers and the Company, and the resulting impact on market price to net asset value multiples; changes in various market variables, such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates, gold or silver prices and lease rates, or global fuel prices, that could impact the mark-to-market value of outstanding derivative instruments and ongoing payments/receipts under any financial obligations; risks arising from holding derivative instruments (such as credit risk, market liquidity risk and mark-to-market risk); changes in national and local government legislation, taxation (including but not limited to income tax, advance income tax, stamp tax, withholding tax, capital tax, tariffs, value-added or sales tax, capital outflow tax, capital gains tax, windfall or windfall profits tax, production royalties, excise tax, customs/import or export taxes/duties, asset taxes, asset transfer tax, property use or other real estate tax, together with any related fine, penalty, surcharge, or interest imposed in connection with such taxes), controls, policies and regulations; the security of personnel and assets; political or economic developments in Canada, the United States, Chile, Brazil, Russia, Mauritania, Ghana, or other countries in which Kinross does business or may carry on business; business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, us; our ability to successfully integrate acquisitions and complete divestitures; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations; litigation or other claims against, or regulatory investigations and/or any enforcement actions, administrative orders or sanctions in respect of the Company (and/or its directors, officers, or employees) including, but not limited to, securities class action litigation in Canada and/or the United States, environmental litigation or regulatory proceedings or any investigations, enforcement actions and/or sanctions under any applicable anti-corruption, international sanctions and/or anti-money laundering laws and regulations in Canada, the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction; the speculative nature of gold exploration and development including, but not limited to, the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits; diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; adverse changes in our credit ratings; and contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, Kinross actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Kinross, including but not limited to resulting in an impairment charge on goodwill and/or assets. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements expectations and plans relating to the future. All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators of Canada and the United States including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the Risk Analysis section of our MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2020. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Kinross. Kinross disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Key Sensitivities

Approximately 70%-80% of the Company's costs are denominated in U.S. dollars.

A 10% change in foreign currency exchange rates would be expected to result in an approximate $14 impact on production cost of sales per ounce.9

Specific to the Russian rouble, a 10% change in the exchange rate would be expected to result in an approximate $15 impact on Russian production cost of sales per ounce.

Specific to the Brazilian real, a 10% change in the exchange rate would be expected to result in an approximate $25 impact on Brazilian production cost of sales per ounce.

A $10 per barrel change in the price of oil would be expected to result in an approximate $2 impact on production cost of sales per ounce.

A $100 change in the price of gold would be expected to result in an approximate $4 impact on production cost of sales per ounce as a result of a change in royalties.

Other information

Where we say "we", "us", "our", the "Company", or "Kinross" in this news release, we mean Kinross Gold Corporation and/or one or more or all of its subsidiaries, as may be applicable.

The technical information about the Companys mineral properties contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Mr. John Sims, an officer of the Company who is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101.

Source: Kinross Gold Corporation




By Trend

Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis condemned the violence by the radical Armenians against peaceful Azerbaijani community members in Los Angeles, Trend reports.

I was disappointed to learn that a demonstration outside the Azerbaijani Consulate in LA last week turned violent & resulted in injuries. Everyone has a right to peacefully express their views, but there's no place in our state for violence against others, she posted on her Twitter page.

Azerbaijans Consul General in LA Nasimi Aghayev thanked Kounalakis for her condemnation of this violence against Azerbaijani community members and stated that Such violence has no place in California or anywhere else.

Serving as the 50th lieutenant governor of California since 2019, Eleni Kounalakis is the first woman elected to this office. Kounalakis previously served as the United States Ambassador to Hungary from 2010 to 2013.

The clashes between Azerbaijanis and Armenians in Los Angeles were triggered by gross ceasefire violations by Armenian armed forces on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in the direction of Tovuz district of Azerbaijan. The fighting continued in the following several days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces.

Meanwhile a group of Armenians living in Los Angeles, California, attacked and injured a group of Azerbaijanis who gathered to peacefully protest the Armenian aggression.

The incident took place July 21 in front of Azerbaijan's Consulate in the city where Armenians verbally and physically assaulted Azerbaijanis across the street, despite tight security measures by the L.A. Police Department.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
OMJASVIN M D By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Over 84 per cent people in Chennai who contracted COVID have been discharged from the hospital, shows data, even as active cases have hit a new low of a mere 13.6 per cent.

Between July 18 and 27, 13,683 people have been discharged, which is higher than the 12,329 new positive cases recorded in the same period.

Erstwhile hotspots like Tondiarpet now have a mere 6 per cent active cases. Royapuram has 8 per cent. Now, its areas like Ambattur, Kodambakkam, Valasarawakkam, Alandur, and Adyar that are witnessing a spike.

The average of active cases here is close to 20 percent. While the case growth rate in the city is now 0.5 per cent in the negative, Ambattur, Adyar, Valsaravakkam, Sholinganallur are reporting growth rates over 3 per cent.

In the past few days, Ambattur and Adyar have been reporting over 100 cases daily. It is hard to identify the source anymore. If a person is positive, we barricade their houses and ask primary contacts to be in isolation, an official with Ambattur zone said. Civic bodys Public Health officials said they have ramped up testing in south Chennai.

We cant really say why theres a rise. People travel between zones for work. Contact tracing is still rigorous so the spike will come down soon, the official said.

Currently, six Corporation zones have active cases of more than 1,000 and in that, Kodambakkam has 1,970, the highest. Out of the 15 zones, eight corporation zones show a recovery of 80 per cent and more while more than 90 per cent people have recovered at Tondiarpet and Royapuram.

City hospitals get a breather

The drop in cases has reduced the burden on city hospitals. In a recent press meet, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said only 50-60 per cent of beds are occupied in the government hospitals now.

Express also confirmed with officials at Stanley, Omandurar and KMC, who said that there has been a slight decline in admissions.

However, occupancy is still high at the citys main hospital, RGGGH. Private hospitals too have most beds vacant. A look at the Governments www.stopcorona.tn website shows that almost 80 hospitals, out of the 86 hospitals listed for treating Covid-19, have vacant beds.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence (FATE) announces Dr. Lou Lahana as the winner of its inaugural prize, which includes a $25,000 unrestricted cash prize as well as an additional $95,000 to be used for an arts-based initiative at Dr. Lahana's school, PS/MS 188, The Island School.

Dr. Lahana, whose career in education began more than two decades ago with Teach for America, has taught at PS/MS 188 since 2001. Dr. Lahana envisions his middle school classroom as a "makerspace," wherein students utilize research skills and a variety of technological tools to raise awareness of social issues and work toward practical solutions. Dr. Lahana's pedagogical approach is based on his philosophy that powerful learning outcomes result from making projects driven by social action.

FATE Founders Glenn and Amanda Fuhrman commented, "Dr. Lahana empowers his students to tackle real world issues in creative and meaningful ways. He is exactly the kind of teacher we hoped to find and celebrate with this award, and we could not be happier for Dr. Lahana and his family, his students, and PS/MS 188."

This year's FLAG Award Finalists are:

Desiree Borrero , East Side Community School

, East Side Community School Christine Drago , PS 20 Anna Silver School

, PS 20 Anna Silver School Soleil Sabalja , Lower East Side Preparatory High School

, Lower East Side Preparatory High School Nakia S. Smith , The Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts

Each will receive $10,000 and their schools will receive a $2,000 grant to be used for arts-based initiatives designed by each finalist. "I cannot tell you how proud I am of this incredible group of teachers. I am continually impressed by the multitude of outstanding teachers in the NY Public School System," commented NY State Board of Regents Chancellor and FATE jury member Dr. Betty A. Rosa.

Winners were selected by an independent jury of distinguished individuals from the fields of education, philanthropy, and community leadership including Dr. Laura Forese (Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, New York Presbyterian Hospital), Wes Moore (CEO Robin Hood Foundation), Dr. Betty A. Rosa (Chancellor of the NY State Board of Regents), Alhassan Susso (2019 New York State Teacher of the Year) and Wendy Woon (The Edward John Noble Foundation Deputy Director for Education at The Museum of Modern Art).

"So many of these teachers are making a huge impact not only on their students, but on their school and community as well," said Wes Moore. "It is so important to celebrate outstanding teachers and it was an honor to be part of this process."

This year's FLAG Award Semi-Finalists are:

David Edelman , Union Square Academy for Health Sciences

, Union Square Academy for Health Sciences Chris Jennings , PS/IS 187 Hudson Cliffs

, PS/IS 187 Hudson Cliffs Nick Kozak , Manhattan Hunter Science High School

, Manhattan Hunter Science High School Jane Kang Lawrence , Manhattan International High School

, Manhattan International High School Marie F. Leblanc , The James Baldwin School

, The James Baldwin School Lev Benjamin Moscow, The Beacon School

Daiana Munoz, Park East High School

Shakira Provasoli , PS 333 Manhattan School for Children

, PS 333 Manhattan School for Children Robert L. Sandler , Stuyvesant High School

, Stuyvesant High School Nathan Charles Snyder , NYC iSchool

, NYC iSchool Scott Storm , Harvest Collegiate High School

, Harvest Collegiate High School Taina Montalvo Teller , PS 75 The Emily Dickinson School

, PS 75 The Emily Dickinson School Laginne G. Walker, City College Academy of the Arts

Gary Wellbrock , PS 347 The American Sign Language & English Lower School

, PS 347 The American Sign Language & English Lower School Krista Wozniak , PS/MS 129 John H. Finley School

, PS/MS 129 John H. Anita Yu , MS 114 East Side Middle School

, MS 114 East Side Middle School Julie A. Zenobi , New Design High School

In addition, FATE is awarding $500 to each of the 17 semifinalists and $500 to each semifinalists' school. "The caliber of these candidates represents what is best in education. They inspire me to want to do more as a teacher in my own classroom," said Alhassan Susso.

The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence

The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence was created by Glenn and Amanda Fuhrman and is funded by the FLAG Foundation for Excellence in Education and by The Fuhrman Family Foundation. It is administered by co-presidents Risa Daniels and Laura Twersky.

The inaugural award for the 201920 school year was open for teachers of grades K-12 in Manhattan-based public schools, and the prize will expand to other New York City boroughs and US cities in future years.

Contact and Further Information

Information in more detail on all aspects of the award can be found on the website: https://flagaward.org/

General Questions about the Award: https://flagaward.org/contact or email [email protected]

SOURCE FLAG Foundation for Excellence in Education

Related Links

https://flagaward.org/


The de-escalation zone in northwest Syria has been the scene of puzzling developments lately, overshadowed by the conflict in Libya. Turkish military convoys have continued to stream to rebel-held Idlib, and the Syrian army has stepped up reinforcements to the region. While the mutual buildup raises the specter of a new confrontation, Syrian opposition forces claim that Ankara has reached a new understanding with Moscow under which the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey would be left to Russian control along with the key M4 and M5 highways.

The accord that Turkey and Russia sealed in Moscow March 5 called for joint patrols along M4 to secure the reopening of the road. It was only on July 22 and on their 22nd attempt that the joint patrols managed to fully cover the slated route from Taraba, west of Saraqeb, to Ain Hour in the Latakia countryside.

Around the same time, sources close to Turkish-backed factions claimed that Turkey had agreed to let Russia control the route from Zawiya Mountain to Jisr al-Shughur on the southern side of M4 and keep allied militia away from the area in return for keeping its military observation posts in Idlib.

Also, allegations circulate that M5, under Syrian army control since February, will be connected to the Bab al-Hawa border crossing via Atarib and that Russia will assume control of the crossing, which is currently in the hands of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant armed group in Idlib.

Bab al-Hawa is the only crossing at the Turkish border that remains open for humanitarian aid after Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on the issue earlier this month. Last year, 115,000 trucks crossed to Syria via Bab al-Hawa. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is estimated to generate some $4 million a month from the crossing. The group is unlikely to easily cede the crossing without some favorable changes in Idlib. Likewise, Turkey would hardly agree to such a move without securing some gains in return.

The Russian-Turkish collaboration in Idlib, which took shape on the Astana platform, has never precluded confrontation between the two sides. Developments on the ground suggest the Turkish military is not ruling out any scenario and is preparing to respond accordingly. Above all, Ankara wants to prevent any operation akin to the one in February that resulted in M5 falling under control of the Syrian army. Turkey at the time warned the Syrian army to withdraw from Turkish observation posts or face military action. Though it failed to deliver on its ultimatum, it managed to stop the Syrian army from marching to M4 through the Moscow deal. The accord called for the reopening of M4, the establishment of a security corridor with a depth of 6 kilometers (nearly 4 miles) on either side of the road and the elimination of terrorist groups in Idlib.

Since then, Turkey has conducted joint patrols with Russia on M4, while stepping up efforts to redesign the rebel scene in Idlib. The Turkish moves have sought to secure the rapport of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, use the group to rein in al-Qaeda-linked factions flouting the Moscow deal and increase the deployment sites of Turkish forces. Military convoys of up to 35 vehicles have streamed into Idlib once or twice a week, heading to various areas in the province.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported July 24 that nearly 5,000 military vehicles had crossed from Turkey since March 6, when the latest cease-fire took effect. It has tallied the entry of 8,325 military vehicles and more than 11,500 troops since February. The number of Turkish checkpoints around Idlib, meanwhile, has reached 66.

The military buildup underscores Ankaras resolve to preserve the status quo in Idlib by using M4 as a barrier blocking the Syrian army. Turkeys military presence has become also its main bargaining chip in a prospective political settlement in Syria. Furthermore, in return for facilitating Russias job in Idlib, Ankara hopes to further extend the security corridor it has secured along its border in northeast Syria in a bid to completely remove the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units from the border.

Meanwhile, Turkey has continued to push for remaking Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and forging a united opposition front. Last week, opposition media reported that rebels from al-Fatah al-Mubeen  a joint operation room that had been formed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the National Liberation Front and Jaish al-Izza to stop the Syrian armys advance on M5  met with Turkish intelligence officers at Bab al-Hawa to discuss a new joint military council and operational room led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The meeting followed moves by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham to suppress rival factions, including a newly formed coalition, Fathbutou (Be Steadfast), which not only challenged its authority but threatened to provide Russia with a justification to resume military operations.

Radical factions that reject Turkish-Russian decisions in Idlib, namely Hurras al-Din, Ansar al-Din, Tansiqiyat al-Jihad, Ansar al-Islam and Muqatileen al-Ansar, formed Fathbutou June 12. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham moved quickly to thwart the new coalition, arresting several of its leaders and even engaging in deadly clashes with its members.

Turkeys plan to bring rebel groups into a new joint setup aims to take Hayat Tahrir al-Sham under control and allow Ankara to claim it has disabled terrorist groups. Such efforts are seen also as an attempt to prepare rebel forces for potential battles down the road.

The Syrian military has been tightening the noose around Idlib, stepping up operations in Zawiya Mountain, al-Ghab plain and Jisr al-Shughur as well as in western Aleppo.

In response, al-Fateh al-Mubeen coalition has sent reinforcements to southern Idlib, Naji Mustafa, a commander from the National Liberation Front, said July 24. The coalition is responding to cease-fire breaches by the Syrian army and enhancing its readiness for future battles, he added.

In sum, Turkey could give some concessions in Idlib in a bid to ease the pressure of its commitment to eliminate terrorist groups and, furthermore, to soften Russia in Libya amid a standoff over the key cities of Sirte and al-Jufra. Such concessions, however, do not mean that Turkey would forfeit the leverage of its military presence on the ground and clout over militia forces. A cycle in which conflict dictates collaboration with Russia but collaboration fails to avert conflict appears bound to continue.
RTHK: US moves ahead with troop withdrawal from Germany

The United States will slash its military presence in Germany by 11,900 troops in what the Pentagon on Wednesday called a "strategic" repositioning but President Trump said was to punish Berlin for its weak defence spending.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the Pentagon will be sending home about 6,400 of its military personnel in Germany, and move nearly 5,600 to other NATO countries, including Italy and Belgium.

Some could also be relocated to Poland and the Baltic countries if Washington can reach agreements with them, he said.

The move, which will cost the US government several billion dollars, will cut the presence of US military personnel in Germany to around 24,000, Esper said.

He stressed that the action is part of his broader plan to reposition US military forces around the world to better address key threats and enhance flexibility, including with the NATO alliance, which is focused on deterring a possible Russian threat to Europe.

But at the White House Trump told reporters that Germany has not paid its fair share for the defence of Europe.

"They are there to protect Europe, they are there to protect Germany, and Germany is supposed to pay for it," Trump said of the troops.

"We don't want to be the suckers anymore.... We're protecting Germany, so we're reducing the force because they're not paying the bills."

In moves that could begin within weeks, some US command operations currently in Germany will be moved to Belgium and Italy, where they will be located with their NATO counterparts, Esper said.

"This will strengthen NATO and improve the operational efficiency and readiness of over 2,000 (US) service members," he said.

The planned relocation of 2,500 US air force personnel from Britain to Germany has been cancelled.

The Pentagon also will move an F-16 fighter squadron from Germany to Italy, closer to the Black Sea area where they can protect NATO's southeastern region, he said.

Another command unit and US troops could be rotated into Poland, Esper said, if Warsaw signs a defense cooperation and burden-sharing agreement crafted by Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda in June.

"The repositioning of our forces in Europe constitutes a major strategic and positive shift," Esper said.

"These changes will unquestionably achieve the core principles of enhancing US and NATO deterrence of Russia; strengthening NATO; reassuring allies; and, improving US strategic flexibility," he said.

The goal is "to enhance deterrence and reassure allies along NATO's southeastern flank," Esper said.

The move could have a significant economic and strategic impact in Germany, where tens of thousands of US troops have been stationed since the end of World War II.

Earlier this month, the leaders of four German states urged the US Congress to block the troop reduction, warning it could weaken the Atlantic alliance's front against Moscow. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Ambala : , July 29 (IANS) Hours ahead of the landing of five Rafale aircrafts in an air base in this town of Haryana, the local administration has imposed prohibitory orders, banning photography of assets and Rafale aircrafts, and beefed up security.

These prohibitory orders will be in force throughout the day, even barring mediapersons to capture videos and photographs of the Rafale aircrafts.

"Movement of anti-social elements in the vicinity of the Air Force station and mediapersons taking photographs from houses in adjoining villages during the event cannot be ruled out. It will endanger security," an order said.

To ensure security of the Ambala air force station is of paramount importance since the Rafale aircraft will be inducted here, it said.

The order said the air base is surrounded by villages including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjokhara and National Highway 1-A.

"In exercise of the powers vested in me by virtue of Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, I do hereby prohibit photography of any assets of Air Force station Ambala on July 29 from dusk to dawn with immediate effect," said the order, signed by the district magistrate.

A Defence Ministry statement said a formal induction ceremony of Rafales will be planned later.

"The requirement now (July 29) is to ensure that the pilots and ground crew put their heads down and become integrated with the overall IAF operations at the earliest.

"Hence it is in the best interest of the country, the IAF and the crew involved that they are kept away from media glare at the moment," said the statement.

"It is essential that the ferry-in of fighters as well as move of support crew is completed safely and swiftly for which the Station Authorities are required to devote their undivided attention to the mission at hand," it added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
China Encourages India to Join Forces Against 'Hegemon' US After Pompeo Proposes Coalition

Sputnik News

01:32 GMT 28.07.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an address in London last week proposed an international coalition against China. Meanwhile, considering India's border conflict with Beijing, Washington has offered steadfast support and cooperation to New Delhi over the past few weeks.

New Delhi should join hands with Beijing to "resolutely" promote democratisation and legalisation of international relations, stated Ji Rong, a spokesperson with the Chinese embassy in India, on Monday amid raging border tensions in the eastern Ladakh region. Ji said that India is an emerging economy and as such adheres to strategic independence.

"China and India should resolutely oppose any act of reversing the wheel of history, firmly resist hegemonism & power politics," Rong said on Monday, in a series of tweets mentioning that Beijing is committed to finding a new path of peaceful development and win-win cooperation with other countries.

The statement comes against the backdrop of an increased level of India-US cooperation, including naval exercises near the choke point of the Strait of Malacca, a shipping line in the Indian Ocean Region through which 80 percent of China's energy imports pass.

Ji stated in a series of tweets how Beijing has been an upholder of international order and a practitioner of international fairness and justice.

"Some US politicians always view China with Cold-War mentality instigating containment, ideological confrontation and anti-China clique. US kept turning away from international treaties and organizations and selectively applied international law. International community knows who is real trouble-maker and threat," Ji added, at the time when Pompeo identified China as the "main rival" of the US, and accused Beijing of taking advantage over trade, and pursuing illegal maritime claims in the South China Sea.

Last week, Pompeo, during a press conference in London, announced the aspirations of the Trump administration to build a coalition of countries that would push China to change its political behavior.

"We hope we can build out a coalition that understands the threat and will work collectively to convince the Chinese Communist Party that it is not in their best interest to engage in this kind of behaviour," Pompeo said in London, cited by Reuters.

However, the Indian External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, suggested that the US go beyond mere alliances, advising that the Tru,p administration learn to work in a multilateral world.

"I think the US really has to learn to work with a more multipolar world with more plurilateral arrangements, go beyond the alliance with which it has grown up in the last two generations," Jaishankar said in a virtual conference organised by the US-India Business Council a few days after the Pompeo announcement.

The Chinese envoy's statement comes at a time when Beijing and New Delhi are still negotiating disengagement along the 4,057km Line of Actual Control in the Himalayas.

A Sputnik

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FAIRFIELD  The final hurtle for a joint dispatch center with Westport was cleared when the Representative Town Meeting approved the agreement between the two towns.

In a Monday night teleconference meeting, the RTM approved the plans unanimously and without discussion. The Fairfield County Dispatch Interlocal Agreement is an accord between Fairfield, Westport and Sacred Hearst University.

Once signed by First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick, the two towns will share the load of 911, police, fire and emergency medical services calls.

The planned location of the center is the 2,900-square-foot first floor of the former General Electric building on Park Avenue, now owned by Sacred Heart.

A 25-year lease stipulates the towns would pay a symbolic $1 a year rent as part of the partnership, with each town contributing 50 cents. The plan has been in the works since 2018, when the towns shared the $80,000 cost of hiring a consultant to create a study on how the joint dispatch center would operate and whether it would be cost effective.

Fairfields RTM approved $2.8 million in a bond resolution for the projects funding in 2019.

Fairfield will operate the center and pay 67 percent of the operational costs, while Westport will pay 33 percent, which is based on population and call volume. The division of operational expenses will also be periodically adjusted.

Three weeks ago, the Fairfield Board of Selectmen and the Westport RTM approved the agreement. Fairfield Deputy Police Chief Donald Smith told his board the agreement allows the two municipalities to become partners in the venture.

In response to questions from Fairfield Selectman Tom Flynn, town attorney Jim Baldwin said he was satisfied with both the budget process and the legal language in the agreement.

At the Westport RTM meeting, Fire Department Chief Robert Yost said the agreement would save the town money and increase the efficiency with which 911 calls are processed. He said other towns may join in on the agreement

Weve already had interest from other towns, but the goal is were going to start it, were going to get it up and running, and then well entertain other municipalities coming in and then we will see the reduction in our share of the costs, he said. Its a pretty exciting time. Its got a lot of attention, and were very excited to start construction.
OPINION: One of our letter writers has big praise for the way Councilman Steve Kozachik has kept his ward informed during the pandemic, comparing him to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. That and more in today's Letters to the Editor!
Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has launched underground ballistic missiles as part of a drill involving a fake U.S. aircraft carrier during military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, a day after the IRGC fired a missile from a helicopter targeting the same carrier.



Drones separately targeted the bridge of the fake carrier, according to state TV on July 29, which did not immediately broadcast footage of the launches or the drone attack, nor did it identify the missiles used in the drill.



The U.S. military said that ballistic missile fire detected from the exercise resulted in U.S. troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the U.S. militarys Central Command in Qatar. Troops sought cover during that time.



"The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all clear was declared after the threat ... had passed," said Central Command spokeswoman Beth Riordan.



Both bases are hundreds of kilometers away from where Iran put the replica aircraft carrier.

'Irresponsible And Reckless'



Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been on the rise since 2018, when the United States withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed crippling sanctions that have battered the Iranian economy.



In January, a U.S. drone strike killed a top Iranian commander in Baghdad. Tehran responded to that strike by firing ballistic missiles that wounded dozens of American forces in Iraq.



Washington is also pressing for the extension of a yearslong UN weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October.



A recent incident over Syria involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane has also renewed tensions.

Footage of the first day of drills broadcast on state television on July 28 showed a missile fired from a helicopter leaving a trail of smoke before appearing to smash into the side of the fake warship.



Other footage from the exercise dubbed Payambar-e Azam 14 (The Great Prophet) showed speedboats encircling the replica, commandos rappelling onto the deck of the vessel, and scuba forces underwater.



Antiaircraft batteries were seen firing from a location that the report described as being near the port city of Bandar Abbas.



Land-based trucks also launched missiles and troops used shoulder-fired missiles.



The U.S. Navy condemned the "irresponsible and reckless behavior by Iran," calling it an attempt "to intimidate and coerce."

With reporting by AFP
Boulogne-Billancourt (France), July 29th 2020 - Vallourec, a world leader in premium tubular solutions, today announces its results for the second quarter and first half of 2020. The consolidated financial information was presented by Vallourec's Management Board to its Supervisory Board on July 28th 2020.

Q2 results: impacted by unprecedented O&G market situation in North America, while Vallourec's results in other regions show strong resilience Revenue of 843 million, down 22% year-on-year, mainly driven by lower Oil & Gas

EBITDA at 43 million, versus 102 million in Q2 2019, the decline being essentially located in North America, while other regions show solid resilience

Free cash flow consumption of (77) million versus 16 million in Q2 2019, including higher restructuring and financial charges

Net income of (493) million includes impairment charges recorded for (441) million versus (21) million in Q2 2019, reflecting mainly changes in discount rates, and in the long term market growth assumptions in O&G North America





Balance sheet, liquidity and refinancing



Net debt at 2,326 versus 2,267 million at end of Q1 2020. Liquidity position at 1,543 million, versus 1,779 at the end of Q1 2020

The Group announced on February 19, 2020 its intention to launch a capital increase of 800 million euros combined with a new credit line of 800 million. This operation was adopted by the Shareholders meeting on April 6, 2020. However due to new environment and adverse market conditions linked to Covid crisis, these refinancing operations were not carried out. Vallourec continues discussions, in particular with its reference shareholders and its banks, in order to define a new refinancing plan, taking into account the consequences of the Covid and oil markets crises on its activity and allowing it to deal with its upcoming maturities and rebalance its financial structure





Continued commercial momentum Frame-agreement with Petrobras extended by two years, until mid-2023, reaffirming our historic partnership

Large awards in Africa and Middle East for deliveries in 2021





Leading ESG performance Part of CDP Climate "A list" since 2019 (i.e. among the 2% best performing companies worldwide)

Carbon emission targets compliance with Paris agreement provisions approved by the Scientific Based Target initiative (SBTi) in June 2020. First O&G company to obtain this recognition





2020 Outlook confirmed Outlook supported by resilience levers despite the sharp drop in North America onshore activity and Industry markets: Brazil: offshore activity to accelerate in H2 Sustained activity from our highly profitable iron ore mine EA-MEA: strong deliveries of high alloys tubes

Extensive cost cutting actions across the Group Full adaptation of variable costs (including direct labor) Acceleration of the savings in H2, confirming the full year target of 130 million savings announced in Q1 2020, o/w 51 million achieved in H1

Free cash flow targeted positive in H2, including a significant release of working capital

Key figures





H1 2020 H1 2019 Change In  million Q2 2020 Q2 2019 Change 872 1,176 -25.9% Production shipped (k tons) 422 605 -30.2% 1,696 2,109 -19.6% Revenue 843 1,084 -22.2% 111 169 -58m EBITDA 43 102 -59m 6.5% 8.0% -1.5p.p. (as a % of revenue) 5.1% 9.4% -4.3p.p. (514) (18) -496m Operating income (loss) (485) 1 -486m (567) (167) -400m Net income, Group share (493) (77) -416m (258) (143) -115m Free cash-flow (77) 16 -93m 2,326 2,111 +215m Net debt 2,326 2,111 +215m

Edouard Guinotte, Chairman of the Management Board, declared:

"As anticipated, the Covid-19 crisis and the associated drop in oil price significantly impacted our activity in the second quarter. Oil & Gas onshore in the US was by far the most affected as well as Industry markets. This was partially offset by our deliveries of high alloy products in EA-MEA, sustained output from our iron ore mine, and Oil & Gas activity in Brazil. In this adverse environment, while our utmost priority remained to ensure the health and safety of our teams, we kept a relentless focus on adaptation, cost savings and cash management, which enabled us to contain cash consumption during the quarter.

In such market conditions, the commercial momentum initiated in 2019 continued and translated into a solid hit ratio on most of our product lines. In Brazil, we signed the extension of our long-term contract with Petrobras demonstrating the quality of the products and services offered by Vallourec. We were also awarded large orders in Middle East and Africa.

Turning to H2 2020, we don't expect material improvement in the US or in Industry markets. However, we will continue to benefit from our levers of resilience. Over the second half, our backlog of high alloy products in EA-MEA will continue to support our deliveries of premium OCTG. In Brazil, we should also continue to benefit from stable volumes and prices of iron ore while high-end deliveries for offshore will accelerate.

We will also pursue our internal efforts and expect to reap the benefits of our adaptation and cost savings measures, we will continue to enforce tight working capital management and strict capex discipline. As a result, we target a positive free cash flow in the second half.

I am confident in our ability to get through this unprecedented crisis notably thanks to the impressive and untiring commitment demonstrated by our teams."





I - A REINFORCED RESILIENCE ENHANCED BY ADAPTATION MEASURES TO FACE AN UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS

The unprecedented fall in oil demand caused by Covid-19 (c.-20% in Q2 yoy) was not immediately offset by supply restrictions from OPEC+ and non OPEC+. This led to a fall in oil price and sharp cuts in capex from operators (c -50% in 2020 in US onshore, -25% for IOCs/listed companies, less for NOCs).

After its drop in Q2, oil demand is now rebounding (even if a full recovery will take time) and the reduced supply is there to stay longer (OPEC+ supply cuts until April 2022). According to IEA, the oil market is expecting to be undersupplied as from H2 2020, allowing to start reducing inventories accumulated in H1 2020.

In order to face this unprecedented crisis and in addition to a restored competitiveness thanks to the successful implementation of its Transformation Plan, Vallourec launched extensive costs cutting in order to achieve 130m gross savings in 2020 on top of the full adaptation of variable costs.

In North America, the workforce reduction of more than 1/3 (more than 900 positions) across all plants as well as support functions is effective since May 2020.

51 million of gross savings were already achieved in H1.

The Group benefits from solid areas of resilience such as in EA-MEA where our diversified customer base and our restored competitiveness allow the confirmation of the commercial momentum initiated in 2019. Brazil still shows a growing offshore activity in 2020, with Petrobras and IOCs having confirmed their focus on highly prolific pre-salt projects. Finally, the mine activity remains highly profitable with resilient iron ore prices and expected output slightly higher than in 2019.

II - CONSOLIDATED REVENUE BY MARKET





H1 2020 H1 2019 Change At constant exchange rates In  million Q2 2020 Q2 2019 Change At constant exchange rates 1,198 1,525 -21.4% -19.8% Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals 585 787 -25.6% -22.7% 393 482 -18.5% -7.9% Industry & Other 200 246 -18.6% -3.6% 105 102 2.6% 4.3% Power Generation 57 52 11.2% 13.4% 1,696 2,109 -19.6% -15.9% Total 843 1,084 -22.2% -16.7%

Over the second quarter of 2020, Vallourec recorded revenue of 843 million, down 22% compared with the second quarter of 2019 (-17% at constant exchange rates) with:

a major volume impact of -30% mainly driven by Oil & Gas in North America and EA-MEA

a positive price/mix effect of +14% reflecting a better price/mix in Oil & Gas in EA-MEA and South America, despite lower prices in North America

a currency conversion effect of -6% mainly related to EUR/BRL.

Over the first half 2020, revenue totaled 1,696 million, down 20% versus the first half 2019 (-16% at constant exchange rate). Volume effect was -26%, price/mix effect +10% and currency conversion effect -4%.

Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals (69% of Q2 2020 consolidated revenue)

Oil & Gas revenue reached 518 million in Q2 2020,a (205) million decrease or -28% year-on-year (-26% at constant exchange rates), reflecting lower revenue from North America and EA-MEA.

In North America , Oil & Gas revenue decrease was driven by lower deliveries due to the unprecedented decrease in rig count, as well as to lower prices.

, Oil & Gas revenue decrease was driven by lower deliveries due to the unprecedented decrease in rig count, as well as to lower prices. In EA-MEA , Oil & Gas revenue decrease reflected lower shipments, partially offset by a better price-mix related notably to high alloy deliveries.

, Oil & Gas revenue decrease reflected lower shipments, partially offset by a better price-mix related notably to high alloy deliveries. In South America, Oil & Gas revenue strong increase reflected a pick-up in offshore deliveries as well as better price-mix, despite unfavorable currency conversion effect.

Over the first half 2020, Oil & Gas revenue totaled 1,070 million, a (325) million decrease or -23% year-on-year (-22% at constant exchange rates).

Petrochemicals revenue was 67 million in Q2 2020, up 6% year-on-year (+10% at constant exchange rates) notably due to higher sales in Middle East Asia and North America.

Over the first half 2020, Petrochemicals revenue totaled 128 million, down 1% year-on-year (+1% at constant exchange rates).

In Q2 2020, revenue for Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals amounted to 585 million, down 26% compared with Q2 2019 (-23% at constant exchange rates) due to lower O&G volumes in North America and EA-MEA.

Over the first half 2020, revenue for Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals totaled 1,198 million, down 21% compared with H1 2019 (-20% at constant exchange rates).

Industry & Other (24% of Q2 2020 consolidated revenue)

Industry & Other revenue amounted to 200 million in Q2 2020, down 19% year-on-year (-4% at constant exchange rates):

In Europe, Industry revenue was down year on year reflecting lower volumes and prices.

In South America, Industry & Other revenue was down, reflecting lower Automotive volumes and unfavorable currency conversion effect, partially offset by higher volumes in Mechanical Engineering.

In Brazil, the increase in iron ore mine revenue reflected both higher volumes sold (+18% compared to Q2 2019) and resilient prices, despite an unfavorable conversion currency effect.

Over the first half 2020, Industry & Other revenue totaled 393 million, down 19% year-on-year (-8% at constant exchange rates) primarily as a result of lower shipments as well as unfavorable conversion currency effect.

Power Generation (7% of Q2 2020 consolidated revenue)

Power Generation revenue amounted to 57 million in Q2 2020, up 11% year-on-year (+13% at constant exchange rates), as a result of timing of project deliveries.

As a reminder, the closure of the Reisholz site in Germany, dedicated to coal-fired conventional power plants, will be effective in H2 2020.

For the first half 2020, revenue totaled 105 million, up 3% year-on-year (+4% at constant exchange rates).

III - CONSOLIDATED RESULTS ANALYSIS

Q2 2020 consolidated results analysis

In Q2 2020, EBITDA reached 43 million (compared with 102 million in Q2 2019), with a margin at 5.1% of revenue, as a result of:

An industrial margin of 136 million, at 16.1% of revenue, reflecting the lower activity in Oil & Gas notably in North America and to a smaller extent in Industry, partially offset by i) savings ii) positive contribution of high alloy deliveries in EA-MEA and iii) higher mine contribution

A 21% decrease in sales, general and administrative costs (SG&A) at 83 million or 9.8% of revenues, reflecting our adaptation plan

Operating result was negative at (485) million compared to 1 million in Q2 2019, notably impacted by i) an impairment charge of the total amount of the CGUs North America and Europe goodwills for (337) million, ii) an impairment charge for (104) million related to tangible assets in Europe. These impairment charges, which are entirely non cash, were driven by an increase in discount rates for our North America and European businesses and a downward revision of long term perspectives in North America O&G, in the context of difficulties to predict long term market conditions. And iii) restructuring costs of (22) million mainly related to the closure of the Reisholz site in Germany and to Brazil.

Financial result was negative at (80) million, a (19) million increase compared to (61) million in Q2 2019, reflecting higher financial expenses.

Income tax amounted to (10) million mainly related to Brazil, compared to (14) million in Q2 2019.

This resulted in a net loss, Group share, of (493) million, compared to (77) million in Q2 2019.

H1 2020 consolidated results analysis

In H1 2020, EBITDA reached 111 million, a 58 million decrease year on year, at 6.5% of revenue, including:

An industrial margin of 297 million, down 84 million compared with H1 2019, reflecting primarily lower activity in Oil & Gas in North America and in Industry, partially offset by i) savings ii) positive contribution of high alloy deliveries in EA-MEA and iii) higher mine contribution.

Sales, general and administrative costs (SG&A) down 13% at 173 million, reflecting our adaptation plan, and representing 10.2% of revenue.

Operating result decreased by (496) million to a loss of (514) million, reflecting mainly the impairment charge recorded in Q2 2020. Higher "asset disposal, restructuring costs and other" charges (increased by 35 million) included restructuring provisions related to the closure of the Reisholz site in Germany, the adaptation plan in North America and Brazil. Lower depreciation of industrial assets was recorded.

Financial result was negative at (115) million, compared to (122) million in H1 2019, reflecting higher financial expenses being offset by other financial income, including mainly the settlement of a dispute in Brazil for 24 million.

Income tax amounted to (30) million mainly related to Brazil.

As a result, net loss, Group share, amounted to (567) million, compared to (167) million in H1 2019.



IV - CASH FLOW & FINANCIAL POSITION

Cash flow from operating activities

In Q2 2020, cash flow from operating activities reached (65) million, compared to 39 million in Q2 2019, reflecting mainly the lower EBITDA and higher financial expenses and restructuring cash-out. In H1 2020, cash flow from operating activities was negative at (96) million compared to 10 million in H1 2019, mainly due to the lower EBITDA and to a lesser extent to higher restructuring cash-out and income taxes paid.

Operating working capital requirement

Operating working capital requirement decreased by 20 million in Q2 2020, versus an increase of (4) million in Q2 2019, as a result of activity decline. Net working capital requirement increased to 115 days of sales, compared to 108 days in Q2 2019, reflecting customer mix and fixed inventories.

In H1 2020, operating working capital requirement increased by (99) million versus an increase of (117) million in H1 2019.

Capex

Capital expenditure was (32) million in Q2 2020, in line with full year envelope, compared to (19) million in Q2 2019, and was (63) million in H1 2020 compared to (36) million in H1 2019.

Free cash flow

As a result, in Q2 2020, free cash flow was negative at (77) million versus a generation of 16 million in Q2 2019.

Free cash flow for H1 2020 was negative at (258) million, a decrease of 115 million compared with (143) million in H1 2019.

Asset disposals & other items

Asset disposals & other items amounted to 17 million in Q2 2020 and were mostly related to a positive currency effect on net debt. For H1 2020, they amounted to (38) million as a result of negative currency effects on net debt and of the repayment of leasing debts (IFRS16).

Net debt and liquidity

As at June 30th 2020, net debt stood at 2,326 million, compared with 2,267 million on March 31st 2020.

As at June 30th 2020, lease debt stood at 122 million, compared with 115 million on March 31st 2020.

Cash as at June 30th 2020 amounted to 1,420 million, and 123 million of the 1,934 million committed bank facilities were unused.

At the same date, long term debt amounted to 1,746 million and short-term debt to 2,000 million, including 18 million of commercial paper and 1,811 million drawn from the 1,934 million committed banking facilities, of which 100 million maturing in July 2020 and 1,724 million in February 2021.

Based on June 30, 2020 financial results, the banking covenant ratio, as defined in the banking contracts, would be at 124%. As it is tested once a year on December 31st, according to the contracts, this does not affect Vallourec's ability to draw down its committed banking facilities in 2020.

V - REFINANCING PLAN

The Group announced on February 19, 2020 its intention to launch a capital increase of 800 million euros combined with a new credit line of 800 million.

This operation was adopted by the Shareholders meeting on April 6, 2020. However due to new environment and adverse market conditions linked to Covid crisis, these refinancing operations were not carried out. Vallourec continues discussions, in particular with its reference shareholders and its banks, in order to define a new refinancing plan, taking into account the consequences of the Covid and oil markets crises on its activity and allowing it to deal with its upcoming maturities and rebalance its financial structure.

VI - 2020 OUTLOOK

Outlook confirmed and supported by resilience levers.

Oil & Gas

In EA-MEA, Middle East and North Africa NOC's generally maintain sustained activity. Delayed projects mainly from IOC's are offset by strong deliveries of high alloys.

Middle East and North Africa NOC's generally maintain sustained activity. Delayed projects mainly from IOC's are offset by strong deliveries of high alloys. In North America , after the sharp drop in drilling activity of shale operators (rig count down 70% since December 19), the rig count is expected to stabilize close to current level and OCTG prices to remain at a low level.

, after the sharp drop in drilling activity of shale operators (rig count down 70% since December 19), the rig count is expected to stabilize close to current level and OCTG prices to remain at a low level. In Brazil, the number of drilled wells is forecasted to increase. As anticipated, deliveries of premium OCTG are planned to continue to accelerate in H2.

Industry & Other

In Europe and Brazil , demand from Industry is expected to continue being impacted by Covid-19 crisis.

, demand from Industry is expected to continue being impacted by Covid-19 crisis. Volume of iron ore produced in Brazil is expected to be slightly higher than in 2019, while iron ore prices are so far staying at favourable levels.

Adaptation Measures

Adjustment of working hours to the activity in each country (short-time work, furlough,)

130 million gross savings targeted in 2020 of which 51 million already achieved in H1 2020 (In addition to full adaptation of variable costs, including direct labor).

2020 capex envelope reduced by 20% compared to initial envelope, to c. 160 million.

Working capital requirements reduction reflecting activity decline, ongoing action plans and usual seasonality towards the end of the year.

Free cash flow targeted positive in H2, including a significant release of working capital.





Information and Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements include financial forecasts and estimates as well as assumptions on which they are based, statements related to projects, objectives and expectations concerning future operations, products and services or future performance. Although Vallourec's management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable, Vallourec cannot guarantee their accuracy or completeness and these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that are difficult to foresee and generally beyond Vallourec's control, which may mean that the actual results and developments may differ significantly from those expressed, induced or forecasted in the statements. These risks include those developed or identified in the public documents filed by Vallourec with the AMF, including those listed in the "Risk Factors" section of the Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on March 20th 2020.

Cautionary Statement

This press release does not, and shall not, in any circumstances constitute a public offering or an invitation to the public in connection with any offer.

No communication and no information in respect of this transaction may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction where a registration or approval is required. No steps have been or will be taken in any jurisdiction (other than France) where such steps would be required. The issue, the subscription for or the purchase of Vallourec's shares may be subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Vallourec assumes no responsibility for any violation of any such restrictions by any person.

This announcement is not a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and the Council of June 14, 2017 (as amended or superseded, the "Prospectus Regulation"). No securities offering will be opened to the public in France before the delivery of the visa on a prospectus prepared in compliance with the Prospectus Regulation, as approved by the AMF.

In France, an offer of securities to the public may only be made pursuant to a prospectus approved by the AMF. With respect to the member States of the European Economic Area (each, a "relevant member State"), other than France, no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the shares requiring a publication of a prospectus in any relevant member State. Consequently, the securities cannot be offered and will not be offered in any member State (other than France), except in accordance with the exemptions set out in Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation, or in the other case which does not require the publication by Vallourec of a prospectus pursuant to the Prospectus Regulation and/or applicable regulation in the member States.

This press release does not constitute an offer of the securities to the public in the United Kingdom. The distribution of this press release is not made, and has not been approved, by an authorized person ("authorized person") within the meaning of Article 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. As a consequence, this press release is directed only at (x) persons who (i) are outside the United Kingdom, (ii) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), or (iii) are high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2) of the Order and (y) any other persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). The securities are directed only at Relevant Persons and no invitation, offer or agreements to subscribe, purchase or acquire the securities may be proposed or made other than with Relevant Persons. Any person other than a Relevant Person may not act or rely on this document or any provision thereof. This press release is not a prospectus which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or any other United Kingdom regulatory authority for the purposes of Section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

This press release does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States. Vallourec shares may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Vallourec does not intend to register in the United States any portion of the offering mentioned in this press release or to conduct a public offering of the shares in the United States.

The distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a breach of applicable law. The information contained in this press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.





Presentation of Q2 & H1 2020 results

Analyst conference call / audio webcast at 6:30 pm (Paris time) to be held in English.

To listen to the audio webcast: https://channel.royalcast.com/webcast/vallourec-en/20200729_1/ (https://channel.royalcast.com/webcast/vallourec-en/20200729_1/)

(https://channel.royalcast.com/webcast/vallourec-en/20200729_1/) To participate in the conference call, please dial (password to use is "Vallourec"): +44 (0) 20 3003 2666 (UK) +33 (0) 1 7099 4740 (France) +1 212 999 6659 (USA)



Audio webcast replay and slides will be available on the website at:

https://www.vallourec.com/en/investors

About Vallourec

Vallourec is a world leader in premium tubular solutions for the energy markets and for demanding industrial applications such as oil & gas wells in harsh environments, new generation power plants, challenging architectural projects, and high-performance mechanical equipment. Vallourec's pioneering spirit and cutting edge R&D open new technological frontiers. With close to 19,000 dedicated and passionate employees in more than 20 countries, Vallourec works hand-in-hand with its customers to offer more than just tubes: Vallourec delivers innovative, safe, competitive and smart tubular solutions, to make every project possible.

Listed on Euronext in Paris (ISIN code: FR0013506730, Ticker VK) and eligible for the Deferred Settlement System (SRD), Vallourec is included in the following indices: SBF 120 and Next 150.

In the United States, Vallourec has established a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program (ISIN code: US92023R2094, Ticker: VLOWY). Parity between ADR and a Vallourec ordinary share has been set at 5:1.

Calendar

November 18th 2020 Release of third quarter and nine-month 2020 results

For further information, please contact:

Investor relations

Jerome Friboulet

Tel: +33 (0)1 49 09 39 77

Investor.relations@vallourec.com Press relations

Heloise Rothenbuhler

Tel: +33 (0)1 41 03 77 50

heloise.rothenbuhler@vallourec.com







Individual shareholders

Toll Free Number (from France): 0 805 65 10 10

actionnaires@vallourec.com













Appendices

Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this and other documents may not add up precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

Documents accompanying this release:

Sales volume

Forex

Revenue by geographic region

Revenue by market

Summary consolidated income statement

Summary consolidated balance sheet

Banking covenant

Free cash flow

Cash flow statement

Definitions of non-GAAP financial data

Sales volume

In thousands of tons 2020 2019 Change Q1 450 571 -21.2% Q2 422 605 -30.2% Q3 595 Q4 520 Total - 2,291

Forex

Average exchange rate H1 2020 H1 2019 EUR / USD 1.10 1.13 EUR / BRL 5.41 4.34 USD / BRL 4.92 3.84

Revenue by geographic region

In  million H1 2020 As % of revenue H1 2019 As % of revenue Change Q2 2020 As % of revenue Q2 2019 As % of revenue Change Europe 266 15.7% 311 14.7% -14.4% 126 14.9% 157 14.5% -20.0% North America (Nafta) 482 28.4% 668 31.7% -27.9% 211 25.1% 330 30.4% -35.9% South America 323 19.1% 329 15.6% -1.9% 172 20.4% 162 15.0% 5.9% Asia and Middle East 467 27.5% 549 26.1% -15.1% 241 28.6% 303 27.9% -20.4% Rest of the world 158 9.3% 252 11.9% -37.1% 93 11.0% 132 12.2% -29.6% Total 1,696 100% 2,109 100% -19.6% 843 100% 1,084 100% -22.2%

Revenue by market

H1 2020 As % of revenue H1 2019 As % of revenue Change In  million Q2 2020 As % of revenue T2 2019 As % of revenue Variation 1,070 63.1% 1,395 66.2% -23.3% Oil & Gas 518 61.5% 724 66.8% -28.4% 128 7.5% 130 6.2% -1.5% Petrochemicals 67 8.0% 63 5.8% 6.4% 1,198 70.6% 1,525 72.3% -21.4% Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals 585 69.5% 787 72.6% -25.6% 153 9.0% 202 9.6% -23.9% Mechanicals 74 8.8% 88 8.2% -15.8% 27 1.6% 63 3.0% -57.3% Automotive 9 1.1% 32 3.0% -70.6% 212 12.5% 217 10.3% -2.2% Construction & Other 116 13.8% 125 11.5% -7.2% 393 23.2% 482 22.9% -18.5% Industry & Other 200 23.7% 245 22.7% -18.6% 105 6.2% 102 4.8% 2.6% Power Generation 57 6.8% 52 4.8% 11.2% 1,696 100% 2,109 100% -19.6% Total 843 100% 1,084 100% -22.2%

Summary consolidated income statement







H1 2020 H1 2019 Change In  million Q2 2020 Q2 2019 Change 1,696 2,109 -19.6% Revenue 843 1,084 -22.2% (1,399) (1,728) -19.0% Cost of sales (707) (871) -18.8% 297 381 -22.0% Industrial Margin 136 213 -36.2% 17.5% 18.1% -0.6p.p. (as a % of revenue) 16.1% 19.6% -3.5p.p. (173) (198) -12.6% Sales, general and administrative costs (83) (105) -21.0% (13) (14) na Others (10) (6) na 111 169 -58m EBITDA 43 102 -59m 6.5% 8.0% -1.5p.p. (as a % of revenue) 5.1% 9.4% -4.3p.p. (111) (126) -11.9% Depreciation of industrial assets (52) (60) -13.3% (27) (29) na Amortization and other depreciation (13) (14) na (441) (21) na Impairment of assets (441) (21) na (46) (11) na Asset disposals, restructuring costs and non-recurring items (22) (6) na (514) (18) -496m Operating income (loss) (485) 1 -486m (115) (122) -5.7% Financial income/(loss) (80) (61) 31.1% (629) (140) -489m Pre-tax income (loss) (565) (60) -505m (30) (22) na Income tax (10) (14) na (1) (1) na Share in net income/(loss) of equity affiliates - - na (660) (163) -497m Net income (575) (74) -501m (93) 4 na Attributable to non-controlling interests (82) 3 na (567) (167) -400m Net income, Group share (493) (77) -416m (49.6) (0.4) na Net earnings per share (in ) * (43.1) (0.2) na

na = not applicable

* H1 and Q2 2020 figures adjusted for new number of shares following reverse stock split effective on May 25 2020

Summary consolidated balance sheet

In  million Assets 6/30/2020 12/31/2019 Liabilities 6/30/2020 12/31/2019 Equity - Group share * 561 1,467 Non-controlling interests 386 513 Net intangible assets 58 63 Total equity 947 1,980 Goodwill 26 364 Shareholder loan 16 21 Net property, plant and equipment 2,266 2,642 Bank loans and other borrowings (A) 1,746 1,747 Biological assets 45 62 Lease debt (D) 95 104 Equity affiliates 128 129 Employee benefit commitments 220 228 Other non-current assets 110 132 Deferred taxes 10 9 Deferred taxes 207 249 Provisions and other long-term liabilities 73 61 Total non-current assets 2,840 3,641 Total non-current liabilities 2,144 2,149 Inventories 963 988 Provisions 93 121 Trade and other receivables 600 638 Overdraft and other short-term borrowings (B) 2,000 2,077 Derivatives - assets 11 7 Lease debt (E) 27 30 Other current assets 193 237 Trade payables 504 580 Cash and cash equivalents (C) 1,420 1,794 Derivatives - liabilities 17 18 Other current liabilities 279 329 Total current assets 3,187 3,664 Total current liabilities 2,920 3,155 Total assets 6,027 7,305 Total equity and liabilities 6,027 7,305 * Net income (loss), Group share (567) (338) Net debt (A+B-C) 2,326 2,031 Lease debt (D+E) 122 134

Banking covenant

As defined in the banking agreements, the "banking covenant" ratio is the ratio of the Group's consolidated net debt including the "financial lease debt" and the shareholder loan in Brazil to the Group's equity, restated for reserves of changes in fair value of financial instruments and foreign currency translation reserve. This indebtedness ratio is tested once a year on December 31st, and must be below a limit of 100% on this date.

Banking covenant (in  million) 6/30/2020 12/31/2019 Net debt (excluding financial lease debt) 2,326 2,031 Financial lease debt 35 50 Net debt 2,361 2,081 Shareholder loan 16 21 Restated net debt (1) 2,376 2,102 Equity 947 1,980 Foreign currency translation reserve - Group share (a) 968 608 Reserves - changes in fair value of financial instruments (a) 4 (4) Equity restated (2) 1,919 2,584 Ratio of banking covenant restated (1)/(2) 124% 81% (a) Including minority interests.

Free cash flow





H1 2020 H1 2019 Change In  million Q2 2020 Q2 2019 Change (96) 10 -106m Cash flow from operating activities (A) (65) 39 -104m (99) (117) +18m Change in operating WCR [+ decrease, (increase)] (B) 20 (4) +24m (63) (36) -27m Gross capital expenditure (C) (32) (19) -13m (258) (143) -115m Free cash flow (A)+(B)+(C) (77) 16 -93m

Cash flow statement





H1 2020 H1 2019 In  million Q2 2020 Q2 2019 (96) 10 Cash flow from operating activities (65) 39 (99) (117) Change in operating WCR [+ decrease, (increase)] 20 (4) (195) (107) Net cash flow from operating activities (45) 35 (63) (36) Gross capital expenditure (32) (19) (38) 31 Asset disposals & other items 17 (2) (296) (112) Change in net debt [+ decrease, (increase)] (60) 14 2,326 2,111 Financial net debt (end of period) 2,326 2,111

Definitions of non-GAAP financial data

Banking covenant: as defined in the banking agreements, the "banking covenant" ratio is the ratio of the Group's consolidated net debt including the "financial lease debt" and the shareholder loan in Brazil to the Group's equity, restated for reserves of changes in fair value of financial instruments and foreign currency translation reserve. This indebtedness ratio is tested once a year on December 31st, and must be below a limit of 100% on this date.

Data at constant exchange rates: the data presented  at constant exchange rates  is calculated by eliminating the translation effect into euros for the revenue of the Group's entities whose functional currency is not the euro. The translation effect is eliminated by applying Year N-1 exchange rates to Year N revenue of the contemplated entities.

Free cash flow: Free cash-flow (FCF) is defined as cash flow from operating activities minus gross capital expenditure and plus/minus change in operating working capital requirement.

Gross capital expenditure: gross capital expenditure is defined as the sum of cash outflows for acquisitions of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets and cash outflows for acquisitions of biological assets.

Industrial margin: the industrial margin is defined as the difference between revenue and cost of sales (i.e. after allocation of industrial variable costs and industrial fixed costs), before depreciation.

Lease debt: defined as the present value of unavoidable future lease payments

Net debt : consolidated net debt is defined as Bank loans and other borrowings plus Overdrafts and other short-term borrowings minus Cash and cash equivalents. Net debt excludes lease debt.

Net working capital requirement: defined as working capital requirement net of provisions for inventories and trade receivables; net working capital requirement days are computed on an annualized quarterly sales basis.

Operating working capital requirement: includes working capital requirement as well as other receivables and payables.

Working capital requirement: defined as trade receivables plus inventories minus trade payables (excluding provisions).

Attachment
Three Sudanese migrants were killed in a shooting in Libya after the country's coast guard intercepted them at sea and returned them to shore, the UN refugee agency said Tuesday.

The International Organization for Migration said separately that "local authorities started shooting when the migrants attempted to escape from the disembarkation point".

The UNHCR said it "deplores the tragic loss of three lives and calls for an urgent investigation" into the shootings at Al-Khums, a port city about 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Tripoli late Monday.

"The shooting occurred after more than 70 people were disembarked from a vessel," the UNHCR said, adding that two migrants died at the scene and a third en route to hospital, while two more were wounded.

"The remaining persons who were disembarked were moved to detention," it said in a statement.

Libya has become a key route for irregular migration to Europe in the chaotic years following the 2011 overthrow and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising.

"This incident underlines starkly that Libya is not a safe port for disembarkation," said UNHCR's Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean Situation, Vincent Cochetel.

He called for "increased search and rescue capacity on the Mediterranean, including NGO vessels, in order to increase the likelihood of rescue operations leading to disembarkations in safe ports outside of Libya."

The IOM also stressed that "Libya is not a safe port and (reiterated) its appeal to the European Union and international community for urgent action to end the return of vulnerable people to Libya".

"The suffering of migrants in Libya is intolerable," said IOM Libya Chief of Mission Federico Soda, whose organisation reported that three people were wounded.

"The use of excessive violence results yet again in the senseless loss of life, amid a lack of action to change a system that often fails to provide any degree of protection."

Non-governmental group SOS Mediterranee France said on Twitter it was "shocked and outraged by the death of two people shot after their return to Libya".

The organisation operates migrant rescue ship the Ocean Viking, which was detained by Italy's coastguard last week over technical irregularities, a move the charity blasted as "harassment".

"Disembarking survivors in Libya is a violation of maritime law," it said.

"People continue to flee the war by sea while civilian relief efforts are hampered and state rescue capabilities are lacking," it added, calling on the EU to act to "prevent more deaths".

More than 100,000 migrants tried to cross the Mediterranean last year, with more than 1,200 dying in the attempt, according to the IOM.
This article will reflect on the compensation paid to Mike Watters who has served as CEO of RDI REIT P.L.C. (LON:RDI) since 2013. This analysis will also look to assess whether the CEO is appropriately paid, considering recent earnings growth and investor returns for RDI REIT.

See our latest analysis for RDI REIT

How Does Total Compensation For Mike Watters Compare With Other Companies In The Industry?

According to our data, RDI REIT P.L.C. has a market capitalization of UK334m, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth UK662k over the year to August 2019. That's a notable decrease of 32% on last year. Notably, the salary which is UK416.8k, represents most of the total compensation being paid.

On comparing similar companies from the same industry with market caps ranging from UK155m to UK619m, we found that the median CEO total compensation was UK824k. From this we gather that Mike Watters is paid around the median for CEOs in the industry. Moreover, Mike Watters also holds UK1.3m worth of RDI REIT stock directly under their own name.

Component 2019 2018 Proportion (2019) Salary UK417k UK407k 63% Other UK245k UK571k 37% Total Compensation UK662k UK977k 100%

Talking in terms of the industry, salary represented approximately 39% of total compensation out of all the companies we analyzed, while other remuneration made up 61% of the pie. RDI REIT is paying a higher share of its remuneration through a salary in comparison to the overall industry. If salary is the major component in total compensation, it suggests that the CEO receives a higher fixed proportion of the total compensation, regardless of performance.

RDI REIT P.L.C.'s Growth

RDI REIT P.L.C. has reduced its earnings per share by 92% a year over the last three years. It saw its revenue drop 7.4% over the last year.

Few shareholders would be pleased to read that earnings have declined. And the impression is worse when you consider revenue is down year-on-year. These factors suggest that the business performance wouldn't really justify a high pay packet for the CEO. Historical performance can sometimes be a good indicator on what's coming up next but if you want to peer into the company's future you might be interested in this free visualization of analyst forecasts.

Story continues

Has RDI REIT P.L.C. Been A Good Investment?

With a three year total loss of 43% for the shareholders, RDI REIT P.L.C. would certainly have some dissatisfied shareholders. So shareholders would probably want the company to be lessto generous with CEO compensation.

To Conclude...

As we noted earlier, RDI REIT pays its CEO in line with similar-sized companies belonging to the same industry. Meanwhile, earnings growth and shareholder returns have been in the red for the last three years. It's tough to call out the compensation as inappropriate, but shareholders might not favor a raise before company performance improves.

CEO compensation is an important area to keep your eyes on, but we've also need to pay attention to other attributes of the company. We identified 2 warning signs for RDI REIT (1 can't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

Important note: RDI REIT is an exciting stock, but we understand investors may be looking for an unencumbered balance sheet and blockbuster returns. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
India on Wednesday received its first batch of new multi-role fighter aircraft in two decades with the arrival of five Rafale jets, giving the country's air power a strategic edge in the midst of a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh and frayed ties with Pakistan.

IMAGE: The first batch of five Rafale combat jets enter the Indian air space on its way to Ambala airbase from France. Photograph: @IAF_MCC/Twitter

The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base at around 3:10 pm to a rousing reception, nearly four years after India inked an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafales.

Each jet was given a special water cannon salute at the strategically-located air base in the presence of top brass of the Indian Air Force including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria who had played a key role as lead negotiator in procurement of the jets.

Welcoming the arrival of the jets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a tweet in Sanskrit, said there is no virtue like protecting the nation and there is no vow like defence of the nation.

"The Birds have landed safely in Ambala," defence minister Rajnath Singh tweeted as soon as the aircraft touched down in Ambala.

At the same time, he used the occasion to send a veiled warning to China.

"I would like to add, if it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity," the defence minister said.

Singh said that "the touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India marks the beginning of a new era in our military history. These multirole aircraft will revolutionise the capabilities of the IAF".

IMAGE: A Rafale jet arrives at the Ambala Air Force Station. Photograph: @IAF_MCC/Twitter

The fleet, which took off from Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday morning, had a planned stopover at Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates and began its onward journey on Wednesday morning.

The Rafale jets established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata in the Western Arabian Sea and were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

"The aircraft covered a distance of nearly 8,500 km from France to India. First stage of the flight covered a distance of 5,800 km in seven and a half hours. French Air Force tanker provided dedicated air-to-air refuelling support during the flight. The second stage of the flight covering over 2700 km was carried out with air-to-air refuelling by IAF tanker," the IAF said in a statement.

The National Democratic Alliance government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

SEE: Water salute given to the five Rafale fighter aircraft

The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.

The Rafale jets, known for air-superiority and precision strikes, are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia in 1997.

The Congress had alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal, claiming that the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost higher than what was finalised by the United Progressive Alliance government during negotiations for the 126 jets.

However, the government and aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation strongly refuted the allegations.

IMAGE: The aircraft will be a part of 17 Squadron, the "Golden Arrows, which was resurrected on September 10, 2019. Photograph: @IAF_MCC/Twitter

In a verdict in 2018, the Supreme Court had given clean chit to the government on the deal.

The political controversy relating to the deal peaked in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls last year.

"The Rafale jets were purchased when they fully met the operational requirements of the IAF. The baseless allegations against this procurement have already been answered and settled," the defence minister said.

The Congress on Wednesday welcomed the arrival of Rafale fighter jets, but again raised questions on issues of "delay" and cost.

SEE: Touchdown of Rafale fighter aircraft at Ambala airbase

The fleet, comprising three single seater and two twin seater aircraft, are being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

The 'Golden Arrows' was resurrected on September 10 last year.

It was originally raised on Oct 1, 1951.

"A formal induction ceremony of Rafale aircraft in 17 Squadron is scheduled to be held in the second half of Aug 2020," the IAF said.

IMAGE: Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, 2nd from left, and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command, Air Marshal B Suresh, right, along with the IAF pilots of the first five Rafale combat aircraft. Photograph: @IAF_MCC/Twitter

A government statement on Monday said 10 Rafale jets were delivered to India and that five of them are staying back in France for training missions.

The delivery of all 36 aircraft will be completed on schedule by the end of 2021, it added.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons.

European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

IMAGE: The Rafale jets established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata in the Western Arabian Sea and were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space. Photograph: @DefenceMinIndia/Twitter

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran.

The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat.

The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

SEE: Rafale jets in Indian airspace, flanked by two Su-30MKIs

There will be a formal ceremony for the induction of the jets in mid-August.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top military brass of the country are expected to attend the event.

The first Rafale jet was handed over to the IAF in October last year during a visit to France by the defence minister.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala airbase, the second one will based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

The Ambala base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF as the Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from it.

IMAGE: Water salute being given to the Rafale fighter aircraft after their landing at Indian Air Force airbase in Ambala. Photograph: ANI Photo

Ahead of the arrival of Rafales, authorities had imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station and banned taking of pictures and videos ahead.

A large number of police personnel were also deployed in a three-kilometre radius.

The IAF has spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers.

The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

IMAGE: The first batch of five Rafale combat jets, escorted by SU30 MKIs, enter the Indian air space. Photograph: @DefenceMinIndia/Twitter

India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by AK Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder).

In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology.

The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.
Initiated by ASEAN in November 2012, RCEP is a free trade agreement (FTA) amongst 16 countries, including 10 ASEAN member countries and six partners, namely India, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Australia and New Zealand.

The objective is to establish a foundation of extensive economic cooperation and create a market of 3.5 billion consumers, equivalent to 45% of the world's populationwith a GDP of approximately US$49trillion, equivalent to about 30% of global GDP.

With commitments to open markets for goods, services and investment, simplify customs procedures and establish rules of origin, facilitate trade, minimise barriers, etc, it is expected to create the largest free trade area in the world, fostering regional trade and value chains, thereby promoting the economic growth of ASEAN countries and their partners.

In May 2013, RCEP negotiations were kicked off, with the original intention being to complete and sign the agreement before 2015. However, the negotiation process faced a number of difficulties, mainly because some members had not previously had bilateral FTAs. By November 2019, on the side-lines of the 35th ASEAN Summit in Thailand, the countries participating in the RCEP achieved an important breakthrough and declared the basic completion of the negotiations.

However, at the last minute, India decided to withdraw from the RCEP, because of concerns about some terms that are not beneficial and could in their view be considered unfair to the Indian economy. The remaining 15 members declared they would leave the door open to New Delhi, and set a deadline to sign the final document by the end of 2020.

Despite lacking the participation of a large regional economy, members have still maintained the goal of adding RCEP to a new generation of high-quality FTAs and a model designed for international trade in the 21st century.

According to the overall assessment, RCEP will act as a regional trade standard maker, because treaty rules can become the norm and legal precedent for regional trade agreements in the future. In fact, RCEP has an open mechanism, leaving opportunities for the participation ofall partners around the globe.

RCEP is also seen as an important and timely impetus for multilateralism and a revitalisation of the stagnant global trading system. Trade disputes, fierce competition among major economies and increasing protectionism are shaking the spirit of multilateralism and international cooperation.

If signed fully at the end of this year, RCEP will send a message of support for such a multilateral system, promote regional economic integration and create a push for global trade. As the world is struggles against the COVID-19 pandemic, RCEP is expected to contribute to joint efforts to revive economic activity and adapt to the new normal after the pandemic.

As the rotating chair of the Association, Vietnam and ASEAN member countries have chosen Cohesive and Responsive as the theme for the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020, which is in line with the goal of strengthening regional integration and creating a more cohesive environment within ASEAN to adapt to the new context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In particular, the signing of RCEP is a priority goal of Vietnam in managing the Association's activities. Vietnam has actively participated in discussions and actively proposed flexible solutions, handling problems among the parties, while at the same time protecting its national interests. The countries have appreciated Vietnam's capacity and flexibility in coordinating the parties to advance towards the conclusion of negotiations and complete the legal review to prepare for the signing of the RCEP as planned.

Together with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and with the upcoming signed RCEP, Asia will have two major FTAs that will act as the basis for the orderly confluence of regional trade, as well as promote more comprehensive economic integration.

As a number of protectionist policies are weakening the global trading system, an ASEAN-led project, RCEP, will contribute to strengthening the Association's central role, laying the foundation for a larger FTA, towards a more comprehensive economic partnership agreement in the Asia  Pacific region.
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.
Over the next two weeks, Alexander Lukashenko faces the fight of his life.

It was never supposed to be like this  not in Belarus. Not with a self-styled dictator who has previously declared election victories with 75.6 per cent, 82.6 per cent, 79.65 per cent, and 84.14 per cent of the vote. Not with a sophisticated system of modern authoritarianism, one that made independent political activity the preserve of the brave and foolhardy.

This time around, the regime did all the things it usually does. Election officials refused to register the three strongest challengers from the field. Out went Valery Tsepkalo, a former ambassador to the US, Viktor Babariko, a banker, and Sergei Tikhanovski, advertising entrepreneur and popular political blogger. The latter two were arrested and jailed for their troubles.

Recommended Belarus headed for election confrontation as Lukashenko cracks down

Despite all that, the 9 August election is gearing up to be the political story of the summer. Battered by criticism over his Covid-19 denialism, the five-term incumbent Lukashenko appears to be in real trouble: regularly upstaged by opposition forces, with unprecedented protests taking place across the country.

Even more embarrassing for the macho leader who claims the presidency is too much for a woman to handle, his most obvious nemesis is female.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the wife of jailed Sergei Tikhonovsky, was propelled into politics following the arrest of her husband in May.

A former translator, secretary and, for the last 10 years, a shy, stay-at-home mum, she tells The Independent she is no politician. She spent much of the last year persuading her opinionated husband to do what everyone else in the country did  lie low. She says she anguished as she witnessed surveillance and arrests step up in line with Sergeis YouTube popularity and informal campaign around the end of last year.

But Ms Tikhanovskaya says she knew she had no right to stop her husband, and the last time he was arrested, vowed to continue his work. She registered as a candidate. Extraordinarily for a declared opposition candidate in Belarus, she was allowed to run.

What followed was equally extraordinary.

Defying predictions the opposition would find it difficult to unite, Ms Tikhanovskaya snapped to common language with Maria Kolesnikova, the head of Viktor Barbarikos presidential campaign, and Veronika Tsepkalo, wife of Valery, the other barred candidate. The basics of an agreement were hammered out in 15 minutes, and a full oral understanding in under a couple of hours.

As the registered candidate, Ms Tikhanovskaya would lead the campaign platform. There would be just three pledges: to free political prisoners, reverse authoritarian changes to the constitution made in 1996, and to run new, free elections within six months.

The three women announced their decision with a photoshoot: Ms Tikhanovskaya appeared with a clenched fist, flanked by Ms Tsepkalo with a V for victory sign and Ms Kolesnikova, with a heart. The symbolism was spontaneous, Ms Tikhanovskaya insists, and one of the very few things the group committed to paper. Dont think it was some campaign prepared months ago. It was all about the situation we found ourselves in.

For some, the optics were too perfect. The instant agreement. The women leaders. The fact Ms Tikhanovskaya was registered in the first place.

Elements of the Belarusian opposition converged with an unusual ally, Mr Lukashenko, in blaming the invisible hand of Moscow  an ungraspable law of nature in these parts.

Those who wanted evidence found it easily enough. Viktor Babariko made his money as a manager for a bank owned by Russias Gazprom. Valery Tsepkalo retains links with the Belarusian elite  and fled to Russia with his children shortly after his non-registration. Nationalistic opponents of Sergei Tikhanovsky have also criticised his production contracts with Russian stars.

Ms Tikhanovskaya rejects the criticism as silly rumours that are impossible to engage with. She couldnt speak on behalf of the other campaign teams, but as far as her husband was concerned, she was more than sure of his propriety. She saw how he had looked for kopecks to pay for petrol while campaigning. If they were Russian agents, theyd have a bit more cash in the bank, she reasoned.

Mr Tikhonovski was a leader in protests against closer integration with Russia, and spent 30 days in prison for his trouble: We know all about Lukashenkos road maps with Russia, which will slowly but surely lead to full unification. Ask yourself who the pro-Russian candidate really is.

Ms Tikhanovskaya has grown in self-assurance since the unexpected start to her political career. In conversation with The Independent, she delivers weighted positions that disguise the lack of formal political experience.

On Russia, the policy was to be friends with everyone  but reduce dependence on oil and gas handouts. On the painful subject of Crimea, de jure it was Ukrainian, de facto Russian, and she wouldnt drive people further apart by committing to either. She would stay middle of the road on the most controversial social issues like gay marriage: Im totally fine with same-sex relations and think any love is wonderful, but perhaps our country isnt ready for a decision on this just yet.

Ms Tikhanovskayas campaign has not shied from taboos. As a registered candidate she was allowed a short broadcast on state TV, and she used it to extraordinary effect. For the first time in many years, viewers were told about political prisoners and arrests. She attacked the presidents Covid-19 denialism and alleged low ratings.

Quite how popular the president is is unclear, given that independent polling is illegal in Belarus. One unofficial online poll had him at 3 per cent. That figure is likely to be highly misleading given the presidents historical electoral base. But it has become somewhat of an opposition slogan, and was unwittingly amplified by the president himself when he complained about 3 per cent Lukashenko jokes. On this, as on much else, the old-fashioned autocrat has found himself behind the curve of modern social media and meme culture.

David Marples, a professor at the University of Alberta, Canada, and long time Belarus watcher, suggests that a free vote could be quite evenly split.

Coronavirus and economic problems have conspired to undermine a belief Lukashenko can deliver, he says. For most of his time in office, the president kept his side of an unspoken contract  good pensions and living standards in exchange for political submission. Now, the model is broken.

There is no obvious or honest way for Lukashenko to get the 65 per cent any respectable dictator needs, Mr Marples says. Its the beginning of the end for him  perhaps not in two weeks time, but not far beyond. The fear has gone.

In a sign of increasing nervousness, Belaruss long time leader has started to to hint at the use of force. On Friday, he said he had learned the lessons of 2010, when protests erupted following his claimed overwhelming victory, and were suppressed with the help of riot police. I understand the need to have well-prepared soldiers ready just in case, he said.

Ms Tikhanovskaya, who has evacuated her children out of Belarus, tells The Independent that there wasnt a moment where she didnt feel very, very frightened.

But it was a fear the whole county shared, she insists.

I hope they will listen to their people  and never, ever send in the tanks or soldiers, she says. We dont want blood, we just want change.
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.

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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.
TikTok has hit out at Facebook, accusing it of launching failed "copycat products" and attacking it under the false guise of patriotism.

New TikTok chief executive Kevin Mayer wrote a blog post that claimed the company was committed to the US and American users, amid suggestions that the app is problematically tied to its owners Bytedance, a Chinese company.

TikTok does not operate in China, but its original product, Douyin, does.

TikTok has claimed that it does not pass on data to the Chinese government, but it is unclear what the relationship between the Chinese government and Douyin is.

It comes as Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg is set to be grilled by Congress on antitrust issues, alongside the chief executives of Apple, Amazon and Google.

Mr Mayer did not make explicit reference to those hearings, but suggested that Facebook was launching unfair attacks on TikTok.

Recommended TikTok responds as backlash against app grows

"At TikTok we welcome competition. We think fair competition makes all of us better," he wrote. "To those who wish to launch competitive products, we say bring it on.

"Facebook is even launching another copycat product, Reels (tied to Instagram), after their other copycat Lasso failed quickly.

"But let's focus our energies on fair and open competition in service of our consumers, rather than maligning attacks by our competitor  namely Facebook  disguised as patriotism and designed to put an end to our very presence in the US."

Facebook has been criticised by US politicians for being too powerful, buying competitors rather than competing with them.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, in her 2020 presidential campaign, suggested that the social media giant should be broken up. Facebook owns Instagram and WhatsApp, and is attempting to merge the services closer together.

 Facebook condemned in report it commissioned into its civil right record

Mr Mayer also said that TikTok would make part of its algorithms public, and called on competitors to do the same.

"We believe all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators", he said.

"Experts can observe our moderation policies in real-time, as well as examine the actual code that drives our algorithms. This puts us a step ahead of the industry, and we encourage others to follow suit."

"Competition would dry up and so too will an outlet for America's creative energy. We are not political, we do not accept political advertising and have no agenda."

Facebook has been criticised for its decisions not to fact-check political advertisements, which could lead to voters being deceived about vital issues before the upcoming November 2020 presidential election.

The company has considered banning all political advertising.

Mark Zuckerberg submitted prepared remarks ahead of the hearings, in which he said that Facebook was a proudly American company.

We believe in values  democracy, competition, inclusion and free expression  that the American economy was built on, Zuckerberg wrote.

Many other tech companies share these values, but theres no guarantee our values will win out. For example, China is building its own version of the internet focused on very different ideas, and they are exporting their vision to other countries.

TikTok recently caught the attention of the Trump administration, due to the potential of the app being banned in the country.

According to Secretary of state Mike Pompeo, the US is certainly looking at banning the app, which would put American users private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.

National security concerns are ostensibly the reasons behind the proposed ban, but mixed into the debate is America's anti-China sentiment with regards to their economic prowess.

That has also been exacerbated by the recent political actions of the Chinese government against protestors in Hong Kong, as well as China's approach to privacy and data.
US President Donald Trump speaks as he departs the White House in Washington, DC, on July 29, 2020 en route to Texas.

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday made one of his most overt appeals so far in the campaign to White, suburban voters, saying in a tweet that they will no longer be "bothered" by low income housing in their suburbs.

TRUMP TWEET

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The tweets come as polls show Trump's reelection effort is faltering in the suburbs, fueled by his administration's failed response to the coronavirus pandemic, the ensuing recession, and Trump's aggressive opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement, which polls show most suburban voters support.

Trump's tweet refers to the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule, an Obama administration update to the 1968 civil rights legislation, the Fair Housing Act. The rule required local governments receiving federal funds for housing and development to account for biased practices and craft a plan to fix them.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that it was replacing the fair housing rule with its own rule, one it dubbed "Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice."

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said the Obama-era rule "proved to be complicated, costly and ineffective."

"We found it to be unworkable and ultimately a waste of time for localities to comply with, too often resulting in funds being steered away from communities that need them most," Carson said in a press release at the time.

Yet studies have shown for decades that concentrating low-income families into small geographic areas  one consequence of the urban housing projects built in the 1960s and 1970s  only serves to exacerbate the difficulties that poor residents face.
Iran has bombarded a replica US aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz with missiles that caused so much commotion that the US military put two of its regional bases on alert.

Shortly after the mock carrier was blasted with missiles by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the US Navy condemned the drill as irresponsible and reckless behaviour by Iran that was intended to intimidate and coerce".

During the same drill, Iranian soldiers abseiled from a helicopter onto the replica ship, while anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone.

The dramatic images were broadcast by Iranian state media, and also showed missiles being fired from boats, trucks and a helicopter.

An Iranian commander said in the broadcast that the provocative drill would continue on Wednesday, with plans to shoot long-range ballistic missiles at mock targets.

Handout photo of Iranian forces firing missiles at a mock US aircraft carrier - Shutterstock

Our policies to protect the vital interests of the dear nation of Iran are defensive, in the sense that we will not invade any country from the beginning, but we are completely aggressive in tactics and operations," said Gen Hossein Salami, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

"What was shown today at this exercise at the level of aerospace and naval forces was all offensive."

The exercise prompted the US military to put its troops on alert at the Al-Dhafra air base in the United Arab Emirates and the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, according to US officials.

American soldiers took cover for twenty minutes and then realised the missiles were not directed at their bases. Both bases are roughly a hundred miles away from the site of the replica aircraft carrier.

A US Navy spokesperson said: "While we are always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behavior by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways, this exercise has not disrupted coalition operations in the area nor had any impacts to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the White House in Washington on July 28, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

Trump Says He Didnt Raise Russian Bounty Allegations With Putin

President Donald Trump said in an interview this week that he has not brought up allegations that Russia issued bounties for the killing of American troops in Afghanistan with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump last spoke with Putin on July 23.

That was a phone call to discuss other things, Trump told Axios on Tuesday. Frankly, thats an issue that many people said was fake news.

Trump added later: I have never discussed it with him. We would, Id have no problem with it.

The president earlier this week declined to share specifics on what he and Putin talked about.

We dont talk about what we discussed, but we had plenty of discussion, and I think it was very productive, he told reporters at the White House.

The discussion with his counterpart centered on nuclear proliferation, Trump said in the interview.

Nobody ever brings up China. They always bring [up] Russia, Russia, Russia. If we can do something with Russia in terms of nuclear proliferation, which is a very big problembigger problem than global warming, a much bigger problem than global warming, in terms of the real worldthat can be a good thing, he said.

The intelligence on possible bounties never reached my desk, he added. You know why? Because theyintelligencedidnt think it was real, they didnt think it was worthy. If it reached my desk, I wouldve done something about it.

Russias President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during the Navy Day parade in Saint Petersburg, Russia July 26, 2020. (Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via Renters)

The intelligence signaled Russia might have offered bounties to kill American and coalition forces in Afghanistan. Because officials were still working on verifying the raw intelligence, a CIA employee made the decision not to brief Trump.

She made that decision because she didnt have confidence in the intelligence that came up, national security adviser Robert OBrien told reporters on July 1.

She made that call. And you know what? I think she made the right call, so Im not going to criticize her. Knowing the facts that I know now, I stand behind that call.

The intelligence was classified but leaked to news outlets. The selective leaking makes it difficult to verify the allegations, intelligence officials said.

The CIA filed a crimes report over the leak and the Department of Defense ordered an investigation into media leaks, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told lawmakers in Washington on July 9.

The illegal leaks are terrible. Theyre happening across the government, particularly in the Defense Department, he said.

According to data from the White House, the number of classified leaks surged after Trump took office, from 39 per year on average to 104 on average.

Anonymously sourced news reports claimed the intelligence was not verbally briefed to Trump but was included in the presidential daily briefing. That has not been confirmed. Trump said in the new interview that he reads the briefing.

A spokesman for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bidens campaign said it was despicable that Trump didnt raise the allegations with Putin.

The most critical and sacred obligation of a commander-in-chief is to protect those who serve our nation in harms way, Andrew Bates, the spokesman, said in a statement to news outlets. But months after the U.S. intelligence community sounded the alarmto Donald Trump and our alliesthat Russia was placing bounties on the heads of American servicemen and women in a warzone, our president continues to turn his back on those who put their lives on the line for our country, and on his own duty,

The Trump campaign didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump told reporters on Wednesday that hed be very angry about the allegations if theyre true.

I would respond appropriately. Nobody has been tougher on Russia. Nobody has been tougher on China. Nobody has been tougher on Iran than me, and its not even close. And everybody knows this, he said.

Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.
Rafale to S-400 air defence systems all set to add more firepower to Indian Air Force

Watch Five Rafale jets entering Indian airspace

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, July 29: In historic moments for the Indian Air Force, the first batch of five Rafale combat jets on Wednesday entered the Indian air space on its way to Ambala airbase from France, officials said.

Rafale Jets enter Indian Airspace: watch first visuals | Oneindia News

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India. The jets were also refulled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweets first visuals of Rafalt fighter jets

The Defence Minister put out a tweet with "five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space".

The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020

Chief of Air Staff RKS Bhadauria will be at the strategically key Ambala air base to receive the Rafale jets, India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades. A Rs 59,000-crore deal was signed on September 23, 2016 for 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.

Meet Hilal Ahmad Rather, India's first IAF officer to fly weaponised Rafale

The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, and they are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.

The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The fully versatile Rafale is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defense, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

The three single-seat and two twin-seat omni-role fighters, flown by seven IAF pilots led by commanding officer Group Captain Harkirat Singh, will touch down in Ambala to launch the 17 Golden Arrows' squadron on Wednesday.

The Rafale aircraft will cover a distance of nearly 7000 kms from France to India. The Indian Air Force pilots and supporting personnel have been provided full training on aircraft and weapon systems by Dassault.

The aircraft are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force''s combat capabilities at a time India is locked in a tense border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore.

Specifications and performance data of Rafale fighter jets

An official statement said the delivery of 10 aircraft has been completed on schedule and five will stay back in France for training missions. It said the delivery of all 36 aircraft will be completed by the end of 2021.

The first Rafale jet was handed over to the IAF in October last year during a visit to France by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The price of medical masks is on the rise after two new COVID-19 cases were confirmed on Sunday evening, bringing the total number of community infections linked to Da Nang and Quang Ngai to four in the past three days.

A mask production line at Vinatex.  Photo courtesy of vinatex

The mask market has been heating up. Online sellers quickly started to post medical masks with different prices. Overall, prices were increasing.

An Yen posted on a group of nearly 158,000 members that people should be rush to buy medical masks before prices surge due to the recurrence of COVID-19 in the community. The price is now VND70,000 for a box of fifty masks instead of VND50,000 the day before.

She also said the four-layer mask meets required standards. She sells hundreds of boxes a day, adding that buyers must purchase two boxes or more as it was hard to call shippers.

In the past two days, there were hundreds of posts on social media selling face masks.

Facebook account Que Anh said she will keep the price of masks unchanged for pre-orders. Those ordering later would pay more.

Wholesalers increased the price from VND1.8 million to VND2.4 million and even more than VND3 million for a case of 50 boxes, she said.

The online mask market has been active. However, in Hanoi's pharmacies, sale have gone up again but there was no phenomenon of a fever, or scarcity of masks and antiseptic hand gel as before.

A pharmacist at An Tam Pharmacy in Bac Linh Dam said the shop still has enough masks. However, the price increased from VND50,000 to VND70,000 for a box.

Meanwhile, pharmacy Tue Minh in Linh Dam Urban Area told Viet Nam News their prices had not changed as they pre-ordered from producers.

Currently, the supply of medical masks, antibacterial cloth masks and antiseptic hand wash is abundant, she said.

However, she said, medical masks were out of stock and would be delivered tomorrow.

Each person could only buy one box of masks for VND40,000 to VND70,000 depending on the type to avoid speculation, she added.

Le Tien Truong, general director of Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), told Viet Nam News that Vinatexs antibacterial cloth mask production capacity is 100 million pieces, while for medical mask it is 30 million pieces a month.

When the pandemic occurred in Da Nang and Quang Ngai, we directed the Vinatex member companies to resume the disease prevention procedures implemented in March and April, especially with factories in the central region.

"At the same time, Vinatex subsidiaries are ready to produce and supply enough for the 3-layer mask market, said Truong.

According to a report from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as of 11am on July 26, the Market Watch Department in Da Nang checked 547 shops selling masks, antiseptic gel and gloves in the city.

The results showed that the situation was still stable. There was no phenomenon of people rushing to buy masks or hand gel. Shops did not hoard goods and listed full prices. VNS

Trade Ministry fines online sellers hiking prices of face masks and hand sanitiser Sellers hiking the prices of face masks and hand sanitiser on some e-commerce websites have been fined.
It's been almost three months since I lost my grandmother, and I tell myself every day that it really wasn't supposed to be like this. Her final moments weren't supposed to be spent alone, lying in a hospital bed with no friends or family to comfort her.

Unfortunately, in a COVID-19 stricken world, it's the harsh reality many families are facing, including right here in Texas.

For Father's Day, the Del Toros wanted to show Oscar Del Toro Sr. that they loved and appreciated him, according to ABC13's Miya Shay. The entire family, with the exception of one of Oscar's sons, gathered for dinner at a Houston restaurant. A few days later, a total of seven of them had gotten sick from doing so.

It started with one sister getting sick. Then another. Then a sister-in-law. Soon after, the patriarch of the Del Toro family was suffering from COVID-19, too.

"They came to the doctor [and] the doctor said, 'You need to take your dad to the hospital. Your dad has coronavirus,'" Oscar Del Toro Jr., who skipped the dinner out of love and care for his family, recalled. "From there, you can not talk to him. Basically, you take him away from the family."

Del Toro, Sr. passed away on July 16, and his son is now speaking on to shed some light on the way the virus is hitting the Hispanic community.

Porfirio Villarreal, public information officer at the health department, told Chron.com the "Latino community makes up 42 percent of the Houston cases in which our epidemiologists were able to verify race and ethnicity."

"We need to understand reality, especially the Mexican-American community," Del Toro Jr. told ABC13. "We want to chat, hug, and kiss, [but] we need to stop that for now."

The Houston Health Department has launched Better Together (Todos Juntos. Mejor)", a program to provide communities like Del Toro's with easy access to potentially life-saving information with a click, visit, or call.

NEED TO KNOW: Texas A&M biotech facility tapped to manufacture potential COVID-19 vaccine

A Dallas family is also dealing with the pain that comes with losing a loved one during a global pandemic.

Fourteen members of the family tested positive for COVID-19 after they attended a small gathering in June that was hosted by a relative who didn't think the virus was real, NBC News reported. One family has died and another is still on life support.

In a column to the Dallas Voice, titled A harsh lesson in the reality of COVID-19, Tony Green said admits that he used to be one of the ones who "believed the mainstream media and the Democrats were using [the pandemic] to create panic, crash the economy and destroy Trumps chances at re-election."

His disbelief of the virus is what made him and his partner decide to have family members over on June 13. A day later, Green said, he got sick.

"By Monday, June 15, my partner and my parents were all sick," he wrote in his column. "That same Monday, my in-laws traveled to witness the birth of their first grandchild. They took with them my father-in-laws mother and one of my partners sisters. That night my father-in-law became ill. Then my mother-in-law and their daughter began feeling sick. So they cut their trip short."

The spread didn't stop there. Two days later, his father-in-laws mother got sick and so did the new mommy and daddy.

On July 1, his father-in-law's mother died from COVID-19 and pneumonia.

"The chaplain wanted the family to break the news to my father-in-law, and he learned how his mother lay on her deathbed and then drifted off without any family by her side, even though he was in the room next to hers," he wrote. "On the day of her funeral, which was July 14, five more of our family members tested positive for the virus. That evening, my father-in-law was put on a ventilator."

Green ultimately places the blame on himself for what happened. He cites the President's disbelief as contributing to his own, saying he participated in "all the defiant behavior of Trumps more radical and rowdy cult followers" and was keen on standing up for his rights to debunk the virus.

"I am calling myself out first, but now this is personal, and I fell on my sword. And I promise you, if we continue being more worried about the disruption to our lives than we are about stopping this virus, not one American will be spared."
SPRINGFIELD  Former Holyoke Soldiers Home Superintendent Paul Barabani will be among witnesses called by a U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans Affairs on Wednesday to discuss the state of veterans homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Barabani, who has been sharply critical of state and federal oversight of the Holyoke Soldiers Home, will be introduced by U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The hearing, held by the Committee on Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health will meet in an open session to conduct this oversight hearing entitled, Whos in Charge? Examining Oversight of State Veterans Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic, according to a statement released by a spokeswoman for Neal.

The Soldiers Home in Holyoke has been a subject of intense scrutiny both regionally and nationally since the pandemic claimed the lives of 76 veterans, and sickened dozens more residents and staff beginning in March.

A state-run emergency team dispatched after the ouster of former Superintendent Bennett Walsh in late March reported zero cases of the virus since late June, until a renewed diagnosis of a previously infected veteran cropped up on Monday.

Barabani has been among the leaders of a grassroots network called The Holyoke Soldiers Home Coalition, which seeks to raise awareness of the needs of the long-term care facility, in terms of staffing, funding and capital improvements.

Barabani retired from the Soldiers Home in 2016, voicing frustration over what he deemed a lack of state attention to the facilitys needs.

The Republican will be following Barabanis testimony live from the nations capitol on Wednesday.
Chief Minister on Wednesday directed officers to ensure strict compliance of existing guidelines on COVID-19 testing in the national capital.

The direction comes two days after the Hight Court asked the Aam Aadmi Party government why it was going with Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT), which has a high rate of false negative results, as the primary test for COVID-19 infection.

"Existing guidelines say that if any patient's antigen test is negative but has symptoms, RT-PCR test must be done on him. I directed the officers today to ensure strict compliance of these guidelines," Kejriwal tweeted.

RT-PCR, short for Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction, is a laboratory technique widely used in the diagnosis of genetic diseases and to measure gene expression in research.

According to the health bulletin, 13,701 antigen tests were conducted on July 28 while 4,843 RT-PCR tests were done on that day.

During a hearing on July 27,the court hadmade it clear to the Delhi government to "strictly" follow the guidelines on COVID-19 testing as issued by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and not according to its own interpretation.

The court had also noted that the recent sero survey of the city indicated that more than 22.86 per cent of the population have gone through the COVID illness without even realising they were infected as they probably were asymptomatic.

The court had also said 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.

It had said that the ICMR has not said that testing has to be done in this manner.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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A missing environmentalist who recently said he feared for his life has been found dead in Honduras, a country considered high-risk for human rights and environmental defenders, humanitarian groups said Tuesday. Marvin Damian Castro, 29, was found dead on Monday a after he went missing, the Committee of Families of the Detained-Disappeared in Honduras NGO reported. His body was found in the Sacamil River in Perspire, around 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the capital Tegucigalpa. Castro, who was a member of a network of environmental defense groups in southern Honduras, had last week expressed fears for his life to the National Protection System, a government body set up to protect human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers. That system was created by Congress in 2015 under pressure from the Organization of American States and the UN. Both organizations had requested government action because of the high number of human rights defenders, communicators and lawyers who have been murdered in the Central American country. On June 1, a journalist and his cameraman were shot dead in the Caribbean port of La Ceiba. Two gang members were arrested as suspects in that killing. However, rights advocates say 91 percent of the 82 murders of journalists carried out in Honduras since 2001 have gone unpunished.
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Gurjit Singh

The Japanese Defence White Paper 2020 (JDWP) released on July 14 has more criticism of China than before. It is the first time that a JDWP has characterised Chinas actions around the Senkaku Islands as relentlessly seeking to affect Japans control over them at the time of the Covid crisis.

Worried about the rapid increase in Chinas capabilities and intent, the Japanese paper recognises the priorities of its major ally, the United States. It is cautious, that through the militarisation of outlying islands in areas claimed under the Nine Dash Line, China uses various means to seek alteration in the regional status quo, to the disadvantage of other countries. This is especially as the region focuses on its response to the pandemic.

The paper is of the view that grey zones of hostility without war, over economic, resources and sovereignty related issues are increasing, and that there is a lack of a regional architecture on security issues. COVID-19 is having an impact on military preparedness and response. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is seen as providing China with growing clout though the project and policy it is getting a bit cloudy now.

The Quad

As the threat of China to a rule-based international order is enhanced, the Quad grouping of the US, India, Japan and Australia is seen as a robust response to this. The JDWP does not mention the Quad directly, but cooperation with its members is high in its reckoning of the Free and Open Indo Pacific. India is mentioned only in the context of defence cooperation and exchanges under the 2+2 dialogue. The Galwan clashes in Ladakh are not mentioned.

In recent weeks, the Quad has exercised in the region with the aircraft carrier groups of the US Navy when in their vicinity. The Malabar Exercise is also likely to include Australia to make it a complete Quad. This exercise is more focused than the 27 country Cobra Gold or the Komodo organised by Thailand and Indonesia respectively.

Participation in the Quad shows Japans resolve to play a larger role within its region. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes Free and Open Indo Pacific Vision is a manifestation of this, including through its enhanced naval capacities. The JDWP states: The Indo-Pacific region is the core of the worlds vitality, supporting more than half the worlds population. It is important to establish this region as a free and open global commons to secure peace and prosperity in the region as a whole.

Priorities

For this role, Japan seeks to improve its production of military weaponry and naval assets. This paper endeavours to look at this aspect of Japans defence policy. The document emphasises the Pillars for Japans Defence, including Strategic Promotion of Multi-Faceted and Multi-Layered Defense Cooperation, Responses in the Domains of Space, Cyberspace and Electromagnetic Spectrum and Response to Large-Scale Disasters.

The JDWP strategises on priorities in enhancing Japans military capabilities to allow it to provide for the alterations in its security environment. Cross-Domain Operations, including a greater emphasis on space, cyberspace and electro-magnetic spectrum, are to be undertaken. Improved capability in traditional sectors such as maritime, air power and missile defence are also envisaged. Securing maritime shipping lanes, protecting its infrastructure, enhancing its technology and military industrial base, are highlighted.

Japans Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) is a tiered defence system with Aegis carrying destroyers and the Patriot PAC-3, coordinated by the Japan Aerospace Defense Ground Environment (JADGE). The land-based Aegis deployment has been deferred in June.

Defence Production

The Japanese defence industry had remained shackled under the Peace Constitution. When Abe returned to office in 2012, it got a new life. By 2013, the policy called for better defence capabilities to protect Japan and its US ally from the growing predatory behaviour of China. In 2014, the embargo on exports was removed and in 2015, the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) was established.

Given the restriction to the small home market, lack of R&D, and general pacifism and thus high costs, the defence industry neither had priority nor importance. Between 2017 and 2020, Japans defence budget grew by 2.75 percent to reach $48.5 billion in 2020 from $47.2 billion in 2017. Defense-related expenditures for 2020 were increased by 61.8 billion yen from the previous fiscal year to 5.0688 trillion yen (an increase of 1.2% from the previous year). Defence-related expenditure has increased for eighth consecutive years notes the JDWP. What has changed under Abe and to what extent can the defence industry play a bigger role ahead?

Since 2014, Japan has lifted the embargo on exports. In 2015, it held its first arms exhibition. However, its ability to penetrate overseas markets remains limited. The effort is meant to boost economies of scale, but the systems offered are few. They have delivered non-lethal patrol boats to ASEAN countries under the Official Development Assistance (ODA). Philippines acquired TC-90 aircraft for surveillance.

Besides, it has tried to work with France and Germany on the P1 Japanese fly-by-optics, submarine hunter aircraft and possibly connect with NATO, but faces French and US competition. Thailand and Vietnam have shown muted interest in it while the United Kingdom and New Zealand scrutinised it, eventually going with US products. Similar competition was faced when Japan bid for the Australian contract with its Soryu Class attack submarine, but lost to the French.

Despite dealing with COVID-19, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. was awarded the contract for the Philippine Air Forces air surveillance radar systems project; Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding launched the third Hibiki-Class ocean surveillance ship and were expecting more orders as Japan launched its Space Operations Squadron. In the 2020 defence budget, $459.2 million is budgeted for space-related projects, such as procurement of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Satellite (Space-based Optical Telescope), enhancing satellite communication systems and so on.

The cyber security budget of $240 million, includes the procurement of Cyber Information Gathering System and AI Systems to react to cyber-warfare. Shin Maywah, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan Steel Works and Toshiba Corporation took a larger market share during the current period, with new initiatives and innovations being undertaken by these companies.

In 2018, there were seven Japanese companies in the Top 100 Defence Contractors list, but in 2019 these diminished to three due to fewer domestic orders as Japan bought more directly from the US. The Shin Maywah deal with Mahindra Aerospace on the US2 amphibian aircraft was signed in 2018 but awaits clear forward momentum. The high price and Japanese reluctance to transfer technology for joint production remain challenges yet to be overcome.

Cooperation With India

Even as India is not mentioned often in the JDWP, in reality, India-Japan defence cooperation is improving, politically and on the seas. In order to give it more value, India ought to attract non-lethal manufacturing of defence-related electronics, components, space equipment and cyber security collaboration with Tokyo. The technology partnerships and FDI should be based on a model with new-dedicated technology-led clusters, perhaps in the defence corridors.

Japans limitations are high costs, inflexible procedures and being risk-averse, and it should be engaged to create a partnership based on an economic model leading to a value chain unique to India and Japan. This could start a new avenue of focused collaboration.

(This article first appeared in the ORF)
July 26: A protester holds a sign that says, "Black Lives Matter" as the crowd of hundreds pass the Jumbotron of the American Flag in Times Square

Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images

A video Tuesday showed NYPD officers shoving a woman in an unmarked van during a Black Lives Matter protest, sparking concern on social media.

The woman, 18-year-old Nikki Stone, was charged with several counts related to alleged vandalism and released early Wednesday, The New York Post reported.

The tactic is reminiscent of federal agents in Portland, Oregon. Critics, like Navy veteran Christopher David, worry that the tactic could be exploited by right-wing extremists posing as law enforcement.

"The Warrant Squad uses unmarked vehicles to effectively locate wanted suspects," the NYPD tweeted.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A woman who was shoved into an unmarked van by plain-clothed New York Police department officers has been released from police custody and faces multiple charges.

The woman, 18-year-old Nikki Stone, was attending a Black Lives Matter protest in New York City on Tuesday when the officers grabbed her, pushed her to the ground, and then moved her to the van. A video of the incident trended on social media, bringing widespread attention to the arrest.

According to The New York Post, Stone was released early Wednesday and faces charges related to vandalism accusations that include several counts of criminal mischief and other charges related to four incidents between June 19 and July 6.

She was apprehended during the protests at around 6 p.m. Tuesday on suspicion of destroying several police cameras on at City Hall Park on June 30, according to the report.

"The Warrant Squad uses unmarked vehicles to effectively locate wanted suspects," the NYPD tweeted. A spokesperson for the agency told Pix 11 the police force had been using unmarked vehicles for "decades."

As she exited the 1st Precinct station house, Stone was greeted with around a dozen Black Lives Matter demonstrators, according to the New York Post.

Story continues

In video posted by journalist Michelle Hooq, men can be seen grabbing Stone off the streets of Manhattan and putting her in a van with New York plates but no other markings. Police on bikes then provide perimeter security as an angry crowd attempts to intercede.

The New York Police Department confirmed the arrest in a statement to Business Insider.

"A woman taken into custody was wanted for damaging police cameras during five separate criminal incidents in and around City Hall Park," Sergeant Mary Frances O'Donnell said Tuesday.

O'Donnell additionally claimed that "arresting officers were assaulted with rocks and bottles." Videos of the incident shared on social media do not show rocks; a water bottle is seen rolling on the ground stopping short of police officers. The videos do not show what happened after the protesters were pushed back by the officers on bikes.

Witnesses told Gothamist that Stone's arrest  during a protest against the NYPD  came as a surprise.

"Four guys jumped out and a line of police bicycles came out from down the block  we hadn't seen them," one eyewitness told Gothamist. "They pushed us back. They grabbed Nicki like she was a rag doll.... They had her arms on her neck and then they drove off."

New York City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera said she had been "working to get details on why a young woman was arrested [and] pulled into an unmarked van in my district." She said the woman had been fingerprinted and that she would likely be released by midnight local time.

Jumaane Williams, New York City's elected public advocate, said he was also trying "to get some answers" about the arrest. "Concerned about what we are seeing in this video," he tweeted.

The NYPD's use of an unmarked van is reminiscent of recent arrests in Portland, Oregon, by federal agents. Critics, like Navy veteran Christopher David, worry that the tactic could be exploited by right-wing extremists posing as law enforcement.

Expanded Coverage Module: black-lives-matter-module

Read the original article on Insider
A 48-year-old man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison Tuesday for stealing thousands of dollars worth of postage stamps from Pennsylvania post offices, authorities announced this week.

York resident Steven Williams admitted to conspiring with others to purchase the stamps in central Pennsylvania and beyond, according to U.S. attorney David J. Freed. He used personal checks, knowing he didnt have enough money in his account to cover the costs, Freed said.

Williams must pay $105,875 in restitution to the U.S. Postal Service as part of his plea agreement, Freed said. Hell also serve three years probation after his prison sentence.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Northeastern Regional Police Department investigated the case.

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LOS ANGELES, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadvoice, an award-winning provider of hosted voice, unified communications (UC) and SIP trunking services for businesses, announced today that TMC, a global, integrated media company, has named the Broadvoice b-hive unified communications as a service (UCaaS) platform as a winner of the 2020 Communications Solutions Products of the Year Award.

Broadvoice Named One of TMC's 2020 Communications Solutions Products of the Year

Broadvoice b-hive brings together powerful cloud PBX, UC and collaboration features with cloud call center in one proprietary platform that's connected to Broadvoice's secure, redundant network and hosting infrastructure, and backed by Broadvoice's customer success organization.

"Congratulations to Broadvoice for being honored with a Communications Solutions Product of the Year Award," said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. "Broadvoice b-hive is truly an innovative product and is amongst the best communications products and services available on the market today. I look forward to continued excellence from Broadvoice in 2020 and beyond."

In 2020, Broadvoice enhanced the B-hive platform with new productivity features, including integration with Salesforce CRM and Microsoft Teams collaboration hub as well as video calling through B-hive's Communicator desktop softphone

"We're thrilled that Broadvoice b-hive has been recognized by TMC once again as a Communications Solution of the Year," said George Mitsopoulos, Chief Product Officer at Broadvoice. "Since b-hive's debut in 2018, we've continued to innovate, adding new capabilities like Salesforce and Microsoft Teams integration while continuing to invest in operational excellence, earning customer satisfaction scores in the high 90s."

About Broadvoice

Broadvoice simplifies communications for small and medium businesses (SMBs) by combining powerful cloud PBX, UC and collaboration features with cloud call center in one award-winning Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform that delivers enterprise-class features at affordable rates. The platform is connected to Broadvoice's secure, redundant network and hosting infrastructure, enabling SMBs to connect with customers securely anytime, anywhere and with any device. Broadvoice is ranked in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America. For more information, visit www.broadvoice.com.

About TMC

Through education, industry news, live events and social influence, global buyers rely on TMC's content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. As a result, leading technology vendors turn to TMC for unparalleled branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities. Our in-person and online events deliver unmatched visibility and sales prospects for all percipients. Through our custom lead generation programs, we provide clients with an ongoing stream of leads that turn into sales opportunities and build databases. Additionally, we bolster brand reputations with the millions of impressions from display advertising on our news sites and newsletters. Making TMC a 360-degree marketing solution, we offer comprehensive event and road show management services and custom content creation with expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, @tmcnet.

For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com.

Media Contacts

Rachel Turkus

Director of Marketing

Broadvoice

408.540.8113

[email protected]

Michelle Connolly

Marketing Manager

TMC

203-852-6800

[email protected]

SOURCE Broadvoice

Related Links

http://www.broadvoice.com


With concrete walkways already poured at Converse North Park, progress on the Converse Greenway Trail continues, with a planned October completion date.

The hike-and-bike and walking trail is 10 feet wide and stretches 6,600 feet from a starting point near Converse Lake to a link into the running track around Converse North Park. Work crews with Clearfield Construction are framing and pouring portions of the Converse Lake side of the trail, having already completed the link at North Park.

Assistant City Manager Manny Longoria recently briefed council on progress on the $1.45 million trail, funded with $1,092,000 from the Metropolitan Planning Organization, with the city contributing $371,000 from the remainder of the 2015 park bond.

The work actually started on North Park. At the end of the trail, coming from City Park at FM 1976, you see the workers and the clearing as the trail goes up to City Park, Longoria said.

One challenge to the finish of the trail is construction on FM 1976, from Walzem Road to Loop 1604. Currently, the roadway is a one-way route, and will flip once crews lay asphalt on west side, and begin to reconstruct the east lane.

The challenge is going to be the intersection, at the crosswalk. (Texas Department of Transportation) is redoing that road and they expect to be finished about November, Longoria told city council at its June 16 meeting. Our contractor will be finished with his piece likely in October, so theres going to be about a one-month gap before we can go in and get access to 1976 so we can install the crosswalk.

Originally, plans were to build a pedestrian bridge over FM 1976 that would link the two paths. But contractor bids on the bridge came out to about $600,000 and that was more than we could afford in the project budget, he added.

In the interim, the city and contractor agreed to install concrete island cul-de-sacs, wide sweeping trailheads that allow for turnarounds at both ends of the Converse lake trail and the FM 1976 portion of the North Lake trail.

Were going to install (concrete) cul-de-sacs at the intersections so people can turn around. Were not going to wait for them to do the road, Mayor Al Suarez said. As soon as we finish it, were going to open it. They just wont be able to cross (FM 1976) until TxDOT is done, and we can get the crosswalk done.

Suarez said TxDOT would not allow a traffic signal at the intersection, so a crosswalk with blinking caution lights will be installed for trail users.

Once the Greenway Trail leaves the Converse City Park area, it will pass under the Union Pacific railway bridge and turn right to cross Gibbs-Sprawl, before crossing FM 1976 at the traffic light.

The trail cannot cross FM 1976 parallel to Gibbs-Sprawl because of deep drainage culverts along the north side of 1976. The trail will cut right, across Gibb-Sprawl, then allow trail users to activate a crosswalk signal to cross FM 1976.

Its not like a sidewalk. At 10-feet wide you can hike and bike, you can run, so its a multi-purpose path for our citizens to enjoy, Longoria said.

I was out there when we were taking the pictures, and we saw  deer, and I saw a real big hawk. So this section of trail is kind of like a preserved area, Longoria added. I think the public is going to enjoy this particular section.

jflinn@express-news.net
HACKENSACK, N.J., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) , a nonprofit organization leading the fight to end Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne) , announced the expansion of their renowned Certified Duchenne Care Center Program (CDCCP) with the certification of the clinic at Akron Children's Hospital (Akron Children's) in Akron, Ohio.

Rachel Schrader, MS, APRN, CPNP-PC, PPMD's Senior Vice President of Clinical Care says the certification of Akron Children's is a welcome addition to the CDCC network in bringing optimal Duchenne care to the northeast Ohio region, where the hospital serves patients from northeast Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia: "The team at Akron has been supportive of the standardized Duchenne care and development of the CDCC network since its inception. This team has worked incredibly hard to create a program that meets the needs of their patients and families, and our requirements for certification. It is exciting to see the fruits of their labor. We're so pleased to add Akron Children's Hospital to our growing network. We look forward to a productive and long-lasting partnership with them," says Schrader.

Akron Children's Neuromuscular program is a comprehensive multidisciplinary program designed to meet the unique needs of patients living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders. The hospital provides world class care to northeast Ohio by keeping up to date on the latest guidelines and recommendations for care, and bringing cutting edge therapies to patients.

Led by Drs. Kathryn Mosher and Ian Rossman, Akron Children's started with a core set of team members including physiatry, neurology, and clinical therapies, then worked diligently to expand their program to include other disciplines within their clinic, requiring significant collaboration among multiple departments within the hospital.

"We are thrilled to partner with Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy in our ongoing commitment to provide high quality care to our patients living with Duchenne. It is an honor to be selected and we seek to continue to meet the high bar PPMD has set for its CDCC Program. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship," said Dr. Mosher.

PPMD's Certified Duchenne Care Center Program supports standardized, comprehensive care and services for all people living with Duchenne. Certification means centers maintain the highest standards in clinical and sub-specialty services, rapidly apply new evidence-based knowledge, minimize heterogeneity in clinical research outcomes, and comply with standards in clinical care that were established by the CDC's Care Considerations. As part of its ongoing mission to end Duchenne, PPMD continues to insist that all people with Duchenne receive comprehensive care.

To learn more about PPMD's Certified Duchenne Care Center Program, visit PPMD's website . Click here to learn more about the history of PPMD's Certified Duchenne Care Center Program and to access PPMD's first published article on the program.

About Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne is a fatal genetic disorder that slowly robs people of their muscle strength. Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) is the largest most comprehensive nonprofit organization in the United States focused on finding a cure for Duchenneour mission is to end Duchenne.

We demand optimal care standards and strive to ensure every family has access to expert healthcare providers, cutting edge treatments, and a community of support. We invest deeply in treatments for this generation of Duchenne patients and in research that will benefit future generations. Our advocacy efforts have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and won three FDA approvals.

Everything we doand everything we have done since our founding in 1994helps those with Duchenne live longer, stronger lives. We will not rest until we end Duchenne for every single person affected by the disease. Join our fight against Duchenne at EndDuchenne.org and follow PPMD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Akron Children's Hospital

Akron Children's Hospital has been caring for children since 1890, and our pediatric specialties are ranked among the nation's best by U.S. News & World Report. With two hospital campuses, regional health centers and more than 50 primary and specialty care locations throughout Ohio, we're making it easier for today's busy families to find the high-quality care they need. In 2019, our health care system provided more than 1.2 million patient encounters. We also operate neonatal and pediatric units in the hospitals of our regional health care partners. Every year, our Children's Home Care Group nurses provide thousands of in-home visits, and our School Health nurses manage more than a half million clinic visits for students. With the launch of our Quick Care Online virtual visits and Akron Children's Anywhere app, we're here for families whenever and wherever they need us. Learn more at akronchildrens.org.

SOURCE Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD)

Related Links

https://www.parentprojectmd.org


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Billions of dollars are being invested in the development of vaccines against the coronavirus. Until one arrives, many scientists have turned to tried-and-true vaccines to see whether they may confer broad protection, and may reduce the risk of coronavirus infection, as well.

Old standbys like the Bacille Calmette-Guerin tuberculosis vaccine and the polio vaccine appear to help train the immune system to respond to a broad variety of infections, including from bacteria, viruses and parasites, experts say.

Now a study suggests that people who have received certain routine vaccines in the recent past  including childhood vaccinations like measles-mumps-rubella and polio, as well as adult flu vaccines  have lower coronavirus infection rates than those not recently vaccinated.

But many experts greeted the conclusions with skepticism. The paper, an analysis of electronic health records from the Mayo Clinic, was posted online; it has not been through the peer review process and has not been accepted by a medical journal.
Five U.S. states in the South and West reported one-day records for coronavirus deaths on Tuesday and cases in Texas passed the 400,000 mark as California health officials said Latinos made up more than half its cases.

Arkansas, Florida, Montana and Oregon each reported record spikes in fatalities. In California deaths rose by 171, the state's largest increase of the pandemic.

The United States confirmed that nationwide more than 1,200 lives were lost on Tuesday, the biggest one-day increase since May, according to a Reuters tally.

California health officials said Latinos, who make up just over a third of the most populous U.S. state, account for 56% of Covid-19 infections and 46% of deaths. Cases are soaring in the Central Valley agricultural region, with its heavily Latino population, overwhelming hospitals.

Florida saw 191 coronavirus deaths in the prior 24 hours, its highest single-day rise yet, the state health department said.

Texas added more than 6,000 new cases on Monday, pushing its total to 401,477, according to a Reuters tally. Only three other states - California, Florida and New York - have more than 400,000 total cases. The four are the most populous U.S. states.

California and Texas both reported decreases in overall hospitalisations as Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top U.S. infectious diseases expert, saw signs the surge could be peaking in the South and West while other areas were on the cusp of new outbreaks.

Fauci said early indications showed the percentage of positive coronavirus tests rising in Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Teachers' union fights

The rise in U.S. deaths and infections has dampened early hopes the country was past the worst of an economic crisis that has decimated businesses and put millions of Americans out of work.

The trend has fueled a bitter debate over the reopening of schools in the coming weeks. President Donald Trump and members of his administration have pushed for students to return to class, while some teachers and local officials have called for online learning.

Story continues

"We will fight on all fronts for the safety of students and their educators," Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said during the union's virtual convention on Tuesday. "It's the 11th hour; we need the resources now."

In Texas, the Texas Education Agency, the state overseer of public education, said it would deny funding to schools that delay in-person classes because of orders by local health authorities related to the pandemic.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued guidance that health authorities cannot impose "blanket" school closures for coronavirus prevention. Any such decision is up to school officials, he said.

Local health leaders in the biggest metropolitan areas in Texas, including Houston and Dallas, have recently ordered the postponement of in-person classes.

In Washington, some Republicans in the U.S. Senate pushed back against their own partys $1 trillion coronavirus relief proposal the day after it was unveiled by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, weighing on U.S. stocks.

"I'm not for borrowing another trillion dollars," Republican Senator Rand Paul told reporters.

Democrats have rejected the plan as too limited compared with their $3 trillion proposal that passed the House of Representatives in May. Some Republicans called it too expensive.

Trump said on Tuesday he did not support everything in the Senate Republican coronavirus relief legislation but would not elaborate.

"There are also things that I very much support," he told a White House briefing. "But we'll be negotiating."

Trump also groused about Fauci's high approval ratings and joked "nobody likes me" as he struggles to improve his standing with voters over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

"It can only be my personality," said Trump.

(REUTERS)
File Image

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday assured that the government would take necessary steps to ensure that the state emerges as the 'BT Hub,' as he laid the foundation stone for the Rs 5,000 crore Bengaluru Lifesciences Park.

He also said the government would extend support on priority basis to the Biotechnology sector, calling it the "power" of the state's economy.

"The government would accord importance to the sectors of Information Technology and Biotechnology, which play an important role in the economy, as well as employment generation", Yediyurappa was quoted as saying in a release.

"We have already implemented many reforms and an industry-friendly environment has been created. We shall give more importance to commerce and industry," he said.

Equipped with best biotechnology infrastructure, the nine million square feet Bengaluru Lifesciences Park will come up on a sprawling 52.27 acres at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore.

The project is being set up under a Public-Private Partnership with the government of Karnataka and private entity Labzone Corp. The first phase will be completed by December 2022.

"The Bengaluru Life Sciences Park will help in expanding the perimeter of the state's Biotechnology sector. I am confident that this park will give a unique gift to Bengaluru, which is already known as the BT Capital of India. The state government has released a grant of Rs 150 crore towards this project," Yediyurappa said.

The park will house more than 150 companies and more than 100 start-ups will be established. This would generate employment for more than 50,000 (direct and indirect) people, the Chief Minister said, adding that this project would make a significant contribution to the state's economy.

At present there are 380 companies and more than 200 start-ups involved in the Biotechnology sector in the state. In Asia, Karnataka has nine percent market share in the biotechnology sector, while in India, it commands 35 percent.

"This percentage should increase significantly in the coming days and the government is ready to extend the required facilities in achieving the same," Yediyurappa said.

Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, who is also the minister for IT/BT & Science and Technology department, said that the time has come for setting up of the Bengaluru Lifesciences Park, which was envisioned 20 years ago.

"The state's BT sector, which has already emerged successful, will be further strengthened through this park. Research and Development will take place under one roof. This is becoming a reality by the will of this government. Once the project gets completed, Bengalurus prestige will go up on the world map," he said.

The Deputy CM noted that the government has worked towards creating an investor friendly atmosphere in the state by bringing in amendments to the Land reforms Act, APMC Act, and relaxing several Rules, Legal hurdles that came in the way of research and innovation has been fixed and government has set up the Karnataka Innovations Authority and through 'Invest Karnataka', provided an open opportunity for investors.

The new life sciences park will be built near the electronic city area of Bengaluru and will be part of the existing space that already houses Biotech innovation centre and other facilities and will synergize both IT and biotechnology sectors, officials have said.

The park will have a dedicated incubation space with shared instrumentation lab facilities and customisable fully fitted lab and office suites, they said.
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) attends the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to examine Customs and Border Protection, focusing on evolving challenges facing the agency, in Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, in Washington, June 25, 2020. Tom Williams | Pool via Reuters

Some of Joe Biden's allies are waging a campaign behind the scenes to stop Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., from becoming his vice president. This disgruntled group of at least a dozen Biden backers, including a few of his top donors, initiated the move against Harris close to a month ago, just weeks before a decision is expected, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. Many who spoke to CNBC declined to be named as these efforts have been made in private. In some cases, her foes have taken their concerns directly to members of Biden's VP search committee, led by former Sen. Chris Dodd, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., and Cynthia Hogan, who previously served as counsel to the presumptive Democratic nominee when he was vice president under President Barack Obama. Although none of these actions signify that Biden will drop Harris from the list, the movement gives a glimpse into the effort being waged to derail her candidacy. Some remain bitter about her attacks on Biden during primary debates last year, saying they bring into question her loyalty to the former vice president. Others argue that she's too ambitious and that she will be solely focused on becoming president herself. Many of these Biden associates have been pushing alternatives to Harris, such as Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., former U.S. ambassador Susan Rice, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.

A group of donors tried similar tactics earlier this year against Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who has openly said she would accept the offer to be Biden's vice president. Representatives for Biden and Harris did not respond to requests for comment. Biden said at a press conference on Tuesday that he will be making his final decision next week. At the time of his remarks, he was holding a set of notes that appeared to vouch for Harris. The document was captured in a photograph taken by the Associated Press. His apparent decision to stand with Harris came after Politico detailed some of the concerns Biden's supporters have expressed about her becoming VP, including Dodd himself, who reportedly told a donor he was taken aback when she appeared to have no remorse about attacking Biden's previous stance on integrated busing at last year's debate. John Morgan, a Florida businessman and bundler, admitted to CNBC that he's privately voiced his concern about Harris to those trying to guide Biden about his eventual selection. "She would be running for president the day of the inauguration," Morgan said on Wednesday. "For me loyalty and friendship should mean something. But as Bill Clinton once told me, the No. 1 cause of Alzheimer's is ambition," he added, while noting he's in favor of Demings. "I think a good number of people closest to Joe are pushing against Kamala, including me," a Chicago-based businessman backing Biden told CNBC. "I don't like her, and I don't like the way she campaigned. She seems not loyal at all and very opportunistic."

A California-based political operative who was previously raising money for Harris' presidential campaign explained the move to upend her VP chances are even being made by Biden allies in her home state. "Lots of people here are relishing the chance to take potshots," this person said.

But, despite the efforts, Harris still appears to be in the top tier of candidates for the job. Predict It, a prediction betting site that tracks political events, shows Harris ahead of all the other VP choices. In Biden's notes appearing to defend her, he described Harris as "talented," "great help to the campaign" and that he has "great respect for her." Harris also has been a key voice when it comes to fighting the coronavirus pandemic. In a recent op-ed published in USA Today, Harris criticized President Donald Trump and Republicans for their response to Covid-19. "People across the country are begging the president and his Republican boosters in Congress to approach these crises with the seriousness they deserve, recognize their missteps and work on behalf of the people who sent them to Washington," she said. "If they can't, it's time for them to move aside and let real leaders lead." Trump himself on Wednesday told reporters he believed Harris would be a "fine choice" to be Biden's running mate.
Unemployed people in the Republic of Ireland who have defied public health advice by flying abroad on holiday are having their benefit payments stopped by the government.

Both Garda officers and welfare officials are checking the details of holidaymakers leaving at the airport to check whether they are receiving unemployment benefits.

Irelands Department of Social Protection said that 104 cases of pandemic unemployment payment have been stopped as a result of work done in the airports.

The statement added: It is not paid to people who go on holidays abroad or when they are going through their 14-day quarantine period.

Former Irish premier Leo Varadkar, when asked about the crackdown on RTEs This Week in Politics, said that if a jobseeker is not genuinely seeking work ... their payment can be stopped.

Ireland has imposed some of harshest travel restrictions anywhere in Europe since the beginning of the travel ban.

The government last week published a green list of countries that are deemed safe to travel to  but Irish citizens are still being advised avoid non-essential travel. The safe list does not include the US, UK, Spain, Germany or France. But Italy, Greece and Malta are among the 15 countries on the list.

The government brought in a pandemic unemployment payment of up to 350 (320) per week soon after lockdown measures were introduced in March.

Although most of those who have fallen foul of the airport checks were in receipt of the new pandemic payment, the Department of Social Protection said 44 existing social welfare payments  including jobseekers payments  have also been stopped following the checks introduced on 7 July.

Mr Varadkar told RTE: If youre in receipt of the jobseekers allowance for example you are allowed to take a break away of up to two weeks, but beyond that it can be stopped.

The departments inspectors are working with Garda, customs officers and immigration officials to carry out the checks on departing passengers at the countrys airports, according to Irelands Business Post, who first reported the clampdown.
Updated story 12 p.m. July 30:

A TEA spokesman said Thursday the no-funding rule applies only to unlawful closures. In his guidance letter, Paxton indicates local health orders to close schools are unlawful, but as the Houston Chronicle reports, that guidance is not legally binding. In a statement released Wednesday, the TEA said it will still fund schools that are closed under lawful health orders.

School systems planning on starting the year with 100 percent remote instruction will still be fully funded in accordance with TEAs previously announced 8-week back to school transition funding waiver," Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in the statement. "Lawful building closure orders will continue to enable a school system to be funded when providing remote-only instruction. Also, its important to note that the school start date remains at the discretion of local school boards."

Original story July 29:

Shortly after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent out a guidance letter stating local health authorities cannot issue orders that close schools as a preventive measure to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Texas Education Agency issued guidance that said it will not fund schools that are closed under unlawful local health orders.

The announcement potentially conflicts with the agency's previous guidance stated earlier this month that it would fund school districts if local health officials lawfully closed campuses due to COVID-19, the Texas Tribune reported. Harris County public and non-religious private schools were ordered by local officials and health authorities last week to delay in-person classes until at least Sept. 7 Many of Houston's largest school districts have already announced plans to do so, including Houston ISD, Katy ISD and Fort Bend ISD.

Paxton's letter states school officials should be the ones to decide when and how to open their campuses, not local officials.

TEXAS TEACHERS SPEAK OUT: CDC updates school safety guidelines, strongly advocates for reopening campuses in the fall

"Nothing in the law gives health authorities the power to indiscriminately close schoolspublic or privateas these local orders claim to do," Paxton said in the statement. "The decision to close schools on such a preventative basis whether public or privateremains with school system leaders who should consult with relevant public health authorities, including the department and local health authorities"

Later that same day, the TEA updated its guidance on state funding for closed schools on its website.

"Consequently, a blanket order closing schools does not constitute a legally issued closure order for purposes of funding solely remote instruction as described in this document," the website read.

School districts that have already planned to start the year virtually will not be impacted due to the TEA's decision to extend the transition period for districts to operate virtually for up to eight weeks.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Other countries opened schools, so why shouldnt Texas? Outbreak severity, health experts say

Virtually all of the public health authority orders covered a time period that was also covered by the start-of-school transition period, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath told Texas superintendents on a conference call Tuesday.

When it was first announced, local officials said Harris County's school closure order could be extended pending COVID-19 case trends. If an extension were to happen, the TEA guidance could have further implications on Harris County schools.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo responded to Paxton's letter on Tuesday evening, citing recent COVID-19 data as the reason why local schools should remain closed.

"We're in an immensely worse position than we were when things opened too early, leading to where we are now," Hidalgo said on Twitter. "We stand behind our decision to close schools."

According to the Houston Chronicle, local health orders to keep schools closed are still legally binding, despite Paxton's letter. Despite numerous requests from media outlets, including the Houston Chronicle, Gov. Greg Abbott has not commented on whether orders from local health officials should stand or not.

Read more on the TEA's guidance and how it affects Houston and Texas school districts on HoustonChronicle.com.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with a new statement from the TEA.

rebecca.hennes@chron.com
The Irish Dog Foods plant in Naas has shut its doors temporarily due to an outbreak of Covid-19 among its workers.

The individuals concerned are self-isolating, and a deep clean is being carried out on the premises at the Naas Industrial Estate.

The company would not be drawn on how many employees were affected, or when the factory will reopen.

In a statement to the Leinster Leader/KildareNow, Irish Dog Foods said that it had been informed that a number of its Naas employees have tested positive for Covid-19, and they remain in contact with the affected employees.

"We are working closely with the the HSE and will continue to follow their advice at all times in how we manage this issue. In consultation with the HSE, we have closed the facility in question to enable a deep cleaning to be carried out.

"Staff well-being and safety is paramount for our company and we have a full range of measures in place including appropriate PPE, enhanced cleaning and hygiene regimes, social distancing measures, temperature screening and regular staff health and hygiene training and communications to help combat the virus."

Irish Dog Foods makes own-label and branded petfood for supermarkets, pet retailers, wholesalers and discounters. It exports to 54 countries, according to Enterprise Ireland. It has five facilities, with its headquarters in Kildare.

It is part of the Queally Group, whose other companies also include Dawn Farm Foods and Glenpatrick Spring Water.
After graduation from Northwest Normal University (NNU), Northwest China's Gansu Province in 2019, Zhao Zhanzhan went to Qinghai Province and became a teacher of the Yushu (Haidong) campus of the High School Affiliated to Minzu University of China.

According to her, the past year was in some way lonely and perplexing, but it was more about growth and harvesting. She said she has no regret for her choice, and feels happy to be needed by the students there.

Zhao volunteered to teach in Aksu prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, during the summer vacation of 2017, and it was this experience that inspired her to become a teacher.

Xinjiang's education department signed an agreement on volunteer teaching with the NNU in 2008 to alleviate the shortage of teachers in the autonomous region, promote educational reform of the institutions of higher learning, and expand the employment market for college students. In the past 12 years, hundreds of NNU students volunteered to teach in Aksu each year. So far, the program has been joined by a total of over 4,000 college students.

"We taught math, Chinese and English as there weren't enough teachers, and sometimes we also cleaned classrooms and canteens, as well as took care of the students when they were dining and sleeping," Zhao introduced. Such close contact with the students gained Zhao and her partners a deep bond with the students. The notes given to her by the students when she left the prefecture, which carried wishes and attachment, sowed a "seed" in Zhao's heart that later guided her to join the education cause.

"What I learned in my alma mater ignited my dream to become a teacher and also firmed my conviction," Zhao told the People's Daily, adding that it's also natural for her, as one from the Tibetan ethnic group, to choose to teach in Qinghai, where Tibetans constitute around a fifth of the population.

The Yushu (Haidong) campus of the High School Affiliated to Minzu University of China where Zhao teaches is a new school that just started recruitment two years ago. All the students are from Qinghai's Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture, and many of them do not have excellent academic performance as their parents are mostly shepherds. Besides, they don't speak good Chinese, so they often fail to follow what the teachers say on classes. Therefore, Zhao specially lowered her speed and used both Tibetan and Chinese languages to ensure that she's fully understood by the students.

"The average age of the teachers of our school is only 26, and they are graduates of Beijing Normal University, Shaanxi Normal University, NNU, and Northwest University. Twenty more teachers are expected to join us in the following months of this year. They are our most precious treasure," said Ma Zhaohui, vice principal of the high school.

For Zhao, her students are optimistic, forthright, upbeat and passionate.

"I still remember the weariness after travelling 7 hours on a road surrounded by the vast grassland on my first home visit to a student," Zhao told the People's Daily. "However, when I arrived at the student's home and was served with a cup of hot milk tea by the student's parents, all my fatigue vanished. The feeling of being needed is able to cure everything," she said. Though often vexed by the naughty students, Zhao still has glittering eyes every time she speaks of them.

"They always give me dried beef, tsampa (roasted barley flour), and lollipops they brought from home when I inspect their dormitories. Though for most of the times I would politely refuse them, I would never forget the expression in their eyes that reflect their genuine desire to share," Zhao said, adding that she's the one that can't leave the students, not the other way around.

"Though the living conditions here cannot compare to those in the cities, the infrastructure is great and it's convenient to live here. Most importantly, I'm not merely earning a living; I love what I do and feel proud to contribute my strength and find my value. That's invaluable," she said.

In recent years, more and more college graduates like Zhao are flocking to Qinghai, and the province has also rolled out a series of measures to encourage them.

According to Wu Guoqiang, deputy head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Qinghai Committee, the province has introduced more than 2,200 professionals to work temporarily there, who helped train over 120,000 people. Last year, 63 enterprises in the province recruited more than 1,200 college graduates, 84.3 percent of whom have master's degree.

"Go out of the campus, to observe, work and expand your capability." That's a line shared by Zhao with one of her schoolmates who is about to work in a middle school in Qinghai two months later.

"I believe our team will continue to grow," Zhao said, with full confidence for the future.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Tajikistan has stopped supplying electricity to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan ahead of the deadline stipulated in joint international agreements, Trend reports citing the press service of Tajik president.

In addition, Tajikistan introduced limits on electricity consumption for the local population. The measures were caused by insufficient water in the Nurek Reservoir.

Tajikistan faced with snow shortage in the formation zone of the Vakhsh and Panj Rivers during autumn and winter of 2019. Moreover, rainfall was some 50 percent less than in the previous years. This is the first time such a situation has occurred in Tajikistan, the message said.

The volume of water in Vakhsh and Panj rivers has also halved, with 800 cubic meters and 2,000 cubic meters respectively. The water level in the Nurek Reservoir has dropped by 17 meters compared to 2019.

"If this situation continues, the water reserves in the reservoir will decrease, and in winter there will be serious problems with electricity supply to the population and national economy sectors of Tajikistan," the message said.

The Tajik government hopes that rational use of electricity in summer will prevent possible problems in autumn and winter. Limits for the country's population and the refusal to export electricity have been introduced to reserve water in the Nurek Reservoir.

Earlier, Uzbekistan signed an agreement with Turkmenenergo on electricity supplies due to decline in electricity imports from Tajikistan.

"Due to water shortages in Tajikistan, from July 16, 2020, the import of electricity through L-508 air power transmission line with a capacity of 500 kW, connecting Regar and Surkhan substations was suspended, and the average daily volume of imports fell from 12 million to 0.3 million kWh," the message said.

According to the National Power Grid of Uzbekistan, the sharp drop in imports from the Tajik power grid was initiated because the water supply to Nurek was lower than projected and the water level was low.

"Water shortage also affects the operation of hydroelectric power plants in Uzbekistan, which produce six-seven million kWh of electricity less than contracted volumes, or 10-12 million kWh less than the same period of 2019, which in turn also leads to a shortage of electricity," the message said.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Is TikTok really mining mountains of data from children, giving the information to the Chinese government, engaging in political censorship, and leaving its users vulnerable to hacking?

All four issues have been in the headlines recently. Here are answers to the questions teachers, administrators, and policymakers are likely to have:

First, lets take a look at how educators are using TikTok.

Uber-popular with tweens and teens, TikTok is a video-sharing platform on which users share short (60-seconds or less) clips of dance moves, comedy, memes, art, viral challenges, and just about anything else you can imagine. To wit: Ed Weeks principals of TikTok , who use the platform for everything from demonstrating proper COVID-19 cleaning protocols to sharing absurd moments from the school day. Many teachers also turned to TikTok this spring to entertain their students and vent about remote learning.

The app has been downloaded more than 2 billion times worldwide, with well over 120 million active users estimated in the U.S. alone. That translated to an estimated $17 billion in revenue in 2019.

Whats the biggest thing I need to know right now?

That would be the renewed privacy concerns.

Like many other social-media platforms, TikTok collects gobs of information from users, including the contents of their private messages, what type of device theyre using, their internet protocol (IP) addresses, and all manner of information on what types of videos they watch and how they watch them. Under its loosest settings, TikTok can also collect from users age, phone number, precise geolocation data, and more.

While this is a general concern for all users, many privacy advocates are particularly concerned because of TikToks huge adoption by tweens and teens.

This spring, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and a host of other organizations (including Consumer Reports and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy) filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Among the groups allegations: that TikTok fails to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting information from children under 13; fails to offer parents the right to review and delete young childrens personal information; and doesnt offer a clearly labeled link to its online privacy notice.

Strong FTC action is needed to protect children from substantial risks to their privacy and well-being that come from sharing some of the personal forms of personal informationtheir images, their words, and their thoughtsto TikToks 800 million users worldwide without their parents knowledge and informed consent, reads the 56-page complaint.

This sounds familiar

Thats probably because TikToks predecessor company, Musical.ly, settled with the FTC in 2019 for failing to post a clear privacy policy, failing to provide direct notice to parents, failing to obtain verifiable parental consent, and failing to delete childrens personal information at the request of parents.

The $5.7 million settlement did not include an admission of guilt, but the company did enter into a consent decree in which it vowed to no longer violate the Childrens Online Privacy and Protection Act, commonly known as COPPA. The new complaint alleges that despite the companys new registration process, updated privacy policy, and the deletion of summer user information, TikTok is continuing to flout that agreement.

The company has also been hit with a number of private class-action lawsuits related to COPPA violations, including one by Illinois parents that it recently settled for $1.1 million.

Remind me what COPPA is all about?

In short, the federal law requires companies that offer websites, apps, and online services to notify parents and obtain their consent before collecting any personal information on children under 13. (For all the detail you could possibly want, heres the full EdWeek explainer on the topic.)

Didnt TikTok add a new, more limited account for children under 13?

Yes.

According to a December blog post by the company , TikTok for Younger Users, as the service is called, introduces additional safety and private protections including a view-only mode and extensive limits on content and user interaction. The company also recently launched a Youth Portal , to teach about internet safety, and new settings to give parents more control over how their children use the platform.

However, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and its fellow complainants allege that the age gate thats supposed to direct pre-teens into these younger user accounts is ridiculously easy to bypass.

They also allege that TikTok is still collecting and sharing prohibited personal information from even these younger-user accounts.

Sounds like a problem for the company and for parents. Why do educators need to worry about this?

First and foremost, large numbers of your students are almost certainly on TikTok. At minimum, you need to know what the platform is and how kids are using itincluding for viral challenges that have sparked fires and electrocution concerns in schools , as well as racist and offensive content that administrators are often left to deal with.

Despite the classroom management challenges it can pose, some schools have also started experimenting with the platform as an instructional tool and as the basis for school clubs .

And TikTok has been vocal about its intention to get into the education market , announcing earlier this year a $50 million Creative Learning Fund that supports creators with the production of learning content, provides resources for learners, and introduces emerging teachers to the TikTok platform. As part of its #LearnOnTikTok effort, the company has enlisted prominent partners such as science educator Bill Nye and motivational speaker Tyra Banks to produce educational content.

What does the company say about these privacy concerns?

TikTok takes the issue of safety seriously for all our users, and we continue to further strengthen our safeguards and introduce new measures to protect young people on the app, a company spokesperson said in a statement. We are committed to continuously evaluating and improving our protections.

In a series of recent statements, the company has also responded to a wave of security-related concerns, including reports that users were vulnerable to hackers and that the platform accessed iOS users sometimes-sensitive clipboard content.

How is this related to the Trump administrations threats to ban TikTok?

In recent weeks, both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have raised concerns about TikToks Chinese ownership and relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. Central to their complaints are worries that the company might currently, or could be compelled to, share users personal information with the Chinese government, which is in the midst of building one of the most extreme digital surveillance states on the planet.

Calling TikTok a cyber threat, the U.S. Army has also banned the app (which it has used as a recruitment tool) on government-issued phones.

The administration and some U.S. lawmakers have also raised censorship concerns, worrying that the company may be changing or removing some videos to protect the political interests of the Chinese government (around Hong Kongs independence, for example.) In response, a government group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States announced a national security review of the company in 2019.

For its part, TikTok has said that it stores all data from U.S. users in the United States and Singapore and that the information is not subject to Chinese law. There is no public evidence to date that Beijing has accessed TikTok users information.

In addition, the company said in a June statement, we have never been asked by the Chinese government to remove any content, and we would not do so if asked.

Is this a partisan flap?

No.

The Trump administrations trade war with China has clearly brought fresh scrutiny to TikToks parent company, ByteDance.

But a host of Democratic lawmakers have also raised concerns. In 2019, for example, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, joined Republican colleague Tom Cotton of Arkansas in calling TikTok a potential counterintelligence threat we cannot ignore .

And in May, more than a dozen House Democrats, led by Ann McLane Kuster (N.H.) and Jan Schakowsky (Ill.) submitted a letter to the FTC supporting the new privacy complaint against the company.

Given the reasonable concerns that the Chinese government may have access to the data TikTok collects on Americans, it is all the more troubling that the company appears to intentionally be in violation of U.S. data privacy laws, the lawmakers wrote.
By Trend

Up to 300 members of the Azerbaijani community in the UK held a peaceful rally in London against the latest provocation by Armenia against Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

The action took place in front of the BBCs London office. Azerbaijanis, using loudspeakers, chanted the slogans "Enough!", "End of the Armenian aggression!" and sang the State Anthem of Azerbaijan.

Then the protesters walked along the Trafalgar Square, in front of the Prime Ministers Office of the UK, going to the parliament building chanting "We want peace!", "We want justice!", "Karabakh is ours, and it will be ours!" Peaceful demonstrators drew attention to acts of violence by Armenians against Azerbaijanis in Los Angeles, saying it is important to put an end to such violent provocations.

They held another action in front of the building of the UK Parliament, where, focusing on the Azerbaijani realities, they demanded an end to the aggression of Armenia. Then the participants of the action sang the Azerbaijani national "Sari Galin" song.

In order to ensure security, police officers and representatives of private security companies were brought into the territory. In front of the BBC Office, a group of no more than 50 people from the Armenian community of the UK tried to disrupt the action, but considering the numerical superiority of Azerbaijanis, as well as the security measures taken, they refrained from their intentions.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Precious metals, namely gold and silver, are in the midst of epic rallies. On Monday, silver exchange-traded funds extended what are becoming meteoric rises while gold hit an all-time high.

On volume that was nearly double the daily average, the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD), the world's largest bullion-backed ETF, jumped 2%. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDX) joined the party, too, gaining almost 5% on above-average turnover, extending its year-to-date gain to roughly 50%.

Indeed, these are exciting times for gold ETFs, an arena largely dominated by GLD and GDX. However, there are some other options for investors to consider here. Let's have a look at a few here.

GraniteShares Gold Trust (BAR)

In the U.S., the market for physically-backed gold ETFs is mostly dominated by the aforementioned GLD, but there are some admirable competitors. One of those is the GraniteShares Gold Trust (NYSE: BAR).

GLD is a fine choice for active traders that need tight spread, deep liquidity and a robust options market. For longer-term investors looking for cost savings, BAR and a couple of other names are the way to go. In fact, BAR, which turns three years old next month, touched of a gold ETF fee war when it debuted in August 2017.

The fund charges 0.1749% per year, or $17.49 on a $10,000 investment, making it one of the least expensive funds in this category. That's meaningful as highlighted by BAR's $1.1 billion in assets under management. More importantly, the fund is up 27.73% year-to-date and hit an all-time high yesterday.

U.S. Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF (GOAU)

Much GLD looming large in the gold-backed ETF arena, the aforementioned GDX does the same among miners funds, but the U.S. Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF (NYSE: GOAU) is a credible idea to consider.

GOAU, which hit an all-time high Monday, devotes 30% of its weight to the three largest gold royalty companies. The remaining 70% of the ETF's weight is allocated to 25 miners scored by momentum in revenue, free cash flow and high-gross margins on a per-share.

Story continues

GOAU hit $100 million in assets early this month, about a month after celebrating its third birthday.

VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ)

The VanEck Merk Gold Trust (NYSE: OUNZ) recently had its fee clipped to 0.25% from 0.40%. OUNZ is one of the niftier ideas in the gold ETF space because when an investor sells shares of the ETF, he or she can take physical delivery of gold, a trait not offered by rival funds in this category.

OUNZ gained almost 2% yesterday on volume that was nearly triple the daily average on its way to a record high.

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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Trump and Merkel

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Germany is the new "frontline "in the West's cold war with China and Russia, according to a new report by a leading British think tank.

UK think tank RUSI says the Kremlin is waging a campaign of political interference, while Beijing sees Germany as its main target for economic expansion, the report suggests

The relationship between Berlin and Washington has worsened since Trump became president.

"Shortcomings" in Germany's relationship with the US meant that working with the Trump administration is "not easy," Germany's ambassador to the UK told Business Insider.

The report comes as the White House confirms that the US will pull out thousands of troops from Germany.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Germany has become the new "frontline" of the West's Cold War with Russia and China, but "no longer feels it can rely on the US" for protection, according to a new report.

The report by the London-based defence think tank, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) comes as the White House formally announced that it will pull out thousands of troops from Germany.

It suggests that the Kremlin is waging a campaign of political interference in the country, focused on creating instability in the region.

The threat from Russia comes as Beijing also focuses on expanding its own influence in Germany, posing "a series of political and economic-based hazards emanating from China."

The report's author, RUSI's John Kampfner, states that "Germany is on the frontline of Russian and Chinese hybrid actions of interference and influence in Europe."

However, Merkel's government feels that it can no longer rely on the US to "underpin its security" after a series of clashes between Chancellor Merkel and President Trump.

"With President Donald Trump well into his fourth year as president, it no longer feels it can rely on the US to underpin its security," the report states.

Story continues

The RUSI report suggests that while Russia's interference is "largely political, attempting to undermine public confidence in democratic institutions," China's has been focused "mainly on economic assets."

"It faces different dangers from Russia, revolving mainly around cyber-security, but by no means confined to that," Kampfner says.

Andreas Michaelis, Germany's ambassador to the UK, recently told Business Insider that "shortcomings" in Germany's relationship with the US meant that working with the Trump administration is now "not easy."

"With all the shortcomings in terms of information policy, and things being decided without consultation, this untidiness that has crept into the relationship is something that worries us," he said.

Germany's alliance with the US under historic strain

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily on May 26, 2017 in Taormina, Italy.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Merkel's relationship with Trump has been under strain recently amid a series of high-profile foreign policy clashes.

Merkel's government reacted angrily to Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Germany later this year.

Johann Wadephul, a senior figure in Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party, last month said: "We expect our leading ally to act as a model, with orientation and balance  not maximum pressure.

"You don't treat partners like this."

Peter Beyer, Germany's Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation, said it was "completely unacceptable."

In a separate row, EU officials were "furious" with the Trump administration, Bloomberg reported, after the president moved to shut Germany and the rest of the EU out of White House talks between leaders of Serbia and Kosovo. Merkel has played a leading role in trying to broker reconciliation between the two countries.

Trump also triggered outrage in Germany after reportedly seeking to obtain exclusive access to a coronavirus vaccine being developed in the country.

Read the original article on Business Insider
~Senior Secured Convertible Debenture Acquired from a leading Canadian Licensed Producer

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / World-Class Extractions Inc. (CSE:PUMP) (FRA:WCF) (OTCQB:WCEXF) (the "Company" or "World-Class")is pleased to announce that a company in which World-Class holds a 50% equity interest, Cobra Ventures Inc. ("Cobra"), has entered into an agreement to acquire a senior secured convertible debenture of HydRx Farms Ltd. o/a Scientus Pharma ("HydRx") in the principal amount of CDN$11,500,000, plus accrued and unpaid interest and charges (the "Debenture") from a leading Canadian Licensed Producer, subject to certain closing conditions. Cobra is purchasing the Debenture for CDN$5,000,000; closing is expected to occur within 60 days. The Debenture is secured against the assets of HydRx. HydRx is currently in default of its obligations under the Debenture.

First Republic Holdings Corporation ("FRHC") holds a 50% equity interest in Cobra. FRHC is the investment holding company of Mr. Richard Goldstein and his family. FRHC is a shareholder of First Republic Capital Corporation ("FRCC"). FRCC is not involved in the acquisition of the Debenture.

HydRx Farms Ltd o/a Scientus Pharma ("HydRx") - Description of its Business

HydRx owns and operates a 45,000-square foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Whitby, Ontario built to GMP and GPP standards. HydRx holds numerous licenses issued by Health Canada under the Cannabis Act to cultivate, produce and sell cannabis products, including the extraction of cannabis resin for use in formulations including cannabinoid based oils, capsules and other derivative products. HydRx also holds a Cannabis Drug License and is a Licensed Dealer under the Narcotics Control Act. HydRx is one of a limited number of Canadian licensees authorized to conduct R&D and fully handle cannabinoid products with the ability to wholesale, buy, process and sell cannabinoid derivatives, from and to other producers licensed under the Cannabis Act, as well as to international markets.

Story continues

About World-Class Extractions

World-Class is an innovation-driven company with a principle focus on the rapidly evolving cannabis and hemp industries. Through its subsidiaries, Soma Labs Scientific Inc. and Greenmantle Products Inc., World-Class deploys and manages custom-built extraction centres utilizing its custom systems, technology and processes to efficiently produce high-quality cannabis and hemp concentrates and end-products. In addition, through its subsidiary Pineapple Express Delivery Inc., the Company offers compliant and secure delivery of government regulated products, including medical and recreational cannabis in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and liquor delivery in certain jurisdictions in Saskatchewan.

Investor Contact

Daniel Mogil

World-Class Investor Relations

1-437-266-1968

ir@worldclassextractions.com

https://worldclassextractions.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management of the Company.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including with respect to the ability of Cobra Ventures Inc. to close on the acquisition of the Debenture. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited those identified and reported in the Company's public filings under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

SOURCE: World-Class Extractions Inc.





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THE COVID-19 pandemic has now claimed Ireland's Christmas pantomimes.

The Everyman Palace in Cork confirmed that it has cancelled its planned 'Aladdin' panto which had been scheduled to run from November into January 2021.

Theatre executive director Sean Kelly said they were left with no alternative because of social distancing measures and the reduced capacity for indoor venues.

The move is now expected to spark a flood of cancellations of other traditional Christmas pantos around Ireland - as well as major plays, operas and indoor events planned for the winter season.

Everyman officials said it would be "unrealistic" to attempt to stage a major panto run given social distancing controls and a maximum capacity of around 85 patrons, staff and actors.

It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of our 2020 pantomime," he said.

"This is the first time in three decades that there wont be a panto on The Everyman stage at Christmas."

"We really wish we didnt have to disappoint our audiences like this but panto is an extremely expensive undertaking and under the current restrictions it is simply not possible to go ahead."

"The panto represents 20pc of the theatres annual income and is also a vital source of employment for local performers and creatives so its a huge blow to a great many people. We are determined that our panto will return in 2021 and be more spectacular than ever.

The Everyman Palace - like other Irish theatres - uses its money-spinning panto to help fund other major arts projects over the year.

Video of the Day

One arts official warned that the revenue lost by Irish theatres from the cancelled pantos will have "far reaching consequences."

The Everyman annually has almost 35,000 fans attend its three month panto run - with even bigger audience figures boasted by Cork Opera House and The Gaiety in Dublin.

Almost 100 people are employed by the Everyman for their panto run.

Panto is a tradition that is central to many peoples Christmas plans, and its a tradition we take great pride in upholding at The Everyman," artistic director Julie Kelleher said.

"It is joyful, comforting, and entertaining, which is everything you need at the darkest time of the year. Its a source of huge disappointment to us, and the small army of cast, crew, and creatives that make the show every year, not to be able to provide that for families this year.
Auditoria.AI becomes the first Cognitive AI provider to be Sage Intacct certified

SANTA CLARA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / AUDITORIA.AI, provider of AI-driven automation solutions for corporate finance teams, announced today that its SmartFlow Skills Platform is immediately available in the Sage Intacct Marketplace. As the first-ever "cognitive AI" solution to be Sage Intacct certified, Auditoria automates routine repetitive business processes that otherwise take days or weeks, while accelerating surgical financial insights that improve visibility and decision making.

"We're very pleased to offer Sage Intacct customers the first set of cognitive, AI-driven automation capabilities that come natively integrated," said Adina Simu, Auditoria's Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder. "With Auditoria SmartFlow Skills, customers can extend the investment that they have made in Sage Intacct and benefit from intelligent automation of business processes, interactive responses, and algorithmic analytics. We're proud to partner with a recognized leader in cloud financial management."

"At Sage Intacct, we take pride in our open application interfaces, allowing innovative companies like Auditoria.AI to extend the capabilities that our customers have made in their accounting and finance system," said Eileen Wiens, Sage Intacct Vice President of Business Development. "With Auditoria, our customers can confidently enter the future of finance automation, powered by artificial intelligence and cognitive RPA."

Auditoria SmartFlow Skills offers a reliable alternative to traditional approaches to execute typical finance back-office processes, which result in significantly improved business resiliency. Using natural language-driven configurations, Auditoria SmartFlow Skills ephemerally automates mission-critical finance business processes, while querying and reconciling data into financial systems of record.

Additionally, SmartFlow Skills includes modern machine learning algorithms to drive statistical and predictive analytics, allowing companies to have rapid access to key financial indicators, higher accuracy and precision in predictive recommendations, and being continuously audit-ready while mitigating risks, eliminating errors, and reducing accounting infractions.

"Instead of relying on traditional processes to get work done, we are excited to use a platform like Auditoria to have a 3-4X multiplier in our productivity to support the company's growth," said Tien Anh Nguyen, Chief Financial Officer of UserTesting. "Auditoria's approach looks to be a game changer in our finance and accounting functions."

"AI and automation are critical for companies wanting to extend the investments in their accounting software," said Ryan Prindiville, Partner, Consulting at Armanino LLP. "We're thrilled to see Auditoria's offering in the Sage Intacct Marketplace. We look forward to Armanino's customers taking advantage of the pre-certified Intacct integration from Auditoria.AI."

To learn more, visit the Sage Intacct Marketplace: https://share.auditoria.ai/si_marketplace

About Auditoria

Founded in 2019, Auditoria is a provider of AI-driven automation solutions for Finance teams, based in Santa Clara, California, and backed by Neotribe Ventures, Engineering Capital, Firebolt Ventures, and B Capital Group. Its flagship offering, Auditoria SmartFlow Skills, leverages natural language processing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to remove friction and repetition, automate finance back-office business processes, and deliver cutting-edge real-time predictive analytics to enterprise Finance and Accounting teams.

Learn more about Auditoria by visiting Auditoria.ai. Follow Auditoria on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact:

Kate Campbell

York IE

communications@auditoria.ai

SOURCE: Auditoria

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599337/AuditoriaAI-SmartFlow-Skills-Now-Available-on-the-Sage-Intacct-Marketplace
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Units of the Tunisian gendarmerie within a week, 19-25 July, foiled 63 attempts of illegal migration to Italy and arrested 784 people in different Tunisian regions, an official statement issued here Tuesday said
DUBLIN, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Scar Pipeline Research Monitor, 2020 - Drugs, Companies, Clinical Trials, R&D Pipeline Updates, Status and Outlook" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

PIPELINE HIGHLIGHTS

Scar is one of the widely researched conditions during 2020 with 13 companies actively focusing on realizing pipeline's potential. Development of Scar medicines is identified as integral to the strategy of the majority of companies operating in the industry.

Global Scar market presents promising new product pipeline with NME Projects, pivotal trials, and rapidly phase-advancing therapeutic candidates. Increasing number of companies are assessing the feasibility of developing treatment options for Scar.

Good progress is anticipated during 2020 and 2021 with Scar pipeline molecules advancing from pre-clinical investigation to completion of advanced Phase clinical trials. Scar pipeline continues to expand and progress with novel mechanisms and diverse routes of administration being tested by companies.

DRUG DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE OVERVIEW

The Scar pipeline Research Monitor, 2020 report is an analytical research study on the progress achieved by pipeline companies during the year along with its historical development, current status, and outlook.

This Scar pipeline review explores high-potential early to late-stage pipeline projects with a continued focus on new insights, accelerated processes, and pipeline progression.

The competitive intelligence report on Scar presents detailed insights into therapeutic drug pipeline development, industry news, deals, and analysis across the length and breadth of the Scar pipeline. Information on R&D pipeline updates, results of key clinical trials are also included in the report.

DRUG PROFILES

Scar development pipeline including projects in early- and late-stage development are detailed in the report. Details of clinical trial data and submissions to regulatory authorities are also provided. For the drug candidates included in the report, the following information is provided:

Current Status of Development including phase advancements, regulatory approvals of phases, acquisitions, licensing and technology transfers, product launches in various markets, and others.

Phase of development

Mechanism of Action

Route of Administration

Companies involved including originator, licensing companies, developer, investors, and others

New molecular entity details

Orphan drug designation and other special status provided by regulators

COMPANY PROFILES



Both small size and large size pharmaceutical companies are investing their resources in Scar drug development operations. Further, financial institutions are extending support to small pharmaceutical companies, universities, and other researchers for the development of treatment of Scar. Partnerships and acquisitions are also increasingly observed in the pipeline.



This research report presents an analysis of 13 Scar companies including company overview, key snapshot, contact information, and their strategies on accelerating Scar pipeline development. Mid-stage and early portfolios of these companies are analyzed in detail in the report.



Reasons to Buy

The current market conditions are forcing companies and investors worldwide to prioritize their investments and accelerate pipeline candidates only through careful quantitative assessment.

This research work assists decision makers in pharmaceutical companies towards successful pipeline development through critically evaluated pipeline data

Buyers can identify most promising drug candidates for treatment of Scar

It allows users to strengthen their pipeline through acquisitions, licensing and collaborations

Users can estimate possible delays in the delivery of pipeline or launch of new products

Stay ahead of competition through understanding their pipeline progression, strategies and outlook

The report details all the pipeline candidates under investigation in various stages of development from Phase I through to Phase III to enable business development managers to understand the impact of new launches.

Optimize your licensing and technology transfer strategies through identification of prospect partners

Companies Analyzed



BirchBioMed Inc

Cellastra Inc

Cotinga Pharmaceuticals Inc

Ember Therapeutics Inc

FBM Therapeutics LLC

Kringle Pharma Inc

Moerae Matrix Inc

Pharmaxis Ltd

Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp

Promore Pharma AB

Resolys Bio Inc

Synedgen Inc

Temple Therapeutics BV

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5srjob

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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The selenium market is expected to grow by 251.06 MT during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect the impact to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth according to the latest market research report by Technavio.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005490/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Selenium Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Request challenges and opportunities influenced by COVID-19 pandemic Request a free sample report

The major producers of selenium are based in countries such as Japan and Germany. In 2018, Japan and Germany together accounted for more than 65% of the global selenium production. About half of the selenium produced in Japan is exported to China. In Germany, automakers are focusing on equipping vehicles with energy-saving devices, which has increased the demand for electrochromic glass. Also, the ongoing trend of integrating electronics and sensors to switch automotive windows into infotainment displays has further increased the consumption of selenium. Furthermore, the growing population and the rising adoption of automobiles in APAC has fueled the use of selenium in commercial and passenger vehicles worldwide. All these factors are influencing the growth of the global selenium market.

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43958

As per Technavio, the increasing use of selenium in electronic products will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024.

Selenium Market: Increasing Use of Selenium in Electronic Products

Selenium is widely used in various electronic components such as circuit boards and photosensitive drums in photocopiers. The drum forms a crucial part of the photocopiers. It is a metal roller covered by a layer of photoconductive material made of a semiconductor material such as selenium. The increasing number of applications of selenium in many such electronic components will fuel the growth of the market during the forecast period.

"Increasing use of selenium in batteries and solar cells and the use of selenium in the glass industry will further boost market growth during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Selenium Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the selenium market by application (metallurgy, glassmaking, agriculture, chemicals, and others) and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and MEA).

The APAC region led the selenium market in 2019, followed by Europe, North America, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, APAC is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to the rapid industrialization and infrastructure development in the region.

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Democratic party's presumptive presidential candidate Joe Biden said he plans to announce his running mate in the first week of next month.



'I'm going to have a choice the first week in August and I promise I'll let you know when I do,' Biden said at a news conference after a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, Tuesday.



Responding to a question if he was meeting with finalists, Biden told reporters, 'I'm going to try to figure out how to trick you all so I can meet with them in person. You got crews outside my house.'



During the primary campaign, Biden had made it clear that he would be choosing a woman as his vice presidential candidate.



He had earlier committed to name her before the Democratic National Convention kicks off on August 17 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.



There were reports that the former Vice President is in favor of naming a woman of color as his choice.



Senators Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, who took on Biden for a presidential party ticket, former national security adviser Susan Rice, Rep. Karen Bass of California, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Rep. Val Demings of Florida, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer are the prominent names shortlisted by U.S. media.



A photographer recently clicked a shot of Biden holding handwritten notes with Kamala Harris' name at the top along with a list of attributes about her. It sparked speculation about the California Democrat's chances as a potential candidate against Vice President Mike Pence.



Susan Rice, a former National Security Advisor, emerged as a leading contender after she told radio show host Ricky Smiley last week, 'Bring that one on, that's all I'll say.'



'I have served in the executive branch in the White House. At the top levels of the federal government for almost two decades. I know how to make things work and how to get stuff done,' she told Smiley.



With less than 100 days to go for the US presidential election, Joe Biden is leading over his Republican rival in all the latest polls in almost all battleground states.



Although it is too early to predict if these trends indicate the President, who is seeking reelection, is heading for a defeat in November, Trump's path to victory has narrowed considerably in the months since the coronavirus pandemic began.



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RTHK: Biden vows to tackle racial economic inequality

US presidential candidate Joe Biden promised on Tuesday to fight the outsized economic burdens of nonwhite families with billions of US dollars in federal spending for minority-owned businesses and provisions for more affordable housing.

The Democrat, who faces Republican President Donald Trump in the November 3 presidential election, announced the proposal as the fourth and final plank of a plan to revitalise the coronavirus-hit US economy.

Speaking in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, Biden, who leads Trump in national polls, invoked the name of US Representative John Lewis, the black civil rights hero who died of cancer 10 days ago.

When the two men spoke recently, the dying Lewis waved off concerns about his own health, Biden said. "He asked that we stay focused on the work left undone to heal this nation."

The former vice president assailed Trump for his responses to the pandemic and US protests over racial inequity. He accused Trump of deploying federal agents to quell unrest in Portland, Oregon, as a political tactic to stoke division and rescue what he called a failing campaign.

"Donald Trump fails the basic threshold test of being president - the duty to care about the entire country, not just his re-election prospects," Biden, 77, said.

Trump, 74, has defended his actions against protesters as necessary to stop criminals intent on violence.

In a statement responding to Biden's plan, Trump campaign senior adviser Katrina Pierson cited as achievements for Black Americans both criminal justice reform and record low unemployment before the pandemic under Trump.

Biden's overarching economic plan includes investing trillions of dollars in manufacturing and innovation, clean energy and childcare. Republican critics have said the plans will lead to higher taxes.

The campaign has not detailed how it would pay for every proposal, though it has said raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy would cover much of the cost.

Tuesday's speech sought to outline how Biden would place racial justice at the centre of his economic politics.

Biden has resisted calls from some in his own party for more aggressive measures to erase the sizeable racial wealth gap, such as reparations for descendants of black slaves and "baby bonds" providing every child a government-sponsored investment account. He has said he supports studying such initiatives further.

His plan would put US$30 billion into a new small business opportunity fund. The investment would leverage US$5 in private investment for every US$1 of public money, the campaign estimated.

In total, the campaign said, the plan would provide US$50 billion in public-private venture capital and another US$100 billion in low-interest business loans for mostly minority-owned businesses that historically have struggled.

Biden proposed requiring the Federal Reserve to report regularly on what it is doing to address racial economic inequality.

The proposal includes a housing tax credit of up to US$15,000 for low- and middle-class families.

Biden spoke at a community centre for children in majority-black central Wilmington, where the unemployment rate has more than trebled this year.

Biden, who said on Tuesday he plans to name a running mate in the first week of August, has been under increasing pressure to pick a black woman in the face of months of protest following the police killing of George Floyd, a black man in Minnesota. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
An illustration of NASA's Perseverance rover on the surface of Mars. The vehicle, built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will blast off for Mars as soon as Thursday. (NASA)

NASA's newest Mars rover is called Perseverance, and it has already lived up to the name.

Weighing in at just over a ton and loaded with the most sophisticated instruments ever sent to the red planet, the six-wheeled vehicle has already survived a hurdle no previous rover has had to face: a global pandemic.

After overcoming months of uncertainty, Perseverance is at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, awaiting the start of the 309-million-mile journey that will take it to an ancient lake bed that may contain evidence of extraterrestrial life.

Despite the unprecedented challenges, the $2.4-billion space robot is expected to blast off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as early as Thursday  right on schedule.

The rover traveled across the country from its birthplace at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge in February. After its arrival, as many as 90 NASA employees gathered in a cleanroom every day to reassemble, test and otherwise prepare the SUV-sized machine for the rigors of spaceflight.

Even in the midst of a devastating health crisis, that work cannot be done from home.

Everyone on the team did their part and kept themselves healthy, said Luis Dominguez, deputy electrical lead for the mission at JPL, who has been based in Florida since February. We were incredibly lucky.

Delaying the launch for even a few months was never an option. The orbits of Earth and Mars align only once every 26 months. In order to get to Mars in a reasonable period of time with a manageable amount of fuel, the rover has to launch within a period of 20 days or so relative to that closest approach.

If you miss a planetary window to Mars, you essentially have to wait two years for the next opportunity, said Matt Wallace, Perseverance deputy project manager at JPL. Thats why the other countries that are launching missions are launching them right now.

If everything goes according to plan, Perseverance will spend seven months flying through space before touching down in Jezero Crater in mid-February. Once there, it will quickly begin searching for conclusive evidence that life once flourished on Mars.

Story continues

NASA's Perseverance rover is set to touch down within the oval marked on this image of Jezero Crater on Mars. Lighter colors represent higher elevations. (NASA)

Every previous mission has seen in one way or another that Mars was once habitable said Katie Stack Morgan , a geologist at JPL and deputy project scientist of the overall mission known as Mars 2020. But with Perseverance we are taking the next step  looking for signs of life in the ancient rock record.

To do this, scientists on Earth will peer through Perseverances camera eyes, scouring Jezero for rocks that contain patterns, textures and the distribution of chemicals that can only be explained by biological activity.

The rover will mostly hunt for stromatolites, rock structures that look similar to those created by microbial mats on Earth billions of years ago. But it will seek out other indicators of past life as well, including ones that could be unique to Mars.

Our search is firmly based on what we see in the early Earth rock record, but we will also open our minds to what signs of life might look like on another planet, Stack Morgan said.

While Perseverance is tasked with finding evidence of past life on Mars, it does not have the capability to prove that life actually existed.

Instead, the rover will use a powerful drill at the end of its hinged arm to bore into promising rocks and collect core samples, each about the size of a marker pen. Those samples will be sealed inside 43 metal tubes in the rover's belly. Filled tubes will likely be deposited in batches on the martian surface and collected by another rover sometime in the future so they can be sent to Earth for further study.

Its a long and complicated process that could take more than a decade to complete, NASA engineers said. But when it comes to declaring the past presence of extraterrestrial life, the bar is high.

To make the claim that you have found signs of life on another planet requires the full capability of the terrestrial science community, Wallace said. We can take maybe 100 pounds of instruments with us on the rover. In a single laboratory on Earth you can have a ton of equipment.

Perseverance will also test new technologies that could be used to support eventual crewed missions to Mars.

These include an instrument the size of a small microwave oven that's designed to make oxygen from the abundant carbon dioxide in the martian atmosphere. The Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment , or Moxie, relies on a process called electrolysis that uses an electrical charge to drive a chemical reaction.

Generating oxygen on Mars is a necessity because it would be impractical for a crew to bring it with them from Earth, said Asad Aboobaker, a systems engineer and member of the science team for Moxie at JPL.

If Moxie works as expected, it will generate 6 to 10 grams of oxygen an hour. That's a small fraction of the 30 to 40 grams of oxygen per hour that NASA budgets for each astronaut aboard the International Space Station, but Aboobaker said the technology is fairly easy to scale up.

Even more importantly, an instrument like Moxie will likely be used to create the 30,000 kilograms of oxygen necessary to make the liquid propellant that would rocket future human explorers off Mars when they are ready to return to Earth.

We know how to land hundreds of kilograms of stuff on Mars, we dont know how to land 30,000 kilograms of stuff on Mars, Aboobaker said.

The Mars 2020 mission also includes a 4-pound helicopter nicknamed Ingenuity that could be the very first vehicle to fly on Mars. If it works, future iterations could be used to create higher-resolution maps of the martian surface and explore areas not suitable for wheeled rovers.

Because the martian atmosphere is so thin  about 1% the density of Earths atmosphere at its surface  scientists were not sure that flying on Mars was possible.

From the beginning there was a natural skepticism, said Mimi Aung, an engineer and project manager for Ingenuity at JPL. The question at first wasnt how, but if.

Aung and her team determined that it is possible to fly in the thin Martian air if you have strong blades that can spin incredibly fast. So on Mars, Ingenuitys blades will make 2400 revolutions per minute.

The next challenge was designing a vehicle that had all the necessary sensors, computers and heaters to function on Mars, yet was still light enough to become airborne.

Just to get where we are now is already a significant milestone, Aung said.

After landing on Mars, Perseverance will place Ingenuity on the surface, then drive a safe distance away. The helicopter will have 30 martian days, or sols, to perform its experiments, including five planned test flights.

The first flight will be very modest, with the helicopter rising just 10 feet, flying about three feet horizontally, then landing where it started. If everything goes well, subsequent flights will last longer, with the fifth one continuing for up to 90 seconds.

We see this as a pathfinder that will pave the way for future missions, Aung said. It will be the basis for building much larger vehicles capable of much longer flights.

The mission's descent vehicle is equipped with terrain-relative navigation, a new system that will allow it to spot and avoid hazards when it's time to land.

During the descent, Perseverance will take pictures of the martian surface and compare them to images stored in its onboard computer. If it recognizes a dangerous spot, it can steer away.

This technology will allow the rover to land at NASA's most high-risk site yet, an area about the size of Lake Tahoe that's littered with potential threats like rocks, dunes and cliffs.

Lake environments are a promising place to look for signs of past life, Stack Morgan said. They likely held standing water for thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of years  long enough to give life plenty of opportunity to establish itself.

And because they are relatively calm and peaceful environments, they allow sediments to settle gently on the bottom, creating well-preserved sequences of rock and, potentially, organic matter.

Every lake we have on Earth is inhabited, just dripping with life, she said. We are going there with the expectation that if life was on Mars, it should be there.

The primary mission will last one Martian year  just under two years on Earth  with a budget of $300 million. If the past is any guide, however, the rover will keep working long after that. (Curiosity has been roving for more than six years beyond its initial 23-month mission.)

If Perseverance succeeds, it will be due in part to the accomplishments of JPL's four previous rovers that have roamed the red planet since 1997.

These include Sojourner, which proved that driving a robot on another planet is indeed possible; the twins Spirit and Opportunity, which discovered evidence that Mars was once flooded with water; and Curiosity, which found that the red planet once harbored the building blocks of life.

With Perseverance, scientists hope to finally show that life on Mars did in fact exist.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
About 24 hours after a gas explosion killed one in Lagos, three others have been confirmed dead in a similar explosion on Tuesday at Inua Mohammmed Street, Ajao Estate, Isolo.

Ibrahim Farinloye, the acting coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the explosion injured two other persons.

Mr Farinloye said the explosion occurred at a panel beaters workshop at the estate.

The explosion occurred while the technician was trying to up his oxycytelene flame popularly known as cabads cylinder.

The incident led to the death of three persons and rescue of two. One was immediately resuscitated while the other is hospital with severe burns. Seven shops were partially affected, Mr Farinloye said.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how Usman Bello, a 30-year-old, was killed in an explosion on Monday, while three persons sustained injuries.

Giving the update, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the explosion was from a gas cylinder used in filling outdoor air conditioner of a split unit..

Occupants of the building have been evacuated, the agency said.

In another development, 17 passengers were rescued when two boats capsized in Lagos.

Gas Explosion at Ajao Estate, Lagos

The boats took off from Lagos Island going to Ikorodu before capsizing, but all passengers were rescued with support from operators and volunteers, the acting coordinator said.
3 1 of 3 Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 New Haven Police Department Show More Show Less 3 of 3





NEW HAVEN  A 19-year-old New Haven man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly accidentally shot a 21-year-old Hamden man in the leg, police said.

The case stems from an incident just before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in a business parking lot on Ella T. Grasso Boulevard at Printers Lane in the Hill neighborhood, police said.
In less than a year, the British royal family looks completely different than it once did. Though Prince Charles was hoping to overhaul the royal family when he took on the role of the Crowned King, things happened much more swiftly than he expected, which has also put Prince William in a particular position.

In November 2019, Prince Charles younger brother, Prince Andrew was effectively booted from royal life. After a lifetime of service to the crown while evading his playboy prince reputation, the Duke of Yorks ties to late sex offender Jeffry Epstein was too horrifying to look past.

Then in January 2020, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry announced their resignation from the royal family, pushing Prince William and his family into the forefront of the royal life. Though the Duke of Cambridge is trying to maintain a relatable image, there was once a time when he didnt have to be so formal.

RELATED: Why Fans Think Prince William and Prince Harrys Feud Is A Result of Princess Dianas Death

Prince William used to be a lot more carefree

After attending college in Scotland at St. Andrews University, Prince William was able to keep his relationship with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge under wraps while having some semblance of anonymity and privacy for the first time in his life.

Though hes always known his destiny, the prince sought an opportunity to do something else for a time. He was even able to do more carefree things when he was younger that would be frowned up now.

For example, for Prince Williams 26th birthday he and Kate spent the night dancing at Club Boujis tent at the Beaufort Polo Club near Tetbury, Gloucestershire. In the photos, Kate can be seen laughing and twirling in her future husbands arms.

RELATED: Prince William Is Beginning to Question If the Stiff Upper Lip Policy Is Still Relevant

Prince William is looking revamp the royal familys image

Though he is no longer as laid back as he once was, Prince William is trying to help his father, Prince Charles take a step back away from the stuffy image that has consumed the royal family for generations.

ITV Royal Editor Camilla Tominey believes that after observing the warmth of Meghan and Prince Harry, the remaining senior royals family members desperately want to be relatable and touchable instead of cut off and cold. Tominey explained,

It is interesting isnt it, because we are used to PDAs with Harry and Meghan. Have they learnt something from this? This idea of relatable, touchable monarchy that is more like us than them and less cut off and cold. We saw this a bit with the Mary Berry Christmas special with William and Kate making souffles and looking very much at home I think theyre trying to project themselves as this family unit. I think the Cambridges want to project themselves and their branding as the future so people can have faith in this institution, which, lets face it, has been rocked.

British Royalty dancing to Nelly Furtado is iconic pic.twitter.com/sZ57lgtbJ8  Shirley Carters Pussy (@ShirleyPussy) July 22, 2020

RELATED: The Royal Family Is Terrified Prince William Will Be Depicted as the Bad Guy in Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys New Book

Prince William dancing to Nelly Furtado is epic

It looks like Prince William can tap into his younger self when it comes to being more relatable. A throwback video of the prince from 2007 has resurfaced on Twitter and its definitely giving royal fans major vibes.

In the video, Prince William can be seen dancing to Nelly Furtados performance at the Princess Diana memorial concert. Lily Allen, Diddy, Pharrell Williams, The Feeling, Joss Stone, Kanye West, and Natasha Bedingfield also performed that same year. Prince Willam opened the concert saying, This event is about all that our mother loved in life. Her music, her dancing, her charities, and her family and friends.

Though Prince William and Kate had briefly broken up at the time, the princes cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie can be seen living their best lives in the audience.
The police chief in Clark and another ranking officer are on administrative leave amid the Union County Prosecutors Office takeover of the towns police department, said Mayor Sal Bonaccorso.

Clark Police Chief Pedro Matos and Capt. Vincent Concina are on administrative leave, Bonaccorso confirmed, but only said the situation is still under investigation.

No one been suspended, Bonaccorso told NJ Advance Media. No has been charged with anything. Its just an ongoing investigation.

The prosecutors office has not divulged who or what it is investigating since it announced its inquiry into credible allegations of misconduct among the police departments leadership. The office did not respond on Tuesday when asked about Matos or Concinas employment status.

Matos became chief in 2015, while pension records show Concinca has been working in Clark since 1997. Their leave was first reported by TAPinto Clark.

The prosecutors office has taken control of three police departments in Union County since June.

It took over the Hillside Police Department after the mayor did not immediately reinstate the chief to his position despite a judges order. The prosecutors office also took control of the Fanwood Police Department after the boroughs chief stepped down when an audio recording allegedly of him surfaced making racist and sexist remarks.

The prosecutors office is asking anyone with relevant information in the Clark investigation to contact Lieutenant Brian OMalley of the UCPO Professional Standards Unit at (908) 220-4323 or bomalley@ucnj.org or Detective Dennis Donovan of the UCPO Special Prosecutions Unit at (732) 232-2049 or ddonovan@ucnj.org.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com.
Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week?
The reason? Tour operators have force majeure clauses that give them the right to withhold refunds and offer only credit in situations that are not under their control. They are trying to be flexible by offering up to 24 months of credit or the ability to transfer the credit to a family member, says Adrienne Sasson, a travel adviser with Rubinsohn Travel in Jenkintown, Pa. But theyre less likely to bend to a refund request.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Islands student veterans and those in active service are one step closer to housing equality with their counterparts in the other four boroughs.

A section of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed the House of Representatives last week would bring Staten Island veteran and active duty students under the same military housing area (MHA) as the rest of the city. Currently, students on the borough are considered to be in the same MHA as Bayonne, New Jersey.

That means those living on Staten Island receive a significantly lower amount of money in their basic allowance for housing (BAH) when compared to veteran and active duty students living in the rest of the city.

Introduced by Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/South Brooklyn), the section of the NDAA for fiscal year 2021 would make the change by stipulating all municipalities with populations greater than 500,000 would need to be in the same MHA.

Staten Island is in New York, not New Jerseyand its absurd that we have to fight the federal government to acknowledge that in order to ensure our student veterans and servicemembers get the benefits they need and deserve, Rose said.

Not only is this grossly unfair for Staten Island servicemembers and student veterans to receive hundreds of dollars less per month, thousands less per yearit puts our colleges and universities at a tremendous disadvantage, he continued.

Students who are veterans and service members living on Staten Islands East Shore can receive more than $1,000 less than their counterparts living just over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in Bay Ridge, according to the Department of Defenses BAH calculator.

According to the most recent data available from the U.S. Census, median rents in Brooklyn are only $92 more than those on Staten Island.

The section of the NDAA was not included in the version that passed the Senate on Friday, but a spokesman for Roses office said he is working to get it included in the final version of the bill.

Director of Veteran Support Services at the College of Staten Island Laura Scazzafavo pointed to the BAH disparity as cause of the schools steady decline in veteran student enrollment.

We will continue to see veteran student enrollment at CSI decrease if the BAH is not equitably adjusted to reflect that of New York City and other (City University of New York) institutions, she said.

Our veterans and their families sacrifice so much during their service to our nation, and in return, we must serve them by eliminating any obstacles that prevent them from accessing affordable housing in Staten Island. CSI only wants our student veterans in Staten Island to receive the same benefits that student veterans in the other boroughs of New York City already enjoy, she continued.
Did Carrie Bradshaw actually belong with Mr. Big? Some Sex and the City fans would say absolutely, while others would argue that Big, for all of his charm, wasnt emotionally mature enough to give Carrie what she really needed. Regardless of what side of the argument a fan falls on, most agree that there were moments when Mr. Big was pretty swoon-worthy. Do you remember these three moments that proved Big really was perfect for Carrie?

The moment he finally admitted he loved Carrie

Carrie and Mr. Bigs relationship ended the first time because he refused to say she was the one. The second time around, the pair almost broke up when Carrie told Mr. Big she loved him, and he couldnt manage to say it back. Eventually, he came through and admitted he loved her, although it was difficult for him to say.

RELATED: Sex and the City: Which Proposal Was Better, Aidans or Mr. Bigs?

Sure, Mr. Big might have been emotionally closed off, like Screen Rant suggests, but that didnt mean he didnt truly care for Carrie. Yes, he was flawed, but overall his intentions were good, and that might have been enough to make him worth Carries time.

The moment Mr. Big showed up at Carries book signing

There were a lot of moments that Mr. Big truly disappointed Carrie, but every so often, he came through for her. He showed up to meet her friends, even when he didnt want to, and he was willing to negotiate the terms of their relationship with her at one point. The moment he really proved he cared about Carrie as a person came when they werent even in a relationship, though.

Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big in Sex and the City | Bobby Bank/WireImage

RELATED: Sex and the City: 3 Times Mr. Big Was the Absolute Worst Boyfriend Ever

In Season 5, Carrie traveled to California to promote her book. Originally excited to visit the state because Mr. Big had moved out to Napa, Carrie found herself dejected when she realized the large crowd at her book reading wasnt there for her. She wasnt even going to bother telling Big she was in town. Mr. Big came through for her, though. He was sitting in the center of the crowd, ready to ask questions. In that moment, Big proved that he was following Carries career, even though they were no longer together.

The moment Mr. Big finally admitted Carrie was the one

Mr. Big almost lost Carrie completely after she jetted off to Paris to live with Aleksandr Petrovsky. He wasnt deterred, though. Instead of letting Carrie go, he followed her to Paris. After offering to punch Petrovsky for hitting Carrie, Mr. Big delivered the final line that proved he was desperately in love with Carrie.

RELATED: Sex and the City: Big and Natashas Marriage Might Have Actually Made Perfect Sense

Standing on a bridge, Mr. Big finally admitted that Carrie was the one. In the end, he made good on his promise. Way back in season 1, Mr. Big promised Carrie that they would get there eventually. It may have taken several years, several heartwrenching breakups, and a couple of serious relationships in between, but they did get there.
July 28, 2020

News

By JIM GARAMONE , DOD News

Defense.gov

Missile Defense Becomes Part of Great Power Competition

All aspects of the military are engaged in great power competition, but while most analysts focus on developments in offensive missiles, Chinese and Russian defense leaders are developing even more capable missile defenses, Defense Department officials said.

"China and Russia are developing increasingly capable and numerous missile defense systems, and integrating them into their defense strategies as they compete with the United States," a DOD official said.

The United States pioneered missile defense systems. Then-President Ronald Reagan proposed missile defense systems in the early 1980s. His "Strategic Defense Initiative" was dubbed the "Star Wars Initiative"  sometimes derisively.

The laughing stopped during Operation Desert Storm, when Patriot missile defense batteries based in Saudi Arabia and Israel stopped Iraqi Scud missile attacks.

Russia is a long-time player. The former Soviet Union created a ring of anti-ballistic missile batteries around Moscow during the Cold War. These nuclear-tipped missiles still exist as part of Russia's A-135 anti-ballistic missile system. The system consists of 68 nuclear-armed interceptors. As part of President Vladimir Putin's military buildup, the system has received new radars and updated electronics. The beauty of this system is that the Russians have only to be close to an incoming threat. The downside is radiation from an intercept would contaminate thousands of acres of countryside.

The Russians are getting ready to field the S-500 system. Designed to intercept short- to medium-range threats, they say the system will defend against ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles. The system's initial operating capability is set for some time in 2025.

The other main threat comes from the People's Republic of China. The Chinese see missile defense as a key cog in their military ambitions. The People's Liberation Army Air Force is accelerating the transition of its tasks from territorial air defense to both offensive and defensive operations, according to a Chinese white paper on the subject. China's air force is also improving its capabilities for strategic early warning, air strikes, and air and missile defense.

Right now, the Chinese are heavily dependent on Russian missile defense capabilities. The Chinese have invested in the Russian S-300 and S-400 systems  missile defense capabilities. The Chinese are assiduously studying the problem and have invested in research to build their own capabilities, DOD officials said.

This includes the HQ-19 missile defense system, which could be used against incoming, medium-range ballistic missiles. Initial operating capability is set for next year.

China is also developing a mid-course interceptor. The Chinese government said they tested that capability in February 2018. U.S. officials say initial operating capability is not likely until the late-2020s. They anticipate it would have good capability against intermediate-range ballistic missiles and could be adapted to target intercontinental s and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

The United States homeland's missile defense system is in place to defend against accidental launches or attacks from rogue states such as Iran and North Korea. Unlike Russia, the U.S. uses non-nuclear "kinetic kill" vehicles, which destroy incoming warheads using their speed and mass to collide with the threat.

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Dont worry about Maggie: our conservatives prefer punishment to "reform". If your citizen-strength bulldust detector isnt pinging like blazes, you need a new one. And if Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg have a fraction of the courage of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, Ill eat the hat Im not yet bald enough to need.

Speaking from experience, Frydenberg is like the fat man whose eyes are bigger than his belly and orders more than he can eat. He wanted to give his hardline Liberal backbenchers a thrill by invoking the holy names, but he and his boss dont have the appetite for tough reforms.

Who is Josh Frydenberg kidding? Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. Credit:AP

The truth is that only conservatives of a certain age (and failing memories) hanker after the glory days of Thatcher and Reagan. No one else wants to return to the halcyon era of privatisation and deregulation because by now most people realise how lacking in halcyonicity those things are.

In any case, all the obvious reforms have already been made. When youve privatised Telstra, Qantas, the Commonwealth Bank, the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories and much else, whats left? Selling off Australia Post?
Today's big tech hearing is set to be a bizarre spectacle: 4 men who run companies worth nearly $5 trillion combined  and who include 2 of the world's richest individuals  primed to argue that their businesses are really not that powerful after all.https://t.co/UR0YNVDK62  The New York Times (@nytimes) July 29, 2020

Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Tim Cook of Apple, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Sundar Pichai of Google will testify via video call before Congress, due to their companies being under investigation by lawmakers.The congressional investigation is part of a larger backlash among lawmakers and law enforcement officials against the power and reach of large tech companies. The Justice Department is said to be preparing to bring an antitrust case against Google this year, while the Federal Trade Commission is pursuing its own inquiry into Facebooks acquisition of nascent competitors.These 4 men run companies worth nearly $5 trillion combined (including 2 of the world's richest individuals) are to argue that their businesses are really not that powerful.The European Union is also preparing antitrust charges against Amazon over accusations it drew data from third-party merchants to build its own business for generic products.Zuckerberg plans to emphasize Facebooks value in connecting people and supporting businesses during the pandemic.Source 1
A: I have confidence that the science is going to give us reliable answers. But Im not confident that the system we have in place is going to deliver a fair outcome. Were seeing your government and my government buying up vaccines that are not yet ready, not yet available, but buying up options on vaccines to protect their populations. That isnt the way we should be thinking. We have to have a global response and need to protect those most at risk. We know who those people are. Theyre older. People with chronic diseases. Theyre from black and minority ethnic populations, and workers in the health system. Theyre the people who need to get the vaccine. Not me.
According to court papers, Salerno, who lives in Arcade, received 465 robocalls from Credit One representatives between early December 2014 and late May 2015.

Attorneys for Credit One denied any wrongdoing throughout the litigation, saying the bank had no control over the number of robocalls that were made because it hired an outside company to make calls to people who fell behind on credit card payments.

Salerno gave the bank permission to make robocalls to her cellphone, and she suffered no actual damages as a result of the calls, the banks attorneys argued.

We argued that she never gave permission, and that the bank is responsible for the robocalls made by the outside contractor that it hires, Hiller said. All the arbitrators and the judges who reviewed this case agreed with us.

The law does not prohibit calls made by a live caller. The law is directed toward robocalls, Hiller said. A person or corporation cannot make robocalls to someone without that persons consent.
In northern Sussex County, just three miles from Mountain Creek Resort and the New York border, a notorious mountain of waste remains perched over a quiet neighborhood.

The seven-story pile of dirt and debris in Vernon has barely changed since its creator, Joseph Wallace, was sued by state authorities in February 2019. Little is still known about the contents of the illegal two-acre site  no one has yet analyzed more than a few feet deep; what lies at its center remains a mystery.
Hong Kong Mulls Postponing Election Amid Ongoing Crackdown on Dissent

2020-07-28 -- Amid an ever-widening crackdown on opposition voices and activism in Hong Kong, city leaders met on Tuesday to discuss postponing September's legislative elections, as the University of Hong Kong (HKU) fired a democracy activist and prominent legal scholar for "misconduct."

Chief executive Carrie Lam met with her cabinet, the Executive Council (ExCo), "to discuss the possibility of postponing the Legislative Council (LegCo) polls, but no decision was reached," the English-language South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

The paper quoted sources as saying that Lam would convene another meeting once nominations had closed at the end of the week. It said the polls could be postponed amid a third wave of coronavirus infections that prompted Lam's administration to announce an effective lockdown on Monday.

Opposition and pro-democracy candidates swept the board in District Council elections last November, prompting fears among pro-China politicians that they could win a majority in LegCo on a wave of popular anger and months of street protests over the loss of Hong Kong's promised freedoms and autonomy under Chinese rule.

The meeting came as pro-China media organizations stepped up pressure on Lam with a series of reports citing sources as saying the elections would be postponed for a year.

Johnny Patterson, director of the U.K.-based rights group Hong Kong Watch, said postponing the elections would be "an assault on fundamental freedoms," linking it to the recent imposition of a draconian security law on the city by Beijing.

"This decision to consider postponing Legislative Council elections for a year is driven by fear of an opposition pro-democracy majority, and by fears that attempts to disqualify and arrest pro-democracy candidates under the National Security Law will be met by further sanctions from the international community," Patterson said in a statement.

Pressure from Beijing

Meanwhile, Occupy Central founder and legal scholar Benny Tai announced the HKU's decision to fire him, indicating that the decision was likely to have followed pressure from the ruling Chinese Communist Party in Beijing.

"The decision to terminate my appointment was made not by the University of Hong Kong but by an authority beyond the University through its agents," Tai said. "It marks the end of academic freedom in Hong Kong."

In apparent confirmation of Tai's remarks, the ruling Chinese Communist Party's Central Liaison Office in Hong Kong issued a statement soon after the decision, saying Tai had been "justly punished."

"Benny Tai's words and deeds have intensified social conflicts in Hong Kong to a serious degree, and poisoned the political environment," the office said in a statement on its website, accusing him of misleading and "poisoning" the minds of students.

Meanwhile, Tai said academic staff in educational institutions in Hong Kong were "no longer free to make controversial statements to the general public about politically or socially controversial matters."

Neither were the city's university's and college able to protect their staff from political interference, he said.

"I am heart-broken to witness the demise of my beloved university," Tai wrote, but vowed to continue his research and teaching on the rule of law "in another capacity."

The University of Hong Kong's governing council voted to sack Tai for misconduct, over his public order convictions related to the 2014 Occupy movement.

Government broadcaster RTHK said the vote was carried by 18 to 2 and was effective immediately.

Tai was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment over "public nuisance" charges linked to the 2014 protest movement, but is currently out on bail pending an appeal.

University contract lost

Meanwhile, social worker and activist Shiu Ka-chun has been told that his contract at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) won't be renewed for the coming academic year.

Shiu, a member of the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) representing the social work constituency, was informed of the decision by email on Monday.

Shiu said the university had repeatedly been told by people representing Beijing's interests that he was too high profile and political, and that he shouldn't continue as deputy director of the HKBU social work research center.

Shiu called on HKBU to make public the reasons for the decision to terminate his employment.

"They need to make it clear what exactly is the reason that I am not being renewed ... after 11 years at HKBU," he told RFA on Tuesday.

Shiu said he is reconsidering his life in the wake of recent changes in Hong Kong.

"I'm right in the eye of the storm, and I have no power to decide so much of what happens next," he said.

But he added that he wouldn't lose hope that Hong Kong would regain its traditional freedoms one day: "No matter how dark and difficult it is, we still have to believe in change, and we have to believe that change will occur because of what we do today," Shiu said.

Shiu was convicted of "inciting others to create a public nuisance" after his leading role in the 2014 Occupy Central movement. He was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, triggering a disciplinary review at HKBU.

Color revolution

China has previously accused Benny Tai of trying to incite a "color revolution" in Hong Kong, citing a draconian security law recently imposed on the city by its National People's Congress.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) under China's cabinet, the State Council, has described him as "a political agent of foreign forces in Hong Kong."

Hong Kong and Chinese officials have also warned that protest slogans and other forms of opposition speech fall within the scope of draconian security legislation imposed on the city by the ruling Chinese Communist Party on June 30.

The government said it "strongly condemns any acts which challenge the sovereignty, unification, and territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China."

It cited the national security law, which bans actions or activities promoting "secession, subversion of state power, and other [dangers to] national security."

"Localist" political groups regarded by Beijing as pro-independence disbanded as soon as the law came into effect, with former Demosisto lawmaker Nathan Law leaving the city soon afterwards, according to media reports.

Reported by Man Hoi-tsan for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.

Copyright  1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Rio Tinto chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques says it is valid to ask whether laws should give traditional owners veto power over mine projects on their ancestral lands in the wake of the miner's destruction of ancient Aboriginal rock shelters in Western Australia.

Rio Tinto, Australia's second-largest miner, had legal approval to blast the 46,000-year-old site at WA's Juukan Gorge to expand an iron ore mine and said it believed it had the consent of the area's traditional owners - Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people - until it was too late. For many landowners and their advocates, the disaster has highlighted the power imbalance between miners and Indigenous communities and raises the question about the need for a legal right for traditional owners to protect culturally significant sites.

Rio Tinto is a miner of the steelmaking commodity iron ore in Western Australia's Pilbara.

"The question is absolutely valid," Mr Jacques told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. He said the company was preparing to provide a submission to the federal Senate inquiry into this incident this Friday. Mr Jacques will appear at the inquiry next week.

"We have been asked to give some clear recommendations about the way forward on legislative changes."
Six resident arts companies based at Carriageworks have shared in long-term funding from Create NSW totalling almost $5 million, as the multi-arts venue is poised to reopen its doors to the public.

Over the next four years, Contemporary Asian Australian Performance will receive $500,000 to bring diverse multicultural stories to the stage, Sydney Chamber Opera $600,000, Marrugeku $400,000, the dance company Force Majeure $600,000, Moogahlin Performing Arts $800,000 and Performance Space $1.8 million.

Monkey Baa Theatre Company's performance of Pete the Sheep.

All companies had been left in limbo when Carriageworks collapsed on May 4, triggered by the pandemic shutdown. The arts venue at the historic Eveleigh rail yards emerged from voluntary administration last week after Sydney philanthropists supported a board-led restructure.

Five of the state's leading youth theatres, hard hit by pandemic shutdowns, will also receive a much-needed lifeline to develop new works, and are among the 58 successful recipients to be announced Thursday.
The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women having won suffrage. Winning the vote, however, did not make women equal to men in the eyes of society nor in the eyes of the law. In many aspects womens lives were still constrained by our gender. Laws and customs repressing women varied by state, but examples I remember growing up in Helena include:

 High school girls competed in intramural sports but only boys competed in intermural sports.

 Pregnant high school girls had to drop out of school. The babys father could stay in school.

 Boys achieved their majority at 18; girls remained minors until 21.

 Publicly funded colleges, medical schools and law schools could, and often did, refuse to admit women students.

 Married women could not open bank accounts or get a bank loan in their own name.

It served societys purposes for women to occupy a position subordinate to men. Neither society nor the law would voluntarily treat men and women as equals; it would take an amendment to the Constitution. Such an amendment, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), was written and women struggled to win its passage. This is the story of that struggle.

The ERA states:

"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

Amending the Constitution of the United States is a two-step process. First Congress proposes and passes the amendment by at least a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. Then the amendment is ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures.

The first version of the ERA was introduced in Congress in 1923. For the next 46 years the ERA was introduced in every session of Congress, and almost every time it was held up in committee. Finally in 1970, the ERA was forced out of committee by petition and considered by the full House. It passed both houses of Congress and in 1972 was sent to the states for ratification. Thirty-eight state legislatures needed to approve the amendment by the deadline  1979. At first the amendment was supported by both the Democratic and the Republican parties, Congress, and presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter. By 1977, 35 states had ratified it including Montanas ratification in January of 1974. However, the 1979 deadline came and went with no further ratifications. Even extending the deadline to 1982 garnered no additional ratifications. What happened to prevent adoption of the amendment?

What happened was Phyllis Schlafly. Schlafly grew up in St. Louis, graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Washington University, earned an MA in government from Radcliffe College, and a law degree from Washington University Law School. Active in Republican politics, she became very politically conservative, steering the Republican party further and further to the right with a pro-life and pro-family agenda.

In 1972 Schlafly focused her energies on blocking passage of the ERA. Opposition had grown among conservative women and in Schlafly they found the perfect spokeswoman. She argued that the ERA would deprive women of the gender specific privileges they enjoyed by being the weaker sex, claiming:

 Laws protecting women from sexual assault would disappear,

 Privileges dependent wives enjoy under Social Security would be lost,

 Divorced women would lose child support and alimony,

 Women would become eligible for the draft,

 Public restrooms would all be unisex,

 Women laborers would lose labor law protections against gender pay discrimination, heavy lifting, working at night and maternity regulations.

To emphasize her message, Schlafly handed out fresh-baked bread and apple pies to state legislators, reminding them of the threat to their happy households if their wives had equal rights.

Schlafly and her movement slowed and then stopped amendment ratification until the 2010s when, perhaps prompted by the Me Too movement, Nevada (2017), Illinois (2018), and finally Virginia (2020) ratified it, bringing the total to the required 38. Exploring passage of the amendment, the House of Representatives passed a bill to remove the 1982 ratification deadline and referred it to the Senate. Our Sen. Tester is one of the cosponsors of the Senate version, Senate Joint Resolution 6 (S.J.Res.6). If S.J.Res.6 passes, the ERA will finally become part of our Constitution.

Nancy Perry is an adjunct instructor at Helena College.

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SHANGHAI, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OneSmart International Education Group Limited ("OneSmart" or the "Company") (NYSE: ONE), a leading premium K-12 after-school education company in China, today announced that it will hold its 2020 annual general meeting of shareholders at No.2161 North Zhongshan Road, Putuo District, Shanghai 200061, People's Republic of China on August 28, 2020 at 2 p.m., local time.

No proposal will be submitted for shareholder approval at the annual general meeting. Instead, the annual general meeting will serve as an open forum for shareholders and beneficial owners of the Company's American depositary shares ("ADSs") to discuss Company affairs with management.

The board of directors of the Company has fixed the close of business on July 27, 2020 as the record date (the "Record Date") for determining the shareholders entitled to receive notice of the annual general meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Holders of record of the Company's ordinary shares at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to attend the annual general meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof in person. Beneficial owners of the Company's ADSs are welcome to attend the annual general meeting in person.

The Company has filed its annual report on Form 20-F (the "Annual Report"), which includes the Company's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2019, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Company's Annual Report can be accessed on the investor relations section of its website at http://www.onesmart.investorroom.com, as well as on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/.

Holders of the Company's ordinary shares or ADSs may obtain a hard copy of the Annual Report free of charge by emailing Rebecca Shen, OneSmart International Education Group Limited, at [email protected] or by writing to:

No.2161 North Zhongshan Road,

Putuo District, Shanghai 200061

People's Republic of China

Attention: Rebecca Shen

About OneSmart

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Shanghai, OneSmart International Education Group Limited is a leading premium K-12 education company in China. Our vision is to be the most trusted and heartful high-tech education company and our mission is POWER LEARNING changes the future with technology advancement. Our company culture is centered on the core values of customer focus, excellence, integrity, and technology and innovation.

The Company has built a comprehensive premium K-12 education platform that encompasses OneSmart VIP business (the leading premium K-12 1-on-1 education business in China), HappyMath (the leading premium young children math education business in China), and FasTrack English (the second largest premium English education business in East China), and OneSmart Online (the leading premium online education platform in China). As of November 30, 2019, OneSmart operates a nationwide network of 430 learning centers across 35 cities in China.

For more information on OneSmart, please visit http://www.onesmart.investorroom.com, or contact:

OneSmart

Ms. Rebecca Shen

+86-21-5255-9339 ext. 8139

[email protected]

Christensen

In China

Mr. Andrew McLeod

Phone: +86-10-5900-1548

E-mail: [email protected]

In the US

Mr. Tip Fleming

Phone: +1-480-614-3004

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE OneSmart International Education Group Limited

Related Links

www.1smart.org


From terror attack at Ayodhya to massive propaganda, ISI has a lot planned for August 5

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 29: The ISI is plotting a terror attack in Ayodhya, the Intelligence Bureau has learnt.

IB sources tell OneIndia that Pakistan's ISI is planning on launching an attack before August 15, with the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The IB also says that a team of 5 persons of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba has been kept ready for the attack.

The source cited above also said that the ISI plans on using home grown terrorists for the attack. This has been on the anvil for long and the first reports of such a plan emerged a few days after the Supreme Court delivered the Ayodhya verdict paving the way for the construction of the Ram Mandir.

Preparations on in full swing to welcome PM to Ayodhya for Ram Temple Bhoomi Poojan

All eyes are on Ayodhya as Prime Minister Narendra Modi would lay the foundation stone for the construction of the Ram Mandir. The event would take place on August 5 at 12.30 pm. Incidentally, August 5 would also mark a year since the Indian Parliament abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Unlock 3: Gyms to open from August 5th, Night curfew removed | Oneindia News

The Intelligence also says that the ISI and Pakistan Army has planned a series of events on August 5.

Pakistan has planned a host of propaganda programmes against India. This comes in the wake of a year going by on August 5, when the Indian Parliament abrogated Article 370 or the special status for Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pakistan Army has set out a flow chart titled Black Day-August 5. The programme begins with the visit by the foreign media from Kashmir.

Pakistan also has planned a release of a package one by the Public Relations Division and termed this programme as 'Indian brutalities and resilience of Kashmiris. On August 5, a statement would be issued by the DG ISPR on how the Pakistan Army stands by the Kashmiris in their struggle.

Several special supplements have been planned in all major newspapers by the Ministry of Information and Broadcast, Pakistan. Further, Pakistan also plans on putting out tweets of the OIC and International Human Rights Organisations. A statement from the President of Turkey, PM of Malaysia and the Chinese foreign office is also on the anvil.

The final package would involve criticism of the Indian Government by Indian political leaders on the Kashmir issue.
We should be aware of basic differences between the use of civilian police and deployment of military forces.

The purpose of a using a civilian police force is to maintain law and order in the community and protect its citizenry. Maintaining law and order would involve apprehending individuals breaking laws and committing misdemeanors such as motor vehicle violations, theft, disorderly conduct, assault, public drunkenness, etc. Civilian police would also deal with the more serious crimes of rape, homicide, murder, arson and kidnapping.

The purpose of deploying a military force is plain and simple . . . to destroy the enemy. This would include killing/maiming/capturing enemy combat forces and destroying fortifications.

Looking at the current situation in Portland and Chicago one must wonder if the administration understands the above two definitions. We must ask, what enemy are the federal troops trying to destroy in those cities?

Government officials from both the cities and the states are protesting because use of the federal troops is causing more problems than it solves. President Trump, come to your senses, back off and let those federal troops go back home. Use of federal military troops is doing nothing more than aggravating a tense situation.

Roger J. Olson, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
MADRID/LONDON/BERLIN  Spain reacted angrily on Tuesday to recommendations from Britain and Germany that their citizens avoid its islands and beaches because of an increase in coronavirus cases during what should be the height of the tourism season.

With advisories piling up on top of a quarantine order from Britain for returning travellers, Spain, which depends on summer visits by sun-seeking northern Europeans, is facing a major blow to any hopes of reviving its economy.

Tourism accounts for just over 12% of Spains GDP and nearly 13% of jobs.

The country lost one million jobs between April and June, its biggest ever quarterly decline, and fears steeper losses as the summer season crashes.

Its very unfair because its not based on any sanitary criteria, Francina Armengol, the head of the key tourist Balearic region, told Cadena Ser radio of the travel advisories.

Britains decision had no logical explanation, Armengol said, adding that the archipelagos contagion rate was lower than that of the United Kingdom.

The northern Spanish Aragon region said the no-travel advisories were discriminatory.

Their comments chimed with those of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who on Monday said it was a mistake for Britain to have considered Spains overall coronavirus rate rather than having a granular, regional approach.

On the streets of Madrid, the reaction was one of outrage.

It annoys me because its not as though they were especially better off than us, said Madrid resident Isabel Garcia, who works in marketing.

Everyone is in a bad way, and the fact that they pick on Spain... It seems wrong.

But Britain stood firm, saying it would stick to the sudden quarantine announced on Saturday and its late Monday move to extend a travel advisory against travel in mainland Spain to the Canary and Balearic islands.

'Our job to act swiftly'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday Britain would take action to impose quarantines on other countries should COVID-19 infections rise.

Im afraid if we do see signs of a second wave in other countries, it is really our job, our duty, to act swiftly and decisively to stop travellers coming back from those places seeding the disease here in the UK, he told reporters.

The only glimmer of hope for Spain came from Britains junior transport minister Charlotte Vere, who said that while London would continue to make decisions on a country-wide basis, it was looking at setting quarantine rules for different regions in the future. She gave no timeframe.

Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said Madrid was working on convincing London to soften its stance.

We are still talking to British authorities, explaining that the outbreaks in Spain are under control ... and making sure that the measures taken by Britain respond to epidemiological criteria and no other criteria that have nothing to do with COVID, Laya told reporters in Athens.

Britons make up the biggest group of foreign tourists in Spain, with some 18 million travelling there last year, just over a fifth of the total number of visitors.

Some 11.2 million Germans visited Spain, making them the second-largest group.

Britains quarantine alone could cost Spanish tourism 10 billion euros ($11.73 billion) in lost revenue, Jorge Marichal, the head of tourism association CEHAT, told La Sexta television.

Spain has recorded 278,782 coronavirus cases and 28,434 deaths, but the infection rates, which have jumped since a nationwide lockdown ended in June, vary widely from region to region.

Catalonia and Aragon have seen the highest increases in the past weeks.

Britain has, however, been the hardest-hit country in Europe. Some 300,111 people have tested positive for coronavirus and there have been 45,759 deaths.

Theyre pointing the finger at others when they have the same situation, Spaniard Mercedes Blanco said as she sat down to lunch with her daughter during a visit to Madrid.
A mother-of-one has been forced to shave off her hair after a 'jealous woman' got an attacker to force a hat filled with glue on to her head, which caused second degree burns.

Colombian national Marcela Tascon, 31, was attacked on the doorstep of her home in the municipality Benaguasil in Valencia, Spain.

Ms Tascon had opened the door to a unknown man before he forced the corrosive substance on to her head and left her with second degree burns, according to national newspaper Levante EMV.

No arrests have yet been made and the police investigation is still ongoing.

Colombian national Marcela Tascon, 31, was attacked on the doorstep of her home in the municipality Benaguasil in Valencia, Spain (left, before and right, after the attack)

Ms Tascon was at her home at 9am last week when a stranger buzzed the doorbell to her apartment and claimed to have a present for her.

She reportedly saw the man holding a bouquet of flowers through the video display, which was connected to the entrance of her building, and let him in.

He climbed the stairs to the apartment before knocking on her front door and asking the victim if she was Marcela Tascon.

Speaking about the incident, Ms Tascon said: 'Once at the door of my house, and in front of my eight-year-old son, he (the man) threw the flowers at my feet, called me a "son of a b*tch", and pulled the hat over my head.

The mother-of-one was taken to hospital where she was treated for second-degree burns on her scalp (pictured)

The burns were caused by the glue and 'abrasive substances' which had been inside the hat when it was forced on to her head during the attack

'He ran away, my son was shouting, very scared, and I rushed to the bathroom to clean up my head and asked my son to call the police or friends.'

Ms Tascon was taken to hospital where she was treated for second-degree burns on her scalp which had been caused by the glue and 'abrasive substances' used in the attack.

She said: 'The doctor told me that this kind of attack is very common in Colombia, where it is called "doing the shampoo".

'It is commonly ordered by jealous wives after finding out their husbands had cheated on them or because they envy the other women.'

Ms Tascon was forced to shave off her hair (left and right) as a result and says she suspects that the man had been hired by a 'jealous women' to attack her

Ms Tascon, who owns a beauty clinic located in the same building, says she had been receiving suspicious calls from a woman, who she does not know, but recognised that she had a Colombian accent.

Ms Tascon described how the woman called just one month before to make an appointment at her beauty salon and asked for the location.

She added: 'Two weeks later, I saw a suspicious man in my building holding a mobile phone and I asked neighbours if they were expecting a visitor.'

Ms Tascon (pictured after the attack), who owns a beauty clinic located in the same building as her apartment, had been receiving suspicious calls from a woman in the weeks before the attack

No arrests have yet been made and the police investigation is still ongoing into the attack which left Ms Tascon bald (pictured after the attack)

Ms Tascon had received a call from a woman, who she believes was the same one as before, asking if she could come to the salon for a treatment just minutes before the man showed up at her door.

Ms Tascon says she suspects the man was hired to attack her but refused to talk further about her suspicions as the police investigation is ongoing.

A spokesperson for the Spanish Civil Guard in Valencia said that they are investigating the case and so far no arrests have been made.
Many Big Brother fans criticized Christine Varner for seemingly cheating on her husband with Cody Calafiore during season 16. She has since gotten divorced and remained relatively active in the Big Brother community. After opening up about her feelings regarding the upcoming highly anticipated All-Stars season, the former houseguest exposed the producers by claiming they wrote her diary room sessions.

Big Brother 16 houseguest Christine Varner nee Brecht hosts the Battle of the Block Competition | Sonja Flemming

Christine Varner competed on Big Brother 16

In 2014, then 23-year-old Tucson-based barista Christine Varner, formerly Brecht, joined the cast of Big Brother 16. She and Nicole Franzel almost immediately became good friends, and the majority of the houseguests also enjoyed her.

On the second night, Devin Shepherd brought her into the Bomb Squad without the other members permission. Still, after his eviction, some of the remaining allies invited her into the other majority alliance, The Detonators.

RELATED: Big Brother Star Zach Rance Accuses Production of Rigging the Competition and Manipulating Diary Rooms

After working with them for a while, she started playing both sides of the house and attempted to get ally Zach Rance evicted. After Nicole Franzel spilled the beans to the recent college graduate, he started working against Varner, and she eventually joined the jury, placing sixth in the competition.

During her time in the house, Varner, who was married at the time, got into a controversial relationship with fellow Detonator Cody Calafiore as the two frequently flirted with each other. When she walked out of the Big Brother house following her eviction, the audience greeted her with boos.

Christine Varner opens up about Big Brother 16 experiences

Now 29-years-old, Varner has opened up about her time on Big Brother 16. When asked how she felt when the audience booed her, the BB16 star answered in a TikTok video that she loved it as thats how many people remember her.

Additionally, she claimed the two men who started the booing apologized to her afterward and told her they were there to boo Frankie Grande as they thought he would get evicted that night.

After CBS announced the premiere date for the highly anticipated All-Stars season, the BB16 star took to Instagram to express how she felt about not receiving an invite to return.

RELATED: Big Brother 22: CBS Announces Premiere Date for All-Stars 2; Here Is the Rumored Cast

She admitted shes utterly jealous of others who had great experiences on the show as she has wanted to become another Janelle Pierzina, a fan favorite whos returned multiple times.

Varner also explained it was her dream to compete on Big Brother since the age of 11 and doesnt understand why she got the short end of the stick.

Christine Varner claims her diary room sessions were scripted

In a tweet, the 29-year-old claimed production members began completely writing her diary room sessions around the fifth week. She also stated they nicknamed her Crabby Christine because she grew agitated with them for making me say stuff I didnt believe in or things that never happened.

In another tweet, she clarified producers made her say sentences verbatim and would make her start over if she missed a word. Varner claims she got annoyed because this caused her diary room sessions to last for hours.

The Arizona-native responded to another fan asking for clarification, and explained that producers dont write everyones sessions, only those who dont fit their narrative.

My DR sessions were 100% production written by around week 5, I was getting so frustrated with them making me say stuff I didnt believe in, or NOT how it happened, that production ended up calling me crabby christine  Christine Varner (@MeanyChristiney) July 29, 2020

RELATED: Big Brother: Are Those Moments of Houseguests Crying Scripted or Real?

Someone asked what would happen if she refused to recite the lines, and Varner insisted she couldnt because she signed my life away through contracts.

Big Brother 15 champ Andy Herren also seemingly backed up her claims as he responded to her tweet, writing, I remember production once telling me that I sounded too cocky. Imagine them telling that to a Dan or a Will.

Big Brother 22: All-Stars premieres Aug. 5 at 9 p.m. EST on CBS.
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Indian-American lawyer, author and former federal prosecutor who served as the Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2017 discussed challenges in the pursuit of justice in a Covid-19 world, why he thought did what he did and why Trump is bad for law over a closed group webinar hosted by by corporate law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

Bharara who also wrote a true crime book last year called Doing Justice and became one of the first federal employees to be fired by President Donald Trump, has been teaching at the New York University's Law School said that "When one is a public prosecutor in any country it's not a popularity contest and no one we ever investigated or prosecuted ever sent flowers or chocolates our way and one has to be devoted to the concept of impartial justice, sometimes communities will think you're targeting them even if you are not and sometimes powerful figures including politicians and the President of the United States, may be unhappy with you." Bharara for his part says Trump has been devastating for the rule of law. "Case after case he has reached to get favourable treatment for people close to him and persecute those adversarial to him and that is not how it should work in a place that's not a banana republic. "

There were also other times when he was vilified. "I was formerly banned from going to Russia by Vladimir Putin for a case against a notorious arms dealer. I would be probably be wise not to go to Turkey where President Erdogan personally asked for my firing from President Obama for a case against a gold trader."

Cyril Shroff, CAM's managing partner asked him on the principles that enabled the best standards of Justice to which Bharara said that there was not a lot of emphasis on training people in judgment when there's no case on point. "If you want justice, one needs to train people to be sensitive to their own biases and make sure they are doing the right thing in the vast oceans of discretion they have," he said. "It's people who do justice, you can have perfect constitution, perfect statutes, perfect compliance but if people who run things don't themselves have integrity then you don't get justice."

Companies with wonderful compliance and training are criminals because there is no culture of honesty and candour. "We bought a case against a huge set of hedge funds and I'll never forget when their in house general counsel met with me in the 8th floor library of the Southern district office and pleaded with us to be lenient and I asked can you give me one example of a time when the head of the company in an email or a speech or a memo or an event ever said anything about integrity and doing the things the right way. One time. They couldn't come up with one example," Bharara said.

Bharara who took down former McKinsey boss on charges of said " is not the most serious crime in the world but got outsized attention when his office brought them," he said. "People would say why are you so obsessed with it and I would say there's a huge financial press, 24-hour news channels there isn't a 24 hour narcotics or gangs channel." It's an odd crime with no identifiable victim but ask the CEO of a public traded company and they will agree they are victims.

Bharara says personally it was odd that he got criticism because the two high profile figures he prosecuted were South Asians and by happenstance so was he. Hedge fund trader Raj Rajaratnam was indicted before he was scheduled to travel in October 2009. Bharara took his office in August 2009 and all the wire taps ending up convicting Rajaratnam were done and authorized by his Latino predecessor.

So what made them do it? Extraordinarily those two were already rich legitimately. "Rajaratnam was a billionaire, and we were concerned the defense was that his trades were all based on legitimate homework and research and that they would say why on earth would we commit these crimes because we already have a billion dollars. The answer was "They did their homework but they cheated too," he said, adding that it's no different from great athletes who take steroids to get a little bit more extra.

"In the case of Rajat Gupta, who got off light by the way and ruined his reputation, had a $100 million and my armchair psychology of him is that he saw Rajaratnam who was not as smart not as famous not as erudite nor as lauded and thought how come I only have a $100 million and Rajaranatam who is not me, how does he have a billion dollars?" He said."Even people with extraordinary wealth and accomplishments can become envious of others and I don't understand it but that's the best explanation I can give."

Is the pandemic hurting the justice system? Some investigations like money laundering and cyber can be done without too much interference on laptops but old-fashioned investigations like knocking on doors and doing face to face interviews and contact becomes very difficult. "The one upside of the justice system of the Supreme court which is notoriously shy and earlier had no video or audio but now can be heard in real time," he said.

In response to a query that Shroff asked on tips for young professionals and lawyers Bharara said "Ambition is good. I didn't get to where I did without having high ambition but you have to be patient and you have to pay your dues but people want to be generals before they have fought in the war and my advice to young people is to get as much experience in your craft before you go do other things. There's no substitute for work and putting in hours and the time. If you want to graduate to becoming a great lawyer it's about judgment not book learning. If you're young or middle aged, associate with people with extraordinary judgment."
Republicans and Democrats are facing off over how to spend economic stimulus to mitigate the Coronavirus Recession: should it benefit people or companies?

The return of American politics to a fight between labor and capital is a welcome respite from the culture wars. There are few debates more quintessential than what constitutes a respectable return on investment or what is the fair value of a persons limited time on earth.

The COVID-19 pandemic adds an elemental quality to the debate over the governments role in the economy. Everyone agrees the virus is responsible for the recession, and governments have a critical role in slowing its spread. But how much should the government make up for lost revenue?

When we were still naive in April, politicians believed we could contain the virus within a few months. Sending out $1,200 checks to middle and low-income Americans and padding unemployment insurance benefits by $600 to keep people at home seemed like a small price to pay.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Republicans put Wall Street over Main Street in COVID-19 response

GOP lawmakers took some solace from the fact that of $7 trillion in stimulus, counting the Federal Reserves spending, 95 percent went to prop up businesses and markets. The Payroll Protection Program also promised free money to employers if they retained workers.

These two approaches perfectly contrast the competing proposals for what to do as the crisis assuredly drags on for another year.

Republican leaders have made clear their disdain for the supplemental unemployment payments, which have empowered workers to reject low-paying jobs with no health insurance during a pandemic. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz wants to slash the payments to force people back to work.

This reflects the rather dim view that many conservatives have of the working class. Unless you starve them, they say, impoverished people will loll around watching television.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put forward a $1 trillion GOP plan on Monday. He proposes sending another $1,200 check, but the supplemental unemployment insurance would drop first to $200 a week and eventually to 70 percent of the recipients previous income.

Liberals, who maintain a similarly cartoonish caricature of the investing class, are mocking the bill. They believe employers too often use their market power to pay starvation wages and then toss away the sick and injured like used tissues.

Hence the Democratic plan to spend $3 trillion to extend the supplemental unemployment payments through the end of the year, provide $1 trillion to bail out local governments, and issue another round of $1,200 checks.

Republicans complain that the unemployment insurance pays more than what 60 percent of the workers were making before the crisis, according to the University of Chicago.

Heres a curious little statistic: the supplemental benefits pay the equivalent of a full-time job at $15-an-hour, according to the Congressional Research Service. There is a whole progressive campaign out there to raise the national minimum wage to $15 an hour, which at $31,000 a year is what many consider a living wage.

If employers want to lure workers back, they should offer a better package, progressives say.

Realistically, very few low-income people can survive on 70 percent of their poverty-level wages. The Republican plan would force parents with sick kids, adults with frail parents, and people with pre-existing conditions to return to high-risk jobs with no insurance.

The United States already has the highest poverty rate, the highest uninsured rate and the unhealthiest population of any wealthy country. A majority of American voters are more worried about some lazy person taking advantage rather than fighting poverty.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Time will tell if reemployment numbers are a dead-cat bounce

Since 1980, American voters have elected politicians from both parties who have prioritized the economy and business over the peoples health and welfare. In the middle of the COVID crisis, we are allowing employers to overwork, underpay and under-insure the workers who make sure we have food on the table and medical facilities for when we catch COVID.

The virus has killed 5,800 Texans, many more people than the 9/11 attacks over which we started a two-decade war. Instead of protecting the American people from the diseases threat to our way of life, the GOP plan is to use workers as cannon-fodder, accepting the inevitably higher infection and death rates as a small price to pay to reopen businesses.

The GOP plan also ignores the ugly truth that tens of thousands of businesses cannot return to normal until most consumers are vaccinated, next summer at the earliest. Millions of workers will need help until then.

In less than 100 days, American voters will decide whether to continue along this path or try something new. The choice between the parties is clear: labor or capital.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
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Cheers and applause rang out in Atlanta as the hearse carrying civil rights icon John Lewis paused in the center of a rainbow crosswalk in Atlanta to pay tribute to his work as an LGBTQ advocate.

The famed civil rights leader and congressman died on July 17, at the age of 80, following a battle with pancreatic cancer and returned home for the final time on Wednesday.

His casket was flown out of Washington DC, headed for Atlanta - a city he had represented as congressman for 17 consecutive terms, and more than 30 years.

The plane touched down at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon, and the coffin was taken to the state Capitol, where he will lie in repose before Thursday's funeral.

Crowds cheered and sang 'we shall overcome' as Lewis's hearse passed through Atlanta, stopping at the Rainbow Crosswalks at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue.

The hearse paused at the crosswalk, decorated to show support for the LGBTQ movement - which Lewis championed

Cheers and applause rang out as the hearse passed through the spot in Atlanta, a gathering place for gay rights activists

John Lewis, known as the conscience of Congress, died on July 17 at the age of 80, after a battle with pancreatic cancer

The crosswalk is a symbol of LGBTQ rights - a cause Lewis championed throughout his three decades in Congress.

Lewis's procession then continued through Atlanta to the state Capitol.

Crowds awaited the late congressman at the Capitol, and people lined up to pay their respects.

Lewis, born the third child of sharecroppers in Troy, Alabama, has been adopted by Georgians as their own, and he is a revered son of Atlanta.

The Congressman had represented the district including Atlanta since 1986, and Lewis was elected for 17 consecutive terms.

Before the public were allowed in, a ceremony was held in the Capitol in Georgia, commemorating Lewis's life.

Among those attending was Martin Luther King III, whose father was a close friend and comrade of Lewis's.

A mourner pauses by the casket of Rep. John Lewis lying in repose at the state Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia

Well-wishers line up outside the Capitol, in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday to pay their respects to the congressman

Long lines formed in Atlanta, Georgia, to get inside the Capitol and pay final respects to the late Congressman, John Lewis

People sign a sympathy card for Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) outside of the Georgia State Capitol on Wednesday

John Lewis's casket was brought to the Georgia state Capitol on Wednesday to lie in state in his hometown of Atlanta

State troopers look on in Atlanta, Georgia, as lines form to pay respects to the late Congressman

Lewis first wrote to King when he was 17 and graduated from high school.

At the time, King was a young minister from Atlanta sowing the seeds of the civil rights movement.

Not only did King write back to Lewis, he also included in the letter a round-trip bus ticket to Montgomery and an invitation to meet him, which Lewis eventually did  in March 1958.

At 18, Lewis traveled 50 miles from Troy to Montgomery by Greyhound.

Fred Gray, the lawyer to King and Rosa Parks, picked him up from the bus station and drove him to the city's First Baptist Church  a historic site tied to the civil rights movement  where he met King in the pastor's office.

'I was so scared. I didn't know what to say or what to do,' Lewis recalled in 2018.

'And Dr. King said: "Are you the boy from Troy?"'

King referred to Lewis by the nickname from then on.

Martin Luther King III departs the capitol after listening to a speech at the ceremony commemorating his father's friend

Georgia state Rep. Calvin Smyre, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and his wife Marty Kemp walk ahead of the casket inside the Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon

Lewis was elected to Congress to represent the city of Atlanta in 1986 and lived all his adult life in the city

The military honor guard is pictured carrying Lewis's coffin inside the Capitol in Atlanta

Lewis lives much of his adult life in Atlanta, and died in the city on July 17. He begun representing Atlanta in 1986

The honor guard awaits the casket of John Lewis outside the state Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia

Lewis's casket, still draped in the Stars and Stripes, arrived at the Capitol in Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon

Lewis's hearse passes a mural depicting him in Atlanta, Georgia - en route to the state Capitol in the city where he lived

Crowds line the route of Lewis's hearse, as the Congressman's remains are transferred to the state Capitol

On Wednesday morning politicians gathered to see the casket off from the U.S. Capitol, where it had lain in state for two days.

A member of the honor guard who collapsed in the 96 degree heat on Monday, awaiting his casket in Washington DC, was back on duty on Wednesday and resumed his position carrying the politician's remains.

Before arriving in Atlanta, Lewis's coffin had spent two days in Washington DC.

Lewis, known as 'the conscience of Congress', traveled through the streets in a motorcade, stopping by the Lincoln Memorial and passing along Black Lives Matter Plaza, renamed in June.

His coffin was carried to the Capitol where he lay in state under the Rotunda - the first black politician to be granted the honor.

John Lewis's casket is loaded on to a plane at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland for the flight to Atlanta

Friends and relatives of the congressman watch as the plane prepares to depart for Atlanta

Pelosi is comforted by Michael Collins, Lewis's long-serving chief of staff, on Wednesday as the casket left the Capitol

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (in blue) and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (next to her) look on as Lewis's casket is taken out of the Capitol following two days of tributes

A service was held inside the Capitol on Monday afternoon, with Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House, and Senate leader Mitch McConnell among those delivering eulogies.

Joe Biden, Mike Pence and other political figures paid their respects after the ceremony. Donald Trump was noticeable in his absence.

The casket was moved outside for a public viewing on Monday evening and throughout Tuesday.

Celebrations of his life began on Saturday in Troy, Alabama - the town where he was born.

The casket was taken from the Capitol to the airport, where it was flown to Atlanta for a private funeral to be held Thursday

John Lewis's casket on Wednesday left Washington DC. A member of the honor guard who fainted on Monday - wearing white, third from left - was back on duty on Wednesday to assist with the somber ceremonial goodbye

The unfortunate member of the honor guard keeled over Monday in the 96 degree heat, leaving a gap in the eight-man team

On Sunday his body was then taken, one last time, across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama - the bridge he marched across with Martin Luther King Jr in March 1965.

Ceremonies will conclude on Thursday, with a private funeral at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta - a church with strong ties to the civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King Jr was a co-pastor at the church from 1960 until his death in 1968, following in the footsteps of his father, Martin Luther King Sr.

The church most recently held the funeral of Rayshard Brooks, a black man shot dead by a white police officer in Atlanta on June 12, in the midst of racial tension following George Floyd's May 25 killing.
A Florida man accused of killing his wife and three children in their own home wrote a letter from his jail cell, claiming that his wife poisoned their kids and then killed herself.

The man, Anthony Todt, allegedly made the murders at their Celebration, Florida home near Disney World.

He said his wife, Megan, gave the children poison with a dessert. Anthony claimed that the poisoning was done by giving the children "Benadryl/Tylenol PM pie."

The letter, addressed to his estranged father, Robert Todt, also detailed how the alleged killing took place. He said his wife separated the children, woke up late in the night and "stabbed and then suffocated each one" of their children.

According to Orlando Sentinel, the letter is a 27-page-long and was written by 44-year-old Anthony in Osceola County Jail. It was dated June 19. He asked his father to keep the letter "in confidence."

His three children namely Alek, Tyler, and Zoe are 13, 11, and four years old, respectively.

How did Todt know his wife did it?

Anthony said he came home from doing maintenance at a nearby condo they owned, finding his wife sitting on the stairs. He claimed that the woman confessed the murders to him, reported Fox News.

"At the news of this I ran to the bathroom and puked - I was weak," he wrote in the letter. He continued, saying his wife later on drank a bottle of Benadryl and stabbed herself in the stomach.

For Anthony, depression played a major role in the deaths of his entire family because his wife suffered from the illness, among some others.

The letter penned by Anthony was copied by the Orange-Osceola County State Attorney's Office. It was released to the newspaper as a response to a public records request.

Why explain this now?

Anthony has been in prison since his January arrest. Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson even said Anthony first confessed to murdering his family and their dog, Breezy. But now, he said he is "10000% INNOCENT of all these preposterous charges."

With months past his arrest, Anthony explained why he hasn't come forward with the information he disclosed in the letter. He said he wanted to call for a press conference months ago, but he was told by his lawyers that it was not the right way to handle his case.

As his attorneys were some of the best in the state, he listened and decided to "sit in idle, making a list of lawsuits [for] when I get out."

A WESH 2 News report said three Health and Human Services special agents came to their home in January to serve a warrant for health care fraud. At the time, officials asked Anthony where his family was and they were told Megan was asleep.

Authorities found the dead bodies in the upstairs master bedroom. One agent said a knife was seen on the windowsill. When they took Anthony, he claimed that he had taken some Benadryl. Agents said they found the drugs in the home.

An autopsy report said Megan and the two older children had been stabbed, while the youngest child showed no signs of trauma.

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Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee former Joe Biden wears a mask when arriving to deliver a speech at the William Hicks Anderson Community Center, on July 28, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Biden Says He Has Not Been Tested for CCP Virus

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said on July 28 that he has not been tested for COVID-19.

The former vice president made the revelation at a campaign event in Delaware in response to a reporters question about whether he would meet candidates for a running mate in person.

Biden did not provide specifics, but vowed to pick a running mate in the first week of August.

President Donald Trump is tested at least once a day. The president has criticized Biden for opting for virtual events amidst the outbreak of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, commonly known as the coronavirus.

Biden has recently held more in-person events. On Monday, he visited the Capitol, where the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) lied in state.

Biden, who is 77 and has said he has asthma, is vulnerable to adverse outcomes if he contracts the virus. People who meet Trump in person, including reporters at the White House, have to undergo testing.

The venue for the first U.S. presidential debate was changed on July 27 due to concerns over the CCP virus.

University of Notre Dame withdrew as the host site and Case Western University in Cleveland announced it will host the Sept. 29 event instead.

The debate will be held at Case Westerns Health Education Campus, which the school shares with the Cleveland Clinic, which is co-hosting the debate.

The partnership with the Cleveland clinic will make the COVID-19-related preparations easier according to Case Western. The Health Education Campuss distance from the main campus also makes hosting the event more feasible.

The Biden campaign regularly criticized Trump for his administrations handling of the response to the pandemic. Trump has denied any missteps and claims his early actions saved lives.

Biden led Trump by 9 points on July 28 in an average of polls maintained by RealClearPolitics.

The health of the two candidates has been on the radar as a campaign issue. Bidens verbal slip-ups and memory lapses have prompted ridicule from Trump, who alleges Biden would not be able to pass a cognition test.

In 2016, Hillary Clintons fainting episode during the 9/11 ceremony in New York prompted a media blitz. She reemerged briefly afterward appearing recovered.

The White House released the results of Trumps physical exam in June, saying the president remained healthy. The report noted that the president took hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure for COVID-19 after some staffers tested positive for the virus.
People gather outside the Dail sitting at the Convention centre in Dublin to take part in a protest calling for the full reopening of services for adults with disabilities (Brian Lawless/PA)

Up to 100 people gathered outside the Dail to protest against the Governments failure to fully reopen day services for adults with disabilities.

Families and carers say they have had no day service to attend or a significant reduction in services since March.

Protesters said people with disabilities are being left behind while the rest of the country is being reopened.

Linda Comerford, spokeswoman for campaign group Enough is Enough, said the Resumption Framework for Adult Disability Day Services is, at best, vague, non-committal and offers no reassurance.

For parents and families to witness this and see it continue, despite our best efforts to help our loved one, is gut-wrenching Linda Comerford

There is no indication or plan of when day services can fully reopen and the two-metre social distancing rule is drastically reducing centres capacity, Ms Comerford said.

The document also states that the availability of safe transport is essential to the delivery of day services across the country, yet many families are being told that there will be no transport available to them.

Going from 30 hours a week to six, nine or 15 hours divided up into three hours a day, depending on the service and the needs of an individual, is a very inferior service. Where is the rest of an individuals funding going?

Zoom calls, activity packs to do at home or someone coming to an adults home to bring them for a walk cannot be deemed a service.

Expand Close Protesters outside the Dail sitting at the Convention Centre in Dublin to take part in a demonstration calling for the full reopening of services for adults with disabilities (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Protesters outside the Dail sitting at the Convention Centre in Dublin to take part in a demonstration calling for the full reopening of services for adults with disabilities (Brian Lawless/PA)

She said families and carers are being forced to take on a much greater role but with no support or financial assistance.

Adults with disabilities are missing their friends, their routines and their support workers, she added.

Many are regressing, becoming withdrawn, having increased challenging or aggressive behaviour and feel lost.

For parents and families to witness this and see it continue, despite our best efforts to help our loved one, is gut-wrenching.

Time and time again the Government consistently fail those with disabilities and carers. It is simply not good enough and must change.

Expand Close Brid Casey and her son Darragh Burns at the protest outside the Dail (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook

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Labour leader Alan Kelly said: Can you imagine, in the middle of a pandemic, we have families of people with intellectual disabilities outside the Dail protesting? Can you imagine any other group of people in this country during the Covid-19 crisis that have actually come to protest outside our national parliament?

I have raised this for the past three weeks in a row. We are not going to leave these people behind  we are currently leaving them behind. It is completely and utterly unacceptable.

We live in a republic, we must treat everyone as equals. We need to ensure that our most vulnerable in this crisis are taken care of.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 06:16:51|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked for an end to hostilities and for a political settlement of the Yemeni issue.

The current situation in Yemen is not favorable. The international community must step up its efforts to push for an early breakthrough in the political settlement of the Yemeni issue, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

China supports the search for a solution to the Yemeni problem from the three aspects of a nationwide cease-fire, economic and humanitarian measures, and comprehensive political negotiations, he told the Security Council.

Parties to the conflict should stop violence and improve the security situation on the ground, said Zhang.

From April to May this year, a general cease-fire was achieved in northern Yemen. This shows that as long as there is political will, it is not impossible to cease fire and stop violence. However, the recent increase in hostilities among parties to the conflict has destabilized the security situation in the north and the south. China is deeply concerned about this, he said.

Military means cannot solve any problem, but will only prolong the war and the suffering of the people. China urges all parties concerned to actively heed the call of the UN secretary-general and his special envoy for Yemen and immediately cease all hostilities, said Zhang.

The international community must remain committed to a political settlement and continue to promote good offices and mediation, he said.

Special Envoy Martin Griffiths has worked hard to broker a new peace deal in the past four months. But due to various factors, progress has not been satisfactory, said Zhang.

China calls on all parties to the conflict to strengthen cooperation with the special envoy, engage in in-depth consultations on the peace initiative, build consensus, and narrow down their differences so as to ensure the future of the agreement. At the same time, it is necessary to fully mobilize the regional countries and urge them to play an active role in synergy with the mediation efforts of the United Nations, he said.

The humanitarian situation in Yemen should be improved and humanitarian access guaranteed, he said.

The people of Yemen are facing multiple threats such as violent conflict, economic crisis, flood, locust plagues and COVID-19. It is imperative to remove barriers to humanitarian access and expand the scale of humanitarian operations, he said.

The international community should encourage concerted actions by all parties in Yemen to assist the United Nations and relevant agencies in carrying out humanitarian relief operations. Special attention should be given to the difficulties and needs of women, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, said Zhang.

The United Nations should also urge parties that have actual control in various regions to take effective measures to prevent and control COVID-19, he said.

On July 15, China once again provided Yemen with a batch of supplies to fight the the pandemic. China will continue to support and assist the Yemeni government and people, and calls on donor countries to fulfill their pledges as soon as possible, he said.

The issue of the Safer oil tanker, spills from which may cause disasters, should be given great attention. All parties concerned should maintain dialogue to ensure that a UN technical team can conduct safety assessments and do repairs as soon as possible, said Zhang.

China has noticed that there has been no substantive progress concerning the access to the tanker so far. The Security Council should urge relevant parties to take practical actions to prevent the tanker from causing environmental, human and economic catastrophes, he said. Enditem
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the debate on demonetisation in Rajya Sabha on Thursday amid uproar by the Opposition parties seeking clarification from him in this regard.

1) Parliament Live Day 7 | Currency ban debate: Demonetisation a monumental mismanagement, GDP can decrease by up to 2%, says Manmohan in RS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the debate on demonetisation in Rajya Sabha on Thursday amid uproar by the Opposition parties seeking clarification from him in this regard.

2) Suspected SIMI militants killed in Bhopal encounter hailed as 'martyrs'

Suspected militants belonging to the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), who were killed in an alleged police encounter in Bhopal last month, have been hailed as 'martyrs'.

3) From today, get new currency of Rs 2000 through card swipe at Big Bazaar counters too

From Thursday, people can withdraw cash up to Rs 2,000 by using debit cards at all Big Bazaar stores. The move was announced this week to ease cash-crunch situation post demonetisation.

4) Long queues expected at banks, ATMs as deadline to use old notes ends today

Cash rush at banks and ATMS is likely to swell as exemptions to use old defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes for paying household utility bills, fuel, taxes and fees and purchases from co-operative stores, end on Thursday.

5) Let's stop living in a fools' paradise: Shatrughan fires salvo at Centre's demonetisation move

BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha has fired another salvo at the Centre questioning authenticity of a survey on demonetisation shared by PM Narendra Modi.





















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The Star Ghana Foundation, on Tuesday, joined in the call on authorities to swiftly arrest and punish those who lynched the 90-year-old woman who was accused of witchcraft in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region.



Star Ghana, in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, expressed concern that such acts still existed because their perpetrators were usually not penalised decisively in the past.



It, therefore, urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and all relevant national and local institutions to take urgent and sustainable actions to nip this endemic practice.



This should be done without fear or favour from traditional, religious or ethnic sensibilities, which undermine human and citizen rights as prescribed by our national laws and regulations. Our traditions respect and celebrate the age and the elderly.



It expressed the hope that Madam Akua Dentes ordeal would mark a turning point for the narrative on witchcraft accusations and the attendant human rights violations in Ghana.



The statement, signed by Dr Esther Ofei-Aboagye, Chairperson of the Star Ghana Governing Council, stated: Unfortunately, the accusers are not given a fair and legal trial and sometimes are banished from their communities.





This act is inhumane, appalling and condemnable and cannot continue in Ghana again because the country has enviable records of human rights protection of its citizens and also a signatory to several international humans rights conventions and protocols.



The statement said Star Ghana, consequently, partnered with Songtaba, a non-governmental organization, to support four Assemblies for the development of a framework for managing witchcraft accusation such as instituting relevant byelaws.



Additionally, it said, the 1992 Constitution guaranteed the protection of for all citizens - both young and older women - who were to live without unwarranted fear of being accused of witchcraft and the attendant harassment and abuse.



A National Reintegration Committee, including the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit and CSOs, put a lot of efforts to reduce the rate of witchcraft accusation, it said.

Source: GNA









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Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), one of the leading business and logistics hub in the UAE, organised a webinar titled Collaboration for a safe and sustainable growth to kick-start a mega awareness campaign.

Participating speakers such as Dr Saif Darwish, Head of Communications and Public Relations, Community Medicine Specialist, Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services and Ramzi Al Zarouni, General Manager of Agility Logistics, shared their best practices in maintaining the highest safety standards to ensure efficient business continuity, according to a statement by Jafza.

The webinar emphasized the significance of having frequent screenings, implementing effective measures, aligning policies and following international standards to combat Covid-19 in support of Dubai and the UAE Governments efforts to sustain a safe and sustainable environment. It showcased the comprehensive practices in maintaining a healthy workplace, whilst going back in full strength, in tandem with UAEs plans to be amongst the fastest-recovering economies.

The comprehensive measures started with an awareness campaign as it represents the most important factor to prevent the spread of infection and encourages customers to conduct frequent testing to detect positive cases. The campaign is supported by Jafzas disinfection protocol to upkeep the well-being of every person on site.

The discussion highlighted Jafzas role in reinforcing food security in Dubai, UAE and the region. The Free Zone has added new services and advanced solution packages for the food sector. There is a special packaging made available with an advanced technology to process the final raw products, in addition to pre-built warehouses for high quality storage.

Ahmad Al Haddad, Chief Operating Officer, Parks and Zones  DP World, UAE Region, said: Its true that humanity had never faced such a health crisis during the past 100 years, as intense and challenging as COVID-19. Yet, our strong willpower has enabled us to overcome the challenge through determination and implementing the directives of our wise leadership, dedicating all possible capabilities and resources. All our employees and workers have shown the highest commitment during the pandemics worst period, working tirelessly to safeguard the wellbeing of our people and keep trade flowing.

Al Haddad added: Now, we are resuming our business activities and achieving rapid recovery and expansion in all areas of our economy. However, with no vaccine or effective remedy, the only protection we have is to pay extra attention to follow precautions and protective guidelines. We started by preparing all buildings and facilities in Jafza, through an intensive assessment of the current scenario and placing preventive measures to combat the spread of the virus including conducting over 7,000 COVID-19 tests amongst our staff/business partners and a comprehensive disinfection programme, making it ready to welcome our employees and customers.

We extended our measures to support our business partners, as we provided over 1,000 free tests for employees staying in our facilities. Five buildings with over 1200 rooms to isolate the suspected or infected cases were dedicated for this purpose. We empowered our security team with advanced technology and awareness to detect any suspected cases on the spot.

Providing further support to its partners, Jafza conducts free disinfectant services covering all accommodations exposed to positive cases. All contracted employees have to be tested monthly, to ensure the wellbeing and prevent the spread of the virus in the community.

Dr. Saif Darwish, Head of Communications and Public Relations, Community Medicine Specialist, Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, said: It is our mission to foster innovative emergency medical services and integrated care models through enhancing community engagement. As part of our efforts to combat COVID-19, we have launched Mobile Laboratory Unit (MLU) to provide free testing for the elderly and people of determination at their homes. Our initiative has played a key role in reducing pressure on hospitals amidst the COVID-19 crisis and helped protect people at high risk. Jafza has cooperated with us as we all implemented the necessary guidelines. This remarkable response has allowed our partnership to be smooth and encouraged testing amongst employees with ease to keep the spread of the virus under control.

Ramzi Al Zarouni, General Manager of Agility Logistics, said: Being a leading global logistics provider in the Middle East, we truly value our partnership with Jafza thanks to their exemplary practices and running world-class facilities. At the peak of the pandemic, Jafza had shown outstanding readiness and operations resilience while maintaining the highest safety and security standards. We, at Agility Logistics, have been implementing robust measures at our facilities that cover personal hygiene, physical distancing, personal protective equipment, good housekeeping, temperature screenings and rules for handling goods and cargo. Such essential guidelines have enabled us to maintain our business continuity.TradeArabia News Service
Book signings and tours have been yet another casualty of the pandemic in 2020, but one best-selling author of childrens books will be rolling into RJ Julia in Madison Friday, Aug. 7, with a few deft moves to help reimagine the book signing tour.

Author Jeff Kinney is the six-time Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards winner for his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series; hes also been named one of Times 100 Most Influential People in the World, and he created the online game Poptropica.

Kinney will appear at RJ Julia to deliver signed copies of his new book Rowley Jeffersons Awesome Friendly Adventure  a first-time fantasy book and follow-up to the 2019 bestseller Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid.

The new book has an announced 3 million-copy first printing and will be released simultaneously in 17 countries, according to publisher release.

Written from the imagination of Rowley Jefferson, characters Rowley and Greg Heffley are known as Roland the Kind and Garg the Barbarian as they leave the safety of their village to embark on a quest to save Rolands mom from the White Warlock.

Even though this tour is much different, I cant wait to connect with my fans and meet real awesome friendly kids along the way, said Kinney in a news release.

The details of Kinneys visit to Madison, part of the August East Coast tour, are indeed unique to this COVID-battered year:

All attendees over the age of 2 must wear a mask, notes a publicist.

Ticket holders (who sign up on line) will receive an e-mail with further event details/instructions, including a personal appointment time for your meet-and-greet at RJ Julia.

All books will be pre-signed. Due to health restrictions, there will be no personalization at this event and no signing of books from home . But Kinney will sign all purchased copies, including Wimpy Kid and Rowley Jefferson.

As a publicist noted, some bookstores will do a drive-through but RJ Julia will have a special outdoor area for the author and allow a small numbers of people in that area. Once the child reaches Jeff with their guardian, Jeff will do a ceremonial-hand off of the book with a 96-inch grabber shaped like a trident, she said.

I dont think were in 2019 anymore, Toto.

A staffer will take socially distanced photos of each customer with Jeff, which will be uploaded to DropEvent.com after the event. All attendees must stay 6 feet distanced from each other at all times during the event.

With his specially decorated van, Kinney will also do special tour visits to the homes of children of essential workers, delivering a book and lawn signs that read An Awesome Friendly Kid Lives Here.

When hes not writing, Washington, D.C.,-area native Kinney and his wife run a bookstore called An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Mass., not far from Foxborough.

RJ Julia, 768 Boston Post Road, Madison. Friday, Aug. 7, 2 p.m. $14.99 book/event. Rrjjulia.com/event/jeff-kinneys-awesome-friendly-adventure-tour
Civil rights activists in this former textile-manufacturing city have been sparring for weeks with elected officials over limits on protests and what constitutes free speech. In addition to the ban on protests at the monument and courthouse, Graham Mayor Jerry Peterman has also declared five states of emergency, citing the potential for civil unrest or severe damage in this city of 15,600. Most of his emergency orders imposed curfews, and one temporarily suspended all demonstration permits. Any group(s) attempting to protest without a permit, will be in violation and subject to arrest, the Alamance County Sheriffs Office posted on Facebook June 26.
Former Michigan residents angling to return to the state for hunting and fishing would qualify for discounted nonresident licenses under bills pending in the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

The legislation, sponsored by Sens. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, and Curt VanderWall, R-Ludington, aims to encourage former residents of Michigan to come home to hunt by offering them a 50 percent discount on nonresident hunting and fishing licenses.

If passed, Senate Bills 366 and 367 would apply that discount to a base hunting license, a combination hunt and fish license, additional deer or antlerless deer licenses, a wolf hunting license and an all-species fishing license.

Prices for various licenses vary, but nonresidents pay significantly more for the right to hunt and fish in Michigan. A base hunting license costs $11 annually for adult residents and $151 annually for nonresidents.

Nonresidents without previous ties to the state would still have to pay the full price. But the idea is to encourage out-of-state former residents to buy a license for when they visit their family and friends back home, McBroom said.

Were trying to create a scenario where the cost is no longer such a high burden, he said.

The Department of Natural Resources is opposed to the bills as currently written, spokesperson Ed Golder said, because of the potential hit to the departments budget. Creating a new category of qualified nonresident in hunting and fishing licenses could result in big losses in revenue, he said.

Were concerned funding for the states conservation efforts could lose hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in revenue as a result, he said.

According to an analysis from the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency, the department estimates such a change in licensing costs could result in a loss of between $1.5 million and $4.7 million annually.

McBroom acknowledged there are some logistical issues with determining who would qualify for the discount and that there could be a loss of revenue - hes planning an amendment to his bill that would put a sunset on the discount in the event its not financially sustainable.

But he said hes hoping a discount could compel more former Michigan residents now living out of state to return if its a more affordable price point.

The bills are pending before the Senate Natural Resources Committee, which McBroom chairs.

More Michigan politics coverage on MLive:

More health, school spending in 2020 budget revised by Michigan legislature Wednesday

More virtual classrooms? House OKs Return to Learn bills in late-night session

Whitmer, legislature reach deal to address coronavirus shortfall in 2020 budget
Camera traps recorded three tigers in an area of western Thailand where the big cat had not been seen for four years.

Camera traps in a forest in western Thailand have captured footage of tigers in an area where the endangered animals have not been seen for four years, conservation group Panthera said on Wednesday, raising hopes for the species survival in Southeast Asia.

The video and photographs show three male tigers roaming at night, with one walking directly towards the camera and sniffing the lens.

We are excited about this discovery, Kritsana Kaewplang, country director for Panthera in Thailand, said of the footage which was released on Global Tiger Day.

Describing the footage as very exciting, John Goodrich, Pantheras chief scientist said: Its a good indicator that what were doing is working. Were starting to see the recovery of tiger numbers in the area.

There are estimated to be about 160 Indochinese tigers left in the wild in Thailand, which has stepped up its conservation efforts over the last 10 years. Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia have already lost their tigers while Myanmar is thought to have just 23 left.

Southeast Asia is a major focus in the fight to save the worlds big cats, whose numbers globally have plummeted from about 100,000 a century ago to about 3,900 today.

An undated handout photo from Thailands Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation-Panthera-Zoological Society of London-RCU released on July 29 shows a tiger in a remote region of western Thailand [Handout/DNP-Panthera-ZSL-RCU/AFP]

Kritsana, who has been working with Thailands Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and other organisations, said the sightings mean Thailand is on the right track trying to preserve tigers and their prey.

The next important step for us is that we have to try and make the connecting routes of each forest area accommodating for them, in order for the tigers to roam safely, said Kritsana.

Poaching threat

A database of Thailands tiger population showed two of the tigers had come from the northern part of the forest to the south, while the third had not been documented before, she said.

In more than 20 years of fieldwork, its some of the best (footage) Ive seen, said Eileen Larney, the Zoological Society of Londons country manager for Thailand.

To witness apex predators, like tigers, returning to forests means the ecosystem is recovering, which is good for all wildlife.

The recent success is partly down to specially designed PoacherCams, Goodrich said. The cameras automatically distinguish between people and animals, sending pictures of potential poachers to local police in real time.

Poachers, who kill the animals for their skin and other parts, have also brought the Malayan tiger, which roams the forested central spine of the Malayan Peninsula, to the brink of extinction. As few as 150 are thought to be left in the wild.

When we lose our tigers we will lose our heritage and lose our symbol of courage to move forward, Balu Perumal of the Malaysian Nature Society told a webinar on the Malayan tiger on Wednesday as he urged people to do more to save the big cat.

More importantly, we would lose a fellow citizen of Malaysia.

An image of a poacher caught on a camera trap set up by conservation researchers. Poaching is one of the biggest threats to tigers in Southeast Asia [File: WWF Malaysia/Al Jazeera]

Conservationists have been calling on the government to deploy soldiers to the forest to combat the theft of the countrys unique wildlife, following the lead of countries like India where a boots on the ground response has helped tiger numbers recover.

Tigers in the region are also threatened by habitat loss and the fragmentation of forests, when roads, logging and other developments isolate small populations, leading to inbreeding and a lack of genetic diversity.

The focus right now needs to be on Southeast Asia, where tigers are in the most trouble, Goodrich told AFP news agency.

However, If you dont have government support, it doesnt work.
With the first week of a mandatory statewide mask order nearly done, the lines are being drawn on where the mandate will be enforced, or even encouraged, and its a classic rural-vs.-urban divide.
The almost complete shutdown of air travel has left the Winnipeg Airports Authority precariously close to the edge of technical default as it tries to maintain debt payments on the $580 million it still owes on its terminal building.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/7/2020 (540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The almost complete shutdown of air travel has left the Winnipeg Airports Authority precariously close to the edge of technical default as it tries to maintain debt payments on the $580 million it still owes on its terminal building.

Passenger traffic was down 95 per cent in the second quarter at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport compared to last year. Only 56,000 people were through the terminal compared to 1.1 million last year, a huge revenue hit considering departing passengers pay a $25 airport improvement fee. (The WAA increased its airport improvement fee to $38 in May.)

Although passenger counts were decimated, the WAA's revenue for the quarter was only down two-thirds (thanks to cargo traffic which was up slightly, land lease revenue, and third party management contracts the WAA earns for running airports in The Pas, Dawson Creek, B.C. and a couple of other place).

But the WAA is walking a tightrope on its debt commitments and has already breached one of the covenants on that debt called the debt service coverage ratio.

That asks if the WAA has enough money coming in this year to make the interest and principal payments for the year.

Barry Rempel, the chief executive officer of the WAA, did not mince words.

"We do not have enough money coming in this year to do that," he said.

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES Passenger traffic was down 95 per cent in the second quarter at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport compared to last year.

Luckily, that is not what is called an event of default. Just as fortunate, the WAA has access to about $75 million in cash which it can use to make the payments and it has been able to keep making all its payments.

"What that tells you is that we need traffic to come back or next year at this time we will be having a different discussion," he said.

After two years in a row of passenger counts at the airport of 4.484 million, Rempel said the estimates are that the total will be below 1.5 million this year.

The hope for next year is to hit about 2.5 million which would provide enough revenue to be able to meet that debt covenant.

"What that tells you is that we need traffic to come back or next year at this time we will be having a different discussion."  Chief executive officer Barry Rempel

But estimating the impact of the COVID pandemic has been hit and miss, and considering that unlike a manufacturer or a service company that might be able to mothball operations until business comes back, the airport has a lot of fixed costs on top of a very large debt load for an organization whose revenue last year was about $140 million.

But there are signs of growth.

This Monday saw 1,012 passengers through the terminal, the largest number since the shutdown began in March and much better than the all-time low of 59 passengers on April 11 of this year. (Typical daily arrival and departure passenger counts are between 12,500 and 13,000.)

In the meantime, the WAA has cut about 30 per cent out of its operating expenses, including reducing its workforce of 150 people by about 25 per cent.

Rempel said his team has done a great job shutting down certain parts of the airport including turning off the baggage handling system saving on staff, electrical and maintenance expense and relying on the much smaller system used for over-sized baggage.

While the WAA has been able to utilize the federal governments Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy it has not been able to access any other financial support.

It has however benefitted from rent forgiveness related to the controversial land lease the federal government charges all the locally owned airports across the country.

But that rent amount is based on 11 per cent of revenue.

"Our revenue is based on people and when there's no people travelling theres no rent due," Rempel said.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES After two years in a row of passenger counts at the airport of 4.484 million, Barry Rempel said the estimates are that the total will be below 1.5 million this year.

The Canadian Airports Council, of which the WAA is a member, has petitioned the federal government to forgive that rent payment for an additional five years. There has been no decision from government yet on that. As it stands now, that payment has been forgiven until December.

The implementation of the phase IV re-opening in Manitoba and the ability to travel around Western Canada without being required to self-isolate for 14 days has helped increase passenger counts slightly.

But Rempel said it is almost all leisure travel.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"Business travel is not picking up whatsoever," he said.

"Business travel is not picking up whatsoever."  Chief executive officer Barry Rempel

What happens in the fall will say a lot about how well the airport will be able to face its financial obligations next year.

If phase IV re-opening happens and travellers from Eastern Canada can freely move around, it might allow business travel to start coming back. If that doesnt happen, Rempel is concerned because October and November are slow leisure travel months at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport.

But Rempel said he feels pretty good about the forecast for next year and the ensuing years. But he is still not anticipating a return to 2018-2019 passenger levels until 2025.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: In the wake of the inputs by central intelligence agencies and a subsequent alert issued by Union Home Ministry over possible attempts by terror groups to disrupt and sabotage the 'Bhumi Pujan' ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ayodhya next week, Uttar Pradesh,

especially, the temple town has been put on high alert.

As per the highly-placed sources, the note forwarded to UP government over the inputs provided by intelligence agencies speaks about a possible attempt by terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jash-e-Mohammed may strike Ayodhya on August 5.

The sources claimed that the information gathered on the basis of human intelligence and electronic intercepts, the strike could of a lone wolf kind or even in a group at crowded places. There is also a possibility of fidayeen strikes.

The Bhoomi Pujan is coinciding with the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.

Besides PM Modi, many senior BJP leaders including former Deputy PM LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are also expected to reach Ayodhya for August 5 event.

While a thick security blanket of UP police has been put in the temple town, the area from Saket Degree College, where PM will land, to the Ram Janmabhoomi premises has been cordoned off. Besides, regular security drills, door-to-door checking is being conducted. Residents of Ramkot locality near Janmboomi

premises have been issued passes for movement.

Intense checking is going on in all the lodges, hotels, and guesthouses in Ayodhya. All the entry points to the temple town have been sealed and each and every vehicle is being checked.

Meanwhile, security in nine districts adjoining the temple town has also been beefed up. As per an order issued by UP DGP HC Awasthis office, senior police officials of the rank of Additional Director General have been directed to camp in nine districts adjoining Ayodhya from July 29 to August 6. They have been asked to be extra alert in the wake of upcoming festivals of Bakrid and Rakshabandhan along with the mega even in Ayodhya on August 5.

Security along Indo-Nepal border has also been tightened and intelligence agencies have been put on ultra alert. Satellite-guided supervision of border areas

is being conducted. A vigilant eye is also being kept on the activities on social media.

Meanwhile, Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teeth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai has appealed to the people not to throng Ayodhya on August 5 in large numbers. I appeal the devotees of Lord Ram to celebrate the Bhoomi Pujan event at their places. I assure everyone that when the COIVD crisis will be over, we will find an occasion to celebrate the event in the temple town, said Champat Rai.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The U.S. said it will withdraw about 12,000 troops from Germany, a move that Defense Secretary Mark Esper said would bolster NATO and deter Russia. President Donald Trump, though, previously suggested the action was more about punishing Germany, which he has claimed hasnt met the alliances goal that all members spend at least 2% of gross domestic product on defense. About 5,600 troops would be redeployed to other nations in Europe, including Italy and Belgium, while 6,400 would return to the U.S., Esper said. The process might take years, leaving the U.S. with about 24,000 forces in Germany, according to Bloomberg News.Bloomberg Opinion columnists have been analyzing the implications of the U.S. cutting its troop levels in Germany since early June, when the Trump administration began considering the move. Here are their thoughts: Trumps Germany Retreat Is a Victory for Putin: A good question to ask in looking at a major basing decision is quite simple: Who benefits? In this case, certainly not the U.S., because it will lose strategic bases close to its adversaries. It wont save any money  in fact, the Pentagon will lose German subsidies. When the troops are moved back to the U.S., it will require bases to house them, and, if they need to be re-deployed, transportation costs will be significant.  James Stavridis Pulling U.S. Troops Out of Germany Is Misguided: As is so often the case, the potential benefits of the administrations policy have been negated by the chaos surrounding it. A prudent reduction to the U.S. troop presence in Germany could strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, provided Washington redeploys those forces elsewhere in Europe. But any such move should be done in coordination with partners, not in defiance of them.  Editorial Board

U.S.-Germany Crisis Is Deeper Than Trump Troop Cuts: This isn't like the U.S. decision, in the early 2000s, to remove some of its troops from South Korea. That shift was part of a broad, deliberate global realignment of U.S. forces during the war on terrorism. It came in concert with a repositioning of the remaining forces in South Korea to make them more survivable in case of war, and thus more valuable to the South Koreans. Nor is it akin to withdrawing troops from a war zone in which they are taking heavy casualties to no good strategic end  the sort of pullback that can serve a countrys national interests.  Hal Brands

Story continues

U.S. Troop Cuts in Germany Would Be a Disaster: From Berlin to Paris, London, Tokyo, Seoul, Ottawa and Canberra, leaders are concluding that Americas support is no longer categorical but transactional, and that its time to make other arrangements. The tragedy for Europe is that there may never be a credible alternative to American military protection.   Andreas Kluth U.S. Allies Can't Face Four More Years of Trump: President Donald Trumps denigration of alliances, his personal attacks on the leaders of other North Atlantic Treaty Organization members, and his criticisms of global allies for supposedly not pulling their military weight, have been some of the lowest moments of his tenure and some of the most harmful for long-term U.S. security.  Tobin Harshaw

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Robert Burgess is the Executive Editor for Bloomberg Opinion. He is the former global Executive Editor in charge of financial markets for Bloomberg News. As managing editor, he led the companys news coverage of credit markets during the global financial crisis.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 11:11:27|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai reported one new imported COVID-19 case and no increase in domestically transmitted cases on Tuesday, the municipal health commission said Wednesday.

The imported case is a Chinese national who had worked in Singapore and arrived in Shanghai on July 25. The person was put under quarantine upon arrival and showed symptoms during the isolated observation period, before being diagnosed as a confirmed case.

All 21 close contacts of the patient on the same plane have been put under quarantine.

As of Tuesday, Shanghai had reported 402 confirmed imported cases and 342 locally transmitted cases. Enditem
This year, amid a raging pandemic, a looming global economic crisis and devastating floods and landslides, the Himalayan nation of Nepal has been in political and diplomatic turmoil over its disputed border with its much larger neighbour, India. The dispute has deepened strains within the current government and reignited debate over the future of Nepals relations with India and China.

On May 8, India inaugurated a link road built in a disputed territory which falls near a strategic three-way junction with Nepal and China. Nepals Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who was already facing multiple domestic political challenges, adopted a defiant stance against New Delhi and deemed the new road an attack on Nepals sovereignty.

He issued a new map which places the disputed region within Nepals borders and swiftly passed it through both houses of the parliament. His ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) also pushed an amendment to the countrys citizenship law that requires foreign women marrying Nepali men (most of whom are Indian) to wait for seven years for naturalisation.

Olis nationalist stance earned him some much-needed support among the Nepalese public, but proved insufficient to silence his many critics who have long been demanding his resignation citing his failure to provide effective leadership at a time of crisis. Commentators and officials both in India and Nepal accused him of cynically using the border dispute to stir nationalist sentiment and outmanoeuvre his rivals in the NCP, or acting at Chinas behest.

In response, Oli has claimed that his political rivals within the ruling party are colluding with India to oust him from power. His chief opponent in the NCP, former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal  commonly known as Prachanda  described the accusation as neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate, asserting that it was he, not India, who sought Olis resignation.

Rivalries within the NCP undoubtedly played a role in aggravating Nepals political crisis. Nevertheless, it is also impossible to deny the significant role Nepals two giant neighbours, India and China, have played in bringing about the turmoil.

All politics is local



In May, the Indian Army chief General MM Naravane went out of his way to suggest that Olis objection to Indias road construction was instigated by Beijing. Indian news outlets, particularly those close to the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), relentlessly attacked Oli for his alleged pro-China and anti-India stance. One Indian channel directly warned Oli not to challenge India, a country on which you depend so heavily.

The Indian media has obsessively reported on the activities of the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi, even levelling tasteless allegations that the model-like envoy has honey-trapped Oli. She has indeed been active throughout the crisis, holding numerous meetings with senior Nepali political leaders. And China does appear to be standing by Oli in this dispute, but there is no evidence that Beijing is goading him into taking on New Delhi.

India too is by no means a mere bystander. Top Indian intelligence officials, according to a report in the Daily Pioneer, have been actively courting senior Nepali politicians. The Indian medias relentless onslaught on Oli also gives weight to the 68-year-old leaders accusations that India is actively working to topple his government. And so too does the recent past. India has brought down several governments in Kathmandu over the years.

Observers generally see Oli as supported by Beijing and Prachanda by New Delhi. There is, however, little publicly available evidence to support the claim that New Delhi is propping up Prachanda to replace Oli.

Prachanda has his own reasons for sparring with Oli. In 2018, the leftist parties of Oli and Prachanda merged. The two men have shared the post of chairman of the newly-formed NCP and reportedly agreed to alternate as prime minister over the course of the NCPs five-year term in power, which is now at its halfway point. Last November, Prachanda reportedly accepted a revised deal that would give him control over the party while allowing Oli to continue as prime minister. Oli appears not to have held up his end of the bargain, hence Prachandas anger.

Even if Prachanda is indeed backed by New Delhi, the partnership is likely tactical and temporary. Prachanda has had a complicated relationship with India. India facilitated the integration of Nepals Maoist rebels  led by Prachanda  into the political fold in the mid-2000s, but also helped force Prachandas resignation as prime minister in 2009 after he took on the Nepal Army, a key lever of Indian influence.

Notably, Prachanda has not played the anti-Beijing card to gain the upper hand against Oli. In fact, he has also taken positions as of late that can be seen as pro-Beijing. While Oli supported the United States Millennium Challenge Corporations (MCC) Nepal compact  which Washington says aims to increase the availability of electricity and lower the cost of transportation in the country  Prachanda opposed it, citing US statements linking the project to the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which is largely seen as a China containment policy.

Prachanda made a veiled reference to the MCC project in an address to the Chinese Communist Party last month, stating that any developmental assistance inconsistent with the countrys policy of non-alignment cant be accepted by any means.

Indian heavy-handedness created opening for China

If Oli is forced to resign, it would not necessarily be an enduring setback for Beijing. As Nepali news editor Biswas Baral argues, the cohesion of the NCP is more important for Beijing than Olis survival. Furthermore, the NCP leadership is likely to sustain its desire for China to play a balancing role even after Olis departure, due to its deep-rooted fear of Indian dominance.

Over the decades, India has played a paternalistic role in Nepal, which has been helpful in many ways. However, New Delhi has also been heavy-handed and abusive in its dealings with its Himalayan neighbour, leveraging the landlocked countrys dependence on it for access to the sea. India is Nepals largest trade partner, accounting for 65 percent of its imports and 57 percent of its exports in 2017.

India has used connectivity as a coercive tool, blockading Nepal three times in the past 30 years  most recently in 2015 after a devastating earthquake. The blockade imposed by India on Nepal in 1989 was partly out of concerns over Nepals growing proximity to China. While Chinas military sales to Nepal grew, India remained the predominant external power in the country.

Indias most recent blockade of Nepal has proved to be a strategic folly, stirring Nepali nationalism, which has had an anti-India strain. The blockade roughly coincided with Chinas launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), giving Beijing an opportunity to step in and pledge large sums of aid and investment.

Chinas massive investments in extending its domestic rail network toward its western and southwestern frontier amplify its efforts to reshape the regions economic geography. Its drive to expand connectivity in the region, for example, provided Nepal with an alternative route to the sea.

In 2016, China and Nepal concluded a transport agreement that gives Kathmandu access to four Chinese eastern seaports. While Indias Calcutta port is closest to Nepal by distance, Chinese rail service to Tibet, which borders Nepal, provides it with maritime access that may be shorter in time and more competitive in cost than Calcutta.

In 2017, Nepal officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative, making clear to India, a lead opponent of the BRI, that it is now a country with options.



More money, more problems

There is, of course, a price to siding with China. Beijing is notorious for its unfair trade practices. And its economic partnerships with developing countries are often based on loans rather than grants. Many high-risk recipients of Chinese lending struggle to repay their debt to Beijing  a trend that has triggered accusations of debt-trap diplomacy.

Following their transport agreement, Beijing and Kathmandu are also in talks for building a trans-Himalayan railway linking Nepal to Chinas domestic transport network, but the estimated $2.5bn cost of the project may eventually prove too expensive for Nepal. Should the project move forward on a loan basis, Kathmandu may struggle to generate the revenue-generating capacity to repay it, and the country could end up trading Indian dominance for Chinese.

Allying with Beijing also requires ritualistic professions of agreement on its core interests and policing of Chinese national migrants and refugees, such as Uighurs and Tibetans. Notably, Nepal recently backed Chinas new national security law for Hong Kong.

Neither China nor India are benign, altruistic powers. Nepali leaders appear to be aware of that. Even if Prachanda comes to power with some help and support from New Delhi, he is unlikely to push away Beijings hand.

Whoever leads Nepal in the years to come will have to manage a geopolitical environment that is only growing in complexity. Today, Nepal is area of contestation not just between China and India, but also in the broader U.S.-China Cold War.

At first glance, Prachandas opposition to the USS MCCs Nepal compact appears to make little sense. Washington is offering a $500m grant, not a loan, to Kathmandu to support the construction of a high-voltage electric power line and upgraded roads. But some Nepali observers fear that the power line project, which will link to Indias electric power grid, may increase Kathmandus dependence on New Delhi and harm its burgeoning trade partnerships with Beijing.

Nepal is between a rock and a hard place. It undoubtedly wants US support, but equally fears increasing Indian dominance and hence wants to keep China on its side for balance. To receive much needed aid and protection, it somehow needs to simultaneously satisfy these regional and global superpowers, who are all capable and willing to manipulate Kathmandus internal divisions and weaknesses for their own benefit. Such a difficult balancing act requires more than will. It requires political stability at home and consensus among domestic power brokers  all of which, unfortunately, have proven to be elusive in Nepal.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Lucknow, July 29 : The Congress is preparing to challenge the decision of the chairman of the UP Legislative Council, Ramesh Yadav, who has dismissed the Congress petition seeking disqualification of Dinesh Pratap Singh, a rebel Congress MLC from Rae Bareli.

Deepak Singh, Congress MLC who filed the petition, said on Wednesday, "I will challenge the Vidhan Parishad chairman's defective order quashing my petition in the high court or even in the Supreme Court, if needed. My petition had been pending before the chairman for last three years and I will request the high court for an early decision because justice delayed is justice denied." Dinesh Singh had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Rae Bareli against Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the BJP ticket.

He formally joined the BJP in presence of its then president and now union home minister Amit Shah and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath at a public meeting in Rae Bareli in April 2018 without quitting his position as Congress MLC.

On May 9, 2018, Congress MLC Deepak Singh submitted a petition to Vidhan Parishad chairman Ramesh Yadav making a case for an outright disqualification of Dinesh Singh from the membership of the Upper House on the ground that he 'voluntarily' left the party and joined the BJP.

This, he said in his petition, had made the rebel MLC liable to action under the provisions of the anti-defection law.

According to the Vidhan Parishad chairman's order passed on July 27, Dinesh Singh, the defendant, claimed that Deepak Singh's petition seeking his disqualify cation was not 'maintainable' under the rules.

He pleaded that the Congress party suspended him sine die on April 18, 2017.

"Since I was suspended from the Congress for an indefinite period, it is wrong to say that I relinquished the party voluntarily," he submitted in his reply.

He also maintained that the newspaper clippings that the petitioner had submitted in support of his claims could not be considered and accepted as any 'proof' under the rules.

He also contested the petitioner's claim of being the Congress' 'chief whip' in the legislative council.

A member of the either house becomes liable to losing his membership under the anti-defection law if either they voluntarily give up the membership of their party Rejecting Deepak Singh's petition, Vidhan Parishad chairman, Ramesh Yadav said the petition was not 'maintainable'.

"Considering the above cited facts, documents and rulings given by the Supreme Court, I am of the definitive view that the petition presented before me is not maintainable and deserved to be dismissed. The petition is accordingly dismissed," the operative order said.

Earlier, the Speaker of the UP assembly, Hriday Narain Dixit , had rejected the Congress petitions seeking disqualifications of two of its legislators Aditi Singha and Rakesh Singh. Both the petitions had been dismissed by the Speaker.

Interestingly, all three rebel Congress legislators -Aditi Singh, Rakesh Singha and Dinesh Singh -belong to Rae Bareli which is the parliamentary constituency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has reached out to car-making royalty in the choice of its new chief executive, Thierry Bollore, who is a refugee from Renault in the aftermath of the Carlos Ghosn scandal.

He arrives at the Tata Motors-owned car maker at a desperate time.

JLR's far bigger and better resourced rivals, BMW and Daimler, are throwing everything at developing electric cars that can compete with soaraway Tesla. The luxury British manufacturer has so far developed just one e-model, the Jaguar I-Pace.

Leap of faith: Thierry Bollore arrives at the Tata Motors-owned car maker at a desperate time

The key to JLR's success in modern times has been its focus on design. It now finds itself hamstrung by a lack of scale compared with competitors. It ran up a loss of 500m in the three months to March before experiencing the very worst of lockdown.

It is reported that JLR is seeking a large credit of more than 1billion from the Government's Project Birch aid scheme.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is being extremely tough with commercial firms seeking favours, particularly those which have rich proprietors.

Sunak's tough line with Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic eventually unlocked personal capital from the entrepreneur and matching funds from its co-shareholder Delta in the US.

Tata Motors is run and financed independently of India's Tata Group, its ultimate controlling investor.

But as Tata is among India's most successful group of companies, one understands why Sunak might be loath to write a taxpayer cheque.

In much the same way as Rolls-Royce is key to British aerospace, so JLR is a vital component of Britain's motor industry and home to that most iconic of British vehicles, the Land Rover. It is unthinkable that it would be allowed to fail.

It is not what has happened to JLR's finances in the peak of the pandemic which is important but what comes next. JLR has begun adjusting, with redundancies of 1,000 staff and 1billion of savings. This on top of a previous package of efficiencies.

Its revival under Tata Motors ownership has been a triumph for overseas investment in the UK. But it has reached a crossroads. The two big issues for car makers are overcapacity and building greener cars.

Bollore has vast experience of both. However, he is making a big jump in moving from mass production to the image-driven luxury sector.

Cleaning up

Reckitt Benckiser is among a small group of British companies equipped to be a long-term winner from Covid-19. Its brands, from Dettol to Cillit Bang, are what every household needs.

So it is no surprise that operating profits powered ahead in the first half of the year. Chief executive Laxman Narasimhan has ramped up a new 'solutions' service for companies ranging from Delta Airlines to Avis seeking to improve hygiene.

In a world of deep cleaning and disinfecting Reckitt is perfectly placed. Compass, Mitie and big outsourcers may regret they didn't get there first. But they don't have the products, research centres or brands.

The 25 per cent uplift in the share price since the start of the year suggests that investors trust Narasimhan. His predecessor Rakesh Kapoor had a torrid time, including having to handle a death toll in South Korea from a poisonous chemical in humidifiers, complaints about misleading marketing of Nurofen and the opioids legacy parked at spin-off Indivior.

Another inheritance is Narasimhan's next problem. The accounting punishment of writing down baby food maker Mead Johnson has been taken. Performance is suboctane, with sales falling 4.8pc in the second quarter. Reckitt is known for skill in polishing up bombed-out brands, but the baby formula has defied the magic touch.

Turning it around will be trickier than flogging Dettol in a pandemic.

Shop talk

Selfridges is a store group owned by wealthy people, offering great choice and service for well-heeled tourists.

But with the travel industry nearly at standstill, trade has ground to a halt. The group is having to adjust which means 450 staff, 14 per cent of the workforce, face redundancy. The Weston family-controlled enterprise plans to reshape and focus online.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  A Cuyahoga County Council committee signed off Wednesday on another $15 million, no-bid contract to have eight contractors modify county-owned buildings to accommodate issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.

If approved by the full council and Executive Armond Budish, the contract would provide for each of the contractors to receive up to $1.875 million for projects such as modifying areas to allow for social distancing, updating ventilation and automating sinks and drinking fountains.

The county earlier approved another $15 million, no-bid contract for eight other contractors to do similar work. The money for both contracts comes from aid provided to the county by the federal government to deal with issues related to the coronavirus.
Civil Protection removes more than 1,400 from Playa del Carmen beaches

Playa del Carmen, Q.R.  More than 1,400 people were removed from Playa del Carmen beaches over the weekend by authorities who have begun to crack down on beachgoers due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The director of Solidaridad Civil Protection Emmanuel Hedding Medina, says the agency removed over 1,400 people from public Playa del Carmen beaches this past weekend. He says personnel scanned beaches from Xcalacoco to Playacar, asking those sunbathing and swimming to return home. He says beaches were busy despite the current restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

We managed to withdraw about 350 people from the Punta Esmeralda beach, in the central beach  about 800 people and in Xcalacoco, about 300 people, he said adding that accumulation is the greatest risk.

Hedding said that to continue ensuring people do not enter the beach areas, they are supporting other agencies such as Public Security, the National Guard, the Directorate of the Federal Terrestrial Maritime Zone (Zofemat) and the Navy so that in the future, there are no more mass removals.

What we are trying to avoid is the concentration of people. We have several red areas that are being monitoredwe are recommending that people leave the beach areas in a civilized way to avoid more rigorous measures later, he noted adding that up until now, it has not been necessary to use public force to ask people to withdraw from the beach.

Hedding Medina says the situation with people heading to the beaches is due to the lack of awareness in a good portion of the population, despite the fact that the epidemic is still active.
There were no Ukrainian army casualties.

Russia's hybrid military forces on July 28 fired one provocative shot from a grenade launcher in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, amid the newly-agreed truce.

Read alsoKremlin names condition for Russia's return to JCCC in Donbas

"In the past day, units of the Joint Forces recorded only one shot fired by the Russian Federation's armed formations from an under-barrel grenade launcher near the village of Shumy. The shot was random and provocative, so our soldiers did not fire back," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in a Facebook update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on July 29, 2020.

There were no Ukrainian army casualties, it said.

"It should be emphasized that measures of a full and comprehensive ceasefire allow Ukrainian soldiers to return fire when the enemy violates the [peace] agreements and jeopardizes the life and health of [Ukrainian] servicemen," it said.

The enemy did not attack Ukrainian positions from 00:00 to 07:00 Kyiv time on July 29.
In his own statement Wednesday, CTU President Jesse Sharkey did not directly address whether the his membership would consider another strike if schools reopen this fall, having walked off the job just last October for 11 school days. The union, which is affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, said CPSs hybrid proposal simply lacks the essential guarantees or details to ensure the safety of students, families and educators this fall.
Van Gogh spent his final day working on the painting Tree Roots - Van Gogh Museum

An art expert has pinpointed the exact spot where Vincent van Gogh was painting just hours before he shot himself, museum officials announced on Tuesday at a ceremony commemorating the 130th anniversary of his suicide.

The picture, Tree Roots, was identified as the Dutch post-impressionist painters last work a few years ago. Now, an early postcard has made it possible to locate the scene it depicts in Auvers-sur-Oise, a village north of Paris.

Willem van Gogh, the great-grandson of the artists brother Theo, and Emilie Gordenker, director of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, unveiled a plaque at the spot, which will soon be opened to the public.

It is a short walk from the Auberge Ravoux, the former inn where Van Gogh spent his last 70 days before dying in his garret room on 29 July 1890.

A postcard from 1905 led Mr. van der Veen to his discovery - Van Gogh Museum

Wouter Van der Veen, scientific director of the Vincent Van Gogh Institute at Auvers-sur-Oise, said he found the location partly thanks to the coronavirus lockdown.

I was stuck at home, like everyone else, and I started tidying up my things, he said. A few years ago I had digitised some old postcards dating between 1900 and 1910 that belonged to an elderly lady in Auvers. I had one on my screen showing a cyclist stopped beside a path, which today is Rue Daubigny. My eye was drawn to the foreground, which showed a tree with its roots. Suddenly I realised I had already seen this image.

Mr Van der Veen spent two days comparing the postcard photo to the painting. The more I looked, the more I saw that the images matched.

Dominique-Charles Janssens, head of the Vincent Van Gogh Institute, said: I knew the spot, 150 metres (164 yards) from the Auberge. Incredibly, almost nothing had changed since the postcard photo was taken. All we had to do was a bit of digging to uncover the tree roots and we realised Wouter was right.

Mr Van der Veen believes Van Gogh completed the painting on 27 July before shooting himself that evening beside wheat fields on the edge of the village. He is then presumed to have returned to the auberge, where he died of his wound two days later.

Story continues

Some researchers have controversially suggested that the death was not suicide, but murder or a tragic accident, a claim discounted by Mr Van der Veen.

A 2018 film, At Eternitys Gate, dramatised the theory that the fatal shot was accidentally fired by two teenagers playing with hunting guns.

The Auberge Ravoux is now a restaurant, where visitors are allowed to see Van Goghs bedroom, with its period furniture much as it was when he stayed there.
Vietnam will borrow 36.6 billion yen ($348.66 million) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to build six patrol boats.

The vessels, scheduled to be delivered to the Coast Guard by October 2025, are aimed at strengthening law enforcement and maritime rescue operations and ensuring security, maritime safety and freedom of navigation in Vietnam, JICA said in a statement.

The 40-year loan has a grace period of 10 years, and the vessels would be built by a Japanese company.

Details about the vessels have not been disclosed.

The South China Sea, known as the East Sea in Vietnam, is severely affected by natural disasters, which pose a high risk of maritime accidents, JICA said.

In recent years smuggling, illegal fishing and the risk of terrorism have increased, and so strengthening maritime capability and safety is one of Vietnams key tasks, it said.

Vietnam and some other Southeast Asian countries are locked in maritime disputes in the South China Sea as China claims 90 percent of the potentially energy-rich waters.

China has been ramping up its aggressive behavior in the waters since the start of this year while other countries have been focused on combating the Covid-19 outbreak.

The U.S. earlier this month released statements supporting Southeast Asian nations including Vietnam in their disputes with China at sea.

The statement rejected China's claims to most of the waterway, including waters surrounding Vietnam's Vanguard Bank, Luconia Shoals off Malaysia, waters in Bruneis EEZ, and Natuna Besar off Indonesia.

Australia last week joined the U.S. in stating that China's claims in the South China Sea do not comply with international law.

Last year the U.S. announced it would provide Vietnam with another coast guard cutter for its growing fleet, in addition to at least 18 "Metal Shark" patrol boats it provided to Vietnam in the last three years to boost its ability to patrol its waters.
Big retailers have made strong statements recently about their new rules requiring customers to wear face masks when shopping, saying that the health of their workers and customers is paramount.

But when it comes to enforcing those mandates, the companies are taking a decidedly hands-off approach, writes Michael Corkery:

Walmart has told employees that they should not prevent a customer from entering the store if they refuse to wear a mask. Walgreens said that for the safety of our team members the company would not bar customers without masks from its stores. Lowes also said it would not ask our associates to put their safety at risk by confronting customers about wearing masks. Many shoppers and workers say the retailers reluctance to police their customers mask wearing ultimately renders the new rules toothless and will perpetuate the spread of the coronavirus. And workers find themselves thrust onto the front line of a cultural and political war over masks that can lead to ugly confrontations and, at times, violence. Last weekend, two episodes stood out: In one, a video of an altercation involving two shoppers in Walmart wearing masks with a Nazi swastika went viral, while a man was arrested after an incident in a Walmart in Palm Beach County, Fla., in which he pulled a gun on another shopper who had asked him to put on his mask.

Some shoppers say the retailers are taking the easy way out by announcing mask policies that are not true mandates. But retailers are likely on solid legal ground if they decline service to someone refusing to wear a mask, especially if they offer alternative ways for customers to shop, such as home delivery and curbside pickup.
There are four key reasons why Iraq is increasing the pace of development on a number of its major oil fields right now. First, it needs the money; second, hitting its own output targets will allow it to challenge Saudi Arabia in Eastern markets; third, it will allow Iran to increase its own oil exports; and, fourth, it is what China wants. Last weeks announcement from Iraqs Oil Ministry that its Gharraf oilfield has started preparatory works for restarting output  so quickly after the announcement that a major drilling progamme will soon begin on the Nasiriyah site  fits into all of these categories. Just like those of its neighbour, Iran  which continues to wield decisive power over it through its military and political proxies  Iraqs finances are in a very poor state indeed. Only a month or so ago, Iraqs economic parliamentary committee suggested that international oil companies be paid with crude oil rather than cash or cash-equivalents as a means to reduce near-term state expenditure. It also proposed delaying payments of foreign debt, introducing salary cuts of 60 per cent for various state sector employees, and reducing all non-essential spending. The negative effects on oil pricing that resulted from Saudi Arabias latest oil price war and outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic have been compounded by the never-ending squabbling over the oil-for-budget payments arrangement with the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq.

The previous OPEC+ production deal has made the situation worse for the country, which still has around 90 per cent of its government revenues come from oil sales. Overall in June, Iraqs oil production (including output from the Kurdish region) fell by 9 per cent, averaging 3.698 million bpd against 4.068 million bpd in May. Although this is more than Iraqs quota under the OPEC+ deal (3.592 million bpd), it is still the lowest level for five years. Worse still, Iraq has pledged to make up this production overshoot by cutting back output even more this month, and in August and September, which will translate into even less oil revenues.

The timing for this could not be worse as, in the next few weeks, Iraqs new Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, will need to come up with at least IQD12 trillion (US$10 billion) just to pay the next two months salaries of more than four million employees, retirees, state beneficiaries, and the food relief for low-income families, which together constitute the majority of households in Iraq. It is believed in Iraqi government circles that any failure to pay any of these obligations could result in the sort of widespread protests that occurred at the end of last year.

Related: Could Rising US-China Tensions Change Global Energy Markets?

The intention, then, is to restart production at Gharraf as soon as the preparatory works have been completed. This is currently being worked on by the principal field developer, Malaysias Petronas (45 per cent stake), following a suspension in production on 16 March due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite this, Japex (30 per cent stake), took one million barrels of Basrah Light at the end of March, albeit a substantial reduction from the two million barrels it loaded in December. The remaining 25 per cent stake in Gharraf is held by Iraqs own North Oil Company.

One of two major oil fields in southern Iraqs ThiQar Province (the other being Nasiriyah), Gharrafs progress had not been hampered by the usual shenanigans (endemic corruption, sectarianist conflict, lack of real governance) that have held back the development of Iraqs oil industry for years. Instead, under the singular drive of its two main foreign developers (Petronas and Japex), it was developed after the second round of oil field licensing in December 2009 with a degree of urgency in line with the two firms respective governments energy security needs. With the deal offering a remuneration fee to the firms of US$1.49 per barrel, after an initial output target of 35,000 barrels per day (bpd) was achieved, the two firms determination to press forward on the 1 billion barrel of oil reserves field was in evidence from day one.

Having placated the local tribesmen who refused to cede their ancestral lands peacefully, preparatory work was able to start on the field. The first phase saw the swift construction of the initial surface facilities for production, including a degassing facility with two trains of 50,000 bpd each, eight storage tanks, piping, atmosphere flares and other ancillary infrastructure. The construction of pumping stations, access roads and spillways, fencing, high-density polyethylene piping, a 15 megawatt captive power plant, and the installation of approximately 1,533 helical piling to support the above-ground pipeline were also completed very soon after the dispute had been settled. This allowed for drilling to begin in September 2011, initially using two rigs, with the objective being to drill 150 wells in the first phase of development.

Related: Oil Rallies On Biggest Crude Inventory Draw Since 2019



In just over two years, output from the field hit 60,000 bpd. At that point, in order to expedite further production increases, the development partners  which had budgeted US$8 billion for the field to reach its plateau production target of 230,000 bpd by 2017  sent a call for tender to engineering companies to bid for a US$100 million engineering, procurement and construction contract to build the Gharraf Light Oil Transport System (LOTS). This would allow for around 300,000 bpd of output to be carried from the two fields of Gharraf and Badra. Phase one of the project  under the management of Petronas and Japex  consisted of the construction of a 92 kilometre pipeline moving oil from the central processing facility of the Badra field (managed by Russias Gazprom Neft) - the Gharraf-Badra tie-in area (GBTA) - to a storage depot at Nasiriyah, which would then be forwarded to the Al Fao export terminal in Basra.

The Russians completed their part of this in March 2014, enabling the second phase pipeline  catering for oil from the Yamama reservoir of the Gharraf field - to come on-stream at the end of 2016/beginning of 2017. By this time, Gharraf was producing around 150,000 bpd, having seen output rise from 60,000 bpd at the end of 2013 to 100,000 bpd in 2014. Subsequently, production at Gharraf has dipped (to an average of around 93,000 bpd in January) due to delays in drilling work, but Petronas and Japex have stated their intentions to raise output to the original 230,000 bpd target, albeit now by the end of 2020.

The more oil produced from Gharraf, the better for Iraqs finances, and also for Irans. As highlighted by OilPrice.com, by far the most undetectable method of allowing Iranian oil to make its way to any destination in the world, regardless of U.S. sanctions, is to either blend it in with Iraqi oil or simply just to label it as Iraqi oil. Not only does Iraq share an extremely long and extremely porous border with Iran but the two countries actually share many oilfields, with the oil on the Iraqi side of the border being drilled from exactly the same reservoirs as the oil being drilled on the Iranian side. Even if the Americans actually stationed people at every single drilling rig in every single shared field in Iraq they wouldnt be able to tell if the oil coming out it was from the Iraq side or the Iranian side, a senior oil and gas industry source who works closely with Irans Petroleum Ministry told OilPrice.com last week.

This means that the more these shared fields are developed by Iraq, the better for Iran, and also means that Irans ongoing efforts to drive a wedge between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. can advance at a greater pace. It is absolutely a core strategy of China, Russia, and Iran, to end the longstanding relationship between the U.S. and Saudi [analysed in my latest book on the global oil market] because, without U.S. support, Saudi will be the second power in the Middle East, after Iran, said the Iran source. After the Saudis latest oil war, its relationship with the U.S. has never been so in danger of collapsing, so in addition to keeping the military pressure on Saudi via the Houthi threat Iran is looking to replace Saudi oil sales in the East, especially China, with its own, he added. And, as we have seen in recent days, Chinas 25-year deal with Iran stacks the odds in Irans favour in enabling Tehran to achieve this, he concluded.



By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday expanded the state's mandate for face coverings, requiring residents older than 5 to wear masks while indoors in public spaces and outdoors when social distancing is not possible.

Hogan, a Republican, also warned against travel to states with high levels of novel coronavirus infections, ordering residents to be tested and to quarantine until they receive results. The directives are the latest actions taken across the greater Washington region to slow the spread of the virus.

"Wearing masks is the single best mitigation strategy that we have to fight the virus, and the science and data are very clear," Hogan said. "If you do nothing else, wearing a mask alone would help us significantly slow the spread of this virus and continue on the road to health and economic recovery."

Under the order, masks will be required at all businesses, commercial office buildings and locations that have public areas, including houses of worship, casinos, gyms and personal service establishments. It goes beyond Hogan's previous order, which required masks inside grocery stores, pharmacies, retail stores, restaurants and when using public transportation.

The expanded mask order takes effect at 5 p.m. Friday. It follows a 28% increase in hospitalized coronavirus patients over the past two weeks in Maryland.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, issued a similar mask mandate last week and a more strict travel advisory that requires self-quarantining after arrival from 27 states. Virginia has not issued a travel advisory.

The governor noted that Maryland is not among 21 states the federal government designated as hot spots, but rising numbers elsewhere prompted him to strongly urge residents to avoid travel to states with positivity rates that exceed 10%. Those states, as of Wednesday, included Arizona, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina and Texas.

If travel cannot be avoided, Hogan recommended that residents be tested and self-quarantine until they receive results. The travel advisory takes effect immediately.

As cases rose in Maryland's most populous counties, local leaders pressed the Hogan administration to roll back permitted activities. Hogan said Wednesday that it is the "sole responsibility" of local governments to crack down on businesses that do not heed existing restrictions, adding that localities have the authority to issue additional restrictions.

"They didn't follow our plan when deciding when to open. They don't have to follow our plan when deciding when to close," Hogan said. "They can do what they want."

Hogan said contact-tracing data indicates that gatherings of family and friends have been a large source of recent infections: In the past six weeks, 44% of the people were at family gatherings and 23% had attended a house party.

"There's a false sense of a security when you're spending time with family and friends," he said. "You can just as easily get this virus just by going to work in an office, or just by attending a backyard barbecue. . . . We can't let our guard down."

A rising number of hospitalized patients - who tend to skew younger now than earlier in the pandemic - also led Hogan to "pause" his reopening plan in the current Phase 2.

Bowser said Wednesday that the city has no timetable for moving to the next phase of recovery, but that D.C. is adjusting a key metric that helps to guide its preparedness.

The mayor said D.C. is lowering the threshold from a 10% testing positivity rate to 5%. And the positivity rate in D.C. will be calculated using a seven-day rolling average instead of a daily rate, she said.

Explaining the change, Health Director LaQuandra Nesbitt said officials have a better understanding of how to measure progress toward an expanded reopening, compared with when they originally set goals for moving beyond the second phase.

"We now have far more evidence that suggests that in order for a rebound not to occur - for you to have a second peak or second wave after you turn on more activity - that percentage should be below 5," Nesbitt said.

The city is below that new mark, with a test positivity rate of 3.7%.

Nesbitt said switching to a seven-day rolling average helps to mitigate testing discrepancies, such as recurring dips in the number of Saturday and Sunday tests. Fewer people are tested on weekends, she noted, often resulting in heightened positivity rates for those days.

Bowser also reminded residents to adhere to the city's latest quarantine order, which places restrictions on travelers coming into the city from high-risk states.

"We want residents to take a look at the list and make smart, safe decisions about traveling - and be mindful about how traveling could affect our community," she said. "Now is just not the time to travel to many locations where the virus is circulating."

Bowser also advised business owners to call police if they encounter a customer who refuses to wear a mask. Asked about instances in which D.C. police have not enforced mask orders, Bowser pushed for a community response.

"Let's not act like we haven't spent the past six weeks saying that the police shouldn't lock up young Black people," she said. "Our communities have to take some responsibility, including [neighborhood] commissioners, in saying this activity is anti-public-health, anti-us-getting-back-on-our-feet, and we have to bond together to put an end to it."

In Virginia, the state's top health official said Wednesday that people are still gathering at bars, beaches and barbecues during this first wave of the virus, even as schools are preparing to reopen.

"No one really knows whether we will get a second wave," said Norman Oliver, director of the Virginia Department of Health. "If it happens in the fall, it will be in a time period when we expect an influenza outbreak as well."

Oliver said residents' actions could spare "hundreds and thousands of people" from contracting covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Statewide, 23% of coronavirus cases involve African Americans, 40% are Latinos and 4% are Asian Americans, he said. Those numbers vary by locality, with Fairfax County's Latino population accounting for 40% of known cases in the state's largest jurisdiction.

Preliminary data indicates that 2.4% of Virginians have antibodies related to the coronavirus, Oliver said.

"The big takeaway is that the overwhelming majority of the commonwealth is still vulnerable to this infection and must continue to take precautionary measures," he said.

He announced that the Virginia Health Department is launching an app next week that will allow people to check whether they are being sought by the state's 1,500 contract tracers, indicating they might have been exposed to the virus. Virginia is averaging about 16,000 coronavirus tests per day, Oliver said, adding that the seven-to-10-day wait for test results from private labs remains a concern.

Virginia officials on Tuesday pulled back on some activities that previously were allowed in the hard-hit Hampton Roads area. Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, announced that restaurants in that region will be limited to 50% capacity for indoor dining, will have to stop serving alcohol after 10 p.m. and will have to close at midnight. In addition, gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited.

D.C., Maryland and Virginia on Wednesday reported 1,814 new cases and 51 new deaths, bringing the number of cases to 186,277 and the death toll to 6,187 since the start of the pandemic.

Virginia reported 999 new cases and 30 deaths. Maryland reported 761 new cases and 20 deaths, while D.C. reported 54 cases and one additional fatality.

The average weekly caseload in D.C. has risen to 69 new cases per 100,000 residents as of Wednesday, compared with 34 at the start of July. For Maryland, the weekly caseload stands at 102 per 100,000 residents, while in Virginia it's 90 - more than double the number at the start of the month in both states.

Baltimore City this week recorded its highest seven-day average caseload since the pandemic began, hitting a high Wednesday of 155 cases. Baltimore County also saw its highest daily averages this week.

- - -

The Washington Post's Erin Cox contributed to this report.
John Storey/Special to the Chronicle

The Zin-centric Brown Estate brings a piece of its remote vineyard to the heart of Napas downtown. The vineyards history dates back to 1980, when Bassett and Marcela Abrahams Brown, who immigrated from Jamaica and Panama respectively, purchased property in what is today the Chiles Valley AVA. This lesser-known sub-appellation nests itself within the Vaca Mountain range, southeast of Howell Mountain. After extensive restoration of the buildings on site, the Browns planted vines and eventually began selling their fruit, primarily Zinfandel and Cabernet, to such notable customers as Green & Red and Mike Grgich. By the 1990s, the next generation  Deneen, David and Coral Brown  entered the family enterprise, harvesting the first vintage for their own label in 1996. The winery also carries the distinction of being Napas first black-owned winery.

While tours of the Chiles Valley property are exclusive to wine club members, Browns downtown Napa tasting room is, in a word, swanky. Little of the space screams Wine Country, but the muted light, matte gold accents and exposed brick walls will excite design lovers. Its a welcome change of pace to taste wine somewhere that feels more like a West Village bar than a western Connecticut country club. The experience is only made brighter by the friendly and knowledgeable staff, clearly passionate about the wines theyre pouring.
A student with cerebral palsy in east Chinas Anhui province has inspired his peers by achieving outstanding results in his gaokao, the countrys college entrance exam. Yao Junpeng, 19, was born with the disease, but never gave up on his studies. When he received his college entrance exam results, he found that he had scored 623 points, 108 higher than the enrollment cut-off point for key universities in China. As the disease posed a huge physical challenge, he had to write very slowly. During high school, Yao was unable to complete his essays in the Chinese language exams, which was the most challenging issue for him, as students have to compose an essay in the gaokao. This year, the high school and his parents submitted applications to the local examining authority for him to be allowed extra time during the exam, which was approved. The extra time was a great help to him, allowing him to complete the essay. Yao was grateful to his parents and all his teachers, from primary school to high school, and wrote a thank-you message to them. Its hard to imagine what great efforts must have been needed for a young man with cerebral palsy who cannot take care of himself to exceed himself, said his head teacher, adding that Yaos perseverance, hard work and optimism have inspired his classmates. Many social medial users were moved by his story. You have a bright future. We can well imagine what great efforts he has made. Yao hopes to be admitted to a university in Shanghai or Nanjing, which are both close to his hometown, so as to reduce the burden on his parents.


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Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan has shared a monochrome picture of her son Taimur Ali Khan, posing with his cousin Inaaya Naumi Kemmu, as a part of the ongoing #ChallengeAccepted Instagram trend, which aims to empower women around the world.

She captioned her post, Empower. Support. Love. Never lose the child in you. The picture shows the two children posing for the camera, wearing fancy hats. Kareena tagged Anaita Shroff Adajania, Katrina Kaif and Lakshmi Lehr to continue the chain.

Previously, actors Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Malaika Arora, Samantha Akkineni, and Shahid Kapoors wife, Mira Rajput, also shared posts. Bhumi Pednekar also shared a gorgeous black-and-white picture and wrote: Love,Support,Be kind & Fly High #ChallengeAccepted. Dia Mirza added hers and said: Challenge Accepted. Strong women uplift each other.

Huma Qureshi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Taapsee Pannu, Bipasha Basu, Ekta Kapoor, Lisa Ray, Kalki Koechlin, Shilpa Shetty and Ananya Panday also shared monochrome pictures.

Also read: Janhvi Kapoor, Mira Rajput, Sara Ali Khan share stunning black-and-white pics, fans say youre always ready for the challenge

Actor Zareen Khan told Hindustan Times, I think its a great challenge where women are uplifting each other and spreading positivity, its much needed. In a world where women are always taught to take/see each other as competition and create insecurities among themselves, this challenge is all about spreading positivity and supporting each other. Sophie Choudry added, At a time like this, we are all finding ways to connect with each other and lift each others spirits. Social media can be such a toxic place so its lovely when we can turn it into something so beautiful and positive.

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ConveGenius, one of India's leading Edtech social enterprise working to reduce the existing learning and skill gap through affordable means of tech-enabled teaching and learning, is launching an expansive pan-India campaign #EdtechforNayaBharat. Under the campaign, the social enterprise will provide high-quality education and essential resources to the 100 million students at the bottom of the education funnel.

With the sudden onset of online education around the country, there is a large group of students who are missing out because of the lack of resources. Most of them belong to low-income families and study in government or affordable private schools. To attain this goal, ConveGenius has collaborated with state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Goa etc to reach a majority of students. They also work with corporates, NGOs, and affordable private schools to offer personalized and adaptive learning methods that can be accessed anywhere and anytime.

ConveGenius is the #EdTechforNayaBharat as its hardware and connectivity agnostic platform is highly scalable with the lowest cost-per-student model addressing the mass market. The campaign is diverse as the platform is available in 9 vernacular languages and caters to 20+ curriculums followed by different schools and learning centers for quick and reliable execution.

ConveGenius was founded in 2013 by Jairaj Bhattacharya and Shashank Pandey and it is all set to prepare for a new India where a student's financial background does not determine their future.

Commenting on this noble mission, Mr. Jairaj Bhattacharya said, The campaign will impact the lives of a vast segment of the under-served population by providing them the benefits of internet technology and innovation to boost their learning process so they can compete with their privileged counterparts through equal resources. It will allow them in leading a prosperous life that will help them unlock more opportunities for their families by securing professional roles that suit their abilities and skills at best. We at ConveGenius, are wholeheartedly dedicated to ensuring the education revolution for each and every student in the country.

With over 560 million internet users, India has the second-highest number of internet users in the world. As an edtech enterprise, ConveGenius strives to empower the national skilling framework by strengthening the country's 100 million students' understanding of core subjects such as Mathematics, Science, English, etc. They will also focus on emerging technological fields such as AI, Big Data, ML, etc. to support a globally committed workforce of the future.

ConveGenius seeks to close the gap in educational achievement for children and youth in India through several impact-driven programs, affordable and scalable technology, and data-led innovation in education. In the long term, we plan to assist students financially by leveraging their learning data to provide them with scholarships and education loans. We will also provide skill and career assistance to students by integrating relevant vocational/skilling opportunities on the platform. The organization is dedicated towards nurturing the foundation of skilled professionals who are based in India yet prepared to take on the world, says Mr. Shashank Pandey
Though everybody is having difficulties because of the pandemic, TV fans are counting on the 2020 Emmy nominations list to distract them for a moment.

However, before celebrating the stars and shows that earned nods this year, many fans are not happy with how more important roles and performances were snubbed.

In the past couple of years, there were loads of popular programs and groundbreaking performances that the Television Academy overlooked.

And this year was no exception.

2020 continues to break everyone's spirits.

Here are some of the stars and shows that should have been nominated because of their outstanding performance.

Kristen Bell

Though Kristen Bell is unforgettable in "Gossip Girl," many people loved her character as Eleanor Shellstrop on "The Good Place."

Her co-stars Ted Danson, who played the role of Michael, William Jackson Harper, who played the role of Chidi Anagonye and D'Arcy Carden, who played the instrumental part of Janet, earned their Emmy nominations.

The finale of "The Good Place" aired early this year, and Kirsten Bell headlined it, as she is also the protagonist on the show. The Television Academy ignored all four seasons of Elenor Shellstrop, and fans of the actress and the show are fuming.

Euphoria

HBO's "Euphoria" was left out as an Outstanding Drama Series by the 2020 Emmy, even though it tackles today's mental illness issues to substance abuse and domestic violence.

It became one of the biggest shows in 2019.

While the Television Academy recognized Zendaya's outstanding yet devastating lead performance playing the role of Rue for Best Actress in a Drama Series, those who were part of the voting council were still reluctant to acknowledge teen dramas as something serious, despite it showing all the serious issues of today's generation.

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon has been extremely busy the past year filming for three shows, "Big Little Lies, "The Morning Show," and "Little Fires Everywhere."

These shows are three astounding shows, but the blonde beauty didn't earn a single nomination for any of her performances.

Pose

Though Billy Porter was able to land himself a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama," the series "Pose" didn't earn a nod from the Television Academy, despite the show turning out to be a great season.

Viola Davis

In 2015, Viola Davis was able to land herself a win for an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

However, in the final season of "How to Get Away With Murder," she was robbed of another trophy opportunity.

Though nobody could ever forget Analiese Keating and her brilliance, as she will be in everybody's hearts and minds forever, it would have been great to see Viola getting honored for her magnificent role one last time.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the most-nominated series is HBO's "Watchmen" with 26 nominations, followed by Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" with 20 nominations, Netflix's "Ozark" and HBO's "Succession" with 18 nominations and Disney+'s "The Mandalorian," NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and Pop TV's "Schitt Creek" each got 15 nominations.

The final round of voting for the 72nd Emmy Awards will start on August 21 and ends on August 31.

The show will be broadcasted on ABC on September 20 and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

Here's the full list of Emmy Awards 2020 nominations.

READ MORE: 3 Reasons That Led to Johnny Depp's Violent Explosions, According to The Sun's Lawyer
Potts bought a three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse with an Ellicott floor plan, one of three floor plans (Arcadia and Tydings II are the others) offered at Stonehaven. The things she likes best about it include the brick facade, the hardwood floors and the kitchen layout. The most impressive feature is the six-foot [island] counter in my gourmet kitchen that has room for six bar stools so that I can entertain while cooking, she says.
It has only been a few days since Kim Kardashian was spotted in tears while in the car with Kanye West for their crisis talk, a week after claiming he wanted a divorce.

The KKW Beauty mogul flew to Wyoming to confront her "Jesus is King" hitmaker husband after claiming that she cheated on him during a couple of now-deleted Twitter outburst.

Kim Kardashian was spotted crying in their car as they spoke after the reality star asked social media users for compassion towards her husband.

A source told The Sun Online that the mom-of-four has returned to California without Kanye West, but is hoping that he will ask for psychiatric help to return to their family when "he is ready."

The source further claimed that the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star feels that Wyoming calms Kanye West's mind as Los Angeles can be stressful.

"She told him not to come back until he feels ready," the source added. "I think she's trying to shelter their children from what's going on until he's better as she's super protective of them."

"Of course, she'd love Kanye to return home and everything to go back to how it was before, but realistically, that's not going to happen."

The source emphasized that for Kim and Kanye West, the children come first, and the SKIMS creator is hoping that the kids will not be affected by what's going on with their dad and their marriage.

Another tipster told Us Weekly, "Her whole family is ensuring that the kids are not witnesses to any of it."

Ever since the 43-year-old Grammy-winning musician tweeted that he has been trying to get out of his marriage to her brunette wife, Kim Kardashian, on the other hand, has also reportedly sought a divorce lawyer.

The source concluded, "There's no way back for them now."

With Kim arriving back in California and leaving behind Kanye in Wyoming, their marriage is in doubt.

Though she is hopeful that her husband will come back, Kim Kardashian fears that Kanye West "may have hit rock bottom" already.

An insider spoke to Page Six and said, "Kim has known about Kanye's bipolar disorder all along, and she has worked hard privately to support him and protect him and their kids."

"But this is the worst episode he has ever had. She fears he may have to hit rock bottom before he finally wakes up and realize what he has done," the insider added.

When Kanye apologized to his wife via Twitter for all the nasty things he had said, it was reported that he then visited a hospital for anxiety.

While it is unusual for a reality star, the 39-year-old wife asked the public to respect their privacy as her husband deals with his mental health issues.

On July 19, at his first presidential campaign rally in South Carolina, Kanye West claimed that he and Kardashian considered aborting their first child, North.

A few days later, Kanye claimed that he had been trying to divorce Kim for two years, and claimed that his mom-in-law Kris Jenner wasn't allowed to see their four children.

READ MORE: Elon Musk Ready to Drop Kanye West Because Of 'Issues'?
Studetns could be allowed to take off masks only during class time.

The Ministry of Education and Science has proposed a mixed form of education in the next academic year, Deputy Minister Liubomyra Mandziy told a Kyiv briefing on Wednesday.

Children could be allowed to take their protective face masks off only during class time, the official explained.

She noted that the Ministry of Education expects to receive as soon as possible from the chief state sanitary doctor a set of approved requirements for compliance with safety measures in educational institutions.

On Thursday, the Prime Minister will hold a conference call with the heads of regional state administrations and chiefs of education departments to discuss preparations for the new academic year, the official said.

"In the near future, a decree of the chief state sanitary doctor will be promulgated, which will lay down the requirements for classroom studies," she added.

The deputy minister has clarified that the document provides for temperature screening (when teachers and students enter the school premises).

Teachers have to wear masks, while students could be allowed to take face masks off during class time, while sporting them during breaks would be mandated as they must "understand the looming threat."

Mandziy recalled that the regions of Ukraine will be divided into four zones ("green", "yellow", "orange", "red") according to the level of COVID-19 spread.

In all zones but the red one, she says, classroom studies will be allowed. At the same time, she said that the ministry would recommend that, by decision of parents and pedagogical community, classes could switch to a mixed form of education.

"But this should be an agreed decision: today it's a certain group of children who attend classes, while tomorrow it's another group. That is, today some use remote technologies, while tomorrow it's the others," the deputy minister explained.

Read alsoUkraine's health minister elaborates on hospitals' readiness for possible second wave of COVID-19

Such form of education, the official suggests, will reduce the number of students in class.

"We will recommend transferring the educational process as much as possible to the schoolyard, outside school walls," she said, stressing that this can be done under favorable weather conditions.

"Under favorable weather conditions, PE lessons should be exclusively held outside, not in gyms," added Mandziy.

She also noted the need for a higher pay to teachers as distance teaching requires more effort.

"Efforts are being made by the government to revise salaries, but it's difficult for me to say when a decision will be made to revise and establish a new tariff scale," added Mandziy.

Read alsoSome 1,505 COVID-19 cases, 42 fatalities reported in occupied Crimea since start of pandemic

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ministry of Education and Science said earlier that children will be able to return to schools on September 1 if their region is beyond the COVID-19 "red zone".
AUDIENCES of Sona 2020, delivered by President Rodrigo Duterte Monday, July 27, at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City must have sat up and listened intently to what matter most to the public the Covid-19 pandemic.

Few survived the Sona. Many switched channels or gadgets while others confessed to having dozed off. Those paying attention must have ears primarily for these:

Reopening, vaccines

First, more quarantines ahead. On the matter of resuming business and social life, he said it is "not an option now as gains will be wasted." His argument: the recent spike in confirmed cases after the restrictions were lifted or relaxed. There goes out the window the expectation of Cebu City shifting from the modified enhanced quarantine or MECQ starting August 1. And no face-to-face classes yet next month, maybe in January.

Second, the coming of vaccines against the coronavirus. He must have been watching the news from the US where the feel-good story was about at least three vaccines undergoing widespread trials (as of Wednesday, July 29). Duterte said, "The vaccine is around the corner. Sooner, not later, the virus that gobble up thousands of live will itself be laid to rest," he said. Dr. Tony Fauci reportedly said the vaccine could be ready in November, a revision on the infection disease expert's earlier prediction of "at yearend or early next year."

There were some items in the Sona that the public must have missed or passed up. They include the following:

[1] BAYANIHAN 2. The title of the first law which gave the President oodles of stand-by money for anti-Covid-19 measures is "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act."

The second Bayanihan bill President Duterte to "swiftly pass" is "Bayanihan to Recover As One Act."

Heal the wounds, then recover the old strength. That assumes the healing is done, along with the spending of the money.

[2] USE OF MILITARY. The President asked that the Barangay Development Plan be implemented, citing as reason for the urgency the deaths of soldiers in clashes. The program, he said will allow the Armed Forces to "play a vital role in the one-nation approach." He must mean ending the communist insurgency or seeing higher visibility of soldiers on streets and other public places.

Story continues

Citing the thrice-extended martial law in Mindanao, he said the military, with the police, showed love for their country. No violations of civil liberties, he said although an NGO alleged more than 8,000 incidents.

[3] TEASING LEGISLATORS, PUBLIC. When Duterte noted from the applause that lawmakers seem lukewarm about returning the death penalty by lethal injection for offenders in drug crimes. "Someday," he said, "I'll tell you the story about the Philippines." Most everyone's curiosity is unavoidably aroused.

[4] THREAT OF VIOLENCE. He said he'd be the enemy of criminals who harm the public: "Bodies will pile up if they return to their ways."

[5] PEOPLE EXPLOITING THE COVID CRISIS. The President slammed Senator Franklin Drilon, along with dealers of illegal drugs, "the corrupt, the grafters and influence peddlers," as well as "profiteers, over-pricers and corrupt felons." Those people, Duterte said, exploited the "fear and confusion" caused by the pandemic.

Lumping legitimate critics with the usual villains in a disaster, plague or other crisis could be off mark. And the advantage-taking charge could be thrown at public officials as well. They could be exploiting the same "fear and confusion" to make such unpopular and ill-timed decisions as passing the Anti-Terrorism Law, shutting down a broadcast network, or pushing abolition of term limit and allowing dynasticism in the Constitution.

[6] IS IT THE LIGHT OR FAILING EYESIGHT? Duterte read the Moody's rating of the country as B2, instead of Baa2, blaming at first "the light I have," then his eyesight, which, he said, "is not good as new." His other jokes or attempts at it were about not understanding what he was reading and the length of the Sona, for which he blamed his writers who kept adding text but not himself who digressed from script and talked a lot more.

[7] LESSONS FROM CRISIS. They are to be learned from the pandemic, Duterte said. The common and obvious ones are these:

-- It is "easier to destroy than to build." (Critics like Drilon and Trillanes?)

-- Government needs support and cooperation of the people. (Along with the plea to set aside politics, that's standard pitch from leaders.)

-- Life is "fickle like the weather." (Politicians know that better than most other people.)

-- Some people "ask for compassion but show none themselves." (ABS-CBN owners and managers?)

[8] IT CAN'T BE SAID HE DIDN'T MENTION CHRIST OR BETHLEHEM. President Duterte did, when he talked about Smart and Globe needing to improve their services before December. "I want to call Jesus Christ to Bethlehem. Better have that line cleared." But nowhere in his speech did he invoke the help of God -- his God or the Catholics' -- in this severe crisis.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is encouraging more widespread use of masks among hospitality workers and older people as community transmission of COVID-19 in Sydney increases.

Ms Berejiklian said it was a "good policy" for hospitality venues to encourage staff to wear masks as the number of cases linked to restaurants and pubs continued to rise.

A pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic at Rushcutters Bay has been set up on Wednesday. Credit:Brook Mitchell

There are 85 cases linked to the Thai Rock restaurant at Wetherill Park, while two are linked to the Thai Rock at Potts Point and one is a staff member at The Apollo restaurant in Potts Point.

One new case reported on Wednesday was also associated with the Crossroads Hotel outbreak, which has had 57 cases.
Kolkata: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for lodging "unwarranted" complaints against him with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said that he does have stakes in the governance of the state and none in politics.

During an online programme where the prime minister inaugurated new COVID-19 testing facilities in West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, Banerjee alleged that "a few people holding constitutional posts" are disturbing the state government regularly, apparently hinting at Dhankhar.

In a letter to the chief minister on Tuesday, the governor said he was "stunned and shocked" by her allegations.

"I take strong exception to such uncharitable, unfounded and unmerited stance. These are unbecoming of the position you hold," he said.

Dhankhar, who had frequent run-ins with the government over several issues including law and order, ration for the poor and education since last September, said her observations are bereft of any fact, premise or foundation and there was not even one illustration to sustain these.

"I am not a stakeholder in politics, but have undoubted stakes in governance in the state given my constitutional obligations and would ever insist supremacy in the constitution and the rule of law in governance. I am required to be aware of the state of affairs and also affairs of state.

"I have scrupulously adhered in my actions to constitutional prescriptions, while you have, in spite of my umpteen suggestions, all through practised constitutional distancing and making my role as governor and chancellor dysfunctional," the letter read.

Training his guns at the police department, which is under Banerjee, Dhankhar claimed that governance in the state is police driven.

"Police in the state have fingers in every pie and this does not augur well for democracy. Inputs indicate that the governance in the state is Police driven-a worrisome scenario that leads to a police state. Time to take note of the fiscal empowerment of those in Police, in positions of authority, and it will be an eye-opener, as asserts," he said.

Expressing concern over the alleged deterioration of law and order in West Bengal, Dhankhar had last week said the state police were not functioning according to rules and urged the chief minister to find time and interact with him on the matter.

Dhankhar last week called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and said he discussed the alarming rise in COVID-19 deaths and positive cases, lawlessness and wanton targeting of political opponents, and rampant corruption in Cyclone Amphan relief.

The face-off between the West Bengal government and the Raj Bhavan had escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Banerjee accusing Dhankhar of repeatedly interfering in the functioning of the state administration, and the latter asserting that a state cannot be governed as someone's "personal fiefdom".

On July 16, after the governor said that the education system in West Bengal is "politically caged", Banerjee alleged that the governor was acting "more dangerously" than a BJP mouthpiece and that doesn't suit someone holding a constitutional post.
SAO PAULO, Brazil  A genocide is taking place. COVID-19 has already killed 88,000 people in Brazil, and it will only get worse.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

SAO PAULO, Brazil  A genocide is taking place. COVID-19 has already killed 88,000 people in Brazil, and it will only get worse.

When I remember that in the Vietnam War, which lasted 20 years, the lives of 58,000 American soldiers were sacrificed, I know the scope of the seriousness of what is happening in my country. This horror causes outrage and revulsion because we all know that precautionary and restrictive measures, adopted in so many other countries, could have prevented such a death toll.

This genocide is not the result of indifference by the government of President Jair Bolsonaro. It is intentional.

Bolsonaro is pleased with the death of others. When he was a federal deputy, he declared in a TV interview: "By voting you will not change anything in this country, nothing, absolutely nothing! It will only change, unfortunately, if one day we go to a civil war here, and do the work that the military regime did not do: kill some 30,000."

By voting in favour of former President Dilma Rousseffs impeachment, he offered his vote in memory of the most notorious torturer in the Army, Col. Brilhante Ustra.

One of his main government policies is to facilitate the arms and ammunition trade.

Asked at the door of the presidential palace if he did not care about the victims of the pandemic, he replied: "I do not believe in these numbers," (March 27, 92 deaths); "We will all die one day," (March 29, 136 deaths); "So what? What do you want me to do?" (April 28, 5,017 deaths).

Why this policy? From the beginning, he declared that the important thing was not to save lives, but to save the economy. Hence, his refusal to declare a lockdown, comply with World Health Organization guidelines and import respirators and personal protective equipment. The Supreme Court had to delegate this responsibility to governors and mayors.

Bolsonaro did not even respect the authority of his own health ministers. Since February, Brazil has had two, both fired for refusing to adopt the attitude of the president.

Now at the head of the health ministry is Gen. Eduardo Pazuello, who understands nothing about the health issue. He tried to hide the data on the increasing number of victims of the coronavirus, he employed 38 military personnel in key ministry functions even though they lacked required qualifications, and he cancelled the daily interviews from which the population received guidance.

It would be exhausting to list here the number of measures to release resources to help victims and low-income Brazilians that have never been implemented.

The reasons for the criminal intent of the Bolsonaro government are evident: let the elderly die to save social security resources, let those with pre-existing illnesses die to save health system resources, let the poor die to save the resources of social programs intended for the 52.5 million Brazilians living in poverty and the 13.5 million who are in extreme poverty.

Not satisfied with such lethal measures, the president has now vetoed, in the bill sanctioned March 7, the part that required the use of masks in commercial establishments, religious temples and educational institutions. He also vetoed the imposition of fines for those who break the rules and the governments obligation to distribute masks to the poorest, who are the main victims of COVID-19, and to 750,000 prisoners. These vetoes, however, do not annul local laws that already establish the mandatory use of a mask.

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On July 8, Bolsonaro overturned sections of the Senate-approved law that required the government to provide drinking water and hygiene and cleaning materials, Internet facilities and distribution of basic seeds and agricultural tools to Indigenous villages.

He vetoed emergency funds for Indigenous health and access by Indigenous and Quilombolas (the descendants of Africans enslaved in Brazil who escaped from plantations) to emergency aid, the equivalent of $120 for three months. He also vetoed the governments obligation to offer more hospital beds, ventilators and blood oxygenation machines to Indigenous and Quilombola peoples, who have been decimated by the growing socio-environmental tragedy, especially in the Amazon.

Please spread the word about this crime against humanity as much as possible. The denunciations of what happens in Brazil must reach the media, digital networks, the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and the International Court of Justice at The Hague, as well as the banks and companies that shelter such investors, coveted by the Bolsonaro government.

Long before The Economist newspaper did it on digital networks, I treated the president as "Bolso Nero"  while Rome burns, he plays the lyre and advertises chloroquine, a drug with no scientific efficacy against the new coronavirus. However, its manufacturers are political allies of the president.

Only pressure from abroad will be able to stop the genocide that is plaguing our beloved and wonderful Brazil.

Frei Betto, a Dominican friar, is a liberation theologian who has written 56 books, published in 23 languages.
Winners to be Announced during Live Virtual Event Hosted by Kevin Hart

- Event to take place virtually online on August 5th 2020

- Campaign inspired by recent launch of Emirates Mars Mission's Hope Probe

- Unites people to achieve the impossible

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The five finalists of the UAE's trending MarsShot campaign, inspired by the Emirates Mars Mission's (EMM's) recently launched Hope Probe, have been shortlisted. The top three winners will be announced on August 5th during a live streaming event hosted by superstar Kevin Hart who will be joined by celebrity guest judges including Grammy Award-winning musician, entrepreneur, and philanthropist with a focus on youth STEAM programs, will.i.am; Award-winning storyteller, podcaster, author and former monk Jay Shetty and Humanitarian and Co-Founder of Global Citizen, Hugh Evans, with more names to be announced shortly. Her Excellency Noura bint Mohamed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth for the United Arab Emirates, is also part of the celebrity judging panel.

From the total number of applicants, ranging from artists and storytellers to humanitarians and environmentalists, the top five finalists catapulted to the live event after an online public vote are: Dolly Aswani, 24, from India, Ward Taim Hassa, 14, from Syria, Reina Ozbay, 11, from The USA, Astrid Corina, 26, from Romania and Williamson Sintyl, 27 from Haiti. The inspiring dreams of the finalists range from building a walk-in center for reading and writing in India, to inspiring the world through music to champion the plight of human trafficking.

During the virtual finale each finalist will be interviewed by the celebrity judging panel who will then select the three winners who will see their Mars Shots become a reality, making the impossible possible.

The global digital campaign, inspired by the UAE's own Mars Shot - the Emirates Mars Mission's Hope Probe that launched in to space on July 20 on an exploratory mission of the Red Planet, is a partnership between the UAE and Hollywood superstar Kevin Hart. It is an ode to the spirit of fearlessness and success that defines the UAE. Its goal is to make people's wildest dreams come true, encouraging people to imagine the impossible and set goals and motivations that show there are limitless opportunities.

Dreamers from across the world were asked to share their dream in a one-minute video posted to their Instagram accounts tagging MarsShot.

Partnering with Kevin Hart

The American stand-up comedian, actor, producer and #1 New York Times bestselling author Kevin Hart has become a widely admired motivational speaker whose inspiring success story continues to present a live embodiment of the power of resilience, positivity and devotion.

Parallel to The Emirates, Hart's unlimited ambitions and determination propelled him to overcome challenges and achieve overwhelming success. He reflects the country's commitment to empowering, lifting and inspiring people from all the world to stay true to their dreams.

Her Excellency Noura bint Mohamed Al Kaabi, said: "The response to this competition has been overwhelming and we look forward to announcing the winners of the MarsShot campaign. Though we are going through a time of unprecedented global change, it is also a time of hope and limitless opportunities, and a time to inspire our youth. The MarsShot is a representation and a message to youth all over the world to dream the impossible, and then achieve it."

Kevin Hart said: "Watching thousands of people dream big, especially during this time, shows the resilience to overcome. I am moved by all the entries and hope this has inspired people to always push forward. I am committed to empowering individuals to change their realities for the better and I could not have wished for a better partner to start this movement than The Emirates."

will.i.am said: "Truly innovative ideas often come from the unlikely candidate. I am honored to be on the Mars Shot judging committee that recognizes and gives new opportunities to outstanding young people who will accomplish great breakthroughs in space using STEAM skills."

Jay Shetty said: "It is so important to encourage each other to dream, especially at a time of so much global change. Dreams can help drive us into the future. Embrace your dreams, not your pain, as pain seeks to pull you back into the past. The response is inspiring to me because it shows me that humanity has the strength to dream even in difficult times."

The Mars Shot campaign is part of the UAE's wider mission to make global contributions that help build a better future for humanity. The UAE is committed to making these dreams a reality.

For more information about the campaign, visit www.marsshot.ae and @marsshotuae

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1221287/Ministry_of_Cabinet_Affairs_Kevin_Hart.jpg
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 13:51:12|Editor: huaxia

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Police officers stand guard on a street near the site of an explosion in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, on July 29, 2020. An explosion rocked in a police station in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Wednesday morning, leaving five people injured including four police. (Xinhua)

DHAKA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- An explosion rocked in a police station in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Wednesday morning, leaving five people injured including four police.

Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Walid Hossain told Xinhua that the blast was caused by crude explosive seized from three terrorists who were arrested Tuesday night.

The incident that happened at about 7:00 a.m. local time Wednesday triggered a panic as the Dhaka's Pallabi Police Station is located in a busy locality.

"All those injured were rushed to a hospital, and we are investigating the incident," said Hossain.

No further details were immediately available.
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A leaked document and email from one Olanrewaju Suraju who claimed to be the Chairman of a Civil Society Against Corruption indicates a desperate move to cast aspersions against the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

The Chairman of Integrity Group Against Corruption, Mr Bello Gambo Iliya showed the leaked email to reporters in Kano on Tuesday.

The leaked email titled Complaint Against Malami was dated Monday 27th July 2020 and signed by one Lanre. The email was intended to garner support from civil society organisations.

The letter reads Dear Colleagues, Iam checking to know if you and your organisation will be interested in jointly signing this document and any other Comrades you know. Please kindly revert ASAP

Thanks

Lanre.

The writer of the email (Lanre) was demanding support to petition President Muhammadu Buhari against the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN.

It could be recalled that Olanrewaju Suraju, claimed to be the Chair of Human and Environment Development Agenda in 2018 when he addressed a press conference on relevant matter and now he chairs Anti-corruption NGO.

Recall that for days, it appears their efforts to get people to own the document failed as he resorted to emailing some NGOs to achieve their sinister motive.

It was clearly verified that the said man was busy struggling to get support from civil society organisations against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Mr Bello, therefore, appealed to Malami to remain resolute in the fight against corruption, adding that peoples like Lanre are survivalists trying to revive themselves through sponsorship against authorities fighting corruption in the country.
Healthy-aging haircare and skincare innovator recognizes veterans and first responders around the world

MONAT Gratitude, Inc., the philanthropic movement behind MONAT Global Corp (MONAT), celebrated veterans and first responders around the world by raising $255,474 through sales of their Grateful Every Day Set. The company donated 100% of every sale from the limited-edition sets to veteran and first responder non-profit organizations in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Poland.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729006037/en/

100% of sales from MONAT's Grateful Every Day Set was donated to nonprofits around the world in support of veterans and first responders (Photo: Business Wire)

In a creative social distancing-friendly twist, the check distribution took place virtually via Instagram and Facebook, and included members of MONAT leadership as well as representatives from each organization.

"Gratitude is what guides each decision we make at MONAT," said Lu Urdaneta, Chief Culture Officer, MONAT Global. "The set is about more than self-care, it spreads the MONATitude of Gratitude to all the brave men and women who sacrifice everything to serve their countries and communities. By supporting our first responders and veterans, we are lifting the spirits of them and their families."

The set featured the fan favorite, More than a Mist fragrant hair and body spray, with a special Gratitude bracelet. Sales from the gift set are donated to organizations that provide necessary services to veterans and first responders that have gone through trauma.

MONAT's Grateful Every Day Set will benefit the following organizations:

The Wounded Warrior Project

The 22 Project

Operation Gratitude

Wounded Warriors, Canada

Blind Veterans UK

Irish Veterans

Stowarzyszenie Rannych in Poland

"Many veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury have significantly improved because of the work we all do," said Alex Cruz, Co-Founder, The 22 Project. "Having partners and friends like MONAT and MONAT Gratitude is the reason why so many of our veterans, Special Ops and soldiers have a chance at a better life."

MONAT Gratitude, Inc. has been an integral part of the MONAT Global company culture since its inception in 2014. The values of gratitude and giving back have always been a high priority for the MONAT team. Today, the organization focuses its giving efforts in three impact areas: families, children and education.

Follow MONAT Gratitude, Inc. on Facebook and Instagram. More information about the efforts and philosophy behind Gratitude can be found at http://monatgratitude.com.

Follow MONAT on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. Additional information about the company can be found at its website, www.monatglobal.com.

About MONAT Gratitude, Inc.

MONAT Gratitude, Inc. has been an integral piece of the MONAT company culture since its inception in 2014. This movement has grown from the Urdaneta family's commitment to instilling gratitude as a core company value. MONAT Gratitude, Inc. partners with innovative nonprofit organizations in its local communities that support efforts under its three pillars: Families, Children and Education. As a movement, MONAT Gratitude, Inc. believes in the power of creating conversations and inspiring a greater network to take action. Due to the passion of our MONAT Market Partners and commitment to making gratitude a part of our business, what started as a series of grassroots volunteering efforts in Miami has spread across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Poland and Ireland.

About MONAT Global

MONAT Global Corp is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alcora Corporation, whose holdings include Project Beauty, an online retail beauty company, and B&R Products, Inc., their research, development and manufacturing Laboratory subsidiary. All three companies are headquartered in and around Miami, Florida. MONAT was founded in 2014 to enter the multi-billion-dollar haircare market and provides groundbreaking opportunities through a novel Social Marketing approach to Direct Sales. In 2019, the company expanded into the skincare market. The company offers a unique and exciting business model and one of the most generous compensation plans in the U.S., Canadian, U.K., Irish and Polish markets.

Availability: www.monatglobal.com

MONATGlobal

Facebook: /MONATOfficial Instagram: @monatofficial YouTube: /MONATOfficial

Twitter: @MONATOfficial Pinterest: /MONATOfficial

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729006037/en/

Contacts:

Maggie Holley

Sunwest Communications for MONAT Global

+1 (214) 641-5200

mholley@sunwestpr.com
(Newser)  GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert, who said last month that he doesn't usually wear a mask on Capitol Hill because he doesn't have the coronavirus, now has the coronavirus, sources tell outlets including Politico and the New York Times. The sources say the Texan lawmaker was tested at the White House Wednesday morning ahead of a trip to his home state with President Trump. Gohmert, 66, has attended multiple congressional hearings this week, including Tuesday's House Judiciary Committee hearing. Lawmakers sat at a distance from each other during the hearing and Gohmert, unlike some of his colleagues, apparently adhered to the requirement that masks be worn when not speaking, but he was seen unmasked in close proximity to Attorney General William Barr during a conversation, the Times reports.

story continues below

Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec says Barr will be tested for the virus Wednesday. In a tweet, Gohmert chief of staff Connie Hair did not confirm or deny the diagnosis, but suggested masks can cause infections, the Washington Post reports. "He was NOT admonished for not wearing a mask because he wore a mask at the hearing, unless he was speaking, and has been wearing one which ensures that you touch things and adjust the mask and whatever you might have touched stays on the mask to infect you," she said in a retort to a tweet from Politico's Jake Sherman. According to Politico, which first reported on the infection, Gohmert told his aides in person about the diagnosis after their story was published. (Read more Louie Gohmert stories.)
The New York Times

After lawmakers collected hundreds of hours of interviews and obtained more than 1.3 million documents about Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, their chief executives will testify before Congress on Wednesday to defend their powerful businesses from the hammer of government.

The captains of the New Gilded Age  Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Tim Cook of Apple, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Sundar Pichai of Google  will appear together before Congress for the first time to justify their business practices. Members of the House judiciarys antitrust subcommittee have investigated the internet giants for more than a year on accusations that they stifled rivals and harmed consumers.

The hearing is the governments most aggressive show against tech power since the pursuit to break up Microsoft two decades ago. It is set to be a bizarre spectacle, with four men who run companies worth a total of around $4.85 trillion  and who include two of the worlds richest individuals  primed to argue that their businesses are not really that powerful after all.

And it will be a first in another way: Zuckerberg, Pichai, Bezos, and Cook will all be testifying via videoconference, rather than rising side-by-side for a swearing-in at a witness table in Washington. Perhaps appropriately, their reckoning will be broadcast online.

It has the feeling of techs Big Tobacco moment, said Gigi Sohn, a former senior adviser at the Federal Communications Commission and a fellow at Georgetown Universitys law school, referring to the 1994 congressional appearance of top executives of the seven largest US tobacco companies, who said they did not believe that cigarettes were addictive.

The hearing, which caps a 13-month investigation by the House subcommittee, will be closely watched for clues that could advance other antitrust cases against the companies. The Federal Trade Commission, for one, is preparing to depose Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives in its 13-month probe of the social network. The Justice Department may soon unveil a case against Google. And an investigation into Apple by state attorneys general also appears to be advancing.

As a result, preparations for the hearing have been frenetic  even with the event postponed by a few days this week to accommodate the commemoration of Rep. John Lewis  as tech lobbyists jockeyed behind the scenes to influence the types of questions that lawmakers might ask.

At the hearing, which starts at noon ET Wednesday, the 15 members of the antitrust subcommittee will have five minutes for each question. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., the chairman of the subcommittee, will control the number of rounds of questioning, potentially stretching questioning into the evening.

The length of the hearing may also be prolonged since the antitrust issues facing Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon are complex and vastly different.

Amazon is accused of abusing its role as both a retailer and a platform hosting third-party sellers on its marketplace. Apple has been accused of unfairly using its clout over its App Store to block rivals and to force apps to pay high commissions. Rivals have said Facebook has a monopoly in social networking. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is dealing with multiple antitrust allegations because of Googles dominance in online advertising, search, and smartphone software.

Democrats may also veer off the topic of antitrust and bring up concerns about misinformation on social media. Some Republicans are expected to sidetrack discussion with their concerns of liberal bias at the Silicon Valley companies and accusations that conservative voices are censored.

There was an attitude these were great American companies that created jobs and that we should have a hands-off approach and let them flourish, Cicilline said in an interview. But there are a lot of serious issues we have uncovered over the course of the investigation that werent apparent when we first began investigating.

Facebook, Amazon, Google, and Apple declined to comment.

For the chief executives, the hearing will be a test of how they perform under fire. Bezos, 56, has not previously testified to Congress, while Cook, 59, and Pichai, 48, have both testified once before. Zuckerberg, 36, the youngest of the group, has the distinction of being the veteran: He has answered questions at three congressional hearings in the past two years as Facebook has dealt with issues such as election interference and privacy violations.

But none are taking any chances for the event to go awry. Zuckerberg, who had been at his 750-acre estate on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, has been preparing for his testimony with the law firm WilmerHale, according to people with knowledge of the matter. And a small team is working with Bezos for his testimony in Seattle, said people with knowledge of the matter.

For weeks, the tech giants have also waged a lobbying battle to soften any blows. All four chief executives planned to call lawmakers on the House subcommittee in the days before the hearing, said three people with knowledge of the preparations who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Big Techs rivals have also jockeyed to have their gripes brought up at the hearing, even if for just a few minutes. The House subcommittee has been flooded with proposed questions, documents and letters from the companies competitors, according to congressional staff and rivals.

Spotify, for instance, submitted questions about Apples dominance of the App Store. GreatFire, a China-based group, sent a letter with nine questions for Cook about Apples censorship of certain apps in China. Blix, a company whose email app competes with Apple and that is suing Apple in federal court for patent infringement, sent five questions to the subcommittee, including one on why Apple ranked its own apps ahead of rivals offerings in its App Store.

Even if the hearing results in more theater than substance, some said the greatest risk to the tech companies was increasing momentum toward regulations.

The CEOs dont want to be testifying. Even having this collective hearing creates a sense of quasi-guilt just because of who else has gotten called in like this  Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Banks, said Paul Gallant, a tech policy analyst at the investment firm Cowen. Thats not a crowd they want to be associated with.

Cecilia Kang, Jack Nicas, and David McCabe c.2020 The New York Times Company
The Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020  or pandemic unemployment payment  what is it?

Previously, the Department of Social Protection relied on Section 202 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act for the legal basis for this emergency payment.

Essentially, the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) was paid as an urgent payment under the legislation governing the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.

While this was appropriate at the time because it was an urgent response, the extension of the period for which the PUP is being made means that it is appropriate now to place it on a discrete statutory footing with the Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020.

Doing so will also mean that the department can make arrangements to attribute full social insurance contributions to recipients of the payment.

So whats different now?

On the face of it, not a lot. The main thing is that you need to be genuinely seeking work to get the PUP payment.

Can I still get a PUP payment if I go on holiday?

Yes, as long as you are travelling to countries on the so-called 'green list'. The minister has said the new legislation being introduced to put the PUP on a statutory footing will mean PUPs will come into line with jobseeker's allowance, so travelling to green-list countries will be allowed.

Will I get my money back if I went on holiday before and had my PUP stopped?

Social protection minister Heather Humphreys has told the Dail a review is under way of all cases (around 200) of people who had their payments stopped but who had not been aware of restrictions that she says were already in place. These reviews relate to people who did not leave the country permanently, but returned after a few weeks.

She has said she will sign a regulation that will allow people receiving the PUP and jobseeker's allowance to travel to green-list countries without having their payments halted.

However, if people want to travel to a non-green list country, it must be for essential reasons such as a bereavement or for health reasons and they must inform their Intreo office beforehand.

Now that the minister has, in effect, done something of a u-turn on holiday entitlements, is that the end of the matter?

No. Far from it. The lawyers at the Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC) believe there still needs to be clarity in relation to jobseeker's allowance and whether or not those who are self-isolating, for whatever reason, may have their payment cut, as the departmental circular indicates that those who are self-isolating may not be genuinely seeking employment.

FLAC managing solicitor Sinead Lucey says FLACs other concerns are the introduction of the requirement to be genuinely seeking work for those on the Covid PUP.

This is, she believes, inconsistent with the idea that the payment was intended for people who had been temporarily laid off. It may also disproportionately affect those with no childcare during the pandemic, as well as small business owners.

So who is carrying out checks at ports and airports?

Department of Social Protection inspectors, backed mostly by uniformed gardai.

What powers do they have?

The legal basis for inspectors approaching people at Dublin Airport is Section 250 (16) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended by Section 17 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012.

This states that for the purposes of ensuring compliance, a social welfare inspector who "has reasonable grounds" to believe there has been a contravention of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012 can question any passenger about "any matter that concerns compliance" with the act.

They can also request any person to produce "any documents or other information as that inspector may reasonably require for the purposes of establishing the identity, and, where appropriate, the habitual residence, of that person".

Are airlines sharing personal details on passengers?

They do, and so does the DAA, but in exactly what context is not clear. However, it is clear now that very little actual information appears to have been shared between the various State agencies in the context of the PUP holiday-entitlement fiasco.

That is because all the inspectors need is a passenger's name and date of birth to ascertain if they are in receipt of PUPs.

In a more general context, the DAA says on its website that data is provided by them to regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies to meet statutory or regulatory obligations.

Agencies the DAA says it may be obliged to share information with include gardai, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), and Revenues tax and customs service.

Aer Lingus says it shares individual passport information and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data. It says it does this where it has to comply with its regulatory obligations and regulations as required by the EU API and PNR directive.

The EU Directive 2016/681, which the Department of Justice says sets down rules on the use of PNR data for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime became effective on May 25, 2018.

It requires airlines to provide advance passenger name record (PNR) information to the authorities on all non-EU flights entering or leaving the State.

Airlines are required to routinely provide specified PNR data in respect of non-EU flights 24 to 48 hours before scheduled departure time and immediately after flight closure. The department also says they may also be required to provide PNR data at other times.

This is, it says, on a case-by-case basis and is where access to that data is required in order to respond to a specific and actual threat related to terrorist offences or serious crime.

All this begs the question  do customers sign consent for this information to be shared as part of their overall agreement to fly with the airline?

The easy answer to that question is, according to Aer Lingus, Yes. Consent is, they say, provided per Aer Lingus general conditions of carriage.

What happens if I refuse to hand over my details?

Garda officers conducting duties alongside welfare inspectors are working in their capacity as immigration officers by the Minister for Justice & Equality in the exercise of the powers conferred on them by Section 3(1) of the Immigration Act 2004.

This gives them the power to detain and examine any person arriving at or leaving any port in the State who is reasonably believed to be a non-national.

It also gives them the power to require people to produce a passport or another equivalent identity document.

Gardai are also acting under the provisions of the Garda Siochana Act 2005 which states, among other things, in Section 7 their role is to protect the security of the State, prevent crime, and detecting and investigating crime.
B: B :  20200729 21:46:11  :B: B : 

:B: B : 

Stock Code: 000553(200553) Stock Abbreviation: ADAMA A(B) Announcement No.2020-38











ADAMA Ltd.



Announcement on the Release of Restricted Shares

issued for the Major Assets Restructuring







The Company and all members of its board of directors hereby confirm that all

information disclosed herein is true, accurate and complete with no false or

misleading statement or material omission.











Highlights:



1. The public trading of the restricted shares will start on August 3rd, 2020;

2. There will be 1,708,450,759 restricted shares to be converted into unrestricted,

accounting for 72.88% of the total equity.





I. Basic Information of the Restricted Shares



1. Issuance of Restricted Shares





According to the "Approval on the Share Issuance of Hubei Sanonda Co., Ltd. to China

National Agrochemical Co., Ltd. for Asset Purchase and Supportive Financing" by

China Securities Regulatory Commission [File No.(2017) 1096 of CSRC], ADAMA

Ltd. (hereinafter referred as the Company) issued common shares of 1,810,883,039

in July 2017 to China National Agrochemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as

"CNAC") to purchase the 100% equity of ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd., a

wholly owned subsidiary of CNAC, at the price of RMB10.20 yuan per share

(hereinafter referred as the major asset restructuring). Details are as follows.



No.



Shareholder



Number of

Shares



Date of

Public

Offering



Restriction

Period



1



CNAC



1,810,883,039



August 2nd,

2017



36 Months



Total



1,810,883,039



-



-













2. Free Transfer and Partial Cancellation of Registration of the Restricted Shares





On June 16th, 2020, CNAC transferred its 1,810,883,039 shares of the Company to

Syngenta Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Syngenta Group") for free.

Therefore, Syngenta Group carries on CNACs commitment for the restricted shares

and continues to lock in these shares within the remaining lock-up period.



On July 13rd, 2020, the Company repurchased 102,432,280 shares from Syngenta

Group and then cancelled the registration in order to fulfill the performance

compensation commitment. As a result, changes to the restricted shares held by

Syngenta Group are as follows.



No.



Shareholder



Number of

Restricted

Shares before

Changes



Number of

Restricted

Shares

Involved in

Changes



Reasons for

Changes



Number of

Restricted

Shares after

Changes



1



Syngenta

Group



1,810,883,039



-102,432,280



Performance

Compensation



1,708,450,759



Total



1,810,883,039



-102,432,280



-



1,708,450,759







As of the disclosure date of this announcement, the Company holds a total equity of

2,344,121,302 shares. The number of shares with their restriction lifted is

1,708,450,759 shares, accounting for 72.88% of the total.



II. Commitment Fulfillment by the Shareholder of Restricted Shares who Apply

to Lift the Trading Restriction



1. Commitment of the Trading Restriction



Shareholder

of the

Restricted

Shares



Commitment



Commitment

Dates



Expiration

Date



Fulfillment

Progress



CNAC and

Syngenta

Group



The new shares of the listed

company increased by the issuance

and asset purchase will not be

transferred in any way within 36

months from the date of its public

offering (except the transfer within

ChemChina and its subsidiaries of

the above-mentioned shares

resulting from the reorganization

and integration or the free transfer

of state-owned assets; the transferee

must continue to lock in the

acquired shares within the



Oct.12th, 2016

and Jan. 7th,

2020



August 2nd,

2020



Completed









Shareholder

of the

Restricted

Shares



Commitment



Commitment

Dates



Expiration

Date



Fulfillment

Progress



remaining lock-up period after the

transfer). According to Article 48 of

the "Management Measures for

Major Asset Restructuring of Listed

Companies", if the closing price of

the listed company's stock remains

lower than the issuance price for 20

consecutive trading days within six

months after the completion of this

transaction, or if the price at the end

of the six-month period after the

completion of the transaction is less

than the issuance price, the lock-up

period will be automatically

extended for at least another six

months. Then when the extended

period expires, the follow-up steps

shall be taken in accordance with

laws, regulations and relevant

requirements of both CSRC and

Shenzhen Stock Exchange.







2. Performance Commitment and Compensation Arrangements for the Major Asset

Restructuring



Shareholder

of the

Restricted

Shares



Commitment



Commitment

Dates



Expiration

Date



Fulfillment

Progress



CNAC and

Syngenta

Group



As for the major asset restructuring,

the compensation obligation for the

performance commitment shall be

fulfilled in compliance with

relevant laws, regulations and the

Performance Compensation

Agreement signed with the listed

company. Under the obligation of

performance compensation, shares

of ADAMA shall be primarily used

for the fulfillment and cash shall be

paid if there is any insufficiency of

the amount.



Sep.13th, 2016

and Jan. 7th,

2020



Dec.31st,

2019



Completed;

please refer to



Announcement

on the

Completion of

Buyback and

Cancellation of

the

Compensation

Shares

(Announcement

No. 36) for

details.







In summary, the shareholder who applied for the release of the trading restriction kept

the above-mentioned commitments.





III. Arrangements for Shares Converted from Restricted to Unrestricted

1. There will be 1,708,450,759 restricted shares to be converted into unrestricted,

accounting for 72.88% of the total equity;

2. The public trading of the restricted shares will start on August 3rd, 2020;

3. Details are presented regarding to the restricted shares to be converted and the

follow-up public offering information.





No.



Shareholder



Total Holdings



Number of

Shares Held

before the

Release of

Trading

Restrictions



Number of

Shares with

Restriction to

be Released



Remaining

Holdings of

Shares with

Restriction



Proportion of

Shares with

Restriction to

be Released to

the Total

Equity



1



Syngenta

Group



1,708,450,759



1,708,450,759



1,708,450,759



0



72.88%



Total



1,708,450,759



1,708,450,759



1,708,450,759



0



72.88%







IV. Change to Shareholding Structure





Types of Shares



Before Releasing the

Restriction



Converted

Shares



After Releasing the

Restriction



Number of

Shares



Proportion



Number of

Shares



Proportion



I. Restricted Shares



1,708,455,259



72.8825%



-1,708,450,759



4,500



0.0002%



Shares Held by

State-owned Legal

Person



1,708,450,759



72.8824%



-1,708,450,759



0



0.0000%



Shares Held by

Domestic Natural

Person



4,500



0.0002%



0



4,500



0.0002%



II. Shares not subject to

Trading Restriction



635,666,043



27.1175%



1,708,450,759



2,344,116,802



99.9998%



RMB Ordinary Shares



468,616,702



19.9911%



1,708,450,759



2,177,067,461



92.8735%



Domestically Listed

Foreign Shares



167,049,341



7.1263%



0



167,049,341



7.1263%



III. Total Shares



2,344,121,302



100.0000%



0



2,344,121,302



100.0000%







Note: The difference of the mantissa, if there is any, between the total shares in the last

row of the table above and the sum of all values along the column is caused by

rounding.



V. Whether shareholders of shares with the trading restriction lifted this time

have occupied the non-operating capital, or illegally bought and sold the

Companys shares; and whether the Company has ever offered illegal guarantees







to any of these shareholders





As of the disclosure date of this announcement, the shareholder who has applied for

lifting the trading restriction of shares did neither occupy the Company's non-operating

funds, nor did it illegally buy and sell the Companys shares; the Company has never

illegally offered guarantee to the shareholder.



VI. Disposal and Shareholding Reduction Planning of the Controlling

Shareholder of the Company for Shares with the Trading Restriction to be Lifted





As the controlling shareholder of the Company, Syngenta Group applying for lifting the

trading restriction has temporarily no plan to sell more than 5% of relevant shares

through the auction trading system run by Shenzhen Stock Exchange within six months

after the conversion is complete.



If it does plan to do so in the future and its shareholding drops more than 5% within six

months from the first reduction, it promises to release the informative announcement to

the public through the listed company within two trading days from the first reduction.



In the informative announcement, it commits itself to the disclosure of number, time

and price range of shares to be sold as well as reasons of reduction and other details

required by Shenzhen Stock Exchange.



VII. Opinions of the Independent Financial Advisor





After verification, the independent financial advisor have issued their opinions:



1. The public trading of the restricted shares complies with the "Company Law of the

People's Republic of China", "Securities Law of the People's Republic of China",

"Management Measures for Major Asset Restructuring of Listed Companies", "Rules

Governing the Listing of Shares on Shenzhen Stock Exchange" and other relevant laws

and regulations;



2. The shareholder who applied the release of the trading restriction shares did not

violate the commitments it made in the major asset restructuring; the number of shares

with restriction to be released and the time for public trading comply with relevant laws

and regulations and the commitment of the trading restriction;



3. The information disclosure of the public trading of the restricted shares is true,

accurate and complete.



In summary, the independent financial advisor has no disagreement on lifting the

trading restriction of relevant shares.



VIII. Reference Documents







1. Application Form of the Listed Company for Lifting the Trading Restriction of

Relevant Shares;



2. Detailed Table of Equity Structure and Restricted Shares;



3. Application for Restricted Shares to be Converted into Unrestricted Issued by the

Board of the Company;



4. "Verification Opinions on the Public Trading of Restricted Shares for Share Issuance

and Asset Purchase by ADAMA Ltd. issued by Guotai Junan Securities.







Board of ADAMA Limited



July 30, 2020

















 Stock Code: 000553(200553) Stock Abbreviation: ADAMA A(B) Announcement No.2020-38ADAMA Ltd.Announcement on the Release of Restricted Sharesissued for the Major Assets RestructuringThe Company and all members of its board of directors hereby confirm that allinformation disclosed herein is true, accurate and complete with no false ormisleading statement or material omission.Highlights:1. The public trading of the restricted shares will start on August 3rd, 2020;2. There will be 1,708,450,759 restricted shares to be converted into unrestricted,accounting for 72.88% of the total equity.I. Basic Information of the Restricted Shares1. Issuance of Restricted SharesAccording to the "Approval on the Share Issuance of Hubei Sanonda Co., Ltd. to ChinaNational Agrochemical Co., Ltd. for Asset Purchase and Supportive Financing" byChina Securities Regulatory Commission [File No.(2017) 1096 of CSRC], ADAMALtd. (hereinafter referred as the Company) issued common shares of 1,810,883,039in July 2017 to China National Agrochemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as"CNAC") to purchase the 100% equity of ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd., awholly owned subsidiary of CNAC, at the price of RMB10.20 yuan per share(hereinafter referred as the major asset restructuring). Details are as follows.No.ShareholderNumber ofSharesDate ofPublicOfferingRestrictionPeriodCNAC1,810,883,039August 2nd,201736 MonthsTotal1,810,883,0392. Free Transfer and Partial Cancellation of Registration of the Restricted SharesOn June 16th, 2020, CNAC transferred its 1,810,883,039 shares of the Company toSyngenta Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Syngenta Group") for free.Therefore, Syngenta Group carries on CNACs commitment for the restricted sharesand continues to lock in these shares within the remaining lock-up period.On July 13rd, 2020, the Company repurchased 102,432,280 shares from SyngentaGroup and then cancelled the registration in order to fulfill the performancecompensation commitment. As a result, changes to the restricted shares held bySyngenta Group are as follows.No.ShareholderNumber ofRestrictedShares beforeChangesNumber ofRestrictedSharesInvolved inChangesReasons forChangesNumber ofRestrictedShares afterChangesSyngentaGroup1,810,883,039-102,432,280PerformanceCompensation1,708,450,759Total1,810,883,039-102,432,2801,708,450,759As of the disclosure date of this announcement, the Company holds a total equity of2,344,121,302 shares. The number of shares with their restriction lifted is1,708,450,759 shares, accounting for 72.88% of the total.II. Commitment Fulfillment by the Shareholder of Restricted Shares who Applyto Lift the Trading Restriction1. Commitment of the Trading RestrictionShareholderof theRestrictedSharesCommitmentCommitmentDatesExpirationDateFulfillmentProgressCNAC andSyngentaGroupThe new shares of the listedcompany increased by the issuanceand asset purchase will not betransferred in any way within 36months from the date of its publicoffering (except the transfer withinChemChina and its subsidiaries ofthe above-mentioned sharesresulting from the reorganizationand integration or the free transferof state-owned assets; the transfereemust continue to lock in theacquired shares within theOct.12th, 2016and Jan. 7th,2020August 2nd,2020CompletedShareholderof theRestrictedSharesCommitmentCommitmentDatesExpirationDateFulfillmentProgressremaining lock-up period after thetransfer). According to Article 48 ofthe "Management Measures forMajor Asset Restructuring of ListedCompanies", if the closing price ofthe listed company's stock remainslower than the issuance price for 20consecutive trading days within sixmonths after the completion of thistransaction, or if the price at the endof the six-month period after thecompletion of the transaction is lessthan the issuance price, the lock-upperiod will be automaticallyextended for at least another sixmonths. Then when the extendedperiod expires, the follow-up stepsshall be taken in accordance withlaws, regulations and relevantrequirements of both CSRC andShenzhen Stock Exchange.2. Performance Commitment and Compensation Arrangements for the Major AssetRestructuringShareholderof theRestrictedSharesCommitmentCommitmentDatesExpirationDateFulfillmentProgressCNAC andSyngentaGroupAs for the major asset restructuring,the compensation obligation for theperformance commitment shall befulfilled in compliance withrelevant laws, regulations and thePerformance CompensationAgreement signed with the listedcompany. Under the obligation ofperformance compensation, sharesof ADAMA shall be primarily usedfor the fulfillment and cash shall bepaid if there is any insufficiency ofthe amount.Sep.13th, 2016and Jan. 7th,2020Dec.31st,2019Completed;please refer toAnnouncementon theCompletion ofBuyback andCancellation oftheCompensationShares(AnnouncementNo. 36) fordetails.In summary, the shareholder who applied for the release of the trading restriction keptthe above-mentioned commitments.III. Arrangements for Shares Converted from Restricted to Unrestricted1. There will be 1,708,450,759 restricted shares to be converted into unrestricted,accounting for 72.88% of the total equity;2. The public trading of the restricted shares will start on August 3rd, 2020;3. Details are presented regarding to the restricted shares to be converted and thefollow-up public offering information.No.ShareholderTotal HoldingsNumber ofShares Heldbefore theRelease ofTradingRestrictionsNumber ofShares withRestriction tobe ReleasedRemainingHoldings ofShares withRestrictionProportion ofShares withRestriction tobe Released tothe TotalEquitySyngentaGroup1,708,450,7591,708,450,7591,708,450,75972.88%Total1,708,450,7591,708,450,7591,708,450,75972.88%IV. Change to Shareholding StructureTypes of SharesBefore Releasing theRestrictionConvertedSharesAfter Releasing theRestrictionNumber ofSharesProportionNumber ofSharesProportionI. Restricted Shares1,708,455,25972.8825%-1,708,450,7594,5000.0002%Shares Held byState-owned LegalPerson1,708,450,75972.8824%-1,708,450,7590.0000%Shares Held byDomestic NaturalPerson4,5000.0002%4,5000.0002%II. Shares not subject toTrading Restriction635,666,04327.1175%1,708,450,7592,344,116,80299.9998%RMB Ordinary Shares468,616,70219.9911%1,708,450,7592,177,067,46192.8735%Domestically ListedForeign Shares167,049,3417.1263%167,049,3417.1263%III. Total Shares2,344,121,302100.0000%2,344,121,302100.0000%Note: The difference of the mantissa, if there is any, between the total shares in the lastrow of the table above and the sum of all values along the column is caused byrounding.V. Whether shareholders of shares with the trading restriction lifted this timehave occupied the non-operating capital, or illegally bought and sold theCompanys shares; and whether the Company has ever offered illegal guaranteesto any of these shareholdersAs of the disclosure date of this announcement, the shareholder who has applied forlifting the trading restriction of shares did neither occupy the Company's non-operatingfunds, nor did it illegally buy and sell the Companys shares; the Company has neverillegally offered guarantee to the shareholder.VI. Disposal and Shareholding Reduction Planning of the ControllingShareholder of the Company for Shares with the Trading Restriction to be LiftedAs the controlling shareholder of the Company, Syngenta Group applying for lifting thetrading restriction has temporarily no plan to sell more than 5% of relevant sharesthrough the auction trading system run by Shenzhen Stock Exchange within six monthsafter the conversion is complete.If it does plan to do so in the future and its shareholding drops more than 5% within sixmonths from the first reduction, it promises to release the informative announcement tothe public through the listed company within two trading days from the first reduction.In the informative announcement, it commits itself to the disclosure of number, timeand price range of shares to be sold as well as reasons of reduction and other detailsrequired by Shenzhen Stock Exchange.VII. Opinions of the Independent Financial AdvisorAfter verification, the independent financial advisor have issued their opinions:1. The public trading of the restricted shares complies with the "Company Law of thePeople's Republic of China", "Securities Law of the People's Republic of China","Management Measures for Major Asset Restructuring of Listed Companies", "RulesGoverning the Listing of Shares on Shenzhen Stock Exchange" and other relevant lawsand regulations;2. The shareholder who applied the release of the trading restriction shares did notviolate the commitments it made in the major asset restructuring; the number of shareswith restriction to be released and the time for public trading comply with relevant lawsand regulations and the commitment of the trading restriction;3. The information disclosure of the public trading of the restricted shares is true,accurate and complete.In summary, the independent financial advisor has no disagreement on lifting thetrading restriction of relevant shares.VIII. Reference Documents1. Application Form of the Listed Company for Lifting the Trading Restriction ofRelevant Shares;2. Detailed Table of Equity Structure and Restricted Shares;3. Application for Restricted Shares to be Converted into Unrestricted Issued by theBoard of the Company;4. "Verification Opinions on the Public Trading of Restricted Shares for Share Issuanceand Asset Purchase by ADAMA Ltd. issued by Guotai Junan Securities.Board of ADAMA LimitedJuly 30, 2020
Japan's top government spokesperson says 550 clusters of coronavirus infections had been confirmed across the country as of Tuesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide told reporters on Wednesday that the health ministry has sent 77 teams of experts to 32 prefectures to deal with the cases.

Suga said such clusters need to be identified and contained immediately to prevent further spread.

He added that the government will continue helping municipalities compile research on the spread of the virus by sending experts.
A Co Longford resident who bravely fought off a sex attacker as she made her way to work in Dublin four years ago has branded his decision to appeal an 18 and a half year sentence handed down as a slap in the face.

Ruth Maxwell, who lives in Drumlish, was one of three women to be targeted in three separate attacks between 2011 and 2016 by a father of two at locations around Clondalkin in south Dublin.

Ms Maxwell, who fell victim to the last of those attacks, was walking to the Luas to go to work when her assailant accosted her in broad daylight by putting a hunting knife to her throat

The incident took place at Knockmeenagh Lane, Clondalkin, Dublin, not far from where two other women had previously been attacked and near a house occupied by the family of the mans partner.

The 34-year-old defendant was jailed last week for 18 years in what Judge Pauline Codd described as primal and brutal, adding he is clearly a dangerous man.

A sitting of Dublins Court of Appeal has since heard that the father-of-two has lodged an appeal over the severity of the sentence handed down.

Giving her reaction to the news, Ms Maxwell said the appeal was one which she was still struggling to digest.

I just think its an insult and a slap in the face against DNA evidence as DNA evidence should be incontestable, she said.

Ms Maxwell, herself, was the subject of much praise after deciding to speak publicly about her ordeal on the Late Late Show two years ago.

In the intervening period, the south Dublin native has been steadily getting her life back on track while attempting and ultimately winning a long legal battle with the Department of Justice over the victims rights.

It changed the course of history in how the State recognises PTST (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and mental trauma in terms of loss of earnings and medical expenses, she said.

The victim advocacy lobbyist also urged new Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to rubber-stamp a new Parole Bill where criminals convicted for serious offences will have to wait at least 12 years before applying for parole.

As for her own take on her attackers decision to lodge an appeal, Ms Maxwell was unequivocal in her response.

The majority of sex offenders dont want society thinking they are just that, she said.

But this man is a bare faced liar. I ask how he can get four years remission in the face of incontestable DNA evidence.

If you are convicted on that alone, how can you even think to appeal that? she asked.
While thousands of Australians have been forced out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic, one industry in Western Australia is struggling to meet demand.

Mobile plant operators are now the most popular profession sought by employers - spiking 20 per cent in demand in the past 12 months.

The dramatic increase comes despite the number of unemployed Western Australians skyrocketing to 120,000 and online job advertisements being down 40 per cent in June, compared to the same time in 2019.

Mobile plant operators in Perth are also earning 20 per cent more than the national average - at $43.78 per hour - as a result.

They are responsible for driving backhoes, bulldozers, excavators, front-end loaders and forklift trucks as well as any other machinery required to level, excavate, move and load earth or material.

Mobile plant operators are now the most popular profession sought by employers - spiking 20 per cent in demand in the past 12 months

Amalgam Recruitment managing director Tom Parker told The West Australian one client was looking to fill 80 mobile plant operator vacancies.

'BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group all announced new mines or expansions prior to COVID and that new construction hasn't really abated even though the pandemic hit,' he said.

'Obviously with the borders closed it severely restricts the number of people that would usually fly in or out, which has created a perfect storm.'

Amalgam Recruitment managing director Tom Parker said BHP, Rio Tinto (pictured) and Fortescue Metals Group all planned to expand prior to COVID-19. Pictured: A haul truck being loaded with iron ore at a Rio Tinto mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia

According to National Skills Commission data, mobile plant operators was the only profession to experience an increase in demand - and Australians do not even need a degree to do it.

To become a mobile plant operator, Australians can learn on the job as well as through a traineeship.

They do need to have a Year 10 school certificate and hold a licence to perform high risk work.

The high pay for mobile plant operators is the result of Western Australian employers looking to fill positions amid strict border closures between states. Pictured: Newmont Mining and joint venture partner Barrick Gold's Kalgoorlie Superpit gold mining operations in Western Australia

National Skills Commission data revealed online job advertisements fell from 12,000 12 months ago to about 7,700 in June.

Areas including sales, administrative support, human resources, retail and hospitality suffered the steepest falls of up to 50 per cent, The West Australian reported.

Ads for hairdressers, cobblers, tradesmem, labourers, healthcare workers, truck drivers and cleaners suffered falls of 10 to 20 per cent.

According to National Skills Commission data, mobile plant operators was the only profession to experience an increase in demand - and Australians do not even need a degree to do it. Pictured: Workers watch over the opening of Fortescue Metals Group's Firetail iron ore mine

National Skills Commission data revealed online job advertisements fell from 12,000 12 months ago to about 7,700 in June. Pictured: A truck carries nickel ore out of Western Areas NL's Tim King Pit open-cut nickel mine at Spotted Quoll in Forrestania

Consolidated Training Services owner Tom Barnes who said demand for the short courses allowing workers to begin heavy machinery careers was at an all-time high.

He added a day of training was enough to 'get the basic skills to get out there and into a job', with many operators start out on equipment including forklifts, bobcats and telehandlers.

'The earth moving side is very busy ... everything from loaders to excavators to graders. A lot of people are trying to change careers, they don't want to get caught again with something like COVID,' he said, The West Australian reported.
Adalet Rahim has been living with the recent knowledge that her mother-in-law was tortured before she died in a detention camp in Chinas far-western Xinjiang region back in 2018.

She hasnt been able to bring herself to share this new information with her husband.

Her mother-in-law, Adelaitihan Teyifu, was one of the over 1.8 million Muslim Uighurs who have been swept up in Chinas deliberate and systematic repression of religious and ethnic minorities. In fact, the 62-year-old woman was a victim of what is now being called a genocide.

I cant tell my husband about his mother, it is too hard for him, Rahim tells me from her home in Cambridge, Ontario, where she resides with him and their four children. It is like living in a nightmare.

Rahim and her family sought asylum in Canada, and are awaiting their permanent residency. According to Statistics Canada, there were just over 1,500 Uighurs here as of 2016. Rahims own parents are still in China, along with her brother, who was also imprisoned in an indoctrination camp and then later released. She hasnt been able to have much contact with them, and is fearful they will disappear like countless others and be subjected to torture, rape, sterilization, and forced labour.

Canadas parliamentary Subcommittee on International Human Rights spent two days earlier this month hearing from witnesses about the dire plight facing the Uighur minority in a strategically valuable region of China. Witnesses urged Canada to do more to hold Chinese officials accountable and to provide support for Uighur refugees.

Just this month, the United States imposed targeted sanctions on four top Xinjiang officials under the Global Magnitsky Act. While seen as a positive step, the head of the Global Magnitsky Justice campaign told the committee it isnt enough.

We are talking about a genocide affecting a million Uighurs and that doesnt happen unless there is a massive organization involved, Bill Browder said. I think that there should be a massive sanctions list for Chinese officials so that these names are known and these people are named and shamed and others who are involved start to worry [. . .] that they will be cut off from the world of international finance.

Canada has so far resisted calls to impose similar sanctions on Chinese officials, and the country's reticence has disappointed advocates.

Mehmet Tohti, executive director of the Uighurs Rights Advocacy Project, has appeared in Parliament on four separate occasions to press the issue. The question is even if you speak one thousand times, what if they dont want to listen or if they do not want to take action? he asked the committee, pointing out that the Canadian government has committed millions of dollars in funds to Chinas Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Why should my tax dollars fund Chinas expansionism? My tax dollars are supporting the Chinese persecution of my own people.

Tohti also called on Canada to follow Swedens lead in granting refugee status to Uighurs seeking asylum without having to put them through painful hearings to prove persecution. The whole world knows that the Chinese government is targeting all Uighurs indiscriminately; at least give those people some comfort.

For Kamila Talendibaeva, the wife of Canadian Huseyin Celil, comfort seems a long way off. She hasnt seen her husband in 14 years, ever since the Chinese government imprisoned him. Its believed Celil was targeted because he had briefly advocated for Uighur human rights before settling in Canada in 2005.

Her lawyer told the committee that Canada needs to appoint a special envoy to China with the objective of freeing him. The current government has not done all that it can or enough, said Chris Macleod in his testimony.

Thats an understatement.

Two years ago, this same subcommittee urged the government to act. Beyond lip service, little has been done. It is too often left on Uighurs like Rahim and Talendibaeva to bear the risk of speaking out against China, even as they fear for their loved ones left back home or for relatives who remain stateless in various countries around the world.

This has been a genocide in slow motion, Raziya Mahmut of the International Support for Uighurs told the committee. Canada must quicken and deepen its response.
Magellan Financial Group boss Hamish Douglass has cautioned lawmakers against excessive regulation of America's technology giants, warning it could hurt the United States in its unfolding battle with China for dominance in global technology.

The comments, from one of the nation's most successful global equities fund managers and a major tech investor, come as the chief executives of Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon prepare for a grilling by US lawmakers and as Treasurer Josh Frydenberg prepares to unveil a new regulatory framework governing how the digital giants operate in Australia.

"Do I think they're going to be broken up? There is a lot of water to flow under the bridge before that happens and America really has to think about, does it want to cripple its technology companies when its in a battle with China?" Mr Douglass told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify before Congress on Thursday. Credit:AP

Mr Douglass oversees $100 billion of investments for Magellan, including stakes in Facebook and Google.
US Finally Pushing Back Against Chinese Communist Aggression: Sen. Cotton

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) says Washington is finally standing up to the Chinese communist regimes longstanding aggression against the United States.

The administration has recently increased its actions targeting threats posed by the regime, and Cotton said that criticism of those actions that frame the United States as the aggressor is a mischaracterization.

China has long been conducting a kind of undeclared war on multiple fronts against the United Statesreally against the entire Western world, Cotton said in a recent interview on American Thought Leaders.

So we didnt start this new set of tensions. We simply chose to fight back against Chinas aggressive actions.

He cited the regimes theft of U.S. intellectual property, intimidation of self-ruled Taiwan, and hoarding of personal protective equipment related to COVID-19, as examples of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) hostile activities on the world stage.

The Trump administration has sharply dialed up its measures against the regime over a raft of issues, including Beijings coverup of the pandemic, theft of American technology, rights abuses in the region of Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and military aggression in the South China Sea.

Over the past few weeks, Washington has ordered the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston, slapped sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for the suppression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, and officially opposed Beijings territorial claims and aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

Cotton said the regime had alienated many ordinary Americans through its predatory behavior, such as its unfair economic practices, which led to many U.S. jobs being outsourced to China, and suppression of faith groups in China.

This distrust has fallen even farther since China unleashed this plague on the world, he said.

The senator said he had recognized the regime as a threat because communism is a threat wherever you find it.

I dont know if Xi Jinping gets up and reads Das Kapital or the other works of Karl Marx, but theres no doubt that the Chinese Communist Party remains communist through and through, Cotton said.

Its a one-party power structure where they will ruthlessly hold onto power. Theres really no such thing as a purely private enterprise in China. It is all state-controlled, sometimes directly state-supported or even owned. And of course, they brutally repress minorities and dissidents of all kinds.

Earlier this year, Cotton introduced legislation to reduce U.S. reliance on China for the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals after the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, including medical gear and drugs.

China is the worlds largest producer of ingredients used to make drugs. The United States is heavily dependent on drugs either sourced from China, or made from ingredients manufactured in China.

President Donald Trump on July 28 announced a $765 million deal with Kodak to help it start a pharmaceutical company slated to produce 25 percent of generic active pharmaceutical ingredients in the country once fully operational, according to the White House.

The senator said the United States should move its critical manufacturing away from China to ensure its economic and national security.

Why, in the information age, would we allow this kind of advanced manufacturing capacity to be based in China, whether its pharmaceuticals or semiconductors or telecom or cutting-edge computing, like quantum computing and artificial intelligence? he said.

Thats not just vital for our economic prosperity; we can now see its vital for our security, our health, and our security from a military standpoint. So its essential that we are no longer dependent on China for so many of these vital goods.

Cathy He CHINA EDITOR Follow Cathy He is a New York-based reporter focusing on China-related topics. She previously worked as a government lawyer in Australia. She joined the Epoch Times in February 2018.
The report's key findings include that nearly 10% of the GDP increase of the entire U.S. economy from 2011 to 2019 was due to the growth of the U.S. wireless industry, and that U.S. 4G networks support 20 million jobs, drove nearly $700 billion in economic contribution last year alone, and save consumers $130 billion each year.

"Our 4G success didn't happen overnight: investment dollar by investment dollar, cell site by cell site, America's wireless industry brought the benefits of high-speed mobile broadband to communities across America, creating jobs, powering economic growth and spurring innovations that make our lives better," said Meredith Attwell Baker, CTIA President and CEO. "Over the next decade, our emerging 5G economy will unleash even greater consumer benefits and maintain America's position as the world's innovation hub."

Today, 4G networks are widely available and there are more 4G subscriptions in the United States than people. As the study shows, however, this was the result of 10 years of gradual network improvements, industry investment, spectrum auctions and innovation.

Additional highlights include:

Between 2011 and 2019, U.S. wireless industry GDP grew 253%. In 2019, the industry contributed $690.5 billion to U.S. GDP, which would make America's wireless industry the world's 21st largest economy.

to U.S. GDP, which would make America's wireless industry the world's 21st largest economy. At the start of the decade, the wireless industry enabled 3.7 million U.S. jobs. By the end of the 4G decade, wireless-enabled jobs grew to 20.4 millionone out of every six U.S. jobs, which makes wireless the largest job contributor across all industries.

In 2010, an unlimited data, talk and text plan cost $113.87 on average for one line. By 2019, that same plan cost $64.95 . That means U.S. subscribers now save $130 billion annually in wireless plan costs, without considering the added value of faster speeds, superior network availability and more powerful mobile devices available today.

"The report's findings make clear that 4G's impact in the U.S. can be felt across every meaningful measure, from job growth and network speeds to data traffic and GDP contribution," said Roger Entner, Analyst and Founder of Recon Analytics. "The trajectory of U.S. 4G development should serve as a guide to considerand to enablethe full transformational power of the coming 5G decade."

To view the full report, click here.

About CTIA

CTIA (www.ctia.org) represents the U.S. wireless communications industry and the companies throughout the mobile ecosystem that enable Americans to lead a 21st century connected life. The association's members include wireless carriers, device manufacturers, suppliers as well as apps and content companies. CTIA vigorously advocates at all levels of government for policies that foster continued wireless innovation and investment. The association also coordinates the industry's voluntary best practices, hosts educational events that promote the wireless industry and co-produces the industry's leading wireless tradeshow. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, D.C.

About Recon Analytics

The mission of Recon Analytics is to clear the clutter, help focus executives and policymakers on what is actually happening in the marketplace and what really matters, and make a positive impact on business and policy decisions. Founded and led by leading telecom analyst Roger Entner, Recon Analytics' approach is bolstered by its industry-first executive advisory board, which helps us hone our strategy, improve our research, and provide unparalleled insights into the matters most relevant to the business and the public policies impacting it. With this foundation, Recon Analytics focuses on three core areas: Syndicated research, custom consulting, policy related data analysis, as well as white papers.

SOURCE CTIA

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The guild of medical directors, a group of private hospital owners in Nigeria, said the claim by a Nigerian-born U.S. doctor, Stella Immanuel, that COVID-19 has a cure is unproven.

Ms Immanuel, a pediatrician in Texas, United States, in a viral video claimed the combination of hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and the antibiotic Zithromax was a cure for the COVID-19 and that you dont need to wear a mask.

Flanked in front of the U.S. Supreme Court by seven other doctors, all wearing white lab coats crested with Americas Frontline Doctors, Ms Immanuel, who schooled in Nigeria, said she had treated over 350 patients with the drugs and all survived.

This virus has a cure, its called hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and zithromax. You dont need masks, there is a cure, the pediatrician said.

Dissatisfied

But the guild said in a statement signed by its president on Tuesday, Olufemi Babalola, a professor of ophthalmology, that the claims are unsubstantiated and has no scientific evidence.

There is no scientific evidence to prove the claim, adding that, her saying the said drugs are certified for treating COVID-19 is her own personal, unsubstantiated claim.

The important point of course, is to note that medical research has subjected HCQ to intense research. While some studies suggest that it is effective, others have come to the opposite conclusion. It is also true that Senegal, where HCQ is routinely used, has one of the lowest COVID-19 case fatality rates in the world at 0.64% compared to 3.4% in the USA.

As we speak, a study is underway in LUTH on its efficacy and safety. Subsequently, a meta-analysis of all these studies should be undertaken to pool all the results and come up with a summative analysis which will guide clinicians.

Until then, all anecdotal claims such as the one from Dr Stella Immanuel must be taken with a pinch of salt. It should also be noted that HCQ may be a cause of serious complications and even death in some people, the guilds statement read.

Verification

Ms Immanuels claim is also at odds with the recommendation by Nigerias disease control agency, NCDC, which has said hydroxychloroquine is administered to COVID-19 patients on case-by-case basis and its potency varies from person to person.

It also does not correspond with the stance if the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which said that hydroxychloroquine is unlikely to produce an antiviral effect.

Her claim is likewise at dissonance with the World Health Organisation, WHO, as it did the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends wearing masks to stop the spread of the virus.

Post deleted

Ms Immanuels speech has since Monday gained traction on social media, becoming one of the top-performing posts on Twitter with more than 14 million views.

The video was first published by Breitbart News, a right-wing medium co-founded by Steve Bannon, a former aide to American President, Donald Trump.

Mr Trump, too, has been an ardent promoter of hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 cure theory, much to the consternation of medical experts.

The videos virality was largely aided by Mr Trump who shared it, with a caption a must watch, on Twitter on Tuesday with his over 80 million followers.

But Twitter said it deleted the various versions of the video shared late Monday night by Mr Trump and Breitbart News, having pulled thousands of views and shares.

Were taking action in line with our Covid misinfo policy, a Twitter spokesperson told CNN.

Meanwhile, according to Crowdtangle, a data-analytics firm owned by Facebook, the video had been shared nearly 600,000 times. But the microblogging site said it had also pulled down the video.

Weve removed this video for sharing false information about cures and treatments for COVID-19, a Facebook spokesperson told CNN, adding that the platform is showing messages in News Feed to people who have reacted to, commented on or shared harmful COVID-19-related misinformation that we have removed, connecting them to myths debunked by the WHO.

Also, having beeb viewed more than 40,000 times on video streaming site, YouTube, users attempting to access the video on the site are told the video had been removed for violating YouTubes Community Guidelines.

According to the Daily Beast, Ms Immanuel has a history of strange medical claims.

For instance, she was reported to have said that fibroids and cysts are caused by having sex with demons in dreams and that alien DNA is being used in medical treatments.

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Also, records from the Texas Medical Board also show that Ms Immanuels clinic has the same address as the church she founded, Firepower Ministries.

Her sermons, which are hosted on her YouTube channel, include messages of support for President Trump.
By Azernews





By Akbar Mammadov

Joint military exercises held between Azerbaijani and Turkish armed forces contribute to strengthening regional peace and security, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva said during the presser on July 28.

Abdullayeva said that these exercises also serve to strengthen coordination and exchange of advanced practices between the two countries armed forces and are conducted in accordance with the Agreement on Military Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey and with the annual plan, as stated by the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry earlier.

The spokespersons statement was in response to Armenian Foreign Ministry remarks that the joint drills between Azerbaijan and Turkey were aggravating the situation in the region.

It should be noted that the joint military drills of Azerbaijani and Turkish Land and Air forces will be focused on combat fire drills and flight-tactical training, in which military personnel, armoured vehicles, artillery mounts, and mortars, as well as military aviation and air defence equipment of the the two countries' armies will be involved.

According to the plan, exercises involving the Land Forces will be held from August 1 to 5 in Baku and Nakhchivan, while exercises involving the Air Forces will be conducted from July 29 to August 10  in Baku, Nakhchivan, Ganja, Kurdamir and Yevlakh.
The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, today survived an ambush by suspected Boko Haram gunmen, sources and his spokesperson said.

The governor was on a trip to Monguno and Baga towns to distribute food to IDPs.

A source said the governors convoy came under attack while he was returning from Baga, a deserted fishing community in Kaka local government area.

Multiple sources, who spoke and confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES, said the governor was unhurt as soldiers and police officers guarding him repelled the assault on the convoy.

The governors spokesperson, Isa Gusau, confirmed the development, telling this newspaper he was working on a press statement on the matter.

A Trip to camps

Governor Zulum left for Monguno Monday afternoon, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

But before his departure reports filtered in that some officials of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had run into an ambush by Boko Haram along the Maiduguri-Monguono road.

The attackers reportedly abducted an unknown number of humanitarian staffers of SEMA. All attempts to get details of the abductions have not yielded results.

However, the chairperson of Borno SEMA, Yabawa Kolo, confirmed to reporters on the telephone that some of the agencys officials came under Boko Haram attack. She did not give details of the number of persons involved.

On the attack on the governors convoy, a government source confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that, it happened, but Im sorry I cannot give details on this because the relevant officials are still digging to get more details of the attack.

But I can assure your that the governor is unhurt, and that includes everyone in the convoy, the source said.

Boko Haram had last week executed five aid workers over an alleged failure by the government to pay a ransom.

The executed aid workers were abducted in the first week of June along the same Maiduguri-Monguno
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Singapore  Wed, July 29, 2020 12:06 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a25862 2 SE Asia Singapore,Prime-Minister,Contempt-of-court,legal,justice Free

The Singapore prime minister's nephew was found guilty of contempt of court and fined S$15,000 ($10,884) by the city-state's top court on Wednesday, media reported.

Li Shengwu's case involved a private Facebook post in 2017 in which he said the Singapore government was "very litigious and has a pliant court system". Earlier this year, he said he had opted not to participate in the proceedings against him.

His 2017 post came amid a bitter public feud among the children of the islands founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, including the current prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, and Li's father, Lee Hsien Yang.

"Apparently the court has rendered judgment on my case today ... I disagree with the judgment," Li said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for the Supreme Court confirmed there had been a judgment in the case on Wednesday but could not immediately provide details.

If Li - who lives in the United States - does not pay the fine, he will have to serve a week in jail, Justice Kannan Ramesh said in comments reported by broadcaster Channel NewsAsia and Singapore's Straits Times newspaper.
New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Wednesday asked the Delhi government to release funds to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for the payments of stipend or emoluments to resident doctors in the six hospitals run by the civic body.

A bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Prateek Jalan asked the Delhi government to release within 15 days 8 crore to pay salaries for June, as it had done earlier last month on the courts orders, to the North corporation without waiting for the completion of paperwork, so that resident doctors can be paid.

The bench made it clear that the amount being released was meant solely for paying stipends or emoluments of resident doctors in the bodys six hospitals. It also directed the corporation to complete all paperwork in relation to the Delhi governments fund disbursal.

The Delhi government did not respond to requests for comment.

The additional standing counsel of the Delhi government, Satyakam, told the court that the corporation has not given the utilisation certificates for the funds that had been released earlier.

However, the court made it clear it was not going into the other issues between the Delhi government and the corporation with regard to payment of salaries of other employees of north Delhi corporation and the funds it claims it is yet to receive under various heads.

The court was hearing a plea it had initiated itself based on news reports that doctors of Kasturba Hospital have threatened to resign because they have not been paid salaries since March this year.

On Wednesday, advocate Akhil Mittal, the standing counsel of north Delhi corporation, told the court that it has paid resident doctors salaries till May. In an affidavit, he told the court that the salary up to April of all of its regular doctors has also been paid.

The court also directed the corporation to place before the bench the utilisation certificates indicating that the amount of 8 crore released by the Delhi government earlier, on court orders, were used to pay the resident doctors,

The matter will now be heard on August 31.




Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Calls for Multi-Stakeholder Pan-European Initiative to Fast-Track Real World Evidence in Support of Patient Access to Advanced Therapies

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.  July 29, 2020

The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the leading international advocacy organisation dedicated to realising the promise of regenerative medicines and advanced therapies, has today called for pan-European action to fast-track the use of Real World Evidence (RWE) for advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), ensuring patients have access to these transformative therapies.

ARMs newly published position paper provides clear recommendations for the European Commission to include as part of the EU Pharmaceutical Strategy, which is designed to improve and accelerate patients access to transformative therapies that are safe and affordable medicines and to support innovation in the EU pharmaceutical industry. ARMs full response to the EU Pharmaceutical Strategy Roadmap can be found on the European Commission website .

ARM calls on the European Commission to fast-track the use of RWE for ATMPs, by convening a multi-stakeholder forum, including subject matter experts from ARM, manufacturers and patient advocacy groups, to set up a European infrastructure for regular RWE use. ARM believes this collaborative approach will benefit regulators, HTA bodies, payors, manufacturers, healthcare professionals and, most importantly, patients.

This group should be focused on the following priorities:

Adopting common standards and data requirements

Creating an implementation roadmap for healthcare centres across Europe, ensuring cross-border consistency of RWE usage and interoperability through registries and other collection and analysis vehicles

Complying with legal requirements including GDPR

Investment in pan-European RWE infrastructure for ATMPs will be particularly effective if clinical assessment were to be coordinated at the EU level (joint clinical assessment), while adapting national Health Technology Assessment (HTA), pricing and reimbursement processes to capture and value the long-term benefits of ATMPs. An integrated RWE infrastructure, collecting evidence of ATMP use and effectiveness across Europe, will also facilitate cross-border treatments, which are of vital importance in cases when only a limited number of specialised centers across Europe can administer the treatment.

A significant number of ATMPs are expected to obtain European marketing authorization in the years to come, resulting in an increasingly urgent need to address inefficiencies coming from a fragmented, inconsistent and often unusable RWE ecosystem in Europe. ARM advocates for the creation of pan-European infrastructure and processes to develop standards for the collection, analysis and use of RWE for ATMPs and for this infrastructure to be fully integrated in the future establishment of a European Health Data Space.

Paige Bischoff, SVP Public Affairs at ARM, commented: ARM strongly believe the EU must take a central, co-ordinating role to ensure that RWE use for ATMPs is fast-tracked to properly meet the needs of all stakeholders and enhance access to innovation. RWE is integral to

collecting evidence of ATMP use and effectiveness. Solely relying on traditional clinical trials, without benefit of the proper gathering, management and use of Real World Evidence will likely create delays in guaranteeing patient access to transformative regenerative medicines and advanced therapies -- a delay that patients in need cannot afford. As the voice of the ATMP sector globally, ARM looks forward to being part of an inclusive and solution-driven dialogue with the European Commission and other relevant stakeholders in shaping the path forward for the fast and effective use of RWE for ATMPs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted even further the importance and urgency of having a common RWE infrastructure across Europe, in order to ensure critical data is available in times of crisis, when the access to healthcare centres and the conduct of traditional clinical trials are hampered.

Press inquiries

For more information or for media requests, please contact Kaitlyn (Donaldson) Dupont from the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine at kdonaldson@alliancerm.org or Consilium Strategic Communications at ARM@consilium-comms.com .

About the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine
Google is reportedly in talks with Samsung to have its services get more prominence on Galaxy smartphones. According to a report by Bloomberg, the talks involve giving Google more control over search on Samsung mobile devices. The deal would see Google Assistant and Play Store getting the promotion over Samsungs own alternatives, Bixby and Galaxy Store respectively.

Samsung has been putting in lots of effort to better integrate Bixby on its Galaxy smartphones. It went as far as including a dedicated Bixby button to make the digital assistant more accessible. However, the service is far less cooked than Google Assistant and is, expectedly, less preferred by Samsung smartphone users.

While the South Korean biggie will continue to develop Bixby, it may still consider Googles newest proposition. Not for free, of course. The company is reportedly seeking to buffer cash reserves as sluggish demand for smartphones amid the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified its need for revenue.

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Samsung remains committed to our own ecosystem and services, said a Samsung spokesperson. At the same time, Samsung closely works with Google and other partners to offer the best mobile experiences for our users.

Google seeks to push Assistant over Bixby on Samsung smartphones

Samsung is the worlds largest smartphone vendor, selling nearly 300 million Android phones last year. Its Galaxy smartphones do run Googles Android operating system, but the company has always tried to build its own app ecosystem on top of it.

It even tried building Android alternatives for its smartphones. However, neither of its Bada OS and Tizen projects for smartphones succeeded. But it continues to overlap Googles apps and services on its handsets. Despite Galaxy smartphones already having Play Store and Google Assistant, Samsung also ships the Galaxy Store and Bixby along.

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Google, of course, never liked this and Samsung reportedly agreed to tone down some of its tweaks in the past. However, the web giant likely wants Samsung to do more and is seemingly willing to pay for it. The report doesnt reveal the potential terms of the deal. However, it notes that Google pays Apple billions of dollars each year to remain the default search engine in Safari.

Interestingly, talks are happening at a time when Google is facing several antitrust investigations around the world. With its Play Store, the company already controls how Android app developers reach consumers. If it reaches a deal with Samsung to suppress the Galaxy Store, it will give the web giant even more power over developers. That means lesser competition in the Android ecosystem.

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Googles parent company Alphabet, will be joining CEOs from Amazon, Apple, and Facebook to testify to a US congressional antitrust panel today. Theyll be attempting to convince the American lawmakers that they arent abusing their power in the industry.

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Like all Android device makers, Samsung is free to create its own app store and digital assistant. Thats one of the great features of the Android platform, a Google spokesperson tells Bloomberg in an emailed statement. And while we regularly talk with partners about ways to improve the user experience, we have no plans to change that.
Escoffier was recognized for its commitment to all branches of the U.S. military and the ability to demonstrate high levels of student support and student satisfaction as required by the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration agreements, as well as best practices within the Department of Education.

"We're honored and humbled by our talented veteran and active military students and remain committed to supporting them with flexible, attainable culinary pathways and options as they start a new career in the foodservice industry," said Tracy Lorenz, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts president and CEO.

Approximately 400 active military and veterans and their dependents are enrolled in Escoffier's programs and 150 have graduated. Graduates also have access to Escoffier's Alumni Association , offering networking and career services support for life.

Retired U.S. Army veteran and Escoffier online graduate with honors, Tiffany Moore '19, took advantage of Escoffier's culinary education and the school's inclusive, student-focused approach to culinary school.

"I decided to invest in myself and go back to culinary school. As for the management portion, that's really where Escoffier helped me learn how to run a restaurant and a business," said Moore, co-owner and personal chef at Event Hall Cascade in Atlanta. "Even after sustaining spinal cord injuries from deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I was able to achieve my life's goal of finally completing culinary school. Escoffier gave me the foundation I needed to jumpstart my career and armed me with the fundamental culinary skills I needed to pivot and continue working during the current pandemic. Escoffier is leading the way for online culinary education," added Moore.

The Military Friendly designation requires schools to demonstrate a focus on students; with an emphasis on adult learners, working and military students. School staff receive training to support the unique challenges facing military and veteran students as well as offer career services, online platforms and an inclusive and welcoming environment.

For more information about Escoffier's Military Friendly school designation, visit https://www.militaryfriendly.com/auguste-escoffier-school-of-culinary-arts/.

More about Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is a leading accredited provider of online and campus-based culinary training and education. The school's professional programs offer the proven combination of a classic and contemporary approach to modern industry skills training as well as a sustainability-centered and business-focused curriculum. Professional programs in Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts are available online and on ground through Escoffier's Boulder, Colorado campus and on ground through its Austin, Texas campus. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, Colorado is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Austin, Texas is nationally accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE). Learn more at escoffier.edu.

CONTACT: Patti Thomas

312.919.0898

SOURCE Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

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SV Krishna Chaitanya By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Its not just activists and NGOs that have a problem with Centres Draft Environmental Impact Assessment notification, 2020 -- that grossly dilutes environmental protection norms. Sources tell Express that the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) too, has recorded certain specific objections to the new policy in its comments submitted to the State government on July 6.

Activists have raised several issues with the new EIA, including a brazen clause that says that only government authorities or project proponents can flag violations made by the said project. As the legislation came amid the Covid pandemic, the Supreme Court last month extended the time given to public to register their objects till August 11.

The changes will have severe impact on Tamil Nadu, which has several projects lined up. Under the Central governments flagship programmes - Bharatmala Pariyojana and Sagarmala - there are at least a dozen projects proposed in Tamil Nadu that are under active consideration before the Union Environment Ministry for approvals. That apart, theres the neutrino observatory, an away-from-reactor at Kudankulam, and defence corridor project that are also pending approvals and clearances.

All these projects are labelled as strategic or national important, and almost all of them involve acquiring large tracts of wetlands, agricultural lands, and forest areas. Some even fall within the 10km radius of national parks. The ecological impact of all of these, could be huge if precautions are not taken.

Last year, when Union Environment Ministry had circulated Zero Draft of EIA Notification, Tamil Nadu government had raised some valid objections. These were totally ignored by the ministry in the final draft EIA Notification. In the letter dated June 18, 2019, SEIAA member secretary D Jayanthi had pointed out that exempting building project with build-up area less than 50,000 sq.m for obtaining environmental clearance was against the NGT order that had stayed such a move.

G Sundararajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal says if this draft EIA Notification becomes a law in present form, it would spell doom for TN. Union Environment Ministry has stated in the notification that all projects concerning national defence and security or involving other strategic considerations as determined by the Centre, dont have to obtain prior environment clearance and no information relating to such projects shall be placed in public domain. This means, the Centre can terms any project of their choice as strategic and bypass the EIA regulations. TN will suffer the most, he said.
Parth Samthaan, who plays the role of Anurag Basu in Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2, was tested positive for COVID-19 a couple of weeks ago. The shooting of the show was halted for a few days and the cast and crew members underwent tests. While actors tested negative, four people from the studio tested positive. Erica Fernandes and Aamna Sharif decided to shoot from home (PS: Aamna's staff member tested positive). Few actors resumed shoot, but Parth was under home quarantine. It was said that the actor will resume shoot from next month. As per Pinkvilla report, Parth will resume shoot for the show next week.

The actor, who is in Pune to spend some quality time with his family, is likely to come back to Mumbai and will begin shooting on the set. But the date is not yet revealed.



It has to be recalled that Parth recently gave a befitting reply to a troller, who alleged that he flouted BMC rules. The Kasautii actor revealed that although he tested negative, he was home quarantined for 17 days. But last night, he had a panic attack and decided to go to Pune to spend some much-needed time with his family.

Recently, he also shared his mother's picture on his Instagram story and called her his 'life'.

For the uninitiated, on July 27, Parth shared a post on Instagram stating that he has been tested negative, and is doing fine. He wrote, "As you all know by now... My reports are negative & I feel much better. Thank you all keeping me in your prayers... Thanks a ton  God bless you."

Well, we are sure that his fans are eagerly waiting for his re-entry on the show. Stay locked to this space for the latest update of the show!

Also Read: Parth Samthaan Reveals He Had A Panic Attack; Hits Back At Troller Who Alleged He Flouted BMC Rules

Also Read: Latest TRP Ratings: Kundali Bhagya Tops The TRP Chart; Barrister Babu Occupies Third Place!
A freight train derailed and caught fire as it was crossing a heavy rail bridge in Tempe, Ariz., on Wednesday morning, causing the bridge to partially collapse and sending plumes of black smoke billowing over the Tempe Town Lake, the authorities said.

The derailment happened just after 6 a.m., Detective Natalie Barela of the Tempe Police Department said. No one was injured, she said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire or the derailment. The incident is under investigation, said Assistant Chief Andrea Glass of the Tempe Fire Department.

Eight to 10 rail cars caught fire, said Tim McMahan, a spokesman for Union Pacific, the owner of the train. Brandon Siebert, a fire investigator and a spokesman for the Tempe Fire Department, told ABC 15 that the train included lumber cars and tanker cars.
The transfer window is open and Premier League sides will set about improving their squads over the coming weeks  if they can.

Financial uncertainty and a short squeeze between the end of one campaign and the start of 2020/21 means teams have to move fast, plan well and be responsible with their spending, all while trying to stay ahead of their rivals.

For Liverpool, it might be easier than for most: they won the league at a canter, know what they are looking for and didnt spend much last year either, so will be comfortable with the squad level.

Add in one or two young talents coming through and its clear why Jurgen Klopp isnt pushing for unnecessary deals to be made.

But that doesnt mean that no deals will occur, and there are already plenty of rumours regarding the Redshere are the latest.

Liverpool have been linked with Bayern Munichs creative midfielder Thiago Alcantara, but ESPN say sources have told them the Reds have no interest in signing him and major deals wont happen unless senior players leave. The story has been rumbling on for several weeks since it emerged that the Spanish international wont renew his deal at the Allianz Arena, but reports have thus far been conflicting.

In Germany, national outlet Kicker have the Reds targeting Ozan Kabak, a central defender with Schalke. The 20-year-old is reportedly available for around 30 million and is reportedly seen as an ideal replacement for Dejan Lovren, who has left for Russian side Zenit. Kabak, a one-cap Turkish international, would initially be seen as fourth-choice in the middle of Klopps defence.

Closer to home, the Mirror identify seven players who could depart the Reds this summer, with Loris Karius, Marko Grujic, Harry Wilson and Ben Woodburn all having been out on loan this year. They are joined in the rumoured departures lounge by Xherdan Shaqiri, Divock Origi and young left-back Yasser Larouci. The latter has been widely reported to want to leave, but little has emerged as yet regarding the future of Klopps more senior options.

Spanish outlet Sport say that Philippe Coutinho still sees a return to Anfield as his principle wish, though its a long shot as the club are still negotiating with Bayern over Thiago, adds the report.

And finally, Harvey Barnes is an unexpected name linked with the Reds, with Jurgen Klopp admiring his versatility and forceful running, according to the Mirror. The Leicester City attacking midfielder is unlikely to be cheap, even though the Foxes failed to qualify for the Champions League, making it an unlikely deal to come off.
Grid resilience and renewable energy integration remain core investment areas in Asia as the region continues to increase its power grid capacity to support surging energy demand created by industrialization and economic developments.

Asias power leaders are reassessing their energy transition strategies in view of the ongoing global pandemic. While decarbonization and decentralization expand the complexity of the grid across business models, engineering and technology, they are also presenting opportunities for the regional power sector, says Adrian Tan, newly appointed Vice President for Sales & Marketing for Black & Veatch, Power Business Asia.

Tan identifies the key opportunities for Asias power sector:

Integrated power infrastructures continue to meet Asias electrification demands

Asias power leaders are continuing to invest in integrated power infrastructures to re-balance their energy portfolios to meet universal electrification and carbon emission reduction targets. Integrated power infrastructures take advantage of different generation, transmission and distribution technologies to help utilities overcome the pitfalls of aging infrastructure while meeting rising customer demand for energy that is sustainable and reliable. The opportunity is to tap into distributed generation, like microgrids, and rooftop solar to achieve remote electrification and sustainability targets in archipelagic countries, like Indonesia and Philippines.

Battery Energy Storage Systemsincreases grid stability, enhances Asias energy security

Regional power leaders are enhancing energy security by diversifying fuel and primary energy sources used for power generation. One energy source the region is investing in is renewable energy.The opportunity is to balance variable renewable energy generation with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and larger transmission capacities to stabilize the grid.

Asia power sector accelerates digital transformation adoption

Regional governments are turning to digital technology and smart grids to optimize the impact of individual technologies in integrated power infrastructure. Digital transformations present opportunities to address core challenges of grid stabilization, peak load management, system flexibility and reliability in a holistic manner.

Smart grids help to integrate renewable generation into the grid and manage supply and demand.

Predictive asset maintenance allows plant operators to predict the state of the equipment so that maintenance can be scheduled. Forecasting and real-time monitoring address sustainability and reliability issues of power grids, while mitigating costly outages and other equipment failures.

Tan joins Black & Veatch with over 20 years of sales, engineering and operations experience in the Power industry globally. As Vice President, Sales & Marketing for Asia Power Business in Black & Veatch, Tan is responsible for delivering solutions to clients across the full range of EPC services in conventional, renewable, and distributed power generation, transmission and distribution, microgrids, and behind-the-meter services. Tan is based in Bangkok.

Click here to download a supporting image.

Editors Notes:

Engineering News-Records (ENR) annual Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook ranked Black & Veatchs power business No. 1 for solar power services, No. 3 in transmission and distribution and No. 7 for wind power services, reflecting the companys success in helping clients pursue greater sustainability and resilience through renewable power generation and widescale distributed infrastructure deployment.

In 2019 alone, Black & Veatch completed more than 1,900 substation and 500 transmission projects globally.

Black & Veatch has implemented more than 100 GW of solar and wind energy through its full range of EPC services and capabilities. The company has over 100 MW of battery energy storage experience and has deployed more than 700 distributed energy build-outs.

About Black & Veatch

Black & Veatch is an employee-owned engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries by addressing the resilience and reliability of our world's most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2019 were US$3.7 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200728006064/en/
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Mondays announcement that the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University would host the first presidential debate of 2020 came as a surprise to the head of the local branch of the U.S. Secret Service, whose office must now scramble to devise a detailed security plan ahead of the Sept. 29 event.

This kind of just got thrown into our lap, Jon Schuck, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Services Cleveland field office, told cleveland.com in a phone interview this week. Typically, we have several months to plan something like this. We have a little over a month.

Schuck said the Secret Service in Cleveland was not involved in the planning or selection processes, and only learned this week that the city would host a debate.

It will be a challenge, but were not concerned, he said. Well still come up with a plan, but it will have to be a lot quicker.

The U.S. Secret Service is perhaps the most central agency to confirm that it was not involved in the planning process. It is now left to prepare for a significant security event that often draws international media and thousands of protesters in the middle of a pandemic that has left local governments and organizations strapped for cash.

The city of Cleveland and its police department were also not involved in the planning process, Mayor Frank Jackson said in a statement issued Tuesday. The Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Department did not immediately return a request for comment.

The debate will take place at the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion, part of the Clinics Health Education Campus. The organizers have yet to decide whether to allow a live audience at debate due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both the Clinic and CWRU directed questions about debate security to the Commission on Presidential Debates, which is organizing the event.

Frank Fahrenkopf, the co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, said the Secret Service will be in charge the security plan and will work with local law enforcement in Cleveland to devise one.

Schuck said his agency would set up a secure perimeter around the pavilion and provide security within that perimeter. Local law enforcement, including officers from the Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic and Case Western police departments as well as Cuyahoga County sheriffs deputies and Ohio Highway Patrol, will provide security outside the perimeter, Schuck said.

Presidential debates often attract large protests outside the venues, with groups supporting and opposing both candidates. Local law enforcement in cities that have held past debates usually rack up overtime costs that can stretch into the millions of dollars providing security for the event.

In 2016, law enforcement in Nassau County, on Long Island in New York, arrested 24 protesters outside Hofstra University, where Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump debated for the first time. Most arrests were for charges of disorderly conduct, according to Newsday.

Before the debate, Nassau County officials estimated security for the event could cost taxpayers up to $2 million, Newsday reported.

Hosts or sponsors of the debates sometimes reimburse cities for the costs of the events. Its unknown as of Wednesday whether that will be true for Cleveland.

Schuck said that there have always been protests at presidential debates regardless of which political party holds the White House, and the Secret Service plans for such demonstrations.

Obviously the time were in, its amped up a little bit, he said. We just ask that its peaceful.

The debate also comes amid a pandemic that is surging in Ohio. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned Monday that Ohio is among the states showing early signs of a resurgence of a coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic already forced Trump and the Republican Party to scrap its plans to host part of the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, Florida. The Duval County Sheriff told Politico that the community was still not close to having some kind of plan...that makes me comfortable that were going to keep that event and the community safe.

Sheriff Mike Williams attributed at least part of reaching his rationale on the short notice the community received that it would host the event.

So you know with that, we cant pull it off in any kind of current configuration, he told Politico. But again, its not my job to plan the [convention]. Its my job to be able to provide security for it, but I cant do it right now in this time frame with this current configuration of the event.

University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins said in a statement that the university withdrew as the host site because the necessary health precautions would have greatly diminished the educational value of hosting the debate on our campus. The statement does not mention any security concerns.

Notre Dame and the Secret Service handled most of the security planning in the months before that university withdrew from hosting the first debate. The sheriffs office in St. Joseph County, Indiana, where Notre Dame is located, only became involved in the planning last month, the agencys Executive Officer Major Steven Noonan said.

The next month or so really wouldve been the crunch time, Noonan said.

The St. Joseph County Sheriffs Office is used to planning for presidential visits to Notre Dame on short notice, sometimes as little as two weeks, Noonan said.

Sometimes you do have to scramble, but the Secret Service generally has a good diagram and outline of how to do things, Noonan said.

Noonan said the sheriffs office did not have any security concerns, and referred to the Notre Dame statement that cited the coronavirus as the reason the university withdrew as a host.

Schuck said the Secret Service would dedicate an agent to oversee safety measures related to COVID-19, and there will be testing and personal protective equipment for agents. He also said working with the Cleveland Clinic will be a boost.

Even still, agents are working on a tight schedule. Schuck said his office has an advantage in that the city hosted the 2016 Republican National Convention. The Secret Service also took the lead in providing security for that event, which was much larger and more of a logistical challenge than a debate, and Schuck said that it would offer a road map for agents to plan this event quickly.

Obviously, more time would be helpful, he said. But I think everybody kind of understands what we need to do.

Cleveland.com reporter Seth Richardson contributed to this story.

Read more cleveland.com stories:

First 2020 presidential debate will be in Cleveland

Effort to bring first 2020 presidential debate to Cleveland excluded city from planning process

How Cleveland Clinic and CWRU ended up landing the first presidential debate

Cleveland continues legacy of hosting presidential debate contests with 2020 announcement
Montys of Kathmandu

28 Eustace St,

Temple Bar,

Dublin 2,

D02 WP30

https://www.montys.ie/

Restaurant - the word first appeared in France in the early 19th century and derives from the word restaurer which literally translates as restore to a former state according to my Oxford Dictionary.

Thats what a restaurant does, it restores us, it salves us, it comforts us - sating hunger and thirst is the easiest part of its job. A good restaurant is so, so much more, its like a joyous version of that bell that tolled Keats back to his sole self.

And thats what I missed over recent months, I can cook most anything and so can her good self, but I missed the bustle and the scents of a restaurant, I missed the intoxicating indecision caused by a menu where everything sounds delicious, and I missed being minded.

So where to venture first? It had to be Montys of Kathmandu where Ive eaten more often than anywhere else - a restaurant that suffered from its ultra central location during lockdown when raucous Temple Bar became an eerie ghost town.

Full disclosure - I know Montys owners Shiva and Lina Gautam for years and helped Lina edit her cookbook (copies available from Montys). The main reason I am in Montys so often is because it has one of the longest and best wine lists in Ireland so is regularly utilised by visiting winemakers to showcase their wines.

The list has everything from Clare Valley Riesling to Ch. Lafite Rothschild and most are available by the glass (via Coravin). For the rock bottom price of 50 we ordered a bottle of Chateau Lanessan 1996 Medoc from the bin-end list - yes this old lady was fading a little but retained beautiful gravelly, dusky black fruits and subtle spice notes, it was a real treat.

Montys opened long ago in 1997 when Temple Bar was more rag-trade hub than restaurants and (excluding chain restaurants) is I think the second oldest restaurant in Temple Bar after Gallaghers Boxty House.

Shiva and Lina were born in Nepal but found themselves newly married and living in London where Shiva trained as an engineer. Before their first wedding anniversary an Irish friend convinced them that what Dublin really needed was a Nepalese Restaurant so over they came, and boy is this city grateful.

In adapting to the new conditions Montys tables are 1m apart with sanitisers on each, masked chefs and face-shielded waiters, and the menu is available digitally via a QR code. The door handles have an automatic sanitiser that sprays when the door opens and closes, and they have even stumped up for a Novaerus Clean Air System developed in UCD as used in hospital operating theatres which filters the air by breaking up microorganisms using low energy plasma ion gas - hey, it all helps.

Nepal is a Democratic Republic (pop. 28m) nestled between China and India. The cooking is closer to Northern India but contains lots of Chinese influences and you will find steamed dumplings, soy sauce and Sichuan Pepper.

Strong emphasis is placed on vegetables, pulses and breads and dishes tend to be lighter with a more tomato focus than the dairy enriched dishes of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar over the border - it is to Montys I send vegetarian friends.

We piled poppadoms high with chutney (diced spiced vegetables) and ordered more, we gobbled the Tareko Jhinga Macha prawns and relished the contrast between the crispy prawns and the earthy savoury sauce. We attacked the barbecued spicy baby squid tentacles and best of all popped their sizzling Poleko Squid bodies whole into our mouths, marvelling at the squeaky spicy fresh flavours. Poleko Squid cant be made at home unless you have a charcoal fired Tandoor - they cook in 45 seconds and are simply joyous.

Next up Momos, the classic Nepali dumplings - delicate round steamed dumplings filled with minced spiced chicken or vegetables with noticeable garlic, ginger and mild chilli flavours. The Himalayas in Nepal were once thought to be as close to the Gods as we could get, well Momos are the food to serve them if they make it down the mountain.

Pickle flavoured Achari Curry kept our tastebuds lively being both mildly bracing as well as comforting - spicy deep-fried Chilli Nanglo Chicken in light batter warmed our heart while the chilli warmed our mouths but everything was tempered by the creamy Jhaneko Chickpea Lentil Dal and probably the best Garlic Coriander Naan in the country - I do not make that last statement lightly. For dessert the Gulab Jamun puddings made from honeyed sweetened milk solids were a fine finish.

In all we spent 156 for three people - starters cost 6.50-9.50, mains 15-20, dals 5-7 and breads were a couple of euro each. We added amazing wine and a Barefoot Pilsner and the three of us left sated and fully restored for the meagre price of 52 per head.
Political activist Erendro Leichombam has been charged with for a Facebook post on a meeting between newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from Manipur Leishemba Sanajaoba and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, police sources said on Wednesday.

Leichombam shared a photo on July 24 that showed Sanajaoba, the titular king of Manipur, bowing before Shah with his hands folded, and captioned it "Minai Macha" in Meitei that translates to "servant's son".

A case was registered on Tuesday against Leichombam under IPC sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) 124 A (sedition) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), police sources said.

An investigation is underway in the matter, they said, refusing to divulge details.

The photo was clicked when Sanajaoba, a BJP leader, met Shah at his residence during a visit to the capital recently.

Police went to Leichombam's Thangmeiband residence on July 26 but he was not there, his family members said.

Officials then informed them about the charges pressed against him and said they were invoked because of his Facebook post, they said.

"I have been charged with by the government for exercising my freedom of speech. To protect Kangleipak from forceful assimilation is a duty," he later posted on Facebook.

Kangleipak is the native name of the state.

Leichombam contested the Manipur elections in 2016 from the Thangmeiband constituency after he co-founded the Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance outfit along with activist Irom Sharmila.

They founded the party and fought the polls after Sharmila broke her 16-year fast for the removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Manipur, but they could not win.

Hitting out at the BJP government over the charges, Leichombam said in a Facebook post earlier in the day that the chief minister was a "puppet of Hinduvta colonialism".

"MK Gandhi, Tilak, Arundhati Roy & Hijam Irabot. Today, I proudly join them. Sedition 124 (a) is a colonial law. Birenji is a puppet of Hinduvta Colonialism (sic)," he wrote, criticising Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

Leichombam, a Harvard University graduate on economic policy, was arrested in 2018 for posting a video on Facebook containing inflammatory speeches.

Police had asked him to take down the video, which he refused and was accordingly booked for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Published on 2020/07/28 | Source

Actor Lee Kyu-hyung who appeared in "I Live Alone" is being paid attention, as well as his performance in "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God".

Advertisement

The actor debuted in 2001 with the movie "Kick the Moon" and started becoming famous for his theatrical plays.

He starred in the drama "Secret Forest" as Yoon Se-won, gaining more reputation. Furthermore, he acted out the character of Hae-rong Han-yang in "Prison Playbook" and slowly made his way up to leading character in "Life", "Doctor John" and "Hi Bye, Mama!".

He played a minor role in the drama "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" as a character who murdered his wife for insurance.

Lee Kyu-hyung appeared threatening as he tried to kill Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun) who had found out his secret. Later, he was stabbed by Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) and headed to the police station to confess his crime.

Lee Kyu-hyung's bone chilling performance in "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" drew attention from many. Netizens who saw his part of the drama say, "Is that why Hae-rong went to prison?", "Other actors are great but it's hard to believe Lee Kyu-hyung is the same person in all of the roles he plays", "Was Hae-rong an office man?", "I didn't know who that was until I saw it again", "He's a good actor", "He has potential to digest any given character", "He doesn't mix up the characters he's playing", "He's so different in the drama" and more.

Lee Kyu-hyung appears in "I Live Alone" and reveal his home as well as his hobbies.
Tiger numbers are increasing across five of the countries where the endangered big cat is found, conservationists have said.

The number of wild tigers is on the increase in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Russia, a decade on from the launch of an ambitious scheme to double the population of the species.

The TX2 initiative was launched in 2010 when it was estimated that wild populations of the cat were at a historic low with as few as 3,200 animals remaining across the 13 range countries where they are found.

It aims to double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022, the next Chinese Year of the Tiger.

Conservationists are marking this years Global Tiger Day by highlighting some of the successes that have been seen in range countries following efforts to protect tigers and their habitat.

In India, the number of wild tigers has more than doubled from 2006 to 2018 and is estimated at between 2,600 and 3,350 animals  around three-quarters of the worlds population.

Nepals population of tigers had nearly doubled by 2018, up from 121 individuals in 2009 to 235 just under a decade later.

The population in Nepals Bardia National Park alone has increased from just 18 tigers in 2008 to 87 in 2018, wildlife charity WWF said.

In Russia, Amur tiger numbers have increased by 15% in the past 10 years to around 540 animals, and in Bhutans Royal Manas National Park the population rose from only 10 tigers a decade ago to 22 in 2019.

In 2010 China had no more than 20 wild tigers, most of which had crossed the border from Russia.

But the country recorded a landmark moment in 2014 when camera traps captured footage of a tigress and her cubs in Jilin Wangqing Nature Reserve, indicating that tigers were breeding in China again and dispersing into new areas.

Expand Close A camera trap image of Rewa tiger family in Jigme Single Wangchuck National Park, Bhutan (JSWNP / DoFPS/ WWF-Bhutan/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A camera trap image of Rewa tiger family in Jigme Single Wangchuck National Park, Bhutan (JSWNP / DoFPS/ WWF-Bhutan/PA)

Becci May, regional manager, Asian Big Cats, at WWF UK, said: Ten years ago, tigers were in such a perilous state that there was a very real risk of them becoming extinct in the wild.

From that population low in 2010, they are finally making a remarkable comeback in much of South Asia, Russia and China, thanks to co-ordinated and concerted conservation efforts in these countries.

This is an achievement that not only offers a future for tigers in the wild, but for the landscapes they inhabit and the communities living alongside this iconic big cat.

There are still only around 3,900 tigers in the wild, where they are under threat from poaching for the illegal wildlife trade, and the destruction and breaking up of their habitat across much of their range, WWF said.

The key to helping wild tiger populations recover is to focus on conserving landscapes where they can thrive and ensuring communities in these wildlife-rich areas are supported and included in conservation, the organisation said.

Expand Close An endangered tiger in western Thailand caught on camera (DNP/PANTHERA/ZSL/RCU/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp An endangered tiger in western Thailand caught on camera (DNP/PANTHERA/ZSL/RCU/PA)

Also to mark Global Tiger Day, Thailands Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Panthera and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have released footage and photos showing numerous new tigers in a region of western Thailand.

The images come from camera traps set as part of a monitoring programme adjacent to the largest remaining and only second known breeding population of Indochinese tigers in the world.

The sign of tigers in new areas suggests suitable habitat and prey exists for them there, the experts said.

Chief of the Wildlife Research Division for DNP Dr Saksit Simcharoen said: These sightings are extremely encouraging for the future of tigers in our country and beyond.

These tigers are in a precarious situation. Sustained and stronger protection of this area from poaching activity of any kind is the key to ensuring these individuals live on, helping Thailands tigers to rebound.
A logo at the Brazilian mobile operator Telefonica office, that is no longer in operation, is seen in Sao Paulo

By Gabriela Mello

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Telefonica Brasil SA's second-quarter results were pressured by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy but it still exceeded expectations as operations began to improve in June.

Brazil's largest wireless carrier on Wednesday posted a quarterly net profit of 1.113 billion reais ($215.98 million), down 21.6% from a year ago, but above a consensus estimate of 1.008 billion reais compiled by Refinitiv.

"The scenario was challenging as the economic slowdown hit our business and fueled uncertainties... April was particularly tough, May a bit less and things only started to get better as of June," Chief Executive Christian Gebara told journalists.

The local subsidiary of Spain's Telefonica, which operates under the Vivo brand, posted a 5.1% fall in quarterly net revenue, driven by both mobile and landline services, while store closures led to a 41% tumble in smartphone sales.

Gebara noted, however, that 80% of Vivo's stores have now reopened and said demand for mobile services, particularly pre-paid, is picking up.

Shares in Telefonica Brasil were trading down 0.6% at 50.66 reais after rising as much as 3% at the opening.

Analysts at BTG Pactual saw Vivo's results as "resilient", highlighting its "remarkable free cash flow" of 2.77 billion reais helped by lower capital expenditure.

The carrier has been mulling alternatives to accelerate the expansion of its fiber network while limiting investments.

In a separate filing, Vivo said it plans to create an independent unit to build and offer a neutral fiber network to wholesale customers. Credit Suisse analysts praised the move, saying it could create a more efficient capital structure.

Parent company Telefonica will be Vivo's initial partner in the new vehicle but it will seek at least one more investor by year-end, according to Gebara.

"The goal for this unit is to start operations in 2021 and reach 5 million homes within four years," the CEO said.

Vivo is also bidding together with rivals TIM Participacoes SA and America Movil's Claro for bankrupt Oi's mobile unit. The three presented a new 16.5 billion-real bid on Monday night, which Gebara called a "reasonable" offer.

(Reporting by Gabriela Mello, editing by Kirsten Donovan and Bernadette Baum)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 21:11:47|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- At a time when the global economic recovery was complicated by the unabated COVID-19 pandemic and anti-globalization sentiment, China brought to the table a new development pattern.

During a symposium with entrepreneurs last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to give full play to the advantage of a huge domestic market, so that a new development pattern will gradually be created whereby domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay.

Analysts say the new development pattern charts the course for China's high-quality economic development, which requires stronger endogenous driving forces amid mounting external uncertainties.

DOMESTIC MARKET AS MAINSTAY

Boasting the world's largest industrial system, China has over 123 million market entities and over 170 million skilled professionals, as well as a population of 1.4 billion that includes 400 million middle-income earners, which makes it a necessity for the world's second largest economy to make the domestic market a mainstay of the new development pattern.

China has worked to tap the potential of the domestic market from both the demand side and the supply side.

On the demand side, the country pledged to unleash the potential of consumption by stimulating consumer spending and increasing public spending, as well as expanding investment in infrastructure and emerging strategic industries.

The commitment was evidenced in the annual government work report released in late May, which gave priority to stabilizing employment and ensuring living standards against the COVID-19 epidemic's economic fallout, urging efforts to boost consumption and expand investment in a mutually reinforcing way.

As the epidemic slowed business activities and dented the job market, China slashed fees for firms to help ensure they keep employees on the payroll, having refunded 63.6 billion yuan (about 9 billion U.S. dollars) to over 4.3 million firms in the first half of this year and benefited around 100 million people.

Official data showed that China's surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas stood at 5.7 percent in June, 0.2 percentage points lower than that of May, while a total of 5.64 million new urban jobs were created in the first half of the year, completing 62.7 percent of the annual target.

In a bid to stimulate new consumption demand and promote industrial upgrading, China has vowed to step up investment, especially in new infrastructures like 5G, AI and cloud computing. New infrastructure investment is estimated to reach 17.5 trillion yuan for 2020-2025, representing an annualized growth rate of around 21.6 percent.

A brand new information consumption market to be created by the new infrastructures will help spawn new drivers of domestic demand that can in turn stimulate the growth of infrastructure, said Zhu Keli, a researcher on the new economy with the Development Research Center of the State Council.

On the supply side, China has taken multi-pronged measures to protect the supply chain from succumbing to epidemic shocks. Building on earlier efforts to advance the resumption of production, the country has ramped up tax and fee reductions and provided firms with low-cost loans to help them tide over difficulties.

The country will be unswerving in deepening supply-side structural reforms, which will help improve the quality of the domestic economy, analysts say.

EXPLORING FRESH OUTBOUND OPPORTUNITIES

Chinese companies should better diversify their target markets and shift more focus to developing countries as the pandemic ravages many of the country's traditional key trading partners, said Yan Yilong, an associate professor with Tsinghua University.

As a transcontinental program that improves connectivity and increases trade, the Belt and Road Initiative will play a pivotal role in helping Chinese companies explore new overseas opportunities, Yan added.

During the first half of 2020, China's trade with countries along the Belt and Road saw a slight decline of 0.9 percent year on year to 4.2 trillion yuan, 2.3 percentage points lower than the country's overall decrease in foreign trade.

For years, China has been encouraging enterprises to expand their operations globally to better leverage external markets and resources. The trend will be accelerated over the coming years, as more companies realize the importance of a globalized approach.

Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo's chairman and CEO, said the new development pattern has important bearings on the country's economic security.

The normal operation of Lenovo's plants in Brazil and other countries bolstered the company's output when the epidemic erupted in China, while the subsequent recovery of domestic demand also helped strengthen its global supply chain, Yang said.

Despite the impact of COVID-19, China has reiterated that it will continue to broaden market access and open up its service sector, vowing supportive measures to shore up foreign investment and trade.

"China's opening-up and sharing growth opportunities with other countries will also benefit its own development in turn," Yan said.

In its latest efforts to open the economy, China unveiled a new negative list for foreign investment in late June, cutting the number of sectors that are off-limits for foreign investors to 33 from 40 in 2019.

China's opening-up measures amid the pandemic have helped stabilize the international industrial and supply chains and promote a virtuous cycle of the global economy, said Hu Xiaolian, chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China. Enditem
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Human Resource Development was called education ministry before 26 September 1985

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has renamed as Ministry of Education, as per the draft recommendations of the National Education Policy, 2020. The formal announcement is likely to be made by I&B minister Prakash Javadekar and the education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal later in the day when they release the National Education Policy.

It is worth noting that the Ministry of Human Resource Development was called education ministry before 26 September 1985, when PV Narasimha Rao became the first HRD minister in the Rajiv Gandhi Cabinet. Subsequently, the next year, 1986, the National Education Policy was introduced.

The Union Cabinet, meanwhile, has given its approval to the National Education Policy. The new academic session, which is likely to begin in September-October this year after delay due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, will see the introduction of the new education policy.

According to Hindustan Times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reviewed the new policy on May 1. The draft of the policy was prepared by a panel of experts led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Kasturirangan.
The leader of the Cream Scheme that defrauded millions of dollars from insurance companies was sentenced to 165 months in prison on Tuesday. Federal Judge Sandy Mattice pronounced Wayne Wilkersons sentence in Winchesters Federal Court building after a three and a half hour hearing.

Defense attorney Seth Schwartz had several issues with the pre-sentence investigation report, one of them being the assertion his client was the leader of the scheme. He placed some of the blame on the insurance companies that went along with the scheme.

I dont think there is any argument he was the head of the group, said prosecutor Perry Piper. Hes the one that put it in play and had it running. The scheme has never been legitimate, and has been fraudulent since the beginning.

The prosecutor also said that the defendant never denied being in control of the multi-level marketing scheme that charged extremely high prices for what were common creams and compounds. However, even up until the end of the sentencing, Wilkerson and his attorney denied there was any criminal intent behind the scheme.

My client couldnt stop (one of his downlinks from recruiting a man he did not approve of), because this was a series of companies with the autonomy to do what they wanted, said attorney Schwartz. This was not a traditional top-down company.

However, Judge Mattice said that even though Wilkerson did not run with an iron-fist, he said, Mr. Wilkerson was clearly the leader and organizer of this pyramid scheme.

Attorney Schwartz then asked for a downward variance from the guideline minimum of 235 months. He said that, unlike some fraudulent schemes that injured or hurt patients, none of the patients involved were harmed directly by the cream scheme.

While $35 million was defrauded, he asked the judge to treat it as an insurance fraud case, something Judge Mattice agreed with. Attorney Schwartz also said the insurance companies shared some of the blame as they should have had pricedures in place to protect against such schemes.

He did not come up with the cream-related scheme, he just picked it up from the pharmacies, said attorney Schwartz, who said a short prison sentence would be enough of a deterrent to stop Wilkerson from trying to create another scheme. He will not violate the law again.



Judge Mattice said that, while he would give some sort of variance, it would not be to the degree Wilkerson was looking for.

I do have to send some sort of message, said Judge Mattice in regard to handing down a sentence that promoted respect for the law and acted as a deterrent for those thinking of committing fraud. Mr. (Michael) Chatfield got 108 months, and I think Mr. Wilkerson is more culpable than Chatfield.

The only time Wilkerson stopped was when he was afraid of being caught or when insurance companies stopped paying, said prosecutor Piper. There is nothing murky about this. Its rank fraud.

He then said, The fraud continues on July 28, 2020, referring to Wilkersons letter to the court. In this letter, Wilkerson denied knowingly committing any sort of crime, a sentiment that the prosecutor disagreed with.

"He says he has not committed a crime, said prosecutor Piper. I dont think he is remorseful.



While Wilkerson was tearful as he addressed the court, he remained adamant. He said he consulted several attorneys, all of whom told him the scheme was legal. He also thanked his family for being in the courtroom during his sentencing, and addressed his present co-defendants.

Why were we found guilty, and where was the fraud? asked Wilkerson. I was trying to keep the company compliant with state and federal laws.

He said at the time, there was not much case law when it came to dealing with compounds or schemes of that nature and he was unaware of the illegality of the scheme. He said, I would never knowingly put my friends and family at risk.

Judge Mattice then handed down the lengthy sentence, along with an order for $200,000 in forfeiture and $2 million in restitution. Wilkerson will self-report on Oct. 28, and asked to be sent to the federal prison in Pensacola.

This may seem like an extraordinary sentence but that is also an extraordinary variance, Judge Mattice said.






Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte cultivates a nice-guy image at home but in Europe he has been dubbed "Mr No" for blocking a deal on a huge coronavirus rescue package. As the unofficial head of the "Frugals" -- the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Denmark and Finland -- Rutte is taking on the role of villain for a tough stance that has pushed an EU summit into a fourth day. Hungarian premier Viktor Orban accused "The Dutch guy" of holding up a deal -- and of personally hating him. Diplomats from other countries have privately been even less complimentary. Rutte is unrepentant, insisting on stricter rules for the southern EU states that will get most of the cash, knowing that Dutch voters who go to the polls next year want him to hold firm. "We're not here so we can go to each others' birthdays for the rest of our lives -- we're all here to defend the interests of our own countries," Rutte told reporters Monday. The liberal Dutch premier -- one of Europe's longest-serving leaders after a decade in power -- went on to warn after yet another gruelling night of talks that the summit "may still fail". - 'Preachers and salesmen' - Rutte, 53, is often portrayed as the embodiment of frugality -- the life-long bachelor cycles to work from the apartment he has lived in since graduating and drives a second-hand Saab. "He doesn't really seem to care about material possessions," Pepijn Bergsen, a research fellow in the Europe programme at Chatham House in London, told AFP. His position chimes with the electorate in a "nation of preachers and salesmen", which prides itself on Calvinist thriftiness and a long history as a trading power. The former personnel manager for Unilever is also known for a cheery persona that has helped him make friends on all sides of the Netherlands' fragmented political scene. That quality, combined with a killer political instinct, has enabled Rutte to lead three coalition governments since 2010. His feeling for the political winds was on display in a video in April that gave Rutte his new nickname. After a truck driver urged the PM "Don't give the Italians and Spanish any money!", he laughingly exclaimed "no no no!". With general elections due in March, Rutte is conscious of the need to see off a strong challenge from far-right and eurosceptic parties if, as expected, he decides to go for a fourth term in office. Asked on Monday if he minded the "Mr No" epithet, Rutte replied that he "wouldn't let himself be distracted by background noise", adding that he was working for Dutch interest, "which are clearly linked to a European interest". His critics point out that the Netherlands's tax breaks for multinationals cost the EU billions of euros, while the Dutch also benefit from soaring exports to other European countries. - 'Giving this money away' - With other leaders saying the "Frugals" risk fracturing EU unity at a time of crisis, the Dutch commitment to the European project that the Netherlands helped found is again under scrutiny. The Netherlands has increasingly taken on the blocking role formerly held by fellow free-marketeers the British, following the UK's exit from the EU earlier this year. Rutte's behaviour over the 750-billion-euro ($855 billion) virus fund echoes the budget-blocking antics of former British prime ministers David Cameron and Margaret Thatcher. His tough stance on the Greek debt meltdown and EU migration crisis in the 2010s meanwhile irked many in Europe. Bergsen said Rutte's position reflects profoundly held ideas in his own VVD party and parliament. "You sometimes see people trying to explain the Dutch hardline stance, it's an election year, they can't be seen to be giving this money away...," said Bergsen. "But most of The Hague actually just believes this stuff. "They actually believe that if they give money for free -- as they see it -- to the Italians, it's wasted. And I wouldn't be surprised if Rutte actually believes that too."
LAGOS (Reuters) - Pirates have kidnapped seven Russian sailors from the crew of a ship in the Gulf of Guinea, the Russian Embassy in Nigeria said on Monday.

The seven Russians were among 13 crew members pirates abducted from the Curacao Trader 210 miles off the coast of Benin last Friday, the embassy said on its official Twitter account, but did not provide further details.

The shipping industry has warned in recent months about increased incidents of piracy and kidnapping in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly around Nigeria.

Pirates this month attacked an oil production vessel off Nigeria and kidnapped nine Nigerian nationals.

(Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram; Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber; Writing by Paul Carsten; Editing by Alison Williams)
In a single day, An Phat Holdings became the largest market cap plastics company in the Vietnamese securities market

On July 28, the HSX announced its approval of An Phat Holdings official listing, and congratulated An Phat Holdings for its first day of trading.

Opening at VND41,500 ($1.80) per share, APH hit the +20 per cent ceiling on the first day, closing at VND49,800 ($2.17) per share after at-the-opening order. Trading volume reached nearly 225,000 shares today. After the first trading session, An Phat Holdings' market cap reached VND6.6 trillion ($286.96 million), overcoming all other plastic stocks in the Vietnamese securities market.

The price almost matched its previous IPO, where An Phat Holdings successfully auctioned 4.3 million shares with the average bidding price of VND50,018 ($2.17) per share on June 22, 2020. According to the representative of An Phat Holdings, investors are confident in the potential of the company's green products and market expansion both at home and abroad. As a result, investors went far above the starting price at the IPO as well as the official listing on HSX.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dinh Xuan Cuong, vice chairman cum CEO of An Phat Holdings said, This is an important milestone marking the new journey of An Phat Holdings as a listed company, a member of HSX. In 2020, An Phat Holdings aims to focus on compostable products. Therefore, having our own raw materials supply chain for production  the most important determinant of product cost  is a top priority. We solved this problem by IPO, mobilising capital for the construction of the first compostable material manufacturing plant in Vietnam.

Dinh Xuan Cuong, vice chairman cum CEO of An Phat Holdings addressing the ceremony

The company will use the proceeds of the HSX listing to build the first compostable material manufacturing plant in Vietnam called AnBio. The project will put An Phat Holdings on the list of the handful of companies that produce compostable materials in the world, besides BASF, Novamont, NatureWorks, and Total Corbion, among others, and revolutionise its position by turning it into a manufacturer and supplier of green materials. At present, the company is the only Vietnamese enterprise that holds a patent for manufacturing compostable materials.

The raw materials self-supply will help the company reduce production costs by about 30 per cent for subsidiaries while retaining a 25-30 per cent gross profit margin for the parent company. An Phat Holdings targets that compostable products will contribute 40-50 per cent of its packaging revenue by 2023. The construction of the plant is expected to start at the beginning of 2021 at Haiphong to be completed by 2022, with a capacity of 20,000 tonnes per year.

In 2017, An Phat Holdings was established, marking its transition to the holding model from the former company Anh Hai Duy founded in 2002.

Over the past two decades, An Phat Holdings has grown into the No.1 thin monolayer film producer in Southeast Asia with 15 member companies throughout Vietnam and branches in the US, Singapore, South Korea and France, among others. Currently, the company specialises in key areas like compostable materials and finished products, packaging, engineering plastics and SPC flooring, raw material and chemicals for the plastics industry, precision engineering and moulding, and industrial real estate.

An Phat Holdings also directly owns two listed companies  Hanoi Plastics JSC (HSX: NHH) and An Phat Bioplastics JSC (HSX: AAA)  and indirectly own shares of 10 other companies through these two companies.

In 2019, An Phat Holdings consolidated revenue and after-tax profit were VND9.513 trillion ($413.6 million) and VND712 billion ($30.96 million), up 19 and 305 per cent over 2018. Gross profit soared by 60 per cent to VND1.082 trillion ($47 million) while gross profit margin improved from 8 to 11 per cent. Total assets reached nearly VND10 trillion ($434.8 million). As of July, the company's earnings per share (EPS) reached VND3,076 (13 US cents).

In 2020, An Phat Holdings set the revenue and net profit targets at VND12 trillion ($521.74 million) and VND650 billion ($28.26 million). In the long term, the companys driving force will be compostable products thanks to its compostable material manufacturing plant.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Forget about heading out to the store on Thanksgiving to get an early start on holiday shopping. Youre going to have to sit at home and shop online enjoy time with the family like the rest of us.

Best Buy and Kohls became the latest dominos to fall, announcing they would be closed on November 26. Walmart, Target and Dicks Sporting Goods have already announced plans to close on Thanksgiving, too.

So, go ahead and enjoy that second slice of pumpkin pie. Theres no need to run out for a chance at that $400 TV thats way too big anyway or that doorbuster deal that will inevitably be gone by the time you get there.

Best Buy said its decision to close was made to meet our customers changing lives this holiday. Like Target, Dicks said its holiday sales would start earlier than ever. The desired effect is smaller crowds on Black Friday and other busy shopping days.

The electronics retailer said its offering more convenient pickup options and working to make sure online orders arrive in a more timely fashion.

Kohls, meanwhile, said its also closing due to changing customer expectations and behaviors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Given the importance of safety and convenience, we expect more customers to shop earlier, search for great deals throughout the season, and take advantage of our online and omnichannel conveniences, the company said in a statement. The department store will announce its holiday hours at a later date.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 06:56:56|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday urged the United States to stop politicizing the Syrian humanitarian issue and to immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Syria.

China has always adopted a constructive and responsible approach in dealing with the issue of cross-border humanitarian mechanism for Syrians. In fact, it is the United States that should reflect on its actions, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

In addressing the cross-border issue, the United States voted six times against reasonable draft resolutions and amendments aimed at narrowing differences and finding solutions, he told a Security Council virtual meeting on Syria's humanitarian situation.

If the United States truly cares about the humanitarian situation in Syria, it should stop politicizing the humanitarian issue, stop putting up a hypocritical political show. If the United States truly cares about the humanitarian situation in Syria, it should immediately lift unilateral sanctions against the Syrian people, instead of creating groundless excuses. If the United States truly cares about the humanitarian situation in Syria, it should stop hegemony policy, regime change and bullying practices in the Middle East and other parts of the world, which had led to endless chaos and instability, said Zhang.

China follows closely the humanitarian and economic situation in Syria. China is deeply worried that Syria is now going through severe economic collapse. The loss of currency value, rising unemployment, increased food insecurity and insufficient medicine supplies all add to the sufferings of the Syrian people, he said.

The fact that unilateral sanctions gravely impact the humanitarian situation in Syria is undeniable. Years of economic blockade and illegal sanctions have worsened the socio-economic and humanitarian situations in Syria, and undermined the livelihoods of innocent civilians. At this critical time, unilateral sanctions further compromise Syria's capacity to effectively respond to COVID-19. Lifting unilateral sanctions is more important and urgent than ever, he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, his special envoy Geir Pedersen, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs have made repeated appeals for the waiving of unilateral sanctions. These appeals have also received the overwhelming support of member states. There should be a positive response to these appeals, he said.

China urges relevant countries to demonstrate genuine sympathy and support for the Syrian people by lifting the sufferings they impose on them. The Security Council should fulfill its mandate and take concrete actions in this regard. China also requests a comprehensive report by the UN Secretariat on this issue, said Zhang.

The Syrian government bears the primary responsibility to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria. It is encouraging to see continued efforts and progress in cross-line operations into both the northeast and the northwest of Syria. China calls on relevant parties to remove obstacles to cross-line operations, and give priority to providing humanitarian relief from within Syrian territory, he said.

The international community should increase humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people, on the basis of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. In this regard, China's position on the cross-border mechanism remains unchanged. Considering the current situation, China does not object to retaining the cross-border mechanism at this stage, he said.

The Syrian issue should be addressed with a holistic approach, taking into account the political, counter-terrorism, security, humanitarian and other aspects altogether, said Zhang.

China calls on relevant parties to respond to the cease-fire appeals by the secretary-general, strengthen dialogue and consultation, and actively promote a Syrian-led, Syrian-owned political process. China will continue to play a responsible and constructive role in the efforts to achieve a peaceful, just and proper settlement of the Syrian issue at an early date, he said. Enditem
After months of negotiations, the state has conditionally approved the $40 million sale of Seton Medical Center in Daly City and its Moss Beach facility. The hospital system, long plagued by financial instability, serves many low-income and elderly patients in the Bay Area.

The office of Attorney General Xavier Becerra will allow Southern California-based AHMC Healthcare to purchase the hospital system from its current owner, Verity Health of California, as long as the buyer accepts a list of conditions.

Because a for-profit company is buying the medical centers from a nonprofit, the attorney general must evaluate whether the sale is in the public interest or impacts the accessibility of health care.

AHMC is required to keep both centers open for at least 5 years after the sale and to maintain cardiac, critical care services and womens health services.

It will also have to cover the full cost of health care for the uninsured and underinsured, or those who earn at or less than 250% of the federal poverty level  $31,900 for an individual and $54,300 for a family of three. The buyer must also provide discounted health care for other low-income patients.

AHMC is required to commit $1 million in charity care for patients in the surrounding community for six years after the sale.

The approval of the sale offers a lifeline to Seton, which has recently been at risk for closure.

For decades, the Seton hospitals were two of six run by the Catholic nonprofit Daughters of Charity. In 2015, the nonprofit transferred the hospitals to a subsidiary of New York hedge fund Blue Mountain Capital, which became known as Verity Health System after losing millions of dollars each year in part due to treating uninsured patients who could not pay for medical care.

In 2018, Verity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, casting more uncertainty onto the hospitals future. In 2019, negotiations to sell to Strategic Global Management, an affiliate of health management company KPC Group, fell through. A bankruptcy court approved the sale to AHMC in April.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the 300-bed Daly City center has been designated by the state to accommodate people with COVID-19, including San Quentin State Prison inmates.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa has said that if Seton closed, it would create a doughnut hole in medical care.

Seton hospital serves a lot of people, poor people and indigent people. Without having that hospital there, the adverse effects to health outcomes will be disastrous, he previously told The Chronicle.

Becerra said that the conditional sale will maintain quality care that the community relies on.

As the COVID-19 public health crisis continues to mount, its crucial that California communities have access to lifesaving hospital care, he said in a statement on July 27. Thats why the conditions we have attached to the proposed sale of Seton focus on improving care and services at the facilities  increasing the amount of charity care, the benefits to the community, and investment in improvements for the facilities.

Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev
COUNCILLORS are to write to government urging an investigation into the mental health crisis service at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

At this months metropolitan district meeting, members unanimously backed a motion from Cllr Sharon Benson, Sinn Fein, which called for a probe on foot of a wide-ranging survey by the Haven Hub, which provides a safe space for those at risk of suicide.

They spoke to dozens of people who had used UHL's emergency department having presented with a mental health issue, and charted their experiences.

Speaking with volunteers from the group watching from the gallery, Cllr Benson said: I have read through each and every response in the report and I have to say that it was extremely upsetting to learn of how vulnerable people were treated, within the services. A lack of empathy and compassion is a recurring theme throughout the report.

Labour councillor Conor Sheehan said he found the report very distressing.

Staff working out there are doing their best in the toughest circumstances, he said.

For its part, the HSE said it is reviewing the contents of both the council meeting and the Haven Hubs report.

We always encourage people who need support to contact their GP in the first instance, a spokesperson said, Anyone using the [emergency department mental health] service is followed up by the appropriate community mental health team following their presentation.

Cllr James Collins, Fianna Fail, added: When you see voluntary groups like the Haven Hub needing to step in and provide services which should be given by the State, you realise something has gone very wrong. These issues needed to be dealt with long before Covid-19.

He called for an update on the councils Connecting for Life group, a multi-agency task force which aims to deal with the suicide issue here in Limerick.

Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler said a member of the HSE, who also sits on the group, should also be present for the update.

If you, or someone you know is in crisis and needs support, please call or access the Samaritans on 116123, Shannon Doc at 1850-212999, or Pieta House on 1800 247 247.

Information on further supports are available from 1800111888.
Protesters gather in front of the Uber Green Light Hub near the Philadelphia International Airport during a 2019 rally. Uber drivers and their supporters were fighting for fair wages. Read more

In August 2015, Donald Lowman Jr. found out that he no longer would be eligible for unemployment benefits because he had been driving for Uber.

The Philadelphia man, who had lost his job as a behavior health specialist, was self-employed, according to Pennsylvanias Department of Labor and Industry, which meant he was disqualified from collecting unemployment.

Five years later, in a ruling hailed as a victory for workers in the ongoing struggle for gig workers rights, the states top court reversed that decision: Lowman, a majority of judges said, was not self-employed and should have been eligible for benefits.

The 5-2 decision sets the stage for app-based gig workers to get unemployment benefits and is part of a growing movement to get app-based gig workers protections they have not traditionally been entitled to.

Last year, in an effort to crack down on companies such as Uber and Lyft for what advocates called exploitative labor practices, California passed a law that made it harder for gig companies to classify their workers as independent contractors. And this week, a federal judge in New York ruled that Uber and Lyft drivers  many of whom have been waiting for months for unemployment benefits  must be paid the benefits like other workers.

The ruling gets at the heart of a debate that has roiled the app-based gig economy: Are Uber drivers just like any workers at the mercy of a boss? Or are they entrepreneurs who are running their own businesses?

Companies such as Uber and Lyft have sought to frame drivers as business owners, or independent contractors, rather than employees. Be your own boss, their ads read. These companies built their business models around employing an army of what they described as independent contractors, a classification of worker that isnt entitled to legal protections such as minimum wage, unemployment insurance, and overtime. Last year, Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash spent tens of millions of dollars to fight the California law, which would make it harder for them to misclassify their workers.

But in recent years, a growing chorus of gig workers has said that not only is this classification exploitative, its inaccurate. In order to be classified as an independent contractor by Pennsylvania law, the contractor, among other things, must be free from control of the business theyre contracting with.

 READ MORE: What Philly can learn from some of the biggest victories around the world by on-demand gig workers

In a statement, Uber underscored that the court did not make a determination on the employment status of this driver, and the ruling does not say the driver was an employee.

In other words, the ruling does not suddenly reclassify all Uber drivers as employees. What it does is make it easier for Uber drivers to get access to unemployment benefits, and sets a precedent for advocates to make a similar case: that these workers are not being treated as traditional independent contractors.

However, Uber said, while this decision did not determine the drivers status, we stand ready to work with the commonwealth to modernize our laws, so that independent workers receive new protections while maintaining their flexibility.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Courts decision is one of the first that has closely analyzed Ubers relationship with its workers, said Julia Simon-Mishel, the Philadelphia Legal Assistance lawyer who argued Lowmans case, and it concluded that in todays work environments, control looks different than it once did.

The court recognized what a lot of workers have been advocating for a long time, she said, which is that while the control that Uber exerts may look different than the control of middle management in a physical office, it is still control.

The court pointed to numerous factors of this control, including GPS tracking, monitoring of Lowmans work, and the fact that Uber controls the pay structure.

 READ MORE: How incentives in the gig economy put workers at risk

Angela Vogel, a leader in the Philadelphia Drivers Union, which organizes ride-share drivers, said its often hard for people who have never worked for an app company to understand how much the apps control workers.

Just turn the app off, shed heard people say.

Just being able to turn the app on and off does not eliminate control, Vogel said, especially not when the economic reality of most drivers is that we depend on this income.

The court decision will not automatically make app-based gig workers eligible for unemployment benefits, Simon-Mishel said, but if they are denied, it gives them strong legal ground to appeal and prove that they are entitled to them.
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The government has decided not to proceed with the petrol subsidy programme that was mooted by the previous Pakatan Harapan administration.

Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Dato Haji Rosol Wahid said that the decision was made at a meeting between his ministry and the Ministry of Finance on 9 July 2020. He revealed that the finance ministry will be preparing a Cabinet Memorandum on the governments stand on the programme.

The deputy minister also cited several factors behind the decision to scrap the planned scheme. The reasons for not implementing the PSP are first, to avoid misunderstanding among residents of Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan because only people in Peninsular Malaysia would be involved in this subsidy, said Rosol. And (second) to avoid creating a wide gap in petrol prices between Peninsular Malaysia, and Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

Besides that, Rosol added that the ministries wished to avoid creating doubts among the people on the transparency of the subsidy scheme. He quoted the example of M40 Malaysians being able to enjoy discounts via a petrol subsidy card as one aspect that could give rise to such doubts.

Rosol was replying to a supplementary question from Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir (PH-Setiu) on the governments plans on petrol subsidy.

The petrol subsidy programme was first announced by the then-Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in November 2018, targeted specifically at the lower-income group of Malaysians. After nearly a year of waiting for its implementation to take place, the scheme was finally slated to start on 1 January 2020, only to be postponed indefinitely as the former government required more time to work out the details.

(Source: The Edge Markets)

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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks in an interview with Reuters in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Qing)

China criticized U.S. hegemony, saying a small group of U.S. politicians has become the biggest destroyer of international rules and order in an attempt to suppress China to win the election and maintain its unipolar hegemony, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday when talking to French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Noting the speeches made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that criticized China's social system and tries to divide the Communist Party of China from the Chinese people, Wang pointed out that the Pompeo's remarks aim to trigger a confrontation between different ideologies and bring the whole world back to the age of Cold War.

Wang warned the world in the crisis of division, and the destiny of the whole mankind will also be in danger if the relationships between China and the U.S. turns to adversarial.

The "America First" slogans made by some politicians, according to Wang, reflects the U.S. intention of unilateralism. He said the number of international treaties and organizations the U.S. withdrew, under Trump's administration, has far more than any other time.

The U.S. has become the biggest destroyer of international order, said Wang, adding it has stood at the opposite side of the historical trend as well as the international society.

Wang said China is determined to take countermeasures against moves that infringe upon China's legitimate rights and interests.

"China never makes provocations and always exercises maximum restraint," he said, noting that the closure of the U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu was a legitimate and necessary countermeasure against the U.S., which had forcefully shut down China's Consulate General in Houston.

China and the U.S. should engage in rational communication, he said. "We will never allow a small group of anti-China forces to overturn the successful accumulation of exchanges and cooperation between China and the U.S. over the past decades, nor will we allow ideological prejudices to sabotage the future development of China-U.S. relations."

In the world, other countries should make joint efforts to maintain solidarity and cooperation among the international community and prevent a new Cold War of conflicts and confrontation, Wang stressed.

He expressed confidence in the world's future, adding that peace and cooperation will be the choice of the times and the people.
Susie G. is a successful entrepreneur and adoptive mother of twenty-nine children who has been a member of the Catastrophic Illness Committee, formed the Alaska Womens Anonymous Social Club, and remains active in her community. Ronni Woitel is a medical health care worker who enjoys narrating stories to children in her local library. They have published their new book Lucy in the Sky: a beautiful story sure to be a new bedtime favorite for young readers and their families.

The author shares, This book is an example of just one special star on her entrance into this world. I truly believe each child is special in their own way. Each child is a star in their own way with their name on it. So pick a star, lasso it and hold on to it. Some stars are constant, and some go out like supernovas. Lucy is a nova.

Published by Page Publishing, Susie G. and Ronni Woitels engrossing book is a delightful addition to any childrens library.

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A group of ancient stars, perhaps the last remnants of the building blocks of the Milky Way, have been spotted by Australian astronomers.

The chance discovery is a rare opportunity to study our galaxy's evolution  even as the cluster of stars, known as the Phoenix stream, is in the process of being torn apart.

The stream sits in the stellar halo, a cold and largely empty expanse of space beyond the Milky Way, where it is slowly tracing a billion-year orbit of our galaxy.

"Phoenix represents one of the last remnants of an initial population that formed part of the building blocks of our galaxy," said University of Sydney astronomer Geraint Lewis.
I was horrified when water starting coming through my ceiling, so I rang the British Gas emergency number to report a burst pipe. But what happened next left me in floods of tears.

I chased them several times and someone arrived seven hours later. He said he could not fix it then but would come back after the Bank Holiday.

This was at Easter. He suggested putting a bucket under it. I did not sleep that night and came down at 6am to a terrible mess.

Crying shame: British Gas's plumber said he could not fix the burst pipe then and suggested putting a bucket under it

I then rang a local plumber in tears. He came within ten minutes and repaired the leak within an hour and charged 80.

So having paid British Gas insurance for emergency repairs I had to pay someone else to fix my burst pipe.

To add insult to injury I have just received a call  two weeks after the burst pipe  to say someone will come to fix it. J. S. Poole, Dorset.

Tony replies: British Gas says the contracted plumber was at your house for about an hour and a quarter and located the leak under a vanity unit in your bathroom.

I am told he made the floor safe before leaving.

It seems the contractor kept no records of any attempts to reschedule the appointment.

Further delays were due to engineers being furloughed and 'processes missed'.

So, as far as they knew you could be wading around and facing an inflated water bill.

British Gas has spoken to you to discover the full extent of the work you had to pay for.

Your overall costs were 350, which British Gas will reimburse. A spokesman apologises for the inconvenience and for you having to arrange your own plumber.

DWP chasing for money I've paid

In July 2017, my mother was admitted to hospital where she remained until October before moving into a care home.

I had power of attorney so contacted the Department for Work and Pensions to find out how much she needed to pay back from her Attendance Allowance [which helps to pay for carers].

They asked for 498.60. I sent a cheque on November 13 which was cleared on November 29. In 2019 I received a couple of letters saying the amount was still outstanding and threatening debt management.

I checked with the bank and wrote back asking DWP to check their records as the money had been paid.

My mother died on the May 2, 2019 and I received another letter from DWP.

I handed the paperwork to the people dealing with her will, contacted the bank to get a copy of the cheque and passed this over as well.

The estate has only just been settled and I've discovered the executors paid the bill again to complete the estate. P. W., Norwich.

Tony replies: How frustrating to have done everything correctly only for the executors to create another job. Equally frustrating was that the DWP was chasing a bill you had already paid.

DWP admits it made an error and has refunded the 498.60 to you. It has also apologised for the inconvenience and stress this caused.

It says that if any customer wishes to make an enquiry about an Attendance Allowance claim, they can phone 0800 731 0122 or write to Attendance Allowance, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton WV98 2AH.

The DWP chased a daughter for money owed for her mother although it had already been paid

Is Halifax right not to cover TV damage on insurance?

My daughter went through an insurance comparison website and Halifax came up as the best choice.

In January, her three-year-old threw his toy car which broke the screen on her TV.

Halifax declined her claim on the basis that she had two previous claims made within three years saying they don't give insurance on that basis.

She explained that she had entered both claims into the comparison site.

This went back and forth with Halifax. The comparison site says Halifax is to blame. My daughter is 37 weeks pregnant with no insurance because a decline on her record makes it far too expensive. P.M., by email.

Tony replies: While I have some sympathy with your daughter's situation the facts are these.

The information provided to Halifax was that your daughter made one claim for 1,500 on December 13, 2017 and a second on January 3, 2018.

The second claim was put at zero but in fact there had been a payout.

The policy documents showing this information that Halifax sent to your daughter were clear.

Halifax is adamant that it would not have accepted your daughter as a customer if it had known that two claims had been paid out.

Your daughter paid monthly and one payment of 26.80 has been refunded.

Her option now is to go to the Financial Ombudsman.

Having seen the evidence, I do not rate her chances of challenging Halifax highly.

Your letter serves as reminder that we must all check policy documents sent by insurers to be sure they are correct.

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT I am 80 and pay for a package deal with Virgin Media which includes broadband, a landline and a wide range of TV channels. When the BBC scraps free TV licences for over-70s, will I have to pay for one of those as well? D.T., email Tony replies: If you watch or record live television on any channel, either through your TV or website, then you must have a licence. You also need one to watch shows on BBC iPlayer. From August, you will only be entitled to a free TV licence if you claim pension credit. I asked NS&I to settle my late mother's premium bonds and Isa account six weeks ago but have still not received the money. A. B., Pedmore, West Midlands. Tony replies: NS&I says it received your claim on April 1 and replied on May 15, asking you to send a Grant of Probate, which it has not yet received. It says it can only make the payment once you have sent this. My flight was cancelled and I had to fork out 1,784 for another to Mumbai at short notice on top of the 858 I had already paid. I think Expedia should pay me compensation for the stress caused. D. O., by email Tony replies: Expedia refunded the cost of the original ticket as it was unable to find you an alternative direct flight. It has suggested contacting the airline you had booked with originally to see if it will consider any out of pocket expenses. On March 13, I tried to withdraw 200 at my local Sainsbury's ATM. But while I was putting my card away, the cash was sucked back into the machine. I reported it to my bank, Barclays, but the money has still not been returned. B. S., Conwy. Tony replies: Barclays told you that if the money did not appear in your account after 24 hours it would investigate, which can take 12 working days. It did this and the money has now been repaid. Barclays has also given you 50 for the inconvenience.

We love hearing from our loyal readers, so ask that during this challenging time you write to us by email where possible, as we will not pick up letters sent to our postal address as regularly as usual. You can write to: asktony@ dailymail.co.uk or, if you prefer, Ask Tony, Money Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT  please include your daytime phone number, postal address and a separate note addressed to the offending organisation giving them permission to talk to Tony Hazell. We regret we cannot reply to individual letters. Please do not send original documents as we cannot take responsibility for them. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail for answers given.
CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading maritime autonomy company Spatial Integrated Systems, Inc (SIS) of Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, and Cambridge Pixel of Cambridge, UK, a leader in radar tracking and fusion, are proud to announce rapid innovation efforts in maritime autonomy and radar integration for U.S. Navy Autonomous Surface Vessel (ASV) trials.

Together, SIS and Cambridge Pixel integrated a suite of complementary and interdependent systems including the SIS Multi-Agent Robotic Teams (SMART) Autonomy System and Cambridge Pixel SPx Tracker and SPx Fusion software and radar interfacing hardware.

The technologies were installed onboard a large surface vessel and several patrol boat-sized vessels. These demonstrations included multiple 300+ nautical mile autonomous transits - many in areas of heavy surface traffic, three 1000+ nautical mile fully autonomous transits, and the demonstration of multiple sub-task operational missions. These trials demonstrated the SIS-Cambridge Pixel teams commanding lead in this growing technological field and underscored the vast potential of maritime autonomous systems for the U.S. Navy.

The enduring spirit of trans Atlanticism and technical collaboration between the two teams across different time zones made the completion of daunting engineering tasks look easy. "From our long history working with Cambridge Pixel, we knew we would be successful in integrating and fusing multiple radars and sensors on different ships and boats with varying missions. We remain impressed by the Cambridge Pixel team's responsiveness and speed in overcoming some tough technical challenges," said Bob Cepek, the SIS Program Manager for two of the efforts.

Ardent cooperation and innovation between the US and UK based teams were key to the success of this integration and the subsequent demonstrations. In just a few short months, the American and British teams integrated and fine-tuned the fusion of several sensors, including S and X band radars from different manufacturers, to improve the SMART Autonomy System's perception capabilities. "Our most recent successes pave the way for additional collaboration in development and testing," said Bob Cepek.

The market for ASVs is growing rapidly, driven by demand from navies and commercial enterprises worldwide for more effective maritime security  to combat terrorism, piracy and smuggling, to protect shallow waters and ports, and for environmental monitoring.

Richard Warren, Director of Software at Cambridge Pixel, said: "We are very excited to be working on these transatlantic autonomous vessel projects with the robotics engineers from Spatial Integrated Systems to integrate our radar tracking and fusion software with the SMART Autonomy System to enhance situational awareness on these crewless vessels.

"Our radar-agnostic tracking and fusion software works seamlessly with many different maritime and specialist radar sensors," said Richard Warren. "Our goal on the recent trials for the U.S. Navy was to configure our multi-hypothesis, multi-model SPx radar tracker and SPx fusion server to enhance the perception capabilities of SIS's control system in this very demanding environment. We look forward to further collaborations with SIS in this fast developing new and innovative market."

For more information about SIS Multi-Agent Robotic Teams (SMART) Autonomy System and Cambridge Pixel's SPx Tracker and SPx Fusion software and radar interfacing hardware, please contact:

For Cambridge Pixel: visit www.cambridgepixel.com or call +44 (0) 1763-852749 or email [email protected].

For Spatial Integrated Systems: visit www.sisinc.org or call +1-757-461-5206 or email: [email protected]

Media photo: https://cambridgepixel.com/site/assets/files/2898/pr-sis.png

About Spatial Integrated Systems:

SIS has been developing autonomy solutions since 2006 and is a global leader in the development, integration and incorporation of novel robotic and control technologies. The SIS Multi Agent Robotic Teams (SMART) Autonomy System is behavior-based and provides an intelligent, goal-oriented vehicle control system that can turn any platform into an intelligent robot. Over the last 14 years, SIS has conducted 15 operational demonstrations for the U.S. government in 13 different mission areas with unmanned vehicles (UxV) amassing over 6,000 hours using SMART. SMART has been integrated on 15 different vehicle types, over 50 boats, and on UUVs, UGVs and UAVs.

About Cambridge Pixel:

Cambridge Pixel is an award-winning developer of sensor processing and display solutions including primary and secondary radar interfacing, processing and display components for military and commercial radar applications. SPx is Cambridge Pixel's integrated radar processing and display software based on COTS software and Open Standards. The SPx suite of software libraries and applications provides highly flexible, ready-to-run software products for radar scan conversion, visualisation, radar video distribution, target tracking, sensor fusion, plot extraction and clutter processing. Based near Cambridge in the UK, the company operates worldwide through a network of agents and distributors. In North America, Cambridge Pixel is represented by graphics and video specialists EIZO Rugged Solutions (eizorugged.com).

SOURCE Cambridge Pixel
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.

The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.

Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.

Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolinas death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.

It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem," said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

He said the fear is that people are putting themselves in harms way because they dont believe the virus is something they have to deal with.

Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.

You dont need masks. There is a cure, Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. You dont need people to be locked down.

Story continues

The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesnt work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldnt negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.

None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.

Many of the claims in Immanuels video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald's and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human reptilians work in the government.

Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isnt real or that its a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One hoax from the outbreaks early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant microchips in all 7 billion people on the planet.

Then there are the political theories  that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.

Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuels video during an often-contentious congressional hearing Wednesday.

We did take it down because it violates our policies, Zuckerberg said.

U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.

Doesnt that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you cant contain deadly content? Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.

It wasn't the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say it's not likely to be the last.

A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government's top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled Plandemic," also warned that masks could make you sick  the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.

Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind Plandemic, had been set to appear on the show America This Week on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets, canned the segment, saying it was not appropriate" to air.

This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.

Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.

New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesnt believe it is necessary.

Theyre politicizing it as a tool, he said. I think its more to try to get Trump to lose. Its more a scare tactic.

He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC poll said 3 in 4 Americans  Democrats and Republicans alike  support a national mask mandate.

Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages  such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members  but others remain.

Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the U.S. surgeon general urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.

Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.

Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks  then later retweeted Immanuel's video against masks.

The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.

The message early on became confusing, he said.

Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.

Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.

While face masks dont lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does, he warned.

Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.

Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life," tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.

Trumps reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasnt convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesnt really support masks.

O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didnt wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.

Thats not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.

People only want to hear what they already think they know, she said.

___

Associated Press writers Beatrice Dupuy in New York, Eric Tucker in Washington, and Amy Forliti in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
Government to be asked to let customers drink at the bar in bid to save rural pubs. Stock image

The Government will be asked to permit customers in more than 3,000 pubs which have yet to be allowed to open to drink at the bar, the Irish Independent has learned.

New guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of Covid-19 and which are specific to the remaining pubs only serving alcohol are to be published this week by Failte Ireland.

It is understood a key request is that customers be allowed to have a drink at the counter which is seen as essential for rural pubs.

Read More

Pubs serving food which are currently open do not allow customers to sit at the bar.

The decision on whether to allow the pubs to reopen on August 10 will present a huge dilemma for the Government, which will be reluctant to lift any measure than might put the resumption of schools at risk.

It comes as 40 new cases of Covid-19 were announced yesterday, the highest daily toll in many weeks.

At least half of those newly diagnosed with the virus were close contacts of people who were already infected.

"It remains vital that if a person is concerned that they have been in contact with a confirmed case or is experiencing symptoms associated with Covid-19, that they isolate and come forward for testing without delay," said acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn.

There were no deaths from the virus reported yesterday.

Meanwhile, the expert group advising the Government on the pandemic has indicated that future responses to the virus may be met with a menu of "macro, meso or micro" actions.

Macro would involve national measures as has been the case up to now. Meso responses would be based on regional areas or specific sectors of industry, while micro measures would be implemented at local level.

The decision on whether to enforce national, regional or local measures would depend on the nature of the outbreak in an area and the status of the disease generally, according to newly published minutes of the July meetings of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet). It said a regional response would have to be taken on a cross-Government basis and must be "feasible to implement".

There would also be a set of traffic light measures applied depending on the outbreak - from green to amber.

Meanwhile, guidelines for schools on a suspected case of the virus suggest that ideally the pupil should be put in an isolation area while an assessment is made about whether they should go home.

However, if a room is not available the child should be kept at least two metres away from other children.

The child cannot be taken home on public transport.

The advice says that the virus is spread by droplets and "is not airborne" so physical separation is enough to reduce the risk of spread to others even if they are in the same room.

The assertion that the virus is not airborne is disputed by several scientists.
A surprise twist in the investigation into a new image of the Halifax Explosion has found the exact spot the photo was taken.

Amazingly, the ship from which Mate Reginald Stevens took his "surreal nightmare" of a photo not only survived the 1917 disaster  it still floats in Halifax harbour today.

Jeff Noakes, a historian at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, saw the image when it was posted to Reddit and again when CBC News reported on the photo's existence.

Noakes found an entry in the January 1918 Canadian Navy List of personnel that shows Mate Stevens had been assigned to HMCS Acadia a few weeks before the explosion.

"Historical photographs, I think for a lot of people, are fascinating just because they literally can be a window into the past," Noakes says.

Findagrave.com

Stevens survived the war and married Alma Kerr in Ontario in 1919. He died in 1971, buried with his wife in the New Liskeard Pioneer Cemetery in New Liskeard, Ont. His headstone notes his military service from 1917 to 1918, something he still cherished all those decades later.

Noakes said a direct report, perhaps Stevens telling the story of the photo in a newspaper, or another sailor noting his presence on the ship that morning, would further confirm that he was on the Acadia.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic says the Acadia was guarding the east side of the entrance to the Bedford Basin on Dec. 6, 1917. It was anchored about 600 metres offshore from where the Bedford Institute of Oceanography sits today.

That's exactly where the Imo was departing from, and to where the Mont Blanc was headed on that busy morning in the harbour.

Historian Joel Zemel even found an archival photo of Stevens on the Acadia, likely taken months after the explosion.

Submitted by Joel Zemel

Zemel also tracked down the diary of Frank Baker, an English sailor who served as a patrolman on the Acadia, checking for hidden cargo and spies, according to the Dartmouth Heritage Museum. He would have been near Stevens when the explosion hit and likely standing near him as he took the photo.

Story continues

Eyewitness to disaster

Baker's neat handwriting belies the chaotic scenes he describes. For Thursday, Dec. 6, Baker writes that everyone was up out of their hammocks at 6:30 a.m. to lash up and stow away. He got on the upper deck at 7 a.m. and got busy scrubbing the decks "until 8 a.m., when we 'cease fire' for breakfast," he wrote. The crew cleaned themselves and fell in line at 9 a.m., minutes before the explosion.

He had no scheduled ship examinations that day, so he drew soap and powder to clean the paint work, "when the most awful explosion I ever heard or want to hear again occurred," he wrote. "The first thud shook the ship from stem to stern and the second one seemed to spin us all around."

Some men were thrown under the gun carriage and others blasted right off the deck. The crew thought German submarines were attacking them.

A 'mountain of smoke'

"We saw a veritable mountain of smoke of a yellowish hue and huge pieces of iron were flying all around us. A shower of shrapnel passed over the forecastle, shattering the glass in the engine room and chart room to smithereens, which came crashing down into the alleyways," he wrote.

"It was the greatest miracle in the world that we were not all killed. God only knows how we escaped."

Stevens's photo captures that mountain of smoke.

Dale Wilson/Dartmouth Heritage Museum

The Acadia caught fire, but they soon put it out and no one was hurt. A hail of shrapnel crashed down 20 metres from the Acadia. "This came with such force that had it struck us we should certainly have all been lost, it was so terrific."

That was the explosion's last effort and, five minutes after the astonishing eruption, it was over. Only after a few minutes, when the smoke had cleared, could they see what had happened: a collision between two ships.

Many ships were on fire and hundreds of small craft had been "blown to hell." Baker described a sea floating with debris and wreckage.

Cassie Williams/CBC

Zemel was already skeptical about Steven's claim that he took the photo "30 seconds after explosion."

"Frank Baker's diary entry creates a real problem regarding the timeframe. According to the diary entry, it was not safe to be on deck within the five minutes following the initial blast with all the pandemonium occurring around and inside HMCS Acadia. As such, the 30 second window is extremely unlikely," he says.

It was more likely taken a few minutes after the explosion.

All Ships on Fire

And one last twist. When the photo first surfaced on Reddit, one user did a reverse image search and found it only appeared one other time on the entire internet: as the album cover for a San Francisco indie musician called Baktria.

Baktria told CBC he usually uses his own photography for his albums, but "wanted something a little more literal for this one."

"I came across the image in question through a series of searches on fair use, copyright-free image databases," he wrote. The credit mentioned the Halifax Explosion, but he knew little of that event. It just fit his work perfectly.

The album's name? All Ships on Fire, a title that could fit the photo, too.

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Babu, an associate professor in the Department of English, was arrested by the NIA on Tuesday in connection with the case.

Mumbai: A special court on Wednesday remanded in NIA custody till 4 August associate professor Hany Babu of Delhi University (DU), who was arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case.

Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil, 54, associate professor in the Department of English, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday in connection with the case.

He was produced before a special NIA court in Mumbai on Wednesday. The probe agency told the court that the accused was arrested for his alleged involvement in the case.

It submitted that the accused had links with the CPI (Maoist) party.

During the investigation, various letters were recovered from the seized electronic articles, which indicated his involvement in the case, the NIA said.

The lawyer, who appeared on behalf of the accused, submitted that Hany Babu was being interrogated by the NIA for the last four to five days, and hence his further custody was not required.

Special court judge, AT Wankhede, after perusing the document on record, found that the allegations made against the accused are of a serious nature. The court then remanded him to seven days of NIA custody.

The case relates to an Elgar Parishad event of 31 December, 2017, organised by the Kabir Kala Manch at Shaniwarwada in Pune, where alleged provocative speeches were made, promoting enmity between various caste groups and leading to violence resulting in loss of life and property and statewide agitation in Maharashtra.

The Pune police filed a charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet in the case on 15 November, 2018 and 21 February, 2019 respectively.

The NIA took up the investigation of the case on 24 January this year and arrested Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on 14 April.

During further investigation, it was revealed that Hany Babu was propagating Naxal activities and Maoist ideology and was a "co-conspirator" with the other arrested accused, the NIA has said.
Pennsylvanias House of Representatives has taken the states Clean Slate law, which automatically seals the criminal records of some ex-offenders, and applied it to its former House speakers gold-framed portraits.

Without any fanfare or public notice last month, the House removed the shiny gold plaques that hung below the stately portraits of former Speakers John Perzel, Bill DeWeese and Herbert Fineman that explained the corruption-related convictions that sent them to prison.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden promised Tuesday that his economic agenda would combat long-standing racial inequalities in US society as he sought to draw another sharp contrast with President Donald Trump.

Biden said the Republican president is exacerbating social discord across the country, including by sending federal authorities into major cities under the pretense of addressing crime, and has little interest in addressing the racism that Biden said has been laid bare by the Covid-19 pandemic and an election-year reckoning with police violence against Black men.

Hes shown that he cant beat the pandemic and keep you safe, Biden said, speaking in a community center gymnasium in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. He cant turn the economy around. Hes determined to stoke division and chaos. Its not good for the country, but Donald Trump doesnt care. His campaign is failing and hes looking for a lifeline.

Biden countered with a litany of proposals to steer more federal money and tax credits to various small business and economic development programs for minority-owned firms and disadvantaged neighborhoods. Biden also said hed encourage home ownership to help close wealth gaps among minority communities.

Many of his proposals  and the billions in federal spending needed to pay for it  had already been promised as part of previous, larger Biden plans to jump-start the economy when the coronavirus outbreak begins to recede. But as protests against institutional racism and police brutality have swept the country in recent months, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is attempting to show voters that hes committed to implementing specific remedies that can promote racial and economic equality should he win the White House in November.

Its also another way for Biden to lambaste Trump, who has spent weeks vowing to restore law and order and ordering federal authorities to intervene against ongoing protests in places like Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, while small businesses around the country continue to struggle or shut down under economic struggles from the coronavirus.

Biden accused Trump of distracting the country and trying to scare voters by dispatching federal authorities to cities. The former vice president said most demonstrators are peaceful protesters who arent a threat to be met by federal power. Arsonists and anarchists should be prosecuted, Biden said, but added that local law enforcement can do that.

Still, Biden said this election is not just about voting against Donald Trump. Its about rising to this moment of crisis, understanding peoples struggle and building a future worthy of their courage and ambition to overcome.

And he said that means thinking about every policy debate in terms of structural inequalities.

The former vice president wants to take $30 billion, or 10% of federal investment hes already promised as part of larger economic plans, and funnel it into a Small Business Opportunity Fund designed to leverage $5 of private investment for minority owned enterprises for each $1 in public funds allocated. He also plans to spend $50 billion to provide startup capital that can help entrepreneurs of color start businesses in disadvantaged areas.

To encourage home ownership, the plan would create a $15,000 federal tax credit to help low-and middle-income families cover down payments on their first homes. It also pledges to build 1.5 million new homes and public housing units in hopes of addressing the affordable housing crisis that has hit many of the nations marquee cities and disproportionately hurt people of color.

Biden also said the Federal Reserves mission should be revised to specifically charge the central bank with addressing persistent racial gaps in economic opportunities and wealth, rather than a more general focus on maximum employment and stable pricing.

Biden similarly vowed to undo Trump administration regulatory changes that the Democratic presidential nominee says gutted Obama administration rules preventing housing discrimination and unfair lending practices.

Asked about the possibility of a congressional study on the feasibility of federal reparations to descendants of enslaved Black people in the United States, senior Biden officials said their candidate wouldnt oppose such a study. But they defended Tuesdays proposal as doing more to benefit Black Americans in the short term, saying, He is not going to wait on a study to create change.

Bidens plan also doesnt endorse legalizing marijuana, though it seeks to clear logistical court hurdles so that states can better identify nonviolent offenders whose records they might opt to expunge. Black and Hispanic Americans often face far harsher penalties for crimes involving marijuana possession than their white counterparts.

The Democratic National Committees convention platform committee voted by a wide margin on Monday to keep language calling for legalization of marijuana nationwide out of the partys platform.
29.07.2020 LISTEN

A group known as the Democratic Promoters Forum has described a former Yendi Constituency Chairman of the NPP, Alhaji Inusah Dagomba Boy, as an enemy of the NPP in the Northern Region who does not share in the vision and agenda of the NPP in the Region.

The reaction of the group follows an interview the former Yendi Chairman gave on the GBEWA Show on NTV in Tamale on July 26, 2020, at 8:00pm during which he undermined the effort of the NPP in the Region to win 15 Parliamentary Seats and to increase the Presidential votes.

The group wonders why a former officer of the NPP in the Region, who woefully failed to win the Regional Chairmanship slot in the last Regional elections, would still be bitter and not wish the party well in the Region.

The Group also questioned the motive behind Alhaji Inusah's lie about alleged neglect of people who contested for the Regional Party Chairmanship position with the current Regional Chairman, chairman Samba. The group dismissed, as a false claim, statements that none of the contestants have been involved in the running of the party in the region and provided the following evidence to support their claim:

1. Alhaji Hindu Abdulai has been made a member of the conflict resolution committee of the party in the Region and also a Special Adviser to the Regional Chairman.

2. Alhaji Mujisu has been made a member of the Council of Elders of the NPP in the Northern Region.

3. Former Regonal Chairman, Chairman Bugiri Naabu has been made a member of the National Council of Elders of the NPP in the Northern Region.

It must be stated that party members who were even against Chairman Samba during the Regional elections have been brought into the Regional Executive Committee of the NPP; Salifu Sule who was a close confidant of Chairman Bugiri and Nana Boakye who also worked with Chairman Bugiri in the previous Regional Executives Committee.

The Group also described a statement by the former Yendi Chairman that the NPP can not win a seat in Tamale as highly misguarded, unfortunate and a deliberate ploy by the former Chairman to demotivate the four Tamale Parliamentary Candidates.

The Group has therefore asked the former Yendi Chairman to shut up if he has no faith in the party he has hugely benefited from or face their rage. They further called for Alhaji Inusah to be suspended or sacked from the NPP in the Region as his utterances tend to negatively affect the strategy of the party in the region.

The statement of the group was signed by its spokespersons, Mr. Hassan Abubakari Wumbei and Mr. Yumzaa Dagbandoo.
South Korea Allowed to Develop Own Rocket Fuel

By VOA News July 28, 2020

South Korea said Tuesday it has reached an agreement with the United States that will allow it to use solid rocket fuel for space vehicles, a change that will enable the country to launch its first military surveillance satellites and develop the technology to build more powerful missiles.

The agreement lifts guidelines Seoul first signed onto with Washington in 1979. The U.S. had imposed restrictions out of concern solid fuel could lead to bigger rockets and a regional arms race.

The guidelines were last revised in 2017 to scrap a payload cap of 500 kilograms for South Korea's ballistic missiles with ranges of 800 kilometers.

But at a Seoul news conference, South Korean Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong announced the U.S. and South Korea agreed to lift those restriction.

Kim said, effective immediately, all South Korean companies, research institutes and nationals will be free to research, develop, produce and own not only liquid fuel but also solid fuel and various types of hybrid space rockets, without any restrictions.

Solid fuel is less expensive, offers greater mobility for missiles and rockets and reduces launch preparation time.

Kim said the revised agreement still bars South Korea from having a missile with a range of more than 800 kilometers but added Seoul could discuss altering that restriction with Washington if that's needed for South Korean national security.

Kim said South Korea could use solid fuel-based rockets to launch military reconnaissance satellites. South Korea currently has no spy satellites.

South Korea's missile capability is inferior to that of rival North Korea. In 2017, North Korea carried out three intercontinental ballistic missile tests as part of its stated efforts to build a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

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Yves here. Were behind on continuing with Paul Jays important discussion with Thomas Frank about his new book, The People, No, and the awfully open hatred in the press and contemporary politics for the views of ordinary people. Here Frank focuses on the misuse of FDRs legacy.

Readers like Franks cheery tone and pleasant voice, so if you have time to listen, as opposed to read the transcript, its worth the extra time.

By Paul Jay. Originally published at TheAnalysis.news

Paul Jay

Hi, Im Paul Jay, welcome to theAnalysis.news podcast.

This is part two of my discussion with Thomas Frank about his book, The People, No, Ive got to get the inflection right on that to get the proper ridicule dripping off the lips of-

Thomas Frank

-So can I give it a shot, Paul? My daughter and I were actually working when I did the audiobook of this. Were working on how to say the title. And heres what I finally came up with, The People, No.

Paul Jay

And anyway, once again, joining me is Thomas Frank, who has just told us how to say the title of the book. And I assume everybody knows, but just in case, Thomas Frank is the author of many books, most notably, Whats the Matter with Kansas?, and hes in Kansas as we speak, and Listen, Liberal, and his most recent book, he just told us how to say, The People, No, and I refuse to whine, even if it captures the full meaning of the title.

All right. So we left off part one, as we head into the 1920s, the populist movement has more or less fizzled out. Its kind of split, some of the movement has kind of assimilated into democratic parties, some have gone into various socialist parties. And the 1920s is a period where everyones optimistic, capitalism seems to be just hunky-dory, lots of people are buying into the stock market and borrowing, and theres the promise of wealth for everybody.

And then along comes The Great Crash in 1929, and we wont get into exactly why all that happened, but not the least of which is the amount of speculation and leveraging, borrowing money to buy stocks and other issues, and then we headed into the Great Depression. So this now starts the beginning of may not have been called the next version of the populist movement, but in substance, its very similar.

So talk about the development of the movement in the thirties and how influenced is, what was the populist movement coming out of areas like Kansas with the kind of socialist and communist movement thats developing in some of the cities influenced by Marx, (Marxism is a method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand class relations and social conflict as well as a dialectical perspective to view social transformation), and socialist movements all over the world? I guess there are separate strains, but theyre certainly very related to it.

Thomas Frank

Yeah. So to take a step back, a lot of populists, when the Peoples Party fell apart after the 1896 election, a lot of them went into the Socialist Party. And in fact, Kansas had a big socialist contingent and so did Oklahoma, Oklahoma had the most socialist per capita of any state, which is hard to believe because Trump won every single county there.

Paul Jay

But West Virginia used to be something like that.

Thomas Frank

Exactly, the same story there. But, in the 1930s, the word populist was not used to describe the left-wing movements of the day, but its appropriate because, in my mind, they come out of the same tradition, the populist tradition, Franklin Roosevelts talks, like the populists used to, had a lot of ideas like they used to, and even more sort of important is the labor movement. So the populists had reached out to organized labor in the 1890s. Some unions signed up with them, but, by and large, their leadership did not because they didnt believe in working, they didnt believe in having a political party. And, you know, they thought they should work through the two main parties or something like that.

And by the 1930s, labor is very different. Its really radical, its exploding in size, lets put it that way. People are signing up for unions all over America and organized labor becomes the great force of the decade, the great social movement. So every bit as big and as powerful and as strong as the farmers, as the radical farmer movement had been in the 1890s, and there were also radical farmers in the 30s. There were a bunch of them, and in Minnesota, you had this thing called the Farmer-Labor Party. They still exist today, now, theyve been folded into the Democratic Party, but this was their heyday. They elected a very radical governor of Minnesota. There were similar politicians, in all sorts of different parts of America, but basically this sort of populist dream of bringing together all these different working-class people, it succeeds in the 1930s and you have a very radical decade.

The culture of the decade is extremely populist. Im thinking of the WPA mural, the Hollywood movies even, you know, made by people like Frank Capra, all of them were, and we mentioned Carl Sandburg in the last episode, sort of the great theme of the art of the 1930s was the nobility of the common man, the people. It went along with the left-wing politics of the period.

And so you finally did have a regulatory state and you finally had workers that were able to organize and the government started the income tax that began in earnest, and there is deficit spending and the government set up relief programs, they hired people to do public works. It was an amazing time, a time of great ferment.

So as we mentioned at the very start of the show, Paul, the book is a history of different sort of populist chapters in American life, but more importantly, its a history of anti-populism, of how people opposed the populist tradition, thats much more interesting to me.

And what you see in the 30s is, in 1932, when Roosevelt was first elected, people really didnt know what to expect. They didnt know what kind of president he would be, his platform looked pretty conventional. He did talk big about the New Deal, but nobody knew what he meant by that, by 1936, however, they did know and they knew what it consisted of, and it was, regulating banks, regulating big business, you know, all the things that I just mentioned.

And again, you had what I call a democracy scare when the members of the elite in America come together in this kind of iron-clad consensus against what they regard as the worst elements of society who are trying to take power and sort of inflicting taxation and regulation on their betters. And they talk this way very openly. And the groups Im referring to in the 1930s, its very similar to 1896. So its newspaper publishers, of course, the Republican Party, of course, and then the sort of union of business interests that was called the American Liberty League. Its the first of the great right-wing front groups, and they raised an extraordinary amount of money, they had more than a political party, more than the Republican Party, and spent it to bring Roosevelt down.

And just like 1896, went on the warpath against him in this incredible way. And I, again, have a lot of fun in the book quoting and giving illustrations of what their war on Roosevelt looked like, its very funny, but again theres a reason historians dont write about this stuff, its revolting, theres a lot of scientific racism thats bound up in the war on Roosevelt, because, as I said, its a democracy scare. So its not just that theyre angry at Roosevelt, they perceive that the deplorables are coming to get them. You know, its the whole sort of bottom half of society is trying to get above its station, is trying to order its betters around.

Paul Jay

Theres a section of the U.S. elites that were very pro-Hitler, starting, of course, with Henry Ford who was a sort of well-known one. It was given the equivalent of the Iron Cross by Hitler.

Thomas Frank

Wait, isnt that Lindbergh?

Paul Jay

No, no. Henry Ford. Ford used to send Hitler, I think it was $500,000 every year on his birthday (in todays dollars).

Thomas Frank

Oh, my God.

Paul Jay

And Hitler actually credited Ford with inspiring his anti-Semitism and opening his eyes to the threat of the Jews

Thomas Frank

Really?

Paul Jay

Oh yeah, Hitler was a big fan of Ford and vice versa.

Thomas Frank

I was surprised at how much fascism there was in the United States in the 30s. William Randolph Hearst ran newspaper columns by Goring, I didnt know that. I mean, there were all sorts of little local fascist groups that were set up to break strikes, that sort of thing.

Paul Jay

General Motors was arming Hitler. When Hitler invaded Poland, he was doing it in vehicles made by GM.

Thomas Frank

What really got me, Paul, is reading through the sort of barrage of hate directed at Roosevelt, and its like I say, its almost exactly analogous to what they did to William Jennings Bryan in 1896, and I was reading through it. You know, the Internet is such a wonderful thing, Paul, you can do this research without going to the archives or to the library, right, but you dont have to spend every waking hour there anymore, you can do so much of it over the Internet. I was able to read all of these pamphlets issued by the American Liberty League, many of which were transcriptions of radio speeches and the red-baiting of Roosevelt is just incredible. And as I mentioned before, the eugenics, I was so surprised at how many times these antagonists of the New Deal, and these are prestigious men, these are leading economists, leading lawyers, leading captains of industry, came back to eugenics as a way of describing what they were trying to say, which is that the ruling class rules because they are better people.

Paul Jay

So FDR does not try to have, quote-unquote, bipartisan politics because of this populous support, he fights his enemies, he does not try to compromise with these other sections of the elites, which is kind of in itself fascinating. And then he picks

Thomas Frank

They do offer the olive branch to him very early on. The elites say you know, go back on the gold standard, stop encouraging workers to organize, this is what the National Association of Manufacturers, one of the big corporate front groups, said to him. And he and his associates basically laughed it off. Theyre like, no way, no way are we doing that, and so then the war was on, yes, and he did not compromise.

This is one of the most extraordinary things about Roosevelt, he fought them very forthrightly and was really upfront about it, gave prime time radio speeches about what he saw happening. We have taken the power away from this countrys dynastic rulers and they want their power back, and he said this to the American people, and it rang true. I mean, they could see that that was the case in their own lives.

Paul Jay

And he advocated something that, frankly, even Bernie Sanders didnt advocate, although Im sure he supports, Roosevelt advocated public ownership, though. He talked about the electrical utilities.

Thomas Frank

Yes.

Paul Jay

And if they cant service the population with effective and reasonably priced electricity, then they should be taken over and turned into publicly owned utilities, and you can extend that principle.

Thomas Frank

Yes, he did say that, and thats the famous, whats the law called, PUHCA (Public Utility Holding Company Act ), Im trying to remember what it stands for. It finally got repealed and or mostly got repealed of one of the big deregulatory measures a couple of decades ago.

Paul Jay

You once said something to me in one of the interviews we did earlier, that the liberal elites that run the Democratic Party, the aristocracy of the Democratic Party, its not that they dont like the left of the party, Bernie Sanders and such, they hate it, you said, Im quoting you.

Thomas Frank

They just despise them, yeah.

Paul Jay

And I think its really interesting that they idealize or idolize FDR, but they despise the actual policies he advocated and the people that supported him.

Thomas Frank

That is exactly right they like him because he was a winner, and look, he is the reason you have a Democratic Party today. It all goes back to Franklin Roosevelt. So they admire him because he was a master politician. I was reading one of the biographies of him, they said you could take a map of America and draw a line across it, and every county that the line went through, Roosevelt could tell you who it voted for, who is in charge in that county, what the issues were that the people there cared about, etc. So he was an excellent, preternaturally good politician. And, yeah, if it wasnt for him the Democratic Party would not really exist today. So they have to admire him. But, yeah, youre exactly right, they hate and despise the kind of people that supported him and that made up his administration, and that were doing things in the 1930s that made this country a middle class.

You know, Paul all my conversations with you, we come back to the ironies of American history. The success of the New Deal gives you, in turn, the great middle class, suddenly blue-collar workers are paid, not suddenly but you give the New Deal a couple of decades to work, and by the 1960s, blue-collar workers are being paid. Theyre middle-class citizens and they have a house in the suburbs and they have two cars and etc., and a lot of them become Republicans. Im sorry, thats too much, I bit off too much there. I want to go back to the 30s, I want to stick with Roosevelt.

So the campaign against him is shocking, but it involves the same kind of iron-clad consensus of elites that you saw in the 1890s. And I think the best illustration of this is, one I just found by chance. I was reading, of all things, Thomas Hart Bentons memoirs. Benton was from Kansas City. And I finally got around to reading his memoirs, I meant to read it for many years. He used to just drive around the state of Missouri, just meeting people, you know, taking pictures of them, you know, painting them, and that summer he describes, you know, driving around, meeting people, and hes in the home of a banker somewhere, a retired banker, a man of standing, and Benton apparently makes the grave faux pas of saying something nice about the New Deal, you know, and the banker just erupts and talks about how were going to put your class back in their place and we have the machine guns and this kind of thing, this is a most extraordinary outburst. But that was the feeling on the ground, this hatred of Roosevelt, the newspapers of this country just absolutely despised the man.

And I take a whole lot of illustrations of this from the Chicago Tribune, which is legendary for their anti-Roosevelt invective. They would put every day on the front page or there would be a little notice at the bottom, this is in 1936, leading up to the election, it would say You have X number of days in which to save your country, however many days it was counting down to the election and they did this every day, and you can look it all up, its all easy to find online now, you can go back and read your Chicago Tribune and they would run an editorial every day under the headline Throw the Rascals Out, you know, denouncing Roosevelt as a communist, denouncing him as, its class war, these people are incompetent, these people are paranoid, these people are mentally ill, they meaning the new dealers. You know, this is the worst elements of society trying to lorded over their rightful masters, this is the world turned upside down, thats how they greeted the New Deal, and then, of course, he won in one of the greatest landslides of all time, Roosevelt totally prevailed.

So they were able to defeat William Jennings Bryan with this strategy, but Roosevelt beat them. He had the radio, he had his support among the people. His support was very strong, they could see he wasnt really a communist, he wasnt really crazy, he wasnt a dictator, he wasnt an authoritarian, they could see that and they could hear his voice on the radio. And he won in this overwhelming landslide. Where was I going with all this? The thing is that it was another democracy scare, so this was a pattern, Paul, that recurs throughout American history. In 1896, then again in 1936, and it always consists of the same thing, so the press comes together unanimity, you have this coming together of academics, there are all of these statements signed by a whole bunch of economists, something that you see, again, in our own time. But orthodoxy, orthodoxy is the key orthodoxy came together against Roosevelt and his experimentation. And this whole idea of the unfit members of society rising up against their betters.

Paul Jay

So we head into World War Two, and Im going to just jump through so many things that one should talk about if youre digging into this.

Thomas Frank

But thats what the book does, the whole idea is to do this episodically because you cant do the whole history, right.

Paul Jay

I want to hit something that maybe isnt as touched into the book, but I think we need to talk about, Roosevelts vice president by this point is Henry Wallace. And its really of mainstream politicians that really embody these kinds of progressive, populist, socialist ideals its certainly as socialistic as youd get it in a vice president.

Thomas Frank

Yeah, and from Iowa, from this sort of radical farmer. Actually, he didnt think of himself as a radical, but he was from this sort of farmer background, farmer labor background-

Paul Jay

-The policy he came to in the end was as radical as anything you could find him, and that kind of politics. But at the Democratic convention, I guess its in 1945

Thomas Frank

1944, yeah, they tossed him overboard.

Paul Jay

They dump Wallace, Truman becomes president. Then Truman drops atomic weapons on Japan and is part of, goes along with ushering in the House un-American Activities Committee, McCarthyism, which attacks anything thats certainly anything communists, socialists, but even anything populist, anything that even smells slightly of a kind of left populism gets viciously attacked and, you know, practically drives it underground in the 1950s.

Thomas Frank

Yeah.

Paul Jay

And that becomes who the Democratic Party is for quite some time.

Thomas Frank

Yeah, but I would go easier on Truman than that. It is true that he sort of unleashed the McCarthyism, but he clearly thought it was out of hand when McCarthy got going. You know, McCarthy called him a communist.

Paul Jay

Yeah, well, not just the McCarthyism, because theres no bigger democracy scare than the Cold War.

Thomas Frank

Yeah. Well, thats another great moment of hysteria. Im getting way ahead of myself here, but I feel often like were living through some version of that again today, you know, but well talk about that later. What they did to, Henry Wallace is one of the heroes of the book, so Henry Wallace also was a great user of the populist language. He wrote a book even called, The Century of the Common Man, and it was supposed to be his reply, his pushback to when Time magazine said that this is the American century, he said, no, this is the century of the common man. That kind of language was very common in the New Deal days, and especially during the World War Two iteration of the New Deal when they were trying to persuade the rest of the world that we were not just fighting to rescue the British Empire, which is what we turned out to do.

Truman was clearly less radical than Wallace, but he did do a couple of really wonderful things. And one of them, I mean, they didnt get anywhere, but hes the one that proposed universal health care for America and really fought for it and was beaten on this, this is within two years of the end of World War two, the right is pushing back in exactly the way that you just described, and his universal health care never gets anywhere, but weve never got it in this country, and damn, it would be nice if we had it now, I keep thinking about that as we go through this epidemic.

Paul Jay

See, the way I see it, from Truman, and then you get into, and Kennedy, and the party gives up this kind of, real policies to some extent rhetorical, but actual policies of Roosevelt, of taking on the concentration of wealth, taking on the big banks. Theres a fascinating quote from Roosevelt where he says this merging of corporate interests and the government and the state is the definition of fascism, and its in one of Roosevelts speeches.

The Democratic Party turns its back on all of that after World War Two and becomes (associated) with Kennedy, the party of the greatest expenditure on the military-industrial complex ever, it starts with Truman. Ellsberg has an interesting quote, Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon papers, he said he thinks now, he said, the Cold War was essentially a commercial subsidy for the aerospace industry, they needed an excuse to spend all this money on bullshit.

Thomas Frank

Thats pretty cynical, but its hard to avoid that conclusion when you live in, nowadays, when you live in Washington, D.C. One of my friends was describing this the other day, he said basically,  we fight these wars is just as a way of subsidizing these companies, thats what we have the army for, its just a subsidy racket for these private companies.

Paul Jay

The whole SAGE radar system, the thing, like Dr. Strangelove, a total fraud, never worked for a day, over a trillion dollars over 25 years, goes on and on where the whole military-industrial complex fight fundamentally driven by commercial interests with the excuse being the Cold War. But the reason Im going there is because the Democratic Party, at least an important part of it, and the party still continue to control the machinery of it, is very much that party and which includes the Vietnam War, and its that section of the Democratic Party that so despises what they call populism.

Thomas Frank

So I talk a lot in the book about the populist culture of the 1930s, and one of the sorts of great expressions of that period was this movie Citizen Kane, which Im sure youve seen and I myself seen many times, but while I was writing the book, I finally got to see it in high definition one of these modern TV sets. And I was really struck by it because, its on the one hand, very, you know, populist as all the stuff from that period is, but its also the story of a demagogue and the sort of left culture of the 1930s was very, very, very concerned with the problem of the demagogue. But the fascinating point is that they could draw a bright line between the demagogue and between legitimate populism. So Kane is the great demagogue and hes appealing to the underprivileged and the underfed and all this, and its all bullshit, and everyone can see that. And, the other characters in the movie sort of reminding him of how full of shit he is. Heres the thing that I want your that people dont remember, thats Donald Trumps favorite movie.

Thomas Frank

Oh, he totally misunderstands it. He thinks that the demagogue character in the movie, Kane, Citizen Kane is the hero. He doesnt get it.

So theres this moment where Kane is running for governor of New York and hes in speaking in Madison Square Garden. And hes giving this kind of Trumpian speech, and theres this huge picture of his own face behind it with his name in gigantic letters, and its like thats what they did at the Republican convention in 2016, remember Trumps name in huge letters, Trump puts his name on everything. And one of the promises that Kane makes in this speech, do you remember this, is to lock up his rival, hes going to throw his rival in prison and lock him up. I was watching this and Im like, oh, my God.

I suddenly get where Trump came up with all this crap. But theres this scene where that I never noticed until I saw it on a high definition TV. Kane is talking to his wife or something, theres a closeup on his face, hes wearing a fancy tie with a stick pin in it, and the stick pin is the letter K, great big gold K, thats Trump. Its everything about Trump, these incredible narcissists, you know.

Its a demagogue based on William Randolph Hearst, as imagined by Orson Welles, and this is Trumps hero. Isnt that amazing?

Paul Jay

Okay, well, Im jumping, too, but Ive been wanting to ask you this, so now as good a time as any, why does that type of narcissist, at least now days appeal to so many rural and some working-class urban, but more rural, people, a complete, utter narcissistic character, so obvious to see, and hes not the only one that appeals to people like that, why?

Thomas Frank

Oh, my God, Paul. That should be the subject of my next book, but there are so many people that have tried to understand that. So were putting aside, you know, the possible legitimate reasons people might have for voting for Trump, which you and I have talked about at great length, putting out some ideas, yeah, there are some. And were also putting aside the sort of scapegoating reasons, the sort of racist reasons that people might have voted for him. And youre talking about something else, which I think is bound up in our mass culture in this country and in sort of the logic of TV, the logic of specifically of reality TV, which has taken over television entertainment. And yet people think theres something normal about that. They think theres something maybe even admirable about that, by the way, I would include, I think the left has gone down this path to a certain degree also, and well talk about this, I hope, later on, what I call the utopia of scolding. I cant understand the logic of it because its not how you build a political movement.

Paul Jay

Lets hang on to that, because I think thats really important, and were gonna do that in the next segment. But I want to go at this a little more because its not just a political figure like Trump. Ive always found it fascinating, I cannot quite understand a culture, which at least until very recently, was very homophobic, loved Liberace, I mean, the gayest guy you could find. I mean even somebody as narcissistic as Elvis Presley, I dont know the kind of gold and stuff he wore. I mean, theres a reason why you go into a transvestite and other kinds of clubs where people portray different characters and they love to portray Elvis Presley because of the flamboyancy. How does that appeal to conservative rural Americans?

Thomas Frank

The same people who loved Woody Guthrie and the Joads (Grapes of Wrath), you know, were the people we keep on acomin. Paul, I dont know the answer to that. Even if I did, I couldnt do it in one minute, so.

Thats the next book, man.

Paul Jay

Okay, thats the end of part two, were going to do a part three with Thomas, please join us for that on theAnalysis.news podcast.
Bandipora police arrested three terrorists associates in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (July 28) night. Police told Zee Media that the arrest of the trio is a success for them as they will get more leads from them after their interrogation about the presence and activities of terrorists in the area.

The arrested terrorists associates were identified as Abrar Gulzar, Mohd Waqar and Muneer Ahmad Sheikh. The three were arrested under UAPA Act and an FIR was filed at Bandipora police station.

As per the investigation, they were involved in various subversive activities besides providing logistic support and assistance to terrorists operating in Bandipora. Police have recovered several incriminating materials from the possession of the accused and further probe in this case is on.

Meanwhile, a report by Union Ministry of Home Affairs has said that the Centre's decison to abrogate Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, is showing results in the region as security situation has improved in Kashmir valley since the historic decision on August 5, 2019.

According to a report by Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the incidences of violence has reduced significantly in Kashmir valley after August 5 and security forces have achieved major success against terrorists. The report noted that terror-related activities have reduced by around 36% in the valley after the abrogation of Article 370.

In 2019, 188 terror-related incidences were recorded in Kashmir valley from January 1 till July 15, while in 2020 the number has reduced to 120. The MHA report mentioned that 126 terrorists were killed in Kashmir during the same period in 2019 while 136 terrorists were eliminated during the same time period in 2020. In 2019, 51 grenade attacks took place in Kashmir from January 1 till July 15, while in 2020 the number was just 21.
Mali's Prime Minister Boubou Cisse urged political opponents to join a new government Tuesday, after they raised the spectre of further unrest by rejecting a compromise to end weeks of political crisis.

In a public address, Cisse said that the opposition -- which is insisting that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita resign -- is "strongly desired" in a new unity government.

The announcement came a day after heads of the 15-nation regional bloc ECOWAS stood by Keita and urged him to forge a unity government and resolve an election dispute that has sparked outrage.

But it also followed the so-called June 5 Movement's rejection of that proposed comprise on Tuesday, when it said it wanted "more than ever" for Keita to resign.

The loose alliance of opposition groups and religious leaders has been channelling deep anger in Mali over a dire economy, perceived corruption and a brutal jihadist conflict.

The standoff between Keita and his opponents has alarmed Mali's international allies and neighbours, who are keen to avoid a descent into chaos.

After endorsing a compromise plan on Monday, ECOWAS -- whose leaders conferred by video link -- warned of sanctions against those who oppose its efforts at "normalisation".

Within hours, Keita named a stripped-down cabinet with ministers for security, justice, foreign affairs and finance, and tasked it with negotiating the formation of a unity government.

But in scathing language, the June 5 Movement said it had "learned of the conclusions of the extraordinary summit with astonishment."

Mali. By (AFP)

ECOWAS -- the Economic Community of West African States -- "is continuing to reduce the socio-political crisis in Mali to a simple electoral dispute over the second round of the legislative elections," it said.

The proposals "do not meet the expectations and aspirations of the Malian people in any form," the statement said.

The June 5 Movement later postponed a press conference, without offering reasons.

Failed mediation

Keita, who has been in power since 2013, is battling major problems on several fronts, including a brutal eight-year-old jihadist revolt and a slumping economy.

But much of Mali's current tension was sparked in April, when the Constitutional Court tossed out 31 results from long-delayed parliamentary elections -- a move that benefited Keita's party.

Protests ratcheted up into a crisis on July 10 when an anti-Keita rally organised by the June 5 Movement turned violent.

Eleven people died in clashes with security forces over several days, marking the bloodiest political unrest the former French colony has seen in years.

Seeking resolution, ECOWAS mediators this month suggested forming a new government of national unity and appointing new judges to the Consitutional Court to revisit the election dispute.

But the opposition flatly rejected their proposals, insisting that the 75-year-old president resign.

Five African presidents flew to Mali for a one-day mediation mission last Thursday to bolster support for the proposals, but were again rebuffed.

Mahmoud Dicko, a Saudi-trained imam who is considered the June 5 Movement's figurehead, said last week that he would "prefer to die as a martyr rather than die as a traitor.

"The young people who lost their lives (in the protests) did not lose them for nothing."

Uncertain future

Tuesday's rejection marks the third time Mali's opposition has dismissed the compromise plan, raising the prospect of further unrest.

Political instability in the war-torn Sahel nation has also sparked fear of further jihadist conflict.

President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, who also currently heads ECOWAS, warned his fellow leaders during Monday's summit that Mali risked falling prey to Islamist militants.

But the June 5 Movement responded Tuesday that the West African bloc was "brandishing the terrorist-Islamist scarecrow" to distract from legitimate concerns about Keita.

It added that the Malian people would "remain mobilised and determined to enforce its constitutional right to civil disobedience".

Yaya Ouattara, a 27-year-old student, told AFP that he had thought ECOWAS was no longer a "presidents' syndicate" -- echoing widespread criticism of the clannishness of regional leaders.

"It was a big surprise when they ignored the real problems of Malians," he said.

The June 5 Movement had earlier said that a truce would hold until July 31, but some younger opposition members had announced they would resume protests after August 3.
New Delhi: In a major development in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, sources on Wednesday told Zee News that his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty had convinced the actor to appoint her brother Showik Chakraborty the director of their company Vividrage RhealityX Pvt. It was Sushant and Rhea's first company, the idea of which was conceptualised by the duo together. Vividrage RhealityX Pvt was opened in September 2019.

It has also been learnt that the word 'Rhea' was added to the company name - Vividrage RhealityX Pvt Ltd - on Rhea Chakraborty's insistence and moreover, the actress had also convinced Sushant to make Showik the director of the company.

A couple of months after the company was opened, Sushant reportedly slipped into depression. He consulted four different doctors in Mumbai for treatment.

Meanwhile, in January 2020, while Sushant was still undergoing treatment for depression, Showik, along with the actor, opened another company, titled Front India for World Foundation.

Both their companies were registered on a home address in Navi Mumbai. After investigation, Zee News has learnt that the flat was registered in the name of Rhea and Showik's father Indrajit Chakraborty.

Meanwhile, days before Sushant's death by suicide in June, Rhea suspiciously stepped down from her director's post from Vividrage RhealityX Pvt Ltd.

Also, Showik had made a huge company situated in Andheri West the first statutory auditor of Sushant's Vividrage RhealityX Pvt.

With all the aforementioned details, the investigation will be on these lines and primarily on the allegations made by Sushant's father KK Singh against Rhea and her family of exploiting the actor financially.

In an FIR filed by KK Singh in Patna, he has alleged that Rs 15 crore was transferred from Sushant's bank account to another bank accounts. The investigation will be done whether the fund reached Rhea and Showik through these companies.

Meanwhile, the other questions are:

- What was the motive behind getting the companies registered at a suspicious address?

- Was there any conspiracy behind starting the companies months before Sushant's death?

- Why did Rhea suddenly quit the company, which she was so initially so keen on starting?

- Were these companies started only to squeeze out money from Sushant?

On the other hand, three bank accounts are under scrutiny - Sushant's account, the other a joint account of Rhea and her mother Sandhya and Showik's account.
Public transit leaders from across the nation are pleading with Congress for additional relief funding as they struggle to maintain service amid steep declines in ridership, and revenue from both the farebox, and local and state sources, amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.The American Public Transportation Association has requested $32 billion from the next round of Congressional funding legislation. The ask follows the $25 billion public transit has already received during the earlier round of CARES Act funding passed by Congress several weeks ago.In its latest funding proposal, reaching about $1 trillion, the Senate has not included money for public transit, an obvious sore point with transit officials. The House and Senate have not yet reconciled their competing proposals.Were disappointed that the Senate plan did not include the funding, and we urge the Senate to reconsider, said Paul Skoutelas, CEO of APTA, during the press conference Tuesday.Skoutelas went on to refer to the worsening funding picture as a, looming financial calamity impacting our economy, our cities and certainly the transit agencies themselves.Without funding help for service next year, said Dorval Carter, president of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the agency will be forced to make very, very critical  I would say, catastrophic  decisions in terms of service and fares in order to continue to operate. That is not a good thing for the CTA. Its not a good thing for our customers.The CTA has been losing nearly $1 million a day in fare revenue since the pandemic began, with ridership revenue down 80 percent at the height of stay-home orders, said Carter, adding the CTA needs $264 million in relief funding for this year.Without a federal source of subsidy, there is no way CTA or any other transit agency in this country can fill the gap, he added.Other transit leaders, from agencies large and small, made similar pleas, stressing the transit funding provided in the original CARES Act is helping them get through this year, but without more help, significant service and staffing reductions will need to be considered, as well as possible fare increases.My concern is how are we going to provide the needed services that are needed for starting the economy, and meet payroll, with significantly reduced fare revenues and further reduced local and state funds, given their financial realities. We need federal assistance, stressed Paul Wiedefeld, general manager and CEO for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.Since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic in March, transit agencies have curtailed capital projects, often channeling funding for these projects to operations, said Skoutelas. And a survey of transit agencies by APTA found that about a third of agencies have furloughed workers, or plan to furlough in the near future.The bottom line is that agencies need additional emergency funding to provide the essential services, as this pandemic continues, he added.
CLEAN INVEST AFRICA PLC

("CIA" or the "Company")

CIA, expanding into higher value minerals and precious metals

Coaltech technology to produce pellets from industrial mineral tailings

Potential for high grade ore, minerals and solid based natural resources

Initial contract award from mineral sands producer to produce pellets from ilmenite tailings

Clean Invest Africa plc is pleased to announce that Coal Agglomeration South Africa Pty Ltd (CASA), its wholly owned subsidiary and sister company to Coaltech, has successfully negotiated and been awarded a contract to produce 10,000 tonnes of ilmenite pellets from ilmenite tailings sludge for a strategic and world renowned client based in South Africa. These ilmenite pellets will be used to supplement the client's current commercial ilmenite production stream.

Ilmenite, also known as manaccanite, is a titanium-iron oxide mineral which from a commercial perspective is the most important ore of titanium.

More about Ilmenite in context of the CASA contract:

Ilmenite is recovered from beach sands. It is then fed into a furnace to produces various products containing Titanium which is where the value lies. The ilmenite sludge is currently waste from the producers existing operation, which CASA is able to recover through pelletisation. Because the sludge is very fine, the prospective client cannot introduce it into it's furnace in the normal course of business as the sludge will blow off as dust. CASA has the potential to agglomerate the fines into pellets, these pellets can be used to supplement the prospective clients existing feed to the furnace.

The environmental liabilities with the prospective client's sludge dam will gradually be removed.

CIA notes that the Coaltech technology previously thought to only apply to coal fines or coal waste, has now been adapted by Coaltech to be able to pelletise other materials, with potentially high grade ores, precious metals, minerals and solid based natural resources. CIA is now evaluating the opportunity in the much wider market beyond coal including for pelletised Rutile, Tin, Cobalt, Manganese, Molybdenum and Zircon, as well as other base, ferrous and precious metals and biomass.

This is a very significant development in the CIA business. Whilst still in its early days this is an indicator of far greater potential for CIA beyond coal than previously considered. By way of example Ilmenite prices per tonne are in the region of $1,500 whilst coal pricing is in the region of $50 per tonne. This example shows an uplift of up to 30 times to Coaltech's commercial model.

This game changing contract for the delivery of pelletised ilmenite is in partnership with a South African BEE consulting company, which further develops CASA's BEE compliance, and is expected to begin output in mid-August. The contract will run for approximately 3 months, with the production made using CASA's traditionally coal focused Bulpan facility, near Emalahleni, South Africa. It should be noted that this is in addition to the other tenders CASA is involved in and for which it is currently producing pellets as required.

Following the completion of the initial 10,000 tonne ilmenite contract, the end user has indicated to CASA that it is considering treating a further 2 million tonnes of ilmenite sludge, for which CASA, if awarded the contract, would build a large dedicated pelletizing plant at the end user's premises. This would be a game changing contract for CASA, and CIA would then seek project financing amounting to approximately US$7,000,000, with revenue expected to far exceed the capital costs of the plant construction.

Filippo Fantechi, CEO of Clean Invest Africa plc, commented " Today's announcement confirms once again the significant potential of our technology and the steady progress we are making in the development of our opportunity pipeline, notwithstanding the great challenges posed by the current pandemic. Thanks to the commitment and dedication of our people and those of our potential customers, we are moving forward expanding our capabilities and building broader credibility, thereby increasing shareholder value"

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the content of this announcement.

ENQUIRIES:

Company

Clean Invest Africa PLC

Filippo Fantechi - Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director

Telephone: +973 3 9696273

Corporate Adviser

Peterhouse Capital Limited

Guy Miller

Telephone: +44 20 7469 0930
Headteachers could be sued for 'irrationally' forcing pupils to wear face masks when schools reopen fully in September.

The policy could be challenged with a judicial review for being 'manifestly absurd', a law firm said today, while a parents' campaign vowed to join any legal action.

At least ten schools in England have decided to flout government guidance by requiring pupils to wear masks, despite warnings they would offer little protection.

A law firm today said it could apply for a judicial review if pupils were forced to wear face masks in the UK. Pictured is a school in Brussels in May

Education unions are also backing masks, insisting that laws to make them compulsory in shops last week should be extended to schools.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last week that masks would not be recommended in schools because 'if you're in a classroom with kids all day, a mask doesn't give you protection'.

And today opponents of masks in schools vowed to challenge any attempt to make them.

George McLellan, a public law expert at DLA Piper, told The Daily Telegraph: 'The primary ground for judicial review would be unreasonableness or irrationality.

'The concern with masks is that there's no rational basis for them to be required. There is a lack of proportionality of requiring children in schools to wear masks.'

Meanwhile, Molly Kingsley, co-founder of the parents' campaign group Us For Them, said her organisation would join with DLA Piper in supporting any parents who wanted to bring a judicial review.

Matt Hancock - pictured last week - is against the compulsory use of masks in schools

While most head teachers are following Government advice that masks are unnecessary and could actually increase transmission of Covid-19 through misuse, at least ten schools have broken ranks to make the coverings either compulsory or 'strongly encouraged'.

One comprehensive, Holmes Chapel in Cheshire, has even told parents the masks are now part of the school uniform and can be bought for 3 at a designated shop.

Its July newsletter said: 'The wearing of face coverings will be compulsory for students and staff when inside the school buildings.'

This week the school pledged to 'review our position regularly'.

All seven schools in the Bohunt multi-academy trust in Hampshire, West Sussex and Berkshire will be 'strongly encouraged' to wear masks in classrooms and corridors.

Fallibroome Academy in Macclesfield said it 'expected' students to wear masks in corridors. And Brighton College, where boarders pay up to 51,000 a year, has told parents the 'current expectation' was that masks would be required when pupils move around the site.

Mask-wearing is one of a raft of Covid-19 policies that may transform life in schools, according to a poll of 550 parents by lobby group UsForThem.

It found that 32 per cent of pupils will not be provided with a hot lunch and 40 per cent of parents said their children would be kept in the same classroom for most of the day and told only to face forward.

Teaching unions have urged ministers to make face masks mandatory for children in secondary schools. Pictured, a schoolchild in France

Co-founder Liz Cole said the group feared masks would 'severely' affect communication and 'impact educational outcomes'.

The Department for Education said today: 'The system of controls which schools are implementing, including cleaning and hygiene measures, will reduce the risk of transmission of the virus when they reopen in September.

'NO TEACHERS HAVE CAUGHT COVID FROM PUPILS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD' There is no proof Covid-19 has been transmitted from a pupil to a teacher in school anywhere in the world, a scientist advising the Government has claimed. Professor Mark Woolhouse, an epidemiologist from the University of Edinburgh, said closing all schools completely during Britain's lockdown might have been a mistake. Evidence now suggests children are 'minimally involved' in the spread of Covid-19, which politicians should bear in mind in the future, he added. Statistics show 15 children and teenagers have died of coronavirus in England and Wales since March, 0.03 per cent of the total deaths. And scientists say children appear to only rarely be seriously affected by the condition, which preys on existing ill health and is most dangerous for the elderly. Getting fewer symptoms and milder illness may make them less likely to spread it. Professor Woolhouse, who sits on a sub-group of SAGE, told The Times it is 'extremely difficult' to find any instances of children spreading the virus to adults in schools, with no certain cases. He suggests closing schools was 'never essential' and said it was unlikely that governments would repeat the drastic step. It is not clear, however, how much children contribute to the spread of the virus in the home, which is where most transmission takes place. Elderly relatives could be at risk from children catching the virus from other families, for example, suggesting keeping youngsters apart at school could still be beneficial. Advertisement

'This does not include the wearing of face coverings because the system of controls laid out reduces the risk of transmission for both staff and students.'

Unions claim the rules are 'out of step' with the decision to make masks mandatory in shops, supermarkets and train stations, saying teachers aren't given the same amount of protection as other workers.

Patrick Roach, general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) union, told The Telegraph that guidance to other employers recognises that 'face masks should be worn' where physical distancing 'cannot be assured'.

Mr Roach said: 'Teachers and other staff working in schools also want to be assured that, when they return to the workplace in September, they will be afforded the same level of protection as other workers, and that the guidance for schools will be brought into line with guidance for other workplaces.'



Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said there was 'a fair degree of confusion' about why face coverings were required in some settings but not in schools.

GMB wrote to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson two weeks ago, asking him to consider new rules for wearing masks in schools.

It said school staff questioned why they have to wear masks on public transport to get to work or in shops if they pop out at lunch time  but not in the classroom.

GMB's national officer Karen Leonard said: 'Changing the rules for buses and shops to enforce the wearing of masks while actively discouraging those working in schools from even wearing them is causing untold confusion.

'It's time for Gavin Williamson and his colleagues to rethink their position, provide clarity and consistency for our valuable school staff, and ensure PPE [personal protective equipment]  including face masks  is available and can be worn by staff in schools where required.'

She added it was 'plain common sense' that teachers and other workers in schools should be able to wear coverings.

The Scottish Government has advised that face coverings should also be worn when entering enclosed spaces, including public transport and shops.

Wales and Northern Ireland have rules that say face coverings are mandatory for public transport passengers, but not in shops.

Some European countries have decided to make masks compulsory for teachers and pupils, including Germany.

WHY ARE MASKS NOT COMPULSORY IN SCHOOLS? In England, the Government has decided that face masks will not be necessary in schools. Its guidance for schools states that: 'Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools or other education settings is not recommended. 'Face coverings may be beneficial for short periods indoors where there is a risk of close social contact with people you do not usually meet and where social distancing and other measures cannot be maintained, for example on public transport or in some shops. 'This does not apply to schools or other education settings. 'Schools and other education or childcare settings should therefore not require staff, children and learners to wear face coverings. 'Changing habits, cleaning and hygiene are effective measures in controlling the spread of the virus.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said: 'If you're in a space with the same people repeatedly and for long periods of time, whether an office or a classroom, then a mask doesn't actually protect them.' Advertisement

In Spain, children aged between 11 and 18 must wear them in settings where they can't keep at least 1.5m away from other people.

And in France, masks must be worn by teachers if they're one meter or less away from a child.

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock conceded last week that face masks were a waste of time when people are interacting regularly.

He had been discussing why face masks wouldn't be necessary in offices, another enclosed space.

Referencing reports that face masks would be necessary at work, Mr Hancock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on July 15: 'No, that isn't going to happen, and the reason is that in offices you tend to spend a lot of time with the same people, and so the way to stop the spread of the virus in offices is to have social distancing, either two metres or one metre plus mitigations in place.

'The same is true in classrooms, by the way, where if you're in a classroom, if you're in a space with the same people repeatedly and for long periods of time, whether an office or a classroom, then a mask doesn't actually protect them.

'Where the masks benefits is from you spreading the disease to other people when you have relatively short interactions with lots of different people, which is why it's right to have this as mandatory on public transport, in shops and in the NHS but not in offices where you're basically there with the same group of people for long periods of time, or in classrooms where the same applies. So it's following the scientific advice.'

Primary schools in Britain have already been allowed to reopen to certain year groups and are run in 'bubbles' of teachers assigned to certain classes.

Secondary schools, however, have had to remain closed since lockdown was imposed in March and will not reopen until September.

From the start of the school year, all schools in England are set to reopen as normal and attendance will be mandatory again as it is in normal times.
As recovery and cleanup efforts got underway on July 27 in South Texas in the wake of a downgraded Hurricane Hanna, worried residents confronted the prospect of undertaking the effort amid a surge in coronavirus cases that has left many fearful about their health.

Now a tropical depression, Hanna was 65 miles (105 km) north of Fresnillo in the Mexican state of Zacatecas as its winds weakened to about 25 mph (40 kph), the National Hurricane Center said. Its remnants still threatened to bring rainfall and flash flooding to waterlogged parts of South Texas and Northern Mexico.

For 66-year-old, Nora Esquivel, who has mostly stayed in her home in Weslaco, Texas, in Hidalgo County since March because of the pandemic, flooding damage to her home from Hanna meant greater chance of exposure to the virus.

No contact with nobody, only my daughter once in a while, and now with this, I have to allow people to come into my house, the insurance and all this and Im scared, said a tearful Esquivel, who takes heart medication and had to be rescued from her home Sunday morning by her son on a kayak.

All my friends are dying.  I have fear for my family, for everybody, not just me and this is the whole world.

In the aftermath of Hanna, which dumped up to 16 inches (41 centimeters) of rain in some parts of South Texas and Northern Mexico, officials reported two people died in the northern Mexican city of Ramos Arispe, near Monterrey, after torrents of water unleashed by Hanna swept their vehicle away. Three people were reported missing in Monterrey and three more were missing in the border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas, according to Mexicos national civil defense office.

Gov. Greg Abbott said the state was sending additional testing supplies and hospital personnel to South Texas communities impacted by Hanna to ensure the storm doesnt exacerbate the spread of the virus.

The spread of COVID can be far more deadly than the damage caused by the storm, Abbott said on KRGV-TV. He planned to tour damaged areas on Tuesday.

The governor asked residents to adhere to social distancing guidelines and to wear masks if they had to leave their homes and go to a shelter. Officials said shelters were set up to be as safe as possible, with temperature checks by on-site medical personnel. Some were being sheltered in hotel rooms.

Border communities hit by Hanna were already strained by COVID-19 cases  with some patients being airlifted to larger cities.

In Cameron County, located next to Hidalgo County, officials said they were grateful the hurricane did not overwhelm their hospitals, which continue dealing with a crush of COVID-19 patients.

Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr., the countys top elected official, said there were reports of at least 150 flooded homes and some roadways were still impassable due to high water, but for the most part the county was doing well.

I think were very fortunate the storm did not bring major, major flooding and no loss of life, he said.

But Cameron County officials remained concerned about the pandemic, as cases in the past week have increased by 2,587  more than the total from mid-March to July 1. The county has more than 7,800 cases. Deaths have increased by 81 in the past week, Trevino said. A week ago, the county had 96 deaths.

North of Cameron County in Nueces County, Corpus Christi reported that 60 infants tested positive for COVID-19 from July 1 to July 16.

Coastal states scrambled this spring to adjust emergency hurricane plans to account for the virus, and Hanna was the first big test.

Abbott announced Sunday 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 kilometers) south of Corpus Christi.

More than 65,400 customers remained without power on Monday throughout South Texas, including Corpus Christi, Harlingen and McAllen, utility officials said. That was down from a peak of 200,000 early Sunday morning.

Hanna came nearly three years after Hurricane Harvey blew ashore northeast of Corpus Christi, killing 68 people and causing 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 Mexican border city of Reynosa, a maternity hospital was damaged by heavy rain, with some patients moved to upper floors and others evacuated to other facilities, said Pedro Granados, director of civil protection for Tamaulipas state.

In the Pacific Ocean, meanwhile, Hawaii avoided a direct hit Monday from Hurricane Douglas as the storm was moving away from the main Hawaiian islands.

Juan Lozano reported from Houston. Associated Press writer Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters COVID-19 Texas Flood Hurricane Mexico
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the debate on demonetisation in Rajya Sabha on Thursday amid uproar by the Opposition parties seeking clarification from him in this regard.

Here are the updates of what has happened in and outside Parliament on Thursday:

#3.10pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day

#3pm: Demonetisation debate resumes in Rajya Sabha

2:10pm: Excerpts from Arun Jaitley's press conference outside Parliament-



# Those who didnt consider scandals to be a blunder, they are considering demonetisation to be a blunder.



# Those parties who were once a part of every scandal in the country are now opposing demoonetisation.



# Their govt had the most scams and black money generated during its tenure. 2G scam, Coal Scam everything happened during their govt.



# Govt is convinced that our steps against corruption and black money are correct.



# First day it was a debate without any pre-conditions, from next day they started putting unreasonable conditions and it continues.



# Poore desh ne vo scandal wali sarkar dekhi hai jiske rajya me black money generate hua hai.



# Opposition thinks DeMonetisation is a blunder. Don't they think Commonwealth and 2G was a blunder?



# Opposition ka pramukh prastav tha ke PM charcha me rahen or fir unhone bahane dhundne shuru kar diye.



# Vipaksh ne jo prastav diya tha charcha ke liye, Rajya Sarkar ne sweekar kiya ke hum charcha ke liye tayar hain.





# Rajya Sabha adjourned till 3pm

# If the Prime Minister has attended the House only for the question hour then the proceedings wont go on: Ghulam Nabi Azad



#2pm: Debate resumes in Rajya Sabha



# 1PM: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2pm

# Survey on demonetisation is fake: Mayawati



# 12.40pm I appeal the government to save the people from suffering: TMC MP Derek OBrien

# Governments demonetisation move was aimed at assembly election in Uttar Pradesh: Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agrawal

# Lok Sabha adjourned for the day

# Monumental mismanagement has been undertaken in implementation of demonetisation: Manmohan

# Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run should recall quote "In the long run we are all dead: Manmohan

# It is important to take note of the grievances of the people suffering: Manmohan Singh



12:10pm: Top quotes of Manmohan Singh's address over the demonetisation move in Rajya Sabha:



# "I do not disagree with these objectives, but there is monumental mismanagement of which there are no two opinions in the country as a whole," said Dr Singh, whose government was decisively defeated by PM Modi two years ago.



# 60-65 people have lost their lives, what has been done can weaken our people's confidence in currency and banking system.



# PM said wait for 50 days but for the poor section even 50 days can be detrimental.



# I want to ask PM that can he name any country where people have deposited their money but are not able to withdraw it.



# PM must come with some constructive proposal how we can implement the scheme.



# Cooperative banking sector which is serving large number in rural sector is not operational.



# Monumental mismanagement has been undertaken in implementation of demonetisation.



# I hope that PM will help us find practical ways to give relief to people suffering.



# Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run should recall quote "In the long run we are all dead.



# Several deaths and distress among the poor, farmers and small traders convinced him the demonetisation plan led to organised loot and legalised plunder.

# 12pm Manmohan Singh resumes his speech in Rajya Sabha

# Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends demonetisation debate

# Both houses adjourned till 12 noon



# 11.30am: Akshay Yadav of the Samajwadi Party tore paper, threw it at the speaker in Lok Sabha. House adjourned till 12 noon

# Opposition creates ruckust in Rajya Sabha after Manmohan Singh's speech disrupted

# If it is on demonetisation issue, let the Opposition resume the debate and Dr Manmohan Singh speak: Arun Jaitley in RS

# Meeting underway in PM Modi's chamber. Manohar Parrikar, Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu also present

# Opposition decides not to hold talks with the government till November 28th

# Meeting begins in Rajnath Singhs chamber. Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar present in the meeting

# We'll first meet Opposition and then decide whether we'll go to meeting called by home minister or not. Let PM or speaker call for meet: Mallikarjun Kharge

# Opposition party leaders meeting begins in Parliament

# Opposition leaders expected to meet in Parliament to chalk out strategy government's offer to end logjam

The unrelenting Opposition has been adamant about Modis clarification on the demonetisation exercise.

On Wednesday, Modi attended Lok Sabha after skipping House proceedings for five days, but his presence failed to break the deadlock over the recall of high-value currency notes as the Opposition intensified its protests inside the House and outside.

In a bid to break the logjam in both Houses, the government has reached out to the Opposition with parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar holding talks with Congress and TMC leaders.

Kumar and some other leaders in the government will continue deliberations with floor leaders of various political parties on Thursday as well.

(With inputs from agencies)

Also Read: Manmohan's top quotes on currency ban in RS: 'Monumental mismanagement, organised loot, legalised plunder'

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Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Shweta Singh Kirti demands justice for the actor. Hours after her father KK Singh registered an FIR against late actors girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty accusing her of abetment to suicide, Shweta shared the note on Instagram.

She posted a picture of Sushant which was installed in their Patna house after the actor died by suicide on June 14. If truth doesnt matter, nothing ever will! #justiceforsushantsinghrajput, she captioned the pic.

Recently, Shweta Singh Kirti, has revealed a part of the conversation that she shared with her brother Sushant, four days before the actor passed away in Mumbai.

In a snap of WhatsApp conversation that Shweta shared on social media, Sushant responds to his sister's request of coming to their place in the US by writing, "Bahut mann karta he di (I wish badly that I could come)."

Meanwhile, Sushant's father has lodged a police complaint against his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide.

Read: Sushant Singh Rajput's Father Alleges Rhea Chakraborty Got Him Treated By 'Conniving' Doctors

In his complaint, Rajput's father has also sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the "machinations" of Chakraborty and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.

He also alleged that on June 6, less than a week before Rajput was found dead inside his Bandra house, Chakraborty came to his place and decamped with many of his belongings, including cash, his laptop, ATM card and other important documents.

Several political leaders and film personalities have demanded a CBI probe into his death.
BAGHDAD  Despite the fact that most political parties in Iraq agreed to hold elections as soon as possible, and the government of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced that such elections are among the priorities of the government, several conditions will seemingly prevent such goal from being achieved before the current legislative session comes to an end in 2022.

Early elections must achieve four basic conditions: the completion of the Election Law legislation; the restructuring of the Independent High Electoral Commission; the completion of the quorum of the Federal Court, which is responsible for ratifying the election results; and the provision of an appropriate security environment. The latter seems elusive given the ongoing kidnappings, assassinations and rocket firing at government headquarters and diplomatic missions both inside and outside the capital Baghdad.

Late last year, the Iraqi parliament approved an amendment to the Election Law. However, such amendment was not referred to the presidency of the republic for ratification due to differences between parliamentary blocs over the nature and number of electoral districts.

Also, parliament voted to end the work of the previous Electoral Commission, form a new commission and lay off thousands of staff members, which led to major objections about the new offices of the commission amid demands to replace dozens of local directors in the governorates.

The Federal Court lacks the legal quorum that is necessary to issue legal decisions due to disagreements between the court and the Judiciary Council, and the debate between the court and the council will not end unless there is a new parliamentary legislation determining the needed mechanism for achieving a quorum in the Federal Court.

Today, some Shiite blocs opposed to Kadhimi are trying to propose approximate dates for early elections, while they were opposed to the matter during the term of the resigned Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. These blocs believe that Kadhimi poses a great threat to their interests and political projects, and they are currently seeking to get rid of him as soon as possible.

The arrest of members of the Hezbollah faction in Dora, south of Baghdad, late last month at the hands of the Anti-Terror Apparatus, was a major point of contention between Kadhimi and the Fatah Alliance, which includes leaders of the Popular Mobilization Units. They believe that by seeking to restrict weapons to the state, the prime minister is looking to disarm what it deems as the Islamic resistance in Iraq.

Faleh al-Khazali, member of parliament for the Fatah Alliance, said in a tweet that there are attempts to procrastinate the early elections, and added that early elections have become a necessity after the Election Law and the Election Commission Law were amended. A few months ago, this parliamentary alliance was among the most opposed to Abdul Mahdis resignation and the holding of elections outside of their constitutional date.

According to local media outlets, the meeting held between the so-called "three presidencies"  the president of the republic, the prime minister and the parliament speaker  and the leaders of the parliamentary blocs discussed July 23 issues related to the elections, including the Election Law and ways to define constituencies. Three dates were proposed for the elections April, June and October 2021  assuming that all required legislative and technical conditions are met before the end of the current year.

Hussein al-Hindawi, the prime ministers election adviser, told Al-Monitor, In the presence of a political will and a real desire on the part of parliamentary blocs to hold early elections, there is technically a possibility to hold the elections sooner than the supposed date of June 2022.

He added, As far as governmental duties are concerned, Kadhimi is willing to provide the appropriate climate for the elections, but the greatest share of work needs to be carried out by the legislative authority, which must send the Election Law to the president of the republic and pass the Federal Court Law, and then dissolve parliament."

Hindawi added, The Electoral Commission does not have sufficient experience and needs more training and development. It also needs to receive a final copy of the Election Law 10 months before the date set for the elections.

The rest of the parliamentary blocs do not expect early elections in the country, although some of them support the idea.

Member of parliament for the Sairoon Alliance Badr al-Ziyadi told Al-Monitor, While the parliamentary blocs are announcing their desire to hold early elections, they are looking to have their constitutional mandate run its course in the parliament. This is why they have been hindering the discussion of matters related to the Election Law to this day without addressing the obstacles facing the work of the Electoral Commission.

Ziyadi ruled out holding early elections in the country, especially considering that the constitutional date for periodic elections is close, which is what most parliamentary blocs are seeking.

He added, We in the Sairoon Alliance are all for holding early elections and dissolving the current parliament to respond to citizens' demands and implement the government program announced by the prime minister about three months ago.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party led by Massoud Barzani ruled out the holding of early elections. Member of the party Khusraw Karawan told Al-Monitor, The same political disputes hindering the passage of the Election Law in parliament and the completion of the formation of the Electoral Commission offices will impede the organization of early elections before 2022.

While the Iraqi Constitution did not tackle early elections, it stipulated in Article 64 that parliament may be dissolved by an absolute majority of the number of its members  i.e., more than 50% of the total number of members of parliament, amounting to 329 members  or upon the request of the prime minister and with the consent of the president of the republic, who shall set a 60-day period for holding general elections.

It is unlikely for the parliamentary blocs to agree on a date for early elections in light of the differences plaguing their relations, especially considering that such blocs would not guarantee winning the same seats in such elections based on a new Election Law amid major political and social changes imposed by the popular protest movement. This will prompt Shiite blocs supporting early elections to pressure both the president and prime minister into using the right of dissolution stipulated by the constitution.
The global smart kitchen appliance market is expected to grow by USD 6.16 billion during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect the impact to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth.

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Prince Harry and Meghan did an astonishing U-turn within just nine minutes today by withdrawing a formal notice to change the name of their charitable foundation.

MailOnline revealed exclusively how Companies House documents showed the couple were rebranding their Sussex Royal The Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Paperwork for a formal winding-up order stated that the directors, who include Harry and Meghan, would be changing it to the MWX Foundation while it was being dissolved.

It led to speculation that the name could be short for the Markle Windsor Foundation.

A formal document to make the name change official  called a Change of Name Notice  was then filed within hours of the details becoming public.

But just nine minutes later at 11.46am, a notification was sent by Companies House, saying that the same document had been withdrawn.

It added further mystery to the future and branding of the couple's charitable aims.

The withdrawal of the new document was made the more baffling by the fact the original earlier paperwork - which fist revealed the name - is still available online.

A Companies House spokesperson refused to shed any light on the mystery or comment on the reasons for the document suddenly being withdrawn.

The spokesperson said: 'Unfortunately we cannot comment on specific companies, or disclose such information. This information can only be made available at a written request by the company.'

Meghan and Harry have already announced their Archewell charity but no mention of MWX

Before and after: The official form to change the name was made live at 11.47am, but just nine minutes later at 11.56am it was withdrawn from the Companies House website

Documents filed at Companies House this afternoon also revealed that Meghan and five other directors of the foundation had stepped down from their positions, leaving Prince Harry as the sole director.

Separate documents were filed announcing the termination of appointment for six directors  HRH Duchess of Sussex, Gerald Tyrrell, Karen Blackett, Steven Cooper, Kirsty Jones and - Stefan Allesch-Taylor.

The terminations were all said to have happened on July 1, even though the date of the paperwork being submitted to Companies House was four weeks later.

It is believed that Prince Harry has remained as a director as the company needs at least one director as it heads into being dissolved.

A further document said that the registered office of the foundation was being changed from the address of Royal lawyers Harbottle & Lewis in Savoy Court, London, to the premises of accountants Smith & Williamson who are the administrators and are based in Moorgate in the City of London.

Harry and Meghan agreed to stop using their 'Sussex Royal' brand after officially stepping away from The Firm on April 1 this year.

Their departure - nicknamed Megxit - prompted talks with aides, which ended with the agreement that they would be unable to use the word 'royal' as part of any of new branding.

Paperwork published about the winding-up of their 'Sussex Royal The Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' cause said it would change its identity.

New publicly available paperwork showing the Sussex Royal Foundation's new name

Companies House documents state: 'The charity's name be changed to the MWX Foundation'.

The papers also show the Sussex Royal Foundation had 99,000 in the bank and how it will cost 16,000 to wind up the good cause.

They also show that the charity was owed 200,00 from an unknown source.

Financial expert Robert Leach, who looked over the publicly available documents, told MailOnline: 'I have never heard of a company changing its name while it is being would up.

'It does take a little bit of time to wind up a company though, so perhaps it's a break from the 'Royal' name for that period.

The Sussex Royal logo for the charity, which incorporate the letters H and M in the design

Previously Harry, Meghan, Kate and William had been involved in the Royal Foundation

'The Companies Act 2005 section the papers quote is simply the procedure for changing a company's name. A name may be changed for any reason. The most commons reasons are because the existing name has become toxic, because it no longer represents what the company does, or because the name is not permitted.

'In this case, it is probably the latter. Many terms require permission from someone to be used in a company name. The word 'royal' is strictly guarded.

'It is unusual to have a figure for 'receivables' in a charity account as that indicates sums owed but not yet paid, such as an invoice not yet paid.

'Charities rely on donations which are not sums legally owed before being paid.

'The fact that the sum is a round figure of 200,000 suggests that whoever it is coming from is making periodic payments, possibly with future payments to the new charity.'

The Duke of Sussex speaking during a sustainable tourism summit about Travalyst in February

This is not the first time the MWX brand has been linked to the couple.

They established the company MWX Trading Ltd last August, naming their lawyer, Gerrard Tyrrell, as its secretary.

Natalie Campbell, who worked for their charitable foundation Sussex Royal, is the director.

They registered it at Companies House and have already used the business to apply for trademarks, which included the name Travalyst.

Sussex Royal was also the title of their Instagram page and their website, which still bear the name.

The couple used their social media to put out visits, talks and speeches the couple were attending and delivering.

One of the Instagram posts showing the The Duchess of Sussex visiting Victoria Yards

They said of the July transition: 'The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not plan to start a 'foundation', but rather intend to develop a new way to effect change and complement the efforts made by so many excellent foundations globally.

'The creation of this non-profit entity will be in addition to their cause driven work that they remain deeply committed to.

'While The Duke and Duchess are focused on plans to establish a new non-profit organisation, given the specific UK government rules surrounding use of the word 'Royal', it has been therefore agreed that their non-profit organisation will not utilise the name 'Sussex Royal' or any other iteration of 'Royal'.'

After announcing they were launching a new charity Archewell in the US back in April, the couple said they were 'looking forward' to getting started with the foundation, which will replace their Sussex Royal brand.

Harry and Meghan also revealed the Greek word in the project Arche  meaning source of action  was the inspiration behind the name of their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

The final stage in Sussex Royal's closure begins amid the fallout from the Finding Freedom biography, which has exposed the resentment and mistrust that led to Harry and Meghan quitting as working royals.

Documents filed for the Sussex foundation on July 7 gave a new service address for Harry and Meghan at Buckingham Palace, following their decision to base themselves in Los Angeles.

It also emerged that an error at Companies House had meant that the prefix of Meghan's name was initially filed as 'Dr' even though she has never been a doctor. The error was quickly corrected after it was spotted.

Harry and Meghan have been reported to be planning to shift their emphasis on to helping other charitable endeavours and good causes such as their new Archewell foundation which still has to be properly launched.

They are also said to be keen on promoting Harry's eco-tourism scheme 'Travalyst'

The company - which has been set up independently - hopes to help the hard-hit tourism industry survive the coronavirus crisis and to promote more sustainable forms of travel and holidays.

It brings together some of the biggest operators in the travel industry - including Visa, Booking.com and Skyscanner - to help travellers pick low carbon options more easily and chose destinations that will have more benefit to local communities.

Responding to media reports back in April about Archewell, the duke and duchess said they were focusing their efforts on the coronavirus pandemic but felt 'compelled' to reveal details of the venture.

A spokesman for Meghan and Harry did not respond to a request to comment about MWX when contacted by MailOnline.
IndiGo, India's largest airline, said on Wednesday it planned to raise at least Rs 2,000 crore ($268 million) through the sale and leaseback of planes and other assets, after reporting its steepest quarterly loss in at least five years. Chief Financial Officer Aditya Pande said the airline, owned by Interglobe Aviation Ltd, would consider raising even more than Rs 2,000 crore and the board would meet on Thursday to discuss this. "Managing cash continues to remain our primary focus and we continue to work with all our stakeholders to raise liquidity," Pande told ...
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Princess Anne discussed green energy, her irritation with fly-tippers and a deep-rooted passion for the environment that stems from her mother the Queen in a leader article for Country Life magazine this week - almost a year after Meghan Markle guest edited British Vogue.

In a wide-ranging call to arms on how to secure the future of the countryside, the no-nonsense Princess Royal also spoke of her frustration at the lack of affordable rural housing.

Anne guest-edited Country Life magazine this week to mark her 70th birthday on August 15, with her magazine stint fittingly down-to-earth for the famously hard-working royal.

Unlike the Duchess of Sussex, who was not photographed for her Forces For Change September issue of British Vogue last year but did feature in behind-the-scenes videos shared to the publication's Instagram channel, the Princess Royal is also pictured on her Gatcombe Park home estate.

Meghan's controversial Vogue issue saw her list 15 women she admired, including celebrities, politicians and activists known for championing issues such as diversity, body positivity, transgender rights and climate change.

However, she was criticised for failing to include the Queen and faced allegations of 'politicising' the Royal Family.

Princess Anne had a narrower focus for her own stint as a magazine guest editor, sharing a tour of her 500-acre Gloucestershire estate and farm and highlighting the organic farming methods she uses.

Princess Anne discusses green energy, her irritation with fly-tippers and her deep-rooted passion for the environment that stems from her mother the Queen in a leader article for Country Life magazine. Pictured on her Gatcombe Park estate home tending to a pair of pigs

Princess Anne appears on the cover of the edition of Country Life she has guest-edited left. The Duchess of Sussex was editor of the September Forces For Change issue of British Vogue last year (Pictured right: her chosen cover stars Jacinda Ardern, Salma Hayek Pinault, Laverne Cox, Jameela Jamil, Yara Shahidi and Gemma Chan, Christy Turlington Burns, Adwoa Aboah, Adut Akech, Ramla Ali, Sinead Burke, Francesca Hayward, Jane Fonda, Greta Thunberg and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

She is seen tending to pigs, dogs and horses and a more formal portrait of the royal also appears on the front cover.

The only daughter of the Queen and Prince Philip paid tribute to her parents for instilling her lifelong love of nature, and wrote that she sees herself as a 'classic Jack of all trades'.

She also criticised solar panels and wind turbines, claiming more imaginative energy sources are required, but controversially suggested that 'small nuclear reactors could have their place'.

In the special edition of the magazine, which hits shelves today, the Princess Royal gives a tour of the 500-acre Gloucestershire estate and farm where she has spent lockdown.

She discusses the organic farming methods she uses and the rare breeds she keeps. Anne also reveals her favourite recipe: devilled pheasant.

Anne has guest-edited Country Life magazine this week to mark her 70th birthday on August 15. Her magazine stint is fittingly down-to-earth for the hard-working royal

In the special edition of the magazine, which hits shelves today, the Princess Royal gives a tour of the 500-acre Gloucestershire estate and farm where she has spent lockdown. Pictured: one of her dogs greets horses on the estate

In her role as 'campaigning editor', Anne sets out her vision for the countryside in a 2,000-word leader column entitled 'Waste not, want not', urging everyone to be more careful about waste.

She said failing to dispose of rubbish properly is a 'major irritation' to her and insisted we all needed to get better at reducing it.

'If you want to help the planet, controlling our waste is something everyone can do and it will make a difference,' she said.

'We will always produce waste, however efficient we become, so we must get better at reducing it at every stage and dealing with it better at the end.

'That means making things such as clothes, furniture, vehicles and supermarket trolleys that can be recycled safely and economically and not dumped on someone else's ground.

The only daughter of the Queen and Prince Philip (pictured in 1999) paid tribute to her parents for instilling her lifelong love of nature, and wrote that she sees herself as a 'classic Jack of all trades'

The Princess Royal, pictured as a child with her mother the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles on the Balmoral Castle estate in Scotland in 1957

'Everything about life today seems to be about convenience and waste is seen as inconvenient; we must help make it more convenient to deal with.

'Raising the profile of the country code might help, especially as the post-coronavirus getaway to the country seems to have resulted in an increase of littering and vandalism.'

The Mail and Keep Britain Tidy is urging the public and businesses to help pick up litter from September 11 to 27 as part of the Great British September Clean. Everyone is encouraged to hit the streets, parks and beaches to fight the scourge of litter.

On green energy, Anne said 'covering the countryside with solar panels and windmills' is not the answer.

'Using water better, using waste from crops, using waste from woodlands and the ability to store energy, possibly as hydrogen, can all help, but will require a more flexible grid and, therefore, the technology to make that work,' she explained.

In her role as 'campaigning editor', Anne sets out her vision for the countryside in a 2,000-word leader column entitled 'Waste not, want not', urging everyone to be more careful about waste

Anne's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, 65, pictured centre beside Anne's daughter Zara Tindall, has written two pieces for the edition: a light-hearted My Week column on tree-planting and dry-stone walling, plus  in his role as chairman of English Heritage  an in-depth feature on saving country houses

'Small nuclear reactors could have their place, but perhaps there is not the space to pursue that now.'

She also issued a plea for 'quality, appropriate housing of the right type and the right numbers in the right places' - arguing the young, retired and local families too often find themselves priced out in rural villages.

She called for a greater appreciation of small housing developments that are 'built to last'.

'All of them could make the difference to having a viable school, shop or pub in the village. Importantly, these housing developments should be small and remain in the control of the local parish council, either for rent or shared ownership,' Anne said.

The Princess Royal also refers to the instability of her father's childhood before he was introduced to the 'wilds of Scotland' at Gordonstoun School in Moray.

Meghan's controversial Vogue issue saw her list 15 women she admired, including celebrities, politicians and activists known for championing issues such as diversity, body positivity, transgender rights and climate change

Philip moved between relatives in France and Britain, and rarely saw his parents - with his mother, who suffered from mental illness, being confined to an asylum.

Anne wrote: 'I was equally fortunate that both my parents had a love and understanding of the natural world through their own experiences.

'Perhaps even more so for my father when, during his rather disjointed young life, he ended up at school at Gordonstoun and was introduced to the wilds of Scotland, both land and sea.'

She added: 'Scotland had its influence on my mother, too, as did the big skies of Norfolk, and the huge fields and marshes of the Sandringham Estate. Windsor's Home Park and Great Park were a constant presence for her, as they were for all of us.'

The Queen and Philip are preparing to head to Scotland soon, to stay at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire for their much-loved annual summer break after spending the last four months of lockdown at Windsor Castle.

When members of the British Royal Family turned journalist for a day Various members of the British Royal Family including Prince Charles, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge have collaborated with different media organisations over the past decade. Anne is not the first member of the Royal Family to contribute to Country Life; her brother Prince Charles has guest-edited two different issues, to commemorate his 65th and 70th birthdays in 2013 and 2018 respectively. In February 2016 Kate Middleton took the helm at Huffington Post UK for a day to highlight children's mental health. Earlier this month the Duchess of Cornwall guest edited her first ever radio show - BBC Radio 5 Live's The Emma Barnett Show. Prince Harry guest edited the BBC Radio 4 Today programme in 2017. And Meghan Markle was far from the first member of the royal family to have influenced the pages of British Vogue. Princess Diana featured on the cover three times, while Princess Anne has also appeared three times: in September 1971, May 1973 and November 1973. Her sister-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge also adorned the cover of the magazine's centenary issue in 2016 and occupied a 10-page photo spread. Meghan is not the first royal to appear in British Vogue, with sister-in-law Kate appearing on the front cover in June 2016 (pictured right) - while Princess Diana (left) featured on there three times Advertisement

Anne said of Windsor: 'Windsor was and is a haven of peace, although not so quiet since the growth of air travel - until the lockdown.'

She acknowledged her father was a 'very hard act to follow' after she took over from him as president of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, which was set up by Prince Albert.

Anne's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, 65, has written two pieces for the edition: a light-hearted My Week column on tree-planting and dry-stone walling, plus  in his role as chairman of English Heritage  an in-depth feature on saving country houses.

The magazine's frontispiece features a set of images of Anne from editions over the years.

Country Life editor Mark Hedges said: 'It was an absolute delight to have the Princess Royal as our guest editor.

'Her passion for the countryside shines through with every feature, combined with her concerns that the right action is taken to safeguard the rural way of life for future generations, from providing affordable housing to dealing with fly-tipping. We do hope our special edition makes a very fitting 70th birthday present.'
President Donald Trump bemoaned his low approval ratings and compared his popularity to Dr. Anthony Fauci's during a press conference Tuesday, saying 'nobody likes me.'

The president boasted he has a 'very good' relationship with Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, and said his high approval rating transfers to the whole Trump administration as they work together to tackle the virus.

Trump was asked about his views on Fauci after he retweeted a message Monday night claiming the doctor misled the public on hydroxychloroquine.

'I get along with him very well and I agree with a lot of what he's said,' Trump insisted.

President Donald Trump bemoaned his low approval ratings and compared his popularity to Dr. Anthony Fauci's during a press conference Tuesday, saying 'nobody likes me'

'So it sort of is curious, a man works for us, with us, very closely, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx also, very highly thought of - and yet, they're highly thought of, but nobody likes me?' Trump said. Fauci pictured above

Trump was asked about his views on Fauci after he retweeted a message (above) Monday night claiming the doctor misled the public on hydroxychloroquine

'It's interesting: he's got a very good approval rating. And I like that, it's good. Because remember: he's working for this administration. He's working with us...He's working with our administration. And for the most part we've done what he and others - and Dr. Birx and others - have recommended,' he said.

Trump then turned the tables and compared to his own popularity amid criticism over his handling of the pandemic, which has infected more than 4.3million in the US and killed more than 149,000.

'And he's got this high approval rating. So why don't I have a high approval rating with respect - and the administration - with respect to the virus? We should have it very high,' Trump reasoned.

'So it sort of is curious, a man works for us, with us, very closely, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx also, very highly thought of --and yet, they're highly thought of, but nobody likes me?

'It can only be my personality, that's all,' the president said.

Dr. Anthony Fauci dismissed Trump's Monday night Twitter spree where he praised hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19, contrary to medical research, and said Fauci 'misled' the country on the drug. On Tuesday morning Fauci said he doesn't tweet or read the president's posts. 'I don't know how to address that,' Fauci said

Trump came under fire following his Twitter spree Monday night where he retweeted a slew of posts praising anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19.

He was also slammed for retweeting twice a video of Dr. Stella Immanuel who claimed that hydroxychloroquine is a 'cure' for coronavirus, but her clips were removed by Twitter for coronavirus misinformation.

Donald Trump Jr also shared video of her speech and his account was suspended.

Dr. Immanuel has a long history of supporting conspiracy theories and Trump ended his Tuesday press conference when pressed about his own retweets of her claims.

She received a medical license in Texas in November, according to state records.

On Tuesday morning Fauci dismissed Trump's Monday night Twitter rant, which included his post of Dr. Immanuel's speech along with criticism of Fauci.

'I don't know how to address that,' the nation's top immunologist told Good Morning America regarding the president's tweet storm. 'I'm just going to, certainly, continue doing my job.'

'I, you know, I don't tweet, I don't  I don't even read them,' Fauci, 79, told ABC News host George Stephanopoulos. 'So I don't really want to go there.'

President Trump defended Dr. Stella Immanuel, who has a long history of promoting conspiracy theories and who claims hydroxy cures coronavirus. She received a medical license in Texas in November, according to state records

Trump retweeted two videos of Dr. Stella Immanuel speaking in front of the US Capitol on Friday with others calling themselves 'America's Frontline Doctors'. She claimed anti-malaria drug hydroxycloroquine is effective in treating COVID-19, despite other medical research disproving that

Immanuel demanded that the videos be reposted on social media Tuesday night

'She was on air along with many other doctors,' Trump said during the Tuesday press conference, when asked about his retweet of Dr. Immanuel's speech.

'They were big fans of hydroxychloroquine. And I thought she was very impressive in the sense that from where she came - I don't know which country she comes from - but she says she's had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients and I thought her voice was an important voice but I know nothing about her.'

The president was being pressed by claims Immanuel has made that include face masks not working in combating COVID-19, alien DNA being used in prescriptions, and that the medical community is trying to make a vaccine to make a person immune to religion.

Trump ended the matter by saying 'thank you very much' and leaving the podium.

In May the World Health Organization stopped its hydroxychloroquine trial. The National Institutes for Health similarly halted their trial in June after determining it provided 'no benefit' in the patients studied.

Trump admitted in May he was on a two-week course of the drug as part of a regime to combat the coronavirus.

He said on Tuesday that 'many doctors' think hydroxy is successful.

'Many doctors think it is extremely successful,' he said. 'The hydroxychloroquine coupled with the z-pack. And some some people think it's become political. I took it for a 14-day period. And I'm here. I think it works in the early stages. I think front line medical people believe that too. Some. Many. So we'll take a look at it.'
Attorneys for Ghislaine Maxwell prefer that women who allege that Maxwell was their abuser to not use evidence from the criminal case to boost lawsuits by posting them online.

According to the Maxwell's attorneys, lawyers for women who alleged that Maxwell recruited and abused them should be imposed the same confidentiality measures as Maxwell's defense lawyers and prosecutors.

Meanwhile, also according to the attorneys, it was one topic that defense lawyers and prosecutors for Jeffrey Epstein's former lover could not be on the same page.

Maxwell's trial is slated in Manhattan federal court for July 2021, reported NP Telegraph.

The proposed order submitted on Monday would alleviate prosecutors and Maxwell's attorneys from divulging data online or elsewhere including "nude, partially-nude, or otherwise sexualized images, videos, or other depictions of individuals."

Prosecutors have declined to agree that the trial's witnesses and their attorneys should be subjected to the secrecy measures, according to the lawyers. They stated that they will respond on Thursday, indicated Week.

The joint protective order is routine is habitual in such cases.

Maxwell's attorneys quoted current civil litigation between her and "many of the government's potential witnesses. They indicated that numerous probable witnesses and their attorneys have publicly commented regarding the criminal case, reported "The Herald."

A judge would possibly deliberate on Tuesday whether or not to bar accusers of Maxwell from posting evidence connected to Maxwell's criminal trial online in efforts to boost their ongoing civil lawsuits.

Also Read: Ghislaine Maxwell Case Evidences Includes X-Rated Photographs and Videos of Underage Girls

The attorneys could not deliberate on whether to extend the scope of the measures to the state witnesses. Several of the witnesses were underage girls when they claimed that Maxwell helped recruit them in a plot that resulted in sexual abuse courtesy of her and Epstein.

Maxwell, 58, has been imprisoned without bail following her arrest many weeks ago. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of procuring and helping to abuse 3 girls by Epstein during the 1990s.

Last August, Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide in a Manhattan lockdown as he awaited trial for sex trafficking connected to the abuse of women and underage in Florida and Manhattan in the early 2000s.

According to the attorneys, "There is a substantial concern that these individuals will seek to use discovery materials to support their civil cases and future public statements."

Epstein's former partner faces 6 counts of sex trafficking with minors involved.

In the previous week, the judge involved in a settled civil lawsuit against the British socialite from 2015 decided to disclose the majority of the documents in the dispute. This is despite her lawyers contending that the sealed documents could "inappropriately influence potential witnesses or alleged victims."

The attorneys were provided a week to appeal the decision. However, the court is slated to make the evidence from Maxwell's criminal case accessible within the week.

Maxwell had been hiding out in a mansion in New Hampshire mansion for a year after Epstein's death.

Related Article: Fact Check: Is Spongebob Squarepants' Home Located on Jeffrey Epstein's 'Pedo Island'?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) and Nigerian Ambassador Francis Young Efeduma (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc suggested Vietnam and Nigeria step up economic and trade ties after the COVID-19 pandemic passes, during his reception for outgoing Nigerian Ambassador Francis Young Efeduma in Hanoi on July 28.

Highlighting the great potential for cooperation between the two countries, the PM said their economic connectivity is feasible and expected to contribute to prosperity in each nation.

The leader stressed he pins high hope on a brighter future of the bilateral relationship.

He highlighted the fruitful friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Nigeria during Ambassador Efedumas tenure, and expressed his hope that Efeduma and his successor will make more contributions to the bilateral ties.

As ASEAN Chair, Vietnam will make all-out efforts for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world, he pledged.

The PM extended his sympathy over difficulties faced by Nigeria, especially the impact of the pandemic. He has ordered the supply of medical equipment to Nigeria to help the country soon contain the disease.

For his part, Efeduma told the host leader that Nigeria plans to send enterprises to Vietnam to study business opportunities and enhance economic and trade relations with the Southeast Asian country. However, the plan has been postponed due to COVID-19.

Echoing PM Phucs view, the ambassador said he believes that the bilateral economic and trade cooperation, especially in agriculture, will be resumed and grows even stronger once the pandemic is put under control.

Nigeria is also ready to implement tourism cooperation projects with Vietnam next year since Vietnam has beautiful sites and many Nigerians want to visit the country, he added.

The ambassador congratulated Vietnam on its successful ASEAN Chairmanship, which has contributed to regional peace, stability and development, and thanked the Vietnamese Government and the Prime Minister for supporting Nigeria with medical supplies in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
NORRISTOWN  A Gladwyne man, the grandson of a former judge and the son of a disgraced Norristown lawyer, who previously served probation for lewd behavior was sent to jail after he spewed a racial slur at another man while holding a chainsaw and shouting, Its a white mans world during a road rage incident in Lower Merion.

Vincent Anthony Cirillo III, 33, of the 1100 block of Maplecrest Circle, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 111/2 to 23 months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of ethnic intimidation in connection with a July 2019 incident.

County Judge William R. Carpenter, who accepted a plea agreement in the matter, also ordered Cirillo to complete three years probation following parole, meaning Cirillo will be under court supervision for about five years.

Carpenter ordered Cirillo to undergo a psychological evaluation and to comply with all recommendations for treatment.

Cirillo is prohibited from having contact with the victim.

Cirillo is the son of Vincent A. Cirillo Jr., 61, a former Norristown criminal defense lawyer who had a law office on East Penn Street and who was convicted during a February 2017 trial of rape and other sexual assault-related charges. A jury found that the elder Cirillo, who was sentenced in May 2017 to 10 to 20 years in prison, sexually assaulted an impaired female client Aug. 3, 2015, at the womans West Norriton residence.

Cirillo III also is the grandson of the late Vincent A. Cirillo, a former Lower Merion commissioner, county prosecutor and well-respected county judge who went on to be president judge of the Pennsylvania Superior Court from 1986 to 1990.

The latest investigation of Cirillo III began about 5:23 p.m. July 15, 2019, when Lower Merion police were dispatched to the intersection of Bryn Mawr Avenue and North Highland Road for a report of a disturbance involving an armed subject.

A man told police he was driving west on Bryn Mawr Avenue, with his 2-year-old daughter in his vehicle, when a silver Dodge pickup truck suddenly stopped in front of him, forcing him to slam on his brakes. Cirillo, who was driving the pickup truck, got out of his vehicle, according to court papers.

The victim, who is Black, told police Cirillo began to yell, Its a white mans world as he opened the back door of the truck and removed a chainsaw with an orange guard, according to the criminal complaint.

Cirillo then removed the guard and tried to start the chainsaw about five to six times as he continued to yell Its a white mans world, used obscenities and called the victim a racial epithet, according to the criminal complaint filed by Lower Merion Police Officer James Black.

While wielding the chainsaw, the male (Cirillo) walked towards (the victims) vehicle and yelled, Im going to kill you, you f****** n*****,' Black alleged. (The victim) locked the doors of his vehicle.

A white female then exited the passenger side of the truck and prompted (Cirillo) to return to his truck, which then left the scene, Black added.

Police used vehicle registration information to identify Cirillo as the operator of the pickup truck, court papers indicate.

Other misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats, possessing an instrument of crime and simple assault were dismissed against Cirillo in exchange for his guilty plea to the most serious felony ethnic intimidation charge.

It wasnt Cirillos first run in with the law.

In July 2017, Cirillo was sentenced to four years probation for engaging in lewd behavior in view of a teenager and for making threatening remarks to a neighbor in connection with two incidents that occurred between May 2016 and February 2017.

Cirillo, then of the 200 block of Hampden Avenue in Lower Merion, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure and corruption of a minor connection with a May 28, 2016, incident during which he exposed himself and masturbated while he stood at an open window of his residence in view of a teenage girl in his neighborhood.

Additionally, Cirillo pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of terroristic threats in connection with a Feb. 28, 2017, incident in his neighborhood during which he yelled obscenities and made threatening remarks to a woman he had never met.

At the time, as a condition of that sentence, a judge ordered Cirillo to continue with the therapy he was receiving from psychologists.

Cirillo was still on probation at the time of his latest arrest. Cirillo admitted he violated the probation and he was sentenced to a new four year probationary term for the violation. Judge Carpenter also ordered Cirillo to enroll in an outpatient anger management treatment program.
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="" xml:lang=""> <head> <title>/nwsys/www/images/PBC_1239429</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/> <meta name="generator" content="pdftohtml 0.36"/> <meta name="date" content="2020-07-29T04:20:25+00:00"/> <style type="text/css"> <!-- .xflip { -moz-transform: scaleX(-1); -webkit-transform: scaleX(-1); -o-transform: scaleX(-1); transform: scaleX(-1); filter: fliph; } .yflip { -moz-transform: scaleY(-1); -webkit-transform: scaleY(-1); -o-transform: scaleY(-1); transform: scaleY(-1); filter: flipv; } .xyflip { -moz-transform: scaleX(-1) scaleY(-1); -webkit-transform: scaleX(-1) scaleY(-1); -o-transform: scaleX(-1) scaleY(-1); transform: scaleX(-1) scaleY(-1); filter: fliph + flipv; } --> </style> </head> <body bgcolor="#A0A0A0" vlink="blue" link="blue"> <!-- Page 1 --> <style type="text/css"> <!-- p {margin: 0; padding: 0;} .ft00{font-size:18px;font-family:Times;color:#000000;} .ft01{font-size:18px;font-family:Times;color:#1257c7;} .ft02{font-size:13px;font-family:Times;color:#0d0c0c;} .ft03{font-size:13px;font-family:Times;color:#000000;} .ft04{font-size:13px;font-family:Times;color:#1b62b7;} .ft05{font-size:13px;line-height:30px;font-family:Times;color:#000000;} .ft06{font-size:13px;line-height:30px;font-family:Times;color:#0d0c0c;} --> </style> <div id="page1-div" style="position:relative;width:918px;height:1188px;"> <img width="918" height="1188" src="http://mco.acquiremedia.com/images/PBC_1239429001.png" alt="background image"/> <p style="position:absolute;top:155px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft00"><b>Research Announcement: </b></p> <p style="position:absolute;top:155px;left:364px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft01"><b>Moody's - Portugal's credit profile reflects</b></p> <p style="position:absolute;top:180px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft01"><b>relative wealth, diversified economy and structural reforms</b></p> <p style="position:absolute;top:216px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">Paris, July 29, 2020 --</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:257px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft05"> Portugal's credit profile reflects relative wealth, diversified economy and structural reforms<br/> That said, the coronavirus crisis will lead to a significant deterioration in Portugal's public finances,</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:307px;left:127px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft03">turning future fiscal consolidation more complex</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:343px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">The credit profile of Portugal (Baa3 positive) reflects the relative wealth and diversification of the</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:362px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">economy and the structural macroeconomic changes that the country has made since the euro area</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:382px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">sovereign debt crisis, Moody's Investors Service said in an annual report today.<br/>It also reflects the institutional framework which has been key in facilitating credit positive changes,</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:431px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">such as those to the countrys growth model, the public finances and the banking system.<br/>Portugals key credit challenge is its very high debt burden, which limits the countrys ability to</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:481px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">absorb future shocks, said Sarah Carlson, a Moody's Senior Vice President and the report's author.</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:501px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">The degree to which the government is able to manage growing spending pressures in the wake of</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:520px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">the coronavirus outbreak and still reduce debt will remain a key credit driver.<br/>Despite economic activity regaining some momentum in the second half of the year, Moody's</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:570px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">expects Portugal's real GDP to contract by 9.5% in 2020, among the most severe in the euro area.<br/>The slower economic activity and fiscal measures taken by the government in response to the</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:620px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">coronavirus outbreak will have a significant negative impact on Portugal's public finances. Moody's</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:639px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">forecasts the general government deficit will reach 9.2% of GDP in 2020 before narrowing to 4.8% in</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:659px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">2021 as economic activity resumes and the effects of mostly one-off fiscal measures tail off.<br/>Portugals rating could be upgraded if Moody's concluded that, post the pandemic shock, the</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:709px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">government will continue to drive the fiscal consolidation and growth performance needed to achieve</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:728px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">a material and sustained decline in the debt burden over the coming years.<br/>The outlook, and ultimately the rating, could come under downward pressure if there were</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:778px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">indications that the government's commitment to fiscal consolidation and debt reduction was waning</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:797px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">or that political support for prudent fiscal policies was not forthcoming in the wake of this years</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:817px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">elections.<br/>Subscribers can access the report at: </p> <p style="position:absolute;top:847px;left:372px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft04">http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:867px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft04">docid=PBC_1231970</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:897px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">NOTE TO JOURNALISTS ONLY: For more information, please call one of our global</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:916px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">press information hotlines: New York <PhoneNo>+1-212-553-0376</PhoneNo>, London <PhoneNo>+44-20-7772-5456</PhoneNo>, Tokyo</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:936px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02"><PhoneNo>+813-5408-4110</PhoneNo>, Hong Kong <PhoneNo>+852-3758-1350</PhoneNo>, Sydney <PhoneNo>+61-2-9270-8141</PhoneNo>, Mexico City</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:955px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02"><PhoneNo>001-888-779-5833</PhoneNo>, Sao Paulo <PhoneNo>0800-891-2518</PhoneNo>, or Buenos Aires <PhoneNo>0800-666-3506</PhoneNo>. 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NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Publicis Sapient, the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe, is very excited to have agreed to a multi-year collaboration with Goldman Sachs Bank USA (GS Bank), who has recently launched a cutting edge, digital-native cash, and payments services in the marketplace.

David Donovan, EVP, Publicis Sapient Financial Services Lead, America's said, "Given Publicis Sapient is a digital leader in the financial services space, we are thrilled to work with Goldman Sachs to support the roll-out of their cloud-native transaction banking platform, which is the first all-digital platform in the market."

The Goldman Sachs Transaction Banking platform is developed via an API-first approach and will provide innovative products like Virtual Integrated Accounts with enhanced capabilities and features. The platform is US-based for now and will expand to Europe and Asia starting next year.

Publicis Groupe has sophisticated cash management operations and will leverage GS's enhanced platform to manage some of its treasury operations.

"Publicis Sapient has been a trusted collaborator supporting our digital capabilities, and we're excited that they've signed on to be a Transaction Banking client," said Luc Teboul, Managing Director and Engineering lead for the Goldman Sachs Transactional Banking platform.

About Goldman Sachs

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.

About Publicis Sapient

Publicis Sapient is a digital transformation partner helping established organizations get digitally enabled, both in the way they work and how they serve their customers. We help unlock value through a start-up mindset and modern methods, fusing strategy, consulting, and customer experience with agile engineering and problem-solving creativity. As digital pioneers with 20,000 people and 53 offices worldwide, our experience spanning technology, data sciences, consulting, and customer obsession - combined with our culture of curiosity and relentlessness - enables us to accelerate our clients' businesses through designing the products and services their customers truly value. Publicis Sapient is the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe. For more information, visit publicissapient.com.

Contact:

Casey Craig

(917) 862-6336

casey.craig@publicissapient.com

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Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has warned of the oppressive climate surrounding media freedom in Belarus ahead of a presidential election in two weeks, condemning the systematic arrests of journalists covering pro-democracy demonstrations.

More than 40 journalists have been detained over the past 10 weeks in an effort to prevent them from covering the unprecedented campaigns against President Alyaksandr Lukashenkas reelection, the Paris-based media freedom watchdog said in a statement on July 29.

The authorities are ready to do anything to gag independent media, said Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSFs Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.

Cavelier called for impartial investigations with the aim of prosecuting those guilty of obstructing the work of journalists, which is penalized by Belaruss Criminal Code.

Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, is seeking a sixth term in the upcoming election on August 9.

The Belarusian leader has faced mounting public opposition in recent months, in part from public discontent over the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hundreds of people, including activists and bloggers, have been arrested as the government has cracked down hard on rallies and demonstrations supporting opposition candidates, who were not registered by the election officials.
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.




The state's COVID-19 case tracking website on Wednesday added two deaths in Yellowstone County, bringing the local death total to 25 people and the total statewide to 54.

RiverStone Health confirmed the "COVID-19 related deaths" of two Yellowstone County residents in a press statement Wednesday.

One of the deaths was a man in his 70s who died at home last Friday, July 24.

The other death was also a man in his 70s who died at home Tuesday.

The state added 201 new cases from 3,947 tests Wednesday morning. The state set a record for new cases added in a single day last Saturday, when testing confirmed 224 new cases. Before that, the largest increase was 145 new cases on July 15.

Yellowstone County and Big Horn County, which added 40 and 45 cases, account for 42% of the new cases. Yellowstone County now has 537, or 38% of the state's 1,410 active cases. Big Horn County has 159 active cases or 11% of active cases in the state.

The two neighboring counties now account for 49% of the active COVID-19 cases in Montana.

Gov. Steve Bullock in a press conference Wednesday afternoon named Yellowstone and Big Horn counties as two of nine counties he considers "hot spots." The other hot spot counties he listed were Flathead, Lake, Missoula, Lewis and Clark, Cascade, Madison and Gallatin. From June through Wednesday, Bullock said those counties make up about 80% of all COVID-19 cases in Montana.

"We're carefully reviewing the patterns we're seeing in these nine hot spot counties," Bullock said.

In Yellowstone County, Bullock said the median age for those testing positive is 38, and that 19% of cases are connected to assisted living or long-term care. The proportion of people in the state tested in age groups have remained about the same, Bullock said, adding that while testing has increased "we're seeing more and more that younger age groups are contributing to our increase in cases."

"We'll be working with local public health officers in the upcoming days to determine if additional common sense measures can or should be taken," including deploying additional resources or taking other measures, Bullock said. "Certain communities may have to take some specific measures to tackle their unique situations."

Barbara Schneeman, a spokesperson for RiverStone Health, said earlier in the day the county has made progress in hiring "a number of part-time contact tracers."

Last week RiverStone temporarily shut down its immunization clinic so that staff could help with a backlog of more than 130 COVID-19 case investigations.

"In addition, weve been able to work with the state to bring on 21 nursing students to help us on a part-time basis," Schneeman said. "We still have a need for more assistance."

State Medical Officer Dr. Gregory Holtzman said along with contact tracing, the state has been working with the hospitals using the medication remdesevir. Officials with the Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare told The Gazette in late May they had begun administering the antiviral drug to certain patients and that the state was in charge of a limited supply.

Dr. Michael Bush, chief medical officer for St. Vincent Healthcare, said at the time that a person would need to be both COVID-19 confirmed and hospitalized to get remdesivir.

Dr. Robert Merchant, chief medical officer for the Billings Clinic said in May that remdesevir wasn't a "miracle drug," nor entirely understood, but that it had been shown in studies to reduce the length of hospital stays by days.

"That counts for a lot," he said. The drug did not show an effect on mortality and Merchant added that there remained a need to find better drugs.

The governor said that in Yellowstone County more than 50% of cases are in people 39 and younger. Generally, he attributed statewide case increases to large gatherings, including weddings that led to clusters in June, Fourth of July gatherings and gatherings at bars. Transmission in those settings can be reduced with the right practices, according to Bullock.

Specifically, he highlighted the practices at the Billings Depot, which he said he visited last week.

"That's right, a wedding venue, that has zero positive cases and strives to keep it that way because they're doing everything right," Bullock said. He described a touch-less temperature check system in place for everyone who visits the depot, masks required for all guests and all workers, communication with vendors, caterers and DJs beforehand to maintain unity on enforcement of sanitation practices and social distancing.

"Couples do use the venue because they know it's safe and they want to keep their loved ones safe as well," Bullock said. "No one wants their wedding to turn into the next cluster. And the same goes for other establishments like bars and restaurants or other areas where gatherings occur. That's preventable. Cases are less likely to occur if the right preventative measures are taken at these establishments. Employees need to wear masks and make sure that their guests are wearing them as well. Continue to sanitize and enforce social distancing between tables. Implement temperature checks and symptom screening for all staff and don't allow anyone to come to work if they have symptoms."

Yellowstone County has reported 21 deaths since July 6. Of those deaths, 16 have been residents of local senior care facilities, including 15 residents of Canyon Creek Memory Care. The deaths have coincided with case growth in July that has outpaced previous months.

The county had its first person in their 40s die of COVID-19 on Sunday. The man died at home. His death was announced publicly Tuesday morning and was one of five COVID-19 related deaths reported across the state Tuesday.

Deaths reported Tuesday included the first deaths in Custer County: two people older than 65 who died Sunday and Monday.

In Lincoln County a man in his 80s died Sunday and his death was reported on the state website Tuesday.

In Gallatin County the health department announced that the state medical examiner determined a man in his 50s found unresponsive in his home July 7 died from a combination of COVID-19 and "a number of significant underlying health conditions."

That man's death was added to the state case tracking map Wednesday.

Tuesday morning, Yellowstone County had 41 people hospitalized, of 61 active hospitalizations in the state. Statewide, active hospitalizations dropped to 59 Wednesday morning.

RiverStone Health has said that just because someone is hospitalized in Yellowstone County that does not mean they are from the county.

Yellowstone County has had 950 cases overall out of the 3,676 that have been confirmed in Montana since March. Of those cases 2,212 people have recovered, according to data from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Recovered means that the person has tested negative since being ill and is no longer able to spread the virus to others.

Other counties that added new cases Wednesday morning include Missoula with 18 (79 active), Lake with 14 (52 active), Flathead with 12 (90 active), Gallatin with 11 (135 active), Lewis and Clark with nine (48 active), Cascade with seven (71 active), Madison with six (16 active), Beaverhead with five (18 active), Custer with five (12 active), Deer Lodge with four (14 active), Lincoln with four (20 active), Dawson with three (and, according to the state website, two active), Hill with three (27 active), Roosevelt with three (six active), Silver Bow with three (29 active), Park with two (10 active), Carbon with one (six active), Daniels with one (two active), Jefferson with one (nine active), Jefferson with one (nine active), Musselshell with one (one active), Powell with one (one active) and Richland with one (nine active).

The Powell County case is the county's first confirmed COVID-19 case.

Twenty-five counties reported four or more active cases Wednesday, putting them under the mask mandate issued by Gov. Steve Bullock earlier this month.

New cases in Yellowstone County include a male younger than 9, a female younger than 9, a male between the ages of 10 and 19, 10 men in their 20s, six women in their 20s, six women in their 30s, three men in their 30s, two women in their 40s, two men in their 40s, three women in their 50s, four men in their 70s and a woman in her 70s.

The Yellowstone County Unified Health Command operates an online COVID-19 dashboard showing the status of various public health categories and functions related to COVID-19. The dashboard uses three different colors to indicate status. Green means operating at expected/normal capacity. Yellow means "Needs beginning to outpace capacity" and red means "stressed operations/critical concerns."

One category on the dashboard showed improvement from Sunday to Tuesday, the last two days it was updated. Case investigation went from red on Sunday to yellow on Tuesday.

The dashboard statuses, last updated Tuesday, are as follows:

Health Department Capacity, defined as having sufficient staff for COVID-19 monitoring and follow-up, was in yellow status.

Case Investigation, defined as the ability to manage investigations and contact tracing for all COVID-19 positive results, was in yellow status.

Testing Capacity, defined as staff and supplies to screen and test all individuals recommended for COVID-19 testing, was in yellow status.

Health care System Capacity, defined as sufficient hospital staff, beds, and equipment to treat patients with COVID-19 and all other patients safely, was in yellow status.

Disease Surveillance, defined as monitoring emergency department visits for respiratory symptoms, was in green status.

Regional impact, defined as active COVID-19 cases in UHC's regional service area including surrounding counties, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, was in green status.

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John Hagee, Cornerstone Christian Schools file lawsuit to resume in-person classes in August

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Evangelist John Hagee and several parents of children who attend Cornerstone Christian Schools are suing Texas local and county officials to allow the schools to open in August despite a local health order prohibiting in-person classes until Sept. 7.

Hagee, Cornerstone Christian Schools, Cornerstone Church and Global Evangelism Incorporated have been joined by parents in filing a lawsuit last week against Bexar County and San Antonio public officials over a directive issued by the local health department.

According to the lawsuit, the directive issued by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 purports to impose restrictions on all public and private schools that provide pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade instruction.

Although the directive instructs schools not to open for in-person instruction until Sept. 7, Cornerstone Christian Schools is scheduled to reopen for in-person instruction on Aug. 17.

Plaintiffs contend that an order prohibiting in-person instruction infringes on the religious freedom enjoyed by private religious schools because it tries to force the schools to close for in-person instruction against their desires.

Further, the parents  a pediatric surgeon, a nurse and a Texas ranger  allege that they "may be forced to quit their job if their kids in-person learning is not allowed until September.

The plaintiffs asked the district court for a temporary restraining order against the local orders to allow for the school to have in-person classes with social distancing guidelines in place.

Plaintiffs hold a sincere religious belief and seek to educate, and have their children educated, through the in-person instruction of Plaintiffs religious, educational institution to further those sincere beliefs, the legal filing reads.

The Texas Health & Safety Code  and the Directive impermissibly make Plaintiffs beliefs the object of their enforcement and, thus, are not facially neutral. Moreover, Defendants actions in enforcing the Directive are not generally applied.

On July 17, the City of San Antonio Office of Emergency Management announced that all schools in Bexar County, private and public, would have remote learning until at least Sept. 7.

We recognize the importance of re-opening schools, San Antonio Metro Health Medical Director Dr. Junda Woo, who is named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said in a statement.

This directive considers the higher risk for spread of COVID-19 in schools due to their confined spaces, and the challenge for children in following social distancing and hygiene guidelines. Re-opening will happen in phases, based on COVID-19 metrics.

The following week, Cornerstone Christian Schools posted a statement on Facebook explaining that they intend to give parents the option of having students attend classes online or in-person.

We believe that parents should have the right to decide what is best for their families in the context of their childrens education, Cornerstone stated.

Cornerstone added that the schools are implementing significant social distancing measures for in-person schooling and were blessed to have the classrooms, buildings, and overall space necessary to keep our kids safe while providing them the important educational, social and mental-health benefits associated with classroom instruction.

Earlier this month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent an official letter addressed to religious private schools explaining that they are exempt from official shutdown orders.

Even if the government may have a compelling interest in closing certain aspects of society to contain the spread of a virus, blanket government orders closing all religious private schools are not the least restrictive means of achieving that interest, wrote Paxton.

Thus, as protected by the First Amendment and Texas law, religious private schools may continue to determine when it is safe for their communities to resume in-person instruction free from any government mandate or interference. Religious private schools therefore need not comply with local public health orders to the contrary.

According to The San Antonio Express-News, city and county officials say they will continue asking private and religious schools to voluntarily comply with the health directive.

I think what Dr. Woo has done is not an overreach, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said Tuesday, according to the newspaper. All shes simply saying at this stage is wait until Sept. 7."

I hope that we can work with the schools and get that worked out without having to continue the litigation," he added. "I think its in the best interests of the parents, the children and everybody here in the community.
Officers found Williams a short time later about a half-mile from the scene, where they detained him. The friend identified Williams as Haymores attacker, authorities said. Haymore was rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined that Haymore suffered three stab wounds in her center chest, right upper stomach and mid upper stomach areas, and that her death was a homicide, according to Murphy and the Cook County medical examiners office.
The US State Department placed Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov on its blacklist of human rights violators Monday for alleged torture, extrajudicial killings and other violations it said go back more than a decade. The department said Kadyrov, his spouse Medni Kadyrova, and his daughters Aishat Kadyrova and Karina Kadyrova, were designated under its Section 7031(c) sanctions, which bans them from travelling to the United States. "This designation is due to Kadyrov's involvement in gross violations of human rights in the Chechen Republic," said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement. The designation "serves to notify Mr Kadyrov that his involvement in gross violations of human rights has consequences, both for him and his family," said Pompeo. In response Kadyrov posted a picture of himself on his Telegram account wielding two machine guns with a taunt: "Pompeo, we accept the fight! From now it's going to get more interesting!" Separately on the social media platform VKontakte, he questioned why the new sanctions were applied to his wife and children. "What crimes have they committed, and what rights have they violated?" he said, calling the United States "schemers, liars and global provocateurs." The US move came two weeks after two Russians from Chechnya were arrested in Austria over the fatal shooting of a Chechen dissident blogger, Mamikhan Umarov, in Linz. Kadyrov blamed the murder on unspecified "foreign security services" who sought to make him look culpable. In January 2020 Chechen opposition leader Imran Aliev was found dead in a hotel room in the northern French city of Lille, stabbed 135 times. In February Tumso Abdurakhmanov, a blogger critical of Kadyrov, was attacked with a hammer in Sweden. Two Russian citizens were arrested for attempted murder. A loyal ally of President Vladimir Putin, Kadyrov has led Chechnya since 2007 and is widely seen as having carte blanche from Moscow to use heavy-handed tactics. He is accused by rights activists of crushing freedom of speech and overseeing harsh reprisals against opponents and the LGBT community. Kadyrov and several associates are already under economic sanctions set by the US Treasury. The State Department said they are concerned that Kadyrov "is now using the excuse of the coronavirus pandemic to inflict further human rights abuses on the people of the Chechen Republic." In Moscow a government spokesperson told local news agencies that Russia would react to Washington's action. "It will be difficult to mirror the move but we will think of something," she said.
A decline in COVID-19 cases paved the way for Toronto and Peel to move to Stage 3 reopenings of businesses Friday, leaving Windsor-Essex the only part of the province held back because of 12 outbreaks on farms and at factories.

Premier Doug Ford cautioned the massive step forward in the GTA means that residents must redouble efforts to prevent the spread of the virus with bars and restaurants being allowed to serve patrons indoors and gyms, movie theatres and playgrounds able to resume operations with some restrictions.

Until we find a vaccine, COVID-19 is here to stay, he said Wednesday as the province reported 76 new cases, the lowest daily number since March 22.

We are not out of the woods yet. The virus is still among us and we have to be extra cautious to avoid sparking a surge or an outbreak.

Stage 3 is the last phase in the governments plan to reopen the economy on the way to fully reopening the economy, but there is still a ways to go in easing restrictions that remain as officials keep a close watch on the direction of case numbers in the coming weeks.

Public gatherings, now limited to 10 people, can increase to a maximum of 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors, meaning professional sports, overnight camps for kids, and amusement parks remain off limits.

A number of places and activities deemed high risk are forbidden from opening because it they are likely to attract large crowds in close confines with proper cleaning difficult to achieve. As a result, there are no buffets, dancing by patrons in restaurants and bars, private karaoke rooms, saunas, steam rooms and table games at casinos.

Windsor-Essex will remain in Stage 2 until local health officials can get a better handle on outbreaks with assistance from provincial emergency management teams. The regional health unit reported 30 more infections Wednesday.

While a majority of our cases seem to be related to the agri-farm sector in Leamington and Kingsville, there are a number of cases on the rise in the City of Windsor as well, medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed told a daily briefing.

There are six farm outbreaks in Leamington and Kingsville, and outbreaks at two manufacturing plants in Windsor, one in the suburb of Tecumseh and one each in the two farm towns. A Leamington construction firm also has an outbreak.

With a population of less than 500,000 people, Windsor-Essex has the highest number of active COVID-19 cases in the province  more than Toronto.

New Democrat MPP Taras Natyshak (Essex) blamed Ford for waiting too long and not pouring enough emergency assistance teams into the area to get outbreaks under control with more testing and other precautions.

Once again the region is being left behind, said Natyshak. It should never have come to this.

Ford asked residents of Windsor-Essex for patience.

Were a week behind there and it might take another week but well do everything we can to help get them back on their feet to support them.

Ahmed told reporters the province would like to look at our data for at least another week.

The Stage 3 decisions were made in consultation with Ontarios chief medical officer, Dr. David Williams, who looks for positive local trends of key public health indicators including lower transmission rates, hospital capacity, ability of public health staff to do contact tracing and case management and increases in testing.

There were 91 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 28 in intensive care and 17 of them on ventilators to breathe. Labs across Ontario processed 27,308 tests Tuesday and there are 144 testing centres open for anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with the virus.

A Star compilation of data from health units at 5 p.m. Wednesday showed another 112 confirmed and probable cases across the province in the previous 24 hours, raising the tally to 41,087 since January. There were two more deaths, lifting the total to 2,806.

Read more about:
Hazleton, PA (18201)

Today

Snow showers early. Peeks of sunshine later. Morning high of 28F with temps falling to near 15. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 60%..

Tonight

Bitterly cold. Partly cloudy skies. Low around 5F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Paris, 29 July 2020

2020 Half-Year Activity

 2020 Half-Year net sales1 of 135.4M (-4.3%)

> Strong growth of Other Businesses (+23.9%), driven by increased demand for bulk spirit in Poland

and Lituania in the context of Covid-19

> Resilience of Branded Business in France and other CEE countries (Baltic States and Bulgaria).

 A second quarter down by -9.3% to 73.7M

> Branded Businesses highly impacted (-24.2%) by lockdown measures due to Covid-19, mainly in

Poland and several countries in the WEMEA cluster

> Sales growth in the United States following the new partnership with Sazerac

Note: all net sales growth figures mentioned in this press release are expressed at constant structure and exchange rates, unless stated otherwise.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (Euronext: MBWS) today announced its unaudited net sales for the 2nd quarter 2020, covering the period from April 1st to June 30, 2020 as well as 2020 Half-Year net sales.

Andrew Highcock, CEO of Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits, comments:  During the first half of the year, we focused on protecting our employees and partners whose health and safety remain a priority. As expected, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic worsened in the 2nd quarter for our Branded Businesses. The unprecedented level of bulk sales contributed strongly and mitigated some of this decline. We are resolutely pursuing the implementation of our strategic plan aimed at restoring the Group's profitability on a sustainable basis. The recently announced plan to sell our activities in Poland is fully in line with this plan, while providing them with a new impetus. The macroeconomic impact of the persistent uncertainties about the global health situation require us to remain cautious about the business outlook until there is better visibility, nevertheless we are confident about the relevance of our strategic choices. 

1st half 2020  Sales by cluster

en M H1 2019



Org. growth Currency impact H1 2020 Org. Growth at cc Growth Branded Business 97.2 -16.7 0.1 80.6 -17.2% -17.1% WEMEA 53.6 -8.6 0.0 45.0 -16.0% -16.0% France 44.5 -4.6 0.0 39.9 -10.3% -10.3% Rest of cluster 9.1 -4.0 0.0 5.1 -43.9% -43.9% EE 34.2 -11.1 -0.1 23.1 -32.4% -32.6% Poland2 22.2 -10.3 -0.1 11.8 -46.4% -46.8% Rest of cluster 12.1 -0.8 0.0 11.3 -6.5% -6.5% Americas 8.4 2.7 0.1 11.3 32.3% 33.9% APAC 1.0 0.2 0.0 1.2 20.5% 20.5% Other Businesses 1 44.3 10.6 -0.1 54.8 23.9% 23.8% TOTAL MBWS (1) 141.5 -6.1 0.0 135.4 -4.3% -4.3%

[1]Application of IFRS 5 relating to the sale of Sobieski Trade on 15 November 2019 (for the record, revenue for the 1st half of 2019 of 49.9M)

2Revenues including sales of MBWS Polska to Sobieski Trade and to Alco Trade (ex. ST) of 5.6M in H1 2019 following the application of IFRS 5

Story continues

2nd quarter 2020 - Sales by cluster





en M Q2 2019



Org. growth Currency impact Q2 2020 Org. Growth at cc Growth Branded Businesses 54.1 -13.1 0.0 41.0 -24.2% -24.2% WEMEA 29.5 -6.3 0.0 23.1 -21.4% -21.4% France 24.0 -2.7 0.0 21.3 -11.2% -11.2% Rest of cluster 5.4 -3.6 0.0 1.8 -66.6% -66.6% CEE 19.8 -8.2 -0.1 11.5 -41.6% -41.8% Poland2 14.5 -8.3 -0.1 6.1 -57.5% -57.9% Rest of cluster 5.3 0.1 0.0 5.4 2.3% 2.3% Americas 4.3 1.3 0.1 5.6 29.4% 30.7% APAC 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.8 38.6% 38.6% Other Businesses 1 27.2 5.5 0.0 32.7 20.2% 20.1% TOTAL MBWS (1) 81.3 -7.6 0.0 73.7 -9.3% -9.4%

_______________________

[1]Application of IFRS 5 relating to the sale of Sobieski Trade on 15 November 2019 (for the record, revenue for the 1st half of 2019 of 49.9M)

2Revenues including sales of MBWS Polska to Sobieski Trade and to Alco Trade (ex. ST) of 5.6M in H1 2019 following the application of IFRS 5

ACTIVITY BY CLUSTER

WEMEA : a successful strategy of concentrating on popular formats in France, but a quarter still impacted overall by the global pandemic and difficulties of the aromatised wine-based beverage (BABV) segment





Over the 2nd quarter of 2020, WEMEA cluster revenues totalled 23,1 M, down -21,4% compared to 2019, which can largely be attributed to lockdown measures and closures in the HoReCa segment.

In France, net sales totaled 21.3 M (-11.2%) in the 2nd quarter. The Spirits business showed some resilience in face of the Covid-19. After several months affected by lockdown, the activity in May and June recovered in terms of sales helped by post-lockdown purchases in the Off Trade, driven by William Peel brand. Difficulties in the BABV market persisted in the 2nd quarter 2020, strongly affecting sales of Fruits & Wine brand.

In the rest of the cluster, Q2 sales of 1.8 M reflect a sharp decline of c. 67% compared with the second quarter of 2019, largely attributable to the closures and shutdown of activity in the HoReCa segment (pubs, cafes and restaurants) in most of the cluster (Spain, Denmark and the United Kingdom having been particularly affected by these anti-Covid-19 measures).

In the first half of 2020, WEMEA clusters sales amounted  45 M, down 16% compared with the first half of 2019.

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): a cluster heavily affected by the effects of the health crisis in the 2nd quarter

Sales for the 2nd quarter of 2020 for the CEE cluster came to 11.5 M, down 41.6% compared with the same period in 2019, with sales in Poland accounting for the bulk of this decline.

Affected by lockdown measures, which resulted in particular in a drop in consumption in modern trade, sales in Poland (Branded Businesses only) totalled 6.1 M in the 2nd quarter of 2020, showing a sharp drop of 57.5% compared with the 2nd quarter of 2019. With a strategy favouring profitability over volumes gains, the Group also continued to optimize its commercial investments and maintained its rigorous management of commercial contracts in a still difficult Vodka market.

Revenues for the rest of the cluster increased by +2.3% to 5.4 M in Q2 2020. In Lithuania, sales of select categories such as whisky grew in the local market despite the impact of Covid-19 on national brands. Export sales fell sharply during the 2nd quarter. In Bulgaria, the good performance of spirits only partially offset the decline in wine.

Sales for the first half of 2020 for the CEE cluster totalled 23.1 M (-32.4% compared to the first half of 2019).

Americas: a cluster that is benefitting from the change in distribution in the United States

Second quarter 2020 revenues for the Americas cluster reached 5.6 M, up +29.4% compared to the same quarter in 2019.

Business in the United States during the first half of the year was sustained by the initial phrase of the distribution partnership, which resulted in the building up of inventories by Sazerac, an effect that should however slow down over the second half of the year. The sales performance also reflects the dynamics of the US market, whose strong growth in off-trade offset the decline observed in the on-trade and export segment, which is the consequence of Covid-19. In Brazil, on the other hand, business continued to be strongly impacted by Covid-19 in April with a very gradual recovery in May and June. This quarter saw the introduction of new COFEPP brands, Cutty Sark and Glen Moray.

In the first half of 2020, sales for the Americas cluster amounted to  11.3 M, up 32.3% compared to the first half of 2019.

APAC

Over the 2nd quarter of 2020, revenues for the Asia-Pacific cluster amounted 0.8 M (+38.6%), and reached 1.2 M over the first half of the year (+20.5%) thanks to the resilience of off-trade activities. Projects to revitalize this cluster had to be put on hold due to the Covid-19 crisis.



Other Businesses

Following the application of IFRS 5 relating to Sobieski Trade, turnover from Other Businesses represents the private label activity and bulk alcohol sales. The latter experienced strong growth (+20.2% in the 2nd quarter and nearly 24% over the 1st half of 2020, reaching 54.8 M), with the weakness of the private label market in France offset by the strong increase in bulk sales in Poland and the Baltic countries, to meet surging demand for anti-bacterial gels due to the Covid-19 crisis.

POST CLOSING EVENTS

Signature of the agreement with United Beverages S.A., subject to conditions precedent, for the sale of MBSW activities in Poland

MBWS announces the signing of an agreement with the United Beverages Group, subject to conditions precedent, in relation to the 100 percent sale of MBWS Polska's shares and part of Polmos Lancut's outstanding shares. The formal closing of the agreement is anticipated to take place within the next 2 to 4 months. It is reminded that the contribution of the Poland business is negative in the Group's results, generating in 2019 an EBITDA of -9.3 M and has substantially hampered the Group's return to profitability in recent years.

The current agreement will allow MBWS and the United Beverages Group to work closely as partners. More specifically, the United Beverages Group will continue to produce Sobieski vodka (a brand that will remain the property of MBWS S.A.) for MBWS at the sites covered by this sale and a substantial number of MBWS international brands will be imported by the United Beverages Group, through the implementation of a new distribution agreement.

The agreement is conditional upon receiving a positive decision of the Polish Anti-Trust Authorities as well as upon the refunding of some of its financial debts related to the financing of the Polish activities.

Agreement-in-principle concerning the modification of a contract for the bulk supply of Scotch Whisky concluded with a supplier of MBWS, with a view to the forthcoming availability of the balance of the Advance n2 by COFEPP subject to contractual formalisation and the lifting of the other conditions precedent - Commitment to make available by COFEPP an additional tranche of up to 5.5 M

On July 16, 2020, at the completion of negotiations, the Group announced that it finally reached an agreement-in-principle with its supplier on the amendment of its contract for the bulk supply of Scotch Whisky.This agreement-in-principle, which is still subject to the prompt formalisation of the final contract no later than September 15, 2020, was on that same day accepted by MBWSs Board of Directors and by COFEPP.

In addition, under the agreement between MBWS and COFEPP dated 16 July, reiterated on 27 July, COFEPP agreed to make available to the Group an additional amount of up to 5.5 M (instead of the additional advance initially provided for of 4 M) (the "Balance 1bis"). The Balance 1bis should be paid (i) during the first week of August, for an amount of 4 M and (ii) during September, for an amount of 1.5 M, upon proof of the Group's cash requirements.The securities granted to COFEPP for the funds made available under Balance 1bis will be identical to those provided for under the current account advance of May 25, 2020, and, if applicable, in the event of the availability of the amount of 1.5 M, supplemented by a pledge of the current account receivable between MBWS and MBWS France, coupled with a pledge on the securities of Cognac Gautier and/or on the Marie Brizard brands. The sum of the various additional advances, including Balance 1bis, will be deducted from the amount of Advance No. 2.

Additional repayment of the receivable held on Clico Investment Bank

The Group announced on July 3 that MBWS Ltd, the Group's subsidiary in Trinidad, had received on June 26, 2020, an additional repayment of its debt held on Clico Investment Bank located in Trinidad and Tobago, in the amount of 50.8 million Trinidadian dollars, i.e. approximately 6.7 million. This amount will be converted within a timeframe that takes into account the low liquidity for this currency, which will therefore have no immediate impact on the Group's cash position in the short term. This receivable had been fully written down in the Group's accounts.

Financial Calendar

Annual General Meeting held behind closed doors on July 31, 2020 (approval of the 2019 financial statements)

Publication of First-Half results on September 25, 2020

About Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits is a wine and spirits group based in Europe and the United States. Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits stands out for its know-how, a combination of brands with a long tradition and a spirit resolutely turned towards innovation. From the birth of the Maison Marie Brizard in 1755 to the launch the Fruits and Wine in 2010, the Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits Group has been able to develop its brands in a modern way while respecting their origins.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits' commitment is to offer its customers trustworthy, bold and full of flavors and experiences. The Group now has a rich portfolio of leading brands in their market segments, including William Peel, Sobieski, Krupnik, Fruits and Wine, Marie Brizard and Cognac Gautier.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits is listed on Euronext Paris Compartment B (FR0000060873 - MBWS) and is part of the EnterNext

PEA-PME 150 index

Contact

Image Sept

Claire Doligez

cdoligez@image7.fr

Phone: +33 (0)1 53 70 74 70

Attachment




New construction will cover the mural of musician John Coltrane near the corner of 29th and Diamond Streets in Philadelphia, Pa. Work has already begun on the lot next to the mural on July 28, 2020. . Read more

Awash in blues that blend into the sky on clear days, the mural of jazz great John Coltrane on the side of a rowhouse depicts the saxophonist gazing over Strawberry Mansion, the Philadelphia neighborhood he called home more than 60 years ago.

Alongside the mural, construction workers lay the foundation for an apartment building that in a few months will obscure a significant portion of the image. For the second time in less than a decade, a Coltrane mural in the artists old neighborhood will be ruined by development.

You understand that everything has a life span, said Ernel Martinez, the murals artist. The reality is the city is growing, and the citys changing, and you just deal with it.

The developer whose building will block Coltranes likeness at 29th and Diamond Streets has promised to donate $25,000 to replace the mural, which has existed for just three years. Its predecessor, a depiction of Coltrane at Diamond and Douglas Streets, was demolished in 2014 by the developer Pennrose Co. after being created in 2002.

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A community outcry about the threat to the newer mural, though, is not just about public art. Fights over murals can be proxies for larger tensions over Philadelphias development, and questions about who cities lionize with monuments.

Thats what public art is about: public memory, public memorialization, said Faye Anderson, director of All That Philly Jazz, a place-based public history project that began with a focus on Philadelphias jazz legacy. These public memorials really have social impact, and thats what these developers dont recognize.

Shes still mourning the loss of murals depicting the 20th-century Black printmaker and painter Dox Thrash. One at 26th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue was covered over while the building was in the process of a HUD foreclosure in 2012. A replacement created in 2015 at 16th Street and Girard Avenue was mostly hidden by development two years later.

Strawberry Mansion has been home to about 100 murals through Mural Arts Philadelphia, a nonprofit that for more than 35 years has used public and private funds to sponsor murals citywide. Citywide, 65% of the organizations murals depict Black individuals or themes, said Jane Golden, Mural Arts founder and executive director.

Impermanence is an implicit reality of the art form, Golden said. In that time, the organization has sponsored about 4,200 murals in Philadelphia. About 2,500 still exist.

Its part of the nature of the beast, said Martinez, who has lost track of the number of Philadelphia murals hes made in the last 20 years. You understand that everything has a life span. You value them more while they are around.

 READ MORE: City Council puts money for the arts back into budget, but the Philadelphia Cultural Fund remains cut drastically

Development has cost the city four to six murals a year in the recent construction boom, Golden said.

When they go away, people feel heartbroken; they feel crestfallen, she said. Thats why were on a mission to make sure when murals go away, they get replaced.

There are no legal obligations for developers to preserve murals or keep them visible, Golden said.

As Philadelphia reckons with protests over police brutality and systemic racism, murals have taken on symbolic importance. The brunt of protesters anger in late May and June over the memorials of former mayor and police commissioner Frank Rizzo, who had a history of using brutal tactics against the citys Black population, was directed at a statue in front of the Municipal Services Building, but protests also led to the demise in June of a long-controversial 1995 mural of Rizzo in the Italian Market.

A mural or a statue like Rizzo, it was always controversial, Martinez said. But its those difficult conversations a community has to have in determining who they want to celebrate and who they want to memorialize on such a grand scale.

 READ MORE: My eyes feel at peace now: Frank Rizzo mural is erased, as calls for racial justice bring change to Phillys Italian Market

Strawberry Mansion, once a predominantly Jewish neighborhood abutting Fairmount Park, was Coltranes home as more Black people moved in. When Coltrane lived on 33rd Street from 1952 to 1958, he composed Giant Steps, a landmark jazz album. He appeared in Philadelphias jazz clubs and sometimes played on his front porch. Today, the community is overwhelmingly Black, a change reflected in its public art. A mural under construction at 33rd and Diamond Streets showing a raised fist reflects the protests inspired by George Floyds death at the hands of Minneapolis police.

In Strawberry Mansion, Anderson said, anger over the loss of two Coltrane murals reflects anxieties about development.

Gentrification does not just displace people, she said, it also erases Black presence.

Logan Kramers company Design Pro Development LLC is constructing the building that will obstruct the Coltrane mural. Kramer initially gave community leaders no notification that his project would affect the mural, though within days of a community outcry, he committed to replacing it.

Likewise, developers have no obligation to present construction plans to the public if they are not seeking a zoning change, said Tonnetta Graham, executive director of the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corp., so projects often have no neighborhood input. Residential development is springing up in Strawberry Mansion, but Graham would prefer to see buildings with at least some square footage devoted to commercial space.

The community isnt anti-development, she said, but you have to approach it with a level of respect, just like you do with a Society Hill. You just cant come in here and do anything you want.

Today, in the zip code that includes Strawberry Mansion, more than 48% of the population lives below the poverty line, according to U.S. Census data, twice the percentage of people living in poverty citywide. Median income is about $19,000 a year. The median home value is less than $200,000, the real estate site Zillow reported.

Kramer described himself as the communitys largest developer, with plans to develop about 200 housing units over the next three years.

Its definitely going to be the next big neighborhood, said Kramer, who compared Strawberry Mansions potential to what he saw in Brewerytown when he began building there.

His company bought the vacant land adjacent to the Coltrane mural for $2,700 four years ago. Mural Arts officials said their research did not indicate the likelihood of development that would block the Coltrane mural when it was being planned.

Graham sees differences between Strawberry Mansion and Brewerytown. Strawberry Mansion has more long-term homeowners than the neighboring community did, she said, and a more robust CDC.

One of the things we did not appreciate about Logan Kramer was him talking about his vision for the neighborhood, Graham said, not keeping to the fact that the neighborhood already has its own vision.

Kramer, who owns 40 properties in the neighborhood, said he wants to complement the existing neighborhood. He invests only in vacant land or vacant properties, he said. He lives in the neighborhood, and about half his companys workers are Black.

About 95% of Design Pros projects are rentals, he said, which should have less of an impact on the tax burden for the areas homeowners. He has no obligation to include affordable housing in his coming developments but said rents for his one-bedroom units  about $1,000 a month  should be within reach for people making about $35,000 a year.

This is actually a developer doing right by a community, Kramer said. Thats the core value we run our business on.

Kramer is willing to offer one of his buildings, including the one under construction, as a new location for a Coltrane mural. He would like to find a space that wont itself be blocked or destroyed by development down the line.

I am a jazz fan, Im a mural fan, and Im a Coltrane fan, Kramer said.

 READ MORE: Construction threatened to hide a mural. Technology never done before in Philly will save it.

Other developers have sought ways to replace murals lost to construction, Golden said. One mural on Lombard Street now blocked by construction is being preserved thanks to high-resolution photographs taken of it that will allow precise replication. A new location is being sought, Mural Arts staff said.

Golden has committed to asking Martinez to paint the next Coltrane mural in Strawberry Mansion. The one being lost is one of his favorite pieces, he said, and he expects the newer one to closely resemble it.

To prevent future conflicts, Golden is pushing city legislators to create a comprehensive directory of the citys public art.

I would be very interested in having a registration here, so they could do research on the mural and could reach out and connect with that entity, she said. We could inform the community, we could inform the artists, then we could negotiate around a work of art so no one is blindsided.
The attorney representing Michelle Troconis wants the Appellate Court to order state Judicial Branch officials to hear his clients pending motions or suspend the use of the GPS unit she is required to wear after the criminal cases were continued to October without her consent.

Attorney Jon Schoenhorn has been trying for months to get a Superior Court judge to hear several motions he filed in February on behalf of Troconis, who is charged in the death of Jennifer Dulos.

Schoenhorn filed a motion in June asking the Appellate Court to require the Judicial Branch to hear his motions, including one that would remove the electronic monitoring his client is required to wear as part of the conditions of her release on $2.1 million bond.

The Appellate Court denied Schoenhorns request on the grounds the court had no jurisdiction since the Superior Court had not heard the motions. Schoenhorn is now seeking an Appellate review since his clients case was continued to Oct. 1.

The Appellate Court made clear on July 8 that I needed a court order to request the review within 14 days, now I have one, Schoenhorn said. Im asking them for a review.

Troconis had been scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Aug. 6, but Schoenhorn believes the bulk of cases scheduled to be heard that day have been continued due to COVID-19 restrictions.

A judge continued the case to Oct. 1 since Troconis is out on bond, according to Melissa Farley, executive director of external affairs for the Judicial Branch.

Schoenhorn is requesting the Appellate Court to conduct an expedited review of the continuance and order the Judicial Branch to either schedule his clients motions to be heard as soon as possible or remove the electronic monitoring until the motions are heard.

Continued enforcement of the nonfinancial conditions substantially interferes with (Schoenhorns) constitutional obligation to investigate the charges and prepare a defense with the clients assistance, without the state watching her every move, Schoenhorn wrote in the petition for review filed on Tuesday.

Troconis is facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in the death and disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, who vanished May 24, 2019.

Judicial Branch officials responded to the pandemic by limiting operations and closing dozens of courthouses to protect employees and the public from the spread of the virus. Stamford Superior Court where Troconis' cases are being heard closed after employees in the probation office contracted COVID-19 and one of them died.

In response to Schoenhorns original Appellate Court request, Senior States Attorney Ronald Weller, of the Appellate Unit of the Chief States Attorneys Office, said Troconis is seeking preferential treatment while others who are incarcerated have not been able to get a bond hearing.

The petitioner minimizes the enormity of the disruption to our court system that this global pandemic has wrought, Weller said. She has already had her day, and in fact several days, in court on her bond conditions.

Troconis and attorney Kent Mawhinney, who was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder, are the remaining defendants in the case.

Fotis Dulos, the estranged husband of Jennifer Dulos, died Jan. 30 from an apparent suicide as he faced murder, kidnapping and other charges in the case.

According to arrest warrants, police believe Fotis Dulos used an employees pickup truck to drive from his Farmington home to New Canaan the morning of May 24, 2019. Police said Fotis Dulos parked the truck near Waveny Park and rode a vintage French bicycle to his estranged wifes home on Welles Lane.

According to arrest warrants, Fotis Dulos was lying in wait when his estranged wife returned from dropping off their children at school. Police said Jennifer Dulos was the victim of a serious physical assault and has been presumed dead based on the blood evidence found in her garage, the arrest warrants state.

Around the time Jennifer Dulos was reported missing that night, police said Hartford surveillance cameras captured two people resembling Fotis Dulos and Troconis making a series of stops along Albany Avenue.

The man was seen dumping trash bags and a license plate that was later discovered to be registered to Fotis Dulos, according to arrest warrants. The bags contained Jennifer Dulos blood and clothing, the arrest warrants state.

Video also captured Fotis Dulos and Troconis taking the employees pickup truck to a car wash in Avon a few days after police believe Jennifer Dulos was killed, according to arrest warrants. Police later discovered Jennifer Dulos blood on one of the vehicles seats, arrest warrants state.
The lights dimmed. Guitars thrummed. And a nine-piece band kicked off what amounted to a rock concert inside an amphitheater of a church. "Shout for joy to the Lord," one musician called out, quoting Scripture.

Any such shout could release the coronavirus to congregants. With some 500 people singing along, though, any concern about a deadly virus circulating was hard to find other than the spaced-out chairs in the 6,000-person hall. Although Colorado's governor had issued a statewide order days earlier mandating masks, hardly anyone at this service at New Life Church obeyed.

"I'm finding this to be true at churches all over America: If they're told they have to wear a mask, they'll stay home," said Brady Boyd, senior pastor of the 15,000-member New Life Church, a nondenominational megachurch that meets in five locations across the Pikes Peak region.

Long considered one of the country's evangelical strongholds, Colorado Springs returned to church in ways both guarded and full of gusto after the state lifted lockdowns June 4 with limitations on how many people could gather. But as the county's coronavirus cases and hospitalizations climb to their highest levels in months, many of the city's largest and most well-known congregations remain undeterred  openly flouting the new statewide mask order and, in at least one instance, threatening not to stop holding in-person services again if ordered.

It all comes as church leaders across the nation navigate a growing set of political pressures: For months, President Donald Trump urged them to resume services despite pleadings from public health officials for caution and orders by some governors to stay home.

That pressure is particularly acute here at the base of Pikes Peak. Long the conservative bastion of Colorado, this city and surrounding El Paso County, home to about 720,000 people, overwhelmingly voted for Trump in 2016. (The county last voted for a Democratic candidate for president in 1964.)

The Republican sheriff has vowed not to enforce the statewide mask order that Democratic Gov. Jared Polis issued July 16. And several churches are as openly defiant.

But any indoor activities, such as worship services, pose a particularly high risk for coronavirus transmission even with masks, especially when they include singing, said Dr. Jonathan Samet, the Colorado School of Public Health's dean. While coughing or sneezing can spread larger respiratory droplets, singing and talking release smaller infectious particles that can hang in the air and circulate in enclosed spaces.

"The circumstances of having large groups of people together without masks and doing things like singing is a setup that people talk about for superspreading events," Samet said.

In Arkansas, for example, at least three people died and dozens of others tested positive in March after two people showed up at a church function with COVID symptoms. And in Washington state, dozens of choral group members were infected after a single symptomatic person attended a 2-hour practice. Two people died.

The New Life Church, where at least 9 in 10 parishioners went without masks on the first Sunday after Colorado's order began, was certainly not unique. Nearly all of the roughly 100 people gathered at Church for All Nations also skipped masks.

Pastor Mark Cowart kicked off his sermon there by questioning statements about masks from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert with the National Institutes of Health.

"We are not the mask police," Cowart said, before warning state officials against trying to restrict their gatherings.

"If they come trying to tell us we can't meet anymore, or we can't sing, or we can't have a Bible study anymore, that's not going to go," Cowart said to applause at the nondenominational church. "God does not want us to allow that to happen."

Colorado health officials recently warned several counties that large worship services could be restricted if the rise in infections doesn't ease. Average daily confirmed cases across the state more than doubled in July, rising from 215 a day in June to 451 as of last week, according to a state database.

The rise in COVID cases comes as residents disregard social-distancing guidelines. A recent report by the Colorado COVID-19 Modeling Group found that the share of Coloradans complying plummeted from 87% in May to 41% in late June.

Across the Pikes Peak region, dozens of pastors and parishioners described an intense and deeply spiritual desire to return to worship with their fellow believers. Meeting in person provides a unique opportunity to hug, to know they are not alone during such trying times.

"The church isn't really a place  it's a gathering of people," said Brian Bone, while meeting with a dozen others at Woodmen Valley Chapel, where masks were common on a recent visit. "We get comfortable coming to a place we call church, but really it's being with other people physically that's important."

And some ministers fear that not meeting regularly in person could lead to apathy among parishioners, causing them to drift away.

Not all congregations in Colorado Springs have been averse to the state's new mask order. And the myriad approaches to reopening highlight the difficulty of placing a single label on churchgoers during the pandemic.

For the Rev. Jeremiah Williamson, masking up is the Christian thing to do.

"A lot of this stuff has been caught up in partisan politics, and I'm not interested in that," Williamson said. "I'm interested in keeping our people safe. We're one of those churches that believes science."

At Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Williamson has forsaken his pulpit for the front lawn. There, on a recent Sunday, dozens of church members sat in folding chairs spaced 6 feet apart, inside white circles painted on the grass. No congregants sang. Everyone wore masks.

Nearby on North Tejon Street, more parishioners sat in parked cars, listening with their radios as the service was broadcast via a shortwave transmitter.

And, before attending, everyone was urged to provide their names and phone numbers, in case someone tests positive and public health contact tracers need to find those who may have been exposed.

"It just seems, as religious people, Christians, we would want to do our best for the common good, for the greater good," Williamson said.

Across town, Payne Chapel AME Church also has opted not to gather indoors out of concern for its predominantly Black congregation, because Blacks have been experiencing higher rates of hospitalization and death from the coronavirus. Church members recently met in their vehicles in the church's parking lot, waving to one another through car windows and singing hymns together on a teleconference line.

For that 300-member African Methodist Episcopal church, to have met indoors also would have been "between ridiculous and stupid," said Pastor Leslie White, who heads the congregation.

However, Calvary Worship Center, which has a racially diverse congregation, is meeting indoors and not enforcing the mask order, even though two staff members were confirmed to have COVID-19. Instead, the church, led by a team of Black and white pastors, only recommends they be worn.

For Joshua Stephens, 29, the key to staying healthy is his faith.

The pandemic hit just as he wrapped up earning a degree from Charis Bible College, headquartered in Woodland Park. The local religious school received a cease-and-desist letter in early July from the Colorado Attorney General's Office for hosting a conference with 300 to 500 people in violation of the state's lockdown orders that limited gatherings to 175 people. Nevertheless, the college's pastor had vowed to ignore the order.

Stephens, who attends Church for All Nations, said his belief in God informs his approach to the pandemic, after saying he was miraculously cured of cancer four years ago.

"My personal conviction is, I don't get sick," said Stephens, who was not wearing a mask.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump says he did not talk to Russia counterpart Vladimir Putin about reports the Russians paid bounties to Taliban rebels for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

I have never discussed it with him," Trump said in a soon-to-be-aired interview with "Axios on HBO," the Axios news website reported Wednesday.

Asked about the interview, Trump told reporters at the White House he would be "very angry" if evidence emerges that the Russians paid bounties for the deaths of U.S. soldiers. "I would respond appropriately," Trump said as he left on a trip to Texas for campaign fundraising and a visit to an oil rig.

While some have said Trump is afraid to confront Putin over the allegations because he is so friendly with the Russian leader, Trump said his intelligence agencies have not been definitive over claims the Russians offered bounties for the deaths of American troops.

Trump and Putin spoke just last Thursday, but Trump told Axios "that was a phone call to discuss other things" rather than bounties, "and frankly thats an issue that many people said was fake news.

President Donald Trump

More: Trump denies knowing about intelligence report that Russia put bounty on U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan

More: Reports say Russia offered bounty on US troops in Afghanistan. Here's what we know

Trump's relationship with Putin is a frequent issue as the president pursues re-election .

Democratic opponent Joe Biden and others say Trump is too chummy with the Russian autocrat, and has refused to confront him on matters ranging from Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election to the allegations over bounties.

Citing reports that Russian bounties were mentioned in the Presidential Daily Brief as early as February, Biden said this month that "the idea that somehow he didn't know or isn't being briefed  it is a dereliction of duty if that's the case. And if he was briefed and nothing was done about this, that's a dereliction of duty."

Story continues

After the Axios interview, Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said Trump continues to ignore the issue "months after the U.S. intelligence community sounded the alarm" about Russian bounties. "Our president continues to turn his back on those who put their lives on the line for our country, and on his own duty," Bates said.

The New York Times reported in early July that intelligence officials believe that "a Russian military intelligence unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing coalition forces in Afghanistan  including targeting American troops  amid the peace talks to end the long-running war there."

Russia denied the allegations.

Congressional committees are looking into the claims about Russia bounties, but have not provided much evidence.

Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee this month that the government lacks proof of Russian bounties, but is still investigating.

"Were not done, Milley said. Were going to run this thing to ground.

A group of Senate Democrats sent Trump a letter demanding information about the bounty claims, telling the president: "There can be no higher national security priority than the protection of our Armed Forces abroad, and the peoples representatives in Congress need to know what is going on here."

Ned Price, a spokesman for the National Security Council during the Barack Obama administration, said there is plenty of credible evidence behind the bounty allegation. Price said the president fakes "concern for those who put their country first each and every day," while he "prioritizes his own personal and political interests above all else."

Trump administration officials said the intelligence community believes Russia has been providing assistance to Taliban rebels in Afghanistan, but there is no proof they have paid bounties for attacks on soldiers.

Trump has echoed that position in public statements, though he has also professed ignorance of Russian activity in Afghanistan.

Gen. John Nicholson, then the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said in 2018 that "we know" Russia is providing money and arms to the Taliban.

Asked about those claims, Trump told "Axios on HBO" he was unaware of Nicholson's comments and that evidence of Russian assistance to the Taliban "never reached my desk."

The "Axios on HBO" interview is scheduled to air Monday at 11 p.m. EST.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says he did not ask Vladimir Putin about bounties on US troops
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  Peso bills will have a new look and feel following the latest design changes introduced by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Governor Benjamin Diokno and Senior Assistant Governor Dahlia Luna unveiled on Wednesday the design tweaks for the banknotes, which are said to boost security versus fake bills and make it easier to recognize and set them apart.

Here are the changes to the bills:

The updated designs will apply to the 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 bills, with the 20 note being prepared for phaseout as it is being transformed into a coin. However, Diokno said the orange bill featuring former President Manuel Quezon will continue to be printed in its current look until existing materials are completely used up.

Peso bills received a design overhaul in 2010, which is part of the BSP's regular upgrades as a move against counterfeiting. Security features are updated every 10 years on average, the central bank added.

The window security thread which runs vertically through each denomination will now feature a strip of ethnic weave patterns which change colors. The design is unique for each denomination. For example, the 1,000 bill will feature the T'nalak weave with micro-optic features, while the 500 bill will feature a pattern from southern Philippines and shifts colors from gold to jade when light is moved. The embossed figures at the lower right corner will also have changing hues.

A Visayan weave will be on the 200 note and will change from green to blue, thanks to its holographic material. Meanwhile, the 100 bill will feature an endemic weave from Bicol and will shift colors from violet to bronze.

It will be remembered that the BSP once had to deepen the purple hue of the 100 bill following complaints that some people who confused it with the blue 1,000 note.

Another new feature is the tactile or embossed markings at the right end of each bill, allowing the elderly, blind, and visually impaired to set each note apart. The marks increase based on the face value: there are two horizontal notches on the 50 bill, four for the 100 bill, six for the 200, eight for the 500, and 10 sticks for the 1,000 bill.

The existing New Generation Currency bills will still be accepted as legal tender and will gradually be replaced with these notes carrying enhanced designs.

Diokno said the new features only add 1 percent to the current cost of producing these banknotes.

Meanwhile, the BSP reminded the public against rubbing bills with soap, alcohol, or bleach for disinfection amid the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it equates to damaging the money which merits fines and penalties.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The Duterte administration is looking into the possible revival of the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant, according to a new executive order.

The policy is under Executive Order 116 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte that ordered the Department of Energy and other government agencies to suggest necessary steps on the possible use of the country's first and only nuclear power facility.

The EO created the DOE-led Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee, which will review the legal framework, study the viability of nuclear energy, and recommend steps in the utilization of nuclear energy as well as existing facilities such as but not limited to the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

The administration of then President Corazon Aquino mothballed the facility over corruption and safety concerns, compounded by fears after the Chernobyl nuclear fallout in Russia in 1986.

Duterte noted in the EO signed on July 24 that the committee must take into account in its feasibility study the economic, security, and environmental implications of nuclear energy as a power source, as well as perspectives from stakeholders.

The committee must also evaluate and formulate a national strategy to include a roadmap and timeline in preparation of a National Energy Program.

Duterte said funds for the research could be pooled from the Energy departments budget, adding that if necessary, the Department of Budget Management would identify other sources of funds.

He noted that the the initial report on the study should be submitted to the Office of the President, through the executive secretary, in six months, with the succeeding reports to be handed out every six months thereafter.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi welcomed Dutertes signing of EO 116, saying the move is a major step towards the realization of a Philippine nuclear energy program.

Cusi vowed to work with experts including the International Atomic Energy Agency, which would identify infrastructure gaps. The agency is a United Nation's organization which "promotes safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies."

The DOE chief said in a statement that once the gaps are filled and other necessary requirements are fulfilled, our people and future generations will reap the economic benefits a nuclear energy program brings.
The Australian government has announced it will not repatriate the wives and children of ISIS fighters stranded in Syrian refugee camps due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Australia has been pressured by the United States to prosecute citizens linked to ISIS and bring their families home from war-torn Syria.

There are 67 Australian women and children living in camps like the Al-Hawl refugee camp in north-east Syria, with many stuck for years after the fall of ISIS.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said at the Australian-US Ministerial consultation in Washington DC it is too risky to move people under current travel sanctions amid COVID-19.

'Movement in Syria and in the region is now more complex than ever and at home, we see our states and territories very stretched, as an understatement in some cases, because of the impact of COVID-19 infections,' she said.

The federal government said they won't repatriate 67 Australians stranded in Syrian refugee camps during coronavirus period. Pictured: a mother and child in the Al-Hol refugee camp in northeastern Syria

Foreign Minister Marise Payne (pictured) said it is too risky to move people amid COVID-19

The government has been criticised for not using the coronavirus period as a chance to tend to the stranded Australians when repatriation flights were chartered to locations all over the world.

Ms Payne said greater resources would be required to safely transport and monitor extremists on their journey back to Australia.

'We will not put our communities at home at risk, nor our officials abroad, to extract people from Syria under current conditions,' she said.

There are up to 70,000 people in stranded in the Al-Hawl camp, which has limited food, flooded tents, harsh winter conditions and poor healthcare, with illness rampant in the setting.

Save The Children chief executive Mat Tinkler told SBS the federal government must act now to bring the 67 Australians home.

'The alternative  leaving Aussie kids languishing in a war zone  is unthinkable,' he said.
Air New Zealand, the only airline running flights across the Tasman Sea, has put a booking hold on flights to Australia for the next month.

The flagship Kiwi carrier won't take bookings to Australia until August 28 because of government restrictions.

Australia has a cap of 30 passengers per flight into Sydney and Brisbane, and there's a blanket ban on international arrivals to Melbourne until August 8.

The nation has been hit hard by a second wave of COVID-19, particularly in the state of Victoria which recorded 295 new cases in a 24-hour period on Tuesday.

Air New Zealand (planes pictured), the only airline running flights across the Tasman Sea, has put a booking hold on flights to Australia for the next month

The Air New Zealand chief commercial and customer officer Cam Wallace said the airline extended the booking hold for an extra 20 days to prevent further disruptions to customers schedules if the Australian government extended flight restrictions.

'We know there are people wanting to head home to Australia at this time and we'll be ready to fly them as soon as we are able to accommodate more passengers,' chief commercial officer Cam Wallace said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Mr Wallace announced its international flight schedule between September 1 and October 31, resulting in a 'new tranche of cancellations' for bookings made before COVID-19.

Air New Zealand also agreed to extended a booking freeze on international arrivals earlier this week from July 29 to August 9. Pictured: Nelson Bay Airport in New Zealand in June

Air New Zealand also agreed to extended a booking freeze on international arrivals earlier this week from July 29 to August 9.

The extension was granted at the request of the Ardern government to reduce pressure on the nation's isolation facilities.

The Australian outbreak has set back plans for the two countries to create a 'travel bubble' which would ease their strict border restrictions.

New Zealand has only had two confirmed cases of the virus yesterday, with every new arrival quarantined at the border.
After several days of delay and grappling to agree with the White House, Senate Republicans are ready to release their coronavirus relief package worth $1 trillion. The package includes an answer to the expiring unemployment benefits, which would be extended but reduced.

The proposal

The $1 trillion proposal by the GOP includes $16 billion new money allocated for testing, $105 billion for school re-openings, incentives for employers to retain and rehire employees, and the most awaited second round of direct payments.

Moreover, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has also stated that the package would also include liability protections for non-profits, hospitals, schools, businesses.

Aside from those, the package also included a plan for the jobless benefit that id set to expire on Friday. On the proposal, it was stated that the $400 would be slashed from the $600 weekly benefit, which means that those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic will now only be receiving $200 weekly. This is also to prepare as the states enter the transition period in implementing the system which would provide the unemployed with 70% of their wage replacement.

On the other hand, while the unemployment benefit has been a topic for discussion in the past week, the federal eviction moratorium that has already expired did not get much attention. However, Larry Kudlow, the economic adviser of the White House and also the director of the National Economic Council, told CNN that the eviction moratorium will be lengthened.

Read also: Mnuchin Shares Virus Rescue Bill Details, $1200 Stimulus Checks August Release

Meanwhile, both Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows appeared in news programs on Sunday to float and discuss the ideas of moving forward initially with a narrower set of issues such as the unemployment benefit. This means that they want to pass a bill to extend the jobless benefit in order to prioritize it and extend discussion on other provisions of the relief package in later legislation.

The stand of the Democrats

However, the plan of the Republicans does not sit well with the democrats According to Hose Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats will not be settling for a piece by piece legislation of the relief aid. She also emphasized that the aid should be in the form of a package and not a piecemeal.

Pelosi also pointed out that like the previous CARES Act of $2.2 trillion, the pieces of the legislation are interconnected and cannot be passed on separately. She also added that the unemployment benefits are tied in with the direct payments, which would help bolster the loan program for small businesses. In turn, the loan program is also connected to the incentives for employers to rehire and retain their workers.

But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer also clarified that the Democrats are not insisting that the unemployment benefit of $600 be included in the relief package that is being negotiated, The Hill reported. He stated that while they are opposed to the $200 value that was presented by the Republicans they are willing to negotiate the amount.



Related article: Trump Admin Proposes Bill to Extend Unemployment Benefit, Stimulus Package Talks Still Afloat

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A mobile billboard criticizing U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for her lack of leadership during the coronavirus pandemic is coming to her home state of Michigan.

The billboard, launched by the Michigan-based non-profit Protect Our Public Schools (POPS), is expected to be in Michigan for the week of Aug. 10-14. It first appeared Tuesday, July 28, in Washington D.C.

DeVos has recently come under fire for her push to resume in-person learning during the coronavirus pandemic. Many public health experts and teachers are concerned about the potential spread of COVID-19 among children and teachers, and then back to their families.

We are talking about children, teachers, and families getting sick  or even dying, said Ellen Offen, vice president of the non-profit and a former Detroit Public Schools teacher. We cant make rash decisions  like forcing all schools to reopen without a plan for safely doing so  when it could mean thousands more dead.

The billboard on wheels is expected to be north of Detroit on Monday, Aug. 10, before traveling through Jackson, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

Its itinerary includes making stops along the way at schools, city halls, supermarkets and the local offices of lawmakers. The billboard will be parked at various locations, and will spend time circling areas.

The vehicle will then spend Aug. 13 and 14 in Holland, which is home to DeVos 22,000-sq-ft summer mansion. A spokesperson for the nonprofit group said they expect DeVos to be in Grand Rapids or Holland during their visit.

Related: Betsy DeVos has long been the boogeyman of public education. Critics say her push to reopen schools shows why.

Protect Our Public Schools leadership criticizes DeVos for having no meaningful guidance for how schools can safely reopen.

Shes done little to ensure schools have the personal protective equipment, testing kits, nurses, infrastructure, and resources they need, Offen said. And now, Secretary DeVos and President Trump want to force schools to reopen regardless of the dangers their decisions pose to the lives of our children, teachers, and families.

The CDC released guidance for school districts, which include measures to stagger class schedules and pivot to online learning in the event of future spikes in community transmission of the virus.

But President Donald Trump called the guidelines impractical, and DeVos said partial reopenings are unacceptable.

Earlier this month, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel announced they were spearheading a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and DeVos over the distribution of funding under a federal coronavirus relief package.

State officials say the guidance from the department on how to distribute those funds runs contrary to the law and pushes money toward private schools.

Mobile billboards criticizing U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for her plan regarding the reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Courtesy photo | Protect Our Public Schools)

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face , officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here .

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus .

For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/ .

Read more on MLive:

Are masks bad for your health?, plus 8 other coronavirus myths and truths

Wednesday, July 29: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Grand Rapids region moved to medium-high coronavirus risk level
Two Cambridge city councilors submitted an order this week to the city consider transferring traffic enforcement from the police department to unarmed city personnel.

Rather than armed officers, the order, sponsored by Quinton Zondervan and Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, would have unarmed, trained enforcement personnel in the Traffic and Parking Department, Department of Public Works, Health & Human Services, or another suitable department conduct the stops.

The motion stems from traffic stops disproportionately impacting Black and Brown drivers who are more often searched than white drivers, the order said. The order doesnt claim that the officers are racist but rather, the problem stems from a systemic bias including overpolicing in Black neighborhoods.

The presence of an armed police officer during a routine traffic stop raises the tension of the encounter unnecessarily and can itself lead to conflict, causing harmful stress to both parties and damaging the relationship between police and the community, the order said.

The order said traffic stops can be performed by unarmed employees, which would reduce the possibility of violence during encounters, however, police would still be responsible for apprehending known criminals, dangerous or erratic drivers.

The proposal comes in the wake of municipalities around the country examining police department protocols following the death of George Floyd, who was killed in May. Video from the incident shows a former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin putting his knee into the back of Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes.

Video also shows Floyd asking officers for help, saying he cant breathe.

Chauvin and three other former officers have been charged in connection with Floyds death.

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Whats with all the Obama holdovers who can still be found throughout the Trump administration? It is now just a little over three months before the 2020 presidential election, and despite an alarming amount of evidence of Obama holdovers still in the Washington bureaucracy, working hard to block Trump policies, all too many of these saboteurs are still in place. One of them is an appeaser, capitulator, and Muslim Brotherhood stooge named Eric W. Treene.

The Justice Departments Religious Freedom in Focus is a periodic email update about the Civil Rights Divisions religious liberty and religious discrimination cases. It lists as a contact the Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination, Eric W. Treene. I exposed Treenes subservience to Muslim organizations linked to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood over eight years ago. Whats Eric Treene still doing there?

Back in January 2012, after receiving a huge box (in response to my Freedom of Information Act request) full of documents relating to the Justice Departments interactions with Muslim groups linked to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, I wrote that what struck me almost immediately was the casual familiarity between the Muslim groups including the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), which has admitted its ties to the Brotherhood and Hamas, although it claims that it is no longer connected with either, and senior officials of the Department of Justice, all the way up to Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez. They discuss lunch, vacations, job changes -- always with the Muslim Brotherhood groups pushing their narrative, even in these casual exchanges.

Even more striking was the servile demeanor of Eric Treene, who was then listed as Special Counsel for the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and the demanding condescension of Muslim Brotherhood operatives. Muslim and Arab operatives treat Treene and Co. like an errand boy, asking them for email addresses of other contacts and setting them to perform the most menial gofer duties. The DoJ even takes lunch orders and picks up the tab, and in some cases asks them how much money they need for a little soiree theyre holding. It is astonishing.

The depth and the breadth of the penetration was astounding. The players included Nihad Awad, who declared in 1994 that he was in support of the Hamas movement, of the Hamas-tied Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR); Suhail Khan, who accepted an award in 2000 from the now-imprisoned al-Qaeda financier Abdurrahman Alamoudi; and James Yee. James Yee a Muslim chaplain at Guantanamo who was charged with sedition, aiding the enemy, spying, espionage, and failure to obey a general order. He was charged along with three others. The charges were later dropped, when Major General Geoffrey Miller cited national security concerns that would arise from the release of the evidence. The notorious Yee gave an interview on Syrian television in Arabic, in which he repeated Gitmo detainees lies of Quran abuse on the part of the U.S. Military.

Those three and many others received a September 8, 2011 letter from Perez touting all the DoJs actions on behalf of Muslims, including a suit against the city of Lilburn, Georgia for resisting the expansion of a mosque and amicus participation calling for dismissal of a suit brought by Murfreesboro, Tennessee patriots against an Islamic supremacist mosque there.

In the midst of all this, Eric Treene at one point asks Mohamed Elsanousi of Hamas-tied ISNA to circulate among ISNA operatives an invitation to a DoJ seminar on "Federal Laws Protecting Religious Freedom."

This is who the DoJ was including in its outreach in 2012. They wouldnt have dreamed of ever including organizations opposed to jihad violence and Sharia oppression, such as my organization, the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) or other freedom fighters, in their outreach.

Trump said he was going to drain the swamp. No one, however, realized how deep and fetid it really was. He has had much larger challenges to deal with than the continued employment of Eric Treene. And so Treene is still there, and doubtless still kowtowing. Large challenges aside, the purge of the Justice Departments civil rights division must come at some point if America is going to survive as a free society. If the Democrats win in November, a huge opportunity will have been missed, and the victory of these sinister Brotherhood-linked groups will be complete, thanks in no small part to Eric W. Treene.

Pamela Geller is the President of the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), publisher of The Geller Report and author of the bestselling book, FATWA: Hunted in America, as well as The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administrations War on America and Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
T wo women whose bodies were found in a freezer had been subjected to very significant violence, a court has heard.

The remains of Hungarian national Henriett Szucs and mother-of-three Mihrican Mustafa were discovered by police in a flat in Canning Town, east London, on April 27 last year.

Ms Szucs had last been seen in August 2016 and Ms Mustafa in May 2018.

Prosecutor Duncan Penny QC told Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday that Zahid Younis was the occupier and tenant of the one-bedroom ground-floor flat.

The trial is taking place at Southwark Crown Court (file image) / Yui Mok/PA

He said: The prosecution case is that this defendant, who was both the occupant and the tenant of that address throughout the relevant period, had murdered each of these women.

Thereafter he sought to conceal their remains in the freezer bought for that sole purpose, most probably a short time after the death of the first of the women, Henriett.

Younis, 35 of Vandome Close, Canning Town, denies two counts of murder.

The bodies were found in the flat on Vandome Close in east London / PA

Mr Penny said police had gone to the property looking for Younis when one found a lockable freezer in a cupboard which had flies around it and items stacked on top.

The prosecutor added: In due course, with a crowbar, that police officer forced open the lid of the freezer and he, that Saturday morning, made a very grim discovery indeed.

Contained within that small chest freezer were the remains of two women, one of them called Henriett Szucs and the other Mihrican Mustafa.

Mihrican Mustafa, aged 38, was identified as one of the women found in a freezer in Canning Town / Met Police

One of them, Henriett, had not been seen for nearly three years and the other, Mihrican, she had disappeared almost a year before.

Prior to their death each of them had been the victim of significant injury, each of them appeared to have been been subject to very significant violence.

The women, both in their 30s at the time of their disappearances, had suffered numerous rib fractures, while Ms Szucs had sustained dreadful head injuries and Ms Mustafas sternum and larynx had been fractured, Mr Penny said.

Henriett Szucs, 34, has been named as the second woman who was found in a freezer in Canning Town / Met Police

He said the two women were known to have associated with Younis in the weeks leading up to their disappearances, and belongings of each of them were found in the flat.

Both were vulnerable women living somewhat chaotic lives including periods of homelessness and class A drug addiction, Mr Penny added.

Diary entries attributed to Ms Szucs, whose body was found partially dressed in her pyjamas, suggested Younis was violent and controlling towards her, the prosecutor said.

Two women were found dead in Vandome Close / PA

Ms Szucs blood was found on the carpet of the flat and Ms Mustafas fingerprint on the oven, Mr Penny said.

The court heard that it appeared there had been periods when the electricity had been disconnected, which had led to some decomposition of the bodies and a foul smell in the flat.

Mr Penny said Younis had appeared to abandon the property but he was arrested a few days after the bodies were discovered, Mr Penny said.

He told the jury that after being detained Younis told police: Its my house, its my problem, no one else is involved.

But Younis chose to answer no comment during police interview, Mr Penny added.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by PA Media
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:30:26|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, July 29 (Xinua) -- The African Union (AU) has highly commended China for the country's continued support and assistance to Africa's capacity building endeavors in disease control and prevention.

In a statement on Wednesday, the 55-member pan-African bloc said that it has signed with China a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at a virtual ceremony for the project of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Headquarters Building (Phase I).

The AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Amira Elfadil, and the Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce, Qian Keming, on Monday held an online MoU signing ceremony on the project of the headquarters of the AU's specialized technical health agency (Africa CDC), according to the AU statement.

In her remarks, the AU Commissioner has highly appreciated the Chinese government for assisting Africa in building the necessary capacity for disease control and prevention on the continent.

Elfadil noted that the AU Commission attaches great value and importance to the significance of the construction of the Africa CDC Headquarters Building, and that AU would do all its best seriously in the realization of the project.

Qian Keming, on his part said that the construction of the Africa CDC Headquarters is a concern action by China to honor its commitment made at FOCAC Beijing Summit and a vivid example to build a China-Africa health community.

A special site has been designated for the project in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, and the Chinese government is expected to help the AU and Ethiopia with the project's design and construction, and it will further provide help in essential equipment, which are followed by personnel training, and operational and technical assistance from China once the construction is completed. Enditem
By PTI

LONDON: New projects worth around 4.3 million pounds have received the UK government funding to help explain and mitigate the disproportionately adverse COVID-19 impact and higher death rate among the country's ethnic minorities, including those of Indian origin.

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and National Institute for Health Research (NHRI) backed projects include over 2 million pounds for academics at the University of Leicester to investigate why people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds have a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19.

The study titled UK-REACH -- UK Research study into Ethnicity And COVID-19 outcomes in Healthcare workers -- will work with more than 30,000 clinical and non-clinical members of staff to assess their risk from the deadly coronavirus, based on the analysis of two million healthcare records.

"Globally, we have evidence that people from BAME backgrounds have a higher chance of going to intensive care and dying from COVID-19 - this may also be the case for healthcare staff," said Dr Manish Pareek, the chief investigator of the UK-REACH study.

The Indian-origin Associate Clinical Professor in Infectious Diseases at the University of Leicester and Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust described the research as the first UK study to be conducted on a large scale to investigate why BAME healthcare workers could be at greater risk of COVID-19.

"A recent PHE (Public Health England) report highlighted how 63 per cent of healthcare workers who died from COVID-19 were from a BAME background.

We want this research to improve the lives of healthcare staff - to this end, we have a stakeholder group of major national organisations to research and publicise our findings," said Pareek.

There is no exact figure available of healthcare workers who died from COVID-19 in England.

The UK's Office for National Statistics data shows that, after taking account of age and other socio-demographic factors, BAME people are nearly twice as likely to die of COVID-19 than white people.

It reflects that people from minority ethnic groups, particularly South Asian and black and African Caribbean communities, are up to four times more likely to die from COVID-19.

However, the reason for this increased risk is not known.

"The diverse range of projects funded by the NIHR and UKRI will help examine this association in detail, so that new treatments and approaches to care can be developed to target the ethnicities most at risk.

This research will have embedded patient and public involvement with black, Asian and minority ethnic groups at all stages of the research," said Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer of England and Head of the NIHR.

The new set of six projects will explore the impact of the virus specifically on migrant and refugee groups; work with key voices within BAME communities to create targeted, digital health messages; introduce a new framework to ensure the representation of people from BAME backgrounds in clinical trials testing new treatments and vaccines for the novel coronavirus; and create one of the largest COVID-19 cohorts.

"The University of Leicester has been internationally leading on work relating to the impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minority groups, including the development of a national Risk Reduction Framework for NHS staff and a comprehensive report recommending a series of policy actions to reduce health inequalities related to Covid-19," said Professor Kamlesh Khunti, an Indian-origin academic who leads the Centre for BAME Health in Leicester.

"These studies will help us to develop and to refine these recommendations with the overall aim to mitigate further disparities in COVID-19 outcomes for ethnic minority healthcare staff," said Khunti, who had raised concerns at the start of the coronavirus lockdown about findings from the UK's Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC), which highlighted that up to a third of people who were critically ill with coronavirus were from BAME backgrounds.

Among the new projects is a UK-wide study awarded more than 120,000 pounds to examine why people from BAME backgrounds have a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19.

"COVID-19 has had an enormous impact on all of our lives, but sadly we have seen that people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected by this terrible disease.

There is an urgent need to better understand the complex reasons behind this," said UK Science Minister Amanda Solloway.

UK Health Minister Lord Bethell added: "I am deeply concerned by the disproportionate impact of this horrible virus on some minority communities. We need to find out what's causing this, so we can stop these deaths."

These research awards will give Britain's scientists resources they need to answer the urgent questions behind these disparities so we can address the root causes and save lives.

Oxford and Southampton University teams will look at the health conditions of BAME patients who were treated in hospital and died from COVID-19, using a database of 40 million general practitioner records across England.

Another project will analyse information gathered by the UK Biobank project, which has been monitoring the genetics, mental wellbeing and physical activity of 500,000 people since 2006 and collects blood, urine and saliva samples.
Wearing gloves may not protect people from Covid-19 because they give a false sense of security, an expert has warned.

Dr Allison Bartlett, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago, said they offer 'nothing in the way of safety'.

World Health Organization chiefs says that regular handwashing is the best way to stop the virus spreading.

But many people anxious about the virus use gloves in a similar way as masks, which studies have shown can cut the risk of transmission.

This is pointless, according to Dr Bartlett, because the virus can survive on gloves if they touch contaminated surfaces.

She added wearing gloves can give people a 'false sense of security' their hands are protected when 'that's not the case at all'.

Wearing gloves provides 'nothing in the way of safety' and may be dangerous because they give wearers a false sense of security, a scientist has warned

Discussing the effectiveness of wearing gloves, she said: 'You might feel protected because your skin is not touching a surface.

'But as soon as you move from touching that surface to touching your mask or face, that's contamination, even if you are wearing gloves.'

In a warning to people relying on gloves to protect them from Covid-19, Dr Bartlett added: 'You've accomplished nothing in the way of safety.'

People can get infected with the coronavirus if the have the virus on their hands and touch their eyes, nose or mouth.

HOW LONG CAN COVID-19 SURVIVE ON SURFACES? In the air: Infectious disease researchers have found COVID-19 remains infectious in contaminated airborne respiratory droplets for at least three hours, however they have not determined whether humans produce enough of the disease in a single cough or sneeze to infect another person. On soft, porous surfaces: COVID-19 can survive on porous surfaces like cardboard, paper, clothing and soft furnishings like pillows and Doonas for up to 24 hours. Porous surfaces allow air and water to pass through, which makes them much less likely to hold infectious volumes of the virus compared to non-porous objects like door handles, taps and phone covers. On hard, shiny surfaces: COVID-19 has been proven to stay active on hard surfaces like glass, plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours. Hard, shiny materials are non-porous which means water, air and vapour cannot pass through and instead rest and accumulate on the surface. World Economic Forum researchers have confirmed the virus does degrade over time, reducing the likelihood of infection the longer contaminated droplets have sat on a surface, but you should still avoid touching handles, buttons and other objects in public spaces. If unavoidable, you should avoid touching your face until you have thoroughly washed your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Frequently touched household surfaces like taps, door handles, computer keyboards and toilets should be cleaned using bleach or alcohol solutions of at least 70 percent alcohol. On hair: There is no evidence to suggest coronavirus can be carried in strands of beards or facial hair. Advertisement

Dr Bartlett said it is easy to contaminate hands while removing gloves because once one glove is removed, the other free hand could easily touch the other glove while taking it off.

And she added that a widespread use of gloves by the general public could end up draining the supply for doctors.

Doctors are made to follow specific procedures to ensure that used gloves do not contaminate their hands. They also wash their hands before and after wearing gloves and will only use one set of gloves per patient.

They use gloves when they might come into contact with blood and other bodily fluids from patients.

The World Health Organisation also states that even though doctors follow strict procedures to use gloves properly, they 'do not provide complete protection against hand contamination'.

The organisation's website adds: 'Pathogens may gain access to the caregivers' hands via small defects in gloves or by contamination of the hands during glove removal.

'Hand hygiene by rubbing or washing remains the basic to guarantee hand decontamination after glove removal.'

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US and the European CDC have released guidelines which state that gloves 'will not necessarily protect you from getting Covid-19 and may still lead to the spread of germs'.

Although the CDC states that reusable gloves can be used while cleaning, this is in order to protect hands rather than prevent transmission.

Dr Bartlett added that because gloves are single use there is also an environmental aspect to consider.

She said: 'The only thing that irks me more than seeing people out and about in the grocery store with gloves is on my walk home from the hospital when I see new Covid garbage on the ground'.

She added that to stop the spread of coronavirus it's more helpful to do things 'we know are really impactful' such as staying home.

Dr Bartlett also argued wearing a mask in public can also help, as well as regularly washing hands and frequently-touched surfaces.

Back in April, a researcher who advises the WHO on outbreaks of infectious diseases cautioned against wearing gloves in the supermarket.

Mary-Louise McLaws, an infection control expert and professor of epidemiology at the University of New South Wales, said gloves carry germs more effectively than skin and cause people to become more relaxed about washing their hands.

Professor McLaws told Daily Mail Australia that hands, wrists and fingernails should still be washed for 20 seconds before wearing gloves and after taking them off, so it's 'best not to rely on them for protection at all'.

She said frontline healthcare workers are the only people who need to wear gloves, and reiterated official guidance that using hand hygiene stations in public places, practicing social distancing and staying at home are the best defences against coronavirus.

While it's no harm to disinfect baskets and trolleys, Professor McLaws said there is 'very little risk' of contracting SARS-CoV-2 from supermarket surfaces.

Covid-19 has been shown to survive on glass, plastic and stainless steel for up to three days.
First responders are often portrayed as the heroes of our society. Medical professionals, police officers, and firefighters are lauded with admiration and praise for their life-saving efforts, and for good reason. But there's one group of first responders that gets overlooked: social workers. These unsung heroes immerse themselves within communities to address systemic problems and improve the well-being of society as a whole. Sometimes they're called to hospitals or homes in emergencies to help police resolve conflict peacefully. That's because social workers are masters at de-escalation.

As America is embroiled in protests against law enforcement, and people continue to be killed in police custody, the value of this skill  the ability to resolve conflict, rather than exacerbate it  is becoming increasingly apparent. Indeed, it can help save lives. "I've seen too many times when police use intimidation, or they lack empathy," says Tracie Simpson, a social worker in New Jersey. This can actually make a confrontation worse, and even deadly.

Lisa Tyson, another New Jersey social worker, mentions the case of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died last year after police put him in a chokehold and then injected him with ketamine, a sedative, which ultimately sent him into cardiac arrest. Tyson says that, if a social worker had been present, non-physical methods of addressing conflict like "empathy, active listening, and I statements" may have been used. "We have to defuse conflicts with individuals that are involved in domestic violence, human trafficking, individuals with cognitive or physical disabilities, substance abuse issues or individuals who have experienced severe trauma," Tyson says.

Still, some may be skeptical of a social worker's ability to be truly effective without a gun and a badge. This skepticism may be rooted in sexism: Social work is overwhelmingly dominated by women, who make up 83 percent of the field. Conversely, police work is 87 percent male-dominated. Are we exercising implicit bias when we doubt that a female social worker could be capable of disarming, say, a 6-foot-tall, 200-pound man?

Story continues

Tyson says that if her de-escalation tactics work, she doesn't even need to use physical restraint. "I typically use basic problem-solving skills to de-escalate any situation, and I'm always aware of a person's verbal and non-verbal cues," she explains.

This can be important, considering that mentally ill individuals are 16 times more likely to die at the hands of law enforcement. One in four killed by the police have undiagnosed mental illnesses, and one in five inmates suffers from a mental illness. Tyson acknowledges that police have a tough job, but stresses that, "when mental health is a factor, it may be necessary to involve a mental health professional to ensure the safety of all involved."

She recalls one incident in which police were called to a scene where a teenager who appeared to have a cognitive impairment was trying to run into traffic. "The store's security guard appeared to be inexperienced, and become physically aggressive, then called the police," Tyson says. When she arrived, she spoke to the teenager calmly until his parents could be located. "He ended up being safe and had the opportunity to receive the help he needed without being harmed or further traumatized," Tyson says. The teenager was Black, she notes, "which in many situations could lead to a fatal ending."

High-stress situations like these are common in the world of social work. "Each hour, day, week, month, and year bring new challenges and experiences," explains Christine Giebel, a medical social worker. She's had to manage clients who become violent towards others during psychiatric emergencies. "Typically, during these episodes, the individual obtains superhuman strength," Giebel says.

Police and other first responders do often defer to social workers. But Tyson believes police could benefit from additional de-escalation training. This training could save lives during times when a social worker can't be called, or police need to act quickly. Tyson says the training should focus on the short- and long-term effects of and behaviors associated with trauma, as well as how to properly handle a mental health crisis. "We normally have a helpful dialogue with police. However, they need to consider the many variables that can lead to an interaction becoming unnecessarily violent, aggressive, or even cause death, as demonstrated in the most recent events of police brutality," Tyson says. "Instead of making the person feel attacked, fearful, or not in control of their safety, address the situation, but treat the individual the way you would want one of your family members to be cared for in that situation. Empathy is key."

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A mural painting is underway in Strawberry Mansion with a mission  a hope, the artists say, of activating the community, reflect on the radical energy in the city and around the country, and commemorate the powerful spirit of Black and brown people.

Stay Golden, as the piece is called, was organized and designed by Philadelphia artists Gerald Brown, Roberto Lugo, and Isaac Scott, and is going up at 33rd and Diamond Streets with help from Mural Arts Philadelphia.

 READ MORE: The threat to a John Coltrane mural shows how development can erase Black history in Philly

The three artists are not traditional muralists, having backgrounds in other media. Brown is a Chicago native who received a bachelor of fine arts degree from Syracuse University, with a double emphasis in sculpture and ceramics. Scott, a ceramic artist from Madison, Wis., is working on his master of fine arts degree at Temple Universitys Tyler School of Art and Architecture. Lugo, an assistant professor at Tyler, uses porcelain as his medium of choice. His work is in major museums around the world.

Long involved in social causes through their art, the three participated in the Fishtown End Racism Now street painting and afterward wanted to keep the spirit generated by that project going. Brown liked that so many people came out and were able to artistically contribute to the messaging.

They approached Mural Arts about doing a street painting, but what they were offered was support in the creation of a mural.

The title, the artists said, is reflective of a common usage of the color gold in African Diasporic communities. It is a unifying color among Black and brown people and speaks to the resilience of our people through adversity.

The artists wanted the work to be done quickly, Scott said, while in the moment with all the protesting thats going on in the city and around the country.

Scott started taking pictures when the coronavirus pandemic shut down his classes at Tyler. He created an Instagram account just for his photography and began posting color shots of flowers, power lines, murals and graffiti. Then the George Floyd protests began, and his posts were in black and white, starting with an image of a fist in the air he made at the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the first protest, on May 30. He marched with protesters, photographing everything, and two days later was among those teargassed on I-676.

That fist shows up in their mural.

Brown wanted it to reflect the urgency and immediacy of what people were saying, and went door-to-door in the neighborhood and got residents to sign on to the project. Her aim was to make sure the mural itself existed for the people.

While it is not a Mural Arts project, the agency provided paint, supplies, scaffolding, and technical support.

Longtime artist David McShane assisted throughout, including with the projection transfer of the artists sketch to the wall.

Jane Golden, Mural Arts executive director, said, We love that they are taking a moment in time and making it into a permanent mural with a powerful message.
Congress interim President Sonia Gandhis praise of former Prime Minister late PV Narasimha Rao has been heralded as a significant departure by the Congress leader from her past position and, perhaps, a course correction to do justice to one of the most reformist Prime Ministers who shaped the economy to what it is today.

Is it because Sonia Gandhi has belatedly realised the pitfalls of ignoring the contributions of Rao, which could be an attempt to win over some sections of voters? There is nothing to show that Sonia Gandhi and her family or top Congress leaders have done a reassessment of the importance of Raos legacy for revival of the party.

However, what is clear is that in the absence of any respect shown towards Raos memory among the present generation of the Congress leaders, other political parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), have not hesitated to honour the late leader, who had his share of ups and downs while he was Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996.

What we do know is that the immediate reason for Sonia Gandhi and her son and former Congress President Rahul Gandhi to issue statements honouring Rao  15 years after his death  has had a lot to do with a desperate SOS sent by Telangana Congress Chief Uttam Kumar Reddy.

Struggling as he is with the task to revive the Congress in the state, Reddy cautioned his bosses in Delhi about their political rivals out to completely appropriate the name, fame and legacy of Rao, who is considered a great son of the soil in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Hence, the inauguration of the year-long centenary celebrations of Rao organised by the Congress Telangana unit  in competition with the TRS  was a perfect foil to send the right signal.

Besides, July 24 marked the 29th anniversary of the epoch-making 1991 budget, presented by Manmohan Singh, who was then the finance minister in Raos government. The 1991 budget is hailed as the harbinger of liberalisation in India.

Since 2014, the Congress has been at its wits end in Telangana after it ceded ground to TRS leader and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). KCR has taken full credit for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and a smaller Andhra Pradesh, when the bifurcation was actually done by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the hope that it will enable the Congress win the 2014 assembly polls in both the states. However, KCR walked away with the cake.

KCR has kicked off the year-long centenary celebrations of Rao by demanding Indias highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, be conferred on the former PM. The local Congressmen have also seen KCR trying to woo the Rao family by promising an MLC seat for one of them. The BJP too has not been far behind in this regard. In 2014, Rao's grandson NV Subhash had joined the BJP. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chided the Congress for having ignored Rao's contribution.

Given this scenario, can the Congress afford to lose the battle for a slice of Raos legacy, at least in Telangana? Yet these statements by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in praise of Rao do not give the impression of a change of heart. Its more like water off the ducks back.

Over the past 15 years, Raos contributions have remained obliterated by the Congress. This is not because Sonia Gandhi cannot forgive Raos past acts as Prime Minister that did little to improve their personal equations or salvage the pro-Muslim credentials of the Congress in the wake of demolition of the Babri masjid in Ayodhya in 1992. In addition to this, Rao was the Union home minister in 1984 when the anti-Sikh riots took place after the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

Those were low points for Rao and he was blamed for the Congress losing its secular plank after his government failed to protect the 1992 demolition at Ayodhya. This meant that Rao was relegated to the margins of the party, even banished of sorts. Therefore, Rao cannot be the ultimate selling point for the Congress in north India.

More importantly, there is no love lost for him. Sonia Gandhi may have chosen Rao as Prime Minister after the Congress secured enough numbers to form government after the 1991 elections. However, Rao was not the first choice. Being reluctant to take charge herself, Sonia Gandhis first choice was Shankar Dayal Sharma, who was then Vice President, but his failing health did not fit the bill.

Rao was not moulded as a Congressman who thought it necessary to genuflect at 10 Janpath. As years rolled by, Raos interactions with Sonia Gandhi began to drop even as the formers detractors added fear and bitterness to their growing distance between the two.

These detractors fed Sonia Gandhi with stories about Raos alleged plot to destabilise her, and about the possibility that investigations into the Bofors scam would be reopened.

Sonia Gandhi forayed into politics only in 1998 after Sitaram Kesri had cleared the stables for her. Ironically, Rao had chosen Kesri to succeed him as Congress Chief, but the latter lost no time to downsize Rao. Rao later admitted to this author that he had made a mistake in giving up the post of Congress Chief. Finally, Kesri was himself shown the door.

As expected, Rao did not find a place in Sonia Gandhi -led Congress Working Committee (CWC) despite him having been a former Prime Minister. Once she took full charge, Rao had to pay even a heavy price and faced humiliation on many occasions  until his death in 2004 by which time Sonia Gandhi had led the party back to power by forming the UPA.

History is witness that a day after his death, Rao mortal remains was not allowed inside the AICC headquarters at 24 Akbar Road in New Delhi  its an honour given to Congress leaders, and Rao was denied that even though he was a Prime Minister. Rao was cremated in Hyderabad, and it is alleged that Sonia Gandhis close aides were behind these moves. However, in 2015, Rao got a memorial at Ekta Sthal, in Delhi.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Duree & Company, a Fort Lauderdale and Aspen full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm, is pleased to announce that it has added some green to its signature pink color with a new cannabis- and hemp-focused website! An addition to the firm's original website, DureeAndCompany.com, the cannabis-specific site, CannabisMarketingPR.com, is dedicated to the firm's continued expansion into the booming cannabis and hemp/CBD industries.

"Our new website allows us to further connect with existing and potential hemp and cannabis clients, and to showcase the comprehensive PR and marketing services we tailor specifically for these markets," said Duree Ross, the firm's president and founder.

Ross recognized that the U.S. was on the brink of a "green rush" before the passing of the Farm Bill in 2018 and pursued clients in the cannabis and hemp/CBD industries. Duree & Company's precedent-setting efforts are paving the way for PR representation in this space, which is continuously growing. The total U.S. CBD market is expected to climb to a $2.1 billion market in consumer sales by the end of 2020, according to Hemp Business Journal; and the U.S. retail marijuana market is predicted to rise as high as $37 billion in sales by 2024, according to Marijuana Business Daily.

"Having entered the cannabis, hemp and CBD markets early on, we know the ins and outs of gaining positive publicity and providing marketing for these industries, and there is no better time than our 20th anniversary to launch our website and continue to expand our practice," Ross said.

Visitors to the website can learn more about Duree & Company's comprehensive services, including PR and marketing, crisis prevention, digital and affiliate marketing, and influencer relations. The site also features blogs about the cannabis and hemp/CBD industries, bios of the firm's team members, colorful images, and much more.

The website itself is a continuation of Duree & Company's signature branding. Visitors will instantly notice the addition of the color green to the firm's signature shades of pink.

As the "green rush" continues to flood headlines, Duree & Company keeps a watchful eye on local, regional and national news in order to quickly pivot. The team have been working with full spectrum hemp and CBD brands, processing facilities, trade associations, dispensary owners, farmers, growers, cannabis cultivators, third-party laboratories and other startups.

Examples of Duree & Company's PR and marketing expertise in the cannabis and hemp/CBD industries include:

Proven relationships with and a knowledge of key players in these industries, including members of the media, influencers and thought leaders; insights developed from the careful monitoring and researching of key expos and leadership conferences.

An understanding of U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines and the ability to effectively share news about cannabis and hemp/CBD products  a unique attribute in today's marketplace.

The knowledge to help companies establish and communicate the need for Certificates of Authenticity (COAs), knowing that products are always under scrutiny.

The ability to navigate the cannabis and hemp/CBD industries to tell the right stories that attract potential consumers, partners, retailers and investors.

A focus on the products offered, as well as on the business and the people.

Additionally, Ross sits on the board of directors at The Florida Hemp Council. The firm is a member of the Cannabis Marketing Association, and of CannabisLAB, as well as a supporter of Marijuana Moment. Ross is regularly invited to speak on panels, webinars and industry roundtables, where she shares her expertise and practical applications for marketing and PR success in the industries.

With a longstanding presence in the health and wellness, cannabis, lifestyle and business industries, Duree & Company has worked with some of the top companies including: Veritas Farms, SanSal Wellness, ACS Laboratory, Tanasi, GreenWay Herbal Products, One Plant, PurWell, PurSlep, Natural Life Franchise Corp., and The Florida Hemp Council.

With the launch of its new cannabis-specific site, Duree & Company also added a touch of green to its signature pink, with a new, animated logo. For an exclusive look at some of the clients that Duree & Company has served and the relationships the firm has garnered in the media, visit https://youtu.be/XNPz-ScycEM.

About Duree & Company, Inc.

Duree & Company, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm founded in 1999. The firm has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Aspen, Colorado. Duree & Company serves the corporate, agency and nonprofit arenas for local, national and international clients. Services include public relations, social media, marketing, digital marketing, content development, advertising, special events, branding, radio promotions, affiliate marketing and more. Duree & Company clients include well-known names in yachting, business, real estate, hospitality, travel, cannabis and hemp, wellness and CBD, art and culture, fashion, nonprofit organizations, legal and professional services. Duree & Company is a member of PR Boutiques International (PRBI), an international network of boutique PR firms. To learn more, call 954-723-9350; go to dureeandcompany.com ; or visit its new, specialized cannabis- and CBD-specific site at cannabismarketingpr.com . Join the social conversation and follow Duree & Company on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and LinkedIn at @DureeCoPR, or on YouTube at @DureeAndCompany.

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Wednesday's House antitrust hearing with the CEOs of Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple went down some politically fraught rabbit holes, but also saw tech's most powerful figures face sharper questions than they've seen before from Washington.

What's happening: Republicans slammed the companies for alleged anti-conservative bias, but Democrats largely narrowed their focus to possible competitive abuses, putting the CEOs on their back feet and producing some surprising admissions.

Why it matters: The face-off is the culmination of a protracted conflict between Washington and Silicon Valley that has seen members of both parties push antitrust enforcement as a cure for any number of Big Tech ills.

What they're saying: Rep. David Cicilline, the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee chair overseeing the hearing, sought to bring prosecutorial zeal to the proceedings, starting with questions posed to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Cicilline accused Pichai's company of stealing content from smaller companies to build out its search results and push users away from rival platforms and onto Google properties.

He singled out Google allegedly building search results on material from CelebrityNetWorth.com, denying the site actual revenue-creating clicks.

The company has "used its surveillance over web traffic to identify competitive threats and crush them," Cicilline maintained.

Pichai said in response, "We try to understand trends from data we can see and we use it to improve products from users."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced a grilling from Rep. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the full Judiciary Committee, who sought to pin him down on the company's 2012 acquisition of Instagram.

Nadler said previously unseen emails reveal that Zuckerberg "saw Instagram as a threat that could potentially siphon business away from Facebook."

Zuckerberg said he only viewed it as a competitor with respect to sharing photos online, but not as an existential threat to be neutralized through acquisition. "With hindsight, it looks obvious that Instagram would have reached the scale it did today," he said. "At the time, it was far from obvious.

Some of the sharpest questioning of the day was reserved for Zuckerberg.

Rep. Joe Neguse pressed him on Facebooks acquisition strategy, and said Facebook was already a monopoly by 2012. The lawmaker brought up an email from Zuckerberg in which he wrote, "you can likely buy any competitive startups, but itll be a while before we can buy Google." Zuckerberg said he had been joking.

"Facebook, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram are the most downloaded apps of the last decade. Facebook owns them all," Neguse said. "We have a word for that: monopoly," said Neguse.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal asked Zuckerberg about Facebooks pattern of copying competitors. "We've certainly adopted features that others have led in," said Zuckerberg.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos acknowledged that, despite past denials and company policy against it, he can't rule out the possibility that employees have tapped third-party sales data to develop in-house products.

Jayapal, whose Seattle district is in Amazon's backyard, noted press reports that seem to contradict past testimony from Amazon associate general counsel Nate Sutton, who told her the company "does not use specific seller data" when creating its own private label products.

"I can't guarantee you that policy has never been violated," Bezos said. "I'm not yet satisfied weve gotten to the bottom of that."

Rep. Lucy McBath, meanwhile, played a tape of a small business owner saying Amazons marketplace practices were hurting her employees livelihoods. Bezos said mistreatment of sellers was not "systematic" and maintained third-party sellers overall do very well overall on Amazon.

Neguse asked Bezos if Amazon uses data from Amazon Web Services to build business strategy on competitors. Bezos said no, but later conceded Amazon may learn things from the data after Neguse brought up evidence indicating it has happened.

Panel Democrats turned some of the revelations like the Instagram emails into an interactive experience for Congress and tech watchers following along at home, sharing them on the House Judiciary Twitter feed.

In one 2012 email, Zuckerberg warned that companies like Instagram and now-defunct social network Path "if they grow to a large scale could be very disruptive to us."

A 2015 internal Apple email, meanwhile, appeared to show the company putting Chinese tech giant Baidu on a fast track for app review, even though the company says it treats all app developers equally. CEO Tim Cook insisted as much under questioning Wednesday.

Context: Democratic panel leaders upbraided the companies from the start.

"Simply put, they have too much power," Cicilline said in opening remarks. "This power staves off new forms of competition, creativity, and innovation."

All four companies operate platforms that serve as "bottlenecks" for those looking to get apps, content and goods out to people and use their power to surveil rivals and force consumers into their ecosystems, Cicilline maintained.

But Republicans sought to pivot. Ranking antitrust panel member Jim Sensenbrenner celebrated tech companies for their size and power, narrowing his criticism to the bias allegations.

Rep. Jim Jordan, top Republican on the full Judiciary panel, greatly ramped up that line of attack, stating flatly, "Big tech is out to get conservatives."

He and Reps. Greg Steube and Matt Gaetz repeatedly went after the companies for what they said were actions meant to stifle conservative speech.

For their part, the CEOs used their opening remarks to describe humble beginnings for their companies and argue that U.S. policies allowed them to flourish.

Go deeper:

This is a developing story. Keep checking back for updates.
The decision by Benviko company limited to forcefully take over a 75-acre mining concession belonging to Kaasmil Mining Company limited with only a prospecting license with the support of the District Chief Executive and the Military has brought heavy tension in Tontokrom, a town in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.

Sources indicate that though Benviko has no mining lease, the company has succeeded in taking charge of the concession and engaging in active mining of gold in the area.

Sources have also indicated that negotiations are currently ongoing between the Chief Executive of Benviko company, Ben Owusu Achiaw to sell the same concession to Asanko Mines, a large-scale mining company. with only a prospecting license, Benviko has been mining gold actively on the land for about two years with the support of the District Chief Executive, William Bediako, the District Police Command together with some unidentified military personnel being housed by the DCE.

Though the regional Security Coordinator and the Regional Police command have given Kaasmil the go ahead to continue with its legal mining activities, the DCE, sources say continues to resist the move.

INTERNAL CONTRADICTIONS AND SABOTAGE; THE CASE OF GALAMSEY IN TONTOKROM

Current events and actions offering in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti region regarding the conduct of government officials and their pronouncements on the issue of small scale mining rights and activities within the district clearly demonstrates a clear contradiction, sabotage and open antipathy of personnel and agencies of the central government against the policy of fighting the menace of illegal mining popularly called  Galamsey .

Currently festering manifestly in the Amansie South District with the capital at Manso Adubia , headed by the District Chief Executive , William Bediako, is the imminent perpetration of these acts initiated by the DCE and Ben Owusu Achiaw, Managing Director of Benviko, that is aimed at not only denying and depriving genuinely licensed and authorized persons and companies duly permitted by the government through the legal institutions and agencies including the Ministry of Lands and Mineral sources(MLMR) ; the regulated artisanal small scale mining agencies, Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) Inter ministerial committee on illegal mining (IMCIM), The Amansie South District Assembly ; the chief Inspector of Mines and others to dig for ,win , mine and to produce gold and diamonds on concessions within the district , at Tontokrom , their acquired rights and permits to operate, but to forcefully by the use of their selected band of Police , Army and other security personnel to illegally seize plants, machinery and structures from their acquired concessions unlawfully convert them to their own use and personal profit.

William Bediako (DCE)is a government appointee and his friend Ben Owusu Achiaw is said to be the chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Peoples Republic of China to abolish remove and eradicate illegal mining (galamsey) and to restore and promote the lawful small scale mining in its stead.

The said Benviko company limited is currently holding an agreement with the government acting by then minister of Lands and Natural Resources John Peter Amewu granting it the right and license to prospect for and prove gold under the licensed area  for a term of (3) years from 31st march 2018( Prospecting Agreement and not Mining Permit).

In spite of the limitation of the permit granted Benviko company limited to only prospect for gold and report back to the Minister, the District Chief Executive is said to have condoned and connived with its Managing Director to jointly take over the concession belonging to Kaasmil mining company which has been granted permission since 2013 to dig for , win, mine and to produce gold and diamond in a defined concession, and has in addition been given concession identity numbers, clearance by the EPA, clearance after vetting by IMCIM, certification to operate by the ASDA, and permit by the Chief Inspector of Mines to operate in the said concession at Tontokrom, and has been in operation which was recently lifted in respect of the small scale operatives.

The two are carrying out their said unlawful and illegal mining under the guise of governmental support and by force of armed police and Army officers and civilian thugs with impunity.

The DCE has been recently captured on video instigating and encouraging the chiefs and people of Manso Tontokrom at a public gathering to shoot to kill anybody who would resist their galamsey operations. He justified his said provocative orders that galamsey was the peoples source of wealth and neither he nor any officer or official of government would prevent the people from doing the galamsey business. He in fact boasted that he had the support and encouragement of high-ranking party and government officials to encourage and engage in galamsey operations in the district.

The District Chief Executive of Amansie South, William Bediako in an interview with this paper, which was recorded on tape said he received a call from the seat of government to protect Benviko and the he had no interest in Benviko. He said he is doing what he was told to do. He said he sees nothing problematics regarding his visit to the home of the Energy Minister, John Peter Amewu with the owner of Benviko to discuss issues relating to the mining concession. "I only use the military in my house. the police and the Military are only in my house, they are not on the field as the people are claiming," he stated.

INTERVIEW WITH THE CEO OF MINERALS COMMISSION

The Chief Executive officer of the Minerals Commission Kweku Addai Antwi Boasiako, In an interview, clarified that it is illegal and criminal for any company to use a prospecting license to engage in active mining like what Benviko is doing. Any company that will use a prospecting license to do active mining of gold is engaging in illegal and criminal activity and must be dealt with severely.

He said he has no knowledge about any ongoing negotiation between Benviko company Limited and Asanko Mines. he added that the minerals Commission does not involve itself in any direct negotiation between two parties. According to him the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources comes in only when the negotiations between the parties are completed and the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources is presented with the document to study and approve.

THE CHIEF OF TONTOKROM

Nana Tonto who is the chief of Tontokrom availed himself for an interview to explain issues related to intimidation and attacks being meted out to the indigenes in the area. He blamed the District Chief Executive for the area for instigating violence in the area.

He said through his lawyer, Nana Obiri Boahene, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party, several letters were written to the Minerals commission to report the illegal activities of Benviko with the military and Police Personnel but nothing was done about it. A lot of people are dying in mining pits in the area due to their illegal mining activities but everybody is quiet and are doing nothing about it. What sort of country at all is this where people condone illegality? I am appealing to the president to initiate investigations into the issue and punish the perpetrators. Why should the DCE declare openly that he supports illegal mining at a time that the president of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo has vowed to put his presidency as risk in a bid to fight and end illegal mining. That means he does not respect the president and must be punished for that.

"I remember Ben Owusu Achiaw (Benviko) reported me to Lord Comey, Director of Operations at the Presidency and I went with him to discuss the issue. Lord told him to stop talking about his party membership issue and do the right thing since everybody is a member of the party and he could not use his influence in the party to intimidate people and snatch what rightfully belongs to them but he wouldnt listen. How long would they keep the military and Army in the area to intimidate the good people of the area? We want the President to intervene and curb the situation."

REACTION FROM ASANKO MINES

The Managing Director of Asanko Mines, Mr. Fred Attakuma in an interview with this paper said he is not aware of any ongoing negotiations between the management of Asanko Mines and Benviko to take over the 75-acre concession at Tontokrom.

He said he needed time to check with his exploration team to find out if some negotiations are ongoing. Several attempts were made to speak to the managing director of Benviko company, Ben, Owusu Achiaw on the issue but he failed to respond to all the phone calls, and WhatsApp messages sent to him.

The investigative team is still working to get in touch and get his reaction.
Pottsville, PA (17901)

Today

Snow during the morning will give way to partly cloudy conditions during the afternoon. Morning high of 34F with temps falling to near 20. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Bitterly cold. A few clouds. Low 9F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Netflix led all networks with a record 160 nominations for shows or stars followed by HBO with 107.

HBOs dystopian superhero drama Watchmen and the 1960s comedy The Marvelous Mrs Maisel led nominations on Tuesday for the Emmy Awards, in a list strong on diversity and on fresh contenders for the highest awards in United States television.

Watchmen scored 26 nods, including best limited series, while Amazon Studios The Marvelous Mrs Maisel got 20, including a best actress nod for star Rachel Brosnahan.

Netflix led all networks with a record 160 nominations for shows or stars that included Stranger Things, Tiger King, rape drama Unbelievable and Jewish saga Unorthodox. It was followed by HBO with 107, including a surprise nod for Zendaya, the 23-year-old star of teen drama Euphoria.

Succession, about a sparring media family, scored 18 nominations, including nine for its actors. Ozark, about a middle-class family that launders money for a drug cartel, also received 28 nods including for stars Laura Linney and Jason Bateman.

Half of the nominees for best comedy series were newcomers to the Emmys such as Dead To Me and Insecure, Issa Raes take on 20-something Black women in Los Angeles.

Schitts Creek, the sleeper hit comedy about a wealthy family forced to live in a rundown motel, scored 15 nods, including best comedy series and also nods for its four main cast members: Catherine OHara, Eugene Levy, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy.

For once, I am speechless, Dan Levy, who is also the co-creator of Schitts Creek, wrote on Twitter.

At a time when Hollywoods record on diversity is under scrutiny, multiple nominations went to actors of colour. They included Muslim American Ramy Youssef for his semiautobiographical comedy, Ramy; Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere and American Son); Don Cheadle (Black Monday); Regina King (Watchmen); Sandra Oh (Killing Eve); Uzo Aduba (Mrs America); Sterling K Brown (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and This Is Us); and returning Emmy champion Billy Porter (Pose).

Former Friends star Jennifer Aniston landed her first Emmy nomination in a dramatic role for her performance as a tough TV anchor in the Apple TV+ drama The Morning Show, which also brought nods for Steve Carell and supporting actors Billy Crudup and Mark Duplass.

Among the surprises was a best drama series nod and 14 other nominations for The Mandalorian, the popular Star Wars spinoff about a helmeted bounty hunter who protects Baby Yoda, on the Disney+ streaming platform.

But LGBTQ series Pose was overlooked in the drama series race while Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon failed to make the grade for acting in either The Morning Show or Little Fires Everywhere.

The Emmy Awards will be announced at a ceremony on September 20, although it is not clear if any of it will be live or in front of an audience because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Four Limerick groups have been selected by Limerick City and County Council to compete in this years Pride of Place.

Bedford Row Family Project, Monaleen Park Residents Association, Rathkeale Pre-Social Cohesion Project and Vale View Residents Association have been selected as this years entries for Limerick.

The IPB Pride of Place 2020 awards are presented in association with Co-operation Ireland and marks the 18th anniversary of the competition, which has enjoyed tremendous success and continues to grow in terms of prestige and popularity. The purpose of the competition is to acknowledge the work being done every day by communities all over the island of Ireland.

The competition is based on communities or groups demonstrating the pride they have in their place and it is also important they demonstrate real partnership with their local council and shows that all sectors of the community are included.

Congratulating the four Limerick groups, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr Michael Collins said: These four groups are wonderful advertisements for the community spirit that exists across the city and county. Its all about reaching out and helping others so that your community or group is all the better for it. Groups carry out fantastic work across Limerick every day, and these awards honour and reward this work. It is amazing and so satisfying to see what co-operation and working in partnership can achieve.

Padraig Malone, Urban and Rural Community Development, Limerick City and County Council said: The Pride of Place competition goes ahead this year despite of the Covid 19 restrictions. The efforts and endeavours of communities are all the more relevant in these changing times and Pride of Place is another opportunity to showcase the unique community spirit which exists throughout the county.

Limerick has an impressive track record in the competition, with Abbeyfeale taking runners-up award in the 2,000-5,000 Population Category last year. Childrens Grief Centre won in the Communities Reaching Out Initiative in 2018.

Among the other Limerick winners include Broadford who won the 0-300 population category in 2016, with Liskennett Farm receiving a Special Award.

Kilteely were the winners in the 0-300 population category in 2015, while Castleview Estate in Newcastle West won their category (Housing Estate) in 2013.

A Special Award was also received by C-Well Kings Island in 2014.

The 2020 winners will be announced at a ceremony towards the end of the year.

The four groups representing Limerick are:

 Bedford Row Family Project supports families affected by imprisonment in Limerick. It focuses on breaking the cycle of offending. Most of their work involves enhancing the well-being of children who are growing up in families that are in distress because of addiction, poverty, poor housing, family discord and imprisonment itself, in addition to supporting parents to take up responsibilities while in prison and/ or on release.

The Project is open to learning from all over the world, is proud that they are homegrown and believes that modelling autonomy and tenacity has a transformative effect on those who they are supporting in their everyday work.

 Monaleen Park Residents Association was established in 1980 and has a strong sense of community. The group has always been committed to engaging people living in the estate and wider metropolitan community in environmentally friendly and well-being projects and there is a great sense of pride in everything they do.

In more recent times Monaleen Park have engaged increasingly in nurturing biodiversity. Since 2015 it is committed to the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), water conservation, waste management and combating litter, including Castletroy Bye-Bye, Cable-Ties, an initiative set-up in 2019, to remove cable ties after elections.

Monaleen residents participate every year in the National Spring Clean & Team Limerick Clean-Up and are previous winners in Limericks Going for Gold.

 Rathkeale Pre-Social Cohesion Project: Rathkeale is a unique town in West Limerick in that over one-fifth of its population comprises people who self-identify as Travellers. While it faces a number of social and community issues and economic decline, the town still offers an attractive range of activities and facilities, in areas such as volunteering, sport, music and education.

The Pre-Social Cohesion Project works to bring together all communities  Traveller and settled communities in the town. It is unique in that it promotes cross-community leadership and understanding and encourages the development of civic pride. The work of the project is defined and carried out by an ecumenical committee consisting of representatives from both communities and local churches.

 Vale View Residents Association is part of Vale View, a small housing estate located in Kilfinane, which is the highest town in County Limerick, nestled within the Ballyhoura Mountain range. The Residents Association established almost 9 year ago aim to keep the area clean and attractive while taking biodiversity on board.

With a strong sense of community, the members of the group encourage each other to create and maintain the area. Working in conjunction with Limerick City and County Council, the residents created many environmentally friendly and well-being projects.
- UCB to provide to Roche and Genentech exclusive, world-wide license to UCB's UCB0107, an innovative anti-Tau antibody treatment

- UCB will receive an initial upfront payment and, after positive completion of proof-of-concept in Alzheimer's Disease, is eligible to receive further potential payments with a total potential consideration approaching US $2 billion upon receipt of certain regulatory approvals and satisfying certain milestones.

- UCB to fund and perform initial proof-of-concept study in Alzheimer's Disease. Upon completion and availability of results, Genentech has the right to proceed with clinical development or return full rights back to UCB.

BRUSSELS, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- UCB today announced an agreement to enter into a world-wide, exclusive license agreement with Roche and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, for the global development and commercialization of UCB0107 in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The transaction remains subject to obtaining antitrust clearance and other customary closing conditions.

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1140810/UCB_logo.jpg [https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1140810/UCB_logo.jpg]

Charl van Zyl, Executive Vice President UCB and Head of Neurology said: "We are excited that Roche and Genentech, with their deep and wide-ranging expertise, capacity and know-how in Alzheimer's Disease, will collaborate with UCB on UCB0107 with a shared ambition to offer people living with Alzheimer's Disease a new treatment option. Our science driven, patient centric development approach, and leading experience in neurological diseases provides a uniquely holistic view towards the unmet needs and the potential for an effective anti-Tau antibody in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. In-line with our ongoing and longstanding commitment to the neurodegeneration community, this partnership represents an important step in the potential development of this exciting new medicine."

James Sabry, Global Head of Roche Pharma Partnering said: "In Alzheimer's Disease, we are continuing to explore new molecules that address the key pathways of this complex disease. We are pleased to embark on this journey together with UCB to help expand our efforts on tau. Our commitment remains strong on exploring multiple approaches with the hope that our research and development, including this collaboration with UCB, will lead to a disease-modifying medicine that could positively impact millions of people with Alzheimer's Disease."

UCB0107 is an investigational monoclonal antibody drug being developed by UCB as a potential treatment for patients with tauopathies such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Alzheimer's Disease.

UCB will provide an exclusive, world-wide license to Roche and Genentech to develop and commercialize UCB0107 in AD. In return, UCB will receive an initial upfront payment of US $120 million. UCB will fund and perform a proof-of-concept study in AD and, upon availability of the results of that study, Genentech has the right to progress with the development or return full rights back to UCB. After Genentech's decision to proceed with further clinical development, UCB will be eligible to receive further potential cost reimbursement, development and sales milestone payments as well as royalties with a total potential consideration approaching US $2 billion upon receipt of certain regulatory approvals and satisfying certain clinical and sales milestones.

This license agreement does not impact UCB's 2020 financial outlook.

UCB continues to develop UCB0107 in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), with a confirmatory phase 3 study due to commence in Q2 2021.

About UCB0107

UCB0107 is a recombinant, humanized, full-length IgG4 monoclonal antibody, targeting a central Tau epitope, which is being developed to block/reduce the spread of Tau pathology.

Tau is a microtubule-associated protein expressed in the central nervous system, which supports the assembly and stabilization of neuronal microtubules.([1]) In tauopathies, Tau becomes pathogenic, forming tangles, which cause cell damage and ultimately neuronal death.([1.2.3]) It is hypothesised that the spread of Tau protein from neuron to neuron underpins disease progression in tauopathies([4]) providing the rationale for antibody therapies.

About UCBUCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 7 500 people in approximately 40 countries, UCB generated revenue of EUR 4.9 billion in 2019. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels . Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news

For further information -

UCB -Corporate Communications UCB - Investor Relations Laurent Schots, Antje Witte, Media Relations, UCB Investor Relations, UCB T+32.2.559.92.64, T +32.2.559.94.14, antje.witte@ucb.com Laurent.schots@ucb.com Jim Baxter Isabelle Ghellynck, Neurology Communications, UCB Investor Relations, UCB T+32.2.473.78.85.01 T+32.2.559.9588, jim.baxter@ucb.com isabelle.ghellynck@ucb.com

Forward looking statements UCB

(CONTINUA)
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of MGIC Investment Corporation

Global Credit Research - 29 Jul 2020

New York, July 29, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of MGIC Investment Corporation 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.

Moody's Ba1 senior debt rating on MGIC Investment Corporation (MTG) and the Baa1 insurance financial strength (IFS) rating of its subsidiaries, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) and MGIC Indemnity Corporation (MIC), reflect the group's strong market presence, its reduced total leverage, improved profitability, diverse customer base, solid cushion in its compliance with the GSEs' capital standards (PMIERs), and increased liquidity at the holding company. These strengths are tempered by the commodity-like nature of the mortgage insurance product, the sensitivity of the mortgage insurance business model to economic conditions and concerns about the company's potential for significant losses arising from the coronavirus pandemic and economic slowdown that could lower profitability and capitalization.

Story continues

This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Mortgage Insurers Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

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New Delhi, July 29 : Disinvestment-bound Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) may buy out the entire stake of OQ, the erstwhile Oman Oil Company (OOC), in its refinery joint venture in Madhya Pradesh, the Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd (BORL).

Government sources said that the BORL became a subsidiary of BPCL in March this year and the next step now is to convert it into a 100 per cent subsidiary before government stake in the company is sold to a strategic partner.

BPCL and OQ were 50:26 joint venture partners in the BORL till March when BPCL converted 13 per cent of its earlier investment made in compulsorily convertible debentures and share warrants of the BORL or Bina refinery. This made the BORL a subsidiary of BPCL as its stake in the refinery increased to 63 per cent from 50 per cent earlier.

The investment in convertible debenture was equivalent to 24 per cent additional equity stake in the BORL. Sources said, if BPCL converts the remaining 11 per cent of convertible debentures to equity, its holding will increase to 74 per cent given that OQ has not shown interest in increasing stake in the BORL by putting in additional equity. This will leave 26 per cent equity with OQ that the company will negotiate to buy to complete 100 per cent acquisition of Bina Refinery.

OQ could not be reached for comments.

The refinery has expanded its capacity from 6 million tonne (mt) per annum to 15 million tonne in two phases. While the then OOC had agreed to provide funds in the first phase of expansion to 7.8 mt with an investment of Rs 3,500 crore, it was unwilling to participate in the second phase that needed another Rs 30,000 crore over next five to six years.

The BORL was formed as an equal joint venture company way back in 1993. However, following inordinate delays in the implementation of the project, the OOC froze its investment in the company at Rs 75 crore for a two per cent equity stake. In 2009, it paid 50 per cent premium for a re-entry into the Rs 11,397-crore refinery project, picking up a 26 per cent stake.
The 1,000 pilgrims selected for Hajj this year were seen standing apart and moving in small groups of 20

Dubai: Muslim pilgrims, donning face masks and moving in small groups after days in isolation, began arriving at Islam's holiest site in Mecca on Wednesday for the start of a historically unique and scaled-down hajj experience reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic.

The hajj is one of Islam's most important requirements, performed once in a lifetime. It follows a route the Prophet Muhammad walked nearly 1,400 years ago and is believed to ultimately trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are named in the Bible.

The hajj, both physically and spiritually demanding, is intended to bring about greater humility and unity among Muslims.

limit exposure and the potential transmission of the coronavirus.

The pilgrimage is a journey that Muslims traditionally experience with relatives. In past years, it was common to see men pushing their elderly parents around on wheelchairs in order to help them complete the hajj, and parents carrying children on their backs. The communal feeling of more than 2.5 million people from around the world  Shiite, Sunni and other Muslim sects  praying together, eating together and repenting together has long been part of what makes hajj both a challenging and rewarding experience like none other.

This year, however, pilgrims are eating prepackaged meals alone in their hotel rooms and praying at a distance from one another. The Saudi government is covering all the pilgrims' expenses of travel, accommodation, meals and healthcare.

While the experience is starkly different, it remains an opportunity for pilgrims to wipe clean past sins and deepen their faith.

Ammar Khaled, a 29-year-old Indian pilgrim who was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, said although he's alone on the hajj, he's praying for those he loves. "Words aren't enough to explain how blessed I feel and how amazing the arrangements have been," Khaled said. "They have taken every possible precaution."

For the first time in Saudi history, the government barred Muslims from entering the kingdom from abroad to perform the hajj in order to limit exposure of the coronavirus.

Instead, as few as 1,000 people already residing in Saudi Arabia were selected to take part in the hajj this year. Two-thirds are foreign residents from among the 160 different nationalities that would have normally been represented at the hajj. One-third are Saudi security personnel and medical staff.

The pilgrims, who were selected after applying through an online portal, were required to be between the ages of 20 and 50, with no terminal illnesses and showing no symptoms of the virus. Preference was given to those who have not performed the hajj before.

Pilgrims were tested for the coronavirus, given wristbands that connect to their phones and monitor their movement and were required to quarantine at home and in their hotel rooms in Mecca ahead of Wednesday's start of the hajj. They will also be required to quarantine for a week after the hajj concludes on Sunday.

Mecca was sealed off for months ahead of the hajj, and the smaller year-round Umrah pilgrimage was suspended earlier this year, with pilgrims already in the city at that time flown back home.

International media were not permitted to cover the hajj from Mecca this year. Instead, Saudi government broadcast live footage from the Grand Mosque on Wednesday showing limited numbers of pilgrims, moving several feet apart, circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in the first rituals of the hajj.

The Kaaba represents the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God in Islam. Observant Muslims around the world face toward the Kaaba during their five daily prayers.

During the hajj, women forgo makeup and perfume and wear loose-fitting clothing and a head covering in order to focus inwardly. Men dress in seamless, white terrycloth garments meant to emphasize the equality of all Muslims and prevent wealthier pilgrims from differentiating themselves with more elaborate garments.

During the first rites of hajj, Muslims circle the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting supplications to God, then walk between two hills where Ibrahim's wife, Hagar, is believed to have run as she searched for water for her dying son before God brought forth a well that runs to this day.

This year, pilgrims will only be able to drink water from this Zamzam well that is packaged in plastic bottles. Pebbles for casting away evil that are usually picked up by pilgrims along hajj routes will be sterilized and bagged ahead of time.

Pilgrims have also been given their own prayer rugs and special attire to wear during the hajj laced with silver nanotechnology that Saudi authorities say helps kill bacteria and makes clothes water-resistant. They were also provided with umbrellas to shield them from the sun, towels, soaps, sanitizers and other essentials, as well as online sessions in different languages about what to expect on the hajj and the regulations in place.

"The kingdom of Saudi Arabia needs to put these measures in place so we can learn from this experience," said Saudi infectious disease expert and World Health Organization (WHO) official, Dr. Hanan Balkhy.

"The kingdom and the world will learn together what are the best ways to mitigate transmission during these types of events," said Balkhy, assistant director-general for the antimicrobial resistance division at WHO's headquarters in Geneva who has worked on past hajj missions.
The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

July 28, 2020



Trump is unlike any of his predecessors; he is corrupt to the core and his self-interest comes before the nation. He will stoop to any low, cheat, lie, threaten, viciously attack his opponents, suppress voting rights, and continue to delegitimize the upcoming elections even before they take place.

I, like many of my fellow Americans, am extremely concerned about Trumps dictatorial tendencies. Given his behavior  what he said and did over the past four years  he may well act on some of these tendencies, especially if he loses the election by a narrow margin. The concerns I have are not numerous, but are extremely critical: what if he challenges the results of the election and remains adamant on calling for a recount or a new election entirely? What if he refuses to leave the White House and prevents the peaceful transition of power? What if he calls on the military to occupy all major American cities while he still is the Commander-in-Chief between Election Day and the inauguration of the new president? And what if he prompts his supporters to take up arms, converge into the streets, and violently confront the likely massive number of protesters who would demand Trumps removal from the White House, which could lead to some kind of a civil war?

Although many Democratic leaders, including Joe Biden, and scores of journalists and others have spoken about their concerns in this regard, there is still no rife discussion about the above unthinkable scenarios. Besides, does Congress  the House and/or the Senate  have the constitutional power to take action in such a situation, or does the Supreme Court have the authority to intervene? Is there anything else in the constitution that would address these troubling issues?

The 20th Amendment says that The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January. But what if he doesnt leave? I posed this question to Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, and one of the countrys foremost constitutional scholars. After all, he said, that has happened elsewhere in the world. My hope is that the courts would quickly rule that Joe Biden is the President and has all of the powers of the office Every incumbent president who has lost a reelection bid, starting with John Adams in 1800, has left office without incident.

In my view, however, Trump may well be an aberration. And what if Trump still will not leave the White House? Chemerinsky said, I doubt that the military would stick with him in that circumstance. Of course, if it did, we would then have a military dictatorship, as other countries have experienced. What if some of the military with the right-wing militias support Trump. Then we would have some kind of a civil war.

While many Republicans and Democrats may think that any of these scenarios are farfetched, the fact remains that Trump has dictatorial tendencies and occasionally acts on them by testing the ground to gauge the public reaction and weigh how his base responds to his moves. Here is what he displays, and how much in common he shares with dictators in general.

President for life: Trump has said on many occasions that he will be president for life in March of 2018, he played around with the idea after praising Xi Jinping for granting himself precisely that term extension. Trump also retweeted an absurd meme showing him remaining president for 88,000 years  slightly longer than the human lifespan.

I can do whatever I want: Like many despots, on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, Trump suggested that the constitution gives him the power to do whatever I want as president. But I dont even talk about that. Albeit, he often tries to do just that to see if he can get away with it.

Defies reality: Trump notoriously lies and creates his own reality just like many dictators do. Bob Woodward reports in his book Fear that John Kelly described Trump as unhinged: Hes an idiot. Its pointless to try to convince him of anything. Hes gone off the rails. Were in Crazytown. I dont even know why any of us are here.

Presents himself as infallible: Authoritarian leaders never admit that they made a mistake, and neither does Trump. For example, in a tweet, he refused to back down from his forecast that Alabama was going to be hit by Hurricane Dorian, which was false. Trump went so far as to alter the National Weather Services map of Dorians trajectory to include part of Alabama to prove that he was right.

Vindictive: Vindictiveness is second nature to all dictators. Following his impeachment acquittal, Trump was characteristically vindictive towards his perceived enemies. They were evil, vicious, corrupt dirty cops. He is habitually mean-spirited and spiteful. Trumps cruelty is often gratuitous, without any explanation. It is just who he is.

Narcissist: We have yet to know one despot who is not self-centered to the core. Trump, in fact, is a textbook narcissist. Sander Thomas, a developmental psychologist at Utrecht University, maintains that Trump is a prototypical narcissist. He has grandiose visions of oneself; the need to be admired and envied.

Domestic military intervention: Trump is quick, like all tyrants, to resort to the military to show his strength and authority. On June 1, 2020, Trump deployed the military to intervene during the protests in DC. He dispatched federal troops with no identification to quell the protests in Portland two weeks ago against the will of the mayor, which continue to haul peaceful protesters off in unmarked cars, akin to the Gestapo. He is further threatening to send more federal law enforcement officers to major US cities. Were not going to let this happen in our country, he said, all run by liberal Democrats.

Praises dictators: Trumps affinity for dictators, whom he envies for doing whatever they please without accountability, is well-known. On Sept. 7, 2016, Trump said on NBC: If [Putin] says great things about me, Im going to say great things about him. Ive already said, he is really very much of a leader. About the ruthless Turkish President Erdogan, he stated Im a big fan of the president.

Attacking media: Free media is the biggest threat to authoritarian regimes. Trumps attacks on the media are routine, calling it the enemy of the people. During last years trip to the G20 summit in Japan, Trump said to Putin regarding the media present: Get rid of them. Fake news is a great term, isnt it?

Conspiracy theorist: Trump is a master in conspiracy theories. Thats what despots often concoct to punish their enemies. Among the many conspiracies he promotes, Trump claims Ukrainians, not Russians, interfered in the 2016 election and were working against him (despite overwhelming agreement from intelligence that Russians hacked the DNC server).

The Late Rep. John Lewis

Withdrawal from international agreements/organizations: Authoritarian leaders often defy international agreements when it serves their interests to appeal to their political base. Trump has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement on climate change in June 2017, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in May 2018, and the UN Human Rights Council in June 2018, among many others.

Trumps attacks on critics: Dictators do not tolerate any criticism. In January 2017, in response to criticism from Rep. John Lewis, Trump said Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results.

Surrounding himself with Yes men: Like any despot, Trump retains only those who agree with him. As a former National Security Council official told Politico I feel like you already dont have an A Team or B Team. Youre really getting down to whos left that will say yes.

I do not believe that Democrats and responsible Republican leaders should simply dismiss any of the above alarming scenarios only because they did not happen before. Trump is unlike any of his predecessors; he is corrupt to the core and his self-interest as he perceives it comes before the nation. He desperately wants to cling to power, in whatever way he can. Just like any dictator, he will stoop to any low, cheat, lie, threaten, viciously attack his opponents, suppress voting rights (especially of the Black and Hispanic communities), and continue to delegitimize the upcoming elections even before they take place. His enablers, the leadership of the Republican party, stood idly by all along and allowed him to run wild, to jeopardize the countrys domestic security and global standing, for which they will pay dearly come November.

I am hopeful that none of the above scenarios will occur. But can we be certain that, given his disturbing behavior and consistent efforts to emulate dictators, Trump would simply concede if he loses the election and peacefully vacates his office come January 20, 2021?

We can only hope so, but it will be a grave mistake not to take these clear warning signs seriously. Be aware America, and be prepared to act.




Study says 57 percent of people in Mumbais slums have had the infection, far more than what official data shows.

Coronavirus infections in India have passed 1.5 million and deaths neared 35,000, but test results in the city of Mumbai have cast further doubt on official data in the worlds second-most populous nation.

Even as the number of cases soar and more areas impose lockdowns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this week India was in a better position that other countries and winning international praise.

The federal health ministry website  which no longer includes total infections as the government puts more emphasis on recoveries  on Wednesday reported almost 50,000 new infections and 768 more deaths.

The South Asian nation, home to some of the worlds most crowded cities and where healthcare spending per capita is among the worlds lowest, passed one million cases only 12 days earlier.

A health worker screens people for COVID-19 symptoms at a slum in Mumbai [Rafiq Maqbool/AP]

But many experts say India is not testing enough people, and that many coronavirus-linked deaths are not being recorded as such.

A study released on Tuesday that tested for coronavirus antibodies reported that some 57 percent of people in Mumbais densely-populated slums have had the infection  far more than what official data suggests.

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Researchs Ullas S Kolthur, who was involved in carrying out the survey, said he was surprised by the results.

At least in the slums, we think it is largely because social distancing wouldnt work simply because of the population density, Kolthur told AFP news agency.

Last week a similar study indicated that almost a quarter of people in the capital, New Delhi, have had the virus  that is almost 40 times the official total.

There are, however, also doubts about the accuracy of such tests, since other coronaviruses  not just the novel coronavirus that is responsible for COVID-19  may also produce antibodies that could give a false-positive result.

The Mumbai survey also covered a relatively small sample of about 7,000 people.

India now has the third-highest number of cases in the world behind the United States and Brazil, although the official number of deaths in the South Asian nation is far lower.

As a proportion of its population, India also lags behind, with only 1,110 cases per million population compared with 13,148 for the US, according to an AFP tally.
Dhaka, July 29 : Five people including four police personnel were injured when a bomb exploded at Pallabi police station here on Wednesday morning, officials said.

The incident took place at around 6 a.m., when officer-in-charge of the police station was interrogating three terrorists, a senior police official told IANS.

Police said that the explosion occurred from the weight machine.

Officer-in-charge (Investigation) of the police station and another three cops were injured in the blast.

Police suspect extremists' links behind explosion in the capital and a bomb-like substance was recovered in Gulistan.

Additional Police Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan, Krishna Pada Roy said ,"No militancy links have been traced yet." The police have recovered the weight machine and bomb from three persons in the morning.

Roy said, "An explosion occurred inside the police station when the bomb disposal unit was working, leaving four cops and a boy injured. The arrested are being interrogated. Till now no link was traced, but it is suspected that they might have terrorist link." He added, "August has always been alarming month for us, as bombings in August 1975 and 2004, have rocked the country earlier." A criminal gang based in Mirpur is active, who can carry out this terrorist activities, police official said.

Naldanga police station OC Nazrul Islam said,"A team has recovered a bomb-like object from Kalshi graveyard earlier in the morning. They brought it to the police station.We informed a bomb disposal unit to neutralise it. However, it exploded before the unit could reach the police station." Two of the injured police officials have been shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and one at National Eye Institute. Two others were given first aid.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Tuesday evening told IANS: "Everyting is under watch. There is nothing to be worried about." Soon after the explosion, people were evacuated from the vicinity and the shops were closed by the police authority after 11 a.m.

On July 19, Police Headquarters issued a letter regarding a possible attack by members of the so-called Islamic State (IS) just ahead of Eid in the name of their so-called mission "Bengal Uliyah" or "Bengal Khilafat," and alerted all the district SPs and other respective units.

In the letter, 3 embassies, international airports, Ahmadiyya and Shia community mosques, temples, pagodas, churches, policemen, police vehicles, and police infrastructure were mentioned as the possible targets of militants.
New Delhi, July 29 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has arrested a serial killer Dr Devender Kumar Sharma, 62, resident of Purreni, Aligarh, U.P. Sharma was absconding after he jumped parole.

He was convicted in several cases of kidnapping-cum-murder of truck and taxi drivers. He jumped parole while serving sentence in a murder case of Jaipur. He was presently wanted in a case of Rajasthan Prisons Act, 2015 registered at Lalkothi, Jaipur.

"The serial killer Devender Kumar Sharma serving life sentence in Central Jail, Jaipur in a murder case of Jaipur had come out on parole for 20 days from Jaipur jail in the month of January but didn't return after the completion of parole period and was secretly residing in the area of Baprola, Delhi," said Rakesh Paweriya, DCP Crime.

In the year 1994, Bharat Fuel Company had floated the scheme of distributing gas dealership in which Sharma had invested Rs 11 lakh. Thousands of individuals who had invested in the company felt cheated after the company suddenly vanished. Sharma suffered severe financial crisis due to loss of investment and started running a fake gas agency of Bharat Petroleum in Chhara village, Aligarh, U.P in the year 1995.

Initially, he started bringing cooking gas cylinders from Lucknow but it was getting tough for him to travel from Aligarh to Lucknow. During those days, he came in contact with persons identified as Raj, Udaiveer and Vedveer, residents of nearby village Dalalpur, who used to commit theft and robbery. These persons started robbing trucks carrying LPG cylinders by murdering the driver and after getting the truck unloaded in the fake gas agency of Devender Sharma, his accomplices used to get the robbed truck dismantled in Meerut. After one and half year he was arrested for running fake gas agency.

According to police, after suffering huge financing loss in the year 1994, Devender Sharma got involved in inter-state illegal kidney transplant racket in Jaipur, Ballabhgarh, Gurgaon and other places. He was involved in criminal cases registered at the three places regarding illegal kidney transplant.

He was arrested along with several doctors in the year 2004 in Gurgaon Kidney racket case. From 1994 to 2004, he got more than 125 kidney transplants done illegally for which he got Rs 5-7 Lakh per case.
BRASILIA, Brazil - Brazils extreme poverty has plunged due to a monthly federal handout during the coronavirus pandemic, but threatens to bounce back once the government ceases the stopgap welfare program, a report said Tuesday.

The study by the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university and think-tank , said the number of Brazilians living in extreme poverty fell to 6.9 million in June, or 3.3% of Brazils population  the lowest level since the late 1970s. As this year began, 6.2% Brazilians were in extreme poverty, the study said.

Although we cant directly compare the figures because of recent methodological changes on the governments database, we can say its one of the lowest proportions ever recorded, Daniel Duque, the studys author, said by phone from Rio de Janeiro. He used the World Bank standard that classifies anyone earning less than $1.90 a day to be in extreme poverty.

The federal government since April has doled out $115 monthly to informal-sector workers and micro businesses affected by the pandemic, with single mothers receiving double. Duque and other experts say that helped alleviate poverty in a nation riven by inequality, with average monthly income last year at $280, according to the statistics institute.

The experts warned, however, that the relief is temporary and the number of impoverished Brazilians will rise after the last payment, currently slated for August.

No question we are in a transitory situation. We wont have this volume of income transfer forever, Duque said. I think it is very likely we will return to previous poverty levels. I fear we can go back to even worse levels if the labour market doesnt recover.

The payments have already cost the government more than $32 billion and President Jair Bolsonaros economy minister, Paulo Guedes, has said its coffers can ill afford to maintain the program much longer. Loose fiscal policy and rising government debt as a percentage of GDP prompted a slew of credit rating downgrades in recent years, and Guedes assumed his position with pledges to slash spending and shore up government accounts.

We cant continue for long. Its 50 billion reais per month (around $10 billion). Its not money we have to spare. We are increasing our debt with it, Bolsonaro said early in July.

The benefit was initially planned to last until June, but the president extended it by two months.

Bolsonaros political allies have started pressuring for another extension, arguing the payments help prevent further loss of support stemming from the presidents handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Latin Americas largest nation has confirmed more than 2.4 million infections and 88,000 dead  the second highest totals in the world.

Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the virus severity, arguing that the impact of restrictions on economic activity will prove far more damaging. Economists surveyed by Brazils central bank expect the economy to shrink 5.8% this year.

Without controlling the epidemic there is no economic recovery, Marcelo Medeiros, a visiting professor at Princeton Universitys Brazil LAB who specializes in inequality, said by phone from New Jersey. Brazil hasnt controlled the disease, so now the recovery will take much longer and the damage will be greater.

While the rollout of the social program was marred by widespread difficulties for beneficiaries in accessing the funds, today the payout directly or indirectly reaches half of Brazils population of 210 million, according to the citizenship ministry, which is doling out the amounts.

Rogerio Barbosa, an economic inequality researcher at the University of Sao Paulo, said the coronavirus crisis is still punishing the poor who may soon find themselves unassisted.

When the benefit is over, there will be no work for them, Barbosa said in a phone interview.

Official data say nearly 8 million people lost their jobs during the pandemics first three months, and the statistics institute hasnt yet published employment data for June.

The economy minister has said he intends to launch a new social program to substitute for the temporary benefit, but the plan and the amount of money it would entail have yet to be detailed.

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The Armenian health authorities reported on Wednesday another decrease in the number of new coronavirus cases and deaths caused by them.

The Ministry of Health said in the morning that 308 people have tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, down from an average of 550-600 single-day infections registered in the first half of July. They brought to 37,937 the total number of confirmed cases in Armenia.

The ministry recorded more than 730 cases a day at one point in late June. This might explain a subsequent rise in coronavirus-related deaths.

Around 15 fatalities a day were reported from July 6 through the end of last week. Significantly fewer people infected with COVID-19 have died in recent days, according to the Ministry of Health.

The ministry said on Wednesday that six people infected with COVID-19 have died in the past day. It said the virus was the primary cause of four of those deaths.

Armenias official death toll from the pandemic thus rose to 723. The health authorities say 225 other infected people have died from other, pre-existing diseases.

Government data also shows that less than 17 percent of the latest coronavirus tests carried out across the country of 3 million came back positive.

The positive test rate hovered between 20 percent and 25 percent in previous days. It averaged around 30 percent throughout June and early July.

The Ministry of Health spokeswoman, Alina Nikoghosian, described the latest figures as further proof of a continuing fall in the countrys infection rates. She attributed it to an increased number of Armenians wearing mandatory face masks in all public spaces and following other anti-epidemic rules set by the government.

We have been more vigilant during the last few months, Nikoghosian told RFE/RLs Armenian service. I hope that this pace [of improvement] will continue.

Nikoghosian emphasized the fact that for several consecutive the daily number of people recovering from COVID-19 has exceeded that of new infections. But she cautioned that so far there has been no sizable drop in the number of COVID-19 patients that are in a severe or critical condition.

The deputy director of the Surb Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center, Armenias largest hospital treating such patients, also spoke of an improving epidemiological situation. I can say for certain that the number of deaths will fall further in the coming weeks given the decrease in severe cases, said Petros Manukian.

Manukian said that around one-fifth of intensive-care beds at his hospital are currently vacant. As recently as on July 13, Health Minister Arsen Torosian noted a continuing lack of such beds at the Surb Grigor Lusavorich and other Armenian hospitals dealing with the coronavirus.

Opposition groups have for months decried the governments handling of the coronavirus crisis, saying that Armenia has one of the highest infection rates in the world. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, Torosian and other government officials have dismissed the criticism.

Ever since controversially lifting nationwide lockdown restrictions in early May, the government has put the emphasis of getting Armenians to practice social distancing, wear face masks and follow other safety rules. It says that this strategy is working.

Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian told the Armenian parliament on July 14 that the government hopes to cut the daily number of new cases to roughly 140 by the beginning of September. He said this would allow the government to reopen the countrys schools shut down by it in March.
ARLINGTON, Virginia, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Two years ago, Google reached out to CommonLook because of our expertise in PDF accessibility.

"At the time, we recognized the potential impact on PDF accessibility due to the massive number of Chrome users around the world." - Monir ElRayes, President and CEO, CommonLook, Inc.

Google knows that online content publishers are required to have their PDFs accessible and compliant to standards. Unfortunately, most organizations do not support directly generating a tagged PDF.

Google used CommonLook's PDF Validator and consulted with CommonLook to ensure their PDF accessibility plan was going to provide the biggest impact.

"By building this into Chrome, we're hoping some organizations that already use HTML as part of their document workflow might be able to take advantage of this new functionality and generate compliant PDFs more easily." Dominic Mazzoni, Technical Lead, Chrome Accessibility.

After significant progress, Chrome is rolling out this feature to all users every time they generate a PDF from Chrome.

"We are pleased to see Google leading on social justice issues like this. Information technology is the new frontier of equality. By adding accessibility features to the Chrome browser, they are improving the experience of users with disabilities," said Douglas Towne, the Chair and CEO of Access Ready, a cross disability advocacy organization. "Tagged PDF's are a requirement for accessible documents and this new capability should help ensure access to a greater audience across e-commerce, work, school and in the home."

With this being the 30th anniversary of the ADA this month, we cannot think of a better tribute to the ideals of the ADA than to see Google adding additional accessibility features to the Chrome web browser that is used by 1 billion people worldwide.



Learn More About Google's Announcement: https://blog.chromium.org/2020/07/using-chrome-to-generate-more.html

CONTACT: Susan Lee, Director of Communications at CommonLook, press@commonlook.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1221461/Google_Chrome.jpg
Human remans were found Tuesday afternoon as a man was walking his dog in South Bexar County, officials said.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said the scent caught the dogs attention, which lead to the discovery at about 4:30 p.m. near Losoya Drive and Spanish Grant Road.

Salazar said it was too early to speculate as to whether the remains belonged to a man or woman.

"We're hoping to be able to find something about this person to be able to narrow it down to identifers," Salazar said.

He said the remains, which were behind a barbed-wire fence, were already in the advanced stages of decomposition.

Investigators said it appears the body was left at the location.

The sheriff said the body could have been there a couple of days or weeks, and that heat and moisture could have quickened the decomposition process.

BCSO is looking through the property and surveying the area with a drone in search of any additional evidence.

Salazar said anyone wondering if this could be a missing relative of theirs should call 210-335-6070 or email detectives at bcsotips@bexar.org.

Jacob Beltran is a reporter covering San Antonio and Bexar County. To read more from Jacob, become a subscriber. jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA
Meghan Markle's father has spoken up about the royal biography and the possibility that it will contain complaints about what they had went through back in the UK. According to him, Meghan Markle would be such a whiner at a bad time if the book contains the suffering she and Prince Harry went through.

"Finding Freedom" is certainly causing reactions already way ahead of its publication and distribution. Not only is it raising speculations that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be permanently barred from returning the UK, it is also raising speculations that the two never intended to return anyway, no matter what they have told the Queen.

Now, it is causing a father to call her daughter, insensitive. Thomas Markle said he does not really appreciate what Meghan Markle has become at the moment. More so when there's news that "Finding Freedom" would lay bare the tensions and hardships of his daughter while with the royal family. Instead of empathizing with his daughter, he braded her s a whiner and complainer, something one should not be when the world is plunged into. pandemic.

Sharing his opinions from his home in Rosario, Mexico, he told The Sun: 'This is the worst time in the world for them to be whining and complaining about anything - because people everywhere are suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic."

He added that no matter how much he loves Meghan Markle since she is her daughter, he cannot find it in him to appreciate her.

One o the hot contents inside the book is allegedly Prince Harry and Meghan Markle rejecting the idea of getting aid to protect Thomas Markle as the coverage of their romance intensified was already heartbreaking to learn by the father. He called it such an "incredible news."

This is not only thing found on the book that is set to be released on August 11. The book also allegedly claims that Meghan Markle has deep-seethed anger against her father and is not talking to him because he failed to attend her wedding.

The book will detail how Meghan even became desperate for him to be on her big day, leaving dozens of messages. She would even offer him a car to take him to LA airport where he can fly to London. Finding Freedom would also detail how Thomas stopped answering the messages after Meghan phoned him over 20 times, adding insult to the injury.

But Meghan Markle failed and even really gotten over that disappointment. In reality though, Thomas Markle was said to have not attended the wedding because of heart issues. he even at one time, accused the media for causing him a heart attack because he got stressed in dealing with them.

Also, the father-son duo never really gotten to patching things up while Meghan Markle's mom has moved in with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during the lockdown to have more time with her grandchild, Baby Archie. IT remains to be seen if Thomas Markle's views would have an impact on Meghan Markle or everything is just too late now.

READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth Devastation: Did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Lie to Her Face?
Two teenagers at the centre of Queensland's coronavirus outbreak who returned to the state from Melbourne and lied about where they had been have been fined $4,000 each.

Olivia Winnie Muranga and Diana Lasu, both 19, arrived together in Brisbane from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 and made false declarations on their border paperwork.

They were active in the Queensland community for eight days before both tested positive to COVID-19, sparking fears the state could face a Victoria-style second wave.

The 22-year-old sister of one of the teenagers has since tested positive. She did not travel to Melbourne with the pair.

Police have launched a criminal investigation into the 19-year-olds, who between them attended 11 venues in Brisbane while infected.

Authorities will probe how the women were able to travel from Melbourne to Brisbane despite the border closure, and whether they used fake names and contact details on their declaration passes.

Olivia Winnie Muranga (left) and Diana Lasu (right), both 19, arrived together in Brisbane from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21

Ms Muranga works as a cleaner at Parklands Christian College in Park Ridge (pictured), which is functioning as a coronavirus testing facility

Investigators will also probe whether the pair were at party during their stay in Melbourne which was attended by about 20 people.

The gathering was broken up by police, who issued fines totalling $30,000.

Ms Muranga is a cleaner at Parklands Christian College in Park Ridge.

The school's principal Gary Cully confirmed a coronavirus infected cleaner worked for three days last week.

'The staff member was on site last week and then rang in sick and then that's when the trace program started,' Mr Cully told The Courier Mail.

'As far as I'm aware they were not symptomatic while they were onsite and then called in sick the following day and then the next week were tested.'

Ms Muranga saw a doctor on Saturday, who said to get tested immediately, but they didn't do so until Monday.

Instead she continued to attend venues in Ipswich and Brisbane, including going to a Thai restaurant in Springfield on Sunday and Southbank cocktail bar on Monday.

People arrive to get COVID-19 tested at the Parklands Christian College facility on Wednesday

Health authorities have urged anyone who visited 11 locations in Queensland to 'immediately self-quarantine and contact 13 HEALTH':

Flight VA863 from Melbourne to Sydney and flight VA977 from Sydney to Brisbane, 21 July

Parklands Christian College, Park Ridge, 22-23 July 2020 9.30am-6pm

Madtongsan IV Restaurant, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 7-9pm

Heeretea -Bubble Tea Shop, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 9.25pm

YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care, Springwood, 23-24 July 2020 All

Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 24 July 2020 3.30-3.50pm

Thai Peak Restaurant, Springfield, 26 July 2020 6.30-9pm

Cowch Dessert Cocktail Bar, Southbank, 27 July 2020 All

P'Nut Street Noodles, Southbank, 27 July 2020 All

African Grocery Shop, Woodridge (Station Rd), 28 July 2020 All

Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 12.25-12.30pm

Chatime Grand Plaza, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 All

Shopping centres, restaurants, a school, and a church they visited will shut while authorities scramble to conduct contact tracing.

Scores of the women's contacts will be forced to isolate, and aged care facilities in the Metro South Health region will re-enter lockdown.

The incident prompted Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to announce all Sydneysiders will be banned from entering the state from Saturday.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced all Sydneysiders will be banned from entering the state from Saturday

'There will be a thorough police investigation here but now we have to act as a community and in the areas where the chief health officer says need to be closed, will be closed and I urge people in those areas when that list goes out later on today to please ensure that if you are feeling sick you must go and get tested,' she said.

Queensland residents returning will have to isolate in a hotel for 14 days at their own expense.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young called the pair 'reckless' and said she was 'very disappointed'.

The teens travelled on flights VA 863 and VA 977. Queensland Health contact tracers are identifying close contacts from those flights.

Health Minister Steven Miles said there was a large amount of contact tracing that needed to be done with the community as well.

Parklands Christian College was forced to close on Wednesday after the infected cleaner worked onsite. Pictured: people queue at the coronavirus testing facility in the college

'These young women have gone about their business within the communities that they live in and so there will be a large amount of contact tracing to be done, largely within it the Logan and Springfield areas, including shopping malls, restaurants and a church.'

One of the women attended the Orion Springfield Central in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, on Sunday where she dined at the Peak Thai restaurant about 6.30pm.

The pair's entry into Queensland is the subject of a criminal investigation, with penalties for lying on your declaration form incurring fines of $4,003 or six months in jail.

'Initial investigations indicate there were incorrect details on border declaration passes,' Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said.

'This highlights why you need to declare if you've been to Victoria where there's been a high instance of community transmission.

'You need to think about those around you - not just yourself.'

The 19-year-old women, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 after travelling together, were active in the community for eight days before isolating (pictured: Travellers waiting at baggage claim at Sydney domestic airport)

A 22-year-old woman who is an employee of YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care in Springwood also tested positive to COVID-19.

Both the school care service and the associated Chatswood Hills State School have been closed for cleaning.

There are now eight actives cases left in Queensland following three new cases on Wednesday.

Victoria recorded 384 new coronavirus cases and six more deaths between Tuesday and Wednesday's daily updates.

There are 4,774 active cases, including 414 health workers. The state has suffered 83 deaths in total, only one less than the rest of country combined.

A total of 206 people are in hospital, with 45 in intensive care.
AMP's financial planning arm has been hit with a class action filed by its former aligned advisers who claim they have been financially ruined by a change in policy that devalued their businesses.

The lawsuit was filed in the Federal Court in Melbourne on Tuesday by commercial law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth. AMP said it would defend the claim.

The wealth giant changed the terms and conditions of long-standing arrangements with its financial planners in August last year that devalued adviser businesses by more than one-third and left many in debt. Under the previous policy, known as the buyer of last resort (BOLR), AMP agreed to purchase client books of retiring advisers for four times the annual revenue but this was reduced to 2.5 times in an effort to cut costs.

Financial adviser David Haseldine has joined the class action against AMP. Credit:Janie Barrett

The Finance Sector Union national assistant secretary Nathan Rees said about 1000 former advisers had been impacted by the "extraordinary" policy change and the class action was the only option after AMP executives had failed to negotiate.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar asked US lawmakers today to abandon legislation that would sanction Ankara over its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system that the House passed last week.

We hope Congress will also act in a way that will strengthen our strategic partnership instead of resorting to the threat of sanctions as a policy toward an ally, Akar said in a video posted by the Turkish Defense Ministry on Twitter.

Why it matters: The annual defense authorization bill, which the House passed 295-125 last week, includes a bipartisan provision introduced by Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., to slap sanctions on Turkey over the S-400s. The legislation reiterates that Turkeys multibillion-dollar S-400 purchase qualifies as a significant transaction under the 2017 Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which mandates penalties for any country that engages in a significant transaction with the Russian defense sector. The Kinzinger amendment also requires the president to sanction Ankara within a month after the defense bill becomes law.

The Donald Trump administration has refused to place legally mandated sanctions on Turkey over the S-400 missiles despite pressure to do so from some of the presidents closest Republican allies in Congress. However, Kinzingers legislation also provides Turkey with an off-ramp by authorizing the president to remove the CAATSA sanctions if Ankara gets rid of the S-400 system.

Turkey tested the powerful S-400 radar on US fighter jets last year, stoking fears that Russia could spy on American military hardware. Ankara had originally planned to fully activate the S-400 system in April but has not yet done so, citing the coronavirus pandemic as the cause of the delay.

Whats next: Turkeys pleas to Congress last year to halt other legislation targeting Ankara fell upon deaf ears. Congress passed a law to lift the US arms embargo on Cyprus as well as two separate resolutions to recognize the Armenian Genocide despite protests from Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kilic.

The Senates version of the defense bill, which passed 86-14 last week, does not include a similar Turkey sanctions provision. But the overwhelming bipartisan support for the measure greatly increases the odds that the Houses sanctions provision will survive as the two chambers negotiate a compromise bill.

Know more: Congressional correspondent Bryant Harris has the full story on the Houses Turkey sanctions legislation.
WITH the pandemic preventing local Muslims from meeting in large numbers indoors, the Manitoba Islamic Association is planning to hold more activities like prayers and programs outdoors at the Grand Mosque.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WITH the pandemic preventing local Muslims from meeting in large numbers indoors, the Manitoba Islamic Association is planning to hold more activities like prayers and programs outdoors at the Grand Mosque.

To make that possible, they have launched a fundraising campaign to purchase a sound system for outdoor use.

"It looks like we will be in the pandemic for a while," said Idris Elbakri, the associations board chairman. "This will help us for broadcasting prayers during special occasions."

The campaign aims to raise $18,000. It will pay for speakers, a public address system and controls.

Currently, only 100 people are allowed into the mosque for Friday prayers, 50 at a time. This will not work for large celebrations like Eid, which attract thousands to the RBC Convention Centre each year.

For the Eid celebration on Friday, the Association will host an outdoor event at the Grand Mosque. It has rented a speaker system for the occasion. Another Eid event will also be held at Central Park.

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 safest way to do it is outdoors," he said, adding enabling people to come together in a physically distanced way like this will be a "big morale boost for the community."

The sound system will not be used to broadcast daily prayers. "We are very conscious of our neighbours," Elbakri said. "We dont want to disturb them in any way."

Its not the best solution, he acknowledged, especially considering the short season for outdoor gatherings in Manitoba. "We will make the best of it," he said.

Everyone is invited to donate, he added, including "friends and allies" of the local Muslim community, as happened when the association held a fundraiser for its funeral services.

Donations can be made on the Manitoba Islamic Association website at http://wfp.to/hYQ or by calling 204-256-1347. All donations are tax deductible.

faith@freepress.mb.ca
Precious Etsekhume and Kathryne Simon, both of Bronx, N.Y., were arraigned Monday. Read more

Two women defrauded Bucks County Community College of more than $400,000 in a scheme in which they allegedly used an elderly victims bank account to receive the ill-gotten gains, authorities said.

Precious Etsekhume, 28, and Kathryne Simon, 27, both of Bronx, N.Y., have been charged with dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, receiving stolen property, and criminal conspiracy, Newtown Township police said.

They allegedly spent part of the money on clothing and plastic surgery, police said.

Etsekhumes attorney, Paul Lang, said Wednesday that his client did nothing wrong and looks forward to her day in court. Shes innocent of all charges, he said.

Simons attorney, Antonetta Stancu, also disputed the charges. We look forward to clearing Ms. Simons name and showing that the allegations are not accurate, she said.

Police said their investigation began in January after the college informed them of the stolen funds. The college received an emailed bill for $407,516.51 from what appeared to be a construction company it had done business with and paid the money, but later learned the person who sent the bill did not work for the company.

The police department declined to provide any further details about the case Wednesday, as did a college spokesperson.

In their investigation, detectives learned that the money was transferred to the business account of a 74-year-old woman in New Jersey who allowed someone she met through an online dating site to use the account to receive the funds, authorities said. The woman was then forced to make four separate bank wire transfers in the amount of $100,000 each to other bank accounts, authorities said.

Police said two of the $100,000 wire transfers went into the personal bank accounts of Etsekhume and Simon, who spent the money on clothing and plastic surgery, among other things.

Both women were granted unsecured bail and are scheduled for an Aug. 14 preliminary hearing.
VANCOUVER, BC, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Body and Mind Inc. (CSE: BAMM) (OTCQB: BMMJ) (the "Company" or "BaM"), a multi-state operator, is pleased to report its financial results for the third fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2020 and is providing shareholders with the following operational update.

Q3 2020 Financial Summary (results expressed in $USD unless otherwise indicated):

Reported Q3 2020 revenue of $1.05 million ;

; Reported nine month revenue of $4.06 million ;

; Basic and Diluted loss per share of $0.01 ;

; No debt;

Managed Q3 2020 revenue of $4.00 million *;

*; Managed nine-month revenue of $11.91 million *;

*; Income from the Ohio operations is treated as equity (in earnings income) until the expected closing of a pending definitive agreement to acquire 100% ownership of NMG Ohio, LLC;

operations is treated as equity until the expected closing of a pending definitive agreement to acquire 100% ownership of NMG Ohio, LLC; The Company anticipates consolidating revenues from ShowGrow Long Beach, once local and state licenses to conduct medical and adult-use commercial cannabis retail operations, are issued to NMG Long Beach LLC;

Inventory of $1.57 million as of April 30, 2020 ;

as of ; As of April 30, 2020 , BaM had completed all significant dispensary Cap-Ex projects with future Cap-Ex anticipated to be funded from cashflows;

, BaM had completed all significant dispensary Cap-Ex projects with future Cap-Ex anticipated to be funded from cashflows; At April 30, 2020 , BaM had $1.28 million in cash and working capital surplus of $4.04 million ;

, BaM had in cash and working capital surplus of ; Total Assets were $39.32 million , Total Current Liabilities were $1.53 million and Total Liabilities were $4.98 million at April 30, 2020 . No long term debt;

, Total Current Liabilities were and Total Liabilities were at . No long term debt; 104,534,221 common shares were issued and outstanding as at April 30, 2020 .

*Managed revenue: refers to results for the full three and nine months ended April 30, 2020, including managed revenues, which are sales of cannabis products from entities for which management arrangements or definitive agreements are in place but BaM cannot consolidate due to regulatory restrictions, or from equity investments, in which results cannot be consolidated. Managed entities include Body and Mind's involvement in certain California, Ohio and Arkansas operations.

Operational Milestones for Q3 2020 and to Date:

California:

ShowGrow San Diego dispensary was opened on April 15, 2020 through NMG San Diego, LLC which is a 60% owned subsidiary of BaM.

through NMG San Diego, LLC which is a 60% owned subsidiary of BaM. Our wholly owned subsidiary, NMG Long Beach, LLC, has an application in process for the transfer of the Long Beach Medical and Adult-use dispensary license to NMG Long Beach, LLC ;

Under Body and Mind's brand director agreement, Satellites Dip, LLC increased production offerings and distribution of BaM's award-winning products to dispensaries in the state of California , and continues to perform contract packaging services for the Ember Valley brand of products;

, and continues to perform contract packaging services for the Ember Valley brand of products; Body and Mind completed a license agreement with Sense Distribution, doing business under the name Shoogies, a specialty cannabis brand offering THC-infused (tetrahydrocannabinol) all-natural sweeteners.

Nevada:

Nevada closed all casinos, non essential businesses and dispensaries for walk in traffic on March 17, 2020 ;

closed all casinos, non essential businesses and dispensaries for walk in traffic on ; Nevada declared cannabis an essential service and BaM cultivation and production continued operations with COVID-19 protocols;

declared cannabis an essential service and BaM cultivation and production continued operations with COVID-19 protocols; Nevada dispensaries remained open with delivery only during the shut down;

dispensaries remained open with delivery only during the shut down; Nevada dispensaries opened for limited walk-in customers and curbside pickup on May 7, 2020 ;

dispensaries opened for limited walk-in customers and curbside pickup on ; Nevada casinos commenced reopening on June 4, 2020 ;

casinos commenced reopening on ; BaM completed a production license agreement with Her Highness, a growing cannabis brand aimed to introduce and educate women, both the curious and experienced consumers, on the benefits of incorporating cannabis into their lifestyle with a dynamic suite of premium products;

One time write down of $208,569 of packaging and cultivation supplies included in Cost of Sales.

Ohio:

BaM managed the fully operational The Clubhouse dispensary outside Cleveland, Ohio , which is currently 30% indirectly owned by BaM;

, which is currently 30% indirectly owned by BaM; A definitive agreement is in place to acquire the remaining 70% ownership of The Clubhouse subject to regulatory approval;

Application submitted to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to transfer The Clubhouse dispensary license to an indirect subsidiary of Body and Mind, a final closing condition of the definitive agreement for 100% ownership;

Board of Pharmacy to transfer The Clubhouse dispensary license to an indirect subsidiary of Body and Mind, a final closing condition of the definitive agreement for 100% ownership; Development of the Ohio production facility, which is currently 30% indirectly owned by BaM, was advanced with the execution of a long term lease. Architectural drawings are currently under review by local authorities. General Contractor bids for the project have been received and are being reviewed.

Arkansas:

Expanded into Arkansas pursuant to a management arrangement with in-state licensee, Comprehensive Care Group LLC, with an operating dispensary and future cultivation;

pursuant to a management arrangement with in-state licensee, Comprehensive Care Group LLC, with an operating dispensary and future cultivation; Opened the Body and Mind branded dispensary in West Memphis, Arkansas on April 27, 2020 ;

on ; The facility construction Capex is complete with roughly 3,500 square feet of retail and approximately 6,500 square feet constructed for future cultivation and packaging operations.

"This quarter saw continued expansion as we completed construction and opened two new dispensaries at the end of the quarter," stated Michael Mills, CEO of BaM. "Our focus on streamlined, debt-free operations and achieving milestones continues to expand our revenues across multiple states in our cultivation, manufacturing and retail operations. We are proud to add Her Highness and Shoogies brands to our production operations as we continue to add manufacturing growth alongside our brands. Our Q3 2020 quarter (February 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020) aligned closely with COVID-19 closures of Nevada casinos and dispensaries which commenced in early March and had a significant impact on cannabis sales in Nevada due to reduced visitor numbers and dispensary access. As Nevada dispensaries opened for walk-in customers in early May we saw increased sales across our product offerings. Our strategy of growth in multiple states has reduced our exposure to single market events and our (unaudited) May system-wide managed revenues* and net income set a new record for Body and Mind. I believe that as we consolidate revenues, we will show significant top line revenue and EBITDA growth. I am extremely proud of our entire team as they have grown our operations, brand and customer base during this incredibly challenging business environment."

The unaudited consolidated interim financial statements for the quarter ended April 30, 2020 are available on SEDAR and EDGAR and should be read in connection with this news release.

About Body and Mind Inc.

BaM is a debt-free publicly traded company investing in high quality medical and recreational cannabis cultivation, production, and retail. Our wholly owned Nevada subsidiary was awarded one of the first medical marijuana cultivation licenses and holds cultivation and production licenses. BaM products include dried flower, edibles, oils and extracts as well as GPEN Gio cartridges. BaM cannabis strains have won numerous awards including the 2019 Las Vegas Weekly Bud Bracket, Las Vegas Hempfest Cup 2016, High Times Top Ten, the NorCal Secret Cup and the Emerald Cup.

BaM continues to expand operations in Nevada, California, Arkansas and Ohio and is dedicated to increasing shareholder value by focusing time and resources on improving operational efficiencies, facility expansions, state licensing opportunities as well as mergers and acquisitions.

Please visit www.bamcannabis.com for more information.

Instagram: @bodyandmindBaM

Twitter: @bodyandmindBaM

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Safe Harbor Statement

Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation of activities, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release.

Certain matters discussed in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may constitute forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities.

SOURCE Body and Mind Inc.

Related Links

https://bamcannabis.com/


In a franchise first, the new season of The Bachelorette Australia will feature two sisters searching for love.

And while fans of the franchise will be familiar with former Bachelor star Elly Miles, her older sister Becky is new to television.

Here's everything you need to know about Becky, 30, before the siblings' season kicks off later this year.

Scroll down for video

Double trouble! Everything you need to know about Bachelor star Elly Miles' (left) sister Becky (right) as they are announced as Australia's first ever dual Bachelorettes

Elly, 25, was a popular contestant on Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor last year, but was sent home after she warned Matt that another contestant, Abbie Chatfield, was only there to become 'Instagram famous'.

The sisters, who are originally from Parkes in regional New South Wales, now reside in Newcastle, about 160km north of Sydney.

Elly works as a nurse, while her older sister has been a defence contracting specialist for the Australian Government since 2016.

Becky, who has recently suffered a heartbreak, is looking for someone honest and loyal, and who has good 'banter'.

It's unclear how long Becky has been single for, as she last confirmed she was in a relationship on Facebook in August 2019.

Love match: Becky (pictured), a defence contracting specialist, said that it was her sister who encouraged her to try the reality TV route to dating

Twinning: While the sisters share many genetic similarities, they also appear to have similar taste in fashion and jewellery - as demonstrated by their identical nose rings

Too bad! Elly failed to find love with astrophysicist Matt Agnew (right) on The Bachelor in 2019

Becky graduated from Parkes High School in 2007, and celebrated turning 30 in March with a fancy dress party.

Dressed as Marilyn Monroe, she shared a series of photos marking her milestone birthday with friends and family on social media.

She wrote on Facebook at the time: 'I had a few people tell me that they cried when they turned 30, but I've got to say that I'm just so excited for what's to come.

'Life has only gotten better each year for me, and I think it's because I'm just so damn blessed to have such genuine, quality humans in my life... People who have had my back in some pretty tough times.'

Ready for Mr Right: Becky, who has recently suffered a heartbreak, is looking for someone honest and loyal, and who has good 'banter'

Flirty 30! Becky celebrated turning 30 in March by hosting a fancy dress party, where she wore a white dress like Marilyn Monroe

'I'm just so excited for whats to come': After turning 30, Becky thanked her friends and family for getting her through 'tough times' and said she was excited for the year ahead

Doing good: In 2018, Becky participated in the Mystery Box Rally with a female friend to help raise funds for the Cancer Council

In 2018, Becky participated in the Mystery Box Rally with a female friend.

The rally takes teams on a unique adventure through Australia's toughest terrain to raise funds for the Cancer Council.

While Becky's Instagram account has now gone private, she manages a public account for her adorable Cavoodle-Havanese puppy, Marti.

After placing fifth on The Bachelor, Elly went on a nine-week European holiday with her sister and admitted to 'kissing a couple of blokes' during the trip.

Becky features in a number of Elly's YouTube travel vlogs, including one that documented their attendance at the Spice Girls' London reunion tour in June 2019.

Puppy mother: While Becky's Instagram account has now gone private, she manages a public account for her adorable Cavoodle-Havanese puppy, Marti

Precedent: While The Bachelorette New Zealand had two women searching for love earlier this year, two sisters is a world first for the franchise. Pictured: Bachelorette NZ's Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (left) and Lily McManus (right)

'I feel extremely blessed to be on this unique ride with Becky': Elly (pictured) encouraged her sister Becky to join the franchise with her and search for love on reality TV

While The Bachelorette New Zealand had two women searching for love earlier this year, two sisters is a world first for the franchise.

The sisters are reportedly in lockdown ahead of filming, which is said to begin shortly.

'I feel extremely blessed to be on this unique ride with Becky. Having her love, support and guidance throughout this journey is so important to me and I cant wait to be there for her, on her journey to find love as well,' Elly said in a statement.

For Becky, it was her sister who encouraged her to try the reality TV route to dating.

'I never thought I'd do anything like this, but Elly's always pushed me outside of my comfort zone so with my sister by my side - I thought why not, let's give it a crack at finding love,' she said.
Nearly 80 protesters have been killed in Guinea since last year. But, there have been no arrests or accountability for those involved.

The family of a student killed last week by Guineas security forces say they want justice for 16-year-old Alseny Barry.

He was killed in an opposition stronghold during last weeks demonstrations.

There have been months of protests against President Alpha Conde, demanding his resignation.

The opposition says the government is using the coronavirus pandemic to crack down on dissent.

Al Jazeeras Priyanka Gupta reports.
ALBANY  The economic shutdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus has left New York facing a $30 billion deficit over the next two years, and hiking taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers wont cover the gap, state officials said Wednesday.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said the fiscal needs for New York far exceed what could be generated through increasing taxes on the wealthy.

The governor said New York is grappling with a $14 billion deficit this budget cycle and a $16 billion gap expected in the next fiscal year. Then theres the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) facing an expected $12 billion gap, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's looking at a $3 billion shortfall, and New York City dealing with a $9 billion hole, Cuomo said during a press call.

Youre at about $50 billion (in total deficits). You have 100 billionaires, he said. You will have to tax every billionaire half a billion dollars to make it up. You know what that means? That means you would have no billionaires.

State Budget Director Robert Mujica also dismissed the notion of making up the lost revenue through tax increases on the wealthy, noting that New York already has some of the highest, and most progressive, wealth taxes  including the second-highest tax on wealthy residents in the nation.

There is no way to tax that much money without doing a staggering amount of revenue-raisers that nowhere in the country has and no one has ever seen before, Mujica said. The only alternative is really to have the federal government provide the assistance. Theres not a way to tax us out of this problem.

The Citizens Budget Commission has also reported New York City residents are subject to the second-highest personal income tax in the country at nearly 12.7 percent. New York also imposes an 8.8 percent personal income tax statewide on married couples filing jointly with incomes greater than $2.2 million annually; only New Jersey and California impose higher wealth taxes, the CBC's report shows.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic threw state and local budgets into disarray, state legislators and labor unions were pushing for tax increases on the wealthy to help fund critical services and programs such as expanding affordable housing and ending homelessness in New York.

The advocates called for bumping up the tax brackets for New Yorkers who make $1 million or more annually, implementing a "pied-a-terre" tax on second homes in New York City and a new capital gains tax on the state's resident billionaires.

A poll conducted by labor unions in February showed broad public support for increasing taxes on the very wealthy.

Michael Kink, executive director of the progressive Strong Economy for All Coalition, blasted Cuomo's stance and accused the governor of wanting to protect the billionaires, of which there are 118 in New York with a combined net worth of $600 billion.

"Gov. Cuomo cares more about keeping billionaires happy than keeping millions of New Yorkers from going hungry," Kink said in a statement. "As countless New Yorkers struggle to put food on the table or pay their rent, the governor is choosing to cut funding for schools, hospitals and housing instead of raising taxes on the rich."

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

The latest figures on the states deficit come as Cuomo and local elected officials renewed their calls for Congress to include financial relief to state and local governments in the next legislative package to address the economic hits delivered by the pandemic. The U.S. Senate's Republican majority this week released a plan, dubbed the HEALS Act, that does not include funding for those entities.

Cuomo, who sent a letter to congressional leaders on the need for funding, said it will be up to the federal government to provide appropriate revenue to localities to address the deficits.

I dont see additional revenue coming  thats why Im pushing so hard for the federal government just to have a responsible bill, he said. The future for revenues is basic fairness by the federal government.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins agreed that additional federal aid is necessary, but said major revenue efforts must also come from the state. The Democrat noted that the chamber earlier this year developed a "revenue working group" to explore legislative options.

We are all hurting and this crisis calls for multimillionaires and billionaires to help our state shoulder this extraordinary burden," Stewart-Cousins said in a statement. "While there is no single action that will solve all our problems, we shouldn't be looking to the already overburdened working and middle class to solve the crisis."
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its new strategic plan to develop a clearer and more distinctive vision for the future of the University, John Carroll University is proud to announce the enhancement of its graduate-level programs with the introduction of the Graduate School. Additionally, Rebecca Drenovsky, Ph.D., former associate dean for Graduate & Professional Programs, JCU College of Arts and Sciences, was named the new Dean of Graduate Studies.

"JCU has a rich, 60-year tradition of graduate education that prepares the next generation to bravely forge new paths and lead with conviction. The Graduate School will provide opportunities for greater student and faculty success, as well as increased administrative efficiencies and long-term sustainability," said Steven T. Herbert, Ph.D., provost and academic vice president of John Carroll University. "Dr. Drenovsky was the unanimous recommendation from our Graduate Studies Search Committee and has already begun working with the deans to support our graduate programs."

Dr. Drenovsky has held positions of increasing leadership responsibilities in both research and professional service for the last 15 years at John Carroll. Most recently in her role of associate dean, she co-led cross-college and cross-divisional teams focused on new program development and centralization of graduate operations, which provided a solid foundation for the reinstatement of the Graduate School.

"I strongly believe the strengthening of the Graduate School will help us better support graduate education across the Boler College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences through integrated strategic planning and cross-department collaboration. These efforts will enable us to meet graduate students' emerging needs and enhance their overall experiences," said Dr. Drenovsky. "A centralized Graduate School will generate opportunities for collaborationeven outside each student's program of study. With an increased focus on networking and real-world experience, the Graduate School will work with Northeast Ohio businesses and organizations to strengthen our partnerships with community leaders."

As part of the enhanced focus on new and enriched curricula to better serve the needs of our community and students, the University is excited to offer two new strategic offerings from the Boler College of Business: Master of Science in Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and Online MBA.

The new Master of Science in Innovation and Entrepreneurship program is an immersive and project-based professional degree program serving a wide range of aspiring business and social entrepreneurs and innovators. It helps develop the skills needed to identify opportunities and create prosperity and possibility with purpose.

program is an immersive and project-based professional degree program serving a wide range of aspiring business and social entrepreneurs and innovators. It helps develop the skills needed to identify opportunities and create prosperity and possibility with purpose. The new Online Boler MBA program is designed with the same rigor, curriculum and benefits of the Boler MBA curriculum  but with additional flexibility of being completely online to meet any time or location restrictions. It can be completed in one academic year or a longer term of 2-3 years.

"These new programs further enhance the Boler College of Business strategy of educating and cultivating the next generation of responsible and inspired business leaders and innovators," said Walter Simmons, Ph.D., associate dean, JCU Boler College of Business. "These thoughtful and immersive programs will intersect with the demands of organizations, providing the skill sets and mindsets required to meet current and future business challenges."

"Based on both market and student demands, these programs are just the beginning of new and focused offerings you'll see from the John Carroll University Graduate School," said Dr. Drenovsky. "We are poised to uphold our strong mission-driven programs and strongly advocate and serve our grad students. Whether that is through the hours our offices and services are available  or the development of a Graduate Student Association that can advocate on behalf of this student demographic, we strive to create an office that can direct and strategically implement these efforts."

For more information about the programs or opportunities within the new Graduate School at John Carroll University, call 216.397.4284 or email at [email protected] .

ABOUT JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY:

John Carroll University is located in University Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Its mission inspires individuals to excel in learning, leadership, and service in the region and around the world. One of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, John Carroll University is recognized nationally for an exceptional four-year graduation rate, teaching excellence, and a commitment to living a faith that does justice.

SOURCE John Carroll University
The running mate of the opposition National Democratic Congress flagbearer, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, is calling for the support of the people of Komenda and the Central Region ahead of the 2020 general elections.

My mission here today is to formally introduce myself to you and to garner your support, she said as she began a two-day tour of the Central Region.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang was officially outdoored as John Mahamas running mate last Monday.

Like Mr. Mahamas previous running mate, the late Kwesi Amissah Arthur, she also hails from the Central Region.

She indicated that support from her home region will push the NDC to victory in the elections.

She urged the town, located in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem constituency, to once again vote in favour of the NDC, like it did in 2016.

I have come here today to ask for your blessings and support. I am a native of Komenda, as you may be aware, but I have never come to you to make such a request simply because the people of Komenda know what is good for them and they go for it every time.

So I employ you all to continue to do so, even more so now as one of your very own, a woman, has been given such a great honour, Prof Opoku-Agyemang said.

The tour will later take her to Cape Coast, where she will visit the Oguaamanhene, Osaberima Kwesi Atta II.

---citinewsroom
Doctors in Brazil are being pressured to prescribe drugs to coronavirus patients that are still unproven and has no bases that they can treat the disease. According to reports, there is a split in the country over a particular anti-malarial drug - hydroxychloroquine, which some say can be given to COVID-19 patients, while others refrain citing lack of efficacy and safety. The split between doctors grew even deeper as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro recently released a video, where he can be seen popping a pill claiming it to be hydroxychloroquine and also encouraging others to do so. Bolsonaro was earlier this month diagnosed with COVID-19.

Read: Brazilian President Bolsonaro Accused Of 'crimes Against Humanity' By Healthcare Union

Bolsonaro has been for the past few months encouraging doctors to prescribe the drug despite global health experts asking carers to do otherwise. Now, doctors in Brazil are disputing over whether they should prescribe the anti-malarial drug to COVID-19 patients or not. Meanwhile, some doctors are reportedly arguing with their patients who themselves are asking them to prescribe the drug.

Read: Brazil Coronavirus Payout Cuts Extreme Poverty To Least In Decades

Second worst-hit nation

Brazil, the world's second-most badly affected country by coronavirus pandemic is also struggling to accommodate the growing number of patients in hospitals. According to reports, public hospitals across the nation are lacking basic medical equipment hence posing a threat to the health of the people. Many hospitals in Brazil have no intensive care units (ICU) for patients severely ill by the disease and who need immediate assistance. According to the Brazilian health ministry, the disease is currently present in 97.4% of municipalities across the country.

Read: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Tests COVID-19 Positive For Third Time

According to the ministry, Brazil has recorded 24,83,191 confirmed cases of the disease, with 40,816 registered in national systems on July 28, which experts believe to be much higher because of inadequate testing. Regarding deaths, Brazil has 88,539 deaths from coronavirus with 921 deaths registered in the official systems on July 28. According to figures by Johns Hopkins University, the United States remains the worst-hit nation in the world with 4.3 million cases and at least 1,49,000 deaths as of July 28. Meanwhile, the world has recorded 16.7 million confirmed infections and over 6,59,000 deaths to date.

Read: Brazil Hospitals Struggling To Cope With An Influx Of Coronavirus Patients
8 Indicted for Criminal Activity Linked to May Rioting in Pittsburgh

Eight individuals are facing federal charges for allegedly participating in violent activity during protests in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, back in May, the Justice Department (DOJ) announced.

The individuals who were indicted last week were allegedly throwing projectiles or explosives at police officers or police vehicles, striking horses, or setting police cruisers on fire amid protests on May 30, following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in Minneapolis police custody. Pittsburgh officials and DOJ officials have blamed anarchists and groups of agitators for hijacking the peaceful protests to carry out their own agendas.

Devin Montgomery, 24, and Brandon Benson, 29, were charged with maliciously destroying or damaging a police vehicle with fire and bank burglary; DaJon Lengyel, 22, and Christopher West, 35, were charged with four counts, including conspiring to and malicious damaging and destroying a police vehicle by fire.

Meanwhile, four individualsGeorge Allen, 31, Nicholas Lucia, 25, Andrew Augustyniak-Duncan, 25, and Raekwon Dac Blankenship, 24were each charged with obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, for a variety of alleged acts including throwing an apparent explosive device at police officers, throwing projectiles into the windshield of police vehicles, and poking and striking multiple police horses, according to indictments that were recently unsealed.

Prosecutors said their alleged actions prevented police officers from carrying out their law enforcement duties and serving the community. All eight people charged are residents in the Pittsburgh area.

Throwing IEDs and bricks at police officers, throwing projectiles at and striking police horses, and setting police cruisers on fire are not the protected First Amendment activities of a peaceful protest; they are criminal acts that violate federal law, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said in a statement.

We will continue to identify and prosecute these agitators, whose acts of violence hijacked a lawful protest and undermined a message of equality with one of destruction, he added.

Violent riots have plagued several cities across the country, including Pittsburgh, amid peaceful protests calling for more police accountability and change to policing since late May.

Attorney General William Barr has long been condemning the rioting and calls to defund the police as a response to Floyds death. While there is still work to improve the relationship between the African American community and law enforcement, Barr said, responding to the problems with violence, acts of demonizing the police, and proposals to defund them are counter-productive and can be gravely injurious to our inner-city communities.

When a community turns on and pillories its own police, officers naturally become more risk-averse, and crime rates soar. Unfortunately, we are seeing that now in many of our major cities, he said, during his opening statement at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday.

Barr highlighted the destruction and chaos experienced during the persistent civil unrest in Portland, Oregon, which has seen continuous violence and rioting for two months around a federal courthouse and causing dozens of injuries. Federal law enforcement agents have been deployed to address the violence, sparking widespread criticism from local and state officials and lawmakers saying that the deployment had escalated the violence.

However, Barr and acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf have said on separate occasions that it was the responsibility of the federal government to protect federal property, especially when the states are not fulfilling their duties to do so.

Every night for the past two months, a mob of hundreds of rioters has laid siege to the federal courthouse and other nearby federal property. The rioters arrive equipped for a fight, armed with powerful slingshots, tasers, sledgehammers, saws, knives, rifles and explosive devices, he said in his prepared remarks.

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)

What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called a protest; it is, by any objective measure, an assault on the government of the United States, he added.

The DOJ recently announced dozens of arrests linked to the rioting in Portland. The departments spokesperson, Kerri Kupec, said on July 27 that at least 74 people have been arrested and 60 charged in Portland. She added that nationally at least 236 arrests have been made and 238 defendants charged.

On Wednesday, the DHS announced that they had reached an agreement with the Oregon Gov. Kate Brown where state police officers will work with officers from the departments Federal Protective Service to make sure all federal properties are protected and secure.
Control Yuan orders corrective measures over Black Hawk crash

ROC Central News Agency

07/28/2020 10:04 PM

Taipei, July 28 (CNA) The Control Yuan on Tuesday made public its demands that the Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) under the transportation ministry take steps to correct major errors that contributed to a helicopter crash in January in which eight military officers were killed.

The government watchdog agency said it passed a motion on July 23 demanding the two government agencies take corrective measures to prevent the re-occurrence of mistakes that ultimately led to the fatal UH-60M helicopter Black Hawk crash that killed the nation's top military commander, Chief of the General Staff Shen Yi-ming (), among other military officials.

According to the Control Yuan, the MND needs to improve its training of Black Hawk helicopter pilots as lack of training was one of the main reasons for the deadly incident on the morning of Jan. 2.

The chopper, part of the Air Force Rescue Group, carrying 13 military personnel to a base in Dong'ao, Yilan County for a pre-Lunar New Year inspection, went down in the mountains of New Taipei's Wulai District.

An initial investigative report on the incident released February by the Air Force said the crash was most likely caused by a combination of human factors and a sudden weather change in the mountains.

According to the Air Force, the pilot tried to pull up for better visibility when he flew into cloud cover that formed suddenly in the area before crashing into the mountain.

According to the Control Yuan's investigative report released Tuesday, the pilot of the chopper, Lt. Col. Yeh Chien-yi (), who was killed during the incident, had not undergone the required training, which involves operating a UH-60M helicopter simulator, since the second half of 2018.

The lack of training is partly explained by the fact that the Air Force Rescue Group is not equipped with a UH-60M helicopter simulator and has to send its pilots to train on an Army simulator.

Yeh and other pilots in the Air Force Rescue Group trained on a S-70C helicopter simulator in lieu of their required UH-60M chopper simulation training sessions.

This means they lack operational familiarity with the Black Hawk, according to the Control Yuan report.

The report also criticized Hsueh Chih-liang (), an officer at Air Force Command Headquarters in charge of the Air Force Rescue Group's mission schedule, for negligence in failing to report the Jan. 2 mission to the rescue group earlier.

The chopper was scheduled to take off from Taipei's Songshan air base at 7:50 a.m. on Jan. 2 and fly to a base in Dong'ao, Yilan County for an inspection tour.

However, the Air Force Rescue Group did not learn about the mission until it was notified by the MND at 5 p.m. on Jan. 1, the report said.

The last-minute notice forced the Air Force Rescue Group to ask pilot Yeh Chien-yi, who was in central Chiayi County on Jan. 1, to fly back to Taipei overnight in preparation for the Jan. 2 early morning mission, the report said.

Inadequate preparation for the mission and insufficient rest could have also contributed to the deadly crash, it added.

Meanwhile, the Control Yuan also asked the CAA to add more mandatory checkpoints where pilots are required to report the latest conditions to air control along the flight route from New Taipei's Pinglin District to Yilan County to prevent similar incidents from occurring.

The chopper was flying that route before it crashed into the mountains in Wulai District.

The Control Yuan's latest corrective measures came after last week it announced the impeachment of two military personnel for negligence in weather reporting that was partly responsible for the crash, as part of its own probe into the incident.

The case involving the two Air Force officers will now be handed over to the Judicial Yuan's Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission for a decision on what punishment they should receive.

In response, the Air Force Command Headquarters said last week that it respects the Control Yuan's decision on the matter and has already adopted several measures to strengthen the use of weather forecasting information on military missions and enhance the training and response capability of Air Force tactical control personnel.

Taiwan purchased 60 Black Hawk helicopters from the U.S. in 2010 at a cost of NT$84.67 billion (US$2.82 billion), with 30 designated for the Army, 15 for the the National Airborne Service Corps under the Ministry of Interior and 15 for the Air Force Rescue Group.

(By Ku Chuan and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/AW

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Belarus has reached a certain point in its development, which is marked with the dusk of the Lukashenko era. And the question is not even whether the nation's "batska" [father] will once again be able to either seal the overwhelming support of the voters or falsify election results. Something has become too obvious: figuratively speaking, the fruit is overripe. That is, Alexander Lukashenko's continued rule in Belarus for a few more years would be clearly too much politics-wise.

Now there's no doubt that Belarusian society has grown weary of seeing the same face on their TV screens. Incidentally, Russians are just as weary of their longtime leader, too  In fact, Russia and Belarus today are moving along in the same direction of a gradual heat-up of a widespread public discontent.

Many Belarusians still trust Mr Lukashenko

However, I believe the upcoming presidential election in Belarus will play no extraordinary role. If Lukashenko stays in power, it will simply be the last page of his long-running play.

In my opinion, the opposition processes that are currently unfolding in Belarus have not yet acquired a national scale to lead for any major government shifts like the potential removal of Lukashenko from the country's helm. After all, as before, a significant part of Belarusians still trust Lukashenko, and it's they who will form the base of his electoral success this time.

The Belarusian "opposition figures" we are seeing now are, in fact, quite conditional

However, this doesn't mean the Belarusian opposition should cease its efforts  on the contrary, it must draw conclusions from the latest developments, crystallize its shape, and raise adequate leaders. Because Belarusian "opposition figures" we're seeing now are, in fact, quite conditional as they are for the most part pro-Moscow politicians who depend on Russia either financially, or politically, or ideologically. So if such politicians eventually come to power in Belarus, we shouldn't expect any extraordinary shifts or radical changes.

Their coming to power wouldn't change anything in the Belarus-Ukraine relations, either. Indeed, this would be a step forward; however, it would unlikely be serious or noticeable to us. In other words, it doesn't matter to Ukraine today whether Lukashenko stays or goes to be replaced by anyone from among the current opposition leaders.

To claim that any new figure in Belarus would be better than Lukashenko would be quite risky a statement

Lukashenko is ceasing to be a legitimate political figure, even if he wins the election (although we will never know what the actual election results will be). Talking of positive things about Lukashenko, he is a more or less stable player, which is important in politics. Instead, we know almost nothing about the new political figures and we also have no clue, who stands behind them, what their actual political agendas are, what they think about fundamental issues related to Ukraine, how they see further Ukrainian-Belarusian relations, as well as those between Minsk and Moscow, what is their attitude to the European Union and NATO, and what is their stance on security issues. All these questions are yet to be addressed. Therefore, to claim that any new figure in Belarus would be better than Lukashenko would be quite risky a statement.

So I think that Ukrainian-Belarusian relations will be developing the same way as they are now. It's already quite obvious though that the Belarusian opposition has started to wake up from hibernation, ready to act more systematically, in a more organized and logical way and with a more or less adequate and clear program. Perhaps, in one election period, there will be hope for some changes in Belarus. So far, unfortunately, there are only sporadic outbursts of discontent in Belarus that are unable to change the system.

Volodymyr Ohryzko is a Ukrainian diplomat, head of the Center for Russia Studies, former Minister for Foreign Affairs
Politburo member Minh was briefed on the provinces political and socio-economic situation since the beginning of the year.

Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Vinh said that Lao Cai is one of the first localities nationwide to have completed the organisation of congresses of its subordinate Party committees in June 2020.

Together with its socio-economic development tasks, Lao Cai is striving to implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures, especially in closely controlling its nearly-200km borderline and strengthening the prevention and handling of illegal entry and exit, he stated.

Besides these, the trade cooperation mechanism with Chinas Yunnan Province has seen positive progress, Vinh said, noting that Lao Cai has effectively performed its role as a connection bridge in the cross-border export of Vietnamese agricultural products in recent times.

Deputy PM Minh and the working delegation made field trips to a number of border areas in Bat Xat District. He was updated on several situations along the Lao Cai border, as well as the plans for the building of a road bridge over the Red River along the Vietnam-China border in Vuoc Hamlet, Bat Xat District.

As scheduled, the project will be implemented in 2021 if the relevant contents are agreed on by both the Vietnamese and Chinese sides. The construction of the bridge is expected to contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of border trade activities between the two countries.
The recent keel-laying ceremony of two assault ships in Kerch is yet another step by Russia towards the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Continued efforts by the Russian Federation to undermine Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, with further attempts to forcibly integrate the illegally-annexed Crimea and Sevastopol into Russia, represent a violation of international law. The recent keel-laying ceremony of two assault ships in Kerch is yet another clear step in the ongoing militarisation of the peninsula, with a considerable negative impact on regional security in the Black Sea, reads the statement by the EU Spokesperson on recent developments in the Crimean peninsula.

As noted, another concern is the latest restrictions on the freedom of movement of Ukrainian citizens to and from the Crimean Peninsula.

Access to mainland Ukraine and the right to return to the place of residence has to be granted unconditionally and should not require a Russian passport. The European Union continues to expect Russia to stop all violations of international law in the Crimean Peninsula. The European Union is unwavering in its support for Ukraines independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, the EU Spokesperson underscored.

On July 20, the keel-laying ceremony of two assault helicopter carriers took place at the Zaliv plant in the city of Kerch in Russian-occupied Crimea. The ceremony was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who promised to give new military orders for the defense enterprises of occupied Crimea.

According to Russian media, Russia intends to spend about RUR 100 billion on the construction of two helicopter carriers. These ships are sometimes called the Russian counterpart of the French Mistrals, the sale of which to Russia was cancelled due to its aggression against Ukraine and the likely negative impact of such ships on regional security in the Black Sea.

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Umbrella Movement leader, who was jailed for his activism, said decision marks an end to academic freedom in the city.

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has fired veteran pro-democracy activist Benny Tai from his tenured position as an associate professor of law, a move he called the end of academic freedom in the Chinese-ruled territory.

Without mentioning Tai by name, the university said in a statement that it reached the decision through a proper and lengthy process, but one prominent pro-democracy observer warned on Wednesday that without a free and independent group of academic institutions, Hong Kong would degenerate into a second rate city.

Tai was a leading figure in Hong Kongs 2014 Umbrella protests, which paralysed the city for 79 days as demonstrators took over major roads to demand greater democracy.

He was sentenced to 16 months in prison last year for two public nuisance offences, but released on bail pending an appeal  a conviction that prompted HKU to begin reviewing his position.

Tuesdays decision by the governing council reversed an earlier decision by the university senate that there were not enough grounds for a dismissal.





According to the Hong Kong Free Press, the university council voted 18-2 to remove Tai.

It marks the end of academic freedom in Hong Kong, Tai wrote on Facebook. Academic institutions in Hong Kong cannot protect their members from internal and outside interferences.

Attack on academic freedom

Tai was also singled out by Beijing officials this month for his role in helping organise an unofficial primary vote for the pro-democracy camp to select candidates for Septembers elections to the city legislature.

The officials said the vote was illegal and potentially violated a new, sweeping national security law that many fear will erode freedoms in the semi-autonomous city, including those of the media and academia.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Hong Kong Liaison Office, Beijings main representation in the city, harshly criticised Tai saying that his sacking was just an act of punishing evil, promoting good and conforming to the peoples will.

Academic tenure used to be a safeguard for freedom. #CCP intervenes the institutions of higher education. Does Xi who follows the creed of Mao who hated the academia? Without free and independent universities #HK degenerates into a 2nd rate city. https://t.co/QH2LTX2z9O  Jimmy Lai (@JimmyLaiApple) July 29, 2020

The statement said Tais words and deeds had severely intensified social conflicts in Hong Kong and poisoned Hong Kongs political environment.

Beijing and the Hong Kong government have said the law will not affect rights and freedoms, and that it is needed to plug security loopholes.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel Lei, the undergraduate representative of the HKU council, told reporters following the vote on Tuesday that the decision was a blatant trampling of academic freedom.

Joseph Chan, an HKU politics professor, was also quoted by news reports as saying that the university sacrificed its reputation with the move, adding that it will not be able to hold its head high in the international academic community.

On Monday, the Hong Kong Baptist University also announced that it was not renewing the contract of outgoing Legislative Council member Shiu Ka-chun, over his role in pro-democracy protests.
In this article VMW

Gorodenkoff | iStock | Getty Images

Data breaches are always costly but have become even more of an issue in recent months as cybercriminals ramped up to take advantage of coronavirus confusion. According to a new study from cloud computing company Iomart, large-scale breaches are growing in intensity and frequency in 2020, with the number of breaches increasing 273% in the first quarter, compared to the same time last year. There are a couple of reasons driving the uptick in breaches. More and more business  from online banking to ecommerce  is being conducted online. Businesses had to make an abrupt shift from most employees working in an office to working from home. In the rush to continue with business as usual, many had to take some shortcuts with security. During times of upheaval or change, cybercriminals capitalize on confusion and uncertainty. Experts say different kinds of attacks are on the rise. Companies, both large and small, governments and individuals are all targets. Among the most common types of attacks seeing an uptick are ransomware, destructive attacks and island hopping. Ransomware, in which criminals encrypt files and then demand a ransom to restore access, is up 90%, according to a recent report by VMware. Destructive attacks, in which data or networks are destroyed, is up 102%. Island hopping, in which criminals take over digital transformation efforts of companies, using their networks to attack customers and partners, is up by 33%. Losses from cyberattacks can be extensive. In June, Japanese automaker Honda said ransomware hit the company's internal servers, including its production systems, forcing it to suspend some of its auto and motorcycle production. Israeli fintech company Sapiens paid a $250,000 ransom in bitcoin after hackers threatened to shut down the company's network. The company believes the attack occurred in March or April when employees started working from home.

Fraud rises in times of crisis, in a bad economy or some kind of event people are concerned about. Al Pascual chief operating officer of Breach Clarity

Government agencies and local governments are also being hit. The city of Florence, Alabama, paid nearly $300,000 in bitcoin after a cyberattack on its computer network system in June. In California, the city of Torrance was hit by a ransomware attack that disabled its website, email and financial system. The group demanded 100 bitcoin, worth around $700,000. According to Iomart, a typical data breach for a large company results in data loss of between 10 million and 99 million records and dings a company's value by 7.27%. For small businesses a data breach can be catastrophic. "Fraud rises in times of crisis, in a bad economy or some kind of event people are concerned about. Fraudsters come out of the woodwork," said Al Pascual, chief operating officer of Breach Clarity, a fraud prevention and detection technology firm that provides consumers and financial institutions with a greater degree of transparency around the risks associated with data breaches.

Covid-related scams

The confusion around the pandemic and rapidly shifting work and online habits created ideal conditions for cybercriminals who exploit current events. "They are using interest and attention to an issue as a way to get clicks and take advantage of changed behavior," said Nicholas Davis, professor of practice at Thunderbird School of Global Management and visiting professor in cybersecurity at University College London. The FBI said its Internet Crime Complaint Center has seen "a significant increase in the number of complaints filed," though only a fraction has been directly related to the coronavirus. As of mid-June the center said it recorded 12,377 Covid-related scams. "As more people work and shop online, they are more likely to be targeted by online scammers," said a spokesperson for the FBI. Early in the pandemic, there was an uptick in targeted campaigns about understanding Covid-19 and Covid statistics. Now criminals are shifting to focus on stimulus payments, unemployment, PPP loans and benefits. On the day PPP loans first hit bank accounts, the websites of several large banks went down because of the surge in traffic. For smaller banks whose sites didn't go down, there was a catch-22, said Breach Clarity's Pascual.

Criminals "knew day and time" that the deposits would be made and subsequently "overwhelmed financial institutions with account takeover accounts," he said, adding that account takeover attempts increased by 80%. Criminals attempt to take over accounts by trying old usernames and passwords to gain access to accounts and move money. All industries have been affected, but some have been targeted more than others. According to Iomart's data, the IT sector was the hardest hit in the first quarter of 2020 with the number of breaches more than doubling compared to the same period in 2019, while the manufacturing and health-care sectors were the most impacted. Earlier this month, Russian and Chinese hackers were accused of stealing coronavirus vaccine research in the U.S., Canada and U.K.

Work-from-home threats

Cybercriminal groups aren't necessarily using new tactics, but attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated. Scripts look for insecure databases and can sit undetected in a system for months, learning about how the system works, how and when backups are deleted, and gearing up for attack. The sudden surge in work-from-home arrangements increased the opportunity for cyberattacks. When the pandemic first hit, companies that went from maybe 10% of the workforce working from home to 90% to 100% found that their systems were not designed to take on the increased load. To get employees up and running, the focus was on availability and getting people the tools and data they needed to work remotely. "With the mass shift to remote workforces, the corporate perimeter has been broken. This is compounded by the reality that most home networks are insecure, and household smart devices are vectors for attack," said Tom Kellerman, head cybersecurity strategist at VMware Carbon Black, a cybersecurity firm.

Eva-Katalin
We have noted that, in addition to her many other defects, St. Louis prosecutor Kim Gardner is ethically challenged. She used contributions to her last campaign for personal expenses.

This may not have bothered George Soros, whose operation funded Gardners campaign, but it didnt sit well with Missouri ethics regulators. They fined Gardner $63,009. In the end, she was able to get off for $6,314, but the violation stood, and Gardner apparently went on probation.

Unchastened, Gardner quickly returned to her old ways. From Ed Morrissey, I learn that, once in office, Gardner took a series of trips paid for by her left-wing backers, and that she failed to disclose this. KMOV, a CBS media outlet in St. Louis, says that Gardners junkets were prolific and problematic, at times interfering with her public duties. According to its sources, Gardner was unreachable on trips, making it difficult to get decisions made.

In 2018 and 2019, Gardners subsidized travels reportedly took her to Portugal, Connecticut, Texas, and Selma, Alabama. According to KMOV, she was required by law to report these trips, but declined to do so.

KMOVs sources say that Gardners junkets were paid for in full or in part by a leftist organization called Fair and Just Prosecution. This outfit has applauded many of Gardners actions, including the charges she brought against Mark and Patricia McCloskey for showing guns to protect their property from a mob.

Gardner is dreadful enough to have undertaken this prosecution without being influenced by outsiders. However, when a leftist group that pays for her personal expenses and travel desires the non-prosecution of rioters and the prosecution of those who protect their property from a mob, its reasonable to wonder whether Gardners prosecution decisions to these effects are being made in good faith.
The government is not doing everything it should to stop a second wave of coronavirus from hitting the UK, the British Medical Associations top doctor has warned.

The intervention comes as Boris Johnson pointed the finger at Europe and said swift action was being taken to prevent localised outbreaks identified on the continent spreading back to the UK.

However, epidemiologists told The Independent that the governments own policy failures would likely play a part in an inevitable increased infection rate in the UK  which still has a higher death ratio than most of its neighbours.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the BMAs council, told MPs on Wednesday that confused messaging from the government and lack of a systemic approach on policies like mask wearing and social distancing was behind a weekly rise in infections.

Warning that there were too many examples of potential spread he told a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on coronavirus: At the moment were not doing everything we should in trying to contain the virus.

If I look even at something as simple as our messages on social distancing: were told that social distancing is still two metres, or one metre plus.

Do you think any member of the public understands what one metre plus means? What does the plus mean? Many dont really understand this because its not clear and theyre not social distancing.

He also pointed to potential deficiencies in the governments mask policy, adding: If you want to suppress a virus you dont just make an announcement and then leave people with free will whether to wear them ... you then follow that up with a very systematic approach to make sure that happens.

What I mean by suppressing is you take an attitude that says: we want to do absolutely everything to make sure the infection doesnt spread. That needs a much more robust approach.

He warned: The point is that Im not sure that sense of clear, single-minded determination to do everything we can is being done and thats what I mean by suppressing: to really take the attitude that yes, we can resume normal living  you can go out, you can do things, but make sure that we have very clear messages about what is expected of both the public and workers to stop the spread.

There are measures that can be taken and at the moment I think I see too many examples of potential spread, just walking out into the high street and peering through shop windows. If a hair dresser wears a visor without a mask, thats not going to suppress the virus. Has that message gone to all employers as to what needs to be done to stop the spread of the virus?

If you look at the figures at the moment, the last ONS figures from last Friday, the weekly figures, the infection rate has increased. Were now seeing about 2,700 new cases a day compared to 2,500 the week before. And so I think now is the time we must be much more robust and rigorous about how we mitigate the spread.

Boris Johnson on Tuesday said there were signs that a second wave of coronavirus would hit, but blamed Europe for the potential return. The UK still has a significantly higher death rate than other European countries, but some have seen a rise in the rate of infections in recent weeks.

Britain reported a further 119 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, taking the official death total to 45,878. An additional 581 people also tested positive, slightly down on recent days.

Academics told The Independent that a second lockdown was unlikely because of a lack of public appetite, but that other measures needed to be sharpened up to prevent a serious resurgence in cases.

Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior consultant in Communicable Disease Control at the University of Exeter said the messaging around the lifting of lockdown had been unfortunate and that it was inevitable that cases would go up.

When the prime minister lifted lockdown, I said it was unbelievably premature. There were mixed messages  people dont listen to the chief medical officer saying we must do this carefully and take precautions, because the virus is still there. But they do listen to the prime minister saying lets go out and celebrate, and I think that was really unfortunate. Lifting quarantine was a risk and it could be foreseen it was a risk, but we were under pressure form the travel industry and it takes backbone to stand up to that, he said.

Its inevitable that UK cases will go up when you open, unless you are cautious. That public health message of go carefully just isnt there. The virus hasnt gone away. The only thing in our favour is that it is the summer and people are more likely to meet each other outdoors. That will keep case numbers down in July and August but I am worried about September.

However, Dr Pankhania said it would not be appropriate to reimpose a full lockdown now: There is no stomach of a new lockdown. People are losing jobs and businesses are going bust. I dont think we can go back to lockdown now, other measures should be taken.

Dr Gabriel Scally, President of the Epidemiology and Public Health section of the Royal Society of Medicine and member of Independent Sage said a larger second wave was unlikely but that localised outbreaks should be expected.

What we can expect in England for some time to come is localised outbreaks because the government has decided there is an acceptable level of Covid-19 cases. The Joint Biosecurity Centre suggested in a paper in May that the acceptable incidence was 1,000 new positive tests a day. I think that is far too high and will result in flare-ups occurring across the country. Hopefully the arrangements in place will enable those flare-ups to be suppressed, but if there are too many of them the capacity at a local level wont be able to deal with them and they will emerge as a wave, he said.

Coronavirus: The global gap in education Show all 12 1 /12 Coronavirus: The global gap in education Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Paddy Dowling/EAA Coronavirus: The global gap in education Photos Paddy Dowling/EAA

A second wave is unlikely, simply because an awful lot of older people and people with underlying conditions have lost a lot of trust in what the government says is or isnt safe and they are going to be very cautious about where they go and what they do. The bursts of new cases we are getting now are predominantly among younger people.

The World Health Organisation on Wednesday also warned that young people enjoying the summer appeared to be behind the coronavirus spike and were being hit the hardest.

Dr Scally also warned that there was no government strategy for getting rid of the virus.

If we were really serious about this, we would be doing a lot more public information than we are doing at the moment, on washing your hands and social distancing and identifying symptoms. There is very little messaging happening now and I suspect if you asked people what were the four symptoms of coronavirus, you wouldnt get a very high level of accuracy, he said.

There is no government strategy for getting rid of the virus. They issued one on 3 March, but the only strategy since then has been for lifting the lockdown. We have got to get better public information and better case-finding and get our act sorted out in terms of the data about where the cases are. This stuff needs to be running like a well-oiled machine, which it isnt at the moment.

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who is chairing the APPG's inquiry at which BMA chair Dr Nagpaul was speaking, told The Independent: It is deeply concerning that the government still has no overall strategy to aim for zero Covid, as medical experts are calling for. Ministers must come forward with a clear plan, informed by the science, which seeks to eliminate this deadly virus from the UK.

This should include fixing the flawed Test and Trace programme and introducing screening for coronavirus at public transport hubs and entry points to the UK. The evidence suggests the government's complacent approach earlier this year cost lives, we cannot afford for the same mistakes to be made again.
Fighter Country Foundation supports the men, women, and families at Luke Air Force Base by enhancing the morale, well-being, culture and tradition, and sustainability of the airbase.

"We cannot express how excited we were to find out that Mountain America Credit Union had selected Fighter Country Foundation as the recipient of their goal donation program with the Arizona Coyotes," says Ron Sites, president, and chief executive officer at Fighter Country Foundation. "We are even more excited that we now have another great partner to include in the amazing mission of supporting the military members and families at Luke Air Force Base!"

"Mountain America recognizes the sacrifices service members make, and we are honored to support the brave men and women who fight to defend our freedoms," says Sterling Nielsen, president and chief executive officer at Mountain America Credit Union. "Fighter Country Foundation provides critical support to military families and creates positive relationships between the community and those serving our country."

About Mountain America Credit Union

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With congressional Republicans, Democrats and the White House admittedly very far apart on most provisions in the GOPs recently proposed coronavirus stimulus, President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday sharpened their focus on getting a deal done by Friday that could include a short-term extension of enhanced unemployment insurance and blocking evictions for the duration of the pandemic.

Were looking at a deadline of this Friday, Mnuchin told reporters outside the White House. The president is very focused on evictions and unemployment.

Trump and Mnuchin hinted that its possible a short-term deal including a second round of stimulus checks, which has bipartisan support, and extensions of the $600 weekly unemployment bonus and federal moratorium on evictions could come this week before a comprehensive package is finalized.

While Trump lambasted Democrats  claiming without evidence that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi takes care of herself and no one else  his comments align with what U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, said in an interview Tuesday: that the Trump administration actually appears closer to Democrats views on a stimulus deal than Senate Republicans.

Mnuchin directly floated a potential short-term extension of the weekly $600 bonus to unemployment benefits  an idea that Senate Republicans, not Democrats, blocked in the new package. House Democrats more than two months ago approved extending the bonus as part of the $3 trillion Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act.

Republican lawmakers argue the $600 is so high that it serves as a disincentive for workers to go back to their jobs; they shrunk the benefit to $200 in the proposal unveiled Monday, sparking outcry from Democrats. The $600 boost expires Friday, heightening the tension between lawmakers and administration officials trying to hammer out a deal.

Trump also signaled support for extending the federal moratorium on evictions that expired last week.

The president repeatedly claimed Democrats were souring the overall stimulus deal, but when it comes to evictions, his comments were in agreement with some of the most liberal members of Congress, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, who both recently blasted Trumps and the GOPs actions, or inaction, surrounding the pandemic as shameful.

Extend and Expand the Eviction Moratorium The federal eviction moratorium ends TONIGHT. Millions could lose their homes because the GOP cant get their act together to pass a bill. My bill to extend and expand the eviction moratorium for all renters is ready to go. Senate Republicans need to stop blocking it and pass it now. Posted by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren on Friday, July 24, 2020

The lack of a moratorium on evictions will cause long-term harm to millions of families future housing, financial stability and their health, Warren argued on the Senate floor last week. She recently proposed a bill to extend and expand the moratorium. Pressley this week proposed a bill alongside Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and Sen. Kamala Harris of California that would provide funding so that those facing evictions can access legal assistance, Vox reported.

We want to work on the evictions so that people dont get evicted, Trump said Wednesday morning. And were working on the payment to the people. The rest of it, were so far apart, we dont care. We really dont care.

Talks w/ Democrats clearly not going well. Trump exits White House with Mnuchin & Meadows. Mnuchin floated idea of a short-term extension for jobless benefits & Trump added extending the eviction moratorium. "The rest of it, we're so far apart, we really don't care," Trump said.  Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 29, 2020

Trump said the administration wants to take care of the people. The Democrats arent taking care of the people. The payments arent enough. Theyre not making the payments ... theyre not making them high enough.

It was not clear whether Trump was referencing the supplemental unemployment payment that Democrats want to maintain at $600, or the second round of stimulus checks  which Democrats want to maintain at either the levels of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act or expand to recurring monthly payments of up to $2,000 through the pandemic. Trump has noted that he would support higher payments than those in the CARES Act, an idea Republicans have largely ignored. They note the federal government has already spent more than $3 trillion to revive the economy, and they want to keep the next package at around $1 trillion.

To see how much you might receive in a second stimulus check according to the most recent proposal, read here.

Asked about Republican complaints regarding Trumps insistence that the next coronavirus stimulus include $1.75 billion for an unrelated new FBI building in downtown Washington, D.C., Trump said Republicans should go back to school and learn. Its a bad building.

Some lawmakers, including Warren, have accused Trump of acting in his own interest to block a new hotel from being built at the site, not far from one owned by his company on Pennsylvania Avenue, The Washington Post reported. Last year, Trumps company said it planned to sell the lease to the hotel, but the coronavirus pandemic has stalled the effort, according to The Post.

One area where Democrats and the administration definitively disagree is aid to state and local governments.

The HEROES Act approved allocating a combined $875 billion to state and local governments grappling with unforeseen budget shortfalls and public employee layoffs brought on by the pandemic. The allocations would go to states, cities and towns and tribal governments across the country, regardless of the political party leading the government. For more on how much your community could receive if Democrats proposal were approved, read here.

But Trump blasts the idea as Democrats simply eyeing a bailout. Republicans excluded local aid from the new package.

They want big bailout money for Democrats that ran cities terribly, alleged Trump, who took the opportunity to tout his use of federal agents to address crime and protests in Democratic-led cities, a move denounced by watchdogs and critics as unconstitutional campaign theatrics.

Pelosi on Tuesday told reporters that without the federal government providing more state and local aid amid the pandemics economic fallout, more municipal employees would be laid off, leading to increased unemployment applications and further drains on federal resources.

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International student visa applications to Australia have plunged by more than a third with growing fears the sector will take up to five years to recover.

Federal government figures reveal student visa applications from China are down by 20 per cent and 33.5 per cent overall for the 2019-2020 financial year. Applications from Nepal dropped 61 per cent and those from India by 47 per cent, putting further pressure on Australia's $40 billion a year international student sector amid COVID-19 restrictions.

New figures show international student visa applications for Australia have fallen by a third. Credit:Eddie Jim

Smaller universities and private Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers expect to be hardest hit because of their greater reliance on students from India and Nepal.

Larger institutions including the University of Technology and University of NSW are more reliant on students from China.
New Delhi, July 30 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Aam Aadmi Party government to release funds to pay the pending salaries of the resident doctors of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NrDMC) within a period of 15 days.

A division bench of the high court presided over by Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan directed the Delhi government that the amount of Rs 8 crore required to pay salaries to the doctors should be released within a period of 15 days, irrespective of incomplete paperwork by the said municipal corporation.

The bench also appreciated the stand of the Delhi government to release the amount for providing remuneration to the resident doctors employed by the said municipal corporation earlier. "We appreciate the stand taken by the Delhi government in releasing Rs 8 crore for the purpose of providing remuneration to the resident doctors of NrDMC," it said.

During the course of hearing, advocate Satyakam, who was appearing for the Delhi government, told the bench that the government was not liable for the salaries for other NrDMC employees. "The liability still lay with the NrDMC and not the government of Delhi," he submitted.

Noting the said submissions, the court clarified that it was not going into the other issues between the Delhi government and the corporation with regard to payment of salaries to other employees of NrDMC and the funds it claims it is yet to receive under various heads.

The court, which was hearing the matter via video conferencing, posted the matter for further hearing on August 31.

The counsel appearing for the NrDMC informed the court that salaries of all the resident doctors in hospitals run by the civic body have been paid up to May. "All the regular doctors have also been paid their salaries till the month of April," she added.

The said orders were passed while the bench was hearing a PIL initiated by it on its own motion after taking cognisance of a report related to non-payment of salaries to NrDMC doctors for the last three months.

According to media reports, NrDMC hospital doctors have threatened mass resignation or a pen down strike if their salaries for past three months are not released. The Kasturba Hospital's doctors have written a letter to the administration threatening mass resignation, while doctors of Hindu Rao Hospital have reportedly drafted a letter threatening a pen down strike.
Burma Myanmar Takes US$250 M Loan from ADB for COVID-19 Relief

Health workers on their way to carry out house-to-house screenings to check residents for symptoms of COVID-19 in Yangon in May 2020. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

The Myanmar Parliament approved a US$250 million loan from the Asian Development Bank on Wednesday to support the budget for its COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan (CERP).

The Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry (MOPFI) said the loan will be used to provide social support for low-income households, to enhance the healthcare system and COVID-19 prevention, treatment and containment and to support small and medium-sized enterprises.

The loan is part of the ADBs COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditures Support (CARES) program.

MOPFI had discussed the loan with the ADB at the end of May and has started designing a Country Engagement Framework for Myanmar as the ADB collaborates with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to support Myanmars COVID-19 measures.

U Maung Maung Win, the deputy minister of planning, finance and industry, told the Parliament on Wednesday that the government will work to get the approved loan as soon as possible so it can be used in the sectors where its needed.

Launched by the Myanmar government in late April, the relief plan aims to help the country recover from the economic and social impacts of the pandemic. The CERP includes a number of strategies and responses, including steps to re-allocate 10 percent of the 2019-20 budget for all government entities to the COVID-19 response fund.

According to international organizations, Myanmar needs to spend US$2-3 billion to implement its action plans.

The CERP lists a number of key focuses: improving the macroeconomic environment through monetary stimulus; easing the impact on the private sector through improvements to the investment, trade and banking sectors; assisting laborers, workers and households; promoting innovative products and platforms; strengthening the health care system; and increasing access to COVID-19 response financing, including contingency funds.

U Zaw Htay, the spokesman of the Presidents Office, said during a press conference on July 17 that the government will provide payments of 20,000 kyats (US$14.72) in the last week of July to 5.4 million households who have no regular source of income. The payment is the third in a series for low-income families.

He said that support for low-income families is part of the CERP and began in mid-April with support such as basic food items for households who do not have a regular source of income.

The food support reached over 4 million low-income households between April 10-19 and cost over 50 billion kyats (US$36.8 million), according to the Presidents Office spokesman.

The government provided financial support to 1.4 million households with each family receiving a payment of 15,000 kyats (US$11.04) between June 27 and July 12. The support was valued at 21 billion kyats (US$15.5 million).

This month, the Union Parliament also approved three other ADB loans: a US$180 million loan for the Yangon city water supply project, a US$171 million loan for rural electrification and a US$483.8 million loan for an expressway connecting Bago Region and Mon State as part of the East-West Economic Corridor.

In May, the Parliament also approved two loans of US$60 million and US$30 million from the ADB for the Enhancing Financial Access Through Public Credit Guarantee Scheme Project and the Additional Financing to Greater Mekong Subregion Health Security Project, respectively.

From 2013 to 2019, the ADB committed loans and grants totaling US$2.4 billion (3.2 trillion kyats) in Myanmar.

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GURDASPUR Three unidentified people on Wednesday looted 5.5 lakh in cash at gunpoint from a branch of the Gurdaspur Central Cooperative Bank in Ruliana village, 25 km from the district headquarters. The branch doesnt have security guard, it is learnt.

Police said the incident took place around 11:40am when two of the three miscreants barged into the bank on the villages outskirts, took the staff at gunpoint and decamped with the cash mentioned above.

At the time of the incident, cashier Sudarshan Chand and another employee Gurpreet Singh were present at the branch. Two men with their faces covered entered the bank while their accomplice waited outside. After shaking hands with Gurpreet, the accused pointed pistols at us and asked to hand over the cash, said the cashier.

When we told them that there was no cash in the bank, they threatened to shoot us. We gave them 5.5 lakh. Before leaving the spot, the accused also took away our mobile phones and threatened to kill us if we complained to the police.

He said the peon was out of the bank for some work. When the peon returned, we reported the incident to the police and the villages sarpanch, he said.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajinder Singh Sohal, who reached the spot soon after the incident, said their teams were working to ascertain the identity of the accused, and footages of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are being examined.

Kalanaur station house officer (SHO) Amandeep Singh said they have registered a case under sections 392 (robbery), 379 (theft), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian penal code (IPC) and 25-54-59 of the Arms Act against the accused. Further investigations are on, he said.
The events we saw during the primaries in Wisconsin, Georgia and other states earlier this year were unacceptable. Voters in those states, particularly people of color, faced countless barriers to voting  including absentee-ballot delays, polling place closures, five-hour long lines, and broken voting machines.

The presidential election in November is upon us, and Missouri is running out of time to avoid the same confusion and hardship weve seen in other states.

In order to run a safe and fair election this November, Sen. Roy Blunt and other federal leaders must urgently invest in and implement election protection reforms across the country so all Americans have equal access to the ballot box. Voters in Missouri deserve the same voting rights and access as voters in other areas of the country.

The reforms needed for Missouris 116 election authorities to secure our elections will require additional funding. An estimated $4 billion is needed to protect voters everywhere. Many of these important reforms are laid out in the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, but there are five key reforms that would significantly boost access to the ballot and ensure Missouri voters dont have to choose between their health and their vote. Those key reforms should:

 Ensure that every state, including Missouri, takes steps to protect the health and safety of poll workers and voters.

 Expand voter registration options such as online registration and same-day registration.

 Require Missouri to expand early voting to prevent lines and crowded polling places on Election Day where people could be exposed to the coronavirus.

 Enact no-excuse, postage-paid, vote-by-mail as an option for every voter in Missouri and across America.

 Provide assistance at the polls for voters whose first language is not English, or voters with disabilities or other needs.

Here in Missouri, we have temporary voting by mail-in ballot for 2020 elections, but it requires an in-person appearance before a notary. We need permanent absentee and mail-in voting without a notary signature. Automated screening of mailed-in signatures requires investment in new equipment that could be purchased with Heroes Act funds. Why should people in Colorado, Maine and California get to vote safely but not voters in Missouri? We also need permanent no-excuse, vote-by-mail, same-day registration and online registration, all of which require funds to develop.

These are common-sense, time-tested solutions that would make it safe and fair for Missouri voters to cast their ballot no matter where they live. There is overwhelming support from the electorate and leaders in both political parties to pass these pro-voter reforms.

Despite a wave of bipartisan support, inaccurate claims about vote-by-mail seek to inject doubt into these policies that would make voting safer and more accessible.

We cannot allow the right to vote safely to become another polarizing issue in our country.

There is absolutely no evidence that measures to help people vote safely would increase the risk of election fraud. In the 2018 midterm election, more than one in four voters nationwide cast their votes by mail, and the results were fair and accurate.

More people safely accessing the polls in November does not give either party an upper hand. Research shows that it equally increases the number of voters from each political party. So its no surprise to see many Republican governors and secretaries of state join Democratic governors in calling for pro-voter policies.

This November, we must protect our democracy and, therefore, the integrity of our elections. Lets begin by ensuring all voters in Missouri and across the country are able to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

Voters should not have to choose between their health and their vote.

Evelyn Maddox is the president of the League of Women Voters of Missouri, a member of the Declaration for American Democracy  a coalition of more than 160 organizations from the labor, racial justice, faith, womens rights, environmental and good government communities.
New Delhi: TV star Parth Samthaan has issued a clarification after he was recently accused of violating quarantine rules after his coronavirus diagnosis by a Twitter user. The person tweeted to say that Parth stepped out of his sealed home "putting residents at risk" as his house help is still COVID-19 positive and urged the BMC to take necessary action.

However, Parth was quick to respond and cleared that he has already tested negative for the virus and was under quarantine for more than 14 days. And, the actor added that he needed to step out of his home as he had a panic attack and had to see a doctor.

"Yes, I have tested negative and I was home quarantined for 17 days which technically is more than 14 .. and last night I had a panic attack so were you willing to take me to the doc?? And now m on my to Pune to spend some much needed time with my family," he tweeted.

Dear @Suhaasi ,yes I have tested negative and I was home quarantined for 17 days which technically is more than 14 .. and last night I had a panic attack so were you willing to take me to the doc?? And now m on my to Pune to spend some much needed time with my family ..  Parth Samthaan (@LaghateParth) July 28, 2020

He also slammed the Twitter user for calling him a "threat".

"Since I have recovered from COVID, I am a much safer person to be around .. safer than you as well ... so pls get your facts right before calling anyone a threat .. you stay safe and takecare. God bless," Parth added.

@Suhaasi and yes since I have recovered from covid , I am a much safer person to be around ..safer than you as well ...so pls get your facts right before calling anyone a threat .. you stay safe and takecare ! God bless  Parth Samthaan (@LaghateParth) July 28, 2020

Parth tested positive for coronavirus on July 12, after which he was home quarantined. He had already started shooting for his show 'Kasautii Zindagi Kay'. After Parth's report came, his co-stars also got their tests done, but no one tested positive for the virus.

Earlier this week, he informed to say that he is now COVID-19 negative.
HAMILTON  Outspoken and unafraid, former councilwoman Ileana Schirmer has been elected the new chair of Hamiltons GOP.

The Hamilton Republican Committee will be a professional, inclusive organization with the focus on engaging, educating and developing future Republican leaders, Schirmer said in a statement Monday night. This new chapter in the organization reflects a new beginning with Republicans who are excited and ready to engage all for the betterment of the township, county and state that we all love.

The committee members installed Schirmer as party leader during a reorganization meeting Monday, making her the first Hispanic and first female to hold the chairmanship.

State Republican Chairman Doug Steinhardt did not physically attend the Hamilton GOPs in-person meeting, but he addressed the committee members by telephone and talked highly of Schirmer.

Ileana Schirmer is a leader in the New Jersey Republican Party, he said in a statement. As a former councilwoman, candidate for higher office and statewide influencer in building a more diverse and responsive GOP, she is the right person to bring new life and a winning attitude to the Hamilton GOP. I look forward to working with her in her new role.

Since 2018, the Hamilton GOP had been roiled by infighting, culminating with township gadfly David Henderson challenging former Mayor Kelly Yaede in the June 2019 Republican primary. Yaede won the primary with about 65% of the vote but failed to fully unite Hamilton Republicans leading into the general election, where she lost handily to Democratic challenger Jeff Martin.

Schirmer endorsed Henderson in the primary and famously refused to support Yaede in the 2019 general election, previously saying the townships first female mayor was not worthy of an endorsement and certainly not worthy of the office of mayor.

Dennis Pone, the former chair of the Hamilton Republican Committee, firmly supported Yaede to the very end.

Pone is a small businessman who previously served on Hamilton Council alongside Schirmer. He did not seek another term as party leader following the July 7 primary election that installed new committee members eager to rebuild in the post-Yaede era.

Due to the results of the primary election, Pone said in a letter to committee members dated Sunday, I am stepping down as the Chairman of the Hamilton Republican Committee effective today. I have decided that for there to be a seamless transition, I will not stand in the way while the majority goes about choosing a new chairperson of the Hamilton Republican Committee.

Pone talked about his political tenure as a former three-term Hamilton councilman, saying, We have won many elections together over the years and served the people of Hamilton honorably. I am extremely proud of the positive work I have done for the community and my record speaks for itself. It has truly been an honor and a pleasure.

I will now focus my energies into my wonderful and supportive family, Pone added, as well as my business.

The former councilman is a managing partner of A.J. Pone Opticians and DA Pone LLC.

Yaede, who currently serves as the Old Bridge Township public relations officer, says she does not support Schirmer as the new Hamilton GOP chair, saying the former councilwoman has poor judgment for supporting people like Henderson.

Her defense of David Hendersons anti-Islamic posts and not calling on him to resign is damaging to the Republican Party, Yaede said of Schirmer in an interview with The Trentonian Tuesday afternoon. Not only should she not sit to be a chair, she should hold no appointed positions in Hamilton Township.

In January, freshman Mayor Martin appointed Schirmer to serve on the Hamilton Township Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Henderson has a history of posting inflammatory content on Facebook, including images and comments disparaging to Islam.

After the Hamilton GOP elected Schirmer to the chairmanship, Yaede logged into Facebook and bashed Henderson, highlighting his inflammatory social media postings, including an anti-Trenton post from January.

When an Executive Committee Member of the Mercer County Republican Party posts this hateful, divisive and disgraceful material, Yaede said of Henderson in a Monday night Facebook post, he should be forced to step down. Those whom have endorsed, contributed to or supported this individual, your silence is complicit.

Yaede was less diplomatic in an interview with The Trentonian, saying Schirmers judgment has been poor, her judgment in endorsing Dave Henderson and supporting the CFO John Barrett.

Barrett, the former chief financial officer of Hamilton Township, resigned from that position last month after an administrative law judge found him accountable for conduct unbecoming a public official.

Schirmer disagreed with Administrative Law Judge Jeff Masins recommendation for Barrett to be fired, saying in May that Mr. Barrett deserves to continue his work as a CFO and deserves to have this ruling overturned.

The Yaede administration filed tenure charges against Barrett in January 2019 on allegations he grossly violated the townships sick leave policy. The former mayor also chastised the alternative GOP group known as Republicans For a Better Hamilton while running unsuccessfully for re-election last year.

Its unacceptable that she is a member of an alt-right hate group and sits idly by while the Republicans of Hamilton Township allows the disdain of David Henderson, Yaede said of Schirmer. Now to see she supports a racist, misogynist individual, I am proud of my decision to not endorse Schirmer.

Henderson welcomed Schirmer as the new Hamilton GOP chair and said Yaede is a bad chapter in Hamilton Republican politics, and that book is closed on her.

I could think of no better Hamilton Township Republican to take the helm of the Hamilton Township Republican Committee than Ileana Schirmer, Henderson said Tuesday in an interview. She brings impeccable qualifications, outstanding experience and she is well-respected throughout the state in the Republican Party.

While Yaede is calling for Schirmer to step down from any position of power and influence, the former councilwoman is looking forward to the days ahead.

Shes nuts, Schirmer said Tuesday in a statement about Yaede. She needs to own up to her past, go away and allow those who care about the party do their job. She is full of hate and she is the past. Im focused on the future.

Popularly elected to an unexpired term in 2013 and a full term in 2015, Schirmer did not seek re-election to Hamilton Council last year but promised she would continue to be involved in serving the Hamilton Township community in different ways.

After being elected Monday night to the Hamilton GOP chairmanship, The energy at tonights meeting was very exciting and inspiring, Schirmer said in a press statement. I am ready to work together with our great committeemen and women to make it all happen.

Meanwhile, the Hamilton Township Democratic Party is cruising forward with familiar leadership.

I am grateful for the support of the committee, Barbara Plumeri, chairwoman of Hamiltons Democratic Municipal Committee, said Tuesday in a statement. I am proud of my accomplishments on behalf of the Hamilton Democratic Party during the last four years and l look forward to another term to continue our success.

Hamilton Democrats re-elected Plumeri as party leader Monday evening.
YEREVAN.  A group of applicants who were not accepted to Armenias universities and their parents are meeting with MPs in the National Assembly (NA) Wednesday to discuss the issue of the applicants who were not accepted to the countrys institutions of higher education.

NA majority My Step faction member Lilit Stepanyan, and opposition Bright Armenia faction member Anna Kostanyan are participating in this discussion.

To note, the applicants who were not accepted to Armenias universities and their parents are protesting, complaining about the results of the university entrance exams and the new approach of the education department. Accordingly, numerous applicants with lower scores were accepted to universities, whereas many applicants with higher scores were not accepted, as the applicants selected profession was underscored this year, and therefore priority was given to those who selected a given profession as their first choice, rather than to those with high scores in any subject.
Just like we enjoy a range of different possible modes of transportation on Earth, the potential of the space economy allows for many different types of vehicles and launch systems. Dawn Aerospace took the wrapper off one today, a suborbital space plane called the Dawn Mk-II Aurora that's smaller than a compact car and that will be capable of making multiple return trips to suborbital space per day.

The Mk-II is, as its name suggests, a second iteration of the concept created by Dawn. The Mk-I was actually built, and flew in May 2018, demonstrating its ability to fire up its rockets during flight after taking off horizontally from a traditional airstrip. One of the Mk-II's key capabilities is its ability to take off and land at conventional runways, obviating the need for specialized and expensive vertical launch compounds.

Dawn Aerospace was founded in Delft, in the Netherlands, with ties to the Technical University of Delft, and also operates out of New Zealand, which has a growing reputation in the New Space industry stemming from being the home of Rocket Lab, one of the most successful new companies operating commercial launch services. The company's entire mission is built around a sustainable space-based economy, and it also has a thriving business in CubeSat propulsion, building systems that use food-grade propellants for safe fuels that don't carry as much of an environmental cost.

Image Credits: Dawn Aerospace

The Mk-II Aurora approaches the goal of sustainable commercial spaceflight in a different way, promising flights to 60 miles and above for payloads of 3U, which is small but perfectly suitable for a range of scientific experiments. It'll be able to fly and return for multiple trips per day, at a cost of roughly $50,000 per flight, with real-time downlink communications capabilities.

Dawn has plans for an Mk-III iteration of its space plane that will be 60 feet long and be able to carry all the way to orbit payloads weighing between 110 and 220 lbs. Combined with its ability to do multiple daily flights and take off and land from conventional runways anywhere in the world, that would be a game-changer for the small satellite launch industry.
The pandemic has curtailed associated gas production in the Permian basin, temporarily relieving some gas flaring, but the basin could return to record gas production levels by the end of 2021. By 2023, the rate of gas flaring could increase substantially.

Starting next year, drilling activity begins to resume in the Permian, assuming WTI stays above $45 per barrel, according to Rystad Energy. The increase in drilling leads to more associated gas output. The pandemic has knocked gas production down, but by late 2021, Permian gas production will be back to pre-pandemic levels  and it will continue to rise from there.

Rystad expects gas output to continue to rise, reaching 16 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) by 2023, which, to be sure, is 2 bcf/d below the firms prior forecast from earlier this year.

But the market downturn has also delayed investments in new pipelines, Rystad says, such as the Pecos Trail and Permian to Katy pipelines. The firm also said it was unlikely that Tellurians Driftwood LNG and its accompanying gas pipeline will move forward in the short-term.

Taken together, Rystad says that absent new pipelines, there could be another surge in gas flaring. [W]e conclude that in a $45-$50 WTI world, there will be a need for new gas takeaway projects from the Permian as early as 2023-2024, Rystad Energys Head of Shale Research, Artem Abramov, said in a statement. If these projects are not approved early enough, the basin might end up with another period of degradation in local differentials and potentially increased gas flaring. Rystad added that it is highly possible that new pipelines would be approved too late. Related: China Signs Series Of Deals To Develop Supergiant Oilfield In Iran

Of course, there is nothing inevitable about gas flaring. The flaring crisis is the result of Texas regulators affirmatively deciding flaring is preferable to imposing restrictions on the practice, which might affect oil production levels. The Texas Railroad Commission has given the greenlight to more than 27,000 flaring permits and hasnt denied a single flaring permit in years. Receiving a permit to flare unwanted gas has been a mere formality.

Not all of the gas coming out of the ground is burned. Much of it escapes, with fugitive methane emissions a problem at nearly every stage of the process, from extraction to processing and shipment. A recent survey from the Environmental Defense Fund found that 1 out of every 10 flares was malfunctioning or unlit. The hands-off approach from Texas regulators has created a methane crisis.

Pressure has mounted on the RRC, which recently said that it would begin to tighten flaring limits this fall. One idea includes cutting the time that a driller is allowed to flare to 90 days from 180 days, although the big question is whether or not it will be easy to obtain extensions.

Globally, natural gas flaring increased to 150 billion cubic meters last year, up 3 percent from the year before. The 2019 flaring total was the largest amount of flared gas in a decade, according to a new report from the World Bank. The U.S. accounted for 23 percent of the increase, followed by Venezuela (up by 16 percent) and Russia (up by 9 percent). In absolute terms, the top four countries for flaring are Russia, Iraq, the U.S. and Iran, which together account for 45 percent of the total. Related: Oil Markets Face New Glut As OPEC Prepares To Open The Taps

However, satellite technology is improving, allowing analysts for the first time to gain access to a clearer picture of methane emissions. The energy consultancy Kayrros is using data from the European Space Agency to automatically detect methane plumes. The firm detected 790 large methane releases last year, a figure that is likely conservative given that clouds and other obstructions prevent a full accounting. Kayrros said that 686 methane hotspots can be attributed to specific oil and gas production facilities and pipelines.

In a separate story, Bloomberg Green reported that other firms are also using the same satellite data to find major methane leaks, such as one in Turkmenistan last year. This capability means we no longer need to fight climate change blindfolded, Yotam Ariel, the founder of Bluefield Technologies told Bloomberg Green.

Several oil majors have promised to cut flaring and methane emissions, but there is little evidence to suggest that voluntary pledges can be trusted, or that individual commitments can solve an industry-wide problem. EDF suggests the Texas RRC commit to ending flaring entirely by 2025.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
"Our mission is to inspire all students to think critically, pursue their dreams and change the world," said Darren Ginther, Director, Office of College & Career Readiness at SPPS. "As a community, we must come together to ensure our diverse student body has equitable access to thrive in society."

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS), the second largest school district in Minnesota, announced its adoption of the future readiness platform Xello for its 37,000 preK-12 students.

Starting in the Fall, students will have access to Xellos expansive database and discover opportunities that align with their strengths and interests. The district will transition from a grade 6-12 college planning tool to the career exploration platform to meet the long-term goals of their five-year strategic plan - prepare all students for college, career and life.

As weve seen in recent months, our community must come together to ensure our diverse student body has equitable access to thrive in society, said Darren Ginther, Director of the Office of College and Career Readiness at SPPS. Providing the time and space for students to explore their identity and how their interests, strengths and values connect to future possibilities is the foundation of our mission - inspire all students to think critically, pursue their dreams and change the world.

Xello also tracks a students progress within the platform to seamlessly transition from grade to grade. As students advance through pathway courses, complete activities on skills development and start working toward college and career opportunities, all of their unique progress is saved to support the next step they decide to take. Whether a student plans to enter the military, four-year college or workforce, this progress will allow the district to measure student outcomes for their five-year strategic plan.

Our mission is to help every student become future ready, said Matt McQuillen, CEO of Xello. We are proud to partner with Saint Paul Public Schools and support the districts educators and students with the tools to carry out that same mission.

About Xello

Xello is a modern K-12 college, career and future readiness program that helps students achieve a deeper understanding of themselves, explore pathways and plan for the future. Using Xellos discovery-based model, students build knowledge, real-world skills and confidence to prepare for the rapidly evolving world of work. Xello supports multiple student pathways and helps students build real-world skills. Nearly 8 million students and educators work with Xello. Learn more at http://www.xello.world.


NEW HAVEN - IKEA New Haven celebrated its local anniversary by giving to others.

The giving came in the form of $2,500 in furniture and home furnishings each, to Central Connecticut Coast YMCA and The Salvation Army, Southern New England Division, according to IKEA, which celebrated its 16th year in the city this week.

The donation follows its donation to the city of New Haven Office of Housing & Homelessness Services in April, according to IKEA.

Weve continued to receive outreach from many organizations in the state, Jeff Zeitlin, IKEA New Haven Loyalty Manager said in a release.

IKEA Market Manager Ashley Beecroft said that being a good neighbor and demonstrating commitment to community is an essential part of the IKEA culture, which is why we are continuing to do what we can to support local organizations who have initiatives in communities impacted by COVID-19.

The IKEA representatives noted that Covid-19 patients who cannot return to their home, but are well enough for discharge from area hospitals, are being set up in the Bridgeport YMCA for temporary housing. These makeshift areas need towels, sheets, kitchen utensils and more. IKEA New Haven will be supplying an assortment of these articles to support this initiative.

The Alpha Community Services YMCA, a branch of the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA, is steadfast in their mission to end chronic homelessness, Amy Wiltsie, annual campaign director for Central Connecticut Coast YMCA said, in the release. ACS Y has always met the challenge of providing the residents of CT communities facing homelessness with shelter, safety and security and retrofitted additional spaces during the height of the pandemic and its crucial outbreak, that crippled our communities. With the support from IKEA, the Y will be able to help our residents feel more at home.

The IKEA release also noted that the Salvation Army Summer Camp lodge doors are open for first responders during the COVID crisis and need home furnishings. IKEA will supply home furnishing to assist in outfitting nine of the rooms at The Salvation Armys Camp Connri in Ashford, the release said.

The donations are part of a more than $1.5 million nationwide donation IKEA Retail U.S. announced this year to support Covid-19 related initiatives in the local markets of stores, the release said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:12:51|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Japan on Wednesday confirmed its highest daily number of new COVID-19 infections at 1,299 cases, marking the first time the daily tally has topped the 1,000 threshold amid concerns over rising cases outside the capital.

Tokyo, the epicenter of the outbreak, reported 250 new infections, bringing its cumulative total to 11,861 cases, while Osaka confirmed its highest ever daily total of new infections at 221, marking the first time cases have topped 200 in the western prefecture.

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura told a press briefing on the matter that the situation could worsen.

"Considering the positive rate in virus tests is as high as 10 percent, I think the number of infections will increase further," Yoshimura said, as the region's cumulative total hit 3,651 cases.

Aichi Prefecture in central Japan, meanwhile, also registered a fresh daily record of 167 new infections, with the prefecture's cumulative number of cases reaching 1,452, according to the latest figures Wednesday evening.

Mayor of Nagoya, Aichi's capital city, Takashi Kawamura, told an an extraordinary press conference that the rising number of infections was causing a strain on the region's medical system.

"The situation is completely different from the one between February and April," Kawamura said.

"We are feeling the strain on the number of hospital beds available, and there are even residents waiting to be admitted," he added.

In Fukuoka Prefecture, in southwestern Japan, 101 new daily infections were recorded, also an all-time high for the prefecture, where total cases have risen to 1,636, according to the latest figures.

The health ministry and local authorities reported Wednesday evening that the nation's cumulative cases of the novel coronavirus now stands at 33,474, not including those connected to a cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo in February.

The nationwide death toll from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stands at a total of 1,017 people, Wednesday evening's figures showed. Enditem
With the start of the school year drawing ever-closer, many parents and students are anxious about what the return to the classroom will look like for them. Weve got a roundup of some of the back-to-school plans that have been released.

Bushra (7) is sitting in the classroom wearing a mask in Frankfurt, Germany on July 29, 2020. Photo: Andreas Arnold/dpa (Photo by Andreas Arnold/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Elementary students will be returning to the classroom full time, five days a week.

Returning to the classroom in September 2020 will be voluntary, based on the choice of parents. If parents do not with their child return to school, they can opt out.

Elementary school students will be in cohorts, grouped with the same students for recess and lunch. Class sizes will be the same as the maximum levels put in place before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elementary students will receive 300 minutes of instruction per day, and will remain with their cohort for the full day, including recess and lunch. Timing for recess, lunch and bathroom breaks will be staggered to support cohorting.

Elementary students will be able to leave their classroom to get additional instructional support, but direct and indirect interactions should be limited to approximately 50 people.

Secondary school students in designated school boards will attend school on alternating days in cohorts of about 15 students. Designated school boards are primarily in areas with high student density.

Secondary students in non-designated school boards will attend school full time.

On days when secondary students are not in the classroom and are remote learning, they will be assigned curriculum-linked independent work. Where possible, they will participate in synchronous learning with their teacher and classmates for a portion of the day.

Children with special needs who struggle with remote learning can attend school daily.

Students in Grades 4 through 12 are required to wear a non-medical mask or face covering while in school. Masks will be available, but students are also permitted to wear their own non-medical masks. Students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 are encouraged to wear masks but are not required to do so.

Teachers and staff will be provided with medical masks and eye protection (i.e. face shields).

Staff who are regularly in close contact with students will be provided with all necessary PPE. The provincial government will be providing school boards PPE and cleaning products and work closely with boards for distribution and delivery.

School boards have been asked to prepare for three different scenarios: 1. Normal school day with enhanced health and safety protocols; 2. Modified school day routine that would include cohorts and alternative day or week education delivery; and 3. At-home learning with remote delivery.

School boards are asked to be nimble, as they may need to switch which of these scenarios they are using through the school year.

Schools should be prepared to offer remote learning options for students and families who opt not to return to the classroom, and extend agreements to provide students with devices and internet connectivity if they were not able to otherwise access those resources.

Timetables should be such that students are only in contact with their cohort (including a single teacher) for as much of the school day as possible.

Over the course of a one or two-week period, timetables should ensure interactions with other students are limited to no more than 100, and students should be in a maximum of two in-person class cohorts.

Credits for secondary school students depend on 110-hours of course material delivery, which may mean shortening the in-class day in the adapted model of delivery for schools in designated boards.

Most schools in Ontario will open on September 8. School boards will provide teachers and staff with three professional development days prior to opening. All teachers and staff will participate in a paid one-day health and safety training.

The need to eliminate rotating teachers will require changes in how subjects like music, French or Anglais, art and physical education are delivered.

Boards are encouraged to offer regular, everyday timetabling for special education classes and participating students.

Schools should use procedures that encourage physical distancing, like tape on the floor, scheduling recess in smaller groups and holding outdoor physical education classes.

Minimize the use of personal belongings including backpacks, clothing and sunscreen  if brought, ask that the items be labelled and kept separate in the childs area.

School boards should work with service providers to ensure that before- and after-school programming is available to support children and families.

Extra-curricular activities like organized sports and clubs can resume if social distancing can be maintained and spaces are disinfected between each use.
Ahern, who will be based in Melbourne, brings nearly two decades of insurance market experience to Arch Insurance Australia. She most recently served in the same capacity at QBE.

Reid, a 15-year industry veteran who joins from Chubb Insurance Australia where he too was A&H senior underwriter, will be located in Sydney.

We pride ourselves on the depth of underwriting talent across our team, commented Arch Insurance Australia regional manager Dominic Brannigan. Melissa and Simon bring a wealth of sector experience and will significantly bolster the underwriting capabilities within our A&H team.

We look forward to working with them to further enhance the service and solutions that we provide to our brokers and their clients.
In 1992, at the age of 28, I was accused of murdering a man and was sent to prison for that murder. Do you still want to keep reading? Do you think differently of me?

I was freed in November 2015 when the single witness who testified against me  the victims girlfriend  was found to be unreliable, untruthful and incredible. It turned out she had been coerced by Louis Scarcella, an acclaimed New York City homicide detective, whose 50 murder convictions were called into question when his sketchy investigatory tactics were revealed by the Brooklyn district attorneys Conviction Integrity Unit, compromising the legitimacy of those convictions  including mine. Do you still want to keep reading? Do you think differently of me?

I know what its like to come home and have nothing. I know what it is like to be treated like nothing in the hands of the criminal justice system and to be treated like less than nothing while locked up. And I know that this current framework must end, and now is the moment.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on, New Jersey has held the distinct dishonor of being the state with the highest rate of deaths in prisons due to the coronavirus. As the rest of the nation embarks on an unprecedented trajectory, and more prisons experience the crisis New Jersey has, every state will wrestle with this problem. New Jersey has a chance to do the right thing.

Gov. Phil Murphy has the ability to commute sentences, but he hasnt. While the governor has given prisoners the right to a medical furlough or parole, and the New Jersey Supreme Court has created a legal framework to allow incarcerated people the right to appeal a denial, people incarcerated in New Jerseys prisons continue to sicken, and, in some cases, they will die, as many already have. The death toll also extends to the staff  civilian and correctional alike, as well as the families they go home to.

New Jerseys SB 2519 and AB 4235, introduced by State Sen. Nellie Pou, Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, and Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, creates a public health emergency credit, expediting release for people due to complete their sentences within a year. The credits will reduce sentences by four months for each month of the declared state of emergency during the pandemic, with a maximum sentence reduction of eight months. The legislation will apply to adults and kids, with an exception for people determined to be compulsive and repetitive sex offenders in need of treatment.

The COVID-19 crisis has shown us how seriously the state takes its self-appointed task of fortifying the walls that determine how far in we cannot see, allowing people to die as we whistle past the prison gates. Right now, in this moment, we are willing to allow people to die to avoid acknowledging the effects that ruthless policing and generations of social deprivations have wrought.

As someone who worked with men accused of all types of crimes, I saw firsthand how often the system got it wrong, as a constitutional matter and as a matter of truth. I watched as desperately sick men were failed by overwhelmed prison hospitals, and given Tylenol to address serious conditions, from cancerous tumors to bowel obstructions. Now I watch as the deaths climb, as ill people overwhelm hospitals in locations close to prisons, threatening the lives of communities inside and out.

COVID has revealed that we are not deemed worthy of this world, even with the virus roaring at our backs. Our families are told they do not deserve their fathers, daughters, uncles, brothers, and wives. That it is acceptable for people to die.

I saw this same indifference in the casual dispensation of solitary. I saw it in case after case as a jailhouse lawyer. Still, even in the face of death, we see the same tired arguments: that even with a deadly virus exploding in the Petri dish of our prisons, where spread is assured, incarcerated people do not deserve to be treated with the basic dignity accorded to any human being.

I was in for murder, a murder that I did not commit, with incontrovertible evidence proving my innocence. If I were still in, my life could have ended in prison, waiting to be exonerated for a crime I did not commit, clearly an injustice. Yet, is it in any way just to let an elderly man who did commit murder, and has served 50 years, die?

You must think differently of me  our society depends on it. That also goes for the men and women who are suffering in our prisons, waiting in fear for possible symptoms of a deadly virus. We have to find our own humanity in understanding theirs.

Derrick Hamilton is an activist for reform of the criminal legal system and advocates on behalf of those affected by it. He served for 23 years in prison, where he was a jailhouse lawyer, before his exoneration and release. A version of this piece also appeared in the Star-Ledger.
Capt Amarinder Singh and Sukhbir Badal

Chandigarh: Taking strong exception to the so-called warning by Sukhbir Singh Badal on recent arrests under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said he will do everything under the law as needed to protect the security and integrity of Punjab and of the nation, and the SAD presidents threats could not deter him from ensuring the safety of his people.

Sukhbir Badal and AmarinderIf there are any specific instances of wrongful arrest or registration of case by Punjab Police under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), as he has claimed, Sukhbir should send him a list of the same instead of making unnecessary noise, said the Chief Minister.

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There was no question of falsely implicating anyone, he said, urging the SAD chief to refrain from playing into the hands of the separatists by trying to incite the states youth, especially Sikhs, against the police force.

Pointing out that UAPA had been in existence for long, the Chief Minister reminded Sukhbir that under the SAD-BJP regime, more than 60 cases under UA(P)A had been registered in Punjab, of which 19 were in 2010 alone and 12 in 2017.

Of the 225 individuals arrested in these cases, 120 were acquitted or discharged, indicating that indiscriminate application of UA (P) A had in fact been done by the Akalis during their tenure, he observed.

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Captain Amarinder Singh

Captain Amarinder lashed out at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief for trying to compromise the interests of Punjab with his politically motivated propaganda against the Punjab Police, particularly the DGP, whose professional and secular credentials were above board.

It was shocking that Sukhbir, who was leading a party that claimed to be the custodians of Sikhism, was in fact protesting against the Punjab Polices fight against separatist and terrorist activities designed to divide the Sikhs on communal lines, said the Chief Minister.

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Pointing to the increasing attempts by Pakistans ISI to infiltrate terrorist modules and smuggle weapons into Punjab from across the border, Captain Amarinder said his government was committed to taking whatever steps necessary, as per the law, to protect not just the state but India from these elements.

There were forces bent on destabilising the nation by fomenting trouble and promoting the separatist ideology, he further observed, citing the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) Khalistani agenda.

Sukhbir should know that SFJ has been declared as unlawful organisation and its chief Gurpatwant Pannu had been designated a terrorist by the Indian government, and, as such, the police force of all states, including Punjab, were duty-bound to take all legal action to fight their attempts to subvert national security, said the Chief Minister.

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Capt AmarinderAt a time when the countries across the world were rejecting the SFJs pro-Khalistan agenda, Sukhbir was virtually supporting it with his targeted attacks on his own states police department, which had successfully busted 30 terrorist modules and arrested 170 terrorists since March 2017, to ensure the peace and stability of Punjab in the face of extreme threats, said Captain Amarinder. Besides, he said that around 85 sophisticated Rifles/Pistols, including AK-47s and MP-9/MP-5 Rifles, 27 hand-grenades, 3 powerful Chinese made drones, 5 Satellite phones and other terrorist hardware has been recovered, indicating the extent of smuggling of weapons from across the border.

Evidently, Sukhbir is not interested in these facts and all he cares about is promoting his own vested political agenda, whatever the cost to Punjab and its people, said the Chief Minister.

On Sukhbirs reference to Punjabs dark era, the Chief Minister said it was to prevent the return of the state to that dark era that his government and the state police was clamping down on all terrorist and secessionist activities.

Sukhbir Singh BadalHis government had, in fact, launched a massive de-radicalization drive, using the social media widely to scuttle all attempts by Pakistan and SFJ sponsored forces to radicalize youth in Punjab and incite them to carry out militant or violent activities, he added.

Far from charging or arresting these youth, they are in fact counselled and brought back into the social mainstream, said Captain Amarinder.
Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listen while U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Department of State following bilateral talks in Washington, D.C. July 28, 2020.

Singapores leader on Tuesday appealed for stability in the increasingly tense relationship between the United States and China relations, expressing concern that either the two world powers could clash, or that the U.S. could turn its back on the region.

Meanwhile, the top diplomats and defense officials of allies U.S. and Australia met for annual talks in Washington, and were unsparing in their criticism of China, voicing serious concerns over recent coercive and destabilizing actions across the Indo-Pacific in a joint statement.

Australia, which last week took a new tough diplomatic stance rejecting Chinas sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea, said its ships would continue to transit those disputed waters, but stopped short of publicly committing to conducting freedom of navigation operations in what China considers its territorial waters.

The U.S. and China have held dueling military exercises in the South China Sea in recent weeks, raising the risk of escalation as more warships operate closely in the disputed waters, where several of Singapores Southeast Asian neighbors have territorial claims. The U.S. has accused China of bullying other South China Sea claimants, while China on Tuesday repeated its charge that the U.S. is militarizing and stoking tensions in the area.

We worry about two things. One, that you (the United States) may collide with the Chinese in Asia, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at a talk hosted by the Washington, D.C.-based Atlantic Council, and on the other hand you may decide that you have no stake in the region and leave us to our own defenses.

The city state of Singapore is Southeast Asias most prosperous nation, and has historically retained cordial ties with both powers, notwithstanding its close defense partnership with the U.S., which rotates littoral combat ships that often patrol the South China Sea through Singapore.

Lee stressed that Singapore wanted to maintain good relations with China and very deep relations with the U.S. We depend on stable U.S.-China relations in order for us to have a secure, predictable environment in which we can make a living and live our lives, he said.

The U.S.-China relationship has deteriorated sharply on multiple fronts. In addition to tensions in the South China Sea, the U.S. has taken China to task over security legislation in Hong Kong and its treatment of Uyghur Muslims. Most recently, there have been tit-for-tat closures of consulates amid accusations of spying and intellectual property theft.

Lee asked for stability and predictability in the U.S. approach to Asia based on a bipartisan consensus in Washington, so that the policy would endure between administrations, and people can plan on it and can depend on it.

One such stakeholder counting on a stable U.S. presence in the region is Australia, a key U.S. ally whose foreign and defense ministers were in Washington this week for the 30th annual Australia-US Ministerial Consultations, or AUSMIN.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (center) pictured next to the leaders of Thailand and Vietnam at a summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2019. Credit: Reuters Australia, along with Japan, has taken part in trilateral military exercises in the South China Sea, including when the U.S. sent two aircraft carrier groups on maneuvers there earlier this month.

China, in response, started a live-fire exercise off the province of Guangdong this week, practicing anti-ship attack drills with its air force, according to state media.

At a news conference Tuesday after AUSMIN, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne confirmed that they discussed with the U.S. conducting Freedom of Navigation Operations, or FONOPs, but she did not definitively say Australia would perform them.

FONOPs directly challenge Chinas maritime claims in the South China Sea, by sending warships through waters that China claims nearly in their entirety. The U.S. has frequently sent warships within 12 nautical miles of land features China claims.

Payne said her nation has a long history of transiting through the region unilaterally, bilaterally with regional friends, and multilaterally.

Our approach remains consistent. We will continue to transit through the region in accordance with international law, she said.

Ashley Townshend, the director for Foreign Policy and Defense at the University of Sydneys United States Studies Centre, told RFA that Australia has been hesitant to conduct FONOPs, owing to concerns about Chinese retaliation, uncertainty about Americas capacity to protect Australian ships, and uneasiness about taking actions in support of maritime rights that Southeast Asian claimants themselves have not undertaken.

But Townshend said Canberra and Washington were increasingly concerned by Beijings persistent use of coercion, intimidation and, in some cases, outright aggression against regional countries in the South China Sea.

In their joint statement Tuesday, the U.S. and Australia reiterated their respective, closely aligned diplomatic positions that China cannot assert maritime claims in the South China Sea based on the nine-dash line, historic rights, or entire South China Sea island groups, which are incompatible with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the news conference that the U.S. would keep working with Australia to reassert the rule of law in the South China Sea.

On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin rejected Australias recent declaration that Chinas South China Sea maritime claims were illegal. China firmly opposes the Australian side's comments which run counter to facts, international law and basic norms governing international relations, Wang told a news conference in Beijing.

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, have tried to hash out their differences in the South China Sea through a negotiated Code of Conduct agreement that would govern behavior in the region, as Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia all have claims in the South China Sea that compete or conflict with that of China.

China and ASEAN agreed to resume talks on the Code of Conduct after they were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic a month ago, and Singapores Lee was upbeat about the negotiations but hesitant to say the code would be complete by 2021 as planned.

I think it's far better that we are talking about a Code of Conduct and trying to work it out rather than having face-offs at sea, at close-quarters, at risk of collision and escalations, he said.
A general view of the exterior of Thai Rock restaurant in Potts Point on July 27, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Matt King/Getty Images)

Australian Senator and a Staffer Visited Virus Diners

A federal government senator has been told to monitor herself for COVID-19 symptoms after attending a Sydney restaurant.

Hollie Hughes has shared an email from NSW Health confirming she was classified as a casual contact because she spent less than two hours at Thai Rock.

A diner and staff member at the Potts Point restaurant have tested positive.

Anyone who spent more than two hours at the restaurant between July 15 and 25 must get tested and self-isolate for two weeks, regardless of symptoms.

But so-called casual contacts  who were there for under two hours  have been told to monitor for symptoms.

One of the prime ministers senior advisers went into self-quarantine this week after being linked to a coronavirus infection at another Potts Point restaurant.

Nico Louw has since tested negative but is continuing to self-isolate.

Louw was a close contact of a confirmed coronavirus case who attended The Apollo on July 25.

A handful of federal politicians have contracted the virus, including Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who tested positive earlier this year after visiting the US.

Rebecca Gredley in Canberra
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Thousands of refugees and migrants in east and west Africa, are dying while others face harrowing abuses in their attempts to reach the continents Mediterranean coast in search of a better life, a joint United Nations/Danish Refugee Council report said on Wednesday
The conviction of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak presents "a renewed hope" for Malaysians who voted the ex-leader out of power two years ago, the country's top opposition political leader said Wednesday.

Najib was sentenced to 12 years in jail and handed a fine of 210 million Malaysian ringgit ($49.3 million) after he was found guilty of all seven charges in the first of his five trials linked to the financial scandal at state-owned fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB.

"It is a renewed hope for Malaysians in general who were upset with the recent political development but at least they believe now that the climate for change and, finally, the voice of the people must be heard," Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition leader, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia."

Some observers and analysts said the fall of Najib  a former top political office holder  in the court of law was a rare occurrence in Southeast Asian politics and an important one in Malaysia's long battle against corruption.

"Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak made history ... when he became the country's highest-ranking official ever to be convicted in court," said Francis Hutchinson, senior fellow and coordinator of the Malaysia studies program at Singaporean think tank ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
Koreaas objections to Japanas export restrictions are being taken up by the World Trade Organization (WTO), which decided to create an arbitration panel.

The WTOas Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) held a meeting Wednesday in which the member countries agreed to set up the panel.

The decision came a month after the Korean government officially made a request.

On June 18, Seoul filed for the establishment of the panel through the Korean representative at the WTO in Geneva. The issue was raised during a DSB meeting on June 29.

Japan opposed the request on June 29 and on Wednesday.

However, under a WTO regulation, a panel is automatically approved unless all 164 member countries oppose.

The entire process, however, is expected to take time. Even the selection of three candidates for the panel will take roughly five to six months.

A final ruling on the dispute is expected to take between 10 to 13 months.

The process can be further extended if either one of the countries object to the panelas final decision.

The Korean government said in a statement that it will argue that Japanas export restrictions were arbitrary and discriminatory, which go against WTO rules.

In July 2019, Japan restricted exports of three key materials a hydrogen fluoride, fluorinated polyimide and photoresists a which are used in the manufacturing of high-quality semiconductors and displays, major Korean industries.

The Japanese government cited Koreaas failure to comply with strict control of strategic exports, threatening Japanas national security.

Korea saw the move as retaliation for Korean court decisions calling for compensation for Koreans forced into labor by Japan during World War II.


The number of babies born in South Korea dropped 9.3 percent in May from a year earlier, data showed Wednesday, in the latest sign underscoring the low birthrate that has plagued the nation for more than a decade.







The data compiled by Statistics Korea showed that 23,001 babies were born in May, compared with 25,360 tallied in the same month of 2019. It marks the lowest number of newborns for any May since the statistics agency started compiling monthly data on newborns in 1981.







In the first five months of this year, 120,470 babies were born in South Korea, down 10.9 percent from a year ago.







South Korea's total fertility rate hit an all-time low in 2019, a clear sign of its imminent population decline.







The country's total fertility rate, which refers to the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime, came to 0.92 last year, down from 0.98 a year earlier.







Last year marked the second consecutive year for the rate to fall below 1. South Korea was the only member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that had a total fertility rate below 1.







The 2019 figure is far below the replacement level of 2.1 that would keep South Korea's population stable at 51 million. It is also a sharp drop from the 4.53 in 1970, when the government began to compile related data.







The crude birthrate  the number of births per 1,000 people per year  also came to a new low of 5.9 in 2019, down from the previous year's 6.4. (Yonhap)


The unfolding of Sushant Singh Rajput's death probe is getting more convoluted as new details and angles have been emerging with each passing day. Fans and netizens from across the board have been urging the government to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

On being quizzed about it by the media, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh replied by stating that the Mumbai Police is investigating the case and therefore it wont be transferred to the central agency. He was quoted by ANI in their tweet from Wednesday (July 29) evening that read, "Mumbai police are investigating the case. It will not be transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): Anil Deshmukh, Maharashtra Home Minister on #SushantSinghRajput's death case."

Also on Wednesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had called upon a meeting at his residence to discuss the high-profile case with his cabinet members and the Mumbai Police officials. Post the meeting, the government stated their consensus that Mumbai Police is capable of handling the case and will continue to be in charge and there is no need of it to be transferred to the CBI.

Mumbai police are investigating the case. It will not be transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): Anil Deshmukh, Maharashtra Home Minister on #SushantSinghRajput's death case pic.twitter.com/RCPDDMvF2t  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

For the unversed, Sushant Singh Rajput passed away on June 14. The 34-year-old actors untimely death is being probed by the Mumbai Police who have recorded over 41 statements from people in connection with Sushant's death including Rhea Chakraborty, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Shekhar Kapur, Aditya Chopra, Rajeev Masand and Mahesh Bhat to name a few.

However, a parallel investigation has now been set up and commenced by the Bihar police after Sushants father KK Singh filed an FIR against the late actor's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty on 27th July 2020. A four-member team from the state has arrived in Mumbai and have met the top officials with respect to the case.

ALSO READ: Sushants Family Had Informed Mumbai Police About Threat To His Life In February: Vikas Singh

ALSO READ: Rhea Chakraborty Files Petition Seeking Investigation In Sushants Case To Be Transferred To Mumbai
Iran urges other countries not to be deceived by US over arms embargo

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Tue / 28 July 2020 / 16:25

Tehran (ISNA) - Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Mohsen Baharvand has urged other countries not to be deceived by the US, which is trying to have the UN's arms embargo on Iran extended.

Mohsen Baharvand made the comment as US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook travelled to the region in recent days in line with Washington's efforts to extend the arms embargo on the Islamic Republic. Hook is to visit several European countries as well to pursue this objective.

"Our message to countries in the region and across world is that they should not be deceived by the US," said the top Iranian diplomat.

He said the White House has launched propaganda campaigns to make others change their minds about the issue.

"The Americans know well that Iran is a logical player and has never been, and will never be a threat to the regional countries," he said.

He noted the US seeks to scuttle the Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and stir up fresh chaos in the region, IFP reported.

"The outcome of this illogical behaviour of the US is that all countries in the region and beyond will lose," he added.

End Item

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Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on Tuesday threatened to launch a statewide agitation if the government did not withdraw the amendments to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act forthwith.

"As the amendments are anti-farmer and in favour of the real estate, we will launch an agitation across the state along with farmer and the rural people if they are not withdrawn," Deve Gowda told reporters here.

The amendments to the 1961 Act, made through an ordinance earlier this month, enable even non-farmers to purchase and own farmlands across the state for farming and agri-related activity.

"The government has also amended the APMC Act, allowing private players to buy foodgrains, vegetables and fruits from farmers to their cost advantage," said Deve Gowda, a newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from the state.

As a farmer and son of the soil, he said the recent changes in the labour laws were also against workers and serve the interests of industrialists and factory owners.

"I have already written three letters to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa urging him to withdraw the amendments to the Land Reforms Act and the APMC Act, failing which I will take to streets along with hundreds of farmers and rural people," he warned.

The May 14 amendment to the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act, through an ordinance, is to lift restrictions on sale of farm produce and allow farmers to directly sell their crop in APMC yards or in private markets where they get the best price.

"By allowing anyone to buy and own farmlands, the pro-capitalist and pro-industry government is helping land sharks to rob the livelihood of thousands of farmers and hit foodgrain production in the state," Deve Gowda claimed.

Defending the amendments, Yediyurappa said the amended Land Reforms Act permitted citizens who are not farmers to buy farmlands in the state to grow food crops but not use the land for other activities.

An official said that the amendments repealed sections 79 A, B and C from the 1961 Act, paving way for bonafide citizens to invest in agriculture lands and take to farming as a hobby, passion or additional occupation, which is rewarding.

The amended Act will also enable the state to attract investments in the farm sector and boost food production, as the sector's contribution to the gross domestic state product (GDSP) has been less than by the manufacturing and services sectors over the last 2 decades, the official said.

On the new APMC Act, the Chief Minister said the amendments would double the farmers' income as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The amendment will not dilute powers or work of APMCs, as all marketing activities will be monitored by the state APMC director, he clarified.

"The new law will stop exploitation of farmers by market forces, middlemen and commission agents and prevent them from selling their produce in distress when prices fall. They can sell their produce to those who pay them the highest price," Yediyurappa contended.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
And so to the South American republic of Ecuador where one of Gina Rineharts local mining executives has gotten himself into a spot of bother. By that, we mean arrested after he was found with a cache of weapons including two pistols, a rifle and more than 9500 rounds of ammunition.

Gine Rinehart in Ecuador. Credit:Illustration: Matt Golding

Carlos D Miguel, general manager of the Rinehart-backed Hanrine Ecuadorian Exploration and Mining, was detained on Monday in Tumbaco, north-east of the capital of Quito, the El Comerico newspaper reported.

There is no doubt gold mining in that region is fraught business, with miners at risk from protesters and illegal mining. So you could expect a modicum of solidarity from other Australian companies in the region. But no.

Rival miner SolGold Ecuador, which counts BHP and Newcrest on its share registry, was quick to point out Miguel has never been linked or maintains any relationship with the company. It added it was guided by transparency and trust and #MineriaConResponsabilidad which translates as responsible mining. Throwing too much shade, is it not?
President Ilham Aliyev inaugurated a number of projects in Balakan region that he visited on July 29.

First, he inaugurated a new building of Balakan Children's Art School.

The Balakan Children's Art School was built in accordance with the order ot the President from August 5, 2017, and consists of a three-story building, designed for 320 students. In addition to 45 classrooms, the school has an area of 3232 square meters, a room for storage of musical instruments and a choreography room, sculpture and painting workshops, a sound recording studio and a library. The 177-seat auditorium of the school has all the necessary facilities for holding events. The Children's Art School currently has 288 pupils and 64 teachers.

Furthermore, he inaugurated a new ASAN Balakan Regional Service Center.

President familiarized himself with the conditions created in the center.

It is a four-story center that will serve all citizens of the country without territorial restrictions, as well as about 284,000 citizens registered in the regions.

It was noted that disinfection tunnel installed there is a device that allows users to observe personal hygiene rules and enter any sterile space. The disinfection zone was placed inside a tunnel that was used for remote temperature measurement and data storage.

In addition, it was stated that ultraviolet air purifiers were used in rooms to purify the air from viruses and bacteria by ultraviolet rays. The air coming from the bottom of the unit passes through mechanical filters and enters the ultraviolet chamber. This cell eliminates 99 percent of viruses and bacteria in the air.

The ozone generators installed there is a device that is widely used to destroy various harmful microorganisms, disinfect air and water. Ozone is a more effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chemical disinfectants. Disinfection doors destroyed viruses and bacteria on everyone who passed through them, thanks to ultraviolet rays. The disinfection robot is a special equipment that prevents the spread of different viruses and infections by quickly disinfecting the premises. Ultraviolet air and surface cleaners and ozone generators are effective air purifiers in public buildings and densely populated areas to combat coronavirus.

It was noted that Azerbaijan had increased the e-Government Development Index by 71 points compared to 2018, exceeding the world average by 11 points.

The purpose of the e-Auction System is to increase the availability of participation in auctions, facilitate the auction process and enable unified reporting. The use of the system allows to electronize processes and save resources, ensures transparency, electronic payments and SMS notifications.

Additionally, it was noted that another new project is the information system "Electronic Water Resources Management". This system is a data-based information system designed to improve the efficiency of water use in the country and to improve accounting and management in this area. The system was designed to assess, inventory, model and collect relevant information on water resources and to integrate that information with other relevant systems through the e-Government Information System.

After familiarization with the center, President Ilham Aliyev met with ASAN volunteers, and addressed the meeting.

Later, President attended the even on puting into operation of Balakan Center for Automatic Management and Control of Azerishig OJSC.

Chairman of the Board of Azerishig OJSC Vugar Ahmedov informed the Head of State that the network serves a total of 23,159 subscribers, including 21,353 residents and 1,806 non-residents. In order to improve the power supply to the region, to provide subscribers with stable and quality electricity, the main reconstruction works were carried out on 110/6 kV "Qafqaz" substation in the village of Kateks, built 35/6 kV "Kortala" substation, and 35 kV "Kortala" substation airline was conducted. Some 36 sets of old transformer substations were replaced with modern ones, new overhead and cable lines were laid, and 1872 different voltage supports were installed in the region. Reconstruction works were carried out in 0.4 kV networks consisting of open wires, in 6 villages.

It was noted that in accordance with the Smart Networks concept the Automatic Control and Monitoring Center was established and with the help of special software for the network management at all stages from purchase to consumption, identification and analysis of real-time balance and technological losses, taking preventive measures. There will be a virtual archiving of cargo parameters, provision of technical specifications according to subscribers' requests via electronic card, preparation of documents for connecting consumers to the electricity network. The Centre will also play a special role in ensuring uninterrupted and quality control of high and low voltage networks, monitoring consumption indicators, registering holes and connections in the power grid in real time.

Additionally, it was noted that as a result of measures taken and investments made, losses in the Balaken power network have decreased by 5.2 percent, and 10 million Kilowatt hours of electricity have been saved. The level of collection of useful electricity reached 87 percent.

President Ilham Aliyev familiarized himself with the equipment purchased for public utilities of the city.

During the same visit, president attended the opening of the reconstructed Balakan- Gazbin- Itala highway. The Balakan-Hanifa-Guluzanbin highway was also presented during the event.

Saleh Mammadov, chairman of the State Highway Agency of Azerbaijan, informed President Ilham Aliyev that roads of the third and fourth technical level with length of 29 km have two lanes.

The Balakan-Gazbin-Itala highway built by presidential order connects 10 settlements with a population of 18,000 people. There are 123 road signs and information boards on the road. 8,700 square metres of road lines have been laid and the bridge over the irrigation canal has been overhauled.

President Ilham Aliyev familiarized himself with the work carried out in the framework of the reconstruction project of Balakan-Hanifa-Guluzanbin highway.

It was noted the length of the road connecting 7 settlements with 9,000 people is 25 kilometers. There are 2 traffic lanes at the fourth technical level.

The Head of State was also informed of the work done in the framework of the Gullar-Tulu-Talalar-Sharif-Ajiliqbina-Gaisa highway construction project.

Additionally, President visited Honey Fruit Orchard in Balakan region.

The Head of State was informed about the farm.

It was noted that 95,000 apple seedlings and 3,000 pears of 4 species were planted at the Honey Fruit Orchard established in 2012 in the villages of Catech and Beretbina. In addition, agro-technical and agrochemical services are provided in the gardens, where 6500 plums and 2000 nectarine seedlings of 5 species are planted on the area of 15 hectares in Beretbina village, and a modern drip irrigation system is installed in these gardens.

It was reported that the construction of a refrigerated warehouse with a capacity of 1300 tons for storing fruit in special conditions began in early 2020 and is planned to be put into operation in September. A fish breeding lake was created on 6 hectares of the garden, and 3 species of fish are fed here.

It was noted that 80 people work on the farm, and more than 200 residents are involved in seasonal work during the harvest.

It should be noted that the farm produced 1200 tons of fruit last year, 1400 tons this year and more than 2000 tons in 2023-2024.
















Three more Rafale jets to land in India from France in non-stop flight

6 Rafale fighters to be flagged off by IAF chief from France

Meet Hilal Ahmad Rather, India's first IAF officer to fly weaponised Rafale

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, July 29: The first batch of the much-awaited five Rafale fighter jets that took off from France on July 27 will reach India today around 2 PM. In the moment of euphoria over the arrival of one of world's best fighter jets, Indian social media users were quick to point out the important role played by Hilal Ahmad Rather.

Rafale Jets enter Indian Airspace: watch first visuals | Oneindia News

The man behind the quick delivery of Rafale jets is touted to be Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather, who is currently serving as an Air Attache to France.

Specifications and performance data of Rafale fighter jets

India and France had signed an inter-governmental agreement in September 2016 for 36 Rafale jets worth Rs 59,000 crore deal. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had gone to Merignac airbase on October 9, 2019, to perform 'Puja' to get the early delivery of the first batch of Rafale fighter jets purchased by India.

Born in the south Kashmir's Anantnag district to middle-class parents, Hilal's father, late Mohammad Abdullah Rather retired as a deputy superintendent of police (Dy SP) in J&K police department.

He has three sisters and is the only son of his parents.

Hilal was commissioned in Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on December 17, 1988. He became flight lieutenant in 1993, wing commander in 2004, group captain in 2016 and air commodore in 2019. He graduated from defence services staff college (DSSC). He also graduated from air war college (USA) with distinction. He won the sword of honour in NDA.

Recipient of Vayu Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva medal, Hilal has a record of 3,000 accident-free flying hours on different aircraft.
Theres something unsettling (and creepily familiar) about the lack of panic. What if the apocalypse came and everyone sadly shrugged? Or maybe more to the point: What if no one tried to stave it off?

One woman regrets she stuck in a relationship too long. Another starts kissing a guy and while neither seems particularly passionate, what little interest they have peters out. But everyone seems depressed and haunted by the sense that they will ultimately die alone, an old theme with new urgency in a time when the pandemic limits loved ones from mourning together at a funeral. The real monster of this movie is not a virus, but loneliness itself. This pandemic hasnt created what the former surgeon general Vivek Murthy calls a loneliness epidemic, so much as laid it bare. More Americans live alone than ever before and those who tell pollsters they are lonely have doubled since the 1980s. Research has shown that lack of social support does not just increase depression and mental health problems, but also has a physical impact, particularly for older adults.

Two of these horror movies, which portray the tense relationship between an older woman and her caregiver, speak to this situation.

Relic is a nuanced character study, a portrait of a disordered mind that hints, at supernatural terror. In her debut film, the director Natalie Erika James shows us a family whose ties have frayed. The grandmother, Edna (Robyn Nevin), has vanished and her daughter, Kay (Emily Mortimer), and granddaughter (Bella Heathcote) search for her. Kay has grown distant from her mother, and argues with her daughter about putting her in a home. In between these mundane family scenes are flashbacks to a cabin in the woods housing a solitary figure. The house begins to work like a metaphor both for the shaky foundations of their relationships as well as the mind of Edna.

James uses the tools of scary movies (ominous strings, titled camerawork, buzzing flies) but roots them in realism. The result is one of the most emotionally draining movies in memory, the rare scary movie that evokes Kenneth Lonergans sensitive play The Waverly Gallery, another portrait of a family dealing with the declining mind of a matriarch suffering from Alzheimers.
A riot police officer (R) detains a man (C) during a protest by district councillors at a mall in Yuen Long in Hong Kong on July 19, 2020, against a mob attack by suspected triad gang members inside the Yuen Long train station, on July 21, 2019. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images)

4 Hong Kong Students Arrested in First Action by New National Security Force

A former student leader who advocated for Hong Kong independence was one of several activists arrested by Hong Kong police on secession charges on July 29.

Police arrested 19-year-old Tony Chung at his home in the Yuen Long district and seized several bags of Chungs belongings, the group Student Localism announced on its official Facebook page. He was formerly the groups convenor.

Chung is currently in custody at the Ma On Shan Police Station and volunteer pro-democracy lawyers have been arranged to represent him, according to Fleco Mo, a district councilor in the Wang Yat area of Yuen Long.

At a late-night press conference on July 29, police confirmed they had arrested four studentsthree males and one female between the ages of 16 and 21connected to a newly established group that advocated on social media for Hong Kongs independence.

These were the first known arrests made by a new Hong Kong police unit tasked with enforcing a sweeping new national security law, which punishes actions deemed as secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with maximum life imprisonment. Police previously made 10 related arrests at the site of July 1 protests against the new law.

Since police declined to disclose the peoples names or affiliations, its unclear whether Chung is among them.

The group Student Localism dissolved its Hong Kong branch on June 30, on the eve of the laws implementation. Critics fear that the law, which Beijing singlehandedly enacted, has enabled the Chinese regime to expand its control over the former British colony.

Police accused the four, who were arrested at around 3:30 p.m. local time on July 29, of posting problematic messages on social media that promoted separatism and incited pro-independence activities. Police confiscated their phones, computers, and files, police senior superintendent Li Kwai-wah said at the press conference.

Dont think that if youre on social media, you dont need to be responsible, he added, warning people about their online speech. When asked by reporters about the legality of browsing pro-independence content, he said, I dont think its a problem.

Li said the arrests were solely the action of the polices national security department, when asked if a Beijing security bureau established for enforcing the new law was involved.

He added that police dont have to prove that people have been incited to action; the sole act of engaging in speech that promotes the idea of separating Hong Kong from mainland China constitutes a violation of the security law.

Chung had previously expressed concerns about being targeted by the police. Just two days before his arrest, he posted on his Instagram account a photo of a black-shirted man, whom he suspected of being a plainclothes officer, saying that the man had followed him to Mong Kok from Yuen Long.

He noted that upon taking a photo, the man walked away.

A riot police officer stands guard during a protest by district councilors at a mall in Yuen Long in Hong Kong on July 19, 2020, against a mob attack by suspected triad gang members inside the Yuen Long train station on July 21, 2019. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images)

Hong Kong student activist Sunny Cheung said Chungs arrest is a deliberate tactic for the Chinese regime to crack down on less prominent pro-democracy activists.

Nobody is immune from the purge destined to follow, he wrote in a tweet calling for solidarity among Hongkongers, adding that keeping our eyes on our enemies is the sole way to survival.

According to Cheung, two other former Student Localism members were also arrested on July 29.

Luke de Pulford, who sits on the UKs Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, called the arrests a clear test of the international community.

Beijing will be paying close attention to the response of the free world. If we fail to meet this outrage with proportionate consequences, things will get worse, he wrote on Twitter.

As of June, Hong Kong police had arrested more than 9,200 people related to a pro-democracy movement that opposes Beijings encroachment on city affairs. The city has prosecuted close to 2,000, police said in a July 29 statement. Roughly 40 percent of the arrestees were students.
Mike DeWine had blazed a trail in March with his forceful response to the coronavirus pandemic, rapidly shutting down his state to protect it from the worst ravages of disease.

A month later, Ohio's governor made what seemed, by comparison, a modest proposal: If businesses wanted to reopen, customers and employees would have to wear masks.

The backlash came instantly. An avalanche of abuse on social media. Calls from anguished citizens. Angry recriminations and threats.

The next day, a chastened DeWine backed down. Asking people to wear a mask "is offensive to some of our fellow Ohioans," the Republican declared somberly. "And I understand that."

It would be three months - plus tens of thousands of cases and thousands of deaths - before the governor would try again.

The mask is the simplest and among the most effective weapons against the coronavirus in the public health arsenal. Yet from the start, America's relationship with face coverings has been deeply fraught.

Faulty guidance from health authorities, a cultural aversion to masks and a deeply polarized politics have all contributed. So has a president who resisted role modeling the benefits of face coverings, and who belittled those who did.

The result, experts say, is a country that squandered one of its best opportunities to beat back the coronavirus pandemic this spring and summer. In the process, the United States fell far behind other nations that skipped the fuss over masks, costing lives and jeopardizing the recovery heading into the fall.

"Some countries took out their masks as soon as this happened," said Monica Gandhi, an infectious-disease specialist from the University of California, San Francisco, "and their rates of death are very low."

In a coronavirus response that has been full of missteps and unforced errors, delayed acceptance of universal masking, Gandhi said, may be the single biggest mistake the United States has made.

In interviews, elected leaders, health specialists and mask advocates say it did not have to be that way - and very nearly wasn't.

The country hit a tipping point on widespread mask use only this month, with a majority of states and the nation's largest retailers all mandating them. But the science has long been pointing toward the efficacy of masks - even if the guidance from health authorities wasn't.

In February - as the virus silently spread in communities from coast to coast - both the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended against face coverings for healthy members of the general public. They urged that masks be preserved for front-line health-care workers, especially amid global shortages of personal protective equipment. It was a line repeated by top officials in the Trump administration.

CDC Director Robert Redfield was asked in February whether healthy people should wear masks. His answer to Congress was unambiguous: "No."

Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, repeatedly told Americans "there is no reason" for anyone in the United States to wear a mask. U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams tweeted on Feb. 29: "Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!"

The health officials had made their recommendations based on the flawed assumption that the bulk of transmission was taking place from people with obvious signs of illness. The thinking was that if people with fevers, coughs and other symptoms were to isolate, case counts would remain under control.

But it wasn't long before CDC contact tracers began to find evidence of "silent" spreaders. One report in late March, from a skilled nursing facility in the Seattle area, found 13 asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic patients among 23 residents who tested positive.

Many experts backed the anti-mask guidance, arguing they weren't sure face coverings would make a significant difference. They were worried masks could make people less disciplined about social distancing.

But some, including George Gao, the director-general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that the United States was making a "big mistake" by not mandating masks.

Zeynep Tufekci, an information science professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, examined the emerging evidence and knew that hand-washing and isolating the obviously sick wouldn't be enough. If people were spreading the virus before they had any symptoms, "that's huge. It's a whole different ballgame."

Going against both the CDC and the WHO felt like heresy at a time when few mainstream scientists were. But she decided she had no choice. The case that masks could slow asymptomatic spread was compelling. The arguments against - particularly the idea that people might hoard medical-grade masks, when cloth ones could easily be made at home - would only feed resentment.

"If you're paternalistic and you don't treat the public as a partner, what you end up with is mistrust and polarization," said Tufekci, who laid out her views in a March 17 New York Times op-ed. "That's not how you do public health."

Across the country, data scientist Jeremy Howard was reaching a similarly against-the-grain conclusion on masks. A specialist in artificial intelligence at the University of San Francisco, he had no background in public health. But he knew how to interpret numbers.

"I had never personally worn a mask in my life. I thought they were kind of weird," he said. "But I had vaguely heard they could maybe help a little bit."

When he examined the data - particularly from Asia, where masks had become commonplace during the SARS outbreak and were then put to work in the fight against the novel coronavirus - it was overwhelming. In Europe, too, the evidence was persuasive: Masks had become widespread within days in the Czech Republic, thanks to a campaign among cultural influencers. Transmission rates soon fell.

"I was just stunned," Howard said. "It seemed pretty likely that this was the most effective public health tool that we had."

Howard put his argument for members of the public to wear do-it-yourself or other store-bought cloth masks into a March 28 piece for The Washington Post. Senators were calling the next day, asking for private briefings. One of them, Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., was so impressed he vowed to make the case to the president.

The White House was receptive, but only to a point.

Inside the administration, there had already been weeks of debate on masks at the coronavirus task force level without a decision on what to recommend to the public.

In the last week of March - as the official case count was approaching 100,000 - the CDC presented what was then considered a radical proposal to the White House, recommending routine masking by the public. Senior administration officials, particularly members of the vice president's office on the coronavirus task force, pushed back, arguing it was unnecessary.

The new guidance was somewhat of a compromise. It encouraged - but did not require - people to cover their faces in "public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."

On April 3, President Donald Trump stood at the White House podium and issued the recommendation. "It may be good" advice, he offered. But he immediately undercut the guidance by announcing he would not be wearing a mask himself.

"Somehow sitting in the Oval Office, behind that beautiful Resolute Desk" as he met with "presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens," Trump said, "I don't know, somehow I don't see it for myself."

Initially, some Trump aides said they did not like the idea of him wearing a mask publicly because they believed it would be bad politically and make the president look weak. They thought it might lead others to panic or think the pandemic was worse than it was. There were also fears among some in the president's circle that his supporters would rebel against anything that smacked of a government directive.

Among some of Trump's most ardent fans, anti-mask insurrections were already brewing. In dark corners of the internet, mask conspiracy theories took shape. On the steps of state capitol buildings, activists shouted their objections to a masked attack on "liberty."

Some of the president's advisers, including chief of staff Mark Meadows, expressed repeated skepticism of masks and whether they made a difference, campaign and White House officials said. Trump campaign masks were produced and presented to the president but never sold. Some aides were fearful of selling merchandise he did not wear and appearing to profit off a pandemic, officials said.

"The President's position has been consistent on this," White House spokeswoman Sarah Matthews said in a statement. "In late March, before there was even a recommended but not required guidance given by the CDC on mask-wearing, he supported facial coverings."

With little hope for progress at the White House, Howard had begun to make his data-based case for masks to the governors, focusing especially on Republicans who had shown a willingness to embrace a scientific approach to attacking the coronavirus. DeWine was at the top of his list.

The 73-year-old Ohioan had won plaudits from public health experts for the speed with which he shut down gatherings, businesses and schools in March when the coronavirus began to spread in the state. Cases stayed low, even as the economic damage rippled.

As pressure intensified on DeWine to reopen the state in late April, the governor seized on a mask requirement in stores and other businesses as a way to do so safely.

Masks would not be "forever," the governor announced April 27, "but if we want to get back to work, we have to protect our employees."

Within hours, as protests over the governor's assault on "freedom" poured in, DeWine knew it had been a mistake that would need to be reversed.

"After 40 years of representing Ohioans in many different jobs, I've got a pretty good ability to gauge these things," he said in an interview. "And with the pushback we got, my instinct was that this was too far."

Unlike closing schools - which could happen with the stroke of a pen - requiring masks would involve getting "millions of Ohioans making individual decisions dozens of times a day."

And unlike in Asia - where DeWine had traveled pre-pandemic and seen the widespread use of face coverings to ward off disease - there was no culture of mask-wearing for public health benefits in the United States.

The president's unwillingness to set an example by wearing a mask didn't help.

"I would have liked to have seen the president do that," DeWine said.

Also unhelpful, the governor said, was guidance from some public health authorities that continued to be contradictory, even as the science behind masks became increasingly clear.

Studies suggesting masks could be effective in curbing the risk of transmission continued to accumulate. But the WHO - which has been criticized throughout the pandemic for being slow to respond to emerging data - took until June 5 to issue a mask recommendation for the general public. Even then, it was tepid and full of asterisks, with the global health body insisting the change was consistent with its original guidance.

U.S. officials have been more forthright in acknowledging their advice has shifted, arguing it was in response to shifting data.

"If you acted on the best information you had at the time and then later you get new evidence that points in a different direction, does that mean what you did three months ago was wrong? Well, existentially, yes it was. But it was based on the evidence we had at the time," Fauci said in an interview Friday.

Once policy did shift, Fauci said, medical officials were united in getting behind the new recommendation. But other senior administration officials weren't on board.

"That was a problem," he said.

Trump was foremost among those who weren't interested in promoting masks.

When, in late May, he toured a Ford plant in Michigan where masks were required, he refused to put one on in front of the cameras. "I didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it," he said.

Over Memorial Day weekend, he retweeted a mocking criticism of his election opponent, former vice president Joe Biden, for wearing a mask.

Videos began going viral as Americans squared off on what to do about customers in stores who refused to mask up. Social media groups devoted to casting doubt on their efficacy proliferated. Face coverings had become debate points in the U.S. presidential campaign and potent symbols in the culture war.

Public health specialists could only shake their heads.

The debate radiated through big cities and small ones as the coronavirus began a resurgence in June, with many areas that had dodged the first round of infection getting hammered this time.

Joplin had no active cases at the start of June. Weeks later, the city of 50,000 in southwest Missouri had one of the nation's fastest rising infection rates.

For five hours in late June, the city council debated whether to mandate masks, only to defeat the motion by a single vote.

Two weeks later, with hospitals hitting their capacities, the council voted again. This time, the mask mandate passed 6-3.

Mayor Ryan Stanley was among those who changed his mind. He had initially thought that a mandate was unenforceable and that, in a deeply conservative, pro-Trump region, it would only encourage defiance. But when he visited local businesses the weekend after the requirement kicked in, he was astonished by what he saw.

"We were getting 15% adoption before. I was crossing my fingers and hoping for 50 to 60%," he said. "But now it's at 90 to 95%. It's certainly doing its job."

Stanley said mask opponents had been loud - staging noisy demonstrations and dominating the debate. But they hadn't actually been that numerous.

Public opinion polls bear that out, with large majorities of the population, across both major parties, favoring mandates.

Policies have begun to match those attitudes. A cascade of states - including Ohio - have instituted requirements in recent weeks, with DeWine identifying compliance as critical to the state's hopes of bringing down infection rates and opening schools.

Major retailers such as Walmart have as well, making shopping trips difficult without a mask.

Evidence shows the mandates are working.

"There were seat belts in cars for decades. There were lots of public service announcements, people saying, 'Wear seat belts' " said David Keating, who worked with Howard to found the nonprofit advocacy group #Masks4All. "But it's when the law started requiring it that seat belt usage soared."

Even the president has joined in - though still somewhat tepidly. On a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier this month, he wore a mask in public for the first time. Last Tuesday, he tweeted a photo of himself in a mask with the explanation that "many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can't socially distance."

Trump wore a mask again on Monday while touring a biotechnology plant. But as recently as last week, he was barefaced while in public at his hotel in D.C., despite local rules that require a face covering.

Political advisers and campaign officials say there has been a concerted effort around Trump - from aides to family members to advisers to lawmakers - to show that wearing a mask is the right thing to do. Aides have encouraged people to praise the president for wearing a mask, hoping that he will continue to embrace it, officials said.

It had been clear for months - as America's coronavirus case count has climbed above 4 million and the death toll closes in on 150,000 - that masks are a public health imperative. But with grim polls showing Trump trailing in almost every key state, they have now become a political one, too.

"He was basically on an island even among his own supporters," said Brendan Buck, a longtime Republican operative who last worked for then-Speaker Paul Ryan. "It doesn't take a genius to understand that this pandemic is why he's losing so badly."
Boston Business Journal Largest Corporate Charitable Contributor in Massachusetts Our associates and residents are the heart of Benchmark, so doing what we can to support them and the causes that have deep, meaningful impact in their lives is critically important to us. -Tom Grape, Benchmark founder and CEO.

Benchmark, a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast, today announced that it has been named an honoree of Boston Business Journals 2020 Corporate Citizenship Awards. Its the second consecutive year that the company has been named to the publications list of Largest Corporate Charitable Contributors in Massachusetts. Benchmark is the only senior care provider to be recognized.

Our associates and residents are the heart of Benchmark, so doing what we can to support them and the causes that have deep, meaningful impact in their lives is critically important to us, said Tom Grape, Benchmarks founder and CEO. Our charitable endeavors are among the many ways we carry out our mission of building human connections.

In 2019, Benchmark supported the Alzheimers Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire and the American Heart Association, both based in Waltham, and FriendshipWorks in Boston, among other organizations.

In addition to its support of community organizations, each year Benchmark raises funds through leadership and associate donations, as well as fundraising events, to support Benchmarks One Company Fund. The 501(c)(3) organization, created in 2007, provides grants to associates in times of need.

Grape said he is especially proud that the Funds resources were available this year to support Benchmark associates who  like many people in the region  faced challenges presented by COVID-19.

Helping one another as much as we can during these challenging times should be top of mind for everyone, he said.

Associates and residents at Benchmarks 61 independent living, assisted living and memory care communities also volunteer and raise funds for a host of local charities.

Throughout its history, Benchmark has continually been recognized as a top workplace. The Great Place to Work Institute certified Benchmark for two straight years, and the company earned a place on FORTUNEs 50 Best Workplaces in Aging Services list each of the two years that the magazine published the list. Benchmark is one of only four companies to be named to The Boston Globes Top Place to Work all 12 years that the honor has been given.

Other companies recognized by Boston Business Journal included Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Mass General Brigham, and Tufts.

These companies give back at least $100,000 to the local community, and now we are in a time when giving back and helping one another is more important than ever," said Boston Business Journal Market President and Publisher Carolyn Jones. "These philanthropic companies prioritize the welfare of our communities, and we are excited to be able to honor them.

# # #

About Benchmark

Based in Waltham, Mass., Benchmark is a leading provider of senior housing in the Northeast. It has 61 communities across Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Vermont, and Maine. Benchmark employs nearly 6,000 associates within its communities and corporate office. Founded in 1997 by Tom Grape, Benchmark offers independent living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care retirement communities. Click here for more information.
It is not surprising that many motorsport events in the Philippines are still suspended (even cancelled for this year) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has greatly affected motorsport aficionados and the business that revolves around it.

For better or worse, this has also resulted in the shift of attention toward e-motorsports, and in the country, Tuason Racing is one of the pioneers for such initiatives.

In March, back when the government announced the lockdown, Tuason Racing immediately refocused from real-world to virtual with its Race for Frontliners program.

tuason Race for Frontliners

We knew we wanted to be in the digital space as early as 2019. So we pushed forward all our digital events such as the young driver program online with a skew to help our frontliners. What was very interesting was this pivot to online racing was done while in lockdown without even one physical meeting with our team, Tuason Racing founder and CEO JP Tuason said.

Virtual races are nothing new in the e-gaming industry, but in the new normal, it has given enthusiasts and gamers alike a new perspective, and Tuason Racing took the opportunity to launch motorsports in the virtual world" to address the growing audience.

There has been a continuous surge for online games during the lockdown. More and more people are doing games since there are limited live activities to do. In the US all gaming stocks are on a high showing that this is really the future, Tuason said.

Tuason also said that while virtual races are still young in the Philippines, the racing clinic will provide the necessary training along with the creation of professional league for players to enhance their skills on track and in online platforms.

Aside from Race for Frontliners, Tuason Racing has other new programs lined up.

We have decided that the whole 2020 will be work-from-home. We have moved to the digital arena by creating online race series. We have finished Race for Frontliners, Toyota has just launched their e-sports program The GR Supra GT Cup which we are helping organize and in August we are launching another online league on a PC platform along with a complimentary spectators program where they can make their own teams and win prizes."

Story continues

"Aside from this we are creating weekly content for race enthusiasts called Riding shotgun conversations with TRS, Tuason narrated.

Toyota GR Supra GT Cup Asia - Philippines

Further, despite the threat of the COVID-19 health crisis still in the horizon, Tuason is positive that the automotive industry will recover.

It will recover as mentioned. Companies are evolving. It wont be called car companies but mobility companiesthey will surely find new ways. There will be some casualties but life goes on and those that will survive will thrive but probably not the same way we have seen in the past, Tuason concluded.

Photos from Tuason Racing School and Toyota Motor Philippines

Also read:

Anton, Carapiet bag overall wins in 'Race for Frontliners' program

Waku-Doki Spirit Lives On at 3rd Leg of Toyota Vios Racing Festival

Ready to be the first GR Supra GT Cup Asia-Philippines champ?
- The nurse gave birth to a baby boy at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital on Friday, July 24

- She had been admitted at the ICU and was under oxygen but managed to deliver the baby normally

- The medic was tested on Wednesday and her results and that of the baby came out negative

A nurse from Homa Bay county who was admitted at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital has recovered from COVID-19 barely days after giving birth in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The 32-year-old nurse was tested for COVID-19 and the results turned out negative; she is now waiting for the second testing before she can be released from the facility.

READ ALSO: Kisumu: 5 men in court for stealing billboard, footbridge

The nurse had been admitted at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital a week ago. Photo: Citizen

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: ODPP picks up police brutality matter against Mlango Kubwa MCA Patricia Mutheu

According to the Standard, the baby who was put in incubation on Friday, July 24, night also tested negative.

As earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, the nurse who was working in Homa Bay county was transferred from Rachuonyo Sub-County Hospital to KTRH for ICU management after he fell ill.

She had complained of difficulty in breathing and chest pains before she was put under oxygen for over one week.

Five other patients at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital had also recovered from COVID-19. Photo: People Daily

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Bad weather or technical issue? Kenya, Tanzania differ over mid-air return of Kenyan envoys' plane

She had a normal delivery on Friday night, a day after she had signed consent to undergo a cesarean section.

According to the facility's CEO Enock Ondari, as by Wednesday, July 29, five people who had tested negative were discharged from the hospital.

Five other patients also turned negative but were awaiting for the repeat confirmatory tests that would be done before being released.

Six others are still recuperating at the hospitals isolation center. The county has so far reported 27 positive coronavirus cases.

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
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:38:43|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's construction tycoon Premchai Kanasutra was on Wednesday sentenced by the Appeals Court to a one-year jail term for offering a bribe in cash to government officials a few years ago.

The Appeals Court endorsed the ruling of the first court which found Premchai, chairman of Italian Thai Development Plc., guilty of attempted bribery for the officials of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation in exchange for not proceeding with a lawsuit against him in 2018.

The construction tycoon, alongside three other persons, had trespassed a national wildlife sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province to hunt for wildlife.

However, Premchai, who was released under bail worth 500,000 baht (about 15,864 U.S. dollars), is largely expected to proceed with the case in the Supreme Court. Enditem
A top officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) who played the victim card and refused to join his posting at Port Blair for more than 18 months now got cold-shouldered by the Supreme Court, which refused to tolerate such disobedience.

Ajay Kumar Bassi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) with the CBI was ordered by the agency to go to Port Blair on January 11, 2019. However, he refused to go claiming that the transfer order was illegal. His lawyer, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, claimed that the first order transferring him to Andaman and Nicobar Island was passed by the CBI on October 24, 2018.

Against this decision, he had approached the apex court complaining that the decision to transfer him was part of a conspiracy to influence the course of an investigation conducted by him against another senior officer of the CBI.

Also read: Babri mosque case - Special CBI court completes recording of statements

On January 9, Bassis transfer order was withdrawn after Alok Kumar Verma won the case in the Supreme Court and got reinstated as the CBI director. Two days later, M Nageshwar Rao took over as the acting director of the agency and gave effect to Bassis earlier transfer order. Since then, Bassi moved an application challenging his transfer in the Supreme Court, citing personal domestic exigencies to his employer. He has since then not being given any salary.

The bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde said, How can you not join your place of posting Even if an order is illegal, you cannot disobey it. You have to get it set aside by the Court.

Dhavan sought protection for one month citing that the agency had brought out a charge sheet against him, blaming him for approaching the Court without seeking permission from the CBI. Bassi planned to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) against his transfer order.

The bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, said, We cant help you Unless the order of transfer has been set aside or modified by this court, that order stands.

The Court allowed Bassi to withdraw the petition and pursue his legal remedies before any other appropriate forum.
Meghan Markle believes naming the five female friends who briefed People magazine about her and a letter sent to her father Thomas would be an 'unacceptable price to pay' for pursuing a claim against the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, the High Court heard today.

The Duchess of Sussex has applied for an order to keep secret the identities of the women, all 'young mothers', at a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Today a skeleton argument presented to the court by Meghan's legal team said: 'To disclose their identities to the public at this stage is an unacceptable price to pay for the right to pursue her claim for invasion of privacy'.

But in an embarrassing moment during the application Meghan's QC Justin Rushbrooke accidentally said the surname of one of the five friends the Duchess of Sussex is seeking to keep anonymous.

Judge Mr Justice Warby, who is expected to rule on the matter before August 8, immediately directed that the individual's name was not to be reported.

The five women were named as the sources of a People Magazine article in 2019 in legal papers submitted by Meghan to the court earlier this month, although their identities were not made public.

The People article lies at the heart of her privacy and copyright case against the Mail on Sunday because it was the first time the existence of a letter the Duchess had written to her father Thomas was revealed.

In response Antony White, QC for Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, told the court that the principle of open justice in Britain means the five friends should be named. Mr White also said Meghan was apparently 'pleased ... with her friends' intervention' in speaking to People magazine, apart from the reference to the letter she wrote to her estranged father.

Meghan Markle (pictured with Prince Harry in October 2018) have asked for a High Court order to stop anyone from naming her five female friends who briefed People magazine

He said: 'There is no proper evidential basis (for the application). There is no evidence at all from four of the five friends and the evidence from the fifth (Friend B) has been shown to be unsatisfactory.'

Who are Meghan's five friends who briefed People magazine? The five friends, described as 'young mothers', have never been named. What little information there is came from People magazine, who referred to them as 'Meghan's inner circle'. The first was 'a longtime friend' of Meghan, the second was referred to as 'a former co-star', the third 'a friend from LA', the fourth is described as 'a onetime colleague' with the fifth described as 'a close confidante'. Earlier this month Meghan gave away that the friends were all women in her witness statement related to today's order application. Revealing they all had children she said: 'Each of these women is a private citizen, young mother, and each has a basic right to privacy'. Advertisement

Mr White said: 'There is no risk of reprisal in this case.' The barrister added: 'The information they disclosed to People was information about the claimant, but is not said by her to be private or information that she seeks to protect.'

The Mail On Sunday claims that revelations in People and the misleading impression it gave of the letter gave Thomas Markle the right to publish more of the handwritten note in the newspaper to defend himself after their relationship became hopelessly estranged in the wake of Meghan's marriage to Harry in May 2018.

But Meghan insists that she had no idea any of her friends had spoken to People magazine until after the fact.

All five of the women face the prospect of being hauled to the High Court in London next year to testify in the explosive privacy trial. They could be asked to confirm on oath whether the Duchess had no prior knowledge that they were going to speak to People.

Neither Meghan nor Harry attended the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London today.

ANL's lawyers are resisting the application to keep the identities of Meghan's friends secret, claiming the duchess's friends brought the letter into the public domain when it was referred to for the first time in the People interview.

In written submissions, Antony White QC, acting for ANL, said: 'The friends are important potential witnesses on a key issue.

'Reporting these matters without referring to names would be a heavy curtailment of the media's and the defendant's entitlement to report this case and the public's right to know about it.

'No friend's oral evidence could be fully and properly reported because full reporting might identify her, especially as there has already been media speculation as to their identities.'

Mr White also said the present order sought by the duchess's lawyers would leave Meghan entitled to disclose the identities to anyone - including the media - who could publish it, while ANL's titles would remain barred from doing so.

Meghan's barrister Justin Rushbrooke QC said Meghan's five friends were entitled to 'a very high level of super-charged right of confidentiality' and confidential journalistic sources.

He claimed 'there is ample evidence before the court' to support his client's application to maintain the anonymity of her five friends.

He said: 'We say at least four of the five sources have no real role at all on the issue raised by the defendant's defence regarding the interview with People magazine in the US.'

Thomas Markle spoke to the Mail on Sunday and shared the letter from his daughter after the friends spoke to People magazine to 'defend himself' - the evidence of the group of five women is at the centre of the High Court battle

He added that one of the five, known only as Friend B, had provided a witness statement to the court in support of the application.

Mr Rushbrooke said Friend B was 'the best possible person' to provide evidence as 'she is the one who actually orchestrated the interviews'.

He told the court: 'These were confidential sources who gave the interviews on condition of anonymity.'

He also said: 'The defendant, in its own coverage - going right back to the first article... that gave rise to this entire litigation - they themselves describe the interviews as anonymous.

'When they regaled their readers with a long and sensational article online within hours of the document being served upon them, they themselves described the interviews as anonymous and the names of the five friends as being put into a confidential court document. But, within hours, we find a volte face.'

The five friends had decided to 'help' by giving interviews anonymously to People magazine, which has 35million readers worldwide. Meghan insists she knew nothing about it

Mr Rushbrooke QC then told the court that MailOnline published an article on July 1, the day after the confidential schedule containing her five friends' names was served on MailOnline's publisher Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).

Mr Rushbrooke said the article was published just before 5pm, adding: 'If they got it at midnight, journalists were no doubt poring over it with glee in the morning.'

He said it was a 'massively long article which in its own sub-headline records, we say, accurately that ... 'Meghan has now identified the five friends, who spoke anonymously, naming them in confidential papers'.

Mr Rushbrooke said MailOnline published another article on Meghan's application shortly after the first one.

He said: 'Let there be no doubt about it, these two publications are what set off the chain reaction of other publicity given by other organs to the response. It could not possibly be suggested otherwise.'

Mr Rushbrooke added: 'It was the defendant and only the defendant because only the defendant had the document which started the wildfire.'

He continued: 'Other litigants do not make commercial fodder out of the other side's pleadings, but since this one does and since this one has asserted in correspondence that this very document is properly reportable by the media - although they graciously said they won't publish it until the outcome of today's hearing - that is precisely why we say an order ... is necessary'.

Mr Justice Warby said he will give his decision on the duchess's application in writing at a later date.

He said he was 'not going to make any predictions' as to when that would be, but that he would deliver his ruling as soon as he can.

In People's bombshell February 2019 interview, the five women, who were described by the magazine as 'a special sisterhood', lavished praise on Meghan.

Judge Mr Justice Warby (left) will decide whether the names of Meghan Markle's five 'young mother friends' who briefed People magazine will be made public. Meghan's QC Justin Rushbrooke accidentally said the surname of one of the five friends the Duchess of Sussex is seeking to keep anonymous in the High Court today

One of them  identified in court papers by Meghan as 'Friend A'  told the world about the letter she had posted to her father in October 2018.

Thomas Markle said he spoke to Mail on Sunday afterwards - and shared the note - to 'defend himself' against an inaccurate portrayal of him in People.

Meghan named her five friends to the High Court in a confidential schedule which was kept secret. In a public document she named them as Friends A to E. They cannot be named

She identified Friend A as the one who had told People that the letter had said: 'Dad, I'm so heartbroken. I love you. I have one father. Please stop victimising me through the media so we can repair our relationship.'

Meghan claimed this was an 'unfortunately inaccurate' portrayal of her letter, stressing numerous times that she had known nothing of her closest friends' decision to go public.

She disclosed a list of those she had discussed the 'private' letter with in the papers lodged with the High Court - two of her friends, Prince Harry, her mother Doria Ragland, the press team at Kensington Palace (KP), and her solicitor.

Her lawyers told the High Court she had told 'some of her friends' about the fact she had sent a letter, adding that she had also 'discussed the contents of the letter with her husband, her mother, Friends A and C, the KP Communications Team and her solicitor'.

Meghan insisted more than a dozen times in last week's legal document that she had no prior knowledge of her friends' interview with People.

She added that she was so uninvolved in 'the process of the People article' that she only found out about it on the day it was published'.
Sushant Singh Rajput's family lawyer Vikas Singh has said that the late actor's family was not satisfied with the way Mumbai Police were investigating his alleged suicide case, and therefore, got an FIR registered in Patna, Bihar.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Singh said, "Sushants family has no faith in the Mumbai Police because of the way they have been investigating in this matter. I'm not saying the entire police force to be blamed. The family is being pressured to name 5-6 production houses as responsible for Sushant's death. Why should the family name any production house for his death? This is something that has actually disturbed the family a lot. They felt that the only way to give it a proper closure would be to take this matter to its logical end. That is why we got the matter registered in Patna."

When asked who was pressuring the family, Singh said, "It'll not be proper for me to name anyone. I will also advise the family to not take this narrative any further because we only want justice for Sushant Singh Rajput. We don't want to go for a witchhunt against any officer of Mumbai Police."

#EXCLUSIVE | Sushants family do not trust the Mumbai Police because of the way they have been investigating in this case. The family is being pressurised to name production houses as the reason for his death: Vikas Singh (Sushants kins lawyer) tells @AnushaSoni23. pic.twitter.com/XVak3tViEl  CNNNews18 (@CNNnews18) July 29, 2020

Sushant's father has lodged a police complaint against his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide. Krishna Kumar Singh (74), a resident of Rajiv Nagar locality, Patna, had been maintaining a stoic silence over the tragic death of his 34-year-old son on June 14.

Singh said he and Sushant's family remained silent all this while because they were waiting for the arrest of the named accused in the FIR to be made.

"The family wants Sushant to get justice and the matter to be investigated in the right manner. We did not want to talk to the media because we thought that the arrest should take place first. So, I'm a little unhappy that the arrest has not been made so far. This is a case with the named accused in the only FIR registered in the matter of the death of somebody. The named accused is scott free and nothing's been done so far. So, I hope it happens fast because only after that the matter can be taken to its logical end."

An FIR was lodged on the basis of the bereaved father's complaint on July 25 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to abetment of suicide and fraud, Inspector General of Police, Patna Zone, Sanjay Singh told PTI.

Mumbai police are already probing the alleged suicide case, and has questioned several Bollywood bigwigs including filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Rhea Chakraborty has also recorded her statement.

The case has been lodged under various sections of IPC including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

In his complaint, Rajput's father has also sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the "machinations" of Chakraborty and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.
The Detroit automaker closed its factories on March 18 and they remained closed for two months due to the coronavirus.

Even though General Motors was able to reopen its United States factories for the last half of the second quarter, the company still lost $806m from April through June.

The Detroit automaker closed its plants on March 18 and they remained closed for two months due to the coronavirus. Production did not resume fast enough to stem the losses.

Like other automakers, GM counts revenue when vehicles are shipped from factories, so it had little money coming in for about seven weeks in April and May.

The company reported a loss of 50 cents per share excluding one-time items. That was better than Wall Street expected, with analysts polled by FactSet predicting a $1.77 per-share loss.

Revenue was cut in half to $16.78bn, but that also topped expectations.

There's a ton of uncertainty out there. GM Chief Financial Officer Dhivya Suryadevara

GM burned through more than $9bn during the quarter, including nearly $8bn from operations and $1.1bn in capital spending. It lost money before taxes in all of its business units save for its financial arm. In its traditionally profitable North America wing, GM lost $100m.

The company raised borrowing on its revolving credit line to $16bn to get through the crisis, pushing automotive debt to more than $32bn. It was $13bn a year ago.

Chief Financial Officer Dhivya Suryadevara said that if annual US sales continue at a rate of 14 million and production is not disrupted, GM should generate $7bn to $9bn in cash during the second half of the year, offsetting a large part of the first-half cash burn. The company should be able to repay its revolving credit line by years end, she said.

She also said that if the recovery continues from the pandemic, GM expects pretax earnings of $4bn to $5bn in the second half of the year.

Theres a ton of uncertainty out there, she said.

Sales in the US, GMs most lucrative market, fell 34 percent for the quarter, even though executives said there is pent-up demand for vehicles, especially pickup trucks. GM has put many of its truck plants on three shifts as it tries to make up for lost production.

Suryadevara said the company nearly reached break-even pretax earnings in North America in a challenging quarter.

A general view of the front entrance at the General Motors Assembly Plant in Arlington, Texas [File: Mike Stone/Reuters]

These results illustrate the resiliency and earnings power of the business as we make the critical investments necessary for our future, Suryadevara said in a prepared statement.

GM is seeing signs of improvement, and some areas, such as pickup trucks, have been constrained by low inventory levels as plants came back on line. The company is working all avenues to increase US dealer stocks and has restarted all US truck and full-size SUV plants to three shifts, and nearly all other plants to pre-pandemic shift levels, GM said.

US sales tumbled 35 percent in April, but that improved to a decline of around 20 percent year over year in May and June, the company said.

The company reported strong sales of pickup trucks and new full-size SUVs such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon. Theyre flying off the dealer lots, Suryadevara said.

CEO Mary Barra said the company would add 200 workers at its pickup truck plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to meet demand. Workers likely will be transferred from other GM factories.

GM said it would stop deferring white-collar salaries on August 1 because it is performing better than expected. The company deferred 20 percent of salaried workers pay in April and will repay the amount with interest.

The whole auto industry was expected to struggle this quarter as the pandemic cut into sales. Electric vehicle company Tesla may wind up the lone exception because it managed to post a $104m profit. But Japans struggling Nissan reported a $2.7bn loss (285.6 billion yen) for the period.

GMs shares fell 3.5 percent to $25.43 in Wednesday morning trading.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The Food and Drug Administration said six candidate vaccines for COVID-19 may be up for clinical trials in the country.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo announced this on Wednesday, citing a report by the Department of Science and Technology. He also said the vaccine developers are now preparing for their application to conduct the clinical trials in the country.

Kapag natapos ang clinical trials phase 3 within the next two to three months then maari pagkatapos noon ay actual registration at magpapa-lisensya na itong mga bakunang ito, Domingo said.

[Translation: After the completion of clinical trials phase 3 within the next two to three months then they can be registered and be granted license.]

The FDA is in charge of regulating clinical trials being conducted in the country, which will be later on registered with the agency if approved. This will also benefit the country in terms of securing vaccine supply in the future in case any of these vaccines are approved, he said.

Domingo also said that based on their latest meeting with the World Health Organization, there are 166 candidate vaccines for COVID-19, and are expected to exceed 200 in the future.

Of this, more than 140 are in the early stages of clinical trials, or are being tested on animals and small groups of people, while all others are undergoing clinical trials in various phases.

Domingo also warned the public on fake COVID-19 vaccines being sold in the market.

Ang pag-develop ng bakuna para sa COVID-19 binabantayan ng buong mundo kaya bawat bakuna alam natin kung nasaang stage na ng development at sa ngayon wala pang aprubadong bakuna, he said.

[Translation: The development of a COVID-19 vaccine is being monitored by the whole world that is why we know what stages of development these vaccines are in and currently there is still no approved vaccine.]

The Philippines is currently gearing up to join the WHO Solidarity Trial. The Inter-agency Task Force for COVID-19 also approved trials with five vaccine developers, three of which are based in China.
Iran Fires Missile At Replica Of US Aircraft Carrier In Persian Gulf Amid Tensions

Radio Farda July 28, 2020

Iranian media on Tuesday reported that a Revolutionary Guard helicopter has fired a Cruise missile at the replica of a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf during military exercises dubbed as The Great Prophet-14 (Payambar-e Azam 14).

A report aired by the state-run television (IRIB) showed a helicopter firing a missile at the replica. From the footage shown it appears that the missile hit the side of the mock aircraft carrier or landed in the water very close to it.

Iran had moved the mock aircraft carrier with 16 mock-ups of fighter jets on its deck from the southern port of Bandar Abbas to the west of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on Monday to use it as a target for live-fire drills.

The replica resembles the Nimitz-class carriers that the U.S. Navy routinely sails into the Persian Gulf from the Strait of Hormuz. The USS Nimitz, the namesake of the class, just entered Mideast waters late last week from the Indian Ocean, likely to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Sea.

The United States Navy criticized Iran as "irresponsible and reckless" for conducting an exercise involving firing a missile at a replica aircraft carrier.

"We are aware of the Iranian exercise involving attacking a mock-up of a vessel similar to a motionless aircraft carrier," U.S. Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Rebecca Rebarich told AFP.

"While we are always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behavior by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways, this exercise has not disrupted coalition operations in the area nor had any impacts to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters."

According to the Iranian media, the drills are held jointly by the Revolutionary Guard's Aerospace Force and Naval Force.

On June 26 Brigadier-General Hossein Dehqan (Dehghan), a military advisor to the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei told Aljazeera that preparing the replica had "no message" but if there was a message it would be "We will strike back if you strike".

In March 2014 the Iranian military fired four missiles at a replica ship which resembled a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier during Great Prophet-9 wargames (Payambar-e Azam 9). The missiles did not sink the replica and the Revolutionary Guard claimed that it had been built to be used repeatedly so was "unsinkable".

The dummy ship was, however, sank in February 2015, during the height of nuclear talks with world powers which led to the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in July 2015.

The drill which is to be continued on Wednesday is held amid high tensions between Iran and the United States.

On Thursday a U.S. fighter jet intercepted an Iranian airliner belonging to Mahan Airlines en route to Beirut over Syria and close to Al-Tanf American military base near Homs.

The airline is closely linked to the Revolutionary Guard. The U.S. military said it was a routine inspection carried out within a safe distance according to international standards.

The Revolutionary Guard troops on Tuesday also fired anti-aircraft batteries at a drone target from a location that the IRIB report said was close to the port city of Bandar Abbas.

"We cannot speak to what Iran hopes to gain by building this mock-up, or what tactical value they would hope to gain by using such a mock-up in a training or exercise scenario," Commander Rebecca Rebarich told The Associated Press on Monday. "We do not seek conflict, but remain ready to defend U.S. forces and interests from maritime threats in the region," she said.

Iranian media on Tuesday also reported that "for the first time" the Revolutionary Guard is using the images received from Noor (Nour) satellite which was launched in April to monitor the final stage of the drills.

The satellite was launched into orbit by the Revolutionary Guard on April 22. The Pentagon has downplayed the military satellite as "a tumbling webcam in space" and said it does not have imaging capabilities as Iran claims.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-fires- missiles-at-mock-us-aircraft-carrier-in-persian- gulf-amid-tensions/30753146.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Only 53% of people support more Muslims coming to Ireland, with people making no effort to conceal their attitude about this, a new study has found.

The same research also revealed people in Ireland are more likely to be racist when they can conceal their identity.

The study also found that the social pressure to exhibit tolerance was much greater when people were asked about Black people, compared to Muslim people.

Some 66% of people surveyed openly supported more Black people coming to Ireland, however, this dropped to 51% when respondents could conceal their attitude.

These were some of the key findings of a new study, Hidden versus revealed Attitudes: A List Experiment on support for Minorities in Ireland, carried out by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

The study asked 1,600 people their views on Black or Muslim people in Ireland.

Read More Justice Department 'concerned' by hunger strike at Skellig Star direct provision centre

Younger and more educated people are more likely to conceal racist views

The study found that when people were given the opportunity to remain anonymous, they were more likely to express racist views.

The extent to which people conceal their negative views on immigration depended on the minority group they were asked about, as well as the respondent's gender, age and educational background.

Previous surveys on racism showed that people with a higher level of education are more positive towards minorities. However, this report reveals that this is largely because highly educated people who hold racist attitudes are more likely to conceal them.

Among people with a third-level education, over one quarter (27%) said they do not support more Black people coming to Ireland, but they concealed this view. Some 22% of the same cohort concealed negativity towards Muslim people coming to Ireland.

The concealment of negative views about minorities also varied by age. People aged 18 to 49 were twice as likely to conceal negative views about Black people immigrating to Ireland, when compared with those aged 50 or over.

Some 19% of the younger group revealed their racist attitude, with only 11% of the older group hiding their true feelings.

However, overall the younger group were more supportive of Black people immigrating than the older group, even when asked anonymously. Some 59% of those aged 18 to 49 were supportive of this type of immigration, but only 40% of those over 50 agreed they would like to see more Black people coming to Ireland.

Only 53% of each age group supported more Muslims coming to Ireland when asked anonymously.

Concealing negative views about minorities also varied by gender, but it depended on the minority group in question.

Some 21% of men concealed negative opinions towards more Black people coming to Ireland, compared to just 10% of women.

However, women concealed negativity towards Muslims to a much greater extent than men. Some 21% of women showed a lack of support for Muslims but concealed it.

In contrast, the study found no evidence that men concealed negative attitudes towards Muslims.

When asked directly if they supported Muslim immigration to Ireland, only 40% of women agreed when they responded anonymously, however, 67% of men supported this type of immigration anonymously.

The survey revealed that statistics on positive attitudes towards minority groups may be heavily influenced by people giving what they think is the 'socially desirable' response.

These covert negative attitudes may affect decisions made 'behind closed doors' or via anonymous acts, such as job recruitment and voting.

Salome Mbugua, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Member

"The report comes at a moment when the relationship between individual attitudes and systemic racism has been cast into sharp focus," said Salome Mbugua of the IHREC.

"The research shines a light into understanding the frequently subtle, covert or coded forms of prejudice and discrimination, which people in Ireland can face.

"A better understanding of the relationship between people's hidden and revealed attitudes can inform how we as a society identify and face racism and racial discrimination at all levels."
Dublin, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Poland Cards and Payments - Opportunities and Risks to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Polish cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cash, cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques during the review-period (2015-19e).



The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry, and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2019e-23f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes.



The report brings together the publisher's research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers details of regulatory policy and recent changes in the regulatory structure.



This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Polish cards and payments industry, including:



Current and forecast values for each market in the Polish cards and payments industry, including debit, credit, and charge cards.

Detailed insights into payment instruments including credit transfers, direct debits, cheques, cash, and cards. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments.

E-commerce market analysis.

Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Polish cards and payments industry.

Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit, and charge cards.

Market Highlights



The outbreak of Coronavirus has resulted in consumers opting for online channels to purchase essential goods. Russian online retailer Wildberries launched its online store in the country in January 2020; due to COVID-19 it observed a 260%+ rise in sales in April 2020 compared to March 2020. Meanwhile, many online retailers are upgrading their products and services to satisfy consumer needs during this difficult period. For instance, in April 2020 Polish supermarket chain Stokrotka ventured into e-commerce and launched a click-and-collect service, enabling customers to select products online and collect them at their nearest store.

The rapid increase in digital-only banks is driving competition in the banking space, thus helping to boost debit card holding. Germany-based N26 and UK-based Revolut entered the Polish market during Q4 2018. N26 offers a free standard account for individuals and an N26 business account for corporate customers, along with a free Mastercard debit card. It also plans to launch its premium cards N26 Black and N26 Metal in Poland. In March 2020, Revolut launched the Revolut Junior app to help boost financial literacy among children. The app offers a Junior bank account and a Revolut debit card, and notifies parents of their child's spending.

As part of the government's financial inclusion efforts that focus on significantly increasing the number of bank account holders in the country, regulation was enacted regarding employee remuneration. With effect from January 1, 2019, the government mandated that an employee's salary or wage must be paid via bank transfer, unless an employee has submitted a request for another payment method. If employees do not have a bank account, they are entitled to open a basic payment account that offers banking services without any additional fees. Growth in the number of bank accounts results in a rise in debit card adoption and usage.

Key Topics Covered



Payment Instruments Card-based Payments Merchant Acquiring E-commerce Payments Buy Now Pay Later Mobile Proximity Payments P2P Payments Bill Payments Alternative Payments Payment Innovations Payments Infrastructure & Regulation Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7d2u5d

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
Fiona Adams, 1935-2020

Fiona Adams, who has died aged 84, was the photographer who took the famous shot of the Beatles dancing on rubble in a bomb site off the Euston Road in London, which was used uncredited on the record sleeve of their 1963 EP Twist and Shout.

She had just returned to England after three years of living in Australia when in April 1963 her editor at Picture Story, publishers of the teenage girls' magazine Boyfriend, asked her to go and photograph a band. "My daughter thinks this group might go somewhere," he told her. "They're called the Beatles  Can you go and take some pictures?"

The Beatles in 1963, from left: Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon. The photo was used on the Twist & Shout EP sleeve. Credit:Fiona Adams

She had never heard of them, but they seemed friendly, and she decided to get them out of the studio for a shot. "They hadn't been in London much before, and I don't think they had a manager with them or anything. It was all very casual. Anyway, they came outside, and there was this great pit in the ground. It might have been a bomb site. I got down in the hole, and then I had the idea of getting them to jump.
International education experts, representing renowned universities in Finland, Ireland, UK, Canada, and USA, urged students to remain positive in the face of the Covid-19 crisis and hold on to their career dreams.

Speaking at the 'Studies Abroad in Covid Times' webinar, organized by the Institute for Career Studies (ICS) recently, they exuded optimism about the international higher education scenario, while also agreeing that there were some challenges.

"It's important to make informed decisions, especially when planning to study abroad, as the cost is usually high. We invited experts who we knew would be able to guide students to a future of happiness and success, despite the challenges," said Dr Amrita Dass, Founder-Director, ICS.

Famous Finnish entrepreneur, Peter Vesterbacka, known for developing the immensely popular online game Angry Birds, said that his country was looking at getting qualified professionals to fill up jobs. "While Covid has impacted the world economy, students can stay on in Finland for work after completing their studies. Also, education in Finland is very affordable and there are fantastic jobs here. In the tech industry, we have about 50,000 jobs that need to be filled over the next few years," said Vesterbacka, who is associated with 11 universities.

Nilanjana Shihn, senior recruitment adviser for Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, encouraged students to learn from the situation. "The biggest learning from Covid is to be as prepared as possible for the unexpected and to focus on innovation," she said.

She gave a brief overview of Ireland's and Trinity's long tradition of educational excellence. "Trinity offers international students a friendly environment, great learning experience, and dedicated merit-based scholarships for various programmes. Moreover, if you're at Trinity, you're at an institution that has over four centuries of experience in designing and delivering education!" said Shihn.

"According to the OECD, the Irish economy is expected to be the least affected by the pandemic and bounce back the quickest. Ireland has been ranked sixth globally in terms of its innovative response to the pandemic," she further said, adding that the lockdown had been lifted almost completely there.

Shihn also spoke about the Irish government's commitment to the international students in the country. "Any international student, who gets affected by Covid, will be provided free healthcare services. Also, every international student who loses a part-time job is entitled to an emergency payment of 350 Euros per week," she said.

Sandeep Sharma, director, student recruitment & partnership, South Asia, University of Essex, England, observed that it was natural for students and parents to be anxious. He said that considering the current situation, Essex was not making academic references mandatory this time.

"We understand that offices are closed and generally, there's a sense of flexibility. A lot of UK institutions will be happy to host international students in October. So, undergraduate students looking to study in the UK can still apply through the UCAS and join the October session," said Sharma.

Regarding health, he said that the NHS insurance of Rs 40,000 would cover any Covid-related expenditure for students.

Scott O'Neill, associate director, marketing & undergraduate recruitment, University of Waterloo, answered student queries about internships and post-study jobs. "Our co-op programme leads to cash flow. Students can also work part-time and bring down their expenses further," he said about Canada's co-op programme, which is supervised and paid internship for students and prepares them to enter jobs equipped with the right skills.

O'Neill said that many Canadian universities, including Waterloo, were looking at being very flexible. "At Waterloo, we are not just getting ready for the Fall, our academic process is already functioning. Classes are online and every effort is being made to provide students all the assistance they need," he said.

Amber Longtin, Senior International Admissions Counsellor, Michigan State University, USA, addressed the concerns of students and parents. "Remember, the US is not centralized and not all places follow the same protocol. Hence, you will find different reactions to the pandemic. Over a million international students come to the US every year and supporting them is very important to the universities," she said.

"So, you saw how universities reacted swiftly," she added, referring to the recent announcement by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, which said that foreign students had to leave the US if their Fall classes were completely online. The decision had evoked a sharp response from prestigious universities, including Harvard and MIT, and had to be withdrawn.

"Schools are making it easier for students to connect with them. At Michigan State, we are adopting a hybrid model where some classes will be in person but the majority will be online," added Longtin.

She clarified that the Optional Practical Training (OPT) was still available to STEM students for three years and to the others for a year's duration, giving them an opportunity to earn after studies.

Anju Singh, regional director, global operations, University of Arizona, said that foreign universities were collaborating with Indian institutions for Transnational Education (TNE) where course credits were transferrable.

"Currently, there's a lot of uncertainty. With salary cuts and downsizing, many won't be able to afford an education that's entirely abroad. This is where TNE greatly helps. We have launched this model through the University of Arizona's global campus in India," she said.

"There are various models. For instance, you can get your international degree by studying in India entirely, or you can study partially in India and partially abroad," said Singh explaining how the system works.

This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
My daughter is a graduate student at a British university forced home to North Dakota by the global pandemic. For the last four months she has been living in my basement trying to keep up with her doctoral work using such digital resources as are available at the British Library and the Bodleian at Oxford. She will be returning to Britain in early September (maybe). Meanwhile, she is about to fly off to Kansas to spend some time with her mother before the British give the green light for her return. We decided to take my pickup camper, named "Rocinante" after John Steinbecks rig from the famous 1960adventure, on a journey through Montana. We agree: if there were only one state, it would have to be Montana.We spent our first night at Makoshika State Park near Glendive. Its a spectacular state park, filled with dramatic badlands, in the uncool part of Montana. We grilled cheeseburgers and corn on the cob, sipped white wine, talked about life, her future, my future, our adult friendship, the crisis of the American experiment, the size of the universe  you know, the things you talk about when you go camping with the right person. We also kept binoculars handy to try to see the comet. The light lasts so long after sunset in this northern latitude that it was late before we glimpsed it. It grew better and better as true darkness descended on the plains. Dont these comets usually portend something terrible? she asked, knowing the answer from her studies of Elizabethan history and literature. What will come next? I asked only partly rhetorically.We needed to get to Bozeman by mid-afternoon Thursday, so we poached some Internet at a coffee shop in Miles City, studied the U.S. Forest Service campgrounds in the Bozeman-Livingston area, and chose one (more or less at random) north of Big Timber. We ambled on, with a lunch stop in Billings. Although the governor of Montana has ordered the people to wear masks in public, our informal survey indicated strict compliance in national chains and box stores, in grocery stores, and government offices like the post office, and little or no compliance in locally owned stores and quick shops.In mid-afternoon we drove north on a state road from Big Timber to a turnoff 10 miles north of town. We reckoned that a campground well off pavement in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains was likely to be less full than one right off the main thoroughfares. We turned up the gravel road towards Half Moon Camp. Four or five miles up that road I sensed that something was wrong with one of the tires. I got out to check and sure enough, the right rear tire was nearly flat. We were in the middle of nowhere. Ive changed plenty of tires in the course of my life, but never in a pickup with a heavy camper unit over the bed. We studied the owners manual for a while. I figured out how to lower the spare from below the bed, and we hauled everything out of the back seats to get the jack and tire iron. That took some time.The manual said to place the jack on the rear axle. That seemed wrong to me, so I read the passage in the manual three or four times. The last thing I wanted to do was compound the problem of a flat tire by the infinitely graver problem of a bent or broken axle. Operators manuals are notoriously hard to follow. They are about technical things and a person without that understanding is naturally at a disadvantage. And the people who write them are technicians who may not have majored in English. But we decided to trust the experts.I had just about jacked the rig up. I knew enough to loosen the lug nuts a bit before the tire lifted off the gravel. I was feeling pretty good about myself and my daughter, who thinks of me as a scholar and a  well  English major  was looking at me with some new respect. I was feeling like a man for all seasons. We would be on our way within 20 minutes.Just then the jack that came with the truck broke, like a sprung clock. It was clear that there was no way to lower it and re-align it and start again. It was a dead jack and of course it was the only one I had.So now we were doomed, marooned on a gravel road in the middle of nowhere, 10 miles from a tiny town, 60 or so from Livingston, Mont. What to do? My daughter who is wiser and more cautious than I am had renewed my AAA membership about a month ago. Fortunately, we had cell service, which says something good about rural connectivity. She called it in. It was not easy to explain where we were since we really didnt know where we were, and AAA has not yet developed a system of tracking your position from your cellphone. She and the AAA handler talked back and forth for a while until it became clear at AAA central that we were people who had no business wandering around rural Montana. My daughter hung up. What did you find out, I asked. They will call us back.And someone did, 20 minutes later. It was 98 degrees, no clouds, a typical hot late July day in west central Montana. He owned a towing company in Livingston. He would start out for us soon. He asked more questions about our location and soon figured out where we must be. But he said, Keep your cellphone handy. He told us it would take him about an hour and 15 minutes to get to us, assuming we were where he thought we were. Meanwhile, just relax.I went back to retrieve the broken jack and clean up the site a little, the way you do when the furnace man comes, and you pick up the house to be presentable.What amazed me was that neither my daughter, whose first flat tire this was, nor I was upset. We had nowhere we absolutely had to be. Help was on its way. We spent some time debating whether our AAA coverage would cover all of this (long mileage, lots of the mechanics time) or whether it merely facilitated the rescue and I would be shelling out hundreds before we were underway again. She made me acknowledge that she had been wise to insist on renewing my AAA. Lets wait to see how this comes out before we rush to that conclusion, I said.Just then, as we sat in the air-conditioned cab breathing in the magnificence of the Crazy Mountains and the Montana plains, an ATV rolled up from half a mile south. He stopped in the borrow ditch. He was wearing a green checked shirt, jeans, rounded cowboy boots. He was maybe 35 years old. Dark hair, a short beard, well-groomed. I explained the situation, including the broken jack and that we had just called AAA. Heck, Ill change your tire. Back in a few minutes. And off he rolled in the ATV. My daughter called the towing guy who was still in Livingston and said we were being rescued by a rancher and no longer needed his services. He might have been angry, but he wasnt. He reckoned we were in good shape.The rancher, whose name turned out to be Joe L., reappeared with a pneumatic jack and a DeWalt drill equipped with a flange that interfaced with a set of lug nut wrenches. Yeah, the jacks that come with these trucks are not very strong. Youd be smart to buy a pneumatic. He changed the tire out in less than 15 minutes. I asked him questions as he worked. Did he grow up out here? No, Pennsylvania, but he had been here seven or eight years. How did he like it here? Well, its a good place to live, sometimes a little far from everything else, but good. Was he a rancher? Yes, a small ranch, but he was starting up a guiding service. Elk and bighorn sheep. Yes, there were a few wolves in the Crazies. The mountains got their name probably from the Crow Indians, who said they were possessed.While he was under the truck, I whispered to my daughter to get my wallet where I had a lone hundred-dollar bill, tucked in a hidden pocket for emergencies. I was more than happy to give it to him  our good Samaritan. In fact, I worried that it might be insufficient to pay for the rescue. He inched out from behind the truck and said, well, good luck, Ill be on my way. I said, wait, please take this with our deep gratitude. No, nope, that wont be necessary. My daughter appealed to him to take the money in thanks for his help. Thank you, maam, but I didnt do it for money. And off he went.So, we were blessed by this act of pure generosity by our own St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers.Once he disappeared over the horizon and from our lives  forever  we talked about the rest of the day and evening. We decided not to drive the remaining 14 miles to Half Moon Camp on a spare tire and no jack. My daughter, who studied classical languages in college, said, You know hubris is followed by nemesis, dad, which I translated into, how about we check in at Holiday Inn Express in Bozeman, get a real shower, and order Thai from Grubhub? So we inched our way back to pavement, checked the tire, drove to Big Timber, checked the tire, got on I-90 and drove to Livingston, checked the tire, and then on to west Bozeman, where a beautiful, clean room with two queen beds was waiting for us, thanks to a cellphone call she made riding shotgun.As we drove off into the evening, we discussed what gift we are going to send to Joe L., RR X, Big Timber, Mon. We ran through a dozen options, from the complete works of Chaucer on down! Eventually she said, How about a gift certificate from Cabelas? Perfect. So, I will attend to that when I get back to civilization and write a handwritten letter of real gratitude. My daughter said, this so restores my faith in humanity, but she couldnt finish. She broke into tears. I was choked up, too.Why did this man bother to help a couple of clowns from another state when he could have just stayed in his house and let the auto-breakdown professionals do the job? Why was he willing to get down on his back on a really uncomfortable gravel road (I have wounds to show you!) to jack up a strangers rig? Why had he refused our money? He came out of nowhere, suddenly, gave us a gift of real value, and disappeared just as suddenly. It was as if he were an angel of goodness. In the Middle Ages (or among Native Americans) he would certainly have been regarded as a gift of God. Because what are the probabilities of that moment on a Wednesday afternoon in July in Montana? Truly?We talked carefully about it for a couple of hours. I live in North Dakota. Her mother lives in western Kansas. They are both red states. Montana is a red state, too, with an extra dollop of libertarianism thrown in, except where the Hollywood types have built their gated enclaves, and except in the peoples republic of Missoula, where the University of Montana is located. For the last two days we had seen Trump signs and regalia everywhere, including bumper stickers saying, Trump Nation. My daughter and I pride ourselves on being politically independent, but this year we are going to vote for ABT, anybody but Donald Trump, because we both believe that, irrespective of his politics, he has violated the basic norms we should expect of the chief representative of the American nation.My daughter is a Hillary-ite. She has been working this summer for a rural states COVID-19 response task force, compiling data from nursing homes, hospitals, industrial sites, and from around the country, and attending briefings about public health protocols. We both believe that masks are one of the essential, no-brainer tools for overcoming the pandemic, along with social distancing, and partial closure of public activities. We have both been amused and occasionally appalled by the wanton disregard for common sense public health measures in our red state homeland (the Great Plains), and we have both been glared at and mask shamed (for wearing masks) as we go about our public business. Weve done a lot of shaking our heads and deploring the weaponization of public health in the last five months. Some of our private conversation has been righteous. We have reverted to Thomas Franksthesis, which argues that rural Americans steadfastly vote for conservative Republicans against their actual interests because they are so easily seduced by culture war issues like gay ordination and prayer in schools  issues that are important to them, but which dont help them pay their bills, get access to health care, or rebuild the crumbling rural infrastructure. In our scores of hours of private conversation over the past months, we have regarded ourselves as enlightened, and we have condemned many of the people around us as Trumpites.We got a little comeuppance yesterday in the middle of nowhere. Because we learned that America is so very much more than our broken national political rhetoric.If demographic probability studies are accurate, this young man  Joe Montana  is probably a Trump supporter. He probably would politely disagree with most of what we might have to say about the state of American politics. He probably believes that it is hard work, a solid work ethic, perseverance, patriotism, and grit that makes a good American, and that the welfare state is a mistake beyond a certain low safety net. If we asked him about mask protocols, he would probably have smiled a big sheepish smile and spread his arms, because from where our stricken camper rig was parked we could see at least 20 miles in every direction in a vast and open landscape populated by no more than a few isolated ranch steads. And this, he would assure us, is what most of Montana looks like.My dream is to drive my Steinbeckian rig "Rocinante" all over the American outback, from the Great Smokey Mountains of east Tennessee to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, out near the end of the Lewis and Clark trail; from Haven, Maine, where one of my heroes John Wesley Powell died in 1902 to Canyon de Chelly in Arizona, one of the most sacred places in the Western Hemisphere. When I turn off Fox and MSNBC, Rush and Sean and Michael Savage, and get out into the heart of the heart of the country, two things invariably happen.First, I cheer up, because what you hear on those media platforms is a patina that crusts what America really  and still  is: a gigantic country of mostly modest people going about their lives trying at least to make ends meet and if possible get a sliver of the American Dream, a place where character and community are more important than political discourse. Second, I discover  again  that what binds us as Americans is much greater, deeper, and wider than what divides us and that while there are very serious issues and unresolved problems that we must attend to with real urgency and national good will, it would help us all if we ratcheted things down once in a while rather than always up.This young man didnt ask us about our political outlook and we didnt ask him about his. Heck, for all we know he is a liberal democrat who espouses the Green New Deal. Probably not. But he was clearly a man of good will, integrity, honesty, and generosity of spirit, irrespective of his politics. Although my daughter and I both grew up on the Great Plains  and we carry a lot of the Great Plains ethos with us no matter what we have become in our enlightenment  we sometimes forget what is so quintessentially good about the people who helped to form us in 4H, the Methodist and Congregational churches, the mediocre but earnest public schools, the moments when the farmer has a heart attack when the wheat needs to come in, and two dozen of his neighbors turn up over the hills with combines and grain trucks to harvest the crop before it is too late, before the hail bites it. We regard the people we grew up with as the salt of the earth, if a bit nutty from too much time on the tractor with the ditto heads of America, but they regard us a good-enough people who got over educated in the liberal arts (as opposed to the practical skills) and therefore a bit nutty.We cherished our comeuppance. We agreed to try to wring some of the righteousness out of our responses to life, to be more charitable to views that are not our own, to embrace more regularly the shared values of the American people, particularly rural people, the ones Donald Trump awakened in 2015-2016 because he  so imperfect a populist tribune  was the first national politician who took them seriously for a change.The morning after the breakdown, I hobbled my rig into a locally owned tire shop in Bozeman and wound up getting two splendid new ten-ply all road all weather tires. The tire store manager was like a Zen master  so easily offended by the merest rookie question, so quick to put the rube in his place  but I was steadfastly meek and polite because he and his boys had that same work ethic that is so much the heart of rural America.Two new tires and a pneumatic jack. Im ready to go find all thats right with America.
In a breakthrough that raises possibilities for a method to detect Alzheimer's Disease in a less expensive and less invasive way, researchers were able to develop a blood test for the most common form of dementia that yields results as accurate as spinal taps or brain scans.

On Tuesday, during the Alzheimer's Association International Conference results from multiple studies on tests about Alzheimer's were presented by researchers. The said studies aimed to find out whether a blood test is able to distinguish Alzheimer's from different forms of dementia.

One of the presented studies which have exhibited promising results was published in the journal JAMA. Based on the research, a particular blood test done on patients could identify Alzheimer's. In addition, it was also stated that the same test is able to detect signs of the disease two decades before the onset of any cognitive problems were expected..

In addition, USA Today reported that a blood test used to detect Alzheimer's disease in its early stages could give results with more precision than the thinking and memory tests that are currently being used in disease diagnosis. There are also several other methods which could diagnose the disease such as spinal taps and brain scans but both are invasive procedures and are very costly.

According to the researchers, Alzheimer's is distinguished from other forms of dementia by measuring the protein tau. They also stated that the blood tests were able to do so in 89-98% of the cases.

Dr. Eric Reiman, director of the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix, who is also a researcher in one of the studies stated that the blood test showed a lot of promise due to its high accuracy and early detection of disease.

Read also: Experimental Coronavirus Vaccine Enters 'Late-Stage Trials' in Hopes of Releasing Before End of Year

Blood Tests Could Open Advancements in Search for a Cure

Aside from accuracy and early detection, blood tests for Alzheimer's may also provide hope for the long search for ways to treat the disease - a field that has faced many failures in the past. It also brings hope for families and patients that the disease has robbed of their memories and cognitive ability to function independently.

According to the New York Times, experts have also expressed that said blood tests will be able to accelerate the advancements in the field of neuroscience. This is through making the search for new therapies and ways to treat the disease through cheaper and faster ways of screening for clinical trials.

However, the advancements may also pose ethical dilemmas, especially for those people who would decide if they would want to find out whether they have a disease that until now has still no cure.

Neurology professor, Rudolph Tanzi from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital praised the data presented stating that it is a big step forward in the field.

As of the moment, there are around 30 million people who are suffering from Alzheimer's globally. Six million of these people can be found in the United States alone.



Related article: Study Suggest Humans Weakening COVID-19 Virus by Mutation, But Virus is Fighting Back

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Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

As teachers and school staff prepare to start the school year online, some are worried about an important aspect of an educators job  reporting signs of abuse and neglect in a student.

While everyone in New Mexico is a mandatory reporter for abuse, the responsibility of reporting those telltale signs often falls on teachers, since they see students regularly.

As school districts in the state shifted online following the outbreak of COVID-19, referrals to the state Children, Youth and Families Department declined in April and May, CYFD spokesperson Charlie Moore-Pabst said.

The first two months of this, we did see a drastic drop in numbers, Moore-Pabst said.

While CYFD does not track how many referrals come from teachers, other data hints to their impact on the numbers. Reports of abuse usually decline in the summer months and surge back with the start of school, according to Melissa Ewer, director of New Mexico Childrens Alliance.

Now, children are spending nearly all of their time at home. Those working with victims of abuse say children also have less interaction with other adults, making it harder for the youths to report abuse or for anyone outside the home to notice.

And recognizing signs of abuse over video conference programs such as Zoom can be difficult, according to Leslie Strickler, director of the Child Abuse Response Team at University of New Mexico Hospital. Its hard for children to report, she said, when their abuser is in the same room.

Those difficulties are already on display. Many doctors are conducting appointments by phone or online, Strickler said, and with that method she cant establish a setting where a child feels safe.

We recognized very early on that (online) was not feasible for child abuse assessment, she said, adding that schools face the same challenge.

However, school districts are still attempting to fill that role.

After child abuse reporting started to dip, CYFD developed a training for Albuquerque Public Schools on how to recognize abuse and neglect virtually.

Kris Meurer, executive director for APS Student, Family and Community Supports division, said training for staff was piloted this past spring and is being added to a slate of required trainings.

Educators keep tabs on behavioral changes, the background environment and participation levels, among other signs to monitor child welfare from a screen, according to Senior Director of Counseling Services Vicki Price.

We felt that it was really critical that we still need to be able to do reporting and to understand what were looking for in a virtual setting, Meurer said.

Price said all staff are expected to review the training at the beginning of the school year as part of APS back-to-school plan.

Santa Fe Schools Superintendent Veronica Garcia said she thinks teachers can still build a relationship with students, an important factor in recognizing signs of abuse, even if theyve never met face to face.

Its gonna take a little bit, Garcia said. It is easier when you already have a relationship built.

Its unclear by how much CYFD referrals have declined, but abuse is happening. Ewer said local directors in her network are reporting increasingly violent cases of abuse, which are happening more frequently than before the pandemic.

The abuse that is getting reported is extremely severe, a lot more violent, she said.

Why these cases of abuse are more violent is unknown, but Strickler and Ewer said the pandemic has placed a greater number of families under stress  physical and financial  which can exacerbate conditions for children at risk of abuse.

And its places heavily affected by the pandemic, such as Farmington, that have seen the sharpest declines in reporting, Ewer said.

For a system that has relied primarily on educators to report, there have been some adjustments. Neighbors, deliverymen and other adults have begun reporting in greater numbers, Moore-Pabst said.

He said the decrease in reporting has unintentionally improved the care clients are receiving.

If anything, its dropped the number of new cases coming in so our investigators can spend more time on fewer cases to do a better job, he said.

But Strickler said there will still be cases of abuse that go unreported and that online classes do little to solve the issue.

The risk is very high that, even with this type of contact, kids who are at risk of being harmed will not be recognized in this new modified school platform, she said.

How to report

If you have reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect, call 1-855-333-SAFE (7233) or #SAFE from a cellphone.
Health official: Omicron cases 'just skyrocketing here in the community'

As of Jan. 18, McLaren Northern Michigan had 23 COVID-19 inpatients at the Petoskey-based hospital, which included 10 in critical care units and 13 in non-critical care units.
Emerald Point Terr. and Winding Rd., 3:29 a.m. July 8. Two males and a man were engaged in a dispute when one of the males shot the man. Both males and a third male fled in the mans vehicle. A 24-year-old Winchester man was found dead in the roadway. A 21-year-old Sterling male and a 22-year-old Woodbridge male were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. A third male, 24 years old and of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with auto theft.
We are in the middle of the coronavirus-stricken second-quarter 2020 earnings session and the results are so far highly disappointing mainly owing to lockdowns that were imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Nevertheless, growth investors are primarily focused on stocks with aggressive earnings or revenue improvement, which should propel their stock price higher in the future. Although corporate earnings growth is negative year over year, a handful of growth stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank are set to beat second-quarter earnings estimates.

Q2 At a Glance

The second quarter had two distinct characters. First, economic activities were way below last year since lockdowns continued till the third week of May. Several economists have forecast that this earnings session will be the worst in 12 years, since the days of the Great Recession.

On the other hand, a series of economic data have indicated that coronavirus-induced devastations may not be as serve as expected earlier. Unprecedented fiscal and monetary stimulus injected by the government and the Fed helped in strengthening consumer spending and business confidence. Consequently, Wall Street witnessed its best second quarter in more than two decades.

However, a second wave of COVID-19 in some states since the second half of June has forced them to again close some parts of their economies in less than a month. The resurgence significantly dented a section of economists and stifled financial experts' expectations of a V-shaped recovery of the U.S. economy.

Disappointing Second-Quarter Results & Projections

As of Jul 28, 163 S&P 500 members reported second-quarter 2020 earnings results. Total earnings of these companies are down 38.6% from the same period last year on 6.3% lower revenues. Of the total, 75.54% surpassed EPS estimates and 64.4% outpaced revenue estimates.

Overall, second-quarter earnings for the S&P 500 Index are projected to be down 44.8% year over year on 10.7% lower revenues. Notably, first-quarter earnings of companies on the S&P 500 Index were down 13.5% on 1.4% higher revenues. (Read More: The Technology Sector Shows its Earnings Power Amid Coronavirus)

Story continues

5 Growth Stocks Set to Beat Earnings Estimates

Given the bleak earnings picture, we have zeroed in on five growth stocks that have a positive Earnings ESP and are slated to release earnings reports in August. Each of our picks carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and Growth Score of A or B. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Our research shows that for stocks with the combination of a Zacks Rank #3 or better and a positive Earnings ESP, the chance of an earnings beat is as high as 70%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks in the last quarter.

Noble Energy Inc. NBL is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas worldwide. It owns, operates, develops and acquires domestic midstream infrastructure assets in the DJ and Delaware Basins. The company has an Earnings ESP of +9.62%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Noble Energy's current-year earnings has improved 4.3% over the last 7 days. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 144.2%, on average. The company is set to release earnings results on Aug 3, before the opening bell.

TopBuild Corp. BLD installs and distributes insulation and other building products to the United States construction industry. It operates in two segments, Installation and Distribution. The company has an Earnings ESP of +29.11%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TopBuild's current-year earnings has improved 4.8% over the last 30 days. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.7%, on average. The company is set to release earnings results on Aug 4, before the opening bell.

Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. NUS develops and distributes a wide range of premium cosmetics, beauty, personal care and wellness products. The company has an Earnings ESP of +6.35%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Bonanza Nu Skin Enterprises' current-year earnings has improved 2.5% over the last 7 days. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 13.5%, on average. The company is set to release earnings results on Aug 5, after the closing bell.

Bonanza Creek Energy Inc. BCEI is an exploration and production company, focusing on the extraction of onshore oil and related liquids-rich natural gas in the United States. The company has an Earnings ESP of +13.66%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Bonanza Creek Energy's current-year earnings has improved 4.1% over the last 7 days. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.7%, on average. The company is set to release earnings results on Aug 6, after the closing bell.

Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc. OLLI is a value retailer of brand name merchandise at drastically reduced prices. The company has an Earnings ESP of +8.86% for second-quarter fiscal 2021 (ended July 2021).

The company has an expected earnings growth rate of 39.8% for the current year (ending January 2020). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 18.6% over the last 7 days. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.7%, on average. The company is set to release earnings results on Aug 26, after the closing bell.

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Wearing face masks is widely recommended as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to ravage across the globe. The pandemic has now topped more than 16.66 million cases, with a staggering death toll of at least 659,000.

With face masks now mandatory in the United Kingdom and other countries in Asia, people have been making their masks, especially as surgical mask supplies in shortage. However, health experts say some masks are more effective than others in stopping the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

Now, a team of Australian researchers has recorded videos of what happens when people talk, sneeze, or cough in various scenarios, while not wearing a mask, wearing two different cloth masks, or using a surgical mask. The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended one-and two-layer cloth face-covering against the three-ply surgical masks used in healthcare settings. The research is published in the BMJ journal Thorax.

Researchers used an LED lighting system with a high-speed camera to capture the spread of germs from coughing and sneezing. Image Credit: Christian Vinces / Shutterstock

Shielding droplets and aerosols

To arrive at their findings, the researchers visualized the droplets and aerosols by an LED lighting system with a high-speed camera. They compared scenarios where people used no mask, two different home-made cloth masks, and a three-layered surgical mask.

The team has found that a surgical mask was the most effective at blocking aerosols and droplets from people who were sneezing, coughing, or talking. However, since supplies are scarce due to the high demand for surgical masks, a cloth mask is the next best thing, and they found that the more layers of cloth, the better.

High speed camera captures how different types of face masks work Play

The team confirmed that even people who talk produces respiratory droplets that can be suspended in the air. Coughing and sneezing produce even more droplets, making them more infectious.

Further, the team found that a single-layer cloth face covering can reduce the droplet spread by coughing, sneezing, and talking, but was not as good as the two-layered cloth mask or the three-layered surgical mask. They also explained that with more layers, the protection the mask provides is better. A 12-layered cloth mask is about as protective as a surgical mask, reducing the infection risk by as much as 67 percent.

What can be done?

The team recognizes that sewing 12 layers of fabric together is hard. They suggest increasing the number of layers of at least three layers, use a water-resistant fabric for the outer layer, and choose a fabric with a high-thread-count. The tighter the weave, the better it can be used as a cloth mask.

The ideal cloth is hybrid fabrics such as cotton-silk, cotton-flannel, or cotton-chiffon since these fabrics provide better filtration and are comfortable to use. Lastly, make sure the masks fit perfectly and seal around the face. Cloth masks should always be washed daily after washing them.

Most popular masks

A new normal exists in most countries, with wearing of masks and physical distancing implemented to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Many people have added face masks to their line of fashion necessities. Now, online merchants have shifted their products from bags and clothes to sewn cloth masks.

The most popular masks include those sold on websites such as Etsy, a website selling crafts and handsewn materials by various sellers, Vida, an apparel and accessories company, Custom Ink, Vistaprint, Arm the Animals, Jane, Radian Jeans, and Disney, among others.

How to test masks

A senior lecturer in evidence-based healthcare at the University of Portsmouth, Simon Kolstoe, has recommended a simple way to test if a face mask or face covering is effective.

ABC 6 takes on Bill Nye's mask vs. candle experiment Play

To test if the mask is effective, he recommended putting on the mask and trying to blow out a candle. Those who can turn off the flame or move it are essentially wearing ineffective face coverings.

The design of face-covering that made it hardest to divert the candle flame will probably provide the best barrier for projecting the virus forward and through the face-covering, Kolstoe explained.

More than ever, wearing of masks is very important not only when going out of the house, but also when entering spaces with poor ventilation. The spread of the virus continues to ravage across the globe, with the case toll now reaching more than 16.54 million and the death toll topping 655,000.
OTTAWA, ON, July 29, 2020 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, along with the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness announced funds to support victims and survivors of human trafficking. The $19 million will be administered by two federal departments responsible for the implementation of the Government's five-year National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, a whole-of-government approach to eradicating human trafficking and supporting those impacted.

Human trafficking is a vile, harmful crime that disproportionately impacts women and girls. The Government of Canada is working with domestic and international partners to combat human trafficking in all its forms. The pandemic has made it more difficult to keep vulnerable populations safe, and help victims escape situations of human trafficking and access the supports they need. Starting today, the Government is accepting applications for projects that work to prevent and address human trafficking and support survivors.

$14 million will be distributed by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) and $5 million through Public Safety Canada. WAGE's call for proposals will support organizations that work to prevent and address human trafficking to develop and implement promising practices to enhance empowerment supports for at-risk populations and survivors of human trafficking. The call will remain open until September 4, 2020.

The funding available through Public Safety Canada will support two initiatives. The first is for projects that seek to empower victims and survivors of human trafficking through the provision of supports and services that are trauma-informed and culturally relevant. The second is for pilot projects to establish and test best practices to raise awareness of human trafficking among at-risk youth. The call will remain open until September 4, 2020.

Eligible organizations for the funds include not-for-profits, Indigenous governments (including band councils, tribal councils and self-government entities) and their agencies, Indigenous not-for-profit organizations (that represent First Nations, Inuit and/or Metis interests, and that are controlled by members of the population they serve) and municipalities and their agencies.

Quote



"Human trafficking is largely hidden. New trends continue to emerge and the pandemic has increased the harms to the most vulnerable. If you are a survivor of sexual exploitation, forced labour; if you believe someone else might be; or if you are currently being exploited and ready to talk to someone about your next steps, please call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010. Caring professionals are ready to assist you 24/7. If you and your team provide holistic, trauma-informed services to help survivors regain their independence, reintegrate into their communities, and begin their healing and recovery process, we thank you. Eligible organizations for the funds announced today include those supporting victims and survivors and community-led empowerment programs addressing the root causes of human trafficking."





The Honourable Bill Blair, P.C., M.P. Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P. Minister for Women and Gender Equality Minister for Rural Economic Development

Quick Facts

Despite strong laws and global protocols, human trafficking generates around $150 billion in profits worldwide annually. It disproportionately impacts women and children. In Canada , 95% of police-identified victims are women and girls.

in profits worldwide annually. It disproportionately impacts women and children. In , 95% of police-identified victims are women and girls. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has responded by investing multi-year funding in over 500 organizations working to address and prevent all forms of gender-based violence and promote gender equality.

has responded by investing multi-year funding in over 500 organizations working to address and prevent all forms of gender-based violence and promote gender equality. Across the country, over 1000 sexual assault centres and organizations that combat gender-based violence have been supported with emergency funding to continue to operate and provide essential services safely through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In September 2019 , the Government of Canada launched the new comprehensive National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (National Strategy), a whole-of-government approach that brings together federal efforts, and is supported by an investment of $57.22 million over five years and $10.28 million ongoing.

, the Government of launched the new comprehensive National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (National Strategy), a whole-of-government approach that brings together federal efforts, and is supported by an investment of over five years and ongoing. This builds on previous investments of $14.51 million over five years, and $2.89 million per year to establish the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline, which launched in May 2019 , as well as ongoing work across the Government of Canada to combat human trafficking.

over five years, and per year to establish the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline, which launched in , as well as ongoing work across the Government of to combat human trafficking. The National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking builds on and complements the efforts of Canada's Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence and advances the implementation of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls' Calls for Justice .

Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence and advances the implementation of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls' . To read more about people working on the frontline to end human trafficking, see Support the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons.

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Backgrounder

Government of Canada's Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. Globally, people, especially women, girls, and Indigenous peoples are trafficked for many reasons: sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced begging, forced marriage, for selling children and as child soldiers, as well as for the removal of organs.

This crime and violation of human rights disproportionately impacts women and girls. According to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, between 2009 and 2016, 95% of human trafficking victims in Canada were female, 72% were women under the age of 25, and 25% were under 18. Most victims are trafficked within their countries' borders; those trafficked abroad are moved to the richest countries. Children are at heightened risk of exploitation due to school closures during the pandemic, since many of them are increasingly online for learning and socializing. This may make them more vulnerable to online sexual predators

Action must be taken to end human trafficking in all its forms. In September 2019, the Government of Canada launched the new comprehensive National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (National Strategy), a whole-of-government approach to eradicating human trafficking and supporting those most impacted by this crime.

Under the National Strategy, the Government of Canada is launching calls for proposals for projects that aim to prevent and address human trafficking, empower victims and survivors, and raise awareness among at-risk youth.

Women and Gender Equality Canada Call for Proposals

Women and Gender Equality's Human Trafficking Initiative will provide multi-year funding to eligible organizations to develop, deliver, and test promising practices in prevention and intervention. The work made possible through this funding will advance knowledge and enhance empowerment supports for at-risk populations and survivors of human trafficking.The aim is to empower women, girls and LGBTQ2 individuals at an increased risk of being trafficked to protect themselves from being trafficked and empower survivors of human trafficking to regain independence and control over their lives. It also works to implement the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Up to $14 million is being made available over four years under this call for proposals. Organizations can find more information and submit an application to the Call for Proposals by visiting the Funding opportunities page. The call opens on July 29, 2020 and the deadline to submit is September 4, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Public Safety Canada Call for Proposals

Public Safety Canada's Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (CPCSOC) for the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness supports initiatives, research, partnership building, specialized police services, projects and programs to increase knowledge, raise awareness and/or help advance efforts to combat serious and organized crime.

Through the CPCSOC, Public Safety Canada is launching a Call for Proposals for two initiatives: Community-Based Trauma-Informed Empowerment Projects and Pilot Projects for At-Risk Youth. Through this open call, up to $5 million in funding will be available over four years to eligible organizations.

Public Safety Canada will be accepting applications from eligible organizations starting on July 29, 2020 until September 4, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

1. Community-Based Trauma-Informed Empowerment Projects

The objective of this call for proposals is to fund projects by eligible organizations that provide trauma-informed, culturally-relevant, wrap-around services and supports to victims and survivors of human trafficking.

Projects funded through this initiative should aim to empower victims and survivors of human trafficking to regain their independence and prevent their re-victimization.

Projects could provide transition, second stage housing, mental health, and employment services and supports, as well as training and tools to gain financial independence.

A total of $3 million will be made available over four years to fund eligible empowerment projects, with $750,000 being made available per year for all funded projects.

2. Pilot Projects for At-Risk Youth

The objective of this call for proposals is to provide funding to eligible organizations to develop pilot projects with a focus on raising awareness of human trafficking among at-risk youth, particularly homeless youth and those living in care.

Projects funded through this initiative should aim to create innovative awareness tools for at-risk youth and empower youth to be active participants in the prevention of their own potential victimization.

Projects should incorporate how to recognize signs of human trafficking, how to recognize grooming and luring mechanisms commonly used by perpetrators, rights under the United Nations Rights of the Child Convention, and how to report suspected cases of human trafficking or exploitation. Initiatives should also include the creation, promotion and/or dissemination of educational and/or awareness materials/resources.

A total of $2 million will be made available over four years to fund eligible pilot projects for at-risk youth, with $500,000 being made available per year for all funded projects.

Associated Links

Follow Women and Gender Equality Canada:

SOURCE Women and Gender Equality Canada

For further information: Marie-Pier Baril, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, 613-295-8123; Mary-Liz Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, [email protected]; Media Relations, Women and Gender Equality Canada, 1-855-969-9922; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/


US may supply Covid vaccine to other parts of the world: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has said that the US may possibly supply coronavirus vaccine to other parts of the world when it is ready. He said that his government has increased production of materials needed for the development of the vaccine and added that it would be completed very soon. He further said that they will produce 100 million doses of the vaccine as soon as it is approved. Trump added that the vaccines will be discharged very rapidly as soon as they are ready. The Trump administration aims to have a vaccine available by the end of the year or early 2021. The US President, who faces polls later in the year, said that his government had worked on war footing to deliver life saving equipment to people during the peak of the pandemic. Trump again referred to Covid-19 as the China virus during his address at the White House. The United States has reported more than 4.3 million cases and more than 149,000 virus-related deaths as of Tuesday afternoon, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University.Watch the full video for all the details. ...read more
Press Release

Ooredoo Qatar's 5G commercial services go live with Nokia cloud-native 5G core network

Nokia cloud-native 5G core network allows Ooredoo Qatar to deliver a wide breadth of commercial 5G services to its retail and enterprise users

This milestone reaffirms Ooredoo Qatar's commitment to transforming network assets to cloud-native technology

29 July 2020

Espoo, Finland - Nokia has today announced that Ooredoo Qatar has launched a Nokia-powered cloud-native core network for commercial 5G services, allowing the operator to provide superior mobile broadband services to its roughly two million subscribers in Qatar.

The new core network facilitates automation for improved network efficiency and streamlined network management. The transformation of the core network also enables Ooredoo Qatar to bring new and exciting use cases such as Industrial IOT (IIoT), Voice over Broadband (VoBB), Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) to its subscribers. Furthermore, Nokia's equipment and professional services will help Ooredoo Qatar to scale its network more efficiently with automated operations and enhanced robustness.

5G technology demands a dynamic, agile, and easily scalable core network, which can address the ever-increasing traffic without any impact on the performance. The cloud-native core is essential to meet the critical business objectives of 5G, including better bandwidth and latency, the requirement of IoT, and providing new and exciting services that go beyond the traditional offerings of voice, broadband and messaging by service providers.

Nokia AirFrame data center hardware, CloudBand Application Manager, CBIS OpenStack Software, Voice and Cloud Packet Core Virtual Network Functions, and Nuage Networks Software Defined Networking solutions were all included as key parts in upgrading Ooredoo Qatar's core network.

More than 10 virtualized network functions (VNFs) are deployed on the cloud platform, covering data, voice, subscriber management registers and policy control enabling voice and data services. The new cloud core network supports 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) architecture and provides a smooth transition to a 5G Standalone network architecture.

Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaisi, Chief Operating Officer at Ooredoo Qatar, said: "We are delighted to reach this milestone by launching the state-of-the-art cloud-native 5G core network with Nokia for carrying 5G commercial services. Collaboration with Nokia, a global technology leader, will help us in providing low-latency, high-speed and content-rich services to our subscribers. This project is testament to our commitment to bringing the latest technology to our subscribers, in line with our goal of complete customer satisfaction, and reiterates our leadership position in the global 5G ecosystem."

Henrique Vale, Vice President of Nokia Software for Middle East and Africa, said: "The transformation of Ooredoo Qatar's legacy core network to a fully cloud-native 5G core in a very short time frame demonstrates the strength of our end-to-end portfolio and exceptional delivery expertise. Ooredoo Qatar's new core network will enable it to bring innovative and the latest use cases to its subscribers and also prepares the network for providing scalable 5G commercial services."

Overview of the solution used for deployment:

Nokia AirFrame (https://networks.nokia.com/solutions/airframe-data-center-solution) data center solution supports open-source and enables full hyper-scale to extremely distributed capabilities that will be necessary for future telco and IT networking and service delivery.

(https://networks.nokia.com/solutions/airframe-data-center-solution) data center solution supports open-source and enables full hyper-scale to extremely distributed capabilities that will be necessary for future telco and IT networking and service delivery. Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs) include Mobile Core for Voice (https://www.nokia.com/networks/solutions/volte-vowi-fi-core/), with Cloud Packet Core, (https://networks.nokia.com/solutions/packet-core) Subscriber Management Registers (https://networks.nokia.com/products/nokia-registers) and Policy control (https://networks.nokia.com/products/smart-plan-suite) on a cloud platform.

(https://www.nokia.com/networks/solutions/volte-vowi-fi-core/), with (https://networks.nokia.com/solutions/packet-core) (https://networks.nokia.com/products/nokia-registers) and (https://networks.nokia.com/products/smart-plan-suite) on a cloud platform. Nokia CloudBand (https://networks.nokia.com/products/cloudband) allows service providers to host, orchestrate, automate and manage Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs) and services. It makes it easier for telcos to reduce time to revenue for new services and use automation and optimization to make network operations lean

(https://networks.nokia.com/products/cloudband) allows service providers to host, orchestrate, automate and manage Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs) and services. It makes it easier for telcos to reduce time to revenue for new services and use automation and optimization to make network operations lean Nokia NetAct (https://networks.nokia.com/solutions/netact) provides a consolidated view of multi-domain, multi-technology networks, helping service providers in proactively addressing any network-related issue

(https://networks.nokia.com/solutions/netact) provides a consolidated view of multi-domain, multi-technology networks, helping service providers in proactively addressing any network-related issue Nuage Networks from Nokia SDN (http://www.nuagenetworks.net/) solutions enable telco cloud network automation.

(http://www.nuagenetworks.net/) solutions enable telco cloud network automation. Nokia Professional services ensured an efficient and timely execution of the project

Resources:

Web page: Nokia 5G Core (https://networks.nokia.com/5g/5g-core)

(https://networks.nokia.com/5g/5g-core) Whitepaper: Unconstrained data center networks for the cloud era (https://onestore.nokia.com/asset/165438)

(https://onestore.nokia.com/asset/165438) Blog: What's central to the success of 5G? The core network of course (https://www.nokia.com/blog/whats-central-success-5g-core-network-course/)

About Nokia

We create the technology to connect the world. Only Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With our commitment to innovation, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, we are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks.

Our communications service provider customers support more than 6.4 billion subscriptions with our radio networks, and our enterprise customers have deployed over 1,300 industrial networks worldwide. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, we transform how people live, work and communicate. For our latest updates, please visit us online www.nokia.com and follow us on Twitter @nokia.

Media Inquiries:

Nokia

Kannan K

Nokia Media Relations

Phone: +971 529 823 406

E-mail: kannan.k@nokia.com

Communications

Phone: +358
State-owned (PFC) on Wednesday said it has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology- Kanpur for training, research, and entrepreneurship development in smart grid technology.

As per the memorandum of association, the will provide financial assistance of Rs 2.38 crore (Rs 2,38,97,000) to IIT-K under its CSR initiative.

The objective of the pact is to provide support to IIT-K in developing infrastructure for research and development on smart grid technology, R Murahari, Executive Director (CSR&SD), PFC, said.

As part of the project, the IIT-K will also provide training on smart grid technology to 90 participants and provide fellowship to nine selected candidates for development of ideas on smart grid technology.

The fellows will be assisted by startup Innovation and Incubation Centre (SIIC) of IIT-K and encouraged to take up entrepreneurial activities.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper testifies to the Senate Armed Services Committee about the budget, on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 4, 2020. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)

Pentagon to Move 11,900 Troops Out of Germany in Reshuffle

The Pentagon has announced it will move 11,900 troops, along with its European command headquarters, out of Germany, as it shifts to a more flexible rotational model and reshuffles units closer to NATOs Eastern flank with Russia.

The change follows President Donald Trumps announcement last month of a reduction of the 36,000 troops currently stationed in Germany.

Outlining the plans on July 29, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the presidents announcement had accelerated an already existing Pentagon review of the European Command (EUCOM).

The current EUCOM plan will reposition approximately 11,900 military personnel from Germany, from roughly 36,000 down to 24,000 in a manner that will strengthen NATO [and] enhance the deterrence of Russia, he said.

Nearly 5,600 service members will be repositioned within NATO countries, and approximately 6,400 will return to the United States, Esper said. Many of the units that do return home will begin conducting rotational deployments back to Europe, he said.

Rotational deployments align with a broader strategic shift toward less predictable, more flexible deployments from the U.S. mainland, from bombers to aircraft carriers.

Nearly half of all U.S. service members in Europe are currently based in Germany, where the U.S. command headquarters is located.

Various United States headquarters will be consolidated in locations in Europe, outside of Germany, including in some cases, co-locating at the same locations as their NATO counterparts in Belgium and Italy, said Esper. This will strengthen NATO and improve the operational efficiency and readiness of over 2,000 service members in these headquarters.

The nearly 4,500 members of the Second Cavalry Regiment will return to the United States. Meanwhile, other Stryker units will begin continuous rotations in the Black Sea region, said Esper, to enhance deterrence, and reassure allies along NATOs southeastern flank.

The 2,500 airmen based in the UK, responsible for refueling and special ops, wont be moving to Germany as originally planned.

We also plan on rotating the lead element of the Armys newly established Fifth Corps headquarters to Poland, said Esper.

He said the plan is designed to enhance deterrence with Russia, strengthen NATO, reassure allies, improve strategic flexibility, and also to take care of service members and their families.

This rebalance, consistent with the NDS (National Defense Strategy) will align NATO and Eucom capabilities, better distribute forces across Europe and increase the use of rotational forces thus bolstering our commitment to Europe, Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, vice chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters.

Lt. Gen. John E. Hyten, Air Force Space Command vice commander, speaks about how cyber operations are a clear catalyst for change in the art and science of modern warfare during the Space Foundations Cyber 1.3 luncheon at The Broadmoor hotel, Colorado Springs, Colo., April 8, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Duncan Wood)

All U.S. combatant commands were under review to ensure they meet the priorities of 2018 National Defense Strategys demands to tackle Great Power competition with Russia and China, Esper said. He indicated that the change in plans to EUCOM both accommodated the presidents direction to reduce troops in Germany and the strategic requirements of the military.

When he announced the plans in June, Trump said: So were protecting Germany and theyre delinquent. That doesnt make sense. So I said, were going to bring down the count to 25,000 soldiers, Trump said, adding that they treat us very badly on trade.

Esper declined to characterize a distinction between Trumps rationale for pulling troops from Germany, and the strategic rationale of the plans. However, he did note that despite being one of the wealthiest nations in Europe, Germany was still below its NATO commitment to 2 percent of GDP on military spending agreed in 2016.

Esper said the goal is to make the changes as fast as possible.

We could see some moves begin within weeks, others will take longer.

The changes toward a more flexible rotational model of deployment are part of broader changes in U.S. military strategy to keep adversaries on their toes.

Two B-1B Lancers, assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., arrive at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of a Bomber Task Force deployment, July 17, 2020. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Christina Bennett)

As part of the same broader strategic shift to unpredictability, the Navy has ditched its previous clockwork deployment cycles, and the Air Force has started Bomber Task Force missions, carrying out long-range missions from the U.S. mainland.

Esper said that he expects the changes to cost several billion dollars.

There are currently around 74,000 U.S. troops in Europe.
Carrie Lams warning comes as Hong Kong implements its toughest measures yet to stem spread of COVID-19.

Hong Kongs leader Carrie Lam has warned the city is on the brink of a large-scale coronavirus outbreak that could overwhelm hospitals, urging people to stay indoors as much as possible as strict new measures to curb the diseases spread have taken effect.

From Wednesday, all residents in the densely packed city of 7.5 million must wear masks when they leave their homes while restaurants can only serve take-out meals.

No more than two people from different households can gather in public with fines of up to 5,000 Hong Kong dollars ($625) for those who breach the new rules, which mark the toughest introduced in the city since its outbreak began.

The government has also tightened testing and quarantine arrangements for sea and aircrew members.

The new rules, which will remain in place for at least seven days, came after a sudden surge in new infections. More than 1,000 cases have been confirmed since early July  more than 40 percent of the total since the virus first hit the city in late January.

Residents practise social distancing as they line up in the early morning for free COVID-19 coronavirus test kits handed out at a government clinic in the Kowloon-side Sham Shui Po district [Anthony Wallace/ AFP]

New daily cases have been above 100 for the last six days.

We are on the verge of a large-scale community outbreak, which may lead to a collapse of our hospital system and cost lives, especially of the elderly, Lam said in a statement.

In order to protect our loved ones, our healthcare staff and Hong Kong, I appeal to you to follow strictly the social distancing measures and stay at home as far as possible.

Success tested

Hong Kong was one of the first places hit by the coronavirus after it was detected in mainland China at the start of the year. The city initially had remarkable success in controlling the outbreak  helped in part by a health-conscious public embracing face masks and an efficient track-and-trace programme, forged in the fires of the deadly SARS virus in 2003.

By June, local transmission had all but ended.

With the viruss return, health officials have been scrambling to uncover the source of the outbreak.





Some have blamed exemptions from the usual 14-day quarantine which the government granted to essential personnel, including cross-boundary truck drivers, air and sea crew and some manufacturing executives.

The government has since tightened restrictions for some of those groups, and announced plans to build a temporary 2,000-bed field hospital near the airport, something Chinese authorities have offered to help with.

Since late January, more than 2,880 people have been infected in Hong Kong, and 23 have died.
AKRON, Ohio  The man and woman found fatally shot Tuesday in a burning house in Akron were a son-in-law and his mother-in-law, records show.

Justin Lee Walker, 34, married the daughter of Melinda Kay Pointer, 47, in 2008, according to Summit County Probate Court records. As of Wednesday afternoon, police have yet to make an arrest or publicly identify a suspect in the slayings.

Walker and Pointer were found dead early Tuesday by firefighters responding to a house fire on the 1000 block of Brown Street. They died of gunshot wounds to their head and torso, and their deaths were ruled a homicide, according to the Summit County Medical Examiners Office.

Police Lt. Michael Miller told cleveland.com Wednesday the investigation is on-going. The shooting is being investigated separately from the investigation into potential arson, but it is the likely assumption that it all occurred as part of the same incident, he said.

Akron Municipal Court records show Walker and Pointer previously lived at another home on the 1000 block of Kling Street, about a quarter-mile from the house where they were found dead.

Anyone with information is asked to call Akron police detectives at 330-375-2490, Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-2677 or text TIPSCO with your tips to 274637. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
Standardbred horseman/racing official Richard J. 'Dick' Welch, 80, of Scipio Center, NY, passed away on July 20, 2020, at his home.

He was born January 1, 1940, in Sherwood, NY, one of three children of the late James and Irene (Bowness) Welch. He graduated from Sherwood Central School. He was a longtime resident of Scipio Center, and a communicant of the Good Shepherd Catholic Community.

He began working with harness horses at the age of 19, and went on to become a trainer, driver, owner, and racing official. He established Richard Welch Stables and raced throughout the east coast. He amassed more than 900 driving wins, his horses earned more than $1.7 million in purses, and he won leading driver honours at Batavia Downs. In 2013, he was invited to participate in the 'Legends of Batavia Downs' race. He was known for his trademark toothpick, as you seldom saw him without one.

In 1979, he started a second career as a racing official with the NYS Racing and Wagering Board. He worked as a starter and judge at every Standardbred racetrack in New York State. After he retired, he purchased horses and continued his involvement in the sport.

He is survived by his daughter, Mindy (Edward) Kozlowski; son, James (Melissa); grandchildren, Bryan (Kristin) Kozlowski, Lindsey Kozlowski, Veronica, Lena and Cassandra; great-grandson, Max Kozlowski; brother, Donald (Susan); and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Leo Soucy.

Calling hours will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday (July 29) at Farrells Funeral Service Inc., 84 South St., Auburn. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday (July 30) in St. Patricks Church in Aurora.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the Good Shepherd Catholic Community of Southern Cayuga County, Sunshine Horses, or a charity of ones choice.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Dick Welch.

(USTA)
Photo: (Photo : Facebook/Luke's Dog Blog)

A Texas community helped a mom, Jessica, who plans to buy a service dog for her 14-year-old son who has autism. She believes her son, Luke, needs it to help him build his confidence. It would serve as a bridge between Luke and other people.

Helping the son become more independent

Even though Luke Berridge has high functioning autism, the family wants him to have a service dog to become more independent. The family said that the teen still has anxiety and episodes, so he needs additional help.

See also: Mom Who Hates Autism Triggered Different Responses from People [She Has Two Children with Autism]

To help the boy stand up for himself, the mom searched for some tips online. After a few months, Jessica finally decided to buy her son a service dog.

Raised funds to buy a service dog

After learning how much that dog would cost, the family decided to raise funds by baking brownies. After just two weeks of selling, they were able to raise almost $4,000.

Everyone in the family chipped in. Luke's sister, Natalie, would make the batter, then he would pour it in trays. Jessica would keep track of the orders and call the buyers. Luke's dad, Todd, would drive, and the whole family delivers. The father said that it was a "full team effort" to get his son a service dog.

See also: Family matters: Why family needs to join child therapy

Anonymous donors poured in

Many buyers who did not want to be identified ordered brownies to be delivered to frontline workers. Todd said that they did not expect that many people to help them. He knows that people are in very bad condition right now. He said that everyone is wearing masks and social distancing, but he could not believe in people's good hearts.

Todd said that everyone wants to take part in something good. Some donated money and bought brownies. Then they asked that the brownies be delivered to Fire Station Number 5, the Odessa Police Department, and the Ector County Sheriff (office).

Luke went to the sheriff department and had a great time. Todd explained that it has been great since they have been doing all sorts of things.

See also: How to discipline children with ADHD and autism effectively

The family created a Facebook page, "Luke's Dog Blog." It is where they post updates about brownie baking and dog search. Soon, they will post the dog they have chosen and include his or her name.

Right now, all Luke wants is to let the community know how much their help means to him. He posted that he is thankful for all the people helping him get a service dog.
Montgomery Police Chief Ernest Finley said he supports the right and power of lawful protests but said some protester actions constitute criminal activity and those arrested will be prosecuted.

Finley released a statement Wednesday, a day after a former longtime state senator and several others were arrested as they began to paint Good Trouble and Expand Medicaid on the street in front of the Alabama capitol. Former state Sen. Hank Sanders, 77, and eight others were released with charges pending, said Montgomery Police Capt. Saba Coleman.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama condemned the arrests, which took place during a press conference and demonstration held by Alabama SaveOurselves (SOS) and Black Lives Matter leaders.

Demonstrators told AL.com the point of the press conference was not only to push for the expansion of Medicaid in Alabama, but to also condemn the loss and mistreatment of Black lives at the hands of law enforcement.

In his statement, the police chief said:

In support of our mayors vision, we believe in the right and power of lawful protest. If citizens will avail themselves of the proper permitting, we can partner with them in an expression of their first amendment rights. However, the defacing and/or destruction of public property will not and cannot be tolerated regardless of who does it.

Regarding the recent arrests of demonstrators in Montgomery, while we have policies in place to deal with these situations, we are always searching for ways to improve all phases of police-community interactions. To that end, while any protester involved in criminal activity will continue to be subject to prosecution in accordance with the law and MPD policy, we are implementing practices to ensure these same individuals are treated in a respectful and professional manner. Ultimately, it is our hope to work together harmoniously to eliminate the need for arrests.

We certainly dont want men, women, young people or the elderly to get harmed in the process and it is not our intent to humiliate anyone for standing up for the issues they believe in. Over the last several weeks our department has proven that Montgomery honors the right to peacefully protest. Our interactions with local community leaders in the wake of the George Floyd killing shows how Public Safety & Public Protest can coexist.

It is my sincere hope that we can work through the recent difficulties and move forward together as a community.
Tucker started at Castello in February, right after Maurice Grant, the guy behind Move and Groove, bought it from the previous owner. Tucker has put together an ambitious menu, packed with curries, jerk dishes and even breakfast options, a nice counterbalance to the handful of items available at Move and Groove. Tuckers jerk chicken varies significantly from her bosss, and not just because its prepared in the oven. Her bird is almost blackened. Its also sweeter, rounder, more balanced, its heat the slow creeping kind. Her oxtail is a gelatinous offering, with bone-in pieces that make for good nibbling to extract every last, rich morsel. I would have enjoyed sampling more of Tuckers cooking but I learned a secret late in the reporting process: She often leaves work at 6 p.m., and the staff remaining may not be able to execute her dishes.
Attorney General William Barr defended the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America as he testified for the first time before the House Judiciary Committee, pushing back against angry, skeptical Democrats who said President Donald Trumps administration is unconstitutionally suppressing dissent.

The hearing, held Tuesday as the late civil rights icon John Lewis laid in state steps away outside the Capitol, highlighted the wide election-year gulf between the two parties on police brutality and systemic racism in law enforcement. Massive protests have sparked unrest across the nation following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, and calls for police reform are growing louder.

But Barr said violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests and argued the violence taking place in Portland, Oregon, and other cities is disconnected from Floyds killing, which he called a horrible event that prompted a necessary national reckoning on the relationship between the Black community and law enforcement. But he also said there was no systemic racism in law enforcement.

Largely absent from these scenes of destruction are even superficial attempts by the rioters to connect their actions to George Floyds death or any legitimate call for reform, Barr said of the Portland protests.

The hearing marks Barrs first appearance before the committee after 18 months in office, bringing him face-to-face with the panel that voted last year to hold him in contempt and is holding hearings on what Democrats say is politicization of the Justice Department under his watch. But little new ground was uncovered; fuming Democrats often used their five minutes to lay out their frustrations and cut Barr off as he attempted to answer questions.

The hearing comes during a tumultuous stretch in which Barr has taken actions cheered by President Donald Trump but condemned by Democrats and other critics. Among them: the Justice Departments decision to drop the prosecution of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn and Barrs urging for a more lenient sentence for Trump ally Roger Stone, a move that prompted the entire trial teams departure. Trump later commuted the sentence entirely.

Republicans were ready to back Barr up, with the top Republican on the panel, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, using his opening statement to show an eight-minute video that spliced together images of violence by protesters around the country.

Democrats retorted with a video of their own of more peaceful protesters, shown by Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline.

We fought for democracy, for the right to speak freely and you are attempting to take that away, Cicilline told Barr. Whats worse, youre doing it for the sole purpose of furthering the presidents political agenda and generating footage for Trump campaign commercials.

Opening the hearing, committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said the Trump administration had twisted the Department of Justice into a shadow of its former self, serving the powerful before average Americans. He said the committee has a responsibility to protect Americans from that kind of corruption.

Nadler said Barr had aided and abetted Trumps worst impulses and excoriated him and the Justice Department for turning a blind eye to necessary reforms to police departments, for dismissing Black Lives Matter protests and for flooding streets with federal agents to stop protesters.

Under combative questioning, Barr acerbically defended himself but revealed little new information about his motivations or the Justice Departments recent actions on policing or otherwise.

Many of the Democrats on this Committee have attempted to discredit me by conjuring up a narrative that I am simply the Presidents factotum who disposes of criminal cases according to his instructions, Barr said in his opening statement. Judging from the letter inviting me to this hearing, that appears to be your agenda today.

On policing, Barrs testimony underscored his departments ongoing effort to differentiate between increasing violence in some cities and Floyds death, which has led to state charges against four officers and is under investigation by federal authorities. Massive but peaceful demonstrations followed Floyds death in May.

The attorney general acknowledged to lawmakers Floyds death struck a chord in the Black community because it reinforced concerns Black people are treated differently by police. But he condemned Americans who he says have responded inappropriately to Floyds death through what he said was rioting and anarchy.

As elected officials of the federal government, every member of this committee  regardless of your political views or your feelings about the Trump administration  should condemn violence against federal officers and destruction of federal property, Barr said. So should state and local leaders who have a responsibility to keep their communities safe.

Civil unrest escalated in Portland after federal agents were accused of whisking people away in unmarked cars without probable cause; the people were detained and later released. And in Washington, D.C., peaceful protesters were violently cleared from the streets by federal officers using smoke bombs and pepper balls last month before a photo op by Trump in front of St. Johns church, where Barr had accompanied him.

He defended the broad use of law enforcement power to deal with the situation, noting that protesters had earlier set fire to the church and it was total consensus that you couldnt allow that to happen so close to the White House. The departments internal watchdog has opened investigations into use of force and other tactics by agents in Washington and Portland.

He also said the force was used because the protesters would not disperse from the area when law enforcement officials were trying to move back the security perimeter, a decision made the night before. When pressed on details, he pointed to the investigations.

The use of pepper spray was warranted, even if peaceful protesters were also harmed, he said.

Beyond the federal response to the demonstrations, Barr was pressed in detail about his intervention in the Flynn and Stone cases, both of which arose from special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Democrats criticized him for partly taking into account Stones health and age, 67, and said those standards havent been used in other similar cases.

Barr said he told the acting U.S. attorney that we are going to leave it up to the judge and that he ordered the revised recommendation to be filed when the line prosecutors submitted an initial recommendation calling for a sentence of seven to nine years.

And even though I knew I would get a lot of criticism for doing that, I think at the end of the day my obligation is to be fair to the individual, Barr said.

Republicans and Democrats also repeatedly revisited Muellers probe, with Democrats arguing he downplayed the report to the public before it was released and Republicans pressing him on the origins of the probe. Justice officials are now investigating the previous Justice Departments decisions as it started investigating Trumps ties to Russia during the Obama administration and Barr has been sharply critical of his predecessors.
Gyms, like churches where people sing in close proximity to each other, are some of the most dangerous places to be right now.

Its very easy to have a super-spreading event where one person can infect a large number of people, said Dr. Jason Knight, chief medical officer at Houston Methodist in The Woodlands and an emergency department doctor.

Why? Just breathing harder increases the chance for aerosolization, in which the virus is converted into particles light enough to be carried on the air.

When you lift something heavy, youre naturally inclined to grunt, breathe hard or increase the pressure in your body to lift heavier, Knight said. Breathing in that way, youre much more likely to project spit and breath and that will spread the virus.

On treadmills and other cardio equipment, a person not wearing a face covering will project their breath much farther than 6 feet, Knight said.

Renew Houston: Get the latest wellness news delivered to your inbox

Ben Park, 35, stayed away from the gym for three months. And it was starting to take a toll on him.

He exercised at his Conroe home with resistance bands, but it did not come close to filling that need for a hard workout.

Theres some part of me where I just feel better when Im able to get a workout in  theyre those mental and physical crutches that we rely on; its hard to rationalize, Park said.

Park works at a university, and he and his family are not immunocompromised in any way. He felt comfortable to return to the Conroe Golds Gym the day after Gov. Greg Abbott mandated everyone wear face masks indoors, even while exercising. That was July 2.

The first day, the gym wasnt packed, and nearly everyone, from staff to members, wore a mask, Park said.

Michael Wyke / Contributor

By Day 2, the share of gymgoers in masks was down to about a half; on Day 3, Park said, only a quarter of people in the gym were adhering to the mask mandate.

He asked a staff member at the front desk for clarification on the gyms mask policy. He was told that people are instructed to wear masks when they walk in the gym, and theyre advised to observe social distancing, but there would be no official policing of members on the gym floor.

Park messaged Golds Gym Houston on Instagram, which he found was the easiest way to get a direct answer. In the messages, he said he felt unsafe being surrounded by at least 20 people without masks, as well as staff members who werent wearing them or wearing them on their chins.

Screenshots from this conversation show that the Golds Gym Houston was not following mask mandates set by Montgomery County, the state of Texas or an official statement from Golds Gym corporate media relations.

In a message, the Houston-area gym told Park that it is working hard to make the gym experience safe for everyone while following the government orders.

We contacted our local government for more clarity, and inside the gym, if there is 6-feet of distance, then no mask is required as exercise is an exception, reads a message from Golds Gym Houston from July 8.

On HoustonChronicle.com: The key to working out in a mask? Slow down.

According to the Montgomery County government website, face coverings must be worn inside gyms and fitness centers, including when exercising. The same rule applies for the entire state, per the governors executive order.

Members are required to wear their masks upon entry throughout the gym if they cannot maintain physical distancing, according to a July 24 statement from Golds Gym Houston via a corporate media relations representative. This is to coincide with the government mask mandate.

Exceptions are made for those with a medical condition that prohibits them from wearing a mask, but those people are encouraged to receive further guidance before going to the gym.

All team members are required to wear masks at all times throughout the gym and regularly walk the floor to ensure all members are adhering to the rules, the statement continued. If a member refuses these state mandates, their membership may be revoked.

Finally, the statement encouraged members who observe another member not following these safety guidelines  to alert a manager.

Michael Wyke / Contributor

On July 24, Park was sent two photos from a friend inside the gym. Both photos showed at least 10 people not wearing masks in close proximity of each other. He did not share the photos with Golds Gym Houston.

Mask requirements have been set at at least two other Houston-area gyms: Life Time and the YMCA of Greater Houston.

Life Time implemented a nationwide mask mandate July 27, including in states and markets with no existing government orders. People must wear the mask while walking through all areas of the club and must keep them on while exercising. Masks will not be expected to be worn when not safe or practical, say, when a person is eating, drinking, showering or swimming, or if the person has a physical or psychological disability that precludes them from wearing a mask.

At the Y, masks must be worn upon entering the building, in hallways, lobbies and common areas. They must be worn while using cardio equipment and before or after indoor group exercise classes, or swimming. Group exercise has been moved outdoors to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and provide more space, according to trainer Shelby Saylor; therefore, masks arent required during class.

They must be worn while using weight machines, free weights, on the indoor track and in all changing facilities and restrooms.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Here's everything you need to know about working out outside

There is a much lower risk of transmission with outdoor exercise classes because of physical distancing and open air, Knight said. Its still smart to wear a mask if youre near others.

Knight wants to ask people which they prefer: running on a treadmill in a crowded gym with a mask or running outside with no mask on and practicing physical distancing. Plus, being outside requires no membership fee.

There are so many good alternatives, and I encourage people to do that (instead of going to a gym), Knight said. Its equally beneficial for your health, so Im not sure why people would go to a gym right now.

Exercise is crucial to Parks mental health, but he has decided to stop going to the gym. Its too much of a risk, he said.

I want to see the gym put in the effort that could give me an excuse to go back to the gym consistently, Park said.

julie.garcia@chron.com

twitter.com/reporterjulie
London, July 29 : Former England captain Alec Stewart has heaped praise on all-rounder Chris Woakes, saying he is an unsung hero in the team.

Woakes returned figures of 5/50 as England beat West Indies by 269 runs in the third and final Test at the Old Trafford to clinch a 2-1 series win and regain the Wisden Trophy. In the two Test matches that he played in the series, Woakes picked up 11 wickets, five less than Stuart Broad.

"He's almost the unsung hero of the England set-up because we talk about Broad and Anderson then the pace of Archer and Wood, where as Woakes just goes quietly about his business," Stewart was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"I'm a massive fan of Woakes, especially in England. His record in England is outstanding. It's a real feather in his cap that he got the nod when Chris Silverwood said 'we are picking our very best bowling attack for this Test match we have to win.' "Sam Curran played one Test match and got three wickets, he wants to chase down Chris Woakes' slot but, at the moment, while Woakes is in this form it is going to be very tough for young Sam Curran to get in.

"But I'm a massive fan of Chris Woakes and I'm pleased he finished with a five-for because a lot of the time his performances go under the radar compared to these perceived bigger players," he added.

England are next slated to take on Pakistan in the three-match Test series beginning August 5.
A product manager has gone viral after revealing she's often mistaken for someone half her age due to her youthful appearance.

Sakina Jabeen, 35, from Manchester, told TikTok users she's frequently asked if she's in her early twenties - but is in fact more than a decade older.

In a video, which has racked up more than 224,000 views, Sakina said bouncers regularly demand ID when she goes to bars.

But Sakina later revealed she's in her mid-thirties, shocking hundreds of social media users who said she looked like she could still be at school.

Sakina Jabeen, from Manchester, told TikTok users she's often asked if she's in her early twenties, but is in fact more than a decade older. In a video, which has racked up more than 224,000 views, the manager revealed she's commonly asked for ID when she goes to bars

Sakina (pictured) later revealed her real age is 35 - shocking hundreds of social media users who said she looked like she could still be at school

'You look 19,' one person commented, while another went a step further, claiming: 'You look 11!'

'Wow and you look ten years younger than that easily,' commented a third in response to her age revelation.

'35!' exclaimed one user, followed by a series of shocked emojis. 'No way, wow girl you don't look that age at all what's the secret?'

'I genuinely thought u were gonna say 19! Wow, that's amazing,' another admitted.

'You look like you could be at school still,' commented another.

TikTok users were shocked at the product manager's youthful appearance, saying they 'couldn't believe' she's 35

Sakina, who lives in Manchester, didn't reveal the secret to her youthful complexion as social media users were shocked she was 35, with many saying she could be at school

After one user asked what she looked like without make-up or filters, Sakina shared another video of herself removing her make-up, proving she looks just as young completely au natural.

'You are beautiful, with make-up and even more beautiful without make-up. Definitely don't look your age,' an impressed TikTok user wrote.

'This can't be true. I can't stop looking,' commented another.

When a user asked to see what she looked like aged 20, Sakina shared a photograph of herself at 21 - showing she's barely aged at all.

After one user asked what she looked like without make-up or filters, Sakina shared another video showing she looks just as young completely natural

Sakina uploaded another video without filters or make-up to prove her youthful appearance is natural
(Photo : Kodak) Kodak Executive Chairman and CEO Jim Continenza and DFC CEO Adam Boehler sign a letter of interest to provide a $765 million loan to Eastman Kodak Company to support the launch of Kodak Pharmaceuticals. (Photo : Kodak) DFC CEO Adam Boehler delivers remarks at the signing event. (Photo : Kodak) U.S. International Development Finance Corporation CEO Adam Boehler (left), Kodak Executive Chairman Jim Continenza (center) and Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Dr. Peter Navarro (right) tour the manufacturing facility at Eastman Business Park.

Eastman Kodak Co. soars to about 350% on Tuesday, July 28, as the photography giant received $765 million funding under the Defense Production Act. The act was used earlier to hasten the production of masks, ventilators, and other medical equipment amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The 132-year-old company will create Kodak Pharmaceuticals to produce ingredients for drug manufacturing as President Donald Trump's eyes the deal as an "a breakthrough in bringing pharmaceutical production back to the United States." Currently, only about 10% of the generic drug supply is manufactured in the U.S. and Trump

According to The Verge, Kodak will then be America's "arsenal for medicine" as it will be repurposing its factories in New York, Rochester, and St. Paul, Minnesota for generic drug production, creating about 1,500 direct and indirect jobs.

The loan will give Kodak a new chance in the pharmaceutical industry after its short stint in drug manufacturing. In 1988, it bought Sterling Drugs for about $5.1 billion but later sold it in 1994.

During the signing of the partnership between Kodak and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Kodak Executive Chairman Jim Continenza said that the company is "proud to be a part of strengthening America's self-sufficiency" in manufacturing key drug ingredients needed to ensure the safety of the U.S. residents.

Kodak will initially produce essential pharmaceutical ingredients that fell under "chronic national shortage." These include those needed to fight against coronavirus like the anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine. Then, the company vows to produce up to 25% of active "ingredients used in non-biologic, non-antibacterial, generic pharmaceuticals" once it becomes fully operational.

This is the first time that the new authority allowing the DFC and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to collaborate in support of the domestic response to COVID-19 under the Defense Production Act (DPA) per Trump's instruction in his recent executive order.

Meanwhile, Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy at the White House Dr. Peter Navarro said the partnership is "a big win for the use of President Trump's DPA powers" and an enormous leap towards having an independent American pharmaceutical industry. Navarro also said that "Americans are dangerously dependent on foreign supply" for essential drugs and pharmaceutical resources.

"We will be self-reliant and that will ensure our safety," DFC CEO said Adam S. Boehler.

Read also: Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook Took Down a Viral Video that Claims Hydroxychloroquine Cures COVID-19

Kodak shares surged by 350% amid the loan signing

After declaring bankruptcy in 2012 with a market capitalization above $30 billion, shares of Eastman Kodak Co. has surged by over 350% after President Trump granted the company with a $765 million loan to produce vital pharmaceutical ingredients.

Bloomberg reported that the company shares closed the July 28 trading with 203% gains with its price rose to its highest after two and a half years. Kodak's stock fell by 44% this year with only $115 million market capitalization. It only had a cash balance of $209 million ending the first quarter. However, after the deal, its market capitalization went up to more than $230 million. Investors are expecting to drive greater revenue and profit growth for the company with this deal.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Whats not listed on the crib sheet, which was captured by Associated Press photographer Andrew Harnik during a rare Biden news conference Tuesday afternoon, is Harriss friendship with his late son, Beau Biden, when she was attorney general of California and he was attorney general of Delaware.
Operating system maintainers, computer manufacturers, security and virtualization software vendors have worked together over the past few months to coordinate a unified response to a vulnerability that allows attackers to bypass boot process integrity verification, one of the key security features of modern computers. The flaw is located in the GRUB2 Linux bootloader, but because of how Secure Boot is implemented, it can be used to compromise the booting process of Windows and other systems as well.

Getting the patches that were announced today installed on all impacted computers and devices will require manual testing and deployment and will likely take a long time. It's reasonable to expect that some systems will never be updated and will remain vulnerable to boot-level malware and rogue firmware modifications.

What is Secure Boot and how does it work?

Secure Boot is a standardized mechanism for cryptographically verifying the integrity of all components involved in the process of booting up a computer until the operating system is initialized and takes over execution. Secure Boot is a feature of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), which has replaced the legacy BIOS firmware in all modern computers.

Almost all UEFI implementations ship with a root key that belongs to Microsoft and establishes the root of trust for the entire platform. This is known as the Microsoft 3rd Party UEFI Certificate Authority (CA). Once Secure Boot is turned on a computer, every boot component needs to be signed with a key that is tied back to this CA for the operating system to start, which means that Linux distributions need to have their bootloaders signed by Microsoft, too.

GRUB2, short for the Grand Unified Bootloader version 2, is the standard bootloader used by most Linux systems. This is a relatively complex piece of software that supports many features and configurations, so every Linux distribution maintains its own GRUB2-based bootloader.

To avoid having Microsoft re-sign their GRUB binaries every time a modification or an update is made to them, Linux vendors ask Microsoft to sign a much simpler piece of code called a "shim" bootloader, which is then used to verify and initialize GRUB. The shims usually contain a certificate controlled by the Linux distribution, giving its maintainers the freedom to then sign their GRUB binaries and other OS components with their own certificates that are now part of the chain of trust.

Computers ship with UEFI, which has a Microsoft platform certificate inside. This certificate is used to validate other components that are part of the boot chain, including shim bootloaders signed by Microsoft for other operating systems like Linux. The shim bootloaders then verify the full-blown GRUB-based bootloaders that are signed by the Linux distribution maintainers themselves.

One vulnerability triggers a full-blown GRUB audit

Researchers from security firm Eclypsium found a buffer overflow vulnerability in the way GRUB2 parses content from its configuration file called grub.cfg. While the GRUB binary is usually signed, its configuration file is not because it's meant to be editable by system administrators who might want to change different options for how the OS is initialized or add boot entries when they set up computers with multiple operating systems choices.

By adding specifically crafted content in the configuration file, attackers can exploit the vulnerability to execute malicious code in the context of the trusted bootloader before the operating system starts. This gives them a highly privileged position and persistence on the system, as well as total control over the OS and its kernel. Boot-level attacks, known as boot rootkits or simply bootkits, used to be quite common a decade ago and were one of the primary reasons why Secure Boot was created.

Such attacks still exist and can target systems that don't have Secure Boot enabled. For example, the Petya and NotPetya ransomware programs were known for encrypting or the Master Boot Record (MBR) of computers. A cybercriminal gang known as FIN1 used a utility to modify the system Volume Boot Record (VBR) and start their Nemesis backdoor before Windows or security software had a chance to fully initialize.

Secure Boot is not a perfect solution and vulnerabilities in certain UEFI implementations in the past have allowed attackers to bypass the verification, but those attacks were generally limited to specific computer manufacturers or UEFI variants. The GRUB2 vulnerability found by Eclypsium, however, can have a much more widespread impact because of GRUB's versatility: It can be used to initialize different operating systems, including Windows, for example, in dual-boot or multi-boot configurations.

This means that if attackers want to install a bootkit on a Windows computer with Secure Boot enabled, they can replace the Windows bootloader with a signed shim from a Linux distribution and a version of GRUB2 that has this vulnerability. Then they can configure GRUB2 to initialize Windows and exploit the vulnerability to gain persistence and control of the OS. This will not break the trust chain, because the Linux shim bootloader and GRUB2 will have signatures that are valid and linked to the Microsoft Secure Boot key inside UEFI.

Replacing the Windows bootloader with GRUB2 does require the attacker to have administrator privileges on the system, and so does modifying the GRUB2 configuration file on Linux, but Secure Boot was designed to protect the integrity of the boot process even in such cases.

"One of the explicit design goals of UEFI Secure Boot is to protect against this type of attack in the first place, even when someone has gained administrator privileges on the system," Jesse Michael, principal researcher at Eclypsium, tells CSO. "The administrator is not supposed to be able to turn off Secure Boot without some kind of physical presence attestation. By going into UEFI BIOS and choosing BIOS options you can turn off Secure Boot, but you're not supposed to be able to do it from runtime within the operating system."

The vulnerability found by Eclypsium is tracked as CVE-2020-10713 and is rated 8.2 (high) in the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), but it's not the only one. After the company privately reported the vulnerability, a security audit of the GRUB2 code base was performed by security teams from Oracle, Red Hat, Canonical and VMware, resulting in dozens of other vulnerabilities and dangerous code operations being found and fixed. Some of them also have CVE identifiers -- CVE-2020-14308, CVE-2020-14311, CVE-2020-14309 and CVE-2020-14310 -- but others do not.

Problems with Secure Boot trust revocation

This code review was necessary because revoking trust in the vulnerable versions of GRUB2 is a complicated process that requires a big industry collaborative effort, so doing it every few months when a new flaw is found is not practical. Linux distributions will update their bootloaders to use a patched version of GRUB2, but what would stop attackers with admin access to a system from replacing the patched version with an older and vulnerable one that's signed with the certificate contained in the shim bootloader? In other words, what is required to prevent a downgrade attack in this case?

There is a mechanism in place, but it's not very straightforward. The UEFI Secure Boot mechanism has a revocation list called dbx that can contain a list of blacklisted bootloader binaries, even if they're signed with a valid certificate. This list is stored in the same flash memory chip where the UEFI firmware is stored, but it can be updated from inside the operating system with a special utility that also uses cryptographic verification and validation to ensure the update requests are legitimate.

All existing Linux shim bootloaders or GRUB binaries that have been signed directly -- not through a shim -- need to be added to this revocation list on every affected computer or device. The Eclypsium researchers tell CSO that the revocation list will have around 200 different entries. Linux distributions whose shims will be blacklisted will have to get new shims signed by Microsoft and update their installers, shims as well as GRUB2 bootloaders.

Canonical, which maintains Ubuntu, and Debian are two exceptions because they used intermediary certificates to sign their bootloaders, which are tied back to their own UEFI-trusted CA certificates. They only have to revoke and blacklist their intermediary certificate, generate a new one and sign the new bootloaders with it.

"One of the issues that came up is that the scope of this is so broad and there's been a lot of different parties involved," Michael says. "I think there are around 70 people in one of the coordination groups that has all the distros and affected vendors that we've identified so far. Because this has been so painful, there's been an effort to try and make some process improvements and fix some technical issues. They're trying to push things so that vendors set things up more like Canonical and Debian had, where they only need to revoke a single cert instead of multiple shims or multiple GRUB instances. So, the idea is that the next time this happens, we want it to be less painful."

Another problem is that this UEFI Secure Boot revocation mechanism has not been extensively used in the past and might have implementation differences from system to system or vendor to vendor. In February, Microsoft released a Windows update that updated the UEFI dbx to blacklist a vulnerable UEFI loader included with Kaspersky Rescue Disk that could be used to bypass Secure Boot. The update triggered boot failures on some computers and Microsoft was forced to halt it.

In this new case, the revocation update that will be signed by Microsoft, will be optional and will need to be installed manually, at least in the beginning, so that administrators can test them on all sorts of devices.

"If you're an IT administrator for an enterprise environment, you want to test this on every single model that you have deployed in your environment before pushing it out," Michael tells CSO. "Make sure there are no compatibility issues. Rescue discs or data and disaster recovery media or golden images like installation images that have the enterprise's specific applications would need to be updated too and be ready to go before you're pushing these out, because if you push these out to somebody in the field, a system goes down and the rescue media doesn't boot, you're gonna have a bad day. Or maybe there's a network boot scenario that people have in the data center where secure boot is on but they're doing network boot, so boot media needs to be updated as well."
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP)  A suspended University of Arkansas professor has been indicted on multiple wire and passport fraud counts.

The 44-count indictment returned Tuesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, accuses Simon Saw-Teong Ang of failing to disclose close ties to the Chinese government and Chinese companies when he obtained federal grants.

The university suspended the 63-year-old electrical engineering professor and removed him as director of the universitys High Density Electronics Center after his May 8 arrest by federal agents. Ang is free on a $200,000 bond. A message to his attorney was not immediately answered.

At the time of his arrest, federal authorities said Ang failed to disclose his ties on an application for a NASA grant. Such materially false representations to NASA and to the university led to numerous wire messages that facilitated a scheme to defraud, according to a federal complaint. At the time, a university spokeswoman said the school suspended Ang and is cooperating with federal investigators.

The FBI has been reaching out to colleges and universities across the country as it tries to stem what American authorities portray as the wholesale theft of technology and trade secrets by researchers tapped by China. The breadth and intensity of the campaign emerge in emails The Associated Press obtained through records requests to public universities in 50 states. The emails underscore the extent of U.S. concerns that universities, as recruiters of foreign talent and incubators of cutting-edge research, are particularly vulnerable targets.
S7 Airlines resumes sales tickets from Moscow with the destination in Turkish cities of Antalya and Dalaman. Flights will restart from August 10, the airline says in its press release.



"S7 Airlines has opened air tickets sales for scheduled flights of the air carrier from Moscow to Turkish cities - Antalya and Dalaman," TASS cited the air carrier as saying.
Following the implementation of lockdown relaxations to revive the nations economy, several states recorded a surge in cases, which has further pushed Indias COVID-19 peak to September 03. Tracking the coronavirus pandemic in India for the past several months, Times Fact-India Outbreak Report, released its latest projections and highlights that India is set to hit a peak of 9.86 lakh active cases on September 03 according to most likely scenario and as per SEIR model the peak is projected at 10.15 lakh active cases on September 01. The report shows that following India's peak, daily active case counts will decline by November 17, thereby establishing Indias recovery from COVID-19. This was earlier projected to end by mid-October.

The study shows that the easing of mobility restrictions has led to abandoning of safety protocols and significantly contributing to Indias peak being pushed. A continued failure to practise social distancing could very well skew India's coronavirus curve further to the right and upwards, yielding a higher peak, and more distant end date, indicates the report.

Times Fact-India Outbreak Report: Key takeaways

R0 or the basic reproduction number/rate, for India is slowly going down to 1.63 from 1.69 in last 20 days. All the major states except Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Haryana, still shows an upward trend with R0 close to 1.5. The Southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu continue to exhibit worrying COVID-19 trends. While Mumbai has put the worst behind, the new COVID-19 hotspots are Bengaluru and Pune. Chennai, Bengaluru, Thane and Pune still shows an upward trend with R0 close to 1.9 and R0 for all other major cities is still above 1.6 but showing a slow downward trend. Active cases of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have been growing rapidly with 10 and 12 days doubling time respectively. 31% of the active cases in India is from Maharashtra, however the average growth rate is 3% (7 days average). The Eastern States including West Bengal could emerge as trouble spots in the event if the trend continues.

Times Fact-India Outbreak Report: State and City Wise Projections For details on the study findings and i

Most Likely Model SEIR Model States & Cities Projected Peak Date Active Cases on peak date Projected End Date Projected Peak Date Active Cases on peak date Projected End Date

Maharashtra 14-Aug 191921 26-Oct 14-Aug 201016 23-Sep Tamil Nadu 24-Aug 68708 17-Oct 24-Aug 76144 08-Oct Delhi 27-Jun 28329 22-Sep 04-Aug 10010 22-Sep Kerala 10-Aug 11972 15-Oct 02-Aug 12853 17-Sep Telangana 15-Aug 15893 17-Oct 07-Aug 14060 17-Sep Uttar Pradesh 21-Aug 41636 15-Oct 21-Aug 47235 22-Sep Rajasthan 15-Aug 13021 10-Oct 09-Aug 13148 19-Sep Andhra Pradesh 23-Aug 116255 28-Oct 19-Aug 123336 15-Oct Madhya Pradesh 13-Aug 9859 30-Sep 07-Aug 9420 15-Sep Karnataka 15-Aug 122774 03-Nov 11-Aug 125261 03-Nov Gujarat 14-Aug 15520 12-Oct 14-Aug 15690 25-Sep West Bengal 12-Aug 24520 07-Oct 05-Aug 23683 25-Sep Haryana 17-Aug 7494 20-Sep 10-Aug 7471 09-Sep Mumbai 23-Jun 29990 12-Oct 23-Jun 29990 24-Sep Chennai 28-Jul 13955 28-Sep 05-Jul 24891 09-Sep Ahmadabad 25-May 5681 12-Oct 25-May 5681 08-Sep Bhopal 02-Sep 3289 30-Sep 05-Aug 2728 21-Sep Indore 02-Sep 4041 26-Sep 10-Aug 2320 18-Sep Jaipur 19-Aug 2982 08-Oct 20-Aug 2797 24-Sep Surat 09-Aug 4568 25-Sep 09-Aug 5252 17-Sep Pune 10-Aug 59746 28-Oct 10-Aug 69427 17-Sep Bengaluru 15-Aug 46849 31-Oct 15-Aug 51489 27-Sep Thane 19-Jul 38389 20-Oct 20-Aug 43206 02-Oct

For details on the study findings and insights, visit - https://www.timesnownews.com/times-facts

Methodology: Led by insights and efficacy, Times Fact India Outbreak Report a joint endeavour by Times Network and global data and digital consulting firm Protiviti, has achieved an accuracy rate of 96% for active cases for its previous projections. The report showcases several pertinent data points which includes Indias possible peak points, state & city wise projections and active cases over a period of time and report follows a sophisticated and vigorous mathematical modelling. Parsed by reputed data scientists and quantitative experts, Times Fact India Outbreak Report is based on two models, The Time Series Model, which involves factors in data across time periods in other countries affected by Covid-19 in

addition to two polynomial regression models adapted to Indian data, and the Susceptible Exposed Infected Recovered (SEIR) model which is based on an estimation of a reproduction rate of the epidemic. Drawing critical information from central government data, state government bulletins, and daily updates provided by the Health Ministry, the report is a holistic COVID -19 projection for the nation.

Disclaimer: The COVID-19 Pandemic, is rapidly evolving, with new findings and insights being discovered daily. Stories based on the research document contains the observations and conclusions arrived at by Protiviti and Times Network basis the data and information examined and relied. Stories based on this document do not constitute or claim to serve as an advisory for any medical, safety or regulatory action and cannot be referred and relied in any disputes for challenging any other claims, reports, analysis of third parties on similar subject.
When Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex first went public with their relationship, there was some hope that they would share a close relationship with the Cambridges. After all, Prince Harry and Prince William had always been close, so the natural inclination was that their wives would get along famously.

However, in truth, Meghan and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge had very little common. The more reserved Kate had been in the royal fold for nearly a decade, while Meghan, an outspoken activist had given up her high-powered career for love.

When Meghan first arrived on the scene, Kate was pregnant with her third child, Prince Louis, and was focused on her family. As a result, the women never got a real chance to connect or bond. However, despite the constant tabloid rumors, there was never any drama between the two.

RELATED: 4 Photos of Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton the Press Doesnt Want You to See

Meghan Markle described meeting Kate Middleton

Prince Harry and Meghans romance moved swiftly. By the end of their first date, they were smitten with one another. For their third date, they flew to Botswana and camped under the stars. Just a few months later, the prince was introducing the former actor to his family.

The Sussexes recalled the entire family being extremely kind and gracious. at that first meeting. Prince Harry told BBC,

It was exciting. I mean, Ive, you know, Id been seeing her for a period of time when I literally didnt tell anybody at all. And then William was longing to meet her and so was Catherine, so you know being our neighbors we managed to get that in a couple of  well, quite a few times now and Catherine has been absolutely Wonderful, Meghan added.

However, privately both Kate and Prince William pulled Prince Harry to the side to question him about the speed of his romance with Meghan.

RELATED: The Royal Family Is Terrified Prince William Will Be Depicted as the Bad Guy in Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys New Book

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle never formed a real relationship

With so much going on and their different upbringings and interests, Kate and Meghan never got the chance to form a true sisterhood. While Meghan was weathering the tabloids and media attention, Kate was focused on her growing family,

Of all the people in the royal family, Meghan said she had hoped to develop a close relationship with Kate, but was never given the chance, a source told Daily Mail. It was hurtful and disappointing for Meghan.

Still, as tensions between their husbands bubbled, the women made an effort to always bee extremely cordial, especially when the cameras were rolling. They might not have a huge amount in common, but Kate has no issue with Meghan, an insider told Vanity Fair. She wants them to get along, not just for Harrys sake but because two royal sisters-in-law at loggerheads wouldnt be good, and Kate knows that.

RELATED: Fans Are Furious That the Royal Family Is Defending Kate Middleton but Not Meghan Markle

There was no feud between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton

Though there were certainly some awkward moments between Meghan and Kate, there was absolutely no feud between the duo.

Meghan would agree with the assessment that the duchesses were not the best of friends, royal reporters Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand write in their upcoming book Finding Freedom. Their relationship hadnt progressed much since she was Harrys girlfriend. Meghan envisioned Kate would reach out and help her understand everything an outsider to the Firm needed to know. That didnt happen. Meghan was disappointed that she and Kate hadnt bonded over the position they shared, but she wasnt losing sleep over it.
PITTSBURGH  Six months after a private staggered into the Fort Riley Army base infirmary in Kansas with a raging fever, chills, and a sore throat, this city braced for the impact as the first wave of the 1918 flu pandemic made its way here.

It had already traveled from Kansas to Europe as troops shipped off to war, then headed back to the United States, first in Boston, then Philadelphia, and finally landing here in Pittsburgh the last week of September.

Within days, the newspaper obituary page became obituary pages, and this city would go down in the history books of having the highest death rate of any major city in the U.S., fully 1% of its population felled by the pandemic.

A dispatch in the New Castle Herald in the first week of October read: Considerable increase in Spanish influenza in Pittsburgh was reported this morning by the department of health, 659 new cases being recorded in the last 18 hours. The total number of cases reported to date is 4,291.

The warning was clear for their readers from the neighboring county: Stay away from the big city.

Viewed through the prism of todays culture, this city, like many cities across the country, got few things right and a lot of things wrong, not just in their elected officials approach to the pandemic but how it was covered by the local media; at the time, there were dozens of newspapers here, and not just in English but in the languages of the numerous old countries of Pittsburghs robust immigrant population.

Most of the flu reports in hundreds of newspaper archives from the time were mostly below the fold and matter-of-fact.

At the onset, hospitals curtailed visitations, jury trials were canceled, elevators limited occupancy, and church services were initially not closed. Faith leaders were asked by the health department to limit attendance. Eventually, they did shutter for a month.

The public and parochial schools rarely closed, only when the attendance dropped down so far that it made no sense to keep them open, and even when closed, reports show the closings were only temporary.

Civic leaders and businesses cooperated. So did the people. The balking began the day liquor was no longer allowed to be served. Much like todays limiting of alcohol at restaurants and bars, people complained, and people snitched. A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story on Oct. 18 read, Complaints were made to the department of health that some saloons were selling liquor with meals, adding that those cases will be investigated.

Unlike today, people still had a sense of humor. A couple days later, this little ditty ran in the Pittsburgh Daily Post:

Ever since the Fourth Day of October, When Spanish Flu slammed every barroom door, Weve seen about ten thousand people sober, Who never drew a sober breath before.

One month later, things rapidly changed. The headlines went from All Theaters Agree to Obey Influenza Ban to Schools in City Will Reopen and All Theaters in City open Today three days later.

By February, the numbers had drastically decreased, and on April 22, the Pittsburgh Daily Post headline read, City Influenzaless; No Cases Reported.

It is impossible to compare what happened 102 years ago with what is happening today, but perhaps not for the reasons you think. Using Pittsburgh as an example, this city was filled with industry at nearly everyones front door. Pollution was the norm. So was poor drinking water and living with boarders or multiple generations of families. Not working was not an option. There were no social services, no unemployment checks from the government, no healthcare insurance, no one to give you the ability to stay home until the pandemic passed.

We were also tougher then, and again, not for the reasons you may think. In 1918, there were still plenty of people around who remembered the Civil War, who knew what it was like to have battles in their backyards, who knew and understood and faced a loss of health, home, and the ability to provide.

With the exception of the brutal attacks on Sept. 11, there are generations who have not had to face a major national emergency without access to some sort of relief from the government.

That is both a good thing and not.

Its good the vulnerable can get government help, but the bad thing is our coping mechanisms are failing. All you need to do is spend three seconds on social media or 15 minutes watching a cable news meltdown, and that is all the convincing you need.

In our lack of coping, we have dismissed all of the ties that bind us. The very thing that helped us unite in 1918 wasnt fighting the Spanish flu. It was that our men were coming home from a brutal and bloody war in Europe as Armistice Day was celebrated in the streets here and across the country on Nov. 11, 1918.

The flag has become, for many, a symbol of something you burn or take a knee for, not rally around.

All we do to each other is lecture, divide, judge, and snark, rinse and repeat. We cant escape it. Its everywhere, whether it is a Facebook post, a Nextdoor screed, or a trip to your favorite store to find a sign blasting a political point of view as you enter the door  or dont enter.

The world was more dangerous in 1918. News traveled at a snails pace, politics was still a blood sport (just not a death match), and those in poverty could easily and tragically find themselves in dire straits. But the one thing we had then that we have lost now, at least in the theater of our culture curators, was the ability to find a common bond.

Whether it was in our churches, community centers, Elks clubs, or on our front stoops, we celebrated us, which makes who we were in 1918 vastly different from who we are in 2020.

Salena Zito is a CNN political analyst and a staff reporter and columnist for the Washington Examiner.

Salena Zito is a CNN political analyst and a staff reporter and columnist for the Washington Examiner.
Ghislaine Maxwells lawyers and prosecutors are at loggerheads over whether some of the alleged victims in her sex-trafficking case can be publicly named prior to trial.

Maxwells lawyers argue they should be permitted to openly identify anyone who has granted media interviews about Maxwell or Jeffrey Epstein, accused them in a public forum or an internet posting or sued them.

Prosecutor Alex Rossmiller called the request extraordinarily broad, unnecessary and inappropriate. In a memo to the court, he also criticized Maxwells claim that any woman who went public with her allegations of abuse by Maxwell and Epstein had obtained a benefit, by identifying themselves.

While not objecting to Maxwell identifying accusers whove already come forward, Rossmiller said those who havent gone public should have their privacy protected under the Crime Victims Rights Act. He said thats reasonable because Maxwell and her legal team will know the names of all the women to prepare for her trial even if the public doesnt.

In an indictment unsealed July 2, Maxwell is accused of engaging in a sex-trafficking scheme with Epstein by luring three underage girls so the financier could sexually abuse them. The three victims are identified in the indictment only as Jane Does.

At least 16 women came forward last year at a hearing held before the federal judge presiding over Epsteins sex-trafficking case dismissed the indictment after he committed suicide while awaiting trial.

Maxwell, 58, who has pleaded not guilty, is being held at a federal jail in Brooklyn, New York, and is scheduled to go to trial next July.
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- COVID-19 and the global pandemic have caused significant disruption to all aspects of life including Alzheimer's clinical research worldwide. The impact of COVID, quarantine, and the resulting fear and isolation are causing problems, but also driving unprecedented innovation. Yet the urgency to make scientific advances in Alzheimer's and other dementia is so high that we must look at how we can safely resume, continue and even accelerate clinical research. The environment we are in is allowing us to establish creative and innovative ways to safely move some studies forward.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, U.S., long-term care facilities, their staff and residents are experiencing a crisis due to a lack of transparency, and an inability to access the necessary testing, accurate data and information. According to some estimates, more than 59,000 residents and workers have died from the coronavirus at nursing homes and other long-term care communities. The Alzheimer's Association is advocating for important and accessible changes, through policy recommendations , to help families as well as professional care providers.

A robust discussion at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2020 included experts from the Alzheimer's Association, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center and University of Texas Health San Antonio discussing their professional experiences and viewpoints on these evolving, provocative topics:

The impact of the pandemic on Alzheimer's research trials.

What we know about the impact of coronavirus on the brain and cognition.

The devastating effects on people with dementia in residential care facilities, and the Alzheimer's Association's long-term care policy recommendations.

Health disparities the pandemic is putting in high relief, that also strongly impact people with dementia and their families.

There was an announcement from the Alzheimer's Association of a new research study to globally track and understand the long-term impact of exposure to the novel coronavirus on the brain.

"The Alzheimer's Association is proud to announce the launch of a new international research study to globally track and understand the long-term impact of exposure to the novel coronavirus on the brain, including cognition, behavior and function," said Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Association chief science officer. "Scientists from more than 30 countries are eager to participate, and the World Health Organization is providing technical assistance as we move this important collaboration forward. To build a strong foundation for this research, we will align with existing studies - such as the Framingham Heart Study - and clinicians from around the world on how the data is measured and collected. To better understand the impact of the virus on the brain, we will consider cross-study collaborations."

Additional quotes from Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Association chief science officer

"Most likely, dementia does not increase risk for COVID-19, just like dementia does not increase risk for the flu. However, dementia-related behaviors, difficulty following safety protocols, increased age and common health conditions that often accompany dementia may increase risk."

"There are the range of behavioral, social, biological and environmental factors that influence health status. The following determinants are heightening the impact of the COVID-19 crisis:

Lack of access to stable housing, transportation, and health-enhancing resources may make it difficult to follow the necessary precautions to prevent contracting COVID-19 or to seek treatment if they get sick.

Types of work, as well as the policies of work environments, can influence risk for COVID-19. Workers without paid leave might be more likely to continue working when they are sick. This can increase exposure to COVID-19 or expose others to the virus.

Lack of access to insurance, and affordable health care."

"The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create additional challenges for people living with Alzheimer's and all dementia, their families and caregivers. Long-term care settings are especially impacted. According to some estimates, more than 59,000 residents and workers have died from the coronavirus at nursing homes and other long-term care communities. The Alzheimer's Association is urging state and federal policymakers to implement new policy solutions that will address the immediate and long-term issues impacting care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic."

The Impact of COVID-19 and the Global Pandemic on Alzheimer's Research, Long-Term Care and the Brain: A panel discussion at AAIC 2020 for journalists about COVID-19, the global pandemic, and its impact on Alzheimer's and other dementia. The event featured:

Maria C. Carrillo , Ph.D., Chief Science Officer, Alzheimer's Association.

, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer, Alzheimer's Association. Gregory A. Jicha , M.D., Ph.D., University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Director, Alzheimer's Disease Center Clinical Trials Unit; Associate Director & Clinical Core Director, UK Alzheimer's Disease Center.

, M.D., Ph.D., College of Medicine. Director, Alzheimer's Disease Center Clinical Trials Unit; Associate Director & Clinical Core Director, UK Alzheimer's Disease Center. Neelum T. Aggarwal , M.D., Senior Neurologist, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center Clinical Core; Research Director, Rush Heart Center for Women at Rush University Medical Center.

, M.D., Senior Neurologist, Disease Center Clinical Core; Research Director, Rush Heart Center for Women at Medical Center. Beth Kallmyer , M.S.W., Vice President, Care and Support, Alzheimer's Association.

, M.S.W., Vice President, Care and Support, Alzheimer's Association. Gabriel A. de Erausquin , M.D., Ph.D., M.Sc., Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio. Zachry Foundation Distinguished Professor of Neurology, The Glenn Biggs Institute of Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Links to COVID-19-related Resources from the Alzheimer's Association

COVID-19 resources page

COVID-19 tips for dementia caregivers

Recommendations for protecting people in long-term care settings

COVID-19: health disparities exposed

Webinars for researchers: COVID-19 impact

The Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world's largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer's and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer's Association's research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community.

AAIC 2020 home page: www.alz.org/aaic/

AAIC 2020 newsroom: www.alz.org/aaic/pressroom.asp

AAIC 2020 hashtag: AAIC20

The Alzheimer's Association leads the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia - by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia. Visit www.alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1219566/AAIC_2020_Logo.jpg
By PTI

PESHAWAR: An elderly man from the minority Ahmadi community, facing trial for blasphemy, was shot dead on Wednesday in front of the judge in a local court situated in a high-security zone in Pakistan's Peshawar city, police said.

Tahir Ahmad Naseem, who was arrested two years ago on blasphemy charges, died on the spot in the court of Additional Session Judge Shaukatullah Khan, they said.

The court is situated in a high-security zone in the cantonment area where the provincial assembly building, the Peshawar High Court, chief minister's secretariat and Governor House are also situated.

Security at the main gate and inside the judicial complex is also high.

It was not clear how the armed attacker managed to get into the court amid tight security. The police arrested the killer, identified as Khalid Khan, from the courtroom.

A lawyer, who was present in the courtroom when the incident occurred, said a case had been registered against the deceased under blasphemy laws.

The accused was brought to the court from Peshawar Central Jail. Police shifted the body of the deceased to the Khyber Medical University for post-mortem.

Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan, with even unproven allegations often prompting mob violence.

Anyone convicted, or even just accused, of insulting Islam, risks a violent and bloody death at the hands of vigilantes.

Rights groups have said the blasphemy laws are routinely abused to seek vengeance and settle personal scores.

There had been a number of incidents in different parts of Pakistan in which members of Ahmadi community were targeted by religious zealots in the past.

Pakistan's Parliament in 1974 declared the Ahmadi community as non-Muslims. A decade later, they were banned from calling themselves Muslims.

They are banned from preaching and from travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. In Pakistan, around 10 million out of the 220 million population are non-Muslims.

According to the 2017 census, Hindus constitute the largest religious minority in Pakistan.

Christians make up the second largest religious minority. The Ahmadis, Sikhs and Parsis are also among the notable religious minorities in Pakistan.
Elon Musk believes that London research lab DeepMind is a "top concern" when it comes to artificial intelligence.

DeepMind was acquired by Google in 2014 for a reported $600 million. The research lab, led by chief executive Demis Hassabis, is best-known for developing AI systems that can play games better than any human.

"Just the nature of the AI that they're building is one that crushes all humans at all games," Musk told The New York Times in an interview published on Saturday. "I mean, it's basically the plotline in 'War Games.'"

DeepMind declined to comment when contacted by CNBC.

Musk has repeatedly warned that AI will soon become just as smart as humans and said that when it does we should all be scared because humanity's very existence is at stake.

The tech billionaire, who profited from an early investment in DeepMind, told The New York Times that his experience of working with AI at Tesla means he is able to say with confidence "that we're headed toward a situation where AI is vastly smarter than humans." He said he believes the time frame is less than five years. "That doesn't mean everything goes to hell in five years. It just means that things get unstable or weird," he said.

Musk co-founded the OpenAI research lab in San Francisco in 2015, one year after Google acquired DeepMind. Set up with an initial $1 billion pledge that was later matched by Microsoft, OpenAI says its mission is to ensure AI benefits all of humanity. In February 2018, Musk left the OpenAI board but he continues to donate and advise the organization.
A fugitive financier being hunted by Malaysian authorities over his role in the country's multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal is hiding in the Chinese territory of Macau, Malaysian police said Wednesday. Low Taek Jho, commonly known as Jho Low, is accused of being the mastermind behind the theft of billions looted from sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad. The money was used to buy everything from a yacht to art in a fraud case that allegedly also involved former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak. Malaysian police chief Abdul Hamid Bador said Low was in the semi-autonomous Chinese casino hub of Macau, but speculation about his whereabouts has previously placed him in various countries from the United Arab Emirates to mainland China. "He is there with all the filthy money," Abdul Hamid told AFP in a text message. Asked why he had chosen to reveal Low's location now, the police chief said allegations had been made that officers were "purposely slowing down on the effort to bring him to justice". Macau authorities said in 2018 they had received a request from the Malaysian government concerning Low but gave no further details. Charged in both Malaysia and the United States over the 1MDB scandal, Low has been accused by Najib's lawyers of being the mastermind behind the scam and tricking the former premier. Najib, who founded 1MDB, was on Tuesday sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined almost $50 million on corruption charges relating to the scandal, which contributed to the downfall of his government in 2018. The former leader is still to face the conclusion of a second trial that began in August last year centred on allegations he illicitly obtained more than $500 million.
US must put end to illegal, unlawful measures: Iran gov't spox

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 28, IRNA -- Iranian Government spokesman Ali Rabiee on Tuesday said that the US must terminate its illegal and unlawful moves before it is too late.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will not be a spectator of America's provocations," he pointed out.

With regard to the harassment by the US jet fighter jets of the Iranian passenger plane, he stated that the report and complaint on the issue have been submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Iran is investigating all other legal options simultaneously.

The US is not committed to the aviation laws and regulations, he said noting that the responsibility of any upcoming incident that will endanger the lives of civilians of the passenger planes will fall on it and the Americans should be waiting for the consequences.

The US government has long been unable to hear the viewpoints of American experts and cannot realize Iran's realities, he further noted.

A maximum pressure policy has failed, he said, adding that the US' Secretary of State continues to provide false information to the President of America.

He went on to say that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is determined to deceive his boss (President Donald Trump) and this is the path that John Bolton pursued for one year.

Iran has no enthusiasm for the partisan and domestic policies of the United States, he underlined.

Iran considers the US as a country that has international responsibility, he stated, adding that it must comply with the obligations and behave like a member of the international community.

Iran and Russia have common interests and concerns

Rabiee added that Iran and Russia have many common interests and concerns that need to handle them in a constant relationship between the officials of the two countries. The recent letter of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is also according to the parties' coordination about these issues and the future of cooperation between Iran and Russia.

He further noted that when the United States has adopted a hostile attitude towards the nations of Iran and Russia in various fields, the exchange of ideas between presidents is natural and can accelerate the progress of the affairs.

Rabiee said that it is sometimes essential that a part of this coordination would take place at the foreign ministers' level and sometimes at the presidents' level. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's visit along with transferring President Rouhani's message to President Putin was a successful diplomatic effort at both levels.

"In general, this visit had two goals. One is about the US effort to continue the arms embargo of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which needed negotiations to be carried out at higher levels with the Russian Federation. Another goal is to extend the agreement "we have had with the Russian Federation for twenty years in all fields", he pointed out.

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The Alfred hospital has agreed to allow staff working near COVID-19 patients to wear N95 respirator masks, after weeks of lobbying by doctors at the hospital, where more than a dozen healthcare workers have tested positive.

In an email to staff at the Melbourne hospital on Tuesday night, Alfred Health chief executive Andrew Way said the temporary measure  being implemented for a week  meant the N95 masks were now available to all staff working in wards with "a high prevalence" of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients.

The Alfred hospital has agreed to temporarily allow staff in COVID-19 wards to wear N95 masks. Credit:Getty Images

The email, seen by The Age, said it was important for hospital workers "to feel confident in the PPE you are using to keep you safe, particularly for those of you working in COVID-designated areas".

Studies have shown that medical-grade P2 and N95 respirator masks give near-total protection against SARS-CoV-2 particles when fitted correctly, compared with 67 per cent for surgical masks.
She remains on amicable terms with ex-partner Tom Sturridge as they continue to co-parent eight-year-old daughter Marlowe.

And Sienna Miller was once again accompanied by her former boyfriend while venturing out in New York City on Tuesday.

The actress, 38, covered her instantly recognisable features with the same yellow bandana she has worn on previous public appearances as they made the most of soaring summer temperatures.

In good company: Sienna Miller was once again accompanied by former boyfriend Tom Sturridge while venturing out in New York City on Tuesday

Sienna exuded effortless style by opting for a tasteful cream trouser with a high-slung waist, flared leg and distinctively buckled waist.

The British star added to her look with a simple white vest top, while conventional canvas shoes and a large, embellished handbag rounded things off.

Joining his ex-girlfriend, Tom, 34, looked relaxed in a casual T-shirt and loose-fitting blue chinos.

That looks familiar: The actress, 38, covered her instantly recognisable features with the same yellow bandana she has worn on previous public appearances

Let's go: The former couple were side by side as they crossed the sidewalk during their latest public appearance

Fashion forward: Ax always Sienna exuded effortless style by opting for a tasteful cream trouser with a high-slung waist, flared leg and distinctively buckled waist

The actor ensured he adhered to current safety guidelines in the fight against COVID-19 by concealing his own features beneath a face mask.

Prior to dating Tom, Sienna famously had an on-off romance with Alfie co-star Jude Law and got engaged to him on Christmas Day in 2004 but called off their engagement the following year after he confessed to having an affair with his children's nanny.

They would reunite again in 2009 but only to break up for the final time in 2011.

Finishing touches: The British star added to her look with a simple white vest top, while conventional canvas shoes rounded things off

That's better: Sienna took the weight off her feet as temperatures continued to soar across New York on Tuesday

There it is: The actress previously wore her favoured yellow bandanna while out with daughter Marlowe and their pet dog on Monday

Sienna is now engaged to toyboy fiance, Lucas Zwirner, 29, who proposed in January after a year-long relationship.

She has been seen flashing her engagement ring in recent weeks, gifted by her art dealer lover, who is nine years younger than her and who is a Yale-educated literature expert.

He is also the son of famed art dealer David Zwirner and he joined the family business to grow his father's eponymous art gallery, David Zwirner Books, where he currently oversees the publication of 25 book releases per year.

Accessory of choice: Sienna also wore the makeshift face covering during an appearance with Marlowe on July 16th
Federal and state leaders have been slammed for engaging in a blame game over the coronavirus crisis in the aged care sector as industry chiefs demand faster action to find more workers to deal with the emergency.

The federal government will send the first of five medical assistance teams into Victoria on Thursday as well as finding interstate nurses to fill gaps in the aged care workforce as hundreds of staff go into isolation.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews promised to work together to bring the crisis under control. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

National Seniors Australia chief advocate Ian Henschke said it was time for "political posturing" over aged care to be put aside because the pandemic had exposed longstanding problems in the sector.

"If this was happening in schools with children the response would be very different. We shouldn't have the view that older people are dispensable," he said.
In March, TikTok announced plans for a Transparency and Accountability Center to disclose its content policies and algorithm. In his new statement, Mayer called on other social media apps to also disclose their algorithms, moderation policies and data flows to regulators.

"We accept this and embrace the challenge of giving peace of mind through greater transparency and accountability," he said. "We believe it is essential to show users, advertisers, creators, and regulators that we are responsible and committed members of the American community that follows U.S. laws."

Mayer was head of streaming at Disney before becoming TikTok's CEO and the new chief operating officer of its Chinese parent-company ByteDance in May .

"To those who wish to launch competitive products, we say bring it on," Mayer wrote. "Facebook is even launching another copycat product, Reels (tied to Instagram), after their other copycat Lasso failed quickly."

Mayer also slammed Facebook's efforts to build copycat apps of TikTok, which is an app where users can post short videos and is one of the most popular apps among teens and young adults.

"We believe in values  democracy, competition, inclusion and free expression  that the American economy was built on," Zuckerberg wrote. "Many other tech companies share these values, but there's no guarantee our values will win out. For example, China is building its own version of the internet focused on very different ideas, and they are exporting their vision to other countries."

Mayer's post comes after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's prepared remarks were published ahead of his testimony before the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust scheduled for Wednesday. In those remarks, Zuckerberg touted Facebook as being "a proudly American company."

"At TikTok we welcome competition. We think fair competition makes all of us better," Mayer said in a blog note posted Wednesday. "But let's focus our energies on fair and open competition in service of our consumers, rather than maligning attacks by our competitor  namely Facebook  disguised as patriotism and designed to put an end to our very presence in the U.S."

By Kevin Mayer, CEO, TikTok

Innovation is one of the defining characteristics of a competitive market. The introduction of a successful new product fuels growth and dynamism in any industry. It is unfortunate for creators, brands, and the broader community that it has been years since a company came along and reimagined what a social entertainment platform could be. But TikTok did just that.

TikTok brought a unique and intuitive interface. It gave creators easy, powerful tools. It also encouraged the formation of inclusive and meaningful communities. In short, TikTok brought successful competition to the marketplace. This is why I joined the company as CEO earlier this year: to help lead the next generation of creators to connect with their newly energized audience, while bringing fun entertainment to people's lives.

TikTok has become the place where new music is discovered and explodes onto the scene, such as Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road." During the pandemic, we saw the resonance of Curtis Roach, whose "Bored in the House" mantra became an anthem for putting a positive spin on tough times and helped people better cope with the lockdowns. And best of all, we witnessed many examples of families coming together to perform multi-generational song and dance, which warmed all of our hearts.

With our success comes responsibility and accountability. The entire industry has received scrutiny, and rightly so. Yet, we have received even more scrutiny due to the company's Chinese origins. We accept this and embrace the challenge of giving peace of mind through greater transparency and accountability. We believe it is essential to show users, advertisers, creators, and regulators that we are responsible and committed members of the American community that follows US laws.

Even more, we believe our entire industry should be held to an exceptionally high standard. That's why we believe all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators. We will not wait for regulation to come, but instead TikTok has taken the first step by launching a Transparency and Accountability Center for moderation and data practices. Experts can observe our moderation policies in real-time, as well as examine the actual code that drives our algorithms. This puts us a step ahead of the industry, and we encourage others to follow suit.

Beyond our commitment to accountability, we also believe all players in the industry should make a positive impact in the community. Our $200 million Creator Fund will help American creators get the most out of TikTok, and we expect that this will grow to over $1 billion in the US in the next 3 years, and more than double that globally. In addition to supporting these creative entrepreneurs, we are also on track to create 10,000 new TikTok jobs across the US.

At TikTok we welcome competition. We think fair competition makes all of us better. To those who wish to launch competitive products, we say bring it on. Facebook is even launching another copycat product, Reels (tied to Instagram), after their other copycat Lasso failed quickly. But let's focus our energies on fair and open competition in service of our consumers, rather than maligning attacks by our competitor  namely Facebook  disguised as patriotism and designed to put an end to our very presence in the US.

Without TikTok, American advertisers would again be left with few choices. Competition would dry up and so too will an outlet for America's creative energy. We are not political, we do not accept political advertising and have no agenda  our only objective is to remain a vibrant, dynamic platform for everyone to enjoy. Consumers can only benefit from the growth of healthy, successful platforms like TikTok and we will fight to continue to give American creators, users and brands an entertaining outlet for many years to come.

We are willing to take all necessary steps to ensure the long-term availability and success of TikTok. The one thing that will not change is our commitment to ensuring that TikTok remains a safe and secure platform for the tens of millions of American families that derive joy from it.

For our skeptics, I am confident we have the answers and where we do not, we will improve. The onus is on us to step up. We are doing so, and will continue to take the bold steps needed. I accept and appreciate the challenge.

TikTok has become the latest target, but we are not the enemy. The bigger move is to use this moment to drive deeper conversations around algorithms, transparency, and content moderation, and to develop stricter rules of the road. We are taking the first step of many to address these concerns, and call on the industry to follow our lead for the benefit of users and creators everywhere.
In a bid to boost passenger demand amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, Emirates has come up with a new strategy -- coronavirus insurance. The Dubai-based airline has said that if passengers contract COVID-19 during their journey, it will pay for medical expenses up to 150,000 (Approx Rs 1,31,62,000).

If the passenger needs to undergo complete isolation, the airline will pay 100 (Approx Rs 8,700) towards quarantine cost for up to two weeks.

And if the passenger does not survive, Emirates will pay 1,500 (Approx Rs 1,31,660) for the funeral. The airline said the coverage is free and is applied automatically, no extra registration necessary.

The coronavirus insurance is available for travel till October 31, 2020. "It is valid for 31 days from "the moment you take your first flight, and it covers you even if you travel onwards to another city," Emirates said as per a Business Insider report.

Track this LIVE blog for latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The airline, however, will not cover the costs for getting a COVID-19 test. "Passengers must contact the Emirates to get expenses approved before paying them," it said.

Globally, the aviation sector is among the worst-affected due to the COVID-19 crisis and curbs on movement.

The airline's COVID-19 coverage is provided through NEXtCARE, which is an arm of travel insurance provider Allianz.

Resuming mass layoffs after a lull in June, Emirates fired 800 pilots on July 8.

A senior executive from the industry said, "560 pilots laid-off were on the airline's A380 fleet and 240 on its B777 planes."

In the first round of the exercise, the Dubai-based airline had laid off 600 pilots in a day, which in itself was among the largest such exercise in the global aviation industry.
Syrian returning to the country must now pay to spend one night in a hotel and be tested for the coronavirus reports Al-Watan.

On Monday, a number of travellers who arrived in Syria from Sharjah confirmed that they had to pay an additional 200 dollars on top of their travel expenses in exchange for a one-night stay at the Ebla al-Sham Hotel and one coronavirus rapid test  whose results come within 24 hours. Those measures replaced the habitual 14-day quarantine in the al-Hurgla Center.

The travellers were quoted saying that the cost is very reasonable and equals the combined cost of the rapid test and hotel stay. They said that a large number of Syrians had previously called for the implementation of these measures, as is the case in several countries. The travellers added that they were among the first to benefit from the decision.

Al-Watan learned that more than a 100 travellers stayed at the Ebla Hotel near the Damascus International Airport yesterday, as they waited for the results of their tests.

One hundred and forty travellers were moved to the al-Hurgla Center Quarantine Center.

A source in the Ministry of Health confirmed that the amount of 200 dollars is paid when Syrians being repatriated purchase a ticket and that this procedure has been approved by the Coronavirus Committee in Syria.

On another note, accredited companies and agencies that supply medical equipment have been importing and selling the test kits to the Ministry of Health, which is still suffering from an American and European blockade, which has been preventing it from acquiring the kits.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
A group of experts ranging from biologists, medical scientists, environmental scientists, and conservationists offered several recommendations to avert another pandemic. Since many of these pandemics originate from wild animals such as bats, the team suggests that billions of dollars should be spent to focus on the reduction of deforestation, restricting wildlife trade, and supporting communities living on the forest's edge is the key. Prevention of pandemics instead of spending trillions of dollars per year to cure an epidemic is a more strategic action.

A video by Les Kaufman, professor of biology at Boston University, and a member of the research team presented salient points to prevent another pandemic from happening.

READ: Vietnam Bans Wildlife Trade to Reduce Pandemic Risk



How can we prevent the emergence of zoonoses?

According to Kaufman, the cost of dealing with COVID-19 will be in the tune of tens of trillions of dollars globally.

To lessen the cost, the team suggests spending about $22 billion to $30 billion per year on programs that will reduce the chances of a future pandemic from emerging.

Every year, at least two potentially pandemic pathogens emerge into human populations. In every one or two decades, these pathogens may succeed to be another global pandemic.

This particular study focused on zoonoses, the diseases that are transmitted into the human population from animals.

Coronaviruses, for example, are harbored by the bats in the wild. Bats can tolerate high viral load; thus, their response to the virus as much different from humans. These bats have essential ecological functions like pollinating our crops and controlling insect pests. Maintaining such a relationship keeps contact with bats at bay.

READ ALSO: Poaching Endangered Animals, COVID-19, and Climate Change: How Are They Related?



How do zoonoses spread?

Deforestation has recently accelerated mainly to give way to crops such as oil palm or acacia, thereby opening more road networks. These road networks lull more business opportunities such as hunting, wildlife trade, especially for traditional medicine.



Communities living near these forests tend to trap the wildlife, send it to wet markets where more trapped wildlife are cramped into unhygienic conditions. In some cases, it is sold directly for consumption. The transmission may be from the wildlife, or from other animals that came in contact with infected wildlife.

Wildlife would also tend to forage and stay in our homes or farms when their habitats are destroyed.



Billions of dollars spent

The billions of dollars per year may sound like a lot of money, but it is way cheaper than spending trillions of dollars (and not to mention opportunities lost) to prevent the spread and cure a single pandemic. The billions of dollars must be allocated on arresting deforestation, regulating trade in wildlife bush meat, reducing forest intrusions.

More benefits could arise to this: biodiversity is conserved, increase carbon dioxide absorption of the forests, arresting climate change. It could also promote non-timber forest products as livelihood opportunities for those who are living in the woods.

The team emphasized that the key to the whole thing is that the people living in the forests should have better opportunities: access to a decent livelihood, good health care, access to education for the children.



How to deal with deforestation and bushmeat trading

The team of experts suggested drafting and implementing sound policies on deforestation and bush meat trading. Here are some of the suggestions:

For fragmented forests, the team of experts suggests that it should heal, reconnect the forest fragments to make it continuous, so the wildlife is not foraging on our crops and invading our homes but stays in the forests.

People living in forested areas should also be provided with adequate health care, education, and livelihood opportunities to stop selling wildlife products and contributing to deforestation.

Regulate trade of wildlife that are potential pathogen vectors. International laws on the sale of threatened and endangered species must be strictly implemented.

READ NEXT: Extinction Rates Seem to Be Faster Than Expected, Should We Ban Wildlife Trade?
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 16:51:57|Editor: huaxia

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A worker checks a product at a violin workshop of Queshan Violin Industrial Park in Queshan County of Zhumadian City, central China's Henan Province, June 23, 2020. With an annual output of about 400,000 violins, Queshan produces more than 80 percent of made-in-China medium and high-quality violins, violas, cellos, bass and violin accessories. About 90 percent of violin-related products from Queshan are made for exports to Italy, the United States, Germany and Hungary, generating an annual revenue of more than 10 million U.S. dollars. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)
BENGALURU, India, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a bid to expand its product offering to the millennials, Niyo, India's leading and fastest growing Neo-bank has acquired Goalwise, a new-age mutual funds investment platform.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the demand for digital banking and related services. Niyo is well-placed to use this opportunity to rapidly expand its user base through a great mobile app experience and innovative product suite that will now include wealth management products.

Niyo Co-founders Vinay Bagri (CEO) and Virender Bisht (CTO) have picked up majority stakes in the start-up, along with Niyo, in a cash-and-stock deal for an undisclosed amount. The Goalwise founding members will join Niyo's leadership team and will be running Niyo Wealth as an independent vertical within Niyo.

The acquisition is in line with Niyo's goal of building a comprehensive product suite for its users. Apart from the DIY zero per cent commission mutual fund product already live on Niyo Wealth platform, the company plans to launch international and domestic stocks, robo-advisory and auto-invest products in next few months.

Goalwise currently has over 60,000 users with $113 million AUA (assets under advice). The start-up offers a unique set-and-forget goal-based investing solution that oversees all aspects of investment, including mutual fund selection, portfolio rebalancing and target-tracking among others.

Vinay Bagri said, "We are delighted to welcome Goalwise and the entire team to the Niyo family. It has been our constant endeavour to offer the best financial products to our consumers and make the banking process easy, secure and convenient for all. We strongly believe in the importance of investing and helping our customers achieve their life goals of financial stability and independence. The acquisition of Goalwise is a significant step in that direction."

Niyo became one of the first Neo Banks in India to launch a co-branded savings account in partnership with IDFC FIRST Bank that combines the best of banking, forex and wealth management features in its 007 proposition  0% commission on mutual funds, 0% forex mark-up on international spends and up to 7% interest on the savings account through a waitlist that was subscribed by more than 100K people.

As per industry reports, Indians have parked over $1.8 trillion of their wealth in low-yield bank deposits, which indicates that they refrain from investing in capital markets owing to poor financial literacy, low trust in the stock market, poor user experience and general disinterest. Niyo aims to empower them through its latest product offering that will offer higher rates of interest and encourage investment in mutual funds.

Niyo is among the fastest growing fintech start-ups in India with a customer base of 1.5 million and 6,000+ corporates. The company is backed by marquee investors such as Social+Capital, Tencent, JS Capital and Prime Venture Partners, and has raised about $49 million in funding so far. Niyo has been ranked among Asia's Top 50 soonicorns.

Contacts:

Divyata Kalhans

[email protected]

+91-9910069384

SOURCE Niyo
Geojit's report on Agri Picks

The US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service has raised its estimate for India's 2019-20 (Aug-Jul) cotton ending stock to 17.7 mln bales (1 US bale = 218 kg) from 16.8 mln bales projected last month. The Cotton Association of India has raised its estimates for carryover stocks in the country for 2019-20 (Oct-Sep) to 5.6 mln bales (1 bale = 170 kg), compared with 5.0 mln bales projected in the previous month. The West Bengal government will write to the Centre, seeking excess rice and wheat for free distribution till the end of June next year, a senior state government official said. The Soybean Processors' Association of India today requested the government to revoke the suspension of Merchandise Exports from India Scheme benefit on soymeal exports to boost overseas shipments, it said in a release. Export of tea by Sri Lanka fell nearly 2.1% on year to 23.6 mln kg in June, according to data released by the Tea Exporters Association of Sri Lanka. The government has procured 5,218 tn moong harvested in the 2019-20 (JulJun) rabi season as of Saturday under its price support scheme, a government official said.

For all commodities report, click here

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

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Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis condemned the violence by the radical Armenians against peaceful Azerbaijani community members on July 21 in front of Azerbaijan's Consulate in Los Angeles, the Consulate reported.



"I was disappointed to learn that a demonstration outside the Azerbaijani Consulate in LA last week turned violent & resulted in injuries. Everyone has a right to peacefully express their views, but there's no place in our state for violence against others," she posted on her Twitter page.



Azerbaijans Consul General in LA Nasimi Aghayev thanked Eleni Kounalakis for her condemnation of this violence against Azerbaijani community members and stated that such violence has no place in California or anywhere else, Trend reported.



Serving as the 50th lieutenant governor of California since 2019, Eleni Kounalakis is the first woman elected to this office. Kounalakis previously served as the United States Ambassador to Hungary from 2010 to 2013.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29) The government is looking at tapping hospitals in nearby regions that can accommodate COVID-19 patients from Metro Manila should bed capacity in the capital region reach critical levels.

If the hospital beds and the ICU (intensive care unit) beds in Manila are in critical level, we will tap even the bed capacity of neighboring region 3 and region 4A to refer patients to these vacant ICU or hospital beds, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines The Source on Wednesday.

Currently, Metro Manila's COVID-19 bed occupancy rate has hit the "danger zone level," as the Health Department on Tuesday reported 82.2 percent of beds have already been occupied by patients.

A number of major hospitals in the capital region also reported they have already reached full capacity for COVID-19 patients. Under government guidelines, facilities are mandated to allocate 30 percent of beds for coronavirus-hit persons.

As the government looks into options to solve the problem, Roque called on private hospitals to also comply with DOHs order.

The solution is to at least increase COVID bed capacity to up to 50 percent in all government hospitals, and for private hospitals to at least comply with the 30 percent allotment, the spokesperson added.

However, a private hospitals group earlier said their members may not be able to attain the goal due to limited manpower and resources, and cited the need to balance out assets for both COVID and non-COVID patients.

Nationwide, the COVID-19 bed occupancy rate also breached the warning zone with 52.3 percent or 8,577 of the 16,388 beds dedicated for COVID-19 patients already in use as of July 26.

READ: DOH: Countrys healthcare system close to being overwhelmed amid rising COVID-19 cases

To date, coronavirus infections in the country have surpassed 83,000, with over 55,000 tagged as active cases.
Coronavirus cases at Wrexham hospital have doubled in a week from 40 to 80 - as two army testing centres opened up in the town amid fears of a virus spike.

Patients on wards where someone was found to be Covid positive are now being comprehensively screened as part of a 'proactive' approach to tackle the outbreak in the town in North Wales.

Meanwhile, locals are being urged to visit one of the two military testing centres even if they only have mild symptoms.

Patients on wards at Wrexham Maelor Hospital (pictured) where someone was found to be Covid positive are now being comprehensively screened as part of a 'proactive' approach

There has been a dramatic rise in Covid cases in Wrexham over recent days and an outbreak connected to the Rowan Food Factory site, where more than 300 people tested positive.

On Tuesday, the town saw the biggest rise in the number of Covid-19 cases recorded in North Wales in the previous 24 hours, with another eight people testing positive.

In total 1,286 people have now had the coronavirus locally since the start of the pandemic. In Wales the total number of deaths is 1,549 - 376 of which are in the north.

Gill Harris, executive director of nursing and midwifery at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), confirmed that there are between 70 and 80 confirmed coronavirus cases at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

She added: 'A small number of confirmed cases are also present at Deeside Community Hospital, Chirk Hospital, and Mold Community Hospital. Due to the risk of identifying patients, we will not be providing specific numbers for the three sites.

'As part of a proactive approach at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, we have instigated universal screening for all patients on wards where we may or have had a COVID-19 positive patient.

'This is in addition to screening every patient admitted to our hospitals.

All patients who test positive are appropriately isolated and all infection prevention and control measures are in place.

The news comes as two army-managed testing centres open in Wrexham today with anybody urged to get a test, even if they have mild symptoms.

There has been a dramatic rise in Covid cases in Wrexham over recent days, including at the hospital (pictured)

Ms Harris said: 'Two mobile testing centres will be set up in Wrexham to help manage cases of COVID-19 in the community. They will be based at Caia Park Health Centre (Prince Charles Road) and Hightown Community Resource Centre (Fusilier Way).

'People will be able to get a test without booking by attending either site between 9am and 6pm for the next few days.

'We continue to ask patients, the public and staff who do visit the Maelor site to wear face coverings or masks in public areas in our hospitals.'

It came as Oldham overtook Leicester today to have the second highest Covid-19 infection rate in England. NHS statistics today showed Oldham recorded 54.3 coronavirus cases for every 100,000 people between July 20 and 26.

The weekly infection rate for the Greater Manchester town has risen by 191 per cent. In comparison, Leicester's outbreak has dropped slightly to 53.2.

Only Blackburn with Darwen is currently being hit worse than Oldham, with the area recording 85.9 cases per 100,000 people in the past week. Two thirds of new Covid-19 cases in Oldham are among Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, the council said.

Britain today announced 19 more coronavirus deaths in the preliminary toll  taking the official number of victims to 45,897.

Department of Health chiefs have yet to confirm the final daily figure, which is often much higher because it takes into account lab-confirmed fatalities in all settings.

The early count  which only includes a fraction of the Covid-19 deaths in England  is calculated by adding up updates declared by each of the home nations.

Britain today announced 19 more coronavirus deaths in the preliminary toll. Department of Health chiefs have yet to confirm the final daily figure, which is often much higher because it takes into account lab-confirmed fatalities in all settings

NHS England today posted 14 deaths in hospitals across the country and Wales reported five in all settings. No fatalities were recorded in any setting in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Last Wednesday, health chiefs reported a total of 79 deaths across all UK settings.

Some 119 deaths were recorded yesterday, slightly up on the 110 posted last Tuesday. It means 65 people are succumbing to the illness each day, on average.

Cases are rising, however. The number of cases diagnosed yesterday has not been revealed, but the 581 reported yesterday were almost 30 per cent up on the week before.

Boris Johnson fears a second wave could start within a fortnight, according to a senior government source who told the Mail the Prime Minister was 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up' both at home and across Europe.

But ministers are being told by leading scientists not to panic yet, with one scientist saying the spike 'was to be expected' because of lockdown being eased earlier this month, when millions of Britons flocked to pubs to celebrate 'Super Saturday' and enjoy their first taste of freedom in 15 weeks.
Over 408,000 websites are blocked in Turkey, and it also leads the world in Twitter removal requests, with 6,000 demands in 2019 first half.

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not a fan of social media despite a large following on various platforms. According to the new law, a social media company must designate a local representative, who will be tasked with responding to individual requests to take down content violating privacy and personal rights within 48 hours or to provide grounds for rejection. The company would be held liable for damages if the content is not removed or blocked within 24 hours. (Photo | AP)

Istanbul: Turkeys parliament approved a law early Wednesday that gives authorities greater power to regulate social media despite concerns of growing censorship.

The law requires major social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter to keep representative offices in Turkey to deal with complaints against content on their platforms.

The government says the legislation was needed to combat cybercrime and protect users. Speaking in parliament Wednesday morning, ruling party lawmaker Rumeysa Kadak said it would be used to remove posts that contain cyberbullying and insults against women.

Opposition lawmakers said the law would further limit freedom of expression in a country where the media is already under tight government control and dozens of journalists are in jail. They called the bill the censorship law.

If a social media company refuses to designate an official representative, the legislation mandates steep fines, advertising bans and bandwidth reductions. With a court ruling, bandwidth would be halved, and then cut further. Bandwidth reductions mean social media networks would be too slow to use.

The representative will be tasked with responding to individual requests to take down content violating privacy and personal rights within 48 hours or to provide grounds for rejection. The company would be held liable for damages if the content is not removed or blocked within 24 hours.

Most alarmingly, the nine-article legislation also would require social media providers to store user data in Turkey.

Hundreds of people have been investigated and some arrested over social media posts on the COVID-19 pandemic, opposition to Turkish military offensives abroad or insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials.

Erdogan has demanded the law, vowing to control social media platforms and eradicate immorality.

Cyber-rights activist and academic Yaman Akdeniz tweeted: A new and dark period is starting in Turkey with the new law. He argued the law would be used to remove content critical of the government rather than to protect users.

Rights groups and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights came out against the bill Tuesday ahead of the vote, with Amnesty International calling it draconian.

If passed, these amendments would significantly increase the governments powers to censor online content and prosecute social media users. This is a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression online and contravenes international human rights law and standards, Amnesty Internationals Andrew Gardner said.

Rights activists also argue that increased control of social media will also limit Turkish access to independent or critical information in a country where the news media is in the hands of government-friendly businessmen or controlled by the state.

Turkey leads the world in removal requests to Twitter, with more than 6,000 demands in the first half of 2019.

More than 408,000 websites are blocked in Turkey, according to The Freedom of Expression Association.

Online encyclopedia Wikipedia was blocked for nearly three years before Turkeys top court ruled that the ban violated the right to freedom of expression.

54 million people in the country of 83 million are active social media users.

A July survey by polling company Metropoll showed 49.6% of respondents did not support a law that could limit, shut down or fine social media companies over content. Some 40.8% said they would support it.

Human rights groups and the opposition are worried over what they call the erosion of freedom of expression in Turkey, with thousands of people subject to criminal proceedings for insulting President Erdogan on social media.

Human Rights Watch expressed concerns that the law would enable the government to control social media, to get content removed at will and to arbitrarily target individual users.

Social media is a lifeline for many people who use it to access news, so this law signals a new dark era of online censorship, said Tom Porteous, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch in a statement before the legislation passed.

The legislation has aroused deep concerns for many Internet users in Turkey who mobilised online in recent weeks using the hashtag dont touch my social media.

Social media companies did not immediately comment.

The law passed after 16 hours of tense deliberations in parliament, where Erdogans ruling party and its nationalist ally hold the majority of seats. It will be published in the Official Gazette after Erdogan approves it and will come into effect on October 1.

Government response

Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogans spokesman, brushed off fears the law would hamper free speech.

There is no obstacle to social media users freely expressing their opinion, he told CNN-Turk television on Tuesday.

Here is the rule: whatever is a crime in real world is also a crime in cyber world ... there must be a limit to criticism.

Erdogan vowed to tighten government control over social media earlier this month after he said dark-hearted users insulted Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and his wife Esra, the presidents daughter, following the birth of their fourth child.

And last month, the Turkish leader met with a spate of negative comments during a video-conference with young people.

The Turkish presidency then turned off comments but there were 388,000 clicks on the thumbs down button, compared with 114,000 on the thumbs up button.

Erdogan is not a fan of social media despite a large following on different platforms, including Twitter.

He once compared the media platforms to a murderers knife and previously promised to eradicate Twitter.

His government previously blocked Twitter and YouTube in 2014 after audio recordings were posted implicating the president, then prime minister, and his inner circle in an alleged corruption scandal.

Erdogans aversion of social media also dates back to anti-government protests in 2013, which were often mobilised by Twitter and Facebook posts.
CathCAD simplifies the computation of composite tube deflections under load. Computing the elongation or angle of rotation under load is important when designing a minimally invasive medical device to ensure the device does not plastically deform under load during device deployment.

Roth Technologies, LLC announces the release of a Deflection Model add-in for the CathCAD Standard and CathCAD Advanced software with a general availability date of July 27th, 2020. The CathCAD Deflection Model computes the elongation and/or angle of rotation of a composite tube design when subjected to an Input Force or Moment. Computing the elongation or angle of rotation under load is important when designing a minimally invasive medical device to ensure the device does not plastically deform under a known load during device deployment.

Highlights of the Software update include the following:



Multi-segmented designs of one to five segments are fully supported by the Software

The Software allows the design to be placed under a Longitudinal Force and/or Moment about the Longitudinal Axis of the composite tube under development

Outputs from the Applied Force Module include total elongation, elongation of each segment, total strain, and strain of each segment

Outputs from the Applied Moment Module include total angular rotation, angular rotation of each segment, total shear strain, and shear strain of each segment

The CathCAD software allows the User to model multi-layered composite tubing. The Software computes flexural (EI), longitudinal (EA), and torsional (GJ) rigidities and also includes the following additional capabilities:



Catheter failure mode analysis including tensile strength, torque, kink radius, tube ovalization, and external pressure rating.

All modeling results may be exported directly to Microsoft Excel

The CathCAD software package runs under Windows 7/8/10 operating systems and includes CathCAD Standard, Advanced, and ML CathCAD.

The Deflection model feature will be made available at no additional charge to existing CathCAD licensed users and is offered to new customers under the Roth Technologies, LLC standard software licensing terms and conditions.

Since its inception in 2013 over 100,000+ catheter modeling runs have been completed by the Licensed Users of the CathCAD software.
Cairo: Yemens leading separatist group will abandon its aspirations for self-rule to implement a stalled peace deal brokered by Saudi Arabia, it announced early on Wednesday in a major step toward closing a dangerous rift between nominal allies in the chaotic proxy war.

Nizar Haitham, a spokesman for the separatists Southern Transitional Council, an umbrella group of militias backed by the United Arab Emirates, said the separatists would give up their dreams of autonomy over southern Yemen to pursue the Riyadh agreement.

People demonstrate against the war in Yemen during a Black Lives Matter protest at Parliament Square, London, on July 22. Credit:AP

"We have achieved our goals," said Haitham, noting that the announcement came under intense pressure from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. "We affirm the continuing and deepening of our strategic partnership with the Arab coalition."

The power-sharing deal, signed in the Saudi capital of Riyadh last fall, sets the stage to end a long-running rivalry between Yemens Saudi-backed government and the Emirati-backed southern separatists. The agreement was thrown into disarray earlier this year, when the separatists seized control of the southern port city of Aden, the interim seat of the internationally recognised government, igniting fierce clashes across southern Yemen and the Socotra archipelago.
When New Jersey attorney Robert Popescu received a package labeled Bonsai on the front steps of his Marlboro home on Tuesday, he snapped a photo and emailed it to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

I didnt open the package. I just put it in the fridge, Popescu said. They were presumably those seeds.

Popescu, who has a practice in Old Bridge, said hed read recent news stories online about the mystery seeds and wants other residents to know they might receive them, too. Based on the news articles, I knew what to do, he said.

The lawyer was one of at least three New Jersey residents who emailed NJ Advance Media to say they had received the seeds after the story appeared online.

The states department of agriculture is advising residents to alert them if they receive similar packages.

Do not plant (the seeds) and if they are in sealed packaging dont open the sealed package, agriculture officials said in a social media post.

If theyve already opened the package, the government wants photos of the seeds.

The state is asking residents to send their photos in an email to joseph.zoltowski@ag.nj.gov. Photos should also be sent to the United States Department of Agriculture at SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov.

In a warning, the USDA has said the seeds, which are sometimes sent in packaging stating the contents are jewerly, could be harmful to the environment.

Unsolicited seeds could be invasive (and) introduce diseases to local plants or be harmful to livestock, the USDA said in a statement.

Officials say the mailings are known as agricultural smuggling and should be reported to the USDA and kept until the federal agency offers further instructions on what to do with the packages and seeds.

They may be needed as evidence, the USDAs statement said. New Jersey officials have alerted farming and agriculture boards and agencies throughout the state about the seeds.

Seeds received in the mail from China could be harmful to the environment and livestock, officials said.USDA

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Dr Richard Van Groningen, 57, arriving at Chelmsford Magistrates Court yesterday

A Royal London Hospital neurosurgeon amassed a horrific hoard of extreme child porn and animal abuse images - including dogs, pigs and eels - over 15 years.

Dr Richard Van Groningen, 57, admitted to possessing more than 1,480 pieces of child porn including 114 Category A images, the most extreme category.

The medic also collected bestiality images with police officers finding more than 230 pieces of extreme material.

Van Groningen resigned from his role at Barts Health NHS Trust when the images were discovered and has been suspended from practice.

The trust said it is helping the police and the General Medical Council with its investigation.

Dressed in a tan suit, Van Groningen admitted five counts of possessing child abuse and bestiality images at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Prosecutor Samantha Doyle said the images, amassed between September 2003 and December 2018, were of the most severe category.

She told the court: 'Searches for toddler and pre-teen were found on multiple devices as well as bestiality, so it is well out of the sentencing power of this court.'

Van Groningen from Purleigh, Essex, was bailed ahead of his sentence next month at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Chair of the bench David Murtagh said: 'This isn't suitable for summary justice, this matter will be committed to crown court for sentence.'

Alistair Chesser, group chief medical officer at Barts Health NHS Trust, revealed the doctor was no longer with the trust and said patient safety is its number one priority.

A general view of The Royal London Hospital, from which Van Groningen resigned when the images were discovered and has been suspended from practice (file photo)

Dressed in a tan suit, Van Groningen admitted five counts of possessing child abuse and bestiality images at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, above, yesterday (file photo)

He said: 'We are deeply concerned that a former staff member was involved in such activity.

'We understand our doctors are trusted within our community and want to assure our patients that their safety is our number one priority.

'We do everything we can to protect our patients including carrying out enhanced background checks on all clinical staff.

'As soon as we were alerted to this police investigation, we immediately restricted Dr Van Groningen's practice and notified the General Medical Council (GMC).

'Dr Van Groningen was subsequently excluded from his work at the hospital and he resigned during the investigation.

'Although Dr Van Groningen is no longer employed by Barts Health we continue to assist the police and the GMC.'
Israeli shelling started at around 3:30 p.m. local time which lasted for about an hour and a half. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that they had repelled an infiltration attempt by a Hezbollah unit and there were no casualties among IDF forces. The exchange of fire came as the IDF was on heightened alert for a possible attack by Hezbollah, after an Israeli airstrike in Syria killed a Hezbollah member earlier in July.

In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hezbollah that it is playing with fire, and stated that Hezbollah and Lebanon bear full responsibility for this incident and any attack from Lebanese territory against Israel.

In its own turn, pro-Hezbollah sources claimed that Hezbollah targeted a vehicle and a battle tank of the IDF with anti-tank guided missiles.

Hezbollah itself described Israeli claims about the outcome of the clashes as fake and aimed to boost the morale of Israeli forces by fabricating fictitious victories. It also rejected reports about strikes on IDF targets.

The answer to the martyrdom of [our] brother, Ali Kamel Mohsen, in the vicinity of Damascus airport has not been given yet. Zionist occupiers must still wait for that answer and their punishment at the hands of the resistance forces, Hezbollah said.

A few hours after the incident on the Lebanese-Israeli contact line, rockets struck US-operated military bases in Iraq. The strike on Camp Speicher, located near Tikrit, caused a large explosion on the site. At the same time, at least three rockets targeted another US-operated military base  Camp Taji, located near Baghdad. According to local media, one rocket hit an Iraqi helicopter while another landed in an artillery weapon depot. The third rocket landed in the area of the 2nd Air Force Squadron but did not explode.

Local sources claim that the strikes came in response to a drone strike on the al-Saqer military camp, south of Baghdad, on July 26. This camp is operated by the Popular Mobilization Units. This branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces is often described by Washington and mainstream media as Iranian proxies and even terrorists.

Even if the incidents in Iraq and the Lebanese-Israeli border were not linked, they serve as strong evidence of the escalating tensions in the Middle East. Despite the defeat of ISIS and the relative de-escalation of the conflict in Syria, the region still remains in a permanent state of escalation. However, now, the source of these tensions is the developing conflict between the Israeli-US bloc and Iranian-led forces.
Mexico City (AFP) - The former boss of Mexican state oil giant PEMEX went on trial on Tuesday, accused of taking bribes to fund a presidential campaign, official sources said.

Emilio Lozoya is accused of corruption for authorizing PEMEX's acquisition between 2013 and 2015 of a rundown fertilizer factory for $485 million, a price prosecutors considered suspiciously high given it had been unused for 14 years.

The trial at a court in Mexico City began by videoconference as Lozoya has been in hospital suffering from anaemia since returning to Mexico on July 17 following his extradition from Spain.

Lozoya, 45, entered a plea of not guilty.

He is also charged with taking $4 million in bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, which has admitted to paying huge sums of money across Latin American to win public works contracts.

Prosecutors have yet to read out the charges relating to the Odebrecht scandal.

Part of the Odebrecht bribe was allegedly used to pay for the presidential campaign that brought Enrique Pena Nieto to power in 2012. Lozoya had been Pena Nieto's chief international strategist.

The prosecution said a new fertilizer factory would have "cost $200-$300 million" and accused Lozoya of having "encouraged an illegal activity" by approving the purchase of an "inactive business at a higher price."

Lozoya said he had voluntarily accepted his extradition from Spain and would provide evidence in his defense.

"I will demonstrate that I'm not responsible or guilty of the crimes attributed to me," according to a transcription provided by the court.

Lozoya is accused of having received a $3 million payment from the owners of the fertilizer plant prior to its sale, with which he bought a luxurious home in the capital.

A close ally of Pena Nieto, who was president from 2012-16, Lozoya claims he owned the home in question prior to being appointed head of PEMEX in December 2012.

His fugitive sister Gilda Lozoya and businessman Alonso Ancira, who managed the sale of the fertilizer plant and is subject to an extradition process from Spain, have also been accused over the purchase.
Assault on free speech: Facebook, Instagram bans content promoting 'conversion therapy'

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A professional psychotherapist who specializes in counseling those with unwanted same-sex attraction has denounced a recent social media ban on posts promoting "conversion therapy."

Recently, Instagram and its owner, Facebook, announced that they were going to ban content that promoted the controversial practice of sexual orientation change efforts therapy, or what critics call "conversion therapy."

Christopher Doyle, a professional counselor and executive director of the Institute for Healthy Families, told The Christian Post that he considers the social media sites decision an assault on free speech and religious liberty.

While the company claims they are taking this action to prevent discrimination towards the LGBT community, the real people they are hurting are those who experience unwanted sexual and gender identity conflicts and are seeking options for healing and ethical, licensed therapy, said Doyle.

Everyone should have the right to seek help for unwanted attractions or sexual/gender conflicts without interference, and public companies should not be able to discriminate the views of some they may disagree with for political purposes.

Doyle explained that the decision should not affect his group because he does not define their practices as constituting conversion therapy.

But I do have clients that have unwanted sexual and gender identity conflicts that may be discouraged from such actions and feel discriminated against, he added.

The prominent social media sites told CNN Business that they were taking steps to prohibit content that promoted conversion therapy.

We don't allow attacks against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity and are updating our policies to ban the promotion of conversion therapy services, said Tara Hopkins, Instagram's public policy director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa in a statement, as reported by CNN.

We are always reviewing our policies and will continue to consult with experts and people with personal experiences to inform our approach.

Hopkins explained that they had already removed content from a nonprofit Christian ministry group based in the United Kingdom called Core Issues Trust.

Core Issues Trust has opposed efforts to ban therapy aimed at treating unwanted same-sex attraction, having denounced a United Nations report that supported banning the practice.

Make no mistake of it, this report is very sinister. It mixes up allegations of torture against some member states with opposition to laws designed to protect children from gay propaganda and sexualisation, stated the organization.

It ignores the varied history of different approaches to homosexuality in different countries, cultures and religions, and thus does not advance understanding of the issues. Should the UN give its official backing to this report, basic freedoms would be at risk worldwide.

In recent times, many conservatives have denounced political censorship of their ideas on major social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

In late May, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at punishing social media websites that censored individuals on the basis of their ideological views.

In a country that has long cherished the freedom of expression, we cannot allow a limited number of online platforms to handpick the speech that Americans may access and convey online, stated the executive order, in part.
Travellers to Britain from high-risk countries could safely stop quarantining if they test negative after seven days, scientists have suggested.

Fresh modelling has found that testing arrivals a week after entering the UK would identify 94 per cent of coronavirus cases.

It means that those who test negative would be almost certain they were not infected and could cut short their 14-day isolation at the midway point.

Ministers are still grappling with whether to reduce the two-week isolation period for arrivals from non-exempt countries, such as Spain which had its air corridor revoked suddenly last week.

Sources yesterday suggested the government was mulling reducing it from a fortnight to 10 days to persuade more holidaymakers to make trips abroad.

But a whole seven days could now be shaved off the isolation period in light of the findings which offer a much-needed boost to the hard-hit travel industry.

An intervention from the boss of Heathrow, who called for the shortening of quarantine for arrivals who test negative, could also sway ministers to review the two-week period which has left many reluctant to go on holiday.

A passenger wearing a face mask at Heathrow Airport yesterday. Travellers to Britain from high-risk countries could safely stop quarantining if they test negative after seven days, scientists have suggested

The most up to date figures show the number of new cases is rocketing upwards in Spain. It announced 6,361 new cases over the weekend, up from 4,581 the previous weekend. France announced 2,551 new coronavirus cases on Monday

Outbreak modelling conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) found that testing seven days after arrival will detect 94 per cent of cases.

Dr Sam Clifford, the paper's author, conceded that testing after two weeks catches 99 per cent of cases, but pointed out that this costs people in quarantine an entire working week for a mere five per cent increase in certainty.

He said: 'By seven days, a majority of people who will ever show symptoms will have noticed their symptoms and will self-isolate or seek medical attention.

'Also by that time, PCR testing should detect most of those infections with a long incubation period or that will never result in symptoms, so-called asymptomatic infections.

'We understand the need for people returning to be able to get back to their families and jobs.

'Combining PCR (testing) with a week of quarantine could prevent up to 94 per cent of infectious persons entering, and could help people get back a week earlier than under the current two week quarantine policy - which we estimate catches up to 99 per cent.'

Fresh modelling has found that testing arrivals a week after entering the UK would identify 94 per cent of coronavirus cases. The findings could be a ray of hope for the hard-hit travel industry (BA Crew pictured)

Heathrow's chief executive John Holland-Kaye has called on the Government to help ease quarantine restrictions on passengers arriving from higher-risk countries with a scheme for coronavirus tests on landing

Heathrow's chief executive has also weighed in on the government's 14-day quarantine rules, which have been under the spotlight since its sudden decision to revoke the air corridor with Spain, which has seen a steady rise in cases.

John Holland-Kaye has called on the Government to help ease quarantine restrictions on passengers arriving from higher-risk countries with a scheme for coronavirus tests on landing.

He said the testing could be 'up and running' in a fortnight after Boris Johnson warned further European nations could lose their exempted status amid signs of a 'second wave' of Covid-19.

The Prime Minister triggered a diplomatic row with Spain by reimposing a warning against all but essential travel to the country and insisting travellers arriving in the UK from there spend 14 days in quarantine.

But he said ministers were looking at ways to mitigate the impact amid suggestions testing could be used to cut the time spent in isolation for those arriving from nations not exempted from the quarantine.

One idea floated is for passengers to be tested on arrival before being tested again a number of days later to confirm they are not infected with the virus. A second test could allow their quarantine to be shortened under the proposal.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has claimed that tourists are safer in his country than the UK. These are the worst coronavirus hotspots in each country and the number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people

Mr Holland-Kaye told the Telegraph he believed ministers are 'very keen' on a trial at airports.

'We need to find a way of getting 'red countries' opened up again. Testing is the only viable way of doing that in the absence of a vaccine,' he said.

'A lot of countries which are 'red-listed' have millions of people who don't have the disease and can't travel. That's holding back economic recovery.'

Government advisers have warned it can take a number of days from infection before tests return a positive result, meaning testing negative on arrival does not mean the passenger will not develop symptoms later on.

This is echoed by the scientists from LSHTM, who said testing on arrival would only identify around 50 per cent of cases, compared with 94 per cent after seven days.

Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care are understood to have spoken with travel assistance company Collinson to understand the proposed testing pilot it is developing with Heathrow.

Amid criticism from Spain for including lower risk regions in the quarantine restrictions, transport minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton said ways to impose more targeted restrictions were being examined.

'For the time being, we are taking the approach by country for border measures, but it is the case that it could be that we put them in place for regions in the future,' she told the House of Lords.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Johnson insisted the Government would not hesitate to act if flare-ups of coronavirus occurred in other destinations.

'I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic,' he warned.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Johnson insisted the Government would not hesitate to act if flare-ups of coronavirus occurred in other destinations

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has described the restrictions on travel to the country as an 'error'.

He pointed out that the upsurge in coronavirus cases is focused in two regions, Catalonia and Aragon, adding: 'In most of Spain, the incidence is very much inferior to even the numbers registered in the United Kingdom.'

Madrid had been urging the UK to exclude the Canaries and Balearics - which include popular tourist resorts on Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca - from its quarantine requirements.

But instead, official travel advice was tightened to bring the islands in line with the Spanish mainland.

Britons make up over a fifth of foreign visitors to Spain, which relies heavily on tourism, and Madrid has said the UK Government gave it no warning that the quarantine move was coming over the weekend.

Labour accused ministers of a 'chaotic' response and called for a flexible approach for struggling businesses to ensure that public health measures such as the change in quarantine rules for people returning from Spain do not lead to mass job losses.
Amazons Jeff Bezos, Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai of Google and Tim Cook of Apple are set to answer questions after a year-long probe.

The 'Big Four' tech CEOs  Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, Amazons Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai of Google and Tim Cook of Apple  are set to answer for their companies practices before US congress at the end of a year-long competition investigation.

The four men command corporations with gold-plated brands, millions or even billions of customers, and a combined value greater than the entire German economy.

One of them, Mr Bezos, is the worlds richest individual; Mr Zuckerberg is the fourth-ranked billionaire.

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Their industry has transformed society, linked people around the globe, mined and commercialised users personal data, and infuriated critics on both the left and right over free speech.

Critics question whether the companies, which have grown increasingly powerful after gobbling up scores of rivals, stifle competition and innovation, raise prices for consumers and pose a danger to society.

The four CEOs are testifying remotely for a hearing on Wednesday by the US house judiciary sub-committee on competition.

In its bipartisan investigation, the panel collected testimony from mid-level executives of the four firms, competitors and legal experts, and pored over more than a million internal documents from the companies.

The key question is whether existing competition policies and century-old laws are adequate for overseeing the tech giants, or if new legislation and enforcement funding is needed.

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Sub-committee chairman David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, has called the four companies monopolies, although he says breaking them up should be a last resort.

While forced break-ups may appear unlikely, the wide scrutiny of Big Tech points toward possible new restrictions on its power.

The companies face legal and political offensives on multiplying fronts  from US congress, the Trump administration, federal and state regulators and European watchdogs.

The US justice department and the federal trade commission have been investigating the four companies practices.

Each company has a distinct profile and sets its widening footprint in specific markets, and each tech titan has his own approach and story to tell.

For Mr Bezos, who presides over an e-commerce empire and ventures in cloud computing, personal smart tech and beyond, it will be his first appearance before congress.

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Mr Bezos is introducing himself in his hearing testimony, which is unusual for such an occasion.

He lays out his challenging life story growing up in New Mexico as the son of a single mother in high school, and later with an adoptive father who emigrated from Cuba at 16.

Previewing his written testimony in a blog post Tuesday, Mr Bezos traces his origins as a garage inventor who came up with the concept of an online bookstore in 1994.

He addresses the issue of Amazons power in what he describes as a huge and competitive global retail market.

The company accounts for less than 4pc of retail in the US, Mr Bezos maintains.

He affirms his rebuff to critics who call for the company to be broken up: Walmart is more than twice Amazons size, he says.

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Mr Bezos initially declined to testify unless he could appear with the other CEOs.

He will likely face questioning over a Wall Street Journal report that found Amazon employees used confidential data collected from sellers on its online marketplace to develop competing products.

At a previous hearing, an Amazon executive denied this accusation.

In the wake of George Floyds death and protests against racial injustice, Facebooks handling of hate speech has recently drawn more fire than issues of competition and privacy, especially after Facebooks refusal to take action on inflammatory Trump posts that spread misinformation about voting by mail and, critics said, encouraged violence against protesters.

Mr Zuckerberg has said the company aims to allow as much free expression as possible unless it causes imminent risk of specific harms or damage.

We believe in values  democracy, competition, inclusion and free expression  that the American economy was built on, the CEO says, in his testimony prepared for the hearing.

I understand that people have concerns about the size and perceived power that tech companies have, Mr Zuckerbergs statement says.

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Ultimately, I believe companies shouldnt be making so many judgments about important issues like harmful content, privacy and election integrity on their own. Thats why Ive called for a more active role for governments and regulators, and updated rules for the internet.

European regulators have concluded that Google manipulated its search engine to gain an unfair advantage over other online shopping sites in the e-commerce market, and fined Google, whose parent is Alphabet Inc, a record $2.7bn (1.9 billion). Google has disputed the findings and is appealing.

Attorneys general from both parties in 50 states and territories, led by Texas, launched a competition investigation of Google in September, focused on its online advertising business.

Google operates in highly competitive and dynamic global markets, in which prices are free or falling, and products are constantly improving, Mr Pichai says in his written testimony.

Competition in ads  from Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Comcast and others  has helped lower online advertising costs by 40pc over the last 10 years, with these savings passed down to consumers through lower prices.

Apple, whose iPhone is the third-largest seller in the world, faces EU investigations over the fees charged by its App Store and technical limitations that allegedly shut out competitors to Apple Pay.

Apple does not have a dominant market share in any market where we do business, Mr Cook says.

He is making the case that the fees Apple charges apps to sell services and other goods are reasonable, especially compared with what other tech companies collect.

In over a decade since the App Store launched we have never raised the commission or added a single fee, Mr Cook says in his testimony.
We are so thankful we were able to take the first steps of providing justice to Julie Konkol and her family, Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said. We always strive to be the voice of those who cannot speak anymore, and always stand with victims as their advocates to ensure they can achieve justice.
In the flurry of videos and social media posts that have emerged from the protests in Portland, Ore., activist moms are everywhere. They sing lullabies. They link arminarm, forming a human barricade between protesters and federal agents. Some wear respirators, gas masks and helmets. Some hand out sunflowers.

On one night of protests last week, they chanted, Feds stay clear! The moms are here! On another, they repeated the word, Mama, over and over, echoing a final plea from George Floyd, who was killed in police custody in May.

The Wall of Moms, as the group calls itself, formed after Beverley Barnum, who goes by Bev, 35, a mother of two in Portland, scrolled through social media posts one night in bed and saw videos of federal agents placing protesters in unmarked vehicles. Through a Facebook group, she rallied a few dozen moms who then showed up at a demonstration on the night of July 18.
Press Release

July 29, 2020 HONTIVEROS SEEKS SPECIAL AUDIT OF COVID-19 FUNDS

Senator urges immediate COA review on government spending under Bayanihan Law "Hindi dapat pinagkakakitaan ang COVID-19 crisis." This was the remark of Senator Risa Hontiveros as she filed a resolution urging the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit on all government spending related to the response to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19 under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Republic Act No. 11469). The proposed Senate Resolution No. 479 was also signed by Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Finance Committee Chair Sonny Angara, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, and minority Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, and Leila de Lima. "Congress early this year, through the Bayanihan Act, gave the government comprehensive powers, including the power to re-align and allocate billions of taxpayers' money to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Kailangan nating malaman kung ang tulong ba ay napunta para sa dapat tulungan," Hontiveros said. RA 11469 allowed government to swiftly procure commodities, facilities, utilities and services deemed necessary for COVID-19 response with exemptions from the requirements of bidding as laid out in the Government Procurement Reform Act (Republic Act No. 9184). However, various procurements made in relation to COVID-19 have been marred by allegations of overpricing, Hontiveros said. Hontiveros' resolution cited the government purchase of automated nucleic acid extractors for PhP 4 million against PhP 1.75 million purchased by the private sector, personal protective equipment [PPE] sets of PhP 1,800 when the market price ranges from PhP 400 to PhP 1,000, and the importation of more expensive RT-PCR test kits from China and Korea while cheaper Philippine-made ones are gathering dust in laboratories. The said resolution also cited the purchase of allegedly overpriced PPE by the Procurement Services of the Department of Budget and Management [PS-DBM] and Philippine International Trading Corporation [PITC] 'while many health workers and frontliners have fallen ill from the lack of adequate protective gear.' "Sapat ba ang naging pondo para sa mga PPE? At kung sapat, bakit parang hindi napunta sa mga frontliners?" Hontiveros asked. "This health crisis should not allow us to relax our accountability measures. The people should be able to trust the government that no one is lining their pockets with taxpayers' money," she added. The resolution also urged COA to present its findings before Congress is set to deliberate on the 2021 budget. "We are anticipating massive allocations to address health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19. It is of critical importance that there be audit findings to guide legislators in our exercise of the power of the purse," Hontiveros concluded.
Thomas Garbarini, a New York-born translator and painter who got stuck here in the Serbian capital along with his Chinese wife due to global COVID-19 traveling restrictions, has created a blog to convey "more nuanced understanding" of China.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Garbarini shared how his blog -- Zhihu Digest -- works, and the reason that pushed him to establish it.

Zhihu, or "do you know" in Chinese, is one of China's most popular question-and-answer websites where all kinds of questions are raised, answered, edited and organized by the community of its users. Launched in 2011, its user number has exceeded 200 million, with over 30 million questions raised on the platform, according to the company.

One reason to create Zhihu Digest, a website that includes top questions from Zhihu in English, is to make it easier for English-speaking audience to understand the true voice of ordinary Chinese people, said Garbarini.

The gap between Western and Chinese social media users contributes to a lack of understanding and empathy between the two, he noted.

Noting that he started learning Chinese in 2011 when he visited Beijing and has been using social media to improve his language skills, Garbarini said he created Zhihu Digest this February to use it as a platform to share his experience with other Chinese language students.

However, he later found that visitors have shown more interest in public opinion in China, thus prompting him to shift his focus on sharing to the rest of the world what Chinese people discuss most.

"Originally, I meant for this to be a language learning website," he said. "But most visitors were interested in culture, news and politics, so I have been focusing on that."

Topics on Garbarini's blog are usually those that attract most attention and discussions on Zhihu, which often include happenings in the United States and their reflections in China.

"For example, when there are 2 or 3 million cases of coronavirus in the U.S.," he said. "Whenever there is a new report on that, it is interesting to hear what normal Chinese people think about that."

"Also, sometimes it is interesting to hear stories that have nothing to do with the West and only about China, because lots of times there is no reporting on that in the Western media," he explained.

Noting that Western media have been depicting China in a negative way recently, he said that "it's not my goal to change people's views, but simply to convey what people are talking about on Zhihu."

Taking the recent flooding in Yangtze River as an example, Garbarini said comments from people who live in those areas can help readers learn "first-hand how the flood is affecting them and how they are witnessing the flood-prevention measures."

"I hope that my readers will get a more nuanced understanding and develop more empathy," he said. "If you read the news without knowing the feelings of people who are affected by it, things can become black and white."
In Tunisia, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan met with President Kais Saied at Carthage Palace in Carthage outside of the capital Tunis

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat visited Algeria and Tunisia on Tuesday, the second day of a North African tour to discuss the conflict in neighbouring Libya.

The kingdom backs eastern Libya-based strongman Khalifa Haftar, who launched a months-long campaign to seize the capital Tripoli from the unity government in early 2019.

Haftar is also backed by Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates, while Turkey has sent military support to the UN-recognised Government of National Accord that was crucial in turning the tide against Haftar earlier this year.

On Tuesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met Algeria's president Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who has vowed to remain neutral in the conflict.

The Saudi diplomat told Tebboune that the kingdom would "coordinate with Algeria to reach a peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis".

He also underlined the "central role of neighbouring countries" in resolving the conflict and battling "terrorism and foreign interference" in Libya, according to a statement published by Algerian state news agency APS.

In Tunisia, he met president Kais Saied and praised "the converging views between Tunisia and Saudi Arabia on the challenges facing the region".

Libya plunged into violence in 2011 with the NATO-backed uprising that overthrew then killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

It has been plagued by persistent conflict ever since, with rival administrations backed by a plethora of armed groups and foreign powers.

Prince Faisal's visits came a day after he met his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo, which has mooted the possibility of sending troops to Libya in support of Haftar.

Speaking after the meeting, the Saudi diplomat said he had voiced the kingdom's "full support for the Egyptian stance" in Libya and called for "peaceful political talks and a ceasefire".

burs-cnp/hj/par/sw
The above picture shows the outline of Guam.

By Yang Chengjun

Recently, Western media reported that the US would deploy land-based Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system on Guam for defending against so-called Chinese attack.

Regarding the deployment of the Aegis Ashore system on Guam, US Navy Admiral Philip S. Davidson, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, warned that in the event of war between China and the US, the Chinese military could target the US island territory withDF-26 missiles, land-based CJ-10 cruise missiles, and sea-based YJ-18 cruise missiles and bombers. And that could remove Guam from the map totally. Davidson said the solution is to install the Aegis Ashore system on Guam. Aegis Ashore could function as the backbone of [a] homeland defense system for Guam.

Before this, the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense, or THAAD, that has already been deployed on Guam as well as the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) anti-missile system that is under deployment on Guam are terminal defense. In contrast, the Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interception missile of the Aegis Ashore system is said to be capable of striking Chinese missiles farther away in the middle of their flight.

Id like to share my view on the US militarys new move in the following five points:

First, the US is advancing preparations for a war with China. The US has escalated its hostilities against China rapidly, thus strengthening military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region is inevitable. China has to closely monitor these trends and adjust military deployment accordingly.

Second, such deployment is more dangerous on the reconnaissance and surveillance of China. The space reconnaissance and ground radars that are compatible with Aegis Ashore system leaves the eastern and south-eastern parts of China exposed to a large extent, which is similar to the THAAD system deployed in the ROK.

Third, it doesnt make much sense militarily. The Aegis Ashore system and its SM-3 interception missiles do not have a substantial impact on the penetration of Chinas land-based missiles in terms of the quantity and the interception accuracy.

Fourth, it is not easy for the US to establish an anti-China alliance. The US had attempted to deploy the system in Japan, but last month, Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono announced that Japan will not deploy the system locally due to considerations of cost and timing. The true reason is that Japan fears the deployment may backfire and damage its own interests, and provoke domestic resistance.

Fifth, the US firstly deploys a sea-based air defense system on Guam, next, it may deploy medium-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, which is definitely a greater threat to Chinas national security.

So, strengthened reconnaissance, surveillance and defense would be needed for China to respond to hazards from Guam, in my opinion.

(The author is an expert on missile technology and nuclear arms control.)

Disclaimer: This article is originally published on ifeng.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect our views and we would not assume any responsibility or liability for them. If the article carries photographs or images, we do not vouch for their authenticity for the same.
A former Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday alleging excessive force by three Jackson County sheriffs deputies, including one who pinned him by the neck in a jail cell and then helped handcuff him to a floor grate.

The lawsuit names the county and the three Sheriffs Office deputies  Brady Bjorkland, David Dalton and Michael Hammond  as defendants.
Hong Hong-keum and her husband examine ripening bananas at a greenhouse in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, June 9. Yonhap





Trees are laden with bananas at a greenhouse in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, June 9. Yonhap



By Jung Min-ho



Jeju Island was long considered the only warm-enough region in Korea for commercial banana farming, but climate change is now turning the mainland into a producer of the tropical fruit.



Hong Hong-keum, a farmer in Haenam, the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula, told The Korea Times Wednesday that she and her husband are looking forward to their first  and Haenam's first  banana harvest next month.



They planted 470 banana trees last year to adapt themselves to "changing circumstances" as the impact of climate change on agriculture was felt among many farmers, she said.



According to the agricultural technology center in North Chungcheong Province, the number of people investing in banana farming has surged in recent years.



"There are about 40 banana farms in Korea, including two (at Cheongju and Chungju) in our region," Park Eui-kwang, a researcher at the center, said. "Another farmer in Jecheon recently contacted the center for support before starting banana farming later this year.



"Climate change is obviously affecting Korea's farming industry."



About 99.7 percent of all bananas consumed here are imported, mainly from the Philippines, and most of the rest is produced on Jeju. But with more farmers exploring the field, this soon could change.



The researcher says the commercial potential of "Korean bananas" is high as samples from there show a higher sugar content than that found in imported ones.



In 2015, the Rural Development Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs set up a department dedicated to researching new agricultural and floricultural fields to prepare for the expected effects of climate change. Local governments across the country also offer support for farmers who break fresh ground in their businesses.



Papaya, another tropical fruit known for its sweet orange and juicy pulp, has been produced by farmers across the country, including in Andong, Gokseong and Miryang.





A farmer inspects ripening papayas at a greenhouse in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, Jan. 21. Yonhap







Lee Yong-kwon, who made headlines last year after successfully cultivating bananas from 10 trees in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, said he has been farming other tropical fruit, including papaya and guava, as well as coffee and olives this year.



Local governments are hopeful that tropical fruits could boost farmers' incomes. But some experts say farmers should tread carefully because change may not be as fast as they expect.





A farmer checks the growth of bananas at a greenhouse in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Dec. 3, 2019. Yonhap
ALAMEDA, Calif., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Penumbra, Inc. (NYSE: PEN) today announced that its management team is scheduled to present at the Canaccord Genuity 40th Annual Growth Conference on Wednesday, August 12, 2020.

Event: Canaccord Genuity 40th Annual Growth Conference

Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Time: 3:30pm EDT / 12:30pm PDT

A webcast of the presentation will be available by visiting the investors' section of the company's website at www.penumbrainc.com. The webcast will be available on the company's website for at least two weeks following the event.

About Penumbra

Penumbra, Inc., headquartered in Alameda, California, is a global healthcare company focused on innovative therapies. Penumbra designs, develops, manufactures and markets novel products and has a broad portfolio that addresses challenging medical conditions in markets with significant unmet need. Penumbra sells its products to hospitals and healthcare providers primarily through its direct sales organization in the United States, most of Europe, Canada and Australia, and through distributors in select international markets. The Penumbra logo is a trademark of Penumbra, Inc. For more information, visit www.penumbrainc.com.

Investor Relations

Penumbra, Inc.

510-995-2461

[email protected]

SOURCE Penumbra, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.penumbrainc.com


New Delhi, July 29 : Aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs) of Air India have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, complaining that the 40 per cent pay cut has pushed them to the brink with the "overload of EMIs, school fees and bills".

Protesting the pay cuts in the national carrier, the All India Aircraft Engineers Association and the Air India Aircraft Engineers Association, in the letter to the Prime Minister, said: "A pseudo plan has been hatched by the callous top management resulting in a discriminatory and disproportionate massive pay cut exclusively for us in contrast to a miniscule cut for the higher officials." "Increasing the pay cut to 40 per cent from April in our cadre has pushed us to the edge of subsistence with an overload of EMIs, schools fees and bills," the Air India maintenance engineers said.

They added that these allowances have been specifically targeted by the management to adversely hurt a particular section of employees, namely the AMEs.

The engineers added that contrary to belief, the amount of mandatory maintenance work on the aircraft remained undiminished during the pandemic, irrespective of aircraft utilisation, and rather increased due to the requirement of periodic storage examination and preservation in "Flight Ready" condition.

"We are forced to withdraw money from our provident fund for our survival as our existing financial commitments towards basic needs have not even reduced slightly," they added.

"It is tragic that engineers in the middle of their career, with all the liabilities pending towards family and wards, are forced to withdraw money from the provident funds to meet daily needs while the retired executives, having already secured their future, are enjoying the freebies despite dismal performance in service," the associations said.

The engineers said that if the pay cut is inevitable, then it should be applied equally and ethically to all sections of employees.
In response to President Trumps threats to deploy federal officers to Oakland, the City Council on Tuesday unanimously supported a measure to protect protesters from federal agents  just a day before the Trump administration agreed to withdraw officers from Portland, Ore.

The measure, introduced by councilmen Dan Kalb and Noel Gallo, directs City Attorney Barbara Parker and City Administrator Ed Reiskin to take any and all lawful necessary steps to stop federal forces from acting against protesters as they have since early July in Portland, which has become the scene of daily altercations between civilians and camouflaged officers in what some are calling an unconstitutional overstep of federal power.

Our city, across the board, from the most anti-police activists to the police chief herself are unified in saying that we dont want, we dont need, a bunch of federal agents coming to Oakland, Kalb said. Well do everything we can do in the law to make it as difficult as possible.

President Trump ordered federal agents to Portland earlier this month with the stated mission of protecting federal buildings after protesters damaged statues of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. However, agents from Customs and Border Protections and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have clashed violently with Portland protesters, with some officers reportedly firing tear gas without cause and detaining protesters in unmarked vans.

On Wednesday morning, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced, After my discussions with VP Pence and others, the federal government has agreed to withdraw federal troops from Portland.

Nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racial inequities have followed the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, with most remaining peaceful but some leading to rioting and vandalism.

On July 21, Trump said he intended to clamp down on violent protests with federal forces, calling Oakland, among other cities, a mess.

Mayor Libby Schaaf quickly criticized the statement as racist antagonism, adding that the presidents threats would likely incite greater civil unrest. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, tweeted that Trump & his storm troopers must be stopped.

Oaklands protests had largely died down before a resurgence Saturday evening, as hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in solidarity with the Portland protesters. That night, a fire was set near the Alameda County Courthouse and the Oakland Police Department building was damaged.

Vandalizing our downtown gives Donald Trump the images he wants and the justification he seeks to send federal troops into American cities, Mayor Schaaf said in a statement Sunday.

However, the Trump administration may struggle to find justification for deploying federal officers to Oakland. In Portland, protests remain strong throughout the daytime and gather momentum at night. Meanwhile, the area around Oaklands federal buildings has remained largely quiet since Saturdays demonstrations.

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.

On Wednesday morning, there was no activity outside of the Oakland Federal Courthouse or Alameda County Courthouse.

Tuesdays vote formalizes the citys stand against a federal intervention that many are calling unconstitutional. Trump has the power to use military force against civil unrest, according to federal law, but Kalb said that the mayor and the city attorney have been working with state officials to devise a legal strategy that would block federal agents from taking action against protesters in the city.

This is the latest salvo in the fight to protect the rights of the people from a brutish administration intent on destroying those rights  and destroying the rule of law, Parker said in a statement Monday. If the federal government insists on taking action to terrorize our city, then we will step up to protect it.

Also on Tuesday, the City Council unanimously supported the renaming of two city streets after Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton and late journalist Chauncey Bailey.

Brett Simpson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: brett.simpson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @brettvsimpson
UBC Sued for Cancelling Event Featuring Journalist Andy Ngo

Legal action has been launched against the University of British Columbia for cancelling a planned speaking event featuring Andy Ngo, an American journalist who frequently reports on the far-left militant group Antifa.

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is suing UBC on behalf of the Free Speech Club, which had been given the green light to hold the event on Jan. 29. However, the university pulled the plug on the event without notice, citing safety concerns.

A recently filed petition to the Supreme Court of British Columbia accuses UBC of violating its duty of procedural fairness, disregarding its commitment to academic freedom and free expression, and unreasonably violating the Charter freedom of expression.

UBCs cancellation of the Andy Ngo event is a textbook case of an unfair and unreasonable decision, said Justice Centre lawyer Marty Moore in an interview.

It not only cancelled a speaking event, it evidently did so because of the identity of the speaker, constituting an egregious violation of freedom of expression at UBC.

Ngo, who is editor-at-large of the Post Millennial, a Canadian online news media outlet, has become well-known for his coverage of the Antifa groups activities. He was attacked by Antifa members in Portland last summer and ended up in hospital with a brain hemorrhage.

According to the petition to the court, the Free Speech Club and UBC finalized agreements on rent space in November 2019. But in December, UBC decided to cancel the event without any prior consultation or discussion with the club.

In an email to the club on Dec. 20, chief risk officer Ron Holton cited concerns over the safety and security of the campus as the reason for the decision.

The Justice Centre had issued a demand letter to UBC President Santa Ono last December requesting that the university reinstate the event or face legal action. In a response on Jan. 8, university counsel Hubert Lai defended the decision to cancel, noting that the level of protest and disruption at events held at UBC had increased in recent months and the fact that Ngo had in the past been a victim of violence. Hence, the risk was too high.

As the owner of the lands that comprise its campuses, UBC is legally entitled to manage access to its property in the same way as any other property owner, Lai wrote.

Moore claims this defence is faulty, given the legal issues at work in the case. He notes that the university didnt give the students any notice of the decision or provide them with an opportunity to address those concerns, or explain why they couldnt be addressed.

UBC is a government-created institution that receives hundreds of millions of taxpayer money each year, he says. Its apparent belief that it does not need to respect student rights and can arbitrarily restrict expression on campus is indefensible, in my view.

Angelo Isidorou, the executive director of the Free Speech Cluba student organization formed in 2016 to promote free expression and open debate on campussays the possible precedent the cancellation of the event could set is concerning, particularly as it might empower the so-called hecklers veto.

I think that when we have a publicly funded institution that bans anyone they deem controversial, or a threat to safety, we enter a very dangerous precedent, and the only response to this mutation of academic freedom is a lawsuit, he says.

If UBC will not follow the laws of the land or even their own previously set laws, then we need to get answers in court. I am hopeful that we will succeed in court, and I believe this is a case that the majority of the public also aligns with us on.

You dont have to agree with everything Andy Ngo says, Isidorou adds, but he should have the right to speak, especially as a victim of violence, and students should have the right to free expression.

Last month, Ngo filed a lawsuit against Portland Antifa for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He accused the group and others of trying to suppress his activities through a coordinated pattern of violent, harassing, and stalking behaviour, according to the suit filed on June 4 with the Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland.

Antifa is a loosely organized coalition of self-described anarchists who use vandalism, violence, threats, cyberattacks, and blockades to shut down events or protest opinions they oppose. The group is involved in the unrest and mob violence currently plaguing some cities in the United States.

A UBC media spokesperson declined to comment for this article, citing the fact that the legal case is ongoing as the reason.
Time to put Phuket on show, no price gouging, Governor urges

PHUKET: Phuket will be on show in the coming week as medical workers and volunteers start to arrive unde the government-subsidised domestic tourism campaign, so be nice hosts, welcome tourists and do not take advantage of them was the strong message delivered by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew this morning (July 29).

tourism

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Wednesday 29 July 2020, 05:28PM

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew speaking during his video address this morning (July 29). Screenshot: PR Phuket

In his new Phuket Governor daily report to the people video, Governor Narong today said, This is a chance for us to show Phuket to people. Please do not look at them as potential victims. They are Thai, they are our neighbours and friends. Please put your rates down, do not overcharge for food, services, boat rides and taxis.

Do not take advantage of them. Be a nice host. You know they can choose other provinces to travel to. Please take care of them well, if we welcome them well enough, they will share their experiences and provide good feedback with their friends. This is a way to have more tourists visit Phuket, he added.

Also, this will provide a good image for foreign tourists to see how Phuket people treat Thai tourists. If foreign tourists are impressed by this, they will come back again, Governor Narong stressed.

Phuket Tourism Council President Sarayuth Mallam, joining the Governor on his video address, agreed.

Medical staff travelling to Phuket is a good opportunity to promote Phuket. They can show other people that Phuket is a safe place to come to and a place to explore their experiences enjoying fresh seafood and Phukets culinary heritage as a Unesco City of Gastronomy, he added.

We expect 50,000 medical staff from throughout the country to visit Phuket, but it is difficult to estimate how many other Thais might be coming, Mr Sarayuth said.

The first group of medical workers are coming soon, with more coming in the coming weeks, please be nice and welcome them well, he added.
(Corrects "million" in second paragraph to "billion")

By Stephanie Kelly

NEW YORK, July 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. biofuel industry may have to depend on Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for aid assistance, Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa said Tuesday, after Senate Republicans unveiled a coronavirus relief package that did not include more specific appropriations for the industry.

A provision of the $1 trillion HEALS Act, introduced by Senate Republicans on Monday, would make available $20 billion to Perdue to provide support for agricultural producers, growers and processors impacted by the coronavirus. The bill, however, does not designate the funds more specifically.

"We're in a position of depending on the Secretary of Agriculture if this $20 billion goes to him, getting some of it for ethanol," Grassley said on a call with reporters on Tuesday.

After lockdown orders to curb the spread of the new coronavirus tanked fuel demand this spring, more than half of the ethanol industry's production capacity shuttered. Under U.S. law, biofuels, which can be made from crops like corn and soybeans, must be added to the nation's fuel mix.

The slowdown in the nation's economy hit biofuel producers and farmers alike, raising calls across the Farm Belt for government relief.

Grassley added that he spoke to Vice President Mike Pence and Perdue separately over the last week about relief for the biofuels industry.

Grassley and Senator Joni Ernst, also from Iowa, had been working to add aid for the biofuels industry into the relief package.

Ernst has reached out to the White House to discuss the need for relief for the biofuels industry, Ernst's office said.

Biofuel groups expressed concern about the lack of specificity in the bill's language.

"While Senator (Mitch) McConnell's bill is more specific about processors of ag commodities, it still leaves discretion to USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) which has so far failed to use the authority to support our industry," said Brian Jennings, chief executive of the American Coalition for Ethanol.

In May, House Democrats passed a coronavirus relief bill that included aid for biofuels producers. (Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
(Newser)  Eastman Kodak will receive a federal loan of $765 million to help reduce reliance on other countries for ingredients in generic drugs, an agreement President Trump hailed Tuesday as a breakthrough in bringing more pharmaceutical manufacturing to the United States. Kodak Pharmaceuticals will make critical pharmaceutical ingredients that have been identified as essential but have lapsed into chronic national shortage, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration, the AP reports. The government loan will help support startup costs needed to repurpose and expand Kodaks existing facilities in Rochester, NY, and St. Paul, Minn. The Kodak unit will have the capacity to produce up to 25% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients needed to make generic drugs in the United States, Trump said.

story continues below

Shares of the one-time photography giant, based in Rochester, more than tripled on the announcement by the US International Development Finance Corp. Kodak has branched out to offset the large scale loss of its film business amid the popularity of digital photography. Adam Boehler, who heads the IDF, said he learned that the company was interested in creating a start-up that could supply ingredients for pharmaceuticals. If you look at drugs, 90% of the drugs that we take today are generics, and they are almost all made overseas, Boehler said in an interview on CNBC. The dominant manufacturer of ingredients for generics is China, and No. 2 is India. And so, we said if were going to re-shore and bring things back and were going to have safety and security going forward, we need to change that.

(Read more coronavirus stories.)
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  By most measures, Army veteran Peter Meijer is the frontrunner in the Republican primary campaign to replace U.S. Rep. Justin Amash in Congress.

He has money, name recognition  his family founded the Meijer supermarket chain  and a slew of high-profile endorsements, ranging from the powerful DeVos family to U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the top Republican in the House of Representatives.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has renamed as Ministry of Education, as per the draft recommendations of the National Education Policy , 2020. The formal announcement is likely to be made by I&B minister Prakash Javadekar and the education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal later in the day when they release the New Education Policy.

It is worth noting that the Ministry of Human Resource Development was called education ministry before 26 September 1985, when PV Narasimha Rao became the first HRD minister in the Rajiv Gandhi Cabinet. Subsequently, the next year, 1986, the National Education Policy was introduced.

The Union Cabinet, meanwhile, has given its approval to the National Education Policy . The new academic session, which is likely to begin in September-October this year after delay due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, will see the introduction of the new education policy.

According to Hindustan Times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reviewed the new policy on May 1. The draft of the policy was prepared by a panel of experts led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Kasturirangan.
Jin Liqun has been elected to a second term as President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) by the bank's Board of Governors.



The election result was announced by the Chair of AIIB's Board of Governors during the bank's fifth annual meeting on Tuesday.

"It has been a tremendous privilege to lead the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank during its foundational years," said Jin. "We have established high standards of governance, we are investing in projects that improve lives and livelihoods, and we are establishing ourselves in global capital markets."

Under Jin's leadership, the AIIB has grown from 57 founding members to over 100 approved members from around the world.

The bank has also maintained the highest credit rating with a stable outlook from the largest credit rating agencies, including Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch. Permanent Observer status was also granted by the United Nations (UN) in recognition of AIIB's relevance and contribution to the UN's development mandate.

"As we look forward to the next decade, we will expand our investments from a core infrastructure to the tomorrow-infrastructure that will tackle climate change, enhance connectivity within Asia and the rest of the world, mobilize private capital, and bridge digital divides in our region," said Jin.

The AIIB is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia. Headquartered in Beijing, the AIIB began operations in January 2016 and has now grown to more than 100 approved members worldwide.
New Delhi, July 29 : The highly decorated Kashmiri officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF), who has been training pilots for Rafale fighter jets in Paris, was part of the 2016 surgical strike against terror launch pads in Pakistan following the attack in Uri.

Defence Air Attache in France, Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather, who is being called as the 'Rafale Man' of Kashmir and is seen as a role model among a large number of Kashmiri youth, became part of the surgical strike because of his vast experience with flying fighter jets, sources told IANS.

Officials who know Commodore Rather and fondly call him 'Hally', as he is known in the Air Force circles, said that he spent four two-year tenures on the Mirage aircraft. He has more than 3,000 hours of accident-free flying record on jet fighter aircraft like Mirage-2000, MIG-21 and the Kiran aircraft to his credit.

A fighter combat leader and a qualified flying instructor, he was the director of fighter operations in the active Western Command of the Indian Air Force from 2013 and 2016, where he was directly involved in the preparedness and training of all fighter aircrew and also operational planning in the sector, sources in the IAF said.

Rather commanded the sensitive Gwalior Mirage airbase which has remained a key element of literally all surgical air strikes by the IAF, an official said.

Image Source: IANS News

Seen as a hard task master, Rather ensured that the Rafale project rolls on time with all required weaponisation and other contract parameters being met. Hally's precise planning and the flawless flight that took place across more than 7000 km with only one stop enroute has enabled the timely arrival of the combat ready Rafales in India amid tensions with China, his service seniors, now retired, said.

Interestingly, years earlier, it was another Kashmiri -- Squadron leader Rattan Lal Bamzai who retired as Group Captain -- who was also credited with flying the first Mirages to India.

A meritorious topper from Sainik School Nagrota, Rather comes from Anantnag town in south Kashmir. From topping CBSE exams in Sainik School to getting the Sword of Honour at the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, for being the best pilot of his course, Rather has excelled throughout his professional career.

A friend of his told IANS that he also attended the highly acclaimed Air War College in the US for advanced military strategy studies where he graduated with academic distinction.

Air Commodore Rather has also been trained at the prestigious Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington, where apart from officers of all three services of the Indian Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), candidates from foreign militaries also queue up for admission. He was later assigned as an Instructor at the same DSSC, Wellington.

Known for his result-oriented approach to work, Rather currently has the distinction of being one of the only four Indian Defence Air Attaches; India has Defence Air Attaches only in four of its missions abroad - in the US, the UK, France and Russia.

His school friends said that Rather was always fascinated by the sun, the moon and the skies from his school days since his father had named him after the crescent (Hilal in Arabic) before he was born.

"His role model has always been his father -- who was a soldier from Ladakh Scouts -- the Army's highly decorated regiment, before he joined the police. He always wanted to meet the expectations of his father -- a brave decorated soldier himself," a close friend of the Rathers said.

IAF's annual gazette describes Rather as "the officer who consistently adopts a very systematic, fair-and-humane approach, which has improved the working culture, work environment and morale in the unit." Sources told IANS that when Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had visited France in October 2019 for the acceptance of the first Rafale fighter, the Air officer had briefed him on the Rafale fighter's operational capabilities, which give a clear edge to the IAF against Pakistani and Chine's air power.

Sources said that Air Commodore Rather made such an indelible impression on Rajnath Singh with his expertise on Rafale that the Defence Minister ensured that he stood close by him during the Shastra Puja ceremony held the next day.

Of the five Rafales that arrived on Wednesday from Paris, one was piloted by Group Captain Harkirat Singh, another super air-warrior of the Indian Air Force. "He will be commanding the first Rafale Squadron of the IAF and has been entrusted care of the 'Gust of Wind', as the French translation of Rafale signifies," an official source said.

-- Syndicated from IANS
As the start of Alabamas school year creeps ever closer, those charged with making decisions about how and if schools reopen are finding themselves stuck in a constant cycle of change and uncertainty, leaving some superintendents frustrated and wondering which set of guidance they should follow.

One of the biggest problems? The lack of solid data on the spread of coronavirus at a local school district level makes it difficult to set the rules for when or if a classroom, school, or whole district should close down.

"The inability to produce local data, if that's going to impact school closure plans, is frustrating," said Ryan Hollingsworth, director of the School Superintendents of Alabama. "Really, I don't have any data that tells me where I am."

Hollingsworth's organization represents the superintendents of all of Alabama's 138 school districts and hears from them often, and said while guidance is coming from every direction, there is little consensus over whether schools should open and under what conditions and exactly how.

Related: Pediatricians, experts say Alabama should open schools, but lack consensus on whats safe

Tuscaloosa City Superintendent Mike Daria in a July 21 presentation to school board members of his proposed reopening plan acknowledged up front that this is difficult territory to navigate and unlike plans presented in years past.

As we look at this pandemic and our response to itTheres really no good decision in this plan, Daria told board members. This plan is as good as a plan can be for doing school during this pandemic. Each of these decisions has a consequence.

Daria said children thrive in school in a traditional classroom, face to face with a teacher. "However," he added, "at this point, there's no option that ensures both safety and a traditional school setting."

Daria said current guidance says COVID-19 cases should be declining before reopening schools, and that just isnt happening in his district.

The school board accepted Darias proposed to start the 10,000-student district virtually--one of 20 Alabama school districts to do so--and reassess during the first nine weeks. Daria acknowledged guidance from the medical community is changing, but said they need to listen to medical professionals to guide their future decisions.

Medical professionals have been weighing in for months, but that guidance has continued to shift as more is learned about the coronavirus and how it is transmitted and how various levels of spread can be quantified.

Theres the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which was updated last week. Then theres the Alabama Department of Public Health guidance, which is undergoing revision. There are also local health officers, like Jefferson Countys Mark Wilson, issuing their own guidance for school officials to consider.

Related: Jefferson County health officer says middle and high schools shouldnt reopen yet

Jefferson County Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin, whose 33,000-student district is set to open Aug. 25, said Wilsons guidance for Jefferson County is front and center as he continues to set plans to start the school year. Gonsoulin praised Wilson for being responsive to his questions as coronavirus concerns are considered.

If more guidance comes out from the health officers or the Governor provides us an order or law, then we have to do it, Gonsoulin said.

But reopening schools has become a political battle, too, complicating the decisions of locally elected school boards, as conservatives in Alabama more often call for schools to reopen their doors now while liberals more often call for schools to reopen when it's safe to do so.

Late last week, President Trump, in a reversal of earlier calls for schools to reopen as soon as possible, said that school districts in hotspots, which were defined as a COVID-19 positivity rate of 5% or higher, might need to delay reopening. The map behind Trump showed Alabama with a lot of hotspots.

The percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 in Alabama over the past 14 days is 13.5%, well above the 5% level Trump and others have recommended as a baseline for safely reopening schools.

Politics aside, school officials typically look to medical professionalslocal and state health officers in most instancesto advise them on what level of spread dictates whether schools are open for face-to-face instruction or doing school virtually.

"Just like with the weather," Hollingsworth said, referring to the process superintendents go through when deciding whether to close schools during severe weather events. "You get on a call with the experts and hear what they have to say and then make the best decision you can."

The problem now, he added, is that much of the guidance is given without corresponding up-to-date information on the number of new cases and the level of spread.

The Alabama Department of Public Health's county risk dashboard does offer information about the number of cases in a county. And some district reopening plans tie the dashboard's color-coding risk level to whether classrooms will close and students will do remote-only instruction.

Currently, of Alabama's 67 counties, only twoWalker and Coosaare shaded green, indicating the number of new cases in recent days is low. The risk level is assessed based on whether the number of new cases has been rising or falling. Another nine counties have a moderate level of risk.

The dashboard is updated on Fridays based on the reports through the previous Saturday, according to the site.

The weekly update, while allowing for completeness, doesn't help superintendents needing to respond immediately to outbreaks, though.

As more school districts consider their options, school boards are calling special meetings to push start dates back, and three have pushed opening day into September.

Many of the school districts originally set to open the first or second week of August have pushed back their start dates by a week or two, but at least twoEnterprise City and Saraland Cityare set to return to the classroom on Aug. 6.

For all of AL.coms back to school coverage, click here.
Wendy Shay, has stated that she will never allow anyone tarnish her brand.

According to Wendy Shay in a recent interview with Amansan Krakye on GBC Radio Central the Ghanaian music industry is male dominated and as a result suppresses female artistes who are often forced to stand up for themselves.

Im very very slow to anger. When we talk about someone who is very slow to anger. Everyone close to me knows that Im not quick-tempered.

But if you look at our music industry it is male-dominated so if youre a female artiste who is doing very well and like Shatta Wale described me as man woman because I wont sit down and allow anyone to disrespect my Wendy Shay good brand, Wendy Shay added.

Wendy Shay also added that she has worked hard to get to where she has reached and is not going to allow anyone get in her way.

I know what has been put into the brand to get to this level, so I wont sit aloof and watch someone drags my brand into the mud, she noted.

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Linkedin Nina Papalia and James Ogloff (The Jakarta Post) The Conversation  Wed, July 29, 2020 12:06 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a25fe9 3 Parents victimization,revictimization,sexual-abuse,Child-sexual-abuse,sex-abuse Free

As Australias landmark Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and other cases have shown, the impact of child sexual abuse is devastating.

Adverse mental health outcomes are the most recognized and researched effects of abuse. These can include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and feelings of guilt, shame, anger and low self-esteem.

Revictimization, or the likelihood that child sexual abuse survivors will experience further sexual abuse later in life, is a particularly tragic consequence that is rarely mentioned or considered.

To prevent this cycle of victimization, we must understand the scope of the links between child sex abuse and revictimization later in life, why it exists and which survivors are most vulnerable. Our research aimed to answer some of these questions.

What we already know and what our research did

Previous studies have confirmed a strong relationship between child sexual abuse and adult sexual re-victimization. A 2017 review of research on these links found that about half of child survivors have been sexually victimized later in life.

Previous studies, however, have been limited since they typically:

ask adults to recall their experiences of child sexual abuse, which many find difficult to remember accurately or to disclose

have asked people to recall experiences of both abuse and revictimization at the same time, which doesnt provide a picture of these relationships over time

consider only female survivors, meaning we know little about revictimization in men who have been abused as children

do not explore factors that make revictimization more or less likely to occur.

We attempted to remedy these limitations in our research by reanalyzing data of 2,759 Australian boys and girls who were medically confirmed to have been sexually abused between 1964 and 1995. The files were drawn from children examined by independent medical practitioners from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine as part of legal investigations.

To determine whether they had been revictimized later in life, we then traced their contacts with police as victims of crimes as adults (to an average age of 35)  and considered the lifetime frequency and types of crimes they were victims of.

We compared these findings to a sample from the general population not known to have been sexually abused in childhood. This is what we found:

Revictimization is not limited to sexual offenses or just women

Overall, most (64 percent) child sexual abuse survivors in our study were not revictimized later in life. This percentage was consistent with the control group (67 percent were not victims of crimes).

Unfortunately, though, child sexual abuse survivors were much more likely than those in the control group to be re-victimized in what are considered medium and high harm personal injury crimes.

For instance, they were five times more likely to have been victims of sexual assault later in life, twice as likely to be victims of physical assault, four times as likely to be threatened with violence and twice as likely to be stalked.

We also found the increased risk of revictimization was not just experienced by women. For example, male survivors of child sex abuse were seven times more likely to be the victims of a further sexual assault than the men in the control group.

Why child sex abuse survivors are more vulnerable

The reasons why child sexual abuse is linked to revictimization are not well known. Nor are the factors that determine which survivors are more vulnerable to crimes later in life.

Prevailing theories suggest revictimization is not the result of any one factor. Rather, it is the combination of different factors in survivors lives  some having to do with personal characteristics and experiences, others having to do with their environments.

We investigated the role of certain personal factors in whether child sex survivors were revictimized later in life.

Specifically, we studied the impact of three things: gender, the characteristics of the child sex abuse (such as the age when it occurred, type, frequency), and different types of mental illness. Three overall patterns emerged:

First, female survivors were more likely than male survivors to experience sexual revictimization. In contrast, male survivors were at greater risk for being the victims of non-sexual violent crimes and non-violent crimes, such as property crimes.

Second, the age when child sexual abuse occurred played a significant role in predicting later revictimization. Survivors who were younger than 12 when they were abused were more likely to be the victims of both sexual and violent crimes later in life.

Third, and perhaps most concerning, child sex abuse survivors who developed mental illness were more vulnerable to revictimization.

How mental illness factors into revictimization

The links between mental illness and revictimization, however, were complex.

Child sex abuse survivors who developed personality disorders or anxiety disorders, for example, were roughly twice as likely to be victims of all types of crimes as adults compared to survivors who did not develop these conditions.

Other mental illnesses were linked to some forms of revictimization, but not others. Post-traumatic stress disorders, for example, were linked with higher rates of sexual revictimization. Mood disorders were linked to violent re-victimization.

And survivors who developed substance abuse issues were more likely to become victims of both violent and non-violent crimes later in life.

There are at least two explanations for these links.

First, symptoms of mental illness may impair a survivors capacity to recognize and respond to risky situations and people. Offenders are also more likely to target child sex abuse survivors because of their vulnerability.

Second, survivors who suffer revictimization later in life may be more prone to serious mental health problems due to the cumulative impacts of repeat abuse. That is, mental illness may be a consequence of, not a contributor to, this continuous cycle of abuse.

The truth is that both explanations likely contribute to the relationship between mental illness and revictimization.

Meeting the needs of survivors

It is difficult to establish a direct causal link between child sexual abuse and revictimization over ones lifespan. But its clear that for some survivors, victimization is an ongoing problem rather than just an isolated event.

Victorias Royal Commission into the Mental Health System has highlighted the barriers trauma survivors experience in accessing appropriate support services. The strong links we found between mental illness and revictimization support further integration of mental health and victim services.

More research into why child sexual abuse is linked with revictimization  and which survivors are most at risk  may help to better focus prevention and treatment efforts.

A final word about resilience

Despite the odds, most abuse survivors are not revictimized later in life, according to our study. However, we understand that many people who are victims of child sex abuse  likely including some in our control group  do not report these crimes. As such, our estimates of revictimization are doubtless conservative.

We mustnt lose sight of the strength and resilience shown by survivors in the face of adversity. Understanding how this process of resilience occurs may provide useful insights about how to support other survivors to lead positive and fulfilling lives  without being revictimized.

---

Nina Papalia, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare), Swinburne University of Technology and James Ogloff, University Distinguished Professor of Forensic Behavioural Science, Director of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology

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.
July 29 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

** Product manufacturers, food suppliers and packaged goods companies are concerned that a wave of fee increases from retailers could be on the way after Walmart Canada announced new fees last week to help offset C$3.5 billion ($2.62 billion) in planned investments in its stores and e-commerce network over the next five years. (https://tgam.ca/309njhl)

** A spurned rival bidder has applied to appeal a judge's decision approving NordStar Capital LP's C$60-million takeover of Torstar Corp, which is due to close on Thursday. An Ontario judge late on Monday approved NordStar's acquisition of Torstar, dismissing all of the arguments against it from competing bidder Canadian Modern Media Holdings Inc and a shareholder and former Torstar executive, Patrick Collins. (https://tgam.ca/30QU4Pr)

** The former board chair of WE Charity in Canada said she had no oversight and little in-depth knowledge of the far-flung international group of non-profits and for-profit corporations controlled by Marc and Craig Kielburger, the charity's founders. (https://tgam.ca/2P1Eg6W)

NATIONAL POST

** One of WE Charity's biggest supporters, Royal Bank of Canada, confirmed to the Financial Post on Tuesday that it is ending its long-standing affiliation with the WE organization, after spending roughly a week "reassessing" its ties to the embattled charity. (https://bit.ly/3f6uVp3)

** Lerners LLP on Monday filed a lawsuit on behalf of hotel groups including Best Western and Hampton Inn, against Aviva Insurance Co of Canada. Lerners alleged Aviva was "in breach of contract when it denied the hotels' loss of business income coverage after the federal and provincial governments declared states of emergency, restricting their business, due to the outbreak of COVID-19". (https://bit.ly/2CRx8aS) ($1 = 1.3352 Canadian dollars) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)
Boris Johnson paid a rare visit to Scotland last week. His patronising comments about the bonds between Scotland and the rest of the UK were just empty rhetoric. Noting his visit, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon welcomed him, but pointedly reminded him: "One of the key arguments for independence is the ability of Scotland to take our own decisions rather than having our future decided by politicians we did not vote for, taking us down a path we haven't chosen. Boris Johnson's presence highlights that."

The most recent opinion polls have put pro-independence support in the country at 54%. The consistent popularity of Sturgeon and the Scottish National Party is clear.

If nothing untoward happens between now and the election next May, the SNP should be able to significantly improve its representation in the parliament at Holyrood.

Sturgeon is quite literally Queen of Scots and her leadership is now key to the political fate of the UK in the post-Brexit era.

She is a long-term strategist, who has pursued independence relentlessly since she joined the SNP as a girl of 16.

The nationalists' defeat in the 2014 referendum has not deterred her from demanding a second vote on independence.

For her, exiting the Union is a case of: "When, not if."

As First Minister of Scotland, she is the most important political figure in the UK at this moment in time. As leader of the powerful SNP, the future of the UK depends on her.

For us in Northern Ireland, whatever she does will have a profound impact on our future.

If she achieves an independent Scotland - and the trend is certainly in that direction - what will a truncated UK look like? What will the relationship between Scotland and this place be like? What will the relationship between Scotland and the Republic be like? What are the repercussions for Irish unity?

And, as is very likely, membership will be restored to an independent Scotland by a jubilant European Union, making life even more difficult for post-Brexit England and Wales.

The referendum in 2016 saw 62% of Scots voting to remain in the EU. Brexit has, ironically, spurred on the nationalist movement and has won over many who otherwise would have been content to remain in a UK that was part of the bloc.

That substantial majority has widened the divide between Scotland and England.

It has further strained the political relationship between the Edinburgh and London Governments. They inhabit different worlds politically.

There are, however, a number of factors that could derail Sturgeon's gathering momentum towards independence.

The first is the unresolved and bitter fallout from the failed prosecution of Alex Salmond, the charismatic former SNP leader, whom Sturgeon described in happier times as "her mentor".

Salmond was acquitted in March of sexually assaulting nine women connected to the party and the Scottish Government while he was First Minister.

Relations between him and the SNP have soured and he is now in internal exile as a broadcaster for RT, the Russian news channel.

He has been criticised for working for a pro-Kremlin TV station that allegedly spreads Russian propaganda.

Having said that, the British Establishment has always loved to have a political bogeyman and the Russian bear has re-emerged as Britain's favourite hate figure.

But Salmond's programme is far from propaganda and is an interesting watch.

It also gives him a public standing that he would otherwise not have. With relations between him and the SNP strained, unintentional damage could be dealt to the nationalist cause with an alienated Salmond commentating from the sidelines.

A further problem is that there is an inquiry under way into the Salmond case and its results could be damaging for Sturgeon whenever it reports.

Going into the mouth of an election and aggravating old sores, it will not be good press for Sturgeon, nor her party.

By far the biggest problem for Sturgeon is to get a legally binding independence referendum for the Scottish people.

While the Edinburgh parliament has approved by a comfortable majority such a referendum, it cannot unilaterally initiate one that has legal standing.

The calling of a referendum requires the consent of Westminster. Boris Johnson has declared, notwithstanding Holyrood's decision, that he will not permit a second referendum on independence.

The SNP will continue to demand that London grants an order to hold a referendum under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998, and this is a demand London will find hard to resist, particularly if Sturgeon wins a handsome victory in next year's Scottish election.

If that happens, as is probable, Johnson could not credibly resist such a democratic challenge for very long.
Police in the southern New South Wales (NSW) border city of Albury check cars crossing the state border from Victoria on July 8, 2020. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

Woman Arrested for COVID Checkpoint Breach in Melbourne

A woman who gained notoriety after evading police at a coronavirus checkpoint in Melbourne last week has been arrested.

Police arrested the 28-year-old Warrandyte woman on Princes Street in Carlton about 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

They had been trying to speak to her since July 23, when she posted a video online laughing at police officers while at a vehicle checkpoint at Bunyip, east of Melbourne.

During her arrest on Wednesday, the woman refused to provide her name and address, her licence and an explanation for why she was travelling.

During the arrest, police were forced to break the womans car window as she refused to speak to them, wind down her window, or step out of the vehicle, Victoria Police said.

She has been released pending summons for traffic-related offences, failing to produce a licence, failing to produce name and address, and breaches of the chief health officers directives.

Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are midway through a six-week lockdown, as part of efforts to contain the states second wave of coronavirus.

People are only allowed to leave their homes for four reasons: to buy food and supplies, for care and care-giving, to go to work or study if they cannot do so from home, and to exercise.

Vehicle roadblocks are in place to stop city residents from entering the regions, which are largely free of coronavirus.

Last week, Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent described the womans behaviour as selfish and childish.

It was ridiculous. It was unnecessary, he said.

The womans arrest comes after three people were fined for hosting a birthday party on the Mornington Peninsula.

The trio were among 103 people fined by Victoria Police in the past 24 hours for breaching the chief health officer directions.

Four people were also fined after police found them in a car together and confirmed none of them resided at the same address.

There were also 33 fines issued for failing to wear a face covering when leaving home.

Police checked 23,396 vehicles at checkpoints on main arterial roads and conducted 5178 spot checks on people at homes, businesses and public places across the state.

A total of 181,306 spot checks have been conducted since March 21.

Melbourne
WORCESTER, Mass.  A new federal lawsuit waged against a Massachusetts strip club alleges that its operator not only under underpaid at least 50 exotic dancers but also issued fraudulent tax information to them.

The class- and collective-action lawsuit, filed last week at Worcester federal court, names Hurricane Bettys Gentlemens Club in Worcester, Mass., in the complaint, and states that dancers employed at the club were subjected to unlawful kickbacks and are owed back wages.

Hurricane Bettys, the suit said, also should pay statutorily mandated damages to the dancers for issuing for false IRS W2 tax information returns reflecting facially incorrect payroll wages. Attorneys for the lead plaintiff in the case seek $5,000 for each fraudulent return issued.

Industry attorney Maxine Lynn, who is not involved in the Hurricane Bettys case, told AVN that, depending on which state, employment for exotic dancers can be treated several ways.

Usually, exotic dancers are classified by strip clubs as independent contractors and, accordingly, issued 1099 forms for tax purposes. Dancers can, however, be classified as employees if it is required by the law of a particular state, like California, or otherwise makes sense for the business, said Lynn, who practices at the law firm of Keohane & DAlessandro in Chicago and Albany, N.Y., and also operates Unzipped Media Inc., which publishes information on sex, technology and the law.

A dancer who is an independent contractor can be asked to pay a fee to dance for the night, similar to how an independent contractor hairdresser may pay a booth rental fee to a salon owner, Lynn said. Employees are subject to minimum wage laws, while independent contractors are not.

In the Hurricane Bettys claim, W2 forms were issued to the dancers, who, according to the complaint, were paid the hourly wage of $4.35 an hour and subjected to mandatory house fee kickbacks between $30-60 per shift. Currently, Massachusetts minimum wage is set at $12 per hour.

When people are employees, most usually the tools to do the job are provided by the employer, and a kickback to the employer by the employee would not be paid, Lynn said. Certainly, it is my opinion that a kickback to an employer that brought total pay each night below minimum wage for an employee would be unlawful. That is what is be alleged here by the plaintiff.

The lawsuit seeks back pay, along with damages for unlawfully taking or assigning tips and gratuities and a judgment for tax claims for the relevant time period.

Lynn said that the takeaway from the lawsuit is fairly clear: In general, it is very important for strip clubs and other businesses to provide employees and contractors with proper and accurate tax documentation.

Willfully and knowingly lying on these forms is fraud. Fraud on the IRS can lead to fines and major prison time, Lynn said. Don't mess with the IRS.

It's also critical to remember that the complaint includes allegations, Lynn said. During trial proceedings, evidence will be submitted to get to the facts. Final determinations can then be made based on those facts, which is what the judge and jury will do.

AVN was unable to reach Hurricane Gradys operator, Myles OGrady, for comment on the suit by post time.
Kidnapped Assyrian Man Still Missing in Turkey

Hurmuz Diril and his wife Aimoni. A 71-year-old Assyrian Christian man, Hurmuz Diril, who lived in a village in southeast Turkey, has been missing since he and his wife Simoni were kidnapped on January 11 (AINA 2020-05-21).

The decaying remains of Simoni (age 65) were found by one of her sons, Bedri Diril, in a river near their home in the village of Mehr, Kovankaya in Turkey's province of AArnak on March 20, two months after the abduction.

Their other son, Father Adday Remzi Diril, is a priest based in Istanbul. He is known internationally for his pastoral care of around 7,000 Iraqi Christian refugees displaced in Turkey.

An investigation concerning the fate of the couple is underway. However, the prosecutor's office in AArnak issued a gag order regarding the matter. Many have criticized the Turkish government for failing to fully investigate the disappearance and hold those responsible to account.

The victim's nephew, George Diril, said in an interview with Bianet News Agency that Simoni's body no longer had bodily integrity.

"The streamside where her dead body was found is ten minutes from the houses in the village," Diril was quoted as saying. "She might have been found alive if the search had been sincerely conducted."

"A real search was not carried out; weather conditions were used as an excuse. Drones hovered in the air twice, that was all," he added. "We constantly asked state authorities for help. But they were not sincere. A confidentiality order was imposed on the investigation file."

"On the day when this order was issued, authorities came to the village. It was an utter production. They circled the house, took pictures and left. Then, (the) news was reported that (the) 'search was carried out despite harsh weather conditions.' But no search was done, our voice was not heard. No one cared."

The couple's village is a historically Assyrian village located in Turkey's southeast near the border with Iraq. It was evacuated in 1989 and 1994 because of the conflict between the Turkish army and the Kurdish PKK. The conflict included targeted kidnappings and disappearances.

Ten years ago, despite the dangers, the Diril couple returned. They hoped to rebuild their village and set an example for their fellow Assyrians in the diaspora of returning to their ancient towns and villages in southeast Turkey, historically referenced as Tur Abdin in Assyrian.

Assyrians are an indigenous people of Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran who have inhabited those lands since antiquity. They are one of the first nations that converted to Christianity.

"The Assyrian homeland is in northern Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq, where the ancient cities of Assur and Nineveh were built" wrote Professor Hannibal Travis, "For 300 years, Assyrian kings ruled the largest empire the world had yet known. The Assyrian Church of the East records that the Apostle Thomas himself converted the Assyrians to Christianity within a generation after the death of Christ. Christianity was 'well established and organized' in Mesopotamia by the third century CE."

The population balance of the region, however, has been largely altered as a result of severe persecution against Assyrians and other Christians by Muslims for centuries. A major crime targeting Assyrian civilians was the genocide in Ottoman Turkey from 1914 to 1925, during which approximately 250,000 to 300,000 Assyrians lost their lives.

"The evidence is overwhelming that Turks and their Kurdish allies massacred tens, and more likely hundreds, of thousands of Assyrians in order to exterminate the Christian population," added Professor Travis. "(They) raped and enslaved hundreds, and more likely thousands, of Assyrian women in a systematic fashion; and deported the Assyrians en masse from their ancestral lands under conditions that led to famine and widespread death."

Decades after the genocide, the persecution of Assyrians in the region is ongoing. Historian Frederick Aprim wrote that "since the creation of the modern Middle Eastern states after the partition of the Ottoman Empire post-WWI, the Assyrians have faced and continue to face systematic Arabization, Turkification, and Kurdification policies by Pan-Arab governments, Pan-Turkish governments, and by Kurdish political parties."

"The Assyrians have been suffering genocide and massacre on two ends: first for being a Christian minority in a Muslim world and secondly for being ethnically Assyrian in a dominant Arab/Kurdish/Turkish region," added Aprim.

AyAe GAnaysu, a prominent human rights advocate and member of the Commission Against Racism and Discrimination of Turkey's Human Rights Association (IHD), has visited Tur Abdin in southeast Turkey and prepared reports since 2017 on the plight of Assyrians in the region. These reports demonstrate the persecution, harassment, and pressures that the remaining Assyrians are still subjected to at the hands of Kurds and the Turkish government. The property and lands of Assyrians are still illegally seized by some Kurds in the region, GAnaysu reported.

Meanwhile, the Diril family is still asking the government authorities to find their missing father.

"The tragedy has devasted the children of the Diril couple and has left them permanently traumatized," said Juliana Taimoorazy, founding president of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council. She has remained in close contact with the Diril family. "What is even more heartbreaking is that they still do not have answers to their many questions."

"The Diril family has told me that the government authorities have not sent anybody to look for the father's body in the river where the mother was found. Nobody asks the family any questions, and nobody reports to them anything. They are the ones always going to the authorities and asking them questions. Around June 10, they went to the governor of AArnak again and asked for help with the search for the father. The governor said once the water of the river recedes, they would search, but they have not done that yet, although the water has receded. There is still no search activity for the father," Taimoorazy said.

"All those who know the story of the Diril couple genuinely ask how the family will ever heal after this tragedy. The Assyrians in the West feel helpless, far away, and at times, desperate for answers."

"Wanting to safely live on our lands is a basic human right, but this right has been stripped away from us," Taimoorazy added. "The only thing Simoni and Hurmuz wanted was to rebuild their lives in their village. But we are continually denied our human rights in our ancestral lands."

She continued, "When an individual is murdered for his or her faith or ethnicity, the entire religious and ethnic community is struck at the heart, which leaves a lasting impact on the entire nation. And now the Diril couple have joined the millions of Assyrians who have been unjustly murdered on their own land for their Christian faith and Assyrian ethnicity."
By Trend

Azerbaijans Ambassador to Tajikistan Hasan Mammadzade held meeting with the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country Khusrav Noziri, a source in the Azerbaijani embassy told Trend.

During the meeting initiated by the embassy, the Tajik side was informed about the recent military provocations carried out by the Armenian armed forces units in Azerbaijans Tovuz district direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border to seize new positions. It was stressed that Armenia has committed the provocation in order to undermine the negotiation process on the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Noziri expressed the concern of the Tajik side over the growing tension on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, which led to losses on both sides.

The meeting participants also conducted exchange of opinions on preparatory work for the upcoming meeting of the Azerbaijan-Tajik Intergovernmental Commission, the current status and prospects of the bilateral relations in various fields.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The overall framework of the third China International Import Expo (CIIE), scheduled to be held in Shanghai in November, will be roughly the same as the previous two expos, according to Sun Chenghai, an official with the CIIE Bureau.

All the preparations for the expo are well underway and the focus of current preparations has been shifted from recruiting exhibitions to organizing the expo, said the deputy director of the bureau, adding that initial results have been achieved.

It is generally believed that the third CIIE will be a better event due to the following aspects.

Larger Scale

The total planned exhibition area for enterprises at the third CIIE is 360,000 square meters, 60,000 square meters larger than the second expo.

The planned business exhibition space has been completely booked. The contracted exhibition areas of consumer goods, medical care and service trade have already surpassed their planned space and the exhibition area for automobiles is almost fully booked.

Better Layout

Six exhibition areas will be set up in the business exhibition area, food and agricultural products, automobiles, the intelligent industry and information technology, consumer goods, medical equipment and healthcare products, as well as trade in services.

Based on global hotspots and industry development trends, four special subsections on public health and anti-epidemic products and services, smart transportation, energy conservation and sporting goods will be set up during the event.

Higher-level Exhibitors

The number of Fortune 500 companies and industry-leading companies attending the third CIIE almost equals that of the previous two sessions.

Most of the top 10 well-known companies in the pharmaceutical, medical equipment, dairy, cosmetics, high-end consumer goods, inspection and testing, automobile, industrial electrical, as well as engineering and machinery industries have signed up to participate in the exhibition, and many enterprises will debut their new products, technologies and services.

Lager Trading platform

Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub, located across the street from the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), main venue of the third CIIE, is a permanent trading service platform for the CIIE.

It integrates functions such as exhibition and display, purchase and transactions, business services, bonded exhibition and sales, as well as consumption and tourism.

The trading hub has introduced more than 60,000 kinds of overseas products, including more than 7,000 exhibited during the CIIE and over 6,000 from Belt and Road countries. It has also opened virtual pavilions and online malls, launching more than 1,000 kinds of products from 31 countries and regions.

Firmer Confidence of Exhibitors

At the first Conference of the third CIIE Enterprise Alliance held in Shanghai on July 26, 35 member enterprises signed three-year memoranda with the CIIE Bureau, promising to attend the annual event for the next three years.

Most of them are Fortune 500 companies and leading players in their respective industries. They aim to secure long-term and common development with the CIIE, which demonstrates their confidence in the Chinese market.

At the conference, two special committees for the dairy industry, as well as public health and epidemic prevention were founded.

The Enterprise Alliance was established spontaneously by exhibitors during the opening of the first CIIE and has so far attracted 142 enterprises.

Stronger Policy Support

The General Administration of Customs officially issued a customs clearance notice for the third CIIE as well as launched 14 measures to facilitate the entrance and exit of exhibitors and exhibits.

While maintaining the policies for the previous CIIEs, relevant ministries and departments of China will actively innovate and roll out new policies.

Improved Municipal Security

Shanghai will work harder to guarantee better logistics, services and environment, so as to host a CIIE with higher-level and higher-quality, said Shang Yuying, vice secretary general of Shanghai Municipal Peoples Government, and head of a leading group of municipal security for the CIIE.

The city will make full use of its intelligent monitoring platform, strengthen the application of smart public security system and build a strong line of defense.

It has innovated measures such as prolonging the period of validity of the passes for exhibitors, integrating entry safety and health inspection to improve the experience of exhibitors and merchants.

The city will also optimize the guide signs, especially those for the exhibition areas, transportation, toilets, medical centers and other facilities and equipment, and make them more comprehensive, human-friendly and eye-catching.

Besides, it will improve on-site emergency treatment facilities and designate hospitals for the event, and formulate work plans and emergency solutions, including epidemic prevention and control in all aspects of preparations.
Catalonia on Tuesday banned informal outdoor parties popular with youngsters, saying anyone taking part would be fined up to 15,000 euros ($17,598.00), in the latest step to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

The measure was announced a day after Catalan leader Quim Torra said those participating in the tradition of the botellon, whereby young people gather at night on the street or in parks to share drinks and party, were being irresponsible.

For public health reasons, the shared consumption of alcoholic beverages on the streets and in any other open public space is banned in all Catalonia, government spokeswoman Meritxell Budo told reporters, referring to the botellones.

Anyone ignoring the ban would be fined between 3,000 and 15,000 euros, Budo said, with municipalities in charge of monitoring and enforcement.

Catalonia, which is Spains second-most populous region is its worst affected by the coronavirus with 75,613 cases, including 10,134 in the last two weeks.

The German government on Tuesday followed Frances lead and advised its citizens not to travel to tourism-dependent Catalonia, which said it regretted the decision.

The Catalan government on Friday ordered the closure of all nightclubs, while bars and restaurants were told to shut at midnight in dozens of municipalities, including Barcelona. It had earlier recommended that some four million people stay home and avoid all non-essential trips.

($1 = 0.8524 euros)

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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People shelter under umbrellas during heavy rain near Namdaemun in Seoul, Wednesday. Heavy rain is forecast to continue in the capital and other central parts of the Korean Peninsula until Thursday morning, the weather agency said. Yonhap





Yonhap



By Jung Min-ho



Heavy rain that pounded the capital region of the Korean Peninsula is forecast to continue until Thursday morning.



According to the Korea Meteorological Administration Wednesday, torrential rain of over 30 mm an hour, accompanied by lightning strikes and thunder, lashed Seoul and other regions, including Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces.



Yongin, in Gyeonggi Province, was one of the hardest hit cities, with more than 70 mm of rain an hour at one point.





Yonhap
The Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau, whose coastal line stretches 254km, will earmark VND19 trillion ($827.68 million) for the mitigation of climate change impacts in the 2021  2030 period.

A landslide scene in Ca Mau

The sum, mostly sourced from the State budget and official development assistance, will be spent on 55 prioritised tasks and projects.

A lions share of the amount, 5 trillion VND, will be spent on building 100 km of sea dyke on its eastern coast, while 1.2 trillion VND will be used to upgrade drainage systems in Ca Mau city; and 1.5 trillion VND to boost climate change adaptation capacity for urban areas in local districts and cities.

The Ca Mau Peoples Committee said between now and 2030, it will step up the monitoring of climate change via the development of advanced hydro-meteorological observation stations to promptly update public agencies and locals on relevant information.

In the past years, climate change led to the loss of nearly 10,000 hectares of coastal land and forest in Ca Mau.

On a larger scale, the Mekong Delta has been facing more severe heat, drought, saline intrusion, and coastal erosion as a result of global warming./. VNA

Vietnamese Government plan aims to improve adaptation to climate change Enhancing State management of climate change is one of the major measures in the national plan on climate change adaptation for 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050, recently issued by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
A citizen told members of the County Commission on Wednesday during a call in that he had taken an issue about a billboard for School Board candidate Tom Decosimo to the district attorney.

The caller said school board races are suppose to be non-partisan, and he believes posting the billboard sign declaring that Mr. Decosimo is a Republican violates the law.

The billboard at the foot of Signal Mountain says: Elect Tom Decosimo. A Republican For School Board. District 2.

Kerry Steelman, election administrator, said his office does not regulate campaign activity.

However, Chris Clem, a Republican member of the Election Commission, defended the sign. He said, "Mr. Decosimo asked the local election office if merely telling people 'I am a lifelong Republican' was against the law in his campaign literature. T.C.A. Section 49-2-201(a)(1) merely states  no person seeking a position on a board shall campaign as the nominee or representative of any political party.

"We called the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Disclosures and the State Election Office. They indicated that no candidate has ever been prohibited from telling people what party they are in. No state law even attempts to regulate what candidates say in a campaign. No state agency has ever been given the authority to regulate campaign content.

"A brief review of Westlaw and Lexis could not find a single case in Tennessee or anywhere else in the United States where any candidate for a non-partisan elected position is prohibited from telling people what party they are in.

"In 20 years of involvement in politics this is the first time I have ever heard a complaint that a candidate cant say 'I am a lifelong Republican' or 'my opponent is a hardcore Democrat.' Honestly, I am a bit amazed this is even an issue. You do not lose your free speech rights when running for office.

"The statute does say that a candidate cannot claim to a party nominee or a party representative. But, it does not prohibit anyone form saying they are a lifelong republican or that their opponent is a hardcore democrat. That is free speech. And, no candidate or campaign in Tennessee or anywhere else in the country has ever prohibited free speech in that way."

Commissioner Tim Boyd, who read the statement from Mr. Clem, said, "He is not campaigning as the party nominee so he has not broken the law. It's pretty simple and clear that the Decosimo campaign is not in violation of the law as written."

Commissioner David Sharpe replied, "Partisan politics has no place in our schools."

Commissioner Warren Mackey made a motion that the commission appoint a task force that would come up with a policy statement on the issue. However, Chairman Randy Fairbanks said motions could not be made at a commission agenda session.

Chairman Fairbanks said, "In the end, this will be a decision made by the voters - whether they like that tactic or not."
Earth will be home to 8.8 billion souls in 2100, two billion fewer than current UN projections, according to a major study published Wednesday that foresees new global power alignments shaped by declining fertility rates and greying populations. By century's end, 183 of 195 countries -- barring an influx of immigrants -- will have fallen below the replacement threshold needed to maintain population levels, an international team of researchers reported in The Lancet. More than 20 countries -- including Japan, Spain, Italy, Thailand, Portugal, South Korea and Poland -- will see their numbers diminish by at least half. China's will fall nearly that much, from 1.4 billion people today to 730 million in 80 years. Sub-Saharan Africa, meanwhile, will triple in size to some three billion people, with Nigeria alone expanding to almost 800 million in 2100, second only to India's 1.1 billion. "These forecasts suggest good news for the environment, with less stress on food production systems and lower carbon emissions, as well as significant economic opportunity for parts of sub-Saharan Africa," lead author Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, told AFP. "However, most countries outside of Africa will see shrinking workforces and inverting population pyramids, which will have profound negative consequences for the economy." For high-income countries in this category, the best solutions for sustaining population levels and economic growth will be flexible immigration policies and social support for families who want children, the study concluded. "However, in the face of declining population there is a very real danger that some countries might consider policies that restrict access to reproductive health services, with potentially devastating consequences," Murray cautioned. - 866 million people over 80 - "It is imperative that women's freedom and rights are at the top of every government's development agenda." Social services and healthcare systems will need to be overhauled to accommodate much older populations. As fertility falls and life expectancy increases worldwide, the number of children under five is forecast to decline by more than 40 percent, from 681 million in 2017 to 401 million in 2100, the study found. At the other end of the spectrum, 2.37 billion people -- more than a quarter of the global population -- will be over 65 years old by then. Those over 80 will balloon from about 140 million today to 866 million. Sharp declines in the number and proportion of the working-age population will also pose huge challenges in many countries. "Societies will struggle to grow with fewer workers and taxpayers," noted Stein Emil Vollset, a professor at the IHME. The number of people of working age in China, for example, will plummet from about 950 million today to just over 350 million by the end of the century -- a 62 percent drop. The decline in India is projected to be less steep, from 762 to 578 million. In Nigeria, by contrast, the active labour force will expand from 86 million today to more than 450 million in 2100. These tectonic shifts will also reshuffle the pecking order in terms of economic clout, the researchers forecast. - A new multipolar world - By 2050, China's gross domestic product will overtake that of the United States, but fall back into second place by 2100, they predict. India's GDP will rise to take the number three spot, while Japan, Germany, France and the UK will stay among the world's 10 largest economies. Brazil is projected to fall in ranking from eighth today to 13th, and Russia from the number 10 spot to 14th. Historical powers Italy and Spain, meanwhile, decline from the top 15 to 25th and 28th, respectively. Indonesia could become the 12th largest economy globally, while Nigeria -- currently 28th -- is projected to crack the top 10. "By the end of the century, the world will be multipolar, with India, Nigeria, China and the United States the dominant powers," said Richard Horton, describing the study as outlining "radical shifts in geopolitical power." Until now, the United Nations -- which forecasts 8.5, 9.7 and 10.9 billion people in 2030, 2050 and 2100, respectively -- has virtually had a monopoly in projecting global population. The difference between the UN and IHME figures hinges crucially on fertility rates. The so-called "replacement rate" for a stable population is 2.1 births per woman. UN calculations assume that countries with low fertility today will see those rates increase, on average, to about 1.8 children per woman over time, said Murray. "Our analysis suggests that as women become more educated and have access to reproductive health services, they choose to have less than 1.5 children on average," he explained by email. "Continued global population growth through the century is no longer the most likely trajectory for the world's population." Founded in 2007 and supported by the Bill and & Melinda Gates Foundation, the IHME had become a global reference for health statistics, especially its annual Global Burden of Disease reports.
- Warburg Pincus and DTCP acquire controlling stake in Community Fibre , London's fastest 100% full-fibre broadband provider

- New shareholders will fund the Company's roll-out of full-fibre broadband to one million London households and businesses by 2023

- Olaf Swantee, former CEO of EE, joins Community Fibre as Executive Chairman

LONDON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Funds advised by Warburg Pincus LLC, a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing, and DTCP, an investment management group specialized in technology growth equity and digital infrastructure, have reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Community Fibre Limited, London's fastest and most competitively priced 100% full-fibre broadband provider, alongside its existing investors Amber Infrastructure and RPMI Railpen. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Community Fibre is future-proofing London communities by delivering 1 Gbps of full-fibre broadband to households and up to 10 Gbps of full-fibre broadband to businesses, at the most competitive prices on the market. Their mission is to empower communities through offering more reliable and affordable connections, and to make London a Gigafast city, a key UK government target. Today, Community Fibre announces ambitions to fibre-enable one million households by 2023, funded by the new shareholders.

Unlike most other providers, they launch and operate their own dedicated 100% full-fibre network. Running fibre optic cable all the way into homes and business premises helps deliver maximum speed, reliability, and efficiency, with zero use of legacy copper.

The market opportunity for Community Fibre is significant. Demand for high speed, high quality internet to the home (FTTH) and to businesses (FTTB) is growing exponentially, yet a large proportion of the UK's capital is offered some of the poorest and slowest broadband services in Europe.

Graeme Oxby, CEO of Community Fibre , said: "This is an exciting deal for Community Fibre. Having Warburg Pincus and DTCP on board is a tremendous endorsement for our business. In a post COVID-19 world, digital connectivity will be more crucial than ever. With further new investment, we can work faster than ever to deliver 100% full-fibre broadband to social housing residents and to local communities and their businesses across London."

On completion of the transaction, expected within a few weeks, Olaf Swantee will join Community Fibre as Executive Chairman. Olaf was formerly CEO of Sunrise Communications, the second largest telecoms provider in Switzerland and CEO of EE.

Olaf Swantee, Incoming Executive Chairman at Community Fibre, said: "I am excited to be joining a business in a sector that I am passionate about, where there is a clear vision and purpose. Working alongside blue chip investors such as Warburg Pincus, DTCP, Amber Infrastructure, and RPMI Railpen, will also open up new and exciting growth opportunities."

Warburg Pincus has invested $4 billion behind a telecommunications and technology infrastructure investment thesis for more than 20 years. Recent examples include inexio in Germany, Converge ICT in the Philippines, INEA in Poland, America.Net in Brazil, Airtel in Africa, and Inmarsat in the UK.

Rene Obermann, Co-Head of Europe and Managing Director of Warburg Pincus Deutschland GmbH, said: "Community Fibre aims to close the digital divide and promote social inclusion. Affordable high speed internet for London's social housing, and free Gigafast connection to community centres and libraries will create limitless opportunities in education, recruitment, and training, with one click of a button."

DTCP has been investing at the intersection of technology and digital infrastructure for years, including in very successful companies like edge cloud company, Fastly, and tower infrastructure company, Swiss Towers. Vicente Vento, Co-Founder and CEO at DTCP, said: "Now, more than ever, we believe in a world where ubiquitous and affordable high speed connectivity helps society thrive. We are looking forward to partnering with Community Fibre, together with Warburg Pincus, to support them on their mission to power communities with ultra-fast fibre connectivity across London."

Greenhill advised Warburg Pincus and DTCP. Jefferies International Limited advised Community Fibre and its shareholders.
(Natural News) During the recent Americas Frontline Doctors press conference event that has now been banned from virtually every major tech platform, including YouTube, Dr. Stella Immanuel from Houston gave a stunning speech about how she has successfully treated more than 350 Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and Zithromax (azithromycin).

Originally from Nigeria, which is where she studied medicine, Dr. Immanuel, a primary care physician, gave an impassioned account of the many successes she has seen with her patients, one of whom is 92 years old. Nobody needs to be dying from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), she emphasized, because we already have a treatment, and we already have a cure.

Im here because I have personally treated over 350 patients with COVID, Dr. Immanuel stated. Patients that have diabetes, patients that have high blood pressure, patients that have asthma, all people.

By putting each of her patients on a regimen of hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and azithromycin, the end result for all of them has been the same, she says: full recovery. Weve not lost one patient! And on top of that, Ive put myself, my staff, and many doctors that I know on hydroxychloroquine for prevention.

Check out the full press conference below as sourced from Brighteon.com, where it will never be censored  Dr. Immanuels portion begins around the 5:25 mark:

You dont need masks: There is a CURE, says Dr. Immanuel

According to Dr. Immanuel, hydroxychloroquine works early as a preventative prophylaxis, which is why she and her team are taking it just to be safe. And none of them has gotten sick, despite constantly being face-to-face with infected patients.

She also brought up the 2005 study put out by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in which Anthony Fauci of 15 years ago agreed that hydroxychloroquine is effective against coronaviruses.

Im upset because I see people that cannot breathe, Dr. Immanuel laments. I see parents walk in, I see diabetics sit in my office knowing that this is a death sentence, and they cant breathe. And I hug them and I tell them, its going to be okay, youre going to live. And we treat them, and they live.

So if some fake science, some person sponsored by all these fake pharma companies, comes out and says, oh, weve done studies and they found out that it doesnt work, I can tell you categorically that its fake science, she adds.

Try as they might to claim that hydroxychloroquine does not work for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), citing science as evidence, the opposition is categorically wrong, Dr. Immanuel insists  and her experience treating patients is living proof of that.

Dr. Immanuel is also opposed to the push for mask-wearing, as she says this is completely unnecessary. Since there is already a cure in the form of the aforementioned triage of drugs and minerals, this is all that is necessary to safely resume our normal lives and put this thing behind us.

You dont need people to be locked down, Dr. Immanuel further adds. There is prevention and there is a cure.

Dr. Immanuel also had a message for all of the fake doctors out there who reject hydroxychloroquine and parrot the lies of the mainstream media in claiming that it does not work, and that there is no science to back it.

Youre like the good Nazis, the good Germans, who watched Jews get killed and didnt speak up, Dr. Immanuel says, specifically referring to every doctor out there who is too afraid to treat patients with what works because the medical establishment might go after them for it.

To keep up with the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

Brighteon.com

HealthImpactNews.com

NaturalNews.com
Henriett Szucs (left) and Mihrican Mustafa. (PA Images/Metropolitan Police)

Two women who were found dead in a freezer were subjected to very significant violence, a court has been told.

Police found the remains of Hungarian national Henriett Szucs and mother-of-three Mihrican Mustafa in a flat in Canning Town, east London, in April 2019.

They were looking for Zahid Younis, and ended up having to crowbar open a lockable freezer when they discovered the bodies.

Prosecutor Duncan Penny QC told Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday that Younis was the occupier and tenant of the one-bedroom ground-floor flat.

He told the trial jury that Younis murdered both women and sought to conceal their remains in the freezer bought for that sole purpose, most probably a short time after the death of the first of the women, Henriett.

Younis, 35, of Canning Town, denies two counts of murder.

Penny said when police arrived they found the lockable freezer with items stacked on top and flies around it.

Younies, who denies two counts of murder, is being tried at Southwark Crown Court. (PA Images)

He said: In due course, with a crowbar, that police officer forced open the lid of the freezer and he, that Saturday morning, made a very grim discovery indeed.

Contained within that small chest freezer were the remains of two women, one of them called Henriett Szucs and the other Mihrican Mustafa.

He continued: Prior to their death each of them had been the victim of significant injury, each of them appeared to have been been subject to very significant violence.

The women, both in their 30s at the time of their disappearances, had suffered numerous rib fractures.

Penny said Szucs had sustained dreadful head injuries, still dressed in her pyjamas, and Mustafas sternum and larynx had been fractured.

The two, who he described as vulnerable women living somewhat chaotic lives, were known to be associated with Younis and their belongings were found at the flat.

They went through periods of homelessness and drug addiction, and diary entries from Szucs suggested Younis was violent and controlling to her, Penny said.

There had been times that electricity to the flat was cut off which led the bodies to decompose and left a foul smell in the flat, the court was told.

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By the time police found them, Szucs had been missing for nearly three years and Mustafa had disappeared for just under a year, a jury was told.

Jurors heard Younis seemed to have abandoned the property but was arrested days after the bodies were found.

Penny said Younis refused to comment in a police interview but after being arrested told officers: Its my house, its my problem, no one else is involved.

The trial continues.
Olivia Palermo made sure she adhered to current safety guidelines on Tuesday as she debuted another face mask while out in New York City.

The fashion conscious socialite somehow made the mandatory accessory look stylish while walking her pet dog, Mr. Butler, close to her home.

Choosing a black variation from what appears to be a growing collection of face coverings, Olivia, 34, stood out while crossing the sidewalk with her Maltese pooch.

Stepping out: Olivia Palermo made sure she adhered to current safety guidelines on Tuesday as she debuted another face mask while out in New York City

On another warm day in New York she added to her look with a breezy, oversized shirt and casual black jogging bottoms.

Box-fresh white running shoes rounded off the look, while distinctively framed sunglasses proved to be another notable accessory.

Seemingly preoccupied with her phone, Olivia engaged in a long conversation while walking Mr. Butler around the block.

No mean feat: The fashion conscious socialite somehow made the mandatory accessory look stylish while walking her pet dog, Mr. Butler, close to her home

In April Olivia shared tips with her social media following on how to stay stylish, while also helping to slow the spread of COVID-19.

'Safety, but make it fashion,' she captioned a picture of herself walking around in a chic yellow t-shirt, matching trainers and a furry coat.

She urged: 'Get creative with your closet and make your own covering and leave the professional masks to the healthcare workers.'

Looking good: On another warm day in New York she added to her look with a breezy, oversized shirt and casual black jogging bottoms

Plenty to talk about: Seemingly preoccupied with her phone, Olivia engaged in a long conversation while walking Mr. Butler around the block

Olivia ended the caption of the outdoor snap with: 'Thankful to everyone helping on the frontlines on #worldhealthday and please #stayhome if you can!'

Olivia's post was met with mixed, as many followers deemed her message irresponsible.

'Forget about fashion,' one wrote, while urging others to simply wear surgical or cloth masks.

Another sarcastically commented: 'Considering the shortage of food supplies and those who lost their jobs, a promotion of $800 boots will definitely make people feel better.'

Despite the initial controversy, Palermo has continued to share images of herself making use of her expansive collection of chic handkerchiefs.

Controversy: In April Olivia shared tips with her social media following on how to stay stylish, while also helping to slow the spread of COVID-19, but the well-meaning post divided fans
New Delhi:

After days of confrontation between government and opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached out to the rival parties as he walked across in the Rajya Sabha and exchanged pleasantries with his predecessor Manmohan Singh and other leaders of Congress as well as JD(U), NCP and DMK.

Modi, with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Minister of State of Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in tow, made the gesture when the Upper House went into lunch break amid a debate on demonetisation.

The Prime Minister shook hands and was seen chatting with Singh, as also Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma. Modi also chatted with JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, Praful Patel of NCP and DMKs Kanimozhi and some other leaders.

Also Read: Demonetisation move was aimed at assembly election in Uttar Pradesh: Who said what on currency ban today

Earlier, Singh attacked the Government over demonetisation, saying it was a monumental management failure and a case of organised loot and legalised plunder.

Singh said the decision will result in decline of GDP by 2 per cent.

The opposition had been stalling the House over the last five days, targeting the Prime Minister and demanding his presence in the House for resumption of debate on demonetisation, which had begun on November 16.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Texas nursing homes has significantly increased this month, with 8,291 confirmed cases on Monday.

This is four times more than the number of cases seen in all of June, according to a data from the state's health agency, which showed figures from 1,223 different nursing homes across Texas, 65 of which are in Houston.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 75 percent of nursing homes in Texas have reported at least one coronavirus case. In June, the numbers showed that only 50 percent of nursing homes had cases.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on Monday said it's the same story in the state's assisted living facilities, as 924 COVID-19 cases were reported. This was compared to the 267 cases in June, according to Texas Tribune.

Texas had 5,713 deaths linked to COVID-19, and a third of this came from nursing homes. On a national scale, more than 40 percent of COVID-19 deaths are related to senior care centers, a New York Times report said.

Data showed that there have been about 335,000 seniors infected by the coronavirus at some 15,000 care facilities as of July 23.

DSHS Spokesperson, Chris Van Deusen, said the striking increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases in Texas was what caused the surge of cases in nursing homes.

Details Released Amid Privacy Concerns

On Monday, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission released details on the COVID-19 cases in each Texas nursing home. At first, they insisted that the information did not have to be released to the public because of privacy laws. But the state attorney general's office ruled that they have to release it.

As the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) stressed before, nursing home residents, who are the seniors of the U.S. population, are at high risk of being infected and dying from the virus. It is most lethal to those adults aged 60 and older, especially if they have existing health conditions.

If one case ends up in a senior care facility, it is more likely to spread easily between residents since people are kept together in a confined environment, where workers move from room to room.

Data showed that Brenham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center reported 25 deaths, the most in Texas.

Afton Oaks Nursing Center in Houston, on the other hand, recorded the highest number of reported infected residents in the state, with 117 cases. At present, the staff said 46 residents are still positive, the KHOU 11 reported.

"Limits on visitation will continue, per guidance from the CDC, and we are working hard to make sure residents can still connect with their loved ones by phone, text, or video chat," the staff said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 20 deaths were reported in Focused Care at Westwood, the highest in Houston.

In a statement of posted in the firm's website last month, Focused Care founder and CEO Mark McKenzie said there is a "palpable frustration" from the public as protecting their elderly residents becomes "incredibly challenging."

Inaccuracies in Data

Texas local news agency KBMT-TV noted that there were inaccuracies in the data. They said there were previous reports of COVID-19 cases at College Street Health Care Center and Arden Place in Beaumont, but the two care facilities can't be found on the list provided on the state's website.

According to the state, nursing homes are supposed to "self-report" COVID-19 cases. The news agency reached out to officials for clarification, but they have yet to answer.

Want to read more? Check these out!

New Study Shows Other Strategies to Combat COVID-19 and Reduce its Symptoms

COVID-19 Survivor Loses Most of His Fingers Due to Complications

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Civil society and public health groups under the aegis of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) have opposed the Draft Policy on Conventional Tobacco and Non-Combusted Alternatives to Cigarette Smoking advanced by the tobacco industry, urging the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to jettison the proposal and the spurious narratives that are used to justify it.

Public health groups learnt that the tobacco industry proposal which is being considered by the Ministry seeks to develop a regulatory framework to encourage smokers to switch from conventional or combustible cigarettes to Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs).

The NTCA, in a letter to the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, dated July 28, stated that the draft policy is misleading, contravenes the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act, 2015; its Regulations of 2019, and the World Health Organizations Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) which Nigeria ratified in 2005.

In the letter titled Attempts by the tobacco industry to create a constitutional crisis in Nigeria and the attendant public health concerns, signed by NTCA Board Chair, Akinbode Oluwafemi, the group referenced Section 1(m) of the NTC Act which states that Nigerias obligation under Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC includes ensuring that tobacco control policies are implemented over and above any contrary interest of the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry on account of the inherent and irreconcilable conflict of interest between the goals of public health policies for tobacco control and the commercial interests of the tobacco industry.

Copies of the letter were sent to the president, vice-president, senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives, secretary to the government, Attorney-General of the Federation as well as the Minister of Health.

The group insisted that the misleading claims by the tobacco industry on e-cigarettes and other so-called alternatives have been debunked by the WHO, which has repeatedly said that e-cigarettes and HTPs are undoubtedly harmful and that countries that have not banned [e-cigarettes] should consider regulating them as harmful products.

Countries that have banned e-cigarettes are Argentina, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Ethiopia, The Gambia, India, Iran, Lebanon, Macau, Mauritius, Mexico, Oman, Panama, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and Uruguay. The HTPs have also been banned in Australia, Brunei, Brazil, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Finland, India, Malta, Mexico, Panama, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, and Uganda.

The NTCA urged the minister to note that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had denied Philip Morris claim that switching from combustible cigarettes to the companys HTP brand, IQOS, will reduce the risk of disease and stated: [Philip Morris] has not demonstrated that as actually used by consumers, the products sold or distributed with the proposed modified risk information will significantly reduce harm and the risk of tobaccorelated disease.

Minister of Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo[PHOTO CREDIT : @NiyiAdebayo_]

Importantly, the group, continued, the FDA did not find either that IQOS is safe or even safer than other tobacco products or that IQOS can help smokers quit and banned Philip Morris from making claims in the U.S. that switching completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS system can reduce the risks of tobaccorelated diseases; and switching completely to IQOS presents less risk of harm than continuing to smoke cigarettes.

According to the letter, Given the significant scientific uncertainty about the overall risks and potential benefits of e-cigarette use in adults (and its known harms to the youth) and the evidence to date of the harmful effects of HTPs, every novel tobacco product including HTPs and ENDS should be banned in Nigeria while every new product should be subjected to thorough scrutiny by the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant regulatory agencies in the country.

READ ALSO:

The NTCA reminded the minister that Nigeria is currently burdened with cardiovascular diseases which have led to the loss of manpower and the attendant burden on public healthcare facilities.

It cited the Tobacco Atlas, which recently documented that about 16,100 Nigerians die yearly from tobacco-related causes and empirical studies which show that the nation loses about $800 million annually including direct costs related to healthcare expenditures and indirect costs related to lost productivity due to early mortality and morbidity caused by tobacco use.

The group urged the minister to disallow any entity from misleading the ministry through spurious narratives of employment generation, exports potential, revenue for the government and other empty promises.
The United States was built to be governed locally. Americans are supposed to meet with their neighbors face-to-face to hammer out their differences and collectively decide how they want to be governed. To work, this process requires certain skills of those who participate in it. Local government is therefore a kind of school of citizenship that every citizen is expected to attend. The civic and psychic muscles of self-government that are taught and honed in town halls and city councils  the muscles that allow for compromise  atrophy if they are not regularly exercised in the context of citizenship, which is to say, the context of compromise. And in terms of classically republican virtue, the United States of America is seriously out of shape.

One of the crucial skills of citizenship is the ability to find intersecting points of agreement with people who see the world differently than you, and to use those areas of common ground to craft policy that can command the support of a majority. Early in the Republic, most adults (with the shameful exceptions of Native and African Americans) were well-trained in this practice by the exigencies of life in local communities. But for reasons outlined admirably by Tim Carney in his book Alienated America, Americans have lost interest in that process of civic engagement. The increasing geographic self-segregation of conservatives and progressives into hermetically sealed communities suggests that we want to spend most of our time living exclusively with people who already agree with us and scoffing derisively at strangers who dont.

As a result, Americans have pretty much abdicated the responsibilities of citizenship, outsourcing them to Washington, D.C. It can be said with only a little exaggeration that Capitol Hill is now the only town hall left in America. What makes this sordid state of affairs even worse is that, having contracted our own civic duties out to politicians, we then punish them when they undertake these duties, because doing so involves compromise with the other political tribe. The biggest problem besetting American politics today is not the politician you happen to dislike the most but the overwhelming civic laziness of the average American citizen. Like spoiled children, we believe that we should be able to have everything our own way without having to make any concessions to our neighbors. We are consequently more than ready to listen to demagogues who tell us that we can have it all our own way if we just hand them the reins of power and let them get on with delivering us from the Christian commandment to love our enemies.

Story continues

The aforementioned muscles of citizenship and self-government have so wasted away in the American body-politic that many cannot even bear to see them exercised by elected representatives. It may come as a shock to many on the right to learn this, but according to the best traditions of our own national identity, participation in politics, especially at the local level, has a moralizing effect on the participants. In fact, no less a figure than Alexis de Tocqueville himself thought so. As Larry Siedentop noted in his 1994 book on the great Frenchman:

What took Tocqueville beyond the confines of Restoration liberalism were his reflections on the New England Township and the opportunities it offered for participation within a nation-state. The American township enabled Tocqueville to save part of [Jean-Jacques] Rousseaus defence of participation and its moralizing effects, while disregarding those aspects which ignored the differences between ancient and modern society, between the polis and the nation-state, between public virtue and private rights.

Participation in public life teaches valuable lessons about the need to prioritize goals, to sublimate ones personal desires to a shared vision of the greater good, and to deal with ones opponents in a civil and productive manner. The fact that many Republicans (and Democrats) are horrified that Senator McConnell and Joe Biden seem to like each other just goes to show how rotten American civic life has become.

One sad byproduct of this state of affairs has been the growing phenomenon of Republican politicians being primaried. This usually happens to Republicans who have accomplished something during their time in office and/or annoyed the president. The worst thing you can do if youre an incumbent trying to win reelection in 2020 is to rack up tangible legislative accomplishments, because most of the time accomplishing something means working with the enemy. Once this happens, a primary challenger with no accomplishments to speak of and a greater willingness to publicly bend the knee to Trump can pitch their ideological purity to the lazy non-citizens of America and stand a good chance of winning.

Primary challenges undertaken in the name of ideological purity arent exclusively a feature of the right, of course. Many Democratic primaries during the 2018 election cycle were won by far-left candidates who defeated more moderate incumbents using the same playbook, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose upset of Joe Crowley in New York City made her an instant media sensation. The reason that this isnt discussed more often  the exception that proves the rule being the attention paid to Ocasio-Cortez and her squad  is that the more radical Democratic candidates were largely on the losing side in the general election. The Democrats took back the House two years ago largely thanks to more moderate candidates who were not altogether averse to the idea of building coalitions and working for consensus in the corridors of power.

For Republicans, on the other hand, the threat of being primaried was ever-present even before Donald Trumps hostile takeover of the party, and has only become more pronounced since. The president is determined to transform the GOP from a party of citizens into a party of courtiers whose unifying principle is personal loyalty to himself. As a result, many Republican primaries have become little more than competitions for his affections and the endorsement that comes with them. The very virtues that make conservative candidates effective legislators also make them less and less electable.

And thats a shame, because career politicians are actually among the few Americans left in 2020 who have consciously developed the skills and virtues necessary for responsible citizenship. If we take Tocquevilles description of this country in Democracy in America to be a normative one, then the truth is that all Americans should be lifelong part-time politicians of a sort in their local communities, and the most talented and selfless citizens in these little platoons should then be elevated by their neighbors to the national stage. This is a far cry from how our system actually works at the moment. There are undoubtedly moral hazards involved in the prolonged participation of some people in the affairs of state, but how are we to recognize and combat them if we never try to navigate them ourselves as citizens? It is a longstanding conservative conviction that if you want to change the world, you should start by changing yourself. In that spirit, I would ask the reader to consider the proposition that the problem with American government is not long-established politicians, but voters complacency, because the number of men and women in Teddy Roosevelts arena appears to be decreasing by the day.

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<! Speaker Gbajabiamila and Godswill Akpabio: NDDC isssues far from being resolved >

The House of Representatives urged Nigerians not to relent in asking from Niger Delta Minister, Godswill Akpabio and the Interim Management Committee, how N81.5billion was squandered in six months.

What happened to Nigerias 81.5billion under the charge of NDDC in the space of 6 months?, the Reps asked in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement indicated that the row between Akpabio and the House of Representatives was far from being resolved.

In the statement by spokesman and Committee Chairman on Media Affairs and Publicity, Benjamin Kalu, the House asked the Minister to publish the names of the members of the National Assembly who got contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The minister had alleged that 60 percent of all the NDDC projects were awarded to members of the lawmakers between the months of January and May 2020, when he gave testimony before the House of Reps committee on Niger Delta.

Kalu explained that following the claim, the leadership of the 9th House issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Akpabio to publish a list of the lawmakers.

Rather than doing as instructed, the minister wrote to the Speaker of the House.

Kalu said the content of the letter was irrelevant to the issues raised.

The House spokesman revealed that the lawmakers were already evaluating the ministers letter and the directive to press charges against him have not been lifted.

He said if the letter does not address the issues raised, it would be sent to the court for clearance as the speaker had stated.

Read the full statement:

SEN. AKPABIOS PERSONAL LETTER TO THE SPEAKER EXONERATES THE 9TH HOUSE BUT FAILS TO MEET THE ULTIMATUM, THE MINISTER IS INVITED TO PUBLISH THE LIST AS INSTRUCTED

Following a motion unanimously adopted by the House, an investigation was ordered into the activities and financial malfeasance of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and its Interim Management Committee (IMC) between the periods of January to May 2020.

In a coordinated and calculated attempt to distract Nigerians from the ongoing investigation, the Minister of NDDC and the leadership of the IMC raised spurious allegations against members of the National Assembly.

The Minister claimed under oath that 60% of all the NDDC projects under investigation were awarded to members of the House between the months of January and May 2020.

Following this disturbing allegation, the leadership of the 9th House issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Minister to publish a list of the legislators allegedly awarded 60% of the entire projects of NDDC between January and May 2020.

Instead of publishing the list for the world to see in the interest of transparency, the Minister in his usual diversionary tactics, chose to send an irrelevant 8-paragraph private letter to the Speaker regarding projects of 2018 which pre-date the 9th House of Representatives and had little to do with the bogus claims he made.

The House, therefore, reiterates that the Minister was given an ultimatum to publish names and not to write a personal letter to the Speaker. The Honourable Minister is hereby cautioned to desist from spinning tales and is invited to go public as instructed.

Nevertheless, it will interest Nigerians to know that paragraph 3 of the Ministers letter fully exonerated the 9th Assembly. Also, in paragraph 7, the Minister completely withdrew his previous statement about 60% of the NDDC projects being awarded to members of the 9th Assembly.

It is also instructive for Nigerians to note that the total number of projects in the 2019 NDDC budget was 5,959 out of which 5,416 projects were rolled over from 2018, which the 9th Assembly obviously had no influence or control over.

Therefore, unable to prove his claims, the Minister presented an ineffectual spreadsheet of only 266 projects out of which about 20 projects were attracted by past members of the National Assembly as constituency projects, not as contractors, but in furtherance of their representative mandate.

The projects presented in the Ministers letter are not within the scope of the investigation and do nothing to address the leaderships ultimatum for him to publish the list of names of the members who he claimed took 60% of NDDC projects from January to May 2020.

Also, contrary to the mischievous narrative being peddled on the internet, the only mention of the Chairman of the NDDC Committee of the 9th House of Representatives, Rep. Tunji Ojo in that letter, was as to his alleged request for the complete payment of 19 contractors who had approached him with complaints over NDDCs non-payment for their services.

This is, however, an allegation which has been completely refuted by Rep. Ojo and for which there is no evidence linking him.

The one member of the House mentioned in that letter only attracted the project to his federal constituency, in the same manner that the NDDC MD, EDFA, EDP, Chairman etc applied to the Commission for attention to the needs of their people and were obliged.

This attraction of projects does not in any way mean that contracts were personally awarded to them.

Additionally, the letter also listed the names of contract awardees with no evidence linking them to those who attracted the projects to the beneficiary communities. It takes lifting the corporate veil for the directors to be seen and the Corporate Affairs Commission is there to establish who the real owners of the companies are.

Until then, it is wrong to attempt to establish a nexus which currently does not exist. The document remains a mere spreadsheet of people who attracted projects to their communities in furtherance of their representative functions.

Furthermore, the directive to press charges against the Minister has not been lifted by the House as the leadership is busy considering the weight of the Honourable Ministers letter.

If it does not clear the doubt and wrong perception, it will be sent to the court for clearance as the Speaker stated.

Once again, the letters annexures showing 2018 projects have no relevance to what was requested from the Minister because it was outside the scope of his claims, it was also not comprehensive but selective by mentioning only one current member for attracting projects to his constituency and not for receiving contracts.

The House is mindful of a letter currently before it where the Minister also applied to attract several projects to his Senatorial Zone during his time at the Senate, does it mean the contracts were awarded to him?

Nigerians are encouraged to ignore the deflections of the Honourable Minister and continue to ask the right questions as to what happened to the money of the region which has led to a gross disservice to Niger-Deltans.

Nigerians should start asking the right questions and demanding the right answers; and the right question remains, What happened to Nigerias 81.5billion under the charge of NDDC in the space of 6 months?

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Gunmen killed 14 villagers in central Nigeria's Kogi state on Wednesday, police said, blaming the attack on communal violence.

The night-time attack on Agbudu village in Koton-Karfe area also left six people seriously injured, said state police commissioner Ede Ayuba in a statement.

"I was there and I was part of those who picked up some of the dead bodies we are talking about," he said.

He said 13 of the dead were members of the same family.

"In that family, only one person survived. His uncle, his mother, his uncle's wife, his younger brother, his senior brother's wife, his wife and all his children were killed," he said.

Ayuba said an investigation had been launched into the incident, adding that a long-standing row over land rights was a possible motive.

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Express News Service

PATNA: PM Modi's words of appreciation for the artisans of Madhubani and Darbhanga making masks with Madhubani paintings on Sunday in his 'Mann Ki Baat speech has done wonders for their business.

Demand for masks being made with Madhubani painting has doubled in just 72 hours after PMs praise. We are overwhelmed over the demands pouring in from across the country over the phone, Rajesh Kumar Jha, one of the artisans of Madhubani paintings said.

Around 2500 artisans are working hard to make masks with Madhubani paintings both in Darbhanga and Madhubani districts of Bihar and expecting demand to grow moving ahead.

Anju Devi Mishra of Darbhanga, who has carved a niche in the field of Madhubani paintings and won many awards and accolades including Neelkanth Saman' in 2018 and others said that masks adorned with Madhubani paintings have become a craze among the younger generation in particular after PM praised it. "In the last couple of days, we have got orders from Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Bangalore and other metro cities over tje phone and have sent masks through post," she said.

Mishras daughter Nishi, who is back at her home after her college was closed due to lockdown, said: I have also started helping my mom and others in making masks with Madhubani."

Similarly, Nutan Jha, another acclaimed artisan of Madhubani painting, said that many college going girls and youths have also joined her in producing masks with Madhubani paintings after the PMs words of appreciation.

"Everyday we are working hard to meet demand that has doubled than earlier in the last 72 hours. Many calls asking for supply of masks with Madhubani paintings have been received from metro cities like form Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai," Nutan Jha said.

Ruchi Kumari, who is studying in Maharaja Laksmishwar Singh College in Darbhanga, said that a group of 10 women and girls have doubled the mask production from 50 earlier to 100 to meet the increased demand. She said that masks made by the artisans are sold from Rs 25 to Rs 50 depending upon the quality. According to a rough estimate, more than 1.5 lakhs masks with Madhubani paintings have been made since the first round of lockdown till now and supplied across the country.

Madhubani DM Dr Nilesh Deore has also contacted e-commerce company Amazon and assured to arrange meeting with all artisans of Madhubani via video conferencing. He said that his wife and daughter too have started using masks with Madhubani paintings in a bid to popularise it among others.

Darbhanga DM Dr Thiyagrajan SM, who was the first to share the masks with Madhubani paintings on his Twitter page and got in touch with the Amazon for its online sale, said that the craze for Mithila masks has increased not only within the country but also in foreign countries. On the online sites, its sale has increasing day by day and many celebrities like film actress Raveena Tandon and others have also praised this mask on Twitter.

Padma Shri recipient Baua Devi of Madhubani paintings also hopes the PM's praise will boost the mask sales and give it an international brand value.
I dont know that another four weeks is going to dramatically increase our decision-making, Tillman said Tuesday.

Contreras said the extra time would better help the district plan and prepare for when students return to school.

She is hoping that Congress could, in that time, pass the HEROES Act, which could provide significant funding for districts to increase staffing, such as paying teachers to teach more periods and hire others to supervise students, who would be spread out over more classrooms to meet the social-distancing requirements mandated by the state.

Board members did not adopt a plan on Tuesday for what a return to in-person instruction would look like when and if that happens.

Instead, Contreras called for additional board deliberation and discussion on those plans at a work session on Sept. 8.

Previously, she had provided the school board with three possible options for reopening schools that had been a mix of classroom and virtual instruction.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 11:52:06|Editor: huaxia

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BELGRADE, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Thomas Garbarini, a New York-born translator and painter who got stuck here in the Serbian capital along with his Chinese wife due to global COVID-19 traveling restrictions, has created a blog to convey "more nuanced understanding" of China.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Garbarini shared how his blog -- Zhihu Digest -- works, and the reason that pushed him to establish it.

Zhihu, or "do you know" in Chinese, is one of China's most popular question-and-answer websites where all kinds of questions are raised, answered, edited and organized by the community of its users. Launched in 2011, its user number has exceeded 200 million, with over 30 million questions raised on the platform, according to the company.

One reason to create Zhihu Digest, a website that includes top questions from Zhihu in English, is to make it easier for English-speaking audience to understand the true voice of ordinary Chinese people, said Garbarini.

The gap between Western and Chinese social media users contributes to a lack of understanding and empathy between the two, he noted.

Noting that he started learning Chinese in 2011 when he visited Beijing and has been using social media to improve his language skills, Garbarini said he created Zhihu Digest this February to use it as a platform to share his experience with other Chinese language students.

However, he later found that visitors have shown more interest in public opinion in China, thus prompting him to shift his focus on sharing to the rest of the world what Chinese people discuss most.

"Originally, I meant for this to be a language learning website," he said. "But most visitors were interested in culture, news and politics, so I have been focusing on that."

Topics on Garbarini's blog are usually those that attract most attention and discussions on Zhihu, which often include happenings in the United States and their reflections in China.

"For example, when there are 2 or 3 million cases of coronavirus in the U.S.," he said. "Whenever there is a new report on that, it is interesting to hear what normal Chinese people think about that."

"Also, sometimes it is interesting to hear stories that have nothing to do with the West and only about China, because lots of times there is no reporting on that in the Western media," he explained.

Noting that Western media have been depicting China in a negative way recently, he said that "it's not my goal to change people's views, but simply to convey what people are talking about on Zhihu."

Taking the recent flooding in Yangtze River as an example, Garbarini said comments from people who live in those areas can help readers learn "first-hand how the flood is affecting them and how they are witnessing the flood-prevention measures."

"I hope that my readers will get a more nuanced understanding and develop more empathy," he said. "If you read the news without knowing the feelings of people who are affected by it, things can become black and white." Enditem
Millions of people went into new lockdowns Tuesday as novel coronavirus cases surged, but in one sign of hope, a US firm said it would soon start final-stage human trials for a possible COVID-19 vaccine. Massachusetts-based Moderna will begin the trials later this month after promising early results. With countries and cities across the globe reimposing restrictions in the face of new outbreaks of the disease, infections in India have continued to soar. The country of 1.3 billion people had been easing its lockdown to lessen the economic impact -- particularly on vast numbers of poor Indians who lost their jobs. Almost 24,000 Indian deaths have now been recorded, according to health ministry figures that many experts say underplay the severity of the situation. Bangalore, home to more than 13 million people, has emerged as a new global hotspot. Firms in the city's lifeblood IT sector handling the back-office operations of dozens of global corporations can continue operating, but with only half the staff allowed on premises. Transport is banned except for emergencies, and only shops selling essential items are allowed to open. "I do not want to take chances... I am stocking up for two weeks," said Mangala, a housewife, as she joined a long queue to buy provisions. In the United States, the announcement of possible progress towards a vaccine came as results were published from the first stage of Moderna's vaccine trial, which showed the first 45 participants all developed antibodies to the virus. Moderna is considered to be in a leading position in the race to find a vaccine against the coronavirus, which has infected more than 13.2 million people and killed 570,000. The last-stage trials are scheduled to run through October 2022, with researchers expecting preliminary results well before then. - No return to 'normal'- But "there will be no return to the 'old normal' for the foreseeable future," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday, warning that without governments adopting a comprehensive strategy, the situation would get "worse and worse and worse." In England, face masks will become compulsory in shops and supermarkets from next week, the health secretary said Tuesday in a U-turn on previous policy. Face masks have been mandatory on public transport across the country since June 15, and Scotland has already made the coverings compulsory for shoppers. After overseeing drastically downscaled Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron also said he would like to make masks mandatory in enclosed public spaces. "We have indications that (the outbreak) is accelerating a bit," he said. Macron's comments come as doctors have warned of a potential second wave of infections, which could again overwhelm hospitals and require new lockdowns that could further hammer the economy. But Disneyland Paris will begin a "phased reopening" on Wednesday, with visitor numbers limited via a new online reservation system to ensure social distancing. In the United States on Tuesday, the hard-hit state of Florida posted a record number of deaths for a 24-hour period at 132. Nationwide, more than 63,262 new infections and 850 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours. California has drastically rolled back its reopening plans and ordered all indoor restaurants, bars and cinemas to close again as cases soared across America's richest and most populous state. Churches -- as well as gyms, shopping malls, hair salons and non-essential offices -- must also shut indoor operations in half of the Golden State's worst-hit and most densely populated counties, including Los Angeles. - Alarm bells - The bruising economic impact of the pandemic was stark in Singapore, where the economy shrank more than 40 percent in the second quarter, plunging the Southeast Asian financial and trading hub into recession for the first time in a decade. "It's the worst-ever quarterly figure in Singapore's 55-year history," CIMB Private Banking regional economist Song Seng Wun told AFP on Tuesday. The worse-than-expected figures will ring alarm bells for other economies reliant on trade. Britain also saw its economy shrink by nearly a fifth in the three months to May compared with the previous quarter as the lockdown crippled activity. Since the start of July, nearly 2.5 million new infections have been registered across the globe, with the number of cases doubling over the past six weeks, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Latin America on Monday recorded the world's second-highest regional death toll, declaring a total of 144,758 fatalities to pass the 144,023 recorded in the United States and Canada. It now stands second only to Europe. South Africa has reimposed a nationwide curfew to prevent a "coronavirus storm" from ravaging the continent's hardest-hit nation, where new infections have topped 12,000 a day. burs/bgs/ch
Unknown gunmen have killed 14 people, including 13 members of a family, in Agbudu, Koton-Karfe local government area of Kogi state. ...





Unknown gunmen have killed 14 people, including 13 members of a family, in Agbudu, Koton-Karfe local government area of Kogi state.





The incident happened around 2am on Wednesday.





Ede Ayuba, Kogi police commissioner who confirmed the killings at a press briefing, said he had mobilised his men but the gunmen had left the scene before their arrival.





I was there and I was part of those who picked some of the dead bodies we are talking about, he said.





Yes, 14 people were killed and about six others were fatally injured. The saddening thing is that out of the 14 dead bodies that were brought out, 13 were from one family.





In that family, it is only one person that survived. His uncle, his mother, his uncles wife, his younger brother, his senior brothers wife, his wife and all his children were killed.





What I think is, there has been a long-standing communal problem around that area which we are not clearly seeing, but we know that it would not be far from it.





Investigation is in progress. The only person that survived the attack is already with us and he is helping us. The chief of that place is also helping us and some other spirited individuals.





Ayuba added that Abdulrasaq Isa-Koto, the ohimege of Koton-Karfe, and other residents are helping with investigation.




In 1988, just before Kashmir erupted with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, a young man from Anantnag, a small town in the Valley, was commissioned in the Indian Air Force.

Thirty-two years later, as Pakistan's ally China is locked in a military faceoff with India, that young Kashmiri officer, now Wing Commander Hilal Ahmed Rather, is the first pilot to fly the premier fighter jet Rafale that India bought from France.

The first five of a batch of French Rafale fighter aircraft are arriving in India on Wednesday for rapid deployment amid China's aggression against India along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

Built by Dassault Aviation, Rafale fighter jets are being flown in by Indian Air Force pilots to the Ambala air base, which is close to both frontiers bordering Pakistan and China. The Indian Air Force received the first Rafale fighter jet in October 2019. Five of the jets had stayed back in France for training. India will receive all the 36 aircraft, which have been ordered, on schedule by the end of 2021.

Wing commander Rather, who is presently Indian Defence Attache in Paris, is a product of Sainik Schoola -- a chain of schools established and run under the Union Ministry of Defence in India.

Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said that Rather was instrumental in ensuring quick delivery and weaponisation of the Rafale fighter jets as per Indian conditions.

Referred to as an 'omnirole' fighter, Rafale is equipped with a wide range of weapons which can do preventive tactical bombing and attack ground targets against the enemy, even strike at ships and perform nuclear deterrence missions.

A resident of Bakhshiabad in Anantnag, Rather studied in the town's Montessori school before moving to Sainik School Nagrota in Jammu. An officer with extraordinary accomplishments, Rather won the National Defense Academy's (NDA) Sword of Honour. The award is given to the officer who achieves overall best performance during his or her entire training period at the academy.

Since the day, the officer has not looked back, sources in the Air Force said. "He is presently one of finest fighter pilots of India," his seniors told IANS.

Rather was commissioned in the IAF as a fighter pilot in the Flying branch on December 17, 1988. He was promoted as Flight Lieutenant in 1993, Wing Commander in 2004, Group Captain in 2010 and Air Commodore in 2016.

"Kashmir, which is usually in news for all the wrong reasons like Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, rioting, political blackmail etc., has shown through Hilal Rather that it has a positive side too. He is indeed a progressive icon and it is a matter of pride that he is from my hometown," Sualeh Keen, a cultural critic from Rather's hometown, Anantnag, told IANS.

"South Kashmir got a bad name because of terrorists who were influenced by ISIS and al Qaeda, like Burhan Wani, Zakir Musa and others. But the fact is that the majority among the youth in Kashmir have always looked up to icons like Rather. They still will," Keen added.

A displaced Kashmiri Pandit, Vijay Zutshi from Anantnag, said, "I really feel proud to know all about Commodore Rather. Being a man from our mohalla and town, I had the honor to be in the same school as him. I wish him all the success and health in his future journey."

On social media, thousands of other Indians hailed the Wing Commander's services to the nation and celebrated his accomplishments as victory of India's equality, pluralism and progress.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Committed to expanding its innovative service offerings into new categories and industries, Code and Theory, a leading digital-first creative agency, has established Code and Theory Health, a new business unit dedicated to servicing brands and organizations within the healthcare industry.

Code and Theory is also significantly broadening its healthcare capabilities and credentials with the addition of Scout Health, a 100-person agency and the nation's longest operating agency focused on rare diseases, orphan drugs and specialty pharmaceuticals. The most recent client partnership as a combined entity is with Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which is preparing to launch a new therapy to treat symptoms of narcolepsy. Jazz is one of Scout's long-time clients.

"We saw an important gap in the market that Code and Theory Health fills, as there has been a lack of legitimate options for digitally transformational healthcare services. Code and Theory Health combines Scout Health's crucial in-category healthcare expertise with Code and Theory's digital perspective that it has leveraged to help transform other industries. By applying this approach and these insights to the healthcare space, we're able to help businesses reimagine how they engage and connect with patients, caregivers, and healthcare practitioners," said Dan Gardner, Code and Theory's chief executive officer and founder. He believes that this approach creates a powerful, differentiated offering in the marketplace.

Jennifer Brekke, principal and chief executive officer of Scout Health, said, "We've partnered with Code and Theory in the past and quickly recognized what we can accomplish as a unified team. This is the right time to integrate Code and Theory's unrivaled digital expertise with our 20 years of work in complex disease states to fill a gap in the market with groundbreaking strategies, forward-thinking digital transformation, and bold creative ideas."

Code and Theory Health will be overseen by an executive management team made up of Gardner and Michael Treff, president of Code and Theory. Brekke and Raffi Siyahian, principal and president of Scout Health, will also join the executive management team and remain the leaders of Scout Health. Code and Theory Health will operate from multiple U.S. and global offices in the current Code and Theory/Scout Health network. For more information, visit health.codeandtheory.com.

Also included is Scout Health's Atlanta-based, consumer-focused division, known simply as SCOUT. The two entities add to Code and Theory's existing portfolio, which includes Mediacurrent, a leader in Drupal technology, and Rhythm, a specialist in integrated digital marketing solutions. More additions will be announced in the coming weeks.

All agencies involved are part of The Stagwell Group www.stagwellgroup.com, the first and only independent, digital-first, full-service marketing and communications group that works with simplicity and speed at scale.

About Code and Theory

Founded in 2001, Code and Theory is a strategically driven, digital-first creative agency that lives at the intersection of creativity and technology. With 500 employees across six global offices, the agency solves consumer and business problems with end-to-end solutions that flex to meet the needs of today's ever-changing digital landscape. The firm works in a broad range of industries, including publishing, finance, education and healthcare. Client partnerships include adidas, CNN, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, Mars, NBC, Pfizer, and Xerox.

To learn more, visit www.codeandtheory.com.

About Scout Health

Scout Health, founded in 1999, is the longest operating rare disease and specialty pharma focused agency in the United States. The agency has a wide spectrum of disease state experience including launches of multiple novel therapies in categories like diabetes, epilepsy, and centronuclear myopathies. With more than 100 employees across offices in Chicago, Atlanta, New York and San Diego, the agency has been helping healthcare clients achieve their business and brand goals  and helping patients, caregivers and healthcare providers connect with life-changing treatments  since 1999. Client experience includes Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Lundbeck, Grifols, Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Retrophin, and teva Pharmaceuticals.

For more information, visit www.scouthc.com.

PRESS CONTACTS:

Cynthia Amorese / (908) 665-8072 / [email protected]

Jennifer Brekke / (404) 444.1999 / [email protected]

Brent Buntin / (917) 902.5274 / [email protected]

SOURCE Code and Theory

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https://www.codeandtheory.com


ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Several Alaska Republican lawmakers have campaigned against fellow GOP state Rep. David Eastman, who they blame for the failure of Republicans to take control of the states House of Representatives in 2018.

Members of the House Republican minority campaigned over the weekend in Eastmans Wasilla district for his GOP primary opponent, The Anchorage Daily News reported Monday.

The group went door-to-door trying to generate support for challenger Jesse Sumner in the Aug. 18 primary.

The Republican campaigners included Reps. Laddie Shaw, Sara Rasmussen and Mel Gillis of Anchorage, Kelly Merrick of Eagle River and Cathy Tilton of Wasilla.

Retiring Rep. Colleen Sullivan-Leonard of Wasilla and Rep. George Rauscher of Sutton also support Sumner.

David Eastman has been working against his own people, and hes been doing it for the past two years, Shaw said. We want somebody to come in with an open mind and an open heart and be part of the team.

Tilton said Eastman was a key factor in the Republican failure to assert control over the House after the 2018 election, when 23 GOP lawmakers were elected to the 40-member body.

Soon after the election, 21 Republicans said they would form a majority. Eastman was among them, but said he would not promise his vote for Speaker of the House without preconditions.

Without a firm Republican majority, some party members joined Democrats and independents to form a coalition majority.

We had the opportunity to be a majority. We had the numbers, Tilton said. There were other things afoot, but the predictability of Rep. David Eastman played into the hands of others, and they were able to use that as their excuse.

In two legislative sessions that followed, Eastman criticized his fellow Republicans on a variety of issues.

The House Republican minority put Eastman on what they called probation in March, with Minority Leader Lance Pruitt of Anchorage saying Matanuska-Susitna Republicans should reconsider who they want to represent them.

Eastman defended his positions in a text message.

It is ironic that the one elected legislator with a 100% Conservative voting record, and the one legislator who most consistently opposed the Democrat takeover of the State House, is also the one legislator that Anchorage legislators are now campaigning against by knocking on doors in the Mat-Su, Eastman said.

He added: Thats a square peg trying to go into a round hole if I ever saw one.
- The COVID-19 crisis has affected the global medical marijuana market in a negative way. The government of various countries all across the globe are taking initiatives to legalize marijuana to sustain during the forecast period

PUNE, India, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic has immensely impacted the Global Medical Marijuana Market and a slight drop is witnessed in the growth rate as compared to the previous predictions. As per new Research Dive published report, the global medical marijuana market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 27.4% by 2026, generating a revenue of $33,211.7 million in the period of forecast from 2019 to 2026. While there is a decline in the growth rate due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the market is likely to recover by Q3/Q4 of 2022.

Request to Download COVID-19 Impact Analysis Report https://www.researchdive.com/covid-19-insights/234/global-medical-marijuana-marketmyQueryForm

Highlights of the Report

As per our analysts, the governments all across the globe are taking initiatives to legalize marijuana due to its various medicinal benefits such as treatment of chronic diseases is a significant factor propelling the growth of global medical marijuana market. The projected market size for the medical marijuana industry prior to COVID-19 chaos was $7.751.9 million in 2020 and this number is predicted to drop down to $5,813.9 million post-coronavirus pandemic. The illegal use and selling of marijuana for recreational activities will restrict the market growth in the coming years. Conversely, the manufacturers and key players of the global industry are increasingly investing in R&D activities in order to develop novel vaccinations for various diseases will impel the demand for medical marijuana during the forecast period.

Adopting Various Strategies to Sustain in Pandemic Situation

The leading players of the medical marijuana market include Insys Therapeutics, Inc., ABcann Medicinals, Inc., mCig, Aphria, Inc., Green Relief Inc., Aurora Cannabis, Inc., GW Pharmaceuticals, Canopy Growth Corporation, Cannabis Sativa, Inc. and Emerald Health Therapeutics. Partnerships, collaborations, geographical expansion, and R&D investments are the major strategies adopted by these players in these unprecedented times.

For instance, Cresco labs has expanded in Ohio medical cannabis market by acquiring four dispensaries.

Besides, several research institutes and manufacturers of medical marijuana are collaborating with each other to develop a novel vaccination for treatment and prevention of COVID-19 disease. Canada and Israel are the two major countries who are already under clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccination.

Download Sample Report - Competitive Landscape https://www.researchdive.com/download-sample/234

Global Industry to Witness Noteworthy Growth Post-COVID-19 Crisis

Research Dive states that the global medical marijuana market is anticipated to witness a notable growth post-COVID-19 pandemic. Cannabis has several medicinal benefits such as treating chronic diseases and acute inflammatory pain, which will surge the demand for medical marijuana during the forecast period. Moreover, the government initiatives to legalize cannabis is another factor predicted to impel the market growth after COVID-19 pandemic.

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Similar Reports:

1. Generic Medicine Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026 - Request to Download TOC Sample

2. Pharmaceutical Excipients Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027- Request to Download TOC Sample

About Research Dive

Research Dive is a market research firm based in Pune, India. Maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the services, the firm provides the services that are solely based on its exclusive data model, compelled by the 360-degree research methodology, which guarantees comprehensive and accurate analysis. With an unprecedented access to several paid data resources, team of expert researchers, and strict work ethic, the firm offers insights that are extremely precise and reliable. Scrutinizing relevant news releases, government publications, decades of trade data, and technical & white papers, Research dive deliver the required services to its clients well within the required timeframe. Its expertise is focused on examining niche markets, targeting its major driving factors, and spotting threatening hindrances. Complementarily, it also has a seamless collaboration with the major industry aficionado that further offers its research an edge.

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Samsung isnt the only company in the world diving into research on a foldable phone, but it certainly seems to be the farthest along, as Samsungs preparing to reveal the next device in this category.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is that device, and its expected to make an appearance at the companys upcoming Unpacked event on August 5. Previously thought to be called the Galaxy Fold 2, a leak from early July suggests that the second fold will actually adopt the Z branding.

So instead of being called the Galaxy Fold 2, Samsungs next foldable phone will be called the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Following in the footsteps of the Galaxy Z Flip, the companys second foldable phone.

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Leading up to Unpacked, a series of images have surfaced of the phone. These give the best look yet at Samsungs soon to be newest device with a foldable display.

Samsungs next foldable phone will come in at least two colors

These high-resolution renders that can be seen below show off the phone in two different colors.

This means Samsung has plans to release the device in at least two color options when it launches a little bit later this year. The colors match up with the colors for the Galaxy Note 20.

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Based on the leaked images Samsung will release the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black. The Galaxy Note 20 series devices are also supposed to release in Mystic White and a Green color.

So theres a chance that Samsung may release the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in those two colors as well. For now though, expect that Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black could be the only two options.

It comes with a triple camera array on the back

Like many devices this year, and not just the ones from Samsung, the phone will come with three rear cameras.

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This has been a trend in smartphones for nearly the last year. Samsung already uses three cameras on its other high-end phones as well. So when you think about it, it might be a little unexpected if Samsung didnt use three cameras for the Galaxy Z Fold 2.

Alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung is expected to reveal four other devices. This includes the Galaxy Tab S7, the Galaxy Watch 3, the Galaxy Buds Live, and the Galaxy Note 20 series.

Samsung should also unveil pricing and availability for all of these devices during the announcement at Unpacked. Though theres always the chance it will let carriers announce their own pricing.
Rahul Gandhi, who had unsuccessfully centered the Congress campaign against the BJP in the 2019 elections around the deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets, on Wednesday tweeted his congratulations to the Indian Air Force after the first batch of the combat aircraft landed at the IAFs Ambala air base.

Gandhi then took aim at the BJP-led government and fired three questions at the Centre to revive his campaign pitch that alleged irregularities in the deal to buy the 36 jets from French company Dassault Aviation.

The Congress had also tweeted a congratulatory note to the IAF a few hours earlier. That one went ahead to claim credit for zeroing in on the Rafale fighter in 2012. It has finally borne fruit, the Congress had tweeted before going on to accuse the government of buying the jets in an overpriced deal.

Also read: Moments after Rafale fighter jets land, Rajnath Singhs veiled warning to China

The Congress claimed that the deal that was struck by the Manmohan Singh government was in power would have ensured that the Indian Air Force receives 126 fighter jets instead of 36 aircraft. The stark difference between the Congress and BJP deal reveals the BJPs scam, the Congress handle said in a post.

Congratulations to IAF for Rafale. Meanwhile, can GOI answer: 1) Why each aircraft costs Rs 1670 Crores instead of Rs 526 Crores? 2) Why 36 aircraft were bought instead of 126? 3) Why was bankrupt Anil given a Rs 30,000 Crores contract instead of HAL? Gandhi said in a tweet, reiterating the allegations that had formed the crux of his campaign against PM Modis re-election in 2019.

Congratulations to IAF for Rafale.



Meanwhile, can GOI answer:



1) Why each aircraft costs 1670 Crores instead of 526 Crores?



2) Why 36 aircraft were bought instead of 126?



3) Why was bankrupt Anil given a 30,000 Crores contract instead of HAL?  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 29, 2020

Also read | Rafale deal still hurting BJP: Rahul Gandhi during Maharashtra poll rally

But his campaign themed around these allegations of irregularities and his chowkidar chor hai slogan directed at PM Modi had backfired in 2019. Gandhi, 50, had resigned from the leadership role of the Congress soon after the election results were announced and since then, rarely spoken of the Rafale deal.

Wednesday was an exception, possibly given the hype around the first batch of the planes that reached Ambala air base. Gandhis congratulatory note to the IAF, however, is also designed to underscore that he did not question the decision of buying the Rafale jets - it was a Congress government which has selected it - but only the terms of the deal.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier in the evening alluded to the political campaign around the deal to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi for going ahead with the deal. The Rafale jets were purchased when they fully met the operational requirements of the IAF. The baseless allegations against this procurement have already been answered and settled, Rajnath Singh tweeted.

The NDA governments decision to buy 36 Rafales was announced in April 2015, with the deal signed a little more than a year later. This replaced the previous United Progressive Alliances decision to buy 126 Rafale aircraft, 108 of which were to be made in India by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited using parts imported from France. A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit tabled in February last year concluded that the new deal was 2.86% cheaper than the price negotiated by the UPA government. It did not disclose pricing details.
DENVER, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TermScout, a legal tech platform developed by lawyers to help legal and sales teams reduce the complexity and time required in the commercial contract review process, announced today that it has closed a $1.25 million Series Seed and a previous $350,000 convertible note funding round for a combined $1.6 million.

U.S. businesses sign billions of contracts each year, spending an average of $6,900 to review even simple, low-risk contracts1. TermScout offers contract review services using artificial intelligence, plus real human attorneys, for under $100 per contract.

The Series Seed round includes investments from Hilltop Venture Partners, Techstars, and EonCapital, and will be used to develop the contract review and comparison platform and launch a website offering free and premium information about the top 500 B2B SaaS contracts.

"We're so excited to see such strong interest and support from our investors to help us realize TermScout's vision," says Otto Hanson, CEO and co-founder of TermScout. "The world desperately needs a better way to make sense of the contracts we sign - what we're building will transform the contract review process for businesses and, eventually, for people, too."

Brad Greenwald, managing partner at Hilltop Venture Partners, shares why it invested in this round. "TermScout is working on a solution to one of the world's biggest unsolved problems - how to make sense of the billions of contracts that are signed by U.S. businesses every year. Their team has deep experience with this problem and includes one of the co-founders of a similar business in the healthcare space - Healthgrades."

The funding continues on the heels of a strong year for TermScout, where the company landed a coveted spot in the 2020 Techstars Boulder Accelerator program, completed the LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator, and signed its first enterprise clients.

About TermScout

TermScout is a legal technology platform that brings transparency to the contract review process, reducing the time and expense associated with reviewing commercial contracts by up to 50%. TermScout is backed by Techstars, was a participant in the LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator, and was a winner of the 2018 Global Legal Hackathon.

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Anke Corbin

Email: [email protected]

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Ecuador on alert over huge Chinese fishing fleet off Galapagos Islands

July 29,2020 | Source: BBC News

Ecuador is on alert due to the appearance of a huge fleet of mostly Chinese-flagged fishing vessels off its Galapagos Islands.



Patrols are trying to ensure the fleet - which is made up of around 260 vessels - does not enter the delicate eco-system from international waters.



Chinese vessels travel to the region each year in search of marine species.



In 2017, a Chinese vessel was caught in the marine reserve with 300 tonnes of wildlife, most of it sharks.



"We are on alert, [conducting] surveillance, patrolling to avoid an incident such as what happened in 2017," Ecuadorean Defence Minister Oswaldo Jarrin told reporters.



There was no immediate comment from the Chinese authorities when contacted by BBC News.



The ex-mayor of Quito, Roque Sevilla, told The Guardian that a "protection strategy" was being designed for the islands.



"Unchecked Chinese fishing just on the edge of the protected zone is ruining Ecuador's efforts to protect marine life in the Galapagos," he said.



President Lenin Moreno has said that Ecuador will hold consultations with other Latin American countries with a coastline on the Pacific - Colombia, Peru, Chile, Panama and Costa Rica - in order to form a joint regional position concerning the "threat".



"Because of that [natural] wealth in that area, we suffer immense pressure from international fishing fleets," he was reported as saying in El Universo newspaper.



The Galapagos Marine Reserve boasts large numbers of shark species, including endangered whale and hammerheads.



The Galapagos Islands are a Unesco World Heritage site renowned worldwide for their unique array of plants and wildlife.



Charles Darwin made observations critical to his theory of evolution on the islands.

 2020 BBC

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.
Glamorous Lady Lola Bute has said she is 'grateful' to have been given a 'second chance' at life as she marks one year of sobriety.

The 21-year-old daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness of Bute celebrated the milestone with a lunch in Ibiza, where she is on holiday with friends including fellow clean-living society beauty Lady Mary Charteris.

Lady Lola discussed her change in lifestyle on Instagram, where she admitted she feels as though she has 'changed for the better'.

Glamorous Lady Lola Bute has said she is 'grateful' to have been given a 'second chance' at life as she marks one year of sobriety. She shared this photograph to mark the occasion

Lady Lola discussed her change in lifestyle on Instagram, where she admitted she feels as though she has 'changed for the better', pictured

She wrote: 'A year ago yesterday was the day my life really started. I made a decision to change for the better and i feel so grateful and lucky to have had a second chance.'

The Tatler star, who turned 21 in June, said it felt like she was having a 'second birthday'. Her friends made sure to make the day special by organising for a cake with sparklers to be brought out during their lunch by the sea.

Lady Lola has seen first hand the dangers of a life of excess. She was a close friend of IIa Scheckter, daughter of former F1 champion Jody Scheckter, who died of a 'suspected accidental overdose' last year after losing her battle with addiction.

Lady Lola has shared her sobriety journey with her 11,400 Instagram followers.

In January she marked six months with a post saying: 'Six months sober #grateful.' In the photo she is seen holding up a 'clean and serene' keyring.

Lady Lola shared this photo taken on a boat and said she 'felt iconic' after a year of sobriety

The 21-year-old daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness of Bute celebrated the milestone with a lunch in Ibiza, where she is on holiday with friends including fellow clean-living society beauty Lady Mary Charteris, who shared this post of her celebratory lunch

The aristocrat also spearheads Eternity, an initiative created to bring attention to suicide, addiction and mental health related issues and to break stigmas surrounding them.

Last month Lady Lola celebrated her birthday with a party at the London studio of her fashion designer mother, Serena Bute.

Guests included her father, former F1 racing driver John Crichton-Stuart, and close friend Bella Broekman Tilbury, niece of make-up megastar Charlotte Tilbury.

Lola recently returned to London after spending a month in lockdown on the Isle of Bute with friends including Vogue cover girl Adwoa Aboah, 27, and Ruby Boglione, the youngest daughter of Petersham Nurseries founders Gael and Francesco.

Last month Lady Lola celebrated her birthday with a party at the London studio of her fashion designer mother, Serena Bute. Pictured, Lola in Ibiza with a friend

It is thought the group stayed at a holiday cottage on the island, rather than the family's ancestral seat, Mount Stuart Manor House, which is home to Lola's parents.

Mount Stuart Manor House has been home to the Marquess of Bute since the 1870s, replacing an earlier house by Alexander McGill, which was built in 1719.

The property, which is partly open to the public, boasts a famous colonnaded Marble Hall and crystal-studded vaulted ceilings.

In 2007 the Marquess of Bute sold his other family home, Dumfries House, to Prince Charles for 45million.
The president, in a marked shift from the more measured approach hes taken toward the virus in recent days, took to Twitter to promote hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and to amplify criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert. In a White House briefing, Trump defended his decision to promote a viral video of a group of doctors promoting the use of the drug Monday, even though his own administration withdrew emergency authorization for its use against the coronavirus.
An RCMP officer informs a migrant couple of the location of an official border station, shortly before they illegally crossed from New York to Quebec via Roxham Road on Aug. 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Sovereignty, Refugee Protection at Stake in Canada and US Asylum Court Cases

Two weeks before Federal Court Justice Ann Marie McDonald struck down the Safe Third Country Agreements application in Canada on constitutional grounds, Californias 9th District Court of Appeals backed an injunction against a similar, nascent third country asylum rule announced in July 2019 by the Department of Homeland Security.

Rhode Island lawyer Peter Margulies, an expert on national security law, says there are parallels in the decisions, but U.S. asylum cooperation agreements with Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala are a travesty compared to the 16-year-old treaty between Canada and the United States.

What [the decisions] do have in common, I think, is they both respond to the tightening of asylum during the Trump administration, said Margulies, who teaches at the Roger Williams University School of Law.

The Canadian decision is a reaction to a trend in U.S. law that in fairness certainly started before Trump  in using detention to restrict asylum-seekers. [The United States] used that approach for almost 25 years, certainly since the 1996 Immigration Act. In fact, before then, but the trend accelerated during the Trump administration.

The two court decisions put paramount importance on refugee rights, but Margulies notes a U.S. Supreme Court decision which determined that U.S. constitutional rights did not apply to a Sri Lankan man caught 22 metres inside the border attempting to sneak into the country.

The asylum officer determined that the mans story about fear of persecution in his home country lacked credibility.

The court cited, as its done repeatedly, that the United States has a sovereign interest in control of its bordersthats very important in U.S. law. And youll see, based on what happens with the federal decision, whether or not the Canadian court feels the same way, feels sovereignty is that important, he said.

I certainly think sovereignty is a very important interest that has to be weighed against refugee protections.  Compared to the U.S. agreements with Central American countries like Guatemala, the US-Canada (STC) agreement is the model.

Margulies adds, however, that people who deal with refugees regularly may say that its not enough, due to fear that someone who is sent to the United States may be mistakenly sent back to their home country where they would face persecution.

Lone Asylum Applicant

Detention of the migrants who challenged the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) in Federal Court weighed heavily in Justice McDonalds decision, in which she describes Ethiopian national Nedira Mustefas treatment by U.S. officials after being turned away from Canada as something that would shock the conscience.

Mustefa was the lone asylum applicant in the federal court challenge that also included families from El Salvador and Syria, whose personal stories McDonald considered in declaring that the immigration law is unconstitutional.

In effect since 2004, the STCA stipulates that refugees must file for protection in the first safe country they arrive inCanada or United States. However, McDonalds ruling indicates that the United States is no longer qualified as a safe third country; therefore it violates Section 7 of the Charter right to life, liberty and security of person.

Ottawa is currently reviewing the ruling. McDonald suspended her declaration of invalidity for six months to give Parliament an opportunity to respond, which could take the form of an appeal, immigration law re-write, or simply allowing the federal court decision to stand.

The Canadian Council for Refugees prefers the latter.

We are certainly urging the Canadian government not to appeal the decision. This is a decision which found that [STCA] is a violation of peoples charter rights to send them back to the U.S., said Janet Dench, council executive director and co-applicant in the case with the unnamed Salvadoran family.

This is the councils second challenge of the STCA, along with other groups. In 2005, the groups used the plight of a failed U.S. asylum seeker from Columbia, John Doe, to win at Federal Court, but lost on appeal three years later.

John Doe never presented himself at the Canadian border and, therefore, never requested a determination regarding his eligibility  in this case, [there] is no factual basis on which to assess the alleged Charter breaches, reads the 2008 Federal Court of Appeal decision which noted that it was not for the court to determine whether United States was living up to its obligations.

The Supreme Court of Canada ultimately declined to hear the case in 2009.

Spike in Asylum Seekers



Since the beginning of 2017, nearly 60,000 people have illegally entered Canada overland from the United States at unofficial border crossings, with nearly 95 percent of them entering at Roxham Road in Quebec.

The nexus for this spike in asylum traffic heading North began with U.S. President Donald Trumps executive order on Jan. 26, 2017, that imposed a 90-day travel ban for national security reasons from seven countries: Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Iran, Sudan, and Libya.

Two days later on Jan. 28, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated that Canada was open for asylum seekers. To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength. #WelcomeToCanada, he wrote on Twitter.

A report by the National Post citing government emails said there was a spike in inquiries from would-be refugees to Canada after Trudeaus tweet.

The STCA does not apply at non-ports-of-entry (non-POE), and that loophole has been used to enter Canada illegally in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Quebec in order to claim asylum.

As refugee arrivals dropped in the United States, illegal migration and asylum claims doubled in Canada; the 19,419 irregular border crossers in 2018 was nearly the same number as refugee arrivals in the United States, plus the almost 30,000 such asylum claims processed by Canadian Border Services Agency at air, land, and sea ports.

As the influx of illegals continued, Ottawa established makeshift receiving areas at Roxham Road staffed by Canadian Border Services Agents and RCMP officers who expedited the steady stream of asylum seekers.

In 2019, the Auditor General of Canada reported that this surge over two years had stretched an already overtaxed immigration department to the breaking point and without additional funding, processing times could take as long as five years.

Making matters worse on the immigration front was another Auditor General report released at the beginning of July this year which found that the Canada Border Services Agency had lost track of more than 34,000 foreign nationals slated for deportation.

Though a significant figure, it pales when compared to the situation in the United States where its estimated that more than 10 million are in-country illegally.
New Delhi, July 29 : Welcoming 'National Education Policy 2020', Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that India was in dire need of such a futuristic policy for the last 34 years, bringing in much needed historic reforms in both school and higher education.

His remark came after the union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the new National Education Policy which is expected to set the roadmap for the sector. The policy comes after almost three decades.

"Education is the foundation of any nation and for the last 34 years, India was in dire need of such a futuristic policy," Shah tweeted.

Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on this landmark policy decision, Shah said it will play an unprecedented role in building of a New India.

"It is truly a remarkable day in the history of Indian education system. Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, Union Cabinet today approved 'National Education Policy 2020' for the 21st century; bringing in much needed historic reforms in both School and Higher Education." The Minister also mentioned in his tweet that "No nation in the world can excel by giving up its culture and values".

He said that the aim of Prime Minister Modi's National Education Policy 2020 is to create an education system which is deeply rooted in Indian ethos and can rebuild India as a global knowledge superpower, by providing high-quality education to all.

He asserted that 'National Education Policy 2020' will reach students of every section of the society and a special joint task force will be constituted to ensure the same.

Shah further said continuous and strategic steps will be taken to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education.

He added that "New Education Policy 2020 brings in various features like 5+3+3+4 system in school education, introduction of new four-year courses, single point common regulatory system, fee fixation and common norms within board regulatory framework along with multiple entry and exit points in higher education".

Shah pointed out that New Education Policy will also have the provision of academic credit bank, increased investment in education system, internationalism of education, special education zone for disadvantaged regions, upgradation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya to 12 grade and an increased focus on Lok Vidya and the use of technology.

"The objective of National Education Policy 2020 is to bring in a huge transformational change in the Indian Education system through holistic and multidisciplinary approaches. Focus on different aspects will lead to the overall development of the children across the country," Shah added.
Re: Navy to replace Seaman

Why were we as Canadians, veterans and civilians not informed about the Canadian Navy's dropping of the word Seamen

It is a term for all seafaring personnel men and women world wide. It is a term used world wide for all men and women that went to sea for thousands of years that word Seamen has been used with pride and distinction. They had no right to just drop this word without consultation, at the very least there should have been consultations with the Armed Forces, veterans and civilians before this action was taken.

TJ McLuskey, disgusted 11-year veteran and proud of being called a Seamen
Ukraine's state arms exporter Ukrspecexport, part of the Ukroboronprom State Concern, increased net sales revenue in the first half of 2020 by 36.6% year-on-year, to UAH 1.53 billion, Ukroboronprom's press service has reported.

"Despite severe restrictions in work due to the pandemic and lockdown in most of the company's partner countries, Ukrspecexport increased sales of military and dual-use products on world markets. At the same time, we have managed to significantly increase the profitability of our sales. As a result, the company's net profit in the first six months of this year grew by 2.2 times compared to 2019, to UAH 150 million," the press service quoted the company's director general, Vadym Nozdria, as saying.

According to him, such dynamics of the company's development is due to the success of a number of foreign economic contracts and the introduction of new standards of operational management.

In particular, this year Ukrspecexport delivered BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, fulfilled a foreign trade contract for the supply of radars to a foreign customer and began cooperation with Pakistan in the field of military aircraft repair.

op
TikTok's CEO Kevin Mayer pushed back against rival Facebook on Wednesday, saying that TikTok brings more competition to the advertising marketplace. Facebook is rolling out a competing feature called Reels on Instagram in the U.S. next month. Mayer, a former Disney executive, is shown at Disney's D23 EXPO 2019 in Anaheim. (Jesse Grant / Getty Images)

TikTok Chief Executive Kevin Mayer on Wednesday defended his company's practices as it faces increasing pressure from the U.S. government, competitors and its creators over the app's ties to China.

The popular streaming app, owned by China-based tech company ByteDance, has been used by many Hollywood celebrities and musical artists to promote their songs and engage with fans. But its ties to China have caused TikTok's data practices to come under scrutiny and competitors have sought to use that to their advantage in attempting to poach TikTok's popular video creators to their platforms.

On Wednesday, Mayer said the company, which has an expanding presence in Southern California, plans to increase its $200-million creator fund in the U.S. to $1 billion over the next three years.

The former Walt Disney Co. executive also called on all companies to disclose their algorithms, moderation policies and data flows to regulators. TikTok is opening a transparency center in Culver City where outside experts can monitor its practices.

"The entire industry has received scrutiny, and rightly so," Mayer said in a statement posted on TikTok's website. "Yet, we have received even more scrutiny due to the company's Chinese origins. We accept this and embrace the challenge of giving peace of mind through greater transparency and accountability. We believe it is essential to show users, advertisers, creators, and regulators that we are responsible and committed members of the American community that follows U.S. laws."

The company has said that it has not and will not give U.S. customer information to the Chinese government.

But some creators have expressed concern about how their data is handled, including Josh Richards with more than 20 million TikTok followers. He and three other popular creators on Tuesday announced they will leave TikTok for L.A.-based music video app Triller. Richards also has a financial interest in the move: He took on a new executive role at Triller and became an investor in the company.

Story continues

Meanwhile, other creators are looking to grow their audiences on Instagram, which will launch a new feature called Reels next month in the U.S. Mayer called Reels a "copycat product" to TikTok, and said his company welcomes the competition.

"But let's focus our energies on fair and open competition in service of our consumers, rather than maligning attacks by our competitor  namely Facebook  disguised as patriotism and designed to put an end to our very presence in the U.S.," Mayer said.

"Without TikTok, American advertisers would again be left with few choices," he added. "Competition would dry up and so too will an outlet for America's creative energy."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with executives from other major tech companies, were scheduled to speak at a congressional antitrust hearing Wednesday morning. In his prepared remarks, Zuckerberg touted Facebook as "a proudly American company."

"We believe in values  democracy, competition, inclusion and free expression  that the American economy was built on," Zuckerberg said. "Many other tech companies share these values, but theres no guarantee our values will win out. For example, China is building its own version of the internet focused on very different ideas, and they are exporting their vision to other countries."

Some legislators have called for more scrutiny on large tech companies, saying they have grown too big and powerful for other businesses to compete.

Zuckerberg in his remarks said he believes it's important for Congress and stakeholders to "maintain the core values of openness and fairness that have made Americas digital economy a force for empowerment and opportunity here and around the world."

Some analysts believe that TikTok has been caught in the trade war between the U.S. and China. Some Trump administration officials said they are considering banning the app, suggesting that TikTok has become a pawn in a political war between the countries, analysts said.

TikTok has had explosive growth and was the most downloaded app globally as of last week, according to San Francisco mobile research firm Sensor Tower. Its popularity has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people look for ways to entertain themselves at home.

In his statement, Mayer said that "TikTok has become the latest target but we are not the enemy." He said the company is willing to take all the steps to ensure its long-term availability and success.

"For our skeptics, I am confident we have the answers and where we do not, we will improve," Mayer said. "The onus is on us to step up. We are doing so, and will continue to take the bold steps needed. I accept and appreciate the challenge."
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MIAMI, FL, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Progressive Care Inc. (OTCQB: RXMD) (Progressive Care or the Company), a personalized healthcare services and technology company, is excited to announce the expansion of the Companys PharmCo branded pharmacy operations and presence in the Orlando metropolitan area. The Company is moving out of its current Orlando pharmacy location, which is a 700 square-foot mini-pharmacy operating under the Five Star brand designation, to a 3,700 square-foot full-size pharmacy that will open under the PharmCo brand designation.

The Company is also very pleased to report that this move, which represents an expansion in property size of more than 400%, will not increase monthly lease costs.



Once completed, the move will allow for a dramatic expansion in the services and products offered in the Orlando market, including the full scope of PharmCo pharmacy goods and services, as well as therapy management, patient management, cost management services, and rapid-results testing services (COVID-19 IgG/IgM) as authorized by the FDA under its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) guidelines for conducting SARS-CoV-2 antibody presence and COVID-19 infection diagnosis testing.



The inclusion of future testing at this new location represents the Companys continued expansion in that service area. As noted in its release dated July 14, Progressive Care expanded its antibody testing regional footprint to include Palm Beach County earlier this week. Todays announcement indicates further expansion of that coverage zone, which now also includes Orange County. The Companys antibody testing service has been met with extremely strong demand at its Dade location, depleting testing kit inventories through sales to health providers and on-site test administrations. In response to both this surge in demand and the expansion in regional coverage, the Company has ordered a large new supply of antibody testing kits for sale and administration across South Florida with Orange County coming on shortly.



This move will create access to a wider base of customers, patients, and providers, and will provide much-needed room to grow for years to come, remarked S. Parikh Mars, CEO of Progressive Care. Both the small size and limited location surroundings of our Five Star location have been constraining our ability to grow in the dynamic Orlando market. In addition, the shift in brand designation to our widely recognized PharmCo brand will drive expanded market share potential and allow us to tap the huge potential we see in this market.



Management notes that the new location offers an ideal context for a large full-service pharmacy presence. Not only is the space much larger and better suited to a high volume of business, but the surrounding area features four major clinical healthcare provider operations within a direct view of the new storefront. In addition, because its pharmacy operations at the Five Star location have been situated inside a specific clinic, the Company believes relocating into a larger stand-alone space will create a much wider marketing opportunity, allowing PharmCo to target area providers far more effectively.



Progressive Care is committed to providing Florida residents, businesses, and healthcare providers with the resources necessary to successfully navigate this challenging healthcare environment. The Company looks forward to helping Orlando in its fight against the COVID-19 health crisis through access to PharmCos antibody testing services.



We have established leadership in contactless delivery of pharmacy services and access to rapid-results antibody testing in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties in recent months, continued Mars. We are grateful for the opportunity to extend the scope of that commitment to our valued patients, providers, and residents in the Orlando metropolitan area.



For more information about Progressive Care, please visit the Companys website progressivecareus.com



Connect and stay in touch with us on social media:



Progressive Care Inc.

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveCareUS/

https://twitter.com/ProgressCareUS



PharmCoRx

https://www.facebook.com/pharmcorx/

https://twitter.com/PharmCoRx



ClearMetrX

https://www.clearmetrx.com/

https://www.facebook.com/clearmetrx/

Carlos Rangel

carlosr@pharmcorx.com
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Department of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE), Kerala will release Class 11 Results or Kerala Plus One Result around 11 AM on the official website of Kerala Results on Wednesday (July 29, 2020). Once officially released, candidates can check their results by visiting the official website.

While the DHSE Kerala would release the results on keralaresults.nic.in, students can also check their Kerala DHSE class 11 results on dhsekerala.gov.in.

Kerala Education Minister C Raveendranath had earlier made an announcement regarding the Kerala DHSE +1 results 2020 and said that the results will be announced soon. The minister made the announcement while announcing the Kerala Plus Two results 2020 on Wednesday. In his announcement, C Raveendranath said that the tabulation work of Kerala plus one result 2020 is going on and the DHSE plus one result 2020 will be declared very soon online.

How to check Kerala DHSE Kerala Plus one result 2020 online:

Step 1: Log in at the official website of Kerala DHSE  keralaresults.nic.in;

Step 2: On home page, click at 'HSE Results'.

Step 3: Click at Plus one results.

Step 4: Fill in your roll number and other credentials.

Step 5: Your result will be displayed on the computer monitor.

Step 6: Download and take a printout of it for future references.

Those students who appeared in the Kerala DHSE +1 Exams 2020 are advised to keep checking at the boards official websites - keralaresults.nic.in and dhsekerala.gov.in to know their result.

Students can get their Kerala plus one result 2020 via SMS through mobile apps like Saphalam or PRD Live.

The Kerala DHSE class 12 result is now available on the official website of the Kerala board - keralaresults.nic.in, dhsekerala.gov.in. In the Kerala DHSE class 12 results, the pass percentage has registered an improvement of 0.77 per cent as it is 85.13 per cent in 2020 as compared to 84.33 per cent in 2019. A total of 3.75 lakh students appeared for Kerala Board +2 exams out of which 3.19 lakh passed the exams successfully.
CLEVELAND--Case Western Reserve University scientists are developing artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help surgeons and oncologists identify the subtle but critical differences between a recurring tumor and damaged non-cancerous tissue on post-operative MRI scans of certain cancer patients.

The work is being led by Pallavi Tiwari, PhD, and Satish Viswanath, PhD. Both are faculty members in the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and lead researchers in the Center for Computational Imaging and Personal Diagnostics (CCIPD) at the Case School of Engineering.

Tiwari, Viswanath and several collaborators were recently awarded a $1.15 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI)'s Informatics Technology in Cancer Research (ITCR) program to pursue development and dissemination of the AI-informed tools.

Avoiding second surgeries

The potential benefit for doctors and their patients: Fewer unnecessary surgeries to remove suspect tissue which now can only be confirmed to be non-cancerous after initial therapy.

Doctors often end up performing those surgeries for one simple reason: Tissue that has been scarred and damaged--even killed--by chemotherapy or radiation resembles a recurring tumor on an MRI scan, the researchers said.

"They look very similar on the image, at least from what the human eye can perceive," said Viswanath, who specializes in colorectal cancers, while Tiwari focuses on brain cancers.

For a colorectal cancer patient, that can often mean getting a proctectomy (a portion of the rectum removed), a radical procedure that significantly reduces quality of life, Viswanath said.

"So, until now, if you don't take the lesion out, you can't tell if it's a tumor," Tiwari said. "But you really don't want to keep hitting cancer patients with unnecessary surgeries--and that's especially true in both brain and colorectal cancers."

Their proposed tool would harness the interpretive power of the center's deep-learning computers, which will use the AI tools being designed and developed in this project to tease out miniscule variations between the tumors and damaged tissue on MRI scans.

Those previously unseen variations differentiate tumors from dead tissue (known as necrosis, when most or even all of the cells in the tissue have died) or severely damaged scar tissue (known as fibrosis).

The research covers brain and colorectal cancer because they are similar in "terms of over-treatment," Viswanath said, referring to decisions by some surgeons to not risk a second surgery when it is actually necessary, or the earlier example of an unnecessary surgery.

Spreading the word

The NCI grant also calls for the researchers to begin making the tool available to other scientists, with an eye on future dissemination among clinicians.

"Dissemination of this information is a key to this grant," Tiwari said. "The research community is starting to appreciate the importance of radiomics, and there is a lot of excitement. Hopefully, the next step is to really get this into the clinical community as well."

Radiomics refers to the method of extracting certain features from radiographic medical images using data-characterization algorithms. These features, when interpreted by the computer, could uncover disease characteristics that fail to be appreciated by the naked eye.

Other collaborators on the project include neuro-oncologist Manmeet Ahluwalia, MD (Cleveland Clinic); colorectal surgeon Sharon Stein, MD, (University Hospitals); imaging scientist Nicole Seiberlich, PhD (University of Michigan); Andrew Janowczyk (Research Faculty, CCIPD); and Anant Madabhushi, the F. Alex Nason Professor II of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve and director of the CCIPD.

This new work also meshes with previous projects under the auspices of the CCIPD and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at the School of Medicine, and will allow for the centers to better connect pathology and radiology, Madabhushi said.

"The CCIPD will now have three concurrent NCI/ITCR grants focusing on AI tools for cancer diagnosis and prognosis--two focused on AI in pathology," Madabhushi said. "Ultimately, that synergy will allow for more precise understanding and prognosis of cancer, in turn, leading to the betterment of the cancer patient."

Some of that work is referenced in academic research, said Viswanath, the corresponding author of a recently published paper in the journal Cancers.

This type of research and development of tools using AI and cancer treatment will be among the topics covered in a virtual conference this fall. Madabhushi, Tiwari, Viswanath and several other faculty from Case Western Reserve and Cleveland Clinic are also hosting the 2nd Artificial Intelligence in Oncology (AIO) Symposium Oct. 19-20 under the auspices of the Case Comprehensive Cancer.

###

Case Western Reserve University is one of the country's leading private research institutions. Located in Cleveland, we offer a unique combination of forward-thinking educational opportunities in an inspiring cultural setting. Our leading-edge faculty engage in teaching and research in a collaborative, hands-on environment. Our nationally recognized programs include arts and sciences, dental medicine, engineering, law, management, medicine, nursing and social work. About 5,100 undergraduate and 6,700 graduate students comprise our student body. Visit case.edu to see how Case Western Reserve thinks beyond the possible.


MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - The top executives of four of the biggest tech giants are scheduled to testify before the U.S. Congress on Wednesday.



The House Judiciary Committee is investigating allegations that the four tech companies have unfairly stifled competition in digital markets, made too many acquisitions, and harmed consumers.



The chief executives of Apple Inc., Amazon.com, Facebook Inc. and Google will testify remotely before a House antitrust panel today. This would mark the first time the four executives testified together in front of Congress.



The executives' Congressional testimony is part of the House Judiciary Committee's investigation into the four tech companies that was announced in June 2019 and marks a final step before completing the investigation.



The four chief executives plan to defend their companies as success stories with healthy competition, helping consumers.



According to prepared remarks by the CEOs ahead of their congressional testimony, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that his company would not have succeeded without U.S. laws that encourage competition and innovation.



Zuckerberg added that he has called for a more active role for governments and regulators as well as updated rules for the internet so as to address concerns about the power and size of technology companies.



Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos noted that the success of the retail giant may help explain the wide proliferation of marketplaces of all types and sizes around the world, including U.S. companies like Walmart, eBay, Etsy, and Target, as well as retailers based overseas such as Alibaba and Rakuten.



Bezos also noted that Amazon was able to grow and thrive because it was born in the U.S. However, he added that Amazon should be scrutinized like all large institutions.



Google CEO Sundar Pichai said his company operates in highly competitive and dynamic global markets, in which prices are free or falling, and products are constantly improving.



Pichai noted that consumers have benefited from lower ad prices. Competition in ads from Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Comcast and others has helped to lower online ad costs by 40 percent over the last ten years and these savings were passed down to consumers through lower prices, he said.



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Kyrgyzstan is preparing to resume international flights that have been suspended since May 20 due to the novel coronavirus, Kyrgyz prime minister Kubatbek Boronov said.



According to Boronov, the country's headquarters for the fight against coronavirus has decided to resume international flights.



Noting that stability has been observed in the prevalence of COVID-19 cases over the past week, but it is too early to say about a favorable situation, the PM said.



"If the epidemiological situation is stable in the country, we will be able to start international flights. At first, our flights will resume for Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The foreign ministry has started work [in this regard]," Anadolu Agency cited him as saying.



Boronov said the situation in the fight against the coronavirus is problematic in Issyk-Kul and Jalal-Abad regions in the country and the government is making efforts to improve the situation.



Since March 18, when the first case of the virus was reported in the country, a total of 33,844 people have tested positive, with 1,329 deaths and 22,296 recoveries.
Among the 700+ leftist protesters swarming Oakland, California, on July 24, agitators set a courthouse afire, vandalized a police station, and shot fireworks at police officers. They effectuated what a "Black Lives Matter" leader, "Hawk" Newsome, warned of: If this country doesnt give us what we want, we will burn down the system.

Since May, Leftists have destroyed public and private property, looted stores, burned police stations, blocked traffic, bombed courthouses and assaulted victims in multiple states. President Trump ordered U.S. Park Police to prevent a statue of Andrew Jackson from being toppled, and statues of Presidents Grant and Lincoln were defaced. But Lincoln ended slavery, and between 1866 and 1964, no President did more for blacks than Grant. Blacks revered President Teddy Roosevelt, but bureaucrats removed his statue in New York. Princeton University removed Woodrow Wilsons name from its School of Public Policy. On June 19, malefactors in San Francisco toppled yet another Grant statue. But Democrats are co-opting these vile, Birkenstock Bolsheviks, who want changed the names and logos of rice, pancake mix, cereal, ice cream and pro sports teams.

However, theyre not stopping with Aunt Jemima, Cream of Wheat, Uncle Bens rice, Eskimo Pies, or the Washington Redskins. Shaun King, a Black Lives Matter supporter and co-founder of the Real Justice PAC, wants removed all statues of Jesus depicting Christ as white.

Statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should come down, King tweeted. Stained glass windows depicting Jesus as white, and Christs mother, and their white friends, he claims, are racist. Religious statues throughout America, including of the Virgin Mary, are being decapitated. While the short-term goal of these subversive, calculating perpetrators is ousting Donald Trump, their long-term objective is to destroy America. As BLMs co-founder, Patrisse Cullors, said, were trained Marxists.

Some clueless Wisconsin progressives foolishly toppled a statue of Union army Colonel Hans Heg, who died fighting Confederate soldiers. In Boston, troublemakers desecrated a monument honoring the 54th Massachusetts Regiment  which was comprised, solely, of Black soldiers. Portland rioters set afire a federal courthouse on July 22, as anarchists issued threats and demanded that the police be defunded. Philadelphia radicals defaced a monument honoring anti-slavery activist Matthew Baldwin; in California, a statue of abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier was damaged.

Such ignorant, culture-destroying individuals also assaulted a Wisconsin state senator, bashed the skull of a New York City police captain, and seriously injured 17 other NYPD cops. Chicago radicals, while defacing a statue of Christopher Columbus, pelted police with frozen water bottles, rocks and fireworks.

Of 49 injured Chicago officers, 18 were hospitalized. Radicals aimed lasers into the eyes of six federal agents, in Portland; three such officers suffered eye injuries so severe that, now, their doctors warn that they may never regain their sight. Yet, Chicagos Mayor, Lori Lightfoot  and other Democrat politicians - are bowing to the mob. She removed two Columbus statues, while NOT ensuring public safety.

These violent perps and the Democrat politicians who condone such mindless destruction will hurt Biden in crucial swing states like Wisconsin, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Hampshire. President Trump will benefit from having deployed federal agents to Portland, Chicago, Seattle, and other crime-infested cities in battleground states.

As chief executive, the cognitively-impaired Biden wouldnt stop these reprehensible radicals. Hed be a routinely manipulated figurehead, micro-managed by corrupt, conniving, pro-perp progressives. Trump, Democrats say, is divisive. But hes not bashing police or covering for cop-killers, thieves, and arsonists, or condoning statue-destroying, culture-wrecking, anti-USA anarchists. This law-and-order president, who is endorsed by the USAs largest police union, will portray Biden as the clueless candidate of chaos, crime, rioting and ruination.

Todd Blodgett, the author of REPUBLICAN CRACKHEAD, served on the White House staff during the Reagan-Bush years. He also worked for the Republican National Committee and the FBI. Mr. Blodgett lives in Clear Lake, and can be reached via his website: ToddBlodgett.US.

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EASTHAMPTON  A woman who was ruled not competent to stand trial in the death of a pedestrian will have her case continued for five years and will be banned from driving during the probationary period.

Ruby Schmid, 62, of Easthampton, was charged with negligent motor vehicle homicide after striking and killing Denise Herzog, 63, as she was in a Cottage Street crosswalk on Dec. 3, 2018, said Mary Carey, spokeswoman for Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan.

Herzog was a nationally-known ceramics artist who founded the Riverside Arts Program, which made the arts accessible to people with disabilities.

Schmid was accused of failing to brake or slow down while Herzog was crossing the street at about 1 p.m. Two other charges of negligent operation and a crosswalk infraction were dropped, Carey said.

Schmids case was continued under a law that allows a judge to place a defendant on pretrial probation  an agreement made between the prosecutor and defendant  before a trial or guilty plea has been reached, Carey said.

Judge Maureen Walsh ordered the case be continued for five years in Northampton District Court on Tuesday. Schmid will also be banned from seeking a license to drive during the probationary period, Carey said.

The Commonwealth believes that because the defendant is not competent to stand trial, or to plead guilty in this case, todays result was a fair outcome to a terrible tragedy, said Assistant District Attorney Andrew Covington, who prosecuted the case.

We hope this disposition brings some closure and justice for Ms. Herzogs family and the people of Easthampton. The Commonwealth would also like to thank Ms. Herzogs family for all of their support throughout this difficult case, Covington said.

Attorney Alan Rubin represented Schmid.

Easthampton Police, Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services and Collision Analysis and Reconstruction units investigated the Herzogs death, Carey said.

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Fire that destroyed industrial building in Easthampton still under investigation but not considered suspicious, fire official says
Combination of companies immediately creates the global leader in software and service for the partnership marketing category

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, and PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Partnerize, the leading SaaS provider of partnership management solutions for global brands, today announced the acquisition of Pepperjam, a leading affiliate marketing technology and services provider. The combination of the companies' technology platforms and service expertise will empower brand leaders to maximize business growth from partnerships, diversify their revenue streams, and offset escalating costs in primary sales and marketing channels.

The combined business will serve more than 1,750 enterprise and mid-market clients worldwide, driving more than $7B in transactions via their relationships with an ecosystem of 750,000+ partners, including 250,000+ influencers. The company services clients in a broad range of industries, including retail/e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, travel, finance, telecom, subscriptions, and gaming.

"At Partnerize, our vision is to transform the partnerships industry by automating the historically manual process of scaling the partnerships channel and unlocking its full growth potential for partners and brands," said Mal Cowley, Partnerize Co-founder, and CEO. "Marketers are demanding greater visibility and control for affiliate marketing, influencer programs, content partnerships, brand alliances, and other forms of partnership. This acquisition is a significant milestone in meeting those needs and making the partnerships channel a core growth engine for brands. Our best-of-breed solutions combine process automation, better tools for optimization, and unique AI-powered insights for better results and outstanding brand protection."

For the past several years, both Pepperjam and Partnerize have been dedicated to elevating affiliate and partnership to a primary channel in the marketing mix and demonstrating that partner marketing deserves a seat at the CMO's table. By significantly enhancing the scalability and automation of this pay-for-performance channel, the combined business will give marketers additional operating leverage, alleviating reliance on increasingly expensive channels like paid search and social, which are usually purchased through pay-for-access models.

The company is also well-positioned to capitalize on a key gap in the market - delivering a combination of advanced technology and configurable program management services. Historically, clients and agencies have had to choose between the legacy outsourced network service provider model or tech-only solutions without a strong services layer. By offering the unique combination of advanced technology and services, Partnerize will enable customers to have greater control, visibility, and insight into the channel while also ensuring that they get the best results.

Said former Pepperjam CEO and new Partnerize President Matt Gilbert, "More than ever, marketers need a diversified means to ensure long term business viability and results. The channel's pay-for-performance model, coupled with its diverse partner composition, make it an attractive vehicle for growth marketers seeking a scalable alternative to their primary sales and marketing channels. Partnerize's AI-powered partnership management solutions coupled with Pepperjam's affiliate marketing technology and service expertise will help marketers accelerate their global partner marketing efforts to comprehensively leverage the channel to drive growth and reach target audiences at scale."

The partnerships industry is growing rapidly. With affiliate marketing in the US alone expected to reach $8B in sales by 2022, and billions more in sales coming from influencer programs, content partnerships, brand alliances, and other types of performance partnerships, the category already drives 20-30% of total sales for many brands. From its roots as a specialty channel in the early 2000s, the industry has demonstrated continuous growth because of its pay-for-performance business model and its ability to deliver scalable results in a variety of categories.

Continued Matt Gilbert, "In an expanding market, marketers need a combination of advanced technology and expert service to unlock channel value. Our coming together to lead the industry, ensures marketers sacrifice absolutely nothing. Coupling Pepperjam's strong North American presence with the global footprint of Partnerize will accelerate category growth and momentum, creating tremendous upside for brands around the world."

Pepperjam CEO Matt Gilbert will become President of Partnerize, a new role for the company. A long-tenured mar-tech leader, Matt brings a distinguished 20-year track record of increasing company market share and profitability to his new role. Prior to Pepperjam, he co-founded 500friends, which sold to Merkle, where he served as SVP & GM of the Loyalty Services group. He has held numerous leadership positions across the digital marketing category throughout his career, including Webloyalty.com, IAC/InterActive Corp., Ask Jeeves, Inc, and Excite@Home.

Pepperjam is the second acquisition for Partnerize in 2020. In April, the company announced the acquisition of BrandVerity, the leading provider of search monitoring and web compliance solutions for the partnership and paid search industries.

About Partnerize

Partnerize is the leader in partnership management technology. The AI-powered Partnerize Partnership Management Platform delivers data-driven intelligence and industry-leading management tools that are essential for materially improving ROI from this fast-growing sales channel. The Partnerize platform has won more than two dozen awards, including Best Technology at the International Performance Marketing Awards. The world's leading companies, including 63 top retailers, 12 international airlines, 10 of the largest telecoms, and more than 200 other global brands rely on Partnerize's platform to drive and manage more than $6B in partner sales and $500M in partner payments every year. For more information on how Partnerize can grow your partnerships and business, please visit https://partnerize.com.

About Pepperjam

Pepperjam is a performance marketing solutions provider powering growth for marketers seeking a scaled alternative to their primary sales and marketing channels. Ascend, Pepperjam's cloud-based affiliate marketing lifecycle platform, delivers a fully integrated partner discovery, recruitment, tracking, payment, and brand safety solution. Powering over $1B in gross merchandise sales and supported by a comprehensive service team including the category's only in-housing practice, Pepperjam is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa. and retains offices in NYC, Santa Cruz, and Wilkes-Barre. More at https://www.pepperjam.com.

Media Contact:

Kendall Allen Rockwell

Kallen@witstrategy.com

SOURCE: Partnerize

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599345/Partnerize-Acquires-Pepperjam-to-Rapidly-Accelerate-Adoption-of-Partnership-Management-Globally
KHARTOUM  Sudan on Monday exported two tons of gold in a bid to provide foreign currencies for the Central Bank of Sudan and improve the status of local currency.

We have general economic plans based on improvement of the economy and provision of decent livelihood for the citizen, Sudans Acting Minister of Finance and National Economy, Hiba Mohamed Ali, said at a ceremony in Khartoum.

Last week, Sudan exported two tons of gold to the United Arab Emirates worth 120 million U.S. dollars.

Sudan is planing to export 2 tons of gold each week to provide foreign currencies for the central bank of Sudan after the reforms made by the higher committee for health emergencies on gold exports and prevention of monopoly.

After losing around 75 percent of its oil resources due to separation of South Sudan in 2011, Sudan started to focus on gold production to compensate for the loss of oil revenues.

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A total of eight coronavirus cases were confirmed in Vietnam on Wednesday morning, all traced back to four hospitals in Da Nang, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Five of them took care of their family members at Da Nang Hospital, to which at least 21 coronavirus patients have been linked as of now.

The other three were tracked to Da Nang Hospital for Lung Diseases, Da Nang C Hospital, where other cases had been traced back to, and Da Nang Transportation Hospital.

Their ages range from 19 to 68.

Vietnam has logged 30 community-based cases since Saturday last week, ending a streak of 99 days without a single local transmission, according to a Tuoi Tre News count.

Twenty-six of the patients, including three critical cases, are in Da Nang, three in Quang Nam, and one in Quang Ngai Province. Those in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai are all linked to the Da Nang cases.

Authorities have locked down Da Nang Hospital, Da Nang C Hospital, and Da Nang Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Hospital, as infected patients had been there.

They are conducting extensive contact tracing to suppress the outbreak.

Da Nang started enforcing enhanced social distancing across the city on Tuesday that will be in effect for at least 15 days.

Officials have banned public gatherings of more than two people, shut down non-essential services, required citizens to wear face masks whenever outdoors, and asked them not to leave their home unless for essential trips while maintaining a two-meter distance in social interactions.

Flights to and from the beach city started to be suspended for 15 days on Tuesday.

Health workers will test roughly 10,000 people in Da Nang for COVID-19, a source told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Vietnam has registered 446 coronavirus patients as of Wednesday morning, with 276 imported cases quarantined upon arrival, according to the health ministry.

The Southeast Asian nation has confirmed 369 recoveries and zero fatalities to date.

Over 16,000 people who came in close contact with patients or entered Vietnam from virus-hit regions are being quarantined in the country at the time of writing.

Vietnamese borders have been closed to foreigners since March but foreign experts and skilled workers are allowed entry, subject to government approval and compulsory quarantine on arrival.

The government has sent planes to other nations to bring back Vietnamese citizens, also quarantined upon landing.

Officials in Da Nang, Quang Nam, as well as other provinces and cities have detected dozens of Chinese unlawfully 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!
International Tiger Day: Silent roar of Caspian tiger is regrettable

07/22/20

By Faranak Bakhtiari, Tehran Times

Tiger is an endangered species whose surviving population in natural habitats is less than 4,000 individuals, and preventing them from extinction and preserving its habitat is one of the greatest concerns of the international community for the protection of biodiversity. Therefore, July 28 is designated as International Tiger Day to further emphasize the importance of protecting this valuable species because experts believe that if this remarkable animal could not be saved from extinction, what hope could there be for rescuing more unknown species?

Today is #InternationalTigerDay, an opportunity to raise awareness about the state of these majestic creatures.



We're working to protect them through our #VanishingTreasures programme, learn more here: https://t.co/uRlv8TKQ4U pic.twitter.com/GFvgCkONKR  UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) July 29, 2020

Lions, leopards, and tigers are big cats that have always been a symbol of power, glory, and grandeur throughout history, and usually, the countries try to preserve them, but in the meantime, some factors such as urban development, poaching and illegal hunting, habitat degradation, food shortages, and climate change have led them to shrink and eventually become extinct.



The outstanding Caspian tigers once roamed over most of the northern provinces of Iran, have gone extinct half a century ago.



According to the available evidence, the last tiger in Iran was hunted in 1953 in Golestan National Park, but another report announced the observation of a tiger in 1959 in the same area.



In the early 1970s, the Department of Environment conducted a study to search for the Persian tiger in the forests of northern Iran, but during this period, researchers could not find any evidence of the tiger and declared its definite extinction.



Caspian tigers had been protected since 1957, with heavy fines for shooting, but it was too late for the majestic cat to make a recovery.



This situation was not ended in Iran, but the extinction has embraced two other subspecies of tiger, including the Bali and Javan, which became extinct in 1960 and 1979, respectively. There are 9 subspecies of tiger in the world, of which three are extinct.



The tiger needs large habitats to live and is less able to live in a small realm, which is getting smaller day by day due to the development of urbanization and human intervention in nature.



As tiger extinction accelerates around the world, July 29 has been designated World Tiger Day since 2010.



In the Iranian calendar year 1389 (March 2009-March 2010), two Siberian tigers were sent to Iran from Russia in exchange of two Persian Leopards; aiming to restore the Caspian tiger generation in the country, but after a while, the male one died due to an outbreak of glanders (an infectious disease occurs primarily by ingestion of contaminated food or water).



The female tiger was quarantined for five years on the charge of being infected with the virus, but with the help of wildlife enthusiasts and the DOE after undergoing several medical tests, the animal was then moved to a suitable place in Tehran Zoo.



The DOE emphasis is on protecting species that now exist in the wild, but at the same time is preparing a plan called "conservation of cats" with the priority of two big cats and then small cats, and since the protection of cheetahs in the form of an independent international project is underway, they have set it aside and focused on the conservation of leopards and six small cats, as well as discussing feasibility studies for two endangered species of lions and tigers.



Is it possible to reintroduce Caspian tiger?



A Capian tigress and cub

pPostage stamp from Azerbaijan, South Caucasus, 1997



Kaveh Faizollahi, a zoologist who worked specifically on the tiger species, told IRNA that the tiger is a flexible species and tolerates a wide range of habitat and climatic conditions, so it is found in tropical areas of Asia to the ever-snow-covered areas of Siberia.



On the other hand, it has a relatively high reproductive rate and a short interval between its reproductions. It is not very problematic in food and can change its hunting technique depending on the type of prey and habitat. Despite, these features human development in West Asia made it vulnerable, he added.



The first feature of tigers that caused them to disappear was the tiger's dependence on the water resources and its presence near river basins, lake edges, and seashores, where the highest concentration of human population exists and the conflicts pushed them toward extinction.



The second one is related to the prey, the natural prey they mainly fed on was deer, and they attracted to northern Iran probably because of the good population of red deer and roe deer.



However, with the population of deer declined, the tiger was inevitably feeding on the wild boar, which has severe population fluctuations and is a temporary source of food.



The third item is hunting, tiger hunting intensified during their final periods living in Iran, due to the reduction of prey and hunting livestock.



Tiger cubs were also captured for illegal trade, in addition, land-use changes, superstitions, and using their organs in traditional medicine were among the other factors eradicated tigers."



"Certainly, there is no proper habitat for tiger in Iran. If there are intentions to revive the tiger population in Iran, or, in other words, to ensure a stable population of it, a natural habitat must be prepared, including, good vegetation cover, clean water, and enough bait.



Before restoring the Caspian tiger in the country, other species of red and roe deer must be increased; for example, 20 tigers in a hypothetical area may need a population of 10,000 large mammals, which may take several years to expand.



After that, the tigers must gradually enter the prepared area; If there is no wild tiger, the tigers kept in captivity should be used as a parent and re-wild their cubs.



The whole process is very difficult, costly, and time-consuming.

It's #InternationalTigerDay! Start your day with five facts about these iconic and threatened felines https://t.co/pCHEn5FnzF  National Geographic (@NatGeo) July 29, 2020

Will other wildlife species experience the fate of Caspian tiger?



Wildlife management expert, Baqer Nezami, said that there are almost no large mammals in the country whose population is not endangered. When it is said that a species is not endangered, it means that the level of endangerment of those species is better than others such as the Asiatic cheetah, but all large mammals in the country, including bears, leopards, and red deer, are in a miserable condition.



Part of the direct protection of this species is to increase physical protection, that is, to increase the number and level of awareness and literacy of the rangers, and the other part is the proper and principled implementation of reproduction in captivity, he highlighted.



Nezami went on to say that breeding in captivity of the country's wildlife species is not very transparent and there is no specific program for it, noting "We started captive breeding for the Persian fallow deer 40 years ago and it has been very successful, but introducing the species to nature have not been so successful, so reproduction in captivity requires a long-term plan that is implemented step by step.



Reproduction in captivity is very complex for carnivores, and some believe that habitat protection is sufficient, but the fact is that when the population of a species reaches less than 100, reproduction should begin in captivity because habitat cannot be protected in general, he said.



Along with captive breeding, the factors of species extinction in the habitats should also be investigated so that we can finally protect the habitat and re-introduce the protected species to it, he also added.



An important issue is to pay attention to the demands, problems, and needs of people and local communities, because over the years many educational courses have been held, especially for Asiatic cheetahs, carnivores and environmental protection, but it has not been successful in conservation because the target group has been mostly urban and university communities and the local people have not been very involved, he explained.



One of the effective measures that can be taken in the protection of species is the insurance of livestock, agricultural lands and even individuals who have been damaged by species such as bears, wild boars, cheetahs, etc. because in many cases they are killed in conflicts with human, he said.



He also noted that insurance only compensates for losses, while we must take steps to ensure that local people benefit from protection. In order to earn the local community's protection, we can develop private sanctuaries and expand ecotourism and various types of tourism.
Samson Ayokunle, president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to step up efforts to a...





Samson Ayokunle, president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to step up efforts to address insecurity.





Ayokunle, in a statement by Adebayo Oladeji, his special assistant on media and communications, said the ongoing crisis in southern Kaduna has clearly shown Nigeria as a nation that is at war against enemies of the state.





He warned that people might be forced to resort to self-help if the situation is not addressed by the government.





Despite assurances from both the Federal and Kaduna State governments to nip the crisis in the bud, the spiraling of these assaults have indisputably shown that these demons of murders are yet to sheathe their swords against Southern Kaduna communities and that the government appears not to be sincere in walking the talk, he said.

People should not be allowed to resort to self-help, but if this situation is not addressed, self-help might be the alternative because nobody would keep on watching for these nuisances to continue to be on the prowl and snuff life out of him or her.





There is the urgent need by government and the security forces to walk their talk and combat the raging insecurity squarely across Kaduna State and other parts of the country. The government should not think that we are not appreciative of their efforts but we say without mincing words that your present best is unacceptable.





It is not the best Nigerians expect. How can we be seeing and reading in the news about mass burials and be happy when we are not fighting a civil war? We deserve peace in Nigeria.





Ayokunle condemned the presidencys comment that Kaduna killings were fuelled by politics and revenge, adding that the bloodbath is an act of criminality that should have been sanctioned.





He said it is regrettable that despite assurances from Nasir el-Rufai, the governor, to bring perpetrators of the crimes to justice, the state and security agencies involved in the maintenance of law and order are yet to fulfill their pledge.





The leadership of CAN was flabbergasted when the presidency described the current bloodshed in Southern Kaduna as politically motivated coupled with banditry deployed along ethnic and religious lines, he said.





Where is the statistical evidence for that? Who are the politicians involved in this inhuman and callous act that the Federal authorities have failed to apprehend or name? Do they have the right to be doing this scot-free if it is true?




Mumbai, July 29 : Bank of India on Wednesday said that its Board of Directors will consider raising funds through several options including further issue of equity shares and bonds at its meeting on August 3.

Shares of the bank surged after the announcement. At 12.05 p.m., its shares on the BSE were trading at Rs 47.20, higher by 3.17 per cent from the previous close.

"The Board of Directors of the Bank of India would be considering at their meeting proposed on August 3, 2020, the proposal of raising funds including by way of a further issue of equity shares, bonds etc. through various modes which may include issue of equity shares through a Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP) at an appropriate time subject to receipt of applicable regulatory and/or statutory approvals including approval from shareholders of the bank," the bank said in a regulatory filing.

Several banks, both private and public, are looking at raising funds of late.

Bank of India's board is also scheduled to consider and approve its unaudited (reviewed) financial results for the quarter ended June 30 in its meeting next week.
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The global pandemic threw the world for a loop as businesses shut down, schools closed, and working from home became the new normal. Phrases like social distancing and self-quarantine became part of our everyday nomenclature, and safety measures such as temperature checks and mask wearing were integrated into daily life. Its now hard to imagine businesses and gathering places without these new standards in place.

From a business standpoint, reopening still poses many concerns and uncertainty. How can businesses keep employees safe, remain compliant with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and avoid liability while still maintaining a sustainable level of profitability?

From an employee standpoint, while many workers are eager to return to full-time hours and consistent paychecks, they are scared to return to an environment that increases their exposure to COVID-19. They may have questions about proper PPE, enforcement of social distancing and mask wearing, and many face new responsibilities that are not traditional to their position.

Artificial intelligence will play a major role as we try to move to a post-pandemic world, especially as it pertains to tracking peoples health and wellbeing in public areas. Employers will tap technology solutions to help them face challenges such as adhering to new rules and regulations, monitoring compliance, and ensuring employee confidence and morale remains positive.

Todays new reality will rely on technology more than ever, and this trend will only continue to grow as we settle into the new normal. From monitoring individuals to helping to ease customer flow, technology  specifically artificial intelligence  will be critical.

Why AI?

As society plans the reopening of offices, shared spaces and customer-facing businesses, how can we ensure the safety of workers and the community at large?

One option is to hire or assign employees to policing practices such as temperature taking, mask wearing, and social distancing enforcement. Depending on the size of the business, this could take a great number of people. It would most likely involve a two-pronged approach, with employees on the ground as well as employees monitoring the situation from screens.

Human error is a risk in these scenarios. Its difficult to monitor a large group of people to make sure they are adhering to the CDC guidelines. It also places a substantial mental burden on staff; the average human attention span is about 8.25 seconds, and many are distracted by emails, text messages and constant notifications on their phones.

A technology solution is the clear answer in this case. Artificial Intelligence is a powerful technology tool that allows for multiple tasks to take place at once, faster and more efficiently than humanly possible. Cognitive computing systems such as neural networks are a specific type of AI that simulates human thought. This type of AI is used in autonomous vehicles and is also a good structure to build post-pandemic monitoring systems.

Cognitive computing can learn to digest information in different contexts. For example, if people are simply passing each other, or a family walks into a store together, the system will learn that they do not need to physically distance within the group and therefore will not be violating the rules of social distancing.

Not only is AI more reliable than humans at tracking multiple data points at one time, this type of monitoring can reduce liability exposure for businesses and organizations. Amazon is being sued by workers for not enforcing social distancing measures and being careless with contact tracing efforts. At the time, had the company had AI monitoring in place, it could have helped to make sure that such measures were being properly enforced and provided proof that the company took measures to ensure the safety of its workers.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

AI in the Workplace

Remote working was the instant solution for many businesses when the pandemic escalated. While some businesses are fully back in office and adhering to mandated expectations for employee safety, others remain remote or are utilizing strategic and flexible work schedules.

For those going into office settings, a host of safety measures need to be implemented, but can pose a myriad of difficulties to ensure compliance and create substantial liability issues. AI can help to monitor body temperatures, ensure employees are social distancing, and even confirm that masks are being worn consistently.

This use of AI technology can help reduce worker frustration and dissatisfaction with new rules of compliance, free up staff from the need to manually attempt a fraction of what todays computing power can achieve, and keep employees doing what they do best, rather than enforcing rules.

The post-pandemic workplace will be made of more controlled environments including more managed daily interactions, reserving time for specific activities, rotating people in and out of smaller spaces, and flexible workspaces where employees can come and go as needed as opposed to each having a dedicated space.

As the COVID-19 situation fluctuates, so will the guidelines that need monitoring. AI systems can quickly and easily be programed to shift with the loosening or tightening of guidelines, allowing for flexibility in the system.

AI in Customer Experience

For those working in retail, hospitality, healthcare and other customer-facing industries, additional unique challenges abound. Customers have been patient and understanding with the recent changes, but as the new normal sets in, this perseverance will surely revert to earlier expectations and customers may even begin to demand more.

Customers will tire of waiting in line and having their temperatures taken to enter a restaurant or shop. While they will still expect safety measures and want to feel safe in the environment, their expectations of a quicker delivery method should be anticipated.

With a situational awareness solution, companies can mitigate risks and still focus on delivering quality customer service. Businesses that rely on heavy foot traffic such as shopping centers, hospitals, casinos, recreational venues and theme parks, will need to evolve to remain safely in business. For such large spaces with big crowds, technology to monitor for social distancing, temperature checks and mask compliance will be critical.

Hospitals will be one of the many workplaces that will evolve and depend on technology to avoid cross-contamination, especially with patients at higher-risk. AI technology can be used to take vitals, heartrate, temperatures and more without the need to enter a patients room. This will help to provide better overall patient care while keeping patients and staff safe.

For retail and theme park settings, customer service can be faster and more efficient. There will no longer be the need to wait in a physical line. Customers will be able to check in, receive a notification when its their turn, and then be able to walk right up for service or to experience an attraction. AI will be more important than ever in these high-traffic situations.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

AI Monitoring and Privacy

With all of these technological implementations, employees and customers alike may be concerned about privacy. AI solutions have the ability to make people into avatars, where only behaviors and other rules are being monitored, which will help to ensure the privacy of individuals.

Unlike the extensive volumes of video surveillance data being collected, this type of monitoring does not entail identity information such as names or images. Moreover, data through this type of platform can be stored locally, not via a cloud system which might be breached more easily. This could reduce the risk of bad actors intruding in the system since access would need to be through the local database.

A Better Future With AI

AI-enabled technology solutions will help lead to a better future. The change has already begun, and the landscape will most likely continue to shift abruptly as we adapt to the post-pandemic world and learn more about how COVID-19 and other diseases are transmitted.

Customers, businesses and employees will all experience concern during phased reopening, but there are ways to safeguard individuals in minimally intrusive ways, thanks to AI, neural networks and other technological advancements.

AI technology solutions will allow us to advance and resume some semblance of normal activity, all while managing compliance, ensuring profitability and mitigating liability.
Australians have always had a cynical streak about their bosses and during the pandemic is no exception.

Depending on who you ask, middle managers are either functionally redundant while white-collar workers are at home or working harder than ever in a challenging and changing environment.

This years lockdowns and related debates about what makes an "essential worker" essential have exposed the fact that many of us  managers and underlings alike  are engaged in "bullshit jobs".

Essential workers have to carry a document to prove their status. Credit:Nick Moir

In his 2018 book Bullshit Jobs: A Theory, David Graeber, a professor at the London School of Economics, distinguishes between the jobs suggested in the title and "shit jobs". The former are often highly respected and pay well but are completely pointless and unnecessary, and the people doing them know this deep down. The latter are jobs that are not enjoyable or well paid but are necessary and useful.
ATLANTA - A woman accused of intentionally crashing her car into another vehicle carrying her 3-month-old daughter and the childs father has been charged with felony murder in the infants death, Atlanta police said Tuesday.

Titayanna Phillips, 21, also was charged with aggravated assault in the crash Monday evening that also injured the father, news outlets reported. The infant was identified in reports as Khyundra Henderson.

Police said the childs father, Undra Henderson, 27, had just placed his daughter in a car and was driving away from a location in northwest Atlanta when Phillips rear-ended his car with her SUV several times around 7 p.m. Monday.

Authorities said Henderson lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a telephone pole. When officers arrived, first responders had to pry the injured occupants out of the vehicle, according to police.

Police spokesman Officer Steve Avery said the infant later died in a hospital. The father was in the hospital Tuesday in stable condition, news outlets reported.

Neighbour Tarangela Jones said Phillips stood by after the crash and called authorities, WSB-TV reported.

Its unclear whether Phillips had an attorney who could comment on her behalf.
Washington:

Nikki Haley was on Wednesday named as US ambassador to the United Nations by President-elect Donald Trump, becoming the first Indian-American to be appointed to a cabinet-level post in any US administration.

Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country, Trump said, referring to his former critic with whom he had sparred bitterly during the campaign.

ALSO READ: (Nikki Haley to serve as US ambassador to UN under Trump Presidency)

44-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants from Punjab, Haley is the first woman tapped by Trump for a top-level administration post during his transition to the White House.

She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage, Trump said, announcing the South Carolina governor Haleys name as next US envoy to the United Nations.

The presidential transition team said this would a cabinet-level position in the Trump-Pence Administration.

The cabinet position would require confirmation by the Senate. If confirmed by the Senate, Haley would be the first Indian-American to be appointed to a cabinet-level position in any presidential administration.

Our country faces enormous challenges here at home and internationally, and I am honored that the President-elect has asked me to join his team and serve the country we love as the next Ambassador to the United Nations, Haley said, commenting on her nomination to the key post.

Noting that Haley is one of the most universally respected governors in the country, the official announcement said after working at her familys business, she turned her focus to economic development and has traveled abroad to negotiate with international companies on behalf of South Carolina.

As governor, she has led seven overseas trade missions and successfully attracted jobs and investment through negotiations with foreign companies, it said.

One of her trade missions was to India. Trumps plan to offer the job to Haley, a rising Republican star, was first reported by the Post and Courier.

Haley, currently the youngest governor in the country, has already carved out a legacy for herself, serving as her home states first female and first minority governor.

Haley, who is serving her second term, has worked on trade and labour issues as governor but brings little foreign policy experience. Her views on various US military and national security matters usually fall within the Republican Partys hawkish mainstream.

Trump met with Haley on Thursday at Trump Tower in New York as part of the round of meetings the president-elect has held.

With her appointment to the top diplomatic post in UN, Haley has become the first woman and minority to join Trumps administration. She would replace Samantha Power.

Haley was critical of Trump during the primary campaign and had backed Senator Marco Rubio in the Republican primary. However, before the general elections, she switched her position, saying she would vote for Trump.

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This year, July 26 marked the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which banned discrimination against people with disabilities and required public entities and businesses to make reasonable accommodations for them. Even though it has been decades since the ADA became law, New York City has struggled to fully comply with its mandates in various aspects of public life. A judge approved a lawsuit settlement just last year that required city officials to evaluate and upgrade its street corners to be accessible, spurred by complaints from wheelchair users and New Yorkers with low vision.

City & State spoke with Victor Calise, commissioner of the New York City Mayors Office for People with Disabilities, on where the city stands on improving accessibility. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What would you make of New York Citys compliance with the ADA, and what progress has been made overall since its passage 30 years ago?

I think its safe to say that we have more work to do and our goal is really to have constant contact with our community and understand what the needs are. Our goal in New York City really is to make it the most accessible city in the world. And by doing that, we have to ensure that we go far beyond the ADA codes and standards. Because the reality is, the ADA codes and standards are the floor; its really not the ceiling.

When we built New York City Ferry, we met with the community, found out exactly what their needs were and worked closely with them and (the city Economic Development Corp.). And our ferry system goes over and beyond what the codes and standards are in the ADA. New York City human rights law is really a comprehensive civil rights law and our definition protects people with disabilities over and beyond ADA as well.

The Manhattan borough presidents office just released a report showing that 90% of the sidewalk ramps they surveyed in the borough werent ADA compliant. What progress has the city made in making sidewalks more accessible?

We have a disability service facilitator that has worked there. That has certainly helped improve accessibility with (the Department of Transportation). We appreciate the borough president bringing certain locations to the citys attention. I think thats always helpful and (the Department of Transportation) is going to review that and get back to the (borough president).

But when were milling and paving, more accessibility is going in, more accessible pedestrian signals are popping up all over the city for people who are blind so they can cross the street. Its really important for the city to understand where ADA access lacks, and we need people to call 311 (and) make that disability complaint.

The city made a commitment to make sidewalks more accessible last year and did a survey. Is there a plan or timeline in place for when those changes will happen?

I believe we have the data, so analyzing the data is what needs to happen. The reality is that we have a lot to do. (The Department of Transportation) is committed to doing it. They certainly stepped up their game  Ive been seeing construction happening throughout the city. And when milling and paving comes out, theyre tackling that as well.

There have been some numbers in the past showing that 80% of the school buildings were inaccessible to students with disabilities. Has there been progress made to overcome that challenge?

When we built New York City schools, a large stock of our schools were built in the early 1900s, and we werent even thought of then. And thats the beauty of the ADA, that were able to have civil rights law that protects us. Were able to complain about that, and we also have guidelines that are there. We invested $750 million toward remediating school accessibility. And that doesnt mean when were doing other capital projects that we arent adding accessibility. One of the greatest things that weve done just recently is that weve prioritized students with disabilities who have accessibility needs so they receive priority for that accessible school building. I know the team over at the Department of Education are not stopping and theyre looking for every way, shape or form to make things accessible.

Are you concerned that accessibility might fall by the wayside because the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is facing budget issues?

The reality is COVID-19 has really messed things up, especially accessibility. We had 70 stations that the MTA was moving forward to (make accessible). Theyve cut all capital plans right now. Without funding from the federal government, that support in the MTA is going to be tough, and its going to make my job as a board member tough. But I have to make sure that, as a board member, I prioritize any cuts that happen to the MTA that theyre not just on disability but they really are across the board.

The MTA has been able to accelerate some subway station accessibility jobs, which I was excited to see. Some examples are 59th Street station of Brooklyn and 149th Street station at the Grand Concourse in the Bronx.

We hear advocates talk about Access-A-Ride all the time, and right now theres a pilot program going on that gets people from point A to point B rather quickly. As a matter of fact, because of COVID, theres no shared-ride system, so people are getting to their destinations quicker. So we have to figure out a system that works, not only (for) a small amount of Access-A-Ride users (but so that) more people have access to what they need.
TikTok, a Chinese-based video-sharing app, has already shown success in its business. Due to its millions of users worldwide, TikTok has been a surprising social media app, especially in today's pandemic. Since the business seemed to be going extremely well for ByteDance, its owner, investors want a share for this success. Reportedly, this business tycoon is the one leading the bidding for the app's prices. Here's who it is and how much will it costs him.

TikTok is being sold to an American businessman?

TikTok, one of the teens' favorite apps today, may be faced with huge changes for the next years to come. Reuters exclusively reported that the privately-held company had received multiple investment offers since the start of its success.

An amount of $50 billion is the current amount that has been offered to ByteDance, to sell the Chinese app. The projected 2020 revenue of TikTok ranges at $1 billion. However, investors seemed to think that this amount is too little for the app.

They now projected its 2020 revenue for an amount of $50 billion-- this was 50 times the original revenue. Snap, one of its main competitors, only has a $33 billion 2020 revenue.

Interestingly, the two top companies looking to have a piece of TikTok are United States-based firms. These companies are California-based company Sequoia and New York-based company General Atlantic.

So far, General Atlantic is the company that seemed to be in its closest position to buy the famous app.

Who's going to buy TikTok?

General Atlantic is a growth equity firm, led by its CEO and billionaire William Ford. This American tycoon is the one that aims to purchase TikTok from the Chinese company ByteDance.

In Wikipedia, Ford is already named as one of the corporate board members of ByteDance. This means that the company may have the edge first to buy shares of the app.

ByteDance resolves its biggest problem

You may have already heard about the speculations against TikTok. Early July, Tech Times reported that hacktivist group Anonymous claimed that TikTok is a 'Chinese malware' that everyone should be alarmed with.

If you think about it, this problem may be a challenge for the investors, since people could be dropping the app anytime they see fits. However, on Wednesday, July 29, TikTok has finally resolved this huge issue.

The Verge noted that the Chinese app is now opening its algorithm to the public, in order to prove that they are a well-secured app, even pushing their competitors to do the same.

"[W]e believe our entire industry should be held to an exceptionally high standard," writes TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer in a blog post. "That's why we believe all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators. We will not wait for regulation to come, but instead, TikTok has taken the first step by launching a Transparency and Accountability Center for moderation and data practices."

ALSO READ: Instagram Reportedly Offering Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars to Popular TikTok Users to Use Reels; App to Raise $200 Million, Creator Fund





This article is owned by Tech Times

For more details about TikTok, visit our website at www.techtimes.com

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Seven people were injured when an LPG cylinder exploded inside a room of a quarter belonging to an employee from Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie on Wednesday.

The academy is a premier training institution for the freshly hired civil servants in India.

Devender Aswal, station house officer at Mussoorie police station, said the injured were rushed to the LBSNAA Hospital where all are undergoing treatment for minor burns.

Aswal said the injured include Kavita Aswal, aged 40 and resident of the type 2 quarter. The other six were neighbours.

According to the police, the incident occurred when Kavita after changing her domestic cylinder left for morning walk. When she returned, she found the room filled with gas. She summoned her neighbours, who came to her rescue. Soon the gas caught fire with a loud blast shattering the windowpanes of the room resulting in glass shrapnel flying in all directions. All seven suffered burn injuries and were rushed to the hospital at LBSNAA premises.

A neighbour Vijay Kumar is grievously injured while others have received minor burns and are undergoing treatment in Mussoorie, said Aswal.

Aswal said the incident might have occurred due to the faulty regulator connection resulting in the leak and blast.

The academy conducts a common foundation course for entrants to the All India Services, Indian Foreign Service; Group A services of the Union and the Royal Bhutan Service followed by professional training for the regular recruits of the IAS and members of Royal Bhutan Service, according to LBSNAA website.
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. prosecutors say Anthony Levandowski should spend 27 months in prison. The autonomous-driving engineer argues that at the height of the coronavirus, that could be a death sentence.

Ahead of Levandowskis sentencing next week, government lawyers told a judge that his punishment for stealing trade secrets from Google as he defected for Uber Technologies Inc. is an important lesson to deter brazen and shocking conduct in Silicon Valley.

Levandowski, who agreed to plead guilty, countered that 12 months of home confinement and community service is enough.

Levandowski raided Googles repositories and stole proprietary information that would have undoubtedly been useful to him, prosecutors said in a filing. Had he not been caught, the stolen files might have made the engineer the savior of Ubers self-driving program.At some level, that is what Levandowskis actions suggest he wanted, to be seen as the singular inventor of the self-driving car, the way Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the telephone, the government said.

Uber recruited Levandowski from Google and later fired him while the company was fighting a civil lawsuit by Alphabet Inc.s Waymo over allegations that gave rise to the criminal case.

Miles Ehrlich, Levandowskis lawyer, said its important for the court to recognize the difference between what he actually did and the more sinister, sensationalized conduct he was originally accused of -- stealing thousands upon thousands of crown jewel, billion-dollar self-driving car secrets from Google, and selling them to Uber.

Ehrlich strategically appealed to a fact that U.S. District Judge William Alsup noted during the course of Waymos court fight against Uber: that lawyers combing through Ubers facilities and data in 12 inspections never produced evidence Levandowski used Googles trade secrets.Ehrlich urged the court to also weigh the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging prisons. For Levandowski, who has suffered respiratory illnesses and pneumonia in recent years, incarceration could mean a death sentence, he said.

Story continues

Levandowski arrived at his plea agreement with prosecutors in March, two weeks after a related civil dispute with Google drove him to file for bankruptcy. Google won a $179 million award against the engineer over his defection to Uber. The bankruptcy made it difficult, if not impossible, for Levandowski to mount what would have been a prolonged and costly effort to fend off the criminal charges.Under federal sentencing guidelines, which judges arent required to follow, Levandowski faced as long as 30 months in prison. Without the deal, he could have gotten as much as 10 years. Prosecutors agreed to drop 32 of 33 counts in the agreement. The plea requires Levandowski to pay about $750,000 in restitution to Waymo to cover its costs of assisting the investigation.

The criminal case is U.S. v. Levandowski, 19-cr-00377, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco).

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The Anhui-US foreign trade totaled 35.83 billion yuan ($5.12 billion) in the first half of this year, up 20.6 percent year on year, customs data showed.

The growth was 11.6 percentage points higher than the eastern Chinese provinces total foreign trade value during the same period, Hefei Customs said.

Anhui s exports to the United States reached 27.29 billion yuan, up 7.5 percent, while its imports from the country surged 98 percent year on year to 8.54 billion yuan.

The provinces exports to the US fell first and then rose in the Jan-Jun period, reaching the peak in May. In June alone, the exports increased 7.4 percent to 5.74 billion yuan.

Anhuis imports from the US kept growing fast in the first half of this year. In June alone, the imports stood at 1.75 billion yuan, up 1.2 folds year on year.

The province exported 17.42 billion yuan of mechanical and electrical products to the US between January and June, up 6.5 percent. Meanwhile, it imported 3.97 billion yuan of mechanical and electrical products from the US, up 3.1 folds. Agricultural imports from the US rose more than 3 folds in the first half of this year.




While we are focused on the Rural Development Opportunity Fund to strengthen and expand our network in the Mid-Atlantic area, we also stand ready to support fellow CAF-II winners that want to accelerate their deployments and compliance reviews.

Bloosurf was recently congratulated by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai as the first Connect America Fund Phase 2 (CAF-II) winner to complete the 100% deployment milestone, 5 years ahead of schedule.

According to Chairman Pai, small rural internet service providers are the foot soldiers of the digital revolution in rural and low-income America. Bloosurf is proudly one of those foot soldiers, working to support under-served and unserved communities, including working to connect hundreds of families whose children do not yet have Internet access in partnership with the Delaware Department of Education.

We want to thank the FCC for supporting small rural Internet Service Providers such as Bloosurf and many others across the country, said Vincent Sabathier, CEO of Bloosurf. The Bloosurf team would also like to thank the USAC for its efficient review process in the middle of this difficult environment as well as the Maryland Department of Commerce, Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority, and the Delaware Department of Technology and Information for their support.

Beyond the compliance with CAF-II, the 100% deployment milestone was achieved at the beginning of the COVID-19 confinement period in the Mid-Atlantic region and therefore was instrumental in supporting customers who needed high speed Internet for study and work from home.

Continued Sabathier, While we are focused on the Rural Development Opportunity Fund to strengthen and expand our network in the Mid-Atlantic area, we also stand ready to support fellow CAF-II winners that want to accelerate their deployments and compliance reviews.

CAF-II winners interested in learning more should contact media@bloosurf.com or call (202) 894-8000.

About Bloosurf

Bloosurf designs, deploys and operates hybrid networks (optic fiber and wireless) for itself or others and provides IP services to residential and business customers in the Mid-Atlantic region. Bloosurf partners with local, state and the federal government to provide very high-speed internet access to remote and underserved communities. Bloosurf is headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland and celebrated ten years in business in February 2020. Learn more: http://www.bloosurf.com
July 29, 2020

Philips receives 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its professional defibrillator (Tempus LS- Manual), now offering its remote monitor and defibrillator solution (Tempus ALS) to EMS customers in the U.S.

Solution delivers real-time bidirectional data transfer for remote patient monitoring, giving EMS responders a new approach to pre-hospital care

Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced the launch of its remote monitoring and defibrillator solution (Tempus ALS) for pre-hospital settings in the U.S. The solution is a complete end-to-end system that combines innovative hardware and advanced software to expand the pre-hospital scope of care for first responders. The professional defibrillator (Tempus LS-Manual) is the final element of the overall solution to receive 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is now available for sale in the U.S. market.

As a unique modular platform, the remote monitoring and defibrillator solution (Tempus ALS) consists of a remote portable vital signs patient monitor (Tempus Pro), and remote professional defibrillator (Tempus LS-Manual). While the monitor and defibrillator can be used separately, the devices also connect wirelessly to share data and transfer vitals, waveforms and images into Philips web-based software platform (IntelliSpace Corsium). The software platform provides robust, real-time transfer of clinical data and events, interactive ECG measurement, two-way communication and more, enabling rapid clinical and transport decision support and seamless electronic patient care recording (ePCR) integration outside the hospital in emergency settings.

"In emergency situations, where seconds count, having access to advanced patient data collection and sharing and real-time secure data streaming, can help inform confident treatment and transport decisions outside the hospital," said Arman Voskerchyan, General Manager of Therapeutic Care at Philips. "The integrated remote monitoring and defibrillator solution combined with our web-based software platform will help front line responders provide emergency care, diagnosis and treatment - including defibrillation therapy, data management and clinical and operational efficiency features - in a fully integrated solution."

Emergencies and care events outside the hospital continue to rise, with an estimated 240 million calls made to 9-1-1 in the U.S. each year [1]. In addition to the stress of the unknown and what to expect at the scene of the call, emergency medical providers must deal with manual handling issues. Equipment carried is heavy, often damaged due to use in unpredictable conditions and has limited data connectivity - inhibiting the ability for on-scene support. In an effort to address these challenges, both elements of the Philips remote monitoring and defibrillator (Tempus ALS) solution are designed with a small, rugged exterior and long-lasting battery to allow emergency medical providers to focus on caring for the patient without the hassle or distraction of bulky equipment.

Philips leadership in Emergency Care solutions

Earlier this year, Philips launched its new emergency care informatics suite in the U.S. market, previously in use in Europe, helping care teams spot life-threatening conditions remotely, improve accuracy of support from on-scene crews, and enhance tailoring of in-hospital care based on pre-hospital physiology. In October 2019, Philips announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussexwhere helicopter Emergency Servicefor more information on the remote monitoring and defibrillator solution and Philips broad portfolio of Emergency Care solutions.

[1] https://www.nena.org/page/911Statistics

For further information, please contact:

Kathy O'Reilly

Philips Global Press Office

Tel: +1 978-221-8919

E-mail : Kathy.OReilly@philips.com

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips.





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Asylum seekers in a controversial Kerry Direct Provision centre have gone on hunger strike in protest at the inhumane conditions they are living in.

For four months, asylum who are staying at the Skellig Star hotel in Cahersiveen have been calling on the government to move them out. The group of 41 people left at the hotel includes seven children. The hunger strike follows complaints about the standards of the accommodation and an outbreak of Covid-19 among a number of asylum seekers. About 30 people have already been moved out of the hotel.

We have been traumatised and for us to recover from this we need to be all moved out of this accommodation immediately by the ministers to appropriate accommodation centres. We are just 41 asylum seekers remaining including 7 children.

"More than 30 asylum seekers left the centre to different parts of the country because they preferred to be on the street than to continue to live here, the asylum seekers said in a statement. The hunger strike started at 10am on Tuesday morning.

There have been allegations from the asylum seekers that they had been forced to ration food and water at the centre. The asylum seekers have called on the state to give them access to a social worker. They said they want to be moved to either Mosney Direct Provision Centre or Tullamore Direct Provision Centre.

When Covid-19 hit, the Kerry hotel was set up as a new Direct Provision centre in order to try to ensure social distancing in accommodation centres. A number of asylum seekers were moved from existing centres in Dublin, to Kerry. There has since been 25 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among asylum seekers at the Skellig Star.

Norma Foley, the Kerry TD and now Minister for Education, told the Dails Covid-19 committee last month that she had seen evidence that a person who was suspected of having Covid-19 was taken from Dublin to Kerry on a bus to the Skellig Star hotel.

Locals in Cahersiveen, who welcomed the asylum seekers initially, have repeatedly called on the Department of Justice and the government to move the asylum seekers to better conditions. People living in the town said that they were also being put at risk of contracting Covid-19 by the standards at the hotel.

There were claims that there was poor deep cleaning and sanitising of hotel rooms where there had been confirmed cases of Covid-19.

It also emerged in May that a former manager at the hotel had resigned in protest at the conditions of the Direct Provision centre, and that staff working there had not had appropriate garda vetting.




Detained journalist, Hopewell Chinonos bail appeal which was due to be heard on Wednesday has been postponed to Thursday, his lawyers said.





Chinono, who was arrested last week on allegations of inciting public violence, filed an appeal for bail at the High Court on Monday after being denied freedom by Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna.





Nduna remanded Chinono in custody to August 7 this year, citing that he was a danger to the public and would violate the law if released.





Chinono is thought to be one of the people at the centre of plans by the opposition and some civic groups to hold street protests on July 31.





False start to bail hearing of Hopewell Chinono as record of proceedings from magistrates court has not been brought to High Court, his legal representatives, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) tweeted.





Chinono is said to have allegedly used social media to incite the public to engage in street protests on July 31, under the guise of fighting top-level corruption.





Another activist, Jacob Ngarivhume was also arrested on the same charges and denied bail.





He was remanded in custody to August 6. His lawyers also filed an appeal for bail at the High Court.





On Tuesday, Moses Nkomo of ZLHR filed a bail appeal at High Court seeking the release from prison custody of Ngarivhume who was remanded in custody on various charges including incitement to commit public violence.





Authorities are also concerned that the planned demonstrations would put the lives of people at risk as there are no guarantees that protesters would observe Covid-19 restrictions such as social distancing.





Zimbabwe is experiencing a spike in Covid-19 cases, particularly local transmissions which have now overtaken imported ones.
Munich, July 29 : Philippe Coutinho's agent Kia Joorabchian has spoken about the Brazillian's desire to return to the Premier League just couple of seasons after he left Liverpool for the Catalan giants.

Barcelona reportedly paid 105 million pounds up front (plus add-ons) for Coutinho in 2018 after Neymar left the club for Paris-Saint Germain in 2017. Coutinho, however, failed to live up to the expectations and following an underwhelming first year, was loaned out to Bayern Munich in 2019.

"It's no secret he wants to come back to the Premier League," Joorabchian was quoted as saying by talkSPORT. "It's still very much open. There is a lot of genuine interest." Joorabchian, however, conceded that it might take longer to strike a deal with a Premier League team considering Coutinho still has to play in the Champions League for Bayern in August. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the dates of Europe's premier competition was pushed back.

"Because the Champions League will run until August 23, it will be difficult for players like Coutinho to make any commitments or moves pre that date," Joorabchian said.

"He has the Champions League at the moment, they have to qualify past Chelsea. And then he has got to play Barcelona, believe it or not.

"He loves playing in the Premier League, he is adored playing in the Premier League and that is one of his priorities. He is not at all against staying at Barcelona," he added.

Coutinho has attracted interest from Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League and an initial loan move could be on the cards for the 31-year-old playmaker, with an option to make the move permanent.
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Linkedin Natalie Thomas (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Wed, July 29, 2020 07:03 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a0e6d2 2 Science & Tech London,Museum,Natural-History-Museum,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

London's Natural History Museum is dusting off the blue whale that soars above its central hall, its dinosaur skeletons and thousands of other exhibits in preparation for re-opening next month after COVID-19 forced its closure in March.

Museum Director Michael Dixon said staff had made the museum, which usually attracts about 5 million visitors a year, safe for the limited numbers it can accommodate with social distancing measures.

"We want to the museum to look at its fabulous best - this great cathedral to nature," he told Reuters.

"As you can see behind me, Hope the whale is getting her annual dusting, we have brought that forward this year, and she will look her magnificent best on the fifth of August when we re-open to the public."

The museum, which has been based in South Kensington since 1881, shut its doors on March 17, six days before British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a nationwide lockdown.

Read also: Modest insect-munching Madagascar reptile was forerunner to dinosaurs

Dixon said the closure had hit the world-renowned research center's finances, both through the loss of donations and the cancellation of events.

The museum would receive help from the government's 1.57 billion pound ($2 billion) package for the cultural sector, he said, but it would not be commercially viable longer term unless visitor numbers could be increased above the 20 percent capacity social distancing allowed.

However, those who do have a ticket will not have to jostle with the usual crowds to see the most popular exhibits.

"When people visit the museum over the next few months they are going to get a fantastic VIP experience because they will be able to see things without so many people around them, and I think that will be a wonderful experience for many, many people," he said.
The unions president blasted President Donald Trump for ordering schools to reopen as the virus continues to surge.

One of the largest United States teachers union is authorising its members to strike if their schools plan to reopen without proper safety measures in the middle of the global pandemic.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which represents 1.7 million school employees, issued a resolution on Tuesday saying it will support any local chapter that decides to strike over reopening plans. The group says school buildings should open only in areas where coronavirus infections are low enough and if schools enact certain safety measures.

In announcing the measure, the unions president blasted President Donald Trump for ordering schools to reopen even as the virus continues to surge. Randi Weingarten called Trumps response chaotic and catastrophic, saying it has left teachers angry and afraid.

We will fight on all fronts for the safety of our students and their educators, Weingarten said in prepared remarks to the groups annual convention. But if authorities dont protect the safety and health of those we represent and those we serve, as our executive council voted last week, nothing is off the table.

We take the health and safety of our members and our students seriously. A safety strike is a last resort, but nothing is off the table. https://t.co/ag1vi6pqag  Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) July 28, 2020

Union leaders approved the resolution Friday but announced it on Tuesday at the groups convention, which is being held online amid the pandemic.

For weeks, Trump has pressed for a full reopening of the nations schools. Last week, he acknowledged that some schools may need to delay a return to in-person instruction, but he was still asking Congress to withhold future virus relief to schools that fail to reopen.

Some of the nations largest districts have opted to start the school year online, including in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Houston. Some are starting entirely online, while others are offering a mix of online and in-person instruction to reduce the number of students in school buildings.

The unions resolution lays out conditions the group wants met for schools to reopen. It said schools must require masks, promote social distancing and update ventilation systems, among other measures.

It also said schools should reopen only in areas with infection rates below 5 percent and transmission rates below 1 percent, and only if local officials have taken steps to trace and isolate cases.

For many schools, more funding will be needed to reopen safely, the group said. It estimated the average school would need at least $1.2m, amounting to $116bn nationwide. The resolution said Trump and Senate Republicans have have failed to negotiate and pass a new stimulus bill to address the resources vitally needed for reopening our schools.

Many care centres in the US accept only limited numbers of children to prevent the virus from spreading [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

The latest stimulus proposal from the White House and Senate Republicans includes $105bn for schools and colleges, though some of the money is only for schools that reopen for in-person classes. In May, the Democratic-led House included $100bn for schools  none of it limited to those holding on-site classes  but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said even more money is needed.

In her speech, Weingarten said teachers want schools to reopen. Children need in-person instruction, she said, adding that remote instruction is no substitute for it. But she said teachers needed to know they would be kept safe.

Before Trump began pressing schools to reopen, she said, a union poll found that its members were comfortable returning if proper safeguards were in place.

Now, theyre afraid and angry, she said. Many are quitting, retiring or writing their wills.

Along with strikes, the union said it would fight unsafe reopening plans through lawsuits and labour grievances. The unions Florida chapter filed a lawsuit last week attempting to block the states plan to reopen schools, which the suit called reckless and unsafe.
Victims Commissioner Judith Thompson will not be reappointed (Liam McBurney/PA)

Northern Ireland Victims Commissioner Judith Thompson will not be reappointed when her term in office ends next month.

She has campaigned for payment of a pension to those most severely injured during the Troubles.

That was stalled following a Stormont dispute over whether former paramilitaries should be eligible.

The DUP and Sinn Fein are at loggerheads over the definition of a victim.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has said the pension for the badly injured should be funded by Stormont.

Relatives of some victims of non conflict-related violence have said Northern Ireland should have a commission representing all victims of crime.
Minister Rodney Muhammad speaks to the crowd during a 2013 "Justice for Trayvon" in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania's governor and attorney general joined the growing number of calls Tuesday, July 28, 2020 for Muhammad, who is Philadelphia's NAACP president, to resign after he posted an anti-Semitic meme to social media the previous week. Read more

Silence is Violence. So says the mantra of millions of Americans in the streets as we call out those who refuse to speak up in the face of anti-Black police violence. The expression, however, holds true for other marginalized groups. When we remain silent as others who also have historically been the target of white supremacy, it is violence. We must all speak up not only against acts of anti-Blackness, but also acts of Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and yes, anti-Jewish words and actions.

The African American clergy members in POWER  Christian, Muslim, and others  stand in solidarity with our Jewish siblings in denouncing the anti-Semitic social media post by Minister Rodney Muhammad. In this moment of unprecedented violence and hatred toward marginalized groups, we must all stand together.

Yet, we recognize that unity is easier said than done in a society that consciously acts to divide us. Although POWER is an interfaith, multiracial organizing effort made up of members of multiple faith traditions and racial backgrounds, we know firsthand that our differences come with a great deal of tension. Staying at the table and working together is not easy. There have been times when everyone at some point wanted to walk away from the struggle. From the outside, it may look as if we have it all figured out. But we acknowledge that the friction played out in the larger society is always present within our own circle. Perhaps the reason that the tensions have not torn us asunder is that we have been bonded by our shared pain and our work for a Beloved Community.

Whether it was a Black church in Charleston, a synagogue in Pittsburgh, or a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, the first expressions of concern from within our POWER clergy group have come from persons who hold a different faith tradition. We have wept together in pulpits of mosques, synagogues, and churches. We have cried on the shoulders of our neighbors when words were inadequate. And in those moments, we did not think that we needed to run to the aid of our Jewish, Black, or Muslim colleague; we ran to them because they were friends and partners in the work for justice who were hurting.

Justice demands more than apologies and corrections. It is about doing the hard work of being together as a larger community and working toward fairness for all. It demands that we pick up our shovels, picks, and wheelbarrows to dig up the painful roots of white supremacy that live within each of us and become architects of a new America where justice and equity  as well as dignity and respect  thrive.

We invite others to join us in this work. It is messy, it is difficult, it sometimes feels overwhelming, but we find that it is possible because we are in it together. We cannot afford to allow one another to suffer in isolation. When we refuse to be separated by our targeted identities, when we insist on standing together, we can actually name the truths that harm our communities: extreme wealth inequality, white supremacy, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, gender inequity, and more.

We can work to build a world that respects the dignity of all of Creation knowing that there are no throw away people or places. We need each other, we need the earth. Thats why in our multifaith network, we dont stand silent. Thats why we keep turning toward each other; thats why we keep crying and learning and forgiving and calling each other into doing the work of building a just world. None of us are disposable; we are all created by the Divine. Let us see each other and lift each other up in the sight of all.

Imam Abdul-Halim Hassan is cochair, board of directors of POWER. The Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, Ph.D., is codirector of POWER Live Free.
Scholarship matching apps. Live stream productions. Video game creations. In Pennsylvania, Black-founded tech companies are creating some awesome products.

Previously, we ran a story about the state of diversity in the tech industry in Pennsylvania. Black founders face an uphill battle to succeed in tech, yet, despite that, many companies have made a name for themselves in the state. Heres a look at several Black-owned tech companies to keep an eye on.

Scholly

The mission of Scholly is to help students get into college. There are three different platforms within Scholly: Scholly Search, which matches students with scholarships to apply for, Scholly Editor, which helps students improve their writing, and Scholly Match which helps build up a students math skills. Its the creation of Christopher Gray, who earned $1.3 million in scholarships to help him attend college. It was created in 2013 and has, since then,been featured on Shark Tank, Oprah.com, Forbes and more. Learn more at myscholly.com.

Switchboard Live

Need to live stream? Switchboard Live can help. This company is devoted to helping you simultaneously stream your live video on Facebook, Periscope, YouTube, Twitch and more. It was founded by Rudy J. Ellis in 2016 and can live stream a variety of events, including church services, sporting invents, product releases or anything else you can think of. Learn more at switchboard.live.

Jim Gibbs is the CEO and founder of MeterFeeder, a startup that's about to change the world of parking. Photo provided by Jim Gibbs.

MeterFeeder

MeterFeeder is an app where you can pay for parking, but what makes it special is that it also does digital enforcement too. Users can pay for parking and pay their tickets all in the same app and, what is more, for the governments that use it -- MeterFeeder works with the current infrastructure rather than requiring the city to buy new kiosks. MeterFeeder is geared towards small and mid-sized towns and is already being used in a variety of neighborhoods around Pittsburgh, including Brentwood, Carnegie, Homestead.

MeterFeeder is also looking at the future of parking. It is currently working on setting up an option for companies with fleets of cars to be able to pay for parking simply by having the cars turn off. This would enable the cars to legally park, thus saving companies money from parking tickets. MeterFeeder was founded by Jim Gibbs, who is also a member of Black Tech Nation. You can learn more about MeterFeeder at meterfeeder.com.

JumpButton Studio is a game and app development company based out of Philly. One of its founders is Nicodemus Madehdou (far right). Photo provided by JumpButton Studio.

JumpButton Studio

Founded by Nicodemus Madehdou, Matthew Auld, Calbert Warner and Daniel Ostermiller, JumpButton makes websites, mobile apps and animations. Its based out of Philadelphia. Past projects include the ACE Play app, designed for YouTube stars the ACE Family. The app has more than 49,000 reviews on Google Play and Apples App Store, and is ranked in the top 200 for family apps on Apple. JumpButton is based out of Philadelphia. Learn more at jumpbuttonstudio.com.

Tiffanie Stanard is the founder and CEO of Stimulus, a software firm that helps companies use data to influence their purchasing decisions. Stimulus is one of the few black-owned technology companies in Pennsylvania. The Stimulus staff from left to right: Archer Smith, Ajin Thomas, Neeharika Damera and Tiffanie Stanard. Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com

Stimulus

Stimulus is devoted to helping companies make data-driven decisions through its relationship intelligence software. It looks at a companys supply chain and analyzes it to help companies make better purchasing decisions. Stimulus is based in Philadelphia and was founded by Tiffanie Stanard. Learn more at getstimulus.io.

Black and Mobile

A restaurant delivery app, Black and Mobile only features Black-owned restaurants. Its currently available in Philadelphia (where it started), Detroit and Atlanta. Black and Mobile was founded by David Cabello in February 2019. He felt a strong urge to support his community by both promoting local businesses and by creating good jobs. So far, Black and Mobile has more than 40,000 downloads and 100,000 views per month, and continues to grow. Learn more at blackandmobile.com.

NaturALL Club

This online store and community is all about hair care for Black people, with a variety of products that help nourish and protect kinky and curly hair. The products are water-based and have lots of vitamins. Some of the most popular are the Jamaican Black Castor Oil Growth Serum, Nourishing Avocado Leave-In Conditioner and Flaxseed Edge Control Black. NaturALL Clubs online communities allow for people to swap hair care tips and tricks. NaturALL Club was founded by Muhga Eltigani. Its based in Philadelphia. Learn more at naturallclub.com.

Employee Cycle

Co-founded by Bruce Marable and Salas Saraiya, Employee Cycle creates user-friendly human resources dashboards for companies. It brings various metrics together to help HR professionals keep track of information like average pay per employee, first year turnover rates, Glassdoor CEO ratings, average time-to-hire stats and more, all in real time. Employee Cycle also has a regular podcast interviewing HR leaders about the challenges they face and how they overcome them. Learn more at employeecycle.com.

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The New York Police Department has released footage from surveillance cameras which shows Nikki Stone, the protester arrested on Tuesday, covering the lenses with paint.

Stone's arrest by the Warrant Squad - plainclothes officers - and her dragging in to an unmarked minivan sparked anger in the city, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joining other New York politicians in demanding answers.

Stone, 18, was released from custody at 1am on Wednesday, charged with vandalism.

On Wednesday afternoon Rodney Harrison, chief of detectives for NYPD, tweeted out footage of the vandalism for which Stone was arrested.

The NYPD on Wednesday released footage showing Stone throwing a can of paint

She is seen covering surveillance cameras with the paint, thrown from a can

In another clip retweeted by the police Stone is pictured approaching a second camera

Stone is seen holding a broom, which is used to damage and distort the surveillance cameras

The police labeled the video to show that Stone carried in her hand spray paint

She is seen approaching a series of surveillance cameras and throwing paint over the camera, in one case, and spray painting the lens in another.

'The #NYPD welcomes peaceful protests,' Harrison said.

'However, damage to NYPD technology that helps keep this city safe will never be tolerated. These cameras are vital resources which help prevent and solve crimes throughout the city.'

The NYPD arrest tactics were likened to those of the federal forces in Portland, who have been seen grabbing protesters from the streets and hauling them in to unmarked vans, to the fury of local officials.

Stone, an 18-year-old trans woman who was reportedly the organizer of the protest, was met with cheers from supporters when she was released from the 1st Precinct station house.

Stone - who is said to be homeless - was greeted by a group of around a dozen Black Lives Matter protesters at 1am on Wednesday, including the leader on the New York chapter, Hawk Newsome.

Stone said that while she had some scrapes on her knees from the arrest, she was otherwise fine, according to ABC7NY.

She was in police custody for around five hours before she was released on a desk appearance ticket.

Nikki Stone was released at 1am on Wednesday after five hours in NYPD custody

Stone, pictured, was bundled into an unmarked car by a group of plainclothes NYPD officers

NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson called the video incredibly disturbing, and the city comptroller, Scott Stringer, said he was 'deeply concerned'.

'We need answers immediately,' he tweeted.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York congresswoman, warned that 'our civil liberties are on the brink'.

'This is not a drill,' she tweeted. 'There is no excuse for snatching women off the street and throwing them into unmarked vans.

'To not protect our rights is to give them away. It is our responsibility to resist authoritarianism.'

Police have said that the arrest was standard procedure for the Warrant Squad, and that the officers were being pelted with stones and bottles. It is unclear from the video if this was happening during the arrest.

Typically the Warrant Squad goes after more dangerous people.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among those expressing concern at the arrest

New York Comptroller Scott Stringer said he was 'deeply concerned' by the clip

Stone has been charged with criminal mischief for allegedly writing on the cameras at City Hall Park, according to the New York Post, which added that she has also been hit with several counts of graffiti.

Other charges related to four separate incidents between June 19 and July 6, including for allegedly scribbling inside The Oculus, at New York's World Trade Center, and on an F-train at 63rd Street and Lexington Avenue.

The video - taken at around 6 p.m. - shows the teenager being pulled by three cops towards an open door of a silver Kia as she tries to resist.

A crowd of loud protesters can be seen watching on and shouting profanities at the officers, before one man attempts to intervene and help the teenager break free.

'Get back! Get back!' one of the cops shouts at the crowd of agitators, as Stone falls to the ground.

A female protester was dragged into an unmarked minivan by plainclothes police officers during another night of unrest in New York City. A mob of activists surrounded the vehicle during the incident on Tuesday evening

She is then pulled up from the pavement and forced into the vehicle before it speeds away.

Several NYPD officers on bicycles quickly cycled onto the scene in order to provide added protection for the plainclothes Warrant Squad.

The bike police were seen surrounding the car in order to keep the mob of activists away.

'They grab her off of the street as she's skateboarding, don't even put handcuffs on her, and throw her into an unmarked vehicle,' said one protester. 'None of the people are wearing badges. That's just terrorism.'

Police say that's actually the point of the warrant squad: to not look like cops and catch suspects off guard.

Footage from a different angle was also shared to Twitter by another protester who wrote: 'NYC is taking after Portland - a trans femme protestor was pulled into an unmarked van at the Abolition Park protest - this was at 2nd Ave and 25th Street'.

A third activist also shared footage and wrote: 'An unmarked van just snatched up a protester on 25th & 2nd and NYPD started attacking us!!!!'

Another wrote: 'An 18-year-old trans girl who organized a peaceful protest was just kidnapped by NYPD officers in an unmarked van. She's allegedly suspected of... wait for it... putting stickers on police cameras.'

Other activists took to Twitter to share footage of the officers whisking the suspect away

Dozens of social media users responded to the clip claiming it appeared the female protester had been 'abducted' and 'kidnapped' and the hashtag '#WhereIsNikki was trending on Tuesday night.

A law enforcement source told The New York Post late Tuesday that she is 'a suspect in the destruction of police cameras during five separate criminal incidents'.

The NYPD also wrote on Twitter that the officers were hit with rocks and water bottles as they attempted to detain the suspect.

Police said this was standard procedure for the 'Warrant Squad', however the squad typically goes after more dangerous people.

Following her arrest, a fundraiser was set up for Nikki with a target of raising $15,000. It has now surpassed that, raising over $18,000.

Several NYPD officer on bicycles were seen surrounding the car in order to keep the mob of activists away

For the past two months, protesters have been marching daily in New York City calling for an end to systemic racism and the defunding of the NYPD.

Large-scale demonstrations resulted in the nation's largest police department being stripped of $1 billion in funding last month.

At times, the protests have turned destructive, with activists physically clashing with cops and setting fire to their squad cars.

The New York City Police Benevolent Society also took to Twitter Tuesday night, blasting activists for trying to start physical clashes with officers trying to arrest the female demonstrator.

'Another night, another riot. More 'peaceful' protesters assaulting cops, throwing rocks and bottles. More politicians hurling hate at cops for daring to arrest a wanted criminal. They have surrendered our streets,' the Association wrote.

The New York City Police Benevolent Society also took to Twitter Tuesday night, blasting activists for trying to start physical clashes with officers trying to arrest the female demonstrator

On Monday, the NYPD revealed that more than 300 police cars have been damaged by rioters since the end of May.

The department says the damage totals more than $1 million.

On Saturday night, police cars were torched during violent altercations in Lower Manhattan.

Meanwhile, violent crime across the city has spiked dramatically since protests began.

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 percent year-on-year, while robberies rose 118 percent.

Ongoing civil unrest in other cities - including Portland, Oregon - prompted President Trump to deploy federal agents in order to protect property.

The Commander-in-Chief also planned to send a 'surge' of federal forces into Chicago, which - like New York - has seen a dramatic uptick in shootings and murders.
A federal law enforcement officer is covered in red paint during a protest against racial inequality and police violence in Portland, Oregon, U.S., July 26, 2020.

Oregon and the federal government have reached a deal for the withdrawal of agents from the anti-racism protests in Portland, according to statements released simultaneously by Gov. Kate Brown and the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday.

"After my discussions with VP Pence and others, the federal government has agreed to withdraw federal officers from Portland. They have acted as an occupying force & brought violence," Brown, a Democrat, wrote in a post on Twitter. "Starting tomorrow, all Customs and Border Protection & ICE officers will leave downtown Portland."

Chad Wolf, the DHS chief, said that he had been in regular communication with Brown and that the two "have agreed to a joint plan to end the violent activity in Portland directed at federal properties and law enforcement officers."

"That plan includes a robust presence of Oregon State Police in downtown Portland. State and local law enforcement will begin securing properties and streets, especially those surrounding federal properties, that have been under nightly attack for the past two months," Wolf said.

While Brown's statement indicated that some federal officers, including all Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, will depart as soon as Thursday, Wolf indicated that DHS agents will remain.

CBP and ICE are divisions of the DHS. The Federal Protective Service, another DHS division, and the U.S. Marshals Service, a division of the Department of Justice, also have officers assigned to the Portland protests, the federal government has said.

Wolf wrote that the DHS would keep its personnel in Portland "until we are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure."

"This has been our mission and objective since the violent, criminal activity began," he said.

A CBP spokesperson referred CNBC to Wolf's statement when asked whether CBP agents would leave Portland on Thursday. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Later on Wednesday, President Donald Trump threatened to send more officers to Portland "If the Mayor and Governor do not stop the Crime and Violence from the Anarchists and Agitators immediately."

Trump twitter

The protests in Portland have occurred nightly for two months, originally spurred by the May killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in police custody in Minneapolis.

The federal government deployed agents to the protests in early July, claiming their presence was necessary to protect federal property, including the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse. Local leaders and Democrats across the country have opposed the presence of the federal agents.

Video from the protests has shown federal officers appearing to target peaceful demonstrators, including one now-viral scene in which agents repeatedly clubbed a Navy veteran with a baton and gassed him with pepper spray. In court papers, attorneys for the federal government have said that officers have been attacked with lasers, bottles, fireworks and a sledgehammer.

The deal between the federal government and Oregon comes amid mounting litigation. A federal judge on Thursday ordered officers to refrain from targeting journalists and legal observers.

On Tuesday, the journalists and legal observers who brought the case asked the judge to hold the DHS and the U.S. Marshals Service in contempt, citing their alleged failure to abide by the order.

An effort by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to halt federal officers from arresting demonstrators at the protests was rejected on Friday on technical grounds.

While the Portland protests have been simmering for months, they attracted widespread national attention after federal agents were sent to assist in law enforcement efforts.

Trump has accused the protesters involved of being "radical left ANARCHISTS!" and taunted Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, who was hit with tear gas while attending a demonstration near the courthouse last week.

On Tuesday, Attorney General William Barr defended the presence of the agents during a contentious hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in which Democrats accused him of using the unrest to benefit Trump's reelection campaign.

Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president in 2020, has criticized Trump for amplifying racial tensions in connection with the protests.

"Of course the U.S. government has the right and duty to protect federal property," Biden said in a statement last week. "The Obama-Biden administration protected federal property across the country without resorting to these egregious tactics  and without trying to stoke the fires of division in this country."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
South Africa: KZN welcomes Toyotas R2.5bn investment

KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has welcomed the R2.5 billion investment by Toyota South Africa to produce its first hybrid synergy drive (petro-electric) car at its Prospecton plant in Durban.

Dube-Ncube expressed her appreciation to the leadership of Toyota South Africa for working with the provincial government to turn around the situation, despite challenges created by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Dube-Ncube said the automotive sector has suffered billions of losses as a result of COVID-19, with millions of people facing the jaws of abject poverty.

The MEC said ahead of the outbreak, the provincial government was moving with speed to ensure that the Automotive Supplier Park Special Economic Zone (SEZ), located in the south of Durban, is operational by 2021. The park will create an estimated o1 339 jobs through an investment of R2.2 billion.

It should be remembered that in February, we had successful negotiations with the leadership of Toyota, who agreed to be one of our tenants in our supplier park. We were excited by the fact that Toyota was about to start assembling the new Hino 500 series truck here in Durban.

These would be exported to Europe and Africa. We expect this province to earn foreign currency, with our export capacity being boosted significantly, Dube-Ncube said.

The MEC acknowledged the contribution that has been made by Toyota in the provincial economy, including an amount of R24.2 billion spent on procurement, with previously disadvantaged communities benefitting.

We want KwaZulu-Natal to continue to have a thriving automotive industry. Over the years, this industry has had a profound and wide-ranging effect on the city and suburban communities.

We want the impact of the sector to be felt in the township and rural communities. We are excited because Toyota South Africa has agreed to work with the department to ensure the entry of young people in the townships and rural sectors into the automotive sector, the MEC said.

Ahead of lockdown, figures showed that the entire transport equipment sector employed more than 14 815 in KZN and 9 242 people in eThekwini.

What we are undertaking to do, as part of ensuring recovery in this sector, is to be aggressive in our approach aimed at attracting new investments into our Automotive Supplier Park. We want to ensure that jobs are created in the provision of bulk infrastructure development.

We also want to promote innovation and localisation, in particular through the manufacturing of the first South African car in KZN. In Kenya, they have Mobius; in Uganda, they have Kiira; in Malaysia, they have Proton; in India they have Tata; and in KZN, we want to have our own brand, Dube-Ncube said.

The MEC said the province has planned to invest more in research and development (R&D) infrastructure to promote electronic vehicles, an area they want to explore in order to re-engineer the sector.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Five Rafale fighter jets of the 36 ordered by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from France will land at their home base in Haryanas Ambala on Wednesday.

The new aircraft will significantly enhance the offensive capabilities of IAF, which has for long-planned to update its fighter jet force. Defence experts have said the induction of the controversial Rafale fighter jets will be a game-changer for India in regional politics of South Asia.

France has expedited the deliveries of Rafale fighters to India and five jets are coming to Ambala instead of four that were originally planned to be delivered in the first batch.

Heres how the Rafale fighter aircraft will add to IAF power:

* Rafale, categorised as a 4.5 generation aircraft for its radar-evading stealth profile, is important for IAF since most of the aircraft in its fleet, including the Mirage 2000 and the Su-30 MkI, are classified as either third or fourth-generation fighters.

* The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The manufacturers describe it as a fully versatile aircraft which can carry out all combat aviation missions to achieve air superiority and air defence, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

* The first Rafale combat aircraft manufactured for India bears the tail number RB-01, the initials of IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. The IAF chief had played a crucial role in the signing of Indias biggest-ever defence deal worth about Rs 60,000 crore.

* India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth about Rs 60,000 crore in September 2016. Out of the 36 Rafale aircraft, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

* The Rafale jets will be a crucial enhancement to Indias Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft fleet.

* The Rafale fighter jets have been tailor-made for the Indian Air Force. India-specific enhancements include helmet-mounted sight, radar warning receivers, flight data recorders with enough storage for 10 hours of data, infrared search and track systems, jammers, cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases and towed decoys to lure incoming missiles away.

* They will be the first imported fighter jet to be inducted into the IAF in 22 years after the Russian Sukhoi-30 fighters. The first Su-30 entered IAF service in June 1997.

* The Rafales will be a part of the IAFs No 17 Squadron, which is also known as the Golden Arrows. The first squadron of the aircraft will be stationed at Ambala air force station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

* The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

* India will be the fourth country, after France, Egypt and Qatar, to fly the Rafale.

* The Rafale fighter jet, however, cannot be compared with the J-20, an indigenously developed fifth-generation aircraft of China. The J-20 is soon set to be inducted in large numbers into the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force of China after it was successfully developed and displayed.

* The 2016 Rafale deal was an emergency purchase to arrest the worrying slide in the IAFs combat capabilities. The count of the IAFs fighter squadrons had been reduced to 31 compared to an optimum strength of 42-plus units required to fight a two-front war with China and Pakistan.

* The first 18 jets, including the four in the first batch, were to be delivered to the IAF by February 2021, with the rest expected by April-May 2022, according to the original delivery schedule.
Heart Evangelista responds to basher accusing her of being "plastic"

Heart Evangelista shared her pictures while she went out to help her husband Sen. Chiz Escudero in his campaign in Sorsogon. An Instagram user commented on one of her photos and called her plastic.
Senate report examines impact welfare programs have on 'demise of the 2-parent home'

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Republicans on the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee recently released a report on The Demise of the Happy Two-Parent Home, which points to federal welfare programs as a possible contributing factor to the decline in marriage.

The problem isnt just that federal welfare spending enables women to choose govt programs over a husband, it is that the eligibility requirements force women to choose. In many cases if a woman gets married, they lose these benefits!!! Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who is chairman of the committee, commented on Twitter last week.

The report examines the state of family stability in the United States and describes policy approaches to ensure that more children are raised by two happily married parents.

Researchers have well established that children raised by married parents do better on a wide array of outcomes, the report reads. They have stronger relationships with their parents, particularly with their fathers. They are also much less likely to experience physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. They have better health, exhibit less aggression, are less likely to engage in delinquent behavior, have greater educational attainment, and earn more as adults. They are also far less likely to live in poverty.

The report compares the state of family stability in the 1960s, at the dawn of the sexual revolution, to family stability in 2019. In 1962, 71% of women between the ages of 15 and 44 were married. That figure dropped to 42% in 2019.

The declining marriage rate has not led to a corresponding decline in childbirths. Instead, the percentage of children born to unmarried mothers has increased dramatically.

In 1960, only 5% of American children were born to unmarried mothers. In 2019, the share of American children born to unwed mothers stood at 40%. An explosion in the number of unmarried mothers was accompanied by a sharp increase in cohabitation, where unmarried couples live together as partners.

Before 1970, less than 1% of couples living together were unmarried. In 2019, cohabiting couples comprise one out of every eight couples that live together. Studies have shown that cohabitation is no substitute for a committed marriage.

While unmarried mothers are often cohabiting with the father of their child at the time of the childs birth, cohabiting relationships are far less stable than marriages, the report explains. In a 2007 study researchers found that 50 percent of children born to cohabiting parents experienced a maternal partnership transition by their third birthday, compared to just 13 percent of children in married-parent households.

The rise in illegitimate births, combined with the increase in the divorce rate, has caused the proportion of children living without one or both parents to double from 15% in 1970 to 30% in 2019.

When examining possible reasons for the decline in marriage and the rise of illegitimacy, the report points to the expansion of the public safety net as a contributing factor that has been unduly neglected in the discussion.

While noting that much work remains in sorting out and apportioning blame for the decline in family stability, the report argues that most welfare programs that provide cash, food, housing, medical care, and social services to poor and lower-income Americans penalize marriage.

Public anti-poverty programs often exacerbated the problem of family instability by making single parenthood a more viable option and by discouraging marriage among those receiving benefits, the report states.

A safety net marginally reduces the costs of single parenthood, nonmarital childbearing, and divorce. It also can create a significant tax on marriage because the addition of a spouse with income typically reduces safety net benefits, and if he has only modest earnings or unsteady employment, the trade-off may not be worthwhile.

It further reads: Through the safety net alone, a single mother can achieve about two-thirds of the standard of living she could get from marrying a sole breadwinner at that compensation level. The safety net would put her about one-third higher, with no additional income, than the 10th percentile of male compensation.

At the margin, more women are able to substitute federal benefits for the income a husband would have provided them in the past, the report adds.

The report also examines the marriageable man hypothesis  which rests on the premise that men must meet some economic threshold that makes them marriageable to women  as a possible cause in increasing family instability. According to that hypothesis, fewer men have surpassed that bar over time.

But the report rejects that hypothesis as it notes that hourly pay is as high as ever and mens after-tax annual compensation is higher today compared to 50 years ago.

The evidence, then, suggests that men are no less marriageable by the most straightforward metrics than they ever were, the document contends.

Offering suggestions on strengthening family stability, the committee breaks it down into four broad categories: messaging, social programs, financial incentives, and other policies.

It suggests the implementation of public or private media campaigns designed to advance the goal of family stability.

As examples, the report cites a 2013 New York City public education campaign highlighting the consequences of teenage pregnancy and then-Senator Barack Obamas speech on Fathers Day 2008 stressing the importance of present fathers.

Theres also a need to create and promote social programs to help people develop the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare for, build, and maintain healthy marriages and families, the report notes.

It cites the Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education Initiative, which teaches couples about improving conflict resolution skills, co-parenting strategies, relationship satisfaction, marital commitment, and other outcomes.

As for financial incentives, the committee suggests safety net reforms to reduce marriage penalties and providing additional tax benefits for married couples, such as expanding the Child Tax Credit, which reduces tax liability for parents, for married couples.

While the report ultimately rejects the marriageable man hypothesis, it says that efforts to improve economic opportunities could help people meet their expectations regarding work and marriage, could make men more attractive as potential partners and fathers, and thus may lead to greater family stability.

Changing the course of family stability will likely require substantial effort, given the magnitude of the challenge in many American communities today and the pervasiveness of the decline, the report acknowledges.
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With the right electric vehicle (EV) policies, Illinois can deliver cleaner air, low-cost transportation options and lower energy costs for all consumers, particularly in neighborhoods most burdened by pollution, poverty and high power bills, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) argues in a new analysis released Tuesday.

At a time when the global pandemic and nationwide protests against racial injustice shine a harsh light on stark inequalities, CUB's 20-page guide, "EV for All: Electrifying Transportation in Low-Income Communities," argues for placing low-income neighborhoods at the center of future EV policy.

With vehicle pollution now the worst driver of climate change, transportation electrification has significant potential benefits for the planet and consumer pocketbooks"but not if low-income communities are left in the rear-view mirror," according to CUB's guide, at CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

Illinois already has a model for strong EV policy in the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), comprehensive energy legislation proposed in Springfield, the guide concludes.

"Our message has always been that the right EV policy benefits everyone, even people who don't drive electric vehicles," CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. "Up until now, the communities that could most benefit from EVs have too often been denied those benefits. But with creative solutions, Illinois policymakers can use vehicle electrification as a mechanism to reduce energy and transportation costs as well as pollution for low-income neighborhoods. We are advocating for strong clean energy policylike the Clean Energy Jobs Actthat brings EV benefits to everyone in the state."

CUB's guide illustrates how underserved Chicago neighborhoods, often near transportation corridors but far from good transit options, suffer from disproportionate exposure to air pollution and have been hit hardest by respiratory ailments, including Coronavirus. Not only could cleaner forms of transportation help make communities healthier, but CUB, a watchdog group that fights for lower energy costs, argues that they also can help reduce the "energy burden" in those areas.

For example, CUB's research team found that policies that encourage EV owners to charge their cars when electricity costs are low (typically in the middle of the night) could help manage power grid costs and spark up to $2.6 billion in cumulative energy savings for all consumerseven those who don't drive EVsover the next decade.

Without the typical machinery, such as a transmission, EVs are cheaper to maintain, and the cost to travel is usually less than the gasoline equivalent of $1 per gallon. While EV prices may still be too steep for many families, CUB proposes creative solutions to deliver EV benefits to low-income neighborhoodsmany ideas that could be tested in pilot programs in those neighborhoods:

Income-based rebates for used EVs and home chargers.

Income-based swap programs to encourage trading-in internal combustion cars for EVs.

Geo-targeted public charge station development (with discounts for local residents).

Low-cost "last-mile" transportation options, such as car-sharing, e-scooters and e-bikes.

E-transit buses that are targeted for communities in "transit deserts." (In a test program, two e-buses saved the City of Chicago $54,000 a year in fuel and maintenance costs.)

a year in fuel and maintenance costs.) The electrification of municipal fleets (police cruisers, garbage trucks, snow plows). Municipal transportation hubs in low-income neighborhoods could also serve as EV charging stations for the general public.

Electrification of commercial trucks.

Many of these ideas are included in proposed state legislation, the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA). "Policymakers can prepare for a future when EVs dominate Illinois roadways by putting low-income neighborhoods at the center of a comprehensive EV plan," Kolata said. "The Clean Energy Jobs Act would be a major victory for securing a clean, affordable energy future for all Illinois consumers."

CUB recommends Illinois create a strategic plan for delivering transportation electrification benefits to low-income areas, seeking input and participation from residents of those areas and a wide range of stakeholders. Also, utility-implemented EV programs must stress accountability. They should be tied to performance, including incentives for improving affordability of electric service, efficiency of the grid and increasing use of electrified transportation in low-income areas, according to the guide. Plus, any vendors receiving public or utility funding for electrification should be subject to reasonable standards and consumer protections.

The guide is the third in CUB's ABCs of EV series, in which it highlights important electric vehicle policies Illinois should adopt. Download it at the Research page of CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

CUB represents the interests of residential and small-business utility customers and has saved consumers more than $20 billion by helping to block rate hikes, secure refunds and fight for clean, low-cost energy. For more information, call CUB's Hotline, 1-800-669-5556, or visit www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

SOURCE Citizens Utility Board

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China has been scrambling to shore up relations with its Southeast Asian neighbours in recent weeks, with pledges of broad Covid-19 recovery aid and economic cooperation specifically targeted at Washington-friendly countries in a bid to prevent them jumping on the US bandwagon.

As the across-the-board rivalry between the China and the US accelerates towards a fully fledged confrontation, Beijing is ramping up the pressure on neighbouring countries to pre-empt the emergence of a hostile coalition near its doorstep.

Shortly after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo slammed China over its expansive claims to the South China Sea two weeks ago, Foreign Minister Wang Yi moved to placate Vietnam and the Philippines  the most vocal of the rival claimants in the maritime dispute  while President Xi Jinping spoke to leaders in Thailand and Singapore by phone.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

While Thailand and the Philippines are Washingtons treaty allies and Singapore has long been a trusted security partner of the US, Vietnam  Chinas steadfast rival in the region  has continued to pivot towards the US in the bitter territorial dispute.

As a result, these countries and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are increasingly torn between Beijing and Washington, with their long-tested balancing strategy under its biggest stress test amid the growing risks of an outright confrontation.

Its true that, going forward, the Asean countries will find themselves in an increasingly precarious  and awkward perhaps  position that may compel them to choose sides, said Collin Koh, a research fellow from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapores Nanyang Technological University.

The US and Chinese navies conducted competing drills in the region earlier this month, with two US aircraft carriers from its Pacific fleet deployed in the South China Sea, in one of the biggest displays of American naval power in years.

Story continues

Pompeos unusually strong statement represented a dangerous shift in Washingtons policy on the maritime dispute, according to Zhu Feng, executive director of the China Centre for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea at Nanjing University.

Apart from lending unequivocal support to Chinas rival claimants in the maritime dispute  which include Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan  it was also part of US President Donald Trumps upgraded containment strategy towards China ahead of the US elections in November.

The US is willing to adopt a more confrontational approach amid risks of armed conflict, get directly involved in the South China Sea dispute and expand its presence with its military prowess, Zhu said.

During his talks with his counterparts from Vietnam and the Philippines, Wang lashed out at the perceived US sabre-rattling, which China views as meddling in an already tense situation in the region.

During an hours-long virtual meeting with Vietnams Pham Binh Minh, who also serves as a deputy prime minister, Wang said the US fanned the flames everywhere and was forcing countries to take sides. Its aim is to stir up tension and turmoil in the region.

Xi also made a subtle point about not taking sides in his conversation with Singapores newly-reelected Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, one day after Pompeos remarks, saying China would work with Singapore to overcome distractions to safeguard regional security.

Beijing also unveiled a free-trade agreement with its closest regional ally Cambodia, a key counterweight to Vietnam, in a largely symbolic move to highlight Chinas formidable economic influence in Southeast Asia.

But observers say it is unclear how far Beijings crisis management efforts can bring regional countries into line behind its increasingly assertive international image, despite public remarks and statements aimed at brushing deep-seated distrust and differences under the carpet.

One day after the foreign ministers meeting with China, Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding with the US in which Washington vowed to help Hanoi fight the illegal intimidation confronting its fishermen at sea.

While many Asean members are looking to the US for a security partnership, China has been the blocs largest trading partner for the past decade. The interdependence between China and Asean countries has been further deepened through the Belt and Road Initiative, Xis signature foreign policy and investment strategy.

In the first six months of this year, Asean has overtaken the European Union to become Chinas top trading partner. If anything, the pandemic didnt reduce Asean countries continued view of China as an important trade partner, even if some are seeking to draw foreign investors relocating from China due to the contagion, Koh said.

Xu Liping, from the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said it had become increasingly difficult for Asean to build a consensus on how to cope with the shifting balance of power between China and the US.

The Asean countries have complicated views about the US intervention and the intensifying China-US wrangling, he said.

From Beijings perspective, most of the Asean members which are non-claimants in the South China Sea  including Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia  are more concerned about how the deterioration of US-China ties could damage their triangular balancing act with the two powers.

On the other hand, Chinas rival claimants may somehow benefit from the US-China rivalry in the South China Sea, with Malaysia and Brunei more likely than Vietnam and the Philippines to stay neutral in any prospective conflict between Beijing and Washington, according to Xu.

Hanoi and Manila will probably join hands with Washington against Beijing because they have pinned their hopes on US interference to counter China and secure their territorial claims, he said.

But it may be unrealistic for them to expect to work with the US to box in China, because the US did not have a solid record under Trump in its dealings with allies and partners. Besides, it is not in the interests of Asean to choose sides between major powers and too much pressure from the US may backfire eventually, Xu said.

Vietnam, which has been a key target for the Trump administrations Indo-Pacific strategy, has sparred many times with China  over their bitter history, territorial disputes, fishery and oil exploration  and they have also skirmished in the disputed waters.

However, Vietnam has to be wary of getting too close to the US because this could lead to entrapment. That is, Vietnam could be pulled into a conflict with China instigated by the US, said Carlyle Thayer, emeritus professor of politics at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

So far, official responses from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam to Pompeos South China Sea statement have largely avoided calling out China, while stressing the importance of international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Even Vietnam  which is considering an international lawsuit against Chinese claims similar to the successful case by the Philippines in 2016  moderated its stance at last months Asean summit. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the blocs current chair, said its members would prefer not to take sides because both powers were considered key partners of the region.

Brunei, long considered a silent claimant in the South China Sea dispute, issued a similarly mild statement this week, which aimed to strike a delicate balance between its territorial claims and its economic dependence on China.

The only exception to the strategy was perhaps the Philippines, said Koh, which gave a more robust response to the Pompeo declaration by renewing its call for China to comply with the 2016 arbitration which ruled Chinese claims over most of the South China Sea were invalid.

This was despite an increasing reliance on Chinese investment under President Rodrigo Dutertes administration and was walked back in subsequent statements by the Philippines.

In a bid to appease Beijing, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said on Wednesday that Manila would not raise the maritime dispute or its 2016 victory at the September meeting of the UN General Assembly. Duterte said on Monday that he had personally asked Xi to help his country with a Covid-19 vaccine once it was available.

This reflects the caution among Asean parties in what they see as intensifying Sino-US rivalry in Southeast Asia and they again seek the tried-and-tested ways to attempt to navigate their way out of the potential geopolitical minefield, Koh said.

Koh said that, while it was true that at least some Asean governments may be secretly  if not publicly  rejoicing at the tougher stance taken by the US against China, they essentially viewed it purely in terms of China-US rivalry.

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New Delhi: Amid fresh twists and new angles being probed in late star Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, a meeting of the top Mumbai Police officials has been called this evening (5 pm), Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday. The development comes after the Bihar Police also began its probe in the case after an FIR was lodged by Sushant's father KK Singh in Patna against his actress-girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty.

Meanwhile, there is huge pressure on the Maharashtra government to initiate a CBI probe into the case from Sushant's fans, colleagues, a few Bollywood personalities and politicians.

In the FIR filed by KK Singh, he has accused Rhea and her family of abetment to suicide, exploiting Sushant financially and other offences. Soon after the FIR was lodged, a four-member police team was constituted to probe the case along with the Mumbai Police. They arrived at the Mumbai Police Crime Branch office earlier today.

The team has already reached Mumbai to set up the investigation. The cops are likely to investigate the Sushant's former manager Disha Salian's death. She had also allegedly died by suicide a week before Sushant's demise.

The Bihar Police team has sought information from Mumbai Police regarding Disha Salian's alleged suicide as well. Former Additional Solicitor General of India Vikas Singh, a Delhi-based lawyer, has been approached by the Sushant's family to represent their case.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The Chinese government lauded President Rodrigo Dutertes fifth State of the Nation Address, particularly his push for an independent foreign policy and non-confrontational stance on the South China Sea dispute.

In his regular press conference on Tuesday, Chinas Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Dutertes policy pronouncements are in keeping with the fundamental interests of the Philippines, the shared aspiration of regional countries, and the trend of the times for peace and development.

We appreciate President Duterte's remarks and stand ready to properly resolve maritime disputes with the Philippines through friendly consultations to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea and the entire region, Wang said.

He stressed the need to handle maritime issues properly to ensure regional peace and stability.

But back home, Duterte is criticized for once again raising and rejecting war as an option in the sea row with China. Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio reiterated that the government does not need to resort to arms in asserting the Philippines sovereign rights, citing the case of Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia which also have maritime disputes with China.

Beijing rejects the 2016 ruling of an international tribunal in The Hague that favored the Philippines' case against China, invalidating the East Asian giant's sweeping claims to almost the entire South China Sea. Both sides however said they "agreed to disagree" and are setting aside the landmark decision.

READ: PH, China agree to continue friendly consultation amid clashing statements on arbitral ruling

Duterte in this years State of the Nation Address also reiterated his plea for China to prioritize the Philippines once it develops a vaccine against the coronavirus disease, which has infected more than 16 million people worldwide and killed over 650,000.

On June 12, the 122nd anniversary of the Philippines' Independence Day, Malacanang said that Chinese President Xi Jinping assured Duterte of a priority status once the vaccine is available. This was confirmed by Wang.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and the Philippines have been standing together with mutual assistance, turning anti-epidemic cooperation a new highlight in bilateral relations. The Philippines is a friendly close neighbor and we will give priority to its needs once we succeed in developing a vaccine, Wang said in his media briefing.

The Philippines is part of the World Health Organization's vaccine trials, but Duterte is counting on the East Asian giant to soon develop a vaccine against the novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China in December 2019.

READ: SONA 2020: Duterte offers detours on road to pandemic recovery
MARIGOT:--- Due to the significant increase in the number of cases in Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthelemy as of July 24th, 2020 1 new case has been detected in Saint Barthelemy, bringing the number cases to 2, and 4 new cases in Saint-Martin, bringing the number of cases to 7. In Saint-Barthelemy, the new positive case is linked with a cluster of people from Guadeloupe having stayed on Saint-Martin and frequented establishments in Sint-Maarten.

In Saint-Martin,

- 1 case is still under investigation;

- 1 patient is hospitalized in Sint Maarten and 3 positive contact cases are linked to it;

- 1 case is a contact of an indigenous case;

- 1 case was imported from the Dominican Republic on a repatriation flight from the United States that arrived

to Juliana.

The government of Sint Maarten announced today that it has counted 45 positive cases.

This active circulation of the virus is believed to be at the origin of the contamination of 6 people in Guadeloupe having stayed on the island and created a cluster still under investigation in Guadeloupe.

The need to slow down the spread of the virus by limiting movement due to the increase in the number of cases and limited health capacities, the Prefecture and the ARS,

after discussions with the Collectivity of Saint-Martin and in agreement with the Ministry of Overseas, decided to put in place a traffic restriction between the two parts of the island from Friday 31st July at 12 noon.

The Prefete spoke today about this decision this morning with the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten. Controls will be put in place at the Bellevue roundabout and at Belle Plaine by the staff of the Police at the borders and the National Gendarmerie. The border points of Cupe Coy and Low Lands will be blocked from this date.

Only people with a professional or medical reason will be able to cross the border. This pattern will be verified on the basis of the certificates already issued by the Prefecture in June during the previous limitation of circulation. These certificates may be reissued and collected from the Prefecture services.

Medical requests can be made to the email address covid19pref @ saint-barth-saintmartin. gouv.fr

Authorized travelers from Juliana airport (from mainland France, from the Schengen area or from the list of safe countries) will be allowed to pass by presenting their plane ticket, less their PCR test 72 hours with a negative result and the certificate of honor given by the company or present on the site of the Prefecture (undefined

sanitary-new-entry-procedures-in-Saint-Martin-French-part-Saint-Barthelemy-from-du-

18-July-2020).

These restrictive measures are essential to limit the circulation of the virus and avoid reaching the capacity limits of our health system. They will be put in place temporarily while

control the circulation of the virus on the island.

The health of the population is the only argument that should guide our decisions.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan increased trade turnover with Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2020, local media reported with reference to State Customs Committee on July 29.

In the reporting period, Iran, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were top three Gulf countries with which Azerbaijan conducted most trade transactions during the reporting period.

Azerbaijans trade transaction with Saudi Arabia during the reporting period increased, reaching $6.3 million. However, trade transaction with Iran and United Arab Emirates decreased and amounted to $155.5 million and $20 million respectively.

Moreover, these countries are also among the three Gulf countries for Azerbaijans import.

Thus, imports from Iran amounted to $137.4 million, from the United Arab Emirates to $14.4 million, and from Saudi Arabia to $5.4 million. Import operations with these countries have decreased compared to the same period last year.

Earlier, it was reported that Italy topped the list of countries importing Azerbaijani goods with the value of exports to this country amounting to $2.4 billion in 2020.

Turkey and Russia were next in the list of countries importing Azerbaijani goods in the first half of 2020.

During the reporting period, among Spanish-speaking countries, the largest amount of goods were exported to Spain from Azerbaijan worth $129 million.

The countrys overall foreign trade turnover amounted to $9.8 billion in the first half of 2020, with a surplus of $41.5 million.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Ambala: It was all eyes on the sky and excitement in the air as Ambala welcomed the first batch of the five Rafale combat aircraft on Wednesday afternoon.

Its a proud day for every Indian but even more special for Ambala residents as Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria received the fighter jets of the first Rafale squadron arriving from France via Abu Dhabi around 3pm.

Once the five aircraft land in Ambala, the pilots led by 17 Golden Arrows Squadron commanding officer Group Captain Harkirat Singh, met the Air Chief and briefed him about their flying and training in France.

The formal induction ceremony of the aircraft would be held later.

Barricades put up en route to the Ambala air base as security was stepped up on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

VIGIL UP ON THE GROUND

Munish Sehgal, DSP (Traffic), Ambala, said the administration is on a high alert and the gathering of people on roofs and photography during landing has been strictly prohibited, particularly in Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkora villages adjoining the air base.

DSP Ram Kumar said that the Ambala Cantt area has been made a no-drone area as it is a sensitive zone. Action will be taken against those violating no-photography orders.

Police made announcements and informed local residents not to gather on roofs or engage in photography between 10am and 5pm on Wednesday. Barricades were put up 3km from the air base and Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of four or more people, was imposed.

The media was also kept at a distance.

Residents organised a hawan (prayer) at a temple near the air base to welcome the Rafale combat aircraft in Ambala. According to Hindu tradition, every holy task is initiated with a hawan, so we prayed for the successful landing of the aircraft, Viresh Shandilya, a local resident, said.

ONE OF THE OLDEST AIR BASES THAT WAS ATTACKED IN 65, 71 WARS

The Rafale fighter jets will be part of one of Indias oldest and strategic air bases in Ambala.

The air base was established in 1919 and home to the Bristol Fighters of the 99 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. It became the headquarters of the Royal Air Force, India Command, in 1922 and was the flying instructors school from 1948-54.

Located 220km from the Indo-Pak border, the base was attacked by Pakistan in the 1965 and 1971 wars.

Last year, then IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa resurrected the 17 Golden Arrows Squadron, which he commanded during the Kargil war in 1999.

Marshal of the Indian Air Force the late Arjan Singh had also been in command of the Ambala air base as a group captain and so had Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee, the first Indian commander-in-chief of the Air Force, when he was in charge of a squadron in Ambala.
PIGGS PEAK  A man was left with injuries after a mob pounced on him for inspiring the belief in a 16-year-old girl that he would rape her.

The man is alleged to have tried to pull off the girls leggings whereupon she called for help. She was rescued when a group of people who believed that her attacker wanted to rape her arrived to intervene. Sizwe Dlamini (27) is said to have attempted to commit the rape at a place known as Ludlawini under Ndzingeni Inkhundla. However, since there was a traditional activity taking place at the girls parental homestead, some of the guests attacked Dlamini.

Attempts

His attempts to flee proved futile as throngs of people quickly picked up sticks as well as stones and attacked Dlamini after hearing the girl calling for help. Dlamini was allegedly beaten with the sticks all over his body, including the head, by the mob. He was also whipped several times and one of his fingers sustained severe injuries. It is alleged that after being whipped, police officers were called, but they advised that there was no vehicle at the time for the police to go to the area. This resulted in the uncle to the girl driving Dlamini to the Piggs Peak Police Station to lay charges. Dlamini was later taken to the hospital by police officers.

He appeared before court with a bandage covering his head as well as his hand. Dlamini was also wearing bloodstained clothes during his appearance in court. Yesterday, when he appeared before Magistrate Sakhele Hlophe, the matter was briefly adjourned to allow for amendments to the charge sheet. When the matter resumed, Dlamini was advised of his rights and also informed that he could seek legal representation. He, however, opted to conduct his own defence. He also pleaded guilty to the charge under the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act 15 of 2018. Dlamini was charged with inspiring the belief in the 16-year-old girl that he would rape her.

Though Dlamini had pleaded guilty to the charge, Magistrate Hlophe requested that witnesses should be called to prove commission of the offence. The magistrate said the offence was quite serious and that evidence should be led to prove commission. Dlamini was then remanded back to custody after being granted bail of E2 000.
How could testing passengers as they arrive in the UK help?

Giving travellers the all clear from coronavirus as soon as possible would curtail their period of quarantine.

This would allow them to go back to working and spending  both crucial for the survival of Britains economy.

Research suggests testing passengers on arrival would catch around 50 per cent of those who are infected.

However, some period of quarantine would still be necessary for those testing negative.

Airports may be able to provide testing centres on site, allowing travellers to book ahead and take their first test immediately. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye has said he could have testing sites ready within weeks

This is because many infected people would slip through the first test because it takes on average five to six days to begin displaying symptoms after exposure to the virus.

After seven days of quarantine, a second test would pick up 94 per cent of carriers, according to new scientific modelling by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTR).

Those free of the virus could then be exempt from the rest of the quarantine period.

What are scientists views on the idea?

Scientists say testing people arriving in the UK from overseas can provide an essential tool to curb the pandemic.

Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, said: This is a welcome illustration of the principle that testing can be used to reduced the need for quarantine.

'It is possible that a double testing strategy could be almost as effective as 14 days quarantine.

Dr Andrew Freedman, reader in infectious diseases at Cardiff University, said: This modelling study from the LSHTR provides a strong argument in favour of shortening the quarantine period from the current 14 days to eight days, by performing a test on day seven after arrival.

This would have a very significant benefit to the individual traveller as well as the travel industry as a whole.

Professor Jose Vazquez-Boland, chairman of infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh, said it would help prevent the importation of new infections.

These tests are important to halt international transmission and to protect a country from new Covid-19 flare-ups, he said. As such they are an essential tool to curb the pandemic.

Where could the tests take place?

Airports may be able to provide testing centres on site, allowing travellers to book ahead and take their first test immediately. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye has said he could have testing sites ready within weeks.

Transport logistics companies Swissport and Collinson said they have already devised a proposal for testing on arrival.

A spokesman said it is safe, prioritises public health, and also enables industries in crisis  including aviation, hospitality, tourism, and all those sectors that rely on international trade  to get back on their feet.

Wish you weren't here Mr Shapps? Transport Secretary Grant Shapps returns to his home in Hertfordshire today

It would allow travellers to book a test  known as a polymerase chain reaction or PCR test  which would then be processed within 24 hours  and in most cases within seven hours.

Following receipt of a negative PCR test, travellers would be released from quarantine, the spokesman said.

How much would they cost?

Heathrow boss Mr Holland-Kaye has said a UK airport test would cost about 150 each, with passengers expected to pay.

It is feasible that the second test could take place at current Government swab centres, which are currently running with unused capacity  although this would change in the event of a second spike.

Currently, NHS tests are free for anyone showing symptoms.

It is not clear whether this  if the Government were to adopt a test on arrival scheme  would remain the case for people who have returned from overseas and who require a second test to free themselves from quarantine.

What are the other drawbacks of testing on arrival?

Coronavirus testing is still not foolproof. It can give false positives, for example.

In those circumstances, on arrival testing could force a passenger into a 14-day quarantine unnecessarily.

False negatives  which fail to detect the virus even though it is present  would also be a risk.

Could we quarantine only those who have visited regions where there is an outbreak?

UK officials say this would be an administrative nightmare.

They would have to keep constant track of the situation in hundreds or thousands of places, and then communicate that information clearly to travellers.

A country-wide quarantine plan is far simpler and, they say, safer.

Revolt of the airline chiefs: Travel bosses urge Boris Johnson to drop blanket restrictions on whole countries amid row over quarantine

By JOHN STEVENS and SEAN POULTER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Travelbosses last night urged Boris Johnson to drop blanket restrictions on whole countries as the row over quarantine rules escalated.

Amid signs of a major revolt, a coalition of 47 airlines, airports and tourism leaders also called on him to introduce virus tests for those arriving in the UK  warning the industry could be permanently scarred.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the bosses of British Airways, Easy Jet, Jet2 and Wizz Air demanded the urgent adoption of a more nuanced policy.

The signatories also included chief executives of Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, London City, Newcastle, Belfast, Birmingham and Bristol airports.

Travelbosses last night urged Boris Johnson to drop blanket restrictions on whole countries as the row over quarantine rules escalated. Pictured: Hotel beaches in Majorca were empty today

They called for the introduction of regional travel corridors to replace blanket measures that mean those arriving from any part of an at-risk country have to quarantine for 14 days.

They suggested this could allow holidaymakers to resume travel to the Spanish islands and some US states.

But as he returned to the UK last night having cut short his own family holiday to Spain, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended the Governments decision to require travellers from the country to isolate for 14 days.

He expressed sympathy with holidaymakers frustrations at the change brought in with just a few hours notice on Saturday evening, but insisted it was the right thing to do.

Mr Shapps said: I very much understand, it obviously had an impact on me and my family and Im very, very sorry and upset for the thousands of Brits who are either away or perhaps even havent managed to go away this summer as well to Spain.

But its absolutely essential we acted when we did, its why all four nations of the United Kingdom acted together and the figures since have turned out to justify that action.

A coalition of 47 airlines, airports and tourism leaders also called on him to introduce virus tests for those arriving in the UK  warning the industry could be permanently scarred. Pictured: Sunbathers on Bournemouth beach today

We have to, I think, have a clear message and make sure we act by adding entire countries to that list for the time being.

He said the Government had considered excluding certain Spanish islands from the measures but chief medical officer Chris Whitty was very clear with us that he was concerned about the data.

He added: It had doubled in just a few days. He was concerned to see what was happening in the islands and thats why we make it a whole-country approach in these things.

Pressure was last night growing on the Government to offer travellers coronavirus tests when they arrive in this country.

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye yesterday warned holidaymakers face a disastrous quarantine roulette unless the airport testing is adopted. He proposed that travellers are tested on arrival before going into quarantine.

They would have a second test five or eight days later and  if clear  go back to normal life.Former Cabinet minister David Davis last night supported the suggestion, saying: Vienna has been doing this for months. I dont understand why we havent.

In their joint letter, travel bosses argued testing has the potential to be a game-changing additional tool for authorities to safely open up travel without quarantine from countries or regions deemed higher risk, such as the United States.

The group also called for blanket quarantine restrictions on arrivals from whole countries to be replaced by regional ones.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the travelbosses of British Airways, Easy Jet, Jet2 and Wizz Air demanded the urgent adoption of a more nuanced policy

They wrote: This would allow for quarantine-free travel to unaffected parts of a country, including not just Spain but other key markets for trade and tourism like the United States and Canada.

The industry leaders wrote that the introduction of quarantine measures for Spain at the weekend had been the latest significant blow to a sector which now risks being permanently scarred.

They added: We fully support the objective of maintaining public health and supporting travel only where safe to do so.

However, the lack of a more targeted approach to quarantine and travel advice will simply further damage the travel and hospitality sector by creating uncertainty.

Latest figures from Spain yesterday showed 1,153 new virus infections in the past 24 hours, down 700 from the previous day.

Ministers are understood to be considering if airport esting could be used to ease quarantine restrictions, but sources last night insisted there were no imminent changes planned.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden yesterday stressed there was no viable alternative to the 14-day quarantine. He said: It (coronavirus) can incubate over a period of time, so theres not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border.
11:08 (ist)

UK Board 10th, 12th result 2020 LATEST Updates

Steps to check UK Board Class 10th and Class 12th result 2020:

Once declared, students can check the results on UBSE's official website - http://uaresults.nic.in/. The evaluation of answer sheets had concluded by 15 July.

Step 1: Go to the official website - ubse.uk.gov.in

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the result tab

Step 3: You will be redirected to a new page, where you will have to choose UBSE 10th Result 2020 or UBSE 12th Result 2020

Step 4: Enter your roll number and other login credentials and press Submit

Step 5: Your result will be displayed on the screen. Download and take a printout for future reference.
An investigation by international media outlet Reuters found that, for years, Rite Aid used facial recognition cameras and technology in hundreds of its U.S. stores.

The drug store chain, which is headquartered in Camp Hill, has since turned the cameras off, it told Reuters.

This decision was in part based on a larger industry conversation, Rite Aid told Reuters in a statement.

Other large technology companies seem to be scaling back or rethinking their efforts around facial recognition given increasing uncertainty around the technologys utility.

Rite Aid would not disclose which specific locations across the country had the technology, which the report says was first deployed back in 2013, but the Reuters story found that the easily recognizable cameras were found in multiple Manhatten and Los Angeles area stores. Rite Aid told Reuters that it picked stores based on past theft history and crime data.

In the hearts of New York and metro Los Angeles, Rite Aid deployed the technology in largely lower-income, non-white neighborhoods, according to a Reuters analysis, author Jeffrey Dastin writes. And for more than a year, the retailer used state-of-the-art facial recognition technology from a company with links to China and its authoritarian government.

In telephone and email exchanges with Reuters since February, Rite Aid confirmed the existence and breadth of its facial recognition program. The retailer defended the technologys use, saying it had nothing to do with race and was intended to deter theft and protect staff and customers from violence. Reuters found no evidence that Rite Aids data was sent to China.

You can read the full Reuters report here.

Rite Aid is not the only company that has tried facial recognition software as a means to prevent theft and losses, the report says.

Facial recognition technology has become highly controversial in the United States as its use has expanded in both the public and private sectors, including by law enforcement and retailers, Dastin writes.

Civil liberties advocates warn it can lead to harassment of innocent individuals, arbitrary and discriminatory arrests, infringements of privacy rights and chilled personal expression.
Gov. Phil Murphy reiterated Wednesday that he wants all New Jersey school districts to reopen with in-person classes this fall despite a proposed bill calling for only remote learning until at least Oct. 31.

The governor declined to comment on the proposed bill in the Assembly that says public schools should stay closed and open with virtual learning only for the start of the 2020-2021 school year.

But he said he believes it is important for students, especially those in low-income and minority districts, to have some in-person classes despite concerns about the COVID-19 crisis.

Flexibility is the key watchword here -- giving parents, school districts, kids, educators flexibility, Murphy said at Wednesdays coronavirus press briefing in Trenton.

Parents uncomfortable with having their kids go back to class have the option of all-remote learning under guidelines unveiled by the state education department last week.

In-person education dwarfs any remote learning in terms of the efficacy and the richness of that experience, Murphy said.

Not every family can hire a tutor or has the room in their house for remote learning, he added.

We have too many kids where the second choice doesnt exist, Murphy said.

Three state lawmakers, including the heads of the Assembly education and higher education committees, said Wednesday they plan to propose legislation requiring public schools to delay offering in-person classes until at least Oct. 31.

Only special education and related services would be delivered in person, according to the proposed bill. All other students would continue to do their school work at home, just as they did after Murphy closed schools in March.

It is unclear how much support the bill -- sponsored by Assembly Democrats Mila Jasey, Pamela Lampitt and Joann Downey -- will have in the state Legislature. The teachers unions in Essex County and Paterson have also called on Murphy to keep school buildings closed.

The reality is the pandemic isnt over. School is set to begin in just a few weeks, and it is not clear that a safe and comfortable environment can be maintained for students and staff, said Jasey, D-Essex.

The proposed bill says public schools would start the year with virtual learning at home only. Starting on Oct. 31, reopening schools for in-person classes would be evaluated on a monthly basis by Murphy, with the help of the state education and health departments based on COVID-19 infection data and other statistics.

The proposal also calls for school districts to have the option of delaying the start of the school year by two weeks so teachers could be trained in how to teach online. The bill would also allow schools to hold outdoor events so students could get to know their teachers and classmates at the start of the school year.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 00:22:36|Editor: huaxia

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TIRANA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Opposition member of the Albanian Parliament (MP) Halit Valteri asked Parliament Speaker Gramoz Ruci to have all his fellow MPs tested for COVID-19, following the announcement that three MPs had tested positive for the virus.

"We wish a quick recovery to our colleagues and I would like to ask you (Speaker Ruci) that all MPs take the test after the last Parliament session of this season scheduled on Thursday," Valteri said.

On Tuesday, local media reported that three MPs had tested positive for COVID-19. The three MPs are in good health and self-isolated at home, local media said.

Also on Tuesday, the mayor of the capital city Tirana, Erion Veliaj, tested positive for coronavirus.

The number of new coronavirus cases in Albania has been steadily increasing in July.

Addressing Wednesday's Parliament session, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said that the country's health authorities are preparing for the autumn and winter seasons.

"We must prepare for an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections if the implementation of measures is neglected. We are working to further strengthen the national emergency medical teams in order to provide housing services to citizens who are or will be in need," Manastirliu said.

"We are strengthening our central and regional hospital capacities. We are also preparing medical teams for the opening of the third and fourth hospitals for COVID-19 patients, while we continue to increase testing capacities," she added.

On Wednesday, Albania's health authorities reported 108 new coronavirus cases and two COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 5,105, with 2,830 recoveries and 150 fatalities. Enditem
Trump: Kamala Harris Would Be Fine Choice for Biden Running Mate

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) would be a fine choice for presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Bidens running mate, President Donald Trump said July 29.

Trump, a Republican running for a second term, will likely face off with Biden in the November election.

I think shed be a fine choice, Kamala Harris. Shed be a fine choice, Trump, 73, told reporters outside the White House before leaving for Texas.

Speculation has been building that Biden, 77, has already settled on Harris as his running mate. Harris is a former rival who quit her own bid for the presidency in December 2019.

Biden has long said he would choose a woman and has said hed likely pick someone younger than him amid concerns about his age and health.

During a press conference on July 28, Bidens notes, captured by a photographer, showed Harriss name. Under her name, the notes read, Do not hold grudges, then mention that Harris campaigned with him, then Great respect for her.

Politico added to the rumors by publishing a report that Biden had already chosen Harris as his vice presidential candidate.

The notes of Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden reference Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), among other things, as he speaks at a campaign event at the William Hicks Anderson Community Center in Wilmington, Del., on July 28, 2020. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo)

The news outlet included a quote from Biden calling Harris a worthy opponent and a worthy running mate.

Politico said the report was published in error.

Biden plans to choose his running mate in early August, he told reporters.

What I said was that Im going to have a choice in the first week in August, and I promise Ill let you know when I do, he said.

The former vice president said he may not be able to meet with the woman in person.

President Donald Trump (R), and Vice President Mike Pence wait on the rooftop of the Operational Building at NASA before the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley aboard the rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on May 30, 2020. (Saul Martinez/Getty Images)

Biden has largely remained at his Delaware home since March amid restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden told a virtual fundraiser on May 27 that he hoped to announce his pick by Aug. 1.

Were in the process of deciding the basic cut, about whether or not they really want it. Are they comfortable? Theyve asked a lot of questions, he said, adding that he wants someone who is simpatico with me, both in terms of personality as well as substance, but still willing to be completely candid with me.

Harris said during an appearance on MSNBC on July 28 that Biden has outlined a number of plans that are part of his policy to build back better, build America back up to where it can be.

Harris said the election is the most important of her lifetime.

Trump has repeatedly said he plans to keep Vice President Mike Pence as his running mate for reelection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Monday that bans on international travel cannot stay indefinitely, while each country should do more to reduce the spread of COVID-19 within its borders.

Photo taken on Jan. 30, 2020 shows the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia)

The WHOs announcement came on the heels of the UK throwing the reopening of Europes tourism industry into panic by ordering a quarantine on travellers returning from Spain.

Only with strict adherence to health measures, from wearing masks to avoiding crowds, will the world be able to beat the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was quoted as saying by Reuters.

"Where these measures are followed, cases go down. Where they are not, cases go up," he said, praising Canada, China, Germany and South Korea for controlling their outbreaks.

According to Reuters, WHO emergencies program head Mike Ryan said it was impossible for countries to keep borders shut for the foreseeable future. He further noted that measures must be consistent and kept in place long enough to ensure their effectiveness and public acceptance, and governments investigating clusters should be praised, not criticized.

Ryan said Spain's current situation was nowhere near as bad as it had been at the pandemic's peak there, and he expected clusters to be brought under control, though it would take days or weeks to discern the disease's future pattern.
The spotlight has been on our prime minister and his ties to WE Charity, but its becoming increasingly clear that problems with the Canada Student Service Grant go beyond any potential breach of government ethics.

Indeed, the CSSG completely fails  and even insults  the students it is meant to be helping.

The program was first introduced in April as a way to staff charities responding to COVID-19, while also giving students a financial boost. Students would volunteer with the charities in exchange for about $10 an hour compensation, $4 less than Ontarios minimum wage.

The CSSG was not laid out until June 25 and, under the limitations of the program, students are only able to count the hours theyve completed while placed with a charity.

According to the CBC, no students have started their placements as of July 23.

Students have been volunteering since the grant was first announced in April, and under the process the government has laid out, those hours wont even count. Now, the CSSG will probably run from August to October, when most students have already returned to classes and dont have time to take on additional work.

In short, the CSSG is not the summer-job replacement it was introduced as, and even though it doesnt work for most students, the government is still desperately trying to push it out in an effort to save face.

For the most part, this money will probably not be going to the students who need it most. Most of the low-income students I know jumped to take minimum-wage frontline jobs in grocery stores as they became understaffed. Ultimately, this money will be going to students who had the luxury of staying home during the worst of the pandemic and can afford to make less than minimum wage.

But none of this gets to the real heart of the matter: the simple fact that volunteer work, by its very nature, should be unpaid. Its an insult to students and the work theyre doing to act as though theyll only help their communities if they are paid  most students volunteering right now are doing so because they care.

I have volunteered for a student-run non-profit since my exams ended in mid-April, sewing masks. The students I work with have so much dedication and faith that they are making a small difference in a big problem. Money has no place in that.

If the government determined students need more financial support, which many do, they should up the Canada Emergency Student Benefit from $1,250 to better reflect a living wage, and if they need more workers to help out with the crisis, they should pay them minimum wage.

Every little bit helps, and its great that students have a variety of financial supports available to them, from the CESB to additional bursaries and scholarships provided by their universities. However, the CSSG is nothing more than a performative farce of providing aid for students.
VANCOUVER, BC, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Terramera , the global agri-tech leader transforming how food is grown and the economics of agriculture, today announced support for the Business Council of British Columbia's (BCBC) economic plan Stronger Tomorrow, Starting Today , which launched today. The bold plan will address the unprecedented challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and restart B.C.'s economy on a path that benefits businesses and families.

The Stronger Tomorrow, Starting Today plan includes recommendations to accelerate homegrown innovation by encouraging the growth of small- and mid-sized innovation-based businesses and establishing a Global Agri-Tech Precinct to promote innovation and growth in B.C.'s diverse agri-food and related technology cluster. The initiative calls for a carbon offset system to shift to a lower carbon economy and create new economic opportunities for B.C. businesses and Indigenous communities. It also focuses on protecting the local environment by establishing a Clean Tech Centre for Innovation and R&D. Along with key partners, Terramera hopes to help drive and develop the ag-related proposal elements.

"We are proud to stand behind a plan that will spur B.C.'s economic recovery and improve the environment by harnessing our promising agri-tech sector," said Karn Manhas, Terramera Founder and CEO, at a virtual press conference in support of the initiative. "Stronger Tomorrow, Starting Today will enable innovative companies like Terramera to play an important role in B.C.'s economic recovery and will position the province for success in the emerging digital world."

"B.C. is at a critical juncture and working together with common purpose, at speed to get people back to work and seize opportunity is vital to our collective economic success," said Greg D'Avignon, President and CEO of the Business Council of B.C. "While we have been successful in managing the spread of the virus together, Stronger Tomorrow, Starting Today will help ensure our economic recovery together as well. The support of innovative businesses like Terramera is critical in moving the conversation forward and encouraging action from the government."

Stronger Tomorrow, Starting Today supports economic recovery in the next two years and beyond. Recommendations stem from consultations with Business Council members and other B.C. leaders along with best-in-class ideas from other jurisdictions.

In his remarks, Manhas pointed to the urgent opportunity presented by the initiative. "As a scientist, tech company founder and former policy maker, I see these recent challenges as an enormous opportunity for B.C.," said Manhas. "COVID has shown us that by pulling together, we can lead the way in battling a public health crisis. There's no reason we can't do the same in battling economic and climate challenges. By coming together around this plan and creating the right policies, we can leverage B.C. agriculture as a transformative force for our people, our economy and the environment."

About Terramera

Terramera is a global Agri-Tech leader fusing science, nature and artificial intelligence to transform how food is grown and the economics of agriculture in the next decade. With its revolutionary Actigate technology platform, which was recognized by Fast Company as a 2020 World Changing Idea, Terramera is committed to reducing the global synthetic pesticide load 80% by 2030 to protect plant and human health and ensure an earth that thrives and provides for everyone. The privately-held, venture-backed company was founded in 2010 and has grown to include a world-class bench of engineers, scientists, advisors and investors. Terramera is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with integrated operations in Canada, the US and India that include research labs, a greenhouse and farm, and more than 240 patents in its global IP portfolio. For more information, please visit terramera.com

About the Business Council of British Columbia

Now in its 54th year as the premier business organization in British Columbia, the Business Council of B.C. is a non-partisan organization made up of 250 leading and largest companies, post-secondary institutions and industry organizations from across B.C.'s diverse economy. The Council produces exceptional public policy research and advocacy in support of creating a competitive economy for the benefit of all British Columbians.

SOURCE Terramera

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YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Congress of Guatemala on July 28 adopted a resolution over the recent escalation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

The resolution states in particular: The Committee received information about the situation faced by the civilian population of Armenias Tavush province bordering Azerbaijan, in particular Chinari, Movses and Aygepar villages, where the shelling damaged residential houses and civilian infrastructures, causing fear among the residents.

We know that this escalation has started from the 90s between Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan and Armenia, over which the UN Security Council adopted resolutions urging to end the military operations and launch negotiations for establishing peace.

Our society has faced the heavy experience of an internal armed conflict which lasted for over 36 years, which left many human losses, wounded, disabled people and greatly damaged our private and public infrastructures, the resolution states.

We call on the parliaments of Armenia and Azerbaijan for a dialogue and expression of will for the sake of peaceful talks in their respective countries, the document adds. The recent events oblige us to demand to immediately stop the fire, war and hostile actions against the civilian population living in the aforementioned zone and the villages, as well as to cancel any joint military action or step with any state of the region which can endanger the peace and harmony in that important region of the world.

A unanimous decision was made to send the resolution to the foreign affairs committees of the parliaments of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as submit it for the approval by the Congress plenary session.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
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The Chinese Embassy in India on Tuesday urged the Indian government to correct wrongdoings of banning apps with Chinese background.

In response to media query on the restriction on WeChat of sending and receiving messages in India, Ji Rong, counselor and spokesperson of the embassy, said the Chinese side has lodged solemn representation to the Indian side and asked the Indian side to correct its wrongdoings.

"On June 29, the Indian government banned 59 mobile apps with Chinese background including WeChat, which severely damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," Ji said.

"I want to reiterate that the Chinese government consistently asks Chinese enterprises to abide by international rules and local laws and regulations when conducting external cooperation," Ji said.

The spokesperson noted that the Indian government has the responsibility to protect the legitimate rights and interests of international investors in India, including Chinese businesses, in accordance with market principles.

"Practical cooperation between China and India is mutually beneficial," she said. "Deliberate interference in such cooperation will not serve the interests of the Indian side."

"China will also take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," Ji added.
The husband-wife team behind San Franciscos upcoming Marlena Restaurant is striving to find a balance between approachable and, potentially, Michelin-starred dining.

We want to be a destination, but we also dont want to feel like people cant come to us because they cant afford it every week, said co-owner Serena Chow. We want to be a place you can come to on a Tuesday and also celebrate your birthday.

Chow and her husband, David Fisher, have taken over the former Hillside Supper Club space in Bernal Heights and hope to debut Marlena in mid-August. At the center of the dining experience will be a constantly changing, three-course prix-fixe menu for $40.

Executive chef Fisher and pastry chef Chow met while working at restaurants in New York City. Fishers resume includes two Michelin-starred destination Jean-Georges, while Chow worked at three Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park. They moved to the Bay Area two years ago, both landing at Palo Alto fine dining establishment Bird Dog before Fisher split off to Pacific Heights Italian spot Sorrel and Chow to German bakery Backhaus in San Mateo.

Stephanie Kiss

While the pandemic presents less-than-ideal conditions, Fisher said now feels like the perfect time in their careers to open their own restaurant.

I want something thats going to be very market-driven, produce-driven, local and sustainable, he said, adding his appreciation for worldly cooking techniques.

Fisher hopes to serve his prix-fixe menu Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays on a few sidewalk tables. Hes also applying to have a parklet set up out front.

The first course might be marinated Hokkaido scallops with radish-buttermilk vinaigrette, cucumber and trout roe, or a sweet corn veloute with crispy brioche, pickled celtuce and spot prawn. The second course could bring bone-in lamb belly with smoked lamb jus, crispy eggplant and eggplant puree, or aged duck breast with pickled cherry and burnt potato.

Chows desserts will typically spotlight seasonal fruit in sorbets, warm galettes or ice cream sundaes.

Add-ons will likely include a regular fresh pasta option such as cauliflower tortellini with artichokes, hazelnuts and smoked trout roe.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Stephanie Kiss

For takeout, the plan is to offer meal kits, potentially some a la carte dishes and picnic baskets to take advantage of Marlenas location across from Precita Park. A basket of cheese, housemade charcuterie, crackers and fresh fruit will feed two for $25, while a more elaborate lunch of roasted chicken sandwiches, salads and hand pies for two will cost $40. Customers can also put down a deposit for a basket, blankets and flowers if they didnt bring their own.

We want to be able to deliver an experience as well as give you a delicious lunch, Chow said.

Marlena Restaurant. Opening in August. 300 Precita Av., San Francisco https://www.instagram.com/marlenarestaurant

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 00:14:17|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The German government's transatlantic coordinator Peter Beyer criticized on Wednesday the plan of U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from Germany.

A reduction of U.S. troops was "not in the security interest of Germany or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)," Beyer announced on Twitter. The plan would "make no geopolitical sense" for the United States either.

Beyer also criticized how the withdrawal of the U.S. troops had been communicated. "In a negative sense, it was unprecedented that the German government initially only found out about the withdrawal ideas from the newspapers," Beyer told the German Press Agency (dpa) on Wednesday.

"Afterwards we were held up for a week, there was no further information, although the German government tried to find out more through all channels," Beyer added. "Such a thing should not happen again in the German-American friendship that is actually very good and vital."

Beyer made his statement ahead of the announcement of U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Wednesday to withdraw a total of 11,900 military personnel from Germany. Around 6,400 U.S. soldiers would be sent home while almost 5,600 would be relocated from Germany to other NATO countries, according to Esper.

Criticizing Berlin's "delinquency" on military spending, Trump last month ordered the U.S. military to withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany. Currently, about 36,000 U.S. troops are deployed in the European country. Enditem
On July 23, Russia and Turkey carried out a successful end-to-end joint patrol of the M4 highway in Syria, a strategic roadway linking the countrys east and west and passing through the opposition-controlled Idlib province. While this development is an encouraging sign that further de-escalation measures may proceed, the threat of renewed conflict remains.

The latest patrol comes four months after Ankara and Moscow reached a cease-fire agreement in the war-torn province, following March talks in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The March 5 agreement  an additional protocol to the Sochi agreement  called for the establishment of a security corridor 6 kilometers (about 3.5 miles) north and south of the M4 highway, with joint Russian-Turkish patrols aimed at ensuring the cease-fire.

Through the latest patrols, Ankara has confirmed its commitment to abide by the bilateral agreements on Idlib and demonstrated its readiness to implement further clauses of the agreements. Yet at the same time, despite the existing progress in the fulfillment of the obligations by the Turkish side, instead of a reduction in tension around Idlib, there is a buildup of forces by the Syrian government along the perimeter of this de-escalation zone. This may become a harbinger of the preparation of a new military campaign.

Earlier exchanges of fire between government forces and the opposition took place in this Syrian region. Airstrikes (albeit very limited) by the Syrian armys air force and the Russian air force resumed, including a strike on the city of al-Bab, located outside the Idlib de-escalation zone in the operational area of the Turkish Euphrates Shield zone.

The transfer of reinforcements by the Syrian army along with the Russian pressure  in the form of airstrikes  can be interpreted as a signal to Turkey to push it to quickly implement the next parts of the agreements concerning the creation of a 12-kilometer security corridor (6 kilometers to the north and 6 kilometers to the south) along the M4 highway. The southern 6-kilometer-wide part of this strip should be controlled by the forces of the Russian military police. Earlier in March, after agreements between Putin and Erdogan to end hostilities in Idlib, the entire area south of the M4 highway, which is now under opposition control, was determined by Russia to be territory that should be located under regime control.

It should be understood that the implementation of the provisions on creating a Russian part of the security zone south of M4 cant happen unless the entire Jabal al-Zawiya region, south of M4 and currently under opposition control, is under the authority of Bashar al-Assad's regime or the control of the Russian military. It is important to consider two points here:

1. Taking into account the difficulties faced by the joint Russian-Turkish patrols of the M4 highway, namely countering the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and groups controlled by radicals that prevented the patrols, the creation of an entire security zone under Russian control along this highway cannot happen without forceful action to expel radicals from this zone. Otherwise, these groups will carry out constant attacks and terrorist acts against the Russian military, which will find itself in a hostile environment. This is probably also understood in Ankara.

2. The creation of a Russian security lane along the M4 highway would cut off and isolate the opposition and HTS-controlled area at Jabal al-Zawiya, south of this highway. Therefore, the HTS is unlikely to voluntarily transfer this security zone to the control of the Russian military. This means that the safety zone cannot be created without first clearing the entire opposition area located south of M4 of HTS units.

Thus, it cannot be ruled out that the current military preparations of Damascus and Moscow around Idlib are really aimed precisely at the implementation of this specified power scenario. At the same time, under the current conditions, any military operation in Idlib carries many risks for the Assad regime and its allies and could have unpredictable consequences  including the potential for regime forces to end up on the losing side.

This is due to Turkey's large-scale military deployment in Idlib. The experience of the previous military operation in this region showed that even the limited participation of the Turkish army in supporting the opposition can radically change the balance of power and turn the Syrian government army from an attacking party to a defensive one. Therefore, in the current situation, the main issue remains the reaction of Turkey, which has significantly increased its grouping in the greater Idlib area, including in the Jabal al-Zawiya region south of M4.

An operation not coordinated with the Turkish side may lead to a new round of armed confrontation between Ankara and Damascus with unclear prospects. Thus, the threat of incidents between the Russian and Turkish militaries is growing, especially taking into account the Turkish medium-range air defense systems deployed in Idlib, which can accidentally hit Russian combat aircraft.

It cannot be ruled out that Turkey could refuse to surrender to the regime force areas south of M4, which were already marked on Russian maps as belonging to Assad, as it would like to use them as leverage to strengthen its own positions east of the Euphrates in the future. That is, Russia and the Syrian regime may be given the opportunity to freely seize the Jabal al-Zawiya region in exchange for the possibility of expanding (or rather lengthening) the Turkish security zone in eastern Syria. Such an "exchange" would correspond to the spirit of the previous Russian-Turkish deals on Idlib, when, in exchange for the seizure of part of the territory of this Syrian region by the forces of the regime, the Turkish side could conduct operations against the Syrian Kurds, creating its own "protectorates" in the regions they had taken.

However, in this case, two problems arise. The first concerns the fact that the very withdrawal of Turkish military bases from Jabal al-Zawiya may be presented by Erdogan's opponents as another Turkish retreat in Syria and will negatively affect the image of the Turkish leader. Keep in mind that all of Ankara's demands regarding the unblocking of Turkish observation posts and the return of the demarcation line to those borders set by the 2018 Sochi memorandum have not been met and are unlikely to ever be. And to leave a few more strongholds surrounded by the regime's forces would be even more humiliating for the Turkish side. Second, any changes to the configuration of the Turkish security zone east of the Euphrates must be negotiated with the United States, which still controls the airspace over these Syrian regions, and agreements with Russia alone are not enough.

Therefore, there is also a real chance of a scenario in which a new military operation in Idlib will be avoided. Russia may refuse to support Assad and this time will not give in to pressure from Damascus to launch a new offensive in Idlib, due to the significant risks associated with the Turkish military presence in the region. Moscow may give Ankara time to continue its efforts to counter radical elements in Idlib, where the Turkish side has achieved some success in this regard.

Thus, Ankara is using fighters from HTS  which is becoming more and more dependent on Turkey  to wage a successful struggle in Idlib against branches of al-Qaeda operating in this region, led by the Hurras al-Din group, into which the most radical HTS militants defected.

After these terrorist factions are finally destroyed, Turkey will be able to begin to eliminate the HTS itself. It cannot be ruled out that this will be done by integrating the individual groups that make up the HTS into the ranks of the pro-Turkish Syrian National Army. The most radical core of this terrorist group will be destroyed. Otherwise, under Turkish pressure, the HTS should become much more susceptible to signals from Ankara and will sooner or later be forced to withdraw its forces both from Jabal al-Zawiya, transferring this area to pro-Ankara opposition forces, and the 12-kilometer safety zone along the M4 highway, allowing Russia and Turkey to take control of it.

Finally, it cannot be ruled out that Russia and Turkey will decide the future of Libya and Idlib in one "package" agreement. For example, in exchange for Ankara's refusal to support Libya's Government of National Accord in the attack on Sirte and Jufra, Moscow will reject all of Assad's plans for attempts to launch a new military campaign in Idlib.
NSW has recorded 19 new cases of coronavirus with health officers now required to be on site at gyms.

Jeremy McAnulty, NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer, told reporters on Wednesday the state has 19 new cases with 10 connected to Thai Rock at Wetherill Park.

Two are linked to Thai Rock at Potts Point, one is a staff member at the Apollo restaurant in Potts Point, two are returned overseas travellers and one is associated with the Crossroads Hotel cluster in Casula.

People walk at Bondi Beach. Source: Getty Images

"We are at a knife's edge, a critical point" Dr McNulty said.

"But the majority of cases so far are linked together which is fantastic news because it means we can help understand the transmission dynamics and the risk."

Gyms to operate under new rule

Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Wednesday all gyms will now have to have a COVID-19 officer onsite including those which operate unstaffed.

"All gyms need to have a COVID-marshal in place, including gyms who have a business model where no staff are present," she said.

This is in line with the health advice.

A personal trainer and his client work out in Sydney's City Gym. Source: Getty Images

Sydney declared viral hotspot in Queensland

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters on Wednesday, all of Greater Sydney will be considered a virus hotspot from Saturday 1am.

The announcement follows two 19-year-olds who arrived in Queensland on July 21 from interstate with early investigations suggesting there was incorrect information on their border declaration forms.

The pair arrived from Melbourne via Sydney.

We have done this to ensure that we give notice to Queenslanders that might want to return home, the premier said.

When Ms Berejiklian was asked what she thought about Queenslands declaration she said it was a matter for its state government.

Thats a matter for them, she said.

It would have been nice if she had told me.

She added shes confident it wont affect NSWs economy.

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.
Doctors, healthcare workers on Covid-19 duty at a Lucknow hospital have complained about the worms found in their food packets. They have also raised complaints against the poor lodging arrangements for them.

Complaining about worms in food has been done several times both by resident doctors and the non-clinical staff. Sometimes not even fan works in the place given to resident doctors to rest after working hours, said Dr Neeraj Mishra, president of the Uttar Pradesh chapter of the Resident Doctors Welfare Association (RDWA).

The pictures of worms in food at the King Georges Medical University (KGMU) were also shared on social media by doctors. The body of resident doctors has written to the vice chancellor of the KGMU demanding better facilities for doctors on Covid-19 duty.

A cleaning staff deployed in the emergency medicine wing of the KGMU, who is staying in the Rain Basera quarantine centre, got an insect in his food packet.

A letter was written to the in charge of the quarantine centre.

I was surprised to see a worm in the food served to me. I wish to bring this to your notice, Jangi Lal wrote to the in charge of the quarantine centre.

President of nurses association, KGMU, Yadunandini Singh said, Insects in food packets show carelessness and also pose a threat to the health of staff who after eating it may suffer illness. Our association will meet the vice chancellor and demand good food for the staff as they are not going home while on Covid-19 duty.

In Basti district, doctors shared pictures of poor quality food being served to them. The staff circulated photographs of the food served on social media. Food is significant. As patients stay in hospital and depend upon food for proper nutrition so are doctors staying in hospitals for 14-day Covid-19 duty. Poor quality food means poor health, said Dr Amit Singh, general secretary provincial medical services association (PMSA) the body of government doctors.

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While George Floyds killing has led to continued calls nationwide for police reform, Lehigh Valley residents and activists Tuesday spoke of officer-involved incidents closer to home to push for change across Pennsylvania.

The local residents offered testimony Tuesday before the House Democratic Policy Committee as part of a series on police reform.
(NEW YORK) -- Here are today's In Crisis headlines:



Attorney General Barr defends law enforcement response to nationwide protests

In often contentious testimony Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee, Attorney General William Barr defended the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America, including sending federal troops to cities including Portland, Oregon. Barr pushed back against angry, skeptical Democrats who said President Trumps administration is unconstitutionally suppressing dissent. The at times contentious, partisan hearing marked Barrs first appearance before the committee after 18 months in office, bringing him face-to-face with the panel that voted last year to hold him in contempt and that is holding hearings on what Democrats say is politicization of the Justice Department under his watch. Under combative questioning, Barr defended himself but revealed little new information about his motivations, or the Justice Departments recent actions on policing. In one viral exchange, Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Michigan challenged Barr on why armed white nationalist protesters in Michigan earlier this year didnt face the same federal response as Black Lives Matter protesters often have. Barr countered that it was a matter for governors to handle.



COVID-19 numbers

Here's the latest data on COVID-19 coronavirus infections and deaths.



Latest reported numbers globally per Johns Hopkins University

Global diagnosed cases: 16,762,605

Global deaths: 660,978. The United States has the most deaths of any single country, with 149,260.

Number of countries/regions: at least 188

Total patients recovered globally: 9,769,747



Latest reported numbers in the United States per Johns Hopkins University

There are at least 4,352,304 reported cases in 50 states + the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. This is more than in any other country.

U.S. deaths: at least 149,260. New York State has the greatest number of reported deaths in the U.S., with 32,653.

U.S. total patients recovered: 1,355,363

U.S. total people tested: 52,985,577



The greatest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is in California, with 470,762 confirmed cases out of a total state population of 39.51 million. That is second only to Sao Paulo, Brazil, which has 487,654 cases, as the most reported cases of any single region in the world.



COVID-19 headlines

FEMA declares COVID-19 death toll is surging

While new cases of COVID-19 are decreasing in the U.S. overall, a new internal FEMA memo obtained by ABC News declares the death toll from the virus is surging. In the seven days ending Monday, new cases nationwide have decreased 0.6% from the previous week. However, that same time period also saw a 30.1% increase in deaths from COVID-19, a number that has been increasing steadily in recent days. The current U.S. COVID-19 death toll stands at 149,260, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. That number is on track to exceed 150,000 in the next few days. One week ago today, the number of reported COVID-19 fatalities in the U.S. was 136,466  an additional 12,794 reported deaths in seven days.



New federal report lists 21 COVID-19 red zone states

A new federal report, dated Sunday, lists 21 so-called red zones states where COVID-19 infections are considered precipitously high and that warrant immediate, aggressive action to stop the virus spread. Each red-zone state reported at least 100 or more new cases of COVID-19 infections per 100,000 people in the past week: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin. The report also includes recommendations for each state to address the virus spread, actions that include all of the now-familiar steps like wearing a mask, social distancing and frequent hand washing. It also recommends that public officials move immediately to close high-risk businesses, and increase testing and contact tracing. The report, which the White House shared with state officials, became public on the same day that President Trump insisted that there are large parts of the U.S. that are corona-free, again touted hydroxychloroquine as an effective COVID-19 treatment despite no evidence to support the claim, and lamented that White House coronavirus task force members Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx were highly thought of -- but nobody likes me.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GlowTouch Technologies, an emerging leader in global contact center and technology outsourcing solutions, announces the addition of new executives to support company growth and expansion.

Joining the GlowTouch team are Tammy Weinstein and Jonathan Ellsworth, who bring decades of experience in sales, marketing, and communications within the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry.

As Vice-President of Marketing and Analyst Relations, Tammy Weinstein will lead global marketing, communications, and sales enablement efforts for GlowTouch. She brings more than 25 years of experience in the BPO/Contact Center industry, building client relations and developing creative marketing strategies for companies such as Alorica, Convergys, West and, most recently, Knoah Solutions.

Jonathan Ellsworth joins GlowTouch as Senior Vice-President of Customer Success and will focus on creating and expanding custom solutions for clients and their customers. Jon has more than 20 years of experience in the outsourcing industry, having held roles ranging from sales management to client services and solution architecture. Jon has previous experience with providers such as HGS, TechMahindra, Sutherland Global Services, and Knoah Solutions.

"We are delighted Tammy and Jon have joined the GlowTouch family," shares GlowTouch President and co-founder Vidya Ravichandran. "Their experience, vast knowledge, and creative talents will be a great asset for us as we continue to grow and increase our sales and marketing efforts."

Later this summer, the GlowTouch Louisville corporate office will move from its current location to a new, larger space off Hurstbourne Parkway. "This is a very exciting time for our company!" Vidya exclaims. "We have an exceptional team in place - people who truly believe in 'Putting People First.' We are excited to continue growing our business and expanding our U.S. and global footprint during these uncertain times."

GlowTouch provides personalized contact center, business processing, and technology outsourcing solutions to clients around the world. Founded in 2002, its 1,800 employees deliver operational excellence with high-touch engagement. A certified Woman-Owned Business and six-time Inc. 5000 honoree, GlowTouch is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with additional locations in Mangalore and Bangalore, India.

To learn more about GlowTouch, visit www.GlowTouch.com , email [email protected] or contact Vikki Karrer at 502.947.3005.

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SHENZHEN, China, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This July is apparently a big month for most filmmakers and photographers. Only three weeks after the launch of Canon R5/R6, Sony released the long-awaited camera Alpha 7S III. At the same time, camera accessory specialist SmallRig announced the Master Kit for Alpha 7S III users at an incredible speed.

One focus of the camera is video recording. With improved 12-megapixel sensor, Alpha 7S III is capable of shooting 4K video at up to 120fps and generating exceptional low-light photography. Besides that, the recording limit should be one hour without overheating, which gives it a possible edge over most cameras that are limited to 30 minutes when recording 4K.

To optimize the shooting experience, especially for featured long-time shooting of Alpha 7S III, SmallRig designed the Master Kit that includes a form-fitting full cage, a NATO rail, a NATO top handle and a cable clamp, which will be available in August 2020.

Cage for Sony Alpha 7S III: The camera can be firmly fixed onto the cage via a 1/4 screw on the bottom and an M2.5 screw on the side. Featuring multiple 1/4 and 3/8 thread holes, a built-in NATO rail on the side and a cold shoe, the cage allows various mount options under different shooting scenarios.

The camera can be firmly fixed onto the cage via a 1/4 screw on the bottom and an M2.5 screw on the side. Featuring multiple 1/4 and 3/8 thread holes, a built-in NATO rail on the side and a cold shoe, the cage allows various mount options under different shooting scenarios. NATO Top Handle: Attaching to the top of the cage with a NATO rail, the handle can effectively smooth the low profile shooting while providing quick release.

Attaching to the top of the cage with a NATO rail, the handle can effectively smooth the low profile shooting while providing quick release. HDMI Cable Clamp: Designed to hold the HDMI cable in place and prevent cable strain or accidental cable disconnects, the clamp secures to the cage with one captive 1/4 screw and two anti-twist pins and holds the HDMI cable with a thumbscrew.

Aiming to develop the whole ecosystem for filmmakers and content creators, SmallRig is constantly welcoming feedback of the camera utilization. Feel free to check out their website for more products and details: https://www.smallrig.com/smallrig-sony-alpha-7s-iii-mater-kit-3009.html

About SmallRig

Founded in 2012, SmallRig is an innovative-led manufacturer that designs and builds premium camera rigs and accessories for all kinds of camera. Our sales network is spreading to over 150 countries and regions while our products are well-supported by over 500k filmmakers and photographers worldwide.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1221146/SmallRig_Alpha_7S.jpg
Yesterday, news broke out that the late Sushant Singh Rajputs father KK Singh has filed an FIR against Rhea Chakraborty in Patna. Now, it seems that Rhea has gone ahead and demanded that the case be shifted to Mumbai by filing a petition in the Supreme Court. Advocate Satish Maneshinde, who is representing Chakraborty, said he has filed a petition in the apex court seeking transfer of the case from Patna to Mumbai.

KK Singh had filed an FIR on July 27, 2020, at the Rajiv Nagar Police Station in Patna, Bihar. After which, a four-member team of the Bihar Police headed to Mumbai where they met with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, CID today.

Talking about the FIR, KK Singh has claimed Rhea is guilty under Section 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).
The spokesperson for Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Gideon Boako has accused the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of deceit.



Former President John Mahama while outdooring his running mate at an event held at the University for Professional Studies in Accra on Monday, July 27 promised to pay all depositors whose monies are locked up as a result of the collapse of financial institutions by government.



In a quick rebuttal, Dr Bawumia said: "it is not what you say in opposition but what you did in government"



Gideon Boako in an interview on Kumasi-based Hello FM analyzed both statements.



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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We are certain that the visit will be a turning point in relations between the two countries, Rouhani said after meeting with the Iraqi premier. We still remain ready to stand by the Iraqi nation and apply efforts for stability and security in Iraq and the region.
Russian Oligarchs Use High-Value Art to Launder Millions, Evade US Sanctions, Senate Report Claims

Russian oligarchs have bought and sold millions of dollars worth of art to evade economic sanctions imposed by the United States in the wake of Russias 2014 invasion of Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea, according to a bipartisan Senate investigation made public on July 29.

The report by the permanent-investigations subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee found more than $130 million going to Russia after being generated through high-value art sales and other transactions in the United States.

The individuals behind the activity were brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The report also said Arkady Rotenbergs son, Igor, participated in and benefited from evading sanctions imposed by then-President Barack Obama.

It appears the Rotenbergs continued actively participating in the U.S. art market by purchasing over $18 million in art in the months following the imposition of sanctions on March 20, 2014, the report stated.

Shell companies linked to the Rotenbergs also transferred over $120 million to Russia during a four-day window between President Obamas March 16, 2014, executive order stating that the U.S. would be sanctioning certain Russian individuals and the Treasury Department specifically naming the Rotenbergs as sanctioned on March 20, 2014.

In addition, certain Rotenberg-linked shell companies continued transacting in the U.S. financial system long after Arkady and Boris Rotenberg were sanctioned. The subcommittee determined these Rotenberg-linked shell companies engaged in over $91 million in transactions post-sanctions, the report stated.

While President Donald Trump extended sanctions for another year when they were set to expire earlier this year, the subcommittee said the evidence it turned up on the Rotenbergs cast doubt on the measures effectiveness.

To date, Russia has not withdrawn from Crimea and has even expanded its military operations in surrounding waters, the report noted.

When the subcommittee sought to understand why the sanctions failed to prevent the Rotenbergs from continuing to profit handsomely from their activities in the United States, the report said investigators uncovered a complex set of facts involving shell companies with hidden owners, intermediaries who mask purchasers and sellers, and lax money-laundering safeguards in the U.S. art industry.

Investigators said they feared if wealthy Russian oligarchs can purchase millions in art for personal investment or enjoyment while under sanction, it follows that their businesses or hidden resources could also continue accessing the U.S. financial system.

The heart of the problem uncovered by the subcommittee, according to the report, is that the U.S. art market is largely unregulated and the U.S. banking system is unprepared to stop the laundering of funds generated by its often secretive sales and purchases.

It is shocking that U.S. banking regulations dont currently apply to multimillion-dollar art transactions, and we cannot let that continue, said Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), in a statement accompanying release of the report. Portman is chairman of the subcommittee.

The art industry currently operates under a veil of secrecy, allowing art advisors to represent both sellers and buyers, masking the identities of both parties, and as we found, the source of the funds. This creates an environment ripe for laundering money and evading sanctions, Portman said.

It is alarming and completely unacceptable that common-sense regulations designed to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism do not apply if someone is purchasing a multimillion-dollar piece of art, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), the ranking minority member of the subcommittee, said in the statement with Portman.

As a result, criminals, terrorists, and wealthy Russian oligarchs like the Rotenbergs are able to use an unregulated art industry, as well as real estate and other investments, to hide assets, launder funds, and evade sanctions, Carper said.

The art industry isnt covered by the Banking Secrecy Act and is thus not required to maintain anti-money-laundering (AML) and anti-terrorism-financing controls for sales and purchases. Similarly, the report stated, private art dealers arent subject to those financing regulations; large auction houses such as Sothebys have voluntary AML controls in place.

One private dealer told the subcommittee she had no written AML or sanctions policies and instead relied on her gut and worked with people she knew, the report stated.

She also explained that questioning the identity of the buyer and the source of funds in an art transaction was not done in the art industry, nor would the dealer for the purchaser want to provide that information.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc
Goodwill San Antonio will move its transportation, logistics and warehousing operations center to a former Walmart building on IH-35 in Windcrest.

Goodwill expects to close on the building next month and begin the process of consolidating and relocating the heart of its revenue generation, its donated goods and retail operation, to the 125,000 square-foot building that used to be a Walmart more than a decade ago.

We are really excited about becoming part of Windcrest, Janice Bunch, COO and president of Goodwill San Antonio, told the Windcrest City Council during its July 6 meeting.

Goodwill San Antonio serves a 24-county territory area of operations with its corporate headquarters located in downtown San Antonio.

We have been looking for an operations center for our transportation, logistics, warehousing, for quite some time. Weve been looking for a location that gives us good brand identity, and we believe this location will do absolutely that, Bunch said.

Goodwill currently leases space for the transportation, logistics and warehousing operations in a business park along Eisenhauer Road just off IH-35, across from Windcrest city limits.

Once we close (on the property), we expect to move virtually everything that were doing at the Eisenhauer location to this facility, she said. We also operate an online store out of this facility, our e-commerce division.

We do central processing of donations in this facility, as well as operate an outlet. Our donating goods and retail operation headquarters will be in this facility, she said.

Goodwill San Antonio has about 1,500 employees, a $46 million payroll, and realized $90 million in revenue in 2019. Half of that, she said, is generated from its donated goods and retail operation, from its 24 stores and outlets. And thats the division that is going to be housed at this facility, she replied.

George Alva, Windcrest Economic Development Corporation vice president, told council Goodwills presence will attract consumers to the citys IH-35 retail and eating establishments.

Our city has waited many years to find a tenant for the former Walmart building on Interstate 35, Alva said. I believe it will enhance our citys curb appeal along the IH-35 access road and encourage people to exit the expressway to check out the other businesses in our wonderful little town.

Bunch said Goodwill currently has a retail sale store in the Windcrest area on Walzem Road, in a strip mall fronted by McDonalds, Taco Bell and CVS Pharmacy. As such, sales from the current Eisenhauer location are rare. But Goodwill came before the Windcrest council seeking a special use permit that would allow for just such infrequent retail sales.

We dont typically do a lot of second-hand clothing sales out of this operation, she said. This outlet facility usually sells hard goods by the pound  a second and third opportunity to sell goods that have not sold in our stores.

We rarely, but sometimes will, sell second-hand clothing out of the outlet. Thats what this special use permit request is for, to give us that opportunity should we decide to do so, she added.

She said once Goodwill takes ownership of the building, plans will begin for its renovation and conversion. She said the organization, a nonprofit 501(c)3 operation, expects to be moved in by the close of 2021.

The locations address is 7702 IH-35 North in Windcrest, next door to Conns and within walking distance of Rackspace Technology.

In opening the public hearing comments, Alva read a post from Goodwills website. Goodwill works to enhance peoples dignity and quality of life by strengthening their communities, eliminating their barriers to opportunity, and helping them reach their full potential through learning and the power of work.

Now, Alva said, Windcrest can be part of this in a big way.

Council unanimously approved the special use permit request.

jflinn@express-news.net
A man has been arrested for shooting at a mother and son in a Miami Beach hotel lobby after becoming upset over their lack of social distancing.



Douglas Marks, 47, confronted the woman and her son in the lobby of the Crystal Beach Suites in Miami Beach on Monday evening, according to reports



Veronica Pena and her son, both visiting Miami Beach from New Mexico, said they were in the lobby of the hotel when they first saw Marks.





According to the affidavit, seen by Local10.com, Marks, from Miami, told the pair: 'You aren't social distancing.



Read Full Story .... dailymail.co.uk >>> :

















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India, Indonesia close ranks amidst Asia-Pacific tensions

India and Indonesia have agreed to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation in amidst rising tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. The decision was taken at the Defence Ministers Dialogue held in New Delhi today.

The Indian delegation was headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh while the Indonesian delegation was led by his counterpart defence minister General Prabowo Subianto.

The Indonesian defence ministers visit to India for strengthening ties between the two maritime neighbours comes at a time when China is posing a big threat to peace in the region and across Indias borders.

During the talks, Rajnath Singh reiterated the long history of mutually beneficial interactions between the two countries with a tradition of close political dialogue, economic and trade linkages as well as cultural and people to people interactions.

Conveying satisfaction on the military to military interactions, Rajnath Singh indicated that the defence cooperation between India and Indonesia has witnessed an upswing in recent years, which is in consonance with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two sides. Both the ministers agreed to further enhance the bilateral defence cooperation in mutually agreed areas.

The two countries also identified potential areas of cooperation in the field of defence industries and defence technology. Both the ministers committed themselves to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in these areas and take them to the next level of deliverables.

The meeting ended on a positive note with a commitment to further strengthen and widen the scope of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary Department of Military Affairs General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria and Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and other senior civil and military officers also took part in the bilateral meeting.

General Subianto was given ceremonial Guard of Honour on the lawns of South Block when he arrived for the dialogue. He was personally received by defence minister Rajnath Singh at the venue. Earlier, General Subianto visited the National War Memorial and laid a wreath as a mark of respect to the fallen heroes.
DUBAI/RIYADH (Reuters) - Yemen's southern separatists rescinded a declaration of self-rule on Wednesday and a new governor and police chief were appointed in the contested city of Aden, after a Saudi push to reunite allies in a fight against Iran-aligned Houthi forces.

The United Nations Yemen envoy said the initiative was an important step towards a peaceful resolution of the five-year conflict.

Riyadh is seeking to end a conflict between southern separatists and the Saudi-backed government, which has been based in Aden for five years after being driven from the capital Sanaa by the Houthis.

The government and the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, are the main Yemeni forces in a Saudi-led anti-Houthi coalition. But the Yemeni allies have been in a standoff since last August when the STC took over Aden.

A power-sharing deal between them in November, the "Riyadh agreement", was never implemented. The STC declared self rule in April and the two sides have been fighting in Aden and other southern regions.

Wednesday's developments were part of a new framework unveiled by Saudi Arabia to resolve the quarrel among the allies and implement their power-sharing deal.

STC spokesman Nizar Haitham said the group had rescinded its self-rule declaration and would work under the new framework.

The framework calls for a new governor and head of police for Aden. Yemeni government news agency Sabanet said STC-allied figures were appointed to these positions on Wednesday. The agency also quoted a government official as welcoming the Saudi initiative.

Yemen's prime minister has 30 days to form a 24-member cabinet, representing north and south Yemen equally and including STC representatives.

In those 30 days, medium and heavy military apparatus should leave the Aden governorate, forces in neighbouring Abyan province should separate and return to previous positions, and a ceasefire agreed in June should continue, the Saudi initiative said.

Story continues

UAE WELCOMES INITIATIVE

"The consent of the Yemeni parties to accelerate the implementation of the agreement reflects the serious desire for dialogue," Saudi vice minister of defence Khalid bin Salman tweeted.

The UAE, which scaled down its military presence in Yemen last year, also welcomed the Saudi initiative and urged all Yemeni forces to cooperate in the fight against the Houthis, according to a foreign ministry statement carried by state news agency WAM.

The Yemen war has driven millions of people to the verge of starvation, requiring the world's biggest humanitarian response.

The dispute within the anti-Houthi camp has been holding up U.N. efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the wider conflict. The United Nations has been holding virtual talks between the warring parties to agree a permanent ceasefire and a restart to peace negotiations, last held in December 2018.

U.N. Yemen Envoy Martin Griffiths on Tuesday told the U.N. Security Council: "There is a real risk that these negotiations will slip away, and that Yemen will enter a new phase of prolonged escalation, of the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, and of severe and threatening economic decline."

(Reporting by Hesham Abdul Khalek, Raya Jalabi and Marwa Rashad; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the U.N.; Writing by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
A trooper with the Michigan State Police is hospitalized today after an early morning crash in Washtenaw County, the MSP reported.

The crash occurred at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday July 29, at Geddes Road near Division Street in Superior Township, the state agency tweeted.

No other vehicles or people were involved, the Michigan State Police tweeted, including a photo of the badly damaged patrol car. Trooper was transported to U-of-M hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

The trooper was responding to an emergency 911 to assist another police agency at the time of the crash.
The government of Anez has been utterly incompetent regarding the coronavirus. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in this country of 11 million people is 66,456; since testing is low, the number is likely much higher.





by Vijay Prashad and Alejandro Bejarano





On July 24, 2020, Teslas Elon Musk wrote on Twitter that a second U.S. government stimulus package is not in the best interests of the people. Someone responded to Musk soon after, You know what wasnt in the best interest of people? The U.S. government organizing a coup against Evo Morales in Bolivia so you could obtain the lithium there. Musk then wrote: We will coup whoever we want! Deal with it.













Musk refers here to the coup against President Evo Morales Ayma, who was removed illegally from his office in November 2019. Morales had just won an election for a term that was to have begun in January 2020. Even if there was a challenge against that election, Morales term should rightfully have continued through November and December of 2019. Instead, the Bolivian military, at the behest of Bolivias far right and the United States government, threatened Morales; Morales went into exile in Mexico and is now in Argentina.





At that time, the evidence of fraud was offered by the far right and by a preliminary report by the Organization of American States; only after Morales was removed from office was there grudging acknowledgment by the liberal media that there was in fact no evidence of fraud. It was too late for Bolivia, which has been condemned to a dangerous government that has suspended democracy in the country.





Lithium Coup





Over his 14 years in office, Morales fought to use the wealth of Bolivia for the Bolivian people, who sawafter centuries of oppressionremarkable advances in their basic needs. Literacy rates rose and hunger rates dropped. The use of Bolivias wealth to advance the interests of the people rather than North American multinational corporations was an abomination to the U.S. embassy in La Paz, which had egged on the worst elements of the military and the far right to overthrow the government. This is just what happened in November 2019.





Musks admission, however intemperate, is at least honest. His company Tesla has long wanted access at a low price to the large lithium deposits in Bolivia; lithium is a key ingredient for batteries. Earlier this year, Musk and his company revealed that they wanted to build a Tesla factory in Brazil, which would be supplied by lithium from Bolivia; when we wrote about that we called our report Elon Musk Is Acting Like a Neo-Conquistador for South Americas Lithium. Everything we wrote there is condensed in his new tweet: the arrogance toward the political life of other countries, and the greed toward resources that people like Musk think are their entitlement.





Musk went on to delete his tweet. He then said, we get our lithium from Australia; this will not settle the issue, since eyebrows are being raised in Australia regarding the environmental damage from lithium mining.





Suspension of Democracy





After Morales was removed, an insignificant far-right politician named Jeanine Anez set aside the constitutional process and seized power. She showed the character of her politics when she signed a presidential decree on November 15, 2019, that gave the military the right to do whatever it wanted; even her allies found this to be too far and repealed it on November 28.





Arrests and intimidation of activists from the Movement for Socialism (MAS)the party of Moralesbegan in November 2019 and still continue. On July 7, 2020, seven U.S. senators published a statement that said, We are increasingly concerned by the growing number of human rights violations and curtailments of civil liberties by the interim government of Bolivia. Without a change in course by the interim government, the senators wrote, we fear that basic civil rights in Bolivia will be further eroded and the legitimacy of the crucial upcoming elections will be put at risk.





Theres no need to worry about that, since the government of Anez seems unwilling to hold an election. By all polls, Anez looks likely to be defeated in the general elections. A recent poll by El Centro Estrategico Latinoamericano de Geopolitica (CELAG) says that Anez will get a mere 13.3 percent, far behind the Movement for Socialisms Luis Arce (41.9 percent) and the center rights Carlos Mesa (26.8 percent). The election was supposed to have taken place in May, but it was rescheduled for September 6; it has now been postponed once more, this time to October 18. Bolivia would not have had an elected government for an entire year.





Luis Arce of MAS recently told Oliver Vargas, We face persecution, we face surveillance we are facing a very difficult campaign. But, he said, we are sure that we will win these elections. If elections are permitted.





The CELAG study shows that 9 out of 10 Bolivians have seen their incomes decline due to the coronavirus recession. Because of thisand of the attack by this government on the MAS65.2 percent of Bolivians have a negative appraisal of Anez. It is important to note that due to the positive policies of Morales MAS, there is widespread support for a socialist orientation; 64.1 percent of Bolivians support taxes against the rich, and Bolivians in general support the resource socialism of the MAS and Morales.





CoronaShock and Bolivia





The government of Anez has been utterly incompetent regarding the coronavirus. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in this country of 11 million people is 66,456; since testing is low, the number is likely much higher.





Musk returns to our story. Earlier this year, on March 31, Bolivias Foreign Minister Karen Longaric wrote an obsequious letter to Musk asking him about the offer of cooperation posted by you regarding ventilators ready to be dispatched to countries where they are needed the most. Longaric said, If it is not possible to send it to Bolivia, we can arrange its receipt in Miami, FL. and transport them from there as quickly as possible. No such ventilators came.





Instead, the government bought ventilators from a Spanish supplier for $27,000 for each of the 170 devices; Bolivian producers had said they could supply ventilators for $1,000 per unit. The health minister in the Anez governmentMarcelo Navajaswas arrested for this scandal.





Morales





Evo Morales read Musks tweet about the coup in Bolivia and responded: Elon Musk, the owner of the largest electric car company, says about the coup in Bolivia: We will coup whoever we want. Another proof that the coup was about Bolivian lithium; at the cost of two massacres. We will always defend our resources!





The reference to the massacres is important. In November, from Mexico City, Morales watched as the government of Anez let loose the dogs of war against the people of Bolivia from Cochabamba to El Alto. They are killing my brothers and sisters, Morales said at a press conference. This is the kind of thing the old military dictatorships used to do. It is the toxic character of the government of Anez, backed fully by the U.S. government and Elon Musk.





Protests across Bolivia began on July 27 for the restoration of democracy.





This article was produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute.





Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest book is Washington Bullets, with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma.





Alejandro Bejarano is a Bolivian musician, documentarian, and social media manager. In 2016, he received the Medal of Honor for Cultural Merit of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly of Bolivia.
The state's COVID-19 case tracking website on Wednesday added two deaths in Yellowstone County, bringing the local death total to 25 people and the total statewide to 54.

RiverStone Health confirmed the "COVID-19 related deaths" of two Yellowstone County residents in a press statement Wednesday.

One of the deaths was a man in his 70s who died at home last Friday, July 24.

The other death was also a man in his 70s who died at home Tuesday.

The state added 201 new cases from 3,947 tests Wednesday morning. The state set a record for new cases added in a single day last Saturday, when testing confirmed 224 new cases. Before that, the largest increase was 145 new cases on July 15.

Yellowstone County and Big Horn County, which added 40 and 45 cases, account for 42% of the new cases. Yellowstone County now has 537, or 38% of the state's 1,410 active cases. Big Horn County has 159 active cases or 11% of active cases in the state.

The two neighboring counties now account for 49% of the active COVID-19 cases in Montana.

Gov. Steve Bullock in a press conference Wednesday afternoon named Yellowstone and Big Horn counties as two of nine counties he considers "hot spots." The other hot spot counties he listed were Flathead, Lake, Missoula, Lewis and Clark, Cascade, Madison and Gallatin. From June through Wednesday, Bullock said those counties make up about 80% of all COVID-19 cases in Montana.

"We're carefully reviewing the patterns we're seeing in these nine hot spot counties," Bullock said.

In Yellowstone County, Bullock said the median age for those testing positive is 38, and that 19% of cases are connected to assisted living or long-term care. The proportion of people in the state tested in age groups have remained about the same, Bullock said, adding that while testing has increased "we're seeing more and more that younger age groups are contributing to our increase in cases."

"We'll be working with local public health officers in the upcoming days to determine if additional common sense measures can or should be taken," including deploying additional resources or taking other measures, Bullock said. "Certain communities may have to take some specific measures to tackle their unique situations."

Barbara Schneeman, a spokesperson for RiverStone Health, said earlier in the day the county has made progress in hiring "a number of part-time contact tracers."

Last week RiverStone temporarily shut down its immunization clinic so that staff could help with a backlog of more than 130 COVID-19 case investigations.

"In addition, weve been able to work with the state to bring on 21 nursing students to help us on a part-time basis," Schneeman said. "We still have a need for more assistance."

State Medical Officer Dr. Gregory Holtzman said along with contact tracing, the state has been working with the hospitals using the medication remdesevir. Officials with the Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare told The Gazette in late May they had begun administering the antiviral drug to certain patients and that the state was in charge of a limited supply.

Dr. Michael Bush, chief medical officer for St. Vincent Healthcare, said at the time that a person would need to be both COVID-19 confirmed and hospitalized to get remdesivir.

Dr. Robert Merchant, chief medical officer for the Billings Clinic said in May that remdesevir wasn't a "miracle drug," nor entirely understood, but that it had been shown in studies to reduce the length of hospital stays by days.

"That counts for a lot," he said. The drug did not show an effect on mortality and Merchant added that there remained a need to find better drugs.

The governor said that in Yellowstone County more than 50% of cases are in people 39 and younger. Generally, he attributed statewide case increases to large gatherings, including weddings that led to clusters in June, Fourth of July gatherings and gatherings at bars. Transmission in those settings can be reduced with the right practices, according to Bullock.

Specifically, he highlighted the practices at the Billings Depot, which he said he visited last week.

"That's right, a wedding venue, that has zero positive cases and strives to keep it that way because they're doing everything right," Bullock said. He described a touch-less temperature check system in place for everyone who visits the depot, masks required for all guests and all workers, communication with vendors, caterers and DJs beforehand to maintain unity on enforcement of sanitation practices and social distancing.

"Couples do use the venue because they know it's safe and they want to keep their loved ones safe as well," Bullock said. "No one wants their wedding to turn into the next cluster. And the same goes for other establishments like bars and restaurants or other areas where gatherings occur. That's preventable. Cases are less likely to occur if the right preventative measures are taken at these establishments. Employees need to wear masks and make sure that their guests are wearing them as well. Continue to sanitize and enforce social distancing between tables. Implement temperature checks and symptom screening for all staff and don't allow anyone to come to work if they have symptoms."

Yellowstone County has reported 21 deaths since July 6. Of those deaths, 16 have been residents of local senior care facilities, including 15 residents of Canyon Creek Memory Care. The deaths have coincided with case growth in July that has outpaced previous months.

The county had its first person in their 40s die of COVID-19 on Sunday. The man died at home. His death was announced publicly Tuesday morning and was one of five COVID-19 related deaths reported across the state Tuesday.

Deaths reported Tuesday included the first deaths in Custer County: two people older than 65 who died Sunday and Monday.

In Lincoln County a man in his 80s died Sunday and his death was reported on the state website Tuesday.

In Gallatin County the health department announced that the state medical examiner determined a man in his 50s found unresponsive in his home July 7 died from a combination of COVID-19 and "a number of significant underlying health conditions."

That man's death was added to the state case tracking map Wednesday.

Tuesday morning, Yellowstone County had 41 people hospitalized, of 61 active hospitalizations in the state. Statewide, active hospitalizations dropped to 59 Wednesday morning.

RiverStone Health has said that just because someone is hospitalized in Yellowstone County that does not mean they are from the county.

Yellowstone County has had 950 cases overall out of the 3,676 that have been confirmed in Montana since March. Of those cases 2,212 people have recovered, according to data from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Recovered means that the person has tested negative since being ill and is no longer able to spread the virus to others.

Other counties that added new cases Wednesday morning include Missoula with 18 (79 active), Lake with 14 (52 active), Flathead with 12 (90 active), Gallatin with 11 (135 active), Lewis and Clark with nine (48 active), Cascade with seven (71 active), Madison with six (16 active), Beaverhead with five (18 active), Custer with five (12 active), Deer Lodge with four (14 active), Lincoln with four (20 active), Dawson with three (and, according to the state website, two active), Hill with three (27 active), Roosevelt with three (six active), Silver Bow with three (29 active), Park with two (10 active), Carbon with one (six active), Daniels with one (two active), Jefferson with one (nine active), Jefferson with one (nine active), Musselshell with one (one active), Powell with one (one active) and Richland with one (nine active).

The Powell County case is the county's first confirmed COVID-19 case.

Twenty-five counties reported four or more active cases Wednesday, putting them under the mask mandate issued by Gov. Steve Bullock earlier this month.

New cases in Yellowstone County include a male younger than 9, a female younger than 9, a male between the ages of 10 and 19, 10 men in their 20s, six women in their 20s, six women in their 30s, three men in their 30s, two women in their 40s, two men in their 40s, three women in their 50s, four men in their 70s and a woman in her 70s.

The Yellowstone County Unified Health Command operates an online COVID-19 dashboard showing the status of various public health categories and functions related to COVID-19. The dashboard uses three different colors to indicate status. Green means operating at expected/normal capacity. Yellow means "Needs beginning to outpace capacity" and red means "stressed operations/critical concerns."

One category on the dashboard showed improvement from Sunday to Tuesday, the last two days it was updated. Case investigation went from red on Sunday to yellow on Tuesday.

The dashboard statuses, last updated Tuesday, are as follows:

Health Department Capacity, defined as having sufficient staff for COVID-19 monitoring and follow-up, was in yellow status.

Case Investigation, defined as the ability to manage investigations and contact tracing for all COVID-19 positive results, was in yellow status.

Testing Capacity, defined as staff and supplies to screen and test all individuals recommended for COVID-19 testing, was in yellow status.

Health care System Capacity, defined as sufficient hospital staff, beds, and equipment to treat patients with COVID-19 and all other patients safely, was in yellow status.

Disease Surveillance, defined as monitoring emergency department visits for respiratory symptoms, was in green status.

Regional impact, defined as active COVID-19 cases in UHC's regional service area including surrounding counties, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, was in green status.

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Mumbai:

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray, who has taken constant digs at the Narendra Modi government regarding demonetization, dubbed the move as "extortion of common man" on Thursday.

Further, he asked the BJP to take former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's words on the move seriously as it came from a "renowned economist".

"I will not hesitate in taking a critical stand on the process in which demonetisation was implemented," Thackeray told reporters here.

"The way in which a referendum was sought in Britain before its withdrawal from the European Union, a survey is being done here. But seeing people's response, their (UK) Prime Minister chose to step down. Will something similar happen here?" he said.

Thackeray was apparently referring to the Prime Minister seeking people's feedback over demonetisation on the Narendra Modi App, where a number of questions have been posed with regard to scrapping of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

He said there was no point in Modi becoming emotional at a time when people have tears in their eyes."One person cannot take a decision for 125 crore people.

Also Read: Manmohan's top quotes on demonetisation in RS: 'Monumental mismanagement, organised loot, legalised plunder'

Before taking the decision to demonetise the currency, people should have been taken into confidence," he said.

"Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a renowned economist. Thus, his words and opinions should be taken seriously. The way in which money is being collected, seems that money is being extorted from common man. You have brought tears in the eyes of people who made you come to power with a lot of aspirations," Thackeray said.

Coming down heavily on the government over the issue, Singh castigated the government and the Prime Minister over demonetisation during Rajya Sabha debate on Thursday, saying its implementation was a "monumental management failure" and a case of "organised loot and legalised plunder".

Also Read: Demonetisation: Parliament adjourned till Friday as Oppn-Govt battle continues; Manmohan calls it organised loot, Jaitley rejects charges

Referring to the Reserve Bank's decision not to allow district central co-operative (DCC) banks to exchange the old currency, the Sena chief asked if liquor baron Vijay Mallya had taken loans from these banks.

"Did Vijay Mallya take loans from any of the DCC banks? Banks from which he did take loans, how have they been allowed to exchange the old currency?" he questioned.

He said that the government should extend the dates up to December 31, until which defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes are accepted at petrol pumps and hospitals.

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Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launched ballistic missiles from "the depths of the Earth" on Wednesday during the last day of military exercises near sensitive Gulf waters. The launches came a day after the Guards struck a mock-up of a US aircraft carrier with volleys of missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for a fifth of world oil output. State television broadcast aerial footage of the latest daylight exercises in the desert showing bursts of flames, smoke and then dust before what appeared to be four projectiles climbing into the sky. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on their Sepahnews website that it was "the first time in the world" that such an exercise had been carried out. The statement did not elaborate on the claim or provide any of the missiles' specifications. It hailed "the successful launch of ballistic missiles from the depths of the Earth in a completely camouflaged way" as an "important achievement that could pose serious challenges to enemy intelligence organisations". The Guards said they also released bombs from Sukhoi Su-22 fighter-bombers to target predetermined positions on Bani Farur Island in Iran's territorial waters. "These launches were carried out without the platform and usual equipment," IRGC aerospace chief Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said on state television. "The buried missiles suddenly tear through the ground and hit their targets with precision," he said, adding again that this happened "for the first time in the world". The maritime manoeuvres were staged at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and its decades-old arch foe the United States. Tensions have escalated between Tehran and Washington since US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018 from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The sworn enemies have come to the brink of direct confrontation twice since June 2019, when the Guards shot down a US drone in the Gulf. Their animosity deepened after Iran's most prominent general, Qasem Soleimani, was killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport in January. This handout photo provided by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on July 28, 2020 shows rockets being fired from a launch vehicle during a military exercise near the Strait of Hormuz
A ferris wheel is seen in the North Korean town of Sinuiju from the Chinese side of the border in Dandong, Liaoning Province, China May 25, 2018.

North Koreans who live in or travel to regions bordering China are grumbling about a new policy that forces all visitors to pledge they wont defect -- the latest salvo in a government campaign targeting exiles from the reclusive state, RFA has learned.

Under North Koreas rigid system of internal controls on its 25 million people, ordinary citizens need passes for domestic travel. Now, however, those who want to visit areas near the porous border with China face more paperwork, with resulting delays that thwart business, wedding and funeral travel.

Since early this month, residents who need travel certificates to go to the border areas must submit a document with their fingerprint on it confirming they will never defect from North Korea, a resident of North Hamgyong province, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told RFAs Korean Service.

Citizens used to be allowed to verbally declare they had no plans to defect, and get inter-provincial travel passes by showing a certificate of citizenship and character references from a neighborhood watch unit leader, a local security official and authority at the destination, the source said.

Stamping another fingerprint to get a travel certificate is not that difficult, but it is unpleasant that so many confirmation documents have been added, and people going to the border areas feel frustrated that they are being treated as potential escapees, said the source from North Hamgyong.

Last month North Korea unleashed a high-level government campaign to discredit North Korean exiles, after groups based in South Korea floated anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across the border on balloons.

North Korea uses defector as a pejorative term to describe all of those who fled North Korea, whether in the government or military, as well as refugees who escaped poverty or hunger, which constitute the bulk of the more than 30,000 North Koreans who have settled in South Korea.

Ceremonies and rites thwarted

The new policy has inconvenienced many North Koreans, even causing some to miss important family events because they did not have their paperwork in order, according to the source.

An acquaintance of mine applied for a permit to travel to the border area to attend his mothers 70th birthday party, said the source.

He was able to go to his hometown after going through all that difficulty, but his daughters, who are married and live in Hwanghae and Pyongan provinces, were unable to attend, so the party was held without them, in an atmosphere of disappointment, the source said.

It seems they were refused because they did not prepare the necessary documents in advance, said the source.

The policy has taken a toll on residents ability to observe key Korean ceremonial occasionschildrens coming of age ceremonies, weddings, funerals, and ancestor memorial servicesas it makes it harder for guests to gain clearance, according to the source.

Residents living near the border area are also severely restricted in terms of their own freedom of movement, and they are always treated as potential escapees, the source said.

Even if they want to move to other areas because they dont like it, the authorities usually wont allow them to leave, so they are very unhappy.

Another source, a resident of Ryanggang province on the Chinese border who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFA that out-of-province citizens would be severely inconvenienced by the new policy.

All residents who want to come to Ryanggang from inland areas have to make that pledge and stamp their thumbprints, the second source said.

While residents in the province can pass [checkpoints] with only our ID cards, people from other provinces must carry four to five certificates with them in addition to the written pledge, added the Ryanggang source.

In addition to our travel certificate, people usually need several other certificates to move from inland to the border areas. In order to get the travel certificate, there are many complicated documents to prepare, the second source said.

RFA has previously reported that in cases where travelers escape the country while visiting the border region, their family members remaining in North Korea are subject to punishments including internal exile. Earlier this month, 30 families from Pyongyang were exiled to rural areas when their relatives working overseas went missing.

Scapegoats

Refugees and potential escapees have been under increased scrutiny in North Korea in recent months.

Pyongyang kicked off an anti-defector campaign after groups of North Korean refugees who fled to South Korea launched balloons carrying leaflets denouncing Kim Jong Un in June.

Authorities have also been on a crusade against South Korean media, claiming that young people emulating Seoul-style speech is eroding national identity, but experts say the governments aversion to pop culture is because it encourages curiosity about the outside world.

Blaming Seouls inability to halt the leaflets, Pyongyang blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in the Kaesong Industrial Complex last month, days after it severed official communication lines with the South.

Experts, however, say the provocations are aimed at extracting concessions from the United States and South Korea in stalled negotiations on the Norths nuclear weapons programs.

Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Robotic process automation (RPA) is playing an increasingly important role in improving front- and back-office efficiencies, business scalability and customer service in all industries. For these reasons, PSCU began its RPA journey last year, furthering its commitment to help our Owner credit unions achieve a strategic, competitive advantage by delivering technology advancements.

PSCU partners with credit unions to help them meet evolving member demands, leveraging digital technology in providing various types of payment solutions and services. The increasing scope and scale of PSCUs business activities drove the company to search for ways to further add efficiency without sacrificing quality or member experience.

One of the key tools we adopted for this purpose was RPA, which allows us to automate business-critical processes that are highly manual. One area that experienced challenges as a result of our growth, becoming more and more time consuming and costly, was the process for implementing federally-mandated index rate changes. Given the unpredictability and manual nature of the process, this made for an effective RPA pilot at PSCU.

Since we implemented our first RPA bot, we have supported three federal rate change events (including the latest one following COVID-19) that triggered hundreds of issuers to make APR changes to their portfolio(s). Historically, due to the volume and unpredictability of these requests, as well financial/regulatory implications of meeting service-level agreements (SLAs), we would need to pull in additional company resources to assist the configuration team. Through RPA, we have been able to automate many of the administrative tasks associated with these changes, enabling the configuration team to prioritize and manage the volume, work the exceptions and maintain quality.
Iran Launches Underground Ballistic Missiles During Exercise

TEHRANIrans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a mock-up aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported on July 29.

It was the latest barrage in a drill in which the previous day saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches.

Drone footage captured by the Guard showed two missiles blasting out from covered positions in what appeared to be a desert plateau in central Iran, with debris flying up in the air in their wake.

The launches took place on July 29, said Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards aerospace division. He told state television it was first time the Guard had done this, though the paramilitary force is known to have vast underground bases hiding its ballistic missile arsenal.

Separately, drones targeted the bridge of the fake aircraft carrier, according to the state TV report. The broadcaster didnt immediately air footage of the launches or the drone attack, nor did it identify the missiles used in the drill.

Revolutionary Guard speedboats circle around a replica aircraft carrier during a military exercise in Iran on July 28, 2020. (Sepahnews via AP)

However, the drill clearly meant to send a message to the United States.

A semiofficial news agency close to the Guard published a graphic overnight that photoshopped the image of an American carrier into the shape of a casket with a set of crosshairs on it, with a caption quoting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledging to seek revenge for the U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January.

The drilland the American response to itunderlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the United States after a series of escalating incidents last year led to the January drone strike. Tehran responded to that strike by firing ballistic missiles that wounded dozens of U.S. forces in Iraq.

While the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed both Iran and the United States for months, there has been a growing confrontation as America argues to extend a years-long U.N. weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October. A recent incident over Syria involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane also has renewed tensions.

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired July 28 from the exercise called Great Prophet 14. Anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas.

State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers, and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said the Guard, a force answerable only to Khamenei, planned to fire long-range ballistic missiles as well during the drill that continued July 29.

Missiles are fired in a Revolutionary Guard military exercise in Iran on July 28, 2020. (Sepahnews via AP)

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the U.S. militarys Central Command in Qatar, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time.

The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all-clear was declared after the threat  had passed, said U.S. Army Maj. Beth Riordan, a Central Command spokeswoman.

Both bases are hundreds of miles away from where Iran put the replica aircraft carrier.

Al-Dhafra also is temporarily home to five French-built Rafale fighter jets on their way to India for that countrys air force.

Other footage from the exercise aired by Irans state television showed fast boats encircling the mock-up carrier, kicking up white waves in their wake. While Irans naval forces are dwarfed by the U.S. Navy, its commanders practice so-called swarm tactics aimed to overwhelm the U.S. carriers that pass through the strait on their way in and out of the Persian Gulf.

It wasnt immediately clear if all the footage was from July 28, as one overhead surveillance image that appeared to be shot by a drone bore the date July 27. The exercise had been expected as satellite photos released July 27 showed the fake carrier being moved into place by a tugboat.

A black-and-white satellite photo taken July 28 by Colorado-based firm Maxar Technologies showed damage to the replicas bow and several of its fake jet fighters.

By Amir Vahdat and Jon Gambrell
Iraq's government agreed to sign a contract with JGC Corp to build a 55,000 barrels per day refinery in the southern region of Basra, the oil ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The refinery will produce fuels including liquified petroleum gas, gasoline and gasoil, it said, estimating the cost of the facility at $4 billion.

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By Trend

The cases of coronavirus infection have not been recently registered in Azerbaijans Goygol district, which is one of the districts of the country in which the tough quarantine regime has been in effect since July 5, Araz Hajiyev, a member of the group enlightening the population about coronavirus, told AzTV channel, Trend reports on July 29.

"Some 50 such groups and 20 mobile police posts have been created to control the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the district, the member of the mobile group added. Mostly, SMS permissions to leave the house and wearing of face masks is observed."

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
UK PM Boris Johnson has warned there are signs of a "second wave" of coronavirus in Europe, as he defended a 14-day quarantine on travellers from Spain.



The PM said the government had to be "swift" - and hinted at further action against other countries if necessary.



The UK is advising against all non-essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands. It also removed Spain and its islands from the list of countries that are exempt from the 14-day quarantine rule.



Johnson said it was up to individuals to decide whether they wanted to take the risk of travelling during the pandemic.



"What we have to do is take swift and decisive action where we think that the risks are starting to bubble up again. Let's be absolutely clear about what's happening in Europe, amongst some of our European friends, I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic," BBC cited the PM as saying.



"At the moment you have got to stick with the guidance that we are giving, we have given the guidance now about Spain and about some other places around the world," he stressed.



Johnson said if the UK did see signs of a second wave in other countries, it was the government's duty to stop travellers returning and spreading the disease.

The UK reported a further 119 coronavirus deaths - taking the official number of deaths so far to 45,878 - but the daily figure is typically higher on Tuesdays due to delays in reporting deaths at the weekend. An additional 581 positive cases have also been reported across the UK, a small dip on recent days.
He has dramatically lost weight amid cancer suspicion, while his family were not allowed to hand over any medications.

Ukrainian political prisoner Valeriy Matiushenko, illegally held at a colony in the occupied part of Donetsk region, is in critical condition, Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Envoy Liudmila Denisova wrote on Facebook

"Valeriy Matiushenko, illegally held by the Russian occupation administration in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region at the Makiyivka correctional colony No. 32, is now in critical condition. Over the past two months, the Ukrainian citizen has rapidly lost weight  now he weighs below 60 kg. There is a suspicion of cancer," she wrote.

According to the Ombudsperson, the administration of the penitentiary facility offered that the Ukrainian man be admitted to a prison hospital, but the transfer would take over three weeks. Due his "critical state of health", he may not survive such transfer, the report reads.

Read alsoUkraine's ombudsperson: 36,000 Ukrainian children recognized victims of armed conflict

Denisova added that yesterday, Matiushenko's relatives were denied handing over at least some medications due to what prison administration claimed was the lack of drugstore receipts.

"I call on the leadership of the International Committee of the Red Cross's Ukraine office, the ICRC sub-delegation in Donetsk to urgently visit Valeriy Matiushenko, facilitate his immediate hospitalization, and provision of qualified medical assistance. I ask the OSCE coordinator to the TCG, Toni Frisch, to personally intervene and facilitate provision of appropriate assistance, and raise the issue of his release for health reasons," the Ombudsperson wrote.
A bakery turned away two elderly women who could not pay with bank cards because they are refusing 'dirty' cash to minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus.

Birds Bakery in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire told 94-year-old Edna Dalchin to put her essential items back because they would not accept paper money.

And grandmother Glynis Kirk, 86, was also told she could not buy pork pies at the Arnold branch without paying on her bank card.

The manager at the Arnold branch said the bakery chain is only taking contactless and card payments 'due to the current spread of coronavirus'.

Business owners are being encouraged by the government to minimise contacts around transactions during the pandemic.

Birds Bakery in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire told 94-year-old Edna Dalchin to put her essential items back because they would not accept paper money. And grandmother Glynis Kirk, 86, was also told she could not buy pork pies at the Arnold branch (pictured) without paying on her bank card. The manager at the Arnold branch said the bakery chain is only taking contactless and card payments 'due to the current spread of coronavirus'

But there are fears official advice is ushering in a revolution in transaction that could cause the wartime generation of Britons to be left behind.

What is legal tender? And can businesses refuse your cash? Legal tender means that if you offer to pay off a debt to someone in tender, they can't sue you for failing to repay. What's classed as legal tender varies throughout the UK. In England and Wales, it's Royal Mint coins and Bank of England notes. In Scotland and Northern Ireland it's only Royal Mint coins and not banknotes. There are also some restrictions when using small coins. For example, 1p and 2p coins only count as legal tender for any amount up to 20p. Many common and safe payment methods such as cheques, debit cards and contactless aren't legal tender. But shop owners can choose what payment they accept - meaning if you want to pay for milk with a 50 note, it's perfectly legal to turn you down. As the Bank of England says: 'If your local corner shop decided to only accept payments in Pokemon cards that would be within their right too. But they'd probably lose customers.' Source: Bank of England Advertisement

Shocked Mrs Dalchin, from Basford, said she has used cash for all her shopping trips during the pandemic - including at Tesco and Morrisons.

She told Nottinghamshire Live: 'I went into Birds because I wanted a loaf of bread and some potted meat. She said to me 'have you got a card?'

'I did not know what she was on about. I said 'Oh I have never used a card in my life. I always pay the old fashioned way, which is how I was brought up.'

'I felt like I was being treated like a small child and being talked down too.

'None of the other shops have ever refused my money.'

She added: 'There is a virus, I understand that, but a lot of elderly people do not use cards and are not into that technology.'

Mrs Kirk, who is friends with Mrs Dalchin, has described the situation as 'disgusting' as she only uses her card for her big shop at Morrisons.

Her 39-year-old granddaughter Michelle Kirk, from Derbyshire, has called on Birds bakery to 'revert this stupid policy'.

She added: 'Elderly people are going to struggle unless someone gets it for them. Cash is a legal tender.

'I understand that card is preferred but if that method is not available you should be able to take cash. I feel they need to revert this stupid policy.

'Most of Birds customers will be over the age of 60 I should imagine. It is humiliating having to put stuff back.

'It's like you can't afford it.'

Lisa Clarke, manager of the Arnold Birds branch, said: 'One of the arrangements is we could open if it is card only and because cash is dirty. With the coronavirus and pandemic they want to minimise the risk to ourselves and customers.'

She said around eight elderly people had been stopped since the store reopened in April but most elderly people were now using cards in their store.

Glynis Kirk's 39-year-old granddaughter Michelle Kirk (pictured), from Derbyshire, has called on Birds bakery to 'revert this stupid policy'. She added: 'Elderly people are going to struggle unless someone gets it for them. Cash is a legal tender. I understand that card is preferred but if that method is not available you should be able to take cash'

Ms Clarke added: 'If they have not got a card unfortunately we can't give them the goods. Whether it will change in the future as guidelines change.'

A message on Birds Bakery's website reads: 'Due to the current spread of the coronavirus, to keep our team and customers safe, we are currently only taking contactless and card payments. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.'

Business owners are free to refuse coins and banknotes as payment in the UK, even though they are officially classed as 'legal tender'.

The term 'legal tender' only applies to settling a debt, not paying for goods in a transaction - meaning it is only a requirement to allow cash to pay off debt.

A Treasury spokesman told MailOnline: 'In order to work safely during Coronavirus, retailers have been recommended to minimise contacts around transactions by, for example, considering using contactless payments. It is the individual retailer's choice as to whether to accept or decline a form of payment.

'We recognise that cash remains extremely important to the daily lives of millions of people across the UK. Which is why we're coordinating work across government, regulators and industry so we can protect access for everyone who needs it.'
A trending Facebook post alleged that actor Tom Hanks was arrested for pedophilia in Australia. As coverup for his arrest, he reportedly pretended that he was diagnosed with COVID-19.

The Dispatch Fact Check debunked the allegation to be baseless. One of Hollywood's most beloved nice-guy actors, there is zero evidence supporting the pedophile claim.

A photo of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson surfaced online wherein the couple was photographed awkwardly balancing Greek passports, along with the prime minister and first lady of Greece.

Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the declaration on his Instagram account on July 26 that the married couple Hanks and Wilson are now officially Greek citizens.

According to the conspiracy theory circulating, Hanks and other individuals are financial criminals and pedophiles being gathered for their position in child sex-trafficking.

The allegation was posted on Facebook by Juha Sawkat on March 15, 2020, entitled "Please Read And Start Opening Your Eyes."

Reports of Hanks contracting COVID-19 and his undertaking quarantine was allegedly an attempt to cover up his time in custody.

The aforementioned Facebook post read, "Tom Hanks was arrested 48 hours ago for Pedophilia and he is currently being kept in a Hotel room in Australia refusing to fly back to USA. Next celebrity arrests will be Celine Dion, Madonna, Charles Barkley, Kevin Spacey - all will claim Corona virus infections."

Also Read: Tom Hanks Shares Photos of His Bag of Donated Plasma



Misinformation about Hanks has been prevalent on social media since he tested positive for COVID-19 while shooting a film.

A Facebook post displayed that Hanks was donning a green bandana over his face while in 2 pictures, which are close-ups of his ankles, red circles are drawn around his right ankle.

The post indicated that Hanks was wearing an ankle bracelet. "Tom Hanks. Some of you don't know it but Mr. Hanks was arrested in Australia for pedophilia. He went on national TV to say he had COVID-19 and he was quarantine himself. Not true." The post stated that the actor was taken into custody earlier but was then imposed house arrest is in his hotel and is now a flight risk.

Facebook flagged the post as part of its attempts to combat fake news and misinformation throughout the social media platform.

No ankle monitor was showed on Hanks' legs when pictures of him wearing shorts were captured in the following weeks.

He and his wife, Wilson, were hospitalized for 5 days. They were eventually released and were undergoing recovery.

While the narrative circulated, Hanks was posted on his Instagram handle about his quarantine on March 17 which was 2 days following the aforementioned Facebook post about his arrest.

Hanks' arrest for pedophilia would have been massively reported by news outlets, according to Reuters.

Hanks is among the multiple celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres who have been targeted by outlandish conspiracy theories regarding their alleged involvement in "elite pedophile sex trafficking rings."

Related Article: Tom Hanks, Wife Rita Wilson Share How It Feels to Have Coronavirus After Testing Positive

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AUSTIN, Texas, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Direct Biologics, LLC, is announcing today that it has received approval from FDA that it may proceed with a Phase II trial under an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the use of ExoFlo, a bone marrow-derived extracellular vesicle and exosome product, in the treatment of COVID-19 associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). The ExoFlo Infusion Treatment for COVID-19 (EXIT COVID-19) Associated ARDS trial will be a multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Direct Biologics believes that this study is the first and only Phase II IND trial utilizing bone marrow-derived extracellular vesicles to treat SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) related ARDS. Extracellular vesicles are naturally occurring vesicles produced by most eukaryotic cells and are the primary mode of intercellular paracrine signaling. The population of extracellular vesicles secreted by bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (bmMSCs) have been studied extensively in preclinical studies for inflammation, and these studies suggest that they may have the ability to downregulate inflammation and upregulate tissue repair in humans.

Mark Adams, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Direct Biologics, stated, "We are pleased the FDA has approved Direct Biologics to proceed with our study in the treatment of severe COVID-19 infections. In addition to its promise in treating COVID-19, the ongoing clinical and scientific research suggests that our proprietary advanced biotechnology platform has the potential to be part of a new class of medicine that may generate positive medical outcomes for patients." Mr. Adams went on to say, "We are also very grateful for the steadfast support of Congressman Michael McCaul, U.S. Representative for his congressional district in Texas. Through his leadership, vision, and support of Direct Biologics, Congressman McCaul has been and continues to be an integral part of the quest to bring a real solution for patients suffering from COVID-19."

"The study of bone marrow-derived stem cell extracellular vesicles as a treatment for acute lung disease has been a topic of great interest among the medical community for years," notes Direct Biologics Co-Founder and President, Joe Schmidt. "We are excited to conduct this potentially ground-breaking study and hope the findings will help in the fight to defeat COVID-19. Furthermore, we are pleased with the collaborative spirit, diligence, and responsiveness of the FDA during the IND application process. We are grateful for the ability to proceed with EXIT COVID-19. Proceeding to a Phase II clinical trial reflects the significant efforts of Direct Biologics to develop a meaningful therapy for COVID-19 and to establish controls necessary for current Good Manufacturing Practice."

The EXIT COVID-19 study will enroll 60 COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS at three research sites across the U.S. The primary efficacy endpoints will be all-cause mortality and median days to recovery. Direct Biologics expects to commence patient enrollment in the next 30 days.

This Phase II investigational study will expand upon previous findings from a prospective, open-label safety and efficacy study of ExoFlo, which was led by New York City physician Vikram Sengupta, MD, in collaboration with Sascha Sengupta, MD, and Angel Lazo, Jr, MD. In that trial, 24 critically ill patients with moderate to severe ARDS caused by COVID-19, many of them entering or in the midst of the destructive inflammatory state known as cytokine storm, were treated with a single intravenous dose of ExoFlo. This initial COVID-19 study had promising safety and efficacy data, and it appeared to be well tolerated. It was published in a special issue of Stem Cells and Development this past June.

About ExoFlo

ExoFlo is an investigational new drug that has not been approved or licensed by FDA. It is an allograft extracellular vesicle product isolated from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSCs). ExoFlo provides signaling proteins that have been shown to modulate inflammation and may stimulate bioactivity and direct cellular communication.

About Direct Biologics

Direct Biologics, LLC, is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with an R&D facility located at the University of California, San Diego, and an Operations and Order Fulfillment Center located in St. Louis, Missouri. Direct Biologics is a market-leading innovator and cGMP manufacturer of regenerative medical products, including a robust line of extracellular vesicle-based biological products. The Company was created to expand the science of cutting-edge biologic technologies. Direct Biologic's management team holds extensive collective experience in biologics research, development, and commercialization, making the Company a leader in the evolving, next generation segment of the biotherapeutics industry. Direct Biologics is dedicated to pursuing additional clinical applications of ExoFlo through the FDA's investigational new drug application process. For more information visit www.directbiologics.com.

Phone: 800-791-1021

Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Direct Biologics, LLC
By Tilly Friedlander

Bay City News Foundation

LARKSPUR (BCN)

On Wednesday morning, the city of Larkspur temporarily removed its Sir Francis Drake statue in response to protesters planning to take it down themselves Thursday.

The city felt that it was unsafe for protesters to tear down the statue themselves, and that prompted the city to remove it, according to Larkspur City Manager Dan Schwarz.

"There's numerous posts on the internet calling for protesters to come Thursday in the evening with the intent to tear the statue down. It's a 30-foot metal statue with a lot of sharp sides. I didn't feel that that was a very safe situation if folks tried to pull it down. I didn't want anybody to get hurt," Schwarz said.

Robbie Powelson, founder of the Tam Equity Campaign that has led the protest for the statue's removal, is thrilled by the news and says this is just the first step toward change.

"It took a lot of work. It's really inspiring that we can see the fruits of our labor. When I saw that it's being taken down my heart was overjoyed because this symbol of white supremacy and colonialism is finally gone," Powelson said. "Once we take away those symbols, we can start changing the narrative of Marin County to make it a more equitable place, give more affordable housing and defund the police department to put it into county-wide services."

Sir Francis Drake was a prominent slave owner during his lifetime, according to Powelson, and that is why he has led the campaign to remove the statue.

According to Schwarz, the next steps with what to do with the statue will be determined in a series of sessions involving five Marin County jurisdictions, and in a City Council meeting Aug. 5.

"What's going to happen with the statue is something our community is discussing and we wanted to make sure the statue is preserved and not destroyed, so that's why I made the decision to take it down," Schwarz said.

Powelson feels strongly that the statue removal should not be temporary.

"It's a colonial symbol and we're trying to move past that and live in the present. I think that if they try and put it back up, that's just unacceptable," Powelson said.

Schwarz said a broader discussion will also happen to determine what to do about the name of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard that runs through Marin County.

"I will update the City Council at the Aug. 5 council meeting and lay out some different options. I think one of the things that's likely to happen now is we'll encourage our community to participate in the broader discussion that's going on in Marin about Sir Francis Drake. The county and the cities through which Sir Francis Drake Boulevard are jointly sponsoring a process to engage various stakeholders about Sir Francis Drake and his name and legacy in Marin," Schwarz said.

According to Schwarz, various groups from different sides of the debate will attend the learning sessions, including historians who have knowledge about Sir Francis Drake.

"It's going to have indigenous peoples from Marin, it's going to have historians who are familiar with Marin County and the decisions that were made to use Sir Francis Drake's name. We're hoping that we'll serve as the next step in a process to figure out what should happen with things like the statue," said Schwarz.

Powelson disagrees with the county's decision to further discuss the intent of the statue in any way.

"I think talking to historians is really a problematic way to look at it. It's not about the intention of the statue. The issue is that, for many people, that colonial statue is a symbol that's telling people of color they're not welcome in Marin County. Marin County is one of the most racially inequitable counties in California. You can't have a symbol of a slave owner anywhere," Powelson said.

The sessions, taking place in August, will include members from the five jurisdictions that the boulevard runs through. Those jurisdictions are the county, the city of Larkspur, and the towns of Corte Madera, San Anselmo, and Fairfax, according to Schwarz.

Schwarz says there has been backlash from both sides of the debate, and some Marin locals have spoken up in support of the artist who made the statue and has done other artwork around the county.

"Dennis Patton is the artist, and he's an artist familiar to a lot of people in Marin. He lives in Marin. He has numerous works in the county. There are a lot of folks who are supporters of public art and who are concerned about the statue coming down. They encourage us to think about other options, like to rename and rededicate the statue. Then there are other folks who were comfortable with the statue as it is," Schwarz said.

Powelson said the work of the Tam Equity Campaign and others jumpstarted June 17 at their protest in Larkspur to remove the statue.

"We blew the lid off of this on June 17 with our major protest around the statue. We campaigned, we showed up to City Council meetings. There was an event that was being organized Thursday by the community at large [to take it down]. But that doesn't matter now," Powelson said.

Powelson and the Tam Equity Campaign will now focus efforts toward reallocating county funding in Marin for social services as well as the renaming of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

"The renaming of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is still in process. We're waiting for Sir Francis Drake High School as well. We're talking about not just changing the name, but 'how do we defund local police departments and reduce the amount of police violence in our communities? How do we make Marin County more equitable?' " Powelson said.

Powelson views the removal of the statue as just one victory toward racial justice in Marin County.

"I'm overjoyed. When you put in the work, good things come. We're going to take this momentum into other stuff we're doing like fighting police violence against people who are unhoused in Marin County. Now that we got this going, the next step is change, more change. We can do it," Powelson said.

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 Delhi Congress has threatened to protest against the BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation, if the taxes proposed by SDMC are not withdrawn.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Anil Kumar on Wednesday said that SDMC's professional tax violates the BJP's 2017 MCD election manifesto that no new tax will be levied on the people.

In a press conference, the DPCC chief said, "The Professional Tax on the salaried class, property transfer duty, commercial property tax, electricity tax and 30 per cent VAT on petrol and diesel have broken the back of the people of Delhi while there is no letup in the corruption and wasteful expenditures of the MCDs and the Kejriwal government".

The Congress alleged that in the 2017 MCD election manifesto, the BJP promised that there will be no new taxes but for the first time professional tax is being levied in violation of the BJP's promise.

The DPCC chief demanded that "the BJP-led government at the Centre and the Kejriwal government in Delhi announce a special financial package for the municipal corporations to tide over their financial crunch, if any."

He warned that if the taxes are not withdrawn, Congress workers will take to the streets to force the Centre and AAP government to relent.

SDMC House on Monday passed the proposal to levy a professional tax on self-employed people and professionals working in companies, and also announced effective hike in property tax on commercial properties and hike of 1 per cent on transfer of property.

Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party has also protested on Wednesday against the taxes levied by SDMC.
28.07.2020 LISTEN

GCB Bank has begun the instant issuance of both proprietary cards and international cards across all its branches nationwide.

Now GCB customers can apply and receive VISA Cards, Mastercards and GCB ReadyCash cards across all GCB Branches instantly. The Bank will also begin the instant issuing of Union Pay International (UPI), formerly China Union Pay early next month.

This follows the successful migration of the Banks system and integration of ATMs last week.

The instant issuance of GCB cards is a major move under the Banks transformation and digitization programme.

The Managing Director of the Bank, Mr Anselm Ray Sowah, in a remark, said investment is being made to transform the Bank into a world-class one to delight customers.

He said the banking landscape is changing. A new wave of technology is revolutionising the way customers engage with their finances. From social to mobile capabilities, GCB is having to redirect the way we do business to deliver a better customer experience and remain competitive.

He said with networked branches of 185 across the country and digitization GCB is becoming the bank of choice.

Commenting on the successful rollout of the instant issue project, Head of Operations, Mr. Charles C. C. C. Crabbe, stated that this strategic move is aimed at providing convenience for customers to help drive digital banking especially in this Covid-19 era where digital banking has become even more critical.

These cards can be used on the over 300 GCB ATMs nationwide, other bank's ATMs, Point of Sale (POS) devices at merchant points and for other international transactions.\

Customers of the Bank who requested Visa and MasterCards last Monday expressed delight at the instantaneous issuing of those cards.
We are both activists who lived in Portland back in the day, starting Outside In and being involved in Vortex and anti-war protests. We are very proud of all you brave folks today, standing up for Black Lives Matter and free speech. Since violent confrontations dont seem to be getting your points across, we imagine you are looking at other solutions. Might we suggest, paraphrasing John Lewis, that getting in good sitting-down trouble might work? If the feds use their Gestapo tactics on peaceful, sitting protesters who are chanting, drumming (drives them bonkers) and singing, and they harm you, enough said. It would also allow you to determine if there are perhaps agent provocateurs who are instigating the violence. And deciding your own curfew might help. Those of us who cant join you are able to boycott the hotels and car renters who support them, of course. Stay safe, and power to the people!

Charlie and Linda Spray, Eugene
Melbourne:

A 43-year-old Australian woman has been convicted of animal cruelty for abandoning 14 cats inside her house for so long that they resorted to eating each other.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) says in a distressing case of abandonment, the woman left behind her 14 cats when she left her Woodville West property in Australia.

By the time inspectors arrived at the house in September last year, 13 of the cats were dead and the only surviving animal was severely emaciated, the SBS reported.

The remains of the other 13 cats were spread throughout the house. It was a devastating sight, chief inspector Andrea Lewis said.

The woman was convicted in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court yesterday where she was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond and banned from owning animals indefinitely.

The court took into account her mental health issues and the fact she spent two weeks in custody after failing to attend earlier court hearings. Lewis said the one surviving cat, which had been named Trooper, had recovered and been rehomed.

She said if pet owners could no longer care for their animals they should seek help from family, friends or neighbours, contact their local council or take them to an animal shelter. You simply cannot abandon animals. You have a responsibility for their wellbeing, she said.

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Recurrent episodes of marginal communities being evicted from the waterfronts of Lagos have made global media headlines over the last four years. Up until 2016, the city had earned a hard-won status as a model of good urban governance for Africa. Along with better transport systems, waste management and security, the Lagos state government had re-established control over planning and taxation after years of neglect . This led to a more satisfied public as well as higher revenues for the public purse.

But this reputation was replaced as the government seemingly began to prioritise its real estate frontiers over the lives of tens of thousands of vulnerable people. Violent waterfront land grabs and demolitions followed. These have been carried out by a mix of state authorities and central government agents, who have used tactics of both force and law.

The devastation of these communities, while particularly shocking, is part of a much wider phenomenon of insecure property rights which affects many, if not most Lagosians, from the poorest to the middle classes and wealthy elites.

In our new paper , we explore ideas and practices relating to urban land rights in Lagos: a city where land tenure is increasingly characterised by 'radical insecurity'  a permanent sense of uncertainty and unpredictability.

Land and property rights have a complex history in Lagos. As a precolonial port city, land was allocated by powerful families but owned communally . This was followed by nearly a century of British rule, which introduced private property rights and deeds . After independence, government introduced the Land Use Act, which transferred ultimate land rights to the state .

The city now has to deal with the hybrid inheritance of these different approaches.

Lagos' accelerated growth since 1960 has intensified its land struggles. This has seen both huge state-planned development and growth in marginal communities, which sometimes even create their own land from rubbish packed under sand. This insecurity has been heightened by economic crises and the broader scramble to control natural resources. In the words of one of our research participants,

land is the crude oil of Lagos.

The fundamental question of who has the right to occupy and use a piece of the city's lucrative land reveals layers of complexity, fragile negotiated arrangements, formal and informal payments, historical assertions and moral appeals as well as pervasive violence.

In this context, standard distinctions between a property right (with its corresponding, legally enforceable duty of others not to interfere) and a mere claim to a piece of property become very slippery. In fact, when examined closely, the distinction seems virtually to disappear.

This is important for policymakers because it casts further doubt on perennially popular ideas  most strongly associated with the Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto  that giving the poor secure legal property rights is the best way to create transformational wealth.

What we found

Our paper is based primarily on fieldwork in Lagos in late 2016 and February 2017. It consisted of interviews with a wide range of stakeholders. They included tax and land officials, property owners and developers, waterfront communities, individuals and groups associated with 'traditional' land claims, lawyers and NGO representatives.

We moved repeatedly between three worlds: middle-class Lagosians fighting rival claimants to their land while instigating their own claims on others; waterfront communities struggling to defend their auto-constructed property claims; and the bureaucratic spaces of land and tax officials.

One of the things we found was that paying property taxes plays a significant role in Lagosians' efforts to acquire tenure security. Usually, taxation is thought of as a result of already having an established property right: you own something, so you pay tax on it. We found something rather different in Lagos.

The city has been lauded in recent years for its success in raising tax revenue, including property taxes. But part of the reason for this is a negative one. People aren't paying because they receive public services. They do so because they feel insecure.

We found that enthusiastic payers of Lagos' Land Use Charge (its centralised property tax) include people in waterfront communities under threat of eviction. They pay because establishing a paper trail as good taxpayers marks them as good citizens, and creates a record of their presence. Although they have no formal documentation of ownership, they feel that tax receipts provide some additional armour against dispossession.

Taxes are just one of the many forms of payment that people make to try to secure their land. They also make multiple payments to fend off other people who are trying to claim rights to their plot.

In Lagos, as in many cities of South-West Nigeria, having to pay levies to groups claiming longstanding ancestral links and traditional authority over the land is very common. Although termed 'omo onile' , which translates to 'children of the land', these groups have become synonymous with land-grabbing thugs whose historical claims vary from well-established to tenuous.

This means that people don't only have to worry about state eviction in their pursuit of tenure security. They also have to watch out for a range of additional actors with claims to land, which the state periodically denies or validates.

Nor is it just the poor who have to fend off omo onile claims. Even wealthy people who sometimes possess a Certificate of Occupancy  the supposed 'gold standard' of property rights  need to back it with strong narratives of legitimacy, sophisticated strategising, and sometimes the willingness to show force in the street.

Formal property rights in Lagos are therefore often comparatively 'thin', even when they are legally solid. But claims to property can be very 'thick' as individuals deploy a range of tactics to reduce insecurity. These are often embodied in documents  sometimes even colonial ones, which 'traditional' leaders use to claim the recognition of their rights as long ago as 1860.

But, as documents are never enough, attempts are made to solidify these claims through knowledge of legal processes and loopholes, sophistication in weaving historical narratives, performances of civic virtue and social relations built up with specialists in violence.

The more you can build up your armoury of claims, the closer you might get to something that feels like a private property right. But whether that will ever be secure remains questionable when the foundations of property are so contested.

Solid foundation for development?

Our research shows that property rights aren't something 'digital' in Lagos  something you either have or don't. Property rights have an analogue character, existing by degree, and attempting to realise them requires continuous labour on a range of fronts.

To pretend otherwise obscures the real challenges that city-dwellers face. Our research also underscores the fact that there is little benefit in creating systems of formal private property that lack social legitimacy.

While Lagos may be an extreme case, these dynamics whereby people have to continually build their property claims are echoed around the world.

Scholars increasingly highlight the need for greater creativity in thinking about forms of non-privatised land tenure to deal with the pressures of urbanisation. In this context, the world has much to learn from Lagos about why private property rights are rarely sophisticated enough to reflect contemporary urban realities .

Tom Goodfellow and Olly Owen received funding from the International Centre for Tax and Development for this research.

Olly Owen receives funding from the International Centre for Tax and Development which supported this research while the UK's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) supported his wider work on taxation in Nigeria. Olly Owen is a Research Associate at Oxford University's African Studies Centre and the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, and a Principal at The Policy Practice consultancy. He is also currently serving as Research Director of the Nigeria Tax Research Network (NTRN).

By Tom Goodfellow, Lecturer in Urban Studies and Planning, University of Sheffield And

Olly Owen, Departmental lecturer, University of Oxford
Nineteen-year-old Naje Duchard of Roxbury was charged Tuesday with armed assault with intent to murder and other charges in connection with the July 21 shooting, according to the Suffolk County District Attorneys office.

Authorities say the victim was riding on a scooter on Waumbeck Street in Roxbury and had stopped to speak with a relative when several gunmen appeared and opened fire. The victim, who was hit multiple times, remains in critical condition.

Duchard was held without bail until an Aug. 4 hearing.

My office continues to work tirelessly with the Boston Police and the Suffolk County State Police detective unit to investigate every shooting and homicide in our neighborhoods, District Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement. We are going to hold those responsible for the violence in our communities accountable.

The shooting remains under investigation.

When the shooting happened, a Boston police officer who heard the gunshots headed to the scene and chased the alleged assailants, according to the District Attorneys office. They were running toward a vehicle.

The officer fired his weapon during the pursuit, according to the District Attorneys office. No one was struck or hurt, but Rollins Discharge Integrity Team plans to review the shooting as it does with all officer-involved shootings.

Rollins asked anyone with information about the July 21 shooting to contact the Boston Police Department or Rollins office.

We are all concerned by the violence and are working together to remove individuals that cause harm and damage our neighborhoods, Rollins said. Every community throughout Suffolk County - from Revere to Readville; Chelsea to Charlestown; Winthrop to West Roxbury - deserves to be safe and free from violence.
But Begay's vision of the future is not the same as it was when she started college a few years ago. In fact, her life has changed dramatically in the last six months.

Because of her excellent academic performance in high school, Begay was able to get a scholarship that covers all her tuition and housing expenses. Today, Begay is a rising senior majoring in sociology with a concentration in law enforcement, and with many goals and dreams to accomplish after graduation.

Three years ago, Devonna Begay left her Navajo tribe in Arizona to start a new journey at the University of Portland. It was as milestone: She would be the first member of her family to attend a four-year college.

CNBC's "College Voices 2020" is a series written by CNBC summer interns from universities across the country about coming of age, launching new careers and job hunting during a global pandemic. They're finding their voices during a time of great social change and hope for a better future. As part of the series, each student chose a recent college graduate to profile to provide an up-close and personal look at who the class of 2020 is, what issues they're facing as they try to find a job in these extraordinary times  and how they're tackling them. Here is the story of Devonna Begay, a first-generation college student from the Navajo Nation and a rising senior at the University of Portland.

In March, when Covid-19 first started to spread around the U.S, the University of Portland asked all students to leave their dorms and go back home. This was a hard hit for Begay. She knew that going back home was not an option. There, she would not have access to internet to continue her studies and there was also the risk of getting her family members infected with coronavirus. Luckily, she was able to stay with her boyfriend in Portland. But still, she struggled.

"The last four months have been a challenge for me. Both of my parents lost their jobs because of Covid-19. The Navajo Nation has been hit pretty hard and there have been times when I felt hopeless for not being able to support them," Begay said.

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On top of the financial hardship, one of her uncles passed away and two members of her family tested positive for Covid-19.

"I wish I could be with my family. I am stuck here, I can't go home, and all these things that are happening," Begay said.

And then, on May 25, George Floyd was killed after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes, sparking a massive movement against police brutality and discrimination. Thousands of people around the U.S. went out into the streets, night after night, asking for justice for Floyd's death. They demanded reform of the law-enforcement system and even called on the government to defund the police.

All of this makes it particularly difficult to focus on her studies and career  especially given that she is pursuing a career in law enforcement. She has actually begun to rethink her career path.

"Being a female and a minority in law enforcement will be out of the norm for sure," she said. "I'm trying to see what I can do to better prepare myself and help others the best that I can."

Begay believes that "police reform needs to happen but in a strategic way," where officers have access to counseling and mental therapy.

She was on track to join the U.S. Army next year but decided with all that has changed, that wasn't the path she wanted to take. Now, her goal is to become chief of police for her reservation. Begay wants to apply her knowledge in sociology to create connections between mental health and law enforcement  so that social issues can be solved in a better way and not by resorting to violence.

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CHECK OUT: Tips to take control of your finances during the coronavirus pandemic via Grow with Acorns+CNBC.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns.
Colleges and universities in the Capital Region, which are set to start classes in late August, are struggling to account for the growing number of travel advisories mandating that visitors to New York from other countries and states self-quarantine for 14 days when they arrive.

Institutions that serve a large number of out-of-state students, like Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs and Loudonville's Siena College, are partnering with local hotels to provide quarantine housing for students for two weeks and accommodate spillover from student dorms which are operating at reduced capacity due to COVID-19.

Since last week, New York has added 10 states to its travel advisory list, bringing the total number of impacted states to 34, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.

Colleges set aside on-campus quarantine housing in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak, but some are scrambling to find ways to accommodate the sheer number of students who will need to be isolated ahead of the fall semester.

More than 63,000 out-of-state students who go to private colleges in New York are expected to be quarantined for two weeks upon arrival, according to the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU).

"Schools just don't have the capacity on campus to give students two weeks on their own with a bathroom. They are looking at creative solutions," CICU President Mary Beth Labate said at a legislative hearing on higher education on Tuesday. "We'd like to be in a position where we have a good sense of what the student is doing and we know putting the student in a hotel two miles from the campus is not ideal."

Skidmore, which enrolls about 2,500 students each year, will house students from places with travel advisories at a Saratoga Springs hotel beginning on Aug. 7. Each student will get a private room and delivered meals for a 14-day period leading up to the start of first-year student orientation, a spokeswoman for the college said.

Students traveling from a location that requires quarantine may also coordinate their own quarantine arrangements.

With the goal of bringing all of its students back to campus, Skidmore is also partnering with local hotels to provide alternative dorm options for students who are concerned about safety. Shuttles will be provided between the hotels and the college campus.

The University at Albany enrolls around 17,500 students, with more than 7,000 living on campus, but that number will be reduced this year to bring down campus density.

More than 200 students arriving from designated states or countries who will live on-campus during the fall semester are being asked to arrive two weeks early, by Aug. 9, to support the 14-day pre-arrival quarantine. These students will be offered quarantine housing at no cost and but will be charged for meals at $33 per day.

Officials at the College of Saint Rose in Albany expect to isolate roughly 90 of the school's close to 1,200 students in on-campus housing.

"We are encouraging those students to arrive early so their quarantine process is over by the time classes begin. Otherwise, we will work with that student to learn remotely until the quarantine period is over," spokeswoman Jennifer Gish said.

The liberal arts school offers a mix of residential housing, from rooms in Victorian houses, to individual suites. Larger residential facilities will be modified to reduce density, she said.

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

Troy's Russell Sage College, which serves few students from out of state, plans to house all of its quarantined students in a single dorm. Colleges and universities are not allowing more than two students to be housed per room for the academic year.

At the end of their isolation period, students must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Many colleges are currently unable to provide testing on campus for financial reasons and because of difficulty finding labs to partner with.

Large schools with their own healthcare facilities are best positioned to administer testing. Privates schools have formed partnerships with labs, but some of those facilities are now forced to divert resources to other states that have higher infection rates, according to Labate.

"We are starting to get a little nervous because partners we thought we had locks on are saying 'well our equipment has to go to Florida' ... our smaller schools will continue to scramble, but it will all depend on the capability of that testing," she said.

Skidmore College is partnering with the Broad Institute, a collaboration out of MIT and Harvard for COVID-19 testing this fall. All students will be tested on arrival and at weekly intervals. Students experiencing symptoms can also request and receive a test.

Researchers at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse are developing a way for colleges and universities to track the coronavirus among students more affordably and efficiently. The method, called "pool testing," combines the saliva of 25 students into a mega-sample which can be tested for traces of the respiratory illness.

While younger people may be less susceptible to the severe symptoms of COVID-19, they may be fueling a spike in coronavirus cases in the Capital Region. The number of people in Albany County aged 20 to 29 who have tested positive for the virus has jumped by over 50 in the last week, county officials said on Tuesday.

Local colleges have asked students to sign a pledge to respect social distancing rules and say campus officials are prepared to enforce them if necessary.
Certification Expands on Go-to-Market Capabilities for Intelligent Automation Solutions

LONDON and AUSTIN, Texas, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing to build on a long standing relationship, Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), today announced that IBM has achieved Certified Gold Service Provider status. This distinction helps give customers peace of mind that Blue Prism's high quality service standards and expertise are met when deploying and utilizing Blue Prism's intelligent automation platform.

Blue Prism's partner certification program is one of the industry's most stringent and comprehensive for robotic process automation (RPA). IBM has excelled in supporting Blue Prism customers across a variety of industry sectors including finance, insurance, healthcare, federal government, and industrial sectors.

IBM has helped hundreds of clients accelerate their automation journeys, including work with Jaguar Land Rover and Pearson, which earned Blue Prism 'People's Choice' awards in 2019, and an engagement with the U.S. Veterans Affairs Benefits Administration received a Blue Prism Public Sector award in 2020.

Blue Prism's certification program is independently validated and offers more than 10,000 certified resources worldwide while setting a benchmark for customer quality and success. This helps to ensure that all Blue Prism deployments are managed and executed upon properly. These partners will also enable Blue Prism customers to build out best-in-class solutions that incorporate cutting edge, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

"Our clients are seeking ways to automate processes to create operational efficiency and better manage massive shifts in demand across their business," says Tom Ivory, Vice President, Global Leader, Automation Innovation Unit from IBM Services. "To truly transform, we're now seeing enterprises adopt 'extreme' automation, that is, the pervasive use of intelligent automation right across the enterprise, along with an embrace of the new hybrid workforce, to help increase productivity while addressing change at the same time. Through our ongoing relationship with Blue Prism, we continue to synchronize and extend our solution helping our clients infuse automation into their enterprise workflows."

Earlier this year, Blue Prism again joined forces with IBM's cloud services team to enable more technical interoperability. IBM Cloud Pak for Automation users now have API connectors to Blue Prism's digital workforce making it easier to scale automation projects. This made Blue Prism available to IBM clients along with capabilities aiding business automation workflow, business decision automation and intelligent document processing.

"When people ask what sets Blue Prism apart from competitors, the first thing I point out is our Certified Partner Program," says Linda Dotts, Chief Partner Strategy Officer for Blue Prism. "IBM has achieved Gold Service Provider status through a commitment to quality, and a passion and vision for the future of work. This certification program underscores the strength of our partnerships and the value provided as we strive to jointly enable digital transformations for global clients."

About Blue Prism

Blue Prism is the global leader in intelligent automation for the enterprise, transforming the way work is done. At Blue Prism, we have users in over 150 countries in more than 1,800 businesses, including Fortune 500 and public sector organizations, that are creating value with new ways of working, unlocking efficiencies, and returning millions of hours of work back into their businesses. Our Digital Workforce is smart, secure, scalable and accessible to all; freeing up humans to re-imagine work. To learn more visit www.blueprism.com and follow us on Twitter @blue_prism and on LinkedIn .

 2020 Blue Prism Limited. "Blue Prism", the "Blue Prism" logo and Prism device are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Blue Prism Limited and its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

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More than 22 years ago, Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates squared off against the Department of Justice over issues of antitrust.

The case is not unlike what Google is now facing: a lawsuit form the DOJ alleging Google's business deals hurt smaller competitors.

Back in 1998, Gates was called before the Senate Judiciary Committee to be questioned about Microsoft's dominance in the software market. Microsoft's business practices ultimately led the Department of Justice to file suit against the company.

A court initially ruled that Microsoft should be broken up into two separate companies, which Microsoft appealed. In the end, Microsoft settled with the US government, agreeing to change its ways.

But the court case had long-lasting impacts on Gates and Microsoft. It directly contributed to Gates' early retirement, and Gates has said it's the reason Microsoft's smartphone ambitions failed.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

More than 22 years ago, Bill Gates facing the situation as Google CEO Sundar Pichai: an antitrust case from the Department of Justice.

In May 1998, the DOJ filed suit against Microsoft, alleging the company had violated the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. The suit followed Gates' testimony before Congress, where he addressed Microsoft's market power and whether the company was abusing it.

It's hard not to draw parallels between Gates' situation in the late '90s and what Google is now facing: the DOJ is planning to file an antitrust case against Google on Tuesday, arguing that Google put smaller competitors at a disadvantage through its business deals and uses its smartphones to increase its app dominance.

As Google gears up to do battle with the DOJ, here's how nearly identical scrutiny in the late '90s played out for Gates and Microsoft.

On March 3, 1998, then Microsoft CEO Bill Gates came to Capitol Hill to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Story continues

Then-Microsoft CEO Bill Gates during a hearing in 1998. Douglas Graham/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images

The committee, chaired by Sen. Orrin Hatch, convened a four-hour hearing to examine, as Hatch said at the time, "How market power works in the software industry and whether Microsoft is abusing its market power."

In his testimony, Gates promoted Microsoft as being at the forefront of technological advancement in the US, arguing that the question of whether the US would continue advancing at a "breathtaking" pace could only be answered yes "if innovation is not restricted by government."

Gates also downplayed the notion the Microsoft was becoming a monopoly in the software industry.

"In the end, the software industry, which contributed over $100 billion to the national economy last year, is an open economic opportunity for any entrepreneur in America," he said during his testimony.

Gates testified alongside a panel of industry peers, including Dell CEO Michael Dell, Sun Microsystems Chairman Scott McNealy, and Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale.

Form left: Bill Gates, Sun Microsystems' Scott McNealy, and Netscape's Jim Barksdale. Douglas Graham/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images

Gates had two opponents at the hearing, Barksdale and McNealy. Barksdale's Netscape competed with Microsoft when it came to web browsers  Microsoft made Internet Explorer, while Netscape made Navigator, then the top browser.

McNealy's Sun Microsystems had already filed a lawsuit against Microsoft the year before the hearing, alleging that Microsoft violated the company's licensing agreement by making changes to Sun's Java software that made it work differently. (The suit was settled in 2002.)

But during his testimony, McNealy denied that the issue at hand was Microsoft vs. Sun, or Microsoft vs. Netscape  it was a matter of antitrust. Microsoft, its opponents alleged, was expanding into new markets too quickly and needed to be stopped, otherwise it would strong-arm any competition in its path.

"Despite how some have painted the picture, the issue is not about one company versus another, or a personal battle between one CEO and another," McNealy said. "The issue is about protecting consumer choice in the marketplace. It is about protecting innovation. And it is about enforcing the laws of the land."

But on May 18, shortly after the congressional hearing, the Department of Justice and 20 US states filed suit against Microsoft, claiming the company had violated the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.

Scott Audette/AP

The DOJ alleged that Microsoft had a stranglehold on the software industry, forcing PC manufacturers to make Internet Explorer the default browser on their computers. Microsoft's actions, it alleged, stifled the competition.

When Gates gave his deposition months later, he was called "evasive and nonresponsive," as a CNET report described it at the time, so much so that the federal judge hearing the case laughed aloud in court when listening to Gates' answers.

The court ruled in April 2000 that Microsoft had violated the Sherman Act, and later ordered that Microsoft be broken up into two separate companies.

Bebeto Matthews

The judge ruled that Microsoft had actively tried to crush its competitors, including Apple, IBM, Netscape, Sun, and others. Microsoft immediately appealed the ruling.

Microsoft's appeal was successful. By June 2001, a federal appeals court decided to reverse the order to break up Microsoft and in September, the DOJ said it wanted to find a solution to the case instead of breaking up the company. By November, Microsoft and the DOJ reached a settlement.

REUTERS / Jonathan Ernst

The settlement imposed a strict set of restrictions on Microsoft, including the inability to force PC-makers to work exclusively with Microsoft. Microsoft was also required to share its APIs with software developers to allow them to make applications that worked with Windows.

What the settlement didn't do, however, was restrict Microsoft from expanding the features it included in its Windows operating system.

While the case ultimately had a better outcome for Microsoft than it could have, it still had long-lasting impacts on the Gates and on Microsoft's business.

Gates, left, and then-CEO Steve Ballmer. Elaine Thompson/AP

Gates told CNBC last year that the case was a "distraction," and one reason why Microsoft's smartphone ambitions ultimately failed.

"There's no doubt the antitrust lawsuit was bad for Microsoft, and we would have been more focused on creating the phone operating system, and so instead of using Android today, you would be using Windows Mobile if it hadn't been for the antitrust case," Gates said at the time.

He went on to say that Microsoft was "so close" with Windows Mobile, but that he "screwed that up" because he was so distracted by the court case.

Gates also told CNBC that the case was a contributing factor in why he decided to step down as CEO in 2000 and let Steve Ballmer take over, and that he disagreed with the court's initial decision.

"I didn't think Microsoft should be broken up, I argued against it, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone," Gates said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
South Africa: NERSA notes Eskom court judgment

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) is studying the judgment of the High Court to review and set aside its decision on Eskoms fourth Multi-Year Price Determination (MYPD4) for the 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years.

The judgment follows NERSA's acknowledgment of procedural unfairness in the MYPD4 decision concerning the inclusion of the R23 billion government grant without allowing Eskom to submit its representation, in line with the National Energy Regulator Act, 2004 (Act No. 40 of 2004), read with the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000 (Act No. 3 of 2000), said the regulator.

Judgment in the matter was delivered on Tuesday.

NERSA has noted with serious concern that the judgment has gone beyond its acknowledgment of procedural unfairness, and the unsuccessful consultations between NERSA and Eskom by pronouncing on the MYPD4 tariff application.

The judgment, if left uncontested, will not only disrupt the industry, but will further suppress economic recovery, considering the current threat that the countrys economy is facing. This case was not merely a case between Eskom and NERSA, but rather a case of Eskom versus the South African economy and electricity consumers, said the regulator.

The energy regulator is currently studying the judgment and will advise on the way forward in due course.

Meanwhile, Eskom welcomed the courts decision, which allows for a phased recovery of the R69 billion equity injections over a three-year period.

The judgment that has been delivered is very encouraging. It aids in instilling confidence in the regulatory regime within the country by ensuring that the NERSA methodology is adhered to. This judgment will assist Eskom in paving the way forward towards financial sustainability, said Eskoms Chief Financial Officer, Calib Cassim.

The power utility said prior to the court hearing, NERSA was in agreement that the deduction of the equity injection was not correct, in terms of its MYPD methodology.

The Judge was required only to make a decision on the recovery of the equity. Eskom welcomes this decision, which allows for Eskom to migrate towards a situation where it could become more self-sufficient and be in a position to recover efficient costs and reduce its dependence for further equity support from government, said the power utility.

Supporting the vulnerable

It is understood that certain vulnerable sectors of the economy  poor residential customers and certain industrial sectors - will require special consideration.

Various measures are already in place to protect the poor. In addition, Eskom has been participating, under the leadership of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), in proposals where certain vulnerable economic sectors would be considered for targeted support, it said.

The utility will work with NERSA in implementing the outcome of the court decision. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Credit the developers of River Point  Ivanhoe Cambridge, Hines and Levy Family Partners  for commissioning this addition to their tower. The piece, whose cost is not being disclosed, will likely add to the value of their office building, of course, but it also stands to enhance Chicagos renowned collection of public art and, with it, the public realm.
Kerry TD Michael-Healy Rae has told a court that he was left rattled from an awful tirade of abuse and threatened he would be shot when his car was stuck in traffic in Dublin.

Cianan Doyle, 35, was found guilty today of a public order offence in connection with the incident on the morning of December 4, 2018 at the junction of the South Circular Road and Crumlin Road, at Dolphins Barn.

He admitted using bad language, challenging Healy-Rae about the homeless crisis and calling him a Me Feiner when he spoke to the TD. But he denied claims he threatened that he would put a bullet in his head, Dublin District Court heard.

The accused, from Beechfield Road, Perrystown, Dublin 12, was spared a conviction and possible three-month jail sentence after he donated 1,500 to a road safety charity.

Finding him guilty, Judge Michael Walsh said his behaviour was rude but he noted his good record and struck out the case.

The offence was using threatening, insulting or abusive behaviour that could cause a breach of the peace.

Healy-Rae took off his cap after he was sworn in and sat down in the witness box.

He told the trial judge he left Kerry that morning shortly after 5am and reached Dublin at about 8.30am.

He said there were two lanes and he stopped in a line of traffic.

A car pulled up beside him and gestured to roll down his window which he did. He said the driver was cross and very angry, and used very bad language. He said the front seat passenger, the accused, was as bad.

Im not faint-hearted but what he did say then rattled me, the politician said.

Cianan Doyle, 35, with an address at Beechfield Road in Perrystown, Dublin 12, at the Criminal Courts of Justice today. Picture: Collins Courts

He alleged Doyle told him: You would want a bullet put in your head and I would do it, something to that effect.

He said his car was pinned in and it was the front seat passenger who made the threat.

Their car then went ahead of him and he recorded its registration plate on his dictaphone.

When he arrived at Leinster House he mentioned it to a senior garda who advised him, If you let this go, you are wrong, you cannot be going about your business and people saying this to you.

As a politician, he was used to a lot of things but this left him cross and frightened, he told the court.

Im not used to having someone telling me they would put a bullet in my head.

Cross-examined by defence solicitor Michael Staines he denied he had been driving in a bus lane and said he was perfectly entitled to be in the line of traffic. There were cars ahead and behind him, he said.

The solicitor put it to him that Doyle has said fucker once or twice, that is all.

Healy-Rae replied that this was absolute nonsense and not true.

Mr Staines suggested that Doyles father, who was driving, asked him what he was doing about homelessness and that he made political remarks.

Replying, the TD said there may have been a mention of homelessness but he described the exchange as a vicious verbal attack.

Mr Staines said they were decent people. Decent people would not tell another person they would like to shoot them, Healy-Rae countered.

The solicitor put it to him that he told gardai he was rattled by it but he had told the court he was frightened. Healy-Rae answered that this was exactly how he felt and that it was a totally unacceptable act to do.

He said the accused was roaring and screeching and his head was out the window, viciously agitated, for some reason only known to himself.

The politician rejected defence suggestions he was exaggerating.

In evidence, Cianan Doyle said when they noticed the politicians car to their left they had a politically orientated exchange.

In hindsight, he said, he should not have used bad language and curses but there was no threat. He said he told Healy-Rae he did not care for the people of Kerry, or Ireland and that he was Me Feiner.

He said there was no aggression just bad language and he was sorry for that.

Alan Doyle, father of Cianan Doyle, at the Criminal Courts of Justice today. Picture: Collins Courts

His father, Alan Doyle, a retired taxi driver, also said they spoke to the politician, car to car, and asked him about what he was doing about the homeless.

Alan Doyle claimed that Healy-Rae asked them the same question back.

He denied claims his son had made a threat to the politician.

The accused sister Sorcha Doyle said they had been on their normal route that morning and the politicians car, which had his name emblazoned on it, was in the left lane, for buses.

There was an adult conversation between her brother and the TD, and their version was correct, she told the court.

However, the judge found Healy-Raes evidence persuasive and said he accepted his evidence without reservation.

He said the accused mans behaviour was rude and totally unacceptable.

He was told Doyle had an assault conviction from an incident in 2006 when he was aged 19 but since then he had gone to college and has done well in his career. He was being brought to work that morning, the court heard.

Judge Michael Walsh called it an aberration which should not have happened but he struck out the case after Doyle handed in 1,500 to court which will be donated to road safety and victim support charity PARC.
By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) - Former U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice, who is widely seen as being on Joe Biden's short list as running mate, on Wednesday criticized comments by President Donald Trump that he would not accept the results of November's presidential election and urged voters to decisively defeat him at the polls.

"It has to be a resounding defeat of Donald Trump," Rice said in an interview on ABC's "The View."

Biden, who will face Trump in the Nov. 3 election, is in the final stages of choosing his running mate, and a decision is expected next week. He has been increasingly expected to pick a woman of color as the nation continues to be roiled by protests over racial injustice.

Trump said in an interview with Fox News earlier in July that he would not commit to accepting the results of the Nov. 3 vote, although representatives of his campaign have said he would respect the results.

Rice, 55, has never run for public office and if tapped by Biden, would be an untested presence on the campaign trail. But she had a solid working relationship with Biden when he served as President Barack Obama's vice president and she as Obama's top foreign-policy aide.

Speaking to "The View," Rice, who is Black, confirmed she was under consideration by the Biden campaign for the job, but did not say whether she had been interviewed.

Rice conceded that should she be chosen, her role in the aftermath of the 2012 terror attack on the U.S. mission on Benghazi, Libya would likely become a campaign issue.

At the time, Rice, as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was accused by Republicans of misleading the public about the nature of the attack. Congressional probes, however, found no wrongdoing on her part, and Rice on Wednesday defended her actions, calling Republican charges "dishonest."

"I don't doubt that the Republicans will use this and they'll attack whoever is Joe Biden's choice to be his vice president," she said.

While Rice is viewed as a serious contender for the No. 2 spot on the ticket, the favorite is considered to be Senator Kamala Harris of California, who battled Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Story continues

Asked about Harris at the White House on Wednesday, Trump passed up a chance to attack his possible adversary in the 2020 election.

"I think shed be a fine choice, Kamala Harris," Trump told reporters. "Shed be a fine choice."

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Turkey Can Address US Concerns About S-400/F-35 Compatibility Issues, Defence Minister Says

Sputnik News

18:10 GMT 28.07.2020

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States should reconsider its decision to suspend Turkey from the F-35 aircraft programme and stands ready to address any issues related to the S-400 air defence system's and F-35 jet's compatibility, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Tuesday.

"With regard to the F-35 programme, the US government's own reports have shown that Turkey's suspension from the programme has brought production risks for critical components of the F-35 aircraft, delaying the production timeline and increasing the cost. They should reconsider their decision", Akar said.

Akar noted that the Turkish defence industry has continued to supply key parts for the F-35 aircraft despite the novel coronavirus pandemic and the country's suspension from the program.

"I wish to underline that Turkey is not just a customer of the F-35 programme, but a partner," Akar said. "The security of F-35 technology is just as vital for Turkey as it is for the United States. We are ready to address any US concerns about the S-400 - F-35 compatibility issue on a technical basis".

Three US congressmen have introduced legislation to sanction Turkey

for purchasing the S-400 air defence system from Russia. The measure, dubbed Countering Russia's Export of Arms Act, would designate Turkey's S-400 purchase as a significant transaction pursuant to Section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Last month, Russia and Turkey agreed in principle on the second shipment of the S-400 air defence system, according to the head of the Turkish defence industry secretariat, Ismail Demir. The first shipment was delivered to Turkey in 2019.

Since 2018, the United States has introduced a number of measures to pressure the Turkish government into cancelling the S-400 purchase, including removing Turkey from the F-35 jet supply chain and despite the added costs to the program and to US taxpayers.

The United States has proposed buying the S-400s from Ankara in a bid to break the deadlock. Washington has claimed the S-400 is incompatible with NATO security standards and might compromise the operations of the F-35 jets. Ankara has repeatedly vowed to activate the missile systems, delivered by Russia last summer, despite the US threats of sanctions.

A Sputnik

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STRONGSVILLE, Ohio -- In November, residents will vote on a property tax increase that would help pay for additional firefighters -- including those in a proposed new fifth fire station in the center of town -- and firefighter-paramedic equipment.

City Council, in a unanimous vote Monday (July 28), placed the 2.5-mill tax levy on the November ballot. If passed, the additional taxes would allow the city to hire 20 additional full-time firefighter-paramedics, increasing the total number to 81, and buy new equipment.

Levy money would not help pay for construction of the fifth fire station, according to council President Matt Schonhut. However, Councilman Jim Kaminski said the city has not ruled out setting aside some new taxes for station construction.

Our fire department is understaffed, Schonhut told cleveland.com in an email. Our call volume is continuously trending up, while our staff remains steady.

The tax increase would generate about $4 million annually. It would cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 an additional $87.50 a year, and the owner of a home valued at $300,000 an additional $262.50 a year, according to Fire Chief Jack Draves.

Property owners are already paying taxes on two existing fire department operating levies. The two levies cost owners of $100,000 and $300,000 homes $108.15 and $324.45, respectively, every year, according to city Finance Director Joe Dubovec.

In addition, existing property taxes earmarked for firefighter pensions cost owners of $100,000 and $300,000 homes another $10.50 and $31.50, respectively, every year, Dubovec said.

In June, council considered hiring, for the first time in Strongsville, part-time firefighters to beef up the fire department staff. However, firefighters opposed the idea, saying part-timers would undercut the professionalism of the department. City Council tabled the measure.

Rising numbers

In a PowerPoint presentation to council July 20, Draves said that each of the citys four existing fire stations -- on Webster, Drake, Albion and Prospect roads -- normally has three firefighter-paramedics on duty each shift. In addition, a shift commander oversees all four stations.

Of the departments 61 firefighters, 54 work 24-hour shifts, then take off 48 hours. Seven firefighters -- the chief, two assistant chiefs, an administrative lieutenant, two fire inspectors and a captain -- work regular 40-hour weeks Monday through Friday.

Draves said the fire departments call volume has increased by 23 percent over the past five years, from 5,233 calls in 2015 to 6,422 in 2019. More than 65 percent of the calls in 2019 were for emergency medical service.

Strongsville firefighters receive an average of 17.59 calls a day. The average number of overlapping calls -- calls coming to the fire department at about the same time -- is 4.4. Draves said 61 percent of firefighter calls are overlapping, which means the departments resources are depleted during those times.

In 2019, firefighters responded to 88 fires, 12 of them causing damage of more than $10,000, Draves said. Strongsville firefighters provided aid to other cities 160 times and received aid from other cities 96 times.

The average response time for all calls in 2019 was 6 minutes, 51 seconds. Draves said firefighter-paramedics ideally should arrive within 4 to 6 minutes.

A fifth station

Draves said the city needs a fifth fire station because the population is aging and requires more emergency medical services. The number of senior-living communities has increased, and hospitals are discharging patients sooner than ever before.

Charles Goss, the citys public safety director, said 13 senior-living communities are now in Strongsville. Last year, they made more than 400 medical emergency calls to the fire department.

In addition, construction firms are building with lighter-weight wood that is more susceptible to fire. Construction material in housing contains an increasing amount of petrochemicals, Draves said.

A fifth fire station would allow the department to improve its response time and have more resources ready during overlapping calls, Draves said. Further, it might mean lower homeowner insurance premiums for residents by improving the fire departments grade with the Insurance Service Organization, which rates fire departments across the United States.

Draves said the fifth fire station should be in the center of town, near Royalton and Pearl roads, because of continued business growth and development there. He said about 19,000 people commute to Strongsville every day to work.

Firefighters from the four existing fire stations cant reach the center of town within 6 minutes, Draves said. In some cases, it takes 8 minutes to get there. With a fifth station near Royalton and Pearl, firefighters would be able to respond within 4 minutes to most parts of town, and in the few areas they couldnt, they would arrive within 30 seconds of ideal response times.

Kaminski said the city hasnt decided how it would finance construction of a fifth station. He said the city might borrow money for the project and make debt payments from the general fund.

A station location

Draves said his department has considered four locations for a new fire station:

 A former Kaiser Permanente building off the north side of Royalton at Falling Waters Road;

 Land off the south side of Royalton at Pearlview Drive, across from the citys police station;

 Land at the northwest corner of Royalton and Pearl, west of Strongsville United Church of Christ;

 A residential parcel, owned by the Strongsville Chamber of Commerce, off the south side of Royalton just west of Pearl.

Draves said the department chose the chamber of commerce property because its the easiest to acquire. The city would have to rezone the parcel from single-family residential to a public-facility district.

The new 10,000-square-foot station would cost about $2 million to build, Draves said. It would contain 2 bays, a training room and living quarters for three to six firefighters.

Salaries and benefits for the 20 additional firefighters would initially cost the city about $2.8 million.

The new tax would also help pay for additional fire station equipment. According to ordinances council approved to place the new tax on the November ballot, that equipment would include ambulances.

Draves said the department would assess current apparatus fleet and plan future purchases based on response-area demographics and incident responses.

Draves said the two existing operating levies for the fire department generate about $5 million annually. The citys general fund subsidizes department operations by another $3 million.

Mayor Thomas Perciak said the general fund subsidy would likely remain about $3 million a year, even if the levy passes. That means the new levy, estimated to raise about $4 million, would increase fire department operating funds by 50 percent.

The existing property tax for the firefighter pension fund generates about $500,000 annually, Draves said. Also, EMS billing brings in about $1 million a year, but that money is dedicated to emergency vehicle purchases.

A quiet council

Council approved the levy for the ballot with no public discussion. Most council members didnt return calls and emails regarding the levy and the part-time firefighter proposal.

Schonhut said he supported the levy and a fifth fire station for all the reasons outlined by Draves in his PowerPoint presentation.

Response times to the center of town and surrounding neighborhoods (are) not what (they) should be in the event of a time-sensitive emergency, Schonhut said in an email to cleveland.com.

Additionally, a central station will allow us to respond faster to all other areas of town in the event another station is out on separate call.

When asked about the timing of asking residents for a tax increase in the middle of a pandemic-driven recession, Kaminski said: I support giving the people of Strongsville the opportunity to vote on this safety issue. I agree the timing is not perfect, but safety must always come first.

Schonhut said there is never a good time to place a new-money levy on the ballot.

However, this is not a tax that is being forced on the community, Schonhut said. No tax ever should be. The residents have the opportunity to voice their opinion via their vote.

Union support

Matt Kasza, president of the Strongsville Fire Fighters Association, said the union supports the levy, the hiring of additional full-time firefighters and construction of a fifth fire station. Draves said the city and firefighters have discussed a fifth station for several years.

Kasza, in a May email to cleveland.com, said the fire department has run a skeleton crew for years and has repeatedly requested increased staffing. Instead, the city has chosen to have firefighters work overtime to reach minimum staffing levels at the four stations.

The problem is that earlier this year, the city eliminated overtime for all municipal workers, including firefighters, due to declining income tax revenues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kasza said that meant the fire department failed to achieve minimum staffing levels.

This leads to safety issues for us and the residents, Kasza said.

Terry Branigan, a retired Strongsville firefighter, told cleveland.com in May that due to the elimination of overtime, the fire department was operating with whoever was able to report for duty on a given day.

Fire stations normally are manned with three firefighter-paramedics, Branigan said. Now, operating with only two members in a station is becoming common.

There has already been one occasion where the headquarters station had only the shift commander on duty, only able to respond in an SUV command vehicle, Branigan said.

Read more from the Sun Star Courier.
In the run-up to the launch of an effective coronavirus vaccine, all pharmaceutical companies and stakeholders have come to one pertinent point -- what about pricing? Some companies such as AstraZeneca that is collaborating with Oxford University, and Johnson and Johnson that is yet to catch up with the leading contenders have said that they are not looking for profit in the initial stages. Some, on the other hand, are still contemplating how to go about this rather sensitive issue.

Moderna, one of the leading contenders that has advanced to the latter stages of human trials, is planning to price the COVID vaccine at $50-60 (Rs 3,700-Rs 4,500) for the entire course. This would mean that per dose would be priced at $25-30 (Rs 1,800-Rs 2,300). According to the Financial Times, the aforementioned prices have been pitched by the company but is yet to be finalised. Moreover, these prices would apply to high-income countries and the US.

If Moderna's pitch sticks, Americans would end up paying much more for the COVID-19 vaccine than their Indian counterparts. Serum Institute of India that is producing the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine has pegged the vaccine for a much cheaper price. SII CEO Adar Poonawalla has said that the manufacturers are aiming to price the vaccine at under Rs 1,000 ($13) per dose. He had also said that he aims to keep 50 per cent of the production reserved for India.

Also read: COVID-19 vaccine to cost under Rs 1,000 per dose, says Adar Poonawalla

Poonawalla had also said that he believes the government would pay for the coronavirus vaccine in India. "We are planning to put the price at around Rs 1,000 or less than that per dose. I don't think any individual will have to pay for it because the vaccines will mostly be bought by governments and then distributed free through the immunisation programmes," Poonawalla said.

US company Pfizer and German collaborator BioNTech, whose coronavirus vaccine candidate is also in the advanced stages of human trials, have meanwhile signed a deal with the Netherlands, Germany, France and Italy for $3-4 (Rs 225-300) per dose, as mentioned in Financial Times.

The pricing of the COVID vaccine would be decided keeping in mind multiple factors such as the timing, regulatory submissions, medical need, efficacy as well as competition. Some variations in pricing might also take into account the size of orders and timing of delivery. Having said that, it would be difficult to compare coronavirus vaccine prices during their development stages.

The distribution of the coronavirus vaccine also remains another moot point. World leaders including Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa have called for equal access to the COVID-19 vaccine. "Vaccines save lives. That's why we're working here at home and with partners around the world to find one. And when we do, we must keep working together to make sure that people everywhere have access to it - because where you live should not determine whether you live," said Trudeau.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine update: Covaxin human trials start in Odisha

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Pfizer to charge other developed nations at par with US
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Teachers from across Tennessee gathered in Nashville and put on a mock funeral procession to protest against unsafely reopening schools in the state, as coronavirus continues to surge in the country.

Dozens took to the Nashville Farmers' Market on Monday to participate in a 'Die In and Vigil,' WKRN reports.

From there, the teachers headed to Governor Bill Lee's residence where teachers shouted: 'Dead teachers can't teach. Dead students can't learn.'

Dozens of educators took part in the 'Die In and Vigil' on Monday to protest Tennessee schools reopening without meeting set requirements

Teachers posted signs on their cars that looked like tombstones and read: 'Dead teachers can't teach. Dead students can't learn.'

The caravan/funeral procession has begun. They plan to chant outside @GovBillLees residence: Dead teachers cant teach. Dead students cant learn. pic.twitter.com/kCS4g7tyBN  Stassy Olmos (@StassyOlmosWKRN) July 27, 2020

Educators wrote messages across their vehicles, with others holding signs that declared that the Republican governor did not care about public education.

The event was hosted by the Metropolitan Nashville Education Association and the Tennessee for a Safe Return to Campus, Community Impact reports.

'We're going to ensure everyone is safe, and we're not letting anyone fall through the cracks,' Metropolitan Nashville Education Association President Amanda Kail said during the protest event.

'I don't care if you're a bus driver, a paraprofessional or a teacher ... We need all of our students and all of our people safe. We're telling [Gov. Bill Lee] to do the right thing and make sure there is a baseline of safety in every district in this state.'

A protester prepares a sign on a car before the protest, which started at the Nashville Farmers' Market

Protesters drive by the Tennessee governor's residence during the demonstration

The Tennessee for a Safe Return to Campus group consists of teachers, staff, parents and students calling for districts across the state to begin the school year remotely and to not return to campus until individual counties report no new cases of the coronavirus for at least two weeks.

On June 9, Metro Nashville Public Schools announced that the academic year would begin virtually on August 4. The instruction is expected to last until Labor Day, said Director of School Adrienne Battle.

'Our nation has not prioritized the steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 ... We had every reason to believe we were on track to be in Phase 4 [of the city's reopening plan] by the time schools are scheduled to open on Aug. 4, or at least at the end of Phase 3,' Battle said July 9. 'In the last few weeks, the numbers have caused many of us to rethink our optimism.'

Educator Mariah Phillips speaks during the protests

A protester prepares a sign to go on a car. Teachers are demanding adequate resources for when students areat home

A passenger holds a sign while riding in the procession. The educators are also asking for adequate supplies, personnel and facilities 'to safely share space on campus and react aggressively to any resurgence of COVID-19'

Parents will have the option to keep their students in remote learning, once school returns, Battle shared.

'At MNPS, we are lucky that we have great competent leadership in Dr. Battle,' said a post by Greater Nashville for a Safe Return to Campus, a subgroup of Tennessee for a Safe Return to Campus. 'Her plan for remote learning seems solid and well planned out. I have faith that she will not allow us to return until it's safe to do so ... For this movement, we say there needs to be no new cases for 14 days before schools can safely open.'

The Tennessee for a Safe Return to Campus is asking for adequate access to technology so that distance learning can prove beneficial for both students and teachers.

They are also asking for adequate supplies, personnel and facilities 'to safely share space on campus and react aggressively to any resurgence of COVID-19.'

The Metropolitan Nashville Education Association and the Tennessee for a Safe Return to Campus hosted the event
Senior Citizens Thank Government for Support During Pandemic

A thank you letter signed by over 900 senior citizens was presented to the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia on Friday.

The letter thanks the Government for the measures that were taken to shield the elderly and to make their lives easier during lockdown, with Opposition support.

This was the idea of a small group of friends, all over the age of 70, who collected the signatures themselves in a short period of time through friends, family members and other contacts.

It was presented by Herminia Buckley, Paddy Grech, Gloria Macedo and Dunia Bautista.

The Chief Minister said: The Government is touched by the action taken by this group of ladies. In the normal course of events it is not very common in life for people to stop and say thank you. The protection of our elderly has been recognised internationally as one of the reasons why Gibraltar did so well in combating the first round of the pandemic and why we lost nobody to COVID-19. Europe is now bracing itself for a second wave in the autumn and Gibraltar can rest assured that we will leave no stone unturned in the defence of our people from this deadly disease.
New Delhi:

The Home Ministry has directed strengthening of security in all airports and airstrips across the country to check movement of domonetised Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

The alert has been sent after it was found that several crores of rupees in demonetised banknotes were transported in a chartered jet from an airstrip in Hisar to Dimapur airport in Nagaland.

All airports have been alerted and directed to keep strict vigil on illegal transportation of cash, an official said.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which protects nearly all 98 airports in the country, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been given clear instructions to be on high alert against any such attempt to convert black money into the banking system.

A Bihar-based businessman, who was travelling alone in a chartered jet from Hissar, was yesterday apprehended by the CISF here following a tip-off by the Intelligence Bureau that he was carrying suspect money. He was later freed after he produced tax exemption certificates.

During the searches at a few premises owned by a Dimapur businessman, the taxmen were able to locate the missing Rs 3.5 crore. Not only that, they impounded another Rs 4.47 crore in demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 bills.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
"The talks on filling and operation of the GERD were resumed on Monday afternoon at the invitation of South Africa, the current chair of the African Union (AU)," the country's Irrigation and Water Resources Ministry said on Monday.

Khartoum, July 28 (IANS) Sudan has announced the postponement of tripartite talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), also known as the Blue Nile dam, for a week over further consultations to regulate the flow of water from the massive project.

"The talks have been postponed upon Sudan's request to conduct further consultations.

"During the session of talks, the Sudanese Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Yasir Abbas voiced Sudan's reservation over Ethiopia's unilateral measure of starting the first filling of the dam before reaching a binding agreement among the three countries," Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying.

Abbas regarded the Ethiopian move as "a harmful and worrying precedent in the path of cooperation between the concerned countries".

He urged for setting up specific and clear agenda for the entire period of the talks upon which it was agreed to be two weeks in addition to the need for putting clear protocols for exchange of information and reports between all parties, it noted.

A mini-African summit was convened on July 21 through video link, where the parties agreed to continue talks to narrow viewpoints.

Ethiopia, which started building the 4-billion-dollar GERD in 2011, expects to produce over 6,000 megawatts of electricity to push the development in the country forward.

Meanwhile, Egypt, a downstream Nile Basin country that relies on the river for its fresh water, is concerned that the dam might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the water resources.

--IANS

ksk/
AUVERS-SUR-OISE, France - The exact location where Dutch master Vincent van Gogh painted his last work has been pinpointed after being hidden in plain view for years among a tangle of roots next to a rural lane near Paris. Experts say the discovery sheds new light on the anguished painter's mental state on the day he is widely believed to have fatally shot himself.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This image made available by the Van Gogh Museum shows Van Goghs last painting: Tree Roots. Auvers-sur-Oise, 27 July 1890. A faded picture postcard featuring a man standing next to a bicycle on a back street of the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, 35 kilometers (21 miles) north of Paris, has led a Dutch researcher to what is now thought to be the exact location depicted in the troubled artist's final work, Tree Roots, which he painted on the day he suffered a fatal gunshot wound on July 27, 1890. (Van Gogh Museum via AP)

AUVERS-SUR-OISE, France - The exact location where Dutch master Vincent van Gogh painted his last work has been pinpointed after being hidden in plain view for years among a tangle of roots next to a rural lane near Paris. Experts say the discovery sheds new light on the anguished painter's mental state on the day he is widely believed to have fatally shot himself.

A Dutch researcher realized that the scene depicted in the troubled artists final work, "Tree Roots," was visible on a faded picture postcard featuring a man standing next to a bicycle on a back street of the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, 35 kilometres (21 miles) north of Paris. Van Gogh spent the last weeks of his life in the village and completed dozens of paintings there. Helpfully, the card even included the name of the street.

The discovery by Wouter van der Veen, scientific director of the Van Gogh Institute in France, provides a new glimpse of the artist in his final hours. It means art historians can now see that Van Gogh worked on the painting until the end of the afternoon, meaning he spent much of the day concentrating on the canvas.

"There has been a lot of speculation about his state of mind, but one thing that is very clear is that he spent quite a bit longer working on this painting right through the afternoon. We know that from the light fall in the work," Emilie Gordenker, director of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday. "So, you know, he really was at work right up to to the end."

The painting, which is not considered to have been completed by Van Gogh, hangs in the Amsterdam museum. Gordenker said its composition and execution  a tight focus on gnarled roots on a hillside  have led to it being seen as a "harbinger of abstraction."

Van Gogh never got to further develop the painting style.

According to the museums version of Van Goghs life, after working on "Tree Roots" the artist walked into a nearby field of wheat later in the day and shot himself in the chest with a pistol. He died two days later, on July 29, 1890, aged 37. Two American authors cast doubt on the theory in 2011, suggesting the artist was shot by two teenage boys.

Van der Veen believes the museum's version of events and agrees his new discovery shows that Van Gogh had his wits about him and was methodical in his thinking before he pulled the trigger to kill himself.

"So the final steps were also something he carefully thought about," he said. "So it was a lucid decision. It was not a fit of madness."

The new discovery was made, in part, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.

While stuck at home during France's two-month lockdown, Van der Veen used the extra time to organize his numerous files and documents on Van Gogh, including digitizing images such as the old postcard from Auvers-sur-Oise.

One day in late April, during a phone conversation, he saw the card on his computer screen and it suddenly struck him that he was looking at the location of "Tree Roots." Next to the man and his bicycle, roots and trees are clearly visible.

"It was an epiphany," he said. "A revelation."

He wasn't able to visit the site for several weeks, but had a friend in the village visit and also took a virtual trip down the lane using Google's Street View.

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Villagers know the spot and the main tree root well, even giving it the name "the elephant" because of its shape, Van der Veen said.

"It was really hiding in plain sight and it was even a little bit disguised as it had taken another identity," he added.

The researcher says that while his discovery has given art historians more to mull about Van Gogh's last working day, it also provides tourists with an extra reason to visit Auvers-sur-Oise. The French village already draws tens of thousands of visitors each year because of its links to Van Gogh, who spent his final weeks there and is buried in the village's cemetery alongside his brother, Theo.

"They travel a lot just for one reason  to walk in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh  and now they can stand at the very place where he painted his last painting," Van der Veen said. "And thats a very moving thing for a lot of people. So Im very happy to be to be able to share that with all those who love Van Gogh."

____

Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Elkay is pleased to be recognized by the WomenCorporateDirectors Foundation (WCD) as one of four Award Honorees for the organization's 2020 Visionary Award. Each year, thought-leading companies are honored by WCD for their commitment to diversity, inclusion, and women's leadership in the C-suite and board.

"Visionary Award honorees represent, globally, the kind of inclusive thinking, innovation, and agility we need to move our companies and our countries forward during this pivotal time in history," said Susan C. Keating, CEO of WCD. According to WCD, as in past years, honorees were selected based on proven industry leadership, and on their continuing commitment to the environment, social responsibility and ethical governance (ESG) in both the boardroom and the C-suite.

"Elkay is delighted to receive this award in recognition of our long-standing commitment to ESG," Ric Phillips, President, and CEO, stated in response to being named a 2020 honoree. "We are flattered to find ourselves in outstanding company with fellow 2020 Award recipients Starbucks, Shiseido and Ana Paula Pessoa, chairman of artificial intelligence company Kunumi AI in Brazil and board member of Newscorp Credit Suisse Suzano and Vinci Group.

"We'd like to extend our congratulations and many thanks to our fellow honorees for their forward-thinking endeavors," Phillips continued. "With tremendous societal change taking place around us on a global scale, today more than ever, we need companies that operate responsibly, and leaders who advance their mission ethically and drive their strategy with their heads in lock-step with their hearts."

Elkay has received the 2020 Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company. The firm is a private Illinois-based manufacturer of water delivery and plumbing fixtures, including faucets, water coolers, drinking fountains, Smartwell Water Delivery Systems, and the award-winning ezH2O bottle filling stations, in addition to world-class stainless steel and quartz sinks. In addition, the company's Elkay Interior Systems business is a global leader in the design and buildout of branded retail environments for leading global brands, and Elkay Commercial Systems provides stainless steel products for commercial kitchens around the globe.

Elkay is celebrating its 100th year in business in 2020. Of its 12-member board of directors, five are women, with women chairing two of the four board committees.

"Elkay is dedicated to social responsibility, protecting the environment, and giving back to our community," Phillips concluded. "Equity, inclusion, and empowering our people are central to our culture, and fostering innovation and diversity of thought across the company has been key to our success for over 100 years. If we are to live up to our company value of 'Being in Business Forever,' holding fast to ethical governance, strong values and embracing equitable social practices  which begins at the top and in the boardroom  will be essential to thriving in an increasingly diverse and interdependent world."

This year's Visionary Awards will be presented in a virtual setting on September 9, 2020, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., U.S. EDT.

About Elkay

Family-owned since 1920, Elkay has been making innovative products and delivering exceptional customer care for almost a century. While proud to be America's No. 1 selling kitchen sink company, Elkay expanded its commercial offerings more than four decades ago, and today delivers faucets, water coolers, drinking fountains, Smartwell Water Delivery Systems, and the award-winning ezH2O bottle filling stations, in addition to world-class stainless steel and quartz sinks. Our Elkay Interior Systems business is a global leader in the design and buildout of branded retail environments for leading global brands. Elkay Commercial Systems provides stainless steel products for commercial kitchens around the globe. Like your family, Elkay has values and traditions that endure - like our commitment to sustainability and giving back to our community. Headquartered in the United States in Downers Grove, Illinois, today, Elkay employs over 2,100 employees worldwide, working from 28 locations across the U.S., China, and Mexico. For more information, visit www.elkay.com.

About WomenCorporateDirectors Education and Development Foundation, Inc.

The WomenCorporateDirectors Education and Development Foundation, Inc. (WCD) is the only global membership organization and community of women corporate directors. A501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the WCD Foundation has 76 chapters around the world. The aggregate market capitalization of public companies on whose boards WCD Foundation members serve is over $8trillion. In addition, WCD Foundation members serve on numerous boards of large private and family-run companies globally. For more information, visit www.womencorporatedirectors.org.

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Linda Carlisle

[email protected]

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The Federal Government has said the country is expecting the return of $200million from the Netherlands and Switzerland. According t...

The Federal Government has said the country is expecting the return of $200million from the Netherlands and Switzerland.





According to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the money is part of proceeds from the Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 Malabu oil deal.





Malami stated this during a one-day capacity building workshop organised for judiciary correspondents in Abuja, the nations capital, on Tuesday.





On the fight against corruption and associated recovery of looted and illicit assets, I am happy to inform you that within the period in contention, Nigeria succeeded in recovering $311 billion from U.S. and New Jersey and the money has been repatriated to Nigeria, Malami said.





The Minister said due to the anti-corruption crusade, the Federal Government facilitated the recovery of $62billion arrears from oil companies, as part of its Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).




Former Chief of Air Staff B S Dhanoa on Wednesday welcomed the arrival of Rafales in India and said he defended the deal to procure the multi-role jets notwithstanding the political controversy to stop it from going the Bofors way.

The alleged pay-offs in procurement of a batch of Bofors guns in mid-1980s and its subsequent political ramifications had severely crippled defence procurement as bureaucrats were apprehensive of taking decisions on military purchases.

"I defended the deal as I did not want it to go the Bofors way. We were against politicisation of the defence acquisition process. It was a question of capability of the Air Force," Air Chief Marshal (retd) Dhanoa told PTI.

On Wednesday, India received the first batch of five Rafale jets, nearly four years after it inked an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. The IAF received the Rafale jets 23 years after it imported Sukhoi-30 Ks from Russia in 1997.

"I am very happy for the Indian Air Force as it (the Rafale) has given the Air Force a tremendous capability jump and technological asymmetry over our adversaries something which was missing for such a long time," Dhanoa said.

Dhanoa was succeeded by Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria as the Chief of Air Staff in September last year.

Air Chief Marshal (retd) Arup Raha, under whose tenure the mega deal was inked, said the induction of the fleet will bolster the IAF's capability, but added that the country needs at least 126 combat jets as envisaged earlier.

"It is a good aircraft. It is one of the best in the region. It is going to bolster IAF's capabilities in terms of aerospace power which has been dwindling for quite some time as there has been no induction of combat jets for quite sometime," he told PTI.

"The Rafale jets will increase the deterrence value. Our aim is not to fight a war unless we are forced to. It is to basically deter our adversaries and say that we will respond if you get on our wrong side," he added.

The former IAF chief said India needs to significantly enhance its air power capability and that the government should consider procurement of more Rafales or similar jets.

"We need at least 126 aircraft of similar kind. If we get Rafale, it will be better as inventory management will become easier. It will also help maintenance, training and deployment," he added.

Another former Chief of Air Staff Fali Homi Major said the 36 Rafales will boost India's aerial prowess, but having at least two more squadrons will add tremendous capability to the country's air dominance capability.

"The arrival of Rafales is certainly significant. It is a very good beginning after a very very long break. The Rafales will boost our strike capability. It will be great if we get two more squadrons," he said.

One squadron comprises of at least 18 aircraft.

Both Dhanoa and Major said Rafale is a much superior aircraft than China's J-20s.

"The world does not know the capability of J-20s. You cannot really know and you will never know. The Rafale is a much more superior aircraft," Major added.

The Rafale aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons.

European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by AK Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder). In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology. The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.

The NDA government inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation as an emergency acquisition.

The deal was sealed primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.
The statement also expressed appreciation of the UAE's role to support a political solution in Yemen

Related Saudi Arabia proposes new mechanism for stability in Yemen's south UN still waiting for Houthi approval to visit decaying oil tanker off Yemen Egypt's foreign ministry lauded the efforts of Saudi Arabia to support the path of a political solution in Yemen, a few hours after the Gulf state presented a new framework to expedite the implementation of the stalled Riyadh Agreement aiming to end the crisis in Yemen.

In an official statement on Wednesday, the Egyptian foreign ministry praised Saudi Arabia's "keenness" to implement the Riyadh Agreement signed by the Yemeni legitimate government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in November 2019.

The accord targets reaching a ceasefire, supporting the path of a political solution, activating Yemeni state institutions, and achieving security and stability.

The statement also expressed appreciation of the UAE's role to support a political solution in Yemen. Egypt welcomed the responsiveness of Yemen's legitimate government and the STC to the new mechanism to overcome the current obstacles, give priority to the Yemeni people's interests, and pave the way to resume the political process to reach a comprehensive solution to the crisis in Yemen. The solution has to be in accordance with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative, Yemens National Dialogue Conference, and UNSC Resolution 2216, said the Egyptian statement. The two Yemeni sides have been fighting in Aden and other southern regions since the STC declared self-rule in April. Riyadh wants the two Yemeni sides in the south to focus their common fight against the Iran-backed Houthi forces that control the north of the country. Both Yemeni sides are nominal allies in the Saudi-led coalition, which has been at war against the Houthis since 2014. The Saudi-led military coalition battling the Houthis in Yemen intervened in the conflict-torn country in March 2015 after the Houthis ousted the Saudi-backed internationally-recognised government from the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014.

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From Thursday, people can withdraw cash up to Rs 2,000 by using debit cards at all Big Bazaar stores. The move was announced this week to ease cash-crunch situation post demonetisation.

In a statement, the Future Retail firm said all stores, along with all fbb ones, "will be enabled to allow customers to withdraw up to Rs 2,000 from their own bank accounts, using their debit/ATM cards".

It said the facility is now available at 258 Big Bazaar and fbb stores in over 115 cities and towns across the country. State Bank of India has helped Big Bazaar activate the facility through the bank's Cash at POS machines. Customers can withdraw cash from their bank accounts of any scheduled bank in the country, the company said.

"We are trying hard to ease any difficulties faced by customers due to the demonetisation of some currency notes and support the government's initiative in meeting its objective," Kishore Biyani, Chairman, Future Retail, said.

"Now with customers being able to withdraw cash at Big Bazaar stores, they are welcome to visit our stores instead of qeueing up at banks and ATMs," he added.

How you can get Rs2000

Customers can follow four simple steps to withdraw cash by visiting the dedicated cash counter at the store; swipe their debit/ATM cards; enter the PIN and withdraw up to Rs 2,000 from their accounts.

(With agencies inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
(Reuters) - Australia's CIMIC Group said on Wednesday it was in advanced talks to sell 50% of its mining services business, Thiess, to an affiliate of activist hedge fund Elliott Management.

The exclusive talks with Elliot, backed by billionaire Paul Singer, is expected to conclude in the "coming weeks", the Sydney-based firm said in a statement.

It did not put a value on the deal.

Thiess is the world's largest mining services company and CIMIC says the sale of half of it will support the Australian contractor's balance sheet.

Earlier this year, CIMIC took a A$1.8 billion ($1.3 billion) hit from exiting the Middle East, which it said was due to worsening market conditions there.

While Thiess has continued to secure contract work, including a recent five-year A$2.5 billion extension to the Lake Vermont Coal Mine in Australia, it faces an industry cutting back on spending and projects due to the coronavirus pandemic as global demand takes a hit.

($1 = 1.3974 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Shriya Ramakrishnan and Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; editing by Richard Pullin)
Lovers of the night sky are in for a mid-summer treat Wednesday as the Delta Aquarids meteor shower reaches its peak  sending as many as 20 shooting stars an hour across the heavens. The spectacle is expected to go some way towards compensating holidaymakers for cancelled fireworks displays across France and elsewhere.

While technically visible from 9pm until dawn, the Delta Aquarids  like all meteor showers  are best seen in dark, moonless skies and away from the light pollution of cities.

The US space agency Nasa recommends that viewers lie down and stare up the sky between the zenith and the horizon (at a 45-degree angle) in the direction of the constellation Aquarius.

Experts say it will take between 15 and 30 minutes for the eyes to properly adjust to the dark, and there is no need for binoculars or a telescope.

Up to 10 percent of Delta Aquarids leave glowing ionised gas trails that shoot out for a second or two after the meteor passes.

Because these meteors fly from the south, Pierre Cruzalebes, an astrophysicist at the Cote d'Azur Observatory says looking towards the north, east or west will offer the best trail views.

"If you see them coming from the front, you will only see a simple flash, without any light trail, he told FranceInfo radio  adding that the best time of night is just before dawn, when the sky is at its darkest and the glow of this week's waxing crescent moon will be long gone.

Annual spectacle

The Delta Aquarids meteors, which originate from the comet 96P/Machholz and move at a pace of 40 kilometres per second, can be seen from around the world every year between July and August, when the Earth ploughs through the debris of the comet.

This allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colourful streaks in the sky, Nasa says on its website, adding the best vantage point is in the southern tropics, where Aquarius is high above the horizon.

The Ile-de-France Astronomical Association is offering maps to help stargazers locate the best observation spots, with minimal light pollution. For those unable to get a good view of the night sky, astronomy enthusiasts on YouTube will be live-streaming the meteor shower.

While Wednesday marks Delta Aquarid's peak, when those in the northern hemisphere can join in the fun, the meteors will remain active until 23 August.
RENSSELAER  The Rensselaer City School District will operate on a contingency budget for the 2020-21 school year after voters rejected a proposed $27.1 million budget that carried a 9 percent tax increase, according to preliminary results in Tuesday's voting.

The Fort Edward budget also went down, while the Greater Johnstown budget was approved.

All three school districts needed a super majority of 60 percent of the voters to back the budget in order to override the state cap on the property tax levy. The Rensselaer and Fort Edward budgets failed to pass the 50 percent mark, going down just as the first budget did in each district in June. Johnstown's second attempt collected 65 percent of the vote to pass.

The Rensselaer budget was rejected 355-308.The referendum to lease two school buses also was defeated 372-289.

There are 120 absentee ballots at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections. They will not make a difference in the outcome.

Voters defeated the original budget proposal of $27.7 million by 1,130-560. That budget would have increased the property tax levy by 19.5 percent. District officials have said they need to correct revenue shortfalls that are a problem that will become worse if not dealt with this year.

The contingency budget will keep the current tax rate. The district will have to draw upon its financial reserves or make more spending cuts.

We would like to thank the community for the strong involvement in the budget process, Superintendent Joseph Kardash said immediately after the vote.

The district conducted in person voting Tuesday at the school campus. Voters lined up outside the building to cast ballots in a safe manner dictated by social distancing requirements of the coronavirus pandemic. The June vote was conducted by absentee ballot due to the pandemic. The mail ballot in June drew 1,690 voters. The in-person turnout and absentee ballots totaled 783 or 46 percent of the number of voters in June.

All of the election officials would also like to express gratitude to the voters for respecting social distancing and wearing masks. We all value safety, Kardash said.

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

Voters rejected the proposed Fort Edward budget of $11.64 million that carried a 14 percent increase, 318-309. Superintendent Daniel Ward said the budget needed the super majority to be approved. He said the district would work on the contingency budget.

Greater Johnstown voters approved a $38.9 million budget with a 5 percent tax levy increase for the 2020-21 school year, 1,382-731.

We appreciate everyone who came out to vote today, as well as those who voted by absentee ballot, said Interim Superintendent Karen Geelan. We are truly grateful for the communitys support of our schools.

The over $38.9 million budget for the 2020-21 school year calls for an increase in total spending of 2.92%. Much of the proposed spending increase is for student programs.

Throughout this process, we have said that we cant cut our way to excellence. This budget will allow the district to maintain and continue to improve programs for students, said Geelan.
Srinagar, Jul 29 (UNI) Pakistan troops again violated ceasefire and resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing, targeting forward Army posts and civilian areas at the Line of Control (LoC) in the frontier district of Kupwara in north Kashmir on Tuesday.

A Defence Ministry Spokesperson said Pakistan troops initiated Unprovoked Ceasefire Violation (CFV) along the LoC in Machhal and Gugaldhar sectors in Kupwara. Mortars and other weapons were used by them to target forward posts and civilian areas. However, there was no report of any loss of life or damage to property, he said adding Indian troops also retaliated effectively.

Meanwhile, senior Army and police officials have recently said that Pakistan troops were violating ceasefire to provide a cover to militants in launch pads at LoC to sneak into this side before the infiltrating routes were closed due to snowfall.

Large number of trained militants were waiting in launch pads to enter this side under the cover of ceasefire violation. However, they further said Indian troops equipped with modern gadgets were keeping a close watch to foil any such attempt.

Troops guarding the LoC have so far foiled majority infiltration attempts and neutralised militants immediately after they sneak into this side in north Kashmir valley this year. However, some militants had managed to enter the valley, police officers said.

UNI BAS JTS 0948
Adam Carolla and Ben Shapiro will take the stage Friday at the San Antonio comedy club where two stand-up comedians performed shortly before testing positive for COVID-19.

Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club is set to host a live taping of "The Adam Carolla Show." Shapiro, a conservative commentator, will be a guest on the comedian's podcast.

In a Facebook post promoting the event, the North Side club noted that Carolla "sells out his shows" and invited fans to "be in the crowd" this weekend.

READ MORE: 'Did everything wrong': 2 stand-up comedians test positive for COVID-19 after San Antonio shows

Limited seating is available for the show and patrons will have to wear masks when not eating or drinking, the club wrote.

Bryan Callen and Brendan Schaub announced earlier this month that they had contracted the virus following June 25-27 shows at Laugh Out Loud.

At the time, Callen advised anyone who fist bumped or took a picture with him in San Antonio to "please go get tested immediately." He said another comedian who performed with the pair that night was "sick as a f****** dog."

"We should probably let everybody know that Brendan and I did everything wrong in Texas," Callen said. "We practiced no social distancing, got up in front of 350 people as they were laughing at us and shouting at us, and then when we got off stage  didn't change mics."

Felipe Esparza, a comedian scheduled to perform at Laugh Out Loud the following week, cited concerns about the coronavirus in postponing his shows. Bret Ernst's show on July 17 went ahead as planned.

A coronavirus section on the club's website says that "laughter is the best medicine" and warns that customers who refuse to wear a mask will not be allowed to enter.

Laugh Out Loud points to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social-distancing guidelines and provides a link to a list of people at increased risk of severe illness from the virus.

"With this in mind, we ask higher risk individuals or those living with those individuals to not attend our shows at this time," the club writes. "We hope to welcome you soon."
Washington

Attorney General William Barr and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee tensely confronted each other over both the Russia investigation and the federal response to the nationwide protests after the killing of George Floyd in police custody.

Democrats immediately accused Barr of making overtly political decisions to help President Donald Trump.

"You have aided and abetted the worst failings of the president," Rep. Jerrold R. Nadler of New York, the committee chairman, said to Barr, who sat impassively.

Nadler added, "The message these actions send is clear: In this Justice Department, the president's enemies will be punished and his friends will be protected, no matter the cost to liberty, no matter the cost to justice."

He said that Barr's actions eroded the separation of powers and damaged norms and the public's faith in the administration of justice.

Barr came out swinging. In a prepared opening statement released a night earlier, he accused Democrats of demonizing him because he believed the Trump-Russia investigation was misguided.

He also warned that "violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests to wreak senseless havoc and destruction" in places like Portland, Ore.

In his prepared statement, which he did not fully read aloud, Barr said: "We should all be able to agree that there is no place in this country for armed mobs that seek to establish autonomous zones beyond government control, or tear down statues and monuments that law-abiding communities chose to erect, or to destroy the property and livelihoods of innocent business owners."

His comments were the latest attempt by federal officials to draw more attention to vandals' nightly bids to damage federal buildings in Portland, accusing local police of doing little to stop them. City officials have accused federal agents of being heavy-handed and said their presence reinvigorated tensions that had been subsiding.

The attorney general appears to have played a primary role in using federal agents to violently clear protesters from Lafayette Square near the White House last month before a photo opportunity for Trump in front of a church. Although the White House initially said that Barr had ordered the clearance, he later said that he had not given a "tactical" order.

More recently, he has become a face of the Trump administration's pledge to surge federal agents into Democratic-led cities like Portland, Chicago and Kansas City, Mo., where, the White House says, violence has increased, both during protests and elsewhere. The federal intervention is becoming another flashpoint in the monthslong cultural reckoning over systemic racism, and it appears to be a key campaign strategy by Trump, who is trying to stoke a sense that Democrats are leading the country into chaos.

Republicans had counterpunches of their own. Their most visceral case came in the form of a five-minute video montage that appeared to show protesters or people infiltrating their ranks across the country turning to violence.

"I want to thank you for defending law enforcement, for pointing out what a crazy idea the 'defund the police' policy, whatever you want to call it, is, and standing up for the rule of law," Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the panel's top Republican, told Barr before playing the video.

In the afternoon, Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., grilled Barr about instances in which peaceful protesters  and some elected officials who joined them  have been injured or subjected to tear gas.

"I want to let you see now a video that fairly represents peaceful protest that is happening now across America that you conveniently omitted from your testimony and your statement," Cicilline said.

He defended the protests as a fundamental American value and said it was important to remember that what inspired them was the abuse of African-Americans by police. His montage featured footage of demonstrators kneeling and holding their arms aloft, saying "Hands up, don't shoot."

Democrats attacked Barr's intervention to recommend a shorter prison sentence for Trump's longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. on seven felony crimes  a sentence that Trump has since commuted.

Barr defended his decision to overrule career prosecutors, saying that they were trying to treat Stone more harshly than other defendants. The Judiciary Committee heard testimony from a prosecutor on the case last month accusing department leaders of changing the sentencing recommendation for "political reasons."

"The prosecutors were trying to advocate for a sentence that was more than twice what anyone else in a similar position had ever served," Barr said. "This is a 67-year-old man, first-time offender, no violence  they were trying to put them in jail for seven to nine years. I was not going to advocate that. That is not the rule of law."

But the prosecutors said in court that they arrived at the seven- to nine-year recommendation by following the department's own sentencing guidelines, as is customary in any federal criminal case. Under questioning by Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., Barr agreed that the prosecutors' recommendation was within sentencing guidelines.

"But it was not within Justice Department policy in my view," he said.

In an especially heated exchange, Johnson retorted: "You are expecting the American people to believe that you did not do what Trump wanted you to do? You think the American people don't understand that you were carrying out Trump's" wishes?

Barr insisted that he never discussed his decision to overrule Stone's prosecutors with anyone at the White House.

House Democrats have sought to press Barr on his handling of the Russia report by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, for more than a year. They finally had their chance.

A federal judge has said that in summarizing the report himself weeks before releasing it, Barr put forward a "distorted" and "misleading" account that torqued public understanding of it in a way that favored Trump. Democrats felt at the time that those distortions brazenly helped protect Trump politically from possible impeachment  an accusation that Barr denies.

Barr's written opening statement suggested that Democrats' hatred of Trump has blinded them to abuses by law enforcement and intelligence officials.

Barr has long been a critic of law enforcement and intelligence officials' attempts to understand Russia's efforts to tilt the 2016 election in Trump's favor and whether any Trump associates conspired. Barr has directed a criminal prosecutor to scrutinize the FBI inquiry into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia and stepped in to reverse key prosecutorial decisions stemming from the investigation.

Mueller's report said that Russia favored Trump and that his campaign welcomed the interference and expected to benefit from it, but that investigators found insufficient evidence to bring criminal conspiracy charges.

Barr also said that Trump has never tried to "interfere" in his decisions and that he feels that he has "complete freedom" to do what he thinks is right.

But Trump has repeatedly attacked the Justice Department's investigations and employees. Barr himself expressed frustration with Trump's attacks, saying in February that his public statements and tweets "make it impossible for me to do my job and to assure the courts and the prosecutors in the department that we're doing our work with integrity."

As states prepare for record numbers of voters to cast ballots this fall by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic, Barr has provided key backup to Trump's claims of rampant fraud. Democrats fear those comments are intended to, or will at least have the effect of, suppressing voter turnout or limiting access to the ballot box.

After Trump attacked efforts to expand mail-in voting during the pandemic and claimed it would be used to rig the election against him  even though the president has voted by mail  Barr has repeatedly raised without evidence the suggestion that a foreign country could engage in fraud by counterfeiting numerous ballots.

Experts say that a foreign-sponsored plot to systematically tamper with ballots is nearly impossible because of how they are printed and tracked.

At the hearing, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., asked Barr whether he believed the 2020 election would be rigged. The attorney general said he had no reason to think it would be. Richmond then followed up by asking whether he believed that mail-in voting would lead to massive voter fraud.

"I think there is a high risk that it will," Barr replied, adding: "If you have wholesale mail-in voting, it increases the risk of fraud."

Barr did not explain further. But the lawmakers did get Barr to acknowledge that he had once cast a ballot by mail.
6 Christian families in India given ultimatum: Deny Jesus or flee

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Police in India have ordered six Christian families to either renounce their faith or flee their homes after they reported being brutally attacked by a radical Hindu mob.

Joginder Bhuya, a Christian, told persecution watchdog International Christian Concern that he reported the attack to the Latehar District Police station of Jharkhand state on July 5. But instead of filing a report, officers gave Bhuya an ultimatum, saying they must either convert back to Hinduism or abandon their homes and leave the village.

I thought the police are there to protect and serve justice, but the police spoke exactly what the religious fanatics have been telling us, Joginder said.

Earlier, Hindu village leaders had convened a meeting to discuss the fate of Christian villagers who had refused to renounce their Christian faith. There, it was decided that the Christians would be chased out of their homes and the village if they didnt abandon their faith and re-convert to Hinduism. When the Christians refused to accept Hinduism, they were attacked.

They tied our hands and legs with a rope, Bhuya recalled. All the mens hands and legs were tied with the rope. That way they might have thought that we cannot defend ourselves. They also misbehaved with our women and kicked them all over their body. They punched us on our faces and back. It was a very pathetic and helpless situation for us.

Bhuya managed to escape and then ran to the police station where he informed police about the attack. Around the same time, the Hindu villagers also reached the police station where they pleaded their case to officers who supported kicking the Christians out of the village.

Attacks on Christians in India have been on the rise since Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took office as prime minister in 2014.

A report from the Delhi-based Evangelical Fellowship of India has documented 135 cases of persecution against Christians in the first half of 2020.

The group estimates that actual numbers might be much larger, but says that many instances of persecution go unreported due to fear among the Christian community, a lack of legal literacy and the reluctance/refusal of police to register cases.

The police have been very reluctant and slow to register FIRs in these cases involving recognizable offenses despite being duty-bound to do so under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, it notes. Even in the cases registered with the police, most never come to court.

In March, Christians in Uttar Pradesh state were falsely accused of forcefully converting Hindus to Christianity and were subsequently brutally beaten by a drunken police officer who then ordered them to pose like Christ on the cross.

Christian rights activist Dinanath Jaiswar from the advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom said that police in Uttar Pradesh have time and again unleashed their anger against minorities.

It appears the Hindu extremist groups are closely working with the police officers to target Christian worship, he said.

In July, a woman in Redhadi, a village in Indias Khunti district, who had recently converted to Christianity, was brutally murdered by four youths associated with a Hindu fanatic group.

The woman was the fifth Christian to be murdered in India in the last two months. Previous killings included a woman, a teenager, and a pastor  all targeted for their faith. The killings took place in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Maharashtra.

India is ranked No. 10 on Open Doors 2020 World Watch List of the countries where it's most difficult to be a Christian. The group notes that Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences.

The view of the Hindu nationalists is that to be Indian is to be Hindu, so any other faith  including Christianity  is viewed as non-Indian, it says. Also, converts to Christianity from Hindu backgrounds or tribal religions are often extremely persecuted by their family members and communities.
CAIRO - Yemens leading separatist group will abandon its aspirations for self-rule to implement a stalled peace deal brokered by Saudi Arabia, the group announced early Wednesday in a step toward closing a dangerous rift between nominal allies in the five-year war.

Nizar Haitham, a spokesman for the separatists Southern Transitional Council, an umbrella group of militias backed by the United Arab Emirates, said the separatists would give up their dreams of self-administration over southern Yemen to pursue the Riyadh agreement.

The announcement comes after months of infighting in a Saudi-led coalition that saw secessionists seize control of the southern port city of Aden, the interim seat of the internationally recognized government, igniting fierce clashes across much of the south.

The group still believes in the restoration of an independent southern Yemen, which existed from 1967-1990. Its commitment to a final deal remains unclear.

We have achieved our goals, said Haitham, noting that the announcement came under intense pressure from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. We affirm the continuing and deepening of our strategic partnership with the Arab coalition.

The power-sharing deal, signed in the Saudi capital of Riyadh last fall, sets the stage to end a long-running rivalry between Yemens Saudi-backed government and the Emirati-backed southern separatists. The agreement was never implemented.

Saudi Arabia declared early Wednesday that it had proposed a plan to accelerate the deals implementation, which calls for the creation of a new government within 30 days and the appointment of a new governor and security director for Aden, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

Throughout the war, the two Sunni Arab states, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have been partners in a military coalition fighting to oust the Iran-allied Shiite Houthi rebels, who seized northern Yemen in 2014 and the capital of Sanaa.

The standoff between their respective Yemeni allies has frequently erupted into violent turmoil, threatening to shatter the Saudi-led coalition and complicating broader peace efforts to end the five-year civil war, which has killed over 112,000 people and set off the worlds worst humanitarian disaster.

The new Saudi proposal lays out commitments that have been obstacles for months, such as the formation of a government composed of 24 ministers with equal representation for northerners and southerners, including the separatists. It also asks for the withdrawal of rival forces from Aden and the flashpoint southern province of Abyan.

The blueprint gives Yemens current prime minister, Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, the mandate to form a government over the next month. Yemens state-run SABA news agency named the newly appointed security director and governor of Aden on Wednesday.

Yemens government spokesman Rajih Badi welcomed the Saudi initiative and expressed hope that the separatists would make good on their promise to implement the agreement out of necessary and urgent national interest.

Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabias vice minister of defence, said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans efforts have succeeded to implement the Riyadh deal and achieve lasting peace, security, and prosperity for Yemen. He made no mention of the fighting between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis.

The rapprochement comes as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the main partners in the coalition, have sought to inch away from their costly war with the Houthis, which has pushed millions to the brink of famine and settled into a bloody stalemate.

Saudi Arabia announced a unilateral cease-fire earlier this year, which swiftly collapsed but more broadly reflected its growing unease over the war. Last summer, the UAE announced it was ending its role in the conflict, although it continues to wield influence through its proxies, such as the separatist group.

Although the deal seems unlikely to be a step toward lasting peace, even a vague prospect of a settlement was welcome, as Yemens devastated health sector grapples with a major coronavirus outbreak and the country faces a drastic shortfall of humanitarian aid that has forced 75% of U.N. programs for the country to end or reduce operations.

On Tuesday, U.N. special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths painted a bleak picture of the country to the Security Council.

U.N.-mediated peace negotiations between the rebels and government have failed to produce an agreement, he said. The Houthis are pushing into the oil-rich province of Marib and airstrikes have killed multiple children across the northwest.

The economy is collapsing, food prices are surging, and, to make matters worse, an abandoned oil tanker moored off Yemens Red Sea coast loaded with more than 1 million barrels of crude oil is at risk of rupture or exploding.

I do not wish to sugarcoat things, said Griffiths, warning that the country could plunge at any moment into a new phase of prolonged escalation, uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, and economic decline.

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There is no doubt that the Toyota Vios is the best-selling vehicle in the Philippines (except for 2017). Ever since it was introduced back in 2003, the Vios supplanted the Corolla (or Corolla Altis) as the household name, the default go-to choice when it comes to family sedans.

The first generation Vios was built in Thailand, but given its success, (TMP) decided to start building the second generation model locally at the Santa Rosa plant in Laguna back in 2007. Since then, all Vios models sold in the Philippines have been proudly built in Laguna.

Care to guess how many units have been built so far? If you guessed somewhere in the five-digit mark, then you have guessed wrong. According to TMP during the 2021 Vios launch last weekend, they have produced nearly 300,000 units since the plant began building the model 13 years ago.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has supported the construction of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center in Kyiv and stressed the importance of honoring the memory of the victims of the genocide, the memorial's press center has told Ukrinform.

According to the report, the head of state emphasized this during a video conference with members of the supervisory board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Charity Fund.

"Many Ukrainians bear the high title of 'Righteous Among the Nations.' These are Ukrainians who often saved Jews in the Holocaust at the cost of their own lives. The creation of a memorial is very important for our country. There were many tragic pages in its history. However, we must remember them and tell them to our next generations. Such moments should be in the history of Ukraine. They are in our stories, in our memory, in our books. I really want this project to be implemented, and I want us to build history together," Zelensky said.

Nathan Sharansky, chairman of the supervisory board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Charity Fund, stressed that the history of Babyn Yar is important not only for the Jewish people, but also for other nationalities, including Ukrainians, Belarusians and Poles.

Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko said on the Freedom of Speech program on the ICTV television channel in late June that the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, built by the state, would be opened in 2021.

op
A mother whose newborn baby was put in an intensive care unit learned there was a coronavirus outbreak at the ward after reading a breaking news story.

Antonia Doree was just seven days old when she was rushed to emergency at about 9pm on Friday July 17 and then moved to the Butterfly Ward at the Royal Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Melbourne.

Four people in the ward have since tested positive to COVID-19: a newborn baby, two parents and a staff member.

Antonia's parents Stefanie and Victor said they were not told about the coronavirus cluster through hospital staff and instead learnt of the positive cases through the media.

'Nobody told us anything while we were there,' Mr Doree told Daily Mail Australia.

Stefanie Doree (right) is pictured with her newborn baby Antonia (left)

Antonia Doree was just seven days old when she was rushed to emergency at about 9pm on Friday July 17

The couple said they began to notice peculiar behaviour in the ward from Monday July 20, including the closure of the family room and the moving of furniture.

'I wanted to have a coffee in the tea room but it was shut and I asked the person on the reception desk why and she said ''I'm not sure''. I thought that was strange,' Mr Doree said.

'They'd taken away all the chairs, all the furniture.

'Nobody was telling you anything. The nurses were lovely, don't get me wrong.'

Their suspicions continued to grow when Mr Doree said he overheard nurses say 'have you heard' and 'it was only a matter of time', before continuing conversations behind closed doors.

Antonia and her parents returned home on Wednesday July 22 but the family's ordeal was far from over.

On Monday, Ms Doree received an alert on her phone about a coronavirus cluster in the ward.

Antonia is pictured with her mum Stefanie (right) soon after her birth

Antonia was one-week old when she was moved to the Butterfly Ward at the Royal Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Melbourne

'I had subscribed to the news and I got a breaking news article that there was an outbreak,' she said.

Ms Doree phoned the hospital straight away to ask if Antonia was a close contact of the positive staff member and other newborn baby.

The new mum said she was particularly 'concerned' because the article said all babies, staff and parents who visited the ward since July 12 were required to get tested.

'Immediately I called the hospital, as soon as a I read the article,' she said.

'All I need to know is, ''Was she open to being infected?'''

Ms Doree said the hospital directed her to contact the Department of Health and Human Services - but they passed her back to the hospital.

After phoning the DHHS and hospital back and forth, Ms Doree and Antonia were asked to visit emergency for a coronavirus test on Monday evening.

Stefanie (pictured) spoke to the Today show on Wednesday about the family's ordeal

Four people in the ward have since tested positive to COVID-19: a newborn baby, two parents and a staff member. Antonia is pictured at the Royal Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Melbourne

The family claim hospital staff said Mr Doree did not need to tested. He underwent his own test elsewhere.

'The lunacy, when we went to the Children's Hospital, they tested Stefanie and Antonia,' Mr Doree said.

'This is how the infection spreads, there are mixed messages.'

Antonia's coronavirus test has come back negative but the two parents are still waiting for their results. The trio are self-isolating.

Ms Doree said she was finally contacted about the outbreak by a hospital doctor on Tuesday.

The doctor told her: 'We've done the contact tracing, while you were in the same ward, we don't think anyone came in contact with her.'

Ms Doree said the doctor was 'nice and apologised' and told her a directive came from the Minister of Health that the hospital isn't allowed to disclose information.

The couple believe the workers on the frontline deserve a 'medal' but are disappointed by the lack of communication and mixed messages about coronavirus testing amid a second wave of infections in Victoria.

'It's so bad, this is where our frustrations stem from. Victorians are doing it hard, we're all making sacrifices,' Ms Doree said.

The Doree's are continuing to question why they were not tested for coronavirus when Antonia was first admitted into the intensive care ward.

Antonia and her parents returned home on Wednesday July 22. Antonia is pictured in hospital

Ms Doree (pictured), who became a mother for the first time on July 10, said the past few weeks had been a 'whirlwind' and she currently has no plans to have any other children

'The stupidity of the matter is, they allow the parents into the ward without a COVID test,' Mr Doree said.

'These little darling children, they're very susceptible for six weeks.

'They're allowing parents to come in and out without getting tested.'

Antonia was tested for coronavirus when she was first taken to the emergency department but her parents were not.

'We were in a ward that was exposed,' Mr Doree said.

'For the sake of our child and every other children, we would have made a sacrifice.

'The people aren't told what they need to be told to make informed decisions. We need to have transparency.'

Ms Doree, who became a mother for the first time on July 10, said the past few weeks had been a 'whirlwind' and she currently has no plans to have any other children.

'Antonia being sick in the first place was crazy. That was hard,' she said.

'When we finally get her home we think ''she's finally home'' and then you get the COVID scare and you think 'will this rollercoaster end?'''

Mr Doree said: 'You've got one issue where you've got a child who is unwell and you think about what could have happened. What could have gotten worse.'



Antonia is pictured in her hospital bed while receiving care in the Melbourne ward, which has had a coronavirus scare

Antonia and her parents are at home in isolation amid a second wave of coronavirus infections

Ms Doree also appeared on the Today show on Wednesday morning.

'It's been quite an ordeal quite frankly. If it wasn't on the news, we wouldn't have even known to be honest. It's been really bad,' she said.

'It was so frightening. It came through to my phone as article as breaking news.'

The Royal Children's Hospital said it was working with the DHHS, patients and families in a statement.

'These cases were notified at different times and a connection between all four has not been confirmed,' the statement said.

'We extend our thoughts and wishes to each of those members of our RCH community.

'We alerted all of Butterfly team and inpatient families as soon as we became aware of these cases and have maintained regular contact.'

The hospital said there are currently 17 RCH staff, seven patients and three parents identified as close contacts, who are all self-isolating for 14 days.

'We appreciate that this information may be unsettling and concerning  as it is for all of us at the RCH,' the statement said.

The Royal Children's Hospital (pictured) said it was working with the DHHS, patients and families in a statement. 'These cases were notified at different times and a connection between all four has not been confirmed,' the statement said. 'We extend our thoughts and wishes to each of those members of our RCH community'

'Just as COVID-19 is impacting our state, it is to be expected that the RCH will also be impacted.

'Our staff are trained and prepared for such an outcome, and remain committed to protecting our patients, their families and our team.'

The hospital said all parents, guardians and staff members entering the hospital are required to undergo a health screening and temperature check before being allowed access.

'We continue to work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to finalise contact tracing for these Butterfly Ward cases and ensure the highest level of response,' the statement said.

A RCH spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia 'rigorous' contact tracing was undertaken in line with public health guidelines.

'If a parent was not contacted, neither they nor their baby was considered at risk,' the spokesperson said.

'We understand the anxiety COVID-19 is causing in the community and recognise this is particularly so for new parents.

'Any parent can bring their child to the RCHs Respiratory Infection Clinic if they show any symptoms and there is a range of materials to support new parents on both the RCH's and DHHS websites. This is in addition to the Coronavirus Hotline.'
By Syed Raza Hassan

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani authorities are encouraging people to buy sacrificial animals online or at least wear masks when visiting cattle markets, fearing preparations for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha could reverse a decline in COVID-19 infection numbers.

Government social-distancing restrictions this year including half-day closing have seen a drop in customers at the normally bustling markets which, like in other Muslim countries, are set up in urban centres ahead of one of Islam's most important festivals.

The main cattle market of Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, was less busy on Sunday than in preceding years with just six days before festivities, Reuters witnesses said. Trader Allah Ditta, who travelled hundreds of miles to sell his stock, told Reuters his customers had almost halved.

Most visitors flouted a requirement to wear masks, and many were accompanied by children who this year are barred.

"I don't understand this coronavirus. I have not seen anyone dying of it," said trader Muhammad Akram. "Look around you: No one is wearing a mask."

Pakistan has reported over 270,000 COVID-19 cases with almost 6,000 deaths. Daily cases of new infection numbered just under 1,200 on Sunday versus a peak last month nearing 7,000 around another festival, Eid al-Fitr.

"In the last four weeks there has been significant slowdown in the pandemic's spread, with an 80% decline in deaths," State Minister of Health Zafar Mirza said on Sunday - three weeks after he himself tested positive for COVID-19.

"Last Eid, since gatherings increased, people travelled, and this interaction caused cases to spike," Mizra said. "People should take it very seriously and act responsibly. There is a chance that cases might go up again, like Spain."

While market visitors have fallen, more people are paying charities to slaughter cattle on their behalf and deliver their cut to them or donate it to the needy.

Shakil Dehelvi, joint secretary-general of Alamgir Welfare Trust, said the charity had received its target booking number twice as quickly as last year.

(Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is considering dropping its Bixby virtual assistant and Galaxy Apps Store from its mobile devices as part of a new global revenue-sharing deal with Alphabet Inc's Google, according to correspondence seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

Google has tried for years to get Samsung, the world's leading mobile device maker by units sold, to drop its own services and give greater prominence to Google's search, Assistant and Play Store apps, according to a person previously involved in the relationship.

The search giant, whose Android software powers phones from Samsung and dozens of other companies, sometimes as an incentive gives manufacturers a portion of ad revenue generated from Google apps featured on their devices.

But Samsung has clung to efforts to promote its own apps, from which it can collect all the revenue, despite years of glitches and tepid user interest.

The strategy has been challenged in recent months, though, as the novel coronavirus pandemic and a slowdown in phone upgrades have hurt sales and prompted many companies to shutter costly projects and search for new revenue.

Exact financial details under negotiation between the companies could not be determined. But Google is dangling more lucrative terms for Samsung than in previous deals if it retreats from its app strategy, according to a source familiar with the talks. The companies are aiming to finalize terms by Friday, the source added.

Samsung said in a statement that it is committed to its own services, but that at the same time it "closely works with Google and other partners to offer the best mobile experiences."

Google said in a statement that it regularly discusses ways to improve the user experience with partners and that Samsung remains free to create its own app store and digital assistant.

Bloomberg first reported on Tuesday that the companies were negotiating a new deal.
- Piramal Pharma Solutions (PPS) provides integrated services including formulation development, antibody drug conjugates and lyophilized drug product in vials

- PPS is handling production of Bolt's Boltbody Immune-Stimulating Antibody Conjugate (ISAC), BDC-1001, currently in a first-in-human Phase 1/2 clinical study for treatment of cancer patients

MUMBAI, India, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Piramal Pharma Solutions, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), today announced that it is providing Bolt Biotherapeutics (Bolt) with the supply of both the BDC-1001 ISAC drug substance and the drug product for Bolt's ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical study in cancer patients.

The Piramal Pharma Solutions (PPS) team is applying its integrated drug development model to Bolt's BDC-1001 for the treatment of patients with HER2-expressed solid tumors. The program encompasses formulation development and ISAC development and manufacture at PPS' Grangemouth, UK site. The drug substance is then processed into lyophilized, sterile fill-finish vials at PPS's Lexington, KY, U.S. site. This seamless integration across two PPS sites, which shortens delivery timelines and expedites distribution to clinic, is an example of PPS' patient-centric philosophy.

According to Peter DeYoung, Chief Executive Officer, Piramal Pharma Solutions, "Bolt's technology platform has demonstrated significant, positive data in preclinical models, including the development of immunological memory against tumors, and is now in a human clinical trial. The manufacturing of ISACs utilizes essentially the same process as antibody drug conjugate (ADC) manufacturing, enabling us to capitalize on our deep expertise in this space. Our ability to produce these novel ISACs and package them for clinical trials in one efficient, integrated process compresses the timeline of the development of Bolt's drug. We remain committed to our patient-centric approach and are proud to partner with an industry-leader like Bolt to help reduce the burden of disease on patients."

Nathan Ihle, VP CMC & Quality for Bolt Biotherapeutics added, "Bolt is a leader in ISAC technology, and our partnership with Piramal Pharma Solutions is important to bring our technology to the clinic. Piramal's experience in the manufacture of commercial ADCs provides Bolt with a reliable partner for the development of BDC-1001."

The first cycle of drug substance to drug product manufacturing has been successfully completed through PPS' integrated program. Additional cycles are in progress, as are further developments that will benefit future indications and new clinical programs.

About Piramal Pharma Solutions:

Piramal Pharma Solutions is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), offering end-to-end development and manufacturing solutions across the drug life cycle. We serve our clients through a globally integrated network of facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. This enables us to offer a comprehensive range of services including Drug Discovery Solutions, Process & Pharmaceutical Development services, Clinical Trial Supplies, Commercial supply of APIs and Finished dosage forms. We also offer specialized services like development and manufacture of Highly Potent APIs and Antibody Drug Conjugation. Our capability as an integrated service provider & experience with various technologies enables us to serve Innovator and Generic companies worldwide.

For more information and updates, please visit: www.piramalpharmasolutions.com

Social Media: Twitter, LinkedIn

About Piramal Enterprises Limited:

Piramal Enterprises Limited (PEL) is one of India's large diversified companies, with presence in Financial Services and Pharmaceuticals. PEL's consolidated revenues were ~US$1.7 billion in FY2020, with ~34% of revenues generated from outside India.

Piramal Pharma Solutions is a part of PEL's Pharma business that provides an entire pool of pharma services (including in the areas of injectable, HPAPI etc.) and sells a portfolio of niche differentiated pharma products leveraging its end-to-end manufacturing capabilities across 14 global facilities and a large global distribution network to over 100 countries. PEL is also active in the Consumer Products segment in India.

PEL also has a strong presence in Indian financial services sector. PEL is listed on the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited in India.

For more information and updates, please visit: www.piramal.com

Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

About Bolt Biotherapeutics' Immune-Stimulating Antibody Conjugate (ISAC) Platform Technology

The Boltbody platform consists of Immune-Stimulating Antibody Conjugates (ISAC) that harness the ability of innate immune stimulants to convert cold tumors into immunologically hot tumors, thereby illuminating tumors to the immune system and allowing them to be invaded by tumor-killing cells. Boltbody ISACs have demonstrated the ability to eliminate tumors following systemic administration in preclinical models and have also led to the development of immunological memory, which is predicted to translate into more durable clinical responses for patients. The company's first Boltbody to enter clinical development, BDC-1001, is currently being evaluated in patients with HER2-expressing solid tumors.

About Bolt Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Bolt Biotherapeutics, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is a private clinical-stage biotechnology company developing Boltbody Immune-Stimulating Antibody Conjugates (ISACs), a new class of immuno-oncology therapeutics that combine the precision of antibody targeting with the power of the innate immune system. Boltbody ISACs have eliminated tumors following systemic administration in multiple preclinical studies and spark the development of immunological memory, which may lead to more durable clinical responses for patients. Bolt's platform technology is applicable to a broad spectrum of antibodies targeting tumor antigens expressed on all types of cancer, including patients who are refractory to the current generation of checkpoint inhibitors. The company was founded by Dr. Ed Engleman, and its platform is based on technology exclusively licensed from Stanford University. The company is financed by world-class investors, including Novo Holdings, Vivo Capital, Pivotal bioVenture Partners, Sofinnova Investments, Nan Fung Life Sciences, RA Capital Management, Surveyor Capital (a Citadel Company), Rock Springs Capital, Pfizer Ventures, and Samsara BioCapital. For more information about Bolt Biotherapeutics, please visit www.boltbio.com.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/659399/Piramal_Pharma_Solutions_Logo.jpg
HBO is set to premiere a new documentary tonight about the mental struggles of Olympic athletes, in which the likes of Shaun White, Lolo Jones, Apolo Ohno, and more talk about mental health, money troubles, and even suicidal thoughts.

The Weight Of Gold, which premieres on July 29 at 9 p.m. and was directed by Brett Rapkin, is narrated by 23-time gold medalist Michael Phelps, who himself has been quite candid with his struggles with depression.

Through interviews with Phelps, White, Jones, Ohno, Sasha Cohen, Bode Miller, and more, the documentary explores the terrible mental toll that training for and competing in the Olympics can take  and how it has led to numerous suicides among star athletes.

On tonight: HBO is set to premiere a new documentary tonight about the mental struggles of Olympic athletes

Telling the story: The Weight Of Gold, which premieres on July 29 at 9 p.m., is narrated by Michael Phelps

Opening up: Phelps has been candid about his mental health struggles and battle with depression

'We're lost,' Phelps said. 'We spent four years grinding for that one moment. And now we don't know what the hell to do. 'I didnt want to be in the sport anymore. I didnt want to be alive'

Most Olympic athletes have trained for the competition for their entire lives, with nearly all honing their skills since childhood. It becomes their sole interest and passion, and how they spend nearly all of their time.

'I thought of myself as just a swimmer, and not a human being,' Phelps says in the doc. 'Nobody who is going to expend that kind of effort, to achieve that kind of goal, is going to be just like everybody else.'

So when it's over, it's no surprise that many would suffer what the film calls the 'post-Olympic blues'.

In fact, Phelps says 80 per cent or more go through a 'post-Olympic depression.'

'After every Olympics, win or lose, I've just felt like a dramatic emptiness,' Shaun White, who has won three gold medals for snowboarding, said, according to Refinery29.

'Your whole world is built around this one day, and you're putting so much on it. So much expectation, and pressure, and interviews... After every Olympics, there's this incredible crash. Nothing really matters as much anymore.'

Gold medal: Fellow Olympian Shaun White also appears int he documentary

'After every Olympics, win or lose, I've just felt like a dramatic emptiness,' he admitted

He went on: 'After every Olympics, there's this incredible crash. Nothing really matters as much anymore'

Several discussed thinking about suicide.

'We're lost. We're just so lost,' Phelps said. 'We spent four years grinding for that one moment. And now we don't know what the hell to do.

'I didnt want to be in the sport anymore. I didnt want to be alive  You do contemplate suicide.'

'Post-2008, I was so broken down,' Lolo Jones, a hurdler and bobsledder, added. 'I would just want to be gone.'

David Boudia, a three-time Olympic diver, admitted that he thought, 'what's the point of going to the Olympic games, what's the point of sacrificing and training all of these hours if this is what I have to show for it?

Sadly, for several, thoughts have turned into action. The documentary looks at several Olympians who died by suicide, including bobsledder Pavle Jovanovic (who died this May at age 43), racing cyclist Kelly Catlin (who died in March 2019 at age 23), and skier Jeret 'Speedy' Peterson (who died in 2011 at age 29).

'Post-2008, I was so broken down,' Lolo Jones, a hurdler and bobsledder, added. 'I would just want to be gone'

Realities: Jones also discussed money troubles, recalling watching a replay of her own Olympic performance on TV while working for minimum wage at a gym juice bar

She said: 'I've had years where I can make a killing, and then I've had years where... for bobsled, my check was $725 for the whole season. Tell me how I'm supposed to live off of that'

Bobsledder Steve Holcomb was even interviewed for the film before he died in May 2017 by suicide at age 37.

But according to those in the film, there is no support system in place to help those who are struggling, even though they make up the vast majority of the athletes involved.

'If I had blown out my knee, I know for a fact that I would've had the top physical therapist, the top surgeon... absolutely whatever I needed,' figure skater Gracie Gold said.

'I mentioned one time before to someone in the federation that, actually I'm going through some really dark shit right now and it's really interfering. And they said, "Oh, you can look up a therapist in your area."'

Phelps agreed: 'I can say now, looking back at my career, I don't think anybody really cared to help us. I don't think anybody really jumped in to ask us if we were okay. As long as we were performing, I don't think anything else really mattered.'

Other problems contribute to mental health troubles, including the often dire financial situations of the athletes.

Tragic: The documentary looks at several Olympians who died by suicide, including bobsledder Pavle Jovanovic (who died this May at age 43)

Lost: Racing cyclist Kelly Catlin (who died in March 2019 at age 23) and skier Jeret 'Speedy' Peterson (who died in 2011 at age 29) are also mentioned in the film

Bobsledder Steve Holcomb was even interviewed for the film before he died in May 2017 by suicide at age 37

While some of the most famous winners go on to score sponsorship deals  Phelps and White being among them  those who get rich off the Olympics are well in the minority.

'For every athlete who has a sponsor, there are hundreds who need to take a second job just to make ends meet while they're training,' Phelps said.

And while they're still training, many athletes are living on measly stipends and working minimum wage jobs.

Phelps revealed that for USA swim, the stipend was just $1,700/month, which comes to $20,400 a year.

At one point, Jones says she was living off just $7,000 a year. She remembers watching a replay of of her races on television while working at a gym juice bar, making $7 an hour.

'I've had years where I can make a killing, and then I've had years where... for bobsled, my check was $725 for the whole season. Tell me how I'm supposed to live off of that.'

'There are so many of us out there that really are struggling,' Phelps said in a Today show interview with Savannah Guthrie this morning

'We just have to change the perception that problems with mental health are something to hide,' he added

There are so many of us out there who are really struggling.



Watch @SavannahGuthrie's interview with @MichaelPhelps about The Weight of Gold, a new HBO documentary about the mental health struggles he and other Olympic athletes face after competing. pic.twitter.com/xe40OpuSkq  TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 29, 2020

Yet most fans of the Olympics never realize that the athletes they cheer on are struggling quite so much, and with the film, Phelps hopes to further demystify mental illness and encourage more to seek help.

'There are so many of us out there that really are struggling,' he said in a Today show interview with Savannah Guthrie this morning.

'It took five Olympics for me to really see it. And I think me being in the mental state that I was going into 2016 allowed me the opportunity to be open to have the interactions that I had with other athletes that led me to believe that there are others that are struggling and struggling very, very hard.

'It was wild to see that I wasn't alone but it also made me feel good because there were other people that could help me understand that it's OK to not be OK.'

He added that 'It's difficult to show vulnerability, especially as an athlete.

'We just have to change the perception that problems with mental health are something to hide,' he added.
New Delhi, July 29 : Prospects of disengagement of troops at the disputed border between India and China appear to be dim and uphill.

India claims that Chinese People's Liberation Army troops have not moved back as per the agreed consensus arrived at during the disengagement talks between both countries.

China claims that disengagement in most friction points is complete. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday in Beijing that disengagement is complete.

Both the countries' military representatives have planned to meet and carry out talks to resolve the dispute again.

India has now deployed around 35,000 more troops at the disputed places to match the Chinese deployment in the area. The Indian Army is preparing for a long haul and harsh winter in the high-altitude region.

The Indian government stated that the Chinese troops have not gone back at the friction points. Nothing much has changed on the ground at Gogra and Pangong Lake and Depsang. The Pangong Lake and Hot Springs-Gogra area that is part of Patrol Point 17A still remains volatile.

At Pangong Lake, the Chinese troops did move back from Finger 4 to Finger 5 on the bank but still remain on the mountain spurs or the ridgeline. In fact, the Chinese have only been strengthening their positions between Finger 5 and Finger 8.

The mountain spurs jutting into the lake are referred to as "fingers" in military parlance.

China is not complying with the roadmap for a complete pullback drawn out during the Corps Commander-level meet on July 14. PLA troops have not moved back.

The Indian security establishment said that the Chinese retreated a bit and then returned, so there is a need for "constant verification" of the consensus achieved during the meetings between Indian and Chinese military teams.

The two countries are locked in a 10-week standoff at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented, along the border.

China had changed the status quo on the LAC at various places, moving inside Indian territory. India has objected to it and is taking up the matter with China at all levels.

On June 15, as many as 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed in a violent clash in the Galwan valley.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Five Rafale jets, the first of the 36 contracted by India, landed at the Ambala air base on Wednesday afternoon. The fighter jet, to be inducted into the Indian Air Forces Golden Arrow squadron, is the first imported fighter jet to be inducted into the IAF in 23 years after the Russian Sukhoi-30 fighters. The first Su-30 entered IAF service in June 1997.

The five jets touched down at the airbase amid unprecedented security; the district administration also issued a dawn-to-dusk ban on photography of any assets at the air force station under Section 144 of the criminal procedure code.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India the beginning of a new era in our Military History. These multirole aircrafts will revolutionise the capabilities of the @IAF_MCC.

WATCH | Touchdown of Rafale jets in Ambala; IAF gives water salute

IAF chief RKS Bhaduria was at the airbase to receive the Rafales and the team of pilots led by Group Captain Harkirat Singh, the commanding officer of the No 17 Squadron, also known as the Golden Arrows.

Also Read: Birds have entered Indian airspace: Rajnath Singh tweets his welcome to 5 Rafales

The first Rafales tail number, RB-001, denotes the initials of the IAF chief Rakesh Bhadauria who had led the complex negotiations for the Rafale deal.

Former air chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, who had been one of the most vocal supporters of the 2016 deal to buy the fighter jets, called the induction of the Rafale into the air force a game changer. The retired IAF chief told Hindustan Times moments before the five jets landed at Ambala that the Rafale would decide the outcome of any conflict between India and China.

The jets, specially tailored for the IAF, started their 7,000 km flight home from Merignac in France on Monday. The Rafale jets were refueled mid-air by the French air force before it landed at the Al Dhafra air base near Abu Dhabi, a brief stopover before taking off for Ambala early on Wednesday.

As it cruised over the Indian Ocean, it was warmly welcomed by the Navys warship INS Kolkata deployed in the Arabian Sea. May you touch the sky with glory. Happy landing, INS Kolkata said in a brief interaction released to news agency INS.

Also Read: Indian Air Force with Rafale has plan to take the fight to China

Indias Sukhoi Su-30MKI joined them soon after when the five Rafales entered Indian airspace, escorting them through to Ambala. The Birds have entered the Indian airspace, tweeted Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with photographs and a short video of the seven fighter jets - 5 Rafales escorted by 2 Su-30MKI jets - flying in formation.
The administrators of South African Airways (SAA) said conditions for a business rescue have been met.

The administrators commented in a notice to interested parties.

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) announced earlier this month that the National Treasury had committed to funding the creation of a new national airline.

The Department of Public Enterprises welcomes the commitment by National Treasury that the government will support and source funding for a business rescue plan for South African Airways (SAA), which will result in the emergence of a new viable sustainable, competitive national airline, the DPE said.

The business rescue practitioners projected that R10.1 billion will be required to fund the rescue plan and address these tasks:

Clean up and stabilise SAAs balance sheet.

Restructure the company.

Provide working capital.

Build a stable platform for a new national airline.

The restructuring of SAA will also include 2,700 employees being issued with severance packages that meet the minimum requirements of the Labour Relations Act.

These packages offer an incentive for employees at the lower-end of the remuneration scale to ensure they are not worse-off.

Partnerships remain on the table

The department previously noted the current situation for the air travel industry and said that it had not ruled out any partnerships with other airlines.

The DPE is cognizant that airlines across the world are in turmoil due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the department said.

There are possibilities for airline partnerships to improve the scale and scope of the aviation industry and ensure continuity of value creation to the South African economy.

It said it welcomed the attraction of a mix of local and international investor groups to provide the new national airline with technical, financial, and operational expertise.

This will ensure significant South African ownership whilst diversifying the investor base, the department said.

Reported in conjunction with Bloomberg.

Now read: South African banks want their money back from SAA
Bjoern Wylezich / TNS

NEW HAVEN  A city man will serve five years in prison for distributing crack cocaine, according to federal authorities.

Erin Cree Jones, 43, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham.
Throughout the 20th century, the United States was the largest global exporter of most grains and oilseeds, including corn, wheat, and soybeans. In recent years, other countries and regions have grown in importance  the Black Sea has become a major player in corn and wheat and South America has emerged as a leading global supplier of soybeans. Specifically, in the last several years, Brazil has overtaken the United States as the world's largest producer and exporter of soybeans.

Source: USDA PSD Database.

Brazil emerged as a significant soybean producer during the 1970s and 1980s, as different varieties of soybeans more adaptable to the Brazilian climate were introduced. Over the decades, production moved from the southern Brazilian states of Parana and Rio Grande do Sul into the Center-West region and states like Moto Grosso. The Center-West now produces about half of the soybeans in Brazil.

Why Brazil?

Several factors allowed Brazil to emerge as the global leader in soybean production and exports. First, Brazil simply had a significant amount of usable and relatively inexpensive land on which to grow crops. Production growth in the United States has been driven predominately by yield growth since the 1980s, while Brazil's production growth has been driven by both yield growth and land under cultivation.

Thus, Brazil has multiplied its production by a factor of eight, while United States production has grown by 130%. Second, Brazil was lacking the underlying infrastructure to move physical product and spent years investing in roads and railways to solve the issues. The famous BR-163 highway, connecting Mato Grosso to the Amazon river and export ports, was finally completed in 2019, and will likely lower the cost of bringing Brazilian soybeans to market. In addition to Brazilian investment, China has been involved in the funding of railway projects that could further benefit the production and export of Brazilian soybeans.

Story continues

A Smaller Share For The U.S.

Although the United States continues to produce and export more soybeans each crop year, the pace of both production and exports is much lower than the growth from Brazil. A few decades ago, the United States was responsible for about 80% of the entire world's soybean exports. In crop year 2019/2020, the U.S. only accounted for about 29% of global soybean exports, while Brazil accounted for 37%. Therefore, even though both countries are continuing to grow their exports, a larger share of the global export pie is being captured by Brazil.

Source: USDA PSD Database

In general, both the United States and Brazil find destinations for their soybean exports. Global demand continues to grow, especially in China, and that growth will likely allow both countries to continue to expand production. This is helped by the fact that the production cycles of the United States and Brazil are staggered through the year  Brazil usually harvests soybeans in and around March while the United States harvests in October and November.

Therefore, Brazil tends to supply Chinese soybean demand from March through October, and the United States exports soybeans to China from October through March. Additionally, the price relationship between U.S. soybeans and Brazilian soybeans is usually stable. However, in times of disruption, such as during the U.S.-China trade war that started in 2018, the relationship between U.S. soybean prices and Brazilian soybean prices breaks down.

Source: Bloomberg (BGGRSB1M, SYBBBRF1)

To address such shakeups in the market, a product that would facilitate price discovery and price risk management between U.S. and Brazilian soybeans benefit the market significantly. First, hedgers with any exposure to Brazilian soybean price movements will have a direct tool to offset their risk.

Though the CBOT Soybean futures contract remains the global benchmark, Brazil is now the largest soybean producer and exporter in the world, and a derivatives contract that tracks the regional price is needed. Commercial firms with facilities in the United States, China, and/or Brazil will be able to trade the spread and manage their exposure across the globe or use one contract during the relevant harvest and export months. Lastly, a tool will be available to use in times of market interference or disruption when the Brazil-U.S. soybean basis is less stable, such as during a trade war.

As Brazil's influence in the soybean market has grown, so too has the importance of the risk factors faced by producers in the United States and Brazil. Weather, trade, and other common risks take on global importance, and each has a material impact on the price of the world's soybeans.

The post Why Brazil has Grown as a Soybean Producer appeared first on OpenMarkets.

To learn more about futures and options, go to Benzingas futures and options education resource.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels.

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New York City police officers, several in plainclothes, swooped into a demonstration against aggressive police tactics Tuesday and arrested a protester they appeared to have singled out, pulling her into an unmarked minivan before driving off.

Videos of the encounter drew intense criticism on social media, including accusations that the New York police were adopting tactics similar to those used by federal agents during recent protests in Portland, Oregon, where some people were pulled into unmarked vans.

The Police Department said in a statement that the woman had been taken into custody by officers from the warrant squad in connection with damaging police cameras during five separate criminal incidents in and around City Hall Park, an apparent reference to incidents that occurred during the Occupy City Hall protests. The police did not immediately provide details about those incidents. The arrest took place in the Kips Bay section of Manhattan, according to the Police Department.

The warrant squad typically uses unmarked vehicles to locate people wanted in connection with crimes, the police said. The police did not name the woman but said that charges against her were pending.

While the police indicated that they were following standard procedure, the incident comes at a time when law enforcement practices are under intense scrutiny. Several city officials said Tuesday that they were troubled by the videos of the womans arrest and publicly demanded a fuller explanation from the Police Department.

Corey Johnson, the City Council speaker, called video of the encounter incredibly disturbing. Scott Stringer, the New York City comptroller, said he was deeply concerned.

Councilman Brad Lander of Brooklyn said that with the anxiety about whats happening in Portland, the NYPD deploying unmarked vans with plainclothes cops to make street arrests of protesters feels more like provocation than public safety.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Bill de Blasio referred questions about the womans arrest Tuesday night to the statement from the Police Department.

The arrest was the latest flashpoint in a nationwide conversation about aggressive police tactics. For weeks since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, people have staged protests across the city against police brutality and racism in the criminal justice system.

The protest Tuesday at which the woman was arrested was held in response to the clearing of the Occupy City Hall encampment last week, organizers said.

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

The Occupy City Hall demonstration itself, which began June 23 when about 100 people set up camp on a small patch of grass to the east of City Hall, was intended to bring pressure on the City Council to cut the Police Departments funding.

Most people at the demonstration went home within days after the council decided to shift nearly $1 billion away from the police, although the move fell short of many of the protesters expectations. Homeless people then flocked to the site for its free meals and open-air camping before the encampment was cleared last week.

The tactics used by federal agents in Portland have spurred renewed protests across the country. Some agents, dressed in camouflage and tactical gear, sprayed tear gas on protesters and pulled others into unmarked vans.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Tesco also said it suspended sales of the firm's products while they 'investigate'

St Helen's Farm said the footage was 'distressing' and launched an investigation

A firm that supplies goat's milk products to major UK supermarkets has sacked staff after shocking footage emerged showing workers hitting and punching animals.

The footage, taken at Far Marsh Farm in Hull, East Yorkshire, shows goats being punched and hit by staff while the animals cry out.

Goats are also seen being dragged by the ears and legs by farm workers and limping after getting their hooves trimmed.

The farm provides goat's milk to St Helen's Farm dairy company, who supply to Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose.

Shocking video footage, taken at Far Marsh Farm in Hull, East Yorkshire, has emerged showing goats being punched and hit with poles by workers

The farm provides goat's milk to St Helen's Farm dairy company, who supply to major UK supermarkets Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose

The footage was taken by undercover activists from animal rights group Surge at Far Marsh Farm earlier this year.

St Helen's Farm, who sell goat's milk, butter, cheese and yoghurts to some major UK supermarkets, said the footage was 'distressing' and that it has launched its own investigation.

St Helen's Farm added that it had been informed that three employees have been dismissed for 'gross misconduct'.

But following the release of the footage, Tesco announced that it had suspended sales of the firm's products while they 'investigate the matter further'.

Ed Winters, Surge co-director, said: 'St Helen's is regarded as the best of the best when it comes to goat farming, however that means nothing for the goats who are exploited and treated as objects.

'They are nothing other than commodities for St Helen's to exploit for profit, and contrary to the social media marketing that St Helen's use, these animals suffer immensely, their bodies thrown around, hit and discarded.

St Helen's Farm said the footage was 'distressing' and that it has launched its own investigation It added that it had been informed that three employees have been dismissed for 'gross misconduct'

Tesco announced that it had suspended sales of the firm's products while they 'investigate the matter further' after the video was released

'Unfortunately for animals, St Helen's really is as good as it gets, meaning that the only way we can avoid paying for animal cruelty, is to buy the plant based alternative instead.'

Surge claim to have found repeated incidences of punching, kicking, excessive tail twisting, swearing and shouting, and beating with sticks.

Following the release of the footage, St Helen's Farm distanced themselves from the 'utterly unacceptable' and 'extremely distressing' scenes.

They say they have stopped supply from Far Marsh Farm, where the shocking footage was filmed.

A St Helen's Farm spokesperson said: 'On Sunday (July 26) we received disturbing footage that showed some employees at Far Marsh Farm, one of eight farms that supplies St Helen's Farm with goats' milk, seriously breaching animal welfare standards.

'We find this utterly unacceptable and extremely distressing and cannot understand why any individual would treat animals like this.

'We took immediate action by stopping the supply from Far Marsh Farm and launched a thorough investigation that is now well underway.

St Helen's Farm said it had been informed that three members of staff at the East Yorkshire site had been sacked for 'gross misconduct'

The footage was taken by undercover activists from animal rights group Surge at Far Marsh Farm earlier this year, who claim to have found repeated incidences of punching, excessive tail twisting, shouting, and beating

'We have been informed that three employees have already been dismissed for gross misconduct.

'We can also confirm that an independent investigation is being carried out at this farm.

'While this issue related to one single farm, we are immediately instigating additional independent audits to verify that welfare standards are always being met at all of our suppliers' farms.

'All farms that supply us with milk are required to comply with a rigorous code of conduct, are audited regularly and hold several animal welfare accreditations.

'The behaviours shown in the footage are totally unacceptable and we are reviewing why this was not picked up earlier and what additional measures are needed to protect animal welfare going forward.'
An audio clip that can be heard as two different words has left social media users astounded.

The sound, which first went viral in 2018 and has now resurfaced on TikTok, can be heard as either the phrase 'green needle' or the word 'brainstorm'.

The clip is played while both words are flashed up on screen. The one the individual hears is said to change depending on which word is being read on screen and therefore being thought about.

It was posted in a clip by Emily Sophie, thought to be based in Wales, earlier this week and has since been liked more than 112,000 times, as well as being shared widely across Twitter.

Emily Sophie's TikTok video (pictured) has caused a frenzy online after listeners heard two different words - depending on which they were thinking about - from the same audio

The short sound teaser, which first surfaced in 2018 and is going viral again, sees people (like those pictured above) hearing one of two phrases: 'brainstorm' or 'green needle'

The science behind it! How it's possible you can switch between 'green needle' and 'brainstorm' While some listeners are struggling to hear both the words, many successfully pick up 'green needle' and then 'brainstorm'. University College London Professor Valerie Hazan told the Huffington Post last year when the phenomenon first surfaced that people's hearing and brain function may well 'latch on' to different sounds. She said: 'The reason that a person can see their perception switch without explanation may also mean that our ears and brain have latched on to the other acoustic pattern than the one they were previously latching on to.' It's previously been confirmed that the audio actually says brainstorm. Advertisement

Listeners said they were baffled by the trick, which asks them to think of one of the words before the audio seemingly changes to reflect their choice.

In her clip, Emily asks viewers to listen to the same audio twice, once while looking at a caption reading 'brainstorm' and again while looking at the word 'green needle'.

'You will only hear the word you're reading,' her third caption suggests.

Shocked by the illusion, one person wrote: 'Tried a few times. Was blown away until I read green needle but heard brainstorm. So now I don't know if I'm too clever for it or what. You?'

Another said: 'It's got me questioning how I interpret almost anything that people say to me, do I just hear what I want to hear?'

A third individual added: 'You can also get it to say "brain needle" too. This is messed-up.'

It was posted in a clip by Emily, thought to be based in Wales, earlier this week and has since been liked more than 112,000 times, as well as being shared widely across Twitter, with the above reaction

The clip even attracted the attention of several well-known faces including actor and comedian Ricky Gervais, who retweeted the footage alongside the caption: 'It also works if you close your eyes and just think of the one you want to hear.'

Despite the widespread puzzlement, this isn't the first time the audio trick has been shared online.

It appeared in a 2018 Reddit post, with that version showcasing a toy that when activated seemed to say either of the two words.

In her clip (pictured), Emily asks viewers to listen to the same audio twice, once while looking at a caption reading 'brainstorm' and again while looking at the word 'green needle'

It was previously confirmed that the audio actually says brainstorm.

Professor Valerie Hazan a speech, hearing and phonetic sciences expert from University College London, told the Huffington Post last year that the reason behind the success of the trick is that our minds can 'latch on' to the second perceived acoustic pattern.

'The reason that a person can see their perception switch without explanation may also mean that our ears and brain have latched on to the other acoustic pattern than the one they were previously latching on to,' she explained.
COHOES  Since the death of George Floyd, protesters have put a spotlight on police misconduct and the need to hold bad cops to account.

But in Cohoes, the old rules still apply  and a cop accused of inappropriate behavior can escape scrutiny and discipline.

I hope you've read the extraordinary reporting by the Times Union's Robert Gavin, who broke the story of what allegedly happened June 6 when Cohoes officer Sean T. McKown spotted Black youths in the road near his summer home in the Essex County.

Some of the kids were lifting phones in the air, apparently seeking a signal. That would seem to be innocuous, but McKown later told State Police he asked the group what they were doing and told them to get away from his Elizabethtown home and neighborhood.

McKown, 46, approached the youths twice more, the final time after grabbing his service weapon. McKown claimed, in his account to State Police, that a male member of the group lifted his shirt and displayed a gun. When McKown subsequently heard a pop that sounded like a gunshot, he claimed, he fired four shots as he ran for his life.

Quite a story. If only it were true.

McKown later admitted he had given police false information, conceding he hadn't been fired at. While McKown said he'd fired his own weapon four times, he said he shot into a tree stump to scare off the potential intruders. He also claimed to have ditched his weapon so it couldn't be used against him.

After viewing security video from a neighbor's home, troopers told McKown the story wasn't turning out to be accurate. As their questioning continued, McKown allegedly asked why the officers were trying to "jam him up."

McKown also denied being drunk when he'd fired the weapon, although troopers had found him asleep when they arrived and noted he smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes.

So, what happened next? Not nearly enough.

McKown was not arrested or charged with a crime in Essex County, despite allegedly lying to police, and the investigation is now closed.

In Cohoes, the police department investigated McKown's conduct, but allowed him to stretch his backlog of sick days toward a retirement that becomes effective in about two weeks. He was not suspended, and he will not be disciplined.

In fact, if not for Gavin's reporting, the entire incident would have been swept under the rug. The citizens of Cohoes and beyond would be none the wiser.

Cohoes Mayor Bill Keeler, himself a retired State Police major, concedes the seriousness of McKown's alleged behavior, but suggests it was best for the city to take the path of least resistance. The disciplinary process can be long and costly, his reasoning goes, so Cohoes avoids a headache by having McKown retire.

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

OK, but allowing McKown to leave in good standing means another police force could hire him unaware of what led to his sudden retirement. It means the confrontation in Elizabethtown leaves no mark on his record. Without Gavin's story, it would be as if the incident never happened.

That's absurd. And outrageous.

The suggestion here isn't that McKown committed the crime of the century or that his career should be judged only by his actions on that day in June. But if the allegations are accurate, McKown shouldn't be a cop, as the mayor acknowledged.

"The incident under investigation involved alleged behavior unbecoming of a police officer," said Keeler, a Democrat. "If proven true  and in combination with a highly publicized DWI arrest two years ago  I would not entertain the idea of that officer patrolling the streets of Cohoes again."

DWI arrest? Yes, McKown in 2018 was charged with driving under the influence while visiting rural Illinois. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was suspended without pay.

But he wasn't suspended this time around. And if you think it smells bad that McKown avoided punishment for what allegedly happened in Elizabethtown, then hold your nose for this sentence: He's the nephew of former Cohoes Police Chief William Heslin, who retired in February.

Increases the pungency, right? And some of the aroma may linger around Keeler, who promised to return honor and professionalism to City Hall after the scandal-plagued tenure of Shawn Morse.

Keeler is by all accounts a stand-up guy, but allowing apparent police misconduct to go unpunished and unacknowledged is neither honorable or professional. It's the same old, same old, and not just in Cohoes.

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchill
An AF Group subsidiary has been named one of the top workplaces in southeastern Wisconsin for the 10th consecutive year.

United Heartland, a regional workers compensation carrier licensed in all 50 states, was selected as a top workplace in the mid-size category by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The newspapers Top Workplaces Award recognizes 25 large companies with 500 or more employees, 50 mid-sized companies with 150 to 499 employees, and 75 small companies with 50 to 149 employees.
Wednesday, Ill join President Trump in visiting Double Eagle Energy in Midland at a critical time for Texas energy industry. Just a few months ago, before the deadly coronavirus pandemic brought our booming, blue-collar economy to a halt, the United States was the No. 1 producer of both oil and natural gas on the planet, surpassing both Russia and Saudi Arabia in crude oil production, and we had become a net exporter of natural gas. And although it didnt make many headlines, increasing natural gas production had resulted in the United States leading the world in reducing carbon-dioxide emissions, while providing affordable energy to all Americans.

The United States, with Texas at the helm, had ushered in an American energy renaissance.

Then the pandemic hit, and as weve worked to slow the spread of coronavirus, flight restrictions have grounded planes and stay-at-home orders have taken many cars off the road, causing the demand for oil to plummet. The decline in both price and demand created a perfect storm for the energy sector. As the Wall Street Journal put it, since the new coronavirus hit, the worlds thirst for oil has vanished, creating an unprecedented crisis for one of the planets most powerful industries. To make matters worse, Saudi Arabia and Russia exploited the pandemic to flood the global oil market, drive down prices and drive their competitors  U.S. producers  out of business. In antitrust law, these actions could be considered predatory pricing. And it was nothing short of economic warfare.

We needed to act. So first, I joined a dozen other senators in holding Saudi Arabia and Russia accountable for engaging in predatory pricing during a global pandemic. After several weeks of heated negotiations with those parties  conversations that were as bare-knuckled and candid as any Ive participated in with world leaders  we reached a deal for them to significantly cut oil production amid this emergency. That was an important first step in addressing the price of oil.

Second, I sat down with President Trump and major energy CEOs to ensure that banks were not discriminating against energy producers, even as left-wing enthusiasts fought to exclude them. Following that meeting, President Trump directed Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette of Texas to work with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to make sure our small and independent energy producers have access to the emergency relief loans that small business in other industries have to try to keep their wells producing, their doors open and their employees on the payroll.

I also called on Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to immediately establish a new lending facility  a lifeline  that would provide immediate emergency liquidity for oil and gas businesses, and Im happy to say that the Federal Reserve responded to my request by altering their Main Street Lending Program to allow energy companies to qualify for much-needed relief.

In the Senate, I worked with my colleagues to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to provide $3 billion in funding to purchase crude oil produced in the United States for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This commonsense proposal should have already been signed into law with the emergency relief bill Congress passed in March, but it was cynically blocked by Democratic leadership in the House and Senate at the last minute. Meanwhile, Democrats, including former Vice President Joe Biden, think its a good idea for Congress to pass the Green New Deal, which would decimate the energy industry and cost each American family roughly $65,000 a year at a time when more than 40 million Americans are out of work -- so imagine what would happen to the economy and the energy industry if Democrats win in November. And if elected, Biden, mark my words, will fight to ban fracturing.

Along with energy producers across Texas, Im working hard to make sure that Americas energy renaissance continues as much as possible despite the pandemic, and that our blue-collar energy workforce is not left behind struggling to support their families. Every day, I work to be the leading advocate for energy in the U.S. Senate. There are 9,000 independent U.S. oil and gas companies that support 4.5 million jobs across the country. Energy is a critical American industry, and we cant afford to lose the ground weve gained. Earlier this year, the Permian Basin was producing 4.8 million barrels of oil a day, making it the largest producing oil field in the United States. Ensuring our energy industry remains viable during this pandemic is imperative to Midland-Odessa, to the rest of Texas and the entire United States.

Now, more than ever, its time to champion Americas energy independence, protect our national security, spur economic growth, lower energy costs, and support the hundreds of thousands of blue-collar workers across this country whose livelihoods rely on a vibrant energy industry.
PITTSFIELD  A motion to find a Pike County man facing attempted murder charges not guilty by reason of mental insanity is stalled as officials await an evaluation by the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Chaz W. Carter, 34, is facing charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery and possession of a weapon by a felon after shooting a family member in April 2019.

Pike County States Attorney Zachary Boren said Carter has been evaluated by two different psychologists, who have concurred that Carter was mentally unfit at the time of the shooting.

Until an agreement can be made, Boren said the Illinois Department of Human Services has to provide an in-patient evaluation, a procedure that is currently being suspended because of Gov. J.B. Pritzkers state restrictions.

In August, well see the status on what the state is doing, if they are doing the evaluations, Boren said.

Once the evaluation takes place, Boren said any agreements for Carter to be committed for treatment will be able to move forward.

Carter was arrested following an altercation with a family member.

Law enforcement officers were investigating a disturbance on West Fayette Street in Pittsfield when a man came out of the house and shot a family member, according to reports.

Victor Delong was shot first in the chest and was shot a second time when he turned away, according to court records. He was injured in the chest, lungs, buttocks and thigh.

An officer fired his weapon, but Carter was not struck, according to reports. Carter was tased and cleared at a hospital before being taken to the Pike County Jail.

Carters next appearance is scheduled for Aug. 18.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 15:53:37|Editor: huaxia

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SYDNEY, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea (PNG) has recorded its second COVID-19 death, as the virus was detected for the first time in the country's second largest city, Lae, local newspaper Post Courier reported on Wednesday.

Deputy Pandemic Controller of PNG, Dr Paison Dakulala confirmed that the latest victim was a 35-year-old male who passed away in the national capital of Port Moresby.

Meanwhile, health authorities in Morobe Province confirmed the first COVID-19 case for the city of Lae, roughly 300 km from the capital Port Moresby.

The patient was a 37-year-old male who attended a workshop in Port Moresby and flew into Lae on Sunday, before testing positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to the Morobe provincial health authority.

Case numbers in PNG have roughly doubled in the past week to over 60, with Prime Minister James Marape saying that the number was expected to grow significantly as more testing was conducted.

Local health authorities were carrying out contract tracing on the infected patient in Lae and continued to ramp up testing in Port Moresby. Enditem




Haiti - Security : Drastic rationing of electricity and consequences





In a note, Me Renan Hedouville, the Protector of the Citizen of Haiti notes that the country has been plunged for several weeks in a drastic rationing of electric current.



"The metropolitan area is severely affected following the outbreak of protest movements by the Union of Employees of Electricity of Haiti (EDH) which contests the appointment of Michel Presume as the new Director General of the Institution."



Me Hedouville expresses his deepest concerns about the harmful consequences of this situation on small and medium-sized businesses, on the communication sector (radios, televisions, online media) and especially on hospitals whose operating conditions are becoming very difficult since the appearance of Covid-19 in the country. He underlines an increase in cases of rape, armed robberies and robberies especially in the evening, the black-out favoring acts of banditry. Hedouville cites as an example night flights on patients and relatives of patients inside hospitals.



In addition, while recognizing the right to dispute as, Hedouville invites the union of employees of the ED'H "to avoid in their protest movements all infiltration for the purpose of blocking the road to all forms of violence or practices that would target to sabotage EDH's equipment and networks. "



In addition, he asks the General Directorate of ED'H through its Commercial Department to avoid unfairly charging its customers for services not provided as is common practice in Haiti.



Finally, the Protector of the Citizen, recommends to the authorities of the central power to show a spirit of openness and going beyond in order to find in serenity, a quick solution to the problem which the ED'H is going through in the interest of the population and the institution.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















D onald Trump has again defended the use of hydroxychloroquine to combat Covid-19, contradicting US public health officials.

The US President argued the malaria medication was only rejected as a treatment for the virus because he had suggested it.

His remarks come after Twitter banned his eldest son for posting a clip touting hydroxychloroquine.

There is no evidence the drug can fight the virus, and regulators warn it may cause heart problems.

Numerous studies have shown that it is not effective and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently withdrew an order that allowed the drug's use as a emergency treatment for coronavirus.

Mr Trump returned to his earlier advocacy for hydroxychloroquine after returning from a trip to North Carolina, where he promoted efforts to develop a Covid-19 vaccine.

The president retweeted a series of tweets advocating for the drug, including a video of a doctor claiming to have successfully used it on hundreds of patients.

The president also shared a post from the Twitter account for a podcast hosted by Steve Bannon, a former top White House adviser to Mr Trump, accusing Dr Anthony Fauci of misleading the public over hydroxychloroquine.

Dr Fauci, a leading member of the White House coronavirus task force, responded to Mr Trump's tweets during a television appearance on Tuesday.

Dr Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said: "I go along with the FDA. The overwhelming prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it is not effective in coronavirus disease."

It is not the first time Dr Fauci has come under attack from Mr Trump and those close to him.

The president's top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, who has clashed with Dr Fauci over hydroxychloroquine, recently penned a scathing attack on the doctor that was published by USA Today. The newspaper later said the opinion piece did not meet its standards.

In recent nationally televised interviews, Mr Trump himself has described Dr Fauci as "a bit of an alarmist" and accused him of making "mistakes" in his coronavirus guidance to the American people.

Asked if he can do his job when Mr Trump continues to publicly question his credibility, Dr Fauci said he will press ahead "no matter what" because of the stakes involved.

Dr Fauci said: "I don't tweet. I don't even read them, so I don't really want to go there. I just will continue to do my job no matter what comes out because I think it's very important. We're in the middle of a crisis with regard to an epidemic, a pandemic. This is what I do. This is what I've been trained for my entire professional life and I'll continue to do it."

Asked about claims he has been misleading the public, Dr Fauci said: "I have not been misleading the American public under any circumstances."

Mr Trump retweeted a video that is circulating on social media pushing misleading claims about hydroxychloroquine. Earlier in the pandemic, Mr Trump advocated vigorously for hydroxychloroquine to be used as a treatment, or even to prevent Covid-19, asking people, "What have you got to lose?".

Mr Trump also said he took a 14-day course of hydroxychloroquine.

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have started scrubbing their sites of the video because it includes misleading claims about hydroxychloroquine and glosses over the dangers of taking it. But dozens of versions of the video remain live on their platforms, with conservative news outlets, groups and internet personalities sharing it on their pages, where users have viewed them millions of times.

One version of the video had more than 17 million views before Facebook took it down.

Facebook is trying to remove the video because it is "sharing false information about cures and treatments for Covid-19," according to Andy Stone, a spokesman for the platform.

Twitter also said it is working to remove the video. A tweet from the president's son, Donald Trump Jr, describing one version of the video as a "must watch!!!" was also taken down by the platform.

Twitter put Mr Trump Jr's account on a 12-hour timeout, meaning he cannot tweet or retweet during that period. He is also required to delete the tweet before he will be reinstated. Twitter declined to say when the timeout began.

In the video, Dr Stella Immanuel, a physician from Houston, Texas, promotes hydroxychloroquine as a cure for coronavirus. She claims to have successfully treated 350 people "and counting", including some with underlying medical conditions.
One by one, they passed through the grand Capitol Rotunda to pay respects to the civil rights icon.

It was a solemn display of unity as congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle offered praise for longtime Georgia Rep. John Lewis. There was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called Lewis the conscience of the Congress; and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who praised him as a model of courage. Vice President Mike Pence and former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, came as well.

But missing was a man whose absence spoke volumes: President Donald Trump.

No, I wont be going, Trump told reporters when asked whether he planned to pay his respects to Lewis, the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Rotunda. Lewis body was later moved to the steps on the Capitols east side for a public viewing.

Trump's absence was another break in convention for a president who has broken so many norms, and one that underscored his separation from much of Washington society, along with his dismal relationship with Democrats on Capitol Hill  especially members of color.

Trump had long harbored resentments toward Lewis.

A spokeswoman for Lewis, who died of pancreatic cancer, brushed off any talk of politics when asked whether the Lewis family had any communication with the White House about whether Trump should attend, calling it irrelevant.

I would say that this is not a political event, said Brenda Jones, the congressmans longtime spokeswoman. Its our time to pay respect to a man who did a great deal for this country. And thats all we want it to be.

Jones added that people can pay their respect in a lot of different ways. ... He has that right. Let him to do what he wants to do. And Im sure that John Lewis would be supportive of it.

The White House did not respond to questions about why the president did not attend. But Trumps off-the-cuff declaration Monday afternoon that he wouldnt go caught some White House aides off guard, according to two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose private conversations.

While the chances of Trump going were always slim, there had been preliminary conversations in the West Wing about Trump potentially making a visit on Tuesday. Trump had previously expressed a reluctance to publicly mourn Lewis because he remained angry about the congressmans past criticisms.

While the presidents lingering grudge played a role, White House officials also are leery of sending Trump places he isnt wanted and werent sure what kind of reception he would have received.

Pence, who had a personal relationship with Lewis, was seen as a safer choice. Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, like Pence a former House member, and other Cabinet members also attended.

Trump had an antagonistic relationship with Lewis. After Trumps election, Lewis called him an illegitimate president because of Russias efforts to help him win, and the congressman boycotted Trumps 2017 inauguration as a result. Trump countered by blasting Lewis Atlanta majority-Black district as falling apart and directed him to finally focus on the burning and crime infested inner-cities of the U.S.

In December of that year, Lewis refused to speak at the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum because Trump would be there. Lewis also endorsed Biden and urged young Black voters to rally behind the former vice president.

While Trump did acknowledge Lewis' death on Twitter, it took him 14 hours to do so and his message felt more perfunctory than heartfelt, especially in contrast with his effusive tribute to television personality Regis Philbin, who died last week.

Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family, Trump wrote.

But for many, Trump's absence wasn't missed.

I think its better if he doesnt attend, said Phillip Estes, 53, an urban planner from Washington, D.C., who was among the hundreds who gathered to pay their respects to Lewis on Tuesday.

He would probably just make it all about himself, Estes said.

Jay Stegall, 33, an American University graduate student originally from Lewis Atlanta district, echoed those sentiments as he stood with his two young sisters and his 4-year-old daughter.

It wouldnt have been authentic, Stegall said. It would just have been another photo op for him. He definitely wouldnt have understood the meaning of the moment.

Born to sharecroppers during Jim Crow segregation, Lewis was beaten by Alabama state troopers during the civil rights movement, spoke ahead of Kings I Have a Dream speech at the 1963 March on Washington and was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 2011 by the nations first Black president.
POTUS only concerned about his re-election: It just keeps getting crazier every day with this president. I hate to keep talking about him, but he is the focus of attention right now. Were in a bad place in this country. If you are part of his base and you cant see whats going on, its true that he has a cult-like following. Anyone in their right mind can see he is not fit to be in that office. I cant think anything hes done right. Donald Trump doesnt want you to know how many people are dying in the hospital. He thinks it damages his chances for re-election. This is what its all about. To him, its all about being in power and in control. He needs to be president of all of us, not just 30% of us.
Receives bids for 87.78 crore shares

The initial public offer (IPO) of Mindspace Business Parks REIT received bids for 87.78 crore shares today, 29 July 2020, as against 6.77 crore shares on offer, as per the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) website data at 17:00 IST. The issue was subscribed 12.96 times.

The issue opened for bidding on Monday, 27 July 2020, and it closes today, 29 July 2020. The price band of the IPO was fixed at Rs 274-275.

Ahead of its IPO, Mindspace Business Parks REIT on Friday (24 July) raised Rs 1,518.74 crore by allocating 5.52 crore shares to 54 anchor investors at Rs 275 per unit, the upper end of the IPO price band. The anchor allotment was led by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) such as the Government of Singapore, funds managed by Nomura, Capital Group, Fidelity, HSBC and Schroder.

The Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), which is backed by Mumbai-based real estate company K Raheja Corp and private equity firm Blackstone, is the second REIT IPO after Embassy Office Parks REIT.

The IPO aimed to raise Rs 1,000 crore of fresh capital while promoter K Raheja group and Blackstone offered units worth Rs 3500 crore.

The proceeds of the fresh issue will be utilised towards partial or full pre-payment or scheduled repayment of certain debt facilities of the Asset SPVs availed from banks/financial institutions (including any accrued interest and any applicable penalties/ premium); purchase of Non-Convertible Redeemable Preference Shares (NCRPS) of Mindspace Business Parks Private Limited (MBPPL); and general purposes.

Mindspace Business Parks REIT owns a quality office portfolio located in four key office markets of India. Its portfolio includes a total leasable area of 29.5 million sq ft with five integrated business parks and five independent offices across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To win the right to vote, two immigrants filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration over its delay and cancellation of formal naturalization ceremonies for them and 2,200 other immigrants in the Philadelphia region who had achieved all but the last, official step of becoming United States citizens. Read more

Abdel Wahab Alaussos will get to vote in November after all.

To win that right, he and a co-plaintiff filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration over its delay and cancellation of formal naturalization ceremonies for them and 2,200 other immigrants in the Philadelphia region who had achieved all but the last, official step of becoming U.S. citizens.

The suit was voluntarily dismissed on Tuesday, after the Philadelphia Field Office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services opted to quickly naturalize all of them.

Theyre elated. Theyre thrilled. Theyre so happy to be U.S. citizens, said lawyer Trina Realmuto of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, a Massachusetts advocate that helped lead the suit.

 READ MORE: Two Philly-area immigrants sue the Trump administration to become citizens and gain the right to vote in November

Alaussos, of Glenside, and Maria Campbell Davis, of Philadelphia, both lawful permanent residents, filed the suit in June in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against USCIS and other federal agencies. They said that while the initial, pandemic-driven postponement of their oaths of allegiance was understandable, it had gone on too long.

They wanted USCIS to conduct naturalizations by Sept. 28  three weeks before Oct. 19, the last day on which Pennsylvanians can register to vote in the November election. The suit noted that Congress empowered USCIS and the federal courts to provide for immediate administrative naturalizations in special circumstances, such as a pandemic.

Were pleased the government took the lawsuit seriously, and prioritized the naturalization of permanent residents who have been waiting in some cases for many years to become U.S. citizens, said Realmuto, who had been prepared to seek an emergency court order. Were hoping that other USCIS offices do the same thing.

The resolution of the Philadelphia suit does not affect naturalizations by other USCIS offices around the country.

 READ MORE: Money restored for Philly program that gives undocumented immigrants a fighting chance against deportation

The local oaths were administered in person during socially distanced ceremonies in mid-July, according to lawyers involved in the case.

USCIS spokesperson Jessica Collins in Washington said Wednesday that since reopening our offices to the public and resuming in-person services on June 4, our top priority has been to resume naturalization ceremonies. Those events are now shorter to limit exposure to those in attendance, she said, but all legally required portions of the ceremony take place.

Those potential 2,202 new voters might not seem like a lot. But their addition comes mere months before the November presidential election, in which a purple Pennsylvania is likely to again play a crucial role. Donald Trump won the state by less than a percentage point in 2016.

From 2017 to 2018, the number of immigrants in Pennsylvania who will be able to vote in November surged 7.9%, to 465,395, according to New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan, business-focused research organization in New York. Pennsylvania added about 34,000 immigrant voters during that year, not many fewer than the 44,000 votes by which Trump beat Hillary Clinton.

Its important for me to vote in the next presidential election because this would be a special moment in my life to start practicing my constitutional rights in a great democratic country, Alaussos said when the suit was filed.

He came to America from Syria, and co-plaintiff Campbell Davis is originally from Jamaica.

 READ MORE: Immigration advocates gather to stop Philly hospital from shipping undocumented man with severe brain injury back to Guatemala

In a nation where only 60% of eligible voters go to the polls and where the president actively sows doubt about the integrity of the election system, the right to cast a ballot means everything to them  a fundamental privilege of U.S. citizenship, they said in the suit.

Their oaths were delayed by the coronavirus shutdown of USCIS, and then by slowdowns as the agency reopened. Furloughs that could eliminate two-thirds of USCIS workforce, about 13,400 employees nationwide, were scheduled to begin on Aug. 3 but now have been postponed until the end of the month.

The agency says it needs $1.2 billion in emergency cash from Congress to replace dramatic losses in immigration filing and petition fees, caused by the pandemic and economic crises.

Alaussos was approved for naturalization in March but was never scheduled for an oath ceremony. The delay kept him separated from his wife and children, who are in Turkey. As a U.S. citizen, he could immediately apply for a visa for his wife.

Campbell Davis was interviewed for naturalization in January and was set to take the oath on March 19. But the ceremony was canceled and not rescheduled, the suit said. That meant she was unable to petition for her Jamaican sons to immigrate to the United States.

Today an estimated 13.2 million foreign-born permanent residents live in the United States. Most of them qualified for a green card  named for its traditional hue  because they are the family member of a citizen, an employee of a U.S. company, or a refugee or asylum-seeker granted protection in this country. Green-card holders can live and work here indefinitely, but cannot vote in federal elections, or in most state and local balloting.

Before the outbreak, the suit said, the USCIS Philadelphia office naturalized about 420 people a week. The office shuttered operations on March 18, then reopened June 4 to hold smaller, socially distanced, safety-compliant oath ceremonies. Now, the suit said, only about 75 new citizens are sworn in weekly.

Our clients are ecstatic that they no longer have to worry whether they will be left in limbo because of the pandemic, said Matt Adams, legal director for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project in Seattle, which worked on the Philadelphia lawsuit. We appreciate that USCIS and the District Court immediately took action to ensure that over 2,200 people were able to complete the process of becoming U.S. citizens.
Background:

Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone, is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera that formed during the early Holocene. The caldera cuts the south side of the Pleistocene Dvor volcano and is located outside the north margin of the large mid-Pleistocene Polovinka caldera, which contains the smaller Akademia Nauk and Odnoboky calderas.

Most seismicity preceding Karymsky eruptions originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera, which is located immediately south of Karymsky volcano. The caldera enclosing Karymsky volcano formed about 7600-7700 radiocarbon years ago; construction of the Karymsky stratovolcano began about 2000 years later. The latest eruptive period began about 500 years ago, following a 2300-year quiescence. Much of the cone is mantled by lava flows less than 200 years old. Historical eruptions have been vulcanian or vulcanian-strombolian with moderate explosive activity and occasional lava flows from the summit crater.

---

Source: GVP, Smithsonian Institution
Toronto is allowed to reopen indoor bar and restaurant dining starting Friday but, in the absence of clear direction from the province, city council plans to implement additional measures as infectious disease experts warn of increased risks for resurgence of COVID-19.

As the city gets set to join the rest of the province in Stage 3, bar and restaurant operators say reopening indoor spaces is crucial to their survival. But some Toronto residents, especially those dealing with child-care issues, fear a step back into lockdown as global cities further along in reopening see a resurgence in cases. At least one infectious disease specialist questions whether those businesses should reopen at all.

Dr. Andrew Morris, with the Sinai Health System and University Health Network, says hes concerned about bars and restaurants opening with school hopefully restarting in September.

For me, thinking with a public health lens  I care way more about getting kids back to school than I do about the indoor dining and the bars, Morris said.

If I were rule-maker, policy-maker theres no way I would be opening up restaurants and bars before getting kids in school.

Any Stage 3 reopening is likely to cause blips, Morris said, so its important that public health authorities can effectively manage outbreaks so there arent renewed shutdowns.

If the plan is to send kids back to school full-time, the greatest likelihood of success for that is when theres actually very little disease in the community, he said. So why trial the potential blips in the community with bars and restaurants?

On Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford announced Toronto would join the rest of the province in Stage 3, which allows indoor dining and drinking in bars and restaurants with limited capacity and other rules. Its expected that masks will not be necessary for these indoor spaces, though city officials recommend them. The province has not yet detailed plans for reopening schools.

But there was confusion about whether the province had adopted all of the enhanced measures for bars and restaurants requested by Toronto officials.

That led city council on Wednesday to adopt a safety net  amending an existing bylaw to ensure those restrictions would be in place under municipal rules  at the urging of the medical officer of health and the city solicitor. Those restrictions include ensuring patrons are seated at all times and asking restaurants to keep a log of customers.

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases specialist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute and the University of Toronto, said the question is not whether bars and restaurants should open indoor spaces but how to do it in the safest way possible.

When you have really low levels of community transmission, you want to keep those levels as low as possible, he said, explaining that people are more likely to contract the virus indoors where there are lots of people in close contact for prolonged periods of time, like bars and restaurants.

And while alcohol may disinhibit people, making following ground rules difficult, the alternative  keeping bars and restaurants closed  could also create problems for public health, he said.

Youre not going to stop social interaction, Bogoch said, especially with young people. Youre going to see more and more of these Brampton 200-person house parties. And it might not be as extravagant or as obvious as that, but it can be analogous.

He said proposed city measures, including ensuring everyone inside is seated at all times, are good because they take a harm reduction approach.

Even with additional measures in Toronto, potential problems remain, Morris said.

The newly adopted city rule that bars and restaurants maintain a client log to make contact tracing easier for Toronto Public Health requires they record only a minimum of one person per party, Morris noted.

Imagine a scenario, he said, where someone tests positive for COVID-19 and Toronto Public Health contacts a restaurant where there were 50 people, but the bar has contacts for fewer than half those patrons.

That forces public health officials to ask each contact for their contacts.

Now were talking, you know, its not seven days out now, its like 10 days out and those other people almost certainly have gone to another bar since that time and you get the picture, Morris said.

On July 17, the Ontario Medical Association urged the provincial government to rethink opening indoor bars, citing public safety.

The evidence from other jurisdictions is that the reopening of bars carries significant risk, OMA president Dr. Samantha Hill said in a written statement. When people consume alcohol, inhibitions are lowered, making them much less likely to practise physical distancing, proper masking behaviours and good hand hygiene. Indoor locations with decreased air ventilation present a particularly high risk of transmission.

Earlier this month, Mayor John Tory sent a letter to the province requesting it adopt several additional measures for bars and restaurants in Toronto. On Wednesday, in announcing Toronto would move to the next stage, the provincial government said it was supportive of those recommendations, but city solicitor Wendy Walberg said it wont be clear which measures theyve adopted until the wording of the order is seen.

Some recommendations forwarded to the province, including limiting opening hours, are not within the citys purview.

Tony Elenis, president and CEO of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association, said the industry has already been devastated.

Its very hard to make a sustainable business in the restaurant industry with the type of revenues that are coming in, he said, adding if it wasnt for the federal wage subsidy some would not even be able to operate patios, allowed under Stage 2.

Operators are looking to governments to get creative to help their flailing industry, including what the B.C. government announced last month: licensed restaurants can purchase liquor at wholesale prices, reducing alcohol costs by up to 25 per cent, the Vancouver Sun reported.

James Rilett, vice-president for Central Canada for Restaurants Canada, said its summer and the focus should be on getting their hard-hit industry running again.

I dont think its fair to tie schools to restaurants because its an entirely different animal, Rilett said.

At Ruths Chris Steak House, vice-president of marketing Sara Wilde said the patio has been open at the airport location and there has been takeout business at the downtown location, but for the most part it isnt covering costs.

Its incredibly crucial, to open indoor dining spaces, Wilde said Wednesday. Im literally doing a happy dance this morning because I recognize theres still a risk with (COVID-19), but were very well equipped to have things in place for safety.

Read more about:
Boeing delayed the debut of its newest plane and slowed production across the heart of its jetliner lineup as the company burned more cash amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The planemaker intends to make deeper cuts to its commercial-aircraft and services business, with total job losses reaching 19,000 this year - 3,000 more than it said before. The new 777X won't carry passengers until 2022 instead of next year. And Boeing again pared production plans for the 787 Dreamliner as a saturated market left the company with a stockpile of undelivered jets.

The 747 is one of Boeing's flagship planes. Credit:Andrew De La Rue

With the reduced manufacturing rates for the 787, Boeing is studying whether to consolidate assembly in a single site instead of building the model in Washington state and South Carolina. Boeing will also ramp up work at its 737 Max factory more gradually than initially planned due to the virus. And the company is winding down one of its most iconic aircraft: the humpbacked 747 jumbo jets.

Executives are trying to resize operations for a market shrunken by the virus outbreak -- but without cutting so deeply that Boeing's recovery is damaged later this decade. The pandemic's devastating effect on the outlook for jetliner sales is compounding the financial stress from the 737 Max, Boeing's best-selling jet, which has been grounded since March 2019 after two deadly crashes.
Veteran DUP MP Gregory Campbell has remained defiant over his latest remarks on the Irish language, instead saying it shows republican leadership "in the worst possible light".

Complaints have also been made to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over the social media post earlier this week.

This week the politician again sparked anger when he repeated his remarks from 2014 which earned him a rebuke from the Assembly Speaker.

"Asked if I regret using the 'curried yoghurt' phrase," Mr Campbell said in a Facebook post on Tuesday night.

"What is often overlooked is that immediately after I said that in November 2014, Gerry Adams, in direct response to me, said at a meeting 'But whats the point? The point is to actually break these b......s - thats the point'.

"No, I didn't deliberately set out to show the leadership of republicanism in the worst possible light but it seemed to work out that way.

"Unbowed, unbroken, so no, Je Ne Regrette!"

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Complaints have been made about the post to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards by Conradh na Gaeilge, an advocacy group for Irish language speakers, and a 12-year-old boy.

Conradh na Gaeilge alleged the post is a breach of the House of Commons code of conduct, saying it was offensive and insulting in nature to those who speak the Irish language.

In a complaint letter shared on Twitter, Adam Mac Giolla Easbuic, who attends an Irish Medium School in Dungiven  within Mr Campbells constituency  requested the commissioner investigates.

He wrote: I find Mr Campbells comments extremely offensive and disrespectful."

I dont think his comments are suitable for an MP to make."

The East Londonderry MP was accused of mocking the Irish language after posting what was described as a "crass, offensive and despicable" comment on social media.

Posting about a BBC programme about a suspected Nazi spy who lived in Donegal during the Second World War, he said: "The humourous bit was that he was supposed to have spoken Irish with a German accent.

"I vill not be tempted to ask vot is dis curried yoghurt mein herr."

In 2014 Mr Campbell was barred from addressing the Assembly for a day after making similar remarks at Stormont. He began an address to the Assembly with "Curry my yoghurt can coca coalyer".

He was aping the Irish "go raibh maith agat, Ceann Comhairle," which translates as "thank you, Speaker" and is used by some MLAs in the chamber.

Mr Campbell refused to apologise for his words in 2014 and was criticised by then Speaker Mitchel McLaughlin for a "breach of standards".

He later joked about the comment at a DUP conference that year. He opened his conference speech saying it was always good to start the day with a healthy breakfast while holding a carton of yoghurt.

In the aftermath of his comments the then Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams caused offence when talking about the "Trojan horse" in the republican strategy for outreach "to people on the basis of equality" and how that was the way to "break these bastards".

"The point is to actually break these bastards - that's the point. And what's going to break them is equality. That's what's going to break them - equality.

"Who could be afraid of equality? Who could be afraid of treating somebody the way you want to be treated?"

Mr Adams was apparently answering a question about Sinn Fein's relationship with the DUP in the light of Gregory Campbell's disparaging comments about the Irish language.

He later apologised for using offensive language, insisting he was not referring to unionists.

Sinn Fein challenged the DUP to act on Mr Gregory's latest comments.

Despite repeated requests, the party did not respond.
- A Ghanaian man who is into internet fraud has revealed he went to Benin and made 2 million pounds (N1,005,990,800) as a result

- According to him, this happened back in 2009 when he discovered a rich woman he wanted to take money from but the process proved futile

- A traditional priest in Ghana recommended Benin to him after finding out that the task was beyond him

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A man who is into fraud in Ghana has revealed how he went to Benin in 2009 where he performed many rituals and made 2 million pounds (N1,005,990,800) within a short period of time.

The man narrated the entire story in the snippet of an interview on GHOne TV sighted by Legit.ng.

According to the man whose name is withheld, he came by a rich woman in 2009 who had a lot of money but did not want to give it out.

According to him, this happened back in 2009 when he discovered a rich woman he wanted to take money from but the process proved futile. Photo credit: GHOne TV

Source: UGC

To get a portion of the wealth, the man visited a traditional priest in Ghana who said the task was beyond his level and recommended Benin.

On the way to Benin, the commuters crossed two strange rivers to the site where only a special language was being spoken.

There, the man narrating the story said he was informed the rich woman was part of a serious occult group and was a 'free-agent'.

Watch the full video below:

According to the Benin priest who appeared and disappeared at the shrine, the woman's occultic group was so strong they needed to seek permission from India to be able to carry out the plot.

Until permission was granted, the wealth-seeker was required to sleep in a coffin for a week.

Subsequently, the rich woman was influenced to send GHc15m through a fraudulent deal after which she was spiritually eliminated so she would not take any revenge.

The man confirmed she collapsed at the bank right after sending the money and that was how he got all his wealth.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) said the agency was not involved in the arrest of popular Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Raymond Igbalode popularly known as Hushpuppi.

The disclosure was made by the chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu.

Forget Hushpuppi, check out 8 times Nigerians abroad made us proud | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
Married parents are both automatically guardians of their child as soon as he or she is born, as is the mother of a child born out of wedlock.

However, Irish law does not grant the same automatic privilege to the unmarried father.

Recently commenced legislative provisions concerning the guardianship of children born through donor-assisted human reproduction (DAHR) serve to accentuate the unfairness of the States treatment of unmarried fathers.

Parts 2 and 3 of the Children and Family Relationships Act (CFRA) were commenced in May, and they grant automatic guardianship rights to non-biological second parents of children born via donor-assisted human reproduction (DAHR) because of their relationship status with the childs mother (marriage or civil partnership).

In contrast, the same piece of legislation discriminates against the unmarried father by denying him automatic guardianship at birth because, no matter how great his caring intentions towards his biological child may be, he lacks a formalised relationship status with the mother.

The unmarried father can only obtain guardianship rights after the birth of the child, and even then he can only do so if he is cohabiting with or on good terms with the childs mother  otherwise he must apply to the court to be appointed a guardian of his child.

The means by which he can obtain guardianship without going through the time and expense of a court application fail to meet the needs of many unmarried fathers in modern Ireland.

The CFRA provides for a form of automatic guardianship for a man who demonstrates his commitment to the mother of his child, because it amends earlier legislation to provide for automatic guardianship in the case of an unmarried father who has cohabited with the childs mother for 12 months, including a period of at least three months after the childs birth.

However, it is not really automatic guardianship when the privilege is only acquired at least three months after the birth of the child, rather than immediately upon birth, and this could have significant consequences where cohabiting parents are in disagreement about decisions that need to be made in relation to the childs welfare before the father acquires guardianship - only a guardian can make decisions about the most important aspects of a childs upbringing.

Further, given current rental and property prices in Ireland, many committed unmarried couples are unable to afford to live together with their child and, consequently, the father is often unable to acquire guardianship by virtue of the provisions contained in the CFRA.

Since 1997, where an unmarried father is not cohabiting with the childs mother but the parties are on good terms they can agree to make a statutory declaration conferring the status of guardian on the father.

However, a significant drawback is that many unmarried fathers are not aware that they can make a statutory declaration, and simply do not use this mechanism to acquire guardianship.

The language of statutory declaration is also intimidating to many laypersons and thus a more straightforward means by which those unmarried fathers who have an amicable, non-cohabiting relationship with the childs mother can be appointed guardians should be embraced by the Oireachtas as it would be in the best interests of both the child and its biological father.

In 2015, the then-Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, stressed that the guardianship provisions in the CFRA "reflect existing constitutional protection for marital fathers and are the consequence of legal advice".

The Minister appeared to be suggesting that, in relation to guardianship, the legal position of married and unmarried fathers could not be equalised by legislation granting automatic guardianship rights to unmarried fathers on the birth of the child because of a perceived need to respect the paradigm married family that is recognised under Article 41 of the Constitution.

This reasoning does not hold up well under scrutiny because where a child is born through DAHR, a non-marital civil partner of the childs mother is accorded automatic guardianship rights on the birth of the child.

Surely the CFRA, by equating the position of a civil partner with a spouse as regards guardianship, already impinges on the constitutional protection for married families?

Further, from a child-centric perspective, the Childrens Amendment, Article 42A of the Constitution, would surely serve to temper any constitutional protection afforded to marital fathers, and instead favour largely equating the position of all fathers a la guardianship?

A measured way for the state to balance the constitutional position of marital fathers under Article 41 and the constitutional right to family life of the non-marital child under Article 42A would be to preserve the automatic guardianship rights that arise for married fathers on the birth of the child while facilitating the acquisition of such rights for unmarried fathers as quickly and easily as possible after the childs birth, irrespective of cohabitation with the mother.

This could be achieved by the introduction via legislation of automatic guardianship rights for all unmarried fathers in those situations where the mother simply consents to registering him as the father on the childs birth certificate, akin to the law in countries such as England and Wales, and New Zealand.

This reform would remove the need for the little-used statutory declaration or any cohabitation, but the need for the mothers consent would remain in order to prevent fathers who may have been violent or abusive towards the mother during pregnancy and who may be a danger to the child from automatically acquiring guardianship rights.

This balanced, pragmatic, child-centric reform would respect the primacy of the married family under Article 41 while affirming that the State is truly committed to equality in the field of parental rights and vindicating the familial rights of the non-marital child as far as practicable, as required by Article 42A.

Nonetheless, in 2017, the then-Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan, stated in the Dail that he had "no plans to provide for automatic guardianship for unmarried fathers".

One hopes that the current Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, and the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, Dr Roderic OGorman (this authors classmate from his days as an undergraduate law student at Trinity College Dublin) might consider the recommendation made here and move to improve the legal situation of the unmarried father.

- Dr Brian Tobin is a Lecturer in Law at National University of Ireland, Galway.
New Rochelle, NY, July 29, 2020--ABSA International has awarded the contract to publish their journal, Applied Biosafety: Journal of ABSA International, to Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, effective 2021. The Journal adds a dynamic component to Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.'s renowned portfolio of peer-reviewed journals in biomedical and public health research, including Health Security, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, and Viral Immunology.

"We are thrilled to partner with ABSA International to publish Applied Biosafety in 2021. The Journal joins Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. at a time of urgent need for authoritative, peer-reviewed information on global health crises, such as COVID-19," says Bob Vrooman, Publisher, New Business Development at Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Applied Biosafety (APB) is a peer-reviewed, scientific journal committed to promoting global biosafety awareness and best practices to prevent occupational exposures and adverse environmental impacts related to biohazardous releases. The Journal provides a dedicated forum for scientists, safety professionals, policymakers, engineers, architects, and governmental organizations to exchange sound biosafety and biosecurity initiatives. The Journal is committed to publishing on topics significant in well-resourced countries as well as information relevant to underserved regions.

Applied Biosafety will continue to be published quarterly in print and online, with open access options, under the editorial leadership of Coeditors-in-Chief Karen B. Byers, MS, CBSP, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Barbara Johnson, PhD, Biosafety Biosecurity International, and other leading investigators. Authors are invited to begin submitting their manuscripts now for publication in 2021.

"We are looking forward to a great partnership and continuing to improve and expand our journal to be a vital biosafety and biosecurity resource globally," says Edward J. Stygar, III, Executive Director, ABSA International.

For further information, please visit the Applied Biosafety website.

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About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, is a leading independent publisher known worldwide for its prescience and establishment of authoritative peer-reviewed journals, books, and trade publications in cutting-edge fields such as biotechnology and regenerative medicine, biomedical research, medicine and surgery, public health research and policy, technology and engineering, law and policy, environmental research and policy, and other specialized disciplines. The company publishes more than 90 peer-reviewed journals, leading trade magazines, and specialized newsletters which make critical contributions in advancing research and facilitating collaboration throughout the world in academia, industry, and government.

About ABSA International

ABSA International was founded in 1984 to become a global leader for providing professional and scientific expertise in the practice of biosafety and biosecurity. ABSA's core purpose is to promote and expand biosafety and biosecurity expertise through training, standards, publications, networking, resources, advocacy, annual biosafety/biosecurity conference, and professional credentials.
TORONTO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Fiix, a Toronto-based maintenance management platform provider, has announced its partnership with MaRS Momentum, a multi-sector program designed to support high-growth Canadian companies on their way to reaching $100 million in revenue in the next five years.

Fiix joins the Momentum programwhich is funded by FedDev Ontarioalongside 52 other Canadian success stories, including League, ecobee, and Top Hat. The program's goal is to help high-potential companies grow into global powerhouses that will build jobs and intellectual property in Canada while exporting Canadian innovations around the world.

"The companies we have selected are being built on Canadian values. They are growing in sustainable, profitable ways, solving urgent issues and creating the kind of good jobs Canada needs," says Krista Jones, Momentum's founding executive.

"Our goal as a company is to transform an industry and do it the right way," says James Novak, CEO of Fiix.

"We're in a market that's modernizing at a breakneck pace, and we're developing technology that helps our customers meet new challenges head-on, and partnering with them as they navigate this digital transformation. On top of that, we're committed to purpose and positive impact as key measures of success alongside financial growth. We are growing because of our commitment to our people, our customers and our community, not in spite of it, and that makes Fiix an exceptional company," he says.

Fiix was one of the first entrants in the cloud-based maintenance software space, and has seen demand for its maintenance platform skyrocket in recent years as more organizations move from pen and paper to digital systems in an effort to modernize their business and hit more demanding production targets.

The partnership announcement with MaRS follows an incredibly strong June for Fiix as the company saw significant momentum both in customer and revenue growth. It also comes on the heels of Fiix's launch of its Foresight platform, the first and only AI engine for maintenance, which represents the next step in Fiix's mission to transform the maintenance, repair and operations market landscape and connect tens of thousands of organizations, millions of assets, and an ecosystem of solution providers.

About MaRS

MaRS is North America's largest urban innovation hub. A registered non-profit, MaRS supports high-growth startups and scale-ups tackling key issues in the health, cleantech, fintech and other sectors. In addition, MaRS convenes all members of the tech ecosystem to drive breakthrough discoveries, grow the economy and make an impact by solving real problems for real people  in Canada and around the world.

About Fiix

Fiix is the maintenance management platform that combines mobile asset management, work order, and parts management and supercharges it with the most open integration network and AI-driven insights. With Fiix, you can connect shop floor IoT solutions, parts suppliers, contractors, and corporate IT systems quickly and easily to improve the way physical assets and people interact and drive better business outcomes.

There are over 2600 maintenance teams in 90+ countries using Fiix to improve communication, asset health, and even sustainability. Learn more at www.fiixsoftware.com.

SOURCE Fiix Inc.

Related Links

http://www.fiixsoftware.com


SINGAPORE, July 29, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - With Southeast Asia poised to rebound strongly in 2021 to become one of the most promising markets worldwide, the established InfoComm Southeast Asia platform offers Professional AudioVisual companies a valuable opportunity to leverage this market potential and pursue business growth.Despite a gloomy global economic outlook and a general slowdown in 2020, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have both projected a strong rebound for Southeast Asia's economies in 2021.These range from 4.7 percent from the ADB, to 6.2 percent according to the IMF World Economic Outlook. The IMF estimates that advanced economies including the US and UK will grow 4.8 percent in 2021.Southeast Asia, as organized under the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) grouping, comprises Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei and Laos.Indeed, in 2020, even though there is a global economic slowdown, Southeast Asia's economies will contract to a lesser extent. According to the IMF, the world economy will shrink 4.9 percent in 2020, while Southeast Asia's economies will contract by 2 percent.Mr Richard Tan, the executive director of InfoCommAsia, which organizes InfoComm Southeast Asia, said: "The global economy is facing some serious headwinds this year, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and geopolitical uncertainties. But it has become apparent that Southeast Asia is well-placed to emerge even stronger from these global crises."InfoComm Southeast Asia - which made headlines when it attracted 7,743 regional business visitors to its debut in 2019 - is the region's premier showcase for global Professional AudioVisual Technologies and Solutions.Mr Tan added, "For businesses which are seeking new markets and growth opportunities in challenging times, the Southeast Asian region is a bright spot which will continue to shine."This is due to the region's fast-growing middle class which was twice the size in 2020 as it was in 2012, higher spending power, increasing urbanization and growth of smart cities, which require cutting-edge technology.Against a backdrop of increasing consumption, global events have also accelerated interest in digitization and technology in Southeast Asia, and a demand for digital applications and innovations.For instance, one of the key thrusts of an ASEAN work group which is coming up with a COVID-19 recovery strategy for the region as a whole, is to embrace the digital transformation that COVID-19 has brought to telecommuting and health management.To that end, one of the key attractions of InfoComm Southeast Asia 2021 is that it is co-located with a brand-new platform for emerging technologies, NIXT Southeast Asia, which is also organized by InfoCommAsia.NIXT -- Next Integrated Experience Technology -- is the first platform of its kind worldwide.It delivers transformative solutions to future-centric businesses by bringing together all the stakeholders in the business transformation process, to leverage next-generation technologies like AI, 5G, Robotics, Wearables, Quantum Computing and IoT.NIXT Southeast Asia promises to be a draw for businesses and end-users which appreciate the synergies between both NIXT and InfoComm Southeast Asia, so that they can deploy the most effective next-generation solutions.Said Mr Tan, "Due to COVID-19, there has been a collective awakening to the importance of technologies that not only prepare us for similar occurrences in a healthcare context, but also in enabling a new digital lifestyle in a post-pandemic future."He added, "The demand for Professional AudioVisual applications and emerging technologies in the region was already clearly evident in 2019. But global events have taken this up a notch. Amidst increasing challenges to global trade, InfoComm Southeast Asia provides an agnostic platform for brands from all countries around the world to compete in this promising regional market."Updates from InfoCommAsia can be found at: www.infocomm-sea.comAbout InfoCommAsiaInfoCommAsia Pte Ltd. extends its influence through three marquee shows: InfoComm Southeast Asia, Beijing InfoComm China, and InfoComm India. Each show comprises an exhibition that showcases the world's most cutting-edge and in-demand inventions, and a Summit that presents learning opportunities. Bringing together industry players and top-level decision-makers from across all industries, the shows enable industry players to tap into the vast potential presented by the Professional AudioVisual and Integrated Experience Technology markets of each country and region.Additional information is available at:- infocomm-sea.com- infocomm-china.com- infocomm-india.comFor more information, please contact:Rest of the WorldClarence ChangRegional Marketing DirectorInfoCommAsia Pte Ltdclarencechang@infocommasia.comThailandPiyaporn Preedee (Kob)Marketing ManagerExpo Inter Co., Ltdkob@expointer.netSource: InfoCommAsiaCopyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
A Texas man has been charged with murder after a teenage girl was shot on Sunday at an illegal street racing event in the heart of Hollywood.

According to the prosecutors, Ramon Roque Monreal, 33, from El Pazo, was charged with a murder case on Tuesday.

The incident started with two men in an argument, and then, later on, some shots were fired. Meanwhile, Alejandra Estrada, 17, was watching the race when she was unexpectedly shot, according to a report by The San Diego Union-Tribune. This shooting caused Alejandra's death, and a second victim was wounded but is expected to survive.





GIRL, 17, FATALLY SHOT IN HOLLYWOOD WHEN ALTERCATION ERUPTS DURING ILLEGAL STREET RACE



Ramon Roque Monreal Shooting suspect a 33-year-old was taken into custody.



Alejandra Ale Estrada, a bystander was declared dead at the scene. Hollywood, California:GIRL, 17, FATALLY SHOT IN HOLLYWOOD WHEN ALTERCATION ERUPTS DURING ILLEGAL STREET RACERamon Roque Monreal Shooting suspect a 33-year-old was taken into custody.Alejandra Ale Estrada, a bystander was declared dead at the scene. pic.twitter.com/fR0ckCPKVF  Scotty McGuire (@McguireScotty) July 28, 2020

Several videos were posted on social media showing a spill out of an argument between two men in the intersection. According to the police, one of them was wearing a black shirt, dark pants, and white shoes identified as Monreal. Monreal was seen confronting a big man in a white shirt.

"You down to do some stuff like that?" Monreal asked before he pulled a handgun from his waistband. Another man who was watching Monreal's argument with the other guy went to swing and punched the gunman in the head twice and knocked him on the ground. That was when Monreal fired three quick shots and scattered the crowd.

The spokesman for the district attorney's office, Ricardo Santiago, said that Alejandra Estrada and the other victim were attending the street race in the area when shots rang out.

Monreal is now also being charged with attempted murder. According to L.A News, Monreal was armed with a handgun when he was arrested on Sunday morning. He has not entered a plea though he was scheduled to appear on court on Tuesday afternoon.

Street races happen to take advantage of the empty roadways during the pandemic. Racers block sections of the road to perform dangerous stunts, including burnouts. The police warned earlier this year the roll races coming in from all over the state when California was shut down as a response to the coronavirus battle. The street race that led to shooting on Sunday and killed Estrada is described as a "full-blown takeover," according to the law enforcement official.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Uzbekistan could be the starting point for SUEZ Group's business development in this specific region which is attracting development cooperation funding agreements, a representative of the SUEZ company told Trend in an interview.

Administration of Tashkent city of Uzbekistan has announced the start of cooperation with French SUEZ International, on June 15, 2020, on the basis of signed contract. The total budget of this project is 185.4 million euros. According to the contract, a promising and innovative seven-year Tashkent Water Supply Transformation Plan project will be implemented.

"The contract was signed at the beginning of March. Due to the international health crisis, the communication has been displayed more recently," the rep noted.

The "Tashkent Water Transformation Plan" (TWTP) project led by SUEZ is part of a broader project called "Tashkent Strategy 2030", which reflects the Uzbek authorities willingness to modernize the city of Tashkent, and make it a flagship for the country and more broadly, for the Central Asian region.

"Suez and its Uzbek counterparts (Municipality of Tashkent and National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity of Uzbekistan) are structuring an innovative and attractive financing, based on the buyer credit scheme with the support of the French Public Investment Bank and the French Ministry of Finance, as well as several leading European banks", stated representative of the French company.

As he noted, the main operational partner in charge of its implementation is the Tashkent Shahar SuvTaminoti (TSST) water company, which will subcontract certain tasks to local companies.

"SUEZ will implement a large portfolio of solutions covering analysis and diagnosis of water and wastewater networks as well as the implementation of operational, digital and technical solutions to optimize network performance (leak detection and reduction, smart metering and customer relation systems). It should also be pointed out that the contract provides a training part and know-how transfer with the mobilization of 50 expatriate or local experts to reinforce the organization of TSST", stated representative of French SUEZ company.

According to representative of SUEZ, the objective of this project is to meet the needs of a growing population and a certain economic and industrial development, while preserving water resources.

"Better management of networks makes it possible to limit the consumption of a water resource that has become precious and to limit the quantity of wastewater discharged directly into the natural environment (reduction of leaks in distribution and sewerage networks, etc.) while meeting the needs of users. This helps to preserve the water across the country," rep said.

As representative said, French companys ambition is to work in major cities across Uzbekistan, across the entire value chain in water services from consulting to operation. For this purpose, SUEZ opened its offices in Tashkent and Samarkand and intends to create a regional center in the republic for its expansion in Central Asia.

Besides, according to rep, SUEZ was in competition for the management of water in the city of Tashkent. Veolia Environnement also expressed interest in water projects of Tashkent.

"It is true that Veolia Environnement and SUEZ were in competition for the management of water in the city of Tashkent. said representative of SUEZ.

SUEZ (formerly Suez Environnement) is a French-based utility company which operates largely in the water and waste management sectors. Suez is number one private water provider worldwide.

With an active presence on five continents, SUEZ and its 90,000 employees strive to preserve environments natural capital: water, soil, and air. Since the end of the 19th century, SUEZ has built expertise aimed at helping people to constantly improve their quality of life by protecting their health and supporting economic growth.

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Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Logan Newman, founder of the East High School Vision Care Program, named recipient of the 2020 Bonnie Strickland Champion for Childrens Vision Award from the NCCVEH. Prevent Blindness congratulates Mr. Logan Newman on this outstanding program that provides much-needed eyecare services to students, while also creating opportunities for our future sight-savers through skills and leadership training, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.

The National Center for Childrens Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) has announced the recipient of the sixth annual Bonnie Strickland Champion for Childrens Vision Award as Logan Newman, NBCT, ABO, MS Ed, Program Developer and NYS Certified Science teacher and Career in Technical Experience Teacher at the East High School Vision Care Program.

The Bonnie Strickland Champion for Childrens Vision Award recognizes significant efforts by an individual or group of individuals to improve public health approaches for childrens vision and eye health at the state or national level. The award was established in 2014 by the Advisory Committee of the National Center for Childrens Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness to commemorate Bonnie Strickland and her groundbreaking work to establish a comprehensive system for childrens vision in the U.S. She served as Director of the Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs, Maternal and Child Health Bureau before her retirement in 2014. In this capacity, Bonnie was a powerful force, improving vision for children through strong national partnerships, innovative program approaches, and enhanced national surveillance.

Newman, a former US Navy medic with training as an optician, and current East High School science teacher, was selected by the all-volunteer Bonnie Strickland Champion for Childrens Vision Award Committee in recognition of his innovative, educational and vocational approach to vision and eye care for disadvantaged and underserved youth in Rochester, New York.

Under Newmans direction, local volunteer eye care providers perform refractive examinations in the Rochester City schools for students who do not pass their school-based vision screening. Newman and his team of student-opticians have provided over 100 clinics for eyeglasses- including eyeglass selection, fitting, and dispensing- throughout Rochester City Schools. Prescription eyeglasses are provided free of charge. To date, more than 5,000 pairs of glasses have been made for RCSD students.

In addition, Newman created the program to teach high school students the necessary skills to make eye glasses and work as student-opticians at the Vision Care school clinics over the course of three years.



Year 1 is a fabrication course where the students learn how to make glasses and use the tools needed to manufacture the glasses.

Year 2 is a dispensing course where students work with patients and doctors and learn patient skills as the dispense glasses in a team setting.

Year 3 is a leadership course where students learn to manage the clinics and assist the school nurse as they perform visual acuities for RCSD students.

Students in the program collect college credits toward an optician degree at Erie Community College in Williamsville, New York. Many students have gone on to obtain optician degrees from ECC while Newman has helped others obtain work as optical lab technicians right out of high school.

Being an educator myself, I know the tremendous impact that healthy eyesight can have on a students ability to perform well in the classroom, said Newman. I created the East High Vision Care Program not only to help provide eyecare services and glasses to those who need it most, but to put the next generation of eyecare providers on the right path to help others see clearly in the future.

Past recipients of the Bonnie Strickland Champion for Childrens Vision Award include Anne L. Coleman, MD, MPH, UCLA Stein Eye Institute, for her efforts to improve childrens vision through stakeholder engagement, resource development, and services to high-risk populations of children, specifically through her work at the UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic (UMEC). Additional past recipients include the Vision in Preschoolers (VIP) Study Group, Richard Bunner, retired from the Ohio Department of Health; Sean P. Donahue, MD, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Vanderbilt University; the Illinois Eye Institute (IEI) at Princeton Vision Clinic; and the Pediatric Physicians Organization at Childrens (PPOC).

Prevent Blindness congratulates Mr. Logan Newman on this outstanding program that provides much-needed eyecare services to students, while also creating opportunities for our future sight-savers through skills and leadership training, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. The East High Vision Care Program is a shining example of the positive outcomes that are possible when local eye doctors, educators, and schools collaborate.

For more information on the 2020 Bonnie Strickland Champion for Childrens Vision Award, Prevent Blindness or the NCCVEH, please visit nationalcenter.preventblindness.org or contact Donna Fishman at (800) 331-2020 or dfishman@preventblindness.org.

About the National Center for Childrens Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. In 2009, Prevent Blindness established the National Center for Childrens Vision and Eye Health, with funding and leadership support from the HRSA- Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Serving as a major resource for the establishment of a public health infrastructure, the National Center advances and promotes childrens vision and eye care, providing leadership and training to public entities throughout the United States. The National Center is advised by a committee of national experts and leaders from the fields of ophthalmology, optometry, pediatrics, nursing, family advocates and public health to guide the work and recommendations of the Center. For more information, or to make a contribution to the sight-saving fund, call (800) 331-2020. Or, visit us on the Web at http://nationalcenter.preventblindness.org or http://www.facebook.com/preventblindness.

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NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP)  Cyprus doesnt expect to see this year more than 20%-25% of the record 3.97 million vacationing visitors the Mediterranean island nation welcomed in 2019 because the coronavirus pandemic has so far shut out its key tourist markets, the countrys deputy tourism minister said Wednesday.

Savvas Perdios said tourism-generated revenue will fall accordingly this year, and he warned that the industry may experience a longer-lasting impact from the pandemic than other sectors of Cyprus economy.

People are likely be more cautious about traveling overseas, Perdios told The Associated Press.

Tourism directly contributes more than 13% to Cyprus' 22 billion-euro ($26 billion) economy. But Perdios said theres a silver lining to the gloomy forecasts as tourism arrivals are expected to eventually rebound with younger travelers leading the way.

Cyprus managed to contain the spread of COVID-19 by imposing a strict lockdown and night-time curfew between March and June. Authorities hoped to attract vacationers after international commercial flights resumed on June 9.

But the country also has taken a cautious approach to reopening in order to prevent a COVID-19 resurgence through imported cases. The government established a tiered system for travel restrictions that groups other nations based on their coronavirus infection rates.

Travelers from some 21 medium-risk, Category B countries are required to obtain health certificates declaring them virus-free three days before boarding flights to Cyprus. Travelers from Category C countries must undergo a 14-day quarantine on arrival.

The United Kingdom - Cyprus' prime market for tourists - is set to be promoted to Category B on Aug. 1, but Perdios said the compulsory health certificates present an obstacle. British tour operators are reluctant to organize vacation packages to Cyprus as long as the U.K. remains in category B.

We expect that for as long as U.K. will be in Category B...we will be receiving approximately 25% of the usual performance of the market, mainly from individual travelers, Perdios said.

Cyprus other key tourist markets - Russia and Israel - are currently relegated to Category C.

At this stage, public health is the countrys top priority, No compromises could be done on health issues, Perdios said.
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L Brands Inc. is cutting back sharply, with a plan to reduce annual costs by $400 million as it spins off the ailing Victorias Secret business from its much stronger Bath & Body Works unit.

Bath & Body Works will remain a pure-play public company, while Victorias Secret operates as a stand-alone business. This is try number two for the company to put Bath & Body Works front and center, coming after an earlier deal to sell control of Victorias Secret to Sycamore Partners fell through after the private equity firm said the retailer violated their agreement by closing its stores during the pandemic.

More from WWD

Once the deal fell through, L Brands said it would go it alone and split up the businesses. Tuesdays plan lays out how the company plans to start the process.

Investors liked the start and pushed shares of the company up 15.5 percent to $22.10 in after-hours trading.

The cost savings will come though plans to boost profitability at Victorias Secret and to decentralize and streamline corporate functions. About $175 million of the savings will be reached this year, including $75 million to cut 15 percent of the headcount in the firms home office, or 850 associates.

The company is also working to be more disciplined with inventory at Victorias Secret, with fall receipts down 50 percent from a year earlier. The chain also previously revealed plans to close 250 doors this year.

Victoria Secrets U.K. business also entered in to what the firm described as light administration or bankruptcy in June to restructure leases and said it subsequently signed Heads of Terms with a major fashion retailer and is in an exclusive period of negotiation.

Andrew Meslow, chief executive officer of L Brands, said: The board and management remain committed to separating the Bath & Body Works and Victorias Secret businesses, as well as improving the profitability of the Victorias Secret business. During the second quarter, we made meaningful progress toward these goals. Decisions relating to our workforce are incredibly difficult and not taken lightly, but these actions are necessary to best position our company for the long term.

L Brands reports its second-quarter results on Aug. 19 and expects Victorias Secret to show a 40 percent sales decline for the period.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 16:31:18|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' outstanding debt soared past 9 trillion pesos (roughly 183.9 billion U.S. dollars) as of end-June as the government borrowed more to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the country's Bureau of Treasury said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the treasury bureau said the total debt stock for the month reached 9.05 trillion pesos, an increase of 163.3 billion pesos (roughly 3.3 billion U.S. dollars) or 1.8 percent compared to May "due to the net issuance and availment of domestic and external financing."

Of the total outstanding debt stock, the bureau said 32 percent were sourced externally while 68 percent are domestic debt.

Data from the Department of Finance (DOF) of the Philippines showed that from January to June, the government has availed program loans worth 216.3 billion pesos (roughly 4.4 billion U.S. dollars) for coronavirus response, with 130.5 billion pesos (roughly 2.6 billion U.S. dollars) from the Asian Development Bank and 85.8 billion pesos (roughly 1.74 billion U.S. dollars) from the World Bank.

The Philippines' debt-to-GDP ratio before the COVID-19 strike was at only 39.6 percent in 2019.

Ndiame Diop, the newly designated country director of the World Bank for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, said that with the Philippines' debt of equivalent to just 40 percent the size of its economy at the time when the coronavirus pandemic struck, the Philippine government has enough fiscal space to address the emergency triggered by the COVID-19 crisis. Enditem
Prominent experts such as Homi Bhabha and Gurminder Bhambra are among 86 individuals elected to the prestigious fellowship of the British Academy in recognition of their contribution to subjects within the humanities and social sciences.

Established in 1899, the academy is a funding body that supports new research, nationally and internationally and a forum for debate and engagement. The overall current strength of the fellowship is nearly 1,400, comprising prominent UK and international academics.

Based at Harvard University, Bhabha is a leading authority in areas such as cultural studies, literary and aesthetic traditions of postcolonial and minority cultures; race, rights and the ethics of global migration; intellectual innovations and the public recognition of transdisciplinary humanities; cultural citizenship and the arts of inclusion.

Bhambra is at the University of Sussex, specialising in historical sociology and modernity, social theory, epistemology, and the intersection of postcolonial and decolonial studies; and the political economy of race and colonialism.

The new fellows include Sheldon Pollock (Columbia University), whose areas of expertise include Sanskrit philology; Indian literature, intellectual history, history of aesthetics; theory of philology and of comparativism.

Christopher Pinney of University College London has been honoured for his contribution to commercial print cultures of South Asia (especially chromolithography), visual culture of popular politics and religion; anthropological approaches to photography, history of photography in India; Hindu practice in rural central India.

Also honoured in the 2020 fellows list is writer Thomas Piketty of the Paris School of Economics, a widely-read writer whose specialisation includes historical and theoretical work on the interplay between economic development, the distribution of income and wealth, and political conflict.

David Cannadine, president of the British Academy, said: I would like to extend a warm welcome and hearty congratulations to the individuals who have joined the British Academy Fellowship.

This is a time to reflect on the many invaluable contributions these academics have made to their disciplines. It is also a time for celebration, and I hope that, social distancing measures notwithstanding, each of our new Fellows is able to do so in ways great or small.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Prasun Sonwalkar Prasun Sonwalkar was Editor (UK & Europe), Hindustan Times. During more than three decades, he held senior positions on the Desk, besides reporting from Indias north-east and other states, including a decade covering politics from New Delhi. He has been reporting from UK and Europe since 1999. ...view detail
Customer Personal Data Exposed in 80% of Breaches Analyzed; AI and Automation Significantly Reduce Costs

Customer PII was the most commonly exposed type of data in a breach, according to IBM-Ponemon 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM Security (NYSE: IBM) announced today the results of a global study examining the financial impact of data breaches, revealing that these incidents cost companies studied $3.86 million per breach on average, and that compromised employee accounts were the most expensive root cause. Based on in-depth analysis of data breaches experienced by over 500 organizations worldwide, 80% of these incidents resulted in the exposure of customers' personally identifiable information (PII). Out of all types of data exposed in these breaches, customer PII was also the costliest to businesses studied.

As companies are increasingly accessing sensitive data via new remote work and cloud-based business operations, the report sheds light on the financial losses that organizations can suffer if this data is compromised. A separate IBM study found that over half of surveyed employees new to working from home due to the pandemic have not been provided with new guidelines on how to handle customer PII, despite the changing risk models associated with this shift.

Sponsored by IBM Security and conducted by the Ponemon Institute, the 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report is based on in-depth interviews with more than 3,200 security professional in organizations that suffered a data breach over the past year.1 Some of the top findings from this year's report include:

Smart Tech Slashes Breach Costs in Half: Companies studied who had fully deployed security automation technologies (which leverage AI, analytics and automated orchestration to identify and respond to security events) experienced less than half the data breach costs compared to those who didn't have these tools deployed  $2.45 million vs. $6.03 million on average.

Companies studied who had fully deployed security automation technologies (which leverage AI, analytics and automated orchestration to identify and respond to security events) experienced less than half the data breach costs compared to those who didn't have these tools deployed  vs. on average. Paying a Premium for Compromised Credentials : In incidents where attackers accessed corporate networks through the use of stolen or compromised credentials, studied businesses saw nearly $1 million higher data breach costs compared to the global average  reaching $4.77 million per data breach. Exploiting third-party vulnerabilities was the second costliest root cause of malicious breaches ( $4.5 million ) for this group.

: In incidents where attackers accessed corporate networks through the use of stolen or compromised credentials, studied businesses saw nearly higher data breach costs compared to the global average  reaching per data breach. Exploiting third-party vulnerabilities was the second costliest root cause of malicious breaches ( ) for this group. Mega Breach 2 Costs Soar by the Millions : Breaches wherein over 50 million records were compromised saw costs jump to $392 million from $388 million the previous year. Breaches where 40 to 50 million records were exposed cost studied companies $364 million on average, a cost increase of $19 million compared to the 2019 report.

: Breaches wherein over 50 million records were compromised saw costs jump to from the previous year. Breaches where 40 to 50 million records were exposed cost studied companies on average, a cost increase of compared to the 2019 report. Nation State Attacks  The Most Damaging Breaches: Data breaches believed to originate from nation state attacks were the costliest, compared to other threat actors examined in the report. State-sponsored attacks averaged $4.43 million in data breach costs, surpassing both financially motivated cybercriminals and hacktivists.

"When it comes to businesses' ability to mitigate the impact of a data breach, we're beginning to see a clear advantage held by companies that have invested in automated technologies," said Wendi Whitmore, Vice President, IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence. "At a time when businesses are expanding their digital footprint at an accelerated pace and the security industry's talent shortage persists, teams can be overwhelmed securing more devices, systems and data. Security automation can help resolve this burden, not only supporting a faster breach response but a more cost-efficient one as well."

Employee Credentials and Misconfigured Clouds  Attackers' Entry Point of Choice

Stolen or compromised credentials and cloud misconfigurations were the most common causes of a malicious breach for companies in the report, representing nearly 40% of malicious incidents. With over 8.5 billion records exposed in 2019, and attackers using previously exposed emails and passwords in one out of five breaches studied, businesses should rethink their security strategy via the adoption of a zero-trust approach  reexamining how they authenticate users and the extent of access users are granted.

Similarly, companies' struggle with security complexity  a top breach cost factor  is likely contributing to cloud misconfigurations becoming a growing security challenge. The 2020 report revealed that attackers used cloud misconfigurations to breach networks nearly 20% of the time, increasing breach costs by more than half a million dollars to $4.41 million on average  making it the third most expensive initial infection vector examined in the report.

State Sponsored Attacks Strike Heaviest

Despite representing just 13% of malicious breaches studied, state-sponsored threat actors were the most damaging type of adversary according to the 2020 report, suggesting that financially motivated attacks (53%) don't necessarily translate into higher financial losses for businesses. The highly tactical nature, longevity and stealth maneuvers of state-backed attacks, as well as the high value data targeted, often result in a more extensive compromise of victim environments, increasing breach costs to an average of $4.43 million.

In fact, the respondents in the Middle East, a region that historically experiences a higher proportion of state-sponsored attacks compared to other parts of the world3, saw over 9% yearly rise in their average breach cost, incurring the second highest average breach cost ($6.52 million) amongst the 17 regions studied. Similarly, businesses studied in the energy sector, one of the most frequently targeted industries by nation states, experienced a 14% increase in breach costs year over year, averaging $6.39 million.

Advanced Security Technologies Prove Smart for Business

The report highlights the growing divide in breach costs between businesses implementing advanced security technologies and those lagging behind, revealing a cost-saving difference of $3.58 million for studied companies with fully deployed security automation versus those that have yet to deploy this type of technology. The cost gap has grown by $2 million, from a difference of $1.55 million in 2018.

Companies in the study with fully deployed security automation also reported a significantly shorter response time to breaches, another key factor shown to reduce breach costs in the analysis. The report found that AI, machine learning, analytics and other forms of security automation enabled companies to respond to breaches over 27% faster on average, than companies that have yet to deploy security automation  the latter of which require on average 74 additional days to identify and contain a breach.

Incident response (IR) preparedness also continues to heavily influence the financial aftermath of a breach. According to the report, companies with neither an IR team nor testing of IR plans experience $5.29 million in average breach costs, whereas companies that have both an IR team and use tabletop exercises or simulations to test IR plans experience $2 million less in breach costs  reaffirming that preparedness and readiness yield a significant ROI in cybersecurity.

Some additional findings from this year's report include:

Remote Work Risk Will Have a Cost: With hybrid work models creating less controlled environments, the report found that 70% of companies studied that adopted telework amid the pandemic expect it will exacerbate data breach costs.

With hybrid work models creating less controlled environments, the report found that 70% of companies studied that adopted telework amid the pandemic expect it will exacerbate data breach costs. CISOs Faulted for Breaches, Despite Limited Decision-Making Power : Forty-six percent of respondents said the CISO/CSO is ultimately held responsible for the breach, despite only 27% stating the CISO/CSO is the security policy and technology decision-maker. The report found that appointing a CISO was associated with $145,000 cost savings versus the average cost of a breach.

: Forty-six percent of respondents said the CISO/CSO is ultimately held responsible for the breach, despite only 27% stating the CISO/CSO is the security policy and technology decision-maker. The report found that appointing a CISO was associated with cost savings versus the average cost of a breach. Majority of Cyber Insured Businesses Use Claims for Third Party Fees: The report found that breaches at studied organizations with cyber insurance cost on average nearly $200,000 less than the global average of $3.86 million . In fact, of these organizations that used their cyber insurance, 51% applied it to cover third-party consulting fees and legal services, while 36% of organizations used it for victim restitution costs. Only 10% used claims to cover the cost of ransomware or extortion.

The report found that breaches at studied organizations with cyber insurance cost on average nearly less than the global average of . In fact, of these organizations that used their cyber insurance, 51% applied it to cover third-party consulting fees and legal services, while 36% of organizations used it for victim restitution costs. Only 10% used claims to cover the cost of ransomware or extortion. Regional & Industry Insights: While studied companies in the U.S. continued to experience the highest data breach costs in the world, at $8.64 million on average, those studied in Scandinavia experienced the biggest year over year increase in breach costs, observing a nearly 13% rise. Responding healthcare companies continued to incur the highest average breach costs at $7.13 million  an over 10% increase compared to the 2019 study.

About the Study

The annual Cost of a Data Breach Report is based on in-depth analysis of real-world data breaches experienced by over 500 organizations worldwide taking place between August 2019 and April 2020, taking into account hundreds of cost factors including legal, regulatory and technical activities to loss of brand equity, customers, and employee productivity.

To download a copy of the 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report, please visit: ibm.com/databreach

Sign up for the 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report webinar on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. ET here: https://ibm.biz/BdqhMf

About IBM Security

IBM Security offers one of the most advanced and integrated portfolios of enterprise security products and services. The portfolio, supported by world-renowned IBM X-Force research, enables organizations to effectively manage risk and defend against emerging threats. IBM operates one of the world's broadest security research, development and delivery organizations, monitors 70 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries, and has been granted more than 10,000 security patents worldwide. For more information, please check www.ibm.com/security, follow @IBMSecurity on Twitter or visit the IBM Security Intelligence blog.

1 Report analyzes data breaches occurring between August 2019 and April 2020. Limitations of the report's methodology can be found in the report.

2 The 2020 Cost of a Data Breach Report examines the cost of a mega breach, namely breaches involving the loss or theft of one million records or more, based on a separate analysis of a specific sample.

3 According to the IBM 2020 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index: https://ibm.biz/downloadxforcethreatindex

Press Contact:

IBM Security Media Relations

Georgia Prassinos

[email protected]

(571) 365-6065

SOURCE IBM
Minneapolis police say they've identified the man who helped spark weeks of violence after the death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports  and protesting racism and police brutality was not his intent.

In May, a video spread widely of a man dressed in black and carrying an umbrella while smashing windows at a Minneapolis AutoZone not far from where Floyd was killed. The AutoZone was later burned down as people took over the Minneapolis police's third precinct and the Target store across the street from it, and police say this man was a member of the Hell's Angels biker gang intent on sparking this sort of violence.

"This was the first fire that set off a string of fires and looting throughout the precinct and the rest of the city," arson investigator Erika Christensen said in an affadavit filed this week. "The protests had been relatively peaceful" until the so-called "Umbrella man" showed up and "created an atmosphere of hostility and tension," Christensen continued, saying she "believes that this individual's sole aim was to incite violence."

The 32-year-old man has also been linked to an incident in a Minneapolis suburb last month where men in "white supremacist garb" confronted a Muslim woman, the Star Tribune reports. He has not been charged with a crime yet.

More stories from theweek.com

Republicans' coronavirus aid bill is a joke. It might take a stock market crash to change their minds.

Even mild coronavirus cases can cause lasting cardiovascular damage, study shows

Rep. Louie Gohmert aide suggests his staffers have been 'berated' for wearing masks


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China and Europe jointly promoting anti-epidemic cooperation and economic recovery would benefit both sides and the whole world, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said on Tuesday.

Liu made the remarks during the 8th China-EU High-level Economic and Trade Dialogue, co-chaired via video link with Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice president of the European Commission.

In the meeting, the two sides conducted in-depth, candid and practical discussions on the theme of "Post-COVID-19 China-EU Cooperation, Promote Steady Recovery and Growth for Global Economy" and achieved a series of fruitful results on jointly fighting the epidemic, global economic governance, industrial and supply chain security, China-EU investment agreement negotiations, WTO reform, expansion of market openings, the digital economy, interconnectivity, and financial and taxation cooperation.

Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU diplomatic relations, they said the China-EU High-level Economic and Trade Dialogue was of great significance against the backdrop of COVID-19 and the severe impact on the world economy.

The two sides agreed to work together to implement the important consensus reached between their leaders.

They agreed to enhance mutual understanding, create certainty amid uncertainty, enhance market confidence, and jointly promote China-EU economic and trade cooperation to a new level in the post-epidemic era.

Liu said the COVID-19 epidemic was a common challenge for humanity. "As two major global economies, China and Europe jointly promote global unity in fighting the pandemic, promote the economic recovery, and jointly safeguard multilateralism and the free trade system, which is beneficial to China, Europe and the whole world," he said.

Dombrovskis said the EU and China were important cooperative partners, and promoting the development of EU-China relations was in the common interests of both sides.
Actor Aishwarya Rai has shared a note of thanks for her fans who prayed for her and her familys heath. Aishwarya, her husband Abhishek Bachchan, father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan and daughter Aaradhya were diagnosed with Covid-19 earlier this month. She and Aaradhya tested negative on Sunday and were allowed to leave for home from the hospital.

Aishwarya took to Instagram to share a new picture and tell her fans that she is overwhelmed with their love. The photo showed her and Aaradhyas hands, joined in a namaste and to make a heart sign. THANK YOU SO SO MUCH for ALL your Prayers , Concern, Wishes and Love for my darling Angel Aaradhya and for Pa, Ab ...and me TRULY OVERWHELMED and forever indebted...GOD BLESS YOU ALL. ALL MY LOVE ALWAYS and Prayers for the well-being of you ALL and all yours... Truly, Deeply and Heartfelt... Be Well and Be Safe GOD BLESS LOVE YOU All too, she wrote in the caption.

Her fans were happy to learn about her recovery. May Allah bless you both, read a comment. God bless you, read another.

While Aishwarya and Aaradhya are back home, Amitabh and Abhishek are still at the hospital. In a post on his official blog, the Bollywood veteran said that he became emotional when Aaradhya told him that he would be back home soon.

Also read: What Shah Rukh Khan once said about leaving movies for Gauri Khan: I would go insane but for her

They go home, the little one and Bahurani... and the tears flow out... the little one embraces and tells me not to cry... Youll be home soon, she assures... I must believe her, he said. On Monday, Abhishek had said that he and his father were still under the care of medical staff at the Nanavati Hospitals isolation ward. My father and I remain in hospital under the care of the medical staff. Thank you all for your continued prayers and good wishes. Indebted forever, the 44-year-old actor tweeted. Both Amitabh and Abhishek have been sharing their health updates with fans on various social media platforms.

Last week, Amitabh had dismissed reports that he had finally tested negative for coronavirus, calling the piece of news an incorrigible lie.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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A hospital in Ho Chi Minh City says it will stop receiving patients for three days this week given the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic at the moment.

City International Hospital in Binh Tan District will not admit new patients from Wednesday to Friday, the management board of the hospital said in a notice on Wednesday morning, citing COVID-19 concerns.

The hospital will not grant entry to patient visitors and contractors during this period, according to the notice.

Sorry for this inconvenience. Thank you! the notice reads.

A notice from City International Hospital in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

The hospital already ceased receiving new patients on Wednesday morning, a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper journalist reported from the site.

Patient visitors were kept waiting outside the hospital while health workers took supplies for inpatients from them from a distance.

Medical staff ran temperature checks in the main hall where sanitizers were placed.

I was surprised to read the notice as I had booked an appointment for my child to see the doctor here, Phuong Be, a Binh Tan resident, told Tuoi Tre.

Its for the sake of pandemic control, I agree, but the hospital should have informed us before in order to save us time.

People wash hands at City International Hospital in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City, July 29, 2020. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

An official from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health told Tuoi Tre on Wednesday morning that his agency had known of the temporary closure of the City International Hospital.

When there is any suspected [coronavirus] case, such a shutdown is advisable, the official said.

The citys relevant agencies are carefully verifying everything and waiting for the Ministry of Healths confirmation.

Vietnam has logged 30 community-based cases since Saturday last week, ending a streak of 99 days without a single local transmission, according to a Tuoi Tre News count.

Twenty-six of the patients, including three critical cases, are in Da Nang, three in Quang Nam, and one in Quang Ngai Province. Those in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai are all linked to the Da Nang cases.

About 18,000 people who had been in Da Nang have returned to Ho Chi Minh City over the past few days, authorities said.

The city has said it will test all arriving from Da Nang since July 1 to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

Vietnam has registered 446 coronavirus patients as of Wednesday morning, with 276 imported cases quarantined upon arrival, according to the health ministry.

The Southeast Asian nation has confirmed 369 recoveries and zero fatalities to date.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) has said that the 2020 election must be on the platform of jobs for Ghanaians.

It said such a debate would guide Ghanaians in selecting the next President in the December 2020 election who was capable of tackling the nagging unemployment situation in the country.



A statement signed by the National Secretary of the PPP, Paa Kow Ackon, said there was no doubt that the unemployment situation had worsened.



It said Ghanaians needed to decide which political party or politicians had worsened the unemployment situation in the country.



Job creations



The statement recalled that in 2012 and 2016, all political parties promised to create jobs because it was the most pressing need at the time in the lives of majority of the electorate.



Eight years after those promises were made, the situation has become worse, and calls for an evaluation of how the various political parties have performed in solving the unemployment situation, it noted.



The statement said the Presidential Candidate of the PPP in the 2012 and 2016 elections, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, had been acknowledged for creating permanent jobs, directly and indirectly in Ghana.



It said he was considered a doer by people from all walks of life due to his job creation.



Collapsed businesses



It said since the 2016 election however, Dr Nduoms job creation machine had been shut down for political considerations.



The statement said prospective entrepreneurs who looked up to Dr Nduom had been denied the critical mentorship needed to achieve their dreams.



The PPP hereby gives notice that the challenges that have been deliberately foisted on Groupe Nduom companies particularly GN Bank and Gold Coast Fund Management (GCFM), resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs, cannot and will not be ignored in the call to account for the increased unemployment situation in the country, it stated.



That, it said, had added up to the unemployed graduates and jobless youth associations with dire consequences for the countrys economy, security and democracy.



Pledge



We [PPP] stand by our promises in 2016, to create jobs, use governments purchasing power to ensure that we eat what we grow and use what we produce in Ghana, it stated.



It said the party would improve Ghanas business climate to enable investment in job creation so that Ghanaians would stay at home to help develop the country and its economy.



The statement reiterated the commitment of the party to relentlessly provide support to Ghanaian industry and our farmers and fishermen using low interest loans, technical assistance, tax incentives and priority access to the Ghanaian market. - #GhanaVotes2020#









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
Description: This oblique view looks to the west from above the Jezero crater floor, over the fan-shaped delta deposit, and into the valley that cuts through the crater rim. The Perseverance Mars rover will land near this delta to search for evidence of past life and collect samples that could be returned to Earth by a later mission. Deltas form when flowing water is slowed down by encountering standing water, causing sediment to be deposited. On Earth, deltas are excellent at concentrating and preserving evidence of life, making this delta on Mars an appealing target. The Mars 2020 spacecraft will carry the same image mosaic used to generate the view shown here onboard and use it to steer itself away from hazards on the surface such as cliffs and dune fields. The seamless mosaic is composed of multiple precisely aligned images from the Context Camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and has a resolution of 6 meters per pixel. The large crater on the delta has a diameter of roughly 1km. CREDIT Image credit: NASA/MSSS/USGS

When NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars next year, it will be equipped with some of the most precise maps of Mars ever created, courtesy of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center.

Not only are the new maps essential for a safe landing on Mars, but they also serve as the foundation upon which the science activities planned for the Mars mission will be built.

"Exploration is part of human nature and USGS has a long history and enduring interest in researching planets other than our own," said USGS director and former NASA astronaut Jim Reilly. "These maps will help the Perseverance mission unlock the mysteries of the red planet's past and guide future missions."

Perseverance is expected to launch this week. The mission's goals are to search for evidence of past life and habitable environments in Jezero crater and collect and store samples that, for the first time in history, could be returned to Earth by a future mission.

To safely land on the rugged Martian landscape, the spacecraft will use a new technology called "Terrain Relative Navigation." As it descends through the planet's atmosphere, the spacecraft will use its onboard maps to know precisely where it is and avoid hazards. For the navigation to work, the spacecraft needs the best possible maps of the landing site and surrounding terrain.

"As much as we would love to manually steer the spacecraft as it lands, that's just not possible," said Robin Fergason, USGS research geophysicist. "Mars is so far away -- some 130 million miles at the time of landing -- that it takes several minutes for radio signals to travel between Mars and Earth. By using the maps we created, the spacecraft will be able to safely steer itself instead."

The USGS developed two new maps for the Mars mission. The first is a high-resolution (25-cm per pixel) map that researchers have used to accurately map surface hazards at the landing site. This map will serve as the base map for mission operations and to plot where the rover will explore after landing. The second map is a lower resolution (6-meters per pixel) map that spans the landing site and much of the surrounding terrain. This will be used onboard the spacecraft, along with the locations of the hazards from the high-resolution map, to help it land safely. The maps have been aligned with unprecedented precision to each other and to global maps of Mars to ensure that the maps show the hazards exactly where they really are.

The new maps are based on images collected by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Context Camera and the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera and are available online here.

For more details about these new maps of the Perseverance rover landing site, read the abstract. For the latest news about the mission, visit the NASA website.

USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information, visit www.usgs.gov.

When you're planning to explore someplace new, it's always a good idea to bring a map so you can avoid dangerous terrain. This is true whether you're heading out for a hike on Earth or you're landing a rover on Mars! When NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars in 2021, it will be equipped with the most precise maps of Mars ever created, courtesy of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center.

Safe Landing

USGS maps will help the Mars 2020 spacecraft steer itself to a safe landing near an ancient river delta, the ideal spot to search for evidence of past life.

Guide Rover Exploration

The Perseverance rover will help unlock the mysteries of the red planet's history and guide future missions. USGS created this high-precision map of the Mars 2020 landing site in Jezero crater, continuing our long history of helping to explore our solar system.



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Choosing a post-secondary career is a difficult enough decision on its own.

But with so much uncertainty on how classes will be held and when the COVID-19 pandemic might be over, many high school students preparing for this next step in their lives have a lot of questions.

Thats why three sisters from Niagara Falls  Erica, Lauren and Vanessa George  have decided to help fill this need for answers by starting the Niagara Post-Secondary Network.

Theyve put together almost 30 young men and women who already have experience at college and university to make themselves available. The team provides advice on course selections, living accommodations and what life is like in various Canadian cities that have campuses.

The free resource is being offered through Facebook and Instagram.

Students providing their knowledge are mostly from Niagara.

Erica, going into her third year of University of Ottawas French immersion political science program, said one thing on the minds of the dozens of students who are already accepted and registered that have reached out is how programs will be delivered when September arrives.

A lot of students are weighing their options in terms of whether to delay their post-secondary studies or not, she said, adding the first step is to direct them to the appropriate resources already available through their college or university.

Transit, student residences, grocery stores close to campus, night life, nearby recreational amenities  these are all important pieces students want to know about.

A lot of our inquiries are about student life, and thats not necessarily something you can find through your guidance counsellors, said Erica, 19.

Asked about her own expectations for September, Lauren hopes the direction taken will allow the most complete experience possible. The Queens University student is headed into her fourth year of achieving her bachelor of arts honours degree in health studies.

As long as theres some kind of interaction. I think thats important, she said about the expectation that programs will be rolled out virtually.

Lauren, 20, said students who elect to put their studies on hold for a year as a result of the pandemic need to stay active through employment, volunteering, and furthering their passions.

Make the most of your time, she said.

Erica and Lauren are graduates of A.N. Myer Secondary School, where Vanessa will start Grade 12 in September.
When the global pandemic brought entire industries to a grinding halt, the oil and gas sector and shale, in particular, suffered the brunt of COVID-19 in more ways than one.

Many shale companies were already struggling to turn a profit. But as pandemic-based restrictions rolled on over weeks and months, shale industry majors found themselves looking first at zero production and, subsequently, ways to somehow survive the market crash.

Add to that the massive debts that shale enterprises accrued when the market was booming, and you have yourself a situation. Rystad Energy has predicted the overall industry debt to reach $133 billion between 2020 and 2026.

Shale Businesses Have Been Hit by More Than Just COVID-19

The overabundance of oil had already shifted the advantage away from shale businesses because of the following reasons:

Given the excess supply and lack of buyers, businesses are running out of space to store the oil. In fact, 76% of the global oil storage capacity has already been utilized. Shale companies are looking at frac tanks for storage to deal with this space crisis.

The dip in demand has led to massive production cuts since March 2020, which in turn has affected the people who worked for shale oil companies.

The number of active oil and gas rigs in the United States is dropping rapidly.

The disturbance of the equilibrium between demand and supply is likely to drive the prices down even further in the near future.

And that is not all. According to Dallas Fed, the spending, too, has plummeted in the oil and gas sector, where $1.2 trillion was spent on drilling wells between 2010 and 2019. The weakening share prices of shale oil companies last year had already started showing this downward trend in the oil and gas sector.

Shale oil extraction through rock fracking is expensive. The COVID-19 pandemic led to restrictions on trade, travel, and transport, and the way oil businesses generally function. This, in turn, led to the oil prices dropping like never before (sub-zero levels), bringing about a nowhere-to-go situation for the fracking world.

Hundreds of oil companies today face uncertainty, with shale giants like Chesapeake Energy filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Redemption and Resumption  Considerations for Shale Businesses

Recovering from the shale shock and facing challenges that the new market dynamics and economics dictate is going to be tough. While shale companies gradually resume production and distribution, it is essential that they consider the following factors to adapt to the new normal.

Acknowledge change and set realistic expectations

It is important that shale companies acknowledge the possibility that things will never be the same again, at least in the foreseeable future. Therefore, pre-COVID-19 expectations need to be put away and a more realistic view of what can be achieved should be considered.

The prospects seem better for natural gas, for instance. The price convergence of oil-to-gas and relative strength in natural gas prices present the upside in natural gas investments. Supply chains, meanwhile, will have an increasingly regional focus. Shorter supply chains could impact global shipping and the demand for marine fuels.

Acknowledging and understanding such changes is the first step in preparing a resilient business response.

Redefine spending priorities

Operators would need to look at the decapitalization of undeveloped capital that is not generating revenue. Businesses should also identify ways to cut down on their selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) spend.

With cost and capital being key determinants, it is also important that shale companies focus on improving back-office efficiency and service delivery.

Bolster business with strategic telecommuting

Working remotely, connecting virtually, and basically relying on advanced communication technology has become the norm over the last few months. Instead of looking at it as a disadvantage, it will bode well for firms in the oil and gas sector to embrace lean operations and use remote work strategically to bring business back on track.

Plan recovery through operational transformation

Finding the right way ahead might necessitate leveraging the power of data analytics and new engineering thinking. Strategic consolidations and mergers, digital innovation, remote-sensing technology, IoT-based solutions, and automated operations can help pave a new path towards a sustainable business future with an eye on energy transition initiatives.

Why Shale and Fracking Will Stay Monumentally Significant

Experts reckon that when shale comes out on the other side, there are high odds that the industry will consolidate and recover significantly. With several likely M&As on the horizon, ownership structures and business models may change, but the shale industry will survive.

Fracking is crucial not just for the future of the US energy sector, but also for clean energy initiatives. According to the Independent Petroleum Association of America, fracking-based natural gas production and use have helped public health by improving air quality.

The shale revolution helped create millions of jobs, amplified oil and natural gas production industry, and made America the top producer of oil in the world. While the chips may have been down in the recent past, the importance of shale gas in the revival of the economy cannot be debated.

It is time for shale businesses to use a long-term roadmap for this difficult phase and make every effort to turn short-term pains into long-term gains.

Amanda Wilson is an established freelance writer who has built her career focusing on the energy sector along with the oil and gas industries.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 29, 2020) - Kenorland Minerals Limited (Private) ("Kenorland" or "the Company") is pleased to report the discovery of significant gold mineralization in multiple drill hole intersections at the Regnault target of its Frotet Project in the Frotet-Evans Greenstone Belt, Quebec, Canada. Complete results from the 15 drill hole maiden program, funded by Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Limited ("SMMCL"), are summarized below.

Highlights include:

The discovery of a new significant gold system in the Frotet Evans greenstone belt in an area with no known mineral occurrences or historic drilling

Initial drilling encountered high grade gold mineralization associated with quartz veins along with lower grade, broadly disseminated gold mineralization

Results from 20RDD007 intersected 29.08m at 8.47 g/t Au including 11.13m at 18.43 g/t Au

Recognition of geological controls and geophysical expressions of gold mineralization which will aid in targeting for future drill programs

Table 1. Summary of Significant Intercepts

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) 20RDD002

38.93 39.70 0.77 14.60 18.50 and 49.31 53.06 3.75 16.06 23.00 incl. 52.30 53.06 0.76 57.00 83.30 20RDD004

191.80 217.22 25.42 0.27 0.24 and 256.34 258.93 2.59 9.89 10.20 incl. 257.44 258.93 1.49 15.26 17.28 20RDD007

72.00 101.08 29.08 8.47 12.23 incl. 89.27 100.40 11.13 18.43 25.93 and 367.00 369.30 2.30 2.73 2.89 20RDD008

31.50 33.00 1.50 3.54 6.43 and 151.00 151.36 0.36 25.20 45.30 and 160.12 160.43 0.31 28.40 15.20 20RDD009

106.00 116.44 10.44 0.83 0.63 20RDD012

111.67 117.11 5.44 5.94 2.10 incl. 111.67 112.37 0.70 35.30 9.90 and 212.24 213.46 1.22 6.15 2.52 20RDD014

295.18 320.62 25.44 0.31 0.39 and 498.59 505.50 6.91 1.98 1.71 incl. 501.41 501.91 0.50 9.12 9.80 20RDD015

47.57 52.50 4.93 9.59 18.36 incl. 51.90 52.21 0.31 114.30 237.00

The Regnault discovery is hosted in a multi-phase intrusive complex that ranges in composition from tonalite to diorite that intrudes into a package of intermediate block, lapilli and crystal tuffs that are located in a zone of structural complexity along an east-west trending regional deformation zone. Visible gold is observed in quartz veins hosted within biotite-calcite-pyrite-silica altered intrusive rocks. Gold mineralization is also associated with broadly disseminated pyrite hosted in zones of intense biotite-calcite alteration, along contacts of the intrusive phases. Mineralization observed in drill core is similar to that of boulders found in the Regnault target area in 2019, which assayed up to 408 g/t Au. The mineralized boulders were found within a significant gold in soil (glacial till substrate) dispersion anomaly directly down ice of the area being drilled.

Figure 1: Results of 2018 and 2019 regional soil sampling programs

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The 2020 first pass drill program at the Regnault target area follows two seasons of systematic grassroots exploration. In summer of 2018, the initial 55,921 ha property was geochemically screened using B-horizon soil sampling (glacial till substrate) on a 1500m x 150m grid. In 2019, areas of gold-in-soil anomalism found in the 2018 survey were followed up with infill soil sampling, till sampling, boulder prospecting, geological mapping, airborne magnetics, and LIDAR surveys. An extensive 3km by 1km gold-in-soil anomaly/dispersion train was defined that contained up to 283 gold grains (159 pristine grains) and boulders assaying up to 408 g/t Au. 43 of 115 boulder samples within the soil anomaly returned assays greater than 0.1 g/t Au while ten boulders returned assays greater than 10g/t Au. Due to the absence of any outcrop in the area, drill targeting for the 2020 drill program relied on interpretation from high resolution drone magnetics, 3D IP, and surface geochemistry, including location of mineralized boulders.

Within the immediate Regnault target area there are no recorded mineral occurrences or historical drilling. There are two historical drillholes (drilled in 1962 and 1972 respectively) located approximately 500m to the east of the target area which had tested buried EM conductors within the in surrounding volcanic rocks with no significant reported intercepts. The Regnault target is located 5km from the provincially maintained Route du Nord and is accessed by pre-existing logging roads.

Figure 2: Map of the Regnault Target Area

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Figure 3: Plan map of the 2020 drill program

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Figure 4: Drill core from 20RDD007 (84.45m - 104.80m)

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Zach Flood, President and CEO of Kenorland states: "The results from the maiden drill program at Regnault are nothing short of amazing. We have found a new significant gold system just a few kilometers off the Route du Nord in Quebec, completely concealed undercover, through systematic grassroots exploration. We have blindly intersected multiple gold bearing structures at various orientations in an area over 1.5 kilometers long and 500 meters wide. There remains a significant amount of strike length, indicated by boulders and soil geochemistry, which has yet to be touched and which we plan to aggressively explore in the coming months ahead. The results announced are the outcome of a sustained effort over multiple seasons, in collaboration with, and support from, our partners at Sumitomo Metal Mining. The discovery here highlights the potential to make further incredible grassroots discoveries in Quebec and elsewhere, even in areas that have been considered heavily prospected in the past."

Kenorland Enters into Letter of Intent with Northway Resources Corp. for Proposed Reverse Takeover

The Company also announces that it has entered into a letter of intent dated July 28, 2020 whereby Northway Resources Corp. (TSXV: NTW.V) ("Northway) will acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of Kenorland by way of a share exchange, amalgamation or such other form of business combination as the parties may determine. As Kenorland is the holder of 6,000,000 common shares of Northway, representing 14.50% of its issued and outstanding shares (18.44% on a partially diluted basis), the Transaction constitutes a 'related party transaction' as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. As a result, the completion of the Transaction will be subject to approval by the majority of the minority Northway shareholders.

Pursuant to the Transaction, Northway will complete a two old for one new share consolidation (the "Consolidation") and will issue common shares ("NTW Shares") to the holders of common shares in the capital of Kenorland ("Kenorland Shares") on the basis of approximately two post-Consolidation NTW Shares for each Kenorland Share. It is anticipated that approximately 30.05 million post-Consolidation NTW Shares will be issued pursuant to the Transaction based on the current capital structure of Kenorland.

The Transaction is subject to a number of terms and conditions, including, but not limited to, the parties entering into a definitive agreement with respect to the Transaction on or before August 31, 2020 (such agreement to include representations, warranties, conditions and covenants typical for a transaction of this nature), the completion of satisfactory due diligence investigations, the completion of a private placement by Northway, the completion of the Consolidation and the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and other applicable regulatory authorities.

About the Frotet Project

The Frotet Project was first identified by Kenorland in 2017 after completing a regional prospectivity study over the Abitibi and Frotet-Evans Greenstone Belts. The Frotet-Evans greenstone belt hosts the Troilus Au-Cu deposit which produced more than two million ounces of gold of and ~70,000 tons of Cu from 1996-2010 and currently contains 3.97Moz Au indicated and 1.53Moz Au inferred (Troilus Gold website) . The initial 55,921 ha property was acquired through map staking in March, 2017 and then optioned to SMMCL in April, 2018. The two staged earn-in agreement allows SMMCL to earn 65% by funding C$4.3 million in expenditures over an initial three years. SMMCL then has the option to earn an additional 15% (80% total) by funding another C$4 million over the following year. Once a joint venture is formed, any party which is diluted below a 10% interest will convert their interest to a 2% uncapped net smelter royalty.

QA/QC and Core Sampling Protocols

All drill core samples were collected under the supervision of the company employees. Drill core was transported from the drill platform to the logging facility where it was logged, photographed, and split by diamond saw prior to being sampled. Samples were then bagged, and blanks and certified reference materials were inserted at regular intervals. Groups of samples were placed in large bags, sealed with numbered tags in order to maintain a chain-of-custody, and transported from Chibougamau to BV laboratory in Timmins, Ontario.

Sample preparation and analytical work for this drill program was carried out by Bureau Veritas Commodities, Timmins, Ontario. Samples were prepared for analysis according to BV method PRP70-250: individual samples were crushed to 2mm and a 250g split was pulverized for analysis and then assayed for Gold. Gold in samples was analysed by fire assay with AAS finish and over-limits re-analyzed gravimetrically. In zones with macroscopic gold the samples were first screened, and the fine fraction was fire assayed with AAS finish. All results passed the QAQC screening at the lab, all company inserted standards and blanks returned results that were within acceptable limits.

Qualified Persons

Thomas Hawkins, P.Geo. (OGQ #2200), geologist, Vice President, Exploration of Kenorland Minerals Ltd., Qualified Person under NI 43- 101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.

Table 2. Drillhole location and collar table

Hole_ID Easting (NAD83) Northing (NAD83) Elevation (m) Depth (m) Dip Azimuth 20RDD001 519949.5 5621303.02 388.12 498 -44.74 333.14 20RDD002 518667.95 5620084.55 381.99 141 -45.8 174.53 20RDD003 519289.66 5621064.66 377.55 270 -45.82 126.35 20RDD004 519868.03 5621163.18 382.58 561 -45.96 310 20RDD005 519164.53 5621028.06 381.62 303 -44.63 333.67 20RDD006 519100 5620814.49 374.98 399.2 -44.46 267.62 20RDD007 519534.95 5620697.55 374.98 492 -45.03 298.79 20RDD008 518928.16 5620584.22 377.03 447 -44.97 116.54 20RDD009 519877.49 5620906.88 380.55 264 -44.19 261.68 20RDD010 518863.58 5620454.83 378.7 447 -43.82 176.24 20RDD011 519623.52 5620303.85 374.3 261 -44.96 123.55 20RDD012 519514.72 5620564.82 375.85 447 -45.32 301.39 20RDD013 519377.45 5621404.45 381.84 573 -45 128 20RDD014 519219 5619913 377.1 537 -44.9 8.54 20RDD015 518946 5620150 376.1 279.41 -54.54 139.67

About Kenorland Minerals

Kenorland is a private exploration company incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia and based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Kenorland's business model is project generation focused on early to advanced stage exploration assets. The company currently holds three properties where work is being completed under an earn-in agreement from third parties. The Frotet and Chicobi Projects, which are both located in Quebec, Canada, are optioned to Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. and the Chebistuan Project, also located in Quebec, is optioned to Newmont Mining. The company also owns 100% of the advanced stage Tanacross porphyry Cu, Au, Mo project in Alaska, USA.

Further information can be found on the Company's website www.kenorlandminerals.com

Kenorland Minerals Ltd.

Zach Flood

President and CEO

Tel: +1 604 363 1779

zach@kenorlandminerals.com

Kenorland Minerals Ltd.

Francis MacDonald

Executive Vice President

Tel: +1 604 379 3267

francis@kenorlandminerals.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/60715
For Casas de Hualdo, it is not enough to just create a quality oil. It is essential to have a complete 360 vision of all the activities carried out at the farm, states Jose Antonio Peche, General Manager, CDHSP

Casas de Hualdo, acclaimed Spanish producer of high-quality extra virgin olive oil, has announced Colangelo & Partners as its agency of record in the United States, set to develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy to target key media, trade and influencers. Casas de Hualdo North America, Inc., who launched new sleek and modern packaging to their top monovarietal line this year, commences a new chapter dedicated to leveraging brand awareness in a market that continues to present new opportunities.

Casas de Hualdo is an award-winning Spanish olive oil company and sustainable farm located in a natural and privileged area on the shores of the Tagus River. Modern cultivation and irrigation systems allow them to craft unique oils, while preserving their natural heritage. Their revered selection of EVOOs are the result of constant and dedicated work, and they represent the excellence for the Casas de Hualdo team in every step of the elaboration process.

For Casas de Hualdo, it is not enough to just create a quality oil. It is essential to have a complete 360 vision of all the activities carried out at the farm, states Jose Antonio Peche, General Manager, CDHSP. All aspects of production are perfectly aligned: excellence in the product, respect for the environment, social commitment and continuous improvement and innovation.

Colangelo & Partners will focus the ongoing campaign on strategic media and trade relations to increase the Casas de Hualdo brand visibility, as well as support its selling channels nationwide, including online marketplace giant Amazon, select specialty grocers around the country, and the companys newly launched U.S. online store, shop.casasdehualdo.com. Another important initiative will focus on promoting the company's new product labels. Each vibrant color represents four different monovarietal extra virgin olive oils with diverse tasting profiles - Arbequina, Cornicabra, Picual, and Manzanilla - which have been cultivated and extracted on the Casas de Hualdo estate.

The newly unveiled e-commerce site, shop.casasdehualdo.com, provided an opportunity to present their wide range of award-winning extra virgin olive oils to a larger U.S. customer base. The new site features an assortment of specialty oils from the current 2019/2020 harvest and by October, the company will be selling their organic EVOO exclusively on the site.

Casas de Hualdo has been an ambitious project since its inception in the late 1980s, focused on the improvement of consumers, producers, and global health through the production of excellent and sustainable food products, says Maria Reyes, Vice President, Casas de Hualdo North America, Inc. Preserving the environment and sustainably making high quality EVOOs is who we are and we are looking forward to continuing sharing our passion, philosophy and products to our American consumers.

This integrated communications campaign solidifies the companys commitment to the American market. Casas de Hualdo joins the renowned agencys growing roster of prestigious brands within the wine, spirits and olive oil industries. We are thrilled to welcome Casas de Hualdo to our ever-growing portfolio of food brands, says Gino Colangelo, President, Colangelo & Partners. We love working with family owned, quality driven companies with genuine stories to tell and look forward to working with them to achieve their goals.

****

About Casas de Hualdo

In the quest for the perfect extra virgin olive oil, Casas de Hualdo has mastered the art of extracting excellence from nature without compromising its beauty, harmony and vitality. Situated along the Tagus River in the central Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain, the scenic Casas de Hualdo estate cultivates premium olives  Arbequina, Cornicabra, Manzanilla Cacerena and Picual varieties  that are carefully gathered and cold-extracted on-site. Ultimately, Casas de Hualdos award-winning olive oils express the perfection of nature as well as natures perfect integration with this thriving estate, its people and their passion for excellence. Recent accolades for Casas de Hualdo include the Extrascape award for Modern and Contemporary Olive Landscape in 2015, Los Angeles Olive Oil competition in April 2020, New York Olive Oil competition in May 2020, and the renowned Flos Olei 2020 BEST 20 Guide (99/100 points). To learn more, visit http://www.casasdehualdo.com/en.

About Colangelo & Partners

Colangelo & Partners specializes in premium food, wine and spirits brands, and has long established relationships with the key press that drive these business categories and help determine the industry leaders. Agency principals have years of experience in retail and distribution as well as communications, a rare combination that gives Colangelo & Partners invaluable insights into consumer purchasing behavior. The agency focuses on 'closing the loop' between creative communications programs, distribution, promotion, publicity and the consumer in order to maximize the efficiency of its communications programs and deliver measurable results. Founded in 2006, Colangelo & Partners was honored as one of the years top integrated communications firms at the 2013 Agency Elite Awards and for one of the best digital marketing campaigns at the 2014 Digital PR Awards. http://www.colangelopr.com/


July 29, 2020  Ottawa  National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Today, a transfer of command authority ceremony took place in which Lieutenant-General Christopher Coates assumed responsibility for Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) from Major-General Bill Seymour, who has been Acting Commander of CJOC since June 26, 2020.

The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance, presided over the morning ceremony between the outgoing and incoming Commanders, which was witnessed by a limited audience at CJOC headquarters.

CJOC is the command within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) responsible for the planning, execution and support of deployed Canadian military operations in Canada and around the world.

Lieutenant-General Coates began his military career in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as a tactical helicopter pilot, serving with squadrons in Germany and across Canada. Throughout his distinguished career, he has served in numerous staff positions, including with: 1 Wing HQ In Kingston, Ontario; the Chief of the Air Staff in Ottawa; and the Combined Air Operations Centre of 1 Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His diverse experience also includes planning Canadas tactical aviation contributions to missions worldwide, such as in Haiti, Honduras, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Afghanistan. Notably, as the first Commander of the Joint Task Force  Afghanistan Air Wing in Kandahar, Afghanistan, he re-established the RCAFs medium-to-heavy-lift Chinook helicopter capability. Subsequently, his career included several senior command appointments: Deputy Commander Continental NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida; Deputy Commander Continental Operations at CJOC; Director of Operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and, most recently, as the NORAD Deputy Commander.

Major-General Seymours career in the CAF began as a navigator aboard maritime long-range patrol aircraft. Most recently, he served as the CJOC Chief of Staff Operations and as Deputy Commander. Major-General Seymour assumed provisional command of CJOC last month as Lieutenant-General Mike Rouleau departed for his new post as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. Following this transfer of authority, Major-General Seymour will continue serving at CJOC as Deputy Commander.
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The Wirecard scandal is taking center stage in efforts to grab control of the post-Merkel era.

Maneuvering ahead of next year's election will play a critical role when a German parliamentary committee takes a break from its summer recess to grill members of Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet later on Wednesday about the accounting scandal that brought down one of the country's biggest tech companies.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, the top Social Democrat in government, will be the primary target over the failure to pursue warnings about the payment company's books.

He's in pole position to lead his party in the vote in fall 2021 and has the most government experience of any potential contender to succeed Merkel. That makes him a legitimate threat even if the SPD are currently mired in a distant third place in the polls.

Scholz went on the offensive Wednesday, appearing on national television to address Wirecard and questioning why auditors didn't detect wrongdoing at the company over a period of 10 years.

He unveiled proposals last week to strengthen Germany's oversight by bolstering financial regulator BaFin's enforcement capabilities and scrapping a two-tier system that splits accounting supervision between a private-sector watchdog and the regulator.

"We have to get an exact understanding of what happened and it seems ever clearer that it's not sufficient even when everything is done according to the scope of the law," Scholz said in an interview with ZDF. "That's why we need new, stricter, more severe laws. Everything must be closely examined."

The closed-door hearing of the finance committee, which will take place in a backroom of the glass-domed Reichstag in Berlin, will likely spur a deeper investigation that could last well into 2021 and overshadow early stages of the election campaign.

Members of Merkel's party won't openly call for a parliamentary probe, which involves public hearings that would keep the affair in the spotlight, but they're quietly egging on the opposition in order to undermine Scholz, according to a lawmaker from the Christian Democrats, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are confidential.

With Merkel planning to step down next year after 16 years leading Europe's biggest economy, Germany's political future is wide open. The CDU and the SPD have been squeezed by the rise of the environmentalist Greens and right-wing Alternative for Germany.

While Merkel's Christian Democrat-led bloc is leading in the polls, just a year ago they were neck and neck with the Greens, showing how quickly the mood can change. More upheaval is likely as her conservatives battle over their own candidate -- a three-way contest between moderate Armin Laschet, pro-business conservative Friedrich Merz and Bavaria's rising star Markus Soeder.

Scholz shined during Germany's efforts to counter the coronavirus fallout, pushing for aid to families and a fund to invest in stricken companies. He is by far the most popular SPD politician -- 42% of voters view the 62-year-old former Hamburg mayor as best suited to run for chancellor, according to a Kantar poll for the Funke media group.

Merkel's vice chancellor, whose ministry oversees BaFin, has come under pressure after it was revealed that his deputy Joerg Kukies had at least two meetings with Markus Braun, the former Wirecard chief executive officer who has been arrested by German prosecutors. Kukies regularly briefed his boss about developments of Wirecard probes.

At the hearing late Wednesday, Scholz and Peter Altmaier, the economy minister from the CDU, will testify to the 41-member committee. Altmaier is mainly there at the SPD's request, with the purpose of deflecting attention.

"The common view is that Scholz bears the main responsibility for the Wirecard scandal," Cansel Kiziltepe, an SPD lawmaker on the committee, said in an interview with broadcaster ARD. "We see it differently," because the economy ministry supervises auditors.

Mounting pressure prompted Merkel's office to take the unusual step of unveiling a time line of contacts with Wirecard. The optics aren't flattering.

Her office maintained regular contacts with the company, and Merkel herself promoted Wirecard's efforts to gain a Chinese license during a state visit in September 2019. Her office was informed of inquiries into allegations of market manipulation just prior to the trip but denied that she was aware of the possibilities of "severe irregularities" at Wirecard at the time.

"The Wirecard scandal is becoming bigger and bigger," said Katja Kipping, head of the Left party. "We have only seen the tip of the iceberg," she added, calling for Merkel to testify as well.

An alliance of the Left, the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats would have enough votes to call for an investigation committee after the summer break.

But unless new revelations come to light, the chancellor has little to fear because her engagement for Wirecard was about opening up the Asian market to German companies rather than a company-specific issue, a person familiar with the matter said.

Scholz, meanwhile, is in the thick of it. Under his watch, BaFin failed to uncover irregularities at Wirecard. That has prompted officials in the finance ministry to try to limit the damage, a person with knowledge of the matter said.

In a hint of how the scandal is straining the coalition, Hans Michelbach, a lawmaker from the CDU's Bavarian sister party, blasted the plan as merely "cosmetic" and insufficient to thwart a new Wirecard-like disgrace.

"The probability of a parliamentary investigation has risen in the past few days because of new relevations which continue to raise more questions," Danyal Bayaz, a lawmaker from the Green party, told Bloomberg. "Our decision will depend on the willingness of the government to answer our questions fully."
The Bank of San Antonio disclosed Wednesday that it uncovered a $13.2 million Ponzi-style fraud scheme involving a former employee of a subsidiary whos accused of inducing the bank to purchase worthless receivables from various businesses.

Bank officials alerted the FBI in May and said in a statement they expect to recoup all losses from the alleged scheme.

The bank and its subsidiary, Texas Express Funding LLC, on Tuesday sued the former employee, five other individuals and four entities for fraud, civil conspiracy and other claims.

The suit, filed in Comal County, seeks to recover the losses and unspecified punitive damages.

Texas Express Funding advances cash to companies in return for acquiring the debts owed them at a discount  a financing method known as factoring. Companies get money quickly instead of waiting for customers to pay their bills.

The factoring firm makes money on the difference between what it acquired the debts for and what the customers owe on the invoices.

Bank Chairman J. Bruce Bugg Jr. has said the firm is an extension of the banks commercial lending.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio banker J. Bruce Bugg Jr is an adviser to the governor, a force in the financial world, a patron of the arts

This was an absolute one-off event at the Bank of San Antonio, Bugg said, calling it a very big surprise.

The fraud was contained inside Texas Express Funding and had nothing to do with our operating loan portfolio, he said.

Bugg described it as a very elaborate fraud scheme.

The bank has a $10 million insurance policy to compensate it for losses related to the alleged scheme. The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages.

In their complaint, the Bank of San Antonio and Texas Express Funding identify Ronald Wayne Schroeder of New Braunfels as the alleged rogue employee.

Schroeder, 47, who has had a long career in the factoring business, joined TEF as president and manager Aug. 1, 2019, the same day it was launched by the Bank of San Antonio.

This thing was a fraud from the get-go, said Andy Taylor, a Brenham attorney representing the Bank of San Antonio and TEF in the lawsuit. This was never a legitimate business opportunity. We thought it was but it wasnt. We were buying snake oil.

I dont have any response, Schroeder said of the suit.

Wayne has been assisting BofSA with the matter and will continue to do so until the matter is settled, his criminal defense lawyers, Chip Lewis of Houston and Erica Giese of San Antonio, said in an email.

They declined further comment.

Schroeder arranged the purchase of 10 customer accounts from SouthWest Bank Factoring LLC, which is affiliated with Odessa-based SouthWest Bank, the suit says.

The Bank of San Antonio and TEF were told that none of the accounts was older than 120 days.

Some of those factoring accounts, though, were severely aged, including some that were a year or more in arrears, the suit says. Accounts more than 120 days old shouldnt be available for sale because they must be reported as charge-offs in reports that banks file with regulators, Taylor said.

Instead of uploading the actual invoices, the complaint says Schroeder instead simply fabricated false data to reflect that almost none of the underlying invoices purchased from SouthWest Bank Factoring were older than 120 days. Dates were changed to disguise that the accounts were in arrears, Taylor added.

All of it was fake, he added. They faked the date so that we would buy it. The accounts may have been legitimate when they were first created, however.

SouthWest Bank and its factoring arm are named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Its going to take some sworn deposition testimony to get to the bottom of the question  what was going on before we purchased millions and millions of dollars of fake and uncollectable invoices? Taylor said. We need to know the status of all of that, and was SouthWest Bank in on it. Did they knowingly allow us to buy stuff that was stale and never should have been available for sale?

At the very least, Taylor said, SouthWest Bank should have disclosed the delinquent invoices in its quarterly filings with bank regulators.

They very well could be in hot water with regulators, he added.

SouthWest Bank CEO Dewey Bryant didnt return a phone call.

One of the accounts purchased from SouthWest Banks factoring arm involved the Irving company Alvys Trucking, the lawsuit says. The Bank of San Antonio and TEF wired about $3.6 million to SouthWest Bank Factoring to purchase the Alvys receivables.

Of the 205 invoices purchased, all but 15 were older than 120 days and never should have been sold, the suit says.

Schroeder and Alvys officials had made fraudulent new invoices to induce the Bank of San Antonio and TEF to send new money for those new invoices, the lawsuit alleges.

Alvys used those new funds to pay off older invoices previously purchased by the bank and TEF. That represented the Ponzi-style part of the scheme, Taylor said.

The Bank of San Antonio and TEF also allege they later discovered theyd unwittingly purchased a loan to Alvys that was secured by land parcels. But Schroeder had released collateral on the loan to the trucking companys two principals. That allowed the pair to sell the collateral and live off the sale proceeds, according to the complaint.

Schroeder received at least two kickbacks totaling almost $100,000 from an Alvys official, the suit continues. He was terminated from TEF on April 30, Taylor said.

Losses attributed the Alvys conspiracy are almost $4.6 million, the complaint adds. Efforts to reach Alvys officials were unsuccessful.

In another alleged fraud, Schroeder is accused of creating a bogus and fraudulent entity named Republic Logistics. The bank and TEF wired nearly $2.9 million to Republic, the suit says.

The bank and TEF also say $10.4 million went directly to SouthWest Bank Factoring LL and/or SouthWest Bank.

On ExpressNews.com: Bank of San Antonio, two other banks merging

No criminal charges have apparently been filed.

FBI San Antonio is aware of this matter, Michelle Lee, an FBI special agent and public affairs officer, said in an email. She cited FBI policy in declining further comment.

The Bank of San Antonio and two affiliated banks, Texas Hill Country Bank of Bandera and the Bank of Austin, last month agreed to merge. The combined institutions will have almost $1.5 billion in assets.

Patrick Danner Patrick Danner covers banking, insurance, business litigation and bankruptcies. To read more from Patrick, become a subscriber. pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD
T he government has announced how the 1.57bn arts rescue package will be used to support arts organisations.

Theatres, comedy and music venues and museums will be eligible for a portion of a 500 million fund, overseen by Arts Council England.

It is part of the first round of support, in which 622 million will be distributed  the remainder of this will go to the British Film Institute, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England. A further 258 million will be reserved for distribution later in the financial year.

The government said that in order for applicants to be successful, they need to come up with an innovative plan for how they will operate and be sustainable for the remainder of this financial year, while also being able to demonstrate their international, national or local significance.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden called on organisations to be creative in diversifying their income streams and asked the public to continue supporting the places they love so this funding can be spread as far and wide as possible".

Arts Council England published a breakdown of how organisations would be able to apply for funding, which includes grants between 50,000 and 3 million and long-term loans of over 3 million.

Arts Council England's Nicholas Serota said: "Arts and cultural organisations are an integral part of public life in villages, towns and cities across the country. We warmly welcome and are pleased to be administering this vital investment from Government, which will help ensure as many organisations as possible survive the existential challenge posed by Covid-19 so they can continue to serve their communities safely in the future."

Jon Morgan, director of the Theatres Trust, the national public body representing the countrys theatres, said: We particularly welcome the reference to smaller organisations and local significance in the DCMS announcement because small theatres outside our major city and town centres play a vital role in the ecology of the theatre sector, as places that nurture new talent and that serve their local communities.

The 1.57 billion fund also includes a new 500 million scheme to kick-start film and television production, aimed at helping companies struggling to secure coronavirus-related insurance.
North Korea's nuclear weapons deter another war on country: Leader Kim

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 4:59 AM

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un says the country now has "absolute might" thanks to its nuclear weapons, which he says guarantee the country's security in the face of threats of war.

"Now, we've changed to a country which can defend itself reliably and unwaveringly against high-intensity pressures and military threats and blackmailing by imperialistic reactionaries and hostile forces," Kim said on Monday.

He made the remark during a ceremony to mark the 67th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

"There won't be any war on this land again and our national security and future will be guaranteed firmly and permanently because of our reliable, effective self-defensive nuclear deterrent," Kim said.

The remarks by the North Korean leader come amid stalled talks between Pyongyang and Washington that aimed to dismantle the North's nuclear and missile programs in return for sanctions relief from the United States.

The US has imposed rounds of unilateral sanctions against the North over its nuclear and missile programs since 2006.

Kim and US President Donald Trump have met three times, but diplomacy has gradually halted owing to Washington's refusal to relieve any of the harsh sanctions in exchange for goodwill measures by Pyongyang.

Last month, North Korea said that the US had left Pyongyang with no choice but to counter its nuclear threats with nuclear weapons. Pyongyang said the country had "made all possible efforts either through dialog or in resort to international law, but all ended in vain."

Over the last years, North Korea has developed and tested a number of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that are believed to be capable of reaching the US mainland.

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Cairo:

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient Egyptian city and graveyard dating back to around 5300 BC, the antiquities ministry has said.

The city and cemeterylikely home to senior functionaries and grave builderswas discovered about 400 metres from the Temple of Seti I in the ancient city of Abydos in southern Egypt, said antiquities minister Mahmoud Afifi on Wednesday.

It is believed to date back to 5316 BC.Excavators found huts, pottery and stone instruments, Afifi said.

They also discovered 15 large gravessome of them even larger than royal graves in Abydossuggesting they housed the bodies of important figures.This discovery can shed light on a lot of information on the history of Abydos, a ministry statement quoted Afifi as saying.

The city of Abydos, founded by predynastic rulers, is famed for its temples such as that of Seti I and its graves.Egypt is rich with ancient sites built by the pharaohs, but years of unrest and jihadist attacks have driven away many tourists.

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In a 2019 paper, The College Wealth Divide: Education and Inequality in America, 1956-2016, three German economists, Alina Bartscher, Moritz Kuhn and Moritz Schularick, all of the University of Bonn, determined that in the United States since the since the 1970s the real income of non-college households stagnated, while the real income of college households has risen by around 50 percent. The income data is, however, dwarfed by the findings on wealth:

While non-college households were treading water in terms of wealth, college households have increased their net worth by a factor of three compared to 1971.

The case made by Petersen and his collaborators that more Americans are becoming marginalized gets strong support from Noam Gidron and Peter A. Hall, political scientists at Hebrew University and Harvard, in their paper, Populism as a Problem of Social Integration. They write:

Our key contention is that populist politics reflects problems of social integration. That is to say, support for radical parties is likely to be especially high among people who feel they have been socially marginalized, i.e. deprived of the roles and respect normally accorded members of mainstream society. From this perspective, the sources of social marginalization may lie in economic or cultural developments and in how they combine.

Large segments of the population, they continue, have been

left behind  relegated to vulnerable economic and social positions, increasingly alienated from the values prominent in elite discourse, and sensing that they are no longer recognized as valued members of society.

As a result, the authors argue, subjective social status  that is, peoples own beliefs about where they stand relative to others within this status hierarchy  has become a crucial factor in shaping political commitments:

There is a consistent association between levels of subjective social status and voting for parties of the populist right and radical left. The more socially marginalized people feel, the more likely they are to gravitate toward the fringes of the political spectrum.

Voters who feel a loss of standing, who experience themselves as marginalized, often turn left or right  whites in this category may turn to the right; African-American, Latino and other minority voters can find that the left has more to offer.

Changes in cultural frameworks, the authors write, are

leading people who hold traditional social attitudes to feel socially marginalized as a result of incongruence between their values and the discourse of mainstream elites. The growing prominence of cultural frameworks promoting gender equality, multiculturalism, secular values and LGBTQ rights is the most notable of such changes.

They go on:

Steps toward inclusion are double-sided: they can lead people who hold more traditional values to feel marginalized vis-a-vis the main-currents of society.

Gidron and Hall observe that extensive research has shown

that support for the far right is often strongest, not among people suffering the greatest economic distress, but among people who are somewhat better-off if still facing economic difficulties.

This constituency of voters a few rungs up the socioeconomic ladder is, in turn,

susceptible to last place aversion, namely, a fear of falling even farther down it; and they often erect social boundaries separating respectable people like themselves from others seen as lower down on that social ladder. Thus, the anti-immigrant and anti-ethnic appeals of populist right parties may be especially attractive to them, because they emphasize such boundaries.

Those drawn to the progressive left, in Gidron and Halls view, are voters with status concerns but universalistic values that incline them against ethnonationalist appeals. These voters are more often found among sociocultural professionals and people with higher levels of education and, because they have universalistic values, they are likely to support left parties that promise redistribution.

Another major difference between voters who back left or right parties is the kind of work they do. According to Gidron and Hall,

There are stark differences in the occupational bases of support for the radical left and right. Left parties seem to have particular appeal for people in professional occupations who may nonetheless feel that they are not receiving the social respect they deserve. By contrast, radical right parties appeal most strongly to people in low-status occupations: manual workers and low-skill service employees.

What about socially marginalized voters who are conflicted  holding, for example, conservative values on cultural, moral and racial issues, but more liberal and pro-redistribution economic views? In these circumstances, the right has the advantage.

In his 2016 dissertation at Harvard, Many Ways to be Right: The Unbundling of European Mass Attitudes and Partisan Asymmetries across the Ideological Divide, Gidron reported that:

Cross-pressured voters (those who are conservative on some issues but progressive on other issues) are more likely to support the right; while support for the left requires progressive attitudes on all issues, it is enough to be conservative on one issue to support the right.

Gidron continued:

Put differently, the right is likely to attract all those who are conservative on some issues  and not only those who are conservative on all issues. Those who oppose state intervention in the economy, those who oppose progressive reforms on cultural questions such as gender norms, and those who oppose greater openness toward immigration should all gravitate toward the right, regardless of whether they are also progressive on some other issues.

How many voters can be described as cross-pressured by conservative cultural views and liberal economic views?

A Voter Study Group analysis of the 2016 election by Lee Drutman found that just under 30 percent of voters feel this way. In addition, Drutmans study provided support for Gidrons view that these culturally conservative and economically liberal voters lean decisively to the right. Among the 24.3 percent of voters who fit this category and voted for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, 75.2 percent cast ballots for Trump and 24.8 percent for Clinton, a 3 to 1 split.

Reinforcing the work of Petersen, Gidron and their colleagues are the findings of four political scientists, Ariel Malka, Yphtach Lelkes, Bert N. Bakker in a paper published in May.
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Although many people havent wrapped their minds around 5G mobile technology yet, Samsung has already started talking about 6G.

In a report released Tuesday, the South Korean electronics giant reveals its 6G vision of the future, including technical and societal megatrends, new services, requirements, candidate technologies, and an expected timeline of standardization.

While 5G commercialization is still in its initial stage, its never too early to start preparing for 6G because it typically takes around 10 years from the start of research to commercialization of a new generation of communications technology, Sunghyun Choi, head of Samsungs Advanced Communications Research Center, explained in a statement.

In its report, Samsung predicted that earliest commercialization of 6G could occur as early as 2028, with mass commercialization taking place roughly two years after that.

The standards groups that develop protocols for mobile telecommunications, known as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, or 3GPP, roll new standards about every decade or so, noted Kevin Krewell, a principal analyst in the San Jose, Calif. offices of Tirias Research, a high-tech research and advisory firm.

Assuming theres no big hang up in committees, the Samsung prediction seems about right, he told TechNewsWorld.

Leaving 5G in the Dust

Samsung also sees the technology taking a huge performance leap over 5G networks, which are currently barely getting off the ground. Peak data rates for 6G will be 1,000 gigabits per second, or about 50 times that of 5G, and air latency  the time between when an instruction is issued and when its performed  of 100 microseconds, or one-tenth the latency of 5G.

The goals of 6G will be to take 5G to the next level of magnitude on bandwidth and latency, Krewell said.

The overall goal is to make 6G connectivity even more reliable and robust than 5G, allowing more connected services, such as radio connected drones and real-time augmented reality glasses, he continued.

A comparison of key performance requirements between 6G and 5G [Credit: Samsung]

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Reliability will be a sensitive issue if 6G is used to control autonomous vehicles, observed Jack E. Gold, founder and principal analyst at J.Gold Associates , an IT advisory company in Northborough, Mass.

6G will need to expand on reliability because if youre using things like autonomous vehicles, you cant have signals going away and causing car crashes, he told TechNewsWorld.

In its report, Samsung maintained that 6G will be used for advanced services, such as immersive extended reality, high-fidelity mobile hologram and use of digital twins in virtual worlds.

Use Cases

Predicting use cases for 6G may be a little premature, however.

Its hard to know what will be the technology that drives the adoption of 6G, Krewell said. In 2010, did we know that AR and VR, autonomous vehicles, and drones would be high on our list of uses for 5G?

Its really hard to conceptualize what the use cases for 6G might be, when were still trying to figure out the use cases for 5G, added Jason Leigh, a senior research analyst for mobility at IDC, in Framingham, Mass., a market research company.

Nevertheless, if 6G lives up to its speed and latency specs, it could be used in a variety of ways.

Features like these could support a wide range of advanced education, training and certification processes in various industries, said Charles King, the principal analyst at Pund-IT, a technology advisory firm in Hayward, Calif.

They could also enhance remote support for healthcare and other hard to come by services for rural communities, he told TechNewsWorld.

Immersive applications for product and industrial design are likely, he added. There will also likely be numerous military applications, from advanced communications to real-time battlefield analysis.

Propagation Problems

Because 6G will be operating in the terahertz bandwidth, its expected to encounter problems similar to those currently facing 5G millimeter wave technology. Thats acknowledged in the Samsung report.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

To cope with the difficult propagation characteristics of THz band, the report noted, it may be natural to enhance the massive MIMO technology that was introduced to support millimeter wave (mmWave) band in 5G. Since the THz band requires much more antennas than the mmWave band, there may be significantly more practical difficulties. MIMO  multiple-input, multiple-output  is a way for multiplying the capacity of a radio link.

The challenge with millimeter waves is they can only travel three blocks, and they dont penetrate doors very well, Leigh told TechNewsWorld. When you get up to that terahertz level, those propagation issues multiply.

Initially, wireless carriers will likely adopt the same phase-in strategy theyre using with their 5G transition when they introduce 6G. Early 6G phones will support 5G and 6G until the newer technology becomes ubiquitous.

You take the best of whats already available and leverage that to take you to the next step, Gold explained. Eventually, you reach the next step and get rid of the older stuff.

More Machines Than People

If 5G is any indicator, carriers could have problems selling 6G to consumers.

The sell for consumers seems pretty hazy, King said. That is, unless vendors come up with entirely new types of devices and form factors.

Businesses which could utilize 6G features and functions to improve efficiency, lower costs or create new market opportunities seem the likeliest targets, he added.

However, consumers may not be playing as big a role in 6G adoption as theyve played in past new generation rollouts.

The Samsung report noted that its expected that the number of connected devices will reach 500 billion by 2030, which is about 59 times larger than the expected world population at that time of 8.5 billion.

Mobile devices will take various form-factors, it continued, such as augmented reality glasses, virtual reality headsets, and hologram devices.

Increasingly, it noted, machines will need to be connected by means of wireless communications. Such connected machines will include vehicles, robots, drones, home appliances, displays, smart sensors installed in various infrastructures, construction machines, and factory equipment.

As the number of connected machines grows exponentially, those machines will become dominant users of 6G communications, the report maintained.

Looking back at the history of wireless communications, technologies have been developed assuming services for humans as the major driving applications, it continued. In 5G, machines were also considered in defining requirements and developing technologies.

We expect new 6G technologies have to be developed specifically to connect hundreds of billions of machines taking into account what is required for machines, it predicted.
While firefighters gained control of a wildfire in Californias rural northeast, investigators searched for the cause of a new blaze down south.

The 34-square-mile (88.3-square-kilometer) Gold Fire in northern Lassen County was 60% contained Monday night after a few thunderstorms during the day, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The weather, however, was predicted to become less favorable.

Forecasters expected a transition today to a drier air mass before the area south of the small Modoc County community of Adin begins to be impacted by low humidity and gusty winds.

The fire has been burning since July 20 in an area of private homes, ranches and commercial operations.

Three areas remain under evacuation orders and evacuation warnings are in effect for a wider area.

In southern Lassen County, the nearly 15-square-mile (38.5-square-kilometer) Hog Fire west of Susanville was 64% contained.

Logging slash and heavy fuels continue to burn and smolder within the perimeter, and authorities said warm and breezy conditions could increase the risk of fire activity, but all evacuation orders have been lifted. The fire began on July 18

In the meantime, investigators are seeking the cause of a fire in Southern Californias Bolsa Chica wetlands.

The fire burned about 62 acres (25 hectares) on Sunday before it was contained, the Huntington Beach Fire Department said.

The fire was stopped about 100 yards (91 meters) from homes in the Brightwater neighborhood.

The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve covers about 1,300 acres (526 hectares) of coastal estuary and is habitat for numerous species.

To the north, Los Angeles County firefighters battled a brush fire that fully engulfed one home and threatened others near Gorman, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The fire burned on both sides of State Route 138. The cause was under investigation.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A food workers union filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to block Trump administration waivers that allow poultry plants to operate production lines at a faster pace, arguing the higher speeds endanger employees.

The suit challenges the U.S. Department of Agricultures waivers, saying the agency ignored concerns that increased speeds would boost the risk of injury for workers. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and five of its local members said in the compliant that the USDA also violated administrative rules when it issued the waivers.

As meat and poultry producers have been forced to shutter or slow output at plants amid Covid-19 outbreaks, the Trump administration has allowed some poultry processors to run their facilities at faster speeds, a step experts and labor advocates have long said raises the safety risk to workers.

As Covid-19 continues to infect thousands of meatpacking workers, it is stunning that USDA is further endangering these workers by allowing poultry companies to increase line speeds to dangerous new levels that increase the risk of injury and make social distancing next to impossible, UFCW International President Marc Perrone said in an emailed statement.

This lawsuit will help to finally stop this dangerous corporate giveaway from the USDA.

A spokesman for USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service declined to comment, citing a policy against commenting on pending litigation.

Pandemic Victims

Americas meat and poultry plants have been one of the hardest-hit sectors in the covid pandemic. More than 16,200 meat plant workers had tested positive for the virus by the end of May and 86 had died, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that collected data from more than 20 states.

Minority workers have suffered the most. Of the cases that disclosed race and ethnicity, 87% involved minority workers  with employees identified as Hispanic accounting for 56% of infections despite making up less than a third of the overall workforce.

In April, the USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service allowed five poultry plants  two owned by Tyson Foods Inc., and three by Wayne Farms LLC  to run their slaughter lines at higher speeds. The agency also gave approval to Foster Farms in March.

Plants have to seek permission for the line-speed changes under a USDA program called the New Poultry Inspection Service. While waivers have been available since the program was started in 2018, companies have drawn a backlash by applying for them at a time when many employees are already at risk of getting sick.

Poultry workers suffer from high rates of on-the-job injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve damage due to the repetitive motions required to do their jobs, a 2015 report from the CDC found. The concern is that faster line speeds will worsen these dangerous conditions.

The program has been controversial since long before the pandemic. Originally proposed under the Obama administration, the line-speed change garnered so much opposition that it was not enacted. The Trump administrations USDA reversed that decision in 2018.

The case is United Food and Commercial Workers Union v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 20-cv-02045, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia.

With assistance from Deena Shanker and Lydia Mulvany.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits USA Agribusiness
Belarusian authorities have claimed to have foiled a plot to destabilise the countrys increasingly suspenseful presidential elections next month.

According to BelTA, a state-funded news agency, 33 mercenaries from the Wagner private military group were arrested by KGB officers on Tuesday evening.

Over Wednesday, state television furnished the claims with videos showing the arrest of the men  supposedly caught red-handed with Russian passports, military stripes, bank cards, cash, phones and condoms.

That was not all. Citing secret sources in law enforcement, BelTA said authorities had information that more than 200 Russian mercenaries were now in the country and ready to act.

The same sources suggested the Wagner fighters had somehow stayed in a hotel in Minsk on Friday evening, before moving to a sanatorium complex on the edge of town. It was there that sanatorium employees noticed something was not right with the men who claimed to be Russian tourists. They were all dressed in identical military-style uniform, and they werent drinking.

More than half of the 33 men Minsk claimed to have arrested tally with identities contained on open-source databases of mercenaries known to have fought in Ukraine. But there is precious other information about them or the identities of the other 167 fighters supposedly involved in the plot.

Many elements of Belarusian society have reacted to the news with incredulity, noting Mr Lukashenkos tendency to refer to bizarre security plots ahead of elections. As late as Friday, the president made an elliptical mention of Russian mercenaries  suggesting soldiers and gangsters  in private military groups were ready to carry out tricks on behalf of other states.

TV pictures showed Tuesdays arrest of the alleged mercenaries (BelTA/screenshot) (Screen shot)

Some have suggested the operation could have been staged with the agreement of Moscow. Another theory posits that the appearance of the men in the Minsk capital was because they were using Belarus as a transport corridor to travel to a third country. Russian air borders remain shut due to the coronavirus.

President for 26 years, Alexander Lukashenko finds himself in an increasingly tight spot ahead of the 9 August election. Economic pressures and criticism over his coronavirus denialism have hit his traditional support hard.

For the first time in two decades, the macho, self-styled dictator faces a serious challenge in the form of unity opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.

Ms Tikhanovskaya, wife of jailed candidate Sergei Tikhonovski, was until a few weeks ago an unknown housewife. But her no-policy platform promising only honest elections appears to have attracted support far beyond the 7.5 per cent assigned to her by official state polls.

Recommended Belarus headed for election confrontation as Lukashenko cracks down

Vladimir Frolov, a former Russian diplomat and well-connected security expert, dismissed the Belarusian claims as an invented Lukashenko plot.

There is no story. He might be setting the stage to impose martial law but Moscow has nothing to do with this, Mr Frolov told The Independent. We are angry he is using us a decoy.

On Wednesday evening, presidential staff said Mr Lukashenko had called an extraordinary meeting of his Security Council to discuss the developments.
(ANSA) - ROME, 29 LUG - Premier Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday defended the government's decision to extend the coronavirus state of emergency until October 15 and hit back at critics who said the government was abusing its powers.

He said it was "grave" to say that the government's decision amounted to "liberticide", apparently referring to comments by Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the opposition, rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, as he presented the move to the Lower House.

The premier reiterated that he considered the move to be inevitable given that COVID-19 continues to circulate in Italy and the fact that the situation is deteriorating in many parts of the world.

He said the move does not mean the government intends to reintroduce a lockdown and it should not be seen as an alarm signal.

"On social media some citizens are convinced that extending the state of emergency means bringing back the lockdown as of August 1," Conte said.

"That is not the case".

The state of emergency, among other things, gives special powers to governors and other public bodies, making it possible, for example, to create 'red zones' sealing off areas where an coronavirus outbreak has occurred.

It also makes it possible for the government to stop flights to and from countries with a high incidence of contagion.

As a result, people who are from, or who have passed through, 16 'at-risk' States are not allowed into Italy at the moment.

(ANSA).


Princess Anne has labelled rural fly-tipping a 'major irritation' as she calls on the British public to think more about the impact of waste.

The Princess Royal made the comments as part of a special edition of Country Life, marking her 70th birthday.

Defra statistics show that 1,072,431 incidents of fly-tipping were dealt with by local authorities in 2018/19, an 8% rise on the 998,000 in 2017-18.

The figures account for waste illegally dumped on public land that has been reported to, and cleared by, local authorities.

In a column called 'Waste not, want not', Princess Anne said: "Did I mention that fly-tipping is another major irritation to me?"

"If you want to help the planet, controlling our waste is something everyone can do and it will make a difference.

"We will always produce waste, however efficient we become, so we must get better at reducing it at every stage and dealing with it better at the end."

According to the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), it costs farmers and landowners on average 1,000 to clean up each fly-tipping incident.

Princess Anne, who turns 70 on 15 August, also raised the topic of renewable energy in the countryside and the need to increase water efficiency.

"Replacing fossil-fuel generators has not been easy, but covering the countryside in solar panels and windmills isn't really the answer, either."

She added: "Small nuclear reactors could have their place, but perhaps there is not the space to pursue that now."

The Princess Royal lives on Gatcombe Park, a 700-acre farming estate in Gloucestershire.
Egypt is the first country that succeeds in becoming free of Hepatitis C, announced the Ministry of Health late on Tuesday.

The ministry published a video on Facebook to celebrate World Hepatitis Day.

In the video, several Egyptian landmarks are lit in green to celebrate becoming Hepatitis-free, among which are the New Administrative Capital, Cairo Tower, Liberation complex, Deir El-Bahari in Luxor and Raud El-Farag Axis.

We proved that community-based screening of Hepatitis viruses is not impossible, "said Minister of Health Hala Zayed in the video.

The ministry added that 60 million Egyptians were scanned for Hepatitis in seven months only, as a part of the 100 Million Health initiative.

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis initiative 100 Million Health was launched from October 2018 until April 2019, to screen and overcome hepatitis and non-communicable diseases.

The initiative included mass screenings for all citizens over the age of 18 for the early detection of Hepatitis C infection alongside evaluation and treatment in Hepatitis treatment units deployed nationwide.

Early detection was not only restricted to Hepatitis C, but included diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, directing those who need to receive treatment to various units and hospitals in the republic to reduce deaths caused by non-communicable diseases which represent about 70 percent of deaths in Egypt.

Egypt is the first country to fight Hepatitis C and overcome it and is now Hepatitis-free, said the Ministry of Health.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's elder brother Agrasian Gehlot skipped appearing before the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday for questioning in a money-laundering case, citing health issues, officials said.

His son Anupam Gehlot, however, reached the agency office in Delhi and was questioned about his business links with a company promoted by his family, Anupam Krishi.

They said the agency also handed over a fresh summons for his father to appear before it on August 4 in connection with the money-laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in exporting fertiliser.

Agrasain Gehlot was asked by the central probe agency to depose before the investigating officer of the case on Wednesday in Delhi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Officials said Agrasain Gehlot cited some health issues and sought adjournment of the summons for sometime.

On July 22, the central agency raided Agrasain Gehlot's premises in Jodhpur and a few other places in connection with the case filed under the criminal charges of PMLA.

Officials had said that agency sleuths seized a number of documents during the raids and Agrasain Gehlot required to be confronted and questioned about his fertiliser business and about his associates.

Some other people involved in the case have also been summoned by the probe agency this week.

The raids came about after the agency filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED equivalent of a police FIR, in a 2007-09 Customs department case registered for alleged irregularities in the procurement and export of subsidised Muriate of Potash (MOP) meant for farmers and investigation in this case was finalised in 2013.

The ED took cognisance of the Customs FIR and a July 13 charge sheet to press money-laundering charges to probe a "smuggling syndicate" allegedly run by Agrasain Gehlot, his firm Anupam Krishi and others, officials said.

The agency said the case pertains to fraudulent export of MOP in the guise of industrial salts to buyers based in Malaysia and Taiwan. The MOP is a restricted commodity for exports so that it is easily available to farmers in the country.

The ED action came at a time when a political slugfest was on between CM Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot.

Pilot, a former Union minister, was sacked as Rajasthan deputy CM and PCC chief recently.

Responding to the raids, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had told reporters, "Prime Minister Modi has created 'raid raj' in the country but we are not going to be scared."

When the Centre's "gimmicks" failed to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan, ED raids started at the premises of Gehlot's elder brother, he had said.

Agency sources had said Agrasain Gehlot and his firm were slapped with over Rs 60 crore penalty by the Customs department for these alleged export irregularities in 2013.

It is alleged that Gehlot's company "diverted" 35,000 metric tonnes of MOP that had a value of Rs 130 crore in the international market.

The ED alleged Agrasain Gehlot, in his capacity as a dealer, was the custodian of the MOP and was "solely responsible" for its proper distribution to farmers, and his alleged connivance with the company Saraf Impex Pvt Ltd and others resulted in the diversion of MOP that was imported by Indian Potash Limited at a concessional rate of duty.
Jay Reinstein remembers the day he took the cognitive test President Donald Trump keeps bragging about.

"One of the questions was to draw a clock at a certain time, and I'm staring at the circle and can't figure out where the small hand goes," said Reinstein, 59, who was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. "I have a bachelor's and master's. . . . And I can't draw a damn clock. I felt so frustrated, ashamed."

Trump has treated the cognitive assessment as a political tool, boasting repeatedly about his score on a test designed to detect early signs of dementia. He has used it as a cudgel, attacking the mental acuity of former vice president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, goading him to take the assessment and saying Biden would not fare as well as him.

But for many Americans, the test Trump keeps trumpeting is one of the most fraught, traumatic turning points in their lives - that moment when they realize their mind is beginning to fail and glimpse the troubled path ahead for them and their families.

"I don't understand why he keeps bringing it up as a taunt or threat," said Melissa Susser, a clinical social worker, who regularly administers the test to senior citizens in the D.C. area. "It's not like a political thing."

Her co-worker Julia Pruitt said she worries it could further stigmatize a test - called the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, widely known as the MoCA test - which some older people are already nervous or ashamed to take. "We want to present it as a positive tool. The whole reason this test exists is to try to help people," Pruitt said.

For Reinstein, the results of his cognitive test two years ago led to more tests, visits to neurologists, an MRI, sudden retirement from his job and a devastating diagnosis at age 57 with early onset Alzheimer's disease - a condition that causes people to lose memory and reasoning skills and for which there is no cure.

photo for The Washingotn Post by Eamon Queeney.

When he got the diagnosis, Reinstein remembers simply feeling numb. His wife broke down in tears.

The symptoms had crept up on them. Reinstein, a former assistant city manager for Fayetteville, N.C., would be meeting with city residents and suddenly couldn't name one of the six departments he oversaw. He would forget not just the details of a city project he was leading, but that he was in charge of it.

"I thought my game was just slipping. I started working longer hours. I made lists for everything," he said.

He went to see a friend who was a neurologist at Duke University. The doctor administered the MoCA test - a 10-minute exam designed to detect mild cognitive impairment such as the onset of dementia.

The test is widely used because of its brevity and effectiveness as a screening tool for mild dementia. It is made up of roughly 30 questions designed to evaluate basic cognitive skills such as short-term memory, visual cues, language and orientation. The test often includes being able to recall a list of words and to repeat phrases such as, "The cat always hid under the couch when dogs were in the room," according to one sample test.

Frequently, patients are asked to look at three drawings of animals and identify them - a lion, a camel and a rhinoceros, for instance.

The MoCA test is often administered at memory clinics or by primary-care physicians or geriatricians. In Trump's case, it was administered at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in early 2018 by Navy Rear Adm. Ronny L. Jackson, then the White House's top physician.

At a news conference that year, Jackson said he would not have recommended that Trump undergo the cognitive assessment but that the president requested it. At the time, Trump was reeling from the fallout of Michael Wolff's book, "Fire and Fury" - an account of life inside the White House that depicted a maelstrom of chaos and incompetence - and Trump was eager to demonstrate that he was, as he claimed on Twitter, "a very stable genius."

This month - as questions have arisen about his competence and focus amid a catastrophic American response to the coronavirus pandemic - Trump has brought up the test repeatedly. He told Fox News's Sean Hannity in a phone interview that he'd "aced it," and said to the network's Chris Wallace that he doubts Biden could answer all of the questions. Last week, in another Fox News interview, Trump couldn't resist revisiting what he said was the hardest part of the test - repeating the five words, in order.

Trump said he was first asked to repeat a set of words - "person," "woman," "man," "camera," "TV," he said, offering a hypothetical example. Then, later in the assessment, he was again asked whether he remembered those same words, in order.

"And they say . . . 'Go back to that question, and repeat them. Can you do it?' " Trump said, mimicking the doctors administering the exam. "And you go, 'Person, woman, man, camera, TV.' They say, 'That's amazing. How did you do that?' "

Medical experts stress the cognitive exam is not what Trump seems to think it is - an indicator of IQ or a political weapon. His fixation on the test is puzzling, experts say, because it is normally administered only if someone is concerned that they or their loved ones may be losing basic cognitive abilities.

"It's not meant to measure IQ or intellectual skill in anyway," said Ziad Nasreddine, the neurologist who created the test. "If someone performs well, what it means is they can be ruled out for cognitive impairment that comes with diseases like Alzheimer's, stroke or multiple sclerosis. That's it."

This is what it feels like to take the assessment when you have dementia, say patients who have been through the experience: It's aggravating. It's sad. It's embarrassing.

Pruitt - the social worker at Iona Senior Services, a nonprofit group that provides services to older people in D.C. - said the first question she often asks after the test is: "How did that go for you?" It is a gentle way to gauge how aware people are of their decline and what kind of support they are going to need.

Susser said she often tries to have family members present when reviewing the results.

"There can be a lot of fear that comes with that realization. Fear about the medical system. Fear about having an incurable condition. Fear about what it could mean for you and your family, about losing your independence," she said.

If handled correctly, however, the test can open the door to crucial conversations about what lies ahead and the support needed to navigate difficult decisions.

If the early signs of dementia are confirmed by further deterioration and tests, families often need to figure out long-term care options - a home-health aide, adult day programs or full-time nursing home - all of which can be expensive.

Helen Hardy, 77, scored better than she expected on a recent MoCA test, but low enough that she has started worrying about the future. A retired paralegal, she spent her life taking care of her five children and husband - most of whom have died.

The test question that gave her the most trouble was the one that involves being told five words and having to recite them several minutes later. Many times of late, she said, she goes to the kitchen to get something and just stands awhile, unable to recall what she was seeking.

"It's scary to think it could be Alzheimer's or dementia," she said. "I worry because I know I don't have anybody in the family who can take care of me."

For some, early signs of cognitive decline can lead at first to despair.

More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer's. It is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. And by 2050, the number of people in the United States with Alzheimer's is expected to reach more than 14 million.

"You work your whole life and you have a certain image of yourself, and suddenly, you see that you're not that person anymore," Reinstein said.

Reinstein had to leave the assistant city manager job his whole life revolved around. Two years later, he said his wife still struggles at times to come to grips with his diagnosis.

He endured depression at first but has since thrown himself into advocacy work. He joined a support group and became a national board member for the Alzheimer's Association. He helps push for research and often shares his experience with others confronting the disease.

He said this is what the MoCA test has taught him: Don't sweat the small stuff.

There's plenty in his new life that frustrates him. Reinstein can no longer read novels, for example, because he can't remember the characters from chapter to chapter. So he focuses on reading shorter articles and essays.

"I can spend all day angry that I can't read a book or draw a simple clock, or I can hang out with my daughter, go to dinner with friends," he said. "I focus on the things I can do. One test doesn't define me and doesn't change my life."
Eight debut novelists came up against veterans Hilary Mantel and Tsitsi Dangarembga when Britain unveiled a US-dominated longlist of finalists Tuesday for its revered Booker Prize.

One of the world's most celebrated literary competitions tore up the rule book last year by splitting the fiction award between Canada's Margaret Atwood and Anglo-Nigerian author Bernardine Evaristo.

It courted controversy on this occasion by pitting nine Americans or dual-US citizens against just three Britons and Zimbabwe's Dangarembga.

"There are voices from minorities often unheard, stories that are fresh, bold and absorbing," judges' panel chair Margaret Busby said.

"Unplanned, our final selection encompasses both seasoned favourites and debut talents -- a truly satisfying outcome."

- 'Year of seismic change' -

The title of best work of English-language fiction published in the United Kingdom and Ireland has launched careers and caused countless arguments since its creation in 1969.

Past laureates have ranged from contemporary giants such as Ian McEwan and Julian Barnes to Kazuo Ishiguro and Roddy Doyle.

This year's 13-title longlist -- to be whittled down to a shortlist of six on September 15 before the winner is unveiled in November -- features nine female authors.

"In this year of seismic change, visibility for new books published in the UK has been drastically low," the Booker Prize Foundation's literary director Gaby Wood said.

"So, however unintended the ratio, it's especially heartening to know that some authors who have launched their careers in the midst of COVID-19 may now have a chance to reach the readers they deserve."

The five-judge panel picked through 162 novels either published or scheduled for release in the 12 months ending on September 30.

Britain was represented by Mantel -- nominated for "The Mirror & The Light" -- and debutants Sophie Ward and Gabriel Krauze.

Story continues

Mantel won the Booker in 2009 for "Wolf Hall" and in 2012 for "Bring Up the Bodies".

The panel said her latest entry "completes a tragic arc in which Thomas Cromwell is finally brought down by the police state he designed".

Mantel's "masterful exhibition of sly dialogue and exquisite description brings the Tudor world alive," the panel of judges said.

- 'Sweep of history' -

Irish-American US National Book Award winner Colum McCann was nominated for "Apeirogon" about two Israeli and Palestinian fathers coming together over shared grief at losing their sons. He was longlisted for "TransAtlantic" in 2013.

The panel called "Apeirogon" "a moving reflection on what it might mean to make peace between two warring sides."

Dangarembga's nomination for "This Mournable Body" is her first in a distinguished career that has spanned four decades and featured plays and films.

Her new book "drew an immediate reaction like a sharp intake of breath from all of us on the panel," the judges said.

"The breakdown of the protagonist and the breakdown of a country are inextricably linked in this arresting novel from a mercurial writer."

Panel chair Busby said the longlist features "novels carried by the sweep of history".

The works "represent a moment of cultural change, or the pressures an individual faces in pre- and post-dystopian society," she said.

Organisers said the 2020 winner will receive 50,000 ($64,000 / 55,000 euros) "and can expect international recognition".
United Australia Party founder Clive Palmer addresses the media during a press conference in Townsville on April 18, 2019. (AAP Image/Michael Chambers)

Australian PM Says Palmer Likely to Beat WA on Border Case

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says its likely the West Australian government will lose Clive Palmers court challenge to the states tough border stance.

The case is being heard for the third day in the Federal Court in Brisbane before being ultimately decided by the High Court.

The Queensland billionaire argues WAs border closure is unconstitutional and damaging trade, while Premier Mark McGowan says it is necessary to protect citizens and is based on expert health advice.

The Labor leader is angry federal government experts are giving evidence, accusing the Commonwealth of helping Palmer.

But Morrison says the case goes to quite serious constitutional issues on which the Commonwealth could not be silent about.

There are much more broader consequences of this case  beyond specifically the pandemic, he told reporters on July 29.

It is highly likely that the constitutional position that is being reviewed in this case will not fall in the Western Australian governments favour.

He backed Palmers argument the constitution provided Australians free movement, saying that should not be prevented.

Attorney-General Christian Porter said the federal government was supportive of total border closures in the early stages of the pandemic, when there was enormous uncertainty.

But WAs all or nothing approach could not be sustained.

Ultimately the constitutional test here is proportionality, Porter told 6PR radio.

Palmer seized on evidence by infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon, who has been engaged by the Commonwealth and argues in favour of targeted quarantine for people from states with high levels of community transmission, which is currently only Victoria and NSW.

We have to risk stratify different populations, Collignon told the court.

Palmer also seized on evidence by WAs chief health officer Andy Robertson, who testified there was a less than one percent chance of COVID-19 re-entering the state whether its border was closed completely or opened to jurisdictions other than Victoria and NSW.

The United Australia Party leader said WAs blanket border closure would destroy the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people for decades.

Palmer launched the action in May after he was refused an exemption to enter WA for meetings with businesspeople, Senator Mathias Cormann and potential UAP candidates for the 2021 state election.

Rebecca Le May in Perth
With an attempt to regain trusts, ByteDance that owns the now-blocked Chinese app TikTok, has told the government it's ready to store data in India but denies any breach of user privacy and sovereignty or integrity.

The Centre had banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including TikTok, Shein, UC Browser, and BeautyPlus on June 29, saying they were prejudicial to the "sovereignty, integrity, and security of the country".

Responding to a detailed questionnaire of over 70 questions from the information technology ministry, TikTok said it's committed to complying with local data laws and privacy requirements. In its query after the ban, the Centre had sought details about these companies' data management practices, security features, and their data collection and processing policy.

"We have submitted our response to the government and are working with them to provide clarifications to allay the concerns they have. Throughout our operations, we have demonstrated an unequivocal commitment to complying with local laws, including data privacy and security requirements," a TikTok spokesperson said, reported The Times of India.

TikTok has also reportedly conveyed its plan to set up data centres in India; so far, Indian TikTok users' data is mainly stored in third-party servers in the US and Singapore. The company has also reportedly shown its intention to build a global engineering centre in India, which would cater to global products.

Following the ban on 59 Chinese apps, the government this week banned 47 more Chinese apps. The list of banned apps includes TikTok Lite, Helo Lite, SHAREit Lite, BIGO Lite, and VFY Lite. These are primarily the variants of the apps banned last month and are reported to have violated data and privacy issues. These apps are not available for download on Play Store and App Store in India.

As India tightens noose around Chinese companies in the backdrop of escalating India-China border tensions, the Centre has reportedly prepared another list of over 250 Chinese apps, including apps linked to Alibaba, which it will examine for any user privacy or national security violations. The list also includes Tencent-backed popular gaming app PUBG.

Also read: Govt warns 59 Chinese apps of serious action if found operating despite ban

Also read: 'Helo Lite, ShareIt Lite, Bigo Lite': Govt to ban more Chinese apps
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Beijing, China  Wed, July 29, 2020 09:34 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1b7d3 2 World US-China-tension,China,US-China,bilateral-spat,bilateral-tension,diplomacy Free

China's foreign minister on Tuesday slammed the US for "reckless provocation of confrontation" after both sides ordered tit-for-tat closures of each other's consulates, but called for "rational communication" between the two powers.

Wang Yi warned in a call with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian that China-US relations could "fall into the abyss of confrontation", according to a transcript published by the Chinese foreign ministry.

He also called for the international community to resist "any unilateral or hegemonic act", it said.

Relations have deteriorated in recent weeks in an intensifying standoff between Washington and Beijing, with the US mission in Chengdu ordered to shut on Monday in retaliation for the forced closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston, Texas.

"The US reckless provocation of confrontation and division is so out of touch with the reality that the interests of China and the United States are deeply integrated," Wang said.

But the two sides should "engage in rational communication" and "never allow a few anti-China elements to overturn decades of successful exchanges and cooperation", he added.

'Ghost of McCarthyism'

Chinese officials took over the premises of the US consulate in Chengdu on Monday, while the last Chinese diplomats left the consulate in Houston on Friday, with both sides alleging the other had endangered national security, in the latest tit-for-tat blows exchanged by the rivals.

Trump's administration has ramped up pressure on China on a wide range of issues, imposing sanctions over policies in Tibet and Xinjiang, where an estimated one million Uighurs and other ethnic minorities are believed to have been rounded up and held in re-education camps.

The United States has also downgraded relations with Hong Kong after China implemented a new security law which Washington says is in violation of Beijing's promises of autonomy for the territory.

Disputes between the two sides over a host of other issues ranging from blame for the COVID-19 pandemic to state-run media have resulted in the expulsions of journalists from both countries as well as sanctions against top officials.

The US has also in recent weeks declared China's geopolitical claims in the South China Sea fundamentally illegal, and sent two aircraft carriers to that region to underscore the point.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Thursday for the "free world" to triumph over what he said was a "new tyranny" from China, implying that former US President Richard Nixon's move to normalize relations with China in the 1970s was a mistake.

Wang in turn said on Tuesday that the US had become "the biggest perpetrator to destroy the current international order," and called Pompeo's remarks a sign of "the ghost of McCarthyism coming back from the ashes."




The Minsa head also assured that although there has been a slow increase in infections this does not mean that there is a re-emergence of the epidemic in the country.





"The Situational Room website shows a slow increase in cases, but we are not seeing a large increase in cases that would make us think of a regrowth or something like that, at least for now," she emphasized.
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - July 29, 2020) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed American Lithium Corp. (OTCQB: LIACF) ("the Company"), a company actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of lithium deposits within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. Interim CEO of the Company, Andrew Bowering, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly.

Jolly began the interview by asking about the Company's background and current projects. "American Lithium is a relatively new company, it has only been around for a few years, and we are an explorer and developer of lithium for the electric battery industry," explained Bowering. "We're in the process of building a lithium operation in Nevada."

"Why lithium? Why now? And why Nevada?" asked Jolly. "Lithium is number three on the periodic table of elements, which means it's really light. In addition to being really light, it's got a highly mobile outer electron, meaning it sheds that electron quickly," said Bowering, adding that these qualities make lithium exceptionally effective for use in batteries. "Lithium is the perfect metal for it," said Bowering. "When it comes to a storage battery, it's weight that matters."

Jolly then inquired about the importance of lithium. Bowering explained that the demand of lithium is expected to spike between 2022 and 2023. "At that point, you're going to have demand far exceeding supply and you're going to have another price shock," explained Bowering.

"What separates American Lithium from the rest of the lithium companies?" asked Jolly. "Most of the lithium that is produced on the planet comes out of South America," explained Bowering. "It comes from brines, which are complicated to produce," he added. "The problem is that producing those brines uses 500,000 liters of water for every ton of lithium carbonate, and they are in the driest places on the planet," said Bowering when elaborating on the advantages of a strong water supply for lithium production. "That is why Nevada is important."

Bowering then shared how Nevada grew to account for a substantial percentage of the world's gold production. "The same mineralizing structures are there for lithium," said Bowering, adding that Nevada is abundant in low-grade at-surface deposits of the element. "The price change in lithium from $1,500 to $2,000 per ton in the early 2000s, to now at $10,000+, has changed the whole scenario to be just like the way gold mining was, and history repeats itself."

The conversation then turned to the Company's production process. "The project is going through PFS this fall and I suspect we will look for a partner to co-develop it," said Bowering. "What's most important to me is shareholder value," added Bowering. "If it makes sense to produce, we'll produce. If it makes sense to sell it for a big shareholder return, we'll do that."

To close the interview, Bowering shared that the Company hopes to complete the PFS process within nine months and begin looking into bankable feasibility. "During that year, we'll find a partner. It will either be a partner that will buy us out or one that will joint venture and co-develop with us," closed Bowering.

To hear Andrew Bowering's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7643874-american-lithium-corporation-discusses-the-potential-of-lithium-production-in-nevada-with-the-sto

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/

About American Lithium Corp.

American Lithium is actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium deposits within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. The company is currently exploring and developing the TLC project located in the highly prospective Esmeralda lithium district in Nevada. TLC is close to infrastructure, 3.5 hours south of the Tesla Gigafactory, and in the same basinal environment as Albemarle's Silver Peak lithium mine and several advancing deposits and resources, including Ioneer Ltd.'s (formerly Global Geoscience) Rhyolite Ridge and Cypress Development Corp.'s Clayton Valley project.

For more information, please contact the Company at:

info@americanlithiumcorp.com or visit our website at www.americanlithiumcorp.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

On behalf of the Board,

American Lithium Corp.

Michael Kobler, Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking statements

Statements in this release that are forward-looking information are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here. Information provided in this release is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by American Lithium management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information or statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include those described under the heading "Risks Factors" in American Lithium's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. Stock Day recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona.

SOURCE:

Stock Day Media

(602) 821-1102

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/60733
The Jammu and Kashmir administration Wednesday told the Supreme Court court that 'the senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz is neither detained nor put under house arrest after abrogation of Article 370'

The Jammu and Kashmir home department on Friday denied allegations that Kashmiri Congress leader Saifuddin Soz was detained after the abrogation of Article 370, maintaining that "no order was ever passed".

According to Live Law, in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the Jammu and Kashmir administration Wednesday told the court that "the senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz is neither detained nor put under house arrest after abrogation of Article 370".

Sozs wife has filed the #habeascorpus petition. Jammu and Kashmir Administration has maintained that senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz is neither detained nor put under house arrest after abrogation of Article 370.  Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) July 29, 2020

There is no restriction on movement of Professor Saifuddin Soz to any place, subject to security clearance which is contingent upon law and order and security situation of that area... Prof Soz has never been placed under any detention, as alleged," a News18 report quoted the affidavit by the Jammu and KashmirSpecial Secretary, Home, in the court.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has filed the affidavit in response to a habeas corpus petition filed in the Supreme Court by Soz's wife Mumtazunnisa where she had demanded a copy of the alleged "detention order".

According to the News18 report, the state home department said that since "no such order has ever been passed" by any authority in Jammu and Kashmir, the detention order can't be given to the petitioner. Accepting the affidavit, a Supreme Court bench led by Justice Arun Mishra closed the petition saying that there's "nothing to examine further" in the case.

As details of the Jammu and Kashmir administration's affidavit spread on social media, former Union minister P Chidambaram took to Twitter stating that the politician has been freed "at last after one year".
Jin Liqun, president and chairman of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, addresses the parallel session "Opening-up, Regulation and Business Environment" of the second Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Jin Liqun has been elected to a second term as President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) by the bank's Board of Governors.

The election result was announced by the Chair of AIIB's Board of Governors during the bank's fifth annual meeting on Tuesday.

"It has been a tremendous privilege to lead the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank during its foundational years," said Jin. "We have established high standards of governance, we are investing in projects that improve lives and livelihoods, and we are establishing ourselves in global capital markets."

Under Jin's leadership, the AIIB has grown from 57 founding members to over 100 approved members from around the world.

The bank has also maintained the highest credit rating with a stable outlook from the largest credit rating agencies, including Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch. Permanent Observer status was also granted by the United Nations (UN) in recognition of AIIB's relevance and contribution to the UN's development mandate.

"As we look forward to the next decade, we will expand our investments from a core infrastructure to the tomorrow-infrastructure that will tackle climate change, enhance connectivity within Asia and the rest of the world, mobilize private capital, and bridge digital divides in our region," said Jin.

The AIIB is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia. Headquartered in Beijing, the AIIB began operations in January 2016 and has now grown to more than 100 approved members worldwide.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 21:29:42|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will attend a ceremony marking the completion and launching of the BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System scheduled for Friday at the Great Hall of the People.

China Media Group will live broadcast the event, which will start at 10:30 a.m. Beijing time. Enditem
Mitsubishi has stopped selling the Pajero in Australia as the company tries to claw back funds during the coronavirus pandemic.

The current generation of Pajero has been on sale in Australia since 2006 with minor updates over the years and achieved relatively strong sales.

The announcement comes as Mitsubishi closes its Sakahogi plant in Japan, where the popular 4WD is made, to cut back on costs.

Mitsubishi has killed off the Pajero in Australia after selling the model since 2006 with minor updates over the years

While other models made at the plant, including the Outlander, will be moved to another factory, Mitsubishi has decided to end production of the 14-year-old car by 2021.

Catherine Humphreys-Scott, from Mitsubishi Australia, said the move was not a sudden reaction to the difficult economic conditions of 2020.

'This is not connected to the global financial climate, it is due to the investment required to maintain the production facility for a smaller number of vehicles,' she said.

'The Pajero is well loved. However, a number of markets have already issued a final edition of the Pajero in the past year, and consumer preferences have led to the increased popularity of our Triton and Pajero Sport models, which share the super-select 4WD technology that the Pajero is known for.'

Despite its age, the Pajero still outsells Ford's considerably newer model the Explorer.

Its Triton ute-based sibling, the Pajero Sport, will continue to be sold in Australia along with a line of up other SUV's including the ASX and the Outlander.

The 4WD, also known as the Shogun in other countries, stopped selling the Pajero in Japan in 2019 but continued to export the model overseas.

It is understood the ageing platform was unable to fit safety technology such as Auto Emergency Braking or mild-hybrid technology.

The Pajero was one of Australia's longest selling cars but no replacement model has yet been announced.

The move was prompted by the closure of Mitsubishi's Sakahogi plant in Japan, where the popular 4WD is made, as the company attempts to cut costs

SUV's are increasingly popular in Australia, selling a total of 483,388 models in 2019 compared to 315,875 passenger vehicles in the same period.

Lenore Fletcher, Director Public Affairs, at Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries said Australia's could not get enough of 'big cars' like SUV's and dual-cab utes.

'Maybe its the great Australian dream to drive around our country, tow a caravan or a boat, have enough room for your kids and their friends, or maybe its just the feeling of safety afforded by the higher driving position,' she said.

'But when alls said and done, theres just no doubt that the Australian public loves an SUV or LCV.'
Oregon man caught in Lyon County with $760,000 of marijuana
(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook will tell U.S. lawmakers probing his companys market power that the iPhone makers App Store has opened the gate wider for developers and doesnt stifle competition.

In a prepared opening statement for Wednesdays hearing in the House antitrust subcommittee, the longtime Apple executive positions the Cupertino, California-based technology giant as a uniquely American company that does not have a dominant market share in any market where we do business. He cited Google, Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. as examples of competitors in the smartphone market.

As much as we believe the iPhone provides the best user experience, we know it is far from the only choice available to consumers, Cooks testimony reads. Critically, he says that while Apple believes regulatory scrutiny is reasonable, the company will make no concession on the facts, and disputes the characterization that Apple is anti-competitive.

After beginning with 500 apps, today the App Store hosts more than 1.7 million -- only 60 of which are Apple software, Cook says. Clearly, if Apple is a gatekeeper, what we have done is open the gate wider. We want to get every app we can on the store, not keep them off.

Regarding concerns that Apple takes too large a commission from developers who sell through the App Store, Cook says that the store was launched in 2008 to mimic a high-end department store with a carefully curated selection of products. He also says the store is unique in its pricing structure and offers a better option than what previously existed for developers.

When the App Store was created, the prevailing distribution options available to software developers at the time did not work well, Cook says in his testimony. Brick-and-mortar stores charged high fees and had limited reach. Physical media like CDs had to be shipped and were hard to update.

In the remarks, Cook says that the vast majority of apps on the App Store provide their developers with a 100% revenue share, and Apples 15% to 30% cut beat the boxed software industry and is competitive with alternatives. He also said the revenue share has evolved.

Story continues

In the more than a decade since the App Store debuted, we have never raised the commission or added a single fee. In fact, we have reduced them for subscriptions and exempted additional categories of apps, Cook wrote. The App Store evolves with the times, and every change we have made has been in the direction of providing a better experience for our users and a compelling business opportunity for developers.

Wednesdays hearing, at noon Washington time, will be before the House Judiciary subcommittee focused on antitrust. Cook will be questioned along with the CEOs of Facebook Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Google parent Alphabet Inc.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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The yellow-spined bamboo locusts (Ceracris kiangsu) swarm has destroyed at least 277ha of bamboo forests and corn fields in eight provinces across the country.

Yellow-spined bamboo locusts destroy corn field in Muong Nhe District, Dien Bien Province.  Photo nhandan.com.vn

A locust invasion from China and Laos swarmed across parts of Son La, Dien Bien, Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh and Thanh Hoa provinces, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

The insects have been making an appearance since early June, moving from Laos to Thanh Hoa province.

From July 20, they migrated from China to Dien Bien Province, affecting 60ha of crops then they returned to China on July 23.

MARD has directed the Plant Protection Department together with localities to regularly monitor the situation to take preventive measures.

Provinces which border Laos and China were required to continue coordinating with neighbouring countries to gain information for prevention of the swarm.

In the future, MARD will continue to direct relevant agencies to proactively inspect, detect and prevent the locust swarms effectively.

Earlier, the High Command of Military Region 2 on July 20 detected a locust invasion from China to Xin Thau Commune, Muong Nhe District, Dien Bien Province, destroying 40ha of bamboo forests and 20ha of agriculture crops.  VNS
Keira Maguire has fiercely denied any suggestion that she acted like a bully on Bachelor in Paradise, insisting that she simply 'walked into a trap' set by producers.

But fans may struggle to believe her after watching newly-released footage of the 33-year-old socialite ranting about rival Alisha Aitken-Radburn, 27.

The hidden camera footage, published exclusively on streaming platform 10Play, shows Keira venting to Jamie Doran about her Bula Banquet showdown with Alisha, which aired on Sunday night.

True colours: Bachelor in Paradise star Keira Maguire's (pictured) shocking mean girl rant about rival Alisha Aitken-Radburn has been exposed in hidden camera footage

Sitting on the edge of Jamie's bed inside a darkened cabana, Keira fumes: 'Like, I'm just like, who do you think you are, b***h? You do not come at me, Keira Maguire.'

She adds: 'When I first come into a house and, like, try to turn people against me. No f**king way. Who do you think you are?'

Declaring that Alisha is 'messing with the wrong person', Keira says that she can't believe the producers 'brought her... that peasant' into Paradise before her.

'Who do you think you are?' The hidden camera footage shows Keira venting to Jamie Doran about her Bula Banquet showdown with Alisha, which aired on Sunday night

'She needs to know that I'm up here, and she's down here,' Keira seethed while gesturing dramatically.

The Instagram model goes on to explain why she was so upset by Alisha's behaviour.

She says: 'Alisha triggered me tonight. Because I've spent so much of my career, like, meeting people and them going, "Oh you're not what I thought you were."'

Chilling: Keira ominously declares that Alisha is 'messing with the wrong person'

Reaching boiling point: The two women had previously clashed before Paradise over comments Keira had posted on Instagram criticising Alisha's behaviour on the 2019 season. Those issues were raised at Sunday's dinner party, and although Alisha (pictured) was in tears, Keira dug in her heels and accused Alisha's friends of ganging up on her

Bula Banquet blow-up: After her showdown with Alisha aired on TV, Keira has been lashing out on Instagram and fiercely denying any suggestion she was acting like a bully

She concludes: 'You don't want to come at me, because I will destroy you. But apparently I'm not that important because I've come in so f**king late! And it's p**sed me off.'

The two women had previously clashed before Paradise over Instagram Stories and comments Keira had posted criticising Alisha's behaviour on the 2019 season.

Those issues were raised at Sunday's dinner party, and although Alisha was in tears, Keira dug in her heels and accused Alisha's friends of ganging up on her.

It's on! Gossip website Pedestrian published Keira's comments explaining her dinner party clash with Alisha, alongside a sarcastic headline insinuating they didn't quite believe her

After her showdown with Alisha aired on TV, Keira has been lashing out on Instagram and fiercely denying any suggestion she was acting like a bully.

Speaking to Nova 96.9's Fitzy & Wippa on Monday, Keira claimed she had 'walked into a trap' and was not responsible for the drama.

Gossip website Pedestrian later published her comments with a sarcastic headline insinuating that they didn't quite believe her.

Karen wants to speak to the manager! Keira took aim at the article, commenting on Instagram: 'It's actually laughable that you think that the whole situation wasn't positioned and calculated to get a reaction out of me.' Her comments were later deleted from the thread

Keira took aim at the article, commenting on Instagram: 'It's actually laughable that you think that the whole situation wasn't positioned and calculated to get a reaction out of me.

'Actually it wasn't straight after that's just what you saw. Any ways I'm not saying the way I reacted was OK. I'm saying it was positioned to be my reaction.'

At about the same time, Keira also direct messaged the popular meme account BachieFunny, which had shared a post explaining her feud with Alisha.

She messaged the page's administrator: 'You're pathetic, get a life.'
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- He did it again.

Over the course of a long, nasty hearing in the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Attorney General William Barr was asked about the appropriateness of foreign interference in a U.S. election. His answer should send alarms ringing across the nation.

Barr had the following exchange with Representative David Cicilline, Democrat of Rhode Island:

Cicilline: Is it ever appropriate, Sir, for the president to solicit or accept foreign assistance in an election?

Barr: It depends what kind of assistance.

Cicilline: Is it ever appropriate for the president or presidential candidate to accept or solicit foreign assistance of any kind in his or her election?

Barr: No, its not appropriate.

Cicilline no doubt repeated his question for a simple reason: Barrs initial answer was flagrantly wrong. Accepting foreign assistance is expressly illegal. And if its illegal, its also inappropriate.

Foreigners are not only prohibited from contributing a thing of value to a U.S. campaign, they are prohibited from making any expenditure at all in connection with any federal, state or local election in the United States. Those prohibitions are the cornerstone of what the Federal Election Commission calls the broad prohibition on foreign national activity in American elections.

In other words, there is no it depends clause in U.S. election law. An in-kind contribution is anything of value accepted by a campaign, and a foreign contribution is prohibited, period, said former Federal Election Commission chairman Trevor Potter, who was campaign counsel to John McCains 2008 presidential campaign. So soliciting a foreign source for help or accepting help or assistance knowing it is from a foreign source is illegal.

For some reason, Barr openly struggles with the concept of foreign subterfuge in U.S. campaigns. In a Senate hearing more than a year ago, the attorney general was asked similar questions, and gave even more evasive and disturbing answers. Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware posed a ridiculously easy question: If North Korean intelligence officers were to offer a U.S. campaign dirt on an opponent, should the campaign contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation?

Story continues

Astonishingly, Barr did not answer. He paused, seemingly weighing his response. Then he offered a hedged reply: A foreign intelligence service, yes.

Later, Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska asked Barr whether a foreign enemy of the U.S. could hire campaign operatives on retainer and install them in a U.S. campaign. (Sasse seemed to have in mind Paul Manafort, Trumps 2016 campaign chairman, who before being convicted of multiple counts of tax fraud in 2018, made his living serving Russian interests in Ukraine.)

It depends on the specific circumstances, Barr said. Its a slippery area.

The area is not nearly as slippery as Barr. The only question is whether he has greased his responses to try to excuse Trumps extended 2016 dalliance with Russia, or as a kind of prebuttal to foreign interference in the 2020 election. In either case, Barr has positioned himself as Trumps apologist rather than as an agent of law enforcement.

As Potter said, via email, any credible lawyer would advise a political candidate not to collude with foreigners. But if a client did it first and told the lawyer later, they would start thinking of arguments that there was at least no criminal violation  as Trumps did.

Thats apparently how Barr perceives his role as Attorney General: Trumps lawyer. Indeed, Barr seems eager to erase whole classes of criminality where it would benefit his boss. During the course of his testimony this week, Barr recast the perjury charge to which former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty as an esoteric made-up crime.

Barr is likewise recasting foreign sabotage to help Trump in 2020. Illegal? Corrupt? It depends.

Meanwhile, Axios reported Wednesday that Trump has had at least eight conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin since intelligence was included in Trumps daily brief about Russian bounties on the heads of American soldiers in Afghanistan. Trump admitted he has never once raised the issue with Putin.

Barr wants us to think all of this is a nuanced matter of great legal complexity. But some things are painfully obvious.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Francis Wilkinson writes editorials on politics and U.S. domestic policy for Bloomberg Opinion. He was executive editor of the Week. He was previously a writer for Rolling Stone, a communications consultant and a political media strategist.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
A parliamentary panel has observed that the migrants crisis that unfolded after the lockdown should make the government take a second look at some of the provisions of its proposed Code on Social Security, 2019. The Code was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December, and seeks to subsume 9 existing laws.

The panel is set to ask the government to specifically mention the source of the social security fund it has proposed for workers in the unorganised sector. This will ensure that the flow of funds to the proposed fund is uninterrupted. The panel ...
Daniel Smith, now 88, is just one generation removed from slavery. His father, Abram Smith, was born on a plantation in Massies Mill, Virginia, in 1862 during the Civil War

The 88-year-old son of a slave born on a Virginia plantation 157 years ago says he's inspired by the current Black Lives Matter movement but that sometimes time feels like it's folding back towards the years of slavery given current events under Donald Trump's presidency.

Daniel Smith, while it seems unlikely, is just one generation removed from slavery.

His father, Abram Smith, was born on a plantation in Massies Mill, Virginia, in 1862 during the Civil War.

After leaving the plantation, Abram married Clara Wheeler, who was decades younger than him, and they settled in Connecticut in the 1920s to raise a family.

They had six children together and Smith, who was their fifth child, was born in 1932. Abram was 70 years old when Smith was born.

Smith and his 92-year-old brother Abe are the only two surviving siblings, the Washington Post reports.

They are among an extremely rare population of surviving relatives who are just once removed from slavery.

Like his father, Smith has lived through decades of America's racial history.

He has been chased by the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama, marched with Martin Luther King and attended both of Barack Obama's inaugurations. Smith lived through the civil rights movement and is now watching the Black Lives Matter movement unfold.

He told the Post that while he had always considered the 150 years since his father's birth and subsequent slavery a 'solid gap' in history, it now seemed much shorter given current events during Trump's presidency.

Like his father, Smith has lived through decades of America's racial history. He said he was inspired by the current Black Lives Matter movement currently sweeping the country. Smith is pictured above with his second wife Loretta Neumann

He implied it felt like the years were slipping back towards the times of slavery - 'almost to the point where it could happen again'.

Smith suggested that feeling had somewhat disappeared of late after seeing protesters take to the streets across the country in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd's death.

The now 88-year-old said he felt inspired by the current push for racial justice.

He said he hadn't ever given much thought to being one of the few living children of a slave.

'Quite frankly, I've just grown up and been busy and I've never thought much about it,' he said.

Smith said that, as a small child, he recalled listening to his father tell stories of the plantation and how slaves were beaten and brutalized.

His parents had taught him and his siblings that America was a free country and they could be whoever they wanted to be.

'I remember my father and mother saying "It's a free country. You can do anything you want, you can be anything you want," and they believed it,' Smith said.

'A lot of black children grew up in a world where they didn't know who they were and where they came from... but we were A.B. Smith's children, and that sustained us through anything.'

Smith suggested that feeling had somewhat disappeared of late after seeing protesters take to the streets across the country in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd's death. Pictured above is a 'Black Lives Matter' mural painted on the pavement of 16th Street near the White House

He said while he had always considered the 150 years since his father's birth and subsequent slavery a 'solid gap' in history, it now seemed much shorter given current events during Trump's presidency

He said it wasn't until he was an adult that he realized his parents had been optimistic and had been sold the idea that the US was the land of the free.

'We were all brainwashed Everyone in America fell for it,' Smith said.

Smith served in the US Army as a medic in the Korean War before working briefly as a social worker and then in civil rights in the 1960s by directing an anti-poverty program in Alabama.

He later became a federal health executive in Washington DC.

Smith said he now realizes that his parents were of the belief that black people had to work twice as hard as white men and women in order to prove their equality.

His reckoning, however, came in 1957 when he was working as a director of a YMCA camp in Connecticut.

He saw that a young woman was drowning in the quarry and rushed to help. After she was pulled to shore, Smith said he could feel her pulse and was about to give mouth-to-mouth when a police officer started screaming at him.

Smith said the officer yelled: 'Hey, you, you, YOU. She's already dead. She's already dead.'

'He didn't want me to put my lips on her, and she died.'

Smith has lived in the Washington DC area since 1968 - just weeks before Martin Luther King's assassination.

He has been retired since 1994 and lives with his second wife Loretta Neumann, who is white. The couple married in 2006 at the National Cathedral. Smith has two children with his first wife who is black.
Construction on what could become Perth's tallest skyscraper could begin at Elizabeth Quay within two years, despite overwhelming opposition from neighbouring property owners.

The Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority will decide the fate of Brookfield's billion-dollar project on Thursday following the green light from one of the authority's committees last week.

Artist's impression of the proposed towers at Elizabeth Quay.

If approved, the luxury twin towers could dwarf signature buildings at the prime waterfront precinct, such as the Ritz Carlton and Chevron's $360 million headquarters currently under construction.

As part of its application, Brookfield sought changes to the area's redevelopment scheme, which limited building heights to 30 levels, to allow the construction of the 58-storey residential tower.
A new research paper from China published on the preprint server medRxiv* claims that recurrent positive results for SARS-CoV-2 are due to the presence of low levels of viral RNA fragments and not the shedding of infectious virus particles.

Recurrent Positives: The Risk

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has spread all over the world, causing over 659,000 deaths and an astonishing 16.67 million-plus confirmed cases. Of these, approximately 6.5 million are currently infected, and almost 10 million have recovered.

Almost from the beginning, reports have cropped up of patients who apparently recovered and were discharged testing positive on reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) testing for the viral RNA. These are called recurrent positives. In most cases, these reports dealt with small numbers of patients, who were typically asymptomatic or had only mild symptoms.

The concern with recurrent positives (who have repeatedly tested negative before this result) is that they might be silent carriers of the virus, driving community transmission. In response, the Chinese government places such patients in quarantine for 14 days, a complicated and expensive effort.

The Study: Recurrent Positives

The current study is aimed at filling in the knowledge gap concerning these patients, their viral RNA level, the antibody responses, and the risk of viral spread. This will, it is hoped, help evolve more suitable management methods.

The paper is based on an observational study of 479 recovered COVID-19 patients who were discharged between February 1, 2020, and May 5, 2020. All these patients had been discharged following a normal temperature recording for 3 or more days, the resolution of all airway symptoms, and a significant decrease of pulmonary lesions on chest computed tomography (CT), as well as two negative successive RT PCR tests, carried out at an interval of one day.

Discharged patients were quarantined at home or in quarantine facilities for two weeks, with repeated RT PCR tests of nasopharyngeal and rectal swabs, on the 7th and 14th days, up to March 18, or on day 1, 3, 7 and 14 after that date. On the latter days, serologic testing was performed. Specimens were taken from 147 discharged patients with recurrent positives for RNA detection by RT PCR, at 1-4 samples per person.

Of the 479 patients, there were 93 (19%) recurrent positives, with 9% who had multiple positive tests after two consecutive negatives and discharge. Of the 93, 75% tested positive during the 14-day quarantine, and the rest during their follow up. The median period from discharge to the first recurrent positive test was 8 days. Still, the final recurrent positive test occurred at a median of 15 days from discharge, and 46 days from disease onset.

Differing Characteristics

In this small cohort, about 60% were female, and significantly younger, at 34 years, compared to the median age of 45 years for the rest of the patients. Both recurrent and non-recurrent positive patients had similar characteristics as far as the severity of the disease, steroid use, or period of hospitalization. However, the former had markedly higher C-reactive protein levels at first presentation but not at discharge.

Among the recurrent positives, those with multiple positive tests had more prolonged periods of hospitalization, at 24 vs. 18 days for single recurrent positive patients, and double the period of detection of viral RNA at 65 days vs. 33 days.

Symptoms were absent in 72% of recurrent positive patients, while the rest had mild symptoms only. Only one patient had a single sign of inflammation in the form of a high IL-6 level. In 80% of patients, the lung lesions had improved (73%) or remained unchanged from the first discharge (8%).

Swab Positivity

In about three of four patients, only the nasopharyngeal swabs were positive, in 15% only rectal swabs, and in less than a tenth, both were positive. All blood tests proved negative for viral RNA. The viral RNA titers were much lower than at the onset of disease, at below 5 log copies/ml in over 95% of patients. This was a consistent finding across single and multiple recurrent positive patients. Moreover, the titer went down with an increasing number of days from discharge.

Antibody Profiles

Almost every recurrent positive patient was IgG positive, with 62% being IgA positive and 88% positive for neutralizing antibody. These values were comparable to those of non-recurrent positive patients. The titer of neutralizing antibodies was 1:32 and 1:16, respectively.

Virus isolation was unsuccessful from 9 selected recurrent positive nasopharyngeal swabs, while whole genome sequencing methods retrieved only fragments of the genome.

Do Recurrent Positives Spread the Infection?

The patients identified as recurrent positives were analyzed for viral transmission to 96 close contacts. Follow up for two weeks revealed that none were symptomatic, with all having negative PCR results. Anti-RBD antibodies were not found in 20 tested samples from these contacts.

One notable recurrent positive was a student who attended school for 11 days before testing positive 90 days from discharge. All of the 1,200 teachers and classmates who came in contact with him had negative tests for viral RNA and did not have any symptoms. Overall, no evidence was found of even one new case related to these recurrent positives.

All the recurrent positive patients were tested until their viral RNA detection tests became positive. None of them returned further recurrent positive tests after this second discharge. The vast majority of them had neutralizing antibodies with a median titer of 1:32.

Characteristics of Recurrent Positives

The common characteristics of recurrent positive patients, based on this study, include younger age, mild or absent symptoms, nonprogressive disease, low viral RNA titers, and long periods of positive testing for the viral RNA for up to 113 days. The lack of significant differences in antibody titers or neutralizing antibody levels indicates that humoral immunity development is similar in both classes of patients. Finally, the risk of viral transmission is low among these recurrent positive patients. With a neutralizing antibody titer of 1:32 or more in 60% of patients who fully recovered, this could be a possible benchmark for future vaccine trials.

What Causes Recurrent Positive Tests?

The reasons for recurrent positivity are not clear but may include false-negative RT PCR tests leading to discharge, true recurrent infection after discharge, and persistence of the virus due to weakened immunity. However, the present study does not support any of these hypotheses. The researchers consider that dead virus particles are possibly being shed, leading to the lack of live particles along with repeat positives for the viral RNA test.

They point out that more sensitive methods of live virus detection are needed to rule out this theory since, at present, prior studies show that it is not possible to isolate live virus when the viral load is less than 106 copies per ml. They propose that intermittent and non-stable excretion of low levels of viral RNA is likely to be the cause for recurrent positive testing.

Implications and Future Directions

The study concludes: Our study found that intermittent detection of low levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA [in discharged patients] is not rare and that the timing of RP detection varies (up to 90 days post-discharge). The transmission risk posed by RP-DC patients is likely low. The researchers recommend a relaxed approach to managing discharged patients, given this, to minimize the economic and psychological cost of more extended quarantine periods, while maintaining proper personal protection and follow up.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
British American Tobacco Uganda Limited (BAT Uganda) has today announced its half year results for the six months ending 30th June 2020; posting gross revenue of Ushs 76 billion, profit before tax of Ushs 9.9 billion and contributions to Government revenue of Ushs 42.9 billion.

Commenting on the results, BAT Uganda Managing Director, Mathu Kiunjuri said: I am pleased to report that BAT Ugandas business continues to show resilience despite the difficult operating environment in the country.

For the first half of 2020, gross revenue reduced by 12% to Ushs 76 billion, mainly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the consumer purse. With rising unemployment and a significant increase in the cost of various basic consumer goods, the pandemic has left many consumers more cash-stretched than ever. Additionally, the closure of retail outlets led to constrained consumer access to our products. Despite these challenges, our Business continues to be resilient, posting a 2% increase in profit before tax to Ushs 9.9 billion due to prudent cost management measures undertaken to mitigate the decline in revenue.

Stories Continues after ad

As we navigate the particularly challenging business environment occasioned by the COVID19 pandemic, the menace of illicit trade is entrenching itself now more than ever, on the back of heightened consumer affordability challenges. This is partly evidenced by the reduction of our contribution to Government taxes in the form of Excise Duty, Value Added Tax (VAT) and Corporation Tax by Ushs 7.3 billion to Ushs 42.9 billion.

We are concerned that, despite the enhanced border controls put in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, our trade teams continue to report an increased presence of illegal taxevaded cigarettes in the Ugandan market, primarily tax-evaded cigarettes from Kenya. This is consistent with third party research conducted at the end of last year, which indicates that about 44% of illicit cigarettes sold in Uganda have been smuggled across the Kenyan border.

Evidently, border enforcement alone is not sufficient to curtail the illicit trade in cigarettes, which continues to deny the Government in excess of Ushs 30 billion every year. Whilst we recognise the opportunity presented by URAs Digital Tracking Solution (DTS), immediate action is required to redouble enforcement of anti-illicit trade regulations. This enhanced action includes cooperation between Uganda and Kenya officials in stemming the flow of illicit cigarettes into Uganda, which requires identification of the source of these illegal products and their supply routes. We also reiterate our call to the Government to ratify the World Health Organisation (WHOs) Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (ITP).

As part of our continued effort and commitment to build a sustainable business and contribute to Ugandas economic development, we will continue to engage transparently with the relevant Government agencies to support the fight against illicit trade in cigarettes.

Also commenting on the results, BAT Uganda Chairman, Hon. Dr. Elly Karuhanga said: The resilient performance of our business reflects our commitment to build a sustainable business that contributes to Ugandas economic growth. Currently, amidst the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, our primary focus is to ensure the safety of our employees, maintain business continuity and work with relevant Government agencies to ensure a stable and predictable regulatory environment.

Looking forward, I am confident that with sustained investment in our business, the exceptional quality of talent within the Company, and our partnerships with over 30,000 business partners and tobacco farmers, we have the right strategy in place to deliver a better tomorrow for consumers, society, employees and shareholders.

BAT Uganda is a member of the British American Tobacco Group, one of the worlds leading multi-category consumer goods companies, with brands sold in more than 180 markets. The Company has sustained a significant presence in Uganda since 1928 and has been listed on the Uganda Securities Exchange since 2000.

BAT has grown to become one of the countrys largest taxpayers and we have been listed on the Uganda Securities Exchange since 2000. We sell cigarettes chosen by a majority of Ugandas adult smokers with a variety of high-quality cigarette brands sold in the market and partner with over 30,000 trade and business partners in Uganda.

Through its sister companies within the BAT Group and its partners, BAT Uganda is the largest single buyer of Ugandan tobacco leaf supporting the livelihood of over 13,500 tobacco farmers.
A police officer stands before the remains of a bar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Aug. 15, 2016. (Cengiz Yar/AFP via Getty Images)

Over 100 Police Agencies Withdraw From Agreements to Guard Democratic National Convention

At least 100 police agencies are pulling out of agreements to send personnel to next months Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Milwaukee, partly over concerns that officers will be unable to use tear gas to control crowds under a recent directive.

The law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin and across the country who are set to withdraw from the security agreements had previously said they will send officers to bolster security at the DNC, which will run from Aug. 17-20 at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee.

The move follows an order from the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission last week, which directed Chief Alfonso Morales to revise the police department proceduresincluding prohibiting the use of tear gas and pepper spray. The order threatens Moraless termination if he fails to comply fully and promptly.

The order came amid intense scrutiny of police tactics at protests and riots in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere in recent weeks, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May.

Morales announced the news of the agencies withdrawal in an interview with WTMJ-TV, citing concerns over the order prohibiting the police use of pepper spray and tear gas at demonstrations. He didnt elaborate on which law enforcement agencies plan to pull out.

The convention has been scaled down to a mostly virtual event due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, with about 300 people expected to attend in person. Most of the speeches will be delivered online from other locations, though former Vice President Joe Biden has said he will be in Milwaukee to accept the nomination. Despite the events smaller scale, police are preparing for potentially large protests in and around the venue.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Milwaukee police oversight commission, the Milwaukee Police Department, and the convention for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Fond du Lac Police Chief William Lamb, who chairs the Wisconsin Police Executive Group, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he expects other Wisconsin police agencies to withdraw from the security agreements.

We respect the Fire and Police Commissions decision. But in this particular case, we strongly disagree with the actions theyve taken, Lamb said.

He said he was concerned that the safety of the public and police officers could be compromised.

We believe in removing those tools, the use of chemical irritants or pepper spray, from the available resources that the law enforcement officers would have at their disposal if protests become non-peaceful would severely compromise the safety of the public and also the safety of the law enforcement officers who would be assigned to protect the DNC, he added.

Other police departments, such as the Madison Police Department which originally committed to providing 100 officers to Milwaukee, decided to pull out over CCP virus concerns.

According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the department notified Milwaukee early this month that an accelerating COVID-19 pandemic coupled with ongoing protests in Madison had strained its resources, making it impossible to commit resources to the convention.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bangladesh: Fishing booms in Coxs Bazar after hiatus

July 29,2020 | Source: Dhaka Tribune

Fishing in Coxs Bazar has resumed at full throttle after a two-month suspension on fishing, imposed by the government on the Bay of Bengal, was lifted. The government suspended all fishing activities in the sea on May 20, and finally lifted the suspension on July 23. Since then, a host of fishing vessels, carrying over 40,000 fishermen, have been at work, reportedly netting considerably more fish as a result of the closure.



Mostaq Ahmed, organizing secretary of the Cox's Bazar Fishing Boat Owners' Association, said there are about 10,000 small and large fishing boats and trawlers engaged in fishing. If the weather stays favorable, they might fill the country's shortage of fish and even have some left for export, he added.



Abul Kalam, a fisherman from Samitipara in Cox's Bazar, said the fisherman in the district had been in a state of crisis due to the fishing ban, compounded further by the coronavirus pandemic. The lifting of the ban comes as a huge relief to the community. However, Cox's Bazar District Fisheries Officer SM Khalequzzaman Biplob puts matters into perspective, saying: The number of fishes in the sea have declined for various reasons. In the past, large fish of different species could be found in the sea. They are not so common now. One of the reasons for that is fishing during breeding seasons. That is why the government banned fishing for two months.
Suspected CCP Hackers Attacked Vatican, US Cybersecurity Firm Says

A hacker group allegedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party recently attacked the Vatican and other Catholic organizations, a new report says.

U.S. cybersecurity firm Insikt Group on July 28 published a report (pdf) on how RedDelta, a Chinese-state sponsored threat activity group targeted the Vatican, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, and other Catholic Church-related organizations from early May this year.

The report showed an example of the attacks. A document purported to be an official Vatican letter addressed to the current head of the Hong Kong Study Mission to China was used to deliver PlugX, a malware program, giving the hackers full control over their targets computer systems, Insikt said.

Other malware, such as Poison Ivy and Cobalt Strike, also were deployed to infiltrate their targets systems.

The series of attacks used similar infrastructure, tooling, and victimology to those of Mustang Panda, another threat activity group based in China, but also has its own distinctive features.

Due to RedDeltas targeting of organizations that heavily align to Chinese strategic interests, use of shared tooling traditionally used by China-based groups, and overlaps with a suspected Chinese state-sponsored threat activity group, Insikt Group believes that the group likely operates on behalf of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) government, the report stated.

CCP Denies Allegation

Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, speaking at a daily news conference in Beijing on Wednesday, said that China is a staunch defender of cybersecurity.

Ample evidence rather than conjecture is needed when investigating cyber events, Wang said.

Beijing routinely denies it engages in any state-backed hacking attempts, and says it is a victim of such threats.

A Vatican spokesperson had no immediate comment. The Hong Kong Study Mission did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The CCP-Vatican Deal

These attacks came ahead of the renewal of the Provisional Agreement between Holy See and China that is due in September.

The reported hacking follows an extremely rare meeting between Beijing and the Vaticans foreign minister earlier this year in Germany, marking the highest-level official encounter between the two sides in decades.

A Chinese Catholic deacon holds a bible at the Palm Sunday Mass during the Easter Holy Week at an underground or unofficial church near Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China, on April 9, 2017. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Insikt Group believes that the suspected intrusion into the Vatican would offer RedDelta insight into the negotiating position of the Holy See ahead of the deals September 2020 renewal. The targeting of the Hong Kong Study Mission and its Catholic Diocese could also provide a valuable intelligence source for both monitoring the dioceses relations with the Vatican and its position on Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement amidst widespread protests and the recent sweeping Hong Kong national security law.

Targets of the attacks also included the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in Italy, and the head of the Hong Kong Study Mission to China, whose predecessor was considered to have played a vital role in the 2018 agreement.

The targeting of entities related to the Catholic church is likely indicative of CCP objectives in consolidating control over the underground Catholic church, sinicizing religions in China, and diminishing the perceived influence of the Vatican within Chinas Catholic community, the report stated.

In the 2018 deal, Pope Francis endorsed the legitimacy of Beijing-appointed bishops. After breaking of relations with the Vatican in 1951, the CCP has since insisted on nominating its own bishops, despite Vatican tradition that mandates bishops can only be approved with the consent of the Pope.

This did not improve the situation for Catholics in China, Benedict Rogers, East Asia team leader in the human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said in a recent webinar.



When it comes to religion, or religion and belief, I think we may be seeing the worst situation, the worst crackdowns, actually since the Cultural Revolution, Rogers said.

Jack Phillips, Mary Clark, and Reuters contributed to this report.
In a recent opinion piece for Al Jazeera, Brandee Butler argues that European Union countries need to collect more equality data to address systemic racism in the region. The argument is framed in the context of the toll COVID-19 has taken on racialised groups, but makes a more general argument: if we had equality data based on race and ethnic origin, using methodologies guided by minority groups, Europe could more meaningfully address systemic racism to forge a more inclusive and enduring Union.

Butler, the director of the Civil Liberties Division at the Open Society Foundations Initiative for Europe, is right to argue that COVID-19 recovery measures should address the needs of racialised and marginalised communities. Yet, her conclusion that Europes ability to meaningfully address racial inequality is contingent upon collecting more data lends itself to a data-solutionist approach to justice that must be supplemented by some important points of caution.

First, proving that racism exists is not the same as dismantling it. An evidence-based response to systemic racism is important and can be assisted through data to help identify the systems, policies and practices that need to be challenged and dismantled. However, ending racism has to begin and end with political will. Data, while helpful in guiding policy focus, are not a shortcut to creating this will.

Mimi Onuoha, an artist and researcher whose work highlights the power dynamics behind data collection, explained most recently that, The idea that structural racism can be proven and overcome by gathering just enough or the right kind of evidence is nothing more than a myth. Historically, it has rarely been the case. She describes several instances in the course of United States history when evidence of racial inequalities was deemed an inconvenient truth and either ignored or destroyed.

Data can be a useful tool for exposing the symptoms of racism but should not be conflated with a solution that gets to the root cause. Like any tool, data have their limitations.

Second, data extraction can pose a threat to the rights of marginalised and racialised groups in and of itself. Data are not merely recorded or collected, they are produced. Data extraction infrastructures comprise multiple points of subjectivity: design, collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination. All of these open the door to exploitation, and for this reason, data extraction and surveillance have been argued to constitute colonial means of control. Which begs the question of whether increasing these mechanisms really is how we should be fighting structural oppression.

In this context, we also need to consider the precedents we have where more data approaches backfired. Butler mentions this in her piece, but it is not properly grappled with. In the COVID-19 context, we can, for example, look at how, in South Korea, digital COVID tracking data has exacerbated hostility towards LGBTQ people, who are associated with higher risks of contracting the coronavirus. Surveillance itself can be a public health risk that disproportionately impacts marginalised racial groups.

The treatment of Roma and Sinti communities throughout Europe provides particularly striking examples of how collecting data on marginalised groups can stoke and even exacerbate prejudices. When a group of UK researchers set out to collect better data on Roma migrants to assess their social needs, missteps in data presentation and publication gave rise to a political outcry over an influx of migrants in UK cities.

When Frances interior minister sought to justify his campaign to deport Roma individuals in 2010, he cited objective crime data, arguing this is not about stigmatising this or that population, but we cannot close our eyes to reality.

These examples illustrate that data do not exist independently of the biases and stigmas that drive leaders and governments to take measures targeted at specific communities  the same data that are at one point collected with the best of intentions can later be misused or spun. In times of social and economic crisis, the risk that data become a tool for the powerful to scapegoat marginalised groups runs especially high.

Third, the positive impact of having more data needs to be assessed with great caution. The US has been collecting the type of data Butler suggests the EU needs more of for decades, but evidence of racism has failed to bring about the structural change that recent protests have been calling for.

In 1947, the Truman administrations Committee on Civil Rights prepared a report documenting police violence against members of minority groups and particularly against Black people. In the 73 years since, the US has not suffered from a lack of data on police murdering Black people and people of colour  it has suffered a lack of political will to do something about it. As writer Colbert King commented in the Washington Post, America knows, and has always known, about the problem.

Centring racial justice work around calls for more equality data risks narrowing the focus of racial and social justice movements to those injustices that have been made visible using data. This will only be a small part of the power structures that marginalise communities. It also plays into an institutional culture that requires marginalised communities to prove their own marginalisation with objective science before they are believed, thereby effectively keeping these oppressing structures in place.

Fourth, if any data is collected, racialised and marginalised groups should be in control of what gets collected and how. Data collection is a powerful tool. Until communities can construct their own data collection and analysis practices, data extraction and population-monitoring technologies risk becoming tools for racism.

This goes beyond using methodologies guided by minority groups, as Butler argues. Different groups are working to decolonise data science and create platforms for communities to construct their own narratives and stories. Building a more inclusive data science field does not start with collecting more data, it starts with redistributing power and redefining how data systems are regulated to serve the needs of marginalised groups.

A crucial first step in all of this, as Tawana Petty, the director of the Data Justice Program at the Detroit Community Technology Project, recently said, is to ask if the data collection is necessary in the first place. Just because we can collect it, does not mean we should.

Instead of focusing on extracting information from racialised and marginalised communities, it would make sense to make more resources available to existing community networks. Community-based data collection projects such as CRANs Statistiques Populaires initiative of the Representative Council of Black Associations in France and Afrozensus of the Berlin-based organisation Each One Teach One could serve as a model for other national and cross-border initiatives.

Data collection should not be viewed as a means to an end; instead, it is one of the structures that must be dismantled as part of a larger anti-racist project. Calling for more data as an essential part of the solution to inequality runs the risk of doing the opposite; if not done properly, it creates an opportunity to increase surveillance in the name of fighting racism.

Yes, Europe has a problem with systemic racism and, yes, we need to face this head on. But rather than running the risk of adding to existing systems of oppression, we should focus on dismantling the structures and practices that we know to be racist.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
She has jetted to France for a sunshine break with friends.

And Kimberley Garner looked sensational as she headed out for ice cream in St. Tropez on Wednesday.

The former MIC star, 29, flaunted her bronzed legs and tiny midriff in a check mini skirt and as she walked in the French Riviera town.

Strut: Kimberley Garner looked sensational as she headed out for ice cream in St. Tropez on Wednesday

The tiny skirt, which boasted an embellishment on one side, revealed her enviable legs, with the star pairing this with scarlet and cream brogues.

She teased a glimpse of her cleavage and abs in the tiny striped top as she strolled.

Her caramel tresses were styled sleek and straight while smoky shadow and rose lipgloss adorned her visage.

The reality star has jetted off to Cannes after spending lockdown at her home in London.

Smile: The former MIC star, 29, flaunted her bronzed legs and tiny midriff in a check mini skirt and as she walked in the French Riviera town

Wow: The tiny skirt, which boasted an embellishment on one side, revealed her enviable legs, with the star pairing this with scarlet and cream brogues

Kimberley usually splits her time between London and Miami, often jetting over to the U.S to model her latest swimwear collection.

Back in May, Kimberley revealed she had cancelled a secret wedding and ended a long-term relationship last summer.

The swimwear designer admitted she came close to exchanging vows almost a year ago, before backing out.

She wrote: 'I keep my love life a secret. But why not tell u a little. Almost got married last summer.

'I decided not to. Been single and dating since. Its great.

'I have grown so much, this past few months to myself has been amazing. Stronger and happier than ever.

'Want to reassure you whatever stage your in, enjoy it, make your decisions for YOU. Dont stay in a relationship you dont want to be in.

'Whats to come, what you dont know around the corner, is very, very exciting.'

The post comes several months after Kimberley revealed she had split with her former boyfriend.

Speaking to MailOnline in September, she confirmed: 'I ended the relationship recently. It was a really wonderful three years and we are still good friends today.'
The Confederate monument standing in McDonough Square that was removed on Wednesday night: (CBS46 Atlanta - YouTube)

A protester was arrested and charged with obstruction for refusing to leave as a Confederate statue was removed a public square in the city of McDonagh, Georgia.

The monument was taken down overnight on Wednesday by workers who used a crane to winch it from its pedestal in McDonagh Square.

The statue was supposed to be taken down on Monday, but the removal was delayed because of an issue with contractors, local TV news station 11 Alive reported.

The statue, which had stood in the square in the centre of McDonough for more than 100 years, was removed after the the Henry County Commission voted earlier this month for it to be taken down.

The vote came amid national protests against police brutality and racism, following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd while in the custody of a then Minneapolis police officer.

A small group gathered to protest as the monument was removed and multiple law enforcement officials forced demonstrators away from the statue and to the pavement. One was arrested.

We were held back, our freedom of speech was held back because they wouldnt allow us to get off the curb over here, local resident and protester Stanley Layfield told WAGA-TV.

Over the last couple of months there has been a growing conversation in the US about the place of symbols of the Confederacy, following Black Lives Matter protests.

Monuments to Confederate leaders have been taken down in states across the US over the last few months, while the flag has been banned from Nascar events and removed from Marine Corps installations.

The Confederate battle flag has all too often been co-opted by violent extremist and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps, the service said in a statement that explained its decision.

Despite Georgia governor Brian Kemp passing a law in 2019 that protected monuments to Confederate leaders in the state from being altered or discarded, many local officials have taken action themselves.

Story continues

In June, a Confederate monument that was erected in an Atlanta suburb was removed, while a memorial outside county courthouse in Conyers was taken down earlier this month.

Read more

Confederate flag flown over Nascar event weeks after it was banned
Oregon Agrees to Help Quell Violence in Portland

Oregon troopers will help quell the violence in Portland as part of an agreement reached on Wednesday between Gov. Kate Brown and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), even as the parties publicly diverged on when some federal officers will leave the city, where nightly riots have taken place since May.

Brown, a Democrat, and Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf spoke multiple times over the past 24 hours and agreed to a joint plan aimed at ending the unrest, which has caused tens of millions of dollars in damage and lost business to the downtown area.

State and local law enforcement will begin securing properties and streets, especially those surrounding federal properties like the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse, Wolf said in a statement.

State police officers will work with officers from DHSs Federal Protective Service to make sure all federal properties are protected and secure.

This plan is possible due to the valiant efforts of the DHS law enforcement officers protecting federal property in Portland from violent activity for the past two months, Wolf said.

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf speaks during a press conference in Washington, on July 21, 2020. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Rioters in early July turned their attention from the Justice Center, a county building that houses a jail and a sheriffs office, to the federal courthouse, nearly overwhelming the officers there and prompting a surge in assets on July 4.

Federal officers erected a fence last week to keep the rioters away from the courthouse after they repeatedly set it on fire, pried wood panels away, and smashed windows.

Even with the new agreement, all federal forces currently in Portland will remain in place until its clear the courthouse and other federal properties remain secure, Wolf said.

President Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House earlier in the day that were not leaving until theyve secured their city.

We told the governor, we told the mayor, secure your city. If they dont secure their city soon, we have no choice, were going to have to go in and clean it out, he added.

Brown said that the federal government agreed to withdraw federal officers from Portland, accusing them of acting as an occupying force and bringing violence to the city.

Starting Thursday, she said in a statement, all Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will leave downtown Portland.

Our local Oregon State Police officers will be downtown to protect Oregonians right to free speech and keep the peace. Lets center the Black Lives Matter movements demands for racial justice and police accountability. Its time for bold action to reform police practices, Brown said.

Devin OMalley, Vice President Mike Pences secretary, said in a rebuttal that the vice president was very clear that law & order must be restored in Portland before federal law enforcement leaves.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown speaks at the state capital building in Salem, Ore., on Feb. 20, 2015. (Steve Dipaola/Reuters)

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat who also serves as police commissioner, said he appreciated Browns willingness to use state resources to quell the unrest in his city.

State, county, and local law enforcement will only keep engaging if there is violent criminal activity, said Wheeler, who previously pushed a mix of appeasement and de-escalation that showed few signs of working.

The agreement represents a big shift from the gap between federal and state and local officials, who remained at odds throughout July. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat, took the Trump administration to court to try to stop federal officers from making arrests, and Wheeler ordered local police to stop cooperating at all with federal officers.

On most recent nights, the Portland Police Bureau took an extreme stand-off posture.

Wheeler and City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty on Monday expressed a willingness to meet with Wolf to discuss a so-called cease-fire and the drawdown of federal forces from the city.

Federal police clean in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland as the city experiences another night of unrest, in Portland, Ore., on July 28, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

When Wolf visited Portland in mid-July, Wheeler said he wasnt invited to meet with the secretary but would not have even if he had been.

Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell also did not meet with Wolf and, as far as he knew, no one from his department had. The bureau later said that officer Daryl Turner, head of the Portland police union, conferred in person with Wolf.

Trump and administration officials have made clear that violent criminal activity will not be tolerated but that they prefer local and state leaders step forward to police their communities, as opposed to federal forces, Wolf said on Wednesday.

DHS will continue to re-evaluate our security posture in Portland, and should circumstances on the ground significantly improve due to the influx of state and local law enforcement, we anticipate the ability to change our force posture, he said.
Anti-Christian incidents in France rose 285% since 2008: Observatory

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Theres been about a 285% increase in the number of anti-Christian incidents reported in France over the last decade-plus, according to the head of the Vienna-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe.

As six French churches have caught fire in the last year and a half, including the major Cathedral in Nantes last week, government data indicates a stark increase in the number of alleged attacks and acts of vandalism committed against houses of worship since 2008.

The French government reported 275, what they call, anti-Christian acts [in 2008]," OIDACE Executive Director Ellen Fantini told The Christian Post Monday. "So that is anything from targeting a church in some way with vandalism or a public Christian statue, it could be a Christian cemetery or it could be actual assaults against French Christians with an anti-Christian bias."

"If we look at 2018 and 2019, the numbers are little over 1,000 [per year]. So the increase from 275 to a little over 1,000 works out to 285% increase.

According to Frances Interior Ministry, there were 1,052 recorded anti-Christian incidents committed in 2019, which mostly consist of attacks on religious property. The 2019 incidents are broken down into 996 "acts" and 56 "threats."

What is shocking about that actually is how low the governments numbers are, the director of the only observatory that covers Christian freedom of conscious issues across all of Europe said.

In addition to the governments published data on anti-Christian actions, Fantini said that the French government also submits data about hate crimes committed with a bias against Christians to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

However, the governments data on hate crimes against Christians dont seem to match the figures the government provides on anti-Christian incidents.

Those numbers, the most recent figures for hate crimes, were nearly 2,000 in 2018, she explained. So when people react with shock when we say that this works out to about three a day, we are taking conservative numbers. When we take even the governments own numbers of hate crimes against Christians, it works out to more than five a day.

It is not clear why those [two sets of] numbers dont match up. The French government has not been transparent about why those numbers dont match up. What we can safely say is that the French government reports both of these numbers. It would suggest that the lower figure must be the absolute minimum and the figure given to OSCE is likely accurate, though I suspect even that number is lower than the real figures."

When asked what anti-Christian incidents entail, Fantini stated that they tend to be acts of vandalism with a message.

They are not necessarily like graffiti where you could identify what these people want, as compared to Spain.  In France, we see a lot of decapitation of statues, we see the destruction of precious objects. I dont mean precious by material value but destruction, for example, of consecrated hosts in Catholic churches. There is basically nothing worse you could do in a Catholic church than destroy the consecrated host.

The researcher added that France sees a lot of small intentional fires at churches. Those fires dont usually burn down the buildings, however.

There are a lot of broken windows. For something like a broken window, we dont know if it was a kid playing with a ball or whether it was somebody who hates the church or hates Christians. My organization tends to, if we dont have any other information, to not really say that we think an incident has an anti-Christian bias," she noted.

But if they smash a window and destroy things, then we know that is going on. Its hard to figure out what motivation is because most of the time vandals arent caught. Most churches dont have security cameras. Most churches are open to the public all day long but dont have security guards. To be honest, I think we only see the visible tip of the iceberg because so many churches across Europe and America as well experience vandalism and simply dont report it.

The observatorys executive director opines that part of the reason there is an increase in attacks and acts vandalism committed at places of worship in France is that the rising secularism in the country has led the society generally not to think of churches as special sacred places.

Fantini said perpetrators of church attacks and acts vandalism in France tend to be radical Islamists or people aligned on the radical extremes of the political left, including Antifa movements, anarchists and radical feminists.

They all set their sights on churches for different reasons, she said. In France, we certainly have not seen any kind of far-right attacks on churches. In France, I would say it is sort of the cultural leftists on the extremes as well as the radicalized Islamists. Although we havent seen that as much as we did a few years ago.

Sunday marked the fourth anniversary of the killing of Priest Jacques Hamel during an attack on his Normandy church by two men claimed to be aligned with the Islamic State.

He was the priest who was beheaded by ISIS sympathizers in the South of France while he was celebrating mass, she said.

While there is not enough data available to calculate the rise of anti-Christian incidents throughout Europe, Fantini believes that such incidents are absolutely on the rise everywhere.

We see in Germany arsons and vandalism, we see it in Spain, we see it in the U.K. Really, I cant say that there is any place in Europe where this phenomenon is decreasing, she warned. I was just looking at the U.K. The U.K. has a government fund to protect places of worship of all kinds. It was started five years ago and the amount in the fund has already doubled to 3.2 million.

In Spain, she said churches see quite a lot of destruction and vandalism.

In particular, the anarchist movements, their favorite phrase is: The only church that illuminates is the one that burns, the researcher explained. Every year on International Womens Day, which is celebrated all over Spain, it is an opportunity for the feminist activists to put their tags on Spanish churches, they destroy things, they protest. Spain is no stranger to the activist left when it comes to targeting churches.

One factor that has created an uptick in anti-Christian incidents in Europe, Fantini believes, is the mass migration stemming from the global refugee crisis in which millions of migrants from the Middle East and Africa have poured into Europe.

The major wave of migration between 2015, 2016 and 2017, around there, that definitely resulted in an uptick in incidents, she said. If we look at France, simply because they actually report some statistics, you do see a jump that happens right around that time. I would say, for the most part, it has settled down a bit.

Even in the United States, Fantini said that between the end of May and the third week of July, there were 20 incidents across 12 states effecting Catholic churches alone as there has been much social unrest following the death of George Floyd.

The activists in the U.S. have been fairly explicit about saying, Burn it all down, the Vermont native said. I do think we are going to see it get worse in Europe because I think the activists who are already simmering here will feel emboldened by what they see happening in the U.S. These movements are connected in terms of ideology.

Fantini was clear that her organization does not use the term persecution when discussing the situation facing Christians in Europe.

We do that very intentionally because we understand that the persecution of our brothers and sisters [in other regions of the world] is beyond compare, she said. We cant claim that and we dont.
Three police officers filmed beating a disability pensioner during a welfare check have been let off with fines and no conviction.

Senior Constables Brad McLeod and Florian Hilgart, and Constable John Edney were found guilty of unlawful assault during an arrest in Melbourne in September 2018.

The trio were called to the pensioner's home in Preston after his psychologist called triple zero because of serious concerns about his mental health.

The pensioner, known only as John, was beaten with a baton, capsicum sprayed, punched, had his head stepped on and was sprayed with a high-pressure hose while handcuffed with six officers involved in the arrest.

Three policemen who were charged with beating a disability pensioner during an arrest with six officers (pictured) have avoided jail time

McLeod was fined $3,500 as the main offender.

The court heard how he sprayed John in the face with capsicum spray, punched him in the stomach.

He also told Hilgart to spray the victim in the face with the hose so he could video it.

'Did you like that? Did you like that? Smells good, doesn't it?' McLeod said after he sprayed John.

Hilgart was fined $1,000 for spraying John with the hose, while Edney also copped a $1,000 fine for stepping on the victim's head and hitting him six times with a baton.

The trio promised Heidelberg Magistrates Court they would be on good behaviour for a year.

They escaped a jail term and no conviction was recorded, meaning they will be able to keep their jobs on the police force.

Senior Constable Brad McLeod (pictured right) was considered main offender and fined $3,500, while Senior Constable Florian Hilgart (pictured left) was fined $1,000 for spraying the victim in the face with a hose while McLeod filmed

Constable John Edney (pictured right) copped a $1,000 fine for stepping on victim's head and hitting him six times with a baton

John had previously told the court after the officer's guilty verdict that 'they treated me like a dog at the weakest moment of my life.'

Herald Sun reported magistrate Cathy Lamble on Wednesday said the footage of the arrest was damning.

'It is not because it is criminal behaviour, but it is terrible to watch,' she said.

Magistrate Lamble said the officers' reaction in the arrest was a breach of their job to keep the community safe.

'They committed crimes that they are entrusted, by the community, to detect and control,' she said.

Magistrate Lamble found the trio were unlikely to re-offend based on character references and gave no convictions.

'Their behaviour was unexpected but their previous good character suggests that they are unlikely to behave in this way again,' she said.
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M inisters are on standby to impose quarantine measures on more countries amid fears that a second wave of coronavirus cases could undermine the reopening of schools in September.

Millions of pupils have been kept out of classrooms for a full six months, with many falling behind or suffering loneliness, and the Government is keen to see every school reopen its doors for the autumn term.

But a minister told the Evening Standard: Getting children back into proper lessons is important for their wellbeing and for parents who want to get back to work. That could be pushed off course if the rises in Spain and other European countries is repeated here.

In key developments:

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said holidaymakers need to be aware of the risk that quarantine could be imposed while they are away. Just bear in mind that this may happen, and sadly it has happened in Spain, he said. Belgium, Luxembourg and Croatia have all seen higher infection rates that could risk restriction-free travel.

Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye accused the Government of imposing quarantine roulette on travellers  as the airport announced a pre-tax loss of 1.1 billion in the first six months of the year.

A 500 million government scheme was launched to help TV and movie studios to start filming again  but theatres were told they may not find out until the autumn whether they can reopen without the current social distancing measures.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was visiting Falmouth to call for the furlough scheme to be extended for tourism and other hard-hit sectors.

Boris Johnson said yesterday he was on alert for a second wave of Covid-19.

Downing Street sources denied the Prime Minister was specifically worried about schools but said the Government was studying the curve upwards in new cases around Europe and that it could indicate a similar rise in Britain in a months time, when schools will be preparing for the new term.

We are watching whats happening in Europe very closely because last time we were a few weeks behind, which would take you to something like late August, or early September, said the source. Hence why we have moved very quickly on Spain.

The Department for Education has set out a detailed range of measures for schools to allow them to reopen without social distancing, including cleaning and hygiene programmes. However, there are tensions with unions.

The National Education Union this week called for teachers to have a right to wear a face mask, which the department does not think is necessary. Avis Gilmore, deputy general secretary of the NEU, said a second wave may not allow a full reopening of schools, adding: Government needs a Plan B in the event that its guidance does not work or if cases are higher by the time we get to September. We have repeatedly urged for a Plan B to be put in place.

In a round of media interviews this morning, Mr Dowden was asked which holiday destinations could be next. He replied: Inevitably what we have to do is analyse the situation in countries around the world. Where we feel there is too high a degree of risk  where the incidence of the disease is rising in another country and we risk that import  we have to take measures.

Mr Holland-Kaye said the 14-day quarantine was a blunt instrument that was unfair to passengers and the industry.

The airports pre-tax loss in the first six months of 2020 compared with a 7 million profit a year before.

The Heathrow CEO called for a testing regime to be rolled out for passengers arriving at airports and then a week later, saying: Without it, Britain is just playing a game of quarantine roulette. However, the idea was rejected by Mr Dowden, who said there was no viable alternative to the 14-day quarantine.

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The Culture Secretary also announced a scheme to underwrite risks for domestic film and TV productions who cannot get insurance against a second wave. But he was unable to give a commitment to theatres on ending social distancing.
More than two years after two children were injured in a midday shooting at a Scarborough playground, Toronto police announced the arrest of outstanding alleged shooter who has been the subject of a Canadawide warrant.

Police allege TQuan Robertson, 25, had been in hiding since the brazen, daylight shooting on June 14, 2018 that injured two girls, sisters who were 5 and 9. The shooting occurred at a small park near Scarboroughs McCowan Rd. and Alton Towers Cir.

The younger child was shot in the abdomen, while the older girl suffered a gunshot injury to the ankle. At the time, there were 11 children in the playground, police said.

Robertson had been wanted for two counts of attempted murder in connection to the shooting.

I can say as chief that this is a proud moment for all of us, Toronto police chief Mark Saunders told a news conference Tuesday.

This is a very good day for all of us, and for the family of those who have been victimized.

Saunders noted it was not a celebration, but said it showed the dedication of officers who have continued to work aggressively, right to the finish line.

These are cases that we never stopped, he said.

Saunders said the arrest happened on Tuesday, during the execution of a search warrant in York region as part of a firearms investigation by the guns and gangs task force. During the search warrant execution, police officers identified Robertson, Saunders said.

At least two other men were arrested during the search warrant, including Alexander Fountain, 29, who Saunders said had been wanted in connection to the April 15, 2017 fatal shooting of Samatar Farah.

Saunders said further information about accused and the charges they face will be available Wednesday.

Police have long been seeking Robertson, and have previously offered rewards for his arrest, including in June when Crime Stoppers offered a $75,000. Saunders declined to comment Tuesday on whether the reward prompted the new information that led to the arrest, saying it was still an ongoing investigation.

Three men had already been arrested in connection to the Scarborough playground shooting. Sheldon Eriya, 21, of Markham, was arrested the next day. Tarrick Rhoden, 23, of Toronto, was arrested in August in the Algonquin Highlands, south of Algonquin Park. Both face multiple charges, including attempted murder.

Clinton McDonald, 26, of Toronto, faces charges including possession of weapons and illegal substances for trafficking purposes. Police said at the time that McDonald is believed to have been the intended target.

The injured girls mother, Stacey King, has said her girls have recovered, but they still have nightmares, and theyll never forget what happened.

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

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These were among reports received by the Calvert County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police for this edition of Local Living. Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call 410-535-2800 or 301-855-1194 or use the Submit a Tip feature on the mobile app. Crime Solvers line at 410-535-2880 or the state police Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400.
LAPD SWAT officers approach a Toyota Prius believed to have been used in a kidnapping in July 2019. (KTLA-TV)

A longtime Los Angeles police SWAT sergeant is suing the LAPD, alleging the unit is run by a "SWAT Mafia" of veteran cops who encourage the use of deadly force and ostracized him for revealing its behavior.

Sgt. Tim Colomey, who spent 11 years as a SWAT supervisor until last November, filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging retaliation for revealing that a group of veteran officers controlled the tactical unit's operations and membership and punished him and others for speaking out.

Colomey said in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court that those leaders, who dubbed themselves the "SWAT Mafia," "glamorize the use of lethal force, and direct the promotions of officers who share the same values while maligning the reputations of officers who do not."

Colomey claims that those who use nonlethal measures to end standoffs and other contacts are pushed out.

"SWAT officers who have chosen not to use lethal force in suspect encounters, and who have instead sought to deescalate conflicts, have been ostracized and labeled 'cowards' by the SWAT Mafia," the lawsuit says. "These officers will never succeed or promote within SWAT."

His lawsuit did not cite specific examples of excessive force or unjustified killings by the SWAT unit. However, his attorney Diana Wells said the department's internal affairs group was made aware of such incidents after Colomey provided specifics during an investigation.

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore on Wednesday declined to comment, saying he had not seen the litigation.

Capt. Jonathan Tippet, who was in charge of the Metropolitan Division  which includes SWAT  during the time of the allegations, disputed some of Colomey's characterizations.

"I disagree with the assessment," he said of Colomey's description of SWAT officers glamorizing the use of lethal force and ostracizing those who sought to de-escalate conflicts.

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Colomey alleges that commanders "are aware of the serious and systemic problems that are linked to the SWAT Mafias power, but they have all turned a blind eye to these problems," and that it has poisoned the entire unit.

The so-called Mafia, the lawsuit says, directs that "promotional positions ... be given to SWAT Mafia associates; control the selection of new officers entering SWAT based on who will kowtow to the SWAT Mafia."

The elite unit is part of the Metropolitan Division, where three officers have recently been charged with falsifying information from field interviews used to assemble lists of individuals deemed to be gang members. The division was also forced to cut back on its crime suppression operations after a Times investigation found that it disproportionately stopped Black drivers.

The SWAT accusations from Colomey come just a year after he was featured in a department podcast, "Born in Boston: A SWAT Story," in which he told of surviving a near-fatal injury to rise to be a SWAT leader. He was riding with a partner, now Deputy Chief Dominic Choi, pursuing an armed suspect when he was hit by a car during a foot chase.

Colomey, a 25-year-old LAPD veteran, has since become a familiar figure at SWAT scenes, often on the bullhorn negotiating with suspects holed up inside buildings.

According to the lawsuit, Colomey's split with SWAT began after a 2018 investigation of an anonymous complaint about the unit. His attorney said that complaint came after Colomey and alleged members of the SWAT Mafia had squared off over his oversight of a SWAT training school for potential recruits and their assessment of officers.

During that internal affairs investigation, Colomey made accusations against the way SWAT operated. He says his bosses found out about his complaints and retaliated against him.

Josh Rubenstein, the LAPD communications director, said there was an internal affairs investigation into SWAT in 2018, but he would not disclose the details. He said Colomey remains with the Metro Division but is assigned to Los Angeles International Airport.

According to the lawsuit, one sergeant used an expletive about Colomey's statements to internal affairs investigators and declared: "We are done with him.

In September, according to the lawsuit, another boss identified as C. Lee McMillion told a group of SWAT officers: I have a copy of the Complaint Investigation on my desk, and every time I read it, it raises my blood pressure.

He added, We have enemies within this Platoon, and we have enemies who just left the Platoon, the lawsuit says.

In an email to The Times, McMillion, a three-decade LAPD veteran, said he would respond to the claims through his own court filing and referred further inquiries to Rubenstein.

The lawsuit alleges that when Colomey tried to file a formal complaint, he met opposition from top commanders, including then Deputy Chief Bob Green.

Green, who retired from the LAPD and now oversees security for the county's transit agency, declined to comment.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said that he could not comment on the specifics of the allegations in the pending lawsuit, but that they "would be troubling" if true.

He said that he believes in protecting whistleblowers while their claims are investigated, and that he has asked the LAPD's inspector general's office to conduct its own review.

"I've learned in this job over time to wait to let the professionals who are impartial investigate," Garcetti said.

He said the LAPD in recent years has emphasized de-escalation and the preservation of life, including in its training of officers, and he noted fatal shootings by police have declined.

Staff writer Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this report.
Armenias Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan on Wednesday received French Ambassador Jonathan Lacote. Current issues of bilateral cooperation and regional security were discussed during the meeting.

Presenting the most recent situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border and the line of contact between the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and Azerbaijani armed forces, the Minister of Defense emphasized the role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Russia, the US, and in particular Franceas a UN Security Council, EU, and a NATO member statein easing the tension and continuing the negotiation process to resolve the Karabakh conflict.

Touching upon the current Turkish-Azerbaijani joint military exercises, Tonoyan noted that from a military point of view, their tactical nature is not a concern, but it is important that these military exercises do not turn into provocative actions in the immediate vicinity of Armenia's borders, defense structures, and other infrastructure. The defense minister stressed that the Armenian side will closely follow the course of these military exercises and further developments.

Reaffirming France's mediating role in an exclusively peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Ambassador Lacote, in his turn, lauded the balanced climatefree from nationalist accentuation and manifestations, as well as calls for warprevailing in Armenia throughout this period.
The law firm of Bressler, Amery & Ross today announced the formation of an Investment Advisory Practice Group. The practice group, focusing on servicing both federally covered, state registered investment advisers (IAs) was formed in an effort to accommodate the growing needs of investment advisers in the U.S. and U.S. regulated IAs abroad.

The practice is led by co-chairs Kerry Zinn, a Principal in the Fort Lauderdale office and Mark Knoll, Managing Principal of the firms New York office.

With in-depth knowledge of the range of issues that impact federally covered and state IAs, Bresslers Advisory Practice Group provides IAs of all sizes with a one-stop-shop for legal and compliance services. Members of the practice group assist IAs with their day-to-day needs including registration and licensing, preparation of Form ADVs, advisory contracts, solicitation agreements, effective compliance and supervision and regulatory and litigation risk avoidance. The practice group also includes seasoned enforcement attorneys who assist IAs during regulatory inquiries, investigations and enforcement actions by federal and state government regulators. Notably, the practice group is familiar with and experienced with the unique challenges and issues that impact U.S licensed foreign IAs who engage in cross-border advisory services.

Adding a dedicated investment advisory practice is a logical next step for Bressler. A significant number of our attorneys already represent members of the financial services industry and are well versed in capital market issues and regulation and some are former industry regulators, said Ms. Zinn. In addition, Bressler already represents investment advisers so we are poised to seamlessly expand in that space, particularly because we have an existing pipeline of prospective investment adviser clients through our longstanding broker-dealer and financial industry relationships.

According to Ms. Zinn, the sector is on the upswing. She cited a 2018 FINRA report showing that the retail financial services industry is shifting away from the broker-dealer model. From 2008-2017, the number of standalone broker-dealers declined by 21%. Dual registrants registered as both broker-dealers and federal covered IAs declined by 35.9%. During that same time period, the total number of IAs increased by 22.6%. As of 2018, it is estimated that IAs manage over $80 trillion in assets.

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The firm represents investment advisers who operate in the U.S. and U.S. licensed IAs who operate around the world. Its clients include small, medium and large retail advisory firms, family offices, fund advisers, asset managers and more. Bressler also offers a unique general counsel services package to small IAs so they can obtain cost-effective legal services.

The addition of the new practice enhances the firms national footprint and prominence in the financial institutions industry and strengthens the synergy of the firms seven offices. We are strategically focused on expanding our capabilities in an effort to better serve clients needs, said Mr. Knoll. With the increase in assets under management by investment advisers, we have assembled a multidisciplinary team of attorneys to help steer clients through the highly regulated and complex body of law.

About Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C. Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C. is a leading full-service law firm that represents Fortune 500 corporations, midsize and small privately held companies, investment advisors, brokerage firms, banks, franchises, insurers and non-profits. The firm also represents emerging companies and high-net-worth individuals and families. The firm's main practices include financial institutions and securities, insurance litigation, labor and employment law, environmental, corporate and commercial transactions, real estate, and business, commercial and general litigation. A National Law Journal 350 firm and NJLJ Top 20 firm, Bressler has been recognized on several industry lists including U.S. News' Best Lawyers in America and Best Law Firms, Chambers USA, Super Lawyers and the Business Journals Top Law Firms list. Bressler has more than 150 attorneys across offices in Florham Park, New Jersey, New York, New York, Birmingham, Alabama, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Florida, Washington, DC, and Charlotte, N.C. For more information, visit www.bressler.com.

Contact Details

Andrew Blum

+1 917-783-1680

ajbcomms@gmail.com

Company Website

https://www.bressler.com/
This is the shocking moment a pair of armed men robbed a tattoo parlor in Mexico while a customer was being worked on.

The bizarre incident took place Monday evening in Nezahualcoyotl in the State of Mexico.

A surveillance camera inside the business showed the two masked men barging into the studio and threatening the customers with a gun and knife.

A knife-wielding suspect walks over to the table, where the tattoo artist is working on a male customer, and disrupts the session, ordering everyone to remain in place.

One of the armed suspects (top left) orders customers and tattoo parlor employees to stand back during Monday night's robbery in Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico

A customer who was in the process of getting a tattoo raises his hands after two men barged into a tattoo parlor in Nezahualcoyotl, a city in central Mexico, and took off with an unknown amount of money and cellphones belonging to customers and staff

His gun-toting accomplice stood by the entrance as a lookout and then took a woman's handbag. He then demanded a young man hand over his personal items, which included a pair of headphones.

Both suspects then order everyone to the back of the studio as the customer holds his hands up while lying on the table. He and the tattoo artist gave up their cellphones.

The video was shared on social media in hopes the public would assist authorities in finding the assailants.

The suspects escaped with some of the tattoo artist's instruments and an unknown sum of money that was taken from the staff and customers.
A private beach, 2500 square meters, 22 rooms, 25 hectares: this Irish manor can be yours for 2.5 million. That is, if you don't have a problem with ghosts.

Time Out magazine has uncovered an unusual real estate bargain: Loftus Hall is for sale.

This historic manor has been designated the most haunted house in Ireland. It's located in the southwest Hook peninsula, in County Wexford, a 2.5 hour drive from Dublin. The structure, whose foundations date to 1350, was named for the English Loftus family, who arrived as part of Oliver Cromwell's conquest of Ireland in the mid-17th century.

According to legend, one day a strange visitor arrived at the manor after his boat sunk off the coast and was given shelter by the family. Lady Anne Tottenham, a young member of the Tottenham family, fell in love with him. One day while playing cards, she knelt to the floor to retrieve a fallen card and noticed that the stranger had cloven hooves in place of feet. The stranger vanished in a smoky explosion that pierced the roof. Anne never recovered from the shock and she died just a few years later, devastated by the experience. It is said that both the mysterious stranger and the lovesick young woman haunt the structure to this day, despite the exorcism carried out by a priest.

Fans of dark legends can now own this unusual manor, as long as they have 2.5 million in the bank. If not, you can still indulge your curiosity with a visit to the manor, as Loftus Hall also offers 45-minute tours for those who can overcome their fears. And at the moment, you don't even need to wait for a booking, as live webcams show what's going on in every room at www.loftushallafterdark.com.
Seventy-seven policemen from the Mumbai Police have tested positive for Covid-19 after 3,446 of its personnel underwent the rapid antigen testing, the police said on Wednesday.

So far nearly 3,800 policemen from Mumbai police have tested positive for Covid-19 and 54 have succumbed to the disease. Over the past four days, around 726 police personnel from across the state have tested positive with five fatalities, taking the total death toll across state police force to 98.

In a bid to cover maximum police personnel and early detection of infection in the force, the top brass of the city police department decided to test its personnel through rapid antigen testing.

In the first phase of antigen testing, the authority has decided to send only those policemen for antigen testing who are from the 44-55 age group.

Naval Bajaj, joint commissioner of police (administration), confirmed that 308 officers and 3,171 constabulary personnel have undergone the testing and 77 personnel have tested positive.

Of the infected personnel, those with symptoms and comorbidities would not be allowed home quarantine and would have to undergo treatment at Covid hospitals or in the four dedicated police Covid care centres.

So far, police stations in the east region have reported the most Covid-19 cases with 27 positives, followed by west, central and south regions with 21, 17 and 12 cases, respectively.

In west region, nine policemen from Khar police station including the head of the police station tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. Since the infected senior inspector is asymptomatic, he has quarantined himself at his home while five policemen with symptoms were admitted to Lilavati Hospital.

An inspector and an investigating officer of actor Salman Khans hit-and-run case who is currently posted at Vile Parle police station has also tested positive.

According to the police department, personnel from the local arms divisions (the reserve police force of city police) have the maximum Covid infection cases.

Among the 94 city police stations, LT Marg police station has the highest number of cases with 57 positives, followed by Sir JJ Marg and Marine Drive police stations with 46 and 43 cases, respectively.

Speaking about the status of infection in the entire state police force, Vinayak Deshmukh, assistant inspector general of police (law and order) said that of the total 8,958 infected policemen from the state police force, 6,962 have already recovered.

Many recovered police personnel have also resumed duty as cops are not afraid of the disease, Deshmukh said.
Super-rich who pledged to give away most of their money are instead warehousing cash in family funds, a study found.

Super-rich individuals who pledged to give away most of their money to good causes are instead sitting on rising wealth fuelled by the warehousing of cash in dedicated family foundations or funds, a new study has found.

More than three-quarters of a group of US billionaires who signed up to the Giving Pledge to donate most of their money saw a significant rise in wealth over the last decade, according to a report from the Institute for Policy Studies.

Its co-author urged the wealthy to follow the example of MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon.com Incs billionaire Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, by donating directly to charities rather than putting money into funds or foundations.

The Giving Pledgers set out in 2010 to give away half their wealth and instead their assets have doubled, said Chuck Collins, co-author of the Gilded Giving report.

By giving $1.7bn directly to 116 charities, MacKenzie Scott (Bezos) has modelled what Giving Pledge billionaires should be doing with their wealth.

A co-author of the study urged the wealthy to follow the example of MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, pictured here in 2018, by donating directly to charities [File: Danny Moloshok/Reuters]

They should give it directly to working non-profit charities and not to their own perpetual family foundations or donor-advised funds, Collins said.

The Giving Pledge campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

It was set up in 2010 by US business tycoon Warren Buffett together with by Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda to encourage the worlds super-rich to give away most of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

Eleven of the 62 US billionaires analysed in the report have less money than in 2010, either because of aggressive charitable giving or market changes, while the remaining 51 saw significant increases in their net worth.

This is partly because many are making money so fast that it has outstripped their capacity to give it away, the IPS said.

But it also highlighted concerns that many are choosing to put their charitable funds into private foundations and donor-advised funds that often save on tax and may end up warehousing money instead of getting it to just causes.

It called for the US Congress to take action with measures including cutting the tax advantages for such organisations and forcing them to pay out more to good causes.

The top 1 percent of earners may hold 24 percent of global wealth by 2050, according to a recent United Nations report, as global wealth inequality steadily grows.

Most people want billionaires to help more in the eradication of poverty, found an international survey carried out by anti-poverty group Global Citizen and Dutch research agency Glocalities earlier this year.
While several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka, have shown a considerable surge in tiger numbers in the All India Tiger Census 2018, wildlife conservationists in Odisha have slammed lack of growth of tigers in Odisha. The conservationists have demanded the government explain spending crores of Rupees in the name of tiger conservation in the state.

The final reports of the 2018 census conducted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority showed Odishas tigers numbers at 28, same as it was in the 2014 census.

Tiger population in Similipal-Satkosia block is severely depressed, the report said, adding that only one tiger was recorded in the north part of the Satkosia tiger reserve while in Similipal reserve, the presence of 8 adult tigers (7 female and only one 2 male) could be identified.

Also read: One in three tigers live outside reserves - Report

Wildlife conservationist Biswajit Mohanty there were 28 tigers in 2014 in Odisha. He said the census counts tiger cubs that are more than 1-year-old and they should have been part of the final count too. Tigers are good breeders. The state should have added at least 12 to 15 more tigers during the last four years if not more. The reason it did not happen is only due to rampant poaching which is taking a heavy toll in tigers of Odisha, said Mohanty.

Mohanty said, as per the state governments own statistics, Odisha had reported 192 wild tigers including 60 cubs in 2002. If the cubs are discounted then there were 132 wild tigers which has now fallen to only 28. Thus in 16 years, Odisha has lost 104 adult tigers in though at least Rs 60 crores has been spent on their protection and management by the state. Simlipal Tiger Reserve lost 75 wild tigers as per the state government census figures of 2006 and 2016. No accountability was fixed on the forest officials though we had spent crores on tiger protection till mid-2020, Mohanty said.

Dismissing the state governments earlier claims of at least 100 tigers in Similipal, wildlife activist Aditya Panda said there is no point living in a dream. No one is going to be fooled by the claims of government experts that Similipal had more than 100 tigers. The state needs to come clean. It should now set a target for the next 10 years so that the numbers can be revived, said Panda.

Commenting on the failed exercise of Indias first inter-state relocation to Satkosia that was abandoned in 2018 after the death of a relocated tiger from Madhya Pradesh, the tiger census report said the failure was due to the hostility among local communities and their intensive use of the tiger reserve resources for livelihoods. The tiger relocation exercise was suspended in November 2018 after a three-year-old tiger, that was shifted from Madhya Pradesh to Satkosia tiger reserve, died of the wounds it received from the snares laid by poachers earlier that year.

As parts of the tiger reserve and corridors are shared with people, it is also important to strengthen the social carrying capacity. Community participation, alternative livelihoods, and law enforcement are required before tigers can be supplemented in Satkosia, it said.

On Similipal tiger reserve, the census report said as it has a reasonably high prey base, it has the potential to sustain higher tiger densities. However, consistently low density of tigers in the reserve over the years calls for active management intervention. The management has done a good job of relocating several human settlements from the Tiger Reserve and with good protection from poaching, the tiger population should recover in the near future, the report said.

It, however, said that the current strength of the tiger population in the reserve was facing extinction and it may be prudent to supplement a few tigers from Bandhavgarh tiger reserve.
Aakar Patel looks forward to Prime Minister Modi's speech at the bhoomi pujan for the Ram temple in Ayodhya next week.

It will be entertaining and stirring, predicts Aakar, and make lots of promises that he most likely won't be able to keep.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi at the foundation stone laying ceremony for a water supply project in Manipur, July 23, 2020. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

The prime minister will lay the foundation stone for the new Ram temple at Ayodhya.

It is certain to be a grand ceremony as is the case with things we associate with our PM.

It will happen on August 5, which will be the first anniversary of the day Kashmir lost its Constitutional status.

Article 370 has not been abrogated as is falsely claimed. It remains on the Constitution.

What has been done is to de-operationalise it. It is not known what the point of that action was.

In the six months of this year, over 200 have already been killed in violence in Kashmir.

That is at twice the rate of last year.

Under this government, Kashmir is increasing in violence, reversing a long term trend of decline that was seen under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.

Kashmir is being kept under control essentially through military rule.

Kashmiris have no Internet and are unable to express themselves.

Their pleas to the Supreme Court have gone unheard. Or at least have been put in abeyance like many other things.

But, of course, the grand gesture of 'abrogation' is what the point of it all was.

Let us turn to other fields of battle, and our Mahabharat against Covid.

The prime minister has stopped making his 8 pm announcements here and clearly has become bored with the subject.

It is true that this plague is one that can only partially be controlled by the government.

But there are things that the government can do.

Neighbouring Pakistan has appeared to flatten its curve of growth in positive cases.

It has fallen consistently from a high of 6,800 cases on June 14 to 4,000 cases on June 28 to 1,200 cases on July 24.

India has gone from 11,000 cases on June 14 to 20,000 cases on June 28 to almost 49,000 cases on July 24.

Till about a short time ago, Pakistan had half the number of cases as India though their population is only a fifth of ours.

Now they seem to have got things under control in a way that India has not.

Cases in Bangladesh have also been dropping in the same period. Having made his grand announcement, Modi has moved on.

The announcement that he was most enthusiastic about, the 8pm bombshell of November 8, 2016 has gutted the Indian economy.

The government has tried to hide its damage by fudging GDP data.

Two weeks ago, former Reserve Bank governor C Rangarajan said that the government should end the controversy over its manner of calculating GDP.

This government's former economic advisor Arvind Subramanian himself has calculated that India is reporting 2.5% higher GDP growth figures than actual ones.

A report in Mint said that all economic indicators showed that the government was bluffing.

Growth in factory output has fallen from 9% before 2011 to 2%.

The Modi government's own National Sample Survey showed that rural consumption grew at minus 1.5%, meaning it actually declined in the Modi years.

Even urban consumption fell from 3.4% to 0.3%

Corporate investments went from 23% growth to minus 1.8%.

Bank credit growth fell from 14% to 4%, but the GDP growth figures remain the same: 7% before Modi and 7% after, which is unbelievable given all the other data.

Unemployment remains at levels it has never touched in history, over 8%.

On Friday, July 24, the RBI said that non-performing assets with banks (meaning dud loans) would rise from the current 8.5% to 12.5% by March and perhaps even higher.

The finance minister keep babbling on about seeing green shoots in the economy, a phrase meaning that there are signs of life.

Nobody believes her, of course, or takes her seriously.

Having made his grand announcement on Make in India, Modi has lost interest there as well.

Manufacturing share of GDP in India has fallen from 15% before the announcement to 14% after.

Vietnam and Bangladesh have gone up in this time.

Other than announcements it is has to figure what this government is good at doing.

The Citizenship Amendment Act was passed with great bombast about how Modi would protect the persecuted minorities of South Asia.

But the Act's rules have still not been written by the government meaning it is not in force and cannot protect anyone.

On the frontier with China, there is trouble.

But Modi has solved it with a stirring speech delivered from Ladakh.

There is no action after that. By October, the passes that we use to supply that area will be snowed in.

Our soldiers, some 2 lakh of them now, will have to manage without proper habitats.

The Chinese built habitats for their forces in the last three years after the incident at Doklam, which Modi took lightly.

The Chinese are sitting on our territory and pointing out to Modi's own statements where he says there is no intrusion, as proof that they are right and we are wrong.

What was the need to make that statement? It is not clear, but he has moved on from there to the next exciting thing.

I look forward to his speech next week.

It will be entertaining and stirring and make lots of promises that he most likely will not be able to keep.

But at least he can guarantee us more speeches and announcements.

Aakar Patel is a columnist and writer.

You can read Aakar's columns here.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
REDAVIA, a global market leader of cost-effective, reliable, and clean solar power for businesses, deployed its first solar farm in Kenya for Menengai Farmers Ltd tea farm in Tigoni.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005045/en/

REDAVIA Solar Farm at Menengai Tea Farm (Photo: Business Wire)

For the first 20 years of its operations, Menengai Farmers Ltd successfully grew tea without any large electrical demands. However, in the mid-80's, weather patterns in Tigoni changed requiring the installation of an irrigation system. As the tea farm and irrigation system have grown, so have Menengai Farmer Ltd's energy needs, putting a strain on their operational budget.

Menengai Farmers Ltd turned to REDAVIA for a cost-efficient solution. REDAVIA provides solar energy under a flexible lease contract, enabling Menengai Farmers Ltd to reduce costs and increase their operational flexibility.

Designed for maximum ease, REDAVIA's contract also includes installation, maintenance, and 24/7 technical monitoring. REDAVIA's onsite engineers deployed the solar ground mount unit at the Menengai Farmers Ltd site. After a smooth deployment and early operation period, both parties are already planning to scale up the solar farm with a second phase of energy storage, allowing for independence from the national grid.

"We are happy to have found a company to manage the electrical costs of our irrigation system," said Gideon Katiku, Farm Manager of Menengai Farmers Ltd. "The savings we make with REDAVIA will allow us to continue to grow our farm."

Erwin Spolders, CEO founder of REDAVIA, confirms, "Solar power reduces costs, generating savings that can be reinvested into the business, while also reducing the carbon footprint of the business. It's a win-win scenario."

About Menengai Farmers Ltd

Menengai Farmers Ltd was incorporated on 21st May 1964 and lies on 320 acres of land. The company specializes in the mass farming of tea leaves, which are then delivered to Maramba Tea Factory (a subsidiary of Menengai Farmers Ltd) for processing and packaging and sold to both local and export markets.

About REDAVIA

REDAVIA offers solar power for businesses in West and East Africa. The REDAVIA system is based on a pre-configured model, including high-performance solar modules and electrical components. It is easy to ship, set up, scale, and redeploy. Businesses benefit from a cost-effective, reliable, clean energy solution with minimal upfront investment or technical skills. Find out more at www.redaviasolar.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005045/en/

Contacts:

Press Contact:

REDAVIA

Ann Karimi

+49 89 2426 8869

+254 (0) 703 458761

a.karimi@redaviasolar.com
The ruling Congress has repeatedly avoided the mention of a floor test in its proposals to Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra for an assembly session, fearing it could be used to bring down its government and for the imposition of Presidents rule in the state, people familiar with the matter said. It has publicly sought a floor test to prove its majority but has not mentioned that in its recommendations to Mishra.

Our apprehension is that the moment we ask for a floor test, the governor will say the government is not confident of its majority and hence might recommend Presidents rule, said a Congress functionary on condition of anonymity. There are some points in the governors letters to the Rajasthan government that force us to think on those lines. He added even the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded a floor test.

Constitutional expert PDT Achary said in normal circumstances, there is not a possibility of the governor recommending Presidents rule on the basis of the government seeking a floor test. There is no need to mention the floor test in their proposals. In rules, there is no provision for confidence motion but only for a no-confidence motion. Confidence motion can be any motion and brought any time in the House by the government.

Achary, a former Lok Sabha secretary-general, said a session is mainly called by the government to transact business and it is under no obligation to inform the governor about its agenda. His role is over once the session is summoned. The Speaker then takes over and has to control the House and conduct the proceedings.

Another Congress leader, who is involved in the crisis management, said there is another view that the state government should move court and get a direction for the governor. But many of us are against any such move. These are not normal times. We are living in abnormal times and do not expect favourable verdicts from the courts. So, approaching the court will be futile, he said. So, it was finally decided to accept the governors condition of giving a 21-day notice for convening the assembly.

The Congress had decided to fight the Rajasthan battle politically and take to the streets. Thrice, we wrote to the governor and urged him to call the assembly session. Obviously, he is under some kind of pressure from the central government to delay the summoning of the House. But one thing has happened and that is the Rajasthan governor and the BJP stand exposed before the public, said the second functionary.

The Congress has so far claimed that 109 legislators in the 200-member assembly support the Ashok Gehlot government. ...we are very confident and will easily cross the majority mark with at least a margin of 15-20 legislators in the final count, said Congress leader Ajay Maken.

Maken and Randeep Singh Surjewala were deputed to Jaipur this month to deal with the political crisis after former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other legislators rebelled against chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

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Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the chairman of the British Medical Association, warned the UK Government is not doing enough to stop a second wave of coronavirus

The UK Government is not doing enough to stop a second wave of coronavirus, the head of the British Medical Association warned today amid fears the virus is making a comeback.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul told MPs that mixed messaging around key preventative measures including mask-wearing and social distancing was behind infections spiking by nearly 30 per cent last week.

He demanded ministers lay out a coherent strategy for how they plan to prevent a Covid-19 resurgence from battering the UK in the winter, when other illnesses are rife and the NHS is vulnerable to being overwhelmed.

Dr Nagpaul told a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on coronavirus: 'At the moment we're not doing everything we should in trying to contain the virus.

'If I look even at something as simple as our messages on social distancing: we're told that social distancing is still two metres, or one metre plus.

'Do you think any member of the public understands what one metre plus means? What does the plus mean? Many don't really understand this because it's not clear and they're not social distancing.'

Dr Nagpaul slammed ministers for not enforcing mask-wearing, saying it risked sending the message they were optional.

He added: 'If you want to suppress a virus you don't just make an announcement and then leave people with free will whether to wear them... you then follow that up with a very systematic approach to make sure that happens.

'What I mean by suppressing is you take an attitude that says: we want to do absolutely everything to make sure the infection doesn't spread. That needs a much more robust approach.'

He warned: 'The point is that I'm not sure that sense of clear, single-minded determination to do everything we can is being done and that's what I mean by suppressing.

OLDHAM OVERTAKES LEICESTER TO BECOME SECOND WORST-HIT AREA IN ENGLAND - SO WHERE ARE THE CURRENT HOTSPOTS? Oldham has become the latest place to introduce tighter coronavirus restrictions after overtaking Leicester to be the second worst-hit area of England with an almost 200 per cent surge in cases over the past week. Official NHS statistics show 128 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the Greater Manchester town in the seven days up to July 26. This equates to a rate of 54.3 cases per 100,000 people. In comparison, the rate in Leicester  which remains the only place in the UK to have been hit by a local lockdown  is 53.2. Blackburn with Darwen is the current hotspot, with a rate of 85.9. Oldham council bosses yesterday urged all of the borough's 235,000 residents to not let any visitors into their home for at least two weeks, in a desperate bid to 'prevent a strict local lockdown being put in place'. It puts Oldham at odds with the rest of England, after lockdown rules were finally relaxed earlier this month to let people to stay overnight with loved ones, after months of not being allowed in other homes. So, which areas currently have the highest infection rates? Blackburn with Darwen Oldham Leicester Bradford Trafford Rochdale Sandwell Calderdale Manchester Kirklees 85.9 - up 6% 54.3 - up 191% 53.2 - down 27% 45.1 - up 6% 36.8 - up 235% 32.7 - down 31% 30.9 - up 33% 28.6 - up 22% 22.1 - up 55% 19.8 - down 29% Source: NHS. Data relates to cases recorded between July 20 and 26, the most recent figures available Advertisement

'To really take the attitude that yes, we can resume normal living  you can go out, you can do things, but make sure that we have very clear messages about what is expected of both the public and workers to stop the spread.

'There are measures that can be taken and at the moment I think I see too many examples of potential spread, just walking out into the High Street and peering through shop windows.

'If a hair dresser wears a visor without a mask, that's not going to suppress the virus. Has that message gone to all employers as to what needs to be done to stop the spread of the virus?

'If you look at the figures at the moment, the last ONS figures from last Friday, the weekly figures, the infection rate has increased.

'We're now seeing about 2,700 new cases a day compared to 2,500 the week before. And so I think now is the time we must be much more robust and rigorous about how we mitigate the spread.'

Health leaders have 'very high' levels of concern about the possibility of a second spike in coronavirus cases, one expert has said.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said that the combination of a spike of cases with 'exhausted staff' while the NHS tries to rebuild services could prove 'challenging'.

He told the committee today: 'I would say in relation to the second spike issue or something coming, the levels of concern among our members - the people who are leading NHS trusts, who are leading in primary care and all levels in the systems - is very high.

'There's real concern about winter and the compounding factors there, but also about an earlier spike.' He said non-Covid-19 productivity in NHS trusts was currently at about 60 per cent.

Meanwhile, he called for an 'Amazon-style' way for the health and care system to order personal protective equipment (PPE) - whereby they can order it and have it arrive the next day.

Boris Johnson is said to be 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up' both at home and across Europe, with a spike in infections across Spain triggering a last-minute decision to place the holiday hotspot on the UK's travel quarantine list.

Although the number of UK cases is relatively low, rises were recorded each day last week for the first time since the darkest days of the crisis back in April. The seven-day average stands at almost 700  28 per cent up on three weeks ago.

Ministers have been warning of a potential second wave of the pandemic this winter but now fear it could come sooner.

On a visit to Nottingham yesterday, Mr Johnson  who earlier this month played down the prospect of another national lockdown  said Britons must not drop their guard.

Mr Johnson is said to have been spooked by the resurgence of the virus in parts of the US and Europe following the easing of lockdown.

Cases in Spain doubled last week while the Belgian government warned of a second 'complete lockdown' unless outbreaks come under control.

The head of Germany's public health agency yesterday said he was 'very concerned' by rising infection levels.

A Downing Street source said: 'The PM is extremely concerned by what he's seeing abroad and fears we could be seeing the same thing here in a fortnight.

'People have got to realise we are still in the middle of a pandemic. He wants to go further on opening things up and getting people back to work, but he knows it'll be his head on the block if things go wrong.'

It comes after a World Health Organization official last night said any spikes in cases are not signs of a second wave and revealed the pandemic is just unfolding into 'one big wave'.

Margaret Harris, of the UN agency, said: 'The best thing is to flatten it and turn it into just something lapping at your feet.'
A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Tuesday that the administration decided to shorten the work permits as it undertakes the legal review the court said was lacking when officials announced in late 2017 that they would phase out the program by this year. The official declined to say how long the review would take.
Veteran film and television actor Anupam Shyam is battling kidney infection in the ICU of a hospital in Goregaon, Mumbai. His family has sought financial help from the film industry to bear the cost of his treatment.

In an effort to source funds for Anupam's treatment, Cine And TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) had appealed to people to come forward and donate. Sonu Sood shared CINTAA's message on his Twitter handle and wrote that he was in touch with Anupam's family.

In touch with them https://t.co/yedW7S7erW  sonu sood (@SonuSood) July 28, 2020

The 62-year-old actor was first admitted to a hospital in Malad where he was undergoing treatment. However, after he reportedly collapsed during dialysis on Monday, he was shifted to the ICU of a hospital in Goregaon. Reports claim he is in stable condition now.

Anupam, mostly known for essaying negative roles, has acted in many films as well as television shows over the past three decades. His filmography includes Dil Se, Nayak: The Real Hero, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Bandit Queen, and Slumdog Millionaire. However, he is best known for playing Thakur Sajjan Singh in the daily soap, Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya.

Sonu, on his end, has been helping migrants amid the coronavirus crisis. He has been arranging transport and rehabilitation facilities for people who have lost jobs since the coronavirus pandemic struck. He is also planning to come forth with a memoir based on his experiences amid the Covid-19 spread in India.
On the day that was meant to commemorate the first peacetime African American regiments and their service to the country, Desmond Bertrand-Pitts found himself instead facing the ugly reminders of hatred.

Bertrand-Pitts, CEO of the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum and grandson of the museums founder, received an email from a colleague on Tuesday afternoon, which was National Buffalo Soldiers Day, and upon first glance, assumed it was spam. But his colleague included photos of the museum in Midtown, which had been defaced with a spray-painted swastika and other messages.

It was an emotional experience, Bertrand-Pitts said Wednesday, the morning after he filed a police report. Seeing something on a building that we worked so hard to get, it was very emotional, it was very disappointing, and I didnt understand why it would happen to us.

Bertrand-Pitts said he believed that the vandalism occurred sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning.

He thought the attack might have been more strategic than coincidental. The museums CEO also said many people are feeling hurt and disappointed by the vandalism, especially since it occurred in a city like Houston, which he called rich with culture and community and diversity.

The spray-painted messages appeared on the building's brick exterior on the San Jacinto Street side. From left to right, the vandalism included a drawing of a swastika, the letters that appeared to read "SCCK," and a phrase that appeared to be referencing the Democratic party.

The museum is dedicated to honoring and preserving the history of the African American military experience from Americas founding to present day. Its purpose, as stated by the museum website, involves "exploring and displaying the stories and contributions of African Americans in the military by way of performing and visual arts, educational programming, and exhibitions."

James Williams, 85, believed to be one of the last living Buffalo Soldiers and a longtime Houston resident, said the vandals clearly didnt know the history of the building they were defacing, because it used to house The Houston Light Guards, one of the oldest National Guard companies in the state. The action disgraced not only the Buffalo Soldiers, the retired sergeant major said, but the white troops who had this building in the first place.

I dont know what its going to take to get that off the wall, but Im going to have make sure its off that wall, Williams said.

And that is exactly what one Houstonian did upon hearing the news.

Now Playing: Paul Aubrey works on cleaning graffiti, of an apparent swastika and other wording, that were spray painted on the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 in Houston. Video: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle

Paul Aubrey was drinking his morning coffee when he heard about the vandalism. He pulled on his mask, gathered his gear and headed over to 3816 Caroline Street to lend a hand.

Right now, the way it is, this is not what we need. We dont need that. Not here in Houston, said Aubrey, owner of TP Pressure Washing, as he sprayed Goof Off graffiti remover on the wall. To deface them, especially with a swastika! This is not the way.

Soon, another person showed up to aid in the effort.

I just want to show love. If I have to scrub a brick, I will scrub a brick, said John Crowe, a pastor in Fulshear at River Bend Baptist Church. Bads going to happen. You have to do enough good to get rid of the bad. This is how you do it.

While the news was disheartening, Bertrand-Pitts said the support he has felt reinforced a sense of community. Before he had a chance to schedule someone to remove the spray-paint, community members had already taken initiative.

It just shows you that Houston is big on diversity and community and support, Bertrand-Pitts said. Its really encouraging.

We need to respect one another regardless of what race, creed, or color, Williams, the Buffalo Soldier, said. Because God made us all.

The Anti-Defamation League called for a thorough investigation into the vandalism and condemned the actions taken against the museum in a Wednesday afternoon news release.

Defacing it with graffiti shows disdain and disrespect for the dedication of the soldiers honored there, and that should not be tolerated, said ADL Southwest Regional Director Mark B. Toubin.

Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Senties said the incident is currently classified as criminal mischief -- cases typically handled by detectives with the departments burglary and theft division.

It was unclear Wednesday whether the case had been assigned to a detective, he said. The department is currently checking whether it meets the definition of a hate crime, he said.

Police were not aware of any available surveillance footage at the time of the report.

The name "Buffalo Soldier" finds its origins among the first all African American Army units created in 1866 -- which included Black Civil War soldiers, formerly enslaved men, and freemen -- who served America during peacetime, often traveling with settlers, cattle herders, and railroad crews during the nations days of westward expansion. While the exact origin is difficult to determine, the soldiers were allegedly dubbed buffalo soldiers by Native Americans during their time in the West.

The museum is currently closed to the public due to the ongoing pandemic in Texas.

Julian Gill contributed.
(Bloomberg) -- When the coronavirus put a halt on peoples lives in China in February, Justin Jins old university classmates thought about selling face masks to make money. The 21-year-old suggested they instead try their luck with two stocks: Tesla Inc. and Tencent Holdings Ltd.

Thats when Jins two friends began using the Futubull app, one of the Chinese platforms that allow mainland investors to buy foreign equities. The decision paid off. Both stocks soared as part of a global rally that has enticed a wave of novice investors.

When I first started, there were only three or four friends who used Futu, Jin said. Now there are at least three or four dozen.

Thanks to them and many others, Futu Holdings Ltd., a Chinese online brokerage and wealth-management platform, now counts more than 1 million registered users, a 23% increase from the first quarter. Its American depositary receipts have almost quadrupled since a low in March, propelling the fortune of its founder and chairman, Leaf Hua Li, to $1.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Tencent Employee

Li, 43, was Tencents 18th founding employee and left to start Futu after growing frustrated with the software he used to trade Hong Kong stocks, according to a CapitalWatch interview in January. The online broker, backed by the Chinese internet giant, was formally incorporated under Hong Kong law in April 2012. Li owns 40% of its outstanding shares.

A company spokesman declined to comment on Lis net worth.

Retail investors have always been a driving force in Chinas stock market, but with the pandemic keeping people home, more amateur traders have emerged. Futu reported a 60% surge in new paying clients -- those with assets in their trading accounts -- in the first quarter, with much of it coming from Hong Kong. Big-name stocks like Tencent, Tesla and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. fueled the surge during the peak of Chinas coronavirus crisis in February, according to a statement.

Story continues

One of Futus main draws is that, unlike mainland competitors, it has licenses that allow users to go beyond the domestic market and buy equities from the U.S. and Hong Kong. This years high-profile secondary listings in the city from JD.com Inc. and NetEase Inc. have enticed more investors, as has the months-long rebound in U.S. stocks, according to Bank of China International analyst Nanyang He.

Futu has benefited from strong market sentiments in terms of raising trading velocity and increasing IPO subscription revenue, He said.

Shares Surge

Futu shares have risen 148% since the company listed in New York in March 2019, outpacing rival Up Fintech Holding Ltd., which went public the same month.

While the competition is rife -- Chinese brokerage firm Huatai Securities Co. just launched its own U.S. stock-trading app -- Futu is betting on the increasing number of Chinese citizens looking to diversify their investments globally, He said. The company started a series of MSCI index futures products this month.

Li began his career at Tencent after receiving a bachelors degree in computer science and technology from Hunan University in 2000. He was an early researcher of the QQ messaging software and founded Tencent Video, now one of the largest video-streaming platforms in China.

Li credits his time at Tencent for building his business acumen and said he was inspired by the companys founders, Pony Ma and Zhang Zhidong, according to the CapitalWatch interview. Tencent remains Futus largest institutional backer, and several of its employees were key in helping the online broker grow over the past decade.

Still, Li hopes hell ultimately be defined by his legacy at Futu.

For a long time, people wondered why I left Tencent at its peak of growth, Li said in the interview. Now that Futu has made it, the weight of importance has changed.

(Updates share move since IPO in 10th paragraph)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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Clarendon Blvd., 2800 block, 2:56 p.m. July 19. A man attempted to steal an employees cellphone but left when he was confronted. Then the man entered another business and fled with merchandise. When police located the man, he threw the stolen merchandise at police. The man bit an officer when an attempt was made to stop him. A 36-year-old North Carolina man was arrested and charged.
Washington: Marise Payne is a natural diplomat: calm, conflict-averse and doggedly on message. To the frustration of many journalists, Australia's foreign minister rarely slips up in interviews or strays far from official government talking points.

So Payne's remarks following the Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) talks in Washington stood out for their bluntness. While she may have been on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's home turf, Payne was determined not to appear as a hapless pawn in America's increasingly tense stand-off with China.

Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne in Washington. Credit:AP

Pompeo came out swinging against the Chinese Communist Party, blasting its "malign" activities in the Indo-Pacific region and praising the Morrison government for refusing to yield to Beijing and pushing ahead for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus.

"It is unacceptable for Beijing to use exports or student fees as a cudgel against Australia," Pompeo said.
A pod of three killer whales attacked a humpback whale mother and her calf off the coast of Ningaloo in Western Australia on Friday, July 24, in a phenomenon rarely seen by scientists.

Drone footage filmed by two fishermen showed the humpback whale mother and her calf fending off a synchronized attack from the three killer whales.

I was marlin fishing and had the first orca shoot in and roll right under the boat, showing off and playing, said Shane Stephen, one of the fishermen who witnessed the attack. Shortly after, we saw splashing and a commotion and knew a hunt was underway. It is the first orca hunt and kill of a humpback whale this season and went on for almost 2 hours.

Stephen told Reuters that the humpback mothers calf was unfortunately taken and separated from the mother after two hours.

Killer whalesalso known as orcashunt in groups and seek out prey like fish, cephalopods, whales, and sea turtles in shallower waters.

Stephen posted the incredible footage on Instagram, and many viewers responded in amazement.

What an insane sight to see, Mother Nature sure does surprise you! wrote one person.

Another added, Wow what an absolute trip to witness.

The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
Afghans on Wednesday welcomed a three-day ceasefire but demanded it be made permanent, after the government and the Taliban said they would observe a truce that could kickstart peace talks as soon as next week.

The foes on Tuesday announced a temporary stoppage in Afghanistan's war, marking only the third official pause in nearly 19 years. It is slated to start Friday and run for the duration of the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival.

Ali, a shopkeeper in Kabul who only gave one name, said three days was not enough.

"We want peace forever," he told AFP. "We have the right to live in peace like other countries, we want our country to develop. We are all -- old and young -- tired of this war."

The Taliban -- who over the years have steadfastly dismissed government calls for ceasefires and upped violence even after signing a deal with the US -- announced they would down weapons for Eid after President Ashraf Ghani signalled progress in a contentious prisoner exchange.

"To demonstrate the government's commitment to peace, the Islamic Republic will soon complete the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners," Ghani said, referring to the number of insurgent inmates the government originally pledged to free under the auspices of a US-Taliban deal agreed in February.

The swap is a crucial step to talks starting. Ghani said negotiations could begin next week once the exchange was finished.

His spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP that Kabul would observe the ceasefire, but cautioned it did not go far enough.

"The people of Afghanistan demand a lasting ceasefire and the start of direct talks between the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan," Sediqqi said.

Fawzia Koofi, a prominent women's rights campaigner and member of the Afghan government's negotiating team, said on Twitter she was "hoping for a lasting and permanent ceasefire".

Ahmad Jawed Ahmady, a civil engineer, said he hoped for an enduring ceasefire and "peace forever".

Top US officials also hailed developments, including special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who was expected to meet government officials in Kabul on Wednesday.

High death toll

The Taliban indicated last week they are also prepared to negotiate after Eid.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's spokesman for military operations, said insurgents must "refrain from carrying out any operation against the enemy during the three days and nights of Eid al-Adha so... our countrymen would spend the Eid with confidence and joy."

The latest truce is only the third of its kind, with other ceasefires in June 2018 and May this year to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Those ceasefires prompted widespread relief across Afghanistan but were short-lived, with the insurgents returning to the fight straight afterwards to resume near-daily attacks.

The US-Taliban deal, signed in Doha on February 29, stated that the militants and Kabul should start direct peace talks on March 10, following the prisoner swap.

But that date passed amid political disarray in Kabul and disagreements over the exchange, with Afghan authorities saying some released Taliban inmates were returning to the battlefield.

Highlighting the toll on civilian and military forces in the months since the deal, Ghani said more than 3,500 Afghan troops had been killed.

He said 775 civilians had also been killed and another 1,609 wounded since the deal.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has blamed the Taliban for the bulk of civilian casualties during the first half of 2020.

Observers say the recent bloodshed highlights the Taliban's determination to push for broad control in Afghanistan, and underscores how little the US can do to stop them.

The US-Taliban deal "was not designed to bring peace to Afghanistan, but to facilitate a face-saving exit of US forces and engagement from Afghanistan", said Nishank Motwani, deputy director at the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit.

"The Taliban fundamentally believe that victory is theirs."

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Though the journalism industry continues to report a staggering number of layoffs, pay cuts have allowed many outlets to retain staff and continue their work while cutting back spendinga momentary fix that cannot last forever. The Tow Centers reporting on newsroom cutbacks found more than a hundred instances of reported pay cuts in newsrooms since the onset of the covid-19 pandemic. As with any of the cutbacks newsrooms implement during a moment of financial hardship, the indefinite magnitude of the crisis loomshow long will newsrooms continue to tighten their belts, and how long can they manage to do so?

In many of the cases that Tow recorded, top executives took larger pay cuts than salaried staffin at least six cases, temporarily forgoing executive salaries altogether, for varying periods of time. Ben Lerer, the chief executive at Group Nine mediawhich publishes NowThis and The Dodopledged to forgo his salary for six months, The New York Times reported. And according to the Daily Beast, Jonah Peretti, CEO at BuzzFeed, announced that he would not take a salary for the duration of the crisis, a declaration that begs the questionhow are the beginnings and endings of a crisis measured and defined?

Pay cuts often accompany other newsroom changespart and parcel of a broad strategy to address withering budgetsand they are, by nature, intended to be a temporary solution. In March, the Cleveland Scene announced layoffs in addition to pay cuts and role-sharing, for the time being. In April, Canadian company Glacier Media announced reduced wages and furloughs, saying, We hope to return those laid off to work as quickly as possible, and to return wages and work weeks back to normal as quickly as possible. That month, Glacier halted production of the Vancouver Courier, a community newspaper that has not published since.

Before the pandemic arrived and sabotaged newsroom revenue streams, the journalism industry already struggled, in many cases, to pay its employees a competitive wage. In 2015, Alex Williams reported for Poynter that journalists earned significantly less than the median salary in twenty-three US states, particularly in the Northwest and Midwest. In 2018, Pew Research Center reported that newsroom employees in the United States, while reporting higher median salaries than workers with no college degrees, earn less than their college-educated peers.

In the current economic crisis facing the journalism industry, some cases of temporary pay cuts have already given way to more furloughs or layoffs. BuzzFeed News, for example, announced tiered pay cuts in mid-March, followed by layoffs in April at its Twitter morning show, and ten additional newsroom layoffs reported last week.

The pandemic continues, and temporary solutions are wearing thin.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

The Journalism Crisis Project aims to train our focus on the present crisis, tallying lost jobs and outlets and fostering a conversation about what comes next. We hope youll join us (click to subscribe).

CONTRIBUTE TO OUR DATABASE: If youre aware of a newsroom experiencing layoffs, cutbacks, furloughs, print reductions, or any fundamental change as a result of covid-19, let us know by submitting information here. (Personal information will be kept secure by the Tow Center and will not be shared.)

Below, more on recent changes in newsrooms across the world:

JOURNALISM JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES: MediaGazer has been maintaining a list of media companies that are currently hiring. You can find it here. The Deez Links newsletter, in partnership with Study Hall, offers media classifieds for both job seekers (at no cost) and job providers. The Ida B. Wells Society announced that its micro-loan program for journalists would no longer require recipients to repay their loansyou can apply here and donate here.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Lauren Harris is a freelance journalist. She writes CJR's weekly newsletter for the Journalism Crisis Project. Follow her on Twitter @LHarrisWrites.
Aerial view shows buildings and farmlands partially submerged in floodwaters following heavy rainfall in Duchang

BEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China raised its flood response alert on Sunday to the second highest level as heavy rain battered regions along the Yangtze River, with the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Jiangxi among the worst hit, state media reported.

Flooding in the Poyang county of Jiangxi pushed water levels of Lake Poyang, China's biggest freshwater lake, to above 22.52 metres (74 feet), a historical high and well above the alert level of 19.50 metres (64 feet).

By Saturday evening, provincial military authorities had dispatched thousands of soldiers to help bolster nearly 9 km (6 miles) of the lake's banks, state television said.

China has a four-tier flood control emergency response system, with level one representing the most severe.

So far this year, some 141 people have died or gone missing in the floods, which have ravaged 3.53 million hectares (8.72 million acres) of farmland and flattened 28,000 homes. Economic losses total 82.23 billion yuan ($11.75 billion), state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources, 212 rivers have exceeded alerting levels since early July, with 19 of them rising to historical highs.

China has blamed unusual weather conditions, including humidity carried from the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, as the immediate cause, but it has also said long-term changes in climate patterns have made it more vulnerable.

(Reporting by Liangping Gao in Beijing and Chen Aizhu in Singapore; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Frances Kerry)
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By SARAH RANKIN

Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va.  For more than 150 years, Virginia's capital city greeted visitors with a landscape steeped in Confederate heritage and dotted with its relics, including a collection of enormous statues to rebel fighters.

Tucked away, or in many cases buried, was evidence of Richmond's pivotal role in the lucrative domestic slave trade. Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children were jailed, bought and sold in the city, and shipped across the South in the decades preceding the Civil War.





. . .
(Natural News) Too many Americans have been hoodwinked into worrying about catching pathogens like the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) through the air, and particularly through excretions of the mouth and nose, when the much bigger threat is being injected with viruses through vaccines.

It is a little-known fact that the nations blood supply, which is used in the manufacture of vaccines that are routinely given to children and babies, is tainted with disease-causing retroviruses originating in mice and monkeys, despite supposedly coming from healthy blood donors.

Dr. Judy Mikovits of Plandemic fame  you can still watch Plandemic at Brighteon.com, by the way, where it will never be censored  has compiled evidence proving that the blood supply is tainted, and that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is engaged in a massive cover-up of the truth.

Dr. Mikovits has yet to release it, however, as she was arrested and imprisoned just one day after announcing to her superiors that she was planning to go public with the truth. She was falsely accused of taking government documents from the laboratory where she worked when, in fact, she had merely retrieved her own personal notebook with handwritten information about the topic.

Dr. Mikovits was further threatened by the cabal that if she ever goes public with what she knows, then she will be sent back to prison for life, though J.W. Bryan, writing for News With Views, says that the time is soon coming when the truth will come rushing through the floodgates.

If Dr. Mikovits goes public, as she plans to with her exposure about the contaminated blood supply, its going to focus a lot of attention down the back-trail concerning the truth about vaccines, and especially the forced vaccinations of newborns and pre-school children, he writes.

This and more is covered in Plandemic, which you can watch below:

Mike Pence chose deep state swamp creature Fauci to head up coronavirus task force

The good news is that Dr. Mikovits is one brave cookie, and she has already agreed to tell all no matter the consequences. She has already revealed that Anthony Fauci is responsible for orchestrating the plandemic, and that he was put in place by none other than Vice President Mike Pence.

It is also the manifestation of what was schemed at Event 201 back in the fall by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with the World Economic Forum and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

This simulation of a worldwide pandemic event mirrors exactly what started to take place several months later, and quickly spread around the world. And the impossible coincidence that it centered around an out-of-control coronavirus only further points to the whole thing being planned.

Coupled with the fact that Fauci himself sent $3.7 million worth of American tax dollars to the Wuhan laboratory where the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is said to have originated and we have a conspiracy of epic proportions on our hands, and one that could take years to fully sort out.

In the meantime, Mikovits is dedicated to getting the truth out about virus-contaminated blood and the injection of it into children through childhood vaccination. Once people know the ugly truth about what is really happening on this front, the rest will collapse like a house of cards.

Ironically, the commanding general of this invasion, Dr. Fauci, has been placed in authority over our defense against the invasion, Bryan concludes.

Its happening because President Trump doesnt seem to know all his real enemies, and he has people surrounding him who have been placed there to pull the wool over his eyes.

More news about vaccine industry deception is available at Vaccines.news.

Sources for this article include:

NewsWithViews.com

Brighteon.com

NaturalNews.com
Dr. Shaun Massiah of Smiles on the Upper Westside

New York City dentist Dr. Shaun Massiah was recently featured in Barron's Back to Business video series to share how the COVID-19 crisis affected his practice.

The Barron's series highlights the stories of New York businesses and the pivots they have had to make to adjust to the "new normal" required by the current global pandemic. While the impacts of COVID-19 are undeniable, each video shares the ways in which the crisis has given businesses opportunities for change and innovation.

As the coronavirus crippled New York, dental practices were limited to providing emergency care only in order to slow viral spread. With the state beginning to open up again, dentists too have been allowed to go back to workalbeit with a number of new precautions in place to protect patients and staff. In his feature in Barron's, Dr. Massiah shares how he and his team handled the nearly three-month shutdown of Smiles on the Upper Westside and also his plans for the practice moving forward.

Although the COVID-19 shutdown had the potential to be devastating to his business, Dr. Massiah used the unexpected time off to bolster his business, reading books and articles, attending webinars, and sourcing new technology to better serve his patients. As a job creator, one of his primary concerns was ensuring that he could continue to pay his entire team through the shutdown; Dr. Massiah discusses how he accomplished this with the help of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.

As he and his staff return to the office with new COVID-19 protocols in place, Dr. Massiah plans to stay vigilant and closely monitor the situation as it develops. The full video feature on Smiles on the Upper Westside can be viewed on the Barron's website.

About Dr. Shaun Massiah

Since earning his degree from New Jersey Dental School, Dr. Massiah has built a reputation as a talented cosmetic dentist, speaker, and active member of a number of professional organizations. He is the President of the Greater New York chapter of the National Dental Association and is recognized as one of the leading African-American dentists in New York City.

About Smiles on the Upper Westside

Smiles on the Upper Westside is a New York City dental practice that provides comprehensive dental care with a focus on aesthetics. Founded by Dr. Shaun Massiah in 2002, the practice specializes in cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, and full mouth rehabilitation using the latest techniques and technologies. To learn more about the practice, visit their website at https://www.drmassiah.com/ or call 212-222-5225 to schedule an appointment at their office: 50 West 97th St. 1C, New York, NY 10025.


Free pads and tampons are now available for girls at all public schools in Victoria.

The $20.7million initiative means students at more than 1,500 government schools across the state will have access to the sanitary items.

Victoria is the first state or territory to roll out the initiative, which aims to help to reduce the stigma around periods.

The pads and tampons will be available free of charge in school bathrooms, in a bid to relieve anxiety and embarrassment for schoolgirls.

Free pads and tampons are now available for girls at all public schools in Victoria (stock image)

The Victorian government, who announced the initiative on Tuesday, said schools will play an important role to promote a positive culture around menstrual health.

The initiative will also ease the cost of living on families.

The state government described sanitary items as a 'necessity, not a luxury' and said the increased access to pads and tampons would support thousands of students.

'Lack of easy access to pads and tampons can negatively impact on students' participation in sport and everyday school activities,' the government said in a statement.

'Students may not be able to concentrate in class, feel comfortable or feel confident doing physical activity, or they may miss school altogether.

'Sanitary items are a necessity, not a luxury, and this initiative is supporting tens of thousands of girls and young women in schools across the state.'

Victoria is the first state or territory to roll out the initiative, which helps to reduce the stigma around periods. Pictured: A group of high school students walk together

Students will also receive important health information about how to manage their periods as part of the initiative.

Minister for Education James Merlino said: 'We're proud to be providing free sanitary items in all Victorian government schools to ensure that students  regardless of their background or circumstances  can focus and participate fully in their education.'

Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams said getting your period is a 'normal part of life' and the sanitary items are a 'basic necessity'.

'We're ensuring all girls in our public schools have access to pads and tampons when they need them, so they can focus on their studies,' she said.
Vikas Singh, the lawyer of Sushant Singh Rajputs father KK Singh, has said the family wants the Patna Police to probe the case of the actors suicide, while adding that they have not demanded a CBI investigation yet.

While speaking to ANI, Singh, who is also the former additional solicitor general, said, FIR has been registered now as the family was in shock and the Mumbai Police wasnt registering an FIR, but forcing them to give names of big production houses and get them involved. It (the investigation) was heading in a different direction.

Patna Police was a little hesitant but CM Nitish Kumar & Minister Sanjay Jha explained the matter to them and FIR was registered. We want that the matter be investigated by Patna Police. The family has not demanded for CBI investigation yet: Lawyer of #SushantSinghRajput's father https://t.co/uNCcqAX6K4  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

He added, Patna Police was a little hesitant to register an FIR but chief minister Nitish Kumar and minister Sanjay Jha explained the matter to them and an FIR was registered. We want that the matter should be investigated by the Patna Police. The family has not demanded a CBI investigation yet.

In criminal jurisprudence, an FIR can be registered at a place which has even a part of the cause of action and in a crime of this nature, you have to work on the mind of the victim. You control the mind by first distancing the victim from the family, the distancing from the family started by disconnecting Sushant Singh Rajput from his father and not letting him talk to his father. This is not a crime done in the spur of the moment, the death itself is not the crime. It is the facts leading to death which is a crime, and it includes shutting out the family and that ingredient is very important which happened in Patna, he further added.

ANI reported a team of Bihar Police arrived at the office of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, CID, in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput death case on Wednesday.

Vinay Tiwari, Patna (Central) City SP said, FIR has been registered. Preliminary investigation has begun. It is not correct to say at this point of time that who will be questioned. All those who were named by Sushant Singh Rajputs father in the FIR, have been booked.

FIR has been registered. Preliminary investigation has begun. It is not correct to say at this point of time that who will be questioned. All those who were named by #SushantSinghRajput's father in the FIR, have been booked: Vinay Tiwari, Patna (Central) City SP. #Bihar pic.twitter.com/xROu2Lmxsy  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

Sanjay Kumar Singh, Inspector General, central range had informed on Tuesday that KK Singh has lodged an FIR at the Rajiv Nagar police station in Patna against Sushants rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her family members including parents and brother under the various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Shweta demands justice for late actor: If truth doesnt matter, nothing ever will

Sanjay Kumar Singh said, KK Singh lodged the case with Rajiv Nagar police station against Rhea Chakraborty, and her family including Indrajit Chakraborty, Sandhya Chakraborty, Shruti Modi, Showik Chakraborty and others under Sections 341, 342, 380, 406,420, 306 and 120 (B) of the IPC. Sushants father has made a serious charge against Rhea and her family. He has alleged that she had kept Sushant away from his family and completely in her possession. She was also handling his bank account. It was also reported that crores of rupees were withdrawn from his bank account.

Sushant was found dead at his Mumbai home on June 14. He was 34.

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TDT | Manama

Health Ministry undersecretary Dr Waleed Khalifa Al Manea has called on all people to keep up their determination and sense of responsibility during the Eid Al Adha holidays, and continue to adhere to all measures taken to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

People should be committed to reducing the rate of infection resulting from contact during the holidays, in order to avoid a repeat of the high number of cases that marked Eid Al Fitr in May due to complacency and the disregard of instructions issued by the relevant authorities, he said.

Dr Al Manea congratulated His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, and the people of Bahrain and of Arab and Islamic nations on Eid Al Adha.

He stressed that responsibility requires determination and solidarity through commitment to precautionary decisions and measures to overcome the pandemic, and to protect individuals and families. Dr Al Manea highlighted the significance of limiting gatherings during Eid Al Adha to family members within the same household, while adhering to the standards of social distancing and wearing masks when near the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.

People should go out only when necessary and should wear face masks and adhere to social distancing in public areas, he added. Bahrains efforts and endeavors to address the pandemic are proceeding according to well-studied steps, with all potential harnessed to enhance them.

The National Taskforce for Combatting COVID-19s recommendations and regular update on all local and global developments have contributed to supporting Bahrains efforts, he said. Dr Al Manea lauded the efforts of the health workers and stressed that doctors and nurses have had a prominent role, and have been working diligently and persistently to ensure the health and safety of all members of society
Lebanons Prime Minister accused Israel of a "dangerous military escalation" Tuesday (July 28) as tensions threatened to escalate at the border between the two countries.

Hassan Diab accused Israel of violating the sovereignty of its country, before calling for caution after a rise in violence in recent days.

He also accused Israel of trying to "change the rules of engagement."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would do "everything necessary" to defend itself, and claimed Israeli forces foiled an attempt by members of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to infiltrate its border.

However, this has been denied by the Iranian-backed Shi'ite group, who added the incident was "one-sided."

A Reuters witness in Lebanon counted dozens of Israeli shells hitting the disputed Shebaa Farms area on Monday (July 27).

These recent hostilities come after Israeli forces were put on alert along its northern border, in anticipation of retaliations by Hezbollah for the killing of one of its members a week ago on the edge of the Syrian capital Damascus.

Hezbollah fighters have been deployed in Syria as part of Iranian-backed efforts to support President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel sees the presence of Hezbollah there as a strategic threat, and so has mounted raids on Iranian-linked targets.
AUSTIN, Texas, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aurigo Software today announced the first in a series of planned product integrations with Autodesk Construction Cloud aimed at improving collaboration between public and private infrastructure owners and the contractors with which they work. Aurigo's Masterworks is now connected with Autodesk Construction Cloud's PlanGrid, allowing teams to drive productivity on capital projects and capture accurate project records to support ongoing infrastructure maintenance and operations.

In order to make the most of every dollar invested on capital projects, construction teams require cloud solutions that improve collaboration between office and field workers to reduce mistakes that lead to costly rework and schedule overruns. In April 2020, Aurigo and Autodesk announced a strategic alliance to provide a comprehensive set of cloud-based solutions for capital planning and infrastructure development.

This first integration between Aurigo's flagship solution, Masterworks, and PlanGrid, a field collaboration software, brings the companies closer to delivering an end-to-end technology platform facilitating design, planning, construction and operations of infrastructure and private assets. Both products are widely adopted in the industry  Masterworks is used on over 40,000 projects across North America by Departments of Transportation, private owners, local and regional public works entities, and other infrastructure agencies; PlanGrid is used on more than two million projects in over 100 countries.

Customers using Masterworks and PlanGrid can now link their projects across both cloud solutions. When users enter project information such as plans, RFIs, tasks, issues or documents into either application, it will also automatically update in the other. Real-time, automated information transfer between Masterworks and PlanGrid eliminates double entry, reduces errors and omissions, and streamlines administration activities on capital projects to save time. Additionally, owners and construction teams can collect and continuously reference an accurate project record set for ongoing infrastructure operations and maintenance.

"Contractors and owners need collaborative capital planning and construction management solutions, especially on major infrastructure projects that often span large distances, and during the current pandemic, where social distancing and safety are critically important," said Balaji Sreenivasan, CEO and founder of Aurigo Software. "PlanGrid's field collaboration capabilities are loved by contractors, and Aurigo Masterworks is the leading capital planning and construction management solution used by infrastructure owners. The integration between PlanGrid and Masterworks allows for contractors and owners to easily collaborate over the cloud, avoid double entry of data, and follow social distancing and safety rules in the field."

"On our public projects, we juggle massive amounts of documents and data, unexpected changes, and federal aid reimbursement challenges  and we have to stay in constant communication with contractors so we can anticipate anything that may impact schedules or budgets," said Michael Sturdivant, Engineering Project Manager at the City of Las Vegas, an Aurigo customer. "We've automated our capital program planning and project management processes so our entire team can remain connected and work from the most up-to-date plans."

"Infrastructure is a national priority and its construction teams are tasked with short timelines and limited resources," said Jim Lynch, vice president and general manager, Autodesk Construction Solutions. "Aurigo Masterworks' integration with PlanGrid will help teams remain in sync with one another to keep projects moving along schedule and within budget. Together with Aurigo, Autodesk Construction Cloud can drive productivity for construction teams and help make the most of every project dollar to deliver the infrastructure our communities need."

To learn more, visit www.aurigo.com/autodesk/connectortoPlanGrid

About Aurigo Software

Aurigo Software is America's leading provider of modern cloud software to help infrastructure owners plan, build, maintain and operate their multi-billion-dollar capital investments safely and efficiently. The firm caters to large, medium and small agencies with three unique product lines, Aurigo Masterworks Ultimate, Aurigo Masterworks Professional and Aurigo Essentials. Aurigo Essentials Cloud Software is designed for small and midsize cities. More about Aurigo at www.aurigo.com.

Aurigo Masterworks Cloud is a comprehensive suite of enterprise software products that automates the entire lifecycle of capital programs, including planning, forecasting, budgeting, bid & estimation, project management, contract administration, scheduling, right of way, permitting, materials testing, field inspection, civil rights, and document control. The system has powerful reporting and dashboard capabilities, a native mobile application and is investing extensively to harness Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain technologies. Aurigo helps over 300 customers plan and deliver over $300 Billion of capital programs safely and efficiently. Aurigo is a privately held US corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas, with wholly owned subsidiaries in Canada and India.

Aurigo Essentials Cloud is an all-in-one construction project management software solution, built on the same powerful Aurigo Masterworks platform. Aurigo Essentials is catered to needs of Small and Mid-sized Government agencies, to help them automate their capital planning and construction lifecycle processes at a very affordable price. More about Aurigo Essentials at www.aurigo.com/essentials.

Aurigo is a registered trademark of Aurigo, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Aurigo reserves the right to alter product and service offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

Autodesk and PlanGrid are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and service offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.  2020 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Aurigo Software Technologies

Related Links

http://www.aurigo.com


Police in Hanoi have arrested two suspects who robbed a local bank with a gun and took more than VND900 million (US$38,800) earlier this week.

The municipal Department of Police confirmed on Wednesday morning they had apprehended Phung Huu Manh, 23, and Hoang Ngoc, 42.

Manh was captured on the same morning as he was hiding in the northern city of Hai Phong, while Ngoc was arrested in Lang Ha Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi on Tuesday night.

Manh and Ngoc are the two suspects in an armed robbery at a branch of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) at 27 Huynh Thuc Khang Street in Lang Ha Ward, Dong Da District on Monday morning.

At around 10:00 am that day, the two men walked from nearby Nguyen Hong Street toward the lenders office.

After entering the venue, one of the suspects fired a warning shot from his homemade pistol to threaten the people inside.

He then walked toward the tellers counters, grabbing the cash and tossing it to his accessory, who put the money into a black bag.

The suspects also carried along another bag and told witnesses that it contained explosives in order to intimidate the victims.

Following the robbery, they exited the bank, stole a motorcycle, and fled the scene.

At the police station, Ngoc said he had planned the robbery and asked Manh to join him.

The suspect added he was heavily in debt resulting from his loss-making business.

One of Ngocs family members told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that he previously owned an express delivery business named GNN Express.

Since the firm went bust in 2018, Ngoc has cut off all contact with his family.

In a 2017 statement, Ngoc said his company still owed VND7.1 billion ($306,500) in loans and debts.

The man later said he wished to be sent to jail for abuse of trust to appropriate property.

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People danced and distributed sweets, released tricolour balloons and raised 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' slogans while some enthusiastically counted the jets as five aircraft arrived at the air base here this afternoon.

Despite many restrictions put in place by the authorities, some people took to streets to catch a glimpse of the fighter jets.

Authorities had imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography while Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, was imposed in the villages adjoining the air base, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

The Haryana Police set up several check barricades, especially within the 3 km radius of the air base, and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near the air base, making announcements over loudspeakers warning people not to stand on the rooftop of their houses to click pictures or shoot videos. Violators would face punishment as per the law, they warned.

However, the restrictions failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the people, many of whom took to streets in a celebratory mode, especially in the Ambala Cantonment area, to catch a glimpse of the French-manufactured jets.

Some youth were also seen shooting video on their smartphones.

" hai Rafale, yeh tha, ek aur aaya, yeh doosra hai... ek aur aa gaya, yeh panchva gaya bilkul upar say gaya (This is Rafale, yeah, this is, this was the first one, here goes one more, now another one..now the fifth one just flew above us, a youth who was shooting the video from his mobile phone and enthusiastically counting the jets as they flew above was heard telling his friends.

At the bazaars in Ambala Cantt area, traders and ex-servicemen released hundreds of tri-coloured balloons in the air and raised 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' slogans.

BJP's Ambala City MLA Aseem Goyal led a small group of party workers who were carrying tricolour and waving it while raising 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' slogans.

An association of ex-servicemen was also seen in one locality celebrating the arrival of Rafale.

At many places people were seen distributing sweets and dancing to beats of 'dhol' as the Rafale jets landed here.

At some places here, hoardings had been erected to welcome the arrival of the jets with some of these mentioning that their induction will further boost IAF's capabilities.

The Air Force road leading to the station here had been completely sealed with security personnel not permitting any civilian movement.

A battery of mediapersons reported from outside the gates of the station in Ambala Cantonment as formal induction ceremony has been planned next month and entry inside the base was not allowed.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A nurse who worked at a Wuhan hospital designated to treat coronavirus patients has died after falling from heights.

The cardiac nurse was said to have quarrelled with a supervisor before the incident earlier today.

The deceased medic had complained about the work pressure and the lack of protective measures in the isolation wards, according to an internet post published by state-owned news outlet The Paper.

It comes as multiple medics in Russia have plunged to their deaths after complaining about a lack of PPE and being forced to work despite being infected.

The Wuhan Xiehe Hospital was appointed to treat coronavirus patients at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in the former epicentre. The file picture taken on March 18 shows a patient being transferred at the fever clinic of Xiehe Hospital in Wuhan, Hubei province of China

The deceased medical worker allegedly complained about having a lack of protective gears while working in the isolation wards in a social media post. The file picture taken on February 16 shows medical workers at the isolation ward of the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital

The Wuhan Xiehe Hospital, where the medic worked, has confirmed the incident and said that they were investigating the cause.

The Chinese nurse, whose gender was not specified, was pronounced dead by the Wuhan hospital after all treatment failed, according to an official statement.

The Wuhan hospital had been appointed to treat coronavirus patients at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in the former epicentre.

The incident occurred around 10:45am local time on Wednesday at the Wuhan Xiehe Hospital.

A spokesperson from the Wuhan hospital confirmed the nurses fall to Chinese media.

We are currently looking into this matter, he told The Paper. We will release a public announcement later.

The unnamed cardiac nurse was said to have been quarrelling with a matron over a lack of protective gears for hospital workers in the isolation wards. The picture from January 25 shows mask-donning Wuhan residents queuing for medical attention at Wuhan Red Cross Hospital

The former epicentre has appeared to have contained the coronavirus outbreak since June. In this file photo taken on May 15, people line up for coronavirus testing at a large factory in Wuhan as part of a campaign to test all 11 million residents of the central Chinese city

Screenshots released by Chinese media allegedly shows a social media post made by the deceased medical worker.

The account suggested that the nurses were not provided with sufficient protective gears while working in the isolation wards.

It wrote: 'I want to be a fighter and am willing to be on the front line. But I don't want to be a fighter without wearing bullet-proof gears and carrying a loaded gun.

'I want to be a fighter who is not used as a human-shield,' the post said.

It also claimed that the nurses were forced to spend at least eight hours every day in the isolation wards.

They were allegedly forbidden from eating, drinking water or even using the bathroom during the long shifts, according to the online account.

Dr Ai Fen, a Wuhan doctor who was among the first to alert other medics of coronavirus, also revealed that their hospital had banned medics from wearing personal protective equipment at one point 'to avoid causing a panic'.

In February, Beijing said that the country was running short of PPE because of the coronavirus outbreak amid claims that hospitals are having to make masks and scrubs out of bin bags.

Medical workers needed 'urgent supplies' of masks, protective suits and safety goggles, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

The file picture taken on May 11 shows Wuhan residents wearing face masks while riding their bicycles. The government lifted the draconian lockdown on the former COVID-19 epicentre

The social media post had circulated online in late January when the central Chinese city imposed a strict lockdown on its 11million residents after the coronavirus outbreak erupted.

The former epicentre has appeared to have contained the coronavirus outbreak since June.

The news comes as three medics in Russia have plunged from hospital windows after complaining about a lack of PPE and being forced to work despite being infected.

Two senior women doctors in Russia died after falling from hospital windows amid reports they had challenged their superiors over a lack of PPE for coronavirus patients.

A third doctor, Alexander Shulepov, 37, was left fighting for his life with head injuries after taking part in in a video which claimed he was ordered to work despite testing positive for COVID-19.

The deadly disease, which first emerged in Wuhan late last year, has infected nearly 17million people worldwide and claimed at least 659,000 deaths.

China reported 101 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, its highest single-day figure in three months.

China - where the global outbreak first emerged - had largely brought domestic transmission under control through targeted lockdowns, travel restrictions and testing. But sporadic regional outbreaks have illustrated the difficulty of keeping the virus at bay.

The authorities registered a total of 98 domestic infections, among which 89 were found in Xinjiang, home to the country's most Uighur ethnic minority.

In total, 84,060 people have been infected with coronavirus in China, of whom 482 remain hospitalised. There have been 4,634 related deaths, according to an official count.
A woman found her job, well, essentially non-existent after she tried helping her daughter sell her Girl Scout cookies.

Tracy Lewis, from Washington, D.C., was fired on Feb 18 working in the food services at the American University because she was reportedly selling the cookies while on the job.

Lewis, a campus employee for 28 years, said she had been selling the cookies for the past three years.

"I had the cookies on a cart, and I would never ask anyone to buy them, " Lewis said, according to UPI.com. "But, if they wanted to buy some, I would sell them."

In a letter from the Bon Appetit Management Co., her manager accused her of "gross misconduct by soliciting" and "operating a cash business selling Girl Scout cookies over the counter, which violates company policy," Myfoxdc.com reported Friday.

"They didn't give me any warning," Lewis said. "It's crazy because I can't profit for selling the cookies."

Colleen Cibula, chief operating officer of the Girl Scouts Council of the Nation's Capitol, released a statement saying parents should think again about selling cookies at their work place.

"Girl Scout cookie sales are a girl-led, entrepreneurial program. We want the girls to be taking the lead," she said.

This incident followed a recent scandal where a group of girls were pranked into selling $24,000 worth of girl scout cookies, via a false order.
YouTube

UPDATE 1:50 p.m.

B.C. Education Minister Rob Fleming says most students will return to the classroom in September.

We know schools can safely reopen if community transmission is low, B.C. Provincial Health Office Bonnie Henry said at a Wednesday (July 29) news conference with Fleming.

She said students will be divided into learning groups of student and staff that primarily only interact with each other throughout the school year.

For elementary students, those groups will be made up of about 60 people, although Henry emphasized they will not all be in the same classroom.

Secondary schools will see learning groups of up to 120 people.

Henry added that despite the large size of the groups, not everyone will have contact with each other each day.

When September comes, I ask families, employers to please continue to be flexible, she said, acknowledging that authorities expect COVID-19 cases will occur but the goal is to minimize the risk of transmission.

Henry said older students will be able to better recognized if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and practice hygiene while in large groups.

The B.C. government is earmarking $45.6 million in additional funding to enhance cleaning regimes and hire more cleaning staff.

Fleming said masks will not be mandatory but some of the funding will go towards providing reusable masks for instances in which physical distancing is not possible.

B.C. Teachers Federation (BCTF) president Teri Mooring said excellent work has been done with restart planning by the provinces steering committee and a number of working groups.

But this announcement misses the mark on several critical components and should go back to those working groups, she said in a statement.

Bringing everyone back all at once, even with some version of a cohort model, on the first day after the Labour Day long weekend, is too much too soon given the many unanswered questions in todays announcement.

The BCTF has two representatives on the Ministry of Educations steering committee and 25 teachers on the working groups.

The union said it wants more collaboration at the local level between school districts and local unions, health and safety measures tested and in place before staff and students return to schools, time in September for teach to prep for the new measures and smaller classes.

The BCTF is also calling for more clarity around learning groups and how teachers health will be maintained through this model.

B.C. K-12 students returned to classrooms in June on a part-time, voluntarily basis.

Kindergartners to Grade 5 students were permitted to attend school half-time, while Grade 6-12 students could return for the equivalent of one day a week.

The first week of June brought in 157,000 students  about 30% of the province's K-12 population.

By the end of the school year, Fleming said that number grew to about 200,000 students.

Data has shown that children and youth are at a much lower risk of becoming infected with COVID-19, and if they become infected, they generally have milder symptoms, Ingrid Tyler, medical health officer for the Fraser Health Authority, stated in a May 27 letter to parents and staff.

Children primarily get sick from other household members, and not from school settings. There is also no conclusive evidence that children who are asymptomatic pose a risk to other children or to adults.

A July summary of Surrey School Districts safety plans for Phase 3 sees schools abiding by guidelines provided by WorkSafeBC and the Ministry of Education.

The plans include physical-distancing measures that see workstations separated by 2 metres or else a partition, as well as visibly posted occupancy limits in common spaces.

Washrooms, classrooms, water fountains and high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs and keyboards are to be cleaned twice a day.

Coffee makers and shared utensils have also been removed to make cleaning easier.

Parents and visitors are also not to be permitted within buildings except when prior approval is granted.

The districts return to work policy requires any employees or students showing symptoms of COVID-19 to refrain from entering school property.

Meanwhile, Surrey School District also issued COVID-19-related accommodation forms for employees to submit to doctors in the event they feel unable to return to work at a school.

The forms ask doctors to outline whats preventing a worker from working, as it relates to COVID-19.

Questions include the start date of a condition that prevents a return to the workplace as well as the limitations or restrictions that would prevent a worker from performing regular duties.

Business in Vancouver

UPDATE: 1:25 p.m.

Enhanced safety measures and additional resources will enable most students in grades K-12 to return to school on Sept. 8, 2020, with full-time in-class learning as the province moves to Stage 2 of B.C.'s Education Restart Plan.

"The classroom is an essential part of a child's social, academic and mental development, and that's why we are working hard to ensure students can safely spend the next school year with their teachers and classmates," said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. "We were the only jurisdiction in Canada that brought students back into the classroom provincewide before the end of the school year and this has given us valuable information that we are using to develop our plans, ensuring health and safety at schools remain paramount."

On the advice of the provincial health officer, students will be organized into learning groups, a consistent group of staff and students. This will reduce the number of people each student or staff member will come into contact with, reducing the risk of transmission and ensuring quicker contact tracing by health authorities.

ORIGINAL

British Columbians will find out the province's latest information on the back to school plan for the fall Wednesday.

B.C. Education Minister Rob Fleming and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will be providing a live update on back-to-school plans at 12:30 p.m. Castanet will be carrying the event live.

The plan up to now has been to try and get B.C. students between kindergarten and Grade 7 back to class five days week.
Canadas Liberal government has been shaken in recent weeks by a scandal triggered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneaus close ties to the WE Charity, an ostensibly philanthropic organization with powerful corporate backers.

Some media outlets have suggested that the scandalwhich is bound up with the governments awarding of a lucrative contract without tender to WE to manage a $912 million COVID-19 pandemic relief programcould threaten Trudeaus continued prime ministership and the very survival of his minority Liberal government.

At the very least, the scandal has exposed a web of incestuous and corrupt ties between the top ranks of the Liberal government and WE; and between WE and corporations like the Royal Bank of Canada, Dow Chemical, Microsoft, and Teck Resources, which the charity promotes as environmentally and socially responsible.

WEs modus operandi is itself something of a metaphor for the Trudeau government, which attempts to conceal its rapacious defence of the interests of big business at home and abroad behind a smokescreen of progressive rhetoric.

In late June, Trudeau announced that WE had been granted the contract to administer the governments newly created Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG). The program was supposed to provide a financial boost for students unable to find summer jobs by offering stipends of up to $5,000 for volunteer work done during the coronavirus pandemic. It quickly became clear that WE stood to gain handsomely from the contract, thanks to the governments commitment to pay it up $43 million in administration fees.

More questions were raised when the close ties between the Trudeau family and WE were revealed, including the fact that Margaret Trudeau, the Prime Ministers mother, had been paid $312,000 since 2016 to speak at 28 WE events. Alexandre Trudeau, Justin Trudeaus brother, also received $32,000 for eight speaking engagements, while Finance Minister Bill Morneau and his well-connected family were wined and dined by WE with complementary travel in 2017 worth $100,000. Morneau, whose father cofounded Morneau Shepell, one of Canadas largest pension and benefit management firms, and is married to a member of the billionaire McCain family, has since repaid these sums, including $41,307 just last week.

Justin Trudeau, for his part, has enjoyed a long relationship with WE, going all the way back to an appearance he made at the first WE Day event in 2007. He has continued to appear at WE events since coming to power in 2015, while his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, hosts a podcast for the organization. It was on a trip to a WE event in London, England, in March that Gregoire Trudeau caught COVID-19.

Trudeau claims that he has never been paid for his appearances at WE events. But he and Craig and Marc Kielburger, the brothers who founded Free the Children, which became WE in 2016, and continue to lead the charity, have clearly found their relationship mutually beneficial. His government, which came to power in October 2015, has substantially increased the value of contracts awarded to the organization. Prior to the CSSG deal, WE received $5.8 million in government contracts under the Trudeau Liberals, compared to less than $1 million during the ten years of Stephen Harper and his Conservative government.

Trudeau and Morneaus failure to recuse themselves during cabinet discussions on awarding the CSSG contract to WE has triggered an ethics inquiry by federal Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion. In an attempt to stanch the scandal, Trudeau has taken the rare step of agreeing to appear before the House of Commons Finance Committee tomorrow to answer questions about the affair. His chief of staff, Katie Telford, will testify before the same committee immediately after him.

Evidence has come to light suggesting that the government contract was tailored to offset mounting financial problems at the charity. In 2019 WE reported a $2.4 million loss. Then, with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, donations dried up and WE began announcing mass layoffs of staff.

On April 9, WE sent an unsolicited offer to Small Business Minister Mary Ng to create what it described as a social enterprise opportunity for young people. The same day that Trudeau publicly unveiled his intention to establish the CSSG, April 22, Craig Kielburger sent two proposals to an Employment Ministry official that have many similarities with the governments scheme.

The government only publicly announced the awarding of the contract to WE in late June, a decision it justified on the ground that it was the only charitable organization in the country with the wherewithal to run such a program. However, documents obtained by the Toronto Star show that WE had already begun working on the CSSG program by May 5. A separate Globe and Mail report revealed that WE was set to collect $33 million, the vast majority of the administration fee, within the first week of the contract.

Amid mounting controversy, WE backed out of the CSSG contract on July 3, but not before it had received most of the projects administrative fees. The federal government was left to manage the student program, which, with the summer now almost over, appears likely to amount to nothing, leaving those financially stressed students who hoped to benefit from it in the lurch.

The Trudeau government has conspicuously failed to provide any explanation as to why it was necessary to outsource a program supposedly aimed at providing financial assistance to students unable to find jobs during the pandemic. However, the approach is in keeping with the Liberals promotion of public-private partnerships, which have proven to be a boondoggle for the corporate elite over recent decades, and social entrepreneurship and social financingthat is, schemes to outsource the provision of public services and, to use the words of Canadas Ministry of Employment and Social Development, mobilize private capital for the public good.

Although WE is publicly portrayed as a philanthropic organization engaged in charity activities in the developing world and with young people in Canada, it is in reality a multimillion-dollar business operation with substantial interests in real estate and private education. Vice News, which conducted a comprehensive investigation of the charitys affairs, described it as a charitable corporate hybrid with friends in high places. The organization, which includes a charity and a separate for-profit business known as ME to WE, has incorporated status in Canada, the United States, and United Kingdom, and holds a real estate portfolio worth approximately $50 million. Prominent backers include Oprah Winfrey and Al Gore. The Dalai Lama, Martin Sheen, and Kendrick Lamar are among the many celebrities who have appeared at public WE events.

WE used its celebrity-studded events to appeal to young people, who were offered volunteer trips to developing countries, summer camps, and training programs. Its education materials, which are used in 18,000 schools across North America, serve to promote major corporate brands to a young, impressionable audience. Major backers include behemoths like KPMG, Unilever, and RBC. An internal WE document aimed at potential sponsors of its education programs bluntly declared that support from sponsors would improve partners brand reputation particularly by increasing consumer perception of partners investment in their local community.

The organizations website describes Marc Kielburger as a speaker who has expertise in purposeful and profitable business strategies.

The close ties between the Trudeau government and the WE organization are just the tip of the iceberg. Federal and provincial governments of all political stripes have a symbiotic relationship with the business and financial elites who dictate government policy. They also regularly transfer vast sums of public funds to private corporations, charities, and non-profits to run public services in what amounts to privatization by other means. According to a study by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, the federal government spent over $11.9 billion between 2011 and 2018 on external contracts for management consultants, IT services, and temporary contractors for services that could have been performed by public sector workers.

The role of WE as a shill for big business is symbolic of the character of the Trudeau Liberal government. The trade unions, the NDP and countless middle-class left organizations have promoted the Liberals as progressive, supporting Trudeaus election in 2015 and return to power in 2019. The reality is Trudeaus feminist, diverse and multicultural and pro-native reconciliation government has pursued the austerity and militarist agenda of Canadas capitalist elite. It has slashed tens of billions from health care, while dramatically hiking military spending, cutting corporate taxes, and further integrating Canada into Washingtons military-strategic offensives against China, Russia, and in the Middle East and its regime-change intrigues in Latin America.

Following the eruption of the coronavirus crisis, the Liberal government used its close ties to the trade unions to orchestrate a $650 billion bailout for the major banks and financial oligarchy, while placing workers on rations. Then, with the wealth of the super-rich guaranteed, it organized the reckless back-to-work drive, which threatens to produce a resurgence of the pandemic and cost thousands of working people their lives.

Many will no doubt take satisfaction that the WE scandal has delivered yet another blow to Trudeau and the Liberals smug, cynical progressive image. But the working class can gain from this crisis only if it intervenes as an independent political force. If youth and workers are to be protected from the ravages of the pandemic and its devastating economic fallout, the working class must develop a counteroffensive against the capitalist elites insistence that their profits take precedence over workers safety and lives and their attempts to make workers pay for the crisis through job and social spending cuts and evictions. Militant actions, such as the formation of rank-and-file workplace safety committees and the shutting down of unsafe workplaces, must be tied to the fight for a workers government and the socialist reorganization of economic life.

Absent the development of such a movement, the WE scandal will be exploited by big business, the Conservative opposition, and corporate media to push politics further to the right. Whilst the Tories rail on about the WE scandal, hypocritically demanding accountability and full disclosure, their real complaint is that the Trudeau Liberals are not moving even faster to eliminate the meager Canada Emergency Response Benefit, and otherwise slash profligate social spending, so workers are compelled to return to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
To paraphrase artist Caroline Caldwell, in the increasingly polarized world of classic cars, learning to love yourself is a radical and rebellious act. After decades of being dictated to by the likes of Barrett-Jackson, Pebble Beach and deep-pocketed Boomers, an entirely new cohort of collectors has emerged to elevate an almost forgotten subset of automobiles.

With an enthusiasm that borders on the fanatical, this new breed of car lover courts the attentions of cars and trucks long ignored by the mainstream. Some of these vehicles hail from the so-called Malaise era, that period from early 1970s to the mid-1980s where lackluster performance, bloated styling, and questionable engineering hauled the American auto industry down from a position of global leadership. Others are drawn to Radwood cars, an overlapping descriptor that lumps 80s and 90s pop culture together with its automotive icons, fashion and music trends.

What do these two car cultures have in common? At first it might seem as though the near-fetishization of the normal is the unifying link, a willingness to celebrate vehicles not because they stand out, but rather because they do the exact opposite. This fails to take into account, however, the many high-performance models (Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Acura NSX, Buick Grand National) and design high points (DeLorean DMC-12, W126 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Mazda RX-7 FD) that interweave the two time periods.

Instead, its more revealing to view the Radwood and Malaise phenomenon not through a lens that ranks vehicles using the traditional concours criteria or auction evaluation catalogue, but rather by examining the energy that draws increasingly larger numbers of owners and fans.

The Buick Grand National: A classic to someone (GM Heritage Center)

Breaking With The Past



That radical act mentioned earlier, of loving what youve got rather than pining for what an increasingly distant group of outsiders has identified as aspirational, defines much of the shared aesthetic between these two surging sections of the hobby. The adoration of these often simple and abundant cars and trucks stands in stark contrast to the gated communities erected around pricier parts of the collector hobby, which are typically populated by older owners more interested in investment potential than firsthand enjoyment of their vehicles.

As the transition from old cars to collectors items to assets held in exchange-traded investment funds has swept over the secondhand car market, the rising tide of prices has become a barrier for anyone unwilling  or unable  to pay six-figure sums for the 60s-era muscle cars and 50s-style hot rods and customs that have come to dominate the auction block. And those pre-war Duesenbergs and Cords littering the fairways and greens populated by bluebloods from either coast? Even more out of reach.

Its here that the reactionary aspect of the Malaise era love-in becomes apparent. When Jalopnik writer Murilee Martin began using the term nearly a decade ago to describe cars loosely associated with Carters much-maligned presidency, they were just beginning to attract attention from hobbyists priced out of the Boomer bubble.

Here were vehicles recognizably different from modern machines, affordably priced and relatively simple to repair. Politically, their modest performance and aspirations were also a perfect foil to the excess that was churning through the seemingly endless series of cable television car-restoration programs that manufactured as much drama as they did parts, and which had just begun to blossom up and down the dial.

Radwoods origins are even more culturally specific than the motivations behind Malaise. Just as the classic muscle-car market was driven by the nostalgia from owners seeking to recapture their youth  or at the very least, an idealized version thereof  so too did Radwood embrace automobiles that had punctuated the childhoods and teenage years of its adherents. Whether these cars had been exotic posters on the wall or more mundane parental loaners used to pass their drivers license test, the embrace of 80s imagery (synthwave, new wave, Members Only jackets, mustaches) and 90s motifs (neon colors, early hip-hop, JDM metal) dovetailed perfectly with a group of car fans seeking something they could call their own.

Further reinforcing their popularity with younger enthusiasts is the fact that Radwood-era vehicles are advanced enough to be far more reliable than Malaise or more traditional collector vehicles, making them much easier to enjoy on a daily basis by owners more interested in driving than tinkering or hunting down hard-to-find parts. The inclusion of Japanese automakers under the Radwood banner also welcomes a group of fans who have historically been ignored or alienated by the collector-car hobby. One only has to walk the rows at any of the well-attended and regularly hosted Radwood events across the country to count the United Nations of automobiles represented there.

Few cars tell the world that you are fun, carefree and not quite ready to give up on the 90s as well as the Geo Tracker (Wikimedia Commons)

Writing a New History



Both Radwood (which had its first major show in 2017) and Malaise (which followed with Malaise Days in 2018) offer a car culture safe space that has long been missing from the classic automotive world. Given the unpretentious nature of the objects of their respective affections, the kind of snobbery endemic to certain strata of the collector world is almost entirely absent here. Youre as likely to find fans geeking out over a lowly Geo Metro econobox as they are a lowered Ferrari Testarossa, because their shared cultural currency transcends the currency of their owners bank accounts, instead reflecting a common passion for a specific sliver of automotive and pop-culture history.

Top-down cultural control can only last so long before the beachhead is retaken by the next generation. Is it any surprise that the future of classic car collecting has taken a hard left turn away from the received knowledge imparted by the monied adherents of what came before it?

Rejection as rebellion can only succeed if the movement in question is able to define itself not just by what it is not, but rather through embracing the values it claims as its own. In the case of Malaise and Radwood, its clear that driver inclusivity has replaced exclusivity as the motivating force behind acceptance into the new car culture.

The post The Forgotten Cars of the 80s and 90s Are Quietly Building a Cult Following appeared first on InsideHook.
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Fashion is appealing to President Donald Trumps administration  again  for more leadership in taking on forced labor in China.

Even as the dire plight of minority Muslim Uyghurs in the autonomous and far western region of Xinjiang has become clearer with growing accounts of forced labor and abuse under the guise of reeducation, the big and complex issue has been met with a variety of responses and, at times, confusion.

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And the stakes are high.

Nearly one-fifth of all cotton is produced in Xinjiang, giving the global fashion industry a vested interest in what happens in the region.

A successful solution for all involved, above all the workers themselves, will require state-to-state engagement and collaborative partnerships across government, industry, labor advocacy groups, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders, said a group of five key fashion-industry trade groups in a joint statement last week. We again urge our nations leaders to immediately establish a multi-stakeholder working group to develop and deploy a collective approach that accurately assesses the problem, identifies constructive solutions to increase transparency, and protects both the rights of workers and the integrity of global supply chains.

In the language of Washington, thats a plea for help from an industry facing an issue that is well above its pay grade. (The groups signing on to the statement included the American Apparel & Footwear Association, the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America, the National Retail Federation, the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the United States Fashion Industry Association).

The Xinjiang issue cuts right across several key fault lines  the internal politics of China, the countrys touch-and-go trade relationship with the U.S. and just how much control fashion companies have and should have to have over their supply chains. The trade groups statement last week also came at a time when U.S.-China tensions increased even further as the U.S. forced China to close its consulate in Houston and China responded by forcing the closure of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave a speech in California calling China a totalitarian state and saying that U.S. engagement with China had failed to change it.



Story continues

Meanwhile, the fashion groups lobbyists  who have shown they at least can get together  are arguing that the issue of Xinjiang requires more coordination, a state-to-state response that would see the U.S. and other governments as well as businesses and non-governmental organizations approach China collectively and holistically.

The industry groups are pushing Washington to take the reins, going beyond its recent steps to address forced labor in Xinjiang, which included a business advisory this month by the U.S. departments of State, Treasury, Homeland Security, and Commerce.

The advisory warned businesses with supply chains that reach into Xinjiang that they might face the reputational, economic, and legal risks of involvement with entities that engage in human rights abuses, including but not limited to forced labor.

According to the advisory, Specific abuses include mass arbitrary detentions, severe physical and psychological abuse, forced labor and other labor abuses, oppressive surveillance used arbitrarily or unlawfully, religious persecution, political indoctrination, forced sterilization, and other infringements of rights.

A spokesperson with Chinas Ministry of Commerce said the advisory was a severe distortion of facts, according to Xinhua, the countrys official news service.

The nature of the Xinjiang-related issues is not the so-called human rights problems as smeared by the United States, but an issue of counter-terrorism and anti-secession, the Xinhau report said.

Thats a geo-political knot that fashion cant untie, but clearly the many brands and merchants that ultimately make, buy or sell material or goods in the region can do something.

The Coalition to End Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region, a group of civil society and trade unions, released a call for action last week, warning, There is grave risk that brands and retailers across sectors are benefiting from human rights violations Fabric made with cotton or yarn from the Uyghur Region is used by apparel factories across China and across the world. Almost every major apparel brand and retailer selling cotton products is potentially implicated.

The coalition said, the only way corporations can ensure they are not unwittingly bolstering the governments repression isto fully extricate their supply chains from the Uyghur Region.

Fashion lobbyists contend that for many, that might be more easily said than done, arguing that cotton can be difficult to track through the supply chain and, for instance, could be mixed with cotton from other regions, including the U.S.

In general, activists and experts push companies to engage rather than pull out when it comes to worker abuse issues since the loss of business can further hurt the people already in trouble. And once businesses leave, they no longer have any influence to improve conditions.

Then again, the situation in Xinjiang is not a single bad actor or rogue factory, but a regional policy with motivations beyond a few extra bucks on an order. As the U.S. advisory noted, Laborers are sometimes transferred directly from camps to factories, are forced to attend patriotic education and Mandarin studies, and are subjected to constant surveillance.

Penelope Kyritsis, assistant research director at the Worker Rights Consortium, which is part of the coalition that called for fashion companies to stop working in Xinjiang, said the group typically asks brands to stay when there are troubles with working conditions and use their leverage to help fix the problems.

In this case, thats simply not possible because of the Chinese governments total control of the area, pervasive surveillance and just the general climate of terror, Kyritsis said. Any attempts to provide due diligence are not possible.

Workers are simply not free to tell an inspector that their labor is coerced, but brands are free to walk away and not feed into the situation, she said.

If a brand or retailer claims they dont know where their cotton or yarn is coming from, its a choice not to know, Kyritsis said. Brands are very much able to assess who they have relationships with and end those relationships.

Nate Herman, who is senior vice president, policy at the AAFA, said 84 percent of the cotton grown in China comes from Xinjiang, accounting for about 18 percent of global production.

There is very little apparel production in the region, but for the industry, most of the forced labor concerns are centered in the processing of cotton and in textile mills.

Herman argued that it can be difficult to determine just where cotton used in a brands supply chain comes from and that the trade group has been looking at methods to trace cotton  including the use of DNA and biomapping  over the past two years.

Weve spent a lot of time exploring these and seeing if any of them really work and none of them are quite there yet in terms of technology, Herman said. Theres a lot of promise, but not something that we can implement today or tomorrow.

Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the NRF, said retailers are evaluating their supply chains and working with their vendors to tackle the problem, but that they need government support  and more clarity as to just what the official U.S. strategy on the issue is.

This cant be an effort just by the business community to fix this situation, thats not going to work. There needs to be a three- or four-legged stool, Gold said, pointing to businesses, governments and other stakeholders. Weve got to come up with a coordinated effort where were all working from the same page. We would love to know what [the U.S. government] is doing so we could help amplify [that]. Whats their strategy?

Pointing to the long list of government power players signing onto the business advisory  from the State Department to the U.S. Trade Representative  Gold said, Theres too many chefs in the kitchen.
The MasterChef episode in which competitor Laura Sharrad worked through the pain of a serious injury encourages chefs to make the "ultimate sacrifice" over seeking treatment, a University of Queensland expert warns.

Ms Sharrad burnt her hand on a tray and continued to compete through what she described as "excruciating" pain. She was treated with cream and seen with a glove over her injured hand.

MasterChef 2020 winner Emelia Jackson (right) embraces runner-up Laura Sharrad. Credit:Network 10

During the rest of the show, bandages covered her hand and wrist.

UQ Business School Associate Professor Richard Robinson feared what was seen as her "bravery" could do more harm in a country he said had a toxic commercial kitchen culture.
We were held for more than a week. I and several others were tortured and couldnt walk unaided when released. I traveled on crutches to the United States for medical treatment.

We arent the only legislators to have suffered at the hands of Ugandas security forces. In September 2017, opposition lawmakers filibustered to block a parliamentary bill to remove the age limit for the presidency, set by the 1995 Constitution at 75 years. The change would allow Mr. Museveni, who says he was born in 1944, to run in 2021. An Afrobarometer poll in September 2017 suggested that 75 percent of the population opposed lifting the age limit.

On Sept. 19, 2017, when the bill was to be introduced, Mr. Museveni deployed armored vehicles and heavily armed police around Parliament to prevent protests. Our filibuster managed to delay the bills introduction for a week, but on Sept. 27 dozens of plainclothes operatives appeared on the floor of the Parliament.

About 30 lawmakers were arrested, including me. During the mayhem, six operatives escorted a parliamentarian, Betty Nambooze, into a room without security cameras. They pressed her against the wall while one of them shoved a knee into her back, severely injuring her spine. She was flown to India for surgery, enabling her to walk again, but was tortured again in June 2018 and now walks with a cane.

Fearful and despondent, we dropped the filibuster campaign, and the age limit on the president was removed in December 2017. The attacks on our People Power movement have continued, and we have lost dozens of activists and supporters to violence on the part of the security forces. Yet support for our movement has increased.

I grew up in poverty and was fortunate to have a successful career as a musician. I soon found myself singing about corruption, poverty and oppression. Music galvanizes people but they can be empowered only through politics, so I decided to run for the Parliament.

Last week, my colleagues and I formed the National Unity Platform, a political party to challenge Mr. Museveni and his party in Ugandas next election, expected in early 2021.
MONTREAL, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier (TSX: BBD.B) will publish its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020 on August 6, 2020.



On August 6, 2020 at 8:00 a.m., EDT, Eric Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer; John Di Bert, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; and Patrick Ghoche, Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, will hold a webcast/conference call intended for investors and financial analysts to review the company's financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020.

A live webcast of the call and relevant financial charts will be available at http://ir.bombardier.com .

Stakeholders wishing to listen to the presentation and question and answer period by telephone may dial one of the following conference call numbers:

In English: 514-392-1587, passcode: 8293886# or 1-877-395-0279, passcode: 8293886# (toll-free in North America) +800 4222 8835, passcode: 8293886# (overseas calls) In French: (with translation) 514-861-1381, passcode:9876028# or 1-877-695-6175, passcode: 9876028# (toll-free in North America) +800 4222 8835, passcode: 9876028# (overseas calls)

The replay of this call will be available on Bombardier's website shortly after the end of the webcast.

About Bombardier

With nearly 60,000 employees across two business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in over 25 countries across the segments of Aviation and Transportation. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchangeor follow us on Twitter @Bombardier .

Bombardier is a trademark of Bombardier Inc.

For Information
As the Democrats and Republicans in Washington, DC haggle over how much of the latest coronavirus relief package will be handed over to the corporate and financial elite, twenty-five million unemployed workers across the US are losing their $600 in enhanced federal benefit this week with devastating consequences.

While the two sides are settling differences between the HEROES Act (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act) passed by the House in mid-May and the HEALS Act (Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools Act) announced by the Senate Republicans on Monday, the enhanced unemployment benefit which has served as a life line for millions of workers and their families is cynically being used as a negotiating point.

New Orleans City Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer, right, hosts a food giveaway in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, World Central Kitchen and Culture Aid Nola, in New Orleans, Friday, July 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

As with the CARES Act, the priority of both the Democrats and Republicans is to make sure that the lions share of the money in the new stimulus bill goes straight into the pockets of the wealthiest Americans so as to prop up their corporate profits and fortunes on Wall Street.

While Republicans are insisting that the weekly supplemental benefit be eliminated or reduced by $400, the Democrats have agreed with the bogus claims of their counterparts that the $600 payment is a disincentive that keeps workers from returning to their jobs.

House majority leader Steny Hoyer (Democrat of Maryland) said on Tuesday to CNN that Democrats are willing to agree to a new coronavirus stimulus package that does not include an extension of the $600 in aid over and above state-provided unemployment benefits. Hoyer said, Look, its not $600 or bust. ... (Speaker) Pelosi said the other day, which I thought was a great line: We dont have red lines, we have values. Were going into these negotiations with values.

That the values of the Democrats includes a deal with Republicans that will drive millions of unemployed workers into financial desperation was not elaborated upon by Pelosi or Hoyer.

Referring to a Congressional Budget Office estimate that shows five out of six workers getting the enhanced federal money are receiving more income than they would by returning to work, Hoyer said, I think thats an argument that ishas some validity to it. And we ought to deal with that. And there is a way to deal with that, but not this way, not cold turkey.

Picking up on Hoyers comments on CNN, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell went on the offensive on the Senate floor, saying, Even the Democratic House majority leader said just this morning that our perspective, quote, has some validity to it and we ought to deal with that... its not $600 or bust.

In other words, the Democrats support the lying claim that workers are choosing to remain unemployed because of the $600 weekly federal assistance. The truth of the matter, however, is that workers do not want to return to work because of unsafe conditions and the threat that they will expose themselves and their family members to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, millions of workers do not have a job to return to because of the devastating collapse of the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the onset of an historic economic depression in which tens of millions have been laid off in a matter of weeks. According to the Labor Department, 1.416 million people applied for unemployment benefits in the most recent recorded week ending on July 18, the eighteenth straight week of more than one million applications.

A new study by a group of Yale researchers exposes the disincentive claims of the Democrats and Republicans as a foul lie used to justify cutting workers off of the aid just as the pandemic is raging out of control in most states across the country.

According to the researchers, Workers facing larger expansions in unemployment insurance benefits have returned to their previous jobs over time at similar rates as others, and

We find no evidence that more generous benefits disincentivized work either at the onset of the expansion or as firms looked to return to business over time. In future research, it will be important to assess whether the same results hold when states move to reopen.

The Yale report shows that workers receiving larger increases in unemployment benefits experienced very similar gains in employment by early May as state governments began to reopen their economies relative to workers with less-generous benefit increases. The report also found that people with more generously-expanded benefits resumed working at a similar or even a slightly quicker rate than others did.

Co-author of the Yale report, Joseph Altonji, the Thomas DeWitt Cuyler Professor of Economics in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said of the findings, The data do not show a relationship between benefit generosity and employment paths after the CARES Act.

The Yale research paper is also supported by a study conducted by the Chicago Federal Reserve which found that those on unemployment search twice as intensely for employment as those who have exhausted their benefit payments. The Chicago Fed also found that people on unemployment benefits spend more than 14 hours on average per week searching for a job and submit more than 12 applications per month.

The misinformation campaign mounted by Trump, the Democrats and Republicans about unemployed workers choosing not to work has three interconnected purposes, the first of which is the drive by corporate America and Wall Street to force workers back on the job in the midst of the deadly pandemic. The second reason is to justify the elimination or reduction of the benefit and the third reason is to cover up the truly catastrophic economic situation facing the working class from the combined impact of the economic crisis and the benefit cuts.

While the parties of the ruling elite are driving workers into bankruptcy, homelessness and hunger, some economists are pointing out that cutting off the $600 weekly benefit will push the US economy further into a depression spiral. Commenting on the website Seeking Alpha , economist Lance Brofman explained on Monday that the US retail sector was able to mark a year-over-year increase in sales, after a historic decline as lockdowns took hold in late march, as a direct result of the federal aid provided to unemployed workers.

Brofman wrote, Even if the same amount of money is included in a new stimulus package, but it is not targeted to the unemployed, there will be significant reductions in retail sales and significant increases in consumer loan defaults.

Reports from around the US reveal the real state of affairs facing the working class as the weekly benefits expire in three days:

* Phoenix, Arizona: A report in the New Phoenix Times highlighted the impact terminating the federal assistance will have on workers in the restaurant industry. The report notes, Restaurants and bars, which have been particularly hard-hit by government-mandated closures, have had to furlough or lay off staff. Many of those employees are now relying on the extra unemployment income to make ends meet.

The publication interviewed the Crescent Ballrooms Director of Operations, Angela Donato, who said that 125 workers at the establishment have been furloughed. She explained that the extra $600 keeps the employees financially stable as well as safe from COVID-19, adding, I think people should be less concerned about anyone getting too much money; no one asked for any of this.

* Birmingham, Alabama: Many workers still have not received a penny of unemployment benefits throughout the pandemic. ABC News interviewed Lineville resident Carlos Glenn on Monday, who explained, Every time I file its like I get denied or something. Its like they dont want to give it to me. I tried calling the 1-800 number. I tried filing online. Glenn said, Its just still pending. Its just still sitting there. Another worker, Antonia Guice, from Boaz said she filed in April and has not gotten a response yet. Its just frustrating because I have bills to pay, Guice said. I was relying on this source of income and here we are 13 weeks later and theres still nothing.

* Denver, Colorado: The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment estimates that roughly 330,000 Coloradans will lose the $600 benefit this week. This includes workers who were self-employed, gig workers and independent contractors, who receive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and were able to draw the enhanced benefit.

The Denver Post interviewed Westminster resident Jim Mimna who said losing the federal benefit is frightening. I have two kids. Its not like its just my rear end thats on the line right now. The event photographer added, The only thing I know to do if I cant make ends meet is to start selling my camera gear. Ive got to keep a roof over the kids heads.

Another worker, Erin Callihan said she had been working about 35 hours a week in the Denver area when everything just came to that screeching halt. Callihan said the weekly federal assistance has helped keep a roof over her head and called the end of the benefit terrifying.

* Long Island, New York: There are a reported 163,000 unemployed people from Long Island currently getting the federal benefit. According to studies done by Nassau and Suffolk counties, covering the eastern and western segments of Long Island respectively, up to 375,000 jobs will be lost by the end of the year due to the long-term impact of the pandemic. Newsday interviewed Osmond Fletcher of Brentwood, 61, who was working as a real estate agent and an Uber driver before the crisis hit. Fletcher told Newsday, Congressmen and senators are making decisions whether to give $600 to somebody like theyre doing some great tremendous thing. Those people are making six figures working a few hours a day. The people that are working here are working two or three jobs to maintain their situation.

Christen Mann, 48, a former hotel manager, told Newsday, This extra $600 would be the lifeline that a lot of people need. I think right now we need to look at the reality of what is happening in New York and Long Island specifically, and see that people need help. Mann said that with the hospitality industry depressed by the virus, her job search is, a little depressing. You know there is nothing that you can do. This is a situation beyond your control.

* New Orleans, Louisiana: More than 313,000 state residents filed continuing jobless claims for the week ending July 18, amounting to more than one in every seven workers in Louisiana. The $600 per week federal benefit had been putting approximately $180 million into the pockets of the states unemployed workers each week.

The elimination of the federal assistance will mean on average a reduction in unemployment payments in Louisiana of 70 percent, a cut that will cripple hundreds of thousands of families across the state, many of whom lived paycheck to paycheck before the pandemic, according to Houma Today.

The report also said the cuts, will also spread pain across the rest of the states already reeling economy, as a huge number of families cut back on spending, leave bills unpaid or fall behind on rent or mortgage payments.

Houma Today interviewed Crystal and Conrad Chura who own breakfast cafes and a bar in New Orleans. Crystal said, Its going to cause a huge ripple. Not just for the people who are losing their unemploymentthe money they stop spending is going to cost jobs, too. Im worried about whats going to happen. I dont know how to forecast.
One Man Helped Rescue Over Two Million Pounds of Farmers' Food Crops to Help Those in Need

George Ahearn's original act of kindness grew into the EastWest Food Rescue, an organization that aims to raise money for farmers and direct excess farm-grown crops towards food banks.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has notably impacted multiple industries and people's livelihoods all over the world. But as the virus continues to surge throughout the United States, George Ahearn, who resides in Washington, has made it his mission to help the food sector and those in need in the midst of the pandemic. According to the Good News Network, Ahearn first decided to take action after hearing about the setbacks farmers are currently facing due to COVID-19 shutdowns. "They immediately lost all the restaurant contracts they had for these quality potatoes and onions. And since European countries were shut down, they weren't exporting them because their restaurants were closed," he told the outlet.

Getty / valentinrussanov

Many rural famers were left with excess crops that could not be sold and would, therefore, have been left to rot. Ahearn quickly decided to help direct the remaining produce to food banks in Seattlebut he needed some help. He asked friends on Facebook if he could borrow a truck or trailer to transport 2,000 pounds of onions and potatoes into the city. The response was bigger than he anticipated: He was offered four trucks and two trailers, and, with some support, ultimately hauled over nine tons of food to help feed communities in need.

Related: When and How to Harvest the Potatoes Growing in Your Own Backyard

Ahearn's solo initiative quickly turned into a nonprofit organization, the EastWest Food Rescue. So far, he and his team have saved almost two-and-a-half million pounds of food from local farmland and gathered donations for the farmers who have been impacted by the pandemic.

While the mission is "extremely organic and took on a life of its own almost immediately," said Nancy Balin, who is now the president of the nonprofit organization, the mission is ever-growing. The teams overarching goal? To save over 10 million pounds of food and raise over $250,000 in the process.
A new era of work is bedding in with over a third of employers here saying they expect staff to combine home-working with office toil, according to a survey.

But the dawn of more remote working will not necessarily bring complete freedom to work from home for companies in other jurisdictions.

Recruiter Hays said over half of Northern Ireland companies are returning to offices after working from home during lockdown.

But teams are alternating the days they work in the office and at home, or working one week at home and one in the workplace.

At 41%, more than a third of employers expect staff to combine remote and office work in the next six months.

John Moore, managing director of Hays in NI, said people want a happy medium. "The greatest demand is for a new hybrid way of working - staff want a balance between office life and working remotely, which is now far closer in their sights than ever before."

In theory remote working should enable people to seek jobs in other jurisdictions without leaving their home. Online shopping and cloud services giant Amazon has announced it's creating another 1,000 jobs in the Republic, bringing its workforce there to 5,000 by 2020. But Mike Beary, its Ireland country manager, told the Irish Independent that the new jobs would be based within the state for tax and permit reasons.

"Certainly, a number of jobs will lend themselves to working from home within Ireland. You have to factor in taxes and work authorisations. As we grow, we'll want our teams to be in Ireland.

"Some will come into the office every day and some will lend themselves to being remote. So that will be a blend."

Employment lawyer Louise McAloon, a partner at Worthingtons Solicitors, said a change in tax arrangements could come about where a person starts a long-term arrangement of working from home where they've previously travelled to their employer in another jurisdiction.

"A more regular/permanent change in place of work could potentially have tax implications for an employee who used to travel across the border to work (cross border/frontier workers) if their place of work is now in the same jurisdiction as their residence, albeit their employer is based, and their payroll operates, in the other jurisdiction.

"It may depend on how permanent/temporary the remote/home working arrangement is...but it would require individual consideration and tax advice."

New ways of working are typically embraced most eagerly by the tech sector.

Paul Wright, a partner at IT recruitment firm Enso, said some clients were hiring people from elsewhere in the UK and further afield to fill some positions. But he added: "My own feeling on this though is that it won't last long.

"I don't think you can gain the same level of loyalty or cultural fit with remote workers and also someone based in southern England would be taking a reduction in salary to work for an NI business and would be unlikely to stay with them when their own regional jobs market recovers more.

"I know of one software house who hired two senior developers a few months ago who are based in southern England and one of them has already left to take a 'better offer' closer to home paying more money.

"I think we will see a spike of firms hiring remote workers for a while but I feel it will eventually die down again for these reasons."
A lot of women are now posting their black-and-white photos on Instagram with a caption or hashtag, "Challenge accepted."

Even artists and celebrities are doing the trending campaign that lit up the internet on July 27. Paula Abdul, Zooey Deschanel, Paris Hilton and Meghan Trainor have already posted their pictures with the same hashtag and caption.

Abdul nominated friends from the industry like Janet Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and Katy Perry to participate in the challenge.

Kim Kardashian and Ciara have also participated in the challenge by posting their black-and-white photos on their Instagram stories.

So far, over three million photos have been posted on Instagram. Facebook users are now also participating in the challenge, a report said.

Women from all walks of life are participating themselves, which makes you question what's the reason behind it.

What Is It?

The "Challenge accepted" campaign aims to show the support women have for one another, while also celebrating themselves.

Women can participate by posting their own black-and-white photo and using the hashtag #ChallengeAccepted or #WomenSupportingWomen.

Other reports noted that it is actually an old challenge that has resurfaced. However, a Twitter user said the challenge is not just a mere feel-good and women empowerment. It is actually a movement that aims to raise awareness of femicide in Turkey.

Originally, it has more hashtags in Turkish that usually went with the photo. But the movement became viral and the message has been lost.

Femicide On Turkey

A report said violence against women in Turkey is not that uncommon. One of the recent killings is the murder of a 27-year-old student Pinar Gultekin by her former boyfriend Cemal Metin Avci.

Gultekin's remains were found in woodland in the Aegean province of Mugla on Tuesday, according to a The Guardian report.

Reports noted that Avci burned Gultekin's body in a garbage bin and covered it with concrete. He has been detained on homicide charges.

When asked why he killed Gultekin, Avici said he killed her in a moment of rage.

"She threatened to let my wife know about the relationship. She was asking for money," Avici was quoted in a report.

A 2009 study showed that 42 percent of Turkish women aged between 15 and 60 had suffered some physical or sexual violence by their husbands or partners. In 2019, around 474 women were murdered, mostly by partners and relatives.

With lockdown measures imposed this year due to the pandemic, many are expecting a rise in domestic violence rates. In April, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for urgent action on the issue of violence against women.

Lobby groups have petitioned for changes to the Istanbul convention " on the grounds that it encourages divorce and "immoral lifestyles" The law is still being debated by parliament.

Meanwhile, higher officials make statements that are degrading to women, according to The Guardian. The country's president was reported saying that women are not equal to men and those that do not have children are deficient.

Former prime minister Binali Yldrm has told supporters that instead of physically attacking women in public wearing shorts, they should verbally harass them instead.

In a report, Selin Nakipoglu, an Istanbul-based solicitor specializing in family law, said the existing laws in Turkey "are actually strong, [but] they're just not enforced."

"On top of that, the government is trying to roll back things like child support and introduce mediation in divorce proceedings, even if there was violence in the marriage," Nakipoglu added.

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The defence headquarters (DHQ) has warned members of the armed forces against mutiny. The warning followed a statement credited to C...

The defence headquarters (DHQ) has warned members of the armed forces against mutiny.





The warning followed a statement credited to Chidi Chukwuani, national chairman of National Democratic Party (NDP).





Chukwuani had said the Rawlings treatment should be replicated in Nigeria as a measure to curb corruption.





In 1979, Jerry Rawlings, a former military leader in Ghana, had overseen the execution of top military officers who were seen as corrupt.

In a statement, John Enenche, defence headquarters spokesman, said Chukwuanis call to insurrection should not be taken for granted.





He reminded soldiers that they all took an oath to be loyal to the country and its commander-in-chief.





The Defence Headquarters does not wish to take issues in any way, it is instructive to observe that this unguided utterance targeted at the Nigerian military is inciting and instigative, he said.





What Chidi Chukwuani is calling for is a combination of unpopular acts of insurrection and mutiny, which cannot be taken for granted by the Armed Forces of Nigeria.





Consequently, I am directed by the high command of the Nigerian military to let the general public know and remind personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria that all officers and men of the Nigerian military swore to an oath of allegiance to be totally loyal to the civil authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and protect the constitution.





This translates to unalloyed loyalty to the president and commander-in-chief and full subordination to the civil authorities of the federal republic of Nigeria.





All officers and men of the Nigerian military are further reminded of offences contained in Armed Forces Act CAP A20. The laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which include among others; mutiny in sections 52 and 53, which if committed are punishable.





The defence spokesman said the military would not be misguided by any group.




John MacArthur says church is 'protesting lies, deception for the sake of the truth'

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Pastor John MacArthur of Californias Grace Community Church defended his decision to hold in-person services despite the state-mandated closure of churches, saying his congregation is protesting lies and deception for the sake of the truth.

On Tuesday, MacArthur appeared on Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight" to explain why his Sun Valley, California-based church decided to reopen just two weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom indefinitely closed churches and other businesses in more than 30 of the state's 58 counties as part of its response to the coronavirus.

We are the original protesters, MacArthur told Carlson. We go back 500 years to the Protestant Reformation. We are still protesting lies and deception for the sake of the truth.

According to MacArthur, in choosing to reopen, Grace Community Church operated under the Constitution's protection of religious freedom.

First of all and foremost, it is a First Amendment right, MacArthur said. This is the United States of America and the government cannot intrude into worship. We stand on that amendment.

The pastor also cited the low risk of death from COVID in California as a key reason his church opened its doors.

The second thing that makes this so sensible is that in the state of California there are 40 million people, 8,500 of them have died with COVID. That is .002 (percent), MacArthur said. So in California, you have a 99.99 percent chance to survive COVID.

So why would you shut down the entire state? he asked. Particularly when people are frightened and sometimes terrified that they are going to die. Shut down the church where most of the intense relationships in our society exist in the life of the church? Its multigenerational. We have had 21 weeks with no ministry to a thousand little children, to a thousand university students, to junior high students, to high school students to senior adults.

MacArthur pointed to the difficulties of pastoring in the midst of a lockdown, explaining, Weve had no funerals. No weddings. I cant go to the hospital. Ive had to go on the phone to talk to dying people at the hospital.

The pastor said that he finally started preaching to an empty auditorium, and after three weeks, congregants slowly began returning to church.

People, without us saying anything, started coming back. They didnt buy the narrative, MacArthur said. They kept coming back, and last Sunday, 3,000 of them came back and they rejoiced. They hugged each other and they didnt wear masks and they sang songs. They understand the reality of it. I havent had to say anything.



MacArthur then directed Carlson to a statement he wrote to the congregation on Friday, which he said affirms why this is right and critical for our society.

Government officials have no right to interfere in ecclesiastical matters in a way that undermines or disregards the God-given authority of pastors and elders, MacArthur wrote, in part.

The pastor said the government is specifically tasked with the oversight and protection of civic peace and well-being within the boundaries of a nation or community.

God has not granted civic rulers authority over the doctrine, practice, or polity of the church, he continued. The biblical framework limits the authority of each institution to its specific jurisdiction. The church does not have the right to meddle in the affairs of individual families and ignore parental authority. Parents do not have authority to manage civil matters while circumventing government officials.

On July 13, Newsom announced that churches, fitness centers and businesses in several industries in 30 California counties would be ordered to shut down again unless they can operate outside or through pick-up services.

Californias restrictions for indoor religious gatherings include a ban on singing, as chanting and singing "negate the risk-reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing," according to health officials.

Places of worship must therefore discontinue indoor singing and chanting activities and limit indoor attendance to 25% of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower, the state guideline says.

At least three churches in California have already sued the state for banning singing and chanting in places of worship, calling it an unconstitutional abuse of power.
"Hamas rejected a proposal of carrying out several economic projects, including an airport and a seaport in Gaza for dismantling the arms of the movement and changing its strategies towards Israel," Ismail Haniyeh said on Monday.

Gaza, July 28 (IANS) A top official of the Islamic Hamas Movement said that it rejected $15 billion for dismantling arms, according to a news report.

Haniyeh, who had left the Gaza Strip 10 months ago and is currently in Doha, made his remarks to the Qatari news website Lusail.

The top Hamas leader said that the US made the offer through a third mediator that he didn't name, adding that the proposal was part of the President Donald Trump's Mideast peace plan.

"The American plan is aiming at establishing an isolated Palestinian entity in the Gaza Strip," Haniyeh said, adding that a third party "came to us and made the offer, but we rejected it".

Hamas had seized control of the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007 following weeks of internal fighting with the security forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

All mediations made between the Islamic movement and the Fatah movement of President Abbas to end more than 13 years of internal division have so far failed.

In March 2018, then Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah survived an explosion when his convoy entered Gaza, an incident that Abbas blamed on Hamas.

"Hamas will not give up the land of Palestine and will never hand over its arms or stop the resistance or abandon the right of return," said Haniyeh, adding that it will never sell Jerusalem for money.

In the interview, Haniyeh said that more than 13 years of an Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip caused more than 45 per cent of unemployed and high rates of poverty.

--IANS

ksk/
D onald Trump has said he is considering banning the popular video sharing app TikTok.

The US President made the comments as he spoke to reporters outside the White House on Wednesday.

"We're looking at TikTok, we're thinking about making a decision," he said to reporters in the South Lawn before leaving for a day trip to Texas.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin added that the Committee on Foreign Investment which reviews deals by foreign acquirers for potential national security risks, is looking at the Chinese video sharing app.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo also recently said that the Trump administration was looking at banning Chinese apps such as TikTok.

TikTok has already been banned in India, with the US also reportedly considering banning the Chinese social media app / NARINDER NANU/AFP via Getty Images

The video sharing app, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, has insisted that Chinas Communist Party does not have access to the personal information of its users.

Reports have suggested US officials were considering putting the hit app's parent company ByteDance on a blacklist restricting US companies such as Apple and Google from offering TikTok to users on their app platforms.

It comes after Joe Biden's presidential campaign banned staffers from using the using TikTok due to security and privacy concerns.

According to Bloomberg, Mr Biden's general counsel Dana Remus ordered staff members to delete the app from their personal and work phones.

Donald Trump signs executive order that ends preferential treatment for Hong Kong

Ms Remus' memo also banned staff from trading individual stocks without approval from general counsel.

The Senate is due to vote on a bill that would ban the use of TikTok on all Government-issued devices.

Sponsored by Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley, the 'No TikTok on Government Devices Act' was passed unanimously by the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

TikTok's boss, Kevin Mayer, has insisted that Chinas Communist Party does not have access to the personal information of its users.

Without TikTok, American advertisers would again be left with few choices, Mr Mayer warned.

We are not political, we do not accept political advertising and have no agenda, he added, in an apparent swipe at Facebooks rocky balance of advertising and free speech.

We believe all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators.
A Gainesville-area teacher is accused of sending nude images of himself to at least one former student.

Eugene Shintock, a fifth-grade teacher at Archer Elementary in Alachua County, was arrested Tuesday on several charges, including the use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, transmitting harmful materials to a minor and possession of images depicting child sexual conduct. His bond has yet to be set.

Its unclear if Shintock, 34, still works at Archer. Alachua County Public Schools did not return a request for comment. A Geno Shintock with a shintocke email address was listed under faculty on the schools website on Tuesday evening.

Eugene Shintock, a fifth grade teacher at Archer Elementary in Archer, Fla., is accused of sending naked images of himself to at least one former student. As of Tuesday evening, Shintock was listed under the schools faculty.

A tip from the the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led the Alachua County Sheriffs Office to begin investigating the 34-year-old teacher. The tip originated after Tumblr flagged several images of what they believed to be sexually explicit images of children, according to the arrest report.

Detectives traced the images to an account that belonged to Shintock. Several subpoenas later, they had his email address, phone number and his address. They also discovered more than 25 images of child pornography on his Tumblr account, the report says.

Shintock admitted owning the account and searching for the explicit images during a subsequent interview with detectives, the report said. He said they were for soliciting a 16-year-old former student, according to the sheriffs office.

Later in the interview, Shintock confessed to having several nude images of another former student who was also 16. He also claimed to have sent nude images of himself to the student via Snapchat, the report says.

Detectives want anyone who might have had inappropriate contact with Shintock to call them at (352)-367-4170. You can also contact the Alachua County Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center at (352) 264-6760 or the sheriffs offices non-emergency number (352)-955-1818.
In Retrospect: News from the Jan. 20, 1922 and Jan. 19, 1972 Souderton Independent
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday urged political parties to work together towards national reconstruction in the same spirit that recently yielded a landmark EU coronavirus recovery fund.

Nobody would understand it if such different governments had managed to reach an agreement in Europe, yet we were unable to do the same in Spain, said the leader of the Socialist Party (PSOE), holding up as an example the EU agreement that will grant Spain 140 billion for the Covid-19 recovery effort.

Sanchez, who heads a minority government in a coalition with the leftist Unidas Podemos, addressed lawmakers before Congress goes on summer recess to explain the details of the EU deal, and asked for a similar spirit of consensus at home in order to create a more modern, digital, sustainable country.

I hope that this historic European deal will serve as an example, as an incentive, and that it will make us all take a look in the mirror.

Sanchez said that the 140 billion allocated to Spain over the next six years should help give the country more sustainable pillars, in order to be stronger and more competitive. If Spain wants to, Spain can.

PP president Pablo Casado speaking in Congress on Wednesday. Pool (Europa Press)

But the speech made little impact on the opposition. Pablo Casado, head of the conservative Popular Party (PP), instead criticized Sanchez for playing a minor role in the EU debate, and described the EU funds as a bailout.

Casado underscored the fact that coronavirus cases are surging in Spain again, calling it the most out-of-control situation in the entire EU. He said that the government continues to do nothing to prepare for new outbreaks, and that it is ignoring the PPs suggestions for reforming ordinary laws to avoid having to decree national emergency states in future.

Taking up Sanchezs comparison of the EU recovery fund with the Marshall Plan, the PP leader recalled that the post-WWII aid package was meant to prevent communism, not to sponsor it, in a reference to Sanchezs leftist coalition partner Unidas Podemos. Casado said that his party would show loyalty, but urged the prime minister to choose between Spain and his partners, between stability and extremes.

Vote of no confidence

Vox leader Santiago Abascal said he will lead a motion of no confidence against PM Sanchez in September. Pool (Europa Press)

Meanwhile the far-right Vox  which is the third-largest force in Congress with 52 lawmakers  announced that it will call a vote of no confidence against Sanchez in September. Vox leader Santiago Abascal called the Spanish government criminal, illegitimate and unscrupulous.

Dont you even think about locking us up again, because we wont put up with it, warned Abascal, alluding to the three-month lockdown to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

The announcement comes two years after Sanchez himself led a successful no-confidence motion against then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the PP.

Vox leader Santiago Abascal urged the PP to back the no-confidence motion, but the mainstream conservatives responded with silence. Even with support from the PPs 88 lawmakers, the motion would fall significantly short of the absolute majority of 176 votes required in the 350-strong chamber. Teodoro Garcia Egea, secretary general of the PP, dismissed the move: Dont count on us for distraction tactics that will only serve to reinforce the PSOE.

Other parties in Congress reacted in a similar way. This motion is not against Sanchez, its against Casado, remarked Gabriel Rufian of the Catalan Republican Left (ERC).

Rufian also warned that the EU funds will come with conditions that are restrictive rather than progressive if the views of the so-called frugal members of the EU are adopted. The Spanish government has already postponed an earlier pledge to fully or partially repeal labor legislation introduced by Rajoy that made firing cheaper. This lack of action has angered left-of-center parties, which note that the Spanish government still needs to secure enough support for its 2021 budget plan.

English version by Susana Urra.
HARTFORD  A landmark police reform bill passed the state Senate early Wednesday that could hold police personally accountable for brutality and end a system in which officers fired from one department could find work in other towns and cities.

Coming after protests throughout the state in response to the death of George Floyd, the legislation tested friendships in the 22-14 Democratic majority. Democrats stuck mostly together, losing only Sen. Joan Hartley, D-Waterbury to the solid Republican opposition.

Gov. Ned Lamont said he would sign the bill, which was the focus of a sometimes-emotional 10-and-a-half hour debate that ended at about 4 a.m.

The debate began at about 5:20 p,m. on Tuesday and finished at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday in a sometimes testy discussion in a near-empty Senate chamber. Custodial crews continually cleaned microphones and desks after senators spoke one by one as a COVID-19 precaution.

The bills most contentitious part, which could hold individual cops liable in line with existing federal law, would take effect in July 2021.

Melvin Medina, public policy and advocacy director of the ACLU of Connecticut, said in a statement after the vote that its a way to address years of complaints about violence and racism among police.

Ending police violence will not be solved by any one bill, but the bill passed out of the legislature today is a start, he said. The legislature must take stronger action in future sessions to end systemic racism and violence in policing, and policymakers must recognize that their work has only just begun. To the legislators who instead voted to shield the profession of policing from accountability, do better.

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney,D-New Haven, referenced the protests in comments after the vote.

With Senate passage of the police accountability bill, he said, we have affirmed to the people of Connecticut that their voices were not ignored and that changes in laws and policies enhancing transparency and professionalism in policing will be the new norm in our state.

Constituents demanded more police, said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk.

By passing this bill, it shows that, as a legislature, we are committed to addressing the structural issues that exist and seek reform so that residents, particularly residents of color, regain trust and confidence in their police departments, he said.

Sen. Gary Winfield, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee, introduced the bill and stressed that the transparency and reform legislation has been in the making since the civil rights movement of the 1960s, but is not aimed at the many exemplary Connecticut cops.

Today, the Senate took a step to right the wrongs of the past," said Winfield, who spent the entire debate at his senate desk For years, I've stood side by side with activists and organizers who have fought tirelessly for social justice and changes in our criminal justice system. This is long-term work and addressing the systemic and racist policies that exist in this system and in policing will not be solved by one piece of legislation. But by passing this police accountability bill, we are finally acknowledging that these entrenched, systemic behaviors are unacceptable, and change is needed.

Toward the end of the debate, Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, a former correction officer, said the bill became a wedge issue in the Democratic caucus, testing friendships.

More Information Goals of police accountability bill Make body and dashboard cameras mandatory Ban choke holds except in cases where cops fear for their lives Encourage minority police recruitment Require police to submit to periodic drug tests and behavioral health screens Increase access to mental health care Require bias and crowd-control training Make it easier for municipalities to fire and de-certify police, barring them from being hired in other towns. Open police disciplinary records to the public Allow for the formation of civilian oversight boards with subpoena power Ban quotas for pedestrian stops Bring the justifiable use of deadly force standard in line with federal law Require witnessing officers to intervene when they see a coworker use excessive force; and protect those who report it. Create a new inspector general to investigate deadly police shootings Increase penalties for making a false police report based on race, gender, national origin sexual identity Providing a limited civil cause of action where an individual's civil rights have been violated by a police officer who did not have a good faith belief that they were acting within their legal authority See More Collapse

It will create an independent inspector general to investigate police-related shootings, prohibit choke holds except in cases where cops fear for their lives, and train police in better de-escalation tactics when dealing with crowds. Cops who witness coworkers abuse suspects would be required to intercede and report the instances, with new whistle blower protections in attempt to end the so-called blue wall of silence.

Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, said that even though he might have spent 60 hours collaborating on the bill, he wasnt going to vote for it. He had serious doubts about its goals.

Im not a racist, Im not a bigot, Im not insensitive to whats going on out there, Kissel said, but there are parts of this bill just go a little bit too far. He warned that nuisance lawsuits could result from the most-controversial section of the bill that would eliminate immunity from civil liability for officers linked to brutalizing people in a willful, wanton manners.

I think this issue is not simply about the case in which someone is killed in an interaction with police, but how power is given to police and how they are able to use that power, and whether or not that power has a check on it, Winfield said. Someone said to me is this about history or policing, and I dont see a difference there. This is not something that is new, not something that is rushed, but something that is a longstanding part of our history.

Winfield acknowledge that the immunity section, which survived in a tie vote in the House Friday morning, was important because of the failure of the system.

If youre one of the people on the wrong side of the equation, when the system fails you again, you deserve the ability to have some form of recourse, said Winfield. Thats why that is important to this conversation. And I will say as the father of four children who walk this earth in the black skin that I have, its important to me that if something ever happened, theyd have recourse.

Kissel warned that someone suing police would likely target as many officers as possible.

Youre going to maybe over-charge in the litigation to make sure that you are correct about whos ultimately at fault, Kissel said. I also get that theres litigation out there where folks are looking to get money and if you examine some of these suits, many of them are ultimately settled. Well, people can say the settlement is probably nuisance value. You add up enough nuisance-value suits, all of a sudden youve got a big issue.

Kissel warned that the legal exposure could discourage officers from staying in the profession.

I think ultimately there might be unintended consequences, Kissel said.

During a 45-minute back-and-forth with Winfield, Sen. Dan Champagne, R-Vernon, a retired police officer, continually referred to the so-called defund the police movement. This bill is bad for police and its bad for correction officers, Champagne said. Were rushing this through.

But Sen. Alexandra Kasser, D-Greenwich, said that police abuse and domestic abuse are very similar, in which power is exploited to take advantage. Its a power differential, she said. One party, one person using their power to dominate, control, hurt or exploit another person and its wrong, whether it happens inside our homes, or inside our communities, on our streets, anywhere. It is wrong.

Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, said shes spent much of the last six weeks listening to her Black colleagues. Ive heard about their experiences, she said. Ive heard about the fear in Black and brown communities. Ive heard and believe that too many Black and brown children are raised in fear of the police rather than having the trust we would all want in the local authorities.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
New Delhi, July 29 : In a high voltage drama that unfolded in Delhi's Defence Colony on July 26, a robber who robbed an autorickshaw driver of his hard earned Rs 85 while surrounded by a group of five policemen, pointed his pistol at them and threatened to shoot.

However, the presence of mind and swift action by the policemen resulted in the arrest of the accused. The whole incident was caught on a mobile cam in which the robber is seen standing and pointing a gun at the policemen and threatening to kill them if they moved or tried to catch him.

Later the video shows a policeman quickly grabbing the robber from behind as the others meticulously engaged him in talks to divert his attention.

"Finding himself surrounded by the police, the accused later threatened to shoot himself. However, SI Krishan Pal, Constable Rakesh and HC Dharmender, Constable Manish and constable Giriraj without caring about their own life with dedication and devotion to duty stood their ground. HC Dharmender, constable Manish and constable Giriraj stood in front of the accused and engaged him in conversation and SI Krishan Pal grabbed the accused from behind," said Atul Thakur, DCP, South Delhi.

The accused has been identified as Daman Arora, a resident of Kotla Mubarak Pur, New Delhi. A country-made pistol has been recovered from his possession.

"The staff saved the life of the victim, even of the accused as well as the public without caring for their lives. The personnel have displayed valour, and without caring for their personal safety, apprehended the criminal," the officer said.
The Rajasthan political imbroglio continued to Wednesday as governor Kalraj Mishra rejected the proposal to call the Assembly government for the third time. Later, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a 15-minute meeting Mishra at the Raj Bhawan.

The governor said if the government was not stating the reason for holding a short-notice session, it could call a regular session at 21 day's notice.

He asked the Gehlot Cabinet to resubmit its proposal, giving a solid reason for calling a session at short notice. The Gehlot Cabinet later sent a revised proposal to Mishra, wanting the Assembly session to begin on August 14. The Cabinet is counting the days from July 23, when it made its first proposal.

"The love letter has already come. Now, I am only going to have tea with him," Gehlot told party workers at the state Congress office before heading for the Raj Bhawan.

However, Gehlot added that his faction of the Congress would emerge victorious whether Rajasthan governor seeks a notice of 21 days or 31 days to call Assembly session.

The Gehlot government had sent a third proposal on Tuesday seeking an Assembly session from July 31, but refused to mention the floor test in the proposal. The governor had demanded that the agenda of the session be specified.

Mishra on Monday sought a redrafted proposal from the government that included three points: A 21-day notice for calling a session, live broadcast of the proceedings if there is a trust vote, and social distancing.

Meanwhile, Mishra issued a statement saying that there would be no Independence Day celebrations at the Raj Bhavan due to the coronavirus pandemic. The statement remained silent on the status of the Assembly session, leading to speculations that there would not be any session either.

Slamming Mishra for his reluctance to call a session of the Assembly, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel tweeted: "Perhaps first time in our history we are seeing a Governor reluctant to convene assembly despite aid & advice of elected Chief Minister. If this dangerous precedent is allowed,what will happen if the Rashtrapati refuses to summon Parliament despite Union Cabinet recommending it?".

The impasse between the Gehlot government and the Governor has been on since last week, when Congress MLAs staged a five-hour sit-in at the Raj Bhawan demanding an Assembly session.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:31:29|Editor: huaxia

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GUIYANG, July 28 (Xinhua) -- China's leading liquor producer, Kweichow Moutai, said its net profit rise by 13.29 percent year on year to 22.6 billion yuan (about 3.2 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2020.

The company also said in its H1 earnings report that it generated operating revenue of 43.95 billion yuan, an annual increase of 11.31 percent.

The domestic market contributed 42.81 billion yuan of its operating income in H1.

As of the close of trading on July 28, Moutai's share price was 1,670 yuan, up by 2.92 percent on the day, with its total market value reaching nearly 2.1 trillion yuan.

In 2019, Moutai's revenue was at around 88.85 billion yuan, up by about 15.1 percent year on year. Its operating profit rose by 14.99 percent from the previous year to about 59 billion yuan.

The legendary liquor producer, based in southwest China's Guizhou Province, produced around 75,000 tonnes of base liquor for its Moutai brand and series brands in 2019, up by 6.88 percent year on year. Enditem
The Coalition of Nunavut District Education Authorities is encouraging its local counterparts to adopt the territorial government's four-stage plan to reopen schools amid COVID-19 restrictions, despite its concerns about how to implement it.

On Friday, Nunavut's Department of Education released its final plan for how schools will operate in the 2020-21 school year.

Schools are set to open with no physical distancing requirements, but the four stages of the plan are dependent on whether or not COVID-19 is present in Nunavut, and the risk that it poses. Nunavut is the only jurisdiction in Canada to not have a confirmed case of COVID-19.

The plan released Friday is nearly identical to the department's draft documents that the CBC obtained earlier this month.

James Arreak, executive director of the Coalition of Nunavut District Education Authorities, which supports local education authorities, says the coalition's biggest concern is how to comply with extra cleaning measures mandated in the plan.

"[The Department of Education] specifically stated that they are not providing extra funding for the extra layer of cleaning responsibilities involved in the schools in the classrooms," said Arreak.

"We're concerned about that and the apparent lack of support and commitment that involves for the DEAs to manage [the cleaning]."

Travis Burke/CBC

All stages of the plan in which students are in class call for "enhanced cleaning," but it is up to the local education authorities to make this happen. Arreak says they've had little instruction on how to do so.

"Under these conditions, pandemic conditions, it's not something that we take lightly," said Arreak.

At the government's announcement of the back-to-school plan, Education Minister David Joanasie said custodians will be given enhanced cleaning guidelines and training.

"As of now, DEAs and CFSN [Commission scolaire francophone du Nunavut] can use their current budgets to allocate funds specifically for enhanced cleaning," Joanasie said at the time.

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"If there is a need for increased or additional funds, we will have to identify that and see what resources that we have financially and tap into other sources."

Baker Lake will be the first community back to school, on Aug. 7.

Arreak says the community is concerned about getting the supplies it needs, and how much it will cost.

"All the schools around the world are in this situation and we're competing for access to the same supplies that they are," said Arreak.

David Gunn/CBC

He's also worried about how the education authorities will communicate to parents and students about moving from one phase of the plan to the next. He also has concerns about how to keep students physically distanced in Stage 2 and Stage 3. Arreak says some schools have tight classrooms, with between 30 and 50 students.

Before the final plan was released, the Department of Education held conference calls with the coalition and local authorities about its strategy. However, Arreak says the department was "light on consulting."

"It takes time for this government to make adjustments and we respect that," said Arreak. "But at the same time, you know, we have ongoing concerns around, are we truly partners?"

Coalition already weighed in, says minister

The CBC requested an interview with Minister Joanasie, who was unavailable by the time of publishing.

In an emailed statement, he said the coalition has not communicated directly with his department to relay any further questions or concerns about the final plan since a teleconference call on July 21. He said the initial concerns expressed were addressed on the call or reflected in the final version of the plan.

"Therefore, the department is not in a position to comment," Joanasie said in the statement.

He said the department will continue to be in close contact with the Coalition of Nunavut District Education Authorities, and other partners, as they work through the pandemic.
Mamman Daura, President Buhari

One of the close aides and nephew of President Buhari, Mamman Daura, has denied claims saying he dictates to the President on how to oversee the affairs of the country.

Since President Buhari assumed office in 2015, there have been reports that Daura is a strong member of the alleged cabal that controls the Buhari-led administration and dictates to the President.

However, in an interview with BBC Hausa today Tuesday, July 28, Daura said he only advises President Buhari but does not impose his thoughts on the President



When asked about his relationship with President Buhari, he said the President is his uncle.



My father was their mothers firstborn. Buhari is the last born, he said.

When reminded that people had said he and Buhari grew up together and had always been together, he said  yes,its true. he responded

Responding to a question inquiring on whether he has been meeting President Buhari to give him advice on different issues concerning Nigeria, Mamman responded



Yes, I do visit him to greet him. I do give him advice, but if he ask,I advise him. But I dont go there on my own and insist I must do this or that. No. You dont do that to the government.

Commenting on the clamor for power rotation, he said it is high time the country unite and go for the most competent.

This turn by turn, it was done once, it was done twice, it was done thrice, It is better for this country to be one.it should be for the most competent and not for someone who comes from somewhere, he said.


This illustration made available by NASA depicts the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter on the red planet's surface near the Perseverance rover, left. NASA is upping the ante with its newest rover headed to Mars. Set to rocket away this week from Florida, Perseverance is NASA's brawniest and brainiest Martian rover yet. (NASA / JPL-Caltech via AP)

At no other point in my life have I been happier to spend time in a different world. On my laptop screen is a breathtaking vista of Mars, recently captured from a camera on NASAs Curiosity rover. It shows the rise of a cresting butte, a chain of undulating cliffs and a stunning patchwork of rocks, all carrying echoes of the planets history. Soon, another American rover  Perseverance  will land on the Martian surface, unfurl its instruments and set off to explore an exquisitely preserved river delta for signs of ancient life. That mission, and two more from other nations, will take us closer to Mars mysteries and farther from our own world, where unrelenting death and disease seem to have encircled us all.

Im not the first scientist to find solace in thinking about Mars. When the United States was engulfed in widespread economic depression in 1894, Percival Lowell set up an astronomical outpost in the Arizona Territory, far from the smoke of men. From his solitary perch, he charted mysterious lines across the face of the planet, right up to polar caps. To him, they could only be irrigation canals, the handiwork of a brilliant, benevolent civilization.

In 1914, as menace gathered across Europe, William Pickering began composing poignant Martian weather reports. He described what he believed to be the coastlines of blue-tinted bays and belts of cumulus clouds sweeping the sky. As the atrocities of World War I amassed, he depicted Mars as a kind of a wilderness refuge, free from suffering, injustice and brutality. Just vegetation. Just weather.

For years, Mars was unknown and inaccessible, the ideal terra nova for this kind of escapism, merely a dot in the sky, something like an exoplanet today: far beyond our reach, without a known topography, mineral composition or history.

The planet weve come to know more recently is a less cooperative muse. It is relentlessly harsh, and, so far as we know, lifeless  certainly no cradle of civilization. But our understanding of Mars is also far more vivid than ever before. We recognize where ancient ponds once lapped against the hills. We know how to find arcing dunes and delicate layers of frost. Weve even detected a vast and hidden subglacial lake that Lowell, Pickering and others, for all their imagination, could never have envisioned.

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Our view of Mars as a blank canvas has given way to more interesting science. My own lab, for example, is grappling with what a truly alien life form might look like. The effort is the opposite of seeing lines and inferring canals, or of searching only for what we know. Instead, we are designing tools and techniques to recognize life as we dont know it, leaving behind as many Earth-born suppositions as we can. Its a beguiling challenge, like trying to imagine a color weve never seen, and it comes with the possibility of a find as staggering as any in the history of modern science.

With stakes like these, its no wonder that more resources and energy are being focused on our near neighbor than ever before. This month, a window of opportunity for exploration has opened as Earth and Mars swing close to one another, an event that only happens every couple of years.

From Hainan Island in China, an orbiter and lander with a mobile rover just launched for the plains of Utopia. The Chinese mission is called Tianwen-1, or the Questions to Heaven, after the name of a poem penned by an ancient poet. From the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan, the United Arab Emirates sent its first planetary probe, an orbiter named Hope. And from Cape Canaveral, NASA will soon send Perseverance, alongside a small whirring companion, a helicopter named Ingenuity. NASAs mission will begin an ambitious international campaign to collect samples that will eventually return to Earth, little bits of Mars that might hold molecular fossils of life.

When I think about the convulsions here on Earth, it feels like Perseverance will not so much fly atop an Atlas V rocket as catapult out of our countrys soul. Sometimes, I struggle to justify the effort, the expense, but I do believe there are reasons to press on in our exploration. As the global pandemic rages on, I know we need all kinds of science more than ever before. What we discover on Mars could help us understand more about the nature of biology, about how forms of life come into being and survive. Few other discoveries would tell us as much about ourselves and our universe as discovering extraterrestrial life  especially if there were evidence of a second genesis.

The missions speak to me on an immediate level, too. To travel to another planet and put a rover on its surface now feels like a rebuke to the powerlessness we feel here at home. These probes, built by human hands, will hurtle millions of miles across space. They will journey all the way to another world, the most distant frontier we can touch  so far  in a meaningful way. Whereas Mars was a dreamscape to my predecessors, it is now a proving ground, a measure of our faith in the future, and a reminder of one of the most profound things our civilization can do.

Sarah Stewart Johnson is an associate professor at Georgetown University, a visiting scientist with NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, and the author of "The Sirens of Mars."





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Reading Police Officer Bucklin helps to hand out boxes of MREs. At City Light Ministries on Spruce Street in Reading Saturday afternoon May 2, 2020 where a large group came out for the food distribution by One Luv during the coronavirus / COVID-19 outbreak.

The poll released Wednesday surveyed likely voters in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Those states will help determine whether President Donald Trump can defeat his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in November's presidential election and whether Republicans keep control of the Senate.

As Congress debates how to shape the next phase of coronavirus relief , most voters in six swing states want lawmakers to continue the aid that buoyed Americans through the early stages of the economic crisis, according to a new CNBC/Change Research poll.

A majority, or 62%, of voters in those states support extending the $600 per week enhanced federal unemployment insurance, the poll found. Only 36% oppose continuing the benefit, which states stopped paying out last week.

The survey found widespread support in the swing states for other stimulus spending measures, as well. Four in 5 respondents said they back another direct payment of up to $1,200 for people making less than $99,000. Only 18% oppose another round of checks.

More than two-thirds of voters  68%  support relief for state and local governments facing budget shortfalls due to the pandemic, versus 28% who oppose the aid, the poll found. Only 32% of respondents back giving corporations immunity from lawsuits related to Covid-19, while 58% oppose such protections, according to the survey.

The poll surveyed 2,565 likely voters in the six states from Friday through Sunday. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.

As Congress finds itself divided over how much money to spend to try to combat the health and economic crises created by the coronavirus, the poll shows strong support for more federal stimulus. The unemployment insurance extension, assistance for states and municipalities and a liability shield for businesses and doctors are among the thorniest issues officials need to resolve in talks between Republicans and Democrats.

Negotiators hope to craft a pandemic aid bill that can pass the Republican-held Senate and Democratic-controlled House. The GOP unveiled its opening offer on Monday. Talks then started between the Trump administration and the top congressional Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The Republican legislation would slash the extra federal unemployment benefit to $200 per week, on top of what recipients get from states, through September. It would then shift to a 70% replacement of an individual's previous wages.

The GOP contends the $600 per week benefit deters people from returning to work because many recipients make more money at home than they otherwise would have. Democrats want to extend the benefit at least into next year, saying the government should not cut off income at a time when roughly 30 million people are still receiving some form of unemployment insurance.

The GOP plan for direct payments largely mirrors the one Congress passed in March as part of a $2 trillion rescue package. It would send up to $1,200 to individuals and $2,400 to couples who make less than $198,000. It would also provide $500 per dependent, regardless of age.

The Republican proposal would not allocate any new aid to states and municipalities, instead giving them more flexibility in how they spend relief money approved earlier this year. House Democrats included nearly $1 trillion in state and local assistance in the bill they passed in May.

In addition, it calls for liability protections for businesses, doctors and schools except for cases of "gross negligence" or "willful misconduct" as they try to operate during the pandemic. Democrats have generally opposed legal immunity for companies.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has called the provision a "red line" in discussions.

The negotiations have already taken on a more bitter tone than talks that led to relief packages earlier this year, in part due to the fact that the presidential and Senate elections are just over three months away.
Arrests in Indonesian probe into latest case of labor abuses on Chinese fishing boats

by Basten Gokkon

July 29,2020 | Source: Mongabay

Authorities in Indonesia have arrested and charged five executives from local recruitment agencies linked to the forced labor endured by 22 Indonesians on board two Chinese fishing boats.



Those charged are accused of the human trafficking of the migrant workers, one of whom died on board one of the boats and was stored in a freezer. The workers were recruited in Indonesia and left the country for Singapore in late December 2019 to work on the Chinese-owned boats Lu Huang Yuan Yu 117 and Lu Huang Yuan Yu 118. The boats were scheduled to sail to Argentina to fish for squid.



When the boats arrived back in Indonesian waters in early July, they were stopped by authorities who had been tipped off about alleged crew abuse and human trafficking. Police discovered the body of one of the workers, Hasan Afriandi, 20, inside the freezer on the Lu Huang Yuan Yu 118.



Arie Dharmanto, the police officer overseeing the investigation from the province of Riau Islands, said at a July 26 press conference that the recruitment of the workers by the local agencies did not comply with labor laws.



He added his office was working with Interpol on the investigation, as they suspect that a recruitment company based in Singapore was also involved. Police in the Riau Islands have impounded both boats as part of the investigation.



The arrests mark the latest crackdown in recent months by Indonesian authorities against placement agencies that recruit workers for foreign fishing vessels. Investigations into three separate cases have been opened up since May, including into the deaths of four Indonesian workers on board vessels owned by Chinas Dalian Ocean Fishing Ltd. The bodies of three of the workers were dumped at sea.



Fisheries and human rights experts say forced labor at sea, particularly on distant-water fishing vessels, is frequently linked to illegal, unregulated and undocumented (IUU) fishing. The conditions that the crews experience range from withholding of wages and debt bondage, to physical and sexual violence.



With coastal fisheries being depleted due to overfishing, fishing fleets are heading farther out into open waters and high seas, in turn racking up higher operating costs. Companies look for cheap labor to reduce costs and stay profitable  and much of that cheap labor comes from Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.



In the case of the Lu Huang Yuan Yu vessels, police have brought charges against executives from recruitment agencies PT Mandiri Tunggal Bahari (which recruited 12 of the workers, including Hasan), PT Gigar Marine Internasional (five workers), PT Novarica Agatha Mandiri (four workers) and PT MJM Abdi Baruna (one worker).



None of the four companies has a license to recruit Indonesian citizens for work placement on board a fishing boat vessel, whether domestically or abroad, according to data from the countrys labor ministry and the migrant worker protection agency. None of the agencies could be reached for comment.



PT Mandiri Tunggal Bahari has been implicated in previous human trafficking cases on Chinese vessels, namely Ocean Star 96, Fu Yuan Yu 054, Fu Yuan Yu 059 and Ocean Star 88. Both of the agencys listed owners, Mohamad Hoji and Sustriyono, were arrested this May by police in connection with crew abuse on board another boat, the Lu Qing Yuan Yu 623, where an Indonesian worker died and was dumped into the sea off Somalia in January.



The Indonesian government has asked China to turn over a witness to help in the investigation and also called for a probe into the owners of the two Lu Huang Yuan Yu boats. The Chinese captain of the Lu Huang Yuan Yu 118, Song Chuanyuan, has already been charged.



Both the Lu Huang Yuan Yu 117 and the Lu Huang Yuan Yu 118 are registered with the regional fisheries management agency, the North Pacific Fisheries Commission.



The vessels are owned by Qingdao Zhongtai Oceanic Fishery Co. Ltd., based in the city of Qingdao. The company is 90% owned by a Shuke Liang and the rest by a Jingming Liang. The firm is authorized to export seafood products to the European Union.



Shuke Liang is also listed as the vice chairman of Qingdao Gaolilai Food Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Taiwanese corporation Go Rising, which operates a number of fishing companies in Taiwan and abroad as well as bunkering and carrier vessels. Some of the markets supplied by Qingdao Gaolilai include Brazil, the U.S., the EU and Australia.

 2020 Copyright Conservation news

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A young Pakistani Muslim walked into a courtroom and shot the man on trial

A man has been shot dead by an assassin in court while facing blasphemy charges for claiming to be Islam's prophet in Pakistan.

A young Pakistani Muslim walked into a courtroom in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Wednesday and shot and killed a fellow Muslim who was on trial for blasphemy, a police officer said.

It was not immediately clear how the assailant, identified as Khalid Khan, managed to get into the court amid tight security. The attacker was subsequently arrested.

The man on trial, Tahir Shamim Ahmad, had claimed he was Islam's prophet and was arrested two years ago on blasphemy charges, according to Azmat Khan, the police officer. Above, an image circulated in local media reports purportedly showing the body of Ahmad

A rescue worker stands beside the body of Tahir Shamim Ahmad, who was accused of insulting Islam and was killed by a fellow Muslim, in an ambulance at a hospital in Peshawar

Police officers gather at an entry gate of district court following the killing of Tahir Shamim Ahmad, who was in court accused of insulting Islam, in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Wednesday

It was not immediately clear how the assailant, identified as Khalid Khan, managed to get into the court amid tight security. Khan is purportedly pictured above following the incident

The man on trial, Tahir Shamim Ahmad, had claimed he was Islam's prophet and was arrested two years ago on blasphemy charges, according to Azmat Khan, the police officer.

Ahmad died before he could be transported to hospital.

Blasphemy is an extremely controversial issue in Pakistan, where people convicted of the crime can be sentenced to life in prison or the death penalty.

But crowds and individuals in Pakistan often take the law into their own hands.

While authorities have yet to carry out a death sentence for blasphemy, even the mere accusation can cause riots.

Domestic and international human rights groups say blasphemy allegations have often been used to intimidate religious minorities and settle personal scores.

A Punjab governor was killed by his own guard in 2011 after he defended a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, who was accused of blasphemy.

She was acquitted after spending eight years on death row in a case that drew international media attention.

Faced with death threats from Islamic extremists upon her release, she flew to Canada to join her daughters last year.
Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, perhaps more than any other Supreme Court justices in modern history, are closely connected to the president who appointed them. Gorsuch got his seat after Republicans stonewalled the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland and then Trump unexpectedly prevailed in the 2016 election. And any other president probably would have withdrawn his nominee after Christine Blasey Fords allegations, but Trump dug deep, and Kavanaugh crossed the finish line. That past cannot be erased, but a new prologue is being written. Gorsuch and Kavanaugh know full well that Trumps tenure is limited. These Gen-Xers may serve nearly half a century, long after the memory of President Donald J. Trump is relegated to the history books. And after the July 4 weekend, the two Trump appointees formally declared their independence from him.

On the final day of the Supreme Courts term, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh voted against Trump in the New York tax-return case. The vote was 72. Well, sort of. Gorsuch and Kavanaugh did not join Chief Justice John Robertss majority opinion, which held that the president was not entitled to special protections against the subpoena. Nor did they join the dissents of Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, both of whom concluded that the subpoenas were unconstitutional. Instead, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch wrote a separate concurrence, which walked a narrow tightrope between the Courts two poles. On paper at least, they narrowly ruled against Trump. They likely could not be seen as voting for the president who appointed them. But their opinion laid the foundation to broadly expand the power of the presidency in the future.

This term the Supreme Court decided two cases concerning Trumps tax returns. First, in Trump v. Mazars, three committees of the House of Representatives subpoenaed the presidents tax returns and other records. The Court unanimously ruled against the committees, which failed to provide a detailed enough reason to request the returns. In the second case, Trump v. Vance, the New York district attorney subpoenaed Trumps financial records as part of a broad criminal investigation into Trump-related matters. Roberts wrote the majority opinion, holding that the Constitution did not block the subpoena. He was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. In dissent, Thomas and Alito would have dismissed the case outright. They found that the Constitution affords the president special protections from subpoenas.

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How did the two Trump appointees vote? Superficially, the vote was 72. But that count is misleading. Gorsuch and Kavanaugh refused to join the chiefs analysis, which substantially weakened the presidents prerogatives. They are tacked onto the five-member majority only because they agreed to send the case back to the lower court rather than dismiss it outright. But on the merits, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh were much closer to the dissenters than to the majority.

The duo wrote a brief, four-page concurrence that would have adopted the test from United States v. Nixon (1974). In that Watergate-era case, the Burger Court unanimously ruled that the special prosecutor had established a demonstrated, specific need for the secret Oval Office recordings. Roberts, however, expressly rejected the Nixon test. In dissent, Alito disagreed, finding that the district attorneys subpoena lacked a demonstrated, specific need for the returns.

Did Gorsuch and Kavanaugh determine that the Nixon test was satisfied? Who knows? Their opinion ended abruptly. Rather, they merely posed a series of hypothetical questions about how courts will decide future cases in future years and decades. But what about this case, today? There was no clear resolution.

I view this concurrence as something of a compromise. On the one hand, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh generally favor a broad conception of executive power. The two junior members of the Court were not prepared to join the chiefs opinion, which handcuffs the presidents autonomy and alters the balance of authority between the federal and state governments.

On the other hand, in this case too, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh likely could not be seen as voting in favor of the president who appointed them  especially after their contentious confirmations. They needed to stand in the same shoes as the Nixon appointees who ruled against President Nixon four decades ago. Indeed, during his confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh praised Chief Justice Warren Burger, who had been appointed by President Nixon and brought the Court together in a unanimous decision. At the time, Kavanaugh knew that he could be called on to decide the validity of a subpoena against President Trump  whether it came from Robert Mueller, the House of Representatives, or a state prosecutor. There were no surprises.

Kavanaugh and, I suspect, Gorsuch understood this dynamic all too well. These judges were very much attuned to how they would be judged. So they split the difference. In voting for a framework that empowered future presidents to resist subpoenas, they also cast a hyper-technical vote that allowed New Yorks subpoena to be enforced against the current president. To the general public, the vote was 72. It was not unanimous, but this lopsided split was better than 54. And to Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, their short writing did not disturb the long-term constitutional equilibrium.

After the case was decided, Trump reportedly saw Gorsuch and Kavanaughs votes as a betrayal and expressed deep anger at his nominees. I suspect that the duo could not care less about these White House fireworks. Independence has its perks. Soon enough, Trump will be gone. But Gorsuch and Kavanaugh will be with us for some time. With their narrow decision, they managed to separate themselves from this president but carefully guarded presidential authority for decades to come.

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Prosecutors said Young went into the station in the 1300 block of Kings Road about 5:30 p.m. Jan. 14, 2019, purchased a cigar, waited for other customers to leave and then asked the clerk what he could buy for 50 cents. Young then pulled out a gun and demanded money, the release said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 13:42:06|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia confirmed seven new imported COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the total number of infections in the country to 233, said a Health Ministry's statement.

Four COVID-19 positive cases were found on Cambodian peacekeepers, who returned to Cambodia on July 10 from Mali after taking part in a United Nations peacekeeping mission, the statement said, adding that they are among a group of 80 returned Blue Helmet peacekeepers.

"Their samples were taken for the third tests by the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, and the results showed on Tuesday that four peacekeepers were positive for the COVID-19," it said.

While three other new cases were detected on Cambodian men, who arrived in the kingdom on July 23 from Indonesia via a direct flight, the statement said, adding that their first tests turned out to be negative for the virus.

"Their samples were taken for the second tests, and the results showed on Tuesday that they were positive for COVID-19," it said.

All of the new patients have been admitted to the Chak Angre Health Center in southern Phnom Penh for treatment.

The Southeast Asian country has so far recorded a total of 233 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 154 patients cured and 79 remaining in hospital, the statement said. Enditem
MORROW, Ga., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 outbreak is an unprecedented pandemic that has impacted every area of our society, and this includes the legal system. Attorney Melody Fox from Stein & Fox, LLC in Atlanta recently shared some of her insights on the legal issues with COVID-19, the shutdowns, and the process of reopening:

Question : What are some of the issues with the courts that you have been running into as Georgia has been reopening after COVID-19? And how are these issues impacting your clients' cases?

Melody : The courts have been at a standstill, and the statewide emergency order that has been implemented since the beginning of all of this has made it more difficult to get clients into the courtroom. They keep extending the order every 30 days, and it now runs through August 11.

Most clerks' offices can still accept pleadings through e-file, and hearings and depositions can be conducted through Zoom, but jury and bench trials can't move forward. The courts have already been operating with a backlog even before COVID, so this is just making the situation worse.

This has the potential to negatively impact settlement negotiations, because of course the credible threat of going to trial is our best leverage. The majority of insurance companies still negotiate in good faith, but there are some that have tried to take advantage of the situation by making very unfair offers.

When our clients receive an unacceptable offer, we advise them to be patient, because they will get their day in court. It will just take longer because of the current backlog. In times like these, it is especially important for those who need legal help to work with an experienced attorney who specializes in a particular area of practice, rather than a general practitioner.

This is where I think being represented by a firm like ours is extremely beneficial. We've been here and practiced personal injury exclusively in the Atlanta area for 40+ years. We have handled some of the most complex personal injury cases that ever come up, and we know what needs to be done to build the strongest possible case. We also limit our attorney caseloads so we can dedicate the time and energy that each case deserves, and we will turn over every stone to maximize our clients' recovery.

Question : Georgia was one of the first states to start reopening after the nationwide lockdowns that were designed to slow the spread of the virus. What concerns, if any, do you have about the way the state has handled the reopening process?

Melody : One major concern is that the safety of our citizens seems to have been politicized. The state is at odds with the counties and cities over various issues like mask ordinances, and they do not appear to be on the same page about a lot of things.

The Senate and House has also passed a bill creating a standard of care for businesses whose customers might contract COVID-19. Other states have passed similar laws. Essentially, the law gives businesses protection from lawsuits as long as they put up a sign that warns customers that they could get COVID if they enter. There is one exception though. The law does not protect a business from gross negligence, malice, or reckless or intentional infliction of harm. If this were to happen, a customer who ended up with the virus might still have a case.

Question : What about schools reopening this fall? What concerns do you have about bringing the kids back?

Melody : Each of the counties is doing something completely different. Some are doing traditional, some are doing distance learning, and some are doing a hybrid of the two. Meanwhile, the government is pushing to reopen schools, but there are concerns that they are not providing the funding and guidelines needed to do so safely.

I suspect that a lot of schools might choose to start with distance learning to protect themselves legally. If a school forces the issue and makes all the kids come back without taking appropriate measures to keep everyone safe, then they could probably be held liable if kids, teachers and others who work at the school were to contract the virus.

Question : What about workplace safety? What legal rights do employees have if they end up with the virus through work?

Melody : It would be an uphill battle if you ended up with COVID-19 through your job. Insurance companies are always looking for a way to point the finger at another source, so you would need a direct causal link that shows you got it at work. As long as employers took proper precautions and followed appropriate safety procedures, it would be difficult to hold them liable. But like we talked about before, if you can show that they were grossly negligent or engaged in willful or malicious conduct that resulted in an employee contracting the virus, then you might have a case.

Question : More than 1,300 residents of nursing homes in Georgia have died from COVID-19, accounting for a little under half of the total coronavirus-related deaths in the state. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently reported that testing delays, staffing shortages, and equipment scarcity were major factors in the failure of these facilities to protect their vulnerable residents. Do you agree with this assessment? And what legal rights do family members have if they lost a loved one in a Georgia nursing home?

Melody : There were a lot of things that went wrong in nursing homes, and even though the state is working on this new legislation to provide businesses with liability protection, I believe there are likely to be numerous class action lawsuits against these facilities. The negligence and the fact that there are so many deaths - just the egregiousness of the injuries to such a vulnerable population make it likely that there will be some large settlements for surviving family members.

If someone lost a loved one to COVID-19 in a nursing home, I would strongly suggest that they speak with a firm like ours to review the specifics of the case and discuss their legal rights and options. We would be more than happy to provide them with a free case assessment.

About Stein and Fox, LLC

Stein & Fox is an Atlanta-area personal injury firm with attorneys that have served Georgia clients for nearly half a century. The firm has earned strong recognition over the years for its ability to take on personal injury and wrongful death cases of all levels of complexity, recover maximum compensation for their clients, and provide highly personalized representation throughout the process.

For more information about Stein and Fox, go to https://www.steinfox.com/.

SOURCE Stein & Fox
Launch event : An event to honor and celebrate the world with our exquisite fragrances to celebrate the world's resilient spirit during these unprecedented times. on July 30th in Paris, France. There will also be a live stream of the celebration party via Twitter , Instagram and Facebook @BenignaParfums. Please join us and view the celebration at 19H (GMT+2) or 1pm (EDT).

Benigna collaborated with Award-winning French Perfumer Cecile Zarokian, to translate her vision into three magnificent scents which represent an homage to her life's journey. This collection is masterfully created for those who desire to seek out superior quality and true distinction. Elegant perfumes that embrace the power of oneness, yet tell a unique story on everyone's skin.

The gender-neutral niche perfumes reflect upon memories of Benigna's childhood and her aspirations in life to overcome obstacles  all achieved through grace, hard work, unwavering ambition, and knowing that even the sky is not the limit. These perfumes were created for those who love and seek out superior quality and distinction.

Using only the highest quality and rare ingredients, the scents result in exquisite and luxurious formulations. These long-lasting and profound scents are housed in a refillable diamond-faceted, hand-cut crystal adorned with Swarovski diamonds circling the 24-karat gold-plated neck.

About Benigna Parfums

The brand was born out of a dynamic collaboration between a humble yet ambitious village girl, with a passion for flowers, turned both an Aerospace Engineer and a Pilot and the world-renowned French Perfumer, Cecile Zarokian. As these two worlds embraced each other, the partnership gave rise to 3 exceptional perfumes using highest quality and exquisite ingredients.

MSRP: 15ML - $75, 75ML - $340, Discovery Set: $190, Collection set : $1100.00

All perfume bottles are refillable.

Charity: A percentage of the profits from Benigna Parfums will be donated to BeEagle Foundation, a STEM non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring young girls around the world. @BeEagle_STEM

Learn more about our Fragrances - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4z9JWt5M-jBsmaFxSVqpWQ

SOURCE Benigna Parfums LLC
Local partnership highlights Star Buds continued growth and brings deli style buying experience to Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Star Buds first location in Jamaica is now open at 72B HOPE ROAD - KINGSTON 6, JAMAICA. This venture brings a combination of Star Buds 10 years of medical cannabis experience and local owner/operator Jonathan Harris exceptional customer service and passion for cannabis to the island of Jamaica. The Kingston location represents the 23rd Star Buds location.



Jonathan has firsthand experience with the medical benefits of Cannabis Ive been an athlete all of my life, but I got older and developed a degenerative lumbar disease. It stopped me from doing what I truly loved, Harris recalls. The doctors had me on 11-13 pills a day. I was droopy, not feeling good and I could not really function. Until, on a trip to Colorado, I was able to experience Cannabis and its benefits without the side effects that I experienced taking all of those pills.

Harris saw an opportunity, I want to bring the experience that I had in Colorado with Cannabis to, not just Jamaica, but the whole Caribbean. A partnership with a company like Star Buds was just like destiny. I want to mix the world-class service that Star Buds is known for with the Jamaican culture.

The partnership also represents the first instance in Jamaica of a non-vertically integrated cannabis company and the first deli-style customer experience on the island. Star Buds is the first dispensary on the island that procures all of its product from other independent cannabis companies in Jamaica. Star Buds is also the first dispensary to be granted permission by Cannabis Licensing Authority to dispense cannabis flower deli-style, where the customer experience is transparent and they have the ability to view the product and select what they purchase themselves vs. the pre-packaged method currently used.

Kingston was selected for the first location because My main focus was really and truly the connecting of my people, Jamaican people, to have access and education for what cannabis can do for them. The opening of Star Buds Kingston is the culmination of two years of hard work and dedication to bring the Star Buds brand to Jamaica.

Story continues

In addition to the Kingston location, Star Buds has recently opened two new locations in Oklahoma City and Norman, Oklahoma. These three locations showcase the continued expansion of the Star Buds retail footprint in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Maryland. For a full list of locations, visit Starbuds.us/locations .

About Star Buds

Star Buds is changing the way people think about cannabis. Founded in 2013, Star Buds was among the first retail outlets to receive licensing when Colorado legalized recreational cannabis. Since then, Star Buds has established its footprint as one of the largest internationally-operating cannabis retail companies.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This communication contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and forecasts, as well as the beliefs and assumptions of Starbuds management, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Many factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated, including: risks and uncertainties discussed in this communication. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Marketing@Starbuds.us










NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MRM, a leading marketing agency that is part of McCann Worldgroup, has been named one of 2020's "Best Workplaces for Innovators" by Fast Company magazine.

The 2020 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including computer science, biotech, consumer packaged goods, nonprofit, education, financial services, cybersecurity and engineering. Fast Company editors scored nearly 900 applications, and a panel of eight eminent judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companies  an increase from last year's list of 50. The 2020 awards feature workplaces from around the world with several of the honorees based outside the U.S.

Kate MacNevin, Global CEO of MRM, said, "In the fast-changing world of marketing, it has been essential for us to keep constantly innovating in order to help our clients stay ahead of the curve in connecting with their customers. Our approach to inventing new products, services and businesses begins with understanding consumer needs  and we have been providing product and service innovation, business design and digital transformation strategy consulting both to startups and established brands."

"As much of the world recovers from health, economic, and social crises, we need innovation more than ever," says Stephanie Mehta, Editor-In-Chief of Fast Company. "This new list of the Best Workplaces for Innovators celebrates organizations that have fostered innovative thinking by investing in technology, research and development, and their employees."

Whether through its dedicated LAB13 by MRM innovation labs around the world, or its new ways of bringing worldwide creative resources to bear through its PURPLE BRIEF collective ideation/network crowdsourcing innovation, or the four patented proprietary Data & Analytics software products it has developed, MRM has been continually focused on reinventing the modern agency operation.

This ongoing commitment has led to innovations that go beyond marketing as well. Responding to a staffer's interest in aiding the hearing impaired, MRM employees were invited to help build an intelligent machine learning framework, trained to identify body gestures and process data in real-time, to replace audio signals with visuality. This resulted in a SIGNS dictionary, developed and inspired by the hand movements, which is the world's first sign language recognition service that actually works.

MRM's openness to an innovation ecosystem has also driven its support of a comprehensively diverse workforce. MRM's Blueprint 2020 overall Diversity & Inclusion plan, first launched in 2017, served as a road map to strengthen its commitment and develop strategies that lead to awareness, education and development and resulted in its being named in 2019 as Agency of the Year at IPG's Inclusion Awards encompassing all of its agencies.

This 2020 honor by Fast Company follows other recognition for MRM this year, including being named the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) B2 Agency of the Year (Midsize), as a "Leader" in Gartner, Inc.'s Magic Quadrant for Global Marketing Agencies for the fourth year in a row (2017-2020), and for the first time having five MRM agencies named in WARC's top 40 effective digital agencies listing, as part of WARC's global Effective 100 ranking.

To see the complete Best Workplaces for Innovators list, go to: www.fastcompany.com/best-workplaces-for-innovators/2020

Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators issue (September 2020) is available online now, and the print issue will be on newsstands beginning August 4, 2020.

ABOUT MRM

MRM is a leading marketing agency. Through a strong foundation in strategy, data science, technology and creativity, MRM helps transform businesses by helping brands grow meaningful relationships with people. MRM is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) and a top agency in the McCann Worldgroup network, with 40-plus offices across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.mrm.com.

ABOUT McCANN WORLDGROUP

McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), is a leading global marketing solutions network whose professionals are united across 100+ countries by a single vision: To help brands play a meaningful role in people's lives. McCann Worldgroup was named "Global Agency Of The Year" by Adweek magazine, "Network of the Year" by the Cannes Lions, the world's most creatively-effective marketing services company by the Effie Awards (for three consecutive years), "Global Network of the Year" by Campaign Magazine and "Network of The Year" by The Webby Awards. Fast Company named McCann Worldgroup to its list of The World's Most Innovative Companies. The network comprises McCann (advertising), MRM (science/technology/relationship marketing), Momentum Worldwide (total brand experience), McCann Health (professional/dtc communications), CRAFT (production), Weber Shandwick (public relations) and FutureBrand (consulting/design).

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is one of the world's leading business media brands, with an editorial focus on innovation with deep emphasis on creativity, technology, social impact, leadership, and design. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

SOURCE MRM

Related Links

http://www.mrm.com


Business is getting Biblical. A plague precedes an exodus.

The coronavirus crisis, with its sheltering in place, social distancing and remote work is motivating urban workers to move to more rural areas.

Some people are "panic moving" -- getting out as soon as possible. Still more are planning a move for after the pandemic is under control.

Some are moving to the suburbs. Others are moving to the countryside. Still others are going off-grid or moving abroad.

Real estate site Redfin revealed a huge spike in real estate searches for homes and land in Montana, with the majority of those queries originating in California. One report estimates that more than two million people will move out of New York City, with a quarter million moving upstate and two million moving out of state.

City slickers in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and elsewhere are flocking to rural areas of Colorado, Oregon, Maine and Vermont.

Once foreign countries allow incoming travel, I believe urban Americans will seek out remote areas abroad to resettle.

Nothing new?

Flight from cities is being accelerated by the pandemic. But it was a trend already in progress when the coronavirus emerged. In fact, remote work was already growing steadily for years. And cities were becoming less desirable. An MIT study published this month found that cities have stopped being the "escalators of opportunity" that they used to be for mid-level employees.

The great migration is probably the biggest cultural shift that will result from the pandemic. And this isn't some interesting-but-irrelevant sociological fact. These are the people who work at your company. This will affect you directly, even if you don't join the exodus.

Obviously, this change is made possible by remote work, and new remote working tools, as well as new cultural habits like video conferencing instead of meetings and conferences.

There's just one problem. How's the internet out there in the boonies?

The trouble with remote work

The last mile of our internet has always come from resources firmly bolted to the surface of our planet. Fiber-optic cables and cellular towers make economic sense only in crowded areas. Digging a trench for fiber or erecting and maintaining a cellular base station makes sense if thousands of people will be served by it. It doesn't make sense if only dozens benefit, as would be the case in remote or rural areas. And so rural broadband is notoriously terrible.

And so, we find ourselves in a situation where millions of people are moving out of areas with fast internet and into areas with slow or non-existent internet, just as everyone's need for higher speeds and capacities is increasing (because of remote work and the primacy of video calls).

At scale and over the long term, what's the impact on your organization from a dramatic lowering of average employee internet bandwidth?

Here comes sky-high Wi-Fi!

We've been talking about sky-based internet connectivity -- satellites, drones and balloons -- for decades. But this year, some of this is getting very real.

Years ago, Silicon Valley giants Google and Facebook each proposed alternative ways to deliver internet to remote areas by mesh-networking via a chain of flying objects. Google proposed balloons. Facebook proposed drones.

Facebook's drone program crashed and burned two years ago. But Google's -- now parent company Alphabet's -- Loon program launched commercially this week.

After many trials (and also temporary deployment in the wake of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and an earthquake in Peru) Alphabet launched this week its Loon balloon-based internet service in Kenya, which uses 35 balloons to blanket a 50,000 square kilometer area with 4G LTE service, including the capital city of Nairobi.

Loon provides connectivity mainly for mobile phones, which is the main "personal computer" for most Kenyans.

While balloon-based internet is now soaring, drone-based internet still could have a future. SoftBank and others are investing in drone internet. To a large extent, the form of aviation is less crucial than the software and electronics that zap the internet connectivity from one airborne craft to another.

Even more promising for global coverage is SpaceX's Starlink program, which involves thousands of 570-pound satellites, each the size of a desk and orbiting 340 miles above the Earth. (SpaceX is currently authorized to launch 12,000 satellites, but they want to launch a total of 42,000.)

Large ground stations would pump data to and from the satellites. Individual subscribers would use a device CEO Elon Musk has described as a UFO on a stick, the disk for which would be about the size of a medium pizza. They would automatically point to the optimal satellites.

SpaceX claims that Starlink will offer one-gigabit-per-second speeds with latency ranging from 25 to 35 milliseconds.

The Starlink newsletter is already calling for volunteers to sign up for their upcoming beta program. Starlink is expected to go online for subscribers in the United States and Canada later this year.

A new alternative to SpaceX's Starlink is a struggling company called OneWeb, which launched as WorldVu in 2012 and collapsed in March after Softbank decided to stop funding it. The company has74 satellites in orbit, and aspires to launch as many as Starlink intends to launch..

Amazon wants to launch 3,000 satellites for its Project Kuiper. And TeleSate intends to launch 1,000 satellites.

Competition is nice. But they'll all have a hard time competing with SpaceX in the near term, which is way ahead and also building out its network at a far faster pace.

Other companies are getting into the act. Google job posts suggest that Google will be getting into the satellite broadband service market. The company is already hiring people to launch a "global satellite-based broadband service."

Because Google doesn't have much of a space program, it's possible that the company may try to go MVNO, as they do with Google Fi. The popular Google Fi service isn't a carrier. It's a service that uses other carriers in many countries around the world. They could do something similar with satellite broadband -- or bundled satellite service as part of Google Fi.

A more likely scenario is for Google to partner with SpaceX. It's interesting to note that Google was a leading, $1 billion investor in SpaceX.

Until now, balloon and drone-based internet was non-existent and satellite internet connectivity very expensive and slow.

But just as the coronavirus is driving millions of urban workers to remote areas, we could be on the brink of a new era in connectivity -- one where just about anyone just about anywhere can get fast, affordable internet connectivity.

And if that happens, it will serve as yet another incentive for people to abandon the cities where corporate headquarters are located and move into rural areas.

In other words, the advent of both pandemics and sky-based broadband will send remote work requests into the stratosphere.
Our whole family got sick with headaches and fever, even the kids, but we all got through it, said Mir Ahmad, a lawyer in his 40s whose family did not get tested for the virus. We stayed together in the house for more than a month. We made juice with lemons and oranges. I drank five pots of tea a day. We stayed away from sweets and oily food, as the doctors recommended. Now we are all fine.
NETANYA, Israel, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CAPS Medical, developer of a highly selective and minimally invasive non-thermal plasma device for cancer treatment, today announced the completion of a $3.5 million Series A financing round. The round will enable CAPS Medical to perform its first clinical trial and assist the company in further developing its portfolio for treatments of solid tumors. The company, founded in 2018 by MEDX Xelerator, an Israeli Innovation Authority incubator, expects that the results of these studies will contribute to achieving regulatory clearance in the U.S. market. Harel Gadot, Company Group Chairman of MEDX Ventures Group, and Executive Chairman of XACT Robotics, will serve as the Executive Chairman of CAPS Medical's board of directors.

The financing round was led by Chasing Value Asset Management and the Los Angeles-based Israel Investment Fund Group (IIFG). Other investors that participated in the round include the Technion Research and Development Foundation and XACT Robotics, a portfolio company of MEDX Ventures Group, who will also add strategic capabilities to enhance the company's solid tumor treatments portfolio capabilities.

"CAPS Medical is answering a need within the cancer care ecosystem. By minimizing non-thermal plasma technology, CAPS Medical will provide oncologists with a treatment option that can selectively target cancer cells with greater precision and fewer side effects than many current treatment options," said Sheldon Liber, CEO of Chasing Value Asset Management. "We believe CAPS Medical is on the cusp of the next revolution in cancer care, and we look forward to helping the company progress through its clinical trials towards eventual FDA clearance."

"IIFG prides itself on investing in the most promising startups that Israel has to offer," said Dr. Hiri Etessami, co-founder of Israel Investment Fund Group. "We identified CAPS and its breakthrough technology early on and based on the company's answer to an important unmet need, we became the first to commit to this financing round. We are delighted to venture into the medical device market with CAPS Medical and look forward to working with the management team and the company's partners to improve oncology care worldwide."

Since its inception, CAPS Medical has been supported by MEDX Xelerator, with Boston Scientific and MEDX Ventures Group, partners in the incubator, being the major shareholders in the company.

Originally developed in The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology's Plasma Lab in collaboration with Rambam Health Care Campus, the technology was translated into a product by CAPS Medical team, led by Ilan Uchitel at the MEDX Xelerator. CAPS Medical became the first to have miniaturized non-thermal atmospheric plasma technology to produce a consistent stream of non-thermal plasma, meeting the size requirements for minimally invasive surgical access through existing tools.

CAPS Medical's platform is designed to treat solid tumors through minimally invasive procedures, attacking cancer cells without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. The application of non-thermal plasma directly targets and kills cancer cells and subsequently triggers an immune response that enables the body to target additional tumor-specific cells in the body in a cascade effect.

"We are honored to receive the support and trust of our world-renowned investors, during what has been an unprecedented time in the world. With the strength of our new investors, and the close collaboration with XACT Robotics, we are committed to enhancing internal solid tumor treatment via highly selective and minimally invasive non-thermal plasma treatment to elevate the standard of care for treating internal solid tumors," said Ilan Uchitel, CEO of CAPS Medical.

About CAPS Medical

Founded in 2018, CAPS Medical has created a highly selective Non-Thermal Atmospheric Plasma cancer treatment device, able to treat a wide range of solid tumors without impacting surrounding tissue. CAPS Medical addresses the $100 billion oncology market.

For more information, visit www.capsmedical.com.

Follow CAPS Medical on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Ido Atiya

Global Image Communications

tel: +972-3-6880908

fax: 972-73-7255162

cell: +972-54-4289205

SOURCE CAPS Medical
Recent times have witnessed a massive demand for doctors. According to a study by the Economic Times - "India has a shortage of an estimated 600,000 doctors". This again calls for more applicants applying for MBBS or even MD.

Not only on the education front but, the field of medicine requires a lot of investment professionally as well. From setting up a clinic, upgrading it with the latest technology, to personal and aspirational needs of doctors, having access to sufficient funds is important.

To help doctors fulfil their unique professional and personal needs, Bajaj Finance Limited, the lending and investment arm of Bajaj Finserv, is offering exclusively designed Loan for Doctors of up to Rs 25 lakh. With doorstep services and money is credited to their account in 24 hours, these loans are 100 per cent convenient for doctors who are always on-the-go.

Below are some of the notable features of this customized loan:

Collateral-free funding

From setting up a clinic or renovating the existing one, to simply furnishing it with the new medical equipment, doctors need ample finance to translate their plans into reality. Pledging collateral to raise funds can complicate the process. Fortunately, they can apply online for a collateral-free Loan for Doctors from Bajaj Finserv and get the sanction they require without any hassle.

Loan of up to Rs 25 lakh

Whether one requires funds for their personal needs such as buying or renovating a house, pursuing their doctorate, wedding; or for their professional needs; having ample finance is necessary. In such cases, it is wise to opt for a Loan for Doctors as it offers up to Rs 25 lakh with a Flexi loan facility.

Flexi Loan facility to aid cash flow management

Doctors can also avail of the Flexi Loan facility offered by the lender. This ensures that their cash flow doesn't run dry as they expand, renovate, or diversify. It offers a predetermined loan limit for a fixed tenor. They can borrow from this loan limit whenever and as many times as required and choose to pay only the interest as monthly EMIs. The interest is charged only on the amount withdrawn and not on the entire sanctioned amount.

Advantage of part-prepayment facility

Doctors can part pre-pay their loan at no additional cost, any time during the tenor, and minimize the cost of borrowing by reducing the interest outgo. However, do note that while the prepaid amount has no upper limit, it must be higher than the value of three installments.

Hassle-free loan application

The Bajaj Finserv Loan for Doctors is a straightforward, easy-to-access loan. To apply, doctors can fill the online application form and wait for a representative to contact them with further instructions. Existing Bajaj Finserv customers may check if they have a pre-approved offer to get access to a fully customized loan deal to fulfill their cash flow gaps or to simply meet their personal needs.

This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mobile Phone Accessories Market Research Report by Product (Battery, Battery Cases, Chargers, Headphones, and Memory Card), by Distribution Mode (Offline and Online) - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19

New York, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Mobile Phone Accessories Market Research Report by Product, by Distribution Mode - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05941340/?utm_source=GNW



The Global Mobile Phone Accessories Market is expected to grow from USD 25,285.88 Million in 2019 to USD 37,071.56 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.58%.



Market Segmentation & Coverage:

This research report categorizes the Mobile Phone Accessories to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:



"The Power Bank is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Product, the Mobile Phone Accessories Market studied across Battery, Battery Cases, Chargers, Headphones, Memory Card, Portable Speaker, Power Bank, and Protective Case. The Headphones commanded the largest size in the Mobile Phone Accessories Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Power Bank is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



"The Online is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Distribution Mode, the Mobile Phone Accessories Market studied across Offline and Online. The Offline commanded the largest size in the Mobile Phone Accessories Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Online is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



"The Asia-Pacific is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Geography, the Mobile Phone Accessories Market studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region surveyed across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. The Asia-Pacific commanded the largest size in the Mobile Phone Accessories Market in 2019, and it is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



Company Usability Profiles:

The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Mobile Phone Accessories Market including Anker Innovations Limited, Apple Inc., Belkin International, Inc., Bose Corporation, Energizer Holdings, Inc., Incipio, LLC, JVC Kenwood Corporation, Otter Products, LLC, Plantronics, Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KG, Sony Corporation, and Xiaomi Corporation.



FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Mobile Phone Accessories Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.



Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth.



Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:

COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Mobile Phone Accessories Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Mobile Phone Accessories Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Mobile Phone Accessories Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Mobile Phone Accessories Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Mobile Phone Accessories Market?

6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Mobile Phone Accessories Market?

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05941340/?utm_source=GNW



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A tracking system developed to monitor and treat wounded troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has proven invaluable in the U.S. military's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, defense health officials said Monday.

The Defense Department's joint trauma system, created in 2004 to collect information on casualties, treatments and outcomes to determine what worked -- or didn't -- in saving lives in combat, is being used during the pandemic to gather real-time data on COVID-19 patients, according to Dr. Paul Cordts, chief medical officer at the Defense Health Agency.

Read Next: Military Stolen Valor Cases on the Rise, Investigators Say

The information is leading to more widespread use of effective treatments, Cordts said.

As of Monday, the DoD has had 36,659 total cases of COVID-19, including 960 hospitalizations and 56 deaths, since the first military patient was diagnosed with the illness Feb. 24 in the Republic of Korea.

With the need for better care, military physicians have been uploading patient information, approaches and outcomes, just as they do with operations and training injuries.

"We leveraged the lessons learned from OIF/OEF in creating the Joint Pain or Trauma Registry, the Joint Trauma System, to inform our COVID-19 registry. Part of the power of that registry is real-time data and information," Cordts said during a call with reporters Monday.

In 2004, the Defense Department directed the individual services to establish a trauma registry. The collected data and reporting on treatments led to life-saving changes to protocols, including increased use of tourniquets, changes to administering blood transfusions, the use of freeze-dried plasma and response during the "Golden Hour" -- the first 60 minutes following a traumatic injury.

A dozen years later, those overseeing the Joint Trauma System were given the authority to establish trauma care guidelines and make recommendations to the services, combatant commanders and the Defense Health Agency on best practices.

The ability to share data nearly instantaneously on every DoD patient with COVID-19 has helped with treatment of the currently incurable illness. Using feedback from physicians across the system who are treating patients, DoD providers have been using remdesivir, the experimental drug first developed to combat Ebola, as well as convalescent plasma and dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory that has shown promise in treating patients on ventilators, to treat hospitalized victims, Cordts said.

"We can evaluate our therapies in real time and adjust our clinical practice guidelines if need be toward those therapies that appear to be most effective. I think that was a great learning piece for us, leveraging the lessons we learned during OIF/OEF," he said.

"With traditional implementation of innovation, we would most likely have a randomized controlled trial, some rigorous multi-year study that proves the efficacy of a given treatment," added Air Force Col. Todd Rasmussen, associate dean of research at the Uniformed University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). "In certain clinical situations, that's just not feasible. We don't have the time. ... It's a sort of alternative, rapid-cycle innovation near real time."

In addition to using the DoD Trauma Registry in a new, creative way, DoD medical personnel have developed resources for physicians and medical devices for patients to improve well-being and decrease transmission of the contagious illness.

According to Dr. Simon Pincus, director of the Connected Health Branch at the DHA, the DoD created an online "provider resilience suite" that contains apps for meditation and mindfulness, as well as tips to identify burnout and provide self care.

"When you're a provider in combat, you are also not going home from the trauma -- you are potentially at risk as a victim. This is kind of similar to what providers are doing on the front lines [of COVID-19]. ... They are at risk for the same outcome, so one of the innovations we developed was this suite for self care," Pincus said.

More helpful in protecting providers and other patients from airborne droplets of the SARS-CoV-2 virus emitted when COVID-19 patients exhale, talk, cough or sneeze is the "COVID-19 airway management isolation chamber," or CAMIC, a $15 box made of PVC pipe and plastic sheeting that can be placed on a patient's head before he or she needs to be intubated or requires other close medical interventions involving the neck or head.

The box allows physicians and other medical personnel to conduct procedures on a patient while they receive fresh air and suction.

The CAMIC, developed by a team of military medical personnel led by Army Maj. Steven Hong, assistant professor of surgery at USUHS received an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration in June.

At its peak, the CAMIC was used about 25 times a day since it received emergency approval, according to Hong. There are currently 60 devices across the military health system: 15 at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland; five at Fort Belvoir Army Community Hospital in Virginia; 30 at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas; and 10 at Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington.

Hong said the prospect of shortages of personal protective equipment drove him to build a device to protect his fellow health care workers.

"If anything was a surprise during this process of creation and innovation was the level of leadership and institutional support here at Walter Reed and the Defense Health Agency for what really was a grassroots effort," he said.

Cordts added that the DoD's $5.5 billion electronic health records system has been useful in places where it currently is being used. According to Cordts, patients have been able to upload answers to questionnaires to determine whether they need to come into a medical facility or can be treated at home.

"We can keep low-risk people at home and identify patients that are appropriate for testing or identify those that need further care," he said.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: Air Force Sees Largest Jump in Military-Wide Coronavirus Spike
Washington: The US military has unveiled plans to withdraw about 12,000 troops from Germany, in fallout from President Donald Trump's long-simmering feud with Berlin but said it will keep nearly half of those forces in Europe to address tension with Russia.

Trump announced his intention last month to cut by about a third the 36,000-strong US troop contingent in Germany, faulting the close US ally for failing to meet NATO's defence spending target and accusing it of taking advantage of the United States on trade.

US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Credit:Benoit Tessier

"We don't want to be the suckers any more," Trump said at the White House on Wednesday about the decision. "We're reducing the force because they're not paying their bills; it's very simple."

Defence Secretary Mark Esper has not portrayed the pullout in those terms and said the military's plan would prevent the troop movements from undermining NATO and its efforts to deter Russian intervention, following Moscow's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.
Introduction

Though approaching 40 years as an ordained pastor, the Lord has been challenging me recently about a ministry of strengthening others. Sadly, I cannot remember teaching on this subject before. Perhaps I have in the broader context of spiritual warfare, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might (Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10), but I sense we all need to be more intentional about strengthening our brothers and sisters, as well as ourselves.

One Another

After telling Peter that Satan had demanded to sift you like wheat, Jesus stated he had prayed for the apostle, then he prophesied, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers (Luke chapter 22 verse 32). The vocation of being a strengthener was a clear priority in Christs mind; as demonstrated by the later actions of the apostles. Time and again in Acts we read of them, strengthening the souls/brothers/churches/disciples in various regions (chapter 14 verse 22 etc.).

At times it is made clear that this is through what they said (chapter 15 verse 32), but we need to go to the New Testament letters for further insight. Doing this will greatly encourage us.

Grace

Paul exhorts Timothy, You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 1). And the author of Hebrews remarks, it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace (Hebrews chapter 13 verse 9). It follows that the power that strengthens us in the Lord (1 Samuel chapter 20 verse 36) comes through the communication of grace.

Grace is not sort of mystical substance; we are speaking of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, of which there are 9 uses in the letters, e.g. Romans chapter 16 verse 20, so it is something about the life of Jesus which has the capacity to uplift us. I err, it is not something about the life of Jesus, it is the communication of the character of his humanity.

Weakness for Strength

When Paul says, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9), he means that Gods eternal plan intentionally involved the weakening of his Son so that he might subsequently be strengthened on our account.

In going to the cross Christ partnered with our weakness so that we might share in his resurrection empowerment (Romans chapter 5 verse 6; compare 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9). I am sure that we believe this, its the gospel after all, but I am far less certain that we understand its radical implications.

Live Like Christ

Pauls testimony, Who is weak, and I am not weak? (2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 29), means that he intentionally enters the disabled state of other believers as an expression of a Christlike life. This profound but difficult truth comes out most clearly in 2 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 4, Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have Gods power.

As far as Christian ministry goes, becoming weak to strengthen others is a rhythm of life. In fact we do not do ministry, as if it could be considered a profession or a 9-5 thing, ministry is a total way of life. Such things are often misunderstood or neglected today.

Conclusion

The Hillsong melody Mighty to Save, begins with, Well, everyone needs compassion I first heard this song at an Indigenous congregation, and their brokenness means they understood it in a way most of us dont. Nevertheless, anyone who asks the Lord for grace to become a strengthener of others will find their prayers answered through God-induced incapacitation of natural strength.

This will vary from person to person; but in my case I am sure my long term post-traumatic stress has weakened my intellectual powers so that I can find strength through grace that in turn empowers others. There is something glorious about such a pattern of life, for it embodies the gospel of death and resurrection. May you dear reader ask the Lord Jesus for his grace to become a strengthener.
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve may shift more of its buying to the long end of the yield curve, analysts say, as the Treasury market braces for a surge in supply to finance relief efforts in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Such a move, which is not expected before the central banks September meeting, would avert a potential mismatch in Treasury supply and demand and help stabilize long-end rates.

In March, the U.S. Congress passed the $2.3 trillion CARES Act and the Fed ramped up its Treasury buying. Its purchases have been concentrated on the shorter end of the yield curve, with maturities in the 10-year and longer range accounting for only 22% of the Feds Treasury holdings as of last week.

If the Fed does not change the current amount and composition of its purchases in the face of increased supply of Treasuries during the remainder of 2020, the supply-demand mismatch could pressure long-end rates, according to TD Securities analysts, who said they expect more Fed buying in the 20- to 30-year maturity range.

Not only will more traditional (quantitative easing) help stabilize long-end rates, but it will help further compress real yields and widen break-evens, the analysts said in a recent report.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell, speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the central banks two-day meeting on Wednesday, said the current purchases are all across the maturity spectrum, contrasting them with buying during the last financial crisis when the focus was on longer-term maturities. Nonetheless they are supporting accommodative financial conditions, he said.

The Democrat-led U.S. House passed a $3 trillion relief bill in May and the Republican-controlled Senate on Monday unveiled a $1 trillion aid package.

Tiffany Wilding, PIMCOs North American economist, said a doubling of the weighted average duration of Fed purchases would bring more accommodation and more downward pressure on yields.

Overall, our expectation is that what the Fed takes out the Treasury will basically issue because we are seeing a dramatic increase in Federal government deficits as a result of the various coronavirus stimulus bills, she added.

Roberto Perli, partner and head of global policy research at Cornerstone Macro, said shifting purchases toward the long end would make sense given that short-term yields are well anchored by expectations that the funds rate will stay at zero for years.

It would make sense to concentrate purchases at the longer end, where rates are less anchored  term premiums would be more responsive, and the Fed could get a greater bang for its buck, he said.








"Starting next week, I will meet with each minister to discuss their budget allocation proposals, and the idea is to approve this in the Council of Ministers in August and then support it before Congress," she added.









"The initial startup budget for this year is approximately S/18.4 billion (around US$5.21 billion), and next year it would be S/20 billion (around US$5.66 billion)," the minister stated.

"It should be pointed out that we are in a context of a falling budget, so this will be a significant effort," she stressed.

(END) CNA/RMB/MVB

Economy and Finance Minister Maria Antonieta Alva affirmed that the Government's proposal for the 2021 public sector budget will prioritize health and education sectors."We have been given a mandate by the President to put health and education as a priority, and we are making a great effort to find out spaces to optimize spending, but the final proposal has to be validated by the Council of Ministers," she said in remarks to RPP radio and TV station on Tuesday.Published: 7/29/2020
After politicians collected hundreds of hours of interviews and obtained more than 1.3 million documents about Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, their chief executives will testify before US Congress overnight to defend their powerful businesses from the hammer of government.

The captains of the New Gilded Age  Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Tim Cook of Apple, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Sundar Pichai of Google  will appear together before Congress for the first time to justify their business practices. Members of the House judiciary's antitrust subcommittee have investigated the internet giants for more than a year on accusations that they stifled rivals and harmed consumers.

The hearing is the government's most aggressive show against tech power since the pursuit to break up Microsoft two decades ago. It is set to be a bizarre spectacle, with four men who run companies worth a total of around $US4.85 trillion ($6.76 trillion)  and who include two of the world's richest individuals  primed to argue that their businesses are not really that powerful after all.

Having their Big Tobacco moment: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Credit:AP

And it will be a first in another way: Zuckerberg, Pichai, Bezos and Cook will all be testifying via videoconference, rather than rising side-by-side for a swearing-in at a witness table in Washington. Perhaps appropriately, their reckoning will be broadcast online.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's love story started like a fairy tale-turned-reality. A Prince met a stunning woman, fell in love, took her to the Palace, and lived happily ever after.

But while their love story was filled with struggles and criticisms before coming to the "happily ever after" ending, did you know that their courtship/ getting-to-know-you stage lasted only three months?

Well, in the modern world, that is already a long period. But in the world -- the conservative world of the royal family to be specific -- that was actually fast.

Let us look back on the first three months that kicked off Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's "against all the odds" love story.

Is Meghan Markle Easy To Get?

Based on the excerpt of the Sussexes' bombshell biography "Finding Freedom" that was published in "The Times" last Sunday, it turns out that the first three months of their dating stage were filed with flirtatious exchanges.

The new book claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex first went on a date at Soho House's Dean Steet Townhouse, where the 38-year-old Prince Harry realized that his royal smile would not be enough to impress the then "Suits" actress. However, they found themselves chatting for three hours and connecting.

The second date happened at the same place, but this time, they were served by a single waiter to protect their privacy. The following evening, Prince Harry invited Meghan to Kensington Palace, where she passed through a discreet employee's entrance to Harry's pad.

Six weeks later, the sixth heir to the British throne invited Meghan on a trip, and she was only told to be in London and the dashing Prince will arrange everything. Meghan quickly jumped on the plan and reportedly spent a night with Harry before finding herself aboard on a flight to Johannesburg and a two-hour flight to Maun International Airport to Botswana's safari country.

According to the book, when Meghan returned from the Botswana trip, her phone was filled with snapshots, showing "the nature they had seen, candid snaps of herself, and selfies with Harry."

The First Time Prince Harry Professed His Love To Meghan

"Finding Freedom" authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand also claimed that after the Botswana trip, Prince Harry and Meghan's romance was on a fast track.

And in a span for three months and three official dates, the Duke is already professing his love for Meghan.

"Three months into their relationship, a Meghan friend said, they had already begun swapping the words 'I love you'," the book excerpt read.

"It was Harry who said it first, but Meghan immediately replied, 'I love you, too.' From there, it didn't take long for them to begin talking in non-oblique terms about their future," it added.

While "Finding Freedom" claims to be an ultimate revelation of Prince Harry and Meghan's whirlwind royal romance, the couple's spokesperson made it clear that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not contribute or ever contributed anything for the biography.

"This book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting," the spokesperson told BBC.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle's Brother And Sister: Who Are Samantha Grant And Thomas Markle Jr.?
As Ive been going through my various boxes, Ive found that many are stuffed with letters, drafts of essays, newspaper clippings and all the detritus of my editing and writing life at Book World. Somewhere, in one of them, is a note from Amiri Baraka agreeing to review a history of jazz and another from Roald Dahl mentioning that Ed McBain  author of the 87th Precinct mysteries  was his favorite American writer and still another from Elie Wiesel complimenting me on my translation of an essay he had composed in rather florid French. Theres even an invitation from Sir Harold Acton, suggesting I visit him at Villa La Pietra, just outside Florence, and a folder of letters from Angela Carter, with whom I used to carry on long telephone conversations about reading, fairy tales and children. Happy days.
A former Fleming College student says he is still scared from a brutal attack in February when he was walking in the back alley behind Home Hardware on Simcoe St. in downtown Peterborough.

Dang Nguyen, an international student from Vietnam, was walking to work through the alley between Charlotte Street and Simcoe Street when he was attacked by a man wielding a knife.

The attack occurred at about 10 a.m. Feb. 8 when Nguyen was walking to catch his bus to work and cut through the alleyway.

He said he was minding his own business when a guy ran up from behind him and spooked him.

I heard him running behind me, so I looked back, and he spooked me and scared me, Nguyen said. After that, he ran away, so I kept walking, but suddenly he turned back and from his pocket he took out this knife, a steak knife.

When he asked the man what he wanted, he didnt say anything, the man just stabbed him twice, once in the abdomen and once in the neck, hen said.

He said he still has nightmares about the attack and still fears it could happen again.

I have several nightmares about that incident, he said. My life has changed since then, in a bad way. I try to think positively, but not like that, not like the negative way.

He hopes the man, who attacked him, gets served justice because he was on bail from a couple prior incidents when he was attacked by him, said Nguyen.

Dillon Cowen, 23 at the time of the attack, was charged with attempted murder.

Cowen had been arrested two previous times for incidents in the months leading up to the attack on Nguyen, both prior incidents involved weapons such as a knife and an ice pick, police said.

That guy who stabbed me, he was already on bail from another incident and after my incident I read about another incident as well, Nguyen said. Police need to realize that problem, not especially my problem, but for everybody.

Nguyen has since graduated from Fleming College in the computer technician course. He is currently looking for work in his field, which is difficult, he said.

Prior to the attack Nguyen was able to live an independent life, but now he is unable to walk without the help of others.

That has impacted his ability to make money and to live independently, he said.

I am not (working) right now, so I tried to apply to some jobs, but in my condition I cannot, I am a computer technician, so I have tried to find something, but in this economy I dont think much about that.
Editors note: The following is an excerpt from a longer story on the debate by the author.

The essence of the state Senate debate over the police reform bill was embodied Tuesday night in an exchange between Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, and Sen. Dan Champagne, R-Vernon.

They faced off from opposite sides of the Senate, each informed by vastly different perspectives of police.

Winfield is co-author of the bill, which passed in a 21-15 vote just before 4 a.m. Wednesday. He is Black and urban, his political awakening sparked by one of Americas earliest cases of police brutality on video: the beating of Rodney King by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Champagne is white and suburban, a man who came to politics after a career as a police officer in Vernon.

Champagne sees the legislation as flawed, particularly its limits on the doctrine of qualified immunity that long has protected police officers, good and bad, from liability in litigation over police brutality and other misconduct. The bill actually maintains significant protection for police officers in civil cases, specifying that officers will be indemnified against loss unless a jury enters a judgment against them for a malicious, wanton or wilful act.

But Champagne said he sees only pitfalls, traps for well-intended police officers and invitations for frivolous lawsuits. He peppered Winfield with hypotheticals. Could someone who got a speeding ticket sue? What about the officer who confronts an armed man, fires and mistakenly hits a bystander? Would regional SWAT teams still be possible?

Champagne said the bill is too intrusive, prohibiting police from pressing motorists for permission to search a car after a motor vehicle stop, unless they had probable cause. He predicted officers would step back for fear of litigation.

Winfield listened. He struggled at times to answer. Eventually, his rebuttal turned on the differences in the two worlds of Dan Champagne and Gary Winfield.

I can tell you about sitting on my porch, watching police officers pull over a car. Its a young man. Its a young Black man, and I can tell you exactly how that situation is going to go, Winfield said. I can tell you that officers trying to get into the car, and that officer doesnt have probable cause. And the officer will say things like, Well, he seemed nervous. 

Winfield paused.

Im the chair of the Judiciary Committee. They pull me over, Im nervous, he said. Because I have walked around in this skin for the entirety of my life. That doesnt mean the officer is bad. It means that what has happened here has led us to a place where I cant say for sure that I leave that encounter.

Winfield told the senators they were debating a bill provoked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, but ironically that case was not the best evidence of its necessity. The officers in Floyds death will get a different brand of justice due to the incidents notoriety, but in a normal case there is no effective recourse for someone who looks like his constituents, someone who looks like him.

We can have all these hypotheticals and all of the stuff you want to talk about. Ive heard it all, Winfield said. But theres no justice for those people. And that means no justice for me. And if theres no justice for me, theres no justice for those people. And what you call justice is injustice.
Existing trade deals, especially the 2009 pact with the Asean bloc, have been panned by the Centre for not boosting exports but flooding the domestic market with cheap imports.

Subsequently, New Delhi has called for reviewing FTAs with Japan and South Korea. Going by that, a trade deal with the US is unlikely to be beneficial, say experts.

Experts have urged the government to take a consistent stand on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), saying it needs to exercise caution on the proposed pact with the US.

This is with respect to existing FTAs having been termed hasty and inherently unequal by the government.

India has pushed to ink a limited trade pact with the US, along with the possibility of an FTA later.

However, officials say talks will pick up only after the US presidential elections.

Talks had progressed after India pulled out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in November 2019.

Referring to the RCEP, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday justified Indias move, arguing that the economy was not being served well by the FTAs signed so far.

However, he emphasised that the present global situation warranted the leveraging of specific partnerships - a statement indicating that exceptions could be made for the US, the EU, and the UK.

Existing trade deals, especially the 2009 pact with the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) bloc, have been panned by the Centre for not boosting exports but flooding the domestic market with cheap imports.

Subsequently, New Delhi has called for reviewing FTAs with Japan and South Korea.

Going by that, a trade deal with the US is unlikely to be beneficial, say experts.

Average import tariffs for India are significantly higher than those of developed nations, and domestic businesses need to become competitive faster, said senior trade policy expert and JNU professor Biswajit Dhar.

History could repeat following the RCEP drama if the domestic scenario doesnt improve, given the same issues will continue to crop up, Dhar had warned.

Even if the domestic industry is brought on board, the government has to deal with the unenviable task of deciding the exports that could be leveraged upon to boost outbound trade, according to him.

Besides tariffs, New Delhi needs to be watchful of the US strict insistence on maintaining high standards on labour, environment, and intellectual property rights, which may make exports tougher and increase compliance for businesses to an extent for which they are not ready, said Jayant Dasgupta, former ambassador to the WTO.

FTA blues

In 2019, the revenue department had started assessing flaws in trade deals, which led to a spiralling trade deficit.

According to the FY21 receipts budget, the revenue India has had to forego due to all trade pacts amounted to Rs 65,734 crore in FY20, up from Rs 48,793 crore last year.

Further, a NITI Aayog study last year used Asean as a model, given the range of goods covered and volume of trade - saying the utilisation rate of current deals by Indian exporters was very low (5-25 per cent).

Sectors in which the trade deficit has worsened account for 75 per cent of exports to Asean, while trade-surplus sectors showed only marginal improvement, it added.

Among the present FTAs showing significant trade deficit, five are with members of Asean.

Exports to these nations constituted 10 per cent of the total outbound trade, and stood at $31.49 billion in FY20, down 5.1 per cent year-on-year.

Conversely, imports were almost double at $55.36 billion as of FY20, down 6.6 per cent from $59 billion in FY19.

Photograph: Reuters
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President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that federal agents will not be leaving Portland until local officials secure their city and rid it of 'anarchists and agitators'.

'We're not leaving until they secure their city. If they don't secure their city soon, we have no choice. We're gonna have to go in and clean it out,' the president told reporters ahead of his flight to Texas.

'So in Portland, they either clean out their city and do the job and get rid of the anarchists and agitators, which is what they are. They're not protesters...' the president said.

'They either clean out their city and do it right or we're going to have to do it for them,' Trump added.

His remarks came just a day after it was revealed that his administration had initiated talks with Oregon's Democratic Gov Kate Brown about pulling federal troops out of Portland after more than 60 nights of unrest.

The White House said it would agree to draw down the presence of troops if the state stepped up its own enforcement, an anonymous senior White House official told AP on Tuesday.

Scroll down for video

President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that federal agents will not be leaving Portland until local officials secure their city and rid it of 'anarchists' and 'agitators'

A protester taunts federal officers after being shot with less-lethal munitions outside the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse after an unlawful assembly was declared Tuesday night

A mortar round thrown by protesters explodes amidst federal officers in downtown Portland Tuesday night

Protesters face off with federal officers in downtown Portland after an unlawful assembly was declared Tuesday night

Several moms stand behind protesters holding shields during another night of protests in downtown Portland

One protester is seen holding up a shield to protect himself from less-lethal munitions fired by federal agents

A demonstrator flashes a peace sign at federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse early Wednesday morning

Mothers face off with federal law enforcement officers during a demonstration against police violence and racial inequality in Portland Tuesday night

Federal officers advance on retreating demonstrators after an illegal assembly was declared during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse

Demonstrators retreat as federal officers launch tear gas on them during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse early Wednesday morning

The talks between the White House and Oregon came a day after the US Marshals Service and Department of Homeland Security weighted whether to send in more agents.

The marshals were taking steps to identify up to 100 additional personnel who could go in case they were needed to relieve or supplement the deputy marshals who work in Oregon, spokesman Drew Wade said.

Portland officials have also announced their own action against the deployment of troops by fining the federal government until it removes an unpermitted fence around the Mark O. Hatfield courthouse.

On Tuesday, Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly announced fines on the fence that was set up without permission.

Eudaly said the government hasnt responded to a cease and desist demand on behalf of the city sent last week and said the bill against the federal government is now $192,000 'and counting' as of Monday night.

'We intend to collect,' she said.

'Typically, we would send a maintenance crew or contractor to remove such an obstruction, but I will not send workers into harm's way,' she said.

Protests in Portland have spiraled out of control since the death of George Floyd in May, prompting the federal government to intervene and send in troops

Demonstrators hold placards reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Cops are paid to protect not murder' during a protests

Protest in the Portland entered their 62nd night on Tuesday as federal authorities attempt to quell the civil unrest plaguing the city

Demonstrator Teal Lindseth uses a megaphone during a protest against racial inequality and police violence on Tuesday night

The protests have shown no sign of stopping despite the U.S. Marshals Service and Department of Homeland Security weighing whether to send in more agents

'Yes, I am afraid to direct workers to do their job and enforce our laws against the federal governmentI hope that gives everyone reading this pause,' she added.

According to the transportation bureaus rules, which Eudaly oversees, it can assess a maximum $500 fine for obstructing the public right of way without a permit and levy a charge every 15 minutes, hourly, daily, weekly or monthly, according to Oregon Live.

The fence has become the heart of evening protests, which have broken out in the city for months following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

Protesters have hit the streets demanding an end to racial injustice and police brutality.

The demonstrations have escalated into violence with protesters throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails, fireworks and laser pointers at the federal courthouse.

Crowds gathered outside the Mark O. Hatfield courthouse on Tuesday where the federal government installed a protective fence

Hundreds of protesters gathered to listen to Native American speakers outside the Multnomah County Justice Center

Recent protests have escalated into violence with protesters throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails, fireworks and laser pointers at the federal courthouse

Portland officials announced Tuesday the city is fining the federal government $500 every 15 minutes for erecting an unauthorized fence surround the federal court house and the Justice Center in downtown Portland

Protesters attempted to push over the fence set up by federal agents above on Friday

A fire burns behind a fence as protesters gather at the Justice Center and Federal Courthouse on Monday evening. Protests have only worsened with the deployment of federal agents to Portland

Demonstrators are seen holding up umbrellas for protection against less-lethal munitions outside the Portland courthouse Tuesday night

People gather for a demonstration in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland on Tuesday

Federal police clean in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland as the city experiences another night of unrest

Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly announced Tuesday that the city of Portland is assessing a maximum fine of $500 for every 15 minutes that the unauthorized fence set up by federal agents remains standing

Federal agents have responded with tear gas, less-lethal ammunition and arrests.

Despite the clashes between agents and civilians, Trump has touted their deployment as a success.

'We, as you know, have done an excellent job of watching over Portland and watching our courthouse where they wanted to burn it down, they're anarchists, nothing short of anarchist agitators,' Trump said Tuesday.

'And we have protected it very powerfully. And if we didn't go there, I will tell you, you wouldn't have a courthouse. You'd have a billion-dollar burned-out building.'

US Attorney General William Barr has also defended the aggressive federal response to Congress, saying 'violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests' sparked by Floyds death.

On Monday the feud between troops and city officials only inflamed when the Trump administration announced theyll send in additional federal agents to the city, despite demands from elected representatives and lawsuits against the deployment.

Now Oregon state leaders are advocating for a ban on tear gas, limits on munitions and legislation to require officers display their names and ID numbers in the upcoming special session in the State Legislature.

Federal law enforcement officials pictured aiming at protesters standing outside a fence they set up around the Justice Center and Federal Courthouse in Portland on Friday

Demonstrators hold signs during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Monday in Portland, Oregon

Members of the 'Wall of Moms' protest group lock arms as they are tear-gassed by federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Portland courthouse on Monday

A demonstrator holds a sign in front of a fire during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Tuesday in Portland

A demonstrator kicks a tear gas canister back at federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse early Wednesday morning

A protester walks through tear gas deployed by federal law enforcement officers during a demonstration against police violence and racial inequality in Portland early Wednesday morning

Federal officers are surrounded by smoke as they push back demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse early Wednesday morning

Several moms join together to block a Department of Homeland Security SUV from pursuing street protesters as they clash with federal officers Tuesday night

People gather in protest in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland as the city experiences another night of unrest

'Our federal delegation has pushed for DOJ and DHS Inspectors General to investigate Trump's lawless actions in Portlandthey are also working to defund this action in Congress,' she said.

'I know how challenging this is for Portlanders. I am committed to doing everything in my power to end this federal occupation and move forward with our community's reckoning with racial injustice and our efforts to transform our approach to policing and public safety,' Eudaly added.

Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty have called for a 'cease-fire' in the protests.

The American Civil Liberties Union in Oregon filed a motion alleging that the militarized U.S. agents are attacking journalists and legal observers with riot-control munitions, despite a federal court ordering them to stop this week.

Last week, the U.S. District Court in Portland - located in the same federal court building that's been the focus of protests - temporarily blocked federal officers from targeting journalists and legal observers at the protests.

The ACLU asked the court to sanction and hold in contempt federal agents for violating the temporary restraining order.

'As of yesterday, the federal government owes us $192,000 and counting. We intend to collect,' Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly tweeted Tuesday

Several moms join together to block a Department of Homeland Security SUV from pursuing street protesters as they clash with federal officers on Tuesday

A fire is set during a demonstration in downtown Portland Tuesday night

Federal law enforcement officers stand guard during a protest against racial inequality and police violence in Portland

Meanwhile, business owner Stacey Gibson (right), who owns five fast-food restaurants in Portland has said that nightly protests have been hijacked by people 'taking advantage of an opportunity' and who are not a part of the Black Lives Matter movement

It also asked the court to order Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli to personally appear and show why they should not be sanctioned for contempt.

The organization cited numerous instances in which agents have violated the order by firing impact munitions and using pepper spray against people clearly marked as journalists or legal observers.

One journalist, Jonathan Levinson of Oregon Public Broadcasting, said in a statement to the court that while he was trying to take a photograph Friday, he saw a federal agent raise his weapon, aim it at him and fire several rounds.

'My camera and lens were splattered with paint,' Levinson said. 'Based on my position and the position of people around me, there is almost no chance the agent was aiming at anyone other than me.'

Trump had also sent troops to Seattle on 'standby' last week to protect federal buildings amid civil unrest.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Tuesday that she had received confirmation that agents had left her city.

Meanwhile, businesses in the downtown area are fighting to survive.

Stacey Gibson, who owns five fast-food restaurants in Portland has said that nightly protests have been hijacked by people 'taking advantage of an opportunity' and who are not a part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Gibson said it has been 'terrifying' trying to keep her businesses open.

She told Fox News @ Night that she believes a bunch of opportunists are taking advantage of the protests and that the message of the Black Lives Matter movement 'is getting lost'.

'Its certainly not the Black Lives movement that is causing all this damage on the federal buildings and everything else,' Gibson said.

'Its just people taking advantage of an opportunity. And its hurting a lot of people  I mean, not just the businesses but the residents and everybody thats trying to be down here. I mean, its just destroyed Portland, in my opinion.

'Its terrifying as a business owner. Im just not really sure what to expect and this is just unprecedented situations.'
The US will accept no new applications for protection for "Dreamers," young migrants who arrived illegally in the US as minors, a senior official said Tuesday.

However, those who already have a permit under the program may renew it for a year, the official told reporters under the condition of anonymity.

In 2017 President Donald Trump tried to cancel the program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protected so-called Dreamers from deportation and allowed them to work and study in America.

But the case ended up in court and in June the Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration's attempt to kill DACA.

Now, the government will accept no new DACA applications but it will renew the protected status of those who already have it, although, for just a year and not two as had been the case until now, the official said.

Some 7,00,000 people in America have benefited from the DACA program, most of them of Latin American origin.
Former Maryland state delegate Cheryl Glenn, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to taking nearly $34,000 in bribes, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison after emotional testimony about her career in public service from the Baltimore native and her family.

"Let me begin by telling you how profoundly remorseful I am," Glenn told Judge Catherine Blake through tears during the hearing in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. "I accept full responsibility for my conduct."

Glenn, who was first elected to the Maryland General Assembly in 2006, resigned from the legislature in December before the U.S. attorney for Maryland announced the charges against her.

She pleaded guilty in January to taking bribes related to her cannabis advocacy, including accepting money in exchange for her support on measures that included preferential treatment for Maryland-based cannabis companies and expanded licensing for out-of-state marijuana companies, among other things. The money came in five payments over the course of a year in 2018 and 2019.

During the sentencing hearing, Glenn, 69, and her attorney, William Brennan, said she acted out of desperation after a series of events, including the death of her husband, brought her financial hardship.

"It is hard to accept that I allowed my circumstances to blind me," Glenn said. "One year, one year of my life out of a total of 69, I absolutely messed up."

But prosecutors called Glenn a "corrupt politician."

"She chose to monetize the position she assumed," Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise said. "Without exaggerating, Del. Glenn sold her vote on a bill that literally had her mother's name on it."

While in office, Glenn served as chair of the Baltimore City delegation and the Legislative Black Caucus. She advocated for the inclusion of minority businesses in the state's marijuana industry and sponsored the bill that created Maryland's medical marijuana program. The program was named for Glenn's mother, who died of kidney cancer and could not access the drug to ease her symptoms.

Brennan said he did not believe it was "necessary to incarcerate a person who has otherwise lived an exemplary life." He noted that Glenn had endured poverty and homelessness as a child in Baltimore, survived domestic violence at points in her life and was the core of her family unit, which includes children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

"My client's most severe humiliation has been facing her family," Brennan said. "When you put all of these factors together, your honor, look at where Ms. Glenn came from. . . . that person, your honor, I think has learned her lesson."

He asked the judge to allow Glenn to serve her time on home detention. But Blake said she did not believe home detention sufficiently matched the severity of her crimes.

"This was not a one-time lapse, it was not a momentary giving in to temptation. It was a deliberate scheme," Blake said.

Although Brennan had argued that his client's age and health made her especially susceptible to the novel coronavirus, the judge sentenced Glenn to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. As a compromise, Blake said that Glenn did not need to surrender until Sept. 21, and that the date could be extended based on the severity of the pandemic.

The judge told the court that she had taken into consideration the good Glenn had done for the community and the struggles she had overcome in her life.

"In many ways, the heights to which she was able to rise just magnify the tragedy of what she has done to violate the public trust," Blake said.

Nearly 70 pages of letters were submitted to the court supporting Glenn, Blake said, and three of the former lawmaker's family members joined the virtual hearing to speak on her behalf. They described a woman who raised her children and grandchildren with a strong moral compass and heart for service.

Growing up, according to the testimony from her family, Glenn told them to stay out of trouble, often saying, "We don't do jail."
Panaji, July 29 : The state capital of Goa, Panaji, will soon put SOPs in place for the upcoming festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, city mayor Uday Madkaikar said on Wednesday, adding that restrictions could be imposed at immersion points in order to prevent overcrowding.

"Our municipal officials are meeting the police to prepare guidelines. We cannot have crowd anymore (in view of Covid-19). We will develop a special SOP after discussion," Madkaikar told reporters here.

"We could be looking at a possibility where only two persons from each household may be allowed to step out for visarjan (immersion ceremony)," the mayor of the Corporation of the City of Panaji also said. The city has five points for immersion of Ganesh idols after the culmination of the festival.

The mayor also said that civic authorities were also looking at creating a staggered schedule for immersion of idols for worshippers from different parts of the city, in order to prevent overcrowding.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has witnessed a sustained spike in Goa, Madkaikar also said that the manner in which the festival -- which is scheduled to commence on August 22 -- is celebrated in the streets of Goa as well as in individual homes, may need to be changed.

"People used to visit each others' homes for aartis (prayers), but that may not be advisable now because of the pandemic," Madkaikar said.

Ganesh Chaturthi is the most popular Hindu festival of Goa.

Latest updates on Ganesh Chaturthi Festival 2020
A physically challenged bank employee was charred to death when the car in which he was travelling exploded in flames after ramming into a container truck from behind in Andhra Pradeshs Kurnool district early Wednesday, police said.

The deceased was identified as Shiva Kumar (40), working as a clerk in State Bank of India, Nandyal branch and a native of Rythunagaram village. The accident happened near Chapireruvla toll plaza on the outskirts of Nandyal town.

Nandyal sub-inspector of police Sudhakar Reddy said Shiva Kumar, along with his three friends  K Kasaiah, G S Kumar and C Surendra, was returning to Nandyal from Hyderabad in a car via Nandyal, after attending some personal work.

As the car was approaching Nandyal, one of them who was driving the vehicle lost control over the steering and rammed the car into a container truck from behind at a high speed. The front portion of the car was mangled badly and got stuck under the container, the SI said.

The truck driver, who apparently had not noticed the car stuck under the vehicle on the rear side, continued to drive for nearly three kilometres. It was only after the car exploded in flames that the truck came to a halt, the police official said.

While the three friends managed to save their lives by quickly jumping out of the car, Shiva Kumar could not come out quickly because of his disability in the lower limbs. As the flames engulfed the entire car, he was charred to death, the SI said.

Police officials from Nandyal rushed a fire tender to the spot and brought the flames under control. While the car was completely gutted, the container truck was partially damaged in the fire.

We have registered a case and are inquiring into the cause of the accident, Sudhakar Reddy said.
This initiative will position Hampton Roads as the premier destination for offshore wind companies to invest, while also creating new economic prospects for existing businesses, attracting new investments to the region, and sparking new permanent job creation.

The Hampton Roads Alliance (the Alliance) is pleased to announce a new initiative to develop a comprehensive supply chain to serve the east coast offshore wind industry. This effort is made possible largely thanks to a Department of Housing & Community Development GO Virginia grant of $529,788 that will help fund the first two years of this effort. This initiative will position Hampton Roads as the premier destination for offshore wind companies to invest, while also creating new economic prospects for existing businesses, attracting new investments to the region, and sparking new permanent job creation.

The Alliance is proud to be a key partner in the collective effort to bring offshore wind to the Hampton Roads region. We would like to sincerely thank Governor Ralph Northam and these Virginia General Assembly for leading the charge to bring renewable energy to the Commonwealth of Virginia, and GO Virginia for awarding the Alliance a grant which will be used to kick off our supply chain development initiative, said Doug Smith, President & CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance.

This initiative will entail efforts to both recruit offshore wind companies to establish operations in the region, while simultaneously identifying opportunities for existing Virginia businesses to become part of the supply chain. This effort will involve significant coordination and collaboration with local, regional and state partners, including the Virginia Division of Offshore Wind within the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME) and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP). In support of this new initiative, the Alliance is pleased to announce the hiring of Matt Smith as the Director of Offshore Wind Business Development. In the spirit of collaboration, a hiring committee comprised of representatives from the Hampton Roads Alliance, Virginia DMME, Port of Virginia, Virginia Maritime Association and Portsmouth Economic Development conducted the search and selection of this new hire from a wide pool of candidates. The committee unanimously recommended Matt for the role and is excited to welcome him to the Alliance team.

Before joining the Alliance, Matt served as the Senior Regional Planner at the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) and worked in the areas of strategic, environmental and comprehensive planning. Matt led efforts at the HRPDC on issues ranging from offshore wind to site development readiness. Matt came to the HRPDC from the City of Hamptons Community Development Department where he helped begin Hamptons resilience planning program.

Prior to his career in community development, Matt worked for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and for a research and consulting firm. Matt, a native of Hampton Roads, earned a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.A. in American History from Washington and Lee University.

We are very excited to have Matt Smith join our team as our first Director for Offshore Wind Business Development, said Brian K. Skinner, Chief Banking Officer for TowneBank and Chair of Alliance Board of Directors. Matt comes to the Alliance with a history of serving the 757 region, and we look forward to the experience and passion he will bring with him to this inaugural role.

The Virginia Department of Mines Minerals and Energy is pleased to have the Alliance as an important partner in the State's burgeoning offshore wind industry, commented Jennifer Palestrant, Chief Deputy, DMME. Matt's experience, along with his knowledge of the local business community and regional development opportunities, will serve this emerging industry well.

Virginia is positioned to be a leader in the offshore wind energy industry, and we are excited to partner with the Hampton Roads Alliance, DHCD and DMME on these initiatives to expand Virginias offshore wind supply chain, said Stephen Moret, VEDP President and CEO. It is through collaboration among state, local and regional organizations that we can recruit new business, growing this industry and creating economic opportunity in the Hampton Roads region and throughout the Commonwealth.

As offshore wind energy production and its supporting supply chain begin to take footing along the U.S. East Coast, the Hampton Roads Harbor and the existing maritime cluster is poised to be a key hub in this emerging industry, remarked John F. Reinhart, CEO and Executive Director, Virginia Port Authority. The Port of Virginia is pleased to see the Alliance establish an offshore wind supply chain development program, as well as the addition of Matt Smith as the Director of Offshore Wind Business Development. The Port of Virginia and the Alliance are strategic economic development partners, and we look forward to working with Matt to grow the offshore wind industry here in Virginia.

We are very happy to have Matt join the Alliance. His in-depth local knowledge, planning expertise and regional network will be invaluable in establishing our region as a major player in the East Coast offshore wind supply chain, said Will Fediw, Vice President of Industry & Government Affairs, Virginia Maritime Association.

From economics to workforce to infrastructure and industry planning, offshore wind will be a major aspect of our regions future, commented Robert D. Moore, Director, Portsmouth Economic Development. The City of Portsmouth is excited to collaborate with our local, regional and national partners to ensure that the 757 is the preferred East Coast hub for the industry. Matts knowledge of the region and technical background will support those efforts.

To further this new initiative, the Alliance is also establishing a European-based offshore wind economic development office. Located in Frankfurt, Germany, the Hampton Roads Alliance Offshore Wind Office will be staffed by experts who will engage with European-based companies and promote the assets of the region.

We as the European arm of the Hampton Roads Alliance are thrilled to represent this initiative. As one of the first pioneers to help European offshore wind companies navigate through the U.S. and Hampton Roads, the Alliance will start by opening an office in Frankfurt, said Andreas Paulicks, Director Europe, Hampton Roads Alliance Offshore Wind Office. This decision is based on the fact that Europe and especially Germany are among the leading nations within the renewable energy industry and in particular offshore wind. The strong presence of renewable energy in Europe will bring great opportunities to support investments from Europe to Hampton Roads.

Hampton Roads is uniquely positioned to support the growing $100 billion East Coast offshore wind industry. The region boasts unmatched port infrastructure, Americas largest and most skilled maritime workforce, no overhead bridge restrictions between key port facilities and the open ocean, and abundant waterfront land. Dominion Energy also recently completed installation of the first two turbines in Federal waters as part of its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.

Offshore Wind represents a once in a generation opportunity to bring an entirely new industry to the region, said ReInvent Hampton Roads CEO & President, Jim Spore.

For further information or to secure an interview with Alliance President & CEO, Doug Smith, please contact Jillian Goodwin, Director of Marketing & Communications at jgoodwin@757alliance.com.

About the Hampton Roads Alliance

The Hampton Roads Alliance is the leading regional economic development organization for Hampton Roads, VA. It is a nonprofit, public-private partnership representing 11 localities and over 70 private sector investors. With the support of its community and business partners, the Alliance serves as the regions single point of contact for regional economic development to assist domestic and international companies who are considering expansion or relocating to the Hampton Roads region. Its mission is to work collaboratively to attract, grow and retain higher-wage industries and talent to create a more resilient, inclusive and diverse region of choice.
Ms Berejiklian said she was not informed in advance of that decision, and added the border closure would hurt Queensland much more than it would hurt NSW. Loading "The economic consequences in Queensland or South Australia will hurt much more than it hurts NSW, we are in the strongest position in the nation which we want to maintain obviously," she said. Ten of the new cases confirmed in NSW have been linked to the Thai Rock Wetherill Park outbreak, taking it to 85 cases. Two of the new cases associated with that outbreak were in two women from the Hunter New England area, who are part of a cluster of at least six cases linked to the Wetherill Park outbreak. Three new cases have been linked to the funerals cluster in the Bankstown area, taking that cluster to 18, and one has been linked to the Crossroads Hotel outbreak which includes 57 cases.

Schools, pizza restaurant closed Fort Street High School in Petersham will be closed on Thursday after it was advised of a possible COVID-19 case. The results of that person's test will be confirmed while the school will undertake deep cleaning in the meantime. Sydney Catholic Schools confirmed additional cases of COVID-19 at Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary Bossley Park and Freeman Catholic College in Bonnyrigg  both of which closed last week as students underwent tests, and have since tested positive. "Both students have been in isolation since the weekend and neither have attended the re-opening of the school today," the statement read. "Neither student has been in attendance since the sites underwent their deep clean."

EverLearn Preschool in Prestons will also close on Thursday for deep cleaning and contact tracing after a confirmed case of COVID-19. The school was one of several which was closed for cleaning last week. Meantime, a restaurant in Sydney's inner west has closed for deep cleaning after a customer tested positive for COVID-19. NSW Health advised Frank's Pizza Bar Restaurant, located in Camperdown along Parramatta Road, that the person had visited the establishment on Sunday, July 26, according to a Facebook post published on Wednesday evening. "NSW Health has advised us that we are of low risk, as the customer was in the restaurant for two hours and stayed within his group", the message said.

Wearing mask 'good policy' Ms Berejiklian said she had noticed "employers who have staff in regular contact with customers in indoor space are suggesting to staff that they wear masks". "I think that is a completely sound way to proceed, if venues want to do that, that is a good policy," she said. "At this stage we are saying if you can't maintain social distancing, you should [wear a mask] and some employers have gone that extra step and I commend them for going that extra step."

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said social distancing would be around for the duration of the pandemic. Credit:Brook Mitchell Ms Berejiklian said she had noticed a "number of older people have chosen to wear masks when they leave home and that's a good thing". "If you are a vulnerable person, you might be good at social distancing but people around you may be less good at that and for that reason, I think masks might be a good option," she said. The Potts Point outbreak has also grown to seven, including cases connected to the Thai Rock restaurant as well as The Apollo and the Cruising Yacht Club in nearby Rushcutters Bay. NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Jeremy McAnulty said there was still no clear link between the clusters at the two Thai Rock venues.

"We are continuing to investigate," he said. "What we look for is links between cases while they're infectious and we haven't been able to find any." New rules for gyms As NSW grapples with ongoing community transmission, tighter restrictions have been placed on gyms and fitness studios. Ms Berejiklian said from Saturday, gyms will be required to register a COVID safety plan and have a dedicated hygiene marshal on duty at all times. "I think it's really important we give people confidence to be able to go to the gym," Ms Berejiklian said.

Loading Dr McAnulty said the restrictions were being brought in as gyms have been recognised as "a potentially risky venue". "People might be clustered close together and maybe reusing machines that others have used without cleaning," he said. Police revealed on Wednesday a Kogarah bakery owner had been fined $5000 after not requiring people to register when eating in at the venue. Ms Berejiklian urged people to leave venues if they felt those businesses were not operating in a safe manner, and reminded people the 1.5-metre rule also applied to seated groups at places including cafes, restaurants and pubs.
The U.S. will bring about 6,400 troops home from Germany and move about 5,400 more to other countries in Europe, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced Tuesday.

Why it matters: President Trump has expressed a desire to remove the troops in the past, accusing Germany of "delinquent" payments to NATO. But the idea has been met with some bipartisan opposition in Congress, as many lawmakers believe removing troops would encourage Russian aggression

Where it stands: The withdrawal will leave some 24,000 troops in the country. Pentagon officials have told lawmakers it will take years to complete.

Esper claimed the removal and rearrangement "will strengthen NATO, enhance the deterrence of Russia, and meet the other principles I set forth."

What they're saying: 22 Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee implored Trump to drop his plans to move troops out of Germany in June, arguing that it would undermine the training and readiness of U.S. and allied forces and cause "serious logistical challenges."
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) London  Wed, July 29, 2020 18:06 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a4a38a 2 Art & Culture Rembrandt,auction Free

One of only three self-portraits by Rembrandt still in private hands sold in London Tuesday for 14.5 million ($18.7 million, 16 million euros), setting an auction record for one of the Dutch master's self-portraits.

The work, "Self-portrait wearing a ruff and black hat", went under the hammer at Sotheby's in London as part of a 71-lot auction -- "Rembrandt to Richter" -- featuring more than half a millennium of art history.

Its sale price was within expectations after being listed with a guide price of 12-16 million and bidding getting underway at 10 million.

Sotheby's said the work was "chased by six determined bidders", handily beating a 6.9 million record set for another self-portrait by the artist in 2003.

The third self-portrait is on a long-term loan to the National Gallery of Scotland.

Read also: Despite the success of their online sales, auction houses saw 49% drop in sales

The work sold Tuesday, one of 80 Rembrandt created during his career, is the earliest in date of that trio.

It was painted towards the end of 1632, when the 26-year-old was establishing himself in Amsterdam and enjoying his first flush of commercial success.

"Rembrandt's face is instantly recognizable to us at every stage of his adulthood - far more so than any other painter," said George Gordon, Sotheby's co-chairman of Old Master Paintings Worldwide.

"We know that this painting was created in a remarkably short period of time, because he laid in the background first, but when he signed it upon completion, the background was still wet, so the signature is impressed into it by his brush."

Tuesday's auction, spanning the Italian Renaissance and Dutch Golden Age through to pop art and postmodern abstraction, kicked off with in-person attendance limited due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The pieces being sold, including works by German artist Gerhard Richter, Spanish artist Joan Miro and British artist Francis Bacon, have been on display at Sotheby's since July 3.

Topics : Rembrandt auction
Flood waters have continued to rise across Bangladesh following monsoon rain which has killed at least 35 people in the country. At Munshiganj, properties were washed away by a river after levels rose because of the weather.

In nearby Sirajganj, residents were forced to walk through floodwater as they began a clean-up operation.

Asha Khatun, who had to flee her home, said she hasn't been able to eat on some days because there's not enough food.

Mohammed Sahidul Alal, a local official, said that dry food and cooked meals have been distributed to residents as part of an aid effort.

Officials said almost four million people have been affected by monsoon rain in Bangladesh this year.
U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider announces Wednesday that dozens of federal agents and deputy marshals are being assigned to Detroit to combat gun violence and arrest fugitives. Read more

MADISON, Wis.  Federal prosecutors worked Wednesday to dispel concerns that federal agents headed to a number of U.S. cities will be used to break up protests, insisting that the agents will work side-by-side with local and state investigators to solve violent crimes.

President Donald Trump recently sent federal agents to Portland, Oregon, to protect federal property during the almost daily protests in the city since the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The move has drawn heavy criticism because the agents have been accused of overstepping that mandate, arresting people without probable cause, whisking them away in unmarked cars and using excessive force. Oregons governor, Kate Brown, said Wednesday that the agents would begin a phased withdrawal from Portland starting Thursday.

 READ MORE: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown says U.S. agents will begin leaving Portland after clashes with protesters

Trump announced last week that he was sending agents to more U.S. cities, including Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee, to combat a rise in violent crime as part of an operation that started last year. That announcement raised fears among Democrats that those agents' real mission would be to bust up protests and make liberal-leaning cities look bad as Trump seeks to win re-election.

This president is abusing his power and public resources to fuel a twisted campaign strategy, Libby Schaaf, the mayor of Oakland, California, said during a conference call with reporters Wednesday.

Matthew Krueger, the U.S. attorney in Milwaukee, told reporters during a news conference earlier Wednesday that the media was confusing agents' missions. Agents being sent to cities other than Portland were part of a U.S. Department of Justice effort to bolster manpower in high-crime cities dubbed Operation Legend, he said. That initiative began in December. It was supposed to have been expanded this spring but the coronavirus pandemic delayed that move until this month, he said.

Krueger said he spent the last week updating local and state authorities in Wisconsin on the agents' mission and stressed that the agents wouldn't be used to go after protesters and instead would work with local authorities, just as federal agents have long done.

If you use the words Portland, Oregon, you only sow confusion, he said. You will not see federal agents amassing on the streets of Milwaukee. These arent beat cops. Theyre trained investigators.

He said a total of 25 to 30 agents from the FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alochol, Tobacco and Firearms would be deployed in Milwaukee. Ten who arrived this month are in the city temporarily. The others will be permanently assigned to the city.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, said that after speaking with Kreiger, she is supportive of the operation in Milwaukee. She said she was pleased that he was clarifying the mission and faulted Trumps administration for not being clear from the outset.

Im glad theres been some clarification and we want to be kept apprised, very frequently, about what this operation is about, Baldwin said in a Milwaukee Press Club online event.

In Detroit, federal authorities said dozens of agents and deputy marshals were being assigned to the city to combat gun violence and arrest fugitives, among other tasks. They will collaborate with the local police.

Matthew Schneider, the U.S. attorney for eastern Michigan, said federal troops would not be patrolling the streets and he dismissed as irresponsible rhetoric any suggestion that the government wants to disrupt lawful protests against racism and the excessive use of force by police.

Earlier this week, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said more than 500 guns were seized during a recent four-week period. He welcomed any additional federal help.

During a news conference Wednesday, the U.S. attorney for the northern district of Ohio said Operation Legend in Cleveland and surrounding communities will involve 25 agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisting local and state law enforcement agencies.

U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said agents will be permanently assigned to existing violent crime task forces to address gang violence, narcotics-related shootings and illegal firearms.

It is not an introduction of federal riot police; it is not an introduction of federal uniformed personnel; it is not an introduction of federal agents to protect federal property, Herdman said.

Democratic mayors said on their conference call that they were afraid Operation Legend could quickly shift toward breaking up protests. Tim Keller, the mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, said his city was set to receive agents but had no formal agreement with the Justice Department on their mission.

These missions change at the whim of the White House, Keller said. Theres no reason to trust words at a press conference any more with this administration.

______

Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Ed White in Detroit and Mark Gillispie in Cleveland contributed to this report.
Liberal Party stalwart Helen Kroger has said an Afghan man who was held hostage for a decade has a "compelling" case for an Australian visa, and recommended the Home Affairs department reconsider his case.

The department denied Ghulam Farooq Rahe a partner visa to join his family in Melbourne because it refused to accept he remained in a genuine and continuing relationship with his wife, after he was held hostage by a militant group outside Kabul for more than 10 years.

Ghulam Farooq Rahe is desperate to join his family in Melbourne.

Ms Kroger, a former Liberal senator who now sits on the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, rejected the department's finding that Mr Rahe is not genuinely married to his wife of 43 years.

Mr Rahe and his family were attacked by a militant group in Kabul in 2003 and their eldest son was shot dead. While the rest of the family managed to escape, Mr Rahe was abducted and held in forced labour for 10 years. His family believed he was dead.
How far off is Kaman Corporation (NYSE:KAMN) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple!

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

Check out our latest analysis for Kaman

The model

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$97.0m US$108.5m US$118.3m US$126.5m US$133.5m US$139.6m US$145.0m US$149.8m US$154.4m US$158.6m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Est @ 11.89% Est @ 8.99% Est @ 6.96% Est @ 5.54% Est @ 4.54% Est @ 3.85% Est @ 3.36% Est @ 3.02% Est @ 2.78% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 8.1% US$89.7 US$92.8 US$93.5 US$92.5 US$90.3 US$87.3 US$83.8 US$80.1 US$76.3 US$72.5

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$858m

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We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.1%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$159m (1 + 2.2%)  (8.1% 2.2%) = US$2.7b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$2.7b ( 1 + 8.1%)10= US$1.3b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is US$2.1b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$40.4, the company appears quite undervalued at a 47% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

dcf

Important assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Kaman as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.985. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Next Steps:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For Kaman, we've put together three pertinent factors you should look at:

Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Kaman (at least 1 which is concerning) , and understanding these should be part of your investment process. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for KAMN's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every American stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Wednesday took on record Jammu and Kashmir administration's statement that former Union minister Saifuddin Soz was never placed under detention and disposed of his wife's plea seeking the release of the senior Congress leader.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and M R Shah took on record the affidavit filed by J-K administration, which said that there were no restrictions on the movement of Soz and disposed of the habeas corpus plea observing that it cannot be entertained.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Mumtazunnisa Soz, wife of the octogenarian leader, said that "one fine day in August, you put me under detention and now in their counter affidavit, they say I am free".

To this, the bench pointed out that Soz has travelled outside during the period claimed to be under detention.

Singhvi said the senior Congress leader was unwell and had travelled only for the medical reasons.

The bench said the J-K administration has stated that no detention order with regard to Soz was passed, and the plea cannot be entertained in view of its counter affidavit.

On June 8, the top court had sought response from the Centre and the J-K administration on the plea challenging Soz's house arrest since August 5 last year.

Mumtazunnisa has also sought the production of veteran leader before the court and the quashing of the house arrest order.

She had alleged that till date the reasons for the detention have not been supplied to them and they are unable to challenge the arrest under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978.

This makes "his detention not only illegal, mala fide and unconstitutional, but also extremely appalling", she said.

Soz was allegedly put under house arrest after the Centre had abrogated certain provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution which had granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

During the hearing, senior advocates A M Singhvi and P Chidambaram, appearing for Soz's wife, said that the house arrest has been made without providing a single document.

Singhvi said that Soz is 82-years-old and the plea should be heard urgently by next week.

In her plea, Mumtazunnisa said: "The detention of Prof. Saifuddin Soz is wholly contrary and perverse to the constitutional safeguards laid down under Articles 21 (right to life) and 22 (right to know the reasons of arrest), as well as the law on preventive detention."

"Not only does it attract the vice of unconstitutionality, it is also in contravention of the statutory scheme of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, under which the detention has purportedly been made."

The plea, settled by Singhvi and filed through advocate Sunil Fernandes, said: "The Presidential Order proposed that the state be bifurcated as Union Territory of Ladakh (centrally administered) and as Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir (with its Legislative Assembly). Prior to this announcement, several leaders were placed under house arrest with internet and phone services curtailed."

The habeas corpus (bring the person) writ plea has sought production of Soz before the court and a direction for quashing of the detention orders passed by the authorities.

Seeking forthwith release of Soz, the plea said, "Ten months have passed since his first detention, and he is yet to be informed of his grounds of detention. All efforts by him to obtain a copy of the detention order(s) have been of no avail due to the illegal, arbitrary exercise of powers by the Respondent No.2 (UT of J-K)."

The authority has also refused to supply a copy of the detention order, despite repeated requests by the detenu, failing which the detenu has been put under detention for a prolonged period with no recourse under law, the plea said.

It said Soz has been a "law-abiding, peaceful Indian citizen" who never committed any breach of peace and represented the Baramulla Constituency.

"Furthermore, the detenu has always advocated for the Union of India and consistently upheld the Constitutional principles, respect for the nation and vehemently opposed and separatist or anti-India voices in J&K (despite his daughter being kidnapped by such forces)," it said.

"He has consistently demonstrated an unwavering loyalty to the Indian Constitution even in the face of separatist threats. He therefore cannot be considered by any stretch of imagination to be a threat to public safety," the plea said.

Soz has been re-elected numerous times for the Lok Sabha and also served as Union Minister besides being the President of the Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee for quite some time, it said, adding that he was never threat to the peace.

Various political leaders including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were arrested and put under house detention in August last year following the abrogation of Article 370.
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LoanPaymentPro ("LoanPaymentPro"), a leading provider of innovative and technology-driven payment and funding solutions in the debt repayment space, today announced its partnership with Alchemy Technologies ("Alchemy), one of the leading SaaS fintech infrastructure development company serving financial institutions, specialty financing companies, Point of Sale financing, online and brick and mortar lenders, and FinTech startups alike.

As a fully integrated partner with Alchemy, LoanPaymentPro will help power Alchemy's lenders and finance companies by providing multiple consumer-facing fund disbursement and payment products and channels, including debit card validation, real-time push-to-card funding, debit card acceptance, ACH, and remotely created checks.

With Alchemy's state of the art and completely customizable lending operating system, it can onboard banks and Fintechs as well as point of financing clients in matter of weeks. Clients can get up and up and running on Alchemy's white-labeled system and start onboarding customers immediately. Alchemy's tight integration with LoanPaymentPro makes the onboarding experience seamless. Whether it's same-day ACH, debit or credit cards, consumers can use any repayment method with ease.

"We are excited and honored to be an integral service provider within Alchemy's platform to help fuel its industry-leading functionality and value. This partnership allows us to offer our value-driven payment solutions to help lenders become more effective and efficient in accepting payments from its borrowers and consumers in a real-time setting. Timothy Li and the team at Alchemy continue to innovate and inspire lenders and partners across our vertical," said James Celli, CEO and Founder of LoanPaymentPro.

"Alchemy is quickly emerging as one of the most innovative and fastest growing Lending as a Service providers in the fintech and consumer credit industries," said Michael Perkins, SVP of Channel Partnerships for LoanPaymentPro. "Alchemy shares our passion for innovation and leveraging technology to provide a frictionless user experience to both our clients and their customers. Their team's dedication for customer service is well known in the industry and we are our joint customers are getting the best technology."

Alchemy and LoanPaymentPro have integrated at various levels through their secured, real-time APIs. LoanPaymentPro's APIs are designed for today's online and mobile driven financial services clients where accuracy and speed is paramount. In today's competitive environment, real time push-to-card and same-day ACH APIs are table stakes for the best customer experience.

"Working with James and Michael has been an awesome experience. They work fast and always have their customer's best interest in mind. They outworked their competition and we enjoy working with them to get clients up and running quickly, LoanPaymentPro has become our go-to partner when our client desires optionality and speed."  Timothy Li, CEO and Founder of Alchemy.

About Alchemy:

https://www.trustalchemy.com/

Alchemy Technologies is a world-first fintech infrastructure company offering out-of-the-box technology, algorithms, and servicing to launch financial products for Banks, Specialty Financing Companies, Point of Sale Financing, and FinTech startups alike. Our leasing solution reduces the barrier to entry and brings tremendous value both in our software and industry know-how. Our end-to-end infrastructure offering includes end user experience, merchant experience, loan origination system, decision engine, loan management system, payment gateways, and secondary market access.

About LoanPaymentPro

https://loanpaymentpro.com/

LoanPaymentPro is a leading provider of innovative and technology-driven payment and funding solutions in the consumer finance and debt repayment industries. LoanPaymentPro's proprietary API driven platform provides flexible and automated solutions that allows for frictionless experience for both its clients and their customers.

SOURCE LoanPaymentPro

Related Links

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OTTAWA  Manitoba RCMP are pulling out their guns less, and instead reaching for their stun guns.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/7/2020 (540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Manitoba RCMP are pulling out their guns less, and instead reaching for their stun guns.

Internal use-of-force statistics obtained by the Free Press show Manitoba officers deployed Tasers 154 times between 2017 and 2019, a three-year stretch in which police firearm use steadily declined.

"The RCMP are sensitive now to the issues around the use of force," University of Winnipeg criminal-justice professor Michael Weinrath said. "As always, the devil's in the details, in trying to determine if (things) are getting better."

While national data show an uptick in Mounties using force, the number of those incidents slightly declined in Manitoba over the three-year period.

Internal use-of-force statistics show Manitoba officers deployed Tasers 154 times between 2017 and 2019, a period in which police firearm use steadily declined. (Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press files)

For example, Manitoba RCMP pointed their guns at people 269 times in 2017, 175 times in 2018 and 156 times in 2019. Nationally, officers aimed their guns at people more frequently each of those years.

Manitoba RCMP deployed Tasers 50 times in 2017, 36 in 2018 and 68 times last year.

Over the three-year period, Mounties struck or hit Manitobans 244 times, with a slight uptick in 2019. Pepper spray was used 73 times and police dogs bit people in 10 incidents, though RCMP logged a gradual decline in both practices.

Manitoba RCMP shot an "extended range impact weapon," which resembles an assault rifle but shoots plastic-covered sponge projectiles, in three incidents over the past three years, and also displayed the weapon to suspects six times. Elsewhere, RCMP have increased their use of this weapon.

Last month, the Winnipeg Police Service filed its own use-of-force data for 2015 to 2019, which showed a sustained uptick in Taser use, with a 73 per cent jump in 2019 in how often they deployed probes, which incapacitate people from moving.

Neither the RCMP nor Winnipeg police publish data on the ethnicity of people subject to the various uses of forces. Both require officers report the use of any force.

The two data sets suggest Winnipeg police calls are 4.5 times more likely to involve the use of force than Manitoba RCMP calls.

Weinrath noted Manitoba experiences far more violent crime than most of the country, and that shapes how police respond.

He said an increase in Taser usage and other practices such as pepper spray could suggest a move away from lethal force, but only if police are fully complying in reporting incidents.

Meanwhile, Manitoba RCMP officers reported using a "vascular neck restraint" three times in 2019, and just once in each of the two previous years. Nationally, RCMP have used this method 72 times, but the force is reviewing its practice as it can contribute to heart attack or strokes.

The RCMP insist that the practice is not a chokehold as it is not meant to obstruct the windpipe, though critics say its still far too risky.

In May, Minneapolis police sparked protests across the continent after killing George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by kneeling on his neck during an arrest. A 2014 wave of protests started after New York City police held Eric Garner in a chokehold, during which he pleaded "I can't breathe," which became a rallying cry after his death.

The Mounties stressed the proportion of calls involving force has gone down over the past decade, with 99.9 per cent handled either through communication, or by physically controlling someone without injuring them.

"Incidents involving police intervention are complex, dynamic and constantly evolving, often times in a highly-charged atmosphere," Cpl. Caroline Duval wrote in an emailed statement.

"Through crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques, many mental-health crisis situations can be managed with decreased risk to the public and police officers."

In any case, Weinrath said he was encouraged by the RCMP releasing its data.

"Theres a message to the public, and to the (RCMP) members that 'were tracking this stuff and we're serious about acting to reduce the use of these excessive-force measures.'"

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The RCMP police nearly every Manitoba municipality outside Winnipeg and Brandon. In the surveyed period, a rise in violent and property crimes across the Prairies has sparked parliamentary hearings and a revision of the model that funds the Mounties.

The force has come under more scrutiny over the deaths of people in mental-health distress and brutality against Indigenous people caught on film, such as an Alberta chief being body slammed and an Inuit man being hit with a car door.

Last month, Manitobas federal cabinet minister Dan Vandal pushed his government to help change how rural and city police interact with Indigenous people.

"The images we saw of police brutality are absolutely unacceptable and we need to stop the hate," said the MP for St. Boniface-St. Vital, who is Metis.

The Liberals have considered making body cameras mandatory for police officers, though advocates have questioned whether that would improve police behaviour.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
In an incident that will make you skip a heartbeat, a middle-aged mans life was saved by alert police personnel on a railway station in Kalyan, Maharashtra.

#WATCH On duty Railway Protection Force personnel K Sahu and Maharashtra Security Force personnel Somnath Mahajan at Kalyan railway station saved the life of a 52-year old passenger, who slipped between the platform and track as he de-boarded from a moving a train yesterday. pic.twitter.com/rmd0OuMzEy ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

As can be seen in the video clip accessed by news agency ANI, a 52-year-old man slipped between the track after he tried to get down from a moving train.

RELATED NEWS Mumbai Commuters Hit as Local Trains Get Delayed Due to Glitch at Goregaon Station Signal

Fortunately, Railway Protection Force personnel K Sahu and Maharashtra Security Force personnel Somnath Mahajan were present on the spot and successfully pulled him away saving his life.

According to a report published in Indian Express, the incident took place in Mumbais Kalyan railway station. Along with the man, his son too jumped off the train but he too was also saved by the police. Both the father and son escaped, what could have been a fatal incident, with some minor injuries.

Meanwhile, the police officials who reacted promptly have been lauded for their act.

Here is what a Policeman does.When we condemn various wrong actions of Police, we must cheer them up for such noble act. DG RPF must recommend these police men for Gallantry medal. Pravash (@pravash13) July 29, 2020

A Twitter user suggested that the two police personnel be recommended for Gallantry Award. He tweeted, "Here is what a Policeman does. When we condemn various wrong actions of Police, we must cheer them up for such noble acts. DG RPF must recommend these policemen for the Gallantry medal."
Hungary supports imposing sanctions against Russia, their strengthening, but sometimes it is necessary to discuss whether this helps Ukraine  ambassador

Hungary supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the imposition of sanctions against the Russian Federation and, if necessary, the strengthening of sanctions against the Russian Federation, Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine Istvan Ijgyarto has said.

"As for this conflict over the Crimean Peninsula and Donbas, Hungary is supporting the EU's position, which is quite open and clear, and is supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and of course, imposing sanctions against the Russian Federation in order to cease such activities, which initiated in 2014," Ijgyarto told Interfax-Ukraine.

When asked whether Hungary is ready to support the idea of strengthening sanctions against Russia for its violation of international law, Ijgyarto said that if there is a need for further steps, the country will also support them, but sometimes it is necessary to discuss whether this helps Ukraine and whether it really creates problem for Russia.

"As I mentioned, we are still supporting decisions on the EU, and we think that if there is a need for further steps, we will also support it. From time to time, the question arises whether the sanction policy helps to prevent such situations or whether effect on the country against which the sanctions are imposed. But these are more political and theoretical discussions. The overall result is that Hungary supports the sanction policy, but we must emphasize that sometimes we also have to discuss whether this helps Ukraine and whether it really creates any problems for the Russian Federation," the diplomat said.

He also said that Hungary is trying to keep in touch with Russian partners, explaining to them the Ukrainian situation, emphasizing that it is very important to have peace and stability in the region.

Answering the question whether Hungary shares Ukraine's concern over rumors of a possible expansion of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the ambassador said that if such a situation arises, Hungary will support international partners and allies.

"Frankly speaking, I have not heard of the preparation of Russian activities that may further danger the Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity of, either from sources in Hungary or NATO. But I am not a position to question the seriousness of the situation. But, excepted Ukrainian sources that you mentioned, I heard little. Of course, we absolutely favor the peace process, helping Ukraine regain its sovereignty over its lost territories. We will definitely support our international partners and allies if such a situation occurs and there are further problems inside Ukraine," the ambassador said.
An artists conception shows NASAs Perseverance rover using the PIXL X-ray instrument to analyze rock on Mars. (NASA / JPL Illustration)

The launch of NASAs Mars Perseverance rover marks the start of a seven-month-long journey involving tens of millions of miles of travel  but it also marks the end of an eight-year-long journey involving millions of miles of travel on the part of scientists and engineers across the country.

And perhaps the biggest marvel is that, in the end, most of them got the rover and its scientific instruments ready for launch while working from home.

Working from home has been a tough thing to manage for many of the businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic and social-distancing restrictions. Its been tough for NASA as well.

Putting a spacecraft together thats going to Mars, and not making a mistake  its hard, no matter what. Trying to do it during the middle of a pandemic, its a lot harder, Matt Wallace, the missions deputy project manager at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said during a pre-launch briefing.

Fortunately, NASA and its partners could draw upon decades worth of experience in remote operations. When the pandemic came along, it didnt make that much difference in the way I operate, because I was already used to working remotely with JPL, said the University of Washingtons Tim Elam, whos part of the science team for the rovers X-ray fluorescence spectrometer.

Once the rover is on its way, working remotely will become even more routine. Pasadena is about the same distance away from Mars that Seattle is, Elam joked.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket could send the rover on its way from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as soon as Thursday: Liftoff is scheduled for 7:50 a.m. ET (4:50 a.m. PT), and forecasters say theres an 80% chance of acceptable weather. You can watch NASAs live video coverage of the countdown starting at 7 a.m. ET (4 a.m. PT) Thursday:

The 1-ton, six-wheeled rover is due to land next February inside Mars 28-mile-wide Jezero Crater, at the site of an ancient river delta that now appears bone-dry. The top three tasks on the $2.4 billion missions to-do list are:

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Identify the places most likely to hold the mineral and chemical traces of past microbial life.

Extract and store the most promising samples of soil and rock for return to Earth, inside a probe thats yet to be built.

Test devices that could be used for future robotic and human missions to Mars, including the first helicopter to fly on another world and an experiment designed to convert the carbon dioxide in Mars thin atmosphere into oxygen.

Thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians, support staff and students have been working to get Perseverance ready for this trip to Mars, including hundreds in the Seattle area. Here are four case studies, focusing on Mars mission veterans as well as a first-timer.

Aerojet Rocketdyne: Building on 52 years of rocketry in Redmond

Aerojet Rocketdynes propulsion systems have flown aboard every successful NASA mission to Mars, and this time around, Aerojets involved in virtually every phase of Perseverances journey.

The company is providing four solid rocket motors to give ULAs Atlas 5 rocket an extra boost, plus the main engine and 12 reaction control system thrusters for the Atlas Centaur upper stage. Aerojet also built eight stabilizing thrusters for Perseverances spacecraft, eight more thrusters for the descent stage, and the plutonium-fueled power source for the rover.

All of the 28 thrusters on the list were manufactured and tested at Aerojets facility in Redmond, Wash., which has been in operation since 1968. That history goes back to the Boeing spin-off engineers who formed the company originally as Rocket Research Company, with the desire to focus on space production, said Fred Wilson, Aerojets director of marketing and business development in Redmond.

Most of the work for the Perseverance rover was done long before the pandemic hit, but Aerojet is currently in the midst of preparations for future missions to Mars as well as to the moon. Wilson said about two-thirds of the Redmond workforce is working from home.

Everybody who doesnt have to be directly involved in working on the hardware is working from home, he said. But we have been able to maintain a high level of operational efficiency.  Our on-time delivery performance for the year is 92% out of the Redmond site.

Wilson said not one of Aerojets Redmond employees has tested positive for COVID-19. So, knock on wood, its been a very good success story for us, he said.

Westerns Melissa Rice: Choosing the colors for Mars zoom camera

Melissa Rice, a planetary scientist at Western Washington University, stands alongside a Curiosity testbed rover at the Jet Propulsion Laboratorys Mars Yard. (NASA / JPL Photo via WWU)

Perseverance is the third Mars rover for Melissa Rice, a planetary scientist at Western Washington University. And the fact that shes based in Bellingham, Wash., more than 1,200 miles from Pasadena, means shes had plenty of experience with working remotely.

It all started when she was a postdoctoral researcher at Caltech and JPL, where she worked on the Opportunity and Curiosity missions.

Because the whole mission is so well set up for remote operations, often the science team would be calling in to our meetings from their various offices at JPL, rather than being in the physical room together, just because we have that teleconferencing capability set up so well, Rice recalled. So, when I left JPL and started my position here at Western Washington in Bellingham, it took quite a while for some of my colleagues to realize that I wasnt just down the hall.

That familiarity with remote operations has come in handy for dealing with the pandemic. Weve had lots of practice, she said.

Rices team works on the rovers Mastcam-Z imaging system, which is destined to become the first set of zoom cameras on the Red Planet. The system can capture wide-angle or high-resolution 3-D pictures and video in a variety of wavelengths to help scientists determine the mineral composition of Perseverances surroundings.

My specific role on the camera team has been selecting the wavelengths that well use to look for hydration on the surface, Rice explained. This will be the first time that we have a rover whose eyes are specifically tuned to the absorption features due to water.

Her one big regret is that she and her students had to call off a trip to Florida to witness the launch, due to the pandemic. Thats unfortunate, more so for the students than for me, she said, because I think seeing the launch live can be a life-changing experience.

First Mode: Designing a fake rover  and protecting the real one

First Modes president and chief engineer, Chris Voorhees, shows off the employee-owned companys digs near Seattles Pike Place Market. (GeekWire Photo / Alan Boyle)

Perseverance provided a Seattle startup called First Mode with its first contract.

The first activity that we did was to support the Perseverance rover, specifically its physical assembly and integration, said Chris Voorhees, the companys president and chief engineer.

When First Mode was founded in 2018, many of its 11 employees were alumni of JPL as well as Planetary Resources, a Redmond-based asteroid mining venture that fell upon hard times. Now the engineering firm is prospering, with a workforce of more than 50 employees.

First Modes engineers designed a rover surrogate, nicknamed the Faux-ver, which was used to simulate the real rovers mass and thermal characteristics during the development and testing of spacecraft hardware.

Now engineers from First Mode are part of the team thats planning Perseverances atmospheric entry, descent and landing on Mars  a key phase of the mission thats known as EDL or the seven minutes of terror. In the months ahead, theyll be supporting operational readiness tests aimed at making absolutely sure that nothing will go wrong. Or if something does go wrong, that theres a backup plan for saving the mission.

Because of the pandemic, those tests will have to be run in remote mode. Thats a real challenge, not just for us, but for the team in general,  Voorhees said.

What you really want is to have everybody in the room, but if you cant have everybody in a room, how do you best represent that? he said. That team is working through the challenges of that right now.

UWs Tim Elam: Chief spectroscopist for Perseverances X-ray eyes

This is the first Mars rodeo for the University of Washingtons Tim Elam.

Elam built his career as an expert on X-ray fluorescence at UWs Applied Physics Laboratory. So when scientists and engineers were brought onto the team for Perseverances Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry, or PIXL, Elam was a natural addition.

All the rovers so far have and an X-ray-based instrument that measured the elemental composition of the rocks, Elam said. Whats new about PIXL is that it measures that not over a fairly broad area of a couple of centimeters, but in a very tiny spot. Its about 100 microns.

Spot-by-spot readings from PIXLs X-ray fluorescence spectrometer will be assembled and matched up with images of areas the size of postage stamps to get a sense of detailed variations in physical structure and chemical composition.

The scale is such that scientists could arguably make out the fossilized remnants of Martian microbes. But even if ancient life isnt definitively discovered, the data from PIXL  and from a complementary instrument called SHERLOC  will help scientists decide which rock samples are most worth bringing back to Earth for further study.

Elam helps bridge the gap between the engineers in charge of designing the instrument and the scientists in charge of looking for just the right kind of rock. I dont have an official title, but I like to think of myself as the chief spectroscopist, he said in a video.

During a Zoom interview, Elam said he missed being able to meet up with the rest of his team in Pasadena. Weve learned to get better at doing it remotely, and the ability to have tools that involve video and simultaneous audio, just like were having now, makes a big difference, he said. But I still miss those interactions.

He and his family had been planning to travel to Florida for the launch, but like Rice, they had to call off the trip due to the pandemic.

My family has been following this just as much as I have. Theyre interested in space, and they want to see what happens, Elam said. So I would say theres a pretty good chance that this household is going to be awake at 4 a.m. on the day of the launch.

Live coverage of the countdown via NASA and United Launch Alliance is due to begin at 4 a.m. PT (7 a.m. ET) Thursday.

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Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Eun Sung-soo / Korea Times file
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 20:33:26|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings Inc. has downgraded its outlook for Japan's credit rating from "stable" to "negative" owing to the coronavirus pandemic causing a sharp economic contraction amid weak consumer spending and business investment.

As widely cited in local media Wednesday, the international agency said in a report released the previous day that, "The coronavirus pandemic has caused a sharp economic contraction in Japan, despite the country's early success in containing the virus."

In terms of the outlook for Japan's economy, Fitch Ratings Inc. said it "projects the economy to contract by 5 percent for the full year in 2020, before rebounding to 3.2 percent growth in 2021 due partly to the low base effect."

The agency, however, highlighted possible downside risks that could further impact the outlook for Japan's economy.

"However, a renewed surge in (coronavirus) cases is creating the possibility of further containment measures and risks to the economic outlook," the agency said, adding that Japan's public debt, the worst in the industrialized world, was set to further increase.

"...sharply wider fiscal deficits in 2020 and 2021, as we project, will add significantly to Japan's public debt, which even before the pandemic was the highest among Fitch-rated sovereigns as a share of GDP," the report also said.

Despite the downward revision, Fitch maintained Japan's sovereign rating at A, saying that Japan's current account surplus had contributed to it maintaining the rating.

In June, citing similar pandemic-induced downside economic factors, S&P Global Ratings also cut its outlook for Japan's sovereign rating to "stable" from "positive." Enditem
(Newser)  Virgin Galactic has offered a look inside its tourist space plane for those of us who can't afford the $250,000 ticket. The six-passenger SpaceShipTwo, a collaboration with London design agency Seymourpowell, is designed entirely around "the view of Earth from space," explains chief space officer George Whitesides. Each passenger gets their own comfy seat and circular viewing windows. Decked out in safety suits designed by Under Armour, they'll also have two of 16 cameras trained on them to capture the once-in-a-lifetime experienceto include a float in zero gravity 60 miles above Earth, per the Guardian. But passengers won't have to wait until they're back on land to see themselves in space. A large, circular mirror at the back of the cabin will "allow our customers to see themselves in space in a way that has really never been done before," Whitesides says.

story continues below

SpaceShipTwo will detach from a larger carrier plane at an altitude of 45,000 feet after taking off from its New Mexico spaceport. It will then ignite its hybrid rocket motor and head to the edge of space before falling back to Earth and landing like an airplane on a runway, per the Washington Post. But the date of the first 90-minute flightto include Virgin Galactic founder Richard Bransonis still up in the air. Branson has said he hopes to take off before the end of 2020, but only glide flights have been completed so far, per the BBC. "Our next flight will be just purely two pilots in the front to do a systems check," Whitesides tells the outlet. Then "the plan is to start putting [four of our] people in the back." Some 600 people have signed up for a flight with another 400 putting down a $1,000 refundable deposit for a chance at the next round of tickets. (Read more Virgin Galactic stories.)
As we head to another congressional hearing on antitrust later today, it is expected that representatives from four of the worlds largest tech companies will have some defending to do. Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Alphabets Google are expected to answer some tough questions about business practices. Earlier this month, the four big tech companies were part of another hearing. On July 16, top-ranking executives from Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google made their way down to the US Capitol for the House Judiciary Hearing, chaired by Congressman David N. Cicilline. The hearing stretched for nearly two hours, with questions from US Congress representatives including aspects such as company policies, predatory pricing, favouring own services, and more. Representating the companies were Amazon's associate general counsel Nate Sutton, Apple's vice president of corporate law and chief compliance officer Kyle Andeer, Facebook's head of global policy development Matt Perault, and Google's economic policy director Adam Cohen.

For those familiar with the format, the hearing brought back memories of the Congressional hearings of Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, and his Google counterpart Sundar Pichai. The questions, however, remained more pointed towards the issues at hand, that of the power of the Big Tech quartet getting out of hand. The hearing, as it proceeded, reflected upon the blatant powerhouse that these corporate giants have become, leading to questions of anti-competitive practices, predatory pricing, deliberate favouring of own services and a murky failure of identifying misleading information in suspicious circumstances.

We have the key takeaways from the responses by the big tech companies from the July 16 hearing, just as a refresher ahead of todays expected hearing.

1. The main theme of the hearing remained in identifying whether these companies really had competition in the industry -- an aspect that is key to checking misuse of a dominant market position. One of the key points here came up when Representative Joe Neguse told Facebook's Perault, "You can understand the skepticism, because when a company owns four of the six largest entities measured by active users in the world in that industry, it works as a monopoly, or at least as monopoly power." He further highlighted that under the Sherman Antitrust Act, whether or not a company engages in monopolistic practices depends on whether or not there is anti-competitive conduct at play. In response, Perault acknowledged that the documentary evidence that Neguse produced on Facebook's anti-competitive policy was indeed a part of the company once, which has since been altered "to suit the constantly evolving nature of the industry". However, in related questions through the hearing, when asked if he could produce a list of companies that Facebook considers is big enough to be counted as "competition", there was no conclusive answer drawn, much like how the affairs went down at Zuckerberg's hearing.

The others, meanwhile, did have competitors of note in their associated industries, and although their market dominance on paper is lesser than that of Facebook, the extent of the impact of competition remains to be answered. For instance, when Amazon's Sutton was asked by Representative Jamie Raskin about his company's market share, the figures he produced were of 1 percent market share in the global retail space, and 4 percent of the same industry in USA. When asked about who he identified as a competitor, he claimed to have data of Walmart being several times larger in volume of business. The extent and specific market filters in this case remained unanswered, and hence, inconclusive.

2. Apple faced the least intensity of the questioning, but aspects of its App Store practices and who it favours as its third party partners came up in the hearing. Apple executive Andeer stated on record that "84 percent of all apps on the App Store are not subjected to the 30 percent tax that Apple imposes on developers marketing their services on the Apple ecosystem." He further claimed, "Over 2 million apps available in the App Store pay nothing to Apple. It's only a very small percentage that pays a commission." When asked to elucidate specifically about Spotify, he said, "They're one of our most successful developers, but they pay a commission on less than 1 percent of their subscribers to Apple." Taking a dig at the lawsuit that Spotify filed against Apple, Andeer concluded by saying that the music streaming service has built a "very successful business, thanks to the App Store," before adding that Apple is "very proud of their success." He denied claims of preferential treatment of Apple Music on the App Store, stating, "we make it very easy for competitors to access each and every iOS user through the App Store, so Spotify, Google Play Music and dozens of others offer apps that compete with Apple Music."

3. Amazon's Sutton faced a rough time explaining the process of using their own technology on a retail platform where they also sell their own hardware. He claimed that Amazon sells their own products because they do so at good quality and cheap pricing, in line with what consumers want. He further added that the "The data on popularity of products -- like much retail data -- is actually public data. For each of our products, you can see where it's ranked, how popular it is. We do not use any of that specific seller data in creating our own private brand products." He further added, "In fact, there are so many marketplaces that there's a billion-dollar industry that has grown up to provide services to sellers so that they can use them to list across all marketplaces at the same time." His responses were in answer to Amazon deliberately adopting policies that stifle retailers with smaller commercial power, thereby killing competition across multiple sectors of retail. However, the answers did not seem to satisfy the Representatives in their investigation of the fact that Amazon's hardware and platform integration is, in fact, designed to keep a user within their own ecosystem.

4. Google defended through its representative Cohen that "you are free to use any other service, if you want to." The allegations against Google stated that their massively overpowering 'Search' platform has evolved in design to become one that keeps a user within their ecosystem. Cohen also answered in non-committal denial to Representative Lucy McBath's inquiry on non-removal of misinformation on the Google Maps platform, by stating that he was not aware of either the quoted WSJ article, or that there are 11 million fake locations registered within a particular region on Maps. Cohen also defended Google's monopolistic position in the search engine industry as "incorrect", stating that a lot of people use in-website search tools, thereby counting as competition to Google. There were also suggestions of some sort of a monopolistic collaboration between Apple and Google, and why Apple's Safari web browser used Google as the default search engine. In response, Apple's Andeer noted, "We gathered data that most of our users prefer using Google to search for information, and hence the decision. However, we offer an easy way for any user to choose any alternative of their liking."

Above all other factors, what the hearing truly implicated is the sheer might and the common theme of murky policies that have a soundly reasoned backdoor for each of the Big Tech companies. These backdoors lie in properly defining a particular sector, and what "competition" really stands for. It is important to note what each company primarily deals in, and given that each of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google dabble with multiple industries at the same time, it raises, yet again, the unresolved question of whether these companies should be broken down into individual entities for competition's sake. As an umbrella, it is difficult to tie them down to one particular industry, thereby giving them the power to define their own rules by virtue of creating their own niche.

The hearing's conclusion also calls for significantly stronger regulations in the technology sphere, where governments need to impose far more stringent laws in terms of defining terms such as "anti-competitive practices", "misuse of market dominance" and so on. This, however, is tied to the foremost implication of how these companies are involved in multiple industries, which makes regulations more difficult to be imposed.
DUBLIN, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Wireless Charging Market By Technology and Industry Vertical: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global wireless charging market size was valued at $6,514.2 million in 2018 and is projected to reach $49,304.1 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 23.4% from 2020 to 2027. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global wireless charging market, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific.



Wireless power transmission transfers electrical power from transmitter to receiver without any wire connection. Wireless charging technology allows multiple devices to connect wirelessly. Inductive charging is the most extensively used technology owing to its increased incorporation in wireless charging systems for automotive sectors. Laser and microwave wireless charging technologies are projected to exhibit the highest growth in the market owing to their focus on narrow beam capability, comparatively higher frequencies which allow broad bandwidth, and high-power transmission rate.



The inductive technology segment contributed the maximum in terms of revenue to the market and accounted for a 54.7% share in 2018. Factors such as hassle-free and enclosed connections offered by the inductive charging technology propels market sales. However, between 2018 and 2027, radio frequency technology is expected to grow at a faster rate, by 26.8% in comparison to other technologies. RF charging has greater opportunities as compared to induction as it possesses stronger technical areas. With Far-Field RF wireless charging, the device need not to be pressed on a panel; radio waves emitted in near area charge the smartphone.



The electronics segment was the largest contributor of revenue in 2018 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.0% from 2020 to 2027. Increasing demand for efficient charging system for portable electronics is the prime reason for such growth. The healthcare industry vertical was the second largest contributor of revenue in 2018 and consumed 22.8% market share. A surging adoption of wearable devices such as medical equipment, defibrillators, exoskeletons, pacemakers, and wheelchairs in the healthcare industry is one of the major factors for this growth.



By region, wireless charging market trends have been analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The wireless charging market analysis had identified that North America contributed maximum revenue in 2018. Between 2018 and 2027, the wireless charging market in Asia-Pacificis expected to grow at a faster rate as compared to other regions. Factors such as an increase in adoption of fuel-efficient electric vehicles and surging demand for advancement in the charging system for portable electronics contribute to the market growth in Asia-Pacific.



Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1: Introduction



Chapter 2: Executive Summary



Chapter 3: Market Overview

3.1. Market Definition and Scope

3.2. Technology Roadmap

3.3. Key Findings

3.4. Porter'S Five Forces Analysis

3.5. Key Player Positioning, 2018

3.6. Value Chain Analysis

3.7. Product Launches

3.8. Market Dynamics

3.8.1. Drivers

3.8.1.1. Increase in Sales of Electric Vehicles (Evs)

3.8.1.2. Constantly Evolving Portable Electronics and Wearables Market

3.8.1.3. Necessity to Harvest Ambient Rf Energy

3.8.2. Restraint

3.8.2.1. Technology is Expensive to Integrate and Comparatively Slower Charging

3.8.3. Opportunities

3.8.3.1. Excessive Research in Far-Field Wireless Charging Technologies

3.8.3.2. Trending Internet of Things (Iot)



Chapter 4: Wireless Charging Market, by Technology



Chapter 5: Wireless Charging Market, by Industry Vertical



Chapter 6: Wireless Charging Market, by Region



Chapter 7: Company Profiles



Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

Qualcomm Incorporated

Texas Instruments Inc.

Integrated Device Technology Inc.

Power mat Technologies Ltd.

WiTricity Corporation

Energizer Holdings Inc.

Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Sony Corporation

Fulton Innovation LL

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ixba5w

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Golden Arrow Resources Acquires Rosales Copper Project In Chile, Drops Indiana Project

Posted by Publisher Internet

As Golden Arrow Resources (GRG.V, GARWF.US, G6A.FSE) renegotiated their Indiana gold project in Chile not too long ago into very favorable terms, I was surprised to recently read about the company dropping the project:

?The Company also wishes to report that it is not proceeding with its option of the Indiana Gold-Copper project in Chile.?

When announcing in the same news release the acquisition of the Rosales Copper project, located in Chile as well, which is less advanced, and will be discussed later on.

The Indiana project seemed very appealing to me with a significant but still historic near surface resource of 607koz @6g/t AuEq, and lots of exploration potential. Management estimated potential for at least 1Moz AuEq, and in this gold environment it would have been a solid flagship project in my view. They also managed, as mentioned, to amend the definitive agreement with the property owner substantially, bringing down the payments for the first two years from US$3M to US$350k, and increasing ownership after production decision from 75% to 100% at no additional costs.

In order to do so, management studied the available drill data in great detail, and obviously spent a lot of time on Indiana. Also keep in mind that a 2,500m drill program was defined, budgeted and planned for Q1/Q2, with first results coming out at the beginning of Q2, and a further minimum 2,500 metre drill program and commencement of preliminary engineering studies was intended before the end of 2021. Of course COVID-19 overturned this scheduling, but as all mining juniors have gone back to work these days, I expected Golden Arrow to do the same on Indiana. As I found it remarkable for the company not to proceed with this project, I asked them what exactly the reasons were.

VP Exploration Brian McEwen stated:

?The success of Indiana depended largely on being able to put the project into production quickly to make the large vendor payments in the coming years. With the COVID-19 shutdown we were faced with several challenges, one was the vendor would not commit to an extended schedule for the payments and secondly there were illegal miners on the property taking ore from the high grade vein. Rectifying these had costs and it seemed there was no controllable end in site. Presented with the options, management took the decision to walk away before incurring any more costs or making the next payment. Also it should be pointed out that that we believe we have identified several other opportunities without the burden of heavy payments.?

Too bad, as I viewed the Indiana project as a very good, relatively advanced project to have in this positive metal market.

Let?s have a look at the newly acquired Rosales Copper project. The project was acquired with the view of benefitting the rapidly rising copper prices of late. Rosales is located adjacent to the operating small scale underground Margarita copper mine, and both are positioned on a 3km long structural trend, called the Margarita Mine Trend:

The Rosales Copper project is situated in the Atacama Region, in a prolific mining region that, besides some of the largest and richest lithium brine deposits globally, also hosts multiple large precious and base metal mines.?Large mineral deposit types in the area include:?iron-oxide copper gold (Candalaria, Mantos Verde), porphyry copper-gold (Inca del Oro), epithermal gold-silver (El Penon, Guanaco) and Maricunga gold deposits (Cerro Casale-Caspiche, Refugio, Marte, Maricunga).

In general, the mineralization type found is stockwork, consisting of breccias, veins/veinlets, fractures and mantos. Management thinks there could be a possible epithermal system at depth. Considering the types of mineralization, it seems width is typically limited, and limited width means two things in general: relatively low tonnage and lots of drilling required. For copper targets usually high tonnage and continuity are preferred. I asked management about their motivation to pursuit this type of greenfield exploration which will take lots of time, potentially causing Golden Arrow to miss out on a significant part of the current copper run, over Indiana which is a copper/gold project, enjoying both gold and copper enthusiasm.

They stated,? ?This is high grade copper, near surface and could be advanced quickly. With high grade, lower tonnage is required to identify something economic. These type of projects fly under the radar and we believe this to be an attractive target that cost us nothing to acquire.?

The acquired claims (1,450ha) have seen no drilling, but did return high grade sampling, up to as high as 5.74% Cu. Based on these results, the company applied for another 824ha of adjacent mineral rights. Golden Arrow is starting a Phase 1 exploration program that is expected to include detailed mapping and sampling, as well as ground magnetics and IP/resistivity geophysical surveys. Results of this program are expected in Augustus/September, and depending on the results a drill program could be lined out and could start as early as October.

As the news release didn?t mention any deal terms on the Rosales Copper Project, I asked management if they could elaborate on it.

According to them, this was open land and they staked it. There are other areas like this that they seek to acquire. It is nice to not have to be making payments to vendors instead of putting the money straight into the ground.

The company still has 950k shares of SSR Mining (SSRM.TO), worth C$29.99M at the moment (July 23, 2020), after having sold 250,000 shares of the original 1,245,580 shares, received from SSR Mining as partly compensation for the sale of the 25% interest in the Puna operation. Golden Arrow has about C$4M in the treasury at the moment, and is fully funded for their 2020 exploration programs. According to management, the company has sufficient cash and cash equivalents to be able to take any project to PFS stage.

When looking at the chart of SSR Mining, it can be seen why these shares are a great and liquid asset to have, as the company is performing very well and is profiting perfectly of the current record prices of precious metals:

Golden Arrow has been slowly recovering now, on the back of a rather viciously developing precious/mining bull market. The share has been lagging compared to most gold/silver stocks, and has lots of room to run with any half-decent drill result:

Although the 10% buy-back program was timed very well, it probably accounted for at least a part of the increase in share price.

As the company wasn?t confined to the Indiana project, it was useful to get an update on the other projects by VP Exploration Brian McEwen.

Regarding the Tierra Dorada project in Paraguay, the upcoming drill program will be defined shortly. As a reminder, trenching results returned 5 g/t Au & 61 g/t Ag over 0.93 m, and 143.4 g/t Au and 95.8 g/t Ag over 0.58 m.

Their Flecha de Oro project in Argentina has surface mapping and sampling underway and will be followed by detailed mapping and trenching in Q2/Q3. As a reminder, the following numbers came from trenching so far:

0 g/t Au over 2 m

0 g/t Au over 0.7 m including visible gold

09 g/t Au over 5 m

99 g/t Ag and 2.8% Cu over 0.2m

129 g/t Ag, 3.5% Cu and 0.2% Bi over 1.2m

Further results will be announced in Q3. Argentina is still shut down for travel between provinces,? but management is looking at some new opportunities.

With three exploration projects ongoing, a lot of news flow can be expected from Golden Arrow, and the best news in my view in the current environment would be a set of spectacular drill results, considering the share price explosions of peers enjoying such results.

Conclusion

I had to admit I was a bit confused after reading about Golden Arrow rescinding the option on the Indiana project in Chile, which I clearly viewed as their flagship asset in the making. Especially after the successful renegotiation and the plans made for it, it came as a surprise. However, according to management, it seemed things weren?t proceeding very smoothly. With the new Rosales copper project the company maintains their Chile exposure, and the prominent copper angle seems well timed these days. Since Golden Arrow still owns almost C$30M in SSR Mining shares, cash is not the issue so many meters can be drilled. Let?s see if management can convert the SSR Mining compensation into tangible drill results, hopefully the type of results that create the kind of enthusiasm which enables lots of juniors lately to become instant multi-baggers overnight.

I hope you will find this article interesting and useful, and will have further interest in my upcoming articles on mining. To never miss a thing, please subscribe to my free newsletter on my website www.criticalinvestor.eu, in order to get an email notice of my new articles soon after they are published.

Disclaimer:

The author is not a registered investment advisor, currently has a long position in this stock, and?Golden Arrow Resources?is a sponsoring company. All facts are to be checked by the reader. For more information go to www.goldenarrowresources.com and read the company?s profile and? official documents on?www.sedar.com, also?for important risk disclosures. This article is provided for information purposes only, and is not intended to be investment advice of any kind, and all readers are encouraged to do their own due diligence, and talk to their own licensed investment advisors prior to making any investment decisions.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29) Over the past few days, Instagram has been filled with numerous black-and-white portraits of women celebrity or not who have accompanied their posts with some empowering message and the caption challenge accepted.

It remains unclear how the social media trend started, but it has since grown into a global movement with one goal in mind supporting women empowerment and positivity.

The viral challenge is circulated in a chain message, where women get nominated to post their filtered photos in a bid to uplift one another.

Well-known personalities here and abroad have also jumped on the bandwagon including Vice President Leni Robredo, other government officials, actresses, and beauty queens.

Here are some of the local personalities who have submitted their entries for the viral challenge:
Singapore, July 29 : Singapore hopes the United States can stabilise its relations with China, since Asia depends on the stable US-China ties to have a "secure" and "predictable" environment, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said.

Loong made the remarks on Tuesday in an online interview hosted by Washington-based think tank Atlantic Council, reported local English-language newspaper the Straits Times on Wednesday.

The Singaporean Prime Minister also voiced hope that the coming US President, be it Republican or Democratic, can develop a bipartisan consensus on US-Asia relations so that the US foreign policy will be consistent and last beyond one administration, Xinhua news agency reported.

"If you can establish a stable, predictable policy with bipartisan consensus, I think it would be a great help to all your friends and partners who want to be able to depend on you and to rely on you, without the risk that one day the big power may suddenly decide its interests lie elsewhere," he said.

Loong noted that Singapore will not exclude Chinese tech-company Huawei from its 5G networks bidding process, although Huawei was not chosen this time round.

"The bidders did not choose Huawei. But in some of the other aspects of the 5G networks, Huawei will be figured in, and in future bids I have no doubt it will be participating again," added the Prime Minister.
On Tuesday, Benjamin Kalu, spokesman of the house of reps, reacted to the letter Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, sent...

On Tuesday, Benjamin Kalu, spokesman of the house of reps, reacted to the letter Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, sent to the lower legislative chamber on the alleged beneficiaries of contracts at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).





Akpabio had sent the letter in response to the ultimatum given by Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of reps.





While appearing before a panel investigating alleged mismanagement of funds by the interim management committee (IMC) of the NDDC, Akpabio had accused the lawmakers of getting 60 percent of the contracts awarded by the commission.

In response, Gbajabiamila had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the minister, asking him to list all those who benefitted from the contracts as alleged by Akpabio, or face legal action.





Akpabio, thereafter, sent a letter, which was read by the speaker on July 23, in which he claimed that he was misunderstood, but still listed some lawmakers who had got contracts.





In a statement in response to the ministers letter, the reps spokesman accused Akpabio of addressing a personal letter to the speaker instead of responding to the house on publishing the names of lawmakers who benefitted from the contracts.





Instead of publishing the list for the world to see in the interest of transparency, the Minister in his usual diversionary tactics, chose to send an irrelevant 8-paragraph private letter to the Speaker regarding projects of 2018 which pre-date the 9th House of Representatives and had little to do with the bogus claims he made, Kalu said in a statement.





TheCable showed that Akpabio addressed the letter, dated July 23, to the clerk of the house and not Gbajabiamila. However, a copy of the letter which was seen byshowed that Akpabio addressed the letter, dated July 23, to the clerk of the house and not Gbajabiamila.





Meanwhile, the reps have insisted that the minister must publish a full list in line with his accusations.




Since 1988, there was no solution of the Artsakh issue on the basis of the principle of self-determination of nations, this is the formula for resolving the Artsakh issue, and during all this time Azerbaijan has always tried to move the issue to the field of territorial integrity, which is unfavorable for Armenia, the second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said in an interview with three channels.

In that field, within that principle, there is no direct solution to the issue...My concern is conditioned by the fact that the impression is that now it is not clear on what principles the current government of Armenia sees the solution. I do not understand what "Artsakh is Armenia and that's it" means. I understand that it has some allegorical significance for this government of Armenia, but, in fact, Artsakh has turned into the status of a region of Armenia. And when it is said at the same time that a solution is needed that will satisfy all parties to the conflict, I try to understand how we combine the "Artsakh is Armenia and thats it" formula with a solution that can satisfy all parties to the conflict... It is obvious that Azerbaijan does not give up Karabakh, Azerbaijan and the government in any way, and no statement from the society gives such hope. By the way, I have not heard any statement from Azerbaijan since 1988 that, in the end, Karabakh can self-determine and have an independent statehood. There was no such thing. Now, with the resolutions put forward by the government, either Karabakh must abandon the idea of independence or Azerbaijan must agree to Karabakh's independence...I do not see such an intention in Azerbaijan, nor do I see such an intention in Karabakh...Because we give the co-chairs an opportunity to have a wide corridor of improvisation. And, by the way, it is not accidental when the circumstance of the representative of the Azerbaijani community was revived, and also, in my impression, it is not accidental that the words of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and the NKR people are not in the new security strategy of Armenia.

For two years, the government has been emphasizing an important factor: the representative of Artsakh must take part in the talks and Armenia will not take part in the talks until the representative of Artsakh participates,Robert Kocharyan said. Are we talking about statements or facts now?

The legal bases for the formation of the Artsakh Republic are invulnerable.

The 2nd President of Armenia considers it possible to return to the main strategy of the problem settlement.

I do not think it is possible to bring it back without losses...but to say that a return is not possible is not true. I think, the government has started to understand something, at least the reaction to the events in Tavush shows that they have started to understand something.

According to Robert Kocharyan, Aliyev's statement that he does not see the point of continuing talks with Armenia should not be considered a tragedy.

Negotiations are better than war, this is a well-known truth.

Today, in all issues, the authorities want to start from scratch, but you have probably noticed that in all these issues they return to the point from which they accepted the government. The desire to be original is not appropriate and will not lead to a good place, starting from a new page will definitely not lead to a good thing, he said.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Bangkok, Thailand  Wed, July 29, 2020 11:00 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a20b6b 2 SE Asia Thailand,tiger,conservation,animal,endangered-animal Free

Rare footage of previously unidentified tigers prowling the Thai jungle has been lauded by conservationists as evidence of a recovery for the endangered animal.

The zoologists said Southeast Asia is a key battleground in the fight to save the big cats, whose numbers globally have plummeted from about 100,000 a century ago to fewer than 4,000 today.

Demand for their striking pelts and body parts in China and Vietnam, which fuels poaching, is largely to blame.

To mark Global Tiger Day on Wednesday, conservation groups working in Thailand released rare photos and videos, the first in four years to capture previously unrecorded individuals in the country.

In the video footage, several tigers slink past the camera traps, but one spots a hidden lens and approaches to investigate, sniffing the device.

Describing the footage as "very exciting", John Goodrich, chief scientist with conservation group Panthera, said: "It's a good indicator that what were doing is working. Were starting to see the recovery of tiger numbers in the area."

Thailand has boosted its conservation efforts over the last decade and is now believed to be home to up to 200 tigers.

The kingdom's western jungles -- where the new images came from -- host the largest remaining breeding population of the Indochinese sub-species.

Its rangers will now monitor whether the newcomers establish territory in the area.

"In more than 20 years of fieldwork, it's some of the best [footage] Ive seen," said Eileen Larney, the Zoological Society of London's country manager for Thailand.

"To witness apex predators, like tigers, returning to forests means the ecosystem is recovering, which is good for all wildlife."

The recent success is partly down to specially designed "PoacherCams", Goodrich said. The cameras automatically distinguish between people and animals, sending pictures of potential poachers to local police in real time.

But the future of the big cat is still precarious.

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have all lost their native populations, while Myanmar is thought to have just 23 individuals left in the wild.

"The focus right now needs to be on Southeast Asia, where tigers are in the most trouble," Goodrich told AFP.

However, "if you dont have government support, it doesn't work", he added, pointing to India and Russia, where political backing for conservation programs means numbers are stable or slowly rebounding.

Alongside poaching, other key threats are habitat loss and fragmentation, when roads or other developments isolate small populations, leading to inbreeding and a lack of genetic diversity.
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Rating: 3.0 /5

Available On: SonyLIV

Duration: 9 episodes / 35 minutes

Language: Hindi

Story: Avrodh: The Siege Within based on Rahul Singh and Shiv Aroor's book, India's Most Fearless takes a look at what went behind planning the 2016 surgical strike conducted by the Indian Army across Line of Control (LoC). The show starring Amit Sadh, Neeraj Kabi, Vikram Gokhale, and others in pivotal roles explore the national and international impact of the Uri attack as well as the surgical strike that took place in secrecy.

Review: SonyLIV's Avrodh, unlike the film URI, takes its sweet time to divulge into the surgical strike. It takes the audience not only through the discussions and debates that happened behind doors but also how it all began. Through Darshan Kumaar's character Major Raunaq Gautam from the Bihar Regiment, the audience first get to see the heartbreaking Uri attack that took place and how the camp of Indian Army was attacked.

From the beginning of the show the stakes are high, the urgency and unrest in the army and India's political status are felt through Darshan Kumaar's character. However, the slow pace makes it harder to keep up with a huge number of pivotal characters and the subplots. Even before the Army is instructed to present a plan for a possible surgical strike, the audience gets to see the impact that URI attack had on India- the international pressure faced by our nation and how the government chose to manoeuvre its action despite the risk. Avrodh also takes the media into account, the TRP race and the risk of releasing information on TV that could prove a risk to national security.

Darshan Kumaar As Major Raunaq Gautam Writers Harmanjit Singha, Sudeep Nigam, Abhishek Chatterjee and Aadhar Khurana have taken all aspects into consideration, including the technical jargon used by actors that thankfully does not seem forced. With a mix of facts, some dramatic liberty and a few inspiring dialogues, Avrodh manages to depict a realistic picture of the surgical strike. The dramatisation is cracked up a bit with Amit Sadh's entry around episode five. Vikram Gokhale As PM Narendra Modi Amit Sadh who plays Major Videep Singh is the special officer appointed to plan and lead the mission. Like any Army officer, he too chooses to lead the mission instead of going on his sanctioned leave to spend time with his mother. While Amit appears for the second half of the nine-part series and his strong presence takes over other characters almost immediately. On the other hand, Darshan Kumaar has the perfect mix of emotions and grit of an army officer. Meanwhile, Neeraj Kabi as National Security Advisor Shailesh Malviya is marvellous, and Vikram Gokhale as PM Narendra Modi also gives you close to perfect and neutral representation. Avrodh: The Siege Within Is Available On SonyLIV There are several scenes throughout the show that will give you unexpected reality checks and will leave you baffled. Overall, Avrodh: The Siege Within, is a well-balanced show and should be appreciated for a rather realistic approach towards a story, that could have been highly dramatised for an emotional impact.

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China on Tuesday announced the suspension of Hong Kongs extradition treaties with Canada, Australia and Britain in a tit-for-tat move following similar decisions by them over a controversial national security law.

China has decided to suspend extradition treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, Australia and UK, as well as criminal justice cooperation agreements, said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. The wrong action of Canada, Australia and the UK in politicising judicial cooperation with Hong Kong has seriously hurt the basis of judicial cooperation. Later, Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi slammed the US for reckless provocation of confrontation after both sides ordered tit-for-tat closures of each others consulates, but called for rational communication between the two powers.

Earlier, New Zealand said it will suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong. Foreign minister Winston Peters said the new law went against commitments China had made to the international community.

The US and Australia on Monday opened top-level talks in which they are expected to seek a common front against China.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and defence secretary Mark Esper welcomed to Washington their Australian counterparts, Marise Payne and Linda Reynolds, for discussions.

A Hong Kong pro-democracy activist said he has been fired by his university after he served jail time for taking part in protests.

Law professor Benny Tai, 56, decried his sacking by the University of Hong Kong and accused education chiefs of bowing to political pressure from Beijing.
Gavan Ring recording the live concert which is to air online this Friday, in the absence of the annual Cahersiveen Festival of Music and the Arts. Photo by Christy Riordan

The traditional music festival in Cahersiveen may be cancelled but the local community and the music world is set for a very special treat instead this weekend.

Cahersiveen Festival of Music and the Arts are set to broadcast a concert featuring home-grown tenor Gavan Ring and the internationally renowned RTE Con Tempo Quartet to replace this year's festival.

Like so many festivals up and down the country, the Cahersiveen Festival of Music and the Arts has had to postpone their 2020 festival but were incredibly keen to offer something on a digital platform to both the local people of Cahersiveen and the tens of thousands of followers and loyal supporters around the globe the festival has gained in its illustrious 25 year history.

To this end they came up with a very unique plan featuring home-grown talent Gavin Ring who was thrilled to come on board with his home-town's plans.

"I am humbled beyond words that Hugh and the team have asked me to do this," says Gavan who has featured regularly at the festival since he was 16 years old.

"Cahersiveen Festival of Music and the Arts gave me some of the most formative and important early experiences in live-performing.

"The town and the festival have supported me all the way through my career so, especially in the midst of all the upheaval and sorrow over the past few months, I'm just beside myself with happiness that I am coming home to do this and give everyone a lift."

The concert 'Just a Song at Twilight' was recorded live in a very special location - Holy Cross Abbey in Cahersiveen - and will be broadcast live on the Cahersiveen Festival's Facebook page on at 7.30pm on Friday, July 31.

The programme will include a host of operatic favourites along with some of the most well-loved Irish songs.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 00:11:34|Editor: huaxia

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NEW YORK, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Education Cannot Wait (ECW) on Wednesday announced 13 million U.S. dollars in new funding to help 247,000 crisis-affected children and youth in the Sahel countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to access quality education.

Of the money, 5 million dollars will go to Mali, 4 million dollars each will go to Burkina Faso and Niger, said the ECW in a press release.

In Mali, as of March 2020, over 1,200 schools were closed as a result of ongoing attacks on learning facilities and insecurity. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the ensuing closure of all schools in the country, has exacerbated pre-existing humanitarian needs, with an estimated 1.4 million children in need of urgent support in the education sector, said the ECW.

In Niger, more than 2.6 million children and youth are out of school. COVID-19, displacements connected with attacks by armed groups, and an increase in climate change-induced natural disasters are putting even more girls and boys at risk. Schools lack adequate water, hygiene and sanitation facilities. Targeted abductions and attacks on schools are keeping even more students from attending school, it said.

In Burkina Faso, an estimated 544,000 school-aged children have been affected by the ongoing violence, said the ECW.

"Attacks on children and youth, and violence across the central Sahel in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger continue to surge, and close to 5 million children are now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Girls and boys displaced by violence, who are living in precarious conditions, exposed to high levels of malnutrition, food insecurity and with limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities, are facing heightened risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said ECW Director Yasmine Sherif in the press release. "For the vulnerable children and youth of the Sahel, education is a beacon of hope, of safety and their only opportunity to build a better future."

The funds were donated by Britain. Enditem
The convoy of Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state, was attacked at Baga, a town in the state, on Wednesday. TheCable reports tha...

The convoy of Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state, was attacked at Baga, a town in the state, on Wednesday.

TheCable reports that a security source disclosed that the governor was on his way to some internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the northern part of Borno when the incident happened.

The governor went to Kukawa, and on his way to Baga his convoy was attacked. Nobody was injured, the source said.





It is unclear if Boko Haram insurgents are behind the attack.





It was gathered that Zulum had not returned to Maiduguri, the state capital, as of 9:10pm on Wednesday.





But Mohammed Mai Bukar, one of the governors aides, assured residents that he is safe.





In a Facebook post, Bukar wrote: To Our Concerned citizens H.E Prof.Zulum and His Entourage are all fine and there was (were) no casualties. Thanks!





This is the second known attack on the convoy of Zulum within a year.





While returning from a trip to Bama local government area last year, his convoy was attacked at Konduga in Borno.





That attack happened seven months after Boko Haram insurgents targetted the convoy of Kashim Shettima, Zulums successor, on his way to Gamboru Ngala, still in Borno.




A human penis and testicle have been found inside a freezer owned by a tradie who stands accused of cutting off a man's testicle in a separate case.

Ryan King, 27, allegedly arranged online to meet a 26-year-old man at a hostel in Brisbane's inner-city on Saturday.

Police allege the other man travelled to Brisbane from Sydney to have King satisfy his castration fetish by removing his testicle.

King allegedly studied the surgery on the internet and brought medical equipment and anaesthetic with him before removing one of the man's testicles at his request.

It is alleged the wound could not be stitched up sufficiently to stop the bleeding and an ambulance was called.

Following a search of King's home, police found a penis and another testicle in his freezer.

No complaint has been made to police in regards to the genitalia and detectives are probing who the appendages belong to, The Courier Mail reported.

Ryan King, 27, is accused of cutting off another man's testicle using a Cryopen at a hostel in Brisbane's inner-city on Saturday

A penis and testicle have been found in King's (pictured) freezer following a search at his home

King allegedly used a CryoPen, which releases nitrous oxide under high pressure to remove lesions such as warts, to cut off the testicle in the incident that has landed him in court.

After King removed the testicle, police allege the man flushed it down the toilet.

King faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday charged with grievous bodily harm with intent to maim and was refused bail.

King faced Brisbane Magistrates Court (pictured) on Monday charged with grievous bodily harm with intent to maim and was refused bail

King allegedly removed the testicle after using the internet to discover how to perform the procedure

Magistrate Judith Daley said there were no conditions under which she could consider releasing him from custody.

The court heard King was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome as a child and receives medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

He had been bullied while studying at the private school Anglican Church Grammar between years four and 12, his lawyer Brendan Beavon said.

His lawyer also said King was born with Klinefelter Syndrome, which results in men carrying an extra female chromosome.

King was remanded in custody until the case reappears in court on August 24.

His parents did not comment on the case when approached outside court, 7News reported.
An advertisement by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board for recruitment erred majorly as it referred to Sikkim as an independent state indirectly. In the eligibility criteria for the position of the guard in the jail department, the Vyapam advertisement mentioned that the candidate should either be an Indian citizen or 'Sikkim ki Praja' (Citizen of Sikkim).

Apart from this, others eligible for the post included people of Indian origin who have permanently migrated to India from Pakistan, people of Nepal, or people of French and Portuguese colonies.

The Delhi government had committed a similar blunder earlier this year when an advertisement by the government clubbed Sikkim with countries like Bhutan and Nepal. The advertisement which had called for volunteers to join the Civil Defence Corps had stated 'citizens of India or a subject of Sikkim, Bhutan or Nepal' as an eligible applicant. The advertisement had appeared in a leading English newspaper.

READ | Delhi Govt Ad Shows Sikkim 'not A Part Of India', State Demands Immediate Withdrawal

The blunder had caused a massive stir with the Sikkim government demanding the withdrawal of the ad and issue an official communication to assuage the feelings of Sikkim residents. The state government pointed out that the ad was very offensive and that Sikkim has been a part of the Indian Union since May 16, 1975. The Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal had then suspended the senior officer of Directorate of Civil Defence (HQ) who had published the ad.

READ | Surge In COVID-19 Cases In Sikkim Due To Gross Violations Of Lockdown Guidelines: CM

(With inputs from ANI)
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden's search for a running mate for the Nov. 3 election is drawing to a close.

Biden has vowed to choose a woman as his potential vice president. Here are the contenders likely under final consideration, according to people familiar with the process that is expected to wrap up by early August.

Senator Kamala Harris

Following widespread protests over racial injustice and police brutality, pressure increased on Biden to choose a woman of color. Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian parents, fits the bill.

Harris, 55, is widely viewed as a favorite to run alongside Biden. She is a battle-tested former presidential candidate and ex-prosecutor who has shown an ability to go on the attack - a valued asset for a running mate. A first-term senator from California, she has already been heavily vetted by the media and rival campaigns.

Harris endorsed Biden after dropping out of the race. But her criticism of him during a Democratic primary debate about his opposition to school busing rankled some people close to Biden, who worry about her ambition and loyalty.

Former national security adviser Susan Rice

Rice, 55, served as President Barack Obama's national security adviser during his second term, where she worked hand in hand on foreign policy matters with Biden, who was Obama's vice president.

Prior to that, Rice served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Obama and has advised several other Democratic presidential candidates on national security.

A Black woman, Rice could help drive the African-American vote, the Democratic Partys most loyal constituency. But she has never run for public office, which means she would be untested on the campaign trail. Her involvement in the controversy over the 2012 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, could revive that incident as a campaign issue.

Representative Val Demings

Biden has said Demings, 63, an African-American congresswoman from the election battleground state of Florida, is on the shortlist for running mate.

The former Orlando police chief served as one of the managers of the House of Representatives' impeachment proceedings against Republican President Donald Trump but has a lower profile among voters nationally.

Demings' background in law enforcement and her relatively unvetted past as police chief could be viewed as risk factors to a Biden campaign that wants to appeal to progressive voters.

Representative Karen Bass

A late addition to Biden's shortlist, Bass, a congresswoman from Southern California and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, would add a progressive voice to the ticket.

Bass has an extensive background in police reform efforts and has spearheaded the legislative response in the House to the killing of George Floyd by police in May. But at 66, she may not offer the prospect of generational transition that Biden wants to show.

Senator Tammy Duckworth

Duckworth, 52, has a compelling personal story and would help bolster the campaign's national security credentials.

The senator from Illinois is a combat veteran who lost her legs when her helicopter was shot down in Iraq in 2004. She went on to become the first woman with a disability and the first Thai-American elected to Congress. Duckworth, however, has not been on the forefront of civil justice issues like Harris, Bass and others on Biden's list.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms

Bottoms, 50, is the first-term mayor of a city that has been riven by protests over Floyd's death and the shooting of another Black man, Rayshard Brooks, by Atlanta police in June. Atlanta also has been a hot spot in the coronavirus pandemic, putting Bottoms on the front lines of the country's two largest challenges of the moment.

While Bottoms was an early supporter of Biden, her lack of experience on the federal level may doom her chances. Biden, who would be the oldest U.S. president, has insisted his No. 2 be ready to assume the presidency at any time.

Senator Elizabeth Warren

Warren, 71, has spoken with Biden regularly since dropping out of the Democratic nominating race and endorsing him. The senator from Massachusetts is seen by Biden advisers as a bridge between the former vice president and people skeptical of his commitment to progressive policy priorities.

The selection of Warren, however, could fuel allegations by the Trump campaign that Biden favors an overly leftist agenda, while potentially alienating moderate voters in battleground states that Biden is cultivating.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

Lujan Grisham, 60, became the first Latina Democratic governor of a state in 2018, after serving six years in Congress. Biden's campaign has been pushed by allies to consider a running mate who could boost his support among Latino voters, potentially the largest minority voting bloc in the November election.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer, 48, raised her profile as the governor of a battleground state hit hard by the coronavirus. But she came under fire earlier this year from some Michigan residents for a stay-at-home order that they viewed as too onerous.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 20:00:18|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- China and Japan should push forward bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the next stage as well as in the post-pandemic era, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday during a phone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Wang said, China and Japan have kept in touch and offered mutual support for anti-epidemic cooperation, demonstrating the traditional friendship between the two neighboring countries.

At present, the pandemic is still raging across the globe, plunging the world economy into a deep recession and adding uncertainties to the international landscape, Wang noted.

China and Japan, as close and important neighbors and major economies in the world, need to maintain their relations in the right direction, and step up cooperation in containing the coronavirus disease, promoting economic recovery and safeguarding regional peace and development, Wang said.

The Chinese foreign minister said that China-Japan ties have generally maintained the momentum of improvement and development, with practical cooperation progressing steadily, citing the hard-won achievement that bilateral trade in the first half of this year was kept at the same level year-on-year.

Wang called on the two countries to make plans for and push forward bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the next stage as well as in the post-pandemic era, so as to jointly tackle various global and regional challenges and inject new vitality into the development of bilateral ties.

First, the two sides should strengthen dialogues and exchanges at all levels and through all channels. They should promote the existing consultation and dialogue mechanisms, encourage proper exchanges and interactions between various sectors, industries and people and localities, and speed up the establishment of a "green channel" for bilateral personnel exchanges, Wang said.

Second, efforts should be made to resume and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. China welcomes Japan to quickly grasp the new situation of and new opportunities in China's development, and actively commit itself to deepening cooperation with China.

Wang said China attaches great importance to the resumption of work and production of Japanese enterprises in China and has adopted a series of supporting measures, adding that it hopes that Japan will also provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory environment for the normal operation of Chinese enterprises in Japan.

Third, the two sides should strengthen communication and cooperation in international and regional affairs, said the Chinese foreign minister.

Both China and Japan are defenders and promoters of multilateralism and free trade, and the two sides should continue firm support for multilateral mechanisms such as the World Trade Organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus China, Japan and South Korea, and the Group of Twenty to play their due roles, Wang noted.

He said the two countries should make efforts to ensure the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within the year, accelerate negotiations on the China-Japan-South Korea free trade area, and make contributions to regional and global economic recovery.

"We should stick to the general direction of maintaining cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, oppose politicizing the epidemic, reject wrong words and deeds that disrupt and undermine the global fight against COVID-19, and support the World Health Organization in playing its due role," said Wang.

Faced with a complicated international situation, Wang said, the two sides need to carefully and properly handle differences and contradictions in accordance with the important consensus reached by the two leaders, focus mainly on mutually beneficial cooperation, and work jointly to make the China-Japan relations move along the right track further in a stable manner.

Motegi, on his part, said that Japan is willing to work with China to promote active development of bilateral ties. Recently, the two foreign ministers exchanged sympathy messages over floods in both countries, demonstrating their friendship.

Japan is willing to keep dialogue and exchanges with China on various levels, promote actively exchanges of personnel, facilitate cooperation in economy, trade and investment, and support the acceleration of the signing of the RCEP, he said.

The two foreign ministers further exchanged views on other issues of common interest. Enditem
China has accused Australia of a 'grave violation of international law' as it steps up its ongoing feud with the west over new national security laws that target pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

At the same time, the US has praised Australia for 'standing up for democratic values' and not 'bowing to Beijing's wishes'.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds met with President Donald Trump's top diplomat Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Tuesday as part of the 30th AustraliaUS Ministerial Consultations in Washington.

Donald Trump's top diplomat Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pictured) praised Australia for standing up to Beijing

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne (left) and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) are pictured together as they meet for the 30th AustraliaUS Ministerial Consultations in Washington

The growing rift between five-eyes nations and China was the top of the agenda for the high-level talks.

'We started this morning by talking at length about the Chinese Communist Party's maline activity in the Indo Pacific region and indeed all around the world,' Mr Pompeo said.

'The United States commends the Morrison government for standing up for democratic values and the rule of law despite intense, continued, coercive pressure from the Chinese Communist Party to bow to Beijing's wishes,' he said.

'It is unacceptable for Beijing to use exports or student fees as a cajole against Australia.

'We stand with our Australian friends.'

Mr Pompeo commended Scott Morrison (pictured) and his government for standing up for democratic values and the rule of law despite intense, continued, coercive pressure from the Chinese Communist Party

Tensions between Canberra and Beijing have escalated significantly since Mr Morrison called for an independent international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic back in April.

Since then, China has brought in harsh trade tariffs which hit Australian farmers, including an 80 per cent tariff on barley and threatened further boycotts of Australian products.

More recently, China's sweeping national security laws to stamp out pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong has resulted in condemnation from Australia.

Mr Morrion announced Australia would tear up its extradition agreement with the former British colony earlier this month.

He said the legislation undermined 'Hong Kong's own basic law' and could lead to arbitrary imprisonment for critics of the Chinese Communist Party.

Canada and the UK also suspended their extradition agreements with the financial hub and in the past 24 hours New Zealand has done the same. The US is also expected to follow suit.

Tensions between Canberra and Beijing have escalated significantly since Mr Morrison called for an independent international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic back in April. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping

The People's Liberation Army are pictured at a military parade at Zhurihe training base in China

The action sparked outrage in Beijing, who have accused western nations of 'interfering' in internal Chinese affairs.

China has now suspended their own extradition treaties with Australia, Canada and Britain in a tit-for-tat response and sent a stark warning to New Zealand.

The spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Wenbin is pictured

'The wrong action of Canada, Australia and the UK in politicising judicial cooperation with Hong Kong has seriously hurt the basis of judicial cooperation,' China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing.

'China has decided to suspend extradition treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, Australia and the UK, as well as criminal justice cooperation agreements.'

He accused the democratic countries of having used the national security law as 'an excuse to unilaterally announce the suspension of extradition treaties' with Hong Kong.

Wang urged New Zealand to immediately redress its mistake or it would face consequences.

With the spat continuing to simmer, Australia is expected to carry out Freedom of Navigation Exercises with the US in the South China Sea - a move that will further anger Beijing.

A protester holds up a placard as riot police surround him inside a shopping mall during a rally on July 21, 2020 in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's youngest lawmaker and former Umbrella Movement leader Nathan Law is detained by police

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong are surrounded by riot police during a news conference

China claims the busy shipping lane rich in fishing and natural gas reserves as its territory, although Australia, the US and others nations, dispute the claim under international law.

In previous years, Australia has been reluctant to antagonise China over the issue, but with relations now at rock bottom Morrison's government is looking to push back against the authoritarian regime however no official confirmation has been made about potential naval exercises with the US.

'COVID-19 has without doubt exacerbated the security challenges in our regions.'Some countries are using the pandemic to undermine liberal democracies,' Ms Payne said.

'We reiterate our commitment to holding states to account when they breach international norms and laws, as we have done and will continue to do so in relation to China's erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.

'We will step up and make sure we support our mates.'

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper reiterated the statement's made by Ms Payne and said Australian and the US will not back down to Beijing.

'We will fly, we will sail, and we will operate wherever international law allows, and we will defend the rights of our allies and partners to do the same,' he said.
The 10 diesel locomotives were handed over from the Gede station of Sealdah Division of Indian Railways to Darshana station of Bangladesh Railways.

New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday flagged off 10 broad gauge diesel locomotives to Bangladesh Railways under its "neighbourhood first" policy.

The event was also attended by Bangladesh's Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen and Railway Minister Mohammed Nurul Islam Sujon via video conferencing.

The Railway Ministry said in a statement, "The handing over of these locomotives, under grant assistance from the Indian government, fulfills an important commitment made during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in October, 2019."

It said that in keeping with the requirements of Bangladesh Railways, the locomotives have been suitably modified by the Indian side. The locomotives will help handle the increasing volume of passenger and freight train operations in Bangladesh.

After flagging off the locomotives virtually from Delhi, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said, "I am delighted to join this ceremony of handing over 10 locomotives to Bangladesh. I am glad to know that parcel and container trains have been started between both the countries. This will open up new opportunities for our businesses."

The minister said he was happy to note that movement of trade by rail has been ensured. "During the Covid-19 pandemic, the supply of essentials, particularly in the holy month of Ramadan, were ensured," Jaishankar said.

He further highlighted the depth of the time tested India-Bangladesh ties based on mutual trust and respect. He also expressed his happiness over the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic didn't slow down the pace of bilateral cooperation and conveyed that he looked forward to more such milestones in the ongoing historic 'Mujib Barsho', the centennial birth anniversary of the founding leader of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Railway Minister Goyal said, "These locomotives will be useful in handling the on-going freight train operations between India and Bangladesh."

Goyal said that to ensure the usability of these locomotives in Bangladesh, they have been modified. "We have taken huge strides forward in our respective efforts in achieving development and growth," he said.

The Railway Minister also said that India and Bangladesh have come a long way in the last few years. "Our bilateral relationship today is at its very best. Our neighbourhood policy follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'sabka sath, sabka vikas'," he said.

The minister said the leaderships of both India and Bangladesh were committed to reviving the pre-1965 railway connectivity between the two countries.

"Out of the seven rail links that existed then, four are functional now," Goyal said, adding that to further strengthen rail connectivity in the region, one new rail link, between Agartala in India and Akhaura in Bangladesh, is being constructed.

The Railway Minister also said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the railways of both the countries have shown exemplary foresight in managing the crisis and maintaining the supply chain by stepping up transportation of essential commodities.

"Parcel train and container train services have been introduced via Benapole in Bangladesh. Both these services started in July. These have enabled us to move a wide range of products from both sides," he said.

"The railways have ensured that the two countries can continue bilateral trade without any disruption and health risk. Both the railways are ensuring a better future for the people," Goyal said.

Talking about the economy, he said that the Indian economy is coming back on track under Modi's inspirational leadership. "I am sure Bangladesh will also continue to make rapid strides under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We share the common vision of developing connectivity and infrastructure," he said.

Goyal also assured Bangladesh of India's complete, unstinted and unlimited support in the development of Bangladesh's rail network. "I commit, on behalf of Modiji and the people of India, that we will always accord the highest priority to Bangladesh and its needs. We will be a showcase of regional cooperation to meet the aspirations of the people of both the nations," Goyal added.

According to the Railway Ministry, in recent times, both the countries have stepped up their rail cooperation in mitigating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as trade via land border faced disruptions.

The ministry said that rail as a cost-effective and environmental friendly solution, has helped in transporting essential commodities across the border.

"Both sides saw the highest ever exchange of freight trains in the month of June. A total of 103 freight trains were utilised for carrying essential commodities and raw materials," the Railway Ministry said.

--IANS

aks/arm
President Donald Trump issued a stout defense Tuesday of a disproved use of a malaria drug as a treatment for the coronavirus, hours after social media companies moved to take down videos promoting its use as potentially harmful misinformation.

The president, in a marked shift from the more measured approach hes taken toward the virus in recent days, took to Twitter to promote hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, and to amplify criticism of Dr Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert. In a White House briefing, Trump defended his decision to promote a viral video of a group of doctors promoting the use of the drug Monday, even though his own administration withdrew emergency authorization for its use against the coronavirus.

I think theyre very respected doctors, Trump said, adding they believed in the drug. There was a woman who was spectacular in her statements about it. The doctors, members of a group called Americas Frontline Doctors, took part in an event organized by Tea Party Patriots Action, a dark money group that has helped fund a pro-Trump political action committee.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

Scientific studies have shown hydroxychloroquine can do more harm than good when used to treat symptoms of Covid-19.

Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr, and others shared video of the event on Facebook and Twitter, prompting both companies to step in and remove the content as part of an aggressive push to keep the sites free of potentially harmful information about the virus  though not before more than 17 million people had seen one version of the video circulating on the web.

The decision to remove the videos sparked conservative claims of censorship, with Simone Gold, one of the doctors, tweeting that there are always opposing views in medicine. Treatment options for Covid-19 should be debated, and spoken about among our colleagues in the medical field, she wrote. They should never, however, be censored and silenced. Others stressed the differences between medical opinion and peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Many high-quality studies have found no evidence that hydroxychloroquine, when used with or without the antibiotic azithromycin, as touted many times by Trump, helps treat coronavirus infection or prevent serious disease from it. They include studies commissioned by the US National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization and universities in the US and around the world.

Because of the lack of benefit and the risks of serious side effects such as heart rhythm problems, the US Food and Drug Administration recently revoked its brief authorization of emergency use of the drug for Covid-19. NIH treatment guidelines also specifically recommend against hydroxychloroquines use, except in formal studies.

In addition to sharing the video, Trump retweeted several tweets that attacked the credibility of Fauci, a leading member of the White House coronavirus task force.

Later, Trump appeared to back away from his criticism of Fauci, saying, I get along with him very well and even appearing envious of his widespread approval rating.

Hes got a very good approval rating, and I like that, Trump said, adding that Fauci and White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx work for him, And yet theyre highly thought of but nobody likes me. Fauci has become an off-and-on target of Trump and some of his White House aides and outside allies, who disagreed with the doctors early recommendation to shut down the economy as a way to slow the virus, which is surging again in parts of the country, mostly in the South and West.

Trump, in recent interviews, has described Fauci as a bit of an alarmist and accused him of making mistakes in his coronavirus guidance. But Trump also says he gets along with the longtime head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Fauci said Tuesday that hell deal with the attacks by keeping his head down and doing his job. He also backed the conclusions of the FDA and others about hydroxychloroquine and Covid-19.

Asked if he can do his job while Trump publicly questions his credibility, Fauci said the stakes are too high not to stay involved.

Were in the middle of a crisis with regard to an epidemic, a pandemic. This is what I do, Fauci said on ABCs Good Morning America. This is what Ive been trained for my entire professional life and Ill continue to do it. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube began scrubbing their sites of the video of the doctors on Monday.

Conservative news outlets, groups and internet personalities shared it.

Facebook said the video is sharing false information about cures and treatments for Covid-19, according to spokesman Andy Stone.

Twitter also said it was working to remove the video. The company also took down a tweet from Donald Trump Jr. describing one version of the video as a must watch!!! and temporarily halted him from tweeting.

In the video, Dr. Stella Immanuel, a physician from Houston whom Trump described as spectacular, promotes hydroxychloroquine as a sure-fire cure for the coronavirus. She claims to have successfully treated 350 people and counting, including older patients and some with underlying medical conditions.

You dont need masks, there is a cure, Immanuel says in the video. But in videos posted to her Facebook page, Immanuel regularly wears masks while preaching during religious events.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the COVID-19 pandemic affects communities across the United States, it has also impacted in-person fundraising for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). For 66 years, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has collected critical funds in the community  one dollar at a time  as part of the Fill the Boot program. This summer, the program will launch virtually to address social distancing guidelines for the firefighters, and the vulnerable community MDA serves.

International Association of Fire Fighters launch virtual Fill the Boot fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy Association during the pandemic, to continue to fund research and care for cures. (PRNewsfoto/Muscular Dystrophy Association)

This summer, Fill the Boot will be conducted virtually at mda.org/ftb. Donations help meet the urgent need for MDA's Frontline COVID-19 Emergency Fund to continue services for more than 250,000 people living with neuromuscular diseases across the country.

"For six decades, IAFF members have been at intersections across America with their fire boots to collect donations for MDA," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. "But the COVID pandemic and social distancing make that an impossibility. Virtual Fill the Boot will let our members continue to collect to help MDA meet their vital mission of finding treatment and cures for muscular dystrophy, ALS and other neuromuscular diseases."

"IAFF members display an unwavering support for MDA year after year, raising critical funds and awareness to help our families get the care they need," says MDA CEO and President Lynn O'Connor Vos. "We are so thankful to the IAFF for continuing its commitment to cure neuromuscular disease and for the flexibility to go virtual through this pandemic to protect everyone on the frontlines in our communities."

Donate at mda.org/ftb.

Follow @MDAorg on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Follow the IAFF at Facebook.com/iaffonline, twitter.com/@IAFFNewsDesk, Instagram.com/iaff1918

SOURCE Muscular Dystrophy Association

Related Links

https://www.mda.org


Woolworths, one of Australias big supermarket and retail chains, last Friday imposed a four-day lockout of 500 workers at one of its warehouses in New South Wales (NSW), Australias most populous state. The company launched its attack after the workers held a 24-hour strike to demand improved wages and conditions.

The Wyong warehouse, on the NSW Central Coast, is one of three such Woolworths facilities in the state, servicing 75 of its supermarkets in the region and Sydneys north.

The United Workers Union (UWU), which covers the site, claims to be demanding a 16 percent pay increase for level-one employees in the first year of a three-year agreement and 9 percent for those employed in higher positions. The union is calling for this to be followed by two annual 4 percent increases.

The unions demands would only result in parity with the low pay rates at the companys centres in Sydney. Currently wages at Wyong are between $29 and $37 an hour.

Woolworths has rejected the proposals, condemning unsustainable pay demands and the removal of basic performance expectations.

Workers outside the Wyong warehouse

The union has created the conditions for the company assault by isolating the workers, restricting them to limited industrial action and encouraging them to make impotent appeals to management.

Union-brokered agreements have resulted in more than 20 percent casual employment in the warehouse. Casuals with years of service have not been made permanent, despite often doing the same work as full-time employees.

Workers anger has been fuelled by soaring pick ratesthe number of items they must move every hour. These have risen substantially during the coronavirus crisis. Even before the pandemic, workers report that rates had increased to 230 cartons per hour, up from 160 just seven years ago.

At a picket line outside the warehouse, a worker in the chilled and frozen goods section told the WSWS: Theres a big turnaround for casuals here. Ive only been here for two years but Ive seen heaps of people come and go, Id say up to 100 every year. With the outbreak of COVID-19, you would see 80 people coming in every week and a lot would leave in the first week. Its a very demanding job. I see injuries all the time with picking.

The worker noted that despite the dangers, the casual employees receive no sick leave or other entitlements.

Another employee commented: Its going to be a difficult week. Since theyve locked us out for five days, a lot of people are going to be struggling to make ends meet. A lot of people on the Central Coast live week-to-week. Ive been saving, putting things aside, but its still going to be a struggle.

Weve worked all through the pandemic, and all we got for a cash incentive was a $250 gift card to spend at Woolworths and shares, which we cant touch for three years.

While this worker had been made permanent, a colleague had been a casual for seven years. The worker added: The pick rates in here are just astonishing. Theyre so incorrect, theres no standard built into it. Week to week they change.

Amid a resurgence of COVID-19 infections in NSW, as well as neighbouring Victoria, the worker said he was worried. Workers have asked for masks but the management said that it was on the government website that they dont need masks so they werent going to provide them. If people are trying to keep up speed for the pick rates, theres no social distancing.

The lockout is aimed at establishing a precedent for further attacks, as employers seek to use the pandemic to accelerate a decades-long pro-business restructuring of workplace relations and conditions.

The extent of such planning is shown in the companys strike-breaking measures. When the lockout was announced, management revealed it had enacted contingency plans to ensure continued operations at the warehouse.

Just weeks earlier, Woolworths announced plans to close its distribution centres at Minchinbury and Yennora in Sydney and Mulgrave in Melbourne by 2025, and open an automated distribution centre at Moorebank in Sydney. The facilities targeted for closure employ 1,300 workers, whereas planned automated centres will require only around 650.

Last year, even before the COVID-19 crisis, Woolworths announced the closure of 30 Big W stores and the shuttering of associated distribution centres, resulting in the destruction of 1,000 jobs.

While slashing jobs and claiming that it cannot afford meagre wage rises, Woolworths continues to reap massive profits. In June, the company announced it expected full-year earnings before interest and tax to be in the range of $3.2 billion to $3.25 billion, just a little down from $3.9 billion last year.

In response to the Wyong lockout, UWU logistics director Matt Toner issued a grovelling statement, complaining that the companys response was an overreaction because the union had already moderated industrial action in recognition of the pandemic circumstances.

The UWUs only concern is that it risks being sidelined by the company, and excluded from the bargaining table, where it negotiates away jobs, wages and conditions while ensuring the privileges of the union officials.

The UWU, like the other unions in the sector, has imposed one sell-out agreement after another, resulting in casualisation and dangerous conditions throughout warehousing.

The union has done nothing to disrupt Woolworths operations at its other warehouses, in a bid to isolate the Wyong workers. Toners comments are a warning that the UWU is preparing another sordid betrayal.

This is in line with the role of all the unions. Throughout the pandemic, they have collaborated with the federal and state governments to reduce working conditions and slash wage levels, thus forcing their members to pay for the economic crash.

Workers at Wyong and elsewhere need to take matters into their own hands and establish independent rank-and-file committees across the warehousing sector to conduct a genuine industrial and political offensive for decent, full-time jobs and higher pay.

Such committees would be tasked with breaking the isolation imposed by the unions and turning out to other sections of the working class. Above all, they would confront major political issues, including the need to fight for a workers government that would place Woolworths and other major corporations, along with the banks, under public ownership and democratic workers control.
Azerbaijan tried to improve its position in that part of the border and the Armenian forces not only prevented those attempts, but also gave a worthy counterattack, they improved their position, the second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said in an interview with Armenian three TV channels, referring to the hostilities in Tavush in July.

"I consider that our armed forces responded correctly, on time, quickly and adequately. After that, trying to return to the previous situation, Azerbaijan started bombing Armenian villages, using both artillery and drones. And, in fact, that local battle turned into a larger-scale military operation...You know, we have to look at all this over the past two years, what was going on at the border, what was going on along the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact. In fact, for the first time we prevented Azerbaijan's desire to improve their position. And the positional advantage is extremely important....Therefore, it is very important to always think about improving and strengthening the positions on the front line, which, unfortunately, we have not done during the last 2 years.

The army was always faced with the task of maximally improving the positions and the significant strengthening of the positions began in those years, Robert Kocharyan said.

Every year I visited the first line, mainly it was the part of Karabakh, and we made an annual program of the works that had to be done on the front line. Every year we invested to improve the positions, building the second defensive echelon, building the third. This is a daily job and it should be like that. And the leadership of the Army knew that everywhere, in every sector, if they had the opportunity to improve and strengthen their positions, then, without asking, it is their sacred duty, they are obliged to do it. This was the approach. And I will also try to connect these border events with our policy  The first conclusion, perhaps, is the following: it turned out that the President of Azerbaijan is not so constructive, Azerbaijan is not so peace-loving, and the people of Azerbaijan are not so ready for peace....Even during the war, in 1991-94, such clashes between Armenians and Azeris never took place in Moscow or the United States. Now we have to fix two very important facts Today we have not only a government seeking revenge in Azerbaijan, but also a people seeking revenge in Azerbaijan. These two circumstances join together and the danger of resumption of the war is much greater. And we must understand that the formula for addressing the people is no longer the formula for pinning hopes on the constructivism of the government, and the government must admit today that it has pursued a wrong policy on this issue during these two years, said Robert Kocharyan.
UK Board result 2020 DECLARED: If the official website is slow or unresponsive due to the heavy traffic after results are out, students can log on to third-party websites to check their scores.

UK Board result 2020 DECLARED: The Class 12 board exam results were declared by the Uttarakhand Board of Secondary Education (UBSE) today (Wednesday, 29 July). Students can check the official website  ubse.uk.gov.in  once the scores are declared.

However, the official website could be slow or unresponsive due to the heavy traffic after the results are out. In such a scenario, students need not worry and can log on to alternative websites to check their scores.

Alternative websites to check UK Board result 2020:

Students can also check their results at Firstpost by keying in their details in the widget below:

Steps to check UK Board Class 12 result 2020 on examresults.net:

Step 1: Visit the website: examresults.net.

Step 2: Select the state board

Step 3: Look for the result link that says UK Board Class 12

Step 4: Fill in your roll no and Submit

Step 5: Check your result, download and take a print out of it for future use.

Steps to check UK Board Class 12 results on indiaresults.com:

Step 1: Visit indiaresults.com.

Step 2: Click on 'Uttarakhand' in the list of the states

Step 3: Look for the link for the UK Board Class 12 results.

Step 4: Click on the link. It will take you to a new page. Fill in all the details to get your results.

Steps to check UK Board Class 10th and Class 12th result 2020:

Step 1: Go to the official website - ubse.uk.gov.in

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the result tab

Step 3: You will be redirected to a new page, where you will have to choose UBSE 10th Result 2020 or UBSE 12th Result 2020

Step 4: Enter your roll number and other login credentials and press Submit

Step 5: Your result will be displayed on the screen. Download and take a printout for future reference.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, UBSE secretary Neeta Tiwari said that results of both Class 10 and Class 12 will be declared together at the board's headquarters in Ramnagar. State education minister Arvind Pandey and chairman of the board RK Kunwar will be present during the announcement of results.

Tiwari further said that the results are being announced together as a delay due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases would have hampered the process to apply for the higher education of students. Students who are residing in various containment zones and were not able to take the examinations have been marked on an average basis, she added.
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Linkedin (Kyodo News) Osaka and Tokyo, Japan  Wed, July 29, 2020 11:24 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a22505 2 Lifestyle osaka,Japan,drinking,alcohol Free

The Osaka prefectural government on Tuesday decided to request its citizens to refrain from drinking in groups of five or more people as the area has been seeing a significant uptick in novel coronavirus infections, with nightlife districts accounting for about 30 percent of new cases in July.

The request will be in effect from Aug. 1 through 20, but gatherings of family members will be excluded from the measure, prefectural government officials said.

Osaka confirmed on Tuesday 155 new cases, a single-day record for the western Japan prefecture, up from 87 announced the previous day. It saw triple-digit single-day cases for five straight days through Sunday.

Japan's minister in charge of the coronavirus response said Tuesday the names of nightlife establishments should be disclosed if infections are confirmed there as a result of insufficient anti-virus measures.

At a meeting with the mayors of six major cities, economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said municipalities should take more stringent measures against nightlife businesses, given Japan has seen a resurgence in new cases on the back of increasing infections at hostess bars and host clubs.

In Japan's hostess bars, women entertain male customers over drinks and flirtatiously chat with them, while in host clubs, men do the same for their female customers.

On Tuesday, the number of new infections reported across the country amounted to 980, the second-highest following the record of 981 marked last Thursday.

Japan's cumulative total of infections topped 32,800, including around 700 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in Yokohama in February.

Tokyo, the hardest-hit area in Japan, reported 266 new cases of coronavirus, compared with 131 on Monday when the number slipped below the 200-mark for the first time in seven days.

The Aichi prefectural government confirmed 110 new infections, a single-day record for the central Japan prefecture, Gov. Hideaki Omura said.

Read also: Osaka replaces Paris in new ranking of world's most expensive cities: The Economist

Describing the situation as "very serious" in a news conference, Omura asked Aichi residents to refrain from nonessential activities.

In a video conference with the mayors of Fukuoka, Kobe, Kyoto, Nagoya, Sapporo and Yokohama, Nishimura said the government will discuss how to strengthen measures against the viral spread at a meeting of its coronavirus task force this week.

Nishimura said eating and drinking establishments should comply with guidelines set by the nightlife industry to help block the spread of the pneumonia-causing virus.

If customers or staff members of an establishment that failed to follow the guidelines are confirmed to be infected, the businesses should be named so that customers who visited them can know about the infections, he said.

Currently, local governments only make public the names of such establishments when there is an agreement to do so.

Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa said it is necessary to take "compulsory measures" against businesses reluctant to cooperate with authorities.

Meanwhile, the central government will set uniform standards to allow local governments to take stricter steps against the spread of the virus more quickly, according to sources close to the matter.

The uniform standards are expected to include the ratio of patients in serious condition to available hospital beds and will be discussed at the subcommittee's meeting.

Topics : osaka Japan drinking alcohol
LENOX  Congressional candidate and Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse joined with Berkshires residents Tuesday criticizing the rest of the river PCB cleanup compromise announced in February after more than a year of mediated negotiations between General Electric and area towns and cities.

The deal promises to get the long-sought cleanup of remaining contaminated sections of the Housatonic River started in the year 2021. The Environmental Protection Agency is accepting public comment on the agreement.

Morses opponent in the Sept. 1 Democratic primary, incumbent U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, was at the February announcement along with the EPA, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and others.

The agreement gets the cleanup started after decades of fighting. It allows GE to landfill materials with lower levels of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination at a single disposal site constructed adjacent to the Lane gravel pit in Lee.

This runs counter to the stated position of most local governments and the state under Govs. Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker. But the agreement set a timeline for the cleanup and ended what could have been years of expensive legal wrangling.

Morse hosted a news conference Tuesday in Lenox near the proposed site of the landfill. He said the problem is not that the towns agreed to the deal, but that the deal is bad and that it reflects the influence of big money in politics.

I do believe they werent given much of a choice, Morse said. Many folks here felt this was the best they could get.

And he blames Neal.

We cant expect him to take on GE when he got $86,000 from GE, Morse said, referring to campaign contributions.

Neal campaign spokeswoman Kate Norton reiterated Neals earlier statements about the PCB agreement being the result of long negotiations.

This was an agreement negotiated by local town officials over many years, so its ridiculous that Alex Morse is chasing a headline by telling local electeds what to do now, she wrote in a statement. If Alex spent more time doing his day job then the state wouldnt have taken over Holyoke Public Schools  something he is actually directly responsible for, despite his efforts to pass the buck.

The state placed Holyoke schools in receivership in 2015 due to poor standardized test scores. Morse has been mayor since 2012.

Morse pointed out the Lenox Dale neighborhood near the proposed dump has a lower income than neighboring communities and said residents feel powerless.

The PCBs are remnants of GEs long, and now ceased, presence in the region.

GEs former power transformer division in Pittsfield released PCBs into waterways from the 1930s until the substances were banned in 1970s. GE had a similar fight in New York state before commencing a cleanup of the Hudson River in Saratoga and Washington counties.

PCBs are widespread in the river and its floodplain, and have been found in water and soil as well as in aquatic and land animals. Ongoing cleanup activities overseen by the EPA cost millions of dollars, much of it paid by GE.

The people in Berkshire County did nothing wrong and they are left with a PCB dump in their back yards, Morse said.
Biden: Arsonists and Anarchists Should Be Prosecuted

People who commit arson should be prosecuted but peaceful protesters should be left alone, presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Tuesday.

Biden, 77, speaking during a rare press conference, came out against criminal acts but accused President Donald Trump of handling the recent riots in cities like Portland the wrong way.

I said from the outset of the recent protests that theres no place for violence or destruction of property. Peaceful protesters should be protected and arsonists and anarchists should be prosecuted. And local law enforcement can do that, Biden said.

The fact is that arsonists should be accountable. People carrying guns shooting should be held accountable. People who engage in criminal activity should and must be held accountable and taken to trial, he added later.

The Obama administration was able to protect federal property without turning the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) into a private militia, the former vice president claimed.

And it can be done today, but that wouldnt help Trumps political interest, he said. Hes determined to stoke division and chaos. Its not good for the country.

The Trump administration surged federal assets to Portland on July 4 after rioters repeatedly assaulted a federal courthouse and the officers charged with guarding it, nearly overwhelming them. Portland police officers, limited by Police Commissioner Ted Wheeler, did little to stop the rioters.

A pyrotechnic mortar explodes in the lobby of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Ore., overnight July 2, 2020. (Department of Justice)

These individuals are organized and they have one mission in mind: to burn down or cause extreme damage to the federal courthouse and to law enforcement officers, Chad Wolf, the DHS acting secretary, told reporters on July 21.

These individuals congregate in the same area night after night. We see them planning their attacks. And yet the city of Portland takes little or no action to stop or disperse this crowd.

Federal prosecutors have charged over 230 for committing crimes in recent weeks in cities like Portland and Washington, including destruction of property and assault of federal officers.

Some activists are pushing for the release of anyone charged with crimes during demonstrations, violent or not, a position Biden disagrees with.

Asked what he would do differently if he was in office right now, the presidential candidate said he would use local police to quell rioting.

When there were riots and there were federal property at stake, we were able to take care of that, he said.

While Biden has come out against criminal acts, including the toppling of some statues, he has expressed support for defunding police departments.

A Trump campaign spokesman told The Epoch Times in an email: While President Trump and his administration continue to back the blue and provide support for the local law enforcement departments trying to keep our communities safe, Joe Biden and Democrats across the country are consistently giving a pass to the rioters hell bent on attacking law enforcement officers and burning down American cities across the nation.

Americans know they wont be safe in Joe Bidens America, he added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Russia exported over 214,000 tons of sugar to Uzbekistan in the first half of 2020 which is more than total sugar exports of Russia to Uzbekistan in 2019, representative of Russian Union of Sugar Producers told Trend.

According to preliminary data of the Union, during the first half of 2020, Russia's sugar exports to Uzbekistan amounted to $85 million (which is 43.6 percent more than in 2019).

"In 2019, Uzbekistan received more than 130,000 tons of sugar from Russia in the amount of $48 million. The maximum was fixed in March 2020, when Russia exported more than 53,000 tons of sugar to Uzbekistan," the message said.

In May 2020, it was reported that the Angren Shakar LLC plant produced hundreds of tons of sugar, which was being stored idle at warehouses. According to the plant workers, demand for local sugar has fallen after cheaper sugar was brought to the Uzbek market from abroad.

But according to the source in Russian Union of Sugar Producers, demand for local sugar in Uzbekistan has fallen after the government of the country decided to cancel excise tax on white sugar.

The two largest sugar factories in Uzbekistan, Angren Shakar LLC and Khorezm Shakar LLC, have ceased operations in July 2020.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MortgageRight will celebrate its 15th Anniversary as a company on July 29. Over the last decade and a half, the MortgageRight team built a nationwide footprint. This growth and success carried this mortgage lender to the top tier of Birmingham-based businesses.

Tanner Allen, Joe Meadow, and Chris Carter combined their industry expertise and work ethic to build TJC Mortgage/MortgageRight

MortgageRight opened its doors as TJC Mortgage in 2005. The local business focused on making the mortgage process faster, more efficient, and simple for homebuyers in Birmingham, Ala. Tanner Allen, Joe Meadow, and Chris Carter combined their industry expertise and work ethic to build TJC Mortgage as a local brand. Then, they took their "customer first" model and started spreading it across the country.

MortgageRight now has 30 branches with licenses in 34 states. One of their most significant accomplishments is helping 3,989 veterans access resources and programs to pursue the dream of homeownership since 2014. Joe Meadow, a veteran who served as a US Army paratrooper in Iraq, spearheads this effort based on his passion for helping soldiers acclimate back into society.

"We're so grateful for the last 15 years and the hundreds of team members who have helped us along the way," says Tanner Allen, one of the owners of MortgageRight. "We've been able to provide mortgages for tens of thousands of clients. We thank you and look forward to the years to come."

ABOUT MORTGAGERIGHT

MortgageRight was founded to create a fast, efficient, and secure option for residential mortgage transactions. MortgageRight is committed to working with all candidates to provide opportunities for a healthy and rewarding financial future for themselves and their families.

For more information about MortgageRight, visit https://mortgageright.com.

Contact:

Eric Mason

205.607.1222 (cell)

[email protected]

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Tanner Allen, Joe Meadow, and Chris Carter combined their industry expertise and work ethic to build TJC Mortgage/MortgageRight

SOURCE MortgageRight
ARLINGTON, Va., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the most common scams in the U.S. and Canada today involves callers pretending to be government officials. Some claim to be tax officials and representatives from the Social Security Administration or Service Canada; others claim to be law enforcement officers and threaten legal consequences. All of them use fear and intimidation to trick victims into turning over personal information or money, often in the form of gift cards.

A new investigative study by Better Business Bureau (BBB) finds that while the number of government scam reports has fluctuated, scams have become more diverse and more sophisticated. In addition, many scammers have taken advantage of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by posing as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials, Internal Revenue Service representatives who can expedite economic impact payments, or contact tracers employed with local government agencies. The investigative study -- Government Impostor Scams: Reports Decrease, Scammers Pivot for New Opportunities, BBB Study Reveals -- highlights the risk of this common but costly fraud. Read the full study at bbb.org/fakegov .

A recent AARP survey found that 44% of people in the U.S. have been contacted by one of these impersonators. Law enforcement officials have received hundreds of thousands of complaints. Complaints to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report $450 million in losses since 2015. Many of these scams involve robocalls and most commonly originate from India, where call center expertise is plentiful.

In 2019, BBB reports about scammers impersonating tax officials dropped sharply while reports about Social Security Administration (SSA) impersonators quadrupled in the U.S. Complaints about fake calls from Service Canada likewise have increased in the first six months of 2020. Scammers insist they are law enforcement officers and threaten to arrest people immediately if they do not pay money, usually with gift cards. They may tell consumers their Social Security number has been associated with a crime, or may threaten to deport recent immigrants or arrest people for missing jury duty.

Other law enforcement efforts in the U.S. have led to the arrest of dozens of Indian nationals for laundering money related to these scams. However, the study notes that cases are rarely prosecuted in India.

The report recommends:

Efforts to prevent fraud calls to the U.S. and Canada have shown promising results, and the telecom industry should continue efforts to stop illegal calls and to end caller ID spoofing. Legislation may be needed to address the problem of gateway carriers.

have shown promising results, and the telecom industry should continue efforts to stop illegal calls and to end caller ID spoofing. Legislation may be needed to address the problem of gateway carriers. The government of India should do more to prosecute and extradite those operating frauds from that country.

should do more to prosecute and extradite those operating frauds from that country. Law enforcement should continue to act against scammers who are physically present in the U.S. and Canada .

. Efforts by many retailers and banks to question people buying gift cards have had limited success in stopping the purchase of gift cards to pay scammers. The gift card industry and retailers should explore additional ways to stem fraudulent use of their products.

How to complain about government impostor scams:

IRS: The Internal Revenue Service advises people to fill out the "IRS Impersonation Scam" form on the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Impersonation's website, tigta.gov , or call TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484.

The Internal Revenue Service advises people to fill out the "IRS Impersonation Scam" form on the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Impersonation's website, , or call TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484. Social Security: The Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration (SSA IG) has its own online form to take complaints about frauds impersonating the SSA.

The Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration (SSA IG) has its own to take complaints about frauds impersonating the SSA. Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: In Canada , contact CAFC about all government impersonation scams at 1-888-495-8501 or online .

In , contact CAFC about all government impersonation scams at 1-888-495-8501 or . Federal Trade Commission: 877-FTC Help or ftc.gov .

877-FTC Help or . Internet Crime Complaint Center : https://www.ic3.gov/complaint/splash.aspx .

: . Contact your cellphone carrier , which may offer free services such as scam call identification and blocking, ID monitoring, a second phone number to give out to businesses so you can use your main number for close friends or a new number if you get too many spam calls.

, which may offer such as scam call identification and blocking, ID monitoring, a second phone number to give out to businesses so you can use your main number for close friends or a new number if you get too many spam calls. File a report with BBB Scam Tracker .

About BBB

BBB is a nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB services to consumers are free. BBB provides objective advice, BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million companies, 11,000 charity reviews , dispute resolution services , alerts and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. Visit bbb.org for more information.

SOURCE IABBB

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The second quarter looks much better, but we have to wait and see how the rest of the year will pan out amid coronavirus pandemic, said TVS Motor's Chairman & Managing Director Venu Srinivasan.

It will be very difficult to make an assessment about the coming year even beyond a quarter, he said while addressing company's stakeholders on Wednesday. "GDP is expected to decelerate to around (-) 5 per cent for the year and the impact of Covid will continue for some time to come. The first wave followed by the second wave and all cities and districts are shutting ...
Amid the rising cases of coronavirus, a deemed to be University has developed 'Aashray', a medical bed isolation system to combat COVID-19 by preventing or minimising the spread of the virus.

This medical bed isolation system developed by Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, (DIAT) is a low cost, reusable solution to maintain proper isolation of COVID-19 patients by creating a suction or negative pressure near exhale, further filtering and disinfecting the aerosol.

The bed isolation system envelopes are made up of specialised material and manufacturing process with transparent and translucent supported on medical grade materials structure. The product is modular and portable in design and can be suitable for different requirements such as institutional, hospitals and home/individual quarantine. The envelope is reusable as it is antibacterial-antifungal and can be sanitised, as per the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Each envelope is capable of housing one set of bed, table and chair along with some walking space. The width of the envelope can be adjusted as per the availability of space. The envelope is opaque up to 3-feet from bottom to maintain the privacy of the patient.

As per prototype manufacturer, the cost of the setup for a unit of 10 beds is Rs 1 lakh approximately and for home, the quarantine will be around Rs 15,000 for a single bed, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Harris said in the letter that a special school board meeting has been scheduled for Aug. 4 where more details are expected to be given on how distance learning will go. The meeting will be a hybrid one with in-person attendance of up to 50 people at Barrington Middle School- Station Campus and also broadcast remotely via YouTube.
Banco Santander Chile (NYSE: BSAC) releases its next round of earnings this Thursday, July 30. Here's Benzinga's essential guide to Banco Santander Chile's Q2 earnings report.

Earnings and Revenue

Analysts covering Banco Santander Chile modeled for quarterly EPS of $0.35 on revenue of $657.76 million. In the same quarter last year, Banco Santander Chile reported earnings per share of $0.540 on sales of $646.11 million. The Wall Street consensus estimate for earnings would represent a 35.19% decrease for the company. Revenue would be have grown 6.63% from the same quarter last year. Here's how the Banco Santander Chile's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:

EPS Estimate 0.38 0.56 0.54 0.52 EPS Actual 0.36 0.33 0.40 0.54 Revenue Estimate 616.89 M 661.71 M 688.95 M 717.43 M Revenue Actual 541.95 M 605.49 M 576.02 M 646.11 M

Stock Performance

Shares of Banco Santander Chile were trading at $17.33 as of July 29. Over the last 52-week period, shares are down 40.03%. Given that these returns are generally negative, long-term shareholders are probably unhappy going into this earnings release.

View more earnings on BSAC

Don't be surprised to see the stock move on comments made during its conference call. Banco Santander Chile is scheduled to hold the call at 11:00:00 ET and can be accessed here: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/eumgn3rs

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
(Newser)  Eight employees of a Trader Joe's in New York City were reportedly injured in a confrontation with two men who refused to wear masks. Employees had asked the men to leave the Manhattan store on East 32nd Street around 8:50pm on July 14 as they weren't following the mask requirement, a rep says, per NBC News. Police say John Carrero and Alejandro Escobar, both 34, refused before pulling a mask off an employee. Carrero then hit a 22-year-old female worker in the head with a wooden paddle used by cashiers to signal a checkout is open, according to police. That employee started bleeding from the head and was taken to a hospital, per Vice, which reports another employee had their hair pulled. Meanwhile, Escobar vowed to return with a firearm, left the store, and allegedly hit a window with a chair in an attempt to get back inside, police say.

story continues below

Trader Joe's rep Kenya Friend-Daniel says eight employees in "all suffered some sort of injury," though all are now fine and back at work. She adds the mask issue isn't thought to have triggered the conflict. "We feel there was a different motivation behind it, such as wanting to start some trouble." Reached Tuesday by NBC, Escobar claimed the dispute started when an employee "put hands" on Carrero, who "snapped." Escobar said he was wearing a mask while filming footage for his YouTube channel and denied hitting the window with a chair. Both men were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, harassment, and criminal trespassing. Escobar is additionally charged with menacing, while Carrero is charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon. They were released from custody and are due in court on Oct. 13. (Read more Trader Joe's stories.)
Hyderabad:

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao moved into his new official residential buildings complex at Begumpet on Thursday.

The 'Griha Pravesam' (house warming ceremony) was performed in a traditional way at 5.22am, the auspicious 'muhurtham'.

The rituals included 'Vasthu Puja', 'Sudarshana Yagam' and 'Purnahuti'.

Telangana Legislative Assembly speaker S Madhusudanachary, Legislative Council chairman Swamy Goud, deputy chief minister Mahmood Ali, state IT and municipal administration minister and Rao's son KT Rama Rao, Nizamabad MP K Kavitha, who is Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter, and state irrigation minister T Harish Rao were among those present on the occasion.

Religious guru Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Chinna Jeeyar Swamy was also present.

The official buildings complex, including the chief minister's residence and office; a conference hall and two existing buildings, has been named as Pragathi Bhavan by the state government.

The conference hall, named 'Janahita', will serve as a meeting place for the chief minister.

In 'Janahita', the CM will interact with various sections of the people, including farmers, workers, employees, artisans and a host of others on policy formulation and on their implementation, a state government release said.

Some media reports said the new posh official residential buildings complex came up on a space of over one lakh square feet, with several facilities and measures, including bullet-proofing of bathrooms.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne at the State Department in Washington, DC. (AFP)

Washington: The United States and close ally Australia held high-level talks on China and agreed on the need to uphold a rules-based global order, but the Australian foreign minister stressed Canberras relationship with Beijing was important and it had no intention of hurting it.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper held two days of talks in Washington with their Australian counterparts, who had flown around the world for the meetings despite the COVID-19 pandemic and face two weeks of quarantine on their return.

At a joint news conference on Tuesday, Pompeo praised Australia for standing up to pressure from China and said Washington and Canberra would continue to work together to reassert the rule of law in the South China Sea, where China has been pressing its claims. That has led to friction with other countries in the region and concerns about freedom of navigation.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the United States and Australia shared a commitment to the rule of law and had reiterated their commitment to hold countries to account for breaches, such as Chinas erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.

She said the two sides had also agreed to form a working group to monitor and respond to harmful disinformation and would look at ways to expand cooperation on infectious diseases, including access to vaccines.

At the same time, she said Australia did not agree on everything with Beijing - or with the United States.

The relationship that we have with China is important. And we have no intention of injuring it, she said. But nor do we intend to do things that are contrary to our interests.

She said Australia and the United States had a shared interest in an Asia-Pacific region that was free, prosperous and secure and were broadly aligned on issues, including China.

We dont agree on everything though. And thats part of a respectful relationship, is part of a relationship that has endured over 100 years of mateship.

Payne did not elaborate on disagreements with Washington but said Australia made its own decisions and judgments based on its national interests and security.

We deal with China in the same way. We have a strong economic engagement, other engagement, and it works in the interests of both countries.

Pompeo, a persistent and forceful critic of Beijing, said in a speech last week that Washington and its allies must use more creative and assertive ways to press China to change its ways and called it the mission of our time.

Pompeo also said then it may be time for a new grouping of like-minded nations, a new alliance of democracies for this purpose.

Pompeo has been criticized by some for the speech, given the confrontational approach the Trump administration has taken towards some traditional allies, including in Europe, over issues such as trade.

Payne declined to comment on it specifically, but said, the Secretarys speeches are his own, Australias positions are our own, even if the countries operated on the basis of shared values.

Responding to a question, Pompeo rejected the suggestion that the administrations approach was unworkable.

This isnt about picking America versus China, he said.

This is about choosing freedom and democracy against tyranny and authoritarian regime, and I am confident that the democracies, our transatlantic Alliance ...know precisely, which side of that debate they want to be on.

While Washington is Australias main security ally, China is its largest trading partner and Canberra has strained ties with the latter by pushing for an international inquiry into the spread of the coronavirus that first emerged in China.

Beijing has imposed dumping tariffs on barley from Australia, suspended some beef imports and warned students and tourists against travelling there, citing racism accusations.
(Natural News) As it turns out, hate crime hoaxes are more prevalent than one might think.

This is according to Wilfred Reilly, an assistant professor of political science at Kentucky State University, who, after compiling a database of hate crime allegations, found that less than a third were actually genuine.

Reilly first compiled 346 hate crime allegations and soon found that less than a third of the reported cases were actually genuine. After this, he put together a data set of more than 400 confirmed cases of fake hate crime allegations, all of which were reported to authorities from 2010 to 2017.

Reilly, who recently wrote a book on the subject titled Hate Crime Hoax: How the Left is Selling a Fake Race War, noted that while the exact number of false reports is probably unknowable, it can still be said with absolute confidence that the actual number of hate crime hoaxes is indisputably large.

We are not speaking here of just a few bad apples, Reilly said, referring to several high-profile alleged hate crimes that in the end were revealed to have been staged, such as the Jussie Smollett incident.

The incident, in which the Black television actor was purportedly set upon and punched by two white male Donald Trump supporters who then splashed his face with an unknown chemical substance and threatened him with a noose, made major headlines and was even labeled as one of the worst hate crimes to ever be reported.

The incident also prompted politicians Kamala Harris and Cory Booker to describe the alleged attack as an attempted modern-day lynching.

Investigations into the case, however, revealed that everything was staged: Smollett, dissatisfied with his USD 65,000 per episode salary from the television show Empire, paid two Nigerian men, brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo, to attack him on the night of the incident.

Smollett was slapped with several charges related to the incident: one for making false statements, and sixteen for disorderly conduct. He was also dropped from Empire, with show creator Lee Daniels noting that the shows predominantly African-American cast experienced pain and anger and sadness and frustration in the wake of the incident.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson, himself an African-American, has since blasted Smollett, noting in a press conference that Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.

Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations? How can an individual whos been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everyone in the city in the face with these false claims? Johnson said.

It was a situation so extreme and bizarre that I think we would have had to look at how much racial progress the U.S. had actually made had it really occurred, Reilly said. (Related: Democrats TERRORIZE themselves with endless parade of fake hate crime hoaxes and made-up fake news.)

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Reilly lamented what he said is the growing politicization of hate crimes, especially when they are directed toward individuals from underrepresented groups  regardless of whether they actually happened.

These incidents, Reilly noted, are oftentimes seized upon by politicians, activists and other individuals and entities, all of whom are driven by the need to feed Liberal groupthink that considers discrimination and oppression as being the main drivers of inequality in the country.

In the mainstream media, we hear almost constant talk about scary new forms of racism: white privilege, cultural appropriation, and subtle bigotry, Reilly said, noting that the same media coverage does not exist for the hate crimes that have since been outed as fake and staged.

In a column for USA Today, Reilly noted that while the motivations behind some hate crime hoaxes are tawdry and financial, some were actually honorable, albeit misguided and ill-informed, such as the college campus hate hoax cases reported in Kean University and the University of Chicago, in which the individuals responsible admitted to staging incidents to call attention to real incidents of racist violence on campus.

Cynthia Deitle, who spent more than 20 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a special agent in the civil rights unit, and focused on hate crimes and police brutality, shared the same sentiment, noting that the most common motivation behind the false hate crime reports that she had investigated was the desire for attention and sympathy.

They felt that being labeled a hate crime victim would be a positive result, Deitle, who now works as director of programs and operations at the anti-hate crime organization Matthew Shepard Foundation, said.

According to Deitle, people would often make false allegations in order to draw attention away from real negative aspects of their lives, such as poor performance at school or work.

Law and crime experts, however, noted that staged hate crimes such as that of Smolletts and others like it can undermine the credibility of both real bias victims and actual anti-hate efforts.

Devastating is how I would describe this Smollett story, especially during this legislative season when some states are trying to pass hate crime reform bills, Brian Levin, a national hate crime expert and the director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, said, adding that cases have the potential to eclipse real facts surrounding hate crimes.

Among those cases was the one reported in 2016 by Yasmin Seweid.

Seweid, who was 18 years old at the time of the incident, was on the New York City subway when she was assaulted by three men who subjected her to Islamophobic slurs.

Within weeks, however, Seweid admitted to making up the story, telling authorities that she only made up the false account in order to cover for a missed curfew. She has since been charged with filing a false report, which is classified as a misdemeanor in New York State.

Already, repercussions from staged and falsified hate crimes are now being felt.

Representative Nick Zerwas of Elk River, Minnesota, has filed a bill that is expected to hand down tougher penalties on people who falsely report hate crimes in his state.

Zerwas, a staunch Republican, said the bill  which makes falsely reporting hate crimes a gross misdemeanor punishable up to a year in jail and a $3,000 fine  aims to dissuade people from filing false reports, noting that such actions often traumatize communities and force police to waste resources.

The announcement was met with pushback from Democrats.

According to Democratic majority leader, Ryan Winkler, Zerwass proposal, aside from being nothing more than grandstanding on a high-profile news story, would have a chilling effect on people.

If anything, people under-report these kinds of crimes, Winkler said, noting that instead of encouraging people to report actual crimes, Zerwas proposal would force people to stay silent.

Sources include:

FellowshipOfTheMinds.com

BBC.com

USAToday.com 1

ABCNews.Go.com

WSJ.com

USAToday.com 2

NYTimes.com

NYDailyNews.com

APNews.com

StarTribune.com
WA Police have apologised to a woman whose sexual assault report was never received thanks to a bungle that left an email address set up to receive sex offence complaints unmonitored for at least two years.

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WAtoday revealed this week that any victims who attempted to report a sexual crime between February 2016 and March 2018 via an email listed on the WA Police website were sending highly sensitive reports to an incorrect address not monitored by police.

Perth woman Melissa Callanan emailed the account listed on the WA Police website under How to report a sexual assault in March 2018, after she was indecently harassed at a networking function in Fremantle.

She was prompted to report the incident to police by her workplace, and did so, forwarding details of the incident and requesting a member of the sex crimes squad get in touch with her on March 28.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has cut the sod for the construction of the Yendi Water Supply Project, in fulfilment of a pledge he made to Yaa-Na Mahama Abukari II at the 2019 Damba Festival.



The Water Supply Project, being financed by a $30 million facility from the India Exim Bank, is aimed at providing the people of the Yendi Municipality and its environs with fifteen thousand (15,000) cubic metres of water daily to meet the water demand from now till the year 2040.



Cutting the sod for the construction on Wednesday, 29th July, 2020, President Akufo-Addo indicated that communities earmarked to benefit from the Project, upon completion, include Yendi, Ghani (Ngani), Sambu, Adobo, Sokoli, Nakpachei, Gbungbalaga and Kuga.



Yaa-Na Mahama Abukari II, when I told you that great days lie ahead of Dagbon, this is what I meant, as this Project signals the beginning of infrastructural development for Yendi. And, as you know by now, when Akufo-Addo makes a promise, he keeps it, he said.



The President stated that it has been fifty-nine (59) years since the construction of the original Yendi Water Supply System, which took its raw water source from the River Daka.



Since its construction, it has not undergone any rehabilitation works, and it is no longer capable of satisfying the water needs of Yendi and its environs. Additionally, because of the considerable increase in population and economic growth, it has become necessary to construct a new water supply system to meet the water demands of Yendi and its adjoining towns and communities, he added.



The President continued, Yaa-Na Mahama Abukari II, when I told you that great days lie ahead of Dagbon, this is what I meant, as this Project signals the beginning of infrastructural development for Yendi. And, as you know by now, when Akufo-Addo makes a promise, he keeps it.



President Akufo-Addo assured residents of Yendi, and, indeed, all Ghanaians, that Governments commitment to protecting the countrys water-bodies, that serve as the sources for the provision of potable drinking water for the Ghanaian people, is unwavering.



We continue to wage war against, and intensify our resolve to curb the activities of illegal miners (galamseyers), sand winning and farming along the banks of our water bodies, which lead to their pollution, he added.



Thanking the Indian Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through the Indian Exim Bank, for making available the financing for the Yendi Water Supply Project, whose impact, upon completion, will be immense for the people of Yendi and its surrounding towns, he said it is a good testimony of the strong bonds of co-operation and collaboration that exist between our two countries. Long may it continue.



He urged the contractor, Messrs. WAPCOS Ltd of India, to complete this project on schedule, and help deliver potable water to the beneficiary towns and communities.



Concluding, the President thanked the Yaa-Na for the gracious gesture and honour of conferring the chieftaincy title, Dagbon Malti Naa Abudani I, on me, and I promise you that I will do my best to live up to the title.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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If this new Reuters report is accurate, then Samsung might finally be ready to let its Bixby virtual assistant and Galaxy Apps Store take a backseat to Google's offerings. The two tech giants are reportedly discussing a new global revenue-sharing deal where Samsung prioritizes Google Assistant and Play Store apps over its options. It's something Google has been trying to convince Samsung to do for years. But now, the search company is reportedly offering a percentage of its ad revenue from Google apps running on Samsung phones.

Samsung said it has no plans to drop Bixby or Galaxy Store from its devices. In a statement, it mentioned that the company is "committed to our own services and ecosystem." But this deal is supposedly enticing, given that the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down smartphone sales. Samsung could find a new revenue source through this deal. The exact financial details aren't known, but the terms will reportedly be finalized by Friday. Or at least that is the target day. Samsung's services haven't exactly caught on as much as the company would like it to, and perhaps, it might be time for Samsung to raise the white flag.
MOSCOW (AP)  U.S. officials say Russian intelligence officers are spreading disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic through English-language websites, trying to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain before the presidential election in November.

Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscows military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation effort meant to reach American and other Western audiences, according to U.S. government officials. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday.

Russian officials on Wednesday rejected the accusations as conspiracy theories and a persistent phobia. One of the sites singled out by the U.S. posted a response denouncing as categorically false the American assertions that it was linked to the Russian military intelligence service or was involved in propaganda.

The information had previously been classified, but U.S. officials said it had been downgraded so they could more freely discuss it. Officials said they were doing so now to sound the alarm about the particular websites and to expose what they say is a clear link between the sites and Russian intelligence.

Between late May and early July, one of the officials said, the websites published about 150 articles about the pandemic response, including coverage aimed either at propping up Russia or denigrating the U.S.

Among the headlines that caught the attention of U.S. officials were Russias Counter COVID-19 Aid to America Advances Case for Detente, which suggested that Russia had given urgent and substantial aid to the U.S. to fight the pandemic, and Beijing Believes COVID-19 is a Biological Weapon, which amplified statements by the Chinese.

The spread of disinformation, including by Russia, is an urgent concern heading into the November vote. U.S. officials want to avoid a repeat of the 2016 contest, when a Russian troll farm carried out a covert social media campaign to divide American public opinion and to favor then-candidate Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Story continues

The U.S. governments chief counterintelligence executive warned in a rare public statement Friday about Russias continued use of internet trolls to advance its goals.

The pandemic and race relations and protests across the U.S. have offered fertile territory for misinformation or outright falsehoods. Trump himself has come under scrutiny for sharing misinformation about a disproved drug for treating the coronavirus in videos that were taken down by Twitter and Facebook.

Officials did not say whether the effort behind these particular websites was directly related to the November election, though some of the coverage appeared to denigrate Trumps Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, and called to mind Russian efforts in 2016 to exacerbate race relations in America and spread corruption allegations against U.S. political figures.

U.S. officials have warned before about the spread of disinformation tied to the pandemic. But on Tuesday, they went further by singling out a particular information agency that is registered in Russia, InfoRos. It operates a series of websites  InfoRos.ru, Infobrics.org and OneWorld.press  that have leveraged the pandemic to promote anti-Western objectives and to spread disinformation.

Officials say the sites promote their narratives in a sophisticated way that they liken to money laundering, where stories in well-written English  and often with pro-Russian sentiment  are cycled through other news sources to conceal their origin and enhance the legitimacy of the information.

The sites also amplify stories that originate elsewhere, the government officials said.

An email to InfoRos on Tuesday was not immediately returned. OneWorld rejected the allegations as categorically false in a statement posted Wednesday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the allegations some kind of a persistent phobia. He said the Russian press was continuing to cover the coronavirus and that there was no need to blame objective and quality work of the media.

A headline Tuesday on InfoRos.ru about the unrest roiling American cities read Chaos in the Blue Cities, accompanying a story that lamented how New Yorkers who grew up under the tough-on-crime approach of former Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg and have zero street smarts must now adapt to life in high-crime urban areas.

Another story carried the headline of Ukrainian Trap for Biden, and claimed that Ukrainegate  a reference to stories surrounding Bidens son Hunter and his former ties to a Ukrainian gas company  keeps unfolding with renewed vigor.

U.S. officials have identified two of the people believed to be behind the sites operations. The men, Denis Valeryevich Tyurin and Aleksandr Gennadyevich Starunskiy, have previously held leadership roles at InfoRos but have also served in a GRU unit specializing in military psychological intelligence and maintain deep contacts there, the officials said.

InfoRos and One Worlds ties to the Russian state have attracted scrutiny in the past from European disinformation analysts.

In 2019, a European Union task force that studies disinformation campaigns identified One World as a new addition to the pantheon of Moscow-based disinformation outlets. The task force noted that One Worlds content often parrots the Russian state agenda on issues including the war in Syria.

A report published last month by a second, nongovernmental organization, Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab, examined links between InfoRos and One World to Russian military intelligence. The researchers identified technical clues tying their websites to Russia and identified some financial connections between InfoRos and the government.

InfoRos is evolving in a shady grey zone, where regular information activities are mixed with more controversial actions that could be quite possibly linked to the Russian states information operations, the reports authors concluded.

On its English-language Facebook page, InfoRos describes itself as an Information agency: world through the eyes of Russia.

Separately, the cybersecurity firm FireEye this week published a report on a sophisticated disinformation campaign seeking to discredit the NATO alliance that chiefly targeted the public in Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

While researchers found no concrete evidence of authorship, the activity is very consistent with Russian interests, said John Hultquist, FireEyes threat intelligence chief. This is an attack on the United States and its allies.

Using fabricated journalist personas and breaking into websites to plant bogus stories, the disinformation campaign spread lies, including that German soldiers had vandalized a Jewish cemetery in Lithuania and that U.S. troops were involved in a carjacking there, FireEye reported.

It was also behind a forged letter purporting to have been penned by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg suggesting the alliance planned to withdraw from Lithuania due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods used in the campaign, particularly breaking into websites to plant disinformation, could be exploited to try to disrupt the November elections in the U.S., Hultquist said.

___

Tucker reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Frank Bajak in Boston and David Klepper in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.
The FBI continued to rely on intelligence from Christopher Steele, the former British spy who alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, even after the CIA warned his allegations were very unvetted, according to newly declassified documents.

We would have never included that report in a CIA-only assessment because the source was so indirect. And we made sure we indicated we didnt use it in our analysis, and if it had been a CIA-only product we wouldnt have included it at all, the CIAs deputy director of analysis told the Senate Intelligence Committee in an April 21 report.

The report, declassified on Tuesday, shows that the FBI successfully pushed to include Steeles information in a January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election after a bitter argument with the CIA.

While multiple claims by Steele have since been debunked by investigators, the bureau had also used Steeles intelligence to surveil former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

Then- FBI director James Comey and deputy director Andrew McCabe argued that Steeles information was relevant to the question of Russian interference in the 2016 election and lobbied the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to include Steeles dossier in the January 7, 2017 ICA.

On Dec. 20, 2016, Comey had tried to include Steeles information in the body of the ICA but John Brennan, then- CIA director, pushed back, saying he was very concerned about polluting the ICA with this material. The agency eventually agreed to add the information in a two-page annex to the ICA on Dec. 29, 2016.

An assistant director for an intelligence agency supported the annexs information regarding Russias election-related efforts, but warned allegations of collusion involving members of the Trump campaign was uncorroborated, according to the report.

I can tell you that there is no information coming from [redacted] sources that would corroborate any of that, the official told the Senate panel, adding that Steeles Trump-related information was very unvetted.

Story continues

Brennan told the committee that someone in the British government had called him to clarify that they were not involved in creating the dossier.

He wanted to make sure that I understood and that others in the senior officialdom of the U.S. government understood that that officer, Steele, had been a former [redacted] but had no current relationship with [redacted] and that dossier was not put together in any way with [redacted] support, Brennan said. So he wanted to make sure there was a separation there.

More from National Review
South Korean President Moon Jae-in visits a floating photovoltaic system plant in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, in October 2018. The plant is part of the country's plan to turn the Saemangeum estuarine tidal flat into a renewable energy complex. Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan



Small- and medium-sized players in Korea's photovoltaic system (solar power) industry are experiencing hard times in the face of competition from large firms and plummeting profitability, leaving their outlook grim.



The problem affects over 43,000 small photovoltaic system operators with capacity under 100kW (kilowatts) and registered under the country's Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS).



Introduced in 2012, the RPS mandates power distributors with capacity over 500MW (megawatts) to provide a minimum proportion of their power using renewable energy resources.



Under the regulation, the country's 22 major power distributors this year must provide 7 percent of their output from these resources  which is equivalent to 31,402,000 RECs (renewable energy certificates). The distributors must purchase their mandatory RPS certificates from power producers that use renewable resources.



The industry's ecology has kept working against small players despite their significant share of the infrastructure in Korea. They account for 81 percent of the country's entire RPS-registered photovoltaic system units and 35 percent of the industry's overall power output  3,264MW.



Despite their significance, only large private firms and state enterprises are being embraced in the expansion of system projects. Examples include those planned in Yeongam and Saemangeum in the Jeolla provinces  with a capacity of 1.13GW (gigawatts) and 1.64GW, respectively  as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's 4.7 trillion won ($3.9 billion) project announced earlier this year.



The problem has raised concerns among many small players and the Korea Solar Energy Development Association (KOSEDA) that advocates for their rights.



"We are not sure whether the central government wants to involve just large firms in realizing their plan to have 20 percent of the national energy pool based on renewable resources by 2030 [known as "Plan 3020"], or also include small- to medium-size companies for mutual growth," KOSEDA President Hong Ki-woong told The Korea Times.



"I asked officials from the energy ministry to clarify the government's position and they acknowledged our grassroots firms' pioneering roles in the industry's early days. But although they said the ministry is considering mutual growth, we haven't seen any change yet. The government must promise that a large-scale photovoltaic system expansion project guarantees 30 percent of its workload to minor operators and developers."





An 8MW photovoltaic system (solar power) farm over a 69,000-square-meter site was completed in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province, in June. The 28.7 billion won ($23.9 million) project included E1, S-Energy, LS Electric and Samsung SDI. Korea Times file



Yoon In-taek, who analyzed the country's photovoltaic system industry and forecast an REC price in his book, said that as businesses get bigger, monopolization of the market by large and state firms is becoming "more visible" and minor firms' market share is expected to be "extremely limited."



The government's 2019 plan for the Saemangeum land photovoltaic system construction project practically accepted only large firms and public enterprises as participants, according to its eligibility conditions.



"We need a new business model where minor photovoltaic system developers, local residents, large firms and public firms can mutually participate," Yoon said.



He proposed that minor players receive a certain share of the work, alongside larger participants in a project, instead of becoming subcontractors.



The activities of small developers also hit a snag with the country's licensing policies as they lack coherence and often do not get passed by regional authorities.



"Even with city governments' licensing approval, in many cases development activities have been blocked by district offices," Lee Kyu, president of a solar power cooperative for Seoul residents, told The Korea Times.



The group owns three photovoltaic power plants in the city and, from 2014, has built 14,500 small photovoltaic system units on the roofs of public offices, schools and households in Seoul.









In 2019, the cooperative received a 10-year power generation business license from the Seoul city government for a solar panel installation project that utilizes a public parking zone next to Suseo subway station in Gangnam District.



But the Gangnam office, according to Lee, "deliberately delayed approving the project" because of "reported complaints" from local residents. The cooperative filed an administrative litigation suit against the authorities of Gangnam  the largest energy consumer of Seoul's 25 districts in 2018 with 4,669GWh (gigawatt hours).





The government's lowering of the weighting for photovoltaic system units built in forest lands from 1.2-0.7 to 0.7 in 2018 aroused the ire of small system operators and developers who took the brunt of the measure through plunging REC prices. Courtesy of Naver blog



REC's downfall



But the biggest problem behind the small players' predicament is the ravaged market value of the RECs that has smashed their profitability.



When the country's spot market for RECs kicked off in 2017, the initial value started at 118,874 won. But as the market's supply-and-demand balance went out of control early the following year, the value kept plunging. In March this year, the average REC trade value was 29,956 won, down 75 percent over three years.



The main reason behind the crash was oversupply. During 2012-19, annual demand increased by 1,057,846 RECs but supply was 2.73 times this. The gap kept widening, reducing the certificates' value. In November 2018, the accumulated supply of RECs surpassed that of demand.



Because of the reduced value, more people rushed to sell RECs. In November 2017, there were 130 times more certificates sold than purchased.



"The broken chain of supply and demand clearly derived from the country's erroneous policies," Hong said. He explained that in the current REC market at the Korea Power Exchange, the certificates' value can be influenced to fall by how the country's major power distributors purchase and trade them. He said it was urgent for the market be made more transparent.



"So many small photovoltaic system operators and developers have grown suspicious and wondered whether the central government has a shady deal with the power distributors to manipulate the REC value in their favor," Hong said. "They mistrust and condemn the government because they think the administration victimized its citizens who had believed in Plan 3020 and invested in it."



The value plunge particularly affected minor players because many took out mortgages to prepare seed money for their photovoltaic system units and are now under pressure to repay the interest.



The problem looms larger for those who were left out of government subsidy programs that cushion low REC values, such as the Korea Energy Agency's long-term fixed-price contract bidding (held twice a year) and the Seoul-type feed-in tariff.



"The recent long-term fixed-price contract bidding for first half of this year (for the pool of 1,200MW) had a one-to-4.89 competition rate and for those who dropped out of the bidding and were left with the only option to trade at the spot market with a low REC value, it takes at least 14 years to pay back their seed money," Hong said.



"Is this really the business the government had originally recommended to all? For now, the contract bidding pool must be expanded to 2,000MW for the second half of this year."



Yoon said: "The REC value plunge delivered a stronger blow to minor players than to larger players with 1MW-plus photovoltaic systems, because the former took heavier investment burdens. They now want to stop selling the certificates and wait for the value to rebound. But there has seldom been an upward momentum in this market."





Korea Solar Energy Development Association president Hong Ki-woong speaks at the National Assembly, Feb. 13, to raise awareness of how the country's photovoltaic system industry is putting small operators and developers at risk. Courtesy of Korea Solar Energy Development Association
Charlottesville is considering an honorary street name downtown to recognize the Black Lives Matter movement.

During its meeting last week, the City Council discussed three proposed honorary designations.

Don Gathers submitted an application to designate Market Street between 1st Street Northeast and 9th Street Northeast as Black Lives Matter Boulevard.

Myra Anderson asked the city to designate 7th Street Northeast between Market and Jefferson streets as Black Lives Matter Avenue.

Tanesha Hudson also submitted a request to call Main Street between the Ridge Street/McIntire Road intersection and 10th Street/Roosevelt Brown Boulevard as Black Excellence Way.

The most recent honorary name went to 6  Street Southwest, which was called Winneba Way to recognize Charlottesvilles sister city in Ghana.

In 2019, the council also voted to change the namesake of Preston Avenue to educator Asalie Minor Preston rather than Thomas Lewis Preston, a former Confederate officer and slave owner.

Localities across the country are taking measures to elevate Black history in the months following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

This is coming because of George Floyds execution and really its a question of who do Black lives matter to? Mayor Nikuyah Walker said.

Neighborhood Development Services recommended combining Gathers and Andersons requests into one honorific related to Black Lives Matter.

The department said that Hudsons request didnt meet the requirements of the citys street naming policy. The policy requires a designation focused on people or events that have made an important and lasting contribution to the city or represent a key part of its history.

City Attorney John Blair said the council could still support Hudsons request and change the policy because it has unilateral authority on street naming.

City engineer Brennen Duncan said that Black Lives Matter could fit the policy, although there is some gray area. He said Its not just a phrase, its a whole movement and argued that it could be considered a collection of people. Duncan said Hudsons suggestion was more of a concept.

At the end of the meeting, Hudson spoke in public comment and was frustrated that the council did not ask questions about her request. She said she will submit another application that fits the policy.

City staff estimated that the designation on 7th Street would cost $374 while Market and Main streets would cost $748.

The council supported the designation for 7th Street and will consider a resolution at its Aug. 3 meeting.

The council also requested an update on a measure introduced by former Councilors Wes Bellamy and Mike Signer in 2019 to examine unnamed city properties and come up with 12 properties to name in honor of those who fought for social justice.

We never want to get in a situation where we do these symbolic gestures and think that something substantive changed because I know thats just a trick in politics all the time, Councilor Michael Payne said.

City spokesman Brian Wheeler said he was in meetings with former Deputy City Manager Mike Murphy and Charlene Green, manager of the Office of Human Rights, about the process last year and next steps werent finalized. Murphy and Green have since resigned and Bellamy and Signer didnt seek re-election so Wheeler is the only remaining official who was involved in the process.

Wheeler said he will provide paperwork from the meetings to City Manager Tarron Richardson and the council will receive an update on the process.

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The widow of a policeman dragged to his death by a getaway car has written an emotional open letter to the Prime Minister demanding a retrial of the three men acquitted of his murder.

Lissie Harper, 29, described the trial for the three teenagers responsible for PC Andrew Harpers death as atrociously below board and suggested jurors may have been intimidated by the defendants families or friends.

One female juror had been dismissed on the penultimate day after she was heard to say goodbye boys to the defendants as she left court.

Lissie Harper, pictured outside the Old Bailey last Friday, is fighting for a retrial after three teenagers were found not guilty of the murder of her husband, PC Andrew Harper

Mrs Harper, who had married the Thames Valley officer just four weeks before he was killed in August last year, urged Boris Johnson to help give her husband the retrial that he unquestionably deserves.

Henry Long, 19, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, were found not guilty of murdering the 28-year-old at the Old Bailey last week, but all three will be sentenced for manslaughter on Friday.

The Thames Valley officer was killed when he was dragged more than a mile after his ankle became caught in a tow strap of a getaway car as he tried to stop the trio stealing a quadbike.

The chaotic trial had to be restarted after the original one was halted by the pandemic in March.

The newlywed couple, who were married at a Georgian manor in Oxfordshire, had planned to have their honeymoon in the Maldives

It emerged that police had received intelligence the jury might be nobbled by the supporters of the defendants, who are members of the traveller community.

Jurors had been given extra security and were referred to by number rather than name.

Members of the defendants families were present in the public gallery throughout the trial.

When the verdicts were handed down the three teenagers whooped, cheered and hugged each other over the video link from HMP Belmarsh.

Not only were the three remorseless men found not guilty by a possibly influenced jury of 11, but the way in which the trial was conducted, the suspected interference with the jury and the manner in which the defendants behaved was a total disregard for any legal justice system, Mrs Harper wrote, posting the letter on Facebook yesterday.

Henry Long, 19, Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers, both 18, were found not guilty of murdering the 28-year-old at the Old Bailey last week, but all three will be sentenced for manslaughter on Friday

The letter was addressed to the Prime Minister, Home Secretary Priti Patel and former home secretary David Blunkett.

Mrs Harper wrote: What is this country if it does not provide justice for the innocent? What does it say to the public and the police officers, old and new if every day they go out and put themselves at risk to detain these criminals just to witness them be treated so exceptionally lightly in the eyes of the law?

The newlywed couple, who were married at a Georgian manor in Oxfordshire, had planned to have their honeymoon in the Maldives.

Crown Prosecution Service guidelines state that the decision to seek a retrial depends upon the public interest.

Only cases involving significant public interest factors in favour of prosecution warrant a retrial.

An abominable injustice... Her heart-rending call for a retrial 'Dear Boris Johnson, Priti Patel, David Blunkett and any other person in which has the power, moral value and sheer strength of character to right such a despicable wrong for our country 'The way in which the trial was conducted, the suspected interference with the jury and the manner in which the defendants behaved was a total disregard for any legal justice system. 'If there is even the slightest chance this abominable injustice can be rectified then I will do everything I possibly can to ensure that it is. 'There are many, many details which made this recent trial atrociously below board... I will keep fighting on behalf of Andrew, the future that was stolen from us and also the victims who find themselves in this unjustly situation in the future. 'Who are we if we allow our legal system to fail us? What is this country if it does not provide justice for the innocent? 'What does it say to the public and the police? It says that we are weak, that we will roll over to the despicable thieves and vile miscreants of this world and literally let them get away with murder. 'What else can I do for my husband now? My heart bleeds for the life that was so selfishly taken from us. I implore you to hear my words to ensure Andrew is given the retrial he unquestionably deserves.' Advertisement
LOS ANGELES  Remember the good old days (a few months ago), when you could leave your home for the day with a tall tumbler of coffee and a car well-stocked with water, confident in the knowledge that when your bladder came calling, you could find quick and easy relief at the nearest coffee shop, gas station or fast-food restaurant?

Because after a couple of hours, you were likely ready for another Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew anyway, right? At least that's how it worked in my world, where regular caffeine was such a workday requirement that by the time I got home, the interior of my car was full of empty cups.

In truth, I probably owe my caffeine addiction to my bladder: I had to buy a new coffee every few hours so I could justify using a coffee shop's public bathroom when I was working outside the office.

But the easy days of ubiquitous public restrooms are but memory, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns that have shuttered the seating areas  and toilets  of many coffee shops and restaurants.

Even the old reliable go-to, the gas station, has become an iffy proposition.

Is there any dance more urgent than racing into a gas station in pursuit of a restroom only to discover it's closed to the public and trying to think, "What do I do now?" over the screams of your near-bursting bladder?

The staff at the Central 76 station in Riverside, just off the 91 freeway, have seen that look more than once. "Lots of people come here from other stations saying, 'I have to go!'" said assistant manager Cesar Mungaray. "And if we notice people heading to the wall (outside), we go to the door and shout, 'Hey, we have restrooms open inside," because when they have to go, they'll go outside."

So maybe it isn't my imagination, that whiff I keep smelling in parking lots these days.

In fact, I now have a far better understanding of what homeless people have been facing for years: If people won't let you in, where can you go?

The problem comes at a time where, for many of us, taking a drive seems like the last fun, safe, socially distanced thing we can do these days to get out of the house. But any drive that takes us too far from home leads right back to the problem at hand: where to go when nature calls.

Sharokina Shams, spokeswoman for the California Restaurant Assn., says many food establishments have closed their restrooms to minimize coronavirus exposure to their employees.

Not an unwarranted concern, considering that coronavirus has been found in the raw sewage at Yosemite National Park.

A basic reality, however, is that restrooms get dirty, and surfaces that get lots of touching, such as doorknobs, sink handles and toilet seats, need to be cleaned. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are demanding  requiring plenty of disinfectants and cleaning supplies  which can be difficult to manage when staffing is thin. Complicating matters is when the on-site restrooms are also the only available restrooms for employees to use.

And what about a business owner's liability if an employee gets sick after cleaning a restroom? Easier just to shut it down.

For Nahal Noorzady, co-owner of the 14th Street Chevron and car wash off the 91 Freeway in Riverside, closing bathrooms is a struggle between her sympathy for travelers and basic dollars and cents.

Chevron has instructed its stations to keep restrooms open for customers, she said, but they have closed one of their two restrooms to the public, reserving that for employee use.

Noorzady says she understands the need for public toilets, but paper towels and cleaning supplies have become more expensive and harder to buy. "I used to be able to buy a four-pack of paper towels for $23.99. Now I can only buy one pack at a time, and it costs $45." Noorzady added: "If I can't buy soap. I'll have to close my restrooms."

My friend tells me to do what truck drivers do  sit in my car and reach for a portable urinal. That's what the Tinkle Belle is for, she said. (For the uninitiated, the Tinkle Belle is one of many clever devices on the market that allow women to urinate standing up, without baring all.) But this is not a happy thought. What if I misalign my "female urinary device" and send urine streaming all over my shoes and floor mat a few minutes before my next interview? What if someone walks by my car and happens to glance inside?

Give me a good bush to stand behind, or even a deserted field, and I'm OK, but out in a parking lot or a city street ... aargh. Somebody must have a restroom open somewhere.

And therein lies the rub. A few places do, based on my unscientific sampling these past few weeks, but if you're on the freeway and you have to go, you don't want to start guessing who might be open and make the wrong choice. After a few of those near-miss encounters, your bathroom quest can become a little crazed.

If you are lucky enough to find a public bathroom, remember some common sense strategies, inspired in part by the CDC: Wear a mask, social distance if there's a crowd and try not to unnecessarily touch anything  especially your face.

If possible, use a paper towel or tissue to open and close doors, then toss it in the trash  not the toilet, where it can cause a clog. (You might want to carry extra tissue or travel soap with you, as you never know when TP or cleaning supplies may be scarce.) Ideally, use hot water and soap to clean your hands on the way out.

And don't linger; the longer you stay, the more exposed you are to any airborne germs from the last toilet flush or visitor. Finally, use hand sanitizer when you get back to your car.

So potential solutions come down to dehydration (which isn't foolproof) or lots of strategic planning.

Pepe Garcia, assistant general manager of the solids divisions in the L.A. City Public Works department, drives into Los Angeles from Perris every day, a good 75-mile trip one way, and he's opted for strategic planning.

"After 30 years of traveling the same roads, you find little pit stops along the way," he said. But when the pandemic came, and his go-to stops were closed, he had to move to Plan B: He's identified a few places along his route that he knows will be open and always stops there now on his way to work, even if the need is not urgent.

"I'm getting older, and I don't hold it like I used to, so I just anticipate that I won't be able to go all the way without stopping," he said. "I've got it down to a science; it's become routine. Otherwise, it's just a guessing game and you have to bounce from gas station to station until you find something."

So here is my unscientific anecdotal advice about managing your bladder during the pandemic:

Do some shopping

These days, the most reliable place to find an open restroom is in grocery stores or big-box stores like Target, Costco or Trader Joe's. Of course, this means finding a parking space, sprinting through the parking lot and then praying there's no line, but you can be reasonably certain that these stores will keep their restrooms open and clean.

Visit a park

Most city buildings are closed to employees and the public at large, but park bathrooms are still open, at least in the city of Los Angeles, said spokeswoman Rose Watson. The city lists its parks and their addresses on its website, if you want to bookmark those locations for easy searching, but be warned, small "pocket parks" don't usually have restrooms, Watson said. Good rule of thumb: If the park is big enough to have a recreation center, it will also have restrooms, which are typically open from dawn to dusk, she said. And  bonus!  those restrooms are usually near the parking lots, so you shouldn't have to run too far to get relief.

Pre-scout your route

Most digital maps show businesses along the freeways, so make a note of exits that lead to a sure pit stop and then call ahead to make sure.

Invest in a portable urinal

It can't hurt to have a screw-top urinal in your car, for those absolutely desperate moments when you can't find any other place to go. One of Amazon's top picks is supposedly spill-proof and even has a glow-in-the-dark lid so you can find it at night. Women should investigate the vast new world of female urination devices or "pee funnels," such as the Tinkle Belle, Amazon top-rated Sunany (with a funnel tip small enough to fit inside an empty water bottle), the GoGirl (No. 1 bestseller on Amazon), the Easy Peezy and the Shewee (one of the earliest FUDs on the market and now available in 10 colors!). There are also plenty of compact, portable toilets on the market, some for as little as $19.99.

Look for rest stops

State-maintained rest areas are still helpful on long hauls, provided they're not closed for maintenance. This is where Garcia's advice comes in handy: Go whenever you can, because who knows when the next opportunity will show up.

Pack a bag

Because accidents do happen, it's especially smart these days to have a little bag in your car with wipes, tissues, plastic bags (one for damp garments, another for soiled tissue) and a change of clothes. (And maybe even shoes, in case your your pee funnel slips.) Some extra hand sanitizer would be helpful too, along with a towel to wrap around yourself if you have to go somewhere in wet pants to change.

And remember, things could be worse. You could never have packed a bag at all.

Watch Now: Cloth face covering dos and donts

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Work from home hurting your back, giving you a stiff neck?

You no longer have to worry about shelling out money to buy that ergonomic chair, power backups or even wire extensions as companies are picking the tab to enable work from home.

Online travel aggregator Ixigo, cloud-based service provider Salesforce and payments solution company Razorpay are offering employees funds to set up a basic office at home.

Millions of Indians have now been working from home for almost four months and that is likely to continue for some time as coronavirus shows no signs of abating. While some companies have mandated work from home till December 31, global firms such as Google have said they will not need employees in the office till June 30 next year.

"... to make remote working comfortable for our employees, an allowance has been given to every employee's salary this can be used to rent comfortable office furniture through our partnership with Rentile for corporate offers, upgrading broadband connection, or any other essentials the employee wishes for," said Anuradha Bharat, Head, People Operations, Razorpay.

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

Bharat didn't disclose the amount of money the company was paying.

Ixigo said it was offering Rs 7,500 as a one-time payment to each of its 150 employees, the US-based Salesforce is giving $250 (Rs 18,700).

Ixigo has made work from home mandatory at least till December 31. Employees will be given the money as a reimbursement after they make the purchase and submit receipts.

Ergonomic chairs, power backup, headphones, bed tables, laptop stands, monitors, keyboards and wire extensions are among the items that the company will pay for. Employees also have the option to pick up the chairs from the office.

Salesforce, which has more than 2,500 employees in India, is planning a staggered return of the staff to the office but it also plans to will them the option for working remotely for the rest of 2020.

"Such a move is not just about employee welfare, it adds drastically to the overall efficiency of working from home as well which the corporates are cognizant of," said Anshul Lodha, the regional director at Michael Page, a UK-headquartered recruitment agency.

House furniture was not designed to be sat on for eight to nine hours and it is frustrating to work without proper infrastructure, Lodha said.

India now has 15,31,669 confirmed coronavirus cases, with the daily count topping 40,000 for the last few days. As many as 34,193 people have died of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus. The spike in infections has forced several states to bring back restrictions and limit the movement of people to curb the spread.
To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. However, after investigating LPA Group (LON:LPA), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for LPA Group:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.02 = UK317k  (UK21m - UK5.3m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2020).

So, LPA Group has an ROCE of 2.0%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Electrical industry average of 12%.

See our latest analysis for LPA Group

roce

While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of LPA Group, check out these free graphs here.

So How Is LPA Group's ROCE Trending?

In terms of LPA Group's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 6.1%, but since then they've fallen to 2.0%. Given the business is employing more capital while revenue has slipped, this is a bit concerning. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales haven't increased.

The Bottom Line On LPA Group's ROCE

Story continues

We're a bit apprehensive about LPA Group because despite more capital being deployed in the business, returns on that capital and sales have both fallen. Investors haven't taken kindly to these developments, since the stock has declined 3.4% from where it was five years ago. That being the case, unless the underlying trends revert to a more positive trajectory, we'd consider looking elsewhere.

One final note, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with LPA Group (including 2 which is make us uncomfortable) .

While LPA Group may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
In an often combative hearing Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee, U.S. Attorney General William Barr defended the federal response to ongoing demonstrations outside Portlands federal courthouse as a necessary measure to protect the building and federal officers against violent protesters and prevent similar actions from metastasizing around the country.

Barr said federal authorities had a duty to defend against violent attacks and rioters, and said protesters have attempted to burn down the building, shot commercial fireworks, and used pellet guns and slingshots to shoot projectiles that have injured federal officers to the bone as well as lasers that have damaged officers eyesight.

He placed the blame squarely on state and local officials for failing to protect city streets around the courthouse from violent demonstrators.

Look around the country, even where there are these kinds of riots occurring, we havent had to put in the kind of reinforcements that we have in Portland, because the state and local law enforcement does their job and wont allow rioters to come and just physically assault the courthouse. In Portland, thats not the case.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, Gov. Kate Brown and other state and local officials have repeatedly demanded the withdrawal of federal officers from Portland, saying they are antagonizing locals and breathing life into the protests.

Here are some of the claims Barr made during his testimony, fact checked where possible.

Barr: There have been two months of violent protests and rioting in Portland

The question of peaceful versus violent protests was raised repeatedly by lawmakers. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-NY and the chair of the committee, castigated Barr in his opening statement for using federal troops as props in President Trumps reelection campaign. Real leadership, he said, would entail de-escalation, collaboration and looking for ways to peacefully resolve our differences.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OH and the ranking minority member on the committee, showed a video montage contrasting a string of cable television commentators characterizing the protests as peaceful with scenes of mayhem and violence at protests around the country, including Portland.

Barr repeatedly said there had been almost two months of violence in the city. He said the main reinforcement of federal forces at the courthouse took place around July 4, and that the aggressive attacks on the building were going on quite a while before that.

As you can see in Portland, we have a relatively small number of federal officers who have been withstanding this for almost two months, he said. Its a great strain, but we cannot just stand aside and watch the federal court be destroyed.

They are under attack and being injured, and its been constant for 60 days.

Protests in Portland have waxed and waned since May 28th, both in attendance and the level of violence. Neither federal authorities nor the Portland Police Bureau have consistently designated the nightly gatherings as riots.

Tens of thousands of protesters have shown up for demonstrations and marches that end at the Justice Center, directly adjacent to the federal courthouse. The vast majority are peaceful, though a small subset of the nightly crowd sticks around later at night, when the violence increases. Portland Police also clashed with protesters early on, repeatedly deploying tear gas and other less lethal munitions to disperse protesters at the Justice Center, throughout the downtown core and in Northeast Portland.

The federal courthouse was not a target of early demonstrations, though the building was heavily tagged with graffiti. That dynamic began changing in early July, when the Department of Homeland Security began reinforcing its presence in Portland, federal forces stepped up their response, and Trump made comments about dominating protesters and using more aggressive tactics.

The situation escalated markedly after Donavan La Bella, who was demonstrating peacefully outside the courthouse on July 11th, was shot in the head with a less lethal munition by a federal officer.

Since then, the protests have followed a typical pattern, with peaceful protests in the early evening, followed by a tense standoff at the fence around the federal courthouse, and finally provocation by protesters tampering with the fence, throwing fireworks, water bottles and other projectiles, while federal agents respond with tear gas, pepper spray and less-lethal munitions.

Barr: Antifa is active in the Portland demonstrations

Barr was asked repeatedly by Republican lawmakers about Antifas involvement with instigating violence at the protests in Portland. He responded that Antifas involvement wasnt a myth, but that its an umbrella term for loosely organized groups with an anarchic temperament that dont necessarily get along very well.

I think there are anarchists and far left groups involved in the violence in Oregon, he said. Antifa is involved in Portland.

Antifa has been used as an overarching label for a variety of different groups that have their own viewpoints and dont necessarily collaborate. Groups that have been heavily involved in the Portland protests, such as the PNW Youth Liberation Front and Pop Mob, for example, do not publicly identified themselves as Antifa or anarchists. But some of their messaging aligns with anarchist rhetoric. Left-wing groups have circulated repeated calls to join protests on social media and on encrypted apps like Telegram. Portland police officials also have also said there are protesters building connections on the ground in Portland and becoming regular crews that coordinate their actions.

Barr: Protests are being hijacked by violent demonstrators whose primary aim is to injure federal officers

Barr said protesters have shot commercial fireworks, thrown Molotov cocktails, used slingshots and pellet guns, and lobbed water bottles and other projectiles that have injured federal officers.

There is no shortage of first-hand accounts by reporters, video footage and social media posts to support the fact that such actions are regularly playing out downtown.

Barr went further, however, saying protests are being hijacked by violent instigators whose primary direction is to injure police, and that police casualties have far exceed protesters.

Its impossible to verify those claims, though the last seems unlikely.

In a court filing last week, federal officials said that at least 28 officers have been injured defending federal buildings, including broken bones, eye and hearing damage and a dislocated shoulder, according to court records. Barr cited an incident where a protester shot a federal officer with a pellet gun.

Volunteer medics, meanwhile, have treated dozens of protesters bruised and battered by flash-bang grenades, tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and other munitions. The federal response to disperse crowds is often indiscriminate and sometimes without warning.

The ACLU sued federal authorities and Portland Police last week, alleging that they were deliberately targeting medics at the protests. An earlier lawsuit and court order blocked local police from attacking journalists and legal observers. The plaintiffs sought last week to extend that order to include federal officers.

There have been several high-profile injuries to protesters. Donavan La Bella was hospitalized with a fractured skull after a U.S. Marshals Service deputy with the agencys tactical unit shot him in the head with an impact munition as La Bella held a stereo with both hands over his head across the street from the courthouse.

In another incident, video shows federal officers pepper spraying and using batons to beat another protester, Christopher David, a 53-year-old Navy veteran, as he tried to speak to them.

Barr: There are less than 100 federal officers deployed in Portland

Barr said that until recently, there were 29 tactical Deputy Marshals in the federal courthouse, but that force was recently increased to 95 Federal Protective Service and Department of Homeland Security Employees to protect the courthouse and three other buildings.

But the Department of Homeland Security said in court filings this week that there were a total of 114 federal law enforcement officers in the city as of July 21 taking part in the mission dubbed Operation Diligent Valor. The officers are acting under the direction of the Federal Protection Service, according to court documents.

Included in that force are officers from the U.S. Customs and Border Protections tactical team known as BORTAC, the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In addition to patrolling the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in downtown Portland and policing nightly demonstrations outside the building, the officers have conducted surveillance on protesters and posted undercover agents among the crowds to arrest people suspected of criminal activity, court records show. A Portland-based FBI official also confirmed recently that his agents were also helping investigating some protesters alleged criminal activity.

-- Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-2218505; @tedsickinger

- Oregonian reporter Shane Kavanaugh contributed to this story.

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A Perth woman is using her own disappointing home building experience to ensure others dont suffer the same turmoil, as state and federal grants cause a surge of interest in new home builds.

For two years Deborah Camilleri has been compiling the lessons she learnt during her build and educated herself to the point where she has now launched her own new home building education program.

Ms Camilleri quit her job as a teachers assistant and set up Perth Building Shelter to help steer confused new home builders in the right direction while attempting to "fix" the industry in the process, which she said still had major underlying problems.

When my story became public there were hundreds of people that reached out, she said.
Oxford-educated career diplomat Richard Moore will take over as 'C' - the new head of MI6.

Moore, 57, joined MI6 in 1987 where he 'undertook a range of roles across the Service both in the UK and overseas,' according to his official profile.

Moore went on to serve as the UK's ambassador to Turkey between 2014 and 2017 and is currently the director general of political affairs at the Foreign Office.

An accomplished spy and well respected across Britain's intelligence community, Moore will take over the role from Alex Younger in the autumn.

Richard Moore (pictured above), director general of political affairs at the Foreign Office, will take up his role as MI6 chief in the autumn, replacing current head Alex Younger

Moore has been married to his wife Maggie since 1985. He frequently shares pictures of them together on social media (right)

Moore's brief official biography says he was born in Libya and is married (pictured with wife Maggie) with two children

The next head of the Secret Intelligence Service said: 'I am pleased and honoured to be asked to return to lead my service.

'SIS plays a vital role - with MI5 and GCHQ - in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas.

'I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave and dedicated team at SIS.'

Moore's brief official biography says he was born in Libya and is married with two children.

It reads: 'Outside of work, Richard's interests include playing golf and watching cricket and rugby,' says the biography. He speaks fluent Turkish.'

He was educated at St George's College in Surrey - a Roman Catholic school - before reading philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University.

Mrs Moore (left), while still in school, met her husband (together right) while on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. She said Moore - who she dubs her 'little miracle' - was the team leader in the hotel where she stayed

He went onto study at the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University through a scholarship for British graduates of universities in the UK.

Moore has frequently shared photographs of him and his wife Maggie on social media. They have been married since 1985.

Mrs Moore - who is visually impaired - was part of the inspiration behind the first guide dog partnership in Turkey.

She told local media: 'Having a guide dog by your side goes beyond having a pet.

'You are a working team, but Star is also my companion, my buddy.

She lost about 90 per cent of her vision at the age of ten due to juvenile macular degeneration - a term denoting multiple inherited and uncommon diseases

'For me, being independent is really important, particularly if I want to go out on my own.'

She lost about 90 per cent of her vision at the age of ten due to juvenile macular degeneration - a term denoting multiple inherited and uncommon diseases.

Mrs Moore, while still in school, met her husband while on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, she told BBC Radio 4. She said Moore - who she dubs her 'little miracle' - was the team leader in the hotel where she stayed.

He appears to be the first MI6 boss with an active Twitter account.

Outgoing MI6 chief Younger said: 'I am delighted by this appointment. Richard is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and we look forward to welcoming him back to the service.'

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab appointed the former intelligence officer, who worked for the SIS in the UK and overseas, to become the new chief with the agreement of the Prime Minister.

Mr Raab said on Wednesday: 'He returns to SIS with tremendous experience and will oversee the work of a group of men and women whose tireless efforts are rarely seen in public, but which are critical for the security and prosperity of the UK.'

Outgoing MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger, pictured above, said he is 'delighted' by the appointment, adding: 'Richard is a highly accomplished intelligence officer'

MI6, depicted by novelists as the employer of some of the most memorable fictional spies, from John le Carre's George Smiley to Ian Fleming's James Bond, operates overseas and is tasked with defending Britain and its interests.

The current SIS chief, Younger, has served since November 2014.

Younger's predecessors Sir John Sawers, Sir John Scarlett and Sir Richard Dearlove all left the role within five years - but Younger stayed on longer than is usual to ensure stability through the political tumult of the Brexit negotiations.

Younger identified cyber-security as a top priority for Britain during his term, describing the internet as 'an existential threat' to intelligence work in a rare public address in 2016.

He has also raised concern about the safety of China's private telecoms giant Huawei, which Britain this month decided to phase out of its 5G network.

Mr Raab said Younger 'carefully and effectively guided the service during a time of increased and more diverse threats.'

Other possible candidates for one of the top jobs in Western intelligence were Karen Pierce, Britain's ambassador to the United States, and Tom Hurd, an interior ministry security official.

A general view of the MI6 building in Vauxhall, London. The Secret Intelligence Service operates overseas and is tasked with defending Britain and its interests (file photo)

Having first joined MI6 in 1987, Moore went on to serve as the UK's ambassador to Turkey.

His FCO profile also says he has had postings in Vietnam and Turkey between 1990 and 1992, as well as in Pakistan and Malaysia.

Moore was appointed his role at the Foreign Office in April 2018.

Beforehand he was Director for Europe, Latin America and Globalisation between 2010 and 2012, and Director for Programmes and Change between 2008 and 2010, previously being posted to Vietnam, Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia.

Born in Libya, Moore attended Oxford University to study a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and took part in the Stanford Executive Programme in 2007.
DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th July, 2020) Saudi Arabia will maintain coordination with Algeria with regards to the settlement of the Libyan crisis, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Tuesday following talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The Saudi foreign minister visited Algiers earlier in the day, as part of the succession of visits to North African countries, including Egypt on Monday, where he also vowed bilateral coordination in tackling the regional challenges.

"We have discussed the situation in the region and found a convergence of views between Saudi Arabia and Algeria, especially with regard to challenges facing the region, primarily the Libyan crisis. We share the opinion that the solution must be intra-Libyan so that the peace process can end the conflict and protects Libya from terrorism and foreign interference. It is very important to continue the coordination between Algeria and Saudi Arabia toward reaching a peaceful solution," Prince Faisal said following the meeting, as quoted by the Al-Hadath broadcaster.

According to the Saudi foreign minister, countries neighboring Libya have a key role to play in the peace process.

The almost decade-long Libyan conflict has escalated over the past few months around the power struggle between the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), in control of the country's west, and the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) and the House of Representatives.

Since last April, the confrontation turned openly military as the LNA forces attempted an offensive on the GNA-held Libyan capital of Tripoli and prompted a massive counteroffensive.

An international conference on Libya was held in Berlin in January, where participating countries have agreed to an arms embargo as a measure of non-interference in the Libyan civil conflict. Yet, the warring parties have accused each other of collusion with foreign governments, including those which have agreed to the pact.

Turkey, in particular, has been providing extensive military support to the GNA since the latter formally requested assistance in late 2019. The Libyan House of Representatives, in the meantime, has requested deployment of troops from Egypt, whose parliament promptly greenlighted the potential intervention.
A protester has to be protected the same way that a citizen who is just walking down the street and gets attacked would be protected by law enforcement, said Chris Stewart, a veteran civil rights attorney in Atlanta. So, if someone is using a deadly weapon, which is a car, it would be mind-boggling that they wouldnt be charged, because a vehicle is a weapon.
Actor Elli Avrram, who is known for films like The Verdict - State Vs Nanavati, Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon, Mickey Virus, Typewriter and much more, recently opened up about the struggles she had to face as a foreigner. For the unversed, Elli hails from Sweden where her mother and her aunt are actors. During the interview with a news portal, the actor spoke about her journey to Mumbai and how she managed to stick around with the rules and her experience living with cockroaches and lizards.

When asked about Ellis journey from Sweden to Mumbai, the actor revealed that the journey was difficult. She further added that it took her three years. Adding that, she has grown up with strict parents who wouldnt allow her to step out of the house post 9 pm. And over a few years, she decided that she wanted to pursue her career in acting in Bollywood. Elli further revealed that she worked in a jewellery store where she collected money to come to India.

The Typewriter actor further revealed that when she landed in Mumbai she used to live at her Aunts place where she had to follow the rules and regulations of the house. She also added that it is very difficult to rent an apartment in Mumbai because she was a foreigner, a single girl and also an actor so it would be like a big no. She also added that she then finally booked an appointment with someone from Bollywood where the meeting was in Bandra. Elli further added that she used to stay in Gorai and when she went for the meeting she was stunned looking at the places there.

Also read | Elli AvrRam Says Ranveer Singh Would Make The Perfect Lockdown Partner; Read More

Avrram further shifted from there and went on to live in six rented apartments until she was finally settled. And during her stay at the rented apartments, she recalled a memory where she said that she used to live in a tiny room and the place had no air conditioner and it used to get really hot and she would end up sleeping on the floor. Elli revealed that the house had lizards roaming around and so many cockroaches everywhere. The actor concluded saying that it was nice remembering all the old days where she had to go through so much.

Also read | Single Elli AvrRam Reveals That She Has No One To Give 'goodnight Kisses'

On the work front

The actor was last seen in the 2020 film Malang alongside Disha Patani, Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapoor in pivotal roles. The film was loved by fans and movie buffs. She will next be seen in the action-thriller series titled 7th Sense alongside Madhavan, Ameesha Patel and Ahsaas Channa in pivotal roles. The series has completed its shooting process and is expected to release in 2020.

Also read | Elli AvrRam Gives Witty Reply To Troll Asking Her To Get Married & Settled; Check Here

Also read | Elli AvrRam's Beetroot Facemask Pic Makes Fans Go ROFL As They Ask About 'after Effects'

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 annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia has gotten underway with only a fraction of the usual number of Muslim worshippers in Mecca due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Covid-19 curbs could cost the government about 4 billion dollars in lost revenue.

Wearing face masks and keeping six feet apart, Muslim pilgrims began the annual Hajj on Wednesday in a dramatically downsized version.

The holy sites in the cities of Mecca and Medina normally host more than 2 million people during the five-day pilgrimage, one of Islam's five major pillars.

This year, no more than 10,000 pilgrims are expected to attend as host Saudi Arabia strives to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in the kingdom, which already has the highest number of Covid-19 infections in the Arab world.

Those taking part have been subjected to a vigorous selection process, with pilgrims over 65 barred. Worshippers arriving at the weekend also had to go through stringent health checks, including a quarantine before and after their arrival.

No foreigners

Some pilgrims said they received electronic bracelets to monitor their movements.

For the first time since 1932  the year of Saudi Arabia's founding -- international visitors, who make up the bulk of worshippers, have been banned to limit the spread of Covid-19.

The only foreigners allowed to attend are those already residing in Riyadh.

The coronavirus restrictions could see the country lose as much as $4.6 billion. The Hajj adds around $6 billion to the Saudi economy each year.

"Every country on earth is facing some kind of economic hardship due to the lack of tourism and business," says Mitchell Belfer, president of the Euro-Gulf Information Centre in Rome. "Saudi Arabia is no exception."

Tourism down

The downturn has disrupted Riyadh's ambitious plans to build a tourism industry from scratch.

Last September, the kingdom began offering tourist visas for the first time, meaning travelers no longer need an invitation to travel to Saudi Arabia.

Story continues

However, hotels in the usually bustling city of Mecca have stood empty since the pandemic reached the kingdom.

"It's a shame, because they have built up a huge infrastructure to start accommodating these tourists, and now there aren't any," Belfer told RFI.

Saudi Arabia is still reeling from the sharp drop in oil prices due to a collapse in global demand. The loss in tourism revenue could bite further.

"I think that like all countries around the world, this denies Saudi Arabia of very important finances," Belfer said.

A different Hajj

Every Muslim is expected to perform the Hajj once in their lifetime.

Pilgrims gather at the al-Haram mosque in Mecca to pray and circle a structure known as the Kaaba seven times.

In an ordinary year, Muslim worshippers would drink from a holy well and kiss the Kaabas Black Stone.

They would then collect pebbles to symbolically stone evil before leaving the holy site.

This year, Saudi authorities are issuing bottled water instead and sterilised pebbles to pilgrims to hurl at the devil.

The Hajj is an opportunity for Muslims to renew their sense of purpose in the world and comes more than two months after Ramadan.
A Chesterfield County teen who scrawled MS-13 gang graffiti on an interior wall of his 87-year-old neighbors home after bludgeoning him with a claw hammer was sentenced Tuesday to serve 35 years in prison for a crime of extreme brutality that claimed the life of a respected historic preservationist.

After a three-hour sentencing hearing in Chesterfield Circuit Court, Judge Lynn S. Brice said in comments from the bench that she found it significant that Rafael Angel Vargas altered the crime scene by marking the victims wall with gang tags  in an apparent effort to misdirect police  and then claimed in an interview with detectives that it was a friend who carried out the attack.

What that says to me is that you were thinking very clearly, Brice told the former Meadowbrook High School student, noting that experts who evaluated the teen found him to be very intelligent.

Describing the killing of Bryan H. Walker as an act of extreme brutality, the judge said Vargas consciously sought out a protector of the neighborhood and the community before bludgeoning him four times with the hammer inside his home on April 2, 2019. Vargas was 16 at the time; he turned 18 in June.

After rejecting as inappropriate a defense plea to commit Vargas to the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice so he could receive some continuity of mental health treatment, the judge sentenced Vargas to 60 years in prison with 25 years suspended on his conviction of first-degree murder. He will serve all 35 years of active time as an adult.

The punishment was above the midpoint of state sentencing guidelines calculated for Vargas, which called for an active prison term of between 23 years and 10 months and 39 years and eight months.

Through interpreters, the defendants parents, Maria Nolasco and Roberto Vargas, testified that their son began to exhibit symptoms of mental illness in early September 2018 that included delusional behavior, paranoia and hallucinations.

But it was unclear during Tuesdays testimony whether Vargas mental health problems were separate from or a symptom of a substance abuse problem, which reached a crisis last year when he consumed eight bottles of cough syrup and overdosed.

He was twice hospitalized in residential treatment facilities for patients struggling with psychiatric issues or substance abuse, it was disclosed. Just three days before the killing, Vargas was released from Poplar Springs Hospital in Petersburg after funds to pay for his continued treatment expired, his mother testified.

Chesterfield prosecutor Ken Chitty cast doubt on whether Vargas mental health difficulties led to Walkers killing. Chitty noted in court that Vargas told a probation officer who interviewed the defendant for his presentence report that he pretended to make friends with Walker so he could gain access to his house.

Chitty also noted that Vargas struck Walker four times with the hammer and, after the killing, returned to Walkers home to stage the scene so it would appear he was killed during a robbery by an MS-13 gang member. The lead detective, Christopher Guice, found the house in disarray when he arrived with a television knocked over and papers thrown about.

But a search of Vargas home  two doors away from Walkers in the 6700 block of Went-worth Street  turned up Masonic pins and cuff links belonging to Walker, who served as master of the Chester Masonic Temple in 1970 and was the most senior master of the lodge until his death.

Vargas initially denied committing the murder and told investigators that a friend had come to his house about 6 a.m. the morning of the slaying and discussed committing a lick, which is street slang for a robbery. Vargas said his friend asked for a sweatshirt and a weapon, which Vargas said he provided. The weapon was a brown-handled claw hammer.

Vargas told investigators that his friend returned 20 minutes later wearing a blood-stained hoodie, which Vargas claimed he disposed of along with the hammer.

Walker was found lying face down in the kitchen with a large hole in the back of his head. The state examiner determined that Walker died of blunt force injuries to his head; there was a defensive wound to his left hand.

The victims blood was found throughout the kitchen, including on the walls and ceiling. When detectives later checked Vargas for any injuries to his body, they found a small drop of blood behind one of his ears. A sample sent to the Virginia Department of Forensic Science for DNA testing showed that Walkers blood was present.

Vargas pleaded guilty to the murder in January. A related robbery charges was dropped as part of a plea agreement.

In testimony, Walkers former pastor, family members and neighbors described a gentle and caring man who was loved by all, and how he took on the role as a guardian of the community.

He was a very thoughtful and kind man, said Pam Culler, recently retired pastor of Sherbourne United Methodist Church, where Walker was a longtime member. He didnt like to see people being mistreated.

Walker was one of Chesterfields leading advocates for historic preservation. His name is synonymous with the Falling Creek Ironworks, which he lobbied the county to purchase some 30 years ago to be historically preserved for future generations. The first iron furnace in North America was built on the site in 1619.

In November, county officials unveiled a monument bearing his name on the overlook of the ironworks. His advocacy for preservation resulted in more than 30 properties being designated as historic landmarks in Chesterfield.

You knew he loved everything about his family, Jane Walker-Daggett, the victims niece, testified. He loved his community. His death was a devastating loss.

When asked in court what impact Walkers death had, his daughter Katherine said, Its really hard. He was a very gentle man and knowing how he died  I have a hard time with that.
The GHA welcomes Paul; the Worlds First High Emotion, Pre-Term Baby Simulator

The Gibraltar Health Authority says it is extremely grateful to the Kusuma Trust for the donation of Paul to St Bernards Hospital.

Paul is the smallest and most advanced, high-end patient simulator in the world. He can be used to train in various emergency situations that occur daily in hospitals that provide pre-term care. Paul has the potential to evoke genuine emotions in those that train with him, which means that a very realistic scenario arises and the training yields more successful results among the clinical personnel.

Paul was designed by an incredible team of leading experts in neonatology, education, simulation, engineering, software development, and movie special effects  all of whom shared the same goal, that of creating a premature simulator so realistic, that it went beyond high fidelity to High Emotion.

1 in 10 infants are born premature, and the provision of high quality care for a pre-term baby is a uniquely complex and time-sensitive process, which is extremely challenging for inter-professional neonatal healthcare teams. Simulation is fast becoming the modern way to educate and train healthcare professionals because it allows for the safe, high-stakes practice of behavioural, cognitive and technical skills.

In addition to the extremely life-like anatomy on the outside, Paul is full of high-tech on the inside. There are only a few Pauls in the world, and the demand is very high. The GHA says it is very fortunate to have this extraordinary simulator which has been possible due to the overwhelming generosity of the Kusuma Trust.

Paul was presented to the Minister for Health and Care by Dr Soma Pujari, Co-Founder and Executive Trustee of the Kusuma Trust, accompanied by Michelle Tosso, Country Manager. Also in attendance were GHA Paediatric Consultants Dr Lorena Soler Casale and Dr Monserrat Doukrou.

Dr Soma Pujari, Co-Founder and Executive Trustee of Kusuma Trust Gibraltar commented; The commitment of GHA members towards professional development and patient care is impressive. Even so, seeing a premature baby in distress can be nerve-wracking without sufficient experience and training. Baby Paul, a life-like and high-tech baby simulator will be used to deliver regular training so that when such young residents of Gibraltar arrive in this world, they can be given the best possible chance at life by well-trained, confident healthcare professionals. We are delighted to partner with the GHA to make this happen.

Reflecting on the presentation, the Minister for Health and Care, the Hon. Paul Balban said: It is a real privilege to have Baby Paul in Gibraltar. This was possible due to the kind and unwavering generosity of Kusuma Trust for which our community is very grateful. I have no doubt that this highly coveted and sophisticated training tool will greatly enhance the skillsets of those involved in neonatal care. I would also like to thank our Paediatric team for their dedication and enthusiasm.
In Uganda, Africas most corrupt and brutal dictator, Gen. Yoweri Museveni, recently declared that he will be a candidate in the countrys general election in 2021. This means he plans to once again rig and steal the vote. Hes been in power for 34 years now and has stolen the last few elections.

The kleptocrat faces two primary obstacles. The Western countries that have backed him for decades as he danced to the puppet masters tunesacting as regional sheriff in East and Central Africanow keep him at arm's length. He was once the regional sheriff in East and Central Africa and he also was an enabler for Western corporations to plunder Congos resources through Uganda without paying that countrys weak central government. The second threat comes from Robert Kyagulanyi, 38, a young member of Parliament and musical star, who's better known as Bobi Wine .

Gen. Museveni has become dispensable to Washington. This is the fate of all puppets. Its a historical certainty. Once the benefits of propping a despot outweighs the costs to the West, hes jettisoned. The U.S. abandoned corrupt despot Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines after 21 years in power, military dictator Augusto Pinochet in Chile was dumped after 17 years, Mobutu in Congo was shelved, after 37 years as his health faded and an armed insurgency closed in, and Hosni Mubarak was of no use after 30 years when Egyptians took to the streets.

Congo was once a killing field where Museveni could sponsor murderous armed militiassuch as M23 . Museveni would then send in his national army under the claim that instability in Congo threatened Ugandas security. Museveni used the invasion as a ruse to plunder Congos mineral wealthtogether with some of his Western corporate partnersincluding its gold. Through the years the United Nations has published a list of some of these corporations that benefitted from Congos blood minerals thanks to the war-for-profit by Museveni. Recently The Wall Street Journal carried a story about how the Congo gold plunder continues even with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The U.S., which has schemed against Congo since the country's independence in 1960 seems to have decided to give new president Felix Tshisekedi a chance. This has denied Museveni the opportunity to promote genocidal warfare in Congo as he had in the past. As a direct result of the invasions from Uganda and the multiple mini-wars they spawned, an estimated six to seven million Congolese have perished. This holocaust is comparable to the decimation of Congo under the imperial rule of King Leopold II of the Belgians.

For sure Museveni is an unindicted war criminal and hes aware of this too. In 2005, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded Congo $10 billion in reparations as a result of the war crimesmass rapes, massacres, plunder of resources carried out by Ugandas occupying army. The Congo referred the same complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the same court that has convicted Sudans former dictator Gen. Omar Hasan al-Bashir. The Wall Street Journal carried an article on June 8, 2006, reporting that when the ICC prepared to launch its criminal investigation, Museveni begged then U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to block it . Annan, according to the Journal, said he had no such powers.

Museveni may fear that the investigation has only been suspended so long as Washington still has use for him. Its one of the reasons why hes also desperate to hold on to power. Museveni likely believes only the Ugandan presidency can shield him from ending up in a jail cell in The Hague. It would be ironic and just if both Museveni and Bashir end up before the ICC.

Theres also additional evidence that Museveni has become useless to Washington. Trump, even with his racist comments about Africa being a collection of shithole countries, invited a few African presidents to the White House, including Nigerias Muhammadu Buhari and Kenyas Uhuru Kenyatta. Museveni, once a favorite of Washington, has not been invited. He was so desperate to ingratiate himself to the U.S. administration that after Trump insulted Africa, Museveni, in Uncle Tom fashion declared I love Donald Trump. Even then, Trump didnt reciprocate the love and he wasnt invited to the White House. Museveni did get to meet Trump envoy Kanye West.

Musevenis kleptocracy has also been an embarrassment to his Washington sponsors in recent years. In 2018, a U.S. federal court trial in New York convicted a Chinese national, Chi-ping Patrick Ho, of paying a bribe of $1 million to Museveni and his foreign minister Sam Kutesa. The relatively modest bribe payment was a down-payment. In return for illegal oil concessions for a Chinese energy firm, the company, CEFC China was to set up a joint business venture with the families of Museveni and Kutesa, who is also his in-law. Photos of both Museveni and Kutesa referred to as Exhibit #1510 and Exhibit #1504, respectivelywere displayed in the courtroom during the trial. Ho was tried in the U.S. because he used a New York-based bank to wire half of the bribe money to Kutesa's account in Uganda.

So without U.S. protection what can dictator Museveni do?

About 80% of Ugandas population is under the age of 35. In Bobi Wine, they now have a charismatic candidate whom they can rally around. The legendary opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye also has a powerful following, having won their support by bravely challenging Museveni at the polls in the past. The dictator has stolen at least three elections from Dr. Besigye. The opposition lineup includes Bobi Wine, Dr. Besigye, Mugisha Muntu the leader of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), and Norbert Mao of the Democratic Party.

Many people dont believe Museveni will allow himself to be defeated in the polls. What are his options?

Orchestrate assassinations of the leading opposition figures? This would likely spark an uprising or even armed rebellion he would not be able to contain.

Rig elections and claim victory even after overwhelming defeat? This could also instigate uprisings that he wont be able to contain.

Create insecurity by a mid-level assassination and then invite a regime-friendly coup dtat? But military regimes are no longer accepted by the international community and the African Union would automatically suspend Uganda and other global sanctions would follow.

Find an excuse to invade one of the neighboring countrieshe invaded Rwanda in 1990, Congo multiple times since 1997, and South Sudan in 2013in order to create another humanitarian crisis as a pretext to postpone elections in Uganda? He could certainly cause a crisis by instigating warfare between South Sudans President Salva Kier and Vice President Riek Machar againjust as he did in 2013 and 2015.

But without a green light from puppet masters in Washington this would backfire.

One option for Gen. Museveni is to negotiate a non-prosecution and non-extradition deal with his rubber stamp Parliament before the elections to protect him from having to face trial for his crimes in Uganda and to preclude any attempt to ship him to the Hague for the Congo war crimes.

Even then, the question remainswould a post-Museveni government honor such a deal?
Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty By

Bangladesh, like many countries, is struggling with the challenge of the Chinese-origin COVID-19 as well as corruption charges against health officials. The director-general of its health services was sacked recently. An unauthorised hospital in Dhaka was caught issuing false COVID negative certificates. Its owner has been arrested. Adding to the challenge is the massive flooding this season. Bangladesh and India are no strangers to the annual havoc. In India, flooding has inundated large tracts of land in Assam. The Ganga-Brahmaputra jugalbandi creates one of the largest deltas in Bangladesh and the humungous volume of water these two rivers discharge during the monsoon causes untold death and destruction.

Recent comments made by a Kolkata-based Bengali newspaper on China granting duty-free entry to 97% of Bangladeshi products caused a minor kerfuffle. Bangladesh, as an LDC (least developed country), has been asking Beijing for this facility for several years but avoided any media clamour, which is the preferred tool against India on contentious issuesborder killings being one of them. Chinas move soon after the bloody Galwan clashes led to speculation about its motives.

The Kolkata newspaper called it Khairati, meaning charity, and Bangladeshis took umbrage to this characterisation, triggering outrage in media and social media. Several social media comments supported China on the Galwan clashes, exposing latent anti-India sentiments. There is no media outrage against China for spreading COVID. Chinas role in supporting Pakistans attempt to brutally suppress Bangladeshs freedom struggle is long forgotten, as is the fact that China refused to recognise Bangladesh as an independent country till after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, hailed as father of the nation. Times have changed. China has successfully bought the silence of Bangladeshi media and many others.

The media clamour drew in the Bangladesh foreign minister, who tried to calm things down and refused to make any official protest. The Kolkata newspaper helped by issuing an apology. This issue again highlighted unusual sensitivity about China, which has been wooing Bangladesh with billions of dollars in investments. All of Indias neighbours have joined Beijings BRI and Chinas penetration in Indias neighbourhood is in top gear. Bangladesh has latched on to the China Card, publicly calling India and China development partners. Pakistan is already a client state and Nepal is on a similar track. Bhutan is under pressure with China raising fresh claims on the unmarked border. Bangladesh is now on the Chinese radar as part of its policy of creating turbulence in Indias relations with her neighbours.

Meanwhile, not much attention has been paid by the media to the birth of a new political party in May as COVID spread its tentacles. Established by former members of the pro-Pakistani Islamist Party, Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), after almost a years preparation, this was a move waiting to happen, though the timing seems somewhat strange. The new political party, first named Jana Akaankhaar (Public Aspiration) Bangladesh, was later renamed Amar Bangladesh Party (ABP). The founding members of this new party are those who were expelled from the JeI.

The JeI, notorious for its radical Islamic views and collaboration with the genocidal Pakistan Army, was accused of war crimes and several of its top leaders were convicted and executed after convictions by the War Crimes Tribunal. Some JeI leaders were expelled for attempting to reform the party, for making it more acceptable to the people of Bangladesh. The stigma of collaboration with Pakistan was the primary factor. The so-called reformers wanted JeI leaders, accused of war crimes, to step aside from leadership positions and formally apologise for their role in the 1971 War of Liberation. This led to an internal struggle culminating in the expulsion of the so-called reformers.

The ABP announced that it had decided not to join the politics of corruption and looting and work for the rights of the people. The new party hopes to position itself by paying homage to all the martyrs and patriots, including freedom fighters and those who gave their lives in the language movement and aims to turn the country into a welfare state, regardless of race, caste, religion, and forging national unity in the spirit of the War of Liberation. Declaring that the party will not be based on religion nor on any ideology, it has avoided mentioning secularism.

The first salvo against the new party came from the Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, which has campaigned relentlessly for trials against war criminals. The Committee called the new party an act of deception. It has alleged that the ABP remains committed to Maududis ideals and Wahaabi philosophy that contain the seeds of fascism and jihadi radicalism. Pointing out the atrocities committed by the JeIs student wing Islami Chattra Shibir since it was rehabilitated by the military dictator Gen Zia-ur-Rahman (who usurped power in 1977), it reminded the public that Shibir terrorists all operated with the patronage of the BNP-JeI coalition government. It labelled the ABP as new wine in an old bottle.

The ABP will not have an easy path in Bangladeshs contested polity. In the eyes of much of the population, it will be regarded as a clone of the JeI. Voters seem to prefer mainstream political parties, underlining thereby their preference for keeping Islamists away from state power. The Islamists understand this and have toiled hard to build their influence in education and social welfare domains. The ABP is likely to fragment the Islamist vote further and, therefore, should not worry the Awami League. The BNP, however, stands to lose as it cannot expect the JeI to obtain enough seats to form an effective coalition when it comes to mustering a majority in Parliament. From Indias perspective, Chinas machinations in Bangladesh will need monitoring closely.

Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty

Former Ambassador, Ex-Secretary in MEA & currently a Visiting Fellow at ORF, Delhi

Views are personal (pr.chakravarty@gmail.com)
Necessity the mother of invention, said Cunninghams Pub co-owner Jim Beauchamp, who had an app created so that clients could order food for delivery or pick-up through Facebook.
Civil liberties are on the brink, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has warned after a woman was arrested by plainclothes officers and bundled into an unmarked van in Manhattan on Tuesday.

Footage from the scene on Second Avenue at East 25th Street shows three NYPD policemen wrestling the protester to the ground before shoving her into the unmarked silver minivan.

A group of uniformed officers then arrives, some of whom are riding bicycles. They can be seen guarding the vehicle while the protester is detained.

Officers then push away other protesters attempting to intervene before the vehicle speeds off.

It is unclear as to what happened prior to the video recording. A demonstration had taken place at Abolition Park earlier in the day.

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Local officials reacted furiously to the arrest. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, US representative for New Yorks 14th congressional district, warned: Our civil liberties are on the brink.

This is not a drill, the Democrat politician wrote on Twitter. There is no excuse for snatching women off the street and throwing them into unmarked vans.

To not protect our rights is to give them away. It is our responsibility to resist authoritarianism.

Jerry Nadler, rep for New Yorks 10th congressional district, called for an immediate explanation for this anonymous use of force.

This video  of a protester in New York City being thrown in an unmarked van  is terrifying and should be unacceptable to everyone who respects the constitutional rights this country was founded on, he wrote on Twitter.

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The NYPD later said in a statement that the woman was arrested for damaging five police cameras during separate criminal incidents in and around City Hall Park.

The force also claimed the arresting officers were assaulted with rocks and bottles. NYPDs warrant squad uses unmarked vehicles to effectively locate wanted suspects, the statement added.

Demonstrations continue to sweep the US more than two months after the death of George Floyd in police custody.

Tensions have been flaring in some cities after the Trump administration deployed federal officers to police protests.

The use of unmarked vehicles to arrest protesters first came to attention in Portland, Oregon after a number of people were detained there earlier this month.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested three persons in connection with the killing of Chhattisgarh MLA Bhima Mandavi in April 2019 allegedly by CPI (Maoist) cadres, officials said on Wednesday.

The agency arrested Laxman Jaiswal, Ramesh Kumar Kashyap and Kumari Linge Tati, all residents of Dantewada, on Tuesday for allegedly providing logistical support to the Maoists for carrying out the attack in which Mandavi and four of his security personnel were killed, the NIA spokesperson said.

The arms and ammunition of the slain police personnel were also looted by the CPI (Maoist) cadres, she said.

An NIA special court in Jagdalpur sent the accused to seven-day custody of the agency.

The attack was probed by the Chhattisgarh Police before the NIA took over the investigation on May 17, 2019 After taking over, the NIA arrested two suspected accused -- Bhima Tati and Madka Ram Tati -- on April 7, 2020.

"Investigation has revealed that arrested accused Laxman Jaiswal @ Laxman Sao, who runs a grocery shop in Nakulnar, provided electric wires, explosive substances and other items for the IED blast carried out by CPI (Maoist) cadres.

Accused Ramesh Kumar Kashyap @ Ramesh Hemla (ex-sarpanch of Kakadi village) and Kumari Linge Tati were instrumental in providing logistic support to the Naxalites and were part of the conspiracy which led to the killing of Mandavi and four security personnel," the spokesperson said.
"The community non-profits that contribute so much to our quality of life have been profoundly impacted by the pandemic," said Dan Delligatti, president of the local McDonald's consortium of McDonald's Owner/Operators. "That's why we developed a new approach that allows groups to raise funds while abiding by social distancing guidelines."

Non-profit organizations interested in scheduling an Arch Support fundraiser should contact their nearest McDonald's restaurant or go to www.mcdonaldsarchsupport.com.

About McDonald's USA

McDonald's USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 25 million customers every day. Every McDonald's restaurant in the Greater Pittsburgh area is independently owned and operated by a franchisee who lives in the region. Customers can log online for free at approximately 11,500 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com , or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/McDonaldsUS/ .

SOURCE McDonalds Three Rivers
Nine new senior executives signal Envision Digital's rapid global expansion in key APAC and EMEA markets

SINGAPORE, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global green tech, Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things (AIoT) technology leader, Envision Digital International Pte Ltd ("Envision Digital"), today announced the appointment of nine new management hires as the company expands to deliver on its Net Zero Carbon and automation promises.

The appointments follow the recent announcement of Envision Digital's expansion into the German marketplace, which marks the 12th global office for the company.

Envision Digital brings together AIoT to enable machine to machine, no human touch, real-time optimisation of key assets in the energy, building, manufacturing and city spaces. This includes solutions for solar or wind electricity generation, smart battery charging and load balancing, heating ventilation and air conditioning, field fault detection, predictive maintenance and asset optimisation, security and safety, as well as alerting.

Sylvie Ouziel, International President of Envision Digital International, says: "I am thrilled to welcome those new executives to our global team. We share the same vision and ambition towards a decarbonised and efficient world which reconciles performance and sustainability. Given the extreme economic and societal challenges the planet is facing, our corporate focus is to continuously support sustainable business growth while ensuring safe and efficient operations for public and private organisations. I am confident that our new colleagues will massively contribute to collectively reach those objectives."

Five of the nine new hires serve global remits and three of them are based in San Francisco, California. They are the Global Chief Product Integration Officer (CPIO), Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), and Global Common Products Lead. Based out of Paris, France is the new Head of Global Digital Grid and Vehicle to Grid (V2G) Centre of Excellence (CoE). Based out of Singapore is the new Head of the Smart City and Decarbonisation domain.

Thomas Kiesslinghas been appointed as Global Chief Product Integration Officer (CPIO). Thomas will coordinate the architecture of Envision Digital's offerings between the technology platforms and functional domains to maximise client value whilst fostering reusability and interoperability. He will also play a leading role in promoting Envision Digital's solutions to key industry stakeholders, including industry analysts, software and system integration partners. Thomas has held various C-suite roles in the past, such as serving as the Chief Product and Innovation Officer of Deutsch Telekom. His most recent role was co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of predictive IoT platform, AMPLY Power, Inc., specialising in electric vehicle (EV) smart charging systems.

Al Ghousjoins as Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), bringing over 18 years of experience in cybersecurity strategy and operations, information and product security, and risk management. Al joins from his previous role as Chief Security Officer (CSO) at ServiceMax, a global asset-centric field service management company. He is also the co-founder of SVCI, a group of CISOs that operate as an angel investor syndicate.

Matthew Brocklehurstjoins as the Global Common Products Lead for Envision Digital, leading new innovations, products and platform strategy, and enhancing existing offerings with a focus on renewables and energy storage. Matthew joins from his previous role as CTO at Power Factors, a performance optimisation platform for the renewable energy industry.

Xavier Becuwe joins as Head of Global Digital Grid and V2G CoE. He will lead a team of experts based in Paris and take responsibility of Envision Digital's solutions in the Smart Grid and V2G Ecosystem. Xavier brings more than 13 years of experience in smart technologies, with a focus on smart grid and electro-mobility, developing innovations, building capacity and delivering solutions to major customers across Europe and Asia.

Ynse de Boer joins as the Smart City and Decarbonisation International Domain Lead, based out of Singapore. He will lead the development and deployment of Smart City, Smart Spaces and Corporate Decarbonisation programs. In his previous role at Accenture, Ynse built and led Accenture's Strategy and Sustainability practices for Asia Pacific based in Singapore first, and more recently for a region comprised of France, Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands.

The global hires will report to Sylvie Ouziel, International President of Envision Digital.

In APAC, Envision Digital has hired a Delivery Lead based in Singapore, Envision Digital's global headquarters.

Saqib Khan joins the APAC team as Delivery Lead, directly reporting to Robin Li, head of the Global Solutions and Services Centre (GSSC) in Singapore. Saqib will ensure delivery excellence of client projects across the region. Beyond management duties, his role includes defining solutions and leading the implementation of large programs notably related to smart plans and assets management, where his personal expertise lies. Saqib has previously held roles as a Consulting Director at Deloitte and Principal Director at Accenture.

Complementing the Envision Digital leadership team, three new hires take various roles in Europe across operations and finance.

Marc Chevenement joins as Operations Director of Envision Digital France. He will be responsible for end-to-end client and partner projects, developing new partnerships within various industry verticals, as well as supporting cross-entity battery and wind turbine projects. Marc brings experience in industrial operations and digital business transformation, previously holding a variety of roles in automotive, consulting, and insurance at PSA, Accenture and Allianz.

Matthias Felber joins as Head of Operations for Envision Digital's Germany retail activities, coordinating and implementing Envision Digital's EV charging solution. Matthias brings over 20 years of experience across a range of business verticals, most recently serving as Managing Director of strategic digital consultancy, Neusta Accelerate.

Sabine Moserjoins as the Finance Director of Envision Digital in Germany. She joins from intelligent automation solution provider, KUKA, previously serving as the Director of Finance for the EMEA region.

Sabine and Matthias will report to the new Managing Director of Envision Digital Germany, Drazen Nikolic, who was appointed in May this year, while Marc will report to Sylvie Ouziel, International President of Envision Digital.

About Envision Digital

Envision Digital is a global AIoT technology leader headquartered in Singapore with over 500 employees across 12 offices in China, France, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Envision Digital owns EnOS - the world-class AIoT operating system which currently connects and manages over 63 million smart devices and 120GW of energy assets globally. Its monitoring, advanced analytics, forecasting and optimising applications provide insights to help clients better manage their assets and portfolio performance. Its offering extends to Smart Renewables (Solar, Wind); Smart Cities; Connected Energy; and Smart Plants; partnering governments and companies in their digital transformation journey.

As a major player in AIoT operating systems, Envision Digital is growing an ecosystem of partners to enable energy and digital transformation globally. Its growing list of over 250 customers and partners spans across ten industries and includes: Accenture, Amazon Web Services, GovTech Singapore, Keppel, Microsoft, Nissan, PSA International, PTT, Sonnen, Tableau and Total.

For more information, visit www.envision-digital.com
US allows South Korea to use solid fuel in space launch vehicles, missiles

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 6:31 PM

South Korea says it has reached an agreement with the United States to use solid fuel for space launch vehicles, a move that would facilitate Seoul's plans to enhance surveillance capabilities over the Korean Peninsula and build more powerful missiles.

The South Korean government said on Tuesday that Washington had agreed to "completely remove the restrictions on the use of solid fuels for [South Korea's] space vehicle."

The agreement lifts the entire restrictions that Seoul and Washington first affirmed commitment to in 1979 and were last amended in 2017. The US had imposed restrictions over concerns that solid fuel could lead to the development of more advanced rockets and a regional arms race.

Solid fuel is less expensive, offers greater mobility for missiles and rockets, and reduces launch preparation time.

"This revision would allow us to have an unblinking eye that monitors the Korean Peninsula 24/7," Kim Hyun-chong, South Korea's deputy national security adviser, told reporters in the capital, Seoul.

"If we fire low-altitude launch vehicles based on our own solid fuel propellant as planned, it would dramatically improve our military's reconnaissance capabilities," he added.

Kim also underlined that all South Korean companies and research institutes would technically be capable of developing and producing space rockets that used not only liquid fuels but also solid and hybrid ones "with no restrictions."

The South Korean official said the new deal still precluded Seoul from having a missile with a range of more than 800 kilometers but added the issue could be resolved with Washington if that was needed for South Korean national security.

A maximum range of 800 kilometers for a South Korean missile would be enough to strike North Korea.

The agreement is expected to trigger a fierce reaction from the North, which has for decades been a vociferous opponent of US-South Korea military activities on the Korean Peninsula.

Pyongyang has slammed South Korea for its "double-dealing attitude" because of Seoul's refusal to stop joint war games with the US and purchases of advanced weapons from Washington while claiming to seek peace with the North.

North Korea has been under harsh US sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs for years. The US and South Korea routinely hold military maneuvers on the Korean Peninsula to deter what they call a threat from the North.

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A 34-year-old woman missing for 13 days was found alive in a swampy, densely wooded area near Bathurst on Tuesday by a transmission line crew.

Police believe Jenny McLaughlin of Saint-Isidore had been walking in circles. She told them she survived on berries and swamp water.

An East Coast Powerline crew member had been lowered by helicopter to do maintenance on a transmission tower, when he heard what he thought was a woman calling for help.

"He was looking around, he wasn't sure if he was hearing things," company business manager Ashley Walker said Wednesday.

But the man, alone on the tower, quickly realized he wasn't hearing things and radioed back to the fly yard, where the crew was based. A helicopter was sent to the area of the tower.

Walker said the woman told the power crew her name, she had been lost for six days and couldn't walk anymore.

But McLaughlin was last seen July 15 in jeans and a hoodie at her home on the Acadian Peninsula. Family and friends, RCMP and ground search and rescue crews had been trying to find her since she was reported missing two days later

Car and phone found

Her car was found July 18 blocking an ATV trail near the Red Brook Shelter in Rough Waters, south of Bathurst.

RCMP Cpl. Kevin Ploudre said her cellphone was found Saturday during another search of the area.

Just as an expanded search was being planned for Wednesday, Ploudre said, RCMP received a 911 call that a woman had been found.

East Coast Powerline/Facebook

.

The power company had used its helicopter to pinpoint McLaughlin's location late Tuesday afternoon.

"She was located about 300 metres off the right of way," said Walker.

Walker said company workers hiked 2.4 kilometres, with a backboard and emergency supplies, to reach the woman. Other crew members accompanied RCMP and ambulance crews from the highway to the fly yard and then to where the woman was located.

I have never been this happy in my life. - James Hilt, Jenny McLaughlin's boyfriend

Story continues

"Surprisingly, she was was very responsive and talkative and extremely happy to see and talk to people after what I'm sure were some dreadful days in the woods," Walker said.

Walker said after finding a more suitable and closer location for the ambulance, McLaughlin was carried 1.25 kilometres by the crew through the woods and bog to a logging trail.

"She was safely transported out by our work crews through some dense woods, rough terrain on our backboard while being attended to by the medics."

Training paid off

Walker said the Nova Scotia-based company, which does power line and transmission tower repair and maintenance all over Canada and the United States, has dealt with other things in remote areas but nothing like this.

"We're very thankful that we were able to help and that we came across her, because if not it could have been a very different outcome that's for sure.

"We're thrilled with our guys and their level headed thinking and response. Our training paid off."

Ploudre said the East Coast Powerline crew did an outstanding job to help stabilize McLaughlin and give her first aid until they arrived on scene.

Despite the experience in the woods, her condition was good, he said.

"I don't know how to say this but it's really impressive the condition she was in."

;

Ploudre said he couldn't provide details of the injuries McLaughlin suffered, but she was able to speak clearly to police.

"She told us she had sustained herself by drinking water in the swamps and other water sources she would find, and she was eating blueberries and raspberries that she found on the ground."

Ploudre said McLaughlin did an outstanding job to survive in those conditions in a wooded area with swamps and bogs.

McLaughlin was found about three kilometres from where her car was located, but Ploudre said they think she had been walking in circles.

"To respect her privacy we won't say why she was there."

Crews thanked

CBC

Ploudre said RCMP were grateful for the help the power crew provided to the RCMP in getting McLaughlin to safety.

"It was really a rough terrain to extract her on a stretcher because due to the terrain we could not do an air medivac or ground medivac."

"It was a really good ending, in this case."

Ploudre said MacLaughlin was taken to the Chaleur Regional Hospital, where she was treated and released.

In a Facebook post, her boyfriend, James Hilt, expressed his thanks to everyone who helped find MacLaughlin.

"After 13 days lost in the woods Jenny was found safe banged up but alive and is now home with her family."

Hilt thanked the RCMP, ground search and rescue crew and East Coast Powerline.

"Thanks to everyone. I have never been this happy in my life."
Medical workers wait for cars to pull up to the swabbing tent at a now-closed coronavirus testing site next to Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia on Friday, March 20, 2020. Read more

For all the fear that the coronavirus has caused, one question that has caused fresh alarm is whether its possible to get COVID-19 more than once.

In countries including the United States, India, Israel, Iran, and Bolivia, there have been reports of coronavirus reinfections  people who test positive for COVID-19, recover and test negative, then months later reportedly test positive again.

There is still much that is not understood about immunity to the novel coronavirus, and reinfections have not been studied much, which makes it challenging to definitively address the possibility of reinfection with COVID-19, experts say.

Nobody really knows yet. So far there have only been individual reports, said Brian DeHaven, assistant professor of biology at La Salle University.

Among the explanations for why some may test positive months after recovery: Some people with COVID-19, dubbed long haulers may suffer from long, persistent infections and symptoms. For other cases, the tests may not always be accurate.

Based on what we know from other viruses, its possible these reports are misleading test results, DeHaven said.

Viruses have a limit of detection  thresholds at which the amount of a virus can be detected. For instance, a negative coronavirus test result doesnt necessarily mean no infection. Rather, it suggests there is no detectable infection, and its possible for levels of infection to hover around the limit and be detectable, non-detectable, and then detectable again in the same person.

In Korea, its been suggested that some false-positive test results may be caused by material from dead viruses  as fragments of these dead cells require a longer time to be cleared from the body.

Some viruses, such as herpes, can also be latent  which means they stay dormant within cells, and reactivate later, causing disease. There is currently no evidence to suggest this might be the case for COVID-19.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

What has fueled some of the alarm surrounding reinfections concerns antibodies  specific molecules naturally produced by the bodys immune system following infections to protect against re-infections. Several recently published studies suggest that antibodies to COVID-19 decline substantially within months after infections, which might bolster the possibility of reinfection.

These findings may not be as discouraging as theyve been made out to be.

One big caveat is whether antibodies are the full story in protecting against COVID-19, said Otto Yang, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at University of California, Los Angeles. Another caveat is whether the antibody testing we are doing reflects those [antibodies] that are useful for protection.

Antibodies may be a good marker of immunity, but its not always the case, and theyre expected to decline over time.

After all infections, your antibody levels go down, DeHaven said. You would expect that to happen. For coronaviruses in general, the [antibody] levels go down relatively quickly for reasons we dont understand very well.

Still, experts offer hope against coronavirus reinfections: Antibodies are not the only tool the body uses to protect itself.

Protection against an infection is mediated by other arms of the immune system, Yang said.

One such arm is T cells, which among many functions, directly kill infected cells in the body.

T-cell responses tend to be very involved in controlling the severity of infections in general, Yang said. Its possible that if someone gets re-infected with COVID-19, any reinfection could be much milder than the first.

In one study of a different coronavirus published in 1990, antibodies in volunteers who had been infected with the virus declined over a year. When the volunteers were re-infected with the same virus, they all developed some symptoms, but the infection was less severe. For the novel coronavirus, studies in monkeys have also shown that there is protection from reinfections up to 28 days after the first infection.

Yang added that so far, the reports of people getting reinfected arent well-documented and verified.

Even if immunity to the novel coronavirus doesnt last for years, it doesnt spell the end of hope for immunity.

Thats why some vaccines have to be given as boosters, Yang said. People with severe disease may have much higher levels of antibodies that last longer. Maybe immunity is a dose-related thing and a vaccine can compensate from that. Its an open question right now.
Patna: In a surprising twist in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, his father has lodged a police complaint against his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide.

Krishna Kumar Singh (74), a resident of Rajiv Nagar locality, had been maintaining a stoic silence over the tragic death of his 34-year-old son on June 14.

An FIR was lodged on the basis of the bereaved fathers complaint on July 25 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to abetment of suicide and fraud, Inspector General of Police, Patna Zone, Sanjay Singh told PTI.

The IGP said a four-member team has left for Mumbai to investigate the charges levelled by the complainant.

After Rajput's death, Chakraborty had requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Twitter seeking a CBI probe.

"I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step," she wrote.

Mumbai police is already probing the alleged suicide case, and has questioned several Bollywood bigwigs including filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Rhea Chakraborty has also recorded her statement.

The case has been lodged under various sections of IPC including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

In his complaint, Rajputs father has also sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the "machinations" of Chakraborty and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.

Singh has accused Chakraborty, a budding TV and film actress, of having befriended Rajput in May, 2019 with a clear intent to use his good contacts for the advancement of her own career.

He has also alleged that the actress was aided by her family members, including parents, since they all were looking to purloin the assets of my son worth crores of rupees and started interfering in all aspects of his life.

Singh wanted a police investigation to ascertain where the Rs 15 crore deposited in a bank account held by Rajput was transferred.

The complaint said Chakraborty and her family convinced Rajput to leave his own residence and stay at a resort in the vicinity of Mumbai claiming his house was "haunted.

Singh has alleged that Chakraborty got Rajput treated by some "conniving" doctors for mental illness while keeping his family in the dark.

He also alleged that on June 6, less than a week before Rajput was found hanging from the ceiling of his Bandra house, Chakraborty came to his place and decamped with many of his belongings, including cash, his laptop, ATM card and other important documents.

At one point of time, my son decided to give up films, settle down in Coorg and pursue farming. He was blackmailed by Chakraborty who threatened him that she would make his medical history public and let the world know that he was mentally unstable, putting his career in jeopardy, he alleged in the FIR.

He also claimed that Chakraborty created "distance" between Rajput and his family.

The actor, aged 34, was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.

Several political leaders and film personalities have demanded a CBI probe into his death.

Rajput's suspected death by suicide has also triggered a debate on alleged nepotism and favouritism in the Hindi film industry. Several top production houses had allegedly boycotted the Patna-born actor, causing him distress and compelling him to end his life.
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Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 12:42 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a27aa7 1 Business Pelita-Samudera-Shipping,freighter,shipping-industry,profit,international-trade Free

Publicly listed shipping company PT Pelita Samudera Shipping secured US$19.8 million worth of long-term contracts in the first half as its profit halved amid slumping international trade.

The contracts included a $3.3 million deal with state-owned mining holding company PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum), according to the companys statement on Tuesday.

Read also: Port operator Pelindo III records decline in ship traffic

A contract worth almost $3.3 million was signed in June to ship Alumina from Kendawangan in West Kalimantan to Kuala Tanjung in North Sumatra using Handysize bulk carriers, it reads.

The company also secured a five-year charter contract extension for its Floating Loading Facility (FLF) with PT Asian Bulk Logistics and a tugboat charter with PT Dian Ciptamas Agung.

At the same time, the company reported a 50 percent annual decline in its net profit in the first half of the year to $2.2 million. Pelita Samudera also posted a 2 percent year-on-year (yoy) revenue decline to $35.5 million, which it attributed to the operation of newly bought ships.

All four bulk carriers that we bought in 2019 have been fully operational this year, supporting the increase of charter revenue by 87 percent yoy to $6.6 million in the first half from $3.5 million in the same period last year, the company said.

The company's stocks, traded on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) under the symbol PSSI, remained unchanged as of 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday as the main gauge, the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI), retreated 0.1 percent. The companys stocks have lost 9.7 percent of their value this year.

Read also: Shipping industry weathers pandemic, oil price storm

Indonesias sea freight industry suffered a double blow in May as falling international trade and a global oil price slump put pressure on shipping demand, according to the Indonesian National Shipowners Association (INSA).

The association reported that container shipping revenue had fallen by between 10 and 25 percent from normal levels. Revenue from bulk carriers, such as tankers, tugs and barges, had dropped by between 25 and 50 percent.

State-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) III previously announced an 8 percent annual decline in overall ship traffic and a 10 percent annual slump in freight shipping traffic in the first half of 2020.

Pelindo III expectes a 9 to 15 percent annual decline in shipped goods by the end of 2020, from the 75 million tons of goods that were shipped last year.
As Natasha Trethewey began to garner acclaim for her poetry  notably winning the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for her collection Native Guard  news reports often mentioned the murder of her mother, Gwendolyn Ann Turnbough. Trethewey, who was 19 when her former step-father shot her mother to death after years of abuse, never intended to write about this devastating event. But she has written two volumes centered on it  the 2018 poetry collection Monument and now her latest, a memoir, Memorial Drive.

In only 200 pages, Memorial Drive distills her family history as it intersects with that of the American South. Its a memoir soaked in love and violence, compassion and racism. Throughout, Tretheweys keen ear for language elevates the narrative.

We spoke with Trethewey, a professor of English at Northwestern University, by phone earlier this month. An edited transcript of our often tearful conversation follows.

Q: Near the end of your book you write, Even my mothers death is redeemed in the story of my calling, made meaningful rather than merely senseless. It seems your writing has been leading to this book.

A: It does feel like that, that everything has been leading to this moment. Of course, I couldn't have known that all along. I only know it looking back and trying to make a story out of the events of my life. I knew that I wanted to create a monument in words and poetry to my mother.

Q: How long did it take you to write this book?

A: In 2012, which is when I was named U.S. poet laureate, that is when I officially said that I was going to write this book. In the aftermath of winning the Pulitzer and also being a poet laureate, I was being written about a lot in newspapers and magazines. And when that happened, my mother was always there as an afterthought or a footnote: murder victim. It hurt me a lot to see that people didn't quite understand the role she played. I decided if she was going to continue to be part of this backstory that I was the one that was going to tell it, so that it would be clear who she was and how important she was to my success.

Story continues

Q: Your father was a writer too. Did you also write this to counter any perception that perhaps your father was more responsible for your career than your mother was?

A: Yeah, thats the thing. This is something that is tied up with race and the patriarchy. I mean, my father, my beloved father: It became so easy for people to just draw a straight line through him to me. Its problematic, because not only was he a man, he was also my white parent. And when I was growing up, white people used to say to me if I did anything well, Oh thats your white side. As if everything good or successful or smart or anything about me came from there. And that was infuriating

I saw one of those writers encyclopedia entries some time ago, and it listed my father  I wish I had the exact words for you, but basically the gist of it was  he was this professor and my mother was this poor Black woman. She was a social worker, she had graduate degrees and she was a high ranking administrator, but she just was reduced.

Q: I would like to talk with you about the transcripts of your mothers phone calls with her ex-husband the night before she died. The DeKalb County District Attorneys office had asked her to tape his threatening calls to build a case for his arrest, and youve included portions of the transcripts here. Your mother refuses to placate him as he repeatedly tells her he will kill her if she wont reconcile with him, and yet there are also moments when she shows him compassion. What was it like to read those transcripts?

A: It was very difficult to read. I waited years before I finally allowed myself to do so. But when you read them, I think you see that she is uncompromising about the truth. You see that she is still compassionate, but resolves to make the life she wants in spite of the real danger that she faces in trying to do that. That is an amazing act of courage, and it is why I included those transcripts, because I didnt think it would be enough for me to tell you. You need to see it in action. You needed to see her words and to see exactly who she was first-hand.

Q: The police had been protecting your mother, but they left her apartment and she was killed hours later. Given your experience as well as our current, national conversation surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, how do you view the police?

A: Well, yeah: to serve and protect, right? They werent able to. In that moment, they didnt, which is why I understand and think some of the calls for reallocating some of police funding to social workers, for example, who might respond differently when they show up at domestic violence calls, could be really useful in communities.

(My mothers murder) was before the Violence Against Women Act. This was even before anti-stalking laws were put into place. This was when a lot of people still believed  and they probably do now too  that a man has a right to discipline his wife. That theres a kind of ownership that comes with marriage such that in legal documents  and I think in some of the police reports too  they continue to refer to my mother as his wife. She was divorced from him, but the fact that they kept making that mistake  if it was a mistake  suggests something about the ideas we have about women and domestic violence. For so long, the attitude was: Well, she made her bed; she should lie in it.

Q: How do you think race figured into your mothers relationship with the police?

A: It would be so hard to parse that. I mean, I cant help but think that of course it does matter in some ways. Perhaps she might have gotten a little bit more attention, but I dont know. Maybe not. My mothers case is telling, because she is what is called the perfect victim, and people who work in domestic violence shelters talk to me about that. Perfect because she did everything right. She did everything that women in her situation are instructed to do to try to save themselves. But also she was beautiful, educated. She was not dependent on her ex-husband for support or for her childrens support. She had friends. She was not isolated. She was beloved. So she had every kind of resource and safety net imaginable, and she still couldnt get away. So how can we tell poor women, women who are dependent on their abusers, women who may have other dependencies, drug addiction, anything  how can we tell them that they can escape when a woman like my mother cant escape?

Q: I wanted to talk a little bit about how you write about photographs and video in the book. The descriptions of photographs of your mother almost feels like art criticism.

A: From the beginning of my career as a poet, Ive written about photographs and paintings. In graduate school, I had to take classes outside of the English department, and so art history and art classes helped me think about looking at images in a certain way. I have a book called Bellocqs Ophelia, about a series of photographs of women in the red light district in New Orleans. After reading John Berger or Roland Barthes, thinking about the punctum: what pricks you and draws you out of the frame to contemplate whats around it. Whats not visible as well as what is visible. I also look at them just like I look at a painting  as an object. Thats also made of the materials, so like when youre trying to write about a painting, you think about the paint and the brushstrokes as part of it. So looking at a photograph, I think about if there are any flaws in it. I look at all of those things to try to read in them the figurative possibilities.

And of course that goes back to that training and the metaphor that I talk about in the beginning of the book. The last photograph of my mother, the one that I begin the book with, that one very much was about looking at it and looking at it over the years and then finally noticing something that I had not paid much attention to before: a strange little corner behind her head that looks like the edge of the doorway. As many times as I looked at that photograph, I'd never looked at it that closely. There are other things I could have written about looking at it, but that became the punctum for me, the thing that made me think about doorways and thresholds that become part of the book.

Q: Did you try writing about other things you noticed in the photograph?

A: I wrote a little bit about a necklace that she had on, but I never included that part. The decorative clasp that was on the front of the necklace looked like the letter G. And so I was trying to describe it, and I just said I was talking about the letter G, and the more I said it to myself, the more I heard the word liturgy.

Q: How does writing both poetry and prose shape your work?

A: It feels to me very much like the way I put together an entire book of poems around a scene, something that I am trying to grapple with and make sense of and look at from all different angles, and weave and pull a kind of thread or motif throughout the whole thing. The process of making a poem is very satisfying. Its a weird word to use, so I hope you know what I mean. Its about the making of it. It feels very satisfying when I go from introducing my birthmark to then her birthmark and then finally to read the autopsy and to be able to bring that birthmark back. Because that is a motif. And its figurative.

Q: Speaking of the figurative, youve spent much of your career considering monuments. Were seeing a lot of discussion now around who and what we should be commemorating in public spaces. How should we be thinking about this?

A: What is going to be remembered and what is going to be erased and what is going to be inscribed on the landscape are extremely important both on a personal level and on a national level, which is why Southerners have been fighting the Civil War figuratively since it ended because it is a contest over memory. It is a contest over what history were going to tell ourselves, what story were going to tell ourselves. It has everything to do with who we are, and now the whole country is involved in that contest over memory of the Civil War, its aftermath, the role of African Americans  that has everything to do with how lives are appreciated or under-appreciated.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about what it was like to grow up in the shadow of Stone Mountain in Atlanta?

A: In my book Native Guard, I quote E.O. Wilson: Homo sapiens is the only species to suffer psychological exile. That I could grow up in my native land and yet feel constantly that Im being told of my second-class citizenship, that the story of the people who are my ancestors doesnt matter enough to be inscribed on the landscape, and until you realize its just not inscribed, you think that there is no history, that there is no African American contribution to this place. ... And when we do see images of Black freedom, it is the statue of Lincoln lifting the veil from a kneeling slave: white man standing and Black men kneeling. Even if its a monument to emancipation, we cant help but read the figures of values in that.

Q: Even your own father seemed to be insensitive at times to issues of race. How did that affect your relationship with him?

A: I wrote the book Thrall to try to contend with my father and with the deeply ingrained and unexamined notions of racial difference in racial hierarchy that are the bedrocks of white supremacy that even my beloved father could not unyoke himself from. Back before I wrote Thrall, I was with my father at an (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) conference together, hanging out like we always do late into the night, and I was mad at him, because I did feel like he had in some interviews begun to take a little too much credit for my success as a writer. It sort of changed over the years. I remember when I did my first reading from Domestic Work, my first book, after the reading I was taking questions from the audience and my father was there and someone who knew that asked my father, So what do you think about your your daughter? And he said, Shes my best poem. And it was one of the loveliest things. But then later, when it became easier for writers to draw that line from him to me, I felt like he was taking a little bit too much credit for it and was in some ways participating in (my mothers) erasure. So I said to him, Im going to write a book about you, and he looked at me and said, quoting Yeats, We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry. And I knew that was his way of trying to tell me that if I have a complaint with him, its going to be rhetoric. Its not going to be poetry. But I had written Native Guard by then and I already knew how to have an argument with myself. And so I wrote Thrall. And when I finally let him read it, he said, Its a beautiful book, but its sad. And I said, Daddy, it was sad while I was living it.

Q: Its sort of a gift to be able to be that honest with your father.

A: It was definitely about poetry. That was the language that we could use with each other. And that's why I wrote the book, because I needed to have that conversation, a very difficult conversation, with him in the only language that he would really listen to.

Q: Youve spent your life using storytelling to make sense of trauma, which feels like something perhaps we can all learn from now.

A: All of us tell stories to ourselves about our lives, whether were writers or not. Stories about the arc of our lives meaning and purpose. And being able to tell a story about ones life that you can live with is about being able to survive, and perhaps not simply survive but to thrive too. In the book, I quote Orson Welles: If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on when you stop it. I think thats true about unhappy stories too. I think if this story that Im telling had just ended with (my mothers) death, that would be a very difficult story to live with. And so the story that goes on from there, one of hope and resilience, is a story that allows me to keep going. And I think those are the kinds of stories at a moment like this that we need to tell ourselves. They have to be stories about hope about the possibility of the future.

jeday@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @dayjenn

Memorial Drive'

By Natasha Trethewey, Ecco, 212 pages, $27.99



2020 the Chicago Tribune

Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Japan has formally protested against a sculpture in a privately owned botanical garden in Korea that represents Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prostrating himself in front of a World War II sex slave.

The botanical garden has now canceled the official unveiling of the sculpture scheduled for next month.

After Japanese news media picked up the story on Sunday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, "If the reports are accurate, then there would be a decisive impact on Japan-Korea relations."

The work, entitled "Eternal Atonement," adorns the Korea Botanic Garden in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province.
Present-day robots are made for the purpose of repeating several tasks thousands of times. To make robots more widely applicable, future robots need to be able to do thousands of tasks just a few times. Programming a robot to solve just one complex motor task has remained a challenging, costly and time-consuming task - artificial intelligence is rarely employed. In fact, manual programming has become the key bottleneck in robot use. Empowering robots with an artificially intelligence approach to autonomously learn such tasks is at the center of the new ERC Proof of Concept project "AssemblySkills", which aims to validate that an autonomous, intelligent skill learning system can enable robots to acquire and improve a rich set of motor skills for specific applications.

The ERC Proof of Concept project "AssemblySkills" builds on the artificial intelligence methods developed within the ERC Starting Grant "SKILLS4ROBOTS - Policy Learning of Motor Skills for Humanoid Robots". The latter has yielded a structured, modular control architecture that has the potential to scale robot learning to more complex real-world tasks. In this modular control architecture, elemental building blocks - called movement primitives, are being adapted, sequenced or co-activated simultaneously to fulfill the robot's tasks. Within the Proof of Concept project "AssemblySkills", the goal is to group these modules into a complete software package that can enable application-driven robots to learn new skills - particularly in assembly tasks. The value proposition of the project now funded by the ERC Proof of Concept grant is a cost-effective, novel machine learning system that can unlock the potential of manufacturing robots by enabling them to learn to select, adapt and sequence parametrized building blocks such as movement primitives. The approach of Professor Jan Peters' research team is unique in the sense that it can acquire more than just a single desired trajectory as done in competing approaches, capable of save policy adaptation, requires only little data and can explain the solution to the robot operator.

Proof of Concept Grant

Proof of Concept is a supplementary grant to the research grants of the ERC. It is aimed exclusively at scientists who already hold an ERC grant and who want to pre-commercialise a research result from a current or completed project. This is the first step towards a technology transfer. The aim of a Proof of Concept project is to check the market potential of such an idea. So rather than funding research activities with it, the ERC finances measures for further development with a view to the maturity of application, commercialisation or marketing of the idea. In the most recent funding round, 55 researchers from 11 countries were awarded an ERC Proof of Concept grant. The grants are part of the EU's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Vita: Professor Jan Peters, Ph.D.

Jan Peters has been Professor for Intelligent Autonomous Systems at the Department of Computer Science at the Technical University of Darmstadt since 2011. He is one of the leading experts on artificial intelligence in robotics in Europe and has been awarded numerous important "Early Career" prizes. In 2015, he won an ERC Starting Grant for his project SKILLS4ROBOTS, on which the Proof of Concept Grant is now based. Peters studied computer science, electrical and mechanical engineering in Munich, Japan, Singapore and Los Angeles. He received his doctorate in computer science from the University of Southern California (USC). After graduating from USC, Jan Peters became a full-time Senior Research Scientist and Robot Learning Group Leader in the Department of Empirical Inference at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems.

###

About TU Darmstadt

The Technische Universitat (TU) Darmstadt is one of Germany's leading technical universities. TU Darmstadt incorporates diverse science cultures to create its characteristic profile. The focus is set on engineering and natural sciences, which cooperate closely with outstanding humanities and social sciences. We are enjoying a worldwide reputation for excellent research in our highly-relevant, focused profile areas: cybersecurity, internet and digitalisation, nuclear physics, fluid dynamics and heat- and mass transfer, energy systems and new materials for product innovation. We dynamically develop our portfolio of research and teaching, innovation and transfer, in order to continue opening up important opportunities for the future of society. Our 308 professors, 4,500 scientific and administrative employees and close to 25,200 students devote their talents and best efforts to this goal. Together with Goethe University Frankfurt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, TU Darmstadt has formed the strategic Rhine-Main Universities alliance.

http://www.tu-darmstadt.de

MI-Nr. 44e/2020, sip
Ontario PNP invites Express Entry candidates in new Tech Draw Ontario held another Tech Draw inviting Express Entry candidates to apply for a provincial nomination

Ontario PNP invites Express Entry candidates in new Tech Draw Ontario held another Tech Draw inviting Express Entry candidates to apply for a provincial nomination

Ontario PNP invites Express Entry candidates in new Tech Draw Ontario held another Tech Draw inviting Express Entry candidates to apply for a provincial nomination Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

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Ontario has held a third Tech Draw this year, inviting immigration candidates who had work experience in one of six in-demand occupations.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held its largest draw of the year on July 29. A total of 1,288 invitations went to candidates who may be eligible for the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream. They needed a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score between 463 and 477 in order to be invited.

Though candidates did not need a job offer to receive an invitation, they needed at least one year of work experience in one of the following occupations:

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

Computer and information systems managers (NOC 0213)

Computer engineers (NOC 2147)

Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 2172)

Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)

Computer programmer and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)

Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)

They also needed to have a profile in the Express Entry system.

People who received the Notification of Interest (NOI) from Ontario now have 45 calendar days to submit their application for the provincial nomination.

If they are awarded the nomination from Ontario they will automatically get an additional 600 CRS points toward their overall score. This award will ensure that they receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry draw. This goes for anyone who is nominated under any Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in Canada.

How to get invited for an Ontario Tech Draw

The first step to become eligible for an invitation through the OINP Tech draw is to create a profile in Canadas Express Entry system.

Express Entry is an application management system for three federal economic-class immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class. Ontarios Human Capital Priority stream recognizes candidates from the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class.

Express Entry candidates are ranked according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) based on their education, work experience, age, and language proficiency in English or French.

The OINP Tech Draws pull from the Express Entry pool of candidates, inviting eligible tech workers to apply for a provincial nomination from Ontario.

Once the process is complete, candidates will have the opportunity to settle into their technology careers in Ontario.

Through this dedicated approach, were helping to make it easier for businesses in the technology sector to recruit top talent from around the world, the OINP said in a media release.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
A new species of mouse lemur has been discovered in north-eastern Madagascar. The Microcebus jonahi or Jonahs mouse lemur is the 112th species of lemur. The primates are native to Madagascar and most of them are threatened with extinction.

The Microcebus jonahi or Jonahs mouse lemur is named in honour of Malagasy primatologist Professor Jonah Ratsimbazafy. He has dedicated his life's work to the conservation of Malagasy lemurs.

The American Journal of Primatology published the paper, on 27 July, with scientific details about this new Malagasy lemur. The Jonahs mouse lemur has small ears and the characteristic huge eyes of lemurs with a distinct white stripe between the eyes. It has short, dense fur with a white with slightly yellowish nuances belly and a brownish back. Hands and feet show only sparse but whitishgray hair.

It weighs around 60 grams with a body length of around 13 cm and its tail measures around 13 cm as well. The Microcebus jonahi may not look very different from other lemurs but Professor Jonah Ratsimbazafy said that the main difference in the genetic pattern.

If the existence of Jonahs mouse lemur was made official two days ago in the scientific journal, it was nonetheless discovered in 2009 by the team at the Primate Study and Research Group (GERP), headed by Professor Ratsimbazafy.

It happened during a field trip in the North Mananara national park, on the northeastern coast of Madagascar, near Cap Masoala. It took over ten years to lay the scientific evidence that the lemur sighted was indeed a new species.

We cannot, while conducting a scientific research, base our evidence on only two or three specimens, Professor Ratsimbazafy told RFIs correspondent Sarah Tetaud.

The team of researchers in Madagascar spent time collecting data from a number of mouse lemurs, including blood and tissue samples.

We pursued phylogenetic research, besides the genetic ones, to better understand the lineage of this lemur. And this is how we managed to show that the Microcebus jonahi was a completely new species, Professor Ratsimbazafy added.

Story continues

The primatologist is, however, much concerned about the fate of the new lemur. Although rather widespread across the island, mouse lemurs suffer from habitat loss due to ongoing deforestation and hunting.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2020 assessment, 33 lemur species are Critically Endangered (one step away from extinction), with 103 of the 107 surviving species threatened with extinction.

Thirteen lemur species have been pushed to higher threat categories as a result of intensifying human pressures, IUCN wrote, in July, in its updated Red List of Threatened Species.

Professor Ratsimbazafy told RFI that even if the Microcebus jonahi lemurs are currently to be found in a national parc, it does not necessarily mean that it will be protected.

He said the lemurs were found in a degraded rainforest site. Its a longoza forest which is not the ideal habitat for lemurs as there are human settlements nearby.

Whats the use of discovering a new species today when it will disappear tomorrow, he added. We need to do more research. This is how we managed to uncover this treasure. But its already in danger.

Professor Ratsimbazafy is now counting on working further on awareness and conservation programmes with the local population to ensure better protection of lemurs.
BEIJING, July 28 (Reuters) - China and the European Union will accelerate negotiations in order to conclude a China-EU investment agreement by the end of this year, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said on Tuesday.

China and the EU will also continue to strengthen macro economic policy adjustments and implement effective fiscal and monetary policies to push forward global economic recovery, Liu said in a statement published by China's ministry of commerce.

Liu was speaking after an online meeting with European Commission executive vice president Valdis Dombrovskis.

On fighting the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 650,000 people around the globe, China and the EU will work on virus prevention, vaccine development and exchanges of professionals through further bilateral cooperation, the statement said.

China and EU will further expand trade in agricultural products, the statement said.

(Reporting by Colin Qian in Beijing and Meg Shen in Hong Kong, Editing by William Maclean)
00:24

The Congress on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government of having "destroyed" the banking sector and financial institutions of the country, and said the way forward was to "restore the autonomy of the RBI" and reinstitute the confidence of the banks by allowing them to lend prudently.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that "Modinomincs has messed up" the USD 2 trillion banking sector.

"The Modi government has destroyed public sector banks and financial institutions. 'Delivery' and not 'televised dialogues' is the way forward," he said in a statement.

Surjewala also alleged that the Modi government's response of Rs 20 lakh crore-package towards the coronavirus pandemic was a "hogwash", which turned into an "empty formality".

"Non-food credit growth is almost zero and bank credit growth is reducing from four per cent to the baseline 'zero'. Banks are just redepositing the money back with the RBI."

"The way forward is to restore the 'autonomy of RBI' allowing them to go after bank defaulters, restore confidence in banks through a promise of 'no witch-hunting' and allowing them to lend prudentially as per their 'risk norms' and expand credit guarantee programme for MSMEs to stimulate credit offtake and propel investment," he said.

Referring to the prime minister's meeting with heads of banks and non-banking financial companies on Wednesday, Surjewala said, "We hope they had the gumption to tell the PM how his government has destroyed the banking sector and financial institutions."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with top bankers and impressed upon them the need to push lending towards the productive sectors for the revival of the economy hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surjewala said, "Even if they maintained a studied silence in the face of the prime minister's aversion to hearing the honest uncomfortable truth, there were three important events in the last one week, that reflect the state of India's financial system and the banking sector."

The RBI in its financial stability report for July 2020 has warned that bad loans of the banking sector can reach a 20-year high, he said. -- PTI
Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, speaks at the panel Building Human Capital: A Project for the World, during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, in Washington, Saturday, April 21, 2018.

AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

As the coronavirus pandemic has spread around the world, with millions infected and thousands dead, billionaire Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist Bill Gates has pledged a quarter billion dollars to combat the disease through his foundation.

Gates criticized social media giants on Tuesday for enabling the spread of coronavirus misinformation and conspiracy theories. "When you let people communicate, you have to deal with the fact that certain incorrect things that are very titillating can spread very rapidly compared to the truth," Gates said in a CNBC interview.

"Social media can make that even worse," Gates said. "The degree to which these media companies can see what's being said on their platform, and take things that are absolutely wrong and get rid of those things or slow those things down  that's very tough."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Billionaire Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist Bill Gates has advocated for pandemic preparedness for years, and famously gave a TED talk in 2015 that warned of the potentially staggering death toll a worldwide pandemic could create.

As the coronavirus pandemic has spread around the world, Gates has pledged $250 million to fight the disease and create a vaccine, and he's emerged as a leader in the worldwide pandemic response.

Beyond dealing with the spread of the disease itself, another critical vector has emerged in the fight: Misinformation and conspiracy theories.

And it's social media, Gates said in a new interview, that's helping to spread both.

"When you let people communicate, you have to deal with the fact that certain incorrect things that are very titillating can spread very rapidly compared to the truth," Gates said in a CNBC interview. "Social media can make that even worse."

Look no further for evidence backing up Gates' claim that the viral spread of "Plandemic," a documentary with dangerous misinformation about coronavirus  including false claims that vaccines are ineffective, and stay-at-home orders suppress the immune system. "Plandemic" had over 8 million views by the time YouTube and Facebook removed it, and that damage is hard to undo.

Story continues

"The degree to which these media companies can see what's being said on their platform, and take things that are absolutely wrong and get rid of those things or slow those things down  that's very tough," Gates said.

You can see the full interview from CNBC's Squawk Box right here:

Read the original article on Business Insider
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Linkedin Putu Surya Resa Aditya and Jessica Callista (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 09:42 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1c88c 3 Opinion import,Trade,economic-recovery,business,pandemic,COVID-19,China,Indonesia,local-business Free

With the current COVID-19 pandemic hitting almost every country, world leaders are adjusting their policies to prioritize their respective national interests. The Indonesian government has issued policies to safeguard human health and safety by limiting domestic business activities and the movement of people in certain big cities. At the same time, however, such policies are indirectly hampering trade between Indonesia and other countries.

While the worlds most populous country, China, is recovering from the virus and preparing to boost its long-held exports, Indonesia is still in the process of gradually relaxing restrictions. With the limitations of doing business since March, domestic business players have been struggling to keep their businesses and factories running. Most of their expansion plans have been changed to the survival-mode plan.

Now they are faced with lurking threats of import surges from other countries, particularly China. Simply put, domestic business players are struggling to recover from the pandemic, while at the same time, foreign competitors are preparing to enter the Indonesian market. Such a situation might result in another big hit to domestic business players.

There are two main types of trade practices under international trade law of the World Trade Organization (WTO), namely unfair trade and fair trade. Unfair trade practices such as dumping and subsidies are known and proven to result in economic injuries to the importing country. On the flip side, safeguarding is taken by a country that is experiencing a serious economic crisis or one that is being threatened by a serious economic crisis. Such safeguarding measures are considered fair-trade practices.

Either the government or domestic business players (companies or associations) may propose to enact safeguards on specific goods whose industries have been injured domestically. The government and domestic business players have to identify which industries need immediate support. Prior to initiating a safeguarding investigation, there are three main indicators to be fulfilled. First, there has to have been an import surge in the last three years; second, there has to be serious material injury or the threat of serious material injury to domestic producers that produce similar products; and third, there has to be a causal link between import surges and the material injury or threat of material injury.

Bear in mind that safeguarding measures are focused on goods and not on the exporting countries. A country is not allowed to discriminate between exporting countries in implementing safeguarding measures. Additionally, a country imposing safeguarding measures may allocate certain quotas from exporting countries.

Safeguarding measures are temporary, and the basic time limit is four years. However, under certain conditions, protection may be extended to eight years. More importantly, after a safeguard has been in place for three years, affected exporting partners are able to retaliate against the safeguard by withdrawing substantially equivalent tariff concessions. Therefore, in order to effectuate the implementation of a safeguard, the government shall provide opportunities for a hearing of members of the WTO or exporting partners who have a substantial interest in presenting their evidence and views.

After the hearing has been completed, the government should analyze and consider whether the implementation of a safeguard is in accordance with the national interest, especially with regard to how seriously COVID-19 has affected domestic business players.

According to data from the Trade Ministry, from 1995 to 2019 there were 377 initiations of safeguarding investigations. However, only 185 safeguards were granted. Furthermore, based on the given information, Indonesia is second-highest initiator of safeguard investigations (34 initiations) and the second-highest implementor safeguards (20 safeguarding measures).

The implementation of safeguarding measures can bring trade disputes with other members of the WTO. One notable case was a safeguard imposed by the United States in July 1999 on lamb meat in the form of tariff-rate import quotas, which were to be applied for a period of three years.

The measure was based on findings by the US International Trade Commission that increased imports of lamb meat caused a substantial threat of serious injury to the US lamb industry. Following complaints by New Zealand and Australia that the measure was inconsistent with Articles I, II and XIX of GATT 1994 and several provisions of the Agreement on Safeguards, one of which are related to the unforeseen developments as required by Article 1 SGA (WTO Safeguards Agreement) one of which are related to the unforeseen developments as required by Article 1 SGA (WTO Safeguards Agreement), the WTO ruled in 2000 in favor of the two complainants.

The question is can COVID 19 be treated as an unforeseen development?

Unforeseen developments require that developments which lead to a product being imported in such increased quantities and under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause serious injury to domestic producers must have been unexpected. In the Argentina-Footwear (European Communities) case, a sudden increase on imports cannot be considered an unforeseen development

In the Ukraine-Passenger Cars case, Ukraine put forward multiple versions of what the unforeseen developments were in the said case: (i) the simultaneous contraction in demand and increase in imports; (ii) the confluence of a contraction in demand, tariff liberalization, and a relative increase in imports; (iii) the global financial and economic crisis; (iv) the increase in imports; and (v) the combination of a global financial and economic crisis and tariff liberalization

Ukraine argued the global financial and economic crisis shall be considered an unforeseen development and thus shall grant an authority to Ukraine to impose safeguards measures. However, the WTO panel in the case disagreed. It opined that the existence of the crisis was a widely known and accepted fact. Even if the events which are alleged to be unforeseen are widely known and accepted, the competent authorities are obliged to explicitly identify in a published report the unforeseen developments that have been determined to exist.

In our opinion, COVID-19 might be unforeseeable, however the economic crisis resulting from the outbreak is something that is foreseeable, especially for Indonesia. Therefore, prior to imposing safeguards on imports during these unfortunate times, Indonesian government should assess the unforeseen developments very carefully.

***

Both writers are associates at Bahar Law Firm specializing in trade matters. The views expressed are their own.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
More than a dozen federal police officers assigned to Melbourne Airport are in self-isolation after a member tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Australian Federal Police has undertaken a deep clean of its airport headquarters and has put in place its contingency plan to ensure operations are not affected by having the officers out of action.

Melbourne Airport says there was no risk to passengers. Credit:Scott McNaughton

Victoria Police also has a number of its officers self-isolating after testing positive in separate cases, but declined to say how many cases there have been.

All AFP members who had been in close contact with their colleague at Melbourne Airport have been ordered to self-isolate at home, and none of them have returned a positive test result for COVID-19.
On Tuesday, Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, said she expects the state will be done with testing at nursing homes and nursing care facilities statewide by the end of this week or early next week.

Local outbreaks

The J. Iverson Developmental Center outbreaks remains at nine staff members and no patients, according to the states latest congregate living update Tuesday.

The outbreak at Carolina Rehab of Burke in Icard shows 15 residents and two staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. The facility has had three deaths associated with the virus, according to the information from the state.

Grace Heights Health and Rehabilitation in Morganton has had 57 residents and 33 staff members test positive. It has had 13 deaths associated with COVID-19.

The state reported 1,865 deaths due to the virus, 117,850 positive cases and 1,291 people hospitalized as of Wednesday.

Also Tuesday, Gov. Roy Cooper announced a new executive order that prohibits the sale of alcohol after 11 p.m. in restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries.
China's Mars probe, Tianwen-1, captured an image of the Earth and Moon, about 1.2 million km from Earth, the China National Space Administration said on Tuesday.

China launched its first Mars mission Tianwen-1, which means Questions to Heaven, on July 23, marking the country's first step in planetary exploration of the solar system.

Tianwen-1 took a photo of the Earth and Moon with an optical navigation sensor on Monday. In the black-and-white picture, the Earth and the Moon, one large and one small, were both crescent-shaped, watching each other in the vast universe.

According to the CNSA, the probe has escaped the earth's gravity and entered the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, travelling more than 1.5 million km away from the Earth.

The probe was in good condition, said the CNSA.
Beijing Blasts US 'Reckless Provocation of Confrontation' After Consulate Closures

Sputnik News

15:39 GMT 28.07.2020(updated 17:39 GMT 28.07.2020)

The US Consulate General in the Chinese city of Chengdu was shut down on 27 July following an order from Beijing, according to the country's Foreign Ministry.

Beijing lambasted the US' "reckless provocation of confrontation" after ordering the closure of the American Consulate in Chengdu for meddling in its internal affairs.

The statement comes after the US administration ordered to close the Chinese Consulate in the state of Texas, accusing China of stealing American intellectual property.

In a reciprocal response, Beijing ordered the closure of the US Consulate.

Last week, the US Justice Department accused the Chinese Consulate of illegal activities, including massive spying and influence operations in the United States.

China has denied the allegations and criticised the United States for various violations of international law. Beijing also said that the United States has been inciting hatred towards Chinese nationals, resulting in multiple threats being made to its embassy in Washington.

Fabio Massimo Parenti, an Italian geopolitical scholar who teaches at a university in Beijing, believes that "this is the last step of an irresponsible attitude of US authorities" who "keep accusing China of everything without proof".

"They sanction firms and do everything possible to distract public opinion from their own internal disasters, inability to handle the epidemic situation and incapacity to readdress their economy, totally controlled by a bunch of financial firms. [...] It is not new for the US to artificially build an enemy to justify its domination policies and attitudes, however, when you deal with 20% of world population, you play with fire, going against the interests of the international communities", Parenti suggests.

The scholar further added that even a "baby understands" that a peaceful cooperation between China and the US "should be the priority for all responsible people in the world".

"It is a matter of international responsibility and mutual interests. Nevertheless, Trump's administration is feeding, foolishly, a new cold war for its own ineptitude, for the interests of a few. If this is the outcome of representative democracy logic (risking world conflicts for electoral reasons), the said system is a complete failure, at least in the US guise. Luckily enough, China is showing high responsibility, thinking about retaliation in a careful way, avoiding repaying US with the same coin", Parenti elaborated.

On 21 July, the Justice Department unveiled an indictment against two Chinese hackers who allegedly targeted companies in at least ten countries.

China's Consul General of Houston Cai Wei commented on the matter, saying he was "quite surprised" to learn that Washington had ordered closure of the Houston consulate and added that the United States had provided no evidence of alleged espionage activities to corroborate the eviction.

US-China relations have significantly soured in the past few years, with Washington accusing Beijing of unfair trade practices, a poor response to the coronavirus outbreak, human rights violations, and unwarranted territorial disputes with neighbouring countries. China has denied the accusations.

A Sputnik

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mission Ready Solutions Inc. (Mission Ready or the Company) (TSXV: MRS) announces that, effective August 7, 2020, James A. Marks will assume the role of interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company. To facilitate this change, Jeffery L. Schwartz has tendered his resignation as the Companys President and CEO, effective August 7, 2020, but will remain a member of the Companys board of directors (the Board).

Mr. Schwartz has served as the Companys President and CEO since March 2017, during which time he has led the Company to new heights and presided over impressive revenue growth, with 2019 revenues reaching CAD $21.19 million, a 588% increase over the previous year.

We are forever grateful for Jeffs devoted and faithful service to the Company and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors, states James Marks, a Director of Mission Ready. Its now time to transition to a new leader with deep leadership and organizational skills to continue to build and to stabilize the platform.

Jeffery Schwartz, President and CEO of Mission Ready, states Its has been a pleasure and truly an honor to help build Mission Ready to the point its at today. It is with mixed emotions that I step aside as President and CEO. I will certainly miss the great folks Ive had the pleasure of working so closely with during the past 3 years but I am also very much looking forward to spending more time with my immediate and extended family. As for the Companys future, I have full confidence in my fellow directors to identify an excellent candidate to lead the Company forward at this exciting and opportune time.

Since joining the Companys Board in June 2018, Major General (Retired) James A. Marks has contributed immeasurable value to Mission Ready, lending extraordinary insights and expertise gained throughout 30 years of service with the United States Army. General Marks served in the United States Army holding every command position from infantry platoon leader to commanding general and was the senior intelligence officer during the LA Riots, in the Balkans, Korea, Iraq. He is an Honor Graduate of the US Armys Ranger School and a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame. General Marks has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY and a Master of Arts degree in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.

Story continues

Additionally, the Company announces that it has granted incentive stock options (the Options), pursuant to its stock option plan (the Plan), for a total of 400,000 common shares of the Company, to a director and officer of the Company. The Options, subject to the terms of the Plan and the corresponding option agreement, are exercisable at a price of CAD $0.15 per share for a period of up to five years.

About Mission Ready Solutions Inc.

Mission Ready specializes in providing comprehensive government contracting solutions through its privileged access to a host of government contracting vehicles including its Special Operational Equipment (SOE) Tailored Logistics Support (TLS) contract administered by the United States Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and Multiple Award Schedule contracts administered by the United States General Services Administration (GSA).

Mission Readys wholly-owned subsidiary, Unifire, Inc. (Unifire), is one of six companies, globally, authorized to provide equipment and designated services under DLAs SOE TLS program. Unifire is a designated Small Business and an industry-leading manufacturer and distributor of over 1.5 million fire, military, emergency, and law enforcement products. As an incumbent awardee of the SOE TLS contract, with extensive knowledge and experience in providing solutions to the US Federal Government, Unifire utilizes its highly-efficient, scalable technology infrastructure to provide procurement solutions for program managers, military and federal contracting offices, base supply centers, and other governmental supply agencies.

Mission Ready trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol MRS.

For further information, visit MRSCorp.com or contact:

Investor Relations

T: 1.877.479.7778  Ext 5

E: IR@MRSCorp.com

Mission Ready Solutions Inc.

(signed Jeffery L. Schwartz)

Jeffery L. Schwartz,

President & CEO

T: 1.877.479.7778

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "forecast", "project", "budget", "schedule", "may", "will", "could", "might", "should" or variations of such words or similar words or expressions. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by Mission Ready Solutions Inc. as at the date of such information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Mission Ready Solutions Inc. to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Mission Ready Solutions Inc. does not undertake to update any forward-looking information that is included herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.




The running mate to Governor Godwin Obaseki in Edo state and incumbent Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has mocked the former National Ch...

The running mate to Governor Godwin Obaseki in Edo state and incumbent Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has mocked the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, after he knelt to beg some traditional rulers for forgiveness.





Oshiomhole on Sunday night in Benin City, begged for forgiveness for selling Obaseki to the people of the state in 2016 and promised to right his wrongs during the forthcoming Edo governorship election.





According to Shaibu, no amount of stunts like that will prevent APCs candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, from defeat.





He stated this during a campaign that started from Akpakpava Road in Benin City, through Ekpoma to Jattu, in the Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.





No amount of kneeling stunt will save the former national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, and his candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, from defeat, Shaibu said.




Congress President Sonia Gandhi chairs the Congress Working Committee (CWC) Meeting via vdeo conferencing on Thursday during the 21-day nationwide lockdown (that entered its 9th day) imposed as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronav Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, July 29 : Amid political crisis in Rajasthan and border stand-off with China, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of the party's Rajya Sabha members at 10.30 a.m. here on Thursday.

It will be the first meeting of the party's new Rajya Sabha members, who took oath on July 22. The number of the Congress members in the Upper House has come down.

According to sources, the meeting has been called to also discuss other issues, like the Covid-19 pandemic and unemployment.

Earlier, Sonia Gandhi had called a meeting of the party's Lok Sabha members.

At the virtual meeting, the party MPs had demanded re-appointment of Rahul Gandhi as the party chief as the former party chief kept quiet. The issue by raised by Gaurav Gogoi and Manickam Tagore.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at the June Congress Working Committee meeting had raised the same demand.
"The need for a neutral status for Lebanon, demanded by the Maronite Patriarchy, is vividly il-lustrated by the border incident between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. Here is a whole coun-try forced to live the tensions inherent in the risk of war, while it is completely unconcerned with the incident that caused it, namely the death of a Hezbollah fighter in the Israeli bombing of a military target near Damascus (on July 20)," said sources close to Bkerki, who spoke on condition of anonymity but welcomed the opportunity to clarify the positions of the Maronite Patriarchate.

The sources were referring to the shelling that took place on Monday at the Lebanese-Israeli border, near the Shebaa Farms. The Israeli military said it had foiled "an infiltration attempt by a terrorist cell" and opened fire on gunmen, just after they crossed the northern border with Lebanon. Hezbollah, for its part, denied any such an attempt.

"This incident clearly shows what the Maronite Patriarchate means by Lebanon's positive neu-trality vis-a-vis regional axes and conflicts. Lebanon does not have to assume the consequences of a conflict to which it is not a party but dragged into it by an armed party that takes its orders from Tehran," the sources said.

"The tension created by this incident is a typical example of what Lebanon wishes to avoid by demanding a neutral status from the international community," the sources explained. "(Mon-day's) operation is not a Lebanese attack designed to liberate a piece of Lebanese territory; it is just a response, in part psychological, to an Israeli attack in Syria" to which Hezbollah has pledged to retaliate and thus make the whole population pay the price.

The escalating tension on the border came after Israel carried out strikes near Damascus, Syria on July 20, in which a Hezbollah fighter, Ali Kamel Mohsen, was killed, according to the Shiite party.

The Resistance Movement Loses Its Raison D'etre

"Involvement in Syria is causing the resistance movement to lose its raison d'etre," said an ec-clesiastical source close to civil society. In essence, "no one has the right to make the Lebanese population live days of suspense linked to the possibility of Israeli aggression, much less to im-plicate them in a geopolitical conflict that does not concern them."

Asked to comment on the visit of Iran's ambassador to Beirut, Mohammad Jalal Firouznia, to Dar el-Fatwa on Monday, the source said: "The diplomat said Lebanon's neutrality is 'a Leba-nese affair,' but that 'all ideas raised must consolidate Lebanese national unity.' However, Hez-bollah's presence in Syria does not help strengthening Lebanese national unity; it does quite the contrary."

Mona Fayad, a university professor and founding member of the Democratic Renewal Move-ment who denounced some "insulting attacks" against the patriarch, said she was surprised that Hezbollah supporters demand that the call for Lebanon's neutrality be unanimous, without thinking for a moment that their actions deeply divide the Lebanese people. "What is Hezbollah doing in Syria?" she asked, noting that an increasing number of Lebanese of all faiths are asking the same question and are weary of the arguments provided by the pro-Iranian party. Fayad compared Hezbollah's presence in Syria, on Tehran's orders, to the presence of Syrian fighters in Libya, on Istanbul's orders, highlighting the extent of the Shiite party's regional involvement.

Against the Resurgence of the Concomitance of the Two Tracks

Moreover, the patriarchal proposal for Lebanon's neutrality continues to receive local political support. Backing came from Walid Jumblatt's party, the National Liberal Party (NLP) and for-mer minister Michel Pharaon.

A Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) delegation, which included Marwan Hamade and Henry Helou, visited the patriarch in Dimane and handed him a copy of the memorandum delivered by Taymour Jumblatt at the recent national dialogue conference in Baabda. "We have agreed with the patriarch on the need to resume talks on a national defense strategy and the imple-mentation of (UN Security Council) Resolution 1701. We also agreed to revive the resolutions of the national dialogue conference convened by (Parliament Speaker) Nabih Berri in 2006. Apart from the resolution on the creation of an international tribunal to reveal the truth behind the assassination of Rafik Hariri, these decisions have remained ink on paper. In today's memoran-dum, we reject the attempt to resurrect the so-called concomitance of the two tracks (linking together Lebanese and Syrian positions against Israel) and call for strict measures to be taken to monitor the border and for ending smuggling," Hamade said. On the Patriarch's proposal, he added: "We have always been in favor of a positive neutrality that restores to the state its solid-ity, internal unity and healthy foreign relations, and the freedom of its sovereign decision on peace and war, while sustaining respect for just national causes, primarily the cause and rights of the Palestinian people."

Patriarch Bechara el-Rahi also received the head of the NLP, Dory Chamoun, and Pharaon. Pharaon said neutrality is in the genes of Lebanon, which in 1943 asked the Arab League to vote unanimously that no Arab country exercises its hegemony over the other. For Pharaoh, it is necessary for Lebanon to develop a special strategy for its southern territories, but on condition that it is kept under the command of the army, and to remain faithful to its Arab environment. "We consider that it is in Lebanon's interest that the international community support its neu-trality. The patriarchal proposal also has an economic dimension: restoring Lebanon to the Leb-anese investors, which is something as important, if not more important, than any agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)."





(This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour the 28th of July)






Egypt's Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Wednesday that South Sinais Taba Airport will receive on 5 August its first flight from Poland since the resumption of international air travel.

The ministry says that it has received several letters from tour operators looking to organise flights to the South Sinai city.

According to the statement, the step comes after continuous inspections of tourist attractions by Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Manar and Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled Al-Anani. The inspections are part of the coordination between the two ministries to restore the movement of tourism to Egypt.

Egypt resumed international flights earlier this month after a three-month suspension that was put in place to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Foreign tourists are now allowed to fly into three coastal governorates only, all of which have recorded the lowest numbers of coronavirus cases in the country. More cities are planning to reopen for foreign visitors in later stages.

According to the statement, EgyptAir has made deals with a tourist company to operate seven charter flights to Taba from 19 August till mid-September, in addition to 10 charter flights to Sharm El-Sheikh.

Minister Manar recently toured Taba Airport, which has been described as one of the most promising tourist airports in the country, to ensure that it is ready to receive international and domestic flights.

The ministry has granted a 50 percent discount on landing and accommodation fees to airlines that will operate flights to the Red Sea and South Sinai airports till October, as well as a 20 percent discount on ground services. The move aims to stimulate the movement of tourism to Egypt, the statement said.

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LONDON Britain on Wednesday named career diplomat and intelligence officer Richard Moore as the new chief of the MI6 spy service as the West seeks to bolster its defences against hostile espionage from China and Russia.

Moore, 57, joined the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in 1987, just four years before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

An accomplished intelligence officer, Moore served in various diplomatic and security roles before winning one of the most powerful jobs in the Western intelligence. Alex Younger, the current chief of MI6 - or plain C" - will step down in the autumn.

I am pleased and honoured to be asked to return to lead my Service," said Moore, who is currently director general of political affairs at the Foreign Office.

Moore served as British ambassador to Turkey from January 2014 to December 2017 and has also served as deputy national security adviser. Born in Libya, he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University and was a Kennedy Scholar at Harvard.

His biggest challenge is likely to be China, which the United States has identified as its major geopolitical foe, though he will also have to fight for funding after British politicians splurged on the coronavirus crisis.

As technology transforms spying, Moore will have to work out how one of the worlds pre-eminent human intelligence services can best garner mass data while preserving its renown for getting high-level sources to steal secrets across the world.

MI6, depicted by novelists as the employer of some of the most memorable fictional spies, from John le Carres George Smiley to Ian Flemings James Bond, operates overseas and is tasked with defending Britain and its interests.

Younger has served since November 2014. He stayed on longer than is usual to ensure stability through the political tumult of the Brexit negotiations.

His biggest challenge was the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal, a Russian double agent turned by MI6, in the English cathedral city of Salisbury in 2018 with a Soviet-designed nerve agent known as Novichok.

Britain blamed Russian military intelligence (GRU) but the Kremlin denied any involvement. The attack prompted the biggest Western expulsion of Russian diplomats and spies since the Cold War.

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HULU subscribers now have the opportunity to enjoy all the magic and beautiful of an IMAX documantary film. I love these educational documentary films that IMAX so eloquently releases. These films are all through the eyes of legendary cinematographers, heroic scientists, rarities of the animal kingdom and more. With school about to go back into session, you can get a head start on learning and view these educational IMAX documentary films with your young one on HULU! So, check out this list below and begin your viewing pleasure on HULU today!

Educational IMAX Documentary Films On HULU

A Beautiful Planet

A Beautiful Planet is a breathtaking portrait of Earth from space. Made in cooperation with NASA, the film features stunning footage of our magnificent blue planet  and the effects humanity has had on it over time  captured by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Narrated by Jennifer Lawrence and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Toni Myers, A Beautiful Planet presents an awe-inspiring glimpse of Earth and a hopeful look into the future of humanity.

Pandas: An IMAX Original Film

Join narrator Kristen Bell in Pandas, a heartwarming story about the adventures of Qian Qian, a captive-born giant panda cub whos destined for life in the wild. A cross-cultural collaboration brings American and Chinese scientists together for an adorable experience that will delight the entire family.

Superpower Dogs

Join an immersive adventure to experience the life-saving superpowers and extraordinary bravery of some of the worlds most remarkable dogs. As we discover the astonishing science behind their amazing abilities, well never look at our best friends the same way again! Narrated by Chris Evans.

Destiny In Space

Destiny in Space offers an exciting glimpse into the future of space exploration. Featuring images of the space shuttle in orbit around the Earth and thrilling flyovers of Mars and Venus, the film focuses on the dramatic partnership of humans and robots working in space. Witness rare views of the shuttle, in its entirety, orbiting 200 miles above Earth. Join the astronauts as they maintain the Spacelab and work outside the shuttle in the hazardous vacuum of space, performing a spectacularly successful servicing mission of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Fires Of Kuwait

Fires of Kuwait is an eloquent visual testimony to the remarkable resourcefulness and heroism of the men and women who extinguished and controlled over 600 burning and gushing oil wells sabotaged by retreating Iraqi troops in the aftermath of the Gulf War. Following teams as they attack and extinguish oil well fires using different techniques, the film takes you to the very center of blazing fields of oil fires, shoulder-to-shoulder with the firefighters. Nominated for an Academy Award  Best Documentary, 1992.

Galapagos

Journey with marine biologist Dr. Carole Baldwin on an adventure to the famed Galapagos Islands. Galapagos delves deep into the largely unknown waters surrounding the volcanic archipelago to explore the natural wonders of a realm that is truly a living natural science laboratory.

Hail Columbia!

Experience one of humankinds crowning achievements  the inaugural voyage of the worlds first space shuttle. Hail Columbia! goes behind the scenes with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen as they prepare for their historic launch of the shuttle Columbia. Witness the thunderous liftoff, the breathtaking flight itself and the dramatic re-entry and landing.

Into The Deep

Into the Deep takes you on a spectacular exploration of the undersea world. The film captures unique marine life and magnificent underwater vistas. Dive under the sea to the kelp forests off the southern coast of California and discover a living, breathing kaleidoscope.

Journey To The South Pacific

Narrated by Cate Blanchett, Journey to the South Pacific will take audiences on a breathtaking adventure to the lush tropical islands of remote West Papua, where life flourishes above and below the sea. Home to more than 2,000 species of sea life, this exotic locale features the most diverse marine ecosystem on earth. Encounter whale sharks, sea turtles, manta rays and other iconic creatures of the sea.

Space Station

Travel 220 miles above Earth at 17,500 mph to experience the greatest engineering feat since landing a man on the Moon. Space Station is the story of a unique partnership of 16 nations building a laboratory in outer space  a permanent facility for the study of the effects of long-duration exposure to zero gravity and the necessary first step towards the global co-operative effort needed if man is to someday set foot on Mars. Narrated by Tom Cruise.

Survival Island

In the Southern Ocean, South Georgia is a majestic, barren and remote land. Yet in the spring and summer months, this small island plays host to some of the largest concentrations of animals anywhere on Earth. Survival Island is the story of the vast animal cities of penguins, albatrosses, fur seals and elephant seals and the order that lies beneath their seeming chaos. Written and narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

The Dream Is Alive

Youre invited to a window seat on board the space shuttle and an inside look at the astronauts living in space. Shot by 14 NASA astronauts on three shuttle missions, The Dream Is Alive includes footage of launches and landings, satellite capture and repairs and space walks. Experience the sensation of weightlessness and the splendor of Earth from 250 miles up.

T-Rex: Back To The Cretaceous

Follow a paleontologists daughter on a wondrous pre-historic adventure as she is magically transported back through 65 million years to the Cretaceous Period. As she encounters the 20-foot tall, 15-ton Tyrannosaurus Rex, discover how these incredibly majestic and fierce animals lived during a time that is almost impossible for us to imagine.

China: The Panda Adventure

China: The Panda Adventure is the true story of Ruth Harkness, a fiercely independent woman who travels to the mysterious forests of China to follow in her late husbands footsteps and achieve his dream of bringing the first live giant panda to America. Starring Maria Bello, the film features spectacular images of China and giant pandas and delivers a story of hope, courage and triumph of the human spirit.

Horses: The Story Of Equus

Horses: The Story of Equus is the story of three horses born on the same day whose lives take very different paths. One becomes a racehorse where his overwhelming instinct to run is highly valued. The second is trained as a stunt horse where his capacity for learning and individual nature triumph. The third horse joins the herds in the wild. Undisturbed by human contact, this horse reverts to natural herd behavior, offering insight into a horses nature prior to domestication.

The Secret Of Life On Earth

Discover the interdependence between plants and animals and the key developments that made possible the web of life  since evolved and now endangered. Brilliant use of micro, macro and time-lapse photography delivers stunning close-ups of special relationships between plants and animals: barnacles feeding, microscopic plankton, tiny grasses flowering and pollinators at work.
Gabriel Ogunjobi travels to the borderland between Nigeria and Benin Republic in Ogun State where brutal attacks on farmers by marauding herdsmen have caused untold tragedies. He reports on how COVID-19 realities are worsening a situation already too painful to describe, but which is creating a new army of out of school children and young people.

At Agbon village, Abidemi Ilo is laid on a mat at the veranda. He is being encouraged to ingest a little more of pap-cake and vegetables. He struggles because his whole body still aches badly from his hospital-dressed wound. January 10, 2020 was the day what he had long feared finally occurred. He became another victim in the long-running but ignored violence that cattle herders routinely inflicted on farmers across the border corridors of Ogun State. He was attacked, along with his father, Pa Sola, who was 80-year plus, on their two-plot yam farmland. The older man was not so lucky. He was hacked to death. Sola received machete wounds on his arm and his right foot.

The only reason Mr Ilo opted for home-care after spending three months at Federal Medical Centre in Ilaro, Ogun state, is to look after three of his children who are still at primary school.

There is no one to take care of them. They wandered in the neighbourhood. They have not been going to school because their mother stayed with me at the hospital for nights and days since I was rushed-in.

As he spoke, Mr Ilos children were standing behind the door that leads from the inner house to the veranda. They looked on watching as their father sobbed emotionally.

Mr Ilo is yet to overcome the trauma from the farm attack and is very unlikely to return for cultivation anytime soon. It also means primary education for the children will be on hold until further notice because of the lack of income to bear school needs. Maybe, they would even learn some crafts just like their elder brother, Sola, did learn vulcanizing.

The story bears similarities with that of 15-year old Folarin said to be in primary three at Community School, Asa, and whose father was killed on a farm in the same community.

Determinedly, Folarin returned to school after his fathers gruesome killing and has since been undertaking all sorts of manual labour to keep himself in school. But his younger brother had to halt his education and opted for motorcycle-riding business instead.

This sort of tragedy and the consequences on the education of the children of direct victims illustrate the vulnerability of children and young people on this Yoruba borderline between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

JSS block of Community High School, Ebute Igbooro under renovation

In March 2020, a newspaper reported on reduction in school enrolment in Ogun border communities due to the persistent clashes between local farmers and wandering herders.

In the prominent Ketu constituency at Yewa (Egbado) North Local Government, at least 53 of the 60 plus communities are in the frontline of violent marauding by cattle herders. Some of the most affected communities include Ogunba-Ayetoro, Asa, Ijoun, Igan-Alade, Ibore, Iselu. The 2006 national census puts the population of the constituency at 99,000. This is equivalent to 60 per cent of the 181,826 total population of the entire local government.

Apart from the continuum of community despair about safety and its telling effect on school enrolment, there is also the issue of lack of schools and the parlous state of most of those available in those communities. Such is the situation that the number of out-of-school children in the region may be growing exponentially.

The deplorable state of Community Primary School at Ogunba Ayetoro

School building in the area dates back to the 70s or earlier. Many of them are in a state of disrepair and in the most unsanitary environment, to say the least.

At Ogunba-Ayetoro, for instance, the local community school is a building of about five classrooms built of wood and iron-sheet. At full capacity, it can house up to 70 students. However, it is lacking in all the amenities one can associate with a school. This includes toilet facilities for the students or water for drinking. The environment is overgrown with elephant grass\weeds and severely neglected such that the building now looks the picture of a derelict storehouse.

One of the farmers cultivating on the land, Sunday Oke, informed this reporter that up to 200 children could show up in dry seasons when the herders rarely pasture and it is felt to be safe.

The signpost to Community Primary School in Oja Odan is just behind the Eselu of Iselus Palace. but the school itself is eyesore

Around last year, there were barely 60 to 70 school-children because herders scared them away. This year, we have only heard of those herders in Asa. Theyre not yet here and may not be until around November/December, he adds.

More and more schools are in a sorry state

Of the twelve villages serving the Community Primary School at Ogunba-Ayetoro, only children from the near villages of Araromi, Ori-Oke, Agbale, Abe Isin and Saba would, by that November, be able to find their way to school if their parents ever let them.

The sight is not different at the Community Primary School in Oke Odo, Ibore, about 10km from Ogunba-Ayetoro. While children are subjected to learn under the perils of reptiles, the school is peculiar for yet another reason: it has two structures but neither of them meets UNICEFs standard of primary school of providing significant personal and social environment in the lives of the pupils and the environment being physically safe, emotionally secure and psychologically enabling.

Folarin began lifes struggle after his father was killed in 2006

If it ever rains, it only means the children will be learning in swamps owing to the deplorable farmyard area.

More shocking is the 2015-built school directly behind the palace of the Oba Eselu of Iseluland. The flamboyant pillar offering direction at the express-road between Ilaro and Oja Odan is luring to assume the pupils learning facility would be an impressive structure to behold. But, the Community Primary School in Ilupeju, Oja Odan, is yet another eyesore. Knitted with bamboo and palm-front roof, the parallel structure is a makeshift abode for goats at night-time, lacking ventilation and proper illumination; its like a hut-like of a school.

The Eselu of Iseluland in Oja-Odan, in the Yewa-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, bore his worry about the future of the children in his kingdom.

Bidemi Ilo who came in close contact with death after his father was gruesomely killed 3

According to him: communities here are abandoned, maybe because they are on the border and far from the attention of the government but the consequences are now evident. Thats why therere increased rates of child labour for the girls and smuggling for the boys because they lack education.

Its unfortunate.

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The killing of children, hacked to death in ambushes, in some of those clashes, aggravated the fear of parents about the safety of their children on their way to or return from school.

With the state of those schools, it is moot point to ask if they would be fit for learning purposes in the face of the COVID-19 epidemic.

We learn in the congregation of animals

Ferried by a young bike-rider, Adeolu Kolade, I arrived at Community High School, Ebute Igbooro, some minutes past 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8. Situated on a large expanse of land, the school is a gateless compound with a large playing field overgrown by stubborn elephant grass.

While schools are yet to resume due to COVID-19 enforced shutdown, I was met by three students, Joel Egbeleye, Solomon Shofisile and Daniel Adekoya, who had been drafted in by their headteacher to show me around.

They are busy with the packing of planks detached from the top of the room for the block of junior classes  a plan for renovation by the state ministry of education.

Unfinished Multipurpose Hall under shambles

Joel claims that nothing is wrong with the block of classrooms considered for renovation by the government.

Our classrooms that need proper renovation were ignored.

What baffles the trio is that the structure considered for renovation by the Ogun state ministry of education is the newest in the school while the terrible senior secondary classes are left untouched.

The headteacher, Jonathan Oriokoku, corroborated this by saying that the school management was ignored when they tried to draw the attention of the representatives of the ministry to the rot in the senior classes. The representatives made insisted that their instructions did not include the more needy classrooms.

Although the headteacher could not accurately recollect the exact year the newer (government-constructed) structure was erected, he said it could not be further than 2012 and 2013. The dilapidated building, on the other hand, was erected by the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) in the early 2000s

Community Primary School, Oke Odo, Ibore

Joel and Solomon are both in the Art department of the senior secondary school 2 and Daniel is in Sciences. Arts and Commercial students share the same classroom. The students in the two departments are 120 plus. The class was originally expected to accommodate about 35 students.

Sometimes, we dont even enjoy the teaching because we are too many in the class. Look at the roof. Check the windows for yourself, one of them advises me.

It is not even a matter of lie. We learn in the congregation of goats and sheep who come to pasture at times.

On the floor of the classrooms are goats dungs. The desks in the room vary in their condition with some broken, some in fair state but all showing evidence of prolonged use. The classroom ceilings are disjointed and appear to be waiting for the slightest of windstorm to push it to the ground. This picture is representative of all the classrooms from the senior school one to three.

If the school is fenced, the concern about the flock of sheep and cows polluting the classrooms will be gone. But social distancing in the time of COVID-19 is still a headache.

Unfinished Multipurpose Hall under shambles

The school has a total of 1,125 students. In the JSS classes, there are 615 and SSS classes have 510 students. For the two classes occupied by SS2 alone, there are 90 students in the science department.

When COVID-19 comes, government shivers

At Islamic High School, Oja-Odan, Yewa North, the management felt that their prayers were being answered when they received a phone call from the Ogun Stare ministry of education in the first week of July asking what their needs were for JSS3 and SS 3 students to resume.

The school has a total of 1,000 students who occupy two blocks of classrooms and a makeshift extension for junior students.

Originally owned and funded by the Islamic Association, the modest infrastructure was put in place by the parents- teachers association of the community.

At the behest of the community which was struggling at financing the school, the Ibikunle Amosun administration decided to transfer ownership of the school to the state two years ago.

The take-over process could however not be completed before Mr Amosun left office. His successor, Dapo Abiodun, did not reverse the decision; hence it is now a full government school. Teachers have been paid salaries since but there appears to be nothing else to show for the government ownership.

Among the infrastructure transferred to the government is an unfinished auditorium capable of sitting up to 3,000 students for general examinations such as junior and senior WAEC. The structure remains at the roofing level unattended and surrounded by overgrown weeds.

Hamzat Lawal, education advocate ande founder of CODE..

This explains why the Principal, Oghenechukwu Elvis, was first excited when that call came from the ministry of education.

When he heard it was about getting a section of the students back, his enthusiasm faded. But we need more than just that. The school is completely overcrowded and infrastructure are in deficit, he said.

Nonetheless, he remains optimistic that COVID-19 will make the government remember them.

Reopening in Nigeria now is a death sentence, says education advocate

Hamzat Lawal, an advocate for education and founder of the not-for-profit organisation, Connected Development (CODE), points out that it will be suicidal to reopen all schools at the same time when COVID-19 may still be spreading. According to him, the level of infrastructural deficit across Nigerian public schools is too high for the right amount of safety needed to be properly put in place.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 gave recommendations for sanitation, use of face masks and social distancing if reopening of schools would be considered.

According to Mr Lawal, COVID-19 has shown that Nigeria is very poor and under-developed. Many of the communities at the conflict-bed of the country lack portable water and other basic amenities. The schools are also dilapidated, overcrowded and some of the children have to sit on the floor to learn.

The people are so poor that many of the parents dont even wear face masks let alone compel their children to do it. It is nearly impossible to ensure COVID-19 guidelines are adhered to if schools reopen.

Bidemi Ilo who came in close contact with death after his father was gruesomely killed on the farm

If it will take Nigeria till 2021 before resumption, let the children sit at home. It is a death sentence to call for reopening of schools now. And, I will never be a party to that, he said.

Governments negligence

 state void of education commissioner

In September 2019, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun facilitated the release of a N10.3 billion counterpart fund by the federal government to the state for the rehabilitation of 236 schools.

But most of the schools visited by this reporter have not been funded in any recent times. Both primary and secondary schools are decrepit and to abide by the World Health Organisations guidelines on preventing the spread of COVID-19 is arduous.

It is also noteworthy that the governor who assumed office over year ago is still to appoint a substantive commissioner of education.

Professor Sidi Osho, a professor of food technology and former Vice-Chancellor at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), who was shortlisted for the position was rejected by the states house of assembly over her dismissal as a lecturer among other allegations.

She was, however, retained by the governor as the Special Adviser on higher education. She refused an interview when this reporter reached her to know about the governments preparation ahead of resumption.
B ASHING banks is easy, not to mention fun, and usually they deserve what they get.

Just now it seems fair to suggest that they have done sterling work in the worst of circumstances.

A few numbers from Barclays today: it arranged 600,000 payment holidays for loans and credit cards, it provided 22 billion of Covid-19 support for businesses and it kept 88,000 staff in work, albeit mostly from home.

In the financial crisis of 2008 money was funnelled into banks to keep them afloat. This time it has been funnelled from them to keep the country afloat.

As Barclays bad debt provision of 3.7 billion shows, in many cases the banks wont get that money back.

They did collectively owe us from last time, but they seem to have mostly done what we needed them to do.

Barclays chief Jes Staley can claim particular vindication. For five years he has been fending off calls to ditch the investment banking arm from those who said it was a risk and a distraction from Barclays core business of high street banking.

His point always was that high street banking isnt inherently safer than Wall Street trading and that one could offset the other especially in periods of high unemployment.

Today it is clear that the whizz-kid dealers, the guys in braces we have been trained to dislike, effectively bailed out the supposedly boring bit of the bank.

They will be well rewarded for their trouble, of course. But just for once we might concede that we are glad they are there.
Season 2 of Ms. Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries will premiere in Australia on Acorn TV before a later broadcast through Seven.

It will consist of eight one-hour mysteries.

The second season will see the return of Geraldine Hakewill (Wanted) in the title role, Joel Jackson (Peter Allen: Not The Boy Next Door, Deadline Gallipoli) as smart, ambitious cop Detective James Steed; Catherine McClements (Wentworth, Tangle) as Birdie, an ex-member of WW2 Special Forces and head of The Adventuresses Club, a group of exceptional women of which Peregrines celebrated aunt was a member; and Toby Truslove as Birdies gadget-designing brother, Samuel.

Don Klees, SVP, Programming for the Acorn brands, AMC Networks SVOD noted, Acorn TV viewers loved the first season of Ms. Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries, so were thrilled to commission even more mysteries for our subscribers around the world to enjoy. After the success earlier this year of Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears, were especially excited to be working again with our friends at Every Cloud Productions and all3media on the highly anticipated return of Geraldine Hakewill as the fun and fashionable 1960s private detective.

Every Cloud Productions Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger said: We are thrilled to be returning to the delightful world of Miss Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries with our fabulous cast and our incredible partners, including Acorn TV and all3media who have championed both the original Miss Fisher series and feature film as well as the first series of Miss Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries. They have ensured that our legion of fans around the world get to enjoy Miss Fisher in all her incarnations.

Maartje Horchner, EVP Content at all3media International added; Its great to see Acorn TV embracing the continuation of the Miss Fisher brand which is so loved around the world. Every Cloud, rightly, cherishes this show and the partnership guarantees the continuation of a drama of the highest standard.

Head of Content at Screen Australia Sally Caplan said: The Miss Fisher franchise has become a global phenomenon and were delighted to be supporting creators Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox as they bring a second season of this popular spinoff to audiences in Australia and around the world. The scripts are filled with all the twists and turns you would expect from the Miss Fisher team and I look forward to seeing Peregrine back on our screens sleuthing her way across 1960s Melbourne.

Film Victoria CEO Caroline Pitcher said: Miss Fisher is a Victorian success story and were proud to support the return of this brilliant series. This much-loved franchise has injected over $45 million into the Victorian economy and an estimated $6 million of direct tourism spend from exhibitions and tours. We know fans will be delighted to see Peregrine Fisher back on their screens and we are thrilled that production will commence shortly, which is incredibly important for our local crew and the recovery of our screen industry.

Dates for production are yet to be announced.

After licensing the first season, AMC Networks Acorn TV returns to commission the second season of Ms. Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries with Acorn Media Enterprises from Every Cloud Productions in association with all3media international. From the creators of global sensation Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries, Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox, this 1960s-set spinoff features the fearless, fun, and charmingly down-to-earth Peregrine Fisher (Logie-nominated Geraldine Hakewill, Wanted) in the lead role as Phryne Fishers niece who inherited a windfall from her famous aunt and sets out to become a world-class private detective in her own right. Called a vivacious crime series (standing) alone and above any comparisons to the original series by IndieWire and clever crime fare by The New York Times, Season 1 exclusively premiered on Acorn TV as four feature-length mysteries in the U.S. and Canada in April 2019. Season 2 will feature eight one-hour mysteries. The Acorn TV Original Series will begin production this October and exclusively premiere on Acorn TV in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and in its home country on Acorn TV Australia in 2021 and thereafter on the Seven Network in Australia. Leading independent international distributor all3media international will manage distribution in the rest of the world.

Season 1 took place in 1964 Melbourne  after Phryne went missing over the highlands of Papua New Guinea in her light plane  and her long-lost niece, the fearless Peregrine Fisher, took up her famous aunts mantle. In Season 2, as crimes continue to unfold around her in the streets of 1960s Melbourne, our never-say-never sleuth tackles her biggest mysteries yet while juggling romance, a career, and the life of an Adventuress all at the same time. Just as Peregrine prepares to settle into her no-questions-asked courtship with noble policeman James, his desire for marriage brings the crime-fighters to a crossroad on possibly divergent paths.

After their combined, valiant efforts solving cases in department stores, TV studios, and cooking schools in Season 1, Peregrine, James and the rest of the team continue their journeys of self-discovery and romance, tackling some very tough questions about the role of men and women in changing times and facing a fun mix of mysteries involving sexual liberation, flight attendants, family prejudices, dog shows, teen gang wars, bowling alleys, pigeon-racing, and ending the season with a murder at a New Years Eve party.
MIAMI, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL;NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise company, today announced it has been named one of America's Best Employers for Women in 2020 by Forbes, a leading source of business news worldwide.

Presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider, the annual listing of the best 300 U.S. employers for women is available in its entirety on the Forbes website. In Forbes' annual survey, Carnival Corporation was ranked the No. 9 employer in the travel and leisure industry, and was the only cruise-specific company to be recognized among the 300 top companies employing at least 1,000 people in their U.S. operations.

"As a company, we fully embrace the importance of the power of diversity and inclusion in driving innovation and performance," said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation, whose nine cruise line brands include Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises. "This recognition underscores our commitment to a positive and supportive work environment supporting equal opportunity and diversity for all of our dedicated and passionate employees."

The exclusive listing of America's Best Employers for Women was determined through an independent survey of more than 75,000 U.S. employees, including 45,000 women, working for companies with at least 1,000 employees in their U.S. operations. Of the thousands of companies considered for the recognition, only 300 were awarded, based on participant assessments in categories including discrimination, family support, flexibility, parental leave, pay equity, and representation and career.

The ranking as a top employer for women is the most recent in a series of recognitions Carnival Corporation has earned for its commitment to corporate social responsibility leadership, including another independent commendation from Forbes as one of America's Best Employers for Diversity for 2020. The company was also recently named to 3BL Media's listing of 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2020 and was recognized for corporate social responsibility by Newsweek on its inaugural list of America's Most Responsible Companies for 2020. In addition, earlier this year, Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald was named as one of 2020's Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America by Savoy magazine.

Diversity, inclusion and equality have long been hallmarks of Carnival Corporation's companywide operations, including under the leadership of Arnold Donald, who has served as CEO since July 2013. Working with the principle that diversity drives innovation and a competitive advantage, Donald has appointed numerous diverse and dynamic leaders, including several female executives, from a wide variety of backgrounds into leadership roles as presidents of the company's cruise line brands and in key roles within global port and destination development, human resources, marketing, sales, operations and procurement.

As part of the company's overall commitment to advancing diversity, inclusion and equality in the workplace, Carnival Corporation continues to work with Catalyst, a leading U.S. nonprofit with a mission to expand opportunities for women. In November 2019, the company supported Catalyst's "Now Is the MomentBe a Catalyst" campaign to advance women's leadership in the global workforce.

About Carnival Corporation & plc

Carnival Corporation & plc is one of the world's largest leisure travel companies with a portfolio of nine of the world's leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.

Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.seabourn.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.costacruise.com, www.aida.de, www.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com.

SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc

Related Links

http://www.carnival.com/


William Wallace is a father, grandfather, retired entrepreneur, and lifelong resident of Maryland presently living in Fallston with his wife, Connie. He has published his new book The Pedophile Priests: a thought-provoking novel following the painstaking investigation of two dedicated FBI agents as they work to find a cold-blooded killer before he claims yet another victim.

FBI Agents Terry Longfellow and Adriana Dickinson are assigned to investigate the recent serial murders of Catholic priests in seven states. The priests who were murdered were all accused of child molestation. The case becomes complicated and very difficult to solve, which calls on the FBI to expand its manpower requirements in order to track down an elusive serial killer who always seems to be one step ahead of them.

Published by Page Publishing, William Wallaces engrossing book is an excellent choice for avid fans of detective fiction.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase The Pedophile Priests at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
PITTSBURGH, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mastech Digital, Inc. (NYSE American: MHH), a leading provider of Digital Transformation IT Services, announced today its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020.

Second Quarter 2020 Highlights:

Total revenues declined 2% to $47.6 million , compared to revenues of $48.5 million in the 2019 second quarter, reflecting the impact of COVID-19;

, compared to revenues of in the 2019 second quarter, reflecting the impact of COVID-19; The Company's Data and Analytics Services segment reported $6.8 million of revenues, which represented a 2% increase compared to the second quarter of 2019;

of revenues, which represented a 2% increase compared to the second quarter of 2019; The IT Staffing Services segment achieved revenue of $40.8 million , which represented a decline of approximately 2% compared to a year earlier;

, which represented a decline of approximately 2% compared to a year earlier; Gross margins grew to a record 26.6%, which was 170 basis points higher than the second quarter of 2019;

GAAP diluted earnings per share were $0.25 in the second quarter of 2020 versus $0.53 in the 2019 second quarter. The 2019 second quarter included a favorable $6.1 million pretax benefit for the revaluation of a contingent consideration liability which favorably impacted GAAP diluted earnings per share by $0.40 ; and

in the second quarter of 2020 versus in the 2019 second quarter. The 2019 second quarter included a favorable pretax benefit for the revaluation of a contingent consideration liability which favorably impacted GAAP diluted earnings per share by ; and Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share were $0.33 in the second quarter of 2020 versus $0.20 in the 2019 second quarter.

Mastech's Response to COVID-19:

Vivek Gupta, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "I am pleased to say that the revenue decline was smaller than anticipated; and that our proactive actions, such as moving our entire workforce to a work-from-home model, instituting balanced austerity measures, and resisting temporary pricing pressures, allowed us to largely eliminate any negative impact on our gross margins and operating profits during the second quarter of 2020. Additionally, I believe our approach to date in responding to the crisis will serve us well in preparation for a future economic recovery."

Second Quarter Results:

Revenues for the second quarter of 2020 totaled $47.6 million compared to $48.5 million during the corresponding quarter last year. Gross profits in the second quarter of 2020 were $12.7 million, higher than the $12.1 million in the same quarter of 2019, despite lower revenues in the 2020 period. Gross margins in the second quarter of 2020 were a record 26.6% or 170-basis points higher than gross margins in the second quarter of 2019. GAAP net income for the second quarter of 2020 totaled $3.0 million or $0.25 per diluted share, compared to $6.0 million or $0.53 per diluted share during the same period last year. It should be noted that the second quarter of 2019 results benefited from a $6.1 million pretax revaluation of a contingent consideration liability. Non-GAAP net income for the second quarter of 2020 was $3.9 million or $0.33 per diluted share, compared to $2.2 million or $0.20 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2019.

Activity levels at the Company's Data and Analytics Services segment held up well during the quarter despite some project delays. This segment did have a strong quarter of new bookings, which gives some indication that clients are willing to move forward with high-priority projects. Demand for the Company's IT Staffing Services segment was certainly below levels experienced a year ago. However, as the second quarter progressed, the demand did pick-up, albeit at a somewhat slower pace.

Commenting on the Company's financial position, Jack Cronin, Mastech Digital's Chief Financial Officer, stated, "During the second quarter, we reduced bank debt by $7.4 million; increased our cash balances by over $2 million; improved our leverage ratios and increased our cash availability under our credit facility to $17.3 million from $15.2 million a quarter ago. As we stated at the start of this crisis, maintaining our strong liquidity position is a top priority for us during these uncertain times."

Lastly, the quarter saw the launch of a new Remote Staffing service offering branded as MAS-REMOTE. This service allows Mastech Digital to offer to its customers the best technology talent in the U.S. - which is often not available within their geographic locations, but can be found elsewhere in the country.

About Mastech Digital, Inc.:

Mastech Digital (NYSE American: MHH) is a leading provider of Digital Transformation IT Services. The Company offers Data Management and Analytics Solutions, Digital Learning, and IT Staffing Services with a Digital First approach. A minority-owned enterprise, Mastech Digital is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA with offices across the U.S., Canada, EMEA, India and ASEAN.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures:

This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures to supplement our financial results presented on a GAAP basis. The presentation of these financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Investors are cautioned that there are material limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures as an analytical tool. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to their comparable GAAP measures are included in the attached financial tables.

We believe that providing non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share offers investors useful supplemental information about the financial performance of our business, enables comparison of financial results between periods where certain items may vary independent of business performance, and allows for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in operating our business. Additionally, management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating the Company's performance.

Specifically, the non-GAAP financial measures contained herein exclude the following expense items:

Amortization of acquired intangible assets: We amortize intangible assets acquired in connection with our June 2015 acquisition of Hudson IT and our July 2017 acquisition of the services division of InfoTrellis, Inc. We exclude these amortization expenses in our non-GAAP financial measures because we believe it allows investors to make more meaningful comparisons between our operating results and those of other companies within our industry and facilitates a helpful comparison of our results with other periods.

Stock-based compensation expenses: We incur material recurring expense related to non-cash, stock-based compensation. We exclude these expenses in our non-GAAP financial measures because we believe that it provides investors with meaningful supplemental information regarding operational performance. In particular, because of varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types that companies can use under ASC 718, we believe that providing non-GAAP financial measures that exclude these expenses allows investors to make more meaningful comparisons between our operating results and those of other companies within our industry and facilitates comparison of our results with other periods.

Contingent consideration liability revaluation: In connection with the InfoTrellis acquisition, the Company may have been required to pay future consideration that was contingent upon the achievement of specific earnings before interest and tax objectives ("EBIT"). As of the acquisition date, the Company recorded a contingent consideration liability representing the estimated fair value of such contingent consideration that was expected to be paid. In the second quarter of 2019 this contingent consideration liability was reduced by $6.1 million to zero, after determining that relevant conditions for payment of such liability was unlikely to be satisfied. We believe that providing non-GAAP financial measures that exclude these adjustments to expense are useful for investors to understand the effects of these items on our total operating expenses and facilitate comparison of our results with other periods.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "scheduled," "estimates" and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which include but are not limited to (i) projections of revenues, earnings, and cash flow, and (ii) the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the regulatory, social and business responses thereto. These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and it assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements as circumstances change. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the level of market demand for its services, the highly competitive market for the types of services offered by the Company, the impact of competitive factors on profit margins, market conditions that could cause the Company's customers to reduce their spending for its services, and the Company's ability to create, acquire and build new lines of business, to attract and retain qualified personnel, reduce costs and conserve cash, and other risks that are described in more detail in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

For more information, contact:

Donna Kijowski

Manager, Investor Relations

Mastech Digital, Inc.

+1-888-330-5497

MASTECH DIGITAL, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Amounts in thousands) (Unaudited)











June 30,

December 31,



2020

2019









ASSETS







Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 4,743

$ 2,981 Accounts receivable, net

31,208

32,352 Prepaid and other current assets

1,224

1,597 Total current assets

37,175

36,930









Equipment, enterprise software and leasehold improvements, net

2,230

2,476









Operating lease right-of-use assets

3,978

4,617



















Non-current deposits

385

405









Goodwill, net of impairment

26,106

26,106









Intangible assets, net

18,708

20,050 Total assets

$ 88,582

$ 90,584









LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY







Current liabilities:







Current portion of long-term debt

$ 4,575

$ 4,575 Current portion of operating lease liability

1,295

1,396 Accounts payable

3,073

4,027 Accrued payroll and related costs

9,616

7,902 Other accrued liabilities

1,554

1,191 Total current liabilities

20,113

19,091









Long-term liabilities:







Long-term debt, less current portion, net

9,933

20,682 Long-term operating lease liability, less current portion

2,760

3,321 Long-term accrued income taxes

185

185 Long-term payroll tax liability

1,495

- Long-term deferred income taxes

837

1,025 Total liabilities

35,323

44,304









Shareholders' equity:







Common stock, par value $0.01 per share

130

127 Additional paid-in capital

24,432

21,939 Retained earnings

33,597

28,759 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

(713)

(358) Treasury stock, at cost

(4,187)

(4,187) Total shareholders' equity

53,259

46,280 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

$ 88,582

$ 90,584

MASTECH DIGITAL, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Amounts in thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited)

















Three Months ended June 30,

Six Months ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019















Revenues $ 47,583

$ 48,472

$ 98,008

$ 93,671















Cost of revenues 34,927

36,418

72,633

70,782















Gross profit 12,656

12,054

25,375

22,889















Selling, general and administrative expenses:













Operating Expenses 9,042

9,544

19,285

18,509 Revaluation of contingent consideration liability -

(6,069)

-

(6,069) Total selling,general and administrative expenses 9,042

3,475

19,285

12,440































Income from operations 3,614

8,579

6,090

10,449















Other income/(expense), net (157)

(507)

(383)

(1,061)















Income before income taxes 3,457

8,072

5,707

9,388















Income tax expense 488

2,114

869

2,466 Net income $ 2,969

$ 5,958

$ 4,838

$ 6,922































Earnings per share:













Basic $ 0.26

$ 0.54

$ 0.43

$ 0.63 Diluted $ 0.25

$ 0.53

$ 0.41

$ 0.62















Weighted average common shares outstanding:













Basic 11,271

11,022

11,199

11,013 Diluted 11,948

11,164

11,849

11,183

MASTECH DIGITAL, INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP MEASURES TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (Amounts in thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited)



























Three Months ended June 30,

Six Months ended June 30,







2020

2019

2020

2019

























GAAP Net Income $ 2,969

$ 5,958

$ 4,838

$ 6,922

























Adjustments:



















Amortization of acquired intangible assets 669

672

1,342

1,344





Stock-based compensation 612

267

1,068

503





Revaluation of contingent consideration liability -

(6,069)

-

(6,069)





Income taxes adjustments (341)

1,351

(637)

1,110



Non-GAAP Net Income $ 3,909

$ 2,179

$ 6,611

$ 3,810















































GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.25

$ 0.53

$ 0.41

$ 0.62



Non-GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.33

$ 0.20

$ 0.56

$ 0.34















































Weighted average common shares outstanding:

















GAAP Diluted Shares 11,948

11,164

11,849

11,183



Non-GAAP Diluted Shares 11,948

11,164

11,849

11,183



MASTECH DIGITAL, INC. SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Amounts in thousands) (Unaudited)

























Three Months ended June 30,

Six Months ended June 30,





2020

2019

2020

2019



















Revenues:















Data and analytics services $ 6,772

$ 6,654

$ 14,132

$ 12,422

IT staffing services 40,811

41,818

83,876

81,249



Total revenues $ 47,583

$ 48,472

$ 98,008

$ 93,671



















Gross Margin %:















Data and analytics services 52.2%

46.1%

49.5%

45.8%

IT staffing services 22.4%

21.5%

21.9%

21.2%



Total gross margin % 26.6%

24.9%

25.9%

24.4%



















Segment Operating Income:















Data and analytics services $ 1,173

$ 1,285

$ 2,082

$ 2,326

IT staffing services 3,110

1,897

5,350

3,398



Subtotal 4,283

3,182

7,432

5,724



















Amortization of acquired intangible assets (669)

(672)

(1,342)

(1,344) Revaluation of contingent consideration liability -

6,069

-

6,069 Interest expense and other, net (157)

(507)

(383)

(1,061) Income before income taxes $ 3,457

$ 8,072

$ 5,707

$ 9,388

SOURCE Mastech Digital, Inc.
Britain on Wednesday named career diplomat and intelligence officer Richard Moore as the new chief of the MI6 spy service as the West seeks to bolster its defences against hostile espionage from China and Russia.

Moore, 57, joined the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in 1987, just four years before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

An accomplished intelligence officer, Moore served in various diplomatic and security roles before winning one of the most powerful jobs in the Western intelligence.

Alex Younger, the current chief of MI6 - or plain "C" - will step down in the autumn.

"I am pleased and honoured to be asked to return to lead my Service," said Moore, who is currently director general of political affairs at the Foreign Office.

Moore served as British ambassador to Turkey from January 2014 to December 2017 and has also served as deputy national security adviser. Born in Libya, he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University and was a Kennedy Scholar at Harvard.

His biggest challenge is likely to be China, which the United States has identified as its major geopolitical foe, though he will also have to fight for funding after British politicians splurged on the coronavirus crisis.

As technology transforms spying, Moore will have to work out how one of the world's pre-eminent human intelligence services can best garner mass data while preserving its renown for getting high-level sources to steal secrets across the world.

MI6, depicted by novelists as the employer of some of the most memorable fictional spies, from John le Carres George Smiley to Ian Flemings James Bond, operates overseas and is tasked with defending Britain and its interests.

Younger has served since November 2014. He stayed on longer than is usual to ensure stability through the political tumult of the Brexit negotiations.

His biggest challenge was the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal, a Russian double agent turned by MI6, in the English cathedral city of Salisbury in 2018 with a Soviet-designed nerve agent known as Novichok.

Britain blamed Russian military intelligence (GRU) but the Kremlin denied any involvement. The attack prompted the biggest Western expulsion of Russian diplomats and spies since the Cold War.

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A year ago, Francia Marquez was attacked with grenades and automatic weapons, targeted for defending clean water against mining pollution in the black community where she lived in Colombia's southwest Cauca department. At the time, Colombia was en route to becoming the most dangerous country in the world for environmental activists, according to the NGO Global Witness. As both a black woman and community leader, the 38-year-old was at particularly high risk for targeting in the region, which is blighted by pollution from gold mining as well as drug trafficking. In 2019, more than a third of the 64 activists murdered in Colombia were in Cauca, where Marquez worked, according to Global Witness. That means the region's deaths were higher than in all of Mexico, where 18 people were killed, and similar to Brazil's tally of 24. The two countries had the fourth and third-highest numbers of activist murders respectively for that year. As a black activist, Marquez is no stranger to what she denounces as "structural racism." In 2014, she was forced to leave her community in the town of La Toma due to threats after she campaigned against illegal mining and its rampant use of mercury. She had previously made a name for herself resisting a planned hydroelectric project. Water, for her, is more important than any financial consideration -- in fact, it was this mentality that pushed her to study environmental legislation to better defend the rights of black and indigenous communities. Several months before the attempt on her life, Marquez was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize -- but the increased visibility didn't deter her assailants from their attack. - An uneven fight - Now under state protection, Marquez lives far from her home region, but she hasn't let fear mar her commitment to the environment. The "need for structural transformation to avoid the ecological crisis facing the planet" clashes with the desire for "the accumulation of capital," Marquez told AFP. The fight, she said, is uneven considering "the weapons with which they kill us social leaders, but it's obvious that our voice is a threat." It's a complex issue in a region that is no stranger to enduring conflict. In 2016, a historical peace deal brought an end to a half-century of armed resistance by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) left-wing rebels. FARC guerrillas, as well as guerillas from the National Liberation Army (ELN) left-wing rebel group, plus drug-traffickers, illegal miners and right-wing paramilitaries continue to fight each other and the armed forces for control of the region's lucrative resources. In the middle of it all are environmental activists like Marquez and the communities that live in the region. "We started receiving death threats in our territory when we found ourselves faced with mining grants that had been authorized... to multinational companies and foreign third parties that viewed our territory simply as a potential for extracting riches." - 'Upsurge in violence' - For the black, indigenous and peasant communities, Colombia's peace deal has not lived up to expectations, and "now we're experiencing the upsurge in violence," Marquez said. But when it comes to the environment, "human activity is constantly destroying ecosystems." "In the countryside, all economic projects in one way or another affect the environment: illegal and legal ones," she added. "Legal projects like sugar cane in the region affect the environment... but so too does illegal and unconstitutional mining. "By unconstitutional, I'm talking about mining promoted by the Colombian state but without rules to ensure responsible mining in environmental terms." Marquez says the value extracted from mining doesn't justify the damage done to the environment. There's additionally the government battle against the cocaine trade, in which it has long tried to destroy illegal coca plantations through fumigation. "We fumigate the coca but we poison the river, we poison the territory, we poison the community's meagre food sources," said Marquez. The communities she's struggled to protect are now faced with the coronavirus pandemic in addition to government neglect and armed conflict. But Marquez isn't cowed. "All my life I've been at risk," she said. For Colombian environmental activist Francia Marquez, water is more important than any financial consideration Colombian environmental activist Francia Marquez says the fight is uneven considering"the weapons with which they kill us social leaders, but it's obvious that our voice is a threat" For the black, indigenous and peasant communities, Colombia's peace deal has not lived up to expectations, and "now we're experiencing the upsurge in violence," said environmental activist Francia Marquez
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 01:20:24|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka on Wednesday donated a large number of face masks and posters raising the awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic to a leading union of local three-wheel drivers.

In an event held at the Chinese Embassy in Colombo, Hu Wei, Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy, handed over 50,000 face masks and 35,000 posters to Vice President of the All Island Three-Wheeler Driver's Union M. J. M Hameed.

Hameed said that his union was happy to join with the Chinese Embassy and Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health to promote health and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic and promised to distribute the face masks to union members in order to protect themselves, passengers and the general public.

A press release from the Chinese Embassy said that the donations "represent the sincere friendship and best wishes from the Chinese people," and that the joint fight of the two countries against COVID-19 would strengthen the "friendship and mutual trust between China and Sri Lanka."

Director General of Health Services in Sri Lanka Anil Jasinghe, who attended the event, thanked the Chinese Embassy, saying that the donations would be useful given the popularity of three-wheelers as a mode of transportation, and the close proximity between drivers and passengers.

Rizwan Jamaldeen, a three-wheel driver and a union member from the country's Slave Island, said that face masks are a thoughtful and practical donation that would go a long way to protect the health of both drivers and passengers.

Three-wheelers, popularly known as tuk-tuks, are a popular mode of transportation and source of self-employment to many Sri Lankans. Enditem
It is the need of the hour to provide adequate and routers to facilitate virtual hearings at district courts here so that lawyers, litigants and subordinate judiciary are not inconvenienced, the said on Wednesday.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad was critical of Delhi government's statement that the two urgent proposals forwarded by the district courts for procuring network storage and routers, essential for conducting virtual courts, have not been cleared as the financial implication was above Rs 1 crore.

The said the matter has to be placed before the Council of Ministers for according appropriate sanction.

However, Reetesh Singh, OSD (Examination) and Virender Kumar Bansal, Chairman of Centralised Computer Committee of district courts, informed the high court that the two proposals fall under the head of non-planned expenditure for which funds are already available with the district courts and only a formal approval for spending money on these proposals is required from the

The high court, which was conducting the hearing through video conferencing, sought the presence of the Secretary (Finance) of before it on July 31, to assist the court on this aspect.

We may note that all the pending proposals in question relating to the district courts have been pending at the end of the Delhi Government since the year 2018. It is a different matter that due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation that occurred in March, 2020, courts have had to resort to virtual hearings.

The need of the hour is to provide adequate bandwidth, network attached storage and routers, etc., to facilitate conducting virtual courts. However, lawyers, litigants and the subordinate judiciary are being inconvenienced due to the stand now sought to be taken by the Delhi Government, the bench said.

It also directed that from now on, any correspondence between the District Judge (Headquarters) and the Delhi government shall be preferably conducted electronically to save precious time and to ensure expeditious disposal of pending issues.

The court was informed by Delhi government additional standing counsel Anupam Srivastava that the Law Minister is in the process of preparing a note on the pending proposal for being placed before the Council of Ministers.

The bench directed that this order be brought to the notice of the Law Minister today itself to apprise the Council of Ministers about it.

The court was hearing the petition seeking to enlarge functioning of the courts, particularly family courts, in the prevalent times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plea sought direction to all the family courts to allow recording of evidence via video conferencing during the restricted functioning of courts owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, either by the presiding judge of the family court or by a commission.

Earlier, the high court had sought suggestions from its registrar and various bar associations on the issue of expanding the functioning of family courts in the prevalent times of COVID-19, including for the purpose of recording of evidence through video conferencing (VC).

Presently in the COVID-19 pandemic, the family courts are functioning through video conferencing to a limited extent.

Bar Association President Mohit Mathur and Secretary Abhijat said that the legal community and the litigants are facing great difficulty in virtually participating in matters before the trial courts.

They submitted that the Delhi government be asked to take expeditious steps to clear the pending to provide seamless hearing in virtual courts.

The court had earlier asked the Delhi government to indicate the time required for making provision to upgrade and enhance the existing leased lines from 34 MBPS to 1GBPS in each district court here to enable smooth hearings through video conferencing and for digitalisation of the court records.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A video, showing an Uttar Pradesh police personnel kicking a bystander watching an ongoing search operation at a Ganga ghat in Mirzapur resulting in the man falling into the river, has gone viral with netizens raising questions on the conduct of police personnel in the state.

An embarrassed police department had to order a departmental inquiry into the incident involving the station house officer of Vindhyachal Kotwali police station in Mirzapur. The officers name is reported to be Sheshdhar Pandey.

The inquiry was ordered after the incident invited condemnation from political fronts including the Bahujan Jagriti Manch of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

This is how Mirzapur Police kicks the helpless from behind. A man standing near Ganga was kicked by the Kotwal (station incharge). The youth fell into river Ganga, a tweet from the organisations official handle said.

A statement released by the Mirzapur police, however, defended Pandeys behavior and claimed that he was only trying to enforce social distancing at the river bank, where a crowd had gathered to watch an ongoing search operation for the body of a man who had drowned in the river some time ago, according to a news report in the Print.

It added that Pandey was only trying to nudge the man, which threw him off balance, resulting in the fall.

A tweet by the Mirzapur police later claimed that the SHO had been served a warning and an initial inquiry in the incident has been ordered.

The station house officer of Vindhyachal was served a warning over the incident and a senior police officer has been asked to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the matter, a tweet from Mirzapur Polices official handle claimed.

Uttar Pradesh police has recently been under scrutiny in Vikas Dubey encounter case and also in the murder case of a scribe in Ghaziabad. While it is accused of human rights violations by allegedly conducting a fake encounter in the first case, in the latter, it is under the spotlight for alleged inaction against local goons leading to murder of a journalist.
Belfast Harbour, which handles around two-third of Northern Ireland's seaborne trade. Photo: Getty

The UK governments political approach to Brexit means it is gambling with the future of Northern Ireland, leaving many firms in the dark about how to prepare for the end of the transition period in January.

In a new report, the cross-party Northern Ireland Affairs Committee of the House of Commons said that the government has not provided the necessary clarity or detail for businesses to understand how the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement will be implemented.

The committee is calling on the government to clarify what administrative requirements traders will face by October 2020 at the latest, to reimburse firms for any new costs they incur, and for it to report regularly on the effect of the new trade arrangements.

The government needs to stop gambling with the future of business and of the people of Northern Ireland. Instead, it must set out detailed and realistic proposals on how customs processes will work and which goods will be affected, said Simon Hoare, the chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, on Tuesday.

READ MORE: UK government warns firms of Brexit crunch, with just 25% ready

With less than six months to go, businesses are still in the dark about what they should be preparing for on 1 January 2021. The situation is now urgent, and the continued lack of detail risks Northern Ireland not being prepared for the new trading arrangements, the committee said in its report.

Warning that political theory cannot trump commercial necessity, the committee said that the governments approach to Northern Ireland was apparently informed by limited understanding of how business works.

In particular, the report calls attention to the fact that which goods should be subject to EU tariffs upon entering Northern Ireland will be decided by the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, which is co-chaired by the UK and EU.

The MPs said that information about how the joint committee and its sub-committees will work should be made available to both the UK parliament and the Northern Ireland assembly so that their decisions can be properly scrutinised.

Story continues

READ MORE: Intensified talks with EU fail to break Brexit deadlock

A UK government paper released in May also does not fully outline the extent to which Northern Irish businesses will face new requirements from 1 January when moving goods across the Irish Sea.

We are clear that UK businesses trading across the Irish Sea must not face new up-front or ongoing costs, as these would not be compatible with the governments commitment to unfettered access and to maintaining Northern Irelands integral place in the UK internal market, the report said.

The MPs warned that swift clarification was needed, considering the short window available to expand and modernise port infrastructure, develop IT platforms, and recruit new staff.

The added pressures of the coronavirus pandemic are also a concern, the committee said.
Slate is making its essential coronavirus coverage free for all readers. Subscribe to support our journalism.

Back in March, Arizona was averaging fewer than 200 cases of COVID-19 a day. The numbers were increasing, but at the time they were nowhere near those of places like New York City. If there was one person in Arizona who felt she was prepared to take on the coronavirus, its Wendy Smith-Reeve, whod served as director of the Arizona Division of Emergency Management. But when she found that her efforts were being stymied by a governors office that often went over her head, she handed in her resignation. Now Smith-Reeve looks at her state, which has more than 165,000 cases and 3,000 deaths, and thinks the current situation could have been prevented, had the state government let her system work.

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On Wednesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Smith-Reeve about her time working for the state of Arizona, why and how she quit, how the Grand Canyon State became part of the summer surge of COVID-19, and what shes doing now. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Mary Harris: Tell me about your decision to resign. This is probably the biggest emergency you would have managed.

Wendy Smith-Reeve: I could no longer support the direction that the governor was going in. His senior staff was choosing to go. Its that simple.

Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

How do you describe their vision?

I think there was so much shock, so many people caught off guard, and the challenge with that comes when youve not taken counsel from those who have been through crisis scenarios to say what you can anticipate. If you lack strategy, then you are going to continuously stumble.

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What youre saying is when theres an emergency, the natural response is to panic, and someone like you has been taught to manage that and respond a little bit differently.

Exactly. The leader has to be calm. They have to be very strategic. They have to listen. They have to ask the right questions. They have to communicate very clearly. And the most fundamental element is transparency. Everyone has to be fully transparent with all data and facts. If everyone does not have the exact same data and factual information, then bad decisions happen.

So were you being cut out of the information loop?

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There was a challenge with clear communication and transparency from multiple directions. My agency and team could not appropriately support and assist with the effort in a meaningful way.

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Can you give me one concrete example?

One great example is the formation of a long-term planning cell. When you have protracted response events or complex events, what you want to do is set aside a group of subject matter experts to look at the long term. What does this situation look like? What are we going to need in the next week, the next month, the next three months, the next six months, in a year? What does this look like long-term, and what can we anticipate? And if we anticipate these different things, what are our courses of action going to be in order to mitigate that situation and bend that curve? But efforts were thwarted on multiple occasions.

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If everyone does not have the exact same data and factual information, then bad decisions happen.  Wendy Smith-Reeve

So you formed a panel of experts and doctors with the whole idea that they would look ahead and advise. But then when they tried to get the information they needed, they couldnt get their hands on it.

Essentially, yes. They were not being provided the information. And shortly after I left, that group was completely disbanded.

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This must have been an emotional decision. You spent two decades of your life here. Do you really believe in the place?

Absolutely. This is the last thing I wanted to do. I grappled with this for three weeks.

When did you know you needed to leave?

The evening that I submitted my resignation letter, Id written it that morning.

I was hoping I would be able to see some light that day that would make me want to continue and give me hope that things were actually going to move in the right direction. That changed later in the day. It became extremely apparent that the governor and senior staff were doing my job for me.

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When you resigned, did you hear from anyone in the governors office again?

No.

Did that surprise you?

Yes.

Why?

If I were sitting in the governors office as the governor or another senior-level official, and a senior staff member whos worked more than two decades suddenly gave their resignation, Id at least want to have a conversation and understand why. It might not have changed the outcome, but I would have absolutely had a conversation.

Your governor, Doug Ducey, is a Republican. Are you politically affiliated one way or another?

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So I am a registered voter, and I am registered with a single party, but I dont vote based on party line. I vote based on the person whos best equipped to serve in the role that theyre seeking to serve. I dont mind saying that Im registered as a Republican.

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Do you feel like politics was part of what happened with you at all?

I dont know. I doubt that. The thing about disasters and emergencies and crisis situations is its all bipartisan. Its affecting everyone.

That panel of experts you were talking about warned Ducey that COVID cases were on the rise back in May. But he decided to open the state back up again anyway. By the beginning of July, Arizona had the highest new cases of COVID-19 per capita of any state in the country. Recently, the number of new cases has started to drop again, but the number of deaths is going up.

The numbers are very, very high. So even if its plateaued, its plateaued at a very high point. That is concerning. The governor is trying to paint a positive picture in some ways, but also, hes been doing a pretty good job of telling the truth when he says this is not the direction we want everything to be going in.

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After you left your job, you started working with a local TV station as a coronavirus expert. Did you think that was potentially a better way to get the message out that you thought was so urgent?

Yes, I did believe that that is actually how I could use my voice better: supporting the media in helping them understand what the data means.

You saw the mayor of Phoenix, Kate Gallego, on TV, saying shed asked the federal government to establish coronavirus testing centers in her city. But theres a process for this request: The mayor asks the state, and the state asks the feds. If the mayor was taking her case directly to the media, was that a problem?

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What that told me is that theres still a communication gap. Subsequent to the mayors request on national television, the state did make the request of the federal government, and that did result in two locations for a significant number of tests, I think like 5,000 a day at each of these locations.

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How do you think about the way that that worked?

The end result was exactly what she was looking for. Its unfortunate that that couldnt have happened in the traditional process. But thats exactly what elected officials do when their voice is not being heard: They take it to a platform where their voice will be heard and they will get an answer one way or the other.

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What would you say to Doug Ducey if you could speak to him now?

Id say that the public has been asking for him to see the plan on how are we moving forward as a state, and hes not presented a plan. He presents PowerPoint presentations. What is not being demonstrated to the public is how their actions will actually bend the curve. So if you can represent that visually based upon predictive modeling, that will garner far more support for what youre asking them to do as far as actions they can take that will actually make a difference.

Listen to the full episode using the player below, or subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Pennsylvanians can ask questions directly to unemployment compensation experts during the Department of Labor & Industrys (L&I) 10th live virtual town hall from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday. The event will feature information about regular unemployment compensation (UC) and other new COVID-19-related benefits programs, including the end of the $600 federal weekly benefit, a press release said.

How to participate

A livestream will be online at https://access.live/PAlabor . Those without internet access can listen by calling 1-833-380-0719. Be aware, however, that access is limited so officials said they will try to reserve those spots only for individuals who need them.

Participants can ask questions live during the town hall; however, specific questions about individual claims will not be answered.

Pennsylvania has implemented all of the new programs under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act :

Unemployment benefits statistics

Since mid-March, more than $30.7 billion in benefits has been paid to claimants, per Labor & Industry:

$12 billion from regular UC

$14.5 billion from FPUC

$4 billion from PUA

$184.5 million from PEUC

Of the eligible claimants that applied for benefits between March 15 and June 27, and who filed for continued claims, 93 percent received payment as of July 28.

Important resources and links
ISLAMABAD  Two special assistants to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have resigned from their posts amid criticism of the government over its handling of the coronavirus crisis and revelations about the dual citizenship of cabinet members.

Khan's government has been under increasing fire from opposition parties and the media since it made public on July 18 details of the assets and nationalities of the 20 advisers and special assistants to the prime minister.

Four of them were said to hold dual citizenships, including the special assistant on digital Pakistan, Tania Aidrus, who stepped down on July 29.

Aidrus, who holds Pakistani and Canadian citizenships, wrote on Twitter that she had submitted her resignation in the greater public interest.

"Criticism levied towards the state as a consequence of my citizenship status is clouding the purpose of digital Pakistan, Aidrus said.

Shortly afterward, the special assistant on health, Zafar Mirza, who was overseeing the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, also announced his resignation.

Mirza tweeted that he made the decision due to the "negative discussion about the role of [special assistants to the prime minister] and criticism of the government."

Pakistan has reported more than 276,000 coronavirus cases and over 6,900 deaths.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

A judge on Wednesday dismissed all charges in the long-running Las Cruces case in which a former Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office deputy shot and killed his partner at a Las Cruces hotel after a night of drinking.

This ends the controversial case that started with the October 2014 shooting death of deputy Jeremy Martin. There were six attempts to prosecute Tai Chan, with two jury trials ending in mistrials. Chan always maintained he shot Martin in self-defense.

Chan and Martin were overnighting in Las Cruces while returning from delivering a prisoner to Arizona. They had been drinking at several Las Cruces bars before the shooting occurred, court documents say.

The case sent shock waves through the tight-knit Sheriffs Office, which held a news conference the day of the shooting during which a visibly emotional then-Sheriff Robert Garcia outlined details as his command staff listened.

The 3rd Judicial District Attorney will not be filing any more charges against Chan, said Roxanne Garcia-McElmell, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Mark DAntonios office.

Garcia-McElmell said the DAs Office will not contest the ruling with the Court of Appeals.

Chans Santa Fe attorney John Day and Garcia-McElmell confirmed that District Judge Conrad Perea of Las Cruces had dismissed the charge and fined the DA after finding prosecutorial misconduct. The judge fined the DAs office $1,417.

That fine stemmed from a previous judges order that the district attorney provide a report to the court over alleged evidence tampering, which the DA failed to do, Day said. The judge also determined that the six-year prosecution of Chan violated Chans speedy trial rights, both under the NM and US constitutions, Day wrote in an email.

Day and attorneys Tom Clark and Monnica Barreras filed appeals to dismiss the case.

Day said the judge dismissed a voluntary manslaughter charge with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. The original charge was first-degree murder.

Day said his client was happy the charges were dismissed.

It was clear from the start it was a self-defense case, Day said in a telephone interview Wednesday. Tai is grateful to the judge for recognizing what was going on here  the judge found prosecutorial misconduct. The fact that (the judge) dismissed the case and sanctioned the DAs Office tells you all you need to know about the prosecutor.

Day was grateful, too, that the book has finally been closed on the case.

We are appreciative of Judge Pereas insight in this case, he said. It takes a lot of courage to do the right thing.

Reached for comment, Chans father, Roy Chan, replied via text message: We are all elated.
One in six species of bees have gone regionally extinct somewhere in the world (AFP Photo/Ulrich Perrey)

Paris (AFP) - Wild bees are worth some $1.5 billion to key fruit and vegetable crops in North America, according to new research that warned declines in these pollinators threatens the productivity of vital agriculture.

The study, which had funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, comes as evidence of steep drops in insect populations worldwide prompts fears of dire consequences for crop pollination and natural food chains.

Researchers from several US and Canadian universities looked at seven major fruit, vegetable and nut crops that are dependent on pollination -- by wild bees and domesticated honeybees, which are often transported around farms as hired crop pollinators.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, found that five out of the seven crops showed evidence that a scarcity of bees was reducing crop production.

"Our findings show that pollinator declines could translate directly into decreased yields or production for most of the crops studied, and that wild species contribute substantially to pollination of most study crops in major crop-producing regions," the authors said.

Lead author Rachael Winfree, a professor at Rutgers University, told AFP that "no one had measured pollination limitation in the field for multiple crops at such a large scale before".

Honeybees have traditionally been seen as the most economically valuable pollinators in the US.

But Winfree said the study found native wild bees play a much greater role than has been previously assumed, "even in areas of intensive crop production".

Researchers collected data from 131 farms in the US and parts of Canada on the prevalence of different types of bees, the amount of pollen distributed per flower visit, and crop yield.

They estimated that the nationwide annual production value of wild pollinators to the crops studied was over $1.5 billion, compared with $6.4 billion for honeybees -- a figure dominated by their $4.2 billion value to almond production.

Story continues

Researchers found that in six crops -- pumpkin, apple, sweet cherry, tart cherry, blueberry and watermelon -- wild bee species deposited on average more pollen per flower visit than honeybees.

The exception was in California's vast almond fields, where there was often no sign of any wild bees at all.

- Conservation value -

The study concluded that agricultural firms would see little benefit in investing in pesticides and fertilisers without tackling wild pollinator declines.

To increase pollination farmers could pay for more honeybees, Winfree said, but they could also "manage their farm so that wild bees can live there" by actions such as reducing the use of "bee-toxic" pesticides like neonicotinoids.

Insects are the world's top pollinators -- 75 percent of 115 top global food crops depend on animal pollination, including cocoa, coffee, almonds and cherries, according to the UN.

In a landmark study last year scientists concluded that nearly half of all insect species worldwide are in decline and a third could disappear altogether by century's end.

One in six species of bees have gone regionally extinct somewhere in the world.

The main drivers of extinction are thought to be habitat loss and pesticide use.
Its a mess. I cant figure out what this bills about, Hawley said leaving the same meeting Tuesday. This is not going to be the bill. Theyre going to go negotiate with Pelosi. We have no idea what the final bill will be, and well be the last to know.
MMC Norilsk Nickel (MNOD)

NORNICKEL ANNOUNCES CONSOLIDATED PRODUCTION RESULTS FOR 1H2020



29-Jul-2020 / 13:00 MSK

Dissemination of a Regulatory Announcement that contains inside information according to REGULATION (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR), transmitted by EQS Group.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



PRESS RELEASE Public Joint Stock Company Mining and Metallurgical Company NORILSK NICKEL (PJSC "MMC "Norilsk Nickel", "Nornickel" or the "Company")

NORNICKEL ANNOUNCES CONSOLIDATED PRODUCTION RESULTS FOR 1H2020 Moscow, 29 July, 2020 - Nornickel, the world's largest producer of palladium and high-grade nickel and a major producer of platinum and copper, announces preliminary consolidated production results for the second quarter and the first half of 2020. First Vice-President, Chief OpeRating Officer, Sergey Dyachenko commented on the 1H2020 production results: First of all, I would like to reiterate that a reduction of environmental impact remains our absolute strategic priority and confirm our commitment to radically improve the environmental situation in the regions of our operations. The Company is applying its maximum efforts to mitigate the impact of the fuel spill at the HPP-3. To date, the clean-up of the Ambarnaya River and the collection of contaminated soil have been practically completed and the most complex and labour-intensive work on cleaning and rehabilitation of soil has been launched. We have started construction of a temporary pipeline for the transportation of the collected water-fuel mixture to a special treatment and disposal site. Jointly with the government and independent consultants Nornickel is exploring the most effective solutions for the disposal of contaminated soil and the restoration of disturbed ecosystems. The Company is engaged into an active dialogue with all stakeholders and will continue to update regularly the investment community on the remediation efforts of the fuel storage incident at HPP-3. As part of the long-term planning of our operations in permafrost conditions and mitigation of environmental risks, Nornickel is developing a real-time monitoring system of the soil conditions and the foundations' stability of the main production facilities. We expect that this programme will be designed and rolled out by the end of 2021. Meanwhile, the capabilities of the existing permafrost diagnostics center will be enhanced already this year, alongside an additional comprehensive audit of hazardous production facilities. In its fight against the spread of the COVID-19, the Company is taking maximum precautions to protect the health and safety of its employees and providing full support to the regional communities and authorities, which helps to maintain production processes without any interruptions. I would like to confirm that the COVID-19 outbreak has not had any material adverse impact on our operations. In 2Q2020, the output of all key metals have increased against the previous quarter. However, 1H2020 production of saleable products have declined year-on-year primarily due to hot commissioning of a nickel refining shop with new chlorine leaching technology at Kola MMC. The decrease of PGMs output was attributed mostly to a high base effect of 1H2019, when Krasnoyarsk Precious Metals Plant processed earlier accumulated work-in-progress inventory. The decline in copper production was driven by lower processing volumes of concentrate purchased from Rostec as well as the short-term reduction of capacity utilisation rate of our smelting operations at Kola MMC owing to unfavorable meteorological conditions in order to reduce environmental impact. At the same time, Bystrinsky GOK continued to ramp-up to designed capacity, having increased production of copper in concentrate by almost 50% year-on-year. Overall, we reiterate our production guidance for FY2020. NORNICKEL GROUP Nickel In 2Q2020, consolidated nickel production increased 8% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) to 56 kt, almost all of which were produced from the Company's own Russian feed (55 kt, +8% q-o-q). The growth was attributed to the gradual ramp-up of nickel refinery at Kola MMC using new chlorine-leaching technology. As part of strategic diversification of sales into premium products, carbonyl nickel production at Kola MMC increased to 1.6 kt (+3% q-o-q). In 1H2020, total nickel output decreased 2% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 108 kt, almost all of which were produced from the Company's own Russian feed (107 kt, -1% y-o-y). The decline was attributed to hot commissioning of a refining shop using new chlorine leaching technology at Kola MMC. In 1H2020, carbonyl nickel output increased 41% y-o-y to 3.2 kt. Copper In 2Q2020, consolidated copper production increased 9% q-o-q to 125 kt, almost all of which were produced from the Company's own Russian feed. The growth was driven by a temporary increase in processed volumes of concentrate purchased from Rostec, and copper cake supplied from Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta to Copper Plant of the Polar Division for further refining, as well as an increase in copper feed for copper smelting at Polar Division due to a reduction of copper content in the matte shipped for further processing to Kola MMC. In 1H2020, total copper output decreased 5% y-o-y to 240 kt, almost all of which were produced from the Company's own Russian feed. The decline was attributed to lower processing volumes of concentrate purchased from Rostec in comparison to 1H2019, as well as a decrease of copper production at Kola MMC due the short-term reduction of capacity utilisation rate of its smelting operations owing to unfavorable meteorological conditions in order to reduce environmental impact. Bystrinsky Project was ramping up on schedule, having increased production of copper in concentrate by 49% y-o-y to 30 kt. Platinum Group Metals In 2Q2020, palladium and platinum output amounted to 722 koz (+32% q-o-q) and 172 koz (+15% q-o-q), respectively. The increase of PGM output was mostly driven by processing of work-in-progress material at Krasnoyarsk Precious Metals Plant and shipment of copper cake (containing PGMs) from Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta to Boliden for further processing under contractual obligations. In 1H2020, palladium and platinum output amounted to 1,270 koz (-17% y-o-y) and 323 koz (-17% y-o-y), respectively. The decrease of PGMs was attributed mostly to a high base effect of 1H2019, when Krasnoyarsk Precious Metals Plant processed earlier accumulated work-in-progress inventory. RUSSIAN OPERATIONS In 1H2020, all saleable metals were produced by the Company's Russian operations from their own feed. Nickel In 2Q2020, nickel output at Kola MMC increased 12% y-o-y to 39 kt. The increase was attributed to the scheduled ramp-up of nickel refinery at Kola MMC operating new chlorine-leaching technology. In 1H2020, Kola MMC decreased nickel output 7% y-o-y to 74 kt. The decline was attributed to hot commissioning of a refining shop with a new chlorine leaching technology. Copper In 2Q2020, copper output at the Company's operations in Russia increased 8% q-o-q to 124 kt. The growth was driven by a temporary increase in processed volumes of concentrate purchased from Rostec, and copper cake supplied from Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta to Copper Plant of the Polar Division for further refining, as well as an increase in copper feed for copper smelting at Polar Division due to a reduction of copper content in the matte shipped for further processing to Kola MMC. In 1H2020, total copper output decreased 2% y-o-y to 239 kt. The decline was attributed to lower processing volumes of concentrate purchased from Rostec in comparison to 1H2019, as well as decrease of copper production at Kola MMC due the short-term reduction of capacity utilisation rate of its smelting operations owing to unfavorable meteorological conditions in order to reduce environmental impact. Bystrinsky Project was ramping up on schedule, with copper in copper concentrate production increased 49% y-o-y to 30 kt. Platinum Group Metals In 2Q2020, the Company's Russian operations produced 716 koz (+31% q-o-q) of palladium and 172 koz (+15% q-o-q) of platinum. The growth of PGMs was attributed mostly to processing of work-in-progress material at Krasnoyarsk Precious Metals Plant. 1H2020, palladium and platinum output amounted to 1,264 koz (-16% y-o-y) and 322 koz (-15% y-o-y), respectively. The decrease of PGMs output was attributed mostly to a high base effect of 1H2019, when Krasnoyarsk Precious Metals Plant processed earlier accumulated work-in-progress inventory. NORILSK NICKEL HARJAVALTA (FINLAND) Nickel In 2Q2020, nickel production at Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta remained largely unchanged q-o-q at 17 kt. In 1H2020, nickel output increased 12% y-o-y to 33 kt. The growth was attributed to change in the maintenance schedule, with the scheduled repairs postponed from May to August. Copper In 2Q2020, copper output at Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta amounted to 1 kt (6-fold growth q-o-q). The increase was attributed to the shipment of salable copper cake to Boliden in line with an existing contract. In 1H2020, total copper output decreased 82% y-o-y to slightly above 1 kt. The decrease was due to the scheduled shipment of copper cake from Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta to Copper Plant of the Polar Division for further refining. Platinum Group Metals In 2Q2020, output of saleable palladium and platinum (both contained in copper cake) amounted to 6 koz (10-fold growth q-o-q) and 1 koz (11-fold growth q-o-q), respectively. The increase was attributed to the shipment of salable copper cake (containing PGMs) to Boliden under an existing contract. 1H2020, output of palladium and platinum reached 7 koz (-82% y-o-y) and 1 koz (-85% y-o-y), respectively. The decrease was attributed to the scheduled shipment of copper cake from Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta to Copper Plant of the Polar Division for further refining. NKOMATI (SOUTH AFRICA) (*) In 1H2020, Nkomati (50% - owned by Norilsk Nickel Group) produced 3 kt of nickel (-31% y-o-y), 1 kt of copper (-42% y-o-y), 13 koz of palladium (-32% y-o-y) and 6 koz of platinum (-29% y-o-y). The decrease in metal production was attributed to the decision taken early to put the mine into care and maintenance and depletion of the existing open pit reserves. Note: (*) Nkomati production results are not consolidated in the Group's total operating results. Production Guidance from the Company's Own Russian Feed for 2020: Metal Volume Norilsk Nickel Group (excluding Chita) Ni, kt 225-235 Cu, kt 420-440 Pd, koz 2,648-2,777 Pt, koz 611-675 Bystrinsky GOK (Chita Copper Project) (1) Cu, kt 55-65 Au, koz 220-240 Note: (1) Nornickel owns 50.01% of Bystrinsky (Chita Copper) Project. Production results are shown metal in concentrate for sale on 100% basis. Production results are consolidated in total operational results on 100% basis. The concentrator at the Bystrinsky project was launched in 2018 as part of the hot commissioning stage and was fully commissioned in September 2019. NORILSK NICKEL GROUP SALEABLE METALS PRODUCTION 1 2Q

2020 1Q

2020 Q-o-Q 1H 2020 1H 2019 Y-o-Y Total nickel t 55,831 51,757 8% 107,588 109,682 -2% including from own Russian feed t 55,438 51,133 8% 106,571 107,741 -1% Total copper t 124,926 114,987 9% 239,913 251,304 -5% including from own Russian feed t 124,909 114,914 9% 239,823 251,100 -4% Total palladium koz 722 548 32% 1,270 1,533 -17% including from own Russian feed koz 722 548 32% 1,270 1,531 -17% Total platinum koz 173 150 15% 323 388 -17% including from own Russian feed koz 173 150 15% 323 387 -17% Polar Division and Kola MMC (Russia) Nickel t 39,312 35,143 12% 74,455 80,039 -7% Kola MMC, including t 39,312 35,143 12% 74,455 80,039 -7% refined Ni from own Russian feed t 37,940 33,260 14% 71,200 79,525 -10% saleable intermediate products from own Russian feed t 1,372 1,883 -27% 3,255 514 533% from 3d parties feed t 0 0 - 0 0 - Copper t 108,611 99,647 9% 208,258 223,160 -7% Polar Division t 94,251 82,172 15% 176,423 179,722 -2% Kola MMC, including t 14,360 17,475 -18% 31,835 43,438 -27% Cu cathodes from own Russian feed t 13,770 16,940 -19% 30,710 35,828 -14% saleable intermediate products from own Russian feed t 590 535 10% 1,125 7,610 -85% from 3d parties feed t 0 0 - 0 0 - Palladium koz 716 547 31% 1,264 1,497 -16% Polar Division koz 373 177 111% 550 461 19% Kola MMC, including koz 343 371 -7% 714 1,036 -31% from own Russian feed koz 343 371 -7% 714 1,036 -31% from 3d parties feed koz 0 0 - 0 0 - Platinum koz 172 150 15% 322 380 -15% Polar Division koz 88 55 62% 143 114 25% Kola MMC, including koz 83 95 -12% 179 266 -33% from own Russian feed koz 83 95 -12% 179 266 -33% from 3d parties feed koz 0 0 - 0 0 - Bystrinsky GOK ( Russia, Zabaykaisky Krai) 2 Copper t 15,119 15,140 0% 30,259 20,253 49% Gold koz 58 56 3% 114 87 31% Iron ore concentrate kt 491 381 29% 872 505 73% Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta (Finland) Nickel, including t 16,519 16,614 -1% 33,133 29,643 12% from own Russian feed t 16,126 15,990 1% 32,116 27,702 16% from 3d parties feed t 393 624 -37% 1,017 1,940 -48% Copper, including t 1,196 200 498% 1,396 7,891 -82% from own Russian feed t 1,179 127 828% 1,306 7,687 -83% from 3d parties feed t 17 73 -77% 90 204 -56% Palladium, including koz 6.1 0.6 968% 6.7 36.3 -82% from own Russian feed koz 5.9 0.1 5820% 6.0 34.2 -82% from 3d parties feed koz 0.2 0.5 -64% 0.6 2.1 -70% Platinum, including koz 1.1 0.1 842% 1.3 8.2 -85% from own Russian feed koz 1.1 0.0 - 1.1 6.6 -84% from 3d parties feed koz 0.1 0.1 -33% 0.2 1.6 -88% Nkomati (South Africa) 3 Nickel t 1,337 1,289 4% 2,626 3,792 -31% Copper t 581 556 4% 1,137 1,971 -42% Palladium koz 6 7 -15% 13 19 -32% Platinum koz 3 3 11% 6 8 -29% Notes: Totals may value from the sum of numbers as a result of rounding. The production results of Nkomati is not reflected in totals of Norilsk Nickel Group. Norilsk Nickel Group owns 50.01% of Bystrinsky GOK (Chita Copper Project). Production results are shown metal in concentrate for sale on 100% basis and fully consolidated in total operational results. The concentrator at the Bystrinsky project was launched in 2018 as part of the hot commissioning stage and was fully commissioned in September 2019. Norilsk Nickel Group owns 50% of Nkomati. Production results report metal contained in saleable concentrate on a 50% basis and are not consolidated in the Group's total operating results. In 2019, the Group and its operating partner, African Rainbow Minerals, reached an agreement to scale down production at Nkomati Nickel Mine during 2020. As part of this process, the partners will elaborate in due course a plan contemplating the cessation of the mining operations and the placing of the mine in care and maintenance. This announcement contains inside information in accordance with Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 of 16 April 2014. Full name and position of person making the announcement - Vladimir Zhukov, Vice - president, Investor Relations ABOUT THE COMPANY MMC Norilsk Nickel is a diversified mining and metallurgical company, the world's largest producer of palladium and high-grade nickel and a major producer of platinum and copper. The company also produces cobalt, rhodium, silver, gold, iridium, ruthenium, selenium, tellurium, sulphur and other products. The production units of Norilsk Nickel Group are located at the Norilsk Industrial District, on the Kola Peninsula and Zabaykalsky Krai in Russia as well as in Finland and South Africa. MMC Norilsk Nickel shares are listed on the Moscow and on the Saint-Petersburg Stock Exchanges, ADRs are traded over the counter in the US and on the London, Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges. Media Relations: Investor Relations: Phone: +7 (495) 785 58 00 Phone: +7 (495) 786 83 20 Email: pr@nornik.ru Email: ir@nornik.ru


HOLYOKE  Paula Fitzgerald is the new principal of Blessed Sacrament School, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield announced Tuesday.

Fitzgerald replaces Anne OConnor, who retired at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. OConnor worked at the school for 29 years, including six years as principal.

Blessed Sacrament has students in preschool through eighth grade. The diocese has said its schools will reopen in the fall with coronavirus safeguards in place.

We are very excited to have found a principal with such talent and a fitting successor to Mrs. OConnor, the Rev. Robert Gentile, the pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church, said in a statement. The search process for a principal was arduous.

Gentile added, By the end, Mrs. Fitzgeralds interview impressed every member of the committee. She convincingly demonstrated she was a good fit for us, and we believe we are a good fit for her. We believe we have a principal for the foreseeable future and are excited to be working with her for years to come.

Fitzgerald earned a bachelors degree in history and a masters degree in applied teaching from Elms College in Chicopee. She also has a certificate in education administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

She was the principal of Morgan School in Holyoke and worked at Quarry Hill Community School in Monson and Chestnut Hill Community School in Belchertown. She also is an adjunct professor at Elms College.

Fitzgerald said that Blessed Sacrament continues the Catholic tradition of high-quality education while promoting kindness and compassion.

As an educator, I found these aspects of the school to be very inviting, as a result, I could easily envision becoming part of this community in the role of principal, she said.

Daniel Baillargeon, the dioceses superintendent, said Fitzgerald came highly recommended and brought a wealth of knowledge in education.

An accomplished administrator, she will continue the good work of excellence in education at Blessed Sacrament School and build on the strong foundations already there, Baillargeon said.

He added, In our first conversation, it was clear that Mrs. Fitzgerald is a passionate educator who loves her faith and will inspire the Blessed Sacrament School Community through her actions, witness and example.

Fitzgerald and her husband, Kevin, are parents to Nick and Katie. The family belongs to Our Lady of the Cross Parish in Holyoke.
A: I wrote the book Thrall to try to contend with my father and with the deeply ingrained and unexamined notions of racial difference in racial hierarchy that are the bedrocks of white supremacy that even my beloved father could not unyoke himself from. Back before I wrote Thrall, I was with my father at an (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) conference together, hanging out like we always do late into the night, and I was mad at him, because I did feel like he had in some interviews begun to take a little too much credit for my success as a writer. It sort of changed over the years. I remember when I did my first reading from Domestic Work, my first book, after the reading I was taking questions from the audience and my father was there and someone who knew that asked my father, So what do you think about your your daughter? And he said, Shes my best poem. And it was one of the loveliest things. But then later, when it became easier for writers to draw that line from him to me, I felt like he was taking a little bit too much credit for it and was in some ways participating in (my mothers) erasure. So I said to him, Im going to write a book about you, and he looked at me and said, quoting Yeats, We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry. And I knew that was his way of trying to tell me that if I have a complaint with him, its going to be rhetoric. Its not going to be poetry. But I had written Native Guard by then and I already knew how to have an argument with myself. And so I wrote Thrall. And when I finally let him read it, he said, Its a beautiful book, but its sad. And I said, Daddy, it was sad while I was living it.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 21:16:47|Editor: huaxia

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Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, will convene its 21st session from Aug. 8 to 11 in Beijing.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee Wednesday, which was presided over by Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

The chairpersons' meeting suggested that the upcoming session review a draft law on urban construction and maintenance tax, a draft law on deed tax, draft revisions to the law on preventing juvenile delinquency, the law on animal epidemic prevention, and a draft amendment to the copyright law.

The session is expected to deliberate proposals on amending the law on NPC organs, the NPC's procedural rules, the national flag law, and the national emblem law.

Also up for discussion at the session will be reports from the State Council, the National Supervisory Commission and the NPC, as well as personnel issues.

The chairpersons' meeting also deliberated a report from the NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee on the economic situation during the first half of 2020. Enditem
Cassiopea Announces Results for First Half of 2020

Lainate, Italy - 29 July 2020- Cassiopea S.p.A. (SIX: SKIN), a specialty pharmaceutical company developing and preparing to commercialize prescription drugs with novel mechanisms of action (MOA) to address long-standing and essential dermatological conditions, today announced its half-year 2020 results for the period ended 30 June 2020.

Key Events

Fluid interaction with U.S. FDA in conjunction with filed NDA for Clascoterone Cream 1%, where the PDUFA date is 27 August 2020.

Submission of special protocol assessment to U.S. FDA for Phase III trial of Clascoterone Solution 7.5% in males with androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

COVID-19 caused a brief interruption of recruitment in the Phase II trial of Clascoterone Solution in females with AGA. The trial is targeting 280 subjects in four study arms; it restarted in June and currently has recruited 165 subjects.

Publication of Clascoterone Cream 1% Phase III data in the Journal of the American Medical Association Dermatology and the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, two prestigious peer reviewed medical journals in the USA.

Successful capital increase reserved to existing shareholders issuing 750'000 new shares at a price of EUR 31 each.

All costs within the approved/foreseen budget.

Diana Harbort, CEO of Cassiopea S.p.A., commented: "The first half of 2020 was marked by constructive interaction with the FDA for the NDA of Clascoterone Cream 1%. We also have made substantial progress in medical affairs, market access, commercial launch planning and product supply in anticipation of the 27 August 2020 PDUFA date for our first product. If approved, Clascoterone Cream 1% would be the first new mechanism of action for acne in nearly 40 years".

Key financial figures

In EUR thousands

(with the exception of the share data in EUR) H1 2020 H1 2019 Revenue - - Cost of sales - - Research and development expenses (2,510) (4,689) Selling, general and administrative expenses (2,180) (1,596) Net operating expenses (4,690) (6,285) Operating result (4,690) (6,285) Profit (Loss) before taxes (5,322) (6,458) Profit (Loss) after taxes for the period (5,322) (6,458) Profit (Loss) per share (0.530) (0.646) In EUR thousands 30.06.2020 31.12.2019 Non-current assets 12,354 12,536 Other current assets 2,954 2,829 Cash and cash equivalents 8,451 696 Total assets 23,759 16,061 Non-current liabilities 8 10,660 Current Liabilities 2,388 1,674 Total Equity 21,363 3,727 Total Equity & Liabilities 23,759 16,061

No revenues were generated in H1 2020 since all products are still under development.

No goods were manufactured for sale so there were no Cost of Goods Sold (COGS).

R&D costs declined primarily because the outsourced pre-clinical and clinical trial costs declined from EUR 2,502 thousand of EUR 640 thousand - because the Phase III for Clascoterone Solution 7.5% in males had not yet started and because of a COVID-19 induced interruption in recruitment for the Phase II proof of concept dose ranging trial of Clascoterone Solution in females.

SG&A increase of EUR 584 thousand to EUR 2,180 thousand due to the increase of the U.S. operations.

Cash and cash equivalents increased from EUR 696 thousand to EUR 8.451 thousand due to a cash net inflow from the capital increase.

Non-current liabilities declined to EUR 8 thousand because the loans outstanding under the credit facility from Cosmo Pharmaceuticals N.V. were set off with the proceeds from the capital increase.

Total equity increased from EUR 3,727 thousand to EUR 21,363 thousand because of the issuance of 750,000 new shares at a price of EUR 31 per share, for a capital contribution of EUR 23,250 thousand.

Half-year 2020 results conference call at 16:00 CEST on 29 July 2020

Diana Harbort, CEO; Luigi Moro, CSO; Alessandro Mazzetti, CMO; Chris Tanner, CFO and Head IR; and Marco Lecchi, Finance Director, will present the half-year results and discuss the outlook for 2020 at a conference call to be held today at 16:00 CEST.

Dial-in numbers:

Switzerland / Europe: +41 (0) 58 310 50 00 From UK: +44 (0) 207 107 06 13 From USA: +1 (1) 631 570 56 13

The Half-Year Report 2020 and the presentation with further information were published today, 29 July 2020, at 7:00 am CEST, and are available for download at:

www.cassiopea.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Cassiopea_Half_Year_Report _2020.pdf and https://www.cassiopea.com/investor-relations/publicationsAndCalendar

About Cassiopea

Cassiopea is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing and preparing to commercialize prescription drugs with novel mechanisms of action to address long-standing and essential dermatological conditions, particularly acne, androgenetic alopecia and genital warts. Cassiopea is investing in innovation that is driving scientific advancement in areas that have been largely ignored for decades. The portfolio comprises four unencumbered clinical candidates, for which Cassiopea owns the worldwide rights. Cassiopea plans to determine the most efficient way to effectively commercialize the products in the U.S. after the planned approval of Clascoterone Cream 1% and to partner the products for countries outside of the US. For further information on Cassiopea, please visit www.cassiopea.com.

About Clascoterone

Clascoterone, a new chemical entity, is a proposed first-in-class topical androgen receptor inhibitor under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review for the treatment of acne (in a 1% cream) and in late stage development for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (in a higher strength solution) in males. Although Clascoterone's exact mechanism of action is unknown, laboratory studies suggest Clascoterone competes with androgens, specifically dihydrotestosterone (DHT), for binding to the androgen receptors within the sebaceous gland and hair follicles. Because of Clascoterone's likely local effect at the site of application, the risk of off-target, or systemic side effects, is minimized.

Next events:

HC Wainwright Annual Global Investors Conference 14-15 September, virtual Investora 23 September 2020, Zurich Jefferies Global Health Care Conference 17-19 November 2020, London Credit Suisse Small & Mid Cap Conference 18-20 November 2020, Zurich

Contact:

Dr. Chris Tanner, CFO & Head of Investor Relations

Tel: +39 02 868 91 124

Some of the information contained in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Cassiopea has no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Surur was wanted for allegedly conspiring to sell 10 tonnes of elephant ivory and over 181kg of rhino horn from 2012-19.

Kenyan authorities have arrested a man wanted in the United States for allegedly conspiring to sell 10 tonnes of elephant ivory and more than 181kg (approximately 400 pounds) of rhinoceros horn across a seven-year period.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigation said on its Twitter account on Wednesday that officers arrested Abubakar Mansur Mohammed Surur, a Kenyan national who had been flagged as a wanted person in the US for the offences.

He was on a chartered flight from Yemen which landed in Kenyas second-largest city, Mombasa, early on Tuesday, authorities said.

.@DCI_Kenya Detectives based at Moi International Airport Mombasa have today arrested Mr Abubakar Mansur Mohammed Surur who had been flagged as a WANTED PERSON in the United States for Ivory related offenses after he landed from Yemen on board a chartered aircraft.  DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) July 29, 2020

The US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York has said Surur was part of a transnational criminal enterprise known as the Enterprise based in Uganda and surrounding countries.

Authorities believed Surur and several others conspired to distribute, sell and smuggle the ivory and horn between 2012 and 2019.

The haul was believed to have involved the illegal poaching of more than 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants.

US authorities have said one co-defendant, a Liberian man, has already been extradited to the United States after being arrested in Uganda last year.

A Guinean man remained in custody in Senegal where authorities are considering an extradition request.

A fourth defendant, who is also Kenyan, remains a fugitive.

Africa had 1.3 million elephants in the 1970s, but only 500,000 remain due to poaching and trophy hunting. Less than 30,000 rhinos are estimated to remain in the wild.

The price of rhino horn skyrocketed as demand grew in Asian countries, mainly China and Vietnam, where the horns are ground up and used in traditional Chinese medicine as a supposed cure for a variety of ailments.

Syndicates from Vietnam, China, South Korea and Thailand have been identified as being involved in the trafficking.
Kenyan police said Tuesday they had arrested a fugitive who is wanted by the United States for large-scale trafficking of rhino horn and ivory, as well as heroin smuggling and money laundering.

Abubakar Mansur Mohammed Surur, a Kenyan citizen, was arrested after arriving in the port city of Mombasa on a chartered aircraft from Yemen, according to a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

The statement said he "had been flagged as a wanted person in the United States for ivory-related offences".

Surur was indicted in 2019 by the US Drug Enforcement Agency along with three others for alleged "large-scale trafficking of rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory and heroin distribution."

They are accused of "conspiracy to smuggle at least 190 kilogrammes of rhinoceros horns and at least 10 tonnes of elephant ivory valued at more than $7 million."

Surur was also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Two of his co-accused, a Liberian and a Guinean, were arrested in 2019, while the fourth remains on the run.

According to the indictment, the four men were members of "a transnational criminal enterprise based in Uganda and surrounding countries that was engaged in the large-scale trafficking and smuggling of rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both protected wildlife species."

They are accused of conspiring to smuggle ivory and rhino horn from a variety of African countries to buyers in the US and Southeast Asia between December 2012 and May 2019.

Poaching has caused the population of African elephants to decrease by 110,000 over the past decade to just 415,000 animals, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The slaughter is fuelled by a seemingly insatiable demand for rhino horn in Asia, where people pay huge sums for a substance -- coveted as a traditional medicine -- that is composed mainly of keratin, the same substance as in human nails.
EAST ALTON  Two people were injured but able to walk away from an accident when their vehicle left the road, struck a utility pole and overturned Wednesday morning in the 600 block of Lewis and Clark Boulevard.

The accident is still under investigation, according to East Alton Fire Chief Timothy D. Quigley. One victim, a woman, was taken to Alton Memorial Hospital with back pain and minor injuries. The second victim, a man, was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis with elbow injuries that required more specialized care. The victims were not identified.
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt has started offering reusable cotton face masks at around $50 cents each alongside the food items provided in its state subsidy programme, as it seeks to make protective gear more widely available to curb the coronavirus.

Egypt subsidizes items such as bread, rice and sugar for more than 60 million people and has added masks to its list of essential goods, with a limit of 2 per family.

"There was (an opportunity) to use supply outlets and the presence of supply cards with 22 million families to offer the masks," said supply ministry spokesman Ahmed Kamal.

"At 8.5 Egyptian pounds per mask, the price is very accessible for the public ... private companies sell similar masks for between 15 and 20 pounds," he said, adding that authorities aim to distribute 19 million masks by the end of July.

Egypt's state buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities, better known for importing huge tonnages of wheat bought on international markets, was tasked with procuring the masks from local suppliers, including the military production ministry.

An initial 40 million masks, vetted for safety, will be made available between July and August but authorities plan to increase the amount later, Kamal said.

In May, Egypt announced fines of about $250 for people not wearing masks in public.

"I am prepared to leave a kilo of rice or a kilo of sugar, and take a mask, because this is protection for all of us," said Tarek, a Cairo citizen who gave only his first name as he stood outside a grocer selling subsidized items.

Egypt has so far registered 83,000 coronavirus cases including 3,935 deaths.

(Reporting by Nadine Awadalla and Nadeen Ebrahim; Additional reporting by Sayed Sheasha; Editing by Giles Elgood)
H ealth leaders including the chief of the British Medical Association are calling on the Government to do more to prevent a second wave of coronavirus in the UK.

Experts expressed "very high" levels of concern about the possibility of a second spike of Covid-19 cases at a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on coronavirus.

Head of the British Medical Association (BMA) Dr Chaand Nagpaul told MPs: "At the moment we're not doing everything we should in trying to contain the virus.

"If I look even at something as simple as our messages on social distancing: we're told that social distancing is still two metres, or one metre plus.

"Do you think any member of the public understands what one metre plus means? What does the plus mean? Many don't really understand this because it's not clear and they're not social distancing."

Dr Nagpaul criticised the Government's "mixed messaging" saying a more "robust approach" was needed to enforce safety measures.

Speaking more specifically about guidance on wearing face masks, Dr Nagpaul said the Government had made an announcement but then left people with "free will whether to wear them".

Coronavirus: Face coverings become mandatory in shops 1 /14 Coronavirus: Face coverings become mandatory in shops A shopper wearing a face mask in Marks and Spencer on Oxford Street, London, as face coverings become mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England PA A shopper wearing a face mask in a supermarket in East London as face coverings become mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England PA A shopper wearing a face mask in a supermarket in East London as face coverings become mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England PA Shoppers wearing a face masks in Selfridges on Oxford Street, London, as face coverings become mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England PA Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn PA PA Jeremy Selwyn

"You then follow that up with a very systematic approach to make sure that happens," he said.

"What I mean by suppressing is you take an attitude that says: we want to do absolutely everything to make sure the infection doesn't spread. That needs a much more robust approach.

"The point is that I'm not sure that sense of clear, single-minded determination to do everything we can is being done and that's what I mean by suppressing."

In its submission paper for the APPG, the BMA also said that the Governments initial response to the outbreak was marked by a failure to adequately prepare.

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The union said that the Government now needs to provide a detailed plan on how it will provide adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the event of a second wave.

Meanwhile, Dr Nagpaul warned the NHS is entering its busiest time of year and is already facing a huge backlog of care.

He said the system needs to coexist by treating Covid-19 patients, as well as non-Covid-19 patients and those who suffer winter flu.

But he said that a second spike should not be seen as an inevitability.

Boris Johnson warns Europe is 'clearly' facing a second wave of coronavirus

He added: We need to make sure that the current backlog is dealt with because the patients who have not been seen are patients who might have urgent problems  cardiac patients, respiratory patients, neurological patients.

We need to systematically make sure that those patients who are most in need, who havent received treatment, are treated now.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, warned of challenges "exhausted staff" could face if the NHS faced tackling a spike of cases while trying to rebuild services.

He told the APPG: I would say in relation to the second spike issue or something coming, the levels of concern among our members  the people who are leading NHS trusts, who are leading in primary care and all levels in the systems  is very high.

Theres real concern about winter and the compounding factors there, but also about an earlier spike.

Mr Dickson added non-Covid-19 productivity in NHS trusts was currently at about 60 per cent.

He called for an Amazon-style way for the health and care system to order PPE whereby they can order it and have it arrive the next day.
(Natural News) Cat Dad Paul Gallant, a Seattle-based radio host who took to Twitter back in June to strongly criticize President Donald Trumps demand that the riots in Seattle stop, came home one day to find that his apartment complex had been destroyed by rioters. This has caused him to reevaluate his beliefs about firearms.

Gallant  who co-hosts the show Danny and Gallant on ESPN  had previously replied to a tweet from Trump that criticized Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan. The mayor had compared the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) to the Summer of Love, a social phenomenon that occurred in the 1960s and resulted in people moving to San Francisco to become part of the eras counterculture movement by wearing different clothes, listening to different music and having different attitudes towards politics.

These Liberal Dems dont have a clue, wrote Trump. The terrorists burn and pillage our cities, and they think it is just wonderful, even the death. Must end this Seattle takeover now!

Gallant responded by criticizing the presidents supposed alarmism. Walked through [CHAZ] last night out of curiosity and saw no burning, pillaging or deaths, said Gallant.

Chill dawg, he added.

Walked through it last night out of curiosity and saw no burning, pillaging, or deaths. Chill dawg  Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) June 12, 2020

Seattle riot a wake-up call for Gallant

On Friday evening, July 24, a violent mob of Antifa and Black Lives Matter rioters swept through the southwestern portion of the Minor neighborhood in eastern Seattle. The main buildings that the rioters targeted were the King County Youth Services Center and the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center. Both buildings serve as juvenile detention centers, while the Family and Justice Center also acts as a juvenile court and houses a variety of related programs.

Great job assholes pic.twitter.com/4knvwYeMrF  Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) July 25, 2020

Unfortunately for Gallant, the rioters also targeted several nearby businesses and properties. They started a number of fires in the area and looted and ransacked several stores, including a building that has a Starbucks on the bottom floor  the building where Gallant lives. (Related: Violent Antifa rioters once again terrorize Seattles Capitol Hill neighborhood as Mayor watches and does nothing.)

In a series of tweets, Gallant talked about what he felt when he came home to see what had been done to his apartment building and he shared videos and pictures of what the Starbucks underneath the apartment complex looked like. He also talked about how officers from the Seattle Police Department (SPD) were asking the buildings residents to momentarily stay away, as they were afraid that the Antifa and BLM rioters might have planted an explosive inside.

Starbucks chains all over Seattle have become favorite targets of the rioters because of the companys support for the Seattle Police Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing funding for the SPD to procure better equipment as well as to finance additional training sessions.

I feel like I need to buy a firearm, because clearly this is going to keep happening. Enough is enough. It looks like a block party down the street from me. Really angry right now.  Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) July 25, 2020

In the morning after the riots, Gallant observed that there was a large fire that was still burning several blocks from his building. It freaked him out so much that he took his pet cat and vacated his apartment for the rest of the day. It is unclear whether the fire was caused by the rioters.

In response to the attack on his apartment complex, Gallant also stated that he may need to exercise his Second Amendment rights and purchase a firearm because clearly this is going to keep happening. Enough is enough.

He mentioned that he was very angry about what was happening around him, and that the riot made the street where he lives look like a block party.

Despite this, Gallant states that he stands by his earlier response to Trump. In a series of tweets, he responded to the people calling him out for his earlier statements by claiming that, when the president tweeted about CHAZ, it didnt seem as bad as portrayed by those outside of it. He claims to have walked around the illegally occupied neighborhood several times before the actual burning and pillaging and other criminal events that the self-proclaimed autonomous zone is known for occurred.

Opinions should be able to adapt and evolve, Gallant later said, after people continued to call him out for supposedly being a hypocrite.

More and more people are learning the truth about Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movements riots. Find out more about these domestic terrorist organizations and their latest criminal actions across the country at DomesticTerrorism.news.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

WashingtonExaminer.com

SFGate.com

KingCounty.gov

SouthSeattleEmerald.com

BarrettSportsMedia.com
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 10:53 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a20a45 1 National Maria-Lumowa,Fraud,fugitive,Scam Free

The National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) plans to investigate three banks in connection with a loan scam allegedly orchestrated by recently captured fugitive Maria Pauline Lumowa.

Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Awi Setiyono said the move was made to track down the money obtained in the scam. "Investigators will look into three private banks in relation to the money obtained from a fictitious letter of credit," Awi said Tuesday, as reported by kompas.com.

Maria allegedly used a fictitious letter of credit to get US$136 million and 56 million euro in bank loans from Bank Negara Indonesia issued to her company PT Gramarindo Group between 2002 and 2003. The scam was allegedly worth Rp 1.7 trillion.

Read also: Marias extradition shows up other fugitive failures

She fled Indonesia just before she was named a suspect by the National Police in 2003, and authorities captured her in July of this year after Serbia granted Indonesia's extradition request.

Awi said the investigators had questioned 14 witnesses and named 16 suspects in the case, including Maria. The other 15 suspects have been found guilty and have served their sentences, Antara reported. (vny)
The abyss between the Feds illusion of phantom wealth for Wall Street and the collapse of Main Street is bottomless, and our descent into the abyss is accelerating.

I know this runs counter to every dominant narrative, but a vaccine doesnt really matter, opening up doesnt really matter, and the size of the "free money" stimulus checks doesnt matter.

What matters is that the nation is falling into the abyss thats opened between Wall Street and Main Street, and nothing will stave off the collapse of the social order other than a fundamental re-ordering of the way we create and distribute money and political power, as money buys political influence.

The last economic tide with widespread benefits to Main Street was 30 years ago. Since then, the Federal Reserve and other central banks have incentivized globalization and financialization, two dynamics that favor mobile capital and financier skims amd scams.

There are a number of factors behind the widening canyon of economic inequality, but the primary driver is financialization. Financialization has given those with access to central bank credit ways to skim great wealth from the system without creating any value whatsoever.

Financialization isnt a consequence of having capital: its the consequence of having access to unlimited central bank credit, leverage and low-risk, low-tax skimming operations (for example, tax codes enable hedge funds to declare income as low-tax long-term capital gains).

Leveraging phantom collateral is another feature of financialization. Commoners were allowed a taste of this when subprime lenders were offering no-document, no-down payment mortgages back in 2004-2007. Phantom income was posted as collateral for the nothing-but-leverage loan.

Financialization is not about investing in productive enterprises; its all about skimming wealth while providing no value to the real economy or society.

The hidden toxin in financialization is the resulting concentration of wealth can buy concentrations of political power. Financialization is thus self-perpetuating: once the skimming operations generate billions of dollars in profit, it only takes a relatively small piece of these profits to buy/influence the political class. Once the politicos are in your pocket, the regulators and judiciary fall into line or are marginalized by new statutes or gutted budgets.

Financialization is the disease eating away whats left of democracy.

Financialization is the exploitation of assets/income that were previously safe from predation by central bank funded financiers. While definitions vary, mine is:

Financialization is the commoditization of debt collaterized by previously unsecuritized assets, a pyramiding of risk and speculation that is only possible in a massive expansion of low-cost credit and leverage for those at the top of the wealth-power pyramid: financiers, banks and corporations.

One example is the student loan "industry," which prior to financialization did not exist. A previously safe from predation asset/source of income--college degrees--has been securitized so that loans issued to students for largely worthless diplomas can be sold globally as "secure assets with guaranteed yields."

That the exploited class of students have little to no income and no guarantee of income doesnt matter. What matters is a previously unexploited asset can be turned into debt that can be sold at an immense profit.

And so student loan debt has skyrocketed from near-zero to $1.6 trillion in less than a generation. This rapacious, ruthless exploitation would not have been possible without the central bank (Federal Reserve) and federal government enabling and enforcing the supremacy of private capital and the predation of the higher-education cartel.

Globalization and financialization have been the two engines of soaring wealth inequality. Globalization can mean many things, but its beating heart is the arbitraging of the labor of the powerless and commodity, environmental and tax costs by the powerful to increase their profits and wealth.

In other words, globalization is the result of those at the top of the wealth-power pyramid shifting borrowed capital around the world to exploit lower costs of labor, commodities, environmental regulations and taxes.

This manifests as offshoring of jobs, the stripmining of forests, minerals, etc., the degradation of local ecosystems, the decline of tax revenues derived from capital and the explosive rise in stock market valuations as wages stagnate or decline.

A key element in globalization is the transfer of risk from the owners of capital to the workers and public resources. Examples of this transfer of risk abound: rather than pay workers benefits, corporations game part-time/full-time labor laws so workers health insurance is paid by taxpayers (Medicaid). Corporations pay wages too low to survive so workers depend on public-sector assistance (food stamps, etc.)

Alas, all good predations end when the prey has been dragged to the ground and consumed. All the fruit of financialization and globalization have been plucked by the powerful, and now both the engines of "growth" are sputtering as the hollowed-out Main Street economy implodes.

Central bank free money for financiers doesnt create collateral or creditworthy borrowers, and without those foundations, the decayed, rotted shack of debt will collapse.

If we set aside the proximate causes of social disorder, we discern the salient cause: the socio-economic political system no longer works for anyone but those skimming wealth from globalization and financialization.

Main Street has been in slow-motion collapse for a generation, but this terminal decay was masked by hyper-financialization and debt-fueled spending by consumers who became accustomed to filling the widening gap between their income (stagnant) and the costs of their lifestyle (rising), as they chased the top 5% who benefited from globalization and financialization.

Debt creates the warm and fuzzy illusion of wealth, but at a cost: debt payments never disappear, but income and profits can slide effortlessly to zero.

We come now to the key dynamic of this era: socio-economic psychosis, as most people are incapable of making sense of the contradictory messages being given by the status quo. The next result is madness, as every attempt to reconcile the contradictory messages veers further way from reality.

The relentless rise of Wall Street is constantly presented as "proof" the status quo is "creating wealth" and is enormously successful. It is impossible to reconcile this claim with the decay and collapse visible in Main Street, and so people lash out at whatever they can identify as the proximate cause of their suffering and poor prospects.

Ask yourself these questions: What kind of system will we get if the vast majority of the trillions created out of thin air by central banks goes to financiers and corporations?

What kind of system will we get if these financiers and corporations use some of this free money to buy political influence?

What kind of system will we get if the really big money is skimmed by financial games that generate no goods or services, no jobs, and no productivity--in essence, they are completely worthless to the real economy and society?

What kind of system will we get if the stock market bubble is touted as "proof" the system is working splendidly and wealth is bubbling up without any limit thanks to the Feds magic money machine?

The answer is a system thats crazy-making and doomed by its internal contradictions. The Fed can create dollars out of thin air and sluice it to the super-wealthy to feed their skims and scams, but it cant create jobs, oil, tools, collateral or productivity out of thin air,

The abyss between the Feds illusion of phantom wealth for Wall Street and the collapse of Main Street is bottomless, and our descent into the abyss is accelerating.

Richard Bonugli and I discuss The disconnect between the Markets and the Economy (51 min) in our recent podcast. We also explore the silver linings for successful adaptation that are coming into focus.

Recent Podcasts:

AxisOfEasy Salon #14: Jobageddon and the Coming Education Revolts

Charles Hugh Smith on the disconnect between the Markets and the Economy (51 min)

My COVID-19 Pandemic Posts





My recent books:

Audiobook edition now available:

Will You Be Richer or Poorer?: Profit, Power, and AI in a Traumatized World ($13)

(Kindle $6.95, print $11.95) Read the first section for free (PDF).

Pathfinding our Destiny: Preventing the Final Fall of Our Democratic Republic ($6.95 (Kindle), $12 (print), $13.08 ( audiobook): Read the first section for free (PDF).

The Adventures of the Consulting Philosopher: The Disappearance of Drake $1.29 (Kindle), $8.95 (print); read the first chapters for free (PDF)

Money and Work Unchained $6.95 (Kindle), $15 (print) Read the first section for free (PDF).





If you found value in this content, please join me in seeking solutions by becoming a $1/month patron of my work via patreon.com.
As of press time, legislators are deep into strategizing and posturing around their desired ends for an additional stimulus package to provide relief to the American economy, and to those in the economy most affected by the pandemic and the measures taken in response to it. The $2.2 trillion price tag of the CARES Act has been deemed insufficient by virtually all parties, a few GOP senators possibly the exception. The White House, led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, chief of staff Mark Meadows, and President Trump himself, have signaled their own wish-list items. House Democrats actually passed their HEROES Act bill in the House over two months ago. That came with a $3 trillion (plus change) price tag. The bill was never taken up by the Senate, but it provided a marker for what Democrats are looking for in the next bill. Senator McConnell is preparing to present his first draft, though building consensus in the Senate is not proving easy either.

A sensible expectation is that a bill will end up getting passed, and it will end up costing more than the $1 trillion the Senate has targeted but less than the $3 trillion the Democrats have targeted. Equally sensible is the expectation that this will not get done easily, that the debate could stretch well into August, and that the final bill will be riddled with pork and other customary evidence of political unpleasantries. While now is not the time to make a stand in favor of a more idealistic American politicking, the truth is that the stakes are quite high here. The argument baked into a Keynesian view of economics (whether explicit or implicit) is that greater fiscal support from the government is needed in a time of deep economic contraction such as this, and that the more we can soften the short-term blow, the less the long-term pain will end up being. History is filled with examples of this simply not being true, with government interventions and the distortions caused by them leading to more long-term damage than short-term good. And somewhere in the universe (including my own house) there remains a remnant who fear the impact of long-term excessive indebtedness on future economic growth.

Story continues

A future piece will need to deal with both of these issues  the unintended consequences of interventions, and the price tag. But for now, lets just accept the political reality that some form of a fourth stimulus bill is coming, and that its price tag is going to have a t in front of it  as in trillion. Within the range of options that may be included in such a bill, it behooves fiscal conservatives to advocate for the best possible measures to be included, and advocate against the most damaging ones.

If we are going to get an expensive stimulus/relief bill, it seems desirable that it should be structured in a way that most effectively aids those struggling their way through the current crisis while facilitating economic growth. Direct payments to taxpayers, indiscriminate and untargeted, offer little in the way of multiplier effect to economic growth, and provide as much support to those not suffering as to those who are suffering. However much the total stimulus bill ends up costing, too much of whats spent will be direct payments, substantially diluting the ability of the package to assist in securing the objectives I list above.

By contrast, the PPP program has been shown to deliver the sort of multiplier effect we should be looking for. PPPs implementation was controversial in that a minuscule percentage of the total committed dollars may have initially gone to certain companies that provided media fodder for outrage and critique (e.g., large companies, public companies, name-brand companies, etc.). But at the end of the day, the PPP program successfully distributed hundreds of billions of dollars in just weeks to millions of U.S. businesses with a goal of keeping people on payrolls. Where there were deficiencies (too narrow a window to spend the funds, too high a percentage to be used for payroll, etc.), they were adjusted and corrected in subsequent amendments to the legislation. An extended PPP for companies that had already been given one bite of the apple would be a good idea under select conditions. While current talks are centering on the size of the company and the revenue hit it has taken, a more targeted and efficient PPP 2.0 would do the following:

First, reserve eligibility for businesses that can establish a clear and government-created impediment to their business. Restaurants and fitness centers that were ordered to shut down are pretty good examples. The distinction here is that general distress from the pandemic can indirectly be rationalized by every business (or nonprofit). But where there was a local, state, or federal dictate that led to the business distress, it is far more reasonable to seek a government-backed solution.

Second, allow companies with a high level of rent expense (as a percentage of overhead) to use the funds for payroll or rent  not subject to a minimum payroll threshold. The most obvious examples are restaurants, where a high portion of revenue is owed to the landlord. The benefit down the capital chain here could potentially save the taxpayers significant money. As it stands now, a lot of restaurants are (a) not paying rent and (b) going to go out of business. Landlords not receiving the rent are very likely not paying their mortgages. And the banks not receiving the mortgage payment cannot fund the investor pools that likely have bought rights to the aforementioned mortgages. Someone is going to be left holding the bag.

Right now, that someone is the capital markets, which means the Fed will end up picking up the tab. By plugging the capital hole at the source, with the restaurant that has lost revenue, not only do the immediate actors get paid (landlords, banks, investors), but the restaurant can continue in operation. The alternative is a tenant not paying rent, a lengthy period of vacancy, and the perpetuation of a negative trickle-down effect. What the current PPP failed to address adequately was the situation for those many businesses (restaurants, hotels, retail shops) that had nothing for their employees (who would in any event generally have been eligible for unemployment benefits supplemented by a generous federal contribution) to do, because their business had been shut down. But the financial blow represented by the rent that had accrued during this shutdown would not be something they could not bounce back from even when reopened. A modified PPP with much more latitude to use the funds to defray rent would obviously act as a form of landlord support (no bad thing, for the reason I noted above), and, insofar as it would make it much easier for businesses to survive this, would also operate as backdoor sales-tax support for state and local governments (no bad thing either, given their financial problems). In short, one of the largest multiplier effects the bill could generate would be a revised PPP that facilitates businesses keeping up to date on rent.

If current reports are correct that the idea of a payroll-tax cut is being abandoned, a second-best measure would be to offer incentives and credits to business for business investment. Unemployment checks and direct payments to taxpayers may or may not be enough to maintain strong enough consumer demand to make a dent in this economic contraction, but whatever the consumer can do, there will be a severe risk of a W-shaped recovery if business investment falls to too low a level. The 2017 tax law providing a five-year window for companies to take an immediate and full deduction on expenditure on relatively short-lived assets was a good start, but extending the time and the scope of this break is now called for. The benefits to the U.S. economy would outweigh the cost of the broadened tax deduction.

Expanding such deductibility to the full range of investment in equipment, research-and-development costs, and so on, and extending this for five additional years, would represent a modest down payment, given the significant business investment it could set in motion. To take one example, capital expenditure has fallen sharply in the energy sector. Changing the tax code in this way would encourage companies to deploy investment capital and lead to a commitment of resources that would generate an immediate return and provide a clear pathway to growth well into the future.

Putting investment capital to work is key in helping pave the way to a sustained recovery. The uncertainty created by the COVID moment has changed the basis in which risk/reward calculations are made and thus dimmed the financing outlook for many projects and ideas that need funding. I can think of nothing that would incentivize the unlocking of investment capital into new ideas and projects more than a capital-gains-tax holiday. Staggering amounts of capital are kept in projects with less enticing future growth prospects thanks to the disincentive created by the way a realized gain would trigger a capital-gains-tax liability. A 2020/2021 holiday would spur a wave of capital investment and support the development of new businesses, new developments, new projects, and new opportunities  the very thing a post-COVID economy is going to need the most. The current capital-gains-tax burden forces capital to stay where it is; a capital-gains-tax holiday would move capital, and it would move it to its most rational home.

Finally, while I am sure direct aid to states is a foregone conclusion, there simply must be commitments and strings associated with the money. The amount that a state would be eligible to receive should be directly linked to the harm to that state arising out of COVID. It should not be a convenient way for states with deeply troubled finances to exploit the pandemic for their own well-being. And the funds should be structured as forgivable loans, but states must be held accountable for how the funds are used, make commitments for greater funding of their underfunded pension liabilities five years from now, and so on. Just as businesses have to satisfy certain conditions to qualify for forgiveness of their PPP loans, metrics can be devised to ensure that the good citizens of Indiana and Texas are not bailing out irresponsible choices made in California (to take a totally random example).

Something this big and complicated is going to be messy, and it is not going to be perfect. But the few dos and donts suggested herein would go a long way to leveraging a better outcome. We live in a time when many of our first principles are long abandoned. Before we give another $2 trillion to $3 trillion of future generations money away, lets see what basic economic principles we can deploy to influence the decisions that are about to be taken.

More from National Review
Ho Chi Minh City authorities have locked down a hotel where suspected COVID-19 patients once stayed to prevent transmission.

Police officers and militiamen guarded the locked-down hotel on Wednesday morning, according to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper journalists who reported from the scene.

Located in District 11, the hotel lies opposite Cho Ray, which is considered the best general hospital in the city.

Four hotel employees were sent to a collective quarantine facility on Tuesday night while more than 40 guests are being quarantined at the hotel, the District 11 Medical Center said on Wednesday.

Suspected COVID-19 cases once stayed at the hotel, which was already fumigated from Tuesday night till the wee hours of Wednesday.

In a related development, City International Hospital in Binh Tan District will not admit new patients from Wednesday to Friday, the management board of the hospital said in a notice on Wednesday morning, citing COVID-19 concerns.

When there is any suspected [coronavirus] case, such a shutdown is advisable, an official from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health told Tuoi Tre on Wednesday morning, implying suspected coronavirus patients had been there.

Authorities have also asked two makeshift hospitals in Cu Chi and Can Gio Districts, as well as the City Children's Hospital in Binh Chanh District, to be ready for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, especially those who are critically sickened.

Vietnam has logged 30 community-based cases since Saturday last week, ending a streak of 99 days without a single local transmission, according to a Tuoi Tre News count.

Twenty-six of the patients, including three critical cases, are in Da Nang, three in Quang Nam, and one in Quang Ngai Province. Those in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai are all linked to the Da Nang cases.

About 18,000 people who had been in Da Nang have returned to Ho Chi Minh City over the past few days, authorities said.

The city has announced it will test all arriving from Da Nang since July 1 to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

Vietnam has registered 446 coronavirus patients as of Wednesday morning, with 276 imported cases quarantined upon arrival, according to the health ministry.

The Southeast Asian nation has confirmed 369 recoveries and zero fatalities to date.

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The EUs crop monitoring service MARS cut its 2020 soft wheat yield forecast again on Monday to take account of rain damage in southeast Europe but lifted estimates for most spring crops which benefited from good weather conditions.

In a monthly report, MARS pegged the average soft wheat yield in the European Union at 5.54 tonnes per hectare (t/ha), down from 5.60 t/ha last month and 6.00 t/ha in 2019.

The soft wheat yield decline is mainly due to sharp downward revisions for Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary associated with a unfavourable season worsened by heavy rain around ripening, MARS said.

The poor conditions outweighed the slight upward revisions in most other countries, it said.

In other cereals, MARS increased its outlook for the EUs winter barley yield to 5.64 t/ha from 5.58 t/ha seen in June but still well below the 6.11 t/ha recorded in 2019.

The spring barley yield was pegged at 4.33 t/ha, up from 4.07 t/ha last month and 4.13 t/ha in 2019.

The upward revision for spring barley from last month reflected improved or continued favourable conditions in almost all major producing countries, MARS said.

It also raised its grain maize yield estimate to 8.21 t/ha from 8.20 t/ha last month.

The EU average grain maize yield forecast was now 8.3% above the five-year average, MARS said.

Close-to-average weather conditions, with well distributed rainfall and relatively few hot spells, have been favourable to crops in many parts of Europe, it said.

The sugar beet yield was now expected at 75.9 t/ha, up from 75.5 t/ha estimated last month and 1.8% above the five-year average.

For rapeseed, MARS raised its EU 2020 yield forecast to 2.97 t/ha from 2.90 t/ha last month, nearly unchanged from 2019 but 3.8% below the five-year average.
New Delhi, July 29 : The education sector on Wednesday welcomed the new National Education Policy, terming it a progressive step which will change the landscape of higher education in the country.

The Union Cabinet approved the new National Education Policy which is expected to set the roadmap for the sector. The policy comes after over three decades.

Shishir Jaipuria, Co-Chairman of FICCI ARISE, said: "National Education Policy 2020 offers a number of well-reasoned and bold reformative steps in the right direction. It conveys a clear bias for disruptive change to meet the future learning needs." He also said that it is time the government opens up the education sector to private investment as it will bring the cost of the education down and help in meeting the diverse needs of the country.

B.M.L Munjal University's Vice Chancellor Manoj K. Arora said: "It is a very progressive and forward-looking policy and will change the landscape of higher education in the country. We believe that we as a university and the country as whole, are going to immensely benefit and look forward to its fair implementation." The key highlights of the new education policy is the use of technology in teaching, learning and assessment, extension of the Right to Education Act to all schools from pre-school to class 12, among other reforms.

It redraws the schooling system on a 5+3+3+4 formula instead of the current 10+2 model, seeks universalisation of early childhood care education and no rigid separation between arts and science.

Students will be taught coding from class 6, there will be vocational integration from class 6 as against from secondary level, and a gender inclusion fund for girl child development. Board examination will now be low stake and based on knowledge application.

"The new education policy announced today is trying to gear up for the changed education reality by extending flexibility, graded levels of autonomy and trying to increase the level of knowledge application along with a broader skill set," said Professor Vishal Talwar, Dean, School of Management at the Munjal University.

"One major aspect to look out for will be how this policy is implemented. Something I would like to look out for will be how the common norms for public and private higher education institutions will play out because of the inherent differences in structure and approach," he added.

RSS' student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also welcomed the Cabinet's nod to the much awaited National Education Policy.

"This National Education Policy envisages the roadmap to put 'India' in Indian Education, and solutions for challenges prevalent in the education system which will enable students to pave the way for a glorious future," it said.

Outcomes of the National Education Policy will be universalisation from primary to secondary education by 2030, attaining foundational learning and numeracy skills by 2025, 100 percent gross enrolment ratio by 2030, and two crore school children joining back.

They will also include preparation of teachers for assessment reforms by 2023, board exams only to test core concepts and instilling at least one vocational skill in every child.
Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) are extremely concerned by the Banadir Regional Court sentence of six months jail term and a fine of five million Somali Shilling against Goobjoog journalist, Abdiaziz Ahmed Gurbiye on Wednesday 29 July, 2020.

The presiding judge, Mohamud Yasin announced the verdict on Article 328 of the Penal Code, which states publication or circulation of false, exaggerated or tendencious news. The Court, however, dropped another charge of Article 269 insult to a political, administrative or judicial body.

Following the court sentence, Gurbiye was transferred to Mogadishu Central Prison.

The courts six month jail term and cash fine against Goobjoog journalist Abdiaziz Gurbiye sends chilling message to the media community in Somalia. This clearly represents that Somalia government is at war on the independent press and its intention to silence the journalists through the judiciary, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, Secretary General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Citizens right to free expression is guaranteed under the Somali provisional constitutional and local, regional conventions in which Somalia must observe and we call for his unconditional release.

Gurbiye was initially charged with Article 220, but the Attorney Generals office altered the charges several times during the court proceedings, an indication the charges brought against Gurbiye were politically motivated.

The harsh sentence against our colleague Gurbiye is unacceptable and is a direct threat to the press freedom and undermines the medias obligation to inform, entertain and educate the public, Mohamed Abduwahab, Secretary General of Somali Media Association (SOMA) said Journalism is not a crime and using outdated criminal code violates the Somali Constitution which guarantees the freedom of expression and that of the press.

Our client Abdiaziz Gurbiye was wrongfully sentenced today. We oppose this sentence and well not hesitate to seek legal redress to repeal it, Dahir Mohamed Ali, the lead lawyer of the journalists defense team said.

Late last month, SJS and SOMA secured lawyers to defend Gurbiye before the court of law as the first hearing of the case took place on 7 July. SJS and SOMA will continue to stand in solidarity with Goobjoog Media Group and Abdiaziz Gurbiye as we applaud our lawyers who are defending Gurbiye before the courts of law .
One woman has died and a man is on life support following an unmasked social gathering which infected 14 family members with the coronavirus last month.

The events host, Tony Green, now says the consequences were a harsh lesson in the reality of Covid-19, having earlier doubted the threat posed by the virus.

I admit I voted for Donald Trump in 2016. I admit travelling deep into the conspiracy trap over Covid-19, Mr Green wrote in a column on Dallas Voice. All the defiant behaviour of Trumps more radical and rowdy cult followers, I participated in it.

He added: I believed the virus to be a hoax. I believed the mainstream media and the Democrats were using it to create panic, crash the economy and destroy Trumps chances at re-election.

I am calling myself out first, but now this is personal, and I fell on my sword, wrote Mr Green. And I promise you, if we continue being more worried about the disruption to our lives than we are about stopping this virus, not one American will be spared.

Mr Green and his partner did not wear masks, and neither did their parents, during the party on 13 June.

We just felt the worst was behind the country because everything was easy, things were reopening and none of us were experiencing any symptoms, he wrote.

They woke up feeling sick the next day, before their parents became sick two days later.

Mr Green was admitted to hospital on 24 June alongside his father-in-law  who was put on life support, and his father-in-laws mother  who died with Covid-19 on 2 July, reported NBC News.

I cannot help but feel responsible for convincing our families it was safe to have a get-together, added Mr Green. Theres a lot of things that I would have done differently.

Mr Green later created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the family  but it has since been deleted amid criticism.
A nun walks across St. Peter's Square past St. Peter's Basilica - AFP

The Vatican and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong have been the targets of alleged Chinese state-backed hackers ahead of talks on renewal of a landmark 2018 deal that helped thaw diplomatic relations between the Vatican and China, according to a monitoring group.

The alleged attacks by a group called RedDelta began in May with an eye on September talks to renew a provisional agreement on bishop appointments, according to a report by the US-based Recorded Future, which tracks state-backed cyber attacks. The attacks were first reported by the New York Times.

The Vatican had no immediate comment. The Chinese foreign ministry denied any involvement, calling the report ''groundless speculation."

Recorded Future said that the Hong Kong Study Mission to China - a key link between the Vatican and China - and the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions also were targeted.

''The suspected intrusion into the Vatican would offer RedDelta insight into the negotiating position of the Holy See ahead of the deal's September 2020 renewal," the report said. It also could provide ''valuable intelligence" about Hong Kong-based Catholic entities' position on the pro-democracy movement.

The attacks continued at least through July 21. They included an apparent phishing attempt with a document on Vatican Secretariat of State letterhead directed to the head of the Hong Kong Study Mission to China.

Chinese Catholics conduct ceremonies - AP

China's estimated 12 million Catholics are split between those belonging to the government-backed Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which is outside the pope's authority, and an underground church loyal to the pope. Underground priests and parishioners are frequently detained and harassed.

A landmark 2018 deal between the Holy See and China on bishop nominations was aimed at uniting the flock, regularising the status of seven bishops who were not recognized by Rome and thawing decades of estrangement between China and the Vatican.

Story continues

But some of China's underground faithful have deep reservations about the deal, seeing it as a sell-out to the Communist government and a betrayal of their long loyalty to the pope.

China routinely denies engaging in a state-sponsored program to steal commercial secrets or sensitive government information over the internet, and says it is among the biggest victims of hacking attacks. The US disputes that and says it has traced cyber intrusions to the Chinese military. Earlier this month, Washington indicted two Chinese citizens for allegedly launching hacking attacks against companies in the US and other countries.

The Justice Department also said hackers working with the Chinese government targeted firms developing vaccines for the coronavirus. China says Washington has provided no information to back up the charges.
Clarion University is the latest state university to announce it plans to offer primarily remote instruction for the fall semester in light of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

University President Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson announced that the university, which last spring announced its intention to bring students back to campus for face-to-face instruction this fall, decided to go with remote instruction to decrease the population density on campus.

Further, she said it will ensure academic continuity for students by removing the possibility of a switch to remote learning later in the semester should an outbreak in coronavirus cases occur.

Since March, a University Reopening Planning Committee has worked to allow the return of students, faculty and staff to campus, Pehrsson said. As the committee continued to monitor news about COVID-19, they determined the safest course of action is to move the majority of classes to remote delivery for fall 2020.

This decision allows students and their families, as well as faculty and staff, to plan the entire semester and keeps students on pace for graduation, she said. Experiential classes, including student teaching, clinicals, externships, internships, and co-ops, will continue as scheduled.

Some courses offered this fall at this nearly 4,000-student university in western Pennsylvania will require students to log into their class at specific times to interact in real time with professors and other students. Other courses will not require specific log-in times, but will have deadlines to complete coursework, according to the universitys news release.

Faculty and staff stand ready to ensure a positive university experience and to help students maintain their progress to graduation. Academic support will be available to help students navigate through the semester, Pehrsson said.

The library, Student Support Services, computer labs, Becht, Gemmel, Tippin, the Recreation Center will be open, adhering to health and safety protocols; some services will require appointments.

Clarion plans to open its housing to students who prefer that option. However, students will be required to self-screen before coming to campus and once on campus, adhere to established protocol. Those who wish to withdraw from university housing may do so without penalty. Dining venues will be restricted and occupancy limits set for locations.

The university plans to finalize details regarding financial adjustments for students next week.

Earlier this week, Millersville University announced it was joining East Stroudsburg University in going to mostly remote course offerings. Earlier, West Chester University announced it would be offering its fall classes online and wouldnt be having in-person classes.

As recently as Tuesday, Shippensburg University President Laurie Carter said her university was still planning to offer a mix of in-person classes and online instruction this fall.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

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Brian McMahon (R) killed Melvin Murphy, 65, with a single blow (Picture: SWNS)

A man has been jailed for four years for killing a pensioner with one punch after a pub row.

Brian McMahon, 57, killed Melvin Murphy, 65, with a single blow when he followed him home on 21 September last year.

McMahon had clashed with the victim during a karaoke night at the Robin Hood pub in Jersey.

CCTV later caught McMahon hitting him and then walking away as he lay dying on the ground.

The defendant admitted manslaughter and was jailed.

Read more: Man suspected of road rage murder who fled UK finally caught by police after four years

Melvin Murphy died after being struck when he was returning home from the pub (Picture: SWNS)

Bailiff Tim Le Cocq said the tragic situation could not be described as accidental and was a direct result of violence.

Addressing McMahon he said: "You did not have to follow him home, you did not have to call him, you did not have to hit him. You left the scene. You simply walked away."

Prosecuting, Matthew Maletroit, said although the two men were not good friends, they had known each other and were regular drinkers in the Robin Hood pub.

He added Mr Murphy was already inside when the defendant came in at about 10.30pm.

Witnesses said both men were in good spirits, but neither appeared drunk.

Later the landlord heard McMahon say to Mr Murphy in a raised voice: This is the second time you have said that to me.

Read more: Men jailed for kidnapping teenage couple and Tasering man's genitals

Brian McMahon has been jailed for four years (Picture: Police)

The two men continued arguing in the pubs courtyard, the Royal Court in Jersey was told.

The landlord told McMahon to pack it in.

Mr Murphy then left and headed home to his flat.

McMahon later caught up with Mr Murphy outside Springfield Stadium.

He told his victim you have got to pack this up and punched him in the face with his left hand.

Murphy fell to the ground, banging his head.

Another drinker who had just left the pub bumped into McMahon and asked about Mr Murphy, the court heard.

He was told he was on the floor.

Read more: PC Andrew Harpers widow asks PM for retrial after teenage killers cleared of murder

Story continues

The pub-goer found him unresponsive but still breathing and put him into the recovery position and called 999.

Mr Murphy was taken to hospital but never regained consciousness.

According to a post-mortem, he had suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

In sentencing, the court said they had also taken into consideration impact statements read to the court from Mr Murphys partner of 17 years and his son, saying how they had been left devastated by his death.

His partner added: "The ironic thing about this is if he [Melvin] had survived this he would have forgiven him [McMahon], that is the sort of person he was."
Calif. senate committee kills bill to fund trans hormones, breast and genital amputation for minors

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A California bill that would have given millions in state funds to pay for experimental medications and surgical procedures for gender-transitioning both teenagers and adults has been killed in committee Tuesday.

The Senate Health Committee announced Tuesday that AB 2218, the Transgender Wellness and Equity Fund, would not be considered for the remainder of the year.

The bill would have funded experimental treatments such as drugs that block normal puberty in gender-confused minors, prescriptions for opposite-sex hormones, and surgical procedures that amputate breasts and genitals, and remove reproductive organs such as the uterus and ovaries. The bill originally asked for $15 million to start the fund, but that figure was later scrubbed from the text of the proposal.

AB 2218 had previously passed in the Assembly, the lower chamber, mostly on party lines with little debate.

Dr. Richard Pan, who chairs the Senate committee, revealed that the controversial measure would not be heard in their final committee hearing.

The people of California spoke, and the Senate Health Committee listened, said California Family Council President Jonathan Keller, in a press release sent to The Christian Post on Tuesday.

Children and young adults with gender dysphoria deserve true compassion. We are grateful that California lawmakers chose not to fund mutilating surgeries and sterilizing hormones that cause irreversible damage.

Keller added in a follow-up email to CP on Wednesday that they are cautiously optimistic about the recent action by the senators.

"Despite an aggressive smear campaign against those who even question transgender ideology, more and more brave people are refusing to be silenced," he said.

"Even unconventional allies like author J.K. Rowling are finding the collateral damage of transgenderism impossible to ignore. We pray California legislators will continue to see the dangers of condemning children and young adults who struggle with gender dysphoria to a lifetime of sterility and artificial hormones.

The California Family Council was among several groups that reached out to the nine members of the Senate committee to discuss the irreversible damage done to bodies that have been mutilated by such surgeries.

Some of the CFC activists also distributed copies of journalist Abigail Shrier's new book,Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, which was released last month. Shrier's work investigates the myriad harms young girls are experiencing as a result of rapid-onset gender dysphoria, a peer contagion that often results in many teenaged girls taking testosterone and undergoing double mastectomies. Demand for double mastectomies among girls who self-identify as transgender has risen significantly in recent years along with the ascendency of transgender politics.

Dr. Quentin Van Meter, an Atlanta-based board-certified pediatric endocrinologist, who CP interviewed in December 2018 about the harms of Lupron when used as a puberty blocker in gender dysphoric children, testified against the bill in the state Assembly earlier this year.

The doctor told legislators during the hearing that children who are prescribed cross-sex hormones for gender confusion have significant mental health issues that continue even after hormone use. He also warned that the state would be sued in the coming years for funding such treatments since they cause sterility, destroy healthy tissue, and lead to other permanent damage.
N. Korean Christians facing starvation as regime bans cash aid to defectors families amid COVID-19

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Persecuted Christians in North Korea are facing heightened challenges amid the coronavirus outbreak, fearing they might not survive because defectors are now barred from sending money back home.

Songyon Lee, a Christian living in South Korea, told Radio Free Asia that she'd received several letters from her mother in North Korea detailing the hardships believers are facing during COVID-19.

I understand your difficult circumstances as you try to settle down in your new life in South Korea, Songyons mother wrote. But it is a very difficult moment here. Please help me one more time.

Songyon said she sent money to her mother back in March, but with the rising cost of food and the supply of imported food rapidly disappearing, the North Korean people are struggling to survive.

North Korea has increased border security due to COVID-19, causing many North Korean brokers and smugglers activities to decrease. Earlier this year, the country shut down cross-border travel with China and Russia, restricted domestic travel, and placed diplomats and foreigners under effective house arrest, The Washington Post reports.

One broker told Songyon, Im afraid and scared of even making a call these days; there is a real crackdown on North Korean defectors and brokers. Not now, but lets wait until the current level of security calms down, he said of getting money to her mother in North Korea.

Persecution watchdog group Open Doors USA notes that the inability to send money affects the North Korean underground church of an estimated 300,000 believers. One believer told the organization: The church cannot survive without food.

A March 2019 survey by the North Korea Human Rights Information Center in South showed that six out of 10 defectors had sent money to their family members in North Korea, with the average amount of $2,460 sent each time, according to Open Doors.

"Without the defectors' economy, the economic crisis in North Korea will only get worse many will not survive the actual illness and the food shortages created by the lockdowns and a crop-destroying drought," Open Doors warns.

The Korean Herald reports that the most recent anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaign sent into North Korea by defectors, might also be contributing to North Korea's crackdown on brokers [from China or South Korea] who, "for certain fees, arrange phone calls and money transfers for defectors ... often bribing the Norths provincial security officials."

"Defectors here have been sending cash to and corresponding with their family left behind in the North via Chinese brokers, but that has stopped after Pyongyang delegated the job of monitoring defector families to a central party organ in charge of state security," the Korean Herald said.

The news outlet also reports a different average amount of money defectors are sending back home. It says that, according to a human rights group based in Seoul, six out of 10 defectors sent at least one payment back home to their families in North Korea, with the one-time average payment being $1,340 (1.62 million won).

Despite the regime's claim that North Korean has suffered zero infections or deaths from the novel coronavirus, its people are facing harsh penalties for not wearing masks during the pandemic. Those who fail to wear masks face at least three months of disciplinary labor with harsher penalties for people caught sneaking into China, a country official told Radio Free Asia.

Residents of the border area were threatened that they would face more than a year of hard labor if they are caught secretly visiting China or having contact with Chinese without permission, the source said.

Although the regime claims it has no cases of the virus, the World Health Organization reports that North Korea has quarantined 25,551 people over the past few months, and more than 1,100 people in the country have been tested for the coronavirus.

On Sunday, North Korea locked down the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea after finding what could be the country's first official coronavirus case there, according to ABC News.

North Koreas state-controlled Central News Agency said a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country after a suspected patient returned from South Korea by illegally crossing the border last week.

North Korea, led by dictator Kim Jong-un, is ranked as the worst persecutor of Christians worldwide on Open Doors USA's World Watch List of countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has also designated North Korea as a country of particular concern for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act.
DOW  Amid the ash and rubble Wednesday, Pastor David Brown of the Dow Southern Baptist Church found cause for joy.

Words cannot describe the feeling of watching the place you love burn, he shared with members of his congregation. Yet the sanctuary was saved.

At about 2 a.m. Wednesday, the Jersey County Sheriffs Office responded to a fire alarm at the AT&T building at 25218 Dow Road. While responding, a deputy observed flames coming from the nearby church at 24735 Dow Road, at the corner of Dow and Bartlett Roads.

QEM Fire Protection District Chief Gerald New said that, when his team arrived, the fire was heavily concentrated in the west side of the church complex which contained classrooms and offices. The district quickly issued a call for additional help from fire departments in Jerseyville, Brighton, Fieldon, Carrollton and Godfrey.

New said the fire had spread from the office area to the classroom area, which is also contained on the west side of the church. The church sanctuary is at the opposite end of the property, with the buildings connected by an enclosed bridge that serves as a walkway between them.

New said firefighters made a trench cut into the roof of the bridge, allowing air into the building to keep the fire from spreading. By doing so, the sanctuary received only smoke damage.

The west side of the church, however, was termed a total loss with the floor collapsing into the church basement.

Jersey County Sheriff Mike Ringhausen said deputies also learned the AT&T building had been burglarized and someone unsuccessfully attempted to start a fire. In a news release, Ringhausen said that failed fire attempt possibly activated a smoke detector in the AT&T building.

On Wednesday, deputies were joined at the church by representatives of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Office. The investigation continues into the blaze.

His faith still strong, Brown went to the churchs Facebook page to share thanks for the firefighters, as well as a Bible passage: Matthew 16:18  And the gates of Hades will not overcome it!

His words were met with an outpouring of online support.
The devastating news that Tralee's Borg Warner plant is to close next year, with the loss of all 210 jobs, has come as a complete shock to workers; the local community and to Government agencies including the IDA.

On Tuesday afternoon staff at the plant in Monavalley Industrial Estate were called to a 'town hall' meeting with management who delivered the news every worker dreads.

Most work at the plant - which has been manufacturing motor parts in Tralee since it was established as Beru in 1986 - is to be wound down by Christmas and the plant will shut completely by March 2021.

The company said the decision wasn't related to the Coronavirus and was a result of "declining customer demand for air heaters, which no longer supports the need for a standalone manufacturing facility."

While the US firm was not specifically mentioned it is understood the statement refers to electric car giant Tesla.

In 2017 a new 'cabin heater' production line was opened at the Tralee plant, creating 50 jobs, with Tesla as the primary customer.

Borg Warner said the decision to shut the plant was part of a "series of market driven adjustments" so the company can remain competitive.

Borg Warner Tralee Managing Director Anton Diaz said it had been "a difficult day for everyone at BorgWarner Tralee".

"This facility has been part of this community for over 30 years and the leadership team is very grateful to all employees for their dedication and contribution," said Mr Diaz.

"The company sincerely regrets this development and, in the event of redundancies, will endeavour to provide a financial package and supports to the 210 impacted employees which recognises their service and commitment to BorgWarner Tralee," he added.

SIPTU said its members were shocked and very upset.

The trade union said it has scheduled an urgent meeting with management on Thursday to discuss the closure and if anything can be done to save the jobs.

The news appeared to take the IDA completely by surprise with staff at the development agency seemingly entirely unaware of Borg Warner's plans.

Asked for comment an IDA spokesperson said only that it was "a matter for Borg Warner".

Tralee Chamber Alliance Chief Executive Ken Tobin said the news was devastating and expressed his sympathy with everyone affected.

"This news couldn't come at a worse time for the region, it shows that no industry is safe right now," he said.

"In a week where we see Dublin and Cork gaining 1,000 new Amazon jobs, we know the IDA and Enterprise Ireland can deliver jobs, so we are asking them to prove Tralee is just as important. It's time to step up to the plate to deliver for us right now," said Mr Tobin.

Education Minister Norma Foley said she was "extremely disappointed" to hear the news and would be raising it with Tanaiste and Enterprise Minister Leo Varadkar as a matter of urgency.

The Tralee Fianna Fail TD said it was "very, very sad news for Tralee" and that the immediate focus must be on helping the workers and their families.
Some Victorian paramedics have been issued with vented masks that could potentially place patients at risk of catching coronavirus.

Ambulance Victoria says the masks were approved by the Department of Health and Human Services, despite the same agency advising Victorians not to use valved face coverings because of their potential to spread COVID-19.

Vented masks were used at St. Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner on Sunday. Credit:Scott McNaughton

N95 vented masks typically filter air on the way in, but not on the way out. If an infected person wears one, they can continue to breathe out virus-carrying droplets.

The government advises not to use masks with holes or any unfiltered one-way valves.
Iran's Judiciary Has Blocked Prominent Jailed Lawyer's Bank Account, Husband Says

07/22/20

By RFE/RL

Iran's judiciary has blocked the bank account of prominent imprisoned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh in a move aimed at adding pressure on her and her family.



Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh (file photo)

Speaking to the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on July 27, Sotoudeh's husband, Reza Khandan, said his wife's bank account with Pasargad Bank in Tehran has been blocked since May on the orders of the Tehran Prosecutor's Office.



Sotoudeh, the co-winner of the European Parliament's 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, was sentenced last year to 38 years in prison over her defense of political prisoners, including women protesting the compulsory hijab law. Sotoudeh was also jailed from 2010 to 2013 over her human rights work.



Khandan wrote on Facebook that the prosecutor's move "is aimed at putting economic pressure and financially hurting the family in a time of crisis and economic collapse due to the incompetence of the government and the ruling establishment."



Iran's economy has significantly deteriorated in recent months due to crippling U.S. sanctions, mismanagement, and the coronavirus pandemic that has led to a drop in non-oil exports.



Khandan said he only recently found out the account had been closed and that efforts by Sotoudeh's lawyer to regain control of the funds have failed.



"We will not stay silent in the face of such inhuman actions," Khandan said on Facebook on July 27.



He also suggested that by increasing the pressure on Sotoudeh and her family, the powerful judiciary was sending a message to others pushing for more rights and freedom in the Islamic republic.



"The authorities think that prison has lost its effectiveness and dissidents are resuming their activities as soon as they get out of prison," Khandan said.



"They want to send a message to those who are willing to go to prison," he added.



The CHRI condemned the judiciary's move as an attempt to impose additional punishments on human rights advocates and their families "beyond the already unlawful sentences applied in kangaroo courts."



"The authorities in Iran have seen that repeatedly imprisoning Nasrin Sotoudeh and other human rights defenders has not silenced demands for basic civil and political rights, so they are going after them extrajudicially to inflict additional pain on their families," Hadi Ghaemi, executive director at the CHRI, said in a statement e-mailed to RFE/RL.



Iran has in recent years intensified its pressure on human rights lawyers by sentencing them to long prison terms for their rights activism and defense of political prisoners.
A large-scale coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong could lead to a collapse of the city's healthcare system, the leader has warned.

The city is battling a worsening Covid-19 outbreak which has infected over 1,000 people in the last two weeks.

Carrie Lam urged people to stay indoors as much as possible to "protect loved ones".

Strict new measures to curb the disease's spread come into force on Wednesday, which will be in place for seven days.

The new regulations ban gatherings of more than two people, eating in restaurants and it makes the wearing of face masks mandatory in public places, including outdoors.

Residents are given three coronavirus testing kits / AFP via Getty Images

These are the toughest measures introduced in the city since the pandemic started.

The Government has also tightened testing and quarantine arrangements for sea and air crew members from Wednesday.

"We are on the verge of a large-scale community outbreak, which may lead to a collapse of our hospital system and cost lives, especially of the elderly," Ms Lam said in a statement.

"In order to protect our loved ones, our healthcare staff and Hong Kong, I appeal to you to follow strictly the social distancing measures and stay at home as far as possible."

Residents keep their distance as they line up for testing kits / AFP via Getty Images

The new measures were announced on Monday after the global financial hub saw a spike in locally transmitted cases over the past three weeks.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong reported 106 new coronavirus cases, including 98 that were locally transmitted.

Since late January, more than 2,880 people have been infected in the former British colony and 23 have died.
The fire was contained to one unit within the building, but there is smoke damage throughout. Crews are working on an assessment to check the damage, Rhodes said.
(Photo : Screenshot from: Mickey Rourke Instagram Account ) [VIRAL] Elon Musk vs. Pro Boxer Mickey Rourke (Over Depp Issue): Who Will Win? (Photo : REUTERS/Danny Moloshok) Desert Palm Achievement Award recipient actor Johnny Depp and wife actress Amber Heard pose at the 27th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala in Palm Springs, California, January 2, 2016

The Johnny Depp and Amber Heard controversy have not yet ended. Now, other personalities have joined the issue such as tech billionaire Elon Musk and former boxer Mickey Rourke. The ex-boxer lay down the terms of the scheduled fight between him and the tech billionaire-- in a $200,000 stake bare-knuckle battle. Here's what happened.

Why is Rourke challenging Musk in a fight?

If you have heard the story between the former couple Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, another twist is expected to come soon.

Former boxer Mickey Rourke is now joining the battle against Musk as one of the friends of Depp. The fight between Musk and Depp first started when Depp accused Musk of having an affair with his, at the time, current wife, actress Amber Heard. The actress happens to be a close friend of Musk and denies all the claims of her former husband.

Of course, Musk also denied it himself by saying that he never had an affair with Heard during the time when she was together with Johnny. He also insists Johnny to 'bury the hatchet' between the conflict between them.

However, it did not stop there. Musk claims that Johnny scared Heard in a text message that says the actor will personally dismantle Musk's private part from his body. The billionaire saw this as a threat and warned Depp, "If Johnny wants a cage fight, just let me know."

Certainly, Depp won't be accepting the challenge since he had all the filed cases against him in court. However, a friend of his aims to give him a show to fight against Musk.

Rourke vs. Musk

On Monday, July 27, Rourke posted on his Instagram account that he will be willing to take in the position of Depp regarding the challenge of Musk. He called Musk as 'Mr. Tough Guy' that can't fight his own size.

According to his social media account, if Depp wouldn't fight Musk, Rourke will love to fight in replacement for him. With the conditions of 'no rules,' use 'bare fists, elbows and knees,' and a $200,000 stake that the winner will take all.

So far, Musk has not yet commented on the new challenge.

Amber Heard controversy against Depp

In 2015, former couples Heard and Depp got married. Unfortunately, it did not end well. A year ago after the private wedding, Heard filed a divorce from Depp and accused him of physical abuse.

In 2019, Depp heard the side of the story and said that his wife was actually the one abusing him in the relationship. He insists that Heard told lies about the physical abuse claims.

Now, Johnny wants to punish the publisher of The Sun, for a 2018-article calling him a 'wife-beater.' So far, the case is not yet finalized.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
ZURICH (Reuters) - A protestor set himself on fire outside Switzerland's parliament building in Bern on Monday following a demonstration against the country's asylum policy.

Police confirmed an incident in the Bundesplatz, where one man suffered burn injuries and was taken to hospital

"It looks like this man has caused the injury himself, but that is something we will look into," a police spokesman said.

The man, who has not been identified, did not suffer life threatening injuries, the spokesman said.

Paramedics, fire services and police were called to the scene after the incident which happened at around 3pm local time on Monday.

In Switzerland, where 38% of the 8.6 million population is made up of foreign nationals and naturalized citizens, immigration and asylum has become a controversial topic.

Protesters were demanding equal treatment and the right to work for asylum seekers as well as an ending isolation of individuals at refugee centres.

The country is due to hold a referendum in September on limiting the free movement of people with the European Union.

(Reporting by John Revill, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
A Delhi court on Wednesday dismissed a plea filed by February riots' accused Shahrukh Pathan regarding threat to his life after Tihar Central Jail's authorities told the court that he will not be shifted to the cell meant for general prisoners.

On July 25, Pathan had told the court that he wished to continue his lodging with the high-risk prisoners as there is a threat to his life and apprehended untoward incident if he was lodged with the general inmates.

The application was filed by Shahrukh Pathan, who was captured on camera while pointing a gun at a policeman during the violence in northeast Delhi, after he was orally informed by the jail authorities that he will be transferred from high-risk prisoners' cell to another one housing general inmates.

After jail authorities told Metropolitan Magistrate Fahad Uddin of Karkardooma court that there is no proposal to shift the accused, the court said: "Thus, in view of the reply of Deputy Superintendent, Central Jail No. 4, Tihar, no further action is required." The court dismissed Pathan's application moved by advocate Asghar Khan, Abdul Tahir Khan, and Tariq Nasir.

A video clip of Pathan pointing a gun at Delhi Police Head constable Deepak Dahiya had gone viral during the riots that broke out after clashes between pro- and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters took an ugly turn in Delhi's northeast area in February.

On May 1, the Delhi Police had filed a 350-page charge sheet against Pathan, Kaleem Ahmad and Ishtiyak Mallik in connection with the case.

Shahrukh was the first person to be arrested in the case on March 3. Kaleem, who had given shelter to him, was arrested later during investigation.
The acting chief of the U.S. Park Police told a House committee Tuesday that he was informed on June 1 that President Donald Trump would be visiting Lafayette Square later that day, but that the decision to forcefully clear protesters from the park at 6:30 that evening was unrelated to Trump's visit soon after the dramatic use of force. He said the two events occurring within a half-hour was a coincidence.

The timing of the police push, using smoke, projectiles and chemical irritants against the large group of protesters, followed almost immediately by Trump's appearance on the same spot, caused the House Natural Resources Committee to investigate, and to summon acting Park Police chief Gregory Monahan. Democrats on the committee argued that the police were used by Trump for political purposes, to clear the way for a photo opportunity at St. John's Church.

Monahan said the Park Police decided to erect a fence on the north end of Lafayette Square, and "there is 100% zero correlation between our operation and the president's visit to the church." Monahan said protesters had been violent at the park for three days prior to June 1, and that his officers were under assault from projectiles again that day. That claim was contested by an Army National Guard major who testified later.

The acting chief said he felt his officers "acted with tremendous restraint in the face of severe violence from a large group of bad actors," and "did not clear the park for the photo op."

Monahan also revealed that the Park Police have not been able to record their radio transmissions during special events for nearly two years, leaving no audio record of the events. He said a new digital radio system installed in September 2018 was wrongly configured to record only one dispatch channel, and that was only discovered last month.

Instead, the Park Police keep a written log of what is said during such events, Monahan said. He would not commit to providing such logs to the committee, saying he needed to consult with his department's lawyers.

A legal settlement with the Park Police over their handling of previous demonstrations in Washington requires them to make three audible announcements before taking physical action against protesters. Adam DeMarco, the Army National Guard major who also testified Tuesday, said the warnings issued June 1 were made by a handheld megaphone and couldn't be heard by the protesters, though Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., said a CNN reporter at the park tweeted about the warnings as they were made.

Monahan said the warnings were issued using a "long-range acoustic device," which he said would carry about 600 meters, and that the protesters were much closer than that. The settlement also requires Park Police to stand behind protesters to ensure warnings are heard, but Monahan did not say whether officers were positioned behind the crowd.

Monahan's claim that police used a powerful sonic device to issue the warnings "is simply false," said David Laufman, DeMarco's attorney. "My client observed the giving of the warnings, and he observed it by means of a handheld megaphone. It's bizarre they would be making that claim."

Monahan was also asked about body cameras, which Park Police officers do not wear. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., citing the 2017 slaying of unarmed motorist Bijan Ghaisar by Park Police officers without cameras, asked if Monahan would commit to equipping his force with them if they were funded.

The Park Police, Monahan said, support cameras but are "not in a position to successfully implement, manage, and sustain a body-worn camera program."

Monahan did not say what time on June 1 he was informed that Trump would be visiting Lafayette Square. Trump walked from the White House with an entourage of officials, including Attorney General William Barr and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, then stood in front of St. John's church to have his photograph taken while holding a Bible.

"We were notified earlier in the day that the president was going to visit Lafayette Park," Monahan said in response to a question from Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., the committee chairman, "to view the damage that was done to the park over the course of the preceding days. But we were not given a time on when he was visiting."

Shortly after 6 p.m. that day, Barr entered the park and spoke with police, including a Park Police commander, Monahan said, but Monahan said he did not have any interaction with Barr. Barr did not instruct police to clear the protesters, Monahan said. Not long after Barr left the park, the Park Police, Secret Service and Arlington County police lined up on H Street in riot gear, with officers on horseback behind them, and forced protesters away from the park with what Monahan said were smoke canisters, pepper balls and stinger balls (grenade-like devices that unleash small rubber pellets). He denied that tear gas was used on the protesters.

DeMarco insisted, from his training at the United States Military Academy and his active duty tours in the Army, that tear gas was used, that he saw tear gas canisters on Park Police officers, and that he found a spent canister on the ground.

Monahan provided a timeline for the construction of a fence along the north side of Lafayette Square, which he said was meant to de-escalate hostilities between police and protesters. He said 50 Park Police officers had been harmed by projectiles from May 29 to May 31, including one struck in the head with a brick. Monahan brought the officer's damaged helmet to the hearing and placed it on the table in front of him, along with a brick. No Park Police officers were injured by projectiles on June 1, but one was punched in the face during the clearing operation, Monahan said. No one was hurt after the fence went up, the acting chief said.

DeMarco's testimony, released on Monday, said the fencing did not arrive at the park until around 9 p.m., so there would be no urgency to clear the park before that. But Monahan said the fencing materials arrived at 5:15 p.m. and were placed on 17th Street. He said private fencing company employees entered the park at 6:55 p.m. and began to build the fence at 7:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, Monahan said three warnings were given at 6:23 p.m. to the protesters, and officers began pushing them out at 6:30 p.m. and finished at 6:50 p.m. Trump arrived shortly after 7 p.m. and stayed for about three minutes before walking back to the White House.

Monahan was asked whether it would have been smarter to wait until D.C.'s curfew went into effect at 7 p.m., when many protesters may have begun to leave. "In terms of the curfew," Monahan said, "that was not something that figured into our thinking." He said he was not the incident commander and did not give the order to launch the removal of demonstrators, but that the operation was not ordered by the White House or the Justice Department.

DeMarco, who said he followed the Park Police clearing operation down H Street, then was stationed at 16th and H streets, stood by his claim that no fence-building began until 9 p.m., though he acknowledged he may not have seen the materials initially staged away from the park.

DeMarco said the protests on June 1 were nonviolent and that Park Police used excessive force. He said he was at Lafayette Square the night before, and "that was a riot." On that night, fires were set in the street, in a public bathroom structure and in the annex of St. John's Church.

"On June 1," DeMarco said, "it was drastically different than the night before." He said his Army training requires him to use only the force necessary to deal with the immediate threat, not the threat of previous days, and that the Park Police operation was "an unnecessary escalation of the use of force."
The Director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gao Fu, at a press briefing on January 26, 2020.

Roman Balandin\TASS via Getty Images

The head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Sunday that he had taken a shot of a trial coronavirus vaccine.

Gao Fu did not say which vaccine he was inoculated with, but said he did it to demonstrate that people need not fear vaccines.

"As a scientist, you've got to be brave ... If even we didn't do it, how can we persuade the whole world  all the people, the public  to be vaccinated?" he said, according to The Associated Press.

A handful of vaccines are now in the the final stage of clinical trials around the world, after which they can be approved for use.

Trial vaccines from Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer are leading the charge and well into the final stages of human trials.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says he has been injected with an experimental coronavirus vaccine.

"I'm going to reveal something undercover. I am injected with one of the vaccines," Gao Fu said Sunday during a webinar hosted by Alibaba Health, according to The Associated Press (AP).

Around 150 vaccines are under development worldwide, but only a handful have progressed to phase 3 trials, or the last stage of clinical tests before a vaccine is approved and given to the public.

Drugs giants Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer are leading the way, with an approved vaccine generally expected to reach the public by the fall.

A volunteer is injected with a trial vaccine from Moderna Inc. in Binghamton, New York, on July 27, 2020.

AP Photo/Hans Pennink

Gao did not say which vaccine he had taken, saying he did not want to be accused of "doing some kind of propaganda" for a particular company, the AP reported.

Gao said the purpose of his inoculation is to assure people that vaccines are safe, and necessary. Experts around the world fear that the anti-vaxxer movement will be a significant barrier to a mass rollout of a vaccine.

"Everybody has suspicions about the new coronavirus vaccine," Gao said, according to the AP.

Story continues

But he added: "As a scientist, you've got to be brave ... If even we didn't do it, how can we persuade the whole world  all the people, the public  to be vaccinated?"

A number of debunked conspiracy theories have sprung up around the developmental vaccines, including one accusing Bill Gates of trying to hide tiny microchips in vaccine vials to spy on people.

In his Sunday remarks, Gao also said that the need for US-China cooperation in scientific matters was essential.

"We don't want to have China and the US separated scientifically," Gao said, according to the AP. "We've got to work together."

The pandemic, which was first recorded in Wuhan last December, has contributed substantially to the deterioration of US-China relations.

President Donald Trump, and senior members of his administration, have accused China of withholding information about the virus at the early stage of the outbreak, and even outright blamed China for causing it.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Here's your guide to know about India's much-awaited aircraft.

The Indian Air Force will formally induct the Rafale aircraft on Thursday at 10 am, at Air Force Station in Ambala. The aircraft will be part of 17 Squadron, the "Golden Arrows".

The first five Indian Air Force Rafale aircraft arrived at Air Force Station, Ambala from France on July 27, 2020.

The Rafale fighter jet is powered by two M88-2 engines from SNECMA. Each engine provides a thrust of 75kN.

Missiles aboard Rafale aircraft

European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and SCALP cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets

Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat.

The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

MICA missile

The IAF's Rafales will also carry the shorter-range MICA air-to-air missile, which is separately being fitted on to the IAF's Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft fleet as part of its ongoing upgrade.

MBDA claims the MICA is the world's only air-to-air missile that features two interoperable seekers (active radar and imaging infrared), allowing the missile to be used in close-in, fighter-to-fighter dogfights as well as in the BVR role.

One of the MICA's key attributes is its ability, while in the BVR mode, to fly much of the distance to the enemy aircraft in passive mode -- without radiating radar waves, which alert the adversary.

When it approaches the target, the seeker starts radiating only in the final stages when the target has little time to take evasive manoeuvres or to deploy effective countermeasures.

SCALP missile

For striking ground targets, the IAF Rafales will carry the French SCALP deep-strike cruise missile.

This stealth weapon has the ability to strike hardened and protected targets deep inside hostile territory from stand-off ranges -- without the need for the Rafale to enter hostile airspace, which could be heavily defended with air defence missiles.

The SCALP has the capability to create havoc at the target end due to its powerful tandem warhead and multiple detonation modes.

HAMMER missile

Considering the situation in Ladakh with China, the IAF has also directed emergency procurement of the HAMMER air-to-ground missile with a range of about 60 Kms.

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran.

'Buddy-buddy' refueling

The Rafale fighter jets are equipped with 'buddy-buddy' refueling that also one aircraft to lend its fuel to another while still in flight.

India-specific modifications

Besides the missile systems, the Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems among others

The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft.

The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bureau Veritas today announced that it has appointed Sherry Orel as President of the Certification, Audit, and Assurance business, effective immediately. In this new position, Orel has full leadership responsibility for the Certification, Audit, and Assurance business in North America and is responsible for accelerating business expansion plans of this strategic and core business for Bureau Veritas.

Orel reports to Natalia Shuman, Executive Vice President and CEO, Bureau Veritas North America, and is based at Bureau Veritas' headquarters in New York, New York. This appointment comes in the midst of Bureau Veritas' significant expansion in certification to meet the social responsibility needs of businesses as the retail, hospitality, restaurant, transportation, and education sectors reset operations with safety, hygiene, and assurance at the forefront.

"We welcome Sherry to Bureau Veritas and the Certification team. Her diverse experience across various roles in leadership, sales, and marketing, combined with her innovative and entrepreneurial approach are a valuable asset to our Certification, Audit, and Assurance business as we grow the business across North America," said Natalia Shuman, EVP and CEO, Bureau Veritas North America.

Orel will lead a team of 300+ certification, audit, and assurance professionals across North America.

"I am excited about my new role as President of the Certification, Audit, and Assurance business at Bureau Veritas and look forward to leveraging the BV global network to deliver our innovative certification services to even more clients across North America," said Sherry Orel, President, Certification, Audit, and Assurance, North America. "This is a very important time in the company's history as a business to business to society company and we are helping our clients achieve their business goals in a socially responsible manner. We are building on BV's global positioning as a leader in certification to spearhead our North American Restart Your Business with BV initiative, and continue to innovate our offerings across our core markets."

With a diverse background in both public and private sectors and across various functions within leadership, sales, branding and marketing, Orel has a 25+ year proven track record of leading companies to deliver significant impact on the business, for clients, and communities. Orel attended Purdue University and Roosevelt University.

Bureau Veritas is one of the world's leading certification and labeling bodies. Most recently, Bureau Veritas launched, "Restart your Business with BV," a suite of services designed to help companies reopen business as safely and quickly as possible. As an independent third-party partner, Bureau Veritas provides laboratory hygiene testing, hygiene and safety protocol audits, e-training programs, and continued monitoring of safety protocols to ensure businesses restart operations safely. As the demand for certification and labeling services increases across the North American region, particularly as companies restart their operations, Bureau Veritas will accelerate its efforts to deliver innovative solutions that enable its clients to operate with safety, integrity, reliability, and sustainability.

About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a world-leading provider in testing, inspection and certification. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 78,000 employees located in more than 1,500 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its clients to improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.

Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the Next 20 index.

Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.

For more information, visit www.bvna.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Three more Rafale jets to land in India from France in non-stop flight

First batch of Rafale jets all set to arrive in India; Section 144 imposed near Ambala air base

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, July 29: The wait has come to an end for the Indian defence forces as the Rafale fighter jets from France are expected to reach today afternoon. This not only infuses steel into the Indian Air Force but also amplify the entire military's might manifold.

Rafale Jets enter Indian Airspace: watch first visuals | Oneindia News

According to reports, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will receive the first batch of five Rafale fighter jets in Ambala today around 2 pm via Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.

Iran blows fake US aircraft with missiles; Navy calls it 'irresponsible and reckless behaviour'

On this momentous occasion, the French envoy to India praised Indian pilots and technicians for having completed their training in France "marvelously".

"The planes are outstanding, Indian technicians and pilots marvelously completed their training in France. They are totally capable to use these planes at their best," said Emmanuel Lenain, French Ambassador to India.

Indian Navy's clear message to Beijing following escalation of border tension

Once the jets land in Ambala, the pilots led by Group Captain Harkirat Singh will meet the Indian Air Force Chief and brief would brief him about their training and flying experiences in France.

In case if the weather plays spoilsport, the Jodhpur air force base has been kept as backup for the jets to land. Also, Section 144 has been imposed in four villages near the Ambala air base.

"Our partnership is comprehensive. It goes from strategic, military to health. They have one thing in common. It's for the good of our own people. They take care of their people's security, their health, that is what matters...and that makes me very confident about the future," the French envoy said.
29.07.2020 LISTEN

Professor Tina Abrefa-Gyan, a Politician and renowned Gender Activist on Tuesday advocated for the establishment of both social and legal interventions to cater for the survivors of gender-based violence, especially for the aged in society.

She observed many aged women in the Ghanaian society experienced worst forms of human rights abuses and violations clandestinely, and it was time the nation shoulder the responsibility to uphold and defend their human rights dignity.

I think Ghana has gone far in our development process. We need a shelter that will cater for the basic needs and make life comfortable for our aged women in society, she said.

In an interview with Prof Abrefa-Gyan, who is the Vice-Chair of the United States branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) condemned the gruesome murder of the 90-year-old woman at Kafaba in the East Gonja District of the Savanah Region.

The deceased, Madam Akua Denteh was accused of witchcraft and lynched by some unidentified people in the town.

Describing the sad incident as unfortunate, barbaric, and shameful to womanhood, Prof. Abrefa-Gyan, urged police to intensify search, apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

She observed the crime was a worst form of human rights abuse and a slap on Ghanas rule of law, saying under no circumstances should perpetrators be left unpunished.

This barbaric act goes contrary to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, an international treat adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979 which Ghana has ratified Prof. Abrefa-Gyan indicated.

The lynching of this 90-year old woman also flouts the International Violence against Womens Foreign Policy by the United States.

Personally, I was part of a team in Washington DCe Capital Hill that lobbied for the adoption of the International Violence Against Womens Act (IVAWA) in 2008. The Bill was co-sponsored by the then-Senator Joe Biden, the immediate past Vice President of the USA, and currently the Democratic Partys presidential nominee and his colleague.

Yet, victims of gender-based violence experience a plethora of obstacles to achieving justice despite the implementation of this US Foreign Policy which aims at addressing gender-based violence. Such obstacles often include, but not limited to, the absence of legal protections, lack of adequate knowledge of their rights on the part of victims, poor access to legal services, and the prevalence of untrained paralegal or biased legal practitioners.

This innocent woman has been tortured to death for no apparent reason. Justice is the only remedy that will make her departed soul to Rest In Peace. Until justice is met, posterity will judge us all, she said.

We are therefore calling on the police administration to swift investigations, arrest and ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are made to face the full rigours of the law, she added.
A 'hidden gem' New Jersey lake that was made famous on TikTok is now at the center of a race row after it was shut down following complaints from some locals about over-crowding from Spanish speaking out-of-towners.

Lake Solitude in High Bridge was shut down by local officials last week following complaints about recent weekend crowds.

The area gained popularity after a viral TikTok video showing the lake and its waterfall dubbed it a 'hidden gem'.

Nearly 200 residents of the town, of which the population is about 93 percent white, attended a virtual town hall meeting earlier this month to demand that Mayor Michele Lee shut it down.

While some complained about the risk of out-of-towners from New York City bringing COVID-19 to the area, others directly attributed the overcrowding to Hispanic visitors.

Lake Solitude in High Bridge, New Jersey (above) was shut down by local officials last week following complaints about recent weekend crowds

Residents have argued that visitors were leaving behind trash, defecating in the woods nearby, driving dangerously and parking illegally near the lake.

One white male resident, who didn't give his name, told the New York Times he was angry the people swimming at the lake weren't wearing masks and were possibly contaminating the water.

Carolyn Potkovac, a local resident, suggested to the town hall meeting that she felt unsafe after a man said 'hola, senorita' to her.

'I was out in my driveway on Wilson Avenue the other night getting something from my truck,' she said.

'A car from out of state stopped and he said, "Hey senorita, what are you doing?" They started talking to me in Spanish and I just ran up the stairs. I just wanted to make people aware of that.'

Lester Tomson, who fishes at the lake, told the Times: 'We have droves of out-of-state Spanish people and they leave their crap lying on the ground.'

The area gained popularity after a viral TikTok video showing the lake and its waterfall dubbed it a 'hidden gem'

Tomson, who is a Democrat, was among those suggesting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should have been called in.

'It's not a racist thing,' he said. 'It's a thing where you observe things and your observations are based in facts and not in racism.'

The mayor insists the closure of the lake had nothing to do with racism and was instead about COVID-19 health precautions.

Lee, who told the town hall meeting that she visited the lake and noted that many visitors were being respectful and obeying the rules, said the comments about the ethnicity of those at the lake disgusted her.

'I find those kinds of comments more disgusting than any of the garbage I saw left behind at the lake,' Lee said.

'We are an inclusive community. We are going to be accepting of everybody, regardless of race or faith or who you love. We did what we have to do because it was really becoming a safety concern.'

The mayor had been pushing to keep the lake open for weeks because of the potential for the town to become a tourist spot.

Local officials had installed extra trash cans and portable toilets to better deal with the large crowds.

Her administrative order announcing the closure says the lake will be shut for at least 30 days until a strategy can be developed to deal with the overcrowding.
YES Bank has reportedly taken possession of Reliance Centre in Mumbai, the headquarter of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG), after the company failed to repay dues worth Rs 2,892 crore. The Anil Ambani-led group is one of the biggest borrowers of YES Bank with exposure of over 12,000 crore.

The bank has taken over 21,000 square feet building of ADAG in Santacruz and also two floors in Nagin Mahal in South Mumbai, which was its previous headquarters, as per an advertisement published on Wednesday. The bank acquired the building on July 22 under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFESI) Act.

In March, Anil Ambani was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) with regard to ADAG's position with respect to its exposure to YES Bank. As per Reliance Group spokesperson, Ambani had told the ED officials that all transactions between ADAG and YES Bank were in compliance with the law and financial regulations. He had said that the group is committed to honour the repayment obligations of all its borrowings from YES Bank through asset monetisation programmes.

In connection with YES Bank founder Rana Kapoor and others, Ambani had said that the Reliance Group has no direct or indirect exposure to Kapoor, his wife or daughters, or any entity controlled by them.

In May, the ED filed a charge sheet against Rana Kapoor, his daughters Roshni Kapoor, Radha Kapoor and Rakhee Kapoor, along with Morgan Credits, Yes Capital and Rab Enterprises in connection with the YES Bank fraud case. Kapoor, who has been accused of receiving kickbacks in lieu of sanctioning loans to certain firms, was arrested by the ED on March 8 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Crisis-hit YES Bank on Tuesday reported 60.05 per cent year-on-year decline in standalone net profit at Rs 45.44 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020. The lender's gross non-performing assets (NPA) ratio as a percentage of gross advances rose sharply to 17.3 per cent against 5.01 per cent in Q1 FY20. Net NPA ratio also increased to 4.96 per cent as compared to 2.9 per cent in the year-ago period.

By Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: YES Bank Q1 results: Profit plunges 60% to Rs 45 crore; provisions at Rs 1,087 crore

Also Read: YES Bank row: ED grills Rana Kapoor's wife Bindu Kapoor for 3 hours
Regulatory News:

For the calculation of impairment tests of its assets, Total (Paris:FP) (LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT) set in 2019 a price scenario with a 2050 Brent price of 50$/b, in line with the "well below 2 C" scenario of the IEA. This scenario is described in the Universal Registration Document (note 3 of Chapter 8).

Given the drop in the oil price in 2020, Total decided to revise the price assumptions over the next years and selected the following profile for the Brent price: 35$/b in 2020, 40$/b in 2021, 50$/b in 2022, 60$/b in 2023; gas prices have been adjusted accordingly.

For the longer term, Total maintains its analysis that the weakness of investments in the hydrocarbon sector since 2015 accentuated by the health and economic crisis of 2020 will result by 2025 in insufficient worldwide production capacities and a rebound in prices. Beyond 2030, given technological developments, particularly in the transportation sector, Total anticipates oil demand will have reached its peak and Brent prices should tend toward the long-term price of 50$/b, in line with the IEA SDS scenario.

The average Brent price over the period 2020-2050 thus stands at 56.8$2020/b.

As a result of this short-term price revision, Total recognizes in the 2nd quarter 2020 an exceptional asset impairment charge of 2.6 B$, mainly on Canadian oil sands assets for 1.5 B$ and LNG assets in Australia for 0.8 B$, both being giant projects with high construction costs. These limited impacts (less than 2% of Total's overall assets) reflect the strength of the Group's balance sheet.

In addition, in line with its new Climate Ambition announced on May 5, 2020, which aims at carbon neutrality, Total has reviewed its oil assets that can be qualified as "stranded", meaning with reserves beyond 20 years and high production costs, whose overall reserves may therefore not be produced by 2050. The only projects identified in this category are the Canadian oil sands projects Fort Hills and Surmont.

For impairment calculations, Total's Board of Directors has decided to take into account only proven reserves on these 2 assets unlike general practice which considers so-called proven and probable reserves. This leads to an additional exceptional asset impairment of 5.5 B$. Consequently, Total will only take into account for its proven and probable reserves in Canada the proved reserves. And the proved and probable reserves life of the Group is thus reduced from 19.0 to 18.5 years. In addition, Total will not approve any new project of capacity increase on these Canadian oil sands assets. Finally, still consistent with the Climate Ambition announced on May 5, 2020, Total decided to withdraw from the Canadian association CAPP considering the misalignment between their public positions and the Group's ones.

Overall, the exceptional asset impairments that will therefore be taken into account in the 2nd quarter of 2020 amount to 8.1 B$, including 7 B$ on Canadian oil sands assets alone, impacting the gearing ratio of the Group by 1.3%.

About Total

Total is a broad energy Group, which produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, more affordable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major.

Cautionary Note

This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. It contains information that was privileged until its release. The entities in which TOTAL S.A. directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TOTAL S.A. has no liability for their acts or omissions. In this document, the terms "Total", "Total Group" and Group are sometimes used for convenience. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them.

This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TOTAL S.A. nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005794/en/

Contacts:

Total Contacts

Media Relations: +33 1 47 44 46 99 l presse@total.com l @TotalPress

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:36:28|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States plans to withdraw 11,900 military personnel from Germany, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Wednesday.

Among the troops that would be withdrawn, nearly half will be repositioned within NATO countries, while the rest will be returned to the United States with some beginning rotational deployment back to Europe, the Pentagon chief told a news briefing.

Criticizing Berlin's "delinquency" on military spending, U.S. President Donald Trump last month ordered the U.S. military to withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany. Currently, about 36,000 U.S. troops are deployed in the European country. Enditem
A Fianna Fail meting was told that errors and U-turns this week were embarrassing for the party and that it had to get tighter grip on what it was doing in government.

Jennifer Murnane OConnor said that she and John McGuinness had been on Carlow-Kilkenny radio that morning, and had been 'savaged' in the public reaction by phone, text and social media while attempting to defend actions on the superjunior pay rises and the cancellation of pandemic unemployment payments for airport travellers.

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Cormac Devlin of Dun Laoghaire said governing was tough and decisions had to be taken, and all in the party accepted that. However he added: We could do without the errors.

Some TDs complained that the outside media had reported a major row on superjuniors, but in fact there had been no strident criticism.

People were bewildered to see in real time that it was being said there was a big row. There wasnt, said one. Another declared: Anything that was said, it was more in sorrow than in anger.

One Deputy told the Irish Independent: There is very little you can do as a Government backbencher, but the mood was very flat. It was if we were all down in the body of a plane and we know the terrorists have got into the cockpit. Its a [expletive deletive], but we dont have any control of it.

A TD commented: People were just a bit bewildered at this series of events, to be honest. Calling it an unfortunate series would be very kind. But we have to make the best of things now and try to do better.

The party had briefings on agriculture and restructuring of funding under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and were also briefed by Education Minister Norma Foley on the re-opening of schools.

Former Justice spokesman, now backbencher, Jim OCallaghan also spoke, to welcome the stimulus for business in the July plan and the reopening of schools, but said these two very positive developments had been entirely overshadowed by the controversies this week, also referring to them as errors.

Expand Close Jim OCallaghan said that positive developments had been entirely overshadowed by the controversies this week / Facebook

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Whatsapp Jim OCallaghan said that positive developments had been entirely overshadowed by the controversies this week

Other TDs said therere was nothing noteworthy to the meeting, that it was routine, and businesslike. There was also a discussion of the plight of the Debenhams workers laid off by the Irish chain store.

Party leader Micheal Martin wrapped up the two hour meeting acknowledging some items could have been handled better, but said the Government had also done much to re-boot the economy and restore community life and stability to homes, as would be shown by the return to school. He is due to meet the Debenhams workers today (Thurs).
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

Trend:

The Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan firmly condemns Armenia's attempts to distort the essence of the conflict [Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict] and consolidate the consequences of the occupation in any way, Trend reports on July 29 referring to the statement made by the Azerbaijani community.

Being Armenia's henchman, the so-called "regime", continuing to put forward absurd claims in connection with the format of negotiations, is trying to present itself as a "party to the conflict", the statement said.

As we have repeatedly stressed, the format of the negotiations held to resolve the conflict has been enshrined in the OSCE relevant decisions, as well as in the documents adopted during the final meeting in Helsinki in 1992, the statement said.

We reiterate that, as it was recognized by the whole world, the parties to the conflict are aggressor Armenia and Azerbaijan which was subjected to the aggression, the statement said. Therefore, the "statement" made in its own way by the so-called "formation" is worth less than the paper on which its "text" has been printed.

As for the 1994 ceasefire, Armenia used it to consolidate the consequences of the occupation of our territories, the statement said. During this period, Armenia by all means did not allow the settlement of the conflict, was engaged in illegal activity in the occupied territories, including illegal settlement.

Armenia's repeated attempts to change the format of the negotiations were rejected and firmly condemned by the international community, as well as by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the statement said.

However, the Armenian leadership, distraught with impunity, did not abandon this position, and continued to damage the fragile peace process by its steps serving the policy of annexation, the statement said. We witnessed this again on July 12, 2020.

It is obvious that Armenia is not interested in the peaceful settlement of the conflict, the statement said. But Armenia must know that its occupation of our territories will not last long. We, in any case, will return to the land of the forefathers, we will fully restore our stay there."

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.
SANTIAGO, July 29 (Reuters) - The Chilean government ruled out on Wednesday the privatization of state-owned mining giant Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, after a small group of lawmakers proposed to sell it off to raise funds for the coronavirus response.

An internal document attributed to the far-right Independent Democratic Union (UDI) party and leaked to Chilean media on Tuesday suggested selling it off among a series of measures to raise money for Chiles dwindling coffers amid the pandemic.

"Faced with the statements of some deputies who suggested the privatization of Codelco, I want to say emphatically that it is not part of the government program of the President (Sebastian) Pinera," said Minister of Mining Baldo Prokurica.

"Even in the extraordinary circumstances generated by the pandemic ... I totally rule out that there is an initiative in this matter," Prokurica said in a statement.

The Federation of Copper Workers (FTC), which groups together unions of the world's largest copper miner, also rejected the proposal on Tuesday, saying it would "bring Codelco to a halt before accepting any privatization attempt."

Chileans have often debated the privatization of Codelco, but the company continues to turn over all of its profits to the state.

The UDI internal document highlighted that the company, nationalized in 1971 by the socialist president Salvador Allende, in 2014 had a market value of about $50.5 billion.

"Privatizing the company would generate a very relevant income for the state, which could be used for social benefits. Moreover, privatization could continue generating income for the state through the collection of taxes and royalties," the document said.

The Chilean government has announced a series of social measures to support poor and working-class Chileans since the outbreak of the coronavirus in March, with a price tag worth around 12% of gross domestic product. (Reporting by Dave Sherwood Editing by Marguerita Choy)
NZ should not be hijacked by Five Eyes, observers warn after Wellington suspends extradition treaty with HK

Global Times

By Zhang Han Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/28 19:43:40

New Zealand on Tuesday announced the suspension of its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, the fourth country to do so in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, but Chinese analysts warned on Tuesday Wellington not to play petty tricks, hoping to show loyalty to the anti-China coalition without damaging bilateral ties with Beijing.

New Zealand's foreign minister Winston Peters said on Tuesday in a statement that it is important that the country responds proportionately and deliberately to the passage of the national security law for Hong Kong, which he claimed undermined the "one country, two systems" principle, local media reported Tuesday.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said New Zealand's move was based on a wrong interpretation of the national security legislation for Hong Kong and China reserves the right to further respond.

China urged New Zealand to stop meddling in Hong Kong's affairs in any form to further avoid damaging bilateral relations, ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at Tuesday's routine press conference.

On the same day, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the suspension of extradition treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, with Australia and the UK having halted their extradition agreements with Hong Kong earlier.

A similar policy could be imposed against New Zealand via the principles of reciprocity, analysts said, noting that China gave New Zealand some time to reconsider its stance over Hong Kong-related affairs but like the Foreign Ministry said, the Chinese government is unwavering on its determination to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Four members of the Five Eyes network have halted extradition agreements with Hong Kong and the US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to impose sanctions on Hong Kong, including ending the city's special status and tearing up an extradition treaty with it.

Washington has been re-molding the Five Eyes alliance in its devious campaign against China, and members of this alliance have been manipulated as chess pieces. Regretfully, New Zealand's latest move shows it finally joined the multinational anti-China coalition, Chen Hong, director of the New Zealand Studies Center at East China Normal University in Shanghai, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Suspending the treaty is a low-cost move for New Zealand to show its loyalty to the Five Eyes, but it is daydreaming to play petty tricks of pleasing the anti-China coalition without damaging its relationship with China, analysts said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday the country has a "mature" relationship with China, but Chen noted the country is aligning with the US, obviously overriding the China-New Zealand relationship.

Wellington should take comprehensive and far-sighted considerations when handling its relations with China.

"China values its relationship with New Zealand, and does not want bilateral relations to deteriorate, but regarding matters of China's core interests, we will definitely and resolutely respond," Chen said.

China is New Zealand's top trading partner since 2017. In 2019, 23 percent of New Zealand's total goods and services exports and 16 percent of imports by value were conducted with China. Two-way trade in goods and services was worth $33.4 billion, according to data from the New Zealand government.

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Border police checking whether or not travellers are in possession of a negative virus test is even worse than regular border checks, argues Luxembourg's Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean Asselborn.

Luxembourg residents going to Germany are required to carry a negative Covid-19 test with them. Luxembourg's Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean Asselborn met with the German ambassador this Wednesday morning to receive additional explanations.

After the meeting, Asselborn told RTL that he explained to the ambassador that Luxembourg is opposed to the idea of mandatory testing as an entry requirement. It is acceptable to test travellers at the airport but it would be unacceptable to force Luxembourg residents to present a negative test result when upon arrival at a land border, he said.

Asselborn violently opposed the idea of German police yet again pulling over drivers at the border in Wasserbillig solely to check whether or not they are in possession of a negative virus test. "We still don't know what happens if you didn't get tested [prior to entering Germany]; this still hasn't been defined yet," Asselborn lamented.

If land border checks were to resume, they would again trigger traffic jams and several other problems, the minister stressed.

According to Asselborn, requiring travellers to present a negative test result does not significantly differ from actual border checks. "If there's a test rule, everybody can be checked. We don't even know if cross-border workers are excluded from the rule. Everybody can be checked, just as was the case between March and 15 May," he said.

Asselborn continued: "We celebrated the reopening of borders [...] on 16 May. This cannot happen again. And I think it is important to remind Germany as long as no decision has been taken yet. [...] This is a political decision, and not a decision that can be taken by an institute."

The German ambassador will pass on Asselborn's recommendations to the German government. "It is a political decision and we hope that the people who take it are aware that they might cause great harm to the country," the minister reiterated. "We carry out more than 11,000 tests per 100,000 inhabitants; Germany carries out 500. It would be good if Germany put the numbers into context."

Asselborn added that there are currently no entry restrictions planned in Belgium and France.
Mark Makela

Celebrity victims rights lawyer and avowed feminist Lisa Bloom, whose reputation as a champion of women was ravaged by reports of her secret 2016 memo to Harvey Weinstein hyping her ability to trash actress Rose McGowan and other accusers of the disgraced movie mogul and convicted rapist, is once again in hot water.

In her attempts to seize a sizable portion of millions of dollars in settlement money awarded to two severely disabled autistic children by two different California school districts, Bloom is facing allegations of fraud and forgery, among other complaints by the childrens Oakland-based attorney, Micha Star Liberty.

Liberty argues that Bloom violated financial and other terms of a joint venture agreement with Libertys law firm and abandoned the agreement in late March, after seven months, without seeking court permission, notifying the clients, or obtaining their explicit written agreement for fee-sharing as required by lawwhile allegedly fabricating a fake letter with invalid signaturesand thus is not entitled to any money.

The families of Libertys clients, meanwhile, have filed formal ethics complaints against Bloom and three Bloom Firm colleagues with the State Bar of California.

Rose McGowan, who is suing Bloom, Weinstein, and Weinstein attorney David Boies for alleged racketeering and illegal wiretapping, among other complaints, told The Daily Beast in a text message: Lisa Bloom needs to be disbarred and fall off the planetIts hard to comprehend that level of evil.

I feel equipped to help you with the Roses of the world, because I have represented so many of them, Bloom wrote in her notorious memo to Weinstein that proposed, among other measures, launching a counterops online campaign to push back and call her out as a pathological liar. The memo continued: They start out as impressive, bold women, but the more one presses for evidence, the weaknesses and lies are revealed.

Through her law firms managing attorney, Arick Fudali, Bloomwho was said to be on vacation this weekargues that she lived up to her joint agreement with Liberty and placed liens on the settlements, blocking multimillion-dollar payments to the victims, because The Bloom Firm is only seeking its fair share of the attorneys fees and does not seek any of the clients portion.

Story continues

The Curious Case of Harvey Weinsteins Feminist Celebrity Attorney Lisa Bloom

In a lengthy statement (published in full at the bottom of this story), Fudali added: The Bloom Firm dissolved the joint venture with Liberty Law due to multiple complaints by Bloom Firm staff concerning the way they were treated by Micha Liberty. Bloom Firm employees described Ms. Libertys treatment as abusive and bullying. This was in direct contrast to the collaborative and empowering environment fostered by The Bloom Firm. As such, after multiple complaints about Ms. Libertys treatment of staff, The Bloom Firm dissolved the Joint Venture.

Liberty fired back: Here we have abuse survivors claiming that Lisa Bloom has acted unprofessionally and unethically, and her only response is essentially Michas a bitch? That misogynistic response sounds like a page taken straight from Harvey Weinsteins playbookand has nothing to do with the issues. The time for such attacks on women is over. Frankly, coming from her, I take that as a huge compliment.

Liberty added: Lisa Bloom also claims that she is not delaying any disbursement of funds. Yet here we are, literally months after the settlement was reachedand the clients have no money because of her ungrounded claims for attorneys fees. She can try to paint this with any brush that she wantsbut the actual picture will never, ever change.

A Zoom hearing on the dispute between Bloom and Liberty is scheduled for Thursday, with San Francisco-based U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler presiding.

Oh my God, what a nightmare, longtime California malpractice lawyer Karen Goodman told The Daily Beast, noting that she has been retained by the parents and guardians of Libertys autistic clients Brennon B and I.Vvictims of sexual assault and physical and emotional abuse, respectivelyto compel Bloom to remove the liens.

She has her hand out based on forged documents, thats the most amazing part about it, Goodman added (although Bloom contends that the documents and signatures are authentic and legally valid). They purported to have had the minor children sign via DocuSign. They didnt even pretend it was the guardians who had signed it. I had to do a double-take. When Micha called me on it, I didnt believe it. I thought there must be some grayer areayou get cynical in your years. But man, this is not only a forgery, its a bad forgery.

The main alleged forgerya typo-dotted letter complete with Micha Libertys printed signature in italic script and the Liberty Law Office letterhead, dated Sept. 20, 2019begins Dear Brennon.

Brennon B is a severely autistic young man who had extremely low verbal skills and difficulty with social engagement, including but not limited to, the ability to (a) understand social cues, (b) understand right from wrong, and (c) to communicate internal emotions and conflict, along with the mental and emotional capacity of a six to seven-year-old child, according to his lawsuit against the West Contra Costa Unified School District alleging years of repeated instances of sexual assault on school property by fellow special-needs students and a member of the teaching staff.

I write to follow up on my email two weeks ago when I shared the exciting news that Liberty Law is now formally collaborated with The Bloom Firm, the letter continues. Lisa Bloom and I have each established successful law firms premised on the same founding principle: To tend to and cherish the legal rights of those who need advocacy and protection.

Clients Turn on Champion for Women Lisa Bloom After Her Scorched-Earth Crusade for Harvey Weinstein

The letter goes on: I want to make clear that regardless of the addition of Bloom Firm lawyers to your team, you will never be charged any additional attorney fees higher than those specified in our agreement dated June 16, 2016. The attorney fee percentage you will pay remains identical and I always [sic] be the lead lawyer representing you. I have agreed to split my share of any attorney fees collected equally with The Bloom Firm; the letter then requests a signature consenting to a fee arrangement in which Liberty Law and The Boom [sic] Firm would equally share the proceeds of 33 percent, 40 percent, or 45 percent of the proceeds, depending on the legal work required should a trial occur.

At the bottom of the page, there is a handwritten scrawl below the statement: I have read this letter and agree that the above information is correctapparently a signature purported to be that of Brennons legal guardian and mother, Bellinda B.

In a declaration to the court, however, Bellinda B. states: I have never, nor would I ever, sign any document hiring or agreeing to pay the Bloom Firm or any of its attorneys any money on BBs behalf. This lien is a lie.

Brennons mother added that when Micha Liberty emailed her last year that she was considering bringing Bloom into the case, I called her to discuss the email with her. During our call, I expressed that I was concerned that Ms. Bloom appeared to me to be an ineffective advocate for sexual assault survivors and seemed to me to be merely concerned with her media image and own financial gain Because of my trust in Ms. Libertys [judgment] and her trust in the word of Ms. Bloom, I reluctantly agreed to allow some of the Bloom Firm staff to work on BBs case under Ms. Libertys direct supervision and direction.

The Bloom Firm, meanwhile, claimed in a court filing that Brennons mother is a liar, calling her declaration blatantly and demonstrably false Not only is the declaration false, but [Liberty] knew the Signed Fee Sharing Agreement existed, knew the sworn declaration was false, and nevertheless, filed it with this Court. Even worse, [Liberty] had Bellinda B. file frivolous ethics complaints against [The Bloom Firm] based upon this lie, and then, upon information and belief, leaked the false story to a reporter in an attempt to gain a tactical advantage and keep attorneys fees to which it was not entitled. (California-based NBC reporter Tyler Kingkade filed a story on the dispute in late June.)

In her own court declaration, Liberty stated: Unbeknownst to me, the Bloom Firm sent a letter to Bellinda B. via email. The letter was directly addressed to the disabled Plaintiff. Tellingly, I was not copied on this email and was never sent any communication by the Bloom Firm informing me that such an email was sent. The letter was drafted on my offices letterhead and purportedly had my signature on it.

I did not authorize the sending of the September 20, 2019 letter. I did not draft the September 20, 2019 letter. I did not sign the September 20, 2019 letter. I did not send the September 20, 2019 letter. I did not, and would not have, submitted the September 20, 2019 letter to Plaintiffs guardian ad litem as drafted given that it was directed towards the Plaintiff rather than his guardian ad litem, Bellinda B.

In a third court declaration, Libertys associate Ian Hansen attached an email he sent to The Bloom Firms Arick Fudali stating that questionable letters were created by your paralegal on Liberty Law Office letterhead. They purport to have Michas signature on them, but they are not signed by her, and she states that she never saw them before they were sent Micha certainly did not authorize [the Bloom Firm paralegal] to send these letters or sign them on her behalf. Unfortunately, [the Bloom Firm paralegal] has a history of creating and filing documents that he misrepresents are from Liberty Law Office when they are not.

The second multimillion-dollar settlement on which Bloom has placed a lien involves I.V., a 7-year-old autistic girl who sued the Vacaville Unified School District after her physical and emotional abuse by a school bus driver was caught on video and received intense media coverage.

In his own court declaration, I.V.s father and guardian Ron V. likewise denied ever signing a document in which he agreed to fee-sharing by Lisa Bloom.

Celebrity Feminist Lawyer Lisa Blooms Critics Distrust Her Post-Weinstein Rehab

In early September, the internet exploded with shocking and troubling information about Lisa Bloom, Ron V. declared, referring to the revelations about her work for Weinstein. I was appalled to learn about her conduct and aggressive tactics. She was the opposite of what I thought abuse victims advocates should be and although I did not want her associated with my daughters case, I remained silent

On or around March 20, 2020, Ms. Liberty called to tell me that the Bloom Firm had decided to no longer co-counsel on my daughters case effective immediately. I was relieved because I thought they were a detriment to IVs case due to Ms. Blooms continuous bad press coverage.

Here is the full response from Bloom Firm managing attorney Arick Fudali:

This is a simple contractual dispute between two law firms. Unfortunately, Liberty Law has placed her own clients in the center of this dispute, using them to their detriment, and is publicly manipulating this dispute to defame The Bloom Firm to gain leverage in the currently-pending arbitration proceeding between our firms.

The Bloom Firm dissolved the joint venture with Liberty Law due to multiple complaints by Bloom Firm staff concerning the way they were treated by Micha Liberty. Bloom Firm employees described Ms. Libertys treatment as abusive and bullying. This was in direct contrast to the collaborative and empowering environment fostered by The Bloom Firm. As such, after multiple complaints about Ms. Libertys treatment of staff, The Bloom Firm dissolved the Joint Venture.

During the Joint Venture, The Bloom Firm hired the entire staff of attorneys and paralegals to run Liberty Laws cases, trained and paid all salaries of staff, paid office and case expenses for them, and allowed the cases to go forward for its deserving clients. In addition, Bloom Firm attorneys and staff in our LA and NY offices contributed significant time and work on the cases. Liberty Law refuses to live up to its written promises made, necessitating the arbitration. The Bloom Firm filed an arbitration against Liberty Law on June 3, 2020.

Regarding the liens, The Bloom Firm is only seeking its fair share of the attorneys fees and does not seek any of the clients portion. The Bloom Firm does not wish to delay the clients receiving their portion of the funds and intends to tell the Court to release the clients portion of the funds immediately at the forthcoming hearing. As stated in our filing (attached), the guardians of our former clients agreed in writing to give consent to the joint representation of TBF and LLO, to split attorneys fees obtained by their recovery in the case between TBF and LLO, and to apply the terms of the original retainer agreement to all attorneys who worked on their case. As also stated in our filing (attached), Ms. Liberty helped draft the Agreement and agreed to it being sent to the clients.

The global pandemic has forced many offices in Los Angeles to close their doors. As a safety precaution, The Bloom Firm employees are working from home and The Bloom Firm is using a P.O. Box for convenience of receiving and sending mail, when necessary.

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During his testimony to a congressional committee, US attorney general Bill Barr made an innocuous analogy to ordering a pizza  and sent QAnon conspiracy theorists into a frenzy.

Mr Barrs allusion came in an exchange with Republican congressman Tom McClintock, who was questioning attorney general over the investigation into Trump presidential campaigns ties to Russia.

Asked whether he could prevent the investigation from becoming a precedent for future election interference by corrupt officials in our justice and intelligence agencies, Mr Barr answered: No, I really cannot predict that.

As you know, these matters are being looked into. Covid did delay that action for a while ... Justice is not something you order up on a schedule like ordering a pizza.

The reference to pizza in a discussion about alleged corruption immediately triggered a response from QAnon followers, who believe the word to be a slang term used by a satanic paedophile cabal at the heart of the deep state.

Recommended Why Twitter launched major crackdown on QAnon conspiracy theory

Some QAnon-aligned Twitter users immediately seized on the word and its apparent implications, as well as the direction of Mr Barr's gaze as he addressed the committe.

AG Barr just said in the judiciary 'justice is not something you order up on a schedule like you're ordering a pizza, wrote one, Then he immediately looks at the dems on the left. HE FREAKING KNOWS!"

Another tweeted: Did you notice at the hearing Barr said, 'Justice is not something you order like a pizza and have delivered when you want it,' as he purposefully glared up at the bench with a stone-cold death stare ... Priceless! #pizzagate

Holy shit I heard that, another replied.

QAnon is a sprawling web of unfounded conspiracy theories that have attracted thousands of followers, including multiple congressional candidates on the ballot this November.

It centres around a mysterious figure, known only as Q, who posts cryptic messages on internet forums that followers believe to describe an upcoming purge of the deep state", which will supposedly be led by Donald Trump and his allies.

The theory claims this purge will lead to day of reckoning for various prominent people such as the Clintons, Oprah Winfrey, the late Jeffrey Epstein, and countless other elite and mostly left-wing figures. Among the assorted theories tied together by the QAnon ideology is the notion that these people exchange messages about their kidnapped child victims using a coded lexicon of different foods.

This particular theory is known as Pizzagate. It first emerged during the 2016 presidential campaign, when hacked Democratic party emails released by Wikileaks showed staff discussing pizza, pasta and assorted other edibles.

As users on 4chan and Reddit pored over the emails for nefarious details, the theory soon sprang up that the word pizza refers to a young girl provided for sexual abuse. Hotdog was claimed to denote a boy, with cheese and pasta describing particularly young girls and boys.

While Pizzagate appears absurd to outsiders, some of its adherents take it worryingly seriously.

In December 2016, a man arrived at the Washington, DC pizza restaurant whose basement was theorised to be the site of the paedophile operation and stormed it with an assault rifle. His attempt to rescue children supposedly held in the basement there proved pointless; he discovered not only that there were no children, but also that the restaurant has no basement.
(Natural News) A Back the Blue event that was scheduled to take place on July 25 in Long Island has been tampered with by Facebook, which reportedly removed its official event page for no apparent reason.

After receiving more than 6,300 RSVPs, Long Islands Back the Blue rally page suddenly disappeared, prompting Law Enforcement Today (LET) national spokesperson Kyle Reyes to bring it to the attention of Fox and Friends First.

Speaking to Fox News correspondent Todd Piro, Reyes explained that Facebook pulled down the page on July 23, just two days before the event was scheduled to occur.

Now we know that Facebook has taken down the pages of other rallies and events over the last six months, Reyes further explained. We just didnt expect it to happen with the Back the Blue event.

According to Reyes, upwards of 10,000 people were expected to attend this Back the Blue rally, and it was going to be one heck of a turnout. How many people actually showed up as a result of the events disappearance from Facebook remains unknown.

We are doing this because somebody has to, Reyes further added, drawing attention to Facebooks censorship problem. Evil triumphs when good men and women do nothing. And we were sick and tired of good men and women doing nothing.

Top Big Tech CEOs to appear before Congress concerning censorship, antitrust violations

This would hardly be the first time that Facebook removed a page expressing viewpoints contrary to the leftist narrative. Concerning the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), for example, Facebook has pulled down pages questioning mask safety, as well as those that defy governments guidance on social distancing, the BBC reported.

Meanwhile, far-left groups like Smash Racism D.C., a chapter of Antifa, were allowed to post events talking about breaking curfew requirements and rioting in the streets while everyone was supposed to be at home staying safe from the virus.

Another Antifa group known as All Out D.C. openly posted an event calling on people to gather in front of the White House for a protest, even though large events were prohibited at the time it was posted.

We reject D.C.s attempts to criminalize protesters and the notion of a peaceful protest, wrote yet another far-left group known as Black Lives Matter D.C.

A shocking 119 different violent Antifa groups still have a presence on Facebook, with a collective follower base of nearly 352,000 users. One of these is said to have been responsible for terrorizing the home of Fox News personality Tucker Carlson, having cracked the front door of his residence.

The selective censorship situation at Facebook is so dire that the federal government is having to get involved in trying to sort out the potential antitrust violations of this Silicon Valley behemoth.

A number of other tech CEOs are also scheduled to appear in front of Congress for a hearing about their own censorship activities and antitrust violations, including the heads of Amazon, Apple and Google.

Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg will all reportedly face a barrage of questions about the various company practices, including allegations of anti-competitive behavior.

Since last June, the Subcommittee has been investigating the dominance of a small number of digital platforms and the adequacy of existing antitrust laws and enforcement, stated House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline in a joint statement.

Given the central role these corporations play in the lives of the American people, it is critical that their CEOs are forthcoming. As we have said from the start, their testimony is essential for us to complete this investigation.

To keep up with the latest news about Facebook censorship, be sure to check out Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

Newsbusters.org

NaturalNews.com

TechCrunch.com
Over 30 Chinese migrants were deported from Laos last week after they were caught entering the country illegally, sparking concerns over border controls as new cases of COVID-19 infection begin to appear in Laos and in neighboring Vietnam.



The 34 had crossed into Phongsaly provinces Yot Ou district from the southern Chinese province of Yunnan on July 19 and were quickly spotted by area residents, who alerted Lao police, a district police official told RFAs Lao Service on July 28.



They came in and somebody on a large bus was there waiting for them, the police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. They were held for one day and then deported back to their own country.



The Chinese, who were arrested for violations of the immigration law, told police they had entered Laos as tourists, the official said.



They entered Laos illegally, a member of the provincial task force for COVID-19 control and prevention confirmed to RFA on July 28. They were all Chinese and were deported. We handed them over to the Chinese police.



The Chinese did not enter the districts Long Thang village when they arrived, but walked along a small road toward the main road nearby, a village official said.



They were looking at some kind of paper while they walked. It might have been a map, he said.



A district health worker said that none of the detained Chinese showed signs of fever when their temperatures were taken, but a resident of the districts Marythou village about 20 km. away voiced concern that unrestricted travel across the border will leave Laos exposed to COVID-19.



Were afraid that the Chinese will bring the virus to us, he said.



Laos shares a 250-mile (420 km) land border with Chinas Yunnan province. Scholars who monitor Chinese migration into Laos put the population of Chinese in the country of 7 million at 200,000 in 2006, mostly recent immigrants, with some 10,000 coming every year.



LInks to foreign arrivals



New cases of COVID infection in Laos and Vietnam have been linked to recent foreign entry into those countries, both from China and from other countries.



In Laos, a 32-year-old South Korean technical expert working on the Nam Ngiep 1 dam project in Bolikhamxay province tested positive on July 23 after flying from Japan to Laos Vientiane International Airport via South Korea.



Meanwhile, Vietnam on July 23 confirmed two new cases of infection, breaking a streak of no new cases in 99 days, and at least 18 were confirmed this week in the coastal city of Danang, with three others also listed in the nearby province of Quang Nam and one in Quang Ngai, according to state media reports.



Vietnam had previously been among the most successful countries in tackling COVID-19, reporting no deaths among its 95 million peoplea record that was attributed to effective contact tracing, strict quarantines, early testing and residual wariness of China after a 2003 outbreak of SARS.



Vietnamese officials in Danang and other cities and provinces have meanwhile discovered dozens of Chinese who entered the country illegally and were found staying in local hotels and other facilities in July.



On July 29, Deputy Minister of Defense Col Gen. Le Chiem chaired an emergency meeting with other government departments to urge strict handling of cases of illegal entry into Vietnam, noting that Vietnamese border forces had detained over 15,000 people who had crossed into the country without permission since late January.



All of these had been sent to quarantine centers in various locations and were being watched for signs of ill health, he said, according to state media reports.



Two days before, on July 27, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc called on the ministries of defense and public security to maintain strict border controls, especially at crossings and border gates, urging responsible authorities in all provinces to make efforts to identify illegal immigrants and place them under medical observation.



The Vietnam-China land border is 870 miles (1,450 km) long and crosses thinly populated mountainous areas inhabited by ethnic minorities of the two countries.



Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Huy Le. Written in English by Richard Finney.
* Pays record H1 dividend of $1.55 a share; no special payout

* Jacques to front Australian senate over caves blast next week

* Rio sees Guinea's Simandou being developed 'with or without us'

MELBOURNE - July 29 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto said on Wednesday it saw a sharp V-shaped recovery in China as stimulus spurred industrial activity, helping its first-half profit handily beat market expectations. Rio Tinto is the first of the major iron ore miners to report results from a first half marked by coronavirus-induced disruptions but also by high iron ore prices.

"We believe that China has enjoyed a very steep V-shaped recovery," CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques said on a call. "Today we see it as that the demand for steel and iron ore in China is very, very strong and order books are full," Jacques said. That rebound helped it report half-year underlying earnings of $4.75 billion, beating a consensus of $4.36 billion from 16 analysts compiled by Vuma.

Iron ore accounted for 96% of Rio's underlying earnings. Rio is the world's largest iron ore miner. It declared a record dividend of $1.55 per share, up from $1.51 last year and bang on expectations but refrained from paying out a special dividend as some analysts had hoped, suggesting a more cautious view for the remainder of the year.

"Rio's resilience and the very strong balance sheet supports the small increase in the dividend," said Richard Marwood, senior fund manager at Royal London Asset Management, which holds shares in the miner.

"Commodity prices will be driven by the shape of the global economic recovery, but Rio is well placed to cope with whatever comes next, given its strong finances and high quality asset base." Rio's London-listed shares were up 1.5% by 1040 GMT, outpacing a 0.6% rise in the wider market .

The demand recovery story outside China remained uncertain, Jacques said. "In other major economies like the U.S and Europe, the recovery is much more tentative," he said.

"Big questions remain over the trajectory of consumer spending globally in the face of significant levels of unemployment." Rio said in its earnings statement that it had taken a $1 billion impairment charge, largely related to four of its aluminium smelters as well as its Diavik diamond mine in Canada. High power prices forced Rio to close its New Zealand smelter this year and to ask Icelandic regulators to address what it called discriminatory power pricing for its ISAL smelter. Its Australian aluminium businesses remains under review.

"We are having a lot of private conversations for all our smelters in Aus. Those are challenging conversations, there is no doubt about it, and we are working hard in order to find a solution," Jacques said. Free cash flow tumbled 28% as the miner spent more on development projects and tax payments, but analysts at Jefferies remained upbeat about its prospects. Higher metal prices and relatively stable unit costs should help free cash flow improve sequentially in the second half, they said, and suggested Rio could pay a special dividend with its full-year results.

"We have continued to pay the same level of taxes, same level of employment, the same dividend," Chief Financial Officer Jakob Stausholm told Reuters. "But for a special dividend, it's better to wait a moment to make such considerations."

Jacques said he will front an Australian Senate enquiry next week over Rio's destruction of two sacred caves of historic significance in Western Australia. The results from a separate board-led review into the incident is due to conclude in October. Rio expects Guinea's giant Simandou iron ore reserve to be developed, as China looks to diversify its sourcing away from the Australians and Vale in Brazil.

Guinea in June signed an agreement with a consortium for the development of the giant reserve after it won a $14 billion tender last November to develop the blocks which hold more than 2 billion tonnes of high-grade ore.
29.07.2020 LISTEN

Since early 2020, Covid19 has changed the world in a way we could never have imagined.

With millions of people infected and hundreds of thousands of deaths, attention is focused on a way out of the current crisis that is still severely affecting private life and global economy. The focus is on finding a cure and better restoring the economy.

Maybe more green and more human ..?

Long before WHO has informed us about the airborne spread of the virus (1), it became clear that people living in certain limited conditions could be significantly more susceptible to the disease (2,3), and as the COVID19 crisis continued, 'fatal inequalities' became increasingly apparent (4).

Poor communities, coloured or indigenous peoples not only suffer from inadequate health services and pre-existing diseases that increase their exposure to the virus, but often also live in places that are polluted by the environment.

Air pollution from various sources such as traffic, local burns and forest fires, but also from industry, affects the health of people living next to emission epicentres and more and more all of us. Globally it kills an estimated 7 million people a year and, according to WHO, 9 out of 10 people breathe air with high levels of pollutants (5), making us vulnerable to attackers like COVID19, which specifically target the weakened immune system and lungs (6).

The global fight against air pollution requires a special focus in low and middle income countries, where health systems are often underdeveloped and the catch up in economic growth is taking its toll.

While many of these countries have guidelines along with international commitments to reduce key sources of air pollution, they often lack implementation and necessary clean investment.

If we take the example of Indonesia, which today has the world's fourth largest population with 273 million people, we can see a developed Asian nation, a G20 member with very respectable economic growth ahead of Covid19.

The success story of the resource-rich country is partly due to massive investments in the production industry. Many investments are foreign investments from China, Japan, Korea, the United States, Europe and other parts of the world. It is a traditional heavy industry or basic consumer goods industry that feeds the strong domestic growth engine.

The technologies used are not always state of the art. Some investors build industrial workbenches for their products with little investment based on old or specially "adapted technologies".

While the government has difficulty in improving and regulating emissions from its huge industrial sectors, it is also considered part of its own industrial emissions problems because it emphasizes the role of fossil, and particularly of coal for power production. This type of emission-intensive generation is expected to grow disproportionately in their power capacity addition plans until 2025 while only part of the space is available for renewable energies that use the country's hydro and geothermal resources, there are currently enormous opportunities for solar and wind power left far behind (7, 8).

A green recovery for Indonesia could change the situation. It will take industrial transformation expertise and collective will to develop a healthy win-win strategy to cut emissions, create green jobs, and further promote the young nation's economic growth based on a stepwise transition to a low carbon economy.

The benefits of such an industrial transformation are obvious, since a sustainable industrial strategy that focuses on clean technologies, circular economy and renewable energies will promote Indonesia's long-term competitiveness.

It will make Indonesia a solid partner in fulfilling international obligations such as the 2015 Paris Agreement, bring in new green investments and reduce the burden on its own Health care system by reducing diseases caused by air pollution..

and ..

it will give the weakest among us a better chance of a good and healthy life.

______________________

DR. Wolfram Kalt,

Expert for Industrial Transformation

Literature:

(1) https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations

(2) https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/the-deadly-link-between-covid-19-and-air-pollution/

(3) https://e360.yale.edu/features/connecting-the-dots-between-environmental-injustice-and-the-coronavirus

(4) https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2020/04/10/covid-19-health-care-inequalities/

(5) https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1

(6) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health

(7) https://www.agora-energiewende.de/fileadmin2/Partnerpublikationen/2019/2019-03-07-SPM_Roadmap_for_Indonesia_Power_Sector.pdf

(8) https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/05/20/ri-s-clean-energy-program-faces-setback.html
Bad timing: COVID compounds woes of Renault-Nissan alliance FILE PHOTO: The logos of car manufacturers Nissan and Renault are pictured at a dealership Kyiv

By Gilles Guillaume and Naomi Tajitsu

PARIS/TOKYO (Reuters) - Record losses reported this week first by Nissan <7201.T> then its alliance partner Renault <RENA.PA> confirmed a harsh reality - automakers that already had weaknesses are having them mercilessly exposed by the COVID-19 epidemic.

All the world's car companies have been in crisis at one time or another in the past few years, but it so happens that the virus hit just as the Renault-Nissan alliance faced its own reckoning after the messy ouster of its architect Carlos Ghosn.

That leaves Renault and partners Nissan and Mitsubishi <7211.T> vulnerable to what Carlos Tavares, boss of rival PSA <PEUP.PA>, described as a "totally Darwinian period" in global automaking.

COVID-19, combined with other headwinds facing the industry, "will winnow out the ones that are agile and frugal, and the ones that aren't," Tavares, whose own company reported a first-half profit this week, told France's Les Echos newspaper.

Unveiling its financial performance for the first six months of this year on Thursday, Renault said it posted a net loss of 7.29 billion euros ($8.6 billion).

A large share of that was the spillover effect on Renault of losses at Nissan. The Japanese firm said on Tuesday it was gearing up for a $4.5 billion annual operating loss.

For both companies, the losses were their biggest on record.

Luca de Meo, a former executive with Volkswagen <VOWG_p.DE> who started work as Renault CEO on July 6, said while the whole auto sector is feeling the effects of COVID-19, Renault was extra vulnerable because of its pre-existing problems.

"We were already, I would say, feverish. So for sure it is even harder for us," he told analysts on Thursday. "Today's results will be a disturbing wake up call."

The alliance says it has a turnaround plan. It has said it will cut vehicle ranges by a fifth, slash thousands of jobs, and double down on a plan for alliance members to cooperate more closely on car production.

Story continues

IS GLOBAL GOOD?

Interviewed by a newspaper in Lebanon where he fled from Japan, Ghosn took his own swipe at his old employers on July 20, calling their results "pathetic" and driven as much by a lack of joint leadership as the COVID-19 pandemic.

A major handicap for the alliance is that its global footprint, once a strength, has become a vulnerability.

While European sales have started to recover, demand has been slow to pick up in North America, Nissan's biggest market, as a surge in coronavirus infections in the past month has kept many people away from car dealerships.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi has been stung by declining demand in southeast Asia, its biggest market, which was affected by the coronavirus later than other regions.

The alliance has for years countered the effects of an ageing model range by discounting, but that ate into margins, leaving it little cushion in a crisis.

In the quarter that ended in June, Nissan's operating margin fell to -13.1% from 0.2% a year ago. In comparison, PSA posted a group margin of 2.1% for the first half.

Renault executives said on Thursday the alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi was more vital than ever to get them through this difficult patch.

Some investors also see the partnership - which can deliver cost savings by allowing alliance members to share research and development costs and platforms - as the route out of the crisis.

"Renault is among those (carmakers) than can remain independent, as long as they continue to reinforce their cooperation," said Denis Schemoul, analyst with IHS Markit, speaking before Thursday's Renault results.

But in a nod to how the world has changed since Ghosn forged the alliance and made it into one of the big success stories of global commerce, Renault said for now it would focus on its home turf of Europe and rein in big investments further afield.

Referring to Renault and Nissan, de Meo said: "The first priority is for both companies to focus and fix their miseries internally."

(Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by David Holmes)
Nearly 23 years after Sukhoi aircraft were imported, a fleet of five French-manufactured Rafale multi-role combat jets touched down in India, giving the country's air power a strategic edge over its adversaries in the neighbourhood. The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.

The Rafales were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space. "The Birds have landed safely in Ambala," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted.

Singh said "the touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History. These multirole aircrafts will revolutionise the capabilities of the IAF". The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42. The fleet, comprising three single seater and two twin seater aircraft, are being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

A government statement on Monday said 10 Rafale jets were delivered to India and that five of them are staying back in France for training missions. The delivery of all 36 aircraft will be completed on schedule by the end of 2021, it added. The Rafale jets, known for air-superiority and precision strikes, are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran. The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy. Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official. Though the jets are being inducted into the IAF on Wednesday, there will be formal ceremony in mid-August to welcome them into the force. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top military brass of the country are expected to attend the event.

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India. The jets were also refulled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet, according to the Indian Embassy in France.

The first Rafale jet was handed over to the IAF in October last year during a visit to France by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala airbase, the second one will based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

The Ambala base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF as the Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from it. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets. India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by AK Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale. After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder). In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology. The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.
Fianna Fail TD for Laois-Offaly Barry Cowen has welcomed the decision by Offaly County Council to grant planning permission for a meat processing plant at Banagher, County Offaly.

Deputy Cowen has said that a decision from the Immigrant Investor Programme to reject applications from investors involved in the project at Banagher will put the project in jeopardy.

He commented, The decisions by Offaly County Council to grant planning is a positive one. This is a 40m project which will provide West Offaly with 250 construction jobs and a further 150 jobs in the operation of the plant.

The meat processing plant offers a unique and welcome opportunity to create jobs. People do not need to be reminded of the devastating impact of jobs losses in the region from Bord Na Mona and the ESB plants recently.

The meat processing plant will open up opportunities to the Asian market for Irish beef farmers, thus helping boost incomes for farm families.

Some of the investors in this project made applications under the Immigrant Investor Programmes (IIP) open to applicants that invest over 1m. To my utter dismay and disbelief an evaluation committee which assesses these applications, made up of senior officials from Government Departments and State Agencies has rejected the applications. They conclude the project would appear not appropriate for project approval.

READ NEXT: 'I was flattened' - Offaly Covid-19 survivor speaks about battle with 'horrible virus'

Beef and suckler farmers crave new markets. The government policy for the past ten years has sought to open Asian markets which this project will exclusively supply.

The Local Authority, the support of the community, assistance from the Department of Agriculture, Bord Bia, and others have backed this project. Yet, a nameless committee deciding on an IIP application has brought the entire project into doubt. This decision needs to be reconsidered and their decision process outlined in full, concluded Deputy Cowen.

You can read more about this project in this week's Midland Tribune.
One of the UK's largest sellers of FFP2 respirator-masks has shown that London and Yorkshire top the polls as the biggest buyers of masks ahead of tightened face-covering rules

LONDON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- New figures from UK consumer healthcare company Clinova, makers of the Covaflu FFP2 respirator mask, have shown the most popular locations in the UK for buying masks.

The top 5 areas for mask sales as identified by Clinova when analysing the thousands of orders received since the new rules were announced are:

London 18.8% Yorkshire 9.2% Surrey 7.4% Kent 4.1% Hampshire 3.8%

This data comes as it is now compulsory for shoppers in England to wear face masks in enclosed spaces, such as shops and takeaways. Face coverings have already been made mandatory on public transport.

The figures show a wide distribution of orders across the UK in a clear indication that people everywhere are taking stock of the message that mask-wearing is an important factor in beating coronavirus. The areas that bought the least masks (excluding areas with low populations) included Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Tyne and Wear.

London has recorded the largest number of orders, accounting for almost 20% of the total. While Clinova has sold its masks to almost every geographical area of the UK, the statistics show that major urban centres nationwide are hotspots for sales.

Clinova Chief Strategy Officer, John Honey, said: "It is great to see that right across the country, the message that wearing a mask will help slow the spread of coronavirus is getting across. The concentration of orders we have seen around urban centres, not just in the top 5 areas but in locations such as Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, gives an indication that people in cities feel less confident of their ability to always stay socially distanced, so are seeking the extra protection of a respirator mask. Covaflu is designed not just to filter out risks, but to be more comfortable to wear for long periods, which is why many healthcare workers buy it to use in clinical settings."

Unlike simple face coverings, respirator masks such as Covaflu FFP2 are particle-filtering face masks, which can help protect against smaller particles.

Covaflu masks are available at a variety of retailers. To get 30% off, go to covaflu.com using code CLINOVA30.
The on Wednesday held a protest march against the new regime announced by the BJP-led South Municipal Corporation.

Senior party leader and PAC member Durgesh Pathak was among the members who participated in the protest.

The protest march started from the party headquarters and police stopped the protesters before they reached the BJP headquarters.

They were detained and taken to Rajinder Nagar police station. "All of them were released later," said a senior police officer.

"Volunteers, Aam Aadmi Party leaders and councillors will continue opposing this decision at every level. The will fight against this decision inside the SDMC house and also on the streets. The AAP has promised the people of that it will force the Bharatiya Janata Party to withdraw this decision," said Pathak.

The BJP-led South Municipal Corporation on Monday approved levying of professional on salaried individuals and others, amid furore from opposition AAP which protested the move in the SDMC House.

The House also approved the hike in property transfer and postponed the decision on electricity tax hike.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Here are two good opportunities for readers to express themselves in meaningful ways against the craziness of the moment.

First, for our Seattle area readers, next Monday the Seattle Commissars City Council will vote on defunding the police, which could result in reducing the number of officers by as many as 800. What a great idea!/sarc. There is an online petition you can sign to express your opposition to this madness.

Second, for our readers everywhere who are alumni of Yale University, you can help fight back against the relentless political correctness of Yale by supporting the petition candidacy of Victor Ashe for Yales Governing Board. Ashe was the longtime mayor of Knoxville, TN, and then served as U.S. ambassador to Poland, and hes intent on shaking up Yales complacent and compliant leftism. (You can read his statement here.) Yale makes it cumbersome for a petition candidate to qualify for the ballot to be elected to the board; it requires 4,394 alumni signatures by October 1st, but Victor has already gathered over 2,400.

Its been 18 years since Yale even had a petition candidate on the ballot and the last trustee elected in such a manner was William Horowitz (the first Jewish member of the board) in 1965. So if youre a Yale alum who would like a practical way to register your displeasure with the state of things, you can sign the petition for Victor online here.
Beijings Suspension of Hong Kongs Elections Only Prolongs the Inevitableand Will Backfire

Commentary

Pro-Beijing media outlets broke the news late on July 28 of another bombshell ruling on Hong Kong that was handed down from Chinas central authorities in Beijing.

Sing Tao and HK01the latter of which was the first to report that the infamous Hong Kong National Security Law was formally on the agenda for Junes meeting of Chinas rubber-stamp legislatureclaim, citing official sources, that the Hong Kong government will request that the National Peoples Congress (NPC) agree to an unprecedented postponement for an entire year of hotly anticipated elections to the Legislative Council (LegCo), scheduled for September.

While the recent rapid rise in coronavirus cases in Hong Kong is cited as the reason for the delay, weeks of pro-Beijing figures demanding the elections be called off betrays the fact that its a nakedly political decision. All the signs were pointing to a humiliating defeat of pro-government parties on a scale even larger than in the 2019 local elections, particularly after the recent stunning success of the pro-democracy camps primary.

What the authorities dont realize is that if, as expected, Beijing proceeds with the postponement of the elections, it will likely prove to be a historic mistake.

The news comes as democracy supporters began to receive notice that they would, in fact, be able to appear on the ballot, after weeks of speculation that Beijing would seek to auto-disqualify all anti-government candidates. In practice, the delay is of such a length as to effectively mean the elections have been canceled.

In essence, the authorities are gambling that the intervening year will see heads in the pro-democracy camp drop and the movement run out of steamas opposed to simply prolonging the inevitable in the form of a crushing defeat for pro-Beijing parties.

The ebbing of the protests in recent months, something that many had expected would escalate after the passing of the National Security Law, seems to have gone to Beijings head. The authorities seem unaware of how, in large part, thats due to the consensus forming among democrats that the elections, held only once every four years, constituted their best chance to land more blows on the already bruised authorities than any immediate resumption of the protests.

Widespread fears of arrest under the new law are very real, but front-line protesters in particular, who spent the latter half of last year engaged in increasingly ferocious battles with the police, wont be deterred in the long term by the passage of any law, no matter how draconian.

Thus, to view the current calm on the streets of Hong Kong as anything other than a temporary lull is a deception bordering on delusion, which the suspension of the elections will likely only expose in spectacular fashion with the inevitable return of the clashes of last year.

An extended period of calm as the pandemic continues to disrupt ordinary life in the city is likely, but will soon dissipate as and when a vaccine is found and distributed. The postponement of the elections, as with the passage of the National Security Law, will only serve to further enrage democrats and exacerbate the ferocious undercurrents and division among Hong Kongs society, which is set to explode once more.

Once the formal announcement is made, all eyes are will be on the response from the free world. After the unveiling of the National Security Law, many nations, including the United States, placed a striking emphasis on the importance of the elections going ahead as planned when discussing a response. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo remarked at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit that how the elections would be conducted will tell us everything we need to know about the Chinese Communist Partys intentions with respect to freedom in Hong Kong.

Now that the elections have been all but canceled, China hawks in the Trump administration, including Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro, will have real ammunition to push for immediate, punitive repercussions against Beijing.

Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and analyst Gordon Chang have led calls for China to be immediately cut off from Swift, the U.S. dollar payment system widely used in international trade and investment deals, in a move that would be estimated to cost China more than $300 billion each year.

Other measures could also include targeted sanctions against individuals in Hong Kong and Beijing judged to be responsible for the postponement of the elections, and of human rights abuses in Hong Kong more widely, under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. In any event, its unforeseeable in the current climate that the move would be met with resignation in Washington.

But while the suspension of the elections will only inflame tensions in Hong Kongs viciously divided society, it should also be noted that the coming year before the poll will likely see a crackdown of unprecedented proportions.

Mass arrests under the National Security Lawwith the most high-profile activists being extradited to the mainland to face trialare likely, as well as the wholesale import into Hong Kong of other authoritarian measures used in the mainland to curb dissent.

But with no sign that the pro-democracy movements determination or its overwhelming support among the Hong Kong public is dying down, it seems Beijing has added another historic mistake in its catalog of the mishandling of a resistance movement on its periphery.

Jack Hazlewood is a student and activist based in London. He previously worked for a localist political party in Hong Kong, and served as a field producer for the conflict journalism outlet Popular Fronts documentary Add Oil, which followed front-line protesters in Hong Kong in the run-up to Chinas National Day in 2019.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Rep. Steve Cohen on Tuesday said Attorney General Bill Barr and the Justice Department allowed to Jeffrey Epstein to 'conveniently' commit suicide when he was in jail last summer and was the highest profile inmate in the country.

Cohen, a Democrat, was tearing into Barr as part of a heated afternoon of hearings on Capitol Hill where the AG defended the federal government's tough response to protests around the country over racism and police brutality.

Cohen was talking about the federal police in Portland - who have been clashing with determined protesters - and said they, like the guards who were meant to be watching Epstein when he killed himself in August last year, were poorly trained.

'Maybe what happened was that your secret police were poorly trained, just like your Bureau of Prisons guards were poorly trained and allowed the most notorious inmate in our nation's last several years, Jeffrey Epstein, to conveniently commit suicide. Sad!' he fumed.

Rep. Steve Cohen on Tuesday tore through Attorney General Bill Barr during a tense hearing on Capitol Hill. He took the opportunity to accuse Barr and the government of allowing Epstein to kill himself

Jeffrey Epstein killed himself in his cell in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan last August

Barr did not respond.

In previous interviews, he described Epstein's suicide as a 'perfect storm of screw-ups' and has insisted that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's alleged madam who is currently in custody awaiting trial, will not be given the opportunity to take her own life.

'I was livid obviously. I believed very strongly in that case and I was very proud of the work done by the department, the Southern District on that case, and as you recall, after he committed suicide, I said that I was confident that we would continue to pursue this case vigorously and continue to pursue anyone who was complicit in it.

'I was very happy we were able to get Ms Maxwell,' he said in an interview with ABC earlier this month.

Maxwell was arrested in New Hampshire earlier this summer after living under the radar for a year.

With Epstein dead, many of his victims have said that Maxwell being put behind bars is their only hope of justice.

Epstein's cell in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, where he was found hanging last August

Maxwell was last seen at an In-N-Out Burger in August. She is now in custody in Brooklyn.

On the night he killed himself, Epstein's prison guards failed to check on him more than once.

Instead, they watched TV and napped.

Suspicion among conspiracy theorists ran rampant that he'd been killed by someone else or that he was deliberately afforded the opportunity to kill himself to stop him from potentially snitching on any of his high-profile friends to try to cut a deal with the government.

It has long been claimed that Epstein sexually trafficked underage girls around the world.

Some say he passed them off to his impressive network of powerful friends.

No one else other than Maxwell has been arrested in connection with the claims against him.

One of the accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, says she had sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 in London in 2001.

Andrew has always denied the claims.
Moderna aims to sell its coronavirus vaccine at a proposed price of $50 to $60 per course, higher than other firms such as Pfizer and BioNTech, if it's successfully developed. The two firms Pfizer and BioNTech had priced the drug at $39 for two doses under a deal with the US government, Financial Times reported. With this, other major firms may also be expected to set similar prices for their drugs going ahead.

In a separate development, Moderna's vaccine candidate has been found to produce encouraging results in a trial that inoculated 16 monkeys. According to the findings published on Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, monkeys didn't show any sign of creating enhanced disease, a problem that has occasionally been associated with vaccines.

Coronavirus vaccine unlikely before mid 2021

Even as various countries are racing against time to produce coronavirus vaccine, German Research Minister Anja Karliczek on Wednesday said a vaccine is not likely to be available widely before the mid-2021. "We must continue to assume that vaccines for the broader population will only be available from the middle of next year at the earliest," she told reporters.

Brazil's vaccine distribution plan

The Brazilian government has said that it would begin with the distribution of just over 15 million dozens of Oxford-AstraZeneca experimental vaccine if trials prove the vaccine is safe.

WHO's warning

An official at the World Health Organisation (WHO) described the coronavirus pandemic "one big wave". WHO also warned against complacency during summers since the infection does not share influenza's tendency to follow seasons. "The virus likes all seasons," the official said.Also read: India may set up electronics commission to reduce dependency of manufacturers on China

Also read: Chinese app ban: TikTok says ready to store data locally, denies breach of user privacy
Activists rally outside the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Quezon City to coincide with the global protests on climate change, Sept. 20, 2019.

Forty-three environmental activists were killed in the Philippines last year, almost a 50 percent increase from the nationwide toll in 2018 when watchdog group Global Witness named it the worlds deadliest country for environmental defenders.

The London-based group said 2019 emerged as the highest year ever for killings worldwide with a total of 212. Colombia topped the list with 64 activists killed, more than double the Philippines total of 30 in 2018.

The Philippines remains among the deadliest countries in the world for land and environmental defenders, ranking second in the world and first in Asia in 2019, said a report published on Wednesday by Global Witness.

The group pointed out that more than half of the reported killings in 2019 occurred in the Philippines and Colombia, adding the true number of killings was likely much higher.

The Philippines saw the most killings of government employees working in environmental protection  six of the global total of 19, the report said, warning that countless more are silenced by violent attacks, arrests, death threats, sexual violence or lawsuits.

Global Witness said almost half of the documented killings of land and environmental defenders under the government of President Rodrigo Duterte were linked to armed forces or paramilitary groups.

Spokesmen for Duterte were not immediately available to comment on the report.

Reacting to the report, the Philippine NGO Kalikasan Peoples Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) expressed concern over a possible link between a perceived crackdown on environmental defenders and a worsening climate breakdown.

It is alarming that Filipino environmental defenders confronting these existential planetary crises are still increasingly criminalized and murdered, said Leon Dulce, Kalikasan PNE national coordinator.

Dulces organization is a partner of Global Witness who released the report, Defending Tomorrow: the Climate Crisis and Threats against Land and Environmental Defenders.

The crackdown of forest defenders here will undermine the defense of forest areas crucial to reducing the spread of zoonotic infectious diseases like COVID, Dulce said during an online news conference tied to the release of the report.

The potential forest loss represents an 89.8 increase in the rate of malaria spread, for instance, he said.

Anti-Terrorism Act

Dulce said Global Witness expected attacks to increase under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 signed by Duterte earlier this month.

Philippine opposition figures said the act was meant to go after Duterte critics and opponents, a charge denied by the government. At least 19 petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court.

Dulce said killings, threats, arrests and harassment directed against environmentalist, as well as the mass dislocation of indigenous peoples communities from their resource-rich ancestral domains, could be considered crimes against humanity. The consequences would affect not only individuals but on the landscapes and seascapes that benefit the Filipino people and the whole world.

In 2020 alone, he said, Global Witness has documented 260 human rights abuses committed against environmental defenders, including two killings, 173 arrests and detentions, and 25 physical assaults in the Philippines.

Dulce said environmentalists were alarmed but not surprised at the recent announcement by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu that the government would allow the reopening of mines closed by his predecessor, the late Regina Lopez.

Lopez, who died in August 2019 was a scion of the family that owns ABS-CBN, the Philippines largest broadcaster, which was forced to shut down by Congress. During her brief stint as environment secretary, Lopez shut down 26 mining companies over alleged violations.
KC Crime Still Spiking

Violent crime uptick draws community attention Michael Bushnell Publisher Roughly thirty Independence Avenue stakeholders and community members met Thursday, July 23, at the offices of the Independence Avenue Community Improvement District (CID) to address the uptick in crime along the Avenue Corridor, specifically at locations where violent crime is on the upswing.

Lady Stores Stay Losing

13 women's apparel stores in the Kansas City metro to close due to bankruptcy KANSAS CITY METRO - Ascena Retail Group Inc., the parent company of women's apparel brands including LOFT Outlet and Justice, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday while announcing a debt restructuring agreement with 68% of its lenders. Eight Kansas City-area locations of Justice are slated to close, the Kansas City Business Journal reported.

Kansas City Professors Forced KCUR To Cover This Non-Story

Over Faculty Opposition, University Of Missouri Curators Approve Merger Of System President And Chancellor The University of Missouri Board of Curators voted to combine the roles of the system's president and chancellor Tuesday, approving a new governing structure that gives current chief executive Mun Choi the most unprecedented authority since the creation of the UM system in 1963. With the vote, Choi is confirmed as permanent MU chancellor.

Kansas Talks Cash

Kansas Department of Labor, claimants react to HEALS Act unemployment proposal KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A new unemployment system that would be implemented as part of the proposed Senate Republican HEALS Act would be complex for every labor department in the country, not just Kansas, according to Brett Flachsbarth, deputy secretary for the Kansas Department of Labor.

Candice Illuminated

Candice Swanepoel Turns Femme Fatale for Harper's Bazaar Greece Photos by Greg SwalesStyling by Sandy Armeni Candice Swanepoel lands three covers for Harper's Bazaar Greece's 2020 issue captured by Greg Swales. On a newsstand version, she dazzles in Louis Vuitton. On a second, Candice poses in a Redemption dress with Jean Paul Gaultier heels.

Best Defense

Ingraham: House Democrats took cues from rioters in attempting 'reputational assassination' of Barr Laura Ingraham accused Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday of "taking cues" from rioters in cities across America by "performing for a television audience, attempting to carry out what was equivalent of reputational assassination of [Attorney General] Bill Barr."

COVID Drug Double Down

Trump defends unproven coronavirus treatment again US President Donald Trump has again defended the use of hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus, contradicting his own public health officials. He argued the malaria medication is only rejected as a Covid-19 treatment because he is the one who suggested it.

America First Gears Up

President Donald J. Trump Is Committed to Ending America's Reliance on Foreign Countries for Vital Supplies | The White House The coronavirus shows the importance of bringing manufacturing back to America so that we are producing, at home, the medicines and equipment and everything else that we need to protect the public's health." SUPPORTING AMERICAN SUPPLY CHAINS: The Trump Administration is signing a Letter of Interest in support of a deal that will help ensure essential medicines are produced in America.

Social Curse Postscript

Viral sensation Dr. Stella Immanuel says Jesus will destroy Facebook if her COVID video doesn't go back up The licensed Houston-based pediatrician refers to herself as "God's battle axe and weapon of war" and claims that medical issues like endometriosis, cysts, infertility, and impotence are caused by sex with "spirit husbands" and "spirit wives," a phenomenon described essentially as witches and demons having sexual intercourse with people in a dreamworld.

Veep D-Day Awaits

How Biden's VP Pick Could Shape Perceptions Of The Ticket Overall In this week's FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, the crew discusses the upsides and downsides of Joe Biden's choices for a running mate. They also talk about the protests in Portland and President Trump's response.

Kansas City Considers Social Distancing In Style

Kansas City's Best Patios, Sidewalk Seating and Parklets For Socially Distanced Dining Thanks to the Kansas City, Missouri, City Council, which approved a new set of ordinances in May, local restaurants are now able to expand their seating into adjoining parking lots, onto sidewalks or to even build custom parklets to create additional outdoor seating through the end of this year.

Soggy Stays This Week

Several periods of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday-Friday A few showers and perhaps a thunderstorm this evening and tonight Several chances of rain and thunderstorms Wednesday-Friday Some locations may see more than 3" of rain which could lead to flash flooding KANSAS CITY'S MOST ACCURATE FORECAST Tonight: A few showers around, perhaps a thunderstorm. Wind: ESE 5-10 mph.

Right now angelinspires this peek at pop culture, community news and info from across the nation and around the world . . .is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . .
Hugh Jackman couldn't contain his pride on Tuesday as he celebrated his 2020 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for Bad Education.

The Australian actor, 51, told The Hollywood Reporter that his delighted celebrations 'woke up his daughter' Ava, 15, at their East Hampton home in New York when he found out he'd been nominated for his role as Frank Tassone in the crime drama.

'I'm feeling very blessed and humbled. I'm grateful to be part of a film that you love doing that people seem to respond to and then you get a nomination. It's just all icing on the cake. It meant a lot!' he said.

Success! Hugh Jackman couldn't contain his pride on Tuesday as he celebrated his Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for Bad Education

Following the announcement of the Emmy nominations, Hugh said in a statement: 'I'm humbled by the nominations for both me and the film and excited to be named with such a talented group of actors.'

The X-Men star added: 'My immense appreciation goes out to all those who believed in Bad Education - especially the hardworking team at HBO.'

Hugh continued his celebrations on social media, where he shared a clip of Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds congratulating him on the Emmy nomination.

Excitement: The Australian actor, 51, told The Hollywood Reporter that his delighted celebrations 'woke up his daughter' Ava, 15, at their East Hampton home in New York when he found out he'd been nominated for his role as Frank Tassone in the crime drama

Delighted: Following the announcement of the Emmy nominations, Hugh said: 'I'm humbled by the nominations for both me and the film and excited to be named with such a talented group'

'Buddy! Congratulations! You just got an Emmy nomination, that's crazy. That's crazy, not that you don't deserve it... well,' Ryan, 43, joked in the clip.

'Careful... you're looking a bit green,' Hugh responded on Twitter, referencing the actors' tongue-in-cheek feud, which has been going on for years.

Hugh added: 'Thank you @TelevisionAcad for making this moment possible! #EmmyNominations #BadEducation.'

A-list pals: Hugh continued his celebrations on social media, where he shared a clip of Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds (pictured) congratulating him on the Emmy nomination

Movie star: Hugh has been recognised by the Television Academy for his role as Frank Tassone in Bad Education

This is Hugh's fifth Emmy Award nomination.

The talented actor stars alongside Ray Romano and Allison Janey in Bad Education, which is directed by Cory Finley.

The 72nd Emmy Awards will take place on September 20 in Los Angeles
FARGO, North Dakota and LONDON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RxE2 and Newdays Pharmacy have launched the first pharmacy dispensing services for clinical drug trials in the European Union and the United Kingdom. This follows the commencement of the same service in the United States by RxE2 and American partner Thrifty White.

E2 Dispensing Expands to the EU and UK (PRNewsfoto/RxE2)

Pharmaceutical and device companies sponsoring clinical drug trials can now easily and cost effectively provide investigational medicinal product (IMP) to all qualifying clinical trial patients on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and meet respective local pharmacy regulations in the process. The E2 Dispensing platform also helps to improve clinical trial patient adherence, compliance, and retention by leveraging the pharmacist-patient relationship.

"Our decentralized clinical trial platform is now available globally to help the pharmaceutical industry continue with trials that may have been delayed because of COVID-19 as well as reengage plans for future trials," said RxE2 CEO Gerald Finken, R.Ph, M.S.

The RxE2-Newdays Pharmacy partnership includes the following deliverables:

RxE2 will liaison with the study sponsor or clinical team, set up ordering procedures, and prepare dispensing instructions.

Upon receipt of a prescription and a request to ship, Newdays Pharmacy will dispense IMP directly to the respective study patients in the UK and the EU. Newdays Pharmacy's clinical pharmacists will also be in regular communication with study participants to ensure proper receipt, storage, and use of the medication.

Olivier Picard, managing director of Newdays Pharmacy Ltd., explained, "I believe that the E2 Dispensing service will become the new normal for clinical trials in the coming years, once sponsors have realized the many benefits community pharmacists can bring to ongoing studies. Pharmacists are medication experts and are ideally placed to help with drug dispensing on behalf of clinical trial sponsors. They are also the perfect healthcare professionals to follow up on patient care after they have dispensed medications and help patients get the most out of their medicines."

Mr. Finken continued, "E2 Dispensing understands the existing pharmacist-patient relationship and how it can be used to effectively streamline the currently inefficient process. In our model, the trusted medication expert, the pharmacist, directly dispenses the medication to enrolled patients across the US, the UK, and the EU, as well as advises them on usage and storage and any other questions they may have. It's time effective, cost effective and the most 'Patient-Centric' way to dispense medication and monitor patient understanding and well-being."

About Newdays Pharmacy

Newdays Pharmacy is an established, independently owned community pharmacy based in the UK, dispensing both NHS and private prescriptions to its patient communities. Newdays prides itself in its patient centric customer care, going above and beyond in ensuring the well-being of its patients, whilst at the same time always being at the forefront of innovation within community pharmacy. With the founders of Newdays also having a strong background in international clinical trials, partnering with RxE2 is a natural progression of the evolution of the 'Newdays' way of thinking; pushing the boundaries of ways in which community pharmacy can help improve patient outcomes and access to healthcare services, as well as constantly striving to forge new revenue streams for the community pharmacy sector as a whole.

About RxE2

RxE2 is the first company to make Decentralized Clinical Trials a cost-effective reality by integrating the practice of pharmacy into every aspect of clinical trials. RxE2 empowers local pharmacists, as trusted medication experts, to use their extensive patient knowledge to make clinical trials more accessible for Everyone, Everywhere, to vastly reduce clinical trial timelines and costs, and to help study sponsors and patients achieve higher quality outcomes.

To learn more, please visit www.Rx-E2.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1221216/RxE2.jpg

Press Contact:

Marjie Hadad

General Manager

Must Have Communications

[email protected]

917-790-1178

SOURCE RxE2; Newdays Pharmacy
Pro-government lawmakers have introduced legislation that would extend and expand wide-ranging economic benefits enjoyed by residents of Armenian towns and villages close to the border with Azerbaijan.

People living in the 36 mostly rural communities affected by periodical Armenian-Azerbaijani border skirmishes have been exempt from property and agricultural land taxes since 2015. A law initiated by the former Armenian government also requires the state to subsidize the prices of electricity, natural gas and water supplied to them.

Amendments to the law drafted by parliament deputies from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians My Step bloc would extend the tax exemptions by three more years, until January 2024. They also call for the government to continue paying half of the local residents utility bills.

Irrigation water used them would also be covered by the subsidies. And their children going to school would receive textbooks for free or at knockdown prices.

The proposed amendments would further commit the government to repairing homes damaged by cross-border gunfire from Azerbaijan, which has been a regular occurrence ever since the early 1990s.

The government has until now been legally obliged to help only the owners of homes completely destroyed by Azerbaijani shelling. The latter are eligible for new and free housing.

In addition, the bill stipulates that residents of the border towns and villages severely wounded as a result of truce violations would not only receive free healthcare but also financial compensation ranging from 1 million to 3 million drams ($2,100-$6,300). The state would pay 5 million drams to the families of civilians killed by enemy fire.

The bill, which the Armenian parliament is due to debate this fall, was circulated in the wake of deadly fighting that broke out along the border between Armenias northern Tavush province and the Tovuz district in Azerbaijan on July 12. Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of shelling border villages during the hostilities that lasted for several days and left at least 17 soldiers dead.

According to the provincial administration, 89 houses in three Tavush villages were damaged as a result of the border clashes. The Armenian government has pledged to fully repair those properties. The repairs reportedly began last week.
Donkey Taqueria in Grand Rapids has thrown out a lot of food.

After an employee tested positive for coronavirus on April 28, the restaurant shut down for about a week as the owners got rid of all the food, did an electrostatic clean of the entire restaurant, contacted all the vendors to tell them of the positive test, and did another top down cleaning.
Discover the Governance and Compliance Features of Microsoft Teams

Data governance and compliance are key features of organizations looking to leverage collaboration in Microsoft Teams effectively.

In this webcast, the speaker dives into the significance of planning for governance, maintaining compliance, and lays out how Insight can help.

Access it here.
France's new COVID-19 cases hit one-month peak

The number of new coronavirus infections in France rose by 1,392 on Wednesday, the highest daily tally in a month and a figure likely to fuel fears of a second wave of the disease despite officials downplaying such a scenario.

The increase took France's total number of confirmed cases to 185,196. In a statement, health authorities said that, leaving aside the continuous decline of people in ICU units, all COVID-19 indicators showed 'an increase of the viral circulation'. The reproduction rate, on an upward trend since the beginning of the month, is now 'higher than 1.3', which marks a rise over 24 hours, they said.

The figure for new cases, the highest since the June 26 total of 1,588, is above the past week's daily average of 980 and almost double the 715 average seen in May, when France started to lift is lockdown.

Earlier in the day, French health minister Olivier Veran urged the country not to drop its guard against the disease, but said it was 'not facing a second wave'. There were also 15 new deaths linked to the disease, taking the total to 30,238, a figure higher than the daily average increase of nine seen over the last week. France has the seventh-highest death toll in the world. (Reporting from Reuters)
The OnePlus Nord was announced last week, but the Nord phone is just the first Nord product in a line that is yet to come. So if you're wondering what the next device in the newly established family is going to be, well, it looks like it's also a phone. Shocking, we know.

Unlike the first Nord, that's limited in availability to Europe and India (at least for now), the next Nord will make it to North American markets too, according to CEO Carl Pei speaking to Wired. The timeline for the launch is "later this year".

That handset may be powered by the recently unveiled Snapdragon 690 chipset, Qualcomm's soon-to-be cheapest offering with 5G. The chip maker needs to go down in price from the 765/768 family (also used in the Nord), in order to compete better with MediaTek's Dimensity 800/820.

Thus, the next OnePlus Nord may be even cheaper than the current Nord. And be available in the US. The SoC information comes from some digging into the latest version of OxygenOS 10.5 for the Nord, performed by the folks at XDA-Developers.

They found several references to an upcoming OnePlus smartphone codenamed Billie, as well as multiple calls to a method called "isSM6350Products" in the OxygenOS Settings app. SM6350, incidentally, is Qualcomm's internal designation of the Snapdragon 690. That method checks the model of the device and returns true if it matches BE2025, BE2026, BE2028, or BE2029.

Those are all versions of the same upcoming model, based on OnePlus' usual naming scheme, where "BE" could stand for Billie Eilish. That's not as crazy as it sounds - the current Nord's AC2001 and AC2003 model numbers have the "AC" standing for Avicii, so the music star theme is pretty real in OnePlus' codename game.

Source 1 | Source 2
Fidelity Japan Trust PLC ("the Company")

Appointment of a new non-executive Director

The Company is pleased to announce the appointment of David Barron as a non-executive Director with effect from 20 October 2020. He will also serve as a member of the Management Engagement, Nomination and Audit Committees of the Board.

David spent 25 years working in the investment management sector and was until November 2019 Chief Executive Officer of Miton Group PLC following six years with the firm. Prior to this he was Head of Investment Trusts at JP Morgan Asset Management for more than ten years having joined Robert Fleming in 1995. He is currently Chairman of Dunedin Income Growth Investment Trust PLC and a non-executive Director of Premier Miton Group PLC. He is also a lay-member of the Council of Lancaster University.

He is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland having qualified with Thomson McLintock (now KPMG).

There is no other information to be disclosed pursuant to LR 9.6.13R. As at the date of this announcement, David Barron does not have any beneficial interests in the ordinary shares of the Company.

Natalia de Sousa

FIL Investments International

Company Secretary

Tel: 01737 837846

28 July 2020
Zareen Khan says people still assume Salman Khan helps her find work: "I cannot be a monkey on his back"
IN RESPONSE to President Rodrigo Dutertes renewed call for food sustainability in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) 7 has initiated programs to further promote the love of farming.

In Bohol, DA 7 Director Salvador Diputado said they converted a portion of land in the Ubay Stock Farm (USF) for planting vegetables and other high-value crops.

The underutilized areas of the stock farm are now being planted with corn, peanuts, mung beans, soya beans and other veggies, while other areas are also planted with high-value crops like ube and fruits such as pineapple, Diputado said.

From Build, Build, Build, President Rodrigo Duterte called for the rollout of the Plant, Plant, Plant program in the country.

We aim to provide adequate, accessible and affordable food for every Filipino (family) through the Plant, Plant, Plant Program. After the Build, Build, Build, I think this is easier to achieve. A few good mena few good regional directors, the Department of Agrarian Reform and the dedicated workers down below could make this thing a success. Mas madali ito kaysa Build, Build, Build. Ito Plant, Plant, Plant lang eh. It is more of well, how you try to convince the farmers to cooperate with government for their benefit, said Duterte, in his fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 27.

While the USF is dedicated as a livestock research, production and development center, it has available areas for expansion of pasture development which can be utilized as crop production areas.

After an ocular inspection conducted in the previous month, Diputado, in consultation with the USF in-charge, decided to convert some parts of the stock farm into a vegetable and fruit production area.

The USF is located in Brgy. Lumangog, Ubay, Bohol.

We transformed some parts of the USF into a productive area in response to the call of DA Secretary William Dar, to increase food production and to develop idle lands for food security especially during this time of pandemic, Diputado explained.

He added that the area has a newly installed irrigation system.

The USF has a total land area of 3,600 hectares and is also an accredited livestock training facility in the Visayas and Mindanao. (JOB with PR)
A petition in the Supreme Court (SC) has triggered a legal debate on whether citizens of India can be compelled to be secular, when the Constitution permits them the right to practice, profess and propagate their own religion under Article 25.

The petition has sought deletion of the words secular and socialist from the Preamble of the Constitution, inserted in 1976 by the 42nd Constitution Amendment passed by Parliament.

The three petitioners  two advocates and a social worker  who moved a common petition claimed that they intend to launch a political party.

One of the conditions to register a political party with the Election Commission of India (ECI) requires them to compulsorily follow principles of socialism and secularism.

This was added to Section 29-A (5) of the Representation of People Act, 1951, by an amendment in 1989.

The petitioners  Balram Singh, Karunesh Kumar Shukla, Pravesh Kumar  have challenged the validity of this law and have also sought ECI and the Central government to respond to their petition.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who filed the petition, told HT, In a democratic setup, the citizens cannot be bound to accept a particular ideology and the application of the ideology depends on the will of the people to be reflected through votes from time to time. In this case, the petitioners have said that socialist and secular concepts are political thoughts and seen in the light of right to practice religion (Article 25), right to free speech (Article 19(1)(a)), and these principles are against the principle of democracy.

The petition further argues that the original Constitution makers deliberately chose to keep these concepts out of the Preamble.

On November 15, 1948, Professor KT Shah had proposed adding the words Secular, Federal and Socialist Nation, but the Constituent Assembly (CA) had rejected it after a lengthy discussion.

Again, on November 25, 1948, a second amendment was introduced and discussed on incorporating the word secular in the draft Constitution. That, too, was rejected.

On December 3 that same year, a third attempt was made to include secular in the Article 18 of the Constitution, which was also dismissed by the CA.

The petition demanded the top court to examine that given this position, how could Parliament go against the solemn declaration by the CA, and modify or add secular and socialist words to the text of the Preamble by way of an amendment in 1976.

The plea tries to examine the roots of secularism and socialism as a concept prevailing across the globe and dubs them as a political thought which has little relevance for the country.

It states that the historical and cultural theme of Bharat is based on the concept of Dharma, which is different from the concept of religion and the communist theory of state cannot be applied to the Indian context.

Going by the prevailing foreign concept of secularism, where state/government has no religion, the petition cited examples of how in India, state grants aid to minority religious institutions, enacts law relation to pilgrimages outside the country, has power to make laws related to charitable and religious endowment and religious institutions falling in Item 28 of the Concurrent List and has power under Article 25(2) to make law regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity associated with religious practice.

In view of the fact that states have power to indulge in religious matters, though in limited sense, and can give grant to religious minorities, the state as a political entity cannot be a secular republic in strict sense, the petition stated.
29.07.2020 LISTEN

Kumasi based radio presenter, Mr. Alexander Opoku says he will sponsor the education of upcoming gospel musician Boatemaa Davelyn.

The 14-year-old girl has been one of the music sensations in Kumasi and released numerous hit singles over the months.

In an audio sighted by SeanCity TV, the presenter has reached an agreement with the parents of a young musician, as he will finance her education until she completes University.

In the audio, Alexis De Godson as known in the media circles said he believes in supporting upcoming artists especially Gospel artistes.

Mr. Alexander Opoku is the CEO of De God Son Records and also a radio presenter at Pure FM in Kumasi.

---SeanCity.net
President Xi Jinping called on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on Tuesday to make itself a new platform promoting development among all members and facilitating the building of a community with a shared future for mankind in the context of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his opening address, via video link, at the fifth annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the AIIB, Xi urged the multilateral development bank to respond to adjustments and changes in the global economic landscape and engage more development partners in cooperation. "It (the AIIB) needs to provide public goods for our region and beyond, push for regional economic integration and help make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all," he said. "Let us stay open and inclusive and make the AIIB a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation." Xi applauded the bank for its prompt move to set up a COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility to support its members in containing the virus and reviving their economies. The AIIB had approved 16 projects via the facility as of July 16, allocating $5.9 billion in funding to support 12 members. "This is a typical example of the AIIB's power of action. The global response to COVID-19 has made it clear that mankind rises and falls together in a community with a shared future," Xi said. He recalled his proposal to establish the bank in late 2013, noting that this initiative was to develop infrastructure and connectivity in Asia and deepen regional cooperation for shared development. The bank has gotten off to a good start and has gone from strength to strength, he said, as it expanded from 57 member economies at its launch in January 2016 to the current membership of 102 across the globe. The AIIB said in a statement that it had provided close to $20 billion in infrastructure investment for 87 projects in 24 economies as of July 16. "With more good friends and partners getting on board for higher-quality cooperation, the AIIB has established itself in the world as a new type of professional, efficient and clean multilateral development bank," Xi said. Going forward, he urged the bank to aim at development for all and build itself into a new type of multilateral development bank promoting growth across the globe. The AIIB should commit itself to serving the development needs of all its members and providing more high-quality, low-cost and sustainable investment for traditional as well as new types of infrastructure, he said. He expressed hope that the institution can help enhance connectivity, promote green development and boost technological advances by constantly updating its development philosophy, business model and institutional governance, and by providing flexible and diverse development financing products. "While following international standards and respecting the general law of development, the AIIB should keep in mind the actual development needs of its members, thus creating best practices for international development cooperation," he said, adding that high standards and high quality must be ensured in the development of the bank. Xi reiterated that China always supports and adheres to multilateralism, and pursues development with the rest of the world in a spirit of openness and mutually beneficial cooperation. He pledged the country's continuous support for the bank, so it can contribute more to the global response to risks and challenges and the pursuit of shared development. Jin Liqun was re-elected for a second term as president of the AIIB by the bank's Board of Governors on Tuesday. Jin's second five-year term will begin on Jan 16. Liu Kun, minister of finance and governor of the AIIB, said the annual meeting can help establish consensus on ways to give play to the role of multilateral development banks as the pandemic still rages globally. China will gradually inject the capital it has pledged to invest in the bank based on its rules of operation, he added. Wei Jianguo, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and a former vice-minister of commerce, said the AIIB has contributed to the Belt and Road Initiative, and more countries in Asia, Europe and Africa will seek the AIIB's financial support to promote domestic economic growth. He added that Japan and more European countries are likely to join the AIIB in the future.


(Newser)  Eduardo Tirella's death was horrible: Hit by a car, slammed through locked gates, and crushed under speeding tires. But was it murder? That's what Peter Lance is asking in Vanity Fair about Tirella's 1966 death at the hands of his employer, America's richest womantobacco heiress Doris Duke. Police in Newport, Rhode Island called it an "unfortunate accident," but evidence suggests she murdered her longtime interior designer for trying to leave her employ and pursue a career in Hollywood. The real problem, as Tirella knew, was Duke's volatile nature: The hard-eyed billionaire had fought umpteen court battles and even stabbed one of her husbands in a rage. "Litigation was her favorite foreplay," says a former business manager. "She could be incredibly vindictive."

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Then came the evening of October 7. Duke and Tirella, 42, were leaving her estate after an apparent argument when he exited the driver's side to open the gateat which point she slid behind the wheel and gunned the car right at him. Duke claims the car took off when she put it in "drive," but a closer look at the '66 Dodge Polara shows she had to manually disengage the parking brake by pulling a lever. Some also suspect the police chief, who later bought two Florida condos, of being paid off to scuttle the investigation. Either way, Tirella was gone: "Thus, as one of his surviving friends told me, he was literally killed 'on the night before the rest of his life,'" writes Lance in his blog. "That's what makes this study in class privilege a tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions." (See Lance's full piece, his upcoming book on the subject, or an update on a murdered billionaire.)
Plans to more than double the states cash reserve fund have fallen by the wayside, and the amount of money left for property tax relief and business tax incentives dropped to about $90 million, down from the nearly $134 million estimated before the break.

Federal coronavirus aid has helped Nebraska avoid worse pain. The federal government gave $1.25 billion to state and local governments, while other programs provided aid directly to unemployed workers, struggling businesses and Nebraska households.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha proposed an amendment to use about $130 million of the states coronavirus relief for struggling families.

She called for temporarily boosting housing assistance, food assistance and child care subsidies, while giving $500 for every child in families getting Aid to Dependent Children and $500 to every low-income family that suffered a 50% cut in income since March 13.

This is our moment. This is our opportunity to do something for the people of Nebraska, she said. This money cant go to property tax relief but it can go to people.
The ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan is neither new nor uncommon. Turbulence in governments  involving the switching of sides by elected representatives  has been increasingly frequent in recent months. The past year has seen the toppling of two state governments in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh amid allegations of political defections and horse-trading. There has also been turmoil in Goa and Manipur.

The phenomenon in question  i.e., bringing down an elected government by depriving it of its majority through the defection of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)  goes back a long way. To resolve this problem, in 1985, the Constitution was amended to include the Tenth Schedule (also known as the anti-defection law). The anti-defection law provides that members of political parties who disobey the whip or vote against the party in a confidence motion, will face disqualification. As recent events have made clear, however, the Tenth Schedule is no longer an effective check on the phenomenon of defection, and an urgent reconsideration is required.

There are a few reasons why this is so. The first is that the defecting MLAs have found a way around the restrictions in the Tenth Schedule. Instead of formally crossing the floor or voting against their party in a confidence motion, they resign from the party. This brings down the partys strength in the House, and the government is toppled. A few months later, when by-elections are held, the same MLAs then stand for election on the ticket of the opposition party, and are returned to the assembly. This, it should be clear, is defection in all, but the most formal sense. Unfortunately, in their recent judgments, the courts have failed to stop this practice (although, arguably, the language of the Tenth Schedule does not leave much room to the judiciary).

The second reason is that no matter how well-drafted a constitutional provision is, ultimately, its implementation depends upon constitutional functionaries acting in good faith. As BR Ambedkar pointed out soon after the framing of the Constitution, every constitutional text can be subverted if those charged with running the affairs of government are inclined to do so.

In recent times, it has become clear that the major constitutional actors involved in times of constitutional instability  i.e., the governors and the speakers  do not act in good faith. In every constitutional crisis over the last few years, governors have acted like partisan representatives of the political party that appointed them, and have flouted constitutional conventions with impunity (from deciding which party to call first to form the government in a hung house, to ordering  or refusing to order  floor tests to prove majorities). Thus, despite the fact that the governor  as an unelected functionary  is supposed to play a minimal role in the affairs of the state, the individuals in that position have interfered on behalf of their erstwhile political parties. Speakers have done little better.

Third, the judiciary itself has not proved up to the mark. For example, during the Karnataka crisis last year, the Supreme Court (SC)  while ostensibly passing a balanced order  effectively overrode the provisions of the Tenth Schedule. It said that rebel MLAs, whose disqualification petitions were being considered by the Speaker, could not be compelled to participate in the proceedings of the House. The rebels were happy for they did not have to obey the party whip. This reduced the effective majority of the government.

More recently, the Rajasthan High Court effectively injuncted the Speaker of the Rajasthan Assembly from acting upon disqualification notices, despite clear SC precedent to the contrary. As observers have pointed out, if it is the case that horse-trading is in progress, then an indefinite injunction on the Speakers ability to act under the Tenth Schedule will only provide further fillip to such actions.

The last  and most under-discussed  aspect is the presence of money in politics. It has been widely reported that huge sums of money are offered to MLAs to desert their parties and bring down the government. This is enabled by the existence of electoral bonds, which allow for unlimited and anonymous funding to political parties. Under the electoral bond scheme, phenomenal sums of money have been donated to political parties over the last two years. Unfortunately, a petition challenging the constitutionality of the electoral bond scheme has been pending in SC for the last two years. Despite multiple election cycles, the apex court has taken no action upon it.

In sum, therefore, the anti-defection law needs to be improved (there have been suggestions, for example, that disqualification or resignation should be accompanied by a five-year-long bar from standing for elections again). More crucially, however, the legally-sanctioned influence of big money in politics must be curtailed. If these steps are not taken, Indian democracy risks dissolving into a sham quickly.

Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based advocate

The views expressed are personal
The head of the Free Library of Philadelphias board said Tuesday that trustees are paying attention to the tremendous input from Black employees on racial discrimination in the workplace, but did not address calls for her own resignation a week after the ouster of the librarys longtime director.

Its never easy to do, board chair Pamela Dembe said of the Black employees who have spoken out in recent weeks, thanking them for their bravery.

Dembes comments came during the boards first meeting since Siobhan Reardon, the systems longtime president and director, resigned last week under pressure from Black employees who accused her of racial insensitivity, and from Mayor Jim Kenney.

During the hour-long Zoom meeting, board members listened to both constructive criticism and blistering broadsides delivered by members of the Concerned Black Workers of the Free Library of Philadelphia, as well as other library employees and community members.

Although library employees have raised concerns about racial discrimination for years, their complaints gained resonance following protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. On June 25, Black workers sent an open letter to management, saying they face discrimination on a regular basis, are paid less than white colleagues, and were being asked to return to work without a plan to keep them safe from the coronavirus.

Reardon, who had headed the 54-branch library system for 12 years, was slow to respond to the letter, as was the city-controlled board of trustees, which manages day-to-day library operations. So was the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, an independent nonprofit that raises money for the library. At least five members of the foundations board have resigned in a show of support for Reardon.

Extra thanks to the members of Concerned Black Workers of the Free Library who have done such a tremendous amount of work to bring staff concerns and needs to a point where they have to be addressed, Dembe said Tuesday.

Black workers have called on Dembe to resign, too. She said last week that she was not contemplating resigning, and criticized cancel culture, in which people get called out for boycotts, firing, or public shaming by their critics.

Andrea Lemoins, a member of the Concerned Black Workers, said the group wanted to be at the table to help select interim and permanent directors to replace Reardon.

Alexis Ahiagbe, another Concerned Black Workers member, recounted that, after a coworker made a racist comment to her, Reardon decided no action would be taken against the coworker, and she later removed from an employee message board a workplace bias survey Ahiagbe had posted.

Ahiagbe blasted Dembe and the board members who spoke in support of Reardon last week. When you make statements like that, basically youre saying one of two things, she said. That either you dont believe that all the things that have come out that happened to people of color in the library happened, or you dont care  and thats a problem.

We cannot have the same things happening that happened in the past, Ahiagbe added. I want us to start fresh. I want us to start transparent. I want us to start with respecting Black workers at the Free Library.

Kalela Williams, director of neighborhood library enrichment programming, said library leadership has had a history of ignoring, deflecting, [and] being defensive about employee complaints.

When we defend leadership that does not prioritize racial equity under its very roof, that is wrong, she said. Im going to ask everybody to reflect why youre here, why youre sitting in that seat, and if its not to serve the community, then I dont know if you belong here.

Donald Guy Generals, a member of the board and president of Community College of Philadelphia, is chairing a committee tasked with finding an interim director who will likely be in charge for six months to a year, Dembe said.

We need to get the interim director in, and then we can begin a thoughtful search for someone who will lead us, hopefully, across a period of time, Dembe said.
He was killed in the latest in a string of crashes involving the moped-sharing service, whose vehicles can travel up to 30 miles per hour. Just hours after the mans death, the company suspended its operations in New York City.

Revel started its app-based service in Brooklyn in 2018, and its electric-blue fleet became popular with commuters who were looking for alternatives to car-sharing services and CitiBike.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Revel would need approval from the city to resume its service.

[Revel has suspended its service in New York City after the deaths of two riders.]

Heres what you need to know.

The details

The 32-year-old, Jeremy Malave, died around 3:15 a.m. on Tuesday when his moped hit a light pole in the center median of Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens, the police said. Days before, a 30-year-old man sustained serious injuries when his Revel crashed into a pole in Upper Manhattan.
Last Friday, July 24th, Lexus International launched their first ever global digital cookbook, titled: Culinary Perspectives. The first of two volumes, the cookbook offers insight on the brands culinary partners that share a wide array of recipes robust with exotic flavors from the Eastern and Australasia regions. Each recipe in the book has been served in past Lexus events.

Lexus Culinary Perspectives

To help create the cookbook, Lexus enlisted the expertise of writer and editor Joshua David Stein. Stein is a James Beard Award nominated author whose work has appeared in the Best American Food Writing, and is a former restaurant critic for the Village Voice and New York Observer.

"Culinary Perspectives enables the brand to connect with its audience on a topic that is of deep personal interest to them, while recognizing some of the worlds most talented craftspeople in the culinary space. We hope our audience will embrace this opportunity to explore their own epicurean artisanship, said Brian Bolain, General Manager, Lexus International.

Lexus Culinary Perspectives

Chef Nyesha J. Arrington provides the cookbook's foreword, sharing with the readers her love of food. Arrington is celebrated for her advocacy of recipes using farm fresh, local, and responsibly sourced ingredients and whose culinary approach is inspired by diverse cultures, flavors and techniques from around the world.

The first recipe that appears in the book was created by Neil Perry, one of Australias most celebrated chefs. The Prosciutto and Gribiche is a simple yet satisfying amuse-bouche that was served in the stunning LANDMARK by Lexus facility during the 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup celebration.

The second recipe is the Chicken Meatball hors doeuvres, a dish influenced by traditional Japanese techniques, the modern aesthetic of Melbourne and a zero tolerance for waste policy. The dish was concocted in Yuta and Sharlyn Kobayashis modern Japanese cuisine restaurant, Eazy Peazy, located in the heart of Melbourne.

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Lexus Culinary Perspectives

As the perfect ending to the menu, the third recipe from Australia is called the Gin Orange Parfait, a refreshing dessert perfect for warm summer days. The dish was created by Chefs Matt Stone and Jo Barrett, Co-Executive chefs at Oakridge Restaurant located in Victorias oldest wine region, the Yarra Valley.

For the menus soup selection, the cookbook takes you overseas to Singapore where Chef Charles Tan challenges cooks with an aromatic Tomyum Chicken Consomme. This classic consomme was served to guests who attended the Lexus LS 30th Anniversary event.

Northwest of Singapore, the menu then makes a stop at Taiwan for its fish dish. Chef Yang Po-Wei shares his 48 Hour Cured Mahi-Mahi recipe, a dish that requires time, patience and precision.

The first of two main dishes on the menu was conceived by Chef Sachie Nomura. Born in Aichi, Japan but based in New Zealand for the last twenty years, Chef Nomura is both a culinary educator and an ambassador for washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine). Her main dish, Beef Nigiri, has an East meets West vibe as it uses charbroiled beef rather than the traditional high-grade raw fish. The protein is partnered by her Asparagus with Black Sesame recipe.

Lexus Culinary Perspectives

The final main course offered on the menu goes home to Japan, the birthplace of Lexus. For the last recipe, Chef Takeshi Fukuyama and Chef Gaggan Anand partnered up to reimagine Keema Curry and offer their own interpretation of the dish that originated from India. This exquisite dish was enjoyed during the regions local culinary program DINING OUT with LEXUS where guests experience outdoor dining in an undisclosed location revealed only upon arrival.

With the global launch of Culinary Perspectives, the Lexus brand hopes that the unique recipes and the stories behind each chefs culinary approach will reinforce the value of creativity, curiosity and exploration with its audience.

Photo/s from Lexus

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A Houston physician who praised hydroxychloroquine as a miracle coronavirus cure in a viral video retweeted by President Donald Trump blames gynecological problems on sex with evil spirits and believes the US government is run by "reptilians."

Stella Immanuel's viral speech has drawn attention to a little-known group calling themselves "America's Frontline Doctors" who appear to exist to promote the common antimalarial drug in the fight against COVID-19.

"Nobody needs to get sick. This virus has a cure -- it is called hydroxychloroquine," Immanuel exclaimed on Monday as she stood on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington at a so-called "White Coat Summit" of likeminded physicians.

Early on in the pandemic, scientists were eager to find out whether hydroxychloroquine's antiviral properties would make it effective in real-world patients with SARS-CoV-2.

So far though, all the major clinical trials that have reported their findings on this question have found no benefit, and leading national health authorities have moved to restrict its use because of potential cardiac harm.

Nonetheless the family doctor said all 350 patients she had treated with the medicine -- including those with serious pre-existing conditions -- had survived, and that hydroxychloroquine was so potent it made mask-wearing and lockdowns unnecessary.

The clip was shared by Trump and described as a "must watch" by his son Donald Trump Jr, but has since been deleted by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for promoting misinformation.

Asked later by a reporter about his retweet, the president said: "I thought her voice was an important voice, but I know nothing about her."

The debate over hydroxychloroquine has become supercharged politically with leaders like Trump and some fellow US conservatives cheerleading heavily in its favour.

And the curious case of Immanuel and colleagues -- first reported in depth by The Daily Beast -- underscores just how far the drug's advocates are willing to go.

The website for "America's Frontline Doctors" was registered just 11 days ago, a web domain age checker revealed -- and the site was taken down by Tuesday afternoon.

"Tea Party Patriots," a right-wing political group backed by wealthy Republicans, said on its website it was responsible for organizing the Washington summit.

Further research on Immanuel's web page, now accessible only via an archived website viewer, as well as her YouTube account, reveal a long list of bizarre and unscientific beliefs.

These include that "tormenting spirits" routinely have "astral sex" with women, which in turn causes "gynecological problems, marital distress, miscarriages" and more.

In a 2015 video, Immanuel, who leads a religious group called Fire Power Ministries, said: "There are people ruling this nation that are not even human," describing them as "reptilian spirits" who are "half human, half ET."

In the same video she rails against the use of "alien DNA" to treat sick people, which she said had resulted in human beings mixing with demons.

Other targets of her anger include gay marriage, which she said would result in adults marrying children.

Immanuel was born in 1965, received her medical degree at the University of Calabar in Nigeria, and has a valid physician's license, according to the website of the Texas Medical Board.

After Facebook took down the clip, Immanuel warned that the company's servers would start crashing until it was restored.

"If my page is not back up face book will be down in Jesus name," she tweeted.
ORLANDO, Fla. - After asking for coronavirus-related deadline extensions in April, the Trump administration now appears to be abandoning that request by asking Congress for extra funding to wrap up the 2020 census as quickly, and safely as possible in a move that could help ensure the number-crunching for redrawing congressional districts takes place on President Donald Trumps watch.

Census Bureau officials had warned as recently as early July that it was already too late to have the numbers ready without an extension. And outside experts predicted Tuesday that speeding up the timetable would lead to an inaccurate head count that misses people in hard-to-count minority communities.

It would be like giving an expectant mother in the early stages of pregnancy a lot of money to have the baby in 4.5 months, said John Thompson, a former Census Bureau director in the Obama administration.

The Census Bureau is in the middle of the 2020 census, and some of the bureaus 500,000 door-knockers started heading out this month to households that havent yet answered the questionnaire.

With the new coronavirus disrupting census operations in April, the Trump administration asked Congress to extend the deadlines required for the U.S. Census Bureau to turn in the head count data used for redrawing congressional district and legislative districts. The Census Bureau also postponed finishing field operations for the 2020 census from the end of July to the end of October.

The Democratic-controlled House agreed to the extensions as part of coronavirus-relief legislation, but the Republican-controlled Senate has yet to do so. Senate Republicans on Monday instead proposed an additional $448 million in funding for the 2020 census in its coronavirus-relief bill.

This funding would allow for additional hiring, staffing resources, and replenished contingency funding to provide schedule flexibility as the Census Bureau conducts its largest field operation, nonresponse followup, the Census Bureau said Monday on its website. This flexibility is critical to helping the Census Bureau operate in the midst of unprecedented public health crisis, including trying to wrap up field data collection as quickly, and safely as possible, while ensuring a complete and accurate count. 

When asked about the status of the deadlines request, the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell referred to existing policy for the census timeline and said it had nothing further to add.

Historically, the Census Bureau is required to turn over numbers for apportionment, the process of divvying up congressional seats, by Dec. 31, and the numbers used for redrawing legislative districts by March 30. The deadline extensions would push back the apportionment deadline to April 30 and the redistricting deadline for state and local districts to July 31.

If the deadline extension for the apportionment numbers is granted by Congress, theres a chance the final months of the data-crunching would take place under a new administration if presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden defeats Trump, a Republican, in the November election.

Wary of what they see as Trumps attempts to politicize the 2020 census, House Democrats say Senate Republicans should approve the request for deadline extensions.

Otherwise, American taxpayers would be forced to pay for the most expensive and potentially least accurate census in our nations history, said U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat from New York who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Earlier this month, House Democrats asked U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to withdraw two appointees from top positions at the U.S. Census Bureau, claiming they represented the latest effort by the Trump administration to politicize the 2020 census.

Then last week, Trump issued a memorandum seeking to exclude people in the country illegally from being included during the process for redrawing congressional districts. Civil rights group have filed multiple lawsuits challenging the memorandum as unconstitutional and an attempt to limit the power of Latinos and immigrants of colour. Two more lawsuits were filed Tuesday, including one by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and several California cities, which said California stood to lose a congressional seat if Trumps order succeeds.

The timing of the executive memorandum issued last week coupled with what now appears to be abandonment of the request to push back the reporting deadlines clearly suggests that the White House wants to ensure that the president receives the numbers for apportionment while he is still in office. Its hard to draw any other conclusions, said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a census expert who worked on census issues as a congressional aide.

More than 62% of households had responded to the census as of Sunday, leaving about 55 million households that will require visits by census takers. A Pew Research Center survey taken in June highlights the difficulties already facing census takers, with 40% of adults who say they have not yet responded to the census answering that they wouldnt be willing to open their door for a census taker.

The Census Bureau said Monday that it will start sending out emails to residents in neighbourhoods with low response rates, encouraging them to fill out the questionnaire.

Talking to reporters at the beginning of the month, Al Fontenot, the bureaus associate director for decennial programs, said the bureau was past the window of being able to get those counts by the end of the year.

Kenneth Prewitt, who served as a Census Bureau director in the Clinton administration, said an accelerated census in the middle of a pandemic can only be explained politically.

I believe the odds of being able to produce the census between now and the end of the year is extremely low. COVID is in charge. The Census Bureau is not in charge, Prewitt said. To finish the census by the end of the year, COVID has got to go away, and its not.

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AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP
President Donald Trump jets off to the heart of Bush country in Texas on Wednesday to raise campaign cash and solidify his hold on the state, where polls show Joe Biden is running neck-and neck in the November election.

He lands in Midland, the birthplace of former first lady Laura Bush and the one-time home of Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, marking his 16th visit to the Lone Star State as president.

Trump will attend a fundraiser in oil-rich Odessa before visiting the Double Eagle Energy oil rig in Midland, the place where George H.W. Bush moved to after college to make his fortune in the oil fields.

President Donald Trump will fundraise and visit an oil rig in Midland, Texas, visit on Wednesday

Midland Texas is Bush country: Laura Bush was born there and George W. Bush lived there with his parents for years when George H.W. Bush worked in the oil industry

Trump heads to Texas as polls show Joe Biden running neck and neck with him in the Lone Star state

Texas has been hit hard by a double whammy. It's the new hot spot in pandemic with coronavirus cases spiking while its energy industry has taken a hit from the drop in oil and gas prices.

The president will speak on restoring energy dominance during his visit to the oil rig.

He'll also shore up his campaign coffers after Biden took the lead in second quarter fundraising. The Trump fundraiser includes a $100,000-per-person roundtable and a $50,000-per-couple photo opportunity with the president, according to an invitation obtained by the Midland Reporter Telegram.

But Trump's visit to the state also demonstrates the need for the president to solidify his support in a state that was firmly in his column in the last election. And it indicates his campaign is taking nothing for granted in a contest that has Biden leading in national polls.

Trump carried Texas by 9 points in the 2016 contest but the RealClearPolitics polling average of the state has the contest there essentially tied - a worrying sign for Republicans as Democrats have pushed to turn the state blue.

And Democrat Beto O'Rourke fired up the party's dreams when he came close to knocking off Republican Senator Ted Cruz in 2018, losing by only 2 points.

But Republicans in the state are confident Texas will be red in November, pointing out the high cost of campaigning in Texas with its large size and its more than 20 media markets, many of which are expensive.

'I am still an doubtful Texas will be a quote/unquote 'battleground state.' If it's truly competitive Biden is going win 400 to 450 electoral votes which I don't think is likely to happen,' Matt Mackowiak, a Republican strategist based in Texas, told DailyMail.com.

The Biden campaign has to weigh carefully where to spend its campaign cash. Money spent in Texas could easily be spread to several other Trump states that have become competitive this year, such as Arizona and Georgia.

Team Biden has indicated it's not sure it will contest the state.

'Texas is 22 [expletive] media markets,' a Biden adviser told The Washington Post. 'That is never going to happen. It's just not going to happen. Everyone knows that. I don't know why people are still even talking about it.'

Trump will be in Bush country but will not get all of the support of the famous family.

George W. Bush won't vote for Trump, the New York Times reported last month.

While the former president is unlikely to publicly comment on the presidential race, Trump will miss the benefit of having Bush stand by his side and campaign for him in Texas.

Former President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush lived in Midland, Texas, for years when Bush worked in the oil industry after he graduated from college

Trump has had tensions with the Bush family although he garnered the endorsement of George P. Bush, the son of Jeb Bush who serves as Texas Land Commissioner

Tensions between Trump and the Bush family flared in the 2016 primary, when Trump was critical of Jeb Bush, the brother of the former president who was running for the GOP nomination.

Those tensions were visible during the funeral mass for former President George H.W. Bush at the National Cathedral in December 2018.

Some members of the prominent family support Trump. George P. Bush, the son of Jeb Bush who serves as Texas land commissioner, said he would support and vote for the president.
29.07.2020 LISTEN

The recent alleged threats by the opposition NDCs National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, to the countrys security agencies, especially the military and the Police as well as other utterances, continue to attract widespread condemnation by well-meaning Ghanaians.

The latest to add his voice to the unending condemnation of Sammy Gyamfi comments is Asare Bediako Seth, the Bono Regional Communications Director of the ruling NPP, who believes that the opposition NDCs spokesperson must be called to order for his empty and hollow noises.

Mr. Asare Bediako Seth, who is popularly known as ABS, in a Press Release explained that Sammy Gyamfi and the NDC are making all kinds of ugly noises to cover-up their harrowing defeat awaiting them in December 2020 elections.

Find below the full text :

SAMMY GYAMFI AND THE NDC ARE ONLY BLOWING HOT AIR AND ISSUING EMPTY THREATS AS THEIR HARROWING DEFEAT BECKONS THEM AHEAD OF THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTIONS

It is intriguing to note how the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has over the period sought to work their way back to the reigns of political power through varied strategies and crude machinations.

Their morbid activities began with grave attempts to discredit and soil the first gentleman of the State, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his political appointees with indelible tags of corruption. This was followed by their sworn agenda to ostensibly hold the NPP government to its campaign promises, which promises they (NDC) castigated and never had a scintilla of faith that same will see the light of day anyway. The opposition NDC hurriedly followed up with their diabolical strategy of running down and striping off state institutions, government agencies and their actors of their hard won and time tested credibility and reputation.

The rationale for such a bracingly morbid agenda by a team of nation wreckers, we surmise, would be to frustrate and cast the ruling government in a bad light; and as well paralyze the institutions of state which are creatures of law and clothed with the mandate to deliver holistic national development and ensure strict compliance with the laws by which the State is governed.

The results of such unpatriotic acts are obvious -- they create and breed a culture of repugnance and mistrust between the citizenry and the ruling party on one hand, and a strong sense of dissatisfaction and insecurity between the citizenry and state institutions on the other hand -- and in a society like ours where the government has an uphill task of yet ensuring that a majority of its citizens get the benefit of at least Senior High School education, a chunk of the population is likely to fall prey to the illogical and deceitful maneuverings of a desperate political party like the NDC whose stock in trade has been to always manipulate and distort the facts and frantic efforts of the ruling government to their advantage.

Despite the tireless efforts by the opposition NDC to discredit and thwart the efforts of the ruling New Patriotic Party, the ship of state, ably captained by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo continues to sail through the turbulence associated with the high seas of national governance and has severally docked with goodies meant for the survival and wellbeing of its crew and all who look up to it for their livelihood.

The growth of the Ghanaian economy at both macro and micro levels, the Planting for Food and Jobs program, the Free SHS program, the Planting for Export and Rural Development, the provision of employment for over 100,000 idling graduates through the NABCO program, the One - Million per Constituency program being implemented through IPEP, the One - Village - One - Dam program, the Presidential Pitch program, the One - District - One - Factory program, the prompt releases of funds meant for PWDs at the MMDAs and the National Entrepreneurial and Innovation Program.

Others include the settlement of heritage debts owed by the energy sector, the retooling of our Security Services, the decentralization of the Ghana Scholarship Scheme, the payment of NHIS arrears, the GPS and Digital Addressing System, the successful operationalization of the Mobile Inter-Operability System, the implementation of the Ghana Card through the NIA, the restoration of Teacher Trainee and Nursing Trainee allowances, the massive public sector recruitment nationwide, the rural electrification program, the launch and operationalization of the Year of Roads program, the massive roll out of infrastructure in Tertiary Institutions and Senior High Schools nationwide, the expansion of and prompt payments associated with the LEAP and NYA programs, the successful creation of six (6) new administrative regions, the One - Constituency - One - Ambulance program, the National Emergency Drone Service program, the agenda 88 whose aim is to see to the construction of new Regional and District Hospitals in new administrative areas, the COVID Alleviation Program ( CAP ), provision of free utilities to lifeline consumers and the 50% subsidy for non - lifeline consumers in this era of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic -- the list of the NPP government's achievements within the spate of three and a half (3.5) years is endless.

The NDC in its desperate and confused state already admits covertly that their proverbial lame horse isn't fit for purposes of issue - based electioneering, as well as back-to-back comparison of their records on solid infrastructural projects, social interventions, the economy and national governance with that of the NPP as the general elections of 2020 draw closer. Over the period, they've sought to strangle and frustrate the ruling government through some of their strategies as follows: Staging walkouts from Parliament; embarking on street protests and demonstrations against government popular policies; organizing uncountable press conferences across the country; character assassination of the President and his appointees; courting the support and sympathy of local and international corporations and institutions; and backtracking on developmental and administrative policies that required the consensual agreement of their side of the August House of Parliament, the botched referendum for the election of MMDCEs is a case in point.

When all these plots couldn't run the Nana Addo - led government aground, their only straw to clutch unto would have been the maintenance of the current voters register in its bloated and error ridden form which the New Patriotic Party made a strong case against while in opposition.

Luck eluded the NDC and the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians endorsed the NPP for a landslide victory in the 2016 general elections. Therefore, the NPP has been consistent in its call for a new voter's register, and the government of the day has made every financial and logistical resource available to the statutory body responsible for the compilation of the new voters roll.

Having tasted that historic, wrecking and humiliating defeat in the 2016 general elections while in power and with every incumbency advantage imaginable, the NDC is now more than ever bitter, suspicious, hallucinating, desperate and sensing yet another mammoth and harrowing political defeat in the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections on December 7, 2020. Once the Electoral Commission successfully compiles the new electoral roll, it will be deemed that our voters register is clean and fit for purpose because all minors, multiple registrants, the deceased and non - Ghanaians who hitherto had their details in the bloated register will have same totally obliterated by the Electoral Commission.

It's for these and many other ulterior motives that the NDC is strangely bent on marshalling all manner of forces and strategies in order to create the ambience for these unlawful registrants indicated supra to get their names unto the electoral roll in order to shore up their support base in many strategic registration centers nationwide. In the recent incidence at the Ewutu Senya East Constituency where the NPP has a sitting Member of Parliament, the strategy of the NDC has been to flood the registration centers with able - bodied men and party thugs just to create fear, intimidation, pandemonium and panic, in order to ward off the majority of prospective registrants who're deemed to be supporters and sympathizers of the NPP.

It must be stated that Hon. Mavis Hawa Kumson is a major stakeholder in the activities of the Electoral Commission in the Ewutu Senya East Constituency. The credibility or otherwise of the reference document to be used in conducting the December polls will have direct consequences on her job as the incumbent MP who is seeking re-election.

The following questions are begging for answers: What can be said to have been the legitimate role of the NDC thugs and hooligans who were busy crisscrossing the length and breadth of the registration center? What was their interest in parading around and surrounding the official vehicle of the Hon. MP for that Constituency? What was the purpose of their reckless riding of motorbikes on the registration premises? When the said NDC motor riders rode and intentionally bumped into the Hon. MP's convoy, thereby scratching and mangling portions of one of the vehicles, did they know the extent of damage they could have caused if that metallic cowl were a human body? As a Member of Parliament and a Minister of State, is Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson permitted under the laws of Ghana to wield an ammunition?

If yes, is she permitted to give a warning shot into the empty, plain atmosphere when there is an attack and threat on her life? What does the law say about potential and legitimate registrants at every registration center? If those NDC thugs wouldn't mind to ride and crash against a metallic vehicle, who knows what they would probably have done to the Hon. MP, if they had access to her life? How would the security implications and narrative have been if these avowed NDC thugs had gotten hold of the Hon. MP and tore her flesh into pieces? If the Hon. MP had lost her life in the process of that attack, would anyone have imagined the strange wave of its rippling political effect, as well as the foreseeable religious and ethnic reprisals that could have erupted given the cosmopolitan nature of that community?

We wish to state that it has always been in the genetic code of the NDC to want to dabble in illegality and exploit every means available to them in their attempts to want to flout the rules that govern public elections in this country. They should desist from encouraging and conveying people they already know aren't qualified to go and flood up the various registration centers across the country. The NPP government is mandated by the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana to enforce the laws governing the land through the various state institutions and agencies.

The NDC through their National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, can keep on blowing hot air and play the proverbial Ostrich. Their numerous press conferences and open threats to the nation's men and women in uniform will not deter the government from enforcing the law through the appropriate state institutions. The nation's security personnel are mandated by the Constitution to maintain law and order, and to safeguard life and property. We wish to assure and implore our gallant men and women in uniform that no individual can, by their attachment to any political party or through their auto imposed selective amnesia, threaten you of any form of dismissal from your jobs.

This dying minute and face saving tactics being employed by the opposition NDC to want to play on the psychology of the nation's security services in order that they may bow to their whims and caprices won't work.

We therefore encourage all legitimate citizens of the Republic of Ghana to turn out in their numbers to register at their designated registration centers. This upcoming general election will be a Ghanaian election and it's only legitimate Ghanaians who are permitted by the sovereign laws of the land to duly register and cast their ballots in order to determine who best serves their interests in the Parliament of Ghana, as well as the first gentleman in whose hands they can entrust their lives and that of their progenies, their natural resources and their sovereignty in order that he steers the affairs of the State of Ghana from the Jubilee House for another four years.

Ghana has come far. We have lived through it all. Let no one be troubled and dismayed by the hot air and empty threats of young men and women whose closest participation and experience of Ghana's battles for self-rule and our stable democracy could best be described as that acquired via text book tutelage.

Fellow Ghanaians, let's all be law abiding, and let's all collectively adhere to the rules governing the processes leading to the compilation of our new Ghanaian voters register.

Long live the New Patriotic Party!

Long live the Nana Addo - led Administration!!

Long live our Nation and its Institutions!!!

.........Signed.........

Asare Bediako Seth

(Regional Communication Director, NPP, Bono Region ) 0244823448/0202112277
" " Lt. Evan Colbert gets helps with a MK-16 rebreather before a dive off Lima, Peru. Rebreathers have long been used by the military. Image courtesy U.S. Navy/Andrew McKaskle

In conventional scuba gear, when you breathe in through the mouthpiece you get a fresh lungful of air from the tank that you carry on your back. When you breathe out, the exhaled air goes out through the regulator into the water in the form of bubbles. A rebreather is a scuba device that allows you to breathe your own air over and over again and produce no bubbles. To allow you to rebreathe your air, the device must do the following:

Remove your exhaled carbon dioxide . This is accomplished through the use of a cannister of sodium hydroxide (Sofnolime). The carbon dioxide (gas) reacts with sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide to form calcium carbonate (solid).

Replace oxygen that you have consumed . Small tanks of pure . Small tanks of pure oxygen or mixed gases (nitrogen-oxygen or helium-oxygen) inject fresh oxygen into the breathing loop.

Control the oxygen concentration in the breathing loop. Solid-state oxygen sensors monitor the partial pressure of oxygen in the breathing loop and send this information to a . Solid-state oxygen sensors monitor the partial pressure of oxygen in the breathing loop and send this information to a microprocessor that controls the oxygen-delivery system.

You'll find three types of rebreathers: oxygen, semi-closed circuit and closed circuit. Oxygen rebreathers carry a cylinder of pure oxygen as the only gas supply. They're limited to "no decompression" depths and carry a danger of oxygen toxicity. Semi-closed circuit rebreathers use gas mixtures as the gas supply. A diver using a semi-closed rebreather can go to greater depths without risking oxygen toxicity. Closed-circuit rebreathers carry both pure oxygen and mixed gases. They differ from semi-closed circuit rebreathers in the way that they maintain the oxygen concentration.

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Rebreathers have several advantages over conventional scuba:

Better gas efficiency : Conventional scuba wastes oxygen, because divers don't consume all of the oxygen in the air they inhale. rebreathers replace only the consumed oxygen, so the devices don't waste gas.

Lighter weight : Compressed air is 78 percent nitrogen, so most of the weight of air in conventional scuba is nitrogen. Rebreathers don't have to carry nitrogen along with the oxygen, so for the same amount of oxygen they can be lighter.

Less decompression : Because the nitrogen in the system, which is involved in "the bends", is kept to a minimum, decompression is less complicated and divers can stay down longer than with conventional scuba.

Stealth: Rebreathers produce few or no bubbles, so they don't disturb marine life or reveal the diver's presence.

Rebreathers are considered to be advanced scuba gear, originally developed and typically used by the military, especially the U.S. Navy SEALs.

Advanced and commercial divers may use rebreathers, although intensive training is strongly recommended. In addition, the devices are expensive, costing up to $15,000.

Keep reading for more links you might like about breathing or heading underwater.
EPA

Donald Trump said he has never discussed reports of alleged Russian bounties on US troops in Afghanistan with Vladimir Putin, despite having reportedly spoken with the Russian president on at least eight occasions since the intelligence was included in his daily briefing.

The president received a daily briefing in February that said Russia was placing bounties on the heads of US troops, with payments costing up to $100,000, according to the New York Times.

But in a new interview released on Wednesday, he said his most recent call with Mr Putin was scheduled to discuss other things that did not include Russian interference in Afghanistan.

That was a phone call to discuss other things, and frankly, thats an issue that many people said was fake news, Mr Trump told Axios on HBO, later adding: I have never discussed it with him, no.

Asked about whether he believed the reported US intelligence on Russian bounties, Mr Trump appeared to deflect. You know, its interesting, nobody ever brings up China  they always bring Russia, Russia, Russia, the president said.

It never reached my desk, he then claimed about the alleged Russian bounty reports. If it reached my desk, I would have done something about it. It never reached my desk.

The president said he has discussed nuclear proliferation  an issue he described as being more important than global warming in terms of the real world  and other issues with Mr Putin, and would have no problem discussing the Russian bounties as well.

However, Mr Trump claimed some US intelligence officials didnt think it was worthy of bringing the issue to his desk.

The presidents assertion that reports of Russian bounties were not brought to his desk goes against the reporting that said he received the intelligence in his daily briefing months ago, an issue Axios raised in the Tuesday interview.

Asked whether he reads his briefings, Mr Trump responded: I do. I read a lot. You know, I read a lot. They like to say I dont read. I read a lot. I comprehend extraordinarily well. Probably better than anybody youve interviewed in a long time. I read a lot.

Story continues

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Trump doesnt mention Russian bounty scheme to Putin during phone call

Anti-Trump ad by Republican super PAC attacks the president on Russia

Russia working with Taliban to force US out of Afghanistan

Trump claims he was never briefed on hoax Russia bounty threat
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29 2020

This article is part of The Jakarta Posts "Forging the New Norm" special coverage series, on how people are forging their lives anew to adjust to the new realities of COVID-19 in Indonesia.

For some, bookstores are simply irreplaceable. Though online shops are easily accessible and e-books can be downloaded at our convenience, these cannot match the excitement of being surrounded by physical books and running your fingers along the spines to find your old favorites or discover a new escape. The smell of a freshly opened book can be compelling as well.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced numerous bookstores in Indonesia to temporarily halt their operations since March, leaving bibliophiles longing for their havens.

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TDT | Manama

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani held a virtual meeting yesterday with UN Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative to Bahrain Stefano Pettinato. The meeting was attended by the ministrys International Affairs undersecretary Dr Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, and Organisations director Ambassador Fatima Abdullah Al Dhaen.

The Foreign Minister hailed the role of the UNDP in achieving the goals of comprehensive sustainable development, and reviewed ways to further develop bilateral cooperation and strategic partnership between the Kingdom and the UN for the benefit of all. He also wished the resident representative success in carrying out his duties.

The resident representative commended partnership between the Kingdom and the UN with all its agencies, affirming his keenness on further developing bilateral relations at all levels. They also discussed joint cooperation between the two sides and ways to benefit from international experiences and projects, in order to achieve the development priorities adopted by the Kingdom.
Some 32 residents of the former Skellig Star Hotel in Cahersiveen began the strike at 10am this morning, to highlight their request to be moved from the centre.

One resident of the centre on the strike says he is "traumatised" by an outbreak of Covid-19 there, after more than 20 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed at the centre earlier this year.

The man, living with his wife and son, says the accommodation is not suitable: We want to recover from this, but we have gone through a very hard time. We are traumatised  mentally and psychologically.

We are facing a challenge situation, so we want to recover from this, so we need to be moved to a place where we can have access to a social worker, medical facilities.

Solidarity with asylum seekers who resolved to go on a hunger strike. They have, on numerous occasions, raised their concerns with @DeptJusticeIRL and they are ignored. There is nothing in the town for them. pic.twitter.com/UHZJffLVAo Advertisement  MASI - Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (@masi_asylum) July 28, 2020

The resident, from Sri Lanka, says only seven children and people on medication are not fasting among the 41 residents: We had to go for a final action of hunger strikes, so at least now they will understand how important this request is... nobody is eating here.

The strike comes as residents say their concerns have not been taken seriously, while the Department of Justice has said it will investigate the situation at the centre.

The current Programme for Government has committed to abolishing the system of Direct Provision.
Superior returns are being enjoyed by investors who back ethical funds. This year, so far, responsible and sustainable investments have returned 4.29 per cent.

Meanwhile, non-ethical funds have made average losses of 1.46 per cent, according to data firm Moneyfacts.

Yet investing for good doesn't just mean going green  it's also about supporting companies that act with integrity.

Decision time: Invest in the coronavirus good guys  without sacrificing a decent return

Since Covid-19 struck, many firms have striven to do the right thing, be it handing back furlough cash to save taxpayer money or supporting our NHS heroes. Others have behaved badly, refusing to pay staff and taking government cash they don't need.

Here, Money Mail explains how to back the coronavirus good guys  without sacrificing a decent return.

You can buy shares in firms listed on a stock exchange using a broker or online share-dealing service.

Or you can invest indirectly through a fund holding shares in many companies. This is often the best place for novice investors as it helps spread the risk.

Builders such as Taylor Wimpey, Barratt and Redrow have been lining up to say no to free government cash. And while the housing market froze during lockdown, early evidence suggests it is more resilient than expected.

Taylor Wimpey, which made an 836million profit last year, said it accepted furlough support as a 'precautionary measure' but no longer needed it due to the 'strength of the business'.

Funds with exposure to Taylor Wimpey include Merian UK Mid Cap with 3 of every 100 of savers' money invested.

Builders such as Taylor Wimpey, Barratt and Redrow have been lining up to say no to free government cash

It also holds online retailer Asos (4.40 of every 100), which is to repay furlough cash. The firm, one of the 50 biggest listed on London's Alternative Investment Market, says sales soared as housebound shoppers splurged on loungewear and skincare. The Merian fund has turned a 10,000 stake into 12,750 in five years.

Jason Hollands of Tilney Investment Management Services tips Schroder Mid 250, which holds Redrow in its top ten.

The fund's biggest holding is Games Workshop, the firm behind Warhammer model figures, which has also promised to return millions of pounds worth of furlough money.

Over five years the Schroders fund has lost money, turning 10,000 into 9,170. But the past three months have seen a turnaround, with a 10,000 investment now worth 10,725.

To invest in Games Workshop, Mr Hollands says ASI UK Smaller Companies is also a good choice. A 10,000 investment five years ago would now be worth 17,400.

Alexandra Jackson's Rathbone UK Opportunities fund invests in UK housebuilder MJ Gleeson. It runs a key worker scheme with benefits, such as an early look at homes and the possibility of a mortgage-free first six months.

Gleeson expects a 'rapid recovery' after sales fell almost a third in its last financial year. The Rathbones fund has turned 10,000 into 11,468 over five years.

Ms Jackson says: 'We need to hold up the companies that are doing the right thing and have gone out of their way to help in such difficult times.'

FundCalibre's McDermott recommends MFM Techinvest Special Situations

Burberry turned over its West Yorkshire factory to making personal protective equipment for health workers, instead of its trademark trench coats. It also continued to pay staff unable to work due to shop closures instead of using the furlough scheme.

Burberry suffered a 45 per cent fall in sales to 257million in its first quarter to the end of June. Analysts at RBC say the luxury brand's management is making good progress in building the foundation to revitalise it.

To invest in Burberry, John Monaghan at investment research group Square Mile suggests LF Lindsell Train UK Equity, which invests 7.10 of every 100 of savers' money in the firm. The fund has turned 10,000 into 15,500 in five years.

Budget fashion retailer Primark has refused 30 million in staff bonus payments from the Treasury. Primark is owned by Associated British Foods  a holding in MFM Techinvest Special Situations, tipped by Darius McDermott at FundCalibre. It has turned 10,000 into 15,400 over five years.

Disposable cutlery firm Bunzl will refund furlough cash, too. To access Bunzl, Hollands tips TB Evenlode Income, which holds 3.60 of every 100 of savers' cash in the stock. It has turned 10,000 into 15,500 over five years.

Mr Monaghan says: 'Companies that put society's interests above short-term gain will stand out for some investors looking to back firms that want to do the right thing as well as creating value for shareholders.'
By PTI

BENGALURU: Taking exception to a private hospital for allegedly charging a coronavirus patient Rs 5 lakh, Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday said he would take stringent action against the hospital.

Dr Sudhakar, in-charge of COVID-19 management in the state, posted the bill of Apollo Hospitals on his Twitter handle and said the hospital has allegedly been overlooking the government guidelines and warnings.

"I have come to know that the patients are suffering a lot at the Apollo Hospitals. I have warned it several times" he said.

The government has fixed a cap of Rs 5,000-Rs 15,000 a day to charge the COVID-19 patients willing to undergo treatment in the private hospitals.

When contacted, Apollo Hospitals said, "There was some communication error with the Minister. Our management has briefed him."

The billing has been done as per the insurance tariff, an executive of the hospital told PTI.

He said the 64-year-old patient was admitted to the intensive care unit on July 3 and he continued to remain there.

He stated, "The family of the patient was okay with the bill. In fact, the patient's son is in the medical field and he understands the situation well."

When contacted, the patient's son said he would not comment because the patient is still in the hospital.

"Our priority is to bring my father out of the hospital after complete recovery. At this point in time, I don't want to complicate the matter further by commenting on it," said the son.

A couple of weeks ago, a private hospital had slapped a bill of about Rs 9 lakh on a patient, which Dr Sudhakar had mentioned in his daily press briefing.
Shares in Greencore jumped 11pc in London yesterday, with its convenience food business beginning to show signs of recovery.

In the three months to June 26, the food-to-go business was down 52.5pc to 123.8m (135.6m), as large numbers of people worked from home because of Covid-19, leading to a change in eating habits.

However, as the Irish and UK economies begin to ease open, revenues have recovered "progressively" in this division, Greencore said.

Since its lowest decline of 63pc year-on-year in April, the food-to-go category this month has recovered somewhat to be down 35pc year-on-year this month, according to a trading update.

The company said Covid-19 has had "a dramatic and volatile impact on UK food consumption patterns in the period."

Overall, revenue for the period at the group, headed by Patrick Coveney, declined 36pc year-on-year on a pro forma basis to 240.6m (264m).

Revenue in the group's other convenience food categories totalled 116.8m (128m) in quarter three, an increase of 1.8pc on a pro forma basis.

Despite the dramatic fall in revenue in its food-to-go business, Greencore said it delivered positive adjusted earnings for the quarter.

In the year to date, the group's reported revenue was 953.3m (1bn), a decrease of 12.4pc on the same period last year.

Commenting on the performance, Greenmore CEO Mr Coveney said: "Our group has traded resiliently, with our deep customer relationships strengthened further, and we are encouraged to see a sustained improvement in demand and category mix.

"We remain confident in the relevance and attractiveness of the food to go channels and categories that we serve. In addition, we are well positioned for new business opportunities and a return to growth as the pandemic subsides."

Greencore also said yesterday it has sold its molasses business for 15.6m (17m) to United Molasses Marketing. The division is involved in importing and distributing animal feed across Ireland.

Proceeds from the sale will be used to further strengthen the group's balance sheet.

Roland French, an analyst at Davy, said the results "highlight an improving revenue trendline since its April lows".

"With evidence of an improving revenue picture, attention will now turn to network and capacity management (operating leverage) and capital allocation or M&A," he said.
Amid the faceoff between the Governor and the Ashok Gehlot government over convening the special Assembly session, senior leader said it could set a "dangerous precedent."

Attacking Governor Kalraj Mishra without naming him, the treasurer said "it is perhaps for the first time in our history that we are seeing a Governor reluctant to convene the Assembly despite aid and advice of the elected Chief Minister."

Patel cautioned that it may lead to a constitutional impasse and set a bad precedent in the democratic history of the country.

"If this dangerous precedent is allowed, what will happen if the Rashtrapati (President) refuses to summon Parliament despite the Union Cabinet recommending it?" said Patel in a statement.

Patel said if allowed it may create chaos and cautioned the Union government on the stand taken by the Governor.

The has been insisting that the Governor has no discretion in the matter. Senior party leader P. Chidambaram said on Monday that the Governor has no "discretion" in the matter and the questions that the Governor had raised to stall the request were irrelevant and beyond his authority.

"Governor's current stand that the law gives him a 'discretion' to summon the assembly or not is a complete distortion of the law declared by the courts," asserted Chidambaram.

The Rajasthan Cabinet met on Tuesday and drafted its reply and sent the letter to the Governor for the third time requesting him to call the session on July 31. It is now waiting for Raj Bhavan's answer.

"The government said that the Governor cannot question it, yet we are answering his queries. As far as the 21 days' notice is concerned, 10 days have already passed, yet the Governor has not issued any date. If the Governor does not accept our proposal this time, then it will be clear that there is no Constitution governing the nation," Patel said.

--IANS

miz/kr

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nigerians are fond of turning very serious matters, even ones threatening the very life of their country, into objects of jokes and laughter.

And so, as President Muhammadu Buharis anti-corruption posturing and grandstanding which have for some years now been on life-support finally breathed its last and was wheeled out for burial (without an autopsy), and the loud attempt by some shameless pretenders to clean up the cesspit of corruption called the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) degenerates into a public trial of the National Assembly, Minister of Niger Delta and the remorseless (mis)managers of affairs at the NDDC, instead of there to be a national mourning and grand coalition against graft and its perpetrators, Nigerians are all over the social media and at various points of gathering, demonstrating that they have only found in the calamitous development fresh ingredients for juicy comedy skits and colourless jokes. What a tragedy!

To make matters worse, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which should have moved in immediately to clear the Augean stable is presently incapacitated by the crushing weight of its own self-inflicted woes as its once ebullient leader is embroiled in earth-shaking allegations of corruption and facing a panel set up by the Minister of Justice who himself is equally struggling to ward off unrelenting fingers pointing at him and raising weighty allegations of graft against him.

Who then will help a country so badly afflicted with passive and absent-minded leadership and helplessly stuck in the muddy pond of boundless corruption and mediocrity?

Now, I refuse to be distracted by the trending, revolting comedies and the titillating tales that inspired them  just because two jolly good friends of yesterday (who happily stood very close to each other in pictures taken recently) have suddenly decided to divert our attention with an emergency quarrel and bitter altercations! But we must quickly separate the chaff from the wheat, fish out the issues that deserve attention and discard the frivolities. How light-minded can a country be!

Yes, the Minister of Niger Delta, Mr. Godwin Akpabio, and the former acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Ms. Joi Nunieh, have both announced that they have briefed their lawyers to sue each other for the unedifying claims they made one another. Entirely their business, if you ask me!

Nunieh said on TV that she had engaged a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to sue Akpabio for alleging that she had been married to four husbands while Akpabio is suing her for claiming that he sexually harassed her and got rewarded with a hot slap for the attempt.

So, as they slug it out in different courts, Nigerians must hasten to withdraw their attention from the courtroom drama and focus it on the mindless pillaging of the NDDC treasury, an institution that was put in place to fund the development of one of the most impoverished places in Nigeria (if not the whole world), from where 90 percent of the resources used in running the countrys almost mono-economy are derived from. (Although, about two weeks after the duo made their threats, I am yet to hear that any of them is court!)

The only matter that should be of concern to security agencies (if we still have any functional one) is the letter Akpabio has read out to the nation which he claims was from the NYSC stating that no record exists either in NYSC Kwara State or NYSC National Directorate Headquarters to evidence [Ms Nuniehs] participation in the scheme.

But, Ms Nunieh had sworn to an affidavit affirming that she did the NYSC, a claim she repeated during an appearance on a national television. Between the two documents being paraded by the Port Harcourt Girl and the Uyo Boy, one must be feeding Nigerians with falsehood, and that is what should be of interest to the security agencies in the Akpabio/Nunieh altercations, if there is anything like law, order and security agencies still existing in Nigeria. Indeed, it seems that all our organized systems are crumbling under the current rudderless and egregiously corrupt regime this country is unfortunately stuck with.

Also, all the allegations that had dropped in the course of the hot and bitter exchanges between Akpabio and Nunieh needs to be thoroughly investigated, and whoever is implicated must be brought to justice.

Akpabio has told Nigerians that a forensic audit is going on to expose the rot and massive mismanagement of resources that have distinguished the NDDC since its creation. But Ms. Nunieh has countered him and asserted that no such audit is ongoing.

Well, assuming there is no such audit, one should be put in place immediately. The story of the NDDC is the story of shame and crude thievery  in fact, an organized banditry. The problem, though, is that, even if the thieves are identified and exposed, who in this terribly corrupt entity that parades itself as government can muster the moral force and courage to ensure they are brought to book? Because it does seem that countless people have got their hands soiled in the NDDCs slimy pit of corruption!

The story of the discovery of oil in the Niger Delta is the devastating account of mindless enrichment of many people outside the region while grinding poverty exacts its excruciating toll on the people that live in the area. Outside the Niger Delta, people who may never have stepped their feet anywhere near the region have become emergency billionaires just by being awarded oil blocks, most of the time, by their friends in government.

Funds realized from the sale of crude oil have gone on to enrich multinational companies, successive government officials and their cronies and transformed many cities very far from the Niger Delta, while in the Niger Delta, what exists are only very ugly stories of environmental pollution and degradation which in turn lead to the degradation and wicked impoverishment of the people.

Oil exploration has destroyed agricultural endeavours that once flourished in the region, aquatic life that had produced great fishes and diverse kinds of food items; it has badly polluted a once healthy and beautiful atmosphere, thereby, encouraging all sorts of health conditions that come from breathing in polluted air.

In most Niger Delta communities, it is almost impossible to get clean and safe water to drink. Many places have neither electricity nor access roads. Despite the sicknesses that afflict the people due to the polluted environment they are forced to live in, at many places, healthcare is such a scarce amenity and manageable hospitals are located very far from the people.

Instead of using the resources dug out from the region to improve the lives of the people there, the funds allocated to the NDDC to see to their welfare are callously looted by heartless characters and wantonly squandered.

Also, involved in this mindless looting are the clever and privileged Niger Delta sons and daughters who collaborate with others outside the region to deprive their own people of the benefits that ought to come to them from the natural resources divinely located under their feet, but which other people have hijacked and used to plague their lives so much, while enriching themselves and many others.

As the story of massive looting at NDDC grabbed the limelight recently, dreadful pictures of the notorious Calabar-Itu Road which was so horrible when I plied it about five years ago surfaced on the social media. It is very sad that despite the billions being squandered at the NDDC, this kind of road could still be found in the Niger Delta.

Indeed, all over the region, roads as horrible as this Itu-Calabar Road abound. In most of the riverine areas in the region, only wooden bridges constructed at very high costs are available to the people to access other neighboring communities. As they risk their lives in the daily adventures of using those rickety bridges, some other people who might even be unaware of their existence are swimming in limitless luxuries funded with proceeds from the sale of oil located right under their feet.

As these privileged beneficiaries take healthy food and drink potable water far away from where their wealth is sourced, the poor Niger Deltans endanger their health by making do with very unhealthy water badly polluted in the course of oil exploration. This is callous and heartless.

Akpabio said that for years, the NDDC existed to serve as the slush fund for those intending to contest elections. Political aspirants are sent to the place to criminally accumulate the funds they require to prosecute their campaigns.

Akpabio even further alleged at the National Assembly hearing on the NDDC that most of the contracts awarded by the commission were given to lawmakers. Nigerians were badly scandalized watching the desperation with which the Chairman of the House Ad-Hoc Committee conducting the probe was trying to stop him from speaking further once he made mention of that.

Soon, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, gave Akpabio 48 hours to name the lawmakers who got the NDDC contracts, threatening that the House might take legal action against him if he failed to do so. As Nigerians waited with bated breath for Akpabio to open his mouth and let the names begin to drop, there were reports that he had written to the House to disown the same allegation he had boldly made before the cameras at the House chambers and which was watched across the world.

But on Monday, July 27, 2020, the newspapers came out with front page stories that Akpabio has named the lawmakers that got the NDDC contracts. According to him, four senators received 74 contracts from NDDC in 2017. In fact, one senator even executed 53 contracts while one House member did 19 at the cost of N9 billion in 2019.

Now, that Akpabio has removed the lid and exposed the dirty contents in the bowl, what next? By the way, is it only National Assembly members that benefited? Are there no beneficiaries in the presidency? Has the anti-corruption government in Nigeria ever heard about the term conflict of interest? Will the rot at the NDDC be swept under and treated as another case of family affair now that scandal is getting too close for comfort to the seat of power?

Also, testifying at the NASS probe, the acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, said: We used [N1.5bn] to take care of ourselves. We are NDDC, we need to take care of ourselves too.

During his next appearance, he said that the money was N1.32 billion instead of N1.5. The amount the IMC [Interim Management Committee] used to take care of NDDC staff as COVID-19 palliative was N1.32 billion, not 1.5 billion.

Everyone knows that NDDC employees are well paid. Instead of the NDDC reaching out to the poor in the region with palliatives during a lock down, they sat down and selfishly shared out N1.32 billion to themselves  fund that obviously was not captured in the NDDCs budget.

According to reports, about N40 trillion has been spent by the NDDC since it was set up twenty years ago. Prof Pondei said that the commission spent N81.5 billion from October 2019 to May 31, 2020  just seven months! And out of this, the Interim Management Committee (IMC) which came into office in February spent N59.1 billion!

The NDDC is a place where billions of naira are casually announced as if they are few kobos. And as they are casually announced, so they are casually and recklessly squandered. What a crude way to advertise profligacy! What a bunch of prodigals.

President Buhari should see what he can do to bring his anti-corruption dream back to life and treat the tumour at NDDC and almost every sector in his government.

The exploitation of the Niger Delta people has become like that proverb about the thief taking too much for the owner to notice. The people there have been taken for granted for too long. They have been punished for so long for their God-given resources. Their patience has been stretched beyond its malleable limit.

One only hopes that it does not snap soon.

*Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye, Nigerian Journalist and Writer, writes a column every Thursday in Daily Independentnewspaper. ( [email protected] ; Twitter: @ugowrite
Porter said he will perform from his living room in Bakersfield, California because of the coronavirus pandemic. His record label said Porter was invited after NASA officials heard Concorde.

Porter said he has been a spaceflight fan since watching NASA's first shuttle launch Colombia in 1981. He remembers as a 9 year old being concerned about how the astronauts would return to Earth and making sure they landed back at Edwards Air Force Base, not far from his childhood home.
ST. JACOB  Even after recovery, fear of the unknown troubles COVID-19 patients as long-term effects of the disease remain to be determined.

We keep an eye on lung function after patients are discharged from the hospital, said Dr. Steven Taylor, a family medicine physician at HSHS Medical Group Family Medicine in OFallon, Illinois. Were looking for lung scarring and other chronic systemic effects of the disease process that are still unknown.

Diabetes, hypertension and other chronic conditions put patients at higher risk of complications.

Jose Ramirez, 41, of St. Jacob, said he was treating his COVID-19 at home when he developed diabetic ketoacidosis that landed him in the hospital  which he considers a blessing.

I wouldve just stayed at home in bed trying to fight it off, he said. I was isolating and resting, taking Tylenol and trying to hydrate.

After being hospitalized for four days, his oxygen levels dropped and breathing became more difficult. Simple things like turning over in bed or walking to the restroom made him short of breath.

Even with the help of an inhaler and oxygen, I still had trouble catching my breath, Ramirez said. It was a horrible feeling.

Doctors at HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital in OFallon determined Ramirez was a viable candidate for the experimental drug, Remdesivir. He agreed because he knew his condition was worsening. Within a few days he was feeling better and was eventually released from the hospital.

His message is clear: Dont let your guard down.

We were careful with handwashing. My family was taking precautions, he said. I just dropped my guard at a family gathering.

Im glad businesses are mandating masks, he said. I dont want to go through this again or for others to have similar experiences.

Taylor, who assessed Ramirez after he was discharged from the hospital, agrees.

This is not a disease to be taken lightly, Taylor said. Its real, and its all around us.

We expect cases to climb, he said. In the coming weeks with further openings in the state, we need to wear masks and socially distance and take this seriously.
Germany to Stop Exporting Weapons, Dual-Use Products to Hong Kong, Foreign Minister Maas Says

Sputnik News

22:58 GMT 28.07.2020

BERLIN (Sputnik) - Germany, as part of the European Union's reaction to China's national security law for Hong Kong, will stop exporting weapons and dual-use goods to the region, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

Commenting on the adoption by the foreign ministers of a package of measures against the actions of the Chinese authorities, Maas said Europe "must speak with one voice" if it wanted to uphold its values and principles in relations "with such powers as China."

"Regarding Germany, we have already begun to make the first steps. For me, this also means that we immediately stop the export of weaponry and sensitive dual-use products to Hong Kong, and Hong Kong itself will be treated in this context as the rest of China," he said.

The national security law for Hong Kong, approved by the Chinese parliament, took effect 30 June. The law sets out rules to prevent, stop and punish four types of crimes committed in Hong Kong, including separatist activities, attempts to undermine state power, terrorist activities, and colluding with foreign states or forces located abroad to endanger national security.

The law caused discontent by anti-government forces in Hong Kong and a number of Western officials, who saw in it Beijing's desire to tighten control over the autonomy.

A Sputnik

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Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates has lamented that titillating misinformation has a tendency to spread faster than the truth. Gate...

Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates has lamented that titillating misinformation has a tendency to spread faster than the truth.





Gates said this while calling on Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Elon Musk to stay in his lane.





This is in reaction to the automaker enterpreneurs controversial comments about COVID-19.





In a interview on CNBC, Billionaire Bill Gates said, Facts travel slowly on social media compared with negative misinformation, which makes it difficult for companies like Facebook and Twitter to strike a balance.

Elons positioning is to maintain a high level of outrageous comments.





Hes not much involved in vaccines. He makes a great electric car. And his rockets work well. So hes allowed to say these things. I hope that he doesnt confuse areas hes not involved in too much.





Musk has been skeptical about some of the restrictions put in place by governments to quell the spread of COVID-19.





The Tesla CEO had described Californias stay-at-home order as fascist in nature, calling on the government Give people back their goddamn freedom.





Later on in a tweet, the automaker pointed out that the number of COVID-19 cases was rising dramatically while the number of deaths was not.





He tweeted, There are a ridiculous number of false positive COVID-19 tests, in some cases, 50%. False positives scale linearly with number of tests.





This is a big part of why COVID-19 positive tests are going up while hospitalizations and mortality are declining. Anyone who tests positive should retest.





Also in a New York Times interview published Saturday, the billionaire Tesla CEO said, I think the reality of COVID-19 is that it is dangerous if youre elderly and have pre-existing conditions.




The pan-European Stoxx 600 ended just below the flatline, with sectors and major bourses pointing in opposite directions.

Investors are awaiting the outcome of the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest monetary policy meeting, with Chairman Jerome Powell expected to reiterate the central bank's dovish stance at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

European markets fluctuated either side of the flatline throughout Wednesday's session after countries around the world reported rises in new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, while a fresh U.S. relief package hit an impasse in Washington.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell unveiled Senate Republicans' proposed $1 trillion coronavirus aid bill on Monday, but Democrats have criticized the package's limitations compared to a $3 trillion proposal that passed the House of Representatives in May. Complicating matters further, President Donald Trump on Tuesday voiced disagreement with some aspects of the bill, though talks are continuing.

Tuesday was the second consecutive day that the U.S. reported more than 1,000 fatalities, while China reported 101 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, its sharpest daily increase for more than three and a half months.

On Wall Street, shares were slightly higher as investors awaited the upcoming Fed decision, as well as a congressional antitrust hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of four of the largest U.S. tech companies.
New Delhi: As the first batch of the much awaited Rafale aircraft is expected to arrive at Indias Ambala Airbase on Wednesday, Amul  India's leading dairy brand, has released a new topical as a 'welcome' of these fighter jets.

The topical shows the Amul mascot dressed as a pilot of the Indian Air Force (IAF) as she waves while standing in front of a Rafale jet.

The topical was shared on Twitter with the caption: "#Amul Topical: First batch of Rafale jets arrive..."

Amul famously for using puns or popular phrases and this time too the picture was shared with Jab We Jet written on the picture. It's a reference to the quirky Bollywood movie starring Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor 'Jab We Met". Another pun used in the photo is "In Plane Sight".

Meanwhile, the first batch of five Rafale combat aircraft arrives at Ambala airbase on Wednesday (July 29) which will put an end to Indian Air Force's 18-year-long wait. IAF chief RKS Bhadauria will receive the Rafale jets at the Ambala airbase. This is the first batch of the 36 supersonic omnirole combat aircraft that India has bought from France.
As Congress debates a second CARES Act-type stimulus package, officials with The Woodlands Township are still trying to figure out if or how much funding the township may receive from Montgomery County from the first version of the stimulus legislation.

As of Tuesday, township board Chairman Gordy Bunch said officials are still waiting for information on the possibility of CARES Act funding from Montgomery County, but they did get news about Harris Countys contribution  an estimated $715,000, which is about $300,000 less than expected in the first discussions of the issue in May.

Related: Woodlands officials fear not receiving CARES Act funds from counties

Myself and staff attended a zoom call with (Harris County) regarding The Woodlands $715,000 of Harris County Cares acts funds available. We have been focusing on working through eligible COVID related expenses we can submit to Harris County, Bunch said. We will be discussing these items during our budget workshops. We have sent a letter to Montgomery County requesting the same allocation formula being use in Harris County for The Woodlands Township. We will continue to work with Montgomery County with the goal of obtaining a similar outcome to our Harris County Cares Act funding.

Calculating allocations

In a May meeting of the board, directors were informed by Monique Sharp, the assistant general manager for financial services for The Woodlands; that under a formula that calculated a per-resident allocation from the CARES Act, she estimated the township may be eligible to received as much as $19 million from Montgomery County and another more than $1 million from Harris County.

However, Bunch said that per-capita amount has been significantly reduced to about $55 per person instead of a previously predicted amount of more than $172 per person based on information from state officials. The reduction reduces the expected contribution from Montgomery County CARES Act allocation to more than $6 million, he added.

If you take the formula that Harris County used, itll will be around that $6 to $7 million range (from Montgomery). Harris County did about $55 per resident. If you applied that to our Montgomery County population that would come closer to the $6 to $7 million, Bunch said Tuesday. We have had initial dialogue (with Montgomery County), but we do not have a formalized agreement like what Harris County has put together. It was helpful for us to go through the process with Harris County, that lays out pretty good ground work in how it should be done. I know Rep. (Kevin) Bradys office was contacted to make sure were all working to the same tune.

Jason Millsaps, the chief of staff for Montgomery County Judge Mark J. Keough, said Koeughs previous statements from May about possible funding for The Woodlands remain unchanged as of Wednesday.

The state of Texas has received the majority of funds earmarked for Montgomery County. Per the CARES Act FAQs from the U.S Treasury, the local jurisdictions should apply for funding from the state and the state should provide that funding. Should the state deny any funding request Montgomery County will provide reimbursements for expenses incurred that are eligible that have been incurred as a response to COVID-19, Millsaps wrote in an email. As a direct recipient of CARES act funds, Montgomery County is responsible for those funds even if sent to other government entities. As a result any reimbursement will be required to be audited up front to ensure compliance with the act and prevent any clawback against Montgomery County taxpayers and the county as a whole.

COVID-19 expenses

According to a staff report prepared for the July 16 Board of Directors meeting, township financial officials have tracked coronavirus-related expenses that are potentially eligible for reimbursement. since March 2020 when the pandemic began, with a total of more than $458,892 in expenses, directly related to the COVID-19 response.

Some coronvirus pandemic expenses cannot be reimbursed, amounting to about $46,000.

The Township has incurred significant costs to continue The Woodlands Fire Department and Dispatch Center first responder emergency services to our residents and responses alongside the Montgomery Hospital District and Cypress Creek EMS on emergency medical calls, officials stated in the report. The Township created an extensive communication system to keep our residents and others updated and informed in regard to local, regional, state and federal recommendations, directives, proclamations and news. The Township Board of Directors have been actively involved in developing the operating protocols for managing parks, pools, pathways and public facilities in the Woodlands during this pandemic.

Among the costs listed in the nearly half-million in expenses are: staff overtime costs, costs associated with adding shifts and other support operations related to the management of public property and timely communication to the public. The township staff is also exploring options to apply for FEMA grants to help offset many costs associated with the pandemic response and is hoping to get some funds from those coffers.

These COVID-19 costs also include quarantine related costs, testing and IT costs required to allow operations to continue in a virtual environment. Significant costs have been expended for PPE supplies, protective gear and equipment, officials concluded.

Bunch said it is important that township officials seek official reimbursement for the expenses from the funds allocated to both Harris and Montgomery counties.

The simple fact is, under the CARES Act funding, had we been a city, we would have received $21 million directly to the township, Bunch said. The state allocation that went with the funding provided allocations for municipalities of smaller populations. In that calculation, it would have been $21 million. The funding went to the county and the county is given a ledger from the state saying this is what the allocation should be.

jeff.forward@chron.com
Amid a rising number of new COVID-19 cases in Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northams administration Tuesday announced new public restrictions aimed at curbing a dramatic surge in the Hampton Roads area.

While the rest of the state will remain under the Phase 3 guidelines, private and public gatherings in the states eastern region will be limited to 50 people from the current statewide limit of 250.

The Northam administration is also moving to shut down bar activity on the eastern part of the state, and as such, will mandate that all restaurants stop serving alcohol at 10 p.m., and close down for service at midnight.

In addition, restaurants will now need to limit indoor dining capacity to 50%. Current Phase 3 guidelines pose no capacity limits, only say that parties must be socially distanced.

The stricter restaurant guidelines will only apply to a subset of the states eastern region: Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Williamsburg, Newport News, Poquoson, James City County and York County.

What were effectively doing is trying to close down bars in this region, because technically we dont have bars to close, said Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky, pointing to the Virginia code, which doesnt allow for bars, only eating establishments that also sell alcohol.

Closing alcohol sales at 10 p.m. is our attempt to close bars and end the sort of congregating were seeing in bar-like establishments, Yarmosky said.

In recent weeks, Virginia has seen its count of new daily COVID-19 cases rise after weeks of downwards trends. The seven-day average of new daily cases hovers above 800, not far from the 1,036 average seen at the states peak on May 21.

In Lynchburg and surrounding counties, the numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continues to rise. A total of 128 new cases across the region were reported over the weekend, according to numbers from the Virginia Department of Health. Up until then, the highest number of new cases reported in a single day was 34.

Earlier this month, Centra Health reported a total of 24 COVID-19 patients in Lynchburg General Hospital between its ICU and specially designated COVID-19 unit, which takes patients with less severe symptoms. As of Tuesday morning, the hospital had a total of 31 COVID-19 patients: 19 of them in the designated unit, 13 of them in the ICU and eight of those ICU patients on ventilators.

Much of Virginias growth has stemmed from dramatic increases in the states eastern region, a hot spot for beachgoers.

The administrations decision falls in line with recommendations from federal officials brought to Virginias doorstep on Tuesday.

A top White House official working on the nations coronavirus response, Dr. Deborah Birx, urged leaders in Virginia during a meeting in Richmond to increase public restrictions to curb the spread of the virus amid an uptick in cases.

Birx met with Northam and other Virginia officials as part of a multi-state tour that includes Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. All five states are seeing a rise in new daily COVID-19 cases.

Birx said that restricting indoor dining and closing down bars has been a successful strategy in order states with growing COVID-19 numbers, as well as increased mask wearing.

Birxs cautionary message on Tuesday seemed a departure from past interactions between states and the White House, which has at times chided states for being heavy-handed with public restrictions.

For example, President Donald Trump has at times challenged face mask orders, while Birx on Tuesday urged 100% mask mandates.

Birxs message on mask wearing also went further than what health officials in Virginia have advised.

Northams face mask order requires people to wear masks inside in settings where people congregate, like office buildings and stores. Birx said on Tuesday that people residing with someone who is particularly vulnerable to the virus  the elderly or those with pre-existing health challenges  should consider wearing a mask in their home.

Rachel Mahoney contributed

Twitter: @MelLeonor_
An Englewood man accused of killing a Newark man allegedly told police he only rummaged through the dead mans pockets, but did not kill him, court records show.

One of three men accused of murder in the shooting death of Douglas Perry, Jamal Robinson, 44, allegedly initially told police that he approached Perrys body shortly after he was killed, but did not touch him, according to an arrest affidavit. On Friday, Robinson changed his story and admitted to police that he took money from Perrys pockets and that he is the cousin of Dejuan Stokes, who was also charged with Perrys murder, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit also reveals that shortly before Perry was shot and killed, Robinson texted Perry, trying to get him to come to the 2nd Street gathering where the shooting occurred.

Robinson, from Englewood, and Stokes, 23, of Randallstown, Maryland, were both arrested Friday and also charged with attempted murder and weapons offenses, according to the Bergen County Prosecutors Office. A third man, Dwayne Redd Jr., 22, of Baltimore, Maryland was also charged with Perrys murder but remained at large as of Wednesday morning.

Robinsons attorney waived his first appearance, originally scheduled for Wednesday, a court administrator said.

The manhunt for Redd and the arrests of Stokes and Robinson all stem from an early morning shooting in Englewood last month that left Perry dead and an unnamed 21-year-old nursing gunshot wounds, authorities said.

At 1:09 a.m. June 20, Englewood Police responded to 2nd Street on a report of shots fired, the affidavit said. When officers arrived, they found Perry and the unnamed 21-year-old suffering from gunshot wounds, authorities said. The scene was strewn with .40 caliber and 9mm shell casings and several cars were hit by bullets, the affidavit said.

Officers found people in the street who had been at a gathering at a home on 2nd Street, the Prosecutors Office said. While the 21-year-old was rushed to the hospital and ultimately survived, Perry was pronounced dead at the scene.

By looking through surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses, investigators discovered that two shooters with handguns had killed Perry and injured the 21-year-old, according to the affidavit. One of the handguns had a green laser attached to it during the shooting, the affidavit said.

The violent eruption of bullets sent investigators on a trail that led across the Delaware Memorial Bridge and back to Maryland, where Stokes and Redd are both from, the affidavit said. Combining surveillance footage, toll records for the New Jersey Turnpike, license plate readers and social media, investigators traced both men to a Honda Accord with Maryland registration, the affidavit said.

In Baltimore on July 13, Stokes was arrested for possession of a handgun and ballistics showed it matched the Englewood shooting, according to the affidavit.

Investigators executed search warrants and searched cars where Stokes was arrested, including an Infiniti registered to Redds mother. Investigators found a 9mm handgun and a detached green laser in the car, the affidavit said. The 9mm did not match the Englewood shooting, the affidavit said.

Days later in Baltimore, Redd was involved in a car crash driving the Honda identified as the alleged getaway car for him and Stokes, the affidavit said. Using cell phone call and ping information, investigators found that both Stokes and Redd drove to Englewood on June 19, 2020, the day before the fatal shooting.

After allegedly killing Perry and shooting the 21-year-old, the two men drove back to Baltimore, the affidavit said, citing surveillance footage, tolls and cell phone information around the time of the shooting.

During an interview with police, Stokes said he did not kill Perry, but admitted to getting a handgun from Robinson after the murder, the affidavit said. A day before the shooting, Stokes and Robinson had a phone conversation, according to phone records cited by prosecutors in the affidavit. At around 10 p.m. June 19, hours before the shooting, Robinson was seen meeting with Stokes and Redd near Waldo Place, according to surveillance footage cited in the affidavit.

Around 20 minutes before Perry was shot and killed, Robinson left Waldo Place and went to the 2nd Street gathering where the shooting occurred, the affidavit said. According to the affidavit, Robinson texted Perry around that time, trying to get him to come to the 2nd Street gathering.

A court appearance for Robinson is scheduled next month.

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.
The Importance of Workplace Mental Health MetricsNow and Post-Pandemic

Of course, the coronavirus pandemic has required employers everywhere to rethink the safety of their employees on a number of levels. However, many do not realize that mental health is a big part of worker health and safety.

Mental health resources are crucial to worker wellbeing at any point in time, but the pandemic has but extra emotional strain on workers. Employers need to seek ways to better help their workers not just with safety precautions like PPE and social distancing and virus testing, but by providing them with the right mental health resources.

The use of mental health metrics in the workplace is a great tool for employers to monitor the wellbeing of workers, said one Forbes article. Mental health metrics provide real-time insights on how the workforce is fairing in the midst of COVID-19 and other disruptive, stressful events. The pandemic has already had a toll on peoples mental health. Now, employers can play a critical role in helping employees help themselves.

One workplace mental health project, the Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition, co-sponsored by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchasers, HR Policy Alliance and One Mind and produced by Total Brain, helped meet this need.

Every month, the Index presents updated findings from a randomized sampling of hundreds of U.S. workers, across topics like risk for anxiety and depressive disorders, emotional awareness and negativity. The results give employers an ongoing look at how mental health impacts are evolving and where needs are the greatest.

For example, data from July 17 showed that U.S. employees risk of Depressive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress and General Anxiety Disorder each increased by at least 40 percent since February. While the reopening of some businesses seemed to help some people emotionally/mentally, the worsening rate of the infection and cases across the country means people will likely be under emotional strain for the long haul.
HARTFORD  The law enforcement reform bill passed the state Senate in a predawn vote Wednesday after a long night in which Republicans attacked the plan while acknowledging that whites in suburbs have vastly different experiences with police than Black and Hispanic people in the cities.

Along the way, a Bridgeport Democratic lawmaker wrapped himself in the American flag; a rural Democrat railed against the way the bill was crafted, only to vote for it; Republicans charged that the legislation was not properly vetted and would lead to bad outcomes.

And the lone Black GOP lawmaker delivered an extended speech over what he believes will be millions of dollars in additional insurance costs for towns to pay for the actions of rogue officers.

But the 21-15 vote, with only conservative Sen. Joan Hartley from Waterbury lining up against the bill among Democrats, will put Connecticut police on the path to more transparency and accountability, supporters said.

When Gov. Ned Lamont signs it  which he will as soon as this week  the new law will bring an state inspector general to investigate police-involved shootings, mandatory body and dashboard cameras, and the ability of the public to review disciplinary records.

The legislation will end the practice of police officers who are fired in one town getting jobs in other Connecticut communities.

The vote, shortly before 4 a.m., culminated a sometimes emotional ten-and-a-half hour debate, during which lawmakers said the issue has tested friendships and political alliances.

Sen. Dennis Bradley, D-Bridgeport, wore the American flag like a shawl in his remarks late Tuesday, to illustrate how much he appreciates the country and accepts the legislation.

I love this flag and I would never, ever pass a piece of legislation that goes to punish police officers with indifference, to punish Black people with indifference, to punish anybody with indifference, he said. I vote for this knowing that it is not perfect, knowing that none of us is perfect.

Sen. Carlo Leone, D-Stamford, said the overall issue was very complicated, but the May 25 killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police set off a national discussion about race and police violence that had been simmering for years, if not decades.

So now we are at a crossroads where we want to make change, Leone said. Hopefully change for the better. Change that we know must come. But as Im hearing the debate and as Im hearing the different points of view, its clear that were still not in full agreement as to what that change needs to be or how that change needs to happen. Are there abuses? Yes. Are those abuses caught? Yes, maybe not always. Maybe not in the way that people would like. Thats what the courts are for. But then the question becomes is that fair for all parties?

Friendships shattered

It was a major victory for Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, who remained in the nearly empty Senate chamber throughout the debate with only a few other top Senate leaders, as rank-and-file lawmakers came in, one or two at a time to speak, then left as custodial crews, using coronavirus protocols, quickly sanitized microphones, desks and even nameplates.

The 36-member Senate chamber, known informally as the circle, was limited to eight members at a time but rarely had even that many on the floor as the debate unfolded.

Winfield went back-and-forth with questioning lawmakers, sometimes offering short, curt answers, sometimes with no replies to tough questions, such as several asked by Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague.

Osten explained her unprecedented experience in rural eastern Connecticut after the Floyd killing.

We started having protests or rallies, people talking about what they were seeing going on, and these protests or rallies were happening in a district that I represent that had never before seen anything like this at all, ever, Osten said.

She said the bill was poorly crafted and should have gone through other committees, not just the General Assemblys Judiciary Committee. She charged that the way it was drafted was inadequate and the debate framed as if those who lined up against the reforms were racist.

We allowed ourselves to be addressed that way, Osten said during an hour-long appearance on the Senate floor early Wednesday morning. And we have actually treated our colleagues that way. In both the House and the Senate, the rhetoric that has happened around this bill has not been good. It has not done the right thing for our respective communities or each other.

She added, There have been friendships that have been shattered by the way we handled this bill and that has not been good.

In the end, Osten voted for the measure.

Immunity at heart of debate

Republicans warned of unintended consequences.

Good cops are going to be sued, no doubt about it, said Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven. The strength of our cities depends on the way we treat the people in our cities. We have to get real on it. Weve got to have deep conversations, and weve got to be honest with each other and straight forward, and not let the noise of cowards on Facebook dictate how we feel and the way we act. But supporting it would send the wrong message.

Possibly the most vehement attack on the legislation came from Sen. George Logan, R-Ansonia, the only Black GOP member of either chamber, who quoted police sources in his hometown claiming that the end of so-called qualified immunity, the most-controversial piece of the bill, would lead to frivolous lawsuits.

Overall, this bill would be a blow to public safety, Logan said as Winfield showed no emotion on the other side of the circle of mostly empty Senate desks. It will drastically affect their ability to do their jobs effectively. Removing qualified immunity as it stands now for all police officers, which this bill does, will devastate police officers ability to protect people in Connecticut.

That section of the bill, similar to existing federal law, means that police convicted of malicious brutality could also become personally liable for civil suits in state Superior Court. Police unions have claimed that if the bill becomes law, many law enforcement officials will retire or resign in protest and recruitment will be much harder.

Only the most-violent, out-of-control cops should be worried, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, said in the final speech of the night.

I dont think were going to see a rash of judgments because the conduct really has to be egregious by the officer to meet that standard of conduct that is malicious, wanton or willful, Looney said. Obviously conduct to which the officer can demonstrate good faith, there will be no breaching of qualified immunity.

The bill, which passed the House 86-58 last week, was not the target of a GOP amendment that could have stripped out the controversial immunity section, which House Republicans narrowly failed to delete last week.

Trust in the police

Other lawmakers found other problematic sections beyond the issue of immunity, including limiting so-called consent searches, where police stop vehicles for minor reasons, with the goal of searching the vehicle for drugs or weapons.

I am very concerned about what the language in this bill is going to do, said Sen. Craig Miner, R-Litchfield, who believes that the new limits to searches and seizures could hinder police. I think the folks in the state of Connecticut that make a livelihood out of illegal activity are going to see this as an opportunity. I think its going to increase the level of violence in communities. Not like mine. I think its going to increase the level of violence in larger communities, Miner said.

We dont want to take anything away from the police, said Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport. We want good cops. We want justice. We want to be treated as equals. She said shes been the target of harassing emails. When I received emails from people all over the state and not in my district, they were very cruel. Many were vulgar. A lot of it is the narrative that was created about the untruths of this bill.

After the vote, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, agreed its a first step taken during a challenging time, when the coronavirus literally ended the regular legislative session two months early.

By passing this bill, it shows that, as a legislature, we are committed to addressing the structural issues that exist and seek reform so that residents, particularly residents of color, regain trust and confidence in their police departments, Duff said.

Stonington Police Chief J. Darren Stewart, president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, said he expects the group to review the legislation closely when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.

There are concerns that parts of this bill may inhibit our ability to attract and retain quality police officers, he said. Also, there is significant case law that ensures constitutional policing  particularly as it relates to use of force, governmental immunity, and the ability of officers to take dangerous criminals off of our streets.

He stopped short of saying the law would be unconstitutional.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
New Delhi:

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold fresh elections to know the people's view on demonetisation.

"I want to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if you really are an honest man and want a correct survey and if you have guts, then dissolve Parliament and hold fresh elections," she said over the demonetisation issue.

Her remarks came a day after the PMO said that more than 93 per cent of the five lakh people who participated in a survey on Narendra Modi App have supported demonetisation.

Read: Narendra Modi should stop emotionally blackmailing people, says BSP supremo Mayawati

The issue of demonetisation has rocked both the Houses since the commencement of the winter session.

Blaming BJP for the disruption, Mayawati said the entire Opposition is seeking PM's presence in Parliament.

"The ruling party does not want Parliament to function as all the Opposition parties are demanding PM's presence in Parliament," she said outside Pariament.

Watch: BSP Chief Mayawati dismisses PMs claims on ending black money, says his move is anti-farmer

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The FTSE 100 index closed up 2.2 points at 6,131.46 this afternoon, ahead of tonight's US Federal Reserve rates decision.

In company news, Barclays has set aside a higher than expected 1.6billion to cover a possible rise in loan losses in the second quarter of the year, as the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic begins to bear down on its consumer business.

The Government has signed a deal with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi Pasteur for 60 million doses of a potential Covid-19 vaccine, which could begin to be rolled out as early as the first half of 2021.

The four Big Tech bosses  Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai of Google and Tim Cook of Apple  are set to answer for their companies' practices before US congress at the end of a year-long competition investigation.

Deutsche Bank posted a loss of 77million in the second quarter as the bank undergoes a costly overhaul amid the coronavirus crisis, although it was far lower than the 3.3billion loss in the same quarter a year earlier.
Kerry hoteliers have given a cautious welcome to the Government's COVID-19 business stimulus package but say the measures don't go anywhere near far enough to help them meet the crisis they are facing.

Among the main area of concern for hotel operators is the Government's failure to specifically address the tourism and hospitality VAT rate.

While the headline VAT rate has been cut by two per cent to 21 per cent, hoteliers are extremely disappointed that a more tailored approach was not taken to the sector's difficulties and a decision made to deliver a reduction in tourism VAT.

While Kerry members of the Irish Hotels Federation welcomed the New Employment Wage Support Scheme, which they say will help keep teams together, they have also expressed serious doubts about the effectiveness of a 'Stay and Spend' tax-credit scheme.

Chair of the Kerry Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation Bernadette Randles said local hotel and B&B operators are very 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. This is untenable from a competitiveness point of view and puts us at a serious disadvantage, particularly when considering our nearest neighbours Northern Ireland and Britain now have a tourism VAT rate of five per cent," said Ms Randles.

Ms Randles said the IHF plans to lobby the Government on this critical issue ahead of the launch of part of the October National Economic Plan.

She also expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the 'Stay and Spend' credit scheme that will allow holidaymakers claim a tax credit or rebate of 125 on a 600 hotel or restaurant spend.

"While measures to stimulate consumer demand are welcome, we have serious doubts about how effective the 'Stay and Spend' tax credit scheme will be in stimulating consumer demand," she said.

"It seems overly cumbersome and convoluted, and we are urgently seeking further clarification from the Government on how the measure will operate," Ms Randles said.

Ms Randles acknowledged the measures announced to address liquidity and investment will be vital for the survival of many tourism businesses, but she feels they do not go far enough to secure the long-term stability of the industry as a whole.

While the Employment Wage Support Scheme is welcome, Ms Randles said further or increased measures are needed.

"The new wage support scheme is welcome and will help hospitality businesses to keep their teams together until tourism and the overseas market recovers. The inclusion of seasonal workers and new hires is especially important," she said.

"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 go 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," she added.

"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," Ms Randles said.

"Outstanding challenges for our sector include the requirement for an urgent review of the Government's 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," she added.

Ms Randles said many hotel and B&B operators are still unsure about the immediate future and called for greater clarity on the next steps in reopening the country.

"Clarity is required for the reopening of the remaining facilities in hotels and guest-houses including the size of indoor gatherings, which should be linked to the capacity of venues, " said Ms Randles.

"Hotels and guest-houses 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," she said.
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab called for caution and accused Israel of violating Lebanons sovereignty following a reported clash between Israel and Hezbollah on Monday. Israel-Hezbollah tensions are high following the death of a Hezbollah fighter in Syria last week.

Israel violated Lebanons sovereignty once again, Diab said in a tweet Tuesday. I call for caution in the coming days.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said a group of Hezbollah fighters crossed a few feet into Israeli territory on Monday. The IDF said it thwarted the attack with gunfire and tank shelling. Hezbollah denied launching an attack into Israel.

A militant group and political party, Hezbollah formed in the 1980s in part to fight the Israeli military, which controlled parts of southern Lebanon at the time. It receives considerable military and political support from Iran. Hezbollah and Israel fought each other in the 2006 Lebanon War and have since clashed now and again. The group controls large parts of Lebanon and is part of the government. Like Iran, Hezbollah also fights in Syria alongside the Syrian government.

The incident follows the death of a Hezbollah fighter in Syria by an alleged Israeli strike last week. Ali Kamel Mohsen was killed during a bombing near the Damascus airport on July 20. Hezbollah attributed his death to an Israeli airstrike, and both Syrian government and opposition news outlets reported that Israel carried out the airstrike. Israeli leaders have only hinted that they strike Iran-backed targets in Syria.
Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan has given an interview to Jerusalem Post.

Question: How did this recent round of violence break out? What do you think Azerbaijan is trying to achieve?

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: This recent July violence by Azerbaijan didnt happen in a vacuum. On the eve of the escalation Azerbaijan at the level of highest political-military leadership has been consistently voicing threats of war, territorial and historic claims against Armenia, coupled with very vocal dissatisfaction of the work of the international mediators - the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

It was the second attempt of Azerbaijan to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict exclusively on their terms. The recent escalation demonstrated that show of force by Azerbaijan and its perceived military advantage dramatically failed and we have a clear case of miscalculation.

Question: Is Armenia prepared for a ceasefire?

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Unlike Azerbaijan Armenia agreed to all proposals of the international mediators to strengthen the ceasefire by putting on the ground more monitors and introducing investigative mechanisms into ceasefire violations. Armenia continues to advocate those and other measures to reduce risks of escalation.

Question: We are seeing a lot of Israeli weapons (drones, missiles) being used by Azerbaijan. Have you conveyed concern about this to the Israeli government? Have you asked that Israel reconsider selling Baku these weapons?

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Arms trade to Azerbaijan is fatal, because Azerbaijan never hesitates to use those weapons against civilian infrastructure, the civilian population.

We will consistently pursue this issue, it will always be an integral part of our agenda both on bilateral and multilateral platforms. Israel should stop this deadly business with Azerbaijan.

Question: Armenia has reportedly had success shooting down Israeli-made drones during the recent fighting. What can you tell us about this?

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: For us those weapons are deadly as they kill our people. Our military has neutralized Azerbaijani weapons regardless of their perceived origins. Facts about weaponry obtained by Azerbaijan and used against civilian infrastructure and population of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are numerous and the July events serve as an additional proof.

Question: Israel has for years flip flopped on recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Is that something you still expect Israel to do? Have you brought this up recently with your Israeli counterparts?

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by a nation who survived the horrors of the Holocaust is a moral issue. Its on your conscience. I know that many Jews - public personalities, intellectuals and ordinary people - strongly share this point of view. However, it is up to the authorities of Israel to recognize the Armenian Genocide or refrain from doing it. Its not only about Armenia but Israel as well.
New Zealand Defence Force maritime surveillance patrols in partnership with Pacific nations and other agencies are operating well within the new normal of COVID-19 considerations.

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour says the NZDF is continuing maritime surveillance patrols in the Pacific to detect and deter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and other potentially unlawful activity.

Any potential detections are reported to the appropriate authorities for their follow up and action.

Rear Admiral Gilmour says the NZDF is employing a range of methods to ensure the patrols are successfully carried out while also observing distancing procedures with Pacific partners to prevent any potential spread of COVID-19.

The NZDF conducts patrols in cooperation with Pacific nations, National Maritime Coordination Centre, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency and other agencies as part of New Zealands efforts to detect and deter illegal fishing and sustain fisheries for future generations.

Fisheries contribute approximately US$1 billion annually to the economies of Pacific countries and generate about 25,000 jobs. Fisheries revenue is particularly important at the moment due to the significant reduction in tourism revenue for many Pacific Island countries.

With border closures and other restrictions in place as a response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there have been concerns about illegal fishing activity.

Authorities are warning that unlawful fishing activity will not go undetected.

MPI Director of Compliance Gary Orr says patrols were more important than ever.

New Zealand contributes to international efforts to monitor the high seas, which are areas of the ocean that fall between countries, for illegal fishing.

"Restrictions in place to manage COVID-19 presented some challenges to that work, but having NZDF being able to undertake targeted and effective maritime surveillance is absolutely key to detecting any IUU fishing."

Crew on a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion aircraft have been flying patrols in the Pacific, covering more than 735,000 sq nautical miles recently

Crew on Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion aircraft covered more than 735,000 square nautical miles on Pacific patrols recently, including over the Exclusive Economic Zones of Fiji, Niue, the Cook Islands, the Solomon Islands and high seas pockets, with further patrols to come. Information on vessels of interest during these flights was passed to relevant authorities.

Offshore Patrol Vessel HMNZS OTAGO was recently on patrols with Republic of Fiji Navy ships RFNS Kikau and RFNS Savenca in Fijis 1.3 million sq km EEZ. A SH-2G(I) Seasprite helicopter on board the ship provided aerial support, in addition to surveillance by the P-3K2.

HMNZS OTAGO Commanding Officer, Commander Fiona Jameson says the ship has successfully carried out a contact-less refuelling and logistics stop in Suva.

It was fantastic to get alongside Suva and be able to refuel safely in the `new normal of operations within COVID-19 considerations.

The opportunity to work with our Pacific partners and build our confidence in working together safely in a Covid environment has been a real success for the ship and the NZDF.

"The aim is to ensure that we are able to support Fiji to monitor their EEZ but also ensure that there is no risk of any Covid transmission between countries. The safety, security and prosperity of the region is important for all of us."

Crew on P-3K2 Orion aircraft overnighted during patrols in the Cook Islands, Niue, and the Solomon Islands.

Health screening of crew, restricted movements on land and compliance with any other requirements by the host nation were among measures put in place to prevent any potential spread of COVID-19.

NZDF support to Pacific nations has also recently included:
China's unmanned Mars probe, Tianwen 1, blasts off on a Long March 5 rocket in Hainan, July 23, 2020. [Photo by Guo Wenbin/China Daily]

China's Tianwen 1 Mars probe has begun to conduct scientific operations, according to designers of one of its scientific payloads.

The Mars Energetic Particle Analyzer, mounted on the spacecraft's orbiter, was activated late Friday night and has transmitted data back to ground control, according to a statement from the Lanzhou Institute of Physics of the China Academy of Space Technology and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

It is the first of 13 scientific apparatuses on the probe to start operating and will be the longest working device during the spacecraft's seven-month journey toward Mars' gravitational field, the statement said.

The instrument is tasked with measuring the spatial radiation environment of Mars and along the Earth-Mars transfer trajectory, as well as investigating a variety of topics including the energy spectrum and changing pattern of energetic particles in the spatial environment.

Its first mission is studying the spatial radiation environment along the Earth-Mars transfer trajectory, according to designers.

Research and development of the cutting-edge device began in April 2016 and took about 2.5 years. It was delivered to Tianwen 1's maker in January 2019, the statement said.

In another development, the Tianwen 1 probe sent back a picture of Earth and the moon, which was taken by its optical navigation sensor when it was about 1.2 million kilometers away from Earth at the time the photo was shot, to ground control on Monday, the China National Space Administration said on Tuesday.

China launched Tianwen 1, the country's first independent Mars mission, on July 23 at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province, opening the nation's planetary exploration program.

If everything goes according to schedule, the 5-metric ton Tianwen 1, which consists of two major partsthe orbiter and the landing capsulewill travel more than 400 million kilometers in nearly seven months before getting captured by Mars' gravitational field.

After the probe enters orbit around Mars, it will revolve around the planet for two and a half months to investigate the landing capsule's preset landing site before descending to a certain altitude to release the capsule.

The capsule will then fall through Mars' atmosphere and take a succession of sophisticated steps to decelerate and land softly on the Martian soil.

The landing has been scheduled to take place around May in the southern part of Mars' Utopia Planitia, a large plain within Utopia, the largest recognized impact basin in the solar system, according to the China National Space Administration.

Weighing about 240 kilograms, the rover has six wheels and four solar panels and is able to move 200 meters per hour on Mars.

It carries six scientific instruments including a multispectral camera, ground-penetrating radar and a meteorological measurer and is expected to function for about three months on the planet.

In the Martian skies, the orbiter will continue circling around the red planet for mapping and measurement tasks with its seven scientific apparatuses such as high-resolution imager and magnetometer.

It will also relay signals between ground control and the rover, the administration said.
Thailand's Cabinet extended the country's state of emergency for a fourth time, by one month through Aug. 31, an expected decision aimed at keeping the country's Covid-19 count to one of the lowest in Asia, according to a government spokeswoman.

The country hasn't detected any new coronavirus cases from local transmission for about two months. Overall, it has reported 3,298 cases and 58 deaths from the virus, but officials said they are wary as new outbreaks have occurred in other places, including Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Critics of the government say the extension targets anti-government protests, which Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said was not the case. Thousands of people, including many students, demonstrated in Bangkok and a few other cities this month calling for the premier's resignation.

"I'm not obstructing any protests as long as they're legal," Prayuth said after the Cabinet meeting. "I'm concerned because the protesters are the future of this country. They have a drive for change," but their actions may "create divisions" in society.

Prayuth is a former general who took power in a coup in 2014, though his current term followed a national election in March 2019.

A reshuffle is coming after four ministers, including the finance chief, recently resigned. A new Cabinet lineup will be sent for royal endorsement in August, the premier said, without elaborating on who would be appointed.

Meanwhile, a new central bank governor was approved by the Cabinet. Sethaput Suthiwart-Narueput, 55, who has been a member of the monetary policy committee since 2014 and is an economic adviser to the premier, will replace Veerathai Santiprabhob, who declined to seek a second five-year term and whose tenure expires Sept. 30.

Thailand's export-and tourism-reliant economy will shrink by as much as 8.1% this year, according to the central bank. The country didn't report any foreign tourist arrivals in April to June.

In an effort to boost the economy, the Cabinet approved a plan by the National Security Council to ease border lockdowns, according to Narumon Pinyosinwat, a government spokeswoman. The NSC plan calls for medical tourists, trade exhibition attendees and foreign film crews to be granted visas. Also, more than 100,000 migrant workers from nearby Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos will be allowed entry.
T imo Werner insists Frank Lampard was the crucial factor behind his transfer to Chelsea, revealing details of a particular conversation that informed his decision.

This week, the German international joined his Blues team-mates in training for the first time after completing a 47million switch from RB Leipzig back in June.

Werner scored an emphatic 95 goals in 159 games for the Bundesliga side, and arrives alongside former Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech, with Lampard also targetting an ambitious move for Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz.

Werner was heavily linked with Premier League rivals Liverpool, but it was Chelsea who quickly sealed the deal, with the 24-year-old now crediting Lampard as the key influence.

"He [Lampard] was the main point; we talked a lot about things like system, like how he wants to play and sees me playing, and how the system fits to me," Werner told Chelsea's official website.

"He is a really nice guy who not only told me what he wants from me as a player because he wants to help me as a guy. He knows me now a little bit better and it fits very good between us and now I am happy to be here.

"When you have a decision to go from your old club and you come to a big club like this, it was for me a dream which came true because Chelsea is a very big club.

"I know of the players before when they won the Champions League with [Didier] Drogba, with my new manager Frank Lampard, Petr Cech as the technical advisor, it is like a little dream for me but I want to become, not a same player like them, but I want to be part of a new era here so I will play to try to give my best."

Chelsea crucially secured a Champions League spot with a final day win against Wolves, and they are expected to push on following an electric start to the transfer window.

And Werner insists his style of play will be "perfectly" suited to the Premier League.

"The style of the Premier League is very fast and my speciality is that I am really fast so I think it is perfect for me to play here," Werner added.

"It is another league in another country so I can improve myself to bring it to another level, so those are the reasons I come to the Premier League and to Chelsea.

"I'll try to score as much goals as I can for Chelsea, that is the big reason why they bought me, to bring the goals I scored in Leipzig here, and maybe score more goals than there.

"The first day is always a little bit crazy because you don't know everybody so much. And not only the team, it is always a pleasure to meet the team behind the team the first time and now I am very happy and excited to meet them."
New York

Less than two weeks ago, a young television reporter died after falling off a scooter rented from the moped-sharing company Revel. After her death, which was believed to the first involving a Revel scooter, the startup vowed to do better on safety.

Then, Tuesday brought a second fatality, when a man who was driving a Revel moped crashed into a light pole in Queens.

Hours later, Revel, whose electric-blue, Vespa-like vehicles have become a familiar sight on the streets of New York City, announced that it was suspending its operations in the city.

The decision came as moped sharing has spiked in popularity, both in New York and globally. Within the last year, Revel, which is based in Brooklyn, has expanded to four other U.S. cities and announced plans for a fifth. Similar startups have launched in cities in Europe and Asia, where mopeds have long been more common.

Revel, in a statement posted on its website, said it would shut down its New York City service in order to "review and strengthen our rider accountability and safety measures" but that it planned to restart operations in the city "in the near future."

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

A spokeswoman said Revel was in active discussions with city officials but declined to comment further. Mayor Bill de Blasio said his administration had been in discussions with Revel's chief executive after a number of reports of recent crashes involving the mopeds, which can travel up to 30 mph. The mayor called the situation "unsatisfactory and unacceptable."

De Blasio added that the city had the ability to "regulate, restrict and even prohibit Revel scooters," and that the company would need the approval of city officials to restart its operations.

As of Tuesday, at least a dozen lawsuits had been filed against Revel either by riders who said the scooters malfunctioned, or people who said they had been injured by Revel riders.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tissue Processing Systems Market Research Report by Volume (High Volume Processor, Medium Volume Processor, and Small Volume Processor), by Product (Fluid Transfer Processor and Tissue Transfer Processor), by End User, by Distribution Mode - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05942189/?utm_source=PRN





The Global Tissue Processing Systems Market is expected to grow from USD 391.56 Million in 2019 to USD 682.57 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.70%.



Market Segmentation & Coverage:

This research report categorizes the Tissue Processing Systems to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:



"The Medium Volume Processor is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Volume, the Tissue Processing Systems Market studied across High Volume Processor, Medium Volume Processor, and Small Volume Processor. The Small Volume Processor commanded the largest size in the Tissue Processing Systems Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Medium Volume Processor is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



Based on Product, the Tissue Processing Systems Market studied across Fluid Transfer Processor and Tissue Transfer Processor.



"The Pharmaceutical Company is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on End User, the Tissue Processing Systems Market studied across Hospital, Pharmaceutical Company, and Research Laboratory. The Hospital commanded the largest size in the Tissue Processing Systems Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Pharmaceutical Company is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



"The Online is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Distribution Mode, the Tissue Processing Systems Market studied across Offline and Online. The Offline commanded the largest size in the Tissue Processing Systems Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Online is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



"The Asia-Pacific is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Geography, the Tissue Processing Systems Market studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region surveyed across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. The Americas commanded the largest size in the Tissue Processing Systems Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



Company Usability Profiles:

The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Tissue Processing Systems Market including Agar Scientific Ltd., Agilent Technologies, Inc., Bio-Optica Milano Spa, BioGenex Laboratories, Danaher Corporation, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, General Data Company Inc., Jokoh Co. Ltd., Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH, MEDITE GmbH, Merck KGaA, Milestone Medical srl, Roche Diagnostics, Sakura Finetek Europe B.V., Siemens AG, Slee medical GmbH, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc..



FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Tissue Processing Systems Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.



Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth.



Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:

COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Tissue Processing Systems Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Tissue Processing Systems Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Tissue Processing Systems Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Tissue Processing Systems Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Tissue Processing Systems Market?

6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Tissue Processing Systems Market?



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05942189/?utm_source=PRN



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Sir,



But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.

From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth - He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

Rejoice

We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you, Psalm 33:11-22. Take the time to contemplate such words in the Bible each day. As you slowly and intentionally read words of Gods providence, ask Him that they might help you to be bold and courageous. Listen carefully, and identify a verse or passage that particularly resonates with you. Then memorise your verse and take it into the day. And before bringing your family requests to God, take time to thank Him for all that is good in your life. Youll be surprised at how many things your family has to give thanks for!

And then, as you go through your day, remember the many simple things you can do to boost your immune system. Drink lots of water, eat well, particularly whole foods, avoiding sugar and fast foods. Be intentional in getting enough sleep each night - it really is not a waste of time! Exercise in moderation each day - ideally, take a walk outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine. Do something that brings a smile to your face. And in all that you do, remember to be bold! Be strong! For the Lord your God is with you! (Joshua 1:9).

Helped

As we move forward day by day, lets not forget that the hand of the Lord has not been shortened. It is extended in our favor to protect us, bless us and help us. In the same way His mighty hand helped us in the past, it will move today, tomorrow and day after tomorrow with miraculous power, and we His children shall overcome. No matter what happens in this world, He will come again. So, wherever you are, hold on to faith, hold on to Jesus because our destiny is to live eternally by His side.
Russian President Vladimir Putins health is good, his working timetable is going ahead as planned, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, when asked if Putin is feeling well after the news emerged that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko overcame coronavirus.



"Dont worry. The president is doing well. The working timetable is going ahead," TASS cited him as saying.

The two leaders had a personal meeting on June 24 at Moscows Victory Parade and at the unveiling of the Memorial to the Soviet Soldier in Russias Rzhev on June 30.



Earlier on Tuesday, Lukashenko revealed that he had overcome coronavirus "on his feet" and was asymptomatic.



The Kremlin did not know that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had coronavirus, Dmitry Peskov said. "We did not know about this," he commented.
With an umbrella in his left hand and a hammer in his right, the man in black lobbed his weapon so nonchalantly into an auto parts shop's windows that it surprised many others in Minneapolis marching nearby in a May 27 protest over George Floyd's death.

Soon after his abrupt attack, the mostly calm demonstration near a police precinct erupted into looting and arson - the first fire in a series of riots that eventually caused $500 million in damage and left two people dead, the Associated Press reported.

For weeks afterward, activists and Internet commenters homed in on a viral video of the figure nicknamed "Umbrella Man," speculating that his intent was actually to turn the peaceful protests destructive.

On Tuesday, Minneapolis police confirmed those suspicions, identifying him as an affiliate of a white supremacist group that allegedly sought to "incite violence," according to a search warrant affidavit filed in the Hennepin County District Court. The Star Tribune first reported of the warrant. The 32-year-old man has not been charged.

The Minneapolis Police Department declined to comment on the case, citing the active investigation.

The news comes amid rising fears of right-wing agitators purposefully stoking violence at protests. Last month, federal prosecutors charged supporters of the right-wing "Boogaloo Boys" movement for incidents including killing of a security officer at a federal courthouse and plotting firebombs and explosives at a government building and peaceful protests - all with the aim of stoking racial conflict.

Theories that white supremacist groups may have been involved in the "Umbrella Man" case arose soon after video of him vandalizing the business began circulating widely on social media. Many falsely identified the man as a St. Paul police officer, causing the department to release surveillance footage showing the officer during the time of the protest.

Much of the suspicion around "Umbrella Man" came from his clandestine get-up - all black including a gas mask that covered most of his face - and his reaction to protesters confronting his vandalism. As he made is way along the building, breaking the glass one pane at a time, an African American man in a pink T-shirt and white shorts approached him, seemingly insisting he stop. But "Umbrella Man" pushed forward until more onlookers neared. He eventually turned around and went behind the building, but many in the crowd followed him, one even yelling out to ask if he was a cop.

Not long after he shattered the windows of the AutoZone and ran away, people started looting the store and eventually set it on fire.

Erika I. Christensen, a Minneapolis police arson investigator who wrote the affidavit, now alleges that his "sole aim" was to provoke discord.

"Until the actions of the person your affiant has been calling 'Umbrella Man,' the protests had been relatively peaceful," she said. "The actions of this person created an atmosphere of hostility and tension."

The destruction quickly spread. The following morning, the Minneapolis Fire Department said they had responded to roughly 30 fires. One man was shot and killed in a pawnshop, while a second man was found dead and burned in another pawnshop.

"This was the first fire that set off a string of fires and looting throughout the precinct and the rest of the city," Christensen said.

It took months for Minneapolis police to identify the man. Christensen wrote in her affidavit that she spent "innumerable hours" scrolling through social media apps like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube.

The break finally came last week, when a tip came in naming "Umbrella Man" and revealed he is a member of the Hells Angels, a motorcycle gang made up of mostly white men who ride Harley-Davidson bikes. Christensen soon discovered that "Umbrella Man" is also a "known associate" of the Aryan Cowboys, a white supremacist prison gang based mainly out of Minnesota and Kentucky.

Christensen also found that just before smashing the windows to the AutoZone, "Umbrella Man" allegedly spray-painted in white, "free s--- for everyone zone," on the red doors of the store.

He was also involved in an incident in Stillwater, Minn., where a group of motorcycle gang members wearing Aryan Cowboys leather vests accosted a Muslim woman, according to the affidavit.

In response to the news, some civil rights leaders are urging the Justice Department to investigate further. Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, tweeted, "A great time to ask AG Barr about the department's investigation of violent white supremacist groups."
The Roots formed in 1987 in Philadelphia, when drummer Thompson and rapper Trotter both attended the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Baset (pictured above, left), a fellow rapper and lyricist from South Philly eventually hooked up with the Square Roots duo (as they were then called) during the time that Thompson and Trotter could be found busking on Phillys busy South Street. By the time the group dropped the Square from their name, moved to London, and released their independent 1993 debut, Organix, Malik was an equal part of The Roots lineup and building a reputation as a solid hop-hop ensemble that used live instruments -- a rarity in the genre at that time.
France will ban heaters used by cafes and restaurants on outdoor terraces as part of a package of measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption, the French ecology minister said on Monday.

The French governments announcement came at a difficult time for cafe and restaurant owners hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with many largely relying on outdoor dining to comply with social distancing rules.

In an attempt to give businesses time to continue in their recovery and adapt to the new law, the ban will not go into effect this winter, when many experts expect a resurgence of the virus.

In a country famous for its terrace culture, heat lamps running on electricity or gas have flooded outdoor terraces for over a decade, making sitting outside in cold weather not only possible but comfortable. In Paris alone, some 70 percent of cafe terraces are estimated to have heating devices.

Now, though, France is looking to accelerate its fight against climate change, and energy-hungry heaters are increasingly seen as anachronistic.

Several cities in France banned outdoor heaters in recent months and calls to follow suit in Paris gained traction in the run-up to the municipal elections in March.

Its about ending practices that are ecological aberrations and that lead to totally unjustified energy consumption, Frances new ecology minister, Barbara Pompili, said after meeting with President Emmanuel Macrons environmental defence council on Monday.

It is not possible to heat terraces at full capacity in the depths of winter when it is zero degrees for the sheer pleasure of drinking your coffee on a terrace while being warm, she added.

Even before the pandemic, the countrys cafes and restaurants were suffering a drop in business because of monthlong strikes that kept many people off the street.

Then they were forced to shut their doors for 11 weeks as the nation locked down to slow the spread of the virus.

Restaurant owners were already down on their knees, said Marcel Benezet, a representative of the GNI-HCR, the countrys main union for cafes, hotels and restaurants. Now, with this ban, the government is giving us a second sledgehammer blow.

Benezet said that as the reopening of cafes and restaurants came with new health restrictions limiting attendance in enclosed areas, outdoor terraces had become the only place where you can make a little money.

Many cities across France have allowed cafes and restaurants to extend their outdoor terraces into areas normally reserved for pedestrians in order to compensate for the loss of income resulting from social distancing rules imposed on these businesses.

In Paris, with some 17,000 cafe terraces, dozens of cobblestone streets are now buzzing with customers sometimes sitting right in the middle of the street, as they enjoy their aperos, a pre-dinner drinking tradition that the pandemic had all but extinguished.

Despite the government delaying the ban until next spring, Benezet said that since no one knew how long the epidemic would last, it could come into force at a time when outdoor seating is still needed to mitigate the economic effects of social distancing rules.

France, like other European countries, is facing a slow but worrisome resurgence of the epidemic. There were about 800 new cases a day on average over the last two weeks, compared with 500 a day the previous week, with authorities reporting about 100 active clusters of the virus, which officials fear could foster the second wave of infections nationally.

We need more time to adapt ourselves, Benezet said. We should not be sacrificed in the name of ecology.

The ban is part of a series of environmental measures to be introduced in the coming months, such as encouraging building owners to improve insulation and prohibiting them from installing coal or fuel oil furnaces in new homes.

Some measures, including the ban on heated terraces, are a direct result of proposals from a Citizens Convention on Climate that Macron set up after the Yellow Vest protests in 2019, in a bid to balance economic policies with long-term environmental objectives.

In late June, just after the Green party won a landslide victory in the municipal elections that has put the French government to the test, Macron pledged 15 billion euros, or about $18 billion, to pay for environmental proposals.
A couple has accused a Butte Central High School teacher of engaging in sexual activities with one girl student and having an unwanted and illegal sexual relationship with another girl and trading grades for their silence.

John and Heather Stenson also allege in a civil lawsuit that Brad Kadrmas, 45, and his wife, Amy, 42, gave alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana to minors while Brad worked as a teacher at Butte Central High School and he and Amy lived in a dormitory on school grounds.

Kadrmas has been a math teacher at Butte Central High School since 2011.

But even though the allegations amount to serious criminal matters, Sheriff Ed Lester said police were only contacted about them on July 22 and they had very limited information so far.

As of right now, law enforcement only has the information contained in the document that was filed in District Court, Lester said in a statement Tuesday. "If additional information becomes available, we will investigate the allegations of criminal activity.

While the allegations in the civil lawsuit are serious, The Montana Standard has no way at present to evaluate or verify them. Efforts to contact the Stensons and Amy and Brad Kadrmas by phone were not successful.

Although he is accused of sexual improprieties in the text of the lawsuit, Brad Kadrmas is not named as a defendant. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages for negligence and past and future emotional distress, among names other things.

Lawrence Henke, an attorney at Vicevich Law in Butte who filed the suit on behalf of the Stensons and six unidentified minors, said he talked to a police detective Tuesday and answered all questions that were posed. But Henke declined to provide any details to The Montana Standard that werent in the lawsuit.

The Diocese of Helena, which oversees Butte Central Schools and is among the defendants named in the civil suit, says it learned of the allegations on July 22, contacted police immediately and requested the Stensons' attorney provide contact information for the unidentified childrens parents or guardians.

The Stensons' attorney declined this request, the Diocese said in a statement Tuesday. "The diocese will continue to pursue a path for preliminary investigation but at this time cannot verify the alleged sexual abuse in this third-party complaint. No direct or verifiable reports or allegations of abuse by Brad Kadrmas have been made.

Don Peoples Jr., president of Butte Central Schools, told The Montana Standard that he only learned of the allegations on July 22 and contacted police.

Had we known, a criminal investigation would have already been underway, Peoples said.

The lawsuit was filed in District Court in Butte and names as defendants Butte Central High School, Butte Central Schools, the Montana Catholic Conference, the Diocese of Helena, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Helena and Amy Kadrmas as defendants.

Henke declined to say why Brad Kadrmas wasnt named as defendant, saying he doesnt publicly discuss such matters or strategy.

Among other things, the Hensons allege that Brad Kadrmas identified vulnerable minors.

Brad capitalized on his position, and ready access to the vulnerable, whereby he engaged in unauthorized sexual contact with (one minor female) and an unwanted and illegal sexual relationship (with another girl.," the lawsuit said.

Brad was able to keep the minors silent through intimidation and a scheme of trading grades for silence as to his conduct, the lawsuit said.

Butte Central assigned the two female students to Kadrmas to be tutored, the suit said, but he still had grading authority over them.

The lawsuit does not provide specifics of what the alleged sexual misconduct entailed and Henke declined to provide any additional details to The Montana Standard.

Amy Kadrmas already faces criminal charges in Butte-Silver Bow County for allegedly providing marijuana to two teenagers while living in the apartment at Butte Central High School.

In December 2019, prosecutors charged Amy Kadrmas with two felony counts of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs on or near school property and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

According to prosecutors, Amy and Brad Kadrmas were living with a 14-year-old boy in the apartment and she provided marijuana to him and a 14-year-old friend. Brad Kadrmas was a math teacher at the school. She pleaded not guilty and that case is still pending.

The school district placed Brad Kadrmas on administrative leave after those charges were filed. It was not clear late Tuesday afternoon whether he is still on leave.

The suit also alleges that Butte Central and the diocese did not do a thorough background check of the Kadrmases. Peoples declined to comment.

It also alleges Central was negligent in not providing better oversight of the couple and their interactions with students.

Specifically, it says a student was found with alcohol on the Butte Central campus, it was atypical behavior for that person and the investigation into this incident was the thread that unraveled this tragedy.

Over at least the past two years, the lawsuit says, Brad and Amy Kadrmas targeted minors and Butte Central students and groomed them for abuse through the introduction of alcohol, providing cigarettes as a gateway to marijuana use, and that let to drug addiction and sexual exploitation.

It says marijuana and alcohol were given to at least four of the minors, Brad Kadrmas had sexual contact or relations with two female students and was able to keep the minors silent through intimidation and a scheme of trading grades for silence as to his conduct.

It says he used a quid pro quo grade exchange to capitalize on his supervisory status as an adult and teacher over the two female students, as well as others.

The exchange was made possible by the inaction of Butte Central High School in reacting to other teachers reports of poor performance by students who were getting unreasonably high grades from Brad, the lawsuit says.

The Diocese of Helena issued a page-long statement on the allegations Tuesday saying its safe environment protocols include full cooperation with police and a preliminary investigation when any abused is reported against a volunteer or employee.

The Diocese of Helena does not tolerate any harmful action, especially abuse, toward children and takes all reported allegations seriously, the statement says. We will continue to carefully look into this complaint and maintain close contact with law enforcement should an official investigation begin.

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Australian Ninja Warrior contestant Sam Goodall suffered a shocking fall on Tuesday's show, leaving viewers and the program's hosts horrified.

The 32-year-old 'Tradie Ninja' fell flat on his back as he attempted to scale the 'Warped Wall' at the end of the gruelling course.

There were genuine fears for Sam as he struggled to move, with hosts Rebecca Maddern and Ben Fordham, his brother-in-law and fellow contestant Zed Colback scrambling to see if he was alright.

'He's flat on his back': Australian Ninja Warrior contestant Sam Goodall (pictured) sparked concern on Tuesday's show, after a frightening fall on the Warped Wall

'Oh no, he's taken a fall. Is he hurt?' a shocked and concerned Rebecca cried.

'There's a concern in the crowd, Zed's running in. He's flat on his back,' Ben commented.

However, Sam quickly recovered, soon found his feet and got back up, running up the wall to finish the course in one minute and 38 seconds.

Scary stuff: There were genuine fears for Sam as he struggled to move, with hosts Rebecca Maddern and Ben Fordham asking if he was severely hurt, while his brother-in-law and fellow contestant Zed Colback rushed over to check if he was okay

Shocked: 'Oh no, he's taken a fall. Is he hurt?' host Rebecca (pictured with Ben Fordham) asked

'Talk about giving us a fright!' Rebecca said to Sam following the challenge.

Sam explained that he's used to wearing heavy boots at work all day, so he struggled wearing light running shoes.

'Spend all day in steel caps, it's a lot heavier, put light shoes on and you can't keep up with them,' he said about his fall.

Struggles: Sam said that he's used to wearing heavy boots at work all day, so he struggled wearing light running shoes

Because of his speedy run through the course, Sam made his way to the Power Tower to verse contestant Matt Filippi on a gruelling challenge.

Sam won the task, saying he 'feels like his best at the moment.'

He will now go into the semi-finals of the show.

'So now with some good health, a [time] bonus behind me, it's a boost of confidence for sure,' he said.

Australian Ninja Warrior continues on Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine.
While the vast majority of public health experts now agree that wearing face masks could halt the worsening coronavirus pandemic in its tracks, some Americans continue to resist that guidance.

More than two dozen states now have rules requiring residents to wear masks in stores and public areas. Big-box retailers like Target and Walmart have mandated that shoppers don a face covering to frequent their establishments. But the more that masks become embedded in everyday life, the more some people continue to push back. Fueled by mistrust of mainstream information, inconsistent messaging and concerns over the legality of mask mandates, there are some groups across the country that are organizing in protest of mask orders.

Broadcast on social media, confrontations over mask orders continue to erupt inside local businesses, with some turning violent.

The majority of people seem to be following the recommendation, but research [shows] that theres a small group of people who, when they feel like theyre being controlled, will respond by acting out, Vaile Wright, senior director of Health Care Innovation at the American Psychological Association, told Yahoo News. That might look like breaking the law or, in this case, not following medical recommendations.

This behavior, Wright says, is influenced by a sense of distress and a lack of understanding of why the masks are necessary. It was also made worse by the fact that officials at the World Health Organization, in an effort to ensure that face masks went first to frontline health care workers, declared that masks were not recommended for everyone.

Youve got this huge sense of distrust of the government, Wright said, whether its local or federal. Youve got distrust in the science. And then you have this really unfortunate situation where the science changed  science does that, especially in certain situations that are so novel and uncertain, but thats really confusing for people.

Story continues

By a large margin, the U.S. has more confirmed COVID-19 cases (4.3 million) and deaths from it (nearly 150,000) than any other country, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Yet for months, as the number of cases and the death toll have continued to rise, public health experts have issued more unified guidance that wearing a mask can help the country contain the pandemic.

3M brand N95 particulate respirators. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Still, some Americans  like Kansas resident Daniel Dieker, who avoids wearing masks except at doctors offices  arent entirely convinced that masks work.

I dont think the masks are effective at all, Dieker, 34, told Yahoo News via Facebook. He said he knows of only one person with a confirmed case of the coronavirus. That person had mild symptoms, Dieker said. Im not concerned about COVID-19 because everything I see adds up to inflated numbers and overhyped panic. I believe its no worse than a new influenza strain.

Dieker didnt identify specific sources for that view, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says influenza and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses. Instead, Dieker pointed to what he described as misreported case numbers, inaccurate tests and mainstream news articles he believes are untrue.

If Im lied to several times, he said, why would I continue to believe the source of the lie, especially when the narrative doesnt add up?

Masks are also uncomfortable, Dieker said.

Dr. Steven Taylor, a psychiatrist at the University of British Columbia and the author of the 2019 book The Psychology of Pandemics, attributes the aversion to masks to several factors. Covering your face is not the norm in American culture, Taylor said, so it can be difficult for people to adjust to wearing one all the time. Also, he noted, some political leaders have taken the virus more seriously than others, sending mixed messages to the public.

President Trump, for instance, falsely said on Tuesday that large portions of the country are corona-free, and has vacillated between telling citizens to wear masks and sharing misinformation that downplays the importance of face coverings.

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Having often resisted wearing a mask, Gohmert said in an interview that he cant help but wonder if wearing a mask and trying to keep it in place caused him to breathe in the virus.

President Trump wears a face mask at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies in Morrisville, N.C., on Monday. (Evan Vucci/AP)

This is not the first time Americans have resisted wearing masks during a public health crisis.

In 1919 in San Francisco, there was an attempt by the authorities to make masks mandatory during the so-called Spanish flu, Taylor said. That caused the creation of the Anti-Mask League. The reasons they offered back then to not wearing masks are the same as the ones were seeing today. The people in the Anti-Mask League said, Were not going to wear masks because we dont think theyre effective. And theyre an infringement on our civil liberties. So everything old is new again.

The resistance to wearing masks may stem from Americas culture of individualism, which prioritizes personal freedom above practically everything else.

Michele Gelfand, a cross-cultural psychologist and professor at the University of Maryland, says the countrys response to the pandemic has much to do with what she calls its loose culture, compared with tight countries, such as Germany and Singapore, with a stricter adherence to social norms.

In a Boston Globe op-ed in March, Gelfand described U.S. cultures decentralized, defiant, do-it-your-own-way norms that make our country so entrepreneurial and creative and also deepen our danger during the coronavirus crisis.

Its harder for people to accept when you have to become more strict, Gelfand, the author of Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World, told Yahoo News.

Her article, published before the number of COVID-19 cases would skyrocket here, warned that the U.S. must tighten up to survive the coronavirus.

I was trying to nudge the American public about the fact that our loose entrepreneurial spirit is really important and we dont want to give that up, she said, but that under times of threat, we really need to start becoming more strict in terms of social rules in order to survive.

For John Bruski, a 47-year-old pastor from St. Paul, Minn., the mask mandates and COVID-19 restrictions are about submission.

It is a symbol of your silence, he told Yahoo News via Facebook. This whole thing has been about shutting down our voice. No gathering, essentially attacking churches, no family gatherings. Close the restaurants so you cant gather. Close or control everything that has to do with our voices and relationships.

People wear protective face masks outside Dunkin' Donuts in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Bruski said he believes the mandates are wrong and unconstitutional, a claim echoed by mask opponents and some attorneys general. But state laws generally give governors broad powers to make decisions in the interest of public health, despite whether residents believe them to be necessary.

No ones saying you have to believe that this is real, Gerard Magliocca, a constitutional scholar and law professor at Indiana University, told Yahoo News. You just have to wear a mask. I dont think any court is going to say a mask requirement is invalid unless you go the route of saying, There's nothing in state law that says that you can require people to wear masks at all.

Experts warn that the same issues surrounding mask compliance could create problems for promoting a vaccine.

We know that vaccination nonadherence is already a big problem for seasonal influenza, said Taylor, who has been conducting public surveys on the topic. Its going to be even worse for getting the vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. And thats because its an unknown virus. The vaccine doesnt have a track record yet. People are concerned about the safety and efficacy of a vaccine and worry that the whole process is being rushed. So thats the next big challenge ahead.

Dieker echoed those concerns, saying he would not get a vaccine until it was widely tested and approved for effectiveness and safety. The rushed process makes it easier for issues to be missed, he said. Bruski told Yahoo News he is not an anti-vaxxer but would not take the vaccine because he believes its totally unnecessary and probably wouldnt work anyway.

I think its the same psychological process that you see for masks, Wright said. Again, this sense of not wanting to feel controlled by others in what already feels like an uncontrollable situation.

Public health experts have said that the way to effectively promote mask use is to offer consistent messaging that persuades, not forces, people to take precautions for themselves and their community.

Its really about depoliticizing masks in general, Wright said, and instead making the messaging about doing this as a way to protect your country, to protect you and to protect your community. And that as citizens, that comes with a certain amount of freedoms and price, but it also comes with responsibility. And in this case, that responsibility is to protect the public health.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian court on Tuesday sentenced Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak to 12 years in jail and fined him 210 million ringgit ($49.40 million) for abuse of power linked to a multi-billion dollar financial scandal at state fund 1MDB.

The court also sentenced him to 10 years in jail on each of three charges of criminal breach of trust and three charges of money laundering for illegally receiving nearly $10 million from former 1Malaysia Development Berhad unit SRC International.

High court judge Mohamad Nazlan Mohamad Ghazali ordered that the jail terms should run concurrently.

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Ed Davies)
A week before Christmas last year, five of my fellow veteran fire and emergency chiefs and I held a press conference as fires ravaged Australias east coast. Appalled by the utter lack of leadership from Canberra in supporting bushfire response efforts, we took matters into our own hands.

After our Black Summer ... a plan to live with fire. Credit:Nick Moir

We announced that 33 retired fire and emergency chiefs would convene a National Bushfire and Climate Summit to do what the federal government should have done: bring together everyone with a role to play in an effective bushfire response, and develop solutions to help protect Australians against the growing bushfire threat, fuelled by climate change.

Much has changed since then. The COVID-19 pandemic has turned life as we know it on its head, forcing us to take our summit online, but it did not change our commitment to finding solutions to improve Australias bushfire response, readiness, and recovery.

Our sense of urgency was fuelled by a simple truth that was echoed time and again in every session: climate change has pushed Australia into a new era of unprecedented bushfire risk, and our governments have underestimated the threat. This puts communities in danger.
The "Open Access Fiber Networks in Europe Regulatory Frameworks and Initiatives" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Telecommunications markets in Europe are currently going through major infrastructure separation trends, both on mobile markets with towercos or on the fixed market with the creation of wholesale pure players for fiber networks.

There has recently been a strong institutional push towards the 'Open Access model', including in the European Electronic Communications Code, adopted in 2018. It is perceived as grounds for equal access for wholesale customers in the light of the significant investments required by fiber deployments, which could be prohibitive for new entrants and impair competition levels.

Starting with a definition of the open access model and its specificities compared to a standard wholesale player, this report provides a situational analysis and a typology of open access initiatives in Europe. Through a study of four representative application cases, it then provides the reader with analytical keys to examine many aspects of the core issue:

Is open access the way forward for fiber deployments?

Key Topics Covered

Executive Summary

1. Open Access Fiber Initiatives Overview

1.1. What are Open Access Fiber Networks?

1.1.1. Open Access is more than a network-sharing arrangement

1.1.2. The 2018 version of the European Code of Communications encourages Open Access

1.1.3. Open Access Network Architecture

1.1.4. Open Access Business Models

1.2. Open Access in Europe

1.2.1. Typology of Open Access Players in Europe

1.2.2. General EU Overview of Open Access Initiatives

2. Case Studies

2.1. Deutsche Glasfaser (Germany)

2.2. Open Fiber (Italy)

2.3. Stokab (Sweden)

2.4. Reykjavik Fiber Network (Iceland)

3. Analyst Insights: Is Open Access the Way Forward for Fiber Deployments?

List of Tables and Figures

1. Digest of Open Access Fiber Initiatives

Open access business models

Open access initiatives in the EU, by country

2. Case Studies

Broadband subscribers in Germany, as of December 2019

Fiber homes passed (incl. FTTB) and subscribers in Germany, as of December 2019

FTTH/B Total homes passed and subscribers for Deutsche Glasfaser, as of December 2019

Broadband subscribers in Italy, as of December 2019

Fiber homes passed (incl. FTTB) and subscribers in Italy, as of December 2019

FTTH/B Total Homes passed for Open Fiber, as of December 2019

Broadband subscribers in Sweden, as of December 2019

Fiber homes passed (incl. FTTB) and subscribers in Sweden, as of December 2019

Broadband subscribers in Iceland, as of December 2019

Fiber homes passed (incl. FTTB) and subscribers in Iceland, as of December 2019

RFN's FTTH/B Total homes passed and subscribers, as of December 2019

Companies Mentioned

Asturcn

Axione

CETIN

Covage

Deutsche Glasfaser

EstWin

National Broadband Ireland

nGIG

Open Fiber

Openreach

Reykjavik Fiber Network

SIRO

Stokab

TDC

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5eywca

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005392/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

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Chinese citizens satisfaction with the government improved overall from 2003 to 2016, but slowing economic growth since then could dent public opinion, according to a Harvard University study.

Findings of the long-term study were released last week, and showed a swell of support for the ruling Communist Party in that period.

From the impact of broad national policies to the conduct of local town officials, Chinese citizens rate the government as more capable and effective than ever before, authors Edward Cunningham, Tony Saich and Jessie Turiel, from the Roy and Lila Ash Centre for Democratic Governance and Innovation, wrote in the report.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

Their study was based on data from eight separate surveys, including face-to-face interviews, conducted between 2003 and 2016. It involved more than 31,000 Chinese in both urban and rural areas. The surveys were designed by the Ash Centre at the Harvard Kennedy School, and carried out by a reputable domestic Chinese polling firm, the report said, without elaborating.

The study found satisfaction with the government improved overall from 2003 to 2016. Photo: AFP

The authors described the study as the longest-running independent effort to track citizen approval with all four levels of the Chinese government.

They rejected a theory that Beijing was sitting on a social volcano of suppressed public dissatisfaction, but cautioned that without robust economic growth  and if austerity measures were introduced  the widespread approval might change.

According to the study, the proportion of respondents satisfied with the central government rose from 86.1 per cent in 2003 to 93.1 per cent in 2016, although it dipped to 80.5 per cent in 2005.

The percentage of those satisfied with their township government  the lowest in the hierarchy but closest to their daily lives  jumped from 43.6 per cent in 2003 to 70.2 per cent in 2016.

It also said a growing number of Chinese citizens regarded local government officials as kind, knowledgeable, effective. In 2003, over half of the respondents saw local officials as good at talk only and not practical problem solvers. By 2016, 55 per cent said local officials were practical problem solvers, while 36 per cent disagreed.

Story continues

Chinese were more satisfied with the central government than local authorities, according to the study. Photo: AFP

The study also found that Chinese were generally supportive of President Xi Jinpings anti-graft drive. While only 35.5 per cent of respondents approved of government efforts to fight corruption in 2011, before Xi came to power, the approval rating doubled to 71.5 per cent five years later, as the campaign was in full swing.

The proportion of citizens who viewed Chinese government officials as generally clean rose from 35.4 per cent in 2011 to 65.3 per cent in 2016, as people felt efforts to control corruption were effective and things were moving in the right direction, the report said.

It also found that people were more satisfied with the central government than local authorities. The researchers noted that this hierarchical satisfaction in China was the opposite of that in the United States and other Western democracies, where local political leaders tended to be more popular than state or federal leaders.

Alfred Wu, an associate professor with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said this type of reversed pattern of hierarchical satisfaction was unique to countries with strong propaganda operations.

China and Vietnam are two prominent examples, where the propaganda machines project a positive image of the authorities in the higher hierarchy, while [citizens] know the conduct of local governments better and rate them slightly poorer,  he said.

Wu, who has carried out similar studies in China with the World Values Survey research project from 1995 to 2018, said the trends described in the Harvard study were consistent with his own findings.

Education attainment also plays a key role. We noted that people who have the highest confidence [in the government] are usually those who are less educated, and the confidence falls as education level increases, as the effectiveness of propaganda is reduced, Wu said.

Chinese peoples confidence in public and political organisations decreased from 2001 to 2013, but went up significantly after 2013 and reached the highest in 2018, Wu said, based on his own research.

Even on environmental issues, the Harvard study found people were generally optimistic, with 43 per cent expecting air quality to improve in the coming five years, compared with 26 per cent who held the opposite view.

The report concluded that there was no real sign of burgeoning discontent among Chinas main demographic groups, casting doubt on the idea that the country was facing a crisis of political legitimacy as the poorer, inland residents expressed equal  if not even greater  confidence in the government than their more wealthy and privileged compatriots.

Deng Yuwen, former deputy editor of Study Times, the official newspaper of the Central Party School, said while there may be differing interpretations of the Harvard findings, the period covered by the research would be generally seen as a golden era for the government.

The results of the Harvard surveys are as expected given that their three focus areas  public service provision, anti-corruption and environmental protection  are all key focuses under Xi, said Deng, who now works as an independent analyst on Chinese politics in the US.

The Harvard study also noted that peoples attitudes appeared to respond to real changes in their material well-being, and that could be undermined by economic and environmental problems.

Deng agreed, saying even though people might not be too concerned about democracy, they would react if their lives were affected.

Purchase the 120+ page China Internet Report 2020 Pro Edition, brought to you by SCMP Research, and enjoy a 30% discount (original price US$400). The report includes deep-dive analysis, trends, and case studies on the 10 most important internet sectors. Now in its 3rd year, this go-to source for understanding China tech also comes with exclusive access to 6+ webinars with C-level executives, including Charles Li, CEO of HKEX, James Peng, CEO/founder of Pony.ai, and senior executives from Alibaba, Huawei, Kuaishou, Pinduoduo, and more. Offer valid until 31 August 2020. To purchase, please click here.

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RABAT, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan King Mohammed VI has granted pardon to 1,446 people, the official news agency MAP reported on Wednesday.

On the occasion of the Throne Day celebrated on Thursday, marking his 21 years on the throne, Mohammed VI granted pardon to 1,446 people, some in prison and others on bail, the agency said.

Morocco announced that all activities, festivities and ceremonies on the occasion of the throne day will be postponed, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Enditem
The Hanover Township, Northampton County, Community Center, which reopened three weeks ago after closing as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in March, will shut again on Aug. 8, the township supervisors announced in a news release.

They cite the current economic impact of COVID-19 and the future uncertainties regarding the sustainably safe operation of public activities hosted by and at the community center.

Township Manager Jay Finnigan told lehighvalleylive.com on Wednesday afternoon that 90 percent of the decision involved the townships inability to meet requirements of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Gov. Tom Wolfs orders with such a wide-ranging population of members.

Community center programs involve people from the age of 5 to 95 and keeping them safe in the same environment is like fitting a square peg into a round hole, Finnigan said. It cant be done in the current circumstances.

The center at 3660 Jacksonville Road has a fitness room and its programs include preschool and after-school activities as well as special events, he said.

We found it impossible to balance the health and safety needs of all members of the community center and remain compliant with the requirements of the state and federal guidelines, the supervisors said.

As for the economic factors, Finnegan said residents havent been buying memberships since the center reopened and attendance has been minimal, he said.

Many people continue to avoid public spaces with the virus that causes COVID-19 still active in the area.

Part-time community center staffers were laid off in March, Finnigan said. A couple were brought back, but they will be laid off again, as will two full-time employees, he said.

As soon as circumstances allow, the center will resume normal operations, he said.

But with cases of COVID-19 increasing in Pennsylvania since the Lehigh Valley and southeastern Pennsylvania joined the rest of the state in reopening, its going to take some time to get there.

We understand that this decision will cause hardship to some, but we must consider everyones health, safety and welfare, the supervisors said. Hanover Township will continue to monitor this fluid situation and will make decisions as events dictate.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
The drug major's consolidated net profit skid 12.59% to Rs 579.30 crore on 14.93% jump in revenue from operations to Rs 4,417.50 crore in Q1 June 2020 over Q1 June 2019.

Consolidated profit before tax (PBT) gained 3.39% to Rs 878.90 crore in Q1 June 2020 as against Rs 850 crore in Q1 June 2019. Current tax expenses for the quarter jumped 60.04% at Rs 299.60 crore as against Rs 187.20 crore in Q1 June 2019. The effective tax rate is around 34% for the quarter. The higher tax rate was primarily due to discontinuation of weighted deduction on R&D and completion of tax holiday for one of the plants. The Q1 result was declared during market hours today, 29 July 2020.

The company's gross margin for the quarter stood at 56% as against 51.7% in Q1 June 2019 and 51.5% in Q4 March 2020. SG&A expense grew 6% to Rs 1,279 crore in Q1 FY21 over Q1 FY20. R&D expense for the quarter stood at Rs 398 crore, which is 9% of the total revenues. EBITDA for the quarter stood at Rs 1,162 crore, registering a 2% Y-o-Y (year-on-year) growth and 16% Q-o-Q (quarter-on-quarter) jump.

Commenting on the same, G V Prasad, co-chairman & managing director (MD), stated: "The current quarter's financial performance has been strong across all parameter. I am glad that we have been able to serve our patients well and ensured continuity of business operations despite the challenging times. We have started integration nf the acquired business from Wockhardt and executed two important licencing arrangements for treatment options for COVID-19. Currently, we are working towards bringing both these drugs to multiple markets."

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company's sales volume were impacted in some of markets due to lower prescriptions generated and fall in patient footfalls in pharmacies/clinics. However, the company assured that the pricing environment was relatively stable. New products launches continued and depreciation of rupee against the US dollar and Euro supported the business.

Revenues from Global Generics (GG) segment stood at Rs 3,510 crore, registering a Y-o-Y (year-on-year) growth of 6% driven primarily by Europe and Emerging Markets.

Revenues from business in India was at Rs 630 crore, recording a Y-o-Y decline of 10% and sequential decline of 8%. The decline was on account of lower sales volume due to lower prescriptions generated and fall in patient footfalls in pharmacies/clinics due to COVID-19.

Revenues from Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients (PSAI) stood at Rs 860 crore, registering a Y-o-Y growth of 88% and sequential growth of 19% on account of higher volumes of certain products, increase in new product sales and favorable forex. During Q1 June 2020, the pharmaceutical major filed DMF for one product in the US.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories's capital expenditure stood at Rs 150 crore while free cash-flow generated during the quarter was at Rs 930 crore (before the acquisition related payout to Wockhardt worth Rs 1,500 crore). The net debt of the company is currently at Rs 340 crore as on 30 June 2020 while the net debt to equity ratio stands at 0.02.

Shares of Dr Reddy's Laboratories spurted 6.66% to Rs 4320.10. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories is an integrated pharmaceutical company.

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CHICAGO, IL  Bill Guide always thought he had a good working relationship with Ald. Matt OSheas office as long as his former high school classmate has been in office and as long as Guide has owned the Cork and Kerry Tavern.

But after the popular Beverly Irish pub was ordered closed by the city on Sunday for what the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection considers to be violations related to coronavirus pandemic guidelines for restaurants and bars, Guide believes someone in O'Shea's office has something against the way he goes about his business.

Guide told Patch on Tuesday that he does not know how long Cork and Kerry's Western Ave. location will be closed as it works to put together a safety plan that will allow the pub to reopen. He maintains that the timeline of events and violations that were issued by BACP and that were announced in a press release issued by OSheas office on Monday and emailed to 19,000 constituents in the 19th Ward do not line up with what he believes are the facts of what is happening with his bar.

I couldnt sit back and let people think that we dont care, Guide told Patch in a phone interview a day after the tavern put its side of the story out in a Facebook post. The press release (from OSheas office), I thought, made it sound like we were complicit in sprinkling COVID everywhere when that wasnt the case. That wasnt the story at all.

According to the news release, an investigation was launched after reports surfaced that an employee had tested positive for the coronavirus. Instead, the Guide said the father of two employees tested positive and the employees informed Guide they were going to be tested. The two employees have not returned to work since, Guide said, and the tavern has continued to maintain a safe environment for employees and customers.

Cork and Kerry was ordered closed over the weekend (Photo courtesy of Cork and Kerry)





However, the city cited the tavern for acting irresponsibly and said that employees were not wearing face-coverings while the bar operated beyond allowable hours, according to the news release. City officials also said Cork and Kerry had previously violated coronavirus-related guidelines in June.

Story continues

According to the Chicago Tribune, the tavern does not have a retail food license and was opened for indoor service during Phase 3 of Gov. J.B Pritzker's reopening plan. The plan allowed for restaurants to operate for outdoor service only. Guide told the Tribune that he thought if he had a food truck with a license, he was fine to be open. The newspaper reported that BACP officials indicated there was not a food truck on-site at the time and that Guide is still working to resolve the issue with city officials.

Guide told Patch that he and other employees had previously scrubbed the tavern's floors and sanded down its bar and put down several coats of polyurethane to meet CDC guidelines. But when the city levied violations against the bar over the weekend, Guide said he was taken aback after receiving the email from OSheas office from 10 different people.

He has been amazed by the community support the establishment has received since the closure was ordered and says he is working to ensure his tavern can open sooner rather than later.

The ward has made it out like were the bad guys, Guide said, adding, Its extremely frustrating. You would think the city would want us to keep our people working. Dont get me wrong  we definitely want to keep everybody safe. I think weve been doing thatas far as masks and social distancing goes, were doing everything they ask.

To take another hit, after 25 percent of our business for the year is down, its extremely frustrating. Its really tough. I dont know how they expect people to stay in business. Were fighting for every dollar, really.

After an attorney completes a safety plan for Cork and Kerry, Guide said he will meet with Liquor Commission officials. Once the plan is approved, an inspection will be ordered and once the inspection is passed, the bar will be allowed to reopen. That process could take a matter of days or a week, said Guide, who said the establishment hopes to be open better than ever pretty soon.

Cork and Kerry was closed for 90 days earlier this year at the start of the pandemic, which put the bar in a precarious position economically, Guide said. When bars were allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity, making ends meet was still difficult because operating at those levels isnt sustainable. But when the violations were announced and the tavern was forced to close, Guide said that everything came to a head. He said things didn't need to play out the way they did and said he has had daily calls to O'Shea's office go unanswered for months.

Amidst all of that, Guide said that like other businesses attempting to balance safety with the bottom line, 2020 continues to present a serious set of challenges for small business owners.

I get were trying to keep people safe and healthy, but its not good for the economic climate for anybodys business, Guide said. If (the city) expect us to last with these conditions, its just not going to happen.

This article originally appeared on the Beverly-MtGreenwood Patch
Working behind the bar at Second District in South Philadelphia, bartender Paul Dellevigne brings beer to server Danielle Dubois to take to outside diners. Read more

Think its easy being a waiter out there? Well answer this and other burning questions this week: Where can you find the finest crab gravy in the area (and how you can make your own)? Whos the hottest kombucha maker in the city? And why must you head to Northern Liberties for pizza?

If you need food news, click here and follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Email tips, suggestions, and questions here. If someone forwarded you this newsletter and you like what youre reading, sign up here to get it free every week.

 Michael Klein

Whats it like being a waiter during the pandemic?

Weve heard how restaurants are pivoting and chefs are reinventing menus, but how about the waiters out there? Some are back after months off; some never stopped (and are facing the public); and some are still at home, dreading the call to come back. Reporter Jenn Ladd chatted up a dozen waiters and found its a changed world out there since mid-March. Theres the good and the bad, particularly when it comes to masks. I dont know why wearing a mask is politicized, said one server. If you dont want to wear a mask, dont come in. Thats also your choice.

Try his supercharged kombucha

Two years ago, Jamaar Julal fell down the fermentation rabbit hole and began sharing his kombucha experiments. Now the culinary school grad has gone pro with JamBru, as writer Adam Erace writes. The buches are so supercharged with vivid flavor they seem to threaten to erupt from their bottles like so many miniature geysers.

Where guest chefs cook free meals for those in need

South Philadelphias El Compadre restaurant, whose space had been in limbo since owners Cristina Martinez and Ben Miller relocated their renowned Barbacoa South Philly to its current spot nearby, has found a new mission during the pandemic, as Inquirer critic Craig LaBan reports. Its morphed into the Peoples Kitchen at El Compadre, an ambitious community kitchen where a daily-changing roster of guest chefs cooks 1,000 free meals a week for those in need.

Crab gravy: Its a Philly summer thing

Over the last century of Italian American cooking, crab gravy has evolved into a distinctive Philadelphia-South Jersey summer ritual, an obsession-worthy subgenre of Mid-Atlantic regional cooking, writes Craig LaBan. And there are as many variations as there are Sunday gravy pots across the region. Craig explains his favorites, and chef Joey Baldino of Palizzi Social Club shares his recipe if youre a do-it-yourshellfer.

Poi Dog closes, and an owner writes its obituary

This week brought news of the shutdown of Poi Dog Philly, which brought aloha culture to Rittenhouse three years ago. Jenn Ladd writes that the business relied on Center Citys lunch rush and the steady catering work from nearby offices  all of which disappeared in mid-March. Co-owner Kiki Aranita weighs in, writing a requiem for her restaurant, which had a powerful impact on the local nonprofit scene.

Pizza Gutt expands

Because people who need pizza are the luckiest people in the world: Dan Gutter, whose pizza empire is growing from Kensington to South Philadelphia, has landed in Northern Liberties. Hes revamping the menu at Bourbon & Branch, adding 9-inch tomato, cheese, and white pies, with regular and vegan cheeses.
Black Lives Matter.

Love Us.

Liberation. pic.twitter.com/PFq0KmMUXH  Boston Celtics (@celtics) July 29, 2020

The Boston Celtics released photos of their jerseys for the bubble on Wednesday, bearing messages related to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Several of the NBAs approved slogans are represented. Jayson Tatum and Daniel Theis went with Black Lives Matter, while Jaylen Brown chose Liberation. Both Tacko Fall and Vincent Poirier chose Egalite, which is French for equality. Both Enes Kanter and Marcus Smart will wear Freedom. Robert Williams went with Respect Us. Gordon Hayward opted for Education Reform.

Brown told reporters earlier this month that he was considering wearing nothing on the back of his jersey -- no name or message at all. That idea was originally suggested by Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler.

What I thought was clever with that was the potential of not having anything was playing for the people that we dont get to see every single day or we dont hear their names, Brown said. We hear Breonna Taylor, we hear Philando Castile, we hear Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin. We hear all those names that we hear in the media because somebody was lucky enough to have a cell phone, but what about the people who didnt have the cell phone available at the time and they experienced police brutality, they experienced social stratification and education or not getting help in healthcare? There are so many different things that go unnoticed and its bigger than what we see now. I think police brutality is just the tip of the iceberg. Being able to have an empty space and playing for some of those people that we dont know their names and we may not ever know their names, I think thats powerful too.

Smart said he wished for more options, but he wanted to support the movement.

Like I said, I would have loved to have the option to choose, but I still wanted to show that I still have care for the cause and I still want to keep awareness going and stuff like that, Smart said. So Im going to put Freedom on the back of my jersey.

Both Kemba Walker and Semi Ojeleye, meanwhile, opted for Love us.

With everything Ive seen going on in the world, the root of it is hate, Ojeleye said. When it boils down to it at the end of the day we have to treat people right, and the only way to do that is to love people, regardless of skin color, ethnicity, where they are from, what they believe in, we have to treat people the right way, and to do that, you have to love them. So thats what I believe God wants us to do, thats why Im going to put that on the back, and hopefully we can continue that conversation until we all get it right.

Heres the full list.

The Celtics have chosen the messages to be worn on the backs of their jerseys: pic.twitter.com/9mwheXY8Gz  Nicole Yang (@nicolecyang) July 29, 2020

The Celtics open their seeding games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.

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Nearly 1 million Michigan voters have mailed in or dropped off their ballots ahead of the primary election, and it could take clerks days to count results because of state law.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said Wednesday clerks are prepared for Election Day, but that because Michigan law wont allow early processing of the influx of absentee ballots, outcomes in some races may not be determined until well after the election.

This means in a year where a record number of people will vote by mail, clerks cant begin counting ballots until the morning of election day, Benson said. We are asking for patience. We are alongside other states preparing people not to get results upon the closing of election night.

She criticized lawmakers for not enacting changes to accommodate the circumstances.

Its paramount that we have a law to allow clerks to prepare ballots before election day, Benson said in a July 29 press conference. Other states have passed similar legislation. Florida allows clerks to count absentee ballots 22 days before Election Day.

A week before the election, about 1.97 million absentee ballots were issued and 903,717 have been returned, according to Bensons office. In the 2016 primary, 546,032 absentee ballots had been issued and 307,253 were cast a week before the election, according to state elections officials.

Benson expects up to 3 million people to request absentee ballots for the November general election.

Related: As Michigan primary draws near, requests for absentee ballots are pouring in

Absentee ballot requests started dramatically rising after the passage of Proposal 3 in 2018, which allows any voter to cast an absentee ballot without providing a reason.

Senate legislation backed by former Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, would let workers at absentee counting boards work in shifts and would allow some early processing of absentee ballots ahead of Election Day. The effort earned support at the committee level before Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, shot it down.

Related: Ahead of Michigan primary, Sen. Mike Shirkey shoots down bills to speed up absentee ballots

I dont necessarily think we should be trying to solve a problem before it actually occurs, Shirkey said in February. If I had to choose between early voting, early counting, versus late reporting, Ill take late reporting all day long.

Shirkey later said he was out in front of his understanding of Johnsons bill and that theres a good chance that well continue to have conversations with the bill sponsors and...see what happens.

He added clerks should focus more on recruiting more Election Day workers and bring their own creative solutions to the existing process. Clerks were concerned even before the COVID-19 pandemic that the expected increase in absentee ballots would strain their resources and delay election results.

Related: Michigan Senate leader now open to conversations on proposed changes to handle spike in absentee ballots

Clerks offices across the state were given funds to aid in the purchase of new ballot-counting machines and personal protective equipment to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, according to Benson. Additionally, the Secretary of States office recruited more than 5,000 election workers through the Democracy MVP campaign.

But unless more progress is made in new legislation in the coming days or before November, Bensons says the current numbers show results could be delayed by days to properly process every vote.

While we have diligently carried out the will of the voters and alongside our clerks have met every challenge thrown our way, the state legislature has passed only one piece of election-related legislation in the last 19 months, Benson said. With time running out, I remain hopeful legislative leaders will partner with us to support election workers and voters.

Voters who have received their absentee ballots are encouraged to fill them out as soon as possible, sign the back of the envelope and drop them off at their local clerks office. Local clerk information can be found here.

Read more on MLive:

How absentee ballots are deepening the divide between Michigan Democrats and Republicans

Turn in your primary absentee ballots by hand if you havent mailed them yet, clerks advise

Michigan Secretary of State issues 2020 presidential primary candidate list
A prominent Chinese legal scholar who was detained after criticising President Xi Jinping hopes to clear his name by overturning a prostitution charge, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Xu Zhangrun, 57, was detained by police in Beijing in early July for nearly a week after being accused of soliciting prostitution while in the south-western city of Chengdu last December.

As a rare outspoken critic of the government in China's heavily censored academia, Prof Xu published an essay in February blaming the culture of deception and censorship fostered by Xi for the spread of COVID-19 in China.

Xu Zhangrun, 57, was detained by police in Beijing in early July for nearly a week after being accused of soliciting prostitution while in the south-western city of Chengdu last December

China's 'leader system is itself destroying the structure of governance', Xu wrote in the essay that appeared on overseas websites, adding the chaos in the virus epicentre of Hubei province reflected systemic problems in the Chinese state.

China is 'led by one man only, but this man is in the dark and rules tyrannically, with no method for governance, though he is skilled at playing with power, causing the entire country to suffer,' Xu said.

He also predicted that an ongoing economic slowdown in China would cause 'the decline of national confidence,' along with 'political and academic indignation and social atrophy.'

The law professor at Tsinghua University, one of the country's top institutions, had previously spoken out against the 2018 abolition of presidential term limits in an essay circulated online.

Earlier this month, a man claiming to be police had called Xu's wife - who had been living separately at a university residence - to say Xu was arrested for allegedly soliciting prostitution in the south-western city of Chengdu, one of Xu's friends said.

Xu visited Chengdu last winter with a number of liberal Chinese scholars, according to the source, although it is unclear if the arrest was connected to the trip.

The legal scholar was then taken from his home in suburban Beijing by more than 20 people on July 6, according to his friend.

Xu engaged rights lawyers Mo Shaoping and his partner Shang Baojun on Tuesday night in an effort to overturn the charge, Mo told Reuters.

'Professor Xu engaged us because he rejects the trumped up prostitution charges meant to smear his name,' said Mo.

Space for independent discussion has shrunk further this year as Xi's government has sought to deflect blame for the coronavirus, which scientists believe emerged from a wild animal market in Wuhan. This file picture taken on February 16 shows medical workers at the isolation ward of the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital in Wuhan during the coronavirus outbreak

According to Mo, as evidence of his offence, police from Chengdu's Qingyang district presented a woman who said she had intercourse with Xu. Xu contends that he had never seen her before, Mo said.

Xu and his lawyers are still deciding the exact course of action to take, Mo said. His options are to lodge an appeal to the Chengdu city-level police or sue the district police, Mo said.

While Xu was being detained, Beijing's Tsinghua University fired him for violating its ethical code. It cited the prostitution case as well as various articles Xu had published since July 2018, in a notice seen by Reuters.

In this file photo taken on December 3, 2012, Chinese real estate mogul Ren Zhiqiang poses for photos in his office in Beijing. Ren, former chairman of a state-owned real estate company, had publicly criticised Chinese President Xi Jinping's handling of the coronavirus pandemic

Space for independent discussion has shrunk further this year as Xi's government has sought to deflect blame for the coronavirus, which scientists believe emerged from a wild animal market in Wuhan.

Chen Jieren, a former journalist with Communist mouthpiece People's Daily, was convicted in May of 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble' and for posting 'false' and 'negative' information.

Ren Zhiqiang, an outspoken Chinese Communist Party critic and millionaire property tycoon, was also detained and expelled from the party after he penned an essay fiercely critical of Xi's response to the outbreak.
UPDATE (7/30): 860 new coronavirus cases in Pa.; Lehigh Valley at 4 days with no virus deaths

Coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania have surpassed 110,000 as the rate of new infections continues to rise.

The 834 new positives reported Wednesday put the states total case count at 110,218 since the pandemic was first identified here in March. Sixteen more deaths were reported, putting the Pa. COVID-19 death toll at 7,162.

(Cant see the map? Click here.)

Locally, the Lehigh Valley has gone a third straight day with no reported coronavirus-related deaths. But the Valleys two counties also saw a combined 68 new cases, their most in weeks.

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide reached its highest level since June with at least 50 new patients in the last day, according to Wednesdays data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Here are your Pennsylvania coronavirus updates for July 29, 2020.

Pa. coronavirus outbreak

Pennsylvanias coronavirus case rate has been rising since mid-June. As of Wednesday, the seven-day average of new cases was 975 and climbing. The rate hasnt reached 1,000 since May.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

The states biggest cities again led Wednesdays daily case counts. Pittsburghs Allegheny County had 125 new cases and Philadelphia had 111, per state figures.

The Philadelphia suburb of Delaware County, which spiked above 100 new cases the day before, reported 62 on Wednesday. Only one other county, Montgomery, had more than 50.

The health department estimates that 75% of Pennsylvanias coronavirus patients have recovered so far. Young adults are comprising a larger percentage of cases in recent weeks, but residents 65 and older still represent the majority of hospitalizations and deaths.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

COVID-19 testing has increased overall, but so has Pennsylvanias rate of positive tests. Lower rates show that testing is capturing the full spread of the virus in a community. High positivity rates indicate that only the sickest people are being tested.

Pennsylvanias positivity rate is 6.1%. The World Health Organization recommends a rate of 5% or less when considering economic reopening.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

(Lehighvalleylive.com calculated Pennsylvanias rate by taking all of the new cases over the last seven days divided by tests performed, not counting duplicate tests, the same method used by Johns Hopkins University. The health department lists a lower rate based on all tests performed.)

MORE: How to understand Pa. COVID-19 data with interactive charts

Bump in COVID-19 hospitalizations

In one day, about 50 more people entered Pennsylvania hospitals with COVID-19 infections, according to data available Wednesday. That appears to be the single biggest bump in weeks. At least 756 Pennsylvanians are now hospitalized with the infection.

The states seven-day rate of hospitalizations  723 as of Wednesday  has been creeping higher since reaching its lowest point, 611, earlier this month. About 2,800 Pennsylvanians were hospitalized at the peak in April.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

I think this is to be expected, health department spokesperson Nate Wardle told lehighvalleylive.com. We know hospitalizations start to increase a few weeks after cases, and that is what we are seeing. The resurgence of cases is now in much of the southern part of the state, which is why it is so essential people are wearing a mask, social distancing, avoiding large gatherings, washing their hands, and if they are sick, staying home.

Nationally, hospitalization statistics have become erratic, according to The Atlantics COVID Tracking Project, due to changes in the reporting system as hospitals are told to provide numbers directly to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services instead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Wardle said the Pennsylvania health department receives its data directly from the hospitals and submits it to the federal government on their behalf.

Coronavirus in the Lehigh Valley

The Lehigh Valley has had no coronavirus-related deaths in the last three days, and reported two deaths over the last seven days, according to state-level data.

However, Wednesdays daily case count of 68 for the Valleys two counties was its highest since June 20. (The counties also combined for 67 cases on Saturday.) Northampton County has opened a new testing facility, but most of Wednesdays reported cases came from Lehigh County.

As of Wednesday, the Lehigh Valley totals 8,581 cases and 624 deaths. That breaks down to:

4,775 cases and 335 deaths in Lehigh County, an increase of 42 cases on Wednesday.

3,806 cases and 289 deaths in Northampton County, an increase of 26 cases on Wednesday.

(Cant see the table? Click here.)

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, stops to speak to reporters as he arrives for the Senate Republicans weekly lunch on Tuesday, June, 9, 2020.

While Washington lawmakers negotiate over how much money to inject into a U.S. economy battered by Covid-19, one group of politicians hopes to also start fixing ailing funds for Social Security, Medicare and the nation's highways.

This week, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and 14 co-sponsors introduced a bill for inclusion in the next relief package. It's an updated version of legislation Romney introduced last year.

The bill is called the Time to Rescue United States' Trusts Act, or TRUST Act, of 2020. The proposal would create bipartisan committees to come up with plans to fix the solvency of the various trust funds that support the programs.

More from Personal Finance:

How upcoming stimulus legislation could affect Social Security

Social Security's trust funds at risk of running dry amid pandemic

Fed keeps rates near zero. Here's what that means for your wallet

Any bills proposed by the committees would be fast-tracked for consideration by both the House and Senate.

Though it has bipartisan support, some advocacy organizations for retirees think the TRUST Act really spells trouble for the endangered funds and seniors' Social Security benefits.

"It's an attempt to go behind closed doors to divert political accountability for taking a vote the American people don't want," said Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy organization.
Charles Lieber attends an award ceremony in the Knesset (Israeli parliament) in Jerusalem on May 13, 2012. (Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images)

Harvard Professor Faces Additional Charges Over Ties With Chinese University

U.S. federal prosecutors charged a Harvard chemistry professor on July 28 for failing to report money he received from a university in China to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the government tax collection agency.

Charles Lieber, 61, former chair of Harvard Universitys chemistry and chemical biology department, was arrested in January for allegedly lying about his participation in a Chinese state-run job recruitment program called the Thousand Talents Plan.

In June, Lieber was indicted on two counts of making false statements to federal authorities.

The talent program was rolled out by Beijing in 2008 to recruit promising science and tech researchers from foreign countries to work in Chinafor the ultimate goal of fulfilling its ambition for global tech dominance.

On Tuesday, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of making and subscribing a false income tax return and two counts of failing to file reports of foreign banks and financial accounts, known as FBAR reports, with the IRS, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

According to court documents, Lieber began working for the Wuhan University of Technology (WUT), which is located in central Chinas Hubei Province, as a strategic scientist in 2011. He was also a contractual participant in the Thousand Talents program from at least 2012 through 2017.

Under his three-year contract in the talent program from 2012 to 2015, WUT paid Lieber a salary of $50,000 per month with a living expense of up to $150,000, according to prosecutors. He was also awarded $1.5 million to establish a research lab at WUT.

Additionally, prosecutors pointed out that Lieber lied to federal authorities about his involvement in the talent program and his affiliation with WUT in 2018 and 2019.

Lieber did not disclose his earnings from WUT and the talent programs on his federal income tax returns in 2013 and 2014. Additionally, he did not disclose his bank account at a Chinese bank that the WUT used to deposit his salary. According to prosecutors, Lieber opened the bank account with WUT officials during his trip to Wuhan in 2012.

According to the IRS website, individuals and corporations in the United States need to file an FBAR when their foreign bank accounts hold more than $10,000 at any time during the calendar year reported.

While being funded by the Chinese university, Lieber was also receiving federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which requires its grant recipients to report foreign activities.

Lieber, acting as principal investigator of the Lieber Research Group at Harvard University, was awarded more than $15 million in research funding from the NIH and Department of Defense since 2008, according to court documents.

Lieber faces up to three years in prison and a fine of $100,000 for his false income tax filing. The second charge of failing to file an FBAR is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

The Thousand Talents Plan and other similar Chinese job recruitment programs have come under close scrutiny by U.S. officials in recent years.

On July 7, Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), warned about Chinas motives during a speech at the Washington-based think tank Hudson Institute.

Through its talent recruitment programs, like the so-called Thousand Talents Program, the Chinese government tries to entice scientists to secretly bring our knowledge and innovation back to Chinaeven if that means stealing proprietary information or violating our export controls and conflict-of-interest rules, Wray said.

In May, a professor at the University of Arkansas was charged with wire fraud for failing to disclose funding from the Thousand Talents program while receiving funding from NASA. In the same month, a former Emory University professor was convicted for tax fraud related to his earnings while participating in the same talent program.

Wray added: To put it bluntly, this means American taxpayers are effectively footing the bill for Chinas own technological development. China then leverages its ill-gotten gains to undercut U.S. research institutions and companies, blunting our nations advancement and costing American jobs.
Washington, July 29 : The Donald Trump administration in the US said on Tuesday it is reviewing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and will reject new applications.

"The administration is now undertaking a comprehensive review of the DACA program and the justifications that have been offered for winding DACA down," a senior administration official said, Xinhua reported.

The official said they will adjudicate all applications for renewal on a case-by-case basis, providing one year, rather than the existing two-year renewal.

Last month, the US Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration's efforts to rescind DACA, arguing that the move did not comply with the Administrative Procedure Act and failed to provide adequate justification.

However, it also made clear that President Donald Trump had the authority to rescind the program.

DACA, created via an administrative memo in 2012 by the previous Barack Obama administration, previously allowed undocumented immigrants brought to the United States when they were children to receive a renewable two-year deferral from deportation and has made applicants eligible for work permits, driver's licenses, and health insurance.

Recipients of DACA, estimated to be about 700,000, are commonly called "Dreamers." In a statement on Tuesday, Andrea Flores, deputy director of immigration policy for the American Civil Liberties Union, called the Trump administration's new directive on DACA "another step today toward his ultimate goal of destroying the lives of Dreamers." Trump, who has made the abolishment of the program a key part of his hardline immigration policy, first announced intentions to rescind DACA in September 2017.
New Delhi: The death case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput has taken a new turn after late actor's father KK Singh lodged an FIR against Rhea Chakraborty and her family for cheating, exploiting and abetment to suicide.

The FIR was lodged in Patna's Rajiv Nagar police station under IPC Sections 341, 342, 380, 406, 420 and 306. A four-member police team has been constituted to probe the case which flew to Mumbai to carry out an investigation along with the Mumbai Police.

Meanwhile, Mumbai police sources maintain that the viscera report rules out foul play in Sushant's death. Although other reports are yet to come. The post-mortem report also confirms the cause of death as suffocation.

"We recorded the statement of Sushant Singh Rajput's father KK Singh and sister. However, neither to them took Rhea Chakraborty's name during questioning. In fact, when the actor's father and brother-in-law met Joint Commissioner, Law and Order, even then they did not mention Rhea's name. On Tuesday, we got to know about the FIR lodged by KK Singh and the arrival of a four-member police team from Bihar. We are investigating three of Sushant Singh Rajput's companies where Rhea Chakraborty and her brother were directors. However, we don't want to come to any conclusion due to media pressure", said the source.
When principal Fazeel Arain shut his school on July 14 after his IT manager tested positive to COVID-19, he hoped the place would be cleaned and ready to welcome back senior students within a few days.

Fifteen days after recording a single case of the coronavirus in its community, Al Siraat College in Epping remains closed and its year 11 and 12 students continue to learn remotely, much to Mr Arains frustration.

Al Siraat College in Epping has been closed since July 14.

He says a lack of information from the Department of Health and Human Services has only exacerbated anxiety within the school about the interruption to term three.

"We didnt hear from them for 10 days and the sad thing is  the messages they should have sent 10 or 12 days ago are being sent now, and its causing panic in the community, telling them they need to self-isolate for 14 days when theyve already been isolating for 14 days," Mr Arain said.
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Parents forced to stay at home from work "every time their child has a runny nose may risk losing their job", an employment lawyer has warned.

The Government's roadmap for reopening schools says children must not attend if displaying any Covid-19 symptoms.

Employment law solicitor Richard Grogan said this may "create huge problems further down the line".

He also fears the requirement to stay at home if showing any symptoms may be abused by a minority of workers, who will "claim their children are showing Covid symptoms on Mondays and Fridays".

"There has been barely any support put in place for employers to support home-working," he said.

"The State is effectively abandoning parents and saying employers should facilitate them to stay at home, but this isn't really feasible.

"Unfortunately the July stimulus package did nothing to support employers for home working.

"Employers aren't going to keep paying people who have to stay at home every time their child has a runny nose.

"The reality is that many employers have a business to run and is it going to come to the stage where employees will have to provide medical certs for their children.

"When jobs go there will be crocodile tears from TDs but those job losses will be due to their failure to provide any support."

Mr Grogan said that while it is likely the Workplace Relations Commission will show a "lot of sympathy" towards employees, he fears that job losses may be inevitable as things stand.
On July 29 2020, a Special Collection of articles addressing current norms and practice in childbirth and probing how childbirth can be a positive and transformative life event for women publishes in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. The seven Research Articles stem from a four-year European COST Birth Action that brought together more than 120 scientists, practitioners, activists and policymakers from 34 countries.

There are hundreds of thousands of published studies in the area of pregnancy, labor and birth every year. However, the vast majority of these are focused on pathologies and the interventions designed to prevent them. In 2014, the EU funded the COST Birth Action with the goal of advancing research in intrapartum care--the period of care that spans the onset of labor to the delivery of the placenta. 'The Series Editor, Dr Lucy Frith, says: 'The intention of this Collection is to summarize and synthesize some of the research in this area and contribute to growing the evidence base in this critical, but relatively neglected, field of physiological labor and birth.'

In an accompanying Overview article, Soo Downe, Balaam, Calleja Agius and Frith describe how the Action aimed to look at childbirth from the concept of salutogenesis. In this context, childbirth is more than just a means of getting a baby out of a mother's body, but is a space for positive transformation of mother and baby neurohormonally, psychologically, physically and emotionally. This kind of thinking can be reflected in a recent United Nations shift from a focus on survival along towards thriving and transformation for women, girls and adolescents. Most experts agree that there is an imbalance in maternity care around the world such that interventions are "too little, too late" for many marginalized, poor and rural women and babies, and "too much, too soon" for many urban and wealthier women and neonates. Some of the Action's research focused on balancing these interventions.

The Action chair Soo Downe says: 'The papers in this Series are a small selection of the work done (and still underway) by the team. We hope that others will also be inspired to contribute to the growing body of knowledge in this area over the decades to come.'

In one article, led by Ibone Olza of University of Alcala, Spain, researchers examined the role of neurohormonal processes--in particular, oxytocin--in the physiological aspects of labor and birth as well as how these hormones shape the subjective psychological experience of birth. The study, which integrated the results of two previous systematic reviews, highlighted the importance of oxytocin in influencing maternal behavior and feelings in connection with birth. They also emphasized the crucial role of one-on-one support during labor and birth, and the fact that this support has a physiological influence.

In another paper, Maria Healy of Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, and colleagues reviewed current literature on how midwives facilitate the second stage of labor. The contributions of midwifery could be categorized into four main themes--birthing positions, non-pharmacological pain relief, pushing techniques, and optimizing perineal outcomes. However, the review also found a dearth of existing research on midwifes' practice.

In a third piece, Patrick Moran, of the University of Dublin, Ireland, and colleagues studied the long-term implications of reducing caesarean section rates among first-time mothers, and of improving rates of vaginal births after caesarean section (VBAC). The researchers modeled the economic effects of changing these rates among women aged 18 to 44 years in two public health systems in Europe. They found that a five-percentage-point change in caesarean section and VBAC rates would save 1.1 million a year in Ireland and 9.8 million a year in England and Wales.

These papers, and the others included in the Special Collection, are important not only because of their new scientific insights, but because they illustrate the new kinds of questions that can be asked when people from different disciplines and perspectives collaborate, Downe, Balaam, Calleja Agius and Frith write in the Overview. The manuscripts additionally highlight many areas that still need significant additional research.

###

Peer-reviewed; Review; N/A

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the launched Special Collection: https://collections.plos.org/BIRTH

Funding: This work was funded by the COST Action IS1405 BIRTH: "Building Intrapartum Research Through Health" (http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/isch/IS1405), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Links to live articles for referenced Collection articles:

Olza: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0230992 ;

Healy: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0226502 ;

Moran: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0228309 ;
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on July 28 said that a total of 10,708 soldiers of the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces (ANDSF) have been killed and wounded since the beginning of the US-Taliban peace deal on February 29. At an official meeting at Kabul, Ghani said, "Between February 29, 2020, and July 21, 2020, ANDSF losses have been 10,708, with 3560 martyred, 6781 wounded and the rest kidnapped, imprisoned or unaccounted for".

The President also noted that 775 civilians have lost their lives, 1,609 more were wounded and 689 kidnapped during the same period. Ghani also said that rocket attacks by the Taliban have also become a routine.

READ: US Withdraws Military Troops Out of 5 Afghan Bases As Part Of Taliban Peace Agreement

US troops withdrawn

Several thousand US military troops were withdrawn out of five bases in Afghanistan as Pentagon fulfilled its obligation to the peace agreement with the Taliban in Qatar in February even as Kabul struggled with civil unrest, political deadlock, insurgence, and violence. While President Donald Trump has been in favour of complete withdrawal of US military from Afghanistan, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie had earlier called the deal an aspirational commitment. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said that it has been 135 days since the agreement was signed, now the US and Taliban have reached a "key milestone" in its implementation.

READ: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Seeks Global Consensus On Peace Talks With Taliban

Meanwhile, the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has been trying to amass global consensus with respect to the Afgan-Taliban peace deal. According to reports, the Aghan leader plans to hold online conferences with several world leaders in order to reach a consensus. Ghani's efforts come amidst rigging reports of violence attributed to the Taliban which could push away any hope of peace. As per reports, the Afghan President is in the process of holding online conferences with the representatives of 20 countries. The first of these video conferences took place on Monday, July 6. A spokesperson for the Afghan foreign ministry has said that the country's leadership aims to build a consensus at the regional and international levels. The United States, Russia as well as the United Nations, will be taking part in these conferences as per reports.

READ: US Envoy Pushes Peace As Taliban Offer Conciliatory Message

READ: Afghan Taliban Calls UNSC Report 'False Intelligence', Refutes Ties With Terror Groups

(Image: ANI)
"There are moments when the nations of the world choose to overcome their differences to meet a particular moment in history. The decision to launch ITER, in the mid-2000s, was one of these moments," he said in a virtual address to mark the start-of-assembly ceremony.

Cadarache (France), July 28 (IANS) A ceremony to celebrate the official beginning of plasma-based fusion reactor ITER's assembly was held in southern France on Tuesday with President Emmanuel Macron saying it is a promise of peace and a particular moment in history.

"ITER is a promise of peace," he added.

Besides Macron, leaders from the European Union, China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the US declared the start of a new energy era with the official start of the assembly of the world's largest fusion device at ITER.

The ITER machine, the world's largest science project, is being assembled to replicate the fusion power of the sun that provides light and warmth and enables life on earth.

The launch of ITER assembly phase is made possible by the arrival of components from all over the world in recent months.

It demonstrates the willingness of the 35 partner countries of the ITER international research project to join together in an enduring way in their common fight against climate change.

"I heartily congratulate the ITER Project," said Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan.

"I believe disruptive innovation will play a key role in addressing global issues, including climate change and realizing a sustainable carbon-free society."

Fusion provides clean, reliable energy without carbon emissions.

Fusion is safe, with minute amounts of fuel and no physical possibility of a run-away accident with meltdown.

In a statement by Chinese President Xi Jinping read by Minister Wang Zhigang said: "The ITER project -- one of the most important international scientific collaborations -- embodies the human desire for the peaceful use of fusion energy."

The fuel for fusion is found in seawater and lithium. It is abundant enough to supply humanity for millions of years. A pineapple-sized amount of this fuel is the equivalent of 10,000 tons of coal.

The cost of building and operating a fusion plant is expected to be similar to the cost of a nuclear fission plant, but without the large costs and long-term legacy of waste disposal.

When ITER is finished, it is expected that it will demonstrate that fusion power can be generated sustainably on a commercial scale.

In recent months, in preparation for the machine assembly, gigantic first-of-a-kind components have begun to arrive in France, in many cases weighing several hundred tons each and more than 15 meters long.

The parts are the culmination of more than five years of fabrication in factories, universities and national laboratories all over the world.

The tokamak components must meet very strict specifications. They must arrive in France on time, according to an intricate schedule.

"Constructing the machine piece by piece will be like assembling a three-dimensional puzzle on an intricate timeline," said ITER Director-General Bernard Bigot.

"Every aspect of project management, systems engineering, risk management, and logistics of the machine assembly must perform together with the precision of a Swiss watch.

"We have a complicated script to follow over the next few years," he said.

At end of this period, in December 2025, ITER scientists and engineers will launch "First Plasma", the initial event demonstrating machine functionality.

The plant at ITER will produce about 500 megawatts of thermal power. If operated continuously and connected to the electric grid, that would translate to about 200 megawatts of electric power, enough for about 200,000 homes.

A commercial fusion plant will be designed with a slightly larger plasma chamber, for 10-15 times more electrical power.

A 2,000 megawatt fusion power plant, for example, would supply electricity to two million homes.

Fusion power plants are carbon-free; they release no CO2. But the benefit of fusion for the fight against climate change depends on how quickly these fusion plants are installed.

More than 70 per cent of carbon emissions come from energy use; and more than 80 per cent of energy consumption comes from fossil fuels.

"If fusion power becomes universal in complement to renewable energies, the use of electricity could be expanded greatly, to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, buildings and industry," an optimistic Bigot said.

"Enabling the exclusive use of clean energy will be a miracle for our planet," he added.

--IANS

vg/rt
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The second medical marijuana grow operation in Grand Rapids opened Wednesday afternoon with a ribbon-cutting by the mayor.

The new growing operation by Fluresh is expected to have more than 100 workers and produce roughly 40,000 to 48,000 pounds of medical marijuana annually when operating at full capacity, according to company officials.

The growing operation is adjacent but not connected to the companys provisioning center at 1213 Phillips Ave., which opened in February and was the first in Grand Rapids.

Im happy to be here for the ribbon-cutting, because Fluresh is really leading the way in our community in this new industry, and theyve made significant commitments to the community, especially this neighborhood, Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said. Im happy to be here to support their efforts.

Fluresh CEO Tom Benson said the company is working with Black and Brown Cannabis Guild and LINC UP, a nonprofit community development organization, to hire diverse employees. He said the company is specifically hoping to source workers from the 49507 ZIP code, which includes the grow operation and a good portion of the citys Southeast Side.

One of our key focuses is really collaborating with community partners in Grand Rapids, Benson said. Weve made significant investment, financial investment in this facility and really want to collaborate with the community, bring employment opportunities and really focus on having a positive local impact and bring employees from the local area.

Currently, Fluresh has about 30 employees across the grow operation, corporate offices and provisioning center at the Phillips Avenue location.

Related: Its about time: Patients can get medical marijuana from facility in Grand Rapids

Additional hiring will start in August and run through 2021. According to the company, all employees will be provided competitive pay, health benefits and a 401(k).

The 133,000-square-foot grow facility in Grand Rapids that can house up to 16,000 plants is Flureshs second grow operation in Michigan. The first is located in Adrian and is licensed to grow up to 12,500 plants. The Adrian grow and processing facility has more than 100 employees, according to the company.

Benson said the company is being environmentally conscious with its Grand Rapids growing operation by reclaiming and reusing water and working with Consumers Energy on electricity consumption. The company is slated to start bringing plants into the facility within the next couple of weeks.

Fluresh officials have submitted applications to Grand Rapids to allow them to sell and grow recreational marijuana at the Phillips Avenue location.

The first grow operation in Grand Rapids opened in June with a virtual ribbon-cutting. That facility, located at 2055 Oak Industrial Dr. NE, has the capacity for up to 6,000 plants. The company, Terrapin Care Station, said the operation will bring 30 new jobs to the city.

Grand Rapids is currently in the process of reviewing license applications for recreational marijuana facilities, including dispensaries. A majority of applicants will have to wait until early September to apply for a zoning permit.

Read more:

Grand Rapids first stand-alone medical marijuana grow center holds Zoom ribbon-cutting

Why Michigan public health departments publicize some coronavirus exposure sites but not others

Ice cream shop owner wants customers to stop yelling at staff over mask requirement
Queensland has announced the state has confirmed an additional new case of coronavirus on Wednesday afternoon, taking todays total to three.

Two 19-year-olds in Queensland were confirmed to have the virus after returning from Victoria and lying about their trip. The new case is a known close contact, according to the states health department.

The third case is a 22-year-old woman who works at YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside Hours Care.

People line up to get COVID-19 tested at the Parklands Christian College in Logan, south of Brisbane on Wednesday, after an employee tested positive. Source: AAP

In a statement, Queensland Health said the department is working with the schools and centre, which have both been closed until further notice.

Contact tracing is underway on all new cases, Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said.

While we are still determining where the virus may have been acquired, we are working closely with these women to gather necessary information, including other places they may have visited whilst infectious.

Therefore, if you live in the areas of Logan, South Brisbane or Springfield and are feeling unwell please stay home and immediately get tested.

A sign advising of COVID-19 hygiene practices is hung on a locked gate at the entrance to Parklands Christian College in Logan, south of Brisbane, where one of the women who tested positive on Wednesday worked. Source: AAP

The two 19-year-olds were confirmed to have returned a positive result this morning, and the two travelled from Melbourne to Brisbane via Sydney on Virgin flights VA 863 and VA 977.

The two girls were active within the community for eight days prior to self-isolating and they allegedly lied on their border declaration form.

Im absolutely furious that this has happened, that these two people have gone to Victoria and come back and have given two authorities misleading information, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Wednesday.

There are currently eight active coronavirus cases in Queensland, taking the states total up to 1079.

Any individuals who were present at the below locations at the relevant times are asked to immediately self-quarantine and contact 13 HEALTH:

Parklands Christian College, Park Ridge, 22-23 July 2020 9.30am-6pm

Madtongsan IV Restaurant, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 7-9pm

Heeretea -Bubble Tea Shop, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 9.25pm

YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care, Springwood, 23-24 July 2020 All

Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 24 July 2020 3.30-3.50pm

Thai Peak Restaurant, Springfield, 26 July 2020 6.30-9pm

Cowch Dessert Cocktail Bar, Southbank, 27 July 2020 All

PNut Street Noodles, Southbank, 27 July 2020 All

African Grocery Shop, Woodridge (Station Rd), 28 July 2020 All

Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 12.25-12.30pm

Chatime Grand Plaza, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 All

Story continues

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Remington Arms, the nation's oldest gunmaker, declared bankruptcy late Monday for the second time in as many years at a time when U.S. firearms sales are soaring.

Founded in 1816, the privately held maker of rifles, pistols and shotguns listed assets of $100 million to $500 million, according to its filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Northern District of Alabama. It put its liabilities in the same range, and said it had from 1,000 to 5,000 creditors.

It said it owes its two largest creditors -- munitions company St. Marks Powder and Eco-Bat Indiana, a lead producer and recycler -- $3.5 million combined. It also lists the states of Alabama, Arkansas and Missouri, and the city of Huntsville, Ala., as creditors with undetermined claims after taking development incentives in each jurisdiction.

The Huntsville, Ala.-based manufacturer is trying to find a buyer after negotiations with the Navajo Nation unraveled over financing questions earlier this month. Navajo Nation Council Delegate Jamie Henio pulled his name off legislation to back to the purchase and the proposal did not find more backers in the Nation's government.

The Nation had been prepared to spend more than $300 million to complete the sale, intent on moving Remington's manufacturing facilities to its territory in parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, for a type of jobs program. Navajo lawmakers had also made a run at the company in 2018, during its last bankruptcy filing. Former Navajo Nation Council Speaker LoRenzo Bates said the Nation had been prepared to pay as much as $525 million for the Huntsville-based company.

Remington was founded in 1816 in Ilion, N.Y., by an amateur gunsmith and marksman whose peers were so enamored with his handiwork that they commissioned their own rifles. The company was sold to DuPont in 1933, which held it until 1993, when it sold to a group of high-level executives. Remington has changed hands two more times since then.

JP Morgan Chase and Franklin Advisors took ownership of the company in exchange for $775 million in debt during its 2018 bankruptcy, but according to court documents, neither firm is among Remington's 40 largest debtors.

The bankruptcy filing comes as firearms purchases are skyrocketing in the face of months of pandemic-fueled uncertainty and weeks of civil unrest in cities throughout the country. From March to June, sales jumped 30%, about 3 million firearms, according to a Brookings Institution review of federal background check data.

Nearly half of those additional sales occurred in June, after several days of protests sparked by George Floyd's killing in police custody. Researchers wrote the spike differed from previous gun-buying binges because it was not driven by fear of pending restrictions but rather by anxiety and unease over the ongoing crises.

But consumers have gravitated to other brands. When gun purchases surge because of social and political anxiety, consumers tend to gravitate toward hand guns and semiautomatic rifles, where Remington established itself as a leader in shotguns and hunting rifles.

Guns are also notoriously hard to innovate. They're meant to last generations and often become collectors items or heirlooms. If a gun owner is pleased with the performance of his weapon, it could be a generation before there's a need to replace it.

"Eventually, you have a shotgun shell and you're going to shoot it from a shoulder-position pump-action shotgun. You can only change the configuration so many times before you're just offering embellishments," said Greg Danas, a leading firearms and ballistics expert. "At some point, the gun of 1970 can do the same thing as the firearm of 2020."

Remington's long guns and shotguns have also been a source of liability that has dogged Remington for decades. Its 700 series bolt-action rifles and certain models of shotgun were found to have design defects that caused them to sometimes fire without a trigger pull. That's led to dozens product liability of lawsuits, many of which the company settled.

Remington also fell under intense criticism after the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The shooter used a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle to kill 20 children and six adults. The victims' families sued Remington, claiming the rifle should not have been marketed for civilian use.

Remington argued to have the case dropped and contended it was immune from lawsuits over the commission of crimes by those using its products. But the Supreme Court disagreed in 2018, and the case is expected to go to trial in Connecticut superior court next year.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Half of US travelers say that coronavirus isolation recommendations did not impact their domestic travel plans, according to a recent report by travel insurance aggregator, Squaremouth. With US travelers remaining stateside, Squaremouth.com reveals 3 surprising trends in domestic travel amidst COVID-19.

Vacation Rentals Surpass Hotel Stays

Vacation rentals are the most popular accommodation type, with almost 50% of travelers opting to stay at a vacation rental during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cleanliness concerns or social distancing guidelines may have been a factor in travelers' accommodation decisions, as 37% will stay at a hotel, and only 4% plan to camp or stay in an RV for their trip.

Travelers Still Take to the Skies

Over 60% of travelers still plan to fly to their domestic destinations.

88% of all domestic travelers are heading out of state for their trip.

Isolation Recommendations Only Impact Trips for Half Of US Travelers

50% of travelers said that isolation recommendations did not change the type of trip they are taking.

The majority of travelers are taking beach vacations (51%) or camping or adventure trips (35%).

Only 15% of travelers will be taking trips to a city.

View graphs of the above data.

Methodology: Squaremouth surveyed customers who are traveling domestically amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Data is based on responses from 863 Squaremouth.com customers.

Additional Travel Insurance for COVID-19 Resource:

Squaremouth.com created the Traveler's Guide to Travel Insurance for COVID-19 which is updated daily as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.

ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH

SQUAREMOUTH compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare travel insurance policies side-by-side . More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com.

Available Topic Expert:

Kasara Barto

[email protected]

SOURCE Squaremouth

Related Links

http://www.squaremouth.com


WOE IS US

This presidential election gets more interesting every day. The incredible Joe Biden wont do a debate unless he gets the questions first. Now if that doesnt prove how incapable he is then I dont know will. Hes admitting he cant answer questions unless people tell him what to say. Is that who people want to lead our country? I hope not, people. I dont think hes up to the job. Dont let your hatred make your decision. Its bad enough we have Nancy Pelosi in Washington. We dont need Biden, who knows nothing, and Pelosi, who thinks she knows everything.

ITS A PLOT

Republicans are guilty of gerrymandering. But, the Democrats in Delaware County set up for a portion of Philadelphia to vote in Delaware County. The last time I looked, no part of Philadelphia is in Delaware County. We all know why this was done.

BROOMALL

ENDLESS NIGHTMARE

Prepare yourselves for an election that will never end. If there was a bad year to have an election, this is it. The fact that Joe Biden is leading and will continue to lead in the polls means nothing. Trump will continue to launch his campaign of fear, hate and terror as he literally tries to scare up votes. He is already lying about Joe Biden supporting defunding the police when in fact Biden has said he is against it from the beginning. But even if Biden does win the election, there are so many ways that this election can fail the security test with partial mail-in voting, going to the polls to vote and representatives from the electoral college switching candidates at the last minute, that we will probably have the Supreme Court decide.

SPEED TRAP

I noticed that the local police departments in Bucks,Montgomery, Philly, and Delco launched a new Driving Campaign for aggressive drivers. Where they hide on streets, lure and trap drivers that drive too fast to give them tickets in the hardest times of our lives! All of those counties have the highest number gun deaths reported in decades. I think ,that they really need to hide in these Wild Wild West areas and lure and trap these criminals with these guns killing our citizens and children! Whats more important, going over the limit on driving, or over the limit on gun deaths? Im definitely wearing my mask from now on because something stinks to high heavens here.

PETE DOWN THE STREET

HOODWINKED AGAIN

Id like to comment on all these liberals who are commenting on the coronavirus in Sound Off now. Its okay to protest shoulder-to-shoulder, looting and burning and property destruction. But all of a sudden when you go to one of the Donald Trump sold-out rock concerts, youre going to get corona. Come on, people. The liberal party has been hoodwinked with this corona. If you keep on believing it, God help you.

ONE WITH COMMON SENSE

MIAMI VICE

You know the Miami Marlins always seem to kill the Phillies for some odd reason. Now with the COVID-19 theyre trying to kill the city.

DIAMOND JIM IN DARBY

TRUMP THE FRAUD

Donald Trump just could not help but prove what a creep he is every day. He called Tony Fauci a fraud and said the doctor has misled the American people for many things. Just the opposite is true. He has told the truth about everything. Donald Trump is the fraud Donald Trump has misled that the American people about everything during his entire term because he is a pathological liar.

BOB FROM SHARON HILL

BRILLIANT TOM

I find it extremely interesting that the governor of Pennsylvania now wants to raise the minimum wage after shutting down all these businesses and restaurants which can even serve people inside and which are about to go under. Theres so many businesses that are going down. I mean, Pennsylvanias minimum wage needs to be raised but this isnt the best time to do it. Now the employers cant even pay their employees. So youll have more businesses shut down. We have a real brilliant governor in this state.
South Africa on Wednesday laid to rest anti-apartheid hero Andrew Mlangeni, who faced the death penalty alongside Nelson Mandela and others for plotting to overthrow minority white rule with guerrilla warfare.

Flags flew at half mast as Mlangeni, who died last week aged 95, was laid to rest in a state funeral.

"We have lost not only a great patriot, but a strident moral voice," President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his eulogy before mourners who included ministers and elite members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

"While history will place Andrew Mlangeni in the pantheon of the great leaders of our nation, he will be remembered by his people as a person of humility, humanity and dignity."

The mourners wore face masks and observed social distancing rules in line with coronavirus precautions.

Like Mandela, the country's first black president, Mlangeni spent more than quarter of a century imprisoned on Cape Town's notorious Robben Island before his release in 1989.

After the first democratic elections in 1994, he became an ANC lawmaker until he retired in 2014.

Mlangeni later became a fierce critic of the factionalism that gripped the ANC and rampant state corruption under president Jacob Zuma, who was in power from 2009 until he was forced to resign in February 2018.

As head of the ANC's Integrity Committee, Mlangeni addressed Zuma during an earlier interview with a South African journalist, saying: 'We are appealing to you, Comrade, to step down.'

Charging that Zuma was "under the influence" of a powerful Indian migrant business family, the Guptas, Mlangeni lamented the declining state of the economy and said: "Things have completely changed Please step down quietly.'

Lifelong Soweto resident

Thabo Mbeki, Mandela's successor, told mourners in a virtual address that Mlangeni was "concerned" about and spoke out against wrongs within the movement.

"We need to commit ourselves to the renewal of the ANC he built, the ANC he was concerned about," Mbeki said.

Born in the central Free State province in 1925, Mlangeni joined the youth wing of the ANC in the early 1950s.

"We have lost not only a great patriot, but a strident moral voice," President Cyril Ramaphosa said at Mlangeni's state funeral. By Jerome Delay (POOL/AFP)

He was among the first group of liberation fighters to be sent outside of South Africa for military training in the early 1960s.

On his return home two years later, he was arrested.

The eight-month Rivonia Trial, named after the Johannesburg suburb where the ANC leaders were arrested, brought the anti-apartheid struggle to world attention.

Expecting to be sentenced to death, Mandela declared in an impassioned three-hour speech from the dock that freedom was "an ideal for which I am prepared to die".

Instead the group was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Mlangeni served 26 years behind bars alongside fellow anti-apartheid activists including Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada and Dennis Goldberg, who died three months ago.

Mlangeni lived his entire life in Johannesburg's Soweto township, the crucible of the anti-apartheid struggle.

He was laid to rest at the Roodepoort Cemetery, west of Johannesburg.
One of the nation's largest teachers unions is authorizing its members to strike if their schools plan to reopen without proper safety measures in the middle of the global pandemic.

The American Federation of Teachers, which represents 1.7 million school employees, issued a resolution on Tuesday saying it will support any local chapter that decides to strike over reopening plans.

In providing its blessing, the union is also offering local chapters access to its financial and legal resources as they navigate a return to the classroom. Union officials said they will provide legal support, communications support and staffing to local chapters that vote to strike.

Although the measure says strikes should be considered only as a "last resort," it lists conditions the organization wants met for schools to reopen. It says buildings should reopen only in areas with lower virus rates, and only if schools require masks, update ventilation systems and make changes to space students apart.

In announcing the measure, the union's president blasted President Donald Trump for pressuring schools to reopen even as the virus continues to surge. Randi Weingarten called Trump's response chaotic and catastrophic," saying it has left teachers afraid.

We will fight on all fronts for the safety of our students and their educators," Weingarten said. "But if authorities dont protect the safety and health of those we represent and those we serve, as our executive council voted last week, nothing is off the table.

The union's leaders approved the resolution Friday but announced it Tuesday at the groups convention, which is being hosted online amid the pandemic.

The nations largest teachers union, the National Education Association, separately said its members will do whatever it takes to protect students.

Nobody wants to see students back in the classroom more than educators, but when it comes to their safety, were not ready to take any options off the table, the groups president, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, said in a statement.

For weeks, Trump has pressed for a full reopening of the nations schools. Last week he acknowledged that some schools may need to delay a return to in-person instruction, but hes still asking Congress to withhold future virus relief to schools that fail to reopen.

Some of the nations largest public school districts are starting the school year online, including in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Houston.

The Chicago Teachers Union, which has clashed with the city over its school reopening plan, said on Tuesday that it isn't ruling out a work stoppage.

Its long past time for our nations educators to come together and fight collectively for the common good  up to and including striking to ameliorate the social and economic inequalities at the root of the consequences of this insidious virus, the union's vice president, Stacy Davis Gates, said in a statement.

Davis Gates said any safety strike would include broader demands to support front-line workers, to provide broadband access to every student, to ensure universal health care and to get a hard commitment from public officials to protect Black and Brown lives, whose neighborhoods are disproportionately bearing the burden of death and illness from COVID-19.

In Massachusetts, nurses represented by the Boston Teachers Union are planning a sit-in at City Hall on Wednesday over the citys reopening plan. The nurses are calling for rapid testing in schools to identify COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. They also want more protective equipment for nurses and teachers and assessments of air quality in school buildings, among other measures.

In Ohios largest district, about 2,700 Columbus City Schools educators had previously signed a letter calling on leaders to start the fall term online, with the union arguing that the stakes "are too high for experiments.

They got their wish Tuesday as the district announced it will start the year with virtual learning for all students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

For other districts planning to reopen, the federation's safety demands could be difficult to meet. The union says schools should open only in areas where the infection rate among those tested for the disease caused by the coronavirus, COVID-19, is below 5%, and where the transmission rate is below 1%. It also says local authorities must have plans to close schools if cases spike.

Along with mask requirements, the union is also pushing schools to keep people 6 feet apart, to keep buildings and buses clean, and to make accommodations for teachers at greater risk of health problems if they contract COVID-19.

For many schools, more funding will be needed to reopen safely, the union said. It estimates the average school will need at least $1.2 million, amounting to $116 billion nationwide. The resolution says Trump and Senate Republicans have have failed to negotiate and pass a new stimulus bill to address the resources vitally needed for reopening our schools.

The latest stimulus proposal from the White House and Senate Republicans includes $105 billion for schools and colleges, though some of the money is only for schools that reopen for in-person classes. In May, the Democratic-led House included $100 billion for schools  none of it limited to those holding on-site classes  but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said even more money is needed.

In her speech, Weingarten said teachers want schools to reopen. Children need in-person instruction, she said, adding that remote instruction is no substitute for it. But she said teachers need to know they'll be kept safe.

Before Trump began pressing schools to reopen, she said, a union poll found that its members were comfortable returning if proper safeguards were in place.

Now theyre afraid and angry," she said. Many are quitting, retiring or writing their wills.

Along with strikes, the union said it will fight unsafe reopening plans through lawsuits and labor grievances. The unions Florida chapter filed a lawsuit last week attempting to block the states plan to reopen schools, which the suit called reckless and unsafe.
At yesterdays House Judiciary Committee hearing, chairman Jerry Nadler stated:

In this Justice Department, the Presidents enemies will be punished and his friends will be protected, no matter the cost, no matter the cost to liberty, no matter the cost to justice.

Attorney General Barr responded with this challenge:

Im supposedly punishing the presidents enemies and helping his friends. What enemies have I indicted? Who  could you point to one indictment that has been under the department that you feel is unmerited?

No Democrat could. Nadler was lying.

As for protecting the presidents friends, Barr noted that, far from protecting Roger Stone, the Justice Department prosecuted him, with Barr calling the prosecution righteous. As for Stones sentence, Barr explained that this is a 67 year-old man, first-time offender, no violence and they were trying to put him in jail for seven to nine years. Barr concluded that this sentence was unjust, and the judge agreed with me.

He might have added that the judge is a liberal Democrat who consistently demonstrated her distaste (justified in my view) for Stone. The fact that this judge agreed with the Barr Justice Departments sentencing recommendation demolishes any claim that the DOJ was protecting Roger Stone.

Nadler has claimed that violence in Portland, Oregon by Antifa is a myth. But during the hearing, Republicans showed videos in which police officers and federal agents, under siege from the mob in Portland, were hit with projectiles.

The Democrats showed videos with protesters singing and chanting peacefully. As Nadler well knows, no one is denying that peaceful protests take place in Portland and elsewhere.

However, Nadler has denied the violence thats the the basis for Justice Department intervention. Playing a video of a peaceful protest no more condemns that intervention than showing Muslims praying in Syria would condemn our intervention against ISIS there.

Perhaps the best evidence that the Democrats disgraced themselves yesterday is this article in the Washington Post. Four Post writers were unable to spin the proceedings as any better than a draw, if even that, for the committee Dems. Thats when you know the Democrats came up empty.
The suspects in last years abduction and murder of a young Birmingham girl have been indicted on federal kidnapping charges.

The Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorneys Office and the FBI on Wednesday announced the indictments against Patrick Stallworth, 40, and Derick Irisha Brown, 29. They are each charged with count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap a minor.

Both already are charged with capital murder of a child under the age of 14 in state court for the 2019 slaying of 3-year-old Kamille Cupcake McKinney and, if convicted, could face the death penalty. Now, they could also face a similar fate if convicted in federal court.

Stallworth and Brown, who were in dating relationship for about a year before their arrests, have since blamed each other for Kamilles death. A gag order in the state cases remains in effect.

U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. announced kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap a minor victim. Officials with the Birmingham Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Office also were present at Wednesdays news conference.

This crime is every parents worst nightmare and my heart goes out to her family,' Escalona said. Today brings us one step closer to seeing that justice is served for this family and for our community.

Federal public defender Glennon Threatt confirmed he will be handling the case but declined to comment further at this point.

Kamille was abducted Oct. 12, 2019 while at a birthday party in Tom Brown Village. Kamilles disappearance gripped the city for 10 days, until her remains were found the night of Oct. 22 in a trash dumpster at a Jefferson County landfill.

Lead federal prosecutor, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd Peeples, said under federal statute, if it is proven that death resulted from a kidnapping, the penalty is either life in prison without parole or death. The decision regarding whether the United States will ask for the death penalty in this specific case will be determined by the Attorney General of the United States at a later time.

One of the advantages to pursuing the federal charges against Stallworth and Brown, Peeples said, is that the federal court system will likely move faster than the state courts. Again, if we prove death resulted from the kidnapping, which shouldnt be a hard thing to prove, if we do that then they will get a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole,' he said. Hopefully well be able to bring justice to the family.

An autopsy conducted by the Jefferson County Coroners Office showed Kamille had died asphyxiation by suffocation. The exam also turned up toxic levels of methamphetamine and Trazodone. The levels of the drugs indicated Kamille had ingested the drugs, and not just been exposed to them.

Testimony from both hearings also showed investigators removed a plastic covering from a mattress that was in the living room where the couple lived in Center Point. That covering showed blood in several places and testing of that blood showed a mixture of DNA belonging to Stallworth, Brown and Kamille. Representatives from the U.S. Attorneys Office in Birmingham, as well as federal public defender Glennon Threatt, sat through the state court hearing for Stallworth and Brown held last year.

In Stallworths state court preliminary hearing, testimony indicated he told detectives that he walked into the couples apartment and saw his girlfriend sitting on the couch with Kamille and said, Thats not your child.

He said Brown indicated that she wanted to keep Kamille and then suggested Stallworth do something sexual to the child,' testified Birmingham police homicide Det. Jonathan Ross. Stallworth said he refused and went outside to smoke a cigarette. Later, Stallworth said, Brown put her hands over Cupcakes nose and mouth. He described to the detective that Kamille was then asleep.

In Browns hearing, testimony showed the couple had been together all day. She said once they got back to their apartment, she stayed outside to smoke. When she went inside, she said she went into the bathroom and Stallworth was in there as well. It was then she saw a shadow pass by the door, and thought she was tripping. Brown had reportedly used Ice  or meth  that day as well as Trazodone, an anti-depressant sometimes used as a sedative.

Brown said she went back outside to smoke and when she came in, she made a sandwich and then went into the bedroom where she fell asleep. At some point she got back up to use the restroom again and said she saw Kamille sitting, with her legs dangling off the sofa. Stallworth, she said, was kneeling on the sofa in front of Kamille forcing the girl to perform oral sex on him.

He said Brown then said she went back to sleep and woke up the following day. She said she asked Stallworth about Kamilles whereabouts, and said Stallworth told her, You have been tripping.

She said Stallworth had a trash bag and was leaving the apartment. He asked her were the lighter fluid was and she told them it had been left in their previous apartment.

Ross testified that Brown told detectives, Her boyfriend put the baby in a trash bin with old furniture. She indicated it was in the dumpster at the adjacent apartment complex, he said.

More than 800 people attended Kamilles funeral at New Beginnings Christian Ministry, with 400-plus more in an overflow. This 3-year-old has Herculean powers, Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith has said. Shes unified a city. Shes brought the city together.

I think she touched a cord within the city,' Smith said, This was a how dare you crime. How dare you touch our children. How dare you disrespect our community. I think thats why it touched a chord.

Brown made news in 2018 when she led lawmen on a chase before crashing into an innocent motorist and then into a sheriffs SUV. Browns three children were in the vehicle during the pursuit and crash but were not injured.

The incident happened July 13, 2018 and Brown was charged then with three counts of kidnapping, second-degree assault, attempting to elude and four counts of reckless endangerment. Her lawyer argued that she could not be charged with kidnapping because there was no court order mandating she not have her children.

The kidnapping charges were dismissed by a judge in November 2018 but were reinstated in January 2019 when a grand jury indicted her on the three felony kidnapping charges. That trial has been set for August 2020.

Authorities said Brown had lost custody of her children because she had put them in a clothes dryer as punishment. She is set to go on trial on those state court charges on Dec. 7, 2020.

The FBI, the Birmingham Police Department and the U.S. Marshals all participated in the investigation. Peeples will prosecute along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin Mark and Blake Milner. We all share the common goal of working to ensure that members of our community feel safe at their homes, work and the places they gather,' Escalona said.

Kamille Mckinney wasnt someone famous or someone we all knew before Oct. 12, 2019. She was a sweet, caring 3-year-old girl,' Peeples said. During the 10-day search for Kamille McKinney, we saw law enforcement and public safety organizations at their finest.

Peeples said Birmingham police officers, FBI agents, U.S. Marshals, Crime Stoppers and multiple other law enforcement and community agencies worked around the clock to try to save Kamille. They will never brag about their efforts but many of them worked 20-hour shifts, going home only to shower and eat and returning back to the streets looking for Kamille McKinney. Their efforts were matched by volunteers from the community and people who wanted to do anything they could to help,' he said. Unfortunately the end of the search was not the happy ending we all hoped for. We were not able to bring Kamille home to her family, but hopefully this is a significant step in bringing them justice.
More than 310 visitors are now stranded in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang after strict social distancing rules were reinstated in the city on Tuesday due to recent novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks.

Tens of thousands of domestic tourists had left Da Nang before the social distancing period began at 0:00 on July 28.

However, a total of 314 people did not exit the city in time and will have to stay there until the social distancing rules are lifted, which is two weeks from now.

The municipal Department of Tourism has asked the stuck tourists to stay inside their accommodation facilities until August 11.

They should only go out when they need to buy food, supplies and medicine, or in emergency situations.

Owners of the hotels where these visitors are staying have been requested to provide necessary support and lower room rates for the stranded tourists.

Five local hotels, namely Bien Vang, Maison Phuong, Thanh Ha, Vitalis Riverside, and Ken, have announced discounted prices at VND200,000-300,000 (US$9-13) per night to support the visitors.

Guests are also allowed to cook at a shared kitchen in these hotels.

Meanwhile, A25 Hotel said it will let the tourists stay for free during the period.

Vietnam has logged 30 community-based cases since Saturday last week, ending a streak of 99 days without a single local transmission, according to a Tuoi Tre News count.

Twenty-six of the patients, including three critical cases, are in Da Nang, three in Quang Nam, and one in Quang Ngai Province. Those in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai are all linked to the Da Nang cases.

Da Nang started enforcing enhanced social distancing across the city on Tuesday that will be in effect for at least 15 days.

Officials have banned public gatherings of more than two people, shut down non-essential services, required citizens to wear face masks whenever outdoors, and asked them not to leave their home unless for essential trips while maintaining a two-meter distance in social interactions.

Flights to and from the beach city were suspended for 15 days starting on Tuesday.

The countrys COVID-19 tally was at 446, with 369 having recovered as of Wednesday morning.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
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Stewart Information Services has promoted company veteran Tony Sandoval to lead the companys direct operations in the Austin and San Antonio markets as senior division president.

Sandoval joined Stewart 20 years ago as a controller in the North Texas Dallas-area direct operations. He then moved to the Houston office in 2009 and has been serving as senior vice president of finance and accounting since 2011.

Tony knows our business inside and out; not just from a finance and accounting perspective, but from an operational standpoint as well, said Steve Lessack, group president of direct operations. The Austin and San Antonio markets are strong and growing, and with Tonys understanding of the title industry, I expect him, and his highly-experienced team, to focus on innovation as Stewart remains a leader in the market. I would also like to thank retiring SDP Eddie Gammill for his 28 years of service and wish him all the best.
The dispute settlement body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has accepted the request of Chinese Taipei and Japan for setting up panels in an ICT tariff case against India, an official source said. The panels would determine whether India's customs duties on imports of certain information and communications technology (ICT) products infringe WTO norms or not. "Yes, the WTO dispute settlement body has agreed to set up the panels as requested by Chinese Taipei, and Japan in a meeting today.

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On Dec. 14, Connecticut healthcare workers began taking the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine - the first to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA said its preliminary analysis confirmed the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine developed by Moderna and the National Institutes of Health, bringing it to the cusp of U.S. authorization.

RELATED: Here's how the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines will get to you in Connecticut

With the arrival of the vaccine and the roll out to the public in sight, we took a look into general FDA guidelines for testing, licensing and nation-wide roll outs.
Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday invaded Agbudu community in Kogi-Koton-Karfe Local Government Area of Kogi State, killing 14 persons and injuring six.

The state police commissioner, Ede Ayuba, who disclosed this while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Lokoja said he got the report about 2: 00 a.m.

Mr Ayuba said that 13 of the slain victims were from the same family.

This morning around 2 a.m., my Area Commander called me to report that he received information that there was an attack on Agbudu community.

I called the SSA on Security of the Local Government in Koton-Karfe and I said that before I get there, he should mobilise his vigilante men to assist the police  the DPO and the Area Commander in the area  for them to assess the place and see what assistance they could render.

Mr Ayuba said that the vigilante officials and the police officers left immediately and by the time they got there, the hoodlums had carried out their operation and left.

The commissioner said he later went to the scene of the crime and took part in the collection of the dead bodies, adding that: I was there and I was part of those who picked some of the dead bodies we are talking about.

Yes, 14 people were killed and about six others were fatally injured. The saddening thing is that out of the 14 dead bodies that were brought out, 13 were from one family.

In that family, it is only one person that survived. His uncle, his mother, his uncles wife, his younger brother, his senior brothers wife, his wife and all his children were killed, he said.

The commissioner said that the police had carried out some preliminary investigations and discovered that there had been long-standing communal feud in the community.

What I think is, there has been a long-standing communal problem around that area which we are not clearly seeing, but we know that it would not be far from it.

Presently investigation is in progress. The only person that survived the attack is already with us and he is helping us, the chief of that place is also helping us and some other spirited individuals.

The Ohimege of Koton-Karfe, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isa-Koto, is also helping us, the local government and all the personnel are helping us.

We are sure, God helping us, we are going to get to the root of all these things that are happening.

In the interim, I want to give the assurance that we are not going to relent in our efforts. We will make sure we get to the root of anything that is behind the killings, he said. (NAN)
As if living in a pandemic with a novel virus wasnt room enough for confusion, the spread of misinformation on social media has only made it more challenging to get a grip on reality in 2020.

To help set the record straight, MLive has put together a list of popular myths and truths to help Michiganders decipher the information overload.
Some of Americas best restaurants are dotted throughout the rocky hills of Californias Napa Valley. From the unrivaled culinary bastion The French Laundry to celebrated kitchens tucked away on sprawling vineyard estates, the regions eateries are known for marrying old world recipes and techniques with Californias broad array of ingredients to form one of the countrys most distinctive dining regions.

Sounds delicious  but its unlikely many of us will be traveling there during the COVID-19 outbreak. Fortunately, the virus cant keep us out of those wine country kitchens in spirit.

This week we present the third installment in our four-week Summer Kitchen Travels series with a stop in some of Napa Valleys best known restaurants, bars and wineries. This trip comes on the heels of visits to New Orleans and Miami, and well close the series out next week with a culinary adventure through New Englands renowned establishments.

The Napa Valley American Viticultural Area is famous for a Mediterranean climate and geology perfect for growing some of the worlds best grapes. That Mediterranean flair is extended to many restaurant menus across the region, with heavy influences from France, Italy, Spain and other countries.

Our first taste of that comes from the famed restaurant The French Laundry, which has held three Michelin stars since 2006 under the leadership of chef Thomas Keller.

While The French Laundry is known for elaborate and complicated dishes showcasing Californias wines and produce, the restaurants gazpacho soup can be mastered by any avid home cook. The recipe, which was included in the restaurants celebrated 1999 cookbook, makes a bright chilled soup perfect for San Antonios sweaty summer days.

On ExpressNews.com: Cook a taste of Miami from your kitchen

That soup pairs perfectly with a scallop ceviche thats presented as a showy platter of hors doeuvres from the restaurant Solbar at the famed resort Solage Calistoga, known for providing guests with a complimentary Mercedes-Benz to explore wine country, among other perks. In their recipe tortilla chips are individually dressed with the ceviche and garnished with cilantro for a taste thats both elegant and familiar to many palates across South Texas.

Heavier fare comes in the form of wine-braised short ribs. Its a dish found on many menus at wineries with restaurants throughout Napa Valley. Our version comes from the well-known Joseph Phelps Vineyards, which bottles celebrated high-end wines.

Wine is the star in an unusual pasta dish from celebrity chef Michael Chiarellos Napa restaurant Bottega.

Chairello shared the technique for absorbing an entire bottle of red wine into thin spaghettini in a 2010 cookbook celebrating many of Bottegas recipes. The pasta comes out a striking purple color contrasted with bright green rapini sauteed with garlic and fiery Calabrian chile paste. Its a memorable balance of bitter greens and mildly acidic pasta.

On ExpressNews.com: Cook a taste of New Orleans from your kitchen

No trip to Napa would be complete without a stop at The Model Bakery, which has kept visitors and residents alike loaded with carbs for nine decades. The bakerys signature English muffins smeared with butter and jam have started the day for countless wine country tourists, and owner Karen Mitchell shared the recipe in a 2013 cookbook.

While the beverage of choice throughout Napa Valley is obviously wine, the region has given rise to several celebrated cocktail bars as well.

The Cucumber Collins at Goose & Gander has become one of the best known of the drinks shaken and stirred at those establishments, with a brilliant purple hue courtesy of cucumber slices pickled in a blueberry brine. Its a great reminder that theres far more to Napas food and beverage scene than grownup grape juice.

Recipe: The French Laundrys Gazpacho

Recipe: Solbar at Solage Calistogas Bay Scallop Ceviche

Recipe: Joseph Phelps Vineyards Braised Beef Short Ribs

Recipe: Bottegas Zinfandel Spaghettini with Spicy Rapini

Recipe: The Model Bakerys English Muffins

Recipe: Goose & Ganders Cucumber Collins Cocktail

Paul Stephen is a food and drink reporter and restaurant critic in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Paul, become a subscriber. pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
We are enthusiastic about collaborating with MeconCash to support the entire blockchain community in Korea to adopt best compliance practices.

In partnership with leading cryptocurrency intelligence company CipherTrace, MeconCommunitys MeconCash becomes the first blockchain company in South Korea to apply the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) Travel Rule recommendations. By adopting these standards, MeconCash will be in compliance with the FATF's Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF), and sanctions requirements, which aligns with South Korea's bill to regulate the crypto industry.

Additionally, CipherTrace and MeconCash will collaborate to support the Korean blockchain industry in becoming more transparent and safe by supporting other blockchain companies to meet the FATF's Travel Rule guidelines.

Jae Do Cho, MeconCash (MeconCommunity) Chairman, said, We are thrilled to work with CipherTrace in making the blockchain field a more clear and safe place. With CipherTraces cutting edge technology, MeconCash will be preparing upcoming cryptocurrency regulations more comprehensively and work together in the Korean and global market.

Dave Jevans, CEO of CipherTrace, said, We fight the confusion created by different jurisdictions implementing regulations at different times by working hand-in-hand with blockchain companies like MeconCash to implement the FATF's Travel Rule guidelines. We are enthusiastic about collaborating with MeconCash to support the entire blockchain community in Korea to adopt best compliance practices.

For media inquiries, please contact Kili Wall at (310) 260-7901 or Kili(at)MelrosePR(dot)com

About MeconCash

MeconCash is a cryptocurrency and platform used for payments, rewards and transactions of online and mobile services and is currently being integrated into a wide variety of services, including over 13,000 ATMs in Korea, game applications, e-commerce and hospital payments at over 20 major cosmetic clinics. With focus in real life usability of cryptocurrencies, MeconCash strives to provide fitting products that are needed in the market.

About CipherTrace

CipherTrace, leading cryptocurrency intelligence company, protects financial institutions from crypto laundering risk and is helping to grow the crypto economy by making virtual assets trusted by governments and safe for mass adoption. CipherTrace delivers the worlds most comprehensive cryptocurrency intelligence to detect money laundering, inform law enforcement investigations, and enable regulatory supervision. CipherTrace founders are dedicated to protecting consumer privacy, while defending against illicit finance. Deep expertise in cybersecurity, eCrime, payments, banking, encryption, and virtual currencies form the foundation for CipherTrace's commercial offerings. For more information, visit http://www.CipherTrace.com or follow us on Twitter @CipherTrace.


Gov. Kay Ivey is pushing schools to move ahead with in-person learning warning of a slide that is likely to occur if students stay home for too long.

Ivey announced Wednesday Alabama was extending its mandatory mask order through August with a provision that all students in grades second and up be required to wear a face covering.

At the same time, Ivey said the school did not have the luxury of not getting our young people back in school.

While I respect those districts that have elected to go to virtual classrooms, I feel with all my heart that a slide will come with keeping our kids at home, especially if there are other options, said Ivey, a former teacher. The slide is likely to have a dramatic negative impact on Alabamas future, especially our young people.

Alabama schools closed in mid-March as the state went under virtual lockdown in an effort to fight the spread of coronavirus. Plans for school reopenings vary across the state, with roughly half of schools opening up and the remainder doing virtual only for at least a portion of the year.

For those opting for remote learning, Ivey challenged them to look at their community situation and phase back into in-person classroom participation if at all possible.

School is a safe place where many of our children get their healthiest meal of the day. And where they are loved and encouraged as well as taught. As a former school teacher and president of the State School Board, Im telling you we need to do everything we can to get our kids back in the classroom as soon as possible.

Alabama schools can reopen but students must wear masks; Ivey extends mask order

"
Bukusu traditional circumcisers have vowed to proceed with this years circumcision ceremony despite the prevailing ban on public gatherings.

According to the circumcisers, they have the blessings of the Luhya communitys elders. We have started preparing our children for this years circumcision season after we got the green light from our elders, said Mr Allan Baraza, the Mayanja circumcision committee coordinator.

Mr Baraza noted that there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the area and, therefore, the circumcision ceremony should proceed as planned.

We are being told that there is an outbreak of Covid-19 but we have not witnessed any death in our area related to the pandemic. That is why we have sought for blessings of our elders so that we can go ahead with the circumcision, he said on Tuesday.

Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 will be taken to hospital and treated. We are only doing this in the villages. Even police officers should understand that this is our culture. It is interesting that we are yet to witness any Covid-19 positive cases in our area or even from relatives who reside in urban areas.

Mr Godfrey Makokha Wangonda, a parent whose son is preparing to undergo the cut, ruled out postponing the traditional rite of passage.

We must circumcise our children, come rain, come shine. We have enough food to feed them during the entire healing period. Our circumcisers are well prepared. We have a knife for each child and we shall be adhering to all the Covid-19 restrictions. We have enough sanitisers and gloves, he said.

Another parent, Shadrack Apalala Juma from Mayanja Kibuke, said that Luhya traditions dictate that boys must be circumcised within a certain period.

The President recently reopened the country partially. People have been going to churches while others have been travelling upcountry. This is the reason why we are going ahead with this activity. The traditional circumcisers have already performed a cleansing ceremony and we cannot look back, he said.

We can only circumcise right now because there is no way it can be done when they are grown up. We cannot wait for Covid-19, added Edward Wekesa from Kanduyi.

Mathias Makhanu Wanjala, a parent from Chwele, told the Nation: The months of July and August are our time to do our thing and nothing is going to stop us. We shall circumcise our children according to our traditions and we will not take them to hospital.

However, Bungoma County Commissioner Abdi Hassan said Covid-19 regulations did not exempt cultural ceremonies and anyone found flouting the Covid-19 restrictions will face the full force of the law.

I have received information that during this circumcision period, we have people who are moving around at night in this county. But when we get them because it is not allowed, they will have to record statements and be taken to forced quarantine, said Dr Abdi.

All lawbreakers will be dealt with ruthlessly. No one should break the law under the pretext of culture and traditions without a care about the repercussions.
Larsa Pippen was seen on Tuesday evening stepping out in Los Angeles with her 12-year-old daughter Sophia and a female pal to upscale Greek restaurant Avra in Beverly Hills.

The 46-year-old estranged wife of Scottie Pippen was stylish as ever in a tight Fendi top and a pair of black leather trousers.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, her daughter Sophia and her friend all made sure to take the precaution of wearing masks amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Stepping out: Larsa Pippen was seen on Tuesday night stepping out in Beverly Hills with her 12-year-old daughter Sophia and a female pal

Larsa wore her luxurious hair down and slipped into a pair of open-toed shoes, accessorizing with a purse and a glittering watch.

Scottie and Larsa share Sophia as well as three sons - 19-year-old Scotty Jr., 18-year-old Preston and 15-year-old Justin.

Larsa, who has been a Real Housewife Of Miami, married Scottie in 1997 and separated from him in 2016.

Last week it emerged that she and her old friends, the Kardashian sisters, had cut ties with each other on social media.

On the go: The 46-year-old estranged wife of Scottie Pippen was stylish as ever in a tight Fendi top and a pair of black leather trousers

The news came after Larsa was mentioned in one of Kanye West's Twitter rants during his days-long public meltdown.

He took swipes at his wife Kim Kardashian, whom he said he had been 'trying to divorce,' and his mother-in-law Kris Jenner whom he called 'Kris Jong-Un.'

Last Tuesday night Kanye cryptically tweeted: 'Larsa,' but gave no further explanation other than adding: 'Should I name more?'

Out and about: She, her daughter and her friend all made sure to take the precaution of wearing masks amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

They used to be close: Last week it emerged that she and her old friends, the Kardashian sisters, had cut ties with each other on social media. Kim and Sophia on DWTS Juniors

By Wednesday it was widely reported that the Kardashian sisters no longer followed Larsa on social media and that Larsa has also unfollowed them.

However a source close to the family told DailyMail.com that Kim 'has never followed Larsa' on Instagram and 'doesn't follow all of her friends.'

Larsa herself has refused to comment on the swirl of rumors about the unfollowings, writing on social media that she was 'Praying that everybody finds peace in their own lives and focus on what brings THEM happiness.'
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Power Bank Market with COVID-19 Impact by Capacity (5,001-10,000 mAh, 10,001-15,000 mAh, 15,001-20,000 mAh), Units of USB Port, Indicator, Battery Type, Price Range, Application (Smartphone, Tablet, Wearable Device), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Power Bank Market is projected to grow from USD 9.0 billion in 2020 to USD 13.4 billion by 2025; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2020 to 2025. The growth of this market is expected to be driven by the integration of advanced technology in power banks, an increase in power consumption in smartphones due to various software applications, decline in the price of power banks, and sudden shift to work-from-home & remote learning due to COVID-19 resulting in spike in demand for laptops. These factors have helped the power bank market gain traction in applications, such as smartphones, tablets, portable media players, wearable devices, digital cameras, and others.

Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=127595596

Lithium-ion battery type segment held the largest share of power bank market in 2019

The power bank industry, based on battery type, is led by the lithium-ion battery segment (in terms of size). The most common types of batteries in the market are lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries have a higher energy density, i.e., they can store more electrical charge in a given size or volume, and are cheaper to manufacture because they have lower production cost and require lower maintenance than lithium-polymer battery. Factors such as high energy capacity, cheaper rate, low production and maintenance cost, and higher battery conversion rate are fueling the growth of the Li-ion battery-based power banks. The manufacturing and the consumption of li-ion batteries will be reduced more than expected in the short-term due to COVID-19 pandemic, as a majority of lithium-ion battery manufacturers are based in China. Due to this factor, the li-ion battery-based power bank market might get negatively impacted for a short duration.

The market for 2 USB ports segment led the power bank market in 2019

The demand for power banks with 2 USB ports is expected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period. Factors such as charging of 2 portable devices at a time, lightweight, higher efficiency output, and cheaper rate are the factors propelling the growth of power banks with 2 USB ports. These power banks are the most preferred power banks and are manufactured by most of the leading companies such as ADATA (Taiwan), Xiaomi (China), and AMBRANE (India).

Browse in-depth TOC on "Power Bank Market"

225  Tables

53  Figures

250  Pages

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APAC accounts for the largest market size during the forecast period

APAC held the largest power bank market share in 2019, followed by North America and Europe. The market in APAC mainly comprises developing economies, such as China and India, which have tremendous potential for power banks. Increasing demand for portable consumer electronic devices and next-generation gadgets in countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea is driving the market for power banks in APAC. The power bank market in APAC is highly competitive with the presence of established players and the entry of new market players. These players are continually upgrading their product portfolio with the launch of technologically advanced products.

Anker Innovations (China), AUKEY (China), Xiaomi (China), ADATA (Taiwan), RAVPower (US), GRIFFIN (US), Lenovo (China), mophie (US), AMBRANE (India), and INTEX (India) are among the major players in this market.

Related Reports:

Lithium-Ion Battery Market by Type (Li-NMC, LFP, LCO, LTO), Power Capacity (0-3,000 mAh, 3,000 mAh-10,000 mAh, 10,000 mAh-60,000 mAh, above 60,000 mAh), Industry (Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Industrial), Voltage, Region  Global Forecast to 2025

Control Valve Market by Material, Component (Actuators, Valve Body), Valve Size, Valve Type (Rotary and Linear), Industry (Oil & Gas, Water & Wastewater Treatment, Energy & Power, Chemicals), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025

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DESPITE the plummeting tourist arrivals, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is expected to get back to its pre-Covid passenger traffic in two years.

Steve Dicdican, general manager and chief executive officer of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), recalled that the airport had registered 12.6 million passenger traffic in 2019.

For this year, Dicdican said MCIA is likely to see passenger traffic plunging to about three million, a level that was last seen more than 10 years ago.

The impact is really big. Prior to Covid, we had 12.6 million in passenger traffic last year. Starting February this year onwards, traffic drastically went down, he said during the Mugstoria Ta aired on the FB page of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas.

MCIAA records showed that for the month of June 2020, the passenger traffic reached only 26,018, a huge drop from the more than one million passenger traffic in June last year.

While the MCIA was doing well in January, the passenger traffic plunged when the travel restrictions were imposed. The passenger traffic for the first six months of 2020 reached 2.463 million, compared to 6.353 million registered in the same period last year.

Before the pandemic happened, there were 28 commercial airline companies with flights to and from MCIA.

4 foreign airlines resume flights

Currently, Dicdican said, there are four foreign airline companies that have resumed operations at the airport.

These are Qatar Airways (Doha-Cebu-Doha), Jeju Air (Incheon-Cebu-Incheon), Silk Air (Singapore-Cebu-Singapore) and Jin Air (Incheon-Cebu-Incheon). Air Asia, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines also have limited flights.

Despite the decline, the MCIAA said it will push through with the projects for the MCIA, including the parallel runway to prepare for the eventual return of tourists.

Our income has drastically dropped. But that does not mean that we stop our capital spending. Its a chicken and egg. If you dont do capital spending, you wont grow. And we have to anticipate for growth because we know that tourism can quickly get back once restrictions are lifted and once anxiety is gone, Dicdican pointed out.

Story continues

We will continue with our projects. Were slowly catching up to full blast the construction of the second runway. We hope to finish it before the end of this administration probably early 2022, he added.

Upon the completion of the project, the airport will have a dedicated runway for take-offs and another one for landings. However, the second runway also serves as a back-up in case something happens at the other runway.

This will be the first airport with a completely parallel runway so thats another milestone for Cebu, Dicdican said.

While MCIA has started to resume airport operations, he said it will take time for the airlines to resume other flights.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, MCIA could accommodate some 1,900 commercial flights weekly and 31,100 passengers daily.

According to Dicdican, airlines resuming flights to and from Cebu will also have to work to market their routes as travel demand remains low at this time. (PR)
A series of local landmarks will be renamed after it was determined they were offensive to Aboriginal people.

Black Camps Road, Black Camp Pre-school and Blacks Camp Bushland Reserve in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula will be erased from the map after a ruling by the local council.

The move is being lauded as a victory for Aboriginal activists, with rising pressure to rename historical landmarks with racist undertones amid the Black Lives Matter movement.

Black Camps Road (pictured) in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula will be renamed after it deemed offensive to the Aboriginal community

A decision was made by the Mornington Pensinsula Council on Tuesday night.

An archaeological investigation back in 2004 found Black Camps road was likely named because of the presence of a local Aboriginal community.

More than 200 artefacts and four Aboriginal sites have been registered for the area with Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.

The issue was brought to the forefront by the council's head of governance and legal, Pam Vercoe, reported the Mornington Pensinula News.

'The name Blacks Camp is a derogatory term that the shire has been advised is offensive to the traditional custodians of the Mornington Peninsula, the Bunurong Land Council and People of Aboriginal heritage,' Ms Vercoe told the council.

'It is likely that the road, reserve and kindergarten were named due to some knowledge of the habitation of this area by Aboriginal people.'

The preschool's time capsule will not be standing the test of time after a ruling by Mornington Peninsula Council to change the name

Each of the facilities will be renamed to respect the First Nations people.

Some of the names being considered are Beck Beak (earth) Burinyong Balug or Mayone Balug (Bunurong Clan) and Ngooraak for the park and road.

The names shortlisted for the preschool include Turrum (She-oak), Beenap (Manna Gum) and Tillerkite (play).

The meeting was told it was time for a change within the community.

'This language is no longer appropriate as it relates to a group of people by the colour of their skin,' the meeting was told.

The Blacks Camp Bushland Reserve (pictured) will also be renamed using Indigenous language

Mayor Sam Hearn described the move as a significant step towards 'celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait heritage,' reported the Herald Sun.

The council will also rename the local swimming pool the Yawa Aquatic Centre to recognise the First Nations People.

The move follows the decision of several high profile Australian brands to rename their products over criticism of racist undertones in recent weeks, including Red Skins, Chicos and Coon Cheese.
Photo: The Canadian Press Attorney General William Barr listens during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the oversight of the Department of Justice on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, July 28, 2020 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP)

Attorney General William Barr defended the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America as he testified for the first time before the House Judiciary Committee, pushing back against angry, skeptical Democrats who said President Donald Trumps administration is unconstitutionally suppressing dissent.

The hearing, held Tuesday as the late civil rights icon John Lewis laid in state steps away outside the Capitol, highlighted the wide election-year gulf between the two parties on police brutality and systemic racism in law enforcement. Massive protests have sparked unrest across the nation following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, and calls for police reform are growing louder.

But Barr said violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests and argued the violence taking place in Portland, Oregon, and other cities is disconnected from Floyds killing, which he called a horrible event that prompted a necessary national reckoning on the relationship between the Black community and law enforcement. But he also said there was no systemic racism in law enforcement.

Largely absent from these scenes of destruction are even superficial attempts by the rioters to connect their actions to George Floyds death or any legitimate call for reform, Barr said of the Portland protests.

The hearing marks Barrs first appearance before the committee after 18 months in office, bringing him face-to-face with the panel that voted last year to hold him in contempt and is holding hearings on what Democrats say is politicization of the Justice Department under his watch. But little new ground was uncovered; fuming Democrats often used their five minutes to lay out their frustrations and cut Barr off as he attempted to answer questions.

The hearing comes during a tumultuous stretch in which Barr has taken actions cheered by President Donald Trump but condemned by Democrats and other critics. Among them: the Justice Departments decision to drop the prosecution of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn and Barrs urging for a more lenient sentence for Trump ally Roger Stone, a move that prompted the entire trial teams departure. Trump later commuted the sentence entirely.

Republicans were ready to back Barr up, with the top Republican on the panel, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, using his opening statement to show an eight-minute video that spliced together images of violence by protesters around the country.

Democrats retorted with a video of their own of more peaceful protesters, shown by Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline.

We fought for democracy, for the right to speak freely and you are attempting to take that away, Cicilline told Barr. Whats worse, youre doing it for the sole purpose of furthering the presidents political agenda and generating footage for Trump campaign commercials.

Opening the hearing, committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said the Trump administration had twisted the Department of Justice into a shadow of its former self, serving the powerful before average Americans. He said the committee has a responsibility to protect Americans from that kind of corruption.

Nadler said Barr had aided and abetted Trumps worst impulses and excoriated him and the Justice Department for turning a blind eye to necessary reforms to police departments, for dismissing Black Lives Matter protests and for flooding streets with federal agents to stop protesters.

Under combative questioning, Barr acerbically defended himself but revealed little new information about his motivations or the Justice Department's recent actions on policing or otherwise.

Many of the Democrats on this Committee have attempted to discredit me by conjuring up a narrative that I am simply the Presidents factotum who disposes of criminal cases according to his instructions, Barr said in his opening statement. "Judging from the letter inviting me to this hearing, that appears to be your agenda today.

On policing, Barr's testimony underscored his department's ongoing effort to differentiate between increasing violence in some cities and Floyd's death, which has led to state charges against four officers and is under investigation by federal authorities. Massive but peaceful demonstrations followed Floyd's death in May.

The attorney general acknowledged to lawmakers Floyds death struck a chord in the Black community because it reinforced concerns Black people are treated differently by police. But he condemned Americans who he says have responded inappropriately to Floyd's death through what he said was rioting and anarchy.

As elected officials of the federal government, every member of this committee  regardless of your political views or your feelings about the Trump administration  should condemn violence against federal officers and destruction of federal property, Barr said. So should state and local leaders who have a responsibility to keep their communities safe."

Civil unrest escalated in Portland after federal agents were accused of whisking people away in unmarked cars without probable cause; the people were detained and later released. And in Washington, D.C., peaceful protesters were violently cleared from the streets by federal officers using smoke bombs and pepper balls last month before a photo op by Trump in front of St. John's church, where Barr had accompanied him.

He defended the broad use of law enforcement power to deal with the situation, noting that protesters had earlier set fire to the church and "it was total consensus that you couldnt allow that to happen so close to the White House. The departments internal watchdog has opened investigations into use of force and other tactics by agents in Washington and Portland.

He also said the force was used because the protesters would not disperse from the area when law enforcement officials were trying to move back the security perimeter, a decision made the night before. When pressed on details, he pointed to the investigations.

The use of pepper spray was warranted, even if peaceful protesters were also harmed, he said.

Beyond the federal response to the demonstrations, Barr was pressed in detail about his intervention in the Flynn and Stone cases, both of which arose from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Democrats criticized him for partly taking into account Stone's health and age, 67, and said those standards haven't been used in other similar cases.

Barr said he told the acting U.S. attorney that we are going to leave it up to the judge and that he ordered the revised recommendation to be filed when the line prosecutors submitted an initial recommendation calling for a sentence of seven to nine years.

And even though I knew I would get a lot of criticism for doing that, I think at the end of the day my obligation is to be fair to the individual, Barr said.

As Republicans quizzed Barr about his efforts to untangle the origins of the Russia investigation, Democrats scolded him for downplaying the gravity of Muellers findings in a summary letter that he released before the public had even seen the report. Justice officials are now investigating the previous Justice Department's decisions as it started investigating Trump's ties to Russia during the Obama administration and Barr has been sharply critical of his predecessors.
With over 5 lakh active cases, India's Covid-19 toll has inched closer to the 15 lakh mark; Maharashtra with almost 4 lakh cases continues to remain the worst-affected state, but recovery rate also sees an improvement.

With a spike of cases in the last 24 hours, Indias COVID-19 count has crossed the 15 lakh-mark on Tuesday while the recovery rate stood at 64 per cent.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the total COVID-19 cases stand at 15.31 lakh, including 5,09,447 active cases while the number of patients cured/discharged and migrated stands at 9,88,030.

The death toll rises to 34,193 after 768 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

As per the ministry, Maharashtra  the worst affected state from the virus  has 1,47,896 active cases and 13,883 deaths. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has a total of 54,896 active cases and 3,571 deaths.

Delhi has a total of 10,994 active cases and 3,853 deaths.

Also read: West Bengal extends partial lockdown till August 31

Also read: SC asks Centre to verify J&Ks response on restoration of 4G services

The total number of COVID-19 samples tested up to July 28 is 1,77,43,740 including 4,08,855 samples tested yesterday, said the Indian Council of Medical Research.

For the fifth day in a row, India has seen more than 30,000 recoveries per day. With 35,176 patients discharged in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries climbed to 9,52,743 across the country, stated the Ministry in a daily bulletin update on COVID-19.

As of July 28, the recovery rate sharply increases to more than 64 per cent from around 53 per cent in mid-June.

With one of the lowest fatality rates in the world, Indias Case Fatality Rate (CFR) is at 2.25 per cent which was around 3.33 per cent in mid-June, the Ministry said.

Meanwhile, India has created and maintained a new high of testing more than 5 lakh COVID-19 in a single day over two consecutive days. On 26th July, India tested a total of 5,15,000 samples and on 27th July, a total of 5,28,000 samples were tested. The cumulative testing as on date has crossed 1.73 crores and the tests per million have further improved to 12,562, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Uttar Pradesh has become the second state after Tamil Nadu to cross the 20-lakh mark in terms of the number of samples tested for COVID-19, informed Secretary to the UP Chief Minister, Alok Kumar on Tuesday. The state had tested 91,830 samples for COVID-19 yesterday. As per the Union Health Ministry, there are 26,204 active COVID-19 cases in the state.

For the first time, the active cases in Rajasthan breached 10,000-mark as for the third consecutive day, the state set a record of the biggest single-day spike. The state reported 1,134 new cases taking the state overall tally to 37,564 and number of active cases to 10,097. The state government has announced a 7-day lockdown in Bundi district in view spike in COVID cases.

Whereas Gujarat reported 1,052 COVID cases and 22 deaths, raising the fatality numbers to 2,348 and the reported cases to 56,874. The state tested a record number of 25,474 sampled during the day, while the cumulative samples tested so far have exceeded 6.67 lakhs. Meanwhile, the share of 8 big cities in the number of COVID cases has declined to 51 per cent from 80 per cent approximately a month ago.

In Karnataka, the total number of cases stands at 1,07,001 including 64,434 active cases and 2,055 deaths.

And Keralas COVID-19 case tally rises to 20,896 with 1,167 new cases and 4 new deaths reported today. There are 10,091 active cases till today while 679 people recovered today. A high alert has been sounded in Kottayam with 46 people getting confirmed of the virus in the antigen test conducted at the vegetable market in Ettumanoor. Meanwhile, three COVID deaths were reported in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Kasaragod districts of Kerala.

The authorities are yet to finalise their decision regarding the continuation of lockdown in Thiruvananthapuram, added the Union Health Ministry.

Similarly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has extended the complete lockdown for two days in a week i.e., 2nd, 5th, 8th, 9th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th and 31st August. The active case of coronavirus is 19,502 as of July 28.

With 10 deaths and 628 new COVID-19 cases reported in Madhya Pradesh today, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 29,217, including 20,343 recovered cases, 8,044 active cases and 830 deaths, confirmed the state Health Department.

Punjab has reported 612 new COVID-19 cases, the total number of cases in the state is now 14,378. While the number of patients discharged is 9,752, the number of active cases is 4,290 and total deaths are 336. With 24 new COVID-19 cases reported in Chandigarh alone, the total number of cases in the Union Territory stands at 934.

The total count of coronavirus stands at 1,02,349 in Andhra Pradesh including 51,701 active cases and 109 deaths. The state has identified 128 district hospitals with 32 thousand beds available in them. The Chief Minister has instructed officials to ensure that the entire admission process of COVID-19 patients should be completed in not more than 30 minutes. The CM also insisted on the display of information of availability of beds across various district hospitals and 10 state-level COVID hospitals.

Chhattisgarh has reported 362 new positive cases taking the tally to 7,980 and the total number of active cases stands at 2,763.

Telangana has reported a total of 57,142 coronavirus cases, including 13,753 active cases and 480 deaths.

The total COVID-19 cases in Mizoram stands at 384, of which 198 have recovered. Whereas in Nagaland, 75 new cases have been reported in Kohima, Phek, Wokha, Mon, Dimapur and Tuensang districts, taking the positive case count to 1459 with 885 active cases and 569 recoveries.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched three high throughput COVID-19 testing facilities via video conferencing located at the National Institutes of Indian Council of Medical Research, at Kolkata, Mumbai and Noida.

Also read: Mayawati on Rajasthan crisis: Waited for right time to teach Gehlot a lesson

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Takealot is South Africas largest online shopping platform, with over 2,000 employees and sales of around R1 billion per month.

Takealot is owned by Naspers and operates the countrys top ecommerce platforms  Takealot.com, Superbalist.com, and Mr D Food.

The latest Naspers results showed that Takealot extended its leadership in the South African ecommerce market with 46% year-on-year growth in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV).

One of the main drivers behind this growth was Takealots marketplace business, which grew GMV by 77% over the last year.

Takealots dominance is no coincidence. Since its launch in June 2011, it focussed on the most important aspect of any online business  logistics.

Its acquisition of Mr Delivery in 2014 gave the business ownership over its own logistics network through the Takealot Delivery Team division  formerly Mr D Courier.

Takealot scaled up its delivery capability since the acquisition and currently offers unrivalled service levels and support.

Takealot versus Makro

Takealot has become the Amazon of South Africa and has crushed competitors like Makro, which once looked like a promising alternative.

Makro is a trusted brand with a national network of stores, exceptional buying power, and established logistics partnerships.

With these valuable assets, many expected Makro to go toe-to-toe with Takealot in the ecommerce market. This did not happen.

The main reason is logistics. While Takealot consistently improved its delivery network and service levels, Makros logistics fell apart.

Many online shoppers wait for weeks for their Makro orders to be delivered, and their support channels are a mess.

Another big difference between Takealot and Makro is the way their marketplace deliveries work.

Takealot centralised its marketplace logistics, which means shoppers who purchase a product through its platform receive a consistent experience, independent of the seller.

Makro, in comparison, has a decentralised model which leaves it up to third-party sellers to send packages to shoppers.

This has caused so many problems that Makro is reportedly dropping many sellers and products from its platform.

Makros ecommerce experience has become synonymous with delivery problems and many experienced online shoppers are now avoiding the platform.

Makro addressing the problem

A recent interview with Massmart CEO Mitchell Slape revealed that the company is aware of these problems and is planning to address its logistics challenges.

Slape said they know they must improve on their customer experience and it is something which they are focussed on.

Despite the delivery challenges, Makro, Game, and Builders Warehouses online sales still saw triple-digit growth during the lockdown.

To support this growth, Massmart is now planning to invest heavily in its ecommerce platform.

Slape did not supply details about where the money will go, but if they want to take on Takealot they will have to improve their logistics.

To match Takealots service levels will not be easy, especially as it continues to invest in its logistics network.

Last year, for example, Takealot launched 25 new collection points for customers across South Africa.

It is also not clear what the future holds for Makros marketplace, which will struggle to compete against Takealot without centralised logistics.

For Makro to effectively compete against Takealot, it must restore trust among online shoppers. They must know they will receive their orders on time.

While pricing is a big consideration, the joy of paying less quickly disappears when your package is not delivered on time and you have to deal with poor logistics support.

Unless Makro gets this right, it will always be seen as the poor mans alternative to Takealot.

This is an opinion piece.
Queensland has closed its border to Sydney residents after two teenagers with coronavirus lied on their border declaration forms and dodged quarantine.

The 19-year-old women, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 after travelling together, were active in the community for eight days before isolating.

Shopping centres, restaurants, a school, and a church they visited will shut while authorities scramble to conduct contact tracing.

Scores of the women's contacts will be forced to isolate, and aged care facilities in the Metro South Health region will re-enter lock down as the state tries to avoid an outbreak.

A furious Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said no one from Sydney will be allowed into the state from Saturday, and Queensland residents returning will have to isolate in a hotel for 14 days at their own expense.

The 19-year-old women, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 after travelling together, were active in the community for eight days before isolating (pictured: Travellers waiting at baggage claim at Sydney domestic airport)

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young apologised to people who will now be inconvenienced after the new cases emerged

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young called the pair 'reckless' and said she was 'very disappointed'.

The teens travelled on flights VA 863 and VA 977. Queensland Health contact tracers are identifying close contacts from those flights.

Health Minister Steven Miles said there was a large amount of contact tracing that needed to be done with the community as well.

'These young women have gone about their business within the communities that they live in and so there will be a large amount of contact tracing to be done, largely within it the Logan and Springfield areas, including shopping malls, restaurants and a church.'

One of the women attended the Orion Springfield Central in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, on Sunday where she dined at the Peak Thai restaurant about 6.30pm.

People line up to get COVID-19 tested at the Parklands Christian College in Logan, south of Brisbane

A man delivers cleaning equipment to a COVID-19 screening clinic at the Parklands Christian College in Logan

Cleaners enter the Sports Centre at Parklands Christian College in Logan, south of Brisbane

Dr Young urged travellers to be honest on their border declaration forms.

'We need people to tell the truth. That's all I can say. This has been done to protect yourself as an individual, your family and the community,' she said.

'I'm very, very disappointed. It was reckless.

'They've been out and about for eight days with symptoms.

'I have asked that all the aged care facilities in the Metro South area be closed to visitors and have enhanced screening of staff and that staff are not to work across multiple facilities.'

The cases have forced a private school, where one of the women worked as a cleaner, to close for disinfecting (Pictured: Parklands Christian College)

One of the women worked as a cleaner at the Parklands Christian College in Logan, south of Brisbane (pictured)

Parklands Christian College Principal Gary Cully said the school has worked with Queensland Health to identify a number of other staff members who need to isolate as a precaution

Dr Young said shopping centres and schools will now be closed for 48 hours while deep cleans are undertaken.

She urged for anyone who lives in the Logan and Acacia Ridge areas who have symptoms to get tested.

A list of all the locations the women have visited in the past eight days will be provided on Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities are now conducting a criminal investigation into whether the women lied on their border declaration form about where they had been before entering Queensland.

Queensland shut its borders to all people from Victoria on July 10 after the southern state's cases escalated.

Returning Queenslanders who have spent any time in Victoria in the 14 days before coming home must quarantine in a hotel at their own expense.

Medical staff dispose of clinical waste at an aged care facility experiencing an outbreak of the coronavirus disease

Vehicles arriving from New South Wales line up on approach to a checkpoint at on the Queensland border in Coolangatta on the Gold Coast on Thursday

The school will be closed for deep cleaning and contract tracing on Wednesday

State Disaster Co-ordinator and Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the women should have been in quarantine.

'At this stage, the initial investigations indicate there are incorrect details on border decoration passes ... the investigation will look at whether that was deliberate or otherwise,' he said.

If they are found to have deliberately lied on their border declaration, the women are facing thousands of dollars in fines or six months in jail.

The cases have forced a private school, where one of the women worked as a cleaner, to close for disinfecting.

Parklands Christian College Principal Gary Cully said the school has worked with Queensland Health to identify a number of other staff members who need to isolate as a precaution.

'We believe that the person in question has had limited contact with students and the wider college community,' his statement said.

This graph shows how Victoria's second wave sprung up in late June. The state recorded zero new cases on June 5

An aged care resident at the Epping Gardens Aged Care Facility is moved into an ambulance on Tuesday. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Tuesday the majority of elective surgeries would be cancelled so medical resources could be re-distributed to the aged care sector

'Our children and staff are like family, and we are doing everything possible to keep them safe now and in the future; that includes fully co-operating with (the) Metro South Public Health Unit.'

A fever clinic will be set up at the college - which caters for students from prep to year 12 - for testing of students, other employees and any concerned community members.

Queensland has six active COVID-19 cases.

Victoria recorded 384 new coronavirus cases and six more deaths between Tuesday and Wednesday's daily updates.

There are 4,774 active cases, including 414 health workers. The state has suffered 83 deaths in total, only one less than the rest of country combined.

A total of 206 people are in hospital, with 45 in intensive care.
Bhubaneswar: The Board of Secondary Education, Odisha is likely to release BSE Odisha 10th result 2020 on Wednesday (July 29, 2020). The result will be released on BSE Odisha's official websites - bseodisha.nic.in, orissaresults.nic.in.

Earlier, BSE president Ramashis Hazra had said the board is most likely to announce the result by the end of July. Though the examination was not affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, the evaluation had to be postponed, he said.

The evaluation of the answer sheets was stopped midway as Odisha announced lockdown to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

How to check BSE Odisha HSC 10th Results 2020:

Step 1: Go to the official websites bseodisha.nic.in, orissaresults.nic.in

Step 2: Click on the download result link.

Step 3: Enter your roll number.

Step 4: The results will appear on the home screen.

Step 5: Click on download and take a print for further reference.

A total of 5.6 lakh students appeared in class 10 Odisha BSE board examinations this year. The exams had ended on March 2 this year. This will end the long wait for thousands of the candidates who appeared for the Odisha board Class 10 matriculation examination 2020 and had been waiting for their results.

In 2019, around 6 lakh students appeared for the Odisha BSE exams. The overall passing percentage in Odisha 10th result was 70.78%.
President Donald Trump, welcome to the capital of the most significant source of energy in the United States.

You have finally come to Midland and the Permian Basin. Better late than never. Your appearance today is the first for a president in about14 years. Sadly, your predecessor never made the trip, so thank you.

First thing you should know about Midland. You are popular here. In 2016, only one county among the states top 30 most-populated counties came out in larger percentages for your candidacy than Midland (74.75 percent). Your drubbing of Hillary Clinton in Midland County was by a 54.42 percentage difference. I think you would call that yuuuge.

Just so you know, you collected only 71.82 percent in Ector County (Odessa), but it is still nice of you to visit their city, as well.

It is 2016 that we need to talk about. The Texas Secretary of States Office shows you won Texas by 9 points. Not bad, but there is a problem. Fewer Texans comparatively are voting Republican statewide since 2016. You may remember that your ally, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, struggled mightily to beat a Democrat that most people cant remember. (His name Mike Collier.) Patrick won by less than 5 points.

Not to be outdone, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz won by an even slimmer margin -- a paltry 2.5 percentage points. Cruz might tell you today as you look over a Double Eagle rig, that rural Texas -- places such as Midland County -- carried him to victory over the then-darling of the Democratic Party. Cruz collected 76.76 percent of the vote in Midland County.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also might be worth calling as you head back to Washington, D.C., on Air Force One. He won his race in 2018 by 13 percentage points.

We see that the polls have not been kind to you, even in the bastion of conservatism known as Texas. A Quinnipiac poll from last week has you down in Texas by 1 point. Yeah, we dont know about that one, either. We also remember the polls that showed you and Clinton within 4 points less than one month before Election Day.

Even John McCain won Texas by 12 points, and Mitt Romney won the Lone Star State by 16. Its time to step up your game, Mr. President. Conservatives in Texas need you to be better. If Texas is a battleground in November, then the race for the White House is  for all intents and purposes  over.

Still, we appreciate that you made it to Midland. We are excited to hear about your plans concerning energy for the next six months  and maybe beyond. When Vice President Mike Pence came last year, your views about the oil industry had West Texans scratching their heads as a run of tweets showed a rather populist view of oil, including this one from --Nov. 21, 2018. Oil prices getting lower. Great! Like a big Tax Cut for America and the World. Enjoy! $54, was just $82. Thank you to Saudi Arabia, but lets go lower!

But you pivoted and showed the type of leadership on this front that Midlanders appreciate. Even the New York Times reported, Oil Nations, prodded by Trump, reach deal to slash production. Midlanders know you came through for the Permian Basin then. But we both know there is more to be done. We expect you know that and will address that today.

Mr. President, conservatives in West Texas have confidence in you. The guess here is that confidence is worth millions in campaign contributions for Trump-Pence 2020. Put it to good use. Like the vice president was told, Our country would benefit from the proper messaging of that conservatism and that people in our community cant stomach the idea of a return to a socially progressive wing of the Democratic Party with its activist agenda.

Also, please note: Should the Republicans incur the types of losses that Democrats experienced in 2016, it is difficult to think that conservatism could ever recover.

Mr. President, remember its a conservative, pro-growth strategy -- not poor messaging  that will win you another four years in the White House. Put a halt to the reckless activity on Twitter and force your opponent in November to have a conversation about him, his party and their very real deficiencies. As it stands right now, the election in November will be a referendum on you; West Texans need you to deliver on your promises of four years ago.
JEFFERSON CITY  Just two years ago, Missouri lawmakers signed off on a plan to raise the age to be tried as an adult in court from 17 to 18 years old.

At the time, the sponsor of the measure, Republican Sen. Wayne Wallingford of Cape Girardeau, said it was an effort to ensure children dont turn into adult criminals.

But now, as Gov. Mike Parson faces a potentially tough slog to the November election, hes asking the General Assembly to reverse a part of that law as part of a get tough on crime push.

Under a package of legislation hes asking lawmakers to approve in a special session dedicated to violent crime, Parson wants to give judges the ability to determine if a child between the ages of 12 and 18 should be tried as an adult for unlawful use of weapons and armed criminal action.

Police and prosecutors like the idea.

When it comes to gun usage by youth, it has actually surged. Were seeing youngsters that are carrying at a greater rate today, St. Louis Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards told members of a Senate committee Tuesday.

The crime package also would modify child endangerment laws by including when a person aids or encourages a child younger than 17 to commit a weapons offense.

Another change would boost the penalty for a person who sells or delivers a firearm to a juvenile without the consent of a parent.

Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver said the changes will give prosecutors an additional tool to help crack down on kids being used by adults to commit crimes in hopes the youths receive lesser sentences if caught.

The provision is drawing fire from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, public defenders and criminal defense attorneys.

Empower Missouri, a social justice organization, said that allowing youths to be tried as adults violates the spirit of the 2018 law.

Juveniles do not belong in adult courts or prisons. Juveniles should be diverted to age-appropriate remedies, not to hearings on whether they will stand trial as adults, said Empower Missouri Executive Director Jeanette Mott Oxford.

Springfield attorney Adam Woody said the change could result in a 12-year-old being sent to an adult lock-up.

Armed criminal action is mandatory prison, Woody told the committee.

The proposal comes as St. Louis has had at least 150 homicides this year, compared with about 110 at this point in 2019.

St. Louis police Chief John Hayden told the panel that over the past nine weeks, the city is averaging 10 murders per week.

Parson, who is a former county sheriff, is backing a number of other changes, including repealing the residency requirement for police department employees in St. Louis.

Although city voters are scheduled to be asked to weigh in on the residency requirement in the November election, Parson says the time to act is now.

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and police officials say the residency rule hurts recruiting and retention of officers. The department is down about 130 officers.

Under current law, police department employees in St. Louis must reside in the city for seven years before they are allowed to move.

The new law would remove that requirement and allow employees to live anywhere within a one-hour response time.

We just dont have the pool of folk that we can recruit from, Edwards told committee members.

We desperately need more officers and we need them now, Hayden said.

Also in the package is a witness protection program that would establish a state fund overseen by the Department of Public Safety to pay for the security of witnesses and their families in the lead-up to a trial.

Its a game changer, said Lisa Jones, program manager of the victim service division of the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys office.

The Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee is scheduled to meet Aug. 5 to vote on whether to forward the plan to the full Senate.

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The digital economy has generated an increasing number of flexible jobs, bringing more opportunities for young people.

Photo taken on June 25 shows popular livestreaming hosts introducing a scenic spot in Haikou, capital of South Chinas Hainan Province. (Photo by Zhang Mao/Peoples Daily Online)

Over the past six months or so, more than 500,000 merchants have posted recruitment notices on Alipay, an app designed to offer an array of services, receiving resumes from 65 million college students.

Half of the positions enable the applicants to make money at home, with the average daily wage exceeding 200 yuan.

E-sports hosts, dialect translators, punsters and dream-talk editors are the most popular new occupations among young people, and often feature daily payment and flexible working hours.

Since this year, the number of job hunters who choose such flexible jobs on Alipay has increased by nearly seven times, and are mostly made up of people born after 1995 and even 2000.

Thirteen government departments in China have issued opinions to encourage the development of the new individual economy and by-work innovation to open up new spaces for consumption and employment.

Many digital economy platforms have also taken measures to promote the new individual economy. In June, short video platforms TikTok and iXigua, as well as Jinri Toutiao, a news and information content platform, launched a program to provide content entrepreneurs with a package of services, such as operation training.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The House of Representatives is still not done with shuttered media network ABS-CBN.

Four House resolutions seeking investigations on issues surrounding the broadcast giant were tabled on Tuesday for first reading, looking further into allegations previously raised in the lower chamber's joint committee hearings about its franchise application.

Most of the resolutions came from lawmakers and staunch critics who voted to kill the network's franchise.

House Resolution 1058, which Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta filed on July 22, seeks inquiry on the authenticity of the land title of ABS-CBN Corporation, citing supposed irregularities in the copies of the network's property documents.

He argued that the Supreme Court had already declared the title of a land property in Quezon City as "null and void ab initio," and still part of the "patrimonial property of the Government."

Marcoleta was among the lawmakers criticized for supposedly plotting a "takeover" of the network's assets and infrastructure after openly discussing it with his colleagues in a Zoom meeting. Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor had earlier denied this allegation.

Marcoleta and Defensor were also among the signatories of a House resolution directing the Committee on Good Governance and Public Accountability to investigate an alleged loan condonation or write-off by the Development Bank of the Philippines in favor of companies affiliated with the Lopez family.

The other lawmakers were Dumper PTDA Partylist Rep. Claudine Bautista, ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Eric Yap, Cavite Reps. Jesus Crispin Remulla and Elpidio Barzaga, and Presidential son Paolo Duterte of Davao City.

House Resolution 1040, filed on July 9, claimed that Lopez Holding Corp., which was given rights over ABS-CBN Corp. shares, benefited from a large write-off from the DBP, along with other companies controlled by the Lopezes.

The allegedly condoned loans may exceed 1.6 billion, an amount congressmen claimed could have been used by the government for its COVID-19 response.

Remulla also filed House Resolution 1015, directing the legislative franchises committee to inquire on the probable violations of Amcara Broadcasting Network. The previous franchise hearing also tackled the block time agreement and operations of Amcara's Channel 43 following ABS-CBN's shutdown.

Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija Rep. Micaela Violago has filed House Resolution 984 seeking an inquiry, in aid of legislation. The resolution calls on all major broadcast companies with Philippine Depositary Receipts issued to foreigners to submit their copies and shed light light on legality of PDRs issued to non-Filipinos.

Up to around 11,000 employees of the network stand to lose their jobs after the House Committee on Legislative Franchises voted to junk its franchise on July 10. The panel noted that ABS-CBN does not deserve a fresh franchise owing to alleged violations on tax obligations, ownership, and supposedly unfair reporting, among others -- claims refuted by the network.

READ: TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise

There is still a pending appeal for plenary action on the matter from some opposition lawmakers, claiming that all 305 representatives need to vote and decide on ABS-CBN's fate, due to "unsure" and "insecure" issues considered in the panel vote.
Vietnamese face renewed distress after 30 people contracted Covid-19 locally, the first such cases in Vietnam in over three months.

Nguyen Thi Kieu Trinh and her family were ready to depart on their summer vacation to southern Phu Quoc Island in late July.

However, the 29-year-old white-collar worker from Hanoi had to cancel her plans after fresh community transmissions were reported in central Da Nang City. In the past five days, Da Nang with a population of 1.1 million has reported 26 cases alone.

"I would rather lose the money than risk getting infected on a plane or at the airport. Even staying in Hanoi makes me nervous," Trinh said, adding she has entered "Covid-19 mode" by wearing masks in public places and washing her hands regularly.

Trinh is among millions of Vietnamese rattled by the resurgence in domestic infections, the sources of which have yet to be determined.

According to a popular Saigon travel agency, as of July 26, over 20,000 of its patrons have canceled their holidays to the north and other tourism hotspots such as Nha Trang, Phu Yen, Phu Quoc, etc.

"Some even requested canceling tours to northwestern Vietnam during the September harvest season," Nguyen Van Tung, director of Tay Bac travel agency, told VnExpress.

Pho Hue Street in Hanoi is less busy on the evening of July 27, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Phuong Anh.

Many have bid farewell to the "new normal" life they had enjoyed these last few months.

Some coffee shops and restaurants across Hanoi said the number of customers has dropped as fears over new Covid-19 infection loom over the city.

On Sunday afternoon, a Starbucks in Hoan Kiem District saw less than a dozen patrons, as did the popular local pedestrian street and many other attractions.

"I did not think the situation in Da Nang would affect Hanoians that quickly, but we had a surprisingly quiet weekend," said Nguyen Tuan, 21, a Starbucks barista.

Luong Thi Anh Tuyet, owner of a noodle restaurant in Hanoi's Long Bien District, said fewer customers have visited her establishment and that she remains "ready to close in case of emergency."

With fears rising, masks and hand sanitizer have once again become must-have accessories.

In Hanoi, local authorities on July 25 again required locals to wear masks in public and increase hygiene measures.

Restaurants and workplaces across the capital are again requiring all entrees to wear masks and wash their hands regularly.

Many online vendors have taken advantage of the situation to sell masks at skyrocketing prices, although local supermarkets and convenience stores all confirm they had enough masks and hand sanitizer to meet current demand.

Family members of a patient at Da Nang Hospital, one of three facilities in the central city treating Covid-19 patients, are taken for quarantine on July 27, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong.

According to Truong Hoang Vi, HR manager at an IT firm in Saigon's District 2, her company had asked all its 98 employees to complete health declarations Monday.

Two staff returning from Da Nang were requested to isolate themselves at home for the next two weeks and undergo Covid-19 testing as soon as possible, Vi said.

Other employers have ramped up their protection measures by checking body temperatures daily and asking employees to wear masks in common areas.

Medical experts have warned about the possibility of a second Covid-19 wave, which could strike if the country does not act quickly to contain the fresh outbreak.

In the wake of these cases, the government has ramped up prevention measures, including ordering a semi-lockdown and implement massive tests in Da Nang, now the country's largest coronavirus hotspot.

"I feel like we are going back to where we were in March and April," Trinh said. "It is not about when this pandemic ends. It is about living with it and keeping our eyes on it."
The Drury band marches down Main Street last year. This year's October parade has been canceled.

Northern Berkshires Cancels Fall Foliage Parade, Fall Events

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  It's official: the 65th annual Fall Foliage Parade is off, along with a host of other fall gatherings.

The fate of the parade, usually held the first Sunday in October, has been up in the air for some time. The summer events in North Berkshire were canceled because of the pandemic months ago, including the Susan B. Anthony celebration in Adams, the Downtown Celebration in North Adams and Fresh Grass at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

"Every decision we have made in the interest of protecting public health and public safety in response to the COVID-19 pandemic comes at a cost to our community," said North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard. "Whether it's summer events, Fourth of July fireworks, or now the Fall Foliage Parade and other fall traditions in the Northern Berkshires I share everyone's disappointment at canceling events that mean so much to our community.

"I know we all will miss the floats, the great school marching bands, and the chance to see our friends and neighbors along the parade route, but I also look forward to seeing that energy and spirit on display next year when North Adams hosts our next parade!"

In a statement, the city, 1Berkshire and ProAdams said they had made a collective decision to cancel the 2020 Fall Foliage Parade, Greylock Ramble, and RambleFest events.

"The volunteers of ProAdams are disappointed that we will not be able to continue these traditions in 2020," said ProAdams co-Chairman Raymond Gargan. "However, we will continue to market Adams and Northern Berkshire as a great place to enjoy our beautiful fall foliage season. We look forward to bringing these events back in 2021."

Officials said because of restrictions in place to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, it would not be possible for the 65th Fall Foliage Parade along with the 53rd Greylock Ramble and 9th annual RambleFest to take place this October in a way that ensures the safety of residents, visitors, and participants.

"Combined, these cherished annual events have the potential to draw over 20,000 participants across the Northern Berkshires," according to the statement. "In the interest of our communities, canceling these events for 2020 made the most sense for the city and town as well as for the organizers and attendees."

Northern Berkshire officials say the region is still welcoming. If residents and visitors adhere to the safety precautions and social distancing guidelines they can enjoy the natural beauty, culture, and cuisine offered in the region each fall. Each organization is looking forward to the fall of 2021, when they can once again bring these beloved events back to the community.

"It is disappointing for this region of the Berkshires, but a necessary decision. While we're encouraged by the return of many important activities in our region, these popular events simply cannot be done responsibly in the current social distancing world that we reside," said 1Berkshire President & CEO Jonathan Butler. "We're hopeful that 2021 will return these traditions in even bigger and better ways."
Prosecutors are investigating one of the largest accounting fraud cases in the countrys recent history after the online payment services company crumbled into insolvency last month, admitting that $2.2bn was missing.

German prosecutors are investigating one of the largest accounting fraud cases in the countrys recent history.

Wirecard was an online payment services company which crumbled into insolvency last month, after admitting that $2.2bn was missing.

Al Jazeeras Dominic Kane has more from Berlin.
Ian Thorpe's ex Ryan Channing announced his engagement to civil engineer Leevon Baptiste in June.

And the pair marked the milestone by enjoying a romantic trip to the Whitsundays together.

The loved-up couple spent the weekend soaking up the sun in the tropical paradise, and also celebrated Leevon's birthday during the trip.

Time to celebrate! Olympian Ian Thorpe's ex Ryan Channing (left) celebrated his recent engagement to fiance Leevon Baptiste (right) with a romantic trip to the Whitsundays at the weekend

The duo spent time on the idyllic Hamilton Island and Daydream Island, and even enjoyed a helicopter ride over the stunning location.

On Monday, skincare entrepreneur Ryan, 30, who owns the Blaq Group, shared a hilarious 'Insta verse reality' post of the pair at Whitehaven Beach.

In the Instagram images, Ryan showed off his buff physique as he sat on Leevon's shoulders for some photos.

Living it up! The duo spent time on the idyllic Hamilton Island and Daydream Island, and even enjoyed a helicopter ride over the stunning location

Lovebirds! Ryan announced his engagement to civil engineer Leevon in June

In the second image, the pair appeared to fall down on the sand after they got 'the shot'.

In June, Ryan announced his engagement to Brisbane-based civil engineer Leevon.

The pair are set to marry at a luxury resort in Bali in June next year.

Fun in the sun! On Monday, skincare entrepreneur Ryan, 30, who owns the Blaq Group, shared a hilarious 'Insta verse reality' post of the pair at Whitehaven Beach

Life's a beach! In the second image, the pair appear to fall down on the sand after they got 'the shot'

Ryan sweetly told Daily Mail Australia at the time: 'I'm getting married to the man of my dreams!'

The couple got engaged in Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales, and now wear matching Cartier bands on their ring fingers.

'He said yes,' one image of their matching rings was captioned on social media.

Pucker up! They got engaged in Coffs Harbour, in northern New South Wales

Wedding bells! The couple are set to marry at a luxury resort in Bali in June next year

Ryan and Leevon will tie the knot in Bali in June 2021, at the stunning Soori Private Estate in Bali, near Seminyak.

Guests have been asked to wear resort casual attire to attend a champagne and canape reception, followed by a ceremony and an evening celebration.

Blackpink and DJ Manuel Coby will perform as special guests at the soiree.

Putting a ring on it! Ryan and Leevon are now wearing matching Cartier bands on their ring fingers

Will Ian be invited to the wedding? It was confirmed that Ryan (left )and Ian (right) had split for good in November 2019, but the pair remain friends

Instead of gifts, the couple have asked guests to make a donation to The Trevor Project, which supports the LGBTQ community and is focused on suicide prevention efforts in young people under the age of 25.

It comes after it was confirmed in November that Ryan and Olympian Ian, 37, had split for good, after seemingly rekindling their romance.

The pair had previously called it quits in June following four years of dating.

Ryan was Ian's first public boyfriend since he came out as gay in an interview with Michael Parkinson in 2014.
HOLYOKE  Police arrested two men who were on probation for other crimes and confiscated two unlawful guns after a shooting where gunfire went through windows of at least three apartments.

Jose Cruz, 23, of Chicopee, was charged with assault and battery with a handgun; receiving stolen property, a handgun; possession of a firearm and ammunition without a permit; discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling and on two warrants, said Holyoke Police Lt. James Albert.

Hector Diaz-Torres, 18, of Holyoke, was charged with possession of ammunition without a permit and on a warrant. A 15-year-old was also arrested in the shooting and charged with possession of ammunition without a permit and on two warrants, he said.

Police responding to a report of shots fired at about 4:45 on Tuesday were met by residents of 131 Clemente St., who pointed out bullet holes located on the side of the apartment building and told officers gunshots were fired through windows into three apartments. Police also found bullet holes in the windshield of a parked commercial dump truck and multiple shell casings in the roadway on the nearby Hamilton Street, he said.

No gunshot victims were located but several families who were left upset and in fear advised officers that there were children within the rooms when the bullets went through those windows, Albert said.

Carlos Vega Park, where children often play in the spray features, is about 20 from the spot where the shooting occurred.

Investigators tracked down information that led them to a second-floor apartment at 121 Clemente St. They received a search warrant and inside found two unlawful handguns, a 9 mm Glock and a Star .45 caliber semi-automatic which was later determined to have been stolen from Warren County, New York, Albert said.

When police arrested Cruz and Diaz-Torres, they learned both were wearing court-ordered GPS ankle bracelets and are out on probation for other charges. The 15-year-old, who said he was homeless, had two warrants for his arrest, Albert said.

Members of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force and the FBIs Western Mass Gang Task Force assisted Holyoke detectives in the investigation, he said.

The shooting remains under investigation. Detectives are asking anyone who has information about the crime or took photos or video of the shooting to contact them at 413-322-6940, Albert said.

The two adults were held at the Hampden County Jail in Ludlow and were later arraigned through Holyoke District Court. The 15-year-old will be arraigned through the Holyoke Juvenile Court, he said.

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CAIRO (AP)  Egypt executed seven people convicted of killing a police officer in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, after a trial that was marred by serious allegations of torture, an international rights groups said Wednesday.

The defendants were accused of killing the officer and the attempted killing of another person during a fight in November 2013. A criminal court sentenced them to death, and the countrys highest criminal appeals court upheld the verdict in 2018, Amnesty International said.

The police officer was shot to death while trying to break up a fight in Ismailia, according to court documents. The accused also allegedly tried to kill a civilian and seized the officers weapon before fleeing.

London-based Amnesty International condemned the executions as shocking and cruel. It said in a series of tweets that the trial was marred by serious allegations of torture and other grave due process violations.

Three of the convicted appeared with visible bruises on their faces in a televised confession on Nov. 26, 2013, five days after the police officers killing and before their trial even began in blatant disregard of their right not to incriminate themselves, the group said.

Amnesty International said it opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, calling it a cruel and inhuman punishment.

The state-run newspaper al-Ahram reported that the seven were executed Monday in a Cairo prison.

The Egyptian Front for Human Rights, a local group, said its tally shows Egypt executed 34 people in the first six months of this year.

Among them was one of Egypt's most high-profile militant leaders. Hisham el-Ashmawi, a former Egyptian special forces officer, was hanged in March, according to the military, after his conviction for his role in planning dozens of deadly attacks on security forces.

In June, authorities hanged a Libyan militant convicted of plotting an attack that killed at least 16 police officers in 2017.

Eight suspected militants were executed in February after their conviction of involvement in attacks on two churches in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria and the Nile Delta city of Tanta. At least 44 people were killed in the April 2017 bombings.

Islamic militants have stepped up attacks since the military ousted an elected Islamist president after big protests against his divisive rule in 2013. An Islamic State affiliate based in the northern Sinai Peninsula has repeatedly targeted security forces and the Christian minority.
Harper Beckham looked very stylish as she enjoyed an outing with her brother Brooklyn and fiancee Nicola Peltz in London.

The youngest Beckham, nine, put on a chic display in all white as she stepped out with the aspiring photographer, 21, and American actress, 25, for the quick shopping spree to mother Victoria's store on Wednesday.

While their shopping spree was sure to be a fun bonding exercise for the trio, the trip may have been scuppered when Brooklyn received a parking ticket.

Outing: Newly-engaged Brooklyn Beckham and fiancee Nicola Peltz took his VERY stylish little sister Harper, 9, for a shopping spree at mother Victoria's store in London on Wednesday

Harper put on a stylish display in her all white ensemble that saw her team a denim jacket with a flowing dress and comfy trainers.

Her brunette tresses fell over her shoulders in waves, and she wore a pair of pearl earrings for the occasion.

While they were out at the store Brooklyn received a parking ticket. MailOnline contacted his representatives who declined to comment.

Chic: Harper Beckham looked very stylish during the outing as she sported curled locks

Oops: While their shopping spree was sure to be a fun bonding exercise for the trio, the trip may have been scuppered when Brooklyn received a parking ticket

Sweet: Harper looked chic in her all white ensemble that saw her team a denim jacket with a flowing dress and comfy trainers

Rules: While they were out at the store Brooklyn was served a parking ticket

Shopping spree: The aspiring photographer, 21, looked relaxed as he stepped out with the American actress, 25, and his sibling while carrying a large bag of goods from the store

Bonding: It was clear Harper and Nicola were getting closer as they held hands

Bling ring: Nicola's 350,000 ring could be seen during the outing

Brooklyn kept things casual as he donned a white logo T-shirt over denim jeans, and a navy blue jacket.

Making sure to keep safe amid the coronavirus pandemic, Brooklyn wore a face mask in the store and outside.

Nicola, meanwhile, looked effortlessly chic in a black crop top that showed off a glimpse of her taut midriff.

She completed the look by teaming a black cardigan with light-wash jeans and black peep-toe heels, while she kept her personal items in a black handbag.

Her golden locks were brushed into a sleek straight style, and she followed Brooklyn's example by wearing a face mask over her nose and mouth.

Comfy: Brooklyn kept things casual as he donned a white logo T-shirt over denim jeans, while he also shrugged on a navy blue jacket

Stunning: Nicola, meanwhile, looked effortlessly chic in a black crop top that showed off a glimpse of her taut midriff

Going ahead: Harper led the way as Nicola strolled by her side after their shopping spree

Fashionista: Nicola completed the look by teaming a black cardigan with light-wash jeans and black peep-toe heels, while she kept her personal items in a black handbag

Heading back: Brooklyn was seen driving the car home after their trip

Their outing comes after Brooklyn shared intimate photographs from his marriage proposal, during which he presented Nicola with a 350,000 engagement ring.

Alongside the gallery of photographs, David and Victoria Beckham's eldest son wrote: 'Can't imagine a life without you baby, you make me feel so special and make me laugh all the time. I will always take care of you and will always have your back.'

Bowled over by her husband to be's public declaration, Nicola commented: 'i'm so in love with you my hearts going to EXPLODE' (sic).

Nicola's billionaire father Nelson Peltz is expected to be paying for the wedding with Brooklyn's parents also wanting to 'contribute'.

Strutting her stuff: Nicola's platform wedges accentuated her statuesque figure

Modelling prowess: Even in her everyday attire Nicola looked sensational

Stylish: The youngest Beckham's brunette tresses fell over her shoulders in waves, and she wore a pair of pearl earrings for the occasion

Heads down: Brooklyn tried to keep a low profile as he left the store

Not fussed: Brooklyn appeared relaxed as he headed to the car, despite getting a ticket

Behind the wheel: Brooklyn drove safely through London in the 4x4

Focused: Brooklyn kept his eyes on the road as Nicola chatted to him

Brooklyn is said to have told pals that the ceremony will involve marrying under a chuppah (wedding canopy) and signing a ketubah (wedding contract) as both Brooklyn's great grandfather and Nicola's billionaire father are Jewish.

A source told the Mirror: 'Nicola was raised in a Jewish household and while her mother Claudia isn't Jewish, her father Nelson is devout. They raised their children to uphold traditional Jewish values...

'When they started talking about their future, Brooklyn agreed to a Jewish wedding. While it won't be orthodox, or super religious, it will likely contain traditional elements.'

Brooklyn and Nicola are thought to be planning to splash 4million on two different ceremonies to mark their marriage in 2021.

Relaxed: Brooklyn appeared to be in good spirits as he headed out with a shopping bag

Attention to detail: Harper also wore a stylish choker pendant necklace for the outing

Staying close: Harper kept a tight hold of Nicola's hand during the outing

Natural beauty: Nicola wore a light palette of make-up for the occasion

Low-key look: Brooklyn covered his brunette locks in a black baseball cap

The moment: Their outing comes after Brooklyn shared intimate photographs from his marriage proposal, during which he presented Nicola with a 350,000 engagement ring
Three Trenton police officers were injured, including one critically, when the driver of a stolen car crashed into a patrol car at the conclusion of a pursuit early Wednesday, authorities said.

Police arrested three suspects and recovered three guns, the Mercer County Prosecutors Office said in a statement.

The incident unfolded around 2 a.m. when police saw a stolen car traveling along Olden Avenue near the intersection with Parkside Avenue and began to pursue it along Olden Avenue toward Ewing.

Instead of the vehicle pulling over, at least one person inside shot at the police car, striking it, authorities said.

The chase continued until the stolen vehicle crashed at the intersection of North Clinton and North Olden avenues. In addition to the patrol car, another vehicle was also hit.

The other two officers are in stable condition, the prosecutors office said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

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Dr Chris Ngige

Dr Chris Ngige, The Nigerian Minister of Labour and Employment says the Federal Government has so far spent N15.8 billion on hazard allowances in its teaching hospitals and medical centres across the country.

Ngige disclosed this while addressing newsmen at a meeting with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) leadership in Abuja on Monday, July 27. The Resident Doctors over the weekend, threatened to go on another warning start in August if their needs which includes payment of their hazard allowance, provision of PPEs and others, are not met.

At the meeting which was held to assess the level of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered by both parties, Ngige said the federal government was committed to the safety and welfare of all health workers in the country.



The federal government has so far spent N15.8 billion naira for hazard allowances in its teaching hospitals, medical centres and some other non- COVID-19 facilities where doctors have also been treating virus cases.

Government has cleared the April and May special allowances which is no doubt a big feat, knowing that this is for special allowances only, and at a time its earning has fallen short of the expected earning.

The affected medical personnel will also draw their normal salaries and other allowances, he said.

Ngige added that the June allowances for the medical practitioners were still outstanding because the budget has been affected by some other demands that were not originally captured such as payment for house officers, interns, NYSC doctors and volunteers. He, however, added that government was already liaising with the Presidential Taskforce to sort out payments especially for volunteers.

The Minister also disclosed at the meeting that the government has paid all the premium for Group Life Insurance spanning between April 17, 2020, and April 16, 2021 for all federal civil servants except those in the revenue-generating agencies such as customs, FIRS and NNPC who could afford their own insurance. He said an agreement has been reached to forward the nominal roll of the Health Ministry workers and its parastatals to the six handling insurance companies latest next week for payments.
By David Lague

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China launched its military build-up in the mid-1990s with a top priority: keep the United States at bay in any conflict by making the waters off the Chinese coast a death trap. Now, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is preparing to challenge American power further afield.

China's shipyards have launched the PLA Navy's first two Type 075 amphibious assault ships, which will form the spearhead of an expeditionary force to play a role similar to that of the U.S. Marine Corps. And like the Marines, the new force will be self-contained - able to deploy solo with all its supporting weapons to fight in distant conflicts or demonstrate Chinese military power.

The 40,000-tonne Type 075 ships are a kind of small aircraft carrier with accommodation for up to 900 troops and space for heavy equipment and landing craft, according to Western military experts who have studied satellite images and photographs of the new vessels. They will carry up to 30 helicopters at first; later they could carry fighter jets, if China can build short take off and vertical landing aircraft like the U.S. F-35B.

The first Type 075 was launched last September and the second in April, according to reports in China's official military media. A third is under construction, according to the May edition of a Congressional Research Service report.

Eventually, the PLA Navy could have seven or more of these ships, according to reports in China's official military press.

Chinese military commentators quoted in official media say China's shipyards are now building and launching amphibious ships so rapidly it is like "dropping dumplings" into water.

The military rivalry between China and the United States is only growing sharper. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared most of Beijing's claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea illegal, throwing Washington's weight behind the rival claims of Southeast Asian nations over territory and resources in the strategic waterway that were supported by international law. China said the U.S. position raised tensions in the region and undermined stability.

Story continues

China's nascent amphibious forces still lag far behind those of the United States, but the speed of China's military rise has already shifted the balance of power in Asia. Over the past two decades, China has deployed an arsenal of missiles and a massive surface and sub-surface fleet to deter potential enemies from sailing in its coastal waters. Now, as part of an accelerated modernization of the PLA since Chinese President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, these new amphibious ships and the specially trained marines they carry will boost Beijing's firepower and political influence far from its shores, according to Chinese and Western military analysts.

As shipyards churn out amphibious vessels, China is expanding its force of marines under the command of the PLA Navy. These troops are being trained and equipped to make landings and fight their way ashore. China now has between 25,000 and 35,000 marines, according to U.S. and Japanese military estimates. That's a sharp increase from about 10,000 in 2017.

"Without an amphibious force, any military force is greatly constrained in where and how it can conduct operations," said Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies. Newsham advised the Japanese military on the formation of Tokyo's own Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, formed in 2018. "Jets can drop bombs and ships can fire missiles at the shore - but you might need infantry to go ashore and kill the enemy and occupy the ground."

China's Ministry of National Defense and the Pentagon did not respond to questions from Reuters.

At home, too, the PLA marines have become an important tool in the ruling Communist Party's efforts to showcase China's increasingly powerful military to its domestic audience. The state-controlled media regularly reports on the gruelling training and military skills of the Jiaolong, or Sea Dragon commandos - a unit from the marines special forces brigade based on Hainan Island off southern China.

"We should be the point of the sword in joint operations to strike terror into the heart of the enemy," said Gong Kaifeng, a Jiaolong commandos company commander, in a report last year on the unit's training broadcast on state television.

When the Type 075 ships enter service, China will have the capacity to combine them with its other new amphibious and support vessels, Chinese and foreign analysts say. These self-contained fleets can be sent to distant conflicts, deployed as a show of force to deter potential enemies or to protect Chinese investments and citizens abroad. They would also allow the PLA to provide disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, competing with the U.S. for prestige and soft power.

INVADING TAIWAN

For Beijing, these amphibious forces will also contribute to the PLA's mounting capacity to make a landing on Taiwan or seize other strategically important or disputed territory in China's offshore regions, according to specialists in amphibious warfare.

Beijing regards self-governing Taiwan a province of China. Xi Jinping has said unifying Taiwan with the mainland is a vital step in realizing the Chinese people's dream of a powerful, rejuvenated nation. In a key speech early last year calling on Taiwan to open talks on peaceful reunification, Xi warned that this long-standing dispute could not be deferred indefinitely. "We make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary means," Xi said.

China has this year stepped up military operations and exercises around Taiwan, according to U.S. and Taiwanese military analysts. PLA Air Force jets, including at least one bomber and a fighter, briefly entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone on June 22, before being warned off by the Taiwanese air force, the island's military said. It was the eighth such encounter in two weeks, the military said.

Taiwan launched its annual Han Kuang defence exercise on July 13 with an emphasis on joint operations between land, sea and air forces to defend the island from attack, according to the island's military. The exercise also involved an expanded role for reservists as the military strives to boost its firepower, senior Taiwan government officials said.

"Our military is always working hard to prepare for war, closely monitoring the dynamics of the Chinese Communist's military and the development of the situation in the Taiwan Strait," Taiwan's Defense Ministry said in response to questions from Reuters. "We have a complete defence plan and appropriate actions to deal with the threat of the Chinese Communists attacking Taiwan and the seizure of offshore islands, which can ensure national security."

Experts on amphibious forces note the PLA already has powerful army units that are trained and equipped to make the kind of landings necessary for an invasion of Taiwan. In expanding the marines, they argue, PLA military planners are looking at operations across the globe, in places where China has extensive offshore investments. These commercial interests are likely to multiply as Beijing presses ahead with its Belt and Road Initiative, an ambitious bid to put China at the centre of global trading routes.

China's marines will also be important to man what is expected to become a network of strategic military bases around the world, including fortifications on territory Beijing has seized in the South China Sea, according to Chinese and Western military commentators.

Beijing has already deployed marines and their armoured vehicles to its first overseas base at Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, according to Pentagon reports. Marines are also deployed on the flotillas China sends on naval anti-piracy missions to the Gulf of Aden, these reports said.

"We are currently only seeing the tip of the iceberg," said Ian Easton, the senior director of the Project 2049 Institute, an Arlington, Virginia-based security research group. "Ten years from now, China is almost certainly going to have marine units deployed at locations all over the world. The Chinese Communist Party's ambitions are global. Its interests are global. It plans to send military units wherever its global strategic interests require."

Short of war, capable amphibious forces will also become a powerful diplomatic or coercive tool for Beijing, military analysts say. So far, Washington has had a monopoly on this type of engagement with other governments, routinely sending marine expeditionary units abroad for port visits, joint training exercises and disaster relief.

U.S. expeditionary flotillas, packed with marines, all their heavy equipment and air support, are a potent reminder of American power. A raw demonstration came in the tense period in 1999 when an Australian-led United Nations peacekeeping force intervened to stop violence in what was then Indonesian-controlled East Timor. American forces didn't become heavily involved on the ground. But the presence of the USS Belleau Wood, a 40,000-tonne amphibious assault ship carrying 900 marines and heavy lift and attack helicopters, served as formidable back-up as the UN troops restored order without any significant resistance from Indonesia.

SEIZING ISLANDS

China's first two Type 075 amphibious assault vessels are now berthed together undergoing final fit-out at a state-owned Shanghai shipyard, China's official military media has reported. Photographs in the official media and commercial satellite images show that the 250-meter-long vessels appear similar to flat-top amphibious assault ships in service with other advanced navies, including the U.S. fleet. America currently has a fleet of eight Wasp and two America-class amphibious assault vessels.

However, in a blow to U.S. efforts to blunt the challenge from China, the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard caught fire on July 12 while tied up at its home port in San Diego. The ship was extensively damaged in the fire which burnt for four days. It was unclear if the ship would be salvaged, the U.S. Navy said.

Since 2005, China has also built a fleet of six Type 071 amphibious ships, according to a 2019 report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. These vessels can carry up to four air-cushion landing craft, similar to the hovercraft carried on U.S. amphibious landing ships, as well as four or more helicopters, armoured vehicles and troops on long-distance deployments, the report said. A seventh Type 071 is under construction, according to Western military analysts.

China's official shipbuilding industry journals have reported the 29,000-tonne Type 071 has command and control capabilities, a medical unit and accommodation for hundreds of marines. The 210-meter long vessel has a range of 10,000 nautical miles and reached a speed of 25 knots in trials, these reports said.

To build the force that will embark on these ships, China began a rapid increase in the size of its marine force in 2017, according to Pentagon reports. Earlier, marines had been a low priority in the decades when China's military built a massive ground force to defend the mainland. A regiment of marines was formed in 1953 and expanded to a division but then disbanded in 1957, according to an official timeline of major events in PLA history. It was reformed in 1979, the timeline shows.

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report said China's marine force is now organised into seven brigades, each with armour, infantry, artillery and missiles, and is the strongest force of this type among the rival claimants to disputed territories in the South China Sea. China's marines "can simultaneously seize multiple islands in the Spratlys," the report said, referring to a contested group of islands and reefs in the South China Sea. They could also rapidly reinforce China's outposts in the Paracel Islands, another disputed territory in the same waterway. China does not publish detailed accounts of the disposition of its forces.

Amphibious warfare specialists say these marines would also be useful for seizing other disputed territory, including the uninhabited group of isles in the East China Sea that are claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing - known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China.

Selected army units are being transferred to the marines to boost the force's capability, according to reports in the official Chinese military media and Western defence analysts. China's official military newspaper, the PLA Daily, reported in April that two army units trained in aerial assault had been transferred to a marines brigade dedicated to helicopter landings.

The Pentagon's annual report on Chinese military power in 2018 revealed that a newly established headquarters under the command of the navy was responsible for staffing, training and equipping the expanding force. And, the report said, a new commander had been appointed to lead the marines. China's state-controlled media has identified him as Major General Kong Jun, a former army officer who transferred to the marines in early 2017.

Despite this build-up, the Pentagon and other Western military experts argue the PLA marines remain far less capable than the 186,000-strong U.S. Marine Corps, with its extensive experience of amphibious and land operations.

In its 2019 report on China's military power, the Pentagon said most of the new PLA marines brigades were not yet manned and equipped to be fully operational. It said China's marines lacked sufficient armoured vehicles, helicopters and training to conduct complex amphibious operations.

Some Western military experts suggest one reason for this: The top priorities for the PLA brass are the army amphibious units and air force airborne troops that would spearhead an attack on Taiwan. So, the marines "don't have priority when it comes to things like amphibious tanks and helicopters," said Easton of the Project 2049 Institute, who has written a book, The Chinese Invasion Threat, on the PLA's preparations to conquer Taiwan.

The ruling Communist Party has long wanted control of Taiwan for political reasons. The island also has huge strategic importance. It would give the PLA a key foothold in the so-called first island chain, the string of islands that run from the Japanese archipelago through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing China's coastal seas. From bases on Taiwan, Chinese warships, strike aircraft and missiles would dominate the sea lanes vital to Japan and South Korea. And Taiwan would be an ideal jump-off point for operations aimed at seizing further territory in the island chain.

Newsham, the retired U.S. Marine colonel, said the PLA had assembled a formidable army amphibious force and sufficient ships, military and civilian, to probably land enough troops on Taiwan as part of a full-scale attack that includes air, missile, naval and cyber assaults. "The PLA already has a lot lined up," he said.

(Reporting by David Lague in Hong Kong. Edited by Peter Hirschberg.)
The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert, indicating heavy rainfall, and an orange alert for very heavy rainfall, for several districts in Kerala. Districts like Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrissur have been put on yellow alert for today, while Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta are on an orange alert.

For tomorrow, an orange alert has been issued for Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The IMD has also predicted heavy rainfall, coupled with thundershowers, at most places over Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra and at few places over Marathwada this week.

Widespread heavy rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls will also be very likely over Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and north-eastern states (mainly over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya) till July 30, the IMD said in its bulletin.

Kerala: India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts for today. While, an Orange Alert has been issued for Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts for tomorrow.  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

The MeT department has predicted moderate rainfall with occasionally intense spell likely to occur over the Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Coastal Odisha, north Coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Telangana, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Konkan and Goa during next three-four hours.

As per the weather department, Delhi-NCR is very likely to experience moderate rain with one or two spells of heavy rainfall during the evening of July 29 to July 30.

Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall is predicted, with isolated heavy to very heavy showers, over Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the coming four to five days.
GENEVA  Law-enforcement authorities are obligated to protect and facilitate peaceful demonstrations, an influential United Nations human rights panel said on Wednesday, challenging tactics the police have used against anti-racism protests in American cities and around the world.

The international treaty governing civil and political rights requires states to allow peaceful demonstrations, not to block or disrupt them without a compelling reason, the United Nations Human Rights Committee said. Authorities should also seek to de-escalate situations that might lead to violence and to use only the minimum force necessary to disperse crowds.

A failure to respect and ensure the right of peaceful assembly is typically a marker of repression, the panel said in its finding.

The committee of 18 international law experts monitors compliance with the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, a cornerstone of human rights law signed by 173 countries, including the United States.
While Washington is Australias main security ally, China is its largest trading partner

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listens while Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks during a press conference at the US Department of State following the 30th AUSMIN July 28, 2020, in Washington, DC. (AFP)

Washington: The United States and close ally Australia held high-level talks on China and agreed on the need to uphold a rules-based global order, but the Australian foreign minister stressed Canberras relationship with Beijing was important and it had no intention of hurting it.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper held two days of talks in Washington with their Australian counterparts, who had flown around the world for the meetings despite the COVID-19 pandemic and face two weeks of quarantine on their return.

At a joint news conference on Tuesday, Pompeo praised Australia for standing up to pressure from China and said Washington and Canberra would continue to work together to reassert the rule of law in the South China Sea, where China has been pressing its claims. That has led to friction with other countries in the region and concerns about freedom of navigation.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the United States and Australia shared a commitment to the rule of law and had reiterated their commitment to hold countries to account for breaches, such as Chinas erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.

She said the two sides had also agreed to form a working group to monitor and respond to harmful disinformation and would look at ways to expand cooperation on infectious diseases, including access to vaccines.

At the same time, she said Australia did not agree on everything with Beijing - or with the United States.

The relationship that we have with China is important. And we have no intention of injuring it, she said. But nor do we intend to do things that are contrary to our interests.

She said Australia and the United States had a shared interest in an Asia-Pacific region that was free, prosperous and secure and were broadly aligned on issues, including China.

We dont agree on everything though. And thats part of a respectful relationship, is part of a relationship that has endured over 100 years of mateship.

Payne did not elaborate on disagreements with Washington but said Australia made its own decisions and judgments based on its national interests and security.

We deal with China in the same way. We have a strong economic engagement, other engagement, and it works in the interests of both countries.

Pompeo, a persistent and forceful critic of Beijing, said in a speech last week that Washington and its allies must use more creative and assertive ways to press China to change its ways and called it the mission of our time.

Pompeo also said then it may be time for a new grouping of like-minded nations, a new alliance of democracies for this purpose.

Pompeo has been criticized by some for the speech, given the confrontational approach the Trump administration has taken towards some traditional allies, including in Europe, over issues such as trade.

Payne declined to comment on it specifically, but said, the Secretarys speeches are his own, Australias positions are our own, even if the countries operated on the basis of shared values.

Responding to a question, Pompeo rejected the suggestion that the administrations approach was unworkable.

This isnt about picking America versus China, he said.

This is about choosing freedom and democracy against tyranny and authoritarian regime, and I am confident that the democracies, our transatlantic Alliance ...know precisely, which side of that debate they want to be on.

While Washington is Australias main security ally, China is its largest trading partner and Canberra has strained ties with the latter by pushing for an international inquiry into the spread of the coronavirus that first emerged in China.

Beijing has imposed dumping tariffs on barley from Australia, suspended some beef imports and warned students and tourists against travelling there, citing racism accusations.
INDIANAPOLIS  Purdue University Global announced Wednesday (July 29) the addition of four new micro-credentials in the areas of criminal justice and human services, which will be available for students beginning Aug. 26.

The four are Law Enforcements Role in Society and Social Change (criminal justice), Leading Law Enforcement Reform (criminal justice), Diversity (human services), and Social Problems, Prevention and Crisis Intervention (human services).

I truly believe we can set a standard with these extraordinary offerings, said Frank Dooley, Purdue University Global chancellor. Being an educated person going forward means learning a lot of the things that will be taught here, learning how to carry on conversations with people who dont look the same as you do, and to appreciate and value differences. This is exactly what we as an institution need to be doing. We are able to tell our students that we are paying attention to what is going on in the world.

These offerings represent the beginning of our efforts, not the end. We will continue to track training and educational recommendations that arise, and then revisit our curriculum to ensure we're meeting community expectations.

Here is a snapshot of the new micro-credential offerings:

Law Enforcements Role in Society and Social Change: Explore the basic framework of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, courts and corrections; demonstrate a tangible understanding of criminal justice, including why crimes occur, the procedural process of courts and how police can effect positive change within society; and apply ethical reasoning to contemporary issues faced by criminal justice practitioners using the law enforcement code of ethics.

Leading Law Enforcement Reform: Explore the basic framework of administration of law enforcement among diverse populations, demonstrate a tangible understanding of socially responsible leadership and apply ethical reasoning to contemporary issues faced by criminal justice practitioners using the law enforcement code of ethics.

Diversity: Analyze the impact of culture, race, gender and ethnicity in the workplace; identify the effects of social problems on individuals and society; examine how stereotypes, prejudice, racism and ethnocentrism can be obstacles to effective communication; create a plan to address communication challenges in a diverse society; and interpret the effects of 21st century challenges in policy and legislation on traditional views of gender roles.

Social Problems, Prevention and Crisis Intervention: Identify the effects of social problems on individuals and society; explore community resources to address social problems; describe multicultural practices necessary to work with diverse client populations; identify theoretical models that assist in the assessment, intervention, planning and treatment of people in crisis; apply ethical prevention and intervention strategies to crisis situations; and apply the appropriate skills to crisis situations.

In addition, a revised curriculum in the course Diversity and Inclusivity in Public Safety (CJ346) will be included in three of the micros, as well as Purdue Globals Management and Supervision Certificate in criminal justice and Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. This revised offering was created by faculty members Chloe Robinson and Kristin Early in response to recent events in the United States and around the world.

In light of what is going on, we thought it was important to create a class that combines diversity-related topics with police-accountability topics, said Robinson, assistant department chair for undergraduate criminal justice programs. Its rare to see a class that revolves around either of these topics, yet alone one that combines both of them, so I am excited that we are able to address these societal issues.

The remix incorporates Campaign Zero (the comprehensive platform of research-based policy solutions to end police brutality in America) and strategies from former U.S. President Barack Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing, with an enhanced science-based approach and expanded to a broader spectrum of public safety.

The opportunity to bridge the gap between what we have learned from research and scholarship and having data drive each of our units is exciting, said Early, graduate professor of criminal justice. In the end, our hope is that students will learn that diversity and inclusivity really can be integral parts to developing a system that instills trust and legitimacy in public safety.

Frank Schmalleger, distinguished professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina and a Purdue Global public safety advisory board member, is impressed that Purdue Global faculty recognizes the importance of addressing todays social justice issues in its criminal justice curriculum.

The criminal justice program at Purdue Global has not only gotten ahead of the curve on important issues of social justice as they relate to the American justice system and its procedures, but has developed new courses that are both informative and eye-opening, Schmalleger said.

About Purdue University Global

Purdue University Global is the extreme personalization online university, providing students the competitive edge to advance in their chosen careers. It offers a hyper-tailored path for students to earn an associate, bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations  no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global serves more than 31,000 students (as of June 2020), most of whom earn their degree online. It also operates several regional locations nationwide. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue Universitys flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates two regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest, Indiana, as well as serving close to 6,000 science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, please visit purdueglobal.edu.

Writer, Media contact: Tom Schott, 765-427-1721, tschott@purdue.edu

Sources: Frank Dooley, frank.dooley@purdueglobal.edu

Sara Sander, ssander@purdueglobal.edu

Chloe Robinson, crobinson@purdueglobal.edu

Kristin Early, kearly@purdueglobal.edu

Frank Schmalleger
Lerner and Rowe host backpack giveaway in Las Vegas. Our team came up with the contactless drive-thru giveaways as a means to still help families offset some back-to-school expenses, as well as give students needed tools to help them succeed in the 2020-2021 school year. Glen Lerner, Esq.

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is pleased to announce that their law firm will host a contactless drive-thru backpack giveaway on Saturday, August 1, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. through 12:00 p.m. at Dean Peterson Elementary School (3650 Cambridge St, NV 89169). The giveaway is in partnership with Clark County School District Police, Spring Meadows Presbyterian Church, and Dean Peterson Elementary School. 750 backpacks stuffed with Clark County School District (CCSD) required school supplies will be given away while supplies last! Limitations do apply.

The contactless drive-thru will proceed through the Dean Peterson Elementary School parking lot. Drivers and passengers are encouraged to remain in their vehicles. Drivers will then pop the trunk so that backpacks can be placed in vehicle trunks or truck beds. Please note that backpacks will only be provided for the school-aged children riding in the car.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the lives of many families in the Las Vegas area, the biggest impact being the loss of household income because of reduced hours at work or staff reductions. Our team came up with the contactless drive-thru giveaways as a means to still help families offset some back-to-school expenses, as well as give students needed tools to help them succeed in the 2020-2021 school year, said attorney Glen Lerner.

Anyone interested in learning more about Lerner and Rowes Las Vegas backpack giveaways should contact Guy Williams at (702) 858-9941, or email at gwilliams@lernerandrowe.com.

More About Lerner and Rowe

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is a powerhouse law firm in representing personal injury clients. Attorneys Glen Lerner and Kevin Rowe have grown their law firm into one of the largest personal injury firms in the country, with over 50 attorneys and nearly 400 support employees located in Nevada, Indiana, Illinois, Arizona, California, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, and Tennessee. The law firms continuous exalted levels of success can be attributed to the high levels of respect and dignity shown to victims and family members hurt in an accident.

For those injured outside one of the previously listed states, Lerner and Rowe has an established network of attorneys across the country, ready to help. The firm takes pride in nourishing these relationships as they know a personal injury attorney can make all the difference in obtaining fair compensation for the pain and suffering inflicted upon the victims of tortious conduct.

For more information about Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys in Las Vegas, please call 702-877-1500. To connect with the law firm socially, follow Lerner and Rowe on Twitter and Instagram, or become a fan of its Facebook page. Also, be sure to visit lernerandrowegivesback.com to learn more about the many other community services that the lawyers and legal support team of Lerner and Rowe actively support.
New Delhi: Actress Rhea Chakraborty has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking transfer of investigation in actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case to the Mumbai Police, Satish Maneshinde, Rhea Chakraborty's lawyer confirmed the development. The step was taken by Rhea after an FIR was lodged against her by Sushant's father in Patna.

After the FIR, apart from the Mumbai Police, the Bihar Police is also investigating the case. A four-member police team reached Mumbai today to set up the investigation.

In the petition filed by the actress in the top court today, she has sought transfer of the case to Mumbai citing a case cannot be investigated by two teams.

Rhea's lawyer has said that when the investigation is already going on in Mumbai and details of it are being made available to the people, then it is illegal to file an FIR in the same case.

Meanwhile, six more people are likely to be interrogated in the case today. The Bihar Police team is currently investigating the transactions done by Sushant's bank accounts.

ALSO READ: Did Rhea Chakraborty, brother Showik open Sushant Singh Rajput's companies to launder his money? Explosive details here

Sushant and Rhea were in a relationship before his death by suicide on June 14. In the FIR, Sushant's father has levelled various allegations against Rhea. He has accused Rhea and her family of exploiting Sushant mentally and financially, keeping him away from his family and abetment to suicide, besides other offences.

The FIR filed in Patna is the case lodged after Sushant's death. Earlier, the Mumbai Police had registered an accidental death report (ADR) on June 14.

The ADR was filed under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code. No formal complaint was registered in connection with Sushant's death until his father registered the FIR in Patna.

(With IANS inputs)
This Week In Online Travel

You are a top executive making all the important decisions at a major online travel company, and youve spent billions of dollars on Google advertising. Along comes the pandemic and you ask Google for a break on your outstanding bills because even your own business partners arent paying their invoices to you, either.

What was it like behind the scenes in these talks? Youd figure that Google would hand out a few favors to some of its biggest advertisers. Nope.

I spoke privately this week with a C-suite executive, who declined to be identified for obvious reasons, about his frustrations in negotiating with Google. The search engine forgave nothing on outstanding bills, and offered a slightly deeper discount than the travel brand already had on future advertising on a related platform, but to get the lower rates the volume commitments would be so large as to be impractical to take advantage of.

Until It Isnt

Google was insincere in the bargaining, the executive said, although he used a harsher term, referring to those future discounts that the company would never use. I didnt expect anything to come out of it. They have a monopoly, I mean, lets be honest. We are all grownups, and they leverage their market power and thats what they do. Thats their right  until it isnt.

The until it isnt statement was a reference to the prospect that regulators in the United States and Europe might take steps to crimp Googles market power.

The executive recalled that Google routinely threatens to shut off the advertising of travel brands that dont pay their bills.

It isnt Googles refusal to provide economic concessions that most angered the online travel executive  it was Googles refusal to work with the company in any type of collaborative manner.

If we dont help each other in this situation, when would you do that ever? the executive said with a dismissive laugh.

The Google Mindset

To me, its more of a mindset, the executive said. Weve told our partners, youll have to pay us but maybe later, or perhaps partially now. But lets find a solution; lets do it together. I explain to you what my problem is. You explain your problem.

Story continues

Other partners offered the travel brand free advertising to get through the pandemic, but from Google, nothing was coming, he said.

Look, lets face it: A lot of travel brands are angry that deep-pocketed Google didnt do more to assist a deeply suffering travel industry. But, hey, hosts are likewise miffed that Airbnb didnt send larger payments to compensate them for cancelled bookings. Booking.com, which has more liquidity than most competitors to survive the crisis, is forgiving some commission payments in a temporary promotional campaign, but hasnt done much.

Skift reported last week that Google gave a break of less than 10 percent in total to eight online travel companies that wrote Google a public letter pleading to give them a break on their $80 million in first quarter advertising bills. One of the companies characterized the discount as a joke.

Speaking at a Skift summit on online travel last week, Rob Torres, Googles managing director for travel, said Google is attempting to assist partners on numerous fronts. We are trying to do what we can to actually help everyone get out of this, Torres said, referring to a very modest advertiser recovery program, and an expanded plan to enable some advertisers to pay commissions for stays instead of cost per clicks. But ultimately Googles not immune to whats happening with the global economy either. And theres only so much you can do. I think people are always going to say its not enough. But we are certainly trying to do what we can and, like I said, my partners and my team are trying to work closer than ever with their partners and their teams to help them come through with this stronger than ever. Google declined to make any additional comment Tuesday.

But the C-suite online travel executive, whom Skift spoke with this week, will likely have a long memory about Googles stance. Its clear that Google is only focusing on their own economic benefit, and thats been clear for some time, the online travel boss said. And thats their choice, and thats fine. I think thats wrong, and that will hurt them 

With those antitrust investigations heating up, you can bet regulators are getting a lot of correspondence from Googles travel advertisers.

In Brief

Newish Business Model

Short-term rental platform Domio is negotiating management contracts  you know, the kind that Hilton and Marriott love  for entire buildings instead of getting stuck in sometimes-problematic master leases. Each have their advantages/disadvantages but management contracts are an interesting twist.

Tripadvisor Tests a Service for Travel Agents

Woah, but never mind. Its the kind of headline that sounds interesting but Im betting it wont amount to much. Believe me, most travel agents, intent on servicing luxury clients, arent looking to share revenue with or collect fees from Tripadvisor. Phocuswire

Kayak the Hotelier

Skift has speculated in the past that online travel companies could potentially launch hotel brands, making a pitch to property owners that the online travel brands can undercut the chains. Kayaks Steve Hafner floated the idea, and claims the Booking Holdings company is readying an announcement. Its more likely a tech play, but lets see. Skift

Vacasa Acquires Vail Resort Rentals

Vacasa, the short-term rental property management company, fresh off $108 million funding round led by Silver Lake, acquired a local competitor, Vail Resort Rentals, for an undisclosed sum. You can expect tons of these types of opportunistic acquisitions across all travel sectors in the next couple of years. Vail Daily

Traveloka Attracts $250 Million in Funding

Indonesian online travel agency Traveloka picked up an additional $250 million in funding, with Qatar Investment Authority leading the round. Of course, the funding infusion came at a lower valuation, $3 billion. After all, those declining valuations are going around these days. Nikkei Asian Review

European Union to Probe Rate Parity  Again

The European Commission is asking for input and taking another look at online travel agency-hotel rate parity clauses, and whether national bans of such contract language really enhanced competition in hotel distribution. It would be optimal to have uniform policies across Europe instead of the current mish-mash. European Commission

Subscribe to Skift newsletters for essential news about the business of travel.
FDC Releases Statement On New COVID-19 Cases At Columbia C.I. TALLAHASSEE, FL  The Florida Department of Corrections has released a statement concerning some new confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the Columbia Correctional Institution and additional health safety measures implemented there. Their statement reads as follows: "On July 29, Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) announced new positive test results of COVID-19 within the inmate population at Columbia Correctional Institution. FDC received positive results back for additional inmates who were exposed to a COVID-19. At this time, 1,216 inmates housed at Columbia CI have tested positive for COVID-19. Columbia CI houses approximately 2,200 inmates. 'The great majority of inmates at Columbia CI who have tested positive are showing mild or no symptoms of the virus. For those that do require an elevated level of medical care, our health care professionals continue to go above and beyond to provide outstanding medical attention,' said Secretary Mark Inch. 'Working in tandem with our security staff, they are ensuring that inmates receive the care they need while still fulfilling FDCs important public safety mission.' As the health care provider for inmates, FDC cannot provide any additional specifics regarding the unit in order to protect their protected health information. To keep Florida residents, inmates at the facility and visitors safe and aware about the status of the virus, FDC is issuing regular updates as information becomes available at www.dc.state.fl.us/comm/ covid-19.html . In addition to measures already in place to protect inmates, FDC initiated the following actions: Columbia CI transitioned to providing all services including medical services and meals to inmates within their housing units.

All inmates are being monitored by health services staff and temperature checks are being conducted daily.

Institutional response teams have been activated to address emerging needs.

FDC has initiated broad-based testing at the correctional institution. All inmates and staff at Columbia CI have been offered tests.

All staff and inmates have been issued and are required to wear cloth face coverings. Staff have the option of wearing an FDC-provided cloth face covering, their own approved personal cloth face covering/medical-grade mask or obtaining a surgical-grade mask from the institution.

Rigorous cleaning throughout the institution was already in place and has been heightened as a result of the test results.

Additional surgical-grade masks, N95 masks and Tyvek suits are available for proper PPE utilization by staff treating inmates. Additional PPEs to include eye protection, shoe covers, and caps are also available and additional supplies are on standby for distribution if needed.

All inmates with a positive test result have been placed in medical isolation.

Inmates within the facility are receiving to appropriate medical care and treatment of symptoms.

Inmate transfers to and from the facility have been temporarily suspended.

Inmates continue to have access to the canteen through individual orders.

Inmates continue to have access to communication with family and loved ones through phone and JPay kiosks. FDC is closely monitoring developments associated with the spread of this disease. FDC's Office of Health Services, institutional medical staff and institutional operations staff work hand- in-hand with the Department of Health to quickly engage and resolve infectious disease outbreaks as soon as they occur. Ensuring inmates incarcerated in Floridas prisons receive an appropriate level of medical and behavioral treatment is one of FDCs core constitutional responsibilities."
The Pentagon is proceeding with President Donald Trump's plan to move 12,000 U.S. troops out of Germany  about 6,400 forces will be brought home and 5,400 shifted to other countries in Europe, U.S. defense officials said Wednesday.

The move will cost billions of dollars and take years to complete. It has attracted bipartisan congressional opposition, raised concerns among NATO allies and appears to be fueled at least in part by Trumps displeasure at Germany's failure to spend more on defense. The Pentagon said the action was part of its plan to strategically "reposition" U.S. forces in Europe to better counter threats from Russia and China.

Tehran's threat: Iran shoots missile at mock-up of US aircraft carrier

"We began this process actually several months ago when I gave (U.S. European Command) direction to begin looking at ways to improve our force disposition in NATO," U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday.

"I'm telling you that this is going to accomplish what the president said with regard to getting us down to a lower number in Europe and it meets those other objectives I laid out with regard to the strategic piece," he added, though he did not explain how the Pentagon's stated objective fits with Trump's repeated public desire to punish Germany.

U.S. Army soldiers disembark from a plane upon arrival in Poznan, Poland, July 16, 2020. The Polish government expressed its willingness to host more U.S. troops.

"They take advantage of us on trade, and they take advantage of us on the military," Trump said of Germany on Wednesday, speaking to White House reporters.

"So we're reducing the force because theyre not paying their bills. It's very simple. Theyre delinquent," Trump added, before heading to Texas for a campaign event.

Some moves will begin in months, with air and ground forces sent to countries that already have an American troop presence. The plan leaves about 25,000 troops in Germany. It's unclear if the plan would survive if Trump is not reelected.

Russiagate: Do 'bounties' on US troops in Afghanistan reflect a line crossed or 'nothing new' in long US-Russia history?

Story continues

Rachel Rizzo, a security expert at the Truman National Security Project, a think tank that specializes in European affairs and NATO, said that "although it's wise to continuously revisit the number of forward deployed U.S. troops, this move is clearly nothing more than a punitive move toward Germany that it's hard if not impossible to see any benefit."

In this Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 file photo, U.S President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend ceremonies at the Arc de Triumphe in Paris.

Members of Trumps own political party have criticized the troop move as a gift to Russia and a threat to U.S. national security. Twenty-two Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee sent a letter to Trump saying a reduced U.S. commitment to Europes defense would encourage Russian aggression and opportunism.

"The plan outlined by the administration today to remove thousands of U.S. troops from Germany is a grave error. It is a slap in the face at a friend and ally when we should instead be drawing closer in our mutual commitment to deter Russian and Chinese aggression," said Republican Senator Mitt Romney. "And it is a gift to Russia coming at a time when we just have learned of its support for the Taliban and reports of bounties on killing American troops. The move may temporarily play well in domestic politics, but its consequences will be lasting and harmful to American interests."

Donald Trump bashes Mitt Romney again: This time over a Black Lives Matter march

Sen. Jim Inhofe, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has voiced support for the plan, while also acknowledging it will take "months to plan, and years to execute." He was briefed on the issue last week, and issued a statement saying the "concept for realigning U.S. military posture in Europe" is sound.

Trump announced last month that he wanted to cut the number of active duty U.S. troops in Germany from roughly 36,000 to a bit more than 25,000. Shifting forces out of the country had long been rumored and is in line with Pentagon efforts to put more troops in the Indo-Pacific. But Trumps comments indicated the move was tied more directly to his anger over Germanys failure to meet NATO defense spending goals.

Germany has not met a NATO goal set in 2014 for members to halt budget cuts and move toward spending at least 2% of gross national product on defense by 2024.

Under an agreement announced last year, the U.S. already said it would send about 1,000 more troops to Poland, which borders a Russian military enclave that is not connected to the rest of Russia. Based on that agreement, the U.S. will add a division headquarters, a combat training center, and an unmanned aircraft squadron and structure to support an Army brigade that could rotate in and out of the country.

Pence in Poland: Polish people hold affection for Americans, not necessarily Trump

Overall, the U.S. has about 47,000 troops and civilian personnel in Germany, spread out across a number of bases, headquarters and smaller installations. Most of the 35,000 active-duty are in a handful of larger Army and Air Force bases including Ramstein Air Base. There also are 2,600 National Guard and Reserve forces in Germany, and almost 12,000 civilians working for the services or the U.S. Defense Department.

Contributing: Christal Hayes; Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US troops to leave Germany following Trump demands, a costly move
Hong Kong's hospitals could face collapse as the city grapples with a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases, leader Carrie Lam has warned.

Lam said the city was 'on the verge of a large-scale community outbreak' as she urged residents to stay in doors and follow new regulations, in force as of today, which include mandatory use of face masks.

Hong Kong had early success in the fight against Covid-19 with the average number of new daily cases last month being recorded at under 10.

But now the city is reporting more than 100 new cases every day.

Hong Kong's hospitals could face collapse as the city grapples with a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, leader Carrie Lam has warned. Pictured: Residents being given Covid-19 test kits at a health centre in the Kowloon-side Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong earlier today

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Lam warned that the city was on the 'verge of a large-scale community outbreak, which may lead to a collapse of our hospital system and cost lives, especially of the elderly'.

She urged people to adhere 'strictly to social distancing measures and stay at home as far as possible'.

The stark warning comes as Hong Kong confirmed a record 145 new cases on Monday and a further 106 on Tuesday.

The city has now reached 23 deaths overall.

The latest person to die with coronavirus was a resident at a care home where at least 45 other infections have been recorded.

Carrie Lam (pictured earlier this month) said the city was 'on the verge of a large-scale community outbreak' as she urged residents to stay in doors and follow new regulations which come into force as of today

The new regulations, which are being implemented from today, are the toughest rules that Hong Kong has adopted during the pandemic.

Regulations have seen the closure of dine-in restaurants, mandatory use of face masks in public places and restrictions stating that only two people from different households can meet.

Bars, gyms and beauty parlours will also now be closed.

Earlier this year, at the start of the outbreak, Hong Kong tackled the coronavirus crisis by drastically reducing cross-border travel with China as well as introducing a 'track and trace' system.

The early regulations seemed to be successful as the city went weeks without a locally transmitted case.

But since the easing of city-wide restrictions in a move to get life back to normal cases began to increase.

The new regulations have seen the closure of dine-in restaurants, mandatory use of face masks and restrictions stating that only two people from different households can meet. Pictured: Customers in face masks buying from a take away restaurant in Hong Kong earlier today

Jin Dongyan, a professor at the University of Hong Kong, told the Global Times that cases had probably emerged due to 'flaws in border procedures in Hong Kong'.

He added: 'Patients from overseas may have brought the virus to communities which resulted in the current local transmission'.

Local scientists have also voiced fears that a strain of the virus circulating in the city could cause greater damage as it has not mutated for at least 22 days.

This means it could have adapted well to the human body and, as a result, is now easier to transmit.

It comes amid reports that elections to Hong Kong's parliament, which were due to take place on September 6, could be postponed until next year.

The government is said to have made the decision, which is yet to be formally announced, due to coronavirus concerns, according to news outlets Hong Kong Economic Times, HK01, and TVB.

But members of the opposition have suggested that the delay is being implemented to dissipate anger over the new national security law which was imposed by Beijing last month.

The law, which criminalises acts of 'secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion', has been seen as curtailing criticism and freedom of speech.

It has also been suggested the law increases Beijing's control of Hong Kong which has been a special administrative region of China since British ruled ended in 1997.
J. Scott Applewhite/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Several allies of former Vice President Joe Biden are waging a behind-the-scenes "shadow campaign" against California Sen. Kamala Harris before Biden is set to announce his running mate next week, CNBC's Brian Schwartz reports.

According to the CNBC report, a "disgruntled group of at least a dozen Biden backers, including a few of his top donors, initiated the move against Harris close to a month ago" and are questioning the senator's loyalty. The anti-Harris Biden allies are reportedly voicing concerns to members of Biden's running mate search committee and pushing instead for Florida Rep. Val Demings, California Rep. Karen Bass, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth or former Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice.
KENILWORTH, N.J., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by abnormal breathing during sleep. Most people who have sleep apnea experience loud snorts, snoring and gasping during sleep. People have long or repetitive pauses in breathing that can make sleep apnea sufferers tired the next day and lead to a host of other health issues. Many people first suspect they have sleep apnea after an exasperated partner, suffering from their own poor sleep, complains about their partner's snoring.

Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but if you are experiencing those loud snorts or gasping along with tiredness the following day, it is time to talk with your doctor about sleep apnea.

To increase awareness surrounding the sleep condition, Kingman P. Strohl, MD, author for Merck Manuals and Professor of Medicine at the Case School of Medicine, offered some insights for preparing for a conversation with your doctor. In a new editorial on MerckManuals.com, Dr. Strohl detailed questions your doctor is likely to ask during your appointment.

1. What are your sleep habits?

Understanding sleep apnea starts with understanding sleep. Despite spending about one third of our lives asleep, it's not something most people understand or spend much time thinking about. Be prepared to talk to your doctor about your sleep habits, including how much sleep you get, your bedtime routine, what you do in the hours before you sleep, your caffeine intake, etc. Spend the week or two before your appointment tracking these factors, and use them as a jumping off point for an honest conversation about your sleep habits.

2. Do You have a Family History of Sleep Apnea?

Many of the factors that contribute to sleep apnea tend to run in families, including a narrow throat, thick neck and round head, as well as obesity and the kind of sleeper you are. As a result, people with an immediate family member with sleep apnea are more likely to have it themselves. People who think a family member may have undiagnosed sleep apnea should also bring this up with their doctor. Sleep apnea also becomes more common with age. Prepare for a conversation with your doctor by talking to parents and siblings about if  and when  they were diagnosed with sleep apnea.

3. Do You Fall Asleep During the Day?

Sleep apnea rises to the level of a disorder when being tired impacts your day-to-day life. But there's a difference between feeling fatigued and actually being sleepy. If you feel like you have little energy during the day but don't actually fall asleep, the underlying cause may be something other than sleep apnea, such as anemia, a thyroid condition or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Make sure you're accurately describing your tiredness during the day to your doctor so they can make the correct diagnosis.

4. What Other Conditions Do You Have?

The unrefreshing sleep and periods of not breathing that come with sleep apnea increase the risk of serious health concerns including stroke, heart attack and high blood pressure. Doctors will ask about these conditions, as well as obesity, when discussing sleep apnea. Often, treating sleep apnea can lead to improvement in these conditions and other aspects of your health like alertness and sense of wellbeing.

Key Considerations for Treatment

Addressing sleep apnea starts with recognizing just how effective that treatment can be. A good night's sleep, night after night, can improve your relationships, your daily energy levels and your overall outlook on life. It's a significant step in reducing the risk or severity of a number of serious chronic conditions.

You can read more about sleep apnea in Dr. Strohl's editorial on MerckManuals.com.

About The Merck Manuals and MSD Manuals

First published in 1899 as a small reference book for physicians and pharmacists, The Merck Manual grew in size and scope to become one of the world's most widely used comprehensive medical resources for professionals and consumers. As The Manual evolved, it continually expanded the reach and depth of its offerings to reflect the mission of providing the best medical information to a wide cross-section of users, including medical professionals and students, veterinarians and veterinary students, and consumers. In 2015, The Manuals kicked off Global Medical Knowledge 2020, a program to make the best current medical information accessible by up to three billion professionals and patients around the world by 2020. For access to thousands of medical topics with images, videos and a constantly expanding set of resources, visit MerckManuals.com or MSDManuals.com and connect with us on social media:

For Consumers in the U.S. and its territories: Twitter and Facebook

For Professionals in the U.S. and its territories: Twitter and Facebook

About Merck

For more than 125 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals  including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases  as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

SOURCE The Merck Manuals

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At 3:57 a.m. on Monday, March 30th, I was woken by a text from my brother-in-law: Baby girl Ruby was born at 1:09 a.m. It was my sisters first baby, and our parents first grandchild. After exchanging excited messages with my family in our group chat, I got out of bed and walked to the still dark kitchen. I picked up a piece of ginger and a spoon and, standing over the sink, began doing what newly minted Chinese aunts have done for thousands of years upon receiving news of a birth in the family: I started peeling ginger.

There are two cornerstones to observing zuo yue zi"the ancient Chinese postpartum tradition of caring for new mothers: eating nourishing and restorative foods loaded with specialty ingredients, and confinement. Literally translated, zuo yue zi means sitting a moon cycle, and is a tradition that has been documented as early as 960 AD. With confinement pretty much taken care of by COVID quarantine, it was my job to provide my sister with the restorative dishes.

The first on my list was ginger fried rice, a dish I was so familiar with I didnt need a recipe. I used my cleaver to julienne two inches of peeled ginger to the width of matchsticks, and then with the flat body of the cleaver I smashed garlic, easing the dried peels from the cloves and releasing the juices as my mom had taught me when I was first learning to cook. My sister likes a lot of garlic, so I added a bit more than I knew the dish called for.

Next up was jujube soup with goji berry and chicken, and two hot drinks, the first made with oats, ginger, and cinnamon, and the second with jujube and goji berries. Unlike ginger fried rice, I had no muscle memory for these things, so I cooked standing in the glow of my phone, carefully following recipes a friend had photographed from The First Forty Days, a book I couldnt get a physical copy of in time for baby Rubys birth but whose guidance had nonetheless been an essential part of my crash course in zuo yue zi.

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Just a few months before, all I knew about this ritual was that it involved food. I had no idea which foods, let alone how to prepare them.

As the reigning matriarch of our family unit, my mom was supposed to be in charge of making the zuo yue zi dishes for my sister, Tiffany, much like my great-grandmother had done for her. The plan was for my mom to fly from her home in California to New York and stay with me for a month to help take care of my sister. But as Tiffanys due date drew near, and the pandemic unfolded at a furious pace, the number of confirmed cases and deaths mounting daily, the plan had to be scrapped. By late March, when my sister was about to deliver at NYU Langone hospital, New York City was the national epicenter of COVID-19. All non-essential businesses were closed, Governor Cuomo was on TV each day communicating a dire need for ventilators, and grocery stores, once mazes of high-stacked plenty had become chess boards for high-stakes maneuvers; bearing the burden of our collective anxieties about survival, scarcity, and preparedness.

Not only could my mom not stay with me in New York City and prepare the zuo yue zi foods, just getting the basic ingredients would be a challenge.

I have no experience caring for infantsI have never changed a diaper in my life and do not plan on having any biological children of my own. The responsibility of being my sisters sole postpartum helper was daunting. But cooking? That I could do. I havent met a food challenge I didnt relish, and preparing zuo yue zi during a pandemic would be the ultimate challenge.

My husband Tonys parents live in Beijing, so our awareness of COVIDand our concern for the health and safety of familybegan in January. Tony runs a travel company focused on boutique travel to and from China (educational tours in China; private guides for Chinese travelers in New York City), which meant that our income was also affected starting in January.

It was around lunchtime on March 12th that I learned that my buildings doorman had COVID. Im a set decorator for film and television and that day I was preparing a set for a show filming the second to last episode in a season. By that evening the producers told everyone on the production crew that we were shutting down indefinitelywe could start collecting unemployment. Five days later our building doorman, Juan, died from COVID.

With both Tony and me suddenly unemployed, and New York City getting worse by the minute, we considered joining friends whod invited us to stay with them on their farm outside of Nashville, Tennessee. It sounded perfect. But my sister was pregnant. I couldnt leave her behind.

My sister Tiffany and I have always been close. I helped her buy her first fancy makeup in high school, I've helped her move into multiple apartments, and I helped plan her wedding. When we both ended up in the cityher for a job as an oncology nurse practitionerit was no coincidence that our apartments were only four subway stops apart, mine in the South Bronx and hers in Harlem. Tiffany is the person I want to call when Ive got good gossip, shes who I call when I need to cry.

I always assumed Id have a role in helping her postpartum recovery, but I also assumed that, at least for the first few months, mine would be a supporting role. My mom would be the lead, there to guide my sister through those first and toughest days.

By March 17 wed all agreed it made sense for my parents to cancel their trip to New York. I cried. They were going to miss such an important family event, we wouldnt be able to welcome Ruby into the world together or celebrate the arrival of the next generation. Like most people in New York City, Id been riding a rollercoaster of emotions: sadness, grief, anxiety, anger, and helplessness.

It slowly dawned on me that my parents not coming also meant that I would be in charge of preparing the zuo yue zi foods.

It is hard to describe the exact breakdown of Chinese-ness to American-ness our specific childhood cocktail of cultural influence was. I'm a fourth-generation Chinese American, and we spoke English at home, but I often relate more to the experience of many second-generation immigrant kids.

Because of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese-American families had a hard time immigrating as a unified entity until after 1965, and so the lines of clearly demarcated generations in terms of second generation or fourth generation are not precise. Both of my parents immigrated to the United States in their teens to finish their schooling and join their parents (or in the case of my mom, her parents and grandparents). A common experience of second generation kids, across cultures, is feeling pressure to succeed on behalf of their family and their sacrifices, which I think my dad felt more than me. Second generation kids often have to translate or act as an advocate and go-between for parents and mainstream American society, which I also didnt experience. But having different, weird foods and not understanding the same cultural references as classmates; being the first in a family to navigate certain elite institutions were all things I did experience. My parents and I could tell each other jokes in English, but Chinese culture, language, and values often informed my parents in a way that felt foreign to me.

My mom, as the youngest in her family, did not know how to make all the right zuo yue zi foods either. Shed been binging YouTube videos to prepare. She was so anxious about leading the charge in fact that shed repeatedly asked my sister and me to find someone in the New York City area who would come to my sisters home and do it for us, a service available in the Chinese American immigrant community.

By the time Id taken over zuo yue zi food prep, hiring a stranger to come over and cook was no longer an option. My Yi-Ma (older maternal aunt) called me to sympathize, Well now you have to be a sister, aunt, mother, and grandmother to your sister! And my mom started sending me links to the YouTube zuo yue zi Chinese cooking videos.

I lamented to one of my best friends, Lyle, that I felt totally clueless. Lyle, whose farm wed been invited to in Tennessee, also happens to run a fertility acupuncture practice. So even though she is not Chinese-American, she instantly knew the answer: The First Forty Days, a book written in English by a Chinese-American woman named Heng Ou explains zuo yue zi, what it means in a western and modern context, and whats involved.

It was exactly what I needed. But I couldnt get a copy in time for Rubys due date because mail orders were incredibly backed up. While I waited, Lyle sent me photos of key recipes: Ginger fried rice with bacon, chicken soup with jujube and ginger that Ou describes as a time-tested combo used to boost circulation and enhance inner warmth; and a jujube goji berry tonicthe quintessential zuo yuezi drink with its wonder-duo of warming ingredients a daily must-drink for all moms.

Id resolved to give myself over to Heng Ou, reverting to the formula that got me straight As in high school: carefully studying the textbook and obediently following directions. In hindsight I realize I didnt even consider doing a test run. My plan was to make everything for the first time when I got word that Tiffany had delivered the baby.

Getting ingredients for these dishes was another story. I do not live within walking distance of any grocery stores that carry specialty Chinese ingredients like dried jujubes and goji berries, and a lot of those that did, in Chinatown, were closed anyway. I couldnt rely on internet sources to deliver herbs quickly enough. And even the large Asian grocery storeslike H Mart in Bayside, Queenswere sold out of poultry. I had to be resourceful.

It took a while, but finally Id collected everything I needed (ordering what I could online; driving to neighboring towns with larger Asian grocery stores). I even had two whole freshly killed and plucked chickens that my husband helped me procure from the halal live poultry shop near us in the Bronx.

By the evening of April first, when it was time to collect Tiffany and family from the hospital, all the soups and drinks and tonics were readyhot and packed.

As Tony and I drove through the city we passed the rows of cold storage trailers outside Bellevue and NYU Langone Hospitals, used to manage the abnormally high number of dead bodies emerging due to COVID. It was a haunting sight made even stranger by the fact that because we couldnt be near the baby, Tony had outfitted the car with plastic drop cloths to separate the front and back seats.

We called my sister from the curb and taxied the new family back to their apartment. I met Ruby for the first time through the pane of glass separating the apartment entry from the sidewalk. We said goodbye and watched them carry the tubs of chicken, jujube, ginger, goji berry soup; ginger fried rice; homemade oat milk with cinnamon and ginger; the jujube and goji tonic, and all the love and hope and connection Id felt as Id participated in this ancient postpartum food ritual.

Over the next 40 days I would continue to box up new and different homemade soups, stews, and tonics in my kitchen, delivering them to the same glass entryway. As the zuo yue zi period progressed, and my anxiety levels rose and fell with the news, I realized that zuo yue zi had become a life raftI felt useful, and the aroma and tastes of the food brought me closer to my family. The fragrance of ginger and garlic cooking in oil mixed with raw chopped scallions and filled my little kitchen exactly as it had in my grandmas in Brookline, Massachusetts, and my moms in Orange County, California.

And though the sound of ambulance sirens rushed by with alarming frequency, insomnia became a new feature of my nights, and I was still unemployed; I knew that despite all that, there was more goji tonic to be made, and more jujube chicken soup, and always more ginger to be peeled.

Originally Appeared on Bon Appetit
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday night on the House floor that masks must be worn in the chamber from now on and rulebreakers would be kicked out by the sergeant at arms.

'Members and staff will be required to wear masks at all times in the Hall of the House except that members may remove their masks temporarily when recognized,' Pelosi announced, using the official term for the House chamber.

Pelosi is putting in place stricter rules after Rep. Louis Gohmert, a Texas Republican, tested positive for the coronavirus, which prompted at least one high-ranking government official, Attorney General Bill Barr, to get tested as he might have been exposed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on the House floor Wednesday night that members would have to wear masks in the House chamber from now on, after Rep. Louie Gohmert tested positive for the coronavirus

Rep. Louis Gohmert, who is regularly seen on Capitol Hill not wearing a mask, tested positive for the coronavirus, Politico first reported. Gohmert's case was found because he was being screened at the White House so he could travel to Texas with President Trump Wednesdsay

C-SPAN's cameras captured Rep. Louis Gohmert, sans mask, Tuesday on Capitol Hill outside the hearing room where lawmakers quizzed Attorney General Bill Barr for five hours. Now Barr will have to be tested for the coronavirus too

President Donald Trump is captured boarding Air Force One to Texas Wednesday. Gohmert was supposed to accompany Trump to the state but tested positive for coronavirus at the White House during pre-screening

Attorney General Bill Barr will get tested for COVID-19 after coming in close contact with Rep. Louis Gohmert during Tuesday's House Judiciary Committee hearing, which both men attended

The California Democrat said members won't be allowed to enter the House chamber sans masks. 'Masks will be available at the entrypoints for any member who forgets to bring one,' she also said.

And if lawmakers don't listen, she said she'd have the sergeant at arms remove them.

'The chair views the failure to wear a mask as a serious breach of decorum,' Pelosi said.

The rule applied to both members and staff.

Later on CNN, Pelosi said more rules would be announced likely on Thursday about mask-wearing in hallways and in House office buildings.

Politico broke the story and reported Wednesday morning that Gohmert had tested positive at the White House during pre-screening for a planned trip to Texas with President Donald Trump.

Gohmert regularly refused to wear a mask and was spotted Tuesday roaming around the Capitol's hallways and in the Judiciary Committee hearing room before Barr testified without a mask on his face.

Pelosi has already put some mask-wearing mandates in place.

On June 16, she announced she would be enforcing the Attending Physician of the United States Congress' requirement that House members wear masks during committee meetings.

The committee meetings are held in tighter confines than voting on the House floor, which has been spaced out by timeslot to create more social distancing, but Pelosi will now mandate masks.

It's unclear if she'll push for tighter restrictions elsewhere in the Capitol complex.

Playbook said that Gohmert returned to the Rayburn House Office Building after testing positive to inform his staff in-person what had happened.

He also said, during a television appearance, that his brief mask-wearing may have contributed to him contracting the virus.

'I can't help but wonder if by keeping a mask on and keeping it in place if I might have put some germs, some of the virus onto the mask and breathed it in,' Gohmert said. 'I don't know. I got it. We'll see what happens from here.'

'But the reports of my demise are premature,' the Texas lawmaker added.

The White House tests individuals who will interact with the president by taking a sample using a nasal swab and then running it through an Abbott Laboratories point-of-care test, among others, which can deliver results in less than 15 minutes.

The Texas Republican told CNN last month that he wasn't wearing a mask because he's tested regularly for COVID-19.

'But I keep being tested and I don't have it. So I'm not afraid of you,' Gohmert told the reporter, who had mentioned to the Texas lawmaker that asymptomatic people could be carrying the coronavirus.

Gohmert also told the network that if he did contact the virus he would mask-up.

'I don't have the coronavirus, turns out as of yesterday I've never had it. But if I get it, you'll never see me without a mask,' he said.

A Gohmert staffer wrote into the Politico Playbook newsletter after the news broke sharing with reporters that Gohmert 'requires full staff to be in the office, including three interns, so that "we could be an example to American on how to open up safely."'

The aide also suggested to journalists, 'When probing the office, you might want to ask how often were people berated for wearing masks.'

Now that he's tested positive Gohmert will be advised to quarantine for at least 14 days and won't be able to return to Capitol Hill until he's tested negative for the virus twice.

Other lawmakers who have tested positive for the virus include GOP Sen. Rand Paul and Republican Reps. Mario Diaz Balart of Florida, Neal Dunn of Florida, Morgan Griffith of Virginia, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania and Tom Rice of South Carolina.

Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams also tested positive in March.

At work, Republicans have been more mask-averse, with Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler chiding his GOP colleagues for taking off their masks during Tuesday's fraught hearing featuring Barr, which Gohmert attended.

Reuters reported Wednesday that Barr will be tested for COVID-19, as he testified before the Judiciary Committee for five hours and thus came in contact with Gohmert.

Nadler told one GOP lawmaker that sipping coffee wasn't an excuse to have his mask off while in the committee room.

'It is not permissible,' Nadler said, smacking his gavel.

His comments weren't directed at Gohmert during that time.

Nadler sent some back-handed well wishes to Gohmert on Wednesday.

'I want to wish @RepLouisGohmert a full & speedy recovery. When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. Ive regularly instructed all Members to wear their masks and hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues,' Nadler tweeted.

Gohmert was, however, seen outside the committee room sans mask Tuesday.

'Gohmert ought to quarantine himself right now,' remarked Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Democrats' No. 2. 'He came into the room without a mask on ... Totally irresponsible behavior,' Hoyer told C-SPAN.

Hoyer also said leadership should reconsider testing members of Congress.

Initially, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell didn't accept offers to utilize rapid testing techologies because of the nationwide COVID-19 testing shortage.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, a former Republican member of Congress, told reporters on the Hill Wednesday that he had spoken to Gohmert.

'He's doing well. He's asymptomatic. I think he's concerned like everybody else would be, but he's doing fine.'

Meadows also said that Gohmert is in quarantine.

'Oh yeah, yeah,' the chief of staff said.

Rep. Kay Granger, another Texas Republican, announced Wednesday afternoon that she would quarantine, after sitting next to Gohmert on a flight Sunday.

Trump visited Texas for the day to raise funds for his re-election campaign and tour an oil rig.

It's customary for the president to invite political allies from where he's traveling to take Air Force One along with him to a state.
(Newser)  The feds have left Seattle. The federal security detail deployed to the city amid ongoing civil unrest withdrew after pressure from state and local officials, Gov. Jay Inslee's office said Tuesday. Inslee was among those arguing that a show of force by the feds could lead to more violence and the same nightly clashes that are going on in Portland, where federal agents were also deployed, the Seattle Times reports. "I have confirmed with [Customs and Border Protection, which sent the tactical team] that their personnel demobilized and left Seattle," a Department of Homeland Security official wrote to Seattle officials. The local officials had said they were never consulted and never gave consent to the feds' arrival, KOMO News reports.

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It was never made clear exactly how many agents had been deployed or where they were located. A US attorney downplayed their withdrawal: "As I stated Friday, a handful of law enforcement officers were summoned to Seattle to protect our federal buildings. [Seattle Police] Chief Best, who would know, saw no federal law enforcement officers clashing with protesters throughout all of this chaos. She saw none, because the officers who were summoned to Seattle were exactly where I said they would be: protecting federal buildings and the functions in those buildings." He added that the team was "needed elsewhere," but it was not clear where it might head next. (Read more Seattle stories.)
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters)  Wed, July 29, 2020 13:15 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a298de 2 World New-York-City,Andrew-Cuomo,coronavirus,concert,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday that health authorities are investigating a weekend charity concert featuring performances by the Chainsmokers and the head of Goldman Sachs, for "gross" violations of public health rules aimed at fighting the spread of the coronavirus.

"[The] concert that happened in the town of Southampton was just a gross violation of not only the public health rules, it was a gross violation of common sense," Cuomo said at his daily briefing, calling it "disrespectful to fellow New Yorkers."

New York's Department of Health will investigate local officials' oversight of the event, which took place on Saturday in the affluent beach community on the east end of Long Island, and how security workers and event organizers enforced rules during the "drive-in" concert.

The event billed as "Safe & Sound", was attended by concert-goers in about 600 cars, some of whom paid up to $25,000 for parking spaces.

Some videos posted to social media appear to show people gathered in close proximity around the stage. Attendees were instructed to stay in their allotted space and leave only to use restrooms.

The organizers, who are with the groups In The Know Experiences and Invisible Noise, said the videos were misleading and do not accurately depict the entire event.

They said in a statement that they worked with state and local health officials to implement the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines, that all attendees were screened for fevers before entering, and that they "made best efforts" to follow New Yorks social distancing rules.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc Chief Executive David Solomon opened the concert with an hour-long DJ set, performing under the moniker DJ D-Sol.

Bank spokesman Jake Siewart said Solomon "performed early and left before the show ended."

"The vast majority of the audience appeared to follow the rules, but he's troubled that some violated them and put themselves and others at risk," Siewart said in an emailed statement.

New York was the early epicenter of the US coronavirus outbreak and has recorded more COVID-19 deaths than any other US state.

Cuomo, a Democrat, announced limited and phased reopenings around the state starting mid-May. Restrictions remain on large gatherings.

Profits from the event will go to several local charities, according to organizers.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 28, 2020) - Freeman Gold Corp. (CSE: FMAN) (FSE: 3WU) (the "Company" or "Freeman") is pleased to announce that it has closed the previously announced bought deal public offering of common shares of the Company for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $10.35 million (the "Offering"). The Company issued 20,690,000 common shares, including common shares issued pursuant to the exercise of the over-allotment option.

The Offering was conducted by Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Stifel GMP, as co-lead underwriters, and PI Financial Corp. and INFOR Financial Inc. (the "Underwriters"). The Company issued to the Underwriters broker warrants to acquire an aggregate of 1,418,650 common shares of the Company, exercisable at any time prior to July 28, 2022 at the exercise price of $0.50 per common share.

Freeman intends to use the proceeds of the Offering for exploration work on the Company's Lemhi gold project in Idaho, USA and its Comstock property in British Columbia, Canada with additional proceeds utilized for general and administrative expenses and working capital.

Freeman's Chief Executive Officer and Director, Will Randall, commented, "We thank existing shareholders, new investors and the syndicate of Underwriters for their support via this oversubscribed bought deal financing. The strong demand is a testament to the quality and potential of the Lemhi gold project located in Idaho, USA. These funds will allow Freeman to complete a work program as the Company works toward a maiden National Instrument 43-101 compliant gold mineral resource estimate, focusing on near surface, oxide material defined by previous operators. We look forward to keeping you updated as we progress."

The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

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About Freeman Gold Corp.

The Company is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Canada and the USA. The Company has two mineral projects, the Lemhi Gold Project located in Idaho, USA comprising over 7,500 acres of patented and unpatented claims and the Comstock Property located near Merritt, British Columbia, Canada.

On Behalf of the Company

Will Randall, Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.freemangoldcorp.com or contact Ken Cotiamco at 604-687-7130, email ken@skanderbegcapital.com

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forwardlooking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of Canadian and United States securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to statements relating to the use of proceeds from the Offering and its future business plans. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company does not undertake to update forwardlooking statements, except as required by law.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/60643
KCET 2020: State officials will conduct Common Entrance Test (CET) exam as per the instructions given by the state high court, said Karnataka deputy chief minister CN Ashwathnarayan on Tuesday.

Officials have informed that they are all set to conduct exams on July 30 and 31. We will put this matter in front of the high court. As per the instructions of the high court, we will move forward, said Ashwathnarayan.

This comes after Karnataka High court asked the state government to reconsider the decision of conducting the CET exam.

...I had called an emergency meeting with district collectors, officials of education, transport, health, police department. And, I took information about the preparedness for conducting the CET exam, he added.

Karnataka CET Exam is a state-level entrance exam organised for providing admissions in Engineering, Pharmacy, B Pharma and other courses offered by colleges and institutions located in the state. (ANI)

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As of 12 p.m. July 29, 2020, the Pa. Department of Health reports that there are 110,218 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. There are at least 7,162 reported deaths from the virus.

According to Johns Hopkins University, 82,038 of those cases recovered from the virus.

Click the image to see a data page including an interactive map for the state. (Please click the link in the previous sentence if you cant see the image.)

Click here for a ZIP code breakdown of cases provided by the Pa. Department of Health.

The state is also providing detailed hospital and respirator data here for desktop users and here for mobile users.

The state reported 834 new cases of the coronavirus. Below is a breakdown of the new and cumulative cases and deaths in the state.

Adams

There are 454 total cases with 6 new cases reported. 18 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Allegheny

There are 7718 total cases with 125 new cases reported. 227 total deaths have been reported in the county with 4 new deaths announced.

Armstrong

There are 174 total cases with 5 new cases reported. 6 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Beaver

There are 1176 total cases with 12 new cases reported. 85 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Bedford

There are 124 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 4 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Berks

There are 5100 total cases with 20 new cases reported. 364 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Blair

There are 199 total cases with 8 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Bradford

There are 80 total cases with 4 new cases reported. 3 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Bucks

There are 6796 total cases with 25 new cases reported. 574 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Butler

There are 586 total cases with 9 new cases reported. 15 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Cambria

There are 235 total cases with 3 new cases reported. 3 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Cameron

There are 5 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Carbon

There are 356 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 28 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Centre

There are 370 total cases with 5 new cases reported. 10 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Chester

There are 4745 total cases with 15 new cases reported. 342 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Clarion

There are 72 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Clearfield

There are 120 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Clinton

There are 112 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 5 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Columbia

There are 453 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 35 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Crawford

There are 120 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Cumberland

There are 1180 total cases with 15 new cases reported. 70 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Dauphin

There are 2604 total cases with 19 new cases reported. 155 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Delaware

There are 8551 total cases with 62 new cases reported. 684 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Elk

There are 42 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Erie

There are 891 total cases with 20 new cases reported. 15 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Fayette

There are 352 total cases with 16 new cases reported. 4 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Forest

There are 9 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Franklin

There are 1231 total cases with 8 new cases reported. 46 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Fulton

There are 22 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Greene

There are 103 total cases with 3 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Huntingdon

There are 287 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 4 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Indiana

There are 241 total cases with 7 new cases reported. 6 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Jefferson

There are 57 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Juniata

There are 125 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 6 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lackawanna

There are 1878 total cases with 12 new cases reported. 212 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lancaster

There are 5414 total cases with 38 new cases reported. 405 total deaths have been reported in the county with 2 new deaths announced.

Lawrence

There are 319 total cases with 11 new cases reported. 11 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lebanon

There are 1559 total cases with 5 new cases reported. 54 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lehigh

There are 4775 total cases with 42 new cases reported. 335 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Luzerne

There are 3225 total cases with 34 new cases reported. 183 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Lycoming

There are 306 total cases with 5 new cases reported. 20 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

McKean

There are 26 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Mercer

There are 308 total cases with 5 new cases reported. 9 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Mifflin

There are 93 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Monroe

There are 1570 total cases with 8 new cases reported. 123 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Montgomery

There are 9673 total cases with 52 new cases reported. 846 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Montour

There are 92 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 3 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Northampton

There are 3806 total cases with 26 new cases reported. 289 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Northumberland

There are 398 total cases with 8 new cases reported. 11 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Perry

There are 111 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 5 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Philadelphia

There are 25407 total cases with 111 new cases reported. 1675 total deaths have been reported in the county with 3 new deaths announced.

Pike

There are 524 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 21 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Potter

There are 20 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Schuylkill

There are 867 total cases with 7 new cases reported. 49 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Snyder

There are 92 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Somerset

There are 114 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Sullivan

There are 10 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Susquehanna

There are 206 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 26 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Tioga

There are 34 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Union

There are 129 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 2 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Venango

There are 60 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 0 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Warren

There are 15 total cases with 1 new cases reported. 1 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Washington

There are 710 total cases with 11 new cases reported. 10 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Wayne

There are 156 total cases with 2 new cases reported. 8 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

Westmoreland

There are 1351 total cases with 24 new cases reported. 45 total deaths have been reported in the county with 1 new deaths announced.

Wyoming

There are 57 total cases with 0 new cases reported. 8 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.

York

There are 2223 total cases with 27 new cases reported. 84 total deaths have been reported in the county with 0 new deaths announced.
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

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The International Monetary Fund says it has approved $4.3 billion in aid to South Africa to help the country fight the coronavirus pandemic. Africa's most developed nation has the largest number of detected Covid-19 cases. Also, Tunisian-French lawyer Gisele Halimi has died in Paris at the age of 93. The feminist activist, who fought for women's rights in France, initially became known for her struggle in favour of the independence movements in Tunisia and Algeria. And finally we meet Fatou Kine, one of the few female sheep breeders in the Senegalese capital Dakar.
The Daily Mail, in partnership with eBay and NHS Charities Together, wants you to nominate special people in the healthcare sector whove made a difference to your life, or to a loved one. The winner of the award will receive a 5,000 holiday. To make a nomination, fill in the coupon below. SHERON BOYLE tells one nominees story

Statue-still in bed, the comatose man in his mid-20s had not moved for weeks. His desperate parents kept vigil at his bedside, the silence in the intensive care unit (ICU) punctuated only by the beep of machines keeping their son alive.

The strained atmosphere was interrupted by a cheery hello from Helen Moss, and the arrival of her Cockapoo, Tilly Rose, who gently nuzzled the mothers leg.

A mental health first-aid trainer, from Skelmanthorpe in West Yorkshire, Helen introduced herself to the unconscious young man. I explained I had brought Tilly, a therapy dog, to see him, she says. She put her paws on the waterproof pad placed on the bed, then the patients dad took his sons hand and guided it to Tillys head and they stroked her.

Nominee Helen Moss, 53, (pictured) and her Cockapoo, Tilly Rose, bring comfort to patients in the ICU wards at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital as part of a voluntary scheme

I talked about Tilly and what we did in the ICU. The patients eyes flickered  and we held our breath to see if he would move again. Sadly, he remained unconscious, so we settled back to chatting, which distracted his parents from the stress of their present life.

A few weeks later, the man regained consciousness, and one of the first things he asked about was Tilly. He could clearly recall our visit. It was such a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved with pet therapy.

It was all in a days work for Helen, 53, and Tilly, who visit patients in the ICU wards at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital as part of a voluntary scheme to bring comfort to patients.

Helens daughter, Kelly, then a play worker at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, had witnessed the benefits of bringing dogs on to wards and encouraged her mother to look into it for Tilly.

Helen contacted the charity Pets As Therapy and was informed that to be considered suitable for the task, dogs need to be calm and friendly, which Tilly is. Helen underwent training in hygiene, ward protocols and infection control procedures before the pair were allowed to visit patients.

We go in to a hospital when invited by the staff, patients or their relatives, she says. We have a bag with Tillys things. She sniffs inside and knows the blue collar and lead [the charitys colours] means she is going to work. Tilly knows where to go when we get to the hospital and leads me in.

Lilian Henshaw, 70, from Holmfirth, who spent four nights in ICU, said Helen and Tilly's (pictured) visit was the best medicine

Helen and her husband, Steve, 54, have owned their company Purple Dog for a decade. They teach mental health and first aid to NHS trusts and commercial companies. In her spare time, Helen takes Tilly in to the ICUs.

Lilian Henshaw, from Holmfirth, is just one of many patients who have benefited from a visit from Helen and her pet. The 70-year-old had spent four nights in ICU with sepsis and was at a crucial point in her recovery. I was frightened and knew I was fighting for my life, she recalls. Helen and Tillys visit was the best medicine. It was so soothing to stroke Tilly  it took my mind off reality.

Helen says the boost to peoples mental health is visible. Being a patient, a family member or staff in ICU is high-pressured. We work with the sickest people  some are unable to respond and others face a long journey to recovery.

Its been shown that stroking an animal can reduce blood pressure. But it also helps with mental health, giving anxious relatives another focus.

Helen made a daily, 32-mile round trip to deliver goodies to the ICU, when the coronavirus pandemic put a temporary pause on visits for dog and owner. Pictured: Helen and Paul Knight

Helen has the professional experience to talk to worried or grieving families, or anxious staff, but Tilly is often the icebreaker. Theyre a powerful double act, says Paul Knight, an ICU consultant at the Huddersfield and Calderdale hospitals, who nominated Helen and Tilly as Health Heroes.

Staff can also talk to Helen in confidence, allowing them to confide in someone who is linked to the unit but without burdening another team member.

Last year, when Joanne Morrell, 47, an ICU nurse, lost her 79-year-old mother, Jean, Helen was a lifeline. Even now, if I have a down day and contact Helen, she will talk to me and get me back on my feet, Joanne says.

The coronavirus pandemic put a temporary pause on ICU visits for dog and owner, but that did not stop Helen from helping out. During lockdown she made a daily, 32-mile round trip to deliver goodies and treats to the ICUs.

Su Manning, senior sister and critical care ward manager for both hospitals, called Helen an angel for her voluntary work during the pandemic.

She marshalled local shops and companies to donate toiletries, snacks, bottled water and treats for the staff, says Su. It is these little gestures that help everyone get through each day.

Paul explained that stroking Tilly can be an act of normality for patients who are suffering from depression and confusion as they recover. Pictured: Su Manning, Helen and Paul

And Su adds: She went over and above. One Muslim patient was in ICU and his family wanted him to hear the Quran. The nurses used laptops so he could join in prayers, until Helen rallied a company to provide a Quran Cube [an audio device that recites Quran prayers]. His family were delighted.

Paul Knight says: Patients can suffer depression and confusion as they recover. Stroking Tilly is an act of normality. And for staff, working in ICU can be emotional. Before coronavirus, when we had deaths, Helen and Tilly often popped in to comfort us. People visibly relax in response to Tilly.

Helen says her voluntary work with the ICUs has enriched her own life. When I started, it was about letting people see how amazing Tilly is, she says.

However, this has changed into something far more. If I raise peoples spirits, just by taking my amazing dog into these hospitals, I feel I have achieved something great.

I cant wait to go back. I popped in last week and one of the consultants immediately asked, Where is Tilly? We want to see her. She is very much missed. 
For members of Congress who are going back and forth, they represent sort of the perfect petri dish for how you spread a disease, said Senator Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri and the chairman of the Rules Committee. Send 535 people out to 535 different locations on about 1,000 different airplanes, and bring them back and see what happens. It seems to me theres a better path forward.

Representative Steny H. Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland and the majority leader, said he planned to press Ms. Pelosi and the House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy of California, on the matter. Mr. McCarthy urged his members to wear their masks and renewed previous calls for lawmakers to be tested regularly.

To date, Ms. Pelosi had required masks be used in House hearings and encouraged  but not required  their use on the floor. She said Wednesday that she considered doing so a sign of respect and that failing to wear a facial covering on the House floor going forward would be treated as a serious breach of decorum that could lead to a members removal from the floor.

Mr. Gohmert is far from the first member of Congress to contract the coronavirus. A tally maintained by GovTrack puts that number at 10, with dozens more having isolated for a period of time after coming into contact with someone carrying it. But not since Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky tested positive in late March as senators were trying to cinch a coronavirus relief deal has Congress been so shaken by signs of the virus circulating among its ranks.

By midafternoon, lawmakers, support staff and journalists were racing to isolate themselves after possible exposure, as health officials were left to try to retrace Mr. Gohmerts steps. It was a daunting task because Mr. Gohmert is a frequent schmoozer who could have come into close contact with dozens of fellow lawmakers and aides this week alone.

Dr. Brian P. Monahan, Congresss attending physician, advised members of the Judiciary Committee that they could be at elevated risk if they sat near Mr. Gohmert or used the same equipment, but said Democrats, at least, did not need to quarantine.

Representative Raul M. Grijalva, Democrat of Arizona and the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement that he would isolate himself until he could get test results because of extended contact with Mr. Gohmert in his committees hearing.
Thiruvananthapuram, July 29 : Kerala state electricity board (KSEB) director and CPI(M) leader V Sivadasan has slammed the BJP and its ideological mentor the RSS for propagating the communally-charged falsehood that the CPI(M)-led LDF government has indulged in minority appeasement by allowing members of the muslim community to offer namaz in mosques during the upcoming Bakrid festival.

Sangh parivar supporters have accused the LDF government of minority appeasement, alleging that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has allowed muslims to offer prayers in mosques for Bakrid but had forbade Hindus from performing bali tharpanam, the ritual of offering obeisance to forefathers, citing the covid-19 pandemic.

However, Sivadasan clarified in a facebook post that the state government had not shown discrimination against any particular religious group over permission to offer prayers in places of worship.

He cited a government order dated June 24, saying that the order clearly enunciates the manner in which devotees of all hues could offer prayers in their respective places of worship in compliance with the covid-19 regulations laid down by the state government.

The government order allows devotees to offer worship in places of worship, be it temples, mosques or churches, by adhering to the prescribed criteria of maximum 100 devotees allowed inside a place of worship at one time and a maximum of 15 persons per 100 square metre.

So the charge that the chief minister has conferred a special favour on muslims by allowing them to congregate inside mosques for Bakrid is patently wrong, he argues.

Hindu and christian devotees could also congregate in their respective places of worship to offer prayers by maintaining physical distancing and adhering to the covid-19 protocol prescribed by the government, he clarified.

Sivadasan also sought to refute what he termed as a falsehood by the supporters of the BJP and the RSS that the chief minister had asked Hindus to perform the rituals of bali tharpanam from the comfort of their homes. Quoting from the chief ministers press briefing, the CPI(M) leader argued that the chief minister only called for devotees to take precautions and avoid gatherings in open spaces that could result in spread of the contagious covid-19 infection.
New Delhi:

The UK government's changes to its visa policy for non-EU nationals aimed at curbing its increasing immigration figures will come into force from Thursday, which will affect a large number of Indians especially IT professionals.

Under the new visa rules announced by the UK Home Office earlier this month, applications made on or after November 24 under the Tier 2 intra-company transfer (ICT) category would be required to meet a higher salary threshold requirement of 30,000 pounds (USD 37,131) from the earlier 20,800 pounds (USD 25,723).

The ICT route is largely used by Indian IT companies in Britain and the UK's Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) had found earlier this year that Indian IT workers accounted for nearly 90 per cent of visas issued under this route.

"The first of two phases of changes to Tier 2, announced by the government in March following a review by the Independent Migration Advisory Committee will affect applications made on or after 24 November unless stated otherwise," a UK Home Office statement said.

Changes impacting a number of areas  including salary thresholds for those on a Tier-2 visa (the most common category for non-EU workers), and English language requirements for family members of non-EU migrants, were announced by the government earlier this year on the advice of the Migration Advisory Committee, an independent public body that advises the UK government.

In order to be sponsored, experienced workers will need to earn a salary of at least 25,000 pounds in all professions bar a few (nurses, radiographers, paramedics, and secondary school teachers in Maths, sciences, and Mandarin will be exempt until July 2019).

The salary threshold is set to rise even higher next year to 30,000 pounds by April. The minimum salary for a Tier-2 migrant had been 20,800 pounds.

This is a very reactionary and unthoughtful move by the government and wont help build the relationship between India and Britain, said Virendra Sharma, Labour MP for Ealing Southall. He noted that the minimum salary required of foreign workers was rarely one that locally-trained workers would be able to earn. Indirectly the government is saying that we dont want you here.

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The federal government will not rescind its decision to proscribe Ohaneze Ndigbo and Arewa Consultative Forum, the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Garba Abubakar, has said.

Mr Abubakar said, henceforth, requests for registration by socio-cultural groups and organisations would not be granted by the CAC without a certificate of security screening and clearance of their Board of Trustees members.

The CAC chief disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja while briefing reporters on the activities of the Commission.

He said there are growing concerns in recent times from security agencies over groups that have been granted registration whose Board of Trustees have turned out to be people with questionable characters and backgrounds.

Citing the examples of the Ohaneze Ndigbo General Assembly and Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) which have been proscribed by the federal government, Mr Abubakar said their registrations have since been withdrawn by the CAC.

The Commission, he said, would not process the requests for registration of groups whose activities would constitute a threat to national security.

There is no going back on the decision to revoke the certificate of registration of the two groups, as they have since transformed from socio-cultural groups to political organisations.

The demand for security clearance of members of the Board of Trustees, he said, was part of the ongoing reforms on the requirement for consent for associations registered under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), to sanitize the operations of the CAC.

Companies covered under Part C of the CAMA are those set up not with the purpose of sharing its profits to members but registered strictly either as social, cultural, educational, development or other purposes.

Under the CAMA, such organizations are expected to appoint one or more members into their Board of Trustees to act as the legal representatives of the association.

In the past, Mr Abubakar said all sorts of names of such groups and organization were approved by the CAC without realizing the implications till getting to the point of producing the certificates of registration by the Commission.

He said security agencies have in recent times expressed serious concerns about the proliferation of some of the controversial organizations whose activities have constituted a source worry to both the government and Nigerians at large.

Prior to 2003, the Registrar-General said security agencies were responsible for vetting and conducting background checks of members of the Board of trustees of new organizations and recommend to the CAC for registration.

He said this arrangement was later replaced with the requirement for statutory declaration by every member of the Board of trustee to confirm full compliance with the legal requirements of the law on their sanity, good conduct, and criminal conviction within the last five years of their appointment.

Groups transforming

However, Mr Abubakar said what the government has observed in recent times was that some of these organisations have metamorphosed into purely political groups, propagating objectives that are strange to what they were registered for.

Political groups are not acceptable by CAC for registration. The activities of some of these groups constitute a threat to national security. Henceforth, every application under Part C of CAMA must first be properly scrutinized by the Registrar-General of the CAC, he said.

Under that arrangement, the CAC boss said, applicants must submit an application for consent by providing the names of their trustees, the objects of the association for scrutiny by the CAC and recommendation made to the Registrar-General for registration.

To check the proliferation of the illegal groups from the level of name search, approval and consent by applicants, he said the name of the groups would only be registered on the approval of the Registrar-General of the CAC after receiving a security clearance report.

It is only when the name has been cleared by the security agencies that the association will proceed to file the application with the CAC for registration, he said.

On concerns about cost, he said the motivation for proper screening of the trustees was not money, as the total number of applications under Part C out of CAMA in the country is about 150,000 against over two million companies and businesses that seek registration.

He said the CACs intention was not motivated by the need to have additional income but to sanitize the process and ensure only organizations with the right calibre of people and objectives were registered under Part C.

The other option, he said, was to insist that socio-cultural organisations seeking registration must undergo security screening, a process that would take a minimum of one year to complete.

Already, he said the CAC has begun the implementation of the guidelines for the reforms of the registration process approved by the Board of the Commission after receiving inputs from the public, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

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By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore city police on Tuesday evening invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against the 21-year-old Bharat Sena member who was arrested in connection with the desecration of Periyar's statue at Sundarapuram on July 17.

According to the city police, M Arun Krishnan of Podanur, the south district organiser of Bharat Sena, splashed saffron paint on Periyar's statue at Sundarapuram in the wee hours of July 17. He surrendered to police later that day and was arrested by Kuniyamuthur police under Sections 153 (wantedly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code. He has been lodged at Coimbatore Central Prison.

Kuniyamuthur Police had recommended to the City Police Commissioner Sumit Sharan that he be detained under the NSA for creating public disturbance and spreading communal disharmony. Based on the recommendation, the Commissioner issued orders doing so. The copy of the order was served to Arun Krishnan on Tuesday evening.
With the easing of restrictions and the economy entering an Unlock phase from June 1, the high frequency indicators which are coming in have been showing a material improvement as compared to the multi-year lows seen in April. A clutch of indicators including GST collections, railway freight traffic, petrol consumption, peak power demand, electronic toll collections among others have all mirrored the incipient signs of recovery. Though still early, these are indeed promising signs, pointing towards a V-shaped recovery in the immediate aftermath of the lockdown. "In order to nurture the nascent signs of recovery, it is important to mitigate the uncertainties that are currently prevailing regarding the restrictions. Corporates are unable to plan beyond a horizon of a few weeks, affecting all operations", said Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII.

"Although it is not possible to predict the course of the pandemic, a dashboard approach, triggering predictable responses based on the progression of infections, can reduce uncertainty and boost both consumer and industry confidence, which in turn will support demand and investment recovery", added Mr Banerjee. Further, in order to ensure that the supply chains function seamlessly across state & district boundaries, including the containment zones, the latter should be limited to micro areas instead of a wider area.

On its part, the government has played a big role in driving the nascent recovery process by providing direct cash & food transfers to the rural & urban poor. "In a significant confidence building measure, it is encouraging to note that the government dues to the industry have started coming in, which are likely to serve as a big and a direct liquidity booster to industry", highlighted Mr Banerjee. Other marquee schemes announced as a part of the Atmanirbhar stimulus package, such as the Rs 3 lakh crore collateral free loan for MSMEs & other businesses and the Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for NBFCs/HFCs/MFs have all taken off well, he further added.

It is pertinent to note that the recession staring at us in the current year is different from the previous recorded episodes of recession which were all triggered by a monsoon failure. This year, the agricultural sector has emerged as the beacon of hope for India's economy.

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The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned the call by President Muhammadu Buharis nephew, Mamman Daura, that zoning of Presidency should be jettisoned for competence.

The group, in a reaction, insisted that it is the turn of the South, particularly the Southeast, to produce the president in 2023.

The organization warned that equity should not be sacrificed on the altar of parochialism since it was the rotation sentiment that produced the present incumbent.

Mr Daura in an interview with BBC Hausa Service was quoted to have said that the election of the president in 2023 should not be based on zoning but on competence.

According to him, the zoning formula which had been adopted since 1999 in the election of the countrys leader, has failed.

But Ohaneze in a statement issued by Emeka Attamah, the media aide to the president-general of Ohanaeze, Nnia Nwodo, said Mr Dauras statement was self-serving.

The group said Mr Dauras statement is part of the plot to deny the South, and in particular the Southeast, the Presidency.

He should have said this before the 2019 elections. They ganged up to push President Jonathan aside because they believed it was the turn of the North to produce the President.

READ ALSO:

Having benefited enormously from his nephew being the President, he now wants it jettisoned because it is the turn of the South.

On the issue of competence, Mr Atamah said President Buhari and current Service Chiefs are not the most competent in the country.

Mamman Daura

Talking about competence or most qualified, was President Buhari the most qualified Nigerian when he ascended the presidency? Has he proved to be the most competent? Are the service chiefs the most competent among their colleagues to warrant their being retained beyond their tenure?

Now that it is the turn of the South, precisely South East, he is mouthing most qualified and competent. Equity is a constant flagship for peace and good governance. Without it, there will be continued agitation and crisis.

At his age, Mamman Daura should stand for equity and fairness. Moreover, his stand goes against the grain of the nations constitution which enshrines equality for all peoples and sections of the country, Mr Attama said.
Xiaomi Mi TV Stick is now confirmed to launch in India on August 5, the company has revealed, Mi TV Stick is powered by Android TV. Mi TV Stick to come pre-loaded with OTT apps

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick is now confirmed to launch in India on August 5, the company has revealed. The Amazon Fire TV Stick competitor was launched earlier this month in Europe and is very small and compact media player that you can connect to any display to make it a smart TV. It will also offer apps from leading streaming players such as Netflix, Prime Video and more.

The Mi TV Stick comes after the launch on Mi Box 4K in India back in May, earlier this year which offers 4K streaming, HDR10 support and more. The Mi TV Stick is is a smaller and affordable version which comes with the basic set of features that offers a smart TV viewing experience. Xiaomi took to Twitter and posted a picture teasing its fans about the launch of the Mi TV Stick on August 5 at 12 noon.

Mi TV Stick pricing

Xiaomi Mi TV Stick is priced at EUR 39.99 which roughly translates to around Rs 3,500 by direct conversion. However, the Mi Box 4K retails in India at Rs 3,499 and hence the Mi TV Stick is expected to be priced much lower as it offers Full HD streaming. Well know the official price on the day of the launch.

Mi TV Stick specifications

The Mi TV Stick is very lightweight at 28.5 grams and connects to your TV, monitor or projector through an HDMI port. It is powered by Android TV and supports 1080p resolution at 60FPS. Theres a quad-core Cortex-A53 processor inside that is paired with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage.

The Mi TV Stick is expected to come pre-loaded with Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Spotify apps. It also supports both DTS and Dolby audio decoding offering a much more immersive stereo surround sound. The Bluetooth remote comes with dedicated Netflix and Prime Video buttons and the Google Assistant button allows you to control it simply by giving voice commands. We can also expect the Mi TV Stick to come with PatchWall UI as well when it launches in India.

The Mi TV Stick will launch on August 5 and we compared it with the Amazon Fire TV Stick based on specifications and features offered by both that you can read here.
By Seo Eun-mi





Summer is a good time for traveling with friends or family members or even alone. It is also the best time to visit other countries to learn about other cultures and history. I used to travel overseas during the summer. What would you like to do when you are free from COVID-19? We are not so sure whether we can go back to a "normal" life that we had before COVID-19.







With the uncertainties amplified regarding overseas travel, I may not even try traveling overseas for the time being. Because of the current situation, I am interested in visiting places in Korea; places I've neglected so far. This year I traveled in Korea with my family. I discovered beautiful places which are similar to some countries. The places I have visited were not crowded yet.







These days there are many Koreans who enjoy camping. I had never thought about camping in my life because I was so much focused on working. However, because of my sister, I began to enjoy camping. I am interested in watching camping videos on YouTube. They introduce camping sites and how to make camping fun and memorable. How romantic it is to enjoy beautiful nature while camping!







There are various beaches and places to visit with camping equipment in Korea. I think Gangwon Province is the best place to enjoy beautiful mountains and beaches. I realized that Koreans like to enjoy their free time in beautiful nature. Recently I went to Sokcho with my family. We discovered beautiful beaches in Sokcho and Samcheok.







In the beginning of May, it was so tranquil and quiet without many people. Korea's East Coast is beautiful and clean. I even noticed some surfers practicing surfing at the beach. Just sitting on a camping chair, I was able to enjoy free time at the beach. Doing nothing, just sitting and watching the ocean was the quiet moment for which I had been waiting for a long time. We need time to do nothing, just spend time with our private thoughts. It is common for people to enjoy solitude and peacefulness. Work is stressful for many people. Relaxation is what people need in this time of COVID-19.







We then went to a sheep ranch in Daegwanllyeong, Pyeongchang. It is operated by one of the big enterprises here in Korea. Wow! We could see lambs in Korea! It was a beautiful place which has been well managed environmentally. The breathtaking scenery on the mountain top reminded me of a place which I saw in New Zealand! It is also like Switzerland! I was remembering all the places I have ever visited in the past.







That's right! Korea has beautiful nature and we have to cherish it for us and for our descendants in the future. Beautiful nature has been inherited by former ancestors. I will keep traveling to discover the beauty of Korea. I am just happy that I am here in Korea in these uncertain times.









The author (

) is a professor of English who is Indang Library Director at Howon University in Gunsan. She is also teaching the Korean language at the University of Maryland Global College.










Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 19:59:27|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writers Yuan Quan, Lin Juan

XI'AN, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese research team has developed a magnet-assisted device that protects doctors from infection while intubating patients suffering from respiratory illnesses.

Intubation is a common procedure that involves passing a tube into a patient's airway. Doctors often perform it before surgery or in emergencies to give oxygen or medicine to help patients breathe.

Designed for the safe intubation, the new magnetic technique can reduce exposure to aerosolized particles, which helps protect doctors while intubating patients suffering from respiratory disorders, including COVID-19.

Last week, researchers at Xi'an Jiaotong University, in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and clinicians from the university's first affiliated hospital trialed the magnetic intubation on a patient before surgery.

The doctors used a device comprising an external magnet and a flexible tube with magnetic response units. After anesthetizing the female patient, they passed the tube through her mouth and down her throat. Next, they moved the external magnet on her neck forward and backward to guide the tube into the airway. Then they delivered oxygen and medicines to help her breathe.

The whole process took 40 seconds. When the patient no longer had difficulty breathing, doctors removed the tube.

Wang Rongfeng, a clinician at the hospital, said the magnetic technique makes intubating easier, allowing doctors to operate without using a laryngoscope.

The current method requires doctors to insert a laryngoscope into the patient's mouth during intubation to locate sensitive tissues in the throat, such as the vocal cords, to avoid damaging them.

However, the scope could increase the infection risk as the doctor has to be right over the patient's mouth. Inserting the scope can cause the patient to cough, which may send droplets up into the doctor's face.

"The magnetically driven technique can reduce the discomfort caused by the scope for patients, and doctors do not need to lean in to see the throat, which will eventually decrease the risk of cross-contamination between patients and doctors," Wang said.

It will work well particularly in patients with phlegm clots, bleeding, obesity and short necks, the clinician added.

According to the research team, animal and manikin tests showed the success rate of magnetic intubation was over 90 percent among doctors and 85 percent among non-professionals.

Lead researcher professor Lyu Yi said the results suggest that magnetic intubation is easy to do and worth promoting.

"If more people could master the technique, and more such devices were available in public places, then more people could get lifesaving emergency treatment," Lyu said.

The university researchers are applying for a mass production permit from the local medical products administration. They also plan to develop an intubating robot to assist doctors. Enditem
The United Arab Emirates has succeeded with the initial stage of its first-ever Mars mission, thanks to the launch of an H-IIA rocket built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries . Launched from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on Sunday, the rocket carried the Al Amal (Hope) Probe for the UAE, a Mars orbiter that is set to arrive at the red planet by February 2021, and spend a Martian year (687 days) on orbit around Mars collecting data about its atmosphere.

This is the first of three separate planned missions to Mars scheduled to take place during July, including a launch of a Mars orbiter and lander from China set to take place later this week, and NASA's Mars Perseverance rover mission, which is currently planed for July 30.

The Al Amar probe from the UAE has the specific scientific mission of taking measurements from Mars' atmosphere, with the intent of helping scientists better understand how Mars went from being a warmer world with liquid surface water to becoming the incredibly cold, rocky and dry planet we know it as today. Following its successful launch, UAE reported successful ground communications with the Mars probe and good trajectory for its multi-month journey.

This marks the UAE's first entry into deep space exploration, and it's a remarkable achievement for a country that only actually founded its space agency in 2014. They've launched satellites twice previously, but this is their first extra orbital mission, and the probe was developed in just six years, throughout partnerships including one with a research team working out of the University of Colorado Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics.

It's a busy season for Mars launches for a reason: The timing means that spacecraft currently enjoy the shortest possible trip for a rendezvous with the red planet, given their relative orbits around the Sun -- and this only happens about once every two years, so it's a long wait for the next good window.
Spectrum has asked federal regulators to lift some conditions of its 2016 merger deal with Timer Warner Cable, allowing the company to impose data caps and raise prices next year on some broadband customers.

Spectrums parent company, Charter Communications, said it should no longer be prohibited from limiting the amount of data consumers can use, or charging internet customers based on their data usage.

Spectrum and Charter  New Yorks biggest cable company  also asked the Federal Communications Commission to lift a merger condition that prevents the company from charging streaming video providers such as Netflix to access its system.

In a petition to the FCC, Spectrum Charter last month asked for regulators to lift those merger conditions two years early, on May 18, 2021.

U.S. Rep. Anthony Brindisi is among those asking the FCC to reject the companys petition and keep the merger conditions in place under the original agreement for seven years, until 2023.

Brindisi, D-Utica, warned in a letter last week to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai that the changes would be bad for consumers and would reward a company that has failed to live up to the promises of its merger agreement.

With millions of Americans working from home, and countless K-12 and college students participating in distance learning, it would be disastrous to allow Charter to institute data caps on their customers as early as next year, Brindisi wrote in the letter.

No worker should have their internet access crawl to a stop because they hit their data cap, and no family should be put in the position of having to pay their internet service provider more so their 8-year-old can participate in their third-grade class, Brindisi said.

Spectrum said its not considering data caps on its customers and has no plan to do so in the future. The company said it filed the petition with the FCC because its part of an industry that changes and grows quickly, and it wants the flexibility to adapt.

But Brindisi told the FCC the company has a poor track record of living up to its promises in New York.

In July 2018, the New York Public Service Commission took the unprecedented step of revoking its approval of the merger between Charter and Time Warner Cable. The move effectively ordered the company out of the state.

The PSC said the company failed to meet requirements of the deal, including a condition that it expand its high-speed internet service to 145,000 premises in underserved and unserved areas of New York. The investment was expected to cost about $600 million.

Charter reached a settlement with the PSC in July 2019, agreeing to expand Spectrums network and meet other goals.

The company says it exceeded the states requirement to expand high-speed broadband service in Upstate New York. Spectrum said its cable network reached 109,100 homes and businesses as of May 31 in Upstate New York, about 10,000 more than its initial target.

The FCCs initial 30-day public comment period on Charters petition expired July 22. The agency has not yet said if it will extend the period.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Niger State Sector Command, says it will deploy no fewer than 1, 010 personnel including drones for traffic control during the 2020 Eid-el-Kabir festivities.

Mr Joel Dagwa, FRSC Sector Commander in the state made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Minna.

Dagwa said that the command would deploy additional patrol vehicles, three ambulances, a tow truck and power bike for road surveillance during the celebrations.

He explained that the operations would be aligned with the ongoing Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) containment operations in the state.

 We have since embarked on aggressive patrols at Mokwa, Magama, Rafi, Suleja and Paikoro Local Government Areas that share borders with FCT, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi and Kwara states.

We will ensure that only qualified and duly certified drivers and vehicles ply highways during and after the festivities, Dagwa said.

The sector commander called on motorists in the state to desist from breaching traffic laws such as speed limit, wrongful and dangerous overtaking, overloading, driving under the influence of alcohol and night journeys to avoid road crashes during and after the Sallah festivities. (NAN)
Baptist university rescinds students admission over same-sex relationship

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A Christian university affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention has garnered controversy over rescinding a graduate students admission because he is in a same-sex relationship.

Alex Duron posted a letter he received from Union University on Facebook last week, noting that his admission to a nursing program was rescinded because he was found in violation of the schools Community Values Statements for Graduate and Non-Traditional Programs.

Duron denounced the decision of Union as Bigotry, Prejudice, Heterosexism, Homophobia and took issue with the fact that the university receives federal funding.

Union University may not be right for me. I can accept that, but I cannot accept that our government is giving them the money to discriminate against me, he wrote.

Friends understand that I am doing fine and I have moved on from this. I have strong support all around me and I know my worth. Continuing to push forward but recognizing that gay discrimination lies all around us.

Union University explained to The Christian Post that it has standards of behavior for students and faculty that are consistent with biblical teaching and historic, orthodox Christian practice.

We love our students and want them to thrive and succeed, and we believe that a standard of conduct that honors God and submits to his authority is an important part of that success, stated the university.

All students who apply to Union University sign a statement saying they will comply with the universitys values. Those students who fail to abide by those values  or who show no intention of attempting to do so  are subject to disciplinary measures that can include dismissal from the university.

In 2015, Union University opted to leave the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities when two other member schools hired staff members who were in same-sex relationships.

"The Union community has certainly benefited from the student programs, professional development, and advocacy offered by the Council [but] our faithfulness to the authority of Scripture takes precedence," stated Union President Samuel W. "Dub" Oliver in 2015.

"The reason we are passionate about this is because what we are talking about is not a secondary or tertiary theological issue  marriage is at the heart of the Gospel. To deny the Bible's concept of marriage is to deny the authority of Scripture."

Unions decision to rescind Durons admission comes as other Christian schools face litigation over their traditional views on LGBT issues while also receiving federal funding.

Last November, a former student named Joanna Maxon sued Fuller Theological Seminary arguing that by expelling her for being in a same-sex marriage, they violated Title IX rules.

Defendants discriminated against Mrs. Maxon based on her sexual orientation because it expelled Mrs. Maxon for entering into a civil same-sex marriage, read the suit, a copy of which was emailed to CP last year.

Defendants also discriminated against Mrs. Maxon based on her sex and sexual orientation by subjecting her to stricter disciplinary action than Fuller would have subjected a male, heterosexual student.

Becket, a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases and has successfully argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, has agreed to represent Fuller.

"The claims here are dangerous for faith-based institutions," said Becket attorney Daniel Blomberg in a CBN report.

If the court was to accept them, then they would be harmful to religious groups of all backgrounds and particularly minority religious groups that have beliefs that the majority and the surrounding communities might find unpopular.
Choithram International Foundation (CIF) has published Gift of Sight, a moving compilation of stories, figures, analyses and insights, on the festive occasion of Eid al-Adha.

The 52-page Gift of Sight packs in-depth coverage and on-ground experiences to give a glimpse of how 75% of the visually impaired persons in the world could have their vision restored, given an intervention of goodness and collaboration.

A digital copy of Gift of Sight in English and Arabic is ready for download from the link https://www.choithrams.com/en/gift-sight/

Presented with an authentic, first-person commentary, the narration gives readers a chance to shadow a visually impaired village dweller in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The journey of transformation, from darkness to light, from blindness to restored vision, makes for an emotionally charged experience that Gift of Sight inspires. The chronicle is a celebration of gift giving, charity, and fellowship, and a testimony of what can be achieved when goodness unites the people of India and the UAE.

LT Pagarani, Chairman of Dubais community-focused retail brand, Choithrams, said: I invite you to join us on this journey, read the chronicle, participate with your views, and help us reach many more with the gift of sight. Perhaps the precious gift of them all.

Offering free surgery and low-cost treatment, Choithram Netralaya restores the vision of more than 25,000 people (every year) coming from the rural heartland in the Central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. As part of CIF, the eye hospital joins several other welfare institutes to provide an ever-expanding ambit of care and commitment towards humanitarian causes in healthcare and education across the globe.

Despite clinical and technological progress, a record number of people are suffering from avoidable blindness. According to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, it is estimated at least 2.2 billion people in the world have vision impairment. Of those, at least 1 billion cases are avoidable. One-fourth of the worlds blind population, estimated to be around 8 million, live in India. The intervention of Choithram Netralaya in Indore, providing cataract operations and treatments, ensures more than 25,000 persons have their vision restored every year.

The hospital receives international guests and VIPs regularly. Abdullah Abdulwahed Ahmed Mohammed Al-Ali from the UAE visited the facility, and was impressed: Our visit to Choithram Netralaya (CN) during the mega camp in January 2020, opened our eyes. There are so many out there who need help. It is great to see an institution like CN devoted to the cause of eliminating avoidable blindness and taking such good care of the needy population.

Gift of Sight presents a matter-of-fact and transparent account of operating a wide network of eyecare infrastructure that reaches more than 20 million people in the most remote parts of rural India. This gives readers a chance to familiarise themselves with the challenges and opportunities and play a participatory role by recommending interventions or innovations that could further help reduce incidence of avoidable blindness.

We were humbled by what we saw at the mega camp. The hospital is doing a great service to humanity by delivering such good care to the poor among the blind. The dedication and passionate response to the cause of eliminating avoidable blindness is inspiring, and we take this message back to Dubai, remarked a visiting dignitary from Dubai, Ahmed Ali Ayachi.

As the UAE prepares to celebrate its golden jubilee in 2021, the current year is about building a strategy for the next 50 years. An important part of the strategy will be to consolidate the global footprint of the UAE in humanitarian programmes. The UAEs private sector will do well to join hands and bolster the nations outreach, and brands like Choithrams are well-positioned to contribute with the success of their past and ongoing projects.

Choithram Netralaya has been in operation for more than 25 years, transforming thousands of lives with the gift of sight. Avoidable blindness remains a major threat to development globally. It is denying families and young people a chance to a better life. Application of innovative technologies can help in scaling our reach exponentially. We are looking to collaborate at Expo 2020 next year to bring actionable global solutions that can bring down the high incidence of avoidable blindness. Our work has just begun, concluded Pagarani.

During a 3-month annual mega camp, Choithram Netralaya conducts more than 10,000 free cataract surgeries (pre-Covid19) serving the underserved, needy population in rural India. The eye hospital facility outside the city of Indore can accommodate more than 250 patients across 8 general wards with a provision of 12 fully-equipped operating theatres  a team of 13 specialists perform cataract surgery all day and all night. -- Tradearabia News Service
PITTSBURGH, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA) today reported results for the second quarter of 2020.

Quarterly Highlights

Revenue was $314 million , decreasing 10 percent from a year ago on a reported basis and 8 percent on a constant currency basis.

, decreasing 10 percent from a year ago on a reported basis and 8 percent on a constant currency basis. GAAP operating income was $48 million or 15.4 percent of sales, compared to $54 million or 15.6 percent of sales in the same period a year ago. Adjusted operating income was $59 million or 18.7 percent of sales, compared to $64 million or 18.4 percent of sales in the same period a year ago.

or 15.4 percent of sales, compared to or 15.6 percent of sales in the same period a year ago. Adjusted operating income was or 18.7 percent of sales, compared to or 18.4 percent of sales in the same period a year ago. GAAP earnings were $36 million or $0.92 per diluted share, compared to $40 million or $1.01 per diluted share in the same period a year ago. Adjusted earnings were $44 million or $1.11 per diluted share, compared to $48 million or $1.22 per diluted share in the same period a year ago. Adjusted earnings include $0.03 per share of headwind from higher noncash pension expense, in line with the company's expectations.

or per diluted share, compared to or per diluted share in the same period a year ago. Adjusted earnings were or per diluted share, compared to or per diluted share in the same period a year ago. Adjusted earnings include per share of headwind from higher noncash pension expense, in line with the company's expectations. Operating cash flow was $69 million , nearly doubling from a year ago on strong working capital management and lower product liability payments. MSA paid down $37 million of debt, funded $17 million of dividends, and invested $13 million in capital expenditures in the quarter.

, nearly doubling from a year ago on strong working capital management and lower product liability payments. MSA paid down of debt, funded of dividends, and invested in capital expenditures in the quarter. MSA's debt balance was $335 million at quarter end, reflecting 1.2x adjusted EBITDA on a gross basis or 0.7x adjusted EBITDA on a net basis. With more than $136 million in cash and significant room available under its current debt covenants, the company has ample liquidity and flexibility to maintain its balanced capital allocation strategy.

Comments from Management

"Our second quarter results reflect strong execution and a resilient business model in a challenging environment," said Nish Vartanian, MSA Chairman, President and CEO. "Our diversified portfolio and continued focus on productivity yielded adjusted operating margin expansion of 30 basis points. It's particularly noteworthy that we achieved this level of margin performance on lighter sales volume," he said. Mr. Vartanian added that in addition to lower discretionary costs, strategic growth and profitability improvement programs supported the strong performance. "The returns from our investments in our respirator manufacturing capabilities, combined with solid execution of our International segment margin improvement programs, were clear highlights of the quarter."

The company's quarterly results include 63 percent revenue growth in air-purifying respirators. "In response to the global shortage of personal protective equipment, we have started to make investments to ramp up and modernize our manufacturing operations associated with the air-purifying respirator side of our business," Mr. Vartanian explained. "These investments will help us improve lead times for our existing industrial and first responder customers, while positioning MSA to respond to potential growth opportunities." He added that the company's unwavering mission of protecting people at work, in an ongoing pandemic environment, is more relevant than ever before.

In MSA's International segment, profitability improvement programs helped drive adjusted operating margin expansion of 310 basis points in the quarter and 240 basis points for the year to date. "Our focus on price realization across MSA International is supporting gross profit improvements, and previously executed restructuring programs are enabling operating expense leverage," said Mr. Vartanian.

Mr. Vartanian noted that business conditions remain challenging and a number of external factors could impact how the second half of 2020 unfolds for the company. "While we expect a tough environment in the near term, we continue to focus on leveraging our diversified portfolio, controlling discretionary costs, and investing in long-term growth and productivity programs that will position MSA to emerge from this downturn as an even stronger organization," he concluded.

MSA Safety Incorporated Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (Unaudited) (In thousands, except per share amounts)



Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019















Net sales $ 314,438



$ 349,675



$ 655,583



$ 675,713

Cost of products sold 172,841



188,591



356,627



364,647

Gross profit 141,597



161,084



298,956



311,066

















Selling, general and administrative 69,034



84,009



149,271



162,437

Research and development 13,760



14,256



27,872



27,962

Restructuring charges 8,865



3,522



10,872



9,353

Currency exchange losses, net (a) 793



1,290



1,063



18,251

Product liability expense 851



3,529



2,802



6,425

Operating income 48,294



54,478



107,076



86,638

















Interest expense 2,459



4,470



5,602



6,830

Other income, net (2,000)



(3,342)



(3,258)



(5,921)

Total other expense, net 459



1,128

2,344



909















Income before income taxes 47,835



53,350



104,732



85,729

Provision for income taxes 11,429



13,238



24,523



22,241

Net income 36,406



40,112



80,209



63,488

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (340)



(306)



(468)



(450)

Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated $ 36,066



$ 39,806



$ 79,741



$ 63,038

















Earnings per share attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders:













Basic $ 0.93



$ 1.03



$ 2.05



$ 1.63

Diluted $ 0.92



$ 1.01



$ 2.03



$ 1.61

















Basic shares outstanding 38,830



38,663



38,826



38,602

Diluted shares outstanding 39,195



39,160



39,273



39,124





(a) currency exchange losses for the six months ended June 30, 2019 includes a $15.4 million non-cash charge related to the recognition of currency translation adjustments associated with the closure of MSA's South Africa affiliates.

MSA Safety Incorporated Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (Unaudited) (In thousands)



June 30, 2020

December 31, 2019 Assets





Cash and cash equivalents $ 136,238



$ 152,195

Trade receivables, net 240,137



255,082

Inventories 225,410



185,027

Notes receivable, insurance companies 3,736



3,676

Other current assets 116,029



97,383

Total current assets 721,550



693,363









Property, net 170,184



167,038

Operating lease assets, net 47,106



51,675

Prepaid pension cost 80,775



75,066

Goodwill 430,671



436,679

Notes receivable, insurance companies, noncurrent 52,988



52,336

Insurance receivable, noncurrent 51,033



56,169

Other noncurrent assets 198,628



207,367

Total assets $ 1,752,935



$ 1,739,693









Liabilities and shareholders' equity





Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt, net $ 20,000



$ 20,000

Accounts payable 96,513



89,120

Other current liabilities 176,845



168,389

Total current liabilities 293,358



277,509









Long-term debt, net 314,500



328,394

Pensions and other employee benefits 185,464



186,697

Noncurrent operating lease liabilities 38,826



42,632

Deferred tax liabilities 10,533



9,787

Product liability and other noncurrent liabilities 161,600



162,101

Total shareholders' equity 748,654



732,573

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 1,752,935



$ 1,739,693



MSA Safety Incorporated Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (In thousands)



Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019















Net income $ 36,406



$ 40,112



$ 80,209



$ 63,488

Depreciation and amortization 9,786



9,466



19,428



18,792

Change in working capital and other operating 23,232



(13,250)



(16,606)



(44,735)

Cash flow from operating activities 69,424



36,328



83,031



37,545

















Capital expenditures (13,272)



(8,628)



(19,834)



(13,525)

Acquisition, net of cash acquired 



(33,196)







(33,196)

Change in short-term investments 10,210



1,639



(9,402)



(17,302)

Property disposals and other investing (9)



69



83



81

Cash flow used in investing activities (3,071)



(40,116)



(29,153)



(63,942)

















Change in debt (37,000)



22,973



(9,000)



37,064

Cash dividends paid (16,721)



(16,282)



(33,052)



(30,934)

Other financing 873



(1,410)



(24,124)



(7,391)

Cash flow (used in) from financing activities (52,848)



5,281



(66,176)



(1,261)

















Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 102



2,236



(3,654)



(985)

















Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 13,607



$ 3,729



$ (15,952)



$ (28,643)



MSA Safety Incorporated Segment Information (Unaudited) (In thousands, except percentage amounts)



Americas

International

Corporate

Consolidated Three Months Ended June 30, 2020













Sales to external customers $ 204,231



$ 110,207



$ 



$ 314,438

Operating income











48,294

Operating margin %











15.4 % Restructuring charges











8,865

Currency exchange losses, net











793

Product liability expense











851

Strategic transaction costs











64

Adjusted operating income (loss) 49,003



17,402



(7,538)



58,867

Adjusted operating margin % 24.0 %

15.8 %





18.7 % Depreciation and amortization











9,786

Adjusted EBITDA 55,620



20,474



(7,441)



68,653

Adjusted EBITDA % 27.2 %

18.6 %





21.8 %















Three Months Ended June 30, 2019













Sales to external customers $ 231,389



$ 118,286



$ 



$ 349,675

Operating income











54,478

Operating margin %











15.6 % Restructuring charges











3,522

Currency exchange losses, net











1,290

Product liability expense











3,529

Strategic transaction costs











1,529

Adjusted operating income (loss) 57,689



15,072



(8,413)



64,348

Adjusted operating margin % 24.9 %

12.7 %





18.4 % Depreciation and amortization











9,466

Adjusted EBITDA 63,842



18,288



(8,316)



73,814

Adjusted EBITDA % 27.6 %

15.5 %





21.1 %

The Americas segment is comprised of our operations in North America and Latin America geographies. The International segment is comprised of our operations in all geographies outside of the Americas. Certain global expenses are allocated to each segment in a manner consistent with where the benefits from the expenses are derived.

Adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating margin, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and adjusted EBITDA margin are the measures used by the chief operating decision maker to evaluate segment performance and allocate resources. As such, management believes that adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are useful metrics for investors. Adjusted operating income (loss) is defined as operating income excluding restructuring charges, currency exchange gains / losses, product liability expense, and strategic transaction costs, and adjusted operating margin is defined as adjusted operating income (loss) divided by segment sales to external customers. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as adjusted operating income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization and adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as adjusted EBITDA divided by segment sales to external customers. Adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are not recognized terms under GAAP and therefore do not purport to be alternatives to operating income or operating margin as a measure of operating performance. The Company's definition of adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider operating income determined on a GAAP basis in addition to these non-GAAP measures.

MSA Safety Incorporated Segment Information (Unaudited) (In thousands, except percentage amounts)



Americas

International

Corporate

Consolidated Six Months Ended June 30, 2020













Sales to external customers $ 435,484



$ 220,099



$ 



$ 655,583

Operating income











107,076

Operating margin %











16.3 % Restructuring charges











10,872

Currency exchange losses, net











1,063

Product liability expense











2,802

Strategic transaction costs











161

COVID-19 related costs











757

Adjusted operating income (loss) 108,811



30,073



(16,153)



122,731

Adjusted operating margin % 25.0 %

13.7 %





18.7 % Depreciation and amortization











19,428

Adjusted EBITDA 121,878



36,239



(15,958)



142,159

Adjusted EBITDA % 28.0 %

16.5 %





21.7 %















Six Months Ended June 30, 2019













Sales to external customers $ 445,076



$ 230,637



$ 



$ 675,713

Operating income











86,638

Operating margin %











12.8 % Restructuring charges











9,353

Currency exchange losses, net











18,251

Product liability expense











6,425

Strategic transaction costs











1,985

Adjusted operating income (loss) 112,492



26,112



(15,952)



122,652

Adjusted operating margin % 25.3 %

11.3 %





18.2 % Depreciation and amortization











18,792

Adjusted EBITDA 124,742



32,459



(15,757)



141,444

Adjusted EBITDA % 28.0 %

14.1 %





20.9 %

The Americas segment is comprised of our operations in North America and Latin America geographies. The International segment is comprised of our operations in all geographies outside of the Americas. Certain global expenses are allocated to each segment in a manner consistent with where the benefits from the expenses are derived.

Adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating margin, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and adjusted EBITDA margin are the measures used by the chief operating decision maker to evaluate segment performance and allocate resources. As such, management believes that adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are useful metrics for investors. Adjusted operating income (loss) is defined as operating income excluding restructuring charges, currency exchange gains / losses, product liability expense, strategic transaction costs and COVID-19 related costs, and adjusted operating margin is defined as adjusted operating income (loss) divided by segment sales to external customers. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as adjusted operating income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization and adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as adjusted EBITDA divided by segment sales to external customers. Adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin are not recognized terms under GAAP and therefore do not purport to be alternatives to operating income or operating margin as a measure of operating performance. The Company's definition of adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider operating income determined on a GAAP basis in addition to these non-GAAP measures.

MSA Safety Incorporated Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures Constant currency revenue growth (Unaudited)

Consolidated



Three Months Ended June 30, 2020

Breathing

Apparatus Firefighter

Helmets

and

Protective

Apparel Industrial

Head

Protection Portable

Gas

Detection Fixed Gas

and Flame

Detection Fall

Protection Core

Sales

Non-Core

Sales*

Net Sales GAAP reported sales change 1 % (17) % (21) % (33) % (7) % (32) % (15) %

22 %

(10) % Plus: Currency translation effects 2 %  % 5 % 2 % 1 % 3 % 2 %

5 %

2 % Constant currency sales change 3 % (17) % (16) % (31) % (6) % (29) % (13) %

27 %

(8) %





Six Months Ended June 30, 2020

Breathing

Apparatus Firefighter

Helmets

and

Protective

Apparel Industrial

Head

Protection Portable

Gas

Detection Fixed Gas

and Flame

Detection Fall

Protection Core

Sales

Non-Core

Sales*

Net Sales GAAP reported sales change 1 % (10) % (12) % (16) % 4 % (21) % (6) %

22 %

(3) % Plus: Currency translation effects 1 %  % 5 % 2 % 1 % 3 % 1 %

5 %

2 % Constant currency sales change 2 % (10) % (7) % (14) % 5 % (18) % (5) %

27 %

(1) %



* Non-Core Sales include Air-Purifying Respirators.

Management believes that constant currency revenue growth is a useful metric for investors, as foreign currency translation can have a material impact on revenue growth trends. Constant currency revenue growth highlights ongoing business performance excluding the impact of fluctuating foreign currencies, which is outside of management's control. There can be no assurances that MSA's definition of constant currency revenue growth is consistent with that of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider revenue growth determined on a GAAP basis in addition to this non-GAAP financial measure.

MSA Safety Incorporated Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures Constant currency revenue growth (Unaudited)

Americas Segment



Three Months Ended June 30, 2020

Breathing

Apparatus Firefighter

Helmets

and

Protective

Apparel Industrial

Head

Protection Portable

Gas

Detection Fixed Gas

and Flame

Detection Fall

Protection Core

Sales

Non-Core

Sales*

Net Sales GAAP reported sales change (1) % (14) % (33) % (40) % (6) % (39) % (18) %

37 %

(12) % Plus: Currency translation effects 1 %  % 6 % 3 % 1 % 3 % 2 %

6 %

2 % Constant currency sales change  % (14) % (27) % (37) % (5) % (36) % (16) %

43 %

(10) %





Six Months Ended June 30, 2020

Breathing

Apparatus Firefighter

Helmets

and

Protective

Apparel Industrial

Head

Protection Portable

Gas

Detection Fixed Gas

and Flame

Detection Fall

Protection Core

Sales

Non-Core

Sales*

Net Sales GAAP reported sales change 1 % (7) % (18) % (19) % 8 % (21) % (7) %

35 %

(2) % Plus: Currency translation effects 1 %  % 5 % 2 % 1 % 3 % 2 %

5 %

2 % Constant currency sales change 2 % (7) % (13) % (17) % 9 % (18) % (5) %

40 %

 %



* Non-Core Sales include Air-Purifying Respirators.

Management believes that constant currency revenue growth is a useful metric for investors, as foreign currency translation can have a material impact on revenue growth trends. Constant currency revenue growth highlights ongoing business performance excluding the impact of fluctuating foreign currencies, which is outside of management's control. There can be no assurances that MSA's definition of constant currency revenue growth is consistent with that of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider revenue growth determined on a GAAP basis in addition to this non-GAAP financial measure.

MSA Safety Incorporated Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures Constant currency revenue growth (Unaudited)

International Segment



Three Months Ended June 30, 2020

Breathing

Apparatus Firefighter

Helmets

and

Protective

Apparel Industrial

Head

Protection Portable

Gas

Detection Fixed Gas

and Flame

Detection Fall

Protection Core

Sales

Non-Core

Sales*

Net Sales GAAP reported sales change 5 % (32) % 19 % (19) % (8) % (20) % (8) %

 %

(7) % Plus: Currency translation effects 3 % 1 % 4 % 2 % 2 % 3 % 2 %

3 %

3 % Constant currency sales change 8 % (31) % 23 % (17) % (6) % (17) % (6) %

3 %

(4) %





Six Months Ended June 30, 2020

Breathing

Apparatus Firefighter

Helmets

and

Protective

Apparel Industrial

Head

Protection Portable

Gas

Detection Fixed Gas

and Flame

Detection Fall

Protection Core

Sales

Non-Core

Sales*

Net Sales GAAP reported sales change  % (23) % 9 % (11) % (2) % (20) % (6) %

5 %

(5) % Plus: Currency translation effects 3 % 2 % 4 % 3 % 2 % 2 % 2 %

3 %

3 % Constant currency sales change 3 % (21) % 13 % (8) %  % (18) % (4) %

8 %

(2) %



* Non-Core Sales include Air-Purifying Respirators.

Management believes that constant currency revenue growth is a useful metric for investors, as foreign currency translation can have a material impact on revenue growth trends. Constant currency revenue growth highlights ongoing business performance excluding the impact of fluctuating foreign currencies, which is outside of management's control. There can be no assurances that MSA's definition of constant currency revenue growth is consistent with that of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider revenue growth determined on a GAAP basis in addition to this non-GAAP financial measure.

MSA Safety Incorporated Supplemental Segment Information (Unaudited) Summary of constant currency revenue growth by segment and product group







Three Months Ended June 30, 2020

Consolidated

Americas

International Breathing Apparatus 3 %

 %

8 % Fixed Gas and Flame Detection (6) %

(5) %

(6) % Industrial Head Protection (16) %

(27) %

23 % Firefighter Helmets and Protective Apparel (17) %

(14) %

(31) % Fall Protection (29) %

(36) %

(17) % Portable Gas Detection (31) %

(37) %

(17) % Core Sales (13) %

(16) %

(6) %











Non-Core Sales * 27 %

43 %

3 %











Net Sales (8) %

(10) %

(4) %









Six Months Ended June 30, 2020

Consolidated

Americas

International Breathing Apparatus 2 %

2 %

3 % Fixed Gas and Flame Detection 5 %

9 %

 % Industrial Head Protection (7) %

(13) %

13 % Firefighter Helmets and Protective Apparel (10) %

(7) %

(21) % Fall Protection (18) %

(18) %

(18) % Portable Gas Detection (14) %

(17) %

(8) % Core Sales (5) %

(5) %

(4) %











Non-Core Sales * 27 %

40 %

8 %











Net Sales (1) %

 %

(2) %



* Non-Core Sales include Air-Purifying Respirators.

MSA Safety Incorporated Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures Adjusted earnings (Unaudited) Adjusted earnings per diluted share (Unaudited) (In thousands, except per share amounts)



Three Months Ended

June 30,





Six Months Ended

June 30,





2020

2019

%

Change

2020

2019

%

Change























Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated $ 36,066



$ 39,806



(9)%

$ 79,741



$ 63,038



26% Non-deductible non-cash charge related to the recognition of currency translation adjustments (a) 















15,359





Tax (benefit) / charge associated with ASU 2016-09: Improvements to employee share-based payment accounting (348)



429







(1,619)



(1,993)





Subtotal 35,718



40,235



(11)%

78,122



76,404



2%























Restructuring charges 8,865



3,522







10,872



9,353





Product liability expense 851



3,529







2,802



6,425





Currency exchange losses, net 793



1,290







1,063



2,892





Strategic transaction costs 64



1,529







161



1,985





Asset related losses, net 5



208







127



233





COVID-19 related costs 











757









Income tax expense on adjustments (2,613)



(2,439)







(3,914)



(5,034)





Adjusted earnings $ 43,683



$ 47,874



(9)%

$ 89,990



$ 92,258



(2)%























Adjusted earnings per diluted share $ 1.11



$ 1.22



(9)%

$ 2.29



$ 2.36



(3)%



(a) Included in Currency exchange losses, net on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income.

Management believes that adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per diluted share are useful measures for investors, as management uses these measures to internally assess the company's performance and ongoing operating trends. There can be no assurances that additional special items will not occur in future periods, nor that MSA's definition of adjusted earnings is consistent with that of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider both net income determined on a GAAP basis as well as adjusted earnings.

MSA Safety Incorporated Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures Debt to adjusted EBITDA / Net debt to adjusted EBITDA (Unaudited) (In thousands)





Twelve Months Ended

June 30,



2020 Operating income

$ 206,668

Depreciation and amortization

38,654

Product liability expense

22,996

Restructuring charges

15,365

Currency exchange losses, net

2,626

Strategic transaction costs

2,576

COVID-19 related costs

757

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 289,642







Total end-of-period debt

334,500







Debt to adjusted EBITDA

1.2







Total end-of-period debt

334,500

Total end-of-period cash and cash equivalents

136,238

Net debt

$ 198,262







Net debt to adjusted EBITDA

0.7



Management believes that Debt to Adjusted EBITDA and Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA are useful measures for investors, as management uses these measures to internally assess the company's liquidity and balance sheet strength. There can be no assurances that that MSA's definition of Debt to Adjusted EBITDA and Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA is consistent with that of other companies.

About MSA:

Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company's comprehensive product line is used by workers around the world in a broad range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the fire service, the construction industry, mining and the military. MSA's core products include self-contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems, portable gas detection instruments, industrial head protection products, firefighter helmets and protective apparel, and fall protection devices. With 2019 revenues of $1.4 billion, MSA employs approximately 5,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., and has manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. With more than 40 international locations, MSA realizes approximately half of its revenue from outside North America. For more information visit MSA's web site at www.MSAsafety.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Except for historical information, certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to all projections and anticipated levels of future performance. Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those discussed herein. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from projections or forward looking statements, including without limitation global economic conditions, spending patterns of government agencies, competitive pressures, the impact of acquisitions and related integration activities, product liability claims, the success of new product introductions, currency exchange rate fluctuations and the risks of doing business in foreign countries. A full listing of these risks, uncertainties and other factors are detailed from time-to-time in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including our most recent Form 10-K filed on February 20, 2020. You are strongly urged to review all such filings for a more detailed discussion of such risks and uncertainties. MSA's SEC filings are readily obtainable at no charge at www.sec.gov, as well as on its own investor relations website at http://investors.MSAsafety.com . MSA undertakes no duty to publicly update any forward looking statements contained herein, except as required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures. These financial measures include constant currency revenue growth, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio, net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio, adjusted earnings, and adjusted earnings per diluted share. The presentation of these financial measures does not comply with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). For an explanation of these measures, together with a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, see the Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures in the financial tables section above.

SOURCE MSA Safety

Related Links

http://www.msasafety.com


Long-held aspirations for autonomy in south Yemen erupted into deadly conflict between separatists and unionist supporters of the government in 2017-18 and again last August, complicating Yemen's wider war.

The separatists, who unilaterally declared self-rule in April, on Wednesday moved to mend the rift, withdrawing the proclamation and pledging to implement a Saudi-brokered peace agreement with the government which had stalled last year.

Here is a recap of tensions in the south:

Unification

South Yemen was an independent country from 1967, when British colonial forces withdrew paving the way for the creation of a Soviet-backed communist one-party state, until 1990, when it united with the north.

An attempt to break away again in 1994 sparks a brief civil war that ended with northern troops and their militia allies occupying the south.

Government retreats to south

In September 2014, northern-based Huthi rebels complete their takeover of the capital Sanaa and much of the north, prompting President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to second city Aden, the former southern capital.

Saudi Arabia forms a military coalition to prop up Hadi's forces.

Rival administration

In April 2017, Hadi sacks Aden governor Aidarous al-Zoubeidi, a supporter of autonomy for the formerly independent south.

Thousands of Aden residents demonstrate.

In an open challenge to Hadi, Zoubeidi in May launches a parallel authority to administer the southern provinces, the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Aden palace siege

In January 2018 a separatist force dominated by STC supporters seizes almost all of Aden and surrounds the presidential palace, sparking three days of clashes in which 38 people are killed.

The group, called the Security Belt Forces, is backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key member of the Saudi-led coalition aiding Hadi against the Huthi rebellion.

After coalition mediation, the separatists lift the siege of Aden.

Clashes erupt

New clashes between Security Belt and pro-government forces break out in Aden in August 2019.

The separatists gain ground across the city, saying they have seized the presidential palace. Four days of fighting leaves 40 dead and 260 wounded, according to the United Nations.

STC supporters vacate some public buildings in Aden but keep hold of military positions after Saudi and the UAE send in mediators.

Separatists in control

In late August, Hadi's forces enter Aden and announce they are in "full control", including of the presidential palace, but are forced to withdraw the next day as the separatists retake the city.

Hadi's government accuses the UAE of launching air strikes against its troops in support of separatist fighters, reportedly leaving dozens dead. The UAE confirms the strikes, but says it had targeted "terrorist militias" in self-defence.

Saudi warning, talks

In September, Saudi Arabia demands separatists return captured military and civilian facilities. The kingdom calls for dialogue but insists there is "no alternative to the legitimate government".

Hadi's government publicly rules out talks at first, but it emerges on October 7 that the two sides are holding indirect negotiations through Saudi mediators.

Short-lived deal

On October 14, the UAE hands over to Saudi forces key positions in Aden, including an airbase and the international airport, in a bid to defuse tensions between separatists and the government.

A power-sharing deal is signed in Riyadh on November 5, handing the STC a number of government ministries and allowing the government to return to Aden.

But that agreement quickly unravels, as deadlines for forming a new cabinet with equal representation for southerners and the reorganisation of military forces go unimplemented.

On April 26, the STC declares self-rule for the south.

Deal revived

On July 29, the STC announces it is "abandoning its self-rule declaration" to allow implementation of the Riyadh Agreement, acknowledging that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had experted pressure to row back on the proclamation.

Riyadh said it had proposed a plan to "accelerate" implementation of the agreement, with the Yemeni prime minister to form a new government within 30 days among other measures.

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In his remarks, President Xi made four suggestions for AIIB to grow into a new platform that promotes development for all its members and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind:

--Let us aim at development for all and make the AIIB a new type of multilateral development bank that promotes development across the world.

--Let us keep breaking new ground and make the AIIB a new type of development platform progressing with the times.

--Let us strive for excellence and make the AIIB a new type of high-performance institution for international cooperation.

--Let us stay open and inclusive and make the AIIB a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation.

BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for making the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) a new platform that promotes development for all its members and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi made the remarks when addressing via video link the opening ceremony of the fifth annual meeting of the multilateral development bank.

He called for efforts to make the AIIB a new type of multilateral development bank that promotes development across the world, a new type of development platform progressing with the times, a new type of high-performance institution for international cooperation and a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation.

The AIIB, proposed by Xi in late 2013, was officially launched in January 2016.

"The initiative is designed to develop infrastructure and connectivity in Asia and deepen regional cooperation for shared development," Xi said.

From the 57 founding members to today's membership of 102 spanning the six continents of Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Oceania, the AIIB has grown from strength to strength and provided nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars in infrastructure investment to its members.

President Xi Jinping addresses the opening ceremony of the fifth annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) via video link, in Beijing, capital of China, July 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

NEW DIRECTION

"With more good friends and partners getting on board for higher-quality cooperation, the AIIB has established itself in the world as a new type of professional, efficient and clean multilateral development bank," said Xi.

Stressing that the global response to COVID-19 has made it clear that mankind rise and fall together in a community with a shared future, Xi said that "mutual support and cooperation in solidarity are the only way for mankind to overcome crises."

He called on countries to pursue more inclusive global governance, more effective multilateral institutions, and more robust regional cooperation to address issues emerging in the course of economic globalization.

The AIIB should commit itself to serving the development needs of all its members and providing more high-quality, low-cost and sustainable investment for both traditional and new types of infrastructure, said Xi.

"This will give renewed impetus to economic and social development in Asia and beyond," he said.

Xi called on the AIIB to constantly update its development philosophy, business model and institutional governance and provide flexible and diverse development financing products, so as to help enhance connectivity, promote green development and boost technological advance.

Moreover, Xi called for ensuring high standard and high quality in the development of the AIIB in order to make the bank a new type of high-performance institution for international cooperation.

He also suggested the AIIB stay open and inclusive to become a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation.

The fifth annual meeting of the AIIB is held via video link on July 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

Liu Kun, Chinese finance minister, said Xi pinned high hopes on the AIIB and made concrete suggestions for its development.

"These suggestions show the concept and responsibility of China as the biggest shareholder of the AIIB and give the direction for the bank's future development," Liu told reporters after the meeting.

China is AIIB's biggest shareholder, holding a stake of around 30 percent.

"China will work with other members to promote the AIIB to become a high-performance multilateral development bank of the 21st century and make greater contribution to global economic governance," said Liu.

Xu Xiujun, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), said it is of great importance to hold the AIIB annual meeting at the current stage as it will help pool international efforts to fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, promote common development in the region and provide new driving forces for the world economy.

UPHOLDING MULTILATERALISM

China always supports and adheres to multilateralism, and pursues development with the rest of the world in the spirit of openness and mutually-beneficial cooperation, said Xi in his address.

"China will continue working with other members to support the AIIB and make it a success, and contribute more to the global response to risks and challenges and the pursuit of shared development," he said.

In his address, Xi spoke highly of the prompt response of the AIIB to set up a COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Facility to support its members in containing the virus and reviving their economies in the face of COVID-19.

"This is a typical example of the AIIB's power of action," said the president.

Xu at the CASS said that as an efficient multilateral development bank, the AIIB has provided swift and strong assistance to its members to address the pandemic and economic recovery.

"It has set a good example for multilateral mechanism and increased the confidence of the international community in multilateralism," he said.

According to Finance Minister Liu Kun, AIIB's 103rd member was accepted during the annual meeting.

"Facts prove that it is not only China's choice but also the consensus of the international community to advocate and practice multilateralism," Liu told reporters after the meeting.
A fiery train derailment in Arizona on July 29, 2020. (Courtesy of KPHO/KTVK)

Bridge Burns, Partially Collapses in Arizona: Officials

A bridge over a lake in Arizona partially collapsed Wednesday after a freight train derailed.

The Tempe Police Department wrote that the incident occurred at around 6:30 a.m. local time, adding that the Tempe Fire Department and its officers were dealing with a large fire over the Tempe Town Lake.

Several roads are restricted near Tempe Town Lake and west of downtown Tempe, the department wrote. Please avoid the area.

Photos posted by the department showed billowing smoke and fire on the bridge.

Multiple agencies are hard at work battling this 2nd alarm fire. Additional road closures are now in place including 202 from 101 to the SR143. @Arizona_DPS pic.twitter.com/sxnnVObapP  Tempe Police (@TempePolice) July 29, 2020

The fire department told local news outlets that some train cars were carrying lumber.

Theres fire pouring into the lake from the middle of the bridge, Camille Kimball, who was riding her bike under the structure, told KPHO. It looks like a scene from hell, truly.

Aircraft are also being directed away from the fire, said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

We are directing aircraft north or south of the incident scene to minimize aircraft-noise distraction to fire crews, an FAA spokesman told the outlet.

The cause of the derailment is currently unknown, KNXV reported.

A Union Pacific spokesperson told the outlet that eight to 10 rail cars caught fire. Three tank cars fell onto an empty park below.

Two of the tank cars contained cyclohexanone and the third contained a type of rubber material, officials said.
The apparent infiltration by RedDelta showed many of the technical hallmarks of previous Chinese-backed efforts, the report said. One way hackers made inroads was by using a lure document  a digitized letter, on Vatican letterhead, with a message from high-ranking Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The letter was addressed to Monsignor Javier Corona Herrera, an official in the Holy Sees Hong Kong mission. The report said it was unclear whether the document was fabricated or legitimate; either way, hackers weaponized it with malware.
Vietnams participation in ASEAN 25 years ago has helped the country enjoy strong growth in trade with other member nations.

Trade between Vietnam and ASEAN during 2015-2019 (million USD)

Since Vietnam became an official member of ASEAN on July 28, 1995, bilateral trade has increased sharply, making ASEAN the fourth largest importer of Vietnam at present, following the US, the EU and China.

In 2019, the trade value reached 57.3 billion USD, up 1.1 percent from a year earlier. That consisted of 25.2 billion USD of Vietnams exports, rising 1.5 percent and accounting for 9.6 percent of the countrys total overseas shipments, and 32.1 billion USD of imports from ASEAN, up 0.9 percent year-on-year and making up 12.7 percent of total imports.

The trade deficit of 6.85 billion USD last year fell 1.3 percent from 2018.

Among ASEAN markets, Vietnam mainly ships products to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Its key export items include steel; mobile phones and components; computers, electronic products and components; machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts, and textile-garment products.

Director of the Foreign Ministrys ASEAN Department Vu Ho said Vietnams integration into ASEAN has been carried out effectively, contributing to economic growth over the last more than 25 years.

In 1995, Vietnam joined the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and negotiated to sign the Common Effective Preferential Tariff Scheme for the AFTA. Without the AFTA, Vietnam might not have been able to ink the free trade agreement with the EU and the bilateral trade agreement with the US.

Taking part in ASEAN was a preparatory step for Vietnam to participating in others on a larger scale, Ho noted.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), ASEAN is a market not only in close proximity to Vietnam but also sharing similarities in culture and consumer habits. It is home to 636 million people and has combined GDP of 2.76 trillion USD.

Therefore, there remains huge room for boosting the export of Vietnamese goods to ASEAN countries, the ministry said.

Besides, the countrys main imports from the bloc include computers, electronic products and components; petrol; machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts; raw plastics; base metal; and chemicals.

While many domestic production industries have yet to ensure sufficient supplies of input material, the ASEAN market has created chances for Vietnamese firms to seek abundant material supplies with reasonable prices and access capital sources and high technologies, thus helping them reduce production cost and improve product quality.

Nguyen Cam Trang, Deputy Director of the MoITs Export-Import Department, said amid current difficulties in exports to the US and the EU, stepping up the capitalisation on the ASEAN market is a common trend shared by many businesses, and this is also a good way to diversify export destinations and avoid dependence on certain markets./.VNA
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saskatoon residents will soon be seeing mobile signs around the city noting the locations where impaired drivers were apprehended following 911 calls from the public, as part of a new awareness initiative by MADD Saskatoon, Saskatoon Police and Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI).



The signs, which state Impaired Driver Caught Here, remind the public about the important role they can play in helping police get impaired drivers off the roads, and reinforce the message that police want them to call 911 if they see drivers they suspect are impaired by alcohol and/or drugs.

The Honourable Joe Hargrave, Minister Responsible for SGI, and Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper joined MADD Saskatoon representatives today to unveil the new mobile signs.

We have started to see a behaviour shift around impaired driving but we need it to continue, said Minister Hargrave. Any 911 calls from the public through Saskatchewans RID program are another way to help police get impaired drivers off of our roads and contribute to changing the culture of impaired driving in Saskatchewan.

In partnership with police and SGI, MADD Saskatoon will place these mobile signs at locations where police pulled over and criminally charged impaired drivers, thanks in part to RID 911 calls from the public. The mobile signs will be moved to new locations every other week based on new impaired driving charges. They are already being placed throughout Estevan and Regina, with plans to expand to other communities throughout the province.

Calling 911 if you see someone you suspect is driving impaired can potentially save a life or prevent someone from being injured in an impaired driving crash, said MADD Saskatoon Chapter President Bonny Stevenson. These new signs remind the public that they can make a positive difference in our community by calling 911.



The new mobile signs highlight the effectiveness of Saskatchewans Report Impaired Drivers (RID) program, which encourages the public to call 911 if they see a driver they suspect is impaired. That program which marked its 10th anniversary in March, has seen nearly 2,900 Criminal Code impaired driving charges laid, and nearly 600 roadside suspensions issued, as a direct result of people calling 911 to alert police to suspected impaired drivers.

Our service is committed to creating a safer community, but we cant be everywhere, all the time, said Chief Cooper. Saskatchewans RID program, highlighted by the new mobile signs, is an excellent example of how the public can assist in alerting us to criminal behaviour.

The Mobile RID 911 signs have been placed at the below locations:

4 th Ave North & 25 th St East



Ave North & 25 St East 20 th St West & Ave F South



St West & Ave F South Berini Drive & Attridge Drive



Kingsmere Boulevard & Wollaston Crescent



Broadway Avenue & 8 th Street East



Street East 100 block of Kloppenburg Crescent



McOrmond Drive & Central Avenue



Highway 11 & Vic Boulevard



Circle Drive South & Valley Road



200 block Barber Crescent



38 th Street East & 1 st Avenue North



Street East & 1 Avenue North Avenue C South & 19th Street West

Hundreds of Canadians are killed and thousands are injured every year in crashes involving alcohol, cannabis and/or other drugs.

My son Quinn was 17 years old when he was killed by an impaired driver on August 3rd, 2013 after being struck by a vehicle on College Drive  says Mrs. Stevenson Impaired driving can happen anywhere and these signs will show the public how close to their home, work or school that an impaired driver was stopped.

She also hopes the signs send a strong deterrence message to anyone who would ignore the law and take the risk of driving impaired.

MADD Saskatoon, Saskatoon Police and SGI encourage the public to:

Never drive impaired. Plan ahead for a sober ride home  book an Uber, call a cab or designated driving service, take public transit or arrange a designated driver.

Never accept a ride from a driver who may be impaired.

Call 911 if you see a driver you suspect is impaired.


Schools reopening remain a huge issue during the coronavirus pandemic. A lot of states are still struggling to contain the spread of the virus.

Teachers and schools are still against the idea of doing face-to-face classes, according to reports.

One of the largest teachers' unions in the U.S. is allowing its members to strike if their schools force its plan to reopen without any safety measures.

Around 1.7 million school employees are members of the American Federation of Teachers. It released a resolution on Tuesday, saying that it will support any local chapter that decides to protest over reopening plans.

Some schools have opted to do an online class to ensure the safety of its staff and students. However, this poses a problem for working parents with younger children.

Remote learning at home might be hard if parents are away to work. As a solution to their problem, "pandemic pods" or "micro-schools" are slowly being introduced.

Pandemic Pods

The idea of pandemic pods is kids in the same class, grade, or neighborhood are home-schooled together. Parents can choose who hosts the group or how parents can contribute through supplies or food.

This is just one of the many solutions created by parents in the U.S. during the pandemic. With this, working parents can return to work while their children are still being educated.

In Chicago, Julia Devetski, a consumer researcher and single parent, opted for pandemic pods as a solution.

Devetsiki said that she looked at her neighborhood public school as a place where I could send (her) every day while knowing she was safe, happy, and learning.

Educator and mom Zurii D'Ambra created the Facebook group Pandemic School Pods Las Vegas for those who might want to take part in this type of home-schooling.

D'Ambra, it becomes very economical for families to work together.

She added that if parents are interested in joining a pod, they should consider some factors such as their child's needs, a learning space in a home with enough space to practice social distancing, and WiFi bandwidth, among others.

However, there are concerns being raised on the idea of pandemic pods.

Concerns on Pandemic Pods

Parents with children with immunocompromised conditions might have to think twice before allowing their children to be part of the said pandemic pods.

Just like Madeline Gregg and her six-year-old daughter Evi, when Evi was 14-months-old, she was diagnosed with Fanconi anemia, which is a rare genetic disorder resulting in impaired bone marrow function.

This causes a decrease in the production of all blood cells. Gregg said that exposure to the flu is enough to have Evi hospitalized.

"It was a no-brainer that she wouldn't be going back to school until the majority of people are vaccinated [for the novel coronavirus]," Gregg was quoted in a report.

Gregg said she contacted the parent of another immunocompromised child from Evi's kindergarten class in Louisville, Kentucky.

She said that her mom was a retired teacher and will be home-schooling the girls three days a week for three hours a day.

However, the pandemic pods solution will also cost money. Many might get left behind due to a lack of resources.

"If you're planning around those who already have access to resources, you're going to miss a lot of opportunities to actually help close some of the opportunity gaps that we know are getting even larger," Terra Wallin, associate director for P-12 accountability and special projects at the Education Trust, was quoted in a Vox report.

Check these out:

How Prepared Are California Schools for Reopening?

Schools Struggle to Reopen at Limited Capacity While Parents Protest Against It

How Are Some Schools in The U.S. Going to Reopen
Post-stabilisation notice

28 July 2020

Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

KfW

 3,000,000,000 senior, unsecured Green Bond due 2028

Post-Stabilisation Notice

Commerzbank (contact: Daniela Olt-Farrelly; telephone: +49 69 13623492) hereby gives notice that no stabilisation (within the meaning of Article 3.2 (d) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014) was undertaken by the Stabilising Managers named below in relation to the offer of the following securities.

Issuer: Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau - KfW Guarantor (if any): Federal Republic of Germany ISIN: XS2209794408 Aggregate nominal amount: EUR 3,000,000,000 Description: 0 per cent due15 September 2028, issue price 103.407% Stabilisation Coordinator:

Stabilisation Managers: Commerzbank AG

CACIB

NatWest

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.
In his highly influential 1911 thesis entitled Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky muses about the two-fold importance of color choice. The artist must, according to Kandinsky, not only consider the effect of a particular color on the eye but also take into account what might be termed inner resonance, the psychological response of the viewer.

A case study in color theory is now on view at City Art, which is currently hosting the exhibition Four Decades of Patton Blackwell. A Columbia native who now resides in Camden, Blackwell is following in the footsteps of many modern abstract artists, among them Georgia OKeeffe, who absorbed Kandinskys theories about color and form and learned how to use both elements to translate on canvas their personal experience of their surroundings.

A fine incarnation of this particular approach is the large-scale piece, roughly six feet by eight, entitled Carnival, wherein swirls of color may be said to replicate the feathered costumes of bedazzled samba dancers during the February and March festivities in Rio de Janeiro. The flurry of frenetic movement characteristic of the typical samba school parade is admirably captured in acrylic and oil slick on canvas; especially notable are the artists gestural brushwork and her use of pink and orange, colors Kandinsky considered restless and alive. Blackwell spent 14 years in Brazil, most of that time in Rio, and there is little wonder that her long sojourn in that city should inform her art.

Another especially compelling piece can be found on the second floor of City Art. Its a large-scale acrylic to which I myself failed to respond positively when confronted head on. Perhaps it was the overhead lighting, but when I moved to the side, I could see a dazzling spattering of reflective silver-white dots, like sparks from a central explosion. Suddenly, the title Explodindo, Portuguese for exploding, made sense. The central shape in red and black, the latter color ascending like smoke to the upper reaches of the canvas, reads like the core blast of a firework and the white splatters like cascading sparks. I was drawn into the canvas from the darkened borders to the molten core, and the overall effect was reminiscent of James McNeill Whistlers Nocturne in Black and Gold, subtitled The Falling Rocket.

My favorite work in the current show, a triptych entitled Turiya Dourado, admirably encapsulates the artists essential intention, which is to use color and gesture not only to please the eye but also to strike a responsive chord in the viewer. In Hindu philosophy, the turiya state of consciousness is the point when one arrives at perfect union with the universe. Blackwell depicts the achievement of this goal as dourado or golden; and that is the prominent color of the piece, a blaze of yellow-gold, often thickly applied, surrounding a core of peacock blue, a color that to Kandinsky represented peace and calm. My eyes were dazzled by the rich, glittering surface treatment of this piece that reads like an orientalist fantasy.

For those who have felt that they could not fully appreciate the merits of abstract painting, a visit to City Art and an inspection of Patton Blackwells work over the past four decades offer an opportunity to engage both your eyes and psyche by immersing yourself in color and form.

Four Decades of Patton Blackwell

Through September. City Art, 1224 Lincoln St. 803-252-3613, cityartonline.com.
As Western Australia prepares to defend its hard border from a legal challenge by a billionaire denied entry to the state, another was rubbing shoulders with Premier Mark McGowan after receiving yet another exemption from coronavirus travel restrictions.

Media and resources mogul Kerry Stokes attended a business breakfast where Mr McGowan was keynote speaker with 900 people in Perth on Tuesday, less than two weeks after flying in from New South Wales.

Billionaire Kerry Stokes and WA Premier Mark McGowan at a business breakfast on Tuesday morning. Credit:ABC

A spokesman for the billionaire confirmed he flew in from Sydney on the weekend of July 18 and 19 and was granted a quarantine exemption, but did not specify why he was exempt.

According to WAs strict restrictions in force at the time, which were further tightened a day after Mr Stokes returned to the state, exemptions could be granted for those travelling on government or personal business.
Justin Trudeau is not likely to make any new friends on Thursday during his grilling at the House of Commons finance committee.

But thats just as well. After a month of controversy over whether this prime minister and his government were too friendly to WE Charity, the only kind of relationships Trudeau should be cultivating are the ones he can keep at a safe distance.

Opinion is divided, even in Liberal circles, about whether Trudeau was wise to offer himself up for questioning about his ties to WE Charity, and how this may have influenced the now-much-regretted decision to contract out the operation of a grant program for student volunteers to Craig and Marc Kielburgers organization.

The facts are all out in the open: the money and publicity WE Charity gave to Trudeaus wife, mother and brother; the numerous ways in which the celebrity brands of WE Charity and Trudeau intermingled over the years.

All that is so well-known and obvious that the main question to Trudeau on Thursday has to be, what were you thinking? The same will apply to the prime ministers chief of staff, Katie Telford, when she gets her turn on the committee stand, right after her boss.

Trudeau has already expressed his regrets for what happened when the WE Charity proposal landed before his cabinet  he should have recused himself from the discussion, and he didnt.

Why he didnt remains a mystery that committee members may well want to explore. Did he forget? Is it the case, as former ethics commissioner Mary Dawson suggested on CBC recently, that this prime minister has a blind spot when it comes to entanglements that involve his family?

How WE Charity became a most-favoured organization for this particular case of pandemic relief is slightly less of a mystery, now that the public servants and the Kielburgers have testified that the idea was batted around between them in the days before and after Trudeaus announcement of the program for students.

No evidence has emerged  nor is any expected to on Thursday  that Trudeau or members of his staff did the direct matchmaking between WE Charity and the government.

The prime minister, then, will probably be trying to make sure thats where the committees questions remain focused on Thursday  on whether the Prime Ministers Office was insulated from the actual selection of WE Charity to hand out hundreds of millions of dollars in government funds.

Clearly, Conservatives and New Democrats wont be inclined to limit their inquiries to those strict boundaries. On Wednesday, both parties were promising to get the truth from Trudeau, with that word figuring prominently in news conferences by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre  the implication being that something less than the truth has been told to date.

Liberals have left themselves open to that accusation, with the slow, drip-by-drip reveal that has become a trademark of this government in dealing with controversies. Finance Minister Bill Morneau contributed to this perception by arriving at his committee appearance with newly found and damaging evidence about his ties to WE Charity. Privately, even the most staunch Liberals are frustrated by their knack for finding more damaging material  in slow motion  after the initial damage is done.

Assuming that Trudeau is not going to pull a Morneau by revealing more self-inflicted wounds at the committee on Thursday, the hard questions he should face are all about what he failed to do when WE Charity came onto the governments radar:

Why didnt the prime minister foresee the connections that would be made between the charity and his family? His wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, caught the COVID-19 virus in March while she was on a trip to a WE Charity event in London, as Poilievre reminded reporters on Wednesday.

Why didnt he or his officials know about the money that his mother and brother had been paid by WE Charity?

Why didnt he know about the finance ministers ties to WE Charity, both through Morneaus daughters employment and trips by Morneaus family that were sponsored by the charity?

Questions about what didnt happen are the toughest ones to ask in politics  and also some of the most difficult to answer. But they are really at the heart of what went wrong in this whole saga  the blind spot, as former ethics commissioner Dawson said.

Unlike the previous ethical controversies in which Trudeau has found himself, were talking here about errors of omission, as opposed to commission  which is why Liberals themselves are quietly admitting (off the record, of course) that theyre vexed by this one.

So perhaps the most basic question for Trudeaus big appearance on Thursday needs a slight amendment. Maybe its not about what he was thinking, but what he wasnt thinking about when he got too friendly with WE Charity.
Atlantic Honda - Vehicle Delivery Service

The Atlantic Honda dealership is now offering new and pre-owned vehicle delivery service to home and office locations within Long Island and the New York City boroughs. This gives car shoppers in the area the option of a completely online purchasing experience. Once a new Honda or pre-owned vehicle selection is made online, a drivers choice of vehicle can be picked up by appointment at the Atlantic Honda dealership or delivered to a customers choice of location by a dealership team member.

Residents of Long Island and the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island can start shopping for a new Honda model through the Atlantic Honda online inventory. The Atlantic Honda dealership is home to brand-new model year Honda vehicles from the brand in all shapes and sizes. Current and popular models in stock at Atlantic Honda include the Accord and Civic sedans, the HR-V, CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport and Pilot SUVs, the Insight hybrid sedan, the Ridgeline unibody pickup truck and the Odyssey minivan among other options.

Apart from new Honda model sales, the pre-owned inventory at the Atlantic Honda dealership stocks reliable and well-maintained used models for less flexible budgets. A certified pre-owned inventory selection is also available for drivers in need of additional security. The Atlantic Honda pre-owned inventory stocks a wide variety of vehicle years, makes and models for drivers to find a used motor vehicle that fits their wants and needs.

Additional information on available models at the Atlantic Honda dealership of Bay Shore, New York can be found by browsing through the dealership website, exploring the new and pre-owned vehicle inventories and contacting the Atlantic Honda team. Those in need of further automotive assistance can contact the dealership at the number of 631-665-0005, through online messaging or with a visit to the on-site store. The Atlantic Honda dealership is located at 1375 Sunshine Hwy., Bay Shore, New York 11706.




Lizzy Anjorin and her husband

Nollywood actress, Lizzy Anjorin has surprised fans with another revelation concerning her marriage.

Recall that on Thursday July 16, 2020, she married businessman, Abdulateef Adegboyega Lawal at a private wedding in Lagos.

Even more surprising was when news broke out that her husband was married to about five different women with whom he has multiple kids.

In this chat with Kemi Ashefon, Lizzy Anjorin revealed that two of the women who have kids for her husband are actually her friends. She further revealed how her teenage daughter reacted when she got married.

Read excerpts below:

Lovehaven: Congratulations on your wedding? How come you kept your husband from the public for so long?

Lizzy: Thanks so much. I have always been uncomfortable with exposing my personal life on social media. If you observe my page on Instagram, I talk mainly about my businessesclothing line, jewellery, properties, lands and now skincare.

I am a very private person despite being a celebrity. I shield my life away from the media. My daughter, who is now 23-year-old doesnt appear on my handles. She is currently studying in the United States and Im sure not anyone will see her here or abroad and say, thats Liz Anjorins daughter.

She has her life to live. So, whoever I dated or now got married to should be spared the hassles of media limelight. Left to my husband and I, we didnt want our wedding to leak to the media. Despite being close to some journalists like you, I kept it away from all of you (laughs). My husband is a very private person. He has being my friend for over 14 years. Some media guys knew us then but he wasnt ready to be in the limelight. I respected that and didnt push him.

But your wedding photos found their way to the social media on Friday?

Yes, I was surprised because we had told everyone present that we didnt want the social media posts. Someone must have leaked it. Anyways, we are grateful to God. He kept us all these years and we are married today. I believe God compensated my husband for all he did to me and my late mum when I needed help. He never announced it to anyone.

What did he do?

Well, he has been with me for almost 15 years. We dont quarrel. The relationship has been off and on. Id leave him today, run after illusion and when I got hurt by other men, I return to him and he always accepted me.

There was a year that my only car was stolen by a man I trusted. I felt ashamed that I would be walking on the street without a car but this man, who is now my husband, gave me his car. In fact, I didnt know he was hitching rides with okadas and fell off one of those. Nobody told me, he didnt tell me either because he knew I would return the car. As a matter of fact, he has been buying different cars for me ever since then but nobody knew. His friends thought I was interested in his money and never knew I would marry him. We understand each other perfectly and he is a very good man.

Lovehaven: But why didnt you marry him early? Why wait this long?

Lizzy: I wanted to achieve something in life before I would get married. My mum knew him and would always tell him before she died that he should impregnate me and that would make me agree to marriage. But he allowed me be what I wanted to be. When he asked to marry me a long time ago, I declined. I told that I wanted to be somebody in this industry and prosper very well in Lagos before I would marry. He agreed and told me that the only way I would make him happy is to prosper in whatever I do in Lagos. I went ahead and he supported me all the way. In one day, he bought me a car and got me an apartment. Even when I thought all was over and I would not make it in Lagos and was heading for Ijebu-Ode, where I schooled, he stopped me. He told me, Liz! Eko yi lo ti ma sorire. (Its in this Lagos that you would make it in life) I am ready to sell my kidney to make you become somebody in life.

READ Mercy Aigbe, Lilian Esoro, Juliet Ibrahim, Sophie Momodu spend Valentines Day alone

You see, marrying me is not enough to appreciate him. He is my father, my comforter, my gist partner and more. He was a helper for me and my late mum who took him as her son. This man helped me tremendously and never told anyone about what he did for us.

That was the reason when I respected his wish of not letting the media know about him. In fact, since the wedding photos leaked, he humorously said that he slept and woke up a star in one day because his face is everywhere!

Even when we were dating, he didnt want anyone to know about him. He has a right to mingle freely and not anyone stalking him about because he is dating a celebrity.

Lovehaven: How did your daughter accept him?

Lizzy: My daughter is very happy. She calls him Daddy. He has always been there for all of us. On the wedding day when my daughter called from the US to congratulate us, she reminded me of the day she relocated to Lagos and he gave her some money! Maybe this will shock youmy husband and I didnt quarrel in 14 years that we knew ourselves. He would tell you that Lizzy is a very humble person.

Lovehaven: But those women whose photos appeared on social media and were called his wives, who are they?

Lizzy: That was a fake story. All those photos they are peddling on social media are false. I am not saying he is not a father of children; he has children of other women. He is a Muslim and entitled to at least four women. So why the noise for crying out loud? These two women who have kids for him are my friends, we talk on the phone. I still spoke with one of my stepchildren before you called me. My daughter is four years older than his first daughter. The two women who are mothers of his kids talk to me like my friends, and bear no grudge. If, after my marriage to him he impregnates another woman, I will accept the baby and bring them home. I married him and not his mistakes. Our mansion is big enough to accommodate 10,000 children. Forget the lies being peddled around that he has four wives. He has just two baby mamas and there is a difference between babymama and wife.

Was that why you asked any woman who claims to be his wife to come with marriage certificate?

Lizzy: Of course! If you claim to be a Mrs. Lawal and you dont have marriage certificate, then you are fake. We married in the court, we did customary wedding and had a Nikkai. I am his legal wife and I thank God for that. What God has joined together anyone should not put asunder. I have first and foremost been very good friend to my husband for a whole fourteen years, this means that I know all of his activities, whom and who he has dated and been with, which doesnt define valid and legal marriage under the act. Marrying my friend of over fourteen years means he is a good man and generous man, but the reason he did not marry other women legally is known to him alone. The pictures been displayed on social media by these haters, are people never known to my husband.

You are both into business, is that why you havent observed your honeymoon?

Lizzy: Of course, we have goals we are pursuing. He is a businessman who is into legitimate business. Whatever anybody says about his business as selling scrap at Ikorodu is no concern to us. Nobody has arrested him for doing any illegitimate business and he has never defrauded anyone in his lifetime.
Local lockdown in Wrexham viewed as a last resort by Welsh Government as coronavirus figures continue to increase

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Jul 29th, 2020

The introduction of local lockdown measures in Wrexham will only be considered as a last resort to tackle a continuing rise in coronavirus cases, the Welsh Government has said.

Public Health Wales has today revealed just under half of all the new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wales were in Wrexham.

Data shows there were 15 new cases in the county borough, compared to 32 nationally, while five more deaths of people with the virus have been reported in north Wales as a whole.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said there are currently between 60 and 70 infected patients at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Two new mobile test centres run by the Army were opened in Hightown and Caia Park this morning in light of track and trace intelligence gathered in the town.

It has led to questions from residents over whether a local lockdown will be introduced locally, similar to the measures put in place in parts of England.

Wrexham.com asked the First Minister in early June on the topic, if localised lockdowns been ruled out in Wales , and if Wales wide responses are the tactic, how is locking down Wrexham going to help deal with a spike in say Swansea? not thinking that the scenario could be the reverse two months later.

Today Welsh Government has now said it is prepared to step in, but only if all other attempts to stem the spread of the virus fall short.

A spokesperson said: We are currently seeing a larger number of COVID-19 cases in Wrexham than in other parts of Wales.

Action to contain any spread will always be taken at the most local level possible and any national direction would always be a last resort.

Outbreak control teams, made up of all key local partners, are carrying out contact tracing and infection prevention and control measures.

Extra testing is also being co-ordinated at a local level. We are monitoring the situation and will take extra measures if needed.

The increase in cases has been linked to the Maelor Hospital itself, as well as an earlier outbreak at the Rowan Foods plant on Wrexham Industrial Estate, which saw nearly 300 people impacted.

A small number of cases have also been confirmed by the local health board at Deeside Community Hospital, Chirk Hospital, and Mold Community Hospital.

A range of measures have been put in place to help manage the risk of COVID-19 spreading within hospital settings, including universal screening for patients on wards where the virus is present.

Betsi Cadwaladrs executive director of nursing Gill Harris said: We continue to ask for the publics help in managing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

We want to limit the number of visitors to our hospital sites and as hospital visiting is still suspended, we are asking that you only have someone accompany you if necessary.

If you are unable to attend an appointment please notify us as soon as possible.

Please continue to follow the public health guidance around regular hand washing and following social distancing guidance to help prevent transmission of the virus.

She also reminded people of the boards request for face coverings to be worn in all public areas of hospitals.

Meanwhile, Dr Robin Howe, coronavirus incident director for Public Health Wales, said it was important for people in the Caia Park and Hightown areas to get tested.

He said: In Wrexham, mobile testing units are being introduced today to make it easier for people living in communities on the edge of Wrexham town centre to get a COVID-19 test.

The easy-access testing facilities will initially be based in Hightown and Caia Park.

As well as making it easier to get a test, these units will help public health experts gain a better understanding of the situation in Wrexham.

The work is being coordinated by Public Health Wales, Wrexham Council, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and other partners, with support from the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW) and other community groups.

As in other parts of the country, the testing stations will be managed by the army.

Residents living in these areas are being encouraged to get a test if they think they have symptoms, no matter how mild.

By Liam Randall  BBC Local Democracy Reporter / Wrexham.com
The startup has launched a mobile app which uses the power of smartphone processor and smartphone sensors to capture a bunch of body signals.

The Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH), an initiative by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), has selected Bangalore based startup Acculi Labs to develop a COVID risk assessment profile called Lyfas COVID score.

Acculi Labs is armed with Lyfas a clinical-grade, non-invasive, digital functional biomarker smartphone tool for screening, early detection, root cause analysis, acute event risk assessment, prognosis, and home monitoring of chronic diseases which they have repurposed to Lyfas COVID score.

The new technology developed with support from the DST will detect the possible infection in an asymptomatic individual to prioritize the conventional testing queue as well as carry out a risk assessment of an asymptomatic individual to become symptomatic.

Lyfas is an Android application in which, when one keeps the index finger on the rear phone camera of a mobile phone for 5 minutes, captures the capillary pulse and blood volume change and derive 95 biomarkers with proprietary algorithms and signal processing techniques.

It uses the power of a smartphone processor and sensors to capture a bunch of body signals. The signals are subsequently processed on the principle of Photoplethysmography(PPG), Photo Chromatography(PCG), Arterial Photoplethysmography(APPG), mobile spirometry, and Pulse Rate Variability(PRV).

Lyfas then provides cardio-respiratory, cardio-vascular, hematology, hemorheology, neurology based parameters that are capable of tracking minute pathophysiological changes in the body.

These changes are further profiled into organ system-wide response. The technology is focused on population screening, monitoring of quarantined individuals, and surveillance at the community spreading phase.
Alien: Covenant actress Amy Seimetz has accused her ex-boyfriend, director Shane Carruth, of domestic violence.

The 38-year-old actress was granted a temporary restraining order against Carruth, according to PEOPLE, after accusing him of being abusive during their relationship, which ended in 2018.

Seimetz claims that the abuse has continued years after their split.

Amy Seimetz has accused her ex-boyfriend, director Shane Carruth, of domestic violence and has obtained a temporary restraining order against him

In the court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the Pet Sematary star claims the abuse started after the couple got engaged in 2013 when Carruth, 48, became 'possessive and extremely jealous' and had 'fits of rage and angry outbursts that led to him becoming emotionally, mentally and physically abusive toward me.'

Seimetz claims she tried to leave the relationship multiple times over the four years prior to their split.

'When I would leave Mr. Carruth, he would inundate me with emails and text messages pleading for me to get back together with him.

'In these communications, Mr. Carruth led me to believe that he was in a state of despair and possibly suicidal. These manipulative communications caused me to feel a sense of responsibility to return to the relationship.'

In the court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the Pet Sematary star claims the abuse started after the couple got engaged in 2013 when Carruth, 48, became 'possessive and extremely jealous' and had 'fits of rage and angry outbursts

Concerning: Amy says she is still being harassed by the actor and accuses him of sending her a text message in March saying, 'You deserve pain for eternity. You deserve death. You are a monster. You are a ball of white-hot nothing and you need to be killed.'

She documents one incident in 2016 where Carruth locked her out of her hotel room after she'd gone to dinner with some coworkers while working on a movie in New York City.

Once he let her back in the room, Seimetz claims Carruth was 'out of control' and calling her 'a whore and using other profanities while following me around the hotel room.'

Seimetz says she laid on the bed to take a call from her mother, and claims Carruth then 'threw my cell phone across the room, breaking it' and 'then jumped on top of me and began strangling me with his hands.'

'I feared that Mr. Carruth would kill me and tried to tell Mr. Carruth to stop,' she said in her filing. 'As I began struggling to breathe, Mr. Carruth finally stopped strangling me.'

The Girlfriend Experience star claims the abuse continued for years in the form of abusive and harassing text messages and emails that were 'belittling and repulsive.'

The duo - who met when they starred in Upstream Color together in 2013 (pictured) - split in January 2018 and Seimetz says that despite trying to create distance between herself and Carruth, he has continued to harass her

The duo - who met when they starred in Upstream Color together in 2013 - split in January 2018 and Seimetz says that despite trying to create distance between herself and Carruth, he continued to harass her.

She details an instance in which he arrived unexpectedly at her home in August 2018.

She claims she is still being harassed by the South Carolina born actor and accuses him of sending her a text message in March saying, 'You deserve pain for eternity. You deserve death. You are a monster. You are a ball of white-hot nothing and you need to be killed.'

The Florida native said in her filing that Carruth's recent attempts to contact her have caused her 'extreme anxiety and emotional distress,' leaving her 'terrified for my safety.'

Carruth responded to Seimetz' filing, telling PEOPLE: 'I'll tell the story eventually, not because I want to because I don't, but I am pressed now.'

His story: Carruth responded to Seimetz' filing, telling PEOPLE: 'I'll tell the story eventually, not because I want to because I don't, but I am pressed now.'

Disturbing: Carruth made the restraining order public earlier this month when he tweeted a photo of a vinyl album cover for the Upstream Color soundtrack with a copy of the court document in the lower right of the image

He made the restraining order public earlier this month when he tweeted a photo of a vinyl album cover for the Upstream Color soundtrack with a copy of the court document in the lower right of the image.

Some of his followers reacted angrily to the post, accusing the actor of showing it on purpose and trying to intimidate his former partner.

A previous temporary restraining order that Seimetz took out against Carruth in 2018 was not made permanent by the judge after he denied physical abuse toward Seimetz.
An Ocean County family who owns a maritime supply store has been charged with defrauding the U.S. Department of Defense by selling the federal government cheap substitution products while billing them for the more expensive parts, the U.S. Attorney Office said Wednesday.

Owner of Monmouth Marine Engines Inc Paul Mika, 73, of Jackson, along with his wife Linda Mika, 69, and their son Kenneth Mika, 49, of Ewing, who are both employees, are accused of obtaining contracts with the federal government by falsely claiming the military parts they contracted to provide would be exact products furnished by authorized manufacturers.

However, once awarded the contracts beginning in March 2017, the family instead sold the U.S. Department of Defense non-conforming substitute parts at a significantly reduced cost, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in federal court in Trenton.

To pass off the non-conforming replacement parts as the products required under the contract, the family disguised the identity of the cheaper parts by shipping them in a packaging that masked their origin, prosecutors contend. The complaint alleges the Mikas ran their scheme for three years.

These defendants sought to make a greater profit by substituting products that were not those they had contractually agreed to provide to the Department of Defense, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Craig Carpenito said in a news statement. By doing so, they potentially risked the safety of our men and women in uniform. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out this kind of fraud.

The complaint details several contracts awarded to Monmouth Marine Engines Inc. and how the Mikas defrauded the government.

In November 2018, the Defense Logistics Agency, a combat logistic support arm of the Department of Defense, awarded Monmouth Marine a contract for 89 gasket sets from an Indiana corporation at a unit price of $257.20 and total cost of $22,890, authorities said.

But in January 2019, Paul Mika signed a purchase order confirming Monmouth Marines purchase of 89 non-conforming gasket sets from a Georgia corporation for a total cost of $6,675, the complaint alleges.

All three are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the Attorney Generals Office said.

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Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo.
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="" xml:lang=""> <head> <title>/nwsys/www/images/PBC_1239715</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/> <meta name="generator" content="pdftohtml 0.36"/> <meta name="date" content="2020-07-28T04:20:13+00:00"/> <style type="text/css"> <!-- .xflip { -moz-transform: scaleX(-1); -webkit-transform: scaleX(-1); -o-transform: scaleX(-1); transform: scaleX(-1); filter: fliph; } .yflip { -moz-transform: scaleY(-1); -webkit-transform: scaleY(-1); -o-transform: scaleY(-1); transform: scaleY(-1); filter: flipv; } .xyflip { -moz-transform: scaleX(-1) scaleY(-1); -webkit-transform: scaleX(-1) scaleY(-1); -o-transform: scaleX(-1) scaleY(-1); transform: scaleX(-1) scaleY(-1); filter: fliph + flipv; } --> </style> </head> <body bgcolor="#A0A0A0" vlink="blue" link="blue"> <!-- Page 1 --> <style type="text/css"> <!-- p {margin: 0; padding: 0;} .ft00{font-size:18px;font-family:Times;color:#000000;} .ft01{font-size:18px;font-family:Times;color:#1257c7;} .ft02{font-size:13px;font-family:Times;color:#0d0c0c;} .ft03{font-size:13px;font-family:Times;color:#000000;} .ft04{font-size:13px;font-family:Times;color:#1b62b7;} .ft05{font-size:13px;line-height:30px;font-family:Times;color:#000000;} .ft06{font-size:13px;line-height:30px;font-family:Times;color:#0d0c0c;} --> </style> <div id="page1-div" style="position:relative;width:918px;height:1188px;"> <img width="918" height="1188" src="http://mco.acquiremedia.com/images/PBC_1239715001.png" alt="background image"/> <p style="position:absolute;top:155px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft00"><b>Research Announcement: </b></p> <p style="position:absolute;top:155px;left:364px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft01"><b>Moody's - Coronavirus will lead to higher</b></p> <p style="position:absolute;top:180px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft01"><b>funding needs and debt in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia</b></p> <p style="position:absolute;top:204px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft01"><b>and Turkey</b></p> <p style="position:absolute;top:240px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">London, July 28, 2020 --</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:281px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft05"> RLGs combined funding needs in five EM countries will reach over 25 billion in 2020<br/> Deficits will widen and debt burden will increase in 2020, before stabilising in 2021, except for</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:331px;left:127px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft03">Turkey</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:367px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">The coronavirus pandemic will put pressure on the revenues of regional and local governments</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:386px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">(RLGs) in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Russia and Turkey in 2020, leading to higher</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:406px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">deficits and debt burdens, Moodys Public Sector Europe said in a report today.<br/>The economic contraction caused by the coronavirus shock will translate into falling shared taxes</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:456px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">and own-source revenues for RLGs in these five countries. Their combined funding needs will</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:475px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">exceed 25 billion in 2020, up from 21 billion in 2019, before returning to pre-crisis levels in 2021.<br/>Regional and local governments in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Russia and Turkey will</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:525px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">be hit hard by the coronavirus shock in 2020, said Vladlen Kuznetsov, a Moodys Vice President </p> <p style="position:absolute;top:544px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">Senior Analyst and co-author of the report. However, they will be able to weather the shock, given</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:564px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">their mix of good fiscal flexibility, low debt burdens, and low refinancing risks.<br/>RLGs in Turkey and Poland are the most vulnerable to a prolonged crisis due to high debt exposure</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:614px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">and modest operating performance, respectively.<br/>RLGs debt burdens will increase in all five countries before stabilising in 2021 as revenues pick up,</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:664px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft06">except Turkey. Turkey, Poland and Hungary will record the highest debt burden increase in 2020.<br/>Subscribers can access the report at: </p> <p style="position:absolute;top:694px;left:372px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft04">http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:713px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft04">docid=PBC_1236675</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:744px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">NOTE TO JOURNALISTS ONLY: For more information, please call one of our global</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:763px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02">press information hotlines: New York <PhoneNo>+1-212-553-0376</PhoneNo>, London <PhoneNo>+44-20-7772-5456</PhoneNo>, Tokyo</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:783px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02"><PhoneNo>+813-5408-4110</PhoneNo>, Hong Kong <PhoneNo>+852-3758-1350</PhoneNo>, Sydney <PhoneNo>+61-2-9270-8141</PhoneNo>, Mexico City</p> <p style="position:absolute;top:802px;left:108px;white-space:nowrap" class="ft02"><PhoneNo>001-888-779-5833</PhoneNo>, Sao Paulo <PhoneNo>0800-891-2518</PhoneNo>, or Buenos Aires <PhoneNo>0800-666-3506</PhoneNo>. 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Team Kangana Ranaut launched fresh attacks on actress Rhea Chakraborty, against whom late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's father has filed an FIR in Patna. The Twitter handle of Kangana Ranaut's team tweeted, "Sure Rhea is a gold digger but Shushant was her only source of income, after his murder she rushed to meet Akhtars, why? Does she have valid reason to kill Shushant? Or did the mafia use her? Is suicide gang making her the scapegoat now?"

Kangana Ranaut's team also shared an old tweet of Rhea wherein the actress had requested Home Minister Amit Shah to initiate a CBI inquiry in Sushant's.

Kangana's team wrote, "Yes Madam when u will be remanded u will tell how u found out about his pressures and fears,threatened him to expose his reports diagnosed by your doctor given to you by Bhatt's and Akhtars, every secret he told you of his you used against him."

They further wrote, "....fear of movie mafia ,media their smear campaigns and being out of work he was already struggling with a lot, but very clearly you kept hurting him where it hurt the most but who was empowering a small fry like you. How come you snatched his reports and gadgets and kept deleting his posts long after he was gone?"

Rhea Chakraborty To Apply For Interim Bail After Late Sushant's Father Lodges FIR Against Her

Ever since Sushant breathed his last, netizens have been attacking Rhea with mean words. Many celebs including, Kangana Ranaut and Shekhar Suman demanded CBI investigation in Sushant's death case.

It is yet to be seen how and when the controversy around Sushant's death will come to an end.
While China Says No Oil From Iran In June, Three Tankers Arrived In Recent Weeks

Dalga Khatinoglu July 28, 2020

While the latest customs data from China show no imports of Iranian oil in June, data intelligence firm Kepler told Radio Farda Iran has shipped oil to the Asian economic giant.

Senior Kepler expert Homayoon Falakshahi said on July 28 that in early May the tanker Giessel with two million barrels of oil left for China and arrived at port on June 13. Falakshahi believes the oil was shipped for China's Sinopec in lieu of Iranian debt to the company.

Iran owed $5 billion to Sinopec, which developed its Yadavaran oil field, and China's CNPC that helped develop Azadegan gas field. Based on an existing agreement Iran is supposed to pay its debt with oil.

China has generally abided by the U.S. sanctions against Tehran and has been importing less than 100,000 barrels a day, apparently to cover Iran's debt to the two national companies. That is a mere fraction of what Beijing used to buy form Iran before the U.S. sanctions.

It is not clear whether the tanker Giessel has offloaded its crude cargo or not, but China's customs data do not show any oil imports from Iran. However, two more Iranian tankers carrying 3.7 million barrels of oil reached Chinese ports in July.

Kepler told Radio Farda that the tanker Stream with 1.6 million barrels and Snow with 2.1 million barrels of crude have offloaded their cargos at Chinese ports. Based on this information Iran has exported 123,000 barrels of oil daily to China.

China's import figures show it has received a total of 12.5 million barrels of crude from Iran in first six months of the current year, for a total price of $608 million, or an average of $48 per barrel. This also means that the daily average of imports was around 69,000 barrels and in July it has jumped to 123,000.

Kepler had told Radio Farda earlier that Iran shipped an equal amount via Malaysia to China. The tactic is to ship the oil to Malaysia where documents about the origin and ownership of the oil are changed and the cargo goes to China as Malaysian oil.

Further indication that China and Iran might be using the Malaysian corridor is an 80 percent jump in Chinese oil imports from Malaysia this year compared with the first half of 2019, which this year stand at 320 barrels a day.

Reuters had also reported earlier that some of Venezuela's oil changes ownership in Malaysia and ends up in China. Until U.S. sanctions against Iran and Venezuela came into effect in 2018, Malaysia exported only 130,000 barrels per day to China, which has now jumped to 320,000.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/china-says- no-oil-from-iran-in-june-three-tankers- arrived-in-recent-weeks/30753927.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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(Corrects state in paragraph 12 to Pahang, not Penang)

By Joseph Sipalan

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Reuters) - As a Malaysian judge read out a verdict of guilty on all charges, former prime minister Najib Razak sat silently in the dock at the end of the first of five graft trials linked to scandal-tainted state fund 1MDB.

Najib offered no visible reaction to the verdict. Masked against the coronavirus, wearing a brown suit with red and black striped tie, he had recited a brief prayer, flanked by leaders of his political party, before he entered the dock.

Najib, 67, has suffered a dramatic slide in fortunes since he was first charged in 2018, after he led his National Front ruling coalition to its first election defeat in six decades since independence from Britain.

Tuesday's seven charges carry hefty fines and jail terms of up to 20 years. Najib, who denied wrongdoing, has pledged to appeal to Malaysia's Federal Court.

He had faced a public backlash over accusations of rampant corruption in his administration and his family's opulent lifestyle of overseas holidays and luxury shopping sprees.

In the weeks after the election loss, authorities seized hundreds of luxury handbags, jewellery and millions of dollars in cash during raids on properties linked to his family.

Najib was later arrested, and a raft of corruption charges linked to 1MDB, which he co-founded in 2009, followed.

Before his arrest, Najib told Reuters there was nothing improper about the seized luxury items or cash, which authorities had valued at up to $275 million.

"I didnt benefit from 1MDB, because I believe that 1MDB was created to do something good for the country," he said.

Najib has yet to be sentenced, but unless his conviction is overturned, he could end up in a cell at a prison complex on the outskirts of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, that houses common criminals.

CHARMED LIFE

The eldest son of Malaysia's second Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein, Najib was groomed for high office from his political debut, aged 23.

Story continues

Until recently, he was the youngest person elected to parliament. He was also one of the youngest to be appointed a federal deputy minister, and later the youngest to head his home state of Pahang as chief minister.

The smooth upward trajectory of the British-educated son of nobility culminated in 2009 when he succeeded Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who stepped down a year after a bruising election that cost their ruling coalition a two-thirds majority in parliament.

Najib struck a reformist tone, pushing for liberal economic policies and repealing colonial-era security laws in a bid to shed the perception of a government unwilling to brook dissent.

But the disenchantment of Malaysia's ethnic minorities in a 2013 election prompted Najib to roll back his reform pledges in the face of anger over a perceived loss of long-held economic privileges by the majority ethnic Malays, who form the power base of his United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party.

The majority Muslim Malays form 60% of a population of about 32 million, with the rest mostly made up of ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indians.

Just two years after the 2013 election, the first signs of scandal began to surface at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Najib acted quickly to try and stop the fallout, but it was too late and voters, livid at the graft accusations, threw out his ruling coalition.

A swift crackdown followed for Najib and his family at the hands of his mentor-turned-foe, Mahathir Mohamad, the veteran politician who led a loose opposition pact to power that year.

Yet Najib remains popular in some quarters. His regular jabs at the opposition and lighthearted updates on Facebook have drawn over 4 million followers, more than any other Malaysian politician.

"Last week my Facebook attracted 20 million engagements," Najib said in an interview in March. "Normally I get about 9.5 million a week." (Additional reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Ed Davies and Clarence Fernandez)
Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday evening agreed to a new proposal sent by chief minister Ashok Gehlot government to convene the assembly session from August 14, ending the back-and-forth with the state cabinet over the session. The governors order came after the Gehlot government adapted its stand to reflect the governors views who had insisted on 21-day notice to legislators for the session.

Governor Mishra had earlier in the day sent back the proposal to call the session from July 31, asking for concrete reasons to call a session on short notice at a time the coronavirus pandemic is raging across the country.

Soon after the governors response, chief minister Ashok Gehlot  who is locked in a power tussle in the state with 19 Congress legislators including his former deputy Sachin Pilot -- met the governor for the second time in three days and called a cabinet meeting later in the evening.

The governor said if the state government was not stating the reason for holding a short-notice session, it could call a regular session at 21 days notice.

He asked the state cabinet to resubmit its proposal.

Also Read: Speaker moves top court against HC on Sachin Pilot case, says it is judicial indiscipline

The Rajasthan cabinet had re-sent a proposal to hold a fresh assembly session to the governor on Tuesday, sticking to its July 31 date to convene the assembly. The proposal, however, did not detail any plan to hold a trust vote  which Congress strategists believe is the best move for the Gehlot-led government to prove majority and end political impasse in the state while the CM has the numbers.

The Rajasthan crisis has seen an open tussle between Gehlot, who claims to have a majority in the house, and his now-dismissed deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and a set of rebel Congress legislators, who allege that Gehlots government is in a minority.

Also Read: Convene the Rajasthan Assembly | HT Editorial

While returning the earlier version of the proposal the Governor had suggested that the session can be called at short notice if the government says seeking a confidence vote is on the agenda.

He repeated this on Wednesday, saying that under those circumstances calling a brief session at short notice was possible while maintaining social distance. This can be a reasonable ground for calling a session at short notice, Mishra said in the statement.

Otherwise, he said, it would be better that the state government calls a regular session, like the monsoon session, at a 21-day notice. Before this, the governor had also advised live-streaming of the floor test, in case it was held, and asked about Covid-19-related precautions in the assembly.

In the three-page press note from the Raj Bhawan, the Governor had earlier in the day said the government had not given clear replies to his previous queries.

The Gehlot-led cabinet, which met on Tuesday, had said that governor Mishra did not have any locus standi in stipulating conditions to hold the session. The cabinet asked Mishra to abide by its proposal and claimed the failure to do so would be unconstitutional.

The governor has now asked the Gehlot government to resubmit the proposal giving a solid reason to call a session at short notice. The cabinet should also make it clear why the sitting is being summoned without much notice under the present adverse circumstances, Mishra said in a reference to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Addressing Congress workers at the party office in Jaipur before heading to Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, the chief minister said: The love letter has already come. Now, I am only going to have tea with him.

The CM then assured party workers there is nothing to worry and that the high command is with you all.

For the first time in history, sit-in protests were staged across the country outside Raj Bhavans. The Speak Up Democracy campaign was successful and it will continue. After the campaign the workers are enthused and a message conveyed in the public, he said.

(With agency inputs)

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Federal tactical teams that have clashed with protesters in Portland in recent weeks will soon begin leaving the city, Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon said Wednesday.

Under an agreement between Brown and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the governors office said the Oregon State Police will provide security for the exterior of the citys federal courthouse, while the usual team of federal officers that protects the courthouse year-round will continue to provide security for the interior of the building.

Brown said the federal tactical teams that had deployed to the city would begin a phased withdrawal Thursday. But Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that though the department has agreed with the Oregon governor on a plan, the department will proceed with the withdrawal of security personnel in Portland only if federal officials are confident that federal properties will no longer be under attack.

State and local law enforcement will begin securing properties and streets, especially those surrounding federal properties, that have been under nightly attack for the past two months, Wolf said. We anticipate the ability to change our force posture, he added, once circumstances on the ground significantly improve with the deployment of additional state and local law enforcement.

Hours before the announcement of the agreement, President Donald Trump doubled down on the need for the increased federal presence in Portland.

You hear all sorts of reports about us leaving, Trump said. Were not leaving until theyve secured their city. We told the governor. We told the mayor. Secure your city. If they dont secure their city soon, we have no choice. Were going to have to go in and clean it out.

The arrival of federal forces to protect the courthouse after weeks of raucous demonstrations outside protesting the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis infuriated local officials who did not ask for the federal deployment. It also triggered a dramatic escalation in the protests in downtown Portland, with demonstrators mounting nightly rallies outside the courthouse that often included tear gas and fireworks.

These federal officers have acted as an occupying force, refused accountability, and brought violence and strife to our community, Brown said.

Brown said that Vice President Mike Pence was among the people involved in the discussions to withdraw the federal officers.

The announcement came a day after officials in Washington sate announced that a federal tactical team that had arrived last week in Seattle had since departed the city. Leaders in Seattle have dealt with their own protests, including one over the weekend in solidarity with Portland that included burned buildings, broken windows and local police repeatedly firing crowd-dispersal weapons.

Portland has seen more than 60 days of consecutive protests since Floyds death. Much of the strife in the city had been between Portland police officers and the protesters.

But after Trump issued an executive order to protect statues and federal property, federal officials sent militarized tactical teams to Portland. They employed aggressive tactics to keep demonstrators away from federal property. One protester was shot in the head with a crowd-control munition, and a Navy veteran was hit repeatedly with a baton as he stood still. In a tactic that was challenged in court by the Oregon attorney general, the federal officers used unmarked vans to target protesters for arrest.

Protest crowds have grown into the thousands, drawing out groups of mothers, military veterans and nurses, though Trump has portrayed the protest crowd as violent anarchists. Some protesters have lobbed water bottles and fireworks while also pointing lasers at federal officers.

In addition to the Federal Protective Service, which normally employs mostly security contractors to guard the courthouse, the Trump administration has also deployed tactical agents from the Homeland Security Department and the U.S. Marshals to the courthouse and a federal office building nearby.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Marshals said they had identified 100 additional marshals to back up the officers protecting the courthouse.
Germany will not be able to avoid a second lockdown if it is hit by a second wave of coronavirus cases, a leading virologist has warned.

Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit said 'drastic measures' would be back on the table if Germany's health system is overwhelmed by virus cases - a nightmare scenario which Germany has so far avoided.

Fears of a second wave are mounting in Germany after an increase of 4,127 new cases in the last week, up from 2,385 two weeks ago.

Experts are worried because the virus is spreading across the country and is not confined to a handful of local clusters, with the R rate now regularly above 1.0.

Germany has suffered four daily jumps of 600 or more coronavirus cases in the last six days, after previously seeing none since the end of June

Germany's death toll remains low, with daily fatalities only rising into double figures once in the last three weeks

Schmidt-Chanasit, a virologist at the University of Hamburg, told ARD last night that 'the situation is still manageable', but warned that it could 'very quickly get out of control'.

Asked about a possible second lockdown, he said: 'In the worst case, if we really get a second wave  I define that as our health system being overwhelmed  then we won't be able to get around very dramatic, very drastic measures. But that's exactly what we want to avoid.'

Schmidt-Chanasit said there were 'many individual herds' of new cases, in contrast to last month's spike which was mostly traceable to a few large clusters.

'Now travellers are being added to the mix as well - there are many clusters which politicians but also scientists will have to to react to,' he said.

The state premier of Baden-Wuerttemberg, which includes Stuttgart, has already warned of tougher punishments for people who break the coronavirus rules.

'The virus doesn't understand fun,' he told local media, saying that virus cases linked to foreign holidays were likely to increase further.

Germany recorded 684 new cases today, meaning that cases have risen by 600 or more for four of the last six days, having previously not done so since June.

Six new deaths today brought the total to 9,128 and the country's fatality rate remains far lower than in Britain, Spain, Italy or France.

A health worker wearing a face shield and protective suit collects samples at a makeshift coronavirus testing centre in Bavaria on Tuesday

The Robert Koch diseases institute (RKI), which collects the figures, says the closely-watched R rate is currently at 1.25.

The figure means that every four people who catch the virus will typically infect another five - meaning the number of cases will increase over time.

Angela Merkel has previously warned that Germany's health system could be overwhelmed if the rate is even slightly above 1.

In its daily report, the RKI said the rise in cases was 'very concerning' and linked to a range of activities including holidays, family reunions and leisure activities.

'A further worsening of the situation must be avoided. This will only succeed if the entire population continues to be committed to decreasing transmission,' it said.

Germany has generally been praised for its handling of the pandemic after moving quickly to roll out mass testing in the spring.

The country's lockdown was never as strict as in Britain or Spain, but the latest increase has hampered efforts to resume normal life.

Germany yesterday became the latest country to impose new travel restrictions on Spain, where cases have risen more sharply.

German tourists are now advised to avoid taking holidays in Catalonia, Aragon and Navarre in northern Spain, although not the southern coast or islands.

Airline passenger wait outside a coronavirus testing centre at Munich Airport on Tuesday, after Germany made the checks compulsory for people arriving from high-risk areas

Catalonia, where the virus has flared up, on July 18 advised four million residents in and around Barcelona to stay at home.

However, the regional government said it regretted Germany's decision to advise against travelling there.

Britain has gone further by declaring all of Spain off-limits, while France and Norway have also imposed new restrictions.

Germany has also differed from Britain by ordering mandatory coronavirus tests at airports for people returning from high-risk areas.

Some airports had already started installing testing facilities and the checks will become mandatory from next week.

'We must prevent returning travellers from infecting others unnoticed and thus triggering new chains of infection,' said health minister Jens Spahn.

'I will therefore order compulsory testing for travellers from risk areas,' he announced on Monday.

After a meeting with state officials on Monday, Angela Merkel's chief of staff Helge Braun said there was a 'great willingness to move closer to such mandatory tests'.

'From what we have experienced in the last few days, with over 800 cases a day in some cases, we must get back into a situation where we are well below 500,' Braun said.
SINGAPORE, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CYBAVO, a leading cybersecurity company offering digital asset custody platforms for enterprise, with the support of Lockton Companies, has reached an agreement with a S&P AA-rated international insurance company to provide CYBAVO with a digital asset loss insurance coverage bringing additional security to their institutional wallet customers.

CYBAVO customers can benefit from CYBAVO's insurance coverage in the event of a theft of assets from CYBAVO VAULT, CYBAVO's institutional wallet solution, caused by an external cyber-attack and other events.

The insurer has performed a comprehensive technical assessment to evaluate CYBAVO VAULT's security and risk management protocols, namely the security model, private key management, architecture, infrastructure and overall system security.

CYBAVO VAULT, the company's digital asset custody solution for enterprise, combines robust key management with a comprehensive security design. CYBAVO's unique shared responsibility model, together with MPC technology provided by industry leader Sepior, entirely eliminates the private key as the single point of failure from the system. CYBAVO VAULT's holistic approach to security beyond the key management, drastically reduces the possibilities of asset theft.

Dozens of companies globally are trusting CYBAVO's digital asset custody solution to securely store and manage their crypto assets. CYBAVO VAULT has already protected USD 7.5B worth in virtual assets transactions. This agreement will provide the company's customers further security and certainty about the protection of their digital assets. The agreement also articulates channels for CYBAVO's customers to easily opt-in to exclusive coverage by the insurer without additional evaluation effort.

The agreement has been made possible by the support of Lockton Companies, the largest independent insurance brokerage company in the world, covering more than 60,000 customers globally.

Paul Fan, CEO of CYBAVO commented on the importance of the agreement: "It is a clear step forward in our commitment to provide security at all levels for our customers. We have been offering a robust digital asset custody technology to institutional customers, now backed by this insurance coverage. Insurance for digital asset loss is essential for the development of the industry, and this agreement reinforces CYBAVO in its leading position."

Rory Young, Asia Head for Cyber and Technology at Lockton Companies, added:

"CYBAVO is taking right steps to safeguard their digital asset custody customers through this risk transfer solution. The insurance industry welcomes this sort of patience and transparency that allows for easier underwriting comprehension of the security standards, risk management protocols and the business vision in place at CYBAVO. We continue to work with a number of similar firms putting together creative and viable insurance programs to mitigate this type of risk."

About Lockton Companies

Lockton is a global professional services firm with 8000+ Associates who advise clients on protecting their people, property and reputations. Lockton has grown to become the world's largest privately held, independent insurance broker by helping clients achieve their business objectives.

Despite our size, an exceptional level of service remains Lockton's crowning achievement. We embrace our clients' challenges as our own and protect their interests at every turn. That dedication helps us retain 96% of our clients annually, the best record in the business. Your company is one of a kind and deserve best-in-class solution and service.

Website: https://www.locktoninternational.com/apac/homepage

About CYBAVO Pte. Ltd.

CYBAVO Pte. Ltd. provides insured digital asset custody solutions for enterprises and financial institutions, such as cryptocurrency exchanges, digital asset managers or custodians.

The company was founded in 2018 by a team of experts from cybersecurity, blockchain and digital currency industries. CYBAVO technology is already protecting more than USD 7.5B worth in transactions of dozens of companies globally, including top cryptocurrency exchanges in Asia.

Website: https://www.cybavo.com

SOURCE CYBAVO

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A naval warship welcomed the first five of a bath of French Rafale fighter jets which were on the way to Amblala, Haryana to join the Indian Air Force fleet. Welcoming it to the Indian Ocean, the Rafale apparently established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata which has been deployed in the Western Arabian Sea.

Also read: 64-YO Civilian Gifted Flight In Rafale Fighter Jet, Accidentally Ejects Himself Midair

"Welcome to the Indian Ocean... May you touch the sky with glory," the Naval warship is heard telling the Rafale commander.



#HEAR: Indian #Rafale contingent establishes contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata deployed in Western Arabian Sea. pic.twitter.com/NOnzKOo2fa  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

The jets took off from Merignac in southwest France on July 27 and a made a stopover at Al-Dhafra air base in the United Arab Emirates. They also refueled mid-air. After covering a distance of nearly 7,000 km, the jets reached their destination: Ambala.

The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020

Ever since the jets landed in Ambala, security has been tightened near the airbase located 200 km from the India-Pakistan border. People have been advised to not go on their rooftops to watch the jets and are prohibited from gathering in large numbers. Filming or clicking photos of the jets is also banned.

Also read: Gaganyaan: ISRO Shortlists 4 Indian Air Force Pilots For Its Ambitious Manned Space Mission

The Rs 60,000-crore deal to procure 36 Rafale jets from France was established in September 2016. The first jet was given to the Indian Air Force in October in 2019 when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had visited France.

AFP

A formal induction for the jets has been scheduled for around mid-August and they will be stationed at Ambala airbase as part of its No 17 Squadron which is also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

Also read: Indian Navy Makes Effective PPE Against COVID-19, Starts Production To Fill Gap Of 62 Lakh
She's inherited her late father Steve Irwin's special approach when it comes to caring and loving animals.

And on Wednesday, Bindi Irwin was ecstatic when Australia Zoo's giraffe Forest made it into the Guinness World Records.

'Big (literally) announcement! Our sweetheart Forest has officially made it into the Guinness World Records for being the tallest living giraffe! the 22-year-old wrote on Instagram.

'We are so proud!' Bindi Irwin celebrated at Australia Zoo as giraffe Forest made it into the Guinness World Records on Wednesday. Pictured right to left: Robert Irwin, Chandler Powell, Bindi and Terri

'We are so proud of our towering guy, he has such a wonderful heart. You can meet Forest on your next Australia Zoo adventure!'

She also shared a photo posing with Forest, husband Chandler Powell, mother Terri and brother Robert.

Bindi also posted another picture of Forest with a certificate declaring him the tallest living giraffe.

The young conservationist's post comes after she thanked her fans for their birthday wishes after she turned 22 on Friday.

'Our sweetheart Forest has officially made it into the Guinness World Records': Bindi shared a picture of Forest with a certificate declaring him the tallest living giraffe

In a video shared to Instagram, the wildlife warrior told her fans: 'Thank you for your incredible birthday messages, and your kind words.

'Thank you for support today and every day, it means the world to me and my family.'

She then urged people to 'make a positive difference in the world' amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

She continued: 'These are certainly challenging times. I cant believe how this global pandemic has changed the world.

Birthday: Her post comes after she thanked her fans for their birthday wishes after she turned 22 on Friday

'And my heart goes out to everybody who has been so terribly affected. Now than ever we need to stand together as a society and spread love and light.

'And do what we can to make a positive difference in the world'.

Bindi went on: 'Here at Australia zoo we are really busy. Our wildlife hospital is still rescuing and rehabilitating animals. And we will continue to fight the good fight.

'Let's hope for a brighter future and work together to make a difference. Thank you guys for everything and hang in there'.
HAMMOND  The Lake County coroner's office is asking the public for help to identify skeletal remains.

The remains were found in the 10 block of Marble Street in Hammond on March 10, the coroner's office said in a news release.

The person was a white male, at least 50 years of age and was approximately 6 feet tall. Officials also found a gray-and-black New Balance gym shoe, size 12.

Anyone with information is asked to the call the coroner's office at 219-755-3265.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail

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Last week I missed the excellent John Kasss Chicago Tribune column on The Soros-funded prosecutors. The column was published in the Tribune on July 22 under the headline Something grows in the big cities run by Democrats: An overwhelming sense of lawlessness. (The link goes to the column at Jewish World Review, which posted it on July 23.)

The column opens:

President Donald Trump is sending federal law enforcement into the big cities run by Democratic mayors, where murder and gang shootings are out of control and where once vibrant downtown areas are on their way to becoming ghost towns. And naturally, the Democratic mayors, backing Joe Biden, are on the defensive, upset that the president might win political advantage, even as the mayors feud with their own police departments, as the violence rises in their towns, as children are gunned down. But these Democratic cities are also where left-wing billionaire George Soros has spent millions of dollars to help elect liberal social justice warriors as prosecutors. He remakes the justice system in urban America, flying under the radar. The Soros-funded prosecutors, not the mayors, are the ones who help release the violent on little or no bond.

Kasss column today is headlined What happened to an America where you could freely speak your mind? Kass relates:

In response [to his July 22 column], the Tribune newspaper union, the Chicago Tribune Guild, which I have repeatedly and politely declined to join, wrote an open letter to management defaming me, by falsely accusing me of religious bigotry and fomenting conspiracy theories. Newspaper management has decided not to engage publicly with the union. So I will.

For calling out Soros, Kass has been accused of promoting an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. In his column today he cites a few articles supporting the Soros connection in positive terms. Apparently Soros can only be named if he is to be praised.

In this context, Kass could also have cited Andrew McCarthys March Commentary cover story The Progressive Prosecutor Project. Commentary was of course formerly published by the American Jewish Committee. It continues to support the cause of Jewish continuity and to oppose anti-Semitism as an independent magazine under the editorship of John Podhoretz.

The case against Kass, such as it is, is a crock. Kasss column today is a statement of defiance:

I will not soil my name by groveling to anyone in this or any other newsroom. The larger question is not about me, or the political left that hopes to silence people like me, but about America and its young. Those of us targeted by cancel culture are not only victims. We are examples, as French revolutionaries once said, in order to encourage the others. Human beings do not wish to see themselves as cowards. They want to see themselves as heroes. And, as they are shaped and taught to fear even the slightest accusation of thought crime, they will not view themselves as weak for falling in line. Instead they will view themselves as virtuous. And that is the sin of it. Those who do not behave will be marginalized. But those who self-censor will be praised. Yet what of our American tradition of freely speaking our minds?

Bretibarts Joel Pollak covers the story in John Kass Defies Chicago Tribune Cancel Culture: I Will Not Apologize for Writing About Soros, where I learned of it.
No going back: Roger Jewitt is now banking online

For years, Roger Jewitt had absolutely no interest in banking online.

The 70-year-old had heard horror stories of people losing thousands of pounds after their personal details were stolen by fraudsters and feared the same could happen to him.

But he is now among a growing group of retired internet banking converts who were forced to get to grips with the new technology during lockdown because they could not leave the house to visit their local branch.

An estimated six million people downloaded their bank's digital app onto a smartphone or tablet for the first time between March 14 and April 14, according to research by technology firm Nucoro.

TSB says the average number of customers registering for its mobile app nearly trebled in lockdown; from just over 1,270 to almost 3,480 every day.

Virgin Money saw a 20 per cent rise in customers downloading its app, while registrations for online banking at Nationwide rose 38 per cent in March.

HSBC says the number of customers aged over 60 using its mobile app rose by 20 per cent between January and June. But while this may have been a necessity at first, some say their new confidence online has transformed the way they bank for good.

Roger, who worked in sales, began using mobile banking in March. He was self-isolating and needed to reimburse a friend who was picking up his groceries. He also wanted to send money to his children to buy treats for his grandchildren while he couldn't see them.

'I was worried about fraud,' says Roger, who lives alone in Harrogate. 'But I listened to the staff at my branch about security and decided to go ahead.

'Now I don't know how I would have coped without it. I wish I'd started using it ages ago.'

Retired Alisdair Barron, 70, from Glasgow, had downloaded his bank's mobile app in October last year but barely used it. While he was shielding, though, it meant that he could pay bills and reimburse friends and neighbours for doing his grocery shopping. He also found it useful to pay in cheques by uploading a photograph in the app.

He says: 'I have always preferred face-to-face contact for banking. But after seeing how convenient digital banking is, I'm going to be in a branch much less in future. Parking near the bank is not easy so I'm glad I won't have to worry about that any more.'

Retired dental nurse Rhona Williams, 68, says she had felt unnerved by the idea of running her accounts online but lockdown forced her to get on with it.

Rhona, who lives with her husband Ralph, 71, in Dunfermline, says she has used the Bank of Scotland mobile app to pay bills, transfer money to family and friends doing her grocery shopping and send money to grandchildren on their birthdays.

'I'm no computer whiz but the whole thing has been far less daunting than I expected. If I can do it, anyone can.

'I will still be visiting the branch, but the app will be there when I need to do something in a hurry and I'm not going into town.'

Internet banking has soared in popularity in the past decade. About four fifths of adults used online, mobile or telephone banking in 2019, compared with three fifths in 2009, according to UK Finance.

BUT BRANCHES MUST STAY OPEN A rise in online banking should not mean banks think they are free to cut more branches, experts warn. About 3.4million over-65s have never used the internet, according to the charity Age UK. And many more have limited digital skills or do not own a smartphone or computer. James Daley, of consumer group Fairer Finance, says: 'Lockdown has driven many banking customers who were fearful of the technology into the world of digital banking. Many have found it is extremely useful. 'But we mustn't lose sight of the fact that things go wrong, so branches  and cash  are still important and we must protect them.' The UK has lost a third of its bank branches in the past five years, with many towns and villages now without a single one. Just last week the Mail revealed how Bank Street in Newquay, Cornwall, which was once home to dozens of banks and building societies, will lose its last branch in October. Digital banking is also not always reliable and has previously left customers without access to their accounts. UK banks suffered the equivalent of five technological shutdowns a week in the 12 months to November 2019, according to the Financial Conduct Authority. These were all badged as 'major operational or security incidents', with 113 of the faults being with internet banking, 111 with banks' mobile apps and 90 with telephone banking.

Get started online

Online banking allows you to manage your finances 24/7. You can check your balance, make payments, view statements and even pay in cheques by taking a photograph of them.

To set up online banking, visit your bank's website and follow a link to the registration page.

Each bank has a different process but you will typically be asked to choose a password and set up a host of security questions.

In some cases, you may need to wait for a small security device  that you must use to generate a passcode to log in  which will follow in the post.

Alternatively, you can download your bank's app onto your smartphone or tablet. Search for your bank's name in the app store on your device. The app should be free. Select 'get' to download it and it should then appear on your screen.

You will usually need to fill in a registration form and set up some security questions.

If you are using a relatively new smartphone or tablet, you should also be able to sign in using your fingerprint. If you have a problem, most apps have a built-in messaging service. It may be called 'chat' or 'support'.
A hologram of George Floyd transposed over a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee was unveiled in Virginia on Tuesday.

The hologram, which was launched by Change.org and The George Floyd Foundation, featured various lights that formed to make a 3-D image of Mr Floyd, with his name written around him.

The event on Tuesday took place on the historic Monument Avenue in Richmond and was the first public unveiling of the George Floyd Hologram Memorial Project, according to the Associated Press.

Mr Floyds family were at the event, for the unveiling of what was the first of many holograms that will be projected in southern US states over the next week as part of the project.

A press release from the organisers said the project aims to transform spaces that were formerly occupied by racist symbols of Americas dark Confederate past into a message of hope, solidarity and forward-thinking change.

Recommended Police officer fired over George Floyd killing charged with tax crimes

Mr Floyd, who was unarmed, died while in the custody of a then Minneapolis police officer on 25 May, and his death sparked protests in every state in the US in opposition to police brutality against African Americans.

Following the Black Lives Matter protests, a growing conversation has been had in the US about the place of symbols of the Confederacy.

Monuments to Confederate leaders have been taken down in states across the country, while the Confederate flag has been banned from Nascar events and removed from Marine Corps installations.

The hologram will be toured all week through southern states, including cities in North Carolina and Georgia, to mirror the route of the 1961 Freedom Riders, according to the The Richmond-Times Dispatch.

In 1961, civil rights activists rode buses into the segregated southern states, to challenge officials who were not enforcing the US Supreme Courts decision that ruled segregated buses were unconstitutional.

At the event on Tuesday, Mr Floyds family wore shirts emblazoned with the words I cant breathe in reference to him repeating the phrase more than 20 times while he was detained in late May.

Speaking to The Washington Post at the event in Richmond, Mr Floyds brother Rodney Floyd said the project got him worked up in a good way.

He added: Honestly, its beautiful. And it resembles him. And the energy that was out there last night from the local people  we all were excited. Im smiling right now thinking about it.
Each session will include a short presentation on a specific topic followed by a discussion and question/answer sessions. All sessions will be taught online through Zoom and will be recorded. A link to the recording will be sent to all participants who register.
Former Miss Kentucky Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Sending Obscene Photos to Her Teen Student

A former beauty pageant queen and West Virginia middle school teacher is facing two years in prison for sending obscene photos of herself to a former teen student.

The Kanawha County Prosecutors Office confirmed to E! News that 29-year-old Ramsey Carpenter-Bearse was sentenced to two years in state prison on July 15. Additionally, she must register as a sex offender for the rest of her life and will complete 10 years of extended supervision upon her release from prison.

Carpenter-Bearse was named Miss Kentucky in 2014. She went on to compete for the title of Miss America in 2015, where she placed in the top 12.

According to authorities, Carpenter-Bearse admitted to exchanging photos with the student on Snapchat between Aug. and Oct. 2018. In December of that year, she was arrested and initially charged with four counts of sending obscene material to a minor.

Miss America: 92 Years of Winners

In Dec. 2019, she plead guilty to possession of material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct. During a court hearing, which was captured by CBS affiliate WOWK-TV, Carpenter-Bearse told the judge she unintentionally sent a sexually explicit photo that was meant for her husband to the teenage boy on Snapchat.

"Since I am the adult, and he was just a teenager, it is my fault, and I accept full blame for the situation," she said at the time. "I messed up big-time."

The Sheriff's Office said in a statement at the time of her arrest, "Mrs. Bearse sent obscene photographs of herself to a 15 year old who was a former student of hers at Andrew Jackson Middle School."

E! News has reached out to Carpenter-Bearse's attorney for comment but have not heard back.
Fire officials in Fond du Lac, Wis., say a carbon monoxide leak sickened workers on July 27 at a Quality Packaging warehouse.

Crews were sent around 2:30 p.m. on a report of a possible carbon monoxide leak and workers feeling ill. Fire crews began to treat several workers. Alliant Energy also was at the scene and along with fire crews detected elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the warehouse.

The building was evacuated and ventilated. Some workers refused medical attention, but eight patients were taken to hospitals in Fond du Lac and Waupun.

Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter OLeary said the leak apparently came from a forklift used in the warehouse.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Wisconsin
The overgrown lot where developer Bart Blatstein wants to build a Wawa convenience store and gas station, seen here from the Tasker Avenue border, with Dockside condo building in background. Read more

Philadelphias zoning board has rejected developer Bart Blatsteins proposal for a Wawa gas station along South Philadelphias Delaware River waterfront, siding with opponents who argued that the project would set back efforts to make the area more inviting to residents and pedestrians.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment ruled against Blatsteins plan for a large-sized Wawa convenience store with rows of gas pumps on the parcel he owns at Tasker Street and South Columbus Boulevard in the citys Pennsport section, according to a Tuesday evening Twitter post by the government-affiliated Delaware River Waterfront Corp.

This is a win for all who deserve safe pedestrian access, the DRWC, which manages development along a large swath of central Philadelphias eastern waterfront, said in its tweet.

Blatstein did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking a reaction to the decision and whether he planned to seek an appeal.

The decision could spell the end for Blatsteins yearslong quest to put a Wawa on part of the land he bought between Columbus Boulevard and the river, sprawling from Reed Street to Tasker Street, after a previous owner failed to develop a Foxwoods casino at the site.

When he first sought permits for the Wawa project on the southwest quadrant of that parcel in 2018, the plan was rejected by the Department of Licenses and Inspections because filling stations may not front on Columbus Boulevard under area land-use rules. Those rules emerged from the Master Plan for the Central Delaware, which was drawn up in the mid-2000s to encourage development that gives pedestrian access to the river.

Rather than appeal L&Is decision at that time by asking the zoning board for a variance, Blatstein suspended his efforts the following spring.

Last year, though, L&I accepted a nearly identical plan after Blatstein had a street-facing strip of land declared a separate parcel so that the filling station faces the strip of land  legally speaking  and not the road itself.

Although a driveway across the buffer would let drivers get to the pumps directly from Columbus Boulevard, Blatstein was granted the variance that he sought.

Blatstein was, however, instructed that the pumps themselves would require a special exception, another type of permission granted by the Zoning Board of Adjustment with more lenient standards than a variance.

The zoning board convened a series of meetings last winter to hear arguments for and against granting the request for the special exception. A lawyer for the DRWC argued at those hearings that L&I had erred in the first place by granting the variance and asked for it be struck down.

When the zoning board began considering the proposal again at a recent hearing after a hiatus during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, it ruled that the project should not have been granted a variance and that it did not qualify for a special exception, city spokesperson Paul Chrystie said.

Blatstein has the option of appealing the decision in Common Pleas Court.

Gas stations are a prohibited use and [neighborhood groups] and the DRWC, along with my office, all opposed this project, said Councilmember Mark Squilla, whose district includes the waterfront site.
Eco-friendly Calvados brand launches crowdfunding campaign

The founders of Avallen Calvados have revealed a thirst for growth after launching a crowdfunding campaign to support business expansion.

The sustainable brand, which makes its spirit from pesticide-free apple orchards in France and uses lightweight bottles, hopes to raise 175,000 - amounting to 8.05 per cent equity.

Stephanie Jordan and Tim Etherington-Judge, who founded Avallen in May 2019, aim to stay firmly on the sustainability path as they expand their business around the globe.

As well as championing sustainability in the drinks industry, the duo donate to the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust with every bottle of Avallen sold in the UK and have pledged to plant 10,000 flowering plants in their first three years of business.

The sustainable business sector is expected to boom over the next 10 years as consumer demand for more environmentally conscious products and services grows.

Stephanie said: "From the outset when creating Avallen we wanted to 'Bee Positive' in all that we do. This ethos led us to challenge the conventional way of creating, building and marketing a drinks brand.

"Opening up our planet-positive company for equity crowdfunding is an incredible opportunity to create a collective around the brand, whilst raising funds in a savvy way and driving awareness."

Tim added: "We've set the minimum investment as low as we could - 11.90 for one share - so it's accessible to as many people as possible."

Investors can get involved on the Seedrs website at www.seedrs.com/avallen-spirits.

29 July 2020 - Bethany Whymark
Weve seen predictions of full recovery for the travel industry ranging from 2021 to 2023. But now the worlds largest airline trade organization has just pushed back its forecast of a complete air travel recovery to 2024.

As recently as a month ago, many in the airline industry were confident of a speedier-than-expected comeback as advance bookings started to revive and suspended routes were put back onto the schedule. But given the trend of coronavirus statistics in the past few weeks, that optimism is now seen as premature.

The International Air Transport Association, a trade group that includes 290 airlines worldwide, just came out with its newest forecast for the future of air travel, observing that the recovery in traffic has been slower than had been expected.

Its principal conclusion: Global passenger traffic (revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) will not return to pre-COVID-19 levels until 2024, a year later than previously projected. Recovery could come faster if a COVID-19 vaccine is developed, IATA said. However, at present there appears to be more downside risk than upside to the baseline forecast.

The organization now expects that the total number of air travelers in 2020 will be down 55% from 2019; three months ago, it had predicted a 46% decline.



The major problem is obviously COVID-19's continued spread and the subsequent extension of entry restrictions imposed on travelers by the worlds governments. Although developed economies outside of the U.S. have been largely successful in containing the spread of the virus, renewed outbreaks have occurred in these economies, and in China, IATA said. Furthermore, there is little sign of virus containment in many important emerging economies, which in combination with the U.S., represent around 40 percent of global air travel markets. Their continued closure, particularly to international travel, is a significant drag on recovery.

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The group also noted that the industrys bread-and-butter market  business travel  is undergoing significant changes that do not bode well for the airlines future. Troubled economies have led to constrained corporate travel budgets, it said, but even as economies improve, business travel is not likely to recover at the same rate. While historically GDP growth and air travel have been highly correlated, surveys suggest this link has weakened, particularly with regard to business travel, as video conferencing appears to have made significant inroads as a substitute for in-person meetings, IATA said.

Getty Images

As the recovery slowly develops, it will initially be seen in domestic air travel markets, IATA said, with international business being the last to come back to its former levels: What improvement we have seen has been domestic flying. International markets remain largely closed.

A consumer survey that IATA released a few weeks ago found that just 45% of the respondents said they would return to flying within a few months of the pandemic subsiding, down from 61% who said so in an April survey. But two-thirds said they expect to travel by air less than before, both for leisure and for business. And 64% said they wouldnt travel until economic factors improved.

IATA said that government restrictions on entry  from outright bans to mandatory quarantines  are probably the biggest obstacles to recovery. Some 85 percent of travelers reported concern for being quarantined while traveling, a similar level of concern to those reporting general concern for catching the virus when traveling (84 percent). And, among the measures that travelers were willing to take in adapting to travel during or after the pandemic, only 17 percent reported that they were will willing to undergo quarantine, IATA said.

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By PTI

ISLAMABAD: For the second time in a week, an anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of a money laundering case against former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur till August 7.

The accountability court in Islamabad conducted the hearing of the fake accounts and mega-money laundering case against 64-year-old Zardari and his 62-year-old sister Talpur.

After the hearing, the judge adjourned the case till August 7 and directed all accused to be present on the next hearing, when the court is expected to indict Zardari and Talpur.

On Friday last week, the accountability court deferred Zardari and Talpur's indictment in the money laundering case.

The proceedings could not be held as judge Azam Khan was not available for the hearing.

The scandal surfaced in October 2015 when the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Karachi received reports about fake intra-bank transactions in several banks.

According to the FIA, the fake accounts were being run by the Zardari Group and Omni Group, and some other others.

The case made little progress until 2018 when a probe ordered by the Supreme Court concluded that 32 fake bank accounts were being operated by 11 fake entities to launder money from "kickbacks, land grabbing and large scale misappropriation of public funds".

Zardari and Talpur were arrested last year and kept in custody for months before being released on bail in December.

They have rejected the charges as fabricated and politically motivated.
Rating Action: Moody's changes Reliance Steel's outlook to positive; assigns Baa3 rating to proposed senior notes

Global Credit Research - 28 Jul 2020

Approximately $800 million of debt securities affected

New York, July 28, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") changed Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co's ("Reliance Steel") outlook to positive from stable and affirmed its Baa3 senior unsecured rating. At the same time, Moody's assigned a Baa3 rating to the company's proposed $400 million senior notes due 2025 and $400 million senior notes due 2030. The note sale proceeds will be used to pay off its term loan and revolving credit facility borrowings.

"The change in Reliance Steel's outlook reflects its strengthening credit profile and its countercyclical cash flows which will enable it to pay down debt and strengthen its liquidity position in 2020 despite a significant deterioration in its operating performance. It also reflects the likelihood its operating results will materially rebound from improved end market demand in 2021." said Michael Corelli, Moody's Senior Vice President and lead analyst for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.

Assignments:

..Issuer: Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co

....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture, Assigned Baa3

Affirmations:

..Issuer: Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co

....Gtd. Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture, Affirmed Baa3

Outlook Actions:

..Issuer: Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co

....Outlook, Changed To Positive From Stable

RATINGS RATIONALE

Reliance Steel's Baa3 senior unsecured rating reflects its industry leading margins, strong and consistent retained cash flow generation, effective working capital management and countercyclical working capital needs, successful record of growth through organic initiatives and acquisitions, and scale and diversity that are consistent with an investment grade company. The company's credit profile is constrained by its active acquisition program, along with other shareholder returns in the form of dividends and opportunistic share repurchases, that have led to a periodic increase in its leverage ratio above a level commensurate with its investment grade rating. The cyclicality and intensely competitive nature of the metal service center industry also constrain the rating.

Story continues

Reliance Steel's operating performance materially strengthened for the second consecutive year in 2019 due to a positive swing in LIFO income/expense, pricing discipline, effective inventory management, increased value-added processing and its focus on smaller orders with shorter lead times. Its credit metrics also strengthened with its adjusted leverage ratio (Debt/EBITDA) declining to 1.4x in December 2019 from 2.3x in December 2017, while its interest coverage ratio (EBITA/Interest) rose to 11.0x from 8.5x. However, its operating performance and credit metrics are likely to significantly weaken in 2020 due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak and the deteriorating global economic outlook, which has led to high asset price volatility and created an unprecedented credit shock across a range of sectors and regions. We regard the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public health and safety.

Reliance's countercyclical cash flows and the expectation for sizeable cash flows from reduced working capital investments in 2020 should provide a downside buffer and presents the opportunity for near term debt reduction and strengthening its liquidity position despite a materially weaker operating performance. The refinancing of its term loan will also extend its debt maturities since it was scheduled to mature in September 2021. However, it will eliminate all of its pre-payable debt and the company still needs to extend the maturity of its revolving credit facility which also matures in September 2021. We expect the maturity date to be extended shortly after this refinancing. Its nearest maturity thereafter is its $500 million senior notes due in April 2023.

Reliance has an excellent liquidity profile with a cash balance of $223 million and borrowing availability of $1.16 billion as of June 2020. The company had $300 million of outstanding borrowings and $37.5 million of letters of credit issued on its $1.5 billion unsecured revolving credit facility. The company has historically used its revolver to support periodic acquisitions and working capital investments, but it is expected to maintain ample borrowing availability. The company should generate strong free cash flow in 2020 supported by reduced working capital investments and plans to pay off its revolver borrowings with proceeds from its note offerings.

The positive outlook reflects our expectation that Reliance Steel's cash flows will remain strong, its liquidity will remain excellent and its credit metrics strong for its rating even though its operating results will materially weaken in 2020 due to low product prices and lackluster end market demand. This will be exacerbated by an unfavorable LIFO inventory adjustment due to sizeable LIFO income recorded in 2019.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

Reliance's significant exposure to cyclical industries, and its growth-by-acquisition strategy are factors that constrain the rating and limit the potential ratings upside. However, the rating could be upgraded if it continues to use a portion of its free cash flow to pay down debt and its adjusted leverage ratio (Debt/ EBITDA) is sustained below 2.0x or its retained cash flow (funds from operations minus dividends) remains consistently above 30% of total debt.

Reliance's rating could be pressured by an increase in its leverage ratio above 3.0x, although the specifics surrounding the increase in leverage would be considered. We may tolerate higher leverage due to an acquisition if metrics are expected to improve within a reasonable time frame. Other factors that could pressure the rating include a decline in Reliance's adjusted interest coverage ratio (EBITA/Interest Expense) below 5.0x.

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Distribution & Supply Chain Services Industry published in June 2018 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1121974. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., headquartered in Los Angeles, California is the largest metal service center company in North America, operating through a network of more than 300 service centers in 40 US states and 13 other countries. The company provides value added metals processing and distributes a full line of over 100,000 metal products. These products include carbon steel, alloy steel, aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, titanium and specialty steel products sold to more than 125,000 customers in a diverse group of end markets including nonresidential and infrastructure construction, transportation (auto, railcar, truck trailer and shipbuilding), aerospace, oil and gas, agriculture, electronics and semiconductor fabrication. Reliance generated $9.7 billion in revenues during the 12-month period ended June 30, 2020.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.

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These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com.

Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.

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The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.

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New Jersey health officials reported 18 new coronavirus deaths and 489 new cases confirmed in the last 24 hours on Wednesday as hospitalizations increased for the third consecutive day and the transmission rate remains above 1, both indicators the outbreak is spreading after weeks of declines.

The latest update brings the death toll to 15,798 known and probable deaths and 180,766 total confirmed positive tests since the outbreak began nearly five months ago. That includes 13,923 confirmed deaths and 1,875 probable fatalities. Health officials reduced the number of probable fatalities on Wednesday from 1,920 as the department continues to investigate older cases.

The new cases reported Wednesday mark the sixth consecutive day with more than 400 additional positive tests, though officials had cautioned last week the numbers recently may have been skewed by a delayed in getting test results due to a national shortage on materials needed to complete tests. New Jersey has had three of the last five days with more than 500 new cases after not having broken that mark in any previous day this month.

Over the past four months, we have crushed the curve, Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday during his coronavirus briefing. Over the past four days, we have reported roughly 2,000 new positive coronavirus test results. We are now back, plus or minus, to where we were roughly a month ago in the daily numbers of new cases.

The state hit a one-day high in deaths, 468, on April 30 and a one-day high in new cases, 4,305, on April 3.

New Jersey new coronavirus cases reported by day since the outbreak began.N.J. Department of Health

The rate of transmission reported Wednesday remained steady at 1.14, above the key benchmark of 1. That means that each new case is leading to more than one additional infection and the virus is spreading. The rate of transmission had been below 1 for weeks during the strictest parts of New Jerseys coronavirus lockdowns, but has wavered above and below 1 in July as more reopening steps have occurred.

Murphy said the increase above 1 is cause for concern.

Look at how bad it was in late March, Murphy said, referencing a chart showing the rate of transmission over time. It could get away from us.

N.J. Department of Health

The number of patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases at New Jerseys hospitals increased slightly as of Tuesday night to 761, the third consecutive day of increases after hospitalizations hit a four-month low on Sunday at 696. The patients include 116 who are in intensive or critical care and 49 on ventilators. New Jersey had more than 8,000 patients at the states 71 hospitals at the peak in mid-April.

New Jersey expanded its coronavirus quarantine travel advisory on Tuesday to include 34 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Thats up from 31 states last week.

COUNTY-BY-COUNTY NUMBERS

Atlantic County: 3,323 cases (24 new), 232 confirmed deaths (15 probable)

Bergen County: 20,391 cases (50 new), 1,783 confirmed deaths (255 probable)

Burlington County: 5,721 cases (36 new), 430 confirmed deaths (40 probable)

Camden County: 8,225 cases (57 new), 516 confirmed deaths (55 probable)

Cape May County: 802 cases (3 new), 81 confirmed deaths (5 probable)

Cumberland County: 3,178 cases (11 new), 144 confirmed deaths (13 probable)

Essex County: 19,428 cases (44 new), 1,857 confirmed deaths (243 probable)

Gloucester County: 3,017 cases (20 new), 198 confirmed deaths (7 probable)

Hudson County: 19,430 cases (33 new), 1,331 confirmed deaths (169 probable)

Hunterdon County: 1,125 cases (2 new), 70 confirmed deaths (56 probable)

Mercer County: 7,984 cases (18 new), 570 confirmed deaths (41 probable)

Middlesex County: 17,615 cases (33 new), 1,197 confirmed deaths (206 probable)

Monmouth County: 9,985 cases (34 new), 758 confirmed deaths (100 probable)

Morris County: 7,102 cases (10 new), 677 confirmed deaths (151 probable)

Ocean County: 10,330 cases (41 new), 942 confirmed deaths (68 probable)

Passaic County: 17,370 cases (20 new), 1,090 confirmed deaths (151 probable)

Salem County: 866 cases (0 new), 78 confirmed deaths (5 probable)

Somerset County: 5,163 cases (7 new), 480 confirmed deaths (73 probable)

Sussex County: 1,290 cases (3 new), 158 confirmed deaths (37 probable)

Union County: 16,439 cases (27 new), 1,174 confirmed deaths (171 probable)

Warren County: 1,327 cases (5 new), 157 confirmed deaths (14 probable)

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

The rate of transmission, sometimes referred to as Rt, had been below 1 over the weekend with health officials reporting that number as .84 on Sunday. The transmission rate increased to 1.09 on Monday and 1.14 on Tuesday.

As of Wednesday, there have been nearly 17 million positive tests for COVID-19 across the globe, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University. Of those, more than 661,000 have died, while nearly 9.8 million have recovered.

There have been nearly 150,000 deaths in the United States, by far the most in the world.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has said that Armenia resorts to provocation and diversion attempts to escalate tension on the border at a time when the world is mobilized to fight COVID-19 pandemic.

Bayramov made the remarks while commenting on the recent cross-border clashes, during his speech at the webinar on Leveraging the Effects of the Pandemic Towards Regional Cooperation in Asia 28 July.

The minister emphasized that such military recklessness on the part of Armenia is aimed at disrupting the peace talks and continuing the occupation and aggression against Azerbaijan.

He added that by escalating the situation on the border, the Armenian leadership seeks to divert attention from the country's domestic problems, deteriorated further by the widespread of COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia and caused by its incompetent activities.

Bayramov reminded that on July 12, Armenian armed forces grossly violated the ceasefire and used artillery to fire at the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces located in the Tovuz district along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. As a result of these attacks, 12 servicemen and a civilian, including a major general of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, were killed.

He highlighted that the international response toward the provocation has been overwhelming.

Leading international organizations such as the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States and Organization of Islamic Cooperation released statements while the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, with the support of its 120 Member States, adopted a communique strongly condemning the attack by the armed forces of Armenia. We would like to express our immense gratitude to brotherly Turkey for demonstrating resolute solidarity in this time of need, he noted.

The minister also reminded that Azerbaijan continues to suffer from the aggression, as a result of which approximately 20 per cent of the Azerbaijani territories are occupied by Armenia.

Moreover, Bayramov touched upon the consequences of Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan.

More than a million Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their historical lands and became refugees or internally displaced persons. The four UN Security Council resolutions have demanded an immediate, unconditional, and full withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. However, Armenia continues to disregard these resolutions and other documents of international organizations demanding to cease its occupation and aggression, he said.

The minister also expressed gratitude the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and Rajaratnam School of International Studies for organizing the webinar, and thanked Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu for inviting him to attend it.

I believe that it will definitely yield fruitful discussions on leveraging the effects of pandemic. This event will also be a good opportunity in providing an insight into how the Republic of Azerbaijan is tackling the COVID-19 pandemic since its emergence, he said.

Bayramov also reiterated his sincere condolences to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on the occasion of the death of Turkish soldiers in the road accident that took place in the Mersin province on July 27.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Ever since the rate of coronavirus infections started showing a significant upward curve in Lebanon, fears over the health system's capacity to absorb an increasing number of cases, especially patients in serious condition, have resurfaced. As the country returns to confinement, calls for caution multiply while the hospital sector prepares for the worst.

Deputy Assem Araji, chairman of the parliamentary health committee, told L'Orient-Le Jour that following the efforts made since the start of the coronavirus crisis, Lebanon currently has 2,500 intensive care beds, of which, 600 may be rendered available to Covid-19 patients (in public and private hospitals). However, this capacity may quickly reach a saturation point in the event of a dramatic increase in infections. "Rafik Hariri hospital, the leading hospital [in the fight against coronavirus], had 21 beds occupied on Sunday," Araji noted. According to a hospital source, the hospital has around 25 intensive care beds for Covid-19 patients.

Making an overall assessment, Araji said 12 public hospitals are on alert (including hospitals in Tripoli, Sidon, etc.) while 15 others are on standby; making a total of 27 establishments equipped to receive coronavirus patients. "If there is a significant additional surge in the number of patients, we will have to dedicate entire hospitals to coronavirus and open specialized services in other hospitals," he warned.

Araji said the patients are in priority transferred to Beirut, although hospitals in the regions are prepared to accept such cases. "In the Bekaa, for example, only the public hospital Elias Hraoui is open to coronavirus patients; the others have so far refused to receive patients, which is a worrying practice," he cautioned. "In this region, we currently have 20 beds available to Covid-19 patients, but in an emergency, we should take steps to ensure that around 100 beds are available."

The MP's greatest fear is that private hospitals refuse to open their doors to Covid-19 patients due to their economic problems, while large university hospitals have already dedicated specific units. "When in February we put forward our emergency plan, which included a scenario of escalating cases, the economic situation was not as bad as today," he said. I am concerned that, due to the economic conditions, a sudden sharp increase in coronavirus cases may lead to the collapse of the healthcare system." Araji also believes that if necessary, the Council of Ministers will have to oblige private hospitals to accept coronavirus patients, but hoped not to reach this point.

An unbearable infection rate

"Thirty private hospitals are ready today to receive Covid-19 patients," Syndicate of Private Hospitals President Sleiman Haroun told OLJ. "These establishments were selected because they can equip special wings located far from the rest of the hospital or completely independent from it to receive coronavirus patients. These hospitals are spread across the country, in addition to the capital where the leading university hospitals equipped for this purpose are located." Haroun explained that 500 beds are available for Covid-19 patients in the private hospitals, some intended to accommodate moderate cases, others severe cases (negative pressure rooms), and a hundred beds dedicated for intensive care for the most critical cases that need respirators.

What if the situation worsens? "In a darker scenario, we could dedicate entire hospitals to coronavirus patients," he said. However, this is not so simple in practice because the establishments, which receive coronavirus patients, must be equipped with specific facilities. Meanwhile, the sector is lacking the means and is in crisis, noting that a single negative pressure chamber costs no less than $30,000.

Haroun warned that if the current rate of contaminations continues, the health system will not hold up. He pleaded for the multiplication of quarantine centers where asymptomatic patients can stay without spreading the virus.

Nurses, the unknown "soldiers"

Tackling an unexpected coronavirus outbreak involves not only the number of beds and hospital capacities but also to medical personnel. According to Araji, no less than 250 infections were reported within the nursing staff, including doctors, nurses, and others. With each infection, entire teams are quarantined, which drastically reduces the number of active hospital staff.

According to Mirna Doumit, President of the Order of Nurses, the nursing teams are already strained by the successive crises. "Since the start of the crisis, we have identified nearly 90 infections among the nursing staff," she told OLJ. However, none of them were infected in a unit specially designed for Covid-19, but in other departments, or in their own communities. This raises questions about the means of protection allocated to them by their establishments. She further added that the union was providing hotel rooms to affected nurses.

While the infections are likely to impact, at least temporarily, the number of operational medical staff, the massive layoffs in recent months have hit the nursing staff even more severely. "Between 35% and 40% of nurses have either been dismissed, are receiving half or a quarter of their salary, or are subject to unfair mass dismissals," said Doumit. "For this reason, we have called for a strike on August 5th after trying everything we can with the authorities and the hospitals. Let us see what they can do without us. The reduction in the number of nurses will indeed have dramatic consequences on patient safety in hospitals." She said the strike is not just directed against hospitals but also aimed at pushing the government to pay its dues to the medical facilities to save the sector.

Doumit used the word "war" to describe the fight against the coronavirus and did not hesitate comparing the nurses to "soldiers." She found the indifference toward them hard to explain. "Maybe some people think the nurses are timid and they will not dare to go on strike Thats why I hope our appeal will be heard this time. If this does not happen, I cannot do anything more for them. "





(This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 28th of July)


The air forces of Turkey and Azerbaijan held a joint military drill on Wednesday, according to security sources, Anadolu agnecy reports.

The military activities, involving jets and helicopters, will continue in Baku, Nakhchivan, Ganja, Kurdamir and Yevlakh until on Aug. 10, said the sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking with the media.

Ground exercises are scheduled to be held in Baku and Nakhchivan starting Aug. 1 until Aug. 5, with artillery, armored vehicles and mortars striking simulated targets.

The exercises come on the heels a recent attack by Armenia on Azerbaijani troops in the northwestern Tovuz border region. At least 11 Azerbaijani soldiers -- including a major general and a colonel -- were martyred.

Azerbaijan blamed Armenia for the "provocative" actions, with Ankara throwing its weight behind Baku, and warning Yerevan that it would not hesitate to stand against any kind of attack on its eastern neighbor.

Upper Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, is under illegal Armenian occupation since 1991.
San Antonio firefighters pulled two people from a burning building on the North Side Tuesday morning.

The fire started around 1:30 a.m., in an abandoned building near the 800 block of San Pedro. Officials said a faulty AC window unit was likely to blame for the blaze.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

When crews arrived, they found flames coming from a rear window in the two-story building, SAFD said.

The building, which formally housed Reggae Bar, did not have extensive damage and officials estimate repairs would be around $10,000. The fire was small and crews were able to contain it quickly.

RELATED: Reggae Bar has been on fire before

Officials at the scene said firefighters pulled two transient people out of the building, but no injuries were reported.

Arson investigators were still called out to determine the cause of the fire.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzanian's opposition leader and potential presidential candidate Tundu Lissu arrived home on Monday from Belgium where he took exile and underwent treatment after being shot three years ago.

Lissu, 52, was met at an airport in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam at 2 p.m. (1100 GMT) by relatives, political allies and thousands of supporters from his party CHADEMA.

A fierce critic of President John Magufuli's government, he was shot 16 times, mostly in the lower abdomen, in an attack by unknown gunmen in the administrative capital Dodoma in September 2017.

At the time, Magufuli condemned the shooting and ordered security forces to investigate, but no one has been arrested.

Lissu was arrested eight times in the year leading up to his attack and charged with incitement, among other alleged offences. His most recent arrest was in August 2017 - two weeks before he was shot.

Lissu is currently vice chairman of CHADEMA, the main opposition movement, and plans to vie for the presidency in October general elections if he wins his party primary.

Lissu, who is popular in urban areas, would face incumbent Magufuli.

CHADEMA chairman Freeman Mbowe dropped out of the presidential race after he and three other party members, who initially said they wanted to contest the presidency, failed to pick and return nomination forms.

Magufuli, nicknamed "the Bulldozer" for his ability to push projects through, took office in November 2015 pledging to expand the East African nation's infrastructure and fight graft.

But international rights groups accuse him of curbing free expression and cracking down on opposition figures.

The government denies stifling dissent.

(Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Elias Biryabarema, William Maclean and Andrew Cawthorne)
This four-bedroom home in Truckee, CA., near Lake Tahoe, went on the market for $1.65 million and sold less than 24-hours later for $2 million. Overall and Hamilton

Lake Tahoe real estate is getting snapped up at a record pace, as San Francisco tech workers flee the city in search of more space and a healthier lifestyle. A new wave of urban flight is reshaping real estate markets from New York to Chicago and Los Angeles to San Francisco. As part of this shift, Lake Tahoe is seeing unprecedented bidding wars, buying activity and price increases. Brokers say the inventory of homes for sale has shrunk to about one-fifth to one-tenth of the usual levels. "People are writing all-cash offers for houses, sight unseen," said Sabrina Belleci, a Lake Tahoe broker with Re/Max. "They just want to get out of the city." Lake Tahoe has long been a bucolic escape for Californians looking for a getaway and, on the Nevada side, lower taxes. But the latest buying surge is larger than any the market has seen, brokers say. They say tech workers and investors in the Bay Area, as well as media types from Los Angeles, are coming to the Tahoe area in search of larger homes with home offices, more land for the kids to play, and access to outdoor activities such as swimming and bike riding.

The flight from the city got another push this week after Google announced it's keeping workers at home until July 2021. Private schools in the Bay Area also recently announced they will likely shift to all online classes in the fall, which gave families another reason to remain outside of San Francisco. "Buyers are saying 'there is no reason for me to be in the city,'" said Breck Overall, an agent with Sierra Sotheby's International Realty. Historically, properties in the Tahoe area took three to four months to sell, Overall said. Now, it's more like four days. Properties often have between six and 12 offers after coming onto the market, he said, adding many are selling for far above the asking price. One property recently came on the market priced at $1.65 million. Located in downtown Truckee, California, on the Truckee River, it went into contract less than 24 hours later and closed for $2 million.

This three-bedroom home in Truckee was listed for $670,000 and sold quickly for $70,000 more than the asking price. Sierra Sotheby's Int Realty
Burma Myanmars Union Govt Splits Up Huge China-Backed New Yangon City Project

The New Yangon City project booth at the Yangon Investment Forum in May 2019. / NYDC

YANGONThe Union government has unbundled a controversial Chinese-backed multibillion-dollar new city project across the Yangon River from Myanmars commercial hub and is finalizing the hiring of an international consultant to assist in the selection of a developer for the newly compartmentalized project.

Known as the New Yangon City project, it is an element of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), which is a part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The CMEC will connect Yunnan province in China to Mandalay in central Myanmar, Yangon New City in the south and the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone in the west.

The Yangon regional government-backed New Yangon Development Company (NYDC) initially signed a US$1.5-billion (2.03-trillion-kyat) framework agreement in 2018 with Beijing-based China Communications Construction Company, Ltd. (CCCC) to draw up a proposal for the infrastructure project. The 20,000-acre (nearly 8,100-hectare) New Yangon City project is slated to include five resettlement areas, two bridges, an industrial estate, and commercial and residential areas as well as related infrastructure. The Yangon governments 2019 guidebook listing the citys projectsthe Yangon Project Bank estimates the New Yangon City projects total cost at $8 billion.

However, the project has been a source of controversy due to its flood-prone location as well as CCCCs involvement. The Hong Kong-listed, Chinese state-owned company has been accused of engaging in corruption and bribery relating to development deals in at least 10 countries in Africa and Asia.

Since its formation, the NYDC has said that while CCCC was the frontrunner for the project, the selection process to find the developer would follow the so-called Swiss Challenge model, in which other candidate firms would be invited to beat CCCCs bid. However, the huge amount of the initial investment required has all but deterred other investors.

On Wednesday, a senior official familiar with the project told The Irrawaddy that the $1.5-billion project has been unbundled by the Union government due to the sheer scale of the mega-investment required, making it possible for other companies to join the Swiss Challenge.

The newly unbundled project would be worth around $800 million, the senior official said.

The unbundled project will include an industrial zone of 3 square kilometersa portion of the originally planned 13-square-kilometer industrial estatewith supporting infrastructure; as well as a bridge spanning the river, connecting the new city with Kyimyindine Township on the Yangon side; five resettlement areas; as well as commercial and residential areas measuring 9 square kilometers. However, the official said the dimensions of the area still need to be finalized.

The 3-square-kilometer industrial zone is part of the governments urgent plan to create job opportunities for migrant laborers who have returned home from overseas amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

We hope to start it [the unbundled project] within this year, said the official, explaining that it would only be possible after the selection of a developer through the Swiss Challenge.

To make the Swiss Challenge transparent as well as to properly scrutinize the project proposals submitted by concerned companies, a Union government-level tender committee sent terms of interest to six international consultancy firms.

Three have responded to the enquiry. We are finalizing our selection, the official added.

During Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to Myanmar early this year, the two sides inked a letter of intent on the development of Yangon Cityincluding the new city projectamong other concession and shareholder agreements. Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai recently noted that construction of the pilot area for the New Yangon City Project is expected to start soon, saying fresh progress has been made on all three pillars of the CMEC.

U Khine Win, the executive director of the Sandhi Governance Institute, welcomed the compartmentalization of the project, saying it reduces the risk for Myanmarat least lowering the possibility that a sole Chinese company will dominate the whole project.

But it would be better if some relevant committees, like the BRI steering committee led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, made [the details] public as they said there would be transparency when it comes to BRI project, he said.

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JEFFERSON CITY  Voters living in the 5th state Senate district will have six options in Tuesdays Democratic primary, a race that will effectively decide who replaces term-limited state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed in the Missouri Legislature.

The contest is among the most expensive St. Louis-area primaries, with campaign contributions flowing mainly to three candidates: St. Louis Alderman Megan Green, state Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. and Michelle Sherod, a former aide to former U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Other candidates include Jeremiah Church, a self-described conservative Democrat who has eschewed campaign contributions; Bill Haas, a former St. Louis Public Schools board member; and McFarlane E. Duncan, who hasnt reported raising any money.

Whoever wins will face Republican Michael Hebron in November in the heavily Democratic district, which includes most of the city east of Kingshighway. The district stretches from north to south St. Louis, from Bellefontaine Cemetery to River Des Peres.

Roberts, 32, an attorney who was first elected to the state House in 2016, said he is most interested in criminal justice reform, pushing proposals such as a prescription drug monitoring database that far-right Republican senators have stalled, and passing laws helping the states most vulnerable citizens.

Ive been able to build coalitions, Roberts said, adding that his colleagues have selected him for leadership roles, including chairman of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus.

I have a proven record of being effective in the House. And Im going to continue to build on that in the Senate, he said, citing a 2019 report by GovWatch, a nonpartisan government research firm, that indicated Roberts was the most effective Democrat in the House that year, successfully amending five bills.

Green, 37, said she was motivated to run in 2019 after learning of the Legislatures move to change how college campuses handle sexual assault claims, and after the state moved to revoke the abortion license of the Planned Parenthood clinic in the Central West End.

Those reasons were all before COVID and before George Floyd, she said. And I think now this race is bigger than that.

Ive been on the front lines standing with our grassroots movements for years, she said. We need elected officials who work in partnership with those social movements and who carry the demands of those social movements into the halls of power.

As a member of the Board of Aldermen, Green said she had been involved in numerous issues over the years, including a 2015 measure to raise St. Louis minimum wage, and more recently, pushing to close the Medium Security Institution, the city jail known as the workhouse.

Sherod, 58, an attorney and certified public accountant who served as a deputy to McCaskill in the state auditors office and the U.S. Senate, described herself as a quiet fighter who wants to craft laws that will allow us to bring resources back to our community, that will allow us to look at the criminal justice system.

She said her accounting experience would help if the state weighs budget cuts during the current economic recession.

I listen, I observe, try to figure out how I can get the result that Im looking for, Sherod said. Ive been behind the scenes for 20 years, just working, making things happen. ... I know how to get things done.

McCaskill said Wednesday Sherod was the No. 2 in the auditors office, reporting directly to McCaskill. Sherod ran the senators St. Louis regional office during McCaskills first term, McCaskill said.

She just keeps her head down and does the work, McCaskill said. She just wanted the office to do the best job possible.

Criticism of Roberts

Green said Roberts couldnt legitimately speak about issues of sexual misconduct in the Senate because two women sued him in recent years, accusing him of sexual assault.

The lawsuits have since been voluntarily dismissed.

We need someone who can legitimately speak to these issues, and that person is not Steve Roberts, she said. Weve never really seen the finality to that (the allegations against him).

Roberts said, those cases have been dismissed and I dont really have any more comment on that.

He said absolutely when asked if he could speak to issues of sexual misconduct legitimately in the state Senate, saying he worked in 2012 with sexual assault victims in India for the Counsel to Secure Justice.

Roberts past legal troubles reemerged as an issue this week when Sherod wrote to Michael Butler, chairman of the St. Louis City Central Democratic Committee, asking how the committee determined whether to call on a candidate to abandon their race.

The city Democrats had asked Bill Haas to end his campaign, and last week barred him from participating in a debate on Thursday, based on late-night Facebook comments he made to a state Democratic Party official that she described as creepy.

Haas sued the Missouri Democratic Party in St. Louis Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Fair is Fair, Sherod said on Twitter. If St. Louis City Dems wants to disinvite Haas because of treatment of women, then all candidates in the race need to be held to the same standard.

Fundraising numbers

Sherod, who has raised $138,000 for her campaign, reported pulling in $4,910 during the fundraising period covering most of July. All but $200 this month came from individuals, according to Missouri Ethics Commission records.

Green, who has raised $111,468 for her bid, reported earlier this week she had raised more than $10,000 between July 1 and July 23.

She received the vast majority of her support this month from individuals, who made about 150 contributions.

Roberts, meanwhile, raised nearly $45,000 in that same time period.

About $39,000 of that came from political action committees, law firms and other groups, according to Missouri Ethics Commission records.

Roberts has reported raising $317,524 in total for his campaign.

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CHEYENNE  The movement to restore the statue to Esther Hobart Morris to her historic perch in front of the Capitol building has diminished in the wake of the pandemic, the collapsing economy and the budget crisis.

Yet I suspect that effort will come back reinvigorated when everything settles down.

Therefore, a recent biography of the nations first woman justice of the peace remains pertinent and a worthwhile addition to Esthers story

Published last year (The Year of the Wyoming Woman ) by Kathryn Swim Cummings after years of research, it is offered as the unembellished story of the first national female judge.

Ill get to the unembellished part later.

But first, this is a book that does a nice job of rounding out Esthers character. Cummings does this through her access to personal letters between Esther and her family.

Esther was the seventh of 11 children born in 1812 to Daniel McQuigg and Charlotte Hobart in Tioga County, New York.

She grew up on a large farm originally owned by her grandfather in the village of Spencer.

Although busy with farm chores, she was beginning to be affected by the changes sweeping the country. She became an avowed abolitionist and later, a supporter of the womens suffrage (the vote).

Like all women of that time, she was a victim of the laws.

In New York, married women were not allowed to own, control or transfer land until the law changed in 1848.

A man could desert his wife, take the children and leave her with no recourse, Cummings wrote

She was powerless. She couldnt even vote to change the laws.

Esther in 1842 married a successful civil engineer, Artemas Slack, who worked on the New York And Erie Railroads.

They settled in Oswego, New York and had a son, Archibald Artemas, always called Archie.

Sadly Esthers husband became ill at age 32 and died.

His will left land in Illinois to Esther and their son.

But New York law prevented her from taking possession of her inherited property.

Scared and angry, a widow at 30 with a seven-month-old son, she went to Illinois where New York law did not apply and she could claim the land she inherited.

She met John Morris, a merchant from Poland, in Ottawa, Illinois, and married him in 1846.They had a son John and twins Edward and Charles.

Son John died in a cholera epidemic, leaving his father so grief-stricken he began drinking more.

Things went downhill. He lost his business. He started to travel more away from home.

Needing money, Esther went back to sewing and hat-making to help support the family.

She contemplated divorce and continued her interest in womens issues.

The only time I was ever lost was when I was quiet, she wrote in one letter.

The Gold Rush in South Pass brought Esther to the Wyoming Territory. Her husband John Morris and her son Archie were high on the prospects of the area and bought gold mine shares.

This was the root of the myth of the famous tea party. It held that Esther was such a polished hostess and such a good lobbyist that she had convinced a key legislator, William Bright, to sponsor the womens suffrage act in the Legislature in the forthcoming session.

And this important meeting was attended by dozens of other dignitaries in her tiny cabin in South Pass City in winter.

Didnt happen. Wyoming historians, beginning with T.A. Larson and including Cummings stomped and extinguished the myth, once and for all.

Esther represented lots of unhappy women at that time with no education and no rights, Larson is quoted as saying in the book.

But Esther did perform as the first woman justice of the peace. So that stands.

The unembellished parts Cummings referred to includes the tea party and another story about Esther having her husband arrested for disturbing her courtroom.

Thats not likely either, although perhaps she should have.

Cummings has done a good job here. It is a very complex book because it covers so many members of such a large family.

So even though Esther wasnt a Susan B. Anthony, thats OK.

She is ours.

We want her back in the sun.

Joan Barron is a former longtime capitol bureau reporter. Contact her at 307-632-2534 or jmbarron@bresnan.net.

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New Delhi:

Both Houses of Parliament witnessed ruckus over demonetisation move on Thursday. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day after Oppositions uproar demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modis presence in the house.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed Rajya Sabha over demonetisation move. Former PM strongly disagreed with the demonetisation move. He quoted the move as monumental mismanagement, organised loot and legalised plunder.

Samajwadi Party leader Akshay Yadav tore papers and threw it on Speakers table. Then, Lok Sabha was adjourned. Mamata Banerjee met President over demonetisation issue.

Here is the detailed account of who said what in the Parliament:



Mayawati - BSP

# "I want to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if you really are an honest man and want a correct survey and if you have guts, then dissolve Parliament and hold fresh elections," Mayawati said over the demonetisation issue.

# "The ruling party does not want Parliament to function as all the Opposition parties are demanding PM's presence in Parliament," Mayawati said outside Parliament.

Also read: Demonetisation: Parliament adjourned till Friday as Oppn-Govt battle continues; Manmohan calls it organised loot, Jaitley rejects charges

Ghulam Nabi Azad - Congress

# If the Prime Minister has attended the House only for the question hour then the proceedings wont go on.

# What did opposition say while 2G? That PM will sit and he did so for two days. Now you cannot run away: Ghulam Nabi Azad in RS



Naresh Agrawal - Samajwadi Party

# Governments demonetisation move was aimed at assembly election in Uttar Pradesh.

Manmohan Singh - Congress



# "I do not disagree with these objectives, but there is monumental mismanagement of which there are no two opinions in the country as a whole," said Dr Singh, whose government was decisively defeated by PM Modi two years ago.

# 60-65 people have lost their lives, what has been done can weaken our people's confidence in currency and banking system. Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run should recall quote "In the long run we are all dead."

# PM said wait for 50 days but for the poor section even 50 days can be detrimental.

Also read: As it happened | Both houses adjourned for the day after opposition's uproar demanding PM's presence in Parliament

# I want to ask PM that can he name any country where people have deposited their money but are not able to withdraw it. It is important to take note of the grievances of the people suffering.



# PM must come with some constructive proposal how we can implement the scheme.



# Cooperative banking sector which is serving large number in rural sector is not operational.



# Monumental mismanagement has been undertaken in implementation of demonetisation.



# I hope that PM will help us find practical ways to give relief to people suffering.



# Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run should recall quote "In the long run we are all dead.



# Several deaths and distress among the poor, farmers and small traders convinced him the demonetisation plan led to organised loot and legalised plunder.

Also read: Manmohan's top quotes on demonetisation in RS: 'Monumental mismanagement, organised loot, legalised plunder'

Arun Jaitley - BJP

# If it is on demonetisation issue, let the Opposition resume the debate and Dr Manmohan Singh speak. Those who didnt consider scandals to be a blunder, they are considering demonetisation to be a blunder.

# Those parties who were once a part of every scandal in the country are now opposing demonetisation.



# Their govt had the most scams and black money generated during its tenure. 2G scam, Coal Scam everything happened during their govt.



# Govt is convinced that our steps against corruption and black money are correct.



# First day it was a debate without any pre-conditions, from next day they started putting unreasonable conditions and it continues.



# Whole country has seen the government which is full of scandals and the black money also generated in their regime.

# Opposition thinks DeMonetisation is a blunder. Don't they think Commonwealth and 2G was a blunder?



Mallikarjun Kharge - Congress

# We'll first meet Opposition and then decide whether we'll go to meeting called by home minister or not. Let PM or speaker call for meet.

Mamta Banerjee - TMC

# You couldnt recover Swiss bank black money, but create inconvenience for those with white money; You've created more havoc than Hitler-WB CM

# They are not allowing tax payers to withdraw money from their accounts. This is draconian concept. It is worse than Hitlers rule.

Akhilesh Yadav  Samajwadi Party

# Everyone is worried today. Government should give some exemptions to farmers.

Raman Singh - BJP

# Entire country is supporting PM's move of Demonetisation, this will not only curb black money but will bring economic development as well: Raman Singh

FULL COVERAGE: BLACK MONEY CRACKDOWN

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ATLANTA, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions, today announced financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2020.

"The Company's second quarter results significantly exceeded our expectations as we managed the business through the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Progressive's results were favorably impacted by improving invoice growth throughout the quarter, operating expense management and strong customer payment activity. Similarly, the Aaron's Business second quarter financial strength is the result of strong customer payment activity, lower write-offs, and operating expense management. We continue to maintain a conservatively capitalized balance sheet and have experienced strong year-to-date operating cash flow. Overall, I am very pleased with our second quarter results and would like to express my deepest gratitude to our team members across all of our businesses for their dedication during these challenging times," said John Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of Aaron's, Inc.

Consolidated Results

For the second quarter of 2020, consolidated revenues were $1.03 billion compared with $968.1 million for the second quarter of 2019, an increase of 6.4%. The increase in consolidated revenues was due to an increase in revenues at Progressive partially offset by lower revenues in the Aaron's Business.

Net earnings for the second quarter of 2020 were $68.4 million compared to net earnings of $42.7 million in the prior year period. Net earnings in the second quarter of 2020 and 2019 included $7.0 million and $18.7 million, respectively, in pre-tax restructuring charges.

Adjusted EBITDA for the Company was $129.8 million for the second quarter of 2020, compared with $107.4 million for the same period in 2019, an increase of $22.4 million, or 20.9%. As a percentage of revenues, Adjusted EBITDA was 12.6% in the second quarter of 2020 compared with 11.1% for the same period in 2019.

Diluted earnings per share for the second quarter of 2020 were $1.01 compared with diluted earnings per share of $0.62 in the year ago period. On a non-GAAP basis, diluted earnings per share were $1.18 in the second quarter of 2020. This compares with non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.93 for the same quarter in 2019, an increase of $0.25 or 26.9%.

The Company generated $360.8 million in cash from operations during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and ended the second quarter with $313.1 million in cash, compared with a cash balance of $57.8 million at the end of 2019. Total available liquidity was approximately $800 million at June 30, 2020.

Progressive Leasing Segment Results

Progressive Leasing's revenues in the second quarter of 2020 increased 14.2% to a record $589.7 million compared to $516.3 million in the second quarter of 2019. Second quarter invoice volume decreased 2.2% due primarily to the COVID-related closure of many retail partner locations, which have recently begun to reopen. Invoice volume per active door was up 1.7% while active doors were down 3.9% to approximately 19,000. Progressive Leasing had 902,000 customers at June 30, 2020, a 0.8% decrease from June 30, 2019.

Earnings before income taxes for the second quarter of 2020 were $59.8 million compared to $58.4 million in the prior year period. EBITDA for the second quarter of 2020 was $70.7 million compared with $68.2 million for the same period of 2019, an increase of 3.6%. As a percentage of revenues, EBITDA was 12.0% for the second quarter of 2020, a decrease of 120 basis points compared to the second quarter of 2019. Lower SG&A expenses and merchandise write-offs were more than offset by lower year-over-year gross margins resulting from higher 90-day buyout activity in the second quarter.

The provision for lease merchandise write-offs was 6.1% of revenues in the second quarter of 2020 compared with 7.6% in the same period of 2019. The decrease in the provision for lease merchandise write-offs was due primarily to strong customer payment activity and more conservative decisioning.

The Aaron's Business Segment Results

For the second quarter of 2020, total revenues for the Aaron's Business decreased 2.8% to $431.0 million from $443.2 million in the second quarter of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to the net reduction of 185 stores during the 15-month period ended June 30, 2020, a lower lease portfolio balance entering the quarter, and the temporary impact of COVID-related showroom closures during the second quarter of 2020, partially offset by strong customer payment activity. Same-store revenues were up 1.4% due primarily to strong customer payment activity including early buyout revenue and retail sales and continued growth in e-commerce revenue. Customer count on a same-store basis was down 6.5% during the second quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. Company-operated Aaron's stores had 898,000 customers at June 30, 2020, an 8.7% decrease from June 30, 2019.

Lease revenue and fees for the three months ended June 30, 2020 decreased 2.8% compared with the same period in 2019. Non-retail sales, which primarily consist of merchandise sales to the Company's franchisees, decreased 3.2% for the second quarter of 2020 compared with the same period of the prior year.

Earnings before income taxes for the second quarter of 2020 were $32.0 million which includes the impact of $7.0 million in restructuring charges. Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended June 30, 2020 was $57.1 million, compared to $39.7 million for the same period in 2019, an increase of $17.4 million or 44.0%. The increase in adjusted EBITDA was due primarily to strong customer payment activity, improved merchandise write-offs and lower SG&A expenses, partially offset by the impact of a lower portfolio balance entering the second quarter and the temporary impact of COVID related showroom closures during the second quarter of 2020.

The provision for lease merchandise write-offs was 3.7% of revenues in the second quarter of 2020, compared with 5.6% for the same period last year. Contributing to the year-over-year improvement in write-offs was strong customer payment activity, both in-store and on Aarons.com.

At June 30, 2020, the Aaron's Business had 1,098 Company-operated stores and 316 franchised stores.

Significant Components of Revenue and Franchise Performance

Consolidated lease revenues and fees for the three months ended June 30, 2020 increased 6.9% over the same period of the prior year. Franchise royalties and fees decreased 60.9% in the second quarter of 2020 compared with the same period a year ago. That decrease resulted from the temporary suspension of franchise royalty fees from early March until late May, as part of the COVID-19 relief the Aaron's Business offered franchisees, and a lower number of franchised stores. Franchisee revenues totaled $104.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, a decrease of 3.5% from the same period for the prior year. Same-store revenues for franchised stores increased 6.6% and same-store customer counts declined 7.6% for the second quarter of 2020 compared with the same quarter in 2019. Franchised stores had 216,000 customers at the end of the second quarter of 2020. Revenues and customers of franchisees are not revenues and customers of the Aaron's Business or the Company.

2020 Outlook

For the third quarter, we expect consolidated revenues between $950 million and $975 million and Non-GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share of between $0.80 and $0.90. This outlook assumes no significant deterioration in the current retail environment, some level of continuing government stimulus, and a gradual improvement in global supply chain conditions.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items



Q3 2020 Range

Low High Projected Earnings Per Share Assuming Dilution $ 0.74

$ 0.84

Add: Projected Intangible Amortization Expense 0.06

0.06

Projected Non-GAAP Earnings Per Share Assuming Dilution $ 0.80

$ 0.90



Conference Call and Webcast

The Company will hold a conference call to discuss its quarterly results on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The public is invited to listen to the conference call by webcast accessible through the Company's investor relations website, investor.aarons.com. The webcast will be archived for playback at that same site.

About Aaron's, Inc.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), is a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions. Progressive Leasing provides lease-purchase solutions through more than 19,000 retail and e-commerce partner locations in 46 states and the District of Columbia. The Aaron's Business engages in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, home appliances, consumer electronics and accessories through its approximately 1,400 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, as well as its e-commerce platform, Aarons.com. Vive Financial ("Vive", formerly Dent-A-Med, Inc.), provides a variety of second-look credit products that are originated through federally-insured banks. For more information, visit investor.aarons.com, Aarons.com, ProgLeasing.com, and ViveCard.com.



"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this news release regarding our business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as "continue", "expect", "outlook" and similar terminology. These risks and uncertainties include factors such as (i) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related measures taken by governmental or regulatory authorities to combat the pandemic, and whether additional government stimulus payments or supplemental unemployment benefits will be approved, and the nature, amount and timing of any such payments or benefits, including the impact of the pandemic and such measures on: (a) demand for the lease-to-own products offered by our Progressive Leasing and Aaron's Business segments, (b) Progressive Leasing's retail partners, (c) our customers, including their ability and willingness to satisfy their obligations under their lease agreements, (d) our suppliers' ability to provide us with the merchandise we need to obtain from them, (e) our employees and labor needs, including our ability to adequately staff our operations, (f) our financial and operational performance, and (g) our liquidity; (ii) changes in the enforcement of existing laws and regulations and the adoption of new laws and regulations that may unfavorably impact our businesses; (iii) the effects on our business and reputation resulting from Progressive's announced settlement and related consent order with the FTC, including the risk of losing existing retail partners or being unable to establish new partnerships with additional retailers, and of any follow-on regulatory and/or civil litigation arising therefrom; (iv) other types of legal and regulatory proceedings and investigations, including those related to customer privacy, third party and employee fraud and information security; (v) the risks associated with our business transformation strategy for our Aaron's Business not being successful, including our e-commerce and real estate repositioning and optimization initiatives (including the risk that the costs associated with these initiatives exceeds our expectations); (vi) risks associated with the challenges faced by our Aaron's Business, including the commoditization of consumer electronics and the high fixed-cost operating model of the Aaron's Business; (vii) increased competition from traditional and virtual lease-to-own competitors, as well as from traditional and on-line retailers and other competitors; (viii) financial challenges faced by our franchisees, which we believe may be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and related governmental or regulatory measures to combat the pandemic; (ix) increases in lease merchandise write-offs for our Aaron's Business and increases in lease merchandise write-offs and the provision for returns and uncollectible renewal payments for Progressive Leasing, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; and the other risks and uncertainties discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Statements in this press release that are "forward-looking" include without limitation statements about (i) the strength of our balance sheet and our liquidity; and (ii) our outlook for our consolidated financial performance for the third quarter of 2020. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Aaron's, Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Earnings (In thousands, except per share amounts)





(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended (Unaudited)

Six Months Ended



June 30, June 30,



2020 2019 2020 2019 Revenues:









Lease Revenues and Fees

$ 969,987

$ 907,565

$ 2,017,900

$ 1,851,722

Retail Sales

14,020

8,898

23,551

21,707

Non-Retail Sales

33,044

34,124

59,890

71,105

Franchise Royalties and Fees

3,365

8,605

10,089

17,812

Interest and Fees on Loans Receivable

9,414

8,610

19,322

17,256

Other

289

339

641

642

Total

1,030,119

968,141

2,131,393

1,980,244













Costs and Expenses:









Depreciation of Lease Merchandise

547,551

474,868

1,144,958

975,688

Retail Cost of Sales

9,065

5,651

15,927

14,283

Non-Retail Cost of Sales

29,316

28,948

52,897

58,144

Operating Expenses

343,850

383,576

756,820

770,792

Restructuring Expenses, Net

6,991

18,738

29,277

32,019

Impairment of Goodwill





446,893



Other Operating (Income) Expense, Net

(96)

(3,486)

74

(4,383)

Total

936,677

908,295

2,446,846

1,846,543













Operating Profit (Loss)

93,442

59,846

(315,453)

133,701

Interest Income

227

944

419

1,045

Interest Expense

(2,853)

(4,300)

(6,652)

(9,256)

Other Non-Operating Income (Expense), Net

1,721

329

(230)

1,637

Earnings (Loss) Before Income Tax Expense

92,537

56,819

(321,916)

127,127













Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

24,160

14,169

(110,288)

28,399

Net Earnings (Loss)

$ 68,377

$ 42,650

$ (211,628)

$ 98,728













Earnings (Loss) Per Share

$ 1.02

$ 0.63

$ (3.16)

$ 1.46

Earnings (Loss) Per Share Assuming Dilution

$ 1.01

$ 0.62

$ (3.16)

$ 1.44













Weighted Average Shares Outstanding

67,097

67,687

66,959

67,492

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding Assuming Dilution

67,523

68,793

66,959

68,784



Aaron's, Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands)





(Unaudited)









June 30, 2020

December 31, 2019

ASSETS:









Cash and Cash Equivalents

$ 313,057



$ 57,755



Accounts Receivable (net of allowances of $73,294 in 2020 and $76,293 in 2019)

79,933



104,159



Lease Merchandise (net of accumulated depreciation and allowances of $878,259 in 2020 and $896,056 in 2019)

1,119,640



1,433,417



Loans Receivable (net of allowances and unamortized fees of $37,649 in 2020 and $21,134 in 2019)

58,870



75,253



Property, Plant and Equipment at Cost (net of accumulated depreciation of $326,340 in 2020 and $311,252 in 2019)

228,088



237,666



Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets

279,802



329,211



Goodwill

288,801



736,582



Other Intangibles (net of accumulated amortization of $164,324 in 2020 and $151,932 in 2019)

176,104



190,796



Income Tax Receivable

57,487



18,690



Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets

113,920



114,271



Total Assets

$ 2,715,702



$ 3,297,800



LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:









Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses

$ 249,182



$ 272,816



Accrued Regulatory Expense





175,000



Deferred Income Taxes Payable

234,380



310,395



Customer Deposits and Advance Payments

89,435



91,914



Operating Lease Liabilities

335,705



369,386



Debt

285,801



341,030



Total Liabilities

1,194,503



1,560,541



SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:









Common Stock, Par Value $0.50 Per Share: Authorized: 225,000,000 Shares at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019; Shares Issued: 90,752,123 at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019

45,376



45,376



Additional Paid-in Capital

290,653



290,229



Retained Earnings

1,805,869



2,029,613



Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

(1,442)



(19)















Less: Treasury Shares at Cost









Common Stock: 23,613,045 Shares at June 30, 2020 and 24,034,053 at December 31, 2019

(619,257)



(627,940)



Total Shareholders' Equity

1,521,199



1,737,259



Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

$ 2,715,702



$ 3,297,800





Aaron's, Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited) Six Months Ended

June 30, (In Thousands) 2020

2019 OPERATING ACTIVITIES:





Net (Loss) Earnings $ (211,628)



$ 98,728

Adjustments to Reconcile Net (Loss) Earnings to Cash Provided by Operating Activities:





Depreciation of Lease Merchandise 1,144,958



975,688

Other Depreciation and Amortization 50,154



53,862

Accounts Receivable Provision 158,587



137,611

Provision for Credit Losses on Loans Receivable 16,150



9,223

Stock-Based Compensation 12,487



14,231

Deferred Income Taxes (73,656)



19,928

Impairment of Goodwill and Other Assets 468,634



26,267

Non-Cash Lease Expense 50,638



58,073

Other Changes, Net 5,109



(3,390)

Changes in Operating Assets and Liabilities, Net of Effects of Acquisitions and Dispositions:





Additions to Lease Merchandise (1,032,977)



(1,141,863)

Book Value of Lease Merchandise Sold or Disposed 201,058



196,219

Accounts Receivable (134,467)



(126,112)

Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets (4,711)



(6,847)

Income Tax Receivable (38,797)



17,227

Operating Lease Liabilities (53,544)



(62,541)

Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses (19,713)



(21,465)

Accrued Regulatory Expense (175,000)





Customer Deposits and Advance Payments (2,527)



(200)

Cash Provided by Operating Activities 360,755



244,639

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:





Investments in Loans Receivable (39,986)



(29,506)

Proceeds from Loans Receivable 32,248



27,720

Outflows on Purchases of Property, Plant and Equipment (33,885)



(48,059)

Proceeds from Property, Plant and Equipment 2,220



1,425

Outflows on Acquisitions of Businesses and Customer Agreements, Net of Cash Acquired (1,209)



(7,612)

Proceeds from Dispositions of Businesses and Customer Agreements, Net of Cash Disposed 359



755

Cash Used in Investing Activities (40,253)



(55,277)

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:





Repayments on Revolving Facility, Net 



(16,000)

Proceeds from Debt 5,625





Repayments on Debt (60,748)



(61,465)

Dividends Paid (5,351)



(4,717)

Acquisition of Treasury Stock 



(14,414)

Issuance of Stock Under Stock Option Plans 2,250



5,056

Shares Withheld for Tax Payments (5,877)



(12,977)

Debt Issuance Costs (1,020)





Cash Used in Financing Activities (65,121)



(104,517)

EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (79)



119

Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents 255,302



84,964

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period 57,755



15,278

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period $ 313,057



$ 100,242



Aaron's, Inc. and Subsidiaries Quarterly Revenues by Segment (In thousands)



(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

June 30, 2020

Progressive Leasing Aaron's Business Vive Consolidated Total Lease Revenues and Fees $ 589,749

$ 380,238

$ 

$ 969,987

Retail Sales 

14,020



14,020

Non-Retail Sales 

33,044



33,044

Franchise Royalties and Fees 

3,365



3,365

Interest and Fees on Loans Receivable 



9,414

9,414

Other 

289



289

Total Revenues $ 589,749

$ 430,956

$ 9,414

$ 1,030,119









(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

June 30, 2019

Progressive Leasing Aaron's Business Vive Consolidated Total Lease Revenues and Fees $ 516,333

$ 391,232

$ 

$ 907,565

Retail Sales 

8,898



8,898

Non-Retail Sales 

34,124



34,124

Franchise Royalties and Fees 

8,605



8,605

Interest and Fees on Loans Receivable 



8,610

8,610

Other 

339



339

Total Revenues $ 516,333

$ 443,198

$ 8,610

$ 968,141



Aaron's, Inc. and Subsidiaries Six Months Revenues by Segment (In thousands)



(Unaudited)

Six Months Ended

June 30, 2020

Progressive Leasing Aaron's Business Vive Consolidated Total Lease Revenues and Fees $ 1,248,283

$ 769,617

$ 

$ 2,017,900

Retail Sales 

23,551



23,551

Non-Retail Sales 

59,890



59,890

Franchise Royalties and Fees 

10,089



10,089

Interest and Fees on Loans Receivable 



19,322

19,322

Other 

641



641

Total Revenues $ 1,248,283

$ 863,788

$ 19,322

$ 2,131,393









(Unaudited)

Six Months Ended

June 30, 2019

Progressive Leasing Aaron's Business Vive Consolidated Total Lease Revenues and Fees $ 1,039,734

$ 811,988

$ 

$ 1,851,722

Retail Sales 

21,707



21,707

Non-Retail Sales 

71,105



71,105

Franchise Royalties and Fees 

17,812



17,812

Interest and Fees on Loans Receivable 



17,256

17,256

Other 

642



642

Total Revenues $ 1,039,734

$ 923,254

$ 17,256

$ 1,980,244



Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information:

Non-GAAP net earnings, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are supplemental measures of our performance that are not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"). Non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share for 2020 exclude Progressive Leasing-related intangible amortization expense, and certain Aaron's Business charges including amortization expense resulting from franchisee acquisitions, restructuring charges, early termination charges incurred to terminate a sales and marketing agreement, goodwill impairment charges, legal and accounting fees incurred in conjunction with the Company's implementation of a Holding Company structure and an income tax benefit resulting from the revaluation of a net operating loss carryback. Non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share for 2019 exclude Progressive Leasing-related intangible amortization expense, certain Aaron's Business charges including amortization expense resulting from franchisee acquisitions, acquisition transaction and transition costs related to franchisee acquisitions and restructuring charges. The amounts for these after-tax non-GAAP adjustments, which are calculated using estimated tax rates which are commensurate with non-GAAP pre-tax earnings, can be found in the Reconciliation of Net Earnings and Earnings Per Share Assuming Dilution to Non-GAAP Net Earnings and Earnings Per Share Assuming Dilution table in this press release.

The EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA figures presented in this press release are calculated as the Company's earnings before interest expense, depreciation on property, plant and equipment, amortization of intangible assets and income taxes. Adjusted EBITDA also excludes the other adjustments described in the calculation of non-GAAP net earnings above. The amounts for these pre-tax non-GAAP adjustments can be found in the Quarterly Segment EBITDA tables in this press release.

Management believes that non-GAAP net earnings, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA provide relevant and useful information, and are widely used by analysts, investors and competitors in our industry as well as by our management in assessing both consolidated and business unit performance.

Non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted earnings provide management and investors with an understanding of the results from the primary operations of our business by excluding the effects of certain items that generally arose from larger, one-time transactions that are not reflective of the ordinary earnings activity of our operations or transactions that have variability and volatility of the amount. This measure may be useful to an investor in evaluating the underlying operating performance of our business.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA also provide management and investors with an understanding of one aspect of earnings before the impact of investing and financing charges and income taxes. These measures may be useful to an investor in evaluating our operating performance and liquidity because the measures:

Are widely used by investors to measure a company's operating performance without regard to items excluded from the calculation of such measure, which can vary substantially from company to company depending upon accounting methods, book value of assets, capital structure and the method by which assets were acquired, among other factors.

Are a financial measurement that is used by rating agencies, lenders and other parties to evaluate our creditworthiness.

Are used by our management for various purposes, including as a measure of performance of our operating entities and as a basis for strategic planning and forecasting.

Finally, this press release presents pre-tax, pre-provision loss for Vive, which is also a supplemental measure not calculated in accordance with GAAP. Management believes this measure is useful because it gives management and investors an additional, supplemental metric to assess Vive's underlying operational performance for the period. Management uses this measure as one of its bases for strategic planning and forecasting for Vive. Our use of pre-provision, pre-tax loss may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by other companies, because not all companies and analysts calculate these measures in the same manner.

Non-GAAP financial measures, however, should not be used as a substitute for, or considered superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP, such as the Company's GAAP basis net earnings and diluted earnings per share and the GAAP revenues and earnings before income taxes of the Company's segments, which are also presented in the press release. Further, we caution investors that amounts presented in accordance with our definitions of non-GAAP net earnings, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and pre-tax, pre-provision loss may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by other companies, because not all companies and analysts calculate these measures in the same manner.

Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) and Earnings (Loss) Per Share Assuming Dilution to Non-GAAP Net Earnings and Earnings Per Share Assuming Dilution (In thousands, except per share)



(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

(Unaudited)

Six Months Ended

June 30,

June 30,

2020 2019

2020 2019 Net Earnings (Loss) $ 68,377

$ 42,650



$ (211,628)

$ 98,728

Add: Progressive Leasing-Related Intangible Amortization Expense (1)(2) 4,260

4,069



8,229

8,420

Add: Franchisee-Related Intangible Amortization Expense(3)(4) 1,130

2,971



2,291

6,216

Add: Restructuring Expenses, net (5)(6) 5,494

14,065



22,221

24,866

Add: Acquisition Transaction and Transition Costs(7) 

150





243

Add: Sales and Marketing Early Contract Termination Fees(8) 





11,129



Add: Holding Company Legal and Accounting Fees(9) 1,982





1,914



Add: Impairment of Goodwill(10) 





339,191



Less: NOL Carryback Revaluation (1,350)





(35,540)



Non-GAAP Net Earnings $ 79,893

$ 63,905



$ 137,807

$ 138,473













Earnings (Loss) Per Share Assuming Dilution(10) $ 1.01

$ 0.62



$ (3.16)

$ 1.44

Add: Progressive Leasing-Related Intangible Amortization Expense (1)(2) 0.06

0.06



0.12

0.12

Add: Franchisee-Related Intangible Amortization Expense(3)(4) 0.02

0.04



0.03

0.09

Add: Restructuring Expenses, net(5)(6) 0.08

0.20



0.33

0.36

Add: Acquisition Transaction and Transition Costs(7) 









Add: Sales and Marketing Early Contract Termination Fees(8) 





0.16



Add: Holding Company Legal and Accounting Fees(9) 0.03





0.03



Add: Impairment of Goodwill(10) 





5.01



Less: NOL Carryback Revaluation (0.02)





(0.53)















Non-GAAP Earnings Per Share Assuming Dilution(11)(12) $ 1.18

$ 0.93



$ 2.04

$ 2.01













Weighted Average Shares Outstanding Assuming Dilution 67,523

68,793



67,694

68,784







(1) Net of taxes of $1,161 and $2,613 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 calculated using the estimated tax rates of 21.4% and 24.1% for the respective periods. (2) Net of taxes of $1,352 and $2,422 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 calculated using the effective tax rate for the respective periods. (3) Net of taxes of $308 and $727 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 calculated using the estimated tax rates of 21.4% and 24.1% for the respective periods. (4) Net of taxes of $987 and $1,788 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 calculated using the effective tax rate for the respective periods. (5) Net of taxes of $1,497 and $7,056 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 calculated using the estimated tax rates of 21.4% and 24.1% for the respective periods. (6) Net of taxes of $4,673 and $7,153 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 calculated using the effective tax rate for the respective periods. (7) Net of taxes of $50 and $70 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 calculated using the effective tax rate for the respective periods. (8) Net of taxes of $3,534 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 calculated using the estimated tax rate of 24.1% for the respective periods. (9) Net of taxes of $540 and $608 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 calculated using the estimated tax rates of 21.4% and 24.1% for the respective periods. (10) Net of taxes of $107,702 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 calculated using the estimated tax rate of 24.1% for the period. (11) For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the GAAP Weighted Average Shares Outstanding Assuming Dilution was 66,959 and the Non-GAAP Weighted Average Shares Outstanding Assuming Dilution was 67,694. (12) In some cases, the sum of individual EPS amounts may not equal total non-GAAP EPS calculations due to rounding.

Vive Pre-tax, Pre-provision Loss (In thousands)



(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended (Unaudited)

Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2020 2019 2020 2019 Earnings (Loss) Before Income Taxes $ 714

$ (1,725)

$ (7,369)

$ (4,393)

Adjustment to (Decrease) Increase Allowance for Loan Losses During Period (901)

420

6,319

(187)

Pre-tax, Pre-provision Loss $ (187)

$ (1,305)

$ (1,050)

$ (4,580)



Aaron's, Inc. and Subsidiaries Non-GAAP Financial Information Quarterly Segment EBITDA (In thousands)



(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

June 30, 2020

Progressive Leasing Aaron's Business Vive Consolidated Total Net Income





$ 68,377

Income Taxes1





24,160

Earnings Before Income Taxes $ 59,814

$ 32,009

$ 714

92,537

Interest Expense 3,299

(1,358)

912

2,853

Depreciation 2,179

15,300

210

17,689

Amortization 5,421

1,632

145

7,198

EBITDA $ 70,713

$ 47,583

$ 1,981

$ 120,277

Holding Company Legal and Accounting Fees 

2,522



2,522

Restructuring Expenses 

6,991



6,991

Adjusted EBITDA $ 70,713

$ 57,096

$ 1,981

$ 129,790





(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

June 30, 2019

Progressive Leasing Aaron's Business Vive Consolidated Total Net Earnings





$ 42,650

Income Taxes1





14,169

Earnings (Loss) Before Income Taxes $ 58,406

$ 138

$ (1,725)

56,819

Interest Expense 2,242

1,209

849

4,300

Depreciation 2,160

15,077

201

17,438

Amortization 5,421

4,296

145

9,862

EBITDA $ 68,229

$ 20,720

$ (530)

$ 88,419

Restructuring Expenses 

18,738



18,738

Acquisition Transaction and Transition Costs 

200



200

Adjusted EBITDA $ 68,229

$ 39,658

$ (530)

$ 107,357







(1) Taxes are calculated on a consolidated basis and are not identifiable by Company segments.

Aaron's, Inc. and Subsidiaries Non-GAAP Financial Information Six Months Segment EBITDA (In thousands)



(Unaudited)

Six Months Ended

June 30, 2020

Progressive Leasing Aaron's Business Vive Consolidated Total Net Loss





$ (211,628)

Income Tax Benefit1





(110,288)

Earnings (Loss) Before Income Taxes $ 118,801

$ (433,348)

$ (7,369)

(321,916)

Interest Expense 7,019

(2,210)

1,843

6,652

Depreciation 4,300

30,821

427

35,548

Amortization 10,842

3,474

290

14,606

EBITDA $ 140,962

$ (401,263)

$ (4,809)

$ (265,110)

Restructuring Expenses 

29,277



29,277

Sales and Marketing Early Termination Fees 

14,663



14,663

Holding Company Legal and Accounting Fees 

2,522



2,522

Impairment of Goodwill 

446,893



446,893

Adjusted EBITDA $ 140,962

$ 92,092

$ (4,809)

$ 228,245













(Unaudited)

Six Months Ended

June 30, 2019

Progressive Leasing Aaron's Business Vive Consolidated Total Net Earnings





$ 98,728

Income Taxes1





28,399

Earnings (Loss) Before Income Taxes $ 113,794

$ 17,726

$ (4,393)

127,127

Interest Expense 4,964

2,563

1,729

9,256

Depreciation 3,947

29,665

391

34,003

Amortization 10,842

8,727

290

19,859

EBITDA $ 133,547

$ 58,681

$ (1,983)

$ 190,245

Restructuring Expenses, Net 

32,019



32,019

Acquisition Transaction and Transition Costs 

313



313

Adjusted EBITDA $ 133,547

$ 91,013

$ (1,983)

$ 222,577







(1) Taxes are calculated on a consolidated basis and are not identifiable by Company segments.

SOURCE Aaron's, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.aarons.com


As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to get the support they are no longer entitled, royal commentators stepped up and demanded that they should not receive public funds anymore.

After Prince Harry and Meghan announced their departure in January 2020, they convinced everyone that they would be privately funded as they try to become financially independent.

However, months after they their ties from the Firm, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to be still enjoying money from British taxpayers. This sparked criticism from royal commentators, who dubbed the move as something "extraordinary."

In an interview with talkRADIO, royal commentator Tom Harwood questioned the fact that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still getting funding from the public. It stirred more condemnations, as the royal couple said on their website they are now financially independent.

Furthermore, their website also stated that they are no longer "working" members of the royal family and are "no longer receiving funding through the Sovereign Grant."

The Sovereign Grant is the fund the government pays to the monarchy to cover their expenses during official duties.

"I find it extraordinary that they're still getting any money from the British taxpayer at all," Harwood exclaimed. "They have severed ties with the Royal Family, they've stopped doing public duties which is what they get money for in the first place."

He also pointed out how the two left every Commonwealth country to fully sever their ties from Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family. Their relocation also proved that Los Angeles was their last card to get away from the monarchy.

"Fine, if they want to be private citizens, they can be private citizens. But they should rescind their title, stop taking taxpayer money and they should go live like the Hollywood celebrities they so desperately and clearly want to live like," he went on.

Meanwhile, economist Grace Blakely shared that it is not only Prince Harry and Meghan who should stop using public funds. Per Blakely, the whole royal family should be cut off from using the sovereign grant.

This made Dan Wootton ask if she wanted to get rid of Queen Elizabeth II after serving the country for nine decades now.

"There are people starving and dealing with all sorts of desperate issues, why are we still spending money on the Queen?" Blakely explained. "I'm sure the Queen has enough assets to survive on."

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Told To "Live Off"

Earlier this month, the Republic called out the Sussexes for squandering Britain's money to support themselves in Los Angeles.

In an exclusive interview with Express, Republic's CEO Graham Smith questioned why the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue to enjoy the taxpayers' money when the United Kingdom does not owe them a living.

"I think most people would be surprised by any suggestion that people sitting on 30million in the bank might struggle in anyway finically," Smith said. "So I think if they want to live the lifestyle that people with 100million to then they have a problem."

He suggested that they should find a new source of income rather than wasting the budget that is supposed to be for the people of the U.K. If they cannot find one, the CEO demanded that they should live off with what they have.

READ MORE: King of Failure? 3 Times Prince Charles Disappointed Royal Fans as Future King
Vietnams admission to ASEAN on this day 25 years ago opened up a new chapter in its cooperative relations with other Southeast Asian countries,

Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, head of Vietnams Permanent Mission to ASEAN, said in an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Jakarta.

Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, head of Vietnams Permanent Mission to ASEAN

He also spoke of the entry of Laos and Myanmar two years later and Cambodia in 1999, which created a ten-member bloc of cooperation, peace, and development.

Joining ASEAN brought about a peaceful and stable environment for Vietnam and allowed it to develop. Vietnam also has the opportunity to engage economically within ASEAN and in cooperative programmes such as Common Effective Preferential Tariffs (CEPT), APEC, and the WTO.

Within the framework of ASEAN, Vietnam has begun and expanded cooperation with partners such as the US, China, Russia, the Republic of Korea, Australia, India, and Canada.

It has also taken part in multilateral regional cooperation mechanisms such as ASEAN Plus 3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), thus raising its role and position in the region and beyond.

According to the ambassador, over the last 25 years, Vietnam has remained an active and responsible member of ASEAN. Immediately upon joining the bloc, it actively promoted the admission of Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar to the bloc, contributing to the formation of an ASEAN that includes all the 10 Southeast Asian countries.

Vietnam has made significant contributions to defining development targets and orientations and building major policies such as the ASEAN Vision 2020, the ASEAN Charter, a roadmap to build the ASEAN Community 2015, and many important agrements, including the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, the ASEAN Connectivity Initative, the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP), and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

An active member of the bloc, Vietnam has always been among the countries boasting the highest rate of implementation of the ASEAN Community building master plan. It has also fulfilled its responsibilities as a member country, by undertaking important ASEAN activities such as successfully organising the sixth ASEAN Summit in Hanoi (1998) and fulfilling the role of the ASEAN Chair in 2000 and 2010.

In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has actively coordinated with other ASEAN countries in a timely manner to deploy initiatives and work with partners to control and prevent the spread of the pandemic, including the issuance of the ASEAN Chair Statement on COVID-19 Response; the organisation of the ASEAN and ASEAN Plus 3 Special Summits on COVID-19 Response; the establishment of the ASEAN Fund to cope with COVID-19; the co-organisation of online meetings with ASEAN partners such as China, the EU, the US, and international organisations; and the successful organisation of the 36th ASEAN Summit.

Vietnam has also actively contributed to expanding relations and promoting cooperation between ASEAN and partners, in addition to maintaining solidarity, consensus, and common stance of ASEAN in regional and international issues and in the East Sea issue, as well as maintaining regional peace, security, stability and developent. One of the issues that draw countries attention is that Vietnam and ASEAN are negotiating with China on a Code of Conduct on the East Sea (COC) and ensuring its efficiency./. VNA
One of the most anti-mask members of Congress, Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas, has tested positive for COVID-19. Gohmert was scheduled to travel to Texas with President Donald Trump and got a positive result after taking a test at the White House.

Gohmert told CNN last month that he would only start wearing a mask regularly if and when he contracted COVID-19. According to that CNN report, Gohmert spends ample time on the House floor not wearing a mask, often talking with aides and lawmakers at length while not maintaining a social distance. In recent weeks, the iconoclastic Texan has been in the news for banging on his desk (while not wearing a mask) in an effort to interrupt a congressional witness and defending supporters of his who took part in fights (while themselves not wearing masks) at an event being held by the Democrat running against him in November. On Tuesday, Gohmerts chief of staff used Facebook to post an alternate link to a conspiracy theory video in which a doctor who has espoused bizarre beliefs regarding demon sperm and alien DNA argued that mask usage is unnecessary. (Both Facebook and Twitter have attempted to remove the video from circulation on their platforms.)

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Here is Gohmerts statement on his positive test:

My statement about today's diagnosis: pic.twitter.com/qvf7zIcgdN  Louie Gohmert (@replouiegohmert) July 29, 2020

Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

Prior to the House Judiciary Committees Tuesday hearing with Attorney General William Barr, Gohmert reportedly spent time in and outside the hearing room without a mask. On Wednesday, Hill reporter Olivia Beavers shared footage of Barr and Gohmert walking toward the hearing room in close proximity, each maskless:

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ACTUALLY... here is a video of AG Barr and Gohmert.



While Barr arrived with a mask, it was off when he walked into the hearing room, so both men were not wearing masks at this time. pic.twitter.com/xm6wuq6QvW  Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) July 29, 2020

NPRs Carrie Johnson reported that Barr would be tested on Wednesday for COVID-19. Depending on his level of contact with Gohmert, health guidelines might call for Barr to quarantine for a number of days.

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During Tuesdays hearing, Rep. Matt Gaetz used the same seat and shared the same microphone as Gohmert. Three other members of the Republican caucusReps. Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan, and Andy Biggswere chastised by committee Chairman Jerry Nadler for not wearing a mask during the proceedings. Following the hearing, a maskless Johnson gave the maskless Barr a wrist bump.

Barr exchanges a wrist-bump with Republican @RepMikeJohnson as he leaves the hearing room pic.twitter.com/9BicAgWGEQ  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 28, 2020

ABC News Katherine Faulders further reported that Gohmert returned to his congressional office after his positive test to personally inform his staff of the result. He is, truly, a man with a deep-rooted ideological commitment to not understanding the absolute most fundamental things about having a contagious disease.

This post has been updated to include Gohmerts statement on the positive test.

For more of Slates news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below.
by Nirmala Carvalho

"Christians are seriously stressed and under pressure in Jharkhand. Accusations of conversion are used to put pressure on the fragile Dalit community, said Sajan K George. False conversion charges are often made to seize Dalits properties. Shankar Bhuiyan is being forced to disinherit his children.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  Right-wing extremists in a Jharkhand village have falsely accused an Evangelical Christian of forcibly converting to Christianity 23 people from disadvantaged castes.

Police are investigating a case of conversion in Kulgada, a village in Latehar district (Jharkhand)," said Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC, speaking to AsiaNews. "They levied a false charge of forced conversion against independent pastor Arscel Tirkey.

Five people from this village, all from disadvantaged castes  Ranjit Bhuyan, Lallu Bhuiyan, Jogindra Bhuiyan, Rajendra Bhuiyan and Situ Bhuiyan  and their families have been accused of being forcibly converted to the Christian faith.

Shankar Bhuiyan accused Rev Arscel Tirkey of forcing his son Lalu Bhuiyan, daughter-in-law Anju Devi and two of their children to adopt Christianity.

Later, the fathers of two youths, Shankar Bhuiyan and Kariman Bhuiyan, filed a complaint against Arscel Tirkey at the Latihar Sadar police station for forcibly converting their sons to Christianity. In the statement, it is alleged that the accused visited their homes, and he is forcing three other families in the village to convert.

When the local village council (Panchayat) met on 5 July, the converts were told to recant their new faith, whilst the young mans father was told to disinherit his son.

The new Christians have refused to convert, despite the social pressure and family ostracism. This led Hindutva extremists to brutally attack Christians; even their neighbours and villagers started insulting them. After being called in, police took everybody to the police station.

Under pressure from villagers and local extremists, Lalu Bhuiyans father, Shakar Bhuiyan, threatened to repudiate and disinherit his son, as well as evict him from the family home.

According to Sajan K George, "Christians are seriously stressed and under pressure in Jharkhand. Accusations of conversion are used to put pressure on the fragile Dalit community.

"In this case, those involved were Dalits, George explained. They are already crushed by an oppressive caste system, ruled over by the upper caste. False conversion charges are often made to seize Dalits properties. Shankar Bhuiyan is being forced to disinherit his children.

In a similar case, "the murder of a tribal woman in Jharkhand for alleged 'witchcraft' is another way of terrorising Christians. Suman Munda, 25, was killed on 19 July in Redhadi, a remote rural village in Khunti district, local media reported.

Munda had converted to Christianity six years ago. Local Hindu extremists began harassing her when they learnt of her conversion and instigated her neighbours and villagers against her.

The GCIC strongly condemns the murder of Suman Munda, an innocent tribal Christian woman falsely accused of practising witchcraft, the groups president, Sajan K George, said.

This pattern is being repeated in the tribal belt. Tribal people who freely embrace Jesus as Lord and Saviour previously practised traditional animistic religion. Now that they worship Christ.

Local right-wing extremist groups instigate tribal people against them with false propaganda; they sow hatred and division against the Christian faith and Christian converts."
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Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, July 30 2020

The recent surge in gold prices could be a boon for Indonesia, despite the economic risks that loom behind the spike in demand for the safe haven commodity.

The price of bullion touched its highest level ever on Tuesday, with investors rushing to park their money in safe-haven assets, as concerns grow about a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the global economy.

Gold futures have soared nearly 30 percent this year to US$1,941 per ounce, beating the previous record of $1,921 in 2011, with the bullish rally kicking off earlier this month, Reuters data show. Several analysts project the price of bullion to top $2,100 this year because of the continued uncertainty around the pandemic.

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By January 2024, 160 renewable natural gas production facilities in California will produce 119 million DGE of carbon negative fuel annually for transportation.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clean technology consulting firm and producers of the annual Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA) has authored a new study to determine Californias future in-state renewable natural gas (RNG) supply, which was unknown until this point. The study, An Assessment: California's In-State RNG Supply for Transportation: 2020-2024 provides industry stakeholders and policymakers an accurate, data-driven estimate for the total near-term volume of RNG that will be produced in-state and made available for transportation use by California fleet operators.

The report, produced with support from the California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership, Clean Energy Renewable Fuels, Pacific Gas & Electric, Shell, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Southern California Gas Company, Trillium: A Loves Company, and TruStar Energy, was developed to better assess the feasibility of meeting a new requirement for natural gas vehicles to qualify for the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Incentive Program (HVIP), administered by the California Air Resources Board. As of October 2019, natural gas vehicles must be fueled by RNG that is produced in the state to qualify for HVIP funding.

While newly established HVIP program criteria was intended to encourage the use and production of in-state RNG, there was, until now, no reliable assessment of Californias RNG supply, making it impossible to determine if meeting this new requirement was feasible, stated Cliff Gladstein, founding president of GNA. The study determines that not only will there be sufficient supply of in-state RNG to meet this program criteria, but that the cost-effectiveness of the greenhouse gas emission reductions from the use of this in-state resource would be among the best in the state.

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The studys key findings include:

 By January 2024, 160 RNG production facilities will be online and producing 119 million DGE of fuelprimarily sourced from dairy farms and landfillsenough to fuel 13,731 natural gas trucks in California annually.

 More than $1 billion is being invested in California to build the states supply of locally produced RNGwith 77% coming from private investors.

 California-produced RNG will have an average energy-weighted carbon intensity of -101.74 gCO2e/MJ as of January 2024.

 Fueling natural gas trucks with this upcoming supply of California-produced RNG will enable fleets to generate over 3.4 million tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions annually.

 If HVIP provided a $45,000 voucher to enable the purchase of all the NGVs that could be fueled by California RNG, this hypothetical new fleet would generate 51.4 million metric tonnes of CO2e and 20.8 thousand tons of NOx reductions, at a cost of $12.03/MT of CO2e and $29,702 per ton of NOx over a 15-year period.

Previous attempts to determine Californias potential future RNG supply have primarily focused on hypothetical production volumes. Researchers have mainly considered the availability of organic feedstocks and modeled theoretical future supply based on assumptions about the gross, technically recoverable, and economically competitive resource base. By using data provided by state and local agencies, project developers, 3rd party marketers and other reliable sources, this inventory assesses the current and future RNG production of existing and developing production facilities. However, with the accelerating pace of development of new RNG production facilities in California, future funding opportunities, as well as pending regulations, actual in-state RNG production is likely to be even greater than the study conservatively estimates.

Report authors, leading industry experts, and one of the nations largest investors in RNG production will be offering more insights into the studys methodology and findings in an upcoming webinar, National & State RNG Supply: Increasing Opportunities for Decarbonization, on July 30, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. PST. The webinar is part of a series hosted by Renewable Gas 360 and held through February 2021, providing continuous curriculum on the critical role renewable gasesrenewable hydrogen, methane, propane and syngascan play in helping states reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce air pollution, diversify energy resources, and enhance sustainable economic development.

###

About Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA) GNA is a North American consulting firm specializing in the development and commercialization of renewable energy technologies, near-zero and zero emission vehicles, and low carbon fuels for transportation and commercial use. GNAs core expertise is providing strategic support to develop and bring technologies to market, managing relationships with key public agencies, grant writing and administration, as well as implementing effective outreach, communication, and education programs. www.gladstein.org

CONTACT: Celeste Griffy Gladstein, Neadross & Associates 424.744.4489 celeste.griffy@gladstein.org




Coronavirus death rates fell when states closed schools early on in the pandemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers found when K-12 classrooms were shut down, cases temporarily dropped by about two-thirds and deaths decreased by more than half.

But states that took action early on saw the greatest effect, according to the team, from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio,

Those that closed schools in early March, when coronavirus prevalence was low, saw 46 percent fewer infections and 17 percent fewer deaths than those that opted to close schools in late March while cases were rising quickly.

This findings come as a debate rages in the US about whether or not schools should reopen and how to strike a balance between alleviating working parents who have to rework their schedules and preventing a potentially deadly spike come autumn.

But states that closed schools early on in the pandemic, when cases were low saw a drop in cases by 72% per week and 64% in deaths (above)

States that opted to close later, when cases were much higher, saw less of a change at around 49% per week and 53% in deaths (above)

For the study, published in JAMA, the team looked at six weeks of data collection after school closures in each state from March 9 to May 7.

All 50 states closed schools between March 13 and March 23.

Next, researchers compared closures to infection and mortality rates from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Results showed that, overall, shutting downs schools was linked to a significant decline in cases of the virus, with a drop of about 62 percent each week.

It was also linked to decreases in deaths, with a change of about 58 percent per week.

The team estimates school closures were linked to 1.37 million fewer cases of the virus over a 26-day period and 40,600 fewer deaths over a 16-day period.

However, it was states that closed early, when the increasing incidence of COVID-19 was at its lowest that saw the greatest decline per week at around 72 percent for cases and 64 percent for deaths.

States that were slowest to close schools and had the highest incidence of cases, show saw a change of about 49 percent per week and 53 percent of deaths.

That's a difference of more than 46 percent for cases and 17 percent for deaths.

This means closing schools early was linked to 128.7 fewer cases per 100,000 over 26 days and with 1.5 fewer deaths per 100,000 over 16 days.

'States that closed schools earlier, when cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was low, had the largest relative reduction in incidence and mortality,' the authors wrote.

'However, it remains possible that some of the reduction may have been related to other concurrent nonpharmaceutical interventions.'

This includes interventions such as stay-at-home orders, restaurant closures and increased handwashing.

A debate has been raging in the US about whether or not to reopen schools, with President Donald Trump in full support of starting up again in Fall 2020. Pictured: Trump during a roundtable on the Safe Reopening of Americas Schools at the White House, July 7

President Donald Trump has been pushing for schools across the country to fully reopen for the fall semester.

He called recommendations about school reopenings made by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 'very tough and expensive guidelines' on Twitter earlier this month.

Trump also threatened to cut funding if learning institutions do not fully reopen.

However, public health experts have said that schools need to prepare with more than social distancing and masks but also by testing students and staff and, if someone tests positive, determining how long they quarantine for.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an outlier, calling for in-person classes in the fall, issuing a statement that says 'schools are fundamental to child and adolescent development and well-being.'

Some countries have been successful such as Norway and Denmark but many, including South Korea, have had to close schools after reopening due to spikes in infections.
Press Release

29 July 2020

Accor, the largest hotel operator in Australia and New Zealand, is providing vital aid for employees and partners in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis thanks to its ALL Heartist Fund.

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The ALL Heartist Fund, was designed to support Accor employees and partners through the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

By allocating 25% of its 280m planned dividend, i.e. 70 million, the Accor Group and its shareholders have made a meaningful and significant contribution to support people facing difficulties.

Across the globe, several million Euros have been awarded to help 14,000 people, and, in the Pacific region alone, Accor has supported 1,300 beneficiaries by awarding over $2.3 million in grants.

Simon McGrath, COO of Accor Pacific, commented,"Welcoming, protecting and taking care of others is at the heart of what Accor does best. We could not do this without the incredible people we have in our business. Once we recognised the devastating impacts of COVID-19, we mobilised quickly and have acted in a meaningful way to support our valued people and partners. The ALL Heartist Fund is a long-term project and will continue to support those in need into 2021.

"We have always given back to the communities in which we operate and we pride ourselves on creating a positive impact wherever we are present. This has never been more important than in the current environment."

Since its launch, the ALL Heartist Fund has provided financial support across three categories of beneficiaries: eligible employees in financial distress due to COVID-19 and/or having medical expenses due to the epidemic and not benefiting from insurance or state cover; individual partners suffering personal financial hardship due to COVID-19 activity disruption; and frontline professionals and first responders (medical staff, police and army forces) in need of assistance.

Throughout lockdown, Accor Pacific has transformed itself from providing a luxury service to providing crucial infrastructure, by working with government authorities and community organisations to make its accommodation and services available to those most in need.

Accor has supported the Australian and New Zealand communities by providing essential shelter for front-line health workers, vulnerable families, quarantine guests and people displaced by the bushfires.

Visit: https://group.accor.com/en/group/our-commitments/all-heartist-fund
Summer is far from over, but one small school system in Georgia is preparing to open its doors this week. Jefferson City Schools in Jefferson, Ga., will resume in-person learning on Friday without a mask mandate despite continual spikes in COVID-19 cases in the state. At the same time, other school districts in the state have pushed back school start dates or have scheduled remote learning.

Jackson County, where the school district is located, has 819 confirmed cases of the virus as of Tuesday, according to data from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Surrounding areas are also dealing with their own outbreaks. Georgia currently has 175,052 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the states Department of Public Health.

In an FAQ posted online, the school district said it will not mandate face masks in schools. However, we strongly encourage and recommend that students and staff members wear masks whenever social distancing is not possible in our schools, the FAQ reads. Face coverings will also be required on buses, according to the FAQ, and reusable cloth masks will be provided to students and staff members.

The school system, in which 3,791 students are enrolled, also said it is taking steps to maximize social distancing to minimize the spread of the virus, pointing out that it has arranged student desks to face the same direction and that it will have students sit on the same side at a table where feasible.

Donna McMullan, superintendent of Jefferson City Schools, told Yahoo Life that she and her staff are aware that school will be different this year. We know that we will not return to our buildings conducting business as usual, she says. Things will be different for our staff and students, but we are committed to supporting them and providing a safe and healthy learning environment for all.

Schools in Jefferson, Ga., will resume in-person learning on Friday without a mask mandate despite continual spikes in COVID-19 cases in the state. (Getty Images)

McMullan says that school leaders met with local and state health officials as well as medical professionals on a regular basis to create policies and procedures that aligned with guidance from the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC states online that cloth face coverings are strongly encouraged to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

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Though face masks arent required, aside from on school buses, McMullan says they are strongly recommended at all times in school. We expect all staff and students to wear a face covering during class transitions, afternoon dismissal and other times when social distancing isnt feasible, she says.

Face mask requirements have been a point of contention in Georgia, where Gov. Brian Kemp is suing Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over her attempt to mandate masks in her city.

McMullan said the school system wants students to know that their safety is top priority. We must all do our part in keeping each other safe  wearing face coverings, socially distancing and proper handwashing. We are committed to meeting their needs and will adjust our plans as needed to ensure the safety and overall well-being of staff and students.

Christopher Whitworth, principal at the school districts Jefferson Academy for students in third, fourth and fifth grade, tells Yahoo Life that hes incredibly proud of staff for the planning theyve done to prepare for in-person learning. Personally, Im ecstatic to see children back in our building doing what they do best, which is learning alongside teachers who are continually passionate about what they do each and every day, he says.

Whitworth, whose children also attend Jefferson City Schools, said, I want our community to know that I plan to treat their children the way I treat my children. We are a family in Jefferson and take care of each other.

But the lack of a mask mandate is a sticking point for some

A Change.org petition that has more than 1,000 signatures is asking for the school system to require face masks instead of simply encouraging their use. There are many students and teachers that are at great risk if they contract the coronavirus. It is the responsible and safe thing to do to make masks required at our schools, the petition read.

The administrators claim to care about the students yet risk the lives of everyone, even the teachers, because they simply dont want to put in the effort. Absolutely shameful, one person wrote in the comments. If you actually care about your students and staff, require face masks to be worn, another said.

A competing Change.org petition with nearly 250 signatures is in support of the current mask policy, noting, People decide if they wear [the] mask or not.

Only liberals can get rona and Im not a liberal TRUMP2020 no mask [for] me, one signer wrote in the comments. I sign because in no wording of our Constitution or Bill Of Rights does it say that all my rights will stop if the government deems them to be a threat. No! I have the God given right to wear a mask if I want or to educate myself on the threat foretold and not wear a mask. The End, another person commented.

Dana Phillips, who has three children in the school district, told Yahoo Life that though she prefers in-person learning, she is not thrilled with the lack of a mask mandate. There are rising cases of COVID-19 in our community and surrounding counties, she says. Most families here commute to areas with high case counts. The risk is real.

Phillips said its fascinating that masks are mandated on school buses but not in schools. I dont see how having them mandatory in the classroom is any different than having them be mandatory on the bus, she says.

Online learning offered by the school system is an option, but it can be tricky for some families, including those with students on an advanced-placement (AP) track, Phillips said. There are families that have kids in six AP classes, she says. Thats hard to do online.

Shes mostly concerned that a student, teacher or loved one will contract the virus and die. The ramifications that can have on students is pretty long-lasting, says Phillips, whose children will absolutely be wearing masks to school. We have one for every day of the week, and we have a decontamination zone in the garage. Were actually following the advice of health care professionals.

What do doctors think?

Its going to be very challenging to do in-person schooling when all of the recommended steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 arent in place, Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Yahoo Life. The Jefferson City school district is near Atlanta, where case counts are high, he points out. Its likely they will have some transmission in the schools, and they will have to cope with that, he says.

Hopefully, even though its not mandated, youll see a high level of compliance with mask recommendations, Adalja says.

Dr. Richard Watkins, an infectious disease physician in Akron, Ohio, and a professor of internal medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University, tells Yahoo Life that students, teachers and staff should still wear a mask, even though its not officially required. Masks are crucial to reduce the spread of COVID-19, he says. If parents decide to send their kids to these schools, then they should definitely have them wear one.

Adalja says that there are valid concerns about opening schools for in-person learning where COVID-19 cases are increasing. Its important to look at regional data when making a decision to open schools, he says. In this particular situation, there is enough data to suggest this is going to be a challenging prospect, especially when you have contention over masks.

The situation in Jefferson City Schools isnt unique, and parents may face a similar status quo elsewhere. If youre worried about your schools guidelines, many have options for online learning, Adalja says. He stresses that the data supports that healthy children are largely spared the consequences of COVID-19, and data has been mixed on how much children tend to spread the virus to people in the community. Research has found that children under the age of 10 are less likely to spread the virus to others, while those over the age of 10 are just as likely to spread the virus as adults. Still, Adalja says, its not entirely clear at this point what may happen once in-person schooling resumes  especially if CDC guidelines arent followed.

The situation is very fluid, and everyone is hoping that the curve starts to flatten, Watkins says.

Video: Here is everything you need to know about the different masks on the market today.

For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDCs and WHOs resource guides.

Read more from Yahoo Life

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Ahead of the arrival of Indias first squadron of Rafale fighter jets, the French ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain on Tuesday praised the aircraft as outstanding, adding that Indian technicians and pilots marvellously completed their training in France. The French Envoy further stated that he is very proud that the first batch of Rafale is reaching Indian soil.

Planes are outstanding, Indian technicians and pilots marvellously completed their training in France. They are totally capable to use these planes at their best, the French ambassador said while speaking to news agency ANI.

READ | Iran missile scare 'very close' to where India's 5 Rafale halted; sparked late-night alarm

Planes are outstanding, Indian technicians and pilots marvellously completed their training in France. They are totally capable to use these planes at their best: Emmanuel Lenain, French Ambassador to India on #Rafale fighter jets arriving tomorrow pic.twitter.com/uEEq3J4h2N  ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2020

READ | IAF shares pictures of Rafale Jets enroute India, thanks French Air Force for support

First Set of Rafale to arrive in India soon

The first squadron-comprising five Rafale jets will land at the Indian Air Forces (IAF) Ambala airbase on Wednesday afternoon. The five Rafale jets left France for India on Monday and will land after completing a distance of nearly 7,000 kilometres. The Rafale jets built by Frances Dassault Aviation and piloted by IAF pilots earlier landed at UAEs Al Dhafra airbase for a brief stopover before resuming their flight to India. On Tuesday, the IAF also shared images of the jets being refuelled mid-air from a French Air Force tanker before their UAE stopover.

India will receive a total of 36 Rafale fighters from France, as per the Rs 59,000 crore deal signed in September 2016. By early 2021, all 36 Rafales will have arrived in India.

Meanwhile, Section 144 has been imposed in villages close to the Ambala airbase in view of the aircrafts scheduled arrival. Gathering of people on roofs and photography during landing has also been strictly prohibited.

READ | IAF's Rafale could have up to 6 HAMMER hardpoints; primed to devastate land-based targets

READ | Rafale Jets: The Hammer and other weapon systems that make the aircraft lethal; read here

(With inputs from ANI)
ALTHOUGH we often hear the words strength and power used interchangeably when referring to political leadership, Hannah Arendt, perhaps the greatest political philosopher of the 20th century, was quick to point out that, when it comes to democracies, they are not the same.

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This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

ALTHOUGH we often hear the words strength and power used interchangeably when referring to political leadership, Hannah Arendt, perhaps the greatest political philosopher of the 20th century, was quick to point out that, when it comes to democracies, they are not the same.

She suggested that strength is achieved and maintained through coercion, force and even violence, whereas power is achieved and sustained through dialogue, compromise and rational consensus-seeking.

She went on to suggest that strength is fleeting, to be reinforced through constant, often ramped-up, coercion, misinformation and force, whereas power lasts longer as what sustains it is simply more respectful discussion, relationship building, reason and truth. Increasing strength defines the means of authoritarian or totalitarian states and power that of democracies. Strength is individualistic; power is inclusive. These distinctions are helpful in helping us understand what is happening in todays political landscapes.

In these terms, U.S. President Donald Trump would be, as his followers claim, a strong leader. No one, no country and no organization are immune to his insatiable thirst for strength. He calls himself the "law and order" president but endlessly ignores the U.S. Constitution, overreaches his legal authority and undermines an objective judiciary when they do not suit his purposes.

He threatens and fires people indiscriminately; and defends racist and misogynistic practices. He shamelessly declares retaliation and retribution against even his countrys traditional allies while flirting with the worlds dictators. He refuses to co-operate with others for mutually advantageous policies and practices, instead threatening more tariffs before the ink is even dry on trade deals. The WHO is just his latest target, a scapegoat for his irrational pandemic conspiracy theories. Finally, he never tires of self-praise, and demands absolute loyalty.

But, lest we too quickly want to pat ourselves on the back, we in Canada also have endless examples of the strength malaise. While there are some promising signs like with the Wetsuwetin pipeline negotiations and the aid provided to Canadians during the pandemic, the prime minister is now in his third significant ethical predicament, this one involving a contract offered to a charity with too-close ties to his family and friends.

Just recently Premier Brian Pallister wished to distance himself from signing a Canadian accord on systemic racism, thereby refuting the many in Manitoba and across Canada who have heard us being called the most racist province.

In the same vein, without prior consultation, he refused to allow First Nations casinos to open without adhering to predetermined conditions. And he stubbornly hangs on to his privatization agenda without any evidence that it improves conditions and services for Manitobans.

Our government is not known for its collaboration and teamwork, often picking unnecessary fights with the mayor of Winnipeg and the federal government, preferring to pursue a narrow, singular fiscal agenda in spite of recognized need.

And our mayor just lost his second strength battle  first the police pensions, now the growth fee. All totally unavoidable.

But we are also at fault: expressing our need for strong leadership, we place unreasonable expectations on our leaders to be everywhere, to know everything and come up with solutions to all societys problems. When the only face we see, or the only voice we hear, of governments is the nominal leader, we should take note  this is not a reasonable expectation and, when we ask ourselves, it is not what we wish to see. Nobody, no matter how strong, can stand up to that degree or length of intense public scrutiny without faltering or making mistakes.

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What we do like and admire is a compassionate, sensitive government that asks us to be part of the solution.

In Manitoba, a health expert took the lead in the COVID-19 pandemic to great success with the support of the government, using rational persuasion rather than edict to get us on board, and recently the practice of birth alerts was halted after prolonged community dialogue.

In Ontario, although we saw the face of the premier, he was never alone on-screen.

In both cases the governments, and their leaders, gained accolades and supports.

The opportunities and power provided by rational and respectful engagement will always be greater than the intellectual or moral imagination of one strong person, one face and one voice. What better time to exercise power better than strength!

John R. Wiens is dean emeritus at the faculty of education, University of Manitoba. A lifelong educator, he has served as a teacher, counsellor, work education co-ordinator, principal, school superintendent and university professor.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Reuters) - China on Wednesday denied protecting fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, being sought by global investigators over his role in the multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal.

Low, popularly known as Jho Low, has been charged in Malaysia and the United States over allegations that he orchestrated the theft of $4.5 billion from state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), co-founded by former prime minister Najib Razak. Low has consistently denied wrongdoing.

Malaysia's national police chief Abdul Hamid Bador was reported by newspaper Utusan Malaysia as saying Low was hiding in Macau and that attempts to extradite him had failed as Chinese authorities "appeared insincere" in their efforts to cooperate.

Chinese authorities rejected the accusations as "groundless and unacceptable", saying that police had investigated all possible leads but were unable to trace Low.

"The position of the Chinese government on combating crime is consistent and clear-cut," the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur said in a statement. "China does not and will never shelter foreign criminals."

The embassy added that China would continue to give support and assistance to Malaysia in its investigations.

A spokesman for Low did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. He previously said Low had been offered asylum in an unidentified country.

At least six countries have opened money laundering and graft investigations into 1MDB, co-founded by ex-premier Najib in 2009.

On Tuesday Najib was sentenced to 12 years' jail and nearly $50 million in fines for illegally receiving $10 million from a former 1MDB unit. (Reporting by Liz Lee and Rozanna Latiff Editing by David Holmes)
Musicians gather on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum for a musical candlelight vigil, with performances by a string ensemble, on July 19. Read more

An assessment of the workplace environment of the Philadelphia Museum of Art has found problems and deficiencies at all levels of the hierarchy  from the boardroom on down, museum leaders told staff members at an online meeting Tuesday.

The assessment, conducted by VallotKarp Consulting of New York City and based on extensive staff interviews and focus group sessions, came in the wake of allegations of inappropriate behavior and even abuse leveled against two male managers at the museum. The allegations surfaced earlier this year; neither manager is still employed by the museum.

Leslie Anne Miller, chair of the board of trustees, said the museum was committed to making changes in how the museum treats its staff, how it listens, and whom it hires, with greater diversity and accountability the ultimate goals.

The staff interviews, conducted over the last several coronavirus-riddled months, found that many staff members questioned the museums commitment to achieving those precise goals. (VallotKarp did not investigate the allegations.)

I was encouraged by how honest [the presentation] felt, said museum educator Adam Rizzo, who had criticized the museums initial response to the allegations about the managers and is now among the organizers of an effort to unionize employees. It didnt feel watered down. It ... painted a pretty bleak picture of the culture of the museum. It wasnt an enjoyable thing to hear, but it [was] true to what was going on in our lived experience.

Theres very little confidence in senior management to provide a safe workplace, Rizzo said. Theres very little confidence in senior management to commit to building diversity and equity and inclusion initiatives. Theres very little confidence among staff that men and women are going to be treated the same in the workplace. And thats not even getting into some of the responses from nonbinary folks and nonwhite folks.

Miller said after the staff meeting that theres understandably skepticism about the boards commitment to change. I would hope that we have gained some initial credibility.

She said the board had already made several recommendations at its June meeting that showed this commitment  not the least being the boards previously unreported decision to establish an office of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. The director of the office will report to PMA director and chief executive Timothy Rub.

Miller added that the board also wants to implement anti-harassment and bias-related training at all levels and in all museum departments, including the executive suite. She also said that the board is committed to beefing up the human resources department.

None of these measures directly addresses the institutional problems that surfaced earlier this year. In one instance, a middle manager, Joshua R. Helmer, was reported first by the New York Times and then The Inquirer to be suggesting the possibility of professional advancement to junior staff women in exchange for dates.

Helmer declined to discuss his relationships with the Times, saying only that he followed museum policy. His lawyer, Paul John Susko, told The Inquirer at the time that his separation from the PMA did not involve any sexual harassment in the workplace.

Another staff member, James A. Cincotta, who headed museum retail operations, was accused of abusing and even striking employees. He declined to comment for a detailed story in The Inquirer, published in February.

Staff members told reporters that the managers behavior seemed in violation of museum policy, and was reported to human resources and senior managers. In both cases, the accusations went nowhere.

Not surprisingly, staff members placed lack of accountability and transparency at the top of museum failings in the workplace assessment. The assessment says that staff wants everyone to be held accountable for inappropriate behavior.

It was the inappropriate behavior on the part of these two individuals, and the lack of museum policies to address them, that lead the board to conclude, quickly, that our entire culture needed to be assessed, Miller said. There must be ongoing accountability. From the top on down. And its up to the board to begin to take steps to start to ensure that process. And were committed to the change, and to doing it rapidly.

Asked for a timeline, Miller said that additional recommendations will be forthcoming from the board, and that, as with the conduct of the assessment itself, the board was committed to moving with relative speed. She noted that the assessment was conducted despite the ongoing pandemic and related staff disruptions, most recently a round of furloughs and voluntary separations.

We made good on our commitment to deliver results in a timely fashion, she said. The board, again, sent a clear message for further actions to be taken quickly. And so I can tell you that just as we met, I believe, to the expeditious conduct of the assessment, so too will we pursue change.

The museum staff is currently engaged in a mail-in union election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board on whether staff will affiliate with AFSCME District Council 47, the main bargaining unit for the citys white-collar employees. The election results are scheduled to be determined Aug. 6.
Tony will report directly to the Chief Cloud Officer, William D. Souder and will support cloud and channel sales efforts with well-architected solution designs. DeLuce will be instrumental in providing customer feedback, marketing support, and direct input to further Cloud product development.

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Cloud computing is crucial as ever. Tony brings years of deep industry expertise, with an outstanding reputation in the solution architecture and design arena. We are confident that he will be a strong asset to the Cloud Business unit, which is growing rapidly and will help the unit to meet the surge in demand of cloud computing, said Ilan Mishan, Founder and CEO.

As office and store closures across the globe pushed more activity online, the remote data storage and processing have become an essential link for many people to stay connected. There is a pressing need for cloud providers to keep cloud infrastructure properly operating.

I am excited to join QuadraNet, an innovating leader in hybrid and multi-cloud solutions. QuadraNets QNMonitor is the worlds most comprehensive monitoring platform and provides the capability to monitor across every major Cloud provider and compare performance and cost. This analysis liberates our customers from being locked into a particular Cloud provider by providing the real-time and historical data necessary to select the best Cloud environment for their specific workloads, says DeLuce.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - It seemed that everyone in Congress had a beef with the CEOs of Amazon, Google and Facebook at Wednesdays House subcommittee hearing on their market power.

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee accused the companies of stealing intellectual property from smaller online companies and putting them out of business, buying out competitors to achieve a monopoly, and criticized their handling of disinformation meant to sway elections.

Ohios Jim Jordan, a Republican, accused the companies of waging an anti-conservative vendetta, reciting a laundry list of charges.

Ill just cut to the chase: big techs out to get conservatives, declared Jordan, of Champaign County, who is the House Judiciary Committees top Republican. Thats not a suspicion. Thats not a hunch. Thats a fact.

Jordan criticized Google for removing the home pages of Breitbart and the Daily Caller, and said the company has censored Breitbart so much that traffic to the conservative website has declined 99 percent. He criticized Google and YouTube for an April policy to censor content that conflicts with recommendations from the World Health Organization, the organization that lied to us, the organization that shills for China.

They can say whatever they want, said Jordan. You say something against them, you get censored.

Big techs out to get conservatives. Its time they face the consequences. pic.twitter.com/jfPRPL1rZ1  Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 29, 2020

Amazon banned a conservative commentators book critical of the coronavirus lockdown, and allows contributions to Planned Parenthood but not the Family Research Council, Jordan alleged, while Facebook took down a post from President Trumps reelection campaign, silenced an anti-abortion organizations ad, and routinely suppresses conservative views.

We all think the free market is great, we think competition is great, said Jordan. Whats not great is censoring people, censoring conservatives and trying to impact elections and if it doesnt end, there has to be consequences.

The tech CEOs denied a partisan tilt, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg saying his companys goal is to offer a platform for all ideas. He said the company has community standards that aim to ban categories of harm, such as terrorist propaganda, child exploitation, incitement of violence, some more legalistic things like intellectual property violations.

I think that we have distinguished ourselves as one of the companies that defends free expression the most, Zuckerberg said.

Jordan urged the CEOs to speak out against against an online cancel culture mob that bullies people they disagree with.

Jordan asked Google CEO Sundar Pichai if he could assure Americans that his company wouldnt tailor its features to help Democratic Vice President Joe Bidens presidential candidacy over that of Republican incumbent Donald Trump. Pichai said tilting things in any direction was against our core values. He denied Jordans claims that his company conspired to favor Hillary Clinton during 2016, and said the companys search engines give conservatives more access to information than ever before.

Why cant @Google commit to not using its search engine to silence conservatives?



Ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/0eq7eHNGIm  House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) July 29, 2020

Weve clearly communicated to our employees, any personal political activity, while its their right, needs to happen on their own time and resources, Pichai said. Any work we do around elections is nonpartisan.

After Jordans round of questions, Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon said she intended to redirect the subcommittees attention to antitrust law rather than fringe conspiracy theories. Jordan tried to shout her down.

We have the email, he said. There is no fringe ...

You do not have the time, the subcommittee chairman, Rhode Island Democrat David Cicilline shouted back, as Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin hollered for Jordan to Put your mask on!

If someone comes after my motives for asking questions, I get a chance to respond, Jordan continued.

The gentlelady is recognized, Cicilline pronounced, cutting off the exchange.

"Put your mask on!"



Shouting breaks out among members of the House subcommittee during tech hearing, after Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon suggests Rep. Jim Jordan is pushing "fringe conspiracy theories" https://t.co/83sKht0bRx pic.twitter.com/E6fEZKT6tO  CBS News (@CBSNews) July 29, 2020

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Gov. Mike DeWine and other Ohio political leaders remember the late civil rights pioneer John Lewis

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DNC Chair applauds Florida Democratic Party for returning PPP loan, said he thought Ohios would return theirs

Ohio Congress members propose quarantining coronavirus patients in hotels

Rep. Tim Ryan makes up lost fundraising ground while Rep. Jim Jordan takes in nearly $3.5 million

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Great winter fishing is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when tourists think of things to do and see in Bristol, but that may change after a nationwide fishing blog recently placed the Twin Cities in the top 10 best places to fish in the winter.
Italy accuses the Maltese and Gibraltar authorities of failing to intervene, prompting it to carry out the rescue.

Italys coastguard has rescued nearly 100 migrants, including women and children, on a half-deflated dinghy off the coast of Libya after authorities in other countries failed to intervene.

The coastguard said on Wednesday the inflatable boat was spotted by aircraft on Tuesday afternoon in the Libyan Search and Rescue (SAR) zone, without an engine and half deflated.

The Libyan authority responsible for search and rescue activities at sea did not take over the coordination of the rescue operations due to the lack of naval resources, the coastguard said in a statement.

The coastguard then informed Maltese authorities, whose search and rescue zone is close to that of Libya.

It said it also alerted Gibraltar, as a supply vessel flying the Gibraltar flag was nine nautical miles from the dinghy, as well as French authorities due to a Total oil platform in the area.

France replied there were no French-flagged vessels in the Libyan area of responsibility, it said.

The Italian coastguard, amid the persistent silence of the Maltese and Gibraltar authorities, then took over the coordination of the rescue, the coastguard said, sending a vessel to rescue the people.

More than 300 people arrived in Lampedusa during the last 24 hours on board 13 boats [Alberto Pizzoli/AFP]

The 84 migrants, who included six women and two children, were transferred at dawn on Wednesday from their almost sunk dinghy to the Italian ship, which on Wednesday was headed for the island of Lampedusa.

The reception centre on the island is already overcrowded with migrants who have been arriving daily by the hundreds in recent weeks.

More than 300 people, mainly Tunisians, arrived in Lampedusa during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday on board 13 boats.

On Monday night, Maltas coastguard rescued a group of 94 migrants in the Mediterranean, most of whom later tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Malta health authorities said.
President Trump and his administration have been consistent in our message throughout the violence in Portland: The violent criminal activity directed towards federal properties and law enforcement will not be tolerated, Mr. Wolf said. State and local leaders must step forward and police their communities.

Mr. Trump cast some doubt on Wednesday about the administrations willingness to leave.

You hear all sorts of reports about us leaving, Mr. Trump said hours before the announcement of the agreement. Were not leaving until theyve secured their city. We told the governor. We told the mayor. Secure your city. If they dont secure their city soon, we have no choice. Were going to have to go in and clean it out.

Later in the day, the president said on Twitter that Fox News had reported incorrectly about what was happening in Portland, though he was not specific. We are demanding that the Governor & Mayor do their job or we will do it for them, he wrote.

Officials in Oregon said they still expected the withdrawal to be carried out in the coming days.

State and federal officials had largely not been communicating over the past two weeks as the protests continued to escalate, filling the void with public denouncements of one another.

The move toward a resolution began last week, when Ms. Brown reached out to Mr. Pence, her closest contact in the White House.

Ms. Brown had spent months working with Mr. Pence on the coronavirus pandemic, at times pleading for more federal support, but this time she came with a request for less federal involvement, telling him that the deployment of U.S. tactical teams on the streets of Portland needed to end.
The United Nations has warned of an alarming decrease in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines around the world.

The drop included vaccinations for preventable diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and measles, the U.N. said in a statement. The U.N.s World Health Organization and UNICEF blame the decrease on the change in routine health care caused by the coronavirus crisis.

A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active immunity to an infectious disease. A vaccine usually contains a substance that is similar to the disease-causing illness. It tells the body's immune system to recognize the substance as a threat and destroy it.

Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools in the history of public health, and more children are now being immunized than ever before, WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

But the pandemic has put those gains at risk. The avoidable suffering and death caused by children missing out on routine immunizations could be far greater than COVID-19 itself.

The WHO and UNICEF said that even when vaccines are available, many children who need them are afraid to leave their homes because of the coronavirus. Others face difficulties traveling because of COVID-19 restrictions.

But even before the spread of the coronavirus, the agencies said child vaccinations were already falling. They said nearly 14 million children did not get vaccinated against measles and pertussis in 2019. Most of these children live in Africa. Economic difficulties also prevented children in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan and the Philippines from getting the needed vaccine.

COVID-19 has made routine vaccinations a major challenge, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. She said vaccination programs need to be restarted urgently before childrens lives are threatened by other diseases. We cannot trade one health crisis for another.

The WHO says that before the spread of the coronavirus, more than 116 million, or 86 percent, of all babies born had been vaccinated every year for the past 10 years.

More than 20 life-threatening diseases can now be prevented by immunization, the WHO reports. In addition, new vaccines for major killers like diarrhea, cervical cancer, cholera and meningitis are being introduced in several countries, the agency said.

Im Susan Shand.

VOA News reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

alarming  adj. something that is worrisome or dangerous

routine  adj. a common or usual activity

immunity  n. to be vaccinated against a disease

pandemic  n. a contagious disease that moves from one country to another

immunize  v. to vaccinate someone against a disease

challenge - n. something that is difficult to do
MBABANE  On top of being the cheapest bid, the Stefanutti Stocks multi-million Emalangeni contracts come with more benefits for emaSwati.

Stefanutti Stocks outclassed its competitors, achieving a 100 per cent evaluation score to win the bid for the construction of the secondary distribution systems and pump stations and roads for contract one and two. The procuring entity is the Eswatini Water and Agriculture Development Enterprise Ltd (ESWADE), a wholly-owned government parastatal in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Stefanutti Stocks was awarded both contracts on May 7, 2020, with the official project commencement date on June 18, 2020. They are for phase two of the Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project (LUSIP) Phase II. Stefanutti Stocks bid value at tender opening for LUSIP Phase II Contract One was E348 441 835. For LUSIP Phase II Contract Two the figures were at E314 271 768.89. These are discounted figures as compared to that of competitors who submitted bids of about E400 million, as per documents seen by this publication.

Stefanutti Stocks confirmed the employment opportunities.

Acknowledges

Stefanutti Stocks intends to employ about 450 emaSwati on the project. Stefanutti Stocks acknowledges that a talented and diverse workforce is key to the long-term sustainability of the business. The success of the operations is dependent on attracting, developing and retaining a capable and motivated workforce. The group focuses on employee development as an important employee retention strategy as well as improving the knowledge, skills and experience of its employees to achieve the groups strategic objectives, shared the company. There are also community upliftment initiatives that address education, basic sanitation needs in the communities surrounding their operations.

The community upliftment budget is managed at senior management level which provides direction on the choice of initiatives that drive the community upliftment strategies.

On various projects in the country, they have been responsible for many community upliftment initiatives which include but are not limited to sponsoring literacy classes; assisting poorer communities with clothing, blankets and toys.
Google One is a cloud subscription service that was launched two years ago. Last year, the company added automatic Android phone backups to Google One. Now Google has extended automatic phone backups to iOS and is free for anyone with a Google account. iOS users will be able to access the feature via a new Google One app.

And if you have an iPhone, were introducing a new iOS app that lets you store photos, videos, contacts, and calendar events with Google. Start backing up your phone with the Google One app, and save the stuff you care about using the free 15 GB of storage that comes with your Google Account. If you break, lose, or upgrade your phone, you can rest easy knowing that your data is safe in the cloud.

Earlier, the automatic backup feature was available only for paid subscribers. Now onwards, anyone with a Google account will be able to use the feature. It is worth noting that your iPhone backup will count against the 15GB free space offered by a Google Account. Furthermore, iOS users will be able to store photos, contacts, videos, calendar events, and documents using Google One.

Google has also introduced a new storage manager feature on the Google One app and the web. It helps you understand how youre using your storage and free up space by deleting unnecessary items. Googles free cloud space is shared across Gmail, Docs, Photos, and other services. The subscription starts at $1.99/month and can be shared with up to five family members. Moreover, you also get access to Google experts whenever you need technical support. The Google One iOS app will be available soon on the App Store.

[via Google
In an appeal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said "it is time to build roads for the future".

A bench, headed by Justice Sanjay K Kaul, said the J&K residents should look for the future and not keep living in the past.

"It is time to build roads for the future. Look for the future... Don't live in the past, look ahead," the court recorded on its order.

It also said that the government should make all endeavours to bring "complete normalcy" in the Union Territory.

Justice Kaul, who himself belongs to J&K, decided to make this appeal while allowing a matter relating to detention of Kashmir Bar Association President Mian Abdul Qayoom.

Qayoom was detained under the Public Safety Act in August 2019, and the high court had also upheld his detention, quoting his "separatist ideology."

During the proceedings on Wednesday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta agreed to not extend Qayoom's detention any further, and said he will be released immediately.

The law officer accepted the court's suggestion that Qayoom will remain in Delhi and not go to Kashmir till August 7, since August 5 will see one year of the abrogation of Article 370.

Senior lawyer Dushyant Dave, representing Qayoom, also accepted the condition that his client will also not issue any contentious statement on Article 370.

The bench then appreciated both Mehta and Dave for being able to resolve this without any adversarial positions.

It also deemed it appropriate to insert some words of advice to the people and the government, besides urging Qayoom to adopt a "more constructive approach in future.

Meanwhile, Dave said that he would wish to visit Kashmir if it was safe and that one can compare its scenic beauty to Switzerland.

Justice Kaul replied: "Yes, you should go. There are only some small pockets which are disturbed. Otherwise it is all good."

The judge then added that India has great potential of tourism and that the government should tap up this potential.

"There are 37,000 registered temples only in Tami Nadu and they are all marvellous. I believe this country has great tourist places and they should be promoted," he said.

Justice Kaul, citing the current situations due to the pandemic, further said: "We know what we are saying right now looks strange but his willing, this time will go and everything will be okay."
Xi renews China's support for multilateralism

Global Times

By Wang Cong Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/28 23:53:40

AIIB speech refutes rising US-led unilateralism: observers

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday reiterated China's support for the global multilateral system and commitment to pursue development with the rest of the world in the spirit of openness and mutually-beneficial cooperation, in what Chinese analysts called an apparent rebuttal of a rising tide of unilateralism and anti-globalization amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xi spoke at the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of the board of governors of the 103-member Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) via video link.

Coming at a critical time of rising risks and uncertainties posed by the pandemic and regional and global tensions, the two-day meeting is set to focus on cooperation in response to the pandemic and its economic fallout, observers said.

"Mutual support and cooperation in solidarity are the only way for mankind to overcome crises," Xi said in his speech.

"China always supports and adheres to multilateralism, and pursues development with the rest of the world in the spirit of openness and mutually-beneficial cooperation," the Chinese president said.

His speech was apparently aimed at addressing rising unilateralism and anti-globalization in certain parts of the world, most notably in the US, that have seriously undermined global cooperation at a time of urgent need due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese observers said.

"The Chinese leader's attendance [at the meeting] shows China's stance that all countries should cooperate through multilateral institutions like the AIIB but instead of deepening cooperation, some countries are constantly withdrawing from international organizations, starting trouble and making very stupid mistakes," Wang Jun, an expert at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

As the COVID-19 continues to ravage across the country, and as a presidential election heats up, the Trump administration has repeatedly blamed China and others for its failure to contain the COVID-19 epidemic, and has even announced a US withdrawal from the World Health Organization - adding to a growing list of international organizations and agreements it has abandoned.

In a series of geopolitical maneuvers aimed at China, the US administration has also sought to stir tensions in the South China Sea by pitting countries in Southeast Asia against China - including members of the AIIB, which is also a target of US attacks on China.

The Chinese president's call for cooperation and solidarity on Tuesday could also be a rebuttal of the US' confrontational approach, Han Feng, an expert on the Asia Pacific at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"There are a lot of differences in this region, but the US approach to resort to [confrontation] is not in the interest of the region," Han said.

Jin Liqun, who has been reelected as president of the AIIB for a second term on Tuesday, also warned of the challenges posed by the COVID-19, and called for further cooperation to help members battle the pandemic.

"Unless effective measures are taken to reverse this trend, we will suffer the loss of a generation. We will not allow such a disaster to befall our people and future generations," Jin said, noting that the bank has approved nearly $6 billion to help 12 members respond to the public health crisis. AIIB's total investment portfolio has reached nearly $20 billion since 2016, he said.

Xi, who first proposed the establishment of the AIIB in 2013, also proposed an increase in the bank's global profile to promote development across the world.

"China will continue to work with other members to support the AIIB and make it a success, and contribute more to the global response to risks and challenges, and the pursuit of shared development," Xi said.

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The chief executive of Retail NI has expressed concern over plans to pedestrianise Belfast's Ormeau Road on summer weekends.

Glyn Roberts said that the views of traders were not being taken into consideration and the proposal could work only if it was supported by local businesses.

He said he had raised the issue with South Belfast SDLP MP Claire Hanna, and they had a "good discussion".

The 'Open Ormeau' initiative would see restaurants and bars expand outdoors, European cafe culture-style.

While it is popular with the hospitality industry, other businesses have argued that it will decimate their weekend trade.

Mr Roberts said: "We need to show imagination and creativity in revitalising our high streets and public places to deal with the impact of Covid-19.

"However, following extensive discussions with our members and the broader business community on the Ormeau Road, it is very clear that there is huge concern from them with the Open Ormeau proposals.

Retail NI is concerned that the views of the traders are not being taken into consideration.

This project can only work if there is buy-in from the local business community, and it is plain to see that is not the case."

He said he would be working closely with traders and politicians to develop "a new agreed strategy which can ensure the road bounces back from Covid-19 and can go from strength to strength".

SDLP, Alliance and Greens back the initiative, the MP said.

"While there is clearly room to compromise on scale, the idea of a few hours in the week where pedestrians get priority over cars is a very welcome one," Ms Hanna said.

"I will be working with residents and traders to see what common ground can be found."

The initial proposal of pedestrianising the Ormeau Road every summer weekend has been revised and the plan now is to do so on one weekend, and a separate Saturday and Sunday in August. Meanwhile, Open Ormeau has condemned sinister letters sent to two businessmen who oppose the initiative.

The correspondence was posted to Michael Goggin of Michael's Fresh Fruit & Vegetables, and Fergal McAdam of homeware store Neptune.

Ciaran Fox of Open Ormeau said: "Any attempt to silence or intimidate is completely unacceptable. Whoever is responsible is acting against the very ethos of Open Ormeau, which is all about a respectful community conversation.

"The residents involved in developing the Open Ormeau idea want all voices to be heard and have been working really hard to make sure this happens."

Mr Fox said everyone must feel comfortable expressing their views. "I encourage Michael and Fergal, and all other businesses and residents, to continue to speak out. This will help deliver the best outcome for everyone in the area."
The alternative credentials market for higher education is expected to grow by USD 1.18 billion during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect the impact to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005322/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Alternative Credentials Market for Higher Education 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

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Every year, a significant number of individuals clear graduate and post-graduate degrees. However, the growing competition and increased demand for specific skills have limited the employment opportunities for such individuals. Alternative credentials help students acquire specific skills and stand out from the crowd and maintain continuous career readiness. These credentials also help recruiters verify achievements and check the suitability of candidates. This is beneficial to both candidates and organizations in addressing recruitment-related issues. These factors are fueling the growth of the global alternative credentials market.

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43906

As per Technavio, the availability of open educational resources will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024.

Alternative Credentials Market for Higher Education: Availability of Open Educational Resources

Many massive open online courses (MOOCs) providers in the market are offering alternative credentials such as verified certificates, digital badges, course sequences, eTranscripts, and digital portfolios to students. This trend is increasingly becoming popular among students, as employers are increasingly tracking both formal and informal education. Several schools and universities are also introducing open educational resources by partnering with online platforms such as Coursera Inc. and Pearson Plc. For instance, the University of Illinois, along with Coursera Inc., offers iMBA and an unbundled master's degree in computer science. The increasing availability of such open educational resources is allowing learners to avail of advanced levels of alternative credential course certification by paying a nominal fee. These factors are expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the global alternative credentials market.

"The inefficiency of traditional degree programs and the high cost of several degree programs will further boost market growth during the forecast period", says a senior analyst at Technavio.

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Alternative Credentials Market for Higher Education: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the alternative credentials market for higher education by product (non-credit training courses, non-credit certificate programs, digital badges, competency-based education, and bootcamps) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA).

The North America region led the alternative credentials market for higher education in 2019, followed by Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, the North American region will provide significant growth opportunities for market players.

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

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After Kitty OMeara had lunch on a Friday in mid-March, she sat down and wrote a short prose poem about how staying home during the new coronavirus outbreak could be an opportunity to slow the pace of the world down. Then she posted it to Facebook for her 85 friends to see. Five months later, OMearas poem has been read by millions, praised by Deepak Chopra, and sung by opera great Renee Fleming. Now, And the People Stayed Home is slated for publication as a picture book, with illustrations by Stefan Di Cristofaro and Paul Pereda, by Tra Publishing on November 10.

A friend in Albuquerque said, I really like this. Can I repost it?  OMeara told PW. She sweetly put my name on it and reposted it and a few days later, my husband Phillip was scrolling and said, One of my students posted your poem. Then a friend called the next morning and said, Deepak Chopra just read your poem. 

The sudden experience of seeing her poem read and praised by so many has been a whirlwind for the former middle school teacher turned chaplain. Over the years, OMeara has written a number of manuscripts, but her disillusionment with the complexities of the publishing trade caused her to abandon attempts to find an agent. Still, she has kept writing, and with the poems sudden success, the threads of her life have converged around it.

In June, a class of sixth graders shared projects they made after reading the poem with OMeara, asking her questions about writing and life. E-mails have poured in by the thousands. Musicians have asked to record the poem, including composer John Corigliano, who wrote the score for Flemings recording, as well as composer Roger Ames. On one recent morning, OMeara found herself laying down tracks in Spanish on her iPhone for trumpeter Gabriel Alegria of the Afro-Peruvian Sextet.

And the people stayed home, the poem begins. And they listened, and read books, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still.

OMeara describes the poem as a call to creativity. The theme of my career has been, name your gifts and use them in the world by making a difference. Start by making that difference in your being.

Seeing others take her poem and adapt it through their own modes of expression has been an affirmation of that call to creativity. It seems to have touched a lot of artists who were also searching, OMeara said, referring to the disorientation many have experienced when facing the possibilities for good unleashed by a virus that has done so much harm to so many. We have this time that is frightening and sad. Its not without loss and grief, but its also a time of great invitation for us to be still and joyful together; to learn how to be better listeners; to make art, dance, create, and ready ourselves for co-creation that I hope we will enter into when this passes.

With publication of the book, the poem will reach even more readers. Tra is backing its publication with a robust media campaign to match the accolades OMeara has already garnered. An animated version of the book is set to be narrated by Oscar-winning actor Kate Winslet and a give-back program will benefit Save the Children and No Kid Hungry.

The outpouring of support has also prepared the author for a publishing process she used to be hesitant about pursuing. Had I labored over the manuscript knowing it would become a childrens book, I would have been far more proprietary, she said. I keep going back in my heart to the fact that Im retired. This was a Facebook post. This is all a blessing.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has raised an alarm of plans by some unnamed persons to destabilize the country.

Spokesperson of the DSS, Peter Afunanya said some unnamed persons are planning to take advantage of the insecurity in the country to destabilize it.

It was further alleged that some prominent personalities and socio-cultural groups have resorted to divisive acts through inciting statements aimed at pitting individuals, groups and ethnic nationalities against another.

The statement read;
New film Everyday Miracles follows preachers son who moves in the power of healing (trailer)

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The new faith-based film Everyday Miracles about a pastor's son who's running away from his past will soon be available via On Demand, Digital and DVD

The film will be released on Sept. 1 and stars acting veteran Gary Cole (VEEP, Entourage), Erik Smith (A Walk to Remember) and Zoe Perry (Young Sheldon).

The film is dedicated to my sister, Mary Pat, who passed away from complications from aplastic anemia. During her treatment, she needed a bone marrow transplant and I was the only possible donor. So I guess it wasn't that big a stretch to start writing a story about a man with miraculous gifts who attempts to save his sister's life, writer and director Marty Madden (Musical Chairs) told The Christian Post.

Everyday Miracles is centered around faith healer, Cotton (Smith), who is trying to run from his troubled past. After being taken in by a horse rancher (Cole) and his family, Cottons new life is soon tested when his overbearing mother (Lusia Strus) tracks him down and tries to pull him back into the life he had escaped, the synopsis reads. Cotton is desperate to avoid his past life which could jeopardize a possible future with his love interest, Perry. When a painful revelation comes to light, he must lean on his new family and learn to trust again. Through his journey, Cotton learns the value of compassion and family through hard work and selflessness.

Madden said he thought the time he spent with his sister before she died was to help her, but instead she was the one who was teaching him valuable life lessons.

The movie, which is being released during the global coronavirus pandemic and state lockdowns, tackles such topics as grief and loss, as well as hope and faith, courage and strength.

While we were making this film, we could have never imagined this is the world wed be releasing it into, the filmmaker said of the pandemic and worldwide lockdowns. Though so much seems uncertain now, we hope this film is able to bring some hope and happiness to those who need it most. Films have the incredible power to move and inspire especially in times of trial.

Everyday Miracles is a film that families will enjoy watching together, Madden told CP. Everybody feels misunderstood sometimes, especially by those closest to us  even family. We can all feel lost and alone. I hope this film reminds people that we are never truly alone and that there is always someone to turn to and to help us through the darkest times.

The family film was produced by James J. Bagley and Tom Tangen and will be distributed by Cinedigm.

View the trailer premiere below:
Eskom has confirmed that it will increase its electricity tariffs following a ruling in its favour by the High Court.

The substituted decision made by the court addressed an incorrectly deducted amount of R69 billion from the multi-year price determination (MYPD) which determines Eskoms electricity prices.

The court found in favour of Eskom, stating that the power utility should recover R69 billion in a phased manner over a three-year period.

When asked whether it will need to apply for leave to increase prices, Eskom told MyBroadband that the decision has already been made, and it will allow Eskom to increase the average price of electricity in South Africa.

The Court Judgement allows for the recovery of incorrectly deducted equity support that was provided by the government, Eskom said.

It allows for the Eskom average electricity price to slowly migrate towards what the efficient price of electricity is.

Eskom said that the average price of electricity at the moment is much lower than what it costs to efficiently produce the electricity.

This decision allows for the narrowing of this gap, the power utility said.

10% price increase expected

Eskom said that this ruling would allow for the rectification of inadequate revenue decisions which were made by the national energy regulator.

Eskom is in the process of migrating to a level where it can recover its efficient costs of providing a service, the power utility said.

Eskoms balance sheet and the taxpayer has been providing a subsidy to the electricity consumer for many years.

It added that it expected to increase electricity tariffs in South Africa by 10% as a result of this ruling.

These changes will take effect for the 2021/22 financial year, Eskom said.

Electricity is cheap in South Africa

It should be noted that while electricity tariff hikes are undoubtedly unpopular, they are not necessarily unsubstantiated.

After seeing large annual increases for many years, it is natural to assume South Africas electricity prices are now expensive compared to global standards.

This is, however, not the case. South Africans paid such a low price for electricity between 1994 and 2007 that, even despite large increases for over a decade, we still pay much less than most countries.

Data shows that South African electricity prices are relatively low compared to the rest of the world.

The charts below, courtesy of Statista and Global Petrol Prices, show how local prices compare to other countries.

Global electricity prices in 2018 (Statista)

Electricity prices, December 2019 (Global Petrol Prices)

Now read: Eskom CEO enters political danger zone
Changes to the way the state reports the number of people infected with and killed by COVID-19 has given Jefferson County residents a better look at the virus spread in local assisted living and nursing homes.

As of Monday, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is releasing, by facility, the number of active and cumulative cases of coronavirus in residents and staff. It also lists the number of coronavirus-related deaths and recoveries of residents of those facilities.

According to the data, the virus has hit local nursing homes much worse than assisted-living facilities, with no virus-related deaths reported at assisted-living facilities compared to nine in nursing homes.

The state data lag by two weeks the numbers that local communities release daily. This allows Health and Human Services staff to review and correct clerical or reporting errors.

As of July 14, the state data show, five staff members and residents of assisted-living facilities in Jefferson County had coronavirus. An additional resident had recovered.

Related: Plans underway for nursing home testing

By comparison, 90 coronavirus infections were reported among residents and staff members at local nursing homes as of that date, and 27 remained active.

In a news release this week announcing the change, the state agency said it has the legal and ethical obligation to protect the private health information of everyone it serves. However, guidance from the state Attorney General allowed them to release this data while still maintaining that privacy.

Also this week, the Department of State Health Services updated the way it was identifying virus-related deaths. Health officials have now opted to report them based on death certificates instead of reports from individual counties, as it had previously been relying on.

Death certificates are required by law to be submitted within 10 days.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

Although this revealed an additional 700 previously unreported COVID-19 deaths across the state of Texas, death counts for Jefferson County on Tuesday afternoon seemed to lag behind.

The state was reporting 58 virus-related deaths. However, four more reported Tuesday - three in Beaumont and an additional in Port Neches - brings the county to a total of 62.

The state updates its data at 4 p.m. Its unclear when death certificates are filed, but the Beaumont and Port Arthur public health departments generally release their updated information after 4 p.m. each day.

Kaitlin Bain is the Government Reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise. Contact her at Kaitlin.Bain@BeaumontEnterprise.com or on Twitter by clicking here.

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By Amit Kumar, TwoCircles.net

Jalgaon: Lockdown, quarantine and a total restriction on movement amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has now become part of our lives.

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For Parvej Khan, a 45-year-old resident of Jalgaon, however, the current restrictions mean nothing. He is not breaking the lockdown rules of his region. He is happy to accept them because, until July 13, he was being made to pay for a crime that he did not commit. He was serving the fourth year of his 10-year jail stint for crimes under Section 120b of the Indian Penal Code. The story of Khan is a great reminder of how Islamophobia runs rife in our system, where often the only mistake that you can commit is that of being a Muslim.

To understand the story of Khan, we must go back to 2001, in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, when a few local Muslim youths allegedly joined militancy in Kashmir. Twelve people were named in the FIR lodged by the then Sub-Divisional Police Officer, MIDC Police Station, Jalgaon. The FIR said that five people had received arms training from militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir and when they were arrested, they said they were members of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). On investigation of the said crime, a charge-sheet was filed against 16 accused persons. Interestingly, Khans name did not appear in the FIR, but it did in the charge sheet. Two of the sixteen: Parvej Khan and Asif Khan, were said to be wanted accused.

But here is the interesting part: Parvej Khan was never missing. He had moved to Mumbai in late 2000 and was living with his wife under his name and working for an Urdu media house. He remained unaware of the matter even as others arrested were put on trial. That case came to an end in 2006, with some of the arrested convicted of their crimes while others acquitted.

Parvej, meanwhile, continued to live a normal life. I was travelling all over Maharashtra under my name, working in the ad department of a Delhi-based Urdu publication. I had no clue that all this while, I had been wanted. The police can dig graves to find people if they want to, yet for five years they were acting like I was hiding somewhere even though I lived under my name and worked a regular job like everyone else. If the Jalgaon police had so much as contacted my family, they would have found out about me. But they didnt. Instead, they continued to act like I was some mastermind who was absconding when I was a regular guy working hard to keep his job, says Khan in a conversation with TwoCircles.net.

How Khan came to know about his role was also interesting, albeit shared by several Muslims who have been falsely implicated in such terror cases. In the aftermath of the July 7, 2006 bomb blasts, the police came to my house around 2 am on August 20 and ransacked my place looking for information. I was arrested in front of my children and wife and kept in Kala chowki for a few days before being sent to Jalgaon. Only there did I come to know about the case, the trial and that I was wanted, he says.

At this point, Khan adds, I was never accused of being involved in the July 7 case and I want to make that clear.

When Khan was produced in a trial court following his arrest, the police in its supplementary charge sheet said that Khan had been wanted and absconding. The trial court took note of the same and sent Khan to custody. For the next eleven and a half months, Khan remained in custody as his bail appeal reached the High Court. The High Court, however, did not buy into the narrative that Khan had been absconding. I produced proof of work from my office showing that I had been employed during this entire time in Mumbai and I also presented my residence proof to show that I was living under my original name with my wife and children. The HC also questioned the police about what steps it had taken to locate Khan during this entire period. The HC did not accept the police version and I was finally out on bail, Khan says.

Upon his release, Khan, who has studied in English-medium schools throughout his life and does not read or write in Urdu (a fact that is important later in this story), jumped head-on into his case. All this was completely new information for me. I had no clue of who the people were who had allegedly gone to Kashmir. I was said to be a part of SIMI even though I was never a member. I was supposed to help these people from Jalgaon even though I was spending most of my time in Jalgaon, he says.

For the next ten years, the case went on in the trial court, and it had a detrimental impact on Khans career. I got bail, but it was conditional. I was to present myself in the police station twice a week and I could not leave Jalgaon district without special permission. My career in Mumbai came to an abrupt end and my wife had to find new ways to make a living. She had to start giving sewing classes and stitch clothes and I started doing whatever odd job I could find to make ends meet, Khan says.

Initially, there were 11 charges against Parvej Khan and Mohammed Asif Khan. However, all charges were dropped except for the charge of conspiracy under Section 120b. The police, one month before the verdict, added a charge under Section 120b as a standalone charge. Usually, Section 120b gets clubbed with other sections, Khan said.

The trial court relied on three pieces of evidence, as per Khan. One was a letter written on behalf of SIMI to the authorities of Aksa Masjid, Jalgaon, for permission to hold public meetings during the month of Ramzan. The court did not accept my story that I could neither read nor write in Urdu. The letter was allegedly signed by the secretary of SIMI unit, Jalgaon, but no one could identify whose signature it was. The Trial court also took cognisance of the fact that I was absconding even though I tried to prove that I wasnt, he added. The trial court ended up finding both Parvej and Asif Khan guilty and awarded them a 10-year sentence along with a fine of Rs 10,000.

Khan says he was shocked when he heard this. I could not believe that I had been booked on such flimsy grounds. But even then, I knew that I would get justice from the High Court, he added.

And so, began his second stint in jail. This time, it proved to be much longer and he was unable to get bail any time during this period, including when his eldest son got married.

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court, however, took a different view of the trial court order. Judge RG Avachat noted, I have carefully scrutinised the evidence of all the witnesses relied upon by the prosecution to bring home the charge against the appellants. I have also gone through the impugned judgment to find that the Trial Court reproduced the evidence of all the witnesses relied upon by the prosecution and without assigning any reason, convicted the appellants.

Regarding the SIMI letters, Judge Avachat noted, Those applications were nothing but requests made to him for allowing him to hold meetings of SIMI workers on the premises of Aksa Masjid. Two of the applications are relevant herein. Those are Exhibits 302 and 304. Those applications were referred by this witness to state that those bear signatures of the appellants herein. Admittedly, on the arrest of the appellants, their specimen handwritings have not been obtained, as was done in respect of other accused. The appellants did not sign these applications in the presence of P.W.21. The witness simply claims to have acquaintance with their handwritings. Even if we accept those applications to have been proved in the case, they do not take the case of the prosecution further. Application Exh.302 is dated 29/7/1997 while Exh.304 is dated 17/12/1999 furnished by appellants on letter-head of SIMI, Jalgaon Unit. Admittedly, activities of SIMI, nay SIMI itself was banned w.e.f. 27/9/2001. It means when the appellants moved those two applications Exh.302 and Exh.304, it was permissible for them to hold the meetings of SIMI. There is nothing in the evidence to suggest that in the meetings held pursuant to those two applications, there was any discussion, decision-cum-conspiracy to commit any illegal act as has been covered by the charge/s framed in the case.

The trial court order was eventually set aside and as a result, after three and a half years, Khan walked out free this time, no conditions attached.

I am of course happy, but the truth is that I am also worried about what to do next. I had been taking baby steps in the world of real estate brokerage when I was picked up and I have since lost complete touch with that world. Now, with the ongoing pandemic, it will be difficult to sell small flats to middle and lower-class families. The last three months have essentially wiped out my plans and I am still thinking about what to do next. People have been coming over to wish me and congratulate me since I came out, and I hope that people will continue to support me in my future endeavours, he said.

When asked if the local media, which had painted pictures of him being a terror mastermind after his conviction in the trial court, have also visited him to hear his story, he says, No. Not one local media has come to hear me or my side of the story. You are the only one, he says.
The developer for the Parker Lands will ask a judge to fine the City of Winnipeg and order it to hold a final vote on the sites hotly debated development proposal.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The developer for the Parker Lands will ask a judge to fine the City of Winnipeg and order it to hold a final vote on the sites hotly debated development proposal.

In a new court document, the developers legal team notes it will ask Justice Candace Grammond to fine the city $68,600 for contempt of court.

"There has to be a consequence to their failure to comply with a court order," said Dave Hill, the lawyer representing Gem Equities owner Andrew Marquess.

The new legal challenge also calls for the civic government to pay the developers legal costs for previous challenges linked to the proposal. That would see the city pay out roughly another $103,000.

Hill said that includes some previous court costs the city was ordered to cover but has not yet paid.

In August 2019, the city was found in contempt of a court order because it considered the development proposal through a bylaw process, instead of the policy-based one the judge had ordered council to follow.

"We have never had the hearing that Mme. Justice Grammond ordered them to have," said Hill.

The developers ask that city council be required to hold a final vote on the development at its Sept. 30 meeting. That could take place the following month, if more public notice is required.

If the city doesnt comply with that hearing request, the developer calls for the government to be fined an additional $200 per day until it does.

In May, city council postponed its final vote on the development, opting to first seek clarity on the judges order that details how it should be considered.

If approved, the Parker Lands proposal would add houses, apartments and townhouses to the area surrounded by the CNR Rivers railway and the Southwest Rapid Transitway.

City staff has recommended the plans rejection, alleging it lacks detail, doesnt meet land-use criteria and could create conflict between industry and residences.

By contrast, Gem Equities argues its proposal would create an ideal transit-oriented development  something the city has sought for more than a decade.

If council casts a final vote to reject the proposal, Hill said Marquess could also consider an appeal to the Manitoba Municipal Board. The province has introduced, but not yet passed, legislation that would see that board hear some Winnipeg development appeals.

"There is going to be that new legislation with the province, so that may be open to Mr. Marquess, if the city denies all of his efforts," said Hill.

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), councils former property and development chairman, said he would like to see a final decision on the development, which he voted to support in May.

"The delay is now in the years, so we need to resolve this one way or the other," said Mayes.

Developer Gem Equities and municipal officials have been discussing plans for the site since at least 2014.

Mayes said development is needed alongside the rapid transit route.

"We are trying to densify our rapid transit corridors. This would seem to me an opportunity to do that," he said.

Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), councils current property and development chairwoman, declined an interview request.

City spokesman Kalen Qually said city staff is now reviewing the legal document.

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A judge is scheduled to hear the motion on Sept. 9.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
Maan Kunwar, from the historic city of Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, was initially scared to see doctors in protective gear around her and even called one of them "betaal", a ghost, but then she overcame her fears to defeat the coronavirus.

At 95, she is being hailed as the "Rani of Jhansi" because of her indomitable spirit, and the staff of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College now don't mind her initial outburst.

They say patients take time to adapt to the hospital environment at that age.

Dr Anshul Jain, the superintendent in-charge of the COVID hospital, said Kunwar was worried initially, as it was her first visit to the hospital, but she adapted well. Junior doctors made her talk with her family members on the phone also arranged video calls.

"The staff took care of her, provided 'haldi' milk and food at her bed. From the second day, she was comfortable," Dr Jain said.

Kunwar was asymptomatic when she was admitted to the hospital on July 19 but her test result had come out positive. Her grandson said she largely remains inside home and except for an episodic blood pressure, she has had no other medical condition.

After recovery, she was discharged on July 25 but has been advised 7-day home quarantine according to the government protocol.

When she was being discharged, one female resident joked, "Amma Ji, we are not betaal". She replied, "Tum to beta pari si ho' (you are like a fairy)."

All healthcare staff and other patients clapped as she walked out of the hospital as her recovery gave hope to thousands of patients still fighting the deadly disease.

"Such news of elder people recovering from COVID is really encouraging. Generally, 70 per cent patients are psychologically tensed," Dr Jain said.

The grandson said the family members were worried because of Kunwar's age but after her discharge from the hospital everyone felt relieved. He said his grandparents married nearly 80 years ago but his grandfather died in 2003.

"Whoever has a good immunity does not lead a sedentary lifestyle. They have very good chances of overcoming this infection," Jhansi District Magistrate Andra Vamsi said.

Vamsi said 61 COVID-19 cases were reported from the district until Tuesday an the active cases have risen to 899. At least 62 people have died due to the disease.

As many as 1,065 patients have been discharged, the district magistrate added.
Accused paedophile Malka Leifer's appeal against an order for her to stand trial for extradition to Australia has been heard behind closed doors in Israel.

A panel of three judges in Israel's Supreme Court granted the request of the former Melbourne Orthodox school principal's defence team to hold the proceedings in a closed court, expelling members of the press and permitting only advocates of the three alleged victims and Ms Leifer's family, including two siblings and her son, to be present.

Accused child sex offender Malka Leifer appears on video with her head bowed in an Israeli court. Credit:Gabrielle Weiniger

"When you're dealing with the medical issues of a person under the mental health act, that person is entitled to secrecy and therefore the hearings were held behind closed doors," defence lawyer Nick Kaufman said.

Despite protests from the prosecution, Ms Leifer, who had appeared on screen via video conference from prison with her head bowed for the start of the hearing, was also dismissed from the hearing when the court was closed.
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Linkedin Khorn Savi (The Phnom Penh Post/Asia News Network) Phnom Penh, Cambodia  Wed, July 29, 2020 12:30 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a26298 2 SE Asia ASEAN,mangrove,forest,environment,environmental-issues Free

The ASEAN region lost about 33 per cent of its mangrove forests between 1980 and 2020, a decrease of more than 63,000sq km, said the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB).

Nations that comprise ASEAN have just around 43,000sq km of mangrove forests remaining.

The ACB statement was released on Sunday and coincided with the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem. The intent is to remind the public of the importance of mangrove forests and the value of dealing with mangrove deforestation.

ASEAN accounts for 42 per cent of the worlds total mangrove forests which provide critical breeding habitats for about 75 per cent of fish species caught in the oceans.

Apart from supporting the worlds food systems, mangroves are the planets protectors against the catastrophic consequences of climate change. They can store 10 times as much carbon as terrestrial ecosystems and specialized root systems make them natural buffer zones in coastal areas.

Mangroves also minimize the impact of strong ocean waves and winds and help reduce erosion and siltation that impact coastal communities.

Fishery Administration director-general Eng Chea San could not be reached for comment on Sunday but he previously said that Cambodia has a total area of 58,800ha of mangrove forest. More than 1,000ha are in Kep, 1,966ha in Kampot, 9,352ha in Preah Sihanouk province and 46,529ha in Koh Kong province.

Senior marine biologist at Wild Earth Allies (WEA) Leng Phalla, said Cambodias mangrove forests have been declining due to logging. But in recent years, government officials, civil society organisations and communities have worked together to replant mangrove forests, especially in Kampot province.

Because of government promotion, people are now aware that mangrove forests are important for their descendants and their livelihood. They earn income from the mangrove forest by catching shrimp, crab and fish and can earn at least 30,000 to 40,000 riel ($7 to $10) per day, Phalla said.

Kampot provincial Fisheries Administration official Sar Sorin said there are nine communities in the mangrove forest in Kampot province.

They have been given the right by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to manage resources like the mangrove forest, seagrass and corals in their respective areas.

Sorin said the mangrove forest is protected and conserved through the erection of poles, and the replanting of mangrove trees.

He said mangrove reforestation activities have been ongoing since 1995. From 2008 to 2020, nearly 400,000 mangrove trees have been planted in areas that do not yet have mangrove trees.

Various factors contribute to the decrease in the number of mangrove forests, including housing development and climate change, Sorin said.
A group of Japanese lawmakers is seeking to restrict the use of TikTok and other apps developed by Chinese firms, following in the footstep of India, which has already blocked dozens of Chinese apps, and the U.S., which is floating the idea of a ban.

The decision was first reported by Japanese national broadcaster NHK. The lawyers shared the same concern as officials in the U.S. and India that their domestic user data could end up in the hands of Beijing, and planned to submit the proposal to the Japanese government as early as September.

Japan was one of TikTok's first overseas success cases despite being considered a tough nut for foreign internet firms to crack. The nascent localization team went all out to attract celebrity users and made its breakthrough with Kinoshita Yukina, a TV personality, after holding "six or seven rounds of discussions" with her studio. Kinoshita's participation ushered in other stars, who brought with them flocks of fans to the platform.

In the Japanese iOS store, TikTok has consistently ranked at the top among entertainment apps and is the fifth-most downloaded app across all categories in the country as of this writing, according to research firm App Annie.

In response to scrutiny coming from Japan, a TikTok spokesperson reiterated the app's distance from Chinese control in a statement to TechCrunch:

"There's a lot of misinformation about TikTok out there. TikTok has an American CEO, a Chief Information Security Officer with decades of industry, U.S. military and law enforcement experience, and a U.S. team that works diligently to develop a best-in-class security infrastructure. Four of our parent companys five board seats are controlled by some of the worlds best-respected global investors. TikTok U.S/ user data is stored in the U.S. and Singapore, with strict controls on employee access."

Other Chinese tech giants have had their eyes locked on Japan for years. Baidu, for instance, operates Simeji, one of the most popular input methods among Japanese. Line is the main chat app in the country, but WeChat is essential to Japanese businesses with Chinese ties -- which there are many, given China is Japan's main trade partner. While the Indian ban is certainly a debacle for Chinese developers coveting the fastest-growing internet market, the country's ARPU, or average revenue per user, also remains low compared to numbers in the West. Japan, on the other hand, is a much more lucrative market.
Bradley D. Walker, Esq.

Tinnelly Law Group, PC, one of the top California HOA law firms, is proud to announce the addition of attorney Bradley D. Walker, Esq. to the firm.

Mr. Walker has been a member of the California State Bar since 1982, and a member of the Wisconsin State bar since 1981. He is a past President and past Director of the Orange County Regional Chapter of the Community Associations Institute. He has lectured locally and nationally on behalf of the Community Associations Institute and the California Association of Community Managers. He is the author of numerous articles relating to homeowners associations and has served on the faculty for California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) programs on community association law.

"Brad is a celebrated leader in our industry that has shaped the field of HOA law in countless positive ways for over three decades," says Steve Tinnelly, Managing Partner. "In addition to his remarkable achievements and experience, he adds unique value by serving as an inspiration to everyone who has the privilege of working with him. It's an honor to welcome Brad to our team and we look forward to contributing to his continued success."

Since 1984, Mr. Walker has attended over 1,500 homeowners association meetings, and represented his associations in all forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution. In addition to his Association clients, he represents individual and business entities in a wide variety of real estate and commercial matters, and has testified as an expert on Community Association practices and procedures.

Mr. Walkers preparatory education was received at the University of Wisconsin where he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.S.), With Distinction, in 1977. His legal education was received at Pepperdine University where he graduated with the degree of Juris Doctor (J.D.), in 1981. He has practiced law in Orange County since 1982, and has served as a Judge Pro Tem of the former Orange County Municipal Court.

About Tinnelly Law Group

Tinnelly Law Group, PC is recognized by the community association industry as one of the top California HOA law firms. Since the firms founding in 1989, 100% of its efforts have been dedicated to representing HOAs and providing them with sensible and cost-effective solutions to their diverse legal problems. It counsels hundreds of HOAs throughout California through legal issues related to corporate governance, enforcement, maintenance, insurance, litigation and transactional matters. Tinnelly Law Group recently launched FindHOALaw, a robust resource for HOA law and legal information. Its substantial volume of content and easy-to-use interface help users better understand the unique body of law governing HOAs in California. Tinnelly Law Group also provides its clients with access to comprehensive assessment collection services through the use of its affiliate, Alterra Assessment Recovery. Tinnelly Law Group has offices in Orange County, San Diego, Riverside County, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Member BIA, CAI and CACM.
The U.S. is about to start running out of one of its most valuable resources: skilled immigrants. But it can alleviate that shortage by letting in lots of talented refugees, just as it did in the 1930s and after The Second World War.

The coronavirus pandemic has given President Donald Trump the cover he needed to bar many green-card holders and applicants, H-1B workers, other skilled workers and foreign students from the country. Even before the pandemic, Trumps policies and rhetoric had sharply curtailed the net inflow of immigrants. A new report by the National Foundation for American Policy, a think tank, estimates that legal immigration to the U.S. (most of which is of the skilled variety) will be 49 per cent lower in 2021 than in 2016. Even that estimate is probably too optimistic because it assumes that employer-sponsored and immediate-family immigration will rise.

This is a tragedy and a disaster for the U.S. Trumps supporters might not realize it, but the country is highly dependent on the talents and effort of foreign workers. For example, U.S. technological and industrial leadership is dependent on university research, which is mostly carried out by graduate students. In many critical fields, these students are mostly from overseas:

Foreign-born professors are also indispensable. In life sciences and medicine, which are critically important in emergencies like the current pandemic, the NFAP report notes that 56.6 per cent of researchers are foreign-born. This includes many of the people now racing to find a coronavirus vaccine.

More generally, the medical system is also critically dependent on foreign-born workers:

Curtailing the flow of skilled immigrants into the U.S. will also reduce tax revenues and make it more difficult to support an aging population.

Immigration restrictionists will argue that the loss of foreign-born talent is a good thing  that more research and professional jobs will now go to native-born Americans, and that the U.S. will invest more in educating its own young people. Both of these claims are almost certainly false. Foreign students pay high tuition that allows universities to more cheaply educate native-born Americans; kicking them out will wound an already imperiled U.S. university system.

As for jobs, the presence of skilled immigrants actually helps native-born workers. Having more H-1B workers in a city, for example, increases wages for Americans of all education levels. This is because having more skilled workers in an area makes companies more likely to locate their offices there. Drain U.S. cities of talented immigrants, and companies wont simply hire unqualified native-born people to fill the lost spots; theyll pack up and move overseas to find talent. Economist Britta Glennon studied the effect of a restriction on H-1B visas in 2004, and found that it increased hiring at U.S. companiesforeign affiliates.

So keeping up skilled immigration is crucial for the health of the U.S. economy. But while a Joe Biden presidency might be able to reverse some of the damage, much of it will likely be long-lasting. Worries about competition from H-1B workers run deep on the left as well. And many prospective foreign workers will certainly be deterred by the knowledge that they could be kicked out if policies that encourage immigration are reversed based on a single election outcome.

Where, then, will the U.S. get its skilled immigrants? It will have to resort to opportunism, scrounging for them anywhere it can. With traditional channels to attract talented workers out of favour, it will have to find people for whom staying in their home countries is too dangerous, and offer them refuge.

These could include political dissidents, who tend to be educated. It could also include ethnic and religious minorities fleeing persecution. For example, the U.S. could let in large numbers of people from Hong Kong, where the Chinese government is carrying out an intensifying crackdown. It could also give asylum to Uighurs, Hui Muslims and other persecuted groups in China, as well as to Chinese Christians who are denied freedom of worship. Muslims in India, Christians in Nigeria and LGBT people from Russia are just three more of many examples.

The U.S. used exactly such a strategy to get some of its most high-profile skilled immigrants during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Despite strict immigration restrictions, the U.S. was able to bring in many Jewish scientists fleeing Nazi persecution  most prominently Albert Einstein  and later to admit large number of Jewish refugees after the war. Many of these Jewish emigres ended up making important scientific contributions. A 2014 paper by economists Petra Moser, Alessandra Voena and Fabian Waldinger found a substantial increase in U.S. innovation in fields that received large numbers of Jewish scientists after 1933. The Manhattan Project itself might not have succeeded without substantial input from these researchers.

In a world that is often authoritarian and brutal, the U.S. has many opportunities to repeat this trick. By letting in persecuted individuals and groups, it can do a good deed, enhance its battered international standing and help sustain its technological and industrial strength.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

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While at Umbaugh, Irwin-Knott began a womens initiative for career development, and she has mentored numerous young women and men in their respective professions, a release said. She has been active in ministries assisting inner-city teenage youth in Indianapolis. Her interests have also included the arts and serving on the Board of the Indianapolis Public Library Foundation. Among her many professional and charitable activities, the Indianapolis Business Journal recognized her as a Woman in the Lead for Financial Services.
SANTA FE  The mother of a 13-year-old boy tortured, killed and buried in a plastic crate near his home in Nambe in 2017 was sentenced to up to 12 years in prison for her role in her sons death.

Tracy Anne Pena, 38, on Monday formally pleaded guilty to child abuse resulting in the death of her son, Jeremiah Valencia, as well as three counts of trafficking methamphetamine as part of a plea agreement reached two years ago.

District Judge Matthew J. Wilson accepted the plea, which called for a 21-year sentence, with nine years suspended, due to Penas cooperation with prosecutors in case. Pena will spend two years on parole and five years on probation.

Pena, who was credited with 985 days for time already served, could spend much less time in prison with good time credit.

If all goes well, shell get less than four years, public defender Michael Rosenfield, who represented Pena, said in a brief phone interview.

Pena was in jail on a probation violation when her son was killed, presumably by her boyfriend, Thomas Ferguson, who committed suicide in April 2018 at the Santa Fe County jail while awaiting trial on murder charges. When she was released, she learned her son was dead and later led police to the spot where he had been buried.

Fergusons son, Jordan Nunez, was present when Valenica was killed and in March pleaded guilty for his part in the crime. He is facing 14 to 24 years in prison. According to testimony, Nunez took part in the abuse against Valencia, who in the days before his death was kept in a dog crate. According to Valencias little sister, Nunez would repeatedly flip the crate with Valencia inside.

At Mondays hearing, Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Padgett read a victim impact statement written by Celine Miera, Valencias aunt and godmother, who asked the judge to give Pena the maximum sentence.

How could this own biological mother just sit there and let this torture continue on and on? Miera wrote. This is a selfish person whose only concern was getting that next drug fix and to keep her newest boyfriend happy.

Miera said the 12-year sentence was just a slap on the wrist. How can this be justice?

In an emailed response to questions from the Journal, Padgett said theres never really justice when a child dies under such horrific circumstances.

For so many affected by Jeremiahs death, this will never be enough  I absolutely understand that, she said.

Padgett said there were many failings in the case.

Every social ill imaginable contributed to this tragedy, she said. Drug abuse, domestic violence, prolific criminal behavior, violence and paranoia, poverty, gaps in the systems designed to protect children, gaps in the systems to keep violent offenders off the street, and the reluctance or fear to notify authorities  everything.
Virginia Elections Commissioner Chris Piper said Wednesday that the Department of Elections does not comment on litigation.

Specifically at issue is the way voters can cast an absentee ballot. While the state no longer requires a reason for voting absentee, its absentee voting system requires people to mark who theyre voting for, enclose and seal the envelope, fill in and sign the statement printed on the back of the envelope in the presence of a witness, who must sign the same envelope, and mail it to the local registrar or deliver it personally to the general registrar.

The lawsuit says that requiring blind voters to read, mark and sign their ballots and envelopes in hard copy forces them to seek assistance from other persons in order to vote absentee, depriving them of the right to cast a ballot privately and independently, as nondisabled voters may do.
Strong wind shear has been the undoing of Tropical Storm Douglas. NASA's Terra satellite provided infrared data revealed the tropical cyclone was devoid of strong storms, indicating wind shear has weakened it.

One Warning Remains for Douglas

On July 29, a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Maro Reef to Lisianski.

NASA's Terra Satellite Reveals Effects of Wind Shear

NASA's Terra satellite uses infrared light to analyze the strength of storms by providing temperature information about the system's clouds. The strongest thunderstorms that reach high into the atmosphere have the coldest cloud top temperatures. However, cloud tops in Douglas showed no very cold cloud tops on July 29 at 5:45 a.m. EDT (0945 UTC) when they were imaged by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Terra satellite.

Wind shear had sapped the strength of the storm and prevented strong thunderstorms from forming. Tropical cyclones are made up of hundreds of thunderstorms, and when there are no strong storms present in satellite imagery, it is a sure sign of weakening.

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on July 29/11 p.m. HST on July 28, NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) in Honolulu, Hawaii noted, "Due to persistent southerly vertical wind shear, Douglas has been devoid of deep convection for nearly 24 hours, and it appears that it will soon be a post-tropical remnant low."

About Wind Shear

The shape of a tropical cyclone provides forecasters with an idea of its organization and strength. Wind shear occurs when outside winds batter a storm and change the storm's shape pusing much of the associated clouds and rain to one side of it.

In general, wind shear is a measure of how the speed and direction of winds change with altitude. Tropical cyclones are like rotating cylinders of winds. Each level needs to be stacked on top each other vertically in order for the storm to maintain strength or intensify. Wind shear occurs when winds at different levels of the atmosphere push against the rotating cylinder of winds, weakening the rotation by pushing it apart at different levels. Southwesterly wind shear was pushing the bulk of Douglas' clouds to the north-northeast of the center.

Status of Tropical Storm Douglas on July 29, 2020

At 8 a.m. EDT (2 a.m. HST/1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Douglas was located near latitude 24.7 degrees north and longitude 174.3 degrees west. Douglas is about 320 miles (515 km) southeast of Midway Island. Douglas was moving toward the west near 23 mph (37 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue until Douglas crosses the International Date Line in about 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1010 millibars.

Forecast for Douglas

NOAA's CPHC said, "Large seas and swells generated by Douglas will impact portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument west of Maro Reef through Wednesday. These swells may produce large breaking waves that could inundate some of the lower-lying atolls. Rainfall associated with Douglas will impact portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument west of Maro Reef through Wednesday."

Weakening is forecast during the next two days, and Douglas is expected to dissipate shortly after crossing the Date Line.

NASA Researches Tropical Cyclones

Hurricanes/tropical cyclones are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA's expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

For more than five decades, NASA has used the vantage point of space to understand and explore our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA brings together technology, science, and unique global Earth observations to provide societal benefits and strengthen our nation. Advancing knowledge of our home planet contributes directly to America's leadership in space and scientific exploration.

For updated forecasts. visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

By Rob Gutro NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

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Britain's cottages, hotels and holiday sites are seeing a rush in bookings as people give up on travelling abroad amid quarantine fears and opt for a staycation instead.

Families are booking up dates for UK holidays in 2021 despite the cost of some stays going up by 50 per cent as operators try to recoup some of their lockdown losses.

Those hoping for a last-minute stay in a holiday hotspot this weekend will find campsites for 150 a night or 200 a night for three-star hotels as demand soars.

One four-star hotel on the beach in Newquay, Cornwall, comes in at nearly 350 a night, while a one-bedroom cottage in the Cotswolds will set you back 280 a night.

It comes as:

Up to 14million Britons are expected to go on a UK holiday before September;

Havens said bookings at its 36 parks in Britain are up 96 per cent year-on-year;

Some cottages have just three weekends free from March until September 2021;

Demand for caravan sites across the Devon area has increased by 140 per cent;

Call volumes for Hoseasons cottage bookings are ten times higher than normal.

Demand will also be boosted by rising temperatures over the next few days, with Friday expected to be the hottest day of the year so far with 91F (33C) highs.

Slots at campsites, B&Bs and cottages across Britain are also running out because holidays postponed during the lockdown are now being rebooked for next year.

A family room at the three-star Best Western Livermead Cliff Hotel in Devon costs 440 for two nights this weekend as demand surges for hotels and cottages amid the staycations boom

It comes as the UK Government advised against all but essential travel to Spain after the emergence of a second wave of coronavirus in parts of the country.

Charles Millward, the owner of Staycation Holidays, told The Times: 'People should be worried about finding availability next year.

What can I do if I've booked a holiday to Spain? Can I get a refund on my flights? Airlines are refusing to cancel flights to Spain  despite the Government advising against all but essential travel. The move puts hundreds of thousands of British families in limbo and at risk of losing thousands of pounds. It also puts the airline industry at odds with the UK Government by ignoring a public safety edict. The Government issued the travel warning after the emergence of a second wave of coronavirus in parts of Spain. Customers would normally expect travel firms to cancel the flights and offer refunds. But all the major carriers, which have suffered massive losses following the collapse of air travel, have snubbed the Government and continue to offer the flights. This means families will potentially lose their holidays and their money. People could ignore the Government and take their flights. But they would have to quarantine for 14 days when they get back and their travel insurance may be void. Alternatively, they could cancel their trip without any guarantee of a refund. Can I switch my flight date or change destination? British Airways and easyJet have suggested they will offer vouchers for future flights, rather than a refund, for those who cancel. Ryanair has refused to offer anything. It even suggested people who changed their flights could incur charges of up to 95 per person. What if I have booked a package holiday? If you booked a package holiday which cannot go ahead as planned, you are entitled to a refund and it should be returned within 14 days. However, a number of airlines have not cancelled flights and some tour operators are also doing the same - this means you might not get a refund without a fight. Companies will be expected to cancel package holidays to Spain and its islands and offer refunds. An estimated 1.8m bookings will be affected. Tui has suspended all holidays to Spain up to and including August 9. It said customers travelling '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 and our customer service team will proactively email these customers'. Jet2 and Tui have cancelled trips up to certain dates in August. Kuoni, even though it is not cancelling trips, is offering refunds or rebookings at a later date. Will I be able to cancel a direct hotel booking? If you have booked directly with a hotel it is unlikely that they will let you cancel without abiding by their cancellation charges. You could try appealing to their goodwill and there is certainly no harm in asking. They may for instance let you move to a later date. If you have booked through a third-party website like Booking.com, Expedia or Lastminute, you may find that the cancellation terms are more generous, depending on what sort of reservation you made. If it is not offering either option, contact your travel insurer to see if you can claim on your policy instead. Will my insurance cover it? Only Nationwide's FlexPlus travel insurance, which comes with its 13-a-month current account, covers trips cancelled because Foreign Office advice changed after a booking was made - while it also covers a trip being cut short because of a local lockdown. Other policies from the likes of Trailfinders, Nationwide, Axa, All Clear, Coverwise and Insure For will cover coronavirus-related cancellations, but not because of a change in government travel restrictions. The Civil Aviation Authority said there was nothing it could do to ensure those with a flight-only booking got a refund. It suggested they claim money back from a travel insurance policy, but most insurers have clauses that reject any claims linked to coronavirus. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said it is '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 circumstance, travellers should check with their insurer. What if my trip isn't cancelled but I want to cancel it? If your trip isn't cancelled, contact your travel provider in the first instance to see if they are offering refunds, or again, a change of date. If they are not, you may have to swallow the cost of cancelling your holiday and then fighting to get a refund through your insurance, credit card provider through Section 75 or a chargeback, offered by some banks. While most tour providers still haven't shown their hand, it is thought likely most will cancel holidays given the Government advice. What should I do if I am already in Spain? People currently on holiday in Spain have been encouraged to follow the local rules, return home as normal and check the FCO's travel advice pages on gov.uk for further information. The FCO is not advising those already travelling in Spain to leave. Abta - the UK's travel trade association - has advised customers in the country to continue their holidays and return as normal. What if I am going on holiday elsewhere? The FCO continues to advise against non-essential international travel except to the countries and territories on its exemption list. But local government minister Simon Clarke said the reality is that holidaymakers travelling abroad during the coronavirus outbreak will have to accept there is a 'degree of uncertainty'. He said people going on holiday should understand that they may be asked to self-isolate on their return and the Government must reserve the right to keep the British public safe. Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said anyone making travel arrangements needs to recognise the restrictions that may be placed upon them by the Government on their return to the UK. What will happen when I get back from Spain? If you're returning to the UK from Spain you will need to provide your journey and contact details and self-isolate for 14 days. This may drop to 10 days soon. You may be fined up to 100 if you refuse to provide your contact details or more if you break this rule more than once. You may also be fined up to 1,000 if you refuse to self-isolate, or you could face further action. Will my employer pay me if I have to quarantine? This will depend on your employer and their rules. If, for example, you can still work from home, there should - in theory - be no problem with you quarantining. However, you are not automatically entitled to statutory sick pay from your employer if you have to quarantine after coming back off holiday, according to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Some employers will offer sick pay  either statutory or a higher level, depending on their policy. It could be that if your employer is unable to offer you sick pay, you could take annual leave to avoid missing out on any payment, although this may not be possible if you do not have enough left to take. However, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said no worker following quarantine guidance should be penalised by employers, including by being put on to sick pay. Advertisement

'A lot of dates are already taken because they will have been moved from this year - one of our properties only has three weekends free next year from March until September.

'In general our properties will increase in price next year by 20 per cent to recoup the cost owners lost during the lockdown.

'One property we're booking for next year has gone up by 50 per cent. I think that will happen more and more as owners have lost thousands of pounds and need it back.'

Up to 14million Britons are expected to go on a UK holiday before children go back to school in September, giving the country's economy a 3.7billion boost.

Havens said bookings at its 36 parks are up 96 per cent year-on-year, while demand for caravan sites is up 140 per cent in Devon and bookings are surging at Butlins.

UK holiday agent Hoseasons said it has employed extra telesales staff to cope with extra demand with bookings made for the next year up by a third on normal levels.

Its cottage break bookings are up 223 per cent over the last month compared to the same period in 2019, while call volumes are at more than ten times the normal level.

Writer and broadcaster Sally Jones, who lives in Warwick, told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I do think it's totally bonkers to encourage people to go abroad at the moment when we don't know which countries are going to be shut down, where we're going to have quarantine coming back from, say, Croatia or France.

'There's wonderful, wonderful places in England. I think most people don't really know their own country that well.'

She added: 'Why not go and explore places like, say, Scotland or the beaches of Northumberland?

'There are these incredible places in England  most of us have never been there.'

British campsites have also seen a boom in bookings as people give up on foreign trips.

The website Pitchup.com, which sends 800,000 people a year to 2,000 UK campsites, said bookings on Sunday were double last year's high for a single day.

It took some 6,100 bookings, representing around 18,000 people, which was up by 20 per cent on the previous Sunday. Founder of the booking platform, Dan Yates, said there is a clear switch to staycations.

He said: 'For many who were just starting to consider booking a trip abroad this is probably the nail in the coffin, with the change in regulations fundamentally damaging consumer confidence to travel overseas.

'The tightened financial climate means British holidaymakers are unlikely to take the risk of not being able to work when they return which has likely been the catalyst for this weekend's surge in UK bookings.'

The website also offers bookings to campsites across Europe. Mr Yates said: 'The tourism and hospitality sector has been decimated by Covid and our Spanish site owners are in uproar.

'They believe a more localised approach which focuses on quarantine in the specific regions which have been affected by the Covid peaks would have been a more appropriate and effective response by the UK government.

'This is, however, good news for domestic campsites and caravan parks as thousands will substitute a UK holiday for their usual one abroad.'

Mr Yates said: 'The ever changing guidance is likely to cause mass confusion and concern amongst Brits, with many likely to elect to play it safe and staying closer to home this year.'

Airbnb has said that on bookings made on the weekend of June 27/28, more than 70 per cent were staycations.

A spokesman said: 'Staycations are great for Brits who want to explore beyond their own four walls again, but also for the hospitality industry and Airbnb hosts who depend on the income from listing on our platform.

'We've seen a significant spike in demand as travel becomes a reality again, with our trending destinations showing people are keen to explore the many interesting towns and rural areas the nation has to offer, providing a welcome boost to local businesses.'

Speaking about going abroad, Guy Anker from MoneySavingExpert told The Times: 'People who booked a holiday or took out insurance after mid-March are not going to be covered by a local lockdown or the decision to change travel advice.

'My advice would be, do not spend any money at the moment that you can't afford to lose, or where flexibility is not written into your airline ticket or hotel booking.'

Meanwhile Boris Johnson has indicated that quarantine restrictions could be imposed on further European countries if a 'second wave' of coronavirus hits the continent.

The Prime Minister already faces a diplomatic row with Spain after warning against all but essential travel to the country - and its resort islands - and insisting that travellers arriving in the UK from there spend a fortnight in quarantine due to an increase in cases.

But he defended the move and insisted the Government would not hesitate to act if flare-ups of coronavirus occurred in other destinations.

'I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic,' the Prime Minister warned.

With holidaymakers already facing uncertainty over trips abroad this summer, Mr Johnson indicated further action could be considered by the Government.

'It's vital that when people are coming back from abroad, if they are coming back from a place where I'm afraid there is another outbreak, they must go into quarantine,' he said.

'That's why we have taken the action that we have and we will continue, throughout the summer, to take such action where it is necessary.'

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the restrictions on travel to the country as an 'error'.

He pointed out that the upsurge in coronavirus cases is focused in two regions, Catalonia and Aragon, adding: 'In most of Spain, the incidence is very much inferior to even the numbers registered in the United Kingdom.'

Madrid had been urging the UK to exclude the Canaries and Balearics - which include popular tourist resorts on Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca - from its quarantine requirements.

But instead, official travel advice was tightened to bring the islands in line with the Spanish mainland.

The move has dealt a further blow to the travel industry, which was already reeling after the lockdown.

Mr Johnson said it was up to individuals to decide whether they wanted to take the risk of travelling in the present circumstances.

'These are decisions for families, for individuals, about where they want to go,' he said.

The decision to impose quarantine restrictions was made after England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty reportedly told ministers that 10 Britons who tested positive for coronavirus after July 1 had reported visiting Spain in the 14 days before their test.

Mr Johnson said: 'I'm afraid if we do see signs of a second wave in other countries, it is really our job, our duty, to act swiftly and decisively to stop ... travellers coming back from those places seeding the disease here in the UK.'

Britons make up over a fifth of foreign visitors to Spain, which relies heavily on tourism, and Madrid has said the UK Government gave it no warning that the quarantine move was coming over the weekend.

Travel firm Tui UK cancelled all holidays to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) updated travel advice.

Tui's decision runs from Tuesday July 28 up to and including Friday July 31.

Holidays to Spain's mainland were already cancelled from Sunday July 26 up to and including Sunday August 9.

A camp rental in the Cornish countryside in Truro will cost 366 for two nights this weekend

A two-night stay this weekend at another campsite in Chiddingly, East Sussex, will cost 332

The company said: '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.'

Jet2 has suspended flights and holidays to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza up to and including August 9, after the Government changed its advice on travel to the Balearic and Canary Islands.

The company had already suspended flights and holidays to mainland Spain until August 16, and yesterday evening advised customers due to travel to the Balearic and Canary Islands today not to go to the airport.

'Where customers are affected by any programme changes, we have been repeatedly recognised for how we have been looking after customers, offering the option to rebook with no admin fee, a Refund Credit Note or a full cash refund, and we will be contacting customers to discuss these options,' Jet2 said.

'We will also be contacting customers who are currently in these destinations to advise them of their options regarding flying back to the UK, so we urge customers not to contact us.

Rooms at this beach hotel in Newquay, Cornwall, this weekend will cost 685 for two nights

For customers who are due to travel to these destinations after the dates given above, we will provide an additional update once we receive more information from the Government.

'What we need now is clarity and consistency from the Government. We understand that this is a fast-moving situation, however the information we are receiving is contradictory and often comes with little or no notice.

'We want to provide customers, who work hard and save hard for their well-deserved holidays, with timely information and we need this from the Government. We would like to sincerely thank our customers for their understanding and patience.'

Labour said the Government must abandon its one-size-fits-all approach and introduce sectoral support for struggling businesses to ensure that public health measures such as the change in quarantine rules for people returning from Spain do not lead to mass job losses.

Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said: 'The Government's handling of this issue has been nothing short of chaotic.'

A triple room at the Clachaig Inn in the Highlands this weekend will cost 439 for two nights

Acting Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'The Prime Minister is right... to warn that some countries face the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus.

'However, it is extremely worrying that he has not acknowledged or acted upon the risk of a second wave here in the UK.

'Yesterday, I met with families who had lost loved ones due to Covid-19. Many just want the Prime Minister to start an independent inquiry immediately, so that the Government does not make the same mistakes that cost so many lives earlier this year.

'Back in March, as the coronavirus wreaked havoc across Spain and Italy, Boris Johnson acted too slowly.

'The UK was not immune and it still is not. That is why the Prime Minister must take immediate action and begin an independent inquiry, so that we have learned the lessons should there be a second wave of the virus.'

The Daily Telegraph reported that quarantine for people arriving from Spain or other countries with high coronavirus levels could be cut to 10 days under plans being looked at by ministers.

A one-bedroom home in Woodmancote in the Chilterns costs 573 for two nights this weekend

Returned travellers would need to quarantine for eight days before being tested, and then only remain in quarantine for another two days should they test negative.

The paper reports the Government is also considering instructing everyone who has returned from Spain since July 23 to get tested.

Mr Johnson said: 'We are always looking at ways in which we can mitigate the impact of the quarantine, try to help people, try to make sure that the science is working to help travellers and holidaymakers.'

In better news for travellers, five more countries were added to the quarantine exemption list on Tuesday - Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Slovakia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Issuing advice to those concerned about holidays in Spain, Brian Brown of Defaqto said: 'If you are in Spain now your insurance will cover you as normal. This will include curtailment and medical claims. However, it will not include curtailment if you just want to come home early.

'You won't however have any compensation from your travel insurer for any enforced quarantine on your return to the UK. If you are on your way to Spain right now by car you might also have problems.

'If you enter Spain after the FCO advised you not to, then you will have no cover at all, including medical insurance.

'So, if you are driving through France to Spain, you should turn around and come home, or find somewhere else to have your holiday.'

He added that those who have a booking to Spain but can't now travel because the FCO has advised against it, should first go to the travel provider.

Mr Brown continued: 'Airlines and package operators will likely cancel the flight/holiday. You should ask them for a refund, or to transfer your holiday to another destination or time.

'If you can't get refunds, for instance if you booked your accommodation directly with the hotel, your travel insurance might pay out, but only if the policy covers you for change of government advice and you booked the holiday and bought the insurance before the FCO changed its advice.

'You will need to check your insurance policy wording.

'If you are planning to travel somewhere else, where the FCO currently says you can go, but now don't want to take the risk then no travel insurance policy will cover you for cancellation. Disinclination to travel is not an insured peril.'

It comes after one of the country's most popular holidays seemed to be struggling with the onslaught of guests.

Swathes of people have descended on St Ives, Cornwall - famed for its narrow streets - seemingly struggling to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Car parks in the area are reaching capacity, and people are packing on to the town's popular beach and into cafes and restaurants surrounding it.

Officials in St Ives have introduced a 'keep to the left' policy in an attempt to ensure everyone can keep to the one-metre plus distance currently advised.

Guests in the town have also been advised to wear a face mask and to avoid cramming into smaller shops. And in an effort to further reduce congestion in St Ives, access for most vehicles has been restricted between 10am and 6pm.

Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, admitted some locals were still 'nervous' about the sudden rush of tourists. In spite of that, he added that on the whole 'everyone is sticking to social distancing rules' despite some of the historic towns being 'close to capacity'.
China suspends Hong Kong's extradition treaties with UK, Canada, Australia

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 9:29 AM

China has announced the suspension of extradition treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, Australia, and Britain, in response to similar moves by those countries.

The three governments suspended their extradition arrangements with Hong Kong earlier this month in reaction to the enactment of a uniform national security law in the Chinese territory.

"China has decided to suspend extradition treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, Australia, and the UK, as well as criminal justice cooperation agreements," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.

"The wrong action of Canada, Australia, and the UK in politicizing judicial cooperation with Hong Kong has seriously hurt the basis of judicial cooperation," he added.

He accused the three countries of having used the national security law as "an excuse" to unilaterally announce the suspension of the extradition treaties with Hong Kong.

Canada, Britain, and Australia are members of the so-called "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance. The two other members are New Zealand and the United States.

New Zealand also announced earlier on Tuesday that it was suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong.

"New Zealand can no longer trust that Hong Kong's criminal justice system is sufficiently independent from China," Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said. "If China in future shows adherence to the 'one country, two systems' framework then we could reconsider this decision."

The US, which has already ended the preferential economic treatment of Hong Kong, is also preparing to suspend its own extradition treaty with the city.

Hong Kong's new security law, detested by Western governments, punishes crimes of secession, subversion, and collusion with foreign forces with sentences of up to life in prison in Hong Kong.

Under the law, mainland security agencies are also officially based in Hong Kong for the first time since 1997, when the city's rule returned from Britain to China.

Hong Kong has been governed under the "one-country, two-system" model since then, meaning that Chinese sovereignty is applied to the city even as it has its own government.

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Sen. Mitt Romney's TRUST Act, a threat to Social Security, is in the GOP coronavirus relief package. (Rogelio V. Solis / Associated Press)

Social Security advocates who breathed a sigh of relief when Senate Republicans rejected President Trump's demand to place a payroll cut in the latest coronavirus relief bill exhaled too soon.

The version unveiled Monday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) incorporates a provision even more menacing for Social Security (and Medicare too).

This is the so-called TRUST Act, which was crafted by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and has been bubbling along in Capitol Hill corridors since last year.

They are plotting to use the cover of the pandemic to slash Social Security.

Nancy Altman, Social Security Works

The TRUST Act is a device to tamper with Social Security behind closed doors and in a way that would allow senators and members of Congress to wreak havoc on the program without leaving fingerprints.

The TRUST Act is now a provision of the HEALS Act  the Senate GOP's opening bid on coronavirus relief. So it's timely to give it a close look.

We'll start by pointing out that Social Security advocates are universally opposed to the measure, which they see, correctly, as an expression of longtime conservative hostility to the program.

"In the midst of a catastrophic pandemic," says Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, Republicans "should be focused on protecting seniors, essential workers, and the unemployed. Instead, they are plotting to use the cover of the pandemic to slash Social Security."

The TRUST Act  the acronym stands portentously for "Time to Rescue United States Trusts"  would work by ginning up a sense of near-term emergency about the finances of Social Security, Medicare and the federal highway trust fund.

The crisis is largely imaginary, for the Social Security trust fund, by far the biggest of the reserves with $2.9 trillion today, is not in danger of exhaustion for at least 15 years. Nevertheless, the TRUST Act would require the Treasury to issue a report on the status of the funds within 45 days of the measure's passage.

Story continues

Congress would then appoint bipartisan committees mandated to "draft legislation that restores solvency and otherwise improves each trust fund program," as Romney has described the process. Whatever proposals these panels produced would be fast-tracked in Congress and not subject to amendment. (The bills would need 60 votes in the Senate.)

On the surface, this seems almost innocuous  so much so that the act has attracted co-sponsorships from a handful of inattentive and somewhat conservative Democrats, including Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. They should pay better attention.

Romney has stated that his model for the TRUST Act is the Simpson-Bowles fiscal commission empaneled by Barack Obama in 2010. That should be a dead giveaway of the dangers.

That commission, which was headed by former Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.) and Erskine Bowles, an ex-investment banker claiming Democratic Party cred from a stint as President Clinton's chief of staff, was a mess. Its goal was to produce some putatively bipartisan recommendations for deficit reduction, but it was unable to come up with any that could garner a majority vote, so it never actually produced any recommendations.

The proposals that did surface were generally good for the wealthy, not so good for the middle class or low-income Americans. Matters weren't helped by Simpson's ignorance about Social Security, which he expressed in unbelievably crass language  at one point referring to the program, which provides more than half the income for two-thirds of all American retirees, as a milk cow with 310 million tits.

Since the TRUST panels' deliberations will be offered to Congress on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, the process rather serves what the GOP refers to as the need to gut Social Security "behind closed doors," to quote an unwittingly revealing line uttered last year by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

It should be obvious that if fiscal changes in Social Security are favorable for the broad public  say by raising payroll taxes on wealthier Americans who currently get a break on them  they don't have to be crafted behind closed doors or outsourced to a committee that absolves most senators and representatives of responsibility.

If they involve cutting benefits, a step that would harm the majority of retirees and rank-and-file workers, then it pays to do the work in secret.

So it shouldn't come as any surprise that the biggest fans of the TRUST Act are water-carriers for richer Americans. They include the Committee for a Responsible Budget, which was supported for years by the late hedge fund billionaire Pete Peterson, by both Simpson and Bowles, and by the Koch-financed organization Americans for Prosperity.

One shouldn't be fooled by these TRUST Act advocates' assertions that Social Security needs to be "fixed." Down deep, they mean "fixed" in the sense that one "fixes" a cat or the Mafia "fixes" a snitch. Democrats on Capitol Hill should keep their wits about them, and "fix" the TRUST Act before it goes any further.
Citing concerns about the safety of teachers and students, three New Jersey lawmakers said Wednesday they plan to introduce legislation to require school districts to keep their buildings closed and offer only remote instruction for the new school year.

The bill  sponsored by Assembly Democrats Mila Jasey, Pamela Lampitt and Joann Downey  goes against the plan introduced by Gov. Phil Murphy and the state Department of Education that calls for all public school districts to offer at least some in-person learning for the 2020-2021 school year.

Only special education and related services would be delivered in person, according to the proposed bill.

The reality is the pandemic isnt over. School is set to begin in just a few weeks, and it is not clear that a safe and comfortable environment can be maintained for students and staff, said Jasey, D-Essex. As a former Board of Education member and a public health nurse, I understand that New Jersey has made strong progress in combating COVID-19, but reopening schools for in-person instruction would feel like a step backward at this time.

More than 500 school districts in New Jersey are currently preparing reopening plans that need to be presented to the state education department and local communities by early August. But some educators, including the teachers unions in Essex County and Paterson, have called on the state to reverse the plan and keep school buildings closed.

It is unclear how much support the proposed bill to delay the start of in-person classes will have in the state Legislature. It would need to be approved by the full Assembly and the state Senate would need pass identical legislation before it would head to Murphy for his signature.

Murphy declined to comment on the proposed bill Wednesday, but said he wants all school districts to offer some in-person classes this fall. He said reopening schools is especially important for low-income and minority students with working parents who cant afford to hire tutors or dont have room for their kids to do remote learning at home.

In-person education dwarfs any remote learning in terms of the efficacy and the richness of that experience, Murphy said at his coronavirus press briefing.

Under the proposed bill, public schools would start the year with virtual learning at home only. Starting on Oct. 31, reopening schools for in-person classes would be evaluated on a monthly basis by Murphy, with the help of the state education and health departments based on COVID-19 infection data and other statistics.

The proposal also calls for school districts to have the option of delaying the start of the school year by two weeks so teachers could be trained in how to teach online. The bill would also allow schools to hold outdoor events so students could get to know their teachers and classmates at the start of the school year.

In-person learning, without a doubt, produces the best educational outcome for students and we are all eager to return to the classroom. However, until we can ensure the safety of our students and school staff, we must focus our efforts on how we can enhance remote and virtual learning to provide students with the highest quality education possible, said Lampitt, D-Camden, head of the Assembly Education Committee.

In recent days, Murphy has rejected calls to cancel the reopening of schools with in-person classes, saying it is important families with working parents have the option of sending their kids to school some days.

We also must acknowledge that every education expert weve spoken to over the past few months has confirmed that in-person education is critical and that remote learning is only an acceptable substitute when absolutely necessary, Murphy said Monday. If done safely, I believe we must try to include at least an aspect of in-person education for our children this fall.

The New Jersey Education Association, the states largest teachers union, was still analyzing the proposed bill Wednesday, said Marie Blistan, the groups president.

The union, which has not called for Murphy to reverse his plan to reopen schools for in-person classes, supports anything that will give school districts the option of staying all-remote if they feel they cant open school buildings safely, the union president said.

They need to be allowed that flexibility to put off the opening of in-person (classes), Blistan said.

Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, chair of the Senate Education Committee, also said she had not reviewed the bill yet. But she said the idea of delaying in-person classes has some merit to it.

However, the state needs to consider the ramifications for students and teachers if buildings stay closed, she said.

The final decision should come from the state Department of Education, not lawmakers, she added.

The earlier the better, Ruiz said. Families need to restructure their lives, employees to make determinations... and districts can stop trying to find things that they are not going to need.

Staff writers Adam Clark and Josh Axelrod contributed to this report.

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Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com.

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Alfalfa is considered a nutrient-rich feed for cattle, horses, goats, sheep, and other animals. It contains 15%22% crude protein and is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. It provides energy and boosts the immunity of livestock. The increasing demand for meat and dairy products worldwide has created the need for high-quality feed to enhance the quality and production of animal products. Alfalfa is a proteinaceous and fiber-rich feed for animals that helps in improving the quality of milk and meat. Thus, dairy and livestock farmers are the main buyers of alfalfa. It is also used as horse feed and is in high demand in the equestrian industry. Pellets, cubes, and hay bales are the common alfalfa product types available in the market.

Alfalfa Market Share is projected to be valued at USD 39.71 Billion by 2025, registering a CAGR of 5.06% during the forecast period. However, the high cost of production as compared to other forage crops and the need for large amounts of water for irrigation may hinder the alfalfa market growth. Nonetheless, the growing demand in the Middle East in countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where the production of forage crops is banned due to water scarcity, provides lucrative opportunities for the alfalfa market players.

Market USP

Availability of a wide range of alfalfa products

Growth Opportunities in the Market

Increasing demand for alfalfa in the form of pellets: Alfalfa pellets are highly nutritious as they a good source of digestible fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Pellets are also convenient and cost-effective as compared to hay bales and cubes, resulting in high demand by dairy and livestock farmers. The pellets segment is, therefore, expected to be the fastest-growing during the review period.

Alfalfa pellets are highly nutritious as they a good source of digestible fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Pellets are also convenient and cost-effective as compared to hay bales and cubes, resulting in high demand by dairy and livestock farmers. The pellets segment is, therefore, expected to be the fastest-growing during the review period. High consumption by ruminant rearers: The ruminant segment dominated the global alfalfa market in 2018 and it is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The demand for meat, milk, and other dairy products is increasing rapidly across the globe. Thus, dairy and livestock farmers are focused on high yield from ruminants by increasing the use of high-quality fodder. Moreover, the introduction of advanced products such as dehydrated and organic alfalfa fodder for cattle is likely to augment the alfalfa market demand in the coming years.

Browse Full Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/alfalfa-market-8508

Key Players

Grupo Oses (Spain)

Al Dahra ACX Global, Inc. (US)

Alfalfa Monegros, S.L. (Spain)

Anderson Hay & Grain Inc. (US)

Bailey Farms (US)

Border Valley (US)

Cubeit Hay Company (Spain)

Green Prairie International (Canada)

Carli Group (Italy)

Hay USA Inc. (US)

Haykingdom Inc. (US)

M&C Hay (US)

McCracken Hay Company (US)

SL Follen Company (US)

Standlee Hay Co Ltd. (US)

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Our team of researchers are studying Covid19 and its impact on various industry verticals and wherever required will be considering covid19 footprints for a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/videos/botanical-extracts-market
Cape Canaveral: The northern summers third and final mission to Mars  featuring NASA's most elaborate life-hunting rover  is on the verge of liftoff.

The rover Perseverance will follow Chinas rover-orbiter combo and a United Arab Emirates orbiter, both launched last week. It will take the spacecraft seven months to reach Mars after travelling 480 million kilometres.

It's slated for liftoff at 7.50am local time on Thursday (9.50 pm on Thursday AEST).

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will launch to Mars arrives at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Credit:AP

Once on the surface, Perseverance will scrounge for evidence of past microscopic life in an ancient lake-bed, and gather the most promising rock samples for future pickup. NASA is teaming up with the European Space Agency to return the samples to Earth around 2031.
McConnells comments came after Democrats accused Trump of self-dealing with his push on the FBI building, which sits across the street from a downtown hotel that Trump owns on Pennsylvania Avenue, blocks from the White House. The Trump International Hotel could face competition if the FBI moves from the site and another hotel is developed on the property.
The Federal Reserve said that it would extend its emergency lending programs through the end of 2020 as the coronavirus continues to surge across the nation.

Many of the Feds nine programs were originally set to expire on or around the end of September. The initiatives are meant to keep credit flowing through the economy by buying corporate bonds, backing up the market for asset-backed securities, and by offering loans to midsize businesses, among other efforts.

The Boards lending facilities have provided a critical backstop, stabilizing and substantially improving market functioning and enhancing the flow of credit to households, businesses, and state and local governments, the Fed said in its statement.

The extension will provide certainty that the facilities will continue to be available to help the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.
Announcement by electoral commission comes hours after king issues royal decree calling for election.

Jordans electoral commission has set November 10 as the date for the countrys parliamentary election.

The announcement on Wednesday came hours after state media reported that King Abdullah II had issued a royal decree calling for a new vote.

The Parliament of Jordan has legislative powers but many in the country see it as little more than a rubber-stamp body comprised mostly by businessmen or individuals with tribal affiliations.

Constitutionally, most powers rest with the king, who appoints governments and approves legislation.

The main political opposition in the country comes from a party drawn from the ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, but it faces legal curbs on its activities.

Pandemic, annexation

The election will be held at a time when Jordan grapples with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its aid-dependent economy.

Meanwhile, tensions have heightened in recent weeks over an Israeli plan to illegally annex large parts of the occupied West Bank, a controversial move that could spell the end of the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process by making it virtually impossible to establish a viable Palestinian state.

Jordan  a country where many people are descendants of Palestinian refugees who fled or were forced from their homes in 1948, when Israel was created  is one of only two Arab states to have a peace treaty with Israel.

In May, King Abdullah warned Israel of a massive conflict if it proceeded with its controversial annexation plans.
New Delhi, July 29 : Have you ever had a blinding headache, one where you just cannot see anything that is ahead of you? One where everything hurts? Where you are dizzy and all you need is a cool dark room where you can lay down with your eyes firmly shut? The pain you are in is intense and it is completely blurring your vision and making you feel 'woozy'?

If the answer is yes, Dr Madhuri Behari, reaffirms that you indeed are suffering from a migraine - the killer of all headaches. Dr Behari, Head of Department, Neurology at Fortis Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, New Delhi explains that a migraine is specific type of primary headache. It means that in a migraine, the headache is not caused by any other problem. For example, severe headaches can be caused by several causes such as toothache, sinusitis, fever, cold and cough. It can also be caused by brain tumor, brain hemorrhage or infection in the brain like meningitis. But a migraine has no underlying cause.

Migraines are caused by genetic factors. Many a times those who suffer from migraines realise that they know someone in their family or extended family who also has the same problem.

A migraine is triggered by several factors, which vary from person to person. Some of the common ones are fasting, exposure to bright light, eating food containing mono sodium glutamate, eating coffee, tea or chocolate, or just before having periods. It is generally genetic in nature. There is no cure for it. Which means if a person is genetically inclined to get migraine, that person will get it. However, there are some medians which can be employed to reduce the frequency and severity of a migraine.

Some people get an aura before the start of a migraine headache attack. This aura consists of blanking of vision, seeing zigzag lines, seeing stars, seeing lightening like lines, not being able to see. These auras are followed by a headache, which increases slowly over a period of a few minutes. If the patient can recognise these symptoms, they can take the prescribed medicine without delay and the migraine headache can be aborted.

Usually, a person who has four or more migraine attacks in a month are prescribed some medicines which should be taken regularly every day. These medicines can reduce the number of attacks and severity of attacks.

Sometimes these patients also develop tension type headache along with migraine headache. In such patients, the practice of yoga and meditation is helpful. However, adopting yoga and meditation to treat a migraine has not been proved scientifically.

Women tend to get more affected by migraines with the ratio being able 1: 5. The reason behind this is female hormones due to which the migraine headache becomes more frequent and severe near the menstrual period. Also, some women do not get these attacks during pregnancy or they reduce in frequency.

The doctor's advice? If you feel a migraine coming on, make sure you are in cool dark place which is not crowded and where you can lie down, close your eyes and take deep breaths. It's important to have the medication prescribed handy. If the condition persists go to your doctor.

(IANSlife Features can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Routt Catholic High School has finalized its plan for all students to return to in-person instruction in mid-August.

Most Illinois students ended last school year with online learning after schools were ordered to close in late March as a way to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Students will be unable to enter the building until 7:45 a.m. each day and will have a temperature and symptom screening. All students, faculty and staff members will have to wear a face mask inside other than during lunch and students must wear a mask issued by the school.

The Routt campus will be modified to provide more space for social distancing. Extra desks are being removed from classrooms and the remaining desks will be aligned to face the same direction. Schedules will be staggered to cut down on traffic in the hallways and there will be multiple lunch periods.

Signs will also be added to promote social distancing and direct hallway traffic.

The school calendar will be slightly modified to prepare faculty and students for the return to the classroom. There will be no student/parent orientation on Aug. 12 as originally planned. Faculty and staff only will meet for training Aug. 13 and freshmen and transfer students will return Aug. 14. Other students will be in attendance Aug. 17 and the first full day of attendance for all will be Aug. 18.

 Marco Cartolano
Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

This week, the state Senate followed the state House in passing HB 6004, An Act Concerning Police Accountability, a landmark bill on police reform which responds to the call for change that is sweeping our nation. There is a lot of misinformation circulating about both the contents of the bill and the process that led us to this so I wanted to try to set the record straight.

This bill was not rushed or crafted without public input. To the contrary, the bill was negotiated over several weeks with the Republican leaders of the Judiciary Committee at the table every step of the way. They were involved in each draft of the process and had a say in which provisions were included in the bill. The bill was scrutinized through a 12-hour public hearing and the committee chairmen held several meetings with interest groups representing police and, in fact, revised the bill to address many of their major concerns.
(Photo : REUTERS/Dado Ruvic) The Twitter logo and binary cyber codes are seen in this illustration taken November 26, 2019. (Photo : Marten Bjork/Unsplash) To avoid links about hate speech and violent content from spreading in the social media platform, Twitter will either show a notification when the link is clicked or totally block the link to avoid it from being retweeted.

Social media platform Twitter threatens to block links that spread hate speech and violence with its updated policies.

Currently, the social media platform's policies ban hateful conduct and violence in tweets, but linked content is not included. Thus, users link the content to go around Twitter's rules and avoid being flagged.

However, Twitter said in a tweet on Tuesday, July 28, that it has updated its link policy as they continue to address harmful content.

Twitter's new policies will be effective on July 30. The company will block links that promote hate speech and violence from being shared on Twitter. It also vows to suspend accounts that repeatedly share malicious links.

"Our goal is to block links in a way that's consistent with how we remove Tweets that violate our rules," Twitter wrote in a statement.

Weve clarified our approach to reducing the amount of harmful content on Twitter from outside sources. Heres an outline of the types of links we may block, and how we identify them to help keep you safe from malicious URLs: https://t.co/MhlSMJoxXs  Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) March 23, 2020

In June, Twitter launched a new feature that asks users if they already read the article before retweeting it as it tries to deal with fake news and misinformation amid the coronavirus pandemic. It also announced that it deactivated "more than "170,000 Beijing-backed accounts" that spread misinformation about coronavirus.

Sharing an article can spark conversation, so you may want to read it before you Tweet it. To help promote informed discussion, we're testing a new prompt on Android  when you Retweet an article that you haven't opened on Twitter, we may ask if you'd like to open it first.  Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) June 10, 2020

Also, Tech Times reported that Twitter has joined the crackdown against bots and fake accounts that are used to manipulate discussions and other malicious causes.

Read also: Twitter Encourages Users to Read Articles Before Retweeting to Avoid Fake News and Announces Removal of Thousands Beijing-backed Accounts that Spread Misinformation

What's New with Twitter Policies?

To avoid links about hate speech and violent content from spreading in the social media platform, Twitter will either show a notification when the link is clicked or block the link to avoid it from being retweeted. These links include malicious and spammy links.

According to the updated policies, malicious links include those containing or leading to malware and phishing attempts. These have a high risk of stealing personal information or damaging electronic devices. On the other hand, spammy links tend to mislead people or disrupt their online experience. These include links that redirect people to an unexpected destination, manipulation campaigns platform, shortened URL that is used to deceive people about the content as well as those that are involved in affiliate and clickjacking.

Twitter was able to identify links using a combination of factors including spam and malware countering third-party vendors, industry peers, and trusted NGO partners shared information, Internal technology and tools, and tweets reported by users.

When Twitter users include a blocked link on their tweet or direct message, the will see an error message that reads: "You can't complete this action because this link has been identified by Twitter or our partners as being potentially harmful. Please visit our Help Center to learn more."

Also, accounts that frequently share these types of content will be accordingly administered and may face suspension. Meanwhile, Twitter also has zero-tolerance on sharing links such as child sexual exploitation content and will automatically suspend the account that shared such a link.

Meanwhile, if in case a certain link is miscategorized, users are encouraged to report it directly to Twitter by filling out this form and inserting the URL on the "problematic link" field.

Read also: Starbucks Joins Coca-Cola, Other Brands to Boycott Social Media Ads; #StopHateforProfit Campaign Will Go Global

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 18:52:26|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- By the end of June, China had provided 14.62 billion yuan (about 2.09 billion U.S. dollars) in price subsidies to support people in need across the country, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Wednesday.

In the first half of the year, a total of 3.396 million people were newly identified as people living on subsistence allowances or in extreme difficulty, and have benefited from the allowance scheme, said Jia Weizhou with the ministry at a press conference.

From March to June, the allowance standards were raised, and orphans and unattended children were included in the allowance scheme for the first time, said Jia. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 19:29:34|Editor: huaxia

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by Zhang Jiayi

HONG KONG, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Massive floods and landslides triggered by weeks of rains have affected millions in South Asia as regional countries struggle to curb the rapidly spreading COVID-19 outbreak and restart economies.

Bangladesh, India and Nepal suffer from monsoon flooding from June to September every year, but this year is different as it comes at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"People in Bangladesh, India and Nepal are sandwiched in a triple disaster of flooding, the coronavirus and an associated socioeconomic crisis of loss of livelihoods and jobs," Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Jagan Chapagain said.

WORST FLOODS IN DECADE

As a land of rivers, Bangladesh is vulnerable to flooding. Almost half of the country are currently in the grip of floods with more than 119 casualties reported and hundreds of thousands of families displaced as of latest.

Nearly 5 million people have been affected in 31 out of the country's total 64 districts, including over 1 million who remain isolated and surrounded by floodwaters, according to the Bangladesh Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

"This is going to be the worst flood in a decade," Bangladesh's Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre chief Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said.

Officials said the onrush of water from hills across the Indian borders has virtually worsened the situation. Floods reportedly caused widespread damage to habitation, crops, roads and highways across vast swathes of the country.

In India's northeastern state of Assam, floods have killed 102 people and badly affected over 5.6 million as of Tuesday, and there has been no let-up in the situation.

"There has been no improvement in the weather situation which precisely is the reason waters are not receding fully. Some times it recedes at certain places but again the situation turns grim as rains are continuing," said Mandira, project manager at the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

According to the ASDMA, the flood water has so far inundated 5,304 villages, damaging the cropland of over 259,899.44 hectares in the past 37 days.

All major rivers are flowing above the danger mark. The surging water has eroded roads, embankments, culverts, bridges and at places triggered land erosions.

Meanwhile, more than 95 percent of the Kaziranga national park, a world heritage site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Orghanization (UNESCO) world heritage site, remains submerged in floodwaters. Wildlife officials said at least 123 wild animals have died in floods and 150 others rescued.

Floods have also wreaked havoc in the eastern state of Bihar where over 2.4 million people were affected and 32 were killed.

The ongoing floods have hit 765 panchayats (villages) and spread over 93 blocks of 11 districts, and seven rivers were flowing above the danger mark at 24 spots in 15 districts of Bihar, according to the Bihar Disaster Management Department (BDMD).

The neighboring country Nepal also bore the brunt of floods, with 110 people killed and 50 still missing in the rising waters and mudslides, while more than a million people displaced.

SPIKES IN COVID-19 CASES

As floods ravaged swathes of South Asian countries in recent weeks, mounting cases of COVID-19 have also put these countries on high alert.

Bangladeshi senior health ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing on Wednesday that 3,009 new cases and 35 more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 3,035 and total cases to 232,194.

India has been witnessing a sharp increase of daily cases in recent weeks, raising fears of an extended crisis. It has now become the world's third-worst affected nation in terms of infections after the United States and Brazil.

With 768 news deaths and 48,513 positive cases reported Wednesday, the country's total tally has crossed the 1.5 million-mark, reaching 1,531,669, according to the federal health ministry. The death toll has reached 34,193.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Washington-based Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy said "It is going to be a tough few months ahead, but there is effectively no brake on the virus, and I don't expect a decline for quite some time."

Meanwhile, the Nepali government on Wednesday reported 210 new infections, bringing the total tally to 19,273 with the death toll at 49.

STRUGGLING ECONOMY

The governments have launched rescue operations and imposed new restrictions, as they strive to revive the economies heavily battered by the pandemic for the past six months.

Because of the serious water-logging problem, activities in Bangladesh's business district of Motijheel have been severely affected, with many office-goers, traders and workers falling behind their daily schedules.

As always rickshaws emerged as a means of relief in many water-logged Dhaka areas. The main city areas appeared less crowded as people also preferred to stay indoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bangladeshi State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman said they had rushed teams of disaster response forces to carry out the rescue, distribute relief materials and supervise centers where the flood-affected families have taken shelter.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked officials to remain alert to tackle floods which have come as a further blow at a time when the country is feeling the severe pinch of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also, to quell the spread of the virus, the government has extended its restriction measures on public activities and movements in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country until Aug. 3.

In India, the Assam state government has set up relief centres in almost all the inundated districts to provide shelter to the affected population.

"In the flood-hit areas, there are around 384 joint teams from state and national disaster response teams carrying out rescue and relief efforts. So far 81,012 people were evacuated and presently 615 relief camps have been set up for the affected people," Mandira said.

In Bihar state, three helicopters of Indian airforce were been deployed in flood-affected areas of Gopalganj, Darbhanga and East Champaran to drop dry foodstuff items to the affected people, and officials said relief distribution through boats and other means would continue in the submerged areas.

Authorities have set up 29 relief camps and 703 makeshift community kitchens to provide shelter and food to the affected people.

Twenty-five teams of national disaster response force (NDRF) and state disaster response force (SDRF) have been deployed in the flood-hit areas to carry out rescue efforts.

In the meantime, to curb the spread of the virus, the Indian government has decided to extend the existing restrictions on limited domestic flight operations and caps on airfares till Nov. 24, and local government in India's eastern state of West Bengal Tuesday announced an extension in partial lockdown until Aug. 31.

For Nepal, the World Bank warned in a report that its nearly one third population who are just above the poverty line now face the risk of falling below the line due to the loss of their livelihood.

To gradually restart the economy, the Nepali government had first decided to relax lockdown for 44 sectors in early May, opened most of the sectors for operation in early June and finally decided to end the lockdown fully on July 20 with a few restrictions remaining.

Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has ordered the authorities to intensify the rescue and relief operations following flash floods and landslides, a key aide to the prime minister told Xinhua.

The World Bank report also said that Nepal's economic outlook is uncertain.

Former Nepali Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat told Xinhua recently that improvements in some of the economic indicators are largely guided by circumstances instead of policy made by the Nepali government.

"I don't see the country will have marked improvement in economic performance in the short term," he said.
Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty

The President of the United States doubled down on his support of a doctors summit peddling the debunked COVID-19 drug hydroxychloroquinejust as social media companies crack down on the viral coronavirus disinformation that came out of the event.

Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube removed a viral video of the event which had garnered millions of views after President Trump and others retweeted the clip. SquareSpace also suspended the website for Americas Frontline Doctors, which put on the event. The video featuring the eccentric Dr. Stella Immanuel, who claimed that the controversial anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine was a cure for COVID-19 and that masks arent necessary, was pulled from the platforms for sharing misinformation about the disease. Twitter also briefly locked the Twitter account of the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., when he tweeted the video and called it a must watch!!!

The viral video, which racked up more than 13 million views on Facebook, drew more attention to some of Immanuels more bizarre previous medical claims. The Daily Beast reported Tuesday that Immanuel has claimed in the past that some gynecological ailments are caused by people having sex in a dream-world with demons, with the demonic semen as the origins of the afflictions.

Immanuel has also claimed that doctors used alien DNA in medical treatments, and that lizard-like reptilian aliens are involved in the United States government. She thanked The Daily Beast on Tuesday for summarizing her work. The Daily Beast did a great job summarizing our deliverance ministry and exposing incubus and succubus. Thank you daily beast. If you need deliverance from these spirits. Contact us, she tweeted.

But she has refused to provide proof of her claim that shes cured hundreds of COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine.

That didnt chasten Trump, however, who praised Immanuel and her fellow Frontline Doctors at a Tuesday afternoon press conference. I can tell you this, she was on air along with many other doctors, he said. They were big fans of hydroxychloroquine and I thought she was very impressive in the sense that from where she came, I don't know which country she comes from, but she said that she's had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients, and I thought her voice was an important voice, but I know nothing about her.

Story continues

Trumps New Favorite COVID Doctor Believes in Alien DNA, Demon Sperm, and Hydroxychloroquine

For some reason the internet wanted to take them down and took them off, Trump said of the group. I guess Twitter took them off and I think Facebook took them off. I don't know why I think they're very respected doctors.

Trump then described a woman, apparently Immanuel, as "spectacular" in her statements about hydroxychloroquine.

I don't know why they took her off, but they took her off, maybe they had a good reason, maybe they didn't, I don't know, Trump said.

Dr. Simone Gold, the leader of Americas Frontline Doctors, tweeted later Tuesday to announce the group had met with Vice President Mike Pence.

We have just met with Vice President Mike Pence to request the administrations assistance in empowering doctors to prescribe hydroxychloroquine without political obstruction. We also discussed the recent censorship of doctors on social media platforms, Gold wrote.

The backers of the group and their White Coat Summit also ran with the censorship claims.

Jenny Beth Martin, the co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, which helped organize the doctors summit, retweeted Immanuels complaints that she and other participants were being attacked, ridiculed and discredited in the wake of the event.

Doctors are being silenced by Big Tech, Martin tweeted. The leftist media don't want hydroxychloroquine to work because it will mean President @realDonaldTrump was right!

Gold had also taken to Twitter to criticize social media companies for censoring Physicians from speaking about COVID-19 and Hydroxychloroquine.

Gold has become a popular pundit on the right for her controversial takes on the coronavirus pandemic. The doctor and Stanford law school graduate has endorsed the use of the Trump-approved drug hydroxychloroquine, which the FDA says is not an effective treatment for COVID-19, and is against the use of masks, calling it a superstition.

Before the summit, Gold worked with Tea Party Patriots to author a form letter to President Trump labeling lockdowns a mass casualty event and inviting Americans to ask their physicians to sign it and do an interview with Tea Party Patriots.

Golds admirers have also taken up the fight. Shes been a big hit on the right wing podcast circuit, doing interviews with pundits Dennis Prager, Charlie Kirk, and radio host Mark Levin. All three have since criticized the social media crackdown on content from the summit, with Prager University republishing Immanuels criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci. Levin lashed out at The Daily Beasts coverage of Immanuel, calling it a vicious smear machine for accurately quoting her previous remarks.

Breitbart, whose video about the summit was suspended by Facebook, reposted the offending clip on their front page.

Earlier in the day at another White Coat Summit event, Immanuel slammed professional hacks in medicine who have criticized the use of hydroxychloroquine. But she saved special vitriol for doctors who refuse to prescribe the drug because theyre supposedly afraid of professional consequences, calling them good Germans  a reference to Germans after World War II who claimed they had never supported the Nazis.

Youre no different than a murderer, Immanuel said. Youre no different than Hitler.

-- Hunter Woodall contributed reporting

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In psychology, general opinion holds that prioritizing long-term goals over momentary pleasure will result in a happier and more successful life. A new study challenges this approach

Do you feel guilty when you succumb to the temptation of your couch rather than hitting the gym? Swiss and Dutch researchers are encouraging us to let go of this way of thinking and arguing for a better appreciation of hedonism.

In psychology, prevailing opinion holds that self-discipline helps us prioritize our long-term objectives over momentary pleasures. Planning for the future and setting long-term goals helps us to gain self-confidence and make progress in life, which usually leads to more happiness.

These are important parameters of emotional well-being -- except when they become a source of anxiety.

Researchers at the Universities of Zurich, Switzerland and Radboud, The Netherlands, created a questionnaire to measure respondents' capacity for hedonism, or their ability to focus on their immediate needs and enjoy short-term pleasures, to examine how this related to their wellbeing.

They concluded in a meta-analysis published this week in the journal Personality and Social Psychology that time spent relaxing (resting, going to the cinema, reading, going to restaurants, etc.) is just as important as working or participating in enriching activities like learning a language or practicing a sport.

People who were able to fully relax during leisure activities tended to have a higher sense of wellbeing, and were less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.

The study authors say the scientific literature on the subject has largely been targeted at examining how we can achieve our goals most efficiently.

"It's time for a rethink," says Katharina Bernecker, researcher in motivational psychology at the University of Zurich.

"The pursuit of hedonic and long-term goals needn't be in conflict with one another. Our research shows that both are important and can complement each other in achieving well-being and good health. It is important to find the right balance in everyday life."

This topic particularly resonates in the current moment, when many people across the world are working from home. "Thinking of the work you still need to do can lead to more distracting thoughts at home, making you less able to rest," adds Bernecker.

So what can you do to enjoy your free time and relax without feeling guilty? While more research is needed, the study suggested a few possibilities. Carving out specific moments for idle or leisure time and setting time limits in order to more completely separate them from other activities is a start towards allowing ourselves real enjoyment without guilt.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 01:34:22|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- German car manufacturer Daimler plans to introduce additional cost saving measures in order to avoid the need to eliminate jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced on Tuesday.

Daimler's management and General Works Council agreed to reduce paid working hours for employees in administration and production-related areas by two hours per week from October until September next year.

Daimler also said that all employees in administration and production would no longer be entitled to a bonus payment based on profits for the current year.

An annual premium that Daimler had introduced last year would now be "converted into mandatory paid time off for everyone," according to Daimler.

"This is the only way we will emerge from the crisis stronger and more secure, thus securing the future of the company and jobs," said Wilfried Porth, Daimler Board of Management member for human resources and director of labor relations.

According to Daimler, the agreed measures reflect the "special economic burden" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and are meant to further secure employment.

"Nobody should feel threatened in their existence," said Michael Brecht, chairman of the General Works Council at Daimler, adding that employment at Daimler would remain secure until 2030. Brecht ruled out dismissals for operational reasons. Enditem
Some unspecified new tools might be needed to help homeowners get through the COVID-19 pandemic once federal financial aid programs end, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

As the end of the initial six-month deferral period from the beginning of the pandemic approaches, we recognize the need to continue to monitor this diligently and potentially develop new tools with our partners to help Canadians during this unprecedented pandemic, CMHC said in a statement to The Financial Post. This work is ongoing and we will provide Canadians with updates as they become available.

A recent survey by the Canadian Credit Union Association has noted that CMHC might consider extending amortization and amortization periods, implementing special payment arrangements, and/or adding missed payments to mortgage balances.
Irish students who wish to apply for colleges in the Netherlands will still be able to do so despite missing the deadline of August 31.





Students will not be receiving their Leaving Certificate calculated grades until September 7.

After discussions between Irish and Dutch higher education institutions, it has been agreed that the deadline will be extended due to the exceptional circumstances arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Government is also in discussions with UK colleges to ensure the same level of flexibility.

Around 500 Irish students register for higher education in the Netherlands every year.

As a result of the delay, some students may miss their first classes and orientation.

Education Minister Norma Foley said she is "delighted" with the outcome.

She has also written to higher education institutions in other European countries and the United Kingdom to seek similar flexibility.

Several thousand Irish students study at universities outside of Ireland every year. The vast majority of these will study in UK colleges and universities, and we have engaged with the UKs UCAS system to ensure that they will be accommodated, she said .

I am very glad that we have agreed this solution that will enable Irish students to register in their chosen universities in the Netherlands this year.

"I acknowledge that some students may be somewhat disappointed to miss the orientation period and/or the first classes in college, but am confident that students who have made this decision to travel abroad for university will settle well."

Meanwhile, university teachers here are meeting with Higher Education Minister Simon Harris to get some clarity on the reopening of colleges.

The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) is seeking clarification on whether physical distancing of one or two metres will apply, further guidance on how at-risk staff and students will be accommodated and clear protocols for online class delivery.

Minister Harris last week announced a 100 million package to help get people back to education.

As part of the stimulus package, 35,500 new places in further and higher education will be provided to help people re-skill, and if necessary, change their careers.

"This initiative will assist people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic," he said.
The "Europe Women's Lingerie Market Forecast to 2027 COVID-19 Impact and Regional Analysis By Type; Material; Distribution Channel, and Country." report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Europe Women's lingerie market was valued at US$ 13,708.35 Mn in 2018 and it is projected to be worth US$ 29,677.91 Mn by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.1% during 2019-2027. The word lingerie is a term taken from the French language, meaning undergarments, and used specifically for more lightweight items of female undergarments. The original French word is derived from the old French word lingerie, meaning linen. The fast changing consumer preferences for fashionable and unique apparel products in today's day is driving the women's lingerie market.

Lingerie is a category of women's clothing, including undergarments (mostly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The lingerie concept is a visually appealing undergarment, which was developed during the late nineteenth century. The word 'lingerie' is often motivated by an intention to imply the garments are alluring and fashionable. The fast development of information technology and globalization is leading the entire world by providing information about the latest and trending products available in the market. On account of this, shoppers associated with the lingerie market are aware of the latest global fashion trends. Furthermore, the growing influence of social media is also accelerating the changes in consumer preference of apparel products such as lingerie items. As a wide range of customers prefer buying products online to save time, most of the market players display and sell their products in an online platform to increase their customer base. Branded apparel companies are also focused on introducing innovative lingerie items as per the changing fashion trends and consumer demands. These factors are positively impacting the women's lingerie market.

The outbreak of COVID-19 initially took place in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 but since then, it has spread at a fast pace across the world. Some of the worst affected countries in terms of confirmed cases and reported deaths are China, Italy, Iran, Spain, republic of Korea, France, Germany, and the US. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been a severe downfall in the revenue of different industries. Lockdowns, travel bans, and business shutdowns have drained the amount of money available to people and companies, which in turn has restrained the economic flow in the market. Shutdowns of the consumer goods industry and supply chain disruptions due to the lockdown of countries has curbed the supplies of consumer goods products. In Europe, Russia has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak owing to the highest number of COVID-19 cases. Germany, France and UK have also been hit by the outbreak and are expected to suffer economic downfall as various industries are not able to earn enough revenues and are running at losses. Besides this, the other members' states have closed their borders, imposed travel bans and have implemented other drastic measures that are anticipated to impact the market growth in Europe.

Reasons to Buy

Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.

The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Europe women's lingerie market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.

Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.

Scrutinize in-depth the market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.

Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction

1.1 Scope of the Study

1.2 Report Guidance

1.3 Market Segmentation

1.3.1 Europe Women's Lingerie Market By Type

1.3.2 Europe Women's Lingerie Market By Material

1.3.3 Europe Women's Lingerie Market By Distribution Channel

1.3.4 Europe Women's Lingerie Market By Country

2. Key Takeaways

3. Research Methodology

3.1 Coverage

3.2 Secondary Research

3.3 Primary Research

4. Women's Lingerie Market Landscape

4.1 Market Overview

4.1.1 Europe PEST Analysis

5. Women's Lingerie Market Key Industry Dynamics

5.1 Market Drivers

5.2 Market Restraints

5.3 Market Opportunities

5.4 Future Trends

5.5 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints

6. Women's Lingerie- Europe Market Analysis

6.1 Europe Women's Lingerie Market Overview

6.2 Europe: Women's Lingerie Market Revenue, and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7. Europe Women's Lingerie Market Analysis By Type

7.1 Overview

7.2 Brassiere

7.3 Knickers or Panties

7.4 Shapewear

7.5 Others

8. Europe Women's Lingerie Market Analysis By Material

8.1 Overview

8.2 Europe Women's Lingerie Market Breakdown, By Material, 2018 2027

8.3 Cotton

8.4 Silk

8.5 Satin

8.6 Nylon

8.7 Others

9. Europe Women's Lingerie Market Analysis By Distribution Channel

9.1 Overview

9.2 Europe Women's Lingerie Market Breakdown, By Distribution Channel, 2018 2027

9.3 Mass Merchandisers

9.4 Specialized Stores

9.5 Online Stores

9.6 Others

10. Europe Women's Lingerie Market Country Analysis

10.1 Overview

10.1.1 Europe: Women's Lingerie Market Revenue, and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.1.2 Europe: Women's Lingerie Market, by Key Country

10.1.2.1 Germany: Women's Lingerie Market Revenue, and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.1.2.2 UK: Women's Lingerie Market Revenue, and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.1.2.3 Russia: Women's Lingerie Market Revenue, and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.1.2.4 France: Women's Lingerie Market Revenue, and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.1.2.5 Italy: Women's Lingerie Market Revenue, and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.1.2.6 Rest of Europe: Women's Lingerie Market Revenue, and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

11. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Europe Women's Lingerie Market

11.1 Overview

11.2 Europe: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

12. Company Profiles

12.1 Gap Inc.

12.2 Triumph International

12.3 Hanesbrands Inc.

12.4 Jockey International, Inc.

12.5 Hunkemller International B.V.

12.6 MAS Holdings

12.7 PVH Corp.

12.8 L Brands

12.9 Chantelle Group

12.10 Hanky Panky

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/v2uulu

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005595/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
Oregon lawmakers could decide whether to grant coronavirus liability protections to businesses, schools and other organizations in the upcoming August special session.

Republicans, industry groups and 10 Democratic members of the Oregon House of Representatives pushed for those protections during the special session in June, prompting House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, to convene a work group to look into the issue ahead of the next special session.

Proponents of the legislation say that businesses and other entities that are following health guidance need to be shielded from frivolous lawsuits so they can safely reopen and operate amid the pandemic. Opponents argue that businesses have protections under current law and that new legislation would take away the incentive for entities to enact stringent COVID-19 safety measures.

Its a really complicated topic and I think were being very careful in how were analyzing it, said Rep. Karin Power, D-Milwaukie, who is co-leading the work group. Nonetheless, there still will be really big repercussions in moving forward with any liability protection.

Oregon lawmakers are considering liability protections at the same time that contentious conversations on the same subject are taking place at the federal level. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republican lawmakers want liability protections for entities whose workers or customers catch COVID-19 to be included in the next coronavirus relief bill.

According to the law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth, 3,832 coronavirus-related lawsuits had been filed in the United States as of Tuesday. Those cases include 16 personal injury suits from consumers, 42 wrongful death suits and 72 suits related to conditions of employment. There have been just 24 coronavirus-related lawsuits in Oregon, only three of which fall under those same categories, according to the law firm.

Still, at least 11 states have already proactively implemented liability protections for businesses and other entities amid the coronavirus pandemic. Some Oregon companies have started requiring customers to sign away their rights to sue as they wait on the Legislature to take action.

We have to address this in the next session, said House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, co-leader of the work group. Our schools and our nonprofits and our businesses need to have protections from frivolous lawsuits. Everything is so uncertain right now. We need to give our communities and our schools a little bit of certainty in this very uncertain time.

A coalition of more than 50 businesses, schools, government entities and nonprofit organizations have been pushing the Oregon Legislature to enact liability protections.

The vast majority of businesses and organizations are making every effort to follow all regulations set forth by the governor and the Legislature, yet they are still vulnerable to unwarranted lawsuits, said the coalition in a letter to the work group Sunday. This group is asking that you ensure that schools, local governments and businesses that are acting in good faith are protected from unwarranted lawsuits, except in cases of gross negligence or reckless, wanton or intentional misconduct.

Sandra McDonough, CEO of Oregon Business & Industry, which advocates for the states business community, said that she consistently hears from business owners concerned about liability as they bring employees back and once again welcome customers amid the pandemic. She said the business community is calling for common sense protections for the duration of the pandemic.

Jim Green, the executive director of the Oregon School Boards Association, said that many Oregon schools will be unable to reopen in the fall if state lawmakers dont enact liability protections because their insurance providers arent offering communicable disease coverage. Oregon may not allow schools to reopen for in-person instruction anyway if coronavirus cases surge.

School districts are very concerned, Green said. They want to try to open their doors in September, but if they dont have insurance or they dont have some sort of limited liability protection, theyve said its going to be really hard for them to open their doors and put the assets of the district at risk.

The work group has yet to draft a proposal that could be taken up in the August session, but is working off an amendment introduced in the last special session that would have shielded entities from liability if they complied with state guidance regarding COVID-19. The amendment would not have limited liability for gross negligence or reckless, wanton or intentional misconduct.

Power said the work group is taking a narrower approach to potential legislation and does not have plans to address employee lawsuits, medical liability or liability for long-term care facilities in any proposed legislation at this time. Separate legislation being considered in the Oregon Senate could address medical liability, Power said.

The coalition of organizations pushing for the legislation called on the work group to reconsider broader language that would be applicable to all entities and COVID-19-related suits. But opponents have expressed concern that broad liability protections could prevent workers at companies where there are large coronavirus outbreaks, such as food processing facilities, and families of people who die in nursing homes from suing.

Healthcare at Foster Creek, the site of the biggest coronavirus outbreak among long-term care facilities in the state, is facing $12.6 million in lawsuits for the deaths of seven residents.

But Arthur Towers, a lobbyist for the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, whose members represent injured consumers, patients and workers, said that even narrow legislation could have severe impacts.

Towers said that patrons already have a difficult hurdle to clear under current law to prove that they were exposed to COVID-19 at a specific business or entity and that the Legislature shouldnt be taking action that would limit the rights of people to hold entities accountable for subpar safety standards.

While advocates of the legislation say it would only protect entities working in good faith to prioritize safety, Towers said that liability protections would take away an incentive from businesses and entities to stringently implement safety measures and could disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including children from underserved communities or those with disabilities who are especially reliant on school safety.

We feel the current law protects business owners, especially those that are doing the right thing, Towers said. We dont think the Legislature should be doing anything to relax safety standards or to take away incentives to be safe.

Elizabeth Tippett, an associate professor at the University of Oregons law school, said that legislation could be useful in giving businesses clarity on what they need to do to protect safety and giving them a level of certainty that they can move forward with operations during the pandemic.

But she said that legislation needs to identify the specific standards that businesses must follow to be protected from liability and clearly define what is meant by negligence. She said individuals would have a much higher burden of proof if entities are shielded from liability except in cases of gross negligence, a higher legal standard than negligence.

Power said that the work group is continuing to review feedback from stakeholders and will have to consider the impact that the legislation will have on both entities and patrons as it determines how to proceed.

I understand our small businesses are very concerned about lawsuits as they reopen.  At the same time, if we were to move forward with this liability protection, it is tilting the scales of justice in favor of businesses versus people who get sick, Power said.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
A Boston cyclist has caught the moment he slammed into a car turning left at a junction - after they both went through green lights.

Cyclist Lucas Brunelle, a vlogger on YouTube, was speeding along a cycle path in the Cambridge area of Boston on July 15 when a car turned into his path.

Footage captured on his helmet showed Mr Brunelle fall from his bicycle as the woman driver pressed hard on her car horn.

Mr Brunelle said: 'What the f**k. F**k this place sucks.'

Cyclist Lucas Brunelle, a vlogger on YouTube, was speeding along a cycle path in the Cambridge area of Boston on July 15 when a car turned into his path

As music blared from the woman's car she got out and said: 'Sweetie I have a green light.'

He replied: 'I got a green right there.'

According to Boston legislation 'motorists must yield to oncoming bicyclists when making left turns', meaning it was likely the female driver was in the wrong.

She said: 'I was going slow enough to make sure nobody was flying down there. I'm not even moving. You slammed into the car.'

He said: 'I've got a green light I'll be in touch with your insurance company, better get out of here.'

She replied: 'I need information from you I had a green light. I'm already half way into the street you come flying down here. That's on you.'

She then shouted over at cars still waiting at the junction to ask if any of the drivers would act as a witness.

The car turned left into the path of the cyclist as he sped along the cycle path after passing through a green light

Footage captured on his helmet showed Mr Brunelle fall from his bicycle onto the hood of the car as the woman driver pressed hard on her car horn

Suddenly Mr Brunelle got nasty and accused the woman of being 'pretty dense'.

'I don't know if you know what that means,' he added.

She shouted back: 'I know what it means, I have a f***ing masters.'

He added: 'It's like low IQ.'

As the woman got back into her car and started to drive away another driver in a burgundy-coloured truck stopped her.

Pointing at the cyclist he said: 'I saw the whole thing, that wouldn't have happened if you just slowed down. She slowed, she was struck. You saw her, you should have slowed down.'

The woman shouted over at cars still waiting at the junction to ask if any of the drivers would act as a witness

Suddenly Mr Brunelle got nasty and accused the woman of being 'pretty dense' as they argued about who was in the wrong

As the woman got out to ask if he would ask as a witness he drove away.

She got back in the car and said: 'I know that I was right.'

Mr Brunelle said: 'You ever taken an IQ test lady.'

She said: 'You need to stop being rude just because you were wrong. You can say anything you want. Have a nice day, sir, God bless you.' She drove away.

As Mr Brunelle continued along the road he filmed himself saying: 'That is an example of how happy people are in Boston, f**k you Boston.'

Describing the altercation he said: 'I was riding in the bike lane and got cut off, the lady laid on the horn, as if that wasn't enough, a guy driving a truck went crazy too.'
New Delhi:

Former PM Manmohan Singh, a reputed economist, opened the debate on Thursday in the Rajya Sabha on the government's demonetisation drive on behalf of his party, the Congress.

Singh, during his speech in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, called the demonetisation of high value currency notes as monumental mismanagement by the Narendra Modi government. Though he said he did not disagree with the objectives behind the decision, he remarked the GDP of the country could shrink by 2 percentage-points due to the way it has been implemented.

PM Narendra Modi was present in Parliament as his scheme to abolish 500 and 1,000-rupee notes was labelled "a monumental management failure" by his predecessor, Dr Manmohan Singh.

Here are the top quotes of Manmohan Singh's address over the demonetisation move in Rajya Sabha:

1. "I do not disagree with these objectives, but there is monumental mismanagement of which there are no two opinions in the country as a whole," said Dr Singh, whose government was decisively defeated by PM Modi two years ago.

2. 60-65 people have lost their lives, what has been done can weaken our people's confidence in currency and banking system.

3. PM said wait for 50 days but for the poor section even 50 days can be detrimental.

4. I want to ask PM that can he name any country where people have deposited their money but are not able to withdraw it.

5. PM must come with some constructive proposal how we can implement the scheme.

6. Cooperative banking sector which is serving large number in rural sector is not operational.

7. Monumental mismanagement has been undertaken in implementation of demonetisation.

8. I hope that PM will help us find practical ways to give relief to people suffering.

9. Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run should recall quote "In the long run we are all dead.

10. Several deaths and distress among the poor, farmers and small traders convinced him the demonetisation plan led to organised loot and legalised plunder.

Also Read: Parliament Live | Those who didnt consider scandals to be a blunder are considering demonetisation as blunder, says Jaitley

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COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on the lives of the people. With numerous cases popping up each day, it is making all of us a little more anxious with each passing day.

One way we can truly understand the severity of the situation is by testing everyone and understanding the need of the hour.

Test samples from the research. (Image: Monash University)

However, with the unavailability of test kits and some areas where testing isnt possible due to infrastructure issues, it can be quite challenging to get a real perspective on the number of infections. And now, researchers from Harvard and Stanford University have teamed up to deliver a solution thats not only quick, easily accessible but also cost-effective.



The approach is a two-parter. The first is a method of testing which has been developed by researchers Brian A. Rabe and Constance Cepko from the Harvard University Medical School. Theyve developed a method to detect SARS CoV-2 with the help of an Isothermal Amplification Reaction.

Cost-effective and sensitive SARS CoV-2 Testing

Researchers claim that they have developed a highly-sensitive RT-LAMP (Reverse TranscriptionLoopMediated Isothermal Amplification) assay that can test subjects for the novel coronavirus using their saliva.

It works with current reagents using a colorimetric readout in just a span of 30 minutes. Researchers have done this by also increasing the sensitivity without the need for any special equipment.

Representational image: Reuters

The researchers state in their paper, A rapid inactivation protocol capable of inactivating virions, as well as endogenous nucleases, was also developed to increase sensitivity and sample stability. This protocol, combined with our RT-LAMP assay, has a sensitivity of at least 50 viral RNA copies per microliter in a sample. To further increase the sensitivity, a purification protocol compatible with this inactivation method was developed. "



"The inactivation and purification protocol, combined with our RT-LAMP assay, brings the sensitivity to at least 1 viral RNA copy per microliter in a sample. each sample costs just $0.07 which is around Rs 6 which is dirt cheap.

Clubbing this with a handy centrifugal machine

While the test is sensitive on its own, running the samples through a centrifuge helps in getting more accurate results. But not all places have electricity or access to heavy-duty centrifuges. For that, an Indian researcher and his team developed a tiny, pocketable centrifuge that works without electricity.

Developed by Many Prakash, Anesta Kothari, Ethan Li and Adam Larson from Stanford University, the researchers explain the need of this handy centrifuge for COVID-19 testing, The pH based colourimetric readout also leaves little ambiguity and is intuitive. However, a shortfall in many nucleic acid-based methods for detection in saliva samples has been the variability in output due to the presence of inhibitory substances in saliva. Centrifugation to separate the reaction inhibitors from the inactivated sample was shown to be an effective way to ensure reliable LAMP amplification.

Stanford University: Many Prakash, Anesta Kothari, Ethan Li and Adam Larson

For bridging this gap, the researchers developed Handyfuge -- an easy-to-assemble handy centrifuge that costs around $5 or approximately Rs 400. It works on a similar principle as a Dyna-Torch -- where mechanical energy is converted into electric energy. They created a handy device with small slots to insert tiny vials of the sample which when in motion, splits the inhibitor from the sample, resulting in a supernatant that can be used for the LAMP detection of SARS-CoV-2.
Initiates National Roll Up Strategy with Intended Acquisition of a Majority Interest in Standard Eco, a solar Developer and Installer



Phoenix, AZ, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) (SinglePoint), today announced that its majority owned subsidiary, Direct Solar of America, LLC (Direct Solar), has entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire Standard Eco Solar (Standard Eco), a developer and installer of grid-tied solar electric systems in Texas, Illinois, and Arizona for a combination of cash and stock. Direct Solar and SinglePoint are currently conducting due diligence and SinglePoint will issue common stock once the definitive agreement and audit are completed, facilitating this investment through Direct Solar of America. The transaction is expected to close no later than December 2020. Standard Eco achieved unaudited revenues of $12,331,703 in 2018 and $11,345,061 in 2019 and was operationally profitable in both years.

Pablo Diaz, CEO Direct Solar of America, stated, We are excited to have entered into this LOI and to begin the work necessary to complete this important acquisition. We believe there is a significant opportunity to embark on a roll up strategy in the solar industry and we see this potential acquisition as an important first step forward for Direct Solar in achieving the goal of being the premier national residential and commercial solar provider. We look forward to reaching a definitive agreement and to add the experienced management and financial strength that comes with this acquisition, as we work to build significant long-term value within our business and for the SinglePoint shareholders.

This is the first acquisition from the recently announced national solar expansion through targeted business acquisitions for SinglePoint and Direct Solar. This intended acquisition will broaden the combined service offering expertise and increase the revenue base in additional to expand gross profits. Standard Eco represents an ideal acquisition that is well positioned to leverage and complement the sales and customer acquisition platform built by Direct Solar that has recently expanded its nearly national footprint to cover 34 states, including Texas, Illinois, and Arizona where Standard Eco currently operates. Direct Solar intends to use this potential transaction, when completed, as a catalyst for its recently announced national solar installation roll up strategy. We will continue to target accretive companies within the Solar and Renewable Energy space that can benefit from our national footprint and meet our previously announced acquisition strategy. Our goal is to become the national leader in residential and commercial solar solutions and offerings operating in all 50 states.

Our intended acquisition of Standard Eco complements our overall strategy of providing full spectrum, market leading solutions to Direct Solars solar customers as we continue our national expansion through a combination of organic growth and targeted acquisitions that will enhance and deepen our services within our footprint, said Wil Ralston, President, SinglePoint Inc. This acquisition leverages many of Direct Solars core capabilities and we look forward to the opportunity to expand and grow the overall revenue through expanded solar services.

A consolidation phase in the domestic residential solar market has recently begun with the combination of Vivint and Sun Run in a merger that was announced on July 15, 2020 in which Sun Run acquired Vivint for a reported $3.2 billion. One of the key components of that deal was the value of having a high-quality sales channel. It is estimated that the Sun Run  Vivint combination will create an entity that has about 15% of the current residential market share in the US. It is estimated that Residential Solar in the US has only reached 3% penetration. In 2019 nearly 40% of all new electricity was added by solar-centric solutions. The global solar energy market was valued at $52.5 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $223.3 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 20.5% from 2019 to 2026. After a strong 2019 Q4 and a record Q1 of this year, residential solar installations were hampered in Q2 by work stoppages, delays and temporary muted consumer demand caused by the complications of the current pandemic and corresponding economic shut downs which is accounting for the industry forecast of a 25% year-over-year drop in residential solar installations. Residential Installation has since begun to see a rebound in consumer demand and is set to resume growth in 2021.

Direct Solars high quality and strategically valuable decentralized virtual sales platform serves as an expert concierge for prospective homeowners and small commercial clients guiding them through the contract process and eventually handing over customers already under contract to installation partners within our covered sales territories. The recent and continuing expansion of Direct Solars sales platform into 34 states and counting, allows the company to reach more households and raise awareness about the benefits of home solar and batteries which continue to drive the market for residential and small commercial customers. The Direct Solar specialized concierge sales approach provides an immediate cost savings for installers who typically would resort to hiring expensive door-to-door sales professionals. In a post or continuing pandemic world, partnering or combining through acquisition with a leading virtual specialized sales platform like Direct Solar makes a lot of sense for smaller independent solar contractors and installers like Standard Eco.

About SinglePoint, Inc.

SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) is a fully reporting company with core holdings in Solar Energy Services and Industrial Hemp based Consumer Products. Acquired in May 2019, Direct Solar of America, a majority owned subsidiary, now operates its leading national solar sales brokerage model in 34 states. In the past year Direct Solar of America has virtualized its sales platform and has added and expanded its corporate offerings to include Direct Solar Capital (Financial) and Direct Solar Commercial with a focus on financing, designing or developing small to mid-size commercial opportunities and projects. 1606 Original Hemp, has been designed and created to be the premier category leader in manufacturing and marketing high quality smokable industrial hemp consumer products for sale through traditional retail channels and online. Since its debut in late 2019, 1606 Original Hemp has been placed into hundreds of retail locations across the country and has amassed a large social media following that continues to grow. The Company has a portfolio of non-core focused business that are searching for strategic partnerships or other alternative solutions. SinglePoint is committed to positioning the Company to be able to up list to the highest exchange possible which we feel is a benefit to our stakeholders and shareholders.

Connect on social media at:

https://www.facebook.com/SinglePointMobile

https://twitter.com/_SinglePoint

https://www.linkedin.com/company/singlepoint

https://www.youtube.com/user/SinglePointMobile

For more information visit: www.SinglePoint.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential closing of the transactions contemplated by the LOI with Standard Eco, potential future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate (that any such closing will occur) and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

SinglePoint

888-682-7464

investors@singlepoint.com
Western Union (NYSE:WU), a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments, and Cebuana Lhuillier, the largest and long-tenured microfinancial service provider in the Philippines, have come together to enable customers in the Philippines to send and receive Western Union money transfers.

The significant collaboration with Cebuana Lhuillier adds 2,500 more locations to Western Unions global network and will provide greater access to customers in the worlds fourth largest remittance receiving country. Money transfer customers accessing Cebuana Lhuilliers nationwide branch network will be able to send or receive money via Western Unions global network in more than 200 countries and territories. The services are expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks.

Western Union and Cebuana Lhuillier understand the importance of connectivity and building relationships, while keeping customers at their core. This strategic collaboration and integration of capabilities of two leaders highlights the power of combined assets to meet customers needs, said Jean Claude Farah, President, Global Network, Western Union.

Farah added, In an age when speed, reliability and convenience mean everything, we are increasing the number of touchpoints where our customers can access our services and connect with their loved ones around the world. We welcome Cebuana Lhuillier to the Western Union family and are proud and excited to work collaboratively to reach more customers together.

After successfully serving Filipinos for decades offering vital financial services, the two companies have joined forces to advance cross-border money movement for customers in the Philippines. This alliance supports Western Unions strategy to leverage its platform and portfolio of capabilities, enabling other businesses looking to expand their global reach and build upon a robust partnership. The cooperation between the two companies also puts forward Cebuana Lhuilliers vision of empowering Filipinos through financial services.

This partnership with Western Union is a prudent step in ensuring accessibility for the millions of Filipinos around the world and in paving the way for a future-proof network with presence in almost all parts of the globe, said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

We are more than thrilled to collaborate with Western Union as their company values line up perfectly with our core of facilitating financial inclusion for the underserved Filipinos and expanding our reach makes that all the more possible, added Lhuillier.

Cebuana Lhuillier is a one-stop shop that offers microfinancial services to over 30 million clients through its more than 2,500 branches with 20,000 domestic partners and 1.7 million physical and virtual touchpoints. The company is also acting as a cash agent for Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank and has since provided a bank account to 4 million previously unbanked Filipinos since the launch of the rural banks revolutionary product Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings.

Western Union serves customers globally from a fast-growing digital network of web, app, and the largest Agent retail locations across the world. In addition, Western Unions global payout network includes billions of bank accounts and wallets offering unparalleled convenience to families and loved ones sending money to the Philippines. In the Philippines, customers will soon be able to send and receive through Cebuana Lhuillier and may check the Agent Locator link for the status of their nearest locations.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments. Our omnichannel platform connects the digital and physical worlds and makes it possible for consumers and businesses to send and receive money and make payments with speed, ease, and reliability. As of March 31, 2020, our network included over 550,000 retail agent locations offering our branded services in more than 200 countries and territories, with the capability to send money to billions of accounts. Additionally, westernunion.com, our fastest growing channel in 2019, is available in over 75 countries, plus additional territories, to move money around the world. With our global reach, Western Union moves money for better, connecting family, friends, and businesses to enable financial inclusion and support economic growth. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About Cebuana Lhuillier

P.J. Lhuillier, Inc. (PJLI) is the proud parent company of Cebuana Lhuillier, the Philippines largest microfinancial services provider that offers pawning, remittance, micro insurance, bills payment, e-load, business-to-business solutions services, and micro savings and other banking services through their banking arm, the Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank. For more than 30 years, Cebuana Lhuillier continuously provides fast, easy, secure, and convenient microfinancial products and services to more than 30 million customers through over 2,500 branches nationwide. The company has also expanded its services into the digital space through the eCebuana App, a product of the Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank, and a host of other financial platforms such as Cebuana From Home, ProtectNow.com and the Cebuana Lhuillier Jewelry website.

Cebuana Lhuillier is committed to its purpose of bringing financial inclusion to the majority of Filipinos and has remained at the forefront of its industry through its many product innovations and leadership in customer service. Its commitment to excellence has given rise to many countless accolades and recognitions here and abroad.

WU-G

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200728005065/en/
Defendants have fought plaintiffs every step of the way by attempting to foreclose their lawsuit through procedural grounds. Yet, the people of Flint have endured, and they now ask for an opportunity to be heard, Bernstein said. The judiciary should be the one governmental institution that hears their grievances and affords them the opportunity to at least proceed with their case.
When dozens of teenagers caught the coronavirus at a series of Middletown house parties earlier this month, health workers tried to track down partygoers to make sure they got tested and quarantined.

But at least some attendees initially refused to give information about who was at the parties to those doing contact tracing  a public health practice that involves finding, notifying and potentially isolating close contacts who may have been exposed.
By Moira Warburton

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne confirmed in a tweet https://bit.ly/30uHtB1 on Sunday that the black boxes of a downed Ukrainian airliner that killed all 176 people on board in January had arrived in Paris, ending a months-long standoff.

The black boxes are expected to be brought to France's air accident agency, BEA, on Monday for analysis, Champagne said, adding that Canadian transportation officials would be present.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has said it accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 on Jan. 8, mistaking it for a missile at a time when tensions were high between Iran and the United States.

Many of the victims killed in the crash were Canadian citizens or permanent residents, or had Canada as their final destination.

On Saturday, Iran's deputy foreign minister said the boxes had been sent to France for analysis.

The fate of the cockpit voice and data recorders has been the subject of an international standoff since the plane was shot down, with Canada, France and Ukraine demanding access.

(Reporting by Sabahatjahan Contractor in Bengaluru; Editing by Diane Craft and Peter Cooney)
Mercedes wants to get to the bottom of a conspicuously smoky issue with its 2020 engine, according to team boss Toto Wolff.

Just as Ferrari took a big step backwards in power following the 2019 engine legality saga, Mercedes stepped up its efforts over the winter to catch up with the Italian team.

"We were so challenged by Ferrari on the engine side last year that we went in new directions to find performance," Wolff told Auto Motor und Sport.

So after earlier insisting that he would not let Ferrari and the FIA off the hook for their secret engine legality agreement, Wolff now says: "We are no longer pursuing this".

"This problem is in the past," he is quoted by Speed Week.

"I think the FIA has done a good job with robust regulations that no longer have any loopholes."

However, Mercedes' powerful and improved 2020 engine has a quirk - the emission at times of visible, white smoke.

"It can only be oil burning," former F1 driver Jan Lammers said.

Wolff was quoted by Finland's Ilta Sanomat newspaper: "We don't know where it comes from, but it is not a reliability problem.

"I hope we can talk about it at Silverstone."

(GMM)
At least 212 environmental campaigners worldwide were murdered in 2019, making it the deadliest year on record for frontline activists battling the destruction of nature.

Colombia and the Philippines combined accounted for just over half of the confirmed deaths - 64 and 43, respectively - followed by Brazil, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, watchdog group Global Witness reported on Wednesday.

The real number is likely higher due to unreported or misrepresented cases, especially in Africa, the NGO said in its annual review.

About 40 per cent of victims were indigenous people and more than two-thirds died in Latin America. One in ten were women.

At least 212 environmental campaigners worldwide were murdered in 2019, making it the deadliest year on record for frontline activists. Pictured: Members of the Kumeyaay band of Indians and demonstrators marching towards the United States-Mexico border in earlier this month

For decades, native communities in the forests of Central and South America, Asia and Africa have seen ancestral lands degraded and destroyed, sometimes with the blessing of corrupt local or national governments.

Of the 141 murders last year that could be linked a specific economic sectors, more than a third involved campaigners protesting mining operations - some legal but most not.

Thirty-four killings related to agribusiness were overwhelmingly in Asia, especially the Philippines.

Two Indonesian activists were stabbed to death in October near a palm oil plantation in northern Sumatra.

In the Philippines, police and counter-insurgency operations led to the massacre of 14 sugar plantation farmers on Negros island in March, only months after nine others had been killed in similar circumstances.

'Agribusiness and oil, gas and mining have consistently been the biggest drivers of attacks against land and environmental defenders,' said Global Witness campaigner Rachel Cox.

'They are also the industries pushing us further into runaway climate change through deforestation and increased carbon emissions.'

Burning forests not only robs the planet of greenhouse gas absorbing vegetation, it also releases stored CO2 into the atmosphere.

For decades, native communities in the forests of Central and South America, Asia and Africa have seen ancestral lands degraded and destroyed. Pictured: Jungle landscape in Panama, Central America

Logging operations were directly linked to 24 deaths, with another 14 related to illegal crop substitution, 11 to land reform, and six to water management or dam construction.

In the Philippines, a Manobo tribal chieftain was killed during a military bombardment while protesting rogue mining operations near Kitaotao, in northern Mindanao.

'The Philippines' remaining virgin forests - like those protected by the Manobo - are being felled for mineral extraction and profit,' the report noted.

'This is "business as usual" for President Rodrigo Duterte and his government who are forging ahead with policies that prioritise fossil fuels and have passed draconian laws that can be used to silence those trying to stand in their way.'

The number of killings in Colombia more than doubled last year, while in Honduras they rose from four to 14.

The tropics and developing countries are not the only hotspots for violent attacks against those protecting natural resources.

In Romania, an EU member state, a forest ranger working in one of Europe's largest primeval forests was shot dead for trying to protect trees against organised criminal gangs harvesting them for profit.

A month earlier, one of her colleagues was murdered with an axe to the back of the head.

'At a time when we most need people to protect the planet against destructive, carbon-intensive industries, we are seeing the highest number of killings of land and environmental defenders' since Global Witness started tracking the issue in 2012, the report concluded.

Outright murders occur against a generalised backdrop of intimidation and harassment.

'Women defenders face specific threats,' such as personal smear campaigns, the report said.

'Sexual violence is used as a tactic to silence women defenders, much of it underreported.'

Efforts by local and indigenous communities to assert land rights also provoke violent ripostes.

'In many countries, peoples' rights to their land and natural resources are either unprotected, undocumented or not recognised,' Global Witness said.
By Chen Aizhu

SINGAPORE, July 29 (Reuters) - What to do with China's abundant stock of coal? Chemical giant Hengli plans to make clothes out of it.

It may sound like something from ancient alchemy, but the privately-owned Chinese company surprised industry watchers in June when it said it was getting into mining with a $20 billion project to convert coal into polyester yarn, used in clothes, packaging and plastic bottles.

The announcement was intriguing. Coal is not a typical raw material for polyester and Hengli's plan will be the world's first of its kind in the China-dominated coal to chemical sector, where investment so far has totalled $85 billion according to the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation.

It also comes after Hengli borrowed heavily to set itself up as an oil refiner, using crude to make polyester.

The shift into coal, a major source of smog and climate-warming greenhouse gases, is at odds with a global push to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and will exact a heavy environmental price, according to industry analysts.

But the project, which Hengli aims to have running by the end of 2025 in Shaanxi province, fits into Beijings enduring commitment to coal and will add Hengli to a roster of Chinese companies, including coal miner Shenhua Group and oil refiner Sinopec, which have moved into the coal to chemicals business.

"By picking Hengli, the country's largest polyester producer with extensive reaches to the consumer textile market, it will help Shaanxi province efficiently develop its rich coal resource and grow the local economy," said Zhu Fang, senior researcher at the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, which represents over 400 oil and chemical firms.

Hengli, as a Chinese company and one of the worlds largest polyester yarn producers, also stands a better chance of getting regulatory approvals for its plan, according to analysts.

Officials from Yulin city, in Shaanxi province where Hengli plans to base its coal-to-polyester operations, approached the company first with the idea of setting up a plant there, according to company spokesman Li Feng, and it took about 10 months for Hengli and the city to reach a deal.

An official inter-provincial alliance between economically lagging Shaanxi and coastal Jiangsu, China's second wealthiest province, where Hengli is headquartered, may also help it gain regulatory support, as the project will generate jobs and boost local revenue, according to a Beijing-based executive from a rival company.

Story continues

Li, Henglis spokesman, declined to comment on the likelihood of regulatory approvals and said the project was about diversification from oil, full integration and economies of scale not politics.

"With technological advances in the large-scale coal-to chemical plants, the cost of building and operating such a facility will become more and more competitive," he said.

Global rivals Dow Chemicals, Saudi Basic Industries (SABIC) and Total faced lengthy regulatory processes when they planned similar ventures in China. Dow and Total ultimately abandoned their plans amid a range of challenges from financial and environmental cost to the competition from cheaper shale gas-based projects in the United States.

SABIC, one of the world's largest petrochemicals groups, said the company has yet to make any further announcement after signing a preliminary deal with Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group in 2016 to build a coal-to-olefin complex.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Established in 1994 as a small weaving factory, Hengli has transformed into one of the worlds largest polyester yarn producers, feeding off China's demand as the world's largest consumer of textile.

Hengli had annual revenues of $80 billion last year, according to the company. It founders, group chairman Chen Jianhua and his wife Fan Hongwei, who heads its listed unit Hengli Petrochemical, were ranked 16th in Forbes magazines annual China rich list.

The company took on 70% debt to fund its 56.4 billion yuan refinery complex leaving it with an eye-watering debt to asset ratio of 78% compared to Sinopec's 50%, according to company figures.

Hengli will finance 30% of the Yulin investment from its own funds and the rest from Chinese banks, said Li.

Henglis plans involve converting 20 million tonnes of coal into 9 million tonnes of fine chemicals and polyester a year and the company told Reuters it has tapped China Tianchen Engineering Corp and Sinopec's Luoyang Engineering to conduct pre-feasibility studies.

Tianchen did not respond to a request for comment. A Luoyang Engineering representative said the company was at an early stage of cooperation with Hengli and declined further comment.

While turning coal into industrial chemicals has been widely applied in China, producing aromatics - feedstocks for polyester -- is a relatively novel process which is not commercialized yet.

"(Hengli) is likely to be the first time on such a scale," said Salmon Lee, principal analyst with Wood Mackenzie.

Coal-based chemical plants typically emit three times more carbon dioxide and waste water for each unit of production, compared to oil-based chemical plants, and require oil at $45-$50 a barrel to break even, said industry experts.

The scale of the Yulin project also means it could consume 60 million tonnes of fresh water every year, said a second Beijing based industry executive. That will be roughly enough to supply the whole of Singapore of six million people for five weeks, according to Reuters calculations based on Singapore's official water usage data.

Hengli's Li said the plant's emissions and water use will depend on the final design of the plant.

"So far, we do not foresee any hurdles in winning the emission quotas and water resource(from local government)," he said, adding the company will invest in waste water treatment to maximise the amount of water they can recycle.

Yulin officials did not respond to request for comment about the environmental impact.

(Reporting by Chen Aizhu. Editing by Carmel Crimmins)
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
New Delhi:

The National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C) has issued a notice to Inmates of ladies hostel instructing them not to roam with boy student inside residential campus.

Hostel warden has threatened expulsion from the hostel if found "roaming with boy students" inside its residential campus.



The notice was issued by ladies hostel warden S Bhuvaneswari on Tuesday, was taken down from notice boards by Wednesday evening following widespread condemnation.

Inmates of ladies hostel are instructed not to roam with boy student inside residential campus: National Institute of Tech, Calicut hostels pic.twitter.com/DSF1e1lTvm a ANI (@ANI_news) November 24, 2016

The residential campus is situated across the road from the main campus, houses two ladies hostels and residential quarters of the faculty.A

NIT Students posted the notice, reserving punishment only for girl students, on Facebook on Wednesday, leading to its condemnation - including from several NIT-C alumni - for gender insensitivity and moral policing.

"Dear NITC, does your moral consciousness ends on seeing boys and girls together. And why the action is only against 'her' (sic)," Muhammed Afsel, an NIT-C student, asked on Facebook.

Prof Paul Joseph of the department of electrical engineering said he was saddened to see the notice. "I really wonder where are we going?

Some people never understand the changes taking place in our society. Let them suspend some students for walking together, then I will interfere as a citizen of our great India! I really don't know this person who has put that notice!!," it read.

Zikrullah Nisha said "Sanskaari Circular by the NIT Calicut.A new circular issued by the National Institute of Technology, Calicut administration threatens girls living in campus hostels of suspension and expulsion if "found roaming with boy students inside the residential campus"

Nimisha Roy, student representative, said aWe could not believe that such a notice would be issued by NIT-C authorities. The warden said the notice was issued after getting complaints from residents of faculty accommodations,a she said.

Dean (studentsa welfare) G Unnikrishnan said NIT-C had always been fostering gender diversity. aThe wardena might have only intended to remind students about courtesies,a he said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
This weekend rings in the month of August and the coronavirus pandemic continues to shift the landscape of events throughout the world. We will continue to offer our weekly things to do in Central New York list with a combination of virtual and live events.

Know of an event you would like to see on this list? Email us at features@syracuse.com.

Plates of food during the St. George Macedonian Festival at St. George Macedonian Orthodox Church in Onondaga, N.Y., Friday, July 31, 2015.Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com

St. George Annual Macedonian Festival - To Go

St. George Macedonian Orthodox Church is hosting their reimagined Macedonian Ethnic Festival To Go after the original event was canceled due to coronavirus concerns. This event will feature traditional food and sweets. The weekend-long festival that highlights Macedonian cuisine, wine, music, dance and traditions will be back in 2021.

Where: St. George Macedonian Orthodox Church, 5083 Onondaga Rd. (RT. 173), Syracuse, NY 13215

When: July 31 from 4-8 p.m., Aug. 1 from noon - 8 p.m.

How much: Free to attend, menu and prices are available on the St. George Macedonian Orthodox Church Facebook page

This photo was taken in 2002 in Sierra Leone. Photographer Tom Haskell says, "She and her family had crafted a bit of a home in this refugee center. When she saw me in the camp she changed into a nice outfit and asked for a "snap" (snapshot) on her front porch. And yes, a copy was delivered to her by WFP (the United Nations' World Food Programme)."Tom Haskell

Tom Haskell Photography Exhibit

Cortland Repertory Theatre Downtown announces a new exhibit of world-renowned and Cortland native photographer Tom Haskell. Haskell was a Cortland native and served as the chief field photographer for the United Nations World Food Programme, visiting more than 40 countries including North Korea, Iraq, China, Sudan, Rwanda, Angola, Sierra Leone and Kosovo. His images have been seen in many major newspapers and magazines around the world including Newsweek, Time, US News and World Report, Fortune, Family Circle, Parade, and more.

CRT notes that this exhibit will follow strict social distancing guidelines; masks must be worn, temperatures will be taken at the entrance, and guests are requested to maintain the 6-foot distance rule from other attendees. Hand sanitizers and disposable masks will be available.

Where: Cortland Repertory Theatre, 24 Port Watson St, Cortland, NY 13045

When: Aug. 1  16, Wednesdays thru Sundays from noon  5 p.m.

How much: $5 suggested donation to benefit Cortland Rep

Jubilee Homes Fundraiser 2020

Jubilee Homes is hosting a socially distanced fundraiser dinner to support the organization which has been on a mission to reduce crime and blight while providing housing opportunities for low-moderate income families for the past 30 years. Every meal that is sold for this fundraiser will also provide the same meal for a person living in poverty in Syracuse. Meals will include selections from SOULutions, Ermas Island, Miss Prissys, and Cake Bar, who are some of the restaurateurs who will open within the Salt City Market in Downtown Syracuse.

Where: Jubilee Homes Southwest Community Learning Farm, 112 Bellevue Ave., Syracuse, NY 13204

When: Aug. 5 from 3-6 p.m.

How much: $60, pre-order on Eventbrite

Apple Hill Yoga

Get your zen on in the orchards of Beak & Skiff. The outdoor class will be an all levels vinyasa flow. Please bring your own mat. This class will be weather dependent, social distancing guidelines will be followed and masks are required for class set-up and to access any of the building on campus.

Where: Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards, 2708 Lords Hill Rd LaFayette, NY 13084

When: Aug. 1 from 9:45-11 a.m.

How much: $12 cash, more details at beakandskiff.com/events

Trivia to Save Us All

Wunderbar is only open right now for limited events. This trivia night will be held outdoors and have teams with a maximum of seven people. Reservations are required at wunderbar.com/contact. Masks must be worn when not seated, food ordered with drinks, and social distancing must be practiced.

Where: Wunderbar, 201 S. West St., Syracuse, NY 13202

When: July 31 at 8 p.m., doors at 7 p.m.

How much: Cost of food purchases

Good day! Its our turn this week for Curbside Takeout. Heres our menu. Hope youre as excited as we are. Get ready for... Posted by Mamma Hai on Monday, July 27, 2020

Curbside Test Kitchen

Salt City Market is still under construction and awaiting a November opening date. In the meantime, it is running a Curbside Test Kitchen for its future vendors. This week Mamma Hai (owned by Ngoc Huynh who is an Advance Media New York employee) will be offering Vietnamese cuisine for takeout including a variety of banh mi, rice vermicelli noodles, lavender lemonade on Friday, and more. Menus will go live at 10 a.m. each day and orders will be taken until 5 p.m. Pickup will be at the With Love kitchen.

Where: With Love, 435 N. Salina St., Syracuse, NY 13203

When: July 29-31, order from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., pickup from 5 p.m.- 8 p.m.

How much: Prices vary, see menu at mammahai.com

We're back! Three more cabarets are happening for the next three Saturdays. Shannon and many other CNYP performers will appear in our "second round".   In lieu of purchasing a ticket, a small donation is appreciated if you have been enjoying these online shows. Posted by CNY Playhouse on Friday, July 17, 2020

New Musical Theatre Broadway Cabaret

Central New York Playhouse presents an online cabaret series. Past performances and this weeks premiere can be seen on the CNY Playhouse YouTube page. The series is free, but donations are encouraged to help support CNY Playhouse as it is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Where: CNY Playhouse YouTube page

When: Aug. 1 from 3-4 p.m.

How much: Free, but donations are encouraged at cnyplayhouse.org/donation

Fort Ontario WWI Walking Tour

Oswegos historic Fort Ontario has reopened and recently published a self-guided walking tour. The tour of the Fort Ontario Military Reservation chronicles what it looked like during World War One. Hikers will be able to walk in the footsteps of history by looking at original photographs and go to the approximate location where those photos were taken.

Where: Fort Ontario, 1 E 4th St Oswego, NY 13126

When: Wednesdays- Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sundays from noon- 4:30 p.m.

How much: Adults $4; students and seniors aged 62 and older $3; children 12 and under, active military, and friends of Fort Ontario members are free

Housework

Housework is a play devised by the 2020 Hangar Theatre Lab Company. The Wedge has been the proving ground for some of the most innovative and dynamic theatre artists working today. Serving as a home for our Lab Company and led by directors and alum selected for the Drama League Summer Program, The Wedge produces provocative, cutting edge theatre. This play is not intended for young audiences.

Where: hangartheatre.org

When: Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

How much: Free

18 Cars and Coffee in Liverpool

Classic car cruise-ins

This weekend will play host to several classic car meet-ups. Some will have live music, vendors, food and drink, and more.

Here are the times and dates for some of this weeks cruise-in events:

Sno Top, 315 Fayette St Manlius, NY 13104, every Monday from 5-8 p.m.

Three Rivers Point, 8892-8898 Gaskin Rd, Clay, NY 13041, every Wednesday from 4:30-8:30 p.m.

Sylvan Beach, 112 Bridge St, Sylvan Beach, NY 13157, every Thursday from 5-8 p.m.

Lewis Park, S Main St., Minoa, NY 13116, every Friday night from 6-8 p.m.

Route 31 near Home Goods, 3955 NY-31, Liverpool, NY 13090, every Saturday from 7-10:30 a.m.

Fairmount Fair, 3529 W Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13219, every Saturday at 7 p.m.

Community Folk Art Center Virtual Gallery

The Community Folk Art Center (CFAC) has launched a new online gallery to enable visitors to learn more about artists from the African Diaspora and other underrepresented groups. Three virtual exhibitions are currently on display, including Cherilyn Beckles: Syracuse Black Lives Matter Protest, Jaleel Campbell: 2020 demonstrating how the arts build community and Black Joy, and CFACs 48th annual Competitive Teen Art Show highlighting the artwork of high school students from the Syracuse City School District and surrounding communities.

Where: cfacgallery.org

When: Ongoing

How much: Free to access

Social Distance Skate Date

Every Wednesday night, Syracuse Skate Gang will host a social distance skate meet-up. Time and location announcements are made on their Facebook or Instagram pages. Previous locations have been points along Onondaga Lake Parkway and the Erie Canal.

Where: syracuseskategang.com

When: Every Wednesday, times announced on social media pages

How much: Free

A member of Cirqa Brava performs at the 2018 Sterling New York Renaissance Festival set in 1585 village of Warick, England.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com

Virtual Sterling Renaissance Festival

The Sterling Renaissance Festival is canceled this year due to the coronavirus. However, they are releasing a series of six performances called Virtual Sterling, one for each weekend the faire would have been open. Every Saturday a new episode will premiere from July 11 through Aug. 15. If you cannot watch the stream live, it will be available on-demand through the run of the series.

Where: Sterling Renaissance Festival Facebook page

When: Every Saturday from July 11-Aug. 15

How much: $19.95 - $99.95, pay once for all six episodes
By Express News Service

KOTTAYAM: A Malayali nurse working at a US hospital was killed allegedly by her husband near her workplace at Coral Springs in South Florida on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Merin Joy, 26, of Ooralil house, Monippally, in Kottayam.

As per the reports available here, Merin was stabbed multiple times by her husband Philip Mathew alias Nevin, 34, hailing from Mannoothara house near Veliyanad in Kottayam who was later taken into custody by the US police.

Merin was working at the Broward Health Coral Springs hospital. She was fatally stabbed by Nevin when she came out of the hospital after overnight duty at a COVID ward on Tuesday around 7.40 am (5.10 pm IST). Nevin also drove his car over her at the parking lot of the hospital. Though she was rushed to Broward Health North, she succumbed to her injuries.

As per the reports of the Coral Springs police, the incident is believed to be part of a domestic dispute between the couple. Nevin injured himself with the knife after the incident.

According to Merins relatives, she was staying away from Nevin, following some issues between them and was planning to quit the job at the Coral Springs hospital.

Nevin has been charged with first degree murder and is in the custody of the US police.
Photo: (Photo : unsplash/National Cancer Institute)

The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, can now be detected using a new blood test. Study shows that the blood test could perform as accurately as expensive brain scans or spinal taps do.

On Tuesday, Alzheimer's Association International Conference researchers presented their results. They did multiple studies about whether blood tests could detect Alzheimer's against other forms of dementia.





Distinguish Alzheimer's disease

The team said that the test could distinguish the Alzheimer's disease from other types of dementia. It could also detect signs of the condition 20 years before people with the rare gene mutation develop cognitive problems.

See also: 5 Healthy Ways to Prevent Dementia

Using a blood test to detect the disease, doctors could provide a more precise result than memory and thinking tests could. Usually, they use invasive and pricey brain scans and spinal taps measuring spinal fluids.

The team said that they accuracy of distinguishing the disease from other types of dementia is about 89 to 98 percent of the cases. It is done by measuring protein tau.

Detect the disease early

The executive director of Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix, Dr. Eric Reiman, explained the new method. He said that the promising blood test seems accurate and could detect Alzheimer's disease early.

See also: Early menstruation linked to hot flashes during menopause, study proved

However, experts noted that to validate a blood test as a reliable option, doctors and researchers could take a few years. There is probably no one who would want to know that they will soon have the disease without a cure in the future.

Study new drugs for disease control

A neurology professor at the Washington University and Alzheimer's disease researcher, Randall J. Bateman, said what the test could do. He said that doctors, patients, and scientists could use the blood test to study new drugs to control it.

By detecting the illness early, doctors could start treatment with the FDA-approved drugs to help with symptoms. But what could be of greater help is if it could help find new drugs to slow or stop the disease affecting 5.8 million older people in the US.

For decades, drug companies have made therapies targeting amyloid proteins. They referred to the theory that it is causing the memory and thinking problems of Alzheimer patients. Some studies have tried to use these drugs to prevent brain damage.

See also: Omega 3 protects human brain against air pollution damage

Bateman said that the new method could be useful to try to stop or slow the illness. He said that the blood biomarkers could tell them when a person is going to be sick by using the information when they triage their patients.

The tau protein produced better results

Lund University in Sweden, Dr. Oskar Hansson, led a study of Eli Lilly's test. They measured the tau protein among more than 1,400 patients with dementia enrolled for the study. The p-tau217 test produced better results than brain scans. Its results are also comparable to some spinal tests and brain scans.

The study included 81 people who donated their brains upon death. The team proved that the blood test they did when the people were still alive matched the proof of the disease later. The Colombia part of the study had patients with a rare genetic mutation that are certain to develop the disease at around age 40.

Hansson said that their p-tau217 blood levels started to rise about 20 years before the symptoms showed.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A pair of Russian oligarchs who are barred from doing business in the U.S. because of their role in Russias invasion of Ukraine took advantage of art industry secrecy to circumvent sanctions against them by purchasing more than $18 million worth of works by artists such as surrealist Rene Magritte, says a new report from a Senate investigative subcommittee chaired by Ohio GOP Sen. Rob Portman.

The report says Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, lifelong friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin whose construction company built the bridge that connects Russias mainland to Crimea, were able to use intermediaries and shell companies to keep buying expensive art in the United States after sanctions were imposed on them. Art dealers didnt investigate who was behind the purchases, the report says.

It is shocking that U.S. banking regulations dont currently apply to multi-million dollar art transactions, and we cannot let that continue, said a statement from Portman. The art industry currently operates under a veil of secrecy allowing art advisers to represent both sellers and buyers masking the identities of both parties, and as we found, the source of the funds.

Portman and the top Democrat on the subcommittee, Delawares Tom Carper, said they plan to introduce legislation to close loopholes that allow criminals, terrorists and wealthy Russian oligarchs like the Rotenbergs to use an unregulated art industry, as well as real estate and other investments, to hide assets, launder funds, and evade sanctions, as a statement from Carper put it.

The report said the subcommittee decided to probe sales of high-end art after examining why sanctions havent encouraged Russia to withdraw from Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

If wealthy Russian oligarchs can purchase millions in art for personal investment or enjoyment while under sanction, it follows that their businesses or hidden resources could also continue accessing the U.S. financial system, the report says.

The report says global art sales reached $64.1 billion in 2019, and many investors buy art to diversify their portfolios. Because current rules let sellers and buyers remain anonymous, art can be used to hide illicit assets because the transactions are often private, prices are speculative and an item can easily be smuggled to evade authorities. While mortgage brokers, stockbrokers, casinos, banks, and Western Union are subject to federal money laundering statutes requiring them to report suspicious financial activity and perform due diligence to deter money laundering activities and fight financing of terrorism, the report says the same requirements dont apply to those who buy and sell art.

Representatives of major art dealers told the committees they try to determine the true identities of their customers, but can be thwarted by intermediaries who immediately resell the art they buy. For example, Sothebys chief compliance counsel told the subcommittee that go-between dealers wont reveal their clients because they believe that if Sothebys knew the identity of their clients, Sothebys would go straight to their client and cut out the dealer. The report also said Sothebys blocked the Rotenbergs from directly purchasing or consigning with the auction house after the 2014 sanctions.

But the report found that after the sanctions were imposed, members of the Rotenberg family used intermediaries to spend $6.8 million at a New York Sothebys sale of impressionist and modern art to buy works including Marc Chagalls Femme et Enfant, George Braques Pichet et Journal, and Lyonel Feiningers Steile Strasse. That June, they spent $7.5 million to buy Rene Magrittes La Poitrine through a private art dealer in New York.

Later in June, they bought Jean Paul Riopelles Ombre dEspace through a public art gallery in New York for $1.75 million. In November, they spent more than $1 million at the Phillips Contemporary Art auction to purchase Andreas Gurskys James Bond Island I and Niagara Falls, according to the report.

Rotenberg-linked companies continued to move at least $91 million through the U.S. financial system following the imposition of U.S. sanctions in March 2014, the report says. The Subcommittee determined that companies linked to the Rotenbergs continued to have access to the U.S. dollar and the U.S. financial system despite the imposition of sanctions against Arkady and Boris Rotenberg.

While the European Union and United Kingdom now require businesses that sell art to verify the identity of customers before they complete transactions of 10,000 or more as a way to fight money laundering, the report says the United States does not.

The report recommends that Congress amend the Bank Secrecy Act to include businesses that handle high-value art. It also suggests that Congress require the Treasury Department to collect beneficial ownership information for companies formed or registered to do business in the United States. When the Treasury Department imposes sanctions on an individual, the report suggests that immediate family members also be sanctioned to keep assets from being transferred to relatives.

Given the intrinsic secrecy of the art industry, it is clear that change is needed in this multi-billion-dollar industry, the report concludes.

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Joe Biden may be eyeing Sen. Kamala Harris as his pick for Vice President as he was photographed during a Tuesday event holding talking notes about the California lawmaker.

The former Vice President revealed hell announce his pick for running mate in the presidential election in the first week of August and remained tight lipped on who he might choose.

But he was seen holding a note pad that included Harris' name and under it notes that he does 'not hold grudges', likely in reference to their heated clash in a primary debate earlier this year.

Under her name he also wrote that Harris 'campaigned with me & Jill', is 'talented', 'has great respect for her' and has been a 'great help to [the] campaign.'

The note is consistent with comments Biden has made in the past about Harris.

Joe Biden may be eyeing Sen. Kamala Harris as his pick for Vice President as he was photographed during a Tuesday event holding talking notes about the California lawmaker

He was seen holding a note pad that included Harris' name and under it notes that he does 'not hold grudges', likely in reference to their clash on in a primary debate earlier this year. He also wrote that Harris 'campaigned with me & Jill', is 'talented', 'has great respect for her' and has been a 'great help to [the] campaign'

Biden pictured during a campaign event at the William 'Hicks' Anderson Community Center in Wilmington, Delaware on Tuesday where he remained tightlipped about his choice for VP

The lawyer is viewed as a top contender for the role, which Biden has promised will be filled by a woman.

In his speech note under the heading 'VP' Biden wrote 'highly qualified' and 'diverse group', showing he didnt plan to drop any details on his choice for the position.

On Tuesday evening Politco mistakenly published an article declaring Kamala Harris as Biden's pick for vice president in a 'technical error', sparking speculation that he may have revealed his choice.

'Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris to become his running mate for the 2020 election on Aug. 1, two weeks before the Democratic National Convention, after keeping his choice close to the chest for month,' the post said.

The outlet later walked back on the post and said it was not accurate.

'Due to a technical error, an earlier version of this story mistakenly identified one of the women as Biden's VP pick. We regret the error,' the media outlet said.

Sen. Kamala Harris is viewed as a top contender for the role, which Biden has promised will be filled by a woman

On Tuesday Politico made a 'technical error' and published an article declaring Harris was his choice for Vice President, but later said it was a mistake

Bidens press secretary T.J. Ducklo also said the article was an error. 'Folks, this is not real. As the Vice President said earlier today, he looks forward to making his announcement in August,' he tweeted

It is typical for news organizations to prepare prewrites of expected stories to break news quickly, but a quote in the second paragraph of the story attributed to Biden raised suspicion on social media that it couldve actually came from Biden under embargo for later publication.

The quote said: 'In his announcement, Biden called Harris "a worthy opponent and a worthy running mate."'

A Politico spokesperson said the quote was mistakenly published and was not provided by the Biden campaign, as per the Washington Examiner.

Bidens press secretary T.J. Ducklo also said the article was an error.

'Folks, this is not real. As the Vice President said earlier today, he looks forward to making his announcement in August,' he tweeted.

Biden is also known to be considering other female politicians including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, former national security adviser Susan Rice, and Rep. Val Demings of Florida for Vice President.

In their primary debate scuffle Harris, who is black, said Biden made 'very hurtful' comments about her past work with segregationist senators and she ripped him for his past opposition on school busing to integrate schools

In their primary debate scuffle Harris, who is black, said Biden made 'very hurtful' comments about her past work with segregationist senators and she ripped him for his past opposition on school busing to integrate schools on July 31

Biden and Harris pictured hugging after she endorsed him at a campaign rally in Detroit on March 9

She famously said: 'There was a little girl in California who was a part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me.'

At the time Biden said her comments were a 'mischaracterization of my position.'

However, their relationship has become amicable as the race for the president seat dragged on and she bowed out of the race. She was also known to be close to Bidens late son Beau, when they were both state attorneys general.

Shes also voiced her support for Biden.

Harris appeared with him in online fundraisers for his campaign and last week headlined her own event for Biden focused on the Raleigh area of North Carolina, a battleground state where Harris appeal to black voters and college-educated white women could boost Democratic support.
Wyoming lawmakers once again deliberated introducing more tax relief for oil and gas operators on Tuesday, with the aim of spurring additional mineral production and capital investment in the state as it struggles to recover from the economic collapse in energy markets.

The Legislatures Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee advanced a bill that, if passed during the session, would reduce the states mineral tax rate by half when oil and gas prices land above certain prices. Oil and gas operators could only reap the benefits of the relief for a consecutive six-month time span. The reduction, which would cut severance tax rate from 6% to 3%, would apply to oil or gas produced from new wells or previously shut-in wells revived by operators during the designated period.

For sweet crude producers, oil prices must reach an average of over $45 a barrel for 30 consecutive days before qualifying for the tax cuts. For sour crude producers, the price of the commodity must meet or exceed $38 a barrel.

After calls from the Petroleum Association of Wyoming to consider the plight of natural gas producers in the state, the committee members amended the initial draft bill. The proposed legislation now includes gas operators, too. Natural gas producers would pay just half of the states severance tax when the price of natural gas exceeds $3 per thousand cubic feet.

Weary opponents

But some conservation and taxpayer advocates came out in opposition to the bill on Tuesday, citing the tax breaks drain on the states already vulnerable revenue streams.

Slumps in mineral production translate into less tax revenue for Wyoming, a state deeply dependent on extractive industries. Revenue from energy touches nearly every resident living Wyoming, with oil and gas money flowing into the states general fund, schools and basic infrastructure.

Mineral production made up nearly half of all property taxes received by the state in fiscal year 2019, according to state data. That doesnt include the severance taxes paid by operators, which accounted for 21% of tax contributions made last year.

Tax exemptions for oil and gas do not raise revenue or generate employment, said Monika Leininger, a community organizer with the Powder River Basin Resource Council, a landowners group. The whims of the global oil and gas market fell far outside the lawmakers control; reducing taxes wasnt worth it, she added.

During these looming challenges, I dont think we can afford a cut to a revenue structure thats bringing money to our state, she continued. These are nonrenewable resources, we only have one chance to get a return on them, not just for us, but for future generations as well.

The Legislative Service Office has not yet provided a fiscal note for the bill, which details how much money the state could gain or lose if the policy is enacted.

You cant pass the bill as currently written because the financial impact would be horrendous, Larry Wolfe, a longtime energy and natural resource attorney in Wyoming, told lawmakers during the public comment period.

Tinkering with the tax code in this way requires a lot of thought and youre going to cost the state millions of dollars, he added.

We need every penny of these severance taxes, echoed Stephanie Kessler, program director at the Wyoming Outdoor Council.

But Pete Obermueller, executive director of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, pointed to the abysmal rig count in the state, profusion of shut-in wells and the need to help oil and gas operators get back on their feet.

The fiscal situation that the state is facing, that is very, very real, Obermueller said. And thats because we dont have rigs running and we have shut-in wells. This bill addresses how we overcome that and get rigs back and wells producing.

Oil prices have plunged amid the spread of COVID-19 and a global price war. Several major oil and gas companies have trimmed their workforces, reeled in expenses and halted production.

The rig count in Wyoming  a prime indicator of how much drilling activity is occurring  fell from 30 rigs in March to one lonely natural gas rig, as of Friday.

For every rig lost, approximately 100 oil and gas jobs are also lost, according to the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. Though prices have rallied in recent weeks, inching just over $40 a barrel, a full recovery for Wyomings producers appears far off. West Texas Intermediate, a U.S. benchmark for oil, was at $40.95 a barrel Tuesday, leaving several Wyoming operators unable to break even when drilling.

The public is out there saying, Wow, youre giving tax breaks, said Rep. Dan Furphy, R-Laramie, in defense of the draft bill. What were trying to do is stimulate the economy and create jobs.

The committee voted to advance the bill 10-2, with Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, and Rep. Tom Crank, R-Sweetwater, opposing.

Rob Godby, University of Wyoming economist and associate dean of the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, said he understood both sides.

It may seem strange to give away that revenue, but the problem is if we dont, (operators) might stop producing. And if they do that we may lose more in the long term if they dont come back, he told the Star-Tribune. The idea is to keep them operating in Wyoming. Theyre trying to set up an intertemporal trade off.

However, Godby noted he was not in favor of a permanent reduction in severance taxes for oil and gas operators.

Additional tax relief

The proposed legislation would supplement other relief efforts already extended to the industry by the Legislature this year.

In March, Gov. Mark Gordon signed into law a bill providing other reductions in the state mineral tax amid certain price environments. But several operators have said these cuts wouldnt take effect soon enough to adjust to todays price environment, which has been ravaged since the legislation was introduced. The tax break only kicks in if the 12-month rolling average of oil prices falls below $50 per barrel, above todays prices. For natural gas, the 12-month rolling average would need to be less than $2.95 per thousand cubic feet. In these scenarios, the states mineral production tax would be reduced by 2% under the new act for the first six months of any new production.

In addition, the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission announced in April it will not require producers to pay the state conservation tax for six months in response to the depressed market conditions.

The federal government also extended temporary royalty reductions in May to eligible oil and gas companies operating on public land in light of the pandemic and economic recession. So far, the Bureau of Land Management has granted operators working in Wyoming royalty rates reductions in 297 cases, often reducing the rate from 12.5% to 1.5%. About half of federal royalties flow back to the state of Wyoming.

Follow the latest on Wyomings energy industry @camillereports

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Donald Trump is an elected public official seeking re-election. Americans have a right to know whether Trump or his businesses have engaged in tax fraud, money laundering, campaign finance violations and other financial crimes.

There are grounds for concern. The New York Times reported apparent tax fraud that may have cost taxpayers nearly $500 million. The presidents former attorney pleaded guilty to campaign finance crimes for paying women at Trumps direction to stay silent about sex with Trump. Trump lied about releasing his tax returns after his 2016 election and instead went to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to prevent investigators from seeing them.

Attorney General William Barr is using the United States Department of Justice, at taxpayer expense, to help Trump block investigations of Trumps private conduct. This is wrong. DOJ exists to represent the interests of the United States, not to defend its president regarding his or her private conduct. Congress should pass a law that prevents DOJ from being used to protect the president from federal or state investigations into private conduct, including the conduct of a presidential campaign, or to side with the presidents business interests in civil litigation.

Congress also should limit DOJ efforts to withhold information from Congress itself.

While DOJ may properly defend the presidents conduct of his official duties, Barr has abused his authority to defend Trumps private conduct. For example, Barr fired Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney in New York investigating Trump campaign finance violations, potential misuse of the presidential inaugural fund, and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani. DOJ also intervened in three lawsuits seeking to block inquiry into Trumps receipt, through the Trump Organization, of payments from foreign governments in violation of the Constitutions Emoluments Clause, which seeks to ensure that our president is not influenced by private gain.

Barr sent DOJ to support Trumps lawsuit to block a New York grand jury subpoena to the Trump Organizations accounting firm as part of a financial crimes investigation. Trump and DOJ argued that he was immune from criminal investigation while in office, even for his private conduct. In Trump vs. Vance, the Supreme Court ruled that the president, like any other person, must comply with a subpoena in a criminal investigation. The justices unanimously found that the president is not above the law.

Barr repeatedly has deployed DOJ to conceal information from Congress. Barrs DOJ supports Trumps demand that senior administration officials not testify to Congress, arguing that they are absolutely immune from being compelled to testify before Congress if the president orders them not to do so. DOJ seeks to block Congress from seeing the unredacted Mueller report on Russias 2016 election interference and Trumps efforts to obstruct that investigation. DOJ advised the treasury secretary not to provide Trumps tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee, despite a statute flatly stating the Secretary shall furnish such committee with any return requested. DOJ sought to prevent an inspector general from providing Congress with a whistle-blower complaint about Trumps unlawful conduct in withholding legally required military aid to Ukraine.

Congress should require recusal of the politically appointed attorney general in disputes between the president and either law enforcement (federal, state or local) or Congress, which are about the presidents private conduct, whether such conduct involves personal financial interests, the conduct of his campaign or alleged criminal wrongdoing. These disputes are personal to the president, and the United States interest is limited to protecting a presidents ability to perform his or her official duties. If DOJ is involved at all, such disputes should be handled by non-political career lawyers who in keeping with past precedent would decide what actions are appropriate to protect the interests of the United States and the presidency, not the personal interests of a particular president. Congress should prohibit the presidents political appointees from interfering in investigations of the president or associates.

Congress also should amend other statutes to enhance transparency and accountability, such as requiring high-ranking administration officials, including the attorney general, to publicly testify at least twice a year before each house of Congress and to answer questions subject to a narrow executive privilege. Federal law should install agency inspectors general for a term and protect them from being fired without cause and Congressional confirmation of a replacement.

An inspector general should not be removed simply for doing his or her job.

Protecting federal and state criminal investigations, and congressional oversight, from political interference by DOJ should garner bipartisan support. The president will not always be of one party, nor will one party always control Congress. Barr has demonstrated how to turn DOJ into a tool to hide information about the president and his associates. Congress must reform DOJ to prevent it from ever happening again.

Richard W. Painter is a law professor at the University of Minnesota and was formerly the chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush. Richard W. Raushenbush is an attorney specializing in energy and environmental litigation in San Francisco and former president of the Piedmont School Board.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 29, 2020) -Northway Resources Corp. (TSXV: NTW) (the "Company") and Kenorland Minerals Ltd. ("Kenorland") jointly announce that they have entered into a letter of intent dated July 28, 2020 whereby the Company will acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of Kenorland by way of a share exchange, amalgamation or such other form of business combination as the parties may determine.

Upon successful completion of the proposed acquisition of the securities of Kenorland (the "Transaction"), it is anticipated that the Company will be listed as a Tier 2 Mining issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") and will carry on the combined business of Northway and Kenorland (the "Resulting Issuer"). The Transaction constitutes a 'reverse takeover' of the Company pursuant to Policy 5.2 of the TSX-V. Following completion of the Transaction but prior to the completion of any concurrent private placement as discussed below, shareholders of Northway will hold 12.13% of the Resulting Issuer with shareholders of Kenorland holding the remaining 87.87%.

As Kenorland is the holder of 6,000,000 common shares of the Company, representing 14.50% of the issued and outstanding shares (18.44% on a partially diluted basis), the Transaction constitutes a 'related party transaction' as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As a result, the completion of the Transaction will be subject to majority of the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101.

The Company has appointed a special committee comprised of three independent directors to review and approve the Transaction.

Transaction Summary

Pursuant to the Transaction, the Company will issue common shares ("NTW Shares") to the holders of common shares in the capital of Kenorland ("Kenorland Shares") on the basis of approximately two post-Consolidation (as defined below) NTW Shares for each Kenorland Share. It is anticipated that approximately 30.05 million NTW Shares will be issued pursuant to the Transaction based on the current capital structure of Kenorland.

No advances to be made by the Company to Kenorland are contemplated by the letter of intent and no finder's fees are payable in connection with the Transaction.

The Transaction is subject to a number of terms and conditions, including, but not limited to, the parties entering into a definitive agreement with respect to the Transaction on or before August 31, 2020 (such agreement to include representations, warranties, conditions and covenants typical for a transaction of this nature), the completion of satisfactory due diligence investigations, the completion of a private placement by the Company as further described below, the completion of the Consolidation and the approval of the TSX-V and other applicable regulatory authorities. All dollar figures referenced herein, unless otherwise specified, refer to Canadian dollars.

Trading in the NTW Shares will remain halted pending the satisfaction of all applicable requirements of Policy 2.4 of the TSX-V. There can be no assurance that trading of NTW Shares will resume prior to the completion of the Transaction. Further details concerning the Transaction (including additional financial information) and other matters will be announced if and when a definitive agreement is reached.

Information Concerning Kenorland

Kenorland is a private exploration company incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia and based in Vancouver, British Columbia , Canada. Kenorland's business model is project generation focused on early to advanced stage exploration assets. The company currently holds three properties where work is being completed under an earn-in agreement from third parties. The Frotet and Chicobi Projects, which are both located in Quebec, Canada, are optioned to Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. and the Chebistuan Project, also located in Quebec, is optioned to Newmont Mining. The company also owns 100% of the advanced stage Tanacross porphyry Cu, Au, Mo project in Alaska, USA. Additional information concerning Kenorland is available at www.kenorlandminerals.com.

John Tognetti holds 4,980,000 Kenorland Shares, representing 33.15% of the outstanding Kenorland Shares. The Company's CEO, Zachary Flood, who is also the President, CEO and a director of Kenorland hold 1,780,000 Kenorland Shares, representing 11.85% of the outstanding Kenorland Shares.

Kenorland Minerals announces grassroots gold discovery with intersects up to 29m at 8.47 g/t Au, including 11.13m at 18.43 g/t Au, at Regnault, in the Frotet-Evans Belt of Quebec

Kenorland is pleased to report the discovery of significant gold mineralization in multiple drill hole intersections at the Regnault target of its Frotet Project, located in the Frotet-Evans Greenstone Belt, Quebec, Canada. Complete results from the 15-drill hole maiden program, funded by Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Limited ("SMMCL"), are summarized below.

Highlights include:

The discovery of a new significant gold system in the Frotet Evans greenstone belt in an area with no known mineral occurrences or historic drilling.

Initial drilling encountered high grade gold mineralization associated with quartz veins along with lower grade, broadly disseminated gold mineralization.

Results from 20RDD007 intersected 29.08m at 8.47 g/t Au including 11.13m at 18.43 g/t Au.

Recognition of geological controls and geophysical expressions of gold mineralization which will aid in targeting for future drill programs.

Table 1. Summary of Significant Intercepts

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) 20RDD002

38.93 39.70 0.77 14.60 18.50 and 49.31 53.06 3.75 16.06 23.00 incl. 52.30 53.06 0.76 57.00 83.30 20RDD004

191.80 217.22 25.42 0.27 0.24 and 256.34 258.93 2.59 9.89 10.20 incl. 257.44 258.93 1.49 15.26 17.28 20RDD007

72.00 101.08 29.08 8.47 12.23 incl. 89.27 100.40 11.13 18.43 25.93 and 367.00 369.30 2.30 2.73 2.89 20RDD008

31.50 33.00 1.50 3.54 6.43 and 151.00 151.36 0.36 25.20 45.30 and 160.12 160.43 0.31 28.40 15.20 20RDD009

106.00 116.44 10.44 0.83 0.63 20RDD012

111.67 117.11 5.44 5.94 2.10 incl. 111.67 112.37 0.70 35.30 9.90 and 212.24 213.46 1.22 6.15 2.52 20RDD014

295.18 320.62 25.44 0.31 0.39 and 498.59 505.50 6.91 1.98 1.71 incl. 501.41 501.91 0.50 9.12 9.80 20RDD015

47.57 52.50 4.93 9.59 18.36 incl. 51.90 52.21 0.31 114.30 237.00

The Regnault discovery is hosted in a multi-phase intrusive complex that ranges in composition from tonalite to diorite that intrudes into a package of intermediate block, lapilli and crystal tuffs that are located in a zone of structural complexity along an east-west trending regional deformation zone. Visible gold is observed in quartz veins hosted within biotite-calcite-pyrite-silica altered intrusive rocks. Gold mineralization is also associated with broadly disseminated pyrite hosted in zones of intense biotite-calcite alteration, along contacts of the intrusive phases. Mineralization observed in drill core is similar to that of boulders found in the Regnault target area in 2019, which assayed up to 408 g/t Au. The mineralized boulders were found within a significant gold in soil (glacial till substrate) dispersion anomaly directly down ice of the area being drilled.





Figure 1. Results of 2018 and 2019 regional soil sampling programs

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6489/60706_regnaultpropertyv2.jpg

The 2020 first pass drill program at the Regnault target area follows two seasons of systematic grassroots exploration. In summer of 2018, the initial 55,921 ha property was geochemically screened using B-horizon soil sampling (glacial till substrate) on a 1500m x 150m grid. In 2019, areas of gold-in-soil anomalism found in the 2018 survey were followed up with infill soil sampling, till sampling, boulder prospecting, geological mapping, airborne magnetics, and LIDAR surveys. An extensive 3km by 1km gold-in-soil anomaly/dispersion train was defined that contained up to 283 gold grains (159 pristine grains) and boulders assaying up to 408 g/t Au. 43 of 115 boulder samples within the soil anomaly returned assays greater than 0.1 g/t Au while ten boulders returned assays greater than 10g/t Au. Due to the absence of any outcrop in the area, drill targeting for the 2020 drill program relied on interpretation from high resolution drone magnetics, 3D IP, and surface geochemistry, including location of mineralized boulders.

Within the immediate Regnault target area there are no recorded mineral occurrences or historical drilling. There are two historical drillholes (drilled in 1962 and 1972 respectively) located approximately 500m to the east of the target area which had tested buried EM conductors within the in surrounding volcanic rocks with no significant reported intercepts. The Regnault target is located 5km from the provincially maintained Route du Nord and is accessed by pre-existing logging roads.





Figure 2. Map of the Regnault Target Area

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6489/60706_4d8a17ec54da6946_002full.jpg





Figure 3. Plan map of the 2020 drill program

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6489/60706_4d8a17ec54da6946_003full.jpg





Figure 4. Drill core from 20RDD007 (84.45m - 104.80m)



To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6489/60706_4d8a17ec54da6946_004full.jpg

Table 2. Drillhole location and collar table

Hole_ID Easting

(NAD83) Northing

(NAD83) Elevation (m) Depth (m) Dip Azimuth 20RDD001 519949.5 5621303.02 388.12 498 -44.74 333.14 20RDD002 518667.95 5620084.55 381.99 141 -45.8 174.53 20RDD003 519289.66 5621064.66 377.55 270 -45.82 126.35 20RDD004 519868.03 5621163.18 382.58 561 -45.96 310 20RDD005 519164.53 5621028.06 381.62 303 -44.63 333.67 20RDD006 519100 5620814.49 374.98 399.2 -44.46 267.62 20RDD007 519534.95 5620697.55 374.98 492 -45.03 298.79 20RDD008 518928.16 5620584.22 377.03 447 -44.97 116.54 20RDD009 519877.49 5620906.88 380.55 264 -44.19 261.68 20RDD010 518863.58 5620454.83 378.7 447 -43.82 176.24 20RDD011 519623.52 5620303.85 374.3 261 -44.96 123.55 20RDD012 519514.72 5620564.82 375.85 447 -45.32 301.39 20RDD013 519377.45 5621404.45 381.84 573 -45 128 20RDD014 519219 5619913 377.1 537 -44.9 8.54 20RDD015 518946 5620150 376.1 279.41 -54.54 139.67

Zach Flood, President and CEO of Kenorland states: "The results from the maiden drill program at Regnault are nothing short of amazing. We have found a new significant gold system just a few kilometers off the Route du Nord in Quebec, completely concealed undercover, through systematic grassroots exploration. We have blindly intersected multiple gold bearing structures at various orientations in an area over 1.5 kilometers long and 500 meters wide. There remains a significant amount of strike length, indicated by boulders and soil geochemistry, which has yet to be touched and which we plan to aggressively explore in the coming months ahead. The results announced are the outcome of a sustained effort over multiple seasons, in collaboration with, and support from, our partners at Sumitomo Metal Mining. The discovery here highlights the potential to make further incredible grassroots discoveries in Quebec and elsewhere, even in areas that have been considered heavily prospected in the past."

The Frotet Project

The Frotet Project was first identified by Kenorland in 2017 after completing a regional prospectivity study over the Abitibi and Frotet-Evans Greenstone Belts. The Frotet-Evans greenstone belt hosts the Troilus Au-Cu deposit which produced more than two million ounces of gold of and ~70,000 tons of Cu from 1996-2010 and currently contains 3.97Moz Au indicated and 1.53Moz Au inferred (Troilus Gold website) . The initial 55,921 ha property was acquired through map staking in March, 2017 and then optioned to SMMCL in April, 2018. The two staged earn-in agreement allows SMMCL to earn 65% by funding C$4.3 million in expenditures over an initial three years. SMMCL then has the option to earn an additional 15% (80% total) by funding another C$4 million over the following year. Once a joint venture is formed, any party which is diluted below a 10% interest will convert their interest to a 2% uncapped net smelter royalty.

QA/QC and Core Sampling Protocols

All drill core samples were collected under the supervision of the company employees. Drill core was transported from the drill platform to the logging facility where it was logged, photographed, and split by diamond saw prior to being sampled. Samples were then bagged, and blanks and certified reference materials were inserted at regular intervals. Groups of samples were placed in large bags, sealed with numbered tags in order to maintain a chain-of-custody, and transported from Chibougamau to BV laboratory in Timmins, Ontario.

Sample preparation and analytical work for this drill program was carried out by Bureau Veritas Commodities, Timmins, Ontario. Samples were prepared for analysis according to BV method PRP70-250: individual samples were crushed to 2mm and a 250g split was pulverized for analysis and then assayed for Gold. Gold in samples was analysed by fire assay with AAS finish and over-limits re-analyzed gravimetrically. In zones with macroscopic gold the samples were first screened, and the fine fraction was fire assayed with AAS finish. All results passed the QAQC screening at the lab, all company inserted standards and blanks returned results that were within acceptable limits.

Management and Board of Directors of Resulting Issuer

It is anticipated that the board of the Company will continue as the board of the Resulting Issuer and that management of the Company will remain unchanged.

Zachary Flood, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Mr. Flood is an experienced geologist who has managed mineral exploration in countries around the world including Mongolia, China, Dem. Rep. Congo, Peru, Argentina, Canada, and the U.S. over the past 15 years. Zach also spent numerous years within the Ivanhoe Group, evaluating early to advanced stage M&A opportunities in the mining sector. Zach is currently the Co-founder, President, CEO, and Director of Kenorland Minerals Ltd, an established project generator, focused on exploration in North America. Mr. Flood holds a Bachelor of Science in Earth and Ocean Sciences from the University of Victoria.

Jamie Levy, Director

Mr. Levy has over 10 years of experience in the mining industry and an exceptional track record for raising capital and managing listed Canadian companies. He is currently the President and CEO of Generation Mining Limited and was the President and CEO of Pine Point Mining Ltd., which was acquired by Osisko Metals Inc. Mr. Levy has held various positions in Canadian listed companies and financial institutions, including as a Vice-President of Pinetree Capital Ltd.

Rick Trotman, Director

Mr. Trotman is a professional geologist. Mr. Trotman was previously with Resource Capital Funds, a leading mining-focused private equity firm, where he was involved in executing a broad range of investments spanning the precious, base and minor metal spaces and was also responsible for establishing and managing the firm's portfolio of exploration investments. Mr. Trotman holds a Master of Science in Economic Geology from the University of Nevada, Reno and a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Washington State University.

Jay Sujir, Director

Mr. Sujir is a securities and natural resources lawyer who has twenty-three years of experience in advising and assisting public companies. He is a senior partner with Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP. Mr. Sujir is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia, the Canadian Bar Association, and the British Columbia Advisory Committee of the TSX Venture Exchange Mr. Sujir holds his LLB and a B.A (Economic and Philosophy) from the University of Victoria.

Jessica Van Den Akker, Director

Ms. Van Den Akker is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA) with over 15 years' experience in the resource sector. She holds the position of Chief Financial Officer at Vanadian Energy Corp., Chief Financial Officer for Sandspring Resources Ltd., Chief Financial Officer at Rusoro Mining Ltd., Chief Financial Officer & Vice President-Finance of Fiore Management & Advisory Corp. and Chief Financial Officer for Klondike Gold Corp Ms. Van Den Akker worked for a Canadian audit firm providing reporting and accounting assurance services to publicly traded companies. Ms. Van Den Akker is a graduate of Simon Fraser University where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Enoch Kong, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Mr. Kong is a graduate from the Simon Fraser University, completing his Bachelor of Business Administration in 2005. He received his Certified General Accountant designation in 2008 and his Chartered Accountant designation in 2010. Mr. Kong is currently a senior member with Michael Waldkirch & Company Inc., Chartered Professional Accountants, in Vancouver, BC. He has extensive experience in controllership and financial reporting for public companies in the oil and gas and mining sectors listed in Canada and United States.

Thomas Hawkins, VP Exploration

Mr. Hawkins (PhD, P.Geo) has 18 years of international experience identifying, assessing, and advancing mineral exploration projects. He graduated in 2004 from Imperial College, London with a Masters in Geology and Geophysics, and gained a PhD in Geology in 2012 from the University of Brighton, UK. Thomas has extensive experience managing projects in Ghana, Mexico, Canada, the U.K., and Kazakhstan. Thomas is also currently the VP Exploration of Kenorland Minerals Ltd.

Consolidation

The completion of the Transaction is subject to the completion by the Company of a consolidation of its share capital on a 10 old for one new basis (the "Consolidation").

Private Placement

Pursuant to the letter of intent, it is a condition of the Transaction that the Company completes a private placement to raise gross proceeds of $10,000,000 on terms to be determined. Additional details concerning the terms of the private placement will be provided in a subsequent press release.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the private placement to fund the Transaction, to develop the business of the resulting issuer and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell and is not a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States. The securities of the Company and Kenorland have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws unless pursuant to an exemption from such registration.

Shareholder Meeting

Approval for the Consolidation and Transaction will be sought from the Company's shareholders on a date to be determined.

Sponsorship

The Transaction is subject to the sponsorship requirements of the TSX-V unless an exemption from those requirements is granted. There can be no assurance that an exemption will be obtained, if an exemption from the sponsorship requirements is not obtained, a sponsor will be identified at a later date. An agreement to act as sponsor in respect of the Transaction should not be construed as any assurance with respect to the merits of the Transaction or the likelihood of its completion.

Trading Halt

Trading in the NTW Shares has been halted as of July 24, 2020 and will remain halted pending the satisfaction of all applicable requirements pursuant to Policy 5.2 of the TSX-V.

Name Change

Upon completion of the Transaction, the Company intends to change its name to "Kenorland Minerals Ltd." or such other name as Kenorland and the Company may determine, and the parties expect that the TSX-V will assign a new trading symbol for the Resulting Issuer.

Qualified Person

Thomas Hawkins, P.Geo. (OGQ #2200), geologist, Vice President, Exploration of Kenorland Minerals Ltd., Qualified Person under NI 43- 101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" including, for example, statements relating to the completion of the Transaction and Private Placement and the Resulting Issuer's anticipated share capital. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown. The results or events depicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified herein, assumptions have been made regarding and are implicit in, among other things: receipt of regulatory approvals, the Company's ability to complete the Transaction and Private Placement, the state of the capital markets, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability of the Resulting Issuer to successfully manage the risks inherent in pursuing business opportunities in the mining industry, and the ability of the Resulting Issuer to obtain qualified staff, equipment and services in a timely and cost efficient manner to develop its business. Any forward-looking statement reflects information available to the Company as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

For more information visit our website www.northwayresources.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Zachary Flood

President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (604) 363-1779

All information contained in this news release relating to Kenorland was provided by Kenorland to the Company for inclusion herein. The Company has not independently verified such information and shall bear no liability for any misrepresentation contained therein.

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSX-V acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSX-V requirements, disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX-V has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/60706
Honda Cars India (HCIL) has launched a 360-degree marketing campaign, Rush of Supremacy, for the all-new 5th Generation Honda City.

Conceptualised and executed by Dentsu One, the creative agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) India, the campaign re-affirms Absolute Supremacy. It positions the 5th Generation Honda City as a package that excites and exhilarates like no other sedan and puts the brand in a league of its own. For the record, the 5th Generation Honda City has been created with the avant-garde design concept of the Ambitious Sedan that fuels the confidence for an aspiring and upscale life.

Also read: dentsu X ranked India's #No1 Media Agency for Growth 3rd time in a row

The campaign films highlight that the new City embodies the feeling of rush and the hit of adrenaline that comes from being at the top, thus, bringing alive the Rush of Supremacy. Further, the films focus on the advanced telematics services, industry-first Alexa Remote Capability, and numerous segment-first technologies and features. The campaign has been initiated by Teasers and R&D team Videos, showcasing the team that has created the new Honda City. Here, the objective is to create an intrigue and give the consumers an insiders perspective on the design philosophy and the engineering craftsmanship that went behind creating this 5th Gen Honda City. For awareness build-up, the digital films are followed by a TVC and print campaign.

It is pertinent to note here that this campaign is probably the first full-ecosystem content that has been created with multi-geography global talent and cutting-edge modern technology. For starters, the car in the commercial was shot before the lockdown. Thereafter, the environment and finishing were done in computer graphics. Similarly, the print and outdoor communications were composed and created in computer graphics. Consequently, the direction and editing of the content happened remotely across multiple geographies  with no physical proximity.

Links to the films:

TVC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sLbX_1fmIU

Digital Films:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUtBnaqKCms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhSn_cBLBlk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jtnVfMaqg

Elaborating on the campaign, Rajesh Goel, Senior VP and Director - Sales and Marketing, Honda Cars India, said, The mission was to deliver supremacy from the word go, and so began our journey of creating a car with a strong and robust road presence, delivering excitement and security with an intelligent package that offers superior value to its ambitious customers. The goal of the campaign was to bring all these pillars alive in a tone and manner that is true to the original sedan  the Honda City. The campaign resonates aptly with the City buyer, who commands absolute supremacy and is assertive about the intelligent choices he makes.

Titus Upputuru, National Creative Director, Dentsu One, commented, Its one thing to pack in a punch when a product is launched; its quite another to do it year after year, decade after decade. When we were briefed on this iconic cars new offering, we were absolutely excited. In the past, we had created campaigns like Worlds Ahead and Forget The Toys for Honda City, but seeing what the 5th Generation model has to offer, we thought its time to introduce some excitement into the DNA of the brand. Now for years, people have been saying that it gets lonely and boring at the top. We thought it is time to bust that myth. Because with supremacy, comes a great new feeling, a whole new rush. Despite the lockdown, God helped us execute every nut and bolt of this campaign with various assets, across different platforms. The Honda Connect campaign, featuring several videos around the Boss Dog, was great fun too.

Abhinav Kaushik, Executive Vice President, Dentsu One, added here, The Honda City is a true legend thats been able to resonate and stay relevant for over two decades. And this new generation of Honda City is no different. Keeping the client brief in mind, we have looked at the brand truth by asserting Citys unrivalled leadership position and amplifying the dynamism and excitement that the new generation Honda City offers to its owners. The campaign reflects these two facets of the brand and will sure fire the segment with much needed dynamism and excitement.

The Honda City, with its 22 years legacy, has been the definitive sedan in the country. For over 40 lakh customers worldwide and more than 8 lakh customers in India, the new City is a symbol that best resonates with Honda Citys stature and advanced worldview. Just like with every generation of Honda City, the excitement has once again reached sky-high with the launch of the new City.

Campaign Credits:

TVC

Client: Honda Cars India Limited

Creative Agency: Dentsu One Pvt Ltd

Office Head: Harjot Narang

National Creative Director: Titus Upputuru

Creative Team: Titus Upputuru, Auryndom Bose, Neharika Awal, Sumanyu Singhal, Timothy Rufus

Planning Team: Anand Murty, Samik Chatterjee

Executive Vice President, Account Management: Abhinav Kaushik

Associate Vice President, Films: Dawa Lama

Vice President: Shiguma Shinohara

Group Account Manager: Smriti Tewari

Account Executive: Trishita Das, Aaina Singh

Director (of the film): Vinod P

Production House: Lemon Yellow Sun Films

Digital Films

Client: Honda Cars India Limited

Creative Agency: Dentsu One Pvt. Ltd

Office Head: Harjot Narang

National Creative Director: Titus Upputuru

Creative Team: Titus Upputuru, Auryndom Bose, Neharika Awal, Sumanyu Singhal, Timothy Rufus

Planning Team: Anand Murty, Samik Chatterjee

Executive Vice President, Account Management: Abhinav Kaushik

Associate Vice President, Films: Dawa Lama

Vice President: Shiguma Shinohara

Group Account Manager: Smriti Tewari

Account Executive: Trishita Das, Aaina Singh

Director (of the film): Shai Samtaney

Producer: Vineet & Harry

Production House: Atrangi Ideas

DOP: Satchith Paulose

Music: Rahul Pais
Louisiana small businesses that have been hammered by the coronavirus outbreak and havent received federal aid can start applying for grants up to $15,000 to cover pandemic-related expenses, under a program created by state lawmakers.

Grants in the $275 million, federally financed Main Street Recovery Program are expected to run out quickly. More than 450,000 businesses are estimated to be eligible, but fewer than 20,000 would be able to collect payments if they each receive the maximum grant.

Treasurer John Schroder, who was tasked by lawmakers to oversee the program, is encouraging businesses to file their paperwork in the opening days.

We expect this money to go fast so you need to be ready to apply, Schroder said in a statement.

The treasurers office set up a website at louisianamainstreet.com to take applications and answer eligibility questions.

Grants for the first 21 days will only be available to businesses that didnt receive other federal aid via the Paycheck Protection Program or a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan  and that didnt receive insurance for interruptions to their business.

Businesses can receive dollars for interruption costs, employee payroll, supplies, rent, protective gear, cleaning equipment and other items tied to the virus outbreak. They can get money to cover renovations or temporary structures used to promote social distancing.

To be eligible, businesses have to be located in Louisiana. They cant have had more than 50 full-time workers as of March 1, before Louisiana saw its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus. And they cant be a subsidiary of or owned by a larger company with more than 50 full-time employees.

Lawmakers set aside $275 million for the small business grant program from $1.8 billion Louisiana received in direct congressional aid to respond to the COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus.

Of the money allocated to the grant program, $40 million must be spent on grants to assist minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses. Up to $15 million of the money can be used for administrative costs, but the treasurers office said the costs of contractors hired to manage and market the program wont exceed $7.2 million.

The opening of the business grant aid comes as coronavirus cases continue to soar in Louisiana, with another 2,300 infections confirmed by the state health department Monday. Nearly 3,700 Louisiana residents have died from COVID-19, and 1,600 patients with the disease are hospitalized. The state, which once appeared to successfully reduce the virus spread, has returned to one of the nations highest per capita infection rates.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and those with existing health problems, it can cause more severe or fatal illness.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19 Legislation Louisiana Commercial Lines Business Insurance
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman appreciated AIIB's efforts for fast tracking financial assistance of about $10 Billion to its member countries including India to combat COVID-19 pandemic. Sitharaman mentioned about Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's initiative of creating a COVID-19 Emergency Fund for SAARC Nations and India's efforts in supplying critical medical health kits to tackle the COVID-19, and now supporting global efforts of COVID-19 vaccine trials. Besides, the Finance Minister highlighted India's participation in the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative.

Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman was speaking at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) through video conference in New Delhi. Every year at the Annual Meeting, the Board of Governors meet to take key decisions that impact the Bank's future. The discussions at the meeting broadly covered official business including election of the President of the AIIB and a roundtable discussion on the theme 'AIIB 2030-Supporting Asia's Development over the Next Decade'.

Sitharaman also outlined various measures taken by the Government of India to respond to the COVID-19, including the $23 Billion Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKP) and $295 Billion Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package (ANBP), which aim at protecting all sectors and sections of the economy. The Reserve Bank of India eased the monetary policy especially reduced reserve requirements and introduced liquidity in the economy to the extent of almost 3.9% of GDP.

The Finance Minister mentioned that to give a boost to the infrastructure development, India has launched the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) 2020-2025 with estimated expenditure of $1.4 trillion that has created a plethora of fresh investment opportunities for AIIB's partnerships. Furthermore, she mentioned some of the expectations from the Bank, including introduction of new financing instruments, mobilising private sector finance, providing financing for social infrastructure to achieve the SDGs 2030, and integrating development of climate resilient and sustainable energy access infrastructure into the recovery response to the COVID-19 crisis. Sitharaman also suggested the Bank to establish Regional Presence which would aid in effective project management and implementation. The Finance Minister commended the AIIB management for the very healthy growth that the Bank has achieved in a short span of five years and wished success to the Bank's future endeavour

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By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Wednesday unveiled plans to withdraw about 12,000 troops from Germany, in fallout from President Donald Trump's long-simmering feud with Berlin but said it will keep nearly half of those forces in Europe to address tension with Russia

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Wednesday unveiled plans to withdraw about 12,000 troops from Germany, in fallout from President Donald Trump's long-simmering feud with Berlin but said it will keep nearly half of those forces in Europe to address tension with Russia.

Trump announced his intention last month to cut by about a third the 36,000-strong U.S. troop contingent in Germany, faulting the close U.S. ally for failing to meet NATO's defense spending target and accusing it of taking advantage of the United States on trade.

"We don't want to be the suckers any more," Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday about the decision. "We're reducing the force because they're not paying their bills; it's very simple."

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has not portrayed the pullout in those terms and said the military's plan would prevent the troop movements from undermining NATO and its efforts to deter Russian intervention, following Moscow's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

In remarks likely to irk Moscow, Esper said some U.S. troops would reposition to the Black Sea region and some could temporarily deploy in waves to the Baltics.

Other forces leaving Germany would permanently move to Italy and the U.S. military's European headquarters would relocate from Stuttgart, Germany, to Belgium.

In total, just under 6,000 troops of the 12,000 leaving Germany are expected to remain in Europe. Many of the other forces will be based in the United States but will rotate into Europe for temporary deployments without their families.

"I'm telling you that this is going to accomplish what the president said with regard to getting us down to a lower number in Europe, and it meets his other objectives I outlined with regards to the strategic piece," Esper said.

IRE IN GERMANY, GLEE IN BALTICS

U.S. officials stressed that only a relatively small number of advanced units would move anytime soon. The rest of the troop movements would take years to fully implement, in part given the potentially billions of dollars in additional cost.

Still, the moves out of Germany represent a remarkable rebuke to one of the closest U.S. military allies and trading partners, while two beneficiaries, Italy and Belgium, are low-spending alliance members, according to NATO data.

Norbert Roettgen, chairman of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee and an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the troop withdrawal from Germany "will weaken the (NATO) alliance."

But NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg struck an upbeat tone in a statement, saying allies had been briefed by the United States. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told Reuters that his country was ready to accept more American soldiers.

"I value very favorably the news that the U.S. mentioned possibility of moving some troops to the Baltic countries," Nauseda said.

U.S. Republican Senator Mitt Romney, who has been critical of Trump, said the plan to remove troops from Germany was a "grave error." "It is a slap in the face at a friend and ally," Romney said in a statement.

If he is elected president in November, Democrat Joe Biden will review the Republican incumbent's decision to withdraw the troops from Germany, a top Biden aide told Reuters earlier this month.

Since World War Two, the U.S. military has considered Germany to be one of its most strategic locations overseas, and it serves as a critical logistics hub for troop movements not just within Europe, but to the Middle East, Africa and beyond.

Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, however, the number of U.S. troops in Germany has been steadily reduced from some 200,000.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper, Robin Emmott, Andrius Sytas and Michael Nienaber; Editing by Chris Reese, Jonathan Oatis and Lisa Shumaker)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Onondaga County today reported 10 new cases of Covid-19 since Tuesday, bringing the total to 3,312 since March.

There were no new deaths since Tuesday, officials said. A total of 196 county residents have died of the novel coronavirus.

Of the 10 new cases, eight were attributed to community spread; one was blamed on travel from another state (Virginia); and one remained under investigation.

There are 31 coronavirus patients in local hospitals, down two from Tuesday. Four patients are in intensive care. Fourteen are awaiting discharge to nursing homes, pending a negative test result, county officials said.

There are currently 147 active cases of Covid-19 in Onondaga County, the lowest number since late March. The last time there were fewer active cases was March 28, when there were 145. The number of unrecovered patients rose beginning in March to a peak of 941 on June 8 and has been declining since then.

According to the state Department of Health, an average of 0.8% of people tested in Onondaga County were positive for the virus during the seven days ending Tuesday. Thats about half the infection rate compared with one month ago.

Regions that have infection rates below 5% will be allowed by state officials to send kids back to school in September.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

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Nearly all CNY nursing homes still ban visitors because of tough reopening rules

More states, others added to New York coronavirus quarantine list

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

News tips? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: email | Twitter | | 315-470-3023
Amidst the worldwide race in search of a cure to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), hydroxychloroquine has previously gained attention. However, despite several studies which have proven its ineffectivity against the virus, the drug is once again going viral in social media.

Hydroxychloroquine has been very controversial since the search for the cure to the disease that brought the current health crisis began. It is an anti-malarial drug which has been widely used as a therapeutic drug against autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. But, despite the noise that it has made in the early stages of the pandemic as a possible cure to COVID-19, several studies have proven that it hydroxychloroquine does not have antiviral properties that could cure the disease.

Why is it going viral again?

Despite the scientific proof that the drug cannot cure COVID-19, hydroxychloroquine is once again making rounds in social media. According to CNET, the trend once again started after several videos that were published about the drug were widely shared in social media platforms Twitter and Facebook.

The videos that have been circulation featured physicians who identified themselves as "America's Frontline Doctors" who advocate the use of hydroxychloroquine to cure COVID-19 just outside the supreme court on Monday.

Read also: Study Suggest Humans Weakening COVID-19 Virus by Mutation, But Virus is Fighting Back

One particular physician who was Stella Immanuel who is also a preacher. Immanuel stated that she has used hydroxychloroquine in almost 350 patients who visited her clinic and the results were promising.

The video of Immanuel was even retweeted by US President Donald Trump, according to Daily Mail. As a result, the follower count of Immanuel's personal account blew up to more than 30,000 in just a span of hours.

However, as part of the social media outlet's fight in mitigating unsubstantiated information, the videos were taken down from both Twitter and Facebook.

Immanuel's arguments about hydroxychloroquine have also been widely criticized since it uses unscientific language in defending the drug. According to the University of Sydney's head of the Sydney Pharmacy School, Andrew McLachlan, Immanuel's argument mainly contained anecdote and passion which do not provide proof of the drug's efficacy and safety in preventing and treating COVID-19.

In addition, McLachlan also noted that as one of the most investigated drugs in terms of finding a cure for COVID-19, hydroxychloroquine has not shown benefit for COVID-19 patients in hospitals nor did it make a difference with the mortality rate. Yet the drug continues to be pushed by some groups as a viable option in treating the disease.

Back in June, the US Food and Drug Administration has already revoked the usage of hydroxychloroquine in treating patients with COVID-19. The said FDA ruling came after evidence that the drug has no clinical benefits to the patients and may also lead to complications such as heart problems.

Moreover, the World Health Organization has also paused clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine after several studies have proven that it is not a viable cure.

Related article: Experimental Coronavirus Vaccine Enters 'Late-Stage Trials' in Hopes of Releasing Before End of Year

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Mumbai, July 29 : The lawyer representing relatives of Sushant Singh Rajput has said that the family of the late actor has prepared a very detailed case against actress Rhea Chakraborty.

"The family has worked out a very detailed case against her, how she worked on his mind, how she changed servants and bodyguards, how she siphoned money from his account, how she used his credit card etc. Rhea took him to doctors, got treatments done but never involved the family. She used to control what medicines he should take," said Vikas Singh, lawyer of Sushant's father Krishna Kumar Singh told Times Now, according to a report in timesnownews.com.

Sushant's family is reportedly assuming that the 34-year-old was undergoing some kind of severe medication before his demise.

The report further states that Sushant's family was apprehensive that their son is not in good company and had alerted Bandra Police about the same in February.

Talking further about his girlfriend Rhea, the lawyer has told Times Now: "She deliberately, over a period of time, ensured that Sushant's father is not able to talk to him. On February 25, the family had even reported to the Bandra Police that the actor was not in good company." Singh has revealed during his conversation with the channel that the late actor's family expects Rhea to be arrested at the earliest.

Earlier reports have stated how the actor at one point of time had made up his mind to quit acting and take up organic farming in Coorg. However, Rhea allegedly "left him" after hearing about his decision.

Meanwhile, as part of Mumbai Police's investigation into Sushant's death, Rhea's statement was recorded at Bandra Police Station on June 18, four days after his demise.

Rhea recently took to her verified Instagram and Twitter accounts to request Home Minister Amit Shah for a CBI probe into her late boyfriend's death.

"Respected @AmitShah sir, I'm sushants Singh Rajputs girlfriend Rhea chakraborty, it is now over a month since his sudden demise I have complete faith in the government, however in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry. I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures, prompted Sushant to take this step. Yours sincerely #satyamevajayate @AmitShah sir," the actress had tweeted on July 16.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
NASAs Mars Perseverance rover is set to launch Thursday, carrying a 7-foot-long robotic arm, a tiny helicopter and 43 tubes for collecting rocks as it seeks signs of ancient Martian life while planting seeds for human life on the Red Planet.

Mars 2020 is the first NASA mission specifically designed to search for life (current or ancient) on another planet. Its the first step in returning rock and soil samples, and its the first attempt at creating oxygen. The 4-pound helicopter is poised to take humanitys first powered flight on another planet.

Such firsts could aid humans as they seek to create footprints, not just tire marks, on Mars.

The president gave us an objective to go to Mars with humans, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said during a news conference. To plant an American flag on Mars. Well, in order to do that we have to be able to sustain human life on Mars.

On HoustonChronicle.com: NASA prepares to launch Perseverance rover seeking signs of ancient life on Mars

The rover, sitting atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, is set to launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Thursday at 6:50 a.m. CDT. This launch can be watched on NASA TV and at nasa.gov/nasalive.

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Space Forces 45th Weather Squadron forecast an 80 percent chance of favorable weather.

The rovers main mission is to find rocks and other geological features with biosignatures  patterns, textures or substances that required the influence of life to form  and collect them as samples to be left on the planets surface. Future missions would retrieve and return these samples to Earth in 2031, at the earliest, so researchers could study them in laboratories to determine if life previously existed on Mars.

The samples from Mars have potential of profound change of our understanding in the origin, evolution and distribution of life on Earth and elsewhere in the solar system, said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASAs Science Mission Directorate. And even now, NASA continues to study moon samples that were brought back from the Apollo Program with new questions and more profound insights.

The technology to accomplish the Mars 2020 mission, such as autonomous systems that will avoid hazards while landing in the Jezero Crater, is building on previous missions and building toward the day when humans walk on Martian soil  a task significantly more difficult than the already challenging task of returning rocks from another planet.

We have Mars as our horizon goal for humans, but before sending humans it makes sense to do a round trip with robots, said David Parker, director of Human and Robotic Exploration for the European Space Agency, which is partnering with NASA to return the Martian samples.

One challenge is landing precisely where NASA wants the rover to be. Previous rovers have landed in the general vicinity of where researchers wanted to study, but then the rovers could spend weeks or months traveling to that exact area. Perseverance will be more precise when it lands in February, but theres still room for improvement.

When we send humans to Mars and when we pursue sample returns, we need to land even closer to where we want to be, said Jim Watzin, director of NASAs Mars Exploration Program.

Perseverance also has a radar that will look below the surface (down 10 meters or so) to understand the planets soil and rock structure. This could help determine if the surface could support larger human landers. Perseverance is the size of a car. A human lander could be like a two-story condominium.

Other sensors measure the weather  including the temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and dust particles  to determine how it affects Perseverances systems. In the future, such technologies could provide weather forecasts for astronauts.

And a technology demonstration attached to the rover will take carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere and turn it into oxygen. This device will create as much oxygen as a small tree, though future versions could be larger and able to create the oxygen required for fuel to launch astronauts off the Martian surface and bring them home.

The single heaviest thing youll need is a great big tank of liquid oxygen so that the rocket can breathe, said Michael Hecht, the principal investigator for this instrument who is based out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Not so you can breathe. You need to breathe, but you dont breathe very much compared to a rocket.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Can astronauts be allergic to moon dust? NASA seeks an answer.

And while many at NASA are eagerly awaiting the day humans travel to Mars  which will be directly aided by spacesuit materials attached to Perseverance to see how well they will (or wont) hold up  they know more technology and science missions are required before humans can launch to the neighboring planet, maybe in the 2030s.

Whats learned from Perseverance will make travel safer in the future.

The human missions will have their day, said Michelle Rucker, Mars Integration Group lead at NASAs Johnson Space Center. Today though is about the robotic science missions and the technology demonstrations. For my colleagues at (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), just know that those of us on the human exploration side of the family will all be getting up early Thursday and will be cheering you on as you help to lay the groundwork for us to follow.

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/a_leinfelder
Can Tommy Robinson speak Spanish? After his surprise announcement on Sunday that he plans to relocate to Spain, it is to be hoped hes working hard on his Espanol  Robinson has, after all, spent decades opposing emigration for others, and supporting the view that those unable to speak a countrys language, shouldnt live there.

News of his plans dropped in a video in which he claimed hed been forced to leave England after an arson attack on my property  my wifes property.

In reporting Robinson's story, the Daily Mail concluded an arson attack on his home had caused him to flee.

For those like me, with knowledge of Robinsons modus operandi, this didnt track. For one thing, hed actually been secretly in Spain for at least two weeks at that point  his cover had been blown on 12 July, when drill artist SusTrapperazzi released footage of his friend encountering Robinson by chance on holiday, and calling him out for racism.

Prior to this Robinson had neither admitted to being abroad nor spoken about the apparent attack  unusual, as hes generally quick to publicise and exaggerate any perceived threat against him, often as a basis for asking for donations from supporters.

The address of his previous million-pound home in Bedfordshire was well known, yet never attacked  in spite of Robinsons own penchant for doorstepping his critics at their homes, sometimes in the middle of the night.

The closest he came was when legal papers were served there informing him he was being sued for defamation against a young Syrian refugee; Robinson quickly released a video implying his family had been endangered by this.

It was unlike him, therefore, to be so circumspect.

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. 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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. 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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

Journalist Lizzie Dearden, who is familiar with Robinson, checked his story with Bedfordshire police, who confirmed no attack on his home had been reported. There seemed to have been an incident involving a car; but Robinson, a man with more spin than a fairground roundabout, presumably knew suggestions hed fled danger would elicit more sympathy and, perhaps, donations.

His slip up in referring to his property and hastily changing it to my wifes, might mean hes transferred assets into her name in case he loses the defamation case.

So whats really going on? It appears that Robinson was forced to reveal his trip when pressure grew from his own camp.

He was supposed to be key speaker at a far right demonstration in London this coming Saturday  there are still those who look to him as a leader, despite the resounding failure of his MEP bid last year; it was only in 2018 that he was dining in the House of Lords and seemed a real contender, after all, and the dream dies hard for Robinson fanatics.

But hed failed to turn up at a demo in London on 13 June to protect statues  which turned into a drunken debacle for his side, with Far Right supporters attacking police and Black Lives Matter activists.

What better way to get out of his no-shows than presenting himself as a persecuted hero on the run?

Behind the scenes, however, his allies were unconvinced. Why had they heard nothing of the supposed attack, or his trip, before? Anne Marie Waters of For Britain has privately said she feels let down  though publicly going along with the face-saving martyr narrative.

So what next for Robinson? Will the Spanish authorities welcome someone with a long history of criminal convictions for fraud, violence, and attempting to pervert the course of justice?

If not, its possible Robinson has the chutzpah to try to claim political asylum. Under Spanish law, you can be considered for this if from a non-EU country  Robinsons tireless support for Brexit may have helped him here  but cant have committed a serious crime, be guilty of acts contrary to the principles and purpose of the United Nations, or constitute a danger to the ... security of Spain. These would be harder hurdles to clear.

Either way, this is a huge blow for supporters. A spokesperson for Unite Against Fascism, who have opposed Robinson politically and on the street for years, told me: Facing yet another trial and a probable damp squib demonstration this weekend, fascist and Islamophobe Robinson appears to have constructed a highly dubious tale. We say, fake news!

Robinson has stoked racism in the UK for years, presenting himself as a fearless fighter for England and its threatened values, for which he has said he would rather die on my feet than live on my knees. This inadvertent echoing of the words of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, a man for whom retirement to Spain was most definitely not an option, is just one of the many ironies of Robinsons possibly permanent holiday in the sun.

Dr Louise Raw is the author of Striking a Light (Bloomsbury Press) on the Bryant and May Matchwomen
As the death toll escalates in coronavirus hot spots, evidence is growing that young people who work outside the home, or who surged into bars and restaurants when states relaxed shutdowns, are infecting their more vulnerable elders, especially family members.

Front-line caregivers, elected officials and experts in Houston, South Florida and elsewhere say they are seeing patterns of hospitalization and death that confirm fears this would happen, which were first raised in May and June. That was when Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and other states reopened in efforts to revive their flagging economies.

The emerging trend highlights the difficulty of relying on the Trump administration's strategy of sheltering the most vulnerable while the young and healthy return to work and school. That approach runs the risk of transmitting the virus when two or three generations share the same home and when many lower-income workers have little choice but to brave exposure to do their jobs.

Young adults are among the essential workers who may be returning home to parents and grandparents. High school and college-age children may expose teachers, parents and grandparents.

Sooner or later, doctors said, most older people and those with underlying health problems will mix with the younger generation.

"We think when Texas started opening up, that was May 1, it was young people going to bars and restaurants, out and about, gathering socially," said Pat Herlihy, chief of critical care at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center in Houston. "My hypothesis now is that they're engaging with the larger families, they're engaging with the 60- to 70-year-olds - parents uncles, aunts. They're engaging much more with that vulnerable population."

Ethnically diverse parts of the Sun Belt, where caseloads are climbing fast, are home to a larger share of multigenerational families who live together than other sections of the United States. A record 64 million people - about 20% of the U.S. population - lived in homes with at least two adult generations or grandparents and grandchildren under 25 in 2016, according to an analysis of census data by the Pew Research Center.

That is even more true for Hispanics, who have large populations in Florida, the Southwest and California. About 27% live in multigenerational households. The figure is similar for black people (26%) and Asians (29%), Pew found.

The pandemic and its accompanying economic hardship also have forced some younger adults back into their parents' homes.

It is impossible to know how any person acquires the coronavirus, and with community transmission rampant across the Sun Belt, people can become infected in a variety of ways. So discussion of intergenerational transmission involves some speculation, as well as epidemiological modeling and research.

To date, more than 4.2 million people in the United States have been infected by the virus that causes covid-19, and more than 145,000 have died. The number of new U.S. cases hovered around 70,000 each day last week, with deaths exceeding 1,000 on four straight days. Florida and California set their own death records on some days, with more than 100 in each state.

In a heartfelt tale that has been seen around the globe, a Florida woman took to Facebook earlier this month to say she believes her 21-year-old stepson had infected her, her husband and their two younger children after he spent time with friends who were not wearing masks or social distancing.

The father, 42-year-old John Place, spent 18 days on a ventilator before doctors were able to wean him from the device nearly two weeks ago, Michelle Zymet of Plantation, Fla., said in an interview Saturday. But Place is still seriously ill, hospitalized and suffering the debilitating effects of covid-19, Zymet said.

"I pleaded with him, every day," Zymet said of her stepson. "I was that maniac. 'Please wear your mask. Hand sanitizer. Social distance.' "

Younger adults need to understand that "you don't live in a bubble," she said. "You have to think about everybody in the community. Don't just think about yourself."

In a post on her Facebook page, Zymet also said she was not "trying to bash my stepson or put this immense amount of guilt on him. . . . He feels terrible for what has happened and just wants others not to make the same mistake he did!"

On Monday, the White House announced that national security adviser Robert O'Brien had contracted the coronavirus. O'Brien probably caught the virus from his daughter, said chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow. No further details were available.

People in their 20s and 30s die of covid-19 in much smaller numbers than those 60 and older, and at first the death toll in the Sun Belt did not keep pace with infections. Now, however, epidemiologists' prediction of a follow-up surge in fatalities is bearing out.

The question is why.

Experts note that younger people are disproportionately asymptomatic when they become infected, so some may not know they are bringing it home.

Peter Paige, chief medical officer for Miami's Jackson Health System, said that a month ago, about 40% of the people hospitalized for covid-19 in the system's three facilities were 65 or older. Now that proportion has climbed to about 55%.

About 60 to 65% of the people now dying of covid-19 are in that age range - a figure approaching the proportions of the early days of the pandemic, he said.

In Jackson's emergency departments, meanwhile, 85 to 90% of covid-19 patients are younger than 65, Paige said. Many do not need to be admitted.

"It appears there's a lot more positivity coming in the younger population, but it seems like a lot of the deaths are coming in that high-risk population," he said.

In recent days, the mayors of Miami, Miami-Dade County and Broward County said household transmission has become a critical factor in that area's outbreak.

"I would tell our residents . . . that they should consider, particularly if they have a multigenerational household, wearing masks indoors at times . . . and also respecting social distance when they're at home," Miami Republican Mayor Francis Suarez said at a news conference last week.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, a Republican, also urged people to distance themselves from family members who may carry the virus without seeming to be sick.

"Yes, I know it's a sacrifice," he said, "but do so because, again, just because it's your son, or your daughter, or your cousin, or your mother, or your father, doesn't mean they don't have covid."

Recent research on household transmission is mixed. Researchers who studied household contacts in Guangzhou, China, in January and February estimated that close relatives living in the same home gave 12.4% of their family members the virus, according to research published last month in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.

But a separate statistical analysis of eight European countries earlier this month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found no conclusive evidence that intergenerational relationships affected the spread or severity of the pandemic in those places.

In Tennessee, data analyzed by John Graves, an associate professor of health policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, showed an increase in infections among young adults in the Nashville and Memphis areas. Graves attributed the surge to that age group returning to downtown bars as the shutdown eased and, later, to Fourth of July gatherings.

Now the data is starting to indicate that older adults are also becoming infected.

"What that is suggestive of is that initial seeding is now starting to spread to older generations," he said.

The trend is not universal. In Los Angeles, which is experiencing a huge growth in cases, the outbreak still appears to be concentrated among younger adults, said Neha Nanda, medical director of infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship at Keck Medicine of USC.

The median age of people admitted to area hospitals during the first surge was about 60, while this time it is between 35 and 40, she said. Many young adults with covid-19 are sent home from emergency departments and testing sites because their symptoms are mild, she said.

"I think it's not happening as of yet," Nanda said of older adults showing up at hospitals. "I would not exclude that possibility."

California nevertheless set a record for deaths two days in a row last week, including 159 on Friday.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX:NDM)(NYSE American:NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") and its 100%-owned US-based subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership (the "Pebble Partnership") have completed a comprehensive review of the Final Environmental Impact Statement ("Final EIS") for the proposed Pebble copper-gold-molybdenum project, as published by lead federal regulator the US Army Corps of Engineers ("USACE") last week.

Northern Dynasty President & CEO Ron Thiessen confirmed the Final EIS for the Pebble Project describes a modern mineral development project that can fully co-exist with the subsistence, commercial and recreational fishing resources of southwest Alaska, while protecting water quality, downstream flows and associated aquatic habitat. The USACE also found Pebble can make a significant socioeconomic contribution to the Bristol Bay region, its residents and communities, as well as to state and local governments.

"In completing our comprehensive technical and legal review of the Final EIS for the Pebble Project, a document comprising more than 2,000 pages plus appendices, I can confirm that it describes a project of considerable merit that will fully protect important environmental values in the project area, that will create tremendous benefits for Alaska's people and governments, and one we expect to secure a positive Record of Decision later this summer," Thiessen said.

"But don't take my word for it. I encourage anyone with an interest in Pebble, in Bristol Bay fisheries, in the vibrant Indigenous cultures of southwest Alaska or the State of Alaska itself to find out for themselves by reading the Final EIS Executive Summary and supporting documents at pebbleprojecteis.com."

While the USACE is the lead federal regulator for the Pebble EIS process, much of the work behind the scenes was completed by AECOM - the 3rd party EIS contractor selected in early 2018. AECOM is a globally recognized engineering, environmental, construction and infrastructure development firm with a long history of providing regulatory compliance and other professional services associated with the development of large, complex mineral and oil and gas development projects in Alaska and the United States.

Thiessen said AECOM's extensive global experience and reputation as an engineering and environmental leader adds additional credibility to the EIS findings. He said the Final EIS, published July 24, 2020 is clear that development activities proposed at Pebble would not affect the number of adult salmon returning to Bristol Bay watersheds, nor the value of the fishery:

" Impacts to Bristol Bay salmon are not expected to be measurable" (4.24-47)

(4.24-47) "Other salmon fisheries in Alaska exist in conjunction with non-renewable resource extraction industries." (ES 86)

The Final EIS also concludes that Pebble's potential effects on fish and fisheries will be undetectable at the level of the Bristol Bay region as a whole (~40,000 sq. miles), within the two large drainage areas in which project facilities are located (~23,000 sq. miles), or even within the direct project area (~10 sq. miles):

"(The project) would not have measurable effects on the number of adult salmon returning to the Kvichak and Nushagak river systems as a result of project construction and operations, due the limited lineal footage of upper Koktuli River fish habitat affected by placement of fill ." (4.6-9)

." (4.6-9) "The mine site area is not connected to the Togiak, Ugashik, Naknek, and Egegik watersheds and is not expected to affect fish populations or harvests from these watersheds." (Table 4.6-1, P4.6-4)

(Table 4.6-1, P4.6-4) "Considering the physical characteristics and current fish use of habitat to be removed, the consequently low densities of juvenile Chinook and coho observed in the affected tributaries, and the few numbers of spawning coho observed (see Section 3.24, Fish Values), impacts to anadromous and resident fish populations from these direct habitat losses would not be measurable, and would be expected to fall within the range of natural variability." (4.24-46)

Similarly, the Final EIS finds that the proposed Pebble mine would not impact water resources in a manner that affects aquatic species or local communities:

" There would be no effects on any community groundwater or surface water supplies from the changes in groundwater flows at the mine site ." (ES 67)

." (ES 67) "With few exceptions, predicted changes in habitat in the modeled portion of the upper mainstem Koktuli River (upstream of the Swan River) are near zero or positive, suggesting that project effects from flow changes would not negatively impact reaches downstream of the NFK and SFK confluence, or in UTC." (4.24-13)

Pebble's potential to create 850 direct, high-wage jobs and 2,000 total jobs is widely expected to have a dramatic and positive impact, both regionally and state-wide. The Final EIS points to a range of other positive socioeconomic benefits:

" Reduced transportation costs would likely lower the high cost of living for the communities near the transportation corridor.The natural gas pipeline would also provide opportunities for adjacent communities to lower their winter heating costs, a positive impact ." (4.3-3)

." (4.3-3) " Reduced transportation costs would lower the cost of living for these communities, all of which are minority and low income ." (ES 53)

." (ES 53) "Local employment opportunities could offset current trends of outmigration in some communities and provide service fee revenue to maintain or even improve community infrastructure." (4.3-6-4.3-7)

(4.3-6-4.3-7) "In addition, an increased revenue stream to the LPB (Lake & Peninsula Borough), along with stabilization of population levels attributable to employment opportunities, could result in improvements to community health care facilities throughout the borough." (4.3-8)

The Final EIS finds an operating mine at Pebble would make significant contributions to local and state government revenues at a time when Alaska is facing a fiscal crisis related both to the COVID-19 pandemic and a substantial drop in oil and gas investment and commodity prices:

"An estimated $64 million annually in state corporate taxes during the operations phase. It was estimated that the operations phase could also generate $41 million annually from State mining license taxes. The project could generate $20 million annually (in 2011 dollars) in state royalty payments during the operations phase." (4.3-11)

(4.3-11) "The project would generate $25 million annually in state taxes through construction, and $84 million annually in state taxes and royalty payments during the operations phase. The project would generate $27 million annually in severances taxes for the LPB during operations, and annual property tax revenue to the Kenai Peninsula Borough based on assessed value of project-related real property." (ES 47-48)

Importantly, the Final EIS makes clear the Pebble Partnership proposes to employ a tailings storage facility design and operating protocols that preclude the type and scale of catastrophic failure seen in recent years in Brazil and British Columbia:

"The Applicant's bulk TSF design is different than that of most other historic and current TSFs. The proposed design is especially distinct when compared to most historic mines that have experience large failures." (K4.27-4)

(K4.27-4) "Most historic failures have been from dams built by upstream construction methods. The Applicant would construct the bulk TSF embankments by downstream and centerline methods, not the upstream method." (K4.27-3)

(K4.27-3) "The Applicant has proposed a design for the bulk TSF that would minimize surface water storage above the tailings and promote unsaturated, or dryer, conditions in the bulk tailings through drainage provisions." (K4.27-4)

Pebble Partnership CEO Tom Collier noted the Final EIS for the Pebble Project represents the first time an independent, expert regulatory body has comprehensively reviewed a development plan put forward by the project's proponents. He called the document "the most relevant and defensible science-based assessment of the Pebble Project ever developed, and the administrative record upon which final permitting decisions will be made."

"I've been involved in countless EIS processes over the course of my career, and can attest to the rigor, the attention to detail and objective care that the USACE and other federal, state and local cooperating agencies have put into this review process," Collier said. "I have every confidence in the legitimacy and the integrity of the US Army Corps of Engineers' findings when it comes to Pebble, and that this Final EIS document will ultimately prevail against any challenge - legal or otherwise - as the most appropriate administrative record upon which final permitting decisions at Pebble should and will be made."

About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.

Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly owned Alaska-based U.S. subsidiary, Pebble Limited Partnership ("PLP"), is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit. PLP is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources.

For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project, please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynastyminerals.com or contact Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and US public filings at www.sec.gov.

Ronald W. Thiessen

President & CEO

US Media Contact:

Dan Gagnier

Gagnier Communications

(646) 569-5897

Forward Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of the ultimate size, quality or commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, that the Pebble Project will secure all required government permits, or of the Company's future performance.

Assumptions used by NDM to develop forward-looking statements include the assumptions that (i) the Pebble Project will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all land use and other licenses without undue delay, (ii) studies for the development of the Pebble Project will be positive, (iii) NDM will be able to establish the commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, and (iv) NDM will be able to secure the financing required to develop the Pebble Project. The likelihood of future mining at the Pebble Project is subject to a large number of risks and will require achievement of a number of technical, economic and legal objectives, including (i) obtaining necessary mining and construction permits, licenses and approvals without undue delay, including without delay due to third party opposition or changes in government policies, (ii) the completion of feasibility studies demonstrating the Pebble Project mineral reserves that can be economically mined, (iii) completion of all necessary engineering for mining and processing facilities, and (iv) receipt by NDM of significant additional financing to fund these objectives as well as funding mine construction, which financing may not be available to NDM on acceptable terms or on any terms at all. The Company is also subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions, as well as risks relating to the uncertainties with respect to the effects of COVID-19.

The National Environment Policy Act EIS process requires a comprehensive "alternatives assessment" be undertaken to consider a broad range of development alternatives, the final project design and operating parameters for the Pebble Project and associated infrastructure may vary significantly from that currently being advanced. As a result, the Company will continue to consider various development options and no final project design has been selected at this time.

For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com

SOURCE: Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599408/Northern-Dynasty-Confirms-Final-Environmental-Impact-Statement-for-Alaskas-Pebble-Project-Describes-a-Modern-Environmentally-Sound-Mine-That-Can-Co-Exist-With-Clean-Water-and-Healthy-Fisheries
Also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, Muslims will celebrate it in most countries on July 31.

Muslims around the world have begun celebrating the annual festival of Eid al-Adha  the Festival of Sacrifice  which falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Muslim lunar calendar.

Eid al-Adha is the second major Muslim festival after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.

The occasion will be celebrated in most countries on Friday, July 31.

As the coronavirus pandemic rages, many Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Algeria have announced restrictions on public gatherings.

Here are five things to know about Eid al-Adha:

Origins

Muslims believe the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was tested by God who commanded him to sacrifice his first-born son, Ismail (Ishmail).

Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but God stayed his hand. Instead, he was told to sacrifice an animal, likely a lamb or sheep.

The Torah and the Old Testament both recount a similar version of this story.

End of Hajj

The event also marks the end of Hajj, a five-day pilgrimage all able-bodied and financially capable Muslims are obliged to undertake once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage is believed to cleanse the soul of sins and instil a sense of equality, sisterhood and brotherhood.

Some 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world flock annually to the cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia for the ritual.

This year, however, Saudi Arabia announced it would hold a very limited Hajj because of the coronavirus pandemic, with only about 10,000 people living in the kingdom allowed to take part in the pilgrimage.

Muslims pray at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 2019 [File: Waleed Ali/Reuters]

Eid prayers

Performing extra prayers in the morning are how most Muslims begin celebrating Eid.

Mosques are packed with worshippers with outside arrangements made to accommodate large groups of people.

This year, however, mosques will limit the number of attendees, and large congregations will be banned in many countries to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Sacrificing an animal

The occasion is marked by the sacrifice of an animal that Muslims can eat  a goat, sheep, cow or camel  by those who can afford to do so.

In many parts of the Muslim world, special livestock markets are set up for people to buy an animal for the Eid sacrifice.

This year, amid the coronavirus pandemic, numerous apps and websites have appeared in countries such as India and Bangladesh, where animals will be sold online to limit exposure to the virus.

A livestock vendor waits for customers along a street in the old quarters of New Delhi ahead of Eid al-Adha [Jewel Samad/AFP]

Distribution of meat

The animal sacrifice comes with an element of charity, as the person paying for the sacrifice is required to distribute part of it to others.

The meat of the sacrificed animal is divided among three groups: the person sacrificing it and their immediate family, extended family and friends, and those in need.

Some Muslims will pay the value of an animal to one of a number of Muslim charities around the world that collect funds for remote animal sacrifices, distributing the meat to underprivileged groups  including refugees, the elderly and disabled people.
Russian intelligence operatives are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, seeking to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow's military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation effort directed at American and Western audiences, U.S. government officials said.

The information had previously been classified, but officials said it had been downgraded so they could more freely discuss it.

Officials said they were doing so now to sound the alarm about the particular websites and to expose a connection between the sites and Russian intelligence.

Between late May and early July, one of the officials said, a trio of websites published about 150 articles about the pandemic response, including coverage aimed at propping up Russia and denigrating the U.S.

Officials on Tuesday singled out a news agency, InfoRos.ru, that operates a trio of websites InfoRos.ru, Infobrics.org and OneWorld.press - that they say have leveraged the pandemic to promote anti-Western objectives and to spread disinformation.

Hitting both sides: The websites included articles ridiculing Trump as well as Biden, an effort intended to exacerbate division and boost Russian interest, intelligence sources said

Lashing out: How one Russian fake news website attacked Joe Biden

Division effort: This is how one of the trio of Russian-run sites sought to portray Black Lives Matters

Axis of fake news: The three websites which intelligence sources say are spreading disinformation

Puppet master? The two men running the sites are former officials in Vladimir Putin's GRU

Among the headlines that caught the attention of U.S. officials are 'Russia's Counter COVID-19 Aid to America Advances Case for Detente,' which suggested that Russia had given urgent and substantial aid to the U.S. to fight the pandemic, and 'Beijing Believes COVID-19 is a Biological Weapon.'

The sites focus on contemporary politics as well.

They did not say whether the effort was directly related to the November election, though some of the coverage on the websites appeared to denigrate Trump's Democratic challenger, Joe Biden.

The stories call to mind Russian efforts from 2016 to exacerbate race relations in America and drive corruption allegations against U.S. political figures.

A headline Tuesday on InfoRos.ru about the unrest roiling major American cities read 'Chaos in the Blue Cities,' accompanying a story that lamented how New Yorkers who grew up in the tough-on-crime approach of Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg 'must adapt to life in high-crime urban areas.'

Another story carried the headline of 'Ukrainian Trap for Biden,' and claimed that 'Ukrainegate' - a reference to stories surrounding Biden's son Hunter's former ties to a Ukraine gas company - 'keeps unfolding with renewed vigors.'

Two individuals who have also held leadership roles at InfoRos, identified Tuesday as Denis Valeryevich Tyurin and Aleksandr Gennadyevich Starunskiy, have previously served in a GRU unit specializing in military psychological intelligence and maintain deep contacts there, the officials said.

InfoRos and One World's ties to the Russian state have attracted scrutiny in the past from European disinformation analysts.

In 2019, a European Union task force that studies disinformation campaigns identified One World as 'a new addition to the pantheon of Moscow-based disinformation outlets.'

The task force noted that One World's content often parrots the Russian state agenda on issues including the war in Syria.

Ukrainian link: One of the sites promoted questions over Joe Biden's son Hunter's business dealings in Eastern Europe

Russian talking points: How the sites portrayed issues around foreign relations

A report published last month by a second, nongovernmental organization, Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab, examined links between InfoRos and One World to Russian military intelligence.

The researchers identified technical clues tying their websites to Russia and identified some financial connections between InfoRos and the government.

'InfoRos is evolving in a shady grey zone, where regular information activities are mixed with more controversial actions that could be quite possibly linked to the Russian states information operations,' the reports authors concluded.

On its English-language Facebook page, InfoRos describes itself as an 'Information agency: world through the eyes of Russia.'

The sites promote their narratives in a sophisticated but insidious effort that officials liken to money laundering, where stories in well-written English - and often with pro-Russian sentiment and anti-U.S. sentiment - are cycled through other news sources to conceal their origin and enhance the legitimacy of the information.

The sites also amplify stories that originate elsewhere, the government officials said.

An email to InfoRos was not immediately returned on Tuesday.

The disclosure comes as the spread of disinformation, including by Russia, is an urgent concern heading into November's presidential election as U.S. officials look to avoid a repeat of the 2016 contest, when Russia launched a covert social media campaign to divide American public opinion to favor then-candidate Donald Trump.

The country's chief counterintelligence official warned in a public statement Friday about Russia's continued use of internet trolls to advance their goals.

Even apart from politics, the twin crises buffeting the country and much of the world - the pandemic and race relations and protests - have offered fertile territory for misinformation or outfight falsehoods.

Officials described the disinformation as part of an ongoing and persistent Russian effort to cause confusion.
Mirage-2000: The Mirage-2000 is undoubtedly one of the Indian Air Force's (IAF) most versatile and deadliest aircraft and it was first commissioned in 1985. Soon after inducting the Mirage, IAF gave it the name  Vajra  meaning lightning thunderbolt in Sanskrit. The Mirage-2000 is developed by Dassault Aviation and took its first flight in 1978 and was inducted in the French Air Force in 1984. India placed an initial order of 36 single-seater Mirage-2000 and 4 twin-seater Mirage 2000 in 1982 as an answer to Pakistan buying the US-made F-16 fighter jets by Lockheed Martin. The Mirage-2000 played a decisive role in the 1999 war of Kargil and seeing the success of the jets, the government in India placed an additional order of 10 Mirage-2000 planes in 2004, taking the total tally to 50 jets. (Image: Reuters)
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Channel 10 has responded to Bachelor in Paradise star Jamie Doran's announcement on Wednesday that he intends to sue the network and Warner Bros.

A spokesperson dismissed the legal threat in a brief statement, saying that Jamie had not in fact engaged lawyers to act on his behalf against the broadcaster and production company.

'Network 10 has not received any papers regarding this claim,' a representative said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Jamie, 40, had claimed on Instagram that he was taking legal action over his negative portrayal on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise.

Hitting back: Channel 10 has responded to Bachelor in Paradise star Jamie Doran's (pictured) announcement on Wednesday that he intends to sue the network and Warner Bros.

'This is not the news I wanted to post, but I feel I owe this to at least my family, friends, and also fans of The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise,' his post began.

He continued: 'After lengthy consideration, I've decided to begin legal proceedings against Network 10 and Warner Bros. Australia.

'I'm not going to comment on this any further for the time being and would appreciate it if people would respect my privacy.'

'Network 10 has not received any papers regarding this claim': A spokesperson dismissed the legal threat in a brief statement, saying that Jamie had not in fact engaged lawyers to act on his behalf against the broadcaster and production company

'Proceedings': Earlier on Wednesday, Jamie, 40, had claimed on Instagram that he was taking legal action over his negative portrayal on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise

Jamie has been portrayed as a 'stage-five clinger' on Bachelor in Paradise so far this season, and received a similar edit on The Bachelorette last year.

Some viewers have complained on Twitter that producers seem to be going out of their way to make him look 'emotionally unstable'.

A source close to Jamie told The Daily Telegraph on Thursday: 'He's been made to look weird, like a complete idiot. That's why he's so upset.'

Last week, Bachelor in Paradise fans couldn't believe their eyes when Jamie suffered one of the biggest meltdowns in the show's history.

But it turns out viewers didn't see the half of it - as it has since been claimed that he went missing after trying to escape the Mango Bay Resort in the middle of the night.

Unfair? Some viewers have complained on Twitter that producers seem to be going out of their way to make him look 'emotionally unstable'

Dispute: A source close to Jamie told The Daily Telegraph on Thursday: 'He's been made to look weird, like a complete idiot. That's why he's so upset'

He was apparently so upset by the prospect of his 'best friend' Timm Hanly leaving the show that he slipped past producers and attempted to flee to the airport.

Producers sent out a search party to find Jamie, and he was eventually located at a bus stop, where he was waiting to catch a bus to the airport.

'He wanted out - he'd had enough of the stage-five clinger stuff and hated that all the women were saying he was too old for them,' a source told Woman's Day.

'He was determined - he was headed for that airport and he was going to fly home. He was feeling really low.'

Is everything OK? Last week, Bachelor in Paradise fans couldn't believe their eyes when Jamie suffered one of the biggest meltdowns in the show's history. He began crying hysterically and threatened to leave after Timm Hanly (left) said he was considering going home early

During last Wednesday's episode, Paradise viewers were left stunned when Jamie began crying hysterically and threatening to leave.

He was so distraught at the thought of being 'abandoned' by Timm, who was considering going home early, that he packed his bags and wanted to quit, too.

'My friendship with Timm is everything. Timm is my best friend!' Jamie tearfully told producers in a scene many viewers found troubling.

'I'm not dying, bro': Hundreds of bewildered viewers reacted to the scene on Twitter, with several saying that Jamie's meltdown was difficult to watch

Jamie then pleaded with Timm not to leave, telling the shaggy-haired larrikin he 'doesn't know how much he means' to him during a tense bedroom showdown.

'You know I came here because of you. Timm! Please, bro! Timm! You f**king know how much you mean to me!' wailed Jamie as his friend packed his bags.

'Look how much you're f**king hurting me right now! I want to wake up and see you every morning. Timm, please man! Stop packing! No! No! No!' he shrieked.

A baffled Timm replied: 'I'm not dying, bro!'

Hundreds of bewildered viewers reacted to the scene on Twitter, with several saying that Jamie's meltdown was difficult to watch.

However, some fans were more sympathetic and said they were genuinely concerned for Jamie's well-being after his emotional display.

'I'm legitimately worried about Jamie', one fan tweeted.
As protesters in cities from Richmond, Virginia, to San Francisco toppled statues last month, urban planner Amy Stelly allowed herself to hope that New Orleans might soon fell its own worst racist monument.

For much of her life, Stelly, who is Black, has lived in the shadow of the Claiborne expressway, an elevated freeway built through the Treme, Tulane/Gravier and 7th Ward neighborhoods. She has fought to tear down the highway and restore this commercial corridor at the heart of Black New Orleans, but faced skepticism, indifference and inertia.

Now, as the nation reckons with other racist aspects of its past  with protests, in several prominent instances, on 60s-era freeways much like the Claiborne  Shelly and other advocates around the country are intensifying their calls for city and state governments to remove the highways that destroyed Black neighborhoods.

Such teardown projects, once seen as fanciful, have gained momentum as the countrys highway infrastructure ages and early adopters show off their success. Five U.S. cities have either capped freeways or converted them to street-grade boulevards in the past three years, and similar plans are under review in states including Massachusetts, California and Texas.

Race usually has been a subtext in these conversations. But in the current climate, advocates say its time for cities to confront and resolve the racist planning decisions their predecessors made 60 years ago.

It gives us more ammunition, Stelly said. Because when you look at how these things have developed in their totality, theyre absolutely racist.

Constructed largely in the late 1950s and 60s, the highway system was, at its outset, perhaps the greatest testament to Americas sprawling postwar ambitions. During the initial buildout, the federal government covered 90% of construction costs  which encouraged state agencies to build big.

By 1980, there were more than 40,000 miles of road in the interstate system. Highway engineers have since added more than 5,000 miles aimed at speeding up traffic and easing congestion, especially for suburban commuters.

But the new highways met resistance when they reached large and densely populated urban areas. Transportation engineers, eager to link downtown business districts to their expanding suburbs, plotted routes on top of existing neighborhoods and road infrastructure.

Those neighborhoods, as the late urban historian Raymond Mohl documented, were frequently Black. In many cases, city and state planners purposely built through Black neighborhoods to clear so-called slums and blighted areas.

The highway system, in its planning and implementation, drove a physical wedge through many parts of America, said former U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, a critic of the early highway buildup, in an email.

In New Orleans, where Stelly was a child in the 1960s, state highway engineers cleared a swath of land along North Claiborne Avenue to accommodate the unfurling Interstate 10. Black residents fought plans to build a six-lane elevated expressway over what was once an oak-lined commercial thoroughfare.

Before the completion of the expressway, Stelly said, residents would walk to Claiborne Avenue for everything from groceries and household errands to Mardi Gras parades and funerals.

But while officials nixed plans for a similar expressway through the French Quarter, which preservationists opposed, they moved forward with the Claiborne expressway, destroying dozens of businesses and homes.

Today, Stelly said, soot and grime from passing cars settles in a black film on her house and filters through her open windows. Water slicks off the I-10 deck during storms, drenching the ground beneath it.

The highways pillars have become havens for drug users and petty criminals, Stelly added, and the city has shunted homeless encampments from one area to another. As a kid, she recalls scuttling under the overpass to run errands for her mother; even at age 9 or 10, it was never a pleasant experience.

This place was the center of the community, and they wiped it off the map, said Jay Arzu, a planning consultant who has researched the history of urban freeways for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. It hurt this neighborhood  and is still hurting it.

That pattern repeated in cities across the country, from Pensacola, Florida, to Pasadena, California. Foxx has estimated that, in the first 20 years of the interstate highway system, construction displaced over a million people.

In Miami, Interstate 95 flattened swaths of a Black neighborhood called Overtown, forcing some 10,000 people to leave their homes. In Nashville, Tennessee, the I-40 expressway demolished 620 houses, 27 apartment buildings and six Black churches.

In Washington, D.C., freeway opponents circulated handbills in 1967 at the Department of Transportation that railed against white highways through black bedrooms. To the northwest, in Akron, Ohio, one contemporary researcher remarked that public meetings about the path of the Innerbelt devolved into near riot conditions.

For residents who remained along the path of the new highways, land values fell and pollution rose.

Thousands of employers decamped to the suburbs. In a 1961 telegram to President John F. Kennedy, Ralph Abernathy  an activist and adviser to Martin Luther King Jr. whose Montgomery house stood in the planned path of Alabamas Interstate 85  warned that the highway would destroy one of the best negro neighborhoods in the south.

Almost 60 years later, the areas adjacent to I-85 rank among Montgomerys poorest. Ironically, that portion of the interstate is also called the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway; Alabamas highway commissioner at the time its route was set was a vocal segregationist.

The point is, you could pick from dozens of examples, said Joseph Kane, a senior research associate at the Brookings Institution. You could do a deep dive on Detroit or New Haven or Syracuse. But to me, the bigger story is the number of them. This was a national trend that all types of places are still dealing with.

Against this backdrop, and amid national conversations on race and justice, some advocates have intensified their calls for freeway removal. Such projects have gained momentum in recent years, as the countrys highway infrastructure requires ever more expansive, and expensive, repairs.

According to the Congress for the New Urbanism, a national nonprofit planning group, 14 North American cities have demolished or downgraded their freeways with the help of state and federal grants, and another four have formally started such projects.

Those cities include Milwaukee, which demolished a downtown freeway spur in the early 2000s, and Rochester, New York, whose success repurposing the former site of a sunken highway is often cited by teardown proponents. Since removing the so-called Inner Loop in 2017, the city has rebuilt the street grid and parceled out new spaces for affordable housing, retail stores and a local museum expansion.

The effort is to try to create a slightly more equitable Rochester, said Arian Horbovetz, a local transportation advocate and blogger. In removing these highways, were facing aspects of our racist past. Thats the hard part.

But advocates hope more cities will do more of that hard work now, said Arzu, the planning consultant. In Syracuse, New York, where officials already had announced plans to remove part of I-81, a June 23 op-ed in the local paper urged locals to acknowledge the highways racist foundations.

In Durham, North Carolina, anti-racist protesters blocked Highway 147 in May because the highway destroyed Black homes and businesses, an organizer told the magazine Facing South. Black activists also have fought highway expansion projects in Portland, Oregon, and Shreveport, Louisiana, where officials said more lanes would better move traffic and clear congestion.

In New Orleans, meanwhile  where local officials have repeatedly declined to pursue teardown plans  Stelly recently plastered slogans like this monument to racism is a crime on I-10s concrete columns.

Race is always embedded in these discussions, Stelly said. And I think people are more inclined now to have that conversation.

But not everyone is on board just yet. Despite calls for change, highway engineers in places such as Portland and Shreveport as well as Birmingham, Alabama, still are widening existing freeways or planning new ones.

State transportation departments generally are most concerned with moving traffic, said Eric Sundquist, the director of the State Smart Transportation Initiative, whose membership includes officials from 19 state transit agencies. And when it comes to traffic, freeways do a good, if not great, job of moving large numbers of people, the economist Randal OToole wrote in a July blog post lampooning freeway removal.

Some Black residents also have worried that removing freeways will open their neighborhoods up to new development and gentrification. Ben Crowther, who oversees the Congress for the New Urbanisms freeway removal work, said it was critical that cities use policy protections, such as property tax abatements and community land banks, to protect existing residents and avoid repeating old mistakes.

There are signs, at least, that city officials and other planners are learning. At the Congress for the New Urbanisms most recent conference, which took place online in June, half a dozen panels explicitly addressed what Stelly calls the effects of racist planning, from gentrification near transit stops to health disparities in Black neighborhoods. In a profession that is overwhelmingly white and male, that already represents a profound shift.

There is a reckoning taking place, Arzu said. Anyone who digs deep enough realizes now that urban planning contained a degree of racism in the past.

In the coming months, Stelly plans to work with two university students to boost her campaigns communications and social media presence. She already is partnering with a nearby school of public health to both study the effects of living in the freeways shadow and teach students to understand up close the social determinants of health.

By the end of the year, she hopes to complete new renderings that imagine what the neighborhood could look like if the I-10 came down: a restored, lively, mixed-use boulevard, much like the Claiborne Avenue of her childhood.



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Contra Costa County on Tuesday approved fines for individuals and businesses that violate coronavirus health orders, including not wearing a mask.

The countys board of supervisors passed an urgency ordinance establishing fines for individuals starting at $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second and $500 for each additional violation within one year of the initial violation.

Fines for businesses will start at $250 for the first violation, $500 for the second and $1,000 for each additional violation within one year of the initial violation.

Some people are just defiant, said Supervisor Diane Burgis. Were trying to get COVID under control and we need people to put on their masks. ... Were not doing it to make money, to try to control people. Were trying to get control over this disease and get our economy back so we need people to cooperate, put on their mask.

Contra Costa is the third Bay Area county, and the largest, to pass administrative fines for not following health measures. Napa and Marin counties this month enacted similar fines of up to $5,000 and $10,000, respectively, for businesses.

Officers designated by the director of Health Services, the director of Conservation and Development, and the Sheriffs Office will enforce the ordinance. The county has received about 200 complaints from residents reporting businesses and individuals that allegedly broke health order rules.

Individuals and businesses that are fined will have the option to appeal the fine within 10 days.

Officials have said they are focusing more on businesses than individuals  such as if businesses are open when health orders require that they shut down, or if business owners are not enforcing mask-wearing among their workers or customers.

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.

Several members of the public called into the virtual meeting to oppose the ordinance, saying it would curtail their individual liberties and that mask-wearing should be voluntary. Supervisors said voluntary compliance and education have not worked to keep infection rates down. Ample research shows that widespread mask-wearing significantly reduces transmission.

Sonoma County and the city of Berkeley are also considering fines for individuals and businesses that do not comply with COVID-19 safety measures.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho
Rile Keough has been honoring her late brother Benjamin, who died at 27-years-old from a self inflicted gunshot wound, on July 13.

The actress, 31, shared that she got a tattoo on her collar bone reading 'Benjamin Storm,' in script handwriting, her brother's first and middle names.

She went on to share a photo with her brother in her series of posts celebrating him and their close sibling bond.

Remembering Ben: Riley Keough shared memories with her brother Benjamin on Tuesday before his death on July 13

Peeling back protective wrap, she showed the tattoo reading her brother's name, along with a red heart emoji.

Riley also shared a photo of her name in a tattoo, that appeared to be on her brother before his death.

She went on to share several photos and videos with Benjamin, and fun times they had together.

In one selfie, the siblings seemed to sit together at a table, both with decorated wraps around their heads.

Inked: Peeling back protective wrap, she showed the tattoo reading her brother's name 'Benjamin Storm', along with a red heart emoji

Like brother like sister: Riley also shared a photo of her name in a tattoo, that appeared to be on her brother before his death

She shared a selfie video Benjamin took, showing off a scenic view behind him.

The actress went on to share memories in hotel rooms, and a video Benjamin took of her showing her smiling as he talked to her.

Riley had been reminiscing on time with her brother since his death earlier this month.

She remembered her brother's happy moments, showing casual hang outs and lazy days inside together.

Showing off: She shared a selfie video Benjamin took, showing off a scenic view behind him

Smiling at you: The actress shared a video Benjamin took of her showing her smiling as he talked to her

Happy memories: Riley shared some intimate video of clips of her late brother Benjamin on her Instagram Monday

But the tragedy was far from Riley's mind in the throwbacks.

The first video had the siblings goofing around on the couch, with the Zola actress donning a black turtleneck while Ben was bundled up in a grey Adidas hoodie.

Another clip showed Ben dancing in the kitchen, then getting embarrassed and walking away from the camera with a grin.

'Stop, I hate it,' he told his sister.

His camera shyness flared up again in a video Riley took during a car ride.

Tragic: Ben was 27-years-old when he took his own life earlier this month

He's got the beat! One clip showed Ben dancing in the kitchen, then getting embarrassed and walking away from the camera with a grin

Camera shy: 'Stop, I hate it,' he told his sister

Hanging: There were also moments with Ben's girlfriend Diana Pinto

Silly: There were tons of funny moments between the trio

Riley had a collection of videos from the duo's travels together.

Another video was time stamped Christmas 2019.

In it, he was seen hunched over a couch stretching before standing back up and smiling at his sister.

There were also moments with Ben's girlfriend Diana Pinto, who was reportedly there at the time of his suicide.

Stawp it: His camera shyness flared up again in a video Riley took during a car ride

On the go: It looked like Riley and Ben had a sibling vacation in several clips

Abroad: Riley had a collection of videos from the duo's travels together

Keough paid tribute to Ben with a heartbreaking Instagram post earlier this month, calling her little brother 'pure light.'

'Mornings are the hardest,' she explained. 'I forget youre gone. I cant cry because of the fear that I will never stop. A pain thats new to me.'

'You. There are no words for you. Angel is the closest I could think of. Pure light. Baby brother. Best friend. Wild man. Intellectual. Witness to my life. Twin soul. Protector. Too sensitive for this harsh world.

'I hope you give me strength to endure the giant hole youve left in my heart. I hope you give me the strength to eat. I hope youre cradled in love. I hope you feel my love. I hope you feel god. You are god. I cant believe youve left me. Not you sweet Ben Ben. Anyone but you. I guess this is true heartbreak. I hope we meet again.'

Missed: Keough paid tribute to Ben with a heartbreaking Instagram post earlier this month, calling her little brother 'pure light'

So sad: 'Mornings are the hardest,' she explained. 'I forget youre gone. I cant cry because of the fear that I will never stop. A pain thats new to me'

Ben's friends are also reeling from the loss.

Close friend boxer Victor Ortiz said his death has been 'a hard one to swallow,' during a conversation with The Sun.

'He was an angel,' he told the paper. 'One of the best humans I ever met. Depression takes some of the best people in the world.'

Victor said they were very close and credited Ben with helping him set his life straight.

'14 years ago I was broke with two jobs. I told him then, I dont have much to offer, but a hand in friendship. He smacks my hand out of the way then kisses me and shakes my hand.'

Hurting: Close friend boxer Victor Ortiz said his death has been 'a hard one to swallow,' during a conversation with The Sun

Angel: 'He was an angel,' he told the paper. 'One of the best humans I ever met. Depression takes some of the best people in the world'

And Victor had some insight into the Presley-Keough family's pain, telling The Sun: 'His family is hurt.'

Benjamin died by a self-inflicted gunshot on July 13.

DailyMail.com reported the sequence of events last week.

Neighbors heard Benjamin partying at his mother Lisa Marie Presley's $1.8 million Calabasas, California, home late on Saturday July 12 - his girlfriend Diana Pinto's birthday - before hearing a woman believed to be Pinto screaming 'don't do it' in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Shock death: Keough is pictured with his mom, Lisa Marie Presley, in 2012

Lisa Marie's manager previously said: '(Lisa) is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated but trying to stay strong for her 11-year-old twins and her oldest daughter Riley. She adored that boy. He was the love of her life.'

Benjamin was the son of Lisa Marie - only child of superstar Elvis - and musician Danny Keough. Lisa Marie had previously spoken of Benjamin's similarity to Elvis, calling their resemblance 'uncanny.'

If you or anyone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, text 'STRENGTH' to the Crisis Text Line or click here.
A 32-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson for allegedly setting fire to a public building during the early days of George Floyd protests in Portland.

Edward Thomas Schinzing, 32, is accused of using fire to 'maliciously damage' the city's Justice Center which houses the Multnomah County jail and the Portland Police Bureau headquarters, on May 29.

According to federal prosecutors, Schinzing had been part of a group of 30 protesters who broke into the facility through the windows and spray-painted portions of the office, damaged equipment and furniture, and started fires.

Footage from YouTube, Twitter, surveillance cameras and photos shared online showed the suspects vandalizing the office space where three county employees had been working before being forced to flee.

Edward Thomas Schinzing, 32, was among a group of protesters who allegedly broke into the Justice Center on May 29 (pictured) before vandalizing the space and setting fires

The U.S. Attorney's Office released photos of Schinzing participating in a march the night he allegedly targeted the Justice Center

Authorities were able to identify him through a comparison of his booking photo (left) and photos from the scene (right) in which a distinctive tattoo of his last name across his upper back was visible

Schinzing, who was shirtless at the time of the incident, was identified by a comparison with a jail booking photo and a distinctive tattoo of his last name across his upper back, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

His tattoos had been visible in photographs of crowds marching across the Burnside Bridge before he entered the building.

Authorities say he spread a fire that started near the front of the office by lighting additional papers on fire and moving them into a drawer of a separate cubicle.

The facility houses the Multnomah County jail and the Portland Police Bureau headquarters

Schinzing allegedly spread a fire that started near the front of the office by lighting additional papers on fire and moving them into a drawer of a separate cubicle

Schinzing appeared in federal court on Tuesday where he was charged with arson - a felony offense that carries up to 20 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.

It comes two months after chaos erupted in the city which has continued to see unrest with protesters targeting a federal courthouse in downtown Portland this weekend.

The city's demonstrations in support of racial justice and police reform have been marred by violence prompting the federal government to intervene and send in militarized officers.
Members of parliament and political groups have called for greater regulation of social media sites following grime artist Wiley posting a series of antisemitic remarks.

Wiley referred to Jewish people as cowards and snakes, as well as comparing Jewish people to the Ku Klux Klan.

The rapper was eventually suspended on Twitter and Facebook, as well as Facebook-owned Instagram.

The rappers Twitter account, @WileyCEO, says that it has been suspended for having violated the Twitter rules.

In response, many prominent figures boycotted Twitter including Green MP Caroline Lucas, Labour's Rosena Allin-Khan and David Lammy, former Labour MPs Neil Coyle and Caroline Flint, Conservative MPs Chris Clarkson and Jane Stevenson, and acting Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also said that the tweets were abhorrent and that Twitters response was not good enough, although did not take part in the boycott.

Social media companies need to go much further and faster in removing hateful comment such as this, a spokesperson for the PM said.

Home secretary Priti Patel wrote to Twitter and Instagram asking for a full explanation on why the posts were not removed sooner  remaining live on his profiles for 12 hours after being first posted.

Abuse and harassment have no place on our service and we have policies in place  that apply to everyone, everywhere  that address abuse and harassment, violent threats, and hateful conduct. If we identify accounts that violate any of these rules, well take enforcement action, Twitter said in a statement, although would not comment on the boycott.

There is no place for hate speech on Facebook and Instagram. After initially placing Wileys accounts in a seven day block, we have now removed both his Facebook and Instagram accounts for repeated violations of our policies, a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

Two years ago the government proposed the Online Harms White Paper, which suggested that Ofcom should have regulatory powers to police what is posted on the internet and could issue fines for companies that fail to meet its standards.

The regulator will have power to enforce a duty of care on companies such as Facebook and Twitter to protect users from harmful and illegal terrorist and child-abuse content.

Shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens criticised the government over claims the Online Harms Bill is being delayed, however the bill itself has been criticised for its wide remit and the potential to become a direct attack on the fundamental right to freedom of expression, according to Big Brother Watch.

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites have been routinely criticised for systems that do not adequately manage hateful content. Twitter recently updated its policy to stop people circumventing its rules by saying it will take stronger action against harmful websites shared on its platform.

Facebook, meanwhile, has reportedly shelved research that would have made its platform less divisive and has been criticised for outsourcing moderation policy resulting in serious deterioration of the mental health of those keeping its platforms relatively safer.

It is unclear what action these companies will take in future. Some have suggested that a greater use of artificial intelligence will be able to moderate content on the platforms; however, currently the algorithms have struggled with extreme content.

The things that you never see are the successes, Tata Communications future technologist, David Eden, told The Independent in 2017, when videos of two murders were watched by thousands of people on Facebook before being removed.

What you dont see are the things that have been removed. You only see the things Facebooks AI left, and they tend to be massive, glaring mistakes.

Similarly, it was challenging for Facebooks AI system to detect the video of the Christchurch shooting because it could not discern it from similar media, such as video game footage.

If thousands of videos from live-streamed video games are flagged by our systems, our reviewers could miss the important real-world videos where we could alert first responders to get help on the ground, the company said.

It is also obvious that Twitter - and other social media sites - benefit culturally and financially from hosting controversial people and discussions.

Their existence as de-facto public spaces, despite being private companies, mean they must create exceptions for their own policies with regards to extreme politicians such as Donald Trump.

The question has been repeatedly raised about the benefits and drawbacks of such a policy, and experts have found few easy answers for how to police websites with more users than the populations of many countries.
Much of Washington also had questions, like: Is any legislation going to pass? Can Congress do it before a scheduled summer break at the end of next week? What will the final cost be? Will tens of millions of anxious laid-off workers continue to receive extra jobless aid, and how much? What happens, politically and practically, if nothing passes? Oh, and will President Trump get his $1.75 billion to make sure any replacement for the decrepit, Brutalist-style F.B.I. building across the street from his luxury hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue stays in its prime location, in what Democrats believe is a naked ploy to ensure that a competing hotel doesnt take its place?

Mr. Trump suggested on Wednesday that he was not all that interested in the fate of the broader package that is consuming Capitol Hill  though he blasted Republicans for their queasiness about including the F.B.I. money. After calling his own partys $1 trillion proposal semi-irrelevant on Tuesday, he told reporters that he preferred a pared-down measure to a sweeping economic stabilization package that would have to be worked out with Democrats.

You work on the payments for the people, Mr. Trump said Wednesday, referring to another round of stimulus checks for Americans, and the rest of it  were so far apart, we dont care.

Congress is once again careening over a cliff  this time with the expiration of expanded unemployment benefits that have cushioned millions of Americans from the blow of the economic crisis  and there is more than a little Thelma and Louise feel to the whole situation. Republicans are nowhere near agreement among themselves, and the various legislative proposals introduced on Monday after a three-day delay do not appear to have anything near majority Republican support, let alone backing from Democrats who instantly attacked them.

I think its a statement of the obvious that I have members who are all over the lot on this, Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, told reporters after the closed lunch session. There are some members who think weve already done enough, other members who think we need to do more. This is a complicated problem.
As Confederate monuments are toppled across the commonwealth, Nelson Countys own statue drew a lone call for removal during the Nelson County Board of Supervisors July 14 meeting, although supervisors have expressed they are reluctant to move it.

The Rev. James Rose, pastor of Montreal Baptist Church in Shipman, went before supervisors during a public comments portion of the meeting to ask the board to consider the removal and relocation of the Confederate statue which stand on the grounds of the Nelson County Courthouse.

When I think about the soldier out there and I think about my ancestors and what they went through  it is a reminder to me, and to me, its offensive, Rose, a member of the Amherst County NAACP and a former member of the Nelson County NAACP who has participated in civil rights movements in the past including the 1963 March on Washington, said to supervisors.

During his time in New York, Rose said he was also a member of the civil rights group Congress of Racial Equality.

Rose said he was speaking not only on behalf of himself, but several others who have shared with him their concerns of the Confederate statue.

I want to think about the future. In this county Ill do whatever I can to make it better, and as long as Im here Im going to be involved as much as I can, Rose said. If I see something wrong Im going to speak up about [it].

While the thought of bringing down the statue depicting an anonymous Confederate soldier had been something hes considered in the past, Rose said now was a good time to bring it before the board, noting pushes made by Black Lives Matter groups to remove similar structures elsewhere in the state and country. With a history of equal rights movements behind him, Rose said he supports the movement going on today, but not the violence or destruction that sometimes follows.

Its a good movement and its good for the country and especially now that were getting young people involved  young people are marching for their future and their freedom, Rose said. I would do anything I can to support them anyway that I can.

The statue  erected in April 1965  features a bearded Confederate soldier in uniform; inscribed on his belt buckle are the letters C.S.A. He is seen gripping the barrel of his rifle with both hands as the butt of his weapon sits at his feet. The soldier stands atop a square base with an engraving that reads, In memory of the heroic Confederate Soldiers of Nelson County who served in the War Between the States, 1861-1865. Love makes memory eternal.

Unlike other monuments featuring Confederate generals, leaders or other prominent figures in the Confederate army, the statue in Nelson County depicts a nameless private and is meant to serve as a tribute to Confederate soldiers in the county, according to historical documents provided by the Nelson County Administrators office.

South District Supervisor Robert Barton  who taught African American history for more than a dozen years at Nelson County High School  said the distinction of being a common soldier is one of the reasons why he is reluctant to support the statues removal. In his eyes, it represents tragedy, not glorification.

When I see that statue, I see tragedy; I see victims. To me its something difficult ... to get rid of because it represents a victim. The Civil War was the greatest tragedy in American history by far. Nothing compares to it, Barton said.

Im very sympathetic of what Rev. Rose had to say. I understand the feelings of seeing [the] statue, but to me its important that that statue is not a statue of a general, its a statue of a soldier and soldiers have paid prices for a long time.

Roses call for supervisors to consider the statues removal comes after nearly two months of protests by civil rights and Black Lives Matter groups following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in late May.

A state-owned monument depicting Gen. Robert E. Lee is the last-standing Confederate statue on Monument Avenue in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy. The statue has been the subject of several lawsuits looking to block its removal after Gov. Ralph Northam in early June announced the states plan to do just that.

Richmond Circuit Court Judge W. Reilly Marchant on July 23 declined to issue an immediate ruling in a lawsuit which challenges the monuments removal. Marchant will issue a written opinion as soon as this week. The Richmond judge granted an extension to the temporary injunction blocking the states removal of the statue for 30 days.

The lawsuit was filed by William C. Gregory, a descendant of the family that deeded the the statue and property to the state about 130 years ago. His complaint argues the state, as part of that deal, agreed to guard and protect the monument.

According to documents provided by Nelson County officials, in 1962 the Nelson County Board of Supervisors at the time appointed a five-member committee to select a suitable memorial for the Confederate soldiers of Nelson County. It was later decided by the committee a statue depicting a Confederate private be erected on the courthouse lawn.

Funding for the $5,600 statue came from the Virginia General Assembly, the Civil War Commission, the board of supervisors, contributions from the countys districts and an individual gift.

Reached by phone, North District Supervisor and board chairman Tommy Harvey said hes not in favor of taking anything down.

Hes talking about bringing the people together, I can tell you one thing: its not going to bring the people together; its going to separate them, Harvey said of Roses request.

East District Supervisor Jesse Rutherford echoed Harveys thoughts.

In regards to the statue, if I knew racism and prejudice ended the very moment that statue came down I would knock it down myself and I would march to Richmond and tear down the ones there  but the problem is it wont. It will not mark an end to your pain and it will certainly not make those who do not understand your pain the opportunity to have a softened heart, Rutherford said.

Both Harvey and Rutherford said theyve received no feedback from their constituents regarding the Confederate statue in recent months. Barton said hes had a few people reach out to him.

Harvey added he doesnt approve of Confederate statues being taken down elsewhere in the state.

Was it wrong? Yes, no doubt, but we cant go back and change that and trying to erase it isnt going to change anything neither, Harvey said of slavery.

Rose said he believes people need to learn to come together in the name of healing and removing the Confederate statue in Nelson County could contribute to that goal.

Racism is something we need to talk about, Rose said. We need to talk about it.

Nick Cropper covers Nelson County. Reach him at (434) 385-5522.

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From curfews to closures and quarantines, Asian nations are taking renewed drastic measures to fight the second wave of coronavirus infections. Vietnam is locking down the city of Da Nang and preparing to evacuate about 80,000 people.

Elsewhere, there were new records set for daily increases this week.

In India, the epidemic is now spreading faster than anywhere else in the world, while Indonesias total number of infections passed 100,000, the most in Southeast Asia.

Vietnamese authorities have issued a stay-at-home order for the central city of Da Nang, and the government has been on high alert after recently recording its first local cases in three months, all in or around Da Nang, which has a population of about 1.1 million people.

Vietnam on coronavirus alert after first local infection in 100 days

South Korea on Monday recorded 25 new coronavirus cases, bringing its national caseload to 14,175 infections and 299 deaths. It has seen a recent rise in cases, most of them imported. The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday said 16 of the new cases were tied to people arriving from abroad.

Meanwhile, a man who tested positive for the coronavirus in South Korea after travelling from New Zealand may have caught the disease during his transit through Singapore, the New Zealand Health Ministry said.

Infections in the Philippines rose to 82,040 on Monday with 1,945 dead, while just over 26,000 people have recovered. It has the second-highest number of infections in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia.

At least nine Chinese cities have reported Covid-19 cases linked to the northeastern city of Dalian after a new cluster emerged there within the past week.

The port citys health authority has confirmed 44 new infections of the disease caused by the coronavirus since last Wednesday.

Other cities in Dalians province of Liaoning, along with cities in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces in the northeast and Fujian in the southeast, have between them discovered at least eight asymptomatic cases traced back to Dalian, mainland Chinese media reported.

And Beijing on Tuesday confirmed its first new infection in more than three weeks, which the capitals health commission said was found to be linked to Dalian.

Indias coronavirus epidemic is now growing at the fastest rate in the world, increasing 20 per cent over the past week to more than 1.4 million confirmed cases, including almost 50,000 on Monday  a new daily record. India trails only the US and Brazil in the number of confirmed infections.

Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are among the states where the maximum number of daily cares are being reported.

The worlds second-most populous country has been ramping up testing, with 515,472 samples taken on Sunday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Still, India and Brazil have some of the worlds lowest testing rates, with 11.8 tests and 11.93 tests per 1,000 people respectively, compared to the US with 152.98 tests per 1,000 and Russia with 184.34, according to Our World in Data, a project-based at the University of Oxford in the UK.

Indonesia announced its confirmed number of coronavirus cases has surpassed 100,000, the most in Southeast Asia, as an official said the government still does not know when the outbreak will peak.

The Health Ministry announced 1,525 more cases on Monday, bringing the countrys confirmed total to 100,303. The actual number is thought to be considerably higher because of factors including limited testing. The ministry also reported 57 more deaths, bringing the death toll to 4,838.

Indonesia reached the milestone a week after President Joko Widodo overhauled Indonesias Covid-19 committee to also focus on economic recovery along with handling health aspects.

[We] cant let up. This aura of health crisis needs to be echoed until a vaccine is available and can be used effectively, Widodo told a meeting on Monday addressing committee members.

An increased number of recent transmissions have been linked to work places such as offices and factories.

Japans health ministry will conduct its first nationwide survey, possibly next month, to look into how the pandemic has affected mental health, according to ministry and other sources.

The online survey covering 10,000 people is aimed at finding out if the governments requests for citizens to avoid unnecessary outings and voluntarily shut businesses led to a rise in cases of depression and other forms of mental stress, the sources said.

The results of the poll are expected to be used by local mental health and welfare centres across the country in responding to future mental illness cases amid a sign of a resurgence in Covid-19 infections.

But there is also some encouraging news.

After almost seven months, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to challenge the world, but some places seem to have managed surprisingly well. Thailand has not reported any local transmission for over 60 days. The countries of the Mekong region have reported so few cases that many people are asking whether their success is real  and if it is, how are they doing it? The New York Times went as far as to report that no one knows what Thailand is doing right.

Thailand began screening all airport arrivals for fever on 3 January (two days before the PRC confirmed to the World Health Organisation that they had identified a pneumonia of unknown cause). Ten days later, Thailand confirmed its first case: the first known case outside the PRC. After confirming just 800 cases, Thailand announced a state of emergency and began a strict lockdown on 26 March. They only began easing the lockdown in May.  Agencies
Canada urges experts to disclose information obtained after analyzing the flight recorders of the UIA plane shot down by Iran.

Canada thanks BEA [Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority] for completing the download and analysis of Flight PS752s black boxes. That analysis now needs to be shared promptly with the international community to ensure a complete, credible and transparent flight safety investigation, Canadas Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois-Philippe Champagne posted on Twitter.

In accordance with Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Iran can use the information obtained as a result of black boxes analysis of UIA plane at its own discretion.

Canadian and other foreign experts were present in Paris at the download and analysis of flight recorders but could not share the information with the public without permission.

The Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) plane (flight PS752) heading from Tehran to Kyiv crashed shortly after it took off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport at about 06:00 Tehran time (04:30 Kyiv time) on January 8. There were 176 people on board  nine crew members (all Ukrainians) and 167 passengers (citizens of Ukraine, Iran, Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan, Germany, and the UK). All passengers and crew were killed in the crash.

On July 18, France's BEA received Flight PS752s recorders from Iran.

On July 24, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Yevhenii Yenin informed that the transcript from Flight PS752s recorders had confirmed illegal interference with the plane.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 10:39:25|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Libya and it is difficult to prevent the local transmission in the war-torn country, the Health Ministry said Tuesday.

"All of Libya's municipalities have officially moved from level 3 to level 4 of the pandemic, which means it has become difficult to track suspected cases, as the number of positive cases increases," the ministry said in a statement.

"We reiterate that everyone must be careful and abide by the basic precautionary measures," the statement said.

The authorities urged people to commit to social distancing, wear medical masks in public and wash their hands periodically.

The country's National Center for Disease Control on Tuesday reported 190 new cases, the biggest daily increase since the first case was detected in March.

The center said that a total of 3,017 cases have so far been reported with 579 recoveries and 67 deaths.

To prevent and control the spread of the coronavirus, the Libyan authorities have closed the country's borders, shut schools and mosques, banned public gatherings and imposed a curfew.

The North African country also participated in international cooperation to fight the disease within multilateral frameworks. China has provided medical supplies for Libya to help fight the pandemic. Enditem
Spirit Airlines filed a WARN notice Wednesday with the state Department of Labor, stating it intends to furlough 59 workers at Atlantic City International Airport starting Oct. 1 and ending May 1, 2021, as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The notice said Spirit will furlough 23 flight attendants and 36 pilots based at the airport in Egg Harbor Township, and similar layoffs will happen at all of its crew bases, because of the rapid increase of the COVID-19 coronavirus and its recent resurgence in large parts of the country served by the company, extensions of shelter-at-home guidance, the slowing and reversal of reopening plans, and the recent expansion of quarantines on travelers.

Spirit is based in Florida, one of the hardest-hit states by the virus in recent months. The airline flies to several locations in Florida as well as to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, from Atlantic City International.

An email to Spirit seeking more details was not responded to Wednesday.

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In its second-quarter report July 22, Spirit reported total operating revenue of $138.5 million, a decrease of more than 86% from the second quarter of 2019, due to the significant decline in air travel demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a small business owner who signs the front of paychecks, I understand what it's like to stay awake at night with a pit in your stomach worrying if you're able to keep your employees on payroll during hard times.

For the past three months, Montana's job creators have experienced this economic anxiety.

Instead of helping, Governor Bullock has imposed more worry on these employees and employers. Without consulting cities or counties, the governor issued a top-down, one-size-fits-all statewide economic shutdown in March, ultimately forcing many small businesses to close permanently.

Small mom-and-pop stores simply couldn't weather a government-forced closure, especially while competing with online mega-retailers and big box stores allowed to operate during Bullock's shutdown. We continue to read in our local papers the names of restaurants announcing permanent closures.

The University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research report projects a loss of 75,000 jobs and a shortfall in state personal income of $6.4 billion, or 11.7%, in 2020.

But it didn't have to be this way.

After his economic shutdown, the governor was given every opportunity to help small businesses through billions in federal aid, yet he failed to deliver this targeted relief to those most in need. It has been over three months since President Trump signed the COVID-19 recovery act, yet Governor Bullock has released less than 10% of Montana's $1.25 billion share.

The governor sitting on $1.25 billion while Montanans suffer is unacceptable.

Leaders bring people together, but all the governor has done is assemble a group largely composed of his major political donors. The governor repeatedly declared "state of emergency" measures, allowing him to unilaterally make all decisions. He has met with legislative leadership once in the past 120 days and never consulted with the Appropriations and Finance Committees.

As the head of the state, Governor Bullock has an obligation to take care of the state's fiscal health. Yet despite the Legislative Fiscal Division projecting double-digit shortfalls in the state's revenue, he says no action is needed. This "kick the can down the road" approach will force the next governor, Democrat or Republican, to make the painful cuts. Montanans have had to tighten their belts, and the government should be no different.

Governor Bullock should also be working with the Legislature to provide protections for small businesses, schools, nonprofits, and localities from overreaching lawsuits as they work to safely serve our communities. According to a June Montana Chamber survey, 92% of respondents want this.

While some institutions have received federal loans, they still face the threat of economic penalties via state taxation. Higher taxes are the last thing small business owners need.

Over the past three months, Governor Bullock has demonstrated that he is either incapable or unwilling to help our small businesses in this difficult time.

If Governor Bullock won't step up, the Montana Legislature should look at returning to a virtual special session. The small businesses that have hung on during this storm cannot wait any longer.

Scott Mendenhall is a small business owner, the president of the Montana Business Leadership Council and a former state legislator.

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(RNS)  An independent investigation into accusations of spiritual and psychological abuse by popular Enneagram teacher and best-selling author Christopher Heuertz found no evidence of misconduct after those who raised the allegations declined to cooperate with the inquiry.

The third-party investigation was undertaken by the board of Heuertzs organization, Gravity, a spiritual retreat center based in Omaha, Nebraska.

It included interviews with nearly all of the past and current employees and interns of Gravity.

According to a statement posted to the Gravity website, None of them reported being manipulated, abused, subjected to unhealthy crossing of boundaries or grooming behaviors. They said there were no inappropriate jokes or flirtations and that there was no chaos, confusion, self-doubt, tokenism, manipulation, or bullying.

The investigation followed a public post on the platform Medium signed by 33 women and men who wrote that Heuertz has harmed many people and we cannot remain silent anymore.

The June 10 post described a pattern of spiritual and psychological abuse by Heuertz, a liberal Christian active in social justice causes as well as the contemplative tradition borrowed from Catholicism. But it was not clear if the allegations of misconduct by Heuertz were new.

The important thing that came about is the specific allegations and the language used in the Medium post were found to be without credibility, said George Mekhail, who chairs the board of directors at Gravity.

However, the investigator, attorney Susan K. Sapp of Cline Williams, acknowledged that she was unable to make contact with any of the 33 men and women who signed the Medium post.

None of these individuals would agree to meet with Ms. Sapp or provide any corroborating information, under any terms, including promises of confidentiality and anonymity, the boards statement said.

The investigation did conclude that Heuertz engaged in three inappropriate relationships between 2007 and 2012, while he led a previous nonprofit, Word Made Flesh. Those incidents had been previously addressed by the board of Word Made Flesh, from which Heuertz eventually resigned.

In those cases, the investigator found, There was a crossing of healthy boundaries, but it appears to have been consensual, it did not involve sexual intercourse, and does not appear to have any elements of quid pro quo.

The Medium post led popular social scientist Brene Brown to ask that her foreword and endorsement of Heuertzs latest book, The Enneagram of Belonging: A Compassionate Journey of Self-Acceptance, be withdrawn.

It also led Zondervan, the Christian media and publishing company, to suspend promotion of two of Heuertzs books and to indefinitely halt a documentary featuring him.

Heuertz and his wife, Phileena, who co-direct the center, took a voluntary sabbatical after the allegations surfaced. It was not clear Tuesday (July 28) when he would return to work. The board has yet to take further action.

READ THIS STORY AT RELIGIONNEWS.COM.

Article originally published by Religion News Service. Used with permission.

Photo courtesy: RNS/Lipscomb University
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has frequently been accused by officials, including Mayor Jim Kenney, of being too lenient with defendants amid an ongoing surge in gun violence. But hes now facing criticism from people with the opposite perspective, as bail reform advocates say his office has too often tried to send people accused of crimes to jail during the coronavirus pandemic.

The advocates, who want to end the practice of jailing some defendants before trial unless they pay to be released, have been frustrated before over when and how often Krasners office asks judges to detain people before trial.

But tensions have boiled over recently, with Krasner telling the news organization Democracy Now that the citys community bail funds had helped free one man who was murdered shortly after his release, and another who went on to commit a sexual assault. Advocates cast those remarks as racist and fear-mongering, similar to the rhetoric used by tough-on-crime prosecutors whom Krasner has regularly disparaged.

Now the Philadelphia Bail Fund plans to release a report accusing Krasner of falling short of his pledge to help limit pretrial incarceration during the pandemic, saying his office has frequently asked judges to set bail at $999,999, even in some cases in which people were facing only misdemeanor or drug possession charges.

What the report boils down to is the huge gap between rhetoric and reality, said Malik Neal, director of the fund, which uses donations to help pay peoples bail and get them out of jail while awaiting trial.

Krasners spokesperson, Jane Roh, said the forthcoming report, an early version of which was shared with The Inquirer, omits important context, including the fact that the citys jail population recently dropped below 3,600 people, the lowest total in years. She also said bail hearings during the pandemic have involved more serious or violent cases because police deferred arrests for some nonviolent crimes.

 READ MORE: Krasner plans truth, justice, and reconciliation commission to review harm caused by justice system

The city also is in the midst of its most violent year in more than a decade, having recorded 243 homicides so far in 2020  almost as many as in all of 2013. Some police officials have been quick to point out that the steady climb in homicides over the last several years has occurred as the city simultaneously reduced the number of people in jail.

Krasner is among the officials who have described that as an overly simplistic view that doesnt account for the myriad of potential reasons behind the surge in gun violence. He has also pointed to a 2019 academic study that said reducing the use of cash bail for low-level offenses in Philadelphia had not caused an increase in recidivism or pretrial crime.

The Philadelphia Bail Fund says in its new report that it reviewed a random selection of 451 bail hearings between March 21 and May 21. Krasners office requested bail be set at $999,999 in more than half those cases, the report says, including about 40 cases where people were facing only misdemeanor or drug possession charges.

The vast majority of defendants that prosecutors sought to detain were Black, the report says, and 60% of the cases it reviewed did not include a lead charge of aggravated assault, rape, robbery, or illegal possession of a firearm. Early in the pandemic, Krasner modified his bail policy to say prosecutors would request high bail for defendants deemed dangerous while asking for others to be released without requiring payment.

Neal acknowledged that the report did not consider all the factors prosecutors weigh when making bail requests, such as the specific allegations included in an arrest or charging report, or a defendants criminal history. The funds view, Neal said, is that all pretrial defendants are presumed innocent.

The report also points out that magistrate judges ultimately set bail after hearing arguments from the District Attorneys Office and defense lawyers. In cases the bail fund reviewed, magistrates overwhelmingly set bail lower than $999,999 when prosecutors requested it.

During an interview last week with Democracy Now, Krasner addressed criticism that he has sought to keep too many people in prison amid the pandemic, calling some of his critics judgments cynically out of context. He also pointed out that the citys jails had not experienced a widespread coronavirus outbreak, as was initially feared.

 READ MORE: Larry Krasner is happy driving his opponents crazy as he seeks reelection as Philly DA

He then went on to accuse unspecified bail funds of freeing a man with several recent drug cases just days before he was murdered and freeing a domestic violence suspect before he sexually assaulted his partner.

It is not the case that every single person should get out all of the time, Krasner said. It is not the case that simply saying, no matter what the offense, no matter what the record, and no matter what the circumstances, everyone should get out.

Neal said Krasners remarks were fear-mongering tactics to justify his attempt to detain over half the people arrested pretrial.

Candace McKinley, lead organizer with the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, a separate organization, said the two funds combined have posted bail for almost 1,000 people, some of whom had their cases dropped or dismissed. Krasner, she said, was cherry-picking a few sensational stories to paint all people charged with a crime as dangerous criminals.

Even as Krasner fielded such criticisms, he released a statement criticizing a decision issued Monday by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in which the high court said the citys cash bail system was essentially sound.

Krasner called the system unjust and overly punitive, and said it was disappointing that the states highest court has not met this moment to help engineer further changes.
DALLAS, July 29, 2020 -- After decades of progress in reducing overall, premature cardiac death rates in the U.S., a county-by-county population study has found the decline began slowing in 2011, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers in China and the U.S. accessed multiple databases to analyze county-by-county data on nearly 1.6 million premature cardiac deaths in the U.S. that occurred between 1999 and 2017, among individuals between 35 and 74 years of age. While rates declined between 1999 and 2017, since 2010 the pace of the decline has slowed significantly.

"From the 1960s to 2010s, the United States experienced remarkable decline in cardiovascular disease mortality that was coined as one of the major public health accomplishments of the 20th century," said lead investigator Zhi-Jie Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., a University Endowed Distinguished Professor and chair of the department of global health at Peking University in Beijing, China, who leads studies analyzing global and country-specific trends in diseases of major global health importance. Zheng previously served as a lead epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and a supervisory medical epidemiologist at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

"Increasing numbers of out-of-hospital deaths and fatal heart attacks in younger age groups, coupled with a steady widening of disparity of socioeconomic and health environment factors affecting health care at the county level, appear to be the key drivers of the slowdown we have seen since 2010."

The study is one of the first national analyses on factors related to disparities in premature cardiac death rates among U.S. counties.

In 2012, all United Nations-member countries including the U.S. committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature death from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases by the year 2025, as proposed by World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, The Global Cardiovascular Disease Taskforce, which includes the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology Foundation and other organizations, set a goal to reducing premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke (The Heart of 25 by 25).

In this study, premature cardiac death was defined as any death that occurred between ages 35 and 74 attributed to heart disease. Among the key findings:

Of nearly 1.6 million premature cardiac deaths from 1999 to 2017, about 61% occurred outside of a hospital. Although overall premature cardiac death rates fell, the proportion of out-of-hospital deaths rose from 58.3% to 61.5% in 2017. Twice as many premature cardiac deaths occurred in men compared to women. Premature death rates were 3.4 times higher among African Americans than Asians or Pacific Islanders. "Our findings suggest a need for health care policy changes and programs that can identify high-risk, young populations prone to premature cardiac death and support improved cardiac health," Zheng said.

"The decline in the reduction of premature deaths attributable to heart disease is disheartening and is an urgent call to action," said American Heart Association President Mitchell S. V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAHA, FAAN, professor of neurology and epidemiology at Columbia University New York and attending neurologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. "We must invest and focus public and private efforts to address the disparities in risk factors, access to care and other factors slowing the progress in heart disease so that we can increase the opportunity for all Americans to live longer and healthier lives."

"Heart attacks can occur at any age, not just in older persons," Zheng said. "The slower decline in out-of-hospital rates is alarming and warrants more precision targeting and sustained efforts to integrate lifestyle and behavioral interventions that increase heart health and reduce the risk of premature cardiac death."

Disparities were largely associated with demographic composition and socioeconomic status. Demographic composition, which included population size, rural living, sex, age, racial/ethnic and foreign-born as factors, accounted for just over a third of out-of-hospital and in-hospital premature cardiac deaths.

Differences in socioeconomic factors, which included median household income, unemployment, school enrollment and number of violent crimes per 100,000 population, accounted for about 20% of deaths.

Health care environment, which included density of primary care physicians; diabetic, Medicare enrollees who had diabetes confirmed by an HbA1c test; access to places for physical activity; and access to healthy foods, accounted for 18.6% of out-of-hospital and 13.9% of in-hospital deaths. While population health status, which included scoring according to the cardiovascular disease risk index derived from a set of major cardiovascular risk factors, self-rated poor/fair health and total Medicare reimbursements per enrollee (a measure of health care utilization as a proxy for illness), accounted for 23.7% of out-of-hospital death and 30.2% in-hospital deaths.

The study had several limitations including potential errors in the reporting of cause of death, which is reliant on county-level, government health department data.

###

Co-authors are Yinzi Jin, Ph.D.; Suhang Song, Ph.D.; Lin Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.; Michael G. Trisolini, Ph.D.; Kenneth A. Labresh, M.D.; and Sidney C. Smith, Jr., M.D. The authors reported no conflicts of interest or financial disclosures. The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Beijing Municipal Science Foundation.

Additional Resources:

Multimedia is on right column of the release link https://newsroom.heart.org/news/decline-in-u-s-cardiac-deaths-slowing-while-county-level-disparities-grow?preview=d1697f787ee737273a9fbda643305e1d

After July 23, 2020, view the manuscript online.

Eliminating Disparities in Cardiovascular Health

The Heart of 25 by 25: Achieving the Goal of Reducing Global and Regional Premature Deaths From Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke

Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews

Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Association @JAHA_AHA

Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association's policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations and health insurance providers are available at https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/aha-financial-information.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public's health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
In July 2020 India ordered more (number unspecified) Israeli SPICE (Stand-Off Precision Guidance Munition) 2000 smart bombs, for about $420,000 each. The new batch of SPICE bombs was ordered, like the similar 2019 order, using the EPP (Emergency Purchasing Powers) of the Defense Ministry. These emergency powers enable to Defense Ministry to order $67 million worth of weapons or equipment without parliamentary approval. The $67 million limit is for each purchase. The 2019 SPICE 2000 purchase cost $42 million. Parliament allowed EPP to save itself a lot of political problems by buying essential military equipment that the troops definitely needed. Such purchases, especially if the item had to be imported, create a lot of political opposition and delay. Imported items are the most difficult because that causes many politicians to insist that the item be procured in India, even it if that would take years and even then, the Indian manufacturer would probably deliver something inferior to the foreign alternative.

In this case, using EEP to get more smart bombs of proven worth also serves to show the enemy that Indian is doing something decisive. SPICE 2000 is certainly decisive. So much so that back in June 2019 a similar emergency order of a hundred SPICE 2000 bombs was made. That 2019 order was seen as final confirmation that the SPICE 2000 bombs were successful after being used for the February 26 2019 Indian airstrike on the Pakistani Balakot base. The target was the main Islamic terrorist training site in Pakistani Kashmir. India used its Mirage 2000 fighter-bombers, carrying six SPICE bombs for the mission. Five of those bombs were launched and one bomb came back still on a Mirage 2000, apparently because the prelaunch diagnostic system indicated some possible equipment problem with that bomb. This is another safety measure built into the SPICE penetrator bombs to ensure that nothing goes wrong with an airstrike that puts a premium on avoiding casualties to civilians near the target.

An Israeli manufacturer developed this variation on the American JDAM in 2005. SPICE added a camera in the nose, and the capability to store several digital photos of the target (a building, radar antennae, or a moving target, like a missile transporter) in the bomb. When SPICE gets close enough to see what's down there, the guidance camera compares what it sees in front of it with what is stored in its memory. If it gets a match, it heads right for it. If no target can be found, SPICE hits a specific GPS location or just self-destructs. SPICE equipped bombs have small wings and can be dropped up to 100 kilometers from the target. For the penetrator version of SPICE, the aircraft has to be closer and at a higher altitude.

SPICE costs about twice as much as JDAM kits and is similar to earlier (pre-JDAM), and much more expensive, U.S. smart bomb designs like Paveway. The latest version of SPICE has a much-improved guidance sensor (camera) and computer and can store up to a hundred images of potential targets as well as instructions on what to hit when there are multiple choices. Many of these images are of the same target from different angles.

India used the SPICE 2000 kit, which is built to be attached to a 906 kg (2,000 pound) dumb (unguided) bomb. Currently, the only Indian aircraft equipped to handle SPICE are some of their Mirage 2000s. India is equipping some of their Russian Su-30MKI aircraft to handle SPICE.

As for Balakot, Israel has used SPICE 2000 bombs against similar targets (multi-story brick or concrete buildings) and generally used the penetrator version of the bomb. This one has a hard metal (nickel-cobalt steel alloy) front end and a fuze that can count the number of levels the bomb penetrates before detonating a smaller quantity (80 kg/176 pounds) of explosives than the non-penetrator version carries. The penetrator is designed to destroy underground and above aboveground structures after penetrating at least three meters beneath the basement. This underground explosion produces an overpressure directed upwards into the intact building. That overpressure shockwave is strong enough to kill most people in the building but does not collapse the building or send debris flying outside the structure. Israel uses these bombs against concrete multistory buildings in Gaza. These structures are deliberately located in residential neighborhoods to discourage bomb strikes because if the target building is collapsed or blown up there will be casualties among nearby civilians. The SPICE penetrator can destroy the interior of such buildings, killing most of the inhabitants without causing much damage to surrounding buildings.

India knew of these SPICE capabilities and targeted the main building at Balakot, which is used for training as well as housing for terrorism trainees and staff. It was later discovered that at least 35 bodies were taken away from the camp and quickly (according to Islamic law) given funerals. Many more badly wounded people were taken out of the camp. News of some of those funerals got out, further discrediting Pakistani claims that there was no damage to buildings or any casualties. Eventually, higher resolution photos of the main target showed three small holes in the roof where the SPICE bunker-buster bombs entered. Comparison with pre-strike satellite photos also shows that the roof of that building had shifted, which is what happens when the bunker busters penetrate into the ground beneath the building before detonating and creating the fatal overpressure and leaving the building intact (but wrecked on the inside).

India revealed that the Mirage 2000 aircraft only crossed eight kilometers into Pakistan, at high altitude before releasing the bombs. The Indians could have released non-penetrator SPICE bombs from the Indian side of the border and allowed them to glide 60 kilometers to the target. But by releasing them from within Pakistan the SPICE bombs would be able to come straight down onto the target, which the SPICE bunker busters are designed to do. Satellite photos showed evidence of penetrator bombs, not the non-penetrator type which carries over five times as much explosives and depends on blast to blow structures apart.

Pakistan typically seeks to belittle Indian military attacks, if only because Pakistan has lost every war they have fought against India. Those defeats led to Pakistan establishing the sponsored Islamic terrorist program in the 1980s to carry out attacks against India with more success and some deniability. Since then India has compiled considerable evidence of the Pakistani use of Islamic terrorists based in the Pakistani portion of Kashmir. These bases trained Pakistani and Indian Moslems in terrorism techniques, then sends out try, and often die, to cross a heavily guarded (with patrols, sensors and troops equipped with night vision gear) border. Some of these Pakistani Islamic terrorists do make it across and are later taken, usually dead but sometimes alive and much has been learned about how these Islamic terrorists are recruited and trained.

Pakistan has been using these Islamic terrorist training camps since the 1980s to train Pakistanis and some Indian Moslems to sneak into Kashmir and establish Islamic terrorist operations against Indian security forces, non-Moslem civilians and any Kashmiri Moslems who were not willing to cooperate, or at least not protest openly, against all this Pakistan-sponsored violence. Most of the violence is on the border itself where there are a growing number of incidents of Pakistani troops firing across the border. Pakistan always blames the Indians for firing first but after decades of foreign observers were able to verify that the Pakistanis always fire first, such border violations no longer have any diplomatic benefit for Pakistan and are now used only to remind Pakistanis that India is a threat.

In the first half of 2020 India reported that there were over 1,200 Pakistani border (and ceasefire) violations in the northwest (Kashmir). This is part of a trend because these ceasefire violations had doubled in 2018 (compared to 2017) and were the highest in the last ten years and are continuing to increase in 2019. The 2018 Pakistani violence on the LoC that serves as the border left 38 Kashmiri civilians and 257 Islamic terrorist (infiltrators from Pakistan) dead as a result of 614 incidents. Most of the violence did not involve casualties. On the LoC there were 2,140 ceasefire violations on the LoC in 2018, up from 971 in 2017 and 449 in 2016. The 2018 violations led to 30 Indian civilians killed along with 20 military personnel. Pakistan has urged young Kashmiri Moslems to carry out violent (often just throwing rocks) attacks against Indian security forces in Kashmir. There were 664 of these attacks in 2018 compared to 342 in 2017 and 222 in 2014. So far this year, and for most of the last two years, the violence in Kashmir has caused the most terrorism related deaths in India.

Ordering more SPICE 2000 bombs sends a message that there may be more Indian retaliation against the terrorist training camps on the Pakistani side of the border.
Googles so-called console-killer Stadia is getting ready for a competition from the next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The new update makes the cloud-based gaming platform mobile friendlier.

Google is preparing for a big update to its cloud-based gaming platform as it plans to optimise Stadia for mobile networks such as 4G and 5G. This essentially means users can now play Stadia games on-the-go without requiring a Wi-Fi connection.

For now, the feature is still experimental. Interested users can opt-in for the new Stadia Experiment. To do so, go to your Stadia app and then tap on your avatar on the top right corner. Choose Experiments and then select Use Mobile Data.

Googles cloud-based Stadia had launched in November last year. Touted as the console-killer, Stadia received mixed reviews with many pointing out an inconsistency in the streaming quality. Since then, Stadia has grown in popularity.

Its Android app has already gone past 500,000 downloads on the Play Store. The catalogue has also expanded to add various popular titles such as Mortal Kombat and Electronic Arts Star Wars: Fallen Order and Madden NFL.

Apart from optimising the platform for 4G and 5G, Google also announced new games that will arrive on the Stadia Pro on August 1. Some of the top new titles are Strange Brigade, Kona, Metro 2033 Redux, and Just Shapes & Beats among others.

Google said Rock of Ages III will come to Stadia Pro later this month. PUBG Season 8 will come on July 30. It also announced a new sale on the top games.

That said, the latest update on Google Stadia comes days ahead of the official release of next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X. It will be interesting to see if an optimised Google Stadia can give the traditional consoles a good fight.
The state will invest another $43.5 million to get more laptops into the hands of students who need to access the internet.

Meeting at a Waterbury magnet school on Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont said the funds will purchase 50,000 laptops, create 200 public hot spots around the state and connect the homes of as many as 60,000 more students to the internet.

In 2020, it is paramount that every Connecticut student has access to high-speed internet, quality digital learning content and a reliable and effective learning device, Lamont said. Too often, students of color and those in low-income communities are disproportionately disadvantaged by not having access to the learning technologies they need.

The funding comes from the states portion of the federal CARES Act, the Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.

The state collected survey information earlier this spring on the number of students who needed laptops and at-home internet to complete distance learning assignments. Schools across the state closed to in-person learning in March when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Districts like Bridgeport have received thousands of laptops from various funding sources, including the Dalio Foundation. Most came as the spring semester was wrapping up.

Companies such as Altice USA/Optimum, Atlantic Broadband, Comcast, Cox and Charter will provide the internet access. The personal hot spots will be covered by cellular signal through the student hot spot provider Kajeet and be provided at no cost to the users.

In the fall, although schools have been directed to plan for in-person learning, it is apparent that at least some students will remain home, educators said.

Districts will begin receiving communication from the state this week about the process to receive the laptops, broadband vouchers or hotspots. Community sites will soon receive communication from CEN about hotspots, the state said.
Birmingham police are investigating a deadly shooting on the citys Southside.

South Precinct officers responded shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday to Underwood Park in the 1100 block of 26th Street South. Birmingham Sgt. Rod Mauldin said when officers arrived on the scene, they found the victim in her vehicle, which was lodged in the foliage.

She was in the drivers seat and was pronounced dead on the scene. Evidence in the park and parking lot indicated multiple shots had been fired, Maulding said. Several shell casing markers were placed in the lot, which is not far from the Red Mountain Expressway overpass, about a block from The Nick bar. The rear of the park is behind the St. Vincents Hospital parking deck.

At least one woman who lives nearby reported hearing the shots fired. Dozens of the victims family and friends rushed to the scene.

Right now our detectives are canvassing the area,' Mauldin said. We dont have many details of what took place.

Someone in the area called 911, but Mauldin said he didnt know whether there was anybody else in the park at the time of the shooting. He said it was too soon to tell if anyone had been in the vehicle with the victim prior to the slaying.

We dont know if this took place somewhere else and her vehicle came to a stop here or if it happened here,' Mauldin said. We are working hard but we need people to come forward with information.

The deadly shooting is the citys second on Tuesday and the third in less than 24 hours. Earlier Tuesday, a man was fatally shot about 12:20 a.m. in the 2300 block of Court R at Villas at Westridge apartment complex, said Sgt. Rod Mauldin. Before that, another man was shot to dead on the citys east side late Monday night.

Tonights shooting marks Birminghams 68th homicide this year. Of those, eight have been ruled justifiable and one accidental and therefore are not deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 97 homicides, including the 68 in Birmingham.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
New Delhi: Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 29) challenging the High Court's July 24 order for status quo on disqualification notice to 19 dissident Congress MLAs including dropped Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.

The Speaker is learned to have requested the top court to rein in the "indiscipline", contending that the High Court is violating the apex court verdict in Kihito Hollohan matter.

The plea said, "The impugned order of the High Court is a direct interference in the `proceedings of the House` under Para 6(2) of the Tenth Schedule which is prohibited, under Article 212 of the Constitution."

The apex court was also urged "to ensure that the authorities under the Constitution, including the judiciary, exercise its jurisdiction within the boundaries and function within their respective `Lakshman Rekhas` envisaged by the Constitution itself."

Citing the 13 questions put out by the High Court in its verdict, the plea said, "The ostensible 13 questions are repetitive. It is respectfully submitted that the 13 ostensible questions framed in the impugned order are already answered and part of settled law laid down by this court and on this ground too, the impugned order deserves to be set aside."

Earlier in the day, the Speaker also met Governor Kalraj Mishra amid the political turmoil in Rajasthan, which is facing a deadlock between the Raj Bhawan and the state government for calling the assembly session.

The Governor has returned the government's proposal for the third time to call the session.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also visited the Raj Bhawan and met the Governor. He is learned to have cleared another proposal to be sent to the Governor for summoning the assembly, saying the session should begin on August 14.

The new propsal now meets the 21-day notice requirement on which Governor Kalraj Mishra was insisting. The Cabinet is counting the days from July 23, when it made its first proposal. Earlier, the Gehlot government sought to convene the session from July 31.

Governor Kalraj Mishra, however, again returned the third proposal sent by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to convene assembly session.

On July 27, Mishra had said that Raj Bhavan never intended "not to call" the Assembly session asking the Ashok Gehlot government to deliberate on three points including a 21-day notice period for convening a session and maintaining social distancing norms.

He had said the statements from the state government make it clear that it wants to bring a trust vote but there is no mention of it in the proposal sent for convening the session.
JOHANNESBURG, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sasol is pleased to announce that Sasol South Africa Limited ("SSA"), a Major Subsidiary of Sasol, has signed an exclusive negotiation agreement with Air Liquide for the sale of its sixteen air separation units located in Secunda to Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa Proprietary Limited ("Air Liquide"). The proceeds will total approximately R8,5 billion.

The air separation units, which have a capacity of up to 42 000 tons per day, provide oxygen for Sasol's fuels and chemical production processes in Secunda as well as producing various other gases utilised at the site. Air Liquide will supply the gases to SSA's operations under a long-term gas supply agreement. It is anticipated that Air Liquide's expertise would allow, in coordination with Sasol, a targeted reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with the oxygen production over the coming years, which will contribute towards the GHG reduction for the overall Secunda site.

Air Liquide has been present on the Secunda site since 1979, and already owns and operates the seventeenth air separation unit, which was commissioned in January 2018. Air Liquide owning and operating the full air separation fleet is expected to provide optimisation of management of the assets and energy efficiency benefits.

The transaction remains subject to further due diligence, finalisation of relevant definitive agreements and associated internal and external approvals, including the Competition Commission and the South African Reserve Bank. The parties aim to negotiate final agreements by mid-August, and a further announcement will be made at that time. The transaction is currently expected to close within financial year 2021.

This transaction forms part of Sasol's accelerated divestment programme as part of Sasol's comprehensive response plan announced on 17 March 2020.

RELEASE OF TRADING STATEMENT UPDATE

Our accelerated asset disposal programme is impacting the completion of our year-end processes. We anticipate the release of a trading statement update early in August 2020.

FURTHER CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT

Sasol refers to the SENS announcements released on the Stock Exchange News Service ("SENS") on 17 March 2020, outlining a comprehensive response strategy designed to mitigate the impact of a lower oil price and COVID-19. The strategy includes a cash conservation programme, an accelerated and expanded asset disposal programme, as well as a potential rights issue of up to US$2 billion which remains subject to the progress of other initiatives. A further SENS announcement was released on 1 July 2020, updating investors on the progress regarding the asset disposal programme.

Sasol shareholders are advised that implementation of the response strategy is underway, the outcome of which may have a material effect on the price of the Company's securities. Accordingly, shareholders are advised to continue exercising caution when dealing in the Company's securities until full announcements on the disposal of the air separation units, the asset disposal programme and the potential rights issue are made.

For further information, please contact:

Sasol Investor Relations,

Feroza Syed, Chief Investor Relations Officer

Direct telephone: +27-(0)-82-557-7740

[email protected]

Disclaimer - Forward-looking statements

Sasol may, in this document, make certain statements that are not historical facts and relate to analyses and other information which are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements may also relate to our future prospects, expectations, developments and business strategies. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Sasol's business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and statements regarding the effectiveness of any actions taken by Sasol to address or limit any impact of COVID-19 on its business; statements regarding exchange rate fluctuations, changing crude oil prices , volume growth, increases in market share, total shareholder return, executing our growth projects (including LCCP), oil and gas reserves, cost reductions, our climate change strategy and business performance outlook. Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could", "may", "endeavour", "target", "forecast" and "project" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and there are risks that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. If one or more of these risks materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. You should understand that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors and others are discussed more fully in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed on 28 October 2019 and in other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The list of factors discussed therein is not exhaustive; when relying on forward-looking statements to make investment decisions, you should carefully consider both these factors and other uncertainties and events. Forward-looking statements apply only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Sasol Limited
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I have dealt with unstable knees since childhood. In December 2019, I noticed knee swelling, which would improve with rest. This flare-up was not unusual, except that the swelling and pain gradually became a routine fixture in my life. This was still pre-COVID, but winter is busy in the ICU, so I ignored my own health. We went on a trip to the beach in February, and I came back with a limp, and inability to navigate stairs and frequent knee instability.

I made an appointment with a local orthopedic surgeon and got an MRI in early March; this revealed a chronically subluxated patella, a large loose foreign body, and arthritis. Unfortunately, even I understood this meant surgery.

The shut down occurred in March, and I was unable to reach the surgeon (elective surgeries were canceled, and hence surgeons offices were closed; no response after multiple phone calls). I limped my way through 3 months in the COVID unit and finally got in to see a university-based surgeon, in June. He recommended MPFL ligament reconstruction. I would need six weeks to leave from work to recoup, and another six months of PT.

We saw a decline in COVID numbers. I talked to my boss, and we decided mid-July would work best for scheduling extended time off.

Thus, I started the FMLA process.

My boss directed me to contact the employee resource. I spoke to a representative and was directed to an external entity that administered FMLA for my organization. The most informative part of the process was my 20-minute contact with a representative, who detailed the 3-part process:

1. Approval of FMLA leave from the external FMLA entity. This would entail paperwork from my orthopod, detailing my procedure and leave. Once approved, it would confirm leave with my employer.

2. Contact the short-term disability insurance company. I was provided the customer service number, claim, and group number. I made sure to notate all instructions carefully.

3. Contact WA paid leave, which would supplement my short-term disability income. I was given the website and instructions to fill out the application online.

A few weeks later, I received forms for my doctor to fill outrepetitive, mind-numbing forms with redundant information and detail requirements. I contacted my doctors surgical coordinator. The orthopedic surgeon had a staff to fill out these forms: great use of overhead.

I perused the WA paid leave website and was utterly confused about why I needed to apply for this benefit when I had short term disability. I contacted the FMLA entity again, and they confirmed this benefit amount would be deducted from my short-term disability payment, whether I chose to apply or not. What a scam!

Was FMLA really this complicated? Did I really need to jump through all these hoops to justify the care of a serious health condition?

On further inquiry, employee resource informed me that they would direct someone with know-how to contact me via an online portal. A few days later, I received a cryptic response: Your case has been closed with the following resolution, and that I was to apply for WA paid leave. I was beyond annoyed. More time spent trying to reopen the case, and this time, I asked for a person to contact me directly. An employee resource representative called me a few days later and answered all my questions in a 10-minute call. I wish this had occurred weeks ago.

I created an account for WA state paid leave on the official website. There were the same medical forms that my doctor would need to fill. I contacted my doctors office, and they were super nice about thisround 2 of disability paperwork.

I received a letter from the short-term disability company, requiring more medical forms for my doctor to complete. Round 3 of disability paperwork! There were six pages for me to provide personal information like my SSN, bank account number, routing number, and legal mumbo jumbo disclaimers which required my acknowledgment with claim number/group number/name /signature/date repeated on each page since this information on one page would not suffice!

I then got a letter from the said company a week prior to surgery, stating my claim was not approved. I called them immediately. I was informed, that claims are not even examined till after confirmation of completion of the surgery, and to call back after surgery.

Surgery was 2 hours long, complicated by peri-operative hypotension, bradycardia, need for atropine and pressors. I managed to be discharged home that day.

I called the short term disability company the very next day. The representative asked me the same questions detailed in multiple forms that had been submitted a month prior, and that a claims adjuster would call me in 24 hours. I received that call 48 hours later. The claims adjuster left a long voicemail detailing that I would need to provide a voided check with my home address on it (I dont print my address on checks), that proof of my income would need to be obtained from my employer, and I would need to apply for WA paid leave. Here I was three days post-op still not sure if I would have an income during FMLA.

On returning the call, another representative informed me that I needed a signed letter from the bank confirming my address. They would not accept any other proof of address. I sent an email via a secure bank messaging center requesting such a letter. The bank declined; they could not email said letter. I would need to mail or fax a signed letter of request. OK, sure! Letter written and faxed! Post-op day 4.

I checked WA paid leave website daily. My case is still pending. I have no idea when it will be approved.

It is now post-op day 7. I am feeling better. I am still on crutches and dependent on others for basic self-care. I still do not have confirmation of income.

Rizwana Khan is a pulmonary and critical care physician and can be reached at DrKhanMDOnCall.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Apprentice star Linda Plant says that she 'doesn't believe in the new normal' and that healthy workers should go back into the office to help boost the economy.

Leeds-born businesswoman Linda, and CEO of We Love Work, Paris Petgrave, both based in London, appeared on Good Morning Britain today to discuss whether employees should return to the office.

CEO Linda - who runs property development and interior design businesses, as well as a training academy - believes that it's an employer's 'right' to decide how to 'run a business efficiently' as long as they create a safe environment.

Meanwhile, Paris argued that working from home can create 'happier, less stressed and economically healthy' employees.

Viewers were divided over the issue, however many agreed with Paris and felt being 'chained to a desk' is outdated, and that working from home creates a better 'home work balance' as well as saving money on commuting costs.

Apprentice star Linda Plant told on GMB this morning that she 'doesn't believe in the new normal' and that healthy workers should go back into the office to help boost the economy

CEO of We Love Work Paris Petgrave, from South London, felt that working from home can create 'happier, less stressed and economically healthy' employees

'Why do you need to get back into the office?' Paris said. 'This is a new normal, we live in a digital age. There is no going back, it's all about moving forward and creating a better environment for the employees.

'People have been successfully working from home for three months, in the city where people take 45 minutes commuting everyday, spending a fortune on travel when you could do your job very efficiently from your home, from a local cafe. '

Linda disagreed, insisting: 'We're not just talking about London here.

'As an employer I have the right to decide, as long as I have made it safe, I have the right to decide what is the best way to run my business efficiently.

Viewers were quick to take to Twitter with their views, with many arguing that employers need to be more 'people centric' in order to get the best out of their workforce

However some did agree with Linda, and insisting is is the responsibility of the employer to tell workers when to return to the office

'When furlough ends, there will be thousands of people out of work and I think if I believe my business is run best with my employees coming into work, in a safe environment, I should have the right to decide.

'I don't believe the new normal. We had to stay at home, we were locked down, our children were not at school. We didn't have choice, now we have choices. We need to get our economy back. Don't worry about being at home, we won't have a job'.

Viewers were quick to take to Twitter with their views, with many arguing that employers need to be more 'people centric' in order to get the best out of their workforce.

One wrote: 'Chained to a desk from 9-5 is so last century! Employers need to be people centric not policy driven. My employer is working with me to find the best way for me to be happy and productive. My work can be done from home. They get the best from by being person centred.'

Linda told host Ben Shepherd (pictured) that it's an employees responsibility to decide how to 'run a business efficiently

Another said: 'Many of us have worked from home successfully and have found its been more productive. Work life balance much better also as I have time to exercise and the added bonus of not spending 250 a month on petrol. My thoughts go back 1-2 days a week when this is over.'

A third wrote: 'Surely you should work with your staff to make sure they feel safe! If people can work from home, why make them go back in to a situation they they feel uncomfortably in?'

However some did agree with Linda, with one writing: 'If your boss has put precautions in place so you can return to work safely,and you cant work from home,then yes you should return to work. Some people I know have said they don't feel safe returning, but then have seen them on social media going to pub/restaurants/shopping etc.'

Linda continued to argue that it's employers have a responsibility 'to get the country moving'

Paris went on to say that employees are a companies 'best asset' and perform better when they're happier

Paris went on to say that employees are a companies 'best asset', while Linda continued to argue that it's employers have a responsibility 'to get the country moving'.

'We live in a digital age', said Paris. 'We are speaking to each other on a digital platform.

'It gives employees less stress, makes them economically healthier, we're talking about long term strategy here. This is much more inclusive and people are your best asset.'

Linda continued: 'We have to get the country moving, we have to make the environment safe. The financial consequences are dire.

'We have to make workplaces as safe as possible, but at the end of the day, we have to get our economy going or there will be no businesses, there will be no job, there will be no choice to work from home.'
Popular media personality, Toke Makinwa has denied owning a home on Banana Island, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. Rumours on social med...





Popular media personality, Toke Makinwa has denied owning a home on Banana Island, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.





Rumours on social media few days ago suggested that Makinwa owned a home on Banana Island and that the home was allegedly repossessed from her by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).





Makinwa has come out to say that she never owned a house on Banana Island talk less of AMCON taking over her property that did not exist.





Her lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, said what was published on social media were lies, as Makinwa had no house on the popular Island.





In a letter forwarded to PM News, Olumide-Fusika said my client has never owned or lived in any property on Banana Island. She is not the owner of any house (anywhere) that is a gift from any man, or acquired with diverted loan or other tainted fund.





He said there was no where Makinwa admitted to ever owning a property on Banana Island as stipulated in another story credited to Instablog that she threatened to sue the originator of the story.





Olumide-Fusika added that what online news portal that published the story should have done was to put a call to AMCON to verify the rumour before rushing to publish to gain traffic.




COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WOR) announced today that Andy Rose, President, and Joe Hayek, Vice President and CFO, will present at Jefferies 2020 Virtual Industrials Conference on Aug. 5 at 8:35 a.m. ET. They will provide investors with an update on the Companys operations, financial performance and growth strategy.



A live webcast of the event can be accessed at http://wsw.com/webcast/jeff133/wor/ or on the Worthington Industries website at ir.worthingtonindustries.com and will be available for one year.

About Worthington Industries

Worthington Industries (NYSE:WOR) is a leading industrial manufacturing company delivering innovative solutions to customers that span many industries including transportation, construction, industrial, agriculture, retail and energy. Worthington is North Americas premier value-added steel processor and producer of laser welded products; and a leading global supplier of pressure cylinders and accessories for applications such as fuel storage, water systems, outdoor living, tools and celebrations. The Companys brands, primarily sold in retail stores, include Coleman, Bernzomatic, Balloon Time, Mag Torch and Well-X-Trol. Worthingtons WAVE joint venture with Armstrong is the North American leader in innovative ceiling solutions.



Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Worthington operates 53 facilities in 15 states and six countries, sells into over 90 countries and employs approximately 7,500 people. Founded in 1955, the Company follows a people-first philosophy with earning money for its shareholders as its first corporate goal. Relentlessly finding new ways to drive progress and practicing a shared commitment to transformation, Worthington makes better solutions possible for customers, employees, shareholders and communities.

Safe Harbor Statement

The Company wishes to take advantage of the Safe Harbor provisions included in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the Act"). Statements by the Company which are not historical information constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Act. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those projected. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks, uncertainties and impacts described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those related to COVID-19 and the various actions taken in connection therewith, which could also heighten other risks.

Contacts:

SONYA L. HIGGINBOTHAM

VP, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND BRAND MANAGEMENT

614.438.7391 | sonya.higginbotham@worthingtonindustries.com

MARCUS A. ROGIER

TREASURER AND INVESTOR RELATIONS OFFICER

614.840.4663 | marcus.rogier@worthingtonindustries.com

200 Old Wilson Bridge Rd. | Columbus, Ohio 43085

WorthingtonIndustries.com
Courteney Cox has been missing her boyfriend as she quarantines away from him at home in Los Angeles.

But the Emmy nominee is managing to keep busy, as Hollywood gets back to work amid lockdown.

She went casual chic Tuesday in a black t-shirt, as she arrived for a meeting at an office building in Los Angeles, during a break from quarantine.

Casual chic: Courteney Cox went casual chic Tuesday in a black t-shirt, as she arrived for a meeting at an office building in Los Angeles, during a break from quarantine

The 56-year-old finished the look with some flared jeans, a pair of black flip flops and a black face mask.

She had her hands full with her black leather handbag and water bottle, as she handed her black Tesla over to the valet.

Courteney posted Friday to Instagram, wishing boyfriend Johnny McDaid a happy 44th birthday, after spending all of quarantine apart.

She wrote: 'Its been 133 days since we were last together. Covid sucks. Happy Birthday J. I loved our lunch/dinner (LA/London time) zoom date today. I miss you madly.'

Back in black: The 56-year-old finished the look with some flared jeans, a pair of black flip flops and a black face mask

Long-distance love: Courteney posted Friday to Instagram, wishing boyfriend Johnny McDaid a happy 44th birthday, after spending all of quarantine apart

Longtime friends: The Friends actress previously spent some time with co-star and longtime pal Jennifer Aniston, 51

Gal pals: They also reunited with Lisa Kudrow, 56, for a voting PSA, writing: 'Friends don't let friends skip elections'

The Friends actress previously spent some time with co-star and longtime pal Jennifer Aniston, 51.

She posted a selfie to Instagram in matching blue tie-dye face masks, as they cuddled up to her dogs Harley and Hopper.

They also reunited with Lisa Kudrow, 56, for a voting PSA, writing: 'Friends don't let friends skip elections.'

It comes ahead of the highly-anticipated Friends reunion special, which is supposed to tape later in the summer, after it was delayed at HBO Max, due to COVID-19.

Courteney told Kevin Nealon in February: 'We're going to have the best time. It's going to be great. We really haven't all done that and actually sat there and talked about and reminisced about this incredible experience that we had. It's going to be fantastic.'
I never imagined I would see what is happening in Portland. I've heard several comparisons of federal armed agents going against citizens in our streets to other historic events, such as Kent State. In 1989, my wife and I were "fortunate" to be able to tour cultural sites in the Beijing area. We were there three weeks before the Tiananmen Square massacre. We had spent hours visiting the square and communicating with children and families in the area before that and had no idea what was to come. When we returned home, it was gut-wrenching to see the violence erupt in the square, with the Chinese army against its citizens. Seeing the peaceful people around there was still fresh in my mind.

Some may think my comparing whats going on in Portland to Tiananmen Square as extreme, sort of like William Barr saying the reaction to George Floyds murder has been extreme. Thats offensive. I have the same gut-wrenching feeling in my stomach now as I did in 1989. Threats by our president to take these actions to other cities is a threat to our democracy, and we should all be very concerned about the future. I hope no one dies because of these actions. Frankly, while I am sure this is all about the upcoming election, it is also about distracting from criticism of our governments failures during this raging pandemic. We already know how many thousands have died as a result of those failures.

Steven Young, Beaverton
New Delhi: Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday (July 29) issued an order to convene the Assembly session from August 14, thereby putting an end to ongoing tussle between the Raj Bhawan and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The order has directed the Gehlot government to follow the guidelines issued to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the conduct of the Assembly Session.

"The Rajasthan Governor has approved the Cabinet proposal to call the assembly session from August 14," a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said, adding "He also gave verbal directions to make the necessary arrangements for the prevention of COVID-19 spread during the session."

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led government has sent another proposal to the Governor seeking to convene Assembly session. This was the fourth proposal being sent to Kalraj Mishra by the Gehlot government.

Earlier in the day, Mishra asked the state government to deliberate on the need for 21-day notice period and maintaining social distancing norms in case confidence motion is moved while returning the third proposal sent by Ashok Gehlot to convene an Assembly session.

Earlier on July 27, Kalraj Mishra said that Raj Bhavan had never intended "not to call" the Assembly session, asking the Gehlot government to deliberate on three points including a 21-day notice period for convening a session and maintaining social distancing norms.

The Governor earlier said that the statements from the state government make it clear that it wants to bring a trust vote but there is no mention of it in the proposal sent for convening the session.

The Congress earlier accused the Governor of bowing to pressure and hence not convening the session, a charge denied by Kalraj Mishra.

Rajasthan Congress is facing crisis in the wake of differences between Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot. Pilot was removed as the Deputy Chief Minister and the state unit chief of Congress.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi today filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court challenging the July 24 order of the High Court staying proceedings on disqualification petitions against former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and 18 Congress MLAs.

On Friday, Rajasthan High Court had ordered status quo on the disqualification notices sent by the Speaker, effectively barring the Speaker to proceed further on the notices under Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to disqualify the dissident MLAs, even if they do not submit their replies to it.

Joshi had on Monday withdrew his plea from the top court against the High Court order asking him to defer his decision on disqualification notices issued to Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs.

On July 23, the apex court held that the Rajasthan High Court can pass an order on Pilot and other MLAs` plea against disqualification notice issued against them by the State Assembly Speaker.

The notices were issued to Pilot and 18 MLAs under the anti-defection law after the chief whip`s application for their disqualification.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Prof Charles Arinzechukwu Igwe, has charged scholars to focus more on researches and publications that impact their local environment.

The Vice Chancellor wants a rethink of the contemporary research and publications efforts driven by the exigencies of Impact Factor requirements.

Igwe spoke while welcoming staff of the Department of Linguistics, Igbo & Other Nigerian Languages on a courtesy visit, led by the Head of Department, Prof Chris Uchenna Agbedo on Tuesday.

Igwe observed that his advocacy for homegrown research and publications explains his support for Nigerian languages option as part of the appraisals criteria for assessing teaching staff for promotion in the University of Nigeria.

For him, it makes little sense to insist that a scholar whose area of specialisation has to do with local languages, literature, cultures, history and the like must publish his research findings in a journal domiciled somewhere in Europe or America because it is being indexed by such big names as Thompson Reuter, Scimago, Scopus but which editorial policy does not reckon with issues relating to Africa.

He reiterated his readiness to support indigenous knowledge creation as it affects Nigerian languages literature and cultures and encouraged the Department to leverage on the Universitys central library and laboratory resources to enhance teaching and learning of Linguistics and Nigerian languages.

Earlier in his speech, the Head of Department, Prof Chris Agbedo informed the Vice Chancellor that they were on the courtesy visit to express their gratitude for a number of positive developments recorded by the Department since the inception of Prof Igwes administration especially in the key areas of appointments, staff promotion, career development, and full accreditation of the linguistic programme of the Department.

Highlights of the occasion were presentations of gift to the Vice Chancellor by the Department, the award of honour on behalf of the Department to the former Head of Department and current Director, Center for Igbo Studies, Prof Roseline Ijeoma Okorji by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Igwe.

Prof Igwe deeply appreciated the kind gesture of the Department and extolled the giant strides recorded by the Department during the three year tenure of Prof Agbedo as the Head of Department. The event had in attendance the DVC Administration, Prof Pat Okpoko, DVC Academic, Prof Johnson Urama, a representative of the university Registrar, Acting university Librarian, Dean of Students Affairs, Prof Omeje, Director of University Press Limited, Prof E S. Ikeokwu, Supervisor Presidential Lodge, Prof E. E. Mbah, other professors, and other senior academics and administrative staff of the university including the university PRO, Dr Okwun.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Russias Bashkortostan exported over 41,000 tons of sugar to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in the first half of 2020, Trend reports citing the Russian Exporters Association.

During the mentioned period, Bashkortostan exported sugar worth $15.1 million.

Bashkortostan's sugar exports increased eight times in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2019. The increase in exports was due to overproduction of sugar.

In the period from January through May 2020, Uzbekistan became the largest importer of Russian sugar.

Exports of Russian sugar in the period from January through May 2020 increased 13 times (to 619,000 tons) in volume and 10 times - in value (to $245 million) compared to the same period in 2019.

Earlier, the two largest sugar factories in Uzbekistan, Angren Shakar LLC and Khorezm Shakar LLC, have ceased operations.

In May 2020, it was reported that the Angren Shakar LLC plant produced hundreds of tons of sugar, which was being stored at warehouses. According to the plant workers, demand for local sugar has fallen after cheaper sugar was brought to the Uzbek market from abroad.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
A top bureaucrat warned the NSW government last year that problems within the state-owned insurer icare could devolve into a crisis and urged them to act.

Former NSW Finance Department secretary Martin Hoffman issued the warning as the independent regulator, the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), was investigating icare's workers' compensation scheme.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has defended icare's board amid concerns about the agency's mismanagement and underpayment of injured workers. Credit:Edwina Pickles

In a June 2019 email to Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello's office and SIRA executives, Mr Hoffman said the developing situation with icare needed "decisive engagement".

"I'd just make the personal comment that the scheme situation can get way out of hand really quickly. Not a time I think when govt/public service (sic) can be slow and cautious or we get in another 12-18 months a real crisis," Mr Hoffman wrote.
When Mark Carney took over at the Bank of England in 2013 he was the first foreign governor in its history. The Financial Times described him as the new broom. The Independent dubbed him a dark horse. Yet Carney saw himself as not so very different from his predecessors. As he said in a speech last year: Im the 120th in a very long line of male, white governors of the Bank.

While in office, Carney spoke out about the importance of racial diversity in organisations. At a Bank of England workshop on Investing in Ethnicity and Race, he stressed the value of diverse decisionmaking bodies, warning that homogenous groups are vulnerable to over-optimism, bias and groupthink. And yet, since leaving Threadneedle Street, Carney has been quietly elected to one of the most eerily homogenous decision-making bodies in the world: the steering committee of the Bilderberg Group.

This influential forum held its first conference in Holland in 1954, under the chairmanship of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, and is still going strong. The organisation is run by a steering committee packed with billionaires, corporate CEOs and oil company directors; 34 global notables, including the editor-in-chief of Bloomberg, the president of the World Economic Council and the chairman of Goldman Sachs International. A giddying amount of wealth, talent and power  but somehow theres only one black person, the high-profile investor, diversity campaigner, and wife of George Lucas, Mellody Hobson.
Ejaz Kaiser By

Express News Service

RAIPUR: During the COVID-19 pandemic in Chhattisgarh, the gender gap on labour participation in the anti-poverty scheme of MGNREGA reduced with 50 per cent of work being offered to women.

The women in the state made up for 50.75 per cent of the workforce during the first four months of the current financial year of 2020-21. According to the official record, over 24.28 lakh women secured the jobs as safety nets during the different phases of lockdown.

Owing to the overall slowdown in the economic activities across the nation besides challenges owing to Covid-19 pandemic, the MGNREGA programme provided a very solid support system for the rural households collectively even through their womenfolk. After the monsoon season ends and agriculture activities gets over, the opportunities under the public wage scheme will again be available to them. We believe the participation of women will further rise in Chhattisgarh," affirmed Gaurav Dwivedi, principal secretary (panchayat and rural development).

Till now Chhattisgarh has achieved over 70 per cent of the target under sanctioned labour budget of MGNREGA, he stated.

"There is no gender parity issues on labour participation in Chhattisgarh and the state witnesses high women participation," the officer added.

Chhattisgarh has generated Rs 9.17 crore paid employment out of which the women secured Rs 4.65 crore. The MGNREGA Act stipulates that one-third of the beneficiaries are to be female workers over receiving 100 days of employment annually.

Interestingly during the last four years, the intensity of women participation remained high (See Table) in the state and it apparently led to preventing of the migration of women and their families in search of work or livelihood.

Durg district with 64 per cent took the lead in the state on providing maximum employment to women followed by Balod (62), Rajnandgaon (59), Raipur (54), Bastar (52) while the districts of Bilaspur, Dhamtari, Kondagaon and Narayanpur offered 51 per cent each.

Table: Women participation in MNREGA
The cooperation with Navitas has perfectly matched the company's continuous exploration and pursuit of new products, new materials, new processes and new technologies. We are excited to see Navitas' company vision and excellent technology

Navitas Semiconductor today announced the delivery of its 5 millionth gallium nitride (GaN) power IC based on its GaNFast technology to OPPO, the worlds leading fast-charge phone company. Mr. Yingying (Charles) ZHA, VP and General Manager of Navitas China delivered the 5 millionth IC in the form of an award to Mr. Chang LIU, Dean of the OPPO Research Institute, indicating OPPO's affirmation of Navitas GaNFast technology, and the new material's enabling of the second revolution in the field of power supply and fast chargers.

OPPO is the pioneer in the fast charging market, from the earliest and popular VOOC flash charging protocol, "five minutes to charge and two hours to talk". The next generation of SuperVOOC has increased the fast charging power of the mobile phone to an unprecedented 125W and the technological innovations are endless. OPPO's latest generation of lightweight fast-charge products uses Navitas GaNFast power ICs to overturn the traditional, bulky, slow, silicon-based charger market and shrink up to 12x vs. silicon-based chargers.

Mr. Chang LIU, Dean of OPPO Research Institute, said: "The cooperation with Navitas has perfectly matched the company's continuous exploration and pursuit of new products, new materials, new processes and new technologies. We are excited to see Navitas' company vision and excellent technology. We also hope to promote the development of gallium nitride technology through in-depth cooperation and accelerate the commercialization of the third generation of band-gap semiconductors."

Mr. Yingying ZHA, VP and General Manager of Navitas China, said: "I am very pleased that OPPO, as a top mobile device manufacturer, has adopted fast charger technology based on GaNFast power ICs. Navitas GaN Power ICs with monolithic integration of GaN FET, GaN digital and GaN analog circuits can promote the commercialization of a new generation of high-frequency, high-efficiency and very high-density power converters in a faster way. Navitas is very fortunate to provide GaNFast Power ICs for OPPOs new generation of fast-charging technology, helping OPPO products improve user experience and technological innovation. GaNFast Power IC are utilized in OPPO's world-beating 50W Mini SuperVOOC fast charger, 110W Mini SuperVOOC fast charger and other products and technology platforms, presenting a brand-new form-factor standard.

About OPPO:

OPPO launched the first "smiley phone" in 2008, which started the exploration and lead the journey to the ultimate beautiful technology. At present, OPPO allows consumers around the world to enjoy the most beautiful technology with smart terminal products with Find and R series mobile phones as the core, and internet services such as OPPO+.

Corporate Vision: To be a healthier and longer-lasting enterprise.

Corporate mission: Let extraordinary hearts enjoy the most beautiful technology.

Corporate values: duty, user orientation, pursuit of ultimate results orientation

About Navitas

Navitas Semiconductor is the world's first GaN power IC company. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Ireland, with R&D centers in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Los Angeles in the United States. Navitas has a strong and growing team of power semiconductor industry experts with rich experience in materials, devices, applications, systems and marketing, plus a proven record of innovation with over 300 patents among its founders. GaN power ICs monolithically-integrate power, analog and logic circuits to enable faster charging, higher power density and greater energy savings for mobile, consumer, enterprise, eMobility and new energy markets. Over 100 Navitas patents are issued or applied.

Navitas Semiconductor, GaNFast and the Navitas logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Navitas Semiconductor, Inc. All other brands, product names and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners.
Citibank Korea CEO Park Jin-hei, right, poses with Habitat for Humanity Korea Chairman Yoon Hyung-joo, after donating 100 million won to the organization, at a construction site in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Citibank Korea's executives and employees took part in the organization's volunteering program the same day. / Courtesy of Citibank
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Queensland Health has issued public health alerts for 11 locations across Brisbane's south and CBD after two returned travellers went about their lives for a week before returning positive COVID-19 tests, with one new case already linked to the pair.

The extensive contact tracing effort comes as the state's teachers union called for urgent talks with chief health officer Jeannette Young about the health advice on schools, after the "debacle" at a private college in Logan where one worked as a cleaner.

The woman and her friend, both aged 19 from Logan and Acacia Ridge, returned to Brisbane on July 21 from Melbourne, via Sydney, and allegedly failed to tell Queensland border authorities they had been in the declared hotspot.

A third new case of COVID-19 was confirmed by health authorities just hours later in a 22-year-old after school care worker at YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care, who was a close contact of the two.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 27.07.2020 - On Monday 27 July 2020, recently named SDC Director General Patricia Danzi took stock of her work at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). At a media event held at the Swiss Humanitarian Aid warehouse in Wabern, she reflected on her first few months at the helm of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and explained the agency's upcoming priorities.

On 1 May 2020 Patricia Danzi took up her new post as SDC director general. She did so in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is hitting developing countries particularly hard. To address the crisis, Switzerland has allocated additional funds for partner countries and international organisations, and the SDC has adapted existing programmes. "We responded swiftly and unbureaucratically. The COVID-19 crisis remains a major challenge and will keep us busy for some time to come. The pandemic shows how important it is for Switzerland to help reduce global risks and strengthen health systems in developing countries. The crisis shows us the great value of having robust systems in place," notes Danzi.

Patricia Danzi hopes to be soon able to meet with her colleagues in the representations abroad and with partners around the world. The COVID-19 crisis has prevented her from travelling abroad. "The Swiss representations in the SDC's priority countries are extremely important to me. Our colleagues have established an excellent network of contacts and know the needs of our partner countries and their populations," says Danzi.



Switzerland's new international cooperation strategy

One of Patricia Danzi's priorities this year is to lay the groundwork for the introduction of Switzerland's new international cooperation strategy (IC Strategy 202124). The strategy is currently being deliberated in Parliament: it was adopted by a wide margin by the National Council during the summer session, and the Council of States will decide on it in the coming autumn session. If the Council of States also approves it, the strategy will be implemented from 2021. The strategy is specifically framed to ensure that international cooperation can be flexibly adjusted to new challenges. This approach has proven effective, as the COVID-19 crisis has shown. "The strategy comprises various mechanisms to enable us to respond in a targeted manner and for as long as necessary to events such as the COVID-19 crisis. We have a broader scope for action than most other donor countries. Switzerland maintains a presence and will continue to do so when our partners need us most. We are there for them for the long term. Switzerland may be a small country, but it has considerable multilateral leverage and Swiss Humanitarian Aid is able to respond quickly and effectively," notes Danzi.

The IC Strategy 202124 strengthens the focus of development cooperation and makes it more effective. It is based on criteria that reflect the needs of local communities, Switzerland's long-term interests and the added value offered by Swiss international cooperation in international comparison. It attaches even more importance than previous strategies to global challenges such as combating climate change and its impacts. Switzerland is working with all states to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda are implemented. Switzerland has earned considerable credibility because of its strong track record with respect to most of these 17 goals, adds Danzi.



A strong mandate is a major asset

Patricia Danzi draws a positive assessment of her first 100 days as head of the SDC. "I feel good about where I am. I was very well briefed and made to feel welcome. We have a strong mandate, based on our country's constitution, which puts people's needs and poverty reduction at the heart of our work. I see that as a big plus. I have much to learn. It's a big job with big responsibilities." Danzi underlined that her previous work, in particular her experience in the field, should stand her in good stead at the SDC, be it in negotiations, as a listener and in her daily work.

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

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Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




(TNS)  Several titans of Big Tech are slated to testify before Congress on Wednesday, as the House antitrust subcommittee investigates concentration across the digital realm.The chief executives of four of the most prominent technology firms in the world  Google's Sundar Pichai, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Apple's Tim Cook  are expected to answer questions about their business practices and market dominance. Though their businesses represent new-age innovations, including search engines, smartphones and social media, the criticisms they face bring to mind those lodged by "trustbusters" against late 19th-century industrial barons.Since last June, the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on antitrust issues has been investigating "the dominance of a small number of digital platforms and the adequacy of existing antitrust laws and enforcement," as a joint statement from committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) put it. The panel is one of several fronts on which the tech industry is battling against the prospect of government regulations.Critics of the technology giants welcomed the scrutiny in a conference call with reporters Tuesday. The hearing "comes on the heels of a yearlong investigation that is looking deeply into the market power and the business models and the conduct of these four corporations," said Sarah Miller, co-chair of the advocacy group Freedom From Facebook & Google. "And that is something that has not really been done in decades."The subcommittee members could go beyond the topic of antitrust regulation and digital monopolies. The four companies are implicated in a host of other issues  including labor practices, domestic surveillance and online censorship  some of which have become increasingly contentious in an election year that has had both parties taking shots at Big Tech.When Zuckerberg testified before the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees in 2018 , for instance, the discussion touched not only on data privacy  the focus of the hearing  but also on disinformation, political bias and even the basics of Facebook's business model.The scope of the House hearing could easily expand because the four CEOs lead radically different companies. With all four being questioned at once  and remotely  some worried that the committee members won't be able to question the witnesses as aggressively or in as much depth as they otherwise might."The weirdness of the hearing is that we'll have all these four CEOs together," Fordham Law School associate professor Zephyr Teachout said on the press call. "I think of the great 1950s hearings into the mob  having the heads of four families all lined up together on a livestream, all answering questions at the same time."All four companies face complaints of monopolistic behavior, though the practices in dispute vary greatly.Facebook is criticized for its acquisitions of other social media and messaging firms, expanding laterally with strategic purchases of platforms including Instagram, WhatsApp and Giphy . It's also drawn fire for practices viewed as unfairly targeting competing platforms, such as copying core features of photo-messaging app Snapchat or preventing users of a short-lived video app, Vine, from using Facebook data to find their friends.Google and Amazon are under scrutiny for their roles in specific online marketplaces  Google with its various digital advertising services and Amazon with its massive shopping platform, where it also sells its own goods in competition with third-party retailers.The swipes at Apple are more narrow, concerning the company's dual role in both selling hardware such as iPhones and operating the marketplace for software for the devices. In May 2019, the Supreme Court cleared the way for lawsuits against Apple for compelling its users to buy apps through its App Store, and taking a 30% commission in the process."U.S. antitrust authorities need to consider whether these or other digital service companies are protected by barriers constructed by anti-competitive behavior, and take appropriate remedial action where required," wrote Marc Jarsulic, chief economist at the liberal Center for American Progress.Notably absent from the proceedings will be Microsoft. The company and CEO Satya Nadella have escaped some of the "techlash" of recent years. However, the messaging platform Slack recently filed an antitrust complaint in Europe over Microsoft's competing platform Teams, and hasn't ruled out pursuing action in the United States.Europe has aggressively regulated tech platforms. The European Union launched antitrust investigations into Apple's Apple Pay platform and App Store in June, has also targeted Amazon and Facebook , and hit Google with a $2.6-billion antitrust fine.As concern has grown among Democrats and Republicans about the power and scale of the tech giants, the House Judiciary Committee has not been the only governmental body hinting at aggressive regulations of the industries.Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission issued orders to all four companies as well as Microsoft for information on their acquisitions of start-ups between 2010 and 2019, suggesting concern that the tech giants bought up potential competitors early to keep the playing field clear.Last summer the Department of Justice began another antitrust investigation, citing widespread concerns about reduced competition and innovation in the online "search, social media, and some retail services" sectors. And state attorneys general across the country also have opened joint investigations into potentially monopolistic behavior at Google and Facebook specifically.
Heidi Klum has a beauty secret she wants to share with the world.

The 47-year-old America's Got Talent judge says she swears by the use of a certain product that has stopped the clock for her.

'I love using just plain, old coconut oil that you get in the supermarket,' she told Who What Wear. 'Especially in Los Angeles right now, everything is so dry and I'm outside a lot. I love to lather up some coconut oil in my hair and on my body too.'

Dynamo: Heidi Klum has a beauty secret she wants to share with the world. The 47-year-old says she swears by the use of a certain product that has stopped the clock for her. 'I love using just plain, old coconut oil that you get in the supermarket,' she told Who What Wear

Easy to find: The former Victoria's Secret supermodel also says it's a bargain. Coconut oil can be found in supermarkets for about $8 a jar; here is a stock image of a generic choice

The former Victoria's Secret supermodel also says it's a bargain. Coconut oil can be found in supermarkets for about $8 a jar.

'It's so inexpensive and it just makes everything feel so yummy and nourished,' added the mother of four.

'In general, I like going more towards the natural things instead of the sorts of products that are full of perfumes and astringents.'

She has a youthful glow: The cover girl seen in an Instagram post from this week

She has maintained her figure too: Seen here at home getting her hair done

The cover girl also said: 'I really love trying all of those things but very rarely do I actually stick with it. I'd rather use coconut oil.'

Heidi also said beauty 'comes down to common sense'.

The international supermodel feels that the 'basics' - including eating well and drinking lots of water - are the 'most important' when it comes to a successful routine.

Curvy gal: The supermodel feels that the 'basics' - including eating well and drinking lots of water - are the 'most important' when it comes to a successful routine. Seen earlier this month at home

COCONUT OIL FACTS Coconut oil is a tropical oil derived from the flesh of coconuts It comes in both virgin and refined coconut oil which has a more neutral smell Coconut oil is made of mostly saturated fat (its 83 percent saturated fat) The American Heart Association recommends that an average person who eats 2,000 calories per day limit their saturated fat intake to 13 g The pil can be used in hair as an in-shower mask to add moisture On skin, coconut oil can be used as a lip balm or as a body moisturizer. Extra-virgin coconut oil is your best bet when youre using it for your body or hair. Coconut oil is good at clearing staphylococcus aureus (or a staph infection) from the skin Information courtesy of www.everydayhealth.com Advertisement

The wife of musician Tom Kaulitz said: 'A lot of beauty comes down to common sense.

'I get bombarded with products from all over the world, and I love trying all of those different things, but for me, the basics are most important.

'When I eat well and keep hydrated I can see the difference in my face when I look in the mirror.

'You've got to look in the mirror and see if there is something up. That way, you know if you breakout it could be because of the garbage you ate.

'If you look dry and your skin doesn't snap back, you're not hydrated. If you just look at yourself and listen, you know what to do.'

Klum is also happy in love.

The star and Tom became a public item in 2018, before marrying last February during a private ceremony in Los Angeles.

The duo had a second wedding aboard the yacht Christina O, named after the late daughter of Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

The pair wed in 2019 after meeting through a mutual friend.

Klum previously welcomed her first child, Helene Boshoven Samuel, 15, in 2004 with Italian businessman, Flavio Briatore, 69.

After marrying Seal in 2005, he legally adopted Helene.

Seal and Heidi also share kids Henry Gunther, 14, Johan Riley, 13, and Lou Sulola, 10. They called it quits in 2014.
An Interview With the Father of the Chinese Democracy Movement

Wei Jingsheng was recognized in Mike Pompeo's historic speech on China

For 18 years, Wei Jingsheng was imprisoned in China. His crime? An essay posted on a wall in Chinas capital.

As a young man, he authored a piece titled The Fifth Modernization, vocally critiquing the Chinese Communist Partys authoritarian governance. His essay emphasized the need for democracy to achieve a true modernization of China.

We want to be masters of our own destiny. We need no gods or emperors. We do not believe in the existence of any savior. We want to be masters of the world and not instruments used by autocrats to carry out their wild ambitions. We want a modern lifestyle and democracy for the people. Freedom and happiness are our sole objectives in accomplishing modernization. Without this fifth modernization all others are merely another promise  Wei Jingsheng, 'The Fifth Modernization'

In the essay, he boldly decried Deng Xiaoping as a dictator, who at the time was the most powerful figure in Communist China. Regardless, Wei boldly signed his essay with his real name and address, publicly posting it onto the 1978 Democracy Wall in Beijing. During Chinas Democracy movement, that wall served as a quasi-Twitter of the times. People from all over China plastered opinions and poetry and thoughts on the Democracy Wall.

The essay soon became famous.

For his words, he was arrested at 29, spending a total of 18 years of his life in Chinas labor prisons until the age of 47. In 1997, he was deported to the United States under the pretense of seeking medical help. Once in the United States, he immediately continued his advocacy for Chinese democracy by starting the Wei Jingsheng Foundation to promote the democratization of China.

On July 23, Secretary of Mike State Pompeo delivered a historic address calling for the free world to confront the CCP. Wei, who was present at the address, was commended and recognized as the father of the Chinese democracy movement by Pompeo.

At 70 years old, Wei has dedicated 40 years of his life advocating for Chinese democracy.

Weve been working so hard for so long, trying to convince the U.S. government to see the face of the Chinese Communist Party. Finally, they see the truth. Finally, they are acting. So many are saying, finally, China has hope again. It feels really good, Wei said with a smile in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times.

The original interview has been translated from Mandarin to English. Here, Wei shares his thoughts on key issues surrounding the U.S.-China standoff:

Q: What are the key points of Pompeos speech?

Wei: The main point. The first is that the administrations mindset has shifted. They emphasized the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people are not the same thing. He repeatedly emphasized that we are very supportive of the Chinese people and support them in fighting for democracy and freedom. Therefore, Wang Dan and I were invited to emphasize this truththe Chinese Communist Party is different from the people who resist its tyranny.

The second point is the need to protect the various American properties: intellectual property and freedom of its people. The concept that values are higher than the draw for businesses to make money.

Business still has to continue, but business is not the most important thing anymore. Why did the previous administrations always kneel down to China? It was because it put pressure on American businesses. In order to do business, they were willing to give up anything. Many American values were abandoned.

One of the main points of Pompeos speech is that we must defend freedom, not only for the United States, but for the whole world. He said that if we dont end the CCPs tyranny, the CCP will end us.

This is a very important point. It shows that U.S. foreign policy has completely adjusted.

Q: In response to Pompeos speech, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that 93 percent of Chinese support the Chinese Communist Party. What do you think about that figure?

Wei: It must be said that they were forced to support the Communist Party.

It means 93 percent of Chinese dare not speak. Even so, there are still 7 percent who oppose the CCP. Seven percent dare to speak? Not a small number, it means nearly 100 million Chinese people dare to resist. This is very important information. Those who dare not speak are those who do not dare to be angry. Its not really supporting the Communist Party.

Q: Why do you think the United States only now realizes that the Chinese Communist Party does not represent Chinese people?

Wei: We have been talking about it for decades, but politicians in Western countries deliberately ignore our statement in order to maintain friendly relations with China to do business with China. In fact, they must understand in their hearts: how can Chinese people like the CCP?

In truth, they need the Communist Party to oppress Chinese people so they can access cheap labor. This is their interest. Under this interest, they gave up their values.

But now, they have discovered that if you sacrifice your values to make money, you soon lose your own freedom. So Pompeo also addressed the issue of saving the free world. This is a serious struggle of life and death.

Q: What do you think about the consulate closings between the United States and China?

Wei: Actually, due to the policy of tolerance of the previous U.S. administrations towards the CCP, the CCP has been getting away with committing crimes in America.

In fact, American society, including police forces in the U.S., such as many FBI officials, kept these matters private. They also said that it could not be tolerated but were helpless to act.

There was pressure from above not to offend China. Therefore, the CCP became more and more unscrupulous and reckless under the United States laissez-faire policy. The backlog has accumulated for years.

The first step in US policy is not only the State Departments diplomacy, but many other aspects. This is what the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Justice are all working on now. The grievances of the Communist Party are too rampant.

This rebound is a rebound of pressure that has accumulated for a long time.

Q: Do you think its likely that all Chinese consulates in the United States will be closed? Or vice versa?

Wei: I dont think its possible. The Chinese Communist Party doesnt want to fight. For the sake of face, it also has to close a consulate in response to the U.S. shutting down the Chinese consulate in Houston.

Originally, the pro-communist trade union in Hong Kong still signed a request to close the Hong Kong U.S. consulate, and then some people asked to close Shanghai. Yet, the CCP closed one of the most remote U.S. consulates in Chengdu. The CCP said this will make the United States suffer, a lot.

What is the loss for the United States? Now, the entire southwest region has to travel a long way away to apply for visas to the United States. The Chinese suffer.

Q: Did you personally give Pompeo any other suggestions?

Wei: After the speech, a few of us individually talked to Pompeo.

I asked whether the Consulate closures will impact U.S. foreign policy. Secretary Pompeo explained to me that even if there were no US embassies or consulates left in China, these policies would not be changed. He was absolutely resolute.

For suggestions, I mentioned one of the most important issues that everyone is most concerned about. I said that the Chinese people cheered on the Internet and support the U.S. policy. But some Chinese people are worried about whether the U.S. will uphold these policies.

He explained repeatedly that the U.S. policy is very firm.

Q: In Hong Kong, many are worried that if the Democratic Party wins the presidential election, the United States will change its China policy and stop supporting Hong Kong. Can you elaborate on this?

Wei: Many people in the United States also raised this question. At the scene, Pompeo first explained in detail that this policy was not formulated by him alone, nor solely by the State Department, but by several major departments that took their time in finalization.

Secondly, this policy has received firm support from both political parties, unanimous support. In his explanation, he re-emphasized that previous sanctions on Xinjiang and Hong Kong all passed unanimously. This China policy has unanimous support from both parties!

The meaning is to imply that even if the ruling party changes in the United States, the policy will not change anymore.

Q: Do you have any thoughts on the situation in Hong Kong?

Wei: There was no direct mention of issues such as Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet during Pompeos speech. Even a Xinjiang leader who was present at the speech did not mention very specific issues in Xinjiang.

We are talking about the general situation of the Chinese Communist Party, and to what extent U.S. policy will stabilize. Everyone has noticed that the consulate in Houston has been closed. This shows that the United States is resolute.

The question now is, will China gradually escalate?

The current performance of the Chinese government is relatively contracted and restrained. The CCP knows that if you remain stubborn and break relations with the United States, will you be able to inevitably fight a war? Even the renowned anti-American Chinese generals said that they absolutely cannot fight the United States, or even Taiwan.

In this situation, many in the Chinese Communist Party are not stupid. They often say that the Communist Party is evil, but not stupid.

In the past, many politicians turned to the Communist Party when under threat. Under the pressure of political donations, U.S. policy has consistently made concessions to the CCP.

Now at the point where even the United States own legal system cannot be enforced in its own country, the United States has awakened. The CCP is very afraid. If the relationship cant be managed, it is very dangerous to the CCP.

Therefore, the CCP is not only more restrained on the issue of consulates, but also on the issue of Hong Kong. No one has quashed the opposition and people in Hong Kong. This is great for the people of Hong Kong. Everyone has to keep fighting and not give in. You have to have the right attitude so that people can help you. If you dont work hard, how can others help you, right?

I have repeatedly said this to my friends in Hong Kong. You have to fight for yourself. How can it be possible to get good things without paying the price? You have to be prepared to pay a price.

Q: As a veteran pro-democracy activist who has struggled with the Communist Party for decades, how should Hong Kong fight for its freedom?

Wei: I think there are various ways to fight. Not only with the street protests, but of course, the street protests are good.

It is very important to protect the existing rule of law in Hong Kong, because not all people in the judiciary have been completely taken over by the Communist Party.

Many people still have a conscience. How to support and protect them is to protect the people of Hong Kong themselves. This is very important. Freedom of speech and individual rights in Hong Kong must be protected through the courts, through the judiciary, through the protection of conscientious judges of the judiciary, etc.

This is a very important direction of the struggle. Remind everyone that they are all important. Without these basic guarantees of individual freedom, all so-called democratic elections are fake.

Hong Kong people should also think about how to protect inalienable rights, protect their friends who have been arrested, and protect friends who have been punished for speaking out.

The load of Hong Kong people is still very heavy.

Hong Kong is todays Berlin. The Chinese Communist Party wants to maintain a Berlin wall between China and Hong Kong. But they need to find a way to tear down that wall. Hong Kongs fight will tear down that Berlin wall.
HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Seadrill Limited ("Seadrill" or the "Company") announces that Performance Share Unit awards ("PSUs") and Restricted Share Unit awards ("RSUs", and together with the PSUs referred to as "Awards") granted to employees and other Award holders under the Company's incentive plans have been offered surrendered in exchange for a one-off compensatory cash payment to such holders (the "Payment").

The primary insiders of the Company have held in total 510,234 PSUs and 188,369 RSUs. The Payment to primary insiders of the Company amounted to in total USD 210,122, with a payment per PSU and RSU surrendered of USD 0.22353 and USD 0.51, respectively. The allocation of the Payment to primary insiders is set out below.

Peter Sharpe (Director) had a holding of 0 PSUs and 47,457 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total USD 24,203 . Following Payment, Peter Sharpe holds 1,701 shares and no Awards in the Company.

(Director) had a holding of 0 PSUs and 47,457 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total . Following Payment, holds 1,701 shares and no Awards in the Company. Kjell-Erik Ostdahl (Director) had a holding of 0 PSUs and 47,457 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total USD 24,203 . Following Payment, Peter Sharpe holds 1,701 shares and no Awards in the Company.

(Director) had a holding of 0 PSUs and 47,457 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total . Following Payment, holds 1,701 shares and no Awards in the Company. Anton Dibowitz (CEO) had a holding of 297,339 PSUs and 60,038 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total USD 97,084 . Following Payment, Anton Dibowitz holds 15,846 shares and no Awards in the Company.

(CEO) had a holding of 297,339 PSUs and 60,038 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total . Following Payment, holds 15,846 shares and no Awards in the Company. Stuart Jackson (CFO) had a holding of 120,218 PSUs and 0 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total USD 26,873 . Following Payment, Stuart Jackson holds 0 shares and no Awards in the Company.

(CFO) had a holding of 120,218 PSUs and 0 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total . Following Payment, holds 0 shares and no Awards in the Company. Leif Nelson (COO) had a holding of 92,677 PSUs and 33,417 RSUs (unvested), which were surrendered in exchange for a one-off cash payment of in total USD 37,759 . Following Payment, Leif Nelson holds 8,807 shares and no Awards in the Company.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes forward looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business, the markets in which it operates and its restructuring efforts. These statements are made based upon management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F (File No. 333-224459). The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward looking statement.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 4-2 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

CONTACT:

[email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/seadrill-limited/r/sdrl---cancellation-of-share-plans--cash-payment-to-primary-insiders,c3161404

SOURCE Seadrill Limited
Negreanu Twitch Ban Overshadows his Superb WSOP.com Showing

July 29 2020

Six-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu enjoyed a superb WSOP Online 2020 but his antics on Twitch, including receiving a ban from the streaming platform, have overshadowed what are a fantastic set of results.

The GGPoker ambassador is better known for his live poker prowess where he has won more than $42 million during a long and illustrious career. Only Justin Bonomo and fellow GGPoker ambassador Bryn Kenney have won more from live poker tournaments.

Negreanu was determined to get his hands on his seventh WSOP bracelet by grinding the full WSOP Online 2020 festival on WSOP.com. While the Canadian superstar failed in that particular quest, he performed exceptionally well and racked up a list of cashes as long as his arm.

Follow all the latest from the WSOP - LIVE! The cards are in the air in the WSOP.com portion of the event. The PokerNews live reporting team is on top of all things WSOP. Don't miss a beat! FOLLOW HERE

We only had to wait until the second bracelet-awarding event, the $1,000 No-Limit Holdem 8-Handed Deepstack, to see Negreanus DNegs alias displayed in the payouts. Negreanu navigated his way to 18th place from 919-entrants and collected $5,849.

His largest score of the series came in Event #13: $1,500 No-Limit Holdem High Roller Freezeout where he crashed out in 27th place for a $6,381 addition to his bankroll.

Negreanu embarked on an amazing run during the latter stages of the festival, finishing in-the-money in his last seven events from Event #20 to #26. By the time the dust had settled, Negreanu had cashed in 15 of the 26 scheduled events and won $36,732.

Daniel Negreanus 2020 WSOP.com Results

Event Place Prize Event #2: $1,000 No-Limit Holdem 8-Handed Deepstack 18 $5,849 Event #3: $400 No-Limit Holdem 210 $677 Event #6: $600 PLO8 6-Handed 59 $1,304 Event #9: $1,000 No-Limit Holdem 6-Max 94 $1,851 Event #12: $500 The BIG 500 No-Limit Holdem 205 $1,092 Event #13: $1,500 No-Limit Holdem High Roller Freezeout 27 $6,381 Event #16: $500 No-Limit Holdem Turbo 86 $1,169 Event #17: $777 No-Limit Holdem 123 $1,354 Event #20: $500 PLO 6-Handed 25 $2,814 Event #21: $777 No-Limit Holdem 6-Handed 30 $5,145 Event #22: $500 No-Limit Holdem Turbo Deepstack 32 $2,913 Event #23: $500 No-Limit Holdem Knockout 25 $2,770 Event #24: $400 No-Limit Holdem 8-Handed 193 $867 Event #25: $500 No-Limit Holdem Summer Saver 183 $970 Event #26: $500 No-Limit Holdem Grand Finale 92 $1,576

A Brace Of Twitch Outbursts; One Results in a Ban

Were used to seeing Negreanu on our screens in the biggest televised events. Hes usually calm, collected and laid back, but he lost his composure twice during the WSOP online events.

Negreanu temporarily disconnected during Event #10: $600 Monster Stack. He disconnected as soon as the flop landed on the table and he serious lost his temper, thumping his fist on his desk, shaking his laptop and letting out some expletives.

A clip of the Negreanu blow up quickly circulated around social media with the majority of people reacting in a joking manner because weve all been on the receiving end of an untimely disconnection.

Watch Negreanu's reaction to disconnecting during a WSOP event

Threats of Violence to Viewer Who Insulted Negreanus Wife

Negreanus second outburst hasnt been received in a positive light at all. In fact, its seen a backlash from some prominent members of the poker community, and has resulted in a ban from streaming on Twitch.

Someone called Tom Estrada was watching Negreanus play in the Event #24: $400 No-Limit Holdem 8-Handed event and posted an insulting comment aimed at Negreanu's wife, Amanda. To say Negreanu didnt take too kindly to the comment is one of the understatements of the year.

Negreanu then went on an expletive-filled tirade which prompted a number of prominent poker players took to Twitter to air their disapproval at Negreanus comments. Jamie Kerstetter said he was enjoying Matt Berkeys stream especially the lack of violent threats and homophobia.

Enjoying @berkey11s stream, especially the lack of violent threats and homophobia  Jamie Kerstetter (@JamieKerstetter)

Doug Polk joined in with a trademark sarcastic tweet, simply stating A masterclass in discipline

The Deeb vs. Negreanu Twitter feud grows personal

Shaun Deeb and Negreanu have clashed several times over the years; theres no love lost between these two stars. Deeb stated his hoped Twitch looked into the clip and banned Negreanu before claiming the WSOP wouldnt do anything about Negreanus tirade.

I mean as much as I hate the guy in this clip thats just not the way to represent yourself Or our industry hope https://t.co/UavncKtJgv  shaun deeb (@shaundeeb)

Twitch Comes Down With The Ban Hammer

The WSOP has remained quiet on the issue but Twitch did indeed ban Negreanu from the popular streaming platform. Attempting to visit Negreanus Twitch channel brings up a holding page stating Sorry. Unless youve got a time machine, that content is unavailable."

Theres been no official word from Twitch in regards to the length of the ban but the former GGPoker Team pro Scrimitzu tweeted he believes theres a 90% chance the ban is for 24-hours and a very slim chance the ban extends to 3-7 days.

From my Twitch experience it's a tempban. 90% it's a 24hr very slim chance it extends for 3-7 days. https://t.co/voZC7CvsJJ  Scrimitzu (@scrimitzu)

Bracelet Quest Turns To GGPoker

Negreanu will be hoping to put this episode behind him and allow his poker do the talking when he resumed his bracelet hunt online at GGPoker. Hes said previously he plans to head to Mexico so he can play on GGPoker and try secure what would be his seventh WSOP bracelet. Whether he streams his action once his ban is over remains to be seen.

Sign Up for a GGPoker Account Through PokerNews

If you want to play in the WSOP 2020 Online on GGPoker, you'll need to sign up for an account. By downloading GGPoker via PokerNews entitles you to a welcome bonus worth up to $600. Your first deposit is matched 200% up to a maximum of $600, setting you up nicely in time for the WSOP Online.

The bonus releases into your account in $10 increments each time you earn 6,000 Fish Buffet Points, which is the equivalent of $60 in rake or tournament fees.
Representative Image

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar on July 29 announced that it will extend the lockdown for 16 days with effect from August 1, news agency ANI had reported. However, soon after it withdrew the order and said that the decision on the matter is likely this evening.

The decision was taken as Bihar recorded a surge in COVID-19 positive cases  registering 2,840 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 43,591. The death toll in the state mounted to 269.



#Correction: This notice stands withdrawn. A meeting to decide on lockdown extension in Bihar to be held this evening. Error regretted. pic.twitter.com/6MrxpiI7Sz

 ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

"The requirement of a lockdown is inevitable and urgent to contain the further spread of COVID-19 in the state," the government order, cited by the news agency, had stated.

As per the order issued, here is what will be allowed, and what activities will be barred:

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

# As per the order, Central and state government offices will work at 50 percent capacity, with certain exceptions to the rule.

# Hospitals, dispensaries, health-care facilities as well as pharmacies will continue to remain functional.

# Commercial and private hospitals will be allowed to operate at 50 percent strength, while industrial establishments will be allowed to function provided they strictly follow social distancing and other guidelines of the Health Ministry.

# Construction and agricultural related activities will be allowed to continue.

# Transport services, except those for essential commodities, will be barred.

# All educational institutions and religious places will remain shut. No religious congregation will be allowed without any exception.

The story has been updated as an order, attributed to the Bihar government and dated July 29, published earlier by news agency ANI, was withdrawn.
6,000 cool sites in Shanghai for sanitation workers

By:Huang Qingyang | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-07-29 10:37

As the weather gets hotter, FamilyMart has joined in a campaign launched by government agencies to provide free shelters and cooling supplies for environmental sanitation workers. On July 28th and 29th, about 54,000 environmental sanitation workers in Shanghai could go to any FamilyMart conveniencestore to get their supplies. Meanwhile, FamilyMart has also promised to obey the rules of refuse classification and take responsibility for keeping the space around their stores clean, which helps preserve the work of these sanitation workers.

Statistics have shown that the environmental sanitation workers in Shanghai have to deal with more than 20,000 tons of household waste every day and are responsible for cleaning up nearly 207 million square meters of space. They have contributed a lot to the clean and tidy city that we see everyday. Right now there are more than 6,000 different sites in Shanghai offering these workers similar services and supplies in summer like FamilyMart.We have established these sites to solve problems like where sanitation workers shouldrest, drink, eat or charge their mobile devices. Many charitable organizations have taken part in this campaign and we are expecting more people to join us in the future. These sites and actions really make our city better, said Xiao Longgen, chairmen of the Shanghai Administration Department of Afforestation and City Appearance.

The campaign started in 2017 when 1,500 FamilyMart convenience stores in Shanghai first provided environmental sanitation workers with drinking water, rest areas and food heating services. This year the services have been upgraded.Given that sanitation workers have to work outside in high temperatures for a long time, we also offer them various kinds of cooling supplies for free so that they can walk into our store anytime to use them,one of the store owners said.

Amanager of FamilyMart said,For this years campaign, we would like to call on the community to handle their rubbish properly so as to reduce the labour intensity of sanitation workers. Increasing our environmental awareness is also the key to protecting our living environment.
You are here: Business

China's third-party payment platform WeChat Pay, run by Chinese tech giant Tencent, was launched in Turkey on Tuesday.



Speaking at an online signing ceremony, Turkey's Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the payment service is first offered in Turkey's Istanbul Airport, and later it will be used in different parts of the country.

He said Turkey is an important destination for Chinese tourists and the system will make the visit of Chinese travelers to Turkey more comfortable.

Cui Wei, the Chinese consul general in Istanbul, said the project further strengthened the economic cooperation between the two countries.

Last year, 426,000 Chinese tourists visited Turkey, with an 8.2 percent year-on-year increase, he said.

The WeChat Pay was introduced to Turkey with a joint effort of the Turkish subsidiary of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Tencent, according to a press release issued after the ceremony.

The Istanbul Airport served 64 million passengers over the last year after it became operational in April 2019.
MELVILLE, N.Y., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AIP Publishing, a leading not-for-profit scholarly publisher in the physical sciences, is pleased to announce that University of Vienna in Austria has converted their successful "Read and Publish" pilot project, begun in May 2019, into a full agreement. The University of Vienna was the first academic institution to join AIP Publishing's pilot to develop a sustainable transformative publishing model. Since then, AIP Publishing has partnered with academic institutions around the world to test and gather feedback about how best to add value to existing journals subscriptions by offering open-access publishing options for university-affiliated researchers.

All students, faculty, and researchers affiliated with University of Vienna will continue to have access to the content in all journals currently published by AIP Publishing (including those published on behalf of AIP Publishing's partners) from their first issues through 2022. In addition, article processing charges (APCs) will be waived for all University of Vienna-affiliated corresponding authors whose articles are accepted for publication in any of AIP Publishing's hybrid journals (subscription-based titles that offer an open-access option) for which the university holds current subscriptions.

"The University of Vienna has been a key partner for AIP Publishing in shaping our transformative Read and Publish program. Throughout the pilot year, they provided valuable, evidence-based insights about the benefits and challenges associated with the shift from traditional subscriptions and hybrid APCs to a fully open access model. We look forward to continuing our collaboration on behalf of the global scholarly research community," said Jason Wilde, AIP Publishing's Chief Publishing Officer.

"Our faculty, students, administrators, and librarians valued the access to journal content and publishing opportunities afforded by AIP Publishing's Read and Publish pilot project. As a result, the University of Vienna is pleased to sign a full Read and Publish agreement," said Guido Blechl, Head, University of Vienna Open Access Office. "The collaboration furthers our mission to support our affiliated researchers in all endeavors surrounding Open Access, increasing visibility for our faculty's research, and making their discoveries freely available to scholars, entrepreneurs, and to society at large."

ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

The University of Vienna celebrated its 650th Anniversary in 2015. It is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the largest and most diverse educational and research institution in Austria. An Open Access Office was established at the Vienna University Library in 2013 to support researchers affiliated with the University in all endeavors surrounding Open Access.

ABOUT AIP PUBLISHING

AIP Publishing is a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of the American Institute of Physics (AIP). AIP Publishing's mission is to support the charitable, scientific and educational purposes of AIP through scholarly publishing activities in the fields of the physical and related sciences on its own behalf and on behalf of our publishing partners to help them proactively advance their missions.

SOURCE AIP Publishing

Related Links

http://publishing.aip.org


It builds on a ruling last summer by the same court that an officer could not arrest and search someone based on an observation of an amount of marijuana that is fewer than 10 grams, which is within the range that was decriminalized in 2014. In that case, the court ruled that the officer knew the source of the marijuana was below the criminal threshold, and therefore should not have made an arrest and searched for more.
The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) wishes all Muslims in America and across the globe a pleasant, safe, and blessed Eid Al Adha holiday. The four-day Eid starts on Friday, July 31, 2020.

Eid Al-Adha is the most important holiday in the Islamic calendar, it's a very precious and special occasion. During these holidays we should not forget the plight of millions of people who are facing extraordinary hardships and who are in dire need for our humanitarian aid.

Eid Al-Aldha (Feast of the Sacrifice) is the second major Islamic holiday. It marks the end of the annual pilgrimage season (Hajj) to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Due to the pandemic, this year's pilgrimage was closed to international pilgrims. Usually over two million people from around the world perform this religious obligation every year. Hajj is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.

This year's Eid falls amidst the covid-19 pandemic. America as well as the rest of the world are still facing this invisible enemy that has killed hundreds of thousands in the US. The Covid-19 crisis had forced many Islamic centers, mosques and institutions to cancel the Eid service. Other mosques have decided to hold these services for a limited number of worshippers.

AHRC reminds all who are celebrating the EID to adhere to the health instructions of avoiding crowds, social distancing, washing hands and wearing a mask in public.

"These are challenging times but that does not mean we cannot be optimistic and celebrate our holidays," said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. "We urge everyone to celebrate responsibly and help limit and slow the spread of the disease," concluded Hamad.
Hriday Ranjan By

Express News Service

BENGALURU : The Pentagon stirred up an intergalactic hornets nest this week when reports revealed that the US government was going to release some classified information related to UFOs. A classic case of American mumbo-jumbo, the objects were called off-world vehicles not made on this earth  governmentise for aliens. The report sent first-world netizens into a tizzy, bringing to life debates about extraterrestrials.

At this juncture, it is important that I slip in a disclaimer. I have never been very good with science. If you placed two beakers in front of me, I wouldnt be able to tell Sodium from Florium. But I have always held the conviction that aliens must exist somewhere in the universe. I have always felt it was rather arrogant to assume we were the only ones in the universe. For the longest time, human beings have gotten away with shockingly insensitive portrayal of extraterrestrial life. Literature admittedly takes a marginally kinder stance on aliens. But movies, with their incessant need for a strong, evil villain  have depicted aliens in absolutely evil light.

Take the film Independence Day, for example. A film where a US President realises that it isnt enough to build a wall to check immigration, and so flies to outer space and kills the aliens himself. Or Predator, where aliens attack US soldiers in Vietnam, only to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger, who unknown to them, is a seven-time Mr. Universe. Or War of the Worlds, where Tom Cruise fights aliens while looking out for his daughter, an action that would be frowned upon amidst the growing debate around nepotism today.

There are a few commonalities in all the depictions of aliens in movies. They are all nameless, sexless, and heartless. And they all usually land in the United States of America, even though most reports agree that economic growth in the land of the brave and the free has been stagnating around 2%. These depictions have limited our imagination of aliens.

Im quite happy to acknowledge that Indians have a far more compassionate view of life beyond earth. When Indians decided to bring down aliens in Koi Mil Gaya, they shunned the Western notion of evil aliens, opting instead for Jadoo  a friendly alien who was distinctly Indian. Jadoo carried no guns, and inculcated Mahatma Gandhis policy of ahimsa. Jadoo also dealt with peculiarly Indian problems, like dealing with school bullies, or answering a surprise question from the Computer Science teacher. Jadoo also liked songs, dance, and did his best to avoid policemen. It is an exemplary depiction of aliens in a positive, and I daresay - human light!

While I may be no expert in science, I am a film critic. And using my vast experience in watching alien movies, I would like to offer an earthly suggestion. It is time we change our attitude about aliens and interplanetary life. For if there are aliens out there, there cant be a better time to get pally with them.

With global warming and climate change becoming more apparent by the passing year, we clearly dont have too much time. Itll be a few hundred years till the countries of the world agree that we need to do something about the planet. I suggest we change our depiction of aliens in movies, just as a precautionary measure. Maybe the aliens are not evil demogorgons hell bent on wiping out the earth. But they might not be willing to turn the other cheek if they manage to get a DVD copy of Alien vs Predator!

The authors views are his own
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on July 29, 2020

2020/07/29

The Paper: US Secretary of State Pompeo said in his speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library that "the old paradigm of blind engagement with China" failed, and this kind of engagement has not brought the kind of change inside of China that the US had hoped to induce. What is your comment on his remarks?

Wang Wenbin: Pompeo and some other US politicians have been hyping up so-called "failed US engagement with China" and "failed US attempt to induce change inside of China". In response to their comments, the Chinese side has made clear its position, and I'd like to stress the following points.

First, the claim of "failed US engagement with China" disrespects history and facts. Over the past nearly five decades since China and the US resumed exchange and established diplomatic relations, the two sides have been expanding and deepening exchange and cooperation across the board, which greatly benefited people in both countries. According to statistics, China-US economic and trade relations support 2.6 million American jobs, and over 72,500 US companies have investments or business in China. In multilateral fora, China-US cooperation has benefited the two countries and the world, from handling regional hotspots to addressing global issues like counter-terrorism and non-proliferation.

Second, the "US attempt to induce change inside of China" is doomed to fail. The path a country takes should be determined by its own people based on its cultural tradition and historical heritage. No force is entitled to negate the choice of other countries. In a world full of diversity, China and the US, despite their different social systems, can by all means peacefully co-exist.

Third, driven by political needs, Pompeo and some others are negating previous US administrations' China policy and the progress achieved in relations with China over the past four decades or so and attempting to stoke ideological confrontation. This has proven to be unpopular even in the US. Over the past few days, many former politicians, academics and media have questioned and criticized his remarks, pointing out his misconceptions on China, China-US relations and the US China policy objectives. This fact itself speaks volumes.

I must stress that China-US relations bear on the well-being of the two peoples and world peace and stability. We urge the likes of Pompeo to renounce the obsolete Cold War mentality and ideological bias, look at China and China-US relations correctly, and immediately stop words and acts damaging Chinese interests and bilateral relations so as to create conditions for bringing this relationship back on track.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: The US and Australia pledged to strengthen military cooperation in the Asia-Pacific at their recent AUSMIN meetings. Does China have a comment?

Wang Wenbin: China has noted the consultations between the Australian Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Defense and the US Secretaries of State and Defense. For a while, the US and Australia have been highlighting and hyping up the so-called China threat and smearing China on a series of issues. China deplores and firmly rejects that. We have lodged solemn representations with the two countries respectively.

We urge the US and Australia to form a correct perception of China, stop interfering in China's internal affairs or damaging Chinese interests, and create enabling conditions to develop bilateral relations with China. We also urge them to play a constructive role in upholding peace, stability and development in the region instead of doing the opposite.

Bloomberg: Local media have reported that the Hong Kong government is considering postponing the upcoming election for as long as a year. I was wondering if you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: This is not a diplomatic matter. I will refer you to the Hong Kong SAR government.

Asahi Shimbun: We understand WHO experts have been in China for two weeks. Are they out of isolation? What are they doing now and what is on their schedule?

Wang Wenbin: As agreed through consultation, two WHO experts came to China in mid-July for preparatory consultations on science-based cooperation in COVID-19 origin-tracing. While in isolation, the WHO experts held several video conferences with Chinese experts and had in-depth exchange in global scientific progress in crowd, environment, molecular and zoonotic tracing of the origin as well as working plans for the next stage.

We have a fundamental consensus with WHO, that is, origin-tracing is a scientific issue that should be studied by scientists through international research and cooperation across the globe. It is an ongoing process probably concerning many countries and localities. WHO will conduct similar trips to other countries and regions in light of the actual need. We hope all relevant countries will also actively cooperate with WHO.

Phoenix TV: On July 28, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reportedly said on the DPRK leader's statement on nuclear deterrence that the Japanese government has major concerns over the DPRK's movements and will continue demanding its complete denuclearization. He also said that the most important thing at present is for the DPRK to fully and promptly fulfill its agreements with the US, including on complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Does China have a comment?

Wang Wenbin: China's position on the Korean Peninsula issue is consistent. The crux of the stalled peace talks is that the DPRK's legitimate concerns have not received enough attention or been addressed. The US should take concrete steps in a responsible manner to move peace talks forward. China stands ready to continue playing a constructive role in the political resolution of the issue. We hope relevant parties including Japan and the rest of the international community will also play a positive part in maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula and supporting peace talks.

Reuters: The commander of the US forces in Japan said today that there has been unprecedented number of Chinese incursions around the Senkaku or Diaoyu Islands in the past 100 days. And the US can help Japan with surveillance of Chinese fishing fleets around the islands. Do you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times. It is China's inherent right to send Coast Guard vessels to patrol these waters and conduct law-enforcement. We hope relevant sides will do things conducive to peace and stability in the region and refrain from words and acts leading to the contrary.

AFP: So the US-based cyber security company Recorded Future said yesterday that Chinese state-sponsored hackers have been targeting the Vatican and several Catholic churches-related organizations since May. Do you have any response to this report? The second question is the European Union decided yesterday that it will limit export to Hong Kong of sensitive technology and cited concerns about the new national security law. Do you have any response to this?

Wang Wenbin: On your first question, as we've repeatedly stressed, China is a staunch defender of cybersecurity and always firmly opposes and combats cyber theft and hacking. Given the virtual nature of cyberspace and the existence of all kinds of actors who are difficult to trace, there must be enough evidence when investigating and identifying cyber-related incidents. Groundless speculation should not be allowed.

On your second question, Hong Kong is China's Special Administrative Region and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs that allow no interference by any foreign country or organization. The relevant measures adopted by the EU side violated non-interference in internal affairs which is a basic norm in international relations. China firmly opposes it and has lodged stern representations with the EU side.

The enactment and implementation of the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong SAR aims to plug the long-existing loopholes in Hong Kong's legal system. The purpose of the Law is to strengthen Hong Kong's rule of law and ensure the sustained and successful implementation of "one country, two systems" with a legal guarantee. The Law is fully in line with the Constitution and the Basic Law. It not only serves Hong Kong's prosperity and stability but also protects the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of all foreign companies and personnel in Hong Kong.

The EU says that it is a stakeholder and has concerns in Hong Kong and wishes it prosperity and stability. Then it should take concrete steps towards these goals instead of adopting measures that undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. We urge the EU side to truly respect China's position on upholding national security in Hong Kong, stop interfering in China's Hong Kong affairs in any means, work in ways that serve Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, and focus on maintaining the sound development of China-EU relations.

Reuters: A group of Republican US Senators said this week they were concerned that the Chinese Communist Party could use the video-sharing app TikTok to meddle in US elections. Do you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: First, China is not interested in US elections. We don't intend to and we will not meddle in them. We also hope the US can stop dragging China into its election campaigns.

With regard to TikTok, the US Senators' smears are just baseless. The Chinese government always asks Chinese companies to comply with laws and regulations when conducting economic cooperation with foreign countries. We urge certain people in the US to take a fair and unbiased view on this matter, stop using state power to oppress Chinese companies, and do things conducive to China-US relations instead of going the other way.

AFP: France has called for a UN-led observation mission to evaluate the treatment of Uyghur people in Xinjiang. Does China have any response to this?

Wang Wenbin: To begin with, Xinjiang-related matters are not about human rights at all, but about combating violence, terrorism and separatism. The basic human rights of residents of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are effectively guaranteed, and the people are living a safe and happy life. Over the past 60 years or so, since the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region was established, its economic aggregate has grown by almost 200 times, and people's living standards have been constantly improving. From 2014 to the end of 2019, 2.92 million people of 730,000 households were lifted out of poverty, and the region's poverty rate dropped to 1.24 percent from 19.4 percent in 2013. Xinjiang residents' religious activities and freedom of religious belief are protected by law. There is one mosque for every 530 Muslims in Xinjiang, a number higher than that in many Muslim countries. At the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council, 46 countries in their joint statement commended the human rights progress in Xinjiang.

I'd like to stress that the Chinese people are hospitable, and Xinjiang's door is open to the world. We always hold an open attitude on UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet visiting China and Xinjiang, and we welcome her visit at an appropriate time. In fact, since the end of 2018, more than 1,000 international organizations officials, foreign government officials, diplomats stationed in China, media personnel and scholars have visited Xinjiang in over 70 groups. We welcome unbiased, equal-footed and friendly dialogue and communication, but we oppose foreign interference under the pretext of "international evaluation".

We urge the relevant side to respect facts, discard prejudice and view Xinjiang's progress in human rights and counter-terrorism in an objective and fair manner.

AFP: If China welcomes the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Xinjiang, why hasn't it happened yet?

Wang Wenbin: As I just said, we always hold an open attitude on High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet visiting China and Xinjiang, and we welcome her visit at an appropriate time.
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State Bank of India (SBI) has chosen Kotak Investment Banking, HSBC, Axis Capital and Bank of America (BofA), along with SBI Capital Markets (SBICAP), to manage its planned Rs 20,000 crore share sale, The Economic Times reported.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

An SBI spokesperson told the paper that the bank has received a green signal from the board and shareholders for the fundraising.

"Actual fund-raising will depend upon the requirement. The pricing, given the present market condition and price-to-book of SBI, is very difficult," J Swaminathan, Deputy Managing Director  Finance, SBI, told the publication.

"But since we dont want to foreclose the option as we have got an enabling resolution, we will take a call at the appropriate time. We have started the process of appointing intermediaries like book-running managers, legal experts, etc so that we dont lose time when we decide the timeline," Swaminathan said.

SBI's board on June 16 approved a separate capital raise of as much as Rs 25,000 crore through AT1 bonds and Tier II capital.
Born a Kurd in the city of Van in eastern Turkey, Aslan Demir aims to share the experiences of one of the worlds largest and most oppressed minorities through his writing. His shared background as a writer and poet, coupled with his deep desire to shed light on the persecution that Kurdish people in the Middle East have endured for centuries, allows him to write stories that are dramatic and serious with poetically beautiful undertones. This combination of styles may initially seem to clash, but Demir melds them together in a seemingly effortless manner that results in writing that builds tension and suspense when appropriate and then offers reprieve and peace through poetry to show the hope that still burns within Cell 77s hero.

Cell 77 is a fictional story that is heavily inspired by real world events. It follows the harrowing persecution that a prominent Kurdish journalist must endure in modern-day Turkey, a country that is quick to jail dissidents that speak out against its government. The descriptions of her incarceration, release from prison, return to her home city, and eventual smuggling to Greece are depicted in riveting and suspenseful prose. Cell 77 is almost nonfiction considering how immersive it is, and how well it depicts the lives of thousands of innocent people in Turkey that are fighting for their lives both in the story and in real life.

Aslan Demirs book is as much about the suffocating atmosphere of present-day Turkey as it is the personality and mindset of the protagonist. Her eventual release from prison is circumvented by the realization that she has simply moved from a small prison of concrete walls to a larger, open-air one. She is never truly free in her country of Turkey, and the urgency and desperation that rapidly mounts at this realization can be felt through the pages. Though fictional, she walks the path of thousands of other Turkish citizens that had the audacity to have opinions that differed from their governments.

Aslan Demir is a writer and poet who has been published in various literary magazines including Stoneboat, The Finger, Noble/Gas Quarterly, and Atlas and Alice. He has a Masters in writing from Lindenwood University.

Title: Cell 77

ISBN: 9781682065273

127 pages, $16.95, July 2020

Distributed by: NBN - National Book Network
Filipino incumbents Smart Communications and Globe Telecom were threatened with closure by the countrys pugnacious president Rodrigo Duterte during his fifth State of the Nation Address.

Using the platform of his penultimate address, Duterte warned that the government could expropriate public utilities afforded to the operators unless they improved their lousy services by December this year.

Addressing the operators, Duterte said: If you are not ready to improve, I might just as well close all of you and revert back to the line, telephone. I will take that and expropriate it for the government. Smart and Globe, how many years have they been running? Im always told, the party cannot be reached. Well, if thats the case, just give it back to us.

As reported by Submarine Telecoms Forum, Duterte has railed against the duopoly since his campaign for the presidency in 2016, when he notably said that he would go to China for mobile solutions unless the operators improved.

Acting on this threat, in 2018 the Philippines issued a third operating licence to DITO Telecommunity (formerly Mislatel), a consortium backed by China Telecom and led by Dennis Uy, a Singapore-based businessman and donor to Dutertes 2016 campaign.

CommsUpdate noted that shares in DITO leapt by up to 10% following Dutertes speech, despite a number of delays to its deployment amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent departure of two financial backers.

DITOs chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said: As far as DITO Telecommunity is concerned, we all share the concern of the president for the need to provide world class connectivity to the Filipino people, especially in the face of the pandemic.

Tamano added we recognise the clamour for the third major telco to already go on-air. DITO is doing all it can to work through the challenges, move forward, and launch soonest, although he did not provide any firm information on the operators projected launch date.

Meanwhile, PLDT (Smart) and Globe saw their shares drop by 3.6% and 3.4% respectively in response to Dutertes threat, prompting Globe to respond by saying that it was undertaking improvements, investing US$1.2 billion into network and capacity builds in 2020. Smart did not comment but has stated that it will invest PHP78 billion (US$1.54 billion) into its networks this year.
The value the platform delivers for customers is unparalleled

Whistic, the proactive vendor security platform for both buyers and sellers, announced today the close of a $12 million Series A led by Emergence with participation from Album VC and existing investors. The funding will be used to scale operations and continue to hire top talent.

Whistic drastically reduces the time it takes for buyers and sellers to develop trusted relationships founded on transparency, security, and privacy. At a time when security and privacy are at the forefront of nearly every business transaction, Whistic reduces friction by automating and streamlining security reviews, enabling InfoSec teams to rapidly understand the security and compliance posture of a given company, and sales teams to proactively share their posture with customers.

As more companies are realizing the importance of generating trust with their customers and validating trust with their third-parties, we are excited to offer a new, proactive approach to vendor security, said Nick Sorensen, Whistic CEO. The alliance with Emergence enables us to continue to accelerate our growth and develop new ways for companies to evaluate security postures and build trust.

Emergence focuses its investments on early and growth-stage enterprise cloud companies that are focused on changing the way the world works, with Zoom, Salesforce, Box, Bill.com and Veeva as part of their current portfolio. Were excited to have Whistic join our family of market-defining companies at a time when quickly building and verifying trust is critical, said Gordon Ritter, Emergence Founder and General Partner. The value the platform delivers for customers is unparalleled and we are looking forward to creating a new fabric of trust that speeds up the pace of business globally.

The funding underscores exceptional growth for Whistic.



Since its launch in 2019, The Whistic Trust Catalog has grown 30X, now with more than 14,000 company profiles that are accessible on-demand.

Profile shares and assessment requests have grown 3X year-over-year.

Rapidly growing, world-class customer base including Airbnb, Okta, Betterment, Qualtrics, Finicity, as well as some of the top healthcare, manufacturing, energy, and education companies in the U.S.

Whistic has also recently expanded its partnership with some of the industrys most respected organizations including FICO, BitSight, RiskRecon, and the Cloud Security Alliance. These partnerships provide trusted third-party information which is visible alongside data published by the vendor, providing a more complete and validated picture of each vendors security posture.

Whistic is also announcing today a new integration that empowers sales teams to proactively share their Whistic Profile with customers directly from Salesforce, dramatically simplifying the security questionnaire process and establishing trust early in the sales cycle. Customers have reported dramatic decreases in sales cycles, often by over one month, and security review turnaround times have dropped from four weeks to one day.

Speed is important to us, and Whistic allows us to find information quickly, said Genevieve Buckley, Senior Manager, Security Assurance, at Okta. Recently we had a very short timeline to assess a vendor, and we learned that they already have a profile in Whistic. We were able to turn it around by the end of the week.

Security reviews move much faster, especially when others are part of Whistic already so we can take advantage of the double-sided marketplace that the platform offers, said Nate Jones, Security Program Manager at Airbnb. Increasing the speed of reviews is important because it saves person hours, freeing time for us to work on other initiatives.

As part of the growth, Whistic recently welcomed two new senior executives, Duane Newman, VP Product and Tom Rhoton, VP Marketing, who come to the company from tenured roles at Symantec. Duane was previously Sr. Director of Product Management and brings strong experience in building and guiding product strategy, and Tom was VP Global Digital Marketing and Marketing Operations where he led all direct marketing efforts.

Emergences Gordon Ritter has been named four times to the Forbes Midas List of the top venture capital investors and currently serves as the Chairman of Veeva Systems, and Carlotta Siniscalco is a Senior Associate. Both investors will join the Whistic Board of Directors as a part of this funding round.

###

About Whistic

Located in the heart of the Silicon Slopes in Utah, Whistic is a leading provider of proactive vendor security and an innovator in changing the way that companies publish and evaluate security posture to build trust. Whistic is focused on building The Single Source of Trust for both Buyers and Sellers, helping companies to speed up the pace of business. The Whistic Trust Catalog now contains over 14,000 company profiles that can be assessed on-demand, and notable customers include Airbnb, Okta, Betterment, Vonage, Qualtrics, and other world-leading brands within healthcare, manufacturing, energy, and education. For more information visit http://www.whistic.com.

About Emergence

Emergence is the leading venture capital firm focused on early-stage enterprise companies. Its mission is to be the most valuable partner to the most important companies that are changing the way the world works. In 2017, the firm was named Venture Firm of the Year by the National Venture Capital Association. Business Insider named Emergence one of the Top 10 Best Performing Venture Funds that launched between 2010-2012, which posted returns as high as 50% IRR. The firms investments include companies such as Salesforce, Veeva Systems, Box, Zoom, SuccessFactors, Yammer, ServiceMax and Intaact. For more information on Emergence, visit http://www.emcap.com and follow @emergencecap.
Despite the increasing advocacy and protection of human rights all over the world, Gender-Based Violence, GBV, is one phenomenon that has refused to go away in Nigeria. Women are yet to be seen as having the same dignity as men in many countries of the world, including Nigeria. Although the 2018 Demography and Health Survey says there has been a miniscule of improvement in how women are now treated in Nigeria, many of them are still victims of GBV. Why women are the major victims of violence is due to their vulnerability in a society that is dominated by men. That is why the issue of GBV should be met with strong indignation.

Violence against women in Nigeria includes intimate partner violence, domestic violence and physical violence. According to the same 2018 Demography and Health Survey, 31 per cent of women in Nigeria between ages 15 and 49 have been a victim of GBV at one point or another. This includes the 9 per cent of them that have been victims of sexual violence and 6 per cent of them that have been victims of physical violence during violence.

In the same Survey, it is reported that 36 per cent of women who have ever been married have experienced violence from their partner. This violence include physical abuse such as slapping and punching, sexual abuse such as forced sexual intercourse when they are not in the mood and emotional abuse such as deliberately talking down at. The injuries some of the women sustained during their physical abuse include cuts and bruises, fracture and dislocation. Some even die as a result of constant abuse. Many women also suffer irredeemable low self-esteem because their husbands never approve of anything they do. They die with their creativity because they were afraid they would never get approved. Add these to the fact that 1 out of 4 Nigerian girls is sexually abused before they turn 18 according to the United Nations Childrens Education Fund, UNICEF and you will see that Nigeria still has a long way to go before women could attain any form of equilibrium in economic activities, social equality and political representation.

Mens violence against women is one of the hallmarks of a patriarchal society. As it has often been in patriarchal societies, it is men that rule over the affairs of women, children and even animals. The society gives men enormous control over women that many times the latter is seen as a mere property to be acquired by the former. It is that feeling of control that men believe they have over women that fuel some of their acts of violence.

Many men in Nigeria still beat their wives whenever an argument ensued. Instead of setting their intellectual capabilities in motion, they use physical force to quell the argument instead. Many men fear women that question their decision and pose as an intellectual threat to them. For those men, such women are dissidents. Beating them is to prove to them that they are not in charge of theirselves. Some men also beat their wives when they leave the house without approval, refuses to have sexual intercourse or neglects the children.

The patriarchal system extols violence against women as a means of correcting them while religion underscores that violence by preaching the submission of a woman to her husband in all things. Thus, when a man abuses his wife or a random woman as a way of correcting her, it is often because of the inherent belief that men are divinely superior to women and could do anything, including beating and verbal degradation, to put them in check. Then religion praises any woman who endures such as a virtuous women and encourages her to pray so that God could change her husband. This is expected since many religious books call women weaker vessels, unclean and puts them below men in all things.

Unfortunately, many women believe that wife-beating is justified. One of their excuses is womens propensity to go out of control if their behaviour is not checked. This is a sad tale of women in Nigeria. When someone said women are sometimes the problem of women, hes not far from the truth. When men prone to violence against women see that they have a modicum of support in the womens circle, they are encouraged to continue.

Another reason GBV has continued is that many of the victims are quiet about it. Seven out of ten cases would most likely go unreported because the victims have a poor attitudinal response to their sad plight. There are many reasons for this. Some women fear breaking away from an abusive relationship would make them lonely. Thus, the fear of being alone makes them endure the violence. Some women even blamed themselves for the violence against them. They reasoned that it was them who moved the man into provocation and it was only natural that he reacted that way. Besides, many women are economically incapacitated that they cannot survive without the economic contribution of their husbands. These women would do anything and endure any form of abuse to make sure they did not go out of the economic coverage of their husbands.

Thus, instead of speaking out and seeking help so the violence could be stopped, many of them chose to be silent for as long as no one else noticed what they are going through. This silence empowers their abusers. The silence is a recipe for an unending circle of abuse and violence. Unfortunately, the society also frowns at separation and divorce. Thus, many women are forced to endure various forms of abuse and violence in the name of marriage.

The stigma that comes with being a victim of any form of GBV also forces women who are abused in one form or another to bury their heads in their laps and stay gagged. It is enough that the society also blames them as much as they blame themselves for putting themselves in a position that made them a victim of GBV due to their poor character. But it stigmatises them when they dare speak up. At times, even members of their families dont believe their stories. The belief is that men are always right in relationships and the woman is to be blamed when any of them beats or rapes her. When the abuser ought to be shamed for his action, it is the victim that suffers the shame instead. The society has innocently trained women to be silent and subservient to men so they would be socially acceptable. That has not augured well for women. It has only put them at the mercy of chauvinistic men.

The ancient Greek belief that a woman should only be seen but not heard is unfortunately still at work in modern Nigeria. Many times, even the most culturally exposed and intellectually certified women suffer from the suffering and smiling syndrome to keep up their social status as people that have it all, seen but not heard in matters that concern their health. They smile on the inside but forced a healthy smile outside. Being a woman and being forced to be silent about uncomfortable events in your life is indeed difficult.

To curtail GBV, so many actions need to be taken. The first place to begin is the mind of women and their perception of GBV as a justifiable act. Women need to know that violence against them for any reason is not justifiable. They should know they deserve better than to be battered by a domineering male. And they should seek help whenever they found themselves as victims of GBV. When women themselves see violence against them as something that should not be condoned, then the advocacy to end all forms of GBV would have a strong footing.

After that, there is need for further advocacy for womens rights. Women should be enlightened about their rights GBV cases are taken seriously. Although many women are now standing up to the occasion, more still needs to be done in dealing with violence against women. Women need to encourage one another to champion this fight. It will not be an easy task in a patriarchal society but it is better than doing nothing.

Also, there is a need for women to be empowered. That starts from ensuring that they were educated to the level where they could recognise their inalienable rights and strive to have it entrenched. After that, women should be supported to have a considerable level of economic freedom so that when they are abused, they would have the strength to walk away from without suffering severe economic implications. In addition to this is the need to enforce stricter penalties for people that are guilty of GBV so it could serve as deterrent to others who feel their victims are helpless against them. Every man needs to know that when he commits any form of violence against women, there is a punishment waiting for him.

Lastly, all societal and religious norms that support violence against women should be frowned at. This should be done by supporting innovative social norms aimed at shifting harmful social norms perpetuating GBV and inequalities to promote positive behavioural change. Religious organisations should preach about the evil of GBV and not only the submission of women to their husbands. Cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation and early/forced marriage should be legislated against across the federation.

Our women deserve better than being subjected to abuse because they were born as women, something they didnt choose for themselves. If tables turn, how many of these men would want to be slapped or kicked because he erred due to his imperfect nature? You see, we can do better with the way we treat our women. And we should start doing better.
Washington: Chinese hackers infiltrated the Vatican's computer networks in the past three months, a private monitoring group has concluded, in an apparent espionage effort before the beginning of sensitive negotiations with Beijing.

The attack was detected by US-based Recorded Future. The Chinese Communist Party has been waging a broad campaign to tighten its grip on religious groups, in what government leaders have periodically referred to as an effort to "Sinicise religions" in the country.

Pope Francis, pictured in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in April. Credit:AP

China officially recognises five religions, including Catholicism, but the authorities often suspect religious groups and worshippers of undermining the control of the Communist Party and the state, and of threatening the country's national security.

Chinese hackers and state authorities have often used cyberattacks to try to gather information on groups of Buddhist Tibetans, Muslim Uighurs and Falun Gong practitioners outside China.
The scramble to secure the number two spot on the Democratic presidential ticket kicked into high gear on Wednesday in the United States, just a day after the presumptive nominee at the top of the ticket, Joe Biden, promised to announce his pick next week.

Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, said to be on Bidens shortlist to be his running mate, appeared on television and harshly criticised President Donald Trump for failing to question Russian leader Vladimir Putin about reports Moscow paid bounties for the killing of US troops.

He is absolutely a failure as our commander-in-chief, Rice said in an appearance on ABCs The View. He has got some very bizarre, very inexplicable reason for always giving Putin the benefit of the doubt.

Biden, who leads Trump in opinion polls ahead of the November 3 election, has been increasingly expected to pick a woman of colour as the nation reels from protests over racial injustice.

While Rice is viewed as a serious contender for the number two spot on the ticket, the favourite is considered to be Senator Kamala Harris of California, who battled Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination. Congresswoman Karen Bass, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, is also said to be in consideration, as are Florida US Congresswoman Val Demings and Illinois US Senator Tammy Duckworth.

Former Obama national security adviser @AmbassadorRice to @TheView: "We prepared the [Trump] administration with a pandemic for dummies playbook So the fault here, the tragic loss of 150,000 Americans and counting, is on Donald Trump and his gross mishandling of this pandemic." pic.twitter.com/4pK0zHTwww  The View (@TheView) July 29, 2020

Reports on Wednesday said that some of Bidens supporters, including some of his biggest donors, have been waging a campaign against Harris behind the scenes for a month or more. Citing anonymous sources close to the candidate, CNBC reported that the supporters are still smarting from Harriss attacks on Biden during the debates last year over his record on race relations.

The donors also expressed concern that Harris is too ambitious for the role and would spend much of her time positioning herself for a presidential bid in 2024.

She would be running for president the day of the inauguration, Joe Morgan, a Florida businessman, told CNBC. For me, loyalty and friendship should mean something. But as [former President] Bill Clinton once told me, the number one cause of Alzheimers is ambition.

Notes prepared for a Tuesday news conference by Joe Biden included a section on Kamala Harris and a suggestion that he holds no grudge against the California senator for her attacks on his race relations record during the Democratic debates last year [Andrew Harnik/AP Photo]

Asked about Harris  the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants  at the White House on Wednesday, Trump passed up a chance to attack the possible VP contender.

I think shed be a fine choice, Kamala Harris, Trump told reporters. Shed be a fine choice.

In her interview on ABC, Rice, who is Black, confirmed she was under consideration by the Biden campaign for the job, but did not say whether she had been interviewed.

Rice, 55, has never run for public office and if tapped by Biden, would be an untested presence on the campaign trail. But she had a solid working relationship with Biden when he served as President Barack Obamas vice president. She was Obamas national security adviser from 2013 to 2017.

Rice also criticised Trump for not committing to accept the results of Novembers election. Democrats are increasingly concerned Trump will refuse to leave the White House even if defeated, and Rice said it would be important that Trump lose decisively.

It has to be a resounding defeat, she said.





Rice conceded that should she be chosen, her role in the aftermath of the 2012 attack on the US mission on Benghazi, Libya would likely become a campaign issue.

At the time, Rice, as US ambassador to the United Nations, was accused by Republicans of misleading the public about the nature of the attack. Congressional probes, however, found no wrongdoing on her part, and Rice on Wednesday defended her actions, calling Republican charges dishonest.

I dont doubt that the Republicans will use this and theyll attack whoever is Joe Bidens choice to be his vice president, she said.
Vistara has filed for slots at the Delhi airport and is also training pilots as it prepares for operations. The Delhi-London flight is being planned from mid-August, while services to Paris and Franfkurt would be launched later.



Vistara plans to operate flights to London, Paris and Frankfurt starting mid-August, joining repatriation efforts to bring Indians home.

The flights would be operated from Delhi under the travel bubble and will mark a milestone in the airline's growth.

Building an international medium haul network has always been a plan of Vistara's strategy.

Plans were drawn up to launch flights to London, Tokyo and Moscow in the summer schedule, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced it to go slow.

Now the airline is looking to operate scheduled flights to Europe with the proposed induction of its second Boeing 787-9 aircraft next month.

Currently, Vistara has 42 aircraft and the second Boeing 787 aircraft is due early in August.

Vistara has filed for slots at the Delhi airport and is also training pilots as it prepares for operations.

The Delhi-London flight is being planned from mid-August, while services to Paris and Franfkurt would be launched later.

"Vistara has around 20 pilots for its 787 operations, each with over 500-600 hours of flying experience on the aircraft.

"A few more pilots are undergoing training and this would allow the airline to operate both the planes to Europe by September," a source said.

"Updates with regards to international operations will be provided at an appropriate time," Vistara said in an email.

Recently, India operationalised travel bubbles with the US, France and Germany.

Discussions are underway with the UK.

These arrangements allow airlines to launch scheduled flights between countries.

However, there are restrictions on who can travel on these flights.

For instance, Europe is not allowing leisure travellers from India.

Except in certain cases, an Indian passport holder will not be able to travel to the US via Frankfurt or Paris on these flights.

The challenge for Vistara would be to fill up the flights given the modest demand and travel restrictions.

"There will be no point in flying the aircraft empty," an industry expert remarked.

Sources said Vistara will try to wean away traffic from Air India by highlighting its superior product.

The airline will also try to attract students and corporates.

Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters
"Trent Horn is a gifted author who provides an excellent look at objections Protestants have made to the Catholic faith. He answers both old canards and newly posed arguments with charity and clarity. Anyone looking for a contemporary Catholic response to Protestant arguments should get this book."

 Jimmy Akin, Author, A Daily Defense: 365 Days to Becoming a Better Apologist

"Trent Horn offers clear and convincing answers to some of the most common Protestant objections to the Catholic faith. This is the sort of book that any Catholic could confidently recommend to anyone who has sincere and serious questions about the Church and its beliefs and practices."

 Francis Beckwith, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy and Church-State Studies, Baylor University

"It's hard to imagine how any non-Catholic could read The Case for Catholicism and not feel almost compelled to swim the Tiber thats how strong, and how winsome, Horn's arguments are."

 Karl Keating, Author, Catholicism and Fundamentalism

'

"Trent's book cuts through the mist of confusion and misrepresentation, responding not only to the old classic arguments but also to the latest contemporary Protestant challenges. Keep it handy for ready replies or share it with a friend who needs to know the truth about the Catholic faith."

 Stephen Ray, Author, Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church

"Trent Horns book is presented in a compelling fashion, taking up objections from every possible quarter and responding to them convincingly and charitably."

 Fr. Peter Stravinskas, Ph.D., S.T.D., Editor, Catholic Response

"The Case for Catholicism is comprehensive in its scope, powerful in its arguments, and accessible to the average reader. This book is destined to become an apologetics classic."

 Gary Michuta, Author, Hostile Witnesses: How the Historic Enemies of the Church Prove Christianity

"Trent has set a new standard for Catholic apologists. Rather than presenting hearsay objections, he engages directly with what leading Protestants have to say on the issues that divide Catholics and Protestants."

 Karlo Broussard, Catholic Apologist

"Trent Horn tackles the essential topics like the papacy, the canon of Scripture, the Bible alone, and Tradition and provides the best arguments from Protestants before demonstrating the most effective Catholic rebuttals to them."

 Devin Rose, Author, The Protestant's Dilemma
Welcoming 'National Education Policy 2020', Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that India was in dire need of such a futuristic policy for the last 34 years, bringing in much needed historic reforms in both school and higher education.

His remark came after the union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the new National Education Policy which is expected to set the roadmap for the sector. The policy comes after almost three decades.

"Education is the foundation of any nation and for the last 34 years, India was in dire need of such a futuristic policy," Shah tweeted.

Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on this landmark policy decision, Shah said it will play an unprecedented role in building of a New India.

"It is truly a remarkable day in the history of Indian education system. Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, Union Cabinet today approved 'National Education Policy 2020' for the 21st century; bringing in much needed historic reforms in both School and Higher Education."

The Minister also mentioned in his tweet that "No nation in the world can excel by giving up its culture and values".

He said that the aim of Prime Minister Modi's National Education Policy 2020 is to create an education system which is deeply rooted in Indian ethos and can rebuild India as a global knowledge superpower, by providing high-quality education to all.

He asserted that 'National Education Policy 2020' will reach students of every section of the society and a special joint task force will be constituted to ensure the same.

Shah further said continuous and strategic steps will be taken to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education.

He added that "New Education Policy 2020 brings in various features like 5+3+3+4 system in school education, introduction of new four-year courses, single point common regulatory system, fee fixation and common norms within board regulatory framework along with multiple entry and exit points in higher education".

Shah pointed out that New Education Policy will also have the provision of academic credit bank, increased investment in education system, internationalism of education, special education zone for disadvantaged regions, upgradation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya to 12 grade and an increased focus on Lok Vidya and the use of technology.

"The objective of National Education Policy 2020 is to bring in a huge transformational change in the Indian Education system through holistic and multidisciplinary approaches. Focus on different aspects will lead to the overall development of the children across the country," Shah added.

Education is the foundation of any nation and for the last 34 years, India was in dire need of such a futuristic policy.



I express my gratitude to PM @NarendraModi & @DrRPNishank on this landmark policy decision which will play an unprecedented role in building of a #NewIndia.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 29, 2020

Objective of National Education Policy 2020 is to bring in a huge transformational change in the Indian Education system through holistic and multidisciplinary approaches.

Focus on different aspects will lead to the overall development of the children across the country. #NEP2020  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 29, 2020

#NEP2020 will also have the provision of academic credit bank, increased investment in education system, internationalism of education, special education zone for disadvantaged regions, upgradation of KGBVs to 12 grade and an increased focus on Lok Vidya & the use of technology.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 29, 2020

#NEP2020 brings in various features like 5+3+3+4 system in school education, introduction of new 4-year courses, single point common regulatory system, fee fixation & common norms within board regulatory framework; along with multiple entry & exit points in higher education.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 29, 2020

Modi govts #NEP2020 ensures that quality education will reach students of every section of the society, a special joint task force will be constituted to ensure the same. To increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education, continuous & strategic steps will be taken.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 29, 2020
Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP has launched several new initiatives within its Social, Racial, and Economic Justice Action Plan. These efforts include additional activities that serve communities and provide training for the firms attorneys and business staff.

Greenberg Traurig is proud to commit $5 million over the next five years to support programs that address the causes and effects of systemic racism in our society and seek to provide impoverished communities and individuals with essential economic, social, and cultural rights, said Brian L. Duffy, CEO of Greenberg Traurig. Through a range of targeted activities and new initiatives, our Social, Racial, and Economic Justice Action Plan is now further enhanced with the goal of achieving even greater impact.

One foundational component of the firms plan is its dedicated funding for additional Greenberg Traurig Equal Justice Works fellows focused on addressing racial, social, and economic justice issues. Already the largest sponsor of Equal Justice Works since 1999, the firm will initiate a new effort in December by providing fellowship funding to select law school students who will deliver critically needed legal services at nonprofit host organizations focused on these issues. The fellows will begin to implement their plans in September 2021.

The firm also launched Greenberg Traurigs Social Justice Action Academy, which aims to:



educate and train Greenberg Traurig employees on matters of race, justice, and equity;

facilitate and encourage Courageous Conversations on the topics of race and social justice; and

drive forward meaningful change consistent with the action plan.

We look forward to taking an active role in addressing many of the leading issues in social justice through the programs of Greenberg Traurigs Social Justice Action Academy, said Ernest Lamont Greer, co-president of Greenberg Traurig. Under the direction of Chief Diversity Officer and Shareholder Nikki Lewis Simon, the academy promises to be a highly relevant resource for education and meaningful discussions aimed at bridging the gaps in understanding the causes and effects of racism and creating a platform for change.

A key offering of Greenberg Traurigs social justice academy is The Equality Toolkit, which is designed to equip members of the Greenberg Traurig community with the education, resources, and information needed to be leaders within the firm, with clients and business partners, and within their local communities on topics of race, inclusion, and equity.

The academys Courageous Conversations program includes a series of internal and external programs where attendees will have opportunities to hear about personal experiences with social injustice and racism and new initiatives to right these wrongs  all with the goal of elevating Greenberg Traurigs collective empathy and creating positive change.

On July 28, the first public Courageous Conversation, Running a Business in a Socially Woke World, will feature Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, in conversation with Greenberg Traurig Co-President Ernest Lamont Greer and Shareholder Johnine P. Barnes.

Greenberg Traurig has also updated its guidelines for the firms U.S. associates intended to reward and incentivize participation in diversity and inclusion activities, as well as in community and civic activities. Effective July 1, 2020, associates will receive up to 50 hours of billable equivalent credit for work on diversity and inclusion initiatives and 25 hours for activities that serve to advance community and civic interests. The firms associates can also receive up to 100 hours of billable equivalent credit for pro bono legal work; this includes 25 hours that are mandatory for associates.

Greenberg Traurigs Social, Racial, and Economic Justice Action Plan Includes:

Community Leadership



Commit $5 million over five years to support public interest fellows addressing the causes and effects of systemic racism in our society, and working to provide economic, social, and cultural rights to impoverished communities and individuals.

Join in creating the Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance, among more than 125 firms participating.

Observe the Juneteenth holiday in the United States as a firm.

Sponsor GTDRIVES for Social Justice Day of Giving, which raised nearly $110,000 in June for more than 31 charitable organizations focused on racial, social, and economic justice reform, and coordinate related staff and lawyer volunteer opportunities.

Observe #BlackoutTuesday on the firms social media platforms.

Observe eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence June 9 in honor of George Floyds funeral in support of social justice and equality.

Commitment to our Talent



Incentivize and reward associates by considering billable hours for diversity and inclusion related work, as well as community and civic activities.

Launch an initiative comprising attorneys from across the firm to augment Greenberg Traurigs current justice oriented pro bono work by identifying new pro bono opportunities in the areas of racial, social, and economic justice.

Thought Leadership and Training



Host the Running a Business in a Socially Woke World Courageous Conversation with Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, July 28.

Host ongoing GTDRIVES Social Justice: Courageous Conversations; Empowered Convictions; Committed Collaboration webinars for attorneys and professional staff.

Launch GT Social Justice Action Academy, which includes the Equality Toolkit, Courageous Conversations, and Curated Trainings and Webinars.

Host multiple internal Courageous Conversations across the firm.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2200 attorneys in 41 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
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Police have launched wild camping patrols following a surge in illegal staycations as people stay outdoors at beauty spots without permission or park their campervans in motorway lay-bys.

Many tourists are now going 'fly camping' if they cannot secure a hard-to-find spot at a campsite, with the National Trust reporting a large rise in the practice with litter and campfire remains left behind.

But wild camping is normally illegal in England and Wales without the landowner's permission  and patrols have been set up by police and park rangers in the Lake District and New Forest to combat people flouting the rules.

More than 200 people were caught wild camping in the Lake District last month with 20 of them fined, while Forestry England has moved on wild campers in Hampshire after putting out their campfires.

It comes as beauty spots are inundated with campervans and campsites filled to bursting - provoking angry locals to call for action to stop the 'tidal wave' of holidaymakers destroying their areas.

Fed-up residents in Scotland have called for a 'congestion charge' on campervans as beauty spots across the UK experience a camping boom amid surging bookings as tourists shun foreign holidays due to quarantine fears.

The rise in staycations has led to fears over rural roads being overwhelmed by vehicles as holidaymakers descend on quieter areas with caravans and motorhomes, causing traffic jams and a parking free-for-all.

In the Scottish Highlands, angry locals around the North Coast 500 (NC500) route have been cataloguing the littering of their villages and beauty spots with abandoned tents, human excrement and even a dumped caravan.

Meanwhile the website Pitchup.com, which sends 800,000 people a year to 2,000 campsites across the UK, said reservations are already at double last year's level. Caravan Club bookings for campsites and campervans have gone up by 10 per cent for next month, despite the sites normally being quite full during a normal summer.

Bosses at campsites, which were allowed to reopen from the coronavirus lockdown in England on July 4, now believe the peak season could extend into September. A shortage of motorhomes has also been reported, with six of Britain's leading rental firms so booked up that they have no availability for the next three weeks.

Meanwhile mountain rescue teams in the Lake District say they have seen a 'tidal wave of avoidable rescues' that is putting strain on their volunteers amid fears that a further influx of visitors will only 'make the matter worse'.

Motorhomes on a busy stretch of coastline at Leysdown on the Isle Of Sheppey in Kent this afternoon

The Ramslade Caravan and Motorhome Club near Paignton in Devon is pictured today. Caravan Club bookings for campsites and campervans have gone up by 10 per cent for next month

Children, their parents and grandparents play in the sunshine at Elmhurst Caravan Park on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent today

The Ramslade Caravan and Motorhome Club near Paignton today. A shortage of motorhomes has been reported, with six of Britain's leading rental firms so booked up that they have no availability for the next three weeks

A group of women take a stroll along the beach in Bournemouth

People enjoy the sunshine today at Elmhurst Caravan Park at Eastchurch on the Isle Of Sheppey in Kent today

The Waterside Holiday Park in Paignton is pictured today. Bosses at campsites, which were allowed to reopen from the coronavirus lockdown in England on July 4, now believe the peak season could extend into September

As other tourists head to Scotland, Liberal Democrat Jamie Stone, for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said he wants a campervan congestion charge with the cash reinvested into improving local roads.

He said: 'The Scottish Government need to know the full force of our concerns about the NC500 roads and the impact that irresponsible tourists are having on us all. I've always supported our local tourism and hospitality industries but we need some fairness.'

European coronavirus 'second wave' could mean more quarantine restrictions on the way Boris Johnson indicated that quarantine restrictions could be imposed on further European countries if a 'second wave' of coronavirus hits the continent. The Prime Minister already faces a diplomatic row with Spain after warning against all but essential travel to the country - and its resort islands - and insisting that travellers arriving in the UK from there spend a fortnight in quarantine due to an increase in cases. He insisted the Government would not hesitate to act if flare-ups of coronavirus occurred in other destinations, as it also emerged that ministers are examining ways to declare regions of other nations safe for travel. 'I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic,' the Prime Minister warned. With holidaymakers already facing uncertainty over trips abroad this summer, Mr Johnson indicated further action could be considered by the Government. 'It's vital that when people are coming back from abroad, if they are coming back from a place where I'm afraid there is another outbreak, they must go into quarantine,' he said. 'That's why we have taken the action that we have and we will continue, throughout the summer, to take such action where it is necessary.' Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described the restrictions on travel to the country as an 'error'. He pointed out that the upsurge in coronavirus cases is focused in two regions, Catalonia and Aragon, adding: 'In most of Spain, the incidence is very much inferior to even the numbers registered in the United Kingdom.' Madrid had been urging the UK to exclude the Canaries and Balearics - which include popular tourist resorts on Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca - from its quarantine requirements. But instead, official travel advice was tightened to bring the islands in line with the Spanish mainland. Advertisement

Highland councillor Hugh Morrison said on one night last week there were 48 vehicles and 28 tents at one beach spot in Durness, adding: 'It is just out of hand.'

And in the Lake District, since last Friday evening the region's mountain rescue teams have had 19 callouts - with 11 said to be 'truly avoidable with inexperienced and ill prepared walkers' in serious trouble.

One rescue on Scafell Pike late on Saturday night in forecasted 'atrocious' conditions for a family group of three lasted 12 hours and involved five rescue teams.

Richard Warren, chairman of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, said: 'Stay vacation holidays are introducing a new type of visitor to the National Parks and the current quarantine rules has the potential to make the matter worse.

'North Wales is experiencing a similar problem and we are sure that the same is being felt across many of the UK's outdoor holiday destinations, great for the economy but a real issue for the volunteer rescue teams.'

Caravan Club chief executive Nick Lomas told the Daily Telegaph: 'We had a very slow period at the start of the year, effectively opening for a week in March until July.

'So the first half of the year for the campsite and caravan park operators in the UK has been a very lean time. But then since the announcement from July 4 in England, the phones have lit up and the website has been very, very busy.

'There is a natural feeling that (a campervan) is a self-contained space, you have that element of control, being able to travel place to place and being able to explore the coasts and countryside of the UK at your leisure.'

Pitchup.com said it took some 6,100 bookings on Sunday, representing around 18,000 people, which was up by 20 per cent on the previous Sunday.

Founder of the booking platform, Dan Yates, said there is a clear switch to staycations.

He said: 'For many who were just starting to consider booking a trip abroad this is probably the nail in the coffin, with the change in regulations fundamentally damaging consumer confidence to travel overseas.

'The tightened financial climate means British holidaymakers are unlikely to take the risk of not being able to work when they return which has likely been the catalyst for this weekend's surge in UK bookings.' The website also offers bookings to campsites across Europe.

Mr Yates said: 'The tourism and hospitality sector has been decimated by Covid and our Spanish site owners are in uproar.

'They believe a more localised approach which focuses on quarantine in the specific regions which have been affected by the Covid peaks would have been a more appropriate and effective response by the UK government.

'This is, however, good news for domestic campsites and caravan parks as thousands will substitute a UK holiday for their usual one abroad.'

Mr Yates said: 'The ever changing guidance is likely to cause mass confusion and concern amongst Brits, with many likely to elect to play it safe and staying closer to home this year.'

Tourists pictured yesterday camping at the picturesque Calda House near Inchnadamph in the Highlands, a scheduled ancient monument which was built in 1660 by the 3rd Earl of Seaforth

One of the pictures of cars parked up in the Scottish Highlands, posted on Facebook group NC500 The Land Weeps

Another picture of the huge numbers of visitors to the Scottish Highlands in recent days

In Scotland, angry locals around the North Coast 500 route have been cataloguing the huge numbers of visitors to the area

The UK tourism industry is set to benefit from the fact a sudden change in Government travel and quarantine rules has effectively cancelled hundreds of thousands of holidays to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary islands.

In the South of England, sunseekers and families are flocking to the beach at Lyme Regis in Dorset today to soak up the sun

People play in the sea on Weymouth beach in Dorset today as Britain enjoys a day of warm weather

People in pedalos off the coast of Weymouth in Dorset today as temperatures rise across the country

Haven, Butlin's, Center Parcs and Hoseasons are also being inundated, while holiday cottage bookings are being swept up.

Heathrow demands end to 'quarantine roulette' after 1.1billion loss Heathrow has urged the Government to stop imposing 'quarantine roulette' on travellers as it announced a pre-tax loss of 1.1 billion in the first six months of the year. Chief executive John Holland-Kaye said the financial results 'should serve as a clarion call' to ministers to introduce a scheme for coronavirus testing of arriving passengers. He wants the 14-day self-isolation requirement to be eased for people arriving from countries not on the Government's exemption list if they test negative for the virus. Heathrow's passenger numbers were down 96 per cent year on year between April and June. It made a pre-tax loss of 1.1 billion in the first six months of 2020, down from a 7million profit in the same period a year ago. This came on revenue of 712million, around half of 2019's levels. Advertisement

Some sites and parks are already taking strong bookings up to summer next year, throwing a lifeline to the industry.

However, certain businesses are hiking prices by as much as 50 per cent for 2021 to try to make up for the money lost during the lockdown.

The UK tourism industry is set to benefit from the fact a sudden change in Government travel and quarantine rules has effectively cancelled hundreds of thousands of holidays to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary islands.

At the same time, many Britons have given up on foreign holidays altogether this summer amid fears sudden coronavirus controls could be imposed on travel to other European hotspots.

The appeal of a British holiday has been boosted by a Government decision to slash VAT from 20 per cent to 5 per cent for the hospitality industry.

As a result, Haven, Butlin's and Center Parcs have cut prices on new bookings by more than 10 per cent for the summer.

The rush has put a huge strain on holiday companies. There is evidence of double bookings, resulting in trips being cancelled at the last minute.

Haven said bookings at its 36 parks had soared by 96 per cent year-on-year. Its sister brand Butlin's also claims to be doing a roaring trade.

Hoseasons has had to recruit extra phone staff to cope with the huge demand.

But earlier this week traffic was brought to a standstill next a country park in Bury, Greater Manchester, after motorhome users parked and double parked on an access road.

And last week the National Trust warned the ugly trend of campers dumping tents and equipment instead of taking them home was blighting the countryside.

Tents at the Salcombe Regis Camping and Caravan Park in Devon today as Britons go on staycations across the country

Mountain rescue teams in the Lake District, including the one in Keswick (above), say they have seen a 'tidal wave of avoidable rescues' that is putting strain on their volunteers

Keswick Mountain Rescue volunteers are pictured. Since last Friday, the region's teams have had 19 callouts - with 11 said to be 'truly avoidable with inexperienced and ill prepared walkers'

Motorhome and camper van owners parked at the North Berwick coast in Scotland on July 19

Campervan and motorhome owners parked in North Berwick earlier this month on July 19

'Fly-camping', a camping expedition that results in fly-tipping and often seen at music festivals such as Glastonbury, has become a headache for staff, the organisation said.

Workers have come across dumped tents, airbeds, chairs among other things when cleaning up grounds. To go with it is a grubby heap of beer and food cans, disposable barbecues and excrement.

In Dovedale, in the Peak District, 170 large bin bags were collected in just over three days last month. And in recent weeks alone, 25 tents as well as 20 camping chairs, six air beds and several BBQs have all been picked up.

Instead of looking after wildlife or managing hay meadows, National Trust rangers now have to spend their time carting away the heaps of mess left behind.

Caused by a 'disposable festival mentality' the rubbish piles can pose a hazard to sheep and other animals.

The trend has not been helped by a reduced capacity at many organised campsites because of the coronavirus.
'Rafale is much more advanced and lethal than the current fighter aircraft available with China. The timing of the arrival of the jets is perfect'

IMAGE: First five Rafale combat aircraft from France arrive at the Air Force Station, in Ambala. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Rafale jets, known globally as one the most potent strategic platforms with unmatched capability in carrying out a variety of roles, will significantly bolster India's air combat capabilities when it is facing hostile neighbours like Pakistan and China, defence experts said on Wednesday.

The timing of induction of the 4.5 generation combat jets assumed significance as it came in the midst of India's tense border row with China, they said.

They said the Rafales could be a game-changer for India after all the 36 jets join the Indian Air Force as no aircraft in possession of any country in the neighbourhood will be able to match their superior kinematic performance and powerful electronic warfare systems.

The Rafale jet, which is often compared with the United States' stealth F-35 aircraft and F-22, is able to carry out all combat aviation missions like air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence at varied speed limits of up to 1.8 Mach.

The aircraft proved its unmatched capabilities in air combat missions in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria in the last few years.

India is the fourth country to have the strategic platform after France, Egypt and Qatar.

The Rafale, manufactured by French defence giant Dassault Aviation, entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006.

According to Dassault Aviation, the aircraft has a whopping 30,000 flight hours in operations.

In comparison to F-35, experts said the Rafale jet is more agile as it has long-endurance to fly at a higher speed while carrying a range of weapons for a longer period of time.

However, the F-35 scores much ahead of Rafales in terms of on board avionics and electronic warfare systems.

"It is one of the finest combat aircraft available in the global market. It is much more advanced and lethal than the current fighter aircraft available with China. It is definitely a boost to India's defence preparedness. The timing of the arrival of the jets is perfect," said defence expert De Laxman Behera.

When asked about China's fighter jet J-20, he said it cannot be compared with Rafale as the French manufactured jet is much more potent than the Chinese aircraft.

Former Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal (retd) Fali Homi Major too echoed Dr Behera's observations.

"There was no comparison between Rafale and the J-20s. The world does not know about the J-20s. The Rafale jets will give the IAF superior air dominance capability," the former IAF chief told PTI.

European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

The Indian Air Force is also in the process of procuring a new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

The Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran. The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

"India will have unmatched air power in the region when it has all the 36 Rafale aircraft. It will be a game changer for India" said Dr Behera, who is a leading expert at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

He said both Pakistan and China must have taken note of induction of the fighter jets.

The government on Monday said that the delivery of all 36 aircraft will be completed by the end of 2021.

India on Wednesday received its first batch of new multirole combat fighter aircraft in nearly two decades with the arrival of five Rafale jets.

The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.

The fleet, comprising three single seater and two twin seater aircraft, is being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the ''Golden Arrows''.
Attorney General William Barr appears before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 28, 2020. (Matt McClain/Pool via Reuters)

Upcoming Election Wont Delay Report From US Attorney John Durham: Barr

The looming November presidential election will not delay a report from U.S. Attorney John Durham, Attorney General William Barr told lawmakers in Washington this week.

I will be very careful. I know what Justice Department policy is, Barr said while appearing Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee. Any report will be, in my judgment, not one that is covered by the policy and would disrupt the election.

The policy in question is informal guidance not to take action that could be viewed as influencing elections. Barr in a memo (pdf) in February said the department must exercise particular care regarding sensitive investigations and prosecutions  especially in an election year.

Rep. Debbie Murcasel-Powell (D-Fla.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, tried getting Barr to commit to not releasing the report because of the upcoming election.

No, Barr responded. Asked again, he added: No. I will be very careful.

Were not going to interferein fact, Ive made it clear that were not going to tolerate interference, Barr told the lawmaker.

Durham is probing the origins of the FBIs investigation into possible links between President Donald Trumps campaign and Russian actors, a probe boosted by unsubstantiated information compiled by a former British spy who was paid by the Democratic National Committee and Trumps rival, Hillary Clinton.

Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.) speaks in Doral, Fla., in a file photograph. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

John Durham is sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut in New Haven, Conn., on Feb. 22, 2018. (Courtesy of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut)

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said recently during an appearance on Fox News that criminal charges will come out of the investigation.

I know I expect indictments based on the evidence Ive seen, he said, adding, Its all starting to unravel, and I tell you, its time that people go to jail and people are indicted.

Barr has said he doesnt expert the investigation to directly lead to former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden, who is now running for president. But Americans will recognize some of the names linked to the probe, Barr teased last month.

Later in June, Barr said Durham is pressing ahead as hard as he can amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

I expect that we will have some developments, hopefully before the end of the summer, the attorney general said on Fox.

The lack of visible progress has frustrated some Trump allies.

Its been slow, Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) told Barr. I think the Durham investigation is something most of us were waiting for.

The attorney general declined to give any details on the probe. I cannot get into that, he said.

Janita Kan and Isabel Van Brugen contributed to this report.
Gogglebox Australia star Sarah Marie Fahd welcomed her first child, a son called Malik, back in November.

And on Wednesday, the 32-year-old makeup artist showed off her incredible post-baby body on Instagram, just eight months after giving birth.

The brunette displayed her sensational figure while posing for a mirror selfie in a White Runway dress, which featured a plunging neckline.

Yummy mummy! Gogglebox Australia star Sarah Marie Fahd showed off her post-baby body in an Instagram post on Wednesday (right), just eight months after giving birth to her son, Malik. Pictured left: Sarah Marie during her pregnancy last year

Sarah Marie complemented her glamorous look with strappy stiletto heels.

Taking part in the Women Supporting Women challenge, the gorgeous television star wrote in the caption: 'Among women there are several criticisms.

'Instead we should take care of each other. We are beautiful the way we are. I was blessed to have been nominated by a handful of beautiful and strong women.'

Confident: Taking part in the Women Supporting Women challenge, the gorgeous television star encouraged her female followers to 'take care of each other'

Sarah Marie, who gave birth to her son on November 13, recently said she felt 'so blessed' to be a mother.

'I'm so proud to be your mother and so blessed to be on this journey,' she wrote in an Instagram post dedicated to her newborn.

Sarah and her husband, fellow Gogglebox star Matty Fahd, have been keeping a low profile since welcoming their bundle of joy.

Blessed! Sarah Marie, who gave birth to her son on November 13, recently said she felt 'so blessed' to be a mother. Pictured with her husband, fellow Gogglebox star Matty Fahd (right)

They recently moved into a newly-renovated 1960s Sydney home, worth $1.1million.

The Fahds both posted photos to Instagram last month showing how the tired brick facade had been transformed into a chic Hamptons-style property.

'It's crazy what you can do with some paint,' Matty said.

Matty and Sarah Marie married in 2018 at Doltone House on Sydney's Jones Bay Wharf, four years after they first met.
The use of computed tomography in outpatient computed tomography centers (OCTC) is entirely consistent with the clinical data and global best practices. This is also an effective tool for diagnosing the coronavirus infection COVID-19

In April the Moscow clinics had seen a surge in the number of patients suspected for COVID-19, including those in critical condition. A need had emerged to employ mass screening techniques to facilitate early diagnosis of the COVID-19 infection.

To accomplish this, the Moscow outpatient clinics were converted into 48 OCTCs. That way the clinics joined the fight against the coronavirus so that treatment could be initiated at the earliest possible time.

To reduce the hospital burden the patients with mild symptoms were urged to maintain self-isolation at home.

General practitioners referred patients to a series of clinical examinations, such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction), blood tests to evaluate signs of inflammation, pulse oximetry to assess blood oxygen saturation, and ECG (electrocardiography) The symptomatic patients were referred for CT examinations.

Early diagnosis contributed to the rapid isolation of asymptomatic carriers and better tailoring of treatment regimens for critical patients.

In total, more than 175,000 CT scans have been performed in the CT centers as of today. However, this was never about sending every suspected COVID-19 patient to a CT examination.

What do we know about the COVID-19 diagnosis?

In order to diagnose clinical symptoms accurately, first, the clinicians need to have access to reliable and objective data. Throughout the world, this part is called the learning curve. "Every country reacted differently on the emergence of the new coronavirus infection."

The UK relied on general practitioners, South Korea deployed mobile laboratories on parking lots, whereas China put up stadium hospitals to accommodate asymptomatic patients."

"Doctors were not aware of the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, or treatment of the new coronavirus infection," said Sergey Morozov, the Chief Specialist in Radiation and Instrumental Diagnostics of Moscow and the Central Federal District of Russia, and the Director of the Moscow Center for Diagnostics & Telemedicine.

The World Health Organization (WHO) built their diagnostic guidelines based on the two ICD-10 emergency medical codes. The first code U07.1 necessitated confirmation of the coronavirus disease with laboratory tests. Under the second code U07.2, the diagnosis was supposed to be established according to the clinical symptoms.

Why do I need a CT scan?

All patients with the coronavirus symptoms and positive PCR tests have changes in their lungs on CT scans" Sergey Morozov, Chief Specialist and Director, Moscow Center for Diagnostics & Telemedicine

The UpToDate international recommendations classify patients into only two groups based on the degree of lung involvement, which is either less or more than 50%.

However, to monitor changes in the lungs, clinicians use a different classification that splits patients into four groups: 25%; 25-50%; 50-75%; 75-100% of lung involvement. The area of damage can be determined by radiography and CT scans.

99% of the patients with severe (CT 3 50-75%) and critical (CT 4 75-100%) lung damage are treated in the hospital setting. Patients with mild-to-moderate lung damage (CT 2 25-50%) are referred to a hospital only if they have hypoxemia.

The Moscow Center of Diagnostics & Telemedicine with the help of the leading experts in radiation diagnostics, anesthesiology, intensive care, and infectious diseases, has published guidelines for COVID-19 radiation diagnostics.

The document includes a detailed description of the semiotics of viral lung damage, differential diagnosis, and a protocol for interpretation of chest CT scans. The guidelines were developed to help radiation specialists and are aimed at improving the safety and efficiency of the diagnostic units.

How accurate is the diagnostic procedure?

The domain of instrumental, laboratory and radiation diagnostics utilizes the concept of diagnostic accuracy for revealing signs typical for particular conditions. This is also true for COVID-19.

The accuracy of CT methods for the diagnosis of the coronavirus infection amounts to 97-98% and is based on three indicators: sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (the ROC curve) International studies offer broad evidence for the high sensitivity of computed tomography: 98% (Radiology, Fang et al.), 97.2% (European Journal of Radiology, Long, et al.), 97% (Radiology, Ai et al., Caruso et al.), 67-97 % (Radiology, Bai et al.), 80% (Invest Radiol, Li et al.) Computed tomography is highly specific: 93-100% (Radiology, Bai et al.), 82.8% (Invest Radiol, Li et al.) The area under the H and D curve is 0.77-0.92 (Japanese Journal of Radiology, Himoto, et al.)

According to the publications from China, Italy, and Japan, 91-100% of the patients with positive PCR results have typical CT findings such as ground-glass opacities, 93% of the patients have multilobular injuries, and posterior lesions, whereas bilateral involvement was registered in 80-91% of the patients.

This is a typical clinical pattern of the coronavirus pneumonia (Radiology, Caruso D et al., Bai HX et al.; Japanese Journal of Radiology, Himoto Y, et al.; European Radiology, Ye Z et al., Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal, Dai, et al.)

CT study is recommended for patients with typical clinical and epidemiological symptoms, even if they present negative PCR test results (Radiology: Fang Y et al., Ai T et al.) 60-93% the CT findings in COVID-19 appear before PCR assay turn out positive (Radiology: Ai T et al.) CT imaging is capable of showing typical abnormalities in 83% in the asymptomatic (subclinical) disease phase (Inui S et al.)

Treatment of COVID-19

It is worth mentioning that regardless of the condition, the diagnosis is never established based on imaging, instrumental, or laboratory findings.

In other words, CT is a diagnostic tool rather than a treatment method. Health organizations across the entire world take full advantage of the at-home and outpatient treatment of COVID patients.

The US system relied heavily on home care with remote patient monitoring: (Reviews in cardiovascular medicine, McCullough et al.), China (Investigative Radiology, Li et al.), Italy (Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia, Tarantini et al.; Head Neck, Vaira et al.), the United Kingdom (Clin Radiol, Nair A.), Canada (CMAJ, Glauser), India (Indian Journal of Pediatrics, Singhal T.), South Africa (South African Family Practice, Mash) On the other hand, South Korea concentrated on the establishment of dedicated outpatient centers (Journal of Korean Medical Science, Park et al.)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

Trend:

Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis condemned the violence by the radical Armenians against peaceful Azerbaijani community members in Los Angeles, Trend reports.

I was disappointed to learn that a demonstration outside the Azerbaijani Consulate in LA last week turned violent & resulted in injuries. Everyone has a right to peacefully express their views, but there's no place in our state for violence against others, she posted on her Twitter page.

Azerbaijans Consul General in LA Nasimi Aghayev thanked Kounalakis for her condemnation of this violence against Azerbaijani community members and stated that Such violence has no place in California or anywhere else.

Serving as the 50th lieutenant governor of California since 2019, Eleni Kounalakis is the first woman elected to this office. Kounalakis previously served as the United States Ambassador to Hungary from 2010 to 2013.

The clashes between Azerbaijanis and Armenians in Los Angeles were triggered by gross ceasefire violations by Armenian armed forces on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in the direction of Tovuz district of Azerbaijan. The fighting continued in the following several days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces.

Meanwhile a group of Armenians living in Los Angeles, California, attacked and injured a group of Azerbaijanis who gathered to peacefully protest the Armenian aggression.

The incident took place July 21 in front of Azerbaijan's Consulate in the city where Armenians verbally and physically assaulted Azerbaijanis across the street, despite tight security measures by the L.A. Police Department.

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.
M uslim pilgrims have begun the annual Hajj in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca in a dramatically scaled-down version of the five-day ritual amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hajj, which began on Wednesday, normally draws around 2.5 million people for five intense days of worship and is a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime as one of the five pillars of Islam.

But this year, Saudi Arabias Hajj Ministry has said it will only allow about 1,000 people already residing in the kingdom to perform the pilgrimage. Some media reports have suggested that as many as 10,000 people could take part, however.

Two-thirds of those pilgrims will be from among Saudi Arabia's foreign residents and one-third will be Saudi citizens. All will be required to be between the ages of 20 and 50, and in good health.

It marks the first time in Saudi history that no pilgrims from abroad have been permitted to take part in the Hajj.

The curbing of visitor numbers via an online selection process comes as Saudi Arabia continues to battle one of the Middle East's largest outbreaks of coronavirus, with more than 270,000 reported infections. More than 2,700 Covid-19 deaths have been recorded in the kingdom.

There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but [downsizing] is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic, said Khalid bin Qarar al-Harbi, Saudi Arabias director of public security.

This year marks the first time in Saudi history that no pilgrims from abroad have been permitted to take part in the Hajj / AP

Pilgrims will be required to wear face masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that are completed over the coming days in Mecca and its surroundings, in western Saudi Arabia.

Participants will only be able to drink holy water from the Zamzam well in Mecca that has been prepackaged in plastic bottles.

Pebbles for casting away evil that are usually picked up by pilgrims along Hajj routes will be sterilised and bagged before being distributed to the pilgrims.

Pilgrims are also bringing their own prayer rugs and will be required to pray at a distance from one another, rather than packed shoulder-to-shoulder.

Hajj authorities have also cordoned off the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam, this year, saying pilgrims will not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection.

All worshippers were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in Mecca and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage.

The curbing of visitor numbers via an online selection process comes as Saudi Arabia continues to battle one of the Middle East's largest outbreaks of coronavirus / Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umra/

The Saudi government is covering the expenses of all pilgrims this year, providing them with meals, hotel accommodation, transportation and health care.

Normally, the Hajj can cost thousands of dollars for those who take the journey, many of whom save for a lifetime for the trip. It also generates billions of dollars in revenue each year for Saudi Arabia.

Saudi kings have for generations assumed titles as custodians of Islams holiest sites, and their oversight of the Hajj is a source of prestige and influence among Muslims globally.

The country has never cancelled the Hajj in the nearly 90 years since the kingdom was founded.
The ex-wife of jailed former Liberian president Charles Taylor, has denounced charges of torture she had faced in the UK as "misinformation and lies" upon her return to Monrovia. Agnes Reeves-Taylor told journalists she had been treated like a "terrorist" while held in London to face the charges, which were dismissed in December last year.

Reeves-Taylor called the press-conference on Monday to set the record straight over the accusations of crimes during the Liberian Civil War which she says she did not commit.

The international war crimes group Civitas Maxima, which provided information that led to the charges, condemned Reeves-Taylor's comments. It said the misinformation and lies of which she spoke included evidence from direct victims and witnesses of her alleged crimes, which in the UK was considered prima facie (legally sufficient) to charge her.

In 2017, Reeves-Taylor was arrested in London based on allegations by the Swiss-based organisation and its Liberian subsidiary Global Justice & Research Project of crimes against humanity during the Liberian conflicts of the 1990s.

She was accused of personally committing seven counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture during the First Liberian Civil War in 1990 that lead to the death of over 25,000 people.

'Mother and a humanitarian'

I had no military role ever and at no point have I ever engaged in battle, she told the press conference, adding that being Charles Taylor's wife did not automatically make her a war criminal.

I set up a charity called the National Emergency Relief Organization that delivered rice, medical supplies and subsequently coordinated the affairs of the NGOs that came in the country at the time, Reeves-Taylor said.

She said she was disappointed that the London case did not go to trial on grounds that there were over 50 witnesses that were willing to testify on her behalf to expose those who conspired against her.

Quest to establish war crimes court

Reeves-Taylor says the decision to establish a war and economic crimes court should have been left with Liberians to decide between retributive and restorative justice.

"Charles Taylor sent me a message when I got out of prison to ask about our two daughters," she said, explaining that his calls were monitored constantly and things could have been misconstrued, so it was best he didn't maintain contact while she was in the UK.

Reeves-Taylor has promised to remain in Liberia and help the government with the country's reconstruction drive. She claims to have a cordial relationship with Jewel Howard-Taylor, another ex-wife of Taylor who doubles as Liberia's Vice-President and standard-bearer of Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Party.

Tamba Forkpah J Johnson, head of the He For She Crusaders, an advocacy group pushing for the war and economic crimes court for Liberia, says Reeves-Taylor is provoking the war victims.

How can her husband be killing Liberians and then serving as a humanitarian? She needs to rethink and ask herself, 'Am I sincere of what I am saying to the world and the Liberian people?'" he told RFI.

'Justice must be served'

Emmon Korlu, now 60, was 36-years-old when a missile landed at her home in central Monrovia, leaving her amputated.

A supporter of the George Weah-led government, she wants a war crimes court established to prosecute warlords and their financiers.

"The scars of war remain fresh on my mind every day when I see my amputated hand. I am not living a normal life. I think those responsible for this must pay the price, she told RFI.
Germany will make coronavirus tests mandatory for travellers returning from at-risk areas, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Monday, as fears grow over rising case numbers blamed on summer holidays and local outbreaks. "We must prevent returning travellers from infecting others unnoticed and thus triggering new chains of infection. I will therefore order compulsory testing for travellers from risk areas," Spahn wrote on Twitter. The regulations will come into force next week, the health ministry tweeted, and tests will be free. The debate around coronavirus testing intensified over the weekend after Germany's 16 states agreed on Friday for free tests for all returning travellers, but had stopped short of making the tests mandatory. After a meeting with state officials on Monday, chancellery chief of staff Helge Braun said there was a "great willingness to move closer to such mandatory tests". "The question of how this can be implemented must now be examined in detail and I believe that we will come to a solution relatively quickly," he said. Bavarian premier Markus Soeder had earlier joined a growing chorus of voices calling for tests to become compulsory for returning holidaymakers. "We are preparing everything so that if the federal government gives the go-ahead, we can implement it immediately," he said. However, the move has also attracted criticism from those who believe too much reliance on tests could lead to complacency. "One-off tests do not offer any security," Ute Teichert, the head of a national doctors' association, said in an interview with the Funke media group. "On the contrary: They can lead to a false sense of security." - Bavarian farm outbreak - Nevertheless, politicians are planning to ramp up testing in a bid to isolate infections early. In Bavaria, Soeder said the southern German state will set up coronavirus test sites at its two biggest railway stations as well as key points on motorways. On top of existing test centres at Bavarian airports, tests will now be offered at the Munich and Nuremberg train stations, as well as on three major motorway routes near the Austrian border. "We cannot completely prevent corona, so the goal must be to detect it in time to stop it from spreading," Soeder said. Soeder said Bavaria will also be testing all seasonal agricultural workers in the state, following a mass coronavirus outbreak at a large farm. Some 500 workers have been sent into quarantine over the outbreak, as at least 174 seasonal farmhands tested positive for the virus on the farm in the municipality of Mamming, most of them from Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine. Workers wearing masks could be seen on Monday milling around on the steps of the containers used to house them at the isolated rural site. Residents in the municipality of Mamming have been offered free coronavirus tests, with various improvised test centres set up in the area. A woman who gave her name as Brigitte said she was coming to get tested so she could hold her baby grandchild without worrying about spreading the virus. "I am not overly concerned because the workers were housed very separately," she said. "But I want to be sure." To curb further outbreaks in farms, Soeder said the state will increase fines for farms that breach regulations to 25,000 euros ($29,400) -- five times the current penalty. Germany has fared better than many of its neighbours in suppressing the virus, reporting just over 200,000 cases and 9,118 deaths to date, according to the Robert Koch Institute for disease control. But the country has also been hit by repeated coronavirus outbreaks at slaughterhouses, keeping authorities on high alert. "From what we have experienced in the last few days, with over 800 cases a day in some cases, we must get back into a situation where we are well below 500," Braun said. Coronavirus testing in the German municipality of Mamming, where an outbreak saw 174 seasonal workers test positive Residents of Mamming have been offered free coronavirus tests, with various improvised test centres set up in the area
One focus of the camera is video recording. With improved 12-megapixel sensor, Alpha 7S III is capable of shooting 4K video at up to 120fps and generating exceptional low-light photography. Besides that, the recording limit should be one hour without overheating, which gives it a possible edge over most cameras that are limited to 30 minutes when recording 4K.

To optimize the shooting experience, especially for featured long-time shooting of Alpha 7S III, SmallRig designed the Master Kit that includes a form-fitting full cage, a NATO rail, a NATO top handle and a cable clamp, which will be available in August 2020.

Cage for Sony Alpha 7S III: The camera can be firmly fixed onto the cage via a 1/4 screw on the bottom and an M2.5 screw on the side. Featuring multiple 1/4 and 3/8 thread holes, a built-in NATO rail on the side and a cold shoe, the cage allows various mount options under different shooting scenarios.

The camera can be firmly fixed onto the cage via a 1/4 screw on the bottom and an M2.5 screw on the side. Featuring multiple 1/4 and 3/8 thread holes, a built-in NATO rail on the side and a cold shoe, the cage allows various mount options under different shooting scenarios. NATO Top Handle: Attaching to the top of the cage with a NATO rail, the handle can effectively smooth the low profile shooting while providing quick release.

Attaching to the top of the cage with a NATO rail, the handle can effectively smooth the low profile shooting while providing quick release. HDMI Cable Clamp: Designed to hold the HDMI cable in place and prevent cable strain or accidental cable disconnects, the clamp secures to the cage with one captive 1/4 screw and two anti-twist pins and holds the HDMI cable with a thumbscrew.

Aiming to develop the whole ecosystem for filmmakers and content creators, SmallRig is constantly welcoming feedback of the camera utilization. Feel free to check out their website for more products and details: https://www.smallrig.com/smallrig-sony-alpha-7s-iii-mater-kit-3009.html

About SmallRig

Founded in 2012, SmallRig is an innovative-led manufacturer that designs and builds premium camera rigs and accessories for all kinds of camera. Our sales network is spreading to over 150 countries and regions while our products are well-supported by over 500k filmmakers and photographers worldwide.

SOURCE SmallRig
Aer Lingus is maintaining services with the United States chiefly to ship thousands of tonnes of pharmaceuticals and other exports, the airline's CEO told the Oireachtas yesterday.

Sean Doyle was responding to claims from TDs at the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response that airlines were 'super-spreaders' of the pandemic, particularly from the US, where Covid-19 is more rampant than in Europe.

Mr Doyle said Aer Lingus was operating only three US services connecting Dublin with Boston, Chicago and New York. He said Aer Lingus at this time last year was delivering about 4,200 passengers daily from the US - but that has fallen to barely 150.

Most coming here were on essential business travel, returning Irish citizens, or using Dublin only as a transit hub to other destinations. He said goods, not people, were sustaining Aer Lingus's core transatlantic services.

"What I would urge people to understand is the amount of freight or cargo on those flights. We are transporting thousands of tonnes of exports and imports - a lot of pharmaceuticals into and out of the island of Ireland. That is one of the main drivers of us maintaining the network."

He confirmed that some exports for the US were being trucked from the west of Ireland to London's Heathrow for transport on British Airways flights, because Aer Lingus had limited use of wide-body aircraft on US routes.

This includes shipments by Boston Scientific plants in Clonmel, Cork and Galway, which normally would access Boston's Logan Airport from Shannon - an airport with no current Aer Lingus services.

"We don't have the capacity in Dublin to meet that particular flow," Mr Doyle said. "The most important thing that we can do is provide a service to Boston Scientific to get their goods out of the country.

"A solution that works for them isn't available at the moment on Aer Lingus. It normally would be, because we would have a wide body (aircraft) in Boston. But the overall cargo demand and the overall passenger demand don't justify the deployment of that type of solution on that route. If demand came back, then we would have an 'island of Ireland' solution that would enable that freight. But at the minute we don't."

Mr Doyle said Aer Lingus hoped to identify with US and Irish authorities a regime of advance Covid-19 testing for passengers intending to fly here from US airports.

"The United States is significantly behind Europe in terms of the progression of the pandemic. But the US is important. FDI (foreign direct investment) is fundamental. The number of foreign nationals who work for US companies in Ireland - who will need to start traveling to and from their homes on work and business - will be a big issue. We need to find solutions to enable that flow safely."

He and Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC, repeatedly told the committee that the Government was wrong to tell people to avoid flying. They asserted that travelling by air was no riskier than staying at home.

Both executives said Ireland should follow the policy adopted in the rest of the EU for the entire bloc to be 'greenlisted' as safe. Currently most of the EU - including the UK and Spain - is excluded from Ireland's list of countries that do not require a 14-day quarantine upon return.

"Germany have been open for travel since June the 19th," Mr Doyle said, "and at every stage of this crisis they've been a role model."
Chris Jakob, 34, who lives in an apartment that overlooks the entrance of the Swissotel, said he could see a large number of people on Wacker in front of the hotel before the stabbing occurred. There was as many as 30 people at one point during the night.
Supplier News

29 July 2020

Los Angeles, CA - INTELITY, the provider of hospitality's most comprehensive guest experience platform, has signed a deal with Hotel ELEO at the University of Florida to deliver contactless service to guests with a branded mobile app. The app will supply robust digital capabilities and another layer of safety for guests and staff at the new, upscale hotel in Gainesville, Florida.

With the new app, guests will have the ability to tailor service to their preferences before, during, and after their stay. The mobile capabilities allow travelers to find hotel and amenity information, make reservations, and more directly from their smartphone or tablet. Meanwhile, Hotel ELEO can use SMS and in-app messaging to connect with guests in real-time.

"Guests of Hotel ELEO at the University of Florida have easy access to top-of-the line technology and comfort in their rooms, in the fitness studio, and in the meeting space," remarked Rich Richardson, General Manager at Hotel ELEO. "Our new mobile app, which offers a secure and convenient way to check-in, unlock your room, and communicate with the hotel team, is right in line with our goal to provide 'state-of-the-heart' hospitality."

As COVID-19 remains a significant challenge throughout the country, the contactless services provided by the new Hotel ELEO app will enable guests to check in before they even arrive and access their room with a secure digital key. During their stay, they'll have the option to request contactless services and touchless deliveries. The contactless services enabled by the new Hotel ELEO app provide a convenient, secure way for guests to check-in to the hotel, access their room through a digital key, and communicate with the front desk team.

"We're extremely pleased that Hotel ELEO has signed on with us," said Robert Stevenson, INTELITY CEO. "This is already a beautiful, tech-focused property led by a team that understands true southern hospitality. Giving guests a mobile-first experience will just further set them apart as a leader in luxury, safety, and excellent service."

The newly-opened Hotel ELEO combines minimalist contemporary design, delicious gastronomic experiences, and cutting-edge event spaces to create unforgettable stays for both business and leisure travelers. Now, it'll further embrace future-forward hospitality technology with a custom INTELITY app, guest messaging, and digital capabilities. For more information on this partnership or the INTELITY platform, please visit www.intelity.com.
HARRISBURG, Pa., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AARP Pennsylvania today said state officials must increase COVID-19 testing capabilities to better protect the lives of residents and staff at the state's nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health yesterday announced that all of the state's nursing homes and personal care homes have been tested once for COVID-19. AARP State Director Bill Johnston-Walsh said one-time testing isn't sufficient to protect residents and staff during the pandemic.

"COVID-19 is putting seniors living in nursing homes, assisted living, and other long-term care facilities in grave danger," said Johnston-Walsh. "Regular testing is needed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and save lives at our long-term living facilities."

To date 69% of Pennsylvania's COVID-19 fatalities have come from nursing home residents and staff.

Johnston-Walsh called for federal resources to be made available that would allow long-term care facilities to be tested weekly.

"For five months, nursing homes have been a hotbed for the virusyet basic precautions like regular testing to protect residents and staff are still not in place." he said. "Our elected leaders must act now to protect Pennsylvania's long-term care residents and staff before the death toll rises even higher."

CONTACT: Steve Gardner, AARP PA

(717) 319-5484 or [email protected]

SOURCE AARP Pennsylvania

Related Links

http://www.aarp.org


The Ontario government says it is revamping childrens aid to focus more on prevention and early intervention, while also addressing the overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous youth in care.

Child welfare should not be a system that is feared, Associate Minister of Children and Womens Issues Jill Dunlop said Wednesday in announcing the changes, adding that the current system can be an intrusive and traumatic experience for families and children.

She said the province will provide more community-based services and give families a stronger voice in decisions affecting them.

It will also give preference to care in the community  residential care, such as fostering  over group home settings.

It costs $100,000 a year for a child in a group home, a living situation that leads to the worst outcomes, Dunlop told the Star in an interview following the announcement.

Children and youth in care experience significantly worse outcomes than those in a family setting, such as lower graduation rates, a higher risk of homelessness and more involvement with the justice system, she said.

Research shows that many of these situations can be prevented if we do a better job of helping families earlier on.

The province did not announce any new funding with its phased-in plan to reform the system, which had some critics worried it is mostly a cost-savings measure.

NDP critic Monique Taylor said she was disappointed ... It was a lot of nice words, but without legislation, without actual resources, the system will be doing more with less.

And as funding is shifted more toward community-based services, whats going to happen there? Taylor asked.

There are still kids in care, there are still kids in residential facilities, there are still kids who need services. How is the government going to continue to underfund them and yet tell the agencies that they have to do the proactive work as well, she asked.

She also wondered why there was no concrete plan after a year of consultations.

Former Ontario child advocate Irwin Elman also expressed qualms. He said Dunlop has an opportunity. Those children (in care) are her legacy. But hes worried modernization means cheaper and families and communities could be left to their own devices.

Dunlop noted Black and Indigenous and marginalized youth are brought into the system at a rate five times their population.

She also said the current system is full of harmful assumptions  children can be removed from their families simply because they are living in poverty  and that will change.

We want children to grow up with their families and communities ... we want to keep families together when we can, reunite them when possible, she said.

More than 12,000 Ontario youth are in the care of childrens aid.

Jeffery Schiffer, executive director of the Native Child and Family Services of Toronto, said he is particularly heartened by the distinct approach to co-develop services with First Nations, Inuit, Metis and urban Indigenous partners to make this vision a reality and reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system.

He told the Star prevention and early intervention are really the innovation that we need in child welfare. It leads to better outcomes and reduces the number of kids in care.

Its more effective, and costs less, he said, adding his agency focuses on working proactively with families and of the 7,000-youth service, just 225 are in care.

This difference demonstrates our commitment to prevention work, he said.

However, he added, more money will be needed as the government begins to implement the changes.

Dunlop said about 8 per cent of childrens aid funding goes toward prevention, and we need to be looking at how to reallocate those funds.

The governments plan will also centre on education and employment for youth in care, given just 46 per cent of them earn a high school diploma, compared to 83 per cent of all Ontario teens.

She said the changes were the result of input over the past year from childrens aid societies, kids and families as well as First Nations and community organizations.
Nearly 12,000 U.S. troops will be withdrawn or repositioned from Germany, with more than half of them returning to the U.S., under a long-term plan aimed at strengthening NATO's eastern flanks against Russia, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday.

He gave no overall timetable for when the pullout would begin or be completed, but said some units could start moving "within weeks" while the withdrawal of others will depend on working out agreements with allies.

Read Next: Lawmakers Grill Guard Officer on Claims Police Used Excessive Force on DC Protesters

However, "no moves will take place without thorough communication with our people" affected by the withdrawals and with Congress, Esper said.

Last month, President Donald Trump directed that 9,500 troops be withdrawn from Germany, but Esper said the overall strategy requires the pullout and repositioning of 11,900, reducing the number of U.S. service members in Germany to about 24,000.

Of the 11,900 troops, about 6,400 will eventually return to the U.S. and the rest will be repositioned in other NATO countries, with an emphasis on Poland, the Baltic states and the Black Sea region to shift NATO's force posture more to the east, Esper said.

The bulk of the troops returning to the U.S. will consist of the 4,500 members of the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, a Stryker unit now garrisoned in Vilseck, Germany, he added.

Esper said an unspecified fighter squadron and elements of a fighter wing now stationed in Germany will be moved to Italy.

In addition, the Army's newly established 5th Corps headquarters is slated to move into Poland, and other units are being considered for stationing in Poland and the Baltic states, he continued.

The 2,500 airmen now stationed at the U.K.'s RAF Mildenhall, who had been scheduled to reposition to Germany, will now stay put, Esper said.

He had no immediate figures for the costs of the withdrawal, but said it could be in the "single digit" billions.

Esper said the Defense Department will rely on the service branches to "assure the stability" of military families who will be making permanent change-of-station moves under the sweeping reorganization, adding that the families will be "informed well in advance" of any moves.

The SecDef outlined the plan at a Pentagon briefing with Air Force Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, who doubles as NATO supreme commander and head of U.S. European Command.

Under the plan, Wolters said his own EUCOM headquarters will move from Stuttgart, Germany, to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. He added that EUCOM's Special Operations Command headquarters in Stuttgart will also move to Mons.

Esper said the headquarters of U.S. Africa Command, which currently has about 2,000 personnel in Stuttgart, Germany, will also likely be moved to Belgium, although a final location has yet to be determined.

Wolters said the plan calls for at least two Army battalions now stationed in Germany to move to Italy. He did not give a date but said the first to move will be the 52nd Civil Engineering Battalion.

The demands for deterrence in Europe require speed of movement, which could better be handled by rotational forces coming from the U.S., Wolters said, adding, "This realignment allows us to favorably deter against Russia."

The Germany pullout has triggered bipartisan criticism from Congress, with Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, calling it a "gift" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But Hyten said the plan to rely more on rotational forces going to Europe from the U.S. will boost the unpredictability of the overall deterrent.

The plan will result in a better alignment of NATO and EUCOM forces and "provide Gen. Wolters increased ability to dynamically deploy his force," Hyten said.

Hyten and Esper sought to portray the pullout plan as part of a long-term review of the posture of all the combatant commands, although Trump in announcing the withdrawal directive last month said it was aimed at Germany's refusal to spend more on national defense.

Esper said that Trump's announcement had "accelerated" Pentagon planning "to reduce our footprint in Germany. We are still retaining a little more than 24,000 troops in Germany, which is still a lot, and more than any other country in Europe."

The number of U.S. troops in Europe has "changed many times" over years, Esper said, and "we're now at another one of those inflection points in NATO's history."

He added that Germany is one of the wealthiest countries in Europe "and should pay more for its defense."

Planning for withdrawals from Germany began well before Trump gave the order in June, Esper said.

"We began this process actually several months ago when I gave EUCOM direction to begin looking at ways to improve our force disposition in NATO," he said. "I'm telling you that this is going to accomplish what the president [ordered] with regard to getting us down to a lower number in Europe, and it meets those other objectives I laid out with regard to the strategic piece."

At a June 24 White House meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Trump said that some of the U.S. troops withdrawn from Germany would return to the U.S. and some would go to Poland.

There was also speculation at the time that some of the withdrawn troops would go to the Indo-Pacific region as a counter to China. Esper said there is still a possibility that some of the withdrawn troops will end up there.

"They could be, but right now there are no plans to do so," he said.

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

Related: Army Secretary Skirts Questions on US Troop Pullout from Germany
Photo: pixabay

A B.C. judge has decided not to send a retired military officer to jail who "encouraged and enthusiastically supported" the abuse of a child, in part because the man has post-traumatic stress disorder from his years of service.

Judge Mayland McKimm says in a ruling issued last week from provincial court in Colwood that he believes the case meets the threshold of "truly exceptional circumstances" and merits a conditional sentence of 18 months served in the community.

The ruling says the 60-year-old man, whom The Canadian Press is not naming to protect the identity of the child, admitted to collecting 881 photos of child pornography on his devices.

It says he also had conversations with his common-law girlfriend via text message in which they discussed how they hoped to sexually exploit her five-year old son, and she sent explicit photos of the boy over a three-month period.

However, the judge found that the man's PTSD was the "triggering factor" that led him to seek out risky behaviour and there was no evidence that the man ever touched the child.

McKimm says the man has shown sincere remorse and has serious health conditions that would make incarceration "particularly difficult."

"In sum, we are dealing with an individual who, for a relatively brief period of time, dabbled in the dark and odious world of child pornography and pedophilia. It was not a sustained and committed sexual practice," McKimm says.

The offences involving the boy were limited to between February and April 2017. By the time of his arrest in December 2017, the man had "moved on from pedophilia" and there was no evidence he continued accumulating child porn beyond February of that year, the judge says.

The accused spent the bulk of his 33-year military career serving as a medical assistant and retired as a chief warrant officer, the highest rank available without being a commissioned officer, the ruling says.

He moved in with the boy's mother six months before the incidents began. She sent him sexually explicit text messages with his "encouragement and enthusiastic support" promoting a sexual relationship between the man and the boy, it says.

Later that year, the boy's father came across the images of his son and text messages.

"Not surprisingly, he was horrified and shocked by what he saw and contacted the authorities," the ruling says.

The accused was arrested in December 2017.

The Crown called for seven to 10 months of jail plus 12 to 18 months on probation, while the man's lawyer argued the case involved extraordinary circumstances.

The court heard that the man witnessed the atrocities of war during seven combat tours and suffered acute PTSD. However, his caregivers believed he "simply suffered from depression," until it was diagnosed in 2019 after the charges surfaced.

McKimm says the PTSD was the "central trigger" that caused the man to "turn briefly to this dark and sinister sexual predilection.

"It is a well-known symptom that those who suffer from PTSD often turn to dangerous- and risk-seeking behaviours to combat the awful symptoms they suffer from PTSD. I am satisfied that the accused here was seeking out this risky and deplorable sexualized behaviour to deal with his symptoms."

The man is aware of the seriousness of his behaviour and undergoing psychological treatment, the ruling says. He also suffers a serious and debilitating heart condition and ongoing kidney and gastrointestinal issues.

In addition to the conditional sentence, he will also serve probation for two years and be required to be on the sex offender information registry for 20 years.

The judge writes that the boy may never learn of his abuse and describes the boy's father, who delivered a "powerful victim impact statement" as a real-world victim.
Guiseppe Barranco, Photo Editor / Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Jack Brooks Regional Airport has been selected for over $1.1 million in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation as a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (Cares) Act.

The two grants funded by appropriation from Congress in March will be used to reconstruct the taxiway and update the airports master plan for improvement. Master plans help keep airports on track to meet safety goals and improve infrastructure, but can require extensive studies.
Something to look forward to: The cutesy little eBussy from ElectricBrands may only exist as a concept for now, but the German company plans to build and sell the light commercial vehicle next year. Provided it can sort everything out for a smooth launch in such a short time, the eBussy could potentially sell like hotcakes, given it offers a ton of customization with support for up to 10 different body styles to suit a variety of seating/cargo configurations, including camper van, pickup, bus, off-road cabriolet and more. It can also switch to left- or right-hand drive on the fly, features solar charging, and is set to have a surprisingly low starting price of just over $18,000 for the 10kWh 200km range base model.

Intelligently designed cars with unassuming simplicity often rate high on a car enthusiast's list. The eBussy with its box on wheels profile is just as charming as something like a Suzuki Jimny and carries a friendly fascia that seems heavily inspired by the Honda e.

Unlike those two cars, however, this vehicle is yet to appear on public roads, and the company behind it is pitching it to be more than just a car. With a highly modular platform, that literally is the case as the eBussy would be available in a variety of flavors, including bus, kipper, pickup, convertible, camper, transporter, and 'koffer.'

In terms of powertrain, the eBussy will feature AWD across the entire range and start with a small 10 kWh battery pack with a claimed range of up to 200 km (124 mi). This can be extended to 600 km (373 mi) with a larger 30 kWh unit. A 15 kWh (20 hp) motor provides propulsion, which seems puny but will reportedly deliver a mighty 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque, precisely the reason why the eBussy with its light curb weight of 450-600 kg is rated to support payloads of up to 1,000 kg.

Solar panels integrated into the EV's roof can add another 200 km/day to the aforementioned range, alongside any extra juice gained from regenerative braking. ElectricBrands also notes a top speed of just over 90 km/h, which seems adequate for some light off-roading, campervanning, delivering cargo, and carrying out other small commercial duties.

The eBussy also has a movable instrument panel that will allow for left- or right-hand steering on the fly. According to the chosen body style, the batteries which occupy the floor, can either be accessed via under-bed lockers (pickup, dump truck) or slide-out trays in the rear (transporter, bus, camper).

Given its small footprint, there's only space for up to 4 people inside, meaning that the eBussy won't be able to compete with Volkswagen's upcoming I.D Buzz EV as it offers half the seating capacity. It could, however, arrive much sooner than VW's reimagined microbus and release at a much lower starting price point of just over $18,000.
CALGARY - The main export system for Western Canada's oil production is recovering after volumes fell by less than feared amid the COVID-19 economic slowdown in the second quarter, pipeline company Enbridge Inc. reported Wednesday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Enbridge logo is shown at the company's annual meeting in Calgary on May 9, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - The main export system for Western Canada's oil production is recovering after volumes fell by less than feared amid the COVID-19 economic slowdown in the second quarter, pipeline company Enbridge Inc. reported Wednesday.

The system which accounts for about 70 per cent of Canadian oil exports into the United States moved 2.44 million barrels per day in the three months ended June 30, a decline of about 400,000 bpd compared with the first quarter tally of 2.84 million bpd, the company reported.

The result was at the low end of a forecast shortfall of between 400,000 and 600,000 bpd, said CEO Al Monaco on a conference call.

He added that while the company is encouraged by a rise in North American crude demand from about 15 million bpd in April to 18 million bpd in June, it is wary of the impact of a possible pandemic second wave.

"Overall, the pace of recovery was a little better than we thought in Q2 but, with the rise in infection rates that we're seeing today, we're cautious about the timing of a full return," Monaco said.

"Since April, North American demand came back by about three million (barrels) per day but we see a more gradual pace of recovery from here."

The Mainline is expected to be underutilized by between 200,000 and 400,000 bpd in the third quarter and between 100,000 and 300,000 bpd in the fourth quarter before returning to full utilization in early 2021.

The Calgary-based company reported second quarter net income of $1.65 billion, down from $1.74 billion in the year-earlier period, thanks to a 40 per cent drop in revenues to nearly $8 billion from $13.3 billion.

Revenue attributed to commodity sales fell to $2.9 billion from $8.4 billion as oil prices plunged due to lower demand because of the pandemic and higher production by OPEC and other international producers.

Adjusted profit came in at $1.13 billion or 56 cents per share, compared with $1.35 billion or 67 cents per share in the second quarter of 2019.

Enbridge was expected to report 55 cents per share in adjusted profits, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

In a report, Stifel FirstEnergy analyst Ian Gillies said Enbridge beat his adjusted income forecast mainly due to stronger U.S. natural gas transmission and distribution earnings.

The company had few updates concerning its ongoing court and regulatory pipeline battles in the United States.

It's a partner in the three-year-old Dakota Access Pipeline, which a judge ordered shut down last month after finding a crucial federal permit fell short of National Environmental Policy Act requirements. The decision has been temporarily stayed.

Enbridge will be able to mitigate the loss of revenue if the pipeline is closed by rerouting some North Dakota oil volumes to other parts of its system, said liquids pipelines president Vern Yu on the call.

Permits needed for the company's Line 3 replacement project in Minnesota are being delayed until at least November and some capital expenses expected to be incurred this year have been moved to 2021, said chief financial officer Colin Gruending on the call.

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Meanwhile, the company hopes to restore the east leg of its Line 5 pipeline running through a Great Lakes channel within weeks if it is able to demonstrate it is safe to operate after an incident involving an anchor support on the underwater conduit.

Last month, Enbridge confirmed 800 employees had voluntarily left the company as part of program announced in May to reduce 2020 costs by $300 million through measures including salary cuts and voluntary staff reductions.

It reported Wednesday $268 million ($200 million after tax) in employee severance, transition and transformation costs during the second quarter.

Enbridge's shares gained $1.07 or 2.5 per cent at $43.29 in midday trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ENB)
At least 15 people were killed and dozens missing after flash floods left hundreds of houses buried in mud on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, authorities said Tuesday. A search and rescue operation was underway to find missing people feared swept away by floods and mud after three rivers in North Luwu regency overflowed due to torrential rains, the island's disaster mitigation agency said. "As of this afternoon, we have received reports from local residents who said their relatives have gone missing. There are dozens of them missing in total," North Luwu mitigation and rescue agency head Muslim Muchsin told AFP. Hundreds of houses as well as government offices and public facilities were engulfed in three to five metres (10-16 feet) of mud. "We can only see the roofs of the houses from a distance," Muchsin added. As many as 2,000 residents were taking refuge at temporary shelters in North Luwu, the agency said, but the floods and mud were hampering efforts to distribute supplies. "Now we are focusing on the efforts to clean out the debris that inundated the road so that we can open the access to the site to bring logistics," Muchsin said. North Luwu regent Indah Putri Indriani said the 15 dead were discovered by the rescue team on Tuesday. "From the latest data that I received in Radda subdistrict alone there are 56 people missing, but the number could be higher though as there are some villages that cannot be accessed at all," Indah said, adding her office was also covered by mud. Earlier this year, record rains triggered flooding and landslides that killed nearly 70 people in and around Indonesia's capital Jakarta, which is on neighbouring Java island. The Southeast Asian archipelago is regularly hit by floods during the rainy season.
The Pune Municipal Commissioner (PMC) is likely to allow hotels and lodges to resume operation as the civic body has scheduled a meeting with hoteliers to discuss a plan to restart businesses.

While the state government allowed reopening of hotels with 33 per cent capacity on July 8, the PMC had not issued orders at the local level. Now with the government looking at another round of relaxations, the Pune civic body has scheduled meeting with representatives from the hotel industry to discuss modalities of restarting the business.

According to PMC Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, the civic body did not give permission till now as Pune has seen a surge in the number of Covid-19 positive cases and most of the hotels were in containment zones.

This prompted us to defer the decision until now. But we will be reviewing the details after a meeting with the hotelier association in the city and with the other authorities jointly on July 31, when we plan for August 2020, said Kumar.

Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad together have at least 400 to 500 hotels with most of them willing to reopen businesses, said Sharan Shetty, president, Pune Hoteliers Association (PHA).

The PHA is in talks with the authorities to try to get permission for the hotels to open up as early as possible. The 33 per cent occupancy condition in the state government directive is quite unreasonable considering the number of overheads and costs involved in running the operations of a hotel. However, given the circumstances, we would be willing to start operations, said Shetty.

While hotels with attached rooms are likely to be permitted to carry on their business, small restaurants and eateries in Pune hope that a similar decision will be taken for them as they report less than 30 per cent of the normal business through take-home services.

The shortage of the workforce after around 70 per cent staff working as cooks, waiters returned home to their home state during lockdown has only complicated the situation for these restaurants.

The otherwise crowded restaurants on Fergusson college road, Camp and other areas are complaining that business has taken a major hit even as home delivery of food is allowed.

Just when we were looking to pick up business, another round of lockdown was announced. Our daily sale has now gone down by 80 per cent if you compare it with pre-lockdown sales. It has come down to only 20 per cent of the usual that is around Rs 70,000 per day on average, said GB Joshi, an accountant at Hotel Vaishali on Fergusson college road.

The shortage of workers, as Joshi noted, is making the business unviable. In Pune, most of those involved in cooking and serving food were from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Karnataka. This labour force, according to hoteliers, may take six more months to return.

Kasim Irani, the owner of Goodluck cafe, said, With business going down to 5 per cent of the usual and absence of our regular employees, we have downsized the menu and only 10 per cent from the entire list is available for takeaway. Even if our staff returns, I may not be able to recruit all till business comes to normal. I hope the government will allow the restaurant to open with 50 per cent of occupancy.

According to the Pune Restaurant and Hotelier Association (PRAHA), the city has over 8,000 restaurants of only 150 have restarted the business in full while many are operating with reduced hours.

The lockdown has claimed jobs of 2.5 lakh workers in our industry in Pune. After hotels are allowed to resume at 33 per cent occupancy, we expect the government to also allow us to reopen the dine-in facility without which the business is unviable, said PRAHA president Ganesh Shetty.

Initially in March and April, restaurant owners, unaware of how long the lockdown may be extended, paid the salaries of the staff but also provided them with accommodation. Later, when the staff returned to their hometown, the Maharashtra government began unlocking process and allowed many to reopen from June 9.

Many of our members are paying rent as well as electricity bills for their premises when business is much below normal. Many small and big restaurants, who are finding it difficult to keep business running may close down in the coming days, said Shetty.

With offices also not operating to full capacity, many small hotels with dependence on delivery business during day-time are finding it difficult.

Prashant Shetty from Nimantran said, The daily sale is around Rs 30,000 to 40,000 and if we are lucky on weekends then it exceeds Rs 45,000. On weekdays we get 40 to 50 orders per day and on weekends the number of orders received is around 80 to 100. There is a definite hike in takeaway orders as we do not receive so many orders for delivery before lockdown.

The concept of no contact delivery was introduced to assure safety by restaurants. However, many people do not prefer ordering food online choose to eat home-cooked instead, complained those involved in the food delivery business.

Ravi Manik Kamble, a delivery executive, said, We receive around 8 to 10 orders per day and we get Rs 15 to Rs 30 per order depending on the distance of the delivery. All my savings are over and the number of orders per day has reduced almost by 60 per cent. Swiggy and Zomato charge us an extra Rs 300 for a raincoat and hence it becomes difficult to take more orders. The traffic police click our picture post 10 pm when we wear raincoats and that creates a problem for us which eventually creates a barrier in delivering more orders.
Some gunmen, on Wednesday, attacked a bullion van in Ebonyi State, killing four police officers escorting the vehicle.

The gunmen, it was gathered, tried unsuccessfully to intercept the bullion van at Ezzamgbo junction, in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

The van was transporting money from Enugu to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The robbers in a bid to intercept the van and cart away the money, first fired at the escort van conveying the police officers.

Four police officers were killed in the attack while two sustained injuries.

The commissioner of police in the state, Philip Maku, has confirmed the incident.

According to him, the robbers trailed the van from Enugu State.

He said the robbers were not able to loot the van as the driver managed to escape with the van.

They damaged one of the tires of the bullion van but the driver was able to escape with the van. They could not give chase as the driver was driving towards the military checkpoint ahead, he said.

The police chief said the two injured policemen are receiving treatment while the corpses have been deposited at the mortuary.

Mr Maku said the police have launched a manhunt for the fleeing robbers.
General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia says Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has no good record to show for his role as a Vice President.



According to him, Dr Bawumias role as a Vice President is to supervise the security management of the country as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution and not the management of the countrys economy.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the NDC Chief Scribe insisted that Dr Bawumia has failed to deliver as the activities of the vigilante groups are on the rise as they are killing innocent people and taking over the operations of the state security.



He wondered why President Akufo-Addo as an astute lawyer will ask his Vice President to be doing the work of a lawyer by interrogating people on issues; asserting that even though, Dr Bawumia is an economist, he has not been assigned to talk about the economy of the country.



Why will the President ask Bawumia to do interrogative work when he is not a lawyer but an Economist? The President who studied law is not asking questions but the economist is doing the work of a lawyer. Bawumia has not been assigned to talk about the economy and so he should have allowed those in charge to ask those questions, he asserted.



He maintained that the managers of the economy are the Minister of Finance, the Governor of Bank of Ghana and the National Development Planning Commission; reiterating that the aforementioned names are the managers of the economy of Ghana and not the Vice President.



The Vice President does not have any role in managing the economy of the country and so the role of Dr Bawumia is to manage the security of the country and we can all see the security situation in the country.



He was of the view that if Bawumia has any record to talk about, it should be about improvement in the security of the country and not the economy, and everyone knows that the security of the nation has become a fiasco and that is the record of Bawumia.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The mother in a Tamil asylum seeker family fighting deportation to Sri Lanka has been taken from a Perth hospital without notice and flown back to Christmas Island under police guard, her lawyer and friends say.

Parents Priya and Nadesalingam and their Australian-born daughters, Kopika, 5, and Tharunicaa, 3, have been detained on Christmas Island since last August. A series of court orders has stopped the federal government from deporting them.

Asylum seeker Priya in hospital on Christmas Island with Kopika, 5, and Tharunicaa, 3, before being taken to Perth.

Residents of the Queensland town of Biloela, where Priya and Nades, who do not want their surname published, settled after arriving in Australia separately by boat in 2012 and 2013, have been campaigning for their release since they were first detained in 2018.

Earlier this month, Priya was medically evacuated from Christmas Island and taken to the Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth after weeks of abdominal pain while her husband and two young daughters remained on the island.
By PTI

BHOPAL: Accusing Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra of not following social distancing norms while meeting people amid the pandemic, the state Congress on Wednesday said that any BJP leader who makes him adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines will be rewarded Rs 11,000.

In a statement, MP Congress spokesman Narendra Singh Saluja said, "Shivraj ji (Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan), you and your three ministers, besides BJP MLAs and RSS leaders got infected with coronavirus. This number is increasing everyday."

"While Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) insists that people wear masks and maintain two gaz (yards) distance, the state home minister is not following these rules. When will he implement it?" he asked.

"Any BJP leader who advises Mishra and ensures that he wears a mask, maintains distance and follows coronavirus guidelines will be rewarded Rs 11,000 by the Congress party," Saluja announced.

He alleged that Mishra neither wears a mask nor maintains social distancing while meeting people, despite being a minister.

However, coming out in defence of Mishra, BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said that the home minister used "gamcha" (towel-like cloth) as a face mask, which was also advised by the prime minister.

"Instead of focusing on BJP, Congress should look at its own programmes where none of the senior leaders wear masks. This could be seen in a programme in Badnawar and also another one in which senior BJP leader Balendu Shukla joined Congress," he said.

"It would be better if instead of pointing figers at others, people themselves follow the COVID-19 guidelines," Agrawal added.

Meanwhile, one more minister in Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has tested coronavirus positive, becoming the third member of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan's council of ministers, apart from the chief minister himself, to contract the infection.

Minister of State (Independent charge) for Backward Class and Minority Welfare Ramkhelawan Patel is the latest one to test positive.

In a message to people, Patel said, "I got myself, my family and other staff members tested for coronavirus and my report is found to be positive."

The minister is in the MLA Rest House at present and will be shifted to a private hospital soon.

Patel said that one of his drivers has also tested positive while the report of others is negative.

Before Patel, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his two ministerial colleagues have tested positive for the deadly infection.

Chouhan had shared the information about his infection early on Saturday.

A few days before that, state Cooperatives minister, Arvind Singh Bhadoria, had also tested positive.

On Tuesday night, Water Resources Minister Tulsi Silawat and his wife were found infected with coronavirus.
"Another Soldier has gone on"

Tommy Ray Bradley peacefully left this earth to be with his heavenly Father on July 22, 2020.

(Attempting to highlight 71 years of life in this short summary)

Tom was born February 22,1949 to Hillary & Mamie Bradley (both deceased) in Jonesboro, Louisiana. He was one of six children to this union.

Tom graduated from Shady Grove High School with honors. Directly after graduating he attended and graduated from Grambling College with a degree in geography in 1971. After graduating from Grambling he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from 1971 through 1973.

After his service in the US Marine Corps we went started his employment history starting with Northern Arizona Relocation Commission, then Flagstaff Parks & Recreation and lastly United Postal Service until retirement.

Tom was raised in the church in Louisiana. After coming to Arizona he was a faithful member of First Missionary Baptist Church until his death.

He is proceeded in death by his parents mentioned above; Brothers Charles & Ronnie Bradley - Sister Jerilene Kary all of Jonesboro La.

He leaves behind his wife Gladys Bradley; Sisters: Charlene Henry (Stanley) New Orleans, La.; Linda Combs (Major) & Blenda Bradley Jonesboro, La.; half-brother Lonnie Walston Las Vegas. NV; Brothers-in-laws; Danny (Charlotte), Al & Terry Smith Phoenix, AZ. Any many, many nieces, nephew, cousins, and friends. Hold on to your precious memories of him and smile when doing so.

To God be the Glory

At Tom's request there will not be any services. Burial and military honors will be held, Thursday, July 30th at the Veteran's Section of Citizens' Cemetery, Flagstaff, AZ. Memories and condolences can be sent directly to the family or online at www.norvelowensmortuary.com
Erdogan Seeks to Tame Social Media, Again

By Dorian Jones July 28, 2020

Turkey is poised to introduce drastic measures to control social media platforms.

The proposed legislation is drawing growing international criticism with social media remaining one of the few venues for dissent.

Infuriated by tweets mocking his son in law and daughter, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared this month, the "immoral [social media] platforms" would be "completely banned or controlled."

Under new legislation set to pass before Eid holidays later this week, the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Tik Tok will be compelled to open offices in Turkey by requiring them to assign representatives who would be subject to Turkish laws, including tax regulations.

"It builds upon and expands upon the current regime of controls," said Professor Yaman Akdeniz, co-founder of the Freedom of Expression Society, an advocacy group in Istanbul.

Until now, the social media giants have resisted Ankara's demands to open offices in Turkey. But in an innovative approach, proposed legislation uses the threat of ending net neutrality to force compliance.

New attempt to control

Social media platforms that fail to comply face cuts of up to 95% of their Internet bandwidth, making them unusable. "This is well thought out legislation on the government's part," said Akdeniz.

Previous attempts by Erdogan to tame social media have failed. Despite over 400,000 web pages banned and thousands of people prosecuted for social media postings, the Internet remains a powerful venue for dissent and independent news.

Internet tools like Virtual Private Networks, VPN, and proxies are widely used in Turkey to circumvent website bans. A three-year ban on Wikipedia was so widely flouted the government capitulated and lifted the restrictions. But controlling bandwidth could be more effective than blocking websites.

"This will be a very serious restriction which may not be easy to bypass with alternative ways," said Akdeniz. "Turkey's attempt to restrict access to social media platforms should not be underestimated."

Turkish authorities usually temporarily cut bandwidth to curtail social media use, in the aftermath of major terror attacks. In what appears to be a new coordinated approach, the government's Internet regulators have been stepping up their efforts to curtail the use of VPN and proxies.

"A considerable number of VPN services are already blocked from Turkey, and more will be blocked," said Akdeniz.

Devlet Bahceli, leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party, MHP, the parliamentary coalition partner of Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, AKP, called for efforts to be stepped up to end the use of VPN and proxies.

Using tax laws

The president's director of communications, Fahrettin Altun, says the new legislation is about holding the social media giants financially accountable, accusing them of "uncontrollably making profits in our country and continue their operations immune to any tax obligations."

The European Union is also calling on social media companies to be more financially accountable. In a statement released this month, the EU commission unveiled plans "that extends EU tax transparency rules to digital platforms."

But there is growing international concern over Ankara's plans. "If passed the new law will enable the government to control social media, to get content removed at will, and to arbitrarily target individual users," said Tom Porteous, deputy program director at the New York-based Human Rights Watch. "Social media is a lifeline for many people who use it to access news, so this law signals a new dark era of online censorship."

Until now, social media platforms have walked a tightrope by complying with some  but not all  Turkish regulatory authority demands to remove sites and ban users. But under the proposed reforms, failure to comply would result in substantial fines that they would be obliged to pay if they open an office in Turkey.

"If the social media platforms decide to establish offices in Turkey," said Akdeniz, "then they will be compelled to remove the content as well as close down accounts subject to blocking and removal decisions involving defamation as well as other so-called personal rights violations."

Twitter, Facebook, or Tik Tok have so far commented on the proposed legislation, but analysts believe the companies have plenty of reason to oppose it.

Lucrative market

Turkey's young net-savvy population is seen as a lucrative market for the social media giants.

The growing popularity of social media as an alternative to mainstream media, most of which is under government control, is seen as Erdogan's primary motivation behind the pending legislation.

"Even members of the AKP and MHP constituencies consider social media as their primary source of information," said analyst Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners.

"One of the main reasons Erdogan could make so many mistakes and still stay in power is because he controls the flow of information reaching his entire voting segment, now he realizes those days have gone. People have moved to an alternative medium which he has no control," added Yesilada.

With the Turkish economy hit by the COVID 19 pandemic, recent opinion polls suggest Erdogan's AKP's popularity is at historic lows, even though it remains the most popular party with Turkey's fractured opposition.

The proposed law opens the door to revamping Erdogan's and his party's image. "News websites, as well as social media platforms, will be compelled to remove content from their servers and news archives," said Akdeniz. "The idea behind this is to cleanse AKP's and the government's past injustices, corruption, and irregularity allegations."

Yesilada warns that even if the latest reforms succeed, the Turkish leader could yet pay a high price. "We have ample survey evidence that the young generation are hooked to social media, and they already have a poor view of Mr. Erdogan and his politics. Controlling social media will completely turn them off the AKP and Mr. Erdogan."

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From wild Columbian parties to wayward grandparents on wheelchairs there are a lot of incidents which have left an impression on the solo travellers of the world. And though a recent study smashed the Twain-ian trope that travel is fatal to prejudice (it suggested travel doesnt neccessarily open minds as much as we like to think), a trending Reddit thread (posted yesterday) in the r/solotravel community comes to Twains support.

How? A group of solo travellers are currently opening up about the moments that have stuck with them most, and it suggests at least a little warping of minds.

From the absurd to the thought-provoking, heres a smattering of the best answers to the question, What is the most interesting thing you have observed while traveling solo?.

In true Reddit style, the answers go beyond responding to the question and branch out into anecdotal territory (i.e. travellers not just talking about what theyve observed but what theyve done). But hey: that just makes it even more interesting.

Here are the wildest things solo travellers have seen or done on their trips.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by lauren bullen (@gypsea_lust) on Feb 4, 2020 at 7:56pm PST

Seeing an old man bombing it through Amsterdam in a wheelchair

To start us off is a doozy: one solo traveller recounts an experience so absurd it would make Camus clap. In Amsterdam, the Reddit user recalls, I was sitting at an outside cafe having a beer midday next to a street for pedestrians.

This older gentleman in an automated wheelchair, going at least 20 mph yelling and swerving through pedestrians, ended up on two wheels for a few feet. Thought he was going over but he righted himself and kept going. The Russians at the table next to me where hootin n hollerin the whole time!

One of the funniest things Ive ever seen.

Meeting people who judge you

I am a married woman with a couple of kids and the most interesting part of traveling solo is how many people are visibly appalled that I would leave my children for a week or so one user relates. Who is watching the kids is a question Ive answered more times than I can count.

My husband, their dad, is watching them, also known as parenting.

Meeting people who assume your age should prohibit you from travelling

I always explain that for me to be the best father I can possibly be, I need some selfish time. It works for our family but I know I still get heavily judged for this, one user says.

Another parent had a similar problem, writing, I say something similar  my kids and husband get the best version of me when I am able to take some time to myself to do things that I truly love.

A week of being selfish now and then seems reasonable considering how much of ourselves we give to our families.

Seeing landscapes eerily similar to ones youve seen before

The Ethiopian highlands look exactly like the Scottish highlands. Its uncanny. Heather and clover everywhere, is one of this threads top voted comments.

Its also not the only one which picks up on this trend: Bro i truly think theres only so many unique formations on earth, especially to the average persons short attention span/eye, writes another.

Cliffs in Ireland look like cliffs in Portugal look like cliffs in Iceland. I had more examples of these sorts of things when I was travelling more, but defo something I noticed.

When most people say x y or z is truly unique and unlike anything else its oftentimes because theyve just not traveled much.

Doesnt make it any less beautiful or awe inspiring, but not necessarily one of a kind/the only place you can experience/see something like it.

Being solicited for services in Colombia

I was drunk, walking in Medellin looking for my friends at like 2am, in the club area (Parque Lleras), one users tale begins.

I asked some girls if they had seen a group of gringos walk by, and one said something in spanish like why? We are all the company you need. I sat on the bench next to them and they tried to talk to me for a bit but my spanish was shit at the time.

Eventually one handed me her phone with the notepad out with a menu on it with prices etc.

I [enjoyed the company of] 3 girls for about an hour then they started asking for more money so I gave them however many pesos I had left in cash (not much like $50 CAD) and we continued for a bit, then I was done and exhausted and scared of getting robbed so I went back to my Airbnb as the sun was coming up and went to sleep.

Its legal there, the user claims, so Im not worried about posting this here, but of course your results may vary and proceed at your own risk.

Being asked for weird favours

An Egyptian customs official asked me to give him a pack of gum he found in my luggage.

Being asked for pictures

Literally dozens of Indians, sometimes in groups of 10 or more, asked to take their picture with me.

Being robbed by monkeys

Monkeys in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India, jumped onto my head, trying to steal my glasses. Twice.

Being logistically screwed (but pleasantly surprised) by local customs or events

[I went to] Sevilla and Granada during Semana Santa, our final user writes. Unreal, but also made arrival in Sevilla and the walk to the hostel a nightmare.

Read Next
Emblazoned with bright "Wagara" prints to Japanese schools in 6 countries

Promoting Japanese culture globally while joining in the fight against COVID-19

MORIYAMA, Japan, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DAVID LAYER, a COLOR Inc. custom suits brand located in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture (CEO: Tomohiko Banno), donated some 1,000 original design facemasks to Japanese schools in 6 countries around the world. By joining in the fight against COVID-19, these masks have transitioned the Japanese traditional "Wagara" patterns into everyday fashion. DAVID LAYER shipped the masks to the students and staff of Japanese schools in France, England, Spain and Italy, in that order, taking into consideration the current shipping restrictions.

The story

While most areas in Japan have, in large measure, won the battle against COVID-19, the virus remains a tremendous threat in many countries and regions. As the world adapts to a new "post-Corona" lifestyle, people kept asking themselves, in what way could they make a contribution to society. The company communicated with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, who authorised them to send their original face masks to Japanese schools in 6 countries (New Jersey, USA/ Milan, Italy/ Paris, France/ Madrid, Spain/ Melbourne, Australia/ London, UK). The CEO graduated from a university in Melbourne where he was hosted by local families, so he is particularly elated to give back to the community.

The company's deep desire is to see children smiling and looking forward to the future. This is why, in the past, they donated some 1,000 face masks to Mononobe Primary School in Moriyama, which Tomohiko Banno, CEO, and Akihiro Banno, director, both attended.

They would love to see all the children who receive these masks grow up and become strong leaders. Even while spending time abroad, they hope that the children remember their home and be proud of Japanese culture by wearing these Wagara print masks. https://www.david-layer.com/

The facemasks

In addition to tailored suits, DAVID LAYER produces a lineup of fashion items for different occasions, including custom-made shirts. They select from more than 12,000 types of fabric that are used for the front and backing of suits and shirts. For the masks they handpicked pieces of linen, cotton and stretchy denim, considering functionality as a mask such as good air filtering and comfort on the skin, as well as fashionability and fun for the kids, with traditional prints from their home country.

The masks come in three sizes (small, medium and large) to accommodate growing children in primary school, as well as the teachers and staff who support them. The gauze lining ensures that the masks will be long lasting in addition to being easy to launder.

COLOR Inc.'s global vision

This donation of these original design face masks by COLOR Inc. is a contribution to the effort to control the spread of COVID-19. It is also part of their corporate efforts to meeting the SDGs.

- COLOR Inc.'s SDG efforts

Health and wellbeing for everyone: While the main focus of the company has been on the sales of tailored suits, this face mask project marks the beginning of their new endeavour to build a future where everyone in the world can lead a healthy life through quality clothing.

Gender equality: Suits are still generally considered strictly a men's fashion item all around the world. They want to do away with such a biased viewpoint by developing custom suits for women and children. The "matching suits for parents and children" concept is a part of this effort.

Responsibility of manufacturers and consumers: The original design masks they donated to schools were made from the excess pieces of fabric left over from the custom-made suits and shirts. This contributes to the environment by reducing waste.

The business is based in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, where Tomohiko Banno, the CEO, and his brother and business partner, Akihiro Banno, grew up. Their passion is to invent new possibilities for tailored suits and local businesses in Shiga and to showcase them to the rest of the world.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220371/Color_1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220372/Color_2.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220373/Color_3.jpg
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet Rocketdyne is playing a critical role in NASAs latest mission to the red planet. NASAs Mars 2020 mission with the Perseverance Rover is slated to launch on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Floridas Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on July 30. Designed to better understand the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient life, Perseverance will ultimately make discoveries to pave the way for human exploration of Mars.



Perseverance will rely on Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion during the launch, entry, descent and landing phases of the mission, and Aerojet Rocketdyne power during the collection portion of the mission, said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake. Aerojet Rocketdyne engines have flown aboard and enabled every successful NASA Mars mission to date and were confident that Perseverance will soon join its predecessors in making amazing discoveries.

Perseverance will launch aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket in the 541 configuration, employing a number of Aerojet Rocketdyne motors, engines and tanks:

Four AJ-60A solid rocket motors manufactured in Sacramento, California, are on the Atlas Vs first stage and will provide 1,394,000 pounds of thrust to lift the vehicle off the launch pad.

A single RL10C-1 Centaur upper stage engine built in West Palm Beach, Florida, will propel Perseverance on a trajectory to Mars after first stage separation.

12 MR-106 reaction control system thrusters made in Redmond, Washington, will provide pitch, yaw and roll control for the Atlas Vs Centaur upper stage, as well as settling burns for the RL10 engine.

Six tanks built by Aerojet Rocketdyne subsidiary ARDE in Carlstadt, New Jersey, will store high pressure helium used to pressurize propellant tanks on the launch vehicles first and second stages to feed propellant to the engines.

Two tanks also built by ARDE will store high pressure helium to pressurize the lander/descent propulsion system.

Story continues

After the spacecraft separates from the Centaur upper stage, it will begin its roughly seven-month journey to Mars. Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion is also employed on Perseverances spacecraft, aiding the entry, descent and landing phases of the mission. Eight MR-107U thrusters will stabilize the spacecraft during its entry into Martian atmosphere, and eight MR-80B throttling descent thrusters on the descent stage will power the sky crane as it lowers the rover onto the surface and then fly the stage a safe distance away. These in-space thrusters are also produced at the companys facility in Redmond, Washington.

Once the Perseverance rover is safely on the surface of Mars, it will begin preparations for its roughly two-year sample collection mission. Aerojet Rocketdyne provides the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) that will provide power to the rover and its various instruments throughout surface operations. The MMRTG is built at Aerojet Rocketdynes facility in Los Angeles, California.

About Aerojet Rocketdyne: Aerojet Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AJRD), is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader that provides propulsion systems and energetics to the space, missile defense and strategic systems, and tactical systems areas, in support of domestic and international customers. For more information, visit www.Rocket.com and www.AerojetRocketdyne.com . Follow Aerojet Rocketdyne and CEO Eileen Drake on Twitter at @AerojetRdyne and @DrakeEileen .

Media Contacts:

Ashley Riser, Aerojet Rocketdyne, 571-236-4091

ashley.riser@rocket.com

Mary Engola, Aerojet Rocketdyne, 571-289-1371

mary.engola@rocket.com




Emirates has announced it will resume flights to Nairobi (from August 2), Baghdad and Basra (from August 10), expanding its growing network, and offering customers around the world more convenient connections to Dubai, and via Dubai.

This will take the airline's passenger network to 67 destinations in August, including seven points in Africa and five points in the Middle East.

Flights between Nairobi and Dubai and Basra and Dubai will operate three times a week while flights between Baghdad and Dubai will operate four times a week. The flights will be operated with the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER and can be booked on emirates.com or via travel agents. - TradeArabia News Service
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TDT | Manama

A joint-team from the Southern Governorate and its police directorate continued its field visits to monitor the conditions of a number of shared accommodations of expatriate labour workers. The visits are in line with the directives of Southern Governor His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.

They are also within the governorates efforts to strengthen precautionary and preventive measures being taken to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19), with an interest in reducing the intensity of labour accommodations in residential areas.

The team was headed by Southern Governorate Engineering and Investment director Eng. Khaled Abddul Latif Haji, who revealed that legal measures have been taken against 11 shared housings in the Isa Town area. He stressed on the importance of correcting the conditions of these accommodations and fulfilling all requirements set by authorities.

The engineering and investment director pointed out that the follow-up of the Southern Governor on the efforts of the joint-team stresses the importance of cooperation and coordination with various authorities to ensure the health and safety of citizens and residents.

He noted that the work being done between the joint-team comprising officials from the Southern Governorate, the General Directorate of Civil Defence, the Southern Governorate Police Directorate, the Southern Area Municipality, and the Electricity and Water Authority includes providing advice and guidance on the implementation of precautionary measures to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
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re: Choice of diesel cars is shrinking Quote: TorqueAddict Originally Posted by Hi everybody!

First of all I would like to thank the admin and mods for making me a part of this wonderful automotive forum.



As my Team-BHP handle name suggests, i have always been a fan of diesel engines. The amazing feeling of the added torque and better mileage. Though they do come with their own set of flaws such as Turbo lag, higher service costs, diesel variants costs higher than their petrol counterparts, more polluting, etc but still whenever I drive a diesel car, the punch that comes after the turbo spools is just unmatched.



After the BS6 norms kicking in, we have already lost some to most amazing diesels such as Renault-Nissan 1.5 K9K, Fiat Multijet 1.3, VW 1.5 TDI, Toyota 1.4 D-4D, VW 2.0 TDI and many more. Already there was a notable price difference in diesel and petrol models of the same cars in the BS4 era which increased bit more in this BS6 era. In Delhi NCR, diesel costs Re 1.39 more than petrol as of today. Then comes the unforgiving norms towards the diesels such as 10 year life for a diesel car in Delhi NCR making the resale of diesel cars go further down. Also guessing the added equipment in diesels such as DPF to comply with emission norms will further increase the service costs.

All these points make diesel cars an unattractive proposition in todays time and it is showing how major manufacturers have discontinued diesels and have to no plans to bring in new diesel engines. This feels like the extinction of diesel engined cars are coming near and it haunts me that till the time I would buy my next car, there is a possibility that there will no more diesel cars around. I really hope the manufacturers and automotive innovators develop something so that the diesel engines can stay without harming our environment.



Thanks



You are referring to the newer CRDe/ CRDi common rail diesels inevitably. Yes, with the tremenduous torque these can leave many petrol engines gasping for breath in a traffic. The turbo lag is at its extreme for the newer engines especially during the running-in period.



A diesel engine is always as a rule more efficient in fuel combustion as compared to it's petrol counterpart. The released, unburnt hydrocarbons are the maximum in a two-stroke petrol engine, followed by the four-stroke petrol engine and the diesel engine ranks much better here. The SPM release for diesels in the exhaust is though higher, while it is minimal for the petrol ones. But to gain carbon footprints (low CO, CO2) and low NOx in their overall emissions, manufacturers will have to keep diesels in their portfolio to comply with future emission norms.



The BS6 hike in diesel engine cost hike was inevitable and for high mileage cars, a buyer will even today prefer a diesel to make the running cost effective.



The 10 year scrapping norm for private diesel cars in the NCR was a very retrograde move. It was a misguided ruling. Even the winter of 2019-20 had the worst smog in history in the NCR after all these poor cars were deregistered. No civilised country in the world (China has a compulsory scrapping norm and cannot be considered civilised) has laws to compulsorily scrap privately owned vehicles after a certain age. Usage is though regulated by by laws in many countries. It's unthinkable and obnoxious to scrap.



And as for the price differential between petrol and diesel here, again this is a mockery of the fuel pricing mechanism and the law enforcing agencies concerned with fuel pricing are keeping mum. Not private cars, but almost all commercial vehicles run on diesel and such a queer and condemnable pricing mechanism is already playing havoc with transporters and is affecting prices of the goods transported.



But all said and done, the odds are in favour of petrol engines for private car buyers in view of the unforeseen circumstances as of now. Sad times for diesel fans. I have always been a fan of the diesels since the very early times when these came fitted to our light motor vehicles - firstly the Mahindra CJ500D (1976) and followed by the Ambassador 1500 DSL badged only as "Diesel" earlier(1979). My tryst with the Mahindra diesel came in 1980. It's torque was superb, though it lacked the punch aided by it's gas pedal vis a vis it's Mahindra petrol variants. And as for the Ambassador, these are still in a huge majority, doing duties as 1500 DSL Classic taxis in Kolkata and earning heaps of praises by it's drivers. The scrapping norm for commercial vehicles that is in vogue, make these drivers feel insecure as they have to sometime or the other changeover to the Swift DZire TOUR. Any taxi driver when engaged in a chat goes on and on praising the Ambassador till you reach your destination. Also quite a few of them are doing duties in Delhi too.You are referring to the newer CRDe/ CRDi common rail diesels inevitably. Yes, with the tremenduous torque these can leave many petrol engines gasping for breath in a traffic. The turbo lag is at its extreme for the newer engines especially during the running-in period.A diesel engine is always as a rule more efficient in fuel combustion as compared to it's petrol counterpart. The released, unburnt hydrocarbons are the maximum in a two-stroke petrol engine, followed by the four-stroke petrol engine and the diesel engine ranks much better here. The SPM release for diesels in the exhaust is though higher, while it is minimal for the petrol ones. But to gain carbon footprints (low CO, CO2) and low NOx in their overall emissions, manufacturers will have to keep diesels in their portfolio to comply with future emission norms.The BS6 hike in diesel engine cost hike was inevitable and for high mileage cars, a buyer will even today prefer a diesel to make the running cost effective.The 10 year scrapping norm for private diesel cars in the NCR was a very retrograde move. It was a misguided ruling. Even the winter of 2019-20 had the worst smog in history in the NCR after all these poor cars were deregistered. No civilised country in the world (China has a compulsory scrapping norm and cannot be considered civilised) has laws to compulsorily scrap privately owned vehicles after a certain age. Usage is though regulated by by laws in many countries. It's unthinkable and obnoxious to scrap.And as for the price differential between petrol and diesel here, again this is a mockery of the fuel pricing mechanism and the law enforcing agencies concerned with fuel pricing are keeping mum. Not private cars, but almost all commercial vehicles run on diesel and such a queer and condemnable pricing mechanism is already playing havoc with transporters and is affecting prices of the goods transported.But all said and done, the odds are in favour of petrol engines for private car buyers in view of the unforeseen circumstances as of now. Sad times for diesel fans. Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 27th July 2020 at 18:56 .
As India received the first batch of five Rafale fighter jets on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there is no virtue like protecting the nation and the BJP leaders hailed the arrival of aircraft, while the Congress raised questions over their price and "delay" in acquisition.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chose the occasion to send out a stern message to the country's adversaries, saying these fighter aircraft will make the Indian Air Force (IAF) much stronger in deterring any threat and those wanting to threaten its territorial integrity should be worried about its new capability.

Describing the occasion a "proud moment for India", Home Minister Amit Shah said it is a "historic day" for the IAF, noting the Rafale aircraft are the world's most powerful machines capable of thwarting any challenge in the sky.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi congratulated the IAF but then took aim at the government, asking it to answer as to why each aircraft cost Rs 1,670 crore instead of Rs 526 crore, why 36 not 126 of them were bought. He also asked why a "bankrupt" businessman was given an offset contract and not the government-run HAL. The Modi government in the past has refuted Gandhi's charges and asserted that the deal's price was less than what was being negotiated by the Congress-led UPA dispensation.

The Supreme Court had in 2018 rejected PILs seeking a probe into the Rs 59,000 crore deal for the purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft and given a clean chit to the government, saying there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement process.

Welcoming the aircraft's arrival, Modi posted a Sanskrit shloka which broadly meant that "there is no virtue like protecting the nation and there is no vow like defence of the nation".

The first batch of five Rafale jets arrived at Ambala air force station on Wednesday afternoon, nearly four years after India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

The aircraft, with an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base at around 3:10pm after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux. Each jet was given a special water cannon salute at the strategically-located air base in the presence of top brass of the Indian Air Force including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria who had played a key role as lead negotiator in procurement of the jets.

The Rafales were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal in September 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime. The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.

The fleet, comprising three single seater and two twin seater aircraft, are being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

A government statement on Monday said 10 Rafale jets were delivered to India and that five of them are staying back in France for training missions. The delivery of all 36 aircraft will be completed on schedule by the end of 2021, it added.

The Rafale jets, known for air-superiority and precision strikes, are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran. The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden. The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

Though the jets are being inducted into the IAF on Wednesday, there will be a formal ceremony in mid-August to welcome them into the force. Singh and top military brass of the country are expected to attend the event.

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India. The jets were also refuelled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet, according to the Indian Embassy in France.

(With inputs from agencies)
Johnny Depp is no wife beater and it is his ex-wife, Amber Heard, who was the abuser in the relationship, the actors lawyers have told the High Court.

Recordings between the couple show that the Aquaman actress has a propensity for violence, the Hollywood stars legal team alleged.

In closing submissions on the final day of what is the biggest English libel trial of the 21st century, Mr Depps barrister, David Sherborne, said the court needed to decide whether the allegation that the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor was guilty of serious assault on Ms Heard, causing her significant injuries, is true or not.

Mr Depp is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun newspaper, and its executive editor Dan Wootton over a 2018 article which alleged he was violent towards Ms Heard, 34, and labelled him a wife beater.

During Tuesdays hearing, Mr Sherborne told the court: The evidence of Ms Heard being violent herself, especially starting physical fights, is highly relevant.

At its very core, we say it demonstrates that she is the abuser, not Mr Depp. He is no wife beater.

He referred to recordings made between Mr Depp and Ms Heard which he said demonstrates Ms Heards propensity to violence.

The barrister played an audio recording of a conversation between the couple in September 2015, in which Ms Heard tells him: I didnt punch you  Im sorry that I didnt hit you across the face in a proper slap, but I was hitting you, it was not punching you. Babe, youre not punched.

Ms Heard also says: You didnt get punched. You got hit. Im sorry I hit you like this. But I did not punch you. I did not f***ing deck you.

Mr Sherborne said: If it was a man who had said what Ms Heard said and who had admitted to what she admitted to, this was Mr Depp for example, and it was the other way around, can you imagine what consternation there would be?

A straightforward, unambiguous, unequivocal admission of hitting him.

Amber Heard has been attending the libel trial in London (Yui Mok/PA)

Later in the hearing, Mr Sherborne referred to the aftermath of an alleged incident of domestic violence on December 15 2015, saying there were witnesses who had evidence about watching Ms Heard be physical, including Tara Roberts, Mr Depps property manager in the Bahamas, who he said had a graphic account that Ms Heard perpetrated acts of violence on Mr Depp.

The barrister said these allegations against Ms Heard were relevant because it does not sit, it cannot sit with her narrative of Mr Depp being a wife beater.

He added: Her physical violence towards him, her starting physical violence as she admits, make her the domestic abuser, not him.

Mr Sherborne told Mr Justice Nicol that the allegations made against Mr Depp are exceptionally serious, with the actor accused of repeated violence involving serious physical injury and causing her (Ms Heard) to fear for her life on several occasions.

He said the fact that Mr Depp has a history of consuming alcohol and taking drugs was neither newsworthy nor, quite frankly, probative of anything, and described the questioning of the actor during the trial about his drink and drug use as a wasteful exercise.

Mr Sherborne said Mr Depp never denies taking controlled drugs or consuming alcohol.

He admitted it and, if occasionally he was mistaken or forgot exactly when he stopped taking something  it is quite hard to see why that would make any material difference given how candid he has been about his use of certain substances, Mr Sherborne said.

He told the court: The defendants case has to be more than that he (Mr Depp) took controlled drugs or that he consumed alcohol.

Johnny Depp arriving at the High Court for the final day of hearings in his libel case (Yui Mok/PA)

During the hearing, Mr Sherborne reminded the judge that the burden of proof rests on NGN to prove what it published and said there is a higher standard of proof for the allegations because many are criminal in nature.

The barrister added: This court requires compelling and cogent evidence before it will find that an allegation that someone is guilty of a serious criminal offence is true.

He said the court needs evidence which is clear, consistent and forceful.

Mr Sherborne said there are two diametrically opposed accounts of what happened in the couples relationship, adding: One side is obviously lying and one is telling the truth.

Mr Depp was greeted by fans as he arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London on Tuesday.

Screams from around 30 people echoed around the high-vaulted main hall of the law courts as the actor entered the building to hear his lawyers close the case.

Fans have been greeting Mr Depp at court (Yui Mok/PA)

The group of fans stood at the bottom of one of the staircases off the main hall and were prevented from getting upstairs to Court 13, where the trial is taking place.

On Monday, lawyers for NGN made their closing submissions, with barrister Sasha Wass QC telling the court that the defence to the article complained about by Mr Depp is one of truth, namely that Mr Depp did indeed beat his wife.

She said: For the defence of truth to be substantiated, the defendants need to prove on a balance of probabilities that Mr Depp assaulted Ms Heard on at least one occasion.

During the last two weeks, the defendants have established that many more than one incident of wife-beating took place over the course of the relationship between the claimant (Mr Depp) and Amber Heard.

Mr Depp is suing NGN and its executive editor Mr Wootton over the publication of an article on April 27 2018 with the headline: Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be genuinely happy casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?

NGN is defending the article as true, and says Mr Depp was controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Ms Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Mr Justice Nicol has said that his judgment will be reserved.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Homeowners are taking crime fighting into their own hands at their front door. Ring, AdHoc Group Against Crime and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver launched a program to donate 750 Ring Video Doorbells to local residents in Kansas City neighborhoods troubled by crime.
Fire crews from across the North West are currently working to contain a large fire at Foyle Port.

Twelve appliances including those from the city, Limavady, Coleraine and Dungiven are all in attendance.

Huge plumes of smoke could be seen at the other side of the city after the alarm was raised just before 11am.

Local residents have been advised to keep their windows shut.

Group Commander William Johnston, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service said: NIFRS is currently attending an incident at Port Road, Derry. 12 appliances and forty six Firefighters are currently in attendance, including high reach aerial appliances and a command support vehicle.

Crews are currently involved in firefighting activity to contain a fire within a large grain shed and are working closely with the Harbour Master to deal with the situation.

We would ask everyone to avoid the area to allow our crews to combat the fire and local residents are advised to keep their doors and windows closed.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

Trend:

The Spanish "Patrimonio Actual" and "Diplomat in Spain" websites have condemned the extremely aggressive provocative actions of the radical Armenian forces against the diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan in foreign countries and peaceful demonstrators during the rallies of the Azerbaijani diaspora, Trend reports on July 29.

These actions contain elements of vandalism and terrorism, implying criminal liability, the articles published on those websites said. The radical Armenian forces have committed similar acts of vandalism before. ASALA and other Armenian terrorist organizations killed over 70 people and committed more than 235 terrorist attacks in 22 countries in 1970s-1980s.

Armenia has turned terrorism into an instrument of state policy since 1991 with the aim of territorial claims towards Azerbaijan, the articles said. During the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and seven adjacent districts, Armenia widely used terrorism in various districts of the country, committed genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Azerbaijani population.

Following continuous ceasefire violations of Armenia's armed forces, the country launched another military provocation against Azerbaijan on July 12. Grossly violating the ceasefire regime, Armenian armed forces opened fire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district.

As a result of the appropriate measures, the Armenian armed forces were silenced. The tensions continued on the border, July 12 night. During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, army vehicles.

As a result of the shelling, many houses in the Tovuz district's border villages were damaged.

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.
Ministers today warned there is currently no 'viable alternative to the 14-day quarantine' period for travellers returning to the UK from high risk countries.

Boris Johnson is believed to be worried that a second spike in infections in the UK could start within a fortnight after he expressed concerns about a surge in cases across Europe.

The Government announced on Saturday it was banning all non-essential travel to Spain, with tourists returning to Britain having to self-isolate for two weeks, sparking a major diplomatic row with Madrid.

It is now thought that Belgium and Luxembourg could also be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow because of growing outbreaks.

Meanwhile, ministers are said to be closely monitoring the situation in Croatia but a crackdown on that country is not expected to be imminent, according to The Times.

Mr Johnson has insisted the UK must reserve the right to impose travel restrictions at short notice in order to prevent a domestic increase in coronavirus.

But the travel industry is urging the Government to slash the 14 day quarantine period in order to make foreign travel more feasible amid such uncertainty, with the boss of Heathrow Airport suggesting testing at the border could be the answer.

But Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden today poured cold water on the plan as he said at the moment there is not a 'viable alternative' to the fortnight in self-isolation.

He said: 'The challenge we have here is that it's not the case you can simply test somebody and be sure that they don't have the disease.'

He added: 'It can incubate over a period of time, so there's not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border.'

Belgium and Luxembourg could be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow and Croatia could also be at risk. Luxembourg has the highest incidence of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Europe

The UK Government is thought to be set to impose quarantine rules on travel to Luxembourg and Belgium after spikes infection

Mr Johnson yesterday warned there are 'signs of a second wave' of coronavirus in Europe as he defended the UK's decision to reimpose quarantine travel rules on Spain.

A senior Government source said the PM was 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up', both at home and abroad.

However, the decision to reimpose quarantine on Spain and the threat of the Government doing the same on other European countries is wreaking havoc with the travel industry.

The Government is under growing pressure to reduce the 14 day quarantine period and Mr Johnson has said that ministers are looking at ways to try to mitigate the impact of quarantine.

John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow Airport, has urged the Government to introduce coronavirus tests on arrivals from higher risk countries in order to slash the quarantine period.

He said he believed a testing regime, which would see people tested when they land and then tested again a few days later, could be 'up and running' within a fortnight.

Mr Holland Kaye told the Telegraph he believed ministers are 'very keen' on a trial at airports.

'We need to find a way of getting 'red countries' opened up again,' he said. 'Testing is the only viable way of doing that in the absence of a vaccine.

'A lot of countries which are 'red-listed' have millions of people who don't have the disease and can't travel. That's holding back economic recovery.'

Mr Dowden said he understood the travel industry's 'frustration' with the current quarantine system but that currently there is no 'viable alternative'.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: I have heard [Mr Holland-Kaye's] comments and I do understand his frustration and his desire for us not to impose quarantine.

If we could avoid imposing quarantine in a way that it was safe to do so then of course we would do that, that is why we keep it under review.'

He added: Of course, we continue to look at all alternatives but we are not at the point where there is a viable alternative to the 14 day quarantine.

Indeed, in your question you alluded to the fact that testing even after a week does not catch every one.'

Mr Dowden said that people 'should continue to book holidays' but they needed to be 'aware of that risk' of quarantine being imposed.

Government advisers have warned it can take a number of days from the moment of infection before tests return a positive result, meaning testing negative on arrival does not mean the passenger will not develop symptoms later on.

But Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care are understood to have spoken with travel assistance company Collinson to understand the proposed testing pilot it is developing with Heathrow.

Preliminary modelling from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggested 94 per cent of cases would be detected if the quarantine period was cut to eight days and passengers tested negative on the seventh.

Amid criticism from Spain for including lower risk regions in the quarantine restrictions, transport minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton said ways to impose more targeted restrictions were being examined.

'For the time being, we are taking the approach by country for border measures, but it is the case that it could be that we put them in place for regions in the future,' she told the House of Lords.

Earlier yesterday Mr Johnson insisted the Government would not hesitate to act if flare-ups of coronavirus occurred in other destinations.

'I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic,' he warned.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has described the restrictions on travel to the country as an 'error'.

The most up to date figures show the number of new cases is rocketing upwards in Spain. It announced 6,361 new cases over the weekend, up from 4,581 the previous weekend. France announced 2,551 new coronavirus cases on Monday

He pointed out that the upsurge in coronavirus cases is focused in two regions, Catalonia and Aragon, adding: 'In most of Spain, the incidence is very much inferior to even the numbers registered in the United Kingdom.'

Madrid had been urging the UK to exclude the Canaries and Balearics - which include popular tourist resorts on Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca - from its quarantine requirements.

But instead, official travel advice was tightened to bring the islands in line with the Spanish mainland.

Britons make up over a fifth of foreign visitors to Spain, which relies heavily on tourism, and Madrid has said the UK Government gave it no warning that the quarantine move was coming over the weekend.

Labour accused ministers of a 'chaotic' response and called for a flexible approach for struggling businesses to ensure that public health measures such as the change in quarantine rules for people returning from Spain do not lead to mass job losses.
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie and Riska Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 09:14 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1a5f6 1 National Bio-Farma,clinical-trial,Sinovac,Sinovac-Biotech,COVID-19-vaccine Free

State-owned pharmaceutical holding company PT Bio Farma is looking for volunteers to assist in the clinical trial of a COVID-19 candidate vaccine developed in partnership with Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech, a ministry official has said.

Arya Sinulingga, an aide to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, said the company was looking for Indonesians who fulfilled the requirements to help in testing the candidate vaccine for its first tryouts in the country.

Volunteers should be healthy adults between the age of 18 and 59 years old with no history of having contracted COVID-19 -- tested either through rapid or repeated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, Arya said. Additionally, volunteers who register in the program should not participate in other clinical trials.

Should the registrants pass the administrative and other preliminary procedures, Bio Farma will administer them with the first dose of the experimental vaccine and later take their blood samples after 14 days.

After that, the company will give the volunteers a second dose and take their blood samples again after another 14 days.

I will also register myself as a volunteer with Bio Farma, Arya told reporters on Tuesday. I have sent my ID card and I will enlist myself soon.

Hopefully, I can also invite other citizens to volunteer so we can contribute to the nation and the state, he said, Hopefully, this vaccine can be used in our nation and in others. I hope this will be successful.

Read also: Indonesia teams up with global manufacturers in vaccine hunt

Padjajaran University in Bandung, West Java, and the Health Ministry will also assist in the clinical trial of the vaccine, Arya added.

The national COVID-19 task force previously said that the test would take place in Bandung.

Bio Farma secretary Bambang Heriyanto said recently that the human trials in Indonesia would be for the third phase as the candidate vaccine had passed the first and second human trial phases in China, kompas.com reported.

The first phase sought to test whether the vaccine would be safe for humans while the second phase examined its efficacy against COVID-19.

Bambang also said that the tester team was looking for 1,620 volunteers in Indonesia as Sinovac would also conduct the trials in Brazil, Chile, Turkey and Bangladesh.

Padjajaran University Medical School professor Kusnandi Rusmil previously said that he hoped the vaccine could pass the third phase as early as next January and could be followed by immediate distribution by the Health Ministry.

Bio Farma president director Honesti Basyir has outlined plans to distribute 40 million doses of the vaccine per year as soon as the government authorizes its widespread usage, with plans to expand distribution capacity to 250 million doses a year.
Deemed an essential business, the Dadeland Station Target on South Dixie Highway has been fully operational since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The store required both customers and employees to wear masks and keep a social distance.

That didnt prevent five employees from testing positive for the virus this month, according to internal Target communications reviewed by the Miami Herald. Shoppers who may have interacted with the employees have not been notified. Our store has been very hush-hush, said one full-time employee.

They dont want us to talk about coronavirus, said another.

Three employees talked to the Miami Herald, all anonymously to avoid possible reprisals, offering a peek into the realities of working in a major box store in a time of pandemic.

When a new case is confirmed, employees are notified via text message, told the date the person was last in the store, and instructed to contact human resources if they have questions. The texts do not reveal the employees identity and often come one to two weeks after their last shift.

In time, rumors flourished. The Miami Herald received a tip on its tip line that 15 employees had tested positive at the store. Thats apparently not accurate.

Weve communicated directly with these team members, who went into quarantine and are following all health department guidelines, Target said in a statement. Were paying these team members while theyre on leave and our thoughts are with them during this challenging time. After learning about positive cases, we also work quickly to deep clean and sanitize the store, which is the recommendation of public health experts.

Target did not close its doors when the county and the state went on lockdown, so it offers paid time off for those who test positive for coronavirus, are pregnant or at least 65 years old. Others are left with few options: show up, take unpaid time off or quit with a slim chance at unemployment benefits.

Story continues

The chain provided an additional $2 an hour in hazard pay to its normal $13-an-hour wage, but that ended a month ago, shortly before the dramatic spike in infections and deaths made working at a South Florida store even more dangerous.

Instead, Target now pays the $15 as its minimum wage, which it had been planning to do this year since September 2017, and is paying employees a $200 bonus this month. It did feel kind of cheap, an employee said. They were just kind of advancing, by like a month or two the pay that they were already going to give us.

Given the customer-facing nature of the retail industry, best preventive practices have been difficult for retailers and their workers to navigate. And the pandemic has not only endangered workers, it has also complicated their rights.

For one Dadeland Station Target employee, the frustrating part is not knowing exactly who has tested positive, especially since the employees are not actually able to stay six feet apart due to their job responsibilities and the size of their break room.

If it were me, she said about her coworkers who tested positive, I would tell everyone.

But for retailers, theres a thin line between being transparent for safety reasons and violating the privacy rights of their employees. While being transparent, were also careful to keep team member privacy from being compromised with the information we share, said a Target spokesperson in an email to the Miami Herald.

Though workers can demand to know when someone tests positive, they cannot demand their name, said Alison Smith, an employment lawyer and partner at the law firm Kelley Kronenberg. Were still figuring out the laws related to COVID, but there are laws right now that protect peoples privacy.

Smith has been advising clients to share as much information as legally possible with their employees regarding coronavirus cases because, if not, they could face lawsuits from employees who contract coronavirus while at work.

Dadeland Station.

But even a lawsuit would be difficult. In order to sue their employer and win, an employee would have to prove that their exposure to the virus was limited to the workplace, which would require knowing everyones  customers and coworkers  medical history. It would be a massive contact-tracing feat.

So what can employees do? The strongest avenue they have is to file a complaint to their local government, not the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, Smith said. OSHA, the federal agency that would usually handle complaints related to workplace health and safety, has been criticized for being absent during the pandemic, as the Herald previously reported.

Under Gov. Ron DeSantis coronavirus response, counties and cities have the power to create their own rules for coronavirus that retailers have to follow. Those rules are similar to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for reducing transmission among employees and maintaining a healthy workplace, but unlike CDC guidelines, they have an enforcement component.

In Miami-Dade County, where the Dadeland Target Store is located, retailers were provided a list of 47 guidelines to follow in order to remain open. Of the 47, only 11 are mandatory. Measures like train all employees on COVID-19 to prevent the spread, and to identify vulnerable individuals, and require frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizer are optional. As of July 28, the Miami-Dade Police Department had issued 4,450 warnings, 180 citations for $500, and had temporarily closed 40 businesses for not following county guidelines.

Broward County has opted to publicize the status of all complaints against businesses on a digital complaint tracker. Retailers have received warnings for violations like not following sanitation requirements and not requiring customers or employees to wear masks. As of July 29, the county had issued 1,085 warnings and 124 citations. Fines vary depending on the city, but could go up to $15,000.

In Monroe County, 106 complaints had been filed against businesses, as of July 27. So far, 11 of those businesses have been found to be noncompliant with coronavirus ordinances.

For retailers that have stores in multiple locations, they must adapt to various ordinances.

Florida retail stores are working extremely hard to keep consumers safe and offer alternatives for consumers to order, pick up or shop in-store for what they need during this difficult time, said Scott Shalley, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, in an email to the Miami Herald. Navigating the patchwork of restrictions and regulations from city to city and county to county is an added stress.

Still, Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, said it is the workplaces responsibility to ensure safe working conditions for employees. The union has been fighting for stronger coronavirus protections for its members. At Macys, it demanded that customers, not just employees, wear masks.

What people need to do to protect themselves is to get a collective voice for a union or else their employer has no reason to listen to them, Appelbaum said, noting Targets past resistance to a unionized workforce. The Dadeland Station Target employees are not union members.
High pressure strengthens Wednesday and keeps Portlands skies clear of any cloud cover. This will aid in heating and have temperatures moving into the mid-90s.

Average high temps for late July are about 82 degrees. Well easily surpass that for the remainder of the month. The National Weather Service expects temps to reach about 94 at the Portland Airport.

Temperatures in central and eastern Oregon are going to spike Wednesday. The weather service has issued an excessive heat warning for many locations including The Dalles, Pendleton, Madras and Baker City. The advisory is in effect through 8 p.m. Thursday.

With no 'onshore' flow today, we'll heat up into the 90s west of the Cascades. Extreme heat moves east- where daytime highs will range between 101 and 106. Records may be set! On top of all of this... isolated t-storms are possible late today in N.E. Oregon.#LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/vVu5nq0SB0  Rhonda Shelby (@rshelbyTV) July 29, 2020

Computer models suggest broken high clouds will move into the Portland area late Wednesday and early Thursday morning, especially for areas north of Salem. Theres a slight chance for showers with thunderstorms during that time.

Thursday will be another hot day as any clouds are likely to clear quickly and give way to sunny skies. The high, again, will be near 94 degrees.

Onshore flow begins to strengthen Friday, bringing increasing cloud cover for the early morning hours and the return to more seasonable temperatures. The high is likely to reach about 84 degrees for the final day of July.

Currently long-range forecasts show the weekend looking mild with sunny skies and high temperatures in the mid-80s.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Hundreds of stores will close nationwide as the parent company of Columbus, Ohio-based retail brands Justice, Lane Bryant and Catherines navigates bankruptcy.

New Jersey-based Ascena Retail Group (NYSE: ASNA)  also the parent company of Loft, Ann Taylor and Lou & Grey  filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Eastern District of Virginia last week.

The company has disclosed the locations of more than 1,100 stores within its portfolio that are set to close.

Read the full story on cleveland.coms sister site, Cleveland Business Journal.

Get the best in local business news sent straight to your inbox with the Cleveland Business Journal. Free to sign up.
Photo: (Photo : Screenshot from Instagram)

Elderly couple Hsu Sho-Er and Chang Wan Jia own a laundromat in Taiwan. They are both in their 80s and have been in the business long enough to accumulate several unclaimed clothes in their laundromat.

The elderly couple and their grandson Reef Chang thought of a way to encourage customers to pick-up their unclaimed clothes.

The couple modeled the clothes, and their photos were uploaded on Instagram.

The photos quickly became viral with thousands of likes. Since the Instagram account of the couple was put up, they have already gained more than 500,000 followers.

READ ALSO: Arkansas Couple Makes 'Protective Hug Blanket' To Embrace Family

The idea of viral photos

In the photos posted on Instagram, the grandson explained why they thought of modeling the unclaimed clothes. It was not just to remind customers who leave their laundry at the couple's laundromat; it was something creative, as well. The posts say, "Grandson just can't bear to see them overwhelmed with bore every day."

That is why the grandson asking his grandparents to reinterpret fashion. He also added that the elderly couple believes that there is no age barrier to fashion and even the old clothes can become trendy outfits.

READ ALSO: 50 Years After: Cousins Gather to Check Contents of Time Capsule [Buried by their Grandparents]

People's reaction to the viral photos

People are entertained by the photos of the elderly couple. According to some of those who commented on their Instagram account, this is something that keeps people entertained even during the trying times.

On the other hand, some followers are curious as to whether the unclaimed clothes have been claimed by their owners.

READ ALSO: Grandmother Celebrates 100th Birthday, Beats Coronavirus, Cancer, and Pneumonia

Couple's reaction to the Internet's support

The laundromat owners are both clueless about Instagram a month ago. However, after being a viral sensation, they now love browsing through the comments section and read what the people are saying about them.

In an article published by CNN, the couple shared how the support came unexpectedly to them. According to Sho-Er, the thought that there are people who like them makes her feel that she had more grandchildren.

READ ALSO: Wife works as dishwasher to visit husband in nursing home after 114 days
The Vallejo Police Department, already under scrutiny for a series of fatal shootings, is now facing shocking allegations from a former captain, reports Open Vallejo.

John Whitney, a former SWAT commander, says he learned in 2019 of the existence of a secret fellowship within the department. According to Whitney, some police officers who killed someone in the line of duty were thrown a barbecue and initiated into a kind of club by bending one of the points of their badge to commemorate the killing.

Whitney says he was fired after he began probing the alleged misconduct. He filed a retaliation claim in February which went unanswered by the city, meaning Whitney is now free to file a lawsuit. His lawyer indicated to the San Francisco Chronicle that he plans to do so.

Assistant City Manager Anne Cardwell told The Chronicle that the city is aware of Whitney's claims and investigated them last year.

"In conferring this evening with the City Manager, he noted that the Mayor had advised him last year regarding rumors of such a prior practice in years past at the Police Dept., and that he, the City Manager, then immediately consulted with former Police Chief (Andrew) Bidou, who indicated it had been previously investigated and such claims had not been substantiated," Cardwell said.

An Open Vallejo investigation found three men, Sean Kenney, Joe McCarthy and Steve Darden, accounted for almost a third of Vallejo's 30 fatal police shootings over the past two decades. Kenney denied manipulating his badge when contacted by Open Vallejo, which says it reviewed images that show his badge tips bent.

In addition to Whitney's allegations that some officers glorified violence against civilians, he claims former Police Chief Andrew Bidou told him to delete text messages related to the case of kidnap victim Denise Huskins. In 2015, Huskins was taken from her boyfriend's Vallejo residence and held captive for days. Vallejo police accused Huskins of staging the kidnapping, going so far as to hold a press conference to denounce her. Matthew Muller was later convicted on federal kidnapping charges, and the city ended up paying Huskins and her partner a $2.5 million settlement.

Whitney also claimed Bidou told a Vallejo Police Department spokesperson to "burn that bitch" in reference to Huskins.

Bidou retired from the department last year and now works for PG&E.

In June, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced his office is partnering with the city and Vallejo police to "modernize and reform VPDs policies and practices and increase public trust."

"This review and reform agreement we announce today with the City of Vallejo represents a critical step the Vallejo Police Department must take to build trust with people who have lost faith in them" Becerra said in a statement at the time of the announcement.

The California Department of Justice also has an open investigation into the June 2 killing of Sean Monterrosa, who was shot by a Vallejo police officer. The investigation was prompted by allegations that the police department destroyed evidence relating to the case.

"Some days I feel like I work with a bunch of thugs who take pleasure out of hurting people," an anonymous department employee told Open Vallejo.

Katie Dowd is the SFGATE managing editor. Email her: katie.dowd@sfgate.com | Twitter: @katiedowd
- Fred Matiang'i noted religious and cultural diversity played a key role in developing national identity

- The CS advised the festivals be celebrated in strict conformity to government coronavirus protocols

- The purpose of the festival is to remind Muslims of the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to offer his son as a sacrifice

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has declared Friday, July 31, a public holiday.

The CS said Kenyans will join their Muslim counterparts to mark Idd-ul-Adha in recognition of religious and cultural diversity as part of national identity.

READ ALSO: Matiang'i orders Nairobi MCAs, staff to surrender firearms following Mlango Kubwa MCA assault

Fred Matiang'i said the day will be marked with a very minimal person-to-person contact. Photo: Bebeto Ogutu/TUKO.co.ke.

Source: Original

READ ALSO: COVID-19: 544 more test positive, Kenya's tally jumps to 19,125

"Friday, July 31, 2020 has been designated as public holiday of general observance throughout the territory of Kenya in celebration of Idd-ul-Adha," he stated.

In light of the coronavirus, Matiang'i directed all the day's ceremonies be celebrated but in strict adherence to health protocols including reduced person-to-person contact.

READ ALSO: Hilarious video of young boy telling his mother to calm down as she disciplines him goes viral

The resolutions came out of the fifth session of the national and county government co-coordinating summit that was held over the weekend.

Also known as Eid al-Azha, the festival is one of the most important festivals for the Muslim community.

Loosely translated as the festival of sacrifice, the purpose of the Eid al-Adha festival is to remind Muslims of the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to offer his son as a sacrifice as ordered by God.

This act that many men would have easily fallen short of fulfilling is celebrated anually and commended as an example to be followed by the Muslim faithful.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

I did not sacrifice Ayeiya, family wants 21 million as compensation - Wakimani of Churchill Show -TUKO TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

Trend:

A meeting with representatives of the Azerbaijan Youth Organization of Russia was held at the House of the Confederation of Azerbaijani Communities of Russia, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani State Committee on Affairs with Diaspora.

The students of the Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov and other universities participated in the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the Diaspora of Azerbaijanis in Russia, Academician Fazil Gurbanov noted that the latest developments in Russia between Azerbaijanis and Armenians worry the public, and the provocative actions committed by Armenian separatists impede the preservation of interethnic stability in Russian society.

As representatives of the multimillion Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia, which we consider to be our second homeland, we must do our best to maintain peace and stability. Ensuring the supremacy of Russian laws, and their mandatory execution, is the duty of everyone who lives in Russia, said Gurbanov.

Representatives of Azerbaijan should not succumb to any provocations, Gurbanov said. The truth is on our side, and there is no need to prove it with "fists". The Azerbaijani Armed Forces give an adequate response to the Armenian aggressors. Our duty is to adequately represent our historical homeland beyond its borders, to demonstrate restraint and wisdom.

Then Professor Kamran Rustamov, Executive Secretary of the Azerbaijan Youth Organization of Russia Jeyhun Huseynov, member of the Council of Experts of the State Duma of Russia Imamali Imamaliyev, representative of the Azerbaijani Diaspora in Russia Ilgar Hajiyev, candidates of economic sciences Manaf Aghayev and Aybeniz Rustamova, coordinator of projects of the Azerbaijan Youth Organization of Russia Ramin Rajabov and the organizations activists, made speeches at the meeting.

The appeal of the Azerbaijani diaspora was sent to the Russian Duma, the Federal Council, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia V. Kolokoltsev, and political factions.

The participants called on the Azerbaijani youth not to succumb to any provocations, to use their full potential for informing through social networks and the media, and for notifying the truth about the Armenian aggressors.

Following several days of intense armed clashes, after Armenia made a gross ceasefire violation and launched attacks in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district, Azerbaijanis living abroad started staging peaceful protests, calling to put an end to Armenia's aggressive occupation policy.

The rallies were met with harsh response from the Armenian diaspora members.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
A New York City woman who was killed in Maines first-ever fatal shark attack is remembered for her contributions as a former fashion executive, a community member and a mother.

Julie Dimperio Holowach, a 63-year-old Manhattan resident, died Monday after being bit by a great white shark while swimming in a wetsuit roughly 20 yards off the shore of Bailey Island, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

Nearby kayakers who witnessed the shark attack helped bring Holowach to shore, where she was pronounced dead, officials said.

Holowachs daughter was swimming with her mother at the time of the attack and was able to get out of the water quickly. She did not suffer any injuries, according to DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher.

I want to first express my condolences to Julies friends and family, and to thank the individuals who responded and help bring this situation to a closure, Keliher said.

The 63-year-old woman was remembered for her love of Maine and for her involvement in the community of Harpswell, the town where Bailey Island is located.

She owned property in the town and would spend four to five months every year there. Holowach and her husband were well-known and active within the community during the summer months, authorities said.

Im close with the Harpswell community. Its a really tight-knit coastal community, kind of iconic to Maines waterfront, Maine Marine Patrol Major Rob Beal said at a news conference. In fact, Julie and her husband are just well-known, very respected individuals, and the community is really at just a tough juncture in trying to process yesterdays event.

Maine State Rep. Jay McCreight told the Bangor Daily News she and Holowach were members of the same book club in Harpswell.

The Democratic representative recalled talking with Holowach about the differences between Maine and New York City, pointing out the womans friendliness and love for Maine, according to the Daily News.

She was a very charming woman, lovely, McCreight told the news outlet.

Holowach will also be remembered as an accomplished executive in the fashion industry. News outlets reported that for roughly 10 years she was the president of Kipling USA, a company that makes backpacks, handbags and other products.

The former fashion executive retired in 2016 after working 16 years at VF Corporation, the parent company of Kipling, the womens fashion news outlet WWD reported.

Starting at the company in 2000 as president of special markets for the Liz Claiborne brand, Holowach was eventually promoted to president of Kipling in 2006, according to WWD.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Julie. She was an incredible leader who brought out the best in her team and colleagues. She will be missed by our industry, our company, and as a friend to so many. Our thoughts are with her family at this time, the company told MassLive in a statement.

Since leaving Kipling, Holowach has served on the board of directors at the Portland, Maine-based company Sea Bags, which makes totes and other accessories from recycled sails.

Don Oakes, CEO of Sea Bags, said the company was extremely shocked and saddened by the news of Holowachs sudden death. She was a valued board member, and her passing is tragic, he noted.

Her passion for the ocean, the state of Maine and causes we believe in made her an invaluable supporter and friend. Julies longtime knowledge of the retail and consumer goods industry were reflected in her contributions to our business, Oakes said in a statement. Its with a heavy heart that we share our feeling of loss with Julies family.

We will deeply miss Julies enthusiasm and positive spirit.

Holowachs connections to Maine did not just end at her summer residence in Harpswell. The 63-year-old womans son also serves on the Westbrook Fire Rescue Department in the state.

According to Maine news outlet WMTW, Westbrook Fire Chief Andrew Turcotte released a statement on behalf of Holowachs family that read, While they are very grateful for the outpouring of support that they have received, they are asking for privacy during this very difficult period of time. I ask that you please respect their request as they mourn the loss of a spouse, mother, grandmother, sister, cousin and friend to many.

Related Content: Massachusetts shark researcher Gregory Skomal helps Maine officials confirm a great white shark killed Julie Dimperio Holowach in attack
Tata Steel Ltd is quoting at Rs 377.15, up 5.2% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 9.13% in last one year as compared to a 1.72% jump in NIFTY and a 13.33% jump in the Nifty Metal index.

Tata Steel Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 377.15, up 5.2% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.21% on the day, quoting at 11276.5. The Sensex is at 38307.36, down 0.48%. Tata Steel Ltd has gained around 15.44% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Metal index of which Tata Steel Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 9.98% in last one month and is currently quoting at 2141.3, up 2.28% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 187.86 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 141.88 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark July futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 374.95, up 4.41% on the day. Tata Steel Ltd is down 9.13% in last one year as compared to a 1.72% jump in NIFTY and a 13.33% jump in the Nifty Metal index.

The PE of the stock is 5.05 based on TTM earnings ending March 20.

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GABORONE, BotswanaBotswanas government says it still doesnt know what caused the deaths of hundreds of elephants in recent weeks, but testing continues.

Poaching and anthrax have been ruled out as the likely cause. Other possibilities being examined include a novel virus and poisoning. The investigation involves help from laboratories in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Britain, and the United States.

While there has not been any indication of fresh carcasses or signs that the mortality has spread beyond the initial area of concern, the district team on the ground will continue to monitor the situation, remove ivory from carcasses and take them to safe custody as well as destroy carcasses that are close to the villages and human settlements, the acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Oduetse Koboto, told diplomats Saturday.

The investigations, including an aerial survey, are expected to be completed this week.

Botswanas National Veterinary Laboratory has not been able to establish the causes of death despite examining 281 of the elephant carcasses found in the popular Okavango Delta area of the countrys north.

This is one of the biggest disasters to impact elephants this century, and right in the middle of one of Africas top tourism destinations, the director of conservation group National Park Rescue, Mark Hiley, has said.

Botswana has the worlds highest population of elephants with more than 156,000 counted in a 2013 aerial survey in the north.

By Sello Motseta
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, July 30 2020

The government has threatened to sanction nickel businesses that fail to comply with nickel ore pricing regulations and, therefore, pose a risk to the countrys plan to develop its downstream mining industry.

Nickel smelters are required to purchase nickel ore at government-pegged prices and nickel miners have to comply with a nickel ore export ban, the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Ministers undersecretary of mining, Septian Hario Seto, warned in a statement on July 23.

Noncompliant companies will be sanctioned, which can be in the form of a warning, cut in export quotas or even permit termination, he said.

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EU to limit technology exports to Hong Kong over security law: Sources

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 2:27 PM

The European Union (EU) has decided to restrict the export of technology to Hong Kong that might be used for what the bloc calls surveillance and repression, sources say, after China introduced a uniform national security law in the semi-autonomous city.

China enacted the national security law for Hong Kong earlier this month, criminalizing sedition, secession, and subversion against the mainland and allowing Chinese national security institutions to operate in the city for the first time since 1997, when Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule but attained semi-autonomy.

The legislation has been harshly criticized by Western countries, which allege that it harms the city's semi-autonomous status. Beijing rejects the allegation.

On Tuesday, AFP quoted a number of unnamed diplomatic sources as saying that along with the restriction on the export of equipment that could be used for surveillance and repression, the EU would also bring in measures to support Hongkongers by facilitating travel to Europe for them through the granting of visas, scholarships, and academic exchanges.

The member states of the EU have struggled to agree on a united response to China, a hugely important trading partner to the bloc.

Earlier this month, France and Germany proposed the restriction on the export of so-called "dual use" technology at a meeting of EU foreign ministers. The proposal is expected to be formally approved later on Tuesday.

"It makes sense to treat Hong Kong no differently from mainland China" when it comes to the export of equipment that could be allegedly used for repression, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said after presenting the plan.

Western countries, including Britain, have suspended extradition treaties with Hong Kong over the new security law.

The United States has also ended the preferential economic treatment of Hong Kong for the same reason and is preparing to suspend its own extradition treaty with the city, too.

Chinese and Hong Kongese authorities have dismissed the Western criticism of the law, insisting that it would only target a minority of people, and vowing to restore business confidence after a year of unrest in the city.

Hong Kong was rocked by violent protests over another bill that would have reformed its extradition law last year. Rioters vandalized the city, destroying public and private property and attacking individuals deemed to be pro-government. Hong Kong dropped that bill, but the acts of violence continued.

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The names of the 20 Indian soldiers killed in the brutal clash at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15 will be inscribed on the National War Memorial in Delhi, officials said on Wednesday.

The soldiers fought off numerically superior Chinese troops in the remote sector amid a border standoff that has been marked by several skirmishes.

Col B Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of 16 Bihar, was among the 20 soldiers killed in the seven-hour clash near Patrolling Point 14 in Galwan Valley, where outnumbered Indian troops inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

The names of all battle casualties are inscribed on the memorial, the officials said.

During a recent visit to Ladakh, defence minister Rajnath Singh met and acknowledged the bravery of soldiers from 16 Bihar in the presence of the militarys top brass.

Beijing has not disclosed the number of fatalities it suffered in the Galwan Valley clash but according to Indias assessment the PLA suffered twice as many casualties.

Apart from 16 Bihar, soldiers from 3 Punjab, 3 Medium Regiment and 81 Field Regiment were involved in the first deadly clash between Indian and Chinese troops along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) in more than five decades.

The Indian soldiers confronted the Chinese troops, who refused to remove their installations and vacate the area, triggering a violent clash that involved more than 600 rival soldiers at its peak.
INDIANAPOLIS - Former Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan, a Vietnam prisoner of war who entered politics and was thrust into the states top office when his predecessor suffered a deadly stroke, died Wednesday at age 74.

Kernan died at a South Bend health care facility, said Mary Downes, who was his governors office chief of staff. Kernan was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease several years ago, but his family kept his condition private until disclosing earlier this month that he had lost the ability to speak and was living in a care facility.

Kernan, a Democrat, won three elections as South Bends mayor before being elected lieutenant governor with Gov. Frank OBannon in 1996 and 2000. Kernan became governor in September 2003 after OBannons death and served for 16 months before he lost the 2004 election to Republican Mitch Daniels.

Joe Kernan was a steady hand of leadership at a difficult time for our state, Vice-President Mike Pence, a former Indiana governor, said in a statement. Even though our politics differed, Joe Kernan was always kind, always willing to work together for Hoosiers, and Joe Kernan was my friend.

A gregarious campaigner who was a catcher on the University of Notre Dames baseball team, Kernan was widely praised for the smooth transition after the first death of an Indiana governor since 1891.

This was uncharted territory, Republican state Sen. James Merritt said to Kernan during a ceremony just days before he left office in early 2005. This was your legacy  calm leadership in a crisis.

Current Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, said of Kernan: Distinguished isnt a strong enough word to describe him.

Without regard for personal cost, Joe Kernan devoted every ounce of his life, time and again, to upholding the oath he took, and serving the country and state he loved, Holcomb said in a statement.

Kernan enlisted in the Navy following his 1968 Notre Dame graduation and he flew as a navigator on combat missions over Laos and North Vietnam. His reconnaissance plane was shot down during a mission over North Vietnam on May 7, 1972. He ejected and was captured, beginning an 11-month ordeal as a prisoner of war that ended when he was flown out of Hanoi on March 27, 1973.

The worst day of captivity came early on, he said, when he talked with another POW.

He told me that our escort had lost us and that we were presumed dead, Kernan said in a 2002 interview. My family thought I was dead, and if the Navy thought I was dead, the thing that goes through your mind is that theres no reason for these guys to keep me alive.

For decades, Kernan marked every May 7 by playing golf, eating a pizza and drinking some beer. He said he remembered the date of his capture each year without question, but sometimes he didnt remember the anniversary of his release until a day or a week later.

I think its because if there hadnt have been a May 7th, there never would have been a March 27th, Kernan said. It was the day my life changed.

Kernans actions as governor included picking former state budget director Kathy Davis to replace him as lieutenant governor  making her the first woman to serve either as Indianas governor or lieutenant governor.

He also became the first Indiana governor in 48 years to spare the life of a death row inmate when he stopped an execution just days before it was scheduled to occur in 2004. Kernan said he decided it would be unfair to execute Darnell Williams for the 1986 murders of a Gary couple when a mentally disabled accomplice got a life sentence. Williams sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole.

Kernan had decided against a 2004 run for governor the year before OBannons death. He changed his mind two months after taking over the states top office, declaring I dont want to watch this from the sidelines.

Republicans attacked Kernan over the state governments budget deficit and tens of thousands of job losses, with Democrats blaming the problems on the 2001 national recession following the dot-com bust. Kernan lost what was then Indianas most-expensive gubernatorial campaign to Daniels, who had been President George W. Bushs federal budget director and is now Purdue Universitys president.

Kernan grew up in the northern Indiana city of South Bend as the oldest of nine siblings. After his return from Vietnam, he married his wife, Maggie, and worked for local businesses before becoming city controller and then winning his first of three mayoral elections in 1987. The couple had no children.

No public funeral services will be held at this time because of the coronavirus pandemic, Downes said.

After leaving the governors office, Kernan led a group of investors who owned South Bends minor league baseball team for about five years before selling it in 2011. Kernans group stopped the team from being moved away from the city, but he said the franchise never turned a profit.

I was not as happy about the baseball thing but to him it was like a gift for South Bend, Maggie Kernan told Notre Dame Magazine earlier this year.

Kernan often said he didnt have many bad days after his time as a POW. Maggie Kernan said she often saw that perspective.

Because of his personality and optimistic outlook, he has been able to take it and make something out of it that is positive, she said. He will talk about doing something tough and difficult and say, What are they going to do, send me to jail? Ive already been there.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 17:41:39|Editor: huaxia

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HARARE, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri died Wednesday morning, a few days after his driver succumbed to COVID-19.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced on Twitter that Shiri had died.

"I am deeply saddened to inform the nation of the death of the Minister of Agriculture, Air Chief Marshall (rtd) Perrance Shiri, a long time friend and colleague.

"Cde Shiri was a true patriot, who devoted his life to the liberation, independence and service of his country. MHRIP," Mnangagwa said.

Online media reports on Tuesday said that Shiri, who missed the same day's Cabinet meeting, had been hospitalized after feeling unwell.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba had also confirmed that Shiri had gone into self-isolation following the death of his driver.

The driver was reportedly buried at his rural home in Zvimba on Sunday. Enditem
The message board displayed at Zhipu Middle School in Gongyi, Henan province, 2020. From Weibo



Chaste women have smarter offspring. Wearing revealing clothing is dangerous. Masturbation is bad. These pearls of wisdom all have one thing in common: Until recently, they were displayed on the campus of a middle school in central Chinas Henan province.

Zhipu Middle School has been under fire since these sexist and unscientific advisories came to light last week. Principal Qiao Shiqing told Sixth Tones sister publication The Paper on Monday that the Jiajinkou Town government  not the school  is in charge of what appears on the message board. When contacted by The Paper, Jiajinkou officials said they did not know who had posted the questionable content.

According to scientific research, chaste women have smarter offspring. If a woman does not cheat (on her spouse), her child born within wedlock will usually have an IQ 20 points higher than hers, while spawn of the promiscuous will have very low IQs. Next to the paragraph of head-scratching text is an image of a boy and girl in school uniforms, both beaming proudly.

People who masturbate lead crappy lives, reads another section. If you dont stop masturbating, you can forget about being outstanding and bringing glory to your ancestors: Your life is over.

When Sixth Tone on Tuesday contacted the education bureau of Gongyi, the city that administers Jiajinkou Town, a staff member who refused to give his name or position said the information on the message board had not been put there by the school or the city government, but rather by a resident surnamed Xing. According to the official, the playground where the message board was located is open to the public when school is not in session.

The staff member added that on Saturday, the education bureau had removed the message board entirely.

Particularly in rural areas of China, its not uncommon for boys and girls, or men and women, to be held to different moral standards. In recent years, workshops claiming to instill feminine virtues in participants have been lambasted for propagating the idea that women should submit to their partners unconditionally.

Although authorities have cracked down on some of these operations  which promote themselves as grounded in traditional or Confucian values  sexist teaching materials and gender-specific classes that instruct girls how to knit and boys how to build model airplanes still occasionally make waves as antiquated outliers in Chinas education system.

(Source: Sixth Tone)


When couples argue, mediation by a third party improves the outcome of the confrontation. But that's not all: mediation is also linked to heightened activity in key regions of the brain belonging to the reward circuit - this is the main conclusion of a study carried out by scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and published in the journal Cortex. The experiment consisted of giving couples behavioural questionnaires and subjecting them to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) prior to and following a session in which the two partners argue. Couples who received active mediation reported higher satisfaction than non-mediated couples at the end of the conflict. Heightened activation in the nucleus accumbens, a key region in the reward circuit, was also identified in the mediation group compared to the control group. This is the first time that a controlled, randomised study has succeeded in demonstrating the advantages of mediation for couple conflicts and identifying a related biological signature.

"We know from numerous studies that thinking about romantic love and your romantic partner activates the so-called reward circuit in the brain, which is associated with feelings of pleasure and motivation," begins Olga Klimecki, a researcher at the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (CISA) and in UNIGE's Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. "Until now, however, we didn't know the impact that couple conflict, and mediation by a third party, could have on this activation. It was precisely to fill this gap that we devised our study."

To conduct their experiment, the researchers enrolled 36 heterosexual couples (for statistical reasons and for comparison with previous studies) who were monogamous (according to the statements made by the couples themselves) and who had been together for at least a year. Before coming to UNIGE, participants had to check off a list of 15 standard subjects (in-laws, sexuality, finances, household chores, time spent together, etc.) which most often fuelled conflict with their partner. Sources of conflict

"We then invited participants to start a discussion about one of these subjects," explains Halima Rafi, a doctoral student in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, and the article's first author. "Some of the couples chose a box ticked by both partners. Others preferred to start on a subject that only one of the partners considered a source of conflict. This worked just as well, if not better. The first ten minutes were a generally little embarrassing, but things then began to flow with an impressive naturalness, and inevitably ended in conflict."

The session, which lasted one hour, was accompanied by a professional mediator who mediated the dispute in half of the cases. In the other half, the mediator remained entirely passive. Participants completed a behavioural questionnaire before and after their argument to measure their emotional state. In each couple one member's brain activity was measured before and after the dispute while they were shown images of their romantic partner or images of an unknown person. General deactivation

Data from the questionnaires indicated that couples who benefited from active mediation were better at resolving conflicts, were more satisfied with the content and progress of the discussion, and had fewer residual disagreements.

"As for the neuroimaging results," continues Rafi, "the activations before the conflict replicated earlier studies on romantic love, showing an activation pattern in brain regions such as the striatum and orbitofrontal cortex. After the dispute, we quite logically observed a general deactivation in both groups in the regions associated with romantic love, including the striatum."

By contrast, when comparing couples who received active mediation with those who did not, the researchers found that the former tended to have greater activation in the nucleus accumbens after the conflict, which is a key region in the brain's reward circuit. Moreover, the participants who felt the most satisfied after the resolution of the conflict also had the highest nucleus accumbens activation when looking at their romantic partner compared to an unknown person.

"Our results suggest, for the first time, that third-party mediation has a significant and positive impact on the way couples argue, both behaviourally and neurally," concludes Klimecki. "This biological signature for romantic love is very interesting because it cannot be manipulated in the same way that an answer to a questionnaire could be. We would now like to continue the research and see, for example, whether we can measure similar effects in conflicts of a different type and not necessarily concerning love."

###
Mumbai: Shiv Sena mouthpiece "Saamana" in its latest editorial has questioned the BJP over the timing of the "bhoomi pujan" of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The article claims that the name of Lord Ram has overshadowed the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party wants to use the grand Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya as a surefire weapon for the upcoming election season, by starting construction work in times of a pandemic. The BJP governments at the Center and the state wants to keep the agenda of development fresh in the minds of the people along with the issue of the construction of the temple. That is why there is also a preparation to start work on many development projects with the construction of the temple," the article said.

It further stated that there is no consensus on calling the Shankaracharyas on behalf of the Trust while senior ministers will be invited to the 'bhoomi pujan' event.

It said, "The entire cabinet of the Uttar Pradesh government will not be included in the Bhoomi Pujan program of the temple, but only selected ministers will be involved. Due to Corona epidemic, construction work will not start with a large crowd but only among a few special people. However, key people associated with the temple construction movement are definitely being invited to this program."

The bhoomi pujan event will take place on August 5 which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Only 200 people will be allowed to remain present on the occasion in view of the COVID-19 guidelines.
Published on:

28 July 2020



Stock image of a doctor filling an injection syringe with a vaccine Stock image of a doctor filling an injection syringe with a vaccine

The University of Oxford recently published promising news about the results from the phase one/two trials of the vaccine it is developing for COVID-19. The clinical trials, involving 1,077 volunteers in the UK aged 18-55, showed that the AZD1222 vaccine appeared to be safe and generated the all-important dual antibody and T-cell immune response.

Yet as encouraging as this is, the public-partnership that underpins the project is a concern. Much of the funding came from the UK government, which announced a 65.5 million grant to the University of Oxford in March. Other funding had already come from outside the UK, including from the German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF) and the Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) so this was not solely a UK initiative.

Also in March, Oxford reached a licensing agreement with AstraZeneca to commercialise and manufacture the vaccine. But despite this work being largely paid for by the public purse, very little is known about the details of this partnership. There is a lot we dont know about who will own the intellectual property, how it will be shared and at what price it will be sold. The same is equally true of numerous other public-private partnerships to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.

And while this global pandemic surely demands a globally coordinated response, governments have instead been clamouring to secure their own supplies of the vaccine.

Vaccine nationalism

If the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine proves successful, the company has undertaken to manufacture up to 30 million doses that will be available for people in the UK by September. This is part of an agreement to deliver 100 million doses in total that would be made available to other countries, but the UK will get access first.

In the same vein, the UK has placed advance purchase orders for two other vaccine prospects: 30 million doses for the one being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, and 60 million for another from Valneva of France. Again, these agreements lack transparency. We dont know, for example, whether the taxpayer will still pay if the drugs dont work.

We are seeing the same kind of approach elsewhere. In May, the US reached its own supply agreement with AstraZeneca for AZD1222. The Americans are investing US$1.2 billion (942 million) in return for a 30,000-person vaccine trial in the US, and the manufacturing capacity to produce at least 300 million doses, with the first doses to be delivered as early as October. Similarly, the US has a supply deal with the Pfizer/BioNTech project.

Elsewhere, AstraZeneca has agreed to supply 400 million doses of AZD1222 to Europe starting from the end of the year through the Inclusive Vaccines Alliance (IVA), set up by Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

When Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, unveiled the EU vaccine strategy days later, reportedly to ensure that the union was not left behind in the vaccine race by big spenders like the US, she hailed the IVA as an important step towards joint action between the member states. Tellingly, there was no mention of access to AZD1222 for countries outside the EU.

For other countries, AstraZeneca announced a US$750 million agreement in June with CEPI and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to make, procure and distribute 300 million doses of AZD1222 with delivery starting at the end of the year. AstraZeneca also signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to sub-license AZD1222 to supply 1 billion doses to low- and middle-income countries, with a commitment to provide 400 million by year end. In all cases, little is known about the terms of the agreements.

One important aspect of this lack of transparency concerns pricing. For example, the deals with the IVA and CEPI/Gavi say AstraZeneca will supply the vaccine at no profit during the pandemic. This leaves open the prospect that no profit will cease to apply if the World Health Organization declares that this is no longer a pandemic. Because the terms of these agreements have not been fully disclosed, we just dont know.

Alternatives

Without doubting the commitment of AstraZeneca to its stated objective of broad and equitable access to this vaccine, these opaque agreements raise concerns about precisely how publicly funded research, conducted by publicly owned universities, is being privatised.

Other approaches are possible. Along with the UK funding package for the University of Oxford, the government also allocated 18.5 million to Imperial College London for a different COVID-19 vaccine project. Having completed clinical trials, Imperial announced on July 17 that it was proceeding to the next trial phase, involving 105 participants aged 18-75.

Imperial has formed a new social enterprise, VacEquity Global Health, to rapidly develop this vaccine and distribute it as widely as possible in the UK and overseas, including to low- and middle-income countries. This is in partnership with Morningside Ventures, a fund based in Hong Kong that invests in companies for the public good.

Rather than partnering with one company, the Imperial model envisages links with multiple manufacturers and waiving royalties and charging a modest amount for its vaccine. Agreements to purchase, manufacture and distribute the vaccine are still being negotiated.

It remains to be seen whether this social enterprise approach proves more successful in achieving equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines in the longer term, but it seems more in line with how we should be tackling this crisis.

Public money invested in publicly funded institutions should be treated as a public good, not as private intellectual property rights to be licensed and traded by private companies without full and proper public scrutiny. The vaccine nationalism that we have seen in the past couple of months only encourages this. At the very least, these agreements need to be fully transparent to address these concerns.

This opinion piece was originally published in The Conversation on 27 July 2020.
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Since the virus outbreak picked up in mid-March, pandemic-related litigation has been coming thick and fast, with many businesses (especially those in the hospitality industry) suing insurers over denied business interruption (BI) claims after they were forced to close or dramatically reduce operations to prevent further spread of the disease. The vast majority of those BI claims have been denied because traditional BI insurance will only trigger is theres a direct physical loss to property. Viruses and bacteria are typically excluded.

Read next: Will business interruption cover trigger in a hurricane if pandemic lockdown is still in effect?

This has left thousands of businesses deep in the red. Many are now looking for cost savings and are open to dropping some insurance coverage if that means they can save a quick buck. But Doug Jones (pictured), co-founder and managing partner of Florida-based JAG Insurance Group, cautions against any drastic, short-term insurance decisions.

He told Insurance Business: If youre a hotel or a restaurant, you have a policy in place and youre thinking about letting it go, understand that it might very well be impossible for you to buy another policy in six months time. Were seeing this specifically in the small restaurant business. At JAG, a lot of our clients are larger hotel chains who can weather a few months of slowdown, but its the mom and pop shop restaurants and the small franchises with five or 10 locations that have really taken a beating. Theyre the ones who are desperately trying to find cost savings.

As Jones pointed out, if businesses decide to drop their BI coverage, they may find it very difficult to secure a new policy in the near future. The same challenges exist for new businesses, who may perhaps want to purchase BI coverage, but due to the challenging market conditions, they either cannot secure the coverage or they cannot get adequate limits.

Read more: Chubb sued by human rights non-profit over COVID-19 business interruption coverage

Ive insured large hotels where maybe eight months ago I would have had six or eight carriers giving me an option, and now Im down to one, commented Jones. In April, I went to market with a new hotel that had just finished construction  and nobody wanted to put up the BI limits that the lender required of this hotel. The carriers just werent interested. Luckily, in that scenario, this was an almost two-year construction project (the structure is worth over $100 million) and wed been working with a carrier for such a long time, and forecasting the insurance for this client, that we were able to get the carrier to stick to the indications they had made.

That was April, and its still uncertain where the industry is going with this. If that had come up today, I dont know if we would have achieved the same result. What I will say is that, ultimately, in our business, anything can be done for a price. But I know for a fact that getting BI, especially high BI limits in the hospitality industry, is hard right now  and its only going to get harder. Because of that, I think folks need to think twice about where they allocate the money they have to spend on risk transfer.
Shapiro+Raj Fills President Role

In the US, brand and marketing insights company Shapiro+Raj has appointed Cindy Tran as company President. The position has been vacant for the past two years, since the departure of Margaret Mueller, who now serves as CEO of the Executives' Club of Chicago.



Headquartered in Chicago, with additional offices in New York and Pune, India, Shapiro+Raj was formed in 2014 when business transformation specialist Zain Raj acquired a majority interest in independent MR firm Shapiro. Tran (pictured) joins with more than twenty years' brand marketing, insights and strategy consulting experience. Most recently, she co-led Planning & Strategy at Havas Health & You healthcare ad agency H4B Chelsea. Prior to this, she held senior positions at Publicis Health and Interbrand Health, having begun her career at Unilever.



In her new role as part of the firm's exec leadership team, Tran will work with its integrated teams of social scientists, brand planners, digital strategists, analysts and project managers. She is also charged with identifying and developing new products and services, both methodological and digital; and with leading the overall strategy of the company.



Commenting on the appointment, Raj said: 'Bringing Cindy on board continues our commitment toward delivering market-ready insights to our clients. Her pursuit of disruptive human-centric insights, game-changing strategy and flawless execution across multiple highly complex categories and her passion for change are qualities that will help us continue our journey to be the absolute best agency in our industry'.



Web site: www.shapiroraj.com .




Vallourec extends its contracts with Petrobras to provide tubes and services

The contracts extension reinforces the historic partnership between the two companies

Boulogne-Billancourt (France), July 29, 2020 - Vallourec, a world leader in premium tubular solutions, announces the extension of its contracts to supply products and services to Petrobras. Since the initial signing of these contracts in 2018, Vallourec has been supplying Petrobras with OCTG products, including seamless steel tubes, premium connections and accessories, as well as associated services such as offshore inspection, repair, and supervision, amongst others, which are supported by its Vallourec.smart digital offer.

By extending the contracts until 2023, Vallourec and Petrobras are reaffirming their historic partnership.

Petrobras uses the products and related services provided by Vallourec in its offshore oil and gas exploration and production wells, located mainly in large pre-salt reservoir fields. The Brazilian pre-salt reservoirs present several challenges in addition to the salt layer itself: well depths of up to 7,000 meters (23,000 ft); very deep water conditions with sometimes as much as 2,000 meters (6,500 ft) between the surface and the seabed; acid corrosion caused by H2S and CO2; as well as high pressure/high temperature conditions in some areas.

The association of these factors sets the technical requirements for OCTG products, which must be able to withstand mechanical, corrosive, and thermal constraints. Vallourec has been innovating and reinventing itself every day in order to meet all these requirements, thus providing Petrobras with the most advanced technological solutions for its offshore operations.

Vallourec also provides innovative digital services designed to improve reliability and operational performance. These include: tubular management (inspection, repair, pre-shipment preparation), VAM Field Service (on-site assistance), as well as storage and transportation services. Finally, Vallourec.smart digital solutions support the planning, management and execution of services, and guarantee product traceability.

"Petrobras is one of the most productive oil companies in the world. We are proud to be able to keep on collaborating with this historic partner and we are convinced that these contracts will strengthen both companies," highlighted Edouard Guinotte, Chairman of the Management Board.





About Vallourec

Vallourec is a world leader in premium tubular solutions for the energy markets and for demanding industrial applications such as oil & gas wells in harsh environments, new generation power plants, challenging architectural projects, and high-performance mechanical equipment. Vallourec's pioneering spirit and cutting-edge R&D open new technological frontiers. With close to 19,000 dedicated and passionate employees in more than 20 countries, Vallourec works hand in hand with its customers to offer more than just tubes: Vallourec delivers innovative, safe, competitive and smart tubular solutions to make every project possible.

Listed on Euronext in Paris (ISIN code: FR0013506730, Ticker VK) and eligible for the Deferred Settlement System (SRD), Vallourec is included in the following indexes: SBF 120 and Next 150.

In the United States, Vallourec has established a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program (ISIN code: US92023R2094, Ticker: VLOWY). Parity between ADR and a Vallourec ordinary share has been set at 5:1.

For further information, please contact:

Investor relations

Jerome Friboulet

Tel: +33 (0)1 49 09 39 77

Investor.relations@vallourec.com Press relations

Heloise Rothenbuhler

Tel: +33 (0)1 41 03 77 50

heloise.rothenbuhler@vallourec.com



Individual shareholders

Toll Free Number (from France): 0805 65 10 10

actionnaires@vallourec.com









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Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled EV Charging Station Market in Europe 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. ABB Ltd., BP Plc, ChargePoint Inc., EFACEC Power Solutions SGPS SA, ENGIE SA, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, Tesla Inc., and Webasto SE are some of the major market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Increasing investments in EV charging infrastructure development has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, high installation and maintenance costs associated with EV charging stations might hamper market growth.

EV Charging Station Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

EV Charging Station Market is segmented as below:

Type AC Charging Stations DC Charging Stations

Geography The Netherlands Germany France UK Rest Of Europe



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR41124

EV Charging Station Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our EV charging station market report covers the following areas:

EV Charging Station Market size

EV Charging Station Market trends

EV Charging Station Market industry analysis

This study identifies the growing popularity of V2G chargers as one of the prime reasons driving the EV charging station market growth during the next few years.

EV Charging Station Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the EV charging station market, including some of the vendors such as ABB Ltd., BP Plc, ChargePoint Inc., EFACEC Power Solutions SGPS SA, ENGIE SA, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, Tesla Inc., and Webasto SE. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the EV charging station market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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EV Charging Station Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist EV charging station market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the EV charging station market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the EV charging station market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of EV charging station market vendors

Table Of Contents:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

2.1 Preface

2.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Value chain analysis

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market outlook

Market size and forecast 2019-2024

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TYPE

Market segmentation by type

Comparison by type

AC charging stations Market size and forecast 2019-2024

DC charging stations Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by type

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

The Netherlands Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Germany Market size and forecast 2019-2024

France Market size and forecast 2019-2024

UK Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Rest of Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Growing popularity of V2G chargers

Strong competition among charging standards

Rising development of wireless charging for EVs

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

ABB Ltd.

BP Plc

ChargePoint Inc.

EFACEC Power Solutions SGPS SA

ENGIE SA

Royal Dutch Shell Plc

Schneider Electric SE

Siemens AG

Tesla Inc.

Webasto SE

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005536/en/

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July 29 : The second sale of Realme C11 will start at 12 noon today on Flipkart and Realme India website. The handset was launched in India earlier this month. The budget-friendly phone of the companys C-series, Realme C11 comes in two colour options Rich Green and Rich Grey. The single 2GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage model of Realme C11 carries a price tag of Rs. 7,499.

Sale offers

Flipkart makes certain offers for the buyers. Customers can avail 5 percent instant discount if they purchase the product with SBI credit cards. This discount extends for EMI transactions as well. Buyers can also avail a discount of Rs. 30 on their first prepaid transaction by using RuPay debit card, and Rs. 30 off on their first prepaid transaction by using UPI. There are some more offersa 5 percent unlimited cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank credit card, and a 5 percent off on Axis Bank Buzz credit card. No-cost EMI option is also offered up to nine months.

Realme C11 specifications

Powered by the octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, and paired with 2GB of LPDDR4X RAM, Realme C11 packs 32GB of onboard storage that is expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB). The smartphone features dual-SIM (Nano) and runs on Android 10 with Realme UI on top. The handset comes with a 6.5-inch HD+ (720 x 1,600 pixels) Mini-drop display, and it has 88.7 percent screen-to-body ratio with 20:9 aspect ratio.

The smartphone sports a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor on the back. For the purpose of selfies, there is a 5-megapixel sensor in the waterdrop-style notch. It packs the 5,000mAh battery that supports reverse charging.
The White House announced Tuesday that it would be rejecting applications for the DACA immigration programme while it conducts a review of the policy.

According to NBC News, the Trump administration still views the DACA programme  which provides a way for children who were brought into the country illegally to legally live and work in the US  as illegal, despite a US Supreme Court ruling in favour of the policy.

An administration official speaking anonymously told NBC News that the White House believes the Supreme Court ruling allowed pathways for dismantling the programmme, despite its judgement.

During the administrations review of the programme, it said it would reject any new applications to the programme. It will also review applications for renewal on a case-by-case basis and only allow renewals for a one-year period rather than the previous two-year period.

According to NPR, individuals applying to DACA have reported the government has been rejecting their applications for weeks.

Recommended ICE centre detainees thrown out of wheelchairs after requesting help

Donald Trump has been trying to end DACA since 2017, but was thwarted by a recent Supreme Court ruling. He called the ruling politically charged and vowed to end the programme, which was one of his campaign promises.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration could not dismantle the programme because it did not provide adequate justification for doing so. Though dismantling the programme is not unconstitutional, the administrations reasons for doing so were ruled insufficient.

The White House review is the latest in the Trump administrations attempts to slow down the DACA programme while searching for a route to bring it to an end.

Last week, the Trump administration told a district court in Maryland that it hadnt accepted nor rejected DACA applications, but that the applications were on hold. The court ordered the administration to operate the programme as it was intended, but the Trump administration is side-stepping the order by issuing memos that allow the US Department of Homeland Security to continue holding the programme in limbo.

The DACA programme was created during the presidency of Barack Obama and was intended to prevent the deportation of children who were brought into the country illegally.

The programme does not provide a pathway to citizenship, but it does allow participants to live and work in the country for up to two years at a time, and enrolment in the programme is renewable.

Under current court orders, the programme should be operating as normal, but the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has effectively been ignoring the ruling, and claims the courts ruling has no basis in law. The agencys director, Joseph Edlow, told NPR that the programme was an effective amnesty programme despite providing no pathway towards citizenship.
Amid reports of community spread of COVID-19 in some pockets of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Tuesday that the lockdown in containment zones will continue till August 31 as also the biweekly restrictions in place to contain the pandemic.

However, later in the evening, the government withdrew total lockdown on August 2 and 9. In a statement, the government said the decision was taken after receiving request and appeal from different quarters not to observe state-wide lockdown on certain dates coinciding with festivals and important community occasions.

Respecting the sentiments of the people we are withdrawing complete lockdown announcement for 2 August and 9 August(2/2) HOME DEPARTMENT - GOVT. OF WEST BENGAL (@HomeBengal) July 28, 2020

Earlier in the day, addressing a press conference, Banerjee said schools and colleges will remain closed till August 31 and a decision on their reopening will be taken in September.

"The lockdown in containment zones will continue till August 31. The biweekly total lockdown across the state will also remain in place till the end of next month," Banerjee said.

The total lockdown will be imposed on July 29 (Wednesday), while in August, the dates of complete lockdown would be 5 (Wednesday), 8 (Saturday), 16 (Sunday), 17 (Monday), 23 (Sunday), 24 (Monday), and 31 (Monday).

"The biweekly lockdown will be implemented mostly on Saturdays and Sundays. But since festivals like Eid as well as Independence Day are on Saturdays, lockdown will be enforced on some other day," she said.

The decision to enforce biweekly lockdown was taken earlier this month amid suspected community transmission in some parts of the state.

Banerjee said, We are targeting 25,000 COVID-19 and two lakh antigen tests by August 15. We have formed eight separate teams for effective coordination on all issues related to COVID-19 which includes infrastructural augmentation, testing/laboratory teams, safe homes, body disposal/cremation/COVID management, tele-services, date management and COVID Clubs.

Senior officers will work as nodal officers for coordination in five high-risk districts, including Kolkata, South 24-Parganas, North 24-Parganas and Howrah.

A multi-purpose COVID helpline number - 1800313444222 for 24x7 telemedicine facility has also been set up. The state government has also launched online monitoring of nearly 1,400 patients in different government and private hospitals by experts at 'Swasthya Bhawan'. Their medical report will be directly uploaded on the health portal.

The government also allowed last rites of people without waiting for COVID test report as per ICMR guidelines. The state had reported over 60,000 COVID-19 cases till Monday.

(With inputs from PTI)
Dilip Joshi Thanks Fans

In the video, he said, "It's been 12 years, with more than 2,950 episodes. God has been really, really kind." With folded hands, he then thanked God and also thanked writer and humourist Taarak Mehta, along with producer Asit Kumarr Modi.

TMKOC Actors Express Happiness

Shailesh Lodha (Taarak Mehta), Mandar Chandwadkar (Bhide), Ambika Ranjankar (Komal Hathi), Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal (Roshan Kaur Sodhi), Samay Shah (Gogi) and Munmun Dutta (Babita) expressed their happiness on social media and thanked fans for their love.

Asit Kumarr Modi On TMKOC Completing 12 Years

On the other hand, Asit told Mumbai Mirror, "It feels like a dream. When we had started the show back in 2008, our set was a temporary structure and we didn't even know if we were going to make it into the next year. Today, the set and its many properties including Gokuldham Society, Sakharam, Bhide's tuition classes, Gada Electronics, Madhavi's pickles and papad, and needless to say, the characters have become household names. It is also a matter of pride to have achieved such recognition through the show."

The Producer Further Added

"I thank my artists, my directors, my scriptwriters, my crew and the rest of the team who work tirelessly behind the scene and for their unwavering support through all these years. And I cannot thank my viewers enough for the love they have showered us with since the beginning."

Team Celebrates The Occasion

As per the report, the entire team celebrated the occasion by cutting a cake by keeping in mind the social distancing norms. Also, a special AV presentation was put together capturing glimpses of the show since 2008 and its evolution over the years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a video of the first set of Rafale aircraft landing on Indian soil with a Sanskrit phrase where he welcomed their arrival and connected it to "rashtra rakshaa" or national defence.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also retweeted it. Interestingly, the BJP had used the same Sanskrit phrase with an additional statement in English that read, "A Terror Free Resurgent India", in a tweet from its official handle last year in February when the Rafale purchase issue had created a massive political storm ahead of the 2019 general election. The party had also used the hashtag, 'For the first time', as a dig at previous governments, back then.

The Sanskrit phrase talks about "rashtra raksha" or national defence. If loosely translated, it means, "I don't see any 'punya', 'vrat' or 'yagya' like that of a nation's defence".

The first five of the 36 medium multi-role Rafale fighter jets being built by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault landed safely at the IAF airbase in Ambala on Wednesday afternoon. Significantly, the frontline IAF airbase is likely to be used in case of a conflict at the northern or the western borders.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in a tweet, "The Birds have landed safely in Ambala."

The Birds have landed safely in Ambala.



The touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History.



These multirole aircrafts will revolutionise the capabilities of the @IAF_MCC.  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 29, 2020



Of the two squadrons of the Rafale fighters, one would be based in Ambala for the western borders with Pakistan, while the second squadron would be based at Hasimara in West Bengal. It will be dedicated for the China border where Indian and Chinese People's Liberation Army troops are engaged in a border standoff, which left 20 Indian and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers dead following a bloody clash on June 15.
Domestic equity benchmarks hit fresh intraday low in afternoon trade, dragged by weakness in Reliance Industries and IT pivotals. At 13:24 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, slipped 150.52 points or 0.39% at 38,342.43. The Nifty 50 index was down 15.35 points or 0.14% at 11,285.20.

Tata Steel (up 4.83%), Grasim Industries (up 3.80%), Bharti Infratel (up 3.23%), UltraTech Cement (up 2.48%), JSW Steel (up 2.23%) were the top Nifty gainers.

Reliance Industries (down 2.59%), TCS (down 1.25%), Infosys (down 0.73%) were major index shakers.

HCL Technologies (down 1.87%), Mahindra & Mahindra (down 1.60%), BPCL (down 1.32%) and Hero MotoCorp (down 1.21%) were other major losers.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index gained 0.88% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.97%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1481 shares rose and 1039 shares fell. A total of 149 shares were unchanged.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 245.95 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net sellers to the tune of Rs 1,017.40 crore in the Indian equity market on 28 July, provisional data showed.

The government has reportedly picked Edelweiss Financial Services and Deloitte as the two pre-initial public offer (IPO) transaction advisors for the listing of the country's biggest insurer - Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), whose public offer is expected to be the largest ever in the history of the domestic capital markets.

Following the report, shares of Edelweiss Financial Services hit an upper circuit limit of 5% at 77.85.

COVID-19 Update:

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 16,670,063 with 659,077 deaths. India reported 5,09,447 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 34,193 deaths while 9,88,029 patients have been discharged, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty IT index fell 0.66% amid some bit of profit taking. The index had gained 5.85% in the past three sessions.

Among the index constituents, Mphasis (down 1.15%), TCS (down 0.99%), Tech Mahindra (down 0.97%), Infosys (down 0.71%), MindTree (down 0.28%) and Larsen & Toubro Infotech (down 0.01%) edged lower.

Meanwhile, NIIT Technologies (up 4.98%), Info Edge India (up 0.65%) and Wipro (up 0.56%) edged higher.

Earnings Today:

Bharti Airtel (down 0.08%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (up 1.63%) and Maruti Suzuki India (down 1.39%) are Nifty companies that will announce their quarterly earnings today.

Earnings Impact:

Nestle India fell 2.57% to Rs 16,659.95. The FMCG major reported a 11.15% rise in net profit to Rs 486.6 crore in Q2 June 2020 from Rs 437.79 crore in Q2 June 2019. Revenue from operations stood at Rs 3050.48 crore in Q2 June 2020, rising 1.66% from Rs 3000.85 crore in the same period last year.

Nestle said its total sales grew at 2% while domestic sales grew at 2.6%. The company's export sales declined by 9.3%. Sales were adversely impacted due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown leading to production disruption across factories. Demand in out of home channel was also severely reduced, the company added.

IndusInd Bank jumped 5% to Rs 553.25. The private lender's standalone net profit slumped 67.84% to Rs 460.64 crore on 0.65% rise in total income to Rs 8,680.92 crore in Q1 June 2020 over Q1 June 2019.

The ratio of gross NPAs to gross advances stood at 2.53% as on 30 June 2020 as against 2.45% as on 31 March 2020 and 2.15% as on 30 June 2019. The bank's provisions and contingencies surged 424.56% to Rs 2,258.88 crore in Q1FY21 over Rs 430.62 crore in Q1FY20.

Meanwhile, the bank's board approved issuing over 4,76,29,768 equity shares on preferential basis at issue price of Rs 524 per share to Route One Offshore Master Fund LP Route One Fund I LP, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company, Tata Investment Corporation and AIA Company.

The board also approved issuing over 1,51,17,477 equity shares on preferential basis at Rs 524 per share to promoter IndusInd International Holdings and Hinduja Capital (non-QIBs).

Global Markets:

European markets advanced while Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday as rising global coronavirus cases weighed on investor sentiment, while the new U.S. relief package unveiled by Republicans hit an impasse in Washington.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has reportedly warned that the city faces an outbreak that could lead to the "collapse" of its hospital system, with 106 new cases reported Tuesday. In France, confirmed cases rose to 183,804 from 183,079 on Monday.

In US, stocks indexes closed lower Tuesday, as tech shares were under pressure and lawmakers continued their debate over the next coronavirus relief package. Shares of Amazon slipped 1.8% and Netflix declined by 1.4%. Alphabet shares fell 1.7%. Facebook shares dipped 1.5% and Apple closed 1.6% lower.

US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell unveiled Senate Republicans' proposed $1 trillion coronavirus aid bill on Monday, but Democrats have criticized the package's limitations compared to a $3 trillion proposal that passed the House of Representatives in May. Complicating matters further, President Donald Trump on Tuesday voiced disagreement with some aspects of the bill, though talks are continuing.

On the vaccine front, Moderna Inc. kicked off its late-stage trial while Pfizer Inc and BioNTech entered late-stage trials of their candidates also.

The Federal Reserve began a two-day policy meeting on Tuesday that is expected to see Chairman Jerome Powell underline a willingness to take further action to support the economy and maintain easy financial conditions.

The Fed on Tuesday announced that its board of governors had decided to extend until the end of the year several emergency loan programs that had been set to expire on Sept. 30.

In US economic data, the Conference Board's consumer-confidence index fell to 92.6 in July from a revised 98.3 reading in June. The measure of how consumers feel about the economy right now actually rose to 94.2 in July from 86.7, but the subindex that gauges expectations about the future fell to a four-month low 91.5 from 106.1 in June.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Online Desk

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra has accepted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's fourth proposal for summoning a state assembly session and has given his nod for it from August 14.

Mishra issued an order regarding the same, in which he also directed that all necessary measures should be undertaken during the conduct of Assembly Session, as per the guidelines in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"The Rajasthan Governor has approved the Cabinet proposal to call the assembly session from August 14," a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said.

"He also gave verbal directions to make the necessary arrangements for the prevention of COVID-19 spread during the session," the official added.

Earlier in the day, the Gehlot cabinet had sent this proposal after the previous ones were rejected due to clarity of a 'solid reason' to summon a session on a short notice.

As per government sources, this revised proposal, which is the fourth one in seven days, is in accordance with the Governor's demand for a 21-day notice requirement (July 23, when the first proposal was sent) that Mishra was insisting upon.

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra has allowed to convene the assembly session from 14th August as proposed by Gehlot Cabinet on Wednesday evening.@NewIndianXpress@TheMornStandard#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis#RajasthanPolitics  rajesh asnani (@asnaniraajesh) July 29, 2020

While rejecting the government proposal earlier, Mishra had said a session can be called at short notice if the agenda is to seek a vote of confidence.

Otherwise, 21 days' notice is needed, he had said.

The state government was earlier insisting that the session should begin on July 31.

"Neither the Governor nor the government wants confrontation. The Cabinet has passed a revised proposal for forwarding to the Governor," Transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas had told reporters after the evening meeting.

As the impasse over calling a session deepened, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a 15-minute meeting with Mishra at the Raj Bhawan.

In the three-page press statement, the Governor said the first proposal for an assembly session was received on July 23 but it did not have the Cabinet's approval and no date was mentioned.

At the PCC meeting, Gehlot told Congress workers that there was nothing to worry about as the party's top leadership was with them.

"The love letter has already come. Now, I am only going to have tea with him," he said before heading for the Raj Bhawan to meet Governor Mishra.

He was referring to the note from the Governor, returning for the third time his Cabinet's proposal to convene the state assembly.

Meanwhile, Govind Singh Dotasra formally took over as the new chief of the state unit at the meeting.

Ashok Gehlot is caught in a power tussle with his now sacked deputy, Sachin Pilot, who has the support of 18 dissident Congress MLAs.

Altogether, the Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member assembly and the BJP 72.

(With ENS, agency inputs)
Chattanooga State Community College held its inaugural virtual Philanthropy Awards Ceremony on Monday, recognizing The Osbourne Foundation and The Tucker Foundation for their commitment to student success at Chattanooga State. As firmly established donors to the Chattanooga State Foundation, The Osbourne Foundation and The Tucker Foundation have invested heavily in Chattanooga State  and their philanthropic investments have made a huge impact, notes Chattanooga State President Dr. Rebecca Ashford.



The Tucker Foundation, recipient of the Chancellors Award for Excellence in Philanthropy, presented by Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Dr. Flora Tydings, contributed more than $350,000 to the Chattanooga State Foundation since 2002. Amy Moore, vice president of The Tucker Foundation, accepted the award, noting, We are pleased to play a part in the Chattanooga State success story.



The Weldon F. Osbourne Foundation, recipient of the Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy, presented by Regent Weston Wamp, contributed more than $250,000 to the Chattanooga State Foundation since June of 2007. Executive Director of The Osbourne Foundation Barbara Marter accepted the award, stating, When your students are successful, lives are transformed and our community is stronger.



Because of the generosity of these two foundations, and the many other donors who support the college, Chattanooga State was one of nine community colleges nationwide to earn Leader College status earlier this year by Achieving the Dream. This milestone represents a huge campus collaboration over the past few years to change the trajectory of our student outcomes, and particularly improve student success among low-income students and students of color, stated Dr. Ashford. I am proud to recognize both The Osborne Foundation and The Tucker Foundation for their philanthropic leadership.



Gifts to the Chattanooga State Foundation each year help to continue to accelerate the impact of the Chattanooga State experience by addressing the greatest needs across the campus, covering tuition and fees for deserving students, and providing professional development for faculty and staff.

If you would like to support the Chattanooga State Foundation, visit give.chattanoogastate.edu.

To watch the full virtual event, visit https://bit.ly/2P19ACR.
'Stellar archaeology' reveals a star stream composed of the remnants of an ancient globular cluster that was torn apart by the Milky Way's gravity 2 billion years ago

Pasadena, CA--A team of astronomers including Carnegie's Ting Li and Alexander Ji discovered a stellar stream composed of the remnants of an ancient globular cluster that was torn apart by the Milky Way's gravity 2 billion years ago, when Earth's most-complex lifeforms were single-celled organisms. This surprising finding, published in Nature, upends conventional wisdom about how these celestial objects form.

Imagine a sphere made up of a million stars bound by gravity and orbiting a galactic core. That's a globular cluster. The Milky Way is home to about 150 of them, which form a tenuous halo that envelops our galaxy.

But the globular cluster that spawned this newly discovered stellar stream had a lifecycle that was very different from the globular clusters we see today.

"This is stellar archaeology, uncovering the remnants of something ancient, swept along in a more-recent phenomenon," explained Ji.

Using the Anglo-Australian Telescope, the stream was revealed by S5, the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey Collaboration. Led by Li, the initiative aims to map the motion and chemistry of stellar streams in the Southern Hemisphere.

In this study, the collaborative focused on a stream of stars in the Phoenix constellation.

"The globular cluster remnants that make up the Phoenix Stream were disrupted many billion years ago, but luckily retain the memory of its formation in the very early universe, which we can read from the chemical composition of its stars," said Li

The team measured the abundances of heavier elements--what astronomers call a star's metallicity.

A star's makeup mirrors that of the cloud of galactic gas from which it is born. The more prior generations of stars have seeded this material with heavy elements that they produced during their lifetimes, the more enriched, or metallic, the stars are said to be. Therefore, a very ancient, primitive star, will have almost no heavy elements.

"We were really surprised to find that the Phoenix Stream is distinctly different to all of the other globular clusters in the Milky Way," explained lead author Zhen Wan of the University of Sydney. "Even though the cluster was destroyed billions of years ago, we can still tell it formed in the early universe."

Because other known globular clusters are enriched by the presence of heavy elements forged by stellar earlier generations, it was theorized that there was a minimum abundance of heavier elements required for a globular cluster to form.

But the Phoenix Stream progenitor is well below this predicted minimum metallicity, posing a significant problem for previous ideas about how globular clusters are born. "One possible explanation is that the Phoenix Stream represents the last of its kind, the remnant of a population of globular clusters that was born in radically different environments to those we see today," Li said.

The researchers proposed that these no-longer-with-us globular clusters were steadily depleted by the Milky Way's gravitational forces, which tore them to pieces. The remnants of other ancient globular clusters may also live on as faint streams that can still be discovered before they dissipate over time.

"There is plenty of theoretical work left to do, and there are now many new questions for us to explore about how galaxies and globular clusters form," said co-author Geraint Lewis, also of the University of Sydney.

###

This study was part of the Southern Stellar Streams Spectroscopic Survey, or just S5 for short, an international collaboration using the 2dF/AAOmega instrument on the Anglo-Australian Telescope at Coonabarabran, NSW, to survey streams of stars uncovered during the Dark Energy Survey (DES).

The Carnegie Institution for Science (carnegiescience.edu) is a private, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with six research departments throughout the U.S. Since its founding in 1902, the Carnegie Institution has been a pioneering force in basic scientific research. Carnegie scientists are leaders in plant biology, developmental biology, astronomy, materials science, global ecology, and Earth and planetary science.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 00:25:01|Editor: huaxia

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Jin Liqun, president and chairman of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, addresses the parallel session "Opening-up, Regulation and Business Environment" of the second Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Jin Liqun has been elected to a second term as President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) by the bank's Board of Governors.

The election result was announced by the Chair of AIIB's Board of Governors during the bank's fifth annual meeting on Tuesday.

"It has been a tremendous privilege to lead the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank during its foundational years," said Jin. "We have established high standards of governance, we are investing in projects that improve lives and livelihoods, and we are establishing ourselves in global capital markets."

Under Jin's leadership, the AIIB has grown from 57 founding members to over 100 approved members from around the world.

The bank has also maintained the highest credit rating with a stable outlook from the largest credit rating agencies, including Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch. Permanent Observer status was also granted by the United Nations (UN) in recognition of AIIB's relevance and contribution to the UN's development mandate.

"As we look forward to the next decade, we will expand our investments from a core infrastructure to the tomorrow-infrastructure that will tackle climate change, enhance connectivity within Asia and the rest of the world, mobilize private capital, and bridge digital divides in our region," said Jin.

The AIIB is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia. Headquartered in Beijing, the AIIB began operations in January 2016 and has now grown to more than 100 approved members worldwide. 
Britain's opposition Labour Party leaderA Jeremy Corbyn waits for the General Election results of the Islington North constituency to be announced at a counting centre in Islington during Britain's general election, London, Britain December 13, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay - Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of acting purely out of self-interest after he deleted an old tweet thanking Wiley but failed to condemn the rap star's anti-Semitic rant.

The former Labour leader became the latest public figure to distance themselves from the 41-year-old rapper, known as the Godfather of grime following his anti-Semitic rants over social media.

Mr Corbyn  whose five-year leadership of the Labour Party was repeatedly dogged by complaints of anti-Semitism and became embroiled in multiple scandals  deleted a tweet from December thanking the musician for his support at the 2019 general election, in which his Conservative Party rival, Boris Johnson, won an 80-seat majority.

The rapper, whose real name is Richard Cowie, was permanently suspended from Twitter on Wednesday after posting a tirade of anti-Semitic comments at the weekend which are currently being probed by police.

On Tuesday night his Facebook and Instagram accounts were removed after he began another inflammatory rant.

The tweet from Mr Corbyn simply said 'Thank you Wiley' in response to one from the rapper.

However, the Labour MP for Islington North has been criticised for quietly deleting the tweet while failing to condemn anti-Semitism.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism, a volunteer-led charity which counters anti-Semitism through education, said: Jeremy Corbyn did not find time to express a shred of solidarity with the Jewish community even as #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate became Twitters top trending hashtag, but he did find time to cover his own tracks.

Mr Corbyns deletion of his positive Twitter exchange with Wiley without any statement condemning the artist's anti-Semitism suggests that the former Labour leader acted purely out of self-interest to try to protect the shards of his shattered reputation as a supposed anti-racist.

Following his ban from social media sites, Wiley issued an apology. In an interview with Sky News, he said: "I just want to apologise for generalising and going outside of the people who I was talking to within the workspace and workplace I work in.

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"My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people. I want to apologise for generalising, and I want to apologise for comments that were looked at as anti-Semitic."

He added he was "not racist" and the row was between him and his manager.

He said: "I'm not racist, you know. I'm a businessman. My thing should have stayed between me and my manager, I get that."

A Twitter spokesman said: "Upon further investigation, our teams have permanently suspended the account in question for repeated violations of our hateful conduct policy.

"Let us be clear: hateful conduct has absolutely no place on our service and we strongly condemn anti-Semitism. We are sorry we did not move faster and are continuing to assess the situation internally. "

It added: "We deeply respect the concerns shared by the Jewish community and online safety advocates, and we will continue to work closely with governments, NGOs, civil society partners and our industry peers to tackle anti-Semitism on Twitter."

The Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the news that "Twitter has finally listened", but said the action was "too little, too late".

Mr Corbyn was contacted for comment.
DUBLIN, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Castrate-resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) -Market Insights, Epidemiology and Market Forecast - 2030" drug pipelines has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report delivers an in-depth understanding of the CRPC, historical and forecasted epidemiology as well as the CRPC market trends in the United States, EU5 (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom), and Japan.



The market report provides current treatment practices, emerging drugs, CRPC market share of the individual therapies, current and forecasted CRPC market size from 2017 to 2030 segmented by seven major markets. The report also covers current CRPC treatment practice/algorithm, market drivers, market barriers and unmet medical needs to curate best of the opportunities and assesses underlying potential of the market.



Epidemiology



The CRPC epidemiology division provides the insights about historical and current CRPC patient pool and forecasted trend for each seven major countries. It helps to recognize the causes of current and forecasted trends by exploring numerous studies and views of key opinion leaders. This part of the report also provides the diagnosed patient pool and their trends along with assumptions undertaken.



Key Findings



The total cases of CRPC in the 7MM were found to be 265,891 in 2017 which is expected to grow during the study period, i.e., 2017-2030.



The disease epidemiology covered in the report provides historical as well as forecasted CRPC epidemiology [segmented as Total Prevalent Cases of Prostate Cancer, Total Diagnosed Cases of Prostate Cancer, Age-specific Cases of Prostate Cancer, Total Diagnosed Cases of Prostate Cancer by Clinical Stages, Total Non-metastatic and Metastatic Cases of CRPC, and Total Treated Cases of Non-metastatic and Metastatic CRPC] scenario of CRPC in the 7MM covering United States, EU5 countries (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom), and Japan from 2017 to 2030.



Drug Chapters



Drug chapter segment of the CRPC report encloses the detailed analysis of CRPC marketed drugs and late stage (Phase-III and Phase-II) pipeline drugs. It also helps to understand the CRPC clinical trial details, expressive pharmacological action, agreements and collaborations, approval and patent details, advantages and disadvantages of each included drug and the latest news and press releases.



Marketed Drugs



Erleada (apalutamide): Janssen Pharmaceuticals



Erleada (apalutamide) is a next-generation oral androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor that blocks the androgen signaling pathway in prostate cancer cells. It is indicated for the treatment of patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) and for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC). It is taken orally, once daily, with or without food. Erleada inhibits the growth of cancer cells in three ways: by preventing the binding of androgen to the AR; by stopping the AR from entering the cancer cells; and by preventing the AR from binding to the DNA of the cancer cell.



In February 2018 , Erleada received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for the treatment of patients with nmCRPC.

, Erleada received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for the treatment of patients with nmCRPC. In January 2019 , the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for Erleada next generation oral androgen receptor inhibitor for the treatment of adult patients with nmCRPC who are at high risk of developing metastatic disease.

, the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for Erleada next generation oral androgen receptor inhibitor for the treatment of adult patients with nmCRPC who are at high risk of developing metastatic disease. In March 2019 , Janssen obtained the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) approval of Erleada (apalutamide) 60mg tablet for the treatment for adults with castration-resistant prostate cancer without distant metastases.

, Janssen obtained the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) approval of Erleada (apalutamide) 60mg tablet for the treatment for adults with castration-resistant prostate cancer without distant metastases. In August 2013 , Johnson & Johnson completed acquisition of Aragon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately-held pharmaceutical company focused on drugs to treat hormonally-driven cancers.

Xtandi (Enzalutamide): Astellas Pharma/Pfizer



It is an orally bioavailable, organic, non-steroidal small molecule targeting the androgen receptor with potential antineoplastic activity. Enzalutamide inhibits the activity of prostate cancer cell ARs, which may result in a reduction in prostate cancer cell proliferation and, correspondingly, a reduction in the serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. AR over-expression in prostate cancer represents a key mechanism associated with prostate cancer hormone resistance.



In September 2014, the US FDA approved a new indication for the use of Xtandi capsules to treat patients with metastatic CRPC. The FDA initially approved Xtandi, an oral, once daily androgen receptor inhibitor, in August 2012 for use in patients with metastatic CRPC who previously received docetaxel (chemotherapy). In October 2009, Medivation, which is now part of Pfizer and Astellas entered into a global agreement to jointly develop and commercialize enzalutamide.



Nubeqa (Darolutamide/ODM-201): Bayer HealthCare/Orion Corporation



Nubeqa is an androgen receptor inhibitor with a distinct chemical structure that competitively inhibits androgen binding, AR nuclear translocation, and AR-mediated transcription. Nubeqa is approved for the treatment of patients with nmCRPC. Nubeqa is supplied as film-coated tablets containing 300 mg of darolutamide for oral use. In July 2019, the US FDA approved darolutamide, for nmCRPC. Approval was based on ARAMIS (NCT02200614), a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 1,509 patients with nmCRPC. Nubeqa is also approved in European Union as well as in Japan.



Jevtana (Cabazitaxel): Sanofi



Jevtana (cabazitaxel) injection is an antineoplastic agent belonging to the taxane class that is for intravenous use. It is prepared by semi-synthesis with a precursor extracted from yew needles. It is a microtubule inhibitor indicated in combination with prednisone for treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing treatment regimen. This product is marketed in US, Europe, Japan as well as, over 75 countries. Jevtana had also received the fast-track designation by the US FDA for metastatic prostate cancer.



Emerging Drugs



Lynparza (Olaparib): AstraZeneca/Merck Sharp & Dohme



Lynparza (olaparib) is first and best-in-class oral poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, and the -first targeted treatment to block DDR in tumoursharbouring a deficiency in homologous recombination repair (HRR), such as mutations in BRCA1 and/or BRCA2. Astrazeneca have global strategic oncology collaboration with Merck to co-develop and co-commercialize Lynparza.



Recently in January 2020, the US FDA accepted the supplemental New Drug Application for Lynparza (olaparib) and granted Priority Review in the US for patients with mCRPC and deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene mutations, which have progressed following prior treatment with a new hormonal agent. A Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date is set for the second quarter of 2020. The priority review is based on the results from the Phase III PROfound trial, which were presented during the Presidential Symposium at the 2019 European Society of Medical Oncology congress.



Currently, it is also in phase III trial in combination with abiraterone for the treatment of patients with first-line therapy in men with mCRPC. It was also evident by AstraZeneca pipeline that the filing of Lynparza was also accepted in Europe and Japan for patients with mCRPC and deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene mutations, which have progressed following prior treatment with a new hormonal agent.



Rubraca (Rucaparib): Clovis Oncology



Clovis Oncology is investigating one of their lead candidates named Rubraca (Rucaparib) for various cancer indications. It is an oral, small-molecule inhibitor of PARP1, PARP2 and PARP3 being developed in Prostate Cancer, and Ovarian Cancer as well as several additional solid tumor indications.



The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company's supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Rubraca and granted priority review status to the application with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of May 15, 2020. Clovis submitted the NDA submission for Rucaparib as monotherapy treatment of adult patients with BRCA1/2-mutant recurrent, metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer in November 2019.



Niraparib: Janssen Research & Development



Niraparib is an orally available, highly selective poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, with potent activity against PARP-1 and PARP-2 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-repair polymerases. Niraparib is currently investigated by Janssen Research & Development. However, Niraparib is currently marketed as ZEJULA by TESARO (an oncology-focused business within GSK), devoted to providing transformative therapies to people facing cancer. At present, Niraparib is being evaluated in MAGNITUDE, GALAHAD, and QUEST study.



Opdivo (nivolumab): Bristol-Myers Squibb



Opdivo (Nivolumab) by Bristol-Myers Squibb is a human immunoglobulin (Ig) G4 monoclonal antibody directed against the negative immunoregulatory human cell surface receptor PD-1, with immune checkpoint inhibitory and antineoplastic activities. BMS is working on assessing the clinical activity seen with Opdivo in combination with docetaxel in male patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. This drug is currently in phase III trial in combination with docetaxel for patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer who have progressed after second-generation hormonal manipulation. Apart from this it is also in phase II trial in combination with Yervoy for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have progressed after prior Docetaxel-containing regimen.



Market Outlook



Key Findings



The CRPC market size in the 7MM is expected to change during the study period 2017-2030. The therapeutic market of CRPC in seven major markets was USD 6,160 million in 2017 which is expected to increase during study period (2017-2030).



The United States Market Outlook



In 2017, the total market size of CRPC therapies was USD 3,653 million in the United States which is expected to increase in the study period (2017-2030).



EU-5 Countries: Market Outlook



In 2017, the total market size of CRPC therapies was USD 1,911 million in the EU-5 countries which is expected to increase in the study period (2017-2030).



Japan Market Outlook



The total market size of CRPC therapies in Japan was USD 596 million in 2017.



Pipeline Development Activities



The drugs which are in pipeline include:



1. Lynparza (AstraZeneca/Merck Sharp & Dohme): Pre-registration

2. Rucaparib (Clovis Oncology): Pre-registration

3. Opdivo (Bristol-Myers Squibb): Phase III

4. Niraparib(Janssen Research & Development): Phase III

5. Ipatasertib (Hoffmann-La Roche): Phase III

6. HC-1119 (Hinova Pharmaceuticals): Phase III

7. 177Lu-PSMA-617 (Novartis): Phase III

8. Seviteronel (Innocrin Pharmaceutical): Phase II

9. Capivasertib (AstraZeneca): Phase II



Drugs Uptake



Lynparza which have already shown better efficacy compared to abiraterone or enzalutamide is expected to garner the maximum sales during the forecast period. On the other hand, in non-metastatic CRPC, Erleada with better clinical profile and early mover advantage is expected to generate maximum revenue in this setting.



Access and Reimbursement Scenario

In mCRPC setting, most of the therapies can secure the positive recommendation given the high unmet need in this particular setting. And for emerging therapies targeting this setting benchmark for comparison would be Xtandi and Zytiga.

In nmCRPC setting, access and reimbursement path for newer and as well approved therapies will not a cake walk and similar findings seen in case of Xtandi rejection by NICE for treating hormone-relapsed non-metastatic prostate cancer or nmCRPC.

KOL - Views



To keep up with current market trends, we take KOLs and SME's opinion working in CRPC domain through primary research to fill the data gaps and validate our secondary research. Their opinion helps to understand and validate current and emerging therapies treatment patterns or CRPC market trend. This will support the clients in potential upcoming novel treatment by identifying the overall scenario of the market and the unmet needs.



Competitive Intelligence Analysis



The publisher performs Competitive and Market Intelligence analysis of the CRPC Market by using various Competitive Intelligence tools that includes - SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, Porter's five forces, BCG Matrix, Market entry strategies etc. The inclusion of the analysis entirely depends upon the data availability.



Scope of the Report

The report covers the descriptive overview of CRPC, explaining its causes, signs and symptoms, pathophysiology, and currently available therapies.

Comprehensive insight has been provided into the CRPC epidemiology and treatment in the 7MM.

Additionally, an all-inclusive account of both the current and emerging therapies for CRPC is provided, along with the assessment of new therapies, which will have an impact on the current treatment landscape.

A detailed review of CRPC market; historical and forecasted is included in the report, covering drug outreach in the 7MM.

The report provides an edge while developing business strategies, by understanding trends shaping and driving the global CRPC market.

Report Highlights

In the coming years, CRPC market is set to change due to the rising awareness of the disease and incremental healthcare spending across the world; which would expand the size of the market to enable the drug manufacturers to penetrate more into the market.

The companies and academics are working to assess challenges and seek opportunities that could influence CRPC R&D. The therapies under development are focused on novel approaches to treat/improve the disease condition.

Major players are involved in developing therapies for CRPC. Launch of emerging therapies, will significantly impact the CRPC market.

A better understanding of disease pathogenesis will also contribute to the development of novel therapeutics for CRPC.

In-depth analysis of the pipeline assets across different stages of development (Phase III and Phase II), different emerging trends and comparative analysis of pipeline products with detailed clinical profiles, key cross-competition, launch date along with product development activities will support the clients in the decision-making process regarding their therapeutic portfolio by identifying the overall scenario of the research and development activities.

Companies Mentioned



Bayer Health Care

Astellas Pharma

AstraZeneca

BeiGene

Bristol- Myers Squibb

Clovis Oncology

eFFECTOR Therapeutics

Eli Lilly and Company

Hinova Pharmaceuticals

Hoffmann-La Roche

Immunomedics

Innocrin Pharmaceutical

Janssen Pharmaceutical

Janssen Research & Development

Merck Sharp & Dohme

Novartis

Orion Corporation

Orion Pharma

Pfizer/Astellas Pharma

Sanofi

Suzhou Kintor Pharmaceutical

Trovagene

For more information about this drug pipelines report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4oep3d

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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Not for distribution in the U.S. or to U.S. Newswire Services



VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EXMceuticals Inc. ( CSE: EXM ) ( FSE: A2PAW2 ), (the Company or EXM) is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated July 22, 2020, pursuant to certain loan agreements previously entered into between the Company and certain lenders, such lenders have participated in a qualifying equity financing to settle loans in the aggregate amount of $4,605,171 through the issuance of 23,025,855 common shares in the capital of the Company (the Loan Settlement). All shares are subject to a four month hold period expiring on November 25, 2020.



Early Warning

Pursuant to the Loan Settlement, Jonathan Summers, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, acquired 11,270,855 common shares of the Company by way of a private placement, representing approximately 16.4% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, on an undiluted basis.

Immediately prior to the acquisition, Mr. Summers owned 74,000 common shares, 88,889 warrants, 5,000,000 stock options and 2,000,000 restricted share units of the Company representing approximately 0.001% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company at such time, on an undiluted basis, and 9.45% of the common shares of the Company on a partially diluted basis, assuming no further common shares of the Company have been issued. As a result of the foregoing acquisition, Mr. Summers now owns 11,344,855 common shares representing approximately 16.51% of the current 68,751,356 issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, on an undiluted basis, and 18,433,744 common shares representing approximately 24.31% of the common shares of the Company on a partially diluted basis, assuming no further common shares of the Company have been issued. This represents an approximate 16.51% change in Mr. Summers ownership of common shares on a non-diluted basis and an approximate 14.87% change in Mr. Summers ownership on a partially diluted basis. Mr. Summers acquired the 11,270,855 common shares at a price of $0.20 per share for a value of $2,254,171 in connection with the Loan Settlement. Mr. Summers has no present intention to dispose of or acquire further securities of the Company. Mr. Summers may, in the future participate in financings and/or acquire or dispose of securities.

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The disclosure respecting Mr. Summers shareholdings contained in this news release is made pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 62-104 and a report respecting the above acquisition will be filed with the applicable securities commissions using the Canadian System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) and will be available for viewing at www.sedar.com.

Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101) the Company advises that the loan settlement constitutes a related party transaction under MI 61-101 and the Company is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.5(a) and section 5.7(1)(a) of the instrument.

Pursuant to the Loan Settlement, Michael Cohen, acquired 6,250,000 common shares of the Company by way of a private placement, representing approximately 9.09% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, on an undiluted basis.

Immediately prior to the acquisition, Mr. Cohen owned 1,399,100 common shares and 250,000 warrants of the Company representing approximately 3.06% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company at such time, on an undiluted basis, and 3.59% of the common shares of the Company on a partially diluted basis, assuming no further common shares of the Company have been issued. As a result of the foregoing acquisition, Mr. Cohen now owns 7,649,100 common shares representing approximately 11.13% of the current 68,751,356 issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, on an undiluted basis, and 7,899,100 common shares representing approximately 11.45% of the common shares of the Company on a partially diluted basis, assuming no further common shares of the Company have been issued. This represents an approximate 8.07% change in Mr. Cohens ownership of common shares on a non-diluted basis and an approximate 7.86% change in Mr. Cohens ownership on a partially diluted basis. Mr. Cohen acquired the 6,250,000 common shares at a price of $0.20 per share for a value of $1,250,000 in connection with the Loan Settlement. Mr. Cohen has no present intention to dispose of or acquire further securities of the Company. Mr. Cohen may, in the future participate in financings and/or acquire or dispose of securities.

The disclosure respecting Mr. Cohens shareholdings contained in this news release is made pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 62-104 and a report respecting the above acquisition will be filed with the applicable securities commissions using the Canadian System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) and will be available for viewing at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of EXMceuticals Inc.

Jonathan Summers, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

For further information contact:

Investor Relations

Email: investors@exmceuticals.com

Media Enquiries:

Email: media@exmceuticals.com

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EXMceuticals

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/exmceuticalsinc/

ABOUT EXMCEUTICALS

EXM is an emerging bio-sciences company targeting the wellness and medical applications of cannabinoids and terpenes. EXM Portugal was recently granted the required authorizations and permits in Portugal for its existing laboratory and pilot refinery for cannabis research. EXM has previously completed research projects with its university partners, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and Universidade Lusofona as well as applying for P2020 research grants. Following receipt of these unique Portuguese cannabis authorizations and permits, EXM Portugal is proceeding with its planned R&D program, lab work and testing.

In addition to this more scientific mandate, EXM is now projecting and building a significantly larger and additional facility in Portugal which will operate as an EU-GMP refinery. Once complete and licensed this industrial refinery will be used by EXM as its base for the distribution of cannabis ingredients in the EU and North America on a commercial basis. EXMs activities are focused on the production of high-grade cannabis and hemp ingredients for the pharmaceutical, therapeutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries. The Company proposes to sell the produced ingredients to international medical markets.

CSE: EXM| FSE: A2PAW2

Neither the CSE nor the FSE has approved nor disapproved of the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor the FSE accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "will be", "expected", "proposes", "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the Company's business operations, the extraction of cannabis ingredients and the exportation of the extracts, the results of testing at our facilities established for the European market, future laws and regulations governing the sale of our products in Europe and elsewhere, and the potential to generate sales, and completion of a Qualifying Financing, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of EXM to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. EXM will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that is incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.




After Bears players are cleared with three negative COVID-19 test results this week, they will enter Halas Hall for the first time this year.

But before they can dress at their socially distanced lockers each day for training camp, they will stop at a station to pick up a new piece of equipment that will be used during all team activities this summer.

The device is a proximity recorder made by Kinexon, a German company that operates its U.S. headquarters in the Chicago Loop. The system, called SafeZone, will assist NFL teams with physical distancing and contact tracing initiatives as they try to prevent the coronavirus from spreading through their facilities.

All team personnel will wear the lightweight SafeTag sensors on a wristband or lanyard within the facility and during team travel, and players will also have them in their jerseys during practices.

The devices are customizable and can flash or sound an alarm when players, coaches or staff get too close to one another. They also log a persons contacts throughout the day  who theyre around, how close they come to one another and for how long. If someone tests positive for COVID-19, teams will have an immediately available list of that individuals interactions within the team facility to determine others who need to take precautions.

We all know that football and physical distance dont go together as far as on-field activity, said Dr. Allen Sills, the NFLs chief medical officer. So we really want to dive in and have the most accurate information we can have about exposures on the field, but also off the field as well.

Kinexon has German soccer and basketball leagues among its clients and also placed its SafeZone system within the NBA bubble in Florida. Mehdi Bentanfous, Kinexons CEO of North America, believes the devices are an important piece of efforts to keep companies and leagues running during the pandemic.

Behavior modification

Kinexon, which was founded in Munich in 2012 and opened its Chicago office in 2016, already was in the business of tracking athletes before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

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The Bulls were among the NBA teams using its technology to track performance metrics based on positional and movement data, measuring distance, speed, acceleration and deceleration as well as workload, energy exertion and fatigue levels.

When the pandemic began to unfold, Kinexon executives immediately recognized how they could pivot their ultra-wideband radio frequency technology to help with physical distancing and contact tracing. Within 3 1/4 u00bd weeks, they were piloting their new system with clients, Bentanfous said. A few weeks later, they were able to roll it out on a grander scale, working with a variety of companies and industries beyond sports leagues.

Pricing for the system varies based on order size and delivery time, a Kinexon rep said. The companys quick action put it in position to serve the NFL in its contact tracing needs on the scale it needed  10,000 SafeTags, according to The Athletic.

The NFL already does a lot of tracking, including partnering with Zebra Technologies to log player and ball data during games to fuel its NextGen Stats operation. A limited number of teams last season wore mouth-guard sensors to measure hits to the head and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags on their cleats to track lower-extremity injury data, Jennifer Langton, NFL senior vice president for health and safety innovation, said earlier this year.

So doing contact tracing for thousands of employees digitally was a natural step for the league.

We knew we couldnt do it manually at the level we would need to do it, and we began to look for innovative ways we could at least gather some data about how players were coming into contact with other players, said Michelle McKenna, the NFLs chief information officer. A lot of fitness-type apps had pivoted to this and began to offer this type of data, but we really only found Kinexon that had something ready and in the market and at the number of devices we were going to need  because were putting it on all players and personnel and anyone that works in close proximity with our players.

The SafeTag devices communicate with each other to log proximity and duration of interactions. Because of privacy concerns, they do not track specific movements, location or activities of the user, and the data is anonymized, Bentanfous said. Only specific people within an organization will know who was wearing which sensor.

The benefits start with physical distancing.

The league has asked teams to divide their employees into three tiers based on whether they need to have contact with players. Tier 1 includes people with direct contact with players, such as coaches, equipment managers and strength and medical staff. Tier 2 is people who are in close proximity to players and Tier 1 individuals, such as general managers and football operations and administration staff. And Tier 3 includes essential facility, stadium and event staff that do not require close contact with Tier 1 individuals, such as cleaning and maintenance providers and in-house media.

The SafeTag devices will sound an alarm when employees from Tier 3  those with the most limited access  are too close to areas and people theyre not supposed to be, McKenna said. She said teams can also use the devices red warning lights to show when people from all tiers are within six feet of one another, a feature Kinexon studies indicated can help people adjust their actions.

People are busy working and are focusing on other stuff, and having something reminding them of the six feet distance instantly helped a lot to change their behavior, Bentanfous said.

McKenna believes teams can also use it to adjust working conditions. Bentanfous said Kinexon had a case in which teams within a league were complaining about too many alarms going off during meetings.

The impact was they changed the setup in the room, how they were sitting and how they were interacting with each other, so that the physical distance was ensured and the beeping completely disappeared, he said. Its helpful for the behavior of the people, but also for how a company or a team would define the processes and the structure of how theyre operating.

If, however, COVID-19 does hit a facility, teams also have a way to track it.

Quick tracing measures

Among the benefits to the NFL season starting in mid-September is it can monitor how protocols work within other sports leagues before its games start. And league officials  along with the rest of the sports world  are undoubtedly studying the Miami Marlins coronavirus spread to at least 17 people and how it affects Major League Baseball.

Will the NFLs contact tracing protocols help stop such a spread? Its too soon to tell, but heres how it is supposed to work.

The NFL is using third-party partner IQVIA, which already manages the leagues injury information, to collect the anonymized data of each persons contacts throughout the day. If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 or develops coronavirus symptoms, IQVIA will notify a teams Infection Control Officer based on the persons recent contacts about who else needs to be tested.

Individuals who came into close contact with that person and remain asymptomatic would be tested and isolated until they get a negative test result. NFL protocols state that close contact includes living in the same household, being within six feet for about 10 minutes, being in direct contact with secretions from the person, making direct physical contact or sharing an object with a person during practice and handling uniforms or equipment of the individual.

Low-risk or medium-risk exposures will be monitored for symptoms but tested and screened per the usual protocol.

Teams hope to receive test results back within 24 hours. Sills noted testing will most certainly evolve throughout the season as companies create tests with more accurate results on quicker turnaround times.

But even if those innovations do come into play, were going to remain very conservative around our approach of making sure we minimize risks for everyone, Sills said. Our goal is to make the safest possible environment for everyone in a teams environment  players, coaches, staff  and as such we want to be really thoughtful and conservative medically to err on the side of caution.

McKenna noted a limited group of NFL staff also will have access to teams anonymized data to make sure they are following the proper protocols. But there is one major complication to the NFLs social distancing and contact tracing efforts with the Kinexon device.

On most days, the SafeTags are left at the doors of team facilities.

Making good decisions

The NFL will ask the players to wear the devices during team travel, but otherwise they wont use them in the outside world. That means teams must rely on their employees  and those they associate with  to act responsibly when theyre not at work.

The league already has made efforts to educate players, coaches, staff and their families about COVID-19, putting together videos and slideshows detailing best practices to stay healthy.

Those are not one-time conversations, Sills said. Those are dynamic conversations as new knowledge and new information appears. We believe education is key here because as people become more educated about this virus and about risk mitigation, then people are able to take more concrete action on their own and on behalf of themselves.

Education is absolutely key and will continue to be so. That helps people make solid choices which impact their own risk and the risk of those around them.

If education doesnt make players think twice, perhaps the threat of punishment will.

The NFL sent out a memo last week detailing activities it considers high risk, including attending night clubs, bars, house parties, concerts or professional sporting events with more than 15 people and religious services at more than 25% capacity. Teams can discipline players who engage in such activities, and if a player tests positive for COVID-19 after such actions, a team could challenge whether that player should be put on the football-related injury list, potentially putting his pay in jeopardy.

As the Bears prepare to kick off training camp, it will be on coach Matt Nagy and Infection Control Officer Andre Tucker to impress upon players, coaches and staff the importance of safe practices.

After all, the Kinexon device cant make decisions for people. It can just help them make better ones.

Make no mistake: Contact tracing is hard, Sills said. Its difficult to do for anyone because these are complex situations you have to account for. But I feel a high degree of confidence that we have an innovative technology combined with a very talented and motivated group of people that are going to work very diligently on this.



2020 the Chicago Tribune

Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Kardashian family sticks together and supports each other's businesses.

And Khloe Kardashian showed up for Scott Disick's Talentless brand as she modeled a plain black T-shirt on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old flaunted her figure in an all black look with a scenic ocean view behind her, as she took to her Instagram stories.

Repping Talentless: Khloe Kardashian showed up for Scott Disick's Talentless brand as she modeled a plain black tee on Tuesday, in an Instagram stories post

Relaxing on an a white outdoor lounge chair, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star leaned on her arm with her hand on her head.

She tucked her legs behind her in skintight black latex pants, she teamed the look with a plain black tee and large square, dark sunglasses.

Keeping a sleek and stylish look, she had her hair slicked tight in a ponytail, parted in the middle.

'Nothing like a basic tee from @talentless,' she wrote alongside the photo, tagging Scott's @letthelordbewithyou Instagram handle.

Support: 'Nothing like a basic tee from @talentless,' she wrote alongside the photo, tagging Scott's @letthelordbewithyou Instagram handle

Khloe and family are likely looking for ways to be positive amid trying times.

This past week has indeed been a turbulent one for the Kardashian family.

After his presidential rally last weekend, Kayne West took to Twitter to accuse his wife Kim of attempting to 'lock me up'.

He also claimed he had been 'trying to get divorced' from Kim ever since she allegedly met his fellow rapper Meek Mill at the Waldorf Hotel.

Positive: Khloe and family are likely looking for ways to be positive amid trying times

Turbulent: Last week the Kardashian/Jenner family dealt with a number of personal attacks from Kanye West, Kim's husband. He is seen at a July 19 campaign rally above

'Kim was trying to fly to Wyoming with a doctor to lock me up like on the movie Get Out,' he tweeted.

He reinforced these claims turning on both Kim and her 'momager' Kris Jenner claiming on Twitter that 'they tried to fly in with two doctors to 51/50 me', referring to a section of California law under which people can be confined for mental health reasons.

He also called mother-in-law Kris 'Kris Jong-Un' and accused the pair of 'white supremacy' in another freewheeling series of tweets.

Kim, who shares North, seven, Saint, four, Chicago, two, and Psalm, 14 months with Kanye, broke her silence over the matter as she addressed his battle with bipolar disorder on Instagram.

Paranoia: After his presidential rally last weekend, Kayne West took to Twitter to accuse his wife Kim of attempting to 'lock me up.' They're seen in December 2018 above

Harsh: He called mother-in-law Kris 'Kris Jong-Un' and accused her and Kim of 'white supremacy' in another freewheeling series of tweets. Kris, Kanye and Kim are seen last November above

Kim called her husband 'brilliant but complicated', and said she and her family were 'powerless' in helping him.

Kanye ultimately issued a grovelling apology to Kim on Twitter last week, where he acknowledged he had hurt her.

'I would like to apologize to my wife Kim for going public with something that was a private matter,' Kanye tweeted on Saturday. I did not cover her like she has covered me.

'Kim I want to say I know I hurt you. Please forgive me. Thank you for always being there for me.'

Speaking up: Kim, who shares North, seven, Saint, four, Chicago, two, and Psalm, 14 months with Kanye, broke her silence over the matter as she addressed his battle with bipolar disorder on Instagram
Photo credit: Lamborghini

From Autoweek

Buying a Lamborghini is generally a special time, if not in your life, at least in your day. Sure, sometimes that purchase might come with some hefty maintenance costs, but hey, youve at least got a Lambo. However, like David. T. Hines reportedly found out, it might cause bigger problems than just an engine-out service. According to USA Today, Hines was charged with one count of bank fraud and another count of making false statements to a financial institution. Oh yeah, and one count of engaging in transactions in unlawful proceeds.

These charges stem from allegations that Hines applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans on behalf of multiple companies and misappropriated the money by using it to, well, buy a Lamborghini Huracan Evo. The allegations also include using the money to purchase other luxuries, like resort stays, clothes and jewelry.

It might not be a surprise, but that money wasnt exactly supposed to be used for luxury purchases like a Lamborghini. According to USA Today, Hines did not make the paycheck payments that the money was slated for, but it was instead absorbed by the Lambo. Adding to that, the complaint alleges that Hines wasnt honest with his payroll costs.

Hiness attorney Chad Piotrowski gave a statement to The Washington Post explaining that Hines is a legitimate business owner and is anxious to tell his side of the story. Though I can only imagine hes more anxious to spend some time behind his Huracan Evo.

It will be interesting to see how this case, and other cases like it, shake out. Hopefully, the justice system works as it should, and someone eventually gets to enjoy that Lamborghini.
HARTFORD, Conn.  The man charged with using a samurai sword to decapitate his landlord inside a Hartford home this weekend refused to talk to police about the crime, claiming he is a sovereign citizen.

At his arraignment Tuesday in Superior Court in Hartford, Jerry David Thompson refused to say anything and was ordered held in lieu of $2 million bail.

Thompson also refused to speak with a public defender and at this point is not represented by an attorney. Judge Ann Lynch continued Thompsons case to Aug. 18.

According to the warrant for Thompsons arrest, drafted by Hartford detectives, he was identified as a suspect by friends of victim Victor King, who had rented a room to Thompson inside his Asylum Avenue home. The two men had had a dispute about Thompson not paying rent, according to the warrant, and Thompson threatened King with a samurai sword.

King was so alarmed by Thompsons threats he went to Hartford police on Saturday, the day before he was killed, and told them Thompson had been waving the sword at him.

On Sunday, friends of King called police to say they could not reach him. Sunday afternoon, police and firefighters forced their way into Kings home and found a lot of blood and Kings badly slashed body covered in bedding.

Police began looking for Thompson to question him about the killing and found him and pulled him over in the North End. Back at police headquarters, detectives tried to talk to Thompson but he would not say anything.

At one point he wrote on a piece of paper, paper in glove compart in Jeep is all you need. In the glove compartment of the Jeep, police found paperwork suggesting Thompson viewed himself as a sovereign citizen, people who dont view themselves as subject to the law. He has previous convictions for assault and robbery.

King was a retiree from Travelers Insurance and an accomplished bridge player.

By David Owens, The Hartford Courant (TNS)

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Man accused of fatally stabbing ex-girlfriend 30 times at train station in Montgomery County
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 20:42:32|Editor: huaxia

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by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Cattle and sheep seasonal marketplaces are held almost everywhere in Egypt, mostly in the streets outside butcheries and barns, ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday, where Egyptians buy sacrificial animals to slaughter and donate part of their meat to the poor as an Islamic ritual.

However, sales at livestock markets, butcheries and beef stores have notably declined this year due to economic slowdown over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has registered nearly 93,000 cases in the country so far, including 4,691 deaths and about 36,000 recoveries.

A few days before the Eid al-Adha holiday that starts on Friday, Kamel, a butcher and cattle trader, displayed tens of cows, buffalos, sheep and goats outside his shop, which carries his name, in Ain Shams district of the capital Cairo.

"Meat prices are lower than last year, yet the sales are lower as well due to the difficult economic conditions caused by the novel coronavirus," the trader told Xinhua outside his store.

Meanwhile, in Boulak el-Dakrour neighborhood in nearby Giza province, Sobhy al-Raqabawy, a veteran livestock trader who inherited the profession from his father and grandfather, lamented that his customers declined by half this season.

Al-Raqabawy doesn't attribute the recession to COVID-19 alone, but he believes that the price hikes are to blame too.

"This season, a customer who used to buy a calf buys a ram, and the one who used to buy a kilogram of beef buys half a kilogram," the trader told Xinhua in the middle of his cattle and sheep displayed for sale outside his barn.

"The reason is that the prices of commodities and services are hiking while people's incomes remain the same," he added.

The partial lockdown and flight suspension Egypt has imposed for about three months to curb the spread of coronavirus hit the country's tourism revenues, a pillar of national income, and affected the financial conditions of the state and the citizens.

In an attempt to overcome the economic hardship, the government has recently resumed international flights to refresh tourism, lifted the partial nighttime curfew it has been imposing and allowed cautious and gradual reopening of businesses and economic activities.

But business life in Egypt isn't yet as dynamic as it has been before the pandemic, and the incomes of citizens are still affected, which in turn has affected their traditional purchases of sacrificial animals or meat ahead of the major Islamic holiday.

Duaa Fayez, a housewife in her early 40s, said that her husband, who works as a mechanic, bought only three kilograms of meat for the holiday this year, instead of five kilograms as he used to do every year.

As for Shaaban Taha, a tailor and owner of a small clothing factory in Giza, he blames greedy merchants for the rising prices of commodities in general, arguing that they make use of the crisis to achieve personal gains.

"My business has been affected like everyone else because of the coronavirus, and so my purchase of meat for the Eid al-Adha has been affected too. I believe that greedy merchants are more to blame than the pandemic itself," the man told Xinhua.

Besides its attempts to monitor the market and control price manipulation, the Egyptian government has for a few years been offering meat and other foodstuff at affordable prices, selling them in special stalls and mobile grocery shops in main streets and public squares.

Egypt used to import over 60 percent of beef to meet the needs of the local market, but now the gap decreased to around 40 percent, according to Tarek Suleiman, head of Livestock and Poultry Development Sector at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Suleiman noted that this season, the ministry sells livestock at competitive prices and offers government slaughterhouses for free so that citizens can get their sacrificial animals checked and safely slaughtered amid anti-coronavirus measures.

"We have also formed committees of vets to check the healthiness of sacrificial animals offered for sale nationwide, whether those belonging to the ministry or the private sector. We are responsible for the safety of all livestock in Egypt," the official told Xinhua. Enditem
SPRINGFIELD  State legislators, students, teaching staff and alumni on Wednesday urged Springfield Technical Community College President John Cook to reconsider what they called unconscionable cuts to programs.

Approximately 25 people gathered outside the STCC main gate on Federal Street, saying the colleges decision to cut seven programs and 21 staff, announced by Cook in late June, has disrupted the lives and potential careers of many area students.

Its unconscionable what he has done to these programs, said state Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr., a STCC graduate himself. Lets call it what it is. To say we will work, we certainly will. But time is ticking. These programs that have been cut are not just programs. These programs that were cut are professions, theyre careers, theyre jobs.

State Rep. Bud Williams, who represents the district in Springfield and also graduated from STCC, said the legislators will strive to obtain additional state or federal funding for the college despite state budget challenges during the coronavirus pandemic.

Other legislators urging reconsideration of the cuts at the event were state Sen. James Welch and state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez.

Cook announced in June that STCC will no longer offer automotive technology, biomedical engineering technology, biotechnology, civil engineering technology, cosmetology, dental assistant training and landscape design and management technology. The cuts were necessary due to issue including budget considerations and enrollment, he said.

Cook, reached for comment Wednesday after the demonstration, said additional funding is critical if there are to be any changes in plans.

I share the frustration and the dismay given how the pandemic has accelerated these painful choices, Cook said. My dialogue with state legislators continues in earnest.

Kathleen Murphy of Agawam, a 2018 graduate of STCCs cosmetology program, said she was among students who received an incredible experience and in-depth program.

I am extremely passionate about this program just as passionate as the teachers are about it, Murphy said.

Matthew Hotaling, of Agawam, who was accepted in April by STCC for the landscape design program, said he is not sure what he will do now.

Advocates said the programs are not available elsewhere in the region, or not affordable or that it is too late in the process for students to switch plans for this year.

Calyx Moore of Northampton, a student in the automotive program, said the cuts are particularly difficult for minority communities and for low income residents.

Cutting the programs is cutting the opportunities available to those people, Moore said.

Thomas Smith, who was a professor in the landscape program, said he will continue on a part-time basis to teach students already in the program.

He said he agreed with Puppolo that the program cuts are "unconscionable."

Smith also said the cuts are "short-sighted," and he would like to know from Cook what he means by programs needing more participation compared to what is already taking place. Smith said the cuts are also "killing morale<' and diminishing STCC's great reputation in the community.

Welch, who attended STCC, said the college is a very special place to the residents, students, community and region.

The amount of effort and the amount of communication that weve gotten from people in the community about how important these programs are, I think, speaks volumes, Welch said.

The legislators will use that information and passion to make the case for restoring the programs, he said.

Gonzalez said legislators are getting numerous emails from students and parents about the loss of the programs.

A college degree is key to the advancement for many youth and others, including those pursuing a specific career, Gonzalez said. He urged Cook to let legislators know how they can help make the programs sustainable.
Snap Inc., maker of Snapchat, has revealed the demographic composition of its workforce for the first time. (Lionel Bonaventure / AFP/Getty Images)

For years, as major tech companies shared regular reports on the diversity of their workforces, Snap Inc. kept that data secret.

Earlier this summer, Snap Chief Executive Evan Spiegel cited the regular drumbeat of unchanging diversity numbers as a reason to keep his own companys information private. When asked about the practice at an all-employee meeting in June, Spiegel reportedly said he was concerned that the reports effectively normalize the current makeup of the tech industry, which reinforces the perception that tech is not a place for underrepresented groups.

At the same time, he promised that the numbers would finally be forthcoming this year, in a new version of a diversity report.

That report came out Wednesday, as part of a larger CitizenSnap report that details the companys philanthropic and civic-minded initiatives. The diversity numbers show that Snap's workforce looks a lot like those of its Silicon Valley peers: mostly male, especially in technical roles, and mostly white, with a large percentage of Asian employees.

Two-thirds of the company is male, with men making up 83% of employees in technical roles and 46% of employees in non-technical roles. In the U.S., where most of Snap's employees work, 51% of employees are white, 33% are Asian, 6.8% are Latino, and 4% are Black.

Releasing diversity reports has become standard across the tech industry since 2014, when giants such as Google and Facebook relented under public pressure and began reporting their internal numbers, and smaller companies began to follow suit. Five years later, the tech industry is still far more male, white and Asian than California or the country at large, with most companies looking strikingly similar to Snap.

Snap is less diverse in many measures than Twitter, its closest social media peer by valuation and workforce size, which is 57% male and 41% white, but has a higher percentage of Latino employees than most tech companies that report their numbers. By and large, its workforce looks like other large, public tech companies such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft.

Story continues

Spiegel, who has led the company since he cofounded it with Bobby Murphy in 2011, has committed to firm goals to change the company's demographics.

The company's stated short-term goals are to double the number of women working in technical roles by 2023 and double the number of employees from underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities at the company as a whole by 2025, with a stated long-term goal of reflecting the racial and gender diversity of each country where the company operates in those countries.

Over the course of this summer, a number of tech companies have set goals of increasing representation of various groups by a certain percentage  30% is the most common  but Snap's goal of doubling numbers is both more concrete and might result in unchanged overall demographics, if the company doubles in size in the same time frames. Snap's workforce ballooned in its early years, from 600 employees in 2015 to over 3,000 by 2017, but that growth largely plateaued in recent years, increasing to 3,195 employees by the end of 2019.

To try to widen its hiring pipeline, the company is also committing to interviewing candidates from different backgrounds for each new role, and changing job requirements to allow for equivalent work experience in the place of a bachelor's degree. Snap also announced a fixed minimum of a $70,000 "living wage" salary for its workers in the U.S.

Unlike many businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Snap is in a position to hire. Its daily active user base grew 17% in the past year, from 203 million to 238 million, and its revenue for the second quarter grew in step, climbing 17% over last years spring quarter to $454 million despite the global economic slowdown.

The report's publication comes as Snap is facing increased scrutiny over racism in its past workplace culture and its product. Former Snap employees of color spoke to tech publication Mashable in June about how managers on the company's editorial products tried to limit the number of Black people featured in Snapchat stories. The company has launched a formal investigation into these allegations. Later in June, the company also came under fire for an interactive camera filter to commemorate Juneteenth that asked users to smile to break cartoon chains that appeared on screen. Snap apologized, and said that it would investigate that decision as well.

In a blog post published along with the CitizenSnap and diversity reports, Spiegel addressed the racist history of the U.S. and how he plans to address the issues at Snap that are in his control. "It is clear that we have a choice: allow these inequities to be perpetuated in the United States  or do our part to better fulfill the shared values we seek to uphold as a society," Spiegel wrote. "There is no doubt that today we fall short of our aspirations. We have an overwhelming amount of work to do, and our team feels strongly that it is important to hold ourselves accountable publicly."
LONDON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Queensway Academy, an online company has just announced the launch of its brand new website.

The website will contain various courses, videos, online webinars and downloadable content meant to educate people in the world of online trading and investment.

"In this day and age, we believe people ought to be better informed about how to handle their financials," explains company spokesman Mike Tindall. "Too many accept the state of their account as "fait accompli", unaware that there are options around that would help them better their standing, which is what Queensway Academy seeks to remedy through its curriculum."

Opening Financial Markets to All

The Queensway Academy curriculum is specifically aimed to allow people of all walks of life and levels of financial knowledge improve their understanding of various markets and options that exist within the financial realm. People need to understand that here are many more ways to invest than to simply leave the money lying about in a savings account Queensway seeks to de-mystify this area of finance and provide a slowly progressive path towards understanding and financial independence.

Queensway Academy students can select from a variety of packages available, each containing different components of the curriculum. The Basic package is available for free and provides valuable basic information to help get students started along the path towards financial independence.

More advanced packages are aimed at those who choose to become truly proficient in the craft and dive deep into the trading realm, while maintaining a tone of simplicity to help ease interested parties into the more complex issues and terms.

All Queensway Academy students can then upgrade at any time, instantly enjoying the benefits of their new package.

The Personal Approach

The Queensway Academy has invested greatly in its staff of advisors, all of whom have vast experience in the financial realm. They serve, not only as the main contact point for customers to aid with any issues they may have, but also to provide advice and helpful information as part of the learning process, with advanced packages offering such consultations without any limitations on their number or frequency.

Customers that graduate all courses and prove their abilities may also have the opportunity to themselves become paid mentors, thus completing the cycle and helping others through the very difficulties they faced not long ago, helping bring yet another dimension of innovation to the way Queensway has chosen to help the public become better aware of their financial options.

About Queensway Academy

The Queensway Academy is an online financial trading academy established in 2019 in London. It caters to the needs of both new and veteran traders through a curriculum of video lessons, additional reading articles, eBooks and webinars  all curated and presented by a staff of experienced professionals. Under the assumption that a growing percentage of the workforce is orienting towards independently administered microjobs and freelance work, the creators of the academy believe more and more people eventually will be forced to take personal charge of their personal finances and  indeed  retirement planning. Thus, beyond the actual act of trading, Queensway believes that people must have a fundamental understanding of how financial markets operate before they venture forth into the act of independent investing.

SOURCE Queensway Academy
Royal Dutch Shell PLC RDS.A is set to report second-quarter 2020 results on Thursday Jul 30, before the opening bell.

The current Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at a loss of 29 cents for the to-be-reported quarter.

Against this backdrop, lets delve into the factors that might have impacted the companys June-quarter performance.

Key Q2 Predictions

Its common knowledge that the oil price has been continuous pressure ever since the coronavirus hit global energy demand hard. As a result, the outlook for all industries in the energy sector seems dull. Shell envisioned its post-tax impairment charges between $15 billion and $22 billion for the second quarter. This hefty write-down is anticipated because of the coronavirus outbreak due to which demand deceleration wiped billions off the oil and natural gas asset value.

Upstream

Per Shell, the upstream production is projected between 2,300 and 2,400 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d). The year-ago production was 2,656 thousand boe/d. However, Shell had earlier predicted second-quarter upstream volumes to be 1,750-2,250 thousand boe/d.

Downstream

Shell estimates second-quarter oil product sales in the band of 3,500-4,500 thousand barrels per day, indicating a 46.8% decrease from the year-earlier reported number. This downside follows a dramatic drop in demand stemming from the adverse COVID-19 impact, assuming that the upper end of the estimate will be met. The Netherlands-based company anticipates its refinery availability between 67% and 71%. Moreover, its chemical sales volumes are forecast between 3,400 and 3,700 thousand tons, suggesting a marginal fall from the year-ago reported figure.

Integrated Gas

The company expects second-quarter LNG liquefaction volumes to contract to 8.1-8.5 million tonnes from its previous years quarterly output of 8.66 million tonnes. Moreover, its segmental production is forecast in the 880-910 thousand boe/d band. In the year-earlier period, Shell produced 927 thousand boe/d. For the quarter to be reported, the company expects to incur additional $250-$350 million well write-offs from the prior-year time frame due to tepid macroeconomic outlook.

Story continues

What Does Our Model Say?

The proven Zacks model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Shell this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of beating estimates. But thats not the case here as elaborated below.

You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Earnings ESP: Shell has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at a loss of 29 cents per share each.

Zacks Rank: Shell currently carries a Zacks Rank #2, which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, the companys 0.00% ESP makes surprise prediction difficult for the stock this earnings season.

Highlights of Q1 Earnings & Surprise History

Europes largest oil company Shell reported first-quarter earnings per ADS (on a current cost of supplies basis excluding items, the markets preferred measure) of 74 cents, above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 51 cents on higher LNG sales volumes.

However, the bottom line compared unfavorably with the year-ago profit of $1.30. This underperformance was mainly induced by lower oil and gas prices.

Shells revenues of $61 billion declined 29% from first-quarter 2019 sales of $85.7 billion.

As far as its earnings surprises are concerned, this Hague-based companys bottom line trumped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed the same in the remaining two, the average surprise being 7.13%. This is depicted in the graph below:

Royal Dutch Shell PLC Price and EPS Surprise

Royal Dutch Shell PLC Price and EPS Surprise

Royal Dutch Shell PLC price-eps-surprise | Royal Dutch Shell PLC Quote

Stocks to Consider

While earnings outperformance looks uncertain for Shell, here are some firms worth considering from the energy space on the basis of our model, which shows that these have the perfect combination of ingredients to deliver a positive surprise this reporting cycle:

TechnipFMC plc FTI has an Earnings ESP of +8.26% and is Zacks #3 Ranked at present. The company is scheduled to release earnings on Jul 29.

Helmerich Payne, Inc. HP has an Earnings ESP of +2.03% and is presently a #3 Ranked player. The firm is scheduled to release earnings on Jul 29. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Oceaneering International, Inc. OII has an Earnings ESP of +26.39% and a Zacks Rank #3, currently. The company is scheduled to release earnings on Jul 29.

Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2020

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Last year's 2019 Zacks Top 10 Stocks portfolio returned gains as high as +102.7%. Now a brand-new portfolio has been handpicked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. Dont miss your chance to get in on these long-term buys.

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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
A local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party was found dead near his house at East Midnapore district in south Bengal on Wednesday. He was found hanging from a tree around 3 pm , police said.

Even though BJP leaders alleged that Purnachandra Das, 44, was murdered by the ruling Trinamool Congress, TMC has refuted such allegations saying that he died by suicide.

There was a feud going on with our neighbours. He went out today to attend a meeting which was scheduled around 4 pm to find a solution to the problem. Around 3 pm his body was found hanging from a tree a few hundred metres away from the house, said Subimal Das, the victims brother.

Anup Chakraborty, a local BJP leader alleged that Das was murdered by the TMC who are hand in glove with his neighbours.

We are sure the TMC is associated with this. He was murdered and then his body was hanged to pass it off as a suicide, Chakraborty added.

Akhil Giri, TMC lawmaker from Ramnagar said: Our party is not involved in this. He seems to have committed suicide because of depression. A legal tussle was going on between Das and his neighbour. The BJP is just trying to politicize it.

Police said that they are waiting for the post mortem report and investigation is on.

Earlier this month, Debendra Nath Roy, a BJP legislator from north Dinajpur district in north Bengal was found dead near his house. His body was found hanging. Even though the BJP and his family members had alleged he was murdered and demanded a CBI enquiry, police said that he committed suicide.
State of the Union host Jake Tapper criticised Republican representative Jim Jordan on Tuesday: (CNN)

CNN host Jake Tapper has demanded that Republican congressman Jim Jordan apologise for playing an edited video that misleadingly showed reporters describe the George Floyd protests as peaceful.

On Tuesday, attorney general William Barr took part in his first congressional hearing since he took the role, and faced questions on topics including his response to the protests and the subsequent deployment of federal law enforcement agents to cities such as Portland, Oregon.

During his opening statement at the hearing in his role as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, Mr Jordan played a clip that juxtaposed reporters calling the protests peaceful with violence at some demonstrations.

The Ohio representative, a vocal supporter of president Donald Trump, thanked Mr Barr for standing up for the rule of law with his deployment of the federal agents.

Two of the reporters included in the montage were CNN correspondents Josh Campbell and Dianne Gallagher, whose lengthy reports were edited down to only show them describe the demonstrations as peaceful protests.

Speaking at the beginning of his show, State of the Union, on Tuesday, Tapper criticised Mr Jordan and said: The motive was clearly to show members of the media, including many of my CNN colleagues, calling violent protests peaceful.

Congressman Jordan neglected to give the full context of these comments. So my team and I did it for him.

You owe them an apology. @jaketapper calls out Rep. Jim Jordan for misrepresenting journalists reports on peaceful protests during a House hearing.



"Congressman Jordan neglected to give the full context of these comments They werent calling violent protests peaceful." pic.twitter.com/Azwm9vgVuS  The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) July 28, 2020

Tapper then played the two full clips of the correspondents reporting from the scene of the protests, which showed them describe a more balanced version of events.

Story continues

This has been the epicentre where there have been largely peaceful protests during the day. At night, sometimes turning violent with these confrontations between protesters and police, Mr Campbell is heard reporting.

While reporting from the scene of a burnt down building in Minneapolis, Ms Gallagher says: This is something that we have been seeing here on the streets of Atlanta, mostly peaceful protests since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

And when it was one of their own, that anger, that frustration, that pain simply exploded. And we saw the result of that overnight and into this morning in those protests.

She adds: Again, for the most part throughout the day on Saturday, the protests after Rayshard Brooks death were peaceful and as it began to get dark, things began to change.

Protests that broke out last month in Minneapolis quickly spread to the every state across the US following Mr Floyds death on 25 May while in the custody of a then Minneapolis police officer.

Demonstrators clashed with police during the protests in opposition to police brutality against African Americans and several cars were damaged and set alight at night, while multiple officers were filmed using excessive force.

Following the clips, Tapper took aim at the representative for Ohios 4th Congressional District for failing to show members of the House Judiciary Committee the full context of the reporting.

So do you understand what congressman Jordan and his team did there? Tapper said. Our reporters, Dianne Gallagher and Josh Campbell, as you saw, accurately described the protests as peaceful and then often exploding into something else, including violence at night.

But congressman Jordan, you just quoted the part of what they said that said peaceful protests when that wasnt the full context. Thats not what they said. They werent calling violent protests peaceful.

Tapper then directly asked Mr Jordan to apologise, and said: Congressman Jordan, you did a disservice to them, and more importantly, you did a disservice to the American people and you did a disservice to the truth.

Congressman Jordan, you owe them and anyone elses comments you completely misrepresented today on Capitol Hill, you own them an apology. Any person of honour, any person who cares about the truth would do that. I guess well see what youre gonna do.

Asked about Tappers comments while on Fox News, Mr Jordan defended his actions, saying: The video speaks for itself.

You had two reporters in that video saying these are peaceful protests while theres a building burning in the background, for goodness sake. So we just presented the truth.

Read more

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spars with Jake Tapper over $40tn policies
We are pleased to recognize Dr. Robert Valenzuela as a UroLift Center of Excellence for his commitment to providing consistent care to BPH patients using the UroLift System treatment, said Dave Amerson

NeoTract, a wholly owned subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE:TFX) focused on addressing unmet needs in the field of urology, today announced that Robert Valenzuela M.D., Washington Heights Urology in New York, NY, has been designated as a UroLift Center of Excellence. The designation recognizes that Dr. Valenzuela has achieved a high level of training and experience with the UroLift System and demonstrated a commitment to exemplary care for men suffering from symptoms associated with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate.

Recommended for the treatment of BPH in both the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology clinical guidelines, the FDA-cleared Prostatic Urethral Lift procedure using the UroLift System is a proven, minimally invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH. The UroLift permanent implants, delivered during a transurethral outpatient procedure, relieve prostate obstruction and open the urethra directly without cutting, heating, or removing prostate tissue.

The UroLift Center of Excellence program is designed to highlight urologists who are committed to educating their patients on BPH and the UroLift System as a treatment option and consistently seek to deliver excellent patient outcomes and experiences.

We are pleased to recognize Dr. Robert Valenzuela as a UroLift Center of Excellence for his commitment to providing consistent care to BPH patients using the UroLift System treatment, said Dave Amerson, president of the Teleflex Interventional Urology business unit. This achievement has helped many patients experience durable, long- term relief from the burdensome symptoms of BPH while preserving sexual function*1,2.

Over 40 million men in the United States are affected by BPH, a condition that occurs when the prostate gland that surrounds the male urethra becomes enlarged with advancing age and begins to obstruct the urinary system. Symptoms of BPH often include interrupted sleep and urinary problems and can cause loss of productivity, depression and decreased quality of life.

Medication is often the first-line therapy for enlarged prostate, but relief can be inadequate and temporary. Side effects of medication treatment can include sexual dysfunction, dizziness and headaches, prompting many patients to quit using the drugs. For these patients, the classic alternative is surgery that cuts, heats or removes prostate tissue to open the blocked urethra. While current surgical options can be very effective in relieving symptoms, they can also leave patients with permanent side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and retrograde ejaculation.

About the UroLift System

The FDA-cleared UroLift System is a proven, minimally invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The UroLift permanent implants, delivered during a minimally invasive transurethral outpatient procedure, relieve prostate obstruction and open the urethra directly without cutting, heating, or removing prostate tissue. Clinical data from a pivotal 206-patient randomized controlled study showed that patients with enlarged prostate receiving UroLift implants reported rapid and durable symptomatic and urinary flow rate improvement without compromising sexual function*1,2. Patients also experienced a significant improvement in quality of life. Over 100,000 men have been treated with the UroLift System in the U.S. Most common adverse events reported include hematuria, dysuria, micturition urgency, pelvic pain, and urge incontinence. Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved within two to four weeks after the procedure. The Prostatic Urethral Lift procedure using the UroLift System is recommended for the treatment of BPH in both the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology clinical guidelines. The UroLift System is available in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada, Mexico and South Korea. Learn more at http://www.UroLift.com.

About NeoTract | Teleflex Interventional Urology

A wholly owned subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated, the Interventional Urology Business Unit is dedicated to developing innovative, minimally invasive and clinically effective devices that address unmet needs in the field of urology. Our initial focus is on improving the standard of care for patients with BPH using the UroLift System, a minimally invasive permanent implant system that treats symptoms while preserving normal sexual function*1,2. Learn more at http://www.NeoTract.com.

About Teleflex Incorporated

Teleflex is a global provider of medical technologies designed to improve the health and quality of peoples lives. We apply purpose driven innovation  a relentless pursuit of identifying unmet clinical needs  to benefit patients and healthcare providers. Our portfolio is diverse, with solutions in the fields of vascular and interventional access, surgical, anesthesia, cardiac care, urology, emergency medicine and respiratory care. Teleflex employees worldwide are united in the understanding that what we do every day makes a difference. For more information, please visit http://www.teleflex.com.

Teleflex is the home of Arrow, Deknatel, Hudson RCI, LMA, Pilling, Rusch, UroLift and Weck  trusted brands united by a common sense of purpose

# # #

For Teleflex Incorporated: Jake Elguicze, 610.948.2836

Treasurer and Vice President, Investor Relations

Media:

Nicole Osmer, 650.454.0504

nicole@healthandcommerce.com

*No instances of new, sustained erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction

1. Roehrborn, J Urology 2013 LIFT Study

2. McVary, J Sex Med 2016

MAC00968-01 Rev A
McElligott advises clients of all sizes and industries through data breaches and potential data security incidents. He works closely with local, state and federal law enforcement, forensic investigators and third-party cybersecurity vendors, offering clients efficient and effective breach response services in compliance with various privacy and data security laws and regulations, including the CCPA, COPPA, FERPA, GLBA, HIPAA/HITECH, and GDPR.

McElligott has represented clients in various commercial litigation matters, including those arising from data security incidents, and in matters and investigations involving the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulators. He has also represented client interests in various legal settings, including during regulatory interviews, negotiations, depositions, and judicial and administrative hearings.

McElligott earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2015. He received a B.A, from the University of Illinois in 2011. While in law school, he served as a legal extern for the Office of the Speaker in the Illinois House of Representatives. Prior to earning his J.D., he also served as a judicial extern for Judge John P. Kirby in the Cook County Circuit Court.

If you suspect that your organization has suffered a data breach, call our 24/7 Hotline: 855-MH-DATA1 (855-643-2821).

McElligott can be reached at 312.642.7001 or [email protected].

About McDonald Hopkins

Since 1930, McDonald Hopkins has thrived by building long-lasting relationships with businesses and individuals who share an entrepreneurial spirit. As the business advisory and advocacy law firm celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2020, it has a renewed commitment to providing exceptional client service and insight for the challenges at hand and on the horizon. To learn more, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com.

CONTACT:

David Carducci

McDonald Hopkins LLC

600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Phone: 216.348.5814

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE McDonald Hopkins

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The mutual closing of consulates by the United States and China will have little practical effect on daily life in the two countries and it need not lead to a further round of hostile gestures. It sends a message of U.S. irritation with Chinese snooping in the U.S. and Chinese irritation with U.S. interest in Tibet.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/7/2020 (540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The mutual closing of consulates by the United States and China will have little practical effect on daily life in the two countries and it need not lead to a further round of hostile gestures. It sends a message of U.S. irritation with Chinese snooping in the U.S. and Chinese irritation with U.S. interest in Tibet.

For Canadians who count on improved U.S. relations with China, however, the wait may be long.

The U.S. State Department ordered China to close its Houston embassy last Friday, and this was done. U.S. government officials were a bit vague about the reasons for this highly unfriendly gesture, but they hinted it had something to do with officials at the consulate directing informants to dig up secrets about the search for a coronavirus vaccine.

Houston is an important centre of U.S. medical research. China is trying hard to come up with a coronavirus vaccine ahead of any other country, as a matter of national pride and commercial advantage. The U.S. strenuously objects to Chinese efforts to discover U.S. scientific research findings, which can deprive U.S. firms of the profits they can earn from their own discoveries.

U.S. officials said in briefings last week that they recognize all consulates gather information. The Houston consulate, however, had crossed a line and the U.S. needed to show it would not tolerate what had been done  though they declined to say what that was. The Chinese foreign ministry presumably knows exactly what was done and is now under notice not to do it again.

China, in turn, complained that the U.S. had carried out an unprecedented escalation of tensions between the two countries. It ordered closure of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu (Winnipegs sister city in a time of closer Canada-China relations), and that closure was completed on Monday.

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The Chengdu consulate was the centre for U.S. activities in Tibet, and a source of annoyance for China. China annexed Tibet in 1950, but many Tibetans have resisted Chinas sometimes brutal attempts to wipe out Tibetan culture and traditions. The Tibetan dream of independence from China enjoys widespread support in the West, especially in the U.S.  much to Chinas annoyance. Closure of the Chengdu consulate reflects that annoyance.

NG HAN GUAN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A worker removes a plaque from the U. S. Consulate in Chengdu, China, as relations between the superpowers deteriorate.

China will continue snooping on U.S. medical research efforts, with or without a Houston consulate. Americans interested in Tibet will continue encouraging Tibetan nationalism, with or without a Chengdu consulate.

In that sense, the episode makes little practical difference. Both sides have made their symbolic points, expressed their annoyance and gratified their nationalistic supporters.

China, however, still has consulates in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The U.S. still has consulates in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang and Wuhan. This is not a breaking of diplomatic relations nor even a threat to move in that direction. The two countries, though they are flinging accusations at each other on numerous of subjects, are still bound closely together by trade, though the virus epidemic has curtailed tourism and migration.

Canadians are still waiting for the thaw in China-U.S. relations that might open the way for release of the two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who still languish in Chinese prisons on account of a U.S.-China quarrel over the telecom firm Huawei Electronics. The bout of consulate closings suggests any such thaw still lies far in the future.
Associated Press

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The Pentagon has started to execute President Donald Trumps order to withdraw one-third of the U.S. troops in Germanyreducing their numbers from 36,000 to 24,000. Three things about this move are already clear.

First, far from being a major strategic and positive shift, as Secretary of Defense Mark Esper characterized it at a news conference Wednesday, it is purely an outburst of Trumps angst and revenge, aimed at German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for various slights against him.

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Second, the strategic shift it bodes would not be at all positive for the NATO allianceand, contrary to Trumps intentions, it would cost the United States more money.

Finally, in part for those reasons, defense officials are slow-rolling the pullout, to the point where only a small fraction of the troops will have left Germany by this falls election. Then, if Trump loses, the plan will be discarded, as if it had never been put forth, and the rest of the troops will stay where they are.

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A Pentagon officer who is involved with the new policy told me that a small number of troops could leave Germany in a matter of weeks, but in the main, the withdrawal would take years. In part, this is a matter of logistics: It takes a while to load up and move heavy weapons systems, arrange new housing for troops families, and so forth. But if officers really wanted to do this, they could do it more quickly than years (with an S on the end).

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Officers know that, whatever Esper says in public, this is not about strategy. Trump himself exposed the lie at a spontaneous press Q&A outside the White House on Wednesday. Asked about the withdrawal plan, he launched into his familiar America First tirade. Germanys delinquent, he complained. They havent paid their fees. They havent paid their NATO fees. Theyre way off. And theyve been off for years, and they have no intention of paying it. The United States has been taken advantage of.  Im here, and Im straightening this out.  Why should we keep our troops there? Germany says theyre good for their economy. Well, Im doing whats good for our economy. He then added, turning the exchange into a campaign ad, With Biden, our country wouldnt have a chance.

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It is also worth noting that Trump first announced his intention to pull out troops in early Junewithout consulting either German authorities or his own top aidesjust days after Merkel rejected his offer to hold the next G-7 summit at Camp David, in person. (Merkel cited travel restrictions mandated by the COVID-19 pandemic.) Some U.S. officials see a connection between the two events.

One irony is that the withdrawal will put a greater burden on the U.S. defense budget. Money would be saved if Trump disbanded the military units that he was withdrawing, but thats not what hes doing. According to Esper, 6,400 of the troopsmore than half of the 11,900 that will be moved out of Germanyare simply being repositioned to other parts of Europe, mainly Italy, Belgium, and possibly, at some point in the unspecified future, Poland. It will cost a fair bit of change to build or expand new structures and facilities in these countries. (Another telling irony: Italy and Belgium dont pay as much for defense as Trump wants them to pay either. This is simply revenge against Merkel.)

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Another 4,500 troopsthe personnel of the Armys 2nd Cavalry Regimentwill move back to the United States, but even they will be rotated back and forth to Europe, mainly to an area near the Black Sea, but possibly elsewhere. Esper said this trend toward greater use of rotational forces from the United States will lower costs as well as enhance our strategic flexibility and operational unpredictability. But there are three things wrong with this claim.

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First, housing troops in the U.S. is more expensive than overseas, especially if the troops and their light-armored Stryker vehicles are going to be moved overseas quite often, either by jumbo cargo jets or ships.

Second, basing these troops and their equipment stateside puts them farther away from areas where they trainand, in the event of war, where they would fightin tandem with other military units, so the move, in fact, diminishes our strategic flexibility.

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Third, German bases have been a convenient staging area for U.S. military exercises and operationsincluding medical evacuationsin the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, and Africa. If Trump wants to end all such operations, thats a legitimate view to spark an argument. But he hasnt done this.

As John Pike, director of the research firm GlobalSecurity.org, told me in an email, Maybe we should not be doing all this power projection. Maybe we should just take our little red wagon and go home. But for 75 years, American troops have found Germany to be a wonderful duty station, and there are many good reasons we are still there. We should not upset the cart due to some whim.

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Contrary to what Esper implies, it is not a good thing to enhance our strategic unpredictability. The whole point of NATOthe main point of keeping troops in Europeis to assure our allies, and to convince our adversaries, that our troops will be there to deter and defend against an attack. Alliances are all about putting up a reliable frontthat is, theyre about predictability.

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And thats the main problem with Trumps temper-tantrum policy. When it comes to deterring or staving off aggression, it doesnt much matter whether the U.S. has 36,000 or 24,000 troops in Germany or some other place in Europe. In case of war, they would have to be reinforced with more troops from elsewhere either way. But the permanent stationing of troops is a tokenin this case, a heavily armed tokenof a commitment to defend. Withdrawing a large fraction of those troops cant help but be seen, by friends and foes alike, as a slackening of that commitment. This is especially true when combined with Trumps hostile rhetoric toward allies, his crudely transactional view of alliances in general, and his cozy relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose main strategic goal has been to drive wedges between the U.S and Europea goal that, wittingly or not, Trump has helped him achieve beyond his wildest dreams.

In short, if Trump loses the election, this whole exercise will be forgotten. If he wins, it will be another crossroads in the breakdown of the West.

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Yesterday, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's father, KK Singh levelled several allegations against his son's girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty including abetment to suicide and theft. He lodged an FIR against Rhea at the Rajiv Nagar police station in Patna. The deceased actor's father said to a media agency that he couldn't file a case in Mumbai against the Jalebi actress, owing to his poor health condition.

Now, according to the latest report by a leading daily, Rhea Chakraborty has already met with her lawyer Anandini Fernandes and will be applying for interim bail.

Coming back to Sushant's father's complaint, he said that Rhea allegedly took away cash and jewellery from Sushant's house when she dumped him on June 8, 2020, and also fired Sushant's trusted bodyguard on March 22, 2020.

KK Singh also complained that Rhea had threatened to make the medical reports of Sushant public. "At one point of time, my son decided to give up films, settle down in Coorg and pursue farming. He was blackmailed by Chakraborty who threatened him that she would make his medical history public and let the world know that he was mentally unstable, putting his career in jeopardy," Sushant's father alleged in the FIR.

"Sushant's father has made a serious charge against Rhea and her family. He has alleged that she had kept Sushant away from his family and completely in her possession. She was also handling his bank account. It was also reported that crores of rupees were withdrawn from his bank account," said Sanjay Singh, Inspector General of Police (Patna Central Zone).

Did Sushant Singh Rajput Feel Sidelined During Kedarnath & Raabta's Promotions?
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With major cityscapes typically lackluster in outdoor space for children to both learn and play, there's a new early childhood education center now open in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago that's breaking the mold.

The Goddard School, a nationally acclaimed early childhood education franchise, is expanding in Chicago, opening a newly constructed, three-story building on Cullerton Street, complete with a rooftop playground and a covered multipurpose room. The new location is not only providing children living in the South Loop area a chance to learn, grow and play  both indoors and outdoors  but is also using the latest cleaning and sanitizing technologies to maintain a healthy environment for children.

The location officially opened on July 20 and its owners, Soumya Terala and Swapna Lagisetty, are excited to welcome children to their newest location.

"Education is power and it's The Goddard School's mission to provide children with a well-rounded learning experience," Soumya said. "I'm delighted and excited to empower the future generations with the right tools and skillsets they need to be successful."

"There is a need for a professional approach to teach the child how to be independent and provide them with a holistic educational experience," Swapna said. "This need and my desire to help area families was instrumental in opening The Goddard School."

Health and safety are of most importance at The Goddard School as parents are trusting Goddard owners and their faculty with caring for their children as they return to a "new normal." Faculty are using newly created drop-off and pick-up procedures where parents are met at the door by a faculty member during designated times, temperatures of all faculty and children entering the building are checked and heightened cleanliness practices have been established. The Goddard School in the South Loop neighborhood is also using the latest technologies to clean and sanitize toys using the ZONO Disinfecting & Sanitizing Cabinet and The HALO Disinfecting System to eliminate pathogens, spores and other contaminants even in the hard-to-reach places.

For more than 30 years, The Goddard School has used the most current, academically endorsed methods to ensure that children have fun while learning the skills they need for long-term success in school and in life.

The distinctive structure positions Schools to support the needs of families and helps ensure that children are known and appreciated for their individual talents and personalities. The Goddard School's F.L.EX. Learning Program ( F un L earning Ex perience) helps children explore and discover their interests in a safe, nurturing environment, and The Goddard School's Educational Advisory Board, a team of acknowledged experts in various fields of early childhood education, guides the course of study.

The newest Goddard School, located at 209 E. Cullerton Street will be open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information about The Goddard School located in Chicago (South Loop), visit www.goddardschool.com/chicago/chicago-cullerton-street-il.

About The Goddard School

Learning for fun. Learning for life.

Children learn best through experience. The Goddard School uses current, academically endorsed methods to ensure that children have fun while learning the skills they need for long-term success in school and in life.

The distinctive structure positions Schools to support the needs of families and helps ensure that children are known and appreciated for their individual talents and personalities. The Goddard School's F.L.EX. Learning Program ( F un L earning Ex perience) helps children explore and discover their interests in a safe, nurturing environment, and The Goddard School's Educational Advisory Board, a team of acknowledged experts in various fields of early childhood education, guides the course of study.

Additionally, this program has earned AdvancED Corporation Accreditation and Middle States Corporate Accreditation for creating policies, programs and standards that help franchised locations meet high standards in early learning, child development and childcare. The Goddard School serves more than 70,000 students from six weeks to six years old in more than 530 Goddard Schools in 38 states. To learn more about The Goddard School, please visit goddardschool.com.

Media Contact

Emma Tiernon

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720-439-6441

SOURCE The Goddard School

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Polaris Bank has partnered with the global social media giant, Facebook, to provide free digital marketing training to SMEs in Nigeria.

The bank explained that this move is intended to equip Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) who are focused on leveraging social media tools to drive business and sales.

According to the banks Group Head, Products & Market Development, Adebimpe Ihekuna, This partnership is part of Polaris Banks non-financial offerings to SMEs in their bid to scale to the next level.

As an enterprise positioned to meet the challenges of the digital age, especially in the era of COVID-19, we want to assist as many SMEs as we can to ensure they remain relevant in their line of business, she stressed.

This virtual training is scheduled for August 3rdAugust 7 and will hold for 5 days with a maximum of 2 modules daily, at different time intervals (i.e. morning and afternoon) while a repeat session will hold the following week for the next set of SMEs who were not accommodated in the first week.

Participants will among other things, learn how to find new customers and build business communities using digital tools. They will also be exposed to strategies to grow their business internationally, build an online business presence with Facebook, use WhatsApp to grow their business, learn how to create Facebook Ads, and scale advertising with Ads Manager and unearth tools to drive their business.

It would be recalled that the bank in conjunction with Digivate 360 ran a similar training across eight (8) locations: Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Kano, Ilorin, Port Harcourt, Abeokuta and Benin in October 2019 through which 723 SMEs (existing and non-existing customers) were trained.

Polaris Bank is a future-determining Bank committed to the delivery of industry-defining products, and services, across all the sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Wearing masks is the single best mitigation strategy that we have to fight the virus, and the science and data are very clear, Hogan said. If you do nothing else, wearing a mask alone would help us significantly slow the spread of this virus and continue on the road to health and economic recovery.
Ignoring longevity and the resulting long-term care needs we will face in the future is ignoring life's reality. That is the message a leading expert on long-term care planning presented to financial planners and insurance professionals in Atlanta.

Speaking on a Zoom meeting, Matt McCann cited a tweeted statistic earlier in the day by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

"Earlier this morning, I was looking at my Twitter feed and saw something related to our conversation today. If you are an 84-year-old woman today in the United States, you can expect to live another 7  years on average.

This is one more year than a male of the same age. Are we prepared for this longevity? Are we ready for the consequences of aging," said Matt McCann, a nationally known expert on Long-Term Care Insurance and planning.

McCann said a 50-year-old male is expected to live to 81.8 years old. If that same man makes it to 70, their lifespan goes to 86.4. A 50-year-old female, however, is expected to live to 85.2 years old. That same female, when she is 70, is expected to make it to 88.4 years old.

If that same couple had children ages 22, 18, and 16, those kids will be 52, 48, and 46.

"Don't expect your children to become your caregivers when you are older. Caregiving is physically and mentally challenging. Your kids will have careers, families, and responsibilities. Plus, caregiving is harder for those who are older. Don't place the future responsibility of your future caregiving or managing care on your loved ones. We need to prepare for the financial costs and burdens of aging and give our families the time to be family," McCann explained.

McCann said it is critical to consider long-term care expenses as part of retirement planning. He cited the LTC NEWS Cost of Care Calculator that says in 25 years the national average cost of a nursing home will run $222,962 a year. However, most long-term care is delivered in a person's home or assisted living. The national average base cost of an assisted living facility in 2045 is predicted to be $106,622 a year. Even home care will average almost $112,000 a year.

"Just consider your budget. How would these costs impact your lifestyle and legacy? The problem, no matter when it happens, is simple. The impact of long-term care is both a cash flow problem and a family problem. Unless you have an affordable Long-Term Care Insurance policy these costs will come from income adversely impacting your finances.

Without a policy the family will have the responsibility of caregiving or managing paid care services. There is no reason to ignore the problem," McCann said.

Long-Term Care Insurance is very affordable, but premiums, McCann said, can vary well over 100% between companies. He urged the professionals on the Zoom meeting to seek help from a Long-Term Care Insurance specialist like himself to assist with their clients.

"I review all the available options based on their age, health, family history, and their finances to find the best coverage at the best value. Every insurance company has their own underwriting rules as well. Matching the client with their health is essential to saving money," he explained.

McCann says this is an area many financial advisors and general insurance agents lack full understanding. Underwriting is difficult to understand and requires asking many detailed health questions. Plus, Long-Term Care Insurance is custom designed.

"Most agents tend to recommend benefits that are way more then what is required. They don't understand how policies get used at the time of claim, nor do they fully understand the Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership Program that 45 states participate in. Partnership LTC Insurance allows you to shelter a person's or couple's assets with dollar-for-dollar asset protection. Even a small plan can provide substantial asset protection," he said.

He recommends using some of the tools available online to start your research. The Ultimate Long-Term Care Guide is an outstanding resource, according to McCann. He also suggests visiting his website, which has many tools available to plan for the future financial costs and burdens of aging.

McCann works with many financial advisors nationwide that seek his assistance in helping their clients plan for the financial costs and burdens of aging. McCann is licensed nationwide and works with the major insurance companies and their many long-term care solution products.

Consumers can seek his assistance directly by contacting him from his website or calling his office  866-751-7957. He is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

He uses a novel approach where a consumer can talk with him on the phone while viewing his computer screen on their own computer or tablet. This is an easy, safe, and pressure-free way to get educated and see your various options as you shop for an affordable LTC policy.

You can get free and accurate Long-Term Care Insurance quotes from all the major insurance companies by clicking on the FREE QUOTE icon on his website  www.mccannltc.net
29.07.2020 LISTEN

It has come to our attention that the Cabinet of President Akuffo-Addo has taken the decision to re-introduce the controversial Plant Breeders Bill back to Parliament without taking into account any of the objections raised against it for the past seven years.

Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG) unreservedly condemns this decision. Even though Ghana, as a member of the World Trade Organization and is under a WTO obligation to protect the intellectual property of new plant varieties, this must not provide the excuse to impose the stringent restrictive regime being introduced. The bill the Cabinet of President Akufo-Addo just recommended to Parliament is modelled on the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of 1991 (UPOV 1991) which is a rigid and an inflexible regime for plant variety protection (PVP).

As has been pointed out on several occasions, the rights and obligations concerning intellectual property are governed by the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement). According to Article 27.3(b) of the TRIPS Agreement, Ghana has to provide protection of plant varieties by an effective sui generis system. Sui generis means a unique system of protection. This provision allows Ghana maximum flexibility in the design of plant variety protection (PVP). This is what many developing countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, India have done. The African Union Ministers have also recommended a unique Model Law for Plant Variety Protection. See: Ghanas Plant Breeders Bill Lacks Legitimacy! It Must Be Revised! http://foodsovereigntyghana.org/ghanas-plant-breeders-bill-lacks-legitimacy-it-must-be-revised/

Controversy

It would be recalled that the last time the UPOV-compliant Plant Breeders Bill was laid in Parliament, in 2013, it sparked a huge controversy to the extent that the then Speaker of Parliament had to take the unprecedented decision to withdraw the bill which was already at the Consideration Stage, for further consultations.

Several farmers associations, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, as well as prominent individuals and international organisations who raised their voices against the bill were concerned about the basis on which Ghana opted for UPOV 91 when many independent experts and UN reports have actually recommended that developing countries should not join the UPOV system as it offers a rigid model inappropriate for developing countries where farmer managed seed systems (informal seed systems) and the practices of freely saving, using, exchanging and selling seeds are prevalent. Most saw the decision for UPOV91 as benefiting commercial breeders and consequent revisions to the act have leaned towards promoting genetic uniformity in crop varieties, which can have drastic effects on biodiversity.

Another pertinent issue raised in the petitions is a simple demand that has never been responded. It is the call for fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of Ghanas genetic resources. We urgently need answers from Cabinet as to why there is still no provision in the Bill requiring the disclosure of origin in the application for the plant breeder right. This provision is critical for combating biopiracy of our genetic resources. UPOV establishes no mechanisms or safeguards against the practice of biopiracy.

A key element in the controversy is the demand to see the disclosure of origin of all genetic materials in the applications for patents or plant variety protection, in order to protect Ghana from biopiracy. Biopiracy or a situation where indigenous knowledge of nature, originating with indigenous peoples, is used by others for profit, without permission from and with little or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people themselves. The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources is one of the three objectives of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The CBD recognises the sovereign right of states over their natural resources in areas within their jurisdiction. See: The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing.pdf http://www.cbd.int/undb/media/factsheets/undb-factsheet-nagoya-en.pdf

The Plant Breeders Bill in its current form, is a paradise for bio pirates, usually giant multinational seed corporations, which seek to take advantage of our genetic resources at Ghanas expense. As Paul Raeburn puts it in his book, The Last Harvest: The Genetic Gamble That Threatens to Destroy American Agriculture (page 95): The value of crop germplasm, a kind of green gold, is never clear until it is put to use. The examples of Norin10 and IR36 clearly show that crop germplasm can often be worth billions.

There are several obnoxious clauses such as the criminalisation of farmers, (See: Clause 58) which still remain in the current text. Clause 21 reduces the right of the farmer to the discretion of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, whilst Clause 23 of the Bill elevates the plant breeders rights over and above the laws of Ghana. The situation was grave. It was in this light that FSG wrote to congratulate His Excellency, President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo upon his election, dated December 13, 2016, stating among other things:

Considering the numerous objections from experts all over the world, that UPOV benefits the big multinational seed corporations, and that a developing country like Ghana stands to lose by its adoption; the ubiquitous problem of corruption and the track records of the corporate lobby behind the UPOV bill, we strongly smell a rat. We do not only demand its withdrawal from Parliament, and a replacement with a sui generis plant variety protection system, but also, investigations into why we came so close as a people to be sold out to foreign seed companies, and draw the appropriate lessons. For the same reasons, we further call for the total rejection of the Arusha New Plants Protection Protocol, currently pending Parliamentary ratification, as just another way of smuggling into our laws, the same UPOV convention without public scrutiny. See: FSG Congratulates President-Elect Nana Akufo-Addo, December 13, 2016. https://foodsovereigntyghana.org/fsg-congratulates-president-elect-nana-akufo-addo/

Sensitisation Workshops

In the evening of Wednesday, 26th February, 2020, FSG was alerted to an ongoing two-day National Workshop on the Plant Breeders Bill, in Accra organized by the Registrar Generals Department where the reviewed Plant Breeders Bill was expected to be presented. FSG only heard of this at the end of the first day from a representative from the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, PFAG. No formal invitation was ever extended, but were informed by a participant that the organisers said FSG was welcome.

It was at this workshop that FSG learned from the organisers that the Cabinet of President Nana Akufo-Addo has taken the decision to re-introduce to Parliament, the controversial UPOV91-compliant Plant Breeders Bill without any changes. Naturally, since none of the numerous objections raised by civil society and faith-based organisations against the bill have been taken into consideration, a backlash is feared. Consequently, in order to preempt that, the idea of sensitization workshop was embarked upon, following Cabinets advice to first educate stakeholders. According to news reports , Mr. Samuel Anum, Project Coordinator of the Intellectual Property Project, Ministry of Trade and Industry, has indicated that another one would be held for the northern sector to well educate stakeholders within that part of the country.

Many organisations, including Food Sovereignty Ghana, that have publicly come out against the Plant Breeders Bill were not even invited to the workshops. This clearly clashed with the demands by numerous organisations for consultations, transparency, public awareness and participation in such an important decision. And as it happened, the meeting was structured in such a fashion that instead of the expected discussion on the fundamental objections to the bill, the meeting was turned into a classroom with several professors taking turns to lecture each participant who opened dared the mouth, within the limited time, without any interest in feed-back, nor any right of reply from the participants. And all this discussion happened in less than two hours.

Even though no one even saw a copy of the Plant Breeders Bill, at any of those workshops, the organisers were able to come to the conclusion that invariably, there was much more of a consensus (on the acceptance of the bill) at the Accra workshop and most probably, all the workshops. [See: Video Report on Meeting Part One , 51.10] It is difficult to see how any form of transparency can be achieved when the invitations to the workshops themselves appear skewed towards organisations and institutions that have already expressed some form of support for the Plant Breeders Bill in the past, while very few of those who had even petitioned the Parliament over the same bill were excluded.

As our report on the meeting indicates, There was no opportunity given in the programme for Food Sovereignty Ghana to respond to their answers, by way of feedback or further clarifications. We have thus included our response here. The very first time FSG has received any form of justification for opting for UPOV was the response from Mrs Grace Ishaque. She mentions our French-speaking neighbours,Now, lets ask ourselves, we are living in the global world, all the seventeen African countries, the francophone countries surrounding Ghana, they have all acceded to the UPOV. She also says UPOV is a sui generis system. That is not enough. We asked for a sui generis plant variety protection law that takes into consideration our local conditions.

The facts of the matter is that the seventeen francophone countries surrounding Ghana belong to the Organisation Africain de la Propriete Intellectuelle (OAPI  African Intellectual Property Organisation), introduced Annex X on plant variety protection  modelled on UPOV 1991 in 2006  and they acceded to UPOV in 2014. Evidence shows that the membership of OAPI has not brought them any advantages. On the contrary data show that the Implementation of UPOV 1991 Unnecessary For the Development of a Strong Seed Market. A recent study on UPOV in West Africa reveals the ineffectiveness of the UPOV system even after 10 years of implementation. The OAPI study shows that implementing a UPOV-style PVP law in Western Africa brought no benefit for the french speaking countries, their farmers or seed sector.

One argument of the sensibilisation team was one of reciprocity of UPOV. This argument is a mute one as breeders in UPOV countries need to protect their variety in every state where they like to have protection. And breeders in non-UPOV countries can do the same. It is also argued by the proponents of the UPOV system, that membership of UPOV is a prerequisite to promote breeding activities and support development of a national seed market. But the recently published Access to Seed Index data seems to confirm that there is no causal relationship between the UPOV system and a dynamic seed sector. On the contrary, countries with a non-UPOV sui generis plant variety protection (PVP) legislation or even without a PVP legislation have in some regions the most vibrant seed sector. (Pls see https://www.apbrebes.org/files/seeds/Article%20UPOV_Access%20to%20Seed%20Index_Final_0.pdf )

As of today, the informal or farmer seed system still covers over 85% of the Ghanaian Seed market (see also https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/seed-market-in-ghana ). Therefore any seed law  including plant variety protection, needs to support both systems (the formal and the informal one). This is also recommended by the FAO  Voluntary Guide for National Seed Policy Formulation :

Strengthening both formal and informal seed systems is therefore an integral part of the sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA). A main tool to strengthen the farmer seed system is to promote farmers rights  including the right to save, use, exchange and sell seeds. And before drafting any pvp law there should be an analysis about the current seed systems. Ghana clearly has not followed any of these recommendations. The process itself is therefore totally wrong.

When Ghana develops a plant variety protection right, it should take into account the process developed in the FAO Voluntary Guide for National Seed Policy Formulation. This includes first and foremost the evaluation of the existing system and knowledge about the role of the Farmers Seed System (informal system). The aim must be to strengthen farmers rights and the Farmer Seed System with a new plant variety protection law. The following lines from the FAO Voluntary Guide show this necessity.

Sound seed policy development requires a sequence of steps: careful problem analysis to determine the need for a seed policy, a thorough assessment of relevant technical and institutional aspects of the seed sector followed by a participatory formulation process involving all relevant stakeholders including small farmers. (Page3) See: FAO  Voluntary Guide for National Seed Policy Formulation http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4916e.pdf

There are independent scientific studies that confirm this. For example, Centre for International Environmental Studies Research Paper cites:

Effective and well-designed IPRs are expected, in theory, to contribute to technology transfer by trade, licensing or foreign direct investment. This paper analyzes the effect of IPRs on trade in the sector of agricultural seeds, specifically on the effects on trade as a channel for technology transfer. The TRIPS Agreement has continued to be fiercely debated between North and South, particularly with respect to its provisions for the agricultural sector. Article 27.3(b) requires WTO member countries to offer some form of IP protection for new plant varieties, either in the form of patents (common in the US) or PBRs. It can be argued for the specific case of agricultural seeds that the introduction or strengthening of IPRs in countries with generally less innovative capacity in plant breeding will lead to an increase in seed imports from those countries possessing such capacity. Exporting firms would most likely expand their range of seed products exported to a country introducing IPRs. The paper therefore specifically analyzes the effects of the introduction of PBRs in almost 80 importing countries on the value of exports of agricultural seeds and planting material from 10 exporting EU countries, including all principal traditional exporters of seeds, as well as the US. The paper finds no significant effect from UPOV membership, as an indicator of the scope and strength of IPRs affecting the plant breeding sector, on seed imports, i.e. there is no evidence that the adoption of a UPOV system of PBRs positively influences seed imports. See: Trade and Intellectual Property Rights in the Agricultural Seed Sector, Derek J.F. Eaton (2013). Centre for International Environmental Studies Research Paper No. 20/2013. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2323595 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2323595

Another study on the Impacts of Strengthened Intellectual Property Rights Regimes on the Plant Breeding Industry in Developing Countries: A Synthesis of Five Case Studies, commissioned by the World Bank makes it clear:

This study analyses initial experiences with strengthened IPRs and their effect on agriculture in developing countries, focusing on five case studies  China, Colombia, India, Kenya and Uganda. It assumes that the primary justification for IPRs is to increase welfare in society, but that the monopoly may disadvantage particular stakeholders. Careful consideration is thus needed of the different seed systems in the country and of the balance of economic interests of different stakeholders. The study finds that the emergence of the private seed sector in the case study countries owes relatively little to national IP regimes; the most dynamic private seed sector in the sample (India) has grown and diversified without benefit of any IPRs. With the exception of China (a UPOV 1978 member), the study found little evidence of actual revenue generation from breeding through IPRs. Instead, NARIs focus on revenue generation may divert attention from the needs of marginal farmers in favor of breeding objectives and methodologies directed at large-scale commercial production, and may affect the conduct of participatory methods in breeding and variety selection. The study also finds that farmers seed systems are the main source of seed and new varieties for most crops in the case study countries and that IPRs may reduce the effectiveness of these systems by limiting the saving, exchanging and selling of farmer-produced seed of protected varieties. The study concludes by pointing to significant lessons, including: (1) IPR regimes should be consistent with developing countries priorities and capacities instead of being externally imposed; (2) IPRs in plant breeding should be seen in the context of a wider range of agricultural policies, but IPR regimes themselves must be carefully tailored to specific situations; (3) the need to assess whether particular IPR regimes are actually providing incentives for seed system development consistent with national agricultural goals; (4) countries should recognize that they have choices in designing legislation consistent with the TRIPS Agreement; and (5) farmers should participate in debates regarding possible IPR regimes and that their interests and priorities are reflected in the work of public agricultural research. Important parameters that require careful consideration for PVP are: (1) the designation of which species are to be covered; (2) fee structures (and possible subsidies or differentiation by crop); (3) the nature of the breeders exemption for use of protected varieties; and (4) implications for farmers abilities to save, exchange and sell seed. See: N.P. Louwaars, R. Tripp, D. Eaton, V. Henson-Apollonio, R. Hu, M. Mendoza, F. Muhhuku, S. Pal & J. Wekundah (2005). Report commissioned by the World Bank. Wageningen University and Research. https://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/wurpubs/fulltext/36798

Conclusion

There is something fundamentally wrong with the decision to adopt UPOV 91 Convention as Ghanas plant variety protection regime. The Cabinet has the power to withdraw the bill and improve upon it before presenting it to Parliament. Since the Cabinet is responsible to the President, we shall be addressing our petitions to the President for urgent redress. What we seek is meaningful and inclusive consultations. The so-called Sensitisation workshop was a sham. When we raised the issues of inclusivity and broader consultations, FSG was invited to a special workshop.

A human rights impact assessment of the 1991 Act of UPOV implementation concluded if implemented and enforced, UPOV 91 would sever the beneficial inter-linkages between the formal and informal seed systems, and its restrictions on the use, exchange and sale of protected seeds could adversely affect the right to food, as seeds might become either more costly or harder to access as well as other human rights, by reducing the amount of household income which is available for food, healthcare or education.

Experts believe that the prevailing policy framework favours centralized crop breeding and the creation of uniform environmental conditions and discourages agro-ecological research or local breeding tailored to local conditions.[Source: United Nations Development Programme (2008) Towards a Balanced Sui Generis Plant Variety Regime, available at http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/poverty-reduction/toward-a-balanced-sui-generis-plant-variety-regime.html ]

Even the UN General Secretary warns about the risk of UPOV as An additional challenge that has advanced to the forefront is the pressures exerted on small-scale farming stemming from the provisions of the 1991 Act of UPOV. Restrictions on seed management systems can lead to a loss of biodiversity and in turn harm the livelihoods of small-scale farmers as well as weaken the genetic base on which we all depend for our future supply of food. As smallholders rely predominantly on informal seed systems, the restriction imposed by the Act on the use of farm-saved seeds and the prohibitions on their exchange and sale cause considerable concern. [Source : See Report of UN Secretary General, Agriculture development, food security and nutrition para 68].

We shall join forces with all well-meaning Ghanaians, irrespective of party political affiliation, in demanding a withdrawal of the Plant Breeders Bill in its current form. We are already in talks with allied organisations, and invite all those who are yet to make the move to join us in this campaign.

No doubt, the interests behind the push for the UPOV-compliant Plant Breeders Bill are rich and powerful. Hence this is a struggle that can only be waged at the grassroots. For instance, if you do not see this statement in the media, as it was the case in the past, do not be surprised. The long reach of the corporate lobby is at work. The only way to counter them is the power of enlightened public opinion. We count on individual Ghanaians to help champion this cause on the social media hashtag, #WithdrawPlant BreedersBill, copied to @GhanaPresidency , asking for the right thing to be done because we are of sound mind and intent to vote in the December elections to see the back of any administration that seeks to impose the UPOV-compliant Plant Breeders Bill on Ghanaians.

For Life, the Environment, and Social Justice!

Edwin Kweku Andoh Baffour

Director of Communications, FSG
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

Georgia exported 26,882.7 tons of fertilizers (commodity code 3102 - Mineral or chemical fertilizers, nitrogen fertilizers) worth $4.38 million to Azerbaijan in the first half of 2020, Trend reports referring to Georgian National Statistics Office (Geostat).

This is 6.7 percent more than in the same period last year, said the report.

In January-June 2019, Georgia exported 21,475.4 tons of fertilizers worth $4.11 million to Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan ranked tenth among the top 10 most significant export partners of Georgia.

In January-June 2020, Georgia exported products of $32.3 million to Azerbaijan, which is 3 percent of the total export rate. The export rate has dropped by 22.4 percent compared with 2019.

In January-June 2019, Georgia exported goods of $41.7 million to Azerbaijan, equaling 3.8 percent of total exports.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
Of the first confirmed COVID-19 case in each affected country outside mainland China, almost two thirds had travel links to Italy, China, or Iran

Of the first confirmed COVID-19 case in each affected country outside mainland China, almost two thirds had travel links to Italy, China, or Iran.

Study suggests 1 in 4 of these first cases originated in Italy, and 1 in 5 in China.

Many small clusters of household transmission were reported among early cases, but clusters in occupational and community settings tended to be larger--supporting the role of physical distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Web-based surveillance of the global spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) during the first 11 weeks of the outbreak (Dec 31, 2019, to March 10, 2020), reveals that three-quarters (75/99) of affected countries outside mainland China reported their first COVID-19 case in people who had recently travelled to an affected country--with almost two-thirds of these first cases linked to travel to Italy (27%), China (22%), or Iran (11%), according to new research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.

"Our findings suggest that travel from just a few countries with substantial SARS-CoV-2 transmission may have seeded additional outbreaks around the world before the characterisation of COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020", says Dr Fatimah Dawood from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA, who co-led the research.

The study is the first of its kind to use publicly available global case data to describe travel exposure and case cluster characteristics among early COVID-19 cases in different countries. However, the authors caution that given almost all cases in the analysis were reported in middle-income and high-income countries from Asia and Europe (due to late detection in other regions), they were unable to draw a complete picture of COVID-19's early global epidemiology.

In this study, researchers examined publicly available online reports from national ministries of health and other government agency websites, social media feeds, and press releases on a daily basis to identify newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported between Dec 31, 2019, and March 10, 2020 (ie, during the prepandemic period, corresponding to weeks 1-11 of the outbreak). Countries with at least one case were classified as affected. Early cases were defined as the first 100 cases reported in each country, and later cases as those after the first 100 cases. The researchers analysed travel history for the first case reported in each country outside mainland China, case characteristics (eg, age, sex, exposure), and cluster frequencies and sizes.

During the first 11 weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak, 32,459 COVID-19 cases were identified from 99 countries and locations outside mainland China (figure 1).

The analysis found that travel history of the first reported case in each affected country varied by world region (figure 3 and infographic). Travel to Italy was linked with half (3/6 cases) of the first-reported cases in Africa, and over a third (36%, 16/45) in Europe and the Americas (38%, 5/13). Travel to mainland China accounted for 83% (10/12) of the first-reported cases in the Western Pacific and over half (57%, 4/7) in Southeast Asia. Seven (44%) first-reported cases in the Eastern Mediterranean region had a history of travel to Iran.

Among 1,200 cases from 68 countries with age or sex information available [2], 874 (73%) were early cases, with an average age of 51 years. Just 3% of cases (25/762 with age information available) occurred in children younger than 18 years. In total, 2% (21/1,200) of early cases occurred in health-care workers.

During the prepandemic period, 101 clusters involving 386 cases were identified in 29 countries (table 3). Household transmission was reported in three-quarters (76/101) of clusters, with an average of 2.6 cases in each cluster. By contrast, the 11 clusters related to community gatherings (ie, tour groups, faith-based groups, and dinner parties; average 14.2 cases per cluster), and the 14 clusters reported in non-health-care occupational settings (average 4.3 cases per cluster), tended to be larger--supporting a possible role for physical distancing in slowing the spread of COVID-19, researchers say.

"Four large clusters in our analysis, and large outbreaks reported elsewhere, have been linked with transmission in faith-based settings, highlighting the need to partner with faith-based organisations when designing and implementing community mitigation efforts", says co-author Dr Philip Ricks from the US CDC. "Six healthcare-associated clusters were also identified, underscoring the need for strict infection prevention and control practices and monitoring health-care workers for signs of illness." [1]

The analysis also highlights the relatively late detection of COVID-19 in Africa, with only 6 out of 46 (13%) countries studied in the region reporting cases by the time WHO characterised the outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. This compares with a third (13/35) of countries in the Americas and the majority of countries in Europe (45/54, 83%), Eastern Mediterranean (16/23, 70%), and Southeast Asia (7/11, 64%).

"The epidemiology of COVID-19 in low-income countries and in Africa could differ, as reported in previous influenza pandemics, and accurate data from these settings will be needed to assess the full global effect of the COVID-19 pandemic", says Dawood. [1]

The authors note some important limitations of their study, including that the analysis of case characteristics was limited to only 4% (1,200/32,459) of global confirmed cases that had sufficient information about a case's age or sex; and publicly available data varied in completeness, which could have resulted in some case characteristics going undetected. They also note that the first confirmed case in each country might not have been the first true case of infection in some countries, since early case detection efforts varied substantially.

###

NOTES TO EDITORS

The study received no funding. It was conducted by researchers from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA.

The labels have been added to this press release as part of a project run by the Academy of Medical Sciences seeking to improve the communication of evidence. For more information, please see: http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AMS-press-release-labelling-system-GUIDANCE.pdf if you have any questions or feedback, please contact The Lancet press office pressoffice@lancet.com

[1] Quotes direct from authors and cannot be found in text of Article.

[2] The 68 countries and locations with cases with information on age and sex were Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

The 31 countries and locations with cases for which no case had information about age or sex were Afghanistan, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Hungary, Iran, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the UK, and the USA.

Peer-reviewed / Observational study / People
In a July 28, 2020 letter to the University of Maryland, Baltimore community, Interim President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, provides an update on the University's telework policy and offers guidance to supervisors during these challenging times.

Dear Colleagues:

Most of us, including senior leadership, will continue to work remotely until there is a significant change in the pandemic. As we move toward fall, the novel coronavirus remains a threat to the health and safety of our community and country. I am pleased to share the updated COVID-19 Status of Operation and Telework Policy that extends telework for the vast majority of University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) faculty and staff.

With the recent announcement that many local school systems will either be entirely or partially online this fall, I understand that many will be juggling child care and their current job responsibilities. I believe in a family-first approach and want parents and caregivers to know that UMB supports you, and we continue to examine possible ways in which we can assist you.

The updated COVID-19 Status of Operation and Telework Policy outlines important guidance including:

Three categories of operations at UMB, Low-Density (Mandatory Stay at Home Order), Moderate-Density, and Normal. We are currently in a state of Moderate-Density Operations that dramatically reduces the density of individuals on campus.

There are some exceptions for approved research and very limited in-person academic activities and other activities.

A UMB employee whose job can be performed through telework is required to do so and is considered a Mandatory Teleworker.

No Mandatory Teleworker should be allowed or required to return to campus unless the appropriate review processes have been completed and required approval has been obtained.

An employee should be permitted to work a flexible work schedule unless it is operationally important that the employee work defined hours, such as shift-work conducted by a police officer.

unless it is operationally important that the employee work defined hours, such as shift-work conducted by a police officer. Employees needing leave for reasons related to COVID-19 may be entitled to additional leave, including advanced sick leave, consistent with temporary flexibilities issued by the University System of Maryland and federal law.

I am asking all supervisors to provide maximum flexibility to faculty and staff. Just as flexibility was key in our rapid move to telework, the upcoming fall work and school-from-home period will also require flexibility. My hope is that the extension of telework, leave updates, and flexible work schedules will provide you with key tools to be successful as you manage your professional and personal priorities.

UMB Leadership and the COVID-19 Human Resources focus area group continue to consider family issues caused by the pandemic. I invite you to share suggestions, comments, and questions about UMB's COVID-19 pandemic recovery planning to the COVID-19 Recovery Suggestion Box.

If you have any issues with or questions about telework, please reach out to Human Resources. I am proud of our strong UMB family who understands the severity of the situation we face, adapts their work, and looks for solutions and innovations.

Sincerely,
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: The BMC on Tuesday said that a serological surveillance for COVID-19 infection was commissioned by NITI-Aayog, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

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The remote-work order issued Monday by Google CEO Sundar Pichai also affects other companies owned by Google's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc. It marks a six-month extension of Google's previous plan to keep most of its offices closed through the rest of this year.

Google has decided that most of its 200,000 employees and contractors should work from home through next June, a sobering assessment of the pandemic's potential staying power from the company providing the answers for the world's most trusted internet search engine.

Of the new infections, 57 were in the far western region of Xinjiang, six were in the northeastern province of Liaoning and one in Beijing, while the remaining four were imported cases, according to a statement by the National Health Commission. China reported 34 new asymptomatic patients, down from 44 a day earlier.

China reported 68 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for July 27, up from 61 cases a day earlier, the health commission said on Tuesday, reports Reuters.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam to review COVID-19 mitigation measures in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday decided to allow home quarantine of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients with no comorbidities, provided they can have a separate room for themselves in the house and download the Aarogya Setu app, officials said.

Seven more COVID-19 patients died in Assam on Monday, taking the toll to 86, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The state also reported 1,348 new cases, following which the tally climbed to 33,567.

Maharashtras Pune district reported 3,044 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking its count to 72,782 yesterday, a health department official said. The official said that the death toll rose to 1,737 with 38 more patients succumbing to the infection in the district.

Nearly 3,000 federal workers have filed compensation claims for having contracted COVID-19 on the job, a number that is expected to double by early next month, according to a Department of Labor review, reports AP. Through mid-June, families of 48 federal workers had filed death claims with the Division of Federal Employees'' Compensation.

The trials, both announced on Monday, are the first late-stage studies supported by the Trump administration's effort to speed development of measures against the novel coronavirus, adding to hope that an effective vaccine will help end the pandemic.

Moderna Inc and Pfizer Inc launched two 30,000-subject trials of COVID-19 vaccines that could clear the way for regulatory approval and widespread use by the end of this year, the companies said on Monday.

More than 5 lakh COVID-19 tests conducted in a single day over two consecutive days. On 26 July, India tested a total of 5,15,000 samples and on 27 July, a total of 5,28,000 samples were tested, according to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

The World Health Organization said the coronavirus pandemic continues to accelerate, as the number of cases have doubled over the last six weeks. The global coronavirus count has now gone up to 1.64 crores while the toll has crossed 6.52 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 95.25 lakh people have recovered.

The Serum Institute of India is conducting phase III clinical trial of BCG vaccine candidate VPM1002 to evaluate its ability in reducing infection and severe disease outcomes of COVID-19 among high-risk persons of advanced age, comorbidities and high-exposure healthcare workers (HCWs), the Department of Biotechnology has said.

India registers 47,703 new cases and 654 fresh fatalities in the last 24 hours. With this, the countrys tally is now 14,83,156 and toll stands at 33,425.

According to the Government on India, the recovery rate among COVID-19 patients has increased to 64.23 percent. The recoveries/deaths ratio is 96.6%:3.4% now.

As per the latest date provided by the ministry on Tuesday, Maharashtra continues to be the worst-affected state from the infection with 1,48,905 active cases and 13,656 deaths due to Covid-19. Tamil Nadu has a total of 53,703 active cases and 3,494 deaths. Delhi has a total of 11,904 active cases and 3,827 deaths.

Vertical transmission takes place when the baby is in the uterus. If the mother is infected, the transmission of the virus takes place through the placenta- an organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy and provides oxygen and nutrients to your growing baby.

The Sassoon General Hospital in Maharashtra has claimed to have reported the country's first case of 'vertical transmission' of the coronavirus infection from a mother to her child through the placenta.

Out of the 1,610 new cases, 531 were from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) , followed by Ranga Reddy 172, Warangal Urban 152 and Medchal-Malkajgiri 113, a state government bulletin said on Tuesday, providing data as of 8 PM on July 27.

Telangana recorded 1,610 fresh COVID-19 cases and nine more deaths, pushing the tally of infections in the state to 57,142.

Odishas coronavirus caseload on Tuesday rises to 28,107 with 1,215 new cases, PTI reports. The states toll rises to 154 with seven more deaths

At least 23 fresh COVID-19 infections were reported in Mizoram on Monday, according to the Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Mizoram.

The Serum Institute of India, the largest vaccine maker in the world, has been chosen by Oxford and its partner AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine once it is ready. Trials results for the first two phases were published earlier in July.

"This is an essential step because it is necessary to have data within the country before the vaccine is administered to Indians," Swarup told PTI.

Five sites across the country are ready for the third and final phase of human trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Secretary Renu Swarup said on Monday.

With 227 more deaths, the COVID-19 toll in the state has reached 13,883.

Maharashtra reported 7,924 new COVID-19 cases on Monday to take the state's total cases to 3,83,723. However, the surge was more than offset by a record-high discharge of 8,706 patients, as the cumulative number of recoveries rose to 2,21,944.

The bench, however, declined to pass any interim orders for now staying operation of the regulation as was sought by counsel for petitioner  Sonia Rana.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to the Delhi government seeking its stand on the plea by a lawyer, who has contended that imposing of a fine amounts to handing down a punishment which can only be awarded by a judge, not a police officer.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response of the AAP government on a plea challenging a provision which empowers police officers of sub-inspector rank or above to impose fines on anyone violating COVID-19 regulations.

Two police constables, arrested in connection with the Thoothukudi custodial deaths, test positive for the coronavirus, ANI reports.

Eighty-one more people, including 14 BRTF and two Assam Rifles personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, taking the northeastern state's caseload to 1,239 on Tuesday, reports PTI.

Of the total 4,067 COVID-19 patients in the state, 2,467 have recovered and 18 migrated to other states. The number of active cases in the state stands at 1,565 and fatalities at 17, they said.

Tripura's COVID-19 caseload breached the 4,000-mark on Tuesday after 147 more people tested positive for the infection, reports PTI. West Tripura district reported 40 fresh cases, Sepahijala 41, Gomati 22, Khowai 12, North Tripura 18, Dhalai nine, South Tripura district three and Unakoti two.

Twenty-two Assam Rifles personnel posted at Zokhawsanga near Aizawl and a civilian who had recently returned from Nepal have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Zoram Medical College on Monday night, a statement issued by the State Information and Public Relation Department said.

Twenty-two Assam Rifles personnel are among 23 more people testing positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, officials said on Tuesday. The new infections have taken the northeastern state's caseload to 384, they said.

Besides, the SHO of Lalganj Kotwali Rakesh Bharati has also tested positive for coronavirus, the CMO said. So far, 268 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the district of which 155 people have been discharged after recovery. As many as 11 deaths have been reported so far, the CMO added.

The Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of the district hospital here has tested positive for coronavirus, a senior officer said on Tuesday. CMS of the district hospital PP Pandey has tested positive, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) AK Srivastava said.

India has reported more than 30,000 recoveries per day for the fourth consecutive day today, as per data from the Union Health Ministry.

The Odisha government has asked all district collectors, SPs, municipal commissioners and health officials to conduct the last rites of coronavirus suspects without insisting on testing of swab or waiting for the report, an official told PTI.

Meanwhile, 141 fresh COVID-19 cases and four related deaths were reported in the Union Territory during the last 24 hours ending 10 a.m. on Tuesday, taking the tally to 3,011.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, his cabinet colleagues and legislators of various political parties here tested negative for coronavirus on Tuesday.The results came negative after testing of the swabs collected from them at a special camp held on the premises of the Assembly Monday.

The country's toll due to the virus rose to 33,425 with 654 deaths being reported in a 24-hour span, data updated at 8 am showed. According to the data, the recovery rate among COVID-19 patients is 64.24 percent, while the fatality rate is 2.25 percent.

At least 60 inmates of Vadodara Central Jail in Gujarat have tested positive for coronavirus infection in the last two days, reports PTI. The jail authorities are in the process of setting up an 80-bed COVID-19 care centre inside the premises to ensure proper treatment for infected prisoners, the official said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi Prisons stand at 221, reports ANI. Out of the 60 infected inmates, there are 55 recoveries, 2 active cases, 2 deaths while one inmate has been released and are under home quarantine. Out of 161 staff members, 122 have recovered and 39 active, a prison official told ANI

Mumbai Suburban districts minister Aaditya Thackeray has tweeted that the city has reported only 700 new COVID-19 cases today. "Dont let the guard down! Dont let your mask down! Only get numbers down!" he added.

Mumbai will see more testing with chase the virus initiative of the BMC, said Aditya Thackeray, adding that it is also the only city to have liberalised testing and allowed citizens to test at will.

138 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths were reported in the Maharashtra Police department in the last 24 hours. The total confirmed cases stand at 8,722, including 6,670 recoveries and 97 deaths in the police force.

Sharing his experience with his ministerial colleagues while chairing the cabinet meet from hospital through video conferencing, Chouhan said there is no need to panic about coronavirus and it can be controlled by remaining alert.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who tested positive for coronavirus, on Tuesday chaired the first virtual cabinet meeting from hospital and said if the infection is detected early, then it is not incurable and is like any other cold, cough and fever.

Tripura government on Tuesday launched a door-to-door COVID-19 survey, simultaneously with imposing three days total lockdown in the state. Health department staff along with local panchayat members are conducting the survey, ANI reported.

"We are extending the partial lockdown in the state, which was in force till 31 July, till 31 August," she said. However, the state government made an exception for 1 August, on the occasion of Bakri Eid.

Complete lockdown will be observed in the state on 2, 5, 8, 9, 16, 17, 23, 24, and 31 August, said West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday.

Thakur and his family members were in self-quarantine after an aide tested positive for COVID-19.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and his family members tested negative for the second time on Tuesday, a week after their first test also came negative.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that no death due to coronavirus was reported in the National Capital's COVID-19 dedicated hospital, LNJP, on Monday.

Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said that only 700 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Mumbai on Tuesday, which was a "major relief" after three months.

"The medical equipment was handed over to the Indian Red Cross Society by French ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain at the Palam Air Force Station after the assistance material was flown here on board a French Air Force aircraft," the report said.

"In the first round, 6936 samples were collected from 3 wards in slum&non-slum areas. Systematically conducted study estimates around 57 percent sero-prevalence in slums and 16 percent sero-prevalence in non-slums, on an average, in the three wards that were studied," the statement said.

The BMC on Tuesday said that a serological surveillance for COVID-19 infection was commissioned by NITI-Aayog, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

Total number of positive cases is now 3,91,440 including 2,32,277 discharged,14,165 deaths and 1,44,694 active cases. Recovery rate is 59.34 percent, the state health department said.

"We are extending the partial lockdown in the state, which was in force till 31 July, till 31 August," she said. However, the state government made an exception for 1 August, on the occasion of Bakri Eid.

Complete lockdown will be observed in the state on 2, 5, 8, 9, 16, 17, 23, 24, and 31 August, said West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday.

Thakur and his family members were in self-quarantine after an aide tested positive for COVID-19.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and his family members tested negative for the second time on Tuesday, a week after their first test also came negative.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that no death due to coronavirus was reported in the National Capital's COVID-19 dedicated hospital, LNJP, on Monday.

The good news: Only 700 cases today in Mumbai & that too with highest testing till date in Mumbai in a single day(8776).This is chase the virus in full capacity. A major relief after 3 months. Caution: dont let the guard down! Dont let your mask down! Only get numbers down!

Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said that only 700 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Mumbai on Tuesday, which was a "major relief" after three months.

"The medical equipment was handed over to the Indian Red Cross Society by French ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain at the Palam Air Force Station after the assistance material was flown here on board a French Air Force aircraft," the report said.

"In the first round, 6936 samples were collected from 3 wards in slum&non-slum areas. Systematically conducted study estimates around 57 percent sero-prevalence in slums and 16 percent sero-prevalence in non-slums, on an average, in the three wards that were studied," the statement said.

The BMC on Tuesday said that a serological surveillance for COVID-19 infection was commissioned by NITI-Aayog, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

Total number of positive cases is now 3,91,440 including 2,32,277 discharged,14,165 deaths and 1,44,694 active cases. Recovery rate is 59.34 percent, the state health department said.

- These results will be valuable to learn more about herd immunity. Although it is still unclear what level of prevalence leads to herd immunity, findings indicate that at least in slums this could be attained sooner than later, if the immunity exists and persists in a significant proportion of the population.

- Lower prevalence in non-slums could be due to better social distancing and access to better hygiene in addition to interventions by MCGM to stem the spread of infection.

- Taking together the current prevalence (estimated here) and records from BMC on reported deaths, the infection fatality rate (IFR) is likely to be very low (0.05-0.10%). Among others, this could be attributed to effective containment efforts and active measures to isolate symptomatic cases by MCGM.

- Higher prevalence in slums could be possibly due to population density and shared common facilities (toilets, water points etc.).

- Results suggest that asymptomatic infections are likely to be a high proportion of all infections.

A press release by the BMC on the sero-survey conducted in three wards of Mumbai listed the results as following:

Respecting the sentiments of the people we are withdrawing complete lockdown announcement for 2 August and 9 August(2/2)

Coronavirus LATEST Updates: The BMC on Tuesday said that a serological surveillance for COVID-19 infection was commissioned by NITI-Aayog, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

"In the first round, 6936 samples were collected from 3 wards in slum&non-slum areas. Systematically conducted study estimates around 57 percent sero-prevalence in slums and 16 percent sero-prevalence in non-slums, on an average, in the three wards that were studied," the statement said.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that no death due to coronavirus was reported in the National Capital's COVID-19 dedicated hospital, LNJP, on Monday.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced the extension of partial lockdown in state till 31 August.

"We are extending the partial lockdown in the state, which was in force till 31 July, till 31 August," she said. However, the state government made an exception for 1 August, on the occasion of Bakri Eid.

The Union health ministry on Tuesday said that Itolizumab, which was approved for emergency use by the Drug Controller General of India, "has not been included in the national treatment protocol," The Indian Express reported.

"According to a statement issued by the Health Ministry, the National Task Force on Covid-19 contended there was very little evidence in favour of this medicine," the report said.

India has reported more than 30,000 recoveries per day for the fourth consecutive day today, as per data from the Union Health Ministry, while the fatality rate is 2.25 percent.

Twenty-two Assam Rifles personnel are among 23 more people testing positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, reports PTI. The fresh infections have taken the northeastern state's caseload to 384.

Maharashtra reported 7,924 new COVID-19 cases on Monday to take the state's total cases to 3,83,723. However, the number of recoveries were higher with 8,706 patients being discharged. The cumulative number of recoveries rose to 2,21,944.

According to the Government on India, the recovery rate among COVID-19 patients has increased to 64.23 percent. The recoveries/deaths ratio is 96.6%:3.4% now.

India registers 47,703 new cases and 654 fresh fatalities in the last 24 hours. With this, the countrys tally is now 14,83,156 and toll stands at 33,425.

Moderna Inc and Pfizer Inc launched two 30,000-subject trials of COVID-19 vaccines that could clear the way for regulatory approval and widespread use by the end of this year.

India registered a single-day jump of 49,931 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking the overall caseload to 14,35,453. The toll rose to 32,771 with 708 fatalities being recorded in 24 hours, the Union health ministry's 8 am update showed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched three testing facilities in Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata through video conferencing and asserted that India is in a much better position than other countries in the fight against COVID-19 as a result of "right decisions taken at the right time".

Meanwhile, a human clinical trial of the indigenously developed Covaxin, a potential vaccine against the novel coronavirus, began at the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) and SUM Hospital in Odisha's Bhubaneshwar.

Amid rising numbers in many states across the country, the Chhattisgarh government decided to extend lockdown in COVID-19 hotspots in the state till 6 August. Nagaland where Kohima and Dimapur districts are already under lockdown imposed restrictions on Mon district, which has the third-highest number of active cases in the state.

India reports over 45,000 cases for fifth consecutive day

India reported over 45,000 new cases for the fifth consecutive day, propelling the total coronavirus cases in the country past 14 lakh, while the toll increased to 32,771, according to the Union health ministry's data.

The recoveries also increased by 31,991 to 9,17,567, pushing the recovery rate to nearly 64 percent, said the health ministry.

Separately, the ministry said that the case fatality rate has been progressively falling and currently stands at 2.28 percent which is among the lowest in the world. The focused efforts of the Centre, state governments and Union Territory administrations on early detection and isolation through aggressive testing and efficient clinical management of hospitalised cases have shown results with continuously falling case fatality rate and improving recovery rate, it said in a statement.

As a result of low mortality and more people recovering, the recovered cases exceed the active cases (4,85,114) by 4,32,453 as on Monday, it stated.

Narendra Modi launches three testing centres

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also remarked on the steadily improving recovery rate, adding that India has reported lesser fatalities than many big countries.

Speaking after the virtual launch of three "high throughput" testing facilities in Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata, Modi said that in the fight against coronavirus, India has come to a point where it does not lack in awareness, its scientific data is expanding and resources are also increasing. Reeling off the progress in the country's health infrastructure, Modi said that the country now has more than 11,000 COVID facilities and more than 11 lakh isolation beds.

"While the country had only one COVID testing centre in January this year, there are almost 1,300 such labs now," he said. At present, more than five lakh tests are being conducted in the country daily, and efforts are underway to increase this capacity to 10 lakh in the coming weeks, he said.

He also spoke about the country's progress in manufacturing equipment such as PPE kits, N95 mask, ventilators and oxygen cylinders, observing that this has not only helped save lives but has also converted India from an importer to an exporter.

He said that the new hi-tech testing facilities will give will boost the testing capacity by almost 10,000 daily tests in each of the three cities and will help West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh in the fight against COVID-19. These labs will not be limited to testing for COVID, but in future they will also be able to test for Hepatitis B and C, HIV, Dengue and several other diseases, Modi noted.

Covaxin human trials start in Odisha

Meanwhile in Odisha, human trial of BBV152 COVID-19 vaccine or Covaxin commenced at the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) and SUM Hospital in Bhubaneshwar one of the 12 centres selected by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for conducting phase one and two of the process.

Covaxin, which is being developed by Bharat Biotech, was administered to volunteers who were selected through a rigorous screening procedure, E Venkat Rao, principal investigator of the trial process, told PTI. Those who were administered the vaccine have been kept under observation and all of them are "absolutely fine", he said. The selected volunteers will be given two doses within a fortnight, Rao said.

Covaxin is the first indigenous vaccine developed by India against COVID-19 and is derived from a strain of SARS-CoV-2 isolated by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune.

State-wise updates

Through the day, several states and Union Territories continued adding new infections to their overall case counts.

The COVID-19 tally in Maharashtra increased to 3,83,723 on Monday with addition of 7,924 new cases while the toll mounted by 227, including 39 fatalities in Mumbai region, to 13,883, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported its first COVID-19 death as a 49-year-old government employee who also had comorbid conditions,

lost his life on Monday, officials told PTI. The Union Territory also detected 34 new cases of COVID-19, taking the total to 324.

Goa saw a record single-day spike of 258, pushing the COVID-19 infection count to 5,119. With 133 people getting discharged during the day, the state now has 1,673 active cases, while 36 have succumbed to the infection.

Uttar Pradesh reported its biggest single-day jump of 3,505 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 70,493, while 30 more fatalities pushed the death count to 1,456. There are 26,204 active cases in the state as a total of 42,833 patients have been discharged after treatment, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said.

The national capital recorded 613 fresh coronavirus cases on Monday, the lowest in the last two months. With 26 more fatalities, the toll climbed to 3,853 while the coronavirus count in Delhi reached 1,31,219. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the the situation has improved significantly due to hard work and prudence of Delhi people. He also claimed that the Delhi model was being widely discussed and appreciated across the country and the world.

However, the decline in fresh cases also coincided with lesser number of tests. According to Monday's health bulletin, which details information about the fresh cases registered in the last 24 hours, 11,506 tests (7,685-PCR, CBNAAT and True NAAT tests figures; 3,821 - Rapid Antigen), the second lowest in July.

In the south, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka crossed the grim milestone of one lakh COVID-19 cases while Tamil Nadu logged nearly 7,000 fresh infections for the third straight day, taking its case count to 2,20,716. Chennai accounted for 95,857 of the state's cases.

Telangana saw the total infection count breach the 55,000 mark while the cumulative cases rose to 2,872 in the Union Territory of Puducherry.

Kerala recorded 702 fresh cases, taking the total cases to 19,727. The state government however ruled out a complete lockdown, stating that it was not a solution to halt the spread of coronavirus. The common opinion during a Cabinet meeting was to strengthen the restrictions in clusters to check local transmission, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, adding that Police will intervene and take strict action in case of violations. However, as a 'serious' situation continued in Thiruvananthapuram district the existing lockdown would remain in place there, he said.

Chhattisgarh extends lockdown in hostpots till 6 August

Many areas across the country have been punt under lockdown restrictions of varying degrees and durations. In Meghalaya's capital Shillong, a 72-hour-long shutdown kicked in on Monday. The lockdown in Shillong agglomeration  localities within the Shillong municipality and scheduled areas was announced after 56 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the last two days.

"The lockdown reimposed in the entire Shillong city agglomeration will continue till Wednesday midnight," the district's Deputy Commissioner Matsiewdor W Nongbri said. During this period, health workers will be working extra time to track all primary and secondary contacts of positive patients, and conduct random tests to break the chain of infection, she said.

Total lockdown has been extended to Nagaland's Mon district and will remqain in force till 2 August, said a notification. The lockdown protocol will be followed and all shops, business establishments, offices, schools will be closed except pharmacies and there will be total ban on movement of people barring medical emergencies, it said. However, trucks from Assam carrying essential commodities were permitted entry into the district only for Monday so that the general people can get them during the lockdown, officials said.

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. State capital Kohima and commercial capital Dimapur are the other two places where total lockdown has been clamped.

The Chhattisgarh government decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in coronavirus- hit areas, including capital Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg, till 6August to check the spread of the infection. Briefing the media after a Cabinet meeting, Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey said, that instructions have been given to district collectors to ensure strict compliance with lockdown rules in coronavirus hotspots and take effective steps to check the spread of the infection.

Chhattisgarh, where the infection has spread in all the 28 districts, has reported 7,613 COVID-19 cases till Sunday night. The state has recorded over 5,000 cases in just the last one month. With 2,187 cases so far, Raipur district tops the case count in the state.

With inputs from PTI
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half (44%) of small businesses have received delays for existing loan payments as of June, up from only 20% of small businesses surveyed in April, according to new data gathered by SCORE, the nation's largest network of volunteer, expert small business mentors. A third (37%) of small businesses have received new, non-governmental loans, and a quarter (26%) have received improved payment terms from vendors.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Established Small Businesses: June 2020

Established small businesses (defined as in business for one year or more) are receiving more non-government financial help over time, specifically in the form of delays for existing loan payments, and new loans:

44% of small businesses have received delays for existing loan payments as of June, up from 20% in April.

37% of small businesses have received new loans as of June, up from 3% in April.

26% of small businesses have received improved payment terms from vendors as of June, up from 7% in April.

12% of small businesses have received support from crowdfunding or other community requests as of June, up from 3% in April.

11% of small businesses have received expanded lines of credit as of June, up from 4% in April.

Half (55%) of established small businesses applied for PPP and 78% that applied received some portion:

65% of small businesses that applied for PPP received the full amount requested.

13% of small businesses that applied for PPP received a portion of the amount requested.

22% of small businesses that applied for PPP did not receive anything.

Since March 2020, roughly half (47%) of established small businesses have let go of employees in some capacity, but 50% hope to hire in a year:

37% of established small businesses have furloughed or temporarily laid off employees.

34% have made no change.

31% have reduced employee hours or pay.

10% have fired employees.

9% have hired new employees.

Established small businesses are implementing COVID-19 customer communications and adapting their business plans in order to better serve customers:

43% of established small businesses have implemented COVID-19 customer communications.

27% have focused on new target markets.

25% have added telephone appointments.

25% have made no changes.

24% have changed their business model.

23% have added new products or services.

20% have added enhancements to their online storefront.

19% of startups are adding delivery and pick-up options.

Established small businesses are providing employees with protective equipment (PPE), and revised work policies:

57% of established small businesses have provided protective equipment (PPE).

50% have revised employee policies.

40% have implemented teleworking.

25% have implemented employee health screenings.

25% have staggered employee schedules.

24% have made accommodations for at-risk employees.

19% have made no changes.

17% are cross-training as backup in case workers are absent.

Small businesses are cleaning more, adjusting spaces and changing hours:

57% of established small businesses are deep cleaning.

40% have adjusted business hours.

37% have limited the number of customers.

33% have made changes to the physical space.

26% have made no changes.

12% have consulted with insurance and lawyers to protect against lawsuits.

11% of have found additional suppliers as backup.

Download the infographic for more information on how established small businesses are obtaining financing and adapting their operations during COVID-19.

"Small businesses are beginning to receive the financial assistance needed to offset lower revenues and pay for additional business costs related to COVID-19," said SCORE CEO Bridget Weston. "Still, data shows that small business owners aren't just waiting around for help; they're being proactive by switching up their business plans, targeting new markets and getting free, expert small business help from SCORE."

About SCORE

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 11 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE's 10,000 volunteer business experts provide free small business mentoring sessions, workshops and educational services to more than 260 chapters and 1,500 communities nationwide. In 2019, SCORE volunteers helped to create 29,681 new businesses and 67,706 non-owner jobs.

For more information about starting or operating a small business, or on volunteering with SCORE, visit SCORE at www.score.org . Follow @SCOREMentors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest small business news and updates.

Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

Contact Information

Betsy Dougert

800-634-0245

[email protected]

SOURCE SCORE

Related Links

https://www.score.org


Hard Times

Three harrowing months for Ann Arbor restaurants

by Josie Schneider

From the July, 2020 issue

CORRECTION: This article has been corrected since it was published in the July Ann Arbor Observer, which mistakenly said that TeaHaus had closed its Tea Room. Seating is closed, but the Tea Room will reopen as soon as it can do so at full capacity. Meanwhile, drinks, sweets, and their amazing selection of bulk teas are all available for takeout.



---



On March 16, with Covid-19 spreading exponentially, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order closing all "places of public accommodation." Restaurants and bars closed their seating areas and immediately began hemorrhaging money.



Owners and managers stayed up nights worrying their businesses couldn't weather the storm. "The stress was palpable," wrote Phillis Engelbert, co-owner of the Lunch Room and Detroit Street Filling Station, in an online post. "I felt like I could lose my business--my baby--the entity into which I had poured every drop of blood, sweat and tears for a decade."



The Observer's online City Guide currently lists 374 restaurants and bars in Ann Arbor (including the Ann Arbor zip codes and school district). In May, I emailed them all to ask how they were coping.



Thirty-eight responded, some with one-word answers, others with pages-long diaries. Only twelve answered the question, "Is your closure permanent, temporary, or uncertain?" Half said "temporary" and half said "uncertain." I also talked by phone with seven restaurant owners and managers that oversee a total of twenty-four Ann Arbor establishments.



Engelbert responded to our survey with a link to her online crisis journal, the Detroit Street Dispatch (thelunchrooma2.com /dispatch ).



"My first inkling that something was really wrong came on Friday night March 6," she wrote. "Before that, I had heard there was a worrisome virus sweeping Asia. Our health inspector mentioned it in early February during a routine inspection at our bakery & cafe. He said it had begun in the open-air markets where live animals are held and slaughtered for sale. I remember joking that being a vegan

...continued below...

TeaHaus's tea room is NOT permanently closed. They're currently operating on a curbside model. Having been in the tea room many times, I don't see how it would be practical to safely social-distance seated customers. There would be just a couple tables, which wouldn't make much sense from a business standpoint. Additionally, TeaHaus has been busy preparing and providing free meals for school children throughout the pandemic.

Tea Haus is open and has been throughout the pandemic. Not just selling their products but making school lunches for affected students and supporting Mammoth by selling their hand sanitizer. Please fix this!!!

restaurant, it would never affect us."She realized otherwise at a dance party at LIVE. She met one friend who'd just been laid off from a U-M catering department, and another who reported that university functions at downtown restaurants were being canceled.Her sales started to drop the next day-- and kept dropping. "The true benchmarks came when universities started shutting down and sending students home. Harvard and the other Ivy Leagues came first, then OSU and others close to home. U-M closed that Wednesday. My student-workers left town. Ann Arbor public schools closed on Thursday. Sales plummeted. It felt like a slow march toward financial death." When the closure order came, she decided to shutter the Lunch Room and concentrate on takeout at the Filling Station.Takeout wasn't an option for Micah Bartelme, whose BarStar Group owns Bab's Underground, Nightcap, Lo-Fi, and the Aut Bar. When I talked to him during the shutdown, stress was palpable in his voice. It was, he said, "the weirdest and hardest" time of his life. Overnight, he lost 100 percent of his income."We took on new debt and new liabilities to even maintain our obligation to leases and vendors, insurance, etc.," he says. "Even in the best of times in the hospitality industry, things are pretty difficult, and these are clearly the worst of times, which have made things near impossible. Nothing is promised."Most restaurant and bar employees were furloughed or laid off, adding yet another layer to an already fraught situation for owners. Workers are often like family (or are indeed family), so already besieged owners jumped to their aid.Kevin Gudejko, president and CEO of Mainstreet Ventures, said sales dropped 90 percent. They shut five of their six Ann Arbor restaurants to concentrate on a "greatest hits" takeout menu at Carson's. But the biggest impact was on their workers. "Can we continue paying benefits?" Gudejko wondered when we spoke to him. "Can we continue paying insurance, and how's that going to work?"The administrative headaches compounded the stress of trying to keep going with less staff and much less income. "I have had to work more than I have ever worked in my life," wrote one owner on our survey. "It has been overall emotionally and financially devastating. I rarely see my family, have no functional income, and fear for my life and health everyday.""It's really weird being in an empty spot all day that used to be hustling and bustling," wrote another. "Some days I feel useless and helpless ... like there isn't much I can do to affect change. Up and down. Up and down. Pretty much how I'm sure most people are feeling these days."Many restaurants raised funds via GoFundMe campaigns. All of Bartelme's bars had them, raising more than $12,000--all of which, he told me, went to laid-off staff. Everyone I spoke to applied for federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, which can be forgiven as long as most of the money goes toward paying staff. Disbursement of those funds, as well as state unemployment compensation, was often delayed as the systems overloaded. But the eventual help, including the additional $600-per-week federal unemployment benefit, eased the initial panic.---Walking through deserted downtown Ann Arbor on April 21, lit signs in some restaurant windows announced the establishments were open. New banners added "Curbside Only" and a phone number, printed extra large. I saw only three other people on the sidewalk and no cars stopping at any restaurants for curbside pickup--but it was only 11 a.m.Once takeout got up to speed--some inventive owners added grocery pickup, too--sales leveled off. But in my email survey, only one restaurant reported doing even half its usual business. Twenty-three of our thirty-eight respondents said sales were down at least 75 percent.Another question asked how long they could sustain themselves on their current revenue. Four felt that one month was the limit, while ten said they could carry on for three months. Six could handle six months, and five restaurants could stay open for a year. But even the most financially secure were stressed. "Our landlord was and continues to be unwilling to offer any relief or deferment," one wrote. "They are simply demanding full rent. Fortunately, we have been successful enough that I would say this is sustainable for the foreseeable future. But that is without our full staff, meaning 30 of our 38 employees would be out of work."One response was simply to put food on the table. Carson's prepared a "family meal" each day for all of Mainstreet Ventures' laid-off employees and their families. The Last Word, one of six establishments managed by Watershed Hospitality Group, offered carryout meals for all displaced hospitality workers. With the help of donations from other Ann Arbor restaurants, including Zingerman's, HOMES Brewery, and Jefferson Market, as well as cash from the public, they're still giving out 100 meals every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.The list of area restaurants helping those in need is long. Ayse's Turkish Cafe donates food to the Delonis Center. Palm Palace and the Detroit Street Filling Station donate meals for out-of-school kids. The Blue LLama jazz club and Hut-Kay Fusion offer food to anyone in need.Curbside pickup quickly became the norm. Drive up to the restaurant and text, and a masked and gloved employee delivers food to your trunk."Once we got rolling and got better at it, it was really popular--and there was a lot of community support," says David Ritchie, vice president of operations at Mission Restaurant Group (Blue Tractor, Grizzly Peak, Jolly Pumpkin, Mash, Pretzel Bell). The carryout orders came in fast and furious between 5 and 7 p.m., some days with as many orders as they might have seen in a whole evening before the pandemic, but now with only five workers instead of the previous forty. "There were days we were really overwhelmed," says Ritchie.---By early June, the Covid curve had flattened. On June 8, restaurants were allowed to reopen their dining rooms--with new precautions that include leaving half their seats empty.The next day, I donned my mask and headed back to a busier downtown. Clusters of walkers slid by me. Pockets of outdoor diners enjoyed lovely spring weather in front of restaurants up and down Main St., Liberty, Ashley, and Washington.But not everyone was participating. In our survey we asked, "If dine-in is permitted but under social distance rules, would you reopen?""No. Not right away," one responded. "We'll let others be the guinea pigs. It's more important for us to do it right than to do it quickly.""Hopefully we will resume with enough business to cover rent (which is outrageous), payroll (with less staff), and monthly bills," said another. "If I 'go down the rabbit hole', I realize the business has had many great years. It may be time for us to close our doors. Regardless of the outcome, downtown will never be the same again."Eleven places had already announced they wouldn't be reopening. And no one expects them to be the only casualties.The casualties include the Aut Bar. Bartelme says he "had hopes of preserving a community treasure. Unfortunately, it was unsustainable. The economics just didn't work."Arbor Brewing Company closed its original Washington St. location after twenty-five years. Its offspring, the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti and the Tap Room in Plymouth, continue, and Michael Collins of Farm + Ferment (which also owns Bigalora) says he's looking for a spot away from downtown."We were able to work with the landlord and get out of our remaining two-and-a-half years on the lease," Collins says. He thinks the landlord would be happy with a nonrestaurant tenant.The other closures are the four Espresso Royale cafes, Prickly Pear, Logan, Chow Asian Street Food, and Classic Cup Cafe.Moving into these uncharted waters, no one is clear-eyed. The only muscular action is the scrubbing of everything in sight, over and over. All other actions are tentative. Wooing the public back is uncertain, as restaurant workers still fear for their own health.Most restaurants will continue with the popular curbside pickup--permanently, they say. The new frontier is contactless payment.Mission Restaurant Group has added QR codes to each table. When scanned with a smartphone, the menu appears.At Ayse's, the inside will remain closed, but the generous outdoor space next to their window will allow for almost a "full house."Bigalora called back all of their furloughed staff on June 8.Philosophy and dreaming poured out in equal measure to our question, "What is your most hopeful vision for the business going forward? Your most pessimistic?""My pessimism stems from questioning whether or not we'll be able to, as a state and society, have a safe reopening," says Adam Lowenstein of Watershed Hospitality, which, besides the Last Word, runs the Alley Bar, Good Time Charley's, Cantina Taqueria, and LIVE. "I want to believe we've been through the worst of it.""We'll be operating at a loss for twelve months, we figure," says Bartelme. Mainstreet Ventures' Gudejko fears 20 percent of Ann Arbor's restaurants may close.Pam Pietryga, owner of Pizza Bob's, is one of many who say they're working harder than they ever have in their lives. "I remain optimistic about the future," she writes, "but I have no special ability to know what will happen from one day to the next."Heidi Keller, general manager of Arbor Tree Lounge, fears that we'll lose the distinctive local places that draw talent to our city. "I'm part of Gen X. I need to elevate my voice. I need to do more. I need to do more with culinary schools, sit on boards where I can. I need to stop talking so much and get involved."Lauren Bloom of Blom Meadworks writes eloquently: "Our most hopeful vision is that our community stabilizes and is safe, and we're able to confidently reopen along with all of the other local businesses that keep our town vibrant. That we can come together over drinks and events and gather without fear. That [we are] open and bustling, which in turn means we can continue to buy from and support Michigan farmers and growers. And perhaps that some of the habits and lessons we've all learned along the way--new hobbies, a commitment to buying local, an even deeper love for our local parks, our joy in simple interactions--stick around and change us for the better."---On June 13, knotting my scarf against the chilly evening breeze, I anticipated empty outdoor tables as I turned onto Main St. from William. But as I rounded the corner, sights, sounds, and smells told a different story. The city had closed the street, and restaurants had set up tables there, making for a festive atmosphere. During my entire walk down the middle of closed downtown streets, I saw just one empty outdoor table, at Sweetwaters on Washington.Diners shivered as the sun receded. Many departed, but some hardy stalwarts stayed to enjoy their first meal out in almost three months. It was a one-day sample, but Gudejko emails that Mainstreet Ventures' outstate restaurants, which opened two or more weeks earlier, remain busy now--an indicator, he hopes, that will repeat in their Ann Arbor establishments.All sides are tentative however--owners, workers, and diners--with only one thing for sure: no one wants a new wave of infections and another lockdown. [Originally published in July, 2020.]On June 26, 2020, Natalie wrote:On June 26, 2020, Brooke Bredbeck wrote:
File image of Syed Ali Shah Geelani

Pakistans Senate on July 27 passed a resolution asking the government to confer the countrys highest civilian honourNishan-e-Pakistan  on Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The upper house of Pakistan's parliament also urged the Imran Khan government to name a proposed university in Islamabad after Geelani.

The 90-year-old, who has been under house arrest, last month stepped down as the chairman for life of the Kashmiri separatist grouping All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

The resolution also called for Geelanis life story to be included in the school curriculum.

Also read: Who is Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and why is his resignation from Hurriyat Conference significant?

Geelani is perhaps the most well-known and prominent separatist leader in the Valley.

The government accuses Geelani of being close to Pakistan and taking instructions from across the border. Geelani has often said that Pakistan supported the "indigenous struggle" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir "morally, diplomatically and politically".
Indoor weddings planned for late summer might be a little more fun as the result of quietly loosened guidance in the states distancing rules, with dancing, passed hors doeuvres and staffed buffets.

Restaurants will be a little more lively indoors. They can now allow comedy and musical performances, though singing is still prohibited.

Those updates  all part of Phase 2, as Gov. Ned Lamont has kept Phase 3, including the reopening of bars, on hold  are among a bevy recent updates to Connecticuts coronavirus rules by the state Department of Economic and Community Development.

Capacity restrictions are still in effect, and have not increased. For example, indoor social events, including some weddings, depending on the venue, are still limited to 25 people and outdoor events carry a maximum attendance of 100.

Still, the easing for weddings and restaurants opens up more possibilities for the events industry, one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic shutdown. The updates also specifically give nonessential businesses the right to refuse service to anyone not wearing a mask  an edict that was spoken but not written until now.

DECD Commissioner David Lehman said the updates are the result of near-weekly meetings of a rules committee within the department that has been tasked with establishing and evaluating the reopening protocols based on feedback from industry leaders.

This is going to be a constant and evolving process, Lehman said, noting that, for example, restaurant employees are no longer required to wear gloves.

Tuesdays numbers for the state continued to show low infection rates but the list of states subject to quarantines for visitors and returning residents to Connecticut, New York and New Jersey grew further.

Some of the new guidance represents loosened rules; other language in the states lengthy descriptions of allowable activities clarifies existing rules and recommendations, eliminating some gray areas.

For example, Lehman said, The more we talked through with people from the industry and experts, the more we felt hand-washing frequently was better than wearing gloves, he said.

The updates also include a recommendation that if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, businesses observe a 24-hour passive decontamination, followed by cleaning and disinfecting.

The state has been in Phase 2 of its reopening plan since June 17, which allowed most industries to reopen with restrictions. Foe example, restaurants are allowed only 50 percent capacity indoors. Lamont indefinitely postponed Phase 3, originally slated for July 20, after outbreaks started to increase across the country.

As a result, bars and large performing arts venues are still closed.

But those outbreaks continue. On Tuesday, Lamont along with the governors of New York and New Jersey increased the list of states requiring a 14-day quarantine for travelers and returning residents from 31 to 34, adding Illinois, Kentucky and Minnesota  plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C

And, as Hearst Connecticut Media reported this week, the transmission rate, a calculated number intended to show how many people will contract the disease from each infected person who has it  rose above 1, meaning COVID-19 might be resuming its spread in Connecticut.

Im concerned about indoor anything right now, said Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, who stopped short of saying hes opposed to the new rules. Weve been playing the pause button. I think that is the right thing to do.

For now, new infection rates remain low. The state reported 94 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday on 7,638 reported tests, a 1.2 percent rate. There were five new deaths, bringing the total to 4,423 and five fewer people were in Connecticut hospitals with the illness, bringing that total to 54.

While comedy shows and other small performances can now occur at restaurants and similar venues, Lehman said singing is still considered dangerous because of the vapors released by loud talking and vocal music. Those performers that are allowed must wear masks and perform at a distance from the guests, according to the new protocols.

State Rep. Vin Candelora, R-North Branford, said he has appreciated DECDs willingness to adapt guidelines for businesses that dont fit into specific categories. Candelora, for example, owns and operates the Connecticut Sportsplex in North Branford, which is considered a fitness facility, but also includes an indoor family fun area and offers food like a restaurant.

I will say, unlike other states, DECD really tried to understand every different segment, Candelora said Tuesday. Im grateful to DECD that they were able to accommodate businesses like mine. Other states arent getting that level of accommodation and a lot of businesses were forced to close unnecessarily.

Columnist Dan Haar contributed reporting. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
By Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh

SHANGHAI, July 28 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc has launched a hiring spree in Shanghai with plans to bring on designers at its China studio and about 1,000 factory workers, job posts show, as the U.S. electric vehicle maker ramps up production in the world's biggest auto market.

The posts on the Tesla human resources department's official WeChat account mark the first time the California-based automaker has looked to hire designers in China. Tesla said in January it planned to open a design and research centre in China to make "Chinese-style" cars.

The posts did not reveal how many designers Tesla planned to hire.

The company also planned to hire 600 workers at stamping, bodywork, painting and assembly workshops in Shanghai, according to a separate job post by the Lingang local government. Another 150 workers were needed for quality checks, 200 for logistics work and 20 for security, it added.

Two sources familiar with the matter said the recruitment drive was partly for the preparation of Model Y sport-utility vehicles at the Shanghai plant. Tesla is building manufacturing facilities for Model Ys in Shanghai from next year.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company delivered over 30,000 units in China in the past quarter, most of them locally made Model 3 sedans.

In March it advertised for solar and energy storage project managers in China, as it moves to expand its energy business into the country. (Reporting by Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh; Editing by Stephen Coates)
Canadian business leaders are calling for reduced barriers on interprovincial trade, a move they say will help speed up the countrys economic recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Canadian Global Cities Council (CGCC) launched a social media video series Thursday highlighting the barriers provinces face on the interprovincial trade of domestic products. The CEOs of nine of Canadas largest chambers of commerce and boards of trade participated in the videos, representing businesses from Edmonton, Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Montreal and Brampton.

As Canadas economy reopens, these business leaders say removing the barriers to interprovincial trade could help support economic recovery at a time when the country desperately needs it.

Jan De Silva, president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, said they are hoping to capture the publics attention by illustrating the barriers faced by both Canadian and international businesses that result in less interprovincial trade and international investment as well as higher prices for Canadian consumers.

Interprovincial trade barriers add up to seven per cent to product costs, according to a Statistics Canada estimation.

These barriers vary across industries, she said. For example: food processors need a separate second permit to be able to sell outside of their province; British Columbia has different rules about trucks driving at night than its neighbour Alberta; container sizes for products such as creamer or even beer vary from province to province. Its often difficult if not impossible for tradespeople to work in different provinces, added De Silva.

And of course, perhaps the most well-known barrier to the Canadian public: the restrictions around selling alcohol between provinces, which prevent citizens from buying beer and wine across provincial and territorial borders.

Lifting such barriers could raise the countrys GDP by four per cent, adding around $80 billion to the economy, according to estimations by the International Monetary Fund.

De Silva said almost nine in 10 Canadians support free trade between the provinces, according to a 2019 Ipsos poll commissioned by the Montreal Economic Institute.

In June, members of the CGCC sent letters to Canadas premiers and their economic development ministers asking them to step up and eliminate these barriers, she said.

It takes two open-for-business-minded premiers to put their arms together and say, were eliminating trade barriers entirely and were harmonizing our regulations so that we can have free movement of people and goods between our two provinces, she said, adding that if this happens, it could be a catalyst for the other provinces.

The ball is in the court of the premiers, said De Silva.

She said that while interprovincial trade has long been a hot-button issue, with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canadian economy, now is the time to finally make a move.

If we cant do it now, when will we ever do it? she asked.
Beijing, Jul 28 (UNI) Amid its increasing global isolation and border belligerence, China has asked Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan to cooperate under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who chaired a video-conference of his counterparts from Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan, outlined four proposals including extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan and taking forward an economic corridor plan with Nepal, officials said here on Tuesday.

The four countries also resolved to strengthen cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 virus (that originated from Wuhan in China) pandemic and boosting their economies through regional connectivity projects. Mr. Wang offered four proposals to strengthen ties between the four countries including sharing consensus in fighting the pandemic as good neighbors.

Besides Wang Yi those who participated in the video conference included Afghanistans acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

UNI XC RB SB 1854
Cambodian satellite city near Phnom Penh destroying wetlands with 1 million at risk of flooding, report finds

by Erin Handley

July 28,2020 | Source: ABC

A damning new report shows a multi-billion-dollar satellite city near Phnom Penh threatens to pave over vital wetlands and unleash untreated sewage into the Mekong River, putting more than 1 million people at risk of dangerous floods and water pollution.



The project further threatens to upend the livelihoods of hundreds of people and contribute to unsustainable sand dredging, according to the report, Smoke on the Water, released on Monday by human rights and land rights groups Equitable Cambodia, Sahmakum Teang Tnaut, Licadho and the Cambodia Youth Network.



The Beoung Tompoun and Cheung Ek wetlands, the report says, "are currently being destroyed by development groups building high-end condominiums, gated communities, and megamalls".



"Development is great for the rich people. But we are not rich. It's not great for us," one farmer from the wetlands told report authors in May this year.



More than 1,000 families live on the wetlands or rely on them for farming and fishing in the area just south of the capital, not far from the Killing Fields.



ING City, the largest development in the South-East Asian country, is a project of ING Holdings, headed by Ing Bun Hoaw, a powerful tycoon with close connections to Prime Minister Hun Sen. It has been in development since 2004.



A conservative estimate of the amount of sand needed to fill in the wetlands is some 77 million cubic metres  more than 30 Great Giza Pyramids full of sand.



One community group highlighted in the report has already been impacted by the infilling of the lake with sand. Their village is subject to frequent flooding with dark black water, usually comprising sewage waste, which makes it difficult for children to go to school.



"In the past, we had a beautiful environment. We planted crops on the water, we could catch snails and fish, and it was so much cooler because of the breeze that came from the lake," one resident said in the report.



The report finds that 70 per cent of all rain and wastewater in Phnom Penh exits into the wetlands, "making it a critical part of Phnom Penh's flood mitigation system".



"Should the wetlands be lost, wastewater will be unleashed upon fish populations and the communities that are dependent upon these rivers for water and food," the report reads.



"The destruction of the wetlands is continuing unabated, and this research suggests that devastating human rights abuses and environmental impacts may follow if the current trends continue."



The wetlands are also described as a natural purifier for the city's sewage, and although there is a $26 million man-made wastewater plant in the works through Japanese aid, it will treat less than 2 per cent of all wastewater entering the wetlands, the report said.



Eang Vuthy, executive director at Equitable Cambodia, described that as "clearly inadequate" to deal with the city's needs.



"Just this week, we saw some communities near the lake have been seriously flooded," he said.



"When the flooding happened and when the sewage system is not functioning well, the wastewater is coming up, and that really affects the health of the people, and especially the children.



He called on the Government to be more transparent and to fix the social and environmental impacts of the project.



Government spokesman Phay Siphan said he did not see the flooding or people being evicted from their homes, and told the ABC the report was "fabricated", without offering evidence.



"No, it's a lot better than it was a couple of years ago," he said, referring to flooding.



Mr Siphan said the Government was building a canal to divert rainwater from the city to alleviate flooding and pointed to the wastewater plant.



ING Holdings did not answer calls and did not respond to an emailed request for comment by publication time.



Ing Bun Hoaw has previously said in a press statement about the project that: "Our vision for Phnom Penh blends shopping, working and leisure in a convenient and environmentally conscious way."



In 2007, the Government signed a deal which saw another lake in the city's north, Boeung Kak, filled in with sand to make way for condominiums.



The forced evictions and human rights issues stemming from that development continue to reverberate today.



"This is an ongoing problem of filling the natural lakes," Mr Vuthy said.



The report opens with a remark from deeply-revered Cambodian architect, the late Vann Molyvann, who is credited with building some of Phnom Penh's once-enviable public works.

 2020 ABC

Theme(s): Others.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Kismet ResourcesCorp. (TSXV:KSMT.P) ("Kismet" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a letter of intent dated July 23, 2020 (the "LOI") with TDG Gold Corp. ("TDG Gold"), a mineral exploration company with binding agreements to acquire four properties in the Toodoggone District of northeastern British Columbia, Canada including the former producing high grade Au-Ag Baker and Shasta Mines and the Oxide Peak exploration stage property. The LOI outlines the principal terms and conditions which will result in a reverse takeover of Kismet by TDG Gold (the "Transaction").

Kismet is a Capital Pool Company and intends for the Transaction to constitute its Qualifying Transaction, as such terms are defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). In connection with the announcement of the LOI, the trading in the common shares of Kismet ("KismetShares") has been halted pursuant to the policies of the TSXV. Trading will remain halted until, among other things, Kismetcompletes certain regulatory filings in connection with the Qualifying Transaction with the TSXV and the TSXV has completed certain matters it considers necessary or advisable.

About TDG Gold

TDG Gold was incorporated pursuant to the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) on July 22, 2011. TDG Gold currently has 35,560,897 common shares (the "TDG Gold Shares") issued and outstanding and has no options, warrants or other classes of securities outstanding. Management of TDG Gold currently owns approximately 33% of the TDG Gold Shares in aggregate and a BC subsidiary of OceanaGold Corporation, an international company listed on the ASX,currently owns approximately 18% of the TDG Gold Shares.

TDG Gold has binding agreements to acquire over 23,000 hectares in the Toodoggone District of northeastern British Columbia. The Toodoggone District is a 100 x 30 km belt (3000sq.km) with past producing mines and advance-stage exploration projects (see Fig 1) characterized by extensive gossans and alteration halos. Historic exploration and production focused on high-grade gold-silver epithermal deposits including the Baker, Shasta and Lawyers Mines. The property also has the potential to host copper-gold porphyry mineralization.

Story continues

Figure 1 showing major landholders in the Toodoggone District - from TDG Gold Corp.'s July 21st 2020 corporate slide deck

Baker-Shasta Mines

In July 2020, TDG Gold signed an asset purchase agreement (the "Asset Purchase Agreement") to acquire (the "Asset Acquisition") the Toodoggone assets of Talisker Resources Ltd. ("Talisker") including the former producing Baker and Shasta Mines, the Baker mill, camp and tailings storage facility, and the Bot and Mets Properties. Both Baker and Shasta operated intermittently from the 1980 until the 2000s. During that period Baker produced over 77,500 tonnes at an average grade of 15gpt Au and 288 gpt Ag; and Shasta produced over 141,500 tonnes at an average grade of 4.48 gpt Au and 239.5 gpt Ag. Both mines are currently on reclamation status.

In addition to the potential for expanding on the historical Baker and Shasta mines, there are 5 early-stage exploration targets on the property with the potential for new discoveries:

Black Gossan: Strong oxidized pyritic and gossanous alteration forms a prominent supergene cap Dave Price: Siliceous sericite-pyrite brecciated vein hosted in a ~600 m in diameter clay-alunite cap Castle Mountain: Skarn mineralization with anomalousgold, silver and lead in rock samples. Pau: Anomalous Au-Ag bearing veins, breccias, and silicified zones Silver Reef: Anomalous Au-Ag quartz vein stockwork

The transaction with Talisker is subject to certain conditions including TDG Gold achieving a public listing on a Canadian stock exchange and total minimum capital raises of $5,000,000. In addition, Talisker will receive a minimum of 30.12% of the Resulting Issuer Shares (as defined below) on a fully diluted basis at listing and will have an Investor Rights Agreement allowing them, amongst other things, representation on the TDG Gold Board of Directors whilst their ownership remains greater than 10% of TDG Gold's issued and outstanding shares.

Oxide Peak

In December 2019, TDG Gold signed an earn-in agreement with Arcwest Exploration Inc. ("Arcwest") to acquire up to an 80% interest in its Oxide Peak exploration project ("Oxide Peak"). Oxide Peak is an 8,437 hectare exploration stage property situated in the northern part of the Toodoggone gold-copper district in British Columbia. Oxide Peak contains multiple undrilled zones of copper-gold mineralization that have yet to undergo systematic mapping and geophysical surveys, in addition to zones of strong gold-in-stream sediment anomalies that have yet to be traced to source.

TDG Gold may earn up to a 60% interest in Oxide Peak subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions including incurring minimum exploration expenditures of $2,400,000 over a threeyear period. TDG Gold's first year exploration expenditure is $400,000 which is fully funded and the fieldwork component of the program is on schedule to be completed by the end of September 2020 (timing may be impacted by the continued spread of COVID-19).

If TDG Gold completes the 60% earn-in, it may earn an additional 20% interest (80% ownership in total) by completing a preliminary economic assessment. From that point, TDG Gold and Arcwest will form a joint venture in which each party will proportionately finance or dilute. Should TDG Gold's or Arcwest's interest be diluted to less than 10%, then that interest will convert to a 2% net smelter return royalty, of which 1% of the royalty can be bought back for a $2,000,000 cash payment.

Active Community Engagement

TDG Gold is proud to have the opportunity to undertake mineral exploration in the traditional territories of the Tahltan, Kwadatcha, Tsay Keh Dene and Takla First Nations. TDG Gold views itself as a co-steward of the land and is engaging in early, active and respectful dialogue with representatives of each community. In June 2020, TDG Gold commissioned Falkirk Environmental Consulting Ltd. to facilitate its engagement with Indigenous communities and also in June 2020, TDG Gold signed a communications agreement with the Tahltan Nation.

Capital Structure of TDG Gold

TDG Gold currently has 35,560,897 TDG Gold Shares outstanding and has no options, warrants or other classes of securities outstanding. It is expected that immediately prior to closing of the Transaction, there will be approximately 74,088,942 TDG Gold Shares issued and outstanding.

Summary of the Transaction

It is currently anticipated that Kismet will acquire TDG Gold by way of a three-corner amalgamation, share exchange, plan of arrangement or other similar form of transaction as agreed by the parties to ultimately form the resulting issuer (the "Resulting Issuer"). The final structure of the Transaction is subject to the receipt of tax, corporate and securities law advice for both Kismet and TDG Gold. Upon completion of the Transaction, the Resulting Issuer will carry on the business of TDG Gold.

Pursuant to the Transaction, holders of issued and outstanding TDG Gold Shares will receive 0.6667 (two thirds) KismetShares (the "Pre-Consolidation Shares") for each TDG GoldShare (the "Exchange Ratio") held by them.

As a condition to closing the Transaction, concurrently with, or immediately prior to the closing of the Transaction, Kismet will undertake a share consolidation (the "Consolidation"). The Consolidation will occur on the basis of one (1) post-Consolidation Kismet Share ("Kismet Consolidated Shares") for every two (2) Pre-Consolidation Kismet Shares. Upon completion of the Transaction, approximately 60 million KismetConsolidated Shares will be issued and outstanding and will represent all of the issued and outstanding common shares (the "Resulting Issuer Shares") of the Resulting Issuer.

It is expected that Kismet will effect a name change to "TDG Gold Corp." (the "Name Change") upon the completion of the Transaction.

Upon completion of the Transaction, it is expected that the former shareholders of TDG Gold will hold approximately 40.96% of the Resulting Issuer Shares, Talisker will own approximately 33.6% of the Resulting Issuer Shares, the placees of the Concurrent Equity Offering (as defined below) will own approximately 22.12% of the Resulting Issuer Shares and that the former shareholders of Kismet will hold approximately 3.32% of the Resulting Issuer Shares, all on an undiluted basis. The foregoing percentage interests in the outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares are an estimate only, based on management's current expectations, and are contingent on a number of factors, including the final pricing and size of the Concurrent Equity Offering.

Closing of the Transaction will be subject to a number of conditions precedent, including, without limitation:

a) completion of the Asset Acquisition by TDG Gold pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement immediately

prior to the closing of the Transaction; b) completion of the Concurrent Equity Offering; c) TSXV acceptance of the Transaction as the Qualifying Transaction of Kismet; d) the Resulting Issuer meeting the initial listing requirements as a Tier 2 issuer under the rules and policies of the TSXV; e) completion by the Resulting Issuer of the Consolidation on the Closing Date; f) completion of mutual satisfactory due diligence investigations of TDG Gold and Kismet; g) approval of the Transaction by the boards of directors of TDG Gold and Kismet; h) execution of a definitive agreement effecting the Transaction; i) receipt of all regulatory approvals with respect to the Transaction and the listing of the Resulting Issuer Shares on the

TSXV; and j) approval of the Transaction by TDG Gold shareholders.

It is anticipated that the Resulting Issuer will qualify as a Tier 2 Mining Issuer pursuant to the requirements of the TSXV.

The Transaction is not a Non-Arm's Length Qualifying Transaction (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) and consequently the Transaction will not be subject to approval by Kismet's shareholders. However, Kismet does plan to hold an annual general and special meeting of shareholders whereat, among other things, the shareholders of Kismet will be asked to approve certain matters including but not limited to the appointment of a new slate of directors.

Concurrent Equity Offering

As per the LOI, it is anticipated that prior to or concurrently with the closing of the Transaction, Kismet or TDG Gold, as the case may be, will complete a private placement (the "Concurrent Equity Offering") of units (each, a "Unit"), at a price per Unit to be determined in the context of the market, to raise gross proceeds of not less than $4,000,000.

Board of Directors and Management of the Resulting Issuer

It is proposed that the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer shall consist of five directors, including Evandra Nakano, CEO and director of Kismet, and four nominees of TDG Gold. Management of the Resulting Issuer shall be confirmed in due course.

Sponsorship for Qualifying Transaction

Sponsorship of a Qualifying Transaction of a capital pool company is required by the TSXV, unless exempt in accordance with TSXV policies. The Corporation intends to apply for an exemption from sponsorship in connection with the Qualifying Transaction in accordance with TSXV Policy 2.2.

Filing Statement

In connection with the Transaction and pursuant to the requirements of the TSXV, Kismet will file on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) a filing statement (or an information circular in the event that the Transaction requires approval by the shareholders of Kismet) which will contain details regarding the Transaction, Kismet, TDG Gold and the Resulting Issuer.

Further information

Kismet intends to issue a subsequent press release in accordance with the policies of the TSXV providing further details in respect of the Transaction, including information relating to the transaction structure and descriptions of the proposed directors and Insiders (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) of the Resulting Issuer, as well as the Concurrent Equity Offering. In addition, a summary of TDG Gold's financial information will be included in a subsequent news release.

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSXV Requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information release or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

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.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

Qualified Person

David Hladky, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and Director of Kismet Resources Corp., has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this press release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the Transaction and certain terms and conditions thereof, the ability of the parties to complete the Transaction, the Consolidation, the Exchange Ratio, the Name Change, the Resulting Issuer's ability to qualify as a Tier 2 Mining issuer, the TSXV sponsorship requirements, the finding of a sponsor, shareholder, director and regulatory approvals, completion of the Concurrent Equity Offering, TDG Gold's acquisition of an interest in Oxide Peak, the completion of the Asset Acquisition by TDG Gold, future press releases and disclosure, and other statements that are not historical facts. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to geological risks, risks associated with the effects of COVID-19, the financial markets generally, the results of the due diligence investigations to be conducted in connection with the Transaction, the ability of the Corporation to complete the Transaction or obtain requisite TSX-V acceptance and, if applicable, shareholder approvals. As a result, the Corporation cannot guarantee that the Transaction will be completed on the terms described herein or at all. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Corporation cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Corporation assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

For further information: TDG Gold Corp., Dan O'Brien, Chief Financial Officer, (604) 536-2711 Ext 5, dan@gocs.ca; Kismet Resources Corp., Evandra Nakano, Chief Executive Officer & Director, (604) 220-4691

SOURCE: Kismet Resources Corp.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/599516/Kismet-Resouces-Announces-Qualifying-Transaction




11 people in Quang Nam flee from quarantined hospitals in Da Nang

Eleven people were found in the central province of Quang Nam after fleeing from hospitals in the neighbouring city of Danang which are being quarantined for Covid-19 prevention.

Five were patients, with the remaining people being their relatives, said Nguyen Van Hai, director of Quang Nam Provinces Department of Health.

Seven of them live in Dien Ban Town, two others from Thang Binh District and the two remaining from Duy Xuyen District.

The people were then sent to a quarantine zone in Quang Nam afterwards.

Quang Nam Province has to date confirmed two Covid-19 patients. One is a 63-year-old woman from Dai Loc District and the other is a 67-year-old woman from Dien Ban Town. Both of them are related to Patient 416 in Danang and Danang Hospital.

Nguyen Tai, director of Quang Nams Department of Health, said that the 67-year-old patient is facing lung damage and long fever. She is staying at Quang Nam Central Hospital for the treatment.

Vietnam recorded up to 30 Covid-19 community transmission cases in Danang and the two central provinces of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai on July 25-28.

To date, Vietnam has reported a total of 446 Covid-19 patients, including 276 from abroad. Among those, 369 have recovered and discharged from hospital. At present, 16,248 are being quarantined.

Woman fined for spreading fake news on COVID-19

A woman in the central province of Thua Thien  Hue has been fined VN7.5 million (US$326) for spreading fake news about COVID-19 on Facebook.

On Monday, Vuong Thi Thanh Huyen, 25, copied a section of text she read on Facebook and reposted it on her personal page.

It said Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am said that if anyone plans to go on holiday while tickets are cheap, please rethink carefully. Next week is an important landmark!!! We have four to six days to increase from 75 to 100-500 cases! And about eight to 12 days to go from 500 to 1,000-5,000 cases!

Huyen removed her post on Tuesday, telling police that she knew the information was inaccurate and misleading to the public.

She said she did not have any reason for posting it.

Nguyen Xuan Son, director of the provincial Department of Information and Communications, said Huyens behaviour took advantage of online channels to impersonate individuals and spread fake news.

She was subjected to an administrative fine.

Eight new COVID-19 cases reported in central Da Nang

Eight more people in the central city of Da Nang have tested positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes the acute respiratory disease (COVID-19).

A street in Da Nang is blocked as the city began lockdown of COVID-19 hotspots on July 2819 cases reported in central Da Nang city

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said the total number of people who have contracted the disease since the first case back in January now stands at 446.

The new cases include five women, aged between 41 and 55, who had been taking care of family members being treated at Da Nang General Hospital.

Other new cases are a 19-year-old male patient at Da Nang Lung Disease Hospital, a 61-year-old female patient at C Da Nang Hospital and a 39-year-old female patient at Da Nang Transport Hospital.

There are currently 16,248 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering Vietnam from pandemic-hit regions in quarantine, including 375 at hospitals, 12,996 at other facilities, and 3,352 at home.

No deaths have been recorded in the country so far.

Hanoi orders people returning from Da Nang fill in health declarations

Hanoi authorities have ordered an estimated 15,000-20,000 local residents who recently returned from Da Nang to fill in health declarations, self-quarantine and cooperate with health officials for SARS-CoV-2 testing if required.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Ngo Van Quy made the order at a meeting of the citys Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control held on July 27 afternoon.

The move came after Vietnam confirmed 15 new cases of community transmission in Da Nang city and Quang Ngai province between July 25 and 27. The new cases were confirmed after the country had experienced 99 days without any community transmission of coronavirus.

Quy also told municipal agencies to take drastic measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

The agencies were required to manage quarantine areas, detect and prevent cases of illegal entry, prepare facilities if the city confirmed new cases of infection and ensure safety for more than 180,000 students who will sit the national high school exam on August 9 and 10, he said.

Also at the meeting, Tran The Cuong, Chairman of the Peoples Committee of Bac Tu Liem district, said a man of the districts Xuan Dinh ward who had been suspected of contracting the virus was confirmed as negative for SARS-CoV-2.

The man visited Da Nang city on July 13 and returned to Hanoi on July 26 with symptoms of cough and sore throat. He was then taken to Bac Thang Long Hospital for quarantine and testing. His relatives and people who directly contacted with him were also quarantined.

Nguyen Khac Hien, Director of the citys Health Department, said although Hanoi had experienced 103 days without new cases of COVID-19 in the community and all 121 COVID-19 patients had recovered, the pandemic was still complex.

Therefore, the local health sector had prepared facilities and equipment for the prevention and control of COVID-19, he said.

The health sector would take samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing at least twice for people who returned to the city from foreign countries and quarantine them. More tests would be taken after a month if necessary.

The health sector highly recommended local people avoiding travelling to provinces and cities with new cases. If local people had to go to the provinces and cities, they must seriously obey regulations on the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Additionally, local residents were told to wear masks in crowded places and wash their hands with sanitiser.

All offices, agencies and enterprises in the city must have hand sanitiser and conduct temperature checks for everyone who enters, he said.

Hien also tasked Peoples Committees at district-level to take responsibility for supervising health declarations and quarantine for people who recently returned to the city from Da Nang.

In a related move, the citys Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has adjusted its programmes and plans for tourism in the city. Some tourism activities that were planned for August will be postponed until further notice.

The tourism sector will work with the health sector to inspect the implementation of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control of local hotels registered to host foreign experts in the city.

Da Nang begins lockdown of COVID-19 hotspots

Barriers and guards were deployed to lock down four sections of streets surrounding three hospitals - General Hospital, C Hospital and Rehabilitation and Orthopaedics Hospital - which are quarantine and treatment centres for COVID-19 patients in the central city on July 28.

All citizens living in the isolated quarters were warned to stay at home, and only travel to buy food, daily necessities and medicine.

Public transport in six major districts of Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Ngu Hanh Son, Son Tra, Cam Le and Lien Chieu was stopped early on July 28 as the city began social distancing measures.

The General Hospital will send COVID-19 patients to Da Nang Lung Diseases Hospital for further treatment, while 100 in-patients with serious illness will be transported to Public Security Hospital No 199.

According to the citys health department, nearly 800 people have been quarantined at hospitals and health centres, of which 410 medical samples had been taken for SARS-CoV-2 testing.

Checkpoints have been set up in neighbouring Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces to check travellers from Da Nang. All people coming from Da Nang must declare their health and itinerary.

Thua Thien-Hue province has prepared 10,000 test kits for all local people and visitors, while temperature checks have been set up at Phu Bai Airport to monitor 7,000 arrivals at the airport and railway station.

The ancient city of Hoi An stopped tours from July 27, and asked for health declarations or isolation for all people coming from Da Nang.

Quang Ngai province - where two COVID-19 patients (No 370 and 419) were being treated  was quarantining 447 people who were in close contact with the two patients.

Four road check-points were arranged at entrances of Quang Ngai province to check people from Da Nang from July 27. The province officially halted hosting visitors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Investigation and health agencies have been tracking the remaining passengers who were on the bus with COVID-19 patient No 419. Only 20 people have been identified for quarantine and medical checks.

Hospitals ready to assist Da Nang in COVID-19 patient treatment

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has urged medical centres in other provinces and cities to share the burden with Da Nang as the central coastal city is now a hotspot of COVID-19.

After 15 community infection cases were recorded at three hospitals in Da Nang, doctors of Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi and Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City have come to Da Nang to offer assistance in treatment and medical equipment.

Da Nang Hospital has made arrangements to ensure quarantine and treatment conditions for severe cases.

Hue Central Hospital in neighbouring Thua Thien-Hue province is preparing equipment and infrastructure to receive critically-ill COVID-19 patients, especially those suffering from various diseases or on kidney dialysis, to share the burden with Da Nang.

During an online meeting with leading hospitals on July 28 on the treatment of COVID-19 patients, leaders of the Da Nang Hospital said among 15 active cases, two patients (No 416 and 418) are in critical condition.

Patient 416, the first locally-transmitted case found in Vietnam after more than three months, has been now on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for four consecutive days.

He is also on blood filtration and a breathing machine. His health indexes and body functions are in control.

Patient 418 was diagnosed with a severe acute respiratory infection and suffering from other conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes as well as kidney damage and increased white blood cells. Doctors are considering ECMO.

These two patients no longer have a fever, according to doctors.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, said: The treatment needs utmost efforts in order to avoid fatalities."

The pandemic is very dangerous. If we are negligent, we will see rapid developments, he said.

He asked the Ministry of Health to use technology in testing to trace the infection sources as soon as possible. Hospitals must strictly follow prevention and control regulations when receiving patients and get ready to offer help to others if necessary.

Society must take preventive measures, from immigration control, testing, quarantine to checking those exposed to infections, he said.

Seven more new COVID-19 cases were confirmed on July 28 in Da Nang city and Quang Nam province, taking the total count in the country to 438 as of 6pm of July 28, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Three COVID-29 patients were given the all clear on July 27 and one more on July 28, raising the number of recoveries to 369.

8 million face masks to be presented to COVID-19 forces, people in need

Some 8 million face masks will be presented to healthcare workers, police officers and border guard forces, and people in difficult circumstances during the fight against COVID-19, under a project funded by the CP Vietnam Corporations charitable fund.

The project was launched on July 28 in the south-central province of Binh Dinh, where the CPPC medical face mask plant invested by the CP corporation was also inaugurated on the same day.

Of the free face masks, 4 million will go to health workers, 1 million to border guard forces, 2.5 million to Vietnamese at home and abroad, and 500,000 to Thai citizens in Vietnam, said Le Nhat Thuy, deputy director general of CP and chairwoman of the CP charitable fund.

On the occasion, the project handed over 500,000 face masks as relief aid to officials involved in fighting the pandemic and people in need through the Vietnam Youth Federation and the Da Nang city young doctors association.

Located at the Phu Tai Industrial Park in Binh Dinhs capital Quy Nhon, the CPPC face mask plant uses machinery from Thailand and is expected to produce about 1.2 million masks a month.

Start-ups discuss ways to overcome COVID-19

The complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam as well as around the world has had large influence among enterprises, especially start-ups.

V-Startup collaborated with Thien Loc Communication JSC to organise the Vietnam Business Partnership Matching Day 2020 in Hanoi on July 28.

The event is an activity in the mission of developing markets for innovative start-ups under the Governments Project 844 to support an innovative national start-up eco-system.

The activity is organised to provide an overview of Vietnam's post social distancing and pandemic economic situation, and policies to support the Government's economic recovery, providing opportunities for businesses development, especially creative start-ups.

Another important purpose of the event is to create a connection between investors and young businesses.

It brought together representatives of State ministries and departments, as well as leading economic experts and investors.

The seminar sought to create a multifaceted ecosystem, connecting innovative start-ups to find solutions, jointly develop and recover the economy.

A representative from the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment said that the department had actively supported SMEs and start-ups through activities such as training, domestic and international seminars and conferences, start-up festivals and business matching events.

Experts at the meeting agreed customers habits have been changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, customers went out to markets and supermarkets to buy things. But the pandemic had made them shop online more.

Therefore, experts recommended enterprises push online marketing besides traditional methods.

Experts also said that enterprises should invest more in technology. As the pandemic is returning to the central city of Da Nang, experts noted that businesses should check their budget and expenses carefully. Online marketing is a channel that businesses should pay more attention to.

Enterprises are advised to learn more about online marketing so they can attract customers through images and videos as well as to survive fierce competitiveness.

Experts also advised enterprises to develop scenarios to respond to different development stages of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, some representatives from the enterprise side expressed wishes that they wanted the State agencies and relevant organisations to accelerate communications at the communal level so that more people could access information.

They also said that peoples knowledge of technology should be improved.

Cambodia to monitor all inbound flights

Cambodia will closely monitor flights to the countryafter announcing the cancellation of inbound flights from Malaysia and Indonesia from August 1.

Spokesperson of Cambodias Ministry of Health Or Vandine said that Cambodia realises that the majority of Cambodians flying to Cambodia from the US, France, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt and Mali had to transit in Malaysia and Indonesia, leading to a surge in the number of COVID-19 patients in the country.

She said that the postponement of the flights aims to minimise the risk of coronavirus spreading in Cambodia and transmissions among the community.

According to head of Cambodias State Secretariat of Civil Aviation Mao Havannal, the number of passengers flying to Cambodia increased after the Southeast Asian country removed ban of entry on citizens from six countries in June 2020.

Before COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, Phnom Penh welcomed 10,000 visitors each day via flights and nearly 15,000 in late months of 2019.

Since June 2020, it has received only 15-20 flights each day.

In August, Cambodian people will enjoy many holidays, raising concern about community transmission of the virus.

According to the ministry, on July 28 morning, Cambodia had recorded a total of 226 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 147 patients fully recovering. The 226th case was detected on a 32-year-old Indian man, who arrived in Cambodia on July 26 from India after transiting in Malaysia and the Republic of Korea.

230 Vietnamese brought home from Taiwan

Vietnamese authorities on July 28 coordinated with the Vietnam Economic-Culture Office in Taipei, Taiwan (China), low-cost carrier Vietjet Air, and relevant local agencies to conduct a flight bringing 230 Vietnamese citizens home.

The Vietnam Economic-Culture Office in Taipei actively supported Vietnamese citizens in completing the necessary procedures prior to boarding.

Security, safety, and hygiene measures were strictly implemented throughout the flight. After landing at Cam Ranh International Airport in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, all passengers and crew members had their body temperatures checked and were then quarantined, as regulated.

When required, Vietnamese agencies and representative offices abroad and airlines will conduct more flights bringing Vietnamese citizens stranded by COVID-19 home.

COVID-19 monitoring tightened at health facilities

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has issued an urgent dispatch requesting cities and provinces step up preventive measures at health facilities.

After going through 99 days without a community infection, since July 25, hospitals in Vietnam, especially in the central city of Da Nang, have detected a number of new COVID-19 cases, including among medical staff. The sources of the transmissions are yet to be identified.

The steering committee requested that peoples committees, directors of health departments, and heads of hospitals in cities and provinces nationwide quickly bring their disease prevention and control measures up to speed.

Such measures include tightening the implementation of COVID-19-related regulations at health facilities, making lists of and monitoring medical staff and patients linked to confirmed cases, and increasing screening work to promptly detect infections.

The Department for Management of Medical Examinations and Treatment as well as the inspection unit at the Health Ministry, and city and provincial health departments have been tasked with ensuring the dispatch is followed. These agencies have also been asked to propose the Health Ministry and the local peoples committees consider temporary closure of high-risk hospitals.

Vietnam Airlines flight carries stranded citizens in Equatorial Guinea home

A crew of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on July 28 left for Bata city of Equatorial Guinea to bring 219 stranded Vietnamese citizens home, a representative of the airline has said.

The aircraft departed from Hanoi at 7am and is projected to land at the Bata Airport at 1pm (local time) after 12 hours of flying.

It will stay at the airport for about two hours before returning home.

The returning flight is due to arrive in Vietnam on July 29 afternoon.

Doctors and nurses of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases also joined the crew to the African nation to ensure passengers health condition during the journey.

Crew members were equipped with special protective clothing while separate zones and air purifiers set up in the airplane.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc earlier requested that Vietnamese labourers in Equatorial Guinea be brought home immediately.

Since the first days of the pandemic combat, the Government leader has ordered flights to repatriate overseas Vietnamese citizens, and asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese embassies and representative offices abroad to do their utmost in citizen protection.

According to Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh, 16 of the 219 Vietnamese labourers in the host country tested positive for the coronavirus virus and 20 were suspected to have the virus late June. They have been quarantined and treated in line with local regulations.

The number of infections among the Vietnamese guest workers rose to 112 in early July.

Health ministry issues urgent notice to trace people who may have come into contact with COVID-19 cases

The Ministry of Health late Tuesday issued an urgent notice to trace people who have visited the venues or places where confirmed COVID-19 patients have been.

They called on anyone who has visited the following locations in a Nang City and Quang Nam Province  Viet Nams latest COVID-19 hotspots  to come forward and seek medical help as soon as possible.

In a Nang:

Intercontinental a Nang Hotel, Son Tra Peninsula, on July 17-18, 2020.

Bay Ban - Bai Ran restaurant, Hoang Sa Rd., Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District, from 17:30 to 20:00 on July 17.

Hai San Cua Bien (Seafood) Restaurant, 112 Vo Nguyen Giap Street, Phuoc My Ward, Son Tra District, at noon on July 18.

Phap Hoi Pagoda, 69 Nguyen Van Thoai Street, An Hai ong Ward, Son Tra District, on July 18 and July 25.

Thanh Khe ong badminton court, o Ngoc Du Street, Thanh Khe Ward, Thanh Khe District, during 2-4pm on July 19.

Noodles restaurant opposite of 152 Le Duan Street, Thach Thang Ward, Hai Chau District.

Limousine Cafe, 419 Nguyen Tat Thanh, Thanh Binh Ward, Hai Chau District, on July 20-23, 2020.

An Hai ong Market, K/54 Le Huu Trac, An Hai ong Ward, Son Tra District, from July 20-24, 2020.

Makeshift market (roadside food stall, specifically) along the Hai Phong Road, near ien Bien Phu Street, Thanh Khe Ward, from July 20-25, 2020.

Loi Cu Cafe, 07 Hai Phong Road, Thach Thanh Ward, Hai Chau District (near a Nang Hospital), at 7-7:15am on the morning of July 22, 2020.

Demen Coffee House, 89 Nguyen Trac Street, Hoa Cuong Bac Ward, Hai Chau District on the afternoon of July 23, 2020.

Phuc Tuu Hot Pot & Grill, 366 ong a Street, Thanh Binh Ward, Hai Chau District, at 4-5pm on July 24, 2020.

Highlands Coffee, 203 Ong Ich Khiem, Tan Chinh Ward, Thanh Khe District at 7-8pm on July 24, 2020.

Roadside eatery opposite 40 inh Tien Hoang Street, Thanh Binh Ward, Hai Chau District, the morning of July 25, 2020.

The restaurant in Cong oan (Union) Hotel, 2 Ong Ich Khiem Street, Thanh Binh Ward, Hai Chau District, at noon of July 25, 2020.

Hospital 199 (Ministry of Public Security), 216 Nguyen Cong Tru Street, An Hai Bac Ward, Son Tra District, the afternoon of July 26, 2020.

Son Tra Districts medical centre, 118 Ngo Quyen Street, An Hai Bac Ward, Son Tra District, in the afternoon of July 26, 2020.

In Quang Nam:

Ai Nghia intersection market, Ai Nghia township, ai Loc District, on July 22, 2020.

Giac Nguyen Pagoda, Ai Nghia township, ai Loc District, the night of July 24 and the morning of July 25, 2020.

Vinh uc General Hospital, 8A block, ien Ban District, on July 25, 2020.

In addition, all those who have been at these places are asked to call the hotlines 1900.9095 (Ministry of Health), 0905.108.844 (a Nang Centre for Disease Control), or 0914.085.388 (Quang Nam Centre for Disease Control) to give health authorities the phone numbers of the people who have come into close contact with them.

They must also self-quarantine at home, file a health status declaration at https://tokhaiyte.vn or download NCOVI app (the links for download can be found at https://ncovi.vn) and frequently submit information regarding their health.

Nearly 180 Vietnamese citizens flown home from Brunei

Nearly 180 Vietnamese citizens were flown home from Brunei on July 29 by budget carrier Vietjet Air.

The flight was arranged by Vietnamese authorities, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brunei, Lilama Corporation, Vietjet Air and Bruneis competent agencies.

The passengers included workers of Lilama whose contracts expired, stranded tourists and those in extremely disadvantaged circumstances.

The Vietnamese Embassy sent its staff members to help the citizens with boarding procedures at the airport.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, disease prevention measures were carried out during the flight. The flight crew and all passengers were also given heath examinations upon landing at Can Tho International Airport and then sent to a quarantine establishment in line with regulations.

Under the Prime Ministers direction, domestic authorities and Vietnams overseas representative agencies are making plans to fly more Vietnamese citizens home, depending on the citizens need and the countrys quarantine capacity.
With every passing day, I read news on potential COVID-19 vaccines. Yesterday, Moderna began their final stage trials on their vaccine, and Oxford/Astra Zeneca has been in third phase trials in recent weeks, along with Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Russias Gameleya institute, and Chinas Sinovac. So why is it that our liberal government is still tinkering with animal trials, while the US and the UK are nearing the finish line with their vaccines. It was also of great interest that the Moderna vaccine protects both against upper and lower respiratory infections in monkeys, as was published in a scientific journal today.

It is especially appalling that Canada has initially chosen to partner with SINOVAC for trials, an arm of the peoples liberation army for a vaccine, and China has now renegaded on the prospect by delaying sending the experimental vaccine to Canada. It appears now, that we will have to get in line behind other countries to wait for the COVID-19 vaccine. Under the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney, Connaught Laboratories, the only domestic producer of vaccines was sold off to Sanofi-Aventis. Even if Canada were to produce a vaccine, it would have nobody to produce it in volume to administer it, thus making any research useless.

It is also very questionable why health minister Patty Hajdu is delaying a decision on the $35-million pitch by Toronto-based Providence Therapeutics to begin human trials of a new, experimental vaccine technology that has been heavily funded in the United States.

It is even more shocking that the Canadian government has not solicited to be part of trials by Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Astra Zeneca, to ensure timely access to a covid-19 vaccine. This is incompetence to the tenth power on the part of our health minister Patty Hajdu. I strongly urge you write to our local member of Parliament, and express your outrage, and demand the resignation of Patty Hajdu as health minister.

Robert Hogue


The first time I ever made the decision to call 911 came late one Friday night last month when I watched a group of mostly young white people set fire to a car dealership across the street from my North Oakland apartment.

The sight caught me off guard because just a few minutes before, as I saw the group walk quietly up 40th Street toward Telegraph Avenue, I was thinking they were just the back portion of the Black Lives Matters protesters who had taken the same route about 30 minutes earlier, while chanting, No justice, no peace and George Floyd.

The new group was dressed the same as the earlier one  mostly black attire  but they werent holding signs and they were moving up the street mostly in silence. I happened to be close enough to them to make out most of their skin tones, especially that of the young man who broke into the building and started the fire. He was not Black.

Its time we, as Bay Area residents, elevate a conversation around local BLM and anti-police protests, and its one based around a simple truth: The fires, the vandalism, the confrontations with police happening at these gatherings are not solely, or even in many cases predominantly, being initiated by people of color. We also rarely make up the majority of the crowds at these gatherings.

Christian Monterrosa / Associated Press

After the group left my view, people on the Citizen app, used by community members to report crimes in their area, confirmed what I witnessed. Multiple accounts posted about a group of young white people terrorizing the neighborhood.

Saw a group of white kids on bikes hiding under a bunch of trees, one user said in a post not long after the car dealership fire. (Five) minutes later, they came out in different clothes.

Another user wrote: These are white anarchist teenagers. I live here where its happening and can see them. ... This is not related to the actual protests ... which will unfortunately discredit the movement.

Herein lies the problem. The BLM movement is orchestrated by and is intended to benefit Black people. As such, this group also gets blamed for what happens as a result of the protests, be it radical change in the criminal justice system or burned courthouses and damaged grocery stores.

But young Black protesters orchestrating peaceful gatherings in the Bay Area understand the inherent danger that accompanies such activities. Theyre there because Black people are killed by police at an alarming rate. To think most of these Black people want to initiate confrontations with armed law enforcement, the exact group whose unnecessary use of force against Black bodies is what theyre looking to address, is illogical.

In the early days of the protest, you could even see news outlets wrestling with how to attribute blame for protests that grew unruly  dog-whistle language like rioters or looters, words often applied to people of color, were thrown around often. It all perpetuated a long-standing stereotype that Black people in this country are lawless.

Christian Monterrosa / Associated Press

I see people of color trying to combat the narrative by posting videos on sites like Instagram and Twitter that show non-Black protesters setting fires or destroying property. Often, in the background, you can hear people asking the troublemakers to leave.

Something similar happened Saturday night, July 25, during a downtown Oakland protest intended to demand social justice and show solidarity for protesters who were standing off against federal agents in Portland, Ore., and it was captured on video. In it, a man and a woman, both people of color, can be seen chastising white people in the crowd who were looking to incite violence at the event.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

I want to make it really clear that some of you guys are here as allies, and yall need to check yourselves because your skin is a privilege, and our skin means death, the woman told the crowd. So when you all decide to act out ... check that ... because if we go up against the police, its not you all getting shot.

Her speech illustrates how Black people are aware of the framing of these protests, and we can tell control of it is slipping from our grasp. All of the demonstrations gaining prominence across the country, including the anti-police brutality protests, grew from the soil of BLM.

This is hard to remember when seeing what gets left behind after some protests, especially the graffiti. While I cant speak for all Black people, the young folks in my circle of friends dont run around using the word fascist, which you see scrawled on the walls everywhere, in reference to President Trump, after local protests. And the ACAB graffiti tags, which is an acronym for all cops are bastards, arent really our thing either. But thats what people are coming to associate with BLM.

The countrys racial reckoning is a play with multiple acts. Black protesters and white supporters have designated roles if its to be successful. It just so happens that the former stage players have more lines than the latter. And in this moment, if we cant adhere to these rules, we risk derailing a movement that carries with it the hopes of millions.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
In January of this year, Brennan says, he wrote to the current CIA director, Gina Haspel, after learning about the presidents order to keep him from receiving classified information. It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the Agencys refusal to grant my request reflects the current administrations desire to punish and retaliate against me for speaking out as a private citizen  an abuse of power designed to chill the exercise of my First Amendment rights, he argued.
The Department of Revenue has asked its commerce counterpart to review the coverage of export incentive scheme MEIS, so that the fiscal benefits under this programme can be brought down to Rs 9,000 crore this fiscal as it has not yielded "desired" results, sources said. The liability under the Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) ballooned to about Rs 45,000 crore in 2019-20, which is an "unsustainable" level, according to the finance ministry sources.

"The Department of Commerce has accordingly been requested to review the coverage of MEIS tariff lines and rates, so that the MEIS incentive for this fiscal is brought down to the level of Rs 9,000 crore," one of the sources said.

This saving shall be used for supporting the sectors that have potential to grow and contribute towards the Atmanirbhar Bharat and has higher potential for exports, they added.

The idea of reviewing the MEIS has been to use resource optimally and in a targeted way.

It has also requested the commerce department that MEIS incentives should be targeted and need calibration in a manner that it promotes exports instead of spreading incentives in a manner that does not yield the desired result, they said.

"Post COVID-19 pandemic, the government faces a serious fiscal constraint, and the limited resources are to be used optimally. Re-directing the resources to thought through the PLI (production-linked incentive) scheme and other schemes under the Atmanirbhar Bharat is the immediate need," another source said.

Explaining further, they said that over a period of time, MEIS was given at the rates varying from 2 per cent to 20 per cent and with such attractive investment, it was anticipated that exports would grow substantially and capture new markets.

However, the MEIS liability continued to grow all these years as its coverage grew.

The liability under the scheme ballooned to about Rs 45,000 crore in 2019-20, however, exports remained range bound. In 2014-15, the exports were USD 310 billion and in 2019-20, the figure was USD 313 billion.

"The scheme did not yield the desired result. Even with liberal application of the scheme across sectors and ever-increasing incentives under MEIS, the exports remained nearly stagnant during this period. This is despite the fact that during the same period, the rupee had devalued by about 20 per cent, giving as much additional gains to Indian exporters under the scheme," the sources added.

Under MEIS, the government provides duty benefits depending on product and country.

Rewards under the scheme are payable as percentage of realised free-on-board value and MEIS duty credit scrip can be transferred or used for payment of a number of duties, including the basic customs duty.

The MEIS scheme, introduced in April 2015, will be wound up by December 31, 2020, and the government has already announced the Remission of Duty or Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme to replace MEIS.

Under RoDTEP, the remission of embedded taxes and other levies on exports shall be allowed.

The commerce ministry has blocked the online system for exporters to apply for availing tax incentives under the MEIS scheme from July 23 as the Department of Revenue decided to limit the benefits under the scheme at Rs 9,000 crore for April-December 2020.

According to an office memorandum of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the Department of Revenue in May had conveyed that it may not be feasible to exceed MEIS allocation beyond Rs 9,000 crore for 2020-21 (up to December 2020).

The commerce department has requested its revenue counterpart to reconsider its decision, and a communication has also been sent by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 21.
Ashwini M Sripad By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: A virus is now sweeping cattle. Farmers in Karnataka, already crushed by the novel coronavirus, now have to deal with this. Thanks to the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), cows are yielding less milk, while bullocks are unable to plough. With a fall in milk sales in the past few months due to the Covid-19 situation, cattle farmers are now worried about this contagious disease. However, it does not affect human beings.

LSD is an infectious disease of cattle and buffaloes caused by a virus called Capripox. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and biting flies. Symptoms are high fever followed by development of stiff, round cutaneous nodules and fibrous tissue growth, which can be formed any day between 7 and 21 days.

The disease originated in Africa and has now spread across Europe, Kazakhstan and is also seen in Kerala and Odisha. Its been detected in Karnataka too, and since May, there is an increase in the number of cases.

Over 700 cases of LSD have been detected so far, mostly in a few villages in Ramanagaras Kanakapura taluk, Hoskote and KR Puram in Bengaluru, sources in the animal husbandry department said. In a few villages in Kanakapura, Hallikar calves  a native breed of Karnataka mainly used for draught purpose  are found to be affected with LSD.

The disease is seasonal, starting in the wet summer and going on till the end of the monsoon because this is the breeding season for biting flies. The infected cattle are to be kept in isolation. Disinfectant has to be sprayed in cattle-sheds, and in case of death, the carcass has to be buried deep inside the earth.

Dr B M Veeregowda, Associate Professor at Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, said this disease can be controlled by using Goat Pox vaccine. Early detection can avoid spread. Affected animals may be treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and anti-histamines, besides supportive medicines such as liver tonics and fly repellents, he said.
Archbishop Philip Tartaglia opens the doors of St Andrew Cathedral in Glasgow - Getty Images Europe

Scotland's Catholic bishops has warned that possessing the Bible could become an offence under the SNP's controversial hate crime laws.

The Catholic Church said the legislation created an offence of possessing inflammatory material and expressed concern the "low threshold" to meet this test "could render material such as the Bible...as being inflammatory under the new provision".

In a submission to a Holyrood inquiry, the Bishops' Conference of Scotland their belief that a person's sex and gender are "not fluid and changeable" may also fall foul of the legislation.

They said "without an appropriate freedom of expression provision" such views, "which are widely held, would not be protected".

Echoing previous criticisms that the legislation is too vague, the submission said that "how hatred is defined is not clear which leaves it open to wide interpretation" and this could "lead to vexatious claims having to be dealt with by police".

Their submission was published the day after the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill could mean officers "determining free speech", leading to a breakdown in relations with the public.

The proposed new law would make "stirring up hatred" against certain groups a criminal offence, even if a person making the remarks had not intended to do so or made them in private. Those convicted face up to seven years in prison.

Calum Steele, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation outlines the possible ramifications of the Hate Crime Bill. pic.twitter.com/orrdSFbdP8  Free to Disagree (@_freetodisagree) July 29, 2020

Anthony Horan, director of the Catholic parliamentary office, said: "Whilst acknowledging that stirring up of hatred is morally wrong and supporting moves to discourage and condemn such behaviour, the bishops have expressed concerns about the lack of clarity around definitions and a potentially low threshold for committing an offence, which they fear, could lead to a 'deluge of vexatious claims'.

Story continues

"A new offence of possessing inflammatory material could even render material such as the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church ... inflammatory."

"The Catholic Church's understanding of the human person, including the belief that sex and gender are not fluid and changeable, could fall foul of the new law."

He added: "Allowing for respectful debate means avoiding censorship and accepting the divergent views and multitude of arguments inhabiting society."

An important thread by policy analysis team @mbmpolicy



The injection of 'stirring up' offences into the current, highly-charged political discourse could see feminists criminalised for defending sex-based rights. https://t.co/ZaKllUbTyD  Free to Disagree (@_freetodisagree) July 29, 2020

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ""Religious beliefs are an integral part of Scottish society and this Bill does not change that in any way. The Bill does not criminalise religious beliefs or practices and possessing a Bible would not constitute an offence."
After being promoted to a deputy chief, Chicago police officer Dion Boyd was found dead inside his office on Tuesday with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Boyd served the Chicago police force for 30 years. He died at age 57.

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said that they are extremely saddened by the loss of a respected member of their staff.

"We are shocked, saddened at the loss, and it's deeply felt by me and the many colleagues and friends with whom Deputy Chief Dion Boyd worked and mentored throughout his career," Brown was quoted in a report.

According to a report, Boyd was promoted deputy chief of criminal work, which focuses on gang and drug investigations.

An autopsy will be on Wednesday. Boyd's body was taken to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office in a long procession.

Community Mourning

Chicago Mayor Mori Lightfoot said her condolences on Twitter.

Lightfoot said that they are at a loss of words by the passing of Boyd.

The mayor reminded police officers, "We want you to know that you are deserving of help and healing, and no one needs to struggle alone."

Brown talked about the family and friends Boyd left behind, saying that many lives will be changed forever from now on.

He added that Boyd's presence would be greatly missed and asked people to pray for his family and friends.

Chief Dion Boyd's Career

Boyd served as a field lieutenant earlier in his career in the Calumet patrol district. This covers the Far South Side neighborhoods like Roseland and West Pullman.

He was also a sergeant in the Bureau of Internal Affairs and a detective unit.

People who worked with Boyd described him as an upbeat and positive boss who wants his officers to do their best.

One colleague said that he was always happy and always appeared to be in good spirits, a report says.

The colleague remembered Boyd encouraging him, so other bosses notice and promote him even further.

A former top-ranking Chicago police official, Keith Calloway, said that he knew Boyd for more than 20 years.

Calloway said Boyd always worked hard and was always easy going to work with.

A supervisor, who was not allowed to speak on the record, said that Boyd always made sure that the officers were OK.

"He would say, 'listen, you go through these downtimes, but everything is going to get better. Just hang in there,' " Boyd's supervisor was quoted.

The supervisor said that Boyd's suicide was just a reminder that no matter how beautiful someone looks like outside, you still need to check on them.

Boyd was also a commander/executive officer of Area 1 and commander of the 2nd District.

Suicide Cases in the Chicago Police Force

Boyd would be the 10th Chicago police to die by suicide in two years if his death was ruled by suicide.

Justice Department's 2017 review found that the suicide rate was 60 percent higher than the national average.

Brown called on his colleagues, saying that should be no shame in reaching out for help.

"If you see any signs that your colleagues are having trouble coping with stress, please check in on them and let them know you're there," Brown was quoted in a report.

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Every morning, 95-year-old World War II vet John Mastrocola rises at 8 a.m., sets up his lawn chair alongside Litchfield Street, outside his home, and waves his American flag at passersby.

He became a fixture for locals in his town of Torrington, Connecticut, who came to expect his patriotic greeting each day; and they recently returned the Navy veterans goodwill gesture with a car parade in his honor.

Mastrocola stood, smiled, and saluted as dozens of cars rolled by, flags flying and honking horns, in a show of patriotism and appreciation along Litchfield Street.

Photograph courtesy of Ken Buckbee, Past President  Connecticut Society, Sons of the American Revolution (20032006)

This is what I fought for, the former sailor said. And once you disrespect the flag, the country goes down the tubes. These days, too few people in America respect the country they call home, the 95-year-old vet said.

The patriotic veteran is dying of cancer. Nevertheless, he says it is his final mission in life to fly the American flag.

I am one of the very few World War II veterans left so before I leave I want them to remember John Never Surrender Mastrocola, he told Fox 61.

He adds, Im dying of cancer. Im less than 100 poundsbut as long as I can keep coming out here, I will. When you dont see me out here then youll know.

All cars were welcome for the event, the parade organizer said, and they expected around 50 people to participate.

Meanwhile, shows of support for the American flag have been popping up in other places around the country recently.

Last month, a father and son from the community of Seaford, New York, started putting up flags on utility poles in their neighborhood as a way to spend time together during the lockdown because of the virus and also for the father to teach his son an important lesson.

Members of the public responded with honks of support and wishes of God Bless America.

It soon caught on when the father, Eric Uss, started a Facebook group Flags Fly High, and members of the community started joining in the flag-raising, putting up hundreds of the stars and stripes across Seaford.

Uss told Fox the purpose was to teach his son how meaningful such a small gesture could be. And I wanted him to see that something so small could be so big, and it could be an amazing, amazing positive change, he said.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
BOGOTA, July 29 (Reuters) - Colombia's government on Wednesday sent a 2021 budget proposal of 314 trillion pesos ($84.4 billion) - 8.3% higher than this year's - to Congress, the finance ministry said.

The 2020 budget was increased to 290 trillion pesos from a lower original figure to meet needs arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill, which must be approved by Congress before Oct. 20, includes proposed investment of 53.1 trillion pesos in 2021, up 23% on 2020 investment forecasts.

Latin America's fourth-largest economy was forced to abandon plans to keep lowering its fiscal deficit, as it had in recent years, amid increased demand for resources during a COVID-19 lockdown. Colombia is expected to increase its debt load drastically this year and next, risking its credit ratings.

"This government is committed to recovering the growth trends and job creation seen before the arrival of the pandemic," Finance Minister Alberto Carrasquilla said in a statement.

The budget is predicated on an economic growth target of 6% for 2021, compared with a forecast contraction of 5.5% in 2020, and uses a fiscal deficit target for 2021 of 5.1% of gross domestic product.

The proposal allocates 185 trillion pesos for government operating costs, 11% more than this year, while proposed debt payments will rise 42% to 75.9 trillion pesos.

The government will also allocate 42.5 trillion pesos for pensions, while the education, defense and health sectors will receive 47 trillion pesos, 39 trillion pesos and 36 trillion pesos, respectively.

($1 = 3,718.69 Colombian pesos) (Reporting by Nelson Bocanegra; Writing by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Dan Grebler)
MEXICO CITY - Mexicos Supreme Court avoided taking up substantively the issue of abortion Wednesday by rejecting an injunction issued by a judge on technical grounds.

Anti-abortion groups celebrated the decision and feminist organizations criticized the court for using technicalities to dodge the issue.

In Mexico, abortion in the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy is allowed only in Mexico City and the southern state of Oaxaca. But federal law allows abortion in situations where the woman was a victim of rape without establishing any time period to carry out the procedure.

The case before the Supreme Court judges centred on an injunction granted in Veracruz state that ordered the state legislature to remove articles from its criminal code that criminalized abortion and limited access to it in cases of rape.

Womens groups believed that if the Supreme Court upheld the injunction they could have used a similar tactic in other states that have not changed state legislation to be in line with federal abortion law.

The justices on Wednesday voted 4 to 1 that the Veracruz legislature had not failed to act on the federal governments instruction, because there was already law on the subject. The dissenting judge argued current Veracruz law runs against the dignity and health of women and international conventions signed by Mexico.

Veracruz law only allows abortion in the case of rape, requires an existing police report and only within 90 days.

Veronica Cruz, a lawyer and director of the non-profit organization Las Libres, said the case before the court was not going to decriminalize abortion, nor declare unconstitutional abortion as a crime.

It only tried to say that Veracruz state lawmakers should legislate in line with a federal government recommendation in late 2017, she said.

Read more about:
It is critical to build up the export potential of Ukraine, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal emphasized during a sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers on July 29.

Shmyhal reminded that he and Government officials had visited PJSC "Kryukiv Railway Car Building Works" during yesterdays working trip to Poltava region.

"It is important to ensure that such strategic enterprises have plenty of work and are able to provide products to Ukraine and export our products abroad," the Prime Minister noted, Government portal informs.

Shmyhal stressed that the Government had a vision for the development of the industrial sector. In particular, it is critical to build up Ukraine's export potential.

"I will ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to reform certain diplomatic missions. It is crucial to reorient them to support the export potential of our producers," the Prime Minister said.

In addition, the Prime Minister authorized the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade, and Agriculture to develop initiatives allowing national car builders and metallurgists to receive a constant flow of orders.

"Yesterday, we discussed a plan for 3-5 years which would allow companies to feel confident and develop their production strategies," Denys Shmyhal summed up.

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Google is reportedly in the midst of convincing Samsung to prioritize Assistant and the Play Store over Bixby and the Korean companys own app store. According to Bloomberg and Reuters, the tech giants are discussing a new global revenue-sharing deal that would give Google more control over Samsungs devices. Google has apparently been urging Samsung to give Assistant and its Play Store app more prominence on its devices for quite a while now. Samsung hasnt been receptive, however, because it has its own voice AI and app store strategy  it even gave its devices dedicated Bixby buttons.

The Korean tech giant may now be more willing to accept the deal, considering the coronavirus pandemics effect on the whole mobile industry. While Samsungs mobile division saw profits increase in the first quarter of 2020 when compared to the previous quarter, its smartphone sales ultimately declined by 20 percent, according to Gartner. Reuters says Googles new proposal contains more lucrative terms than their previous deals in an effort to make it even more enticing.

Its still unclear whether the agreement would force Samsung to drop Bixby and its app store entirely or, as Bloomberg says, whether it simply has to make those services less integrated on its own devices. Neither company confirmed the negotiations when the publication asked for a statement.

A Google spokesperson said:

Like all Android device makers, Samsung is free to create its own app store and digital assistant. Thats one of the great features of the Android platform. And while we regularly talk with partners about ways to improve the user experience, we have no plans to change that.

Samsungs statement reads:
Coronavirus has caused havoc all over the world. The WHO has warned people about the coronavirus. WHO now says, "People should not live in any kind of misconception that coronavirus is a seasonal disease that will reduce with the changing seasons". Recently, World Health Organization spokeswoman Margaret Harris said in a virtual briefing, "The coronavirus epidemic is a big wave."

According to her, "Do not be negligent about this virus during the summer season. Recently Harris said that the coronavirus is not like any common influenza, which will reduce as the weather changes." WHO officials have also expressed concern about the growing cases of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. She said that "This virus is beyond the control of humans, although together we can stop it from spreading". Harris said, "We are still struggling with the first wave of Coronavirus. This is going to be a big wave which is going up and down but the best thing is that we can make this curve flat."

It was said earlier that the corona will end in the summer season. But pointing to the growing cases of corona in the US during the summer season, Harris said, "We need to be more vigilant and follow safety rules." She also warned people not to gather in bulk. People are still seeing it as a seasonal disease. We all need to understand that this is a new virus, which is behaving differently and this virus is going to live in every season."

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Security guards stand in front of the City International Hospital in Binh Tan District, HCMC, July 29, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Vui.

A HCMC hotel was locked down while a nearby hospital stopped receiving patients for three days effective Wednesday due to two suspected Covid-19 infections.

The City International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City's Binh Tan District would not receive patients nor contractors for the duration, it announced Wednesday morning.

Two suspected Covid-19 cases, associated with City International and Cho Ray Hospital, were announced by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, pending confirmation.

A hotel opposite Cho Ray Hospital on District 11s Nguyen Chi Thanh Street has also been put under lockdown. Having lodged one of the suspected Covid-19 cases, the hotel was disinfected Tuesday night.

It currently has five employees and 48 guests, of which four staff had direct contact with the suspected case, a visitor from Da Nang in central Vietnam, now the country's largest Covid-19 hotspot.

The remaining employee and guests have self-isolated inside the hotel. As of noon Wednesday, the hotel has been guarded by police and related security personnel. Those entering and exiting have all been requested to wear masks and sanitize their hands.

HCMC has confirmed 61 Covid-19 cases so far, all having recovered.

Vietnam has reported 446 Covid-19 cases, 77 of them active. A 99-day streak without local transmission ended on Saturday when a 57-year-old man in Da Nang was infected.

29 more cases of community transmission have been recorded since. The authorities are still identifying the source of infection.

Hanoi shut down a pizza restaurant Wednesday morning after a man working there, who returned from Da Nang recently, was suspected to be infected.
Around 800 million years ago, an asteroid 100 KM wide broke up in space and hurtled into the Earth and moon. Scientists believe that the strike was thirty times more impactful than the asteroid that was responsible for killing the dinosaurs. Scientists can study the size and impact craters on different parts of the moon and estimate the ages of the scars. This technique is known as Crater Chronology. Researchers from the Osaka University in Japan are conducting further studies on this and have drawn a conclusion on these techniques.

Also read: NASA Warns Of Huge Asteroid 2020 ND, 160 Metres In Diameter, To Approach Earth On July 24

Studying moon craters gives an idea about meteors and asteroids that would have hit Earth millions of years ago

Image Credits: NASA Goddard Youtube

Researchers found that while the evidence of the strikes on the Earth has changed over the years, on the moon, there is almost no erosion. This allowed the scientists to reconstruct the history of 60 large craters.

Image Credits: NASA Goddard Youtube

A media portal reported that the moons face is marred by thousands of craters. These are assumed to have created by whizzing space rocks that pelted the early solar system. Researchers believe that observations of lunar craters could reveal a lot about ancient impacts on Earth.

It is so because the craters on the moon do not erode as they do on Earth. Earth has seen older craters than 600 million years ago being weathered into nothingness. This happens due to volcanic activity, erosion, and other geological factors.

Also read: Comet, Asteroid & Meteoroid Flying By Earth In 2020; Know How They Differ From Each Other

Ice Age of the Earth was probably caused by asteroids that hit the Earth millions of years ago

Image credits: Pixabay

Researchers have found an interesting perspective on a dramatic climate shift in Earth. The earth went through a glacial period which is also known as snowball Earth. During that period, the planet had undergone a global deep freeze in which the entire surface of the earth was covered in ice.

Explaining further, researchers told a media portal that the Earth was covered from pole to pole with ice. Earlier scientists had suspected that volcanoes or other factors of the Earth had led to the big chill. However, new studies on lunar evidence indicate that asteroids and meteors hitting the Earth might have been the cause of ice age.

It has been reported by a media portal that new lunar evidence shows that the trigger may have originated in space. The snowball Earth may have been a result of an asteroid bombardment.

Scientists from the Osaka university told a media portal that Lunar crater chronology provides new insight into external forcing from asteroids. It has been further reported that asteroids might have driven global environmental change.

Also read: Asteroid 2011 ES4 As Big As Edinburgh's Tron Kirk Will Pass By The Earth Soon: NASA

Also read: Surat Girls Discover Near-Earth Asteroid HLV2514 Which Will Pass Earth In Distant Future

Image credits: Pixabay
A Harvard University professor accused of lying to authorities about his ties to a China-run recruitment program and funding he allegedly received from the Chinese government for research has been hit with new federal tax charges.

Dr Charles Lieber, the former chair of Harvard's chemistry and chemical biology department, was charged with failing to report income he received from China's Wuhan University of Technology under an indictment filed on Tuesday in Boston.

The 61-year-old is now facing two counts of failing to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts and two counts of making and subscribing a false income tax return - on top of the two counts of making false statements to federal authorities that he pleaded not guilty to in June.

Lieber's lawyer Marc Mukasey professed his client's innocence in a statement, saying: 'He didn't hide anything, and he didn't get paid as the government alleges.'

Dr Charles Lieber (pictured in January) was indicted on four new federal charges for failing to report income he received from China's Wuhan University of Technology on Tuesday

Lieber was arrested on the first two charges back in January and now faces up to 25 years in prison and $1.2million in fines from all six charges.

His lawyer had vowed to fight the charges and insists that the 'government has this wrong'.

Lieber's case is one of the highest-profile to emerge from a US Justice Department crackdown on Chinese influence within universities amid concerns about spying and intellectual property theft by the Chinese government.

The case centers on China's Thousand Talents Program, which US authorities say China uses to entice overseas Chinese citizens and foreign researchers to share their knowledge with China in exchange for perks including research funding.

The US government has dubbed the program 'academic espionage' and designated it as a danger to national security, due to concern about spying and intellectual property theft by Chinese authorities.

Prosecutors allege Lieber became a 'strategic scientist' at Wuhan University of Technology in 2011, and from 2012 to 2015 contractually participated in the Thousand Talents Program.

Under his contract, Lieber was paid up to $50,000 a month and living expenses of up to $158,000, prosecutors said. He also was awarded more than $1.5 million to establish a research lab, the prosecutors said.

Lieber was first arrested in January and charged with two counts of lying to federal investigators about his ties to a China-run recruitment program and research funding he allegedly received from the Chinese government. He is seen outside Boston court in January

Lieber has been working at Harvard (pictured in a file photo) since 1991. He was placed on indefinite paid leave following his arrest in January

Prosecutors allege Lieber became a 'strategic scientist' at Wuhan University of Technology (pictured) in China in 2011

In exchange, Lieber allegedly agreed to organize international conferences, publish articles and apply for patents in the university's name.

However, at the same time, Lieber was serving as the Principal Investigator of the Lieber Research Group at Harvard University, which received more than $15million in research grants from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Department of Defense (DOD).

As part of that funding arrangement, Lieber was required to disclose potential financial conflicts of interest and all foreign collaboration. Prosecutors allege he did not follow through with this.

During a 2018 interview with federal investigators, prosecutors say Lieber falsely stated that he was never asked to participate in the Thousand Talents Program.

When the US National Institutes of Health, which funded his research, asked Harvard whether he had failed to disclose his ties to the program, Lieber allegedly had the Ivy League school falsely claim he had not participated in it.

Harvard officials also allegedly told NIH that 'Wuhan University of Technology continued to falsely exaggerate' Liber's involvement with them.

Lieber has worked at Harvard since 1991. A biography on the school's website - which is still publicly accessible - states that the acclaimed professor has published over 340 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is the principal inventor on more than 35 patents'.

Lieber was placed on 'indefinite' paid leave following his arrest in January.

Harvard University spokesperson Jonathan L Swain released a statement at the time, which read: 'The charges brought by the U.S. government against Professor Lieber are extremely serious. Harvard is cooperating with federal authorities, including the National Institutes of Health.'
Philadelphia area licensed liquor establishments have received the most compliance checks by state police, to date, who are ensuring that restaurants and bars are following the states COVID-19 requirements.

On Monday and Tuesday, Pennsylvania State Police Liquor Control Enforcement Officers visited 1,650 licensed liquor establishments. Twenty-six warnings were issued statewide and one notice of violation for failing to follow state COVID-19 requirements was administered in the Philadelphia area, according to state police.

Compliance checks are unannounced and can happen anywhere, but officers focus on investigating areas considered COVID hot spots. Officers are ensuring that restaurants and bars are adhering to social distancing, masking, and other health and safety requirements of the liquor code.

Enforcement in the Harrisburg area remains at the bottom of the list. On July 27 and 28, four warnings were given.

Here is the list to date of the total number of licensee checks that have occurred during the pandemic, as well as the number of warnings given on those two days.

Philadelphia: Total licensee checks  419; warnings  4; notice of violation  1

Pittsburgh: Total licensee checks  333; warnings  9

Allentown: Total licensee checks  333; warnings  2

Wilkes-Barre: Total licensee checks  215; warnings  1

Erie: Total licensee checks  95; warnings  2

Punxsutawney: Total licensee checks  81; warning  0

Altoona: Total licensee checks  74; warning  0

Williamsport: Total licensee checks  63; warning  4

Harrisburg: Total licensee checks  37; warning  4

The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement reviews each case. During the investigation, the name of the establishment is not shared.

A notice of violation precedes the issuance of an administrative citation, which is civil in nature, and is intended to provide licensed liquor establishments notifications of the nature of violation(s) discovered, according to police.

Among other requirements, all businesses and employees in the restaurant and retail foodservice industry authorized to conduct in-person activities are mandated to:

Require all customers to wear masks while entering, exiting or otherwise traveling throughout the restaurant or retail foodservice business (face masks may be removed while seated). Further, employees are required to wear masks at all times.

Provide at least six feet between parties at tables or physical barriers between customers where booths are arranged back to back.

Ensure maximum occupancy limits for indoor and outdoor areas are posted and enforced.

Violators may face administrative citation by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. Continued violations put an establishments liquor license at risk, either through the citation process or upon application for renewal. More information is available on the enforcement page of the state police COVID-19 portal .

Complaints regarding licensees not complying with COVID-19 mitigation mandates may be directed to the BLCE at 1-800-932-0602 or reported through the BLCEs online complaint form .

READ MORE

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KOMSOMOLSK-ON-AMUR, Russia -- Police in Russia's Far East have detained three people who demonstrated in support of the arrested former governor of the Khabarovsk Krai region.

A coordinator of the opposition Open Russia organization, Sergei Naumov, told RFE/RL that Svetlana Dilman, her son Yevgeny, and an activist known as Dmitry were detained in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur on July 29.

"Svetlana told me by phone that five police officers severely beat her son while they detained him," Naumov said.

Police officials in Komsomolsk-on-Amur were not available for immediate comment.

In the regional capital, Khabarovsk, supporters of former Governor Sergei Furgal rallied on July 29 for the 19th straight day, demanding the resignation of President Vladimir Putin.

Demonstrators have been protesting in the city of 600,000 people since July 11, with their numbers reaching tens of thousands on weekends.

Smaller demonstrators have been held in towns and cities in Khabarovsk Krai and adjacent regions.

Khabarovsk Krai residents overwhelmingly voted for Furgal, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), 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 2004-05. He denies the allegations.

Putin has appointed Mikhail Degtyaryov, also an LDPR member, as acting regional governor.

Authorities are said to be unnerved by the rallies in Furgals support, with Khabarovsks mayor saying such demonstrations were illegal and could help the spread of the coronavirus.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has warned of an alleged terrorist threat involving explosives, which it claimed to have foiled.

In addition, the regional authorities have said they were considering a return to strict quarantine measures, citing the difficult situation with the spread of coronavirus infection.
Eric Sierra knows how to code. Hes been running the robotics club at Ancaster Meadow Elementary School for years, teaching his Grade 7 and 8 students how to use computer programming tools that bring inanimate objects to life.

Its an incredibly important skill for students to learn at a young age, says the math teacher.

Thats why, when the Ontario government announced an updated math curriculum in June that includes coding and personal finance lessons for elementary students, Sierra was excited. The new changes to the curriculum are long overdue and match the current needs of students, he says.

But Sierra, like several teachers unions in Ontario, have reservations about the timing of the new curriculum.

The June announcement gives elementary teachers a two-month window to become acquainted with the new curriculum and determine how to teach it to their students. While teachers like Sierra are familiar with several elements of the new curriculum, like coding and personal finance tools, others will have to learn the material themselves before learning how to teach it.

Already, four Ontario teachers unions have issued a letter to Ontarios Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, about the updated math lessons, decrying the timing of the announcement and calling for the government to phase-in the curriculum over two years.

Its poor timing, to say the least, said Nick De Koning, a union representative for the Hamilton-Wentworth chapter of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. Teachers have enough to figure out with returning to school in September. An entirely new curriculum is just an added stressor.

While critics say the change to the curriculum is necessary, they argue that the announcement gives teachers an unusually limited time to familiarize themselves with the new material.

Its too short a timeline. Teachers dont have much of a chance to discuss the new curriculum, learn the materials, or learn how theyre going to teach it to students, said Kim Langen, CEO of Toronto-based organization Spirit of Math, which teaches after-school math classes for students.

Unlike high school teachers, some individual elementary teachers are often tasked with teaching several different subjects to students, requiring them to have an understanding of topics ranging from French to math.

Langen says she often encounters teachers with math anxiety, who can teach students most elementary concepts but struggle with teaching math effectively.

Its not that you cant include these new additions to the curriculum, said Langen. But more advanced notice, giving teachers the ability to develop a teaching plan, would help students actually learn these subjects.

Sierra says he likely wont have difficulty with the new curriculum, but recognizes that teachers without the same background knowledge of coding and personal finance lessons will have to familiarize themselves with the subject matter.

In an email to The Spectator, Ingrid Anderson, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, said the ministry is committed to supporting board, administrators and teachers in implementing this new curriculum through a variety of training and resources, which will be available throughout the summer and fall.

Anderson said the ministry will host educator webinars in August and September for elementary teachers.

For the 2020-21 school year, the ministry allocated $15 million for educator release time to engage in professional learning opportunities, Anderson said.
The Berlin University Alliance and the University of Oxford are taking forward their research partnership with the establishment of a Centre for Advanced Studies.

The Centre for Advanced Studies funds cooperating groups consisting of up to ten fellows working together. These cooperating groups are to conduct research on topics relating to the Berlin University Alliance's Grand Challenge Initiatives. The Grand Challenge Initiatives will be examining particularly relevant global challenges, such as the current issues of Global Health and Social Cohesion. The Centre is funded under the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Lander by the Berlin University Alliance and improves the parameters for making Oxford/Berlin collaborative research partnership more flexible from an organizational point of view and strengthening the exchange of expertise across national borders.

The cooperating groups should collaborate on an interdisciplinary basis and develop joint research ideas. The first group will be starting as a virtual group in 2020 and will focus on questions related to Social Cohesion. There are plans for a total of three cooperation groups for which the Berlin University Alliance will provide up to 300,000 euros each. The funding is intended to provide financial support for fellows of the centre and their research, as well as to enable summer schools and final conferences. The format is intended to provide maximum organizational flexibility for each cooperation, the structure of which can be chosen by the collaborating groups themselves. Flexible funding opportunities should also promote mobility for researchers and graduate students from Berlin and Oxford working on joint projects.

Governing Mayor and Senator for Higher Education and Research Michael Muller says: "I am delighted to see how the cooperation between Berlin and Oxford has grown and evolved in recent years and how researchers are working together to take on the big issues of our time, such as social cohesion and global health. Both Berlin and Oxford are centers of science and research, and they are retaining their close ties regardless of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. Their strong relationship makes an important contribution to German-British cooperation. By the Oxford/Berlin partnership, we are bolstering our city as an international research hub."

Prof. Dr. Gunter M. Ziegler, President of Freie Universitat Berlin and spokesperson for the Berlin University Alliance, highlights: "Oxford and Berlin are a better match than it might seem at first glance: in top research, diversity of subjects, infrastructure of museums and collections, and at both universities, many outstanding researchers full of enthusiasm for collaborative work and creative exchange - in short, a 'match made in heaven'. I am pleased that the Oxford/Berlin partnership is now taking this next big step towards long-term cooperation."

Prof. Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford says: "Oxford University has always valued its status as an international university and, now - possibly more than ever before - we must reaffirm the importance of maintaining international links between academics, researchers and students. Oxford's partnership with the Berlin University Alliance has already delivered important advances in research and scholarship, and the formation of a Centre for Advanced Studies promises to achieve much more. We are extremely grateful to our partners in Berlin for taking the lead on the establishment of the Centre and look forward to the participation of Oxford colleagues in its activities over the coming years."

###

The Oxford/Berlin Research Partnership

The University of Oxford and the Berlin University Alliance formed a research partnership at the end of 2017, and over the next two years jointly provided funding for around 40 workshops and smaller initiatives in all disciplines. More than 1,000 researchers and students from Berlin and Oxford have been involved in the partnership's programs so far, benefitting from over 1 million euros of funding. The Berlin University Alliance has allocated 1.1 million euros to fund three cooperating groups at the Centre for Advanced Studies over the next three years.

The Berlin University Alliance

The Berlin University Alliance is a consortium consisting of three major Berlin universities - Freie Universitat Berlin, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Technische Universitat Berlin - and Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin, established to shape research and education in Berlin. The four partners joined forces to further develop Berlin as a research hub with international drawing power. Together the partners explore major societal challenges, increase public outreach, promote the training of junior researchers, address issues of quality and standards in research, and share resources in the areas of research infrastructure, teaching, diversity, equal opportunities, and internationalisation. The Berlin University Alliance is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the state of Berlin under the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Lander. Researchers from at least two of the four partners Freie Universitat Berlin, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Technische Universitat Berlin, and Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin already work together in all seven Clusters of Excellence based in Berlin, in 70 percent of the partners' 30 Collaborative Research Centres funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), and in more than 75 percent of the partners' 47 doctoral programmes. Since 2012, researchers within the Berlin University Alliance have won six Leibniz Prizes (the most important research award in Germany) and 55 ERC Grants from the European Research Council.
DETROIT, MI  The federal government is sending additional law enforcement to Detroit, but officials say the agents will be targeting gun violence, not protesters.

At a Wednesday morning news conference, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced the expansion of Operation Legend, an initiative named after a 4-year-old who was fatally shot in June. The plan is to send 42 federal agents from the FBI, DEA, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshals to Detroit to fight gun and gang violence.

The city will also get $1 million to combat gang and gun violence from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Schneider cited a spike in violent crime as the reason. He said homicides have increased by 31% in Detroit.

These numbers keep going up. This flood in violence keeps threatening our safety. More and more, our children are being caught in the crossfire and murdered in senseless gun violence, Schneider said, referring to the May 21 death of Nathaniel Mesiah Roby, a 4-year-old who was shot in his home.

White House to send federal agents into Detroit to restore safety in U.S. cities

I hope someone will come up and step forward not only for Nathaniel but ... hopefully for any other day and any other kid that was murdered by a senseless person his mother Marlisha Roby said.

The FBI announced a $25,000 reward on Wednesday for information leading to the arrest of the suspects involved.

Schneider was quick to say that federal agents were not coming to Detroit to interfere with protests.

I know there are nationwide protests and disruptions as well. I think theres a higher level of tension right now in the country, Schneider said. I dont think its a coincidence that theres a great amount of disrespect and hatred to police officers in our country right now.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig was not at the press conference, but he and Mayor Mike Duggan issued a response shortly afterward.

We believe there is no lawful basis for Homeland Security intervention in the Detroit protests today, or for any increased presence of Homeland Security agents in our community, the statement said. Todays announcement appears to respect that position.

The additional agents were not sought by the city, according to the statement, which also said that the Detroit Police Department will continue its strong partnership with the federal authorities as long as they enforce laws on illegal gun trafficking and violence.

We have to address the unacceptable level of gun violence in Detroit through greater efforts by federal, state, county, DPD, and community partners all working together. We hope todays announcement will prove to be an important step in that direction, Duggan said in a tweet.

Detroit among 7 cities targeted by Feds for violent crime crackdown

Schneider stressed the deployment is not about the protests, which erupted nationwide after the death of George Floyd in police custody, but rather as an action to address fugitive apprehension, gun violence, gang violence, illegal firearm possession, use and trafficking, and drug trafficking. He added federal agents have worked alongside Detroit Police for decades and through Operation Relentless Pursuit, which launched in December 2019. Since then, U.S. Marshals arrested 469 fugitives, more than anywhere else in the United States, he said.

During the operation, those fugitives we took off the street, we were helping our local and state partnersusing federal dollars federal resources to help take these violent fugitives off the street, Schneider said. My offices coordinated almost $4 million in grants to local law enforcement.

To share an example, Schneider touched on newly-assigned DEA agents executing a search warrant to capture nine guns, including assault rifles, high capacity magazines and three body armor vests, in addition to heroin and cocaine on Tuesday, July 21 at a Detroit home.

In December 2019, Schneider and Detroit Police Chief James Craig launched Operation Relentless Pursuitjoining Attorney General William Barrto fight against violent crime in various cities. Both operations will bring a combined 42 federal agents to Detroit. Another 10 Detroit Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents are also reassigned to work on crimes.

The announcement comes at a time of rising tensions between federal law enforcement and protesters in Portland, where federal officers have been engaging protesters in Portland since at least June 27, according to oregonlive.com. Since then, officers used tear gas and shot pepper balls at protesters.

Portland police also assisted federal officers in making arrests since protests began two months ago, according to oregonlive.com. A video circulated of U.S. Border Patrol officers snatching a protesters and forcing them into an unmarked vehicle. Oregons U.S. attorney has since called for an investigation.

White House to send federal agents into Detroit to restore safety in U.S. cities
Anyone planning to shop or eat in the Kenora area will need to wear a face mask  but not until later this summer.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/7/2020 (540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Anyone planning to shop or eat in the Kenora area will need to wear a face mask  but not until later this summer.

Ontarios Northwestern Health Unit announced Tuesday that all businesses and organizations will be required to have a mandatory mask policy in enclosed public spaces starting Aug. 17. The area includes the districts of Kenora and Rainy River.

The announcement comes a day after Manitobas chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said he may recommend Manitobans wear masks in all indoor places come fall.

The Northwestern Health Unit hasnt finalized details of its mask mandate yet, but some exemptions are expected, according to Dr. Kit Young-Hoon, the health units medical officer of health. Kids under the age of two and people with disabilities that make it challenging to wear a mask will probably be exempt, as will children under the age of five who refuse to put one on.

Tuesdays announcement was made three weeks in advance to give organizations time to prepare, Young-Hoon said. It will be up to businesses to enforce their policies, she said.

"It is really about providing strong reminders to individuals, not necessarily refusing service," said Young-Hoon. "But, it will also depend on the organization."

She said in addition to wearing a mask, people should continue following public health measures like physical distancing, hand washing, and staying home and getting tested when sick.

The City of Kenora says it is following the health units guidance and scientific studies showing that mask-wearing reduces the transmission of viruses.

"By coming out with this process now, if we do have a second wave... It kind of normalizes that process of wearing a mask," said Andrew Poirier, the City of Kenoras deputy mayor.

"The economy is opening up more and more," Poirier said. "If we wear masks and that decreases risk, that will allow businesses to continue to be open."

The number of Manitobans and other regional tourists in Kenora has been rebounding, according to Josh Nelson, the Kenoras tourism and recreation lead.

"The downtown feel, especially on weekends, youre starting to feel almost like a regular summer," minus visitors from the United States because the border is closed, said Nelson.

He said hes not expecting a big decline in tourism because of the mandatory mask policy.

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"A lot of tourism, especially in the summertime, revolves around the outdoors," Nelson said.

Many stores and restaurants in Kenora already require visitors to wear masks indoors, he said.

Masks and face coverings are mandatory at public indoor spaces in Toronto, Ottawa and across Quebec. Nova Scotia announced Friday masks would be mandatory indoors beginning Aug. 1. On Monday, Banffs town council voted that masks and face coverings would be mandatory indoors starting this Friday, too. Calgary announced people will have to wear masks and face coverings in public places beginning Aug. 1.

Planet Fitness will make wearing masks in their gyms mandatory starting Saturday. They have four locations in Winnipeg.

gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca
Coronavirus conspiracy theorist Eve Black has been dramatically arrested while again refusing to give police her details at a checkpoint.

Black last week gloated in a Facebook video about making it through a Melbourne COVID-19 roadblock without telling officers where she was going.

After that video went viral, the 28-year-old tried the same trick again in the inner-city suburb of Carlton but was far less successful.

'She was asked to provide her name and address which she refused to do. Police then directed her to produce her driver's licence and explain her reason for travel, which she also refused to comply with,' Victoria Police said.

'This led to police arresting her. During the arrest, police were forced to break the woman's car window as she refused to speak to them, wind down her window, or step out of the vehicle.'

Coronavirus conspiracy theorist Eve Black has been dramatically arrested while again refusing to give police her details at a checkpoint

Black, from Warrandyte in Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs, was arrested at 1.55pm on Wednesday and charged with failing to hand over her driver's licence, not giving her name and address, breaching coronavirus public health orders, and traffic offences.

She was released with a summons to face court at a later date.

Black filmed and uploaded to Facebook her first, successful, attempt at gaming the system last Thursday.

When the officer asked her where she was headed and why she was attempting to leave, Black simply told him she didn't need to share that information.

The officer eventually waved her through as she sped off laughing and celebrating.

Black was widely condemned after posting the video and was threatened with arrest by Victoria's assistant police commissioner.

'Our members are out there all day and all night working incredibly hard to keep our community safe,' Assistant Commissioner Rick Nugent said on Friday.

Black has said she didn't 'regret' sharing the video which has since been heavily criticised

'This was a selfish and childish act... it was ridiculous, it was unnecessary.

'If that woman lived in that area or had a good reason to be in that area, she would be allowed through.

'If not, she's breaking the law.'

Mr Nugent said police would be investigating the matter and issue her with a fine if she was found breaching coronavirus restrictions.

'I'm sure she'll be looking forward to a knock on the door from Victoria Police members,' Police Minister Lisa Neville said.

'Whether you are trying to get through a roadblock, trying to get away with not wearing a mask, whether you're trying to have a party, Victoria Police will be there.'

In the now viral video she shared on Thursday, Black is seen speeding off while laughing and celebrating

Black - who has previously stated COVID-19 is a 'SCAMdemic' - has deleted all her social media accounts in the wake of the video.

Despite the widespread backlash, the Melburnian said she regretted 'nothing'.

'I have privatised my acc (sic) because I have better things to do than be a punching bag for your fear,' she wrote online.

'I regret nothing, I'm just tired of the abuse and threats.

'Wake up, sleeper,' she wrote with an emoji of a sheep.

In the viral video, Black asked the officer whether she'd 'disturbed the peace' by trying to leave her suburb.

'No,' the officer responded. 'I just asked what your reason for leaving today is.'

Black responded: 'I don't need to tell you that. I don't know you.'

Initially, the officer persisted. 'Where have you come from,' he asked again.

'I don't need to answer your questions. Have I committed a crime? Have I committed a crime?' she asked twice.

When a police officer asked her where she was headed and why she was attempting to leave, Black simply told him she didn't need to share that information

Instead of answering her question, the officer waved Black through the checkpoint.

'Just keep going,' he said as he let her and her passenger drive past.

Black admitted she was 'nervous as heck' as she approached the checkpoint, but encouraged her friends and family to 'know their rights' during lockdown.

'I just read from the sheet and he could obviously see it wasn't worth the trouble,' she explained.

COVID-19 checkpoints have been set up in and around Victoria in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus

The sheet in question explained the exact phrases people attempting to leave lockdown should use when stopped by officers.

The checklist of phrases appears to be the same one widely shared online by fellow Melbourne-based conspiracy theorist Bernardette Cassar - which includes 'am I free to go?' and 'I do not wish to give you my name as I have not committed a crime'.

Black was also heavily criticised by Former Treasurer Wayne Swan - who said she wouldn't be laughing if she ended up in ICU.

'It makes me angry watching that, it's dumb and disrespectful,' he said on The Today Show on Friday morning.

Melbourne-based conspiracy theorist Bernardette Cassar (pictured) has widely shared what appears to be the same list of questions Black asked police last Thursday

Pictured: The 'COVID STOP CHECKLIST' shared online by those protesting Victoria's lockdown. Black had told the police officer 'I don't need to answer your questions' and 'Have I committed a crime? Have I committed a crime?'

'At the end she says she feels good. Well, she won't feel too good in ICU.'

Mr Swan said 99 per cent of Australians were following the rules but there were a few who refused to protect their own safety.

'There are some people who don't get it and some people who think they're in some weird television show,' he said.

'But they are playing with people's lives. People like that should have the book thrown at them.'
Three sisters drove from Alabama to South Florida to reunite with their 2-year-old nephew, who was found Sunday morning wandering alone in the parking lot of an apartment complex.

They met with detectives at the Miramar Police Department in hopes of learning why little Kamdyn Cavett was alone and what happened to his 21-year-old mother, Leila Cavett.

We just want to know that my sister is OK, Gina Lewis told reporters Tuesday. Were really not sure whats going on.

Cavett lives in Atlanta, while the rest of the family lives in Jasper, Alabama, which is northwest of Birmingham and some 800 miles (1,287 kilometers) from Miramar.

The family said Cavett didn't have any known ties to South Florida. They're desperate for answers.

If you are OK, please let someone know, Lewis said. She would have never just left him like that.

The boy was spotted around 8 a.m. Sunday by Ebony Williams, who told police she had gone out for coffee and saw the child when she returned. When she realized the little boy, who was only wearing a T-shirt and a diaper, was alone she walked through the neighborhood searching for his parents. Then she called police.

When Miramar police posted the boys picture on social media, it went viral and his family spotted it online. Police said in a later post that they were searching for Leila Cavett, who was last seen driving a mid-to-late 90s white Chevy Silverado 3500, with a red tailgate and a Baby on Board sign on the passenger window.

Cavetts family told reporters they last spoke to her about two weeks ago.

I FaceTimed her on July 17. We were on the phone for about an hour and she was fine, one of the sisters said. She didnt have any plans to come to Florida, so were very confused right now.
Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, is partnering with Meraas to host this years edition of Dubai Canvas at City Walk, the design-inspired lifestyle destination by Meraas.



For an entire month, from the first day of Eid Al Adha to 31 August, the indoor space of City Walk will transform into an open-air canvas for exciting contemporary art created by international and local artists as part of an immersive exhibition held under the theme Travelling through Art.



Shaima Al Suwaidi, Manager of City Branding, Brand Dubai, said: Dubai Canvas seeks to create a vibrant and engaging space that will help revitalise the creative life of the city. This years Dubai Canvas reflects the citys cultural resilience even in the face of the most challenging circumstances.



At a time when the process of restoring normalcy in all sectors and spheres of life gathers pace, Dubai Canvas seeks to introduce the community to new creative perspectives through a wonderfully interactive experience. Dubai Canvas will once again demonstrate the cultural vibrancy that is part of the citys character, she added.



Spanish 3D artist, Juandres Vera, will bring to this years Dubai Canvas a blend of street art, with his trademark style of creating immersive aesthetics and realism. He is set to showcase his exceptional 3D street art that thrills the senses and makes audiences feel they can actually walk into the image.



The multi-award-winning artists 2D and 3D art works, exhibited at museums and galleries around the world, are enticingly interactive in nature  encouraging passers-by to stop and click some gram worthy moments. Vera found his way into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2013 when he and his team set a record for the worlds longest anamorphic pavement art.



This years Dubai Canvas will continue to support talented Emirati artists as part of Brand Dubais commitment to give the UAEs youth opportunities to enhance their role in the development of the local art landscape. Two of the UAEs most promising artists, 23-year old Mahra Al Falahi and 37-year old Saggaf Al Hashemi will be creating captivating 3D artworks in City Walk. Al Falahi, who has been part of Dubai Canvas since its 2018 edition held in La Mer, will bring to this years edition her inspirational utopian perspectives on the world. Al Hashemi, who has contributed to two phases of Brand Dubais Dubai Street Museum project, will share his artistic vision to spread peace, beauty, and love through his work at Dubai Canvas.

Visitors to Dubai Canvas also have a chance to attend mesmerising live pendulum painting performances. Led by Serbian artist Milan Katanic, the performances use a swinging pendulum instead of a paint brush to create enthralling spectacles. Combining science and art, the Spirograph-inspired project offers a unique kinetic art experience for the public. Through the show, Katanic, known by his pseudonym Kal3, will seek to inspire audiences with shifting lines, shapes, colours and movements



Ahmed Al Mahri, one of the UAEs most accomplished calligraphic artists, will create contemporary calligraphic murals and host an interactive calligraphy show. The artist will lead a live performance that will showcase his craftsmanship and give the public deeper insights into the classic and timeless art form.



Dubai Canvas also features workshops and musical performances that form part of Brand Dubais objective of helping artists and performers connect with the public. The workshops, which impart art skills, provide an opportunity for members of the community to interact with and learn from accomplished artists.- TradeArabia News Service






One hundred police agencies delivered a vote of "no confidence" in the Democrats' fitness to govern, pulling out from contracts to protect the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, just three weeks before kickoff.

According to Fox News:

More than 100 police agencies are pulling out of security agreements to send personnel to next month's Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee over orders that would prevent officers from using certain crowd control measures during protests, Fox News has learned. The police departments were part of a collective of outside agencies poised to send officers to secure the event, which will run from Aug. 1720 and where Joe Biden is expected to be named the party's presidential nominee. The action comes after the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission directed Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales to change department policy to restrict the use of tear gas and pepper spray.

That's quite a statement coming from that many police agencies. Who will be left to police the Democratic Convention with this many agencies out is anyone's guess. Maybe the hippies can help.

The police pullout is an entirely reasonable and rational. On a broad level, Democrats have refused to condemn the far-left mob violence directed against police and property in every blue city from New York to Minneapolis to Portland to Seattle.

They've also demonized police, blaming them for every act of violence that occurs as leftist mobs run wild, tearing down statues and destroying property. President Trump's recent effort to send in federal officers to protect courthouses in some cities has been met with blue-city mayors' claims that police make matters worse.

Democratic leaders such as Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti have demonized police as "killers" while Marxist Democrats such as New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio gave "the talk" to his black son about the wickedness of the police. For Democrats, the cops are always "pigs."

No Democrat has condemned the widespread violence of blue cities, nor stood up for the police officers who are being sent into harm's way to stop it.

Worse still, Democrats are calling to "defund" the police at a time of runaway crime owing to their criminal justice "reform." Cops are getting the message from the Democrats and responding accordingly.

The specific stated reason, about not being able to use crowd control measures, is important, too. Basically, the cops will be left to control crowds with pretty much just their guns because they've just been prohibited from using any non-lethal standard crowd control measures.

Combine that with the riot-mindedness of the Democrats these days, and it's all but certain the police will be placed in an untenable position  either as sitting ducks for the leftist mobs to beat and blind, as they've done in Democrat strongholds such as Portland and Seattle, or else the sucker's role of bad guy, the cops who defend themselves from "peaceful protesters," as the Democratic euphemism goes these days. Either way, they aren't going to win.

Democrats, by the way, have a history of violence at their conventions. The 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago, brought on by rioting leftists, pretty much got branded a "police riot" rather than a leftist riot. Cops know who would be blamed in the next one by Democrats.

There's another political aspect of this pullout: police have historically been pretty friendly to the more moderate branches of the Democratic Party  Joe Biden's branch  at least until recently. It's the Irish cop thing, plus the working-class police unions, as Biden is always happy to milk for political gain. Obviously, that tie is gone for good now. And there's no comparable police pullout to the Republican convention, wherever that may be. It seems the Democrats have lost the previously friendly law enforcement community vote.

In favor of...what? The craziest fringe extremists in America? This doesn't sound as though it will end well for them.

Got trouble, Dems? Call a hippie.

Image credit: Poster Boy via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
For one extremely lucky lobster, death via boiling pot was not in its future.

A rare blue American lobster was found last week at a Red Lobster restaurant in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where staff fished out the crustacean from a package of live lobsters and saved it from winding up on a dinner plate, NPR reported.

"At first it looked like it was fake," culinary manager Anthony Stein told NPR. "It's definitely something marvelous to look at."

MONSTER FISH: Fishing in the city? Here's what lurks in Houston's Brays Bayou

Staff kept the lobster, which they named "Clawde" in honor of the restaurant chain's mascot, safely tucked away in a tank before it was transferred to the Akron Zoo.

"We kept [it] in the tank and just made sure that nobody took him in the back for dinner," server Angie Helbig told NPR.

The Akron Zoo said in a Facebook post Tuesday that its famous blue lobster is actually a girl and changed its name to "Clawdia."

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Fishing during coronavirus pandemic comes with a catch

"Clawdia underwent a vet exam on Sunday, where our team was able to determine that she was indeed female," the Zoo said in the Facebook post. "She does have a few bumps and bruises from her journey. The next few months are critical for Clawdia as she prepares for her annual molt, a time that is very vulnerable for lobsters of any color."

There are mixed opinions on the exact rarity of the blue lobster, with some saying catching one is a one in a two million chance, according to the BBC. Per the BBC, bright blue lobsters get their color from an overabundance of a specific protein that is caused by a genetic abnormality. Regardless, many fisherman consider blue lobsters a symbol of good fortune.

For Clawdia, it seems luck was certainly on her side.
When students resume in-person learning in the fall, Quimby said, there is no way desks can be 6 feet apart with the number of students in the classroom. This, he said, is why wearing face masks is important.

I am aware that some districts are not having a mandatory masking policy, he said. So if there are students who are not wearing masks, it might be safer for them to do more solo activities than in a small group because they are not able to have that extra barrier of protection. So, ideally, it is good to have as few people in a group as possible. If you are in a small group, I would think masking is very important there.

In a response to a question from an educator, Quimby said it will not make any difference whether a door is open or closed in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Shelia St. Amant, a school-based mental health therapist with CHI Health, said the best way to help kids enforce safety precautions without scaring them is to practice with them and remind students so the precautions become routine.
YES, considerate people wear masks when inside public spaces, undergoing temporary facial discomfort because they respect their fellow Manitobans and dont want to expel respiratory droplets that could contain the coronavirus.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

YES, considerate people wear masks when inside public spaces, undergoing temporary facial discomfort because they respect their fellow Manitobans and dont want to expel respiratory droplets that could contain the coronavirus.

But, no, masks shouldnt be mandatory in Manitoba, at least at this time.

Quebec recently introduced mandatory face-covering measures for all indoor public places. And many other places, including most large cities in Ontario, have done the same. The COVID-19 infection rate in those places is far higher than in Manitoba, however. People in those places would whoop with delight if their infection rates were as low as Manitobas.

Chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said Monday he may recommend mandatory masks in all indoor public places as early as fall. He has previously recommended the voluntary, not mandatory, use of masks, but so far his advice has been ignored by most Manitobans.

An Angus Reid study about masks published July 16 asked two questions that illustrate the gap between voluntary and mandatory: When asked whether they wear face masks in public places, 34 per cent of Manitobans said always/most of the time; and when asked whether they support the mandatory use of masks in public places, 75 per cent said yes.

Such a large difference is striking and somewhat perplexing. When most Manitobans admit they arent wearing masks in public places, but they still want them to be mandatory, theres a sense of "Ill only do it if everybody else does."

A decision forcing Manitobans to wear masks could be issued by Roussin as a public-health order. It could also be issued as a city bylaw or a provincial-government order.

The ramifications of a provincewide edict to wear masks would be thorny. It would be a first in the careers of the officials currently in charge of public affairs and, if they proceed only with reluctance, its well they should. For starters, such a decree would likely provoke hollers from civil libertarians who believe government should stay away from our faces.

Then theres the matter of enforcement. Any order to make masks mandatory would need to be accompanied by a plan to apprehend and punish offenders. Some jurisdictions have wimped out by saying their mandatory-mask rules are intended for education, with little intention of enforcement, but laws without consequences undermine respect for authority. If an edict is hollow, dont issue it.

Some places with mandatory-mask orders have irresponsibly inflicted the burden of enforcement on the people who staff indoor public places, such as staff at restaurants, bars, government services and cultural facilities. Theres been antagonism, and even violence, when people such as reception clerks have to confront unmasked customers who are adament their rights are being usurped. Any government body that makes masks mandatory should also be responsible for enforcement.

Winnipeg buses are an example of how tough enforcement would be. After months of partial service, the bus system returns to its normal summer schedule on Sunday. Leery of the crowded cabin spaces on buses, some people, including Coun. Jeff Browaty, suggested Winnipeg Transit consider making masks mandatory.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Transit declined, and on its website only "recommends" masks. The problem is enforcement. Sensibly, Transit officials understand bus drivers need full attention to manoeuvre huge vehicles through tight city traffic. They shouldnt be forced into confrontations with people who want to board without masks, or passengers who remove their masks once theyre seated.

Besides problems with enforcement, there are other, lesser challenges. Face masks can be especially distressing for people with respiratory problems, and people with hearing impairments whose communication depends on studying the faces of other people. As well, people with little or no income, including children, might not have masks. If a government makes them mandatory, perhaps it is obliged to provide them for free.

Such arguments against wearing masks all depend on Manitoba keeping a low COVID-19 rate. If the uptick in cases that arose in the past two weeks continues to blossom and health officials fear a rampant outbreak is imminent, such an emergency trumps all objections and everyone should be mandated to mask up.

In the meantime, thumbs-up to the Manitobans who display courtesy by voluntarily donning masks when they will be close to other people in places where the ventilation is poor, including elevators, taxis, buses and retail stores. During a pandemic, wearing a mask is the mark of someone who cares about their fellow Manitobans.

carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.
(Natural News) A radical new budget proposal by the Austin, Texas, City Council calls for a controlled demolition of the police departments current headquarters in a symbolic gesture towards Black Lives Matter and defund police protesters.

(Article by Adan Salazar republished from Infowars.com)

We should expedite the demolition of the APD Headquarters by directing the City Manager to move all remaining APD staff out of the existing headquarters building and into other underutilized city facilities, reads the proposal submitted Monday by Council Member Jimmy Flannigan.

The existing APD property, prime real estate situated in the heart of Austin, would then be used to highlight black inequity and support the black community, the proposal states.

That property should be dedicated to addressing historic economic inequities in the black community and supporting future black community economic success, states Flannigans proposal. A community-led effort should be initiated to determine the specifics on how such a valuable property could be leveraged, and possibly serve as a gateway to East Austin.

According to the proposal, the demolition would be accompanied by a restructuring which would turn over control of patrol and all other divisions to civilians chosen by the mayor and city council.

This could shift more than $90 million from under the control of sworn leadership to civilian leadership and allow for each department to have separate metrics and oversight, thereby creating a way to shift organizational culture and drive outcomes, reads Flannigans proposal essentially defunding the police.

One issue being highlighted by Austin residents is that the new proposal would also turn the Austin bomb squad, which was instrumental in taking down a serial bomber in 2018, into a citizen-run department.

It was not that long agoAustins Bomb Squad was out to the test with the Austin Bomber. If the council gets its way citizens will need respond to those calls on their own. As noted below @LesliePoolATX @JimmyFlannigan @MayorAdler @GregCasar pic.twitter.com/hHNcGrM8Ys  Todd Jeffries (@ToddJeffries) July 28, 2020

Question for @LesliePoolATX, if the @Austin_Police team that responds to 911 calls regarding explosives and suspicious devices found throughout the city and surrounding areas is cut, who would Austinites call to deal with those?#APDbudgetthoughts pic.twitter.com/sJI2hyGKs8  Austin Police Association (@ATXPOA) July 28, 2020

The proposal follows the election of a new Travis County District Attorney whose campaign was largely funded by the Texas Justice & Public Safety PAC, a political action committee that was funneled over $650,000 by billionaire globalist George Soros.

This also follows a pattern by the left to dismantle police nationwide, as exemplified in other leftist cities such as Minneapolis and Seattle where city councils have caved to Black Lives Matter and defund the police protests.

Read more at: Infowars.com
Sudanese asylum-seeker Yasir was illegally detained by a militia in Libya. Evacuated to safety in Niger, he checks his phone at UNHCR's Emergency Transit Mechanism camp outside Niamey, May 2019.  UNHCR/John Wendle

Thousands of refugees and migrants are dying, while many are suffering extreme human rights abuses on irregular journeys between West and East Africa and Africas Mediterranean Coast.

A new report released today by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) at the Danish Refugee Council, titled On this journey, no one cares if you live or die, details how most people taking these routes suffer or witness unspeakable brutality and inhumanity at the hands of smugglers, traffickers, militias and in some cases even State officials.

For too long, the harrowing abuses experienced by refugees and migrants along these overland routes have remained largely invisible, said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. This report documents killings and widespread violence of the most brutal nature, perpetrated against desperate people fleeing war, violence and persecution. Strong leadership and concerted action are needed by States in the region, with support from the international community, to end these cruelties, protect the victims and prosecute the criminals responsible.

Collecting accurate data on deaths in the context of irregular mixed population flows controlled by human smugglers and traffickers is extremely difficult as many take place in the shadows and away from the view of authorities and their formal systems for managing data and statistics. However, the reports findings, primarily based on MMCs 4Mi data collection programme, and data from additional sources, suggest that a minimum of 1,750 people died on these journeys in 2018 and 2019. This represents a rate of least 72 deaths per month, making it one of the most deadly routes for refugees and migrants in the world. These deaths are in addition to the thousands who have died or gone missing in recent years attempting desperate journeys across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe after reaching north African shores.

Around 28 per cent of deaths reported in 2018 and 2019 happened as people attempted to cross the Sahara Desert. Other hotspots for fatalities included Sabha, Kufra, and Qatrun in southern Libya, the smuggling hub of Bani Walid south-east of Tripoli and several places along the West African section of the route including Bamako and Agadez.

While most reports and data are still coming in for 2020, at least 70 refugees and migrants are known to have died in 2020 already, including at least 30 people were killed at the hands of traffickers in Mizdah in late May.

The men, women and children who survive are often left with lasting and severe mental health issues as a result of the traumas they faced. For many, their arrival in Libya is the final staging post on a journey characterized by horrific abuses including random killings, torture, forced labour and beatings. Others continue to report being subjected to brutal violence, including being burnt with hot oil, melted plastic, or heated metal objects, electrocution and being tied in stress positions.

Women and girls, but also men and boys, are at high risk of rape and sexual and gender-based violence, particularly at checkpoints and border areas, and during desert crossings. Some 31 per cent of respondents interviewed by MMC who witnessed or survived sexual violence in 2018 or 2019 did so in more than one location. Smugglers were the primary perpetrators of sexual violence in North and East Africa, accounting for 60 per cent and 90 per cent of the reports from the respective routes. However, in West Africa, the primary perpetrators were security forces/military/police officials, accounting for a quarter of reported abuses.

Many people reported being forced in to prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation by traffickers. Between January 2017 and December 2019, UNHCR recorded over 630 cases of trafficking of refugees in eastern Sudan, with nearly 200 women and girls reporting being survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

Once inside Libya, refugees and migrants are at risk of suffering further abuses, as the ongoing conflict and weak rule of law means smugglers, traffickers and militias are often able to act with impunity. UNHCR welcomes recent steps taken by the Libyan authorities against armed groups and traffickers, including raiding a smuggling ring and freezing the assets of various traffickers. The agency calls on the international community to provide more support to the authorities in their fight against human trafficking networks.

Many who attempt the sea crossing to Europe are intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard and returned to Libyan shores. More than 6,200 refugees and migrants have so far been disembarked in Libya in 2020, suggesting the final figure for the year will likely eclipse the 9,035 returned in 2019. They are often taken and held arbitrarily in official detention centres, where they face daily abuses and appalling conditions. Others end up in unofficial centres or warehouses controlled by smugglers and traffickers who subject them to physical abuse in order to extract payments.

The careless treatment of refugees and migrants we witness along these routes is unacceptable, said Bram Frouws, Head of the Mixed Migration Centre. The data we provide also once again shows that Libya is not a safe place to return people to. Sadly, this may not be the last report documenting these violations, but it adds to the mounting evidence base that can no longer be ignored.

Pockets of progress have been achieved in recent years to address the situation, with some of the criminals responsible for the abuses and deaths placed under sanctions or arrested. There has also been a reduction in the number of people being held in official detention centres in Libya. UNHCR has repeatedly advocated for an end to arbitrary detention of refugees and asylum seekers and stands ready to support the Libyan authorities in identifying and implementing alternatives to detention.

Overall, greater efforts are needed to strengthen the protection of people travelling these routes and to provide credible, legal alternatives to these dangerous and desperate journeys. Greater cooperation is needed between States to identify and hold accountable the criminal perpetrators of these horrific abuses at different points along the routes, share key information with relevant law enforcement agencies, dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks and freeze their financial assets. National authorities should also take greater steps to investigate reports of abuses by State officials.

These measures must go hand in hand with efforts to address the root causes that drive these journeys and an unequivocal commitment to ensuring that no one rescued at sea is returned to danger in Libya.

The report and multimedia content including photos, video testimonies and b-roll footage are available at this link: https://www.unhcr.org/5f1ab91a7

For more information, please contact:

Mixed Migration Centre

In Geneva, Bram Frouws, [email protected], +41 79 889 54 39

UNHCR

A panel discussion for journalists will be held to launch the report at 1345 Central European Time on 29 July. The panelists will include:

Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean

Ayla Erin Bonfiglio, Regional Coordinator for Mixed Migration Centre North Africa (online)

Prof. Maya Sahli-Fadel, African Union Commissioner and Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum-Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa (Dialing in online from Algeria) (online)

Othman Belbeis, IOM Senior Regional Advisor to the Director General on Middle East and North Africa

Journalists can receive an invitation to participate through Zoom by contacting Charlie Yaxley at [email protected] . The event will also be livestreamed at http://webtv.un.org/

30 July is the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking In Persons
A family argument over drugs escalated last week in Central Florida and a 22-year-old woman ended up arrested.

According to a report from the Indian County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to a domestic dispute at a trailer home in Sebastian around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

A woman said her boyfriend was being attacked by his daughter.

Deputies made contact with Dakota DiRienzo, who admitted to getting into a physical altercation with her father because he wouldnt share his medical marijuana with her. She claimed that he shared the medicinal drugs with his friends, however, and a verbal and physical fight followed.

Dakota DiRienzo

The 22-year-old admitted to pushing Luigi DiRienzo during the argument and said he pushed her back and pinned her to the ground. Scratch marks were on the womans back, the complaint said.

The father told the officers a similar story about his daughter being upset over his not sharing his medical marijuana and that she attacked him. He said she grabbed him by the shirt in the driveway. When he went inside to change his shirt, he said she came at him and he pushed her off. Two shirts appeared to have been ripped at the collar, the police report says.

Dakota attacked Luigi by pulling him down to the ground, and by attempting to grab his genitals, according to the criminal complaint.

She was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge and released the following day on $1,000 bond.

Medical marijuana is made from the whole, unprocessed marijuana plant or its basic extracts to treat symptoms of illness, pain and other conditions. It is not approved by the FDA but is available in Florida for qualified patients.

Court records show DiRienzos court date is set for Aug. 18, and has was ordered to have no contact with her father.
The world has changed, the strong states of the region are trying to emphasize their role, this is the result of global geopolitical changes, the second President of Armenia Kocharyan said in an interview with three Armenian TV channels, being asked to comment on what caused the latest activity of Turkey.

According to him, Turkey's ambitions today and 10-15 years ago do not differ significantly, and this factor must be taken into account. This is a serious message for those who propose to withdraw the Russian base from Armenia, hold rallies at the Russian embassies. Today, these people should not only sober up, but also understand what this is connected with and what consequences it can lead to for Armenia if Russia is not present with the country via the Russian base. Turkey has the largest army in NATO with powerful capabilities, he noted.

Asked that Turkey and Azerbaijan are conducting unprecedented drills in Nakhichevan and deploying a large number of troops there, in connection with which an attack on Armenia is possible, the ex-president noted that this is definitely a demonstration of force, and warned that this is possible.

Such large-scale drills are not only exercises for the sake of exercises, but a serious political signal to all countries in the region. I do not think that they can develop into an invasion, but the fact is that you are being told that such a scenario is possible, he noted.
The Trump administration indicated on Tuesday that it will allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals participants to renew their status for one year as it conducts a new review of the deportation relief program, but will continue to refuse new applications, which principally affects undocumented immigrants who would age into the program when they turn 15.

The DACA program has been of wide interest to the education community as it allows young people, so-called Dreamers, to legally attend college or work. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked efforts by President Donald Trumps administration to unwind the program of deportation relief affecting as many as 700,000 people. Higher education institutions, teachers unions, and other education groups had joined the fight on behalf of DACA recipients.

During the three-year legal effort against the administrations plan to rescind the program promulgated through executive action under President Barack Obama, various lower-court actions allowed DACA recipients to continue to renew their status for two-year periods but closed the door on new applicants.

In a July 28 memorandum , Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said he was withdrawing the administrations 2017 and 2018 memos that sought to rescind DACA (efforts which the Supreme Court held were done in an arbitrary and capricious manner in violation of federal administrative procedure law). Wolf will conduct a thorough consideration of how to address DACA in light of the Supreme Courts decision, and he suggested there are several reasons of enforcement policy that may warrant the full rescission of the policy.

Pending my full reconsideration of the DACA policy, I direct DHS personnel to take all appropriate actions to reject all pending and future initial requests for DACA ... and to shorten DACA renewals consistent with the parameters established in this memorandum, Wolf said.

The renewal period for DACA recipients will thus be shortened from two years to one year.

Shortening renewal periods granted during this reconsideration period will have the potential benefit of significantly lessening the lasting effects of the DACA policy if I ultimately decide to rescind it, Wolf said in the memo.

Wolf took note of some of the reliance interests advanced in support of DACA recipients, such as work authorization and Social Security, as well as the interests of other parties in the program, such as schools, employers, and employees of DACA recipients.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., in his opinion for the court in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California had noted such reliance interests in ruling against the rescission of the program.

The consequences of the rescission, [DACA supporters] emphasize, would radiate outward to DACA recipients families, including their 200,000 U.S.-citizen children, to the schools where DACA recipients study and teach, and to the employers who have invested time and money in training them, Roberts wrote in the 5-4 decision on June 18.

Wolf said in his memo that his decision to keep the program closed to new participants was supported by the fact that those who had not yet received DACA status did not have any such reliance interests.

Whatever the merits of these asserted reliance interests on the maintenance of the DACA policy, they are significantly lessened, if not entirely lacking, with regard to aliens who have never before received deferred action pursuant to the policy, Wolf said.

Wolfs stance on keeping DACA closed to new participants appears, on its face, to conflict with an order from a federal district judge in Greenbelt, Md., on July 17 to the administration to begin processing new applications.

But Politico quoted an unnamed Trump administration official as saying the new memo was an intervening action that would allow lower-court orders keeping the program closed to new participants to remain in effect.

When the official was asked whether he expected legal challenges to the decision to keep the program closed to new applicants, he said, according to Politico, Yes, of course.
Following the detection of its first omicron case Saturday in Haidian district of Beijing, the Chinese capital locked down certain communities and office buildings just weeks before the Winter Olympics and the Lunar New Year holiday. The city opened 30 emergency testing points in Haidian on Monday as it rushes to contain the spread

Jan 19, 2022 05:37 PM
Comprehensive, stand-alone new solution with fast deployment model gives organizations the tools they need to manage real-time COVID-19 response

CHICAGO, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enablon, a Wolters Kluwer business and global leader in Integrated Risk, Operational Risk and Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Management software, today announces the launch of its COVID-19 Protect & Respond solution.



Protect & Respond is an off-the-shelf product for all large enterprises seeking an agile, all-encompassing tool to manage the new processes that ongoing COVID-19 management demands. This new solution, the most comprehensive on the market today, was created specifically to enable organizations to protect their workforce and their business, giving them the power to effectively and quickly respond to changes and cases in a pandemic era.

Enablon COVID-19 Protect & Respond spans multiple key processes and procedures across health, safety, risk and compliance. It is a centralized system that can respond to quickly changing COVID-19 requirements and is accessible to an organizations entire workforce through mobile apps. Designed for fast deployment, it can be fully live with minimal setup on the customers part in as quickly as two to three weeks, significantly reducing the typical IT deployment process length. Key to this efficiency is the embedded content, which is designed to bring a standardized set of targeted processes to any site with minimal set-up.

Features include:

Standard out-of-the-box content built based on OSHA, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidance

Incident form templates that can be easily adapted if needed

Employee self-assessment and online COVID-19 case reporting, offering constant monitoring of overall workforce health

Advanced mobile functionality allowing users to carry out behavior-based safety observations to ensure adoption of controls and capture non-conformances

Policy management together with compliance tasking, mobile audits and inspections

Global action plans to manage any ad-hoc issues as well as corrective and preventative actions

At-a-glance status dashboards that display insights in real-time along with critical trends and data

Manage private and sensitive data securely

Story continues

There is no organization operating today that hasnt felt the impact of COVID-19, said Noelle Harvey, Senior Director of Product at Enablon. Human Resources, EHS, Risk Management and General Counsel leaders newly tasked with collaboration while controlling the spread of infection need expertise they can trust. When creating this COVID-19 solution, we worked diligently to build the most comprehensive offering on the market, so that customers are fully prepared to face the many safety and risk challenges the pandemic brings. We are confident that Enablon COVID-19 Protect & Respond will address these current obstacles, and also the customer as their needs for future use cases evolve.

The Protect & Respond product is available now. For more information about Protect & Respond, visit https://enablon.com/solutions/covid-19-protect-respond .

Protect & Respond is the second COVID-specific solution released by Enablon to help organizations respond to the crisis. In March, Enablon launched a bundle of free COVID-19 offerings integrated within the software for existing customers.

About Wolters Kluwer

Enablon, a Wolters Kluwer business, is the worlds leading provider of Integrated Risk, Operational Risk and EHS Management Software. Hundreds of global companies and millions of users rely on Enablon software solutions to manage their environmental and social performance, minimize risks and improve profitability. Enablon offers the most comprehensive platform in the industry and is consistently recognized as a global leader and visionary. For more information about Enablon: www.enablon.com .

Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2019 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).

For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com , follow us on Twitter , Facebook , LinkedIn , and YouTube .

CONTACT: Media Contact: Elke Colpaert Elke.Colpaert@wolterskluwer.com




Four students from two of the most remote tribal villages, Fulorepada and Pisepada, situated 22km east of Bhiwandi, on Wednesday became the first in the villages to have passed Class 10 examinations. The four  Avinash Waghe, Dipali Katkari, Ravi Mali and Pooja Waghe  scored 52%, 50%, 49% and 51%, respectively, and wish to pursue commerce.

I had never imagined that I would pass the Class 10 exams. This is surreal. With the amount of hardships we underwent, the score is still good for me, said Avinash. His sister, Komal, had dropped out in 2017, while in Class 9, after their mother died of cancer. His father does odd jobs and travels to Bhiwandi and Padgha everyday to make ends meet.

Dipali said, I want to continue my higher education and am hoping to enrol into a college in Padgha now. Her father, Sakharam, a brick kiln worker who earns 1,000 a week, said he could not believe that someone from his family has passed Class 10. I cross-checked with her twice, she told me that she had actually passed. I am happy for her and am willing to put any amount of hard work required to see her succeed, he said.

Aniket Salvi, a Vile Parle-based political science teacher, whose organisation Rajani Foundation India has been helping the students since 2015, said it was a big achievement for everyone. We are happy that these students could become successful and persisted till the end, he added. The nearest college is also in Padgha so paying 30 for a one-way ride is also not easy. We will try to help them in every way possible, said Salvi.
As the Rafale soared into the skies in Bordeaux, Indias ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf was at the Merignac airport to say bon voyage. Interestingly, his association with the "beauty and beast" is not merely in his capacity as the envoy to France. He is a person who has seen the deal materialise and take-off within five years from his tenure in the Prime Minister's office as a joint secretary to his posting in Paris now.

A 1991-batch IFS officer, Ashraf took charge as India's envoy to France about two weeks ago on July 13. He tweeted to say, Assumed charge today as Ambassador of Indian to France. A 13-hour journey from Singapore. Different continent, country and city. A new home and a new office. However, the same mission: serving our country and our people.

His counterpart in India, Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain, congratulated him on his posting by replying - "Happy first Bastille Day to my new counterpart in Paris @JawedAshraf5. India has chosen an outstanding professional to manage an exceptional relationship!"

Before heading to Paris, Ashraf was India's envoy to Singapore from 2016. This too was considered a crucial posting as Singapore companies are involved in India's smart city and urbanisation projects and some collaborating in the health and tech sector as well. It has also played an important role in India's association with the ASEAN, a grouping critical especially as India deals with an aggressive neighbour, China.

In April 2015, when the Prime Minister Modi visited Paris and announced that India would acquire 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition, the Foreign Service Officer, Ashraf, was in the PMO. In fact, he transitioned from Manmohan Singh's tenure to the Modi tenure in the PMO.

In October 2015, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, a 1988-batch IFS officer, was appointed OSD in PMO. After a brief transition period, Jawed Ashraf moved on from PMO to his next posting. Meanwhile, India and France signed the MoU on Rafale jets in January, 2016 when President Francois Hollande visited India as the Republic Day chief guest.

A year later, in 2017, Vinay Mohan Kwatra was appointed as India's ambassador to France. This time, Kwatra handed over the reins in Paris to Ashraf. He is now envoy to Nepal, a friendly neighbour with which India is currently facing an uneasy equation due to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's obvious leanings towards Beijing.
A man who bragged about 'chatting online with babes all day' has been charged with the rape of two women he met on Tinder.

Joshua Paul Rini, 29, was taken into custody on Tuesday morning following a police appeal for his whereabouts.

He was charged with two counts of sexual intercourse without consent connected to two separate incidents at his Glebe, Sydney residence in 2019.

He was refused bail at Central Local Court on Tuesday, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Joshua Paul Rini, 29, was taken into custody on Tuesday morning following a police appeal for his whereabouts

Police will allege that Rini raped the two women after first meeting them on the dating app and then inviting them to his house.

On his Twitter profile he claims he is 'training to be a cage fighter' when he is not 'chatting online with babes all day'.

Superintendent Alf Sergi from Leichhardt Police Area Command said all reports of sexual violence would be investigated but they must first be reported.

'[Police] cannot investigate what we are unaware of,' he said.

He also said it does not matter if a person had consented to talking online before an assault.

'The messaging about 'consent' is as equally consistent with dating apps as it is with any interaction that may potentially lead to sexual encounters. How you meet isn't as relevant as the behaviour in person,' he said.

'Consent is a primary factor in every sexual assault, whether it be in an established relationship, a person you connected with on social media, or a complete stranger,' he said.

'Without consent, a person's rights are violated, and a crime is being committed.'

Rini will reappear at Central Local Court on July 31.
The states largest district on Tuesday announced that none of its students will receive in-person instruction until at least Nov. 5.

Portland Public Schools Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero in a note to parents said the first quarter of the coming school year will be entirely virtual. Students start classes Sept. 2.

Their teachers will spend the next eight school days helping them adjust to the districts online distance learning platform, which theyll use for nearly seven weeks after.

Guerrero said distance learning may stretch into the second quarter if coronavirus infection trends remain high.

We will assess all available public health information and county health metrics, in addition to regularly consulting with our medical advisory team of health experts, to help make a decision about reopening school campuses for the second quarter of the school year, he wrote. We will communicate our plans no later than October 10.

The Beaverton, North Clackamas, Tigard-Tualatin and Salem-Keizer districts made similar announcements Tuesday afternoon.

The news came hours after Gov. Kate Brown, along with Oregon health and education officials, detailed the metrics that the state and counties must meet in order to safely reintroduce children into classrooms.

The governors original closure order came amid pressure from superintendents representing the states largest district whose teaching and substitute corps expressed concern over coming into consistent contact with children, who in March were widely considered vectors of infection.

Research has since shown that children 10 and younger transmit the coronavirus at much lower levels than older kids.

State schools chief Colt Gill on Tuesday acknowledged that fact, and that children in kindergarten through third grade are learning how to learn as a reason he and Brown are urging districts to prioritize offering at least some in-person instruction for those students.

In the Beaverton district, students will first log in for virtual classes Sept. 14. They wont be allowed back into classrooms until at least Nov. 13.

Like other large districts, officials in Beaverton set up an all-digital academy for families who opt not to physically send their children back to school. Parents may enroll their kids in the districts FLEX program until July 31.

The North Clackamas district set up a similar program. Officials there will require families to commit to the virtual academy for the full school year. Alternatively, families can opt for a distance learning model where their students eventually physically return to classrooms.

North Clackamas officials did not announce a concrete date when their schools may reopen, merely saying it would be sometime in early November.

In the Tigard-Tualatin district, students will log in for their first day of digital classes Sept. 14. Theyll spend the next nine weeks online, returning physically to class Nov. 16 at the earliest.

Thats also the case in the Salem-Keizer district. There, officials say high school juniors and seniors will not physically return to a classroom until at least February.

Guerrero noted that distance learning for the 2020-21 academic year will not look like it did in the spring when districts were suddenly thrust into a teaching model few, if any, of their educators had experience in.

Our goal is to be prepared to engage students and provide them with a robust learning experience this fall, he wrote.

--Eder Campuzano | 503-221-4344 | @edercampuzano | Eder on Facebook

Are you a student, parent or teacher? How do you feel about your districts reopening plans for fall? Wed love to hear from you. Email Eder at ecampuzano@oregonian.com or message either of the social accounts above.

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
By the time of our retreat from Saigon in 1975, more than 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam. At the time, my young teenaged mind could not grasp the enormity of the loss of so many Americans, some just five years older than me.

I remember my father shaking his head in disgust, muttering, What a waste, what a damned waste.

I recall images on TV of violent protests, American citizens and government troops fighting one another rather than fighting a common enemy. The two presidents of that era lied to us, divided us, minimized the magnitude of loss and ultimately were forced from office in disgrace.

Almost 50 years later, the coronavirus has killed about three times as many Americans in just six months! Americans are again fighting against each other rather than uniting to defeat a common enemy, with troops and civilians acting out a violent drama of civic unrest.

And once again we have a president and regime who lie to us, divide us and minimize the magnitude of our losses.

I only pray that history continues to repeat itself, and that in November we dispatch a corrupt president to the ash heap of history so our country can return to health, security and unity.
Microsoft stunned the gaming industry when it announced this week it would buy game publisher Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, a deal that would immediately make it a larger video-game company than Nintendo.
Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov declared July 30 the national day of mourning for victims of coronavirus pandemic in Kyrgyzstan, speaking on the national radio station Birinchi Radio. According to official data, there are already almost 35 000 cases in the country, the epidemic continues to rage, dozens of patients die every day. Russian doctors arrived to help the Kyrgyz doctors. Meanwhile, politicians are preparing for the parliamentary elections.

"On this day of remembrance of the fallen compatriots, we will read the Quran. Once again I express my deep condolences to the families and friends of the deceased compatriots. Difficulties and heavy losses are in the heart of every Kyrgyz national. I wish my compatriots patience and courage. May the deceased rest in peace," the President said ...

In Kyrgyzstan, 1,353 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic. In total, there are 34 000 cases, 22,300 people recovered. The epidemic situation are far from great. The authorities have failed the coronavirus exam. The government system has shown an inability to operate and solve problems in an emergency. The population of the country, not getting help from the government, was forced to create a volunteer movement. People began to help each other, open hospitals and even buy concentrators and ventilators. In particular, a field hospital was opened in a mosque near Bishkek on the money of parishioners and local residents. The oxygen station was sent by labor migrants from South Korea.

Sooronbai Jeenebekov assessed volunteers as "maturity indicator for society" and proposed to develop a special law. "In our country, volunteering is still spontaneous. It is necessary to determine the status of volunteers by law," the Kyrgyz president said in an interview with Birinchi Radio.



However, the situation cannot be rectified by volunteers alone. Residents of the Issyk-Kul region are asking for help. There are not enough doctors. In Cholpon-Ata, medical institutions are literally beheaded due to illness and death of leaders. The situation is similar in other regions of Kyrgyzstan. There are hosspital beds, equipment, but no medical staff.

More than 200 Russian doctors arrived to help Kyrgyzstan - 50 doctors from Bashkortostan, 120 military doctors and 47 doctors from Kyrgyzstan. They were assigned to medical institutions in the regions of the republic.



Russia also sent medicines and medical supplies for 150 million rubles in humanitarian assistance to Kyrgyzstan, Russian ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Nikolai Udovichenko said.



President Jeenbekov expressed gratitude to Russian specialists for their assistance in a difficult time for the country. "Russia, as a strategic partner and ally of Kyrgyzstan, is providing invaluable assistance in the fight against coronavirus infection," the Kyrgyz leader said.

Despite the catastrophic coronavirus situation, the country is preparing for the parliamentary elections. They started to convert COVID-19 hospitals into polling stations. One such was found in the village of Mayevka, near Bishkek. The photo (see above) of the polling station was sent to 24.kg news agency by one of the republic's residents, who brought a condenser to the hospital. "We took the condenser to the hospital, and the preparation is well underway there," he wrote.



The election campaign has already begun. 44 political parties announced their intention to compete for parliamentary mandates. Experts believe that no more than six parties will actually enter parliament. At the same time, there is still no party in power or opposition. By August 20, the parties must decide on their candidates, create an electoral fund and pay the election deposit of 5 million soms (about 5 million rubles). Elections in Kyrgyzstan are not cheap.

The people are outraged and demand to postpone the parliamentary elections. However, Sooronbai Jeenbekov believes that the parliamentary elections should be held on time. He asked politicians not to politicize this issue. "On the one hand, there is a shortage of drugs, on the other, there is a shortage of doctors, and this is our main concern. Its just right to say: "What elections, what policy?" But nevertheless, dear compatriots, as president, I say that everything should be done on time. No matter what difficulties we have, no matter what happens, we have no right to forget about tomorrow. We have a rule-of-law state, and we are its conscientious citizens. The autumn parliamentary elections will be held within the timeframe established by the Constitution. I signed the corresponding decree. The Central Election Commission began its work in accordance with the law," Jeenbekov said.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  A proposed hefty pay raise for a New Mexico pension funds chief investment officer is being met with scrutiny by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration.

Board members of the pension fund that covers teachers and other education employees voted last month to increase the salary of Bob Jacksha, the chief investment officer, by roughly 32%  from $265,000 to $350,000 per year.

The Educational Retirement Boards executive director said the raise would be well-deserved because the pension funds investment returns have been consistently higher than the market index.

Were very aware that a lot of members and other state residents are going through a hard time, but we simply cant afford to lose (him), ERB Executive Director Jan Goodwin told the Journal.

However, a Lujan Grisham spokeswoman suggested Tuesday the pay raise would be inappropriate at a time that New Mexicos state government is under a hiring freeze and facing plummeting revenue levels.

Certainly it is an eye-popping number  and all the more so given the fiscal straits everyone is in at this moment as a result of the pandemic, Lujan Grisham spokeswoman Nora Meyers Sackett said.

It would seem to be completely out of line with the reality everyone is dealing with financially right now, she added. And that will be a factor in the decision-making process here, to be sure.

It will ultimately be up to an executive branch agency, the Department of Finance and Administration, to decide whether to approve the proposed salary increase.

The ERB has also proposed large pay raises for top employees in previous years.

In 2018, for instance, the retirement systems board authorized sizable raises for four top pension fund officials but those salary increases were eventually put on hold after then-Gov. Susana Martinezs administration refused to carry them out.

As of last year, the pension fund covered roughly 60,000 active members and about 50,000 retirees.

The $12 billion fund is partially managed internally, and outperformed the market index by $1.3 billion over a recent 10-year period, Goodwin said.

However, the funds average returns over the past five years have fallen short of its 7% investment target, which must be met over time in order for the fund to meet long-term solvency goals.

In addition, New Mexicos bond rating was downgraded in 2018 due largely to concerns over pension liabilities, as both the ERB and the states other large public retirement system  the Public Employees Retirement Association  have seen their unfunded liabilities increase in recent years.

Meanwhile, Jacksha already makes more money in his current position than Cabinet secretaries in the Lujan Grisham administration  and the governor and other statewide elected officials.

Per state statute, the governor is paid $110,000 annually, while the secretary of state, auditor and treasurer each get paid $85,000 per year.

Cabinet secretaries in the Lujan Grisham administration currently make $156,000 annually.

Pension fund officials are among the most highly paid public employees around the nation, however, and other state investment officials are paid at similar levels to Jacksha, according to the state Sunshine Portal.

The pay raise for Jacksha was approved by a 4-1 vote by the ERB board at its June meeting, according to draft minutes.

Public Education Deputy Secretary Adan Delgado cast the lone dissenting vote, while board chairwoman Mary Lou Cameron and three other members voted in favor.

There were no other salary increases approved by the board at the meeting, Goodwin said.

Jacksha has been the ERBs chief investment officer since 2007. He previously worked for the State Investment Office.
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Geographic Information System captures, stores, manipulates, analyzes, manages, and displays spatial or geographic data on a map. GIS software also allows users to create interactive queries, analyze spatial information, edit data on maps, and present the results of these operations on devices such as desktops, mobiles, and tablets.

360Quadrants has released a quadrant on Best GIS software to help businesses make quicker and more informed decisions for their business. Ranking Quadrants are generated post analysis of companies (product portfolios and business strategies) and will be updated every three months based on market and regional analyses and developments in the Geographic Information System industry. 360Quadrants conducts an in-depth SWOT analysis which helps service providers in learning about new opportunities and areas where they lag behind their peers. It also helps clients in choosing the most appropriate vendor for their requirements.

QUADRANT CATEGORIZATION

Company evaluation was conducted for 70+ companies offering GIS software, out of which 25 top GIS Software companies were shortlisted and categorized on a quadrant under Visionary Leaders, Innovators, Dynamic Differentiators, and Emerging Leaders.

Autodesk, Inc., Bentley System Incorporated, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri), General Electric Co., Hexagon AB, Pitney Bowes Inc., Topcon Corporation, and Trimble Inc. have been identified as Visionary Leaders, as they have established product portfolios and a robust market presence and business strategies. These vendors offer highly customizable and easily deployable Geographic Information Systems for commercial clients, which, when combined with their robust business strategies, enables them to achieve sustained growth in the market.

AmigoCloud, Inc., Takor Group Ltd., and Maptoss Technologies Pvt. Ltd. have been identified as innovators, as they have innovative portfolios of the best Geographic Information Systems and the potential to build strong business strategies for business growth to be at par with the leading companies in the market. The companies have the best Geographic Information System offerings that meet the demands of customers.

Manifold Software Limited, Beijing Unistrong Science & Technology Co. Ltd., Champion Instruments LLC, Golden Software LLC, and SuperMap Software Co., Ltd. have been identified as the Emerging players in the Geographic Information System market. These companies specialize in offering highly niche and personalized solutions and services to their clients. They also focus on acquisitions and enhancing their sales abilities in various regions with an aim to offer their integrated services to a wider range of clients.

Blue Marble Geographics, Caliper Corporation, Computer Aided Development Corporation Limited (Cadcorp), Geosoft Inc., Handheld Group AB, Harris Corporation, Hi-Target Surveying Instrument Co. Ltd., MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., and PASCO CORPORATION have been recognized as Dynamic Differentiators, as they have strong portfolios of the best Geographic Information Systems. They also have a widespread network of channel partners and resellers to upsurge the deployment of their services across various vertical markets.

COMPANY EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

Companies offering GIS Software will be rated using the following methodology:

A highly experienced team of researchers and senior analysts conducts extensive research to generate a list of vendors (competitors). An algorithm is used to collect inputs from key stakeholders - industry experts, buyers, vendors, and internal analysts - based on criteria for Product Maturity and Company Maturity.

a. Criteria under Product Maturity include breadth and depth of product/service offering, product features and functionalities, product differentiation, and their impact on customer value.

b. Criteria under Company Maturity include geographical footprint, partner ecosystem, financial stability, and client coverage or sector footprint. Approximately 20+ in-depth parameters have been considered for the research on GIS Software. These parameters will be updated every six months to ensure the latest developments are taken into consideration. A weight is assigned to each stakeholder based on information gathered pertaining to the above criteria as well as inputs from stakeholders. These inputs follow the order of priority given below:

a. Buyers

b. Industry Experts

c. Internal Analysts

d. Vendors The inputs are analyzed, and a final rating is assigned to each company. After the finalization of ratings, each company is placed in the most relevant category in quadrant based on its score.

ABOUT 360QUADRANTS

360Quadrants is the largest marketplace looking to disrupt USD 6.3 trillion of technology spend and is the only rating platform for vendors in the technology space. The platform provides users access to unbiased information that helps them make qualified business decisions. The platform facilitates deeper insights using direct engagement with 650+ industry experts and analysts and allows buyers to discuss their requirements with 7,500 vendors. Companies are able to win ideal new customers, customize their quadrants, decide key parameters, and position themselves strategically in niche spaces, to be consumed by giants and startups alike. Experts are able to grow their brand and increase their thought leadership. The platform targets the building of a social network that links industry experts with companies worldwide. The platform has around 400 buyers across various markets.

360Quadrants will also be launching quadrants in fields such as Digital Transformation Software, Cloud Computing Software, and Access Control Software.

Contact:

Mr. Agney Sugla

agney@marketsandmarkets.com

630 Dundee Road, Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441
The messing is back - as if cheeky little minds had never been away. Spitballs were being gobbed into readiness and flung across the Dail chamber at Leaders' Questions. They'd want an education, some of these pups - but the Taoiseach is no better. He deliberately provoked a schoolyard scrap with Pearse Doherty.

It came after everyone recognised that the Government's sums on ministerial pay reductions didn't add up to what was originally claimed - leading to more humiliating surrenders yesterday, this time of superjunior pay hikes (but even then there were strings attached).

It was like a child putting 50c ostentatiously into the classroom Trocaire box - and then upending it at break time to try to fish some of the coins back out with the end of a ruler.

Not that ruler Micheal's own end is close, not when he can suddenly and spectacularly box Pearse in the face by claiming he got secret sweets from an uncle in America. All hell broke loose. Sean O Fearghail (which is a classic school principal's name, even though he's a farmer) must have thought he was back in his alma mater of the De La Salle in Kildare.

He tried to keep order, a national school Tricolour somewhere to the left of his desk, as Pearse spat out that he'd been accused of illegality and hurled howls of anguish.

The class was kicking up no end, probably through knowing their holidays looming, with no chance of anyone imposing any fines for taking time off (the House rises on Thursday and will be back in mid-September).

The Taoiseach had a withdrawal of his nasty charge dragged out of him - so much for his holier-than-thou best-boy act of recent years.

Disappointingly, there was no appearance by Ms Foley, the new Special Needs Assistant, who seems so nice, poised and prime.

There was a sense some of the miscreants were just hoping for her to show up, so they could try and break her, or at least make her shout out loud or even dissolve in tears.

But presumably the return to school for everyone outside the 33rd Dail - which is heading for hols in the opposite direction - is going well indeed, because it turns out Ms Foley is the very embodiment of the New Normal.

An unfortunate announcer's accident on the 8.30am news on 'Morning Ireland' first christened her 'Norman' Foley. As listeners gasped in horror, the newsreader attempted a correction, but couldn't stop himself referring to her as 'Normal'.

The new 'Normal' Foley cannot have been amused, but had the good sense to responsibly distance herself from the Dail by attending to matters in her department all day.

She had no desire to see anyone torture the PUP issue, which many of them gleefully did again. Sinn Fein in particular shed bitter tears over people flying off on holiday being brought down to earth by mean-spirited Government potshots.

The Taoiseach pointed out Sinn Fein had taken a blithe holiday from its own position of just last week - that there should be no foreign travel, in line with public health advice.

Thereafter, having aimed a number of sneaky kicks, particularly on political pay, Mary Lou decided to behave and diligently attended to her books, popping a pair of serious specs on her nose. She paid almost no notice as Micheal Martin and her pal Pearse had a drag-out fight on the floor.
Actor Rhea Chakrabortys lawyer has filed a petition on her behalf, requesting that the investigation into the death of her boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput be transferred to Mumbai. Sushants father, KK Singh on Tuesday filed an FIR against Rhea under the various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Petition filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty in Supreme Court seeking transfer of investigation in #SushantSinghRajputs death to Mumbai: Satish Maneshinde, Rhea Chakrabortys lawyer, news agency ANI tweeted on Wednesday.

KK Singh lodged the case with Rajiv Nagar police station against Rhea Chakraborty, and her family including Indrajit Chakraborty, Sandhya Chakraborty, Shruti Modi, Showik Chakraborty and others under Sections 341, 342, 380, 406,420, 306 and 120 (B) of the IPC. Sushants father has made a serious charge against Rhea and her family. He has alleged that she had kept Sushant away from his family and completely in her possession. She was also handling his bank account. It was also reported that crores of rupees were withdrawn from his bank account, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Inspector General, central range, had told Hindustan Times.

Also read: Rhea Chakraborty threatened to frame Sushant Singh Rajput, used his credit cards, says his father in FIR

Sushants father, in his FIR said that on June 8, when Rhea found that bank balance of Sushant is going down, she left with cash, jewellery, laptop, credit card, its pin number and password and important documents and doctors receipts.

Sushant was found dead at his Bandra apartment on June 14, at the age of 34. The Mumbai Police have so far questioned over 40 people in connection with the case. Rhea had previously requested the home ministry to ask the Central Bureau of Investigation to take over the case from the Mumbai Police.

(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)

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The Mekong River has become a new front in U.S.-China rivalry, environmentalists and officials say, with Beijing overtaking Washington in both spending and influence over downstream countries at the mercy of its control of the river's waters.

It's a confrontation in which the Trump administration - which has largely maintained funding for an Obama-era environmental and development programs in the Lower Mekong - is losing ground.

The two powers' struggle recently moved into the realm of science - with the U.S. and Chinese governments each touting different reports about whether China's 11 dams on the river were harming nations downstream.

China's dams have given it extensive control of the waters that flow down to Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, which have long depended on the river for agriculture, fisheries, and increasingly for hydropower in Laos.

That control enables China to set the agenda for development linked to the waterway, and to exclude the United States from a role after decades of promoting Mekong projects as a way to exert its influence in the region.

"This is becoming a geopolitical issue, much like the South China Sea, between the United States and China," said Witoon Permpongsacharoen of the group Mekong Energy and Ecology Network.

The state of the Mekong is an urgent worry for the 60 million people who depend on it for farming and fishing as it flows from China, where it is known as the Lancang, through Southeast Asia before emptying into the sea from Vietnam's delta.

Last year saw record drought, with Lower Mekong river levels the lowest in decades. Fewer and smaller fish catches have been reported for years.

A U.S. ambassador in the region described China as "hoarding" water in its 11 dams on its upper portion of the 4,350-km (2,700-mile) river, harming the livelihoods of millions of people in downstream countries.

China also has been stepping up activities of its Lancang Mekong Cooperation group (LMC), a relatively new intergovernmental body that a second U.S. ambassador decried as trying to "sideline" the 25-year-old Mekong River Commission (MRC).

The MRC traces its origins back to U.S. efforts to promote development during the Cold War. It works with the governments of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam to foster the sharing and sustainable development of the river and its resources.

Chinas foreign ministry told Reuters any U.S. suggestion that Beijing was trying to take over the Mekong conversation was groundless.

"Countries outside the region should refrain from stirring up trouble out of nothing," the ministry said.

'ILL INTENT'

The U.S.-China rivalry broke into a war of words after a Washington-funded study in April concluded that Chinas dams held backwaters during last year's drought.

The study by Eyes on Earth, a U.S.-based research and consulting company specializing in water, built a prediction model based on satellite imaging and MRC data that it said showed "missing" waters downstream, starting in around 2010.

U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia Patrick Murphy said he was "quite surprised" at the stark findings.

"That was the same here in the region," Murphy told Reuters, referring to the reaction to the revelation.

"To learn that a primary source for the diminished level of the Mekong, and changes in the Mekong in the Lower Mekong region, is what's happening upstream in China - with essentially the hoarding of water," Murphy said.

China reacted with outrage, with its embassy in Thailand denouncing the study as "politically motivated, aimed at targeting China with ill intent" - a charge its author and U.S. officials denied.

Then, in mid-July, China's Global Times published an article about a Chinese study characterized as disproving the Eyes on Earth report.

"River dams in China helped alleviate drought along Lancang-Mekong, research finds," read the headline in the newspaper published by the Peoples Daily, the official newspaper of Chinas ruling Communist Party.

However, the study by Tsinghua University and the China Institute of Water Resources in fact said China's dams could, in the future, help alleviate drought, not that they actually did so in 2019, according to a copy obtained by Reuters.

"We are not meaning to compare with any other report. We aim to provide some basic facts to facilitate mutual understanding, trust and therefore cooperation in the basin," lead researcher Tian Fuqiang told Reuters in an email.

Researchers will argue about the science, but for the Lower Mekong countries, it comes down to trust and power.

Sebastian Strangio, an author of a book on Southeast Asia's relations with China, "In the Dragon's Shadow," said China's downstream neighbors almost certainly trust China's narrative less - but Beijing's regional might can't be ignored.

"They rely on China now for a life-giving resource, and it's very difficult for them to openly challenge the Chinese government on its dam building," Strangio said.

Reluctant to take sides, none of the MRC countries has commented publicly in favor of either the Chinese or American study.

SEPARATE COOPERATION GROUPS

The United States has spent $120 million on its Lower Mekong Initiative since it was founded 11 years ago.

China appears to be spending more: in 2016, the Beijing-sponsored LMC set up a $300 million fund for research grants to be awarded for the five downstream countries.

The LMC did not respond to requests for an interview nor to questions about its 95 proposed projects, planned or underway, that are on a list reviewed by Reuters from its first Ministerial Meeting in Beijing in December.

The Chinese-led group is taking a higher profile with an annual foreign ministers' meeting and plans for a summit of leaders, possibly including Chinese President Xi Jinping, while less heavy-hitting water and environment officials typically go to MRC meetings, a Thai government official said.

The LMC drew criticism from the U.S. ambassador to Thailand, Michael DeSombre, who called it a "parallel organization" to the MRC.

"We really would encourage the People's Republic of China to work together with the Mekong River Commission, rather than trying to sideline it by creating its own organization that it controls," DeSombre said.

Despite the U.S. warnings, officials at the Mekong River Commission say it welcomes cooperation with the LMC and China.

One reason is that the commission and member governments want more data about operations of China's dams, which hold back a combined capacity of 47 billion cubic meters of water.

In 2002, Beijing started notifying downstream countries when it would release water that could cause flooding.

But China has disclosed little else to enable downstream countries to make plans and request adjustments in the river's flows.

China, at a February meeting of the LMC, promised more cooperation with its neighbors, but when speaking privately, regional officials are skeptical.

"China hasn't shared any constructive data," said a Vietnamese official who declined to be identified.

(Additional reporting by Gao Liangping in Beijing, David Stanway in Shanghai, Prak Chan Thul in Phnom Penh and Phuong Nguyen and Khanh Vu in Hanoi, writing by Kay Johnson, and editing by Robert Birsel)
Testing travellers for coronavirus one week after they arrive into the UK could catch virtually all imported cases and solve Britain's quarantine row, a study suggested today.

Modelling by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found isolating people for seven days then testing them could catch 94 per cent of infections coming from high risk countries.

Researchers behind the study are urging the UK Government to consider imposing the strategy because they fear people won't comply with the lengthy two-week rule currently in force.

Travellers and British tourists returning from Spain were told over the weekend they now have to self-isolate for 14 days amid rising cases there. Other EU countries, such as Belgium and Luxembourg, could also be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow because of growing outbreaks on the continent.

The Government is under mounting pressure to reduce the quarantine period amid concerns it will ruin summer holidays and stop holiday-making Britons from earning a wage when they come home. But ministers today warned there is currently no 'viable alternative' to the isolation rules.

Heathrow Airport bosses today suggested testing at the border could be the answer to slash the 14-day quarantine rule and prevent the travel industry haemorrhaging money.

They were backed by Conservative MP David Davis who said': 'Heathrow boss is right to call for airport testing to replace hard quarantines. Vienna has been doing this for months. I dont understand why we havent.

'Nothing is perfect, you are as likely to catch the virus on the London underground back home as you are on the plane or on holiday.

'On a 14 day holiday there is an 80% chance someone infected will manifest symptoms at the airport. If this is the case everyone on the plane should be quarantined. US companies like Cepheid can turnaround a test in 30 minutes.

But LSHTM researchers poured cold water on the plans, warning swabs at British airports would only catch half of infected people and let thousands slip by.

They also said infected people who get negative results at the border may get false confidence from the test and ignore their symptoms when they develop.

It can take a number of days from infection before tests pick up Covid-19, meaning a negative result on arrival does not mean the passenger will not fall ill later down the line.

Belgium and Luxembourg could be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow and Croatia could also be at risk. Luxembourg has the highest incidence of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Europe

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine modelling has found testing for Covid-19 upon arrival at British airports only catches 50 per cent of infections. Pictured: A passenger is tested by a doctor at a coronavirus screening station in Duesseldorf airport in western Germany

But testing travellers from high-risk countries one week after they arrive into the UK could catch virtually all imported cases and solve Britain's quarantine row. Pictured: A guard points to arriving passengers for a Covid-19 test in Dusseldorf

The latest study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal, used mathematical modelling to simulate different quarantine strategies.

They estimated the number of infected people flying to the UK from the US and Europe based on monthly flight records and the disease prevalence abroad.

The team said the current 14-day quarantine measures were still the most effective, and can prevent 99 per cent of cases if everyone adheres to the rules.

But they found a quarantine period of seven days, followed by a negative test, could reduce imported cases to between zero and three a week from the EU and zero and four from the US.

Their mathematical model suggested that shortening this to five days would result in 80 per cent of cases being caught, because the disease would still incubating in a fifth of travellers who only caught it a few days before flying.

Revealing the study's results today at a virtual press conference, lead researcher Dr Sam Clifford said: 'The recommendation is that you need at least a week in quarantine.

'But having a PCR test means it doesn't have to be a full two weeks. Obviously we need to be mindful of how people are going to respond to having a long quarantine period.'

The epidemiologists also modelled the effectiveness of testing incoming travellers for the disease at British airports.

BUT GOVERNMENT INSISTS THERE'S NO ALTERNATIVE TO 14 DAY QUARANTINE Ministers today warned there is currently no 'viable alternative to the 14-day quarantine' period for travellers returning to the UK from high risk countries. Boris Johnson is believed to be worried that a second spike in infections in the UK could start within a fortnight after he expressed concerns about a surge in cases across Europe. Mr Johnson has insisted the UK must reserve the right to impose travel restrictions at short notice in order to prevent a domestic increase in coronavirus. But the travel industry is urging the Government to slash the 14 day quarantine period in order to make foreign travel more feasible amid such uncertainty, with the boss of Heathrow Airport suggesting testing at the border could be the answer. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden today poured cold water on the plan as he said at the moment there is not a 'viable alternative' to the fortnight in self-isolation. He said: 'The challenge we have here is that it's not the case you can simply test somebody and be sure that they don't have the disease.' He added: 'It can incubate over a period of time, so there's not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border.' Mr Dowden said he understood the travel industry's 'frustration' with the current quarantine system but that currently there is no 'viable alternative'. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: I have heard [Mr Holland-Kaye's] comments and I do understand his frustration and his desire for us not to impose quarantine. If we could avoid imposing quarantine in a way that it was safe to do so then of course we would do that, that is why we keep it under review.' He added: Of course, we continue to look at all alternatives but we are not at the point where there is a viable alternative to the 14 day quarantine. Indeed, in your question you alluded to the fact that testing even after a week does not catch every one.' Mr Dowden said that people 'should continue to book holidays' but they needed to be 'aware of that risk' of quarantine being imposed. Advertisement

The chief executive of London's Heathrow Airport has called for people coming from high-risk countries to receive a swab on arrival in a bid to scrap the crude 14-day rule.

John Holland-Kaye said today the mandatory swabs could restore Brits' faith in foreign holidays this year and prevent the travel industry from taking another hit.

But the LSHTM study found that testing passengers on arrival would only pick up 50 per cent of infected people.

Dr Clifford added: 'There's been some evidence that suggests people who get a negative test early on think they are probably OK and don't need to be as strict [with quarantine].

'There's a lot of behavioural science that needs to go into it, we've only modelled the epidemiology. We haven't modelled how people adhere to these different quarantine measures.'

Reacting to the findings, independent scientists said they 'welcomed' the finding that shortening quarantine times could still keep a lid on the epidemic.

Dr Andrew Freedman, an infectious diseases expert and honorary consultant physician at Cardiff University, said: 'It is clear that a single negative PCR test on arrival is not sufficient to exclude COVID infection in travellers arriving into the UK from higher risk countries because of the incubation period which may be up to two weeks.

'However, this modelling study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine provides a strong argument in favour of shortening the quarantine period from the current 14 days to eight days, by performing a test on day seven after arrival.

'This would have a very significant benefit to the individual traveller as well as the travel industry as a whole. It remains to be seen whether the UK Governments will be willing to adopt such a strategy.'

Prof Mark Woolhouse, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, added: 'This is a welcome illustration of the principle that testing can be used to reduced the need for quarantine.

'One scenario not considered in this paper is testing at arrival and again a few days later. It is possible that a double testing strategy could be almost as effective as 14 days quarantine.

'The paper does not go on to explore the public health consequences of imported cases, but this is another key issue.

'If the R number is less than one (as in the UK at present) then imported infections will not spark major outbreaks - they present no more risk than infections from within the UK.

'This changes dramatically, however, if the R number rises above 1. In that case any infection - imported or not - can spark a major outbreak and far greater caution is warranted.'

Mr Johnson yesterday warned there are 'signs of a second wave' of coronavirus in Europe as he defended the UK's decision to reimpose quarantine travel rules on Spain.

A senior Government source said the PM was 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up', both at home and abroad.

However, the decision to reimpose quarantine on Spain and the threat of the Government doing the same on other European countries is wreaking havoc with the travel industry.

Government advisers have warned it can take a number of days from the moment of infection before tests return a positive result, meaning testing negative on arrival does not mean the passenger will not develop symptoms later on.

But Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care are understood to have spoken with travel assistance company Collinson to understand the proposed testing pilot it is developing with Heathrow.
First President of Ukraine (1991-1994) Leonid Kravchuk said that at the moment he had not received an official offer from the current head of state to participate in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) for the settlement of the conflict in Donbas.

"President Zelensky named both my candidacy and Reznikov's candidacy. I highly appreciate Reznikov, he is a professional and he has been dealing with that issue for a long time. If he is appointed, it will be great. When I am officially offered, and I make a decision, then it will be possible to talk about it. How can I decide when I have not had an offer?" Kravchuk said.

Earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that current first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, first President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk may become the new head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG on resolving the situation in Donbas, and a number of other candidates are also being considered.
Siannise Fudge has taken aim at trolls who suggested she had split from her boyfriend Luke Trotman after she took a social media break.

The Love Island star, 26, slammed suggestions she had gone her separate ways from Luke, 23, in an impassioned post on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday.

The couple found love on the most recent series of Love Island earlier this year, and have been inseparable ever since leaving the villa in second place.

'Oh I am sorry but...' Siannise Fudge has taken aim at trolls who suggested she had split from her boyfriend Luke Trotman after she took a social media break

Hitting back at the speculation, Siannise wrote: 'I just wanna get something straight here. I am STILL a human being, if there's a day or a few days where I don't feel like posting or I want to take a break that is ok.

'Just because you don't see it on social media doesn't mean it isn't happening guys.

'Oh and me and Luke are very happy! We're off to Greece this week week(sic)'

Proving they are still completely loved-up, Siannise shared a selection of snaps of herself and Luke enjoying a drink together in the sunshine.

No way! The Love Island star, 26, slammed suggestions she had gone her separate ways from Luke, 23, in an impassioned post on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday

Hitting back at the speculation, Siannise wrote: 'I just wanna get something straight here. I am STILL a human being, if there's a day or a few days where I don't feel like posting or I want to take a break that is ok'

She later shared a snippet of her last minute holiday haul before the couple head off on their romantic Greek getaway.

They originally stayed with Luke's mum in Luton during lockdown but have since moved into their own pad in London.

Siannise recently wrote on Instagram: 'We did it! Today myself & @luketroytrotman moved into our apartment and we love it. I feel so overwhelmed, this is something I have always wanted and it reminds me of how far we have both come.

'I'm excited for our next chapter in London and going on lots of adventures with my best friend, I love you (sic)'

Don't worry about us: Proving they are still completely loved-up, Siannise shared a selection of snaps of herself and Luke enjoying a drink together in the sunshine

While Luke, wrote: 'Finally moved in with my big batty gal (sic)'

The pair went for an evening walk around their new area to check out their surroundings.

Siannise said: 'I can't believe we now have our own place, it's perfect. Evening walk with my love.'

In February, the couple said they were planning to move to Windsor - because it is between their hometowns of Luton and Bristol.

Bottoms up! Luke enjoyed a glass of white wine as they hit back at split speculation

Luke said: 'We know we can live with each other now because we've been together 24/7 for a month and we're not sick of each other.'

Siannise added: 'I don't think I could ever get sick of him. I could be in a room sat in silence with him and I'd still feel happy and content, just to be in his company.'

Luke continued: 'I'm from Luton and Siannise is from Bristol. We're thinking we'll move to wherever is in the middle. We think the middle is in Windsor.'
Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. KL is set to release second-quarter 2020 results on Jul 30, before the opening bell.

The company has a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 0.8%, on average. The companys second-quarter results are likely to reflect the benefits from higher production at Fosterville and Detour Lake Mine as well as increased gold prices.

The stock has gained 10.2% in the past year compared with the industrys 58.8% rally.

Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement.

What to Expect in Q2

Earlier this month, the company released production figures for second-quarter 2020.

Total gold production for the second quarter rose 54% year over year to 329,770 ounces. Total gold poured in the second quarter was 338,573 ounces. Total gold sales surged 61% year over year to 341,390 ounces. Average realized price of gold increased 30% year over year to $1,716 per ounce.

Fosterville continued to demonstrate strong performance with production increasing 10% year over year to 155,106 ounces. Production at Macassa fell 14.9% year over year to 41,865 ounces in the second quarter. Production at Holt Complex was affected by temporary suspension effective Apr 2. Production in the second quarter totaled 807 ounces compared with 24,696 ounces in the prior-year quarter. Production at the Detour Lake Mine totaled 131,992 ounces despite disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Other Factors to Consider

Gold has been the bright spot this year as fears over the coronavirus pandemic made it the most attractive safe-haven asset. Gold prices gained around 13% in the second quarter  the highest quarterly percentage increase in more than four years.

Global uncertainty along with the coronavirus pandemic, renewed U.S.-China trade tensions and the civil unrest in the United States are contributing to the rally. As such, Kirkland Lake Golds second-quarter results are expected to reflect the benefits from higher gold prices.

Story continues

Q2 Estimates

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter total revenues is currently pegged at $566 million, which calls for 101.4% surge on a year-over-year basis.

Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. Price and EPS Surprise

Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. Price and EPS Surprise

Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. price-eps-surprise | Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. Quote

What the Zacks Model Says

Our proven model doesnt predict an earnings beat for Kirkland Lake Gold this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. But thats not the case here.

Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP for Kirkland Lake Gold is 0.00%. The Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are both currently pegged at 74 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: Kirkland Lake Gold currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Stocks to Consider

Here are some companies that you may want to consider as our model shows that they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter:

Barrick Gold Corporation GOLD, scheduled to release second-quarter 2020 earnings on Aug 10, has an Earnings ESP of +0.54% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.

FMC Corporation FMC, slated to release second-quarter 2020 earnings on Aug 4, has an Earnings ESP of +1.13% and a Zacks Rank #3.

Pan American Silver Corp. PAAS, scheduled to release second-quarter 2020 results on Aug 5, has an Earnings ESP of +23.81% and carries a Zacks Rank #3.

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Attorney General Bill Barr told the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that he does not read President Trump's tweets after being grilled by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) about the president's praise for Roger Stone for not testifying against him.

Why it matters: Barr has previously said that Trump's "constant background commentary" about the Justice Department can "make it impossible" for him to do his job. Stone was convicted of lying to Congress about his efforts to find out more about the timing of WikiLeaks' email dumps and recently had his sentence commuted by Trump.

The big picture: Trump testified in written answers to former special counsel Robert Mueller that he did not recall discussing WikiLeaks with Stone. Evidence from Stone's trial and recently unredacted material from the Mueller report suggest the opposite.

Stone later told journalist Howard Fineman: "I had 29 or 30 conversations with Trump during the campaign period. He knows I was under enormous pressure to turn on him. It would have eased my situation considerably. But I didnt. They wanted me to play Judas. I refused."

Democrats have accused Trump of commuting Stone's sentence to ensure that Stone would not incriminate him.

The exchange:

SWALWELL: "If Donald Trump lied to the Mueller investigators, which you agree would be a crime, then Roger Stone was in a position to expose Donald Trump's lies. Are you familiar with the Dec. 3, 2018, tweet where Donald Trump said Roger Stone had shown guts by not testifying against him?"

BARR: "No, I am not familiar with that."

SWALWELL: "You don't read the president's tweets?"

BARR: "No."

SWALWELL: "Well there's a lot of evidence in the president's tweets, Mr. Attorney General, I think you should start reading them."
It has been a tough summer for most of us. But for the folks in these parts who make wine, it has been superb. Messina Hof, in particular, is in the midst of bringing in the largest crop weve ever had, says Karen Bonarrigo, the Bryan-based winerys chief administrative officer. A good year normally means estate-grown tonnage in the high 20s to the low 30s. The 2020 vintage could top 40.

Bonarrigos in-laws, Messina Hof founders Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo, didnt get out and about as much as they normally would in nonpandemic times, allowing them to instead focus considerable extra attention on their lenoir aka black Spanish vines around the winery. The prolific yield means, Bonarrigo said, Our port production is going to be great.

Messina Hofs annual harvest-related celebrations began last weekend and will continue through Aug. 15. But a laundry list of logistical changes has been implemented to ensure social distancing, she noted. The new normal has meant retooling the lineup of activities to make it less of a party and more of an agricultural experience. By far the top priority, Bonarrigo said, is to keep our guests and our staff as safe as possible.

When we spoke, Messina Hof still hadnt decided whether to hold its two evening sit-down events, the Harvest Cellar Tour and Dinner Saturday and the Grand Finale Gala in two weeks, indoors or out on the expansive lawn. Under normal circumstances, there would be no decision to make, of course. The Bonarrigos would chase the air-conditioning.

More Information GRAPE CLASS Today's featured varietals, which became famous elsewhere in the world but are also splendidly interpreted by Texas wineries, are albarino and picpoul blanc. The former is the workhorse white grape in Galicia - particularly the Rias Baixas DO - in Spain's far northwest corner, and the latter remains best known for how it expresses itself in France's Languedoc, with the best vineyards close to the Mediterranean north of Agde. Albarino (or, to the Portuguese, alvarinho) handles heat well, which explains why Lewis Wines can deliver such a wonderfully aromatic, acidic and complex wine from grapes grown in the Enchanted Rock Vineyard near our state park of the same name. Owner/winemaker Doug Lewis and his team hand-harvested the fruit at night. Then, once back at the winery outside Fredericksburg, the clusters were destemmed, followed by a few hours of soaking with the skins, which, Lewis notes, contain both turpenes and thiols that endow the wine with citrus and floral aromatics. The 2018 Lewis Albarino, which I scored 18.6 (9.1 for quality and 9.5 for value), sells for $28 at shop.lewiswines.com. Bending Branch Winery, in turn, produces a picpoul blanc from its Lost Pirogue Vineyard in Comfort. "Picpoul" means "lipstinger" for its lemony, highly acidic flavor and, back in the day, it was widely grown for making vermouth. Like albarino, picpoul loves intense summer sunshine, which explains why it can thrive in the Hill Country. Bending Branch's 2018 Texas version (the winery has also made a Picpoul Blanc from Paso Robles-grown fruit) was hand-harvested, then fermented and aged in barrel, which owner/winemaker Bob Young says "broadens the palate and adds complexity." I also gave it a score of 18.6 (9.1 for quality, 9.5 for value). The price is $32 at bendingbranchwinery.com. See More Collapse

(The pandemic) has forced us to be creative, to think outside the box, Bonarrigo said. Weve come up with lots of contingency plans. Fortunately, vineyards are good for social distancing.

Because most of Messina Hofs grapes are picked by team members, shrinking the guest turnout shouldnt dramatically complicate things despite all those extra grapes. However, for some smaller producers, which largely rely on accommodating volunteers to bring in the fruit, a COVID-19-caused labor shortage could become an issue.

For example, Doug and Linda Rowlett, who own Paradox House Vineyard about 70 miles northwest of Houston in Austin County, are also expecting record lenoir tonnage. But the Rowletts are understandably concerned that some of their normally eager-beaver recruits might balk at being in close proximity to nonfamily members, even if wearing masks is strongly encouraged. Paradox House will, in fact, provide same if needed to its helpers, as well as box lunches for Saturdays grape-picking.

No standing in line or serving from communal trays of food this year! the Rowletts wrote in a group email sent to their (hoped-for) participants. They also politely requested that folks do not congregate around the drinks table.

Bending Branch Winery in Comfort reports that its Hill Country vinifera vines delivered more fruit than in recent years, too. On the other hand, Fall Creek Vineyards winemaker Sergio Cuadra says his yields are down and much of the fruit  cabernet conspicuously  ripened well ahead of schedule. But the lack of rain that contributed to same, Cuadra noted, let us be in control of plant growth, and thats always welcome. Im excited about the quality of our fruit.

In the High Plains, yields are dramatically down because of an unexpectedly severe October freeze, although growers and winemakers also seem generally pleased with the quality of the grapes they did get. The reduced yields may actually represent a hidden blessing, too.

With COVID-19 closing wineries and stalling sales, Pedernales Cellars co-founder/winemaker David Kuhlken said, Its probably a good thing that the 2020 vintage is smaller than usual because many wineries are cash-strapped to purchase fruit.

Pedernales Cellars has opted not to utilize custom crush facilities in the Panhandle this year and will bring all the grapes it bought directly to its winery near Fredericksburg. Kulhken was hardly going out of limb when he observed, This is the craziest year Ive ever seen.

Added Duchman Family Vineyards winemaker Dave Reilly: 2020 will go down in history for many reasons  a bumper crop not among them. Due to the freeze event on the Texas High Plains, we are not expecting to harvest any white-wine grapes this year except for roussanne (so, yikes, no vermentino!) and we expect very low yields from the red varieties with the exception of sangiovese. Fingers crossed for 2021.

sportywineguy@outlook.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - AES Corp. (AES) said that its wholly-owned subsidiary, AES Holdings Brazil Ltda's has agreed to acquire an 18.5% economic interest in AES Tiete S.A from BNDES Participacoes S.A. for a total consideration of BRL $1.27 billion or $246 million. Once the transaction closes, AES will own 42.85% of the shares of AES Tiete. As a part of the deal, AES Brazil will buy 73.8 million units of AES Tiete at BRL $17.15 per unit, for total of BRL $1.27 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2020. The transaction will be funded primarily with already secured non-recourse debt financing from a consortium of Brazilian banks. The acquisition is expected to be $0.01 to $0.02 per share accretive to AES' annual earnings in 2020 and thereafter. Following closing, AES will propose the migration of AES Tiete to the Novo Mercado, the listing class with the highest governance level on the Brazilian stock market, in order to gain greater liquidity and value for the shares. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The world's oldest trees are not immortal, but just ageing very slowly, a plant biologist has concluded in a new report.

The oldest trees on Earth have stood for nearly 5,000 years and have therefore appeared to hold great promise that some organisms on this planet are eternal.

Biologists have long-wondered to what extent these ancient organisms undergo senescence  the process of physically deteriorating as they age.

But although signs of senescence in long-lived trees may be almost imperceptible to people, this does not mean that they're immortal, a plant scientist claims.

Inevitable hormonal changes eventually lead to mechanical constraints and death, he says, pointing to a recent study of ginkgoes, one of the world's longest-lived trees.

Ginkgoes, one of the world's longest-lived trees, display age-related reductions in the contents of auxin, a plant hormone produced in the stem tip that promotes cell elongation

'The measure of time is something that we have invented as humans, and to a millennial tree, it does not matter at all,' said plant biologist Professor Sergi Munne-Bosch at the University of Barcelona, who details tree mortality in a new research paper.

'When we try to study these organisms, we're really astonished that they live so long, but this doesn't mean that they're immortal.

'They live so long because they have many mechanisms to reduce a lot of the wear and tear of ageing.'

The idea of becoming immortal has always been extremely attractive to humans, Munne-Bosch says.

Long-lived trees have received special attention in the study of ageing, as 'a sort of mirror' in which we could potentially see ourselves reflected in our efforts to achieve greater longevity.

Trees have a variety of ways to reduce their chances of death from ageing, including 'building life on death' by growing new shoots from trunks composed of 90 per cent non-living biomass.

Indeed, long-lived trees, such as ginkgoes and bristlecone pines, are mostly formed of dead tissue, especially when they grow old.

The capacity of the vascular cambium  the main growth tissue in the stems and roots of plants  to resume growth each year allows life to be built around 'a sea' of dead plant mass.

The capacity of the vascular cambium to resume growth each year allows life to be built around a sea of dead organic mass, making trees exceptional long-lived organisms at the limits of life and death

But despite their well-evolved methods to prolonging the ageing process, they still undergo physiological stress associated with senescence, which will ultimately prevent immortality.

'They have limits  there are physical and mechanical constraints that limit their ability to live indefinitely,' said Munne-Bosch.

The oldest individual tree in the world is thought to be in the US, where a Great Basin bristlecone pine in Californias White Mountains has been aged at more than 5,000 years.

A Fortingall Yew in Perthshire, Scotland, is believed to be the oldest tree in the UK, meanwhile, with an estimated age between 2,000 and 3,000 years, according to the Woodland Trust.

The famous yew tree in the churchyard of the village of Fortingall in highland Perthshire. The tree is thought to be around 3,000 to 5,000 years old

Tress can be aged by measuring their girth  specifically the rings that develop over time that increase that girth.

But because of their extreme lifespans, the effects of ageing over time must be studied at a somewhat impossible timescale.

To see the real-time effects of ageing on long-lived trees, scientists would have to conduct studies that last hundreds if not thousands of years.

Little is known about what the process of senescence looks like in trees, and also finding enough trees with a lifespan of several thousands of years to find similarities can be challenging.

'When a species of tree can live for five millennia, it's very difficult to find even two trees that are between two and five millennia,' said Munne-Bosch.

A study published earlier this year in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said one species of ginkgo  G. biloba  may 'escape senescence at the whole-plant level'.

However, Munne-Bosch reports in his research paper that ginkgoes display age-related reductions in the contents of auxin, a plant hormone produced in the stem tip that promotes cell elongation.

Ginkgoes (C) and bristlecone pines (D), are mostly formed of dead tissue, especially when they grow old

These findings fit in with reduced cell division and expansion capacity, eventually leading to mechanical constraints and death.

For old trees, dying of senescence is a possibility, but the probability of dying from other causes, such as disease, is significantly higher.

'They don't have to worry about senescence because they have other things that worry them more,' Munne-Bosch said.

Studying the ways trees prolong senescence is important as research conducted in trees and long-lived plant species can inform other disciplines.

For example, aspects of regenerative medicine are based on mechanisms that have already evolved in trees.

Professor Munne-Bosch has published his research paper in the journal Trends in Plant Science.
1 of 3

Sushant Singh Rajput`s father files case against Rhea Chakraborty: Cheating for financial gains, giving him an overdose of medicines



Sushant Singh Rajputs father has filed an FIR in Patna against actor Rhea Chakraborty and five others, including three of her family members, for abetment of suicide, police said on Tuesday. Inspector General of Police, Patna Central, Sanjay Singh confirmed that the FIR was filed on Saturday.



Krishna Kumar Singh lodged the first information report (FIR) at the Rajiv Nagar police station in Patna against Rhea Chakraborty and her family under the various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), senior police officials said on Tuesday. The case was filed in Patna as Rajputs 74-year-old father said he will not be able to go to Mumbai to fight the case due to his health issues.



My son was at the peak of his acting career till May 2019. During that period, Rhea and her relatives developed an acquaintance with my son, under a deliberate conspiracy, so that Rhea could establish herself in the film industry and

with an eye on Sushants wealth He was later made to rent a house that was haunted, and that had an impact on my son, Rajputs father, K K Singh, has said in the FIR.



The FIR has been filed under IPC Sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating). A police officer said Rajputs family has also alleged that Chakraborty used his credit cards during a Europe tour.



Besides Chakraborty, the others named in the FIR are three of her relatives, Indrajit Chakraborty, Sandhya Chakraborty and Shobhik Chakraborty, and two others  Samuel Miranda and Shruti Modi. A four-member team of the Patna Police has left for Mumbai for further investigations. We have spoken to Mumbai Police to seek their cooperation, said a police officer.



Read More...


Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos plans to tout the company's job creation and support for small businesses during Wednesday's antitrust hearing, according to prepared remarks released by the company on Tuesday.

Bezos will tell the House Antitrust Subcommitee that Amazon now employs a million people and that it built an online marketplace that allows some third-party sellers -- independent "entrepreneurs" -- to make more than $100,000 a year. He acknowledges that Amazon is "a large company" but that its sprawling scale has created more than $1 trillion of wealth for its shareholders, which include "fire, police, and school teacher pension funds."

The remarks also highlight personal information about his life, like the fact that his mother was a 17-year-old high school student when he was born, and that his adoptive father emigrated from Cuba. They were among Amazon's first investors.

"It's not a coincidence that Amazon was born in this country," Bezos said in his prepared remarks. "More than any other place on Earth, new companies can start, grow, and thrive here in the U.S."

In a common theme for Bezos and the company, the statement repeatedly mentions Amazon's drive to please customers, and notes that this focus has made Amazon one of the country's most trusted institutions.

"Researchers at Georgetown and New York University found in 2018 that Amazon trailed only the military among all respondents to a survey on institutional and brand trust. Among Republicans, we trailed only the military and local police; among Democrats, we were at the top, leading every branch of government, universities, and the press," the statement says.

Bezos is one of four tech CEOs set to appear in Wednesday's hearing, along with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who will use the opportunity to defend Facebook's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp and talk about its commitment to open-source projects, according to prepared remarks released Tuesday. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, will also appear.

Amazon's "Day One" mentality will also be a key theme of Bezos' opening remarks. He plans to highlight how the business philosophy, which has afforded Amazon "both the scope and capabilities of a large company and the spirit and heart of a small one," is great for customers, even when it might attract critics. Amazon has earned the trust of consumers by listening to their needs, which are "lower prices, better selection and convenience," he added.

"As I have said since my first shareholder letter in 1997, we make decisions based on the long-term value we create as we invent to meet customer needs," Bezos said. "When we're criticized for those choices, we listen and look at ourselves in the mirror. When we think our critics are right, we change. When we make mistakes, we apologize. But when you look in the mirror, assess the criticism, and still believe you're doing the right thing, no force in the world should be able to move you."
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Sweden is seeing a 'very positive' downward trend in coronavirus cases after its much-debated decision not to go into lockdown, its top epidemiologist says.

Anders Tegnell said the number of seriously sick patients was 'close to zero' with the curve of new virus cases also bending downwards.

Tegnell is also continuing to play down the effectiveness of face masks - saying there is 'no point' wearing them on public transport.

Sweden recorded only 1,716 new cases last week, down from 9,094 just a month earlier, and deaths have also been on the decline.

'The curves go down, and the curves over the seriously ill begin to be very close to zero. As a whole, it is very positive,' Tegnell said.

Sweden's three-day average of new coronavirus cases has gradually fallen in recent weeks, with the number of seriously sick patients now said to be 'close to zero'

Measured by cases per million people, Sweden now has a similar infection rate to the UK and a much better one than the US

Sweden became a closely-watched outlier in the spring after refusing to go into lockdown, with shops and restaurants staying open throughout the crisis.

Large gatherings were banned along with visits to nursing homes, but primary schools stayed open even in hard-hit Stockholm.

Citizens have largely complied with social distancing recommendations and the government says that its softer measures will be easier to maintain long-term.

On Monday, Sweden announced just 398 new cases over the weekend, down from 767 the week before and 2,530 only a month ago.

Measured by cases per million people, Sweden now has a similar infection rate to the UK and a much better one than the US.

Only a handful of people are now being admitted to intensive care per week, down from as many as 45 per day at the height of the crisis.

Deaths have also fallen, with 56 fatalities announced in the last week compared to 101 in the previous seven days.

However, Sweden's death toll of 5,702 is well above that in Denmark, Norway and Finland, which have each seen fewer than 1,000 deaths.

In addition, Sweden has found itself marginalised as European countries re-open their borders for summer holidays.

The UK Foreign Office continues to advise against non-essential travel to Sweden, but has lifted that warning for the other Scandinavian countries.

Sweden's top epidemiologist Anders Tegnell (pictured on Tuesday) said the number of seriously sick patients was 'close to zero' with the curve of new virus cases also bending down

The mixed results have prompted Swedish officials to promise an investigation into the country's coronavirus response.

The commission has a broad mandate to look at how the virus arrived in Sweden, how it spread, the government's response, and the effect on equality.

The commission will report on elderly care at the end of November, although its final conclusions are not due until 2022, ahead of a national election.

While countries including the UK have abandoned their initial scepticism about masks to order their use in shops and public transport, Sweden has again proved an outlier.

Tegnell says that 'we see no point in wearing a face mask in Sweden, not even on public transport,' according to Bloomberg.

Sweden has previously voiced hopes that its strategy would lead to herd immunity, which is when so many people are immune that the virus will not spread.

However, there are still significant uncertainties about what kind of immunity is generated when people recover from Covid-19.

Tegnell had claimed in April that up to 20 per cent of Stockholm residents were already immune, but a study released in May found the figure was only 7.3 per cent.

The World Health Organization has warned against pinning hopes on herd immunity. Research into a vaccine remains ongoing.
Three lawmakers want the Navy secretary to explain how his service will combat prostitution and trafficking in the wake of a troubling report about sailors in Bahrain profiting from the sex trade there.

Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Kirsten Gillibrand and Tammy Baldwin sent a letter to Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite on Tuesday, calling on him to respond to a host of questions about how the service is responding to charges that sailors in the Middle East were attempting to recruit and harbor women for commercial sex acts.

Read Next: Nearly 12,000 US Troops Will Pull Out of Germany at Cost of Billions, SecDef Says

Navy Times recently published a series of stories that detailed the Naval Criminal Investigative Service probes into sailors trafficking Thai women to work as prostitutes in Bahrain. Some sailors, the paper found, seized the women's passports and were housing them in government-funded residences.

The senators called the reports deeply concerning.

"We request immediate information on the steps you have taken to remedy the deplorable circumstances in Bahrain, combat the broader culture that allowed these crimes to flourish, and ensure that justice is delivered to trafficking survivors and their family members," they wrote.

Blumenthal, of Connecticut, and Gillibrand, of New York, both sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Baldwin represents Wisconsin.

Cmdr. Sarah Higgins, a spokeswoman for Braithwaite, declined to respond to questions about the letter.

"We won't comment on congressional correspondence," she said.

The senators called on Braithwaite to not only say how the Navy has improved anti-trafficking training in the wake of the investigations, but also how the service is combating the "girl in every port" culture they say contributes to a climate that allows those crimes.

"Beyond the despicable crime that sailors were charged with, the underlying culture ... that has allowed prostitution in U.S. Navy ports is shameful," the letter states. "It is evident the Navy's zero tolerance policy against trafficking has not been effectively communicated to every echelon of commanders."

Vice Adm. Jim Malloy, the head of Naval Forces Central Command, said in June that the Navy launched an "awareness campaign" in the summer of 2018 that includes training on combating human trafficking and ethics and character development.

"The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness of this issue, enforce Navy core values, and promote bystander intervention," Malloy said. "Working with our host nation, NAVCENT remains vigilant to both monitor for any recurrence and prevent such activity."

The Navy also made several locations off-limits to U.S. troops, the command said. Navy Times reported that sailors involved in the cases in 2017 and 2018 went to bars and nightclubs that were popular spots for prostitutes.

The senators said they're concerned the problems uncovered by the NCIS investigation in Bahrain mean the problem isn't limited to that location.

"Even the perception that Navy personnel could be involved in trafficking is damaging to the local and global perception of Navy forces," they wrote. "... We strongly encourage the Navy to tailor training for locations where human trafficking is more prevalent, as it did in ... 5th Fleet."

The letter did not state a deadline by which Braithwaite should respond.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: NCIS Nabs 5 Sailors on Charges of Sex Crimes, Human Trafficking in Bahrain
The first episode of Michelle Obama's new Spotify podcast, where she interviews her husband, was released on Wednesday and sees the pair reminisce about their childhoods and joke about how 'broke' her was when they first met.

The pair were reminiscing over when they met and how Barack, a talented Harvard scholar who 'could have done anything', chose to pursue politics and community work rather than chase a high-paying job.

'Here you were, you could have done anything because of your academic achievement, because you were the number one student at Harvard Law Review, the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, top of the class...' Michelle said nostalgically.

Barack laughed: 'That's why you started dating me.

'You thought I was your meal ticket.... you didn't know I was going to go out and do some broke...' before she cut him off.

'It was like you were running away from the money, I was like "what is wrong with this negro?" she said, with him laughing in the background.

Barack and Michelle met in 1989 when they were both working for a law firm. She joked in her podcast how he took jobs that paid less than anything corporate he could have been doing, saying 'It was like you were running away from the money, I was like "what is wrong with this negro?"

The pair also said they'd enjoyed spending so much time together in quarantine, with Barack saying: 'I've been loving it.'

The podcast is a partnership between the pair's production company, Higher Ground, and Spotify.

When they announced it, they said the intention was to offer a platform to voices that were otherwise ignored.

The Michelle Obama Podcast is on Spotify. Barack was her first guest

Barack, Michelle's first interviewee, jokingly thanked her for having him on the podcast.

The pair also spoke about the George Floyd protests, which they said gave them 'hope' and showed that young people are focused on community.

'When you look at all these young people who have been out there protesting in the wake of the George Floyd murder, that's their instinct. It's not uniform and it could still go both ways in this country.

'It's like it's teetering one way or the other in countries all around the world,' Barack said.

Michelle called him the 'eternal optimist' and the 'yes we can! man', a reference to his 2008 campaign slogan.

She also spoke about leaving her high-paid job as a corporate lawyer in Chicago in the 1990s to pursue a life in politics, which she said was 'selfish' but more rewarding than anything she'd done in the past.

'I say this to young people - why did I leave corporate law - the truth is it was selfish.

'I was happier. When I got into the broader community of Chicago, and seeing the inter-connectedness, being involved in the dirt and the grit, I never looked back,' she said.

Michelle, Barack and their daughters Sasha and Malia in 2004. Michelle said the inspiration for her podcast came as she reflected on their eight years in the White House m

The pair also commented on how divided the country was and how children today are being told one thing around the dinner table but are seeing something else in the corporate world.

'There's a different way of parenting but what we didn't do, we delivered the message at the dinner table.

'But we didn't take them to the boardroom, Michelle said.

They also talked about the kind of 'inheritance' they wanted to leave for daughters Sasha and Malia, and that their priority was for the girls to live in a fair society.

'What's the inheritance we'd like to leave Malia and Sasha more than anything?

'It would be that they are living in a country that looks after everybody,' Barack said.

Michelle's other podcast guests have not yet been announced but she has previously said they will include her girlfriends and relatives.

'Youll also hear from many of my girlfriends, the women whove always been there with a shoulder to lean on, a perspective to think about, or simply an open line to vent to.

'In this time of social distancing, its more important than ever to invest in the relationships that make us who we are,' she said in a recent Instagram post about the project.
Richard Moore, who was previously posted in Pakistan and engaged with senior Indian interlocutors in his current role as political director in the Foreign Office, was on Wednesday appointed the next chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).

Moore, 57, will succeed Alex Younger, who will leave the service in the autumn, a Foreign Office statement said. Moore previously held director roles in the intelligence service and has been deputy national security adviser in the Cabinet Office.

He was one of the speakers during the India Global Week (July 9-11), when he joined a discussion on how the UK and India can work together to ensure that multilateral institutions continue to be relevant.

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said: I am delighted to appoint Richard as the next chief of the Secret Intelligence Service. He returns to SIS with tremendous experience and will oversee the work of a group of men and women whose tireless efforts are rarely seen in public, but which are critical for the security and prosperity of the UK.

Moore said: I am pleased and honoured to be asked to return to lead my service. SIS plays a vital role - with MI5 and GCHQ - in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas. I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave and dedicated team at SIS.

Oxford-educated and Libya-born Moore also served as British ambassador to Turkey, besides several roles in the diplomatic service. Before joining the Foreign office, he joined SIS in 1987 where he undertook a range of roles across the service both in the UK and overseas, the statement said.

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Shortly after graduating, and while still wearing their uniform and holding the Syrian flag, soldiers from the Fifth Legion started to chant against Assad reports Baladi News.

Hundreds of newly inducted members of the Fifth Legion chanted for the fall of the regime in Daraa today. They raised the regimes flag and the army flag during the graduation ceremony of a military cohort, in the presence of Russian forces.

This makes for a strange contradiction that southern Syria has been experiencing since the settlement agreement in July 2018.

A Baladi News correspondent said that the Eighth Brigade in the Fifth Legion, led by Ahmed al-Awda, had graduated a 900-fighter military cohort as part of a military formation in Busra al-Harir east of Daraa.

The correspondent added that a military parade was held in the presence of officers of the Russian military police and leaders of the Eighth Brigade, in addition to a number of notable figures from Daraa.

According to the correspondent, at the end of the military parade, the graduating fighters chanted against the Assad regime and for the removal of Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah from all Syrian regions. All of that happened while the fighters were raising the regime flag and wearing its official uniform.

On Jun. 23, 2020, Ahmed al-Awda announced his intention to form a unified military in Daraa, adding that the armys mission is not only to protect Horan, but rather to be the most powerful entity to protect Syria.

The announcement was made in a speech in which Awda presented his condolences for the passing of the Fifth Legion members who died in an explosion that targeted a bus that was transporting them east of Daraa, amid accusations that Irans intelligence was behind the incident.

Awda had made a presentation to some members of the Central Daraa Committee at the beginning of June, during which he went through a list of the names of the defectors and those who failed to serve in the military, with the aim of recruiting them in the formation he heads.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Britains GSK fell short of quarterly expectations for profit on Wednesday, as sales of its existing vaccines fell and stockpiling of pain and lung medication tapered as countries eased coronavirus-induced lockdowns.

The company said it still expects adjusted earnings per share for the year to decline in the range of 1% to 4%, with the outcome dependent on the timing of a recovery in vaccination rates, particularly in the United States.

Rather than developing its own vaccine in the global race to combat the pandemic, GSK has instead focused on contributing its adjuvant technology to at least seven other global firms, including Sanofi and Chinas Clover.

GSK also signed a deal with Britain for up to 60 million doses of a possible COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the company and Sanofi. The company said discussions are underway with the EU and United States.

Vaccine sales fell 29% to 1.1 billion, below consensus of 1.26 billion. Sales of Shingrix, its blockbuster and recent growth driver, fell to 323 million, but was above estimates.

Turnover fell 3% to 7.62 billion pounds in the three months ended June 30 on a constant currency basis, while adjusted earnings stood at 19.2 pence per share, the company said. GSK maintained its 2020 forecast.

Fourteen analysts on average expected second-quarter adjusted earnings of 20.1 pence per share and sales of 7.72 billion pounds, according to a company-compiled consensus https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/investors/analyst-consensus/analyst-consensus.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
She wore the M&S dress on This Morning. (Getty Images)

Yahoo Lifestyle is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

As if any further proof were needed that the Duchess of Cambridge is a high street fashion force to be reckoned with, one of her latest style has been showcased by Ruth Langsford.

The dress - which proved to be a hit after Kate Middleton wore it last month - received much praise with eagle-eyed fans noticing that Langsford wasnt the only famous face to wear it.

The Duchess of Cambridge wore the bargain outfit during a video appearance where she led an online assembly for the Oak National Academy.

The 39.50 butterfly-sleeve blue dress was reduced to 15 and then sold out quickly on Marks & Spencer, although the retailer has since added some similar styles to the site.

Langsford, who paired the midi-length dress with a white belt, shared her outfit of the day on her Instagram account, as she does with many of her This Morning looks.

She finished off the look with nude, suede court shoes from Topshop.

Kate Middleton wore the dress to host an assembly. (Kensington Palace)

Looks lovely, I think the Duchess of Cambridge wore this dress too, one of Langsfords followers commented, to which the presenter confirmed she did.

Read more: Duchess of Cambridge urges people to seek help with addictions

This isnt the first time the 60-year-old veteran presenter has chosen Marks & Spencer as her clothes store of choice, either. Langsford is regularly seen in floaty, flattering dresses from the high-street retailer.

Her affordable fashion choices, which include chic Primark dresses, go down a storm with the This Morning audience.

Marks & Spencer also do a waisted short-sleeve top version of the dress, which is currently sold out as well.

The chiffon a-line skirt version is still available on Marks & Spencers website in a limited number of sizes. It has recently been reduced to 14.50 and with the warm weather set to continue, it wont be around for long.

Story continues

Buy it: Chiffon Floral Ruffle Mini A-Line Skirt | 29.50 from Marks and Spencer

It seems ditsy print number is proving to be a must-have summer staple.

Read more: Duchess of Cambridge wears 5 Accessorize earrings

The Duchess of Cambridge tends to mix high-street and high-end brands when it comes to her public appearances.

Just recently she has worn everything from Beulah to Stella McCartney, so fans of the 38-year-olds style were excited by this nod to the British high-street.

The popular style of dress which both the Duchess of Cambridge and Langsford love, is one of Marks & Spencers signature styles.

The one piece boasts a round neck and puff sleeves, as well as a flattering elasticated waistband. It also features a frill drop hem, which falls mid-way down the calf, and button detailing on the back.

An elasticated waistband, tight floral prints and a frill drop hem. You had us at elasticated waistband.
COA Marlton N.J. It has been our honor to step in and offer stability and reliability to essential workers and critical workers, now we want to open to all families as the country opens back up. Past News Releases RSS Children of America Educational...

Located in "The Shoppes & Residences at Renaissance Square" Children of America  (COA), one of the nations fastest growing Educational Childcare companies for children six weeks to five years old, is pleased to announce their doors open for business, August 10, 2020. The Marlton School is located at 181 East Route 70, Marlton, NJ 08053.

Children of America brings to Marlton, its one-of-a-kind educational philosophy, COA Mind & Body Matters. Mind & Body Matters approaches early learning through COAs four proprietary programs: COA Just Read, Presidential Fitness, COA Nutrition, STAR Curriculum (Success through Academic Readiness), and many enrichment programs that have proven to dramatically impact the lives of young children. Children of America's educational curriculum is a product of years of research and development in early childcare.



The COA approach to Social  Emotional Growth Allows children to engage in social experiences through play, group activities and partnering with other children as they pretend, discover and investigate their learning environment.

Intellectual Growth at COA offers experiences that encourage problem solving, decision making and challenges through activities that promote emerging literacy.

We promote Physical Growth through a variety of activities; strengthening and refining of the body through eye/hand coordination, eye tracking, coordination of movements spatial relationships and crossing the midline, which leads to emerging reading and writing skills.

Starting at the front door, COA's already robust health and safety procedures have been enhanced to ensure a clean, welcoming school environment. "The well-being of every child is our top priority now and always," says CEO Ted Hockenberry. "We are proud to serve our communities. With COA, every child will discover the joy of learning and parents enjoy peace of mind. It starts with a healthy, safe environment, informed by CDC guidance, where learning can flourish. It has been our honor to step in and offer stability and reliability to essential workers and critical workers, now we want to open to all families as the country opens back up."

The creation of an engaging curriculum encourages students to adopt a lasting love and pursuit of learning. Questions, curiosity and hands-on learning experiences are encouraged and valued. By implementing fun and purposeful educational-based lessons and activities, COA creates an engaging environment where all children can enjoy the learning process.

CEO, Ted Hockenberry goes on to say, "Our process is an ongoing adventure that requires perseverance and support. COA encourages our students to set and reach their educational and personal goals. We develop strong relationships with students and their parents to support their success. From teachers, to curriculum, to events and activities, COA's goal is to provide the tools and resources each student needs to succeed. And by supporting our personnel through continued education we deliver a quality curriculum experience - that sets us apart from any other program in the country." Hockenberry continues, "COA is raising the bar for childcare across the country."

The COA Marlton location is the sixth school the company has built in New Jersey. COA has schools in Clementon, East Brunswick, Sewell, Parsippany, and Sicklerville and plans to open two (2) more facilities in Cinnaminson and Turnersville N.J. in 2020-2021. Hockenberry adds, "The company continues to invest heavily in both its unique facilities and amazing team. It is our goal to provide the very best environment for our children and staff to learn and grow."

For more information about COA centers and programs, please visit childrenofamerica.com.

About Children of America

Children of America operates facilities throughout Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The company expansion plans include several locations in the NY and NJ areas over the next two (2) years. COA offers the highest level of care for children ages six weeks to twelve years of age. The premier programs include infant care, toddler care, nationally renowned preschool and pre-kindergarten programs, before-and-after school care, and summer camp. An industry pioneer, Children of America is a subsidiary of World Wide Child Care Corp. Visit childrenofamerica.com for more information or interact with COA on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Illinois House minority leader to discuss health, economic challenges facing state

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  State Rep. Jim Durkin, the Illinois House minority leader, will share his thoughts on the numerous challenges facing the state during a virtual discussion next week hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

The free event is at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 4, and is open to the public. Registration is required and closes when the virtual discussion starts.

Will also discuss fall elections

In addition to discussing issues facing the state, Durkin will also preview the upcoming elections in November.

Leader Durkin is a key participant in the public policy debate in Springfield. His insights will help us better understand the difficult public health and economic challenges now confronting Illinois. He will also help us understand the political terrain on which the 2020 campaign will be contested in Illinois, John T. Shaw, Institute director, said.

Durkin, R-Western Springs, has been the House Republican leader since August 2013. A former Illinois assistant attorney general and assistant states attorney in Cook County, Durkin has served Illinois government for 25 years. He became a state representative in 1995, and was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for U.S. Senate against U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in 2002.

Durkin was appointed to fill a vacancy in the states 82nd House district in 2006 and has been re-elected since. He served as the ranking Republican on the Illinois House of Representatives Special Investigation Committee for the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2008. He helped negotiate a new education funding formula for Illinois and pushed legislation that allows judges to issue harsher sentences on repeat gun-related offenders.

As Illinois House Republican leader, Durkin negotiated and helped pass the states pension reform proposal in November 2013. He attended Illinois State University and earned a degree in criminal justice and his law degree from the John Marshall Law School. Durkin presented a lecture on campus in November 2015.

Ongoing Institute Series

The discussion with Stratton is part of the Institutes series with historians, political analysts, and state and national leaders. This is the 13th in the series, which began in late April, and has featured speakers including author and historian David M. Kennedy, former United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, Rahm Emanuel, former Chicago mayor, U.S. Congressman and White House adviser, Leon Panetta, former U.S. Secretary of Defense and CIA director, and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.

Registration open for Durkins conversation

Registration for the free ZOOM meeting is available in advance. After completing registration, participants will receive an email confirmation with information about joining the meeting, along with the meeting ID and password.

Participants have an opportunity when they register to submit a question to Durkin by email at paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu or by including it in the Questions and Comments section on the registration form.

More information on the Institutes events is available at paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/event-information/.
The Drifter Pack is inspired by the Drifter community, the group of brand fans who have rallied around Spindrift over the last several years. In true Spindrift spirit, the Drifter Pack is designed to be shared. Each pack bought on drinkspindrift.com is "buy one, gift one free" so the sparkling water tasting experience can be enjoyed together, safely from a distance, with friends and family across the country.

"We hear it all the time: 'I'm obessed with Lemon and Grapefruit, but I've never tried Strawberry or Half and Half.' So it's these curious, loyal fans who inspired us to create the Drifter Pack. This is a fun way for fans to try and share all our flavors while helping them discover a few new favorites," shared Bill Creelman, founder and CEO of Spindrift.

To enhance the fun of trying all 11 different flavors, each Drifter Pack is equipped with a tasting guide to prompt discussion and considerations of aroma, color, tasting notes, mouthfeel and overall flavor. Spindrift hopes fans will share their flavor feedback so they can incorporate these opinions and learn from fans as the brand continues to innovate.

It may be ambitious to drink all 12 cans in a day (of course, it has been done), but once taste testers have sampled them all and found their favorites, Spindrift wants to hear about it. Share a photo with your favorite flavor, and tag @drinkspindrift on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Add the tag #DrifterFam to be entered to win a three-month supply of your favorite Spindrift flavor(s). Starting in August, three lucky winners will be randomly selected each month until December 31, 2020.

Perks of Being a Spindrift Drifter

To celebrate that summer 2020 is still here, Drifters will get the chance to win a Celebrate Summer with Spindrift prize pack including a custom cooler, an oversized tumbletower lawn game, a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, and a summer supply of Spindrift (three months of product). Fans can enter by signing up for Drifter community emails, following Spindrift on social media, or engaging with Spindrift social partners. For more information, look out for an announcement from the stated channels on how to enter; winners will be selected at random through the summer.

Spindrift invites all sparkling water afficionados to join the Drifter community to receive first access to new products, discounts, exclusive experiences, fun extras, and more. Share all the ways you're enjoying Spindrift this summer with the Drifter community at @drinkspindrift.

About Spindrift

Spindrift is the first sparkling water made with real, squeezed fruit. Founded in 2010, Spindrift celebrates simplicity, transparency, and the superior taste that only real ingredients can deliver. All products are free of added sweeteners or natural flavors, and only consist of water, just the right amount of bubbles, and real squeezed fruit  yup, that's it. Spindrift works with family farms to source the best fruit to make the fresh juices and rich purees they use. The result is light, bright, and flavor-rich sparkling water that tastes just like the fruit in its name. Varieties include: Pineapple, Lime, Blackberry, Cranberry Raspberry, Cucumber, Half Tea & Half Lemon, Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange Mango, Strawberry, and Raspberry Lime. Spindrift sparkling water is available nationwide at grocery retailers and cafe-style restaurants, including Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market, Starbucks, Kroger, Target, and online at Amazon and shop.drinkspindrift.com. Spindrift was ranked #385 on Inc. Magazine's 2017 list of fastest-growing companies. The company donates to environmental not-for-profits through their membership to 1% For the Planet. Spindrift is headquartered in Newton, MA. Want to be the first to hear about flavor launches, exclusive discounts and the latest news? Join the Drifter community at drinkspindrift.com and follow @drinkspindrift on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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>>> Vietnams 25 years of ASEAN membership: Joining hands for a cohesive and responsive community

The launch ceremony was held in Hanoi on Tuesday afternoon (Jul 28) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House, as part of various activities to celebrate 53 years since the founding of ASEAN and 25 years since Vietnam joined the bloc.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said that 25 years ago to this day, Vietnam officially joined ASEAN, marking one of the most important milestones in the countrys foreign relations since the 1945 August Revolution, as well as a historical step in Vietnam-ASEAN relations.

Whats also special is this year Vietnam celebrates both the founding of ASEAN as well as 25 years since its own joining of ASEAN while Vietnam assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship role, making the anniversary even more meaningful, Deputy PM Minh said.

He also emphasised that within the framework of the ASEAN Chairmanship 2020, while helping the public have a closer look into a quarter century since Vietnam joined ASEAN, the ASEAN 2020 National Committee has compiled and today launched a book entitled "25 Nam Viet Nam Tham Gia ASEAN Qua Goc Nhin Cua Nguoi Trong Cuoc (25 years of Vietnam joining ASEAN from the perspective of the insiders).

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the book launch ceremony. (Photo: NDO/Trung Hung)



Published by the Su That National Political Publishing House, the 250-page book gathers articles by senior leaders and former leaders of the Government of Vietnam and ASEAN member countries, as well as prestigious experts, scholars and researchers on ASEAN, in addition to those who have directly contributed to Vietnam's accession and operation in ASEAN over the last quarter century.

Through the book, readers are expected to understand more about the 25-year process of Vietnam joining the ASEAN with both its achievements and difficulties, as well as regarding Vietnam's foreign policy and the international communitys evaluation of Vietnam's contribution to ASEAN's success.

It also offers suggestions regarding the future direction of ASEAN, as well as an orientation in joining ASEANs activities for Vietnam in the near future.

Thanking authors both at home and abroad for contributing to the books issuance, Minh said that there have been many interesting stories and useful lessons from ASEAN integration over the past 25 years, so the FM called on readers, researchers and experts on ASEAN to make comments to further improve the book in its next publication in order to facilitate Vietnam's journey within ASEAN.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh presents the book to former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam. (Photo: NDO/Trung Hung)



After the Vietnamese version, an English version of the book is expected to be launched on the occasion of the 37th ASEAN Summit scheduled at year-end, in order to bring the story of 25 years of Vietnam joining the ASEAN to a wider public, especially international readers.

Deputy PM Minh also expressed his wish that the book would contribute to the overall success of Vietnam's 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (standing) speaks at a seminar on the theme of Vietnams 25 years of ASEAN membership. (Photo: NDO/Trung Hung)



Followed the book launch ceremony, Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh, who is also the chairman of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee, chaired a seminar on the theme of 25 years since Vietnam joined ASEAN.

Participants looked back on the lessons learnt after the 25 years of Vietnams ASEAN membership, assessing the results achieved and discussing what needs to improve in the future.
There is a possibility that the Corps Commanders meeting could take place this week.

China has brought a large number of troops, estimated to be around 40,000 soldiers in the front and depth areas at the LAC. (PTI)

New Delhi: Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday that PLA soldiers and Indian troops on the frontline have completed disengagement in "most locations" and situation is "cooling down" after close communications between the two sides through military and diplomatic channels. It said that Corps Commanders meeting is being planned "to resolve the remaining issues."

"The situation is now continuing to head in the direction of easing and cooling down," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"A fifth round of commander-level talks is currently under preparations to resolve the remaining issues," Wang said.

There is a possibility that the Corps Commanders meeting could take place this week. There has been no further progress in the disengagement after the Corps Commanders meeting between the two countries on July 14. India wants China to restore the status quo of April 2020 at LAC.

The Chinese have not vacated finger 5 in Pangong Tso and are still continuing to hold the ridges in the finger 4 area. During the initial phase of disengagement, Chinese troops had vacated the banks of Pangong Tso lake in finger 4 area on July 9 and gone back to finger 5. But Chinese troops still have to vacate area between finger 5 and finger 8, which India claims is its territory. Satellite images have shown huge build-up by Chinese at Pangong Tso, including installation of artillery guns.

In May 2020, Chinese troops in an aggressive move occupied the area between Finger 4 to Finger 8 and prevented Indian troops from patrolling. In the Hot Springs general area, Chinese troops have reportedly not moved back to that extent in the first phase as was agreed in the agreement of June 6 and has still some presence. However, senior army officials maintained that in Hot Springs and Gogra Post, Chinese had disengaged by upto 2.5 kilometers.

The Army is now preparing for the stand-off with China to continue for a long period and has started to outline stocks and materials needed for winter deployment of the troops at such a high altitude.

China has brought a large number of troops, estimated to be around 40,000 soldiers in the front and depth areas at the LAC in the Ladakh sector, where they have also amassed tanks, artillery, aircraft and radars, jammers. India has also done mirror deployment of its troops in Ladakh to counter the Chinese. India has also deployed tanks, heavy artillery and air defence system in the Ladakh sector to counter any Chinese challenge.
The Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) has appointed, Abdullah Harmoozi, as Head of Outreach & Engagement.

In his new role, Harmoozi will be responsible for overseeing media outreach, engagement and sales, and will work closely with senior management to effectively communicate the value of DGCX products to current and prospect members.

Harmoozi, who first joined the DGCX in 2015 as the Head of Sales for Mena, will also have a leading role in DGCXs efforts to further develop the Islamic finance sector in the UAE. In his previous position, he worked closely with Ayedh Bin Dejem Group, World Gold Council, and various Shariah scholars and Islamic financial institutions, playing a key role in the development, launch, and growth of the DGCXs Shariah Compliant Spot Gold contract (DGSG) in 2018.

Commenting on Harmoozis appointment, Les Male, CEO of DGCX, said: We are delighted to announce the appointment of Abdullah as Head of Outreach & Engagement of the DGCX. Since his journey began with us five years ago, he has demonstrated extraordinary and exemplary commitment to the Group, and gone on to achieve outstanding success, most notably in the fundamental role he played in launching the GCCs first and the worlds only Shariah Compliant Spot Gold contract. We are confident that he will continue to help us grow in this new position, leading us to many more achievements and milestones in the years ahead.

Abdullah Harmoozi, Head of Outreach & Engagement, said: I am honoured to take on this role during such a pivotal period for the DGCX, in which the DGCX has enjoyed spectacular growth and broken many records in the last few years. Recently, DGCX collaborated with the American University of Sharjah to promote the next generation of professionals through an educational internship programme.

"This exciting initiative is just the beginning and I am eager to continue paving the way for more partnerships both locally and regionally. We have an exceptional team and a unique growth strategy, and I look forward to leveraging my skills and expertise in this new position to widen investor participation, identify new opportunities, and ensure we continue building on our momentum. -- Tradearabia News Service
The poloidal field coil 6 (PF6) produced in China arrives at the ITER site in France on June 26, 2020. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that openness and exchanges are crucial in the further exploration of scientific frontiers in his congratulatory message to the ceremony for the start of the assembly of the ITER, the world's largest science project.

A virtual ceremony was held on Tuesday at the headquarters of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor in southern France. The ITER is being assembled to replicate the fusion power of the sun, which provides light and warmth and enables life on Earth.

Noting that science has no borders and innovation has no end, Xi said in his message that international scientific and technological cooperation has great significance in addressing the global challenges faced by humanity.

A departure ceremony is held in Hefei, East China's Anhui province, in March, 2020. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Mankind wishes to see the peaceful use of fusion power, Xi said, adding that China has abided by its international commitments since the ITER project was launched.

Chinese companies and researchers have fulfilled their responsibilities and made joint efforts with their international counterparts, contributing their wisdom to ensure the smooth implementation of the project, he said.

The president noted that as the world faces severe challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more necessary than ever before for mankind to unite and overcome the current crisis.

China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation on scientific research with all parties, make joint efforts for major breakthroughs in science and technology, and promote global science and technology innovation in order to benefit people in all countries and make new contributions to the world's sustainable development, Xi said.

China, together with the six other ITER membersthe European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United Statessigned the ITER agreement in 2006, which established a legal international entity responsible for the construction, operation and decommissioning of the project.
UK Board result 2020 DECLARED: Around 1.35 lakh students appeared for the Class 12 board exams which were scheduled to be held in March but got postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic

UK Board result 2020 DECLARED | The Uttarakhand Board of Secondary Education (UBSE) declared the much-awaited Class 12 board exam results today (Wednesday, 29 July) at its headquarters in Ramnagar (Nainital), said reports.

Once declared, students can check the results on UBSE's official website - ubse.uk.gov.in.

Students can check their Class 12 exam results at Firstpost by entering their details in the widget below:

It has been observed that the official website becomes slow or fails to respond due to heavy traffic as students try to check their results simultaneously. Some may also face problems in accessing internet facilities due to consequent congestion.

In such a situation, students can also access their results via SMS. To get their scores on their mobile handsets students should message UK12 ROLL NUMBER to 56263.

Steps to check UK Board Class 10th and Class 12th result 2020:

Step 1: Go to the official website - ubse.uk.gov.in

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the result tab

Step 3: You will be redirected to a new page, where you will have to choose UBSE 10th Result 2020 or UBSE 12th Result 2020

Step 4: Enter your roll number and other login credentials and press Submit

Step 5: Your result will be displayed on the screen. Download and take a printout for future reference.

The Class 10 exam results will also be announced along with the Class 12 results on 29 July in the presence of education minister Arvind Pandey and chairman of the board RK Kunwar, Hindustan Times quoted UBSE secretary Neeta Tiwari as saying.

According to the Indian Express, around 1.35 lakh students appeared for the Class 12 board exams which were scheduled to be held in March. However, the exams were postponed due to the coronavirus lockdown and the results, which are usually out by June, were also delayed.

Last year, the Class 12 Board exams results were announced on 30 May and the overall pass percentage was 80.13.
MBABANE  Public sector associations (PSAs) under the Mbabane branch have unanimously rejected the three per cent offered by government for their cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA).

This happened yesterday during a meeting held in preparation for the ongoing negotiations between government and the civil servants, which will take place today. PSAs are made up of over 42 000 civil servant affiliated to the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP) and the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU).

Final

The decision taken by the Mbabane branch is yet to be consolidated with the directive given by the other branches before a final decision can be taken, according to SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini. The civil servants stated that accepting the three per cent offer would worsen their financial situation. They stated that their calculations had pointed out that the offer would mean that the lowest paid workers would receive an increment of E83. On the other hand, while the highest paid workers would get E1 600 if they shared the E227million offered by government. The civil servants were afforded an opportunity to make their contributions during the meeting.

A civil servant, who spoke without introducing himself, stated that the three per cent offer could only be acceptable if backdated to 2017. He stated that accepting the three per cent offer would attract tariffs, resulting in some civil servants struggling to survive even after the adjustment. Another member, Welcome Motsa, asked his colleagues what would happen if they rejected the three per cent offer.

Ceiling

In response, SNAGAP President Eric Ndlovu stated that seemingly, they had reached the ceiling as government was insisting on the three per cent offer. However, Ndlovu stated that civil servants needed to consider the consequences of accepting the offer, especially due to the fact that some earned below the tax line.
Podcaster and UFC commentator Joe Rogan says he plans on moving to Texas. Rogan, who has come under fire recently for making contentious comments about face masks, claims that a big portion of his plan is thanks to having more freedom in a place like Texas, compared to California. However, it seems there could be another incentive in the mix  Rogan might be able to take advantage of some hefty tax breaks if he does move.

Joe Rogan wants to move to Texas

Joe Rogan | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

RELATED: How Joe Rogan Reacted to Going Bald

During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the podcaster and comedian claimed that hes getting ready to ditch California and move to Texas.

Rogan said, Im going to go to Texas. I just want to go somewhere in the center of the country, somewhere where its easy to travel to both places and somewhere where you have a little bit more freedom.

Rogan then went on to claim that California is overpopulated. He claimed, Also, I think that where we live right here in Los Angeles is overcrowded. I think most of the time its not a problem. But I think its exposing the fact that its a real issue when you look at the number of people that are catching [COVID-19] because of this overpopulation issue. When you look at the traffic, you look at the economic despair, when you look at the homelessness problem that has accelerated radically over the last decade, I think there are too many people here.

One topic Rogan didnt address, however, is the major tax break hed gain from moving to Texas. As reported by Newsweek, Rogan could enjoy a huge savings on individual income taxes, which are not gathered in Texas. On his $100 million Spotify deal, this could mean a savings of up to $13 million.

While it is unclear if this is something Rogan has factored into his decision to move, it would dovetail into the ongoing realization that many fans are having regarding Rogans gradual disconnect from the common man his podcast tends to shoot for.

Fans react to the news

Joe Rogan | Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images)

Some fans of Joe Rogan think the podcaster will never actually move to Texas, because marijuana is not legalized in the state.

One Redditor wrote, Answer: hes not, and never will move to Texas. Why? Weed is a felony here and he couldnt handle the heat. These same reasons apply to every other LA comedian saying the same thing.

Another user pointed out that Rogan is probably aiming for the tax breaks, really. They added that they expect celebs will be less willing to go to Texas for the podcast, however. You can buy a hell of a mansion and duck Cali taxes in Texas. How realistic is it to make celebrities fly out regularly to do the podcast though? Like theyll fly out to NY or to LA to do an entire press junket, but to do one podcast and fly back? they asked.

Like 0.01% of the people threatening to leave California will actually do it, joked another fan.

I think he should stop whining. Hes still making about $75,000 per podcast, doing UFC commentary and living in his gated community, pointed out another fan.

Joe Rogan facing increased criticism after mask comments

Joe Rogan | Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Joe Rogan has been facing some backlash from fans after various comments hes made about coronavirus and masks.

During an episode of his podcast starring Bill Burr, Rogan claimed that wearing a face mask is for b*tches.

Burr told Rogan, I dont want to start this bullsh*t. Im not going to sit here with no medical degree, listening to you with no medical degree, with an American flag behind you, smoking a cigar, acting like we know whats up better than the CDC. All I do is I watch the news once every two weeks. Im like Mask or no mask? Still mask? Alright, masks. Thats all I give a f**k about.

Burr then added, Oh God youre so tough with your f*cking open nose and throat. Gee Joe, and your five oclock shadow. This is a man right here! A man doesnt wear a mask! Why does it always become like that, it always becomes the man versus the b*tch.

Some fans were also riled up to find out that Joe Rogan was purchasing COVID-19 testing for all of his various guests and friends who appeared on the show. While some felt this was a valid safety precaution, others felt it was another example of Rogans wealth and influence at play.
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Editors note: A bailout in March this year by an SBI-led consortium has given Yes Bank another chance to get back to business. In the April-June quarter, the bank received the much-needed survival capital through a follow on public offer. In a multi-part series, Moneycontrol will look at the journey of private sector lender so far and the challenges ahead. Heres the first part:

In the late 90s, an enthusiastic, ambitious young banker decides he wants to set up a lending institution in India. He begins by creating a non-banking finance company (NBFC) partnering with colleagues. They secure a bank licence in 2003-04. The banker outsmarts the partners and grows the bank to a major brand.

At some point, ambition gives way to greed for quick money. The banker starts fudging numbers and flouting lending rules; gets caught after a decade and half. Goes behind bars, leaving the institution with a bagful of toxic assets. The bank, however, is rescued by good Samaritans who decide to keep it alive.

In a nutshell, thats the story so far of Rana Kapoor, who co-founded Yes Bank. A new chapter is beginning. Four months after the bailout by a State Bank of India (SBI)-led consortium, Yes Bank is back on track  under the gaze of its rescuers.

New hope

After the June quarter result that showed the bank trimming its losses and a Rs 15,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO), banking analysts have inferred that the bank has survived the most critical phase of its life.

The bank is out of an existential crisis. The capital raised is enough to survive for now. But, thats not enough. From this point, it needs to aggressively focus on business performance, to reacquire customers and control the asset quality issues, said Siddarth Purohit, analyst at SMC Global Securities.

As Moneycontrol reported on July 28 , Yes Bank's first quarter earnings indicate improvement across key parameters. Much needed capital has finally come, deposits have grown on a quarter-on-quarter basis and asset quality has remained stable in the June quarter. It has managed to win back some confidence from depositors.

Deposits grew 11.4 percent QoQ at Rs 1,17,360 crore, aided by 26.4 percent and 12.6 percent growth in current account and term deposits, respectively. Bad loans have remained almost at the same levels as in the previous quarter and the management is attempting to pare down its dependence on wholesale deposits and advances.

Prashant Kumar, the former SBI official who was given the task of steering the bank back to health, is confident that the capital raised through the FPO will be enough for the bank to survive for another two years. But that assumption may prove wrong in the event of an asset quality shock.

As on June 30, the Common Equity Tier-l ratio of the bank was 6.5 percent and Tier l ratio was 6.6 percent. Considering the capital infusion, proforma CET-1 ratio as at June 30 stood at 13.3 percent and total capital adequacy ratio at 20 percent. Unless there is a major spurt in NPAs in the approaching quarters, this capital will be enough for the bank for the time being.

The bank has shrunk its loan book in the quarter under review and is focusing more on deposit mobilisation and improvement in capital ratios. It has availed a special liquidity facilities (SLF) from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to survive. This has helped Yes Bank to comply with its minimum regulatory liquidity coverage ratio requirements, with LCR ratio at 114 percent as on June 30.

But fresh challenges begin...

Having got the much-needed capital, the next big challenge for Yes Bank is to improve its asset quality in the post-moratorium period. According to Kumar, about 20-25 percent of the customers have opted for the moratorium. He said a major chunk of these customers (around 90 percent) have not defaulted on payments or have regular transactions.

However, these are largely assumptions at this stage.

How many of the moratorium customers will be able to repay loan instalments is the question. Moratorium loans (EMIs deferred for six months) have made non-performing asset (NPA) forecasts tough for analysts. According to RBIs financial stability report, gross NPAs of banking system could rise to near 15 percent in the next one year and weaker institutions will have a tough time to withstand the crisis.

The central banks caution is not exaggerated. COVID-19 has redefined the risk perceptions in the banking sector. Several businesses have shut shop. The prolonged lockdown has impacted businesses forcing them cut staff. There is no way to assess how these factors will translate to banks recovery. While the entire industry is facing the COVID-shock, Yes Bank will have to fight both evils simultaneously.

Yes Banks bad loan levels have stabilised with gross NPAs at 17.3 percent as at June-end, a tad higher than 16.8 percent QoQ. In absolute terms, GNPAs have declined to Rs 32,703 crore from Rs 32,878 crore in the preceding quarter. As of now, there is no major concern on the asset quality front. But, thats probably because of the moratorium cover.

Yes Bank has to also fight the memories of a controversial past. The bank lost trust with many customers after Kapoors alleged fraud came to light. It will take a long time for the wound to heal.

For beginners, Yes Banks beginning, failure and rescue is quite an eventful story. There are analysts who believe that its financial failure could have been averted if it had a well-functioning management and board in the Rana Kapoor era. It didnt have any.

The promoter-CEO called the shots and decided on every single business decision, which later led to the huge NPA mess. Kapoor treated the bank as his own piggy bank. He allegedly used the bank for a series of quid-pro-quo deals. This, along with irregularities in NPA disclosures, finally led Kapoor to a disgraceful exit from his bank when the RBI finally cracked the whip in late 2018.

In March, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched an investigation into some aspects of dealings and transactions by Kapoor and arrested him. Subsequently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) have also launched investigations on the aforesaid aspects. The investigations revealed that Kapoor and family ran a byzantine collection of 101 companies from Samudra Mahal through three holding firms  Morgan Credits (MCPL), Yes Capital India (YCPL) and RAB Enterprises  according to the ED. The holding companies ran businesses as diverse as real estate and renewable energy.

There are many who believe that RBI and government could have asked SBI, the lead banker of the rescue team, to acquire the bank outright instead of a bailout, which essentially means putting good money after bad. It was, in reality, a forced bailout.

A merger could have been more effective to instil trust among customers, a section of analysts believe. Already, SBI and other banks have infused significant money in Yes Bank as part of the bailout scheme. They may have to do more.

Yes Bank shares closed at Rs 11.75, down 1.26 percent from its July 28 close. Its future depends on its ability to generate customer confidence to grow its business. In the June-quarter, loan book shrank 4 percent. There people like Ashvin Parekh, an independent banking sector expert, who believes the bank has a strong future. Yes Bank has a good management in place. I think there is an upside, Parekh said.

If Yes Bank fails to regain the investor trust, one option is that it will have to eventually get merged with SBI. The backing of half of the banking industry and RBI support have given a chance to the bank to return to life. But promoters can't handhold the bank forever. It will have to find a path on its own.Eventually, the bank will have to find a majority investor who can buy out the bank. The share of NPAs on its books is still too high, said another analyst who didnt want to be named since he stopped tracking the firm.

At the end of June, the bank has stressed asset book of about Rs 53,000 crore, of which Rs 21,000 crore is unprovided. Even if, say, about 5-10 percent of the assets go bad in the post moratorium period, the bank will require substantial additional capital to provide for these loans. The FPO money provides only temporary relief.
With the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) concentrated and on the offensive on a barren Tibetan Plateau, the Indian Air Force with Rafale fighter as its spearhead weapon will decide the outcome of the battle in case the red flag goes up, says former Air Chief Marshal B. S Dhanoa. Five Rafale fighters will land at Ambala air base today from France for induction into IAF today .

Talking to Hindustan Times, Dhanoa, the chief architect of February 26, 2019 air strikes on Balakot, said that Rafale with its top of the line electronic warfare suite, Meteor beyond visual range missile and SCALP air to ground weapon with its terrain following capability outguns any threat that the Chinese Air Force produces. Painting a wartime scenario, former top gun said :  If the IAF is successful in destruction of enemy air defences and suppression of enemy air defences, then the Chinese fighters out in the open at Hotan air base and at Gonggar air base at Lhasa airport are fair targets. Some 70 Chinese aircraft are without protection at Hotan and some 26 aircraft may be parked inside a tunnel which the PLA were building at Lhasa air base, the former air chief said.

ALSO WATCH | Touchdown of Rafale jets in Ambala; IAF gives water salute

Also Read: In Chinas troop movements in Ladakhs depth areas, a hint about its real plan

While Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Dhanoa recognises the threat presented by Chinese J-20 fifth generation fighter, he is very confident that the IAF with its latest Rafale and Su-30 MKI will be able to counter the best the Chinese throw at India in the worst case scenario. Chinese Air Threat is mainly from their Surface to Air Missile Systems.

Also Read: Four sub-killer P-8I craft coming to India next year, then talks for six more

 If Chinese equipment was so good, then why did the Pakistanis only use F-16 aircraft to attack Nangi Tekri brigade in Rajouri sector on February 27, 2019 with Chinese JF-17 merely giving air defence cover to Mirage 3/5 bombers. The Mirage 3/5 dropped the H 2/4 bombs from a safe distance with the JF 17 in a supportive role providing Air Defence to these aircraft! Why does Pakistan use Swedish early air warning platforms up north and keep Chinese AWACS in the south? Why is Pakistan mounting European radar (Selex Gallelio) and Turkish targeting pod on Chinese JF-17 ? The answer is quite evident, the former Chief said.

Also Read: Twin naval exercises with US supercarriers signal QUAD has arrived

However, the brilliant air tactician recognizes the Chinese threat in form of surface to air missile batteries and artillery guns, which the PLA has packed in occupied Aksai Chin. But he also makes it very clear that with no tree line cover available to the Chinese platforms, they would be sitting ducks if the air defence cover is blown over.  The Rafale with its advanced terrain following weapons and level II of Digital Terrain Elevation Data available to the Indian pilot, the error probability of the weapon is reduced to mere 10 metres. As I have said in the past, Rafale is a game changer, former Air Chief Dhanoa said.

Also Read: US UAV, Israeli loitering bombs as Indian infantry gets lethal

While Dhanoa appreciates the enemy threat, his serving IAF officers make it very clear that the Chinese equipment is not only inferior to the US equipment but also the Russian equipment.  Why does Chinese Air Force use Russian Su-30 and Su-35 fighters while facing the US threat in South China Sea? The fact is that the Chinese fighters are no match for the American equipment Majority of Chinese equipment is reverse engineering of Russian equipment and fighters have designs of either Su-27 or Su 30 platform. They are even powered by Russian AL 31 F (Su-30) and RD 33 (MiG-29) engines, a serving air commander told Hindustan Times.

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NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio called on New Yorkers to fill out the census before the Oct. 31 deadline and slammed President Donald Trump for instructing the U.S. Census Bureau to not include undocumented immigrants in its count.

Why does the census matter? Because it determines how much federal funding we get, it determines whether were going to be able to have the kind of mass transit we need, the kind of education for our kids we need ... it determines how much representation we have in Congress, de Blasio told reporters during a press conference Wednesday.

The president is suggesting that he has the power, he alone has the power, to exclude undocumented people from that count, well Mr. President, you dont have that power, that power resides in the U.S. Constitution, not in the Sharpie in your desk, he continued.

In response to Trumps directive, the American Civil Liberties Union and New York State sued the federal government claiming the presidents memorandum was unconstitutional.

The head of the citys census office, Julie Menin, said that as of Tuesday, the citys census self-response rate was 54.1%, eight points behind the nationwide average.

Menin said the coronavirus pandemic showed why the census mattered more than ever.

Menin pointed out that the citys health department relied on census data during the measles outbreak last year and that that data would be critical for a future coronavirus vaccine.

[The coronavirus] is perhaps the starkest reminder about why the census matters, if more New Yorkers would have filled the census out in 2010, we would have had more money today for Medicaid, for our health centers, Menin told reporters appearing alongside de Blasio Wednesday.

New Yorkers can complete the 2020 census online here.

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FILE PHOTO: A smartphone with the Huawei and 5G network logo is seen on a PC motherboard in this illustration

TOKYO (Reuters) - The British government has asked Japan to help build its 5G wireless networks without Huawei Technologies [HWT.UL], the Nikkei said on Sunday, a further step in a global technology and security war between the United States and China.

Britain named NEC Corp <6701.T> and Fujitsu Ltd <6702.T> as potential alternative suppliers to Huawei, the business daily reported, without citing sources.

British officials met with their counterparts in Tokyo on Thursday, two days after Britain ordered Huawei equipment purged from its 5G networks by the end of 2027, the Nikkei said.

As Britain prepares to leave the European Union, fears over the security of Huawei have forced Prime Minister Johnson to choose between the United States and China, weighing a critical alliance against billions in investment.

The Nikkei said the latest move reflects Britain's effort to bring in new equipment suppliers to foster competition and help reduce costs for the country's wireless carriers.

The British embassy in Tokyo and Fujitsu did not immediately respond to email or text inquiries on Sunday. Japan's Cabinet Secretariat and NEC did not answer calls. Huawei had no immediate comment.

China opposes the exclusion of companies from certain countries without evidence, and doing so can damage the progress of humanity, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin when asked about the report at a daily news conference in Beijing on Monday.

British digital minister Oliver Dowden last week said Britain was working with its allies to foster stronger rivals to Huawei, naming firms from Finland, Sweden, South Korea and Japan.

(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki in Tokyo; Additional reporting by David Kirton in Shenzhen and Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by William Mallard)
Slovakia has 5.4 million inhabitants, will pre-order 3 million vaccines.

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The COVID-19 vaccines that Slovakia is planning to purchase should be administered free of charge to people. It is still not clear if the vaccines will be paid from health insurance or from EU funds.

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Related article People in Slovakia baulk at coronavirus vaccine as crisis wanes Read more

It is still a point of discussions, said the president of the Slovak Society of Infectologists, Pavol Jarcuska, who also took part at the session of the government's pandemic commission. He should also lead the emerging group of experts at the Health Ministry that will be assigned to procure the vaccine.

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"The price per dose should not be high, maybe thrice as high as the flu vaccine," Jarcuska said. That means the price would be around 20 to 30.

For the moment, Slovakia plans to order 3 million vaccines. That would not be enough for a population of 5.4 million.

People in social care homes, doctors, nurses, or rescuers, should have precedence in getting the COVID-19 shot. That means around 134,000 doses. Other groups who might have precedence include fire forces, police, and the armed forces.
Hong Kong police arrested four people between the ages of 16 and 21 on suspicion of inciting secession Wednesday, marking the first targeted crackdown on opposition activists since Beijing enacted a controversial national security law late last month restricting many of the city's previous freedoms.

The police force tweeted Wednesday that it had detained four people for allegedly advocating Hong Kong independence. All four "claimed to be students," the tweet said. Under the new law, the crime of secession carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. All four were denied bail.

Li Kwai-Wah, a senior superintendent at the newly established national security department, said the four people arrested had said that "they want to establish a Hong Kong republic, and that they will unreservedly fight for it."

"They also said they want to unite all pro-independence groups in Hong Kong for this purpose," he added. They were arrested at locations across the city, unlike previous arrests under the national security law, which happened at a street protest on July 1.

Police say the young people made such comments on social media. Tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter say they have stopped processing data requests from Hong Kong authorities, worried about the implications of the new national security law and its potential to violate human rights.

Police did not name the suspects, but Studentlocalism, a now-disbanded pro-independence group, said four of its former members were arrested. They include Tony Chung, a former organizer of the group.

Studentlocalism was disbanded on June 30, a day before the new law came into force.

Under the new measures, those convicted of crimes amounting to what Beijing described as "separatism," "subversion," "terrorism" and "collusion with foreign forces" could face life sentences. The law also allows police to enter homes without a warrant, conduct surveillance on those suspected to have violated the law, and seize their devices.

Li, the senior superintendent, said DNA samples of those arrested may be taken.

Opponents see the new law as a dangerous infringement on Hong Kong's relative autonomy from China. The city has operated under semiautonomous rule since 1997, when Britain handed the former colony back to China under the agreement that Beijing would preserve the "one country, two systems" framework until 2047.

Ho-fung Hung, a professor of political economy at Johns Hopkins University, said Hong Kong residents have feared a crackdown on free speech since the law was implemented. The arrests Wednesday probably will amplify those concerns.

"It seems [officials] are testing the waters and the world's reaction to it by picking some lesser-known people," he said, noting that some of Hong Kong's most prominent activists were not among those detained Wednesday. But it's "very troubling," he added, that the arrests, which appear to be based on comments made on social media, are targeting "people by their opinion or speech more than action."

It's possible, he said, that these cases will be managed more carefully and with less harsh punishment than other cases as authorities gauge reaction to the arrests. "If the backlash is not so big, they may go further," he said.

Activists in Hong Kong have long raised alarm over Chinese encroachment on the global financial center. Last year, protests over concerns the Hong Kong government was preparing to agree to allow China to extradite suspects for trial on the mainland engulfed the city, igniting a broader movement calling for the enactment of other democratic demands and greater independence from China.

When the new law came into force, activists deleted social media accounts and some political parties disbanded, citing concerns that their members could be targeted and jailed. Tens of thousands of people still poured into the streets that night to protest the new measures.
The Hale County Commissioners voted unanimously on Monday to place Hale County under a burn ban.

The burn ban will be in place until the county receives some measurable moisture.

Mondays meeting was relatively quick with commissioners voting unanimously on every action. Several of the days agenda items included grants.

The commissioners voted to decline a County Transportation Infrastructure Fund (CTIF) grant from the Texas Department of Transportation. County Attorney Jim Tirey noted that its a reimbursement grant.

Commissioner Harold King told the court hed reviewed the stipulations for the grant agreement twice and it would require consultations with numerous entities driving up costs to the county.

The other commissioners agreed and chose to let County Judge David Mull officially decline the grant.

The county is pursuing a different funding grant, though. Listed on the agenda as 2020 Capital Credits, the fund is part of the states unclaimed property statute, Tirey explained. Details regarding the amount are still unknown.

I dont know what kind of strings are attached to this, Tirey said.

The commissioners vote on Monday was to pursue the available funding and find out more. It was noted that a formal vote on the funds would be required at a later date to either accept or decline the funds.

Other items the commissioners approved Monday include:
By PTI

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday returned for the third time a proposal from the state government to convene the assembly, saying the Cabinet had refused to state the reason why it wanted a session at short notice.

As the impasse over calling a session deepened, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a 15-minute meeting Mishra at the Raj Bhawan.

The state cabinet met later.

The Governor said if the government was not stating the reason for holding a short-notice session, it could call a regular session at 21 day's notice.

He asked the Gehlot cabinet to resubmit its proposal, giving a "solid reason" for calling a session at short notice.

"The love letter has already come. Now, I am only going to have tea with him," Gehlot told party workers at the state Congress office before heading for the Raj Bhawan.

The state Cabinet had resent a proposal to the Governor on Tuesday, sticking to the July 31 date for holding a session and refusing to mention that it planned to hold a trust vote.

While returning the earlier version of the proposal the Governor had suggested that the session can be called at short notice if the government says seeking a confidence vote is on the agenda.

He repeated this on Wednesday.

"This can be a reasonable ground for calling a session at short notice," Mishra said in the statement.

Otherwise, he said, it would be better that government calls a regular session, like the monsoon session, at a 21-day notice.

ALSO READ | Amid Rajasthan crisis, Govind Singh Dotasra takes charge as state Congress president

In a three-page press statement from the Raj Bhawan, the Governor said the government had not given clear replies to his previous queries.

He had earlier asked the state government to redraft its proposal, taking into account three points: a 21-day notice, live broadcast of the proceedings if there is a trust vote, and social distancing during the session.

In addition, he had said a short-notice session was possible if a trust vote was on the agenda.

Although the Congress has said it wants to prove its majority in the House, it is reluctant to state this in the proposal.

A minister said Tuesday that it was for the Business Advisory Committee of the assembly to decide the agenda.

The Cabinet should also make it clear why the sitting is being summoned without much notice under the present adverse circumstances, Mishra said in a reference to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He questioned why the lives of over 1,200 people be put in danger without any special reason.

The Governor said he has no objection to summoning the House as per the rules.

The note also referred to the MLAs who are holed up in hotels in Rajasthan and elsewhere and said it is the constitutional duty of the Governor to ensure their free movement and presence in the House.

ALSO READ | Expect you to respect workers with whose hardwork Gehlot government was formed: Pilot to Dotasra

"But instead of giving a reason, it is being mentioned that the Governor is bound to accept the decision of the Cabinet," the Raj Bhawan said.

The Governor said the first proposal for an assembly session was received on July 23 but it did not have the Cabinet's approval and no a date was mentioned.

At the PCC meeting, Gehlot told Congress workers that there was nothing to worry about as the party's top leadership was with them.

Govind Singh Dotasra formally took over as the new chief of the state unit at the meeting.

Targeting the Governor, Gehlot said, "You have sent the letter a third time.What do you want? Tell us, so that we work in that manner."

Ashok Gehlot is caught in a power tussle with his now sacked deputy, Sachin Pilot, who has the support of 18 dissident Congress MLAs.

Altogether, the Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member assembly and the BJP 72.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is back to being Ministry of Education with the Union Cabinet approving the change in its name on Wednesday.

The name change was among the key recommendations of the draft New Education Policy, which was also cleared in Wednesday's Cabinet meeting.

The Ministry of Education was renamed as the HRD ministry in 1985, during the tenure of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The next year the National Education Policy (NEP) was introduced which was later amended in 1992.

PV Narasimha Rao became the first HRD minister in the Rajiv Gandhi Cabinet.

ALSO READ | Rajasthan HC begins hearing plea against merger of six BSP MLAs to Congress

A panel headed by former ISRO Chairman K Kasturirangan, tasked with working on the new NEP, had first proposed that the name of the ministry should be changed again.

In 2018, the idea was also mooted by Ram Bahadur Rai, chairman of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and also chairman of the joint organising committee of the Conference on Academic Leadership on Education for Resurgence.

At a conference organsied by RSS affiliate Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, Rao had suggesting that former PM Rajiv Gandhi had changed the name of the education ministry to HRD ministry in September 1985 under the advice of some "people who may have misled him", and opined that "treating education or humans as resource is against Indian values that look at education more holistically".

A new education policy was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto ahead of the 2014 general election.

The K Kasturirangan panel had submitted the draft of the new NEP to Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' when he took charge last year.

The drafting experts also took into account the report of a panel headed by former cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian and formed by the HRD Ministry when it was headed by Union Minister Smriti Irani.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Federal prosecutors have charged a Cleveland man with carjacking and accused him of robbing a woman at gunpoint while she was grocery shopping.

Prosecutors alleged that James Belle, 23, stopped a woman who was picking up her curbside groceries at the Eastgate Plaza in Mayfield Heights about 3:30 p.m. June 22.

The woman rolled down her window to speak to Belle, and he leaned in and threatened the woman with a gray, semi-automatic pistol, telling her, If you touch the gas pedal, Ill shoot you, according to an FBI affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.

The woman, fearing for her safety, ran from her blue, 2016 Hyundai Elantra. Four days after the robbery, authorities found the womans car on Gertrude Avenue on the Clevelands East Side. The FBI said it was not far from the home of Belles girlfriend.

When investigators went through the car, they found the plastic tip of a cigar, which DNA testing linked to Belle, according to the FBI affidavit

Witnesses also placed Belle at the shopping plaza moments before the robbery took place, the affidavit said.

He was arrested in Cleveland on July 20 at a home on Union Avenue. Belle initially had been charged in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, where he made his first appearance Tuesday. The case was later transferred to federal court.

Authorities have become aggressive in pushing cases to federal court in an attempt to fight violent crime, as harsher sentences can be doled out there based on defendants pasts and the use of weapons. Belle has been charged in the past with gun crimes, and he is accused of gun and felonious assault charges that are pending in Common Pleas Court.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Tullow Oil (TLW.L) expects first-half revenue to be about $0.7 billion, with a realised oil price of $52/bbl, including hedge receipts of $131 million. At 30 June 2020, net debt is expected to be c.$3.0 billion and liquidity headroom and free cash are expected to be c.$0.5 billion; full year free cash flow is forecast to break even at the current forward curve. Rahul Dhir, Chief Executive Officer, Tullow Oil plc, said, 'Since becoming CEO on 1 July, I have been impressed by the quality of Tullow's people and the potential of our assets and I am confident that we can build Tullow into a competitive and successful business once again. Despite the challenging external environment in the first half of the year, Tullow has performed well; delivering production in line with forecast, agreeing the sale of the Ugandan assets and re-shaping the Group's structure and cost base. In the second half of 2020 our focus will remain on continuing to deliver safe and reliable production from West Africa, reducing debt and building a cost effective and efficient organisation that can compete in a low oil price environment.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Boris Johnsons government reinstated a quarantine order for people arriving from Spain at the weekend, after the country reported its largest daily spike in coronavirus cases since emerging from lockdown.

The decision frustrated the Spanish government, with prime minister Pedro Sanchez describing the move as an error and pointing to lower infection rates than in most of Spain, when compared to the UK.

The UKs extension of do-not-travel advice to the Balearic and Canary Islands, which have not seen a spike in cases, has also bemused British travel companies and holidaymakers.

The governments decision was informed by assessments of the Spanish outbreak by the Joint Biosecurity Centre together and Public Health England.

The infection rate in Spain was nearly four times higher than in the UK over the past fortnight, according to the latest data from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Spain reported 905 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, with most of them in the regions of Catalonia, Aragon and Madrid.

Aragons recent outbreak has been the most severe, with more than 189 infections in the last week per 100,000 population. The neighbouring regions of Navarre (95.1 new cases in the past seven days) and Catalonia (82.7) have also seen spikes which outstrip the UKs worst affected areas.

The UKs highest concentration of new cases in the last week was in Blackburn, where 79 people tested positive per population of 100,000.

There were 63 new infections for every 100,000 people Leicestershire, with the majority in the city of Leicester itself, which remains under tighter lockdown restrictions than the rest of the country.

Many areas of Spain are seeing fewer Covid-19 infections than those British hotspots. The western regions of Galicia (3.1 cases per 100,000) and Extremadura (4.5 cases) have lower rates than many areas of England.

The Balearic Islands, meanwhile, reported 5.4 new cases for every 100,000 people in the seven days up to Tuesday  a lower rate than popular British staycation choice Cumbria and many parts of London.

The Spanish government pointed to figures such as these as it lobbied unsuccessfully for the islands  for which tourism is economically vital  to be exempt from the mandatory 14-day self-isolation order.

But UK health chiefs acted after a number of reported cases of British tourists testing positive for the disease returning to the UK from Spain.
Widespread testing, quarantine, social distancing, sanitized robes and tiny crowds. Like so much else this year, the hajj, the ancient Islamic pilgrimage in Mecca, has been dramatically changed by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Of course it's going to be different because this year there is a social distancing," pilgrim Zineb el Farissi, 37, told NBC News over Zoom on Monday. "We feel safe and of course, blessed to be chosen because as you know a lot of people are wishing to do hajj ... and they didn't get the chance yet."

The hajj, which began Tuesday, isone of Islam's most important requirements meant to be performed once in a lifetime, draws 2.5 million people to Saudi Arabia every year for about six days.

Image: SAUDI-RELIGION-HAJJ-HEALTH-VIRUS (STR / AFP - Getty Images)

But this year, for the first time in Saudi history, the government barred Muslims from entering the kingdom. As few as 1,000 people already residing in the country were selected to take part in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

El Farissi was among the select few. Her husband, Yasser el Farissi, 39, said he was at first anxious about participating in light of the pandemic. However, the business development director said he now feels reassured by all the precautions being taken.

The couple were briefed on how to maintain their health and safety, tested for the coronavirus and placed in quarantine individually following their travel from their home in the capital Riyadh  as is required for all pilgrims.

Rather than praying shoulder-to-shoulder in a sea of people, they will be standing apart and moving in small groups of 20.

"Even the ihram, which is the formal dress for hajj, it was sanitized," Yasser el Farissi said.

The pilgrimage follows a route the Prophet Muhammad walked nearly 1,400 years ago and is believed to trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail  or Abraham and Ishmael  as they are named in the Bible.

The challenging journey is traditionally experienced with relatives of all ages and abilities. But this year, pilgrims selected are between the ages of 20 and 50 with no terminal illnesses and showing no symptoms of the virus.

Story continues

Image: SAUDI-RELIGION-HAJJ-HEALTH-VIRUS (STR / AFP - Getty Images)

They were given wristbands that connect to their phones and monitor their movement.

The Saudi government is covering all the pilgrims' expenses of travel, accommodation, meals and healthcare.

The rites performed on the journey have also been altered. Instead of sharing meals, pilgrims are eating prepackaged food alone in their hotel rooms.

They must drink water from plastic bottles rather directly from a well that has religious significance. Pebbles typically picked up along the route to cast away evil have been sterilized and bagged in advance.

While the experience is starkly different, it remains an opportunity for pilgrims to wipe clean past sins and deepen their faith.

Live footage from the Grand Mosque broadcast by the Saudi government on Wednesday showed a small number of pilgrims, moving several feet apart, performing the first rituals.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
G rant Shapps has arrived home to quarantine after cutting short his family holiday to Spain.

The Transport Secretary got caught up in the Government's sudden decision to scrap the country's so-called air bridge on Saturday.

He joins many Brits who were already in Spain when the announcement was made that now have to self-isolate on returning to the UK, despite having no prior warning to their trip abroad.

Mr Shapps told reporters outside his home on Wednesday that he cannot rule out that other countries could be added to the UKs quarantine measures.

He also defended the decision to require travellers arriving in the UK from Spain to isolate for 14 days as the right thing to do.

Grant Shapps has arrived home to quarantine after cutting short his family holiday to Spain / BBC News

We absolutely have to act the moment we get the information and thats exactly what happened with Spain as we saw and as weve seen over the weekend where there was over 6,100 cases  the highest since the peak in March over there," he said.

It was the right thing to do and its why the whole of the UK did (it) at the same time.

Passengers arriving at Birmingham Airport as many people arrive into England from holidays in Spain / PA

I cant therefore rule out other countries having to go into the quarantine as well.

The Transport Secretary said it was essential that the UK Government acted when it did to require that travellers from Spain to the UK isolate for 14 days.

He said: I very much understand (the frustrations), it obviously had an impact on me and my family and Im very, very sorry and upset for the thousands of Brits who are either away or perhaps even havent managed to go away this summer as well to Spain.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

But its absolutely essential we acted when we did, its why all four nations of the United Kingdom acted together and the figures since have turned out to justify that action.

We have to, I think, have a clear message and make sure that we act by adding entire countries to that list for the time being.

Mr Shapps said the exclusion of certain Spanish islands from the measures taken by the UK Government had been considered.

He said: We did have a look at whether certain islands could be included (on the list) and not others.

Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, was very clear with us that he was concerned about the data, wed seen how the data had come very fast forward in Spain in 20, 48 hours, it had gone up by 75 per cent.

It had doubled in just a few days. He was concerned to see what was happening in the islands and thats why we make it a whole-country approach in these things.
Health Minister Robin Swann has announced plans to set up Northern Ireland's first day procedure centre at Lagan Valley Hospital.

Essentially, what this means is that people who need minor elective procedures can expect to have them carried out in the Lisburn hospital.

At the same time, Altnagelvin and Musgrave Park hospitals have been earmarked to become sites for orthopaedic procedures.

While the plans have been announced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the concept of regional hubs to provide healthcare is nothing new.

For many years now, successive expert reports have recommended a reduction in the number of acute hospitals and locations of various services.

So, the announcement from Mr Swann on Tuesday is the first real step towards delivering the blueprint set out in the likes of the Bengoa Report.

What is interesting is the fact that these changes appear to be happening without any formal public consultation process.

Health bosses, including Mr Swann, say they are necessary, not only because of the threat of a second wave of Covid-19, but also to help drive down Northern Ireland's waiting list shame.

The press release issued by the Department of Health said waiting times here for orthopaedic surgery are among the worst in the UK, with patients waiting up to four or five years for operations.

The fact is waiting times in Northern Ireland are the worst in the UK and a wait of five years for many operations is a conservative estimate.

Cast your mind back a few weeks when national headlines screamed that patients in England faced a 12-month wait for a hip operation. A patient here would consider themselves lucky if they waited just a year for an operation.

Waiting times in Northern Ireland have been soaring in recent years - and that was before the pause button was pressed on outpatient appointments and elective surgery in preparation for coronavirus.

We're through the first wave, but health officials are preparing themselves for a second, even more deadly surge, so operations are only being carried out in the most urgent of cases.

Meanwhile, the hundreds of thousands of people waiting for first outpatient appointments, diagnostic tests and elective procedures are suffering indefinitely.

The announcement by Mr Swann that "tackling our appalling waiting times remains a top priority" is welcome.

The fact that he is pressing ahead without adhering to the normal consultation process is recognition of the fact that too much time has already passed without meaningful action to address waiting lists.

However, as the figures released on the number of excess deaths show, an increasing number of people are coming to harm without a fully functioning health service.

We were told in 2016 that urgent change was needed. Four years on and the situation has deteriorated beyond imagination. It is going to take a lot more than two orthopaedic hubs and a regional elective care centre to make a dent in the current waiting lists.
(L) A man identified as Edward Schinzing spreading the fire in the Corrections Records Office by moving flaming papers into separate cubicles on May 29, 2020. (R) A demonstrator photographs the fire in the Corrections Records Office on May 29, 2020. (via Department of Justice)

Portland Man Charged With Setting Fire to Justice Center, Faces Up to 20 Years

A Portland man was charged on Tuesday for arson aimed at the citys Justice Center. If convicted, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a mandatory sentence of 5 years.

Edward Thomas Schinzing was charged with intentionally setting fire to the Justice Center on May 29. He appeared in federal court for the first time on Tuesday, and will now await further court proceedings.

The Justice Center, which houses the Multnomah County Detention Center and the Portland Police Bureau headquarters, is owned by Multnomah County and the City of Portland.

Court documents say the 32-year-old Schinzing entered the Corrections Records Office near the northwest corner of the facility with a group of rioters, totaling about 30 people, around 11 p.m. through windows that several people had broken.

After some employees of the office fled for safety, the rioters spray-painted parts of the office, damaged various items including computers and other office equipment and furniture, and started fires, the documents said, citing surveillance videos and photos of the incident.

Defendant was among those who entered the Justice Center after marching with a group of protesters. He helped spread the fire and was later IDd by a distinctive tattoo. pic.twitter.com/Mp95xdpHZk  U.S. Attorney Oregon (@USAO_OR) July 28, 2020

Oregons top federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams, announced in a release that Schinzing was identified after comparing the surveillance footage with a jail booking photo and a distinctive tattoo of his last name across his upper back.

Schinzing was captured on video spreading fire in the office by lighting papers on fire and moving the lit papers into a drawer of a cubicle.

The buildings fire sprinkler system activated and put out the fires by 11:08 p.m., around the time that police arrived and took over the area.

It is important to remember that in #federalcourt arson is punishable by up to 20 years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum. pic.twitter.com/VStRfnshPa  U.S. Attorney Oregon (@USAO_OR) July 28, 2020

Rioters have been targeting government properties amid weeks of violent protests in the city since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.

On a daily basis, peaceful protests take place during the day, while violent riots start after midnight, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told reporters at a recent press conference. The two distinct events continue to generate controversy with media outlets conflating federal response to the violent rioters as having targeted peaceful protesters.

The Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse has been a key target for protesters in recent weeks. Federal agents sent to the city as reinforcements to protect federal properties have faced multiple attacks from rioters.

A rioter kicks an entrance to the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse after federal officers took shelter inside, in Portland, Ore., on July 21, 2020. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Protesters have a number of demands, some of which were projected on the Justice Center on July 22. The demands include defunding the Portland Police by at least 50 percent, releasing all protesters from jail, and for all federal agents to leave the city.

U.S. Attorney Williams on Monday condemned the riots, saying that the nightly violence cannot continue.

It is absolutely destroying the soul of our city, he said in a press call, reported Oregon Live.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty announced on Monday that they are seeking to meet with DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf to discuss a cease-fire and a removal of federal forces from Portland. The move marks an about-face from earlier in July, when Wheeler indicated that he would not meet with Wolf even if he was invited.

Bowen Xiao and Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.

Read More Portland Commissioners Want to Meet With DHS Secretary to Discuss Cease-Fire
The Ministry of Health has congratulated New Zealands first ever Hepatitis Elimination Champion.

Eliminating Hepatitis C from New Zealand has been a large focus for the health sector over the past two years, with the introduction last year of a fully-funded anti-viral called Maviret.

"Because Maviret is so available to people, there are now 10 per cent fewer people with the virus, than there were when Maviret was introduced  thats a drop of 5000 people infected," says Jane Chambers, Group Manager of Population Health and Prevention at the Ministry.

"Helping in the fight against Hepatitis C has been crucial. Education, testing and awareness are all critical. Thats whats seen hepatitis campaigner Jo de Lisle selected by the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination as New Zealands first ever Elimination Champion.

"Jo received that recognition for her work around a community-focused Hepatitis C education, testing and elimination programme.

"The Coalition received nominations from at least 17 countries, and it says Jos programme provides a template which should be adopted worldwide."

Jane says part of the plan to help WHO find the missing millions involves a new Hepatitis C action plan to support health services to find and treat those who may still not know theyre infected with the virus.

This is currently in development.

"Testing remains absolutely crucial to beating Hepatitis C.

"An estimated 45,000 New Zealanders may have Hepatitis C but still dont know it. Thats why its so important that people who are most at risk, for example those who have ever injected drugs, should contact their primary health professional to ask about getting tested, so they can start their treatment.

"One of the biggest aspects holding people back from getting tested or seeking treatment is the stigma associated with some of the risk factors. We want people to feel comfortable being tested and treated  it is not important how someone became infected, just that they may be infected and need treatment."

Background

The Ministry currently funds a total of $1.9 million per annum for DHB regions to provide integrated, accessible, and sustainable identification testing, assessment and treatment services for people with hepatitis C.

Maviret has been fully-funded since February 1, 2019.

It requires just one daily dose for a minimum of eight weeks. Theres no requirement for pre-treatment genotype testing, and its hoped that change is likely to make prescribing by general practitioners and other community-based prescribers more straight forward.
This refers to the Chinese Whispers item New partners (July 29). Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawatis ire at the induction of all six of her Rajasthan MLAs into the Congress by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot last year is understandable.

She is right when she says that Gehlot is crying foul over the poaching of MLAs by the BJP, but was ecstatic when the six BSP MLAs merged with the Congress. If he enjoyed the prospect of defection from other parties, he must also withstand the pain of defection from his own party. The 91st Amendment to the ...
Keith Walker, founding chairman and chief technical officer of Aer Wireless, said with students being home during the COVID-19 pandemic and during the summer months, a great deal of bandwidth sits idle at Hartwood Elementary.

We worked with the county and with the schools and went out to identify who needs connectivity and those homes were selected, said Walker.

The pilot program includes homes in Hartwood Lake Estates, Rappahannock Ridge Estates and Walden Ten, according to Cooke. He said 30 houses are where Stafford public school students live.

Walker said fiber at Hartwood Elementary will be used as the ingress point for the broadband, which will then be distributed to homes by specially formatted equipment mounted to poles and other structures.

Our plan is to hop along the poles and drop off connectivity to the homes, said Walker.

Walker said the mounted devices on homes will receive 1 gigabyte of bandwidth symmetrically.

That means up[load] and down[load], not even a company with fiber can do that, he said.
(This story has been updated to correct a date.)

FLINT, MI -- Two weeks after suing Flint City Clerk Inez Brown, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is praising her for new steps aimed at helping residents vote by absentee ballot.

The more accessible the ballot is to all voters, the stronger our democracy will be, Dan Korobkin, ACLU of Michigan legal director, said in a news release Wednesday, July 29. We are grateful that Clerk Brown is taking these important steps to provide Flint voters with additional options to cast their absentee ballots between now and Election Day. Election officials must continually work to protect every citizens right to vote.

Brown announced her plans in a news conference Tuesday, July 28, which includes sending deputized election assistants to retrieve absentee ballots from voters who need assistance to cast their ballots in the Aug. 4 primary election.

Brown has also established four absentee ballot drop-off locations in the city, in addition to Flint City Hall, where voters can also bring completed ballots. In addition, pursuant to court order, Brown is keeping her office open to the public every day, including on Saturday and Sunday, through Election Day.

Once registered, citizens can choose to vote by absentee ballot in the Clerks Office or vote at their polling location, the ACLU said in its news release.

The praise for Brown comes after the ACLU sued the clerk in Genesee Circuit Court earlier this month. The lawsuit resulted in a judges order that Brown follow Michigan election law with regard to absentee voting issues.

Judge Celeste Bells order in that case last week included a requirement that the city clear a backlog of more than 1,000 requests for absentee ballots in 72 hours.

Registered voters in Flint were unable to do business with the Clerks Office in person until July 20, because it and the rest of City Hall had been closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Judge orders Flint clerk to comply with absentee voting law in ACLU case

ACLU, voters sue Flint city clerk, say she violated their absentee voting rights

Flint clerk deputizing citizens to help in collection of absentee ballots
A suspected double killer who allegedly kept his victims' bodies in a freezer for nearly three years told police when questioned: 'It's my house, it's my problem', a court heard.

Hungarian Henriett Szucs, 34, vanished after moving in with accused murderer Zahid Younis, 35, and was last seen alive in the summer of 2016.

Mihrican Mustafa, 38, had also been visiting Younis at his home in Canning Town, east London, before she disappeared in May 2018.

The corpses of the two women were found together in a small chest freezer at his home during a police search on April 27 last year, Southwark Crown Court was told today.

They had both suffered appalling injuries including multiple broken ribs and Ms Mustafa's sternum and larynx were also fractured.

The bodies of Henriett Szucs, pictured left, and Mihrican Mustafa, pictured right, were found together in a small chest freezer during a police search of suspect Zahid Younis' east London home

Ms Szucs had been in the UK for several years and was last seen in Younis' company in the summer of 2016, jurors were told.

Ms Mustafa, also known as MJ and Jan, struggled with drug addiction and homelessness and had also been spending time with Younis before she vanished in May 2018, it was said.

The alleged killer bought the freezer for the 'sole purpose' of hiding Ms Szcucs' body after the brutal killing on or before 11 November 2016, it was said.

Younis left the dock claiming he felt unwell after the jury entered court today and was led down to the cells.

Prosecutor Duncan Penny, QC, said: 'On the morning of 27 April 2019 police officers attended a one bedroom ground floor flat in Canning Town.

'They were looking for this defendant, Zahid Younis.

'He was not to be found at that address that day. However, within the flat, immediately on the right-hand side, was a small meter cupboard in which the gas and electricity meter is located.

'In that cupboard one of the police officers noticed a small chest freezer.

'He noticed that this lockable freezer was locked and that there were flies forming around the freezer and that items including a zimmer type frame had been stacked on top of the freezer.

'In due course, with a crowbar, the officer forced the lid of the freezer and he made a very grim discovery indeed.

'Contained within that small chest freezer were the remains of two women.'

The prosecutor said Younis was 'closely connected' to both victims in the weeks leading up to their deaths.

Forensics officers leaving the flat in Canning Town, east London, while investigating

He said: 'Such scientific examination as was possible on their remains established that prior to their death each of them had been the victim of significant injury.

'Each of them appeared to have been subjected to very significant violence; each, for example, had numerous rib fractures - sustained at some time in the period leading up to their deaths.

'Henriett had also received dreadful injuries to her head, whilst Jan's sternum and larynx had been fractured.

'You may conclude at the conclusion of this trial that each of these women had met a most untimely and unnatural death.

'Both were known to have associated with the defendant in the weeks leading up to their disappearance.

'When police conducted a search, property belonging to each of them was found in various places in the premises.

'Whilst the blood of one (Henriett) was in due course discovered in various places on the carpets which at the time of her death had been laid throughout the house, in the case of Mihrican a fingerprint from her left forefinger was found on the edge of the door to the oven on the cooker in the kitchen.

'Her mobile telephone, which a number of independent strands of evidence suggest had been active and used in the address in the period very shortly before her disappearance, as well as numerous other items of her personal property were discovered in different locations around the defendant's address.

'The prosecution case is that this defendant, who was both the occupant and the tenant of that address throughout the relevant period, had murdered each of these women and that thereafter he sought to conceal their remains in the freezer bought for that sole purpose - most probably a short time after the death of the first of the woman, Henriett.

'In the intervening periods it would appear that there were periods when the electricity supply was disconnected - contributing to some decomposition of the bodies by the time they were discovered in April 2019.

'Come April 2019, however, the defendant had become so acutely conscious of what was contained within that freezer, and the risk of discovery - if not just from the odour that emitted from the freezer, that it appears that he had chosen to abandon the address.

'Both of his victims, Henriett and Mihrican, were vulnerable women living somewhat chaotic lives, characterised by periods of homelessness and addiction to class A drugs.

Ms Mustafa, also known as MJ and Jan, struggled with drug addiction and homelessness and had also been spending time with Younis before she vanished in May 2018, it was said

'The evidence demonstrates that both were closely connected to the defendant in the days and weeks before they were last seen - in Henriett's case in August 2016, and in Mihrican's case in May 2018.

'As I have touched upon, the bodies of both women had suffered severe violence, and in Mihrican's case there appears to be good evidence that she was strangled or at least suffered significant blunt trauma to the structures of the neck.

'Small wonder then that when he was arrested outside an address in west London on 30 April 2019 his immediate response to being apprehended was to say to the police officers who detained him 'It's my house, it's my problem. No one else is involved.'

The prosecutor added: 'This was a message which he was to repeat to a police officer in the cells at Kingston police station where he was taken later that day.

'Whilst he shared that with the officer in the cells, however, in police interview the defendant chose to answer no comment to questions he was asked.

'The defendant has, however, pleaded not guilty to the killings with which you are concerned.

'In that regard you will hear that if the prosecution is correct in its assertion that these two poor unfortunate women were the victims of his violence, then they were not alone.

'You will hear that the defendant is indeed a man with the ability and the disposition to manipulate and to seek to control vulnerable women - capable of seeking to dominate them, to subject them to his will and if necessary, of resorting to violence.'

Younis, of Vandome Close, denies two counts of murder.

The trial continues.
(Natural News) If you are getting the feeling that these ongoing Black Lives Matter demonstrations are getting way out of hand, youre right  they are.

And in a New York minute.

Over the weekend, violence broke out in several cities around the country ostensibly tied to BLM demonstrations, though its also clear that, months after the George Floyd incident, the BLM movement itself is being utilized as a vehicle by anarchists to destroy the civil society in as many regions as possible.

Case in point: One armed BLM demonstrator appears to have lost his life because of his over-zealous activism.

As BizPac Review reports:

A reportedly armed Black Lives Matter protester in Austin, Texas, was shot dead when the man allegedly approached a vehicle and the motorist opened fire.

The incident took place Saturday night during a protest in the city, as demonstrators marched in the street shutting down traffic.

According to an online account, the armed protester allegedly banged on the back of a vehicle and the driver got out and fired as many as eight shots.

Some video from the shooting was captured on video and posted to social media.

Someone opened fire at the Austin protest. pic.twitter.com/cIRah6f3fQ  Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 26, 2020

In a report about the incident, the Austin American Statesman quoted a local police official who provided details.

One adult male victim was located with a gunshot wound, Officer Katrina Ratcliff said ahead of confirming that a wounded man had been transported to a local hospital, where he was eventually pronounced dead.

Initial reports indicate that the victim may have been carrying a rifle and approached the suspect vehicle. Suspect was in the vehicle and shot at the victim. Suspect was detained and is cooperating with officers, she added.

Early Sunday morning, the Statesman added, about 50 BLM demonstrators gathered near the Austin Police Departments headquarters, where they had convened Saturday evening.

A visibly grieving woman, who is believed to be the victims fiance, joined protesters. Protesters surrounded her to give her their condolences while chanting what appeared to be the victims name, the paper said.

The victim is believed to be Garrett Foster. In video posted to social media, Foster talks about why he was carrying what he called an AK-47.

Chants down at APD HQ as the victims fiance returned to mourn with friends and supporters. pic.twitter.com/9TQCsCssai  Danny Davis (@aasdanny) July 26, 2020

They dont let us march in the streets anymore, so Ive got to practice some of our rights, Foster says in one.

When asked if he felt like he was ready to use his weapon or wanted to, he replied, Nah.

I mean, if I use it against the cops Im dead. I think all the people that hate us and want to say shit to us are too big of p*ssies to stop and actually do anything about it, states.

Whyd you start carrying? Foster was asked.

Well, my roommate got arrested and they stopped letting us march anywhere so I just started carrying, he responses.

Open-carry of rifles is legal in Texas; open-carry of handguns is legal with a license, BizPac Review noted.

At this writing, not all of the details are known. But one thing is clear: The mainstream media will be all over this story if the person who allegedly shot Foster was some right-wing supporter of President Donald Trump (which, admittedly, is not common in Austin, a bright blue spot in the middle of red Texas).

There is another aspect of this incident that bears mentioning. As more of these protests occur and groups believe they have to stage them armed, then the likelihood of open warfare becomes ever more present. (Related: Trump to deploy more federal officers to protect Americas cities: The bloodshed must end!)

Its going to get ugly on the streets of American cities, folks. You may as well prepare for it, because its coming like a freight train.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

BizPacReview.com
Long story short, many Houstonians miss the good H-town watering holes with an unstuffy vibe. But since they're shut down, it's time to reinvent Houston bar life in the pandemic. Houston's hip downtown spot, The Cottonmouth Club, has decided to do just that. Ever resilient, the crew at the Cottonmouth has come up with a"virtual bar" concept, "digital bar experiences," and Quarantine Picnic Packs, slated to roll out on August 1st.

"Necessity is the mother of invention. Every bar is trying to figure out its own way to survive," The Cottonmouth Club owner, Michael Neff said. "In essence, we have to shut down to help protect the safety of Houstonians. The economic implications are way bigger than most people consider."

MASKS, ANOTHER SHUTDOWN: It weighs on your brain, Houston bartender says

Neff said that he's now transformed The Cottonmouth Club into a digital experience.

"We've created digital structures that have helped us stay alive for another week or another month. What I'm doing right now is starting a virtual bar," Neff said. "It's now turning into a national conversation. In its best form, it's enough to help keep staff relatively stable for a certain amount of time."

Bartender Stacy Gouty added that the bar is also launching the Cottonmouth Quarantine Quickstop -- featuring signature cocktail concoctions, and Quarantine Picnic Packs that will be introduced on August 1st.

The Picnic Packs will include beverages for two, perfect for a day in the park, at the beach or a nice staycation in the backyard.

"We're trying to give this the best shot," Gouty said. "Leaning into that and doubling down, doing what we can--so that when can reopen, we can do that more seamlessly."

"I would like to be hopeful. I can't predict anything. We're taking it day by day. With all the pessimism that has happened during the quarantine, I'm pretty happy with our spot right now," Gouty said. "I would call it a slight optimism going forward. To get to a point where we want it to be, without it weighing down and making it too heavy."

Gouty added that the experience has challenged all of the crew to keep pushing forward.

"This has pushed us, challenged us. We've pushed ourselves. It's sink or swim," Gouty said, "But it's important to move forward. Put your head on straight, do what you can, and not only advocate for yourself but also advocate for others who do not have a voice."

alison.medley@chron.com
CHICAGO  A Christopher Columbus statue on Chicagos South Side that was left standing after two other Columbus statues were removed last week may yet be taken down, a City Council member says.

Alderwoman Susan Sadlowski Garza told the Chicago Sun-Times on Monday that she has been talking to city officials about removing the statue that stands in an intersection in the South Chicago neighborhood.

Im looking to take it down as soon as possible, she said.

Her comments came after the removal of one Columbus statue in Little Italy and another in Grant Park that protesters had tried to topple earlier in the month. Sadlowski Garza said the one in South Chicago may have escaped the kind of attention that the other two statues garnered simply because not nearly as many people visit that area of the city as they do Little Italy and Grant Park.

Theres a lot of people that never venture this far south in the city, Sadlowski Garza said.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Lori Lightfoot didnt say whether the mayor plans to order the removal of the statue. The mayors office has said she ordered the other statues temporarily removed after receiving troubling intelligence that something could happen to them. Her office told the Sun-Times that the city soon will be announcing a formal framework to assess statues in partnerships with our local communities.

Columbus has been a polarizing figure for years, with Native American advocates pressing for years to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day over their concerns that the 15th century explorer spurred centuries of genocide against Indigenous people in the Americas. In recent weeks, Columbus statues across the country were targeted during protests over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died May 24 after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck for nearly 9 minutes.

Some Italian Americans have decried the removal of the statues, saying their heritage is being attacked.

He (Columbus) represents Italian Americans heritage, said Frank Coconate, who attended a protest during the weekend near a now-empty pedestal where a Columbus statue once stood in Little Italy and was helping organize another protest. And by taking these statues down it is just an attack on Italian Americans.
Seven initiatives of Brahma Kumaris to be flagged off by PM Modi today

'The nation exists from us and we exist from the nation', says PM Modi

PM Modi welcomes fighter jets with a tweet in Sansksrit

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the Rafale jets and posted a tweet in Sanskrit with a video of the Rafale making a landing.

Rafale Jets enter Indian Airspace: watch first visuals | Oneindia News

Broadly translated, the prime minister said in his tweet that there is no virtue like protecting the nation, there is no vow like defence of the nation. "Swagatam" (welcome), he said with the hashtag "RafaleInIndia".

Nearly 23 years after Sukhoi aircraft were imported, a fleet of five French-manufactured Rafale multi-role combat jets touched down in India, giving the country's air power a strategic edge over its adversaries in the neighbourhood.

In Pics: Five Rafale jets enters Indian airspace, flanked by 30 MKIs

The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.

The Rafales were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space. "The Birds have landed safely in Ambala," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted. Singh said "the touch down of Rafale combat aircraft in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History. These multirole aircraft will revolutionise the capabilities of the IAF".

The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016, to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime. The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.

The fleet, comprising three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft, is being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.
SINGAPORE, July 29 (Reuters) - Singapore asked its banks on Wednesday to cap dividend payments this year to conserve capital and increase capacity to lend to businesses and individuals due to the grim economic outlook caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the city-state facing its deepest recession ever, the Monetary Authority of Singapore called on banks to cap total dividends per share for FY2020 at 60% of what they paid out in 2019.

MAS also asked locally-incorporated banks headquartered in the city-state to offer shareholders dividends in 2020 in the form of shares instead of cash.

"MAS wants to ensure the banks' capital buffers remain ample in the face of significant uncertainties ahead, so that they can sustain lending to the economy," said MAS chief Ravi Menon.

"We have carefully calibrated the restriction on dividends, taking into account the needs of investors who may rely on this income."

(Reporting by John Geddie Editing by Gareth Jones)
If you find yourself craving for some more royal-themed dramas, you have to check out some of our favorite K-dramas that feature fictitious Korean royalties. Starting from "Princess Hours" to "The Last Empress" and the latest Netflix hit drama "The King: Eternal Monarch," surely, these will get you hooked for hours.

5 Must-Watch Royal-Themed Korean Dramas To Experience What It Feels To Live Like A Royalty

Princess Hours (2006)

When you saw the poster above, you felt a bit of nostalgia, right? "Princess Hours" is one of the most famous hit dramas that centers the story into the fixed marriage of the Crown Prince Lee Shin, portrayed by Ju Ji Hoon, and the simple and commoner Shin Chae Kyeong, played by Yoon Eun Hye.

"Princess Hours" tells the story of a lively young girl and a prince who is living in loneliness, slated to be wed through a fixed marriage by their ancestors. This drama is the Korean version of the Cinderella story with a 24-episode long series. It will take you to the life of royalty with their '90s-inspired, the elegant outfits, stellar acting, and classic soundtracks that make the show completely unforgettable.

My Princess (2011)

"My Princess" may be relatively less popular, but the main cast of this drama, namely Song Seung Heon and Kim Tae Hee, makes the viewers want to watch this show. The drama's setup is in modern-day Korea, and the show starts with the restoration of the royal family. The main character, portrayed by Kim Tae Hee, starts from being an ordinary citizen to being a princess in a snap, which makes her experience the life of royalty that many envy. Then, she eventually meets a chaebol's son, portrayed by Song Seung Heon, who aids and guides her to be a princess and fulfill her new role.

The King 2 Hearts (2012)

Those who have watched this drama are all well aware that the cast members of "The King 2 Hearts" are considered big names in the industry today. Starring in this drama is all-star cast Ha Ji Won, Lee Seung Gi, Jo Jung Suk, and Yoon Je Moon.

This drama is about a high-handed South Korean prince, prince Lee Jae Ha portrayed by Lee Seung Gi. He will fall in love with the daughter of a North Korean military officer, characterized by Ha Ji Won.

Both characters meet in a joint military training exercise. Eventually, they are to be wed due to some political reasons after a fated sequence of events, and more politics ensue. Does this show remind you of the recent hit drama CLOY with the fate of a South Korean and North Korean character intertwined? With romance mixed with politics, this drama is a must-watch if you're somehow missing CLOY.

The Last Empress (2018)

As its title suggests, this drama characterizes the conclusion of Korea's constitutional monarchy. Since she came from a humble origin, the queen, portrayed by Jang Nara, unravels and reveals many hidden secrets that the royal family has been trying to hide. Upon discovering their deepest darkest secret, the queen is forced to face life-threatening scenarios with the factions split between those who want to protect the royal lineage and those seeking to overthrow them. This show will keep you on the edge of your seat with its suspense!

The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)

This drama is a much-anticipated one since it stars the Korean Hallyu star Lee Mi Ho and "Goblin" lead Kim G Eun. Set in the parallel universe, one Korea is ruled by a single monarch king Lee Gon (Lee Min Ho) and the other is modern-day Korea that we all know.

Emperor Lee Gon was able to discover the entry point between two universes and was able to cross to the other world where he meets Tae Eul (Kim Go Eun), a police officer from the Republic of Korea. Eventually, both characters fall in love and do their best to make their relationship work despite living in different universes.

Which royal-themed drama is your favorite? Do you know other royal-themed series that are not included in this list? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Human civilization stands a 90 per cent chance of an 'irreversible collapse' within decades as a result of deforestation, physicists claim.

It is thought that within the next two to four decades Earth may no longer be able to sustain a large human population due to the destruction of forests, according to a peer-reviewed paper published in Nature Scientific Reports.

The study, written by Dr Gerardo Aquino and Professor Mauro Bologna, states that if the rate of deforestation continues 'all the forests would disappear approximately in 100200 years'.

'Clearly it is unrealistic to imagine that the human society would start to be affected by the deforestation only when the last tree would be cut down.'

This trajectory would result in the loss of planetary life-support systems necessary for human survival including carbon storage, oxygen production, soil conservation and water cycle regulation.

Human civilization stands a 90 per cent chance of an 'irreversible collapse' within decades as a result of deforestation, physicists claim. Pictured: Forest remainders burning in Brazil

It is thought this would ultimately result in the collapse of human civilization as 'it is highly unlikely to imagine the survival of many species, including ours, on Earth without [forests]'.

The paper, which was published in May this year, states: 'The progressive degradation of the environment due to deforestation would heavily affect human society and consequently the human collapse would start much earlier.'

The Earth was originally covered by 60 million sq km of forest before the development of human civilizations.

But now, following deforestation accelerated due to human activity, there is less than 40 million sq km remaining.

'Calculations show that, maintaining the actual rate of population growth and resource consumption, in particular forest consumption, we have a few decades left before an irreversible collapse of our civilization,' the paper concludes.

The authors, having tracked the current rate of population growth against the rate of deforestation, stated that 'statistically the probability to survive without facing a catastrophic collapse, is very low.'

The Earth was originally covered by 60 million square kilometres of forest before the development of human civilizations. There e is less than 40 million square kilometres remaining. Pictured: Deforested area in the Amazon rainforest

The best case scenario is that we have a less than 10 per cent chance of avoiding collapse.

'In conclusion our model shows that a catastrophic collapse in human population, due to resource consumption, is the most likely scenario of the dynamical evolution based on current parameters

'We conclude from a statistical point of view that the probability that our civilization survives itself is less than 10 percent in the most optimistic scenario.

'Calculations show that, maintaining the actual rate of population growth and resource consumption, in particular forest consumption, we have a few decades left before an irreversible collapse of our civilization.'

A model developed by the authors went on to depict human population growth reaching a maximum level that is undermined by the debilitation of forests.

Deforestation would result in the loss of planetary life-support systems necessary for human survival including carbon storage, oxygen production, soil conservation and water cycle regulation. Pictured: Felled trees near Humaita in Brazil

After this point, 'a rapid disastrous collapse in population occurs before eventually reaching a low population steady state or total extinction

'We call this point in time the "no-return point" because if the deforestation rate is not changed before this time the human population will not be able to sustain itself and a disastrous collapse or even extinction will occur.'

Dr Gerardo Aquino and Professor Mauro Bologna said that without changing the unsustainable levels of population growth and consumption the only other possibility of survival would come from an unprecedented degree of technological development.

'The consumption of the natural resources, in particular the forests, is in competition with our technological level,' wrote Aquino and Bologna.

'Higher technological level leads to growing population and higher forest consumption but also to a more effective use of resources.

'With higher technological level we can in principle develop technical solutions to avoid/prevent the ecological collapse of our planet or, as a last chance, to rebuild a civilization in extra-terrestrial space.'

Another alternative, the authors suggest, would be to fundamentally transform human civilization.

The underlying factor in the current collapse trajectory is that 'consumption of the planetary resources may be not perceived as strongly as a mortal danger for the human civilization', because it is 'driven by Economy'.

They suggest that to escape our collapse trajectory 'we may have to redefine a different model of society that in some way privileges the interest of the ecosystem above the individual interest of its components, but eventually in accordance with the overall communal interest.'

But the study comes as the rate of global deforestation reportedly declined over the last few decades, according to a joint report in 2020 by the United Nations Food & Agricultural Organisation and the UN Environment Programme.

In the 1990s the average rate of deforestation was around 16 million hectares per year.

But between 2015 and 2020, this had decreased to an estimated average of 10 million hectares annually.

It is thought that the cause of this is that new forests are being established, both naturally and man-made, despite ongoing deforestation.
Ukrainian military drills are scheduled in September simultaneously with Russia's Caucasus 2020 exercises.

The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) has shared its estimates of a military threat from the side of the Russian Federation in Ukraine's south, saying that "everything is well sealed."

"As for Mykolaiv and Kherson regions [the south of Ukraine], everything is well sealed. But we understand who could unleash a war with us  this is the Russian Federation. It is a big mistake to underestimate its strength," NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov told Ukraine 24 TV Channel.

Read alsoUkraine's NSDC warns Russian army drills in Crimea may turn into "active phase of hostilities"

According to him, Ukraine is not alone in countering the Russian threat. "We have partners who are working with us on these issues," he said.

"Large-scale NATO exercises in the Black Sea  Sea Breeze  have recently ended. You saw how many countries had participated. There is a strong understanding that we cannot be left alone in such a situation. There may be drills simultaneously with [Russian] Caucasus 2020, and [they may be held] in rather unexpected places. Where will the exercises take place in September? Let's wait and see," he said.

When asked whether such exercises could annoy Russia, Danilov replied: "What do you mean 'annoy?' We live in our own country, our task is to defend it. If someone is annoyed by our behavior, it's not a matter of our attention."
The truth is that we have an unfair tax system in the state of Illinois in which wealthy people pay the same rate in state taxes as people who are middle class or people who are working class. Thats not fair. There ought to be a higher rate for people who are millionaires and billionaires, and there ought to be a lower rate for people who are working class, middle class families trying to make ends meet. Thats what this is about, he said.
Colleges across the country are preparing for potential spikes in coronavirus cases in the fall. As some students return to campus, schools are making plans to protect the health of students, faculty, and campus workers.Universities want to shorten face-to-face exposure on campus during the fall and winter. By starting the semester early, as many colleges plan to do, they can send students home for an extended winter break by Thanksgiving. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that Notre Dame, the University of South Carolina, University of California-San Diego, and the University of Texas-Austin, as well as North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will end their fall semesters early.Certainty for the fall is not high, however. The New York Times argued that most people haven't "met minimal criteria" for state lockdowns to end. If colleges aren't careful, they could set up outbreaks on campus instead of providing a safe zone. If outbreaks happen, the end result may be another hasty switch to online classes, catching universities flat on their feet again.Professors, just like students, are staring down uncertainty. The first day of fall semester is less than a month away, and many details about class instruction remain unknown. Students don't know what to expect, and professors can't plan how they'll teach or research.To stop outbreaks, many schools will enforce a mandatory mask rule for anyone on campus. NC State announced its policy that all students, faculty, staff, and visitors must cover their faces at all times when in "NC State buildings and in all university programs held in non-university buildings," according to a university email. Even when alone, everyone is expected to carry a mask. The university has masks available and will provide them for anyone in need.This means that even when freshmen students are in dorms with roommates, they will be mandated to wear a mask. The plans for a safe campus reopening, then, depends on how strict students are about wearing masks with their friends and not socializing with other students they haven't seen for months.NC State has announced it will convert some double rooms to single rooms, but only for students with pre-existing health conditions. The university stated that it will "reduce occupancy in all residence halls except apartments," but did not give specifics. Some freshmen will also have the option to live at home  if their parents live within 25 miles of campus.Other North Carolina schools requiring face masks on campus include UNC-Greensboro, East Carolina University, and UNC-Chapel Hill; students there will have similar guidelines to follow.When he presented it on 60 Minutes in June, UNC chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz described Chapel Hill's plan to downsize classes and limit COVID-19's spread through student socialization. Guskiewiczs revealed thatHowever, while classrooms and on-campus areas will be persistently disinfected, it is still not guaranteed that the virus won't spread. Guisiewicz went on to say that UNC-Chapel Hilland theyReopening campus was an economic choice as much as a health choice.Students, however, still aren't clear on what reopening for the fall will look like. NC State chancellor Randy Woodson announced the school would be back in session in the fall, but an official plan for students' schedules has not been announced. Currently, most classes appear to be online and are marked as "online delivery" with an "internet interactive" instruction mode, meaning students will have to be online for a course at a scheduled time.However, Anthony Solari, a political scientist at NC State, advised students not to take NC State's website too seriously.he noted.If NC State does have in-person lectures, professors will stand behind a "plexiglass barrier." Classes will also be recorded so that students can watch if they can't come to class. Some classes will be hybrid classes , meaning some students will come in-person some days and others will interact online. That may encourage students to skip class, though.NC State sent out an email in early July to "clarify" things for the upcoming semester, but its vagueness wasn't very helpful. The email stated that the class schedule available currently "may not be final" and the university "is still working to evaluate individual class needs and make decisions daily." While the vague responses from universities across the country are understandable, they don't help students who live far from campus and need to make housing arrangements. Many students have assumed that classes will be online and the university is just pushing off announcing it, so they made plans to live at home to save money. Regardless of in-person or online classes, students will pay the same tuition.Students won't be happy about paying in-person tuition for online-class quality, but if a coronavirus outbreak takes off on their campus, it may be less of a concern than their health.The bigger concern for many students is how college leaders have failed to prepare a plan for online learning. COVID-19 has shut down the American economy since March, but most colleges have been reluctant to embrace an online semester after being forced to transition in the spring. While the California State University system announced in May that their fall semester would be online, most colleges talked of reopening campus in the fall or doing a "hybrid" semester. Reluctance by college leaders to embrace online classes may mean another subpar online semester for students.Colleges have the resources to make sustainable versions of online classes that can actually benefit students. They only need to look on campus. For example, a summer project for film students could have been to create eye-catching videos for professors to use in online classes. Students would engage with it more than a monotonous 50-minute lecture posted by their professor.That style of teaching would be mutually beneficial for students and professors alike. Instead, the situation today is one of colleges scrambling in uncertainty before the semester starts.
Nantucket Cottage Hospital reported 39 positive cases of the virus on Tuesday and has been seeing a sharp increase in the number of cases since mid-June. The hospital has tested 3,732 people since March and has 107 cases pending results.

Last week, 26 people on the island had tested positive with just five more cases than the previous two weeks, according to the state Department of Public Health.

There was also an outbreak in the Cape Cod town of Chatham after at least 10 people who attended a house party on July 12 tested positive for coronavirus. Cape officials announced on Sunday that they will offer pop-testing for anyone who attended the party or is a close contact of someone who was there.

Lawmakers and local officials from Cape Cod reminded the public to cooperate with contact tracing efforts and to maintain a commitment to public health precautions after a slight uptick in new COVID-19 cases on July 23.

The last time our case counts resembled this was in mid-May, said Sen. Julian Cyr during a Cape Cod Reopening Task Force call a week ago. This is a trend, its not a spike, and these numbers may relate to an isolated event and seem, at least in the last few days, to head downward.

However, the trend seems to be increasing as more people head to the beach for vacations during the summer months.

We have seen an increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the island since late June, which we expected given the increase in the islands population and expanded testing capacity, said Jason Graziadei, spokesperson for the hospital on Wednesday.

Graziadei told MassLive that the hospital and town have been preparing for such an event with contact tracing, as well as outreach and education for the public on safety precautions.

The hospital updates the islands' numbers daily on their website.

Massachusetts health officials reported another 14 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, bringing the statewide death count to 8,331.

Officials also confirmed another 178 cases of the virus, bringing the total number of statewide cases to at least 108,740. Thats based on 9,881 new molecular tests reported on Tuesday, according to the DPH.

Coronavirus in Mass.: See cases, maps, charts and resources

Related Content:
New Delhi, July 29 : The ongoing pandemic has not only affected humans, but also impacted all species on Earth; bringing a stronger focus the inextricablehuman-wildlife connect.

According to the Tiger Census released this week by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, the country now houses 70 percent of the world's tiger population. The governments of the 13 tiger range countries have resolved to double the number of tigers by 2022.Notably, the declining tiger population which took place a few years ago has seen a miniscule but welcome upswing recently.

Malaika Vaz, a National Geographic Explorer and wildlife presenter, says: "My work has taken me to many tiger reserves across the country where I've had the chance to spend time up-close with countless tigers. And in each place, I'm always struck by the fact that the tiger as an emblematic, keystone species is able to draw attention to these critical ecosystems that would often otherwise be decimated. The charisma of tigers has led to the protection of vast tracts of forest - that also inevitably protect the smallest of critters from frogs and snakes to lesser-known mammals like caracals, otters and dholes."

Speaking to IANSlife on the impact of COVID-19 on tigers, she notes, "as our society deals with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, nature and habitat is impacted. Given the backdrop of an economy in recession and the shutdown of eco-tourism, there has been a sharp spike in the poaching of wildlife over the last couple of months - and tigers too are more threatened."

"To me, the tiger is and will always be one of the strongest symbols for India's incredible natural heritage - on this International Tiger Day, we need to make a concerted effort to champion the protection of this species and the ecosystems they call home," she added.

Krithi Karanth, National Geographic Explorer and Chief Conservation Scientist, Centre for Wildlife Studies, told IANSlife: "The pandemic has demonstrated our inextricable connections to wildlife and natural habitats and ecosystems. Ongoing destruction of wildlife habitats, poaching and wildlife trade have enhanced thetransmission of zoonotics to people. Our economy is being crippled by this and we must use the time to rebuild resilience to protect wildlife and wild places including our national animal - the tiger."

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
Perth Amboy was among the hardest-hit areas early on in New Jerseys coronavirus crisis and now its looking to get back on its feet.

The waterfront city in Middlesex County was ravaged early on economically when Gov. Phil Murphy closed all non-essential businesses in March, affecting its mostly Latino-run commerce, and socially as the majority of its Latino population are essential workers that, for the most part, dont have the luxury of working from home.
LONDON - As editor of the Lancet medical journal, Richard Horton has overseen publication of some of the most-cited papers of the coronavirus pandemic, from the first reports from Chinese scientists to the latest on vaccine development. He has also emerged as an outspoken voice on the failures of the global response.

In May, his editorial board - based mostly in Britain - stirred controversy by wading into U.S. politics and advocating that Americans should elect a president "who will understand that public health should not be guided by partisan politics."

Now Horton is out with a new book, "The Covid-19 Catastrophe: What's Gone Wrong and How to Stop it Happening Again." It is an angry work, thrumming with righteous disbelief over mistakes made in the past six months. He accuses President Trump of a "crime against humanity" for cutting World Health Organization funding during a pandemic. He blames British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for thousands of excess deaths.

Horton spoke via Zoom with The Washington Post to explain why he thinks politicians and scientific advisers in the United States and Europe got so much so wrong. He also shared what he expects from research on vaccines and treatments.

This interview has been edited for length.

Q: You published the first papers from Chinese doctors on the front line. The United States has been highly critical of China. What do you think of the Chinese response in those early days?

A: During the first SARS epidemic, Chinese authorities said there was no outbreak. They tried to deceive the world, until the World Health Organization called them out on it. I think China learned you can't sit on this kind of information for long.

I think during December last year, Chinese authorities tried to chase down what this mysterious pneumonia was, tried to understand the nature of the outbreak. By the end of the month, they realized they had something very serious on their hands.

Q: A team from the World Health Organization is in China now trying to learn more about the origins.

A: We know some of these early cases seem to be linked to the live markets in Wuhan. But some were not. We don't really understand the lines of transmission of the virus in those early days. There's clearly a connection between wildlife, the environment, the urban setting. But we don't really know where the pieces of that puzzle are or how the pieces of that puzzle join.

Q: A mysterious pneumonia arises in December. The pathogen is identified in weeks. Its genetic code is published in January. Now we have two dozen vaccines now in human trials. That seems blisteringly fast.

A: I've never seen anything like it in my life. I've been at the Lancet 30 years, and I've seen many epidemics, many humanitarian emergencies around the world. And I've never seen the world's research community respond so fast.

What's so impressive is that this has been a truly global collective effort. Every country's scientists have responded. And so there's been this global community effort to bring knowledge to the front lines.

You described the book as angry. I was angry, yes. In the early days. And still am, to an extent. But I hope the book's not fully angry, because I also want to look at the incredible opportunity this pandemic has shown. Before this pandemic, the research community didn't work as fast or as efficiently on urgent problems. It is phenomenal to go from discovery of a new virus to candidate vaccines in six months. That's never happened before.

Q: I think you would say that response by the scientific community has been far better than the response of governments?

A: Yes, and that's one of the reasons I did get angry. I was seeing the research community immediately kicking into action, gathering actionable evidence, for use by policymakers and politicians. And nothing was happening.

That's not just a failure of politicians. It's the failure of those medical and science advisers who are giving advice to governments, because I don't think they picked it up quickly enough, either.

Q: Italy goes into lockdown, then Spain, France, Germany, Britain and parts of the United States. You can see dithering and dawdling. But Boris Johnson tells people March 12 you're going to lose a lot of your loved ones. A week later, the pubs are closing. A few days later, we're in lockdown. That's not fast?

A: In medical terms, it was slow. If you've got an acute public health emergency, where the virus is literally growing exponentially in your population, and it's doubling every three days or so, then you don't have a week to make up your mind.

Now, let's think about how you would respond. The World Health Organization declares a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on Jan. 30. You would imagine that the Foreign Office or the Prime Minister's office would ask its embassy in Beijing to give them an immediate report. Within 24 hours, they would have got the message back: A SARS virus is tipping people into the hospital. No treatment, no vaccine, many people dying. Prediction of a global pandemic.

So that's sitting on the prime minister's desk on Feb. 1. You would think they would say: Okay, I need to be getting testing, tracing and isolation systems in place. Have we got personal protective equipment? How are we going to think about physical distancing? What's our policy on schools? How are we going to stop mass gatherings from transmitting this virus?

All of that should have been discussed within 48 or 72 hours after the emergency was declared. It didn't happen.

Q: The British government always says: We follow the science. That is comforting. These are smart people. What went wrong?

A: It wasn't just the United Kingdom, it was all of Europe and North America. The scientists here didn't take the science coming out of China seriously.

Q: It was the virus ravaging northern Italy that slapped them on the face?

A: Exactly. It was only when the epidemic in Lombardy really took off. That's when Neil Ferguson [an epidemiologist at Imperial College London] and others recalculated. They doubled the number of people being admitted to intensive care in their models. And they suddenly saw the National Health Service was going to be overwhelmed. That was the critical moment.

Q: When the first Lancet papers came out from the ICUs in Wuhan, one clinician told me they read like something out of Stephen King novels. This is terrifying, they said. And the Chinese are deploying sophisticated medicine.

A: They were doing everything that you would expect to see in a Western medical setting. But, despite all of that, we didn't believe it. I think there was this judgment. It's a little like the discussion we're having about China now. Can we really believe what they say? Are they really competent in being able to manage these patients?

Q: Do you have confidence in the Imperial College assessment that a U.K. lockdown a week earlier could have cut deaths here in half?

A: If we had locked down on March 6 instead of March 23, then we could have absolutely saved 20,000-plus lives.

Q: In your book, you write, "The story of covid-19 in the United States is one of the strangest paradoxes of the whole pandemic. No other country in the world has the concentration of scientific skill, technical knowledge and productive capacity possessed by the U.S. It is the world's scientific superpower bar none. And yet this colossus of science utterly failed to bring its expertise successfully to bear on the policy and politics of the nation's response."

A: That's true.

Q: What happened?

A: This is hard. I love America. But it can be very parochial. I think the fact that America sees itself as the greatest country in the world means that it sees itself as impregnable. That view informs not just a response to a pandemic, but attitudes to climate change and other threats.

I don't think many American public health scientists and government advisers read those papers we published. If they did, I don't think that they took them seriously. I think there was a very serious miscalculation of the risk by American public health scientists.

I know Tony Fauci well, and his entire career has been forged on the fight against AIDS. He's a brilliant scientist. He is a brave man. But something went wrong here. I wish I could give you a clear answer as to why, but I really can't explain it.

Q: OK.

A: I'm going to change my mind.

Q: Science is nothing but changing your mind.

A: Exactly. I'm just thinking back. I remember going down to Atlanta in the 1990s and asking: Why didn't you shout out more under Reagan? Why aren't you stronger advocates for public health, when you know the evidence on safe needle exchange is so clear?

They said, "You don't understand how it works here." They're all wearing their Navy uniforms and saying to me, "We can't be advocates." Because if you're a government scientist, you're there to work within the political infrastructure of whatever administration is in power at that particular time. And if the administration is left or right or whatever, you have to fit into that political ambiance, and you can't step outside it. And if you do, you'll be out.

Now, fast forward to the administration of Donald Trump, under the particular CDC leadership we have now. It may well have been that there were CDC scientists sitting in Atlanta who read those papers, who understood what was coming. But they're not allowed to go out there and be advocates.

Q: The best of British science was seriously thinking about deploying "herd immunity" as a defense in March - protecting the vulnerable but letting this virus sweep through the general population. What were they thinking?

A: They were thinking influenza. Because the only viral disease that was in the frame, for a pandemic. We weren't planning for SARS and were not able to pivot quickly enough.

Q: Let's talk about beating the virus in body. There is some good stuff coming along to help people who get sick fight the virus?

A: There's some old-fashioned antivirals, not specifically for the coronavirus, and they're currently undergoing clinical trials. We'll see whether they have an effect. They may not. It's likely they either won't have an effect or the effects will be very modest.

Then there are going to be new antivirals more specific to coronavirus. We don't have any of those that are clearly ready for use.

And then there's going to be a category of drug that's not actually going to be against the virus, but against the thing that kills you: the cytokine storm. It's a super massive inflammatory response that goes out of control. So one route to treating this condition is to try to stop that explosion from happening.

Q: That leads us vaccines. It is amazing that we have three, four types - RNA, DNA, inactivated virus, the crippled adenovirus being trialed by the Oxford group. Are we going to have two or three vaccines ready to go in December or January or February, with 70 or 75 percent effectiveness? Please say yes.

A: So the positive news is that we're making really rapid progress toward a vaccine. There are something like 200 candidate vaccines around the world that are being developed. There are about 15 to 20 that are in human trials. We have every reason to be optimistic that by the end of this year, we will have identified a vaccine, at least one, that has some measure of effectiveness and is safe. So then it's going to be a question next year of turning up the volume of production and distributing that vaccine.

Q: Hooray for vaccines!

A: Hang on. A vaccine is not going to take this virus out of our society. A vaccine is never 100 percent effective, 100 percent safe and available to 100 percent of people. We're not going to get a vaccine to 7 billion people on the planet, and 7 billion people on the planet aren't going to want to take it. I'm pretty sure we're going to have a vaccine next year, but that isn't going to mean that we're going to be able to go back to our fully normal lives.

Q: And not everyone will accept a vaccine? You were involved in an infamous episode here in Britain. The Lancet published a paper by Andrew Wakefield in 1998. It was kind of a foundational paper for the anti- vaccine movement, as it purported to link autism to the mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The paper was retracted, but it had done its damage. How can science address these concerns?

A: Yes, the anti-vaccine movement is mobilizing again. And I see the Andrew Wakefield has popped up in the United States and is part of the anti-vaccine movement related to covid-19. There are different elements within the anti-vaccination community. There is the extreme anti-vaccination wing, and you're never going to convince them with any science. They're just completely against vaccination. There's a much larger group of concerned citizens who want to do the right thing, but they're scared.They see the debate and don't fully know what to make of it.

We need to be as transparent and honest as possible about the evidence. We need to put every vaccine through the correct safety and effectiveness testing. We don't cut corners, and we listen to what people are saying. We don't call them crazy or nuts or any other epithet. Our task should be to build confidence by giving information and answering legitimate questions.

Q: You work at the intersection of where science and research collide with the massive egos of people who want credit for discoveries, for vaccines and antivirals. There are many, many zeros in this game. The pharmaceutical companies are going to make billions of dollars. Are these folks looking after our best interests and not their best interests?

A: I have confidence that the science is going to give us reliable answers. But I'm not confident that the system we have in place is going to deliver a fair outcome. We're seeing your government and my government buying up vaccines that are not yet ready, not yet available, but buying up options on vaccines to protect their populations. That isn't the way we should be thinking. We have to have a global response and need to protect those most at risk. We know who those people are. They're older. People with chronic diseases. They're from black and minority ethnic populations, and workers in the health system.They're the people who need to get the vaccine. Not me.

Q: I want the shot.

A: You'll take it? OK. But this risk of vaccine nationalism is very real, and it shouldn't be the strongest or the richest country that gets access to a vaccine first. You and I are going to be fine. But a lot of people aren't. That doesn't seem right.
The Indian Navy has deployed a large number of frontline warships and submarines in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) in the wake of the border row in eastern Ladakh to send out a clear message to China, according to top defence sources on Wednesday. A source said the message has been "registered" by China.

The Indian Navy deployed a range of its frontline warships and submarines in the IOR when the border tension escalated after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian army personnel were killed. The defence sources told PTI that the government adopted a multi-pronged approach involving the Army, the Indian Air Force(IAF) and the Navy as well as diplomacy and economic measures to send out a firm and clear message to China that its misadventure in eastern Ladakh was not acceptable at all.

They said the three service chiefs are engaged in deliberations on a regular basis to ensure a coordinated approach in dealing with the situation as well as to make China understand about India's clear message. "Yes, our message has been registered by China," said a source without elaborating.

Asked whether China has responded to India's deployment, the sources said there was no visible increase in forays by Chinese ships in the IOR. They said the reason could be the PLA Navy's excessive deployment of resources in the South China Sea following the strong opposition by the US to Beijing's expansive territorial claims in the region.

The US sent a number of its warships to the South China Sea to demonstrate freedom of navigation and rallying support to countries who have territorial disputes with China over the region. The Indian Navy is also ramping up its operational cooperation with various friendly naval forces like the US Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force in view of the fast evolving regional security landscape.

In the recent weeks, the Indian Navy has conducted exercises with the US, French and Japanese navies in the IOR, which were seen as sending a signal to China. The exercise with the US Navy involved its carrier strike group led by nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. The US carrier strike group was transiting through the IOR on its way from the South China Sea.

The Indian Navy has also been expanding cooperation with like-minded navies in the region with an aim to keep strategically key sea lanes of communication safe and free from any influence. India, Japan and the US are part of the influential "Quad" or Quadrilateral coalition which also included Australia.

In November 2017, the four countries gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence. Following the Galwan Valley clashes, the IAF deployed almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft in the key frontier air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the Line of Actual Control(LAC).

The IAF has been carrying out night time combat air patrols over the eastern Ladakh region in an apparent message to China that it was ready to deal with any eventualities in the mountainous region. The Army significantly enhanced deployment after the clashes in Galwan Valley. 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.

Following the Galwan Valley incident, the government has given the armed forces "full freedom" to give a "befitting" response to any Chinese misadventure along the LAC. 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 tranquility.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Experion Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "Experion") (TSXV:EXP)(OTCQB:EXPFF)(FRANKFURT:MB31) a cultivator and processor of cannabis products is pleased to announce its financial results for its second quarter, for the period ended May 31, 2020.

Jarrett Malnarich, CEO of Experion, was quoted "Gross Revenue of $1.7 million in Q2 2020, an increase of 114% over last quarter, and YTD a 61% increase over the full year 2019, sets a new record for our Company. Our strong revenue confirms our ability to cultivate flower at industry-leading levels and the ability to distribute it across Canada. If the events of 2020 to-date have demonstrated anything, they show that the depth and overall competencies of the Experion team are amongst the best in the industry. Our ability to optimize our operations to continue to support our leading brand Citizen Stash without interruption shows just how flexible and efficient we are as a Company. With our ability to scale products and introduce cannabis derivatives, we could not be more excited about the opportunities that lie ahead."

Key Financial Highlights of the Second Quarter of 2020

Revenue increased 114% in the second quarter compared to the first quarter of 2020; YTD revenue of $2.5 million exceeds fiscal 2019 (full year) sales by 61%.

Processed and sold 290,058 grams of dried flower YTD through its retail distribution network; an increase of 250% over the same period in the prior year.

Achieved an industry high average selling price of $8.59 per gram; an increase of $0.73 compared to the first quarter of 2020.

Gross profit improved 21% in the second quarter of 2020 compared to 4% in the previous quarter due to a higher average selling price per gram and increased economies of scale.

Successfully reduced operating expenses by $0.9 million (32%) compared to the same period in the prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA of $(83,509) represents an increase of $0.7 million compared to the prior quarter.

Well positioned balance sheet with current assets of $5.7 million and net working capital of $4.5 million with no debt.

Key Operating Highlights of the Second Quarter of 2020

Experion's consumer brand, Citizen Stash, continues to gain traction in the marketplace which over 600 provincial and private licensed retailers have access to throughout five provinces and two territories across Canada; with the most recent being Ontario.

Commercialized 6 new unique cannabis strains to date with another 4 being launched in the next 60 days to complement our existing portfolio.

Health Canada approved the license amendment for derivatives in the second quarter of 2020 authorizing Experion to develop, manufacture, sell and distribute cannabis extracts, topicals and edibles to provincial distributors and the adult-use cannabis market across Canada.

Experion plans to launch a series of in demand concentrates and edible products under its premium Citizen Stash brand in the next 90 days.

Established one of the fastest selling retail brands in Canada, Citizen Stash, offering premium cannabis products.

The management's discussion and analysis and the accompanying financial statements and notes for the period ended May 31, 2020, are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About Experion Holdings Ltd.

Experion Holdings Ltd. is the parent Company of Experion Biotechnologies Inc., a Health Canada licensed cultivator and processor of cannabis, based in Mission, BC.

Experion Holdings Ltd. is invested in a portfolio of products to address a wide spectrum of consumer needs' including Adult-use, Wellness and Therapeutic, and Medical products.

Experion trades on the TSX Venture Exchange as a Tier 1 issuer under the symbol "EXP"; on the OTCQB Venture under the symbol "EXPFF" and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "MB31".

For further information, please visit the Company's website www.experionwellness.com where you can read all news releases or contact Investor Relations, Email: IR@expertionwellness.com.

Disclosure

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Although the Company believes that such information is reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

Forward looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, forecast, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking information as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to: the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities; recent market volatility; the Company's ability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies; the risks identified in the Filing Statement, and other risks and factors that the Company is unaware of at this time. The reader is referred to the Filing Statement dated September 25, 2017 and/or the most recent annual and interim Management's Discussion and Analysis for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the Company page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Experion Holdings Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599262/Experion-Reports-Record-Revenue-Growth-in-Q2-and-Reports-on-Financial-and-Operational-Highlights
The city will receive thousands of arrivals from Da Nang City by land in the next three days. The municipal Departments of Health and Transport have to coordinate to strictly control the flow of people to the city, he added.



The functional departments must mobilize returners cooperation in the fight against the pandemic and force them to wear face masks.

He agreed that all citizens returning from Da Nang have to isolate themselves for 14 days.

The City Party Chief asked the municipal Peoples Committee to coordinate with the HCMC High Command to receive arrival of overseas Vietnamese and limit Non-essential mass gatherings and community events to reduce the spread of the virus.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Le Thanh Liem asked relevant and functional departments and units in the city and districts to bring the situation under control and implement prevention and control measures, including tracking the movements of people who come from Da Nang since July 1, completing health declaration, collecting samples for COVID-19 testing, forcing citizens to wear face masks in public areas and crowded places.

The municipal government has also asked the Department of Industry and Trade to ensure supply of goods during the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

HCMC recorded no new COVID-19 infections in 116 days from April 3 until present time, said Director of the Municipal Department of Health Nguyen Tan Binh

The city received 4,907 citizens who came home from Da Nang since July 1. They have been isolated at home or at locations specified by the citys authorities.

The muncipal health sector will enhance controlling transmission, managing pandemic risk and strengthening early testing, especially people who have symptoms of respiratory illness. Private pharmacies will be asked to report information on buyers with respiratory symptoms to health centers in districts. The department will also focus on improving surveillance of arrivals and evaluating risk of cross-border transmission, he marked.



At the meeting





By Thanh An  Translated by Kim Khanh
Hong Kong police have made their first major arrests under a new national security law, detaining four young people on suspicion of inciting secession.

Three males and one female, aged 16 to 21, were arrested at three locations, a police official said. All are believed to be students.

Police said the group had made comments on social media since the law took effect that urged independence for Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Li Kwai-wah, senior superintendent of a newly-formed unit to enforce the security law, said: 'They say they want to establish a Hong Kong republic, and that they will unreservedly fight for it. They also said they want to unite all pro-independence groups in Hong Kong for this purpose.'

Senior Superintendent Li Kwai-wah, Hong Kong Police National Security Department, speaks during a news conference in Hong Kong (July 30 HKT)

The law, which took effect late on June 30, was imposed on Hong Kong by the central government in Beijing and has raised fears that the city's autonomy and freedoms are being taken away.

Hong Kong was promised its own governing and legal system until 2047, or 50 years after the former British colony was returned to China in 1997. China says that issues such as separatism concern national security and as such fall under its purview.

Police did not identify the suspects or their organisation but a group called Studentlocalism said on Twitter and Facebook that its former leader, Tony Chung, had been arrested for allegedly inciting secession.

The group announced it was disbanding before the law took effect, but has maintained an online presence through what it calls a US division.

The arrests came one day after a leading figure in Hong Kong's political opposition was fired from his university job.

Hong Kong University's council voted to oust Benny Tai from his position as an associate law professor in an 18-2 vote, local media reported.

Reporters take pictures and video as a police vehicle drives inside a station where believed members of Hong Kong pro-independence group are in custody in Hong Kong, China today

Mr Tai has been out on bail since being sentenced to 16 months in prison in April 2019 as one of nine leaders put on trial for their part in a 2014 drive for greater democracy known as the Umbrella Movement.

In a post on his Facebook page, Mr Tai said he intended to continue writing and lecturing on legal issues and asked for public support.

'If we continue in our persistence, we will definitely see the revival of the rule of law in Hong Kong one day,' he wrote.

While the 2014 movement failed in its bid to expand democracy in the semi-autonomous Chinese city, protests returned last year following the local government's proposal of legislation that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to face trial in mainland China.

Opponents called that a violation of the independent legal system that Hong Kong was guaranteed after being handed over to Chinese rule.

Although the legislation was eventually shelved, the protesters' demands expanded to include calls for democratic changes and an investigation into alleged police abuses, growing increasingly violent over the second half of the year.

That prompted Beijing to pass the security law, saying opposition to the legislation made its passage impossible at the local level in Hong Kong. Critics have decried the law as part of a major crackdown on political activity, free speech and academic independence
On Monday, the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority resumed its public hearings into Crown Resorts after suspending the probity inquiry in April because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The inquiry will determine whether Crown should keep its licence and was triggered by revelations by The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes last July that Crown's "junket" tour operators that brought Chinese high-rollers to its Australian casinos had links to organised crime and money-laundering operations.

In this episode, climate and environment editor Nick O'Malley is joined by business reporter Patrick Hatch to discuss the Crown Resorts inquiry and what it could mean for the soon-to-be-completed $2.4 billion casino at Barangaroo.

Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for sustainability of news coverage.
Department of Agriculture

Agriculture officials are warning people to avoid opening packages of unsolicited seeds that show up in the mail.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is working with the USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to address reports of the unsolicited seed shipments coming from foreign countries, the department said Wednesday.
As a Black person, theres no way Im going to sleep at night thinking about this stuff, he said. How am I going to sit here as an elected official when I have an opportunity to be a voice for people who have not always felt like they have a voice?

Nelson and Frank Thornton, who are Democrats and the boards only African Americans, said they took issue with some opposition to the idea. Thornton said some of the language appeared to be coded racism. Nelson said he felt detractors were writing off the idea, saying he was anti-cop. He dismissed the sentiment.

Supervisor Dan Schmitt did not express an opinion about the idea of an independent civilian review board. He said the discussion so far is raising questions that still need answers, noting that more than a quarter of the respondents did not explicitly say whether they support the idea. He noted that constituents are also contacting him daily by phone or text message to weigh in on the matter.

Like other localities in Virginia, Henrico is able to keep complaints against the police and investigations into them secret because of exemptions in the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Rebel Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma on Tuesday moved the Rajasthan High Court for quashing of an FIR lodged against him after the surfacing of some audio tapes in one of which he is allegedly heard talking to a Union minister for toppling the Gehlot government through horse-trading.

The MLA, who is in Sachin Pilot camp, moved the court alternatively demanding the transfer of the investigation into the case to the National Investigation Agency from the Special Operation Group of the Rajasthan police.

The SOG had registered the FIR against Sharma on July 17 charges of sedition (124 A) and criminal conspiracy (120 B) under the Indian Penal Code. The case had been registered on a complaint by Congress Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi after surfacing of three audio tapes in one of which Sharma is allegedly talking to Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for toppling the Ashok Gehlot government through horse-trading. In another tape, he is allegedly heard talking to one Sanjay Jain over the same issue.

Sharma pleaded to the court to quash the FIR terming the case against him as politically motivated. Alternatively, he demanded transfer of the investigation into the case to the NIA arguing that he does not fair probe into the case by the state investigative agency as the Rajasthan chief minister has given public statements against him.

The SOG has already arrested Sanjay Jain, who was allegedly acting as a middle man and issued notice to Shekhawat. Congress has alleged that Sanjay Jain is a BJP leader while the saffron party has rejected the allegation saying he has no connection with it.

A team of SOG is looking for Bhanwarlal Sharma who along with another MLA Vishvendra Singh has been suspended from the Congress party's membership for alleged involvement in the conspiracy to topple the government.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:16:48|Editor: huaxia

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RIGA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Latvian Health Ministry on Wednesday presented a plan for a phased increase of medics' salaries, which in the next seven years should reach the average level of medics' pay in members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Since the beginning of this year, the Health Ministry has been working on the health sector's new pay system together with representatives of Latvia's medical associations, healthcare institutions, academics and policy-makers.

The work on the new pay system was started after a series of medics' protests over the underfunded health system and their unsatisfactory low salaries.

According to the Health Ministry's plan, by 2027 average gross monthly salaries would be raised from 2,003 euros to 3,833 euros for doctors and from 766 euros to 1,096 for medical nurses.

To achieve these targets by 2027, doctors' salaries would have to increase by 11.5 percent and nurses' salaries by 12 percent annually.

The pay rise plan would cost the state budget between 70 million and 75 million euros a year, the Health Ministry said. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollars) Enditem
The BBC drama picked up four nominations, with Mescal, 24, recognised as well the shows casting, directing and writing.

However, 22-year-old Edgar-Jones, who earned widespread critical acclaim for her portrayal of Marianne, missed out on a nod in a category packed with A-list talent.

My actual face right now! Thank you to absolutely everyone at @ElementPictures,@hulu and @bbcthree! @lennyabrahamson I will never be able to thank you enough ! @DaisyEdgarJones this only exists because of you and your extraordinary talent its as simple as that! Thank you all x pic.twitter.com/s3t6hqr0SW  Paul Mescal (@mescal_paul) July 28, 2020

Mescal, who played Mariannes love interest Connell, was quick to thank his co-star.

Alongside a screenshot from the show of his character in tears, Mescal wrote: My actual face right now!

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He thanked the shows producers before tagging in Edgar-Jones and writing: This only exists because of you and your extraordinary talent its as simple as that! Thank you all x.

Irish star Mescal is nominated for lead actor in a limited series or movie.

He faces A-list competition in the form of Hugh Jackman (Bad Education), Mark Ruffalo (I Know This Much is True) and Jeremy Irons (Watchmen).

Normal People, which first aired on BBC Three in April, focuses on the on-again off-again relationship between Irish teenagers Marianne and Connell, beginning in their school days through to their time at university.

An adaptation of Sally Rooneys best-selling 2018 novel, it achieved almost cult status on both sides of the Atlantic and the chain Connell wore throughout the series spawned an Instagram account that has more than 187,000 followers.

Delighted to see #NormalPeople nominated for 4 #Emmys awards. A beautiful and heartfelt adaption of Sally Rooneys novel which resonated with people in Ireland and across the world. Congratulations  #Emmys2020  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 28, 2020

During Tuesdays Emmy nominations, director Lenny Abrahamson was recognised for his work on episode five, Rooney and Alice Birch were honoured for their writing and Louise Kiely for casting.

The show failed to score a nomination for outstanding limited series.

Its nominations were celebrated by Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin.

He tweeted: Delighted to see #NormalPeople nominated for 4 #Emmys awards. A beautiful and heartfelt adaption of Sally Rooneys novel which resonated with people in Ireland and across the world. Congratulations.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:36:58|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has given Zambia 142 million U.S. dollars which will go towards livelihood support for women and boost access to secondary education for disadvantaged adolescent girls in extremely poor households, the bank said on Wednesday.

In a release, the bank said the funds are for additional support to the Girls Education and Women's Empowerment which the bank has been supporting.

The Swedish International Development Association (SIDA) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) which are jointly funding the program have also provided 35 million dollars co-financing grant.

According to the release, the project has supported more than 28,000 girls from poor households by covering their secondary school costs and about 75,000 women with livelihood packages, including life and business skills, mentorship and support to form saving groups.

The project, according to the release, is also supporting regular and predictable cash transfers to some 245,000 extreme poor and vulnerable beneficiaries which have gone a long way in improving basic consumption, resilience and investments in productive activities.

The financial support, according to the release, is to protect the basic needs and human capital of the poor.

"With this support, we are hopeful that better human capital outcomes will be attained through educating adolescent girls, empowering women and supporting the poorest households with longer-term investments, as well as enhancing government's capacity to manage such interventions," Sahr Kpundeh, the World Bank Country Manager for Zambia said in the release. Enditem
Former Pemex CEO Emilio Lozoya to remain in custody

Mexico City, Mexico The former director of Pemex has been found connected to the crime of operations with resources of illicit origin and will remain in custody.

During his trial, Judge Jose Artemio Zuniga Mendoza linked the former Pemex head Emilio Lozoya, to the crime of operations with resources of illicit origin in the case of Agronitrogenados. The judge considered that Lozoya was aware that, when acquiring a property, he used resources from illegal activity with the purpose of concealing its origin in order to appear lawful.

The judge also took into account the current health status of Lozoya, allowing him to remain in Angeles del Pedregal hospital under the supervision of Ministerial Police. Lozoya has had his passport confiscated and his ankle outfitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet.

Emilio Ricardo Lozoya Austin was CEO of Petroleos Mexicanos from 2012 to 2016.
This is the shocking moment a helpless dog is forced to run dangerously close to a moving car as its cruel owner holds the lead while driving down a Scottish road.

The dog, thought to be a lurcher or greyhound, runs beside the grey car as it travels along the wrong side of a rural road near Lochgelly, Fife.

Footage from a concerned motorist captures the terrified animal scrambling away from the car onto grass verge after it is almost dragged underneath the wheels.

The terrified dog, which is thought to be a lurcher or greyhound, runs close to the moving grey car as its owner drives on the wrong side of the rural road near Lochgelly in Fife, Scotland

Police Scotland have launched an investigation into the footage and are calling on members of the public to come forward with any information.

The video has sparked outrage among local animal campaign groups, including the dog walking company GeoPaw Cowdenbeath.

A spokesperson for the company said: 'I almost cannot believe what I'm seeing.

'This may look funny to some folk but going by comments from those who have seen the video the dog was absolutely terrified.

'It's also extremely dangerous and just the height of stupidity.

'It's unbelievable that any human can treat animals like this in this day and age. It's just sickening.'

One dog owner suggested police should be treating the incident with greater urgency.

Dog owner Jennifer Sterritt said: 'I've seen time and time again, people complaining about all types of animal abuse, but they are letting the animals down big time.'

The dog is almost dragged underneath the wheel of the car as it tries to keep pace with the moving vehicle

The dog scrambles onto a grass verge after it is nearly dragged underneath the car

The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the matter had not been reported to it, but Police Scotland would act as the lead agency for any investigation.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'An officer attended but the vehicle wasn't traced. Enquiries are ongoing.'

Anyone who can help provide any information about the vehicle or the dog featured in the footage should contact Police Scotland on 101.
In the Franco days, the minister of tourism combined this portfolio with information. Manuel Fraga is the name we remember. His predecessor, Gabriel Arias-Salgado, was in the post for four years longer than Fraga, but who can recall him, or indeed his successor, Alfredo Sanchez Bella?

One reason why Fragas name lived on and the others did not was that he was as much a self-propagandist as he was in charge of the regimes propaganda. He famously swam in the sea to dispel fears of a nuclear accident after hydrogen bombs from a US B-52 fell on Palomares in Almeria in 1966. Fraga dearly wanted to be prime minister, and he did what he had to do in cultivating his image. Sadly, for him, he never was prime minister.

Fragas propaganda function extended to overseeing censorship. He was to relax this to an extent, but there was never any losing sight of the messages that needed to be put across and those which needed to be suppressed. When the Palomares incident occurred, the Bulletin, subject to censorship like any other newspaper, carried the news of the midair collision between the B-52 and a KC-135 tanker on the front page. But there was no mention of H-bombs having been dropped.

The information was carefully orchestrated. Apart from anything else, Palomares was on the coast of Andalusia. Fragas tourists were by then heading for Fuengirola and Torremolinos, both a fair old distance from Palomares, but he couldnt afford any muddles in the messaging. Tourism could not be harmed.

I wonder how Fraga would have handled a pandemic. Those were times of deliberate and managed disinformation and total lack of transparency, but the information (disinformation) would at least have been consistent in its messaging; Fraga would have seen to that, just as he had with the Palomares incident.

There is perhaps something to be said for the kind of control that Fraga would have exercised. Not because of disinformation, but because there wouldnt have been a whole load of different messages, often conflicting, emanating from members of the government or from the press. The communication management of coronavirus pandemic has at times been rotten, and Spain is far from being alone in this regard.

Specific to tourism and to travel, the state of alarm was characterised by conflicting messages. There was, as an example, the observation by the employment minister, Yolanda Diaz, that it wouldnt be possible for tourism to restart until December. She was talking about a subject that did have something to do with her because of ERTE, but otherwise it didnt have anything to do with her. She should not have speculated about tourism. If there was any speculation to have been offered, this was for the tourism minister or the prime minister.

In the same way as health and transport were under the centralised command of the Spanish government, perhaps there should also have been a communication and information command function. One stresses perhaps, because it would have been impossible and totally unacceptable. But there might at least have been a control of what ministers were saying and which ones.

When Diaz made her remarks, the tourism industry was up in arms. How could a minister say such a thing and appear to deliver a blow to such an important industry? But the tourism industry has by now got used to messages and actions which can harm it. This still doesnt excuse some of the messaging, though. And this brings us to the UK quarantine.

Emiliano Garcia-Page is the president of Castile-La Mancha. He is a member of PSOE, the same party as Pedro Sanchez. Castile-La Mancha is not a region that attracts a vast amount of British tourism. At the 2017 World Travel Market in London, a presentation informed the audience that the region receives 2.1 million foreign tourists per annum, eight per cent of whom are British - around 170,000, therefore, which is nothing compared with the 2.4 million who come to Majorca (in a normal year).

Because of the numbers, Garcia-Page has less of an axe to grind about the quarantine than neighbouring regions - Andalusia and Valencia in particular - but this hasnt stopped him having a go at the Spanish government and holding it accountable for the quarantine. This is due, in his view, to the absence of coordinated messages between the government and regional governments and also to the fact that certain ministers were saying for weeks that we were practically facing a second wave. If Spain says this, then there will be reactions in other countries.

One suspects that Fraga would never have permitted this; he would have kept a lid on things. He didnt have to worry about transparency, while he did have to worry about tourism. Still, he never faced a pandemic situation being managed by a democratically elected government.
Etawah : , July 29 (IANS) A 45-year-old man was found dead in his car near the road leading to Sefai air-strip in Etawah on Tuesday.

The police have identified the deceased as Gajendra Singh Gudawaria, a native of C-block, Sector 4, Noida.

The body was found in a car (UP 16 -BM 0452) which fell into the canal. The police, with the help of villagers, pulled the car out of the canal.

According to police, the man, who was basically a native of Rajasthan, at present was living in Noida. The police said that the car had a travel pass of five people and Gudawaria was mentioned in it as a car driver.

Sefai police station in charge Chandradev Singh, said, "We have informed his family members about the incident. Whether it was an accident, or a murder will be clear after we receive the post-mortem report." The police official further said, "We have urged the local residents of Sefai to inform the police if they noticed anything suspicious on Monday night near the canal, where the man and his car were found."
KYODO NEWS - Jul 29, 2020 - 20:44 | All, Coronavirus, Japan

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi agreed Wednesday to work promptly toward resuming mutual travel, which has stalled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

In their first phone call since late April, the ministers agreed to cooperate in resuming mutual travel "as soon as possible," according to the ministry.

China is among a group of countries for which Japan is considering easing its travel ban as the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looks to balance economic recovery with containing the coronavirus.

The travel ban is currently in place for 146 countries and regions, with foreign travelers who have been to any of them within 14 days of arriving in Japan being refused entry.

Wang, who is also a state councilor, stressed the need for cooperation in fighting the coronavirus and putting the economy on a recovery track, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

During the 80-minute call, held at the request of Beijing, Motegi urged Wang to stop repeated intrusions by Chinese official vessels into Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands, a group of East China Sea islets administered by Japan but claimed by China.

On Wednesday, China Coast Guard ships were spotted near the Senkakus for the 107th straight day in a perceived attempt to assert its claim over the islets.

On 11 of the 107 days, Chinese vessels intruded into Japanese territorial waters around the islands, prompting Tokyo to beef up patrols and lodge protests with Beijing.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Motegi also voiced concern over the situation in Hong Kong, where China has imposed a new national security law empowering it to crack down on what it views as subversive activity.

Critics say the law impinges on human rights and freedoms that were promised to the former British colony for 50 years after its return to Chinese control in 1997.

Both the maritime intrusions and the Hong Kong issue have become sources of tension between Tokyo and Beijing, with conservative lawmakers in Japan urging Abe's administration to rescind an invitation for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit as a state guest.

Related coverage:

Tokyo reports 250 new cases of coronavirus

China reports 101 new coronavirus infections, highest since April 12
How do I get better at negotiating terms? Do I need to reconsider my rate to make it easier for myself?

I find it especially hard when a friend or family member asks for my help on a project.

Im a sole trader. Im confident in what I do, but not confident at all when it comes to negotiating terms with new clients.

Answer:

This is a question near to my heart. Too near, really. I wish it would move well away from my chest  indeed from my entire body  as its been causing me a great deal of discomfort for a long while.

This is a problem for so many people  freelancers, sole traders, small business owners, contractors and anyone who has to negotiate a fee rather than consider a fixed wage offer or let someone else negotiate on their behalf.

But I think its a bigger problem for some than others.

I could tell from your email address what you do for a living. Now, because you didnt mention it in your question to me, I wont reveal it here. Ill say this, though: its in a field where subjective views (rather than scientific truths) play a significant role. Solidarity, comrade.
CellGate Announces Two Functionality Upgrades to Their Product Line "No other manufacturer in the industry currently has a cellular gate access control system that knows to ignore calls that go to voice mail, so it really is an important differentiator for us because no one wants visitors to get stranded at a gate." Noel Gouldin, President of CellGate

Beginning this week, cellular access control company, CellGate, is rolling out important functionality upgrades to their current Watchman product line.

The first upgrade is the addition of Voice Mail Intelligence (VMI) to the entire Watchman family of products. With VMI, when a visitor hits the "Call" button on a Watchman system, and it begins to dial the designated parties on the call group that are allowed to grant access--if any of those calls goes to voice mail, the system ignores that call and continues calling the remaining numbers on the list of people that can grant access. This means fewer stranded visitors because each visitor is more likely to reach someone on the call group to grant them access.

CellGate initially launched Voice Mail Intelligence in the Fall of 2019 when they introduced their new Watchman W410 advanced telephone entry system, and at the time that was the only product that came with VMI. Now, all in-service and future Watchman products sold will automatically have the Voice Mail Intelligent feature.

The second upgrade CellGate has announced this week is their move to a single mobile app, which is called the CellGate app. Currently the Company has 2 apps in service: the CellGate app, and the Watchman EVO appand they each were utilized for different CellGate company products or functionality. Moving forward, all CellGate products can be controlled from the single CellGate app, making it very simple for customers to determine which CellGate company app to utilize.

In addition to this streamlining the customers mobile experience, CellGate is also launching new functionality on the single CellGate app. Beginning this week, single family Watchman product customers utilizing the new CellGate app will be able to create user access codes directly from the app if they wish; previously all user access codes could only be set up via CellGates TrueCloud web portal. This feature makes it even easier for CellGate single family product customers to manage their gate access control system while on-the-go.

CellGate President, Noel Gouldin, says his product development team has been hard at work preparing for these functionality changes, and is excited for them to finally be introduced. We are proud to roll out Voice Mail Intelligence into the entire Watchman product line, because it will be so beneficial to our customers user experience. No other manufacturer in the industry currently has a cellular gate access control system that knows to ignore calls that go to voice mail, so it really is an important differentiator for us because no one wants visitors to get stranded at a gate, says Gouldin. We are also thrilled to announce the move to a single company app, as it will allow us to roll out new features and functionality more quickly and it makes things easier for the end user as well, said Gouldin.

To learn more about CellGates products, features and functionality, visit their website, http://www.cell-gate.com.

CellGate has been providing access control and security monitoring products utilizing cellular network technology since 2006. They are the only technology company with a complete suite of cellular-based security productsencompassing streaming video, smart keypad entry, voice and camera solutions. With their easy-to-use smart phone applications and proprietary TrueCloud web-based portal built on Microsoft Azures cloud service, CellGate offers flexibility found in no other access control or monitoring solution.
CARO, MI  An 82-year-old Cass City man is recovering in the hospital after a passing motorist jumped to his aid after a medical emergency in Tuscola County.

Troopers with the Michigan State Police Caro post were dispatched shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday, July 27, to East Caro Road (M-81) in Almer Township, just outside of Caro, for a personal injury crash.

Tuscola County Central Dispatch advised police that the man was not breathing.

The mans vehicle had left the roadway and traveled several hundred feet before it came to a stop in a farm field.

A witness who had stopped performed CPR on the man.

Troopers took over CPR on the man who was unconscious and not breathing. The man was in full cardiac arrest.

Lifesaving measures continued including the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and CPR until ambulance and fire crews arrived on scene.

The man was eventually removed from the scene and taken to a local hospital for additional treatment. He was listed in critical, but stable condition.

The man was headed east on East Caro Road when he suffered the medical emergency.

The witness, a 42-year-old Gagetown man, was in a trailing vehicle when he observed the vehicle go off the roadway and into the field.

Without doubt the Gagetown man helped save a life by stopping his vehicle, traversing through the farm field, and assisting the driver, according to a Michigan State Police statement. After calling 911 he removed the 82-year-old man from his vehicle and started performing CPR.

The Caro Police Department, Caro Fire Department, Mobile Medical Response, and Tuscola County Sheriffs Office assisted troopers on scene.
Newark, NJ, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the report published by Fior Markets, the global nurse call systems market is expected to grow from USD 1.4 billion in 2019 to USD 2.9 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 9.4% during the forecast period 2020-2027.

The growth of the global nurse call systems market is driven primarily by factors such as technological advancements in the industry, a wide range of nurse call system applications, and ease of communication. The risings occurrences of Alzheimers disease and the increasing number of assisted living centres are anticipated to provide a broad range of growth potential for major players in the market. The increasing adoption of RTLS (Real-Time Location System) integrated with wireless technology in multiple healthcare facilities is driving the growth of the nurse call systems market. RTLS tracks the location and the movement of attendants as well as equipment to save time and increase productivity.

A nurse call system helps a patient to quickly dial their nurse or their nurses station with ease. Some nurse calling systems also enable personnel to communicate with each other. Nurse call systems are used in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and assisted living centres. It supports healthcare providers to serve their patients more efficiently & attentively. These solutions provide numerous benefits like improving the level of care, responsiveness, operational efficiency and patient satisfaction.

With the outbreak of a global pandemic, many have faced salary cuts and job losses. Covid-19 has become a threat to the entire worlds economy and has negatively impacted all kinds of markets. Although, the nurse calling market is anticipated to witness significant growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Temporary healthcare centres are being set up worldwide to deal with the crisis, and nurse call systems are in demand for facilitating communication between patients & nurses.

DOWNLOAD FREE SAMPLE REPORT AT https://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/418647/request-sample

Key players operating in the global nurse call systems market include CSINC, Rauland-Borg Corporation, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., West-Com Nurse Call Systems, Inc., Ascom, Ackermann by Honeywell, Johnson Controls International Plc, Siemens AG, and Jeron Electronic Systems, Inc. among others. To gain the significant market share in the global nurse call systems market, the key players are now focusing on adopting the strategies such as product innovations, mergers & acquisitions, recent developments, joint venture, collaborations, and partnership. Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. and Ackermann by Honeywell are some of the biggest manufacturers and suppliers of nurse call systems in the global market.

For instance, Ascom released the Myco 3 smartphone in February 2019, which comes with a sophisticated and integrated framework. This will help the business reach deeper into the nurse call systems market.

AMETEK Inc. had acquired Rauland-Borg for USD 340 million in February 2017. This will allow Rauland-Borg to build on AMETEKs considerable resources and expand both companies capabilities & offerings.

Button-based dominated the market and held the largest market share of 33.2% in the year 2019

The type segment includes integrated communication systems, mobile systems, button-based systems, and intercom systems. Button-based dominated the market and held the largest market share of 33.2% in the year 2019. Factors such as ease of use, low cost, reliability, and faster response time are contributing to this segments huge market share.

Wired communication dominated the market and valued at USD 562.8 million in the year 2019

The technology segment includes wireless communication and wired communication. Wired communication dominated the market and valued at USD 562.8 million in the year 2019. This segment held the majority share in 2019 due to advantages offered by wired communication as compared to wireless, such as security and reliability. Wireless technology is susceptible to external interference and signal loss. However, the wireless communication segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR because of technological advancements and better inter-connectivity.

Alarms & communications dominated the market and held the largest market share of 35.9% in the year 2019

The application segment includes workflow optimisation, alarms & communications, fall detection & prevention, and wanderer control. Alarms & communications dominated the market and held the largest market share of 35.9% in the year 2019. This dominance is because of patient safety and its vital role in streamlining communications among patients, nurses, and other caregivers.

Hospital dominated the market and valued at USD 878.4 million in the year 2019

The end-user segment includes clinics & physician offices, long-term care facilities, and hospitals. Hospital dominated the market and valued at USD 878.4 million in the year 2019. This was due to factors such as enhanced quality of care, higher productivity of caregivers, versatility as compared to small clinics, efficient communication among patients & clinicians, and improved patient satisfaction.

Browse full report with TOC at https://www.fiormarkets.com/report/nurse-call-systems-market-by-type-integrated-communication-418647.html

Regional Segment Analysis of the Nurse Call Systems Market

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)

Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan India, Rest of APAC)

South America (Brazil and Rest of South America)

Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA)

On the basis of geography, the global nurse call systems market has been classified into North America, Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. The North America region accounted for the major market share of 45.25% in the year 2019. This dominance is mainly due to factors such as good reimbursement coverage, improving healthcare infrastructure, regulatory reforms, presence of key market players, and rising investment in nurse call systems. On the other hand, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period because of a rapidly growing populous, especially the geriatric population.

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The global nurse call systems market is analysed on the basis of value (USD Billion), volume (K Units), export (K Units), and import (K Units). All the segments have been analysed on global, regional and country basis. The study includes the analysis of more than 30 countries for each segment. The report offers in-depth analysis of driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining the key insight of the market. The study includes porters five forces model, attractiveness analysis, raw material analysis, and competitor position grid analysis.

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By Kang Seung-woo



Already-deteriorating relations between Korea and Japan are about to go further downhill as the deadline approaches for a court-ordered liquidation of Japanese firms' assets to provide compensation to wartime forced labor victims.



While the Japanese government is mulling "retaliation" in the event of the sale of the assets, it is not expected that Seoul and Tokyo will compromise and reach an agreement anytime soon, with their leaders looking unlikely to budge.



A major trigger for the diplomatic row was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's abrupt July 2019 decision to tighten its control on exports of three key industrial materials critical for Korea's chip and display industries in apparent retaliation over the Korean Supreme Court's ruling on forced labor in 2018.



Although the court ordered Japanese steelmakers Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal to pay 100 million won ($83,000) in compensation to each of four Koreans for their forced labor, they ignored the order and as a result, the Pohang branch of Daegu District Court began the process of liquidating their Korean assets in June. Should there be no response from the companies by Aug. 4, the court can liquidate their assets.



Along with the trade curbs, Japan also removed Korea from its list of preferred trading partners.



"The possible liquidation of Japanese corporate assets over the wartime forced labor issue is a ticking time bomb under Korea-Japan relations," said Leif-Eric Easley, an associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University.



"Despite political difficulties, Seoul should defuse the situation before it sets off a chain reaction. Otherwise, Tokyo will almost certainly retaliate in ways that damage economies already struggling because of COVID-19."



According to Japan's Kyodo News, July 26, the Japanese government has begun to consider retaliatory measures if the court orders the property of the accused companies to be sold.



"It has become an option to tighten visa requirements for Korea and temporarily recalling the ambassador to Korea," it reported, citing government sources. Japan is also expected to retaliate through tariff hikes or seizing Korean assets in Japan.



The possible retaliation is in line with Japan's consistent claims that the 1965 normalization treaty between the two countries settled the individual compensation issues, and nothing further is owed.



Easley advised the government to find a creative domestic compensation mechanism that respects court rulings and Korea's 1965 treaty with Japan.



"Then Tokyo will come under international pressure to restore Seoul's trusted trade partner status," he said.



The forced labor issue-triggered rift has expanded to the international stage.



Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee is running for the director-general post of the World Trade Organization (WTO), seeking to become its first female chief, but her bid may fall through due to opposition from Japan. The position needs unanimous approval from all WTO members.



Although Yoo was confident about Japan's support during her press conference in Geneva in early July, there are many negative views toward her within the Japanese government due to her strong criticism of the country's export control measures, according to media outlets there.



Another Kyodo report said earlier that Yoo has criticized Japan's export controls, so the Japanese government will support either Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria or Amina Mohamed from Kenya, both of whom are also female candidates.



"We will closely watch the future trend toward her obtaining support," it added.



In addition, Korea reopened its complaint with the WTO in June after Japan remained unresponsive to its repeated requests to lift the measures. On July 29, the WTO decided to set up a panel to look into the complaint.



"The Trump administration should encourage reconciliation so the U.S. allies can return to cooperation on immediate challenges posed by North Korea and long-term challenges posed by China," Easley added.


A teenage security guard who sensationally exposed alleged shortcomings in Melbourne's botched hotel quarantine program has been accused by the company of making 'unfounded claims'

Shayla Shakshi, 19, had claimed she had been recruited via WhatsApp and told to work without any training.

But in a memo to MSS Security staff obtained by Daily Mail Australia, the company has strongly refuted all of the allegations aired by ABC's 7.30 - and claimed Ms Shakshi was sacked for failing to socially distance from other staff.

Shayla Shakshi worked as a security guard at a Melbourne coronavirus quarantine hotel

'The claims made by a former Security Officer in this report are serious and while MSS Security does not make comment to the media, we would like to provide you with the below information for your assurance that the claims made are not accurate, and are misleading,' MSS director Geoff Alcock told staff.

Victoria recorded nine deaths and 295 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday as it grapples with a second wave of coronavirus infections.

The outbreak came after new COVID-19 cases in late May and early June were linked to infection control breaches by security guards at quarantine hotels.

An inquiry is investigating a string of shocking claims, including that security guards had sex with returned travellers who they were supposed to be ensuring were isolating.

Ms Shakshi had told the ABC she worked one shift subcontracted to The Stamford Plaza hotel in Melbourne because she was concerned safety precautions were not being followed and her co-workers treated coronavirus as a 'joke'.

'I just knew something would happen because it's just like guards were hitting each other. They were hugging each other. They were touching each other,' she claimed

'They weren't actually serious about how serious this COVID is.

'They were taking it as a joke. Like, ''It's just some virus that anyone can get. We're not going to get it''.'

But in the memo to staff, Mr Alcock claimed Ms Shakshi was in fact sacked for carrying out the same breaches she had levelled at others.

'The security officer was removed for...the very behaviour and lack of social distancing she claims to have occurred between other security officers on the site.'

Ms Shakshi told the ABC she was offered the job via messaging platform WhatsApp in May and claimed she was not given proper training.

Ms Shakshi, who is from Melbourne's north, was offered the gig via messaging platform Whatsapp in May and claimed she was not given proper training

'The Truth' ... according To MSS Security The security Officer was never deployed to the Stamford Plaza as she claimed In fact, she only worked four shifts at the Four Points Sheraton in early April Following an investigation at the time, the security officer was removed for misconduct, having admitted in writing, to the very behaviour and lack of social distancing she claims to have occurred between other security officers on site The security officer was not recruited via WhatsApp, rather she was referred by another employee of the subcontractor she was employee WhatsApp is not used for any recruitment purposes by the subcontractor The security officer was appropriately remunerated for all completed shifts The security officer is fully licensed and completed her government mandated infection control training Advertisement

Furthermore, the memo claimed Ms Shakshi had admitted her wrongdoing in writing to the company.

MSS told staff Ms Shakshi had never even worked at the Stamford, where many of the contracted guards are accused of misbehaving.

'I cannot speak to her motivations to make such unfounded claims but as I have said previously MSS Security is proud of its compliance record, we stand by our ethical and integrity-based approach to this, and all our contracts. Thank you for your support,' Mr Alcock told staff.

Ms Shakshi, who is from Melbourne's north, had told the ABC she was offered the job via messaging platform WhatsApp in May and claimed she was not given proper training.

'I was hired on a WhatsApp group and I just got told that you need to be here at this certain time and you're going to dress in a certain way and this is your pay rate and that's it,' she said.

'We never got any training. We had to put a mask on and gloves on and that was it. It was like, ''OK, how do I wear a mask? How do I sanitise?'''

The teenager claimed she was taken into a meeting at the end of her shift, where she was asked to bring her own personal protective equipment for the next day.

Ms Shakshi said she was told: 'OK, guys, you have got to come in a team and bring your own masks from tomorrow. Bring your own gloves, your own sanitisers because me might run out because we have so many guards on site.'

But Ms Shakshi said it was her 'first and last shift' at the site as she 'didn't want to go back there' amid the alleged safety breaches.

Mr Alcock claimed Ms Shakshi (pictured) was in fact sacked for carrying out the same breaches she had levelled at others.

Pictured: Returned travellers are seen carrying their luggage ahead of two weeks hotel quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic

The hotel quarantine program is now subject to an inquiry, which was launched by the state government and is headed by retired judge Jennifer Coate.

'Information already available to the inquiry suggests the possibility of a link between many of the cases of coronavirus identified in the Victorian community in the past few weeks and persons who were quarantined under the hotel quarantine program,' senior assisting counsel Tony Neal QC said.

'Comments made by the chief health officer to the media have suggested that it may even be that every case of COVID-19 in Victoria in recent weeks could be sourced to the hotel quarantine program.'

The decisions and communications between the government, hotel operators and private contractors will be examined and submissions have been ordered from them by the end of the week.

All returned travellers to Australia are required to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine to stop coronavirus from spreading through the country. Pictured: People depart a bus

Pictured: Returned travellers in face masks arrive at an airport during the coronvirus pandemic

That includes the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Department of Treasury and Finance, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Victoria Police, Emergency Management Victoria and Ambulance Victoria.

Two hotels with known large coronavirus outbreaks, Rydges on Swanston and Stamford Plaza have been put on notice, along with Travelodge Melbourne, Park Royal Hotel Melbourne Airport, Holiday Inn Melbourne and Four Points Sheraton.

Quarantine security guards were provided by the government and were not employed by the respective hotels.

The hotels were not responsible for selecting the guards or ensuring they obtained proper training.

The eight security companies of interest to the inquiry are Wilson Security, United Risk Management, Unified Security Group, Ultimate Protection Services, MSS security, Elite Protection Services, Australian Protection Group and Security Hub.

Medical experts, hotel staff and returned travellers who stayed in quarantine will be called to give evidence.

Employers face significant penalties if they attempt to deter employees from giving evidence to the inquiry.

'I expect no less than full, frank and timely cooperation from all government entities and persons to enable me to do my job for the people of Victoria,' Justice Coate said.

Public hearings will be held from August 6 and a final report is due on September 25.

All returned travellers to Australia are required to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine to stop coronavirus from spreading through the country.

Pictured: Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel watch over returning overseas travellers in March
The son of late President John Evans Attah Mills, Samuel Kofi Mills has declared his support for former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to win the upcoming December elections.

Mr. Samuel Mills made the declaration when he addressed journalists after a short meeting with the Volta regional executives of the party at the partys regional office in the Volta regional capital of Ho on Wednesday, July 29.

He said, Im here to support the NDC going into the 2020 elections. I believe its very important especially with the tradition that we have as the NDC party in the social democratic terrain, that we are able to maintain our tradition. The NDC is a party that promotes peace, we are a party that promotes inclusiveness and I think it is very important that we are able to continue that tradition in a way because this is what Ghana needs at the moment; we need to make sure that we are able to maintain peace in this country and I believe the NDC is a party that will be able to give us that and lead us to where we need to be.

At the meeting, Mr. Mills assured the party of his readiness to join in grassroot mobilization and all other party activities especially in the Volta region towards the victory of the NDC in the 2020 polls.

He described the Volta region as a place of home that his late father loved and brought him when he was still alive in 2011.

Touching on his relationship with flag bearer of the party, John Dramani Mahama, Mr. Mills explained that he shares a very healthy, father-and-son relationship with him.

Im very close to President Mahama; in fact, we live very close to each other and I have made this very clear even in Accra that Im very close with him. Im more or less always in his house, if I need anything or any support and I go to him, he takes care of it. He is more or less a father to me, so Im very close to him -we dont have any issues at all.

Mr. Samuel Kofi Attah Mills is the only surviving son of late President Mills who died in 2012 while still serving as a head of state.

While in the Volta region, Samuel Attah Mills would be touring some registration centers to observe the ongoing Voter registration exercise.

---starrfmonline
President Donald Trump again tried to position himself as the champion of the suburbs, as those voters could determine whether he spends a second term in the White House.

'I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood,' Trump tweeted as he flew to Texas Wednesday, adding that 'crime will go down.'

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, called it 'blatant racism from the President of the United States.'

President Trump again tried to position himself as the champion of the suburbs, saying he changed a rule so dwellers wouldn't be 'bothered' by low income housing, a statement that Sen. Elizabeth Warren called 'blatant racism'

President Trump tweeted Wednesday that Americans living their 'Suburban Lifestyle Dream' will 'no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built' and suggested that neighborhoods with low income housing suffered from more crime

Sen. Elizabeth Warren jumped in and pointed that the rule Trump reversed was to help cities 'address our country's ugly legacy of government-backed housing discrimination and segregation.' She said his tweets amounted to 'blatant racism'

'And it's disgusting,' the Massachusetts Democrat added.

In the tweet, Trump was pointing out how he had reversed an Obama-era housing rule that aimed to combat racial segregation, including in suburban neighborhoods.

'Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down,' Trump said, touting his move. 'I have rescinded the Obama-Biden AFFH Rule. Enjoy!'

AFFH stands for Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, part of the 1968 federal Fair Housing Act.

It was updated under Obama in 2015 to push cities and town to identify patterns of discrimination in housing and issue plans to correct those problems.

Warren explained how the rule was put in place to help cities 'address our countrys ugly legacy of government-backed housing discrimination and segregation.'

In recent weeks, as Trump has seen Democrat Joe Biden eat into his suburban support, he's spoken specifically about this voting bloc.

He tweeted a message to the 'Suburban Housewives of America' last week, warning them, 'Biden will destroy your neighborhood and your American dream,' and, again, pointed to the housing rule change.

He's also staked out a number of positions that play to his majority-white base.

The president has talked up his associations with law enforcement, while expressing anger that 'Black Lives Matter' was painted on the street in front of Trump Tower in New York.

He's threatened to veto a Defense spending bill that includes a provision to rename military bases currently named for Confederate soldiers.

He told 'Fox News Sunday' host Chris Wallace that he was not offended by the Confederate flag.

'When people proudly hang their Confederate flags, they're not talking about racism. They love their flag, it represents the South,' Trump said.
NRG Energy / NRG Energy

Coal production in the United states fell 7 percent last year, reflecting less international demand for U.S. exports and the decline of U.S. coal-fired power generation.

The 706 million short tons of coal produced last year in the United States is the lowest amount since 1978 when a miners strike shut down most production during a four-month work stoppage, according to the Department of Energy.
Three police officers who assaulted a disability pensioner on his front lawn after they attended his home for a welfare check have been spared jail.

Senior constables Brad McLeod, John Edney and Florian Hilgart were found guilty last Friday of a combined six charges over their use of force against the pensioner, John, outside his Preston home on September 19, 2017.

John Edney and Brad McLeod outside the Magistrates Court in 2019. Credit:Eddie Jim

All three officers were spared a term in prison. Edney, 30, McLeod, 35, and Hilgart, 42, instead received an adjourned undertaking for 12 months.

But footage has emerged linking McLeod to a 2018 incident where he hurled abuse at a different man several months after his initial assault on the disability pensioner.
A female protest leader who was dragged into an unmarked minivan by NYPD's 'Warrant Squad' during another night of unrest in New York City has now been released from custody.

Footage of the incident - which saw Nikki Stone bundled into a car by unmasked police officers on Tuesday evening in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighborhood - was recorded by a fellow activist and posted to Instagram, where it quickly went viral and drew intense criticism on social media.

The NYPD tactics were likened to those of the federal forces in Portland, who have been seen grabbing protesters from the streets and hauling them in to unmarked vans, to the fury of local officials.

Stone, an 18-year-old trans woman who was reportedly the organizer of the protest, was charged with a series of vandalism offences before being released from the 1st Precinct station house.

Stone - who is said to be homeless - was greeted by cheers from a group of around a dozen Black Lives Matter protesters upon her release at 1am on Wednesday, including the leader on the New York chapter, Hawk Newsome.

Stone said that while she had some scrapes on her knees from the arrest, she was otherwise fine, according to ABC7NY.

She was in police custody for around five hours before she was released on a desk appearance ticket.

Nikki Stone was released at 1am on Wednesday after five hours in NYPD custody

Stone, pictured, was bundled into an unmarked car by a group of plainclothes NYPD officers

NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson called the video incredibly disturbing, and the city comptroller, Scott Stringer, said he was 'deeply concerned'.

'We need answers immediately,' he tweeted.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York congresswoman, warned that 'our civil liberties are on the brink'.

'This is not a drill,' she tweeted. 'There is no excuse for snatching women off the street and throwing them into unmarked vans.

'To not protect our rights is to give them away. It is our responsibility to resist authoritarianism.'

Police have said that the arrest was standard procedure for the Warrant Squad, and that the officers were being pelted with stones and bottles. It is unclear from the video if this was happening during the arrest.

Typically the Warrant Squad goes after more dangerous people.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among those expressing concern at the arrest

New York Comptroller Scott Stringer said he was 'deeply concerned' by the clip

Stone has been charged with criminal mischief for allegedly writing on the cameras at City Hall Park, according to the New York Post, which added that she has also been hit with several counts of graffiti.

Other charges related to four separate incidents between June 19 and July 6, including for allegedly scribbling inside The Oculus, at New York's World Trade Center, and on an F-train at 63rd Street and Lexington Avenue.

The video - taken at around 6 p.m. - shows the teenager being pulled by three cops towards an open door of a silver Kia as she tries to resist.

A crowd of loud protesters can be seen watching on and shouting profanities at the officers, before one man attempts to intervene and help the teenager break free.

'Get back! Get back!' one of the cops shouts at the crowd of agitators, as Stone falls to the ground.

A female protester was dragged into an unmarked minivan by plainclothes police officers during another night of unrest in New York City. A mob of activists surrounded the vehicle during the incident on Tuesday evening

She is then pulled up from the pavement and forced into the vehicle before it speeds away.

Several NYPD officers on bicycles quickly cycled onto the scene in order to provide added protection for the plainclothes Warrant Squad.

The bike police were seen surrounding the car in order to keep the mob of activists away.

'They grab her off of the street as she's skateboarding, don't even put handcuffs on her, and throw her into an unmarked vehicle,' said one protester. 'None of the people are wearing badges. That's just terrorism.'

Police say that's actually the point of the warrant squad: to not look like cops and catch suspects off guard.

Footage from a different angle was also shared to Twitter by another protester who wrote: 'NYC is taking after Portland - a trans femme protestor was pulled into an unmarked van at the Abolition Park protest - this was at 2nd Ave and 25th Street'.

A third activist also shared footage and wrote: 'An unmarked van just snatched up a protester on 25th & 2nd and NYPD started attacking us!!!!'

Another wrote: 'An 18-year-old trans girl who organized a peaceful protest was just kidnapped by NYPD officers in an unmarked van. She's allegedly suspected of... wait for it... putting stickers on police cameras.'

Other activists took to Twitter to share footage of the officers whisking the suspect away

Dozens of social media users responded to the clip claiming it appeared the female protester had been 'abducted' and 'kidnapped' and the hashtag '#WhereIsNikki was trending on Tuesday night.

A law enforcement source told The New York Post late Tuesday that she is 'a suspect in the destruction of police cameras during five separate criminal incidents'.

The NYPD also wrote on Twitter that the officers were hit with rocks and water bottles as they attempted to detain the suspect.

Police said this was standard procedure for the 'Warrant Squad', however the squad typically goes after more dangerous people.

Following her arrest, a fundraiser was set up for Nikki with a target of raising $15,000. It has now surpassed that, raising over $18,000.

Several NYPD officer on bicycles were seen surrounding the car in order to keep the mob of activists away

For the past two months, protesters have been marching daily in New York City calling for an end to systemic racism and the defunding of the NYPD.

Large-scale demonstrations resulted in the nation's largest police department being stripped of $1 billion in funding last month.

At times, the protests have turned destructive, with activists physically clashing with cops and setting fire to their squad cars.

The New York City Police Benevolent Society also took to Twitter Tuesday night, blasting activists for trying to start physical clashes with officers trying to arrest the female demonstrator.

'Another night, another riot. More 'peaceful' protesters assaulting cops, throwing rocks and bottles. More politicians hurling hate at cops for daring to arrest a wanted criminal. They have surrendered our streets,' the Association wrote.

The New York City Police Benevolent Society also took to Twitter Tuesday night, blasting activists for trying to start physical clashes with officers trying to arrest the female demonstrator

On Monday, the NYPD revealed that more than 300 police cars have been damaged by rioters since the end of May.

The department says the damage totals more than $1 million.

On Saturday night, police cars were torched during violent altercations in Lower Manhattan.

Meanwhile, violent crime across the city has spiked dramatically since protests began.

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 percent year-on-year, while robberies rose 118 percent.

Ongoing civil unrest in other cities - including Portland, Oregon - prompted President Trump to deploy federal agents in order to protect property.

The Commander-in-Chief also planned to send a 'surge' of federal forces into Chicago, which - like New York - has seen a dramatic uptick in shootings and murders.
Classy Cowtown Tech Sound Off

Kansas City Symphony musicians go virtual to teach students KANSAS CITY, Mo. - No matter the instrument, members of the Kansas City Symphony play on as their symphony performance schedule is postponed into 2021 during the pandemic. They're not performing, but teaching their students. "There's a really noticeable brightening when they come on the screen when you see them each week," said cellist Allen Probus between offering pointers with his student, Kiersten Leeper.

KC Diversity Note: Dogs Love Anybody Who Feeds Them

A New Social Club In Kansas City Is Aimed At Bringing African American Dog Lovers Into The Fold In the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, more businesses are looking to engage and better include their Black customers and clients.

Hoping For Rock Chalk Cure

University of Kansas medical school needs volunteers to test promising vaccine for COVID-19 KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Researchers at the University of Kansas medical school will begin testing one of the more promising vaccines for COVID-19 in the next two weeks. Doctors say they're excited by this trial. There are five potential vaccines currently supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Burb Masks Up

City of Roeland Park to provide free masks to residents, customers, businesses ROELAND PARK, KS (KCTV) - The city of Roeland Park will be handing out free masks starting Thursday. The masks will be provided to residents, customers and businesses starting July 30 at City Hall located at 4600 W 51st St Ste 200, Roeland Park, KS 66205.

International Hottie Celeb Culture Seems Flexible

Love Island's Gabby Allen performs the splits on boat ride in Ibiza 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.

Veep D-Day Delayed

Biden says he will choose his running mate next week Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden said Tuesday he will choose his vice presidential running mate next week.

Trump Lite Suffers Social Media Crackdown Harsh Times

Twitter limits Trump Jr.'s access after he shared coronavirus misinformation Donald Trump Jr. has limited access to his Twitter account after sharing a video on the social media platform that violated its Covid-19 misinformation rules, the company confirmed Tuesday. A Twitter spokesperson called out the president's son for violating its policy on "spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to Covid-19."

GOP Against Free Money

Republicans revolt against GOP's initial stimulus plan Divisions within the Republican conference spilled out once again Tuesday as GOP senators dismissed key pieces of their own leadership's stimulus proposal not even a day after its release.

GLOBAL POWER PLAY!!!

Largest nuclear fusion project begins assembly The world's biggest nuclear fusion project has entered its five-year assembly phase. After this is finished, the facility will be able to start generating the super-hot "plasma" required for fusion power. The 18.2bn (20bn; $23.5bn) facility has been under construction in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, southern France.

Fanboy Shares Stat Plea

I am once again asking Fox Sports Kansas City to talk about meaningful stats For most things, you can get your news and analysis in a lot of different places. There's NPR, CNN, the New York Times, the Kansas City Star, and a slew of other traditional media. YouTube, Twitter, and podcasts are increasingly valuable in the media landscape.

Hipster Tortillas Will Never Replace Your Latina Grandma

Yoli Tortilleria grinds success into perfect warm tortilla, opening retail experience in Westside A new retail operation in Kansas City's Westside neighborhood is a sign of massive growth, hot on the griddle for Yoli Tortilleria. "There's nothing, for me, better than once you put that warm tortilla in your hands and just experience it," said Marissa Gencarelli, who co-owns and operates Yoli with her husband, Mark.

Rain Down This Week

Rain showers, some storms possible Wednesday Hide Transcript Show Transcript A FEW SHOWERS AS WELL. THE FORECAST IS NOT BAD FOR GRILLING. 20% CHANCE OF SOME SHOWERS SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST. 80 DEGREES BY 9:00. 71 IN LEAVENWORTH AND ST. JOSEPH. 69 AS YOU ARE HEADING UP TOWARD CHILLICOTHE. THERE ARE SOME WHO WILL START OFF COOLER THAN YOU WOULD EXPECT.

This fair use snip inspires us to consider theas social offers a way toand voyage into murkier tech waters . . . And all of this precedes our examination of pop culture, community news and info from across the nation and around the world . . .And this is thefor right now . . .
She's set to return to with a bang to mark the long-running series' tenth anniversary.

And Amy Childs appeared in great spirits as she filmed scenes for The Only Way Is Essex with her pal Georgia Kousoulou in Brentwood on Tuesday evening.

The reality TV icon, 30, put on a typically glamorous display as she ensured she was camera ready by touching up her lipgloss.

Cheery: Amy Childs (L) appeared in great spirits as she filmed scenes for The Only Way Is Essex with her pal Georgia Kousoulou (R) in Brentwood on Tuesday evening

Highlighting her incredible figure, the media personality slipped into a white tea dress, complete with a plunging neckline, a waistbelt and 60s-inspired cuffs.

The TV star boosted her frame in a pair of perspex heels, while accessorising with bedazzled heart-shaped earrings.

Amy's shoulder-length locks were worn in bouncy curls, while her complexion was highlighted with matte make-up.

Longtime castmember Georgia, meanwhile, was joined by her boyfriend Tommy Mallet, 28, who appeared to maintain a social distance from their other co-stars.

Glowing: The reality TV icon, 30, put on a typically glamorous display as she ensured she was camera ready by touching up her lipgloss

Radiant: Highlighting her incredible figure, the media personality slipped into a white tea dress, complete with a plunging neckline, a waistbelt and 60s-inspired cuffs

Standing tall: The TV star boosted her frame in a pair of perspex heels, while accessorising with bedazzled heart-shaped earrings

Shining bright: The blonde continued to pout up a storm as she applied more to her gloss lips

Sensational: Amy's shoulder-length locks were worn in bouncy curls, while her complexion was highlighted with matte make-up

Amy, who is a mum to daughter Polly, three, and son Rich, 21 months, briefly returned to TOWIE for the special 200th episode in 2016 but hasn't been a regular on the show since 2011.

She departed after being offered a rumoured 200,000 to appear on the relaunched Celebrity Big Brother.

ITV2 chiefs were said to have put their foot down as they didn't want TOWIE stars appearing on other reality shows.

During her time on TOWIE, the mother-of-two introduced the vajazzle to viewers across the nation and claimed she wanted to be 'bigger than Jordan.'

Aware: Longtime castmember Georgia, meanwhile, was joined by her boyfriend Tommy Mallet, 28, who appeared to maintain a social distance from their other co-stars

Nice to see you again: The couple beamed as they engaged in a lively conversation with their pals

The more, the merrier: Saffron Lempriere was also in attendance as they stood in front of a restaurant

What's so funny? Businessman Tommy couldn't contain his happiness as he laughed at a joke

Dinner date: The gal pals chatted in front of Italian restaurant Tarantino

In a chat with The Sun, Amy spoke about her return as she shared: 'It is me having a laugh again. I feel like I am enjoying work again.

'I felt like I really needed this to get my confidence back. I was focusing on my kids and my business and I needed this to focus on myself again, so that definitely means seeing me more on TV.'

Her best lines have been revisited in a new clip in promotion of the special edition. For the video, the beauty struts around, showing off her curves in black swimwear before speaking from a hot tub.

She says: TOWIEs 10? Oh shut up! Im ready for a party!

Commanding attention: Saffron cut a chic figure in a white blouse and ripped jeans during filming

I whip my hair back and forth! Amy was giddy throughout her time on set

Keeping safe: A crew member spoke to the stars in between scenes to ensure they were following protocol amid the coronavirus pandemic

Lights, camera, action: The mother-of-two briefly returned to TOWIE for the special 200th episode in 2016 but hasn't been a regular on the show since 2011
Total deaths included: Portage Township, 18, no change; Center Township, 14, up one; Westchester Township, six, no change; Liberty Township, one, no change; and Union Township, one, no change.

The Porter County Health Department listed four patients hospitalized and 872 people recovered as of Wednesday.

The Westville Correctional Facility on Wednesday had 202 inmates and 109 staff who had tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 197 inmates and 104 staff have recovered, according to the Indiana Department of Correction.

A total of 724,238 people in Indiana had been tested for the coronavirus, with an 8.9% positive rate.

ISDH reported 57,313 tested in Lake County, 14,801 in Porter County, 11,992 in LaPorte County, 3,235 in Jasper County, and 895 in Newton County.

New tests were reported between May 4 and Tuesday.

The Gary Health Department continues to offer COVID-19 testing at the health center, 1145 W. Fifth Ave., by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays. No upfront payment is necessary, but guests are encouraged to bring any proof of insurance to the testing site. Doctors' orders are not required.
A three-year-old boy is fighting for his life after being struck by a car in Sydney.

The young boy was hit by a Holden Captiva on Steward Drive in Oran Park in the city's south-west at about 5.10pm on Wednesday.

Paramedics treated the three-year-old at the scene before he was airlifted to the Children's Hospital at Westmead with head and leg injuries.

Paramedics treated the three-year-old at the scene before he was airlifted to The Children's Hospital at Westmead with head and leg injuries

The young boy was hit by a Holden Captiva on Steward Drive in Oran Park in south-west Sydney about 5.10pm on Wednesday

The 29-year-old driver was uninjured following and will undergo mandatory testing in hospital.

NSW Ambulance duty operations manager Phil Sweet said accidents involving children is confronting for first-responders.

'In the end, we're all human and a lot of us have children as well - that's why we do our training, so we can operate well as a team, we know what we have to do to help those who need us,' he said in a statement.

'As road users we all need to take care while out and about - your life and the life of others can change in a split second.'

Officers from Camden Police Area Command attended and established a crime scene.

The cause of the crash remains unknown.
That pushes any resolution of the case later into the fall, well after classes for the upcoming semester have already begun.

Attorneys for the plaintiff had pushed for a quicker timeline, but with no success. Hunton Andrews Kurth Associate Tim McHugh, an Army veteran and co-counsel on the case, said he is optimistic a final decision by the federal circuit court could come before the end of the year.

In recent weeks, a pair of veterans advocates  National Veterans Legal Services Program and Veterans Education Success  filed briefs of support in the case, arguing the more generous interpretation of GI Bill payouts should be upheld based on past congressional intent and court precedents.

VAs opposition stems from an argument that the use of both benefits programs amounts to double-dipping for veterans, and the potential extra costs of tens of billions of dollars in new education payouts in coming

Under current rules, the Post-9/11 GI Bill provides 36 months of tuition assistance and living stipends to veterans (or their family members) who served at least three years on active-duty after Sept. 10, 2001. The total value of those payouts can top $20,000 a year, depending on where individuals attend school.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun on Wednesday said he was "hopeful" that demand for new aircraft, devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, would start rebounding in the second half of next year.

Cancellations of Boeing planes are outpacing new orders this year as airlines reel from the impact of the virus and the company's key 737 Max remains grounded. Boeing posted a $2.4 billion loss for the second quarter of the year. It is also planning to reduce output and warned about the potential for more job cuts.

"There is a customer calling us every day with a desire to want to defer and to deal with the difficult environments that they are dealing with," Calhoun said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

Boeing said it plans to delay until 2022 a ramp-up of 737 production to 31 a month, later than a forecast to do so next year. It will also cut output of its 787 wide-body plane to six a month from 10. It will produce just two 777 planes a month from five currently, the company said.

Calhoun said he expects an uneven recovery from the pandemic for airlines around the world and that carriers that emerge healthy might want to gain an advantage over competitors with newer planes, driving demand.

"China, Europe seem to have a little more control over their environments than the U.S. does at the moment," Calhoun said. "It'll happen and I believe somewhere in, depending on a vaccine and the success and distribution of a vaccine, somewhere in the second half of next year I'm hopeful that this worm turns."

Boeing shares were down more than 4% on Wednesday morning.
Jackson Garlick has urged Bachelor In Paradise fans to stop posting nasty comments on social media.

The 26-year-old shared a video to his Instagram story on Wednesday, explaining that all the contestants are friends behind the scenes and said it's 'just television'.

'Don't get hyped up by the edit and go on someone's page and post nasty sh*t... just tone it down,' he said.

'Tone it down!' Bachelor In Paradise's Jackson Garlick (pictured) has urged viewers to 'stop posting nasty comments' and said all the contestants are actually friends behind the scenes

'I'm seeing a friend from the show who is getting hate on the show... We are all friends behind the scenes. It might look like there is a lot of hate but you don't need to join in on the hate, it's just TV,' he added.

Jackson went on to tell his followers to discuss their opinions with their friends and to avoid posting them online.

He continued: 'Don't be compelled to go and comment on a random person's profile or picture on Instagram.'

Comments: Jackson went on to tell his followers to discuss their opinions with their friends and to avoid posting them online

Jackson first appeared on Angie Kent's season of The Bachelorette in 2019, but failed to receive a rose after hometown week.

He had previously applied to be on Georgia Love's season of The Bachelorette when he was just 22.

On Tuesday night, Jackson arrived to the Bachelor In Paradise Fijian villa and appears to have found a spark with Brittney Weldon.

Rise to fame: Jackson first appeared on Angie Kent's season of The Bachelorette in 2019, but failed to receive a rose after hometown week

'Oh, my God, finally! I'm definitely vibing Jackson,' she said as soon as he walked into the resort.

During his first night at the villa, the pair cuddled and shared a steamy kiss before Cassandra Mamone revealed she also felt she had a connection with Jackson.

'In normal situations, I don't need to compete with other girls. I wait for the guy to court me to message me, to come up to me. However, this is Paradise and Jackson's the only guy I like, but I don't know if he's committed to Brittney,' she said.

Bachelor in Paradise continues Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten
The New York Police Department says 303 of their vehicles have been vandalized since Black Lives Matter protests sparked up across the city two months ago in the wake of George Floyd's death.

Law enforcement sources told The Associated Press Tuesday that the damage bill could top a whopping $1 million.

According to police, 14 of the vehicles have been completely destroyed after they were set on fire by rioters.

The remaining NYPD vans and cruisers are all salvageable, and a vast majority of them are already back patrolling the streets.

The New York Police Department says 303 of their vehicles have been vandalized since Black Lives Matter protests sparked up across the city two months ago following the death of George Floyd. An NYPD van is seen going up in flames in Brooklyn in May

Protesters vandalize an NYPD van near Union Square in Manhattan on May 30

Only seven squad vehicles remain under repair.

Three of those cars were damaged on Saturday night, as cops clashed with protesters in Lower Manhattan.

One man was seen on video using a protest sign to bash the window of a parked police van while another man sprayed graffiti onto an adjacent NYPD vehicle.

None of the vehicles were occupied at the time and no injuries were reported.

A protester kicks a police vehicle in an attempt to break its side mirror during a protest in Lower Manhattan this past Saturday evening

A squad car is seen set ablaze in Brooklyn on May 30. On that night, cops and rioters clashed, with a large number of arrests ensuing

While a large majority of Black Lives Matter marches have been peaceful, rioters have attempted to co-opt some demonstrations, damaging police property in the process.

The nation's largest police department likely isn't happy about splashing out seven figures on vehicle repairs given their budget was recently slashed by $1 billion.

The cut, which was announced at the beginning of the month, will cancel the recruitment of 1,163 new officers, strip $484million from the overtime budget and transfer $354million to other services - including handing control of school safety officers from the NYPD to the Department of Education.

Police union chiefs say the cuts will have a dangerous effect on officers' ability to keep the city safe.

Violent crime rates have surged in the city over the past two months.

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 percent year-on-year, while robberies rose 118 percent.

An NYPD van is seen set on fire in Brooklyn on May 29
Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Mr. Peter Boamah Otukonor, has stated that the murder of the 90-year-old alleged witch and other acts of violence is gradually turning the country into a banana republic.



Condemning the incident, he recounted how similar forms of violence have claimed innocent lives and alluded to the murder of Major Maxwell Mahama.



Speaking on Okay Fms Ade Akye Abia program, he charged government and the relevant state security agencies to nib these incidents in the bud.



"In a country where people can take the law into their hands and misbehave in this manner, then the country is gradually turning into a banana republic.



"The government must begin to act, security agencies must not sit unconcerned. They should be swift in their investigations as they would have been should it have been one of their own.



"The government should also begin to ensure the safety, welfare, and general wellbeing of its citizens. People must not out of ignorance of the law be made to take the law into their hands and maltreat others. This is a huge security breach that endangers the safety of Ghanaians," Otukunor stated.



President Akufo-Addo, over the weekend, expressed revulsion at the killing of the 90-year-old woman, saying "it should not happen again".



Madam Akua Denteh, was on last Thursday, beaten to death at Kafaba, a farming community in the Salaga South Constituency by some local residents who accused her of being a witch and the source of certain strange happenings in the area including the slow pace of the town's development.



The incident was captured on video and had since gone viral on social media.



The Inspector-General Police has already dispatched a team of crack homicide personnel to the area to get to the bottom of the incident.



Watch Video Below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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The segment is expected to be distributed during October, or Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Critically acclaimed actor Laurence Fishburne is given high praise for his compelling performances throughout the decades. Now the King of New York (1990) actor is using his talents as host for public televisions In Depth with Laurence Fishburne. The informational program highlights a large variety of globally essential topics to inform its viewing audience. An upcoming episode is to feature an issue that impacts the lives of many women worldwide: breast cancer.

In the United States, breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer found in women. Statistically, 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. This type of cancer occurs when DNA changes make normal healthy breast cells cancerous.

Risk factors include a family history of breast cancer, being overweight, and women of a Caucasian or African American ethnicity have a higher chance of developing the disease. Regular self-examinations are recommended for catching breast cancer early on, as well as regular breast cancer screenings for women age 40 and up.

Breast cancer is a scary experience for any woman, which is why increased awareness of the disease is crucial in prevention and saving lives. In Depth will reveal more details about breast cancer awareness in the new episode. The segment is expected to be distributed during October, or Breast Cancer Awareness month.

In Depth with Laurence Fishburne is carefully inspected before broadcast. The informational TV segment has accepted numerous awards for its endeavors.
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Linkedin Nina Larson (Agence France-Presse) Geneva, Switzerland  Wed, July 29, 2020 14:30 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a3372e 2 Sports Formula-1,Formula-One,tobacco-ad,tobacco-control,car-race Free

Tobacco giants have spent billions on advertising with Formula One teams over the years, and are again swelling their spending despite a supposed ban, industry monitors said Wednesday.

In a fresh report entitled "Driving Addiction: F1 and Tobacco Advertising", F1 industry monitor Formula Money and tobacco industry watchdog STOP pointed to data indicating cigarette-makers were aggressively stepping up spending.

Since F1 was established 70 years ago, its teams and events have sold $4.4 billion in advertising and sponsorship to tobacco companies, the report said.

And after years of declining sponsorship spending, brought on by growing awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco products, national bans and a supposed ban within F1, the report said that spending last year reached "a staggering $100 million", putting it back at levels not seen since 2011.

The spending, by tobacco giants Philip Morris and British American Tobacco on the F1 Ferrari and McLaren teams, is this year expected to rise to $115 million, it said.

The findings prompted concern from the World Health Organization, with health promotion chief Ruediger Krech insisting in a statement that "we must not go backwards in the fight against tobacco."

'Harm for generations'

"Promoting these products attracts new tobacco users, especially among young people, causing harm for generations to come."

The WHO estimates that tobacco use kills more than seven million people each year.

PMI and BAT last year formed partnerships with their scientific research subsidiaries and Formula 1 teams Ferrari and McLaren, more than a decade after cigarette advertising was all but banned from the sport.

The tobacco companies are no longer advertising for their traditional cigarette brands, but do appear to be pushing new, so-called "smoke-free" heated tobacco products, although they do not mention them by name.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA), Formula 1's ruling body, has since 2006 been opposed to any advertising or sponsoring of cigarettes or tobacco.

But Wednesday's report lamented that FIA's previous public commitment to fully ban tobacco sponsorship had been watered down to a mere recommendation in 2003.

"The FIA claims that it wants to promote a net positive contribution to society. That's not possible while it is still linked to an industry that causes such harm," Mary Assunta of STOP said in the statement.

Contacted by AFP, FIA insisted in an email that it "remains firmly opposed to tobacco advertising and continues to stand by its 2003 recommendations."

However, it said, "we are not in a position to interfere with the private commercial arrangements between the teams and their sponsors."

"We will continue to monitor the compliance with the applicable laws."

PMI meanwhile slammed STOP's "ideological attacks" and "misguided campaigns" against the company, insisting its partnership with Ferrari "does not and will not be used to advertise or promote any PMI-branded tobacco or nicotine-containing products."

"Our partnership activities respect all applicable laws," spokesman Ryan Sparrow said in an email.

Phil Chamberlain of STOP described such arguments as "a typically slippery move."

"PMI and BAT claim that they aren't directly advertising cigarette brands. But according to trademarks registered by the companies, these brands are associated with tobacco products."

Wednesday's report certainly indicated that the tobacco companies benefit from their involvement in the sport.

It found that media coverage of the 2019 races alone generated exposure worth "at least $150.3 million" for PMI's 'Mission Winnow' brand, and $27.6 million for BAT brands.

"For tobacco companies, the benefits are clear," co-author Caroline Reid of Formula Money said in the statement.

"This is a global sport that draws more than 500 million fans worldwide, mostly young and male  a prized demographic. And tobacco companies receive a real return on investment."
A benefits scammer mum who owned multiple properties fleeced Centrelink out of more than $100,000 worth of single-parenting payments to fund her lavish lifestyle.

Jade Cheasley, 31, from Melbourne, cheated the government out of $102,086 in benefits between March 2013 and May 2018 by lying about separating from her husband David Cheasley.

Cheasley told Centrelink she was in financial hardship, living out of her car with her children and struggling to get food, all while her family were still together and enjoying life in their $565,000 Craigieburn home.

Her husband earned more than $200,000 a year, and the couple owned two investment properties and a boat, with Cheasley using her fraudulent income to splash out on lavish family holidays and parties.

Jade Cheasley (pictured), 31, from Melbourne, fleeced $102,086.55 in benefits from the government between March 2013 and May 2018

Cheasley lied to the government agency claiming she had separated from her husband David. They are pictured together in November 2015

She pleaded guilty in the Victoria County Court on Tuesday to dishonestly cause a loss to a Commonwealth and two counts of giving false or misleading information, the Herald Sun reports.

The Department of Human Services discovered Cheasley's scam in June 2017 after they received 'tip offs from the public'.

After raiding her home in May the following year, investigators uncovered 'thousands' of text messages between Cheasley and her husband discussing how to maintain the ruse.

'Centerlink [sic] think we are seperated [sic] not the courts. There is a difference,' Cheasley wrote to her husband.

'What would you do if I didnt lie to Centrelink and you had to support me?!'

'Call them back please and let me know what they said. If its child support we arent together remember.'

Cheasley had initially told the government agency her situation was so dire she had tried to get food parcels for her children.

She claimed living in her vehicle was the only option available because her father was a 'verbally abusive alcoholic' and there was nowhere else she could go.

Cheasley took her family on a holiday to Honolulu (pictured) in August 2015 while receiving benefits from Centrelink

Meanwhile, the couple owned a $125,000 investment property at Murchison East, in northern Victoria.

They later bought a $870,000 house in Wandong, which the family eventually moved into while renting out their Craigieburn home for $22,500 a year.

Cheasley jointly held two business accounts linked to her husbands company Lifestyle Roofing Pty Ltd, which made a yearly turnover of more than $300,000.

Of the total, Mr Cheasley took home a profit of $226,000 a year.

On top of their properties, the couple had another $780,000 in assets from cars, savings and a boat.

The mother had also made insurance claims on two properties and cancelled a claim for a 'stolen phone after it was 'recovered'.

In 2015, Cheasley spoiled her family to two action-packed holidays, including one 12-day trip overseas.

Early in the year, the family went to the Gold Coast which included a visit to Movie World, before flying to Honolulu months later.

In November, Cheasley threw a 'surprise' 40th birthday party for her husband at the Craigieburn sporting club, and the previous year they celebrated their wedding anniversary at a plush hotel in the city.

Cheasley's bail was extended at Tuesday's hearing until her next court appearance on August 28.
Most older Chattanoogans know the story of Chattanoogas Mayor Ralph Kelley and Police Commissioner James E. Bookie Turners commandeering the State of Georgias Civil War locomotive the General as it was being returned from the L&N Railroad's maintenance shop in Kentucky on its way to Kennesaw, Georgia, in 1961.

For many years the famed engine had been stored at the Union Station at the railroad terminal on the south side of 9th Street (Martin Luther King Boulevard) on property now occupied by the Tallan and Krystal Buildings across the street from the Read House hotel. It had become an integral part of the history of Chattanooga including its image on the municipality's official seal, stationery, cuff links, tie clips, etc.

After much publicity and a federal court case, the historical icon was ordered to be returned to its rightful owner, the State of Georgia, and Kelley's Raiders eventually suffered a defeat and the locomotive was returned to Kennesaw. Though spectacular, it was not the first time that Chattanooga and the State of Georgia and the railroad had become entangled over property in our town that belonged to Georgians.

In the early days of Chattanooga, the City Fathers had wanted the railroad to come to our city to connect railway traffic to the city of Atlanta. They had been very generous in giving the railroad a lot of land at very cheap prices that is located between Broad and Market Streets and extends south from 9th Street across 10th and 11th Streets to the L&N Railroad tracks. The property also included the site of the Edney Building at 11th and Market Street and formerly included the Hotel Plaza property at the intersection of Market and Georgia Avenue.

The first raider against the L&N Railroad was Mayor Edward David Bass (1873-1960). Bass became an orphan at age 11 and he left school to work on the production line at D.M. Steward Manufacturing Plant. Through hard work, he saved enough money to open a grocery store at the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue. In 1906, he ran and won a seat on the Hamilton County Court which began his career as a lifelong politician.

After winning the race, he sold his grocery store and began his political mission. In 1911, Bass ran for the state Senate and was elected. As a senator he passed legislation that allowed Chattanooga to change its government to a commission format. After serving a term in Nashville, he returned to Chattanooga and served as Commissioner of Streets and Sewers for three terms. It was during Bass last term as commissioner that he performed the act that earned him the title stated above.

In 1926 Broad Street ended at 9th Street (MLK Boulevard) where a row of brick warehouses owned by the State of Georgia sat empty. The city wanted to extend Broad Street and for years Bass had unsuccessfully tried to purchase the buildings to be razed and open up Broad Street as it exists today.

On Friday night, May 6, 1926, Commissioner Bass, without consulting the Mayor, city attorney or other commissioners, decided to open up Broad Street on his own. Assembling a large crew of street department workers, they descended on the empty buildings and tore them down. Their work started around 6:00 and by midnight the buildings were razed. A large crowd that had gathered to watch the destruction spectacle cheered Bass and his men on as they completed their task and the commissioner drove the first car through the opened buildings. For some unexplained reason, the Elks Club Band just happened to be at the scene and played the song Marching Through Georgia.

The work continued over the weekend until the length of Broad Street was extended and opened to Lookout Mountain. The State of Georgia did not take kindly to Commissioner Basss actions on behalf of the City of Chattanooga and filed suit but the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that a states sovereignty ended at the state line. With this judicial approval Bass and his band of raiders tore down the buildings that blocked Broad Street at 11th Street. This allowed Broad Street to be linked with Whiteside Street that ran from Lookout Mountain to 12th Street and today is known as South Broad Street.

In 1927, the City of Chattanooga elected Bass as mayor and he would serve five terms as the longest office holder as Mayor in the history of the city. Ironically Bass had been rebuffed in 1923 when Mayor Alexander Chambliss had resigned to fill a seat on the Tennessee Supreme Court. Tennessee Governor Austin Peay had been pressured by the statewide Ku Klux Klan not to appoint Chambliss if it meant Bass would become mayor of Chattanooga. Governor Peay then asked Bass to promise that, if elected, he would not serve.

Bass agreed but in 1927 he ran and was elected beginning his 20-year tenure as Mayor. He accomplished several goals as mayor including the annexation which doubled the size of the city by adding St. Elmo, Missionary Ridge, Alton Park, North Chattanooga, Brainerd and Riverview. Bass took great pride in the fact that during the Great Depression Chattanooga was one of the few cities able to pay its debts without raising taxes and to maintain full employment with its employees.

Bass had intended to serve out his last term of office but because of health problems had to resign three months before his term expired. He moved to Florida and lived to the age of 87, dying on March 12, 1960.

* * *

Jerry Summers



(If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com
The United States will slash its military presence in Germany by 11,900 troops in what the Pentagon on Wednesday called a "strategic" repositioning, but President Donald Trump said was to punish Berlin for its weak defense spending. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the Pentagon will be sending home about 6,400 of its military personnel in Germany, and move nearly 5,600 to other NATO countries, including Italy and Belgium. Some could also be relocated to Poland and the Baltic countries if Washington can reach agreements with them, he said. The move, which will cost the US government several billion dollars, will cut the presence of US military personnel in Germany to around 24,000. Esper stressed that the action is part of his broader plan to reposition US military forces globally to better address the key threats from Russia and China. "The repositioning of our forces in Europe constitutes a major strategic and positive shift," Esper said. "These changes will unquestionably achieve the core principles of enhancing US and NATO deterrence of Russia; strengthening NATO; reassuring allies; and, improving US strategic flexibility," he said. But at the White House, Trump told reporters that Germany has not paid its fair share for the defense of Europe. "We don't want to be the suckers anymore.... We're protecting Germany, so we're reducing the force because they're not paying the bills," said the US leader. - Belgium, Italy to benefit - In moves that could begin within weeks, some US command operations currently in Germany will be moved to Belgium and Italy. The Pentagon also will move an F-16 fighter squadron from Germany to Italy, to help protect NATO's southeastern flank near the Black Sea. The city of Stuttgart will lose the US European Command headquarters and Special Operations Command Europe to Belgium. Some Stryker armored assets will be rotated in southeastern Europe, while another command unit and US troops could be rotated into Poland, if Warsaw signs a cooperation agreement crafted by Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda in June. Meanwhile, the planned relocation of 2,500 US air force personnel from Britain to Germany has been cancelled. - 'Self-inflicted wound' - The German government was cautious in its reaction to the move, expected since June. "The federal government is taking note of this decision and will closely coordinate for a further implementation with the (German) federal states, the US government and within NATO," the foreign and defense ministries said in a joint statement. "We have been and are proud to host US troops," tweeted Germany's ambassador to the United States, Emily Haber. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Esper's announcement "underlines the continued commitment by the United States to NATO and to European security." "As we face a more unpredictable world, we are stronger and safer when we stand together," he said. But others criticized the strategic value and justification for the move. "This is a self-inflicted wound by President Trump against American interests," said US Democratic Senator Jack Reed. The moves "lack a strategic rationale, weaken our allies' confidence in the reliability of US defense commitments, and serve to embolden (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's efforts to divide the alliance," he said. - Trump and Merkel - Esper denied that the move was the result of Trump's unhappy relationship with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Amid rising political and trade tensions between the two countries, Trump abruptly announced plans for the cut in June, after Merkel rejected his plan to convene the Group of Seven leaders in Washington. Merkel cited the ongoing coronavirus threat, while at the time, Trump maintained the virus's spread was in decline. On Wednesday the US death toll topped 150,000. Angered, Trump postponed the summit and said he would expand the group to include Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was expelled after Moscow's seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region on the Black Sea in 2014. The withdrawal could have a significant economic impact in Germany, where tens of thousands of US troops have been stationed since the end of World War II. "The US administration under president Trump is rushing to break off the close relationship built over decades, in a punitive action against an ally," said Stuttgart Mayor Fritz Kuhn. Roger Lewentz, interior minister of Rhineland-Palatinate which hosts 18,500 US soldiers, said it would cost jobs and deal a "heavy blow" to the western German region.
General Motors Co. reported its first quarterly loss since it emerged from bankruptcy but said it sees a path to full-year profit and paying off debt if the economy remains stable during the second half of 2020.

With plants running and customers returning to dealers following closures earlier this year, GM is rebuilding inventory, said Dhivya Suryadevara, the companys chief financial officer. Barring another economic shutdown from the coronavirus, GM expects to chalk up $4 billion (U.S.) to $5 billion in earnings before interest and taxes for the balance of the year.

This assumes a stable economy going forward, Suryadevara told reporters on a conference call. This is a scenario, not a guidance, and these factors are inherently difficult to predict.

The automaker said Wednesday it lost 50 cents a share in the latest three-month period, compared with a consensus forecast for a loss of $1.66 per share. The unexpectedly strong performance underscores the companys financial resilience in the face of the pandemic in the U.S. and China  its two biggest markets.

GMs financial results signal the company may have weathered the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak. Loftier prices for its new large pickup trucks helped offset the springtime pause at its plants and showrooms. Sales climbed in May and June after crashing in April. And the automaker plans to repay by years end the $16 billion it borrowed to stay flush.

GM said it burned through $9 billion in cash over the last three months but still has cash on hand totalling $30.6 billion.

The automaker should be able to generate between $7 billion and $9 billion in cash in the second half with a stable economy, Suryadevara said. That would be enough to pay down the entire $16 billion that the company borrowed from a revolving credit line in March, a move triggered by the rapid spread of the coronavirus and its paralyzing impact on vehicle sales.

Inventory Rebuild

The bullish profit-recovery expectation comes as GM works to rebuild a depleted inventory of popular and profitable sport utility vehicles and trucks. It ended the quarter with 444,000 vehicles on dealer lots, down from 809,000 a year ago. Suryadevara said the total may recover to about 600,000 vehicles by the end of the year.

Despite exceeding Wall Street estimates, GMs stock fell two per cent to $25.80 as of 1:47 p.m. in New York.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said in a research note that GM has pushed some vehicle-development costs into the future, which could have boosted second-quarter results at the expense of third-quarter performance.

Taking nothing away from 2Q, we believe it may have borrowed a bit from what we and the market expect to be an extremely strong 3Q improvement, Jonas wrote.

In the U.S., GMs vehicle sales fell 34 per cent in the second quarter, but demand for its profitable pickups mitigated the blow. With its full-size truck plants running on three shifts, the company expects to show better financial numbers for the full year. In another positive sign, GM said it will boost pickup production at its plant in Fort Wayne, Ind., by 1,000 trucks a month.

China Recovery

GMs sales in China declined only five per cent in the latest three-month period, and it turned a $169 million profit after losing money in the first quarter. Suryadevara said Chinese demand for new SUVs and the Cadillac CT4 sedan is helping its results in that market.

In the second quarter, weve seen a nice recovery in China, she said.

The problem for GM, Jonas said, is that investors dont seem to take notice of its earnings power and bold electrification plans. On a call for analysts, he asked GM chief executive officer Mary Barra how she can get investors to see that GM shares are worth buying when so much interest is being given to Tesla Inc. and a slew of unproven EV startups.

To make a case that GM has electric-vehicle chops, Barra affirmed the Cadillac Lyriq is on schedule for a 2021 launch and the GMC Hummer EV is also on track for 2022. She pointed out GM has greater production capacity and scale than any electric-car venture.

As we move forward, people will see all the strength we bring as it relates to scale manufacturing capability, Barra said.

So weve got to keep telling our story. Weve got to deliver and thats exactly what we intend to do.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In its tenth year recognizing exceptional corporate commitment to diversity, inclusion, and women's leadership in the C-suite and board, WomenCorporateDirectors Foundation (WCD) has announced its 2020 Visionary Award honorees. The four Award recipients include two top global brands, Starbucks and Shiseido; U.S.-based global manufacturer Elkay; and Ana Paula Pessoa, chairman of artificial intelligence company Kunumi AI in Brazil and board member of Newscorp, Credit Suisse, Suzano, and Vinci Group.

WomenCorporateDirectors Foundation Visionary Awards - recognizing exceptional corporate commitment to diversity, inclusion, and women's leadership in the C-Suite and board.

The awards will be presented for the first time in a virtual setting on September 9, 2020, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., U.S. EDT (more details will appear in subsequent announcements).

"Our Visionary Award honorees represent, globally, the kind of inclusive thinking, innovation, and agility we need to move our companies and our countries forward during this pivotal time in history," said Susan C. Keating, CEO of WCD.

Visionary Awards committee co-chair Barbara Bowles remarked on the award recipients: "As in past years, they were selected based on proven industry leadership, and on their continuing commitment to ESG  environmental, social and governance  in both the boardroom and the C-suite."

"Recent events have further increased awareness of the need for inclusion and leadership," said Deb Kelly, co-chair of the committee with Bowles. "This year's Visionary Award recipients have continued to demonstrate that leadership during the unsettling events of this year."

Awards include:

Award for Innovation in Shared Value: With more than 32,000 stores in 83 markets, Starbucks' board is 40% women, and women comprise 35% of its global 55-person management team.

"Starbucks epitomizes the meaning of 'walk the walk,'" said Bowles. "Most recently, the company has been widely noted for its adroit handling of the COVID-19 crisis with colleagues, customers, and communities. It also stands out due to its work on eliminating racism, including dealing with important issues within its own ranks. Starbucks is certainly the right awardee for Innovation in Shared Value in this moment, and possibly for the ages."

Starbucks takes on a broad range of issues in its efforts around social impact, including providing free college tuition to employees, supporting sustainability programs, supporting veterans, and providing opportunities to local youth communities.

"The power of staying true to your brand in trying times pays dividends far beyond reputation. I'm immensely proud of how Starbucks has lived up to our values these past few months while managing through COVID-19 and advocating for racial justice," said Roz Brewer, chief operating officer and member of the board of directors at Starbucks. "No matter what's ahead, we'll continue to show up for our partners (employees), customers and communities in meaningful and innovative ways that serve to uplift all."

Award for Leadership and Governance of a Public Company: Founded in Japan in 1872, Shiseido is one of the oldest cosmetic brands in the world. Shiseido stands out as a diversity champion in the region, with 46% female representation among its board.

"Shiseido not only fits our criteria as an honoree this year, but its inclusive brand-building philosophy should benefit the company for years to come," said Kelly. "In its product development and innovation, Shiseido recognizes the diversity of its primarily female customers who have different needs and different experiences."

"As a measure of Shiseido's commitment to community, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company shifted production to meet healthcare workers' needs. In April, Shiseido began producing hand sanitizer for medical personnel with sensitive skin within Japan, as well as disinfectant for use in medical facilities elsewhere."

Masahiko Uotani, President and CEO of Shiseido Company, Limited, remarked: "I am very honored to be selected for this award. In pursuit of our mission BEAUTY INNOVATIONS FOR A BETTER WORLD, we at Shiseido respect and appreciate individual differences and diversity in one another across gender, age, religion, and race, desiring to achieve better, more enriched lives and society with the power of beauty, and striving to be a global winner with our heritage.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, people are facing difficulties unlike any before. Even in these extremely challenging circumstances, we believe that we can help revitalize society through beauty; that beauty is a source of strength to change the world. Shiseido members across the globe are united in our efforts to surmount the challenge together, for swift recovery and growth, and to deliver even further innovation."

Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company: A private Illinois -based manufacturer of plumbing fixtures and commercial interior systems, Elkay is celebrating its 100th year in business in 2020. Of its 12-member board of directors, five are women, with women chairing two of the four board committees.

"It takes vision, strong values and commitment to survive as a private family-owned company for 100 years and Elkay demonstrates all of these qualities," said Kelly. While being the #1 selling stainless steel sink company globally, Elkay has also led its industry in innovations such as bottle filling stations and sustainable materials.

"Considered an 'essential business' in the pandemic because of the critical products it supplies to healthcare and others, Elkay has continued to operate and innovate  manufacturing its antimicrobial copper sinks, and its hands-free faucets, water coolers, and water bottle filling stations," Kelly said.

"We are delighted to receive this award in recognition of our long-standing commitment to ESG," Ric Phillips, President and CEO, stated in response to being named a 2020 honoree. "Elkay is deeply dedicated to environmental and social responsibility and to giving back to our community. Empowering our people is central to our culture, and fostering diversity of thought across the company has been key to our success for over 100 years. Today, more than ever, holding fast to strong values and embracing equitable social practices  which begin at the top and in the boardroom  are essential to thriving in an increasingly diverse and interdependent world."

Award for Strategic Leadership: Based in Brazil , Ana Paula Pessoa serves on the boards of Credit Suisse, Newscorp, Suzano, and Vinci Group. She is Chair of Kunumi AI, a disruptive Brazilian research and process reframing and restructuring company using the lens of artificial intelligence; 60% of the company's leadership team is women. Pessoa was the first woman to be CFO of the Olympic and Paralympic Games  for Rio 2016, the first Games held in South America .

"We applaud the leadership of Ana Paula Pessoa, a leader who accomplishes change around the world," said Bowles. "Beyond being the first woman CFO for the 2016 Olympics, Ms. Pessoa brings a high level of expertise in marketing, communications, and artificial intelligence, and serves on the boards of major global corporations. WCD is proud to announce that Ms. Pessoa is the first Visionary Awards honoree from Latin America and an exemplary WCD member."

"I am honored to be recognized with WCD's award for Strategic Leadership," said Ana Paula. "Life post-COVID 19 will require all of us to ask new questions so we can collectively come up with new outcomes. This crisis places a new light on the implications of the data revolution, the impacts of human consumption, the sustainability of our planet, and the definition of social inclusion. The most successful companies of tomorrow will lead this reframing, will address these issues, and will thrive in a world of new possibilities. The boardroom should reflect these societal changes. And we, as individuals, must personally rethink our own choices and responsibilities."

WCD established the Visionary Awards in 2011 to recognize companies and leaders demonstrating the best in corporate governance, leadership diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to expanding female representation on the board. Past Visionary Award recipients include: Alaska Air Group, BMO Financial Group, Canadian National Railway, The Coca-Cola Company, Dot Foods, Intel, L'Oreal, NextEra Energy, Publix Supermarkets, Publicis, Procter & Gamble, Ulta Beauty, and Unilever.

The Visionary Awards celebration will be part of the 2020 WCD Global Institute, the organization's first virtual Institute, to be held September 9-11, 2020. Over three days, participants will explore a range of topics under the theme "Leading Today, Transforming Tomorrow."

2020 WCD Visionary Awards Selection Committee

The award winners were determined by an independent committee comprised of WCD members.

Committee Co-Chairs:

Barbara Bowles , President, Landers Bowles Family Foundation; Retired Presiding Director, WEC Energy Group; Retired CEO and Chair, The Kenwood Group, Inc.; WCD member, Chicago

, President, Landers Bowles Family Foundation; Retired Presiding Director, WEC Energy Group; Retired CEO and Chair, The Kenwood Group, Inc.; WCD member, Deborah Elise Kelly , Partner, Genesis, Inc.; Director, Perdue Farms; WCD Member, Colorado

Committee Members:

Agenia Clark , Michelle Lynn Collins , Noel Harwerth , Christie Hefner , Ashley Duchossois Joyce , Izumi Kobayashi , Anastassia Lauterbach , Lucy Pamboukdjian, Theo Schwabacher , Susan S. Stautberg , Joan E. Steel , and Mary Beth Vitale .

For media inquiries, please contact Suzanne Oaks Brownstein or Trang Mar of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or [email protected].

About WomenCorporateDirectors Education and Development Foundation, Inc.

The WomenCorporateDirectors Education and Development Foundation, Inc. (WCD) is the only global membership organization and community of women corporate directors. A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the WCD Foundation has 76 chapters around the world. The aggregate market capitalization of public companies on whose boards WCD Foundation members serve is over $8 trillion. In addition, WCD Foundation members serve on numerous boards of large private and family-run companies globally. For more information visit www.womencorporatedirectors.org or follow us on Twitter @WomenCorpDirs, #WCDboards, #WCDVisionary2020, and #WCDGlobal2020.

SOURCE WomenCorporateDirectors Education and Development Foundation, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.womencorporatedirectors.org


Transport Secretary Grant Shapps arrived home from Spain today and into two weeks of quarantine - and said the Government had been right to ruin his family holiday.

The minister was scuppered by his own department's decision at the weekend to subject arrivals from the popular tourist destination to 14-days' self-isolation after a surge in coronavirus cases.

He and his wife and children left for Spain after the Commons rose for its summer break last week.

But amid fury at the speed that quarantine had been reimposed on Saturday - at five hours-notice - and concerns that he would be unavailable for a month, he agreed to leave them there and return to his constituency home in Hertfordshire.

Speaking to reporters after arriving today he defended the decision which ruined his own break - and said he could not rule out the Spanish quarantine being extended to other countries currently clear for people to visit.

I very much understand, obviously it had an impact on me and my family and Im very very sorry and upset for the thousands of Brits who are either away or perhaps even hadnt even managed to go away this summer as well to Spain,' he said.

But it was absolutely essential we acted when we did, it is why all four nations of the United Kingdom acted together and the figures since have turned out to justify that action.

Amid fury at the speed that quarantine had been reimposed on Saturday - at five hours-notice - Mr Shapps agreed to leave them there and return to his constituency home in Hertfordshire

David Davis (right) questioned the approach, backing the head of Heathrow airport who suggested testing at the border, but Mr Shapps (left, today) said 'it was absolutely essential we acted when we did'.

It came as ministers faced growing concern on the backbenches about the quarantine, after warning there was no 'viable alternative' for travellers returning from high risk countries.

Boris Johnson is believed to be worried that a second spike in infections in the UK could start within a fortnight after he expressed concerns about a surge in cases across Europe.

But former minister David Davis questioned the approach, backing the head of Heathrow airport who suggested testing at the border instead, to avoid a catastrophe for the holiday industry.

Mr Davis tweeted: 'Heathrow boss is right to call for airport testing to replace hard quarantines. Vienna has been doing this for months. I dont understand why we havent.'

When it was pointed out that the tests were not totally reliable, especially if people picked up the virus on the flight, he added: 'On a 14 day holiday there is an 80 per cent chance someone infected will manifest symptoms at the airport.

'If this is the case everyone on the plane should be quarantined. US companies like Cepheid can turn around a test in 30 minutes.

'Nothing is perfect, you are as likely to catch the virus on the London underground back home as you are on the plane or on holiday.'

Belgium and Luxembourg could be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow and Croatia could also be at risk. Luxembourg has the highest incidence of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Europe

The Government announced on Saturday it was banning all non-essential travel to Spain, with tourists returning to Britain having to self-isolate for two weeks, sparking a major diplomatic row with Madrid.

It is now thought that Belgium and Luxembourg could also be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow because of growing outbreaks.

Meanwhile, ministers are said to be closely monitoring the situation in Croatia but a crackdown on that country is not expected to be imminent, according to The Times.

Mr Johnson has insisted the UK must reserve the right to impose travel restrictions at short notice in order to prevent a domestic increase in coronavirus.

But the travel industry is urging the Government to slash the 14 day quarantine period in order to make foreign travel more feasible amid such uncertainty, with John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow Airport, suggesting testing at the border could be the answer.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden today poured cold water on the plan as he said at the moment there is not a 'viable alternative' to the fortnight in self-isolation.

He said: 'The challenge we have here is that it's not the case you can simply test somebody and be sure that they don't have the disease.'

He added: 'It can incubate over a period of time, so there's not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border.'

The UK Government is thought to be set to impose quarantine rules on travel to Luxembourg and Belgium after spikes infection

Mr Johnson yesterday warned there are 'signs of a second wave' of coronavirus in Europe as he defended the UK's decision to reimpose quarantine travel rules on Spain.

A senior Government source said the PM was 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up', both at home and abroad.

However, the decision to reimpose quarantine on Spain and the threat of the Government doing the same on other European countries is wreaking havoc with the travel industry.

The Government is under growing pressure to reduce the 14 day quarantine period and Mr Johnson has said that ministers are looking at ways to try to mitigate the impact of quarantine.

Mr John Holland-Kaye earlier urged the Government to introduce coronavirus tests on arrivals from higher risk countries in order to slash the quarantine period.

He said he believed a testing regime, which would see people tested when they land and then tested again a few days later, could be 'up and running' within a fortnight.

Mr Holland Kaye told the Telegraph he believed ministers are 'very keen' on a trial at airports.

'We need to find a way of getting 'red countries' opened up again,' he said. 'Testing is the only viable way of doing that in the absence of a vaccine.

'A lot of countries which are 'red-listed' have millions of people who don't have the disease and can't travel. That's holding back economic recovery.'

Mr Dowden said he understood the travel industry's 'frustration' with the current quarantine system but that currently there is no 'viable alternative'.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: I have heard [Mr Holland-Kaye's] comments and I do understand his frustration and his desire for us not to impose quarantine.

If we could avoid imposing quarantine in a way that it was safe to do so then of course we would do that, that is why we keep it under review.'

He added: Of course, we continue to look at all alternatives but we are not at the point where there is a viable alternative to the 14 day quarantine.

Indeed, in your question you alluded to the fact that testing even after a week does not catch every one.'

Mr Dowden said that people 'should continue to book holidays' but they needed to be 'aware of that risk' of quarantine being imposed.

Government advisers have warned it can take a number of days from the moment of infection before tests return a positive result, meaning testing negative on arrival does not mean the passenger will not develop symptoms later on.

But Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care are understood to have spoken with travel assistance company Collinson to understand the proposed testing pilot it is developing with Heathrow.

Preliminary modelling from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggested 94 per cent of cases would be detected if the quarantine period was cut to eight days and passengers tested negative on the seventh.

Amid criticism from Spain for including lower risk regions in the quarantine restrictions, transport minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton said ways to impose more targeted restrictions were being examined.

'For the time being, we are taking the approach by country for border measures, but it is the case that it could be that we put them in place for regions in the future,' she told the House of Lords.

Earlier yesterday Mr Johnson insisted the Government would not hesitate to act if flare-ups of coronavirus occurred in other destinations.

'I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic,' he warned.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has described the restrictions on travel to the country as an 'error'.

The most up to date figures show the number of new cases is rocketing upwards in Spain. It announced 6,361 new cases over the weekend, up from 4,581 the previous weekend. France announced 2,551 new coronavirus cases on Monday

He pointed out that the upsurge in coronavirus cases is focused in two regions, Catalonia and Aragon, adding: 'In most of Spain, the incidence is very much inferior to even the numbers registered in the United Kingdom.'

Madrid had been urging the UK to exclude the Canaries and Balearics - which include popular tourist resorts on Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca - from its quarantine requirements.

But instead, official travel advice was tightened to bring the islands in line with the Spanish mainland.

Britons make up over a fifth of foreign visitors to Spain, which relies heavily on tourism, and Madrid has said the UK Government gave it no warning that the quarantine move was coming over the weekend.

Labour accused ministers of a 'chaotic' response and called for a flexible approach for struggling businesses to ensure that public health measures such as the change in quarantine rules for people returning from Spain do not lead to mass job losses.
The airline industry has certainly seen better days. The response to the global coronavirus pandemic has put hard restrictions on travel, especially international travel, while also putting unprecedented numbers of people out of work. It was a one-two body blow to the airlines; most people werent allowed to travel, and when that began to loosen, too few people had money to afford travel.

The airline stocks have reacted in entirely predictable ways. They plummeted in March and February, during the general stock collapse, and have failed to regain traction since. There was an abortive rally in early June, when it appeared that travel restrictions would loosen  but that sputtered out when the virus began to spread again, prompting fears of a second wave as well as governmental moves back toward lockdown policies.

Through all of this, Savanthi Syth, 4-star analyst with Raymond James, has kept her finger on the airlines collective pulse. Syth has been following the industry for Raymond James for the past decade; she knows the players and the field. And in recent days, she has pointed out three airlines that deserve a second look from investors.

Opening up the TipRanks stock database, weve pulled up Syths three new ratings. She rates two as Buys, and the third a Hold  but that third stock may be the real story, as her Hold represents an upgrade from Sell. Lets take a look at Syths airline ratings, and find out why she is unexpectedly bullish on air travel.

Southwest Airlines (LUV)

We start with Southwest, the worlds largest bargain-price airline and a long-time blue-chip stalwart of the S&P 500 index. Southwest has based its market strategy on a combination of low cost and positive customer service, an approach reflected in its very stock ticker, LUV. The companys effort has been successful, in the only way that counts. LUV finished 2019 with $2.3 billion in net income, its 47th profitable year in a row.

That profitability simply evaporated in 1H20, when the travel restrictions took hold. Southwest reported a loss of 15 cents per share in Q1, which deepened to an ugly $2.67 in Q2. In the earnings report, management noted the brief partial recovery in May and June, and the reversal in July.

Story continues

On a positive note, Southwest reported good liquidity, with $14.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents on hand as of the end of Q2, along with $12 billion in unencumbered assets. Strong liquidity kept the company in good with the credit rating agencies, and Southwest has the only investment-grade credit rating among major US airlines. Management boasted that they have been able to shrink the average daily cash burn from Aprils $30 million per day to $16 million per day in June.

Syth notes all of this in her note last week on LUV. She writes, Having entered this crisis the best in class in terms of balance sheet and profitability, we expect Southwest to exit in similar manner. Southwest's relative advantage is further supported by its predominantly U.S. exposure and somewhat low-cost structure given our view that domestic demand is likely to recover faster than international travel

In line with her outlook, Syth rates the stock a Buy, and her $42 price target implies a robust one-year upside of 33%. (To watch Syths track record, click here.)

Wall Street appears to agree with industry expert Syth on this one. LUV shares hold a Moderate Buy rating from the analyst consensus, based on 10 Buys against 4 Holds set in recent weeks. Shares are selling for $32.33, and the average price target, at $42.08, is nearly identical to Syths. (See Southwests stock-price forecast on TipRanks)

Alaska Air Group (ALK)

Next up is Alaska Air, another airline, like Southwest, with a solid reputation for quality, safety, and customer service. In fact, these two airlines consistently rate in the top 5 among US domestic airlines. Alaska Air brought in $8.8 billion in revenue for 2019, while holding its position as the dominant West Coast regional airline.

A good reputation did not prevent Alaska Air from feeling the same hurt as the rest of the airline industry. Like Southwest, ALK saw earnings turn rapidly from net profit in Q4 to a net loss in Q1, and to a deepening negative in Q2. The Q1 and Q2 EPS loss numbers were 82 cents and $3.54, respectively. Quarterly revenue in Q2 was down sequentially, from $1.64 billion to a mere $421 million. At this point, even if air travel should see all restrictions lifted today, the Street still expects ALK to report a loss in Q3.

After all of that, ALK has seriously underperformed compared to the broader markets. The stock is down 46% from February, and down 30% from the brief peak in June. Prior to the crisis, ALK had paid out a reliable dividend, with a hefty 5.8% yield, but that has been suspended until further notice. The companys upper management has taken steep pay cuts, and Alaska Air has increased its debt by $825 million. While these measures may help shore up operations in the short term, they are not long-term solutions to the situation.

Syth, however, is willing to give Alaska Air the benefit of the doubt. She writes of the company, Alaska remains laser focused on controllable factors including strategically shoring up liquidity and embarking on structural cost reductions. Given its low-cost and capital-efficient DNA, flexibility from undecided fleet plans/commitments and upcoming lease expirations, as well as predominantly domestic focus, we believe the risk reward remains compelling on this historically well managed airline

Her upbeat outlook comes with a Buy rating, and her $43 price target indicates an upside potential of 25% for the next 12 months. (To watch Syths track record, click here)

The Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating on ALK is based on 11 reviews, breaking down to 7 Buys and 4 Holds. The stocks $45.72 average price target suggests a premium of nearly 31% from the current selling price of $35. (See ALK stock-price forecast on TipRanks)

American Airlines (AAL)

Last on our list is the first-place holder for size among world airlines. American is number one when measured by several key metrics, including aircraft fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue per passenger mile. Or at least, it was before the crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has wiped out those positives for AAL.

The Q1 and Q2 losses here were deep, and are trending worse. In Q1, the company saw EPS turn to a negative $2.65, much worse than the $2.16 forecast. The Q2 number was far worse sequentially, falling to $7.82 in net loss per share. This was 21% worse than expected before the earnings release. These were the first quarterly losses for the company in seven years.

It was a bitter pill for a company that entered 2020 with a bullish outlook. American had finished 2019 with record revenue, reporting $45.8 billion for the full year. A full half of net losses, combined with a gloomy industry outlook for the rest of the year, has investors pulling back from AAL.

There is a ray of hope, however, in the Q2 earnings report. American Airlines reported a 9.5% beat on revenue expectations, bringing in $1.62 billion for the quarter. Even that was tempered, however, as the year-ago number was $11.96 billion. And the revenues are dwarfed by corporate debt; American borrowed $1.2 billion in July, and planes to borrow an additional $4.75 billion under the CARES Act.

Looking at the big picture for American, Syth writes, [We] see a more balanced near-term risk-reward, albeit with the least appealing risk-reward dynamics vs. U.S. airlines under coverage due to the materially higher debt burden Our view remains that bankruptcy is not in the cards for American in 2020 with Chapter 11 only a potential avenue if the earnings recovery stalls over multiple years American's balance sheet likely leaves it crippled for years to come.

Believing that American may be able to forge a path out of the current morass, Syth upgraded her stance on the stock from Sell to Hold. While shes not recommending that investors buy in now, shes not telling existing shareholders to divest, either. Syth declined to name a price target for AAL shares.

The analyst consensus on AAL is in line with Syths upgrade. The shares have 12 recent ratings, breaking down to 3 Buys, 3 Holds, and 3 Sells, making the analyst consensus here a Hold. Americans stock sells for $11.39, and the average price target of $13.63 suggests it has a 19% upside potential for the year ahead. (See AAL stock-price forecast on TipRanks)

To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.
File image: Twitter/@IAF_MCC

The first batch of the Indian Air Force (IAF)s Dassault Rafale fighter jets is set to arrive in India on July 29, two days after taking off from France. On July 27, five of the twin-engine fighters left Dassault Aviations production facility in Merignac, France.

The modern fighter jets are being flown-in by IAF pilots in a 7,000-kilometre journey that comprises two legs. The aircraft were provided air-to-air refuelling by the French Air Forces tankers during the first leg.

The convoy took a day's halt at the Al Dhafra airbase, which is partly operated by the French Air Force, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

All five aircraft will be flown to their new home  Ambala airbase in Haryana. Resurrected in 2019, the No. 17 Squadron -- or the Golden Arrows stationed at Ambala -- will fly these Rafales first. No. 101, the second squadron to be equipped with Rafales, will be stationed at the Hasimara Air Force Station in northern West Bengal.

India has ordered 36 of these fighter jets, in a deal embroiled in controversy. About 12 aircraft are supposed to be delivered every year.

This will be the first induction of a new type of foreign-origin fighter jets by IAF since a batch of the Sukhois were delivered in the late 1990s.

Indian Air Force's Rafale fighter jet at the Dassault Aviation facility in Merignac, France (Image: Twitter/@Indian_Embassy)

Ready for deployment

Amid the ongoing border dispute between India and China, it has become imperative for the IAF to be able to deploy the new Rafales as soon as possible. According to news reports, all of these five aircraft will be operationally deployed within a week.

Some of the missiles that Rafales will be equipped with have already arrived at the Ambala airbase. These include the Meteor air-to-air missile. The jets will also be equipped with the 1,300-kilogram SCALP missiles. SCALPs have a range of around 300 kilometres.

Reports suggest that 12 IAF pilots have been fully trained on the new fighter jets and many others are currently completing their training in France.

What Rafales mean for the IAF

Rafale is a multi-role combat aircraft. This means it can be deployed in various scenarios such as carrying out combat missions to achieve air superiority, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

They will not have to fly beyond the Indian airspace to hit targets that are even 600 kilometres inside enemy territory. To put that into perspective, a Rafale can hit targets deep inside Pakistani territory while still flying over Ambala. The target could be as deep as Islamabad -- about 500 kilometres from Ambala as the crow flies.

Amid the stand-off in eastern Ladakh, the IAF has also reportedly sought emergency procurement of the HAMMER air-to-ground missile which has a range of about 60 kilometres.

The air force could eventually integrate more missiles with the Rafales, which is often categorised as a 4.5 generation aircraft for its radar-evading stealth profile.

In Pictures: IAF's Rafales | Fighter jets to touch-down in India soon; here's all you need to know

Defence analysts suggest that these Rafales would help IAF challenge the Pakistani F-16s and some of the new Chinese aircraft.

In February, former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa had said that the outcome would have been different had Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman been flying a Rafale instead of a MiG 21 Bison during the India-Pakistan stand-off in the aftermath of the Balakot strike in 2019. Dhanoa was responding to a question about controversies slowing down defence acquisitions.

The procurement also helps IAF move toward its target of having 42 active squadrons.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, arguing against a proposed nuclear waste interim storage facility in southeast New Mexico.

The proposed Holtec International site would store 500 stainless steel canisters of the nations spent nuclear fuel on 1,000 acres between Carlsbad and Hobbs, with a full storage capacity of 10,000 canisters.

New Mexico has grave concerns for the unnecessary risk to our citizens and our communities, our first responders, our environment, and to New Mexicos agriculture and natural resource industries, Lujan Grisham wrote in the letter.

The proposed project has garnered support from many of southeast New Mexicos political leaders, who say the facility would bring more jobs to Eddy and Lea counties. But the Holtec site also faces legal challenges from environmental groups.

The governor said it would be economic malpractice to store spent nuclear fuel underground in a region that depends on agriculture and oil and gas. She added that a perceived or actual nuclear incident could disrupt those industries.

The proposed (facility) would join the ranks of uranium mining, nuclear energy and defense-related programs that have long created risks to public health and the environment in the state of New Mexico that are disproportionately greater than such risks to the general population of the United States, she wrote.

Lujan Grisham sent a similar letter last June to then-U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Earlier this year, the NRC released a draft environmental impact statement for the project, along with a preliminary recommendation that Holtec receive a license to build the facility.

The federal government has yet to secure a permanent site to store nuclear waste.
A 19-year-old woman is believed to have died of suicide at her home in Indore on Monday, her family said on Tuesday, adding that she was pushed to this because of harassment by two stakers.

The family initially believed she may have done this out of fear of possible failure in her Class XII examinations, but results out later on Monday showed that she cleared the exam with 74% marks.

Police inspector Yogesh Tomar said neighbours and the womans friends later told the family about the two stalkers. One of the stalkers was exerting pressure on her to accept his offer for marriage. They also threatened to kill her family if she refused to accept the proposal. But the family was not aware of this.

The family said police later accepted a complaint from the brother .

The girls father...who is a labourer said he initially thought that she had committed suicide out of fear of possible failure in the exam; the result of which was announced on Monday afternoon. They checked her result and found she passed with 74% marks, said Tomar. Police registered an FIR on the complaint of the girls brother...on Tuesday and are investigating the matter. No arrest has been made so far.

The brother said his parents were away and her sister was alone at home when the two stalkers, Sunny and Bhaiyyu, who have criminal records, barged into the house and threatened her with dire consequences if she did not marry one of them.

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MILWAUKEE, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- American Signal Corp. recently was awarded a contract to provide life-saving, mass notification technology to a Central American country.

While the mass notification system has the capability to warn residents of a variety of threats including hazardous weather, the system is specifically designed to alert individuals of tsunamis  giving them time to take necessary shelter.

This is the third international contract awarded to ASC in recent months. ASC previously announced contracts for mass notification systems in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean Islands, where ASC also is installing warning systems for tsunamis.

The system installed in Central America includes ASC's Clarity high-powered, fully configurable voice and tone siren, and the award-winning CompuLert NEXGen control system, a simple and effective solution for monitoring and controlling emergency siren systems with a user-friendly administration interface.

ICDO Provides Project Funding

The project is being funded by the International Civil Defense Organization, an intergovernmental organization whose objective is to protect and safe-guard property and the environment in the face of natural and man-made disasters.

"This system is designed to specifically protect individuals and property from destructive forces like tsunamis," said ASC Executive Vice President Richard Roe. "Our mission is to save and protect lives with our mass notification products and solutions and this project will do just that.

"By collaborating with the International Civil Defense Organization  and with the United Nations Development Program on other projects  ASC is providing its life-saving solutions globally," Roe said. "We are excited to be part of such important projects that have such a positive impact on so many communities."

About American Signal Corporation

American Signal Corporation is a leading designer and manufacturer of mass notification solutions for a wide variety of applications worldwide. ASC combines advanced engineering, innovative software and state-of-the-art technologies with an extraordinary record of longevity and expertise in the field, to develop and install compliant, versatile and effective notification systems. We aim to save lives every day. For more information, visit americansignal.com.

SOURCE American Signal Corporation

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China to make firm response against outrageous, unreasonable US: FM

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/28 22:21:09 Last Updated: 2020/7/29 0:41:09

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday said that China will make firm and rational responses against the US whose behaviors are outrageous and unreasonable.

Wang made the remarks during a phone conversation with French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian on Tuesday night.

Wang said China-US relations have caused concern in the international community. That's because certain political forces in the US, because of the forthcoming elections and to maintain the unipolar hegemony, would completely deny the history of China-US ties, conduct all-round suppression to China without reason, constantly provoke the core interests of China, attack the social system chosen by the Chinese people, and smear China's ruling party that always maintains close bond with the Chinese people.

This behavior is against basic etiquette and defies international norms governing international relations. It is blatant power politics.

Wang said the world should have been alerted after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a speech several days ago, attempting to provoke a clash between ideologies, leading the world to a new cold war. The world is seeing a return to McCarthyism that has long been thrown in the garbage bin of history. If we let the conspiracy theory succeed, not only will China and the US be trapped in the abyss of confrontation, but also the world will face a crisis of division.

In recent years, led by the "America First" campaign, the US has gone further into unilateralism and given up its international commitment and obligation, Wang said. It severely challenges the international law and order.

The current US government has quit international treaties more than ever. At the key moment of virus prevention that needs the international community to unite, the US announced it would quit the WHO, dodging its moral responsibility as a big power. The US has become the biggest destroyer of the international order, and is standing at the wrong side of history and international society.

China will respond firmly and rationally against the US whose behaviors are outrageous and unreasonable, Wang stressed.

China will resolutely hit back at any egregious practices that infringe on China's legitimate rights and interests. China has never taken the initiative to stir trouble and always exercises maximum restraint. However, not long ago, the US forcibly closed the Chinese consulate in Houston and provoked China's sovereignty and dignity.

"We have to make a legitimate and necessary response. This is in full compliance with customary diplomatic practices, and is also the right of all sovereign countries in the world," Wang said.

Wang called on China and the US to communicate rationally. China will never allow a small number of anti-China elements to overturn the successful outcome of China-US exchanges and cooperation for decades, nor will China allow any ideological prejudices to undermine the future development of China-US relations.

"We are willing to proceed from the common interests of the peoples of China and the US, and the people of the world, uphold an equal and open attitude, communicate with the US, and strive to maintain the stability of China-US relations," Wang said.

Wang also called on the rest of the world to jointly maintain the unity and cooperation of the international community. "We believe that all countries can make correct and wise judgments, avoid being hijacked by a few political forces in the US, and jointly prevent the world from being dragged into a new cold war of conflict and confrontation, and jointly prevent the process of globalization from being brutally interrupted," Wang said.

Indulging bullying will not guarantee safety, but will make the bully stronger. All countries should act to resist any unilateral and hegemonic acts and maintain world peace and development, Wang noted.

Wang expressed China's full confidence in the future of the world, saying that perverse acts are unpopular and won't last. Peace and cooperation will surely become the choice of the times and the people.

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Online education startup Toppr said on July 29 that it had raised Rs 350 crore in a Series D funding round led by Foundation Holdings, a Dubai-based investor, continuing the funding trend of Ed-tech firms during the pandemic.

Education-focused private equity fund Kaizen, an existing investor in Toppr, also participated in this round.

Online learning firms, including Byju's, Vedantu and Unacademy have cumulatively raised over $700 million in capital this year. These companies have benefited hugely from the coronavirus lockdown, which has led students to use online learning tools more than ever.

Standardising the learning experience

Toppr, which provides classes for K12  students from kindergarten to Class 12  also recently launched coding classes. The startup has over 1.3 crore students registered on its platform and will use the funds to develop the Toppr School Operating System, for schools to provide a standardised in-school and after-school learning experience.

Zishaan Hayath, Founder and CEO, Toppr, said: Toppr has been at the forefront of delivering adaptive learning to our students  and now also to teachers  to ultimately enable a positive future for schools. We are committed to our mission to make learning personalised. The additional funding is a tremendous vote of confidence for this mission. With this investment, we now have the capability and reach to truly revolutionise the K-12 education experience and ensure that no learner is left behind.

CLSA was the banker for the deal.

In a statement, Aakash Sachdev, Managing Director of Foundation Holdings, said: Our ambition is to implement an industry leading model for AI-enabled, blended education delivery by empowering educational institutions and teachers to create a platform of change and impact. Topprs market leading, proprietary machine learning technology is uniquely positioned to provide an integrated, curated, personalised pedagogy platform, mapped to 22 curriculums, designed to take schools to the future.
She's in Italy for a film festival, but Melissa George still found time to go sightseeing around the Veneto region on Wednesday.

The Australian actress, 43, looked cheerful as she went for a stroll around Burano, an island in the Venetian Lagoon, with two male friends.

She arrived on the island via taxi boat and kept a surgical face mask handy to help limit the spread of coronavirus, which has devastated the country in recent months.

When in Italy! Melissa George looked summer chic in a patterned dress while sightseeing with friends in Burano, an island in the Venetian Lagoon, on Wednesday

She completed her look with brown sandals, a bucket hat and a designer handbag.

The Golden Globe nominee, who is known for her roles in Grey's Anatomy and Alias, also indulged in some retail therapy while in Burano.

Melissa visited several stores and was later seen carrying a blue shopping bag.

Something to smile about, Melissa? The Australian actress, 43, looked cheerful as she went for a stroll with two male friends

Safety first! She arrived on the island via taxi boat and kept a surgical face mask handy to help limit the spread of coronavirus, which has devastated the country in recent months

Shopping spree! The Golden Globe nominee, who is known for her roles in Grey's Anatomy and Alias, also indulged in some retail therapy while in Burano

Melissa, who is usually based in Paris, is in the country for the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival.

The sighting comes just 24 hours after she was spotted tenderly touching her tummy as she strolled around Venice on Tuesday.

Melissa shares two children, sons Raphael, six, and Solal, four, with her ex-partner Jean-David Blanc, a French entrepreneur.

New purchase: Melissa visited several stores and was later seen carrying a blue shopping bag

The details: She completed her look with brown sandals, a bucket hat and a designer handbag

She split from Jean-David in 2016 after five years together following an alleged domestic violence incident at their home in Paris.

They were both charged over the incident, and the businessman was ordered to pay Melissa 1,000 in damages, and she to pay him 1.

Due to a custody arrangement, their children can't leave France with their mother without their father's consent, which means she is now based in Paris.

Just stopping by! Melissa, who is usually based in Paris, is in the country for the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival

Holiday vibes: Melissa looked relaxed as she arrived on the island via taxi boat

Time to say goodbye: After a few hours walking through the streets of Burano, Melissa and her friends climbed into a boat to begin the 45-minute trip back to Venice

Notoriously-private Melissa hasn't revealed if she is in a relationship.

Last year, she was romantically linked to Australian model Jarrod Scott, 30, after they were pictured together in Paris.

Woman's Day published photos of Jarrod placing a hand on Melissa's back as the pair took her two children out for a stroll.

Telling clue: The sighting comes just 24 hours after Melissa was spotted tenderly touching her tummy as she strolled around Venice on Tuesday

Motherhood: Melissa shares two children, sons Raphael, six, and Solal, four, with her ex-partner, French entrepreneur Jean-David Blanc (not pictured)

At the time, a source said: 'He's already happily playing dad to her kids, so it's definitely long term.

'She wouldn't have introduced the boys to him otherwise.'

Jarrod later denied rumours they were dating, saying: 'I haven't had a girlfriend in a long time. We do have mutual friends though.'

Single? Notoriously-private Melissa hasn't revealed if she is in a relationship. Last year, she was linked to Australian model Jarrod Scott, 30, but he denied they were more than friends

History: Melissa was previously married to Chilean furniture designer and film director Claudio Dabed (not pictured) from 2000 to 2011

When asked about the photo of them looking cosy in Paris, he added: 'I don't know what happened with that photo that floated around. I am very much single.'

Jarrod's representative confirmed to Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that he is not dating Melissa and that he hasn't been in Europe for months.

Melissa was previously married to Chilean furniture designer and film director Claudio Dabed from 2000 to 2011.
DALLAS, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mountain Health Technologies, an innovative healthcare company revolutionizing the way that young adults receive healthcare, has closed a $1.5 million seed funding round led by Matchstick Ventures. Mountain will use the new capital for market expansion and bringing its service into cities like New York, and Minneapolis. This expansion includes partnering with a wider network of healthcare providers, doctors, and nurse practitioners.

"Mountain has been forward-thinking in its approach to providing millennials with affordable access to healthcare services like sick visits, birth control, STD testing, and more. With this new capital, we can make our $30/month affordable plan available to consumers in cities across the United States," said Mountain CEO Kobby Amoah.

Seeking investments from partners who would bring more than just monetary, Mountain successfully amassed a network of investors with industry-relevant experience. Primary investor, Matchstick Ventures, works with early-stage tech companies looking to grow meaningful businesses.

"Mountain's healthcare plan is exactly what young adults are begging for. A simple and affordable plan that offers the services they actually want and need on a daily basis. We're excited to back this team and their plans to take on this opportunity," said Matchstick Ventures Partner Ryan Broshar.

Other contributing investors include Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, Techstars Ventures, Bread and Butter Ventures, and Route 66 Ventures.

"Health care costs have risen drastically over the last two decades, stalling major life milestones and impacting people's general health," said Craig Schedler, managing director, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures. "By offering essential health care services at a flat monthly fee, Mountain helps people budget for and achieve healthy lives, which aligns with our goal of partnering with startups who are shaping the future of health and wellness."

"We've seen a lot of adoption in Dallas, Texas, and our members love the product. We wanted to work with investors who will provide strategic advice and partnerships to help us scale faster," said Mountain CEO Kobby Amoah.

About Mountain

Based in Dallas, Texas, Mountain Health offers individuals and employers a simpler, more affordable solution to healthcare. With a monthly subscription cost of $30 per person, members have access to comprehensive primary care, including women's healthcare, sexual health, wellness services and much more.

SOURCE Mountain Health Technologies

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Buenos Aires Province legislators Myriam Bregman and Alejandrina Barry of the Socialist Workers Party (PTS) and Gabriel Solano of the Workers Party (PO) voted on June 18 for the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, which is aimed at criminalizing opposition to and criticism of Zionism and Israels oppression of the Palestinian people.

The bill was introduced by Sandra Paris of the right-wing Together for Change (JxC) coalition, led nationally by former president Mauricio Macri. It called for adopting Resolution 114/2020 decreed by the Foreign Relations Ministry under Peronist President Alberto Fernandez, embracing the IHRA definition.

The bill provided a brief excerpt of this definition, which states: Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish and non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

Alberto Fernandez with Benjamin Netanyahu during visit to Israel.

Argentina is the only Latin American member nation of the IHRA, which includes 34 countries, some of them headed by governments that have openly promoted anti-Semitism, such as Poland and Hungary.

The Fernandez government, having adopted the IHRA definition, has sought to gain its acceptance by legislative and judicial bodies in order to give it the force of law.

The source of the bill raised no suspicions among the leading politicians of the PTS and PO, which belong to the so-called Left Workers Front (FIT) electoral alliance.

A quick search online would have produced in Spanish the full IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, which has been the subject of heated controversies in a number of countries. It indicts as anti-Semitic acts, Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavor, and drawing comparison of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.

It states that criticism of Israeli policy is legitimate only so long as it is similar to that leveled against any other country. Given that no other country is pursuing the settlement and annexation of territories conquered in war, while imposing a de facto apartheid policy against Palestinians, who make up nearly half of the total population of Israel and the occupied territories, criticism of these policies is, by this definition, anti-Semitic.

Once news broke of the June 18 vote, there were widespread expressions of outrage on social media, including from FIT supporters. Nine days after the vote, Bregman, Barry and Solano released a statement titled Rectifying a mistake, providing the unconvincing excuse that the bill was introduced and voted on overnight and in-bloc along with almost 100 other issues. They then requested the Buenos Aires legislature to change their records to a No vote.

The legislators explained their initial Yes vote as part of their struggle to the death against anti-Semitism.

This controversy has erupted under conditions of a deep and protracted economic crisis in Argentina that has been sharply exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of the population are living under the official poverty line, and there is widespread hunger. Throughout June and July, COVID-19 deaths and infections have been rising exponentially in the country. Social explosions are on the horizon, and the ruling class knows it.

In January, Fernandez chose to make his first foreign visit as president to Israel, where he held warm talks with the far-right Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He and his predecessor Macri have sought to curry favor with Israel as a means of reassuring Washington and Wall Street that they back US global geopolitical interests.

Since the vote on the IHRA resolution, the FIT and its associates have sought to carry out damage control. However, no statement has addressed the most essential fact evidenced by the vote: that the FIT parties take bourgeois rule as given and attribute to the capitalist state and its main factions in ArgentinaMacrismo and Peronismpotential democratic and progressive tendencies. Only such a stance could make them so susceptible to the pro-Israeli maneuver by the JxC and the Peronists under the pretext of combating anti-Semitism.

The Fernandez administrations resolution cited above paves the way to censoring and potentially prosecuting individuals and organizations that oppose Israels policies. It presents the IHRA definition as a tool to sanction and eliminate behaviors and attitudes based on hostility and prejudice. 

In an ominous development, the Argentine Zionist Organization (OSA) has since employed this resolution to threaten the FIT legislators with legal action for expressing opposition to Israel and Zionism. The OSA equates this to hatred against Jewish people.

The PTS and PO legislators have since held an uncritical, cordial meeting on June 30 with Ambassador Husni Abdel Wahed of the Palestinian Authority, which works as Israels police force to suppress opposition among Palestinian workers and youth in the occupied territories.

While attempting to rectify its vote in Buenos Aires, the FIT only provided further evidence of its nationalist-opportunist approach to politics, which is hostile to the independent mobilization of the working class and genuine Trotskyism.

The IHRA definition has been most infamously employed within the UK Labour Party, which used claims of anti-Semitism to witch-hunt left-leaning members who joined the party in support of Jeremy Corbyns election as Labour leader in 2015.

In 2017, the PTS hailed Corbyn for making gains for Labour in parliamentary elections in June of that year, which caused the Tories to lose their parliamentary majority. They explained in an enthusiastic tone that Labour had adopted a program of limited reforms, but reforms at least. Corbyn tuned in to the spirit of the epoch of anti-austerity and anti-traditional-politics.

The PTS explained in its journal Ideas de Izquierda: the coming to power of these formations, like Syriza demonstrated in Greece, can only lead to new frustrations. But there are no historic fatalisms. In other words, anything could happen; perhaps these parties will not betray the working class. Finally, they called on the revolutionary left to accompany the experience of Corbynism.

The PTS, however, remained silent during the witch-hunt against Corbyns supporters as anti-Semites, which involved the direct intervention of the Israeli state and the connivance of Corbyn himself. This was a result of the Morenoites nationalist outlook, whereby its positions on international events are based entirely on nationalist political calculations. Inevitably, such politics left them entirely unprepared to face the witch-hunting based on claims of anti-Semitism once it arrived in Argentina.

The promotion of illusions that a Labour Party involved in imperialist war crimes in the Iraq war and brutal austerity within Britain could turn into an instrument for workers was only the reflection of their politics at home, based on backing one or another faction of the national bourgeoisie in Argentina. The PO, for its part, called for voting for Syriza, which imposed the austerity measures it claimed to oppose and brutally repressed refugees from across the Middle East.

The parties within FIT speak for upper middle-class elements that, in pursuit of parliamentary, union, academic and other positions with associated social privileges, seek to politically disarm working class opposition against the capitalist system by tying it to nationalism and bourgeois politics. They constitute a faction within the capitalist political establishment and union bureaucracy in Argentina.

The politics of the Morenoites and their coalition partners today repeats the opportunist endeavors of their predecessors, Nahuel Moreno and the PO itself, who worked during the late 1960s and early 1970s to subordinate the working class to the bourgeois Justicialist Party led by Juan Domingo Peron and the Peronist trade union bureaucracy. This happened during the global upsurge of workers struggles that began with the 1968 French General Strike. Their intervention set the stage for the crushing of the Argentine working class and youth by a US-backed fascist military dictatorship installed during the 1976 coup.

Today, amid the deepest crisis of global capitalism since the Great Depression and with an even greater dependence of the Argentine bourgeoisie on global finance capital, the attack against free speech involved in the IHRA scandal is itself a warning that the ruling class will resort to authoritarian methods to protect capitalism. This makes all the more urgent the development of a leadership in the Argentine working class that is firmly based upon an assimilation of the lessons of the long history of struggle of the Fourth International, that is, a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Wednesday relaxed some provisions under its new margin trading norms. This comes after brokers sending five representations to market regulator and finance ministry highlighting the practical difficulties in implementing the new margin trading norms.

Earlier if a trader wished to utilise his shares as margins, only a Power of Attorney (POA) to the broker was required. But from August, he will be required to pledge securities with the broker to use the securities as margin. The new norms were to prevent a Karvy like episode in the future where client securities were misused and pledged with banks to raise funds. In addition, brokers will be required to collect margins upfront before executing delivery of trades.

The Association of National Exchange Members in India (ANMI) had sought an additional two months time to implement the changes in the back offices.

We request Sebi to allow the existing system to run parallel for two months and allow clients to transfer their DP shares to normal and MTF collateral account till such time the back office systems are in place for the benefit of the clients," said ANMI.

Sebi considering the representation allowed the existing system and new system to run parallel for one month till the end of August.

"In view of the prevailing situation due to Coivid-19 pandemic, partial lockdowns in various areas of the country, representations received from the stock brokers and stock broker associations and that the changes to the systems and software development still under progress. It has been decided that the system of parallel acceptance of the client securities by way of title transfer shall be available only upto 31 August 2020," said Sebi in the circular.

However the regulator did not agree with other ANMI requests where they had sought that market regulator does away with explicit pledge request by client for funded stocks. According to the brokers this did not mitigate the risks taken by brokers, if clients refuse or delay the pledge.

The new pledge guidelines require that margin funded stock first be delivered to the client's account after which the client shall pledge the same through explicit instruction.

What if the client refuses or delays to provide pledge the funded shares? What happens to the risk taken the broker? How does the broker protect his interest here? How do we assess the credibility of clients, when we dont even have access to credit scoring systems that are available to other lenders?" ANMI had said in a representation on Wednesday.

The new margins regime, which will be tightened further in December and is expected to push margins higher and in-turn impact trading volumes.

The higher margins will address two major concerns for the regulator  speculative trades and high volatility. Higher upfront margin will also reduce the risk of defaults.

The brokers body further added that this can lead to saddling the brokers with unnecessary risks that they cannot take.

When a broker has partly provided fund to the stock with his own capital, the requirement that the broker deliver this stock to client DP (depository account) and expect client to explicitly mark pledge for funded stocks is fraught with considerable risk that brokers can ill afford to take," it said.

In the new system, according to ANMI margin-traders will need to put down 20% of the trade value before they execute a trade and the broker could be punished if there is a shortfall or false reporting in terms of margins.

If traders cannot find the cash (or pledge securities) upfront, this could lead to significant reduction of volumes in the cash market, ANMI had said in earlier representations.

The market regulator in informal communications have allowed brokers to sell the client stock the next day to recover his funded portion.

ANMI is terming this as a contradictory to Sebis other guidelines.

There will be no pre-order confirmation from client, there will be no voice recording for such sales, the stock would be moved out of client DP using POA (power of attorney) without the explicit instruction of client which is akin to abuse of the POA which Sebi is very much trying to prevent," said ANMI.

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Researchers say they have found a new buffer flow vulnerability during the booting process that could affect potentially billions of Linux and Windows-based devices.

The flaw impacts devices and operating systems that use signed versions of the open-source GRUB2 bootloader software used in most Linux systems. It also affects any system or device using Secure Boot  a root firmware interface responsible for validating the booting process -- with Microsoft's standard third party certificate authority.

Together, researchers at Eclypsium say the flaw leaves "the majority of laptops, desktops, servers and workstations" as well as network appliances and a large number of Linux-based Operational Technology and Internet of Things systems vulnerable to arbitrary code execution during the booting process. A successful exploitation would give an attacker "virtually unlimited control" over a victim's device, according to the report.

"If this process is compromised, attackers can control how the operating system is loaded and subvert all higher-layer security controls," the researchers write.

There are notable limitations. In order to exploit the bug, an attacker would need to have elevated administrative privileges. That kind of access means that hackers would already be capable of doing substantial damage. But, Eclypsium researchers told FCW that bypassing the boot process could provide attackers with persistent, stealthy root-level access without having to rely on temporary credentials or access privileges. They believe the flaw is versatile enough that it provides lower-level hacking groups with the ability to stage and carry out large-scale attacks like ransomware, while also allowing more sophisticated threat groups to mask their activity on victim networks and muddy the waters around attribution.

The vulnerability itself is relatively simple, but it's so widely dispersed among systems and devices that it will require a complex, multi-step mitigation process among different stakeholders that could take years. The flaw affects open source software that is used in potentially billions of Linux and Windows devices across government, private industry and critical infrastructure. Eclypsium said it had to pull in at least 20 different organizations and 70 individuals to work on mitigation when it kicked off the initial coordinated vulnerability disclosure process in April.

"I'd say that if you care about Secure Boot in your threat model, you should care about this issue," said Mickey Shkatov, a principal researcher at Eclypsium.

While the disclosure comes with an update to GRUB2, it won't be a simple patch job, and switching in the newer version will almost certainly come with a number of collateral interoperability problems. Linux distributors and other vendors will need to update their installers, bootloaders and other applications. New makeshift 'shim' applications will need to be signed by Microsoft's third-party certificate authority, and IT administrators will need to update operating systems in the field as well as installer images.

The most difficult part is expected to be when organizations attempt to revoke vulnerable versions of the bootloader. When Microsoft attempted to patch a similar problem earlier this year, they had to remove the update from their servers after multiple vendors reported unexpected errors, including bricked devices. Eclypsium researchers said that is also likely to happen in this instance unless administrators individually test and update the firmware of each affected system.

"Automating the push of this revocation is very risky and is not going to be done for this release," said John Loucaides, the firm's vice president for research and development. "Later on that may happen, but that's going to be after a thorough testing of all these specific systems."

While working out the kinks in the revocation process will take substantial testing, in the meantime the report recommends that IT managers begin monitoring their bootloaders and firmware for vulnerable or abnormally configured versions of GRUB2. Because the security of the boot process is often taken for granted, shoring up surveillance in that area can help many organizations narrow the list of devices that need immediate attention.

"You can see how this is going to be sort of a big ask. Some organizations might do it, a lot of organizations may give up," said Loucaides. "That monitoring should buy you time for this revocation to become more reasonable to deploy to at least more of your systems" at once.
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
Three Georgia inmates have been credited with saving the life of their guard who suffered a heart attack outside their cell doors.

Mitchell Smalls, Terry Loveless and Walter Whitehead all rushed to Deputy Warren Hobbs' aid when he fell unconscious at his desk in Gwinnett County Jail.

Smalls first alerted the rest of the inmates to the emergency by banging on his door. Loveless and Whitehead then rushed to Hobbs' side after the deputy managed to unlock their cell door.

Records show Smalls is being held over battery and drug charges; Whitehead and Loveless on drugs charges.

Whitehead said: 'It scared me. I dont care if its a police officer or whoever it was.

'I will do whatever I can to save a man. I dont want anyone to die.'

Mitchell Smalls, right, Terry Loveless, left, and Walter Whitehead, center, all rushed to Deputy Warren Hobbs' aid when he fell unconscious at his desk in Gwinnett County Jail

Deputy Warren Hobbs suffered a cardiac incident at his desk outside the cell doors

Footage shows as Smalls raises the alarm after spotting Hobbs was in trouble by banging on his cell door. Fellow inmates then join in to make as much noise as possible in a call for help.

That noise seems to pull Hobbs conscious again and he managed to unlock the cell of Loveless and Whitehead who are seen running from their room to help the deputy. They then called for help using a phone and Hobbs' radio.

Smalls told Fox5: 'I started hollering and screaming and banging on the door to try to alert everybody to wake up.'

Deputy Hobbs, who is recovering at home, says he can only remember a sound like drums and hearing people shouting his name. He cracked his head open in the fall.

The sheriffs office wrote on Facebook: 'The inmates whose rooms were close enough to see what was happening began pounding on their doors.

'Soon the entire unit was thundering with noise as many inmates pounded on the doors shouting for our deputy who lay unconscious and heavily bleeding on the floor.

'Our deputy later stated that while he did not realize he'd been unconscious, he became aware of what sounded like pounding drums and could hear inmates shouting his name over and over.

'He immediately thought an inmate needed help and somehow managed to rise to his feet and press the control panel to open cell doors.'

The trio have been credited with saving Hobbs' life after Smalls first alerted the rest of the inmates to the emergency by banging on his door

That noise seems to pull Hobbs conscious again and he managed to unlock the cell of Loveless and Whitehead who are seen running from their room to help the deputy

The two men then called for help using a phone and Hobbs' radio

Inmate Loveless added: 'He grabbed a hold of his desk and he was pulling himself up like this.

'It was sad because it didnt look good at all but the man had fight in him to get up.

'As he came up I can make eye contact with him Im like deputy Hobbs, Deputy Hobbs, please.'

Gwinnett Sheriffs Office tweeted a picture of the three men

The incident happened at Gwinnett County Jail, pictured

Gwinnett Sheriffs Office tweeted a picture of the three men, writing: 'Kudos to these inmates for coming to the aid of our deputy when he suffered a cardiac emergency in a jail housing unit.

'We thank them for their timely assistance and the lesson their actions provide. It's not the uniform that makes a hero. It's the person wearing it.'

They added in a statement: 'Many people have strong opinions about law enforcement officers and criminals but this incident clearly illustrates the potential goodness found in both.'
We are very pleased that Austin Monthly Magazine named nine of our Austin attorneys among their Top Lawyers. The recognition is well-deserved and speaks to the excellent work and client service they put forth in their practice, said Thomas J. Bond.

Austin Monthly Magazine recognized nine attorneys from the Austin office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP in their 2020 issue of Top Attorneys in Austin. Honorees are selected by the publication through an online peer-voting process.

We are very pleased that Austin Monthly Magazine named nine of our Austin attorneys among their Top Lawyers. The recognition is well-deserved and speaks to the excellent work and client service they put forth in their practice, said Thomas J. Bond, Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurigs Austin office. Congratulations to all those who are recognized.

Attorneys named Top Attorneys include:



Elizabeth Heidi G. Bloch, Appellate

Gregory J. Casas, Litigation

Sandra D. Gonzalez, White Collar Defense & Special Investigations

Elizabeth Ross Hadley, Government Law & Policy

Kendyl T. Hanks, Appellate

Cara Mittleman Kelly, Litigation

Karen M. Kennard, Government Law & Policy

Attorneys named Rising Stars include:

Nicole Leonard Cordoba, Appellate

Emily Willis Collins, Litigation

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP  Texas: Texas is important to Greenberg Traurig, LLP and part of its history. With more than 130 Texas lawyers in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Greenberg Traurig, LLP has deep roots in the Texas business, legal, and governmental communities. Greenberg Traurig Texas works with clients to address their interdisciplinary legal needs across the state utilizing the firms global platform. The Texas attorneys are experienced in industries key to the states future, including: aviation, chemicals, construction, education, energy and natural resources, financial institutions, health care, hedge funds, hospitality, infrastructure, insurance, media, medical devices, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, real estate, retail, sports, technology and software, telecommunications, transportation, and video games and esports.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has 2200 lawyers in 41 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
New Delhi, July 29 : After Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati attacked the Congress for subsuming the BSP legislators in Rajasthan and said she was waiting for the right time to teach Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot a lesson, the Congress, here on Wednesday, hit back saying she was playing into the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to IANS, senior Congress leader P.L. Punia said, "Mayawati is playing the BJP game to save herself and her brother from the corruption cases against them." The BSP issued a whip to "its MLAs" to vote against the Gehlot government, but they had formally merged their group with the Congress, he said.

He said Mayawati was rattled as Dalits in Uttar Pradesh had lost faith in the BSP and were shifting towards the Congress as the party was raising the issue of Dalits and poor. The Congress had taken on other opposition parties in UP and was trying to position itself as the main opponent in the state, he added.

The party has pitched Punia and the state party president to attract Dalits and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) into the party-fold. Former Union Minister Jitin Prasada is wooing Brahmins through an organisation.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi also criticised the BSP leader and called her unannounced spokesperson of the BJP without taking her name.

Vishwanath Chaturvedi, another Congress leader, said the BSP had become a frontal organisation of the BJP and Mayawati was inclining towards the BJP again. In the past too, she had allied with the BJP, he added.

Mayawati's relations with the Congress soured after six BSP legislators merged their group the Congress in September 2019 and also supported it during the recent Rajya Sabha polls.

The Rajasthan Speaker had on September 18, 2019 declared complete the BSP legislators merger with the Congress.

Madanlal Dilawar, a BJP legislator, has also petitioned the high court on the issue. Dilawar in his plea has challenged the Rajasthan Speaker's July 24 decision to dismiss his plea, demanding disqualification of BSP legislators under the anti-defection law.
A recommendation has been made to the Jacksonville District 117 school board to move forward with giving parents options about how their children will start the school year.

During a meeting Tuesday, the board discussed moving to a complete e-learning model to start the school year, but Superintendent Steve Ptacek recommended the district offer both in-person and remote-learning options.

Yes, keeping kids at home is obviously the safest answer when discussing the pandemic. While I do not know if there are any real hazards to having our students attend a school that follows the guidelines established by the medical experts, I absolutely know that if I make the recommendation to send all of our kids home, I am making a recommendation in which I fully know that our students will face damage to their cognitive development, their emotional development and their social development, he said.

Many school districts have moved to remote learning to start the school year because of concerns over the health of teachers and students amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ptacek said the district will follow health guidelines from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois School Board of Education as well as local health organizations for all procedures within the school and will move to a full remote-learning model if mandated by the state.

The districts plans to return to school have been released, but not formally approved by the board. That is expected to take place next week.

 Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree
Twenty-year Navy veteran Marianne Bustin says she was retaliated against for trying to change the sexist culture at the Pennsylvania Air National Guard station in Horsham. Read more

Marianne Bustin thought shed found her dream job.

It was the spring of 2016, and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard had announced that it was hiring a sexual assault response coordinator at its Horsham base.

The base is near Bustins home in Jenkintown, and she was more than qualified. She served in the Navy for more than 20 years, and had recently been commended for her work handling sexual assault cases for the Coast Guard in Cape May.

I thought it would be a great place to work, Bustin said of the job, a federally mandated position.

But Bustin, 56, who grew up in Philadelphias Kensington section, said she soon discovered that working with the commanders in the 111th Attack Wing was like going back to an era where Top Gun-style chauvinism is encouraged, sexual harassment and discrimination are rampant, and #MeToo has never happened.

Few women on the air base have spoken out  until now.

In interviews with The Inquirer, Bustin and others describe a frat-boy atmosphere where rape jokes are tolerated, beer steins in the bases bar feature images of naked women, and a high-ranking pilots call sign was a reference to the act of a man ejaculating inside a woman.

When Bustin started, a colonel on the base nicknamed her the Maytag repairman, reflecting his belief that her job was unnecessary, she said. Officers ignored her or refused to participate in mandatory programs designed to address sexual misconduct.

They made a mockery of me and my program, Bustin said, from the day I arrived.

Last month, Bustin was terminated, following what she says was a two-year-long campaign of retaliation by Air Guard leaders who rejected her attempts to professionalize the organization and clean up a toxic, fighter-pilot culture on the Horsham base. Her credentials were also revoked, limiting her ability to work in her field in the private sector or on another base.

Interviews with seven other current and former employees support Bustins claims, and more. But those who speak out publicly say they could face career-ending retribution.

Bustin and others place blame on the bases top officer, Col. William Griffin, who this month was accused of fostering a vindictive culture of unprofessional retaliation, according to a congressional memo written by a fellow commander on the base.

Bustin has retained an attorney in Washington and is appealing her termination to the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. She says shes blowing the whistle on what she calls intolerable working conditions for women on the base.

There is an abuse of power and control there, Bustin said. Its a few of these leaders against everyone else. You either comply and youre in, or you dont and youre out. Theyll come after you and close ranks, and youre done.

The allegations made by Bustin and other women on the Horsham base can also be found throughout the armed forces, where sexual assault and harassment remais widespread. Reports of sexual assault in the military continued to increase over the last year, according to a Pentagon report released in April.

 READ MORE: Memorial honors slain Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen as family seeks congressional investigation

The problem drew fresh scrutiny this summer following the death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood, Texas. Her remains were discovered last month. Authorities say a male soldier beat her to death with a hammer, then disposed of her body. Guillen had told her family that she was being sexually harassed but believed she couldnt report it without facing retribution. Under the hashtag #IamVanessaGuillen, other service members have shared stories of sexual misconduct and rape.

On National Guard bases, changing the male-dominated culture can be particularly difficult, because, unlike active-duty bases, guardsmen often climb the ranks and work alongside each other for years or decades rather than moving from one base to another.

I think the Guard is even worse than active duty, said Ellen Haring, a retired Army colonel and research fellow at the Service Womens Action Network. They become friends, and they often network and help each other with jobs. Women who get crosswise with them are in trouble.

Sexual misconduct scandals have recently been reported within the National Guard in Florida, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Minnesota.

Haring said Bustins case, however, is rare because it involves alleged retaliation not against a victim of sexual assault, but against a woman tasked by the federal government with responding to their cases.

 READ MORE: Florida Guard leader promises action on sexual misconduct scandal

Nonstop retaliation

Formerly the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, the Horsham Air Guard Station is home to the 111th Attack Wing, the control center for the heavily armed MQ-9 Reaper drones that conduct battlefield surveillance and can deliver air strikes thousands of miles away.

Horror stories abound among the women who work there: Vulgar sexual harassment. Discrimination on a near-daily basis. Suicidal thoughts.

Most say they cannot be identified by name criticizing their superiors, concerned that it could harm their military careers and even off the base.

We were never going to be successful there, one who worked at the base told The Inquirer, referring to her female colleagues. Two of them, she said, told her they had considered taking their own lives in recent months.

A former victim advocate on the base told The Inquirer that when she began working there, she was advised by older enlisted women to never wear leggings or tight fitting clothing and to leave and slip away any time guardsmen started drinking. Still, she said, she faced harassment on so many different occasions.

I wasnt able to do my job because Marianne wasnt able to do her job, because of Col. Griffin, she said. They were very dismissive. Their attitude about the sexual assault program was, We dont need it because it doesnt happen here. 

Griffin, the wing commander, did not respond to requests for comment from The Inquirer over a period of three weeks.

The former victim advocate and other women said the low assault numbers on the base are likely attributable to women believing that they cannot file a report, out of fear that it would be handled internally and result in retaliation against the victim, not punishment for the perpetrator.

It was like the Wild West, the former victim advocate said, recalling one incident in which a woman told her of a clear case of sexual assault but did not report it because her life would have been ruined.

Rachel Mitchell, a technical sergeant at Horsham, recalled a holiday party in 2017 when she introduced her boyfriend to a lieutenant colonel whose last name is Commins. He said to refer to him by his call sign, Sider.

Mitchells boyfriend was confused, she said, thinking it was a reference to cider. Then, she said, a major chimed in to explain that it referred to a sex act when the two words were combined.

My boyfriend was absolutely disgusted, Mitchell said.

Mitchell, 44, a former intelligence analyst and White House translator, said she brought up the problem of sexually explicit pilot call signs to her supervisors, but was rebuffed.

It literally was downhill since I joined, said Mitchell, a former victim advocate in the Navy. Its just never-ending nonsense and bulls on that base. Nonstop retaliation and making the women out to be these Jezebels if they speak up.

During Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April 2017, a guardsman defaced a poster highlighting the prevalence of rape in the United States, drawing a big smiley face on it. A senior officer on the base then hung it in his office. (Hed later tell an investigator that was to determine if he could recognize the handwriting.)

When the #MeToo movement swept across the country later in 2017, unit commanders on the base took the attitude that sexual harassment and assault doesnt happen here, Mitchell said.

In 2018, Bustin was holding a Green Dot training session, aimed at preventing violence, sexual assault and suicide. Bustin asked the airmen what they would do if they saw someone drugging a womans unattended drink.

They were like, Rape her, and people started laughing, said a technical sergeant who was at the training session. She asked to remain anonymous because she still works there. Another person yelled out, Give her more drugs, she said.

The men were not chastised by their supervisor, who she said later made comments that were dismissive of rape allegations.

I wanted to punch him, the sergeant said.

She said Bustin was good at her job, but was repeatedly sidelined by officers on the base, particularly Griffin: When I first met Marianne, she was so excited to bring this program to the base. But I could see over the years how that faded. Everything she wanted to do, [Griffin] wasnt on board with.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania National Guard in a statement to The Inquirer this week said in part: Effectively responding to reports of harassment and discrimination is critical to the health, morale and welfare of our Guard members and civilian employees, and it is essential to the National Guards readiness. The 111th Attack Wings leadership promotes Zero Tolerance regarding sexual misconduct of any type.

In addition to sexual harassment, women who have worked at the Horsham base say theyve faced frequent gender discrimination. Going up the chain of command or to the National Guards inspector general typically provides no recourse, said one woman whose complaints were dismissed.

Ive been to other bases, and it wasnt like this, said a former technical sergeant, who asked that her name not be printed because she is seeking another position in the military. On our base, there is a very distinct good ol boys network, and if youre not in that club, you got to get out.

She said one of her friends on the base reported that she had been sexually assaulted years ago, before Griffin became the wing commander and before Bustin arrived. She said the friend then faced reprisal and ultimately moved across the country. The perpetrator received minimal punishment, she said.

They pretend were all family, the sergeant said, and that theres nothing wrong.

They just went after her

In Bustins case, when she went over Griffins head and continued to press the National Guard to comply with mandatory sexual-assault prevention policies, she said, leaders on the Horsham base orchestrated a retaliation campaign against her, focusing on a 2018 incident in which she was accused of eavesdropping on the base chaplain.

Bustin said that it was a misunderstanding and that she was checking to see if anyone was in the chaplains office because she needed help carrying heavy items from an event into her nearby office. Her supervisors took no action against her at the time.

It only resurfaced, she said, once Griffin wanted her gone.

They just went after her, and latched on to this ridiculous incident from two years ago, said Bustins attorney, Debra DAgostino, who is handling her federal appeal. It doesnt pass the smell test.

Bustin said Griffin later moved her to a mostly empty building, then during the investigation into her alleged misconduct used that against her, arguing that the troops did not know where she was located. The old eavesdropping charge stuck. She offered to take a lie-detector test and was denied.

She lost her certification to work as a sexual-assault response coordinator and was terminated on June 5.

I was retaliated against for trying to do my job well, Bustin said.

Shes now waiting on her appeal decision from the Merit Systems Protection Board. She said she recently received a call from the Department of Defense Inspector Generals Office, which is reviewing her case.

Haring, of the Service Womens Action Network, said the U.S. military has largely failed to address sexual misconduct within its ranks, 15 years after the Defense Department created the sexual assault response coordinator position.

Plenty of people still dont trust the leadership in the system to file a report, Haring said, adding that sexual harassment is a continuum that builds to assault.

I think that there is an extreme good ol boys club on Guard bases and in National Guard units, she said.

Complaints about retaliation at the Horsham Air Guard Station have recently made their way to Congress.

 READ MORE: Mothers say Air Force stumbled amid child sex assault reports: How is this OK?

In a memo obtained by The Inquirer, Lt. Col. Oliver Barfield, former commander of the bases largest unit, wrote to U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan: Col. Griffins actions as the wing commander promote a vindictive culture of unprofessional retaliation against those who speak out where the ends always justify the means.

Barfields memo, dated July 17, does not deal with sexual harassment. But he wrote that he personally faced retaliation from Griffin for filing a report with the inspector general about a technical issue, a units organizational alignment.

My sole intent (and professional obligation) is to document the retaliatory behavior from Col. Griffin that I personally experienced during my four years in command, Barfield wrote to Houlahan, an Air Force veteran. If I were to remain silent, I would be complicit  I also find the systemic lack of Senior Leader accountability within the Pennsylvania Air National Guard chain-of-command (and the inspector general) disconcerting and worthy of inclusion.

Barfield recently left the base and could not be reached for comment. Houlahans office on Tuesday did not have any comment on the memo.

I have worn the uniform for over 21 years at seven other permanent duty stations and during four combat deployments, Barfield wrote. I have never experienced anything close to this.
Fascism comes in initially because there are problems, and then X leader takes advantage of it to make divisions worse, saying its the fault of our neighbors or a group of refugees or any number of different aspects. The part thats interesting is both Mussolini and Hitler came to power constitutionally. And some of the leaders of the countries that are going through this now were also elected.

How do we restore faith in democratic institutions?

I think it is going to be hard work. We are in one of the most crucial periods that Ive ever seen  and Im old and Ive seen a lot of very serious problems, like World War II and communism taking over. I dont think were going to go back to something. We need to develop a system that is able to deal with the fact that theres been a breakdown in the social contract. People gave up a lot of individual rights in the 18th and 19th centuries in order to have a relationship with a government that is supposed to provide services and listen to what they have to say. That contract has been stressed.

But some people might see something like a lockdown or contact tracing, even within the context of the coronavirus, as quite undemocratic.

There does have to be some centralized aspect. People are very nervous because of their privacy, and some people dont want to be told what to do. I do think that we have to be very careful. There needs to be some international way of trying to figure out the rules. What are the rules for the use of information? Where does privacy come in? This requires having conversations where people trust each other, instead of thinking that theyre on opposite sides.

What needs to happen to build a better world, post-Covid?

We need a recognition that things are different, that we are dealing with problems that require international cooperation.

I would make sure we talk to people with whom we disagree and try to understand where theyre coming from, not just tolerate them, but figure out what is motivating them.

If you were able to assemble an Avengers-style dream team to come in and fix the world right now, who would be on that team?

Well, it certainly would be a female team. Without naming names, I would really try to look for women who are in office, both in the executive and legislative branch. I would try to have a female C.E.O., but also somebody who heads up a nongovernmental organization. You dont want everybody thats exactly the same. Oh, and Im about to do a program for the National Democratic Institute with Angelina Jolie, and she made the most amazing movie about what was going on in Bosnia, so I would want her on my team.
Farah Damji, 53, was jailed for five years in 2016 for stalking a church warden after meeting him on an online dating site

A convicted stalker once dubbed 'London's most dangerous woman' is on the run in Ireland after she was jailed in her absence for breaching an order.

Farah Damji, 53, also known as Farah Dan, was jailed for five years in 2016 for stalking a church warden after meeting him on an online dating site.

Damji, daughter of multi-millionaire property tycoon Amir Damji, had made her victim's life 'complete hell' after he spurned her sexual advances.

While languishing in her prison cell Damji raised 5,000 asking for donations on Twitter to hire a top QC to appeal the conviction in November 2016.

The socialite stalker also published 'character assassinations' online of individuals she was prohibited from referencing under the terms of her restraining order.

She then penned a letter to a government body accusing the investigating officer from the case of 'stalking and harassing her', Southwark Crown Court heard.

Damji had complained that a police officer - one of many names she is forbidden from mentioning - had 'scared' her elderly mother by contacting her without permission in a message sent to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.

A European Arrest Warrant has since been issued to extradite Damji after she fled to Ireland

Damji, who ran an art gallery in Manhattan in the 1990s, was convicted in February of two counts of breaching the restraining order in April and June 2018.

But she had absconded during the trial and she was jailed for 27 months in March after Judge Michael Gledhill said: 'She has made herself absolutely scarce so that the police cannot find her.

'In my view this defendant is extremely manipulative.

'She has done her best to disrupt the smooth running of these proceedings from the moment she arrived at this court.

'She is playing the system and she continues to play the system, in my view.'

A European Arrest Warrant has since been issued to extradite Damji after it emerged she had fled to Ireland.

She recently fired off a series of tweets making clear she would no longer 'submit to the English and Welsh criminal justice system,' the court heard.

The judge said he is moving to Oxford Crown Court but wanted to make sure that Damji was sent to him personally to deal with once she was tracked down.

Judge Gledhill said: 'The reason I called this on is that I move from this court to Oxford, starting work at Oxford on 1 September, and I wanted to find out what is happening with Damji and to ensure that when she is arrested she is brought to Oxford for me to deal with breach of bail.

'There's been some Twitter activity but apart from that nothing. At the moment I am without instructions as to what inquiries have been made.

'What I'm told is that she left the jurisdiction and has gone to what used to be called Eire.

'I know that one of her tweets made it quite clear that she was not going to submit any further to the English and Welsh criminal justice system.

'I'm also told that an application has been put in place for a European Arrest warrant, but that has been submitted by the police presumably to the CPS and the last I heard was that it was sitting patiently on somebody's desk at the CPS and I wanted to know why it was sitting there, why it's not been pursued and therefore why she's not been arrested.'

The judge adjourned the case until tomorrow for inquiries to be made into the issuing of the warrant and said that Damji would be sent straight to jail once she was found.

Judge Gledhill added: 'As and when Damji is arrested she must be brought to Oxford for me to deal with and if she's arrested in August I shall ask the judge dealing with her at this court to adjourn the breach of bail proceedings until she is taken to Oxford, because she will taken to prison as soon as she's arrested to serve her sentence.'

Damji, of no fixed address, denied but was convicted of two counts of breaching a restraining order following her latest trial.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised an economic agenda to combat long-standing racial inequalities as he draws another sharp contrast with President Donald Trump.

Mr Biden said the Republican president was exacerbating social discord across the country, including by sending federal authorities into major cities under the pretence of addressing crime.

And he said Mr Trump had little interest in addressing the racism Mr Biden said had been laid bare by Covid-19  which disproportionately claims people of colour  or in grappling with police violence against black men in an election-year.

He cant turn the economy around. Hes determined to stoke division and chaos, Mr Biden said, speaking in a community centre gymnasium in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

Its not good for the country, but Donald Trump doesnt care. His campaign is failing and hes looking for a lifeline.

Mr Biden met with reportes in a school gymnasium in his hometown (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Mr Biden countered with a litany of proposals to steer federal money and tax credits to small business and economic development programs for minority-owned firms and disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

He also said hed encourage home ownership to help close wealth gaps among minority communities and push the nations banking system, including the Federal Reserve, to more directly address economic inequality.

Many of his proposals  and the billions in federal spending needed to pay for it  had already been promised as part of previous, larger Biden plans to jump-start the economy when the coronavirus outbreak begins to recede.

But as protests against institutional racism and police brutality have swept the country in recent months, Mr Biden is attempting to show voters he is committed to implementing specific remedies that can promote racial and economic equality should he win the White House in November.

Mr Biden accused President Donald Trump of stoking division and chaos in the US ahead of the election (Evan Vucci/AP)

Mr Bidens speech and his subsequent question-and-answer session with reporters  just his third extended news conference in four months  came as he nears a decision on a running mate. He came prepared to talk about at least one of the top contenders: California senator Kamala Harris.

Story continues

An Associated Press photographer captured Mr Bidens handwritten notes with talking points on several issues. Topping the list was Ms Harris.

A recent Politico story alleged Mr Bidens longtime friend and vetting committee leader Chris Dodd, a former Democratic senator like Mr Biden, had raised concerns about Ms Harris attacking Mr Biden last summer on the debate stage and showing no remorse in conversations with Mr Bidens campaign.

Kamala Harris could become Mr Bidens running mate (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)



On Mr Bidens notepad, hed written below Ms Harris name: Do not hold grudges and Great respect for her.

Mr Biden did not field a question specifically about Ms Harris. But he has praised her extensively, and has confirmed in recent weeks his short list for vice president includes several women of colour.

His decision is expected to have unusual importance given his age, 77, and the fact he is a white man leading a diverse party.

Recent polls have shown Mr Biden leading Mr Trump nationally and in many competitive states that determine the electoral college outcome.

But Mr Bidens aides are keenly aware Hillary Clinton lost key battleground states four years ago in part because of a drop in turn-out among non-white voters from what President Barack Obama drew in 2012.

Mr Bidens notes, including reminders about Ms Harris (Andrew Harnik/AP)

As part of his attacks on Mr Trumps approach to race, Mr Biden blasted the president for ordering federal authorities to intervene against protesters in places like Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, while small businesses around the country continued to struggle or shut down because of the coronavirus.

The president, Mr Biden said, was trying to distract and scare voters.

He said most demonstrators were peaceful protesters who did not require a response from the federal government.

Arsonists and anarchists should be prosecuted, Biden said, and local law enforcement can do that.

Still, Mr Biden said: This election is not just about voting against Donald Trump. Its about rising to this moment of crisis, understanding peoples struggle and building a future worthy of their courage and ambition to overcome.
They've been on cloud nine ever since they announced she expecting a baby girl with her partner of just over one year.

And Gianluca Vacchi and his pregnant girlfriend Sharon Fonseca put on an animated display as they danced for a video shared via Instagram during their trip to Sardinia on Wednesday

The model, 25, looked radiant as she showed off her blossoming baby bump in an orange bikini, as she and the Italian playboy, 52, showed off their dance skills.

Amusing: Italian playboy Gianluca Vacchi, 52, and his pregnant girlfriend Sharon Fonseca, 25, performed a synchronised dance during their Sardinia getaway on Wednesday

In the amusing video, the happy couple stood in front of a pool standing toe-to-toe with one another, before waving their arms around to Run D.M.C's It's Tricky.

Gianluca and Sharon rotated their arms at a steadily faster pace while smiling at each other, as their pet pooch lounged by their feet.

The millionaire looked stylish for their sun-soaked outing as he donned a pair of blue swimming trunks that had a white diamond print.

Expecting: The model looked radiant as she showed off her blossoming baby bump in an orange bikini, as she and the Italian playboy showed off their dance skills

Enjoying themselves: In the amusing video, the happy couple stood in front of a pool standing toe-to-toe with one another, before waving their arms around to Run D.M.C's It's Tricky

Dance off: Gianluca and Sharon rotated their arms at a steadily faster pace while smiling at each other, as their pet pooch lounged by their feet

Last month, Gianluca said his 27-year age gap with Sharon doesn't 'concern' him in a candid interview.

The businessman insisted he has the energy of a 15-year-old boy and revealed Sharon made him 'suffer' at the start of their relationship to win him over.

The pair spoke from their lavish mansion in Bologna which boasts three swimming pools and 38 acres of land, after returning from their penthouse in Miami.

Asked about whether their age difference is an issue to them, Gianluca told HELLO! magazine: 'Not at all, if it doesn't bother her. Even though I have this white beard, my enthusiasm is that of a boy of 15.'

Best moves: The happy couple often perform fun dance videos for their followers

The brunette beauty echoed his comments: 'Gian is an open book, a man from whom I can learn something different every day. And then there's his spirit and energy [like a 15-year-old's].'

The couple met two years ago on the set of one of his music videos and the millionaire admitted he was struck by the 'incredibly sexy' Sharon.

Although the hunk revealed that she played hard to get at the start of their relationship, he joked: 'She made me suffer a lot, that's for sure. I thought that same night she would fall into my net, but I was wrong!'
Planners in Offaly County Council cleared the way for the construction of a 40 million meat processing plant near Banagher.

The local authority made the decision earlier this week to approve the application for the factory, which the applicants say will create 150 jobs once up and running and another 250 posts during construction.

Banagher Chilling Ltd is proposing the construction of a food processing factory of 4,925 metres and a single story extension to an abattoir, to include processing rooms along with a new site entrance spanning 50 acres on a site located 3.5km to the southeast of Banagher, at Boheradurrow and Meenwaun.

A decision was due in March on this planning application after the applicants supplied 25 points of further information, requested by the local authority back in August 2019. However, a final verdict was stalled on March 6 when the clarification was sought on the further information.

Fianna Fail TD for Laois-Offaly Barry Cowen has welcomed the decision by Offaly County Council to grant planning permission for a meat processing plant at Banagher. However, the Offaly TD warned that a decision from the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to reject applications from investors involved in the project at Banagher will put the project in jeopardy.

Deputy Cowen commented: The decision by Offaly County Council to grant planning is a positive one. This is a 40m project which will provide West Offaly with 250 construction jobs and a further 150 jobs in the operation of the plant. The meat processing plant offers a unique and welcome opportunity to create jobs. People do not need to be reminded of the devastating impact of job losses in the region from Bord Na Mona and the ESB plants recently.

Speaking last night (Tuesday, July 28) , Deputy Cowen stated: In the last 12/18 months, I worked with investors led by Hong Kong National and Investment Company to identify a site and to progress a planning application for a meat processing plant at Banagher. From a planning perspective, the location of Banagher Chilling on a site previously used as an abattoir in addition to strict assessment by planning department of Offaly County Council, who granted planning offers a unique and welcome opportunity to create jobs in Offaly, provide direct access/route to markets in Asia and increase competition in the beef industry raising the potential to improve price for producers, thus helping to boost incomes for farm families.

Commenting on Tuesday night, Deputy Cowen continued: The meat processing plant will open up opportunities to the Asian market for Irish beef farmers, thus helping boost incomes for farm families. Some of the investors in this project made applications under the Immigrant Investor Programmes (IIP) open to applicants that invest over 1m. To my utter dismay and disbelief an evaluation committee which assesses these applications, made up of senior officials from government Departments and State Agencies has rejected the applications. They conclude the project would appear not appropriate for project approval. The committee further concluded, 'the project doesn't align with Government policy in relation to the beef processing industry, having regard to the fact that it's not currently policy to pursue the development of additional plants where there's no established deficit in capacity'.

Continuing, the Laois/Offaly TD stated: I might only have been Minister for Agriculture for 17 days but you'd hardly need a green cert to recognise that this conclusion in no way reflects Irish farming sectors understanding of Government's policy, which has for over ten years sought to open Asian markets, which this plant and project will exclusively supply.

Beef and suckler farmers crave new markets. The government policy for the past ten years has sought to open Asian markets which this project will exclusively supply.

The Local Authority, the support of the community, assistance from the Department of Agriculture, Bord Bia, and others have backed this project. Yet, a nameless committee deciding on an IIP application has brought the entire project into doubt. This decision needs to be reconsidered and their decision process outlined in full, concluded Deputy Cowen.
India on Wednesday received its first batch of new combat-proven fighter aircraft with the arrival of five Rafale jets, giving the country's air power a strategic edge. The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force airbase at around 3.14 pm after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.

Each jet was given a special water cannon salute at the strategically-located airbase in the presence of top brass of the Indian Air Force including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria who had played a key role as lead negotiator in the procurement of the jets. Welcoming the arrival of the jets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a tweet in Sanskrit, said there is no virtue like protecting the nation and there is no vow like the defence of the nation.

"The Birds have landed safely in Ambala," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted as soon as the aircraft touched down. At the same time, he used the occasion to send a veiled message to China. "I would like to add, if it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity," the defence minister said. The Rafales were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

A look at how Rafale fighters will be a gamechanger against Pakistan and China:

* Rafale vs Chinas Chengdu J-20:

* Combat proven: While Chinas Chengdu J-20 jets are called fifth-generation combat jets, compared to 4.5 generation Rafale, the J-20 have no actual combat experience while Rafale has been used by the French Air Force for its missions in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali. Rafale can also carry more fuel and weapons than the J-20. Rafale can carry out at least four missions in one sortie while the J-20 cannot carry out multiple missions in one go.

* Rafale vs Pakistans F16: 190-kg Meteor missile has a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) of over 100 km, travelling at a top speed of Mach 4. The F-16 jets, used by Pakistan, carry the AMRAAM missile, which has a BVR of 75 km. Rafale can also outperform F16 in dogfights. PAF will have to deploy two F16s to counter one Rafale.

* Can be deployed in Ladakh: The Indian Air Force could deploy the first batch of Rafale fighter jets in the Ladakh sector, amid ongoing tension on the border with China.

Details of how it will bring changes in the IAF:

* More Advanced Technology: The Rafales are armed with 'Meteor' air-to-air missiles (120-150 km strike range), 'Scalp' air-to-ground cruise missiles (over 300 km) and other armaments. The Meteor missiles are arguably the best in the world for air combat duels, with a greater no-escape zone for hostile fighters than any comparable BVR (beyond visual range) weapon. Pakistan and China do not currently have any missiles of this class in their combat inventories.

* Combat Proven: With more than 30,000 flight hours in operations, it has proven its worth in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. On the other hand, Pakistan JF-17 and Chengdu J-20 are yet to be tested in battles or war-like situations.

* IAF's lack of long-range weapons over: For almost two decades, the IAF has been perceived to be handicapped on long-range weapons and sensors vis-a-vis PAF. Rafale will reverse this and give IAF the decisive edge with better sensors and weapons. Each Rafale in the air would require at least two F16s for a counter-challenge.

* Edge over rivals: The Rafale fighters will be able to outgun and outrun Pakistani F-16 and JF-17 as well as the Chinese Chengdu J-20 fighters. According to sources, the air-to-air and the air-to-ground strike capabilities of Rafales cannot be matched by either China or Pakistan and the aircraft would give India an edge over both the rivals.

* Air superiority: The state-of-the-art 4.5 Generation Rafale jet can reach almost double the speed of sound, with a top speed of 1.8 Mach. With its multi-role capabilities, including electronic warfare, air defence, ground support and in-depth strikes, the Rafale lends air superiority to the Indian Air Force.

* Enhance offensive capabilities of IAF: The jet is capable of carrying out a variety of missions--ground and sea attack, air defence and air superiority, reconnaissance and nuclear strike deterrence. The Rafale will be the seventh addition to the types of fighters that the IAF has--a feat very unique to the force in comparison to major air forces in the world.

* Can shoot down enemy targets without crossing border: Rafale jet will be able to shoot down an enemy aircraft, even if over 100 km away, without even crossing the Indian air space.

* Omnirole (ability to perform multiple mission types simultaneously): The jet is capable of performing several actions at the same time, such as firing air-to-air missiles during a very low altitude penetration phase, giving it outstanding survivability.

* Can avoid being tracked by Pakistan: The multi-role combat aircraft, reportedly, has a range of between 780-1055 km compared to the 400-550 km of the Su 30 MKI. This means that India will now be able to engage Pakistani aircraft from larger distances, without the risk of being tracked.

* All-weather capability: Meteor provides the all-weather capability to engage a wide variety of targets from fast jets to small unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles.

* Pre-planned attacks can be averted: The Scalp is an air-launched long-range deep strike missile, designed to deal with pre-planned attacks against high value fixed or stationary targets.

* Capability to take out any bunkers: The HAMMERs would give India the capability to take out any bunkers or hardened shelters in any type of terrain including the mountainous locations such as Eastern Ladakh.

* Will make IAF stronger: The aircraft has very good flying performance and its weapons, radar and other sensors and Electronic Warfare capabilities are amongst the best in the world.

* Quick reaction deployment in high altitude possible: Specially tailored for the IAF, the Rafale jets have cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases including Leh.
Cloudflare Inc., a U.S. based web-infrastructure and website-security company has denied reports of data leak exposing nearly 3 million customers IP addresses on the Dark Web.

This denial from Cloudflare comes after the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) on July 26, 2020, claimed that they had found a list of nearly 3 million sites on the Dark Web using Cloudflare service to protect from Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) and a number of other cyberattacks.

According to NSDC, the published list contains real IP addresses of sites that pose threats to attacks, particularly it includes 45 of its own records featuring the gov.ua top-level domain (TLD) and 6,500 records with the domain .ua TLD that are resources owned by critical infrastructure objects.

The NCCC experts have already analyzed the information regarding Ukrainian websites: information on some resources is outdated. However, the other part remains relevant. Owners of compromised resources are encouraged, if possible, to promptly change the IP addresses of web resources and increase the monitoring of cyberattacks on these resources, the NSDC wrote in the message on Facebook.

Cloudflare denied that there was any data leak from their company. We have investigated in detail an alleged leak of DNS information concerning Cloudflares customers. The information posted on social media is not the result of a leak or breach of our systems. The published data is available through standard DNS queries on the open Internet, rather than the result of a leak or breach, the company told HackRead.

Cloudflare provides different services to different customers. Some customers use us for security services. Some use us for performance services. Some customers make use of both. The published information reflects a small fraction of Cloudflare customers who either use Cloudflare only for DNS resolution or only for performing services and therefore have not configured Cloudflare to secure their origin server, the company explained.

If these customers intended to use Cloudflare for security services, they may have misconfigured the security settings on their origin server or have misconfigured the proxy settings on some of their DNS records, it further added.

If a customer intended to use Cloudflare for security services and has identified that their origin server information was published online, they should follow this link to ensure their origin is secured.

In order to check possible risks to safe operations of Ukrainian government bodies and critical infrastructure facilities, cybersecurity experts with the SBU Security Service of Ukraine assessed the leak of the Cloudflare customer database.

The SBU on Tuesday said that they found the data leak poses no additional risk to the work of the web resources served by Cloudflare, including Ukrainian state authorities and critical infrastructure facilities.

The Security Service cyberspecialists checked the likelihood of risks to the operation of electronic resources of government bodies and critical infrastructure as a result of the leak of the customer database of Cloudflare Inc. The audit found that there is no threat to state resources, the SBU said in a statement.

According to the authority, the IP addresses of the web resources on the Dark Web are a generalized database of publicly available data, namely the published domain Names with IP addresses that are available on the network using standard DNS (domain name system) queries.

The disclosure of publicly available data does not pose additional risks for the operation of web resources served by Cloudflare, including for Ukrainian government bodies and critical infrastructure facilities, the statement added.
Community members are angry after getting an eyeful during a stripper protest at Philadelphias Malcolm X Park earlier this week.

As 6ABC in Philly reports, the irate community members and the group Stilettos Inc. dont see eye-to-eye on the worth of the flesh-exposing labor strike, aimed at COVID-19 restrictions and better working conditions in the citys gentlemans clubs.

This was not the place to hold it, Kim Fuller, family life coordinator for Global Leadership Academy SW, told 6ABC. The images that were sent to me were upsetting because they were so exposing, and my thought was, there are babies in that park. If youre going to protest for better treatment at work or on the job, I think the place to protest is where youre having an issue at.

BREAKING:

Stilettos Inc. rejects the criticism of their stripper strike and says they plan to hold similar skin-exposing events at the park at 51st and Pine streets in West Philadelphia in the future, as 6ABC reports:

"What we were doing was fundraising, to raise funds for dancers who are not working during COVID," said Bamm Rose, founder of Stilettos Inc.

Stripping is legal, regardless if we see said stripping pole dancing in the park, all thats legal. Were not here to talk about moralities, and were here to talk about legalities, she said.

The broad-daylight Sunday event was held on the opposite end of the park to avoid the playground, 6ABC noted.

Still, a meeting between the strippers and some community members held at the park on Tuesday got heated, instead of reaching common ground for stripper poles in the park, as this tweet from a 6ABC reporter shows:

Stilettos Inc says they held a stripper strike at Malcolm X Park on Saturday to raise awareness for better working conditions in gentlemens clubs, while fundraise for out of work dancers due to COVID. Residents say the park is NOT the place for the controversial event @6abc pic.twitter.com/E0ZQiGjx3a  Christie Ileto (@Christie_Ileto) July 29, 2020

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A group of local community leaders from Bridgeport and Trumbull recently raised more than $11,000 to support Camp HOPE America-Bridgeport, a therapeutic summer camp and mentoring program for youth ages 7 to 17 impacted by the trauma of domestic and sexual violence and child abuse.

Members of an informal philanthropic community group known as The Crew, get together several times a year to raise money for deserving local nonprofits. On Saturday, July 11, they held a donation drive to benefit Camp HOPE at Micalizzi Italian Ice on Bridgeports Madison Avenue. There, they accepted cash donations and a van full of supplies donated by local residents to benefit the estimated 45 local children expected to attend Camp HOPE this summer.

The Camp HOPE program, now in its fourth summer, is operated by The Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport. CFJ provides crisis and supportive services to victims of domestic and sexual violence in the communities of Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull.

This year, The Crew more than doubled donations raised in previous years, bringing the total amount it has raised in the last three years for Camp HOPE to more than $20,000.

What The Crew does for Camp HOPE is extraordinary, inspiring and so profoundly appreciated, said Debra A. Greenwood, President & CEO of The Center for Family Justice. Its even more impressive that this amazing group of friends and colleagues were able to create so much support for our Camp HOPE program as we all cope with an unprecedented public health crisis. Its a real testament to their enthusiasm for our mission and their dedication to this group of wonderful campers.

We believe in the incredible things Camp HOPE is doing for kids who have suffered traumas no kid should ever have to go through, said Trumbull resident Fred Garrity, Jr., an organizer and spokesman for The Crew. More than ever, we really wanted to pitch in and help this year because the opportunity for these kids to go to this camp is life-changing and so important.

Garrity also noted Camp HOPE is facing a new set of challenges as it program has had to adapt in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the Camp HOPE program will be held as a day camp in early August on the grounds of the Lakewood-Trumbull YMCAs Camp Tepee in Monroe. In previous summers, Camp HOPE has been held for two weeks as an overnight camp at Camp Hi-Rock, a camp operated by the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA in the Massachusetts Berkshires.

Since Camp Hi-Rock is not open this summer, the Center has temporarily moved its program to Camp Tepee. Adapting the program as a day camp, involves a substantial increase in daily transportation costs, Greenwood said. Camp Hope campers attend the therapeutic camp and mentoring program free of charge and related expenses, including meals, supplies and transportation, are all subsidized by CFJ and its many donors who support the camp.

We realized CFJ and the Camp HOPE kids needed extra help this year, so we were really grateful to see how the community responded, said Garrity.

Members of the The Crew include Garrity, John Vazzano, Vinny Pezzella, Bill Schietinger, Attorney Matthew Reale, Bridgeport Police Officer Nick Ortiz, Assistant Bridgeport Fire Chief Sal Emmanuel, Barb Susi and Tammy Silva of the the Marilyn Goldstone Foundation. Jay Piccirilo, owner of Micalizzis Italian Ice, is also an active part of the Camp HOPE drive.
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of deprived people, and made it harder for those who were already struggling.

But theres good in the world and probably thats what holds it together. An old woman in Rupnagar, Punjab, who has a neurological disorder, collects garbage to be able to look after her son who has a similar condition. A video showing her working, so hard, despite her condition, went viral. Hoshiarpur based fitness expert Mandeep Singh Manny and activist Ajaib Singh Goldy, located her and visited her home to provide her rations and financial aid.

The fitness expert had come to his hometown from Italy before the lockdown and like many others got stuck here. For the past three months, he has been helping daily wagers, footpath vendors, migrant labourers with rations and essentials. For this woman and her son, he made extra efforts and provided them with essentials too.

Mandeep says, I saw a video on a social media site wherein I saw the plight of this woman and her son. Instinctively, I wanted to help her.

Social distancing and government restrictions had put many volunteers out of reach. However, motivated helpers have time and again found ways to serve others remotely.

He adds, I made an appeal on my social media and urged people to find the address of this mother-son duo. To my surprise, I got the address within a week. So my NGO, Humanity First, immediately got into action and provided them with ration and some money for their daily needs.

The woman collects garbage to be able to look after her son

The NRI says, We tend to get caught up in thinking that only medical personnel and first responders can make a meaningful difference during this crisis. Yet in the coronavirus era, simply reaching out to people is being helpful and heroic in small ways. We all can make a positive difference by tapping into our compassionate nature.

Mandeep has been getting the son and the mother treated at a hospital in Mohali. He says, It is my duty to help anyone in need. And I will make sure that they are treated by the best doctors in India.

Coronavirus has enabled many people to take the time and space to evaluate their relationship with the world, people and themselves. Over three months, people have realised that its only kindness in the world that holds real importance. The pandemic has enabled people to take new perspectives on life with a renewed focus on meaningful experiences.

The mother-son duo will get treatment at a Mohali hospital

In the latest development, Mandeep efforts have borne fruit and people have donated copious amounts for their treatment and also for the construction of a house for them. He says, It is amazing how people have come together to help them. It makes me believe that kindness and compassion does exist in this world and I salute all these people.

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Polish historian Lukasz Krzyzanowski begins this impeccably well-researched book with a question: how was life for those Polish Jews who survived the Holocaust and returned to their homeland? The short answer is: hellish. These "ghost citizens" returned from ghettos and death camps across Poland to communities they once called home. But they found themselves isolated in a society that was a universe away from Poland pre-September 1939.

An estimated 90pc of Polish Jews were murdered by the Nazis, so there were not many friends or family members left to help survivors. Aid did come, mostly from charitable Jewish organisations that surfaced across Poland immediately after the war. They provided finance and a friendly face to destitute Jews who were confronted with theft, abuse and violence. These threats came mostly from Polish citizens struggling in a country ravaged by war, poverty and political chaos. The police also had clear-cut discriminatory anti-Semitic agendas.

Krzyzanowski treats some of the primary historical sources with a much-needed pinch of salt. Emotions were high after the war and prejudices were abundant. The historian applies an even-handed judgment call or educated guess when the need arrives.

His book aims to have a nuanced conversation about Poland's negative relationship with Jews in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust. The specifics of the topic take place in one location, Radom: a medium-sized industrial city in east central Poland.

Expand Close Even-handed: historian Lukasz Krzyzanowski / Facebook

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Jews wishing to return to their previous addresses there found themselves in a tricky situation. They returned to houses they once owned, but which were now inhabited by strangers. The story of the complex legal battles that the Jewish homeowners had to go through to win back their properties has the potential to be tiresome, but Krzyzanowski makes it lively and fascinating. Holocaust victims' properties were generally passed on to the Polish state, which passed them on to private citizens. This was based on the assumption that homeowners who had not perished in the Holocaust would clearly have shown up by now.

Some Jews won back their properties in the courts. Most ended up selling: and well below the market rate. Racial prejudices played a part in these legal wrangles, as did the shadow of Moscow politics. The Iron Curtain was descending and Poland was on course to become a satellite Soviet state. Stalinist socialism theoretically regarded private property as the devil incarnate. Legal sympathy for Jewish bourgeois business owners and mercantile traders was not high on the political agenda.

The focus of Krzyzanowski's attention is purposely narrow and specific: the immediate post-war period when a rare number of Polish Jews who survived Nazi persecution returned to their desolate, rubble-strewn, ruinous empty communities. There is also some small footnoting of Polish Jewry in a broader European historical context too, before and during the Holocaust. The history of the Jews in Poland goes back more than 800 years. On the eve of World War II, the country's Jewish population of 3.3 million was Europe's largest. Yiddish was the lingua franca of this vibrant community, who played a vital role in the public, civic, commercial, intellectual and spiritual life of sophisticated cosmopolitan Polish cities such as Warsaw, Krakow, Lublin and Lwow.

That tragically changed with the sudden collapse of European empires, the rise of fascism, and the bizarre logic of Nazi racial pseudoscience. It's a story with four major turning points. It began with Poland's occupation by both the Soviet Union and Germany in September 1939. The 1.8 million Jews in German-occupied Poland imprisoned in urban ghettos. Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 led to the remaining Polish Jews being ghettoised.

This all happened as Hitler continued to bang the drum of lebensraum: it promised a land of milk and honey for a master race of perfected German super-humans in an ever-expanding Reich in the east. Polish Jews became the victims of that warped racial fantasy.

The "Jewish question" became the Final Solution at the Wannsee Conference, a formal meeting by senior Nazi leaders in January 1942. The systematic slaughter of Jews began with industrial efficiency. Once the Jewish ghettos of Polish cities were liquidated, a transport process began. Jews were sent to gas chambers by train in six secretive purpose-built death camps across occupied Poland: Chelmno, Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka, Majdanek and Auschwitz-Birkenau.

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This is one of the most well-documented episodes in modern European history, yet the tragic fate that befell those few Polish Jews who decided to stay in their country after the liberation of Nazi death camps has been almost completely ignored until now. Unsurprisingly, its been overshadowed by the monumental literature of the Holocaust itself.

There are other reasons too: post-war Poland - like most other nations in central Europe at the time - was a place where politics was extremely complex as the Cold War began to heat up. Communist governments hadn't much time for political pluralism and open debate was almost non-existent. Krzyzanowski concludes by suggesting that there are some similarities in Poland today: a far-right populist government has just been elected in a country that still continues to hide uncomfortable guilty ghosts of history in the closet.
A Sekondi High Court presided over by Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong has today, July 29 empanelled a seven-member jury in the trial of the accused murderers of the Takoradi kidnapped girls.

The empanelling of the jury met stiff opposition from the two accused persons, Samuel Udoetuk Wills and John Orji, as each without any reason objected to six out of the 13-panel members called.

Their rejection of the jury members only came to a halt after the court reminded them that each had a right to reject up to three jury members without justification, beyond which they have to provide reasons.

The Presiding Judge, then swore in the remaining seven jury members of different backgrounds from the public service with a caution to avoid any compromise of their mandated duty.

Your duty is to basically act as the court to give a final ruling. Pay attention to all proceedings to help you in the final decision which rests with you. It is a case of public interest that has travelled for long hence always be mindful of your sacred duty. Be punctual and not to be swayed by what goes on outside or in the media and don't discuss it. Your are judges yourself and don't behave anyhow since you will face the law if you breach your oath.

The State Attorney leading prosecution, Patience Klinogo reading the charges of conspiracy to murder and murder told the court that the police forensic results of human remains found at Kasawurodo proved 99.99 percent confirmation that they were the remains of the four Takoradi Kidnapped girls hence their charge.

The accused murderers, who at the previous sitting requested for legal representation, finally got one, after the court wrote to the Legal Aid.

The lawyer for the accused murderers, Mark Bosia, prayed the court to grant him access to relevant documents in the case.

He also prayed the court to allow the accused persons access to some of their belongings including gadgets and money taken from them at the time of their arrest which the judge granted.

Mr. Bosia speaking to Citi News after proceedings justified his request and preparedness to fairly represent the accused murderers.

My request was in respect of their items in their possession at the time of their arrest, which are with the police and they say they need them. This is because those items including money are not needed for the conduct of the case. They would not be needed as an exhibit for the case so they should be released.

I was not initially in the matterand since there was no relative around, I now have to take time and steps to get the documents and study them for the conduct of their defence. I also needed access to them from time to time to have a discussion with them in the same way the prosecution is also liaising with the family of the murdered kidnapped Takoradi girls.

Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong adjourned sitting to allow the trial to begin on August 6.

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The British Film Institute (BFI) has launched a campaign calling on the screen industry to improve its treatment of disabled talent behind and in front of the camera.

Its Disability Screen Advisory Group created the idea in the hope of using the coronavirus pandemic as a chance to reset practices and create a more inclusive approach.

The short film and digital initiative, called Press Reset, urges employers to recruit responsibly, engage with the deaf and disabled communities and set targets for paid job opportunities.

Its time to #PressReset, its time to change how industry engages with disabled talent behind and in front of the camera #BFIIndustry pic.twitter.com/4u4hje7STe  BFI (@BFI) July 29, 2020

The industry is also being asked to commit to equal pay, think about access and be an advocate for deaf and disabled people.

Press Reset will screen during a panel event showcasing Rising Phoenix, a documentary about the Paralympic Games that will launch on Netflix on August 26.

The Governments disability champion for arts and culture, Andrew Miller, said: Before this pandemic, representation of disabled people was wholly inadequate in our industry, but solid progress towards equality was being made.

We mustnt allow the pandemic to risk disabled people becoming invisible in our media once again. Its time to Press Reset.

Expand Close Presenter Adam Pearson is backing the campaign (Steve Paston/PA) / Facebook

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Presenter and campaigner Adam Pearson said: Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, as far as disability and inclusion was concerned, the industry was very much broken. And now were in the midst of Covid, the industry, its pretty much broken for everyone. Welcome to our world.

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Emmy award-winning film director Lindsey Dryden said: We dont want to go back to the way the world was before, because it wasnt working for so many underrepresented, marginalised and incredibly talented artists.

If youre thinking about your bottom line, you could actively include and cater to the 13.9 million disabled people in the UK who are longing to see themselves depicted on screen and in the arts. And who would pay money to see themselves on screen and in the arts.
(Newser)  An arrest that one city official called "incredibly disturbing" took place on the streets of New York City on Tuesday evening, drawing comparisons to detentions taking place in Portland, Ore., by federal agents who've loaded protesters into unmarked minivans. This time, however, the NYPD was involved, per the New York Times, and viral videos of the incidentin which a teen demonstrator is seen being pulled into an unmarked van by plainclothes police officers and driven awayare drawing criticism from lawmakers and the public. In footage now circulating on social media, the protester can be seen being forced into the vehicle by several men in T-shirts and shorts, who keep other demonstrators at bay until clearly identified NYPD officers show up on bikes to assist arrest efforts. With protesters yelling, the Kia van then drives away. The NYPD addressed the incident online soon after.

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"A woman taken into custody in an unmarked van was wanted for damaging police cameras during 5 separate criminal incidents in & around City Hall Park," it said, adding that "arresting officers were assaulted with rocks & bottles." The NYPD says seven officers were injured, per CBS News. Authorities tell the Washington Post the arrested woman was 18-year-old Nikki Stone, adding that "the Warrant Squad uses unmarked vehicles to effectively locate wanted suspects." Protesters at the scene deny assaulting the officers, with one telling Gothamist they were "skateboarding and eating pizza" when the cops arrived and grabbed Stone, "like a kidnapping." Local officials want an investigation. "Part of police accountability is ordinary citizens knowing who is policing them," Gale Brewer, Manhattan's borough president, tweeted. "When you can't identify a vehicle taking someone, it causes alarm. Police can't de-escalate situations if they don't identify themselves." (Read more New York City stories.)
New Delhi:

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday held meeting with heads of all banks through video conferences. The agenda of the meet was to expand the digital banking. The meeting was intended to encourage digital transactions in the country post demonetisation move.

We had meeting through video conferences with heads of all banks, single agenda of meet was to expand the digital banking itself. In the last few years there has been a huge expansion of e-wallets and debit cards use in the country, said Arun Jaitley.

FM said contrary to argument made that Indians are not adapted to this mode; 80 crore cards in circulation, of which 40 crore are active users. We emphasised to banks that digital banking is a great business opportunity for them so they have to take this up in a huge way.

We had meeting through video conferences with heads of all banks,single agenda of meet was to expand the digital banking itself: FM Jaitley pic.twitter.com/tqC3Ep7NHR  ANI (@ANI_news) November 24, 2016

In the last few years there has been a huge expansion of e-wallets and debit cards use in the country: FM Arun Jaitley pic.twitter.com/h2yYPH5JDw  ANI (@ANI_news) November 24, 2016

We emphasised to banks that digital banking is a great business opportunity for them so they have to take this up in a huge way: FM Jaitley pic.twitter.com/ohuPIF0ZI8





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The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 662,000, with more than 16.8 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.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

The veterans affairs minister in one of Bosnia-Herzegovinas federal regions has died from the coronavirus.

Salko Bukvarevic, 53, the cabinet member in Bosnia's Muslim-Croat entity, died on July 29 from COVID-19 at a hospital in Sarajevo, where he had been admitted last week.

Bukvarevic had been put on a respirator on July 27.

He had served in the government of the Bosniak-Croat Federation since 2015.

The regions prime minister, Fadil Novalic, was also hospitalized with the coronavirus but was released on July 28 following two weeks of treatment.

The Balkan country of 3.5 million people has registered close to 10,700 virus cases, with 297 deaths.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization warned the country risks being faced with overfilled and understaffed hospitals.

In the Western Balkans, North Macedonia and Serbia also face surging coronavirus cases.

Central Asia

Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has ordered an extension of a nationwide lockdown by another two weeks to stem the outbreak of the coronavirus a day after officials began discussing a possible easing of restrictions.

Toqaev made the announcement on July 29 while meeting with Prime Minister Asqar Mamin and Health Minister Aleksei Tsoi.



A day earlier, Tsoi recommended that the government start easing coronavirus restrictions as of August 3.



Kazakhstan imposed a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic in mid-March, which ended on May 11 with restrictions remaining across the country.



On July 5, amid an abrupt increase in cases of the coronavirus and acute pneumonia, Kazakhstan imposed additional restrictions for 14 days. On July 13, the lockdown was prolonged until August 2.

Kazakh health authorities said on July 29 that the number of coronavirus cases in the country was 86,192, with 54,404 patients recovered and 793 died.



Kyrgyzstan says it is aiming to resume air flights to four countries -- Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and the United Arab Emirates -- as of August 1.



Kurmanbek Akyshev, the director of Kyrgyzstan's civil aviation, told RFE/RL on July 28 that negotiations on the issue with aviation officials of the four nations are currently underway.



All international flights have been suspended in Kyrgyzstan due to the pandemic since mid-March.



According to Kyrgyz health authorities, the number of coronavirus cases in the country has reached 34,592, including 1,347 deaths.



In Tajikistan, authorities said on July 29 that some 488,000 people with social and financial needs will receive one-time financial allowances of 400 somonis each ($38.5) from the government to help ease problems caused by the pandemic and lockdowns.



Citizens eligible to receive support include families with low incomes, handicapped individuals, orphans or children with one parent, and children with HIV/AIDS.



Tajik Finance Minister Faiziddin Kahhorzoda told reporters in Dushanbe on July 29 that the governments donation account opened to raise money for measures against the coronavirus had managed to collect about $2.5 million from individuals, companies, and other countries.



As of July 28, the number of registered coronavirus cases in Tajikistan was 7,276, including 60 deaths.

However, an investigative report by RFE/RLs Tajik Service last month revealed that the real number of lethal cases of COVID-19 in the country might be several hundred, including dozens of physicians and nurses who treated infected patients.



In Uzbekistan, health officials said on July 29 that 22,196 coronavirus cases, including 127 deaths, had been registered in the country.



Turkmenistan is the only country in the region that has not officially registered any coronavirus cases, but RFE/RL correspondents have reported that local hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients with pneumonia symptoms, some of whom, including medical personnel, have died.



In some parts of the country, so-called quarantine zones have been established and some industrial facilities are being shut down, RFE/RL correspondents report.



The leader of a World Health Organization mission, Catherine Smallwood, told a press conference in Ashgabat on July 15 that the mission had concerns about reports of pneumonia in the tightly controlled energy-rich country.



Smallwood advised the Turkmen government to activate "critical public-health measures in Turkmenistan, as if COVID-19 was circulating."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uzbek, and Turkmen services, AFP, and AP
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh recorded its highest single day spike of COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 10,093 people testing positive for the virus, taking the cumulative tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,20,390.

A staggering 70,584 tests were conducted in the 24 hours ending Wednesday 9 am, the media bulletin released by the State Command Control Room said.

East Godavari district recorded the highest number of cases with 1,676 persons testing positive followed by 1,371 in Anantapur, 1,124 in Guntur and 1,091 in Kurnool district.

Meanwhile, 2,784 patients were discharged from hospitals taking the total number of people who have recovered to 55,406. The active cases now stand at 63,771. Another 65 patients succumbed to the virus taking the overall deaths in the state to 1,213.

The state has a positivity rate of 6.61% and a recovery rate of 46.02%. The mortality rate is at 1.01%.
Ignore the virus, push aside the lockdown despair. Think 50 shades of Gray. More than 50 shades, actually. Because Indias appetite for adult sex products has spiked 65 percent post Covid-19 lockdown.

Male pumps, female massagers and lubricants are on top of the sex-need hierarchy with male strokers and pleasure rings rising high on the lust list, according to the fourth edition of India Uncovered: Insightful Analysis of Sex Products Trends in India, a report curated by ThatsPersonal.com, Indias leading sexual wellness destination.

Shunga Collection

Maharashtra continues to top the state ranking for sale of sex products, followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Amongst cities, Mumbai remains the biggest buyer followed by Bengaluru and New Delhi. Lucknow has emerged as the top tier II city in purchase of sex products while Panipat, Shillong, Puducherry (Pondicherry) and Haridwar are some of the prominent Tier III cities.

Men comprise 64 percent of the total buyers but women are catching up. The number of cities that boast of more female buyers than male has jumped 300 percent to hit nine cities including Vijaywada, Jamshedpur, Belgaum, and Jabalpur. There has been a 24 percent growth in the category related to LGBTQ and the most bought sub-category of products is Anal Toys.

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

Samir Saraiya, Founder, thatspersonal.com

During the lockdown, there has been record traffic to our website that includes a large number of new users as well as repeat users and the trend will continue till the end of this calendar year. Since its inception in 2013, thatspersonal.com has witnessed a CAGR of 35 percent. By 2026, the global adult sex product market is predicted to cross Rs 400,000 crore mark, with India taking a 2.5% share of the product pie, says Samir Saraiya, founder of thatspersonal.com.

Launched in 2013, ThatsPersonal.com provides Indians with the opportunity to buy the sexual health and wellness adult products legally. With 900 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) and 30,000 products, the online portal delivers to 3,550 Indian cities and towns. The e-commerce company has partnered with the worlds leading international brands to import adult sex products via exclusive distribution deals.

The India Uncovered report released this month was generated after a granulated trend study of over 22 million visitors and approximately 335,000 sex product orders. It includes cumulative data from January 2013 to June 30, 2020, while the fresh data is from January 1, 2018, to June 30, 2020.

Key findings of the report curated by Thatspersonal.com.

The Shopping List: Massagers (19 percent of total sale) and male pumps (16 percent) are the top two sold products whereas lubricants (14 percent) have the highest level of repeat orders in terms of sales as well total number of units sold. Pleasure rings and strokers account for 12 percent and 11 percent, respectively, while lingerie accounts for 5 percent of the sales.

Whats the buy time? Men prefer to shop between 9 pm and midnight whereas women usually shop between 12 noon to 3pm. Cheaper/free data packs have added a booster to the end consumers to surf for sexual products online.

States sexy facts: Maharashtra sells the maximum Male Pumps while Karnataka sells the maximum Massagers across all states in the country. Men from Haryana rank No. 2 in pleasure rings sold; Rajasthan has the third most male pump buyers while Tripura and Assam together buy a fourth of all BDSM products. Agartala topped in the list of highest number of Male Pumps ordered from the North-eastern states

Geishas Secrets Collection

City City Bang Bang: Lucknow likes to order flavoured condoms, Ludhiana prefers lingerie while Vadodara stands at No.1 in womens sexcitement products sold in Tier II cities. Surat has the maximum buying appetite with Rs. 3,900 per order placed. Lingerie sells better in West Bengal as compared to most other categories. In Jamshedpur, sale of Male Pumps is greater and sale of massagers is lesser than the national average.

Age-specific behaviour/preferences:

18 to 24 years: 18 percent of the overall audience, spends the maximum time on Thatspersonal.com compared to all other age groups. Preferred products: massagers (women), male strokers (men)

25 to 34 years: 61 percent of the overall audience, maximum repeat orders among all age groups. Preferred products: lubricants (women), male pumps (men)

35 to 44 years: 9 percent of the overall audience, maximum order size value. Preferred products: Sexcitement products like arousal oils (women), toys like pleasure rings (men)

A lipstick from thatspersonal.coms catalogue

45 years plus: 12 percent of the overall audience, maximum percentage of women buyers among all age groups. Preferred products: female massagers (women), male performance products like erection creams and delay gels (men)

Arousing Occasions: The airing of Lust Stories on Netflix led to 54 percent increase in searches for sex toys for women. In the past few years, Valentines Day has seen a 56% demand surge for adult gift hampers followed by Womens Day (36 percent), Navratri (33 percent). Sale of lubricants during Christmas grew by 27 percent and while sales of Unisex and LGBTQ range grew by 44 percent during the Pride Month.

Preeti Verma Lal is a Goa-based freelance writer/photographer.
Aaron Lojewski, who leads aurora sightseeing tours in Alaska, was lucky enough to photograph a "eruption" of brilliant pink light in the night skies one night in February.

The same perturbations of the Earth's magnetic field that lit up the sky for Lojewski's camera were also captured by seismometers on the ground, a team of researchers reports in the journal Seismological Research Letters.

By comparing data collected by all-sky cameras, magnetometers, and seismometers during three aurora events in 2019, University of Alaska Fairbanks seismologist Carl Tape and colleagues show that it's possible to match the striking display of lights with seismic signals, to observe the same phenomenon in different ways.

Researchers have known for a while that seismometers are sensitive to magnetic fluctuations--and have worked hard to find ways to shield their instruments against magnetic influence or to remove these unwanted signals from their seismic data. But the aurora study offers an example of how seismometers could be paired with other instruments to study these fluctuations.

"It can be hard to be definitive that these seismometer recordings are originating from the same influence as what's going on 120 kilometers up in the sky," Tape said. "It helps to have a simultaneous view of the sky, to given you more confidence about what you're seeing from the signals at ground level."

The aurora borealis, or northern lights, occurs when solar winds--plasma ejected from the Sun's surface--meet the protective magnetic field that surrounds the Earth. The collision of particles produces colorful lights in the sky and creates fluctuations in the magnetic field that are sometimes called solar or space "storms." Magnetometers deployed on the Earth's surface are the primary instrument used to detect these fluctuations, which can significantly impact electrical grids, GPS systems and other crucial infrastructure. The aurora is commonly visible in wintertime in high-latitude regions such as Alaska.

The seismometers in the study are part of the USArray Transportable Array, a network of temporary seismometers placed across North America as part of the EarthScope project. The array in Alaska and western Canada was completed in the fall of 2017. The aurora paper is one of several included in an upcoming SRL focus section about EarthScope in Alaska and Canada.

These temporary seismic stations are not shielded from magnetic fields, unlike more permanent stations that are often cloaked in mu-metal, a nickel-iron alloy that directs magnetic fields around the instrument's sensors. As a result, "I was blown away by how well you can record magnetic storms across the array," said U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Adam Ringler, a co-author on the SRL paper.

Last month, Ringler and his colleagues published a paper demonstrating how the array's 200-plus seismometers in Alaska can be used to record space weather, potentially augmenting the 13 magnetometers in operation in the state.

Along with the all-sky camera data, seismic array data can help make sense of the strong variations in the magnetic field that occur in a magnetic east-west direction, adding a second dimension to typical north-south directional studies of the aurora and other magnetic storms, Tape and colleagues suggest.

The researchers noted in their paper that the link between the aurora borealis and magnetic perturbations was first discovered in Sweden in 1741, and that a seismometer in Germany detected an atmosphere-generated magnetic event for the first time during a strong solar storm in 1994.

"People have been making these connections for 250 years," Tape said. "This shows that we can still make discoveries, in this case with seismometers, to understand the aurora."

###
Hey hey, ho ho, these racist cops have got to go. Hey hey, ho ho, these racist cops have got to go. Hey hey, ho ho. Im here right now because the feds are here, and thats terrifying to me as a citizen. President Trumps deployment of federal agents is fueling the unrest in Portland, where protests have continued for over 50 consecutive days. This represents a new turning point, and thats really scary. Protesters tell us that the presence of federal forces is bringing more people to the streets. They have no business being here. As soon as they showed up, they pushed Portland too far, and as long as they are hurting innocent citizens  the moms, the dads  everybodys coming out. Crowd: Yes! Ahhhh! Crowd: Ahhhh! Ahhhh! Crowd: Ahhhh! Thats the sound of frustration. I think that people are becoming reinvigorated by seeing how theyre treating us. The energy has definitely changed in the past week, like way more people here the past two nights than Ive seen since we started. Were going to continue doing this, and were going to continue doing it peacefully. There we go, Portland. When we are together as a unit, when we are together were not afraid. We have each others back. When we have each others back, we show who the real strength is. The biggest thing today thats changed is that you see people of all ages. You know, this has really been led by a kind of Generation Z feeling, and right now were seeing a larger swath of Portland coming together, and my parents generation is finally paying attention. Say her name! Crowd: Breonna Taylor. Say her name! Crowd: Breonna Taylor! People initially came out to protest systemic racism and police violence, but say the federal response has raised the stakes. My friends got tear-gassed, time and time again. And tear gas is internationally banned in war, and theyre using it on our streets, on our young people. This is only my second day. I was scared before, but Ive had enough. Whose lives matter? Crowd: Black lives matter! We want Black lives to matter just as much as white lives, and we want to protect the children. We know theyre out here. It doesnt matter. Were still going to be out here protesting. Portland, are you scared? Crowd: Hell no! I aint scared! Crowd: I aint scared! I aint scared! Crowd: I aint scared! Trump had no business sending people here. We are standing up for what we believe in.
Joe Biden's personal notes were captured in a photograph Tuesday, revealing talking points about Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., a leading contender to be the former vice president's running mate.

On personal stationary, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee had written "Kamala Harris" and under her name he'd jotted down five points to make if asked about her as his potential pick:

"Do not hold grudges."

"Campaigned with me & Jill."

"Talented."

"Great help to campaign."

"Great respect for her."

Biden, the Democrats' presumptive presidential nominee, said that he will announce his choice for running mate next week and that it's come down to several female candidates, among them Harris.

The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to request for comment.

While there are many Democrats rooting for a Biden-Harris ticket, others are worried the high-profile swipe she took at him last year during a presidential primary debate would haunt their ticket.

Harris excoriated Biden in what became the high-water mark of her run for president, questioning his kind words about pro-segregation senators he'd served with and accusing him of opposing busing black children to integrated schools.

On the debate stage, she described a little girl who had benefited from the program.

"And that little girl was me," she said.

The former vice president's wife, Jill Biden, has likened that moment to "a punch to the gut."

Biden's notes suggest that his campaign is expecting to get questions about his relationship with Harris, particularly that tough debate moment - hence his point about not holding grudges.

What's not listed on the crib sheet, which was photographed by The Associated Press's Andrew Harnik during a rare Biden news conference Tuesday afternoon, is Harris's friendship with his son Beau Biden when she was attorney general of California and he was attorney general of Delaware.

Since dropping out of the race and endorsing Biden, Harris has been a loyal supporter, holding virtual fundraisers and campaigning - as much as one can during a pandemic.

Biden's notes included other topics, but Harris was the only vice presidential candidate they prepped him to discuss.

He had a section about Attorney General William Barr, who was testifying on Capitol Hill. His notes just said "Justice Department," but under them he'd written, "the people's lawyer not the president's lawyer."

Under "Last 100 days," a reference to the final stretch of the campaign, he'd written "tell the truth," "take responsibility," "listen to scientists" and "restore soul."

At the bottom of the page it appears to say "Barack," as in former president Barack Obama, but only the "B" and "ck" are visible.
Of the total amount, the government has currently released 880 million ($1.14 billion), which has been split into two funding rounds. The first round of 622 million ($805.3 million) will be distributed immediately, while the remaining 258 million ($334 million) will be reserved for a second round of funding later in the financial year to meet the developing needs of organizations.  Variety
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, D, and the state's two U.S. senators are urging President Donald Trump to send the country's top public health agency to respond to a covid-19 outbreak inside a privately owned immigrant detention center in the town of Farmville that immigrant advocates have called "a tinderbox" of infection.

The outbreak at the Farmville Detention Center is the largest at any such facility in the country, with 262 undocumented immigrants there being monitored after testing positive for the coronavirus, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A federal lawsuit brought by immigrants-rights groups blames the outbreak - nearly three times larger than the next-biggest inside a center - on crowded sleeping conditions and infrequent testing.

The 30-acre facility currently houses about 400 detainees. It has been run since 2010 by Immigration Centers of America, LLC, based in the capital, Richmond, about 65 miles east.

In a July 22 letter sent to Trump, Northam requested that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intervene at Farmville, particularly with what his office says has been a lack of testing among the facility's staff members, who can potentially spread the virus to other parts of the state where they live.

Northam's spokeswoman, Alena Yarmosky, said this week that about eight staff members from the center tested positive after seeking tests outside the facility.

"Virginians in congregate housing, such as the Farmville facility, are especially vulnerable to COVID-19," Northam said in the letter, which The Post obtained this week. "To ensure the safety of those who live and work in the Farmville Detention Center, as well as the surrounding community, I request that the CDC respond to and assess the situation at the facility."

Both of Virginia's U.S. senators on Wednesday also called on the Trump administration to act, calling Farmville a "dire situation."

The outbreak "presents a clear risk to individuals within the facility, but also endangers the broader community as facility staff and released detainees have interaction with the general public," Sen. Tim Kaine, D, and Sen. Mark Warner, D, wrote in a joint statement.

Yarmosky said Tuesday that the agency has indicated to the state that it is willing to get involved. CDC officials did not respond to messages for comment.

Seven detainees suffering from covid-19 have been taken to a hospital for care, according to the Virginia Department of Health, and all but one have returned to the facility. No staffers have been hospitalized, according to the health department.

According to one Northam administration official, the state health department offered to conduct testing at the facility on July 21 in partnership with the state's National Guard. A few days before the planned event, the facility canceled it, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject.

The state made the same offer a few days ago, the official said, but was rebuffed. The official did not know why the facility canceled or declined the testing.

Immigration Centers of America referred questions from The Post to ICE. The federal agency said in a statement that medical checks are done twice a day inside the facility, including a temperature screening and medication when needed.

The outbreak in Farmville has prompted ICE to boost efforts to protect all undocumented immigrants in custody from being infected by providing them face masks, adding handwashing stations inside detention centers and, most recently, ramping up testing, the agency said.

The majority of those housed at the Farmville facility who tested positive earlier this month were asymptomatic, and all received "appropriate medical care," ICE said in its statement, without describing what type of treatment was administered.

"Detainees who tested negative will be retested and are being held separately from positive detainees," the agency said.

Virginia has "limited ability" to act on the outbreak itself because the state does not license ICE detention centers, the governor's office said - a positiondisputed byimmigrant advocates seeking more aggressive action.

The governor's letter came on the heels of a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of four detainees last week that paints a grim picture of conditions inside the detention center, alleging that new residents are brought in without being tested for the virus, forced to sleep in crowded dorm rooms with little ventilation and, when sick with a fever or cough, treated primarily with little more than Tylenol. Requests for doctors "fell on deaf ears," the lawsuit alleges.

Two of the lawsuit's plaintiffs say they contracted covid-19 in Farmville while awaiting the outcome of appeals by the Trump administration of immigration court decisions that allowed them to remain in the United States, according to the suit, which was filed in Alexandria's U.S. District Court.

"The bunk beds are so close to each other that it feels like we are practically sleeping in the same bed," Christian Alberto Santos Garcia, one of the two, said in a court filing that also described how he is awaiting an outcome to his immigration case on claims that he was tortured in El Salvador.

"I believe that if the facility keeps being run in this way - no air conditioning, dust everywhere, dirty air, terrible food that we cannot eat, not being allowed doctor visits, not being given any medicine - I will not get better," he said.

The lawsuit claims that ICE and Immigration Centers of America violated their own policy for controlling the virus at the facility when 74 undocumented immigrants were brought in from detention centers in Florida and Arizona in early June without first being tested for coronavirus.

Both of the other facilities have had covid-19 cases, and 51 of the transferred detainees have since tested positive, the lawsuit says.

The policy, implemented in April, required that anyone brought in would first be quarantined for 14 days inside a jail in Caroline County, about 100 miles away, according to the lawsuit.

In another court filing, Jeffrey Crawford, the Farmville center's director, confirmed the change in course, explaining the Caroline County facility couldn't accommodate such a large group, so the 74 were sent directly to Farmville.

"When I was alerted to the detainees' impending transfer, I inquired about their level of potential exposure to COVID-19 at their previous facilities," Crawford said in the filing. "In response, ICE stated that there were no active COVID-19 cases at the Arizona facility and that there were very few cases at the Florida facility. There was no indication that ICA Farmville could not accommodate the needs of these transferees at that time."

In the same court document, Crawford called the other claims false.

Since early June, the number of coronavirus cases in Prince Edward County, where most of the town of Farmville sits, have doubled to 289 as of Wednesday, a spike that includes the detention center outbreak, according to the state health department. Officials in the town of Farmville, which receives a share of the detention center's profits after entering into a 2008 intergovernmental agreement with ICE, didn't return messages for comment.

Immigrant advocates began sounding alarms about a potential outbreak inside the Farmville facility in the spring, prompting Northam to attempt to intervene back then, though without success.

In May, after reports of covid-19 cases began surfacing in other detention centers around the country, the governor wrote to the state's congressional delegation to ask for help in getting the federal government to undertake "point prevalence" testing at ICE facilities, meaning testing of all detainees and staff.

That letter didn't generate a response from ICE, Yarmosky said. But Farmville's local health department began working with the facility to conduct limited testing of some residents, she said.

More recently, the detention center told local health officials it has begun testing all of its residents, Yarmosky said, but staff members at the facility have been left to their own devices.

However, the Northam administration wants independent verification that both detainees and staff are getting tested, according to the administration official who insisted on anonymity.

Last week, amid worries about a resurgence of the coronavirus after a spike in cases in the Hampton Roads area, state and local health officials followed up on Northam's letter with a flurry of phone calls pressing the CDC to take action. Immigrant advocates called the governor's request for CDC involvement a positive move.

But they argue that state officials have had the authority to take more aggressive action.

Immigration Centers of America - part of a multibillion-dollar industry of private companies running immigration detention centers in the U.S. - owns and operates the site under a contract with Farmville signed after the town made its agreement with ICE.

Because the detention center isn't on federal land or operated by the federal government, it falls under state jurisdiction, argued Simon Moshenberg-Sandoval, legal director of the Immigrant Advocacy Program for the Legal Aid Justice Center, which represents some of the plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit.

"It exists as a local jail in the Commonwealth of Virginia," Moshenberg-Sandoval said, about the Farmville facility. "Northam is treating it as if it were the Pentagon."

Yarmosky, Northam's spokeswoman, countered that the facility is under federal control "and the state is unable to enter . . . without consent from the detention center." Even if allowed in, Yarmosky said, the state health department would have no power to order corrective measures and could only make recommendations.

"That's why Governor Northam has been urging federal action for months," she said, via text message. "Everyone in Virginia deserves protection, regardless of their immigration status."
Photo: Facebook

A Richmond resident has requested that an investigation following a fist-fight between himself and an off-duty Canada Border Services Agency officer be reopened.

The fight was the culmination of an ongoing cat versus dog altercation between two Richmond residents, explained Richmond RCMP Cpl. Ian Henderson.

Police had responded to a call made by one of the men involved who identified himself as an off-duty CBSA officer.

Initially, both parties admitted to losing his cool, and neither party wanted further action by police, said Henderson.

However, on Friday, Nathan Lau reached out to the investigator in charge of the case to reopen the file, according to Richmond RCMP.

According to a Facebook post by Laus girlfriend, Isabel Chuong, Lau and the CBSA officer have had several encounters in the past, but they were mostly verbal disputes.

On the day of the fight, Lau was minding his own business in an underground garage of a townhome when the off-duty officer followed and recorded him.

When Lau tried to do the same and record him at a closer distance, the officer immediately rushed out (of his car) and sucker-punched him and put him in a chokehold.

Laus friend, who was there at the time, tried to intervene, but was told by the officer to stand back as he was an officer.

Lau is now suffering with an infraorbital fracture, concussion and is having trouble sleeping.

In her Facebook post, Chuong expressed her disgust at the officer using his position of power to intimidate others.

As a peace officer, his duty should be to protect the public, not assault them, she said.

In addition, shouting gross and stereotypical racist insults is embarrassing and an incredibly poor representation of the men and women who dedicate their time working for the CBSA.

CBSA said there is an ongoing thorough investigation of the officers conduct.
Looking forward to graduating this spring from Union High School, Lucy Villasis Cano expected to go straight to a four-year university. But of course, she didnt plan on COVID-19.

The epidemic, while not the only factor influencing Villasis Canos decision, helped convince her to stay closer to home for now.

With everything thats going on, she said, my parents wont have to stress out anymore and theyll have two more years to save up for when I transfer.

Instead of going straight to the University of Oklahoma to study law, Villasis Cano will take advantage of free tuition at Tulsa Community College, where she can earn an associate degree before moving to Norman in 2022.

Higher-education officials expected more students to follow the same route this year, forgoing four-year schools in favor of community colleges closer to home.

In fact, however, fewer students are taking advantage of the Tulsa Achieves program, which provides full tuition and fees for every graduating high school senior in Tulsa County to attend TCC. About 1,700 have signed up so far this year, compared to more than 2,000 a year ago.
South Carolina beaches are public land, but being able to enjoy them usually depends on finding a nearby parking space. This month, Isle of Palms made that much more difficult, and costly.

City Council decided earlier this month to temporarily eliminate all but 10 of the city's estimated 562 free parking spots. Only residents are allowed to park in those spaces now, at least until Aug. 16, when the temporary rule expires. Hundreds of paid parking spots were also temporarily eliminated.

Now, for the 2021 beach season, the island's government plans to turn all the free parking across the island into paid parking.

In the most popular area where most of the free parking has long existed, along Palm Boulevard, paid parking would be available but only to those with a smartphone and an app with which to pay the charges, under current plans. Parking rates have not been decided upon.

The S.C. Department of Transportation has already given the city permission to charge for parking in the right-of-way along Palm Boulevard, a state highway, according to SCDOT spokesman Pete Poore.

Public reaction to the parking restrictions, particularly from neighboring Mount Pleasant  which does not charge for parking anywhere  has been harsh.

Tuesday's Isle of Palms City Council meeting began with a reading of 139 written public comments, the majority of which blasted the recent parking restrictions in often scathing terms, accusing council members of attempting to privatize the public beach and potentially benefit rental property owners.

"It frustrates me that my husband and son are allowed to come to IOP to care for your sick and injured but are unable to find a place to park if they want to enjoy the beach," said Allyson Thatcher, a Daniel Island resident whose husband and son are paramedics.

"Enjoy your summer," she wrote. "Wish we could enjoy ours on the beach."

In addition to temporarily eliminating 552 free and 211 paid parking spots at the height of beach season, Isle of Palms raised the weekend parking rate at its municipal lots and doubled parking fines. Parking in the formerly free areas now results in a $100 ticket while parking tickets in paid areas now cost $50, and the town issued 114 tickets last weekend.

Were doing what our residents wanted us to do," said Mayor Jimmy Carroll.

City leaders have said they reduced parking in order to reduce the threat of the novel coronavirus, by reducing beach crowding. However, the parking restrictions have resulted in the only available parking being in one small area in the commercial district near Front Beach, crowding beach-goers into a small stretch of the expansive beach.

"It was packed, impossible to social distance," Mount Pleasant resident Jon DiMaina said in a comment submitted for the council meeting.

Critics note that Isle of Palms has been working on plans to restrict parking  particularly free parking  for more than a decade.

"Using a pandemic as cover to privatize a public beach is nothing short of elitist," Mount Pleasant Councilman Jake Rambo said on Twitter.

The crush of beach traffic during the summer can make it difficult for island residents to travel, and day-trippers can crowd portions of the beach. Carroll said public safety is a concern because afternoon thunderstorms can prompt a flood of traffic trying to leave the beach at once, cutting through residential neighborhoods to look for nonexistent shortcuts.

"Everyone goes through the neighborhoods, and some child is going to get hit," he said.

Some island residents support the parking restrictions.

"The sheer volume of beachgoers needs to be controlled, especially in this pandemic, so that we don't have dangerous parking and traffic chaos," resident Joyce Morris said in comments to City Council. "How dare a small group of selfish and irresponsible people, having a tantrum, think they should make the rules on an island where they do not live?"

Many of those who submitted public comments to City Council were not island residents. Of the comments directly about the parking restrictions the city had imposed, 78 opposed those restrictions and a dozen supported them.

We certainly have received lots of comments and push-back from neighboring communities," said Isle of Palms Administrator Desiree Fragoso.

Island resident Robert Johnston went beyond submitting a public comment. He's furious about the elimination of parking, along with the related increase in parking rates and parking fines, and has asked the state Attorney General to intervene to preserve public access to the beach.

"Its fundamentally un-American, and it has nothing to do with (COVID-19)," he said. How does raising the parking fee stop COVID?"

Its just reprehensible," said Johnston. Im considering funding legal challenges."

He sees the city's actions as an attempt to make it harder for people to access the beach, particularly people with low incomes. Johnston also said businesses on Isle of Palms and in Mount Pleasant will suffer if the city successfully reduces beach visitors.

In March, reacting to the coronavirus pandemic, Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, Edisto Beach and Sullivan's Island each restricted access to the barrier islands to keep non-residents away. There was a domino effect then, with each barrier island worrying that they would see increased visitors due to the restrictions on other islands.

All those folks were going to be heading our way, Sullivans Island Mayor Patrick ONeil said in March after the Town Council closed its beaches after learning that neighboring Isle of Palms had done the same.

The island access restrictions and roadblocks were later lifted, but now both Isle of Palms and Folly Beach have limited parking as coronavirus cases in Charleston County surged in July.

Carroll said Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island and Folly Beach have been coordinating their efforts.
A hand-picked coronavirus manufacturing taskforce is urging the federal government to underwrite a dramatic expansion of gas supply through tax incentives and financial support for new projects.

A presentation on the final report of the National COVID-19 Co-ordination Commission (NCCC) manufacturing taskforce, seen by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, recommends "cutting red and green tape" to help the gas industry rapidly increase gas extraction and create up to 170,000 manufacturing jobs.

The Qenos plastic manufacturing facility at Botany in Sydney relies on gas. Credit:James Brickwood

The report, which was finalised in late May but is yet to be published, also recommends tax incentives for the construction of gas infrastructure and letting pipeline owners charge higher prices.

A leaked draft interim report from the taskforce sparked furious debate over the role of government support for fossil fuels and the government's energy policy.
HELSINKI, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mr. Robin Toss, Kamux's Swedish Country Director, has decided to leave the company during the fall 2020 to pursue other interests. He will continue to support Kamux Sweden in this change until the end of the year.

"Under Mr. Robin Toss's leadership Kamux Sweden has doubled its showroom network from ten to twenty stores. At the same time, the company has reached positive EBIT in Sweden. Kamux has also built reputation as a professional operator in used car retail and the company is an attractive employer in the market. I would like to express my warm thanks to Robin for his achievements and contribution to Kamux's business in Sweden," Mr. Ilkka Virtanen, Director of International Business, says.

Furthermore, Kamux Corporation announces the appointment of Mr. Karri Kauppila (BBA) as acting Country Director of Kamux Sweden. Mr. Kauppila will take up his post on August 1, 2020. Mr. Kauppila has previous management experience and retail expertise, among others, from TyloHelo, Gustav Paulig and Unilever. He has also worked as a consultant.

"From August 1, 2020 on, Mr. Karri Kauppila is in charge of managing Kamux Sweden, and he continues to strive for profitable growth. Mr. Kauppila has a broad experience in marketing and sales, as well as in people management. I am impressed by his systematic approach and strong leadership. As a person, he is easily approachable and he has several years of business experience from Sweden," Mr. Ilkka Virtanen says.

"Sweden is about double the size of Finland as a market area for used cars. We are an established operator in the market and in the recent years our growth has been strong. It clearly indicates that there is a market demand for our business model. We'll meet this demand and we'll continue ambitiously on our growth path in Sweden," Mr. Virtanen says.

"Kamux has a huge opportunity in Sweden. I want to contribute for my part to company's growth in Sweden which is a market I already know well. Retail and leadership skills are in the core of my competence. I am convinced that when they are combined with local expertise, Kamux's story in Sweden will continue to evolve," Mr. Karri Kauppila says.

For more information:

Ilkka Virtanen

Director of International Business

Kamux Corporation

Tel. +358-40-727-5856

Kamux Corporation is a retail chain specializing in the sale of used cars and related integrated services that has grown rapidly. Kamux combines online shopping with an extensive showroom network to provide its customers with a great customer experience anytime, anywhere. In addition to digital channels, the company has total of 77 car showrooms in Finland, Sweden and Germany. Since its founding, the company has sold more than 260,000 used cars, 55,432 of which were sold in 2019. Kamux's revenue reached EUR 658.5 million in 2019. In 2019, Kamux's average number of employees was 595 in terms of full-time equivalent employees. The shares of Kamux are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange.

www.kamux.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/kamux/r/changes-in-the-management-of-kamux-sweden,c3161070

SOURCE Kamux
Some come early and leave before the atmosphere turns and the trouble begins. Others sit out the peaceful demonstration and arrive in time for the nightly showdown to the beat of drummers rallying Portlands ad hoc force of protesters against Trumps troops.

Related: 'These are his people': inside the elite border patrol unit Trump sent to Portland

But each evening follows the same broad ritual in downtown Portland in support of Black Lives Matter and against Donald Trumps deployment of federal paramilitaries even as the protests have swelled to draw in organized groups of mothers, military veterans and first time demonstrators pushed too far by the president.

The peaceful protest against racial injustice that gets going around dusk typically evolves toward midnight into a staged confrontation with officers from the border patrol, US Marshals Service and other agencies deployed for the unusual task of facing down popular anger on American streets.

Each side accuses the other of provoking the fight, and therefore both claim to be defending themselves.

Television pictures of the skirmishes  the federal forces in camouflage firing waves of teargas and baton rounds, and looking very much like military invaders; the demonstrators in gas masks and helmets, some with large homemade shields, more resembling an insurgency  are open to interpretation.

Fox News selectively presents them as evidence Portland is a war zone in which the protesters arsenal includes flares, fireworks and lasers aimed at the federal officers eyes. Some protesters use the language of war too, describing tear gas as chemical warfare, the federal agents as an occupying army and quoting the Geneva conventions in accusing the authorities of war crimes for shooting demonstrators in the head with baton rounds.

But the theatre of the intense staged street battles is actually confined to a few square blocks of downtown Portland and obscures the growth of the protests from the issue of racial justice and the federal interventions unleashing of anger over four years of Trumps rule.

Story continues

The flashpoint was the sight of the federal paramilitaries without identification abducting protesters in unmarked vans and the violence meted out by officers against a US navy veteran who was demonstrating peacefully.

But the demonstrations have now become a focal point of anger at a president indifferent to the coronavirus death toll, tens of millions driven into unemployment, and an environmental emergency. There is also growing fear that Americas democracy is under threat.

Jean McNeil, a machinist, travelled from neighboring Washington state to join the demonstration outside the Portland courthouse where the federal paramilitaries are based.

Honestly, I support Black Lives Matters but thats not what got me here. I wanted to stand up to Trump. It feels to me like thats what its really about for a lot of people here. Were sick of this man and the damage hes done, and this is the moment to stand up for our democracy because Trump is going to do everything he can between now and November to steal the election, he said.

A Black Lives Matter protester carries an American flag as teargas fills the air outside the Mark O Hatfield United States courthouse in Portland. Photograph: Noah Berger/AP

Lydia, a Teamsters union organizer who, like many protesters fearful of arrest, chose to give only her first name, agreed.

People are out here for multiple reasons in addition to sending a message about Black Lives Matter. Its about making sure that we have protected our right to protest and engage in free speech. Its anger at Trump and his presidency and how much its really eroded our environmental protections, protections on the job for people, the economy is tanked, she said.

Democratic political leaders in Oregon have accused Trump of politicizing the use of federal forces to provoke conflict in order to portray himself as a law and order president. Trump has said he will send thousands more officers into other cities, such as Chicago to combat gun violence, in a move widely interpreted as an attempt to stir unrest across the country as a distraction from his failure to address the pandemic and its economic consequences.

If so, the president is unlikely to be displeased that his intervention in Portland has reinvigorated the protests and escalated the confrontation between demonstrators and federal officers.

With neither side ready to back down, and the Trump administration preparing to send dozens more officers to Portland, there is growing concern that the nightly battles are playing into the presidents hands.

The head of the Portland branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , E D Mondaine, said he feared BLM in the city was being coopted by privileged white people and that empty battles were serving the agenda of a president baiting protesters to light the fuse on a racist backlash across the country before the election.

We cannot let teargas and rubber bullets define the moment that were in now, he said.

Others see it differently. Teressa Raiford, the African American head of Dont Shoot Portland, dismissed Mondaines criticisms as propaganda.

A demonstrator shouts slogans using a bullhorn next to a group of military veterans during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland. Photograph: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Hes a part of the problem because hes part of the political power, she said.

Some of the protesters are not without their doubts. They acknowledge that Trump is exploiting the demonstrations but say his intervention cannot go unchallenged.

A US Navy veteran, who gave his name only as John, said he had not been on the demonstrations before the federal intervention but was brought out by federal officers beating a Navy veteran, Christopher David, who was protesting peacefully.

He did nothing other than asked that question and he got beat up. I saw the video. I said, thats enough, he said. If Trump utilizes federal troops against the people, and I consider myself representing the people here, thats the beginning of the end I think of a democracy. Im very worry about the condition of our democracy, the health of our democracy.

Lydia, the union organizer, also acknowledged that Trump is exploiting the violence of the protests, but said it will not get him what he wants.

 If he were really interested in sending the feds into support states, he would send them in to help provide medical care for people during a pandemic, she said. Instead he sends them here as a political stunt to just try to rattle the cages of his supporters who are deathly afraid of liberal or progressive ideology around a whole host of issues. This is just a scare tactic. Its the last gasps of a losing president.
At least 2,450 jobs have been lost in Dublin pubs - and 10 premises have shut for good - since they had to close their doors in March, according to the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA).

It says the job losses represent more than one in every five of the 12,000 jobs generated by Dublin pubs before the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, and that more jobs will be lost if the pubs cannot reopen next month.

On average, just over 18 jobs were lost a day since the March 15 closure, and the LVA fears there will be further significant job losses ahead, with almost one in three Dublin pubs yet to reopen.

"At the outset of this crisis, pubs in Dublin and across the country acknowledged the need to close our doors for the good of public health," said LVA chief executive Donall O'Keeffe.

"This continues to be the responsible course of action, but it has had a real and serious economic impact on the pub sector in Dublin," he added.

Struggle

"Unfortunately, one in every five people employed by pubs in Dublin have lost their jobs in the period since mid March. That amounts to at least 2,450 people who were made redundant.

"This is incredibly hard on these individuals and their families. On average, more than 18 more people working in Dublin pubs lose their jobs every day.

"There is a lot of uncertainty in the sector about future business and employment prospects. Almost one-third of the pubs in Dublin are yet to reopen and their viability is further threatened every additional day they remain closed.

"Any business, or employer, would struggle if they had no income for 40pc of a year, which is the situation facing pubs.

"A further tangible sign of that struggle comes in the form of the 10 Dublin pubs that have ceased trading and decided to keep their doors closed for good.

"The loss of these businesses will be felt by the workers, the publicans involved and by their local communities.

"Sadly these are unlikely to be the last to take such a step."

These pubs across Dublin include The Queens in Dalkey, The Donaghmede Inn and The Cardiff Inn, in Finglas.

On July 15, the owners and management of the Cardiff Inn on Cardiffsbridge Road, which first opened more than 50 years ago, posted a message on their Facebook page announcing the closure.

"Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 and the restrictions that would have to be put in place, we will not be opening back up," it said.

"All the staff would like to thank every one of the customers that supported us over the years.

"For me, the 21 years that I have been there for has been great and I wouldn't have changed a thing. Thanks again."

In June, the owners of the Donaghmede Inn sent a notice to staff saying it regretted the decision, and not being able to tell them the news in person.

"It is with great regret that we are sending this message to you all," it said.

"We, the directors, would have preferred to meet you individually, however due to the restrictions now in place, this is not possible at the moment.

"The unfortunate situation is that due to Covid-19, we will not be in a position to reopen.

Regret

"We wish to express, both our thanks to you for your contribution to the company over your term of employment and our regret that we were forced to take this action."

The LVA's Mr O'Keeffe said the association expects there will be significant further redundancies should the public health situation require additional delays in the reopening of pubs.

"This time last year, Dublin pubs were having difficulty finding sufficient staff, such were the number of jobs being created. How that picture has now changed," Mr O'Keeffe added.
London, July 29 : Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi will be missing the start of next season after undergoing surgery for his hamstring injury, the Premier League club has confirmed.

Mustafi sustained the injury during Arsenal's 2-0 semi-final win over Manchester City at Wembley on July 18. Arsenal were strong in their defence against City, with Mustafi and David Luiz proving key performers in that game.

"Right hamstring injury sustained during Emirates FA Cup semi-final on July 18. Further assessments during the week identified a significant injury to the right hamstring," Arsenal said in a medical update on Tuesday.

"As a result, Shkodran had a successful small procedure to his right hamstring on Saturday. Shkodran is now in the early stages of his recovery and rehabilitation, receiving specialist attention and support from our medical team.

"Aiming to return to full training in October," it added.

The 28-year-old, who arrived at the club from Valencia in 2016, has received plenty of criticism for his inconsistent displays. However, under Mikel Arteta, he has started 12 of Arsenal's last 15 Premier League games.

The FA Cup final against Chelsea, scheduled to be played on Saturday, will be the Gunners' only chance to secure the ticket to Europa League, as they are confirmed to finish outside the Premier league's top six after their loss to Aston Villa.
After supremo Mayawati attacked the for subsuming the BSP legislators in Rajasthan and said she was waiting for the right time to teach Chief Minister a lesson, the Congress, here on Wednesday, hit back saying she was playing into the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to IANS, senior leader P.L. Punia said, "Mayawati is playing the game to save herself and her brother from the corruption cases against them."

The BSP issued a whip to "its MLAs" to vote against the Gehlot government, but they had formally merged their group with the Congress, he said.

He said Mayawati was rattled as Dalits in Uttar Pradesh had lost faith in the BSP and were shifting towards the as the party was raising the issue of Dalits and poor. The Congress had taken on other opposition parties in UP and was trying to position itself as the main opponent in the state, he added.

The party has pitched Punia and the state party president to attract Dalits and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) into the party-fold. Former Union Minister Jitin Prasada is wooing Brahmins through an organisation.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi also criticised the BSP leader and called her unannounced spokesperson of the without taking her name.

Vishwanath Chaturvedi, another Congress leader, said the BSP had become a frontal organisation of the and Mayawati was inclining towards the BJP again. In the past too, she had allied with the BJP, he added.

Mayawati's relations with the Congress soured after six BSP legislators merged their group the Congress in September 2019 and also supported it during the recent Rajya Sabha polls.

The Rajasthan Speaker had on September 18, 2019 declared complete the BSP legislators merger with the Congress.Madanlal Dilawar, a BJP legislator, has also petitioned the high court on the issue. Dilawar in his plea has challenged the Rajasthan Speaker's July 24 decision to dismiss his plea, demanding disqualification of BSP legislators under the anti-defection law.

--IANS

miz/pcj

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Heading to Alabamas Black Belt soon. Here is a new way to see and experience all that is available in this unique region in our state.

Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) recently announced the Feed Your AdventureFlavors of the Black Belt Trail. Adventure awaits on the nine themed trails which feature a bounty of cold drinks, good eats, and back road treats created by the locals across the Black Belt. Each color-coded trail includes a shopping checklist where travelers can procure the tasty treats as well as lists of the numerous uniquely Black Belt destinations, eateries and overnight accommodations across the 23-county region.

For me, and so many others, the Black Belt of Alabama is home, said Governor Kay Ivey. Alabama Black Belt Adventures Flavors Trail is the perfect way to highlight the local specialty food creations, small business owners, cultural attractions and historical sites that make the Black Belt region of Alabama a truly special place.

Additionally, along the way adventurers are encouraged to participate in the fun passport competition and the monthly photo contests. Utilizing the passport, those who visit all nine trails will be entered for a grand prize weekend getaway at Lakepoint State Park that includes a guided fishing trip by Gone Fishing with Tony and a guided canoe or kayak aquatic eco-tour. More information on the contests can be found here in the Flavors brochure. Ive included slides below as a quick reference guide for the Flavor Trail.

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail

Alabama Belt Belt Flavor Trail
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Muslim pilgrims, donning face masks and moving in small groups after days in isolation, began arriving at Islams holiest site in Mecca on Wednesday for the start of a historically unique and scaled-down hajj experience reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic.

The hajj is one of Islams most important requirements, performed once in a lifetime. It follows a route the Prophet Muhammad walked nearly 1,400 years ago and is believed to ultimately trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are named in the Bible.

The hajj, both physically and spiritually demanding, is intended to bring about greater humility and unity among Muslims.

Rather than standing and praying shoulder-to-shoulder in a sea of people from different walks of life, pilgrims this year are social distancing  standing apart and moving in small groups of 20 to limit exposure and the potential transmission of the coronavirus.

The pilgrimage is a journey that Muslims traditionally experience with relatives. In past years, it was common to see men pushing their elderly parents around on wheelchairs in order to help them complete the hajj, and parents carrying children on their backs. The communal feeling of more than 2.5 million people from around the world  Shiite, Sunni and other Muslim sects  praying together, eating together and repenting together has long been part of what makes hajj both a challenging and rewarding experience like none other.

This year, however, pilgrims are eating prepackaged meals alone in their hotel rooms and praying at a distance from one another. The Saudi government is covering all the pilgrims expenses of travel, accommodation, meals and healthcare.

While the experience is starkly different, it remains an opportunity for pilgrims to wipe clean past sins and deepen their faith.

Ammar Khaled, a 29-year-old Indian pilgrim who was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, said although hes alone on the hajj, hes praying for those he loves.

Words arent enough to explain how blessed I feel and how amazing the arrangements have been, Khaled said. They have taken every possible precaution.

For the first time in Saudi history, the government barred Muslims from entering the kingdom from abroad to perform the hajj in order to limit exposure of the coronavirus.

Instead, as few as 1,000 people already residing in Saudi Arabia were selected to take part in the hajj this year. Two-thirds are foreign residents from among the 160 different nationalities that would have normally been represented at the hajj. One-third are Saudi security personnel and medical staff.

The pilgrims, who were selected after applying through an online portal, were required to be between the ages of 20 and 50, with no terminal illnesses and showing no symptoms of the virus. Preference was given to those who have not performed the hajj before.

Pilgrims were tested for the coronavirus, given wristbands that connect to their phones and monitor their movement and were required to quarantine at home and in their hotel rooms in Mecca ahead of Wednesdays start of the hajj. They will also be required to quarantine for a week after the hajj concludes on Sunday.

Mecca was sealed off for months ahead of the hajj, and the smaller year-round Umrah pilgrimage was suspended earlier this year, with pilgrims already in the city at that time flown back home.

International media were not permitted to cover the hajj from Mecca this year. Instead, Saudi government broadcast live footage from the Grand Mosque on Wednesday showing limited numbers of pilgrims, moving several feet apart, circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in the first rituals of the hajj.

The Kaaba represents the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God in Islam. Observant Muslims around the world face toward the Kaaba during their five daily prayers.

During the hajj, women forgo makeup and perfume and wear loose-fitting clothing and a head covering in order to focus inwardly. Men dress in seamless, white terrycloth garments meant to emphasize the equality of all Muslims and prevent wealthier pilgrims from differentiating themselves with more elaborate garments.

During the first rites of hajj, Muslims circle the Kaaba counter-clockwise seven times while reciting supplications to God, then walk between two hills where Ibrahims wife, Hagar, is believed to have run as she searched for water for her dying son before God brought forth a well that runs to this day.

This year, pilgrims will only be able to drink water from this Zamzam well that is packaged in plastic bottles. Pebbles for casting away evil that are usually picked up by pilgrims along hajj routes will be sterilized and bagged ahead of time.

Pilgrims have also been given their own prayer rugs and special attire to wear during the hajj laced with silver nano technology that Saudi authorities say helps kill bacteria and makes clothes water resistant. They were also provided with umbrellas to shield them from the sun, towels, soaps, sanitizers and other essentials, as well as online sessions in different language about what to expect on the hajj and the regulations in place.

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia needs to put these measures in place so we can learn from this experience, said Saudi infectious disease expert and World Health Organization official, Dr. Hanan Balkhy.

The kingdom and the world will learn together what are the best ways to mitigate transmission during these types of events, said Balkhy, assistant director-general for the antimicrobial resistance division at WHOs headquarters in Geneva who has worked on past hajj missions.
3 1 of 3 Evan Vucci, STF / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Matthew Busch / Bloomberg Show More Show Less 3 of 3





President Donald Trump is headed to Odessa and Midland today for his 16th visit to Texas during his presidency.

Trump is set to land in Midland at 11:30 a.m. before going to Odessa for a fundraising event at the Marriott. The president will later tour an oil rig at Double Eagle Energy in Midland and talk about his energy policies.
MBABANE  The country is set to benefit from a United Kingdom programme that will enhance trade through networking as well as private and public partnerships.

The Ezulwini-based British High Commission, in a correspondence shared to this publication, confirmed the launch of UK tech for growth programme to increase access to financial services in Africa. It was launched by the UK Department for International Trade (DIT) on Monday. It will enhance the role technology can play in expanding access to financial services in emerging markets, starting with Africa.

The programme will enhance trade between the UK and Africa through networking, private and public partnerships, and in-country capacity building. An ongoing research programme will address market access barriers currently limiting the role of technology in delivering trade alongside sustainable development goals, reads the correspondence in part.

Services

The first year of the programme will be piloted across Africa, where access to financial services remains low. There are further plans for the programme to expand globally across South East Asia and Latin America. In its first year, Tech for Growth will deliver three pillars of activity. They include establishing a UK-Africa Tech for Growth community designed to expand access to financial services for underserved communities.

It will include events across the UK and Africa to promote partnerships between British and African technology and financial services companies. The other pillar speaks to empowering UK-Africa FinTech trade by highlighting commercial opportunities, leverage research, and addressing barriers that currently inhibit successful scaling of the FinTech sector.

Also on the agenda is supporting the growth of future tech markets by collaborating with African governments and regulators to grow their tech sector, and develop future trading partnerships with the UK.
Mr. Barrs timeline of two months of nonstop riots in Portland is also hyperbolic. Protests have ranged in size and violence levels, and the police have not declared the situation a riot every night. The Oregonian also reported that the courthouse was not a target of protests until July, when federal agents were dispatched to the city.

What Mr. Barr SAID

The problem with the testing system was a function of President Obamas mishandling of the C.D.C. and his efforts to centralize everything in the C.D.C.

False. Mr. Barr, like Mr. Trump, was most likely referring to a draft guidance issued in 2014 by the Obama administration to regulate laboratory-developed tests necessary to track a pandemic. But the policy was never made final or enforced, undermining the argument that it was to blame for the scattered and insufficient delivery of coronavirus tests this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention botched the development of its own tests, leaving the United States initially blind to the viruss spread and behind other nations. (The Justice Department plays no role in procuring or distributing coronavirus tests.)

What Mr. Barr SAID

The historical building on Lafayette Park was burned down. St. Johns was set on fire.

This is exaggerated. When protesters gathered on June 1 in Lafayette Square, near the White House, as part of demonstrations in response to the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, the authorities used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear the area of peaceful protesters. Mr. Trump then walked across the park for a photo opportunity in front of St. Johns Church. A day earlier, a small fire had been set in the basement of the church, but it was contained.

A spokesman for Washingtons Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department said that damage from the fires was largely negligible throughout the protests and that no buildings were permanently destroyed as many had sprinkler systems installed.

Mr. Barr may have been referring to a utility and bathroom facility in Lafayette Square that was badly damaged, but not burned down. But other than its location in the park, the spokesman said, it had no historical significance.

What Mr. Barr Said

Well, first, it is my understanding that no tear gas was used on Monday, June 1.

This is misleading. The United States Park Police has said it did not use chloroacetophenone, or CN, gas, one of the most common types of tear gas. But it did use smoke canisters and pepper balls  and specifically products made by the PepperBall company  on protesters in Lafayette Square that day.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 19:12:52|Editor: huaxia

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A volunteer pushes the wheelchair of a villager at a temporary shelter in the No.168 Middle School in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, July 29, 2020. Affected by floods, more than 300 villagers in Sanhe Town of Hefei were transferred to the school. Free meals, psychological counseling and daily living assistance are provided in the shelter. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)
Supporters of former Bolivian president Evo Morales announced plans for a general strike on Tuesday while protesting a decision to further delay national elections because of the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the country. Morales fled the country late last year and now lives in Argentina after demonstrations against his re-election to an unconstitutional fourth term. At least 5,000 people demanded the government walk back plans to postpone the vote by another six weeks during a march through El Alto, an electoral stronghold for the leftist ex-leader. "The election date of September 6 must be respected," mining leader Lucio Padilla told AFP. "Our obligation is to defend democracy." Labour activists are planning national work stoppages from Monday unless the election tribunal pledges to hold the vote on schedule. "If this council is not heard... the indefinite general strike begins," said Carlos Huarachi, the leader of the country's main trade union federation Central Obrera Boliviana. The election has already been delayed once from its original date in May. Supporters of the ousted president accuse the right-wing administration of Jeanine Anez of pushing back the vote further because Morales protege Luis Arce is leading the polls. Anez assumed the interim presidency last year but her tenure -- originally intended as a stopgap until new elections could be held -- has been criticized for dragging on and lacking legitimacy. But the government said it was forced into the delay because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed nearly 3,000 people and infected more than 72,000 others nationwide. Government minister Yerko Nunez accused Morales and Arce of encouraging public marches and risking further spread of the outbreak. Arce "has admitted that he is behind these protests... and will have to be held accountable for the decision he has made," Nunez said. Morales supporters demanded the Bolivian government walk back plans to postpone the vote by another six weeks
The coronavirus has crippled sales at the Market grocery store and food hall in Twitters San Francisco headquarters building  but the Market is pressing forward with an expansion.

With thousands of workers at companies like Twitter, Uber and Square no longer commuting to the Mid-Market area, grocery sales at the Market have been cut in half. Some individual food vendors in the Market who previously saw monthly sales over $100,000 now have 10% of that business, said Market owner Chris Foley. The Market has cut staff from 103 to 87, and more potential layoffs loom.

All were trying to do is not bleed out. Theres no end in sight, Foley said.

Nonetheless, Foley said, an expansion of the food hall at 1355 Market St. will continue into an adjacent space and theres interest from new food vendors. He said he thinks hungry shoppers will largely return after the pandemic is over, potentially by next year.

Mensho Tokyo, a popular ramen shop with a Tenderloin location, has committed to open in the space, which has been vacant for years after the closures of French restaurant Bon Marche and the bar and restaurant Dirty Water.

I think post-pandemic, were going to build more of these things, Foley said of food halls. Vendors will need just a few employees and could prepare food off-site in existing industrial kitchens, saving substantial money compared with opening a full-service restaurant, he said.

Laurie Thomas, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, San Franciscos restaurant industry group, said casual service in a food hall makes sense. A major new food hall in Castro Valley opened this month despite the pandemic.

Its probably more viable as a business model. Its a smaller footprint so you have fewer employees, she said.

Fine dining was already a challenge in San Francisco before the pandemic with the high cost of labor and business operations. The economic devastation from coronavirus and new health mandates will make upscale restaurants even more difficult whenever indoor dining returns, she said.

Bay Area food halls have dealt with confusing coronavirus regulations, most notably at the Ferry Building, which was temporarily classified as a mall but reopened a day later. Individual food vendors in the Market are allowed to operate as part of its designation as a grocery store, which is an essential business, said Foley. Vendors include Tonys Slice House, Tortellino Bologna, Organic Coup and Poke Bar.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

The economic outlook remains bleak. The Market obtained a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan and is hoping for more federal aid. Separately, the restaurant industry has been pushing for a $120 billion national aid fund from Congress.

For now, the Market has not been charging food vendors rent, and its in discussions with landlords JPMorgan Chase and Shorenstein, Foley said.

The long-term outlook for Mid-Market, which the city tried to revive with a 2011 payroll tax exemption, remains uncertain. Foley, a longtime land broker for residential projects, said many residents in the area are breaking leases. Twitter and Square are allowing most employees to work from home indefinitely, and Uber is moving its headquarters to Mission Bay. Many city workers who previously worked nearby in buildings on Van Ness Avenue also are staying home.

Were just hunkered down and trying to survive, Foley said.

Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf
T he UK coronavirus death toll has risen by 83 to a total of almost 46,000, amid warnings of a second virus peak.

As of 5pm on Tuesday, 45,961 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in hospitals, care homes and the wider community - up from 45,878 the day before.

But separate figures published by the UKs statistics agencies show there have now been more than 56,400 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

The government also said in the 24-hour period up to 9am on Tuesday, there had been a further 763 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases.

Overall, a total of 301,455 cases have been confirmed.

These official figures released by the Government differ from the hospital death tolls reported individually by devolved authorities each day.

A further 19 people have died of coronavirus in UK hospitals, marking a significant increase on the same time last week.

Coronavirus in numbers: UK confirmed deaths at 56,409

Fourteen deaths were recorded in Englands hospitals as of 4pm on Tuesday, with another five confirmed in Wales.

Northern Ireland and Scotland reported no new fatalities.

Nicola Sturgeon announced Wednesdays count as she confirmed the country had now gone 13 days without losing a life to Covid-19.

The UK-wide figure is a 73 per cent rise on the 11 hospital deaths recorded on the same day a week ago.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

It brings the total number of deaths in UK hospitals to 33,918.

The figures come amid mounting concerns that the UK could be on the brink of a second wave of the virus.

NHS managers at all levels of the health care system are "highly concerned" about the prospect of a fresh surge in the outbreak, MP's were told today.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: I would say in relation to the second spike issue or something coming, the levels of concern among our members  the people who are leading NHS trusts  is very high."

He told the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus (APPG) that while there was "real concern about winter", many professionals were also growing increasingly worried about "an earlier spike".

We have already mentioned exhausted staff (and) we are already trying to rebuild other services, he explained.

Meanwhile, ministers have called for stockpiles of medicines to be increased ahead of a possible resurgence of the pandemic.

In a report examining the economic impact of Covid-19, the Commons International Trade Committee said the typical six-month buffer stock of medicine supplies needs to be boosted.

The study found that UK trade in essential goods like pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and food had mainly managed well in the crisis, but more action was needed.

MPs said: UK supply chains in these critical sectors have largely held up during the pandemic, despite spikes in demand, disruption to production and freight, and export bans in some countries.

While UK supply chains for medicines have proved to be resilient, they can only be stretched so far.

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The Government must ensure that buffer stock of medicines (which typically only lasts up to six months) is being replenished in case of a further pandemic wave.
By Online Desk

India on Wednesday received its first batch of new combat-proven fighter aircraft in two decades with the arrival of five Rafale jets, giving the country's air power a strategic edge in the midst of a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh and frayed ties with Pakistan.

The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base at around 3:10 PM after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.

Each jet was given a special water cannon salute at the strategically-located air base in the presence of top brass of the Indian Air Force including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria who had played a key role as lead negotiator in procurement of the jets.

Welcoming the arrival of the jets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a tweet in Sanskrit, said there is no virtue like protecting the nation and there is no vow like defence of the nation.

"The Birds have landed safely in Ambala," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted as soon as the aircraft touched down here.

At the same time, he used the occasion to send a veiled message to China.

"I would like to add, if it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity," the defence minister said.

INS Kolkata Delta63: Arrow leader (flying #Rafale),welcome to Indian Ocean

Rafale leader: Many thanks. Most reassuring to have an Indian warship guarding seas

INS Kolkata: May you touch the sky with glory. Happy landings

Rafale leader: Wish you fair winds. Happy hunting. Over&out https://t.co/WlEyiZTtg5  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

The Rafales were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

Singh said that "the touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India marks the beginning of a new era in our military history. These multirole aircraft will revolutionise the capabilities of the IAF".

The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.

The fleet, comprising three single seater and two twin seater aircraft, are being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

A government statement on Monday said 10 Rafale jets were delivered to India and that five of them are staying back in France for training missions.

The delivery of all 36 aircraft will be completed on schedule by the end of 2021, it added.

The Rafale jets, known for air-superiority and precision strikes, are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons.

European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran.

The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat.

The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

Though the jets are being inducted into the IAF on Wednesday, there will be a formal ceremony in mid-August to welcome them into the force.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top military brass of the country are expected to attend the event.

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase.

It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India.

The jets were also refuelled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet, according to the Indian Embassy in France.

The first Rafale jet was handed over to the IAF in October last year during a visit to France by the defence minister.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala airbase, the second one will based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

#WATCH Haryana: Touchdown of Rafale fighter aircraft at Ambala airbase. Five jets have arrived from France to be inducted in Indian Air Force. (Source - Office of Defence Minister) pic.twitter.com/vq3YOBjQXu  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

The Ambala base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF as the Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from it.

Authorities had imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station and banned taking of pictures and videos.

A large number of police personnel were also deployed in a three-kilometre radius.

The IAF has spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers.

The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by AK Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder).

In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology.

The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.

(With PTI Inputs)
By Bill Pascrell

The passing of my friend Congressman John Lewis has been a terrible blow. His death at this moment crystalizes the imperative of what was perhaps Johns most important lifes work: protecting your right to vote.

Because there is no question that your sacred right is under grave threat.

Almost daily, Donald Trump uses his pulpit to target election officials. He spews conspiracy theories that undermine our elections. And Trumps false claims that millions of Americans vote illegally targets the legitimacy of our entire democracy.

Trumps attacks are an extension of the cavalier shouts of voter fraud Republicans have been making for ages. Their assertions arent simply overplayed but made up whole cloth: voter fraud is virtually nonexistent in the United States.

(Ironically, perhaps the two most prominent cases of voter fraud in recent years were by a Republican running for Congress in North Carolina, and one of my current GOP colleagues from Kansas who was just indicted.)

Trumps attacks on voting come at a precarious moment. This year, Americans in states including Georgia, Kentucky, Texas and Wisconsin have had to wait in line for hours to cast their ballots.

Tragically, those images of lines snaking for blocks are not been one-off aberrations, but ones we see year after year. That is because they are not an accident but a product of deliberate design.

Across America, local Republican officials routinely close polling stations in urban areas and communities of color. Their purpose is nefarious: to make the process so difficult that people just throw up their hands and dont vote.

Republicans have found a partner in their war on voting in the five justicees who form the right-wing bloc of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Robert Courts 2013 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder gutting the Voting Rights Act remains perhaps the most damaging decision in generations. One of the greatest laws Congress has ever enacted, the Voting Rights Act ensured that Black Americans would finally enjoy the right to vote, fulfilling the promise of the Fifteenth Amendment a century after its ratification.

John Lewis would say many times that the Voting Rights Act was maybe the proudest achievement of the civil rights movement of which he was an integral part.

By preposterously asserting that racial discrimination is a relic of the past, the Supreme Court gave the greenlight to scores of voter restrictions.

Indeed, just this month, the justices blocked a landmark ballot initiative in Florida restoring voting rights to released felons that has been held up by a poll tax passed by the Florida legislature.

This matters as the COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges for voting. In our state, we just held our first-ever primary conducted almost entirely by mail.

For an endeavor involving millions of voters put together on the fly, the results have been mostly positive and voters engaged. In my hometown of Paterson the state Attorney General has uncovered evidence of fraud attempts in a municipal election that I dont dismiss, but it is my firm belief that this is an isolated incident and is not reflective of the safety or reliability of mail-in voting.

So there are obviously kinks to be fixed, especially if we are forced to do all-mail voting in November. The same applies for the other 49 states facing similar decisions.

This is why Trumps attacks on the United States Postal Service are so dangerous. Trump has made a poisonous target of voting by mail, claiming repeatedly (without evidence) that it is ripe for ballot fraud.

Worse yet, while the U.S. Postal Service has worked bravely during the pandemic, Trump has rejected any support for the public service even as managers say without help the postal service may shutter in September. Trump is even openly sabotaging the postal service, forcing out career leaders from its leadership and installing political hacks. In an incredible scandal just revealed, Trumps handpicked new postal service head is ordering employees to deliberately delay deliveries.

The electoral implications for the destruction of the postal service are momentous. If it is forced to curtail its service, our ability to hold a national election could be obliterated.

If there is a silver lining to this crisis, the solutions to protect voting are straightforward and Congress has acted on them. First, in May, the House passed a $25 billion lifeline to keep the post office alive (as well as $3 billion to states to strengthen mail voting infrastructure).

The New Jersey delegation has been especially engaged in working with the postal service. In June, I led a call between our membership and postal officials to make sure the agency has the tools it needs to conduct expanded vote-by-mail in New Jersey.

Similarly, in February the House overwhelmingly passed legislation to free the postal service from the prefunding of employee health care plans that has financially savaged the post office.

Second, we have focused on saving the Voting Rights Act. Now 235 days ago, the House passed H.R. 4 to restore the Voting Rights Act and to undo the courts decision in Shelby County.

Back in 2006, the Voting Rights Act was renewed by massive margins. Its passage this year with virtually no Republican support speaks to the GOPs tragic growing hostility to democracy. Nonetheless, our reauthorization of the legislation is one of the most important actions Congress has taken this session.

These bills would go a long way to protecting our elections and your right to vote.

Trump and Mitch McConnell are blocking all of them.

While I am not fully optimistic that we can clear these measures in this current Congress, we wont stop pushing until all of them become law.

In New Jersey, county clerks and Boards of Election must have mail ballots printed and ready and begin finetuning their capability to count expeditiously on Election Day. And the state must undertake a massive promotion effort to build public awareness of vote-by-mail. We need an early start now.

But even if Trump is defeated in November and replaced in January, he has exposed the tenuous weakness of our pillar institutions.

If Americans lose faith in the legitimacy and fairness of our elections, democracy itself will be unsustainable. Protecting democracy must be one of our absolute top priorities in 2021.

We could enact no better monument to John Lewiss life than that.

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell represents the 9th Congressional District, which includes part of Bergen and Passaic counties.

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Samrawit* gazes into the distance as a light breeze ruffles the shawl around her face. She hugs herself tightly as a gust of wind blows in from Lake Mirayi in eastern Rwanda.

The 20-year-old Eritrean refugees current surroundings are peaceful and relaxed  a far cry from the horrors she endured while in captivity in the hands of smugglers in Libya, where she was tortured, beaten and raped for almost two years.

I cant handle the memory of what I experienced in Libya, she says softly. I get very stressed sometimes because of what I went through.

Samrawit was evacuated to Rwanda last October, alongside 123 other refugees who had been in Libya. Around 258 asylum seekers  mostly Eritreans, Somalis and Sudanese  are currently accomodated in Gashora transit centre, some 55 kilometres from the capital, Kigali.

Samrawit left Eritrea following the departure of a close relative who fled military conscription, afraid for his life. With no family left in the country, she felt threatened and, facing the likelihood of forced recruitment herself, she decided to flee. On her search for safety, she was abducted and taken by human traffickers to a town in Sudan, near the border with Libya.

First they took us by force, and second they raped us, she says, crying softly. They threatened us with knives. How could I save myself?

Samrawit was held for two months in a traffickers camp in Kufra, in south-east Libya, where her captors initially demanded US$6,000 for her freedom. She was bought and sold by different groups of traffickers and smugglers, before finally ending up in Bani Walid, in the north-west, where she was held for a further eight months.

Her eyes fill with tears as she recalls the dreadful conditions captives faced there.

They did terrible things."

It was so crowded, you had to sleep on your side, she says. They fed us one plate of plain, undercooked macaroni a day. We were always hungry.

She adds that they barely had enough water and the toilets were dismal.

It was so dirty and so bad, especially for the women, because during our periods we could not wash up.

She adds that the traffickers would demand money and then beat and torture them.

They did terrible things. They would beat us with rubber pipes and rape the women in the open or under cars, she says.

Samrawit wrings her hands as she recalls how they would torture the male captives.

They would melt plastic and burn their hands and sometimes they would tie them and plunge their heads underwater.

Samrawit holds a crucifix  her only remaining possession from home  at the UNHCR Emergency Transit Centre in Gashora, Rwanda.  UNHCR/Alissa Everett

Samrawit survived an attempt to cross the Mediterranean on a boat which sank before she was returned to Libya then finally evacuated by UNHCR to Rwanda's Emergency Transit Centre.  UNHCR/Alissa Everett

In her search for safety, Samrawit was taken by traffickers, tortured and raped multiple times. Her family was forced to pay a ransom for her release.  UNHCR/Alissa Everett

Samrawit and other refugees at UNHCR's Emergency Transit Centre in Gashora, Rwanda receive counselling and psychosocial support.  UNHCR/Alissa Everett

A report published by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Mixed Migration Centre at the Danish Refugee Council, titled  On this journey, no one cares if you live or die, details how hundreds of refugees and migrants are dying each year on desperate journeys from West and East Africa towards and through Libya and Egypt.

Thousands more endure extreme human rights abuses and violations, including killings, torture, extortion, sexual violence and forced labour at the hands of smugglers, traffickers, militias and some State authorities.

In a list of recommendations, UNHCR and MMC are calling on states to do far more to identify and protect survivors of abuses on the routes and to hold the perpetrators of these acts accountable, including through criminal prosecutions and sanctions.

Samrawit was forced to reach out to her extended family, who in turn contacted her elder brother. Together, they raised a total of US$12,000 which covered her ransom and secured a space on a boat to Europe.

As she speaks, she tugs absentmindedly at a colourful bracelet on her wrist.

I got this from a friend in Libya. He made it for me, she says, adding that he remained in one of the detention centres. I really worry about him because I know how bad the situation is back there.

She recounts vividly how last July, the smugglers finally took 350 of them to the Mediterranean coast to attempt the crossing to Europe.

We left at midnight and after a few hours the boat started to sink, she says.

About 150 people died in the incident  one of the deadliest shipwrecks in recent years. Out of all the survivors, only four were women, including Samrawit.

Luckily, I was able to swim but I cant really say its because of this I survived. Its God who saved me, she says, adding that she swam for over eight hours, ending up back on the Libyan shore.

They were found there by the Libyan authorities and eventually held in an official detention centre to which UNHCR had access.

Tired, scared, dirty and hungry, they were registered by UNHCR and given first aid. They were then taken through an assessment process to identify those most vulnerable. Due to the limited number of available evacuation and resettlement places, efforts are usually made to prioritise those most in need, often including unaccompanied children, survivors of torture and other abuses and people in need of urgent medical treatment.

We identify their needs and link them with social workers for counselling."

Samrawit was among those identified as highly vulnerable and evacuated to Rwanda where UNHCR and partner agencies provide life-saving assistance, including food, water, medical care, psychosocial support and accommodation.

Margaret Mahoro, an education and livelihoods coordinator with the American Refugee Committee, a UNHCR partner, outlines why this support is critical.

We identify their needs and link them with social workers for counselling, she explains. Where they need special treatment, we refer them to doctors, including psychiatrists.

The evacuees have been given asylum-seeker status in Rwanda as their cases are assessed and further solutions are pursued.

Since December 2018, UNHCR has evacuated nearly 2,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Libya. Some 2,500 refugees and migrants remain extremely vulnerable inside official detention centres.

Since her arrival, Samrawit has spoken to her brother twice and assured him of her safety.

I am relieved because I didnt get pregnant or get a sexually transmitted disease, she says of her long ordeal. Theres a big difference now. Its like the distance between heaven and earth.

While she hopes to be reunited with her brother, she is focusing on her healing and has taken up English classes and is considering a sewing course.

I need to occupy my mind instead of worrying and remembering the bad things that happened, she says.

Samrawit was resettled to Sweden, as part of UNHCRs resettlement programme for highly vulnerable refugees.

*Name changed for protection reasons.
The Covid-19 tally in Bihar shot up by 2,480 on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 43,591, while the death toll mounted to 269, the state health department said here.

The department, however, said the surge in the number of infections was on account of previous days cases which were added to the system on Tuesday.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

The state reported 14 fresh deaths, taking the count of fatalities to 269.

The new principal secretary of the Health department, Pratayaya Amrit, took charge during the day.

He swung into action and was seen visiting Covid-19 wards at the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) here in a PPE kit.

The Bihar government had on Monday removed incumbent Principal Secretary, Health, Uday Singh Kumawat.

Amrit, a 1991-batch IAS officer, is the third to occupy the position since Covid-19 ripped through the state.

Among the new casualties, three deaths each were reported from Nalanda and Gaya, followed by two each in Patna and Begusarai, while one death each was confirmed from Aurangabad, Munger, Nawada and Lakhisarai, the department said in its bulletin.

Patna has, so far, recorded the highest number of 41 Covid-19 deaths.

Districts which have reported more than 10 deaths are Bhagalpur (26), Gaya (17), Nalanda (15), Rohtas (13), Muzaffarpur, Munger (11 each), Darbhanga, Begusarai and Samastipur (10 each).

State capital Patna also tops the list in terms of number of confirmed cases at 7,481. Its tally shot up by more than 414 since the previous day.

Other badly affected districts include Bhagalpur (2,335 cases), Muzaffarpur (1,943), Gaya (1,819), Nalanda (1,745), Rohtas (1,695), Begusarai (1,497) and Siwan (1,341).

Recovery rate in the state was 67.03 per cent. Out of 43,591 positive cases, 29,220 people have recovered, 1,376 of them since Monday. Besides, there are 14,101 active cases in the state.

The number of tests has increased to 16,275 from Mondays 14,236, while the total number of samples tested till date was 4.86 lakh.

Meanwhile, Patna Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said Covid testing facility has been made available at all primary health centres of six districts falling under the division.

The number of tests has increased to 5,970 from 2,400 in just a weeks time, he said, while asking the district magistrates to maintain the progress.

Agarwal and Patna District Magistrate Kumar Ravi inaugurated a home isolation control room at the district registration and counselling centre here.
A Dublin man who sexually abused his step-daughter and secretly recorded her in the bathroom has been jailed for six years.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the man (50) used a camera hidden inside a clock to take videos of his step-daughter in the shower which he then sent to another man.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at his then address on an unknown date between September 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014.

He also pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography on a date between November 12, 2015 and December 16, 2016, and to producing child pornography on a date between November 11, 2015 and April 16, 2016. He has no previous convictions.

A local garda told Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, that in 2016 a search warrant was executed at an address in Donegal. The man who resided there said the accused man had sent him videos of his step-daughter, who was aged 13 or 14 at the time.

The garda said the accused man's house was then searched and various items were seized. A total of 96 videos and 82 images of child pornography were found across two devices.

Gardai also discovered messages sent between the accused man and the man in Donegal.

The victim, who was aged 12 or 13 at the time of the assault, told gardai that on a night when her mother was not in the house, the man told her to come into his bedroom. He began rubbing aloe vera on her eczema and told her if she wore her bra too much it could hurt her.

She took off her bra because she was scared and he asked if she wanted a massage. The man proceeded to rub her breasts and her bum.

In her victim impact statement, which she read before the court, the victim said that her anxiety got worse with the news that the man had pleaded guilty. She said she sees him sometimes and instantly gets a panic attack.

The victim said that the man made her feel worthless, dirty and a liar. She said she did not believe she deserved anything and put all the blame on herself.

She said she was trapped in the hell house and that no one should ever feel the pain she had. She said she was terrified of the man and never wanted to be alone with him.

The victim said the man is a monster. She said she still has bouts of depression and has been left with a life sentence.

She said that during the assault, the man told her not to tell anyone because he would get in trouble. She said the man always told her that little girls should be seen and not heard.

The garda agreed with Caroline Biggs SC, defending, that no images of the victim were found on her client's electronic devices. She agreed that the man had admitted to secretly filming the victim and sending these recordings on to the man in Donegal.

Ms Biggs said her client had displayed a hostility to women, but that is no longer the case. She said her client is aware he has harmed everyone he has come into contact with and has genuine shame for what he has done.

Judge Elma Sheahan said the man had experience of living with and raising small children and therefore when watching child pornography he was fully cognisant of the helplessness of those he watched.

Judge Sheahan said that the placing of a video camera inside a clock to film the victim for his own sexual gratification has to be viewed as a continuation of the sexual abuse of the victim.

She said that as the man had to purchase, set up and operate by remote control the recording unit, his culpability is therefore high.

Judge Sheahan sentenced the man to six years and nine months imprisonment, but suspended the final nine months on strict conditions including that undergo two years of supervision by the Probation Service following his release from custody.
Tamil Nadu: In Indias Chennai, River Restoration Lands Hardest on the Poor

July 29,2020 | Source: UN Dark

Construction materials line the first floor of buildings, and bulldozers roll through the wide and dusty streets. Vijay Vasanth says he arrived here in early January on government provided transport. His family and their belongings were left on the sidewalk in the middle of the settlement, named Perumbakkam. When we came here, we had to be homeless. Vasanth said, They just lifted us and dropped us here, now we have to stay.



Vasanth says he grew up in the heart of Chennai, the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, in a neighborhood alongside the Cooum River called Sathyavani Muthu Nagar. But in late 2019, officials evicted 500 families living there, Vasanth included, without initially informing residents why they were evicted or where they were going. They were the first batch of 2,092 families set to be evicted. They started marking our houses by writing letters and numbers on the door, said Vasanth. He asked why and was told it was because his house was along the river. The markings on the door were to tell the families their house was set for demolition.



The families  like tens of thousands of families before them  were moved to settlement colonies like this one, miles from the city center and far from the sources of work and income that they once knew. When they arrived, the apartments they finally moved into did not have running water or electricity. There was only one light, an emergency light on the veranda, said Vasanth, who has struggled to find work. It is too expensive to travel to central Chennai, where he sold electronics, nearly 19 miles away. For three months we struggled hard. We were stir crazy, he said. Its a familiar sentiment. Sathyavani Muthu Nagar is one of hundreds of informal settlements in the process of being demolished by Chennai officials  part of a vast effort, they say, to restore the citys heavily polluted and constricted waterways. The governments first step, according to project documents, is what is officially called slum clearance or the removal of encroachments.



Supporters of these restoration initiatives say they are sorely needed. Chennais rivers are plagued by rampant pollution and overdevelopment, leaving them uniquely vulnerable. Science suggests that both problems are only amplified by climate change and will continue to be so in coming years. The long-term goal, officials say, is the restoration of crucial riverbank wetlands that can act as a buffer against both flood and drought. The neighborhood clearance projects are carried out in coordination with various municipal organizations, including the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT), the state Public Works Department (PWD), and the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB). The problem, critics say, is that the implementation of these otherwise well-intentioned programs weighs heavily on  and has little regard for  the thousands of low-income inhabitants eking out already difficult lives in dozens of informal communities along Chennais rivers.



When we came here, we had to be homeless. They just lifted us and dropped us here, now we have to stay. Indeed, under the new eco-restoration initiatives, it is not just the 2,092 families in Sathyavani Muthu Nagar  including Vasanths  whose lives will be impacted. Nearly 60,000 families, or roughly 200,000 people, are currently marked for eviction from the banks of Chennais rivers, according to the TNSCB, which handles the relocation of residents. The families are considered to be living in objectionable locations, which means in low-lying, flood-prone areas. Many have already been relocated.



But experts worry that at best, these environmental initiatives  while ostensibly for the common good  will continue to result in severe consequences for the citys poor. At worst, they say, climate change and ecological restoration are being used as pretenses for evacuating the citys slums so that new and equally imprudent infrastructure can be built. Even without climate change, we are a city that has been built to drown itself, said writer Nityanand Jayaraman, who works on environmental justice campaigns in Chennai. We dont need extreme weather events. Regular weather events are enough to finish us off.



Either way, what is officially referred to in project documents as resettlement and rehabilitation of families invariably results in them being sent, often against their will, to distant settlements referred to by housing advocates as ghettos, or satellite slums. Is this restoration? asked Vanessa Peter, a researcher at the Information and Resource Center for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC), a Chennai-based information clearinghouse for the citys poor. Or is this just another way of convincing everybody that we should get rid of our slums?



IN A VIDEO posted to YouTube in 2015, a crowd can be seen standing on a concrete bridge spanning the Cooum River  one of three major rivers coursing through the city  watching the swollen water rush underneath. It laps against the bridge, threatening to rise up and over the wall onto the road. On either side of the waterway, rooftops are visible above the turbid, olive-green water. The structures are almost completely underwater. Another video, taken from a bridge near the neighborhood of Koyambedu, shows a similarly bleak reality: the Cooum flowing over more rooftops, some houses completely washed away. Seen from overhead, the vulnerability of the city is staggering. Few areas lie above sea level; the rest is swallowed by water.



In 2015, this particular flood, deemed a once-in-a-hundred-year event, damaged or destroyed nearly 500,000 houses, killed at least 470 people, and caused $3 billion in economic losses, according to official estimates. The flooding disproportionately impacted the citys poor, who mostly lived in low-lying settlements along the river. Following this historic rainfall, a series of abnormally weak monsoons and a subsequent heatwave resulted in a severe drought that peaked in 2019 with the citys main reservoirs running dry. Of course, cycles of flood and drought have been a feature of life on the Bay of Bengal for millennia. But with climate change pushing the Bay of Bengal ever further inland, studies suggest that water-proximate, pollution-clogged neighborhoods like Sathyavani Muthu Nagar are facing a future of continued inundation. On top of a swelling sea, the city faces an increase of extreme weather events as the northeast monsoon gets stronger.



But Chennais problems, critics say, are as much structural as meteorological. People have the tendency to hide behind climate change, said S. Janakarajan, president of the South Asia Consortium for Interdisciplinary Water Resources Studies and an expert on water management. Drought and flood, he said, are as much a result of Chennais rapid development as they are of extreme weather. Is this restoration? Or is this just another way of convincing everybody that we should get rid of our slums?



Ecologically vital wetlands, estuaries, and rivers fell victim to decades of negligent land-use policy and an insatiable urban sprawl. Over the past 40 years, paved surfaces have expanded 10 times over, according to a report by Care Earth, a nonprofit that does extensive restoration work throughout the city. Jayshree Vencatesan, a managing trustee of biodiversity and conservation with the organization, noted that in order to build the industrial center and house an expanding population, developers of flashy IT campuses and looming apartment buildings deliberately cut off rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Once that is done, the land becomes dry and very easy to convert, said Vencatesan. These landscapes were usurped by the big players.



These wetlands and waterways serve as systems for recharging the citys aquifers, absorbing heavy rain and providing drinking water for the city, and climate change is likely to challenge the wisdom of this development. According to a report published in the aftermath of the 2015 flood by the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group, a local consumer and environmental advocacy group, the increased frequency of climate change-amplified events threatens to exacerbate already pressing environmental problems. The report called for extensive mapping of the storage and carrying capacities of local waterbodies, which had degraded due to incessant construction on the waterbodies, dumping of debris, and encroachments.



And yet, when it comes to addressing issues like these, Jayaraman said blame too often falls on informal settlements like Sathyavani Muthu Nagar, and the primary focus of the post-2015 restoration push remains the elimination of Chennais riverside communities. Thats because these informal settlements are often built directly into the riverbank and are perceived by many officials  as well as Chennais middle-and upper-class residents  as making the flooding worse, mainly by blocking the drainage area. And so ecological restoration of the Cooum focuses on slum eviction as an achievable first step, noted a 2010 analysis written by Karen Coelho, a scholar of urban ecology and associate professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies, and urban planner and community advocate Nithya Raman.



This shortcut approach is openly announced, the paper continued, confidently addressing a growing urban middle-class constituency who hold slum-dwellers responsible for the state of the rivers, and regard their summary removal as the crux of eco-restoration. As climate change increasingly lays bare the citys complex ecological crisis, nearly all interventions seem to begin with this familiar logic. For some strange reason, said Jayaraman, they believe that the only encroachers in the city that are problematic are the poor.



Such thinking leaves some of the more complicated realities of city-wide ecological restoration unaddressed, Jayaraman and other say. These include deeper, more harmful ecological disruptions, like the decimation of vital wetlands outside the city, or mega-projects like the port expansion being pursued by multinational company Adani, which will affect nearly 3,000 acres of critical tidal wetlands north of the city, threatening local fishing towns.



The eviction drive stems from a post-flood call from the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for massive investment in housing for those most affected. Despite a 2016 high court order that directed the government to examine resettling riverside residents near the area where they were originally relocated, CRRT-driven evictions have increasingly sent these families to hastily-built colonies on the periphery of the city. In a resettlement action plan prepared by the Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project, with funding from the World Bank, the authors acknowledge the need for new housing, not just because of a housing shortage, but as a clear climate issue, citing CRRTs work as expected to contribute positively in managing climate-induced extreme events.



But CRRT, a wholly owned division of the Tamil Nadu government, has long been criticized for using ecological restoration as a mere pretext for allowing new development projects. In their 2010 article, Coelho and Raman described CRRTs first project along the Adyar River, which evicted hundreds of huts and threatened thousands more with demolition. The aim was to create an eco-park and restore local flora, fauna, and the ecological function of the river. But the Tamil Nadu government had already permitted new office buildings, multi-storied luxury residential complexes, and five-star hotels on what was left of the estuary at the mouth of the river, irreversibly damaging the fragile ecology of the creek. These efforts to restore the creek were already moot, Coelho and Raman wrote.



Further complicating matters, the relocation settlements are often built on wetlands themselves, like the colony Kannagi Nagar, which filled in part of the essential Pallikaranai wetland to avoid flooding, and in the process blocked drainage of the Okkiyam Maduvu channel, an estuary so ecologically critical it has been dubbed the aorta of the marsh.CRRTs scope is limited, says S. Vishwanathan, an official with the trust. Their main focus is restoring the allotted project areas. The trust, officials added in an email message, has not prioritized aesthetics or allowed any real estate agency to pave for individual interest. For decades they feel they have been caught between environmentalists, who want to restore function to the citys heavily damaged waterways, and social advocates, who criticize the resulting displacement as unnecessary, unjust, and anti-poor. CRRT gets sandwiched between these two, Vishwanathan said. Officials say they must walk the fine line of addressing flooding hazard and restoration, while meeting the needs of affected families. They also argue that they are being more surgical in their removals than is typically portrayed by critics. My focus is not to remove the entire slum, said Vishwanathan. We identified that part of the slum that lies within the river itself.



The resulting impact on families is addressed in an official Resettlement & Rehabilitation Scheme for affected families  people like Vasanth and his family  who are deemed vulnerable to flooding. Officials point to social and community development programs, financial relief, and a provision of utilities and basic services. Acknowledging the difficulty of the distant displacement, Vishwanathan says the alternative is worse. They lose everything every year to flooding, he said, and they have no facilities. According to Vishwanathan, the resettlement colonies are a step up.



Yet years of documentation and research by advocates have shown that the evictions have negative impacts on the livelihood of residents. The issue, according to a World Bank report published in February, is that the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board, which is ultimately in charge of the resettlement and rehabilitation of families, does not have a standardized environmental or social framework for projects. Instead, it implements ad-hoc measures to suit each intervention. The Covid-19 pandemic further exposed these deficiencies, as enforced lockdowns left residents struggling to survive in isolation. While TNSCB is experienced in managing physical construction and delivering housing units, they do not have all the necessary expertise or experience in addressing key issues, World Bank representatives wrote to Undark in an email. Issues, they say, like ensuring residents have the means to secure an economic livelihood, and an environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient apartment building. My focus is not to remove the entire slum. We identified that part of the slum that lies within the river itself.



Despite evictee grievances, removing families may still be necessary, they say. While relocating families to nearby housing is always preferable, it is often not an option, and displacing families from the riverbank is necessary due to the high risk and inhabitability. As of now, officials say, the TNSCB has indicated willingness to expand social and environmental reforms.



In late June, The Government of Tamil Nadu signed on to a $250 million dollar project with the World Bank to strengthen the states housing sector policies, institutions, and regulations. It is part of a two-pronged approach to shift the responsibility for the development of low-income housing away from the TNSCB and the public sector more broadly and encourage more private sector involvement. The program also indicates expanded environmental and social reforms to alleviate some of the current housing development concerns. So far, advocates have criticized the Tamil Nadu government for lack of transparency, citing the lack of community participation of the most impacted communities, like Vasanths. The policy draft was unavailable for community input, and furthermore, there was no copy in Tamil, the local language.



IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS being razed like Sathyavani Muthu Nagar, most residents were wage laborers, autorickshaw drivers, and domestic workers. Some families had ties to the area along the river going back three or four generations. Now in the new settlements, many families are saddled with arduous, expensive, and often impossible journeys to the city in order to maintain work.



At such distances, many displaced residents are effectively locked out of the predominantly working class, cash-based network that undergirds Chennais dense urban economy. Schools, public safety, and health care services are also scarce and inadequate in these colonies, according to a 2019 report by the Information and Resource Center for the Deprived Urban Communities. Other public services are cost-prohibitive for most settlement residents, according to research by the Housing and Land Rights Network, a New Delhi-based human rights organization. The concentration of poverty contributes to high crime rates, and despite government efforts, access to electricity, water, and affordable food is often unreliable.



In December, the evictions in Sathyavani Muthu Nagar were temporarily halted amidst widespread protest and civil disobedience. Two residents jumped into the putrid river to demand the government at least postpone the evictions until after their children completed exams. And even advocates for river restoration and better water resource management say that Chennais relentless displacement of poor and working families is unfair. The best-case scenario, they say, would be relocation to government lands located within the city center. The worst-case scenario, said Janakarajan, is what we are seeing today.



Having lived along the Cooum for years, Vasanth recalls the impact the 2015 floods had on his community. People who live down by the river really struggled during the flooding, he said. Water entered all the houses. Many families lost their dwellings completely. Vasanths home was located above the bank, however, and was spared any damage. When the TNSCB came to evict the first batch of 500 families, Vasanths included, he couldnt understand why. They didnt give any reason, like flooding, they just told us it was dangerous to live near the river, he recalled. Dangerous for some, he argued, but his family had been spared over years of cyclones and floods.



For Vasanth, Sathyavani Muthu Nagar was more livable than Perumbakkam, the resettlement colony where he was delivered early this year. Before the eviction, everything was nearby: food, work, his community. Perumbakkam, he says, is too far removed, and most of his money would have to go to paying for bus tickets to travel back into the heart of Chennai for work. I miss everything, Vasanth said. Everything was near to us.



A 2017 report from the IRCDUC found that resettlement job programs were lacking, with little follow-through. Faced with overcrowded, mismanaged schools, students dropped out at high rates after displacement across the resettlement sites; if they decided to keep their existing schools, the average daily commute would be between three and five hours. Parents were also hesitant to send students to school citing poor educational quality and safety concerns, especially for girls.



The tenements themselves are also barely livable at times. Residents reported having to sleep outside the buildings until their apartment is finished being built, and when it is, some had to still wait for electricity. If elevators do not work, some residents must carry heavy water jugs up as much as eight stories, a near impossible task for older or disabled residents...
'The government says the mortality rate among patients is 2 to 3 per cent, but in doctors it is 11 per cent, which is very high.'

IMAGE: Medical staff at the Civil Hospital, Surat, pay tribute to nurse Sunil Prabhudad Nimavat who died while working at the hospital. Photograph: PTI Photo

That the medical fraternity has been under extreme pressure in the coronavirus pandemic is well known.

Exactly how much became known when Dr Rajas Deshpande from Pune posted a video stating how stressed medical staff were working non-stop in the COVID-19 ward.

Dr Deshpande, below, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com why he decided to go public with his grievances.

I have been fighting for the rights of doctors for the last 20 years and when I made this video, I wanted to highlight what insecurities doctors are facing during this pandemic.

Doctors are voiceless today and they neither have a strong platform to raise their problems nor are they in huge numbers that they can be counted as a vote bank so politicians would help them.

Mainstream media on the other hand find it appealing to write bad news about doctors.

I was disturbed by it and I lost my patience when some close doctor friends of mine and acquaintances started losing their lives while treating COVID-19 patients.

I made the video because all the doctors in India are working very hard to save lives.

They are working non-stop, day and night.

After I uploaded my video, many post-graduate doctor students have been writing on my Facebook page and airing their problems in working in the pandemic situation.

The plight of junior doctors especially is very worrisome.

These post-graduate student doctors are over-stressed and they have been told that if they refuse to do their work, they will fail in their exams.

These poor guys have no option but to work quietly./p>

When you as a doctor are posted in COVID-19 wards, there are certain international guidelines that need to be followed for being quarantined and sadly that is not being followed in our country.

Recently, the government came with a new system of 7-5-7.

It means seven days duty, then five days rest and then back to seven days of duty.

This is very impractical as doctors can pass their infection to other people if they do such duties.

This is ridiculous and it is happening all over India.

Unfortunately, no post-graduate student will come out in the open and speak about this.

If they do, they will be ostracised and their postings will be extended.

They also fear that if they open their mouth, they will get less marks in their examination.

Qualified doctors have also been threatened that they will be charged under ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) if they do not report to work.

The worst thing is that doctors from all different branches of medicines are pushed into COVID-19 wards.

Suppose there is a gynaecology student, then for three months that student is being posted in a COVID-19 ward.

The government is not thinking about lost training for that budding gynaecology student during this period.

How will s/he cope with her/his studies?

Does every budding doctor deserve this?

Easier way out would have been to fill up more seats.

There are hundreds of doctors who have passed medical exams and are keen to do post-graduate medicine, but the government is just not interested to fill up those seats.

Payment is also a problem for doctors.

Doctors and nurses have not been paid for months.

This is an all-India scenario and not restricted to Maharashtra alone.

In a state like Telangana, resident doctors have not been paid for the last 16 months.

In Maharashtra, they brought in doctors from Kerala.

These Kerala doctors were promised higher salaries than the doctors from Maharashtra, which is a ridiculous thing to do.

Maharashtra state doctors are working 24x7 to fight the pandemic and you call doctors from other state and pay them more.

This is not done as it is humiliating to the local doctors.

Now even the doctors from Kerala have not been paid.

They too are waiting for their pay. (The usual payment is Rs 60,000 to Rs 1 lakh per month.)

PPE (personal protective equipment) suits and N95 masks, which are protective gear, are duplicates or are of very low grade.

This is difficult to prove, but I am saying that in a country like the USA a doctor wearing a PPE suit and N95 mask, is likely to get no infection, but here in India, doctors, in spite of wearing PPE suits and N95 masks are getting infected with COVID-19.

Interns and resident doctors are told to buy these PPE suits on their own or they are waiting for someone to donate them.

Why should doctors pay for it from our pockets?

The hospitals must provide them free PPE suits and N95 masks.

After my video went viral, I got at least 20 messages that if they ask for better masks, they are told that they will be rusticated and dismissed.

One orthopaedic resident doctor in Chennai committed suicide after working under stress.

I run the Dr Rajas Deshpande page (on Facebook) which has 75,000 followers and mostly all of them are doctors.

That page will give you an insight into what doctors are saying.

Unfortunately, doctors are also divided as some are politically motivated and some fear that strict action will be taken against them.

So they are keeping quiet.

Another problem is doctors working in COVID-19 wards do not have any house help working for them.

So they are doing their household chores as well.

Most of the time doctors working in COVID-19 wards are wearing PPE suits due to which they feel breathless.

If you are a young doctor, then you can wear the PPE suit for a longer period.

But if you are a little older, it is difficult to be in that suit for more than one hour as you will start gasping.

Doctors wearing PPE suits get sweaty and one often feels fatigue.

After that when they go home, they have to take A bath and then cook.

This is a very hectic schedule.

At present it looks like this situation will continue for two more months.

My request to the government is to provide proper N95 masks and PPE suit to every post-graduate doctor student working in COVID-19 wards.

Arrange their duties in such a way that they get proper rest and are quarantined after their duty.

Duty hours should be humane.

If a doctor dies the government has announced Rs 50 lakh as compensation.

But I have not heard of anyone receiving it.

The family has to apply for this amount to the insurance company.

Now, if you go and check with insurance companies, they say they do not have any data as to how many doctors have died of COVID-19 and if their families have received the Rs 50 lakh compensation.

Some 137 doctors have died, but I have no knowledge whether their families have received the Rs 50 lakh compensation.

A doctor working in a COVID-19 ward gets a huge viral load and therefore the mortality rate of doctors is high.

The government says the mortality rate among patients is 2 to 3 per cent, but in doctors it is 11 per cent, which is very high.

I feel a solution can come if we treat COVID-19 patients in a standardised manner.

We need 5-6 times more nursing staff who can conduct calls under one doctor.

Instead of giving 20 doctors you can give one doctor and 20 helping staff so that the doctor can supervise them.

Ayurvedic, homeopathy and doctors from other fields, which comes under the Ayush ministry, can be recruited to treat COVID-19 patients.

This will help ease the burden.

Doctors are not getting leave even if they fall sick.

They have to work in COVID-19 wards irrespective of their ill-health.

They are intimidated by politicians and scared of losing their degree.
Gigi Hadid says that she 'spent all of last year' re-designing her $5.8 million New York City apartment  but photos she shared of the pricey home on Instagram this weekend have many social media users wondering if she couldn't have found a better way to spend her time and money.

The 25-year-old owns a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood, and says that she personalized designed and curated her 'passion project / dream spot' while proudly showing off the results online

But many commenters are baffled by her decor choices, particularly the 'rainbow pasta cabinets,' a 'giant out-of-place yellow pen [that] doesnt make any sense,' and 'a basket of pool balls on the kitchen island.'

New: Gigi Hadid, 25, said she 'spent all of last year' re-designing her $5.8 million two-bedroom Manhattan apartment

Check it out: She proudly showed off the space this week on Instagram

'Of course it all came together right before quarantining out of the city....' she added

Gigi called her home 'my passion project / dream spot,' adding, 'Of course it all came together right before quarantining out of the city....

'But Im excited for the time Ill get to spend enjoying all the special corners that were made with a lil help from some of my favorite creatives (tap!) who embraced my ideas and didnt call me crazy. ++ my mamma:) who is the greatest homemaking-sounding-board I could ask for (she called me crazy when required). Grateful to and for all.'

But while Gigi seems thrilled with how the whole thing turned out, many who've flipped through her pictures are less won over, and have been picking apart her design taste and several of the odd details she included.

'Gigi hadid is a great example of how wealth is WASTED on the rich oh my GOD that ugly house,' snarked one Twitter user.

'Gigi Hadids house looks like the one I designed on Animal Crossing when I was 9,' said another.

This is nuts! Social media users, however, have been mocking her design choices on Twitter

'Wow. Its like they asked a toddler their design choices and they answered without breaking focus from their drawing,' tweeted one more.

In particular, many have pointed out that her kitchen cabinets are decorated with colorful dyed pasta held behind glass. She says they were created by Linda Miller Nicholson.

'Unsure what haunts me more: Kim Ks terror house or Gigi Hadids pasta cabinets,' wrote one Twitter user in response.

'Gigi hadids inedible dyed pasta cabinet facades ruined my day,' wrote another.

'Gigi Hadid decorated her NYC kitchen cabinets with pasta art which is such fun & flirty way to tell everyone shes too rich to know what cockroaches are,' commented yet another.

The pasta cabinets weren't the only thing to catch fans' attention: Some also zeroed in on an odd boat-shaped wooden bowl on her kitchen island, which was inexplicably filled with pool balls.

'Does Gigi Hadid just eat pool balls like apples?' one quipped.

Odd choice: Some have particularly called out the bowl of pool balls on the kitchen counter

Seriously, though? One joked that Gigi must eat them like fresh fruit

Inedible: They've also called out these pasta cabinets created by Linda Miller Nicholson

Mama mia! She included a closer look at her 'dream pasta-facade-cabinets'

So strange: The cabinets were a particular source of jokes on Twitter

Contrast: The walls in her bathroom are covered with vintage New Yorker magazine covers

Cheap: Several made jokes about these, too, calling her bathroom 'the world's most gentrified dive bar bathroom'

Some couldn't get past the mish-mosh of patterns and prints and expressed how overwhelmed they were by how busy the apartment is.

But many called out specific details that just left them feeling confused, like the random basket holding one pair of skis and a third, unpaired ski in the living room.

Also in the living room is an asymmetrical hexagonal painting by the artist Austyn Weiner, a red painting by artist Eamon Harrington, and a giant yellow ballpoint pen, which reaches higher than the door and leans against a corner of the wall.

'Thinking about being gigi hadids friend and getting drunk with her and making her play were small and this is a regular pen with me,' joked one Twitter user.

That pen is near the bathroom, which has also raised eyebrows. Gigi decorated with dozens of old New Yorker covers, which oddly appeared to be tacked loosely to the wall.

One referred to it as 'The Worlds Most Gentrified Dive Bar Bathroom' while another simply said it was 'upsetting.'

Arty space: The hallway leading to the powder room was lit up with an array of Edison lights and decorated with a giant yellow ballpoint pen and a painting by artist Eamon Harrington

Bizarre: Several really didn't like the giant yellow pen propped up against one corner

Lots of stuff: Some couldn't get past the mish-mosh of patterns and prints and expressed how overwhelmed they were by how busy the apartment is

Where's the other one? A few people fixated on the three skis in the living room

More comments have poured in from critics who are making fun of apartment's new look.

'I'm going to have nightmares about gigi hadid's apartment interiors for the rest of my life. a truly cursed aesthetic,' said one.

'Gigi Hadids apartment is a visual representation of the saying, money cant buy taste,"' added another.

One insisted it 'has the same vibe as an applebees or a t.g.i. fridays,' while yet another described it as a 'gentrified hostel.'

Several have even gone so far to say it gives them anxiety and stresses them out.

'Gigi hadid used the sims house party expansion pack to decorate her apartment,' one more joked.

Ideal: The apartment has a dressing room where she canchange and prepare her makeup

Going up: A shot of the carpeted shares show art by at the top

Relaxing: Gigi's bed is surrounded by a rescued wood headboard and matching nightstands featuring a lava lamplike fixture by Sean Forest Roberts

Closeup: Gigi shared a closer look at the honeycomb-like bedside lamp

Elegant: She capped off the display with a view of her master bathroom

Sky high: A reverse angle from her master bathroom revealed a display case full of cosmetics and fragrances, though most of them are likely out of her reach

The colors! Gigi's couch in the living room has lots of colors and prints

Striking: A close-up of a Jean Paul Gaultier throw pillow highlighted dragons and ocean waves in the style of a tattoo artist

Out of time: Though the sofa seemed straight out of the '60s or '70s, the wooden ceiling boards gave the space a modern yet rustic feel

Back in black: Her slender black-lacquered dining table stayed casual thanks to black benches with weathered leather cushions
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz has been admitted to hospital suffering from inflammation of the gall bladder, according to state media.

The 84-year-old, who has ruled the country since 2015, is undergoing medical checks at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the capital Riyadh, news agency SPA reported on Monday, giving no further details.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi postponed a planned visit to Saudi Arabia in response, the foreign ministry said.

Before becoming ruler of the world's largest oil exporter and custodian of Islam's holiest sites, King Salman spent more than two years as the Saudi crown prince and deputy premier.

The de facto ruler and next in line to the throne is the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

The 34-year-old is popular among many young Saudis for reforming the conservative Muslim kingdom and seeking to end its "addiction" to oil.

He has won praise for easing social restrictions and supporting women's rights. But state control of the media and a crackdown on dissent make it difficult to gauge the extent of domestic enthusiasm.

The crown prince's reforms have also seen a purge of corruption charges against top royals and businessmen as well as a costly war in Yemen.

He has also drawn criticism over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

In March, two members of the Saudi royal family were reportedly arrested for allegedly plotting to oust King Salman and the crown prince.
[July 28, 2020] Canon Solutions America Announces NetGuardianSMB All-in-One Network Security, VPN, VoIP, and ISP Failover Solution

MELVILLE, N.Y., July 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., today announced it is offering NetGuardianSMB, a simple and affordable all-in-one solution that can help small and medium-sized businesses ease the challenge of securing their network and managing their communications. Every business needs a simple path forward to help guard sensitive business information and enable secure communications. NetGuardianSMB is designed to help small businesses predict, prevent, and persistently defend their cyber environments against inbound and outbound security threats. In addition, NetGuardianSMB provides customers with a robust, scalable communications solution that will be equally protected from service outages and downtime. For a quick overview, click here. Unified communications solutions that enable a remote workforce while providing security to an organization's infrastructure are in ever-increasing demand. With office structure changing at an accelerating pace, small businesses are seeking out technology to help manage disruptions to their operations without compromising security or increasing expenses. NetGuardianSMB has been expressly developed to address these requirements with centralized management of network and voice sysems that provides advanced functionality.



"Canon Solutions America is pleased to be the exclusive distributor of NetGuardianSMB in North America," said Peter P. Kowalczuk, president, Canon Solutions America, Inc. "This comprehensive solution can help small and medium-sized organizations, whether they are already accustomed to a remote workforce or if this is a new development. We're here to help these businesses stay secure and productive now, and going forward as the business landscape continues to evolve." A complete communications and network security solution, NetGuardianSMB is pre-installed on a single Dell Embedded PC 5000 appliance for ease of installation and management.

Network Security and Communications services include: UCaaS platform which is easy to use and easy to manage.

Firewall, VPN, Network Security, Captive Portal, Web Content Filtering, Antivirus (malware) and much, much more.

ISP failover services using 4G/LTE.

All-inclusive VoIP services.

Consolidation of multiple service bills into a single invoice for easy monthly budgeting. All-in-one, for one low price, NetGuardianSMB represents an evolution in communications by combining Network Security, VPN, VoIP, and ISP failover in one easy-to-manage solution. This all-inclusive product provides a simple solution to a set of complex problems. It helps reduce time spent on managing information, while also protecting critical data. For more information about NetGuardianSMB visit csa.canon.com/netguardiansmb About Canon Solutions America, Inc.

Canon Solutions America, Inc. provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. Canon Solutions America, Inc. helps companies of all sizes discover ways to improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs in conjunction with high volume, continuous feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America, Inc. is headquartered in Melville, NY and has sales and service locations across the U.S. For more information on Canon Solutions America, Inc., please visit csa.canon.com . Canon Solutions America, Inc. Website:

csa.canon.com

For sales info/customer support:

1-844-443-INFO (4636) Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. ProStream is a registered trademark or trademark of Canon Production Printing Netherlands B.V. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.  2020 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canon-solutions-america-announces-netguardiansmb-all-in-one-network-security-vpn-voip-and-isp-failover-solution-301101650.html SOURCE Canon Solutions America

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HANGZHOU, China, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 23, 2020, Professor Jian'an Wang's team at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine successfully completed the world's first human clinical application of the transcatheter mitral valve repair system (DragonFly) developed by Hangzhou Valgen Medtech Co.,Ltd. This marks a major breakthrough in the field of mitral valve intervention in China.

In this case, a 77-year-old female patient was diagnosed with severe functional mitral regurgitation and repeated heart failure episodes even after optimal medical treatment. The cardiac team evaluated the patient as unsuitable for surgical thoracotomy. Prof. Jian'an Wang's team decided to choose the DragonFly Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair System to perform the edge-to-edge repair operation. The degree of mitral regurgitation decreased to be less than 2 degrees. The patient walked well on the second day after the operation, and the clinical symptoms is significantly relieved.

The operation was performed independently by Professor Jian'an Wang's team. Prof. Scott Lim from the University of Virginia Medical Center and Prof. Yixian Lin from Hong Kong Asia Pacific Medical Center had a real-time technical exchange with Prof. Wang's team via video link.

Professor Jian'an Wang said after the operation, "As China's population is aging, heart valve disease has become a major cardiovascular disease. Transcatheter mitral valve intervention brings hope to these patients who cannot tolerate cardiac surgery due to their advanced age, poor cardiac function, and other organ dysfunctions. In this case, the DragonFly device had achieve excellent operation results. We look forward to further studies to prove the effectiveness and safety of the DragonFly device.

SOURCE Hangzhou Valgen Medtech Co., Ltd.
With Delhi now having only 10,770 active Covid-19 cases, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Wednesday released from Covid duty around 40 hotels that were converted into extended hospitals since May 29. Senior government officials said the administration is now considering allowing hotels and even banquet halls to resume normal operations, provided that they strictly adhere to the norms of social distancing, sanitising, mask wearing and restrictions on the number of people in gatherings.

The decision to delink the hotels that were attached to various hospitals in the city was taken by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a meeting after consulting with the state health and revenue departments.

A few hotels were attached to hospitals to increase the number of Covid beds. In view of the improving situation and because most of these hotel beds are lying vacant for the past many days, these hotels are now being released, Kejriwal tweeted after the meeting.

On June 12, when Covid cases in the capital were rapidly rising, the Delhi government had released a list of 77 banquet halls and 40 hotels that were to be converted into Covid facilities to cope with the requirement of beds. A total of over 15,800 beds were identified in these hotels (4,628 beds) and banquet halls (11,229 beds). The model was a first in the country and it was approved by the Delhi government on May 29, when it had identified the five hotels to be converted into extended Covid hospitals.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

These hotels were Crowne Plaza (attached to Batra Hospital); Hotel Surya ( attached to Apollo Hospitals); Hotel Siddharth ( attached to BL Kapur Memorial Hospital); Hotel Jivitesh (attached to Sir Gangaram Hospital); and Sheraton Saket ( attached to Max Super Speciality Hospital).

Of these, only Sheraton Saket operated as an extended hospital for the longest time; the rest did not receive any patients.

An official of Max Super Speciality Hospitals, which was operating the Covid centre at the Sheraton hotel in Saket, said on condition of anonymity that the facility was discontinued a while ago as all Covid patients being treated there were cured and no new patient has opted for the hotel.

A spokesperson of the Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, which was allotted three hotels, said it did not have to use any of the hotels for Covid patient management as the hospital was able to handle the patient intake.

Ramesh Dang, president of Delhi Banquet Federation, said Delhi is losing out a lot of revenue since all social gatherings are now being booked at hotels in Gurugram, Noida or other NCR cities.

Under the Unlock guidelines of the Central government, hotels and banquet halls are allowed to operate. But, Delhi had banned it in view of the high number of Covid-19 cases here. But, now that the cases have come down, these establishments must be allowed to open. We all are losing a lot of revenue since weddings and other social gatherings are being shifted to other NCR cities, he said.

Hotel and tourism associations welcomed the Delhi governments move, but demanded that hotels now be allowed to resume services and tourism be promoted. Tourism is one of the largest economic multipliers and we believe that each rupee spent on tourism could have an economic multiplier of upwards of 3- 4 times more for India. We have been requesting over the past five months for the revival of tourism, the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality said in a statement.

The government in a statement said, With the efforts of the chief minister, the coronavirus situation in Delhi has improved significantly and at present, only about 10,000 cases are active and more than 88% of patients have recovered. As on Wednesday, the Delhi government has more than 15,000 Covid beds, of which more than 12,000 are vacant. So, the demand of hotel owners and associations to relieve them of Covid duty was accepted on Wednesday.

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IRGC commander: Iran won't initiate aggression, but is fully offensive in tactics

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 5:33 PM

The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says Iran will never initiate any offensive, but assumes a fully offensive mode when it comes to tactical and operational performance.

"We will never launch an offensive against any country," Major General Hossein Salami said on Tuesday, adding that the Corps' activities are completely "defensive" in nature on the strategic level.

The commander, however, asserted, "We are fully offensive in [our] tactic and operation."

General Salami was speaking on the sidelines of the final phase of large-scale aerial and naval drills, codenamed Payambar-e A'zam (The Great Prophet) 14, that enlist the IRGC's Aerospace Division and Navy.

The maneuvers that are to be followed up on Wednesday, span the general area of the Hormozgan Province, west of the strategic Hormuz Strait, and the Persian Gulf.

Tuesday saw the Corps stage "all-out and multi-layer" strikes against the life-size replica of a Nimitz-class US aircraft carrier, which the American navy usually sails into the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC's servicemen began the episode by destroying the mock carrier's accompaniment with coast-to-sea fire.

State television aired footage showing the damage caused to the mock aircraft carrier following the operational juncture.

Elite divers then took action by delivering a "confusing blow" to the carrier's command bridge, namely the room from which the vessel is steered.

Coming in next was one of the newest additions to Iran's military powerhouse, a helicopter capable of firing missiles that likewise released the projectiles onto the main target.

The IRGC commandos then rappelled onto the mock carrier as speedboats circled around it.

The Corps' ground forces, meanwhile, successfully drilled downing an enemy surveillance drone.

Rocket launchers rounded up the stage with regular and precision barrages.

'Turning the tables on enemy'

"What was displayed today at the level of the Corps' Aerospace Division and Navy was completely offensive," General Salami said.

The commander said the exercises witnessed attacking seaborne enemy targets in case they sought to endanger the country's interests. The drills infused missile attacks and warship engagement alongside offensive mine-planting by the Corps' vessels.

By assuming an offensive mode on the operational and tactical level, the Corps will be "turning the tables" on the enemy, General Salami said.

IRGC drills simulate battling 'real enemies'

The commander went on to outline the fashion after which the Corps designs its regular drills.

The IRGC's drills are staged "on an extensive and realistic" level and use "scenarios that are developed based on [confrontation with] real enemies," General Salami stated.

In order for the Corps "not to face confusion in actual circumstances" that could come up, it deploys a combination of the right technical approach and correct application of equipment and innovative tactics in its exercises.

The Corps' weapons and equipment are likewise developed in accordance with the threats that face the country and proper understanding of "the enemy's points of weakness and strength," he said.

The commander, meanwhile, noted that the elite forces' defensive doctrine is premised on domestically-produced equipment that is upgraded for each new drill so it can be tested in the field.

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SHELTON  Aquarion Law Enforcement is seeking the public's help in identifying those responsible for dumping empty oil tanks along Sawmill City Road sometime between 1 and 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Aquarion Water Co. posted the incident on its Facebook page, stating that thankfully, a helpful tip allowed our team to quickly remove the threat to our nearby watercourses and reservoir.
Addressing the media here, Ardern said those principals are "basic freedom of association and the right to take a political view", reports The New Zealand Herald newspaper.

Wellington, July 28 (IANS) New Zealand has suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, as the new national security law imposed by China in the city was not consistent with the country's "principles", Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Tuesday.

When asked if New Zealand should expect repercussions from China, Ardern said the two countries have a "mature" relationship.

"There have been occasions where we have taken different positions (with China)  this obviously will be one of them.

"We have been very consistent, we will be open where there are areas we have to adjust our position," she added.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand could no longer trust that Hong Kong's criminal justice system was independent from China.

"China's passage of its new national security legislation has eroded rule-of-law principles, undermined the 'one country, two systems' framework that underpins Hong Kong's unique status, and gone against commitments China made to the international community.

"In light of this, it is important that New Zealand responds proportionately and deliberately to the passage of the national security law.

"As part of that response, Cabinet has decided to suspend New Zealand's extradition treaty with Hong Kong," he was quoted as saying by The New Zealand Herald newspaper.

New Zealand's decision follows similar moves by Australia, Canada and the UK against Hong Kong due to the law, that targets acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with punishments of up to life in prison for the most serious offences, which came into effect on July 2.

Responding to Ardern's announcement, Beijing accused New Zealand of "gross interference in China's internal affairs".

Ambassador Wu Xi said: "The New Zealand government's decision is a serious violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations."

--IANS

ksk/
PARIS  Whos hankering for a return to normal? Not Daniel Lalonde. The chief executive officer of SMCP, the group behind accessible luxury labels Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot and De Fursac, is not looking back  the world has changed. Hes developing a business plan for the new order.

The group reported a 45.8 percent decline in second quarter sales to 265.7 million euros, reflecting the steep impact of coronavirus shutdowns and slow path to recovery, with the sharpest declines coming from the Americas. Across France, its biggest market, and the rest of Europe and the Middle East region, sales were down 46 percent and 54.9 percent, respectively. The Asia Pacific region clocked the best performance, down 19.5 percent, with the company flagging that growth returned to China in June.

My objective is not to return to the performance and levels of 2018 and 2019  for me, thats the past, said Lalonde, speaking from his modern and airy corner office overlooking ornate, historic buildings in the center of Paris.

Weve had a transformation and were not looking to replicate what we had before, said the executive, who had embarked on a reflection on the companys strategy before the coronavirus hit Europe.

While the message is clear in his mind, and he has begun communicating it to his teams, for some, it is not obvious, he noted.

Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange in 2017, the group has made store network expansion its key source of growth, adding new stores at a pace of 80 to 90 a year. That strategy was appropriate for broadening the groups geographic reach outside of France, but the environment has now changed, in the executives view.

Lalonde is putting the finishing touches on new plans that reflect an emphasis on organic growth.

My growth in the future  we will tailor it to have a bigger proportion of like-for-like growth, he said.

Thats a big pivot point, he continued.

In the past, two thirds of the groups growth came from expanding store space while a third came from like-for-like figures.

Story continues

It was the right strategy for building the brands in China, and expanding abroad, said Lalonde.

In the future, more than 50 percent will be like-for-like growth, a shift he predicts will take place fairly quickly.

Stores, meanwhile, will become larger, and more expressive, with more personalized brand appeal, in his description.

I expect to do half of the physical stores that I used to do, he noted. The fast pace of expansion that reflected a strategy of increasing the groups presence in markets abroad continues to make sense in China, however, where there is still room for more stores, added Lalonde.

In the Americas, the strategy has been to focus on digital means first, then complemented with physical stores, which reflects the future strategy in other markets.

Our objective and ambition is to become a global leader in accessible luxury, noted Lalonde, estimating the groups current position as one of the top ten players worldwide.

I want to, by the time we finish our plan, to move positions, said the executive, describing his idea of becoming a very modest LVMH of accessible luxury, referring to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the luxury group that dwarfs rivals with a vast stable of 70 high-end brands.

One day, further in the future, Lalonde, envisions a larger accessories pole for the group.

We have ambition to get into other sectors later, said Lalonde, hinting at the accessories category as a potential area for future expansion. The group has focused on accessories of its brands in recent years, and they now account for around 10 percent of group sales, a proportion Lalonde sees rising into the teens, he said.

In the current environment, there has been talk of consumers gravitating to the least-expensive or higher-end labels, but Lalonde predicts people will be drawn to the best-in-class brands at all ranges.

Reflecting on the ways in which the coronavirus crisis has changed the landscape that the group operates in, he listed several.

There has been a massive acceleration of  Id say, first of all  brand purpose, he said.

I think you have to not only have great product, service, etc., you have to stand for something as well, he continued.

What weve done for that, all our brands have done a deep dive in the last year, some very recently, re-going back to the roots, clarifying its DNA, all its brand environments to make sure that its very unique, captures the essence, and has purpose, explained the executive.

Collection structures have been reviewed, the number of SKUs per collection has been reduced over the past year, from around 400 down by around 20 percent, and the company is trying to better manage inventory levels to have less product. There are no plans to reduce the time allowed for designing products, however.

As you look at your business holistically we thought maybe theres an opportunity to produce less and to reduce the number of references available because we think it will have an impact on our business, on our sales and it will make our stores look better, it will be more qualitative, for the experience as well, he noted. The group will continue to lower SKUs slightly more while focusing on managing global inventory.

If you do that well, you dont miss a beat, he said.

Theres been a massive acceleration of sustainability, he continued, noting while this is not new, the movement has been amplified incredibly.

If you werent there before, its hard to get there so quickly, he said.

SMCP plans to reveal specific objectives around sustainability at an investor day this fall, with initiatives at the group level  which is setting overarching objectives as well as with each brand.

Sourcing, much of which comes from Eastern Europe, is mostly separate for each brand  as set up by Sandro founder Evelyne Chetrite and her sister Judith Milgrom, founder of Maje  although negotiations can take part at the group level in the case of common suppliers.

The company does not source textiles through its owner, Chinese textile group Ruyi Group. Ruyi Group owns around 54 percent of SMCP, and has made headlines in recent months for struggling to meet debt payments, prompting speculation it could sell assets, which also include Lycra, Gieves & Hawkes and Cerruti.

Lalonde is interested in speeding up production time, from the current average of five to nine weeks replenishment time.

Online sales accounted for 15 percent of overall sales last year, rising quickly in just a few years, but Lalonde doesnt want to have to discuss such figures in the future  its about having one integrated channel, he insists. The group has been building an omnichannel, or integrated system over the past two years, starting with Maje. It is designed for smoother online sales deliveries, allowing for shipment of products from stores, using algorithms to track merchandise. While SMCP was behind peers in this area five years ago, the new system will help it shoot ahead of others, estimated the executive.

I think here were going to break through, he said.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus crisis has brought on the need to attend to relations with landlords, and the company has been renegotiating rents worldwide. Lalonde has himself called the top 20 landlords every six weeks to readjust terms.

How do you share the pain, how do you equitably share the impact between retailers and brands and landlords  thats what were trying to find, is that line where it seems fair for both, said the executive.

At the end of the first half of the year, SMCP counted 1,650 points of sale, including some 326 operated by external partners in markets like Russia and the Middle East.

When it comes to rent negotiations, variable rent contracts help hedge against lower sales, going down when business drops, but in the case of fixed rents, quickly becomes an issue.

The issue is when you dont have a variable rent and you have a high base rent. With lower sales, this has a big impact  and thats what were trying to solve with all these landlords, he said.

Its going, Id say, relatively well but we havent solved all the issues yet for this year and more importantly for 2021  its still a work in progress, he said, noting arrangements vary according to each landlord.

A large proportion of selling points are in department stores  around 40 percent  which are mostly based on concessions contracts.

We dont do wholesale  Im allergic to wholesale. Im convinced we have the right sales model, he said.

The fact that we run a concession model, I think were more in control of our own destiny, were able to work with the department store but we have personnel there that is trained for our brands  we make sure that there are good levels of inventory, we can float goods in, and we are able to control the customer experience, because its our people, he said, touting the strategys benefits.

The groups labels are in leading department stores around the world, though fewer in the U.S., serving as a draw for space dedicated to more affordable apparel.

Often were the traffic builders for accessible luxury  if you want to have a successful accessible luxury wing, you get Sandro, Maje, he said.

The labels typically have the best location and the biggest location in the stores, he asserted.

The brands are in stores including David Jones in Australia; La Rinascente, Harrods, Selfridges, Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marche in Europe, and, in the U.S., Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom, as well as Hudsons Bay in Canada.

There are still a lot who prefer a wholesale model in the U.S., he noted, adding that its the only market where this is the case. U.S. department stores make up less than one or two percent of the groups sales, he said.

We dont compromise on our business model  we could have more doors in the U.S. but we choose not to because I dont want to compromise on our business model  either its a concession or if its not a concession then, no, thank you very much, he said.

Reflecting on the overall mission of the groups brands, Lalonde said he has slightly adjusted his message.

Our mission of the overall company is still the same but Ive tweaked it, said the ceo, before rattling off his terms: Inspire Parisian chic around the world as passionate and responsible entrepreneurs.

Were very much a company of entrepreneurs, he said, noting SMCP, which counts around 6,000 employees worldwide, hires entrepreneurs just like our founders were.

We ask and try to find people to join us who have the notion of treating the company like its their business, like its their own business, he said.

The executive said the group, which recently secured a 140 million euro guarantee from the French government, has sufficient financing to weather the crisis this year and next.

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BEDFORD  The Bedford County Board of Supervisors on Monday unanimously approved a proposed expansion of Smith Mountain Lake Airport.

The requested expansion of the Moneta facility would include four land parcels totaling about 30 acres and add five new 1,760-square-foot hangars, one 3,780-square-foot hangar, one 2,880-square-foot hangar and one 2,000-square-foot terminal building.

Expansion would help accommodate more airplanes for tenants and improve the facility for clients through the eventual addition of more hangars and a new terminal, according to Moe Bazazan, general manager of Smith Mountain Lake airport. The expansion could host seven to 10 more airplanes when completed.

Twenty people are on a waiting list for a hangar at Smith Mountain Lake Airport, Bazazan said. The airport also operates a flight school and is used by transient fliers and students in addition to permanent tenants.

We have a definite need, Bazazan said.

The only immediate construction would be the 3,780-square-foot hangar for a tenants larger airplane in need of hangar accommodation, according to Bazazan. Five additional hangars could be constructed within two years, and the terminal building in five years, he estimated in a proposed timeline presented to the planning commission in a June meeting.

Some nearby residents expressed support for the expansion, saying it could increase tourism and part-time or permanent residents to the area, boosting the economy. Some also praised Bazazans previous improvements to the facility. Several said they were pilots themselves, drawn by the aviation community at Smith Mountain Lake. Jack Phillips, vice chairman of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, publicly gave the chambers endorsement of the proposed expansion.

Others expressed concerns for safety of households in close proximity to the runway, potential increase in noise and the impact increased traffic may have on roads  particularly Cutlass Road, which is gravel, and privately owned Buccaneer Road, which is paved.

Many residents of the 40 Acres subdivision help pay to maintain Buccaneer Road. Smith Mountain Lake Airport did not contribute to the cost of the roads upkeep, even though a portion of Buccaneer Road gives access to airport property. Some 40 Acres subdivision residents said they thought Smith Mountain Lake Airport should agree to financially contribute to Buccaneer Roads upkeep if the facility expands.

Bazazan said he is planning to meet with the president of 40 Acres Homeowners Association to discuss how he could help support maintenance of Buccaneer Road. Talks are also in progress to possibly bring Buccaneer Road under Virginia Department of Transportation maintenance, said Bedford County Administrator Robert Hiss, though a decision would not come soon.

The Bedford County Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend granting the special use permit for the expansion in its June 16 meeting.

In other news

Supervisors on Monday also moved to approve accepting Campbell County to the regional communications system agreement.

Campbell County formally requested to join the Emergency Communications Regional Cooperation Agreement last month, according to the published agreement, and the Regional Radio Board approved the requested amendment on July 10.

If accepted by all member localities, Campbell County would join Bedford County, Amherst County, the City of Lynchburg and the Town of Bedford  collectively known as the member jurisdictions  in the regional emergency communication system. The regional system was originally agreed upon in 2011.

Shannon Kelly covers Bedford County. Reach her at (434) 385-5489.
The 19 MW and 20 MW solar farms are anticipated to create over 300 new construction jobs and inject $70 million into the Alberta economy. Together, they will provide roughly 80,000 MWh of renewable energy to Alberta's general electricity grid annually, enough to power over 6,400 homes for a year. These installations will cover 300 acres  the size of 170 soccer fields  and represent two of Canada's largest solar farms at the time of their completed construction.

"We're proud to be the first Canadian bank to sign a long-term renewable energy Power Purchase Agreement, demonstrating our commitment to clean, sustainable power," said Scott Foster, SVP, Global Head of Corporate Real Estate at RBC. "This agreement, and our partnership with Bullfrog Power and BluEarth Renewables, will help support our clients and communities in the areas where we live and work with the low-carbon transition, while accelerating clean economic growth. We are excited to be taking a leadership position in this sector and continue our support of environment-focused innovation."

RBC and Bullfrog Power have a longstanding relationship, dating back to 2005 when RBC became Bullfrog Power's first major corporate purchaser of renewable energy. To date, RBC has purchased nearly 200,000 MWh of renewable energy from Bullfrog Power. In mid-2019, the two organizations formed a buyers' partnership  an emerging strategy in corporate PPAs where companies partner to gain access to larger projects, benefiting from economies of scale and sharing in the costs of executing these agreements.

"Power purchase agreements are the most effective way to expand renewable energy in Canada," said Sean Drygas, President of Bullfrog Power. "As we continue to advise our clients on signing their own PPAs, nothing shows our belief in their value more than signing our own. We're proud to support BluEarth's Burdett and Yellow Lake Solar Project, and we're thrilled to be on this path alongside RBC, a long-time champion of green energy."

RBC and BluEarth Renewables' relationship began in 2014 when RBC participated in a project-level financing to one of BluEarth's projects. Since then, RBC Capital Markets has acted as financial advisor to BluEarth on two acquisitions and also arranged and syndicated the bank financing to complete those acquisitions.

"We are proud to partner with RBC and Bullfrog  organizations that are committed to building a sustainable future and taking action on climate change," said Grant Arnold, President and CEO of BluEarth Renewables. "BluEarth executed a term sheet for this power in 2019 and, despite COVID-19 and other market disruptions, pricing, terms and the schedule were maintained. This partnership demonstrates that renewable energy can be cost-competitive in an open market and PPAs can facilitate green investment in the Alberta economy."

RBC's power purchased from the solar farms will contribute directly to two key targets of the RBC Climate Blueprint: reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 70 per cent by 2025 and increase sourcing of renewable and non-emitting electricity to 100 per cent by 2025. The RBC Climate Blueprint is the bank's enterprise climate change strategy to accelerate clean economic growth and support our clients in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Commitments of the strategy include investing in technology to address complex environmental challenges, advancing climate risk management, providing $100 billion in sustainable financing by 2025, and more.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 84,000+ employees who bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com .

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact .

SOURCE RBC

For further information: Josh Humeniuk, Corporate Communications, RBC, [email protected], 416-567-5607

Related Links

http://www.rbc.com


TDT | Manama

A total of 85kg of young fish has been confiscated and a number of violations relating to their illegal fishing and sale have been registered, it emerged yesterday. This follows the inspection campaigns of a team from the Marine Control Department of the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Plannings Agriculture and Marine Resources Agency.

The inspections were done in a number of fishing ports, central markets and fish shops, in which the young fish were seized. The department said in a statement that fishing for young fish is considered a violation of government regulations on fishing, and that it goes against the protection of marine wealth.

A call has therefore gone out to fishermen to abide by the laws issued in this regard, in order to preserve fish stocks and protect the Kingdoms marine life. The department stressed that preserving marine wealth requires the cooperation of fishermen and the public, noting at the same time the need to adhere to all fishing regulations.
We launched our forum to provide busy preschool educators with access to ready-to-implement, remote learning ideas. We were surprised to see as many parents as educators asking for access to the content." - Nick Caruso, Go2sLearnAtHome Team

Parents of all school-age children face difficult circumstances this coming school year as a result of COVID-19, but parents of preschoolers will be especially challenged to find enrichment opportunities for their 2 to 5-year-olds.

Beginning in March, many preschool programs shut down as public schools closed. Before- and after-school and child care programs shifted gears to accommodate older children during the parts of the day normally reserved for morning and afternoon preschool. With most school districts opting for either an all- or semi-virtual class schedule this fall, the trend is likely to continue.

Rather than leave their young learners behind, preschool educators got creative. Teachers & program directors went online to share photos, files, and videos with students unable to attend in person, incorporating learning activities and encouraging messages into forums normally reserved for schedule updates and reminders.

Melissa Fullerton, Owner/Director of Joy Kids Learning Centers in Edgewater, Maryland, describes why she started using her private Go2s classroom groups to offer sing-alongs and story times online for her students. This pandemic has changed the face of child care forever, but preschool children still need enrichment, play with a purpose, and exposure to new ideas and learning. Providing some distance learning activities for preschool children will allow families to supplement their childs learning and keep their child on par developmentally.

Nor are early childhood educators the only ones looking for support in incorporating online activities into their plans for fall learning. Nick Caruso, who heads the Go2sLearnAtHome team, shares some data. We launched our forum to provide busy preschool educators with access to ready-to-implement, remote learning ideas. We were surprised to see as many parents as educators asking for access to the content. Especially where virus cases are surging55% of our signups have come from California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. Parents are looking to online resources to keep their preschoolers on track for kindergarten.

Access to the Go2sLearnAtHome preschool learning activities is available by going to https://www.go2s.com/group/Go2sLearnAtHome.

Go2s is the leading community-first social network, launched in Brunswick, MD in 2018. It is built on the belief that people can benefit from a free networking app and still maintain control over their privacy and data. With Go2s, it is always the individual who decides who sees her likes and dislikes and who advertises to him. For more information, visit http://www.go2s.com.
Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, has picked Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a former commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission...





Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, has picked Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a former commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as his running mate for the October 10 governorship election.









Ajayi Agboola, his deputy who is not on good terms with him, defected from the All Progressives Party (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in June.





After his defection, Ajayi contested for the governorship ticket of the major opposition party but lost to Eyitayo Jegede.





Speaking at the swearing-in of new aides, Akeredolu described Ayedatiwa as a candidate with verifiable credentials and pedigree.

He said the leadership of the party decided to pick Ayedeatiwa following wide consultations and having been with the ruling party since the beginning of this political journey in 2012.





The leaders of the party have made wide consultations to choose the most suitable candidate as running mate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state. We have concluded that Mr. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa is the appropriate choice given the prevailing circumstances in the political arena at present, Akeredolu said.





This person has been with us since the beginning of this political journey in 2012. In arriving at this choice, some important factors assisted the leaders of this great party. We have decided to sever ties with mediocrity and treachery.





There is indeed no art to find the minds construction in the face. We are also not in any position to change yesterday. We must, however, allow the experiences of the immediate past to guide our decision.





A candidate with verifiable credentials and pedigree has been chosen to complete the last part of the gubernatorial race.





We may not have chosen a saint and the best but let it not be said that we, either wittingly or otherwise, settle for an avowed hater of human beings and good things, an enemy of his own people and a serial forger. We owe our people the duty of care in this regard.




Actor Nimrat Kaur could not score an Emmy nomination and went back to her daily chores after Tuesdays announcement. She took to Twitter to thank fans for their wishes and said she was excited for the Emmys.

Nimrat was presented for consideration by the Emmys jury for her role in US thriller series Homeland. She was hoping for a nomination in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category.

HUGE thanks to ALL

your wishes for the consideration of my @TheEmmys nomination!

Was so exciting to await the "announcement" which was shortly followed by going back to doing the dishes cuz the show must go on!

Lots of LOVE and gratitude from my sparkling kitchen and heart   Nimrat Kaur (@NimratOfficial) July 28, 2020

HUGE thanks to ALL your wishes for the consideration of my @TheEmmys nomination! Was so exciting to await the announcement which was shortly followed by going back to doing the dishes cuz the show must go on! Lots of LOVE and gratitude from my sparkling kitchen and heart, she wrote.

Nimrats fans, however, showered her with support and love. You were spectacular, enough said. You are the Queen! Homeland was, is, and will forever remain among the absolute best TV. Cheers, read a comment. Your an amazing actress. your time will come for sure, read another.

Also read: Happy birthday Sanjay Dutt: Ahead of KGF 2s Adheera, 5 times he embraced the dark side

Those who ultimately made the nominations list in the category were Laura Dern and Merly Streep for Big Little Lies Season 2, Fiona Shaw for Killing Eve, Julia Garner for Ozark, Sarah Snook for Succession, Helena Bonham Carter for The Crown, Samira Wiley for The Handmaids Tale and Thandie Newton, Westworld. Last year, Julia had won the award for her performance in Ozark

Nimrat plays Tasneem Qureshi, the head of the Pakistani intelligence agency on Homeland. The show stars Claire Dane in the lead and has been on air since 2011. The series ended in April this year.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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A special court on Wednesday remanded Delhi University professor Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil, 54, to the National Investigation Agency (NIA)s custody until August 4 a day after the agency arrested him for allegedly conspiring with Maoists to foment violence in Maharashtras Bhima Koregaon in December 2017.

Special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty sought Tharayils 10-day custody for custodial interrogation, calling him a key conspirator in the case with alleged links with the Maoists. The prosecution said the letters exchanged between the accused, which were recovered by Pune police, purportedly mention Tharayils name and role in the case.

Tharayils lawyer, R Sathyanarayan, opposed the prosecutions request saying his client was being interrogated for the four to five days and hence his further custody was not needed.

The court upheld Shettys request. Looking at the nature of the offence and allegations levelled against the accused, the demand for his custody for 10 days is well-founded.

Eleven other activists and intellectuals have accused of conspiring with Maoists to foment the violence at an event known as Elgar Parishad on December 31, 2017. NIA has alleged Maoist leaders were allegedly in contact with the Elgar Parishad organisers. Hundreds of activists attended the event and Tharayil is accused of spreading Maoism and encouraging unlawful activities. NIA has said he is suspected of having close links with Maoist leaders and co-conspirators in the case, including activist Gautam Navlakha, scholar Anand Teltumbde, and poet-activist Varavara Rao.

Investigators say speeches made at Elgar Parishad event aggravated caste clashes near Bhima Koregaon village on January 1, 2018, during the bicentennial celebration of a British-era war that Dalits commemorate. One person died in the clashes that also sparked widespread Dalit protests.

The Pune police have filed two charge sheets against several activists for their alleged Maoist links. NIA took over the case in January and it earlier arrested Teltumbde and Navlakha on April 14.

DU Teachers Association president Rajib Ray on Tuesday called Tharayil a fantastic teacher and a great voice for the oppressed.

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According to reports, Anupam Shyam was first admitted to a hospital in Malad where he was undergoing treatment. But was admitted to an ICU in Goregaon after he collapsed during dialysis on Monday (June 27). A few reports have claimed that he is now in a stable condition.

Actor Anupam's Bother Opens Up On His Condition

The actor's brother Anurag while speaking to Bombay Times had shared, "His condition deteriorated and I got him admitted to the hospital on Monday night. He has exhausted all his savings on medical expenses. I borrowed some money from people for his dialysis around 10 days ago. The doctors have suggested a kidney transplant. We have no clue how we will get it done, as he doesn't have enough money for it."

Anupam Shyam Is Best Known For His Role Thakur Sajjan Singh

Over the past three decades, Anupam has been a part of many films as well as television shows. He was seen in films like Dil Se, Nayak: The Real Hero, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Bandit Queen, and Slumdog Millionaire. Yet he is best known for his work in the television show Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya as Thakur Sajjan Singh.
PROVIDENCE, R.I.  As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.

The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.

Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.

Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolinas death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.

It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem, said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

He said the fear is that people are putting themselves in harms way because they dont believe the virus is something they have to deal with.

Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.

You dont need masks. There is a cure, Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. You dont need people to be locked down.

The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesnt work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldnt negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.

None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.

Many of the claims in Immanuels video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonalds and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human reptilians work in the government.

Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isnt real or that its a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One hoax from the outbreaks early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant microchips in all 7 billion people on the planet.

Then there are the political theories  that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.

Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuels video during an often-contentious congressional hearing Wednesday.

We did take it down because it violates our policies, Zuckerberg said.

U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.

Doesnt that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you cant contain deadly content? Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.

It wasnt the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say its not likely to be the last.

A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the governments top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled Plandemic, also warned that masks could make you sick  the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.

Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind Plandemic, had been set to appear on the show America This Week on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets, canned the segment, saying it was not appropriate to air.

This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.

Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.

New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesnt believe it is necessary.

Theyre politicizing it as a tool, he said. I think its more to try to get Trump to lose. Its more a scare tactic.

He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC poll said 3 in 4 Americans  Democrats and Republicans alike  support a national mask mandate.

Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages  such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members  but others remain.

Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the U.S. surgeon general urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.

Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.

Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks  then later retweeted Immanuels video against masks.

The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.

The message early on became confusing, he said.

Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.

Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.

While face masks dont lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does, he warned.

Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.

Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life, tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.

Trumps reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasnt convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesnt really support masks.

O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didnt wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.

Thats not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.

People only want to hear what they already think they know, she said.

___

Associated Press writers Beatrice Dupuy in New York, Eric Tucker in Washington, and Amy Forliti in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
Following their meeting on Friday, Canadas federal and provincial immigration ministers affirmed their commitment to welcoming immigrants to support economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadas immigration ministers plan for future after coronavirus Following their meeting on Friday, Canadas federal and provincial immigration ministers affirmed their commitment to welcoming immigrants to support economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadas immigration ministers plan for future after coronavirus Following their meeting on Friday, Canadas federal and provincial immigration ministers affirmed their commitment to welcoming immigrants to support economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadas immigration ministers plan for future after coronavirus Following their meeting on Friday, Canadas federal and provincial immigration ministers affirmed their commitment to welcoming immigrants to support economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Shelby Thevenot Kareem El-Assal Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canadas immigration ministers see immigration as a crucial step to supporting the countrys post-coronavirus economic recovery.

The ministers responsible for immigration met online last Friday, July 24, to discuss the impacts of coronavirus on the Canadian immigration system.

Canada has ten provinces and three territories. Every province and territory other than Nunavut has a bilateral agreement with the federal government. The bilateral agreements enable the provinces and territories to operate their own immigration programs to welcome economic class immigrants.

In addition to these agreements, the two levels of government have regular meetings like this most recent one to discuss current issues in immigration and plan for the future. On Friday, the ministers agreed to push forward with a strong immigration system.

See if youre eligible for any of Canadas immigration programs

Context of federal-provincial collaboration on immigration

Section 95 of the Constitution Act, 1867 defines immigration as shared federal-provincial jurisdiction, with federal law prevailing.

Immigration was outlined as an area of shared jurisdiction upon Canadas founding due to its importance to supporting the economic growth and security of the countrys first four provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario.

In the early years following Confederation, the federal government and provinces met to discuss how to attract more immigrants to Canada.

In fact, the first federal-provincial conference on immigration took place in 1868, and the following year, the federal government passed Canadas first ever Immigration Act, in 1869. Today, Canadas main immigration law is the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

Provincial involvement in immigration declined for the next century as the federal government managed the space. This changed in the late 1960s when Quebec wanted more autonomy so it could welcome more Francophone immigrants.

In the 1990s, the rest of Canadas provinces and territories also sought more autonomy over immigration so they could attract immigrants to meet their labour market needs in wake of their aging populations and low birth rates. This led to the launch of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Since 2003, the ministers responsible for immigration have met every single year in what has been the longest period of time in Canadian history that the two levels of government have formally sat together at one table to shape immigration policy. These meetings are very likely here to stay given their shared constitutional authority and the shared interest both levels of government have in welcoming more immigrants.

Want to immigrate to Canada? Get a free assessment

What the ministers discussed

In addition to discussing the coronavirus pandemics impact on the immigration system, the ministers discussed immigration levels planning, and regional economic immigration. They considered approving the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Strategic Plan for Immigration 2020-2023, which would outline their priorities for immigration over this period.

International students were named as key drivers in economic and demographic growth, which are important to Canadas economic recovery and long-term success.

Though current travel restrictions affect Canadas ability to receive new immigrants in the short term, the long-term drivers for immigration level increases remain. Canada is still experiencing labour shortages in multiple sectors and facing an aging population at the same time as a low birth rate. Immigration is key to ensuring that Canada maintains positive population growth and fills gaps in the labour market.

Ministers also agreed to continue collaborating to develop a new Municipal Nominee Program, as Canada still struggles to attract newcomers to smaller cities.

The PNP is an example of immigration programs tailored to the needs of specific regions in Canada. Canada also has federal immigration pilots that target regional and local labour market gaps, such as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.

The date for the next meeting has not been determined, a representative from the forum of ministers told CIC News, however, based on precedent, the next meeting is likely to take place in the fall. It would be shortly before the new immigration levels are announced for 2021-2023.

Thank you to my Co-Chair @TrevorHolderNB and to all our ministerial colleagues for participating in a very productive Federal-Provincial-Territorial Immigration teleconference! pic.twitter.com/fBgIJL75PK  Marco Mendicino (@marcomendicino) July 24, 2020

What the meeting means for immigrants

The frequent meetings between the two levels of government help to explain why Canada has such a strong and successful immigration system. As was the case back in 1867, Canada today is a very diverse country with different economic and social conditions in each province and territory. Incorporating the perspectives of various constituents into the immigration system enables Canada to harness immigration to benefit as many corners of the country as possible.

Minister Mendicino has continuously stressed throughout the pandemic the federal governments commitment to welcoming global talent from all corners of the globe.

The actions of the federal government and provinces speak louder than words.

Throughout the pandemic, both levels of government have continued to welcome immigrants through Express Entry, PNP draws (in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia), as well as through Quebecs system.

During the next meeting between the ministers, they will need to re-evaluate how the pandemic is likely to affect the immigration system in 2021 and beyond. The future remains unclear at the moment due to the pandemic. What is clear, however, is that the pandemic has not had a negative impact on the desire of the federal and provincial governments to maintain Canadas open and welcoming immigration system.

Although weve had a disruption this year due to COVID-19, now is the time, more than ever, to work together to attract, welcome and retain new Canadians, Trevor Holder, the co-chair of the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration, said in a media release. Holder, who is also New Brunswicks minister responsible for immigration, added that Together, we can grow into an even more prosperous country where newcomers and their families can settle, succeed and contribute to our communities.

Canada offers 100+ immigration programs. Find out which one is right for you

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
The 3rd CIIE further opens the door of opportunity

By:Huang Qingyang | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-07-29 10:35

The 3rd China International Import Expo (CIIE) will be held within 100 days. Many exhibitors this year have already attended the event two years in a row, while more are hoping to seek further cooperation with China in the coming years through this event. CIIE has shown the world that China is open to all kinds of cooperation in the future.

CIIE provides companies worldwide with various business opportunities as a result of Chinas persistence on high-level opening up. Nowadays, many exhibitors are choosingto make world debuts of their products at CIIE, believing that CIIE will bring access to a huge market if their products are of high quality. Miji from Germany will launch two new products at CIIE this year. One is the Miji 3-Star Format-A Embedded electric cooker and the other is a second generation mobile cooking kitchen. Chinese consumers are more sensitive to new technology developments. The consumption potential will be tremendous as long as the products are good, said Ji Canyue, co-founder of the brand. Hakatere Naturals, a brand in New Zealand producing honey products, will also havethe world debut of its new products, including honey mouth spray, propolis and honey powder at CIIE.

The high level opening up promotes better cooperation withinthe competitive global environment. A Cambodian company that sells rice attended CIIE last year for the first time. However, despite its attraction to consumers, quite a lot buyers didnt make a purchase due to the huge size of their products,which were sold in multiple large sacks. The brands importer later suggested developing small package products. This year, during the warm-up activities for the CIIE, the small package products havebeen very popular among the consumers.We are not very familiar with the Chinese market yet. Thanks to our importer, we now have much more confidence in our achievement at CIIE this year,said the brand manager.

According to lots of exhibitors, Chinas commitment to high level opening up has given enough confidence in enterprises who want to expand their business further in China. After two years visiting CIIE, Michelin, the best-selling tire manufacturer in the world,decidedto join in this year. Due to the sudden outbreak of Covid-19which has made face to face meetings difficult, the organizers created a new way to sign the contract online. In late February this year, Michelin officially signed the contract with CIIE to become an exhibitor this year. Meanwhile, some exhibitors have also decided to open their first physical store in China as well as making their first appearance at CIIE this year, including the French luxurybrand Korloff,which will set up its first store in China in October.
Meghan Markle was left 'frustrated and emotional' after a palace aide 'scolded' her for wearing a necklace with the initials H and M before she and Prince Harry were engaged, a source claims in their bombshell new biography Finding Freedom.

The former Suits star, 38, was spotted wearing the personalised gold necklace from Canadian firm The Right Hand Gal Jewelry Co. while out shopping in Toronto in December 2016.

The bold move was seen as an early indication of the seriousness of their relationship - a month after the news of their love affair emerged. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex later announced their engagement in November 2017.

In the photos snapped, Meghan looked relaxed as she appeared to smile at the cameras while carrying a bunch of flowers - days after Harry made a 1,700-mile diversion to see her on his way back to Britain from his tour of the Caribbean.

Meghan Markle was left 'frustrated and emotional' after a palace aide 'scolded' her for wearing a necklace with the initials H and M before she and Prince Harry were engaged in December 2016 (pictured), a source claims in their bombshell new biography Finding Freedom

The former Suits star, 38, was spotted wearing the personalised chain - believed to have been a gift from the prince - while out shopping in Toronto

According to a source close to the couple, following the publication of the images Meghan received a dressing down from a palace aide.

'She was advised that wearing such a necklace only served to encourage the photographers to keep pursuing such images  and new headlines,' they said.

During the phone call the Duchess apparently said 'very little', choosing instead to 'simply listen to the counsel'.

But after hanging up, Meghan felt 'frustrated and emotional'. The source went on: 'While she knew the aide had good intentions, the surreal experience of having someone from her boyfriend's office tell her what kind of jewellery to wear or not to smile at a photographer was too much.'

Meghan wearing the H and M necklace was seen as an early indication of the seriousness of their relationship - a month after the news of their love affair emerged. They got engaged almost a year later in November 2017 (pictured)

According to the friend of the couple, 'distraught' Meghan then called a pal complaining: 'I can't win. They make out like I'm to blame for these pictures, that it looks like I'm encouraging them, that me even acknowledging the cameras may not be sending the right message.

'I don't know what to say. It was only yesterday that people online were saying I look miserable in pictures, because I was trying to just ignore the [photographer].'

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'

According to the book - excerpts of which were published in People today, Meghan was said to have 'felt damned if she did and damned if she didn't'.

Finding Freedom is a biography written by journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who are supporters of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and have set out to 'correct the record' and shift the spotlight on to their charitable ventures.

It makes new claims about tensions between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Royal Family - but a source has claimed it will 'open old wounds at a time when everyone wanted to move on.'

Speaking to Vanity Fair, the family source said: 'I think the person who will be most upset about it all is the Queen.'

The Sussexes say they did not contribute to the book, but Scobie and Durand's account is based on extensive insight from friends of the couple.

The explosive biography has claimed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'hurt' the Queen by unilaterally mapping out their future royal roles without her approval.

Her Majesty is said to have been 'blindsided' by the launch of the SussexRoyal website which accompanied their Megxit announcement in January.

The biography makes new claims about tensions between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Royal Family. Pictured, attending the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 on March 9, 2020 in London

Meanwhile, The Sun previously reported that royal aides fear the new book could 'paint Prince William as the bad guy' and cause a fresh rift within the Royal Family, as well as result in potential repercussions for the future monarch.

Writing for Vanity Fair, royal expert Katie Nicholl added: 'There have been claims that the book will further deepen the rift between William and Harry, who fell out around the time Harry and Meghan got engaged when William voiced concerns that the relationship was moving too quickly.

'At one point things were so dire between the brothers that they werent speaking. While it is not known if the brothers have discussed the book and its findings, William will be understandably nervous about airing their grievances in public.'

The explosive biography has claimed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, pictured in London in March, 'hurt' the Queen by unilaterally mapping out their future royal roles without her approval

Calling the level of detail in the book 'quite remarkable' and 'unprecedented', Katie went on to say it was 'clear' the authors had spoken to 'numerous sources'.

The books revelations have led to suggestions that there is no way back for the couple, who have moved to California with their one-year-old son Archie after stepping back from royal duties in January.

The couple have 'torpedoed' any chance of creating a new position with the help of the Queen and senior royals when their 'trial period' in the US ends, sources believe.

The biography is already the bestselling book on Amazon UK, two weeks ahead of its release.
Creating an environment that encourages personal and professional growth (with some fun mixed in!) is pivotal to our success as a service organization, and we work hard to make every single person on our team feel valued, supported, and challenged."

Optimal Networks, a globally ranked IT services firm, received the Workplace Excellence Award from the Alliance for Workplace Excellence (AWE) on July 15, 2020. For thirteen consecutive years, Optimal Networks has been recognized for their exemplary commitment to building a top-tier place to work in Montgomery County, MD. The IT firm along with 39 other recipients will be honored in a celebratory video that will be posted to the AWE website in the coming weeks. Awards include the 2020 AWE Workplace Excellence Seal of Approval, Health & Wellness Seal of Approval, EcoLeadership Award, and Diversity Champion Award.

Optimal Networks has been awarded the Workplace Excellence Seal of Approval on the basis of its innovative corporate culture, inventive management practices, workforce demographics, employee engagement and retention programs, commitment to corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion programs, workplace benefits and rewards, family-friendly policies, and comprehensive growth and learning opportunities.

Fostering a strong company culture has always been a top priority for us, said Heinan Landa, Founder & CEO of Optimal Networks. Creating an environment that encourages personal and professional growth (with some fun mixed in!) is pivotal to our success as a service organization, and we work hard to make every single person on our team feel valued, supported, and challenged. To be honored thirteen years in a row is incredibly rewarding.

This year marks the 21st year that AWE will recognize excellence in the workplace. All award recipients undergo a rigorous assessment process led by an independent review panel of business professionals and Masters and/or Ph.D. level students in the fields of business, industrial and organizational psychology, human resources, environmental science, public health and diversity and inclusion.

Additional details can be found at http://www.excellentworkplace.org.

About Optimal Networks

Optimal Networks is a Rockville, MD-based IT company that helps law firms and associations achieve measurable business results by way of thoughtful technology guidance and white-glove support. For nearly three decades, clients have turned to Optimal when they are spending too much time overseeing their IT team, are worried about the security of their data, or are concerned their technology isnt providing the mobility or flexibility that their employees and clients expect. For more, http://www.optimalnetworks.com, 240-499-7900, or info@optimalnetworks.com.

About AWE

The Alliance for Workplace Excellence (AWE) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1999 by Discovery Communications, Mental Health Association (now EveryMind.), and Montgomery County, MD. Over the past 21 years, AWE has been dedicated to empowering employers to build excellence in the workplace as a means of supporting the quality of life for employees, their families, and the community at-large. AWE is devoted to increasing the number of excellent workplaces within the business community through education and recognition, as a means to enhance the quality of life of its citizens and empower economic growth. For more information: http://www.excellentworkplace.org
Dublin, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics Market: Focus on Type, Component, and Application - Analysis & Forecast, 2020-2025 (Includes COVID-19 Impact)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics Industry Analysis projects the market to grow at a significant CAGR of 14.95% in terms of value during the forecast period, 2020-2025. North America dominated the global safety, security, and rescue robotics market with a share of 42% by value in 2019. Europe, including countries, such as France, the U.K., and the Netherlands, is the second-most prominent region for the safety, security, and rescue robotics market. In North America, the U.S. acquired a major market share in 2019 due to the maximum manufacturing developments in the company. Asia-Pacific is expected to have the highest CAGR value in the forecast period, 2020-2025.



The global safety, security, and rescue robotics market has gained widespread importance due to the growing geopolitical conflicts as well as the increasing need for naval and land border patrolling and surveillance with unmanned systems. However, the lack of development of high-quality and reliable solutions is one of the major challenges for the market.



This report is intended to be a comprehensive study of global safety, security, and rescue robotics market. The report focuses largely on providing market information for the professional use of safety, security, and rescue robots, that operate in industries and the utility sector. The report also covers different segments based on type, component, application, and region. Additionally, the study focuses on the major driving forces, restraints, and growth opportunities. The major players have been identified on the basis of their revenue generation, geographical presence, and company projects related to the safety, security, and rescue robotics market.



Detailed company profiles have been included in order to understand the strategic behaviors of the market players. The global safety, security, and rescue robotics market is further explained and analyzed based on regions, such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest-of-the-World. Moreover, the country analysis has also been done in order to have a clear picture of the safety, security, and rescue robotics market.

Story continues

Key Questions Answered in this Report:

What are the growth opportunities for safety, security, and rescue robots for different applications and regions?

What is the expected revenue to be generated by different types of safety, security, and rescue robots during the forecast period, 2020-2025?

What is the expected revenue to be generated by different regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest-of-the-World (RoW) during the forecast period, 2020-2025?

Which key companies are currently operating in the safety, security, and rescue robotics market?

Which global factors are expected to impact the safety, security, and rescue robotics market in the next five years?

What are the key developments made by the safety, security, and rescue robotics market players?

How is COVID-19 expected to impact the safety, security, and rescue robotics market?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Market Dynamics

1.1 Market Drivers

1.1.1 Increasing Conflicts at Borders and Geopolitical Instabilities

1.1.2 Rising Adoption of Unmanned System Solutions

1.2 Market Challenges

1.2.1 Rigid Regulatory Environment in Different Regions

1.2.2 Lack of Development of High-Quality and Reliable Solutions

1.3 Market Opportunities

1.3.1 Rising Trend of Autonomous Operations

1.3.2 Increase in Defense and Security Spending by the Developing Economies

1.4 Impact Analysis

2 Competitive Insights

2.1 Key Strategies and Developments

2.2 Competitive Benchmarking

3 Industry Analysis

3.1 Industry Overview

3.2 Leading Manufacturers and Product Mapping

3.3 Importance of Safety, Security, and Rescue Robots with Autonomous Technology

3.4 Funding Scenario in the Global Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics Market

3.5 Supply Chain Analysis

3.6 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis



4 Global Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics Market

4.1 Assumptions and Limitations

4.2 Market Overview

5 Global Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics Market (by Type)

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Land Robot

5.3 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV)



6 Global Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics Market (by Component)

6.1 Market Overview

6.2 Camera

6.3 Sensor

6.4 Navigation System

6.5 Control System

6.6 Others

7 Global Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics Market (by Application)

7.1 Market Overview

7.2 Commercial

7.3 Defense and Government



8 Global Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics Market (by Region)



9 Company Profiles



Boston Dynamics

Cobham Limited

ECA Group

Elbit Systems Ltd.

Howe & Howe Technologies, Inc.

Jonker-Makis Robotics

Knightscope Inc.

Kongsberg

L3HarrisTechnologies

OTSAW

QinetiQ

ReconRobotics Inc.

RoboteX Inc.

SMP Robotics Systems Corp.

Shark Robotics

10 Report Scope and Methodology



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kym3y7

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900




The Trump campaign is awash with cash, but its not always clear where its going. Donald Trump, as a businessman and now as president, has never been one to shy away from self-dealing, and the operation of his campaign appears to be no different. Sitting on a huge pile of cash, the Trump campaign has deployed sleight of hand tactics to obscure where its going, according to an FEC complaint filed by the Washington-based nonpartisan group Campaign Legal Center. The complaint alleges that the campaign has paid as much as $170 million to Trump-allied intermediaries, skirting federal disclosure rules that, by law, require campaign expenditures over $200 to be itemized and the recipient disclosed.

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Two entities in particular raise red flags: American Made Media Consultants and Parscale Strategy, both of which, the complaint says, were established and operated by Trump campaign aide Brad Parscale. Parscale worked for the Trump Organization before being brought on in 2016 to help the campaigns digital effort; until recently, he was the campaign manager of the reelection bid. The gist of the Trump grift is that these clearinghouse companies receive large payments from the Trump campaign for a myriad of vague political consulting services, including fundraising, digital this or that, print and online advertising, list rental, you name it. But who knows exactly where the money is going; once its been paid out the door to a consultant, then its hard to track. There have been reports that Trump children and other assorted hangers-on are paid as notional campaign staff through the two companies, instead of from the campaign directly, obscuring how much theyre making off the campaign.

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American Made Media Consultants, for example, was registered in April 2018 by Parscale. One month later, the Trump campaign started making sizable payments to AMMC; the campaign has reported payments of $106 million to the company since 2019. The Trump Make America Great Again Committee, a joint fundraising committee with the GOP, has reported over $61 million in payments to AMMC. Trump campaign organizations have paid Parscale Strategy more than $35 million since 2017, FEC data shows. The Trump campaign has said that it is saving money by using companies like AMMC, though thats shaky logic.

Campaign Legal Centers federal reforms director, Brendan Fischer, [said] its not uncommon for campaigns to have sub-vendors that are not itemized, and thats not unreasonable under some circumstances, ABC News reports. One such example, Fischer said, would be if a campaign is contracting with a media consulting firm to produce its TV ads and the media consulting firm subcontracts with a videographer. But it becomes a potential issue when the failure to disclose the ultimate recipient of the money is done in an intentional or substantial manner, Fischer said.

Correction, July 29, 2020: Due to a photo provider error, the caption on this post originally misidentified Lara Trump as Laura Trump.

For more of Slates news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below.
Lawsuit Filed Against Trumps Environmental Law Rollback

17 environmental organizations challenge Trump administration on NEPA

In a challenge to the Trump administrations modernization and streamlining of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 17 environmental organizations filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing the government of cutting corners and injuring rule-making policy on infrastructure projects.

The lawsuit (pdf) comes two weeks after President Donald Trump announced the final rule that would modernize the 50-year-old NEPA regulations, streamlining the development of infrastructure projects and expediting the federal governments decision-making processes.

The 17 groups are represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which claims that the changes implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on NEPA would reduce public input into major infrastructure projects and mask the pollution potential of such projects over their lifetimes.

Industry Organizations Welcome Reforms

NEPA reform is critical for unlocking the nations infrastructure potential, advancing environmental progress and supporting the nations economic recovery, Bethany Aronhalt, a spokesperson for the American Petroleum Institute, told The Epoch Times in an email. By streamlining permitting, we can not only provide more certainty for the modern pipeline projects that are needed to deliver cleaner fuels but jumpstart projects for highways, bridges and renewable energyall while maintaining important environmental reviews.

Heavy equipment is seen at a site where sections of the Dakota Access pipeline were being buried near the town of St. Anthony in Morton County, N.D., on Oct. 5, 2016. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP)

The National Association of Manufacturers cautioned that efforts by the United States to onshore manufacturing jobs require basic infrastructure, but that permitting processes under the old NEPA system can take yearsseriously damaging job creation and investment in America.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic it is more important than ever to strengthen U.S. manufacturing capabilities and operations, said Rachel Jones, vice president of Energy & Resources Policy at the National Association of Manufacturers, in a statement on the NEPA updates.

Onshoring manufacturing requires first establishing basic infrastructurefrom water and energy delivery to transportationbefore ground can ever be broken on a major facility, she said. Jones stated that while obtaining permits for such essential infrastructure can take years, the CEQs steps would slash permitting times and boost job creation and investment in the United States.

A spokesperson for the Council on Environmental Quality told The Epoch Times that CEQ does not comment on litigation.

NEPA Regulations

The NEPA, signed into law on Jan. 1, 1970 by President Richard Nixon, required federal agencies to examine the environmental effects that major projects could have on the human environment. The construction of highways, bridges, energy projects, electricity transmission lines, broadband cables, water pipelines, and other infrastructure fell under its jurisdiction, as did forest management, grazing plans, and wildlife protection schemes.

The NEPA facilitated the review of environmental impact statements from different federal agencies to evaluate and comment on the acceptability of the environmental impacts associated with a project. The Act also included provisions for members of the public to comment on and participate in such processes.

According to the CEQ, however, the NEPA process became increasingly complex over time, with extensive paperwork and delays. For example, the CEQs final rule on the update to the regulations stated that NEPA reviews of Federal Highway Administration projects take more than seven years to proceed from a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to issuance of a record of decision (ROD).

In 1981, the CEQ had predicted that most EISs would be completed within 12 months. Today, however, 25 percent of EISs take more than 6 years to complete. According to the CEQ, these timelines do not necessarily include further delays associated with litigation over the legal sufficiency of the NEPA process or its resulting documentation.

In 2017, Trump signed an executive order to establish discipline and accountability in environmental review and permitting processes associated with infrastructure projects. The CEQ was asked to ensure that agencies apply NEPA in a manner that reduces unnecessary burdens and delays as much as possible, including by using CEQs authority to interpret NEPA to simplify and accelerate the NEPA review process.

Construction workers grade asphalt to pave a road in San Francisco, Calif., on Oct. 5, 2018. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

According to Trumps order, it remained the objective of the federal government to safeguard communities, maintain a healthy environment, develop infrastructure in an environmentally sensitive manner, and provide accountability and transparency to the public on the processes involved.

However, the order also aimed to allow the government to make timely decisions with the goal of completing all Federal environmental reviews and authorization decisions for major infrastructure projects within 2 years.

Criticism and a Lawsuit

The SELC, however, claims that streamlining NEPA served to downgrade the Act. Kym Hunter, an SELC senior attorney, said the rewrite simply jettisoned the rules to give industry executives what they want at the expense of the public.

The organization claims that the CEQ held only two public hearings on rewriting NEPA, and proceeded with undue haste in reviewing comments from the public and concerned parties.

In addition, the 17 organizations claim that the rewrite fails to take account of either the cumulative impact of projects over time or their indirect effectsforeseeable changes to the environment that occur at a later date.

Removing those considerations means communities will not be fully informed about the potential harmful consequences of proposed projects like pipelines, highways and intensive development, the SELC said.

The National Environmental Policy Act is the bedrock legislation that helps impacted communities protect special places from ill-conceived infrastructure projects, such as pipelines and dams, said Jack West, policy director at the Alabama Rivers Alliance.

For two decades, Alabama Rivers Alliance has engaged in the NEPA process to amplify the voices of ordinary people standing up for their own lands and waters. The current administrations attempt to topple 50 years of fundamental environmental law is an illegal and transparent gift to industry.

Weakening NEPA rules is a body blow to the structure of environmental protections weve built over the last fifty years, said David Sligh, conservation director at Wild Virginia. Americans have the right to fully participate in decisions about our future and the health of our world and we will defend that right.
Conventional wisdom states that Joe will not only pick a woman, which he promised, but also now pick a woman "of color." How else could Biden possibly convince others that his commitment to minorities exceeds his commitment to racist gaffes?

While sidestepping the obvious insult to women, and especially non-white women, Joe Biden's handlers face a conundrum of their own making. Although merit-based selections always trump identity-based decisions, the Democrat party's platform is founded on identity politics  so Democrats' path is well defined.

Picking the most qualified for the Democrat party means someone who is constructed in back rooms, who fulfills an ideology agenda. Whether the candidate is a person of competence remains irrelevant. Consider President Obama's selection.

Yet the candidates currently bandied about for the nod seem less than desirable  or fraught with baggage. As each name is mentioned, there always seems to be a "but" clause to her resume  not from conservative media, but from their ranks.

If only there were a woman who brought unimpeachable identity politics to the discussion. The dream candidate would be someone who could meet the need for a non-white woman without angering those clamoring for such a pick who really mean "black."

Waiting in the wings is such a person: Senator Tammy Duckworth. A non-white woman (her mother is Thai), she brings the added benefit of decorated military service. Sen. Duckworth is also the first double-amputee woman wounded in the war on terror.

Aside from that pesky item of not being born in the United States, Senator Duckworth checks all the boxes for the left. Born overseas, however, will not be much of a deterrent to a fake impeachment group that also seeks to abolish the Electoral College.

While Senator Duckworth brings an impressive resume and strong academic accomplishments, she also strictly adheres to the leftist march of the Democrat party. For a party consumed with identity politics, Senator Duckworth eclipses all the competition. She also serves as the Biden campaign's best choice to help ease the discomfort of the unlucky soul tasked with breaking the news to Sen. Kamala Harris.

Senator Duckworth has some fight in her. Fox News's Tucker Carlson chose to take on Senator Duckworth's political views and love of country on his show when he posited, "Can you really lead a country you despise?"

Carlson said, "You're not supposed to criticize Tammy Duckworth in any way because she once served in the military. Most people just ignore her," he said. "It's long been considered out of bounds to question a person's patriotism. It's a very strong charge, and we try not ever to make it."

Sen. Duckworth fired back at Carlson with a well prepared and perfectly executed line that lower-limb amputees have used for years: "Does @TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America?"

Recognizing that being wounded in the service of one's country does not automatically instill a sense of patriotism, Tucker Carlson retorted:

"This is the person lecturing the rest of us about her moral authority as a veteran. Spare us. Tammy Duckworth is a callous hack who ignored the suffering of actual veterans when it actually mattered. She has no moral authority, she is just a politician like the rest of them," Carlson said after he called her a "moron" (Washington Examiner, 7/22/20).

Duckworth's responses proved why she is the perfect candidate for an identity-based party  she fired back with race. "I think he singled me out because I'm Asian American and I look different. Asian Americans have always been the other in our society," she later shared with CNN.

Opting for the race card was the perfect choice for her. Had she called Carlson on just being rude and returned to discussing ideas, she would have disqualified herself from being viable candidate for the Democrat ticket.

The "people of color who really only mean African-American" crowd might not like Biden's choice of Duckworth, but her selection would render their objections petty and small. Such is the price for clinging to identity politics  you run the risk of someone having more "minority points."

While the god of identity politics basks in pandering, it appears to shrug off equality.

Peter Rosenberger hosts the nationally syndicated radio program Hope for the Caregiver. For more than thirty-four years, he's cared for his wife, Gracie, who's endured more than 80 surgeries and the loss of both legs.

Image: U.S. Army photo / Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy.
Enfield, N.Y. -- A Tompkins County homeowner stopped an attempted home invasion by shooting two men who tried to break into his home, according to the New York State Police.

Troopers responded to the home on Rumsey Hill Road in Enfield at 7:21 a.m. Saturday, police said in a news release Wednesday.

Two people broke into the house, police said. The homeowner told them to leave but shot them when they refused, police said.

The two men fled and a third man drove them to Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania, police said.

One man shot, Mark S. Ward, 50, of Covert, was treated at the hospital and transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. He was charged Monday with first-degree burglary, police said.

The other man shot, Frisco A. Meeks, 32, of Ithaca, was treated at Robert Packer Hospital and extradited from Pennsylvania. He was charged Wednesday with first-degree burglary, police said.

Meeks and Ward are being held at the Tompkins County Jail without bail, according to police.

The driver, Jaime L. Coleman, 38, of Trumansburg, was arrested Saturday and charged with first-degree burglary, police said. She was remanded to the Tompkins County Jail on $15,000 bail and $30,000 bond, 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.
Laredo Health Authority Dr. Victor Trevino told reporters Wednesday that opening local schools, even partially, could overwhelm Laredo's hospital capacity, which is already near a breaking point.

READ MORE: Laredo sets record high of COVID positives for second day running

If only 0.5% of the children and staff become sick from the expected 10-12% who would attend in-person classes, that would overwhelm the hospitals, he said. And Laredo does not have a pediatric intensive care unit.

"In a pandemic, it is very dangerous to mix politics with medicine. As a community, the health and safety and wellbeing of students, teachers, staff and their families is the most important consideration in determining when schools will be open," Trevino said.

This is in response to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's non-binding guidance issued Tuesday that health authorities do not have the authority to shut down schools in their vicinity.

Trevino and the Laredo City Attorney's Office vehemently disagree, citing an advisory from the Texas Department of State Health Services from 2009, which is entitled "Authority to Close Schools to Control Communicable Disease."

On Tuesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a guidance letter stating that local health authorities do not have the power to issue sweeping school closures to minimize infection rates.

According to the Texas Education Agency, any school that stays closed due to a local health mandate will not be funded unless given the agencys permission to stay closed. Paxton announced that guidance despite contradicting the TEAs earlier guidelines. However, the agency quickly changed their guidelines, which now disrupts the plans made by local school districts.

According to Gloria Rendon, the United ISD Deputy Superintendent of Administration and Operations, a plan has been in development for two weeks but will now be revised and altered to accommodate the new changes.

She also said that despite the new guideline, approximately 13% of UISD families prefer sending their children to school while the rest preferred remote-only instruction, according to a recent UISD survey. Laredo ISD reported similar numbers last week with only 12% of families preferring on-campus instruction.

Despite the changes, it seems that the timeline of on-campus instruction has moved forward, but parents will still be able to choose between on-campus and remote-only instruction, Rendon said. In what looks like a tug-of-war between local and state authorities for the safety of students and staff, districts continue to work on a plan.

Both LISD and UISD are working on plans to safely and appropriately respond to any given situation such as positive cases, attendance, discipline, etc. Sudden shifts such as Paxtons guidance disrupts the planning, but Rendon said that the district will continue to work on a plan to accommodate students and staff before the school year starts.

Laredo ISDs recent actions and decisions regarding our instructional plan for the 2020-21 school year are the result of much discussion and careful study of available research and data, LISD Superintendent Dr. Sylvia Rios said. We will continue consulting with health authorities and TEA to create a robust and safe learning environment for our children, staff and community.

We are also confident that by partnering with the state of Texas and our local health authority, our school district will be able to move forward with plans to start the new school year on Aug. 24, providing our children with the quality education that they truly deserve amidst the challenges posed by the threat of a world pandemic.

READ MORE: U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, a mask skeptic, tests positive for coronavirus, according to reports

The Diocese of Laredo Catholic schools, however, will see no changes regarding the new guidelines, Superintendent Dr. Lupita Perez said. She and Bishop James Tamayo both prefer to adhere to the local health mandate and will continue with the decision of remaining online only until it is safe to provide on-campus instruction.

Christian Ocampo may be reached at cocampo@lmtonline.com
Hun Sen will travel to Beijing in August to sign a recently-concluded bilateral Free Trade Agreement, as a likely counter to the partial loss of some trade preferences to the E.U., through the Everything But Arms scheme.

In Phnom Penh, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has distanced himself from the West, which helped establish a fledgling democracy in 1992, instead choosing to gravitate closer to China and its billions in investment and aid.

The two celebrations, while similar in appearance, come amid shifting geopolitical calculations where Vietnam has grown closer to the United States and the European Union. Despite a problematic rights record, Vietnam has a free trade agreement with E.U., and the U.S. has increased economic ties and defense cooperation while keeping one eye on the South China Sea conflict.

At the same time, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi also marked 25 years since the re-establishment of diplomatic ties with Vietnam, after relations ended following the prolonged war between the two nations. The U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a video on the occasion were reaffirmed the U.S.s commitment to a strong and independent Vietnam.

The United States Embassy in Phnom Penh has been aggressively celebrating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Cambodia. Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy has not allowed the novel coronavirus pandemic to stop the year-long celebrations, which is reflected in his and the embassys social media posts.

Experts and analysts told VOA Khmer that the new power dynamics have caused a strain in Cambodias relationship with Vietnam, which helped overthrew the Khmer Rouge in 1979 and install the current ruling elites.

Pa Chanroeun, executive director at the Cambodian Institute of Democracy, said the intensifying diplomatic and economic battle between the U.S. and China meant that the former would continue to focus on its recent association with Vietnam.

In Cambodia, the U.S. would continue to push its human rights agenda, Pa Chanroeun said, which was likely in line with Washington D.C.s long term objective in the country given Cambodias reluctance to distance itself from China.

In Vietnam, the U.S. sees a ground to realize its principal objectives of projecting its power and utilizing Vietnams existing strategic status quo in bid to counter China, he said.

Cambodias ruling party has had deep diplomatic, economic, and military relations with Vietnam since 1979. But, in the last few years, Cambodia has moved closer to China, which has invested billions in infrastructures - China is helping build two new airports for Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, as well as an expressway to the coastal city of Sihanoukville.

The port city has seen an explosion of Chinese investment, leading to heated construction activity, the mushrooming of casinos, and an influx of Chinese nationals and workers. This has, however, resulted in resentment among local Cambodians, who say they have lost employment and have been priced out of their own city.
Houston's Buffalo Soldiers National Museum located in Midtown was vandalized and spray-painted with derogatory messages on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on National Buffalo Soldier Day, a day that commemorates the first Army regiments comprised of African American soldiers.

According to a Facebook post on the Museum's page, the side of the museum was "defaced with what appears to be a swastika symbol and a statement that reads, "Sucks Democratic Party."

Museum officials called for suspects who are responsible for this act of "disrespect, hate, and racism" to be caught.

"This has got to stop, the anti-racism movement must be more powerful than ever to ensure that mankind can survive mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially," the Facebook post read.

If you have any information about this act of vandalism, contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

alison.medley@chron.com
LISBON (dpa-AFX) - Portugal's retail sales declined for the fourth month in a row in June, though at a softer pace, figures from Statistics Portugal showed on Wednesday. Retail sales fell 6.6 percent year-on-year in June, following an 11.9 percent decrease in May. Sales fell for the fourth straight month. On a month-on-month basis, retail sales increased 4.4 percent in June, after a 14.7 percent rise in the preceding month. Sales rose for second month in a row. In the second quarter, retail sales declined 13.6 percent yearly and rose 2.2 percent from the previous quarter. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
A: We've surveyed our parents, and we've had a really good turnout. Maybe about 75% of our parents have responded to what they want to see. And, of that, 80% of them want to have kids back in school, and I think there are precautions that we can do. I really think that when we go back to school, our buildings are probably going to be some of the safest places in our community as far as addressing the concerns of the virus. The concern is when you see kids leaving school and jumping in cars, and there's four or five of them all together. Thats a challenge and how do you deal with that?

I'd love to say that we're gonna be back in person for sure, and that's what's gonna happen, but at the same time I'm not crazy enough to think that there's not other possibilities that could come up. You've heard it from the other superintendents, we're not medical experts. And so, we would love to have somebody say, like they did in March when they said schools need to close, to come out and say schools need to open, but I don't think we're gonna get that. So, we're just going to have to adjust and make those calls as we see fit. One of the things that's really important with this though, too, is we have options for parents and if their comfort level is such that they don't feel like they're comfortable with their kids being in school, then there's options out there. Ultimately, as a parent, you've got to do what you feel is best for your kids.
LONDON - Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex asked a judge at a London court on Wednesday to keep the names of five of her friends out of the public domain as she wages a privacy-infringement battle against a British newspaper.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at the annual Endeavour Fund Awards in London on March 5, 2020. A judge in London on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 is hearing the latest stage in the Duchess of Sussexs privacy-infringement lawsuit against a British newspaper, as Meghan tries to keep the names of five of her friends out of the public eye. The former Meghan Markle is suing the publisher of the Mail on Sunday at Britains High Court over five articles that published portions of a handwritten letter she wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

LONDON - Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex asked a judge at a London court on Wednesday to keep the names of five of her friends out of the public domain as she wages a privacy-infringement battle against a British newspaper.

Meghan's attorney said the female friends, who defended her in anonymous magazine interviews last year, are innocent parties who fear intrusion if their names come out. The target of her lawsuit, Associated Newspapers Ltd., argues that the principle of open justice  the publics right to know  means the friends should be identified.

The former Meghan Markle is suing the publisher of the Mail on Sunday newspaper and the MailOnline website at Britains High Court over five articles that published portions of a handwritten letter she wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, after her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.

Meghan, 38, is seeking damages from the publisher for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and data protection breaches. Her lawyers say publishing the letter was "a flagrant and unjustified intrusion into her private and family life." Associated Newspapers says it will strongly contest the claim.

At a half-day pretrial hearing, Meghans lawyers asked judge Mark Warby to prohibit publishing the personal details of the friends who spoke to People magazine in early 2019 to condemn alleged bullying of the duchess by the U.K. press.

The women's names are included in a confidential court document, but they have been identified in public only as A to E.

Meghan's attorney, Justin Rushbrooke, argued that the court had a duty to "protect the identity of confidential journalistic sources."

He said that with the full high-profile libel trial yet to begin, the court should be cautious and protect "the innocent party who fears intrusion."

But the Mail's lawyer, Antony White, said granting anonymity would undermine the "vitally important open justice principle."

"The friends are important potential witnesses on a key issue," White said in a written argument. He said removing their names "would be a heavy curtailment of the medias and the defendants entitlement to report this case and the publics right to know about it."

Associated Newspapers says it was Meghans friends who brought the letter to Thomas Markle into the public domain by describing it in the People article. It argues that details of the letter in that article must have come "directly or indirectly" from the duchess.

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But Rushbrooke said Meghan did not know at the time that her friends were speaking to the magazine. He said the anonymous interviews were arranged by one of the five friends, who was concerned about the toll media criticism was taking on the duchess, pregnant at the time with her first child.

In a witness statement submitted in the case, the duchess said "each of these women is a private citizen, young mother, and each has a basic right to privacy."

"These five women are not on trial, and nor am I," she wrote. "The publisher of the Mail on Sunday is the one on trial. It is this publisher that acted unlawfully and is attempting to evade accountability; to create a circus and distract from the point of this case -- that the Mail on Sunday unlawfully published my private letter."

American actress Meghan Markle, former star of the TV legal drama "Suits," married Queen Elizabeth II's grandson Harry in a lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Their son Archie was born the following year,

In January the couple announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said was unbearable intrusion from the British media.

Neither Harry nor Meghan was in court for Wednesday's hearing. The judge said he would give his ruling "as soon as I can."
A new report says Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh tried to get his fellow justices to sidestep some high-profile cases, including on President Donald Trumps tax returns.

An in-depth report from CNN says Kavanaugh urged the nations highest court to avoid the subpoena fight between Trump and the U.S. House of Representatives over the presidents financial documents. Multiple sources cited an internal memo and conversations with Kavanaugh pushing not to rule either way based on the judicial principle that courts should stay out of cases involving fundamentally political questions.

According to the Daily Beast, though, Kavanaughs strategy would have given Trump no legal path to block banks from handing over his tax returns to Congress.

CNN reports Kavanaugh also lobbied his colleagues to sidestep a Louisiana abortion case that could have closed abortion clinics in the state, to prevent the law from going into immediate effect.

Kavanaugh was reportedly unsuccessful in both efforts.

A divided court struck down the Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics last month, ruling that it would violate the rights the court ruled on in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. Trumps two Supreme Court appointees, Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, were in dissent along with Justice Samuel Alito.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 to hold Trumps financial records from Congress, returning the case to the lower courts, but upheld a New York prosecutors demand for Trumps tax returns as part of a criminal investigation involving hush-money payments to women who claimed they had affairs with Trump. Trumps two picks, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, ruled in the majority.

Kavanaugh was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice in 2018, giving the court a conservative majority, after a contentious nomination process that included allegations of sexual assault.

Fascinating as @JoanBiskupic's inside information is -- and this is the third of a four-part series -- the breach of Supreme Court confidentiality is the really extraordinary part. Details about internal Scotus deliberations rarely become public, at least not until decades later. https://t.co/H4lgqSa14L  Greg Stohr (@GregStohr) July 29, 2020
New Delhi:

Stepping up the opposition tirade against demonetisation, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today castigated the government and the Prime Minister over the move, saying its implementation was a "monumental management failure" and a case of "organised loot and legalised plunder."

Singh, who spoke in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha, said the decision will result in decline of GDP by 2 per cent, it being an "under-estimate".

However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected the charges leveled by the former prime minister and said those who didnt consider scandals to be a blunder, they are considering demonetisation to be a blunder.

ALSO READ: (Manmohan's top quotes on demonetisation in RS: 'Monumental mismanagement, organised loot, legalised plunder')

"There was mostly noise and no substance in what the opposition has been saying," Jaitley said while talking to media outside Parliament.

"Those parties who were once a part of every scandal in the country are now opposing demoonetisation," the finance minister said targetting Congress party.

"Their govt had the most scams and black money generated during its tenure. 2G scam, Coal Scam everything happened during their govt," he said.

Earlier, Manmohan Singh, during his speech said he hoped the Prime Minister will find a practical and pragmatic decision to mitigate the sufferings of the common man and the poor who have been in distress after the decision.

He said agriculture, unorganised sectors and small industry has also been hit hard by it and people were losing faith in the currency and banking system.

ALSO READ: (Mayawati dares PM Modi: If you have guts, dissolve Parliament, hold fresh polls for correct survey on demonetisation)

"These measures convinced me that the way the scheme has been implemented, it's a monumental management failure. And in fact, it is a case of organised loot and legalised plunder.

"It is not my intention to pick holes what this side or other side does. But I sincerely hope that the PM even in this late hour will help find us practical and pragmatic ways to provide relief to the suffering of the people of this country," he said in Rajya Sabha as the debate on the issue resumed after Modi came into the House.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad requested Chairman Hamid Ansari and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley that the Question Hour should not be taken up as the Prime Minister was present in the House and the debate be taken up.

Azad's request was readily accepted by the government with Jaitley saying that the debate should start immediately and Modi will certainly participate in it.

Participating in the resumed debate, Singh said it is important to take note of the grievances of the ordinary people who have suffered as a result of this imposition on the country "overnight" by the Prime Minister.

"My own feeling is that the national income, that is the GDP of the country, can decline by about 2 percentage points as a result of what has been done. This is an under-estimate and not an over-estimate.

"Therefore, I feel the Prime Minister must come with some constructive proposal on how we can implement the scheme and at the same time prevent the distrust that has been caused to the common people," Singh said.

The former Prime Minister did not agree with the Prime Minister's plea to wait for 50 days for the results of demonetisation to come about, saying no one knows about the final outcome of the decision.

"Well 50 days is a short period, but for those who are poor and deprived sections of the community even 50 days of torture can bring about disastrous effect. And that's why about 60 to 65 people have lost their lives. Maybe more.

"What is more is, what has been done can weaken and erode our people's confidence in the currency system and in the banking system," he said.

Asking Modi to spell out the names of countries where people have deposited their money in banks but are not allowed to withdraw their money, he said, "this alone I think is enough to condemn what has been done in the name of greater growth."

He said the scheme of demonetisation, the way it is being implemented, will hurt agricultural growth in our country, small industry and all those people who work in the informal sectors of the economy.

Singh, an eminent economist, criticised the government for issuing fresh instructions and modifying the rules every day on the conditions under which people can withdraw their money.

"That reflects very poorly on the Prime Minister's Office, the Finance Minister's office and on the Reserve Bank of India. I am very sorry that the Reserve Bank has been exposed to this kind of criticism which I think is fully justified," the former Prime Minister said.

He said though he agreed with the objectives of the scheme to demonetise currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 as spelt out by the Prime Minister, he wished to highlight the problems that the common people and poor have been subjected to by the move.

"But I do want to point out at least that in the process of demonetisation monumental mismanagement has been undertaken about which today there is no two opinions in the country as a whole," he said.

Referring to those saying that the move which was doing harm and creating distrust in the short run was good in the long run, Singh quoted John Maynard Keynes to say that "in the long run, all of us are dead".

"I urge upon the Prime Minister to find practical, pragmatic ways and measures to relieve the distress of the people, who happen to be a great majority of our people. After all 90 per cent of our people were in the informal sector, 55 per cent of our workers in agriculture are feeling distress," he said.

He also noted that the cooperative banking system which served large number of people in rural areas was non-functional and has been prevented from handling cash.

The senior Congress leader said though it is not his intention to pick holes in what this side or other side does, but hoped that the Prime Minister "even in this late hour will help find us practical and pragmatic ways to provide relief to the suffering of the people of this country".

(With PTI inputs)

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WASHINGTON - Public transportation providers sounded a unified alarm Tuesday after the Senate excluded transit from a new coronavirus relief proposal, a move that transit leaders warned would result in catastrophic service cuts and layoffs.

"We're disappointed that the Senate plan did not include the funding, and we urge the Senate to reconsider," said Paul Skoutelas, president and chief executive of the American Public Transportation Association. "Additional funds are critical to maintain the manufacturing and supply chain and limit the enormous economic damage to public transportation businesses that are caused by this crisis."

Transit providers are collectively asking for at least $32 billion from the federal relief package being negotiated as many say their agencies have suffered fare losses of between 70% and 90% because of the pandemic. They say they continued to operate over the past five months, providing rides to essential service workers such as hospital employees and grocery store clerks. Transit agencies also are a focal point for state and local recovery plans, helping to shuttle workers back to offices and preparing for the possibility of schools reopening in the fall.

After receiving $25 billion in April from the $2 trillion Cares Act, many transit leaders felt confident that they would be included in another measure. But many were surprised when the Senate on Monday released an initial proposal for the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability, and Schools Act (the Heals Act) that provided no help for ailing transit systems.

"The HEALS Act put forward by the U.S. Senate is shameful," Patrick Foye, the chief executive of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) said in a statement. "This backwards bill will only further devastate our country and economy with no dedicated funding for mass transit - the circulatory system of the nation - and no new support for state and local governments."

MTA, the nation's largest public transit system, projected a shortfall of $11 billion through 2021 if state and local governments reduce transit subsidies because of tax revenue losses.

More than 10 transit chiefs including Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld made impassioned cases for another stimulus payout during a virtual news conference Tuesday, when each detailed his or her agency's financial woes and explained what could happen if their needs were not met.

Metro, the nation's second largest transit agency, has been losing $2 million per weekday in fare revenue since March, Wiedefeld said. Like many transit systems, the agency has stopped collecting bus fares by requiring passengers to board using rear doors to keep bus operators isolated from possible exposure to the coronavirus.

Ridership has been at historic lows since mid-March, with Metrorail trips on Monday down 90% when compared with pre-pandemic levels and Metrobus trips down 66%, according to the agency's latest count.

Metro has recently seen a small surge in ridership, mostly federal workers who began returning to offices in late June. The transit agency is also under pressure to run more trains and buses to avoid overcrowding and help passengers maintain social distancing. The agency plans to double the number of trains, buses and routes in service starting in mid-August, bringing levels back to nearly what they were before the novel coronavirus affected the Washington region.

Dorval Carter, president of the Chicago Transit Authority, said his agency needs $345 million in aid to get through the rest of the year because of fare losses, and $1.5 billion next year. Ridership that had dropped by 80% over the past five months has crept back up 10%, he said.

"The truth of the matter is that without a federal source of subsidy, there is no way CTA or any other transit agency in this country is going to be able to fill that gap that we're all going to be facing going forward," Carter said.

"That is not a good thing for the CTA. It is not a good thing for our customers, but even more importantly, it is not a good thing for the economy," Carter said.

Transit leaders said they are pressing their respective legislative delegations to lobby on their behalf, and noted that the Senate bill was an early proposal.

"I support strong funding levels for transit, and the Senate's failure to include any transit emergency relief is unacceptable," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House Transportation Committee. "Transit is a lifeline for our essential workers, and transit employees and riders alike must be considered in any and all covid-related stimulus packages."

Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., chairwoman of the Senate Commerce subcommittee on surface transportation, did not respond to a request for comment.

Scott Smith, chief executive of Valley Metro in Phoenix, spoke directly to Republicans, who control the Senate, in making his case for transit aid. The former Republican mayor of Mesa, Ariz., and a former president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said he knows transit is not a party priority, and he acknowledged that even he viewed it at one time as an "amenity."

But he said it has become clear to him that federal relief is not a "handout" but an "investment" in people and the economy. Early in the pandemic, he said the chief executive of a hospital group pleaded with him to keep service running so "core essential" hospital workers could get to work.

"The economy is about individuals, just like the disease is individual in nature at the end of the day," Smith said. "The essential nature of public transportation across this country means that any investment that we make returns financially many times over because of the ability we have to support and upgrade our economy and performance, because we provide that base of workers and the ability to connect."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:30:28|Editor: huaxia

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People pose for photos by the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the United States, July 24, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- On the 106th anniversary of the beginning of WWI, it is time to recollect how a series of reckless mistakes and irresponsible behaviors dragged mankind into untold sorrow.

The world today is very different from a century ago and mankind has more wisdom to avoid history repeating itself, hopefully. But when some politicians of the most powerful modern-day country are playing games that challenge common sense and human conscience, the world should be fully on its guard with worries that political absurdity might translate into real tragedy in the 21st century.

It is absurd that while the United States is facing the coronavirus epidemic, some of its politicians are making more efforts to fabricate lies and smear other countries than to save American people's lives, although the country boasts the world's most advanced technology.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been using "more creative and assertive ways" (to use his own words), not against the severe health, economic, and political crisis facing his country, but to confront China and the Communist Party of China, the latter of which has enjoyed wide public support during its seven decades of governance.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (Front) speaks during a press briefing in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Even more ironically, a country that keeps withdrawing from multilateral platforms is pressuring as many countries as possible to join a multilateral anti-China alliance, although few are willing to follow.

When Pompeo fanned ideological confrontation and announced the approach to China should be "distrust and verify," the true face of a dishonest and vicious politician was revealed.

Pompeo's rhetoric represents the mindset of some anti-China forces in the United States who have been trying to reshape China's development path. Angered by China's refusal to change in line with their wishes, they resort to all possible means to suppress and contain China, showing an addiction to power politics and hegemony.

Ever since the beginning of this year, the United States has been abusing its national power to crack down on Chinese companies, suppressing Chinese media organizations, and interfering in China's internal affairs related to the South China Sea, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. It even violated the basic norms of international relations by abruptly requesting China to close its Consulate General in Houston.

Hong Kong citizens celebrate the passage of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Causeway Bay of south China's Hong Kong, June 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

The high frequency and intensity of anti-China actions sounds an alarm bell that the current China policy of the United States is based on strategic miscalculations, and is fraught with emotion, whims, and McCarthyist bigotry.

With bilateral relationship facing the most severe challenge, China does not want to escalate the tension. Neither "cold war" nor "hot war" conforms with the interests of the people of the two countries or the world.

China has no intention to challenge or replace the United States. Rather, the country has maintained a highly stable and consistent policy toward the United States, and is willing to grow China-U.S. relations with goodwill and sincerity. China still wants to achieve non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation with the United States.

But as irresponsible U.S. politicians will do anything without the bottom line in their attempts to interrupt China's development process, China must prepare for the worst.

The Chinese people, united as one, will never yield and will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and dignity and legitimate rights of development by all necessary means.

Medics from northwest China's Shaanxi Province flash the victory gesture before their departure in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

China's response against the U.S. moves is aimed at stopping irresponsible politicians from kidnapping bilateral relations for their selfish interests. It is not targeting the American people for whom the Chinese people have always cherished a friendship.

At a time when we remember the tragedy of war and confrontation 106 years ago, it is essential for the international community to jointly find solutions to prevent and remove threats to peace, security, and justice.

There should be no tolerance for Pompeo-like politicians to continue their behavior of "cheating, lying, and stealing." Allowing such political absurdity means opening the door to vicious forces, bringing a high price that the world cannot afford and should not pay. 
Regis Philbin's family have remembered the late TV icon following his passing at age 88 last week.

Philbin's wife Joy, 79, and their two daughters, Jennifer, 45, and Joanna, 47, reflected on his special connection with viewers in a touching statement shared with People.

'He let everyone into his life,' the women said. 'He turned every little daily annoyance and happiness into a story, and he shared all those little stories with people in a joyful and conversational way. It made his audience feel like they were right alongside him  because they were.'

'He let everyone into his life': Regis Philbin's family have remembered the late TV icon following his passing at age 88 last week (pictured with wife Joy in 2016)

Philbin was surrounded by loved ones when he passed away from natural causes on July 24, his family told People on Saturday.

The star's cause of death was revealed Wednesday, with the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Farmington, CT telling E! News Philbin died from from a myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease.

The late host was remembered by countless celebrities, whom paid tribute to Philbin on social media, including Donald Trump, Jimmy Fallon and his former cohost, Kelly Ripa.

Philbin was one of America's most beloved TV hosts, with the likes of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and America's Got Talent under his belt.

However, he was perhaps most known for his long-time hosting gig on ABC's Live!, which he starred on from 1985 until his retirement in 2011.

Family man: The Philbins with their daughters, Joanna and Jennifer, in 1987

Storyteller: Philbin's family said the TV host 'turned every little daily annoyance and happiness into a story' (pictured with his family in 2003)

Philbin co-hosted the show with Kathie Lee Gifford from 1985 until her departure in 2000, and then with her replacement Kelly Ripa, who has remained on the show ever since.

Gifford paid tribute to Philbin on the Today show, where she recalled their immediate connection.

'We just took off like a rocket,' she said, describing him as 'the most beloved person I knew in this business.'

Gifford said she recently had lunch with Philbin and his wife Joy, and sensed a 'fragility' about him that she did not notice during their last meet-up in January.

TV team: Regis cohosted Live! with Kathie Lee Gifford from 1985 until her departure in 2000 (pictured 1999)

Dynamic duo: The pair co-hosting their hit show in Hawaii in 1997

But that didn't stop the trio from sharing lots of laughs.

'We sat right here on my screened porch and we laughed ourselves sick  we always just picked up right where we left off,' she said, adding that she and Philbin had become 'dear friends' even after she left the show.

'We had the best time, and after they left, I just thought to myself: "Lord, is that the last time I'm going to see my friend?"

'Because he was failing, I could tell.'

Kelly, meanwhile, remembered the late star with a photo of herself posing with Philbin and her new Live! cohost, Ryan Seacrest.

'We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes everyday on Live for more than 23 years. We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place. - Kelly and Ryan,' she wrote on Instagram.
When Ridgefield school officials presented the districts lengthy reopening plan to the Board of Education last Wednesday night, they were following state guidelines.

Less than a week later, however, those guidelines changed.

During a press conference Monday, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced the state would allow each district to choose which model (in-class, hybrid, or remote learning) it preferred to begin the 2020-21 academic year.

That was a walk-back from the states previous requirement, which said districts needed to have students in-class five days a week or learning remotely  without the option of starting school in a hybrid model (a mix of in-class and online learning designed to prevent all students and teachers from being on campus at the same time).

Some districts, including Ridgefield, had originally recommended that a hybrid plan be allowed in certain schools where social-distancing protocols might be difficult to follow due to large-class sizes. Ridgefield, for example, wanted to open the school year with a hybrid model at Ridgefield High School.

That idea is now back on the table.

We are considering all options, including the original recommendation [for a mix of in-person and online learning at the high school], said Ridgefield Superintendent Susie Da Silva on Tuesday morning. There is a chance but [we] cant say yes for sure yet. We need to revisit with BOE (Board of Education).

In an email sent to parents Tuesday, Da Silva addressed the states update.

Given this new information, the Steering Committee [part of Ridgefields reopening committee] will be processing and planning any implications that this will have on Ridgefield and we will update you as soon as we can and have enough information to do so, wrote Da Silva, who was among a group of superintendents that met with Lamont on Monday morning, prior to his press conference.

Based on Lamonts decision to give school districts more flexibility, Da Silva wrote (in her email) that parents should not complete the temporary remote learning form, which was set to open Tuesday.

We believe it is important that we provide you with a full understanding of any changes that could come as a result of this new information before you are asked to make this decision, Da Silva wrote.

At a virtual Board of Education meeting that live-streamed last Wednesday night, Da Silva presented the districts reopening plan for Ridgefield schools. No vote was required, and the plan was subsequently sent to the states education department in time for the July 24 deadline.

The state required each district to submit plans for three levels (low, moderate, high) of COVID-19 risk. With Connecticut currently at low risk, districts were instructed to design a model that returns students to classrooms yet offers remote learning for parents who choose to keep their children at home. Districts will receive guidance from the state about how to define each risk level.

Ridgefields current reopening plan calls for an in-class school day that is 40 minutes shorter than usual, with face masks required, social-distancing protocols in place, outdoor space used as much as possible, and frequent hand washing mandatory.

If coronavirus cases increase in Connecticut, students might go to school a few days or week or return fully to remote learning  something they did for the final three-plus months of the 2019-20 academic year.

To meet state guidelines, Ridgefields plan includes in-class, hybrid, and remote models. The district will switch plans if the COVID-19 risk level changes.

In a letter to the Ridgefield community that was part of Wednesday nights presentation, Da Silva said the district was limited by state requirements.

While we have made every effort to plan as much as possible, it is important that we all understand where the District had autonomy in its planning and where it did not, Da Silva wrote. The state has formally communicated (on 7/21/2020) that Districts must provide a full, five-day physical school experience for all students; thus, while it is not the administrations recommendation, we have complied with the states directive. We will continue to advocate on behalf of the District.

But that was before Lamonts reversal on Monday, which allows Ridgefield and other districts to adopt a hybrid model even though the state is at a low-risk level for COVID-19.

Ridgefields reopening model for in-class learning includes cohorting (keeping the same group of students and teachers together) at the elementary and middle schools.

The low risk scenario relies on the ability to cohort, Da Silva wrote in the districts reopening plan. The elementary schools will cohort by class, and the middle schools by team. However, adequate cohorting is far more of a challenge at Ridgefield High School. Therefore, a hybrid model was recommended by the Superintendent for RHS in a low risk scenario.

In the moderate-risk, hybrid scenario, students spend two days in class and three days learning remotely each week. Students with special needs who participate in the Ridgefield Intensive Special Education (RISE) Program have the option to attend school in-person for four days each week.

In the high-risk scenario, school buildings are closed and all students learn remotely.

Regardless of the risk level and the model Ridgefield schools are using, students have a remote-learning option and can study from home. Students also can switch between remote learning and in-class learning, although they cant do both at the same time (unless schools are following a hybrid model).

Based on 2,361 responses to a survey (open July 2-21) the district sent to parents, 81.3% said they intended to send their children back to school for in-class learning this fall.

In the low-risk scenario, buses can operate up to full capacity, and monitors are used to ensure students are wearing masks and following specific loading and unloading procedures. Passenger capacity is reduced in the moderate-risk scenario, and no bus transportation is necessary in the high-risk scenario, when school buildings are closed.

Only 36.4% of parents responding to the district survey said they intend to put their children on buses if full capacity is allowed.

According to the districts preliminary/estimated financial implications, the additional costs for the reopening plan could top $2.5 million. Those projected costs include $105,000 for bus monitors; $237,00 for Chromebooks; $271,920 for cleaning supplies/PPE; $71,346 for washing stations; and between $345,000 and $690,000 for custodial overtime.

Where the money will come from is yet to be determined.

[We are] unsure about any funding, said Da Silva on Tuesday.

Note: Following is the complete reopening plan:
The former Quick fast-food restaurant on Place d'Armes in Luxembourg City will make way for Burger King on 5 August.

Burger Brands Luxembourg confirmed that a new Burger King restaurant will open on Place d'Armes in August. It will be the seventh Burger King branch to open in Luxembourg.

The CEO of Burger Brands Luxembourg, Kevin Derycke, explained that Place d'Armes is a strategically valuable location for a new branch as "both the local population and tourists" can be welcomed at the new restaurant. Place d'Armes is "an ideal point of departure to discover Luxembourg City," he added.

The new 195m restaurant can, in normal times, accommodate 300 people. This number includes 180 customers that can be seated on the large terrace. Burger Brands Luxembourg stressed that various precautionary measures will keep both customers and staff safe. There will for instance be markings on the ground to indicate where customers must stand in order to respect social distancing measures. Tables will be 1.50m apart and are frequently cleaned. Chairs and order terminals will also be disinfected regularly. Antibacterial gel will be freely available for customers. Play areas for children will have to remain closed for the time being. Additional members of staff will make sure that the precautionary measures are respected, Burger Brands Luxembourg said.




We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here
ROANOKE  One of Roanokes delegates to the Virginia General Assembly is on the mend after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

It was dicey the first few days, Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, said Tuesday.

Rasoul, 39, said hes fairly sure that he caught the coronavirus from a family member who was not displaying any symptoms.

Rasoul, his wife and three children went on a vacation with some relatives about two weeks ago. He said one of his relatives took a coronavirus test, but that person didnt get the results back before the family road trip started.

I think where I let my guard down is we werent careful around a couple of family members, and it turns out one of them had it, Rasoul said.

Rasoul said his familys situation highlights the problem with testing, especially the delayed results.

By the time that asymptomatic relative heard back about testing positive, Rasoul and others started exhibiting symptoms. Rasoul said his wife also tested positive, and the familys pediatrician said it should be assumed the three children also had it. None of them had to be hospitalized.
The Ministry of Human Resource and Development (HRD) has proposed to change its current name to Ministry of Education. The final call will be taken in a Cabinet meeting today. A group of experts, led by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, had first proposed the name of the ministry should be changed. This was a key recommendation in the draft New Education Policy. The change in the name of the ministry has been proposed in order to focus on education and learning.

Also read: National Education Policy: How liberal education can be Indianised to produce pragmatic technocrats

With the new National Education Policy, the government has decided to usher in education reforms to create a vibrant knowledge society by ensuring higher quality education to all, thus making India a "global knowledge super power'', a government statement had earlier said. The focus has been given on bringing uniformity in education, providing universal access to quality education and improving the quality of elementary education through a new national curriculum framework, it added.

The policy gives special emphasis on the use of technology in the education sector and enhancing learning and adapting by the use of technology such as online classes, education portal and class-wise broadcast on dedicated education channels.

Also read: National Education Policy 2019: Old wine in new bottle
A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Wednesday remanded Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil (54), an associate professor in the Department of English of Delhi University (DU), to the central agencys custody under August 4.

Tharayil, who was arrested by the NIA on Tuesday in connection with the Elgar Parishad/Bhima Koregaon case, was produced before the special NIA court on Wednesday morning.

The special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty demanded his custody with NIA for 10 days for his custodial interrogation.

The prosecution, while seeking his custody, argued that Tharayil had links with the outlawed Communist Party of India (CPI) (Maoist) and was one of the key conspirators in the case.

The prosecution also pointed out that there were letters exchanged between the accused, which were recovered by Pune Police that initially investigated the Elgar Parishad/Bhima Koregaon case, and later NIA took over it on January 24.

The investigating agency allegedly found the mention of his name and role in those letters.

The plea was opposed by his lawyer R. Sathyanarayan claiming that Tharayil was being interrogated for the last four-five days and as a result, his further custody is not needed.

The court after hearing both the side, observed, looking at the nature of the offence and the allegations levelled against the accused, the demand for his custody for 10 days is well-founded.

Later, the court remanded him to NIA custody until August 4.

Earlier on April 14, the central agency had arrested academic and civil rights activists Dr. Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha for their alleged involvement in the same case.

Tharayil is the third person, who has been arrested by NIA.

The agency claimed that during further investigation, it was revealed that Tharayil was propagating Maoist ideology and was a co-conspirator with the other arrested accused in the Elgar Parishad/Bhima Koregaon case.

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A peace bell sits in the middle of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan and is dedicated to the victims and indirect victims of the atomic bomb dropped in 1945. Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: It had been three years since Vikrant and Mirza had foiled an attempt by the Inter-Services Intelligence, Pakistans premier intelligence agency, to leak sensitive secrets of the Indianarmed forces. The operation had resulted in the death of one of the most dreaded terrorists in Asia, a character so slippery that no one seemed to know his real name. He became notorious as Munafiq, the Urdu word for two-faced, a sobriquet that Mirza had conferred on him thanks to his ability to appear like an ordinary citizen while spreading terror across the continent.

The success of the operation had earned the entire team accolades from all over the world, and Vikrant and Mirza, after being promoted to senior ranks, were both transferred from the National Investigation Agency to RAW.In fact, Naidu had been the prime minister during the terrorist operation and had had a large role to play in the drama. Munafiq had hijacked a cruise liner in Lakshadweep on which Naidus estranged daughter, Vaishali, was holidaying, and tried to use her as leverage to get access codes to the Indian Navy bases mainframe on Lakshadweep, INS Dweeprakshak. Fortunately, Mirza figured out the plot before Naidu could hand over the access codes. The incident had brought father and daughter closer.Now, Mirza and the closest thing he had to a son were sitting in a suite rented by the state government in a five-star hotel in the Bandra Kurla Complex, which had become the command centre of the team investigating the attack.

I didnt know you were friends, Vikrant said.

Worked together on a lot of missions back in the day. A lot of our undercover operatives who were rescued from behind enemy lines owe their lives to his brilliant planning and strategy, Mirza replied.

Two days had passed since the attack. Somesh Kumar had been confirmed dead half an hour after the dust had settled. The SUV was mangled to a ball and his body, which was hanging together by its sinews, was removed after the vehicle was cut open using blowtorches.

Four Mumbai Police personnel and three BSF jawans had also fallen prey to the terrorists bullets, while four others were in the hospital with serious injuries.As Mirza and Vikrant had expected, the investigation had begun as a bureaucratic nightmare, with everyone wanting a piece of the action. The NIA demanded that they spearhead the probe. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad wanted the same. The CIA and MOSSAD wanted to send their own people.

IB and RAW were ever present in the shadows. Mumbai Police, smarting from the loss of face as the attack had happened on their turf, were also lobbying hard to be part of the investigation. There were cries of intelligence failure all around. Two hours after the attack, Mirza and Vikrant had had a video conference call with National Security Advisor Pradeep Singh. Extracted from The Endgame by S Hussain Zaidi, with permission from HarperCollins India
A surprising new concept for boosting the power of flu vaccines might also boost future COVID-19 vaccines

Many people have understood that our immune systems get weaker as we age, which in part explains why older people often get less protection than younger ones from annual influenza vaccines.

Now a team of scientists led by experts at Cincinnati Children's have taken a deeper look at how the immune system changes with age--and what they've found could make often-mediocre flu vaccines much more protective.

Their study, published online July 29, 2020, in the journal Science Advances, reports that rather than being weaker, the immune system in the elderly is actively suppressed and that this suppression is reversible. Their data show that triggering a strong response to vaccination in the elderly depends on relieving this suppression, which is driven by a key group of cells within our immune system. The co-authors call them "Tfh 10" cells, which stands for Interleukin 10-producing T follicular helper cells.

"These Tfh10 cells accumulate dramatically in our bodies as we age, and they have the effect of making older individuals less responsive to invading pathogens and less responsive to vaccines," says corresponding author David Hildeman, PhD, Interim Director, Division of Immunobiology.

The good news: it appears possible to boost vaccine power by managing Tfh 10 cells in a way that avoids harming the useful roles the cells play in fending off other types of disease.

If successful in the years to come, their approach may increase vaccine efficacy in the elderly, potentially reducing deaths caused by yearly influenza outbreaks, which have claimed 12,000 to 61,000 American lives per year since 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The age-related variation in response to vaccines is a huge issue," Hildeman says. "The current influenza vaccine is roughly 90% protective in young people, but only about 30% effective in the elderly."

Could this discovery apply to future COVID vaccines?

"Yes, it could. As the elderly do not respond well to multiple vaccines, it is highly likely that the elderly will also not respond as well as the young to new vaccines, either for COVID19 or other emerging pathogens," Hildeman says.

While some might be surprised to see a discovery that could help seniors coming from a pediatric medical center, many lines of research have no real age boundaries.

"Aging starts at birth," Hildeman says. "Often the lessons we learn about the decline of the immune system in later years can teach us about how the immune system begins in the young. The more we learn about defective immune responses in general, and strategies to overcome them, the more we can help kids with primary immunodeficiencies, and other immunologic diseases."

A non-stop quest for balance

Scientists at Cincinnati Children's have been studying the intricate details of the immune system for decades. Since the 1950s and the introduction of the Sabin oral polio vaccine, the medical center has been a leader in vaccine research--including working every year to help update influenza vaccine formulas and most recently recruiting thousands of people to test hopeful vaccines against COVID-19.

The new paper was co-authored by 20 experts at Cincinnati Children's and the University of Cincinnati plus colleagues in Germany, Alabama, and Indiana. It details a number of forces that act against each other as our immune systems respond over and over to infections. The study also describes how the balance of these elements changes as we age, with certain types of cells building up over the years to become more like harmful clutter instead of useful weapons.

In this study, the co-authors describe Interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a force that contributes to a persistent low-grade state of immune activation called "inflammaging." This state gets worse with age and appears to make people more likely to become frail, develop Alzheimer's disease, or suffer the fatal effects of cardiovascular disease.

Meanwhile, the body fights high levels of IL-6 by producing IL-10, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Over the years, repeated cycles of response and counter-response result in an interleukin arms race that often leaves older bodies with excess levels of both IL-6 and IL-10.

One of the breakthroughs laid out in the new paper was pinpointing exactly where undesirable levels of IL-10 come from. The team conducted dozens of different experiments to chase down false leads and rule out competing ideas, using several of the highest tech methods available today.

"These findings are the result of five years of work stemming from a long-standing collaboration between my lab and Dr. Claire Chougnet's lab, contributions from several faculty-level scientists, and particularly the hard work of one amazing former graduate student, Dr. Maha Almanan," Hildeman says.

The detectives ultimately traced excess IL-10 production to the cell type they dubbed Tfh 10. Then, in mouse models, they showed that simple blockade of IL-10 at the time of vaccination could restore the antibody response nearly to the level of young animals.

"Our data suggest that, instead of enhancing proinflammation, transient blockade of IL-10 could be a novel strategy to enhance vaccine responses in the elderly and, due to its transient nature, is unlikely to have untoward effects on autoimmunity, cardiovascular disease, or frailty," the co-authors state.

What's next?

While the new paper reflects a combination of advanced computational and experimental lab work, much of which was confirmed in experiments involving mouse models and human cells, more studies are needed to demonstrate that Tfh 10 cells can be safely managed in people. Then more research will be needed to see how much of a boost to vaccine power can be achieved.

"We are currently in the process of testing whether IL-10 blockade will restore vaccine responses in larger mammals," Hildeman says. "If that proves effective, that would open the door to clinical trials."

Cincinnati Children's and the co-authors have filed a patent application for their discovery. Someday, if future projects succeed, the co-authors envision seniors receiving one shot that would temporarily prevent IL-10 from interfering with the body's response to a vaccine, but not permanently diminish IL-10 levels, and then the vaccine.

"If we can achieve that, the potential impact on lives could be felt worldwide," Hildeman says.

###

About this study

In addition to Hildeman, Cincinnati Children's co-authors include: first author Maha Almanan, contributing authors Jana Raynor (now at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital), Anna Malyshkina, Shibabrata Mukherjee, Sarah Hummel, Ankur Saini, Theresa Alenghat, Sing Sing Way, Senad Divanovic, Harinder Singh, Emily Miraldi, and Claire Chougnet.

Co-authors also included Markus Xie and George Deepe Jr. from the University of Cincinnati; Ireti Ogunsulire and Christoph Holscher of the Research Center Borstel in Germany; Jennifer Ingram and Allan Zajac of the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and A. L. Dent of Indiana University.

This work was supported by five NIH grants (AG033057, AI132771, DK114123, DK116868, and AI049360). The patent application "Methods of improving vaccine responsiveness" is filed under docket number 47108-535001US.
LONDON and NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The digital advertising industry's two leading anti-fraud and brand safety organizations, the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) and Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS), today announced an agreement to merge. Mike Zaneis will serve as CEO for the combined organization  which will carry the TAG name  while JICWEBS's Jules Kendrick will take the new role of Managing Director of UK and Europe. The merger will be completed in early September 2020.

JICWEBS

JICWEBS and TAG announced a formal partnership in March 2017. Since then, the two organizations have aligned their programs to strengthen standards, avoid duplicative effort, and extend their reach. As part of that initial alignment, JICWEBS merged its anti-fraud efforts into the TAG Certified Against Fraud Program and encouraged its members to adopt the TAG Certified Against Malware and Certified Against Piracy Programs.

"This merger will ensure that companies around the world and across the supply chain can focus their efforts on a single trusted set of self-regulatory standards that address fraud, malware, piracy, and brand protection," said Mike Zaneis, CEO of TAG. "From Manhattan to Manchester, Madrid to Macao, and Mumbai to Melbourne, every company in digital advertising can comply with TAG's standards."

"By bringing TAG and JICWEBS together, we are making it easier for every company in the supply chain to adopt the high standards necessary to protect themselves and their customers across the globe," said Jules Kendrick, CEO of JICWEBS. "Rather than wading through an acronym soup of regional alternatives with differing standards, costs, and compliance requirements, companies can make sure they comply with one set of industry-wide certifications."

Going forward, the combined organization will also harmonize the JICWEBS Digital Trading Standards Group (DTSG) with TAG's Inventory Quality Guidelines (IQG) Program into a global brand safety certification program.

As part of the merger, the four UK-based trade bodies  the Association for Online Publishing (AOP), the Internet Advertising Bureau UK (IAB UK), the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), and ISBA  the voice of British advertisers  will join TAG's governing body, the TAG Leadership Council.

In addition to its JICWEBS relationship, TAG has been building global partnerships with other trade organizations for several years. Among those efforts:

TAG recently announced a partnership with the Chinese Advertising Association (CAA) to promote TAG's programs to CAA's 2,000 members in China .

. TAG previously announced a collaboration with GUR, the Turkish platform for trustworthy digital advertising, as well as direct dialogue with a range of other national and regional industry associations.

The cross-border benefits of TAG programs have been proven through research demonstrating dramatically lower fraud rates in TAG Certified Channels in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the UK.

Additional Statements on the Merger:

Marla Kaplowitz, President and CEO, 4A's

"While the industry formation of TAG in 2015 focused on the digital supply chain in the U.S., there was a need to address fraud, malware, and piracy at a global level. The merger of TAG with JICWEBS provides an important global standard that will be recognized by the advertising industry around the world. "

Bob Liodice, CEO, Association of National Advertisers

"This merger marks a major step in the consolidation of industry standards designed to combat digital fraud and promote brand safety, and it couldn't come at a better time. We now have an expanded and fortified source the global marketing industry can turn to in its ongoing quest to ensure a safe, transparent and trustworthy media environment for its brand messaging."

Richard Reeves, Managing Director, Association for Online Publishing

"The merger of JICWEBS and TAG provides a significant step forward in the alignment of common standards. The merger will help address the complexities associated with multiple market advertising activities, given the vast inconsistencies between different, indigenous standards - which is important for our member publisher brands who create original content consumed across many regions. This is much needed and an example of how collaboration is critical to upholding and aligning standards, demonstrating how we can not only simplify the process but also ensure the consistent high standards we should expect in our industry. We very much welcome the move."

Randall Rothenberg, CEO, Interactive Advertising Bureau

"Bringing together TAG and JICWEBS will support streamlining industry compliance across the globe. This will benefit brands, publishers, and the tech companies by creating more consistency and clarity in the best practices and technical standards they should adopt to improve trust and transparency in advertising."

Jon Mew, CEO, IAB UK

"Consolidating JICWEBS and TAG into one body reflects our global, interconnected industry and is a significant step towards collectively tackling issues such as brand safety at a global level, making it easier for players in the digital ad supply chain to seamlessly implement standards across regions. This is great news for transparency, accountability and standardisation within digital advertising."

Belinda Beeftink, Research Director, Institute of Practitioners in Advertising

"The IPA welcomes the merger of JICWEBS and TAG, which will provide companies around the world with one set of standards ensuring that the standards set are of the highest order. We look forward to working with the TAG Leadership Council to promote industry-wide adoption."

Phil Smith, Director General, ISBA

"ISBA is delighted to back the coming together of JICWEBS and TAG to raise the bar for international standards in digital self-regulation. We look forward to working together on the TAG Leadership Council to drive industry-wide adoption."



More information on the Trustworthy Accountability Group and JICWEBS can be found at tagtoday.net and jicwebs.org.

About JICWEBS

JICWEBS defines best practice and standards for online ad trading in the UK and is made up of the following trade bodies: Association of Online Publishers (AOP), Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) UK, ISBA  the voice of British advertisers  and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). For more information on JICWEBS please visit www.jicwebs.org .

About the Trustworthy Accountability Group

The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) is the leading global certification program fighting criminal activity and increasing trust in the digital advertising industry. Created by leading US industry trade organizations, TAG's mission is to eliminate fraudulent traffic, combat malware, prevent Internet piracy, and promote greater transparency in digital advertising. TAG advances those initiatives by bringing companies across the digital advertising supply chain together to set the highest standards. TAG is the first and only registered Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) for the digital advertising industry. For more information on TAG, please visit tagtoday.net .

Media contact:

Andrew Weinstein

[email protected]

202-667-4967

SOURCE Trustworthy Accountability Group

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President and CEO, W. Mark Nelson commented about the donation, "We were happy to contribute to Virginia's efforts in addressing food insecurity to ensure that no child in Southwest Virginia goes hungry on the weekends during the school year."

Virginia's efforts are contributing to the quality of food that will be available to children in need. To help Virginia raise funds to provide more protein-rich items, text BackpacksUnite to 41444.

About United Way of Southwest Virginia

United Way of Southwest Virginia fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in Southwest Virginia because they are the building blocks for a good quality of life. Through an initiative-based cradle-to-career approach, United Way of Southwest Virginia is creating sustainable solutions to address the challenges facing tomorrow's workforce. United Way convenes cross-sector partners to make an impact on the most complex problems in our region. Through collaboration with government, business, nonprofit and individuals, United Way innovates for positive, lasting social change.

About First Bank & Trust Company

First Bank & Trust Company, one of the top community banks in the United States, is a diversified financial services firm with office locations in southwest Virginia, northeast Tennessee, and New River and Shenandoah Valleys. Financial objectives are addressed by offering free checking products for personal and business accounts, and assessing lending solutions managed by mortgage, agricultural and commercial lending divisions. Comprehensive financial solutions are available through trust and brokerage service representatives.

For more information, visit www.firstbank.com or contact Nicole Franks [email protected]

SOURCE First Bank & Trust Company

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The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will reject new applications and shorten renewal periods for an Obama-era program that shields young people from deportation, taking a defiant stance after the US Supreme Court refused to let it be scrapped completely. The move, detailed in a memo from Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, ended a month of uncertainty about how the administration would respond to its Supreme Court defeat in an election year that has President Donald Trump looking for ways to energize his base.

Wolf said the administration may try to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program again, casting it as a law enforcement issue that could contribute to illegal immigration. He said the federal government needs more time to consider next steps, presenting the measures as a temporary change.

"DACA makes clear that, for certain large classes of individuals, DHS will at least tolerate, if not affirmatively sanction, their ongoing violation of the immigration laws," Wolf wrote in the memo. About 650,000 people are part of DACA, which allows young immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children to work and shields them from deportation. Roughly 66,000 people meet age requirements to apply, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute.

The government will deny all new applications, limit renewals to one year instead of two, and deny requests by DACA recipients to visit their home countries unless there are "exceptional circumstances." Recipients may seek permission to return home for family events, such as funerals or weddings, and other reasons, though the Trump administration has generally denied them.

The Supreme Court ruled last month that Trump failed to follow rule-making procedures when he tried to end the program, but the justices kept a window open for him to try again. The White House has been devising plans to make another push to end DACA, though it was not immediately clear whether he would make the politically sensitive move before November's election. Democratic rival Joe Biden wants to keep DACA unconditionally.

A federal judge in Maryland ruled earlier this month that the program should be restored to its original form, but the administration was mum until Tuesday on whether it would start accepting new applications. The White House anticipates legal challenges.

The administration's monthlong silence had unnerved many DACA recipients and those who wanted to join. U.S. District Judge Paul Grimm of Maryland, an appointee of President Barack Obama, has given the administration until the end of Friday to update the US Citizenship and Immigration Services' website and start adequately explaining why applications are rejected.

Legal experts were sceptical of the Trump administration's authority to roll back parts of the program. "This is a move that is in defiance of the US Supreme Court ruling and a federal court ruling," said Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, an immigration law professor at Penn State Law in University Park, Pennsylvania. "It's a lawless landscape that we are in." Immigrant rights advocates blasted the move as cruel.

The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition accused the administration of further marginalizing immigrants. The American Business Immigration Coalition called it economically harmful. And the American Civil Liberties Union vowed to continue its yearslong fight to prevent the program's demise.

Laura Mendoza, a program manager at The Resurrection Project in Chicago, joined DACA in 2013 and will have to renew next year. She said the USD 495 annual renewal fee would be difficult for many to pay. "It's infuriating that we continue to be the punching bag for the administration," she said of fellow DACA recipients. "The administration is slowly dismantling the program." Wolf, the Homeland Security chief, acknowledged that the USD 495 renewal fee will be a burden on DACA recipients who will have to apply annually instead of every other year, effectively doubling the cost. He said the department would consider lowering the fee.

Trump has tried unsuccessfully to work with Congress on a broader immigration package that would couple DACA with tougher enforcement measures. He has said lately that he would announce sweeping new steps on immigration, a promise he reiterated Tuesday. "We're going to work with a lot of people on DACA," Trump told reporters. "And we're also working on an immigration bill, a merit-based system, which is what I've wanted for a long time." Trump said he would make DACA recipients "happy" without saying how.

Top Democrats urged for a legislative solution that would allow for a pathway to US citizenship. "With the presidential election just three months away, it's clear the president will do everything possible to rally his supporters at the expense of Dreamers," according to a statement from US Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, referring to the name often used for DACA recipients. "They shouldn't have to live under the constant fear that DACA protections will be ripped away at any moment."

Also read: H-1B visa: Indian woman sues US immigration services over delay in work permit

Also read: US bars entry of foreign students with 100% online courses
An Indian Army porter was killed on Wednesday afternoon when Pakistan resorted to ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army gave a befitting reply.

The Pakistani troops opened fire in Uri sector of the district and the porter was killed in sniper fire. According to sources, the porter has been identified as Altaf Hussain, a resident of Gohalan village of Uri.

He was working with Armys 11 Mahar unit and was posted with Tika Rajput, Lachipora post along LoC. A senior police officer of the district confirmed the incident.
Ottawa, July 29 : Canada has announced its authorisation for using the drug remdesivir for treating patients suffering severe symptoms of Covid-19 who have pneumonia and require extra oxygen to help them breathe.

Remdesivir is the first drug that Canada has authorised for the treatment of Covid-19, according to a press release on Tuesday from Health Canada, Xinhua reported.

The drug, manufactured by Gilead Sciences Canada, Inc., is authorised for use in adults and adolescents with a bodyweight of at least 40 kg. The authorization includes a full six-week scientific review.

Gilead Sciences Canada, Inc. did not seek authorisation for an indication for use of remdesivir to treat children or pregnant women, Health Canada said.

Remdesivir is administered intravenously and will be used only in healthcare facilities where patients can be closely monitored.

As part of the conditional authorization, Gilead Sciences Canada, Inc. will submit to Health Canada drug safety monitoring reports, including reports on all serious adverse drug reactions.

Health Canada will continue to closely monitor the safety of remdesivir in Canada and will take prompt action should any safety concerns arise, according to the press release.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Russia and Belarus exported a large volume of dairy products to Turkmenistan from January through May 2020, Trend reports, citing the Eurasian Economic Commissions statistics.

Some 299,239 tons of milk and cream worth $705,643 were exported to Turkmenistan by aforesaid countries from January through May.

Belarus share from the above amount is $622,377, while Russias share is $83,265.

Russia and Belarus also exported 240,074 tons of whey worth $177,881 to Turkmenistan.

The share of Belarus in the export of whey is $130,920, and the share of Russia is $46,960.

In addition, the same countries, together with Kazakhstan, exported 184,002 kilograms of cheese and cottage cheese to Turkmenistan for the amount of $441,767 in the same period.

The share of Belarus in the above-mentioned exports of cheese and cottage cheese is $169,638, the share of Kazakhstan - $10,602, and the share of Russia is $261,526.

Some domestic companies are also engaged in Turkmenistan's dairy production.

As it was reported earlier, Turkmen Sawat dairy company revealed production data for 1H2020, which amounted to 3.3 million Turkmen manat ($963,428).

Meanwhile, last year, company manufactured products worth about 6 million Turkmen manat ($1.7 million).

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black women in the United States are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. It is an element of racial inequality in America that is often overlooked and L'Jaree Troupe, a health care student at Florida Career College (FCC) in Boynton Beach, wants to change that.

Executive Director Aaron Morris (left) and Associate Director of Education Leland Giordano congratulate L'Jaree Troupe (center) for being selected as the Be The Change Scholarship recipient at Florida Career College

"I'm committed as a health care student to not only become part of the change, but continuing working to bring awareness to it," she wrote in an essay submission for the Be the Change Scholarship, which FCC created in support and solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. More than 160 FCC students submitted essay entries, which were reviewed by a committee of administrators and faculty members. They selected Troupe as the winner. The full ride scholarship will cover all of Troupe's tuition for her health care program at the FCC Boynton Beach campus.

Troupe wrote "I live within a family of five generations of African Americans, all of whom have experienced their own personal injustices in different eras of American history."

"What this present generation has shown America is that it plans to be on the right side of history," she added.

"Florida Career College is committed to supporting racial equality. We stand with the African American community in the push for social justice. With this scholarship we seek to honor an individual who has the passion, drive, and commitment to be an agent of change," said Dr. Fardad Fateri, President and CEO. "L'Jaree is certainly worthy and the scholarship committee was deeply moved by her essay."

"I am beyond thrilled to have been selected for this honor. It is so rewarding to be at a college that would create a scholarship in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement," Troupe said. "I want to be in a position to help bring change to the community, and my education is providing the means to accomplish that. I want to thank the scholarship committee for selecting me."

Troupe says that going into health care has taken on new importance to her with the COVID-19 pandemic, which is disproportionately impacting communities of color. "Going into this field right now is important because the community needs us in the fight against coronavirus."

She was inspired to pursue a career in patient care by the nurses who cared for her mother while fighting cancer.

"My mom eventually lost her battle with cancer, but the nurses were wonderful and made a huge difference through their compassion and care," Troupe said. "After that experience, I decided to pursue a career where I could make difference in the lives of others in that way, too."

"L'Jaree is a true representation of someone who witnessed her family's generational oppressions first-hand, but refused to let oppression define who she is," said Aaron Morris, Executive Director at the FCC Boynton Beach campus. "She has risen above life challenges and now a role model for her daughter. She has been a stellar, dedicated student and I want to thank her for being such a positive inspiration at the FCC Boynton Beach campus."

About Florida Career College:

Florida Career College (FCC) is an accredited, employee-owned post-secondary career education system with campuses locations in Florida and Texas. FCC offers programs in high-demand fields such as health care, business and skilled trades. Each program is designed to provide every student with the skills, knowledge, and training they need to be successful in their future careers. FCC programs are tailored to meet the needs of students with small classes. Students can train for entry-level careers and start building their future in as few as 10 months. For more information visit www.floridacareercollege.edu.

Media Contact:

Joe Cockrell

949.812.7749

[email protected]

SOURCE Florida Career College

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A "pure evil" former X-Factor contestant who was "calm and calculated" as he launched sex attacks on nine women over a 22-year period has been jailed for life.

Serial rapist Phillip Blackwell had taped some of his victims' eyes and used a camcorder to film himself attacking young women after launching his first assault in 1997.

Warwick Crown Court heard how the 56-year-old "carefully targeted" five young vulnerable women who were walking alone in Birmingham, Coventry and Nuneaton.

The sentencing judge yesterday described Blackwell as "monstrous" - adding: "Murderers aside, I can think of no more dangerous an individual that I have crossed in my 35 years in criminal law".

Despite taking steps to disguise himself by putting on a "soft Irish accent" and wearing a balaclava or mask while attacking his victims, the court heard how his fear of being caught did not match his desire for "notoriety and fame".

Blackwell's X Factor audition was broadcast as part of the 2008 series, but he failed to reach the finals.

Following on from his attacks in the late 1990s in the Midlands, the defendant then carried out a string of sexual offences on another four women in the Launceston area of Cornwall between 2005 and 2019.

At previous court hearings, Blackwell, of Western Road, Launceston, pleaded guilty to 31 sex offences, including rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, assault by penetration, voyeurism and false imprisonment.

As well as being jailed for life with a minimum term of nine years, the musician - who played in bands named AWOL, Missing People and Suspect - was put on the sex offenders' register for life and ordered not to directly or indirectly contact any of his victims.

Sentencing Blackwell, Judge Peter Cooke told the defendant: "You got away with leading a double life for as long as that because you are clever, because you are calculated, because you are forensically aware, because you are devious and because you are manipulative.

"It is clear that you equipped yourself with a rape kit - a balaclava... tape for binding hands and covering eyes, and a camcorder to record for your later enjoyment.

"It is clear that you have an appreciation for female anatomy but that seems to be the only regard you have for women.

"You have no regard whatsoever for them as human beings or the impact for what you do to them. You must treat them with a level of contempt that is too shocking to even contemplate."

The judge continued: "The harm that you have done with your selfishness is incalculable.

"If you wanted to do it, to hell with everyone else, you would do it. You are one of the most dangerous offenders. Murderers aside, I can think of no more dangerous an individual that I have crossed in my 35 years in criminal law."

Describing Blackwell's "predatory instincts" while opening the case to the court, prosecutor Adrian Langdale QC said: "He's a serial rapist whose campaign of abuse has spanned over 22 years.

"He identified young females dressed in a particular way that he found attractive, followed them in his car... got in front of his victims and got into a place where he could carry out his attack.

"It was cold, calculated behaviour."

Mr Langdale said some of Blackwell's attacks were carried out on women who were unconscious, saying he "plied victims with alcohol in order to get compliance".

The former X-Factor hopeful often used "delusional terms" while attacking his victims, as one woman was told: "If I met a girl like you, I would want to marry you. I want you to enjoy this."

Another woman was told: "I'm not going to hurt you, we're just going to make love if that's okay?"

Mr Langdale said Blackwell took steps to conceal his true identity, with his first victim being told to "close her eyes and count to 100" after he had finished attacking her.

One victim managed to persuade Blackwell to remove his balaclava and not to rape her - as he said she "should be a social worker for talking him out of it".

He also threatened his victims in order to prevent them from telling the police, with one woman being told: "I know where you live. You have a beautiful body and I can do this over and over again because I know where you live."
By Hyonhee Shin

SEOUL, July 28 (Reuters) - South Korea and the United States have agreed to revise their joint missile guidelines to facilitate South Korea's plans to build a spy satellite by easing rules on rocket propellants, Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong said on Tuesday.

Under the current guidelines, last amended in 2017, South Korea cannot build rockets using solid-fuel engines, posing a setback for its plans to develop a military spy satellite by the late 2020s.

The change in the propellant rules took effect on Tuesday, Kim said at a briefing in Seoul.

"This revision would allow us to have an unblinking eye that monitors the Korean peninsula 24/7," he said.

"If we fire low-altitude launch vehicles based on our own solid fuel propellant as planned, it would dramatically improve our military's reconnaissance capabilities."

South Korea had initially sought to produce five of its own reconnaissance satellites this year to better monitor North Korea's activities but the project has been repeatedly delayed largely because of technological difficulties and government changes.

South Korea operates several earth-imaging satellites but has relied heavily on U.S. intelligence to monitor North Korea's military movements.

Last week, South Korea became the 10th country to launch a military communications satellite but it was conducted by U.S. private operator SpaceX.

Kim also said Seoul is also ready to discuss another revision to raise the range of its missiles which are currently capped at 800 km (497 miles).

In 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to scrap a 500 kg (1,102 pounds) warhead weight limit on South Korea's missiles. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Sangmi Cha; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Sushant Singh Rajput's father lodged the FIR in Patna's Rajiv Nagar police station reportedly accusing Rhea Chakraborty of abetting his suicide. The Jalebi actress was dating Sushant. After his father's accusations, the actress may file for an anticipatory bail today, reports DNA.

Twitter

It is said that Rhea met with her lawyers last night. The case has been filed against various sections of IPC. This reportedly includes 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

Instagram

Recently, Rhea had requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah for a CBI inquiry into the matter. She said that she also wants to know as to what provoked him to take such an extreme step.

Instagram

"Respected @amitshahofficial sir, Im Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, it is now over a month since his sudden demise. I have complete faith in the government, however, in the interest of justice, I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry into this matter. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step," she wrote on Instagram.

Meanwhile, Sushant's sister Shweta Singh Kirti has urged people to not use bad language for anyone while demanding justice for her late brother.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 18:16:54|Editor: huaxia

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Israeli soldiers are seen on tanks in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights next to Blue Line, a border demarcation drawn in 2000 by the United Nations after Israel withdrew its forces from southern Lebanon, July 28, 2020. Lebanese leaders on Tuesday warned against heightened border tensions with Israel, while slamming Israel for attacking southern Lebanon a day earlier, LBCI local TV channel reported. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)

BEIRUT, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese leaders on Tuesday warned against heightened border tensions with Israel, while slamming Israel for attacking southern Lebanon a day earlier, LBCI local TV channel reported.

"The attacks constitute a threat to stability in the south especially that the United Nations Security Council will soon discuss the mandate of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL)," Lebanese President Michel Aoun said during a meeting for the Higher Defense Council at Baabda Palace.

Meanwhile, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab warned against an increase in tensions on the Lebanese borders with the occupied Palestinian territories.

"The enemy is trying to change the UNIFIL's mandate and the rules of battle with Lebanon," Diab said.

Tensions have increased between Lebanon and Israel after several reports stating that Hezbollah fighters fired a rocket at an Israeli tank and carried out an operation in the occupied Shebaa Farms, sparking heavy clashes in the area.

Hezbollah denied on Monday exchanging fire with Israel in Shebaa Farms. Enditem
The low customer count inside the Nothing Bundt Cakes shop, 6025 Crenshaw Road in Pasadena, gives off a slow-summer-day vibe.

At Abes Cajun Market, 1080 Clear Lake City Boulevard, patrons are sparsely spread across the main dining area.

Under ordinary circumstances, those scenarios would indicate a slump in business, but at a time when COVID-19 dictates the rules, its all by design.

After reopened incrementally since May, both establishments are finding ways to navigate the pandemic and the current high number of positive cases int Harris County.

Brittney Tequeno, the manager at Nothing Bundt Cakes, says its a matter of doing things the right way, learning along the way.

Just weeks after Gov. Greg Abbotts May reopening plan, Nothing Bundt Cakes voluntarily closed after an employee tested positive, one of many Houston area businesses that experienced setbacks following the reopening. Tequeno said every inch of the shop was sanitized by a professional cleaning company, all other employees were tested and retested for the virus and a plexiglass partition was installed along the counter. The business reopened one week later.

There are so many businesses that dont have the luxury of working from home, she said. I cant sell cake from my house. We are blessed to be able to do what we do, have the modifications and still be able to stay open and deliver the same service and product.

In May, when Gov. Abbott spurred the states first phase of reopening, Abes owner and manager Jon Tucker expressed reservations.

His restaurant was already successfully doing curbside service, but the idea of dine-in customers seemed risky. The restaurant is now operating at 50 percent capacity for dining.

I feel better now as far as our restaurant goes, he said.

Business has slowed in the last few weeks.

With the latest rise (in cases), sales have gone down low again, Tucker said.

According to Tequeno, its normal to see a slight summer slump at Nothing Bundt Cakes with people spending more time outdoors and trying to get in shape, but she said business has been stable.

Both businesses required masks even before the Harris County mandate.

We started requiring people to wear masks before that order was in place because I just had the sense that we had to do something regardless of whether the city does anything, Tucker said. Everyone has been pretty compliant, and Im surprised and grateful.

According to Tucker, his restaurant hasnt seen much pushback so far against the mask requirement.

There have been a few customers that begrudgingly put a mask on, but I havent really had any problems, he said.

For Tucker, the face masks requirement for both customers and staff is nonnegotiable.

If you come in without mask, youre basically telling the public you dont agree with this rule, he said. You cant not see the signs on the door at eye-level when youre walking in that say masks are required.

Theres only one protection between us, and if someone is not wearing a mask, they arent taking care of your end of the bargain.

If a customer makes it all the way to the counter without a mask, the restaurant will provide one, said Tucker.

Both Tucker and Tequeno are confident that if they operate safely, they can continue to strike the balance between good business and public and personal safety.

Were always concerned for the safety of our staff and team members, Tequeno said, but I feel confident that we are putting the right precautions in place.

I know there have been so many businesses that have had to close  its so hard, and to keep a little bit of normalcy in this crazy situation and to be able to keep our doors open has been a very big blessing.

Said Tucker: We have the ability to make this a controlled environment, and so we can (staff) feel safe coming in here.

I have to assume that everyone around me has COVID, and if theyre not wearing a mask, Im just imagining these particles just flying out of their mouth onto my forehead, and all over my skin  We have to think like that.

yorozco@hcnonline.com
A security guard is nursing injuries after she was shot by a police officer on Monday afternoon in Kilimani area of Nairobi.

A police report indicates that the officer, Hussein Ali, was on escort duties when he accidentally discharged one round.

The security guard, Ms Lucy Njeri Kamau, sustained slight injuries on the right upper thigh and right ring finger.

Hussein Ali while on escort duties in a Security Group of Africa vehicle while loading cash at Equity ATM at Kenol Petrol station Hurlingham Kilimani area accidentally discharged one round of 9mm ammunition from his officially issued firearm, a police report reads.

Ms Njeri was rushed to Nairobi West Hospital where she was treated and discharged.

Officers who visited the scene of the incident recovered one spent cartridge. Mr Hussein was armed with a scorpion gun.
As the Islamic Republic of Iran continues its military exercises in the Persian Gulf near the strait of Hormuz, more details are coming out in traditional and social media revealing the Revolutionary Guards publicity about Tehran's military might.

One of the latest revelations made on social media is about the satellite imagery the IRGC portrayed as images coming from an Iranian satellite. Social media activists keen about that kind of detail pointed out that the pictures were "borrowed" from Google.

In the pictures posted by n Iran watcher, the bigger image on top is a Google image, and the three at the bottom are those attributed to the Iranian satellite whose whereabouts and performance have gone unreported since its launch in April.

During the drills, Iranian commanders' propaganda hinged around their use of ballistic and cruise missiles as well as anti-aircraft defense systems that can tackle that kind of missiles.

In the meantime, part of the exercise gave way to international uproar about Iran's careless behavior as it fired ballistic missiles at imaginary targets in an extremely busy waterway where there are dozens of fishing and commercial vessels as well as oil tankers at any given moment.

Iran claims that these missiles were meant to fall near U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf region.

In another propaganda move, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of IRGC's aerospace force posted a video on Twitter to prove that ballistic missiles were fired from underground launchers.

Hajizadeh said: "Ballistic missiles buried in the lower depths of the ground fired during the Great Prophet 14 military exercise, adding that the name and specifications of these missiles are confidential." He made the remarks mindless of the fact that the videos give away both of this information about the missile although it is hard to tell if the video has been really shot in the past or during this exercise.

Tasnim news agency said that firing ballistic missiles from underground launchers can mislead the enemy's intelligence but did not say how. It must not be hard for any projectile engineer to pinpoint the launcher based on actual visual evidence and radar records.

In fact, there are at least two points that cast a shadow of doubt on the IRGC's claims and propaganda. The first point is that the IRGC is the only source of these information and there is no independent report from credible international sources.

The next point is that unlike all military exercises carried out around the world, there are no military observers from other countries to verify the IRGC's claims. It is customary all over the world to have the military attaches of foreign embassies on the site of the exercises.

However, the IRGC is so secretive and at the same time paranoid about prying eyes that it shrouds military exercises in an aura of secrecy, making its claims doubtful although evidence such as Hajizadeh's video give away information to experts all over the world.

Elsewhere in IRGC propaganda, Iran claimed that it used Russian Sukhoi-22 jets to destroy targets in the Iranian Island of Farur.

Foreign Policy Analyst and UANI Policy Director Jason Brodsky observed in a tweet that "The IRGC overhauled and upgraded10 Sukhoi SU-22 fighter jets in 2018. He also cited DIA estimates that say Iran may purchase Sukhoi-30 fighters from Russia after the arms embargo against Iran expires.

The highlight of the exercise, which is still in its second day, was a strike at a mock U.S. aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. Pictures released so far do not show any major strike although anecdotal accounts on social media say the strike took place but the model was not hit successfully.

Pictures released by Iranian sources including Fars news agency and Hamshahri Online show that the missile missed the model or hit part of its side. Nevertheless, U.S. sources called IRGC's act "careless and irresponsible."
Has the coronavirus been around for decades? Maybe, according to a consortium of researchers from the United States, China and Europe.

It has proven difficult to pick apart the genetic lineage of the virus. But, now an international team of scientists say theyve done it, and found clues (and warnings) about both the history of this virus and the presence of its relatives.

The problem, as was explained in a release from the University of Glasgow, is that the coronavirus is highly recombinant, meaning different regions of the viruss genome can be derived from multiple sources, said Maciej Boni, associate professor of biology at Penn State. This has made it difficult to reconstruct SARS-CoV-2s origins. You have to identify all the regions that have been recombining and trace their histories.

The research findings, which were published yesterday in the journal Nature Microbiology, suggest that the virus that causes COVID-19 may have been circulating among bat populations for as much as 70 years.

Importantly, one aspect of the virus (the part that allows the virus to identify and bind to human cells) is common to other, similar viruses. Thats  not a good thing, according to David L. Robertson, professor of computational virology, MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.

This means that other viruses that are capable of infecting humans are circulating in horseshoe bats in China, he said.

The good news is that another feature of the virus that allows it to infect human hosts has not yet been seen in another close bat relative of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to Robertson.

The bad news is, this research suggests that more pandemics are likely.

We were too late in responding to the initial SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, but this will not be our last coronavirus pandemic, Boni said.
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang speaks to media outside the Knight Concert Hall of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County June 26, 2019 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images

For months, lawmakers have been paying attention to and pushing for some form of a universal basic income as the coronavirus pandemic roiled the economy and forced millions of Americans out of a job. It's the main pillar that former presidential candidate Andrew Yang took up in his campaign, centered around the premise that a UBI could alleviate or resolve many American issues. The gravity with which a UBI is now regarded is a complete reversal of the reaction Yang first got when unveiling his platform. Pundits and Democratic strategists didn't take his campaign seriously, but suddenly the push for a UBI does not seem so far-fetched. Just as the pandemic was taking full shape in the United States, progressives who've long criticized Yang's UBI stance urged in March for direct payments to workers around the country. Among them was Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who in August of last year found fault with instituting a UBI. Shortly after Sanders and other lawmakers spoke up, President Donald Trump signed into law a coronavirus stimulus package that offered a $1,200 payment to struggling Americans to offset any economic damage brought on by the virus. And now Congress is in discussions about the next round of stimulus relief, with the potential for another $1,200 direct payment. As the conversation around UBI continues, CNBC spoke with Yang on the U.S. response to the pandemic, engaging the White House and how Americans can make a difference in the coming months.

The UBI push

For many Americans, the $1,200 payment is not enough to cover all their expenses. Still, a whopping 74% of respondents in a CNBC/Change Research poll from May said they supported federal relief payments to help Americans cope with the economic disaster brought on by the pandemic. "If you think about it in 2020, 74% might as well be 98%," Yang said in an interview Tuesday with CNBC ahead of a Verizon event centered around achieving social change. "It's virtually unanimous."

Since ending his presidential bid, Yang launched Humanity Forward, a nonprofit that bolsters UBI, offering endorsements to candidates in support of it up and down the ballot. UBI is especially critical in these next coming months, Yang said, as health officials warn that the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus is growing throughout the country. "We believe that people need economic relief right now. So we were proud to have distributed $7 million in direct economic aid to folks who are struggling in increments of between $250 and $1,000," Yang told CNBC. "That $7 million is unfortunately just a sliver of the need," he said. "We have a waiting list of over 100,000 people who have requested additional aid, but we're certainly proud to take what we have and put it into people's hands." Humanity Forward urges people to donate to its Covid-19 relief fund online, 100% of which goes to low-income people who are struggling to support themselves, according to the site.

The coronavirus response

But instituting a UBI at this point would not negate the damage already wreaked by the coronavirus. Over a period of weeks in March, the coronavirus spread rapidly from state to state in the country, forcing businesses to shutter and plunging people into joblessness. The effects have continued for months, and dozens of states are experiencing spikes in the number of confirmed cases after apparently reopening their businesses prematurely. Nearly 33 million people said they were collecting unemployment benefits as of June 20, according to statistics from the Labor Department.

As the coronavirus gained steam, the Trump administration downplayed it, in a move that ran counter to the message from health officials. Earlier this month, the White House also made an effort to block funding for testing in the upcoming stimulus relief bill. Trump previously suggested at a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that testing would be slowed down. Later, the White House said he was joking. Yang did not mince words when he addressed the U.S. response to the pandemic: "It's been tragic and heartbreaking to see us fail our people on so many levels. And even if you just fast forward to today, like we're not even doing the things that we should be doing in terms of helping families manage this time and this crisis. We've been failing on multiple levels." The Trump administration has received blowback for its handling of the pandemic, with the president receiving the most dismal marks from voters. A Quinnipiac University poll from earlier this month showed that only 35% of voters approved of his response, compared with 62% who indicated disapproval. This rating is the lowest he's received since March, according to a press release from Quinnipiac University. "Thirty percent or more of Americans couldn't afford housing costs last month, and that's with extended unemployment benefits and other measures," Yang said, referring to a figure from online rental platform Apartment List. "So we need to think much bigger about how we can make this economy work for so many Americans. And to me, that starts with putting economic relief directly into their hands."

2020 politics

Yang is adamant that Humanity Forward lend a hand wherever possible to make economic relief a reality for Americans. So far, that looks like supporting candidates who believe in and advance the vision of UBI. But that support may extend to the White House if former Vice President Joe Biden wins in November, Yang said. "The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the rate of change in our economy where we've seen 10 years worth of change in 10 weeks. And so if I have an opportunity to help address some of these problems in a new administration, I would strongly consider it," Yang said. Yang endorsed Biden for president in March, and since then he's stumped for the 2020 presumptive Democratic nominee and has functioned as one of his surrogates on the campaign trail. "I continue to make it clear that I think four more years of a Trump presidency would be an utter disaster and that Joe needs to win and become our next president," Yang told CNBC. But should the Trump administration approach Yang about providing input on how the U.S. should be addressing the crisis, "I'd be happy to advise," he said, while adding that he believes "this administration only has another few months in office." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC asking whether that would be welcome or has ever been under consideration. Yang did not answer whether he is weighing a bid for New York mayor, as many outlets have been reporting. He also declined to say whether he's thought about a presidential bid for 2024, saying instead that he's focused on helping Biden succeed this year and putting his effort into alleviating the tensions brought on by the virus.

Moving forward
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and the JMA Global of international supermodel Jessica Minh Anh signed a cooperation agreement on July 28 on promoting Vietnams destinations as well as tourism products and services.

Jessica Minh Anh and a representative from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism at the signing ceremony

Under the document, the two sides will coordinate in producing a reality show named Jessica Minh Anh: Coming Home to popularise Vietnams attractive destinations on both domestic and international channels and at events.

This is the first journey in Vietnam of the international supermodel of Vietnamese origin.

The reality show, including 12 episodes with duration of 30-45 minutes each, is scheduled to be produced from late September until the end of December and screened throughout 2020-2021.

The show will use English language with Vietnamese subtitles.

Supermodel Jessica Minh Anh is the worlds most innovative fashion show producer with extraordinary visual concepts.

She has continuously made history with shows atop famous architectural wonders including the Eiffel Tower, Londons Tower Bridge, and PETRONAS Twin Towers.

Most impressively, she broke the record with the worlds highest fashion show on the Grand Canyon Skywalk./. VNA
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 19:07:03|Editor: huaxia

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VALLETTA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Forces of Malta rescued a group of 33 migrants and brought them ashore early Wednesday morning, local media reported.

The all-men group disembarked at Boiler Wharf at 4:30 a.m. They were taken into detention and are undergoing medical tests, after most of the 94 migrants rescued on Monday evening tested positive for the coronavirus.

Medical tests showed that 65 of the 85 tested in the group which landed in Malta on Monday were carrying the coronavirus. The rest are still being tested. They have been placed in detention and in isolation for two weeks, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The 94 migrants were rescued after the small dinghy they were on started taking in water, leading to a distress call when they were in Malta's search and rescue zone. Enditem
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom  Wed, July 29, 2020 07:40 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a0fa12 2 World UK,Britain,coronavirus,COVID-19,Boris-Johnson,Spain,bilateral-spat,pandemic,second-wave Free

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Tuesday of a "second wave" in Europe of the coronavirus as he defended a controversial decision to quarantine all travellers arriving from Spain, despite criticism from Madrid.

Johnson insisted the UK had taken "swift and decisive" action at the weekend to impose a 14-day quarantine on everyone entering Britain from Spain -- a major tourist destination for Britons.

The move was subsequently criticized by both the Spanish government and in the UK.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the decision "unbalanced" and insisted parts of his country were safer from the virus than areas of Britain.

But Johnson, on a visit to the English midlands, said it was the correct move.

"What we have to do is take swift and decisive action where we think that the risks are starting to bubble up again," he said in Nottingham.

"Let's be absolutely clear about what's happening in Europe, amongst some of our European friends, I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic."

However the premier did appear to indicate the quarantine period could be relaxed. Asked if it might be imposed for 10 rather than 14 days, Johnson said the UK was looking at ways "we can mitigate the impact".

Britain imposed the measure following a recent surge of cases in Spain.

Norway has imposed similar conditions and French Prime Minister Jean Castex has "strongly recommended" that people avoid going to northeastern Spain, the worst-hit area.

Germany has expressed "great concern" at the virus spike.

'Badly handled'

Sanchez defended Spanish tourist hotspots, including the Balearic and Canary islands, Andalucia and the Valencia region, saying they had "a cumulative incidence of the virus that is lower than that currently in the United Kingdom.

"That is to say, in epidemiological terms, it might even be safer at these destinations than in the United Kingdom," Sanchez told the Telecinco channel in an interview on Monday.

He added that Madrid was in talks with London "to try to convince them to reconsider the measure, which in our opinion is unbalanced".

In Britain, the decision has also come under pressure from the opposition Labor party, which claimed Johnson's government had "badly handled" it.

Labor called for help for British tourists hurriedly returning to the UK over fears that the new rules could affect their jobs.

London had initially said people could still travel to the Canaries and Balearics, but later extended the quarantine to these island groups.

The move is potentially perilous for the Spanish tourist industry, which received 18 million visitors from the UK last year, the largest number from a foreign country.

Spain's tourist industry accounts for 12 percent of gross domestic product and 13 percent of employment.

Britain and Spain are among the European countries worst hit by the pandemic.

Official figures show there have been almost 46,000 deaths and 300,000 people infected in the UK, though the actual numbers may be far higher.

In Spain, more than 28,400 lives have been lost and more than 272,000 people infected.
Wu Bingjiang has remained vigilant over emergencies as a veteran firefighter, which landed him a voluntary job for flood relief in Jiangxi province earlier this month.

Wu, a native of Maoming, Guangdong province, retired from a fire squadron in Xibaipo town, Hebei province, in 2018.

While awaiting his result from his entrance examination for university studies in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, he caught the news about Jiangxi's flood emergency response being raised to the highest level on July 11.

"I felt it was serious. With fires, when it is Level 1, we get fully equipped and ready to fight 24 hours," Wu recalled.

"I thought that when the country needs me, I should stand up. Although I have retired, I should still do my part."

He immediately contacted local veteran service stations and fire brigades in Jiangxi to offer help. He then came across a post online sent by Wang Siyuan, a veteran soldier in Shanghai calling for volunteers in Jiangxi.

"As a soldier, like me, he had the heart to take action to tend to the country's needs," Wu said.

"We wanted to organize a team and go as soon as possible. A minute earlier could mean one more person saved."

On July 13, Wu took the earliest flight to Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi, and got a taxi to Yongxiu county in Jiujiang, the inundated region.

First, he arrived at a school where a shelter for evacuated people had been set up and helped distribute relief goods like food and water.

"There were many people and also many volunteers," Wu said.

"I saw a child studying in the corridor and a teacher coming to help at times. The scenario moved me in particular and inspired me to help them as quickly as possible."

Wu then moved on to Sanjiao township, which was flooded after the embankment of the Xiuhe River in Yongxiu county was breached on July 12 following continuous torrential rains. There, Wu joined Wang and 16 other team members, who were all veteran soldiers from across the country.

The team's job was to guard two bridges in Sanjiao that had been damaged by the flood and were being reinforced by soldiers.

"If the bridge was not reinforced in a timely manner and collapsed, it would be harder for villagers to return home," Wu said, adding that the local police officers were also able to rest a bit with the team's presence.

The police had worked for more than 30 hours evacuating 23,411 people living in Sanjiao.

Wu and his team worked in shifts round-the-clock preventing villagers from using the bridges and keeping the areas around the bridge repair work clear.

Some villagers came in cars to retrieve belongings from their inundated homes, and some came to have a look at their houses in the distance or to watch the flood.

Wu said he and other team members patiently communicated with villagers, but some who were stopped from crossing the bridge quarreled with the team.

"We bore it silently. We could understand how they felt," Wu said.

Some villagers who were thankful for the team's service brought them goods such as tissues, watermelons and drinks.

"We either refused to take the goods or offered to pay for them. They just left them for us and went away."

Some of the team members were sent by the local fire department to evacuate villagers who were trapped after trying to return home by boat.

When boats became available, they helped some villagers move their urgently needed belongings from their homes.

Before arriving on site, Wu had thought he would be working with teams on the front line, carrying sand bags, closing up the breached embankment and sleeping at the work site.

Wu said that though he was faced with the scorching sun, mosquitoes and bugs, he found the five-day job much less arduous than he had expected.

Before the team departed on July 18 after the bridge work was finished and the flood significantly receded, the members assembled for a short group run.

"We used to be soldiers and it felt great," Wu said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Atishi and Raghav Chadha on Wednesday said the North Delhi municipal bodys Leader of the House, Yogesh Kumar Verma, had issued them defamation notices over a press conference last week during which they questioned the municipal bodys inability to pay salaries of doctors and health workers in Kasturba and Hindu Rao hospitals and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of corruption.

All three municipal corporations in the Capital are ruled by the BJP.

Atishi, AAPs spokesperson and Kalkaji MLA said, The BJP has not paid the salaries of doctors of Kasturba and Hindu Rao hospitals in times of the Covid pandemic. The AAP demanded (on July 24) that the BJP should pay the salaries of the doctors within three days, but they did not take cognisance. Now, they are trying to silence our voice with a defamation notice.

She said, North MCD house leader and BJP councillor Yogesh Kumar Verma has sent these notices of defamation of Rs 1 crore to both of us. These notices are for raising questions against the BJPs corruption at the MCDs. They have been exposed. The BJP believes they can intimidate us by sending defamation notices.

Responding to the allegations, Verma, leader of the House in the north corporation, said AAP had a history of blaming people without proof. They said the Delhi government released their due funds but the councillors embezzled the amount. This is a lie. We have asked them to prove it but they have no evidence to substantiate their claim. Putting such baseless allegations on councillors is not fair and that is why I have sent them notices. If they do not apologise for these uncalled for remarks, I will drag them to court, Verma said.

Chadha, AAPs national spokesperson and Rajendra Nagar MLA, said: The leader of the House in North MCD has issued both criminal defamation and civil defamation notices against us. This means the BJP has claimed we have disrespected the North MCD. It clearly shows that the BJPs intention is to do corruption with the money of people and if you raise a question or expose them, then you will be slapped with defamation notices.

I want to remind the BJP that the Aam Aadmi Party is not a political party that will be scared by such arbitrary defamation notices. The Aam Aadmi Party will stand with the people of Delhi and take to the streets against the BJP-ruled MCDs. We will go door to door and expose the BJPs corruption. We will fight against the BJP at the courts and also at the streets, he said.

Verma said the Delhi government had to give Rs 1,181 crore to the north civic body but in the last two quarters, it had given only Rs 383 crore.

Whatever funds came from the Delhi government were used to pay salaries of our employees. We could pay the salaries to our employees until April. Their salaries of May and June are still pending and so the state government should clear our dues. We have requested the chief minister to release funds but to no avail. The AAP leaders (Chadha and Atishi) should come clean on their allegations and produce documents that how much money the government had given to North MCD, the BJP leader said.

Resident doctors of Hindu Rao and Kasturba hospitals have not been paid salaries for May and June. They had in June threatened to tender mass resignations if their salaries were not released but had withdrawn their threat after the high court had directed the civic body to pay their salaries at the earliest.

In a press conference on July 24, Chadha and Atishi had said AAP would start a protest if the salaries of doctors are not cleared by the North MCD in three days and accused the BJP of corruption in the corporations.

Dr Sunil Kumar, president of the Resident Doctors Association of Kasturba Hospital said salaries for two months  June and July  are pending.

Kumar said they get salaries on the 25th of every month and received the salary of May earlier this week. He warned there should be no politics on the matter but a permanent solution should be devised.

Our salary is pending for two months. This has become a regular scene. The MCD blames the government and they blame the civic body but this blame-game is not the solution. If MCD has no funds, then the government should help them in arranging funds so that doctors, who are risking their lives amid the coronavirus pandemic, do not have to wait for salaries, Kumar said. He said they would again write to the authorities next month to clear pending salaries.
South Africa: Team of firefighters deployed to PMB

Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy has welcomed the deployment of a team of Working on Fire firefighters and management to fight the New England Road Landfill Site fire in Pietermaritzburg.

The team of firefighters and management have been working tirelessly since their deployment on 21 July to support the Mgungundlovu Disaster Management Centre to extinguish the fire that flared up again last week, Minister Creecy said.

A total of 78 firefighters and management and 10 support vehicles from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Working on Fire (WoF) programme in KwaZulu-Natal have been deployed to the New England Road site in Pietermaritzburg.

An Incident Command Centre has been established which includes the Working on Fire team, provincial Fire Protection Associations and Disaster Management Centre, Msunduzi Fire, Mgungundlovu District Fire and the eThekwini Metro Fire Department.

Through the joint effort, we hope that the fire is brought under control, and extinguished, as soon as possible, said the Minister.

Working on Fire has just over 700 firefighters on standby at various bases across KwaZulu-Natal to respond to any blazes in the province during the winter fire season.

Minister Creecy urged landowners and community members to be vigilant and not to start any fires, even for warmth in open areas if weather conditions do not permit.

Community members have also been urged to ensure that fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment are serviced and ready if any fire breaks out on their property.

The extremely cold weather over parts of the province in recent weeks, coupled with dry vegetation and strong winds created favourable conditions for the rapid spread of fires.

Working on Fire teams in KwaZulu-Natal have assisted in extinguishing more than 100 fires in KwaZulu-Natal in June and July.

Across South Africa, Working on Fire has just over 5 000 firefighters on standby at 200 bases to respond to any blazes in the provinces during the current winter fire season.

To date, Working on Fire has responded to close to 800 wildfires in South Africa.

As the winter season continues, the teams will continue to burn fire breaks, trace belts, and block burns to ensure the risk of fires destroying homes and livelihoods in the province is reduced. This is being done while adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

Although our teams are ready to fight fires, we rely on community members to be responsible when lighting fires and to report any fires to the authorities as soon as possible, Minister Creecy said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
India on Wednesday received its first batch of new combat-proven fighter aircraft in two decades with the arrival of five Rafale jets which landed at the Ambala Air Force base at around 3:10 PM after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.

Each jet was given a special water cannon salute at the strategically-located air base in the presence of top brass of the Indian Air Force including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria who had played a key role as lead negotiator in procurement of the jets.

IAF

Soon after the Rafale pilots touched down Ambala, Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria complimented them for their professionalism in undertaking a long sortie from France to India within just two days and one hop as such ferries earlier used to take many days.

"In the meeting with Rafale pilots, the Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria complimented them on their high level of professionalism as they have safely brought back these five aircraft to India within two days," IAF sources told ANI.

IAF

Rafale Pilot Names List

The pilots include Group Captain Harkirat Singh who is the Commanding Officer of the 17 squadron, Wing Commander MS Singh, Group captain R Kataria, Wing Commander Abhishek Tripathi, Wing Commander Siddhu and Wing Commander Arun.

The pilots are from different fleets and have flown lesser generation aircraft in previous stints and have trained on Rafales only for 35-40 hours before undertaking a 7,000 km sortie with just one stoppage, the sources said.

As the Rafale jets landed in Ambala it was a joyous occasion for Bakwa village in Ballia district of UP.

Wing Commander Manish Singh, who belongs to this village, piloted one of the aircraft.

IAF

Manish's father, Madan Singh, is a retired army jawan. "I have distributed sweets in the entire village because my son is a part of a history-making initiative. People are also bursting crackers and lighting diyas to celebrate the occasion," he said.

His wife Urmila Singh said that she was glad that her son had done something to strengthen the country.

"We had been waiting for this moment since the past three days and were following every step through the media and social media. The entire nation is celebrating and so are we," she said.

The family said that they had spoken to Manish minutes before the take-off from France.

Manish's sister Anjali said that her brother has already given her the Raksha Bandhan gift by bringing the Rafale.

The family said that Manish had got his education in the village till Class IV and then went to the Sainik School in Karnal where his father was posted. Manish joined the Air Force in 2002 and was posted in Gorakhpur in 2017-18.
Fuel Trucks Catch Fire In Western Iranian City Of Kermanshah

July 28, 2020

Several fuel tankers have caught fire at a truck park near the western Iranian city of Kermanshah, sparking panic among local residents.

Governor Fazlollah Ranjbar was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying that the fire broke out on July 28 during repair work to a heavy vehicle before spreading to seven others.

The governor, however, denied there was an explosion.

"We did not have any explosions anywhere in the city today and the black smoke that citizens see in the sky of Kermanshah metropolis was related to the fire in this truck park," Ranjbar said.

The blaze was contained by firefighters and rescue efforts were still ongoing, he added.

Five people including four firefighters were injured, an emergency services spokesperson told French news agency AFP.

The tankers did not belong to the Oil Ministry but to a private company, according to local authorities.

The incident is the latest in a string of unexplained explosions and fires at military and civilian sites across Iran in recent weeks.

Two explosions hit Tehran late last month, one near a military site and the other in a health center, the latter killing 19 people.

Fires or blasts also rocked a shipyard in southern Iran and the Natanz nuclear complex in central Iran this month.

Officials said the Natanz fire was an accident, before adding they would not reveal the cause for "security reasons."

Based on reporting by AFP and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/fuel-trucks- catch-fire-in-western-iranian-city -of-kermanshah/30753214.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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From the very beginning the Skellig Star Hotel Direct Provision Centre in Cahirciveen has been dogged by controversy.

The Department of Justice said initially, for example, that the 15 staff recruited to work in the Skellig Star accommodation centre when it opened had all previously worked there.

However, as the Irish Examiner discovered, only five of the staff had worked there previously.

The department also said that the group manager for Townbe, the company operating the facility, provided on-site training prior to the centre opening and ongoing management support after it opened.

Sources subsequently told the Irish Examiner that no training was provided. On May 26, this newspaper revealed that over half of the staff at the centre had not been Garda vetted.

The department says it subsequently advised Townbe that any member of staff who had not completed the vetting process could not be on-site.

However, it then emerged that everybody continued on-site regardless as evidenced by an email from Townbe to the hotel manager three days before the centre opened.

We will get them vetted asap, the Townbe representative said. But for the moment run with those staff as I cant see that the vetting will matter too much.

Read More Kerry direct provision residents begin hunger strike claiming food and water is being 'rationed'

Cahersiveen and residents of the Skellig Star DP gather in protest outside the centre last March. Picture: Alan Landers

The Irish Examiner was also told by the department that the boiler in the hotel malfunctioned on the day the asylum seekers arrived.In fact, it was out of action for three months before their arrival and remained in a state of disrepair, ensuring no central heating was available.

The then justice minister Charlie Flanagan claimed at one point on RTE Radio that social-distancing measures were acted on pretty speedily at the centre. In reality, for at least ten days after their arrival, as the country went into lockdown, residents ate communally and queued up for their meals.

The new residents, few of whom knew each other before they arrived in Cahirciveen, had to share bedrooms in the 56-room hotel. Social distancing was absent with shared dining facilities, and no measures taken in elevators, corridors, dining or common areas.

The minister, in his public apology to the people of Cahirciveen in May, claimed the virus could not have been brought to the hotel by a resident who had been staying in a hotel in Dublin where an infection broke out.

It was well over a fortnight (the incubation period) before any of our residents in Cahirciveen began to show symptoms or were confirmed as positive for Covid-19, said the minister. This was repeated to Oireachtas members by department officials.

In reality the first display of symptoms was recorded on March 21, four days after the arrival of the asylum seekers, and the department was first informed three days later.

Residents of the Skellig Star DP Centre in Cahersiveen join Locals in Calling for an end to Direct Provision Centres in March. Picture: Alan Landers.

When the department finally did acknowledge the above case as an honest mistake, there was an attempt to infer that the discovery made no difference as this person subsequently tested negative for the virus".

This was entirely misleading as the test in question took place nearly a month after she displayed symptoms.

Also in his May apology, the minister explained the reason for secrecy around the opening of the centre.He blamed Covid-19.

Opening Direct Provision centres can be difficult, he said. Finding a way to balance confidential tender negotiations with local wishes for consultation is not easy.

In early March, my officials realised we needed new centres and we needed them quickly. It was not tenable in a health emergency, to have large numbers of international protection applicants in emergency hotel accommodation, sharing facilities with other guests.

But while he claimed speed was of the essence, his explanation was disingenuous.

As was pointed after his apology, there was nothing sudden about earmarking the Skellig Star as a direct provision centre.

The process had actually begun last summer, and an official from the Department of Justice visited the hotel last September.

Added to that is the fact that the department denied to local media that a centre was even being planned, saying no contract had been signed.

Nowhere in Mr Flanagans apology was there mention of the failure to inform local people of the outbreak.

The first positive results were returned on April 13.

A local businessman, Jack Fitzpatrick, said he received information about the outbreak on April 18 and he and a delegation met the management of the centre in a nearby carpark.

The outbreak was confirmed then, 21 days after the first positive case went into self-isolation.
RAY BROOK  New York State Forest Rangers have had a busy month in the Adirondacks and Catskills, responding to at least four cases in recent days when hikers had twisted, rolled or broken their ankles or injured their legs. Additionally, they performed two rescues in six days where they had to use helicopters to help bring down people who had been stranded on a well-known mountaineering route deep in the High Peaks region.

Rangers also rescued a hiker who collapsed from heat exhaustion in the Catskills, and helped guide several lost people back to safety.

Rangers and guides say its part of a long-term trend in which more and more people, spurred on by social media and state ad campaigns, are coming to the mountains, especially the Adirondacks, for hiking and climbing. Thats made for busy summers for several years now, but the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing in even more people who might normally get on a plane for their vacation rather than heading to drive-to wilderness areas.

Its been an increase. That to me is just mirroring the increase in the number of hikers that are out this summer, outdoor guide Ed Palen said of the rescues hes heard about. There are a few more rescues this year than in the past but I think its proportional, added Palen, who operates the Rock and River guide service in Keene.

One of the injuries came July 21 when the Department of Environmental Conservations Ray Brook Dispatch center received a call from an injured hiker on Donaldson Mountain in the Western High Peaks Wilderness.

The caller had slid down a rock while descending and said he heard a snap in his ankle.

During the initial contact, the caller said he would try to continue down the mountain on his own after splinting the injury.

At 4:30 p.m., a ranger contacted the hiker, who had only been able to descend halfway and needed help. Other rangers came with an all-terrain vehicle, or ATV, and hiked another 1.5 miles to reach the injured man. After re-splinting the injury, the 46-year-old from Lockport was assisted back to the ATV and brought out to Coreys Road at 9 p.m. for transport to a local hospital.

Also on July 21 dispatchers received a call that was transferred from Herkimer County 911 reporting an injured 75-year-old female hiker on the Moss Lake trail who had slipped and rolled her ankle.

Rangers, along with local police and fire departments, brought the Tonawanda woman out on an ATV and took her to a local hospital.

The day before, on July 20, rangers responded to a call about a 22-year-old female hiker from Oneonta on Blue Mountain with a non-weight-bearing injury to her lower leg.

She was about halfway down the mountain. Forest rangers and the local fire department arrived and carried her in a litter down the mountain to the trailhead where she opted to seek further medical attention on her own.

Also on July 20 rangers learned that a 72-year-old man from Galloway, New Jersey, slipped on wet rocks near Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskills causing an ankle injury.

Forest rangers immobilized the man in a vacuum air mattress and placed him into a litter. He was then carried out to a Rangers vehicle and transported to the trailhead.

The hiker said he would seek additional medical care on his own.

And on July 26 at 3:40 p.m., a ranger overheard a call for an injured hiker on Giant Ledge in the Catskills. Members of the Shandaken EMS squad and Big Indian Fire Department had learned that a 42-year-old hiker from Ulster Park was 5 miles up the trail, suffering from heatstroke.

When located, the hiker was found to be dehydrated and suffering from severe cramps.

Its not uncommon for hikers to vastly underestimate the water they need to bring on a hot summer day, noted Scott van Laer, an Adirondack-based ranger who is also a delegate for the rangers union.

People may not realize that there are long stretches of trails or routes high up in the mountains without water, and hikers need to be prepared for that, he said.

Back-country travelers have also gotten in trouble on the Trap Dike, a mountaineering route that is a rocky fissure or cleft eroded by water in the steep side of Mount Colden in the Adirondacks.

DEC dispatchers on July 24 were contacted about two 19-year-old hikers from Rye, New York, and Louisville, Kentucky, who said they were stuck on the Western side of the Dike.

A State Police helicopter brought three forest rangers to the area. From there, the rangers rigged a rope system allowing the climbers to descend to the base of the Dike and hike out.

That was similar to a July 18 rescue with another pair of hikers who had exited or moved away from the Dike at the wrong spot and were stuck on the steep slab of rock, or slide, above.

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

Meaning kick or step dike in Dutch, the Dike itself is rocky, providing for foot and handholds as opposed to the clean or slick rock of a slide area.

But inexperienced climbers sometimes step away from the Dike and start ascending the smooth slide too soon, not realizing it gets progressively steeper. They can then panic or freeze, said Palen who explained it can be harder to climb down under such circumstances.

In this case, State Police again helicoptered rangers to the site, and then set up a rope system to bring the hikers down.

Palen who has guided people up the route, said he brings a rope for beginners or youngsters.

Experienced rock climbers can negotiate the Dike without a rope, but others might need it for safety and security, although that requires knowledge in how to properly use a mountaineering rope, Palen said.

There are a lot of people who just run up it in sneakers, said Palen, stressing that the climb should be done with slow, deliberate moves.

Palen is guiding hiking trips but not rock climbing this summer due to the difficulty of maintaining social distance in those situations.

There have been deaths on the Trap Dike, with the most recent coming in 2011 when Binghamton University student Matthew Potel died after falling near the second waterfall.

Potel was with the schools outing club and was helping another student over the waterfall section, according to accounts at the time.

One thing people in the Adirondacks are noticing is that a state campaign to get people to go to spots other than the crowded High Peaks area near Lake Placid, seems to be working.

There are hikers, and subsequent rescues in trails and mountain areas to the west, near Malone, and the east, near Lake Champlain, on trails that havent historically been all that crowded.

Its legitimately park-wide now, van Laer, the ranger, said of the activity in the Adirondack Forest Preserve.

The region would be even busier if the border with Canada weren't closed to non-essential travel.

With Montreal about a two hour drive away, Canadians typically comprise up to 30 percent of the hikers and backpackers in the Adirondacks.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU
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At a panel discussion to celebrate the 25th anniversary of U.S.-Vietnam relations, which was held at the American Center in Ho Chi Minh City last week, panelists remarked on the countries decades-long journey from foes to friends across all spheres.

The panelists included Consul General Marie Damour, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, director of the Center for International Studies (SCIS) at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Dam Bich Thuy, president of Fulbright University Vietnam, Bui Quang Minh, founder and CEO of Beta Corp, and Ngo Thanh Van, a Vietnamese actress, film producer, and director.

They discussed how far the two countries have come since 1995, when their relations were restored after the war, and what opportunities lie ahead for the next 25 years of continued partnership and friendship.

A trusted partner

At the discussion on July 23, the audience was shown a video clip of U.S. President Bill Clinton announcing the formal normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam on July 11, 1995.

Consul General Damour said she witnessed the normalization early in her career when she first joined the U.S. Department of State in 1993.

During her address, the diplomat recounted her first experience with Vietnam in 2002, when she was going through immigration after nearly 30 hours of traveling from Washington D.C. to Vietnam via Tokyo, Japan.

[There is] this gentleman in his very formal uniform with the hat with a star on it. He looks at my passport. I was born in Kentucky so my passport said Kentucky, U.S. He looks up at me and then looks down at my passport, and then he says, KFC, Damour said.

Yes, yes, I was born in the same place as KFC, she answered.

After returning to Vietnam at the end of 2019 as the U.S. consul general in Ho Chi Minh City and seeing the changes Vietnam has made, Damour is even more confident about the bilateral relationship.

I have an absolute firm belief that the relationship between Vietnam and the U.S. 25 years from now is going to be even stronger and more impressive than we've achieved in the last 25 years, she said.

The U.S. looks at Vietnam as an extraordinarily important partner in the Pacific region and works with Vietnam on issues that are globally significant, she said.

According to the diplomat, through the development process, Vietnam has shown itself to be a stable, prosperous and independent partner in Southeast Asia, contributing to international peace and security and supporting the rule of law in the Pacific region as well as the regulations of the world trading system, which all contribute to American security.

The driving factor was the mutual recognition that it was in the interests of both countries to have a relationship. Both countries really have benefited from the relationship, Damour said.

The U.S. has a trusted partner with whom we work in what we call a comprehensive partnership."

There are always challenges and disagreements in any relationship, but the important thing is being honest with each other, she said.

Honesty, always being there, caring about what your partner cares about and working hard at it, that is how you overcome the differences. We speak daily, clearly about what we care about. We listen carefully to what Vietnam cares about and cooperate in those areas that are important to each other, she elaborated.

You have to build the relationship every day. You cant just come every six months and have a healthy relationship. It has got to be communication back and forward every day, the consul general emphasized, adding it is very exciting for her to work in Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam and the most entrepreneurial hub that does not hesitate to communicate what it wants.

Talking about the Chinese factor in the relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam, Damour acknowledged that the U.S. has quite a loud relationship with China, but Beijing is still a major trading partner of Washington and tens of thousands of Chinese students are studying in America.

U.S. Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Marie Damour (left) and Center for International Studies (CSIS) director Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung gesture at a press conference following a panel discussion on the 25th anniversary of U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relations held at the American Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, July 23, 2020. Photo: Tran Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Cooperating in East Vietnam Sea

At a press conference after the panel discussion, when asked about cooperation in the East Vietnam Sea between Vietnam and the U.S., Damour said that the most important aspect of cooperation between the United States and Vietnam in the sea is both countries adherence to the peaceful resolution of disputes, equitable treatment of small and big countries, and a willingness by all countries in the region to abide by international law.

Vietnam has long been a country that has advocated for the peaceful resolution of these disputes. And that's why I think they make such a good partner for the United States particularly on this issue, she explained.

Also at the press conference, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung noted that in the last few years, there has been a lot of cooperation between Vietnam and the U.S. in terms of maritime domain awareness (MDA) and material support, including the procurement of Vietnams first coast guard cutter by the U.S. with a second to be delivered soon.

I think it's a good starting point for further cooperation between the two countries and for stability in the region, Dr. Trung said.

He assessed that during the next 25 years, one of the important factors shaping bilateral relations is whether the two sides have strategic trust in each other.

It is the absence of strategic trust that has caused lots of bilateral relations to degrade after a period of development.

I suppose that the relationship between Vietnam and the U.S. still has room to develop. Currently, the two sides still have a lot of potential to promote cooperation in areas such as defense, security, maritime, energy, education, science and technology, and trade, he concluded.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Letters to the editor, July 29, 2020

Something to consider

To the editor,

An important and overlooked factor in Sturgiss June 15th decision to hold the Rally was the threat of a lawsuit to be brought against the town. The City Council and City Attorney of Sturgis received a letter on June 11th, 2020 from lawyer Eric H. Chadwick, who represents Rushmore Photo & Gifts. Mr. Chadwick asserted that if the town of Sturgis decides to postpone or cancel the 80th Rally, it would subject itself to claims of liability from my clients for its intentional misconduct. The legal rationale offered was that, because Sturgis cannot claim to be the sole organizer of the Rally, it does not have the right to postpone or cancel it despite the threat of Covid-19 and the fact that the Rally occurs in Sturgis. This is legally questionable. The town of Sturgis has the responsibility to ensure public safety in the operations of businesses and events in its limits. City Manager Daniel Ainslie has explained that the potential lawsuit was influential in several Councilors decisions. The threatened suit was one factor among several, but it needs further investigation because the Sturgis community deserves to know more about its implications.

Matthew Valades, Greensboro, NC

Learn from Lakota Culture

To the editor,

To get an angle on the monument problem, learn from Lakota culture. They dont wantonly destroy nature, nor alter or name a geological formation for the glorification of mortals. They name landmarks after nature, such as Eagle Nest Butte on Pine Ridge Reservation. If Black Elk Peak had been named consistent with this practice, it would be called Owls Nest Peak.

Lakota people understand that even good men do bad things. Maybe thats why Crazy Horse refused to have his photograph taken. Without a photograph, the sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, intentionally or not, carved his own likeness into the mountain at Crazy Horse Memorial. Lakota and non-Lakota, alike, have remarked on this as they compare the front of the sculpture with Ziolkowski photographs. Moreover, Lakota, and other indigenous people, don't point with their fingers. I learned this as a Malaysia Peace Corps volunteer. In the spirit of Crazy Horse, we should take the monument down, or at least leave unfinished the outstretched arm with its pointing finger.

As monuments are protested, lets rethink the meaning of elevating humans to monumental stature. Maybe take them down and focus instead on taking care of the health of the earth and of every living thing.

Sylvia Lambert, Interior

Lack of leadership

To the editor,

As peace talks proceeded for ending the long-running war in Afghanistan, President Trump was informed as early as January that bounties were being paid to Taliban-linked militants for killing American and coalition troops. The payer-organization was a Russian unit known to have performed covert assassinations in Europe. How has President Trump responded to this information? Was he angry? Did he initiate appropriate consequences against Putin? Alas, our president simply tried to keep it a secret. Trumps non-action and secrecy led someone in the Pentagon to leak the story. We already knew that Trump never confronted Putin regarding 2016s election interference. Weve noted that Trump has ignored other Russian provocations throughout his presidency. Families of the twenty-some American service members killed since 2019 in Afghanistan deserve answers. Throughout his presidency, Trump has consistently shown adoration and special comity for Putin. Hes had many secret conversations with Putin and other high-level Russian ministers. Hes consistently supported Russias interests -- often to the detriment of our European allies. Can I be faulted for wondering if Trump is secretly beholden to Russias Putin? Furthermore, full economic recovery is unlikely without a national testing strategy. Shame falls on Thune and Rounds for lack of leadership.

David Wegner, Sioux Falls

We must act now

To the editor,

If you or your children or grandchildren or friends that are hopefully still alive in 2050, you must help divert a catastrophic collapse of civilization by 2050 by demonstrating September 12, 2020.

We all must act "NOW". Several reports project a future where civilization will collapse by 2050 due to instability set off by Climate Change, Plastic In Our Oceans, Overpopulation, The Sixth Great Extinction Event, Rising Sea Levels, Environmental Destruction, and people trying to flee regions of the world that simply would be too hot for human habitation.

We will reach a 4 degrees C (7.2 degrees F) rise or more in the coming decades. Children ages 12 or over must watch this video and use their social media skills to make this demonstration happen on Saturday, September 12, 2020.

Adults and children must use all social media to get people to make banners and posters and demonstrate in such great numbers that the world must respond.

In the United States, line your busiest streets and intersections (Wear masks and social distance) and show that we demand a habitable world now and into the future. We the people can make the governments act now!

Please Demonstrate September 12, 2020!

Metakuye Oyiasin (All my relatives)

Robert J. Ackerman Rapid City

Before it is too late

To the editor,

In the United States, response to the warnings about and the spread of the Covid-19 virus were certainly inadequate, in fact, some even initially believed the pandemic was some kind of hoax. However, current actions by our government and medical organizations are providing us with confidence that this disaster will be overcome. Similarly, we have heard warnings about human caused climate change since 1896, when the Swedish chemist, Svante Arrhenius, expressed concern that the enormous increases of burning coal would cause a significant rise in the emissions of heat trapping carbon dioxide into earths atmosphere. Today, we continually hear warnings from scientific communities around the world that we must decrease greenhouse gas emissions drastically or face devastating consequences. However, in South Dakota the people who believe human activities are causing climate change and that actions must be taken to avoid disasters only hovers around 50 percent. This is very dangerous because it may soon become impossible to avoid the life-threatening consequences of human caused global warming. If the government of the United States is concerned about our health and welfare, it should re-engage with the world governments who are making efforts to minimize future climate change disasters.

Harold Arns, Box Elder

Get over yourself

To the editor,

No Mask. No Sense. If one projects the virus & someone gets it, that is ignorance at its peak. Exhaling or sneezing into a mask, protects others. If Gov. Kristi Noem won't require people to wear a mask, then she needs to be replaced by someone who will. If you think you are too Macho or too cute to wear a mask, get over yourself. Care more about others than about yourself. The Mayor also has the responsibility to require people wear a mask. If any business does not require customers to wear a mask, close your doors and go home. Also, business employees also need to wear a mask. If this letter offends you, you may be part of the problem.

Allen McPherson, Rapid City

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President Donald Trump speaks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, July 23, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Republicans, Democrats Far Apart in Stimulus Talks, Trump Says

'Were so far apart, we dont care'

President Donald Trump said the White House, Democrats, and Republicans are divided on passing a COVID-19 relief package.

We ought to work on the evictions so that people dont get evicted, to work on the payments to the people, and the rest of it, Trump said at the White House on July 28. Were so far apart, we dont care.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, meanwhile, told reporters that the two sides should work on a short-term deal.

Trump says there are provisions in the GOP package unveiled a day earlier that he doesnt support, he told reporters on July 28.

Yeah, there are, actually, he said. And well be talking about it. There are also things that I very much support. But well be negotiating. Its sort of semi-irrelevant because the Democrats come with their needs and asks, and the Republicans go with theirs.

Trump said he will discuss the matter with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other congressional leaders.

One point of contention among the White House and Senate Republicans is a payroll tax cut wanted by Trump.

McConnell referred to the GOP bill, dubbed the HEALS Act, a starting point for negotiations, an assertion reiterated by Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on July 27.

This legislation serves as a starting point for bipartisan negotiations, Grassley said on the floor of the Senate. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to not let partisan differences derail progress.

Democratic leaders criticized the delays and measures in the GOP plan. Members of Congress took a nearly three-week break in July.

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks to the media at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 27, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Republicans dithered for 3 months while Democrats pleaded for action on COVID, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on Twitter on July 28. And now that Republicans finally have a proposal, its corporate-focused, doesnt meet the needs of the American people, and half of their own caucus probably wont support it anyway!

McConnell, however, has said that the Democrat-passed HEROES Act, which is $3 trillion, contains too many unneeded provisions; hes also called its tantamount to a socialist manifesto.

Democrats said they want an extension of the $600 weekly federal unemployment benefits, while Republicans have opted to lower that number to $200 per week. Whats more, the HEALS Act doesnt include any funding to state or local governments, while Democrats have proposed $1 trillion under the HEROES Act.

It appears, however, that both parties agree on sending out another round of $1,200 checks and payments to Americans.

Trump, in remarks on July 28, said hes optimistic about a deal among all the parties involved.

All of the people involved, [Treasury Secretary] Steve Mnuchins done a great job, keeps everybody together, both Democrat and Republican, Trump said. We want to do whats best for the people. I want to do whats best for the people. I want to do whats best for the economy because that means jobs and lots of good things.
Madelaine Petsch is standing up for her Riverdale costar Vanessa Morgan following her shock divorce from Michael Kopech.

News of Vanessa and Michael's divorce broke just three days after she announced her pregnancy, and now trolls to have left hurtful comments on Vanessa's Instagram account in light of the revelation.

Madelaine, 25, was not having it, and promptly defended Vanessa, 28, after one Instagram user commented, 'Don't disrespect our pitcher like that.'

Not having it: Madelaine Petsch is standing up for her Riverdale costar Vanessa Morgan following her shock divorce from Michael Kopech (pictured 2018)

'Honestly if I see one more comment like this I'll lose it,' Madelaine said, replying directly to the Instagram user.

'Vanessa is a beautiful mother to be and the hate and disrespect I'm seeing on this post about her bringing a new life into this world is disgusting.'

The trolling all started after Vanessa announced her pregnancy with a gender reveal party last week, with no mention of her Chicago White Sox pitcher husband in the post.

His notable absence did not go unnoticed.

'Honestly if I see one more comment like this I'll lose it': Petsch did not let the hurtful comments go ignored (pictured 2018)

Mom-to-be: Morgan announced her pregnancy last week, though did not mention her husband Michael Kopech

'Where's your husband at though?' another commenter asked, according to Us Weekly.

Though Michael was not present at the gender reveal party, Vanessa's rep told People he is the father of her child.

Vanessa revealed the baby news on July 24, but Michael had already filed to split on June 19, according to TMZ.

Splitting up: Kopech filed for divorce from Vanessa in June after less than one year of marriage (pictured 2018)

High school hit: Morgan has been playing Toni Topez on Riverdale since 2017

Vanessa announced just last week she would be 'welcoming [her] baby boy into the world this January' as she shared snapshots from her gender reveal, her positive pregnancy test, and a video from her first ultrasound.

'Was debating keeping this part of my life hidden but I knew people would see pictures eventually with my belly & I wanted you guys to hear it from me,' began Vanessa, who boasts 8.6million followers on Instagram.

Though she wanted to be the 'first to share the news', Morgan emphasized that she intends to 'keep this chapter of [her] life private.'

'I am overjoyed to be welcoming my baby boy into the world this January. It's almost like everything I thought mattered in this life has completely changed.. We're here for such a greater purpose and life is so precious,' she gushed.
Andre de Ruyter, the chief executive officer of South Africas debt-stricken state power utility, is navigating a political minefield as he collects overdue debt, reduces electricity theft and bolsters revenue.

Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. this month seized the bank accounts of its biggest defaulter  the Maluti-a-Phofung municipality that owes it 5.3 billion rand ($321 million)  and scaled back supplies to areas where many residents have illegal connections to the grid. It previously clashed with the countrys energy regulator over tariff increases, and suspended contracts with coal and renewable-energy vendors after electricity demand plummeted amid a coronavirus lockdown.

The utility supplies about 95% of the power used in Africas most-industrialized economy and isnt generating enough cash to cover its operating expenses and interest payments on 454 billion rand of debt. Efforts to reorganize the loans and split the company into three units to make it more manageable have made slow progress, exacerbating the need to shore up its income.

Inevitably tough decisions have now to be taken to implement debt recovery and to send a message to errant municipalities that they must now get their financial house in order, said Raymond Parsons, a professor at North-West Universitys Business School in Potchefstroom, west of Johannesburg. This will not be popular and there may be political fallout. We must assume that De Ruyter has the necessary backing to be doing what he is.

Municipal Debts

Local authorities, most of which are controlled by the ruling African National Congress and have been dogged by mismanagement and a lack of funds, owed Eskom 30.9 billion rand at the end of June. The party hasnt commented on Eskoms seizure of the municipalitys accounts, but President Cyril Ramaphosa has said payment boycotts are unacceptable.

Previous attempts by Eskom to cut off some township customers who didnt pay their bills have sparked violent street protests. The utility demonstrated its aware of the sensitivities of taking a hard line at the weekend, when it conceded to releasing 90 million rand to Maluti-a-Phofung to enable it to pay salaries and other costs. Calls to its mayors office werent answered.

Eskom seizes defaulting customers assets as a last resort when other legal options have been exhausted, and reduces supply to areas where there are illegal connections to protect its infrastructure and avoid explosions, De Ruyter, who took up his post in January, said in an emailed response to questions.

Asked if the company consulted with the government or sought its permission before embarking on such action, he said: Eskom is an autonomous agency of the government, whose mandate is to ensure the reliable supply of electricity.

Legal Victory

The CEOs strategy of resorting to legal action to shore up Eskoms income paid off on Tuesday when the company won a court battle to overturn the electricity regulators directive that 69 billion rand in bailouts it received from the government should be treated as revenue. The ruling will enable the utility to raise an additional 23 billion rand annually over the next three years by increasing tariffs.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, who oversees Eskom, and his spokesman, Sam Mkokeli, didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

Fixing Eskom will be a lengthy process and will have to go beyond collecting overdue debt and disconnecting customers, according to Jones Gondo, a credit analyst at Nedbank Group Ltd. He expects there will be more clarity on whether a turnaround is possible when Eskom is split into generation, distribution and transmission units that separately disclose their revenue and costs.

Investors appear increasingly confident that Eskom will secure sufficient state support to meet its commitments. The premium they demand to hold its 2026 rand bonds rather than government securities has narrowed 14 basis points since the beginning of January to 104 as of July 27.
NPP Parliamentary Candidate for the Agona East Constituency, Professor Kwesi Yankah, has donated Set-up tools and equipment running into thousands of Ghana Cedis to some Hairdressers and Dressmakers in his constituency to expand their businesses and to generate income

According to Professor Kwesi Yankah, the donation was also to support the beneficiaries to admit those who want to be enrolled into an apprenticeship

Each of the Ten (10) Hairdressers received Standing Hair Dryer, Wall Sprayer, Wall Trimmer, Toughing Machine, Ceramic Washing Bowl, a Hand Dryer, and a Hair Straightener

While the Nine (9) Dressmakers including a male Tailor also received Electronic Sewing Machine, Overlook and Neating Machine, Embroidery Machine, Cutting Machine, Cover Button Machine, and Electric Iron each to facilitate their daily activities

Presenting the items at Agona Mensakrom last Saturday, Professor Yankah stated his desire is to see more people passing through Vocational training to enable them to acquire entrepreneur skills

"What Ghanaians seems to be forgetting is that all Public Technical and Vocational Schools in the country are also Free just as our Senior High Schools

His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo led NPP government is committed to technical and vocational training for the teeming youth who seeks to acquire technical and vocational knowledge.

The Youth who are the future leaders must be supported to acquire knowledge in every sector of the economy.

Entrepreneurship is one way of empowering the youth economically and that's exactly what the NPP government is doing by making Secondary, Technical and Vocational Schools Free of charge.

Items we are about to give to our Hairdressers and Dressmakers today is by the courtesy of H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana who supported this initiative

I will continue to seek the welfare of my constituents within my power to make our constituency the desire haven

Agona East Constituency will remain grateful to Nana Addo for the unprecedented number of development projects being undertaking to improve the quality lives of the people

All road networks have been awarded for construction and for first time in history, roads like Agona Asafo to Kwesitwikrom popularly known as 'KTK' will see be tarred with bitumen

Others include Mankrong Junction to Agona Duakwa, Kenyanko to Akwakwaa through Fante Bawjiase, Famanye to Otwekwaa

The rest are Agona Swedru to Bawjiase through Kwanyarko, Agona Swedru to Akim Oda passing through Agona Duakwa and Nsaba the District Capital"

Recounting some of the social interventions to support the people, Professor Kwesi Yankah disclosed that over 500 bags of Cocoa Fertilizers have been supplied free of charge to farmers to boost Cocoa production adding that Vegetable Farmers in Agona Asafo, Kwanyarko, KTK, Agona Anomabo and other communities have also have also had their share of the free fertilizers

Some traders in the Constituency have been given loans facilities ranging from Ghc1,000 to Ghc 4,000 to expand their various businesses

" All these are being done to improve the economic lives of the people thus reducing poverty related hardships drastically.

Today, every household in Agona East his benefiting from the national cake in one way or the other.

From Free SHS, Free Water and Electricity, Free Cocoa, Oil Palm and Coconut Seedlings, Free Fertilizers, Free Exams fees for BECE and WASSE candidates.

I encourage all and sundry to rally behind Nana Addo and NPP and vote massively in the upcoming December 7 General Elections for a resounding victory 2020

Vote for Nana Addo for round two and your humble servant Professor Kwesi Yankah as your Member of Parliament. Four More for Nana , Four More to Do More"

DCE for Agona East, Hon. Dennis Armah Frimpong disclosed that the Agona East District Assembly has put in place measures aimed at supporting the youth in the District.

" Riding on the shoulders of Professor Kwesi Yankah, the Assembly has been able to reach every community in the District with the needed development projects

Nana Kojo Amuakwa V, Chief of Agona Duakwa commended Professor Kwesi Yankah for teaching the youth in the vicinity how to fish rather than given them fish

Explaining further, Nana Kojo Amuakwa V noted that per Chinese proverb 'Teach a Child how to fish rather than giving him fish', Professor Kwesi Yankah was empowering the youth to be self-sufficient

He tasked the beneficiaries to put the items received into profitable use to generate income adding that would sustain them rather than soliciting financial support with cup in hand

" Entrepreneurs play an important role towards national development, that's why I give thump up for what Professor Kwesi Yankah is doing for the youth in Agona East

As the saying goes 'Hand Go, Hand Come', I will like to call on you to rally solidly behind Professor Kwesi Yankah's candidature and vote for him accordingly to capture the Agona East Parliamentary Seat"

He cautioned the Youth against election-related violence warning that offenders wouldn't be spared

Chief of Agona Mensakrom, Nana Appiah Kubi VI in his welcome address thanked His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo led NPP government for construction of a 12- Unit storey building for the local basic school in the community.
<! Pastor Adetokunbo Adenopo and his gang of kidnappers >

By Abankula

A 52 year-old pastor in Sagamu, Ogun state, Adetokunbo Adenopo, has been arrested by detectives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) for kidnapping.

The pastor who the police said is the founder and general overseer of New Life Ministry, in Lukosi, Sagamu in Ogun state was arrested along with three other members of his gang.

The police identified the three suspects as Chigozie Williams 22years, native of Umuahia North, Abia State, Ugoji Linus 30years, native of Ezinifite in Imo State and Emmanuel Chris Ani, 27years, native of Aniri in Enugu State.

They were all arrested in connection with the kidnap of a 35 year-old Jonathan Ekpo, staff of a delivery company.

Ekpo, from Benue state was kidnapped on 17 July when he came to Sagamu to deliver goods.

According to the police, after the kidnap, Ekpo was kept by his abductors in an underground cabin inside the Pastors church building in Ogijo town in Ogun State.

They demanded N20m ransom.

However the police said the man was rescued nine days later, without paying the ransom. He had since reunited with his family.

When Pastor Adenopo, who the police described as criminally minded, was arrested, he told the policemen that he embarked on the crime for the expansion of his church and charity works.

The pastor and his three-man gang were among the 35 suspects arrested by the police across the country for their active involvement and participation in series of kidnapping, armed robbery and other heinous crimes across the country.

The Police also arrested one Udodiri Bright aka Ability m 30years old, native of Osuachara Village, Isiala Mbano LGA of Imo state.

Bright was arrested along with three other male suspects: Ekwuru Shadrack aka Escobar 26 years old from Arondizuogu village in Okigwe LGA of Imo state, Chimerie Igwe aka 4real, 30 years old, from Umucheke Village in Orlu LGA and Chibuike Sunday, 28 years old, also from Arondizuogu.

They were arrested on the 5th of July, 2020 for the abduction and killing of a Nigerian US Soldier, Chuks Okebata who came into Nigeria for holidays in his home town, Okigwe, Imo State in 2017.

The suspects who are one of the leading kidnapping groups terrorizing the South Eastern part of the country were arrested 31 months after following intensive manhunt by the Police team.

The Police team also arrested a nine-man inter-state robbery and car snatching syndicate led by one Yakubu Hayatu, a 30 year-old from Borno State.

Members of the gang include; Adamu Awalu, 28 years old from Kano State, Abdulrahman Yakubu, 23 years old from Zaria, Yusuf Adamu, 22 years old from Zaria, Kamal Japhet, 22 years old from Katsina.

Others are Abubakar Samaila, 20 years old from Zaria, Muhammadu Abdulahi, 20 years old also from Zaria, Yahaya Mohammed, 18 years from Kaduna State, Ibrahim Abubakar, 21 years old from Kwara.

Police said their investigation revealed that the syndicate had snatched over thirty cars at gun point and killed two Policemen.

They use anti-tracker devices to evade arrest and deliver the vehicles to one Alhaji Garba in Maradi, Niger Republic.

Eighteen vehicles have so far been recovered by the Police team.

The team is working with the INTERPOL to apprehend Alhaji Garba and to recover the remaining vehicles.

Police recovered from the 35 suspects 4 Ak47 Rifles, 5 Assault Guns, 378 Rounds of Ammunition, 18 Vehicles and 1 Anti-Tracker Device, amongst others

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, said the suspects would be charged to court on conclusion of investigations.

Related
JoJo Whilden/Netflix

"Orange Is the New Black: Season 7": It's wild to think about now, but Jenji Kohan's "Orange Is The New Black" premiered as Netflix's third original series in July 2013, months after the now-disgraced "House of Cards" and the largely forgotten "Hemlock Grove." Originally the story of Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a privileged 30-something white woman who ends up in upstate New York's Litchfield Penitentiary after getting caught for moving drug money for her international drug smuggler girlfriend, Alex Vause (Laura Prepon), the series was groundbreaking in its storytelling centering on queer women, Black and Black trans women, Latina women and other marginalized populations. The series really found its footing after moving on from Piper's melodramas to these far richer and more complicated stories.

In the series' final season, which premiered in July 2019, we see how Piper's life struggles to bounce back after being released early from prison, a cake walk compared to many of the other former and current incarcerated women's lives. The women most involved with the prison's uprising after the murder of Poussey (Samira Wiley), crushed to death by a police officer, have faced far greater consequences. Daya (Dashca Polanco) is now a killer; Red (Kate Mulgrew) is losing her mind, unable to be reached by her formal rival Gloria (Selenis Leyva); Taystee (Danielle Brooks) has lost her spirit. Meanwhile, a sinister evil lurks: ICE has opened a holding pen adjoined to Litchfield, where women, including Maritza (Diane Guerrero), live in another kind of prison as they are picked up one by one for their deportation trials.
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited Review by Mark Fulmer

By Mark Fulmer

The Auto Channel

One year after its redesign, this midsized SUV has simplified its trims and added some cool tech and outstanding safety features. After all it's been a sweet driving vehicle throughout its 19 year lifespan. The Limited replaces the former top of the line Ultimate trim and like the other trims comes with standard front wheel drive, but if you need enhanced traction there is the HTRAC all wheel drive option which controls engine power, torque and braking at each wheel.

Power.The 2.0L Inline 4-cylinder Turbo powers this 3,900-pound vehicle with the authority of 225 horses creating 269 lb.-ft. of torque. That power is transferred to its 8-speed automatic transmission in one of three driver selectable Drive Modes (Normal, Sport and Smart). When you stop at an intersection signal light, you may think it has stalled but it's just the Santa Fe's run/stop feature, which re-engages so smoothly you won't even get that Jurassic Park vibration ripple across the surface of the coffee in your cupholder. With an 18.8-gallon fuel tank you can cruise for 500 miles between pit stops.

The ride. With MacPherson struts and gas-filled dampers front and a Multi-link w/gas-filled dampers rear, the rough spots are buffered, and at the same time the 19-inch alloy wheels with all-weather tires grip the road nicely. A cool addition for the driver is a seat extender that supports the thighs of we longer-limbed folks. Adding to that comfort is a Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control that comes complete with an ionizer which can cleanse the cabin air of particulants like dust, pet dander, and smoke.

Interior. The passengers complimented the front and second row seat as quite comfortable with additional praise for both of the front seats having 8-way power adjusters, and the rear seats having heaters (or what my girls call "bun warmers"). Both front and second row seating is generous and comfortable. Seating is leather trimmed with front seats heated and ventilated with rear seats heated as well as having a recline feature. Up front the driver and passenger seats are 8-way power adjustable. Plenty of room is available for cargo: 35.9 cubic feet behind the second row and 71.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down, and a large under cargo floor hiding place as well.

Tech. Kudos abound for the customizable full-color Heads-Up Display with 8.5-inch image projection on the windshield. Add to that an 8-inch Centerstack Touchscreen as well as a 7-inch TFT LCD info display, and my favorite parking tech, a birds-eye Surround-View Camera System. Audio comes at you courtesy of a killer Infinity 630-watt, 12-speaker audio system and absolutely delicious QuantumLogic Surround Sound Technology.

Safety. The Santa Fe Limited is loaded to the gills with safety features, so it is not surprising that it's named by IIHS a 2020 Top Safety Pick+, their highest rating for safety. Blind View Monitor for side views when the turn signals are activated are new. Safe Exit Assist, Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist w/Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance, just to name a few. Lane Keeping Assist and adaptive cruise control can turn that long freeway trip into a much safer and more comfortable experience.

To top it off, Hyundai still offers the best warranty in the segment: A 5-Year/60,000-Mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty, a 10-Year/100,000-Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty and 5-Year/ Unlimited Miles 24-hour Roadside Assistance.
Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur returned to Korea on Tuesday following the end of the English Premier League season.

On the previous day, he left a message for fans in English and Korean on his Instagram account. "Thank you for your support during the 19/20 season. I think we learned a lot during the difficult season. I'm going to rest well and prepare for the next season more strongly."

He is planning to rest here until September.

Son had an excellent season, scoring 11 goals and 10 assists in 30 league matches.

He has amassed a total of 53 goals in the EPL, becoming the first Asian player not only to achieve the milestone, but also to set the record of over 10 goals and 10 assists in a single season.


Retired Indian diplomat Syed Akbaruddin who served as India's permanent representative to United Nations on Wednesday shared a video of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) under which Indian troops have partnered with Kazakhstan troops for the purpose of peacekeeping in the UNIFIL. In a first of its kind partnership, the battalion of the two countries has come together under the leadership of an Indian commanding officer.

"Mentoring by India in UNIFIL is providing a new opportunity to join peacekeeping. It shows the sacrifice of India by giving Kazakhstan troops position in its own units," said Military advisor of UN Lt Gen Carlos Humberto Loitey in the video. "This shows the dimension of India in peacekeeping, to do that for others," he added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also praised India for its sacrifices for the peacekeeping mission and said, "India has set an example to the UN, with its values, sacrificing its women and men to peacekeeping."

Read: Lebanon Accuses Israel Of 'dangerous Provocation'

Read: Lebanon-Israel Border Calm, Day After Cross-firing

India and UNIFIL

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, is a UN-NATO peacekeeping mission established on 19 March 1978 by United Nations Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. Countries across the world send their troops to the region committing to the UN's mission. As of March 2020, India is the sixth-largest contributor in terms of the number of troops in the region deploying over 762 personnel. Indian Battalion's in the UNIFIL has always been at the forefront of the UN's peacekeeping mission. Earlier this year, India had won UNIFIL's environment award for an awareness project that aimed to decrease waste generation, reuse plastic, build greenhouses and promoting a green environment in the war-torn region.

Read: 'Making Sense': Not A User Of Any Of The Banned 59 Chinese Apps; Syed Akbaruddin Responds

Read: 'Innovation Spree': Syed Akbaruddin Lists Out Improvements In Aviation Services In India
Advocates warn that Houston Mayor Sylvester Turners refusal to put an eviction grace period ordinance on the city council agenda could leave Houstonians who cant make August rent without recourse.

The potential grace period ordinance was drafted by the city-county Housing Stability Task Force, which includes the Houston Apartment Association and tenant advocates. The ordinance would give tenants faced with eviction due to economic impacts of the novel coronavirus more time to work with their landlords and pay off back rent. If passed, it would significantly slow Texass speedy eviction process.

Through spokesperson Mary Benton, Turner said, I am concerned that a moratorium does not remove the financial obligation and increases the hole people would have to dig themselves out from under. Benton said the mayor is focused on advocating for rent relief in the next congressional stimulus package and encouraged landlords and tenants to voluntarily develop their own grace periods for rent.

On HoustonChronicle.com: I lost my job, now Im losing my house: Houston-area evictions set to pick up in June

Its just choosing not to act, said Zoe Middleton, Houston and Southeast Texas Co-Director at Texas Housers and member of the Housing Stability Task Force. Theres this rhetoric of, We need more federal assistance. But we need both. Its not an either-or situation. One of the policies we need is a grace period.

She agreed that a grace period wouldnt decrease a tenants financial obligation in the end  but that the extra time would give people breathing room to find money to pay rent, enter into a payment plan or find an new, safe place to go.

The proposed language is similar to grace-period ordinances in Austin and Dallas. If passed, landlords will need to deliver a notice of possible eviction to tenants who havent paid rent. Within 21 days, the tenant would need to provide a document that they couldnt pay rent because of coronavirus-related issues. (If the tenant doesnt provide that document, the landlord can proceed with a standard eviction.)

A tenant who sent a COVID hardship notice would have 60 days to get into a payment plan with the landlord, renegotiate the lease, apply for rental assistance or find other ways to pay the rent due.

On HoustonChronicle.com: They cant leave a Houston motel because of coronavirus. Worse, they might not be able to stay.

Nothing in the ordinance would prevent a landlord for evicting tenants for other violations of their leases. Landlords violating the ordinance would be hit with a fine of up to $500.

At Tuesdays council meeting, Houston District C Councilwoman Abbie Kamin asked about the potential ordinance. The mayor responded: "That is still under review. No decision has been made on that at this time.

Advocates worry about the looming August rent payment deadline.

The city is saying, Well take a look at it, but the deadline has passed. Rent is due next week, said Guadalupe Fernandez, policy and advocacy manager at the Tahirih Justice Center and member of the task force. Even if the city finally chooses to put it on the agenda next week, its too late.

The Tahirih Justice Center primarily works with people in immigrant communities who are fleeing violence; with the ordinance, she said, people would have more time to find a safe place to go if they chose to leave rather than putting themselves back in a dangerous situation just to avoid homelessness.

Fernandez said a grace period would give the task force more time to come up with a systemic solution for tenants facing eviction and landlords facing an income loss.

People cant engage with that process when theyre being kicked out, she said.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne had an unusually delicate mission when she flew to Washington this week for the annual Australia-US Ministerial Consultations. On the one hand Senator Payne did not want to miss this opportunity to signal Australias close strategic ties with the US and our joint determination to protect shared interests against the rise of China. But on the other hand she had to distance Australia from some of the almost unhinged Cold War rhetoric that has emerged from the mouth of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the heat of the US presidential election campaign.

In pursuit of the former, she signed a number of important agreements including on fighting Chinas malign cyber hacking in the region, creating a strategic fuel reserve in the Northern Territory and mining rare earths in Australia to undercut Chinas current global monopoly.

On the second priority she made her position clear by a rather blunt response when asked about her attitude to US policy as enunciated by Mr Pompeo last week at a speech in the Richard Nixon Presidential Library. "The secretarys positions are his own ... Australias position is our own," Senator Payne said.

Mr Pompeos speech went far beyond simply calling out Chinas abuses of human rights in Xinjiang or its illegal occupation of land in the South China Sea or its passage of a national security law for Hong Kong in breach of an international treaty. He virtually proclaimed a new Cold War against the Chinese Communist Party in the name of all free nations. He said he would be more confrontational than Ronald Reagan was to the Soviet Union in the 1980s. He said all communists were liars and he wanted to "induce change" in China, echoing the regime-change rhetoric of the Bush administration.
Schneider said the U.S. was offering Japan surveillance information and other support, such as reconnaissance capability, which refers to monitoring the whereabouts of a potential enemy, to help Japan assess the situation and to figure out exactly whats going on in the water in and around the Senkaku.
Four U.S. states in the South and West reported one-day records for coronavirus deaths on Tuesday and cases in Texas passed the 400,000 mark as California health officials said Latinos made up more than half of its cases.

Arkansas, Florida, Montana and Oregon each reported record spikes in fatalities. California had recorded 133 deaths by mid-afternoon, shy of its one-day peak of 159 with hours to go.

California health officials said Latinos, who make up just over a third of the most populous U.S. state, account for 56% of COVID-19 infections and 46% of deaths. Cases are soaring in the Central Valley agricultural region, with its heavily Latino population, overwhelming hospitals.

Florida saw 191 coronavirus deaths in the prior 24 hours, its highest single-day rise yet, the state health department said.

Texas added more than 6,000 new cases on Monday, pushing its total to 401,477, according to a Reuters tally. Only three other states - California, Florida and New York - have more than 400,000 total cases. Those states are also the four most populous states in the United States.

California and Texas both reported decreases in overall hospitalizations as Dr. Anthony Fauci, a top U.S. infectious diseases expert, saw signs the surge could be peaking in the South and West while other areas were on the cusp of new outbreaks.

Fauci said early indications showed the percentage of positive coronavirus tests rising in Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky.

SCHOOL REOPENING DEBATE

The rise in U.S. deaths and infections has dampened early hopes the country was past the worst of an economic crisis that has decimated businesses and put millions of Americans out of work.

The trend also has fueled a bitter debate over the reopening of U.S. schools in the coming weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration have pushed for students to return to class, while some teachers and local officials have called for online learning

We will fight on all fronts for the safety of students and their educators," Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said during the unions virtual convention on Tuesday. Its the eleventh hour; we need the resources now."

The battle is playing out in Texas. The Texas Education Agency, the state overseer of public education, said it would deny funding to schools that delay in-person classes because of orders by local health authorities related to the pandemic.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued guidance that health authorities cannot impose blanket" school closures for coronavirus prevention. Any such decision is up to school officials, he said.

Local health leaders in the biggest metropolitan areas in Texas - including Houston and Dallas - have recently ordered the postponement of in-person classes.

RELIEF BILL DISPUTE

In Washington, Republicans in the U.S. Senate pushed back against their own partys $1 trillion coronavirus relief proposal the day after it was unveiled by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, sending some U.S. stocks downward.

Im not for borrowing another trillion dollars," Republican Senator Rand Paul told reporters.

Democrats also have rejected the plan as too limited compared with their $3 trillion proposal that passed the House of Representatives in May. Some Republicans called that one too expensive.

Trump said on Tuesday he did not support everything in the Senate Republican coronavirus relief legislation but would not elaborate on what he did not like.

There are also things that I very much support," he told a White House briefing. But well be negotiating."

Trump also groused about Faucis high approval ratings and joked nobody likes me" as he struggles to improve his standing with voters over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

It can only be my personality," said Trump.

Fauci, a member of Trumps coronavirus task force, is one of the most trusted people in government and many Americans listen to his advice on how to protect themselves from infection.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
When cities, counties and states across the country first enacted stay-at-home orders earlier this year to slow the spread of the coronavirus, pundits quickly began speculating about the effect these new regulations would have on crime rates.

Early stats showed a decline in crime, but we believe that policymakers should not become complacent. Theres reason to believe that 2020 will actually end up being a more violent year than 2019. Local governments feeling the fiscal and political pressure to trim their law enforcement budgets should not cut recklessly if they want to prevent a potential rise in crime.

Crime thrives on activity patterns  a three-legged stool of a motivated offender, a suitable target and the absence of a capable guardian. The fallout from COVID-19 temporarily removed two of these legs. Most homicides take place outdoors, and the quarantines and business closings took people off the street and sequestered them in their homes. As more people stayed indoors, opportunities for violent crime  with the notable exception of domestic violence  declined.

In the largest study to date, we compared monthly homicide rates in 64 U.S. cities during January through June of 2020 with the previous three-year average homicide rates during the same months. With support from Arnold Ventures, a Houston-based philanthropy, this study focused specifically on homicide because it is the most serious and reliably measured criminal offense.

We found that, compared with the previous three-year average, homicide rates in the 64 cities decreased on average during April and May. In fact, April saw a 22-point decline in homicides. Not all cities experienced a homicide drop, however, and the May reduction was half as large as in April, as some cities began to reopen.

That smaller decrease in May suggests the homicide decline may well be temporary. In fact, homicide actually increased substantially during the first three months of 2020, before the widespread shutdowns took hold.

Meanwhile, a confluence of other factors points to homicide rates not only returning to pre-COVID-19 levels, but also rising for the remainder of 2020.

The continued easing of social distancing measures may create additional opportunities for crime and violence. The ongoing effects of the pandemic threaten to overwhelm public institutions that play a crucial role in responding to serious violent crime, such as police departments, hospitals and social services. The efforts of violence intervention programs, many of which involve outreach workers proactively engaging with people and places at the highest risk of crime, are complicated by social distancing practices and general fears of contracting a deadly virus. Meanwhile, the ongoing economic downturn threatens the budgets for all of these crime-reducing institutions.

Residents are also being hit hard by this recession, being forced to stay inside, away from jobs, loved ones and other financial and emotional supports. The ongoing social distancing measures plus the end of federal relief for unemployed workers could lead to more people engaging in crime out of emotional frustration or financial desperation.

All of this is happening at a time when the nation is gripped by a sudden crisis in the legitimacy of law enforcement. Protests against the death of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer were far too frequently met with violent suppression, undercutting trust in the criminal justice system. Emerging research suggests that if people dont think theyre treated fairly by police, theyre less likely to rely on the traditional functions of law enforcement and more likely to act violently on their own. We saw this phenomenon in 2015 and 2016 when protests over police misconduct coincided with a significant increase in homicides.

With this knowledge in hand, lawmakers and law enforcement leaders must act wisely to blunt any potential uptick in violent crime. This means maintaining violence prevention programs, supporting people when unemployed and  critically  enacting deep reforms to rebuild trust in the legitimate functions of the criminal justice system.

Homicide went down during the pandemic. That is a very good thing. But we must be ready for when it returns.

Abt is a senior fellow with the Council on Criminal Justice. Rosenfeld is a criminologist and Founders Professor at the University of Missouri at St. Louis.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: Entire top leadership of the ruling BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has tested positive for coronavirus. All the top three, including states chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state BJP president and Khajuraho Lok Sabha member VD Sharma and partys state general secretary (organization) Suhas Bhagat have tested positive for the deadly viral infection.

While the CM had tested positive on Saturday and is currently hospitalized at Chirayu Hospital in Bhopal, Bhagat tested positive on Tuesday night and is home quarantined. The latest to test positive is state party chief VD Sharma, who too is being reportedly hospitalized at the same hospital, where the CM is already admitted.

Importantly, all four BJP leaders, including the CM, state BJP chief VD Sharma, state general secretary (organization) Suhas Bhagat and cabinet minister Arvind Bhadoriya  who attended Governor Lalji Tandons last rites in Lucknow last week have now tested COVID positive.

Water resources minister Tulsi Silawat and minister of state (independent charge) minority welfare and rural development Ram Khelawan Patel have also tested positive.

With this, nine BJP politicians, including seven MLAs (among them three ministers and CM) and two state party organization leaders have so far tested COVID positive.

Two Congress legislators too have tested positive for the viral ailment.

Indores Sanwer seat to host by-poll battle between 2 COVID-positive turncoats

The Sanwer assembly seat, the only seat in Indore, which will go to by-polls as part of 27 assembly by-polls in Madhya Pradesh in coming months will possibly witness battle between two COVID-19 positive political turn-coats.

While the BJP has decided to field present water resources minister and Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalist ex-Congress MLA Tulsiram Silawat, the Congress will possibly field ex-MP and ex-MLA Premchand Guddu.

On Tuesday night, both Silawat and wife tested positive for the COVID-19 in Indore. A week back, his possible poll rival Premchand Guddu too had tested positive for the same viral infection.

While Silawat and wife -- both asymptomatic -- have home quarantined themselves, Guddu was hospitalised at Indore's Bombay Hospital after testing COVID-positive last week.

While Silawat was among the 22 Congress MLAs, whose resignation triggered fall of Kamal Nath government in March, Guddu a former Congress MP had returned to grand old party's fold last month after being in the BJP for 17 months.

The state has reported around 30,134 COVID positive cases and 844 deaths so far, out of which 5872 cases and 164 deaths have been reported in state capital Bhopal only.
OnePlus introduced the latest mid-range Nord smartphone powered by Snapdragon 765G in the new series last week. Now a new OnePlus smartphone code-named Billie has surfaced in OxygenOS 10.5 for the OnePlus Nord.

This also reveals SM6350 part number, which is the latest Snapdragon 690 with support for 5G. OxygenOS Settings APK reveals isSM6350Products that shows model name BE2025, BE2026, BE2028, and BE2029.

The same phone with the model number BE2028 recently surfaced on Geekbench listing with Snapdragon 690 SoC, Android 10 and 6GB of RAM. This could be upcoming Nord series smartphone that is expected to launch later this year.

OnePlus already said that there will several smartphones in the Nord series. It also confirmed that it is working on a phone for the US market that will arrive later this year. The upcoming Nord phone will likely be cheaper than the current model, and it could launch in India and Europe as well.

These are still rumours, and everything could change in the final stage of launch. The OnePlus Nord was rumoured to be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1000 and later the company confirmed it runs Snapdragon 765G. If this turns out to be true, we can expect the new, cheaper Nord 5G smartphone sometime in September along with the OnePlus 8T.

Source 1, 2 (Via), 3
Google CEO Sundar Pichai says the company has offered a competitive platform that has lowered prices advertisers, giving consumers more choice, according to prepared remarks the executive made ahead of Wednesday's hearing before the House Antitrust Subcommittee.

"A competitive digital ad marketplace gives publishers and advertisers, and therefore consumers, an enormous amount of choice," Pichai stated. "For example, competition in ads  from Twitter, Instagram, Comcast and others  has helped lower online advertising costs by 40% over the last 10 years, with these saving passed down to consumers through lower prices."

Nonetheless, Google remains the largest digital ad platform by market share. Last year, Google held 31.6% of total digital advertising spending with Facebook and Amazon holding 22.7% and 7.8% respectively, according to eMarketer.

The statement comes ahead of Pichai joining Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before the House Antitrust Subcommittee on Wednesday. The committee's probe is expected to result in a report and legislative proposals for how to address antitrust issues in the digital marketplace. Potential laws could inform how state regulators crack down on anti-competitive practices in the future.

Google's most common critics ask questions about whether it favors its own products or suppresses competitors through its dominance in search and digital advertising. The company has already faced fines from the European Commission's competition authority over its shopping search tool and Android mobile operating system, which Pichai said in his prepared remarks was "deliberately" built to encourage competition.

Pichai goes on to cite Amazon's Alexa, Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook-owned WhatsApp as competitive platforms where people get information.



"In areas like travel and real estate, Google faces strong competition for search queries from many businesses that are experts in those areas," Pichai stated in the written remarks. "Today's competitive landscape looks nothing like it did 5 years ago, let alone 21 years ago, when Google launched its first product, Google Search. People have more ways to search for information than ever before."

Google is facing antitrust probes along the same lines by the Department of Justice and 50 attorneys general investigating Google company's search and Android businesses. That is expected to result in a lawsuit that could span issues ranging from its search product to digital advertising marketplace, according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal.

The company will also likely face questions on its role in allowing misinformation go viral on its platforms such as YouTube, which has struggled to contain particularly damaging pandemic information.

Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC.

WATCH: Why Sundar Pichai may have the hardest job in Silicon Valley
ALTON  An Alton letter carrier has been sentenced to three years of probation for stealing more than $15,000 in Social Security checks intended for her deceased mother.

Mia Lynn Cousett, 33, appeared in federal court in East St. Louis for sentencing for her conviction on 12 felony counts of theft of government funds. The funds stolen were Social Security checks payable to Cousetts mother, who died in April 2017.

When she pleaded guilty to the offenses on Feb. 7, Cousett admitted that for 12 months after her mother died she continued to cash her mothers Social Security checks and use the money for her own expenses. Cousett forged her dead mothers signature on the backs of each of those checks, deposited the checks into her mothers bank account, and then accessed those funds using her mothers debit card.

The total of the checks stolen by Cousett was $15,601. She also admitted using her dead mothers drivers license to conceal and perpetuate her thefts.

In addition to the three years of probation, Cousett was ordered to pay full restitution of $12,849.06  representing the $15,601 that was stolen, less $2,751.94 that was recovered prior to the sentencing hearing. Cousett was also ordered to pay $1,200 in special assessments.

At the time of the offenses, Cousett was employed as a letter carrier for the Alton post office. As part of her plea agreement, Cousett voluntarily resigned from her position at the post office.

The investigation was conducted by agents from the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Division, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Chicago Division, St. Louis Field Office and the Alton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Scott A. Verseman and Luke J. Weissler.
School Boards for Albemarle County and Charlottesville will decide this week how to open schools for this coming year  capping off months of intense debate about the best option.

I just want you to know that were making these decisions in a thoughtful and deliberate way, county School Board member Judy Le said during a town hall Monday. I also want you to know that we hear you and we will continue to, because [we are] making a decision on Thursday but surely thats not the last one were going to make.

Both boards meet Thursday and the decisions will focus on the schedule for students, the lynchpin that will determine how other parts of the school system will run, from instruction to transportation. Staff and parents have posed questions that so far have gone unanswered.

The Charlottesville School Board will hear from public health officials and physicians and review survey data before making its decision.

Charlottesville board chairwoman Jennifer McKeever said the school community has been sympathetic to the difficult decision before the board and that any decision will be made to ensure the wellness of the overall community.

In three recent town halls, county School Board members fielded comments and questions about reopening plans.

Commenters at the three town halls fell largely into two groups: those who said it was too dangerous to return to school; those who said that in-person instruction constrained by social distancing and other safety precautions wouldnt be effective; and those who felt that the risk could be reduced through masking and social distancing and felt that not returning to school would have a detrimental effect on students.

The AAP, the CDC, respected physicians in our community who weve heard in these town halls [of] our government have all said the same thing: Get our children back in school, said Christine Koenig, a parent. ... Please dont give up on the children and families for which all virtual schooling will be detrimental to their learning and overall health without even trying to see if we can make it work.

Koenig, who spoke at Mondays town hall, asked board members what level of risk is acceptable.

If were waiting for a vaccine, then we should be prepared to wait years, she said.

On Thursday, both school boards will hear about plans for an online-only start to the school year. Division staff in Albemarle and Charlottesville previously detailed similar plans to send elementary students to school four days of the week. Middle and high schools students would go to school one or two days a week, depending on the plan.

Albemarle County and Charlottesville City Schools are the last in the area to vote on a reopening plan. Most of the area school systems have decided to offer a mix of online and in-person classes, but some are re-examining their plans after push back from staff and parents. Parents in any division can opt for online-only classes.

Other Virginia school systems, including several in the Richmond area and Nelson County, have decided to start virtually.

With nearly 15,000 students, Albemarle County is the largest school system in the area. The first day of school is set for Sept. 8. The Charlottesville School Board has not officially changed the first day of school but a move back to Sept. 8 is widely expected.

Afraid of the virus and citing other concerns, teachers and other school staff have generally supported virtual start to the school year, penning multiple open letters and putting a litany of questions to division leaders about their plans.

We believe that in-person classroom experience for students as outlined by the Administration in the July 9th Board meeting will be unsafe, educationally ineffective, and potentially traumatizing, the Albemarle Education Association wrote in a letter to the School Board this week. This undeniable fact is no ones fault. The inability to offer effective in-person instruction is not the result of any failure by the Administration or the Board. Its the reality of COVID-19.

Teachers, in the letter and other comments, have said that they worry that anything less than 100% of online classes would detract from planning to improve virtual learning, a component of all the presented plans.

Officials for both school systems have said virtual learning will be much better than the program provided in the spring after schools were suddenly closed and forced online and provided general information about their plans.

Albemarle County officials said in June they would prioritize in-person instruction for young students, those with disabilities and English Language Learners.

During the town halls, which did not appear to be accessible to families for whom English is a second language, the countys Special Education Advisory Committee and other parents of students with disabilities advocated for in-person classes. As of Tuesday, more than 160 parents and community members signed on to the open letter making a similar ask.

A fully virtual plan will not meet the educational, social or emotional needs for this student population, some of whom require 1:1 assistance throughout the school day, parents wrote in the letter, adding that teachers should be provided with appropriate protective equipment and other tools to keep them safe.

Another group of Albemarle parents have circulated their own open letter, asking the division to continue planning for in-person classes.

In the local health district, people 19 and younger account for 12% of positive cases, a sliver of the hospitalizations and none of the deaths.

Dr. Michelle Rindos, a county parent and doctor at the University of Virginia Medical Center, attended the first town hall. She has four school-aged children and would like to see in-person options, especially for her younger students.

She wants the division to use data, follow federal and state guidance as well as recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics in making their decision.

With the proper protective equipment and other restrictions, in-person school could be safe, she said. She also cited some studies of contract tracing and schooling in other countries that show children are less likely to become infected or transmit the virus, though the science is far from settled on the issue.

I mean, I dont want my kids to go to school if theyre going to get sick, and then I get sick and I get my patients sick, she said. But weve looked at the research and were taking into consideration a lot of things.

To teachers who worry about students adjusting to a new type of school, she said, that nothing is like it was before and we need to give the kids more credit.

We can do enough to warn them about precautions, as we have been this whole time, and I think the kids are incredibly resilient, she added. Theyll just be happy to be out of the house and to have interpersonal relationships.

Unanswered Questions

During the town halls, parents and teachers filled the Zoom chat window with hundreds of questions ranging from the nitty gritty of how the school schedule and social distancing would work and how teachers would be compensated if they have to quarantine. Others also asked about the availability of substitutes, specifics about the proposed mask requirement for students and what special education would like in either model.

Questions about how schools would handle positive cases and what would force a school to close went unanswered. The division is planning to release answers to the questions on its website, but the list was not published by press time Tuesday.

A few students weighed in as well, and asked for more specifics about how in-person and virtual school will be different compared to last school year.

Any sort of details would be incredibly important and helpful, said Anna Rosner, a rising sophomore at Albemarle High School.

Mason Rothenberger, a rising junior at Western Albemarle High School, said that lots of high schoolers didnt want their curriculum to be cut or abridged in any way and wanted to know that their classes will be at the same quality.

Although many answers depend on the School Boards decision and how many parents choose each option, parents said during the town halls that they need more information to make an informed decision about whether to send their kids to school or keep them home full-time.

Families have been asked to fill out an intent form for the coming year by July 31.

Something that resonated with me is that parents are feeling like theyre having to do very important decision making without the facts, all the facts that they want, School board vice-chairwoman Katrina Callsen said at the end of Fridays town hall. I would agree that its very difficult.

She encouraged attendees to attend school-based town halls to learn more.

I would offer that nothing that is being decided right now is set in stone, she said. Everything is changing; the information we have is changing. So its not necessarily the case that the decision that you make on that survey is going to be what your child is doing for the whole school year.
Since then, those rifts have mended, people in both camps say, and Pelosi views both women as an asset to the caucus because of their ideals and the perspective they bring as women of color: The pair constitute the first female Muslims to serve in the U.S. House, and Pelosi has always prided herself on diversity, viewing it as a strength of the party.
Sen. Tom Cotton: Communist China Waging Undeclared War on US and the West

For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has been waging a secret war on the United States. Its tactics range from stealing U.S. intellectual property to gaining control of life-saving drugs.

In this episode, we sit down with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), an outspoken critic of the Chinese regime. He serves on the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Select Committee on Intelligence.

This is American Thought Leaders , and Im Jan Jekielek.

Jan Jekielek: Senator Tom Cotton, so great to have you on American Thought Leaders.

Sen. Tom Cotton: Thank you for having me.

Mr. Jekielek: I was just watching you speaking moments ago, and you talked about how youd been traveling around the country, and voters had the idea [that] there was something up with China before the leaders did. Im wondering when did you realize that China was actually a threat under the Chinese Communist Party?

Sen. Cotton: Ive always recognized China is a threat because communism is a threat wherever you find it. I dont know if Xi Jinping gets up and reads Das Kapital or the other works of Karl Marx, but theres no doubt that the Chinese Communist Party remains communist through and through. Its a one-party power structure where they will ruthlessly hold on to power. Theres really no such thing as purely private enterprise in China. It is all state-controlled, sometimes directly state-supported or even owned. And of course, they brutally repress minorities and dissidents of all kinds. Thats all the hallmarks of communism.

I think that people around the country have, for a long time, had a number of beefs with China, whether you look at factory workers whose jobs have been shipped overseas or service members and their families or veterans who worry about Chinas aggressive behavior towards our troops and our allies in the Western Pacific. Or you look at Christians or other religious minorities in China or just human rights activists in the West who see the brutal repression of Chinas religious and ethnic minorities [and] the forced abortions. Now we see forced sterilizations as well and the gulags which they put minorities for re-education.

This is all before the pandemic. So, China had very few friends out among normal Americans before the pandemic. Now, maybe in Washington or maybe at the heights of business, they had people who saw it differently. But among normal Americans, theres very little love lost for China. And of course, thats just fallen even farther since China unleashed this plague on the world.

Mr. Jekielek: Even at this time, there are very high-profile people promoting engagement with China, saying that the U.S. is behaving in an aggressive way, creating a problem where there maybe isnt going to be one. What are your thoughts on that?

Sen. Cotton: If there are growing tensions between the United States and China, its only because the United States is finally standing up to Chinese aggression against the United Stateslong-standing aggression on multiple fronts, whether its stealing our jobs or trying to intimidate our allies or take diplomatic partners away from our friend, Taiwan; whether its hoarding personal protective equipment in the early days of this pandemic. China has long been conducting a kind of undeclared war on multiple fronts against the United States, really against the entire western world. So, we didnt start this new set of tensions. We simply chose to fight back against Chinas aggressive actions.

Mr. Jekielek: Its an interesting time because it does seem like this pandemicwhich youve been talking about way from the beginning, and weve been following thathas really opened up a lot of peoples eyes to the reality of the Chinese Communist Party. Do you see some sort of alliance developing among nations alongside the U.S.?

Sen. Cotton: Well, I dont think China had many truly friendly partners before the pandemic because no country wants to be a vassal state to China. Many of those countries on Chinas periphery have been vassal states in their history. And they remember what it was like, and they dont want to do it again. But many countries were also fearful of criticizing China in public, sometimes even in private, because they didnt know who might be listening in.

What Ive seen over the last couple months, especially since we got past the worst peak of the pandemic, [is] in many places around the world when countries were beginning to reopen their economies, when they had the kind of personal protective equipment and drug stockpiles they needed to no longer be immediately beholden to China for those things, theyre not willing just to criticize China privately, but theyre increasingly willing to do so publicly.

And we want to encourage that coalition to continue to grow because we want more partners. Whether its in East Asia, South Asia, Europe, Latin America, or Africa, we want more partners who want to cooperate with the United States. And I would submit the vast majority of them do, almost all of them. They may still be fearful of China, but the vast majority of them know that cooperating with China likely just gets you a lot of debt and loss of sovereignty.

Mr. Jekielek: We pay a lot of attention to hearing what the Chinese Communist Party is saying internally to its people through its propaganda mouthpieces and so forth. Now theyre saying these days, Prepare for war. Thats interesting. Do you think kinetic war is a possibility?

Sen. Cotton: I certainly hope not. And thats one reason why its so important that we continue rebuilding our military, that we support our allies in the Western Pacific, like Japan, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan, the Indian Ocean as well, like India. Its also important that we stand up to all of Chinas malign activities on other fronts as well, whether its stealing our technology or forcing companies in China to transfer technology to them, breaking their commitments to the people of Hong Kong and the international order, violating Hong Kong sovereignty and autonomy.

Its important that we demonstrate that we will not tolerate this kind of non-military aggression. So, they dont move into thinking that they could actually get away with military aggression, with invading Taiwan or going into a much more open conflict than what theyre already facing with India. We have to be very clear with China. Not only will we never tolerate that, but we wont tolerate all the steps that might lead up to that and that would encourage them to miscalculate.

Mr. Jekielek: We recently heard Secretary Pompeo follow up a series of other speeches by Attorney General William Barr, FBI Director Christopher Wray and National Security Advisor Robert OBrien. This is a much tougher stance on China than weve ever seen that Im aware of. Is this something that is unique to this administration, do you think, or something that can span beyond that?

Sen. Cotton: I think one of the big changes coming out of the Trump presidency, hopefully five years from now, will be a new posture towards China. There are plenty of Democrats that have no love lost for China. A lot of Democrats come out of the traditional trade union background, and those were the Americans who felt some of the first loss by our relationship with China over the last 30 years. I work with plenty of Democrats in Congress that are actually tougher on China than some Republicans are.

But I think the President has helped open the eyes of some elected Republicans that maybe there was a gap between their views of China and their voters views of China. That gap is increasingly closed now. So, I believe whatever happens in this election, whatever happens four years from this election, a tougher posture towards China and the Chinese threat to America will actually be a lasting legacy of the Trump administrations foreign policy.

Mr. Jekielek: I was just thinking to your point, Speaker Pelosi has actually been tough on China for 20 years, against MFN [most-favored-nation] status and so forth. So, theres a number of people out there. You have a number of pieces of legislation that youve even begun around the China issue. One of them has to do with protecting the supply chain around pharmaceuticals. I happen to believe that thats one of the biggest places of exposure that the U.S. has. I wanted to get your perspective. What are the big areas of exposure that the US needs to shore up in this battle?

Sen. Cotton: So thats one example. I mean, most Americans were shocked to learn earlier this year that some of our most basic pharmaceuticals, things like ibuprofen and penicillin, were made predominantly, if not almost exclusively, in China. We just cant continue to tolerate that. And we get some of those drugs as well from advanced industrial democracies, like Japan or Australia or Denmark, so you cant tell me that we cant make them in a cost-effective fashion here in the United States.

Its vital that we bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States. So, what Ive proposed is to encourage manufacturing here through a combination of incentives on the supply side but also on the demand side by requiring the Department of Defense, the VA, Medicare, and Medicaid to purchase American drugs. They certainly dont purchase Chinese drugs, and then we just cut China off from that market.

 In the Cold War, we would never have allowed the Soviet Union or a communist nation to build our nuclear submarines or missiles. So why, in the information age, would we allow this kind of advanced manufacturing capacity to be based in China, whether its pharmaceuticals or semiconductors or telecom or cutting-edge computing, like quantum computing and artificial intelligence? Thats not just vital for our economic prosperity; we can now see its vital for our security, our health and our security from a military standpoint. So, its essential that we are no longer dependent on China for so many of these vital goods.

Mr. Jekielek: So, in this upcoming relief bill, theres apparently certain pro-growth elements that are going to be in there. Does any of this have to do with bringing back supply chains and manufacturing? Can you give us a bit of a preview here?

Sen. Cotton: Well, as we sit here, we havent released the bill yet. So I dont want to speculate about its final form or certainly what form it will take after we negotiate at some length with the House Democrats, but I think that it would be good to include such measures in this bill. Look, I dont want it to be a so-called Christmas tree bill where people are putting on their pet projects. But this is not an unrelated matter. It goes to the heart of what happened here, which is [that] China unleashed a pandemic on the world, and we can no longer be dependent on China for things like medical equipment or pharmaceuticals. And that would actually be pro-growth, as you say, and creating more jobs and more manufacturing capacity here in the United States.

So, I think this would be a very timely and sensible piece of legislation to include some of those measures. Now, if its not [so comprehensive], were working to include some of them on the defense bill we passed last week as well or to get votes independently on them, but I think were going to make progress on it this Congress.

Mr. Jekielek: Any final words before we finish up?

Sen. Cotton: No, just thank you for having me.

Mr. Jekielek: Such a pleasure to have you.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

American Thought Leaders is an Epoch Times show available on YouTube, Facebook, and The Epoch Times website. It airs on Verizon Fios TV and Frontier Fios on Channel 158 every Monday and Wednesday at 7:30pm ET and Saturday at 10:30am ET.
The dead body of a Covid-19 victim was swapped and ferried all the way from Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala to a civil hospital in Ludhiana.

The incident came to light when the son of the 65-year-old Covid-19 victim raised an alarm. The development sent the doctors present into a tizzy.

Senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Amarjeet Kaur said the patients son had identified the body at Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, but when the body was brought to Ludhiana and shown to the relatives for re-verification, one of the relatives claimed that it was not the body of the deceased.

The patients son and other relatives were shown the picture of the victims dead body. After identification the body was ferried from Patiala to the Ludhiana civil hospital and the dead body of another Covid-19 patient was ferried back to the mortuary.

Civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga blamed the victims son. He told us that he panicked and could not identify the dead body when it was shown to him in Patiala. People need to be brave enough to at least identify their kin.

On the other hand, the victims son said that the body shown to him at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, was that of his father while the body that was ferried to Ludhiana was someone elses. He said even the name and details on the bodysuit were also different.

This is the second such incident this month. On July 19, the bodies of two Covid-19 patients were swapped at Amritsars Guru Nanak Dev Hospital.

What is re-verification?

As per the re-verification process, the aadhaar card of the deceased and other family members is verified before handing over the body.
A Harris County Pct. 8 constable deputy has been placed on administrative leave after he was accused of beating his 16-year-old sister with a belt over text messages she sent to her boyfriend, authorities said Wednesday.

Alexander Ramirez, 25, was arrested Tuesday by Deer Park police on a charge of assault of a family member. He has since posted his $10,000 bail.

In a statement, the Pct. 8 constables office said he will be on leave until police complete their investigation. The constables office will also conduct its own internal investigation.

Their investigation was initiated from a report of an alleged assault that took place while Deputy Ramirez was off duty, according to the statement. Upon learning of this matter, Deputy Ramirez was placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the Deer Park Police Department investigation as well as our own internal investigation. Later in the day, we were informed Deputy Ramirez was arrested and charged with assault/family member by Deer Park Police. Precinct 8 continues to offer our full support and cooperation in this matter as the case progresses.

The incident took place Monday at a home in the 2700 block of Pickerton Drive. Ramirez became upset over text messages his sister sent to her boyfriend, so he struck her face and later hit her legs with a belt, according to charging documents. He also demanded that she move her bed and belongings out of her bedroom and into the garage, the court records say.

While she was moving her belongings, Ramirez again struck her with the belt. He threw a wire hanger at her and pushed her into a closet, eventually demanding that she stay in her bedroom, records say.

The girl slept on the floor of the room, which no longer had a bed. She woke up dizzy and on the verge of blacking out, records say. She told police that she avoided telling her father, who lives at the home, about the incident when he returned home that evening.

She waited until the following day to notify her mother, who called police. During his arrest, Ramirez declined to provide a statement to detectives without a lawyer, police said.

julian.gill@chron.com
American Assets Trust Inc (NYSE:AAT)

Q2 2020 Earnings Call

, 11:00 a.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by, and welcome to the Q2 2020 American Assets Trust, Inc. Earnings Call. [Operator Instructions] After the speakers' presentation, there will be a question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions]

I would now like to hand the conference call to your speaker today, Mr. Adam Wyll. You may begin, sir.

Adam Wyll -- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Thank you. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to American Asset Trust, Inc. second quarter 2020 earnings call. Yesterday afternoon, our earnings release and supplemental information were furnished to the SEC on Form 8-K. Both are now available on the Investor Section of our website, americanassetstrust.com. A telephonic replay and on-demand webcast will also be available for this call over the next week.

During this call, we will discuss non-GAAP financial measures which are reconciled to our GAAP financial results in our earnings release and supplemental information. We will also be making forward-looking statements based on our current expectations. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties discussed in our SEC filings. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual events could cause our results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements, which we undertake no duty to update.

And with that, I'll turn the call over to Ernest Rady, our Chairman and CEO to begin the discussion of our second quarter 2020 results. Ernest?

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Adam. That was well done as always. These have been unprecedented times that I've never seen before in my lifetime. When COVID-19 began, I honestly didn't know how that it would be. We expect it to be catastrophic, but we just didn't know how bad it would be, now that the second quarter is behind us. I can tell you that it is not as catastrophic as our worst case projections. It's still has been no fun.

Office has performed extremely well, unless in the shining light in our portfolio, with high credit tenants in strong markets and that we would like to continue. Multifamily has also performed well better than we expected. Occupancy has been slightly lower, but collections have been strong in the mid '90s and we expect a meaningful uptick in occupancy in August 1, as a local private university takes possession of approximately 130 units and our San Diego multi-family portfolio, at good rents by a master lease that has recently been executed.

Retail as expected has been very tough. Every deal, feels like a street fight in retail. We try to balance what is best for the company and its shareholders with how to maintain the long-term [Technical Issues] of these retail tenants that are so important to our shopping centers. We know that some are not going to make it. Of course, we are hopeful that most will make it. In that factor, we're hopeful that all will make it. We have a committee comprised of myself, Chris Sullivan and Adam Wyll that review every tenant requests. If a tenant ask for deferral, we ask for something from a tenant and return as well. Each one is a negotiation and we try to make sure that we're getting something fair in return for anything less 100% on time collection of our contractual rents.

I truly believe that our management team is second to none and has done an excellent job strategically navigating through this pandemic. American Trust is reflective of the quality people that we have working as appreciative of the quality people that we have working in our company that are focused on creating value for our shareholders each and every day.

Lastly, I want to mention that our Board of Directors has approved increasing the quarterly dividend 25% over the second quarter 2020 dividend of $0.20 to $0.25 for the third quarter based on higher rent collections in the second quarter than we had expected, combined with the significant embedded growth that we continue to expect in our office portfolio and the recent master lease signed in our multifamily portfolio. A year from now, once there is a vaccine, we expect to look back and we hope this is nothing more than a bad memory. I believe that we came -- we come out of this, we will be as good a company or even better when all this started.

I'm now going to turn the call back over to Adam Wyll, our EVP and Chief Operating Officer, who will give us a quick update on our operations during this pandemic, followed by Bob Barton, our EVP and Chief Financial Officer and we will end with a quick update on the leasing success that Steve Center, our Vice President of Office Properties is seeing. Adam, please.

Adam Wyll -- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Thanks, Ernest. From an operations perspective as coronavirus infection continue to increase in many of our markets. We remain hyper-focused on the safety and well-being of our personnel tenants and vendors, as 100% of our properties remain open and accessible by our tenants. We remain committed to ensuring full compliance with the ever-changing regulatory mandates from all levels of government, not to mention, staying in front of and working against proposed regulations that we think would do damage to our industry and economy. Like SB 939 in California, which did not pass. In the proposed repeal of Prop 13 for commercial properties in California, which we believe is essentially a targeted tax increase on business, which would ultimately be passed on to tenants and customers most of whom can absorb such increases and could lead to even more business failure.

As Ernest mentioned, we continue to work with our tenants on rent deferments and other lease modifications to assist those tenants as best we can, whose business have been significantly impacted by COVID-19. We've also renegotiated or bid out most of our vendor contracts to meaningfully reduce operating expenses, many of such reductions on a long-term basis, all the while maintaining our best-in-class properties. And we've leverage the high unemployment rates in our markets to hire top caliber associates to fill open positions at AAT.

Finally, we appreciate more than ever, the positive impact that ESG including fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion has on the strengthening of our business, our economy and our society. Particularly in light of current events, our focus on human capital and physical and mental well being both within our company and in our communities, has never been stronger and represents the foundation that our culture was built on. For more insight on our ESG efforts please take a look at our recently published 2019 sustainability report, which can be found on the sustainability page of our website.

With that, I'll turn the call over to Bob to discuss Q2 results and the impact from COVID-19. Bob?

Robert Barton -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Good morning, and thank you, Ernest and Adam. Last night, we reported second quarter 2020 FFO of $0.48 per share and net income attributable to common shareholders of $0.13 per share for the second quarter. Let's look at the results of the second quarter for each property segment. Our office property segment continues to perform well during these uncertain times. Office properties excluding our One Beach Street property located on the North Waterfront in San Francisco which is under redevelopment. We're at 96% occupancy at the end of the second quarter, an increase of approximately 3% from the prior year.

More importantly, same-store cash NOI increased 16% in Q2 over the prior year, primarily from City Center Bellevue in Washington, Lloyd District Campus, Office Campus in Oregon and Torrey Reserve Campus here in San Diego. Our retail properties have not fared as well during the pandemic. Retail properties were at 95% occupancy at the end of the second quarter, a decrease of approximately 2% from the prior year. However, retail collections have been difficult during the pandemic, as reflected in our negative same-store cash NOI. Additionally, due to COVID-19, we have taken reserve for bad debts against the outstanding retail accounts receivable and straight-line rents receivable at the end of the second quarter of approximately 14% and 7% respectively.

From a dollar perspective, this translates into approximately $2 million and $1.4 million respectively, for a total of $3.4 million reserve related to our retail sector, which is approximately $0.045 of FFO. We intend to continue evaluating and potentially revising these reserves each quarter as we monitor the ever-changing viability and solvency of each of our retail tenants. Our multifamily properties we're at an 85% occupancy at the end of the second quarter, a decrease of approximately 8% from the prior year as also reflected in our negative same-store cash NOI. But as Ernest mentioned, we expect this to increase back into the low to mid 90% occupancy once our master lease with a local private university commences on August 1.

Our mixed use property consisting of the Embassy Suites Hotel and the Waikiki Beach Walk Retail is located on the Island of Oahu. The State of Hawaii remains in self quarantine through the end of August, which is significantly impacted the operating results in the second quarter of 2020. The Embassy Suites average occupancy for the second quarter of 2020 was 17%, compared with the prior year's second quarter average occupancy of 92%. A good rule of thumb in our view is that a hotel without any leverage on it needs to have approximately a 50% to 60% occupancy to breakeven.

Our team in Hawaii forecasted earlier this month of 46% to 50% occupancy by year-end 2020. To our pleasant surprise, we ended June with a 29% occupancy, much higher than the average occupancy of 17% for the quarter. Additionally, in the last 15 days, we have been seeing occupancy ranging from 45% to 55% with our team in Hawaii expecting to end the month of July at 62% occupancy. Right now, it is our understanding there are only two hotels remained open in Waikiki. One of which is our Embassy Suites hotel, which has been completely renovated and it's like a brand new hotel.

Let's talk about billings and collections. On a companywide basis, we collected approximately 83% of the total second quarter billings, which primarily consists of base rent and cost reimbursements. We have also collected approximately 83% of July's billings as of the end of last week. We expect those percentages to increase as we continue to work hard on collection efforts. In Q2, our office rent collections were approximately 98%. Our retail rent collections excluding Waikiki Beach retail were approximately 62%. And by the way -- so far in July is about 70%, and our multifamily collections were approximately 95%. Waikiki Beach Walk Retail had an approximately 30% collection rate in Q2.

As Ernest noted earlier, the Board of Directors has decided to increase the quarterly dividend from $0.20 to $0.25 per share. The Board took into consideration, the increase in collections over what was expected during Q2, combined with the embedded growth in cash flow from the office sector over the next several years, as well as the master lease in the multifamily sector. Using the same 83% collection rate applied to our initial targeted dividend of $0.30 per quarter, it gets you to approximately $0.25 per share per quarter.

As we look at the liquidity on our balance sheet, at the end of the second quarter, we had approximately $396 million in liquidity, comprised of $146 million of cash and cash equivalents and $250 million of availability on our line of credit. And only one of our properties is encumbered by a mortgage. Our leverage which we measure in terms of net debt to EBITDA was 6.4 times on a quarterly annualized basis, resulting from the lower EBITDA from the added reserves that we took in the retail sector during Q2. On a trailing 12 month basis, our EBITDA would be approximately 5.8 times. Our focus is to maintain our net debt to EBITDA at 5.5 times or below.

Our interest coverage and fixed charge coverage ratio ended the quarter at 3.8 times on a quarterly annualized basis and at 4.1 times on a trailing 12 month basis. And finally with respect to $250 million of unsecured debt maturities that come due in 2021, we expect to extend the $100 million term loan up to 3 times with each extension for a one-year period subject to certain conditions and the remaining $150 million Series A Notes does not mature until October 31, 2021, which we would expect to refinance at lower rates.

Regarding our guidance, as we previously disclosed, we withdrew our 2020 guidance on April 3 due to the uncertainty that the pandemic would have on our existing guidance, particularly in our hotel or retail sector. Unfortunately, the economy continues to change day by day and the current outcome remains uncertain as to impact in duration, which is why we will continue to a draw our 2020 guidance.

I'll now turn the call over to Steve Center, Vice President of Office Properties for a brief update on our successes and opportunities in our Office segment. Steve?

Steve Center -- Vice President of Office Properties

Thank you, Bob. At the end of the second quarter, net of One Beach, which is under redevelopments. Our office portfolio stood at approximately 96% leased, with approximately 6% expiring through the end of 2021. We were fortunate to renew the IRS and veterans benefits administration leases early in 2020, the First & Main in Portland in a total of 131,000 feet at start rates nearly 20% above the rates of exploration. Given the quality of our assets and the strength of the markets in which they are located with technology and life science as key market drivers.

We continue to execute new and renewal leases at favorable run rates delivering continued NOI growth. With leases already signed, we have locked in approximately $29.6 million of NOI growth comprised of $6 million in 2020, $14 million in 2021 and $9.6 million in 2022 in our office segment. We anticipate significant additional NOI growth in 2022 through the redevelopment and leasing of One Beach Street in San Francisco and 710 Oregon Square in the Lloyd submarket Portland, along with the repositioning of two buildings at Torrey Reserve in the Del Mar Heights submarket of San Diego.

In addition, we can grow our Office portfolio by up to 768,000 rentable square feet or 22% on sites we already owned by building Tower 3 at La Jolla Commons, which is 213,000 feet and Blocks 90 and 103 at Oregon Square totaling up to 555,000 square feet. Tower 3 at La Jolla Commons is into the city of San Diego for permits and we continue evaluating market condition, prospective tenant interest and hopefully decrease in construction costs, leading to are upcoming commencing construction.

Next, schematic design has completed for Blocks 90 and 103 at Oregon Square with design development of 50% complete. We are scheduled for our first hearing with the design review committee in Portland on August 20. We currently have two active request for proposals from prospective tenants for Blocks 90 and 103 totaling 422,000 square feet, but again we will be evaluating market conditions, tenant interest and construction cost prior to commencing construction. We have a stable office portfolio with little near term rollover, significant built in NOI growth and additional upside through repositioning redevelopment within our existing portfolio plus substantial new development on sites we already own.

Operator, I'll now turn the call over to you for questions.

Adam Wyll -- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Very good, Steve. Thanks.

Questions and Answers:

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from Richard Hill with Morgan Stanley.

Ron Kamdem -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Hey. You got -- you got Ron Kamdem on the line for Richard. Just a couple --

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

We can tell Richard, we're glad to have you, Ron. So, welcome.

Ron Kamdem -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

That's the right. Just a couple, couple of quick ones from me. The first is, just going back to sort of the reserves taken on the uncollected rents in the retail portfolio. I guess, the question is trying to get an understanding of how much conservatism is baked into that and how confident do you feel that there is not, maybe more reserves coming down the line as sort of the pandemic unfold? So trying to get a sense of the conservatism in the numbers that you guys took.

Robert Barton -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah, Ron. Thanks for the question. We record those reserves in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. And under that there is a section called 842. And what it says is that we have to be 75% confident that we're going to receive 95% of the cash flows. And in layman's terms, what we look at it is, is a tenant going to survive or not survive. And so we have a group of about eight people, including Adam who is involved with the leases, Chris Sullivan, heads up our Retail, our Controller, it's a whole team effort.

And what we do is, we try to be -- we're not trying to be aggressive at all. What we're trying to do is be conservative and -- but in this pandemic, it changes daily. And what we do is, we continue to evaluate that on a month-to-month basis and as new developments happen, we'll -- with the reserves increase over time, as a pandemic continues to linger there will probably be more fallout. And as a result we'll probably have to add to reserves. But at this point in time, I feel that those reserves that we've put on the books are adequately represented on a conservative basis.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Our strategy has always been to try and overpromise -- underpromise our overdeliver. And there is no pressure to have those reserves less than they are to be. And so, as Bob says that committee has looked at it carefully and that's our best bet under these present circumstances, Ron, and thank you for asking.

Ron Kamdem -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Got it. Just a couple more quick ones. Just on the dividend, I think you decided to raise in 3Q about $0.05. I think you cited just better, better rent collections. I'm just trying to get a little more color on what went into that decision because it feels like maybe the Board, think that the worst is behind them and you feel like you sort of have a handle on the pandemic and the fallout to be able to sort of do that. So what went into that decision? What gave you confidence to boost? And how should we think about that going forward?

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

No. As I said earlier, Ron, going into this pandemic. Frankly I was close to panic because I've never seen circumstances like this and I thought that we are in for a catastrophic situation. The situation has not been as bad as our worst case thoughts led us to. And so when we presented to the Board, a quarter ago to cut from $0.30 to $0.20 we took into account our view of the unknowns that we were facing. But as we've come face to face with those unknowns while they been very upsetting and very difficult, they haven't been as catastrophic as we expected. So we suggested to the Board that they look at this with a more balanced approach and rather the catastrophic approach that we had suggested at the last quarter. And so we would -- we paided the cutting dividend if you want to know the truth.

We would love to have maintain the dividend at the same level we have since we went public and increase it as we have over the 11 or 12 years since we've been public. That is just not in the cards given the circumstances that we're presently facing. And we'll just have to see how it unfolds. The Board will make a decision quarter-by-quarter, but I would think that based on the projections we have now and the field we have in the marketplace that the $0.25 should be able to be continued. And with any good luck hopefully, we'll get back to where we'd like to be, which is the same dividend as in prior years and even a small increase, if at all possible feasible.

Ron Kamdem -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Great. And then my last one, if I may. I think one of the questions we're getting the most on the desk is just about sort of work from home and the implications, right. And when they think about your portfolio and just a great amount of demand, the tenants and I think the numbers a sort of shown that. The question is really, what's the possibility of sort of the office market turning into haves and have-nots, right? When you think about some of maybe the older stock out there compared to sort of your -- your sort of Class A stuff? Is there -- what's the possibility maybe those assets being just before so impacted from work-from-home? And what are you hearing on from tenants on the work from home front. What sort of thinking do you face? Thank you.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Well, I think when this started everybody said well, who needs office. But I'd tell you as somebody who is involved in business on a day-to-date basis. We miss people coming into the office and all the result -- good results that flow from that, the idea flow, the training. And so I know the theory is, you don't need office. The practice is office is a valuable a way to operate the business and I'm looking forward to people coming back. How this is all going to come about? I don't know, but I have confidence that the office portfolio we have in the high quality, high-growth markets where there is innovation and job creation. We will have a market for our office and I hopefully even a growing market. That's my best guess I mean, I don't know what the answer is, but if you probably hear from lots of people if they, If it was New York City, I would be more frightened. [Indecipherable] West Coast markets are very vibrant, and I think we have a good future with the portfolio we have.

Ron Kamdem -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Thanks. Very helpful, thank you. Appreciate it.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Ron.

Operator

Our next question comes from Todd Thomas with KeyBanc Capital Markets.

Todd Thomas -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

Hi. Thanks. Good morning. Just first question, I guess, following up on that, just wondering if you had any update specifically from Google, regarding their plan to move in and occupancy at Landmark just given their latest announcement about not bringing back employees until at least the summer of '21.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Jerry Gammieri is going to answer that. He is in constant contact with them and we'll update you. Yeah. And thanks for the question, Todd.

Jerry Gammieri -- Vice President of Construction and Development

Yeah. Good morning, Todd. So, at our landmark project in San Francisco in March, we basically stopped construction at that point. And at that point we had two of the seven floors completed. They have remobilized this week and they are proceeding with the work on during the break, I'll call it. There was a lot of discussion about what they would do with the space whether they would reprogram, whether they would change their layout or their floor plan. The decision has been made to proceed with the plans as originally contemplated. So they are moving ahead, full steam now starting again this week and expecting to complete somewhere around the first quarter of '21.

Todd Thomas -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

Okay. And then Ernest, I appreciate your perspective sort of longer term, but curious in the interim here, as you're moving forward with a number of leasing initiatives in the office segment. Are you seeing any, any changes in demand across your markets, any changes in conversations with tenants about how they're thinking about office space rents or their decision and sort of willingness to sign leases today?

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

I'll tell you, unless somebody's dead, dumb and deaf, they're thinking about the circumstances that they're operating under now, but Steve Center is in constant contact with the agents and the prospective tenants and you probably best able to handle that, Steve.

Steve Center -- Vice President of Office Properties

Yeah. We're seeing tenants proceed with their plans. One example is Smartsheet just recently signing a deal to accelerate taking two additional floors at City Center Bellevue by 14 months. As Jerry pointed out Google, they are proceeding with their plans. It's not a matter of, and they're moving back in, it's a matter of when. And what I liked about the message from Jerry is that they're going with the design that they previously come up with pre-COVID. So that's a -- it indicates me if that's a believe that we're going to return to some semblance of normal and get back to business. And so we've got two deals we're in discussions with in Portland for 2023 deliveries. And those are businesses looking through the noise and looking into the future and they've got to grow, and they need a home for all those employees. So far so good, especially with our technology and life science companies.

Todd Thomas -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

Okay. And then shifting over to the multifamily segment, the occupancy decline there was a little bit greater than we expected, but it seems like occupancy is going to get a boost with the master lease at Pacific Ridge. What's the term of that master lease? And is the master lease representative of market rents and then when that kicks in on August 1, where would you expect multifamily occupancy to be?

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Well, if the master leases for two projects along as Loma Palisades and Pacific Ridge. And Abigail, why don't you take that. Abigail and Adam did a great job in negotiating this transaction.

Abigail Rex -- Director, Multifamily San Diego

Sure. Good morning. So that master lease agreement will span between Loma Palisades and Pacific Ridge and consist of about 130 units. A little bit above market rate, because it's an all-inclusive rental rate package for the university that will be for a 10-month term starting August 1 and then go through May 31 of 2021. Excuse me, and we anticipate that come August when all of the move-ins take place not only in addition to this master lease but with other renters as well. We'll probably be back to the low to mid '90s, as Bob mentioned earlier.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

But one thing that you have to consider is that the government's now are extending the terms that tenants have to pay the rent with this lease it's collectible and that's a huge difference. So in addition to the rates being acceptable and perhaps even a bit more than acceptable. The quality of the payment is assured and that's a big deal in this crazy market.

Todd Thomas -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

Okay. All right. Great. Thank you.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Todd. Thanks for your interest.

Operator

Our next question comes from Craig Schmidt with Bank of America.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Good morning, Craig.

Craig Schmidt -- Bank of America -- Analyst

Good morning to you. I was just wondering what you're seeing regarding the California efforts to roll back reopenings on the retail real estate, whether in terms of impact to traffic or possible impact on rent collection?

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Chris, you want to handle.Yeah. I mean, this thing changes day by day. So maybe you have a view that you can to share.

Chris Sullivan -- Vice President of Retail Properties

The largest impact that came back, as you remember right after Memorial Day that restaurants were allowed to start reopening inside, That only last for a couple of weeks or so depending on what county you are in. And then when they shutdown restaurants to operate inside dining that really threw a wrench in the system. So as you drive around your own town and where you are, you can see the restaurateurs have to try sidewalk dining or patios if they had. And unfortunately, when that lowered the occupancy so much that they're all fighting just to cover their cost and keep their remaining chefs and some staff on.

So that really threw a monkey wrench into it. This is most of our shopping center guys have we might have 10% to 15% foodservice in your properties. The other piece is that really hurt was all of the salons -- nail salons and quite a bit of the service providers that were no longer able to have folks come inside, get a haircut or have their nails done. So it's the constant little chipping away that has certainly had an effect on retail, so that's the biggest piece I've seen besides all the other problems of the tourism and the rest of it, the whole country and world spacing.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Chris. Thank you, Craig. Any more questions, Craig.

Craig Schmidt -- Bank of America -- Analyst

I guess, I know that in terms of university housing for the students, they're changing the densities that they are allowing, is that having any impact positive or negative on you, in terms of your multifamily leasing?

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Yes. I think that was the genesis for the lease that we signed with the local university as they were dedensifying, if that's a word, their dorms and they needed more space. Unfortunately that lease expires just at the heavy rental season. So we'll have a better opportunity to fill those leases up. Hopefully when the market is more normal, there is a vaccine that world has returned to normal and our properties, we will have the opportunity to fill them up again. But in the meantime, it's a great stop beyond measure collectible.

Craig Schmidt -- Bank of America -- Analyst

Okay. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. And I'm not showing any further questions at this time, I'd like to turn the call back over to Chairman, Ernest Rady for concluding remarks.

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Again to sum it all up, this is a very difficult time. American Assets Trust has great properties, a great team and liquidity. It's certain that we will see the other side of this pandemic and we will come out of this, at least as good as we were coming into this and hopefully better with all of the opportunities that are available to us. So thank you all for your interest and we hope to talk to you 90 days from now.

Operator

[Operator Closing Remarks]

Duration: 34 minutes

Call participants:

Adam Wyll -- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Ernest Rady -- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Robert Barton -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Steve Center -- Vice President of Office Properties

Jerry Gammieri -- Vice President of Construction and Development

Abigail Rex -- Director, Multifamily San Diego

Chris Sullivan -- Vice President of Retail Properties

Ron Kamdem -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Todd Thomas -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

Craig Schmidt -- Bank of America -- Analyst

More AAT analysis

All earnings call transcripts
Ambala: India's incoming Rafale fighter jets which are expected to land at the Ambala Air Force base at around 2 PM today (29 July), established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata situated in the Western Arabian Sea.

#HEAR: Indian #Rafale contingent establishes contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata deployed in Western Arabian Sea. pic.twitter.com/NOnzKOo2fa  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

Soon after entering the Indian airspace, the incoming Rafales jets exchanged greetings with the Indian Naval warship INS Kolkata situated in the Western Arabian Sea.

INS Kolkata Delta63: Arrow leader (flying #Rafale),welcome to Indian Ocean

Rafale leader: Many thanks. Most reassuring to have an Indian warship guarding seas

INS Kolkata: May you touch the sky with glory. Happy landings

Rafale leader: Wish you fair winds. Happy hunting. Over&out https://t.co/WlEyiZTtg5  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

In the audio shared by news agency ANI, the warship can be heard welcoming the fighter jets as they enter the Indian Ocean. The Aero leader of the Rafale contingent then thanked the warship and said, "Most reassuring to have an Indian warship guarding the sea". The audio goes on as follows: ''INS Kolkata: May you touch the sky with glory, happy'' Aero Leader Rafale: ''Wish you fair winds, happy hunting over and out.''

This contact was established between the two elite units of the Indian Armed Forces, soon after the Rafales took off from UAE for their destination in Ambala.

The five Rafales were escorted by IAF's two SU30 MKIs as they entered the Indian air space, the Defence Ministry said.

The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020

The first batch of five Rafale jets is scheduled to land at the Ambala airbase here on Wednesday afternoon with police tightening the security around the air force station.

The squadron of Rafale jets will be stationed at the Ambala airbase in Haryana. The jets took off from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday and will arrive here after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refueling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates.

The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft. Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography.

The Ambala district administration has also prohibited people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the airbase, officials said earlier. Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in the villages adjoining the airbase, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

Ambala Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said shooting of videos or taking photographs of the boundary wall of the air base and its adjoining areas will remain strictly prohibited during the imposition of the prohibitory orders.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Police has set up several check barricades and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near the air base, making announcements over loudspeakers warning people not to stand on the rooftop of their houses to click pictures or shoot videos.

Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities. The five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later.

The jets will be inducted into the IAF as part of its No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

Of the 36 jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.
Britain has signed a supply deal for up to 60 million doses of a possible Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, it said on Wednesday, its fourth such arrangement.

No vaccine has yet been approved to treat or prevent Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus that has killed more than 659,000 people and unleashed economic havoc worldwide.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Sanofi and GSK, which had first teamed up in April, confirmed in a statement that regulatory approval for their vaccine could be won by the first half of 2021 if clinical data was positive.

Britain has moved early in striking vaccine supply deals, and ministers have stressed the importance of securing supplies of a range of candidates.

The fact remains that there are no guarantees, said business minister Alok Sharma.

In the meantime, it is important that we secure early access to a diverse range of promising vaccine candidates, like GSK and Sanofi, to increase our chances of finding one that works.

Last week Britain struck deals for 30 million doses of the experimental BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine, and a deal in principle for 60 million doses of the Valneva vaccine.

That followed a previously announced pact with AstraZeneca for production of 100 million doses of its potential vaccine, being developed in partnership with Oxford university.

With no working vaccine against Covid-19 yet developed, Britain now has 250 million doses potentially available.
For other districts planning to reopen, the federations safety demands could be difficult to meet. The union says schools should open only in areas where the infection rate among those tested for the disease caused by the coronavirus, COVID-19, is below 5%, and where the transmission rate is below 1%. It also says local authorities must have plans to close schools if cases spike.
SYKESVILLE, Md., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Zeteo Tech, the biodefense and medical device company that has developed a revolutionary new class of fieldable biological mass spectrometers, today announced that the Honorable Andrew Weber has joined its Board of Directors. Mr. Weber served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical & Biological Defense Programs under President Obama.

"Andy has dedicated much of his professional career working to strengthen our Nation's security and response to nuclear, chemical, and biological threats," said Wayne Bryden, PhD, President and CEO of Zeteo Tech. "We are delighted that he is joining the Board, and his unmatched wealth of knowledge and experience will be greatly utilized as Zeteo continues to grow its commercial and government offerings."

Zeteo Tech's proprietary digitalMALDI technology pushes mass spectrometry innovation to a new level of sensitivity and specificity, enabling its instruments to obtain biomarker measurements from individual particles in the bioaerosol and then complete a biomarker-specific molecular identification in seconds. A combination of proprietary bioaerosol processing and MALDI mass spectrometry enables the technology's ground-breaking advances to eliminate environmental background. By discretizing the sample in time, the analysis is exceptionally fast, sensitive and specific.

In addition to Mr. Weber's public service as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical & Biological Defense Programs, he was a driving force behind Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction efforts to remove weapons-grade uranium from Kazakhstan and Georgia and nuclear-capable MiG-29 aircraft from Moldova, to reduce biological weapons threats, and to destroy Libyan and Syrian chemical weapons stockpiles. Mr. Weber also coordinated leadership of the international Ebola response for the U.S. Department of State.

Prior to joining the Pentagon as Advisor for Threat Reduction Policy in December 1996, Mr. Weber was posted abroad as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer in Saudi Arabia, Germany, Kazakhstan, and Hong Kong. Mr. Weber is an independent consultant and a Strategic Advisor for Ginkgo BioWorks. He serves on the Boards of Healthcare Ready and the Arms Control Association, and the James Martin Center for Non-proliferation Studies International Advisory Council.

Mr. Weber taught at the Georgetown University Graduate School of Foreign Service for seven years and was a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Mr. Weber graduated from Cornell University and holds a Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) degree from Georgetown University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Senior Fellow at the Council on Strategic Risks, a non-partisan, non-profit think tank working against existential threats.

For more information about Zeteo Tech, please visit https://zeteotech.com.

About Zeteo Tech

Zeteo Tech is a venture-backed biodefense and medical device company that has developed a revolutionary new class of fieldable biological mass spectrometers. Its instruments identify airborne microbes, proteins and lipids, and can be used to screen for infectious disease and other bio-threats. Its innovative and patent-pending time of flight mass spectrometry technology, digitalMALDI, enables fully-automated and near real-time identification of bio-threats in operational environments and dramatically lowers cost-of-ownership relative to the biomolecular reagent-based systems being launched for biodefense applications.

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OTTAWA - A timeline of events regarding the Canada Student Service Grant program, based on public documents, events and statements from cabinet ministers, government officials, and WE Charity:

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Marc Kielburger, screen left, and Craig Kielburger, screen right, appear as witnesses via videoconference during a House of Commons finance committee in the Wellington Building in Ottawa on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. The committee is looking into Government Spending, WE Charity and the Canada Student Service Grant. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - A timeline of events regarding the Canada Student Service Grant program, based on public documents, events and statements from cabinet ministers, government officials, and WE Charity:

March 6, 2020: WE Charity staff prepare a concept paper on service learning for public servants at Employment and Social Development Canada.

April 5: Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talk over the phone about how to help students whose summer job and volunteer opportunities were vanishing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finance Department officials are tasked with considering options the next morning.

April 7: Small Business Minister Mary Ng and WE co-founder Craig Kielburger have an introductory phone call in which Ng asks WE to send what it calls a "pre-established proposal" to help young people launch businesses.

April 7 or 8: Morneau's office contacts the WE organization, among other groups, to get their input on potential programs. Morneau says the call was on April 7 while WE says it was April 8.

April 9: WE Charity sends the unsolicited proposal for a youth business program to Youth Minister Bardish Chagger, Ng, Morneau and Trudeau's office. The price tag is between $6 million and $14 million to provide digital programming and $500 grants, plus "incentive funds," for 8,000 students.

April 16: ESDC officials mention WE in the context of the student program in an email discussion with Finance officials.

April 18: Morneau's officials raise the idea of partnering with a non-profit, or for-profit group to administer the program. (ESDC officials suggest the same day that WE might be an option.) Morneau said it was the first time he was involved in any talk about WE and the grant program.

April 19: Wernick contacts Craig Kielburger. WE says the call was to discuss launching a youth service program in the summer and that Wernick asks Kielburger to develop a proposal to fulfil that objective. During the call, Wernick learns of the April 9 proposal for a youth business program and Kielburger agrees to send both proposals.

April 20: Morneau's office contacts WE to ask about its ability to deliver a volunteer program. An official's record of the call notes "WE Charity will re-work their 10-week summer program proposal to fully meet the policy objective of national service and increase their current placements of 8,000 to double."

April 21: Morneau approves going with an outside organization to run the volunteer program, but no specific group is chosen.

April 22: Trudeau announces a $9-billion package of student aid, including the outline of a volunteer program paying students up to $5,000 toward education costs, based on the number of hours they volunteer. WE sends Wernick an updated proposal to reflect the announcement. The message is forwarded to Chagger, Ng and Morneau.

April 26: Morneau speaks with WE co-founder Craig Kielburger, but told the finance committee neither of them talked about the Canada Student Service Grant program. Craig Kielburger later tells the committee he only brought up the youth business proposal, not the grant program.

April 27: Volunteer Canada, a charity that promotes volunteering and helps organizations use volunteers well, meets Chagger and raises concerns about paying students hourly rates below minimum wage and calling it volunteering.

May 4: WE sends a third proposal to ESDC, this time with more details and specific to the grant program. Finance official Michelle Kovacevic, who was working on the program, told the finance committee she received it May 7.

May 5: Chagger goes to a special COVID-19 cabinet committee with the recommendation to go with WE for the program. Morneau isn't at the meeting.

May 22: Cabinet, including Trudeau and Morneau, approved handing the reins of the program to WE.

May 23: The public service officially begins negotiating a contribution agreement with WE, which would have paid up to $43.5 million in fees to the group.

May 25 to June 3: In a series of meetings with Volunteer Canada, WE suggests the target for placements through the program had gone from 20,000 to 100,000.

June 12: WE co-founder Marc Kielburger says in a video chat with youth leaders that he heard from Trudeau's office about getting involved in the volunteer program the day after it was announced by the prime minister. He later backtracks, saying the contact came the week of April 26 from Wernick, and not the PMO.

June 23: WE Charity Foundation signs a contribution agreement with the federal government. WE signatories include Scott Baker, named as president of the one-year-old foundation and executive director of WE Charity, and chief financial officer Victor Li. Chagger signs for the government.

June 25: Trudeau unveils more details about student aid. A government release notes that WE will administer the student-volunteer program.

June 26: Facing questions about WE, Trudeau says the non-partisan public service made the recommendation, and the government accepted it: "As the public service dug into it, they came back with only one organization that was capable of networking and organizing and delivering this program on the scale that we needed it, and that was the WE program."

July 3: Citing the ongoing controversy, WE and the Liberals announce a parting of ways and the federal government takes control of the program. Ethics commissioner Mario Dion tells Conservative and NDP ethics critics in separate letters he will examine Trudeau's role in the awarding of the agreement because of the prime minister's close ties to the group.

July 9: WE says it has paid Trudeau's mother Margaret about $250,000 for 28 speaking appearances at WE-related events between 2016 and 2020. His brother Alexandre was been paid $32,000 for eight events, and Trudeau's wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau received $1,400 in 2012 for a single appearance. The organization says Trudeau himself has never been paid by the charity or its for-profit arm.

July 13: Trudeau apologizes for not recusing himself from discussions about WE over his family's longtime involvement with the organization. Morneau also issues an apology.

July 16: Dion says he will investigate Morneau's actions in the affair. Chagger testifies at the finance committee, saying Trudeau's office didn't direct her to go with WE.

July 21: Ian Shugart, clerk of the Privy Council, tells the Commons finance committee there is no evidence to suggest Trudeau spoke with WE before the organization was awarded the deal to run the student-volunteer program.

July 22: Morneau tells the finance committee he just repaid over $41,000 to WE for travel expenses the organization footed for the minister and his family. The Opposition Conservatives call for Morneau to resign.

Trudeau's office says he and his chief of staff, Katie Telford, have agreed to testify before the committee with a date and time to be set.

The House of Commons ethics committee also calls on Trudeau to testify, and votes to seek copies of records for Trudeau and his family's speaking appearances dating back years. Six opposition members outvote five Liberals to have that committee start its own investigation.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

July 23: Conservatives and New Democrats ask Dion to launch a new probe of Morneau over his travel expenses.

July 27: A copy of the contribution agreement with WE Charity Foundation is filed with the finance committee. It lays out the details of the program, including a provision for a maximum contribution of $543.53 million  $500 million for grants, and $43.53 million to WE.

July 28: Craig and Marc Kielburger testify over four hours of sometimes testy interactions with MPs on the finance committee. The co-founders of WE Charity say their history and experience, not ties to Liberal cabinet ministers, landed the group the deal to run the volunteer program. They add they would have never agreed to take part in the program had they known it could jeopardize the work the WE organization has done over 25 years.

They also say WE estimated the cost of the program to be between $200 million and $300 million.

July 29: The Conservatives call on federal ethics czar Mario Dion to widen his probe of Trudeau to include travel expenses WE covered in addition to speaking fees for his mother, wife and brother. Dion sends letters to the Tories and NDP saying he is expanding his probe of Morneau to look into the $41,000 in WE-sponsored travel.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2020.
When Donald Trump restarted his coronavirus briefings last week after shutting them down in April, he largely hewed to a script, urging Americans to wear masks and practice social distancing

President Donald Trump devolved into self-pity during a White House coronavirus briefing Tuesday, lamenting that his approval ratings were lower than those of two top government medical experts.

Just over a week after he began a rebooted effort, driven by rising infection rates and sinking poll numbers, to talk about the virus in terms more in line with medical consensus, Trump was again making unfounded claims and defending discredited medical experts. It was the sort of eccentric, science-deficient performance that many of his aides believe unnerved the public during the spring and has come to gravely threaten his reelection prospects.

Noting that Dr Anthony S Fauci, the governments top infectious disease expert, and Dr Deborah L Birx, his administrations top coronavirus coordinator, have high approval ratings even as his own have sagged, Trump added: And yet, theyre highly thought of  but nobody likes me.

It can only be my personality, he concluded.

When the president restarted his coronavirus briefings last week after shutting them down in April, he largely hewed to a script, urging Americans to wear masks and practice social distancing.

But on Tuesday, he resumed his freelancing and wandering into politically and medically problematic alleyways. When reporters pressed him on a viral video he had retweeted on Monday night that included doctors falsely claiming that hydroxychloroquine was a cure for the virus and that masks were unnecessary, Trump responded: Theyre very respected doctors. There was a woman who was spectacular in her statements about it, and shes had tremendous success with it.

When a reporter noted that the physician who spoke of a cure, Dr Stella Immanuel of Houston, also made videos saying that doctors make medicine using DNA from aliens, Trump responded, I know nothing about her, and abruptly ended the briefing moments later.

Twitter and Facebook have since removed that video, calling it misleading.

Fauci is among several top medical experts, as well as the US Food and Drug Administration, to say repeatedly that hydroxychloroquine has no proven effect against the coronavirus. The Food and Drug Administration last month revoked an authorisation it had issued for emergency use of hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus patients, saying it acted based on recent results from a large, randomised clinical trial in hospitalised patients that found these medicines showed no benefit for decreasing the likelihood of death or speeding recovery.

But Trump was insistent. Many doctors think it is extremely successful, he said of the drug, although he acknowledged that some people dont. Trump also noted that he had taken a roughly 10-day course of the drug in May, after a White House valet tested positive for the virus.

While advisors have pressed Trump to more fully acknowledge the severity of the virus spread, he again offered a dissonantly upbeat assessment.

Trump declared large portions of our country to be corona-free, even though no region in the United States is actually free of the virus. While he noted concern over high case levels in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida, he said: Thats starting to head down in the right direction. And I think youll see it rapidly head down very soon.

However, a new federal report found that the number of states with outbreaks serious enough to place them in the red zone has grown to 21. It called for more restrictions on social activity. Those states include the ones named by Trump, along with Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin. All had more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the past week.

The findings in the new report were sent to state officials by the White Houses coronavirus task force and obtained by The New York Times.

Trump reiterated that he had a very good relationship with Fauci while repeating his now-routine complaint that Fauci had opposed his ban in January on most air travel from China into the United States. (Fauci initially doubted the idea but supported the final decision.)

The president, who said he was invoking the Defence Production Act for the 33rd time since the outbreak of the virus  this time to provide a $765 million loan to Kodak to produce pharmaceuticals, part of a new effort to achieve American pharmaceutical independence from China and other nations  insisted that he deserved more credit in relation to Fauci for his administrations efforts to procure more ventilators and personal protective equipment and to enable more virus testing nationwide.

Hes got this high approval rating, so why dont I have a high approval rating with respect  and the administration  with respect to the virus? Trump asked. So it sort of is curious.

Michael Crowley c.2020 The New York Times Company
Dogs have an acute sense of smell. They have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to six million in humans, making their smell receptors up 10,000 to 100,000 more powerful than humans. The part of a dog's brain that is devoted to analyzing smells is, proportionally speaking, 40 times greater than humans. Trained sniffer dogs can detect diseases such as malaria, cancer, and even viral infections.

Now, a team of German researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, the German Armed Forces, and the Hannover Medical School revealed that dogs can discriminate between human saliva samples infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and non-infected samples with a 94 percent overall success rate. Their research is published in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases.

Study: Scent dog identification of samples from COVID-19 patients  a pilot study . Image Credit: Horus2017 / Shutterstock

Accurate and reliable

To arrive at their findings, the team trained eight detection dogs to sniff out SARS-CoV-2-infected samples for one week. The training aims to hone the smelling power of the dogs to detect saliva or tracheobronchial secretions of infected patients in a randomized, double-blinded, and controlled study.

The trained dogs sniffed the saliva of more than 1,000 people that were either healthy or infected with the virus. The samples of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients were distributed at random.

During the study, the dogs achieved an overall average detection rate of 94 percent with 157 correct indications of positive, 792 correct rejections of negative, 33 incorrect indications of negative or incorrect rejections of 30 positive sample presentations.

"These preliminary findings indicate that trained detection dogs can identify respiratory secretion samples from hospitalized and clinically diseased SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals by discriminating between samples from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and negative controls. This data may form the basis for the reliable screening method of SARS-CoV-2 infected people," the researchers concluded in the study.

Diagnoses by dog noses  Dogs can sniff out patients with COVID-19 Play

Differentiating smell

The team emphasized that the timely and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2 infected people is critical for countries to contain the spread of the pandemic. The research findings indicate that dogs can be trained in just about a week to differentiate between samples of people infected and non-infected with SARS-CoV-2.

The researchers believe that dogs can detect infected samples because people who get infected have changes in their metabolic processes.

"We think that the dogs can detect a specific smell of the metabolic changes that occur in those patients," Maren von Koeckritz-Blickwede, a professor at the university, who conducted the study, said in a video.

The team hopes that the method can be used amid the pandemic, to help control the virus spread and reduce the number of cases, which has now topped 16.66 million across 188 countries and territories.

"The current study results are promising, although they should be regarded as preliminary, and suitability for this detection method in the field can only be acquired after further research has been conducted. Our work provides the very first steps of the development of a new SARS-CoV-2 screening method," the researchers said.

Further, the researchers added that in countries with limited access to diagnostic tests, detection dogs could be used for mass detection of people infected with the novel coronavirus.

The use of detection dogs has made its debut in Chile. Police dogs are being trained to identify infected people, even in the earliest stages of the disease.

In England, six dogs are being trained by Medical Detection Dogs in Milton Keynes to sniff out and detect the presence of the virus. Dr. Claire Guest, the charity's co-founder and chief executive, said that the dogs had shown signs that they would be able to detect the virus. She has previously trained dogs to detect the scent of other diseases, such as cancer, Parkinson's disease, and malaria.

The dogs, named Digby, Norman, Jasper, Star, Storm, and Asher, will be trained to smell samples on sterilized socks, stockings, and face masks worn by NHS staff in London. The training team expects about 3,200 samples and will use them for training the dogs.

The team believes that when they train dogs to detect the virus, they can help contain its spread.

Source:
Representative Louie Gohmert (R., Texas), who had refused to wear a mask while working on Capitol Hill, has tested positive for the coronavirus, one day after attending a House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General William Barr and other top lawmakers.

The 66-year-old eight-term congressman was scheduled to fly with President Trump to Texas on Wednesday, but tested positive for the virus in a pre-screening procedure at the White House, Politico reported.

A spokesperson for the Justice Department said the attorney general would be tested for coronavirus on Wednesday. Though the hearing adhered to social distancing guidelines, with attendees wearing masks, a video by a reporter at The Hill seems to show Barr and Gohmert walking into the hearing room together unmasked on Tuesday.

ACTUALLY here is a video of AG Barr and Gohmert. While Barr arrived with a mask, it was off when he walked into the hearing room, so both men were not wearing masks at this time. pic.twitter.com/xm6wuq6QvW  Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) July 29, 2020

Chairman Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.) had admonished three Republican lawmakers for taking off their masks during the hearing, though Gohmert was not the target of his scolding.

Gohmert had previously said he would not wear a mask because he was being tested regularly: I dont have the coronavirus, turns out as of yesterday Ive never had it. But if I get it, youll never see me without a mask, he told CNN in June.

When warned about asymptomatic transmission of the virus, Gohmert replied, But I keep being tested and I dont have it. So Im not afraid of you, but if I get it, Ill wear a mask.

Nadler wished Gohmert a full & speedy recovery in a tweet Tuesday, adding, When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. Ive regularly instructed all Members to wear their masks and hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues.

Story continues

Representatives Mario Diaz Balart (R., Fla.), Neal Dunn (R., Fla.), Morgan Griffith (R., Va.), Mike Kelly (R., Pa.), Ben McAdams (D., Utah) and Tom Rice (R., S.C.) have all previously tested positive for the virus, as has Senator Rand Paul (R., Ky.).

More from National Review
Donald Trump doubled down on his decision to retweet a video of Houston doctor Stella Immanuel in which Ms Immanuel touts the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in treating patients of Covid-19 and dismisses masks as unnecessary in stopping its spread.

In the past, Ms Immanuel has made several dubious medical claims, including the harmful effects of having sexual relations with demons and witches while dreaming, the alleged use of alien DNA in various medicines, and the production of a vaccine to inoculate people against being religious.

"I can tell you this: She was on air, along with many other doctors they were big fans of hydroxychloroquine, and I thought she was very impressive," Mr Trump told reporters of Ms Immanuel at a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday.

"I don't know which country she comes from. But she said that she's had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients. And I thought her voice was an important voice. But I know nothing about her," the president said of the Houston-based doctor.

In a speech on the steps of the Supreme Court that has gone viral in conservatives circles this week racking up millions of views across several social media platforms, many of which have since sought to remove videos of it  Ms Immanuel urged people not to be afraid of Covid-19, which has killed nearly 150,000 Americans in less than half a year.

Nobody needs to get sick, Ms Immanuel said at a demonstration put on by Tea Party Patriots, a conservative political advocacy group supported by wealthy Republicans.

This virus has a cure, she said.

Health experts have warned against the potentially severe side effects of taking the drug, which Mr Trump has nevertheless continued to promote to treat the novel coronavirus, claiming to have taken it himself as a precautionary step.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked emergency authorisation of its use earlier this month.

In addition to her speech on hydroxychloroquine, Ms Immanuel has frequently used her platform on YouTube to spread homophobic and anti-transgender views, protesting against the legalisation of gay marriage and abortion in the US.

How long are we going to allow the enemy to take over our beloved nation. How long are we going to allow the gay agenda, secular humanism, Illuminati and the demonic New World Order to destroy our homes, families and the social fibre of America, the caption of one of her videos reads.

Mr Trump retweeted a post including the now-deleted video of Ms Immanuel's speech about Covid-19 with a caption referring to the doctor as a fearless warrior for the truth.

Twitter suspended the account of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, for retweeting a version of the video and saying it was a must watch.

Twitter later said it had suspended Mr Trump Jr's account because he had posted misleading and potentially harmful information about the coronavirus.
B oris Johnson is reportedly extremely concerned that a second wave of coronavirus could hit the UK within the next two weeks, according to reports.

Ministers have been warning of a possible new wave of the virus this winter but are said to now fear it could come sooner.

A senior government source told the Daily Mail that the Prime Minister was worried by outbreaks bubbling up in the UK and abroad.

The PM is extremely concerned by what he's seeing abroad and fears we could be seeing the same thing here in a fortnight, they told the newspaper.

He wants to go further on opening things up and getting people back to work, but he knows it'll be his head on the block if things go wrong.

Coronavirus: Boris Johnson raised fears of a second wave / REUTERS

It comes after Mr Johnson warned on Tuesday that the UK must be "vigilant" as Europe suffers the symptoms of a second wave of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, in the UK, new restrictions have been introduced in Oldham after a surge in cases .

The new guidance, which comes into force on Tuesday and will last two weeks, aims to halt the spread of the virus and avoid a local lockdown as seen in Leicester.

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

Oldham has seen 119 cases in the seven days to July 25. By comparison, the week ending July 17 saw just 26 positive cases. This means a current rate of 50.2 positive tests per 100,000 versus 10.2 per 100,000 the week before.

Mr Johnson hinted that quarantine restrictions could be imposed on further countries if a Covid-19 resurgence hits the Continent.

The Government is already embroiled in a diplomatic row with Spain after warning against all but essential travel to the country and its islands and axing it from its "travel corridor" list.

This means returning holidaymakers will have to go into isolation for 14 days in case they are harbouring coronavirus.

Mr Johnson defended the move and insisted ministers would not hesitate to act if outbreaks emerge in other destinations.

The Prime Minister said: Clearly we now face, Im afraid, the threat of a second wave in other parts of Europe and we just have to be vigilant and we have to be very mindful.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

What we have to do is take swift and decisive action where we think that the risks are starting to bubble up again.

Lets be absolutely clear about whats happening amongst some of our European friends  Im afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic.

With holidaymakers already facing uncertainty over trips abroad this summer, Mr Johnson said it was up to individuals to assess the travel risks.

These are decisions for families, for individuals, about where they want to go, he said.

The PM stressed that the quarantine measures were aimed at stopping cases being brought in to the UK, and could be expanded elsewhere if necessary.

He said: Its vital that when people are coming back from abroad, if they are coming back from a place where Im afraid there is another outbreak, they must go into quarantine.

Thats why we have taken the action that we have and we will continue, throughout the summer, to take such action where it is necessary.
Healthy Harvest of North Iowa has announced that the North Iowa Farmers Market in Mason City and the Clear Lake Farmers Market are participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program, which provides low income families with more access to fruits and vegetables.

Double Up Food Bucks, a program part of Iowa's Healthiest State Initiative, "matches the value of federal nutrition benefits spent at participating farmers' markets," a press release said. "The benefits to adding this state program ripple through our community: low-income families eat more healthy food, local farmers gain new customers and make more money, and more food dollars stay in the local economy."

In North Iowa, the program is supported by MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center's Office of Community Benefit in collaboration with Healthy Harvest of North Iowa.

"Double Up Food Bucks began in six Iowa farmers markets in 2016 and is now active at 34 sites including farmers markets, farm stands, and mobile markets across Iowa. In 2019, the program reached 1,000 SNAP recipients resulting in more than $154,236 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables purchased from Iowa family farmers. From a 2019 program evaluation, 84 percent of SNAP shoppers reported eating more fruits and vegetables and $32,219 Double Up Food Bucks were spent at local farmers markets  directly benefiting Iowa farmers," the press release said.

How Double Up Food Bucks Works

Double Up matches the value of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases made at participating sites. Example: if a family spends $10 in SNAP benefits at a participating farmer market, that family will additionally receive $10 in Double Up Food Bucks to spend on fresh, local produce.

We are excited to see Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) expanding to our area farmers markets. With 50 vendors across both markets, farmers markets are a great avenue for everyone looking to buy local, including our Double Up families, said Lisa Packer, Local Food Coordinator, Healthy Harvest. It makes sense for our local farmers to feed all families in our region. Thanks to the support from MercyOne, adding DUFBs helps low-income families stretch their food dollars. And easily access fresh, local produce. Lisa continues. Our Farmers Markets are family-friendly where people connect with the farmers who grow their food, try new foods, set healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime and enjoy affordable, accessible fresh fruits and vegetables.

The North Iowa Farmers Market is Tuesday and Friday; hours are 4 p.m. -6:00 p.m. The Clear Lake Farmers Market is Saturday from 9 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Market season runs from the third week of May to the third week in October.

For a complete list of participating Double Up markets and hours of operation, visit www.iowahealthieststate.com/double-up-food-bucks.

Melanie Mergen is Digital Editor for the Globe Gazette. You can reach her at melanie.mergen@globegazette.com.

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With the nights Pick 5 sequence going unsolved on Tuesday (July 28), Harrahs Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will feature a $10,000 Guaranteed Pick-5, kick-started by the $2,836.40 carryover. In partnership with the United States Trotting Association Strategic Wagering program and the Indiana Standardbred Association, Harrahs Hoosier Park will offer the guaranteed wager beginning in race 10 on Wednesday (July 29).

Tuesdays Pick-5 sequence saw several upsets, kicking off when Sweet Sinsation with Dale Hiteman paid $45.80 to win in the first race of the sequence. The trend continued with each winner paying over $5.00 to win; no favourites finding the winners circle.

Wednesdays 14-race card will feature the third leg of Indiana Sires Stakes (INSS) action for the three-year-old trotting fillies. INSS Super Final champ Rock Swan will be looking to grab back-to-back stakes wins from post seven in race nine.

Free past performances for Wednesdays 14-race card will be available on Harrahs Hoosier Parks website along with free past performances for Races 10-14 on the United States Trotting Association website. Expert selections and handicapping tools are also available on Hoosier Parks website and The United States Trotting Associations website.

The 14-race card will also include the $10,000 Guaranteed Hoosier High-5 in the fourteenth race of the program. Free past performances for the nightly pentefecta are available on Harrahs Hoosier Parks website as well.

(Harrah's Hoosier Park)
Gurugram, July 29 : One of the pilots of the first batch of five Rafale fighter jets which touched down in Ambala on Wednesday, belongs to Gurugram in Haryana.

Rohit Kataria, a native of Basai village in Gurugram, flew one of the jets from France to India.

His grandfather Narayan Singh said that it was an emotional moment for him and the entire family, when Rohit Kataria was selected as one of the Rafale pilots.

"We had waited for this historic moment when such advanced fighter jets appeared in the air around Ambala airbase and landed there. It was a moment of pride for us," Singh said.

Rohit studied in the Army school in Karnal before joining the National Defence Academy. He was later commissioned as a flight lieutenant in the Indian Air Force.

On April 10, 2015, an Indo-French joint statement for the acquisition of 36 Rafale jets in flyaway condition through an inter-governmental agreement was issued.

A controversy erupted when the first deal for 126 jets was cancelled by the current NDA government and a deal for 36 jets in flyaway condition was finalized with the French government.

The opposition parties had smelt a scam in the deal and it became a poll issue in the 2019 general elections.

Rafale has the capacity to carry atomic warheads and defence experts believe that the technology used in manufacturing this jet is much better than the F16 jets owned by neighbouring Pakistan and the Chinese J 20 fighter jets.
Berlin and Oxford establish the Centre for Advanced Studies

The Berlin University Alliance and the University of Oxford are taking forward their research partnership with the establishment of a Centre for Advanced Studies.

The Centre for Advanced Studies funds cooperating groups consisting of up to ten fellows working together. These cooperating groups are to conduct research on topics relating to the Berlin University Alliance's Grand Challenge Initiatives. The Grand Challenge Initiatives will be examining particularly relevant global challenges, such as the current issues of Global Health and Social Cohesion. The Centre is funded under the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Lander by the Berlin University Alliance and improves the parameters for making Oxford/Berlin collaborative research partnership more flexible from an organizational point of view and strengthening the exchange of expertise across national borders.

The cooperating groups should collaborate on an interdisciplinary basis and develop joint research ideas. The first group will be starting as a virtual group in 2020 and will focus on questions related to Social Cohesion. There are plans for a total of three cooperation groups for which the Berlin University Alliance will provide up to 300,000 euros each. The funding is intended to provide financial support for fellows of the centre and their research, as well as to enable summer schools and final conferences. The format is intended to provide maximum organizational flexibility for each cooperation, the structure of which can be chosen by the collaborating groups themselves. Flexible funding opportunities should also promote mobility for researchers and graduate students from Berlin and Oxford working on joint projects.

Governing Mayor and Senator for Higher Education and Research Michael Muller says: "I am delighted to see how the cooperation between Berlin and Oxford has grown and evolved in recent years and how researchers are working together to take on the big issues of our time, such as social cohesion and global health. Both Berlin and Oxford are centers of science and research, and they are retaining their close ties regardless of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. Their strong relationship makes an important contribution to German-British cooperation. By the Oxford/Berlin partnership, we are bolstering our city as an international research hub."

Prof. Dr. Gunter M. Ziegler, President of Freie Universitat Berlin and spokesperson for the Berlin University Alliance, highlights: "Oxford and Berlin are a better match than it might seem at first glance: in top research, diversity of subjects, infrastructure of museums and collections, and at both universities, many outstanding researchers full of enthusiasm for collaborative work and creative exchange - in short, a 'match made in heaven'. I am pleased that the Oxford/Berlin partnership is now taking this next big step towards long-term cooperation."

Prof. Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford says: "Oxford University has always valued its status as an international university and, now - possibly more than ever before - we must reaffirm the importance of maintaining international links between academics, researchers and students. Oxford's partnership with the Berlin University Alliance has already delivered important advances in research and scholarship, and the formation of a Centre for Advanced Studies promises to achieve much more. We are extremely grateful to our partners in Berlin for taking the lead on the establishment of the Centre and look forward to the participation of Oxford colleagues in its activities over the coming years."

###

The Oxford/Berlin Research Partnership

The University of Oxford and the Berlin University Alliance formed a research partnership at the end of 2017, and over the next two years jointly provided funding for around 40 workshops and smaller initiatives in all disciplines. More than 1,000 researchers and students from Berlin and Oxford have been involved in the partnership's programs so far, benefitting from over 1 million euros of funding. The Berlin University Alliance has allocated 1.1 million euros to fund three cooperating groups at the Centre for Advanced Studies over the next three years.

The Berlin University Alliance

The Berlin University Alliance is a consortium consisting of three major Berlin universities - Freie Universitat Berlin, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Technische Universitat Berlin - and Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin, established to shape research and education in Berlin. The four partners joined forces to further develop Berlin as a research hub with international drawing power. Together the partners explore major societal challenges, increase public outreach, promote the training of junior researchers, address issues of quality and standards in research, and share resources in the areas of research infrastructure, teaching, diversity, equal opportunities, and internationalisation. The Berlin University Alliance is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the state of Berlin under the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Lander. Researchers from at least two of the four partners Freie Universitat Berlin, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Technische Universitat Berlin, and Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin already work together in all seven Clusters of Excellence based in Berlin, in 70 percent of the partners' 30 Collaborative Research Centres funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), and in more than 75 percent of the partners' 47 doctoral programmes. Since 2012, researchers within the Berlin University Alliance have won six Leibniz Prizes (the most important research award in Germany) and 55 ERC Grants from the European Research Council.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Markets are extremely volatile as the large but opposing forces of advancement in coronavirus vaccine studies and the new wave of coronavirus infections keep investors on the edge. Hence, it is important to create a portfolio of low-beta securities since such stocks not only deliver healthy returns but also provide a shield against market volatility.

Beta Understanding

Beta measures the volatility or risk of a particular asset in comparison to the market. In other words, beta measures the extent of a securitys price movement relative to the market. In this article, we are considering the S&P 500 as the market.

If a stock has beta of 1, then the price of the stock will move with the market. So, the stock is more volatile than the market if its beta is more than 1. In the same way, the stock is not as volatile as the market if its beta is less than 1.

For example, if the market offers a return of 20%, a stock with beta of 3 will return 60%, which is overwhelming. Similarly, when the market slips 20%, the stock will sink 60%, which is devastating.

Screening Criteria:

We have taken beta between 0 and 0.6 as our prime criterion for screening stocks that are less volatile than the market. However, this should not be the only factor to be considered while selecting a winning strategy. We need to take into account other parameters as well that can add value to the portfolio.

Percentage Change in Price in the Last 4 Weeks greater than zero: This ensures that the stocks saw positive price movement over the last month.

Average 20 Day Volume greater than 50,000: A substantial trading volume ensures that the stocks are easily tradable.

Price greater than or equal to $5: They must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher.

Zacks Rank equal to 1: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks indicate that they will significantly outperform the broader U.S. equity market over the next one to three months. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Story continues

Here are five of the 10 stocks that qualified the screening:

Domino's Pizza, Inc. DPZ is a well-known pizza delivery company, with operations spreading across the world. The company  headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI  is likely to see earnings growth of 31% in 2020.

RLI Corp. (RLI) is involved in underwriting property and casualty insurance. The company has witnessed upward earnings estimate revisions for 2020 in the past 30 days.

Based in Reno, NV, Employers Holdings, Inc. EIG primarily involved in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry. The company has seen upward earnings estimate revisions for 2020 in the past 30 days.

Graco Inc. GGG is touted as one of the leading manufacturers of fluid handling equipment. The company  headquartered in Minneapolis, MN  has seen upward earnings estimate revisions for 2020 in the past 30 days.

Coca-Cola European Partners plc CCEP is a leading distributor of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages. The company  based in Uxbridge, the United Kingdom  has seen upward earnings estimate revisions for 2020 in the past 30 days.

You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.

The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.



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TROY  While touring the Unity House of Troy Monday morning, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul called on federal officials to provide additional support for daytime child-care facilities.

The visit from the senator and lieutenant governor comes as industries and workers across New York are forced to grapple with a new coronavirus-related reality: with the reopening of in-person schooling still uncertain, many people who otherwise would have been able to return to work may instead have to stay home and take care of their children this fall.

The Center for American Progress in April reported that the pandemic could lead to the permanent loss of 4.5 million child-care slots throughout the country. More than 175,000 of those lost spots could come from New York, amounting to about 50 percent of the state's child-care capacity.

In a letter to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Robert Redfield, Gillibrand and Rep. Joseph D. Morelle (D-Rochester) urged the CDC to consult day care providers before making decisions that could impact how they operate.

"In our discussions with the child care community in New York State, providers and stakeholders have consistently expressed confusion around the disparities between the CDC guidance for providers and the state enforced guidance," Gillibrand and Morelle wrote. "Providers have requested that there be additional clarification and coordination between federal and state guidelines for child care to ensure providers are in compliance with all best practices to protect children, families, and staff."

Gillibrand and Morelle said that there are disparities between local, state and federal guidelines on how to safely operate child-care facilities.

One issue brought up: mandatory face masks or shields when caring for children and toddlers. The letter said child-care providers have expressed concern that a lack of eye contact, physical touch and speech could hinder children's earliest stages of development.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated racial, social, and gender-based inequalities that already existed in our society. Nowhere is that more present than with the child care crisis that we have struggled with for far too long, Hochul said. To get our economy back firing on all cylinders, the stress and cost of the child care burden on families and providers must be addressed. It is no longer an individual familys problem, its a problem for our economic recovery, and its finally part of the national conversation."

Gillibrand is also urging Congress to create a child-care fund as part of the Child Care is Essential Act. Gillibrand's proposal would create a $50 billion fund that day care providers can use for operating expenses, staff pay and tuition assistance for families.
Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the opening ceremony of the fifth annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank via video link, in Beijing, capital of China, July 28, 2020.

China's President Xi Jinping on Tuesday affirmed his country's commitment to working with others, as he pushed for the cementing of the role of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in the global economic governance system.

"Let us stay open and inclusive and make the AIIB a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation," Xi said Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the the Chinese development bank's annual meeting, which was held virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Xi called on the bank to "grow into a new platform that promotes development for all its members and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind."

The AIIB has provided nearly $20 billion in infrastructure investment to its members since its launch in 2016, said Xi. Seen as a rival to the U.S.-led World Bank and Japan-led Asian Development Bank, the AIIB currently has 102 members from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

"Under the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the AIIB needs to respond to adjustments and changes in the global economic landscape and engage more development partners in cooperation," Xi said in Beijing at the start of the two-day event.

"It needs to provide public goods for our region and beyond, push for regional economic integration, and help make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all," Xi said, according to an official translation from the bank.
Christians are among five Nigerian men to have been executed in Nigeria by Islamist extremists.

The deaths were recorded in a 35-second video posted to YouTube by Eons Intelligence before being removed.

It showed the men blindfolded and kneeling in front of five militants standing behind them holding AK-47 rifles.

One of the executioners then spoke to the camera before the executions were carried out to warn other Christians that they would be next if they did not stop sharing the Gospel and convert to Islam.

"This is a message to all those being used by infidels to convert Muslims to Christianity," one of the executioners said, according to Morning Star News.

"We want you out there to understand that those of you being used to convert Muslims to Christianity are only being used for selfish purposes.

"And that is the reason whenever we capture you, they don't care to rescue you or work towards securing your release from us; and this is because they don't need you or value your lives. We therefore, call on you to return to Allah by becoming Muslims. We shall continue to block all routes [highways] you travel.

"If you don't heed our warning, the fate of these five individuals will be your fate."

After he finished his message, the five men were shot dead.

A Borno resident told Morning Star News that the three Christians were: Ishaku Yakubu, an aid worker from Chibok with Action Against Hunger who was a member of the Church of the Brethren (EYN); Luka Filibus, an aid worker from Monguno with the International Rescue Committee and also an EYN member; and Joseph Prince, a private security firm worker who was a member of the Redeemed Christian Church in Maiduguri.

The perpetrators have been identified as members of Boko Haram splinter group the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

The other two victims in the execution are believed to have been Muslim.

ISWAP had reportedly requested $500,000 for their release.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide's Chief Operating Officer Scot Bower said the military must be strengthened to protect Christians and others in northern Nigeria.

"CSW extends its deepest condolences to the families of Abdulrahman Babagana, Darman Dungus, Joseph Prince, Ishaku Yakubu, and Luka Filibus. These cowardly executions constitute a gross violation of international law, and we condemn them in the strongest terms," he said.

"Once again a death cult that goes to the most appalling lengths to extort money and garner headlines has deprived the world of dedicated, courageous individuals who worked selflessly to assist vulnerable communities in a dangerous area.

"We urge the Nigerian government to adequately resource the military units serving in the north east of the country, enabling them to address the terrorist threat decisively, and to offer adequate protection for civilians."

Republished with permission from Christian Today
Midland County Judge Terry Johnson has started a petition to keep the name of Robert E. Lee High School.

Johnson started the petition after last nights school board meeting on a site called sign.moveon.org. As of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, he had 2,185 signatures.

The petition is addressed to the Midland school board and states save my history and that history is not for anyone to censor. To cave in to the current political correctness is to keep it going.

When asked about the petition, Johnson told the Reporter-Telegram in an email: I graduated from there in 73. Hate to see my history erased. Not mad just felt like I should allow others to have a voice along with me.

Johnson did not communicate with the newspaper in the weeks that the issue had been discussed in the community, as did Midland City Councilwoman Lori Blong, who contributed an opinion article. He also did not contact the school board last night to offer his opinion during the public hearing portion of the school board meeting. Also, the countys chief executive did not give Midland ISD board President Rick Davis any notice that he was starting his own petition

Davis, before the school board 6-1 vote to rename Robert E. Lee High School and Robert E. Lee Freshman High School, said the following about accusations of trying to erase history.

We do not have that power (to erase memories), Davis said during the meeting Monday night. There's nothing this school board can do that can erase the memories of the prior graduates -- the fond memories that they had and the special times they had. Nothing about this vote can erase those memories. But to ignore the origin of the naming of that school, to ignore the name of that school and just say, Well, let's not consider that as we consider this vote tonight, I would submit that those are the ones who are attempting to erase or ignore history. And those who want to change the name because of its history are the ones that are remembering it.
DRDO launches 'Dare to Dream 2.0' contest on A P J Abdul Kalam's death anniversary

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has launched its innovation contest Dare to Dream 2.0 on the fifth death anniversary of former President and noted scientist APJ Abdul Kalam.

Kalam, also known as Indias missile man, had the vision of self-reliance. The scheme is being launched for emerging technologies to promote innovation by individuals and startups in defence and aerospace technologies following the call of Atmanirbhar Bharat given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Dare to Dream 2.0 is an open challenge to all innovators and startups of the country. The winners will be decided after due evaluation by an expert committee. Award money, up to Rs10 lakh for startup and Rs5 lakh to individual category, will be given to the winners.

Kalam was a great humanitarian and a visionary who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007, taught students and achieved milestones as a scientist.

Dr Kalam passed away on 27 July 2015, while delivering a lecture to students at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong. But, he is still fondly remembered by the citizens of India as a source of inspiration.

In his words, "You have to dream before your dreams can come true."

On his death anniversary today, we look back at his contribution to the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and DRDO.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh expressed his happiness in announcing the contest for the Ignited Minds, whether innovators or startups. A defence ministry release said further information on the `Dare to dream 2.0 contest will be made available on DRDO website www.drdo.gov.in soon.
VANCOUVERMara Soriano has spent the last four days checking the alleys and dumpsters of Vancouvers West End, putting up posters and answering multitudes of emails and tweets, hoping shed find a stolen teddy bear that carries her late mothers voice.

And on Tuesday night, the Vancouver resident was successful.

Sitting in her apartment, surrounded by half-unpacked boxes, a smiling Soriano cuddled the brown bear returned hours earlier by two Good Samaritans, still wearing its red-and-white dress and white jacket.

Im not gonna lie I kind of buckled. As soon as I saw (him) pull her out of the bag my knees just buckled, she said in a Skype interview.

I just started sobbing and I grabbed her out of his hands and I couldnt let her go.

The bear was stolen Friday while Soriano was moving to a new apartment, and her social media plea for help went viral. Celebrities such as Ryan Reynolds and George Stroumboulopoulos each promised $5,000 rewards for its return.

Marilyn Soriano was diagnosed with cancer about 10 years ago when Mara was 18 years old.

Her mom gave her the bear in December 2017 and it included a voice recording made by Marilyn reminding Mara of the love between mother and daughter.

It was also a last memory of Marilyns voice because it changed as her cancer progressed.

It was much softer. The cancer had really eaten away at her and that bear was basically the last reminder of the mom that I knew  it was her voice that I remembered growing up, she said in an earlier interview.

After a year-and-a-half of treatment, Sorianos mom died last June.

Her mom had put the toy together at Build-A-Bear adding glasses and a jacket like the ones she used to wear, Soriano said.

The glasses werent returned but she said shes not worried and will ask Build-A-Bear for a similar pair.

It feels so surreal like I cant believe, I cant believe it, I cant  like Mama Bears home.

Soriano said she got an email around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night from someone who said they had the bear and wanted to return it to her.

She was skeptical, she said, because the man did not have many details, so she set up a safe meeting space with a member of the media present.

We just waited and lo and behold, the two kind Samaritans came, and they gave Mama Bear back.

The bear was kept in a bag and the Good Samaritans told her it hadnt been handled, she said.

She described the bear as being in perfect condition and smelling and feeling great.

Not a single scratch, not a single thread is off.

There was a little bit of bicycle grease on the bears jacket but nothing a little laundry cant fix, she said.

The Good Samaritans told Soriano they saw security footage she had posted online, recognized the person seen taking the backpack containing the bear and got it back from him, she said.

Mama Bear was lost last week as Soriano was moving to a new apartment and was interrupted by a call from a friend who had been hit by a car while on his way to help her. She rushed to his side but, amidst the panic and frazzled state forgot her backpack.

The friend is okay.

And while the bear is now back, Soriano lost an iPad with photos and video of her mother that hadnt been backed up.

I just wanted the bear. The bear is whats the most important part. She made it herself.

Soriano said her mother would have been super happy to hear of the great outcome but would also have reminded her to have faith.

I feel like she would have said I told you so.

When she gets married next summer, Soriano said the bear will have a special seat where her mom would have been.

But for the next few days, she said shes going to carry Mama Bear around.

Its hard to let it go. Im going to sleep with her tonight. Im going to show her the new apartment, its just been the wildest three hours, she said with a laugh. It literally just happened, and I still cant believe it.

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A sports ground along the Yangtze River was inundated in Wuhan in China's central Hubei Province on July 28, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Flood Peak Moves Along Chinas Yangtze River, as Water Reaches Dangerous Levels

The third peak of this years flooding season in China from heavy rainfall arrived on July 28 at the midstream region of the Yangtze River, which is nearly 4,000 miles long and runs across central and eastern parts of the country.

Water levels in Hunan Provinces Yueyang city rose above the alert level, meaning an embankment breach could occur at any time, officials said.

Meanwhile, Chinas largest lakes, the Dongting and Poyang, which are in the Yangtze Rivers drainage area, and the 620-mile-long Huai River, have been above the alert stage for days.

While large swaths of the country have experienced historic flooding since early June, the regimes top officials have been conspicuously absent. No high-level official has yet visited the disaster areas, as their predecessors did to put a positive spin of the governments disaster relief efforts.

Officials warned on July 29 that heavy rain would hit northern China and might spark heavy flooding by the Hai, Yellow, and Songhuajiang rivers. Since northern China doesnt typically experience flooding, residents of northern and northeastern China, especially those living in the drainage areas of the Yellow and Huai rivers, were asked by authorities to make emergency preparations in case of a disaster.

As of July 29, authorities said that millions from 27 Chinese provinces have been affected by flooding since June, including 158 people dead or missing, while 3.76 million people have been left homeless.

In recent weeks, authorities in some parts of central China discharged excess rainwater accumulating in rivers and reservoirs into rural areas, in order to protect cities from being inundated by floodwatersoften without giving advance notice, locals told The Epoch Times.

In such cases, its difficult to assess the true damage and number of casualties.

The emergency response ministry also hosted a seminar on July 29, urging local governments in the Yangtze and Huai river drainage areas to ensure the safety of local dams.

After heavy water intake for weeks, the dams face the perils of landslides, caving in, water rushing out of pipes, and collapse.

To ensure their structural integrity, the ministry instructed governments to arrange for people to patrol the dams 24 hours a day.

Yangtze River

At 8 p.m. on July 27, the third peak of flooding arrived at Chinas largest hydroelectric project, the Three Gorges Dam. Since then, the water level of the Three Gorges Reservoir has been rising, according to state-run newspaper Changjiang Daily.

By late on July 29, the peak of the flooding passed the area of the dam, and moved to the midstream region of the Yangtze. With that, the metropolis of Chongqing, located upstream, announced that ships could operate again, after the city had banned all ships from the river on July 26 due to rising water levels.

While Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province and located midstream of the Yangtze, reported higher river levels, the peak of flooding hadnt arrived as of late July 29.

Meanwhile, a surge in water level on the Han River, which drains into the Yangtze in Wuhan, could cause the Yangtze to overflow there, the Yangtze River commission within the Water Resources Ministry said.

Chinas National Meteorological Center is forecasting that the Yangtze Rivers upstream region in Sichuan Province, as well as the rivers midstream in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, would be hit by heavy rainfall again in the next 24 hours.

The center then issued an alert that eastern and southern Sichuan, southwestern Jiangxi, and southeastern Hunan could be faced with mudslides.

With the rivers located both midstream and downstream of the Yangtze reporting that they have topped alert levels, additional heavy rain and a third peak of flooding could leave these areas susceptible to severe flooding.
One year since the abrogation of Article 370 and sundering of the state, Kashmir remains deep in mourning

Critics say that on August 5 last year, the government ventured on the path of disowning and un-winning Kashmir. PTI Photo

Srinagar: Nearly a year since the dismembering and disempowering of Jammu & Kashmir, the mainstream political parties have been reduced to a state of limbo.

Though most of the leaders who were taken into preventive custody around August 5, 2019 and subsequently detained formally under the Public Safety Act (PSA) have now been freed, many of them are under duress not to speak up.

On the whole, political activities by mainstream parties--excluding the BJP--have come to a complete halt.

Only a couple of key faces of J&K politics are active on Twitter but even there they behave like obedient children, as described by a critic.

The leaders themselves blame the central government and its local facilitators for their waning influence and the disarray in their parties. They say the government has through its harsh steps left no political space for them.

They insist that the imposition of a vacuum in J&K politics is a calculated stratagem of the BJP.

By pulverising the democratic space and criminalising dissent, they are brazenly taking pride in destroying every institution of democracy to further their fascist agenda, said a senior leader of the PDP.

That coming from a former coalition partner of the saffron party in the J&K government may be pooh-poohed by many as tongue-in-cheek, but there is no denying the fact that arbitrary incarceration of leaders of every hue after the abrogation of Article 370 and splitting the state up into two Union Territories definitely contributed to a stifling of J&Ks political parties.

Yet amidst all this, a deliberate attempt is being made to carve out some political space for select people and parties that are willing to toe the line of the dispensation at the Centre.

Some local political observers say this policy of containment to keep political parties other than the BJP and its myrmidon away from the people does not augur well for Indias interests in Jamu & Kashmir, notwithstanding the Narendra Modi governments claims to the contrary.

Senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar lamented, Delhi has decimated decades of our investment in peace and democracy. At the cost of mere political gains for one party, all norms of democratic society have been infringed upon.

Critics say that on August 5 last year, the government ventured on the path of disowning and un-winning Kashmir.

By seeing Kashmir through a religious and civilisational prism they want to win Hindus voters in the rest of the country by disowning and fighting people of J&K, one of them alleged.

Srinagar resident Abdul Majeed Shah bemoaned, The die has been cast, the script is clear. Delhi wants to infuse a sense of fear in and defeat every Kashmiri.

Naeem Akhtar admitted that the mainstream is in total disarray and shock, and Kashmir is still in mourning. For many of us its a long fight for survival and dignity in a newly demonetised democracy, he said.
A new Netflix phishing scam has come into light that attempts to steal your personal and credit card information. Phishing attack remains undetected by email security systems

A new Netflix phishing scam has come into light that attempts to steal your personal and credit card information. Moreover, the phishing email is able to bypass mail security measures in place to block such scams in the first place. This new Netflix Credential Phishing attack was first discovered by Armorblox researchers, which is a cloud office security platform.

In a blog post, the researchers report that they identified a targeted phishing attack that disguised itself to resemble like Netflix Support. The emails sent to Netflix customers are designed to look like a billing failure message which redirects to a fake Netflix website. This credential Phishing attack works a lot on social engineering, in which the victim is made to believe they are at fault. In this case, the phishing email required the users to update their information on Netflix within 24 hours, pending which their subscription stands cancelled.

Netflix phishing scam: How does it work?

An attacker sends a phishing email that has been designed in a way to elicit an immediate response from the user. The aim of this email is to take the user to the Netflix lookalike website where the user willingly submits their login credentials, billing address and credit card details. Once these details are successfully recorded, the victim gets a notification prompt saying Success and redirects them to the Netflix login page.

The email has been disguised as a Notice of verification failure which gives it that authenticity that the user prioritizes their attention to the mail. This is also the reason why it remains undetected by email security such as Office 365 Exchange Online Protection as it doesnt look like a fake email.

Once the user clicks on the link, it redirects to a captcha page thats made to look like Netflix with the brands black and red colours. The report also notes that all the pages of this website are hosted on legitimate domains and hence security measures in place are unable to detect it in time. The user is then prompted to Sign In for collecting their login data, followed by prompts to fill billing address and payment details. These three steps ensure that the attackers get the victims Netflix login credentials, address and credit card details, leaving the user susceptible to more financial harm.

This Netflix scam banks on the user's inability to look past the superficial construct of the landing website which is hosted on a different URL than Netflix. To protect yourself against such scams, ensure that you click on a link in an email only after verifying the redirection link and keeping a tab on URLs that come from unknown emails.
Just three days before an Atlanta mother allegedly killed her infant daughter by ramming the car the baby was in with her SUV, the 21-year-old woman had snatched the three-month-old from a doctor's office.

Titayanna Phillips, who has a history of mental illness, has been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault in connection to Monday's crash, which took the life of her daughter, Khy'undra Henderson.

Her ex-boyfriend and the baby's biological father, Undra Henderson, was injured in the crash.

Police said Henderson, 27, had just placed his daughter in his car and was driving away from a location in northwest Atlanta when Phillips rear-ended his car with her SUV several times around 7pm.

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Titayanna Phillips, 21 (left), has been charged with murder and aggravated assault for allegedly causing the death of her baby daughter, Khy'undra Henderson (right), by ramming her SUV into the car her infant was in on Monday

Police say the baby's father, Undra Henderson, had placed Khy'undra in his Honda sedan (pictured) and was driving away when Phillips intentionally rammed the vehicle with hers

Phillips, 21, allegedly used her SUV (pictured) to strike the Honda several times

Henderson lost control of his vehicle on impact and smashed into a telephone pole. When officers arrived, first responders had to pry the injured occupants out of the smoking vehicle using Jaws of Life.

Neighbor Tarangela Jones, who witnessed the chaotic scene, told WSB-TV that Phillips stood by after the crash and made a phone call.

Jones said she heard Phillips screaming, 'I told him that I'd kill him'.

According to the neighbor, the mother also said: 'Can you all get my baby out of the car? Thats my baby in the backseat.'

Baby Khy'undra was rushed to a hospital, where she died of her injuries. Her father was listed in stable condition on Tuesday.

Police have yet to determine a motive behind Monday's attack, but it has emerged that Phillips had a history of mental illness and had no legal custody of her daughter

The critically injured baby girl was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Henderson, 27, was hospitalized in stable condition

Police records obtained by Atlanta Journal Constitution indicated that Phillips had gotten in trouble with the law on at least two separate occasions in the last four weeks.

She was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct in late June, after Henderson accused her of attacking him and forcing him to jump from a staircase during an argument at her home on Eason Street.

On July 24, police were called to a medical office where staff reported that Phillips, who had arrived at the location with Henderson and their child for a medical appointment, had removed Khy'undra from an examination room and drove off with the infant.

Police contacted Phillip and 'pleaded' with her to return the baby to the doctor's office, which she eventually did. According to the report, Khy'undra was not harmed in that incident.

The report also stated that the 21-year-old had an open case with the Division of Family and Children Services, which referenced Phillips' 'numerous current mental and physical health issues.'

According to police, a preliminary investigation has revealed that at around 7pm on Monday, Henderson placed his daughter inside his Honda sedan and was driving away when Phillips raced after them.

The woman then allegedly used her black SUV to ram Henderson's sedan multiple times, which caused the man to lose control of his car and crash into a telephone pole, reported WSB-TV.

When police officers arrived on the scene, they found baby Khy'undra and her father trapped inside his mangled car.

The critically injured infant was rushed to a hospital, where she later died. Her father also suffered injured but survived.

Henderson commented on the fatal crash on Facebook early Tuesday morning, writing: Um blessed to be alive but without khy'undra this sht don't even matter.
Egypt has executed seven people over the killing of a police officer in the northeastern city of Ismailiya in 2013, a security official said Tuesday.

"The prison service on Tuesday carried out the sentence of death by hanging against seven people convicted of killing Captain Ahmad Abu Douma," the security official told AFP.

Their bodies had been handed to their families, he added.

Abu Douma had been on patrol in Ismailiya, close to the Suez Canal, when he came under fire by unidentified gunmen on a motorbike and in a car, who seized his weapon.

An appeals court had in November 2018 rejected an appeal against the sentence.

Egypt has been plagued by unrest since the 2011 overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak.

Jihadist groups particularly active in the Sinai peninsula have carried out attacks across the country, many targeting police and security forces.
By Nathan Layne and Gabriella Borter

(Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday it would send dozens of law enforcement officers to Cleveland, Milwaukee and Detroit to fight violent crime, expanding the deployment of federal agents to major cities under a program promoted by President Donald Trump.

The move follows similar deployments to Chicago, Kansas City, Missouri; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, under what is known as Operation Legend, an initiative launched to address rising crime in some cities as unrest swept the nation after George Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.

The operation's expansion includes sending 42 federal agents to Detroit and more than 25 to both Milwaukee and Cleveland, according to the Department of Justice. The agents will come from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Task Force.

In testimony before Congress on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr stressed that Operation Legend was aimed at "predatory violence like murder and shootings" and was distinct from the controversial deployment of unidentified federal agents to counter protesters in Portland, Oregon.

Matthew Schneider, the chief federal prosecutor in the part of Michigan that includes Detroit, told a briefing there would be "no federal troops" deployed to his state to interfere with peaceful protests.

"Operation Legend isn't about protests or politics," he said.

Homicides are nearly 31 percent higher in Detroit, up more than 13 percent in Cleveland, and have risen by 85 percent in Milwaukee this year compared with 2019, the Justice Department said.

Trump, a Republican, has sought to promote a law-and-order message ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election, targeting cities controlled by Democrats. Critics say the administration is seeking to divert attention away from its widely criticized response to the coronavirus pandemic, one of the reasons he is trailing Democratic challenger Joe Biden in opinion polls.

Story continues

On Monday six mayors, all Democrats, urged Congress in a letter to halt the deployment of federal forces to their cities, saying it has escalated tensions at anti-racism protests ignited by the death of Floyd, who was Black.

The mayors of Portland, Oregon; Chicago; Seattle, Albuquerque; Kansas City; and Washington signed the letter.

At the same time, Chicago and Detroit's mayors have indicated they would welcome federal help to investigate and prosecute violent crimes as long as the operation does not resemble that in Portland. In the Oregon city, federal agents without identifying badges have been accused of pulling protesters into unmarked vans, a possible violation of their civil rights.

(Reporting by Gabriella Borter in New York and Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; Editing by Chris Reese and Jonathan Oatis)
HOUSTON, July 29, 2020 /PR Newswire/ -- MetOx Technologies announces the addition of two outstanding executives to its senior management team: Nagaraja Shashidhar, SVP Strategy, and Richard Booher, SVP Operations. These additions complete a world-class team that's bringing large scale commercial high temperature superconducting wire (HTS) manufacturing to Houston

Rich Booher, SVP Operations MetOx Nagaraja Shashidhar, SVP Strategy MetOx

Nagaraja Shashidhar, Ph.D. (Shashi) joins MetOx after 19 years at Corning where he was involved in the development of materials-based business and products. He was instrumental in the development and early growth of the Gorilla glass business for Corning, helping global customers solve adoption issues and design Gorilla glass into their smart phones.

"Shashi brings a depth of industry insight and knowledge on the intricacies of scaling manufacturing from product, process and market perspectives. He also has a wealth of experience with developing product adoption chains and application engineering," said MetOx President John Kermath, "We are thrilled to have him lead our product strategy division."

Richard Booher has more than 30 years' experience leading manufacturing organizations in all phases of development. Prior to joining MetOx, Rich led manufacturing operations for Petroleum Refining Catalysts, Silane and Polysilicon. Working as the project manager for technology development, deployment and optimization, Rich has led execution of large scale domestic and international projects with most recent assignments in South Korea and China. He employs a focused approach to drive daily improvements in safety, quality, delivery and cost.

"Rich's world class manufacturing excellence experience combined with his business transformation and organizational development experience positions him to lead the large-scale manufacturing of commercial HTS wire," said CEO, Jim Jewitt. "We welcome his leadership of MetOx's operations team."

MetOx is positioned to become the leading global manufacturer of scalable and cost-effective high temperature superconducting wire (HTS). HTS will enable advanced applications enhancing electric grids, clean power generation, mass transportation, and medical devices.

For more information, please contact Naomi Le Bihan at [email protected] or (403) 477-1441. Find full information on our website at: www.metoxtech.com

Connect to MetOX on LinkedIn

Power of Possibilities

SOURCE MetOx Technologies LLC

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Mumbai based content production studio, The Goodfellas Studio launched a first of its kind India Content Production Status Map recently. The tool offers comprehensive information to track content production capabilities and limitations across 22 states and 37 regions in India affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Marketers, brands, agencies, individual content creators and production houses can use the map (www.goodfellas.studio/covid19 ) to identify prevalent guidelines and SOPs across states in India to help them take necessary production decisions. The map gathers data from creators across the country and verifies the same against key news and prevalent Government guidelines and sources. The inspiration & the methodology behind this tool have come from the Global Production Status Map created by global creative production platform, Genero.

The free tool effectively breaks down production capabilities across regions in 4 parameters: Post-production and studio production shoots, Small scale studio production with talent, medium scale production with restrictions and full-scale production possibilities with SOP guidelines to be followed.

The tool not only helps creators make better production decisions but also gives an exposure to locations outside the regular go-to cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi & Bengaluru known for high production and ease of creation capabilities. According to the tool, as of today, states like Kerala, Himachal Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh are more shoot ready than other regions.

Commenting on the development, Co-founder, Goodfellas Studio, Ridhesh Sejpal said, This tool provides marketers and creators with up-to-date information on the level of production possible across different regions in our country. The Covid-19 guidelines and SOPS are extremely decentralized in India. The virus spread is continuously fluctuating and so are the guidelines in different states. This makes it extremely confusing to keep track of the lockdown guidelines on a day-to-day basis. We endeavour to get all the information in one place and keep it up to date for our fraternity as much as possible. Creators and marketers are clueless about where they can shoot and to what extent. So something like this helps bridge the knowledge gap and also guides the creators to the right region!

Click here to view the map: http://www.goodfellas.studio/ covid19
The company that owned a Cleveland, Ohio, bowling alley has settled part of a lawsuit brought by the family of a man who was fatally shot there by an off-duty police officer in 2018.

Court documents show the company that owned Corner Alley Uptown, which has since closed, reached an agreement with Thomas Yatskos parents on July 14 to end part of their lawsuit connected to their sons death. If approved, the company will pay Yatskos parents $1.2 million, Cleveland.com reported.

Yatsko, 21, got into a fight with a friend inside the bowling alley on Jan. 13, 2018, when off-duty Sgt. Dean Graziolli was working as a security guard there. Yatsko then fought with Graziolli outside, punching him in the face multiple times. Garziolli pulled his gun and shot Yatsko twice. He died a short time later.

His parents, Melissa Yatsko and Darian Allen, sued the company, the officer and the Cleveland police department, alleging that Graziolli used excessive force and failed to provide medical care to their son.

The settlement would end part of Yatskos parents lawsuit. Their complaints against the Cleveland police and the officer are ongoing.

A grand jury declined to indict Graziolli on criminal charges. Cleveland police say they will wait until all legal proceedings have ended before determining whether they will discipline the officer.

At the time of the shooting, the Cleveland police department was operating under a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice and had just introduced a new policy to deescalate confrontations.

The policy also mandated officers to carry less-than-lethal weapons, which Graziolli was not on the night of the fatal shooting.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement Ohio
A Washington, D.C., National Guard major on Tuesday offered lawmakers his view of the controversial use of military helicopters that allegedly flew dangerously low over crowds of protesters June 1.

The Pentagon has yet to release the findings of an investigation launched after Army UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopters with medical markings flew low enough to kick up debris on demonstrators who were defying the District's 7 p.m. curfew, videos taken by those on the ground show.

Read Next: Lawmakers Grill Guard Officer on Claims Police Used Excessive Force on DC Protesters

Lawmakers from the House Committee on Natural Resources questioned D.C. National Guard Maj. Adam DeMarco about the helicopter incident during a hearing to discuss the events surrounding a June 1 clearing operation that involved U.S. Park Police launching tear gas and pepper balls at crowds of demonstrators roughly 25 minutes before a 7 p.m. curfew.

"Do you know anything about Army helicopters hovering low over Washington, D.C., relating to the event on June 1?" asked Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-California.

DeMarco said he was "informed by Park Police that there [would] be low-flying military helicopters in our area of operations."

"Shortly thereafter, I observed the first UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flying north of my position, which was, at that point, 16th and I Street," he added. "I observed the helicopter had no distinctive markings on it; however, the doors were open when I made that observation. I then assumed it was a public affairs helicopter going around taking photos of our response in support of the United States Park Police."

Later that evening, "I then heard radio transmissions over the radio -- the D.C. National Guard internal communications network -- that there was a low-flying helicopter in the vicinity of 15th Street and F Street, which is near Chinatown," DeMarco said. "The transmissions that I was receiving was that there was a low-flying helicopter and it was making the pepper spray of the D.C. Metro Police Department ineffective.

"I kept hearing this over the radio. ... I then called over to D.C. Armory operations center and spoke to an officer there and asked him if he had any information as to what was happening," he added.

DeMarco said he told the officer about "the report that I had heard. He then communicated with someone in the operations center, and I hung up the phone, and that was the last I heard of it."

On June 7, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters that he had authorized the Guard to use helicopters to "observe and report" on demonstrations in the city but would not comment further while the incident is under investigation.

Maj. Gen. William Walker, commander of the D.C. National Guard, told reporters during the same press briefing that "there was no order" given for helicopters to fly low "to disperse the crowd."

DeMarco told lawmakers, "Later reporting indicates that one of the helicopters flying in the vicinity of 15 Street and F Street had a medical red cross designation on it."

"Do helicopters, when they fly this low, is that an intimidation maneuver?" Lowenthal asked.

DeMarco said he was not a pilot, "and my aviation experience is very limited, so I can't speak to the tactics, techniques and procedures of our aviation assets and pilots."

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Arizona, asked DeMarco whether it made sense to use the helicopters for observation purposes.

"Wouldn't that be a smart and intelligent application to find out how things are moving from the sky?" Gosar asked. "Because you are kind of blinded on the ground, aren't you?"

DeMarco agreed that the "use of aviation assets for aerial observations would give you a different lens to look at the mission."

But he didn't concur when Gosar pushed him on two occasions to say "it would make it more effective."

"There is nothing more effective than the on-the-ground truth from the incident commanders or commanders," DeMarco said.

Gosar disagreed. "Oh no, no, no, no. You want to make sure you see all the things happening as they are working, and you can't see that from your perspective on the ground," he said, adding that it is not possible to have a 360-degree field of view on the ground.

"You don't know what front is moving, what front is retreating. You don't know any of that; that is why air power, I mean, air traffic is very good. I mean we use it for everyday life in cities for traffic control, do we not?" Gosar continued.

DeMarco said he had to "respectfully disagree."

"From my time overseas in combat zones, there is nothing more important than the sensors on the ground, which are our young men and women in uniform," said DeMarco, a veteran of combat in Iraq.

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia, told DeMarco that his top constituent complaint is helicopter noise.

"I am trying to think in the 70 years I have lived in and around Washington -- the inaugurations ... lots and lots and lots of marches and demonstrations, of any other time unmarked, low-flying helicopters were used," Beyer said. "Can you remember any other time?"

"No, sir," DeMarco answered.

"Nor can I," Beyer said, "which is why I think it was so upsetting to so many people to have these things that ... suggested that we were in Afghanistan rather than downtown Washington, D.C."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Related: Thousands of Guard Troops Pull Out of DC as Peaceful Protests Continue
Campus News

UB PhD student wins AAUW fellowship

Gabriella Nassif (inset) will seek to partner with community organizations to learn about and document the experiences of women hired to work in Lebanese households.

By CHARLOTTE HSU

The only thing keeping many families in Lebanon going during COVID-19 is these migrant domestic workers. Some have masks, and some dont, but theyre still going out, whether it be to buy groceries, walk their employers dogs, or to fill prescriptions at the pharmacy. 

The global pandemic has revealed how some of the worlds most vulnerable workers are also among the most essential.

One example: migrant domestic workers, who are hired to complete household labor such as cooking, cleaning, child care and grocery shopping, says Gabriella Nassif, a UB PhD candidate. Through her dissertation research, Nassif will seek to partner with current and former migrant domestic workers in Lebanon to document and understand their experiences both during and prior to COVID-19.

The work these women do is often undervalued, leaving them marginalized, with low pay, minimal benefits and limited job security, Nassif says.

And yet, she adds, the only thing keeping many families in Lebanon going during COVID-19 is these migrant domestic workers. Some have masks, and some dont, but theyre still going out, whether it be to buy groceries, walk their employers dogs, or to fill prescriptions at the pharmacy. Theyre in the streets while everyone else is safely tucked away in their homes. Its shocking to see.

Nassif  a student in the Department of Global Gender and Sexuality Studies, College of Arts and Sciences  has received a $20,000 Dissertation Fellowship from the American Association of University Women to complete her PhD research.

Her focus will be on women who have traveled from Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines and other countries to work in Lebanese households. She hopes to connect with these workers through community organizations that support and advocate for migrant domestic workers in Beirut, Lebanons capital and largest city.

Through interviews and other research, Nassifs dissertation will examine such questions as how perceptions of gender and race shape the way communities in Lebanon view and value domestic labor. Even before COVID-19, the situation of Lebanons migrant domestic workers had been growing ever-more perilous as the nation entered its worst economic crisis in decades.

You have just this super, super precarious and marginalized existence for these women in Lebanon, and I wanted to learn more about their lives and their relationship with Lebanese society, Nassif says. For much of the Middle East, theres a dearth of data on women and labor. Globally, research on migrant domestic workers tends to focus overwhelmingly on women who migrate from the Global South to what are traditionally known as developed countries, like in Europe and North America.

Nassif, who grew up in Shorewood, Wisconsin, holds both U.S. and Lebanese citizenship. Her father is from Lebanon, and as a child she used to take summer trips there with her family.

Today, Nassif splits time between Buffalo and Beirut. In Lebanon, she has worked for the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University, and as an independent research consultant to various United Nations organizations, with a focus on gender in development and humanitarian programming.
This is exactly and undoubtedly an act of aerial terrorism, Irans President Hassan Rouhani said in condemnation of the US interception of an Iranian Airbus A-310 passenger jet that was flying over Syrian airspace last week.

In a strongly worded televised speech July 29, Rouhani added that the United States must be treated as a terrorist state because it harassed passengers on board the plane. He urged a reaction from the UN Security Council and the International Civil Aviation Organization against the mischievous and unacceptable move.

In its own version of the events, the US Central Command has said two of its F-15 fighter jets conducted a standard visual inspection from a safe distance of the plane that belonged to Mahan Air, an airline linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Minutes into the incident, Irans state television reported that several passengers on the Beirut-bound flight had been injured as the pilot had to drop altitude by conducting a sudden safety nosedive to avoid the two warplanes.

Starting in 2011, the US Treasury has slapped Mahan Air with multiple sanctions over its perceived secret operations assisting the IRGC with weapons smuggling and troops deployment to Syria, a charge that the airline has repeatedly denied.

However, last month a bombshell account by Amir Assadollahi, a Mahan Air pilot, once again brought to fore questions of the companys involvement in Irans regional activities and its covert services to the IRGCs overseas command, known as the Quds Force.

The conservative outlet that interviewed Assadollahi, Razmandegan-e-Eslam, has taken off the content but it remains available via other sources, which republished it. The pilot detailed a dramatic situation from 2013, when he was carrying seven tons of illegal cargo and 200 passengers, among them IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani. En route to Syria, Assadollahi claims, the plane was forced by the US military to land for inspection in Baghdad. The pilot said that he advised the commander to stay in the cabin disguised as a flight engineer, hence skipping the face scans, to prevent Soleimani from being recognized and detained. The pilot further relates that using US dollars, he bribed Iraqi agents into ignoring an inspection of the illegal cargo before he resumed the journey and landed safely in Damascus. The account, nevertheless, prompted a statement from Mahan Air, which described it as a fabricated illusion. (Nearly seven years after the alleged incident, the United States killed Soleimani with a drone strike at the Baghdad airport).

During his Cabinet address, Rouhani also noted that the US threats against Iranian passengers in the skies have not been without a precedent. He dug into the past, referring to the 1988 downing of Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf waters by the US Navy cruiser Vincennes. None of the 290 people on board the plane survived the US strike.

The Islamic Republic itself shot down a passenger aircraft with at least two surface-to-air missiles in January in what it officially blamed on a human error at the hands of battery operators in an IRGC-run air defense base outside the capital Tehran; 176 passengers and crew on the Kiev-bound flight operated by Ukraine International Airlines died in the missile fire.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 11:18:20|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has waged a whole-of-nation "people's war" against the virus.

Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, the country has put people's lives and health first, fully demonstrating its people-centered philosophy.

ALL-OUT WAR

The COVID-19 epidemic is the fastest spreading, most extensive and most challenging public health emergency the country has encountered since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Closing outbound traffic from Wuhan, the virus-ravaged city in central China's Hubei Province, on Jan. 23 was a crucial step to stem the spread of the virus.

The "lockdown" of Wuhan, with a population of more than 10 million, along with emergency response measures elsewhere helped reduce about 700,000 infections in China, according to the analysis of 15 leading global research institutes.

The dispatch of medical supplies and medical teams to Hubei soon began.

A total of 346 medical teams and 42,600 medical workers were sent to Hubei, including the teams led by China's top 10 academicians and nearly one-tenth of the country's best intensive care doctors and nurses.

The country's best medical resources were pooled together to save lives. Medical bills for hospitalized COVID-19 patients were all covered by medical insurance and fiscal funds.

"The collectivist concept of human rights, rooted in traditional Chinese culture, is an important reason for the effectiveness of the epidemic prevention and control measures," said Liu Huawen, executive director of the institute of human rights studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Fu Zitang, president of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, said China has put life above all else in the fight and taken extraordinary measures, securing major strategic achievements in containing COVID-19.

"The all-out war against COVID-19 safeguards human rights," said Fu, also vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies.

SECURING PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT

While containing the epidemic, China has taken steps to restore a sense of normalcy in everyday life as ensuring people's employment, livelihood and education are key to safeguarding their right to development.

Companies were relieved of social security contributions totaling over 340 billion yuan (48.6 billion U.S. dollars) between February and April. Subsidies of 46.5 billion yuan were given to 3.45 million companies to help them tide over difficulties and reduce layoffs.

China fights the virus as it fights poverty. Wiping out absolute poverty is an important aspect of promoting human rights.

China aims to lift all rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty in 2020. The anti-poverty fight is advancing with concrete progress across the country.

China is expected to reach the poverty reduction goal set by the United Nations in its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a decade ahead of schedule.

On education, the government has pushed schools to offer online courses during the epidemic and offered help for students in need to ensure no one is left behind.

VARIOUS RIGHTS PROTECTED

During the COVID-19 fight, China has not neglected the rights of people with disabilities.

The National Health Commission has been helping the disabled get more information and better services.

Subsidies and supportive policies were issued to people with financial difficulties.

The people's right to oversight is guaranteed as the government has launched an online platform to collect people's complaints on problems they find in local epidemic control efforts.

Starting in late January, press conferences were regularly held by the State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism against COVID-19 to keep the people informed on issues such as patient treatment, the allocation of supplies, the resumption of work and production as well as the reopening of schools.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ENHANCED

In June, the United Nations Human Rights Council again adopted a resolution China submitted on human rights cooperation.

The resolution calls for fostering a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice and mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as building a community with a shared future for mankind. All countries are urged to undertake genuine dialogue and cooperation in the field of human rights, and share valuable practices and experience in promoting and protecting human rights.

As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world, more and more countries have come to recognize the importance of sticking together through thick and thin, as exemplified by what China has done.

China promptly reported information on COVID-19 to the World Health Organization and released the genome sequence at the earliest possible time, and carried out international cooperation among epidemic prevention and control experts in a timely manner.

China bought precious time for the rest of the world, living up to its status as a responsible major country.

More than 170 countries and over 40 international and regional organizations expressed sympathy and support for China.

Adhering to the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and the spirit of international humanitarianism, China has fought shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world.

By late May, China had shared its diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control solutions with over 180 countries and more than 10 international and regional organizations, sent medical teams to countries in need and provided emergency aid to nearly 150 countries and four international organizations.

China, as a responsible major country, will stay committed to safeguarding various rights of the people and continuously promoting the healthy development of the human rights cause. Enditem
London's Heathrow airport on Wednesday urged the government to create a coronavirus testing programme for travellers to replace quarantines, as it announced more than a billion pounds in losses in 2020.

The air hub, usually the busiest in Europe, said it had recorded a pre-tax loss of 1.1 billion ($1.4 billion, 1.2 billion euros) in the first six months of the year, as the pandemic decimates the aviation sector.

Revenues halved year-on-year while passenger numbers dropped 96 percent in the second quarter, as air travel came to a virtual standstill due to COVID-19 lockdowns around the world, it said.

"Today's results should serve as a clarion call for the government -- the UK needs a passenger testing regime and fast," chief executive John Holland-Kaye said in a statement.

"Without it, Britain is just playing a game of quarantine roulette."

Heathrow has been among the critics of the British government's controversial weekend decision to quarantine all travellers arriving from Spain, following a recent spike in virus cases there.

It follows the introduction earlier this month of a so-called traffic light quarantine system, in which passengers from countries deemed high-risk are ordered to self-isolate for 14 days.

Critics would like the UK to follow the lead of countries like France and Germany and screen passengers from such places.

"Testing offers a way to safely open up travel and trade to some of the UK's biggest markets which currently remain closed," Holland-Kaye added.

"Our European competitors are racing ahead with passenger testing, if the UK doesn't act soon global Britain will be nothing more than a campaign slogan."

- 'Swift and decisive' -

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended the latest quarantine moves, warning "swift and decisive" action was needed as Europe sees a "second wave" of the virus.

Officials are thought to be weary of an airport testing system because they fear it will miss people who have contracted the virus but are yet to display symptoms.

Heathrow -- which is owned by a consortium led by Spanish construction giant Ferrovial -- said it expects a gradual recovery in air travel but that passenger volumes would still be more than 60 percent down on last year.

In response the hub has cut its operating costs by at least 300 million and cancelled or paused over 650 million in projects.

The airport, which directly employs 7,000 staff, has already begun voluntary redundancies and reduced its management by a third.

Around 76,000 people work at Heathrow, employed by approximately 400 companies, including airlines.

Meanwhile, its controversial plan to build a third runway is on-hold for at least two years amid an ongoing legal battle.

Environmental campaigners in February won a court case arguing that the government had failed to take into account its own climate change commitments in the decision.

Heathrow has appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.
Hundreds of Virgin Media were today left unable to connect to the internet when the network provider suffered yet another outage.

Social media users have written to the broadband provider to complain of days of what they say is intermittent cuts to their service.

But the Downdetector website recorded more than 700 complaints across the UK on Wednesday morning.

The graph from outage website Down Detector shows a spike in complaints at about 8.30am

Reports of internet outages died down around lunch time as this graph snapped at 4pm shows

Virgin Media lockdown outage report timeline May 2 - 1,000 complaints in London May 5 - 700 complaints across UK May 13 - 1,000 complains in Midlands June 25 - 9,000 complaints across UK July 6 - 1,000 complaints in Midlands July 23 - 500 complaints in Midlands July 28 - 400 complaints across UK July 29 - 700 complaints across UK Advertisement

Despite the high number of reported problems, a Virgin Media spokesperson said: 'Down Detector is not an accurate representation of our network status.

'There are no widespread or major issues with our broadband, TV or mobile connectivity.

'We're aware of a technical problem affecting the 'My Virgin Media' portal, this will impact access to Virgin Media account information, our email service and related apps.

'This will not affect connectivity relating to broadband, mobile or TV services. A fix is being worked on and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.'

Virgin Media has since told MailOnline the technical problem affecting the 'My Virgin Media' portal has now been fixed.

The company says less than 1 per cent of their customer base tried to use the service in the time it was down and this issue had no impact on their connectivity services.

The spokesman added that Down Detector was not an accurate way to measure internet outages and the Virgin Media network.

Most complaints were recorded in Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester, London, Leeds and Preston.

A high number of customers in Portsmouth, Norwich and Peterborough have also reported problems.

More than 250 people reported cuts to their services at 1am on Wednesday, before another spike at 8.30am with an estimated 718 complaints.

The telecoms firm has been plagued with outages recently as millions of Brits continue to work from home.

Yesterday, more than 400 Virgin Media customers complained of being unable to connect to the internet, peaking shortly after midnight.

On July 23, more than 500 people complained of internet outage at about 1.30pm with a concentration of reports in London and Birmingham.

Customers took to social media to complain about the service this morning.

One user wrote: 'The Virgin Media network has been seriously unstable these past few months, often going down for hours at a time.

'I've started looking into getting a failover connection.'

Another user added: 'Virgin Media can you please just admit that you have not done anything to make sure your network can handle the influx of people using it.

'Every morning it goes down without fail while everyone's logging on from home.'

Lucy Smith said: 'Yet again Virgin Media is down in Birmingham and most of the UK, wonder what excuse will be used this time.

'People working from home trying to keep their jobs and they have this to contend with. Disappointing service.'

Virgin Media customers took to social media to voice their frustration about lack of service

This is just the latest report of issues with the Virgin Media service.

On July 6, thousands of users were left without internet for more than two hours with a high concentration of complaints in Nottingham and London.

The majority of complaints, around 77 per cent, focused on connectivity problems via cable internet.

One tweeted: 'Hmmm @virginmedia down again. Surprise surprise'.

Another said: '@virginmedia having constant issues with WiFi dropping out while trying to work home.

'Have checked online and states everything is working fine, but it isn't. In Birmingham'.

Dan Howdle, consumer telecoms analyst at UK broadband and mobile comparison site Cable.co.uk, told MailOnline: 'While the lockdown period has certainly seen increased demand for data via home broadband connections, thus far UK networks have fared extremely well.

This Down Detector map shows where the highest concentration of complaints are in the UK

'Today's reported outages on the Virgin Media network are unfortunate, but it is not yet clear as to the exact cause.

'It should be noted that historically Virgin Media is swift to address such problems and users should not expect extended outages or issues.

'In the meantime, during this hiccup, it is worth remembering that most households will still have connection to the internet via their mobile phones.

'Those wishing to connect other devices can use their mobile as a WIFI hotspot.

'If your intention is video streaming or another data-intensive activity, however, users should be aware that it is possible to quickly hit their mobile contract data limit, unless of course it is unlimited.'

On June 25, Virgin Media broadband went down for more than six hours in London.

Enraged customers took to social media to vent their frustration, saying they had lessons to teach, digital courts to attend, exams to do, and Zoom meetings scheduled.

Internet connection issues were first reported at 9.30am in London, with users also reporting outages in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and other areas, according to the website Downdetector.co.uk.

A Virgin Media spokesman added: 'Virgin Media's network has performed well during lockdown, capacity and demand has not been an issue at all.'

He added that most of the incidents reported were small and unrelated and therefore did not reflect the 'reality' of the situation.

Earlier this month, Ofcom, which regulates the UK's communications industry, said it had been in contact with Virgin to establish the cause of the problem, and was working with them to 'ensure customers can access web services as soon as possible'.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 19:48:28|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Central Bank of Lebanon announced on Wednesday the launching of Cedar Oxygen, a 175-million-U.S. dollars independent Trade Finance Impact Fund, for trade finance solutions dedicated to Lebanese manufacturing companies.

"The support of the industrial sector through Cedar Oxygen aims at helping stabilize the economy and the banking sector, and ultimately attracting foreign capital investments to Lebanon," Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh said in a statement.

Cedar Oxygen will be working in partnership with a selected number of Lebanese banks that will use their deep market knowledge to identify the Lebanese industrialists eligible for financing, based on Cedar Oxygen's investment and environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria.

"It takes manufacturing companies of all sizes to address the challenges our society faces today," said Cedar Oxygen CEO Alexandre J. Harkous, adding that "this is an urgent time and we need to band together to prevent Lebanon from totally falling apart." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 14:04:01|Editor: huaxia

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SANTIAGO, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera reshuffled his cabinet Tuesday, replacing interior, foreign, defense and several other ministers following the defeat of a pension reform bill.

Victor Perez was appointed interior minister, replacing Gonzalo Blumel, while Andres Allamand was appointed foreign minister and Mario Desbordes took over the post of defense minister.

The reshuffle came after the congress passed a controversial pension reform bill last week, allowing Chileans to withdraw 10 percent of their pensions to help overcome the difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government had opposed the bill.

Pinera had replaced the head of the Health Ministry last month, appointing Oscar Enrique Paris as health minister.

Chile on Tuesday reported 349,800 cases of novel coronavirus infection, 9,240 deaths from the disease and 322,332 recoveries, saying 18,228 cases are considered active.

Due to a decline in cases, the Health Ministry Friday announced a partial lifting of lockdown measures in seven of 40 districts within the capital Santiago and its metropolitan area, home to a third of the country's population. Enditem
"We have no interest in targeting people in an unfair way," Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said during a news conference Tuesday. But "we are also sending a signal that we are taking this serious and that this could happen to you, too."

Shutting down all of the bars in Lincoln is "an option that has been on the table" if they cannot comply with health measures, Gaylor Baird said.

The city's environmental health staff has tried to educate owners and employees of bars and restaurants on the new requirements, and informed them it would be conducting surveillance to make sure they were complying, Lopez said.

Her employees were out late Friday and early Saturday, and witnessed the violations.

We want the businesses to be open; we want those bars to be open. Thats their livelihood, as long as they do that responsibly and while following the health measures, she said. The ones who arent, were going to deal with them directly and immediately.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Police say a man accidentally shot himself in the leg late Tuesday, July 28, while trying to exchange gunfire with another.

The injuries were not life-threatening, police said Wednesday.

Grand Rapids police were dispatched at 10:48 p.m. to the 900 block of Eastern Avenue SE on a report of eight gunshots. Police found several shell casings in that area and in the 700 block of Watkins Street SE.

While police were investigating, a 27-year-old shooting victim showed up at a hospital, police spokesman Raul Alvarez said.

The man told police he shot himself while trying to return fire after another person shot at him. The injuries were consistent with an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot. Witnesses reported that two people were shooting at each other.

The incident remains under investigation.

Read more:

Kalamazoo police report multiple houses shot, exchange of gunfire

Man handing out pamphlets outside West Michigan courthouse cleared of jury tampering

Dog wearing lifejacket on boat lost overboard on Lake Michigan, found a day later
Then, once the chairs came out, the next question was what to do with all the extras. Gove said they have decided to create classrooms out of open spaces throughout the campuses  like in place of the bookstore at the Atlantic City campus.

She has ordered 2,000 signs to remind those in campus facilities to keep 6 feet apart.

But I know I need more, she said.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Parents split on children returning to classrooms in the fall Even if schools reopen to in-person education in September, some parents in South Jersey say

She also ordered more than 400 new hand sanitizing stations, bringing the total to 600, and well over 50,000 canisters of sanitizing wipes for common areas and classrooms. Large, red circle stickers mark off distance for standing in line at the financial office, or to indicate in which direction to walk the halls. Where chairs could not be removed, a neon yellow piece of tape is stretched across the seat. More than $100,000 in Plexiglas partitions are being installed in labs, offices and between employees work areas.
Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata group of companies, recently took to Instagram to share a nostalgic post on the 116th birth anniversary of Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, popularly known as JRD Tata.

JRD Tata, who joined the family business as an apprentice, became the chairman of Tata & Sons at the age of 34. He led the group to diversify and become one of the most trusted brands in India. He also formed an aviation department called Tata Airlines which later became Air India. Besides his business ventures, he was also a humanitarian and was also awarded with Indias highest civilian award the Bharat Ratna in 1992.

To remember the great personality on his birth anniversary Ratan Tata shared an emotional note. The post is complete with two throwback images.

A little nostalgic on JRDs 116th birth anniversary. Mr. JRD Tata and I shared a deep passion and interest in aviation, Ratan Tata wrote. These photos bring back pleasant memories of visits that I arranged for Jeh to visit manufacturing facilities for the B1B bomber and the space shuttle. We were privileged to be invited to tour the manufacturing facilities, an opportunity not many have. It was worth it to see the spark in his eyes, he added.

Shared just over two hours ago, the post has already gathered over four lakh likes  and the numbers are quickly increasing. There were many who praised both the industry giants. A few shared heart emojis to express themselves.

Wonderful man, a true gentleman. So, are you, wrote an Instagram user. You are a legend, expressed another. Such an inspiration, commented a third. Huge respect for both of you, said a fourth.

A few days ago, Ratan Tata shared another nostalgia-laced post on Instagram. He shared throwback images from his first visit to the legacy city of Jamshedpur.
Demonstrators use shields while blocking an intersection near the Seattle Police East Precinct during protests in Seattle on July 26, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (David Ryder/Getty Images)

Federal Agents Pull Out of Seattle, Mayor Says

Agents with a Border Patrol Tactical Unit have left Seattle after local officials complained about their presence, the citys mayor said on July 28.

Officials have complained that the federal presence may escalate tensions in the city after the tactical unit arrived in Seattle last week to protect federal property.

The unit was on standby after rioters attacked the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D) announced the federal withdrawal on Twitter, writing that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notified her of the move. She added that the citys policing decisions should be left with the police chief, not President Donald Trump.

Durkan had protested the deployment, saying it happened without the consent of local officials and could incite more violence. The weekend riots in Seattle left 59 officers injured and have led to 47 arrests.

Federal authorities do not require local permission to protect taxpayer-funded government property.

Durkan had previously denounced the violence in the protests in the wake of the police-custody death of George Floyd, arguing that the images are fodder for Trumps re-election ads.

Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday drew a sharp distinction between the peaceful protests and the violent rioters and organized agitators.

Attorney General William Barr watches a Republican Exhibit video of people rioting, during the House Judiciary Committee hearing in the Congressional Auditorium at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center in Washington, on July 28, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/AFP via Getty Images)

After an initial wave of riots subsided last month, rioters in Portland kept up a nightly regimen of arson, vandalism, looting and assault. The federal response to the violence has triggered solidarity protests in cities including Seattle. A man who brought an AK-47 to a protest in Austin, Texas, was shot and killed after he allegedly pointed the rifle at a motorist. Two people were shot and wounded in Aurora, Colorado, after a rioter fired at a vehicle and hit protesters instead.

A man was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the Colorado shooting. Two protest groups sued the DHS on Monday for deploying agents to protect the Portland courthouse, saying it was unconstitutional for federal forces to take on roles reserved for state and local law enforcement.

Federal authorities arrested 22 rioters in Portland over the weekend, including 16 who were charged with assaulting federal officers. Three of the agents deployed in Portland have been injured with high-powered lasers and may never recover their sight.

Demonstrators sit and kneel as tear gas fills the air during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse , in Portland, Ore., on July 26, 2020. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo)

Federal agents sent to Portland have used tear gas, pepper balls and stun grenades on protesters outside a federal courthouse. The rioters had lobbed explosives, rocks and fire bombs at agents, set fires around the courthouse and tore down a barricade.

To state what should be obvious, peaceful protesters do not throw explosives into federal courthouses, tear down plywood with crowbars, or launch fecal matter at federal officers. Such acts are in fact federal crimes under statutes enacted by this Congress, Barr told lawmakers.
New product further expands Landers offering to protect more Apple devices

LEHI, Utah, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lander , a company that bridges the gap between the outdoors and technology, today announced the launch of its Arete waterproof AirPods case. Arete is available for AirPods Pro and can be purchased now on Lander.com .



Lander is excited to continue expanding its high-quality protection to even more Apple devices with the launch of Arete for AirPods Pro, commented Kasey Feller, Brand Manager of Lander. The 360-degree protection of our Arete case is a great solution for outdoor enthusiasts looking for a convenient way to protect and carry their AirPods on their next adventure.

Arete is rated IP65 waterproof and dustproof, providing a unique type of protection beyond other third-party options. The case itself does not charge AirPods, but includes ports for corded charging and is wireless charging compatible for added convenience. Arete features StoneGrip textured no-slip surface for added grip as well as a detachable lanyard made from Repreve recycled ocean plastic for additional security. Repreve is also used in Landers new Kiva headlamp as the company continues to focus its efforts on creating durable and sustainable products.

As communities begin to reopen, more people are planning getaways to outdoor locations or are working on-the-go as they continue social distancing, added Feller. Arete is a great solution for those looking for ways to work remotely or escape this summer and take their AirPods Pro with them.

Arete is the latest product to join Landers existing line of protection for Apple devices, which includes the popular Moab and Torrey phone cases and new Argo MacBook sleeve . Landers AirPods Pro case is priced at $29.99 and comes in two colorsblack and blush pinkand includes a one-year warranty.

For more information on Lander and its products, visit lander.com .

About Lander

Lander creates expedition-inspired accessories for use at home, on the go, and off-grid. Inspired by its Rocky Mountain home, Lander accessories are made with innovative technology used in equipment carried by the worlds best explorers. Lander offers an extensive line of cables, phone cases, and now backpacks and smart lanternsproducts designed for the adventurer in all of us. For more information, visit www.lander.com .

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Codeword for Lander

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(801) 319-4004




Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 04:41:20|Editor: huaxia

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GABORONE, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A health official in Botswana on Wednesday issued a warning to the public after local cases of COVID-19 doubled in two weeks, which brought the total number of active cases to 140.

Malaki Tshipayagae, deputy coordinator of the presidential task force for COVID-19, revealed this when addressing the nation on Wednesday evening.

He said they have realized a worrying trend of a big surge in local spread of the virus, something that never happened before.

His team is investigating the source of the recently recorded cases that include 22 children from one school in the capital Gaborone, he said.

Tshipayagae said their observation is that the public has lapsed on abiding by health and safety protocols prescribed to prevent the spread of the virus.

He added that it is difficult to do contact tracing as people who use public transport do not keep a register of the passengers.

There was a holiday in the country two weeks back and prior to that local cases were reported to be at 70.

According to Tshipayagae, the holiday might have contributed to the surge in positive cases as many cases of illegal gatherings were reported.

Botswana had been doing relatively well in managing the spread of the virus since the first case was recorded in March.

The country has to date recorded two deaths from the virus and over 80 percent of cases had been those of foreign national who were on transit or truck drivers delivering essential goods.

Tshipayagae further expressed concerns about the dangers posed by people who cross borders at illegal points, especially to neighboring South Africa which has recorded over 400,000 cases and over 6,000 deaths.

Botswana borders remain closed, except for essential travel that has to be authorized.

He said if the situation gets worse than it is, they will be forced to undertake other measures to prevent further spread of the virus, including a lockdown.

The country was on lockdown for almost two months between April and May, but was slowly opened up to allow the economy to run. Enditem
Jaipur, July 29 : Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday returned a state government proposal to call a special Assembly session, for the third time.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called the rejection a 'love letter', even as the former extended an olive branch to the rebel Congress MLAs.

Officials said that the Governor raised objections over the rising cases of COVID-19 in Rajasthan and again inquired how social distancing could be maintained in the Assembly during the special session.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot rushed to meet Mishra soon after he received the information on the return of the proposal.

Addressing a function at the Congress state unit office here, Gehlot said a "prem patra" or love letter had come from the Rajasthan Governor. "I am going to meet him to ask what he wants," Gehlot said at the party office before the meeting.

This is the second time he has referred to the Governor's rejection as a love letter. Earlier, he had said the words while addressing Congress MLAs camping at the Fairmont Hotel.

Ghelot claimed a conspiracy to topple his government, but asserted that the party stood strong in the face of a political onslaught.

Going soft on the dissidents, he said that those who had "cheated" the Congress in the past can return to the party fold and apologise to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

"For the first time in 70 years, a Governor has raised such questions. Can you understand where the country is going?" he commented.

The Chief Minister was speaking at a PCC function where new party unit chief Govind Singh Dotasara assumed the charge.

After the first two proposals sent by the Rajasthan government were rejected, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sent a third petition to the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday to convene the Assembly session.
It soon may get harder to panhandle in the street and sleep in the park in Willis.

During a virtual city council meeting on Tuesday, City Manager Robert Evans and Willis Police Chief James Nowak informed the officials that they intend to propose a new anti-camping ordinance in August.

Evans said the council has inquired in past meetings about what could be done to address the homeless situation, including what to do with equipment and items left behind.

While the issue has been discussed in the past, he said the city has not officially accepted an ordinance.

Evans said he and Nowak browsed around and found some easy ordinances to understand, specifically in Conroe, which they plan to recommend to the council.

They like it and it works and we are suggesting that you guys use the one with the changes in Willis like the one they use in Conroe, Evans said with Nowaks confirmation. We are not going to decide on it tonight, I just want to let you know that weve got excerpt from Conroe. We are going to present that at the next meeting, and we think you guys ought to consider it.

Councilman Thomas Belinoski voiced his opinion during the teleconference, which was held in place of an in-person meeting at City Hall due to the novel coronavirus.

Im not being rude, but we are getting a lot of people, especially standing on the freeway in the evening with signs, I know they need money and that but it kind of makes us look bad, you know, Belinoski said. With the bicycles and that, theyve been sleeping at the park and the gazebo, I understand there are problems, and everybody has them, but we need to see if there is something, we can really get a handle on that.

In June 2019, the city of Conroe expanded its downtown-restricted ordinance to address homeless issues city-wide. The item was presented by the Conroe Police Chief Jeff Christy and prohibits sleeping in places that limit public access, urinating and defecating in public and aggressive panhandling. A violation of the ordinance is punishable by a fine in any amount not to exceed $500, according to a previous Courier article.

The city of Conroe has been dealing with a growing homeless population and problems such as $6,000 in damage to the 108 year old Shepherds Barbershop that was allegedly caused by a homeless man around July 10.

The city has donated five acres of land to the Conroe-based nonprofit Compassion United, which is constructing a campus to help serve the needs of the homeless in Montgomery County.

Earlier this month, The Courier reported that Compassion United has landed a $1.25 million grant to begin construction its new campus, which will be known as Miracle City. The article states the campus will include transitional housing, a welding shop, carpentry shop that will also build tiny homes, a new CHOP location, clothing and food pantry.

Compassion Uniteds Founder, Luke Redus, will be closing the organizations multipurpose Conroe House of Prayer, which has been serving the homeless at 115 W Davis Street in downtown Conroe, and moving all its operations to Miracle City. The new campus is located off Foster Drive near the Conroe Fire Station.

Catherine Dominguez contributed to this report.

mellsworth@hcnonline.com
This is an age where your customers will first be introduced to your business by browsing the sensational Internet. Is your company prepared to leave an everlasting impression on your digital visitors? Are you secure in your digital marketing?







Digital ad agencies can make a huge impact on your business. Take Single Origin for example. Single Origin is a performance marketing agency based in Los Angeles. By utilizing digital advertising, strategy, and design, Single Origin drives results for brands who are looking to improve their marketing. This digital ad agency offers several essential services: social media ads, website design and optimization, SEO and PPC campaigns, and graphic design and motion video (just to name a few!). Single Origin has executed successful campaigns and projects with several notable companies; check out their portfolio here.

Now that you already have an agency in mind, here are three reasons why your company would greatly benefit from digital marketing:

1. They build your online presence.

Let's talk about a particularly hot topic (er, beverage): single-origin coffee.

Single-origin coffee is coffee that is produced at a single place (rather than different locations). Here's an example: say there's a single farm in Costa Rica that produces single-origin coffee. They offer several flavors, such as dark chocolate or espresso, and they sell them for a reasonable price. This may be excellent coffee, but who all really knows about it?

A digital marketing agency would be responsible for putting that single farm in Costa Rica on the map for coffee lovers everywhere. By building a website, establish social media channels, and working through advertising negotiations, this single-origin coffee will be highlighted on platforms to garner more customers. The whole point of marketing is to grow your audience and grow your sales; digital advertising agencies are experts in exemplifying a brand's presence on important platforms.

2. They manage all of your research and analytics.

Digital marketing agencies have all the tools necessary to conduct market research for your company. Market research is essential for so many reasons; most importantly, with this research, they're able to track data and measure analytic metrics. With that vital information, they can then create and implement strategies to meet your short-term and long-term goals. In addition to creating strategies, this information also allows for reports and memos to be made to go into further detail of the marketing needs.

Hiring a digital marketing agency to handle this research has many benefits. These agencies already have the (pricey) tools necessary; you won't have to worry about obtaining these resources on your own. The team on the agencies also knows what to do and how to do it; there's no reason for your team to go through a series of training to learn how to manage all of the data.

3. They allow you to focus on other aspects of your business.

As a business owner, you will always have a lot of your plate. Budget, funding, legal documents, management, HR...the list goes on and on. Marketing is one of the most important factors of your business, and you'll want to give it the appropriate attention and work to ensure it's top-notch. You yourself may not be the one best fit to give that attention; that's when marketing agencies gladly step in. The same way you hire accounting gurus to handle finances, you should hire a digital marketing agency to handle the online marketing. With them taking control of the task, this frees up your time to focus on getting other work done.

A digital marketing agency is not only an excellent resource to use, but they feel like an additional member of your team. They're sure to greatly impact your business.
Artist's rendering of hotel proposed at 232-36 Walnut St., seen from aerial view. Read more

The owner of the Society Hill mansion across Walnut Street from the historic Merchants Exchange Building wants to replace his palatial 20-year-old home with a 15-story, 117-guest-room hotel tower.

Logistics mogul Anthony Cerone, who owns the property at 232-36 Walnut St., told members of the Philadelphia Historical Commissions architecture committee Tuesday that the hotel project is what the city needs to help it recover from the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

The architecture committee, whose rulings serve as nonbinding recommendations to the Historical Commission, voted against endorsing the proposal, with some panelists characterizing it as out-of-scale with the surrounding neighborhood.

Cerone, an owner of the XTL Inc. warehouse and trucking company, built his four-story, 5,400-square-foot home behind high brick walls on land he acquired for $1.1 million in 1999, property records show.

The mansion has a forested rear patio, a five-car garage, an elevator, custom-sawed Bubinga hardwood floors, a wine cellar, and mahogany closets from the same New Jersey carpentry shop that crafted the those of TV newswoman Diane Sawyer, Philadelphia Magazine reported in 2019.

At that time, Cerone was listing the property for sale at $12 million, the magazine reported.

Now hes proposing that it be replaced by the hotel tower, which would have a stone facade inspired by the 186-year-old Merchants Exchange Building and arch-shaped top-story windows that echo those of other nearby historic buildings.

Despite those features, architecture committee members said the building would be a bad fit in a neighborhood of mostly two- and three-story homes beside the citys main historic district.

The big concern of mine is the extraordinary height in a mostly three-story part of the city, committee member Dan McCoubrey said.

The National Park Service, Society Hill Civic Association and Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia also opposed the project in meeting remarks and written testimony.

Some members of Philadelphias historic-preservation community, however, spoke in favor of the project, saying it hearkens back to the large buildings that once stood in the area, before the mid-20th-century architecture that now makes up much of Society Hill was constructed.

The idea that were married to a three- or four-story building height in this area seems wrong to me, said Oscar Beisert, a prominent preservationist.

The full Historical Commission could review the proposal when it next meets on Aug. 14.
CAIRO More than 100 civilians including women and children were killed by ground fighting, explosive remnants and airstrikes in Libya between April and June, an increase of 65% from the first three months of the year, the United Nations said Wednesday.

The U.N. Support Mission in Libya said in a report that more than 250 civilians were wounded during the period. That was an increase of 276% from the first quarter.

Most of the casualties were in Libyas western region, which has been the scene of fighting between the east-based forces of military commander Khalifa Hifter and an array of militias loosely allied with the weak U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, the report said.

Libya was plunged into chaos when a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The county has since split between rival east- and west-based administrations, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.

Hifters self-styled army launched an offensive in April 2019 trying to capture Tripoli. But his campaign collapsed last month when the Tripoli-allied militias, with Turkish support, gained the upper hand, driving his forces from the outskirts of Tripoli and other western towns.

Hifter is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. Turkey, a bitter rival of Egypt and the U.A.E. in a broader regional struggle over political Islam, is the main patron of the Tripoli forces, which are also backed by the wealthy Gulf state Qatar.

The U.N. mission said it documented 85 non-combatant dead and over 230 wounded in western Libya, or 89% of the total civilian causalities. At least 22 were killed and a dozen wounded in central Libya, while only two were wounded in the eastern side of the oil-rich county, it said.

Hifters forces were responsible for 80% of the causalities, or 75 dead and 212 wounded, the report said. Tripoli-allied forces killed around three dozen civilians and wounded around 50 others, it said. The remaining civilian casualties could not be attributed to a specific party to the conflict.

Ground fighting killed 69 civilians and wounded 195, while more than two dozen people were killed and at least 14 wounded by airstrikes, the report said.

The U.N. mission said 17 of the slain civilians, including four women and four children, were hit by a Turkish drone strike June 3 during an attack by Tripoli-allied forces on the western town of Qasr Bin Ghashir, south of Tripoli. The strike also wounded 14 civilians.

As Hifters forces withdrew from Tripolis southern suburbs last month, they left behind mines and improvised explosive devices and booby traps that killed two civilians and wounded 41, the report said.

The report also documented nine attacks on schools, nine assaults on health care facilities and one attack on an ambulance during the second quarterr. The mission blamed Hifters forces for seven of those attacks.

Tripolis Khadra hospital, which was designated to receive COVID-19 patients, was hit on four different occasions by rockets, the report said.

Two days after talking with western Libya officials, U.S. charge daffaires in Libya Joshua Harris met Wednesday with eastern Libyan lawmakers and military officials in Benghazi as he seeks to avert a battle over the strategic coastal city of Sirte, which sits near the countrys main oil-export terminals and fields, and to enable Libyas national oil company to resume oil production from facilities closed by Hitters forces.

Turkish-backed forces allied with the U.N.-supported government in Tripoli are mobilizing on the edges of Sirte and have vowed to retake the Mediterranean city along with the inland Jufra airbase from Hifter. Egypt, a Hifter allay, has threatened to sent troops into Libya if Sirte is attacked.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
Tim Buckley, CEO of Vanguard, speaks to Vanguard "crew," the house term for staffers, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Vanguard's Neptune building in November 2019. Read more

Since its founding in 1975, Vanguard Group has grown into the largest for-profit employer in Philadelphias western suburbs. Vanguard has displaced the regions shrunken banks and insurers as its major financial employer; a career there has meant a future in a growing organization that invests more than $5 trillion in other peoples money, among the biggest in its business.

Wednesday marks a break in that history. Staffers (Vanguard calls them crew) say today is the deadline for 1,300 of them to move to Infosys, an India-based outsourcing contractor; or leave to search for new jobs.

The workers track 401(k) retirement plans for five million Americans at thousands of employers. Infosys is replacing Vanguards aging mainframe-computer-based record-keeping system with a remote, cloud-based platform. To smooth the transition, Infosys has promised ex-Vanguard workers will enjoy similar pay and benefits, in as-yet undisclosed nearby locations, at least over the next year.

But most of Infosys 240,000 global staff are based in India, and IT industry veterans and labor observers say its inevitable that much of the work will eventually be transfered there, enabling both companies to save due to Indias lower wages.

Vanguard is offering a bonus equal to 25 percent of workers Vanguard pay, in exchange for waiving any future claims against Vanguard if things dont go smoothly with the new employer, according to workers who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the company. Vanguard spokeswoman Emily Farrell said the company would not comment on details of the plan.

Crew members with fewer than 15 years of Vanguard service or who are younger than 50 on Oct. 11, when the transition takes effect, face the loss of a coveted perk for 15-and-50 achievers: a retirement bonus that can sweeten their combined cash and medical savings accounts by as much as $100,000 when they eventually leave Vanguard.

 READ MORE: Vanguard transfers 1,300 staffers to outsourcing partner Infosys, which will open a Malvern center

The workers facing transfer include technology, client-administration and operations staff in Vanguards Institutional and Information Technology divisions at Vanguard campus addresses including 45 Liberty; 100 Chesterfield; and 1001 Cedar Hollow, among others.

They will move to comparable positions at as-yet-identified Infosys locations in close proximity to Vanguards offices in Malvern, Charlotte, N.C., or Scottsdale, Ariz., under their current boss, Martha King, who is also transferring to Infosys, according to the company. Between the three sites, Vanguard now has about 18,000 employees.

Workers will get the same salary if they stay over the next year, though they arent guaranteed a job, any more than if they stayed at Vanguard, Farrell said.

She added that they will get comparable benefits for the next year; other employees tell me they have reviewed highlights of the Infosys health program and found it is less comprehensive than Vanguards, but added that Vanguard has offered to pay for the difference.

In remarks last week, Mohit Joshi, president of Infosys, stressed quality, not cost. Our platform will create a new standard for the industry as we seek to drastically improve the retirement savings experience for plan participants and sponsors through the use of cutting-edge digital technologies, he said.

Pensions and Investments magazine called the deal unprecedented for large retirement plans. But in fact, Vanguard has been leading up to a major outsourcing: The companys small-business 401(k) service, Vanguard Retirement Plan Access, has used a record-keeping system from suburban Philly-based Ascensus since it started nine years ago. Non-qualifying benefit plan records have lately been managed by Newport Retirement Group of Walnut Creek, Calif.

According to Vanguard workers, the company also outsources information technology services. As many as 600 contractors for India-based Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) work on Vanguard projects at buildings along Morehall Road and other sites near Vanguard buildings; other TCS staff in India also work on Vanguard IT.

Outsourcing makes sense, given Vanguards history of system crashes, and the promise that a specialized firm such as Infosys could do a better job, according to Daniel P. Wiener, an investment manager who publishes the Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors.

 READ MORE: Vanguard crew and fans wary of Infosys outsourcing as company adds Malvern center

But Vanguard employees who will be re-badged as Infosys employees better start looking for new jobs as soon as possible because almost all of them will be let go after the 12-month commitment expires, predicts Howard University associate professor Ron Hira, who has studied offshoring and foreign tech worker visa programs since the early 2000s and testified in Washington on the impact of the H-1B visa program on U.S. workers.

To be sure, offering the workers (as well as customers) a smooth transition is important public relations for Vanguard, which can argue that it isnt offshoring and is being a responsible employer, Hira said.

But outsourcing only makes economic sense if the work is ultimately transferred to a lower-cost center such as India, he added.

Hira noted that IT transfer projects are often slower and more complicated than partners expect. And he said outsourcers typically displace older workers who have built up benefits with recent college graduates who account for many outsourcing hires.

The stock market is doing well. Vanguard is doing well. Why is it offshoring all of these middle-class jobs? Why didnt it invest in its workers? Hira concluded. This is a microcosm of whats wrong with the economy.
Indonesia-based online travel portal, Traveloka, has picked up $250M in fresh funding to beef up its coronavirus-battered balance sheet.

The travel aggregator dubs the capital injection a "strong vote of confidence" in its strategy to adjust to what it couches as a 'new normal' for travel by retooling its focus on domestic and short hop excursions and activities. The funding round is led by an unnamed global financial institution. Traveloka also says "some" existing investors also participated (EV Growth being one it has named).

Prior to this latest raise, Traveloka had pulled in around $950M across five funding rounds since being founded back in 2012, according to Crunchbase. Back in 2017 it passed unicorn valuation after bagging $350 million from Expedia in exchange for a minority stake in the business. But, shortly afterwards, it lost one of its co-founders -- who departed citing a clash of goals as the business switched to more of a commercial mindset, as he saw it.

Fast forward a few years and the pandemic is playing havoc with the travel industry as a whole. Since the pandemic landed to decimate 'business as usual' in the sector, Traveloka has responded by launching a number of initiatives in a bid to reassure and woo back customers -- including flights that bundle COVID-19 tests; flexible open-date vouchers for hotels (aka, 'Buy Now Stay Later'); online experiences; flash sale livestreams; and a big push around cleanliness with standardized hygiene protocols for vacation accommodation that can be booked via its platform.

Traveloka says the latest capital injection will be used not only to beef up its balance sheet but to boost efforts and deepen offerings in "select priority areas" -- including building out what it describes as "a more robust and integrated Travel & Lifestyle portfolio" in key markets.

It also intends to expand financial services solutions it offers to ecosystem partners.

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Commenting in a statement, Ferry Unardi, Traveloka co-founder and CEO, said: Without a doubt, Traveloka has been profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We have experienced the lowest business rate that we have ever seen since our inception. However, we always believed that the company will prevail by rapidly adjusting our strategy, working with our industry and ecosystem partners, as well as continuing to innovate for our users, our ultimate focus."

Per Ferry, Traveloka's business in Vietnam is "approaching" steady pre-COVID-19 levels, while he says its Thailand business is "on its way" to surpassing 50%.

"Indonesia and Malaysia are still in the early stage, but they continue to demonstrate promising momentum with strong week-to-week improvement, especially in accommodation with the emergence of shorter distance staycation behavior," he added. "We acknowledge that the sector may go through further turbulence as it navigates new waves, but we feel we are prepared to take on the challenge and emerge on the right side of it."

The travel industry is facing unprecedented times, including Traveloka, added Willson Cuaca, managing partner of EV Growth, in another supporting statement. "The leadership team has taken difficult yet commendable measures including restructuring and optimization to minimize financial health risks. We are confident that the company will emerge even stronger after this crisis."
Peter Schork joins Catylist as Chief Financial Officer. Schorks unique background will lend essential insight into the release of these key reports, and help foster relationships with financial institutions seeking valuable commercial real estate data.

Catylist, a leader in commercial real estate technology, reports the hire of Peter Schork as Chief Financial Officer to assist in furthering the companys data-focused goals. Bringing more than thirty-five years of experience in financial services to the table, Schork will be joining the executive team and lending his immediate expertise in the release of new data sets.

Schork will be instrumental in assisting Catylist as they unveil appraisal-ready compssales comps that include the deed and true owner informationacross all of their fully-researched markets. Appraisal-ready comps, which will give Catylist members a key data point to assist in property valuation and comprehensive comp reports, have been rolled out in the Denver market, and will soon be available to members across all researched markets. Schorks unique background will lend essential insight into the release of these key reports, and help foster relationships with financial institutions seeking valuable commercial real estate data.

Im delighted to be joining Catylist as their Chief Financial Officer, said Schork, and I think my background in both financial services and commercial real estate will help the company maintain its upward trajectory, and unveil new opportunities for growth.

Schork earned a bachelors degree in economics and political science from the University of Michigan, and later received a masters degree in Business Administration - Finance from Eastern Michigan University. While working toward his masters degree, Peter served in advancing positions at KeyBank, handling everything from private banking and lending to branch management and mortgage lending. From 1998 to 2005, Schork served as Vice President and Manager of Mortgage and Consumer Services at the Bank of Ann Arbor with a focus on all aspects of real estate lending.

In 2005, Schork stepped in as Vice President of Edward Surovell Realtors, where he established a title company and a mortgage company while managing their operations and company revenue sources. Schork then co-founded Ann Arbor State Bank in 2008, where he served as President and CEO until early 2020. Peter is also an active board member for many nonprofits in the Ann Arbor area.

About Catylist

For the past 18 years, Catylist has been building commercial real estate technology, tailored to local markets. Catylist creates listings databases and research for local markets that serve as the most trusted sources for CRE information in every market. Catylist serves more than 50 markets in North America. As an added benefit to Catylist members, Catylist provides national exposure to every listing through its free-to-search commercial marketplace, CommercialExchange.com. Learn more at http://www.catylist.com.
WATERLOO  An 18-year-old faces a charge of robbery after he attempted to steal items from a pharmacy on Laurelwood Drive in Waterloo on Tuesday.

Waterloo Regional Police said the teenager entered the drugstore at about 1:40 p.m. and demanded items from the clerk.

He fled without anything, police said. He was found a short time later.

No one was injured in the incident.
On top of the health risks, people may be worried by the fact that the advice on Spain came with little notice. Being unable to travel at the last minute, being stuck in a destination far from home and being forced to undertake a lengthy quarantine have all suddenly become possibilities again. That does not inspire confidence in booking a holiday. Worse, it increases the risk that jitters could spread beyond the peak summer season and into the autumn and winter holiday periods, which were looking promising.
The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry is part of the Financial Technology or FinTech space, which includes several companies with varying nature of businesses. The industry includes card and payment processors, ATM service providers, card payment solution providers, money remittance service providers, and providers of investment solutions and services to financial advisors.

Here we shall highlight the card and payment network companies, which majorly represent this industry. The players in this segment typically operate their unique and proprietary global payments network that links issuers and acquirers around the globe to facilitate the switching of transactions, permitting account holders to use their products at millions of acceptance locations worldwide. Monetary transactions are effectuated through these networks, which offer a convenient, quick and a secure payment method in several currencies (nearly 150) across the globe.

Here are the industrys three major themes:



 The COVID-19 Pandemic and Shift in Business: The payments industry has been one of the beneficiaries of the COVID-19 pandemic as it led to a rise in digital payments. Since the outbreak prompted people to avoid physical contacts, the online mode of payments gained a huge prominence. Notably, the payments industry has been gaining traction from the surge in e-commerce and online sales. Moreover, the ongoing coronavirus episode expedited this transition. More and more Americans are now shopping online and resorting to touchless payments. Per a new Crowdfund Insider research, in May, 50% U.S. consumers reported to have accessed online payment modes at least four times with 69% agreeing that this process is more convenient than cash. Research also suggests that this shift to contactless payment is likely to create a sustainable change in attitudes that will last long even after all the restrictions tied to the pandemic get lifted.



 Investment in Technology: Technological advancements continue to be a catalyst for revolutionizing the payments industry. The impact of digital payments is rapidly percolating the industry, fueled by the proliferation of smart connected devices and an adoption of technology that enables payments in new environments. Companies are constantly focusing on accelerating the speed, security and accessibility of digital transactions on face-to-face and online landscapes. Investments are being made in contactless, scan-to-pay and Secure Remote Commerce transactions to facilitate a faster, safer and easier process for consumers to pay and businesses to receive payments. Players are now turning to the usage of blockchain technology, which should further revolutionize the payments industry by making transactions secure, cost-effective, speedy and seamless across the globe. Companies consistently invest in artificial intelligence to help detect and prevent fraud. Progress in these fields should continue to help improve risk tools and solutions, and prevent deceptions in the entire payments ecosystem, thereby making it more agile.



 Consolidation: The power of scale and explosive changes taking place in the payments business are the two primary driving forces, hurtling toward consolidation in the payments space. Payments processing is a sticky business, which tends to growth more through acquisitions than organically. This pushes players to get a bigger market share instantaneously and grow both vertically and horizontally. This inorganic growth momentum should see greater sustenance as players seek to increase their size and business scope to counter the stiffening competition.The economic environment in 2020 has not been conducive for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) so far but 2019 marked a record year in expanding M&A volume for the industry with $116.6 billion earned in the first six months alone compared with $31.8 billion in the first half of 2018. The 2019 M&A volume included big-ticket deals, namely Fiserv (FISV)'s acquisition of First Data for $22 billion, Fidelity National Information Services' $35-billion purchase of Worldpay and the $21-billion deal of Global Payments and Total Systems

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Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Upbeat Prospects

The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry is housed within the broader Zacks Business Services sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #61, which places it in the top 24% of more than 250 Zacks industries.

The groups Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bullish near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

The industrys positioning in the top 24% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of a positive earnings per share outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate.

Before we present a few stocks that you may still want to consider for your portfolio, lets take a look at the industrys recent stock-market performance and its valuation picture.

Industry Outperforms Sector but Lags S&P 500

The Financial Transaction Services industry has performed better than the broader Zacks Business Services Sector but lagged the Zacks S&P 500 composite over the past year.

The industry has grown nearly 3.7% over this period compared with the S&P 500 Indexs gain of 8.03%. However, the broader sector declined 13.8%.

One-Year Price Performance

Industrys Current Valuation

Comparing with the S&P 500 Index on the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio, a commonly used multiple for the industry, we see that the industrys ratio of 30.87X is higher than the S&P 500s 22.46X and the sectors 16.32X.

Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 28.03X, as low as 18.09X and at the median of 23X as the chart below shows.

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (F12M)

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (F12M)

Bottom Line

Due to an increasing share of digital payments and the growing e-commerce trend, payment companies are expected to maintain solid revenue growth in the upcoming years.

Since the industry has a wide international presence, the current global economic uncertainty might exert pressure on its overall business volumes, which are largely dependent on consumer and business spending.

Nevertheless, the simplicity, ease, flexibility and numerous other benefits offered by the online and card spending will continue to fuel the industrys growth. Also, the rise in Gen Z population, which is more tech savvy and highly inclined toward using new-age payment methods, will extend the size of the industry.



However, the industry is expected to witness increased outlays due to technological investment, which might shoot up the overall operating cost.

Elevated marketing and promotional expenditure in the face of stiff competition will be another hindrance to bottom-line growth.



Here are some stocks from the industry that currently carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Cardtronics PLC (CATM) is the world's largest non-bank ATM operator. It is a leading provider of fully-integrated ATM and financial kiosk products and services. The stock presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.

The stock has witnessed a 3.65% upward revision in 2020 earnings estimates to 85 cents per share over the past 60 days.

Price and Consensus: CATM

Fiserv Inc. (FISV) provides financial services technology solutions to more than 12,000 clients worldwide in the banking, insurance, healthcare and investment industries.

The companys 2020 earnings and revenues suggest 10.5% and 35.35% growth each from the respective year-ago reported figures.

Price and Consensus: FISV

QIWI PLC (QIWI) operates as a provider of next-generation payment services, primarily in Russia and the CIS. The company boasts an integrated network that enables payment services across physical, online and mobile platforms. The stock is Zacks #2 Ranked at present.

The companys 2020 earnings indicate a 3.47% improvement from the figure reported in the comparable quarter last year.

Price and Consensus: QIWI

Envestnet Inc. (ENV) is a leading provider of intelligent systems for wealth management and financial systems. The companys financial network connects software, services and data.

The stock has witnessed an upward revision of 1.4% in 2020 earnings estimates to $2.10 per share over the past 30 days.

Price and Consensus: ENV

FleetCor Technologies Inc. (FLT) is a global commercial payments solution provider. Through its portfolio of brands, FleetCor helps companies automate, secure, digitize and control payments to, or on behalf of, their employees and suppliers.

The stock has witnessed a 0.9% northward estimate revision in 2020 earnings to $10.89 per share over the past 30 days.

Price and Consensus: FLT





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Many in New Jersey have put their health and lives on the line to provide essential services during the coronavirus pandemic. One Somerset County business is doing its part to support them.

Bellari, a Branchburg-based home improvement and remodeling company, has started an initiative to donate emergency repairs to local police, healthcare workers and firefighters whove been working on the front-lines during the pandemic. The company recently lent a helping hand to Branchburg Police Sgt. Tom Meola.

Bellari reached out to Meola, a survivor of COVID-19 himself, to repair the door of his Stewartsville home.

(The door) has never closed right, Meola said. But the door was getting so bad you really had to wrestle with it to get it locked. We just had our second child, and I had been working some night shifts, so it was not giving me a great sense of security when my wife would be home with the kids alone overnight.

Bellari donated the labor while its vendor partner, ProVia, provided the door. Meola says the new door provides much needed security as well as aesthetic appeal.

It not only looks so much better than the weathered wood door we had previously, but you can no longer see sunlight at the top of the door, and it is easy to lock, Meola said. (Bellari co-owner and vice president) Gary Shiman told me he saw these doors hit with a battering ram at the ProVia showroom. Apparently they are reinforced with an oversized steel kick plate, so no one is getting in.

The officer spent four straight days with a 103.6 degree fever and spent 14 days isolated in the guest room of his home. Meola was the only member of his family infected.

Since we first moved our business to Branchburg, Sergeant Meola stopped in to introduce himself, serving as the local PBA union representative at the time, and has been checking in on us ever since, said Shiman. He has always worked hard to help others in the community, and during the pandemic, even more so. We are honored to help with needed repairs at his home, to help take care of him.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Mak Ojutiku may be reached at oojutiku@njadvancemedia.com.
The State Departments appointment of veteran career diplomat Jim DeHart to be U.S. coordinator for the Arctic came just a week after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed enhanced U.S. engagement in the Arctic on a visit to Denmark and a month after the White House ordered the construction of a fleet of new icebreakers to ply the region by 2029.
On the final day of Johnny Depp's libel case against The Sun in London High Court, the actor's lawyer claimed in the closing argument that the Pirates of the Caribbean star was the victim of invented allegations and physical violence from his former wife Amber Heard. Johnny Depp is suing the News Group Newspapers, and one of its journalists, Dan Wootton, over a 2018 article that called him a 'wife-beater'.

Over the past three weeks, both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard presented evidence at the trial. While Depp claimed he had never been violent towards Heard or any other woman, Heard stuck to her testimony of Depp attacking her at least on 14 occasions, including punching, head-butting and throttling her. On Monday, her lawyer even called Depp "a hopeless addict".

On Tuesday, Depp's lawyer David Sherborne in his closing speech said that he (Depp) had been open about his use of drugs and alcohol, but Heard had played down her own consumption as well as her anger and jealousy issues. He added, "She is the abuser, not Mr Depp. He is no wife-beater," and went on to call her a "wholly unreliable witness and, frankly, compulsive liar."

Depp's Lawyer David Sherborne Calls Heard A Compulsive Liar "He has never hit a woman in his entire life. Period, full stop, nada," Sherborne said. He added that the texts presented by Amber's lawyers should not be considered in the testimony. "The exaggerated texts ... should not be taken literally. He may use poetic licence, he may use metaphor, but he never ever says that he hit Miss Heard," added Sherborne. Heard: Just Wanted To Move On With My Life After the hearing, actress and model Amber Heard interacted with media and broke down in tears after being called a compulsive liar in the court. "I travelled here to the UK to testify as a witness to assist the court. After obtaining a restraining order in 2016 and finalising my divorce, I just wanted to move on with my life. I did not file this lawsuit and, despite its significance, I would have preferred not to be here in court," BBC News reported Heard as saying. Ruling Date Is Yet To Be Announced "It has been incredibly painful to relive the break up of my relationship, have my motives and my truth questioned, and the most traumatic and intimate details of my life with Johnny shared in court and broadcast around the world. I stand by my testimony and I now place my faith in British justice," Amber added. According to reports, a date for the ruling has not been given by the London High Court yet.

Amber Heard Says Johnny Depp Threw Bottles At Her Like Grenades, Denies Severing His Finger

Amber Heard's Ex Assistant: She Twisted My Sexual Assault Story For Her Own Use
British Airways office staff look set to continue working from home until next year.

The airline is to mothball most of its opulent 200million headquarters near Heathrow for at least six months, it emerged yesterday.

It is a bid to slash costs amid a severe economic blow to the aviation industry inflicted by the pandemic.

BA joins a list of other top firms including Google, RBS, Pearson, KPMG, Facebook, Coca-Cola and Vodafone that have already suggested office staff might not have to return until 2021.

British Airways Waterside headquarters near Heathrow Airport will remain empty as workers are expected to stay at home until next year

City of London leader Catherine McGuinness said banks had told her only 40 to 50 per cent of office workers were likely to return this year because of physical distancing rules.

It led to growing fears for thousands of smaller city centre businesses  from sandwich shops and pubs to dry cleaners, hairdressers and newsagents  that rely on busy offices.

BA refused to confirm how many staff will continue working from home under its plan.

But it is understood thousands are usually based at its 240-acre Waterside HQ near Heathrow and that only a few hundred will remain.

BA sources insisted that no timeline has been set out. But the trade website Head for Points reported staff in back-office roles will work from home for six months or even longer.

A BA spokesman said: We are exploring every option to control our costs. We have a large property estate and we are always seeking ways to manage it in the optimum way.

BA crew continue to arrive at Heathrow for flights, but office staff are being told to work from home

The carrier has put 22,600 workers on the Governments furlough scheme and is looking to make at least 12,000 redundancies amid flatlining demand.

It came as Barclays boss Jes Staley said he wanted staff back in offices because it is important to get people back together in physical concentrations.

Acknowledging that empty offices had a huge impact on other sectors of the economy, he added: We also have a responsibility to places like Canary Wharf, like Manchester, like Glasgow.

He told Bloomberg TV that around 60,000 employees have been working from their kitchen tables, while around 20,000 had remained in branches, call centres and critical office roles.

The comments are an apparent U-turn on his previous remarks that big city offices may be a thing of the past.

But he did not set a schedule for office returns, simply saying it would happen over time.

Barclays CEO Jes Staley said he wanted staff back in offices because it is important to get people back together in physical concentrations

Meanwhile, HSBC said staff would not be expected to return until September at the earliest.

According to the Evening Standard, the banks UK chief operating officer Emma Bunnell told staff in a memo: We have a small number of key worker colleagues working in our offices and branches.

Based on current conditions, we will not return any additional colleagues to our offices before September 2020 at the earliest.

She said it was inevitable cafes and other shops in districts that rely on office footfall will shut. She also suggested home working will continue after the pandemic, adding: We will see a new normal gradually develop.

But we are confident there is a place for the office for gathering people. Experts at the Centre for Economics and Business Research predict up to 10.7million Britons  a third of the workforce of 32.9million  will stick to at least partly working from home after the crisis.

Last year, only around 1.7million worked mainly from home, according to official data.

A Mail audit of big companies found dozens have no immediate plans for staff to return to offices.

Tory MP Damian Green said last night the single biggest step we could take to bring the lifeblood back to our cities is creating confidence that our public transport is safe to use again.

His comments came after it emerged that nearly three quarters of workers currently feel uncomfortable using public transport.
The names of the 20 Indian soldiers killed in the brutal Galwan Valley clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh on June 15 will be inscribed on the National War Memorial in Delhi, officials said on Wednesday.

The soldiers fought off numerically superior Chinese troops in the remote sector.

Colonel B Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of 16 Bihar, was among the 20 soldiers killed in the seven-hour deadly conflict near Patrolling Point 14 in Galwan Valley, where outnumbered Indian troops inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

The names of all battle casualties are inscribed on the memorial, the officials said.

During a recent visit to Ladakh, defence minister Rajnath Singh met and acknowledged the bravery of the soldiers from 16 Bihar in the presence of the militarys top brass.

Beijing has not disclosed the number of fatalities it suffered in the Galwan Valley clash but according to Indias assessment, the PLA suffered twice as many casualties.

Apart from 16 Bihar, soldiers from 3 Punjab, 3 Medium Regiment and 81 Field Regiment were involved in the first deadly conflict between Indian and Chinese troops along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) in more than five decades.

The Indian soldiers confronted the Chinese troops, who refused to remove their installations and vacate the area, triggering a violent clash that involved more than 600 rival soldiers at its peak.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 9:27AM

As with other upcoming Samsung devices, there isn't any mystery to what the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ will look like and what will power these new tablets. This time, we get press render leaks from tech insider Evan Blass, who shared the images on his Twitter (@evleaks). Five new photos showed the tablets' keyboard dock, S Pen, and support for Xbox games via Microsoft's Project xCloud service. There's also an image that shows the Galaxy Tab S7's capabilities to convert handwriting into text. (You can check out the rest of the pictures under the cut.)

The Galaxy Tab S7 will reportedly have an 11-inch display, while the S7+ will sport a 12.4-inch screen. Both will have a 120Hz refresh rate and offer biometric security via a capacitive fingerprint reader for the S7 and an in-display sensor for the 7+. Both tablets will supposedly run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ chipsets, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage with microSD expansion support.

Some variants will come with LTE, while 5G connectivity will be available for select variants of the S7+. Both slates will supposedly have a 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual rear camera setup and a single 8-megapixel selfie camera. The Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ will also reportedly have AKG-tuned quad-speaker setups with stereo audio and Dolby Atmos. The S Pen is said to feature a latency of just 9ms to provide a real pen-like feel.

Source: SamMobile
Turkey is halting its plans to drill for energy in the eastern Mediterranean. The news could reduce tensions between Turkey and Europe on the thorny issue for the time being.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered a stop to seismic research activities pertaining to gas exploration in the sea, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported Tuesday. Erdogans office now says it is willing to negotiate with Greece without any precondition, according to Anadolu.

Turkey planned to drill for gas in the eastern Mediterranean based on an agreement with Libyas UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA). However, Greece, Cyprus and the European Union consider the area to be Greek and Cypriot maritime territory.

Turkey has received significant condemnation for its project there from European states, most recently from Germany.

It is unclear how talks between Greece and Turkey on the issue will go or whether they will happen at all. Greece and Turkey have a complex and often tense relationship that goes back to Ottoman times. Turkey and Cyprus also have a difficult relationship, which is largely due to the 1975 division of the island of Cyprus into the Greek Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis did meet in June to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Greek and Cypriot foreign ministers had a phone conversation Tuesday with Turkish actions in focus, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a tweet.

The possibility remains that Turkey resumes its plans to drill in the area. Energy projects in the eastern Mediterranean that exclude Turkey from the energy equation are doomed to fail, Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar said Tuesday.
NEW HAVEN  The citys Civilian Review Board is a step closer to being seated.

Five more candidates for the Civilian Review Board testified as to the necessity of the board, promised to be impartial and said they are committed to getting Yale University police under its jurisdiction for review of complaints.

They appeared before the Aldermanic Affairs Committee, which sent their confirmations directly to the full Board of Alders for a vote next week to speed up the appointments, as the long-delayed entity moved closer to being seated.

The candidates, who each had a history of volunteerism in their neighborhoods or appointments to previous boards, are: the Rev. Samuel Ross-Lee, Devin Avshalom-Smith, Melvin Counsel, Chris Peralta and John Pescatore.

Each talked about any positive or negative encounters with police and how their personal and professional experiences would help them as board members.

It included reference to other departments as there is pressure on the city to change its relationship with the Yale University Police Department, as well as with police from bordering towns when they follow suspects into New Haven.

The incident that brought that into focus occurred in April 2019 when a Yale police officer and an officer from Hamden fired into a car stopped in New Haven whose driver they suspected was involved in an alleged armed robbery in Hamden.

A passenger was shot in that instance and Hamden police Officer Devin Eaton is charged with first-degree assault and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. He was recommended for termination in November, but the hearing has been delayed as the police union seeks an injunction to prevent that while his criminal case is pending.

The Yale officer, Terrance Pollock, was not charged, but has no gun and is assigned to administrative work. Protesters at multiple rallies have demanded that both officers be fired.

Alder Eli Sabin, D-1, said the ordinance creating the CRB gave it the authority to develop a memorandum of understanding with the Yale University Police Department to ensure transparent civilian review of any civilian complaint involving alleged misconduct by a Yale officer working in the city.

Sabin said it would put those officers under the jurisdiction of the CRB.

The section in question on the authority of the CRB says:

To develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the Yale University Police Department designed to effectuate the goal of assuring transparent civilian review of any civilian complaint of an alleged police misconduct by an officer employed by a police department acting within the City of New Haven pursuant to municipal police powers.

We need to do everything we can to ensure police officers operating in our city are held accountable if they violate their responsibility to protect and serve our community. That standard must be upheld for Yale police officers as well as NHPD officers, Sabin said.

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A spokeswoman for Yale said in an email that the university has a comprehensive mechanism in place to review any complaints of police misconduct and to take action when appropriate.

Anyone who wishes to lodge a complaint against an officer of the Yale Police Department may do so by notifying any officer of the Department or by submitting a Civilian Complaint Report to the Universitys Police Advisory Board, the Chief or Assistant Chiefs of Police, any Police Supervisor, or the Professional Standards Unit, the spokeswoman said in the email.

Complaints may also be submitted electronically at https://your.yale.edu/community/public-safety/civilian-complaint.

The ordinance that gives the CRB subpoena power to investigate civilian complaints was adopted in January 2019 after decades of attempts to put one in place and then strengthen it.

Getting the seats filled this year was delayed, as were many 100-day goals of Mayor Justin Elicker, elected last November, by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The interviews of the nominees by the committee Monday were in sharp contrast to the first round of appointees named to the CRB in August. At that contentious meeting, six of the 11 nominated were approved, with five rejected.

Lee, pastor of Immanuel Missionary Baptist Church said he is committed to making review of complaints against the Yale police happen.

The city seems to be over-policed, quite frankly, Ross-Lee said, and there needs to be a serious conversation about that.

He added, however, that such an MOU will require some kind of concession and some kind of engagement and agreement with the (Yale) University. So it wont completely be in the hands of the review board.

Ross-Lee said he had one tense interaction with police in the city, but he said he doesnt generalize that encounter. I cannot hold one person responsible for what someone else has done, just because they work for the same organization, he said.

Avshalom-Smith said he would like the see the Civilian Review Board act as a check and balance, but not something involved in day-to-day events. He said he views it as a necessary intermediary between civilians and police, tearing down silos and building bridges.

Avshalom-Smith said every group needs a philosopher, as they are trained to be objective. He said that is his background. Avshalom-Smith said he is used to breaking things down logically and sticking to the facts.

As president and founder of the Newhallville Community Action Network, he said he has empathy for both his fellow residents and the police.

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Avshalom-Smith said he plans to continue his active involvement in the community where currently he and others are walking the city to talk with neighbors to find a way to quell the uptick in shootings in the past month. He called it a high honor to be asked to serve.

As for his encounters with the police, Avshalom-Smith it was a mixed bag. He said he has had only positive experiences with the New Haven police. In another Connecticut city, however, he said he had a gun drawn on him outside his own home in a case of mistaken identity, and he was pulled over by a state trooper for apparently no reason.

Avshalom-Smith said his experiences have helped him understand that its not the badge, its the person behind the badge and their level of training that theyve received that is the most important factor.

He did say, however, the incident involving Yale and Hamden police over the alleged robbery a year ago occurred near his house and for months and months after that, I had to drive past that site every day, and I was afraid every day.

Smith said it was a top priority for him that there be oversight of the Yale police.

Counsel has been on numerous nonprofit boards, as well the Hill North Community Management Team.

I have always felt a need to serve the community, Counsel said. There needs to be a definite bridge between the community and law enforcement. Right now there appears to be a little gap across the country. In New Haven I think there has always been probably a little better relationship, but there are some spots that need to be filled in.

Counsel said he has always had a huge amount of respect for law enforcement ... but that did not exclude me from being pulled over. There are a lot of incidences I can think of, and witnessed.

He added however, my confidence is still there, but there is a lot of work to be done. Since he was in college he thought a Civilian Review Board was needed, but never more so than now.

Like his colleagues, Counsel said there should be plenty of transparency. He thinks the relationship between the community and police can be improved through the CRB. He said he will bring a level of compassion to both police and residents.

Alder Ron Hurt, D-6, called Counsel one of the trophies in the Hill. He said the board should be filled with ordinary people, residents who are neutral and who have long standing in the community.

Pescatore, after participating in a couple of Black Lives Matter events, took up a friends suggestion to apply as a member of the CRB. In his 18 years here, he said he had grown passionate about the city of New Haven.

Pescatore was the president of the board of directors of the Canal Dock Boathouse organization for 7 years and the acting executive director recently until a permanent director was named.

Pescatore said the greatest challenge to getting the board up and running is earning the trust and the faith of the community and the leadership of the police force. If that doesnt happen, he said, it wont work.

He said Yale and the city have to work together and the MOU should be among the first things that is accomplished.

In answer to a question from an alder, Pescatore said he participated in one Black Lives Matter march and one bike ride benefiting the cause and said they were incredibly inspiring events.

He said it was easy to feel the passion as he watched the cooperation and spirit of the residents who came together from all different backgrounds. Pescatore said it enhanced his feelings about the kind of accountability that citizens deserve from city officials, police and fire personnel and the ability of the CRB to accomplish that.

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Asked about what challenges he foresees, Pescatore said he expects bumps in the road, but he believes the board will be open minded and accepting of everyone.

Sabin asked whether the board should continue to meet in the police department. Pescatore said he feels police headquarters is housed in an intimidating structure that isnt inviting and perhaps the new board should only meet there occasionally. He thought complaints about the police shouldnt be submitted there, either.

Peralta, co-chairman of the Whalley, Edgewood and Beaver Hills Community Management Team, said he brings the perspective of being a first-generation, bilingual resident growing up in a Latino household.

Peralta said he wants the police to understand the civilian point of view, versus what police take from instructional manuals. He was the most critical of the five nominees of police and their interactions with residents based on his personal experience.

Alder Evelyn Rodriguez, D-5, asked him about those encounters, and if one stood out as he contemplates becoming a member of the CRB.

He said the encounters have gone from low to high, beginning from when he was a youth. Peralta said he has been stopped by several local police agencies and patted down.

Peralta said it is something that stays with you. I still remember how I felt that moment and I carry that with me as an adult. He said it is not a good first encounter with police.

Peralta said he sees the Spanish-speaking community, the re-entry population and the homeless population are treated differently by police because of their status in society.

He said it is the reason he feels the CRB will be such an important body for transparency.

Sabin asked him what police practices he thinks need to be reformed.

Peralta said policing should not be at the end of a gun, or through scare tactics, misjudgment or misinformation. Rather it should respect the consent of the people who conferred the honor of a police badge on them and pay their salaries.

He referred to the current national news and the marches against police over reach. New Haven is particularly a little better than the rest of the country, but still it happens, Peralta said.

Already approved to the board are: Stephen Hamm, Iva Johnson, Richard Crouse, Jewu Richardson, Jean Jenkins, Nina Faucett, Jayuan Carter and AnneMarie Rivera Berrios. Two unaffiliated voters have yet to be named to the board by Elicker.

The only person commenting at the public hearing of the Aldermanic Affairs Committee was Leslie Radcliffe, a member of the former Civilian Review Board, who corrected some misinformation that has been circulating.

She said it will be difficult for the new board to act on reforming it, if it isnt familiar with what was in place before.

Radcliffe said it was first established by executive order in 1999. Contrary to some statements, it did not meet in the police department, but in City Hall. She said they would go to the department to review the complaints filed with Internal Affairs.

She said technically the original board was asked to stand down as the issue was reviewed as part of charter reform and it technically was never dissolved. She advised the members to review what their job description actually entails if they want to be successful.

Reporter Clare Dignan contributed to this story. mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 01:38:59|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- China's Mars probe, Tianwen-1, captured an image of the Earth and Moon, about 1.2 million km from Earth, the China National Space Administration said on Tuesday.

China launched its first Mars mission Tianwen-1, which means Questions to Heaven, on July 23, marking the country's first step in planetary exploration of the solar system.

Tianwen-1 took a photo of the Earth and Moon with an optical navigation sensor on Monday. In the black-and-white picture, the Earth and the Moon, one large and one small, were both crescent-shaped, watching each other in the vast universe.

According to the CNSA, the probe has escaped the earth's gravity and entered the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, travelling more than 1.5 million km away from the Earth.

The probe was in good condition, said the CNSA. Enditem
Kim Jong-un Boasts of 'Reliable, Effective' Nuclear 'Deterrent' Aimed at Preventing War on Peninsula

Sputnik News

05:01 GMT 28.07.2020

Monday 27 July marked the 67th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the Korean War (1950-53). North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivered a speech in front of war veterans in Pyongyang to mark the date.

On Monday, during a speech marking the 67th anniversary of the end of the Korean War (1950-53), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said that the country's nuclear weapons are a "reliable, effective" deterrent and were a solid guarantee for the nation's security, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim stated that North Korea has tried to become "a nuclear state" with "absolute might" in a bid to prevent another war on the peninsula, and that now the country has built this kind of deterrent.

"Now we've changed to a country which can defend itself reliably and unwaveringly against high-intensity pressure and military threats and blackmailing by imperialistic reactionaries and hostile forces", Kim Jong-un said, as quoted by the Associated Press. "There won't be any war on this land again and our national security and future will be guaranteed firmly and permanently because of our reliable, effective self-defensive nuclear deterrent".

The North Korean head of state's remarks came amid stalled talks with the United States regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the possibility of denuclearisation.

In late-June, the US deputy Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun, said that there was still time for Washington and Pyongyang to resume talks and "make substantial progress".

In early July, Pyongyang said it did not intend to negotiate with Washington amid hope for a summit before the US election, expressed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, according to KCNA.

According to AP, it is expected that North Korea will avoid talks with the Trump administration before the US presidential elections in November in the the hope of seeing a new occupant in the White House.

Jong-un and Trump have held three one-on-one summits, one in Singapore in 2018 and two in 2019; in Vietnam and at the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea. The two leaders discussed the state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula and the possibility of denuclearisation. None of the summits succeeded in achieving their stated goals, as the US president failed to convince Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons, while the Asian nation's demand to ease US sanctions has not been met.

A Sputnik

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Last week, a Russian court found the historian Yuri Dmitriev guilty of sexual abuse of a minor and sentenced him to three-and-a-half years in prison. Taking into account the time Dmitriev has already spent in jail, he could be freed in November of this year.

As the head of the organization Memorial in Karelia, a region bordering Finland, Dmitriev has played an important role in the recovery of the names of over 6,000 people who were shot at Sandarmokh during the Stalinist Great Terror of 1937-1938, and several thousand more who were executed at other sites in the region.

Among those murdered at Sandarmokh and other sites in Karelia were many revolutionaries who had been members of Leon Trotskys Left Opposition in the 1920s. Karelia also has mass graves bearing the remains of victims of nationality operations, in which minority nationalsabove all Poles, Finns, Ukrainians and members of the Baltic nationalitieswere rounded up and murdered by the NKVD, the Stalinist secret police.

Yuri Dmitriev

The courts decision was an attempt to bolster the campaign of defamation of Dmitriev without provoking a public uproar. In recent months, several of Russias best known intellectuals have spoken out in defense of Dmitriev, and representatives of the countrys US-backed liberal opposition have openly sided with him.

In recent years, Dmitriev has been arrested and charged multiple times on the basis of a variety of allegations, and it is far from certain that his current prison term will mark the end of the state vendetta against him. Sixty-four years old and in poor health, he is at high risk of contracting COVID-19 in prison. His life is in danger.

With over 800,000 cases, Russia is among the countries worst affected by the pandemic. The virus has been ripping through the prison population for months.

Despite the fact that Dmitriev approaches the crimes of Stalinism as an anti-communist, his work in recovering the names of those murdered in Karelia is important. In a previous article, the WSWS emphasized: The state campaign against Dmitriev must be unequivocally rejected and his immediate release demanded. Behind the vicious campaign are the efforts of the Russian state and oligarchy, which originated in the Stalinist counterrevolution against the October Revolution of 1917, to suppress all efforts to uncover the truth about the crimes of Stalinism.

The leading Russian pseudo-left website, Rabkor.Ru, whose editor-in-chief is Boris Kagarlitsky, has adopted the opposite standpoint, defending the Russian state vendetta against Dmitriev. Particularly in the run-up during the 1980s to the Stalinist bureaucracys 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union and the restoration of capitalism, as well as in the ensuing decade of the 1990s, Kagarlitsky maintained close relations with the international Pabloite movement, which published many of his writings through its Verso publishing house.

Like the Pabloites, Kagarlitsky promoted illusions first in Mikhail Gorbachev and then in Boris Yeltsin, subordinating workers who carried out mass strikes to the Stalinist bureaucracy and its drive to restore capitalism. To this day, he frequents conferences organized by the German Left Party and similar forces.

On July 25, Kagarlitskys website published a piece by Alexander Stepanov, a member of the Stalinist formation ROT-Front in Petrozavodsk, Karelia. The article is aimed at justifying both the crimes of Stalinism and the persecution of Dmitriev by the Russian state. Toward this end, it employs the technique of Stalinist amalgamsa combination of personal attacks, half-truths, lies and the deliberate omission of critical facts.

In characteristic bad faith, Stepanov begins his piece with an attempt to discredit Dmitriev by legitimizing the state frame-up against him. Since the trial against Dmitriev has proceeded in secret, most of the evidence of both the prosecution and the defense is not accessible to the public, something that Stepanov considers understandable.

Memorials

The liberal newspaper Novaya Gazeta, after extensive research, established that the basis for the charges of sexual abuse of a minor were pictures taken by Dmitriev of his adopted daughter when she was three, four and six years old. Dmitriev claimed that he had taken them for use in medical examinations because the girl was suffering from nocturnal bedwetting. His statements were corroborated by medical records from the hospital where the girl was treated. She did not suffer sexual or psychological trauma at the time of the alleged assaults. Moreover, experts concluded that statements she made against him came following pressure from the criminal investigators and a psychologist.

The fact that the court eventually sentenced Dmitriev to only a few additional months in prison is all but an admission that it had no evidence to substantiate the charges. The minimum sentence for the sexual abuse of a minor in Russia is 12 years.

Nevertheless, the court did find Dmitriev guilty, creating the pseudo-legal basis for character assassination, which Stepanov is all too happy to support.

In his article, Stepanov does not claim that there is any evidence to support the case against Dmitriev. But every normal person, he writes, will probably agree that the very fact that he possessed the pictures, which have been acknowledged as authentic by Dmitrievs defense, does not speak well of him from a moral standpoint.

Without referencing the World Socialist Web Site, Stepanov seeks to dismiss its arguments in defense of Dmitriev, insisting that the Stalinist crimes uncovered by him have no political significance. Rather, he writes, Sandarmokh has become the basis for new political and historical myths of an anti-communist character. He argues further that the prosecution of Dmitriev could not have been politically motivated because the historian has not played any role in organizing protests against the Putin regime.

But it is not the politics of Dmitriev that the Kremlin fears. However limited, the revelations of the crimes of Stalinism by Dmitriev and other historians are perceived as an existential threat by the Russian oligarchy. Having emerged directly from the Stalinist counterrevolution against the October Revolution, leading to the destruction of the USSR, it critically relies on the confusion of Stalinism with socialism, and above all on ignorance of the role of Leon Trotsky and his Left Opposition, which opposed the nationalist betrayal of the revolution by Stalinism and defended the program of world socialist revolution.

It is for this reason that the Putin regime has promoted a form of neo-Stalinism and funded the publication of countless books by hack historians seeking to justify the crimes of Stalin, especially his Great Terror. By contrast, Dmitriev, whatever his own political views, has made a contribution to understanding the scale of these crimes.

Stepanov tries to discredit these efforts. You will be surprised, but over 20 years have passed since Sandarmokh was discovered and there is still no precise number for those who were shot there, he writes. The fact that the exact number of the victims of these massacresas of many others of the Stalinist periodis not known to this day does not speak against Dmitrievs work. Rather, it speaks to the horrendous scope of these massacres, which were covered up for half a century by the Stalinist bureaucracy and still remain to be fully researched.

Stepanov also tries to use the fact that Memorial recently concretized, on a geographic basis, the number of those who were shot at Sandarmokh and the immediately surrounding area, to allege that Dmitrievs work is not only insignificant, but also misleading. He insinuates, without providing any sources or evidence, that no more than 2,500 people could possibly have been shot at Sandarmokh.

Memorial has indeed lowered to 6,067 the number of those who were shot in and around Sandermokh who can be identified by name. However, the total number of those shot as part of the Great Terror in Karelia in 1937-1938 is still estimated to be at least 10,779. It is to his credit that Dmitriev, with several others, has identified thousands of these victims.

The discrediting of the terrors victims is Stepanovs next goal. He writes that it is striking that [among those identified by name] are many people who opposed the Soviet government with arms in hand during the Civil War. He notes that members of the right-wing Petliura regime in Ukraine and figures from the counterrevolutionary White movement in the 1918-1921 Civil War were among the victims, but he makes no mention of the leading revolutionaries and many workers who were killed there.

The Great Terror was, as the Soviet historian of the Left Opposition Vadim Rogovin explained, a political genocide. Its primary aim was to root out all opposition to the Stalinist regime from the left and undermine socialist consciousness within the Soviet and international working class.

Its main target was the Old Bolsheviks, the Trotskyist movement and Leon Trotsky himself, the co-leader of the October Revolution with Vladimir Lenin. Almost everyone who had known and fought with Lenin and Trotsky was killed by Stalin. This included many leading figures of the Fourth International, founded by Trotsky in 1938, who were murdered by Stalinist agents in Europe, as well as supporters of Trotsky in the Spanish Civil War. In 1940, Leon Trotsky himself was assassinated by a Stalinist agent in Mexico.

While former members of the White movement were among those killed in the Soviet Union, from a social and political standpoint far more significant was the integration of openly counter-revolutionary elements into the murderous apparatus of Stalin.

In a characteristic exchange quoted by Vadim Rogovin, a former White Guardist officer who found employment as a guard in a Stalinist camp told an Old Bolshevik: What is happening now is the fulfillment of our slogan: All power to the Soviets, but without communists!... You can be certain: all (the Old BolsheviksV. R.) will end up in the camps. (Quoted in Rogovin, Stalins Terror of 1937-1938, The Political Genocide in the USSR, Mehring Books 2009, 238).

Everything in Stepanovs piece is aimed at obscuring the counterrevolutionary character of the Great Terror. He writes: In reality, based on documents, so far we know that 1,111 or 1,116 people were shot in Sandarmokh as part of the Solovki stage. These were people who had already been sentenced in the early 1930s for counterrevolutionary activity and had been imprisoned in the Solovki camps. Perhaps a few other citizens of Karelia were shot there. Thats all.

Stepanov clearly implies that these people were correctly sentenced for counterrevolutionary activity, since he does not use quotation marks here. In reality, of the different shootings at Sandarmokh, it was the Solovki action that most directly bore a counterrevolutionary character.

Many of those executed were major Old Bolsheviks and supporters of the Left Opposition. Among them were Nadezhda Smilga-Poluyan, an Old Bolshevik and the wife of Ivar Smilga, who had been a close collaborator of Lenin in 1917 and a leader of the Left Opposition in the 1920s; the Old Bolsheviks Grigory Shklovsky and Georgy Yakovenko, who had signed declarations of the Left Opposition in the 1920s. They also included Revekka Shumskaya and Noi Volfson, party members since the first years of the Soviet Union who had earlier been expelled from the party and arrested for their support of the Opposition. Also included were Martin Yakobson and Aleksandr Blaufeld, Old Bolsheviks who had fought for socialism in Estonia since the 1905 Revolution in Russia.

The website Bessmertnyi Barak, which has published the list with the names of those killed in the Solovki stage, notes that approximately half of those shot were simple workers from Petersburg. These mass executions on October 27 and November 1-4, 1937 were consciously timed by the Stalinist butchers to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Bolshevik seizure of power in 1917. Overall, the Great Terror claimed over 800,000 lives, the vast majority of them communists, including many from eastern and southeastern Europe and Germany.

The political and intellectual impact of the murder of thousands of workers and intellectuals who embodied the revolutionary experience and traditions of the October Revolution cannot be measured in numbers, as large as they were. The Stalinist terror played a central role in beheading the working class throughout the post-World War II period, not just in the USSR but throughout Europe and internationally. It profoundly disoriented generations of workers and intellectuals, who falsely equated socialism with Stalinism and who were cut off from the traditions of 1917 and Marxism.

Only the International Committee of the Fourth International, which was founded in 1953 to defend the principles of Trotskys Fourth International, embodied and defended these traditions under conditions where petty-bourgeois revisionist forces, most notably the Pabloite movement, sought to subordinate the working class to the existing bureaucracies and Stalinism.

The fact that Rabkor is now publishing such a neo-Stalinist hack piece to attack historical research on the Great Terror underscores, yet again, that a river of blood separates the Trotskyist movement from the Pabloite and ex-Pabloite forces. It should be noted that this is not just a Russian phenomenon. In 2018, the WSWS extensively commented on the alliance of the Partido Obrero in Argentina with the Russian Stalinist Daria Mitina, a figure with close ties to fascist forces and the Russian state.

The open defense of the crimes of Stalinism by these tendencies is rooted in nationalism and a militant hostility to the working class. It leaves no doubt as to the class interests they are defending.

The defense of Dmitriev cannot be left to the reactionary forces of the pro-imperialist liberal opposition around Alexei Navalny. They seek to exploit his case, and the crimes of Stalinism more broadly, to promote anti-communism and an alliance with US imperialism. Workers and youth must oppose the filthy historical lies of the Russian state and the Stalinists from their own class standpoint.

The fight to reestablish the historical truth about the October Revolution and the crimes of Stalinism is essential for the struggle for socialism in the 21st century. We call upon our readers in Russia and throughout the former Soviet Union to take this struggle forward. The essential historical, political and methodological axis for this work was established in the book In Defense of Leon Trotsky, by David North, which can be purchased from Mehring Books.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Mecca, Saudi Arabia  Wed, July 29, 2020 09:37 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1c1e4 2 World Saudi-Arabia,haj-pilgrimage,haj-pilgrims,coronavirus,coronavirus-restrictions,COVID-19,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday begin the annual haj, dramatically downsized this year as the Saudi hosts strive to prevent a coronavirus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage.

The haj, one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, is usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings.

But this year only up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom will participate in the ritual, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world that attended last year.

"There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but [downsizing] is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic," said Khalid bin Qarar Al-Harbi, Saudi Arabia's director of public security.

Pilgrims will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in the holy city of Mecca and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.

Those selected to take part in the haj were subject to temperature checks and placed in quarantine as they began trickling into Mecca at the weekend.

State media showed health workers sanitizing their luggage, and some pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.

Workers, clutching brooms and disinfectant, were seen cleaning the area around the Kaaba, the structure at the center of the Grand Mosque draped in gold-embroidered cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.

Haj authorities have cordoned off the Kaaba this year, saying pilgrims will not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection.

They also reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims.

The foreign press are barred from this year's haj, usually a huge global media event, as the government tightens access to Mecca.

'Indescribable feeling'

Saudi authorities initially said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom would be permitted for the haj, but local media reports say as many as 10,000 will be allowed to take part.

Some 70 percent of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in the kingdom, while the rest will be Saudi citizens, authorities said.

All worshippers were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in Mecca and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the kingdom nears 270,000 -- one of the largest outbreaks in the Middle East.

They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilized pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the ihram, a seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a haj ministry program document.

"I did not expect, among millions of Muslims, to be blessed with approval," Emirati pilgrim Abdullah al-Kathiri said in a video released by the Saudi media ministry.

"It is an indescribable feeling... especially since it is my first pilgrimage."

The haj ministry said non-Saudi residents of the kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process but it did not say how many people applied.

Some disappointed applicants have complained that the government-run lottery was not clearly outlined and that no reason was given for their rejection.

Economic slump

The haj ministry has fielded a deluge of anguished queries on Twitter from rejected applicants.

But Haj Minister Mohammad Benten insisted the process was transparent, telling the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television that "health determinants" formed the basis of selection.

Despite the pandemic, many pilgrims consider it safer to participate in this year's ritual without the usual colossal crowds cramming into tiny religious sites, which make it a logistical nightmare and a health hazard.

Even in a regular year, the haj leaves pilgrims exposed to a host of illnesses.

The government scaled back the pilgrimage as it could be a major source of contagion, but the move will deepen the kingdom's economic slump, analysts say.

Saudi Arabia is already facing a sharp downturn in oil prices due to a collapse in global demand driven by national lockdowns, which triggered austerity measures, including the tripling of a value added tax and cuts to civil servants' allowances.

The virus has also battered pilgrimage-reliant businesses that support hundreds of thousands of jobs in Mecca, from travel agents to street barbers and souvenir shops.

The haj and the year-round umrah pilgrimages together rake in some $12 billion annually.
MUSKEGON, MI -- Students in Muskegon Public Schools will begin their year online, the superintendent said this week.

Students are safer learning from home this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic, Superintendent Matthew Cortez said in a letter to parents Tuesday, July 28.

I am not confident that we are able to return our students and staff into a safe and healthy environment in our buildings right now, Cortez said.

The administration plans to bring a plan for distance learning to the Board of Education in early August, Cortez said.

Districts across the state are considering back-to-school plans after having to close buildings in March due to the pandemic. Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Leadriane Roby is also recommending that students begin the year online.

Related: Grand Rapids superintendent recommends starting school year online-only

Muskegon school leaders will evaluate the plan every month and move toward in-person instruction when it is safe and manageable, Cortez said.

I understand that this is not going to be easy for our community, he said. I also want to emphasize that director instruction in classrooms is the absolute best practice for student learning. However, I cannot sacrifice the health and safety of our students, staff and families.

Students from kindergarten to 12th grade will begin the year in a distance learning mode where grades, attendance and participation are mandatory, the superintendent said. Students will learn in two forms: synchronous and asynchronous.

Synchronous learning is live instruction using Chromebooks every morning of every day of the week. Students will learn via asynchronous instruction in the afternoon, which involves prerecorded lessons.

The district will also offer appointment-based in-person tutoring using one-on-one or small groups of six to eight students with their teachers.

Im excited that we were able to provide some opportunities for students to schedule face-to-face time with their teacher, while remaining safety and healthy, Cortez said.

The district will provide transportation for tutoring, he said.

Students will be required to attend all live distance learning sessions led by Muskegon teachers. They will also have multiple assignments to complete each week. Grades and credits will be given for all work in all courses, the superintendent said.

The superintendent said parents of early childhood and special education students should look for details soon about additional in-person learning opportunities.

Im also a parent of a Big Red and I understand that we are all dealing with a lot of uncertainty since being shut-down by the pandemic, Cortez said. That is why you have my commitment to give everyone ample time to make the needed arrangements for their own families.

Also on MLive:

30% of Michigan residents oppose coronavirus school closings, higher than U.S. average, poll finds

Grand Rapids region moved to medium-high coronavirus risk level

Michigan reports 669 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday, July 28
Srinagar: An ambulance driver from Srinagar is being hailed a coronavirus warrior for his selfless service in not only ferrying thousands of COVID-19 patients to hospitals but also for assisting in funeral rites of the dead COVID-19 patients.

Jamil Ahmed had been assigned the job to carry COVID-19 infected patients to hospital in some cases ended up digging graves for the dead as their relatives refused to come forward for fear of contracting the infection. He has, so far, driven more than 8,000 COVID positive patients to hospitals in Srinagar. Out of 302 deaths in Jammu and Kashmir, 85 people died in Srinagar and 70 of them were taken to crematorium by him. Jamil's ambulance is now kept only for COVID patients.

According to Jamil, the fear of COVID is so high that when an ambulance siren buzzes the grave diggers flee from the cemetery leaving their tools behind. He then completes the unfinished job of digging graves. He says my work will be rewarded by God.

Jamil says, "I have taken about 80% of the COVID patients in this ambulance, I did not take the dead bodies because I will get any medal, I did for Allah (God) and Allah will reward me because these people are helpless, their family are helpless, someone has to come forward, we ask Allah for help."

He has instructed his family members to stay at home because he does not want anyone to get into any trouble because of him as he spends much timke among infected people. He himself has stopped visiting friends and relatives.

Jamil says, "I do not allow my wife to go anywhere, nor do I allow my children, I myself do not go to my in-laws house, I do not want anyone to have trouble with me but thank God my family is safe," he added "If one works with sincerity then Allah helps, I have assured my family members that God is there to keep us protected."

Jamil says whoever has died due to COVID in Srinagar has been picked up in his ambulance. He has not only taken Muslim dead bodies to graves but also Hindu Sikh dead bodies to the cremation ground in Srinagar. Jamil says he will continue his service as long his body supports.

Jammu and Kashmir's tally of COVID-19 cases have crossed the 18,000 mark and 3 to 4 hundred positive cases are reported every day while the death toll is 300 out of which the maximum cases are from Srinagar district of Kashmir.
For the first time in Singapores history, an India-origin politician Pritam Singh was appointed as the leader of the Opposition on July 28. According to an international media outlet, Singhs Workers Party won 10 parliamentary seats out of the 93 contested in the July 10 general elections. His party also became the biggest opposition presence in Singapores Parliament.

The 43-year-old is the Secretary-General of the Workers Party. While Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs ruling Peoples Action Party reportedly won 83 seats in the general election and his government was sworn in earlier this week, the newly appointed leader of the Opposition will take on more duties and be accorded additional privileges in his role.

READ: Indian Boy Among Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Singapore: Health Ministry

In a joint statement, the Office of the Speaker of Parliament and Office of the Leader of the House said, Similar to other Westminster parliamentary systems, Mr Singh will lead the Opposition in presenting alternative views in parliamentary debates on policies, bills and motions."

The authorities informed that Singh will also lead and organise the scrutiny of the governments position and actions in Parliament. Furthermore, he will be consulted on the appointment of opposition members to Select Committees, such as the Public Accounts Committee. According to the statement by the officials, the Indian-origin politician will receive an annual package of USD 2,79,025 as allowances for his new role.

Singapores Parliament reportedly said that with any new political appointment, the role of LO (Leader of Opposition) will evolve as the city-states political system develops. The authorities added that they look forward to working with Singh to create a robust but stable political system serving the interests of Singapore and its people.

READ: Singapore Scientists Develop Coronavirus Testing That Yields Results In 36 Minutes

Desire for greater diversity

Meanwhile, after the swearing-in ceremony, Singapores PM reportedly said that the election results have shown a strong desire among the citizens for a greater diversity of views in politics and that the trend is here to stay. Lee said, We have to give expression to it and evolve our political system to accommodate it while maintaining our cohesion and sense of national purpose.

When Parliament reopens, it will have 12 Opposition MPs. WP Secretary-General Pritam Singh has been designated as the Leader of the Opposition. I look fwd to working with our colleagues across the aisle to build a better & stronger Singapore.  LHL https://t.co/4ws0Xcb89M pic.twitter.com/3qiAkWjR0b  leehsienloong (@leehsienloong) July 28, 2020

The Parliamentary offices in a statement noted that Singapores legislatures have never had formally designated Leaders of the Opposition, and such a position is not provided for in the Constitution or the Standing Orders of Parliament. The officials said that even in the 1950s and early 1960s when there were substantial numbers of opposition legislative assemblymen, the countrys legislature Neve had formal LO.

(Image: @daunlust/Twitter)

(With PTI inputs)

READ: Singapore Reports 481 New COVID-19 Cases; All Foreigners

READ: Singapore Man Pleads Guilty To Spying For China In The US Amid Soaring Tensions
An eight-month-old girl has died after she was left alone inside a car for several hours on a hot day, police in Virginia say.

Police in Chesapeake responded to the 900 block of Adventure Way in Deep Creek at around 12.35pm on Tuesday for a report of a child left unattended inside a vehicle.

Officers arrived to find the infant, who they say had been left alone for 'several hours.'

Police were called to the 900 block of Adventure Way in the Deep Creek section of Chesapeake, Virginia (pictured), on Tuesday afternoon to find an eight-month-old baby alone inside a hot car. The infant late died

Paramedics were summoned to the scene and administered first aid to the baby. She was then taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Detective Alison Robare, with the Chesapeake Police Department, told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that autopsy results are pending to determine the cause of the baby's death.

Police are not releasing the name of the deceased infant at this time.

The detective also declined to say whose car the baby was in at the time of her death, citing an ongoing investigation.

As of Wednesday morning, no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed in connection to the incident.

According to AccuWeather.com, temperatures in Chesapeake reached as high as 102 degrees by midday on Tuesday.

Scientific data show that on a 95-degree day it would take 30 minutes for the temperature inside a vehicle to reach a scorching 129 degrees.

The advocacy group KidsAndCars.org reported there have been 14 child hot car deaths so far this year.

On average, 39 children die of vehicular heatstroke each year.

On July 1, the House of Representatives passed the Hot Cars Act a federal bill that would require available, affordable technology to detect the presence of a child inside a vehicle.

It is not yet known when the bill will by voted on by the Senate.
Muslims around the world are preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Adha festival, despite limitations imposed by efforts to battle the coronavirus. Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, is celebrated near the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and begins this year on July 30 in many places.Over the course of this holiday period, Muslims slaughter their best halal animals as a symbolic homage to the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his first son as an act of supplication to God. Before Ibrahim could sacrifice his son, God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead. It is traditional to distribute the sacrificial meat to the poor.

Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, are the two most important festivals in the Islamic calendar.
Drone users in India have a new venue to practice their craft. Initiating what might eventually be seen in the rest of the country, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved the Bombay Flying Club as the first drone training school of India.

The update comes from the Civil Aviation Ministry in a recent tweet. As per the ministry, the Bombay Flying Club is now the first DGCA-approved drone training school of India.

The tweet by the ministry on Monday read, Good News for Drone Users. Want to be a professional drone pilot? If yes, then register at the Bombay Flying Club as Bombay Flying Club becomes the first DGCA-approved drone training school of India.

Civil Aviation Ministry/ Twitter

A link shared within the tweet redirects to the order released by the ministry on July 24. As per the order, the ministry has provided the permission for conducting remote pilot training at Bombay Flying Club using remotely piloted aircraft systems.



The permission has been granted to the club for a period of one year.

Pre-conditions

(Representative Image: Reuters)

The permission, however, comes with some prerequisites. The club, for instance, will have to meet the safety requirements for drone use. Additionally, it will have to take clearances from the local administration, the Defence Ministry, the Home Ministry, the Indian Air Force as well as the Airports Authority of India.



From June 8, the ministry has started the registration process for non-compliant drones. The process is meant for drones which are not registered with the DGCA and do not have drone acknowledgement numbers (DANs).

Constant push

(Representative Image: Reuters)

A report by News18 mentions that a similar exercise conducted in January this year led to the registry of 19,553 non-compliant drones in just more than half a month.



DGCA has been proactive for certain uses of drones in the country for solving issues. Back in May, for instance, DGCA granted a conditional exemption to the agriculture ministry within 24 hours of its request to use drones to fight the locust swarm in the country.

The approval by DGCA stated, In view of the urgency of the matter, the Government of India, in exercise of powers conferred under Rule 160 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, provides conditional exemption to Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

With the approval of the Bombay Flying Club as the first drone training school of India, it seems the use of drones is only going to grow and spread to several other applications.


ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The United States and Europe called on Turkey to release jailed businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala, who on Monday marked his 1,000th day in prison without a conviction and despite an acquittal from a previous case.

Kavala has been in jail since November 2017. He was initially accused of financing nationwide protests in 2013, but he was acquitted on those charges in February and was ordered to be released.

Hours after the acquittal, however, he was ordered to be detained for another case related to a failed 2016 coup attempt and later formally arrested again. The charge on the same case was changed in March to espionage but an indictment has not been prepared.

Kavala denies all charges.

U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Cale Brown called for Kavala's release given he has not been convicted.

"We call upon Turkey to comply with its own commitment to justice and rule of law and to release Osman Kavala from detention, while pursuing a just, transparent, and speedy resolution to his case," Brown said in a statement late on Monday.

Nacho Sanchez Amor, the European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur, said Kavala had become a test for Turkey's sincerity with regards to human rights.

"We are pushing and pushing again for real justice in Turkey," he said.

Critics say the independence of Turkey's judiciary from politics has been badly eroded in recent years. President Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling AK Party say the judiciary makes its decisions independently.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said the U.S. statement did not respect the principles of a state based on the rule of law.

"Everyone needs to respect this process that is being carried out by independent courts," the ministry spokesman said in a statement. "No state or person can give orders to Turkish courts regarding judicial processes."

In a statement marking his 1,000 days in detention, Kavala said: "A parallel law enforcement system has been set in motion, which enables to keep in prison the persons who 'needed' to be punished, regardless of the established facts and concrete information about their activities."

The European Court of Human Rights has also called for Kavala's release due to insufficient evidence related to both the abortive 2016 coup and 2013 protests.

(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Ed Osmond)
Rajasthan assembly speaker CP Joshi moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday challenging a July 24 order by the high court ordering him to defer proceedings on the disqualification notices he issued dissident Congress legislator Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs.

Joshi submitted that the high court order is in violation of legal principles laid down by the 1992 Supreme Court judgment in Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu as per which courts cannot interfere with the speakers powers to decide a disqualification petition till he gives a final decision on such a disqualification plea.

The order (of July 24) restraining the speaker from performing his constitutional duties under the 10th schedule (for disqualification of MLAs) is a direct intrusion by the high court into the domain exclusively reserved for the Speaker, the petition filed through advocate Sunil Fernandes said.

The high court, by attempting to reopen the law laid down in Kihoto Hollohan committed gross judicial indiscipline, the plea added.

On July 24, the Rajasthan high court issued a detailed order staying action by the speaker against the rebel Congress legislators while admitting the writ petition filed the Pilot camp against the disqualification notices.

Pilot, the former deputy chief minister, is leading a rebellion in the ruling party after differences between him and the chief minister widened into a full-blown confrontation that threatens to knock the party out of power.

The high court said that it will examine the constitutional validity of para 2(1)(a) of the 10th schedule of the constitution. The 10th schedule contains provisions relating to disqualification of lawmakers for defection.

Para 2(1)(a) lays down that voluntarily giving up membership of the political party on whose ticket the lawmaker was elected, will be a ground for disqualification from the house.

The Pilot camp had challenged the validity of para 2(1)(a) arguing that merely voicing opinion against party leadership does not amount to voluntarily giving up membership and para 2(1)(a), to the extent it prohibits expression of opinion, violates freedom of speech under Article 19 of the Constitution.

The constitutional validity of 10th schedule including para 2(1)(a) had been specifically challenged before the Supreme Court in Kihoto and the contention was negatived. In these circumstances, the high court could not have acted as appellate court over the correctness of the decision in Kihoto, the speaker submitted.

The Supreme Court should ensure that the authorities under the constitution, including the judiciary, exercise its jurisdiction within their boundaries and function within their respective Lakshman Rekhas, Joshi contended.

This would be the second instance of Joshi knocking the doors of the Supreme Court. He had earlier filed an appeal before the Supreme Court on July 22 seeking a stay on a July 21 order of the high court which had asked him to defer action on disqualification notices till July 24. He also sought a stay on the high court proceedings in that plea.

But the Supreme Court on July 23 declined the request paving way for the high court to pass its order on July 24 rendering Joshis petition before the apex court infructuous (ineffective). He had, subsequently, withdrawn that petition on July 27.

Joshi submitted on Wednesday that the July 24 order of high court is violative of Article 212 of the Constitution as per which courts cannot inquire into the proceedings of the legislature.

The notice issued by him to the Pilot camp on July 14 is purely procedural and in the realm of legislative proceedings under Article 212 and courts cannot review or examine the same, he contended.

The proceedings before the speaker till the final decision are in the nature of proceedings in the House and are not subject to judicial review only the final decision of the speaker is amenable to judicial review and that too on limited grounds, the petition said.

The order of the High Court is a direct interference in the proceedings of the House which is prohibited under Article 212 of the Constitution, the plea added.

Pilot and other MLAs had approached the high court on July 15 challenging the speakers notice which had asked the 19 MLAs to furnish an explanation by July 17 on why they should not be disqualified from the assembly for their conduct which the Congress party alleged was detrimental to the interest of the party and showed their intention to quit the party.

The speakers notice was based on the disqualification petition filed by Chief Whip of Congress party, Mahesh Joshi. Joshi in his plea had cited the absence of the MLAs from two Congress Legislature Party meetings, held on July 13 and 14, despite specific instructions to attend the same as the main reason which showed the intention of the MLAs to leave the Congress party.

Pilot and other dissident MLAs have maintained that they never had the intention to leave the Congress party and were merely exercising their right to criticize party leadership and the functioning of the chief minister. In a democratic setup, voicing disagreement with the policies or decisions taken by the party does not amount to acting against the interests of the party so as to lead to disqualification, they had said in their petition.


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The late George Floyd has taken on a new form.

Thanks to a collaboration between Houston's George Floyd foundation and Change.org, a hologram effigy of the 46-year-old will tour the U.S., following the route of the 1961 Freedom Rides, according to the New York Daily News.

In a statement to NY Daily News, Change.org senior campaigner Sylvia Rolle said, This project seeks to replace the monuments of racist confederate memory with symbols of solidarity and justice."

Launched Monday night in Richmond, Va., the hologram first replaced a statue of Jefferson Davis, BET reported. Tuesday night, while still in Richmond, Floyd's hologram replaced the Confederate statue of Robert E. Lee. The statue will make stops in numerous Southern states, including North Carolina and Georgia.

'JUSTICE FOR VANESSA GUILLEN': Spc. Vanessa Guillen's family to introduce the #IAmVanessaGuillen bill, meet with Trump

Floyd's family is both honored and grateful to see his name live on and said they have enjoyed being a part of this special moment.

Since the death of my brother George, his face has been seen all over the world, Floyds brother Rodney Floyd said, as reported by NY Daily News. The hologram will allow my brothers face to be seen as a symbol for change in places where change is needed most.

He's absolutely right when he says his brother's face has been seen all over the world. Here in Houston, where Floyd had deep Third Ward ties, he was honored with tons of murals, peaceful protests and ceremonies in his memory.

It warms my heart knowing the love that my brother is spreading around the world, NY Daily News reported from Floyd's brother. Im hurting right now, but Im happy to be here. But its just hard just being here, looking at my brother, seeing him on a hologram. I never thought Id see my brother on a hologram. I always thought that wed grow old, fish, and die all together in a natural death.

Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25, when former Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled into his neck for almost eight minutes. After public outcry, deadly riots and protests, Chauvin and three officers who were on scene with him, but did nothing to help, were charged and fired.
Bay Area officials are racing to put together proposals to buy hotels and motels as the state prepares to hand out hundreds of millions of dollars for properties that can be turned into permanent housing for homeless people.

The Homekey program, created in the recently passed state budget, will give California cities and counties $600 million to build on another state initiative that has moved thousands of homeless people into hotel rooms during the coronavirus pandemic.

But theres a catch: The money must all be spent by the end of the year, turning a typically prolonged development process into a sprint. Officials in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties said they are putting out requests for interest, evaluating properties and negotiating prices so they can submit applications by Aug. 13, when the state will begin awarding grants.

But thats how COVID is. Everything is operating in hyper-speed, said Kerry Abbott, director of Alameda Countys Office of Homeless Care and Coordination.

Back in early April, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Project Roomkey, funded largely by federal coronavirus relief aid to the state. It gives money to counties to move homeless people who were infected or exposed to the coronavirus, or are particularly vulnerable to it, into hotel rooms to isolate.

The program has been criticized for making slow progress in placing people and having strict requirements that exclude the vast majority of the states homeless population, which surged to more than 151,000 people last year.

Brittany Hosea-Small / Special to The Chronicle

But at a news conference last month, Newsom said more than 14,200 people were now staying at 293 hotels throughout the state because of Project Roomkey. With that foothold in addressing Californias homelessness crisis, county leaders are hoping to avoid sending those people back to the streets  and the new state funding to pay for long-term housing with on-site supportive services could provide the first step.

If were going to solve the magnitude of this crisis, Newsom said, weve got to do something faster, with more intention. Weve got to do something much more aggressively, differently.

When Alameda County began leasing hotels this spring to shelter people, it was already considering buying them to create long-term housing. Abbott said several hotel owners signed purchase options in their leases, while others who did not want to temporarily rent rooms for homeless people expressed interest in selling to the county.

Her department is talking with cities about properties Alameda County might want to acquire with the new Homekey money and seeking appraisals on half a dozen sites. She would not say which hotels and motels are under consideration, but said they ranged in size from fewer than 50 rooms to more than 200.

Abbott said the process has been like budget Tetris, trying to figure out how to make the money stretch the furthest while also considering the geographic diversity, safety and condition of sites and whether the county can close a deal on the accelerated timeline. The Homekey funding primarily comes from aid that Congress approved for California in a coronavirus relief bill, which requires the state to spend it by Dec. 31.

Alameda County has leased 862 hotel rooms so far, with pending leases for 226 more, Abbott said. Officials hope they can use the new funding to buy many of them.

This is a great opportunity, Abbott said, and its a small portion of what we all need to bring together to close the gap.

The state expects that about $100 million of the Homekey money will be available for the nine Bay Area counties to buy hotels and motels, as well as vacant residential buildings  enough to add at least several hundred new permanent supportive housing units in the region. To get the aid, cities and counties must show they can provide services to residents.

Its a start, but far short of what is needed for a homeless population that topped 35,000 in the region in the past official count, and has probably been driven higher by the pandemic.

The biggest issue is that theres not enough funding for all the worthy applications that will be submitted, said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia.

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

Gioia said Contra Costa County has leased close to 600 hotel rooms through Project Roomkey. It is looking at bidding to buy two properties that each have between 150 and 200 rooms: the Courtyard Marriott in Richmond and a Motel 6 in Pittsburg, where Newsom held a June news conference.

Gioia said many people who live in encampments say they would move to their own room, but not a shelter. Although the new funding is far short of whats needed, he said, we really have an opportunity to make major progress in housing those that are unsheltered.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed unveiled a plan last week to add 1,500 permanent supportive housing units in the city over two years, including 1,000 during the next 12 months.

Abigail Stewart-Kahn, interim director of the citys Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, said 200 of the first-year rooms will be paid for with philanthropic money. The city is hoping to buy as many of the remaining 800 as possible with the new Homekey funding.

As the pandemic has depressed property values, Stewart-Kahn said shes been inundated with offers from property owners to sell hotels and apartment buildings to the city. The need to spend the Homekey money quickly gives her department an opportunity to strike while the cost is cheaper in San Francisco.

I keep likening this to the mayor setting a moon shot, Stewart-Kahn said. But we now need to be like NASA and figure out how to make it happen.

Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff
Developed around 2016, the BolaWrap was modeled after the bolas used by gauchos to wrangle animals. It went to market in 2018, and Taser founder Thomas Smith signed on in 2019 as president of Wrap Technologies. The company has been selling the device to law enforcement agencies for about a year, but over the past two months, Smith said, interest has increased as departments across the country explore calls for police reform measures after the killing of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis officers.
ZURICH, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Appway, leader in technology for workflow automation in financial services, has released the results of the study "The Total Economic Impact of Appway Client Onboarding for Wealth Management" conducted by Forrester Consulting.

Appway commissioned Forrester to examine real deployments of Appway's Onboarding for Wealth Management Solution from all relevant angles  costs to deploy, benefits achieved, return on investment  to quantify the effectiveness of automating client onboarding with Appway. The report features the following key findings:

Forrester TEI Report on Appway Onboarding for Wealth

Reduced time to onboard investors: 90%

Increased margin per customer: 10%

Payback period: 19 months

ROI: 225% over a four-year period

The COO of a global bank stated, "Average onboarding times fell from 45 days to 5-6 days, freeing up resources so we are able to grow faster." According to Forrester's findings, the examined wealth management firms and private banks saw a significant increase in margin per customer, improved customer conversion, and substantially higher compliance and back-office efficiencies.

As Forrester demonstrated, automating client onboarding with Appway creates a solid business case. "We believe The Forrester Total Economic Impact study is an important validation that wealth managers massively benefit from automating their client onboarding processes and demonstrates that investing into improving customer experience creates a significant quantitative impact on their bottom lines," says Hans Peter Wolf, CEO and Founder of Appway.

Headquartered in Switzerland with offices at key hubs of finance and technology around the globe, Appway designs software that facilitates the digital transformation of customer-focused financial services organizations. Industry-leading institutions  including Credit Suisse, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, LPL Financial, and LGT  trust Appway's award-winning software suite to support the digitization, automation, and acceleration of core business processes, such as the onboarding of new clients, management of changing client circumstances, and regulatory reviews.

The full Forrester Total Economic Impact study is available for download at appway.com/forrester

To join the conversation, follow Appway on LinkedIn or visit the blog.

About Appway

By automating workflows across people, systems, and data, Appway gives financial services businesses everything they need to get the job done and provide exceptional experiences at every touchpoint.

Its award-winning software is trusted by 10 of the top 25 wealth managers to digitize, automate, and accelerate core business processes, such as the onboarding of new clients, managing changing client circumstances, and regulatory reviews. With its reusable components, Appway allows firms to create business applications in a scalable and flexible way.

Industry-leading institutions rely on Appway to improve customer experience and boost internal efficiencies in full compliance with complex industry regulations. Headquartered in Switzerland with offices around the globe, Appway serves customers while collaborating with an extensive ecosystem of consulting, implementation, and technology partners.

More Information: http://www.appway.com

Press contact: Appway AG Sarah Robins Lessingstrasse 5 Marketing and Communications 8002 Zurich [email protected] www.appway.com +1 (917) 525-5607



SOURCE Appway
All the ceasefire violations were recorded between 09:45 and 11:35 on July 27.

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine recorded 111 violations on the first day of the newly-agreed truce in Donbas.

Read alsoRussian-led forces violate new truce in Donbas  JFO Commander

"Starting at 00:01 on July 27, following agreement reached at the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on July 22 regarding additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire, the SMM recorded 111 ceasefire violations, all in Donetsk region (including 21 explosions and 90 bursts and shots of small-arms-fire)," the OSCE SMM said in a daily report on July 28, 2020.

All the ceasefire violations were recorded between 09:45 and 11:35 on July 27, it said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia's hybrid military forces on July 28 fired one provocative shot from a grenade launcher in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, amid the newly-agreed truce.
Delhi and neighbouring Faridabad on Wednesday received light to heavy rain, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said and added weather stations in the national capital at Safdarjung, Lodhi Road, and the Ridge recorded 9.3 mm, 13 mm and 33.2 mm rainfall. Between 15.4 to 64.5 mm is categorised as moderate.

There was a 26% rain deficiency in Delhi from June 1 until Wednesday morning. It was expected to fall by Wednesday evening. Extremely heavy rain (over 20 cm) was also recorded in parts of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

Regional Weather Forecasting Centre head Kuldeep Shrivastava said the monsoon trough is passing very close to Delhi and bringing rain to the city. The monsoon trough is passing along Ferozepur [Punjab], Hisar, Gurgaon, [Haryana] Daltonganj, Dumka [Jharkhand] and parts of Nagaland. Shrivastava said moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal was likely to bring rain again on Wednesday night and on Thursday.

The western end of the trough has shifted southwards and is near to its normal position from Ganganagar (Rajasthan) to the Bay of Bengal, IMD said.

IMD said widespread and heavy to very heavy rain is likely in Uttarakhand, Jammu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala on Wednesday and Thursday. Extremely heavy rain (over 20 cm) was likely over places like Kerala.

There has been just 1% excess rain since the beginning of the monsoon on June 1 across the country. Eastern and northeastern India have received 12% excess rainfall. There has been a 20% deficiency in rainfall in northwest India, 2% in central India, and 12% excess over the south peninsula. There is an 11% rain deficiency across the country in July with 30% over northwest India; 7.5% excess over east and northeast India; 20% deficiency over central India and 14.6% excess over the south peninsula.

A good monsoon, which accounts for 70% of Indias annual rainfall, is critical to the fortunes of the agricultural sector on which at least 700 million people are dependent for a livelihood. The monsoon is crucial for the yield of rice, wheat, sugarcane, and oilseeds in a country where farming accounts for about 15% of the economy but employs over half of its people.

The formation of a cyclonic circulation around the South Bay of Bengal is a sign of weak monsoon. This is possibly the first time in several yearsa historical record that there was no low-pressure system forming over the Bay of Bengal in all of July and so rains have been deficient in the core monsoon zone. At least 12 to 15 low-pressure systems form over the Bay of Bengal every monsoon most in July and August. This July rain deficiency is 11%, said RK Jenamani, senior scientist, National Weather Forecasting Centre.

Low-pressure systems are the main rain-producing systems during monsoon. Their formation depends on dynamics like the interaction of south-westerly and easterly winds, added Jenamani.

IMD has also issued a moderate to severe thunderstorm and lightning warning for Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, and Rayalaseema on Thursday.

I remember 2002 was a very bad year when hardly any low-pressure systems formed. Low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal are rain-bearing systems. When they move into the land, they bring a lot of rain so they are critical during monsoon. Along with global features, two local features are critical for the development of low-pressure systems--wind shear (change in wind speed and direction) and moisture, said SK Dash, professor, Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.
Modi Govt Gives Access to Indian Army in Jammu & Kashmir to Acquire Land

Sputnik News

07:36 GMT 28.07.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): Inching towards the first anniversary of scrapping Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)'s special status on 5 August, the Narendra Modi government has taken a string of steps. The steps involve new domicile rules which allow outsiders to purchase land and get government jobs in J&K.

Taking another step to complete the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country, the Narendra Modi government has given access to the security forces to acquire land anywhere in the state. The historic step comes into being as state administration, currently under direct control of Delhi, withdrew a 1971 order that required a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Home Office.

The move will allow the army, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and other similar organisations to build camps, bunkers, and other units for security purpose, while doing away with the lengthy process of getting approval.

The acquisition will now be covered under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

This comes as a string of actions taken by the J&K administration following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which provided autonomy to the state for seven decades.

Recently, the administration gave a green light to amend the decades-old Control of Building Operations Act, 1988 and the J&K Development Act, 1970 that provided special dispensation for carrying out construction activities in "strategic areas" by the armed forces. The changes gave power to the forces to carry out construction activities beyond the cantonments.

The government has made changes to the domicile law as well, saying that indiviiduals who have resided in Jammu and Kashmir for a period of fifteen years will get a domicile certificate. The recent changes in the law have led to a backlash by political parties in J&K who called the amendment "disastrous" and aimed at "changing the demography" of the union territory.

A Sputnik

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A sign marks the headquarters of Moderna Therapeutics, which is developing a vaccine for COVID-19 in Massachusetts, May 18. Reuters-Yonhap



By Baek Byung-yeul



Calls are growing for the government to step up its support for local pharmaceutical companies which are currently trying to develop COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, as global pharmaceutical powerhouses are making rapid progress thanks to support from administrations in the United States and Europe, industry analysts said Wednesday.



They said the government should provide more financial and other support for local companies, as developing vaccines and treatments for the rapidly spreading coronavirus is vital. They added benchmarking the U.S. government would be a good choice as it has invested more than $5 billion so far in around 30 research projects for the development of COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines and treatments.



Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates sent a letter recently to President Moon Jae-in noting that he was impressed by Korea's coronavirus response including the country's quarantine measures and the private sector's vaccine development efforts.



But in reality, local pharmaceutical firms are lagging behind global powerhouses such as Pfizer and Moderna in the drug development race. Only one vaccine candidate is in the preclinical stage while another is in the first phase of a vaccine trial.



Chae Su-chan, a professor of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and director of the school's Center for Bio-Healthcare Innovation and Policy, said the government's full support for private firms was essential given drug makers have to spend an enormous amount of time and money to develop a new drugs or vaccines.



"Korea was highlighted for its agile response to COVID-19, developing test kits. But the country is lagging behind other countries in terms of the competiveness of its bio health industry. Especially in the new drug development sector, Korea is short of both talented researchers and funds. It takes about 13 years for them to develop a new drug on average with an investment amount of around 2 trillion won ($1.67 billion), which may make local firms hesitate to initiate new drug development," he said.



Moderna, a U.S.-based drug maker, recently launched phase three human trials of its vaccine for COVID-19. The company is developing the vaccine in conjunction with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and has received support funds amounting to nearly $1 billion.



Moderna said its human trials involve about 30,000 participants at 89 sites in the U.S. If the trial is successful, the company said it will be able to deliver about 500 million doses a year, and possibly up to 1 billion doses per year, starting next 2021.



Multinational pharmaceutical company Pfizer also launched Phase 3 trials of its vaccine. The trial includes up to 30,000 participants across 120 sites globally, including 39 U.S. states, Argentina, Brazil and Germany. In its press release, Pfizer said its preliminary results based on nearly 120 patients showed the vaccine was able to produce antibodies that could neutralize the virus in all of them.



Pfizer said that if the trial succeeds, it will seek regulatory approval as soon as October and supply vaccines for 50 million people, at two doses each, by the end of 2020. In addition, Oxford University is conducting Phase 3 trials in collaboration with biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. China-owned drug maker Shiopharm has also begun Phase 3 trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.



While the U.S., the U.K. and China have begun Phase 3 trials of their COVID-19 vaccines, Korean drug manufacturers are still far behind. SK Bioscience is still in the animal testing stage for its coronavirus vaccine and another local company GeneOne Life Science plans to enter the human trial phase within this year.


Two men suspected of robbing VN942 million during an armed bank raid have been arrested.

Phung Huu Manh, 23 years old and Hoang Ngoc, 32 years old have been arrested in connection with a bank robbery in Hanoi.  Photo baogiaothong.vn

They are Phung Huu Manh, 23 years old and Hoang Ngoc, 32 years old. Both are living in Dong Da District, Hanoi.

At 10am on Monday, two men wearing face masks walked into Ngoc Khanh Branch of the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), pulled out guns and threatened banks staff and security guards.

The pair escaped with cash then stole a motorbike before making their escape.

According to police, Ngoc had planned the robbery to pay off debts.

Ngoc was arrested on early Wednesday morning while hiding in Hai Phong City. Manh was arrested at his house on Truc Khe Street on Tuesday night.  VNS
Two MoU Committees met in Gibraltar

Two of the MoU Committees which were established as part of the architecture that led to our departure from the European Union met in Gibraltar yesterday.

These latest meetings were hosted by the Government of Gibraltar at the Garrison Library and included representation from the relevant authorities from Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and Spain.

The Committee on Police and Customs Cooperation met yesterday morning. The Gibraltar delegation was headed by the Attorney General Michael Llamas and included the Commissioner of Police Richard Ullger and the Collector of Customs John Rodriguez.

The Committee on the Environment met during the afternoon. The Gibraltar delegation was again headed by the Attorney General Michael Llamas and included the Chief Scientist and CEO of the Department of the Environment Dr Liesl Mesilio. Dr Mesilio is set to take the rotating chair this Committee after the first six months.

It will be recalled that the third Committee on Citizens Rights has already met in Gibraltar earlier this month.

The atmosphere throughout was very positive and constructive with a genuine desire to move forward in a spirit of cooperation on the different areas under discussion.

The meetings complete the second round of meetings of the MoU Committees, the first having taken place in Algeciras in February.
With our focus being on continued growth, it's essential we have the right leadership team in place.

CHAD CHRISTIAN has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Property Management. Chad joined the organization in late 2019 as the Vice President of Operations and since that time the portfolios occupancy has increased over 10% and he has spearheaded all of the company initiatives through the challenging COVID-19 pandemic. Chad has shown that he is a "get things done" kind of leader.

In this newly formed role, Chad will continue to oversee operations, while adding additional supervisory responsibilities of accounting, human resources, payroll, information technology and will assist with third-party business development. Chad will continue to implement our technology throughout the organization ensuring that we are up to date with the latest trends and fully utilizing the systems available to enhance our performance while focusing on increasing our partnership with Real Page.

Prior to joining Monument, Chad has held regional manager and regional vice president roles for some of the nations largest management companies. Most recently with Avenue5 Residential, being based in Denver and working with clients such as Lowe Enterprises, CBRE, The Wolff Company, and USAA Real Estate. Chad is very active in the local, state, and national apartment associations being a two time NAA Award recipient, as well as a member of the prestigious NAAEI Faculty. Chad currently holds his CAM and CAPS credentials through NAAEI and is a CPM Candidate through IREM.

MARK ZHANG has been promoted to Associate Director of Asset Management & Acquisitions. In this new role, Mark will focus on ensuring the portfolio is financially performing, while ensuring all underwriting and new business is a focus of the company. Mark joined the company in 2019 as a member of the acquisition team. Many of Mark's previous career experiences revolve around investment opportunity evaluation. He started his career in private equity working alongside firms like Monument to perform underwriting and due diligence for hundreds of industries and assets. Prior to Monument, Mark earned his bachelors degree from Pennsylvania State University in business and finance and earned his masters in finance and investment from Washington University in St Louis.

Monument is a full service real estate firm specializing in multifamily, hoa, and mixed use real estate investments through acquisition, development, construction and property management services. Monument focuses on urban and suburban transit-oriented assets across the region. The Monument team has 110 years combined experience leading nationally recognized multifamily organizations. Our employees leverage in-depth market research, proven business practices and local entrepreneurial knowledge to create value and maximize returns for our investors, partners, and clients.
The US is planning to pull nearly 12,000 troops out of Germany in a move the Pentagon insisted was about long-term strategy but which Donald Trump said was to punish Berlin for low defence spending.

Of a total of 11,900 personnel that will be leaving Germany under the proposal, 6,400 will be returning to the US, from where they could be used for rotational deployments in eastern Europe and around the world, while 5,600 will be repositioned within other Nato countries, particularly Belgium and Italy.

Related: German ministers hit back at Trump plan to withdraw US troops

The defence secretary, Mark Esper, said the move would begin within weeks, but also stressed that planning for the redeployment was in its early stages and it would cost several billion dollars.

He repeatedly denied that the decision was motivated by Trumps frequently expressed desire to move troops out of Germany to teach Berlin a lesson for not spending enough on defence. The Pentagon put out a statement saying the withdrawal would strengthen Nato, enhance the deterrence of Russia and boost the flexibility of the US military.

Minutes later, the president told journalists at the White House he had ordered the troop withdrawal because Berlin was being delinquent by not spending enough on defence.

[US troops] are there to protect Germany, right? And Germany is supposed to pay for it, Trump said. Germanys not paying for it. We dont want to be the suckers any more. The United States has been taken advantage of for 25 years, both on trade and on the military. So were reducing the force because theyre not paying their bills.

Trump wrongly claimed, as he has many times in the past, that Germany was not paying its Nato fees. In fact, the friction between the US and Germany, as well as other European allies, is about national defence spending. The allies agreed in 2014 to spend 2% of their GDP on defence by 2024. Germany is currently on 1.5%, but Belgium, where the US will move some of its European Command (Eucom) headquarters, spends less than 1%, and Italy, to where the US will move an F-16 fighter squadron and two army battalions from Germany, spends 1.2%.

Story continues

Diplomats and former US officials have described Trump as fixated on Germany and its chancellor, Angela Merkel.

Hes obsessed with the idea that Germany is taking advantage of the US, over defence, but on trade, selling too many cars to the US for example. He has always been particularly rude to Merkel, a former White House official said.

Emily Haber, the German ambassador to Washington, said US troops have become neighbors, partners and friends while protecting transatlantic security and projecting American power and interests globally.

We have been and are proud to host US troops, Haber wrote on Twitter. A strong, and united Nato is crucial for deterrence and power projection. Germany is a steadfast Nato ally and third largest contributor to its budget.

Constanze Stelzenmuller, a senior fellow at the center on the US and Europe at the Brookings Institution, said: I have sympathy for the criticism of Germanys low defense spending, which does set a bad example for other member states who spend even less  its against Europes and our own interest.

Moving Eucom to Belgium actually makes sense, but I find the strategic rationale for the other movements much less persuasive.

Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate foreign relations committee, said: Champagne must be flowing freely this evening at the Kremlin. The Trump administrations decision to withdraw forces from Germany is not only an affront to one of our closest allies, but will ultimately weaken US efforts to counter Kremlin aggression in Europe.

Trumps relationship with Moscow, the issue that triggered his impeachment, came under renewed scrutiny earlier on Wednesday morning, when he admitted he had not confronted Vladimir Putin with intelligence suggesting Russia was paying Taliban fighters bounties for killing US soldiers in Afghanistan.

I have never discussed it with him, the president told Axios on HBO. That was a phone call to discuss other things, and frankly thats an issue that many people said was fake news.

Trump meets Angela Merkel at the 2019 G7 summit in Biarritz. He has always been particularly rude to Merkel, an ex-White House official said. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

Esper argued the redeployments would make troops available to rotate in and out of the Baltic states, Poland and the Black Sea region. The defence secretary said: it enhances deterrence, strengthens the allies, reassures. He claimed he had received very positive feedback from the Nato countries affected.

He said US Africa Command, currently in Stuttgart, would be moved out, to a new headquarters yet to be decided.

Critics of the move have said it would be very expensive, time-consuming and would damage Nato cohesion and deterrence against Russia. Rotating troops eastwards would be more expensive and build less trust in the host countries, they argue, while at the same time undermining morale by making soldiers spend more time away from their families.

But retired Lt Col Daniel Davis, senior fellow at the Defense Priorities thinktank, argued that whatever the short-term justifications, pulling troops out of Germany made strategic sense.

We dont have a need for that many troops, Lt Col Davis said. Because theres no security threat that those troops actually help with, in my view. Russia is already deterred. If you took all the American troops out of Europe  thats not going to change the deterrent factor for Russia because the Nato combined militaries are far more powerful than Russia, plus they have nuclear weapons.
Hovda has served as First Deputy Prosecutor in the city of Kyiv since April 30, 2020.

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova has introduced First Deputy Prosecutor General Roman Hovda to the staff of the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Read alsoKyiv's top prosecutor resigns

"I am sure you will make our professional team stronger. Together we will work in a more active, constructive, and efficient way," the Office of the Prosecutor General quoted Venediktova as saying.

Hovda has been working in the prosecutor's office since August 2003.

Since April 30, 2020, he has served as First Deputy Prosecutor in the city of Kyiv and acted as Kyiv prosecutor.
July 29, 2020





With the world quickly adapting to online, everyone is in a fast and frantic rush to make businesses and day-to-day responsibilities easily accessible and very much in reach right from the comfort of a sofa, but with this pursuit, there is also a dark side. With more and more actions being digitalized, there are also more opportunities for hackers and scammers to find out personal information, infiltrate devices and also create damaging software such as viruses or spyware.







That being said, cyber security is forever advancing and improving along with the negative, allowing everyone to keep their information safe. This piece will look at some of the reasons why cyber security is so important in our day-to-day lives.

What is Cyber Security?

First off, it is important to discuss what cyber security actually is. Originally, cyber security was of utmost importance for elite businesses and officials such as the government, banks, and the military, but as western society branches out to a place where it is the norm for everyone to do business transactions and enter personal details, there are plenty more places criminals can wheedle their way into.

Cyber security is the protection of computer systems, networks, and software from damage and theft to software, hardware, or electronic data. Cyber security can also offer protection from any misdirection or disruption of any services they provide. An example of this would be a redirection to a form to fill out details, etc.

Cyber Security for the Mobile?

Mobile threats are always increasing as their use and advancement of them continues to grow. It is important to keep software updated whenever there is an option and to use additional anti-virus protection and security measures.

If a mobile was lost before, only contact details, texts and photos would be accessible, but now thieves have a whole different area to access with features such as online banking and social media.



The internet is exciting, from ordering unique sofas to playing in online casino sites!

Keeping Data Protected

The internet can be a wonderful place. It offers all kinds of exciting things from video calling friends in Thailand, playing in online Australian Casino Sites, or ordering that perfect sofa from Germany. Whatever it is, actions like these should be protected to ensure the user can continue to participate in activities that will require sensitive data such as credit card details, home addresses, and email. With this protection in place, users can feel free to shop, gamble, and enjoy the internet to their heart's content!

In this day and age, it is also far more common for users to willingly hand out personal data. With features such as Bluetooth and 4G, locations permissions, and satellite navigation, there are more and more opportunities for hackers or malware to access personal details or private data. Protect mobiles from these activities with these tips.

Cyber security is a very important topic, but with the right procedures in place, online is a brilliant world that offers almost anything anyone could want!
A militant was killed on Tuesday as the foiled an infiltration bid in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

Defence sources said a group of three to four militants tried to sneak into the Indian side of across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kalal sector of Nowshera in Rajouri.

"The group of infiltrating terrorists was challenged by the alert troops of the army. There was an explosion at the spot where the intruders tried to sneak into the Indian side.

"One was killed while others were forced to withdraw back to the Pakistani side. Two of the withdrawing terrorists were injured in this operation," a source said.

--IANS

sq/vd

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 06:27:53|Editor: huaxia

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BRUSSELS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The European Investment Bank (EIB) is investing 350 million U.S. dollars to support the financing of Sweden's Northvolt Ett, Europe's first home-grown gigafactory for lithium-ion battery cells, the bank said in a press release Wednesday.

Currently under construction in Skelleftea,northern Sweden, the new gigafactory has the potential annual output of 40 GWh and expects to achieve this goal by utilizing 100 percent renewable energy within its production processes.

The financing of Northvolt Ett is supported by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the main pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe.

All projects and agreements approved for financing under the Investment Plan are expected to mobilize 514 billion euros ( 606 billion U.S. dollars) in investments, of which 14.3 billion euros is destined for Sweden, according to the EIB press release.

"The EIB and the European Commission are strategic partners under the European Battery Alliance (EBA), working closely with the industry and Member States to put Europe on a firm path towards global leadership in this strategic sector," said Maros Sefcovic, the Commission's vice-president in charge of the EBA.

"By supporting this state-of-the-art project, we also confirm our resolve to boost Europe's resilience and strategic autonomy in key industries and technologies," Sefcovic added.

The EBA was launched in 2017, gathering the European Commission, interested EU member states, the EIB, key industry stakeholders and innovation actors, with a goal to create a competitive manufacturing value chain in Europe. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollars) Enditem
Milan, July 29 : Hostshot striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was pictured modelling for AC Milan's next season's jersey amid his uncertain future in Italy. The former Sweden striker's contract with Milan comes to an end at the conclusion of this season.

Milan took to social media to upload photos of few first team stars in next season's jersey and their post read: "Bringing eternal architecture onto the pitch. #ThisisMilan #SempreMilan." Ibrahimovic was one of the stars who posed for the photo in the newly-designed kit. This is not the first time that Ibrahimovic's certain action sent rumour mills rolling regarding his potential extended stay in Milan.

Recently, after completing 100 games in Rossoneri colours, Ibrahimovic had said he hoped to play many more games for the club.

Following his 100th appearance, he was awarded with a momento by club legend Paolo Maldini and in a video uploaded on Milan Twitter handle, he said: "Thank you all for your congratulatory messages for my 100th appearance in Rossoneri colours.

"It's a great honour to play for AC Milan and I hope to play many more games." Ibrahimovic's future has been in the air for quite some time now. Earlier, he had said that his days in Milan are likely over since the club is not performing at the level he would have liked them to.

"They told me that retiring in America was too easy, so I came back to Milan. I am here purely for passion, because I'm basically playing for free...Then the COVID-19 situation stopped everything and I thought, maybe there's something trying to tell me that I should retire," Ibrahimovic had said last month.

"We'll see how I feel in two months. We'll also see what's happening with the club. If this is the situation, to be honest, it's unlikely you'll see me at Milan next season."
29.07.2020 LISTEN

I neither have the heart nor the courage to watch the video of the 90-year-old woman being lynched upon the accusation that she was a witch. If I were to watch, that dastardly act could haunt me for years. And so I am protecting myself against grief and sorrow. Call me weak...

But if one believes in witchcraft, one is capable of the lynching that occurred in Kafaba. The belief in witchcraft is what made the people savage enough to beat up a 90-year-old woman to death. Because if one believes that someone else is a witch, then it follows that somebody else could be blamed for someone elses misfortune. And that will lead to that person being a target for some terrible punishment. The belief in witchcraft therefore undergirds the harm often perpetrated against vulnerable citizens, whether tangible or intangible. And because the notion is false, government must act to purge it from the society.

Again, the real problem is in the very belief in witchcraft itself. That belief does not exist in a vacuum; neither is it abstract. If people believe that there are witches in our midst, they will project their belief onto others and cause considerable harm to those they regard as witches. Their actions may just lie on a continuum of harm, beginning from prayer warfare, to innuendos, to insults, to neglect, to physical abuse and finally to lynching. Once you believe in witchcraft, somebody will be a target of the belief, and you will act on your belief to inflict harm upon somebody.

The difference between you and the culprits of Kafaba is in the open savagery against their victim. Your action might be more subtle and latent, albeit equally vicious or injurious.

In Ghana, a substantial section of the population believes strongly in witchcraft, making it possible for the people to inflict harm on someone else for being a witch. Meanwhile, the notion itself has never been defined or even identified. To wit, nobody knows exactly what witchcraft is or what witches do. Witchcraft could mean everything and nothing at the same time. It could mean somebody flying on a broomstick or flying like a ball of fire or just being a little more naughty or having too much prescience to predict misfortune or just being too old or simply being a maid servant or being mad. The general rule is that once you are weak or sick or vulnerable or poor, you are eligible to be a witch. The powerful and strong are often exempted from this accusation.

And of the selection of the citizens to be branded as witches, the churches are generally responsible. The people are confronted and accused and declared as witches in the churches, whereupon they are made to undergo humiliation and so-called deliverance. During these sessions, they are made to vomit frogs and lizards or cockroaches. They are also sometimes made to shriek and scream and shake and roll on the floor or beaten or simply kicked around. At the extreme end, they are killed.

These churches learned all their tricks from the traditional priests who have now given up their franchise to them. In the past, as in the present, the fetish priests exacted forced confessions from these witches, extorted huge fees from them and finally poisoned them. Same applies to the churches nowadays. The pastors and prophets exact forced confessions from witches, charge them heavy fees and maim or torture or kill them.

And if you think that our education and travel or cultural exposure wean anyone from their belief in witchcraft, you aint seen nothing yet. The more the Ghanaian gets education and exposure, the more he or she gets entrenched in the belief in witchcraft. Because with complex life comes the need for more protection from the witches and hence over-reliance on the men of god who select the witches in our family. If a persons life is basic, s/he cannot fall from the floor and accuse anyone of being responsible for his or her downfall.

One time, a Ghanaian friend came to my office in Austin. While engaged in his legal matter, a call came to him from Ghana, whereupon he became crestfallen. The caller was narrating to this person how his mother had been caught in witchcraft. Extensive and expensive discussions followed as to how to cast out her evil spirits. So our level of education and exposure has nothing to do with any cure against superstition. More likely than not, our education and exposure rather promote superstition. This is because superstition is also an attractive part of our self-righteousness. The more we believe in this mumbo jumbo, the more devout we are considered as Christians. Remember the mantra that we are fighting against principalities and powers of darkness? Those principalities and powers are peremptorily interpreted to mean witches, although the Bible has no such interpretation anywhere else. Our notions of witches do not exist either in the Bible or any religious book anywhere; nonetheless, the people believe what they believe!

And the power of the church itself might be quantified in its ability to capture witches and cast out demons. This kind of vaunted power is traceable to the medieval churches which rampantly burned witches at the stake. One of the ways in which the so-called spiritual churches attracted large following from the orthodox churches is that the former could capture witches and cast out demons, whereas the latter is much more coy in this practice. How can you claim to be a powerful priest or prophet if you are not exposing and casting out witches and demons? The spectacles appertaining to the witch-hunt pull the crowd to the churches!

All those of us condemning the lynching of the 90-year-old woman from Kafaba are guilty, insofar as we believe in witchcraft. In our hearts of hearts, we believe in witches and also believe that somebody in our family is a witch. More likely than not, that person is an old woman or aunt or maid servant or simply crazy or poor. And we have been punishing all these people.by hating them, starving them, insulting them, beating them, neglecting them or simply abandoning them in their times of needs. We are always performing the kinds of acts that will speed up their demise. And just because we have yet not lynched them does not mean we are any better than those who killed the old woman of Kafaba. Just as the old womans son frankly stated in an interview, if he believed her mother was a witch, he would have killed her himself. By this statement, he exculpated all those that killed the mother because they sincerely believed that she was a witch and therefore killed her!

And what did the mother herself teach him anyway? That witchcraft is real? And that others are witches but she was not a witch? There is your slippery slope of the belief in witchcraft; Whatever goes around comes around!

That kind of jaundiced illogic and irrationality inhabits the mind of every Ghanaian and makes each person a potential killer. At the minimum, they inflict all the harm they can muster on account of their belief in witchcraft without patently infracting on the law.

And so what is our education all about? If it cannot expunge superstition and bunkum from our minds, and if it will allow religion and culture to supplant our knowledge and learning, why are we still going to school?

And I ask these questions because no matter how many times we condemn the lynching of the 90-year-old woman of Kafaba, we have done nothing to solve any problem in this country. Many have indeed died more horrible deaths because of all these claims of witchcraft. Mothers, sisters, grandmothers, maids, servants, aunts, nieces and mentally afflicted persons have died in their numbers or been beaten or poisoned or ritually murdered simply on the claim that they were witches. This belief has destroyed a lot of families in Ghana and accounts for most of our domestic violence. And unless this superstition is simply expiated from our society through vigorous education, we are joking if we think any impact will be made in our society.

No witches exist anywhere, and so wherever that word is mentioned, fraudulence is being purveyed, and crimes are being committed. If crimes are being committed and fraudulence is being purveyed, there is a compelling reason for the government to step in. The word itself should be banned from the society altogether, and those who utter it and apply it to other citizens should be severely punished. If our cultural and religious practices promote false claims of witchcraft, they too ought to be abolished. The educational curriculum ought to jettison all aspects of teaching that promote or even tolerate this false belief; we have to promote the type of learning that will explain causes and effects of our actions, respect for the old, the weak and the vulnerable, and scientific and rational explanation of natural phenomena.

We must totally abolish any belief and reference to witchcraft in the society, and hold accountable and criminally or civilly liable anybody that makes any accusation of witchcraft against anybody: That accusation should constitute a crime per se.

We must also institute public education against the notion and abolish its use in our vocabulary. For unless we make these efforts, whatever condemnation we proclaim against the killing of the old woman of Kafaba will be in vain.

Dr. Samuel Adjei Sarfo, Esq.

Austin, Texas, USA

Email: [email protected]
Noel Cornish, vice commodor of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (pictured), and his wife Meg tested positive for the illness on Tuesday

A wealthy couple have been linked to the growing coronavirus clusters emerging at restaurants across Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs.

Noel Cornish, Vice Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and his wife Meg tested positive for the highly contagious disease on Tuesday.

The couple had visited the Thai Rock restaurant in Potts Point on July 17, where an outbreak appeared after a staff member unknowingly infected with the virus was working.

The Potts Point restaurant has the same owners as Thai Rock Wetherill Park, which is now linked to 85 cases.

After the cluster popped up at the Potts Point restaurant, nearby restaurant The Apollo was closed for cleaning after a customer tested positive for COVID-10.

However, health authorities remained confused about how the two clusters were linked.

That was until Mr and Mrs Cornish tested positive for the virus, revealing they had visited The Apollo on July 22.

The couple dined at the Thair Rock restaurant in Potts Point before attending The Apollo and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutter's Bay

The couple had visited the Thai Rock restaurant in Potts Point on July 17

The couple later ate at The Apollo restaurant where another outbreak occurred

NSW health said it now believes 'this links the two outbreaks' between the Thai Rock restaurant and the Apollo.

The couple had also spent time at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutter's Bay which was alerted to the new cases on Tuesday.

The prestigious member-only club, which is the home of the Sydney-Hobart annual sailing race, has been closed for deep cleaning and will remain closed until August 1.

CYCA commodore Paul Billingham told the Australian Financial Review the couple were made aware of the COVID-19 outbreak by NSW Health on July 27 and were told to get tested.

They were among the 14 cases confirmed on Tuesday.

'The good news is that Noel and Meg are fine but, of course, will be housebound for at least 14 days or until they are cleared.'

NSW health has advised for anyone who visited the yacht club on July 23 between 6-7.30pm, July 24 between 3.30-5pm or July 26 between 4-5.30PM to monitor for symptoms.

Customers who were at the Apollo from July 22 to July 25 have been urged to get tested.

NSW Health's Jeremy McNulty said the Pott's Point clusters were concerning after the Thai restaurant cluster grew to seven on Wednesday.

'We are at a knife's edge, a critical point.

'But the majority of cases so far are linked together which is fantastic news because it means we can help understand the transmission dynamics and the risk.'

The couple had also spent time at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutter's Bay which was alerted to the new cases on Tuesday

A cleaner is pictured hard at work at the Cruising Yacht Club Rushcutter's Bay after two members test positive for COVID-19

The prestigious member-only club, which is the home of the Sydney-Hobart annual sailing race, has been closed for deep cleaning and will remain closed until August 1

A notice hangs on the door of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, the home of the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said she is 'extremely concerned' over the growing clusters of coronavirus at Sydney restaurants.

She begged Sydneysiders to 'reduce their mobility' to stop the spread of the disease during an appearance on the Today show.

Two of the cases were linked to the sister restaurant Thai Rock in Potts Point, taking the total to seven.

There were 19 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Wednesday, 10 were linked to the Thai Rock cluster in Wetherill Park.

Mr Cornish is a well-known Sydneysider, having worked as deputy chancellor University of Wollongong, chairman of Snowy Hydro Ltd, chairman of IMB Bank and national president of Ai Group.

He owns the yacht Sydney 47 St Jude and regularly competes in club races.
Donavan La Bella, the Portland protester shot with an impact munition by a federal officer, returned to the hospital this week after experiencing complications from his serious head injury, his mother said Wednesday.

La Bella suffered a depressed skull fracture and broken facial bones after he was fired on July 11 by a deputy U.S. marshal. He was transferred to a rehabilitation center last week and released over the weekend. He returned to a Portland hospital late Monday, said his mother Desiree La Bella.
VISALIA, Calif., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- San Joaquin Valley Homes (SJV Homes) and Presidio Residential Capital recently closed on a parcel of land located on Hillsdale Avenue between Akers Avenue and Shirk Avenue in Visalia, Calif., with plans to build Tiffany Ranch, a new neighborhood of 78 single-family detached homes. Land development has already begun and model construction will start in August.

San Joaquin Valley Homes

"We are looking forward to offering families, both entry-level and those looking to move into a larger home, these thoughtfully designed homes," said Danny Garcia, vice president of sales at SJV Homes. "There haven't been newly constucted homes in this area for some time, so this a great opportunity for homebuyers get into a beautiful, family friendly neighborhood in this coveted vicinity of Visalia.

The community of Tiffany Ranch will offer single-story homes ranging from 1,443 to 2,100 square feet with Mediterranean, Tuscan and Craftsman exteriors. The three- to four-bedroom homes with open and flexible floorplans are situated upon 7,500-square-foot lots on average. These roomy residences also include two- and three-car attached garages.

Students living at Tiffany Ranch can attend schools within the Visalia Unified School District including Hurley Elementary School and Ridgeview Milddle School, two of the highest rated schools in this area. High schools in the area include Central Valley Christian High School and Redwood High School.

This northwest neighborhood, located in Tulare County is surrounded by agricultural land, yet Visalia is about 45 miles south of Fresno with easy freeway access. The community is just north of Highway 198, the major east-west corridor in the region. Top employers in this area include Visalia Unified School District, Tulare Office of Education, Sequoia Beverage Co., California Dairies and College of the Sequoias . Major retail and services are less than three miles from Tiffany Ranch, and Visalia Medical Clinic, the area's largest medical center, is nearby.

This is SJV Homes' 24th joint venture project with Presidio Residential Capital, a San Diego-based real estate management company.According to the National Association of Home Builders' formula to determine the local impact of single-family housing in typical metro areas, adding 78 single-family homes will generate $22.3 million in local income, $2.8 million in taxes and other revenue for local governments and 307 local jobs.

Interested homebuyers can visit www.sjvhomes.com or call Karen Manuele at 559-636-8333 to be placed on the interest list.

Media Contact:

Ingrid Jones

949-395-5489

[email protected]

SOURCE San Joaquin Valley Homes

Related Links

http://www.sjvhomes.com


A lot was at stake for the tech CEOs called to testify before Congress on Wednesday. Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Tim Cook of Apple, Sundar Pichai of Google, and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook were no less than defending their companies right to exist against lawmakers who would just as soon bust and dismantle them for antitrust violations (or, as was the case with about half the room, for purportedly being anti-conservative jerks). But the CEOs also knew that everyone watching, in Congress and at home, would be picking apart not just their every word but their every anything. Nowhere is that more clear than in the sparse home office setups they chose for their teleconference testimony.

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Room criticism is a genre thats bloomed and evolved in the months since the pandemic started keeping many of us indoors. Let no houseplant go unnoticed, no bookshelf un-commented-upon. But the crisis has also heightened the preexisting enmity between the rich and powerful and everyone else. Tech execs, or more likely their comms teams, have gotten hip to this and now know their backdrops shouldnt appear to be flaunting, or even really hinting at, their vast wealth. A honcho in another industry said as much last month when he told the New York Times that he issued specific instruction to his executives to be careful about what gets into the Zoom frame: no pool, no ocean, no nanny.

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So when it came time to appear before Congress for this weeks hearing, Bezos, Cook, Pichai, and Zuckerberg were ready. They didnt want their offices to make them look like hostages, or effect false modesty, but they also didnt want their offices to look like an Architectural Digest spread or a vacation home. How did they do? A quick ranking, from worst to best:

Tim Cook

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Cook has shown a bit more of his setup elsewhere, but here he opted for total blankness. This room is actually successful in the sense that it has no personality whatsoever and theres nothing about it that tells you anything about Cook. But its really lacking in the warmth or humanity that might help Cooks case. Gets a token point for decent lighting and the plants, which are sad-looking but better than nothing. Overall, looks more like a conference room at a hotel or convention center than a room in anyones house. But I guess we cant put it past Cook to have a conference room in his house.

Reveal Factor: 1/5

Aesthetics: 1/5

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Chances Thats Really His Primary Residence: 1/5

Overall Ranking: Fourth place, aka last

Mark Zuckerberg

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This backdrop also reveals very little, but where Cooks room felt offensively bland, this one just seems plain. The space definitely suggests a room in a home (or a wall outside? What are those panels?), which at least indicates that Zucks abiding by pandemic rules like a good citizen. Also, is this at the Hawaii house? Hes been holing up there for at least some of the past few months.

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Reveal Factor: 1/5

Aesthetics: 2/5

Chances Thats Really His Primary Residence: 2/5

Overall Ranking: Third placebetter than last!

Jeff Bezos

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Bravo for a bold embrace of a non-neutral background. A bookcase seems like a pleasant backdrop, but it actually comes with a lot of drawbacks: First of all, it reminds you that Jeff Bezos is crushing the book business. But beyond that, you can really read into whats on it. If youre close enough to see the book titles, forget it, you can basically psychoanalyze the person in front of it. Unless you really know your book spines, you cant do that here. However, a shelf with so much room on it does intimate a shelf that is mostly for show, which sounds like the kind of thing only a rich person could have. Yup, Bezos OUTED as a rich guy: disgusting. Id still rather be stuck in this room than in the first two, though.

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Reveal Factor: 3/5

Aesthetics: 3/5

Chances Thats Really His Primary Residence: 2/5

Overall Score: Second place

Sundar Pichai

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This is very well appointed, professional but not showy, with wall decor that manages to read as neutral while also being pleasant and distinctive. Sitting at a desk was a nice choice, and this room looks neat but not completely staged. As the writer Nicola Fumo pointed out on Twitter, note that the books spines have been turned away from the camera, the better to be unidentifiable to prying eyes: a pro move. Chances that this room is in a house where Pichai actually lives? Could be, though it does look pretty different from the setup seen elsewhere. Still, if I were trying to stop the government from breaking up my company (while working from home because of a pandemic), this is the room Id choose.

Reveal Factor: 2/5

Aesthetics: 4/5

Chances Thats Really His Primary Residence: 2/5

Overall Score: First placejust like Googles dominance of the global mobile operating system market
WASHINGTON -- The United States will move almost 12,000 troops out of Germany, relocating some of them to Belgium and Italy, in a strategic shift the Pentagon says will help deter Russia.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on July 29 that the repositioning will strengthen NATO, enhance deterrence against Russia, and improve U.S. strategic and operational flexibility.

Of the 34,500 U.S. military personnel stationed in Germany, some 6,400 will be sent home, while nearly 5,600 will be repositioned to other NATO countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump in June announced plans to accelerate a repositioning of troops from Germany, a longtime hub for U.S. military operations in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

The decision came as Trump repeatedly criticized Europes richest country for failing to meet its NATO commitment to spend 2 percent of economic output on defense.

Trumps announcement came as a surprise to the German government, suggesting there was a lack of coordination with a key NATO ally.

Esper said the scattered U.S. troop presence in Germany will be consolidated at other locations in Europe, including at NATO bases in Belgium and Italy.

Repositioning air assets to Italy will move them closer to the Black Sea region, while moving U.S. command structures to Belgium will help improve coordination with the NATO command, Esper said.

The troop relocation out of Germany is tied to an agreement announced last year to move more than 1,000 U.S. troops to Poland.

Esper said some troops could also go to the Baltic states.

We are moving forces out of Central Europe, Germany, where they had been since the Cold War. We are following in many ways the boundary east, where our newest allies are in the Black Sea region, Poland, and the Baltics, Esper said, addressing larger questions of strategy.

Even as about 6,400 troops will return to the United States, Esper said these units or similar ones will conduct continuous rotational deployments in Europe in the Black Sea region to enhance deterrence and reassure allies along NATOs southeastern flank.

Esper did not provide a timeline for the troop repositioning but said some changes could happen within weeks, while others will take more time.

There has been some resistance in the U.S. Congress against any troop withdrawals from Germany, even from some Republicans who say the move would be a gift to Russia and a threat to U.S. national security.

Its also unclear whether the Trump administrations plan will survive if the president is not reelected in November.

Earlier this month, the premiers of four German states housing U.S. bases urged members of Congress to block the withdrawal plans. The letter said that U.S. forces in Germany -- with their bases, military hospitals, and other infrastructure -- form "the backbone of the U.S. presence in Europe and NATO's ability to act."
Springfield parents, summer vacation is likely to be extended.

Members of the Springfield School Committee will vote Thursday on pushing back the start of the 2020-2021 school year. If approved, the school year will start on Tuesday, Sept. 15 for students in grades 1 through 12.

The current school calendar has students in grades 1-12 scheduled to return August 31, kindergarten one week after that and pre-kindergarteners the following week.

Given the incredible number of moving parts that are necessary to safely open schools, an extra two weeks for educators to prepare is greatly needed and will be extremely valuable, Springfield Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick said. To try to think we could come back before that would be a mistake.

The proposed schedule change comes after state education officials announced that school districts can delay the start of the school year by up to two weeks.

The school year will be reduced from 180 days to 170 days to allow school districts the additional 10 days to prepare for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Districts must start no later than Sept. 16.

Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeff Riley announced the decision on Monday following discussions with the Massachusetts Teachers Association, AFT-Massachusetts and the Boston Teachers Union.

Students must receive a minimum of 850 and 935 hours of structured learning time for elementary and secondary students, respectively.

Structured learning time is defined in the regulations as time during which students are engaged in regularly scheduled instruction, learning activities, or learning assessments within the curriculum for study of the core subjects and other subjects. In addition to classroom time where both teachers and students are present, structured learning time may include directed study, independent study, technology-assisted learning, presentations by persons other than teachers, school-to-work programs, and statewide student performance assessments.

Massachusetts school districts must create three educational plans: a full return to in-person classroom; hybrid of in-person and remote learning; and fully remote learning.

Many districts have said social distancing mandates will force them to offer a hybrid of in-person and remote learning, welcoming students back to the classroom physically on a rotating basis.

Springfield, the third-largest school district in Massachusetts behind Boston and Worcester, will discuss preliminary reopening plans at the school committee meeting on Thursday. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and will be held virtually.

If we end up with a hybrid model, our charge is to minimize the number of individuals in a building or classroom at all times, Warwick said. That is why we are looking at a plan that would split students into two rotating groups, so that while one group is learning remotely- the other group is in school. This will allow for smaller class sizes and social distancing.

Seeking to plan for how many students will be in the classroom this fall, Springfield conducted a survey this summer and found about 30% of parents wanted to enroll their children in the fully remote learning option. District officials plan to check in with parents again in weeks ahead of the school year starting to confirm enrollment preferences.

Massachusetts school districts pivoted to remote learning in mid-March amid a growing number of coronavirus cases, leaving educators scrambling to teach their students. Some offered remote classes over Zoom while other districts relied on take-home work packets for students.

The decision to reopen schools was based in part because of the lower infection rate of COVID-19 among children and the negative impact of keeping children out of the classroom.

Part of our responsibility as educators, administrators, and parents is to do all that we can to help our children in this difficult time, Riley said in June. As we all know, there is no substitute for the attention and engagement that is only possible with in-person learning. We can mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19 for in-person school programs and prevent the significant consequences of keeping students out of school and isolated. It will take all of us working together to make this successful.

Major facility changes will occur in most schools, including but not limited to: reconfiguration of desks in classrooms to allow for social distancing; limiting traffic in hallways; and installation of additional hand-washing hand sanitizing stations.

Warwick said Springfield has already begun purchasing masks, sanitizing stations and other personal protection equipment for schools.

All staff and students in second grade and older will be required to wear masks. Students in kindergarten and first grade will be encouraged, but not required to wear masks. Parents or guardians will be expected to supply their children with reusable masks which should be washed daily. Schools will have extra disposable face masks available if needed.

State guidance calls for students to spend as much time as possible with a single group of students, rather than shifting from room-to-room and mixing with other groups of students.

Classrooms will feature student desks facing forward with at least 3 feet from seat edge to seat edge, the reopening guidance states, though 6 feet is encouraged when possible. All students will have assigned seating in their classrooms.

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Oliver Yates is at it again.

Last year, the former Clean Energy Finance Corporation chief executive  and former Liberal Party member  turned independent in a bid to unseat Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong. After that he mounted legal action to have Frydenbergs victory thrown out over the use of purple signs, which he claimed looked a lot like electoral commission material. He lost.

But now hes got a new caper.

Turns out Yates is backing Dan Andrews. In billboards at least. A series of posters, inscribed with messages including Dan, the leader we all need and Thanks, Dan. We heart you from the People of Kew will soon appear on the streets of Kew.

Yates first told CBD he wasnt involved when we asked about the matter on Wednesday.
Green Gratitude, a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) committed to the welfare of frontline workers in the Covid-19 fight, has extended a hand of support to Doctors and Nurses at the Covid-19 treatment centre at the El-Wak Stadium in Accra. The NGO has decided to provide at least one hot meal to the frontline staff at the facility for the next two weeks.



The gesture comes on the heels of similar support recently extended to other health professionals at the Covid-19 treatment centre at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) by Green Gratitude.



Making the presentation, the founder and Executive Director of Green Gratitude, Russell Banful, says his decision to support the welfare of doctors and nurses in the fight against Covid-19 is borne out of the near-death experience he went through after being infected with Covid-19.



After being moved from the 37 Military Hospital to the El-Wak Treatment Centre and subsequently to the UGMC, Russell thought would succumb to the virus. But according to him the efforts and dedication of the doctors and nurses at these treatment centres ensured that I lived to tell my story. I am forever indebted to these gallant men and women at our treatment facilities and the least I can do is to help ensure that they are comfortable in discharging their duties whilst at post he intimates.



This support from Green Gratitude Russell further adds is to help ensure that our frontline workers are adequately catered for as they sacrifice their time and energy to take care of other Covid-19 patients.



Green Gratitude, set up by Russell who also doubles as the Managing Director of Brandflow Ltd. after his ordeal at the Covid-19 treatment centres, will primarily serve as a driving vehicle to organize and raise support for frontline workers in the fight against Covid-19 for the time being. However, the NGO has a bigger goal of extending support to the general healthcare system in the country in the longer term.



Ghanas confirmed Covid-19 case count is currently around 33,000 with 29,801 recoveries and 168 deaths. The countrys relatively lower number of deaths has been attributed to its robust testing regime and the exceptional efforts and dedication exhibited by its frontline workers.









Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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At various points during the coronavirus crisis, New Orleans restaurants have figured out the shift to takeout-only, how to manage limited occupancy, how to reopen after an employee tests positive and how to reconfigure without bar service.

Now, the question for many is simply how much longer they can hold on.

Were teetering, were taking it day by day and were all constantly living with this question of how long we can make it, said Nina Compton.

The James Beard award-winning chef has reopened her Bywater American Bistro, while her first restaurant Compere Lapin remains closed. Operating at 50% occupancy per Phase 2 reopening restrictions, the restaurant is making enough to barely hold on, one day at a time," she said. The future is more vexing.

Back in March, I guess I was naive, but I thought, 'This is America, well be shut down for a month and then be back on track,' Compton said. But now were way behind. Were still hopeful but we need more than hope right now.

Four months into the crisis, restaurants stand at a crossroads, and in many ways the odds stacked against them seem worse than when the crisis first began. Reserves of cash and first-round emergency government relief have been drained. The long slog and whipsaw of changing business restrictions have sapped morale.

+3 Port of Call abruptly shuts down Saturday after briefly reopening after city ban on to-go drinks Four days after announcing the triumphant return of burgers, baked potatoes and potent Monsoons to the French Quarter, Port of Call abruptly a

Restaurants across the country are in trouble, though in New Orleans the economic disaster is threatening a sector ingrained as part of the citys identity, from bucket list dining destinations to neighborhood po-boy shops.

The Louisiana Restaurant Association projects that one in four restaurants statewide could close permanently. For the New Orleans area that forecast is much worse, rising to 40% to 50% closing, due to the citys heavy reliance on travel and events.

Im not being gloomy, Im just going through the math, said LRA president and CEO Stan Harris. Restaurants dont file bankruptcy. They just close.

Some local restaurants have already closed, many temporarily, though others permanently. The closure of K-Pauls Louisiana Kitchen this month sent shock waves through the industry as restaurateurs watched a famous destination for New Orleans food fold for good.

Many local operators did breathe a sigh of relief when Gov. John Bel Edwards recently decided to keep the 50% occupancy restriction for restaurants in place. White House guidance recommends tighter restrictions for a roster of states, including Louisiana, though Edwards explained that with social distance spacing between tables, 50% and 25% occupancy should be equally effective.

But with the virus again raging, returning to a point where normal business can sustain restaurants remains a nebulous goal.

Help from the top?

Stimulus bills making their way through Congress could bring some relief. The HEALS Act proposed this week by Senate Republicans includes $190 billion to extend Paycheck Protection Program funding, though this would be applied broadly across the economy.

Theres also the separate RESTAURANTS Act, pushed by the Independent Restaurant Coalition, a group formed during the pandemic and supported by the National Restaurant Association as part of its own blueprint to protect the industry.

The RESTAURANTS Act would set up a $120 billion fund specifically aimed at independent restaurants and bars, and includes measures to allow restaurants to pay staff, rent and other vital expenses even if they cant yet reopen fully.

The bill was introduced in June on a bipartisan basis and has since picked up 145 representatives and 15 senators as co-sponsors. By Friday (July 31), Rep. Cedric Richmond was the lone member of Louisianas congressional delegation to have signed on in support.

Compton, who is part of the Independent Restaurant Coalitions leadership team, said it would do more than save restaurants.

The amount of money restaurants give back to other businesses is massive, from the farmers to the linen service, and those businesses cant pivot to takeout, Compton said. If were not trying to save the restaurants that support all of these other businesses and jobs, then thats very short sighted. Well never get the economy going without them.

The National Restaurant Association says restaurants experienced the most significant sales and job losses of any industry through the coronavirus crisis, charting $120 billion in lost revenue just by the end of May.

Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

By June, the group reported that 3% of Americas restaurants had already closed, while noting the full number wont be known until government statistics are released in the months ahead. The group believes the number will be in the tens of thousands. For now, some 75% of restaurants the group surveyed dont foresee being profitable again within the next six months.

Closer to home, Harris said more federal relief is a critical bridge to when restaurants can return to more stable operations, though he worries whether restaurants can marshal enough support from lawmakers facing needs across the economy.

We need our folks in Washington to champion it, because of the impact of the restaurant industry in Louisiana," he said of the RESTAURANTS Act. "But we have limited time at the present to get these things done before recess. Its going to be one of the hardest things to get through this Congress.

He thinks the best hope for local restaurants is for residents to beat back coronavirus cases through compliance with rules and widespread face-mask use.

The governor has been consistent and predictable with basing decisions on numbers," he said. "Good outcomes could get us to Phase 3 (of the states coronavirus response). That could increase capacity, and we could start building back some events."

Watching, waiting

Case surges and changing projections have kept some of the citys restaurants closed and clouded their prospects for returning.

Antoines, the oldest restaurant in New Orleans, dating to 1840, closed after dinner service on March 16. The restaurant announced it would remain closed through the summer season, though its still fielding inquiries for private dining in the future.

With its own dining rooms closed, Commanders Palace has kept some business going by shipping signature dishes nationally, serving takeout and family-style meals through its front door and hosting weekly wine and cheese parties via Zoom. However, co-owner Ti Martin said the calculations she and her managers have been using to gauge reopening keep changing.

Every time we think we have a target date, something else happens to push it back, Martin said.

Across town in Treme, Lil Dizzys Cafe has also been closed since March, and the outlook for this small neighborhood standby is no clearer today. Known for its Creole gumbo, fried chicken and garlicky trout Baquet, Lil Dizzys is the third-generation continuation of a Black restaurant family legacy that goes back to the 1940s. It's a restaurant where presidents have dined and regulars from across the city convene.

But right now, all proprietor Wayne Baquet knows for sure is that hes not reopening anytime soon.

Im hopeful but skeptical about the future, said Baquet. The way things are right now, I just dont see how this would work. I dont see it happening.

Hes worried about the cost of preparing the restaurant for COVID-era service, restocking the kitchen and bringing back employees, only to have that investment wiped out if he has to close again. At 73, hes also cautious about possibly exposing himself to coronavirus. He wants to reopen Lil Dizzys but cant rule out the possibility that the restaurant may not return.

Were going to watch and see what happens, he said. We dont want to do anything now that will make matters worse and make it harder to come back.

Some operators have decided to shut down temporarily. With their business limited and the virus risk high, they are hedging their bets on better times ahead. Those taking this route range from the upscale bistro Carrollton Market to the popular bakery and restaurant supplier Bellegarde to the downtown restaurant Johnny Sanchez, from celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez.

The Mid-City po-boy shop Averys on Tulane will join their numbers when it shuts down after service on Wednesday.

This is our best chance to make it through for the long run, said co-owner Justin Pitard. If we put money into it now I feel like its for nothing if things keeps getting worse. We want to be able to put money back into it when things are coming back and getting better.

Editor's note: this story has been edited to update the co-sponsors of the RESTAURANTS Act.

+18 How the Commanders Palace virtual wine party builds something vital for restaurants now At our house in Mid-City, we opened the wines to breathe, put the cheeses out to temper and hauled the computer monitor from our makeshift hom
By Aaron Weinman

NEW YORK, July 29 (LPC) - Low-rated borrowers are prying open a window of opportunity to raise money in the leveraged loan market as a dearth of higher-rated deals has investors seeking returns from a riskier corner of the US credit markets.

At least six companies rated B3 by Moody's Investors Service launched loans in July, but have done so with highly attractive coupons that have enabled these deals to sail through the syndication process.

Higher coupons are quickly becoming the new normal for lower-rated borrowers. In recent months, these companies have struggled to attract heavy interest from risk-averse investors wary of companies' debt being downgraded by ratings agencies.

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic loan defaults have soared and companies have drawn down existing credit lines or tapped capital markets for emergency funding.

This month, however, a lack of higher-quality, Double B rated loans has granted Single B borrowers greater investor attention. Albeit at a steeper cost, these companies have seized on this momentum and raised loans that have repayed recent borrowings, funded acquisitions or extended maturing debt.

In July, produce company AgroFresh finalized a US$275m loan at a rate of 625bp over Libor to amend an older deal that paid just 475bp and extended the maturity of the loan by three years to 2024, according to one banker.

Earlier in the month, aftermarket automotive company First Brands offered investors a lucrative 750bp margin for a US$810m incremental term loan to fund an acquisition, a second banker said.

The average margin of a drawn Single B rated term loan has increased to roughly 460bp over Libor in July from 390bp at the end of February, according to data from Refinitiv LPC.

Single B borrowers are the most exposed to downgrades into Triple C territory, which is just a few notches above default.

BMO Capital Markets led the deal for AgroFresh and Jefferies arranged the loan for First Brands.

Story continues

Spokespersons for the banks, AgroFresh and First Brands were not immediately available for comment.

B3s are definitely making a comeback. These businesses can get deals done, but it will just cost them a bit more right now, said Michael Marzouk, managing director for bank loan strategies at Pacific Asset Management.

NEW LOW

Loan quality fell to a new low in the first quarter this year and may worsen, according to Moody's Investors Service. The ratings agency's Loan Covenant Quality Indicator, a measure of investor protections, weakened by 8bp to 4.3 in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the prior two-quarter period. At 4.3, this score, measured from one to five, with five indicating the worst possible protection levels, is the highest it has ever been.

Borrowers have expanded the set of tools to alleviate their credit stress at lenders expense, Moodys analysts wrote in the report on July 28. They also retain several options not yet widely deployedwhich could present serious complications for secured lenders.

MEAGER SUPPLY

As lower-rated borrowers fill the market, at the heart of the matter is a lack of higher-quality supply.

Investors, particularly Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs), are clamoring for higher-rated loans for businesses with greater cash flow that can withstand bouts of uncertainty brought on by the pandemic.

But with little in the way of top-quality leveraged loans, portfolio managers must weigh the risks and rewards of these Single B rated companies, particularly against the backdrop of economic volatility.

CLOs, the single-largest buyer of new loans, remain wary of stuffing their vehicles with B3/B rated loans as downgrades to Triple C can trigger tests within the CLO.

CLO new issuance volume in June was at its highest since Covid-19 gripped capital markets back in March, according to LPC Collateral data. For June, 21 CLOs raised US$8.2bn, 37% more than May, and investors are under pressure to fill these vehicles with new loan facilities.

Folks that raised new CLOs need to put money to work and find the necessary paper, said an investor that focuses on performing loans. There is not much else in the market right now, so this limited, lower-quality stuff gets an audience. (Reporting by Aaron Weinman. Editing by Michelle Sierra and Chris Mangham.)
An Isis supporter attempted to remodel a drone to be used in a terror attack against the British armed forces or police, a court has heard.

Hisham Muhammad, 26, allegedly built a release mechanism for a commercial drone while researching other methods including knife attacks.

The Old Bailey heard that police found a variety of bladed articles, components, drawings, notes, camouflage clothing and masks at his home in Bury, Greater Manchester.

Muhammad allegedly possessed weapons including a tomahawk, machete, bear claws and two axes, and had practiced stabbing movements on cardboard boxes and clothing.

The defendant, who moved to the UK in 2013, is also accused of creating ninja eggs containing chilli and glass shards that could be used to incapacitate or otherwise weaken attack victims or emergency service responders.

Opening the prosecution case on Tuesday, Anne Whyte QC said: Muhammad, who was, by all accounts a very polite man, was focusing on what he considered to be his obligation as a Muslim to act and to please his notion of his God by conducting an attack.

She told a jury that he had downloaded extremist material that glorified violence and martyrdom, including Isis propaganda.

He had researched how small drones might be adapted to drop some sort of device designed to harm others, Ms Whyte said.

By the time of his arrest, he was planning some sort of physical attack using knives and other weapons, possibly involving the armed forces or the police.

Some of the weapons were allegedly paid for by money gained through a bogus escort agency set up by Muhammad and his cousin, where customers were asked for an upfront payment as a gesture of goodwill.

The court heard that in May 2018, Muhammad expressed a false interest in joining the British army in order to visit the Castle Armoury Barracks in Bury and that he had also searched military and armed police bases online.

Bear-claws found at Hisham Muhammads home in Bury (Greater Manchester Police ) (Greater Manchester Police)

The court also heard that both Muhammad and Abu Ahmad had admitted to setting up a bogus escort agency online, in which customers were asked for an upfront payment as a gesture of goodwill.

Ms Whyte alleged that money paid into fraudulently opened accounts was used to purchase items relevant to the case, including axes, face masks and knife-sharpening stones.

The alleged plot was uncovered after Muhammads home was visited by his landlord in June 2018, because he had fallen behind on rent.

Onkar Singh said he felt uneasy after spotting items including knives, a tub with wires and a soldering iron and took photos that he later showed to police.

Muhammad, of Victoria Avenue in Bury, denies engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism.

His cousin Faisal Abu Ahmad, 25, of the same address, denies failing to alert authorities of the alleged attack plan.

During his police interview, Muhammad denied being involved in a terror plot, telling officers he liked to invent and innovate.

The court heard he had accepted conducting searches about UK armed police and military bases, while also suggesting he did not believe that the Manchester Arena bombing or the Westminster Bridge attack had occurred.

He also questioned whether the video of the killing of the soldier Lee Rigby was real, according to the prosecution, and claimed he wanted to research all aspects of terrorism so that he could find out the truth.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by PA
Today is Monday, July 27, 2020. Let's get caught up.

These non-virus headlines are in the news this morning: The Associated Press went behind the lines with protesters and federal agents in Portland to document the movement gripping America; President Donald Trump tries to turn his re-election campaign around; and Hurricane Douglas began to spin away from the Hawaiian islands.

Read on for these stories, other top headlines, celebrity birthdays and more.

Top stories

On Portland's streets: Anger, fear, and a fence that divides

The nation is seething with anxiety and deeply divided about the role of police, the value of Black lives and the limits of federal authority in an election season like none other. In Portland, on a single city block owned by the U.S. government, that anxiety has turned to turmoil.
Police investigate a shooting with multiple victims in the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia on June 10. Read more

The Watergate burglars were indicted in less time.

O.J. Simpsons trial wrapped up faster, too. As did Bill Cosbys first and second trials.

In fact, ever since a Philadelphia homicide detective was caught on camera in 2018 hurling a racial slur at a man who allegedly caught him soliciting a prostitute, a lot has happened:

Philadelphia got a new police commissioner, a longtime councilwoman was dethroned, a state representative was indicted for stealing from a nonprofit, went to prison  and came back.

And yet the investigation into Detective John Komorowski continues.

Sometimes a story comes along that can only be summed up with a throaty three-letter abbreviation.

Enter the one written by my colleagues William Bender and Barbara Laker this week, with each stunning detail a bigger WTF than the next.

Komorowski, on desk duty for that outstanding racial incident, was busted last week for driving under the influence and threatening an officer in a situation that sounds very similar.

The report for Komorowskis arrest stated that he was drunk with his pants unzipped when he allegedly told a fellow officer, I will end your career.

The officer ended his night by arresting him after his vehicle allegedly struck two parked cars.

Speaking of ending careers, Komorowskis career has miraculously managed to chug along since December 2018, when he appeared in a Facebook video getting out of a car in North Philly while tucking in his shirt. Komorowski called the man who was filming him a white n.

Warning: This Facebook video contains vulgar and racist language.

Nineteen months later, the story noted, the investigation is still ongoing.

Nineteen months!

I called the Philadelphia Police Department looking for some clarification, but after speaking with police spokesperson Inspector Sekou Kinebrew, I didnt hear anything that justified the delay, especially when Komorowskis racist remark was caught on camera. (Im sure the Karens who have been fired after their embarrassing videos went public want to speak to the manager right about now.)

Consider the obvious, or what should be obvious: Having a guy like this in your ranks in whatever capacity erodes public trust  you know that thing thats long been crumbling around every police department in the country?

But in Philadelphia  where almost half of murders went unsolved last year  employing a homicide detective with this kind of baggage is repugnant.

Can you imagine losing a loved one and having Komorowski show up to your door?

Its no wonder Philadelphians lose faith in their police department.

Now, this is the part where the Back the Blue bros start crying about police being underappreciated and under attack.

Except that isnt altogether true in Philly. Even while cops are posting racist and sexist remarks on social media and pepper-spraying kneeling protesters, many of the very residents police routinely disrespect and dismiss still support them.

Nearly every day I talk to mothers of homicide victims who arent just rooting for the police but who are doing anything they can  including officers jobs  so someone will answer for killing their loved ones.

They mine social media for any information that might help police solve the case. They plaster the neighborhoods where their children were killed with flyers pleading for someone to come forward.

Mothers like Tamika Morales and Oddess Blocker, who lost sons this year and are desperate for answers.

There are videos going around of my son being murdered and not one person has come forward, said Blocker.

I didnt have the heart to tell her that there are mothers in the city who have waited years (some, decades) for justice.

Moms like Yullio Robbins, whose son James Walke III was shot and killed in 2016 in the middle of the afternoon on a Germantown street.

Ive written about Robbins and her relentless search for justice. Shes luckier than most: The detective working her sons case keeps in touch, and promises to continue investigating until someone answers for his death. But she called recently to ask if I could publicize her sons death again in hopes of getting someone to come forward.

Walkes birthday was July 23. He would have been 32. The family gathered at his graveside.

Robbins was heartbroken about all the murders in Philadelphia  upwards of 245 so far this year  and the growing number of families impacted.

She has reason to be disheartened, enraged even. But instead she remains hopeful.

I have to be, she said. I have to believe my James will get justice.

And then she said something that left me speechless:

Our police commissioner needs more support, she said.

My heart hurts for her.

Imagine  a grieving mother hurting for the citys top cop.

Imagine if police showed this kind of grace and respect to those they are sworn to serve as opposed to the despicable cops who are nothing but an embarrassment to the city and the uniform.
Seven months of cruise time may seem like the opportune moment for a break, but not for the team behind the Emirates Mars Missions Hope Probe, the first Arab mission to Mars, which was launched July 19.

Launching something into space is the exciting part, but its like 10 minutes. After that is really when the hard work comes in, said Northern Arizona University planetary scientist Christopher Edwards, who helped design one of the probes three instruments alongside scientists and engineers from the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and Arizona State University. We test all kinds of things so that when we get to Mars, were ready to go.

The SUV-sized probe, which was launched from Japans Tanegashima Space Center, is designed to study the Martian atmosphere at different times throughout its day and seasons. Traveling at an average speed of more than 75,000 mph, it is scheduled to reach the Red Planet in time for the Emirates 50th anniversary in February. The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) is scheduled for two years of operations beginning in May but can be extended into 2025.

In a 2015 announcement of the mission, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, explained the name Hope was chosen to send a message of optimism to millions of young Arabs.

Though operations start now, Edwards joined a team of hundreds of other individuals from throughout the world who spent years in development in preparation for the launch.

MBRSC is leading the operation of the Hope Probe, which was constructed at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a team of MBRSC and LASP engineers and scientists.

Edwards, instrument scientist for the project, worked alongside ASUs Philip Christensen, with the School of Earth and Space Exploration (where Edwards attended graduate school), to create the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS) for the probe. This spectrometer breaks up the spectrum of light to about 100 microns  about the diameter of your hair, Edwards said  and then into hundreds of even smaller chunks in order to analyze the energy coming from the Mars surface. Edwards said the goal is to see how this escaping energy is affecting the atmosphere.

Because previous instruments used to study the planet have not analyzed beyond about 45 microns, Edwards said the team is expecting some interesting observations to come from EMIRS unique view of longer wavelengths both alone and in combination with the probes other two devices, the Emirates eXploration Imager and the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer.

Additionally, unlike previous Mars probes, Hope will travel around the planet in an elliptical orbit, allowing it to make observations throughout the day, not just every 12 hours. It will be the first probe to observe the complete Martian atmosphere, including global weather and climate patterns.

Well be able to see the dynamics of the Martian atmosphere like weve never seen before thanks to the EMMs unique orbit, Edwards said. Preparing for humans [to travel to Mars], we want to understand how the daily weather of Mars actually works, not just trying to predict it from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. because if you did that in Flagstaff right now, wed be pretty wrong.

During the cruise period, the team will switch on the orbiters instruments several times to verify they are working.

Edwards said it took five years for a core team of about 20 people to develop EMIRS  through various review processes and tests at extreme temperatures and vibrations among other simulations  to withstand this journey and to perform accurately when Hope reaches its destination.

About five individuals at NAU, including a research scientist, software specialists and graduate students will help with the science and operations of the mission.

Although Edwards has been involved in several other Mars missions (including the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover, 2001 Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System, Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer and the Mars Exploration Rovers Mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer) he said this is the first mission he has been involved with from its very beginning.

Going from concept all the way to seeing the hardware, holding the hardware into your hands, watching it get integrated onto the spacecraft, and watching the launch is a pretty crazy set of feelings, Edwards said. When you see the launch, its sort of a mix of real excitement and feeling very proud, and alternating between sadness and almost aimlessness. You spent so much time working on this thing, looking at this thing, picking up this thing, and suddenly youre putting it on top of a huge rocket, saying farewell.

And unlike some of the previous missions he has contributed to, Edwards said EMMs team was unlike anything he had done.

Its not just about the mission, its not just about the science. Its about creating and inspiring people to do something really grand, Edwards said, noting he has learned a lot about the culture of the UAE and made some lifelong colleagues and friends as a result of the project. Its a pretty amazing exchange program, basically, where were trading knowledge and experience both ways, and the end result is this inspiring mission to Mars -- which is pretty cool."

He added: Youre sending these robots to another planet, but in reality its all about the personal connection, like so many things in life.

For more information about the Emirates Mars Mission, visit www.emiratesmarsmission.ae/.

Kaitlin Olson can be reached at the office at kolson@azdailysun.com or by phone at (928) 556-2253.

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By AFP

BEIJING: China's first Mars probe has beamed back a photo of the Earth and the Moon as it heads toward its destination, the country's space agency said Tuesday.

The image, which shows the two celestial bodies as small crescents in the empty darkness of space, was taken 1.2 million kilometres (746,000 miles) away from Earth three days after the Tianwen-1 mission was launched on Thursday, the China National Space Administration said.

China joined the United States and United Arab Emirates this month in launching a mission to Mars, taking advantage of a period when Mars and Earth are favourably aligned.

The mission, given a name that means "Questions to Heaven," aims to enter Martian orbit seven months after the launch and release a small rover to study the planet's surface.

It's the latest milestone in Beijing's space programme, which has sent two rovers to the Moon and set up a satellite navigation, Beidou, to rival the United States' GPS.

The National Space Administration on Tuesday said Tianwen-1, which has left Earth's gravitational field, "is currently in good flight conditions, has balanced fuel and is operating normally."

The rover had by Tuesday traveled least 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, the agency said -- just a fraction of the 55 million kilometres it must traverse before it reaches Mars.
Prime Minister has said that he hope the US will stabilise its ties with China as Asia depends on a stable relationship between the world's two biggest economies to have a secure and predictable environment to prosper.

Lee, who was re-elected prime minister, was speaking at a virtual dialogue organised by the Atlantic Council, an American think-tank, on Tuesday.

"If you (US) can establish a stable, predictable policy with bipartisan consensus (with China), I think it would be a great help to all your friends and partners who want to be able to depend on you and to rely on you, without the risk that one day the big power may suddenly decide its interests lie elsewhere," the Straits Times quoted Lee as saying.

The US and China are at loggerheads over several issues, including the coronavirus and Beijing's implementation of a controversial security law for Hong Kong.

The Trump administration blames China for not warning the world of the coronavirus pandemic earlier and hiding the extent of its outbreak. Beijing has rejected the allegations.

Lee said the current state of the US-China relations is an "unfortunate situation" where the countries have taken actions and counter-actions and the issues have "metastasised and spread into all fields of the relationship".

"The way things have developed over the last several years, you have very many areas where there's not only contradiction, but also deep distrust...it's not just any bilateral relationship, it's the most important bilateral relationship in the world - between a very powerful United States of America, and between a country with one-quarter of humanity. And I don't think that is a collision which should be lightly ventured," he said.

Replying to a query on if he expects US-China relations to improve after the November 3 presidential election in the United States, Lee said, "We hope so."



Former vice president Joe Biden, who is set to be formally nominated by the Democratic Party in August, will challenge the incumbent President Donald Trump, a Republican, in the upcoming US elections.

Lee said he would encourage the next President, be it Trump or his rival Biden, to develop a bipartisan consensus on US-Asian relations so that American foreign policy would last beyond the current administration.

Lee said historically in presidential election years, the US-China relationship always gets entangled in the poll campaign and "after that, after some time...things settle down".

However, this time, the prime minister said he is not sure if it would happen.

"Because the field is quite different, and the degree of animus, and sad to say, bipartisan consensus on treating China as a threat is quite extraordinary. And I fear that it may carry on past the election and if it does, I think that bodes ill for the world," he was quoted as saying by the Channel News Asia.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese Foreign Minister calls on UK to provide open, fair investment climate for all firms

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the UK to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory investment environment for all companies including those from China.

During a phone call with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Tuesday, Wang said that on the issue of 5G network, China and the UK had a consensus - to provide a level playing field for all enterprises based on the principle of marketization.

"Regrettably, the British side was under pressure and coercion from a certain country. In fact, it politicized business issues and discriminated against Chinese companies," Wang said.

Wang told his British counterpart that an open, fair and non-discriminatory investment environment will reshape Chinese companies' confidence in the UK market.

The UK government announced earlier this month that Huawei equipment was to be phased out completely from Britain's 5G network by 2027.

Raab said that UK's China policy has not changed. The UK has always attached importance to UK-China relations, respected China's development achievements, and valued the opportunities brought to the UK through cooperation with China. He also agreed that both sides have broad prospects for cooperation.

The UK supports the promotion of UK-China trade and investment relations and is willing to strengthen cooperation on COVID-19 vaccine research and development and economic recovery after the epidemic, Raab noted.
Former Chairman of the Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, has been released from Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, nine months after his arrest.

NAN revealed that Mainas lawyer Adeola Adedipe, said his client was released on Monday evening after completing the necessary documents for his bail.

Adedipe said his client ought to have been released on July 24. However, the process was delayed due to administrative procedures.

It was already late last week Friday so they now have a new timeline shifted at 6 Oclock. We went there and everything was done, he said.

Adedipe said Mainas release, would not only afford him the opportunity to get adequate medical attention but also enable him prepare for trial.

We can only thank God and this is good for us because we will now have time to prepare for his defence; we will now have good conferencing on the matter, he said.

We will have a better perspective of what the case is all about. And this will also allow him to treat himself you know he has been very ill in order to stand the trial.

Recall that The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Maina before Okon Abang, a judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on October 25, 2019.

He was arraigned alongside Faisal, his son, and firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd. Maina was then charged with 12 counts bordering on money laundering but he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Abang had reduced Mainas bail condition from N1 billion to N500 million with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving senator as opposed to the earlier order of producing two serving senators.

The judge ruled that the surety, who should not have a criminal case pending in any court, must have a landed property fully developed in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, Katampe or central business district of Abuja, with certificate of occupancy attached as evidence.

Maina had been unable to get a senator as surety until Ndume agreed to do so However, he eventually got surety, announcing through another of his lawyers Joe Gadzama that Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, had decided to stand as surety for him.

Ndume, who is the chairman, senate committee on army, had, in a statement on June 24, admitted standing as surety for Maina.

Ndume opined that the decision to back Maina did not come easy, as it took him six months of painful consideration to agree to be a surety for Maina, and that it was part of the cross he had to carry as Mainas elected senator.
The project will trial invisible signal and sensor technology used to monitor participant behaviour, vital signs and state of health.

A worldwide panel of ethics experts on artificial intelligence is overseeing the experiment and will run constant risk assessments on the technology as it is developed.

Edinburgh: Peppers skill set includes making phone calls, identifying missing items in the kitchen and occasional aerobics instruction.

Now, after a surge in loneliness among vulnerable groups during the coronavirus pandemic, this robots potential as a companion have earned her a role in a Scottish universitys assisted living experiment with artificial intelligence.

Scientists at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh have programmed robots, including Pepperwho was launched as the worlds first humanoid in Japan in 2014to perform tasks normally carried out by care workers.

We are specifically interested in understanding the needs of the most vulnerable at this time and what technology could be used to make their lives better, Mauro Dragone, the projects lead scientist, told AFP.

Successful innovation in the field is crucial to alleviate the strain on health and social care services.

The experiment, named Ambient Assisted Living, will initially focus on finding solutions for priority groups, whose vulnerabilities have been compounded by social isolation measures required during the pandemic.

For the research, Pepper and other robots have been put to work in a university laboratory configured to resemble a standard apartment, with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room.

Privacy concerns

By using robots to perform basic household tasks for those who have lost their vision or hearing, or suffer from dementia, the project hopes to ease pressure on care workers, who are often encumbered by high workloads.

Researchers, care providers and the end users of assisted living services are being asked to use cloud and so-called internet of things technologiesin which objects in the house are fitted with sensors linked to the internetto participate remotely.

We are transforming this lab into a remote open access lab so that we can keep doing this work together even while there is social distancing in place, Dragone said.

The project will trial invisible signal and sensor technology used to monitor participants behaviour, vital signs and constant state of health.

Should the sensors detect a health emergency in a patient, an alert can be transmitted, allowing carers or emergency workers to take rapid action.

In this laboratory we are experts in sensor technology that is invisible, Dragone said.

Rather than attaching sensors, we use technology such as a Wi-Fi signal to detect the presence and activities of people at home, he added, noting this meant there would usually be nothing new to instal or wear.

Researchers are mindful about privacy issues and the ethical issues that could come up in the project, said Dragone.

A worldwide panel of ethics experts on artificial intelligence is overseeing the experiment and will run constant risk assessments on the technology as it is developed, he explained.

Positive response

The Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland, which represents 80 voluntary care providers that support around 200,000 people, has encouraged its members to collaborate on the project.

Emma Donnelly, the groups digital programme manager, said COVID-19 had accelerated the need to implement digital solutions in care facilities.

There was already an existing drive for digital before the pandemic, but the crisis management answer has been to accelerate the implementation, she added.

Donnelly said the reaction to the project had been really positive so far.

The focus of the project is on the end user and there is a co-design element to it, she added.

The care providers know that everything the project produces will support them in making their day-to-day lives a little bit easier.
Plaintiffs filed 182 new securities class action lawsuits in federal and state courts in the first half of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic triggered extreme volatility in the financial markets, according to a report released today by Cornerstone Research and the Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearinghouse.

The report, Securities Class Action Filings2020 Midyear Assessment, found that the number of filings remained higher than the historical average, but was 18% lower than in the second half of 2019 and the lowest level since the second half of 2016. The filing slowdown affected both core and M&A filings, which declined by 13% and 25%, respectively.

Sasha Aganin, report coauthor and Cornerstone Research senior vice president: Not surprisingly, as the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic became apparent, many industries experienced significant declines in market capitalization in the first half of the year. A keen observer of new securities class action filing activity may wonder why core filings related to stock price drops declined rather than increased in the first half of 2020. The puzzle is not the number of filings in the first half of this yearthis number was higher than at the height of the financial crisis in the second half of 2008. The puzzle is why there were so many filings in 2019 when financial markets were relatively calm and rising.

Section 11 and 1933 Act filings declined more substantially than M&A and core federal filings, and were the main cause of reduced filing activity in the first half of 2020. Due to a steep decline in state court -- only and parallel filings, the number of Section 11 and state 1933 Act filings in the first half of 2020 was roughly a quarter of the number of such filings in 2019.

Joseph A. Grundfest, director of Stanfords Securities Class Action Clearinghouse: The M&A litigation decline is easy to explain: COVID-19 depressed M&A activity, and without M&A activity, you cant have M&A litigation. The Section 11 litigation decline calls for more data to explain. COVID-19-induced volatility can create a damage challenge for plaintiffs because defendants can easily point to the pandemic as a confounding factor and explain that price declines were caused by larger market forces, and not by any alleged misrepresentation.

Eleven complaints involving COVID-19 allegations were filed in the first half of the year. Aside from a flurry of cryptocurrency and cannabis-related filings, other event-driven casesincluding those related to data breaches, opioid filings, or sexual harassment allegationsdeclined in the first half of 2020. Most cryptocurrency filings named non-U.S. issuers and three of the four cannabis-related complaints involved Canadian firms.

Key Trends



S&P 500: Core federal filings against S&P 500 firms in 2020 occurred at an annualized rate of 4.8%, the lowest since 2015.

U.S. vs. Non-U.S. Companies: Almost one-third of core federal filings were against non-U.S. issuers in 2020 H1, the second-highest percentage on record. Annualized core federal filings against non-U.S. issuers are on pace to be the highest on record.

Industries: The first half of 2020 saw an uptick in filing activity in the financial sector, with the number of filings increasing by 50% from this time last year, and Maximum Dollar Loss increasing tenfold. The number of technology and communications filings declined after rising in recent semiannual periods.

Federal Circuits: There were 40 core federal filings in the Second Circuit in the first half of 2020, dropping from 51 and 52 in the first and second halves of 2019, respectively. Plaintiffs filed 35 complaints in the Ninth Circuit, up from 24 in the second half of 2019.

Dollar Disclosure Loss: This measure of litigation activity decreased by 25% from $108 billion in the second half of 2019 to $81 billion in the first half 2020.

Maximum Dollar Loss: This measure of litigation activity increased by 48% from $394 billion in the second half of 2019 to $584 billion, due partially to market capitalization losses in a broad swath of industry sectors during the first half of the year.

About Cornerstone Research

Cornerstone Research provides economic and financial consulting and expert testimony in all phases of complex litigation and regulatory proceedings. The firm works with an extensive network of prominent faculty and industry practitioners to identify the best-qualified expert for each assignment. Cornerstone Research has earned a reputation for consistent high quality and effectiveness by delivering rigorous, state-of-the-art analysis for more than 30 years. The firm has over 700 staff and offices in Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Washington.

See Cornerstone Researchs website for more information about the firms capabilities in economic and financial consulting and expert testimony.

http://www.cornerstone.com

Twitter: @Cornerstone_Res

About the Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearinghouse

The Securities Class Action Clearinghouse is an authoritative source of data and analysis on the financial and economic characteristics of federal securities fraud class action litigation. The SCAC maintains a database of more than 5,590 securities class action lawsuits filed since passage of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The database also contains copies of complaints, briefs, filings, and other litigation-related materials filed in these cases.

securities.stanford.edu
Superintendents of three school districts in Bexar County provided new details Wednesday about what the beginning of school will be like in a fall semester unlike any before it.

Pre-K students in San Antonio ISD will wear color-coded plastic face shields, safety protocols will govern everything from dropoff to pickup in Edgewood ISD, and online instruction will be much more rigorous in Northside ISD than last springs hit-or-miss effort. All changes came about because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Poll: San Antonio parents share their back-to-school plans

Educators are making their plans and trying to articulate them to families while in a sort of tug-of-war with the state over who has the authority to decide how to reopen schools safely. Some superintendents have floated the idea of taking legal action.

Give us the space to lead, Edgewood ISD Superintendent Eduardo Hernandez said during a Zoom meeting with the Express-News editorial board. He was joined by Northside ISD Superintendent Brian Woods and San Antonio ISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez. We can get this done, but give us that space and allow us to work with our governing bodies. Thats why theyre there, Hernandez said.

Starting out, all school districts within the city of San Antonio will use remote teaching. Some, like Northside ISD, had already decided to start with virtual classes even before the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District on July 17 prohibited Bexar County schools from physically reopening until after Labor Day.

Now Playing: Three superintendents of San Antonio school districts spoke with the Express-News editorial board Wednesday about reopening schools in the fall. Video: San Antonio Express-News

The superintendents promise that remote learning will be better this fall than it was in the spring.

Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox

Seemingly overnight, educators had to activate virtual learning once the coronavirus pandemic reached Texas in March. Most students and teachers left for Spring Break and never returned. Districts rushed to provide technology with internet capabilities to students so they could learn online. But it was a stressful time for students, parents and teachers alike.

More help with online

All three superintendents said theyve now had time to prepare for a higher quality virtual learning experience.

This will be markedly different than what people experienced in March, April and May, Woods said about Northside. The expectations on the students side as well as on the staff side will be, not only different, but quite a bit higher.

Woods used as an example a first-grader logging on at the beginning of the day to interact with her teacher and classmates. The teacher would outline a daily plan for the students. They would have synchronous instruction for however long the teacher feels is necessary, then kids would log off to complete work on their own. During the offline time, teachers could log on one-on-one with students or smaller groups who want more individual help.

That kind of cadence would happen all through the day for math, for science and social studies, Woods said.

Students still will have designated times for recess and lunch.

In SAISD, there will be more mandatory synchronous learning time than in the spring, Martinez said.

There will be several check-ins throughout the day and educators will be in contact with parents of children who are not showing they are engaged in lessons, he said.

Parents also will get training. Families could go to schools to check their devices and make sure they know how to use them to help their kids, he said.

That was something Edgewood parents also want, Hernandez said. Parents have said to his staff, You guys have provided us the technology and the connectivity, but what do I need to have in my home?

Some high school students  especially those in career classes, such as automotive technology and cosmetology  will go into buildings some days to check in with teachers while working on projects remotely, Hernandez added.

Masks and face shields

When students start returning to classrooms, each will have a designated desk spaced at least six feet apart from others, Martinez said. Some classrooms will have tables for two students who will be separated by transparent shields, he said.

Everyone will wear masks. Children in pre-kindergarten through second grade will have a face shield, Martinez said. SAISD bought more than 16,000 shields  really cute little hats with a shield, theyre different colors for every grade level, he said.

Edgewood ISD administrators are creating how-to videos to show families the new ways theyll enter schools, everything from getting out of your car to what entrance you walk into, Hernandez said.

Youre practically going to live in a particular hallway if you come to our school, he said.

On ExpressNews.com: TEA reverses course on decision on funding schools in the fall

The three superintendents were taken aback Tuesday when the Texas Education Agency said it would not fully fund schools that close due solely to a local health order. The decision  prompted by Attorney General Ken Paxtons opinion that local health authorities should not be able to close schools  was a 180-degree turn from the message the agency had sent district leaders a week and a half earlier.

Woods said districts want the state to afford them more flexibility to control the number of people in buildings in conjunction with medical evidence about the virus.

Woods, who is president of the Texas Association of School Administrators, has been a vocal advocate for individual district discretion about how to phase in students over time, starting with the most vulnerable, such as those receiving special education and English learners.

That is the only way to be able to promise to staff, and to parents, social distancing will be in place because our ability to monitor students keeping a face shield or mask on will very much depend on how many students are allowed in the building on a given day, Woods said.

Woods and Hernandez are bracing for possible legal action over the TEAs new stance about funding.

Woods told his board in a meeting Tuesday evening that if the agency didnt reverse course while San Antonio still has high community spread of the virus, he would seek the trustees permission to go to court. He reiterated that Wednesday.

Its simply unacceptable to put schools in the position of choosing between the health of students and staff and the risk of a complete loss of funding. And I think we would have a compelling case, he said.

Hernandez agreed about the possibility of a lawsuit.

Martinez did not commit to exploring legal options, saying he did not want to get ahead of my board but added that we will take the necessary actions.

Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Krista, become a subscriber. Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva
"At the boarding gates he was stopped by plainclothes gardai, who said they were conducting an immigration check. They took his passport and then gave it back" (stock photo)

A man asked for his passport by plainclothes gardai at an airport boarding gate subsequently had his pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) stopped  even though he was told it was an immigration check.

The Dail heard about Kieran, a 25-year-old who has paid taxes all his life until he lost his job through no fault of his own. He took a flight in May, said Rise TD Paul Murphy.

At the boarding gates he was stopped by plainclothes gardai, who said they were conducting an immigration check. They took his passport and then gave it back. He got on the plane.

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He came back, and his PUP payment had been stopped. He contacted the Department of Social Protection who told him he was on this particular flight, and therefore his PUP was being taken off, Mr Murphy said.

He asked the Taoiseach on what legal basis the gardai had asked for his passport on one basis and then transferred information over to the Department of Social Protection on another.

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After representations on the mans behalf, the payment had been restored, he noted, making it more doubtful there had been any legal basis to what had happened.

Micheal Martin said he was not responsible for operational decision than on the ground in respect of compliance. Such control checks had been in place since 2012, he said, adding firmly: The checks are there, and this will continue.

The Taoiseach declared: The Government has no agenda to single out anybody. He said that 90 per cent of PUP interceptions at the airport were foreign residents  a subtle change of previous claims that this overwhelming majority related to people who were leaving Ireland permanently.

He added that the small number of holiday cases relating to PUP cancellations were now under review.

Mr Murphy said he also knew of a new social welfare applicant who was sent important information about your Jobseekers benefits, which told him: You may take up to two weeks paid holidays in a calendar year.

The claimant was told he must inform him Intreo office before he went on holiday. Full stop. Nothing about travel advisory, nothing about green lists, red lists or anything else, Mr Murphy said.

You may take holidays, you have to tell us -- but if that person then took holidays, they could lose all of their income. All of it, he said.

It's deeply immoral, to have this blatant discrimination. It's illegal, no legal basis for the discrimination, as has been pointed out by FLAC, the Free Legal Advice Centres."

He also pointed to the case of a woman who was booked on a ferry, but who didn't take the trip in the end. Yet she lost her PUP simply because she'd been booked aboard, even though she didn't take it up.

The Taoiseach said in reply: Of course you don't want to hear the fact that the Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been a very substantial and effective intervention in our economy.

He told Mr Murphy: You can't bring yourself to say that you can't bring yourself to say that the wage subsidy scheme was a very effective intervention.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said her officials will review cases where people lost their PUP payment when they travelled abroad.

I've listened to the concerns expressed in recent days in relation to people whose payment was stopped due to the fact that they were travelling abroad, on a holiday," Minister Humphreys said.

And I know that there are cases where people may have travelled abroad and genuinely not been aware of the travel guidance, or criteria, which applied to PUP.

I accept that my Department could have communicated more effectively on this issue. For that reason I have directed the Department to review all cases today for people who went on holiday and had their payments stopped.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected over 16.67 million individuals and caused over 659,000 deaths around the world. Commonly the deadly virus and its impact are measured by the case fatality ratio (CFR).

A new study published in the journal PLOS Medicine reveals that the symptomatic case fatality ratio (sCFR) and the infection fatality ratio (IFR) could be more accurate ways to measure the epidemiology of the infection.

This study was funded by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program - project EpiPose.

What was this study about?

Researchers led by Anthony Hauser from the University of Bern, Switzerland, said that it is vital to understand the risk of mortality due to COVID-19 to predict the prognosis or outcome of the infection as well as for the planning of healthcare capacity and its preparedness. It is also important as a tool to predict the outcome of the pandemic.

The team explained that the casefatality ratio (CFR) could be estimated by calculating the total numbers of reported cases and reported deaths. They write, "...it can be a misleading measure of overall mortality". They wrote that symptomatic casefatality ratio (sCFR) is essentially the proportion of persons who have been infected and show symptoms who go on to die throughout their SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is said to be clinically relevant in assessing the prognosis or outcome of the infection as well as estimating the healthcare requirements. The infection fatality ratio (IFR), on the other hand, is the proportion of individuals infected with the SARS-CoV-2 who will eventually succumb to the infection. This is said to be the "central indicator for public health evaluation" when estimating the overall impact of an epidemic on a given population wrote the researchers.

The purpose of this study was to use mathematical models to simulate the transmission process of the SARS CoV-2 based on the surveillance data and from these estimate death rates due to the virus. They also adjusted the results for various factors to calculate the CFR as well as the symptomatic casefatality ratio (sCFR), and the infectionfatality ratio (IFR). This was done in different regions in China and across Europe.

Model fit for Hubei, China, of (A) incident cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection by date of symptom onset, (B) total cases, (C) age distribution of cases, (D) incidence of deaths, (E) total number of deaths among individuals infected until 11 February 2020, and (F) age distribution of deaths. White circles and bars represent data. Lines and shaded areas or points and ranges show the posterior median and 95% credible intervals for six types of model output: reported cases, symptomatic cases, overall cases (i.e., symptomatic and asymptomatic cases), reported deaths until 11 February 2020, projected deaths after 11 February 2020, and overall deaths. SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

What was done?

For this study, the team developed a model in which they stratified the data according to age. Their model was called the "susceptible-exposed-infected-removed (SEIR) compartmental model." It helped the researchers to define the dynamics of the spread of the infection and the risk of death or mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. They wrote that they accounted for two biases "preferential ascertainment of severe cases and right-censoring of mortality."

Their data was gathered from Hubei Province, China, and also applied to six regions in Europe including, "Austria, Bavaria (Germany), Baden-Wurttemberg (Germany), Lombardy (Italy), Spain, and Switzerland."

What did they find?

From their modeling, the team found that the case fatality rate was 2.4 percent in Hubei while the sCFR was 3.7 percent, and IFR was 2.9 percent. They wrote that with time the measures of mortality changed.

Coming to the six regions of Europe, the CFR was widely different. On the other hand, the sCFR and IFR, when adjusted for the biases, were more or less similar in the six regions. The range of IFR, for example, was 0.5 percent in Switzerland and 1.4 percent in Lombardy, Italy.

The risk of death rose with age in all regions with those over 80 years of age having an IFR between 20 percent in Switzerland and 34 percent in Spain.

Implications of the study

The authors have proposed a comprehensive method to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 mortality from the available surveillance data. They wrote that CFR might not be a good predictor of the overall risk of death due to SARS-CoV-2 and recommend that it should not be used for policy-making decisions and comparison across settings.

This study also reveals there are differences in IFR in different geographical regions, and the total size of the epidemic in different areas can be estimated by estimating the region-specific IFR. The team wrote in conclusion, "The sCFR and IFR, adjusted for right-censoring and preferential ascertainment of severe cases, are measures that can be used to improve and monitor clinical and public health strategies to reduce the deaths from SARS-CoV-2 infection."

The team called for further long term studies to see if these parameters and subsequent policies could help reduce the risk of death from SARS-CoV-2, especially among older individuals. These studies can also explore the reasons behind the differences in mortality rates due to the pandemic seen in different geographical regions around the world.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth will jointly inaugurate Mauritius' new Supreme Court building which has been built with the help of India. According to the reports, the inauguration session is scheduled to take place on July 30 via video-conferencing which will be attended by senior members of the Mauritian judiciary and other dignitaries from both the countries.

READ: COVID-19: Indian Navy Sends Medicines, Doctors To Mauritius

READ: PM Modi Congratulates Pravind Jugnauth For Successfully Controlling COVID-19 In Mauritius

Prime Minister, @narendramodi and Prime Minister of Mauritius, @PKJugnauth to jointly inaugurate the new Supreme Court Building of Mauritius on Thursday, July 30, 2020: https://t.co/zUu5R2R0ap@HCI_PortLouis  MIB India  #StayHome #StaySafe (@MIB_India) July 28, 2020

India-assisted infrastructure project

The Ministry of External Affairs reportedly said that the building has been constructed with the help of Indian "grant assistance" and will be the first India-assisted infrastructure project within the capital city of Port Louis. As per reports, the Supreme Court building project is one of the five projects being implemented under the 'Special Economic Package' of $353 million granted by India to Mauritius in 2016. The MEA reportedly said that the project has been completed within the stipulated date and below the expected costs. According to the reports, the building spans over an area of more than 4700 square meters with over 10 floors and a built-up area of around 25,000 square metres.

The new building will comprise of all divisions and offices of the Supreme Court of Mauritius into a single building, improving its efficiency. The building has modern design green features with a focus on thermal and sound insulation and high energy efficiency, as per reports. The new Supreme Court building will be a crucial landmark in the city centre highlighting strong bilateral relations between the two countries, the MIB said.

READ: India's 2nd Consignment Of Medical Supplies To Mauritius Arrives Aboard INS Kesari

READ: India Sends INS Kesari With Medical teams, Supplies To Mauritius, Comoros To Fight COVID
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:00:04|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Russian warships have begun large-scale drills in the Black Sea, the country's defense ministry said Wednesday on the heels of U.S.-led exercises in the same region.

Accompanied by warplanes and helicopters, over 20 ships from the Russian Black Sea Fleet, including a frigate, small missile ships and large landing vessels, are participating in the drills, the ministry said.

The troops will undergo training in naval combat, as well as anti-aircraft and anti-sabotage defense.

The Russian drills come shortly after the Ukrainian-U.S. naval exercises Sea Breeze 2020 ended on Monday in the Black Sea.

The week-long exercises involved some 2,000 servicemen and over 20 ships and aircraft from eight countries, namely Ukraine, the United States, Bulgaria, Georgia, Spain, Norway, Romania and Turkey.

The annual exercises have been held in Ukraine since 1997 as part of the Partnership for Peace program of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Enditem
(Reuters) - Irans elite Revolutionary Guards fired ballistic missiles from underground for the first time as part of an annual military drill, Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the aerospace division of the Guards, said in a video posted online by YJC, a news agency linked to Irans state TV.

The video showed clouds of dust before the missiles streaked into the sky.

The military drill in the Gulf, which began on Tuesday, comes at a time of high tension between Tehran and Washington.

The U.S. military said the drill caused two bases with American troops in the region to go on heightened alert and said Tehrans missile launches were irresponsible.

There have been periodic confrontations in the Gulf in recent years between the Guards and the U.S. military, which has accused the Guards navy of sending fast-attack boats to harass U.S. warships as they pass the Strait of Hormuz.

The video posted by YJC showed fast-attack boats firing missiles as well as missiles striking a mock-up U.S. aircraft carrier.

Tehran, which opposes the presence of U.S. and other Western navies in the Gulf, holds annual naval war games in phases in the strategic waterway, the conduit for some 30% of all crude and other oil liquids traded by sea.

(Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
By Gina Lee

Investing.com  Asian stocks were up on Tuesday morning with an overnight boost in U.S. markets carrying over to Asia. But gains were capped by ongoing investor worries over the U.S. economic recovery from COVID-19.

The ongoing fight could see U.S. Federal Chairman Jerome Powell extending near-zero rates for longer, and the Fed is widely expected to continue its dovish stance as it convenes on Wednesday.

But the U.S. is not the only country battling new outbreaks of COVID-19, with Hong Kong, Australia, Spain and Germany some of the locations dealing with a renewed spike in cases. Gobal COVID-19 deaths topped 650,000, with the number of cases topping 16.4 million as of July 28, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The reality is that the Fed has proclaimed that they are going to keep the printing presses rolling, they will print money and it has created this all-you-can eat buffet. The bottom may be in for the year, but we do expect volatility in the future, Terri Spath, Sierra Investment Managements chief investment officer, told Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, Republicans unveiled its latest $ 1 trillion stimulus package on Monday, and investors are watching to see whether a compromise between the Republican plan and the Democrats $3.5 trillion plan can be reached before some earlier measures expire at the end of the week.

South Koreas KOSPI rose 1.36% by 11:23 PM ET (4:23 AM GMT) and Japans Nikkei 225 was up 0.02%.

Down Under, the ASX 200 gained 0.21%. But with COVID-19 sending the country into a recession for the first time in 30 years, the upcoming reporting session is expected to be one of the worst on record.

Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index was up by 0.32%, even after the government announced unprecedented social distancing measures to curb record numbers of COVID-19 cases in the city.

The measures will be enforceable from Wednesday and include limiting public gatherings to two people and an all-day ban in dine-in services at restaurants.

Story continues

Chinas Shanghai Composite was up 0.46% and the Shenzhen Component jumped 1.54%. But U.S.-China tensions continue to simmer over issues such as Hong Kongs national security law, Chinese claims in the South China Sea and trade. The latest Chinese Customs Administration data showed that China has only bought around 23% of the more than $170 billion goods purchase target for the year set in the phase one trade deal signed between the two nations in January.

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A segment of the Membership of Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Foundation (DPG) visited 3 Constituencies in Greater Accra, to monitor the ongoing registration exercise on Monday 27th July 2020.

The visits were led by the Greater Accra Regional Secretary; Daniel Parker Odarlai France, the Greater Accra Regional Assistant Secretary; Baba Seidu Issaka, and Jeff Kassim; Dep. Greater Accra Regional Organizer.

The DPG Team was led by Mr. Prince Ofosu Sefah, who is the Chairman of the group as well as some of the Executive Committee Members. Mr. Sefah also is the Deputy Director-General in charge of operations at the NCA.

In Ablekuma West, the first stop, the team joined the Member of Parliament (MP) and Minister of Communications, Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful, as she donated items to Dansoman Polyclinic, St. Margaret's Mary SHS, Seven Great Academy, and His Majesty SHS.

The team was joined by a number of Loyal Ladies when they arrived at the 2nd Stop in Amasaman.

The Chairman of DPG personally donated an undisclosed amount to assist the effort of Ablekuma West in the ongoing Voters' Registration.

In Amasaman and Trobu, meetings were held with the NPP Chairmen, MCEs, Parliamentary Candidate (PC), and incumbent MP of Trobu - Hon. Moses Anim and several Constituency Executives, to ascertain the efforts so far put into the Registration Exercise and to learn first-hand, challenges confronting these Constituencies. Incidentally, the PC for Amasaman had an emergency and could not join us.

Again in the Amasaman and Trobu Constituencies, which are under active consideration for adoption by DPG, going into the 2020 Campaign, Chairman Sefah donated hundreds of sanitizers and nose masks on behalf of DPG, to help in the registration process.

Constituency profiles and some pertinent data, as well as requisite advice, were shared during these visits, towards achieving great successes in both the registration exercise and the General Election as well as for DPG's analysis for decision-making.
(Newser)  A 21-year-old Atlanta woman has been charged with felony murder after allegedly ramming a vehicle carrying her 3-month-old daughter and the child's father, killing the infant. Police say Titayanna Phillips deliberately drove into the vehicle after the child's father placed the baby inside and started driving away, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Firefighters manage to get the baby girl, Khyundra Henderson, out of the vehicle, but she died at a hospital later. Father Undra Henderson was hospitalized in critical condition. Phillips has also been charged with aggravated assault.

story continues below

Witnesses tell WSB-TV that Henderson had just picked the baby girl up from her mother's house. "We were in the house when we heard a boom, says neighbor Taranjela Jones. "We saw her, the car was turned up sideways up against the tree, and she was ramming her car into the side of the car." Phillips "was screaming, 'I told him that I would kill him,'" Jones says. "And she said, Can you all get my baby out of the car?' She was screaming, 'Thats my baby in the back seat.'" (Read more Atlanta stories.)
The good news is that children are allowed to continue with their education. The bad news is that restrictions are going to make things seem a little strange.

But with the right attitude we can take it in our stride. We lived through lockdown. We have seen the padlocked playgrounds and the silent streets. None of us wants a second lockdown and now that things are opening up it is important we grab our pleasures when we can. Although the children might be in smaller groups with added restrictions, richer experiences can emerge from this.

Lockdown forced many families to become content with less; even so, many of us had valuable experiences with our families that we would not have otherwise had. Likewise, although our holiday plans have been derailed, children are hanging out this summer in a way they simply hadn't the time to do in previous years. As a direct result of the cancelled plans, there is a leisurely sense of calmness to this summer. Children are playing with whoever they can, wherever they can, and they are - finally - making their own fun. Mental health professionals like myself have been advising for years that children were over-scheduled and overtired and needed to do less. Now that they are doing less, many are benefiting.

Although many people might say it's a tragedy the children can't go back to school like 'normal', on the other hand, many might feel better to have smaller groups and more in-depth relationships; large numbers of people can feel alienating for many. Anxious parents can be a drain on schools at the best of times and if anxiety isn't properly contained over the coming months everyone will suffer. Many people these days head straight to social media - and the parents' WhatsApp group - to find others who agree with them. Hysteria builds easily on these platforms and can cause an inordinate amount of strain on everyone.

What children don't need is to be told school will be awful and that the future looks grim.

Our role as parents is to make sure our children feel able to cope with life and - as long as their brains aren't filled with tension and fear from anxious adults - most children are pretty resilient. Confidence is directly linked to our estimation of our ability to cope and if you can imbue your children with inner confidence, you'll give them an invaluable gift that could last a lifetime.

For children to feel mentally able to go back to school, their parents need to help them to look forward to the joy that can be found in each day. In many ways we all need to take each day as it comes. The rules are changing and everyone is continually adjusting. School will be slightly different; there will be talk of class bubbles, pods and separate areas. But children are used to the weirdness by now; they know about washing their hands and keeping their distance from others. They can handle this.

During the worst days of World War II, Winston Churchill warned: "It's not enough that we do our best, sometimes we must do what's required." He realised that sometimes we have to dig really deep and do what is necessary. Although it is easy to spread anxiety and distress about this pandemic, it is more helpful if we can show our children cheerful forbearance in the face of adversity.
An Egyptian economic court sentenced on Wednesday TikTok influencer Manar Samy, who has an active account on the video-sharing platform, to three years in prison and fined her EGP 300,000 ($18,000) for "inciting immorality and debauchery."

The defendant can pay EGP 20,000 ($1,200) to have the sentence suspended until the sentence is appealed.

On 1 July, Samy and another person were arrested with a weapon and drugs in their possession, according to authorities.

The arrest warrant against Manar was issued after a lawyer filed a case against her where he described her lip-syncing and dancing videos as "indecent" and aiming to attract attention and earn money.

Wednesday's ruling comes one day after two other TikTok influencers, Haneen Hossam and Mawada Eladhm, were sentenced two years in prison and fined EGP 300,000 ($18,000) for violating family values and principles.

Samy, who has around 200.000 followers on the social media app, used to post videos dancing and singing in a manner many in the conservative country describe as a "suggestive or inappropriate."

Video-sharing platforms like TikTok have been gaining negative attention in Egypt in recent years, with content creators being condemned for making daring videos deemed daring or audacious.

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Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

An examination of more than 20,000 guardianship cases in the New Mexico court system uncovered more than 2,300 ongoing cases that were labeled closed even though the incapacitated person involved was still alive.

Under new legislative, and judicial adult guardianship and conservatorship reforms, those mislabeled cases have since been moved to open, active status, a senior attorney with the Administrative Office of the Courts told a guardianship reform committee Tuesday.

This allows for the judge assigned to be able to do ongoing monitoring, Patricia Galindo, senior staff attorney at the Administrative Office of the Courts, told the committee.

But it wasnt clear Tuesday whether any incapacitated person may have fallen off a judges radar while their case was labeled closed.

Galindo said she understands annual reports typically were still being filed by guardians and conservators in such cases.

Judges rely on such reporting to ensure the welfare of the incapacitated person, who relies on guardians to make daily living and other decisions, and on conservators to handle their finances.

Closing out a civil case in the courts case management system typically means that it doesnt need any further judicial attention, said state Supreme Court Justice Shannon Bacon, a member of the guardianship reform steering committee.

But that isnt usually true in guardianship or conservatorship cases, which can sometimes run for years.

They generally end up closed when the incapacitated person has died or the guardian or conservator is no longer needed.

With the AOC review of guardianship and conservatorship cases, a total of 5,816 are now open and active, Galindo told the committee.

The review, which covered the period of July 2018 to June 2019, was part of a clean up to account for all guardianship and conservatorship cases in the system, some that dated back to 1947.

The case review was one aspect of a multiyear reform of the system mandated by the state Legislature and the judiciary.

Even before her appointment to the Supreme Court in January 2019, Bacon as a district court judge in Albuquerque advocated for enhanced transparency and accountability in the traditionally closed adult guardianship system.

Premature closures

She said she had heard in recent years that some court clerks around the state would close such cases once a petition for guardianship or conservatorship was granted by a judge and a guardian or conservator appointed. That occurred even though regular reports are supposed to be filed each year about the incapacitated persons welfare and finances.

We knew that (cases were being closed) when we were doing our big push in the Legislature (for reforms), Bacon said. We knew there were cases that were mislabeled.

Asked whether some judges may have lost track of incapacitated people as a result, Bacon told the Journal, Judges can only speak to what theyve learned about their own cases.

When I was doing the case review and I was still at the district court, I was relieved to find out that nothing had gone horribly sideways.

Bacon said she kept a spreadsheet of her guardianship and conservatorship cases to ensure every incapacitated person was accounted for.

Judges themselves, not court clerks, must keep track of when inventories of property, and annual reports and 10-year reviews are due.

Education lacking

Bacon on Tuesday said she believed plans to educate court staff on the reforms failed to include incredibly important training for judges.

She pointed out that some 40 new judges have been appointed in New Mexico in the past two years the reforms have been enacted.

In the busiest state courts, judges average some 1,200 to 1,300 cases. Only a small percentage involve guardianships or conservatorships.

New judges, she said, may not realize the kind of red flags that can surface in annual reports. They also might not know what questions to ask of a guardian or conservator to ensure the welfare of the incapacitated person or to identify financial improprieties.

It is a disservice to my colleagues and to the public if we dont make this (training) really coordinated and uniform so we are ensuring everybody gets the same information, she told the committee.
Surgical Simulation Market As per the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) carry an annual morality of 17. 9 million, while cancer kills around 9.

New York, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Surgical Simulation Market" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05932786/?utm_source=GNW

6 million each year. With the rising number of people suffering from such chronic diseases and many more, the volume of surgeries is increasing around the world.



This is one of the major factors driving the global surgical simulation market, which valued $337.4 million in 2019, at a 16.4% CAGR between 2020 and 2030. This is because, to cater to the rising demand for surgeries, educational institutes, which impart surgical training, are increasing. To reduce procedural errors and make doctors more efficient at the process than ever, many of them are adopting simulators for training purposes.Products To Be More Fruitful for Market Players till 2030

Historically, North America was the largest surgical simulation market, on account of the surging number of surgeries and collaborations between training institutes and solution vendors, along with the rising expenditure on healthcare. Asia-Pacific (APAC) is projected to witness the fastest industry growth in the near future, at a CAGR of 17.0%. This would be a result of the expanding medical tourism industry, which is attracting people from developed countries to come here for cost-effective surgeries. Similarly, the geriatric population is also rising here, which is susceptible to various health issues, thereby further increasing the surgery volume and usage of simulators at medical institutes. In a conscious effort to up their market share, companies offering surgical simulation solutions are entering into partnerships and collaborations, as such measures give them the capability to:



Identify the learning objectives associated with various surgical procedures and incorporate them in their simulator modules

Offer their products in new and untapped markets

Explore new methods of medical intervention

Integrate more-inclusive educational content in the software

Expand their presence in core markets

The most prominent companies in the global surgical simulation market include CAE Inc., Simulab Corporation, Mentice AB, MEDICAL-X, Limbs & Things Ltd., 3D Systems Corporation, Voxel-Man, Inovus Ltd., VirtaMed AG, 3-Dmed, eoSurgical Ltd., OSSimTech, Laparo Sp. z.o.o., CATHI GmBH, Gaumard Scientific Company Inc., Surgical Science Sweden AB, Simendo Company, and LAERDAL MEDICAL AS.



Till 2030, the larger share in the market, in terms of revenue, would be held by the products bifurcation. This is attributed to the rising integration rate of simulators in training operations at educational institutes, on account of the growing number of surgical procedures around the world.



Academic & research institutes, which had made the most use of surgical simulation solutions in the past, will keep maintaining this trend in the coming years. This is credited to the rising adoption of this training technique to make students more proficient in medical operations. Moreover, the number of such educational centers is increasing, as is the funding being provided to them by the government, to procure advanced training systems.

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The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has spoken on why he chose a former Commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as his running mate for the October 10 governorship election.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how Mr Akeredolu dashed the hope of many chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by picking Mr Aiyedatiwa  a native of Obe-Nla, an oil-bearing community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Those that were said to have shown interest asides Mr Ayedatiwa include former state and federal lawmakers and some aspirants who stepped down for the governor in the primary election.

Speaking on his choice, Mr Akeredolu at the swearing-in of new aides, on Wednesday afternoon, said after consultation, party leaders concluded that Mr Aiyedatiwa is the appropriate choice given the prevailing circumstances in the political arena of the state

This person has been with us since the beginning of this political journey in 2012. In arriving at this choice, some important factors assisted the leaders of this great party. We have decided to sever ties with mediocrity and treachery.

There is indeed no art to find the minds construction in the face. We are also not in any position to change yesterday. We must, however, allow the experiences of the immediate past to guide our decision.

A candidate with verifiable credentials and pedigree has been chosen to complete the last part of the gubernatorial race. We may not have chosen a saint and the best but let it not be said that we, either wittingly or otherwise, settle for an avowed hater of human beings and good things, an enemy of his own people and a serial forger. We owe our people the duty of care in this regard, he explained.

Apparently referring to his estranged incumbent deputy, he said: Those who alleged exclusion from governance have been unable to tell the people, in specific terms, how that happened. No political appointee is owed any salaries and allowances. Only those who came into office believing that political appointments would aid primitive acquisition of wealth have been disappointed. For us, it is good riddance to bad rubbish.
One of the nations largest teachers unions is authorizing its members to strike if their schools plan to reopen without proper safety measures in the middle of the global pandemic.

The American Federation of Teachers, which represents 1.7 million school employees, issued a resolution on Tuesday saying it will support any local chapter that decides to strike over reopening plans.

In providing its blessing, the union is also offering local chapters access to its financial and legal resources as they navigate a return to the classroom. Union officials said they will provide legal support, communications support and staffing to local chapters that vote to strike.

Although the measure says strikes should be considered only as a "last resort," it lists conditions the organization wants met for schools to reopen. It says buildings should reopen only in areas with lower virus rates, and only if schools require masks, update ventilation systems and make changes to space students apart.

In announcing the measure, the unions president blasted President Donald Trump for pressuring schools to reopen even as the virus continues to surge. Randi Weingarten called Trumps response chaotic and catastrophic, saying it has left teachers afraid.

We will fight on all fronts for the safety of our students and their educators, Weingarten said. But if authorities dont protect the safety and health of those we represent and those we serve, as our executive council voted last week, nothing is off the table.

The unions leaders approved the resolution Friday but announced it Tuesday at the groups convention, which is being hosted online amid the pandemic.

Kris Reddout, a 5th grade teacher, attends a Utah Safe Schools Mask-In urging the governor's leadership in school reopening during a rally Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)AP

The nations largest teachers union, the National Education Association, separately said its members will do whatever it takes to protect students.

Nobody wants to see students back in the classroom more than educators, but when it comes to their safety, were not ready to take any options off the table, the groups president, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, said in a statement.

For weeks, Trump has pressed for a full reopening of the nations schools. Last week he acknowledged that some schools may need to delay a return to in-person instruction, but hes still asking Congress to withhold future virus relief to schools that fail to reopen.

Some of the nations largest public school districts are starting the school year online, including in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Houston.

The Chicago Teachers Union, which has clashed with the city over its school reopening plan, said on Tuesday that it isn't ruling out a work stoppage.

Its long past time for our nations educators to come together and fight collectively for the common good  up to and including striking to ameliorate the social and economic inequalities at the root of the consequences of this insidious virus, the unions vice president, Stacy Davis Gates, said in a statement.

Davis Gates said any safety strike would include broader demands to support front-line workers, to provide broadband access to every student, to ensure universal health care and to get a hard commitment from public officials to protect Black and Brown lives, whose neighborhoods are disproportionately bearing the burden of death and illness from COVID-19.

In Massachusetts, nurses represented by the Boston Teachers Union are planning a sit-in at City Hall on Wednesday over the citys reopening plan. The nurses are calling for rapid testing in schools to identify COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. They also want more protective equipment for nurses and teachers and assessments of air quality in school buildings, among other measures.

In Ohios largest district, about 2,700 Columbus City Schools educators had previously signed a letter calling on leaders to start the fall term online, with the union arguing that the stakes are too high for experiments.

They got their wish Tuesday as the district announced it will start the year with virtual learning for all students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

For other districts planning to reopen, the federation's safety demands could be difficult to meet. The union says schools should open only in areas where the infection rate among those tested for the disease caused by the coronavirus, COVID-19, is below 5%, and where the transmission rate is below 1%. It also says local authorities must have plans to close schools if cases spike.

Along with mask requirements, the union is also pushing schools to keep people 6 feet apart, to keep buildings and buses clean, and to make accommodations for teachers at greater risk of health problems if they contract COVID-19.

For many schools, more funding will be needed to reopen safely, the union said. It estimates the average school will need at least $1.2 million, amounting to $116 billion nationwide. The resolution says Trump and Senate Republicans have have failed to negotiate and pass a new stimulus bill to address the resources vitally needed for reopening our schools.

The latest stimulus proposal from the White House and Senate Republicans includes $105 billion for schools and colleges, though some of the money is only for schools that reopen for in-person classes. In May, the Democratic-led House included $100 billion for schools  none of it limited to those holding on-site classes  but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said even more money is needed.

In her speech, Weingarten said teachers want schools to reopen. Children need in-person instruction, she said, adding that remote instruction is no substitute for it. But she said teachers need to know theyll be kept safe.

Before Trump began pressing schools to reopen, she said, a union poll found that its members were comfortable returning if proper safeguards were in place.

Now theyre afraid and angry, she said. Many are quitting, retiring or writing their wills.

Along with strikes, the union said it will fight unsafe reopening plans through lawsuits and labor grievances. The unions Florida chapter filed a lawsuit last week attempting to block the states plan to reopen schools, which the suit called reckless and unsafe.

Related Content
OTTAWAThe former chair of WE Charitys board of directors says she was asked to resign after pushing for financial details from founders Craig and Marc Kielburger.

Michelle Douglas, a human-rights activist and former public servant who worked with WE Charity for 14 years, told the House of Commons finance committee Tuesday that the charity was scrambling during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it laid off hundreds of employees.

Douglas said she pushed the Kielburgers for financial records to justify the drastic cuts, leading to a tense conversation with Marc Kielburger. On March 25, Douglas said Craig Kielburger asked for her resignation.

She stepped down on March 27, just days before WE Charity started pitching federal cabinet ministers on a plan to provide COVID-19 supports and programming for young people.

It was our view that you dont fire hundreds of people without very strong demonstrable evidence, and even then should explore mitigation measures to save jobs, Douglas told the committee.

Instead, the executive team were dismissing employees with great speed and in large numbers.

Marc Kielburger later disputed Douglass claim that a tense standoff led to her resignation, and NDP MP Charlie Anguss characterization of Kielberger hanging up on Douglas during a phone call about the financial situation.

I dont feel thats a proper characterization of the series of events, Kielburger told the committee in an appearance following Douglass. We were providing nearly daily briefings to members of the board, but under the circumstances we had to make very quick decisions as many Canadian organizations and non-profits (had to).

Douglas resigned before the federal government selected WE Charity to administer a $543-million program aimed at encouraging young Canadians to volunteer during the pandemic. Under the deal, WE Charity would have been able to bill the federal government for the cost of running the program.

Two sources have told the Star that the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) program was seen within the organization as a way to keep the lights on during the pandemic.

After WE began work on the CSSG on May 5, it hired 465 people  including some former staff members who had been recently laid off  to deliver the program.

WE Charity confirmed to the Star earlier this month that 450 of those hires were laid off after the charity withdrew from the agreement to deliver the CSSG program.

Questions were immediately raised about the organizations connections to the Trudeau family when the government announced on June 25 that WE Charity would administer the program. The contract was cancelled days later.

In response to significant scrutiny and internal criticism, WE Charity has hired outside consultants to conduct a formal review of its operations, and has promised a workplace review.

The fallout for the Liberal government has also been significant, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau facing separate ethics investigations for having participated in the cabinets decision to hire WE Charity.

The House of Commons finance committee is also investigating that decision, and Trudeau is scheduled to testify at the committee on Thursday.

Douglas testified Tuesday that the Kielburgers and WE Charitys management team justified the initial round of layoffs as a necessary measure to deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic.

They were certainly seized of issues surrounding the impact from the virus. The organization was being impacted significantly, Douglas said.

For example, schools were closing, WE Days had to cease, and the ME to WE entity could no longer run trips or have retail operations, so there were significant implications for the organization, she said. Essentially, that was a reduced essence of why people were being laid off.

A charitys board of directors has a fiduciary duty both to the organization and to the general public to oversee the organizations operations, according to Lex Klombies, a charity and non-profit lawyer with Drache Aptowitzer LLP.

In a dispute between the charitys management and its board over financial records, Klombies said, board members have only a few options: continue to insist on the documents, replace the charitys management if possible, or  as Douglas did  resign.

Theres something to be said for insisting or perseverance, but at some point, if you cant access the information and you have a duty to be managing the affairs of the corporation, what do you do? Klombies said.

Douglass testimony also shed some light on the WEs complex organizational structure, which includes charitable organizations as well as a for-profit social enterprise company, ME to WE.

Douglas said the board members were interested in getting as much information as we could about transfers between WE Charity and ME to WE, and had asked for an annual reconciliation report detailing funding and in-kind transfers between them.

Charity Intelligence, a non-profit charity watchdog, has raised concerns about those transfers, noting in a report there is donor concern about the blurred lines between the two entities.

WE has disputed that characterization, claiming that auditors have confirmed that over the past five years that ME to WE Social Enterprise has given, on average, over 90 per cent of its profits to WE Charity. Any remaining profits have been reinvested back to help scale the social enterprise.
U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, and his challenger in the Sept. 1 Democratic primary, Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse, will meet in a debate set for Aug. 17 to be broadcast on New England Public Media on Channel 57 and 88.5 FM at 7 p.m.

The debate is being organized by a consortium of media organizations, including The Republican and MassLive, New England Public Media and The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield.

The face-off comes two weeks prior to the primary for the 1st Congressional District seat that Neal has held for more than 30 years.

Due to social-distancing requirements as outlined by the state, there will be no live studio audience for the event, according to executive producer Tony Dunne, of New England Public Media.

Were thrilled to partner with our colleagues in bringing the democratic primary candidates for the First Congressional District together for a debate about the issues that matter most to the people in our region, said Dunne. With our consortium of print, radio, digital and television media outlets making this available across multiple platforms, this forum for civic engagement takes on greater significance as the pandemic has limited the publics access to the candidates.

Our goal as always is to ensure we help build an informed electorate, said Cynthia G. Simison, executive editor of The Republican. Together with MassLive, we strive to provide as much information as possible online and in print for our readers to learn about the candidates for public office. This debate is one more way voters to see and learn about the candidates.

Adds Kevin Moran, executive editor of The Eagle, This is the first debate between Rep. Neal and Mayor Morse. And for many voters  especially the undecided, this debate will get at the issues and explore the differences between the two candidates so voters can be confident theyre making informed decisions at the polls on Sept. 1.

The hour-long debate will be moderated by Ray Hershel, of New England Public Medias Connecting Point. The panel of questioners will include representatives of The Republican/MassLive and The Eagle.

Each media organization will be soliciting questions from viewers and readers on topics of concern to residents of the 1st Congressional District. The district, with its lines redrawn after the 2010 census, covers 87 communities in five counties. Geographically, it is the largest district in the state.

Neal, a former mayor of Springfield, was first elected to Congress in 1988. He most recently defeated Democrat Tahirah Amatul-Wadud by 40% of the vote in 2018. In December 2018 House Democrats voted to name Neal chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

Morse, first elected at the age of 22, has been mayor of Holyoke since 2012. He was the youngest and first openly gay mayor in the citys history. This marks his first campaign for elective office outside of Holyoke.

Along with being broadcast on WGBY and NEPR 88.5FM, the debate is expected to be streamed online on the MassLive and Eagle websites and will be broadcast on WAMC in Albany, New York.

Neal and Morse will also debate on Aug. 20 on WWLP-Channel 22. Details have yet to be announced.

Related Content:
Forty-five percent of Oregonians do not approve of the job their local police are doing, according to new polling released Tuesday by the Portland-based pollster DHM Research and the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center.

The statewide survey plumbed 603 Oregonians opinions on police, protests and racial injustice. And their opinions were stark: 55% reported that they think police treat white people better than Black people. The surveys margin of error ranges from plus or minus two to four percentage points, depending on the questions.

Oregonians increasingly support the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyd protests. More than two-thirds of Oregonians polled support the Black Lives Matter movement now, in contrast to 54% in a 2018 survey by the same company. The police killing of George Floyd has sparked protests in Portland over the past 62 days and the polling showed that Democrats, Portland residents, and 18- to 29-year-olds are the most supportive of the protests.

And only 35% of Oregonians support how police nationwide have responded to protests.

At the same time, Oregonians are also increasingly frustrated with the direction that the state is going. The percentage of Oregonians who think the state is heading in the right direction has fallen sharply in the last few months, from 51% in April to 43% in June, and now to 33% in July, according to the poll.

DHM Research reported it hasnt recorded such a sharp decline in sentiment since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The survey didnt address why Oregonians are feeling so pessimistic, but the report said theyre more likely to believe crime is increasing in their communities, and a vast majority dont support the way the police have responded to recent protests  only 35% approve.

Despite the large support for the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyd protests, theres not a consensus as to how and whether Oregons police departments should be reformed. But 62% of Oregonians reported that the deaths of Black people during encounters with police in recent years are a sign of a bigger problem.

While 31% of respondents reported that police reform hasnt worked and defunding police and reinventing the approach to public safety is necessary for change, 39% believe police departments problems with race can be fixed by reforming the existing system. One-fifth said police departments dont need reform.

A majority of Oregonians, 57%, support cutting some police funding, and shifting those resources to social services.

Theres more agreement among Oregonians on specific policy changes to policing. The study found high levels of support for policies such as requiring police officers to intervene and stop excessive use of force by other officers, requiring officers to report each time they use or threaten to use force, requiring states to release officer disciplinary records and banning the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants.

And while federal officers have used tear gas and less-lethal munitions almost nightly in Portland during recent protests, Oregonians are split about whether to ban them. Statewide, 50% of those polled said they would support a ban, while 55% in the Portland metro area support one.

The poll found racial injustice is the second-most important community issue Oregonians want their elected officials to act upon, only behind COVID-19. Almost two-thirds are worried that the recent protests may lead to an increase in coronavirus cases.

-- Celina Tebor

ctebor@oregonian.com

@CelinaTebor
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Publicis Sapient, the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe, is very excited to have agreed to a multi-year collaboration with Goldman Sachs Bank USA (GS Bank), who has recently launched a cutting edge, digital-native cash, and payments services in the marketplace.

David Donovan, EVP, Publicis Sapient Financial Services Lead, America's said, "Given Publicis Sapient is a digital leader in the financial services space, we are thrilled to work with Goldman Sachs to support the roll-out of their cloud-native transaction banking platform, which is the first all-digital platform in the market."

The Goldman Sachs Transaction Banking platform is developed via an API-first approach and will provide innovative products like Virtual Integrated Accounts with enhanced capabilities and features. The platform is US-based for now and will expand to Europe and Asia starting next year.

Publicis Groupe has sophisticated cash management operations and will leverage GS's enhanced platform to manage some of its treasury operations.

"Publicis Sapient has been a trusted collaborator supporting our digital capabilities, and we're excited that they've signed on to be a Transaction Banking client," said Luc Teboul, Managing Director and Engineering lead for the Goldman Sachs Transactional Banking platform.

About Goldman Sachs

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.

About Publicis Sapient

Publicis Sapient is a digital transformation partner helping established organizations get digitally enabled, both in the way they work and how they serve their customers. We help unlock value through a start-up mindset and modern methods, fusing strategy, consulting, and customer experience with agile engineering and problem-solving creativity. As digital pioneers with 20,000 people and 53 offices worldwide, our experience spanning technology, data sciences, consulting, and customer obsession  combined with our culture of curiosity and relentlessness  enables us to accelerate our clients' businesses through designing the products and services their customers truly value. Publicis Sapient is the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe. For more information, visit publicissapient.com.

Contact:

Casey Craig

(917) 862-6336

[email protected]

SOURCE Publicis Sapient

Related Links

http://www.publicis.sapient.com


Sushant Singh Rajputs sister Shweta Singh Kirti has spoken for the first time about getting justice for her late brother. Her latest social media post comes hours after her father KK Singh registered an FIR against Sushants girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, accusing her of abetment to suicide.

Shweta posted a picture from their Patna house where Sushants portrait was installed in his memory. She captioned it, If truth doesnt matter, nothing ever will! #justiceforsushantsinghrajput.

Shweta and had recently opened up about why her family waited for more than a month to press the charges against Rhea. She said in reply to a fans request for a CBI investigation into Sushants death, We were waiting for Mumbai police to finish the investigation and come up with their reports.

Sanjay Kumar Singh, inspector general, central range.said on Tuesday that Sushants father has lodged an FIR at the Rajiv Nagar police station in Patna against Rhea and her family under the various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Watch: Rhea threatened Sushant; took cash, cards: 10 allegations by his father

He said, KK Singh lodged the case with Rajiv Nagar police station against Rhea Chakraborty, and her family including Indrajit Chakraborty, Sandhya Chakraborty, Shruti Modi, Showik Chakraborty and others under Sections 341, 342, 380, 406,420, 306 and 120 (B) of the IPC. Sushants father has made a serious charge against Rhea and her family. He has alleged that she had kept Sushant away from his family and completely in her possession. She was also handling his bank account. It was also reported that crores of rupees were withdrawn from his bank account.

Shweta had recently shared a screenshot of her June 10 chat with Sushant, four days before he was found dead at his Mumbai home. It hinted at Sushant expressing his desire to fly to the US to meet his sister and she encouraged him to come and stay for a month as this will make him feel better.

Also read: Rhea Chakraborty threatened to frame Sushant Singh Rajput, used his credit cards, says his father in FIR

She wrote, Both of us got too busy with our lives. Bhai got into Bollywood and kept making us all proud with his accomplishments but I remained protective about him. I would often ask him to come and visit me in the US so that we can relive our childhood once again away from all the noise. I only wish I could have protected him from everything....I still wish I will wake up to see my Bhai... just right next to me and will realize this whole episode was just a nightmare and nothing more.

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Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State on Wednesday signed the revised 2020 Appropriation Bill of N129.8 billion and six other bills into law.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Mohammed had signed a N167.2 billion appropriated bill before the outbreak of COVID-19.

The governor, who signed the appropriation in Bauchi, said the budget was scaled down to meet up with the current realities of the state economy.

He explained that N68, 985, 865. 35 of the budget was for recurrent expenditure which represent 53 per cent, while N60, 866, 458, 845 was for capital expenditure, representing 47 per cent of the budget.

Mr Mohammed expressed satisfaction with the financial proposal that went through the mandatory legislative procedures before it was passed to become a bill.

He commended the state legislators for collaborating with the state executive in spite of party differences to move the state forward.

I must also commend the House of Assembly members for passing five other bills that include Public Procurement bill, Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill and upgrading of A.D. Rufai College for Legal Studies to College of Education bill.

So also the bills renaming College of Nursing Studies, Bauchi, to Dangote College of Nursing Bauchi, College of Health Technology, Ningi, to Bill and Melinda Gate College of Technology, Ningi, he said.

Mr Mohammed said that all the six bills had relevance to the development and prosperity of the state.

Earlier, Abubakar Sulaiman, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, said the pandemic that had ravaged the world and dwindling economy forced the revision of the 2020 budget.

He said the budget proposal presented to the House was in line with international standards which was the reason it was unanimously approved and passed.

The speaker said the governor should be commended for the presentation of an excellent revised budget document to the house. (NAN)
Riot police try to clear away people gathered in the Central district of downtown Hong Kong on May 27, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

EU to Limit Sale of Sensitive Equipment to Hong Kong

The European Union decided on Tuesday to limit exports of equipment that may be used for internal repression in Hong Kong, nearly a month after the Chinese regime imposed a draconian national security law on the former British colony.

EU foreign ministers expressed grave concern over the national security legislation, and solidarity with the people of Hong Kong.

The national security law, which went into effect on June 30, criminalizes individuals for any acts of subversion, secession, and collusion with foreign forces against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

A police officer raises his pepper spray handgun as he detains a man during a march against the national security law at the anniversary of Hong Kongs handover to China from Britain in Hong Kong, on July 1, 2020. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Chinas actions and the new legislation are not in conformity with Chinas international commitments under the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 or with the Hong Kong Basic Law, the ministers said in a statement (pdf).

These actions call into question Chinas will to uphold its international commitments, undermine trust and impact EU-China relations, they said.

As part of the coordinated package in response to the security law, the EU will further limit exports of specific sensitive equipment and technologies for end-use in Hong Kong, in particular where there are grounds to suspect undesirable use relating to internal repression, the interception of internal communications or cyber-surveillance.

European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium (Reuters/Yves Herman)

The EU will also consider easing visa rules for Hong Kong residents, review member states extradition arrangements, and boost engagement with civil society in the city, the statement said.

Commenting on the EU foreign ministers statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Fontelles wrote on Twitter: A clear message of solidarity with Hong Kongs people and of support for its autonomy under One Country, Two Systems.

The EU has agreed a coordinated package responding to the new national security law imposed on #HongKong, following our discussion at the last #FAC. A clear message of solidarity with Hong Kongs people and of support for its autonomy under One Country, Two Systems https://t.co/SbTnQ8ixVC  Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) July 28, 2020

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who currently chairs the regular meetings of EU foreign ministers, also welcomed the new measures.

We have already begun to take first steps as far as Germany is concerned, he said in a statement.

Apart from ceasing exports of military equipment and dualuse goods to Hong Kong, Germany will also treat the territory in the same way as the rest of the Peoples Republic of China.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas speaks to the media with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (not in picture) in Berlin on June 19, 2020. (Bernd von Jutrczenka  Pool / Getty Images)

The EUs response to the situation in Hong Kong has so far been much milder than that of the United States, Britain, and Australia.

On June 30, the Trump administration revoked Hong Kongs special trading status and stopped its defense equipment exports to Hong Kong.

On July 14, President Trump signed into law a bill that would impose sanctions on Chinese officials and entities responsible for extinguishing Hong Kongs freedoms, as well as banks that do business with them.

Recent graduate Asuka Law, 23, poses with her British National (Overseas), or BN(O), in her favorite part of the city and the place she would miss the most if she leaves, near a shopping mall, in Kwai Chung, Hong Kong, on June 3, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

The UK announced on July 1 that it will extend immigration rights for an estimated 3 million Hong Kong residents who hold British National (Overseas) status. Australia is also considering providing specialized humanitarian visas for Hong Kong residents.

Canada, Australia, the United States, the UK and New Zealand have already suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong in response to the legislation.

The EU foreign ministers said the bloc will review the impact of its response package before the end of the year.

Cathy He and Frank Fang contributed to this report.
For new business owner Katie OBrien, Consign & Design in Napa is more than just a store to shop for new and used clothing and furnishings  its also a community building place.

The 48-year-old wife, mother and former teacher said she bought the 15-year-old shop at 1220 Trancas St. on May 1, stepping for the first time into the world of retail.

I was a teacher in San Francisco, teaching first, and fourth grades and middle school for 14 years, she said. Then, in 2016 we  my husband, Dion Gengler and our 5-year-old son, James and I, all moved to Napa.

OBrien said she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, which she did for three years, until last fall, when she started working in the Napa Valley Unified School Districts adult education center. She then left to take over Consign & Design.

I love second-hand shopping. Always have, she said. I was in here one day in January, and chatting with the owners, and at one point overheard them talking about selling, and so we started talking about that.

OBrien took ownership May 1 and reopened the store May 23, she said.

Operating the store allows her the flexibility with her time to be the kind of involved parent she wants to be, she said. But, theres more to it than that.

I love meeting people and chatting, she said. So, all things considered, with the world coming apart, this is a great thing for me.

This is likely the best part of OBriens new endeavor, she said.

We were new to Napa, and didnt know anybody when we got here, she said. Its been a lot of work to build a social life. I like talking with people  which was the best part of teaching for me.

The stores regular customers are still coming in, and OBrien gets to meet new people that way.

Theyre very loyal, and were meeting and thats nice, she said.

The shop carries consigned and new items including clothing for women, men and children, maternity, jewelry, home furnishings, decor and furniture.

As it did under previous owner Kathie Ritchie, Consign & Design also carries womens and mens shoes, and accessories. OBrien added kids clothes, she said.

Im excited about the childrens section, she said. Im part of the Napa Moms group, and its been great having their support. They help with social media, bring in items, and theyre customers, too, and they provide emotional support, as well.

Most of the new items tend to be furniture, and theres lots of wall art, also, she said.

If you go: Consign & Design 707-226-6673 1220 Trancas St., Napa consigndesignnapa.com Editors note: on Wednesday, July 22, a car crashed into the front of Katie OBriens shop, damaging the exterior. No one was hurt, but OBrien said the business will reopen again in early August.

The store has not been affected by COVID-19 pandemic-related re-closures, and all appropriate precautions and safety measures are in place for shoppers, and staff, she said.

Weve been busy, but were never really busy all at once, she said. But we do require masks, and have signs up saying so, and theres hand sanitizer all around the store.

Not that the pandemic has not presented challenges. It definitely has, she said.

COVID-19 is a challenge, she said. My son is 5 and hes home and Ive had to manage his care and social life while being here and thats been a challenge.

For Napa native and seven-year veteran store employee Emma Reeves, the constantly changing inventory is one of the best parts of the job.

I love it, she said. I never know whats going to come in, and were always finding treasures. But the best part is the community created between the consignors and my new boss, my old boss and my colleagues. We all keep in touch. Were all like a little family, with my customers as well. After 7 years, I can ask people when they come in about their families. Its about relationships built.

To bring clothes for consignment: 4-20 cleaned and pressed items can be left at a time by appointment from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. For larger items, send a picture.

Its a mix of items  new and consigned  and we keep clothing items for 60 days, OBrien said. We have a new store every 60 days. You never know what youre going to find. If youre looking for a particular item, you could find it, if youre not, you could be surprised by finding some treasure you didnt know you needed.

Editors note: The entrance to the store was damaged last week when a car crashed into the front of the building but OBrien says she will reopen at the beginning of August.

You can reach the business section of the Register at 707-256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com
Pakistan on Wednesday summoned a senior diplomat from the Indian High Commission here to register its protest over the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

In a statement, the Foreign Office said that due to "indiscriminate and unprovoked firing" in the Rakhchikri Sector of the LoC on Tuesday, three civilians sustained serious injuries.

The Indian forces along "the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons," the statement alleged.

It claimed that 14 people have been killed and 138 others injured in 1,823 incidents of ceasefire violations this year.

The Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB, it added.
Small Sailboat UW Helped Launch Washes Ashore in Australia After Long Journey

The Sacred Heart Star of the Sea is pictured shortly after it was launched from the U.S. research vessel Thomas G. Thompson in the South Indian Ocean March 2019. Michael Cheadle, a UW associate professor of geology and geophysics, helped launch the miniboat. The craft recently washed ashore in Western Australia and was recovered by a schoolteacher and her husband. (Michael Cheadle Photo)

In March 2019, Michael Cheadle and Theresa Williams helped launch a small sailboat near the Marion Rise in the South Indian Ocean. After traveling more than 8,000 nautical miles over 463 days, the Sacred Heart Star of the Sea landed at Dalyellup Beach, near Bunbury in Western Australia.

On June 27, the 5.5-foot-long unmanned vessel -- with its trinket treasures and more than 50 student letters contained inside -- washed ashore. The small boat, minus its mast and sail, was delivered to Australind Primary School in early July.

The Indian Ocean is a big ocean and, so, the miniboat was likely to sail huge distances, says Cheadle, a University of Wyoming associate professor of geology and geophysics. But, I had no idea whether it would go to Australia, or stay south of Australia and head even farther eastward toward the Pacific Ocean.

During the National Science Foundation-funded voyage of the U.S. research vessel Thomas G. Thompson, Cheadle had the responsibility of deciding where to launch the Sacred Heart Star of the Sea in the survey area, which was located in the South Indian Ocean. Students at Sacred Heart School, a private coeducational school in Kingston, Mass., built the boat from a kit in 2019.

Theresa Williams, a middle school teacher at the UW Lab School, who served as the Teacher at Sea aboard the Thomas G. Thompson voyage, helped finish sealing the boats hull after adding a few souvenirs from the crew and some mantle rock from the Indian Ocean floor. She even attached the boats sail to ready it for launch. She says readying the ship was part of her Zoom presentation when they spoke remotely with schoolchildren around the world.

I'm not too surprised that the boat made it to Australia. It's quite exciting, Williams says. We wondered if it might make it into the circumpolar current or if it would wash up on land.

Carol Smith, a teacher at Australind Primary School, and her husband, Brian, found the boat while walking their dogs on the beach.

We saw it coming toward shore and read the message on top that said to contact Educational Passages, Carol Smith said in a media release from Educational Passages, a nonprofit with a mission to connect students around the world to the ocean and each other. The organization also sells the miniature boat kits.

When we found out the boats name was Star of the Sea, we couldnt believe it because we were married at the Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Perth nearly 30 years ago, Carol Smith said in the media release.

Once the miniature boat was at the school, the Australian students opened the hatch that revealed the letters from their counterparts at Sacred Heart School. In addition to the mantle rock, the Australian students also read a letter from the captain of the Thompson research vessel.

Carol Smiths students wrote reply letters and plan to connect with Sacred Heart children later this year.

Many students were hoping the boat might circumnavigate the globe and, even though it didnt, we couldnt have asked for a more successful voyage, says Winifred Dick, a teacher at Sacred Heart School. As a teacher, Im very excited for the students who now get to connect virtually half a world away.

Carol Smith, a teacher at Australind Primary School, and her husband, Brian (pictured), found the Sacred Heart Star of the Sea miniboat while walking their dogs on the beach in Western Australia. (Carol Smith Photo)

Cheadle says he and his wife, Barbara John, a UW professor of geology and geophysics, lobbied Henry Dick, chief scientist for the Thompson cruise, and his wife to purchase a miniboat kit and have her students build it so that Cheadle and Williams could launch it in the Indian Ocean.

When the Sacred Heart Star of the Sea was nearing Australia and Perth, Cheadle and John asked Bill Power, a consultant geologist in Fremantle, if he would be interested in recovering the boat. Power and John were classmates in graduate school at the University of California-Santa Barbara.

Power, who has two boys in school, gathered up parents to search for the small craft. They had no luck, as the boat landed south of where Power and his friends were searching. After learning who discovered the miniature vessel, Power eventually connected with the Smiths. They agreed that the miniboat should be displayed at various different Western Australian schools and at the local town council, Cheadle says.

I'm glad it's in Australia and the teachers there are taking advantage of having it. It's wonderful that it's touring around. Lots of students are thinking about where it came from and how it got there after being built by American students, Williams says. I hope students will take a look at a globe and think about the ocean currents and winds, and wonder about how floating objects can travel such vast distances.

The plan is to repair the boat and eventually relaunch her, Cheadle says. If she could be launched from northwest Australia, she would likely catch the westward flowing northern limb of the Indian Ocean Gyre and head back to Africa.

Williams, Cheadle and John previously were part of the launch of The Jackalope -- a similar miniboat built by students at the UW Lab School -- that had its own adventure. The Jackalope originally traveled about 7,600 miles during its initial 190-day voyage. The sailboat eventually washed ashore at Ontong-Java Atoll -- one of the most remote atolls in the world -- Aug. 21, 2017. The atoll is located just north of the Solomon Islands and east of Papua New Guinea.

The small vessel was eventually repaired, with the help of George Kaola, a schoolteacher in the Solomon Islands. The Jackalope launched again in January of this year from the Solomon Islands; traveled 3,151 nautical miles in 114 days; and eventually landed on the island of Vanuatu in May. Kaola and John helped organize another rescue mission by encouraging friends in Vanuatu to recover The Jackalope in June.
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...
A rare blue lobster has received a reprieve after a restaurant sent it to an Ohio zoo for conservation instead of consumption.

An Akron Zoo Facebook post on July 26 said a Red Lobster employee who found a blue lobster in delivery to the Cuyahoga Falls eatery recognized just how rare the creatures are.

About 1 of every 2 million lobsters is blue, according to the zoo. The blue shell is due to a genetic anomaly.

The Akron Zoo landed a rare find recently, adopting a blue lobster from a nearby Red Lobster after restaurant employees recognized the rarity of the blue shell. (Courtesy of Akron Zoo/Facebook)

At first it looked like it was fake, culinary manager Anthony Stein told NPR. Stein was out when colleagues sent him the picture of the rare find. Its definitely something marvelous to look at.

A server at the restaurant said they kept the animal in a tank to make sure that no one would take it for dinner.

Clawde has a new home at Akron Zoo. (Courtesy of Akron Zoo/Facebook)

The Red Lobster staff named the blue lobster Clawde after the restaurants mascot and contacted the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which then reached out to the zoo. Our animal care staff was able to quickly spring into action and prepare a new home for him, the zoo said on Facebook.

Clawde is acclimating to his new home here at the Akron Zoo, in a special tank that has been dubbed Clawdes Man Cave by his care team. The zoo said Clawde is housed in their Komodo Kingdom building, which is currently closed to the public because of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, pandemic. And while this discovery is very rare, its far from the first time a colored lobster has been discovered.

An Akron Zoo staff member picks up the lobster from the Red Lobster restaurant. (Courtesy of Akron Zoo/Facebook)

In May 2019, a Massachusetts restaurant found a blue lobster in its shipment and sent it to a local aquarium. A few months later, a fisherman in Maine caught a rare cotton-candy-colored lobster not once but twice. And just a month later, another fisherman in the area caught a two-toned red-and-black lobstera one-in-50 million find.

The CNN Wire and Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka listen as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks during an event on supporting small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program in the East Room of the White House on April 28, 2020. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump, Mnuchin Float Short-Term Deal as Relief Bill Talks Stall

But Meadows isn't optimistic about a deal getting done by the end of July

President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested a short-term extension to the expanded $600-per-week unemployment benefits and a moratorium on evictions, which were not provisions in the Senate GOP relief bill.

The two White House officials acknowledged that the Republicans and Democrats are far apart on a stimulus deal, while noting that the GOP is divided on its own HEALS Act. It means that negotiations on the relief package could be lengthy.

We ought to work on the evictions so that people dont get evicted, Trump told reporters on Wednesday morning. You work on the payments for the people, and the rest of it were so far apart we dont care. We really dont care. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin added: As of now, were very far apart.

Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), already rejected a temporary deal, saying they dont want to pass the measures in a piecemeal manner.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said he does not believe that Republicans and Democrats can reach consensus by the end of the week. It means that the federal unemployment benefits will most likely expire on Friday, July 31.

I dont see any way to get a comprehensive deal by the end of this month and its why the president is looking to extend unemployment benefits in some fashion as well as eviction protection, Meadows told Politico. Because we are way too far apart to reach a deal by the end of the month.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows (C) listens as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with energy sector CEOs in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, on April 3, 2020. (Doug Mills-The New York Times-Pool/Getty Images)

However, some GOP senators on Wednesday indicated they would support a smaller relief deal.

That may need to happen, said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in an interview with The Hill. I mean, ultimately  were not going to have a universal agreement in place by Friday, so there may be some things that have to be done that way.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he would be fine with a smaller package that would let negotiations continue on controversial measures.

Im OK with that. We got to fix the employment package because youre paying people 150 percent more than they were making and that skews the economy. But yeah, I dont mind doing some interim package, he told the same news outlet.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a member of the GOP leadership, noted that Im sure there are smaller combinations we would like, and smaller combinations we wouldnt like. It depends on what smaller means.

Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) both attempted to focus on divisions among GOP members as a reason for why talks are stalling.

Yesterday, after putting the Senate on pause for three months, and after months of blocking nearly every Democratic attempt to pass legislation related to coronavirus, Senate Republicans finally revealed their long-overdue proposal for the next phase of COVID relief, Schumer said on the Senate floor Tuesday.

Pelosi on Wednesday said the Democrats have passed our bill, referring to the HEROES Act. The appropriate thing for the Senate to do is to pass a bill and then we can negotiate with them, but they cant even get a bill passed on their side, even if it just took 51 votes, theyre in disarray, she said, adding that it will be very hard for them to get 51 votes for the proposal that theyve put forward.
Virtual voting to pass legislation may become a reality in Canada this September, if recommendations from a Parliamentary panel are accepted.

The House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs Committee has asked the chambers administration to develop a secure platform that can be used by MPs to vote remotely, even as Canadas Parliament is expected to return to regular sittings in the third week of September.

Canada has been holding sessions after the coronavirus outbreak but these have bene restricted to emergency measures related to the Covid-19 pandemic. It saw hybrid sittings, which allowed for a handful of members to be present in person while others joined in virtually.

The panel, chaired by Indo-Canadian MP Ruby Sahota, now wants this to be applied when the House returns to regular business. The panels report stated that a remote voting solution be built by the House of Commons administration for before September for legislative voting during the Covid-19 pandemic and that during virtual or hybrid sittings, members of the House of Commons can automatically avail themselves of remote voting by electronic means.

The panel said this dedicated secure mechanism could be in the form of an app on the mobile devices used by MPs, and that it be integrated into the vote management system currently in use, feature end-to-end encryption and various methods of authentication and validation.

The panel recommended that this secure virtual voting system include when members of the House of Commons should vote, what they are voting on, how much time they have to vote, how they can check their vote, and how they could correct a vote cast in error.

While some Members of Parliament have been able to attend the limited sittings of Parliament during the crisis as they lived within the vicinity of the Canadian capital of Ottawa, the report noted that there may be an increased health risk to some MPs or their immediate family members who may be vulnerable to the disease, especially if members had to attend sittings in person and had to travel between the capital and their ridings, the term for constituencies in Canada.

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Former finance secretary Subhash Garg has said that the February 2018 circular issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), seeking to tighten the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), caused differences between the central bank and the finance ministry.

The Centre wanted the circular reviewed, Garg told The Economic Times, adding that it had been issued without consultation.

The then finance minister Arun Jaitley had tried to discuss the matter with the RBI, Garg said. "Mr Arun Jaitley  you cant find a person better than him for initiating a constructive dialogue  tried to make that dialogue happen," Garg told the newspaper.

"Unfortunately, when this did not take place, the government had to invoke something where the consultation can take place," he said, referring to invocation of Section 7 of the RBI Act.

In his recently published book, former RBI governor Urjit Patel had also spoken about the IBC, stating that it was a cause of disagreement between the central bank and the government.

Also read: Review | Urjit Patel book no tell-all; it is strictly for students of Indian economy and banking

According to the RBI's February 2018 circular, banks were required to immediately classify borrowers as defaulters when they delayed repayments. The circular also barred founders of defaulting companies from trying to buy back their firms during insolvency auctions.

Garg told the newspaper that the circular was issued without any consultation and did not consider the specific nature of particular sectors such as power.

"This was a prominent, major issue, you can say," he said. This is where it started".

Former RBI deputy governor Viral Acharya, in his book, has stated that Patel's resignation in December 2018 was due to attempts to undermine the RBI's autonomy.

Also read: Viral Acharya in new book: Urjit Patel's exit caused by govt attempts to undermine RBI autonomy

Responding to this, Garg said: "That is the view, perhaps, of Viral Acharya. Governor Urjit Patel never said so."

He doesn't say this in his book as well. And, therefore, let us not take that as the truth," Garg added.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 28, 2020) - Grande Portage Resources Ltd. (TSXV: GPG) (OTCQB: GPTRF) (FSE: GPB); ("Grande Portage" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that its 2ND drill rig is on site and turning at the Herbert gold property located S.E Alaska. This rig, operated by Alaska Earth Sciences, is currently set up on Pad U which will test unexplored areas of the Deep Trench and Main Veins.

The first rig is drilling long holes on the eastern extension of the Goat, Ridge and Main veins and is advancing as planned.

As well, the Company is pleased to report that early-season surface exploration by geologists has identified at least two quartz vein outcrops of the North Vein which will now be trenched and channel sampled. A majority of this vein is covered by some overburden but the fault and its topographic expression can be traced for over 500 meters.

The North Vein, which only has two drill holes testing it to date, is the northernmost vein of the set of parallel veins comprised of the Goat, Main Vein, and Deep Trench, all of which have significant amounts of associated gold. This vein will be tested by two more drill holes this season from the T Pad.

Assay turnaround times

The Company currently estimates five to seven weeks for turnaround of assay results following completion of a drill hole. This time is required to complete core logging, core sampling, transport to the assay lab, assaying, and subsequent QA/QC (quality assurance/quality control) validation and check assays. Interested parties are cautioned that significant delays may occur due to backlogs at the lab and possible quality control issues identified by the lab, or the company, with particular samples.

Impact of COVID-19

Grande Portage is carefully monitoring the public health impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on a daily basis. Our first priority is the health and safety of our communities, shareholders, contractors, employees and other stakeholders. The Grande Portage team has been working closely to ensure all the correct protocols and safety precautions are in place. The Company will continue to monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation and will continue to act proactively to protect the health of its workforce.

Story continues

This news release has been prepared and approved by Carl Hale, CPG, a geologist with more than 40 years of experience and a Qualified Person as defined under NI #43-101.

About Grande Portage:

Grande Portage is a publicly traded mineral exploration company focused on the Herbert Gold discovery situated approximately 25 km north of Juneau, Alaska. The Company holds a 100% leasehold interest in the Herbert property,. The Herbert Gold property system is open to length and depth and is host to at least six main composite vein-fault structures that contain ribbon structure quartz-sulfide veins. The project lies prominently within the 160km long Juneau Gold Belt, which has produced nearly seven million ounces of gold. The Company's recent mineral resource estimate is quoted at a base case mineral resources cut-off grade of 2.50 grams per tonne gold (g/t Au) and consists of: An indicated resource of 606,500 ounces of gold at an average grade of 10.03 g/t Au (1,880,500 tonnes); and an inferred resource of 251,700 ounces of gold at an average grade of 14.15 g/t Au (553,429 tonnes).

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Ian Klassen"

Ian M. Klassen

President & Chief Executive Officer

Tel: (604) 899-0106

Email: Ian@grandeportage.com

www.grandeportage.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties as described in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICE PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED UNDER THE POLICIES OF THE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/60629
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Montreal, Canada  Wed, July 29, 2020 09:44 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1d314 2 World Canada,remdesivir,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-drugs,COVID-19-treatment,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Canada on Tuesday gave the green light for people with severe symptoms of COVID-19 to be treated with the anti-viral drug remdesivir.

"Remdesivir is the first drug that Health Canada has authorized for the treatment of COVID-19," said the health ministry.

At least two major US studies have shown that remdesivir can reduce the duration of hospital stays for COVID-19 patients.

Washington authorized the emergency use of the medicine -- which was originally intended as a treatment for Ebola -- on May 1, followed by several Asian nations including Japan and South Korea.

Canada said Tuesday it can be used on COVID-19 patients who have pneumonia and need extra oxygen to help them breathe.

The doses used in Canada will be made by a unit of Gilead Sciences, the US pharmaceutical company that developed the drug.

In early July, the European Commission also authorized use of remdesivir to treat the coronavirus.

As of Tuesday, Canada was reporting 114,800 cases of the virus and more than 8,900 fatalities.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The tragic death of George Perry Floyd Jr. brought national attention to the problem of institutionalized racism and inequities in the United States, a potent reminder of the need for frank conversation about inclusiveness, reconciliation and change. It is the responsibility of every American to look inward, recognize biases and moderate his or her conduct in effort to guarantee that he or she is living up to the ideal that "all are created equal."

Surety One, Inc.

The need for self-reflection and improvement is needed in the insurance sector. According to the "Agency Universe Study," ninety percent of insurance agency principals are white and only three percent of them are black. The producer cadre is only slightly more inclusive. Eighty eight percent of non-principal producers are white and five percent of them are black. These are disappointing statistics that merit sincere consideration and actions to achieve a more diverse industry.

Attention to diversity, sensitivity to racial inequities and inclusiveness are not issues that represent a passing fad among the Surety One, Inc. team. Ninety percent of the staff, including company executives are white Latino or black Latino, and female. Although gender and ethnic minorities are the "majority" within Surety One, Inc., management requires diversity training of all employees.

CEO of Surety One, Inc., Constantin Poindexter advises, "Every insurance executive has a duty to police his own. We have achieved a diverse team here however we are an exception to the rule. The insurance industry is largely white and male. I don't remember having seen any outright racism among the insurance people with whom I have dealt with but when you perceive a gross imbalance in the race and ethnicity of the participants tilting towards a bunch of white guys, you need to check yourself."

Continuing professional education is an obligation of all Surety One, Inc. team members. Part of that internal development program is completion of a course on bias. Says Poindexter, "Everyone is required to complete a training module called "Diversity & Sensitivity in the Workplace." I have never had to remind anyone here to do the work. This year I sent out an advisory to complete the current course version and within twenty-four hours I had seven certificates of completion on my desk. I am really blessed to have a group of folks that are concerned about inclusiveness and take fairness seriously."

Surety One, Inc. is an international insurance intermediary domiciled in Puerto Rico, licensed in all fifty states, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and the Dominican Republic. For more information about the company visit https://SuretyOne.com, call (800) 373-2804 or email [email protected].

SOURCE Surety One, Inc.

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https://suretyone.com


The CEOs of four of the largest tech companies on Earth sat before members of the House Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law on Wednesday to answer questions about their business practices and whether they operate as illegal monopolies.

And in their opening statements Amazon (AMZN) CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook, Facebook (FB) CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Google (GOOG, GOOGL) parent company Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai each played up their contributions to, investments in, and dependence on the United States.

Their statements each offered sentiments that bordered on nationalistic with the likely intention of appealing to lawmakers as the most pro-American of the bunch.

This combination of 2019-2020 photos shows Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. On Wednesday, July 29, 2020, the four Big Tech leaders will answer for their companies practices before Congress at a hearing by the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Evan Vucci, Jeff Chiu, Jens Meyer)

Facebooks China fight

In his opening statement, Zuckerberg specifically discussed how Facebook is used by Americans to stay in touch with friends and family and by small and medium businesses to reach their customers.

Although people around the world use our products, Facebook is a proudly American company, Zuckerberg said. We believe in values  democracy, competition, inclusion and free expression  that the American economy was built on.

He also pointed to China and its growing influence over the internet, as well as the potential implications the application of antitrust laws could have on the American competitiveness in the global tech industry.

For example, China is building its own version of the internet focused on very different ideas, and they are exporting their vision to other countries, Zuckerberg said.

As Congress and other stakeholders consider how antitrust laws support competition in the U.S., I believe its important to maintain the core values of openness and fairness that have made Americas digital economy a force for empowerment and opportunity here and around the world.

Zuckerberg has repeatedly pushed back against criticism of Facebook and the U.S. tech industry by pointing to China as a threat to the current status quo.

Its worth noting that Facebook has repeatedly made overtures to Chinese officials seeking to launch the social network in the country in the past. Zuckerberg even went as far as learning Mandarin, but the company was ultimately rebuffed.

Story continues

Amazons inability to outsource

Bezos, like Zuckerberg, stuck to how much Amazon has invested in the U.S. economy via jobs and the impact Amazons service has had on small and medium businesses that use the companys ecommerce platform to reach customers.

When customers shop on Amazon, they are helping to create jobs in their local communities, Bezos said.

As a result, Amazon directly employs a million people, many of them entry-level and paid by the hour. We dont just employ highly educated computer scientists and MBAs in Seattle and Silicon Valley. We hire and train hundreds of thousands of people in states across the country, such as West Virginia, Tennessee, Kansas, and Idaho.

In his remarks, Bezos explained that many of those jobs require employees to be located close to customers, meaning they cant be outsourced to China. He also explained how the U.S. offers a unique opportunity for companies like Amazon to grow.

Its not a coincidence that Amazon was born in this country, Bezos said. More than any other place on Earth, new companies can start, grow, and thrive here in the U.S. Our country embraces resourcefulness and self-reliance, and it embraces builders who start from scratch.

Amazon does, however, do business at a global scale and, despite mentioning an inability to outsource jobs to China, the company offers a number of its services in the country including its power Amazon Web Services platform.

Googles fight as Americas fight

Alphabets Pichai, for his part, linked the success of Silicon Valley tech companies directly to Americas continued leadership in the technology industry. In his statement, Pichai pointed to the massive investment Alphabet has made in the U.S. and how that has benefited the country at large.

According to the CEO, Google makes deep investments in Americas future in technology.

Through these investments, our teams of engineers are helping America solidify its position as the global leader in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, and quantum computing, Pichai said

He followed that statement by playing on fears that the U.S. isnt guaranteed to hold on to its position as a global leader in tech, saying, Just as American leadership in these areas is not inevitable, we know Googles continued success is not guaranteed.

Pichai also explained how the company employs 75,000 people in 26 states, and that the company was the largest capital investor in the U.S. in 2018 and has been among the top 5 investors in the country for the last three years.

Apples story is American

Apple is somewhat of an afterthought in the tech antitrust hearing largely because its issues stem from its own App Store rather than complete dominance of the internet, social media, or ecommerce in general.

Still, Cook made sure to mention that Apples story is an American one.

Apple is a uniquely American company whose success is only possible in this country, he said.

Motivated by the mission to put things into the world that enrich peoples lives, and believing deeply that the way we do that is by making the best not the most, Apple has produced many revolutionary products, not least of which is the iPhone.

Cook also mentioned the economic impact the App Store has had on Americans in particular, saying that the store, which has 1.7 million apps, has generated 1.9 million jobs in 50 states.

How these companies are eventually held to account for their alleged monopolistic behavior remains to be seen. But the hearing will provide at least an idea as to how lawmakers are leaning.

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The NSW government has officially abandoned plans to relocate the Boulton and Watt steam engine, the Locomotive No. 1, and the Catalina flying boat to the new Parramatta Powerhouse.

Arts Minister Don Harwin confirmed the significant objects of the industrial age would remain at Ultimo following the government's decision to retain the museum's inner Sydney site. The minister could not guarantee that the nearby Harwood building, the primary storage facility for the Powerhouse's priceless collection, would not be sold or redeveloped.

The Powerhouse Museum's Locomotive No. 1. Credit:Dallas Kilponen

Locomotive No. 1 hauled the first passenger train in NSW and was to have been a centrepiece exhibit of the new Parramatta Powerhouse. However, it had been the subject of rising concerns around the cost and logistics of its removal to the new purpose-built museum.

A feasibility study commissioned in March confirmed at least 15 of the museum's largest objects would not fit in the new building's goods lift and it had considered ways to lift the steam train, railway carriages, tram, helicopter and other objects into the riverside museum by way of cranes and a void between exhibition spaces.
Bill Gates has sided with President Donald Trump in arguing for the reopening of schools in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, saying the 'benefits outweigh the costs for younger students.'

The Microsoft founder, 64, rallied for schools to open in an interview with CNBCs Squawk Box on Tuesday.

'Im a big believer that for young children, the benefits in almost every location  particularly if you can protect the teachers well  the benefits outweigh the costs,' he said.

However, he said theres a less pressing need for older students to return to in-person schooling.

'As you get up to age, like, 13 and higher, then youll have to look at your locale to decide what youll do with high schools. And if theyre not in, then you have to put massive effort into trying to get there to be continued learning online,' he said.

Bill Gates has sided with President Donald Trump in arguing for the reopening of schools in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, saying the 'benefits outweigh the costs for younger students' in an interview with CNBCs Squawk Box on Tuesday

School districts across the country are debating whether to open schools or delaying the school year, but there are concerns over the safety of teachers and students and fears over a second wave of the virus.

To date there are over 4.3million infections of the virus and over 148,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the US

Trump has repeatedly pushed for schools to reopen. On July 6 he tweetd in all caps: 'Schools must open in the fall!!!'

However, his position isnt shared with Democrats.

'The president and his administration are messing with the health of our children. We all want our children to go back to school, parents do and children do. But they must go back safely,' Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said to CNN on July 12.

Trump has repeatedly pushed for schools to reopen but his Democratic counterparts disagree

On July 6 he tweeted 'Schools Must Open in the Fall!!!'

The words from the billionaire philanthropist are strong ones as hes been an advocate for coronavirus safety measures and The Gates Foundation has contributed millions to research for a coronavirus vaccine.

'Our foundation has revamped our education work to really jump in and help get those capabilities up,' Gates said Tuesday.

'Make sure that minority and low-income students arent suffering the most throughout all of this,' he added.

Gates lives in California where the states two largest school systems in Los Angeles and San Diego announced plans to start off fall classes completely online as the state reels from an increase in infections.

New York, which has the nations largest public school system, has said it intends for most students to attend in-person class two or three days per week in the fall. On other days students will have online classes.

New York City officials said the limited in-person instruction is a must to allow for proper social distancing in the buildings.

While children face less of a risk of suffering severe side effects of COVID-19, a study in South Korea found that children over the age of 10 presented a high risk of household transmission of the virus than children under the age of 10.
Vodafone Ghana Foundation, the charity arm of Vodafone Ghana has organized a virtual ceremony to launch its annual Homecoming initiative.



The virtual launch formed part of efforts to herald the 3 phased Homecoming initiative aimed at bringing relief to many patients who are in financial distress in some medical facilities nationwide.



To kick start the first phase in the Northern belt, the Foundation footed the medical bills of 96 patients in hospitals some district and regional hospitals in the northern belt of Ghana. Among the costs covered were general hospital admission bills, auxiliary maternity-related costs for women, medical laboratory service costs for patients for individuals who were suffering from some medical conditions such as meningitis, pneumonia, and ectopic pregnancy among others.



In addition, the beneficiaries received a Vodafone Farewell Package which contained 50pcs of nose masks, a bottle of hand sanitizer, and seed capital to assist with their endeavours. Some of them were also enrolled unto the National Health Insurance Scheme while others had their membership statuses renewed.



Speaking at the launch, Geta Striggner-Quartey, Director for Legal and External Affairs at Vodafone Ghana, commended all partners of the foundation for working tirelessly every year to help bring comfort to many Ghanaians through the Initiative.



The annual homecoming initiative has since its inception in 2011, settled bills of thousands of patients in the many health institutions across the country who were still defaulters to medical bills. The initiative which sought to make a positive contribution to the Ghanaian society is an indication of Vodafones insight into understanding the need to support the less privileged.



She noted that the exercise was one of the Foundations strategic ways of helping boost the healthcare provision of the nation especially as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic.



For his part, Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, Amaris Perbi, The Vodafone Ghana Foundation has remained committed to helping the citizens of this country through numerous initiatives over the past 11 years. Besides the challenges of accessing quality healthcare, we found it disturbing that thousands of patients extend their stay in health facilities because of their medical bills. Homecoming is, therefore, part of a concerted plan to provide basic relief for the greater number of Ghanaians who face this challenge.



Earlier, Medical Superintendent at the Wa Municipal Hospital, Dr. Nabil Dehkpe, lauded the Foundation for the timely intervention. He was of the view that, the initiative would impact several lives positively.



Indeed, the inability of many individuals to settle their medical bills is a worrying situation in my health facilities in Ghana and we are very grateful to the Vodafone Ghana Foundation for such an intervention. Clearly, many individuals, who may have otherwise not been able to afford their medical bills have had smiles put on their faces through this kind gesture. This, for me, is a great demonstration of Vodafone Ghanas support for Ghanaians in diverse ways, in spite of the pandemic.



Vodafone Homecoming is an annual charity activity of Vodafone Ghana Foundation. Since its inception in 2011, the initiative has helped to pay the medical bills and other auxiliary medical cost for some vulnerable patients. Unlike other years, the 2020 edition will be rolled out in 3 phases across the northern, middle and southern belts respectively between July and September.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The U.S. education system is facing its biggest test yet this fall and possibly beyond in finding a balance between promoting learning and reducing the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

Its a balancing act featuring three options  returning to regular classrooms, reverting to remote learning or a hybrid, with in-person attendance rotating with home studies.

President Donald Trump, Gov. Kim Reynolds, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine are among those calling for in-person instruction rather than remote learning.

The pediatricians want students physically present in school as much as possible because of major health, social and educational risks to keeping them at home, including potential abuse.

Harvard and Brown researchers found that among 800,000 students using the Zearn online math program, those in high-income ZIP codes maintained progress, those in middle-income ZIP codes declined by a third, and it was half in lower-income ZIP codes.

And many parents arent able to stay home to provide or monitor progress.

But in-person learning has complications, including whether to wear masks, classroom sizes, and physical distancing, including lunch, recess, hallway traffic and busing.

While students under 10 are much less susceptible to COVID-19, they arent immune, according to a South Korean study. If asymptomatic, they could infect unsuspecting family members and teachers.

Studies have shown that students ages 10-19 have the same capacity to contract the disease as adults.

Teachers have issues, too, particularly the 28% nationwide in the high risk group over 50. Surveys indicate a third of teachers dont want to return to classrooms.

The Iowa State Education Association, the National Educational Association and the American Federation of Teachers are wary of environments with limited precautions to protect staff and students.

Inevitable reduced class sizes  small groups or pods  will require additional substitute teachers and para-educators.

The AFT doubts funding is forthcoming  an estimated $116.5 billion in supplies and staff  to make safety feasible.

Trump and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have threatened to defund schools that dont open full time. Yet when Reps. Van Taylor, R-Texas, and Josh Harder, D-Calif., asked DeVos to issue guidance and training to educators on reopening schools, she was clueless. Give her another F.

Reynolds wants schools to prioritize in-person learning for core academic subjects.

The Legislature, she added, mandated that most schools cannot provide more than half of their instruction to any student through remote learning unless she authorizes it.

To that end, the Iowa Department of Education punted to local districts with 10 useless guidelines, including no guarantee exists that physical distancing can be met in all school settings throughout the entire school day.

Better to look to Europe and Asia, where student groups are small and desks are farther apart, lessening the need for personal protective equipment in classrooms.

It provided no guidance on face masks other than districts should prevent stigmas associated with the use or non-use of facial coverings to support a respectful, inclusive, and supportive school environment.

The better recommendation would have used a communitys 5% positive testing rate as a common threshold, although 3% is considered ideal. Its been 9.3% since Iowa started testing, but around 6% last week.

Temperatures need not be checked at the door. Illinois mandates them.

When someone is sick, preventive health changes should be implemented. Appropriate actions arent cited. Taiwan keeps schools open with one case, but closes with two, which it hasnt had to do.

If someone contracts COVID-19, confidentiality is recommended, but contract tracing is advocated  a tricky legal gauntlet given health privacy rules.

Among the no-brainers: Ill individuals are advised to stay home and post signs about stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Administrators and teachers werent involved in the process.

Said Roark Horn, the former Hudson superintendent now heading the School Administrators of Iowa, The Reopening Guidance did not line up with what school leaders were expecting.  Administrators were anticipating more specifics for things like social distancing and the use of face coverings.

Said ISEA President Mike Beranek, The Iowa Department of Educations reopening guidance is inconsistent with (Centers for Disease Control) guidance, common sense and good public policy, and we cannot recommend support.

Federal and state officials are eager to score political points by issuing mandates, but stingy with advice or funding.

So with time running out, local school districts must make quick decisions without uniform guidance, while lacking adequate funds for PPE, more substitute teachers and para-educators.

They are left to incorporate best practices from overseas studies. But that comes with a caveat, because much of Europe and Asia has flattened the curve, while the U.S. is going in the opposite direction.

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JOHANNESBURG, July 28 (Reuters) - South Africa's economy is likely to contract by 7.2% this year due to the impact of the new coronavirus, and growing debt repayments will hamper its recovery, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday.

The Washington-based lender approved $4.3 billion in emergency financing for Africa's most advanced economy late on Monday.

The IMF loan is part of $7 billion in planned borrowing from international financial institutions. The BRICS Bank has approved a $1 billion loan, and the African Development Bank says it will lend the government 5 billion rand ($304.55 million). Talks with the World Bank are ongoing.

In a country report complied by its executive team published on Tuesday, the IMF said the recession would limit the government's ability to reduce debt and a bulging fiscal deficit.

"Despite the sizable relief package, the pandemic will drive the economy into a deep recession in 2020, with adverse implications for the fiscal deficit and debt," the IMF said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a 500 billion rand stimulus package in April after imposing a strict lockdown in late March to curb infections, which passed 450,000 this week, the most on the continent.

The IMF sees the consolidated budget deficit hitting 16% of gross domestic product (GDP), with public debt at 78.1% of GDP in 2020 and 82.4% in 2021.

It said forecasts were "subject to prominent downside risks", citing increased bond issuance, social instability and bailouts to state-owned firms, especially power utility Eskom, as risks.

"Specific and well-defined fiscal consolidation and reform commitments in the October MTBPS (medium term budget) will be a critical first step to establish the credibility of the reform efforts, followed by steadfast implementation," the IMF said.

In a letter to the IMF signed by the finance minister and the central bank governor, South Africa said it was "open to introducing a debt ceiling in addition to the nominal spending ceiling currently in place" to reduce deficits. (South African rand = $0.0605) (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Barbara Lewis)
Amid hardening political deadlock, Rajasthan CM, Ashok Gehlot, reported on Wednesday that his third attempt to propose a potential Assembly Session has been rejected by Governor, Kalraj Mishra, who has also called-off his Independence Day ceremony at Raj Bhawan owing to the rising cases of Covid-19.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that the proposal to convene Legislative Assembly Session has been rejected for the third time by Governor Kalraj Mishra, who asked the CM to rather resort to a regular Monsoon Session on a 21-day notice.

Expressing his will to call in an Assembly Session amid the ongoing tussle with dissident Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, and other Congress MLAs in Rajasthans political scene, Gehlot said that he was going to visit the Governor and attempt to convince him of his demands.

Claiming that there was pressure from the top on the Governor, Gehlot proclaimed his determination and said that he was ready to bend to Mishras notice, regardless of the time it sought to initiate the assembly proceedings. This is the third time CM Ashok Gehlot has submitted his proposal to the Governor on his demand to call-in an urgent assembly session from July 31, as the political crisis gets more and more convoluted in the state.

Also read: As Rajasthan crisis turns into legal battle, Pilot extends birthday wishes to Speaker

Also read: Rajasthan crisis: Gehlot govt writes to Guv, seek assembly session from July 31

Whether Governor seeks a notice of 21 days or 31 days to call assembly session, we will be victorious, said CM Gehlot in a statement on his way to the Raj Bhawan. Governor Mishra, however, has stuck to his ground attributing his rejection to the increasing contingencies of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, he has mandated an added stipulation that the CM must submit in writing a request for an urgent trust vote on his government, along with clear reasons for demanding an Assembly Session on such a short notice.

It should be noted that neither Gehlots standing government, nor the rebel camp led by Sachin Pilot have sought for a potential floor test as of now. This has also been reiterated by the Rajasthan Governor, time and again, who has sought a clarification from CM Gehlot on his stance on a potential Motion of Confidence, which he claims wasnt mentioned anywhere in the submitted proposal.

As a cryptic response to Gehlots demands, Governor Kalraj Mishra has called off the ceremonial at-home Independence Day event as a preemptory measure against the surging cases of Covid-19. A hint at prospective developments, analysts have taken to cite it as the primary reason why the assembly session was called-off on March 13 in the first place.

Also read: Mayawati on Rajasthan crisis: Waited for right time to teach Gehlot a lesson

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Wealthier communities went from being the most mobile before the COVID-19 pandemic to the least mobile, while poorer areas have gone from the least mobile to the most mobile, according to a study by the University of California, Davis.

The study, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used anonymized data from mobile device location pings between January and April 2020 to find that social distancing in the United States varies strongly by income.

The study showed about a 25 percentage point jump of the wealthiest census tracts staying completely at home compared with a 10 percentage point increase in staying at home in the poorest communities.

"We found that before the pandemic, individuals in the wealthiest neighborhoods tended to be the least likely to stay completely at home on a given day," said lead author Joakim Weill, a graduate student with the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. "But when the states of emergency came into play, individuals living in the wealthiest areas stayed home the most. It was a complete reversal."

The study does not determine the causes for this reversal, though the researchers highlight plausible mechanisms and note that lower-income communities tend to have more essential workers who also have less capacity to work at home compared to people in more affluent areas.

DOUBLE BURDEN

The results indicate a double burden of the pandemic for lower-income communities, which previous studies show have higher levels of pre-existing health conditions and less access to healthcare. This study shows they also exhibit less of the social distancing that could help buffer against COVID-19.

"As policymakers are thinking about emergency relief packages, this points to the need for lower-income regions to be an area of focus in order to build capacity for social distancing and other measures critical to reduce the spread of this disease," said senior author Michael Springborn, an environmental economist and associate professor with the UC Davis Department of Environmental Science and Policy. "This is just one piece of a broader set of emerging results showing that lower-income neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable as the pandemic proceeds."

The scientists compared mobility data from SafeGraph, Place IQ and Google Mobility, which was freely shared to the researchers for the study.

###

Both Weill and Springborn are part of the UC Davis NatuRE Policy Lab. Additional co-authors include Matthieu Stigler from Stanford University and Olivier Deschenes of UC Santa Barbara.

The research was supported by Emergency COVID-19 Research Seed Funding provided by the California Breast Cancer Research Program of the University of California.
The coronavirus pandemic claimed another victim on Wednesday, as Hong Kongs oldest bookshop announced it would be closing after decades and moving operations online.

Swindon Book Company Ltd, which was founded in 1918, said it would shut its Lock Road outlet in the heart of the city on Friday.

Generations of Hongkongers have grown up with the English bookshop, with its signature marble shopfront and the golden fonts of its name surviving world wars, and the citys boom and bust, at its location in Tsim Sha Tsui.

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Swindon has been a part of Hong Kongs history for over a century, in our everyday lives as generations have grown up, and even as a backdrop in movies, the company said.

As a Hong Kong family owned bookstore, we are proud to have inspired and brightened the lives of so many.

The Swindon bookstore has been part of Hong Kong since 1918. Photo: The Swindon Group

From August 1, the company will sell books through its online shop. Orders would continue to arrive as normal and customers could collect the books on the second floor of its existing shop. Swindon also runs the Hong Kong Book Centre in Central, and at Kelly & Walsh in Pacific Place shopping centre in Admiralty.

The Tsim Sha Tsui store has been embroiled in a dispute with its landlord, Noble Wisdom, over unpaid rent of HK$3.71 million dating back several years. In a writ filed with the High Court in May, the landlord demanded the full sum be paid and the company vacate the 5,000 sq ft premises.

Noble Wisdom owns one-third of the premises and the rest by RBC Trustees.

Founded by the Li family, the bookshop is managed by its third generation and launched the online shop 10 years ago.

The Covid-19 pandemic appears to have been the last straw for the store, with the court writ claiming it started delaying rental payments in 2014.

Hong Kong slipped into recession in the third quarter last year, with the economy battered first by social unrest and then the pandemic.

Story continues

The Post has contacted the bookstores boss, Chris Li, for comment.

At around 3pm on Wednesday, about 40 customers visited the much-loved bookstore to enjoy their last moments there.

Some of the shelves were left empty and many titles were priced at a discount. The staff were busy checking books or orders for customers.

University student Felix Yiu, 20, and his friend Bryan Leung, 19, took pictures with the exterior design of the shop to remember the historical brand.

Yiu recalled his grandpa used to come here with him to read and buy books when he was a child.

It is such a shame. It is so historical but it has to cease physical operation, he said.

Leung, also a university student, said his parents told him they bought their school textbooks at the outlet decades ago.

Many bookstores in Hong Kong belong to chain groups. This kind of historical and old shop is really so precious, he said.

Booksellers in Hong Kong have struggled as reading habits changed and high rents squeezed margins. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Eric Lo, 56, who works in a logistics firm and a loyal customer for around 30 years, said he usually visited the shop biweekly and he would miss the place.

Lo said the closure of the English bookstore would only affect a small cluster of readers, who tended to be more high-end, but it would still be hard for him to find a substitute.

But there is no choice. The trend is like this, he said, referring to businesses going online and downsizing their physical outlets.

Hong Kong-based English-language online literary journal publisher, Cha, described Swindons closure as sad news, and said it was an established and much-loved leader in the books and stationery trade in Hong Kong. It will be missed.

Hong Kongs booksellers have struggled this year. In May, Singapores bookstore chain Popular closed all its 16 branches across the city after more than 40 years. It blamed the retail market slump on the closure.

Some readers also have grown accustomed to online booksellers such as Amazon and Book Depository, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

Albert Wan, co-founder of Bleak House Books in San Po Kong, admitted running an English bookstore in Hong Kong was challenging and one of the difficult tasks was to find a dedicated readership.

He said stocking new English-language titles was also tough because he had to import most of them directly from overseas publishers.

The cost of running an English bookshop is higher and it takes longer to get new books in the shop, he said.

Wan said his shop had a website to make it easier for readers to order books but stressed that his business focus was unlike online retailers.

We try not to worry about them because there is no way we can compete against them, he said, referring to Amazon and Book Depository. We dont try to match their prices because they have a totally different business model from ours. We focus mostly on a local community.

In 2015, Australians bookstore chain, Dymocks, ended its 15-year local presence in an industry battered by high rents and shifting reading habits.

One of the largest bookstore chains in Hong Kong is Taiwans Eslite, which has five outlets in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. However, it is a lifestyle shop as well as a bookshop.

China's healthcare sector was one of the best-performing equity classes globally in the first half of 2020. Get a comprehensive industry review and insights on Covid-19 induced market shifts with the China Healthcare Report, brought to you by SCMP Research. Sign up for our 50% early bird discount now. You will also receive access to 6 closed-door webinars led by China healthcares most influential C-suite executives. Offer Valid until August 10th 2020.

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On July 26, actor Nithiin got married to his ladylove Shalini at Hyderabad's Taj Falaknuma Palace. Their wedding photos have broken the internet as the newly-wed couple was looking adorable in every frame. Now, after the grand lockdown wedding, fans are curious to know where Nithiin and Shalini will go for their honeymoon.

A report published in a leading portal states that Nithiin and Shalini are planning to go to Europe for their honeymoon. Isn't it amazing? However, it will be a working honeymoon for Nithiin.

Well, Nithiin's next romantic film, Rang De opposite Keerthy Suresh and directed by Venky Alluri, has nearly 20 per cent shoot pending. Hence, Rang De makers are looking forward to heading to Europe for shooting the remaining songs and some crucial scenes. It's heard that Shalini will also accompany her hubby Nithiin to Europe. The official confirmation about the same is yet to come.

Talking about Nithiin and Shalini's wedding, the duo had a traditional South Indian wedding where they were seen decked up in ethnic wear. Nithiin wore red sherwani with a layered neckpiece while Shalini looked elegant in traditional Kanchipuram silk sari and matching diamond jewellery. Nithiin and Shalini got married in the presence of their close family members and friends.

They took all the necessary safety measures abiding by the government of India's guidelines. Nithiin and Shalini were supposed to get married in mid-April in Dubai, but due to the Coronavirus outbreak, they had to cancel their destination wedding.

Also Read : Nithiin Gets Married To Shalini In Hyderabad; Bheeshma Star's Wedding Photos Break The Internet

On a professional note, Nithiin will also be seen in the Telugu remake of Hindi blockbuster film Andhadhun, starring Tabu, Ayushmann Khurrana and Radhika Apte in the leadroles. However, the makers have not yet finalised the actress for Tabu's role. The shooting of Andhadhun remake will start soon after the lockdown gets over.

Also Read : Nithiin And Shalini's Mehendi Ceremony: Pawan Kalyan, Trivikram Srinivas Grace The Event!
The "free forever" platform helps developers create digital experiences faster

SAN FRANCISCO and BERLIN, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Contentful today announced a new Community Plan that provides those who build digital experiences with an unprecedented level of free access to Contentful's industry-leading content platform. Contentful's community of more than 400,000 users gain new technology capabilities, training and resources to build and launch digital experiences across all channels, including websites, mobile apps, wearable devices and digital displays.



COVID-19 forced businesses to pivot their primary means of customer engagement to digital channels. This shift put pressure on builders - developers, designers and content creators - to create and deliver digital experiences at a record pace. Contentful is helping digital builders and businesses get started quickly and easily by removing the friction of a software trial with a "free forever" plan and expanded educational resources.

"The pandemic has put tremendous pressure on businesses to expand their digital capabilities even more quickly," said Steve Sloan, CEO of Contentful. "To create the next generation of digital experiences, builders need modern tools and training that makes it easy to learn new technologies. We believe everyone should be able to build without friction, so our new community plan offers free-forever access to the industry's leading content platform, coupled with a great learning program. This will help more organizations enter the digital-first era with digital-fast capabilities."

Contentful is a pioneer in cloud-native, API-first, open platforms that make up the modern technology stack. It enables an agile approach to building and iterating on digital experiences that is five to nine times faster than building with traditional content management systems. Contentful last month announced $80 million in Series E funding, and its growing roster of customers includes 28% of the Fortune 500 and 2,200 paying customers worldwide.

Contentful's Community Plan instantly upgraded 130,000 accounts to empower more developers with cutting-edge technology such as GraphQL, use of which by Contentful customers has increased 400% in the past year. Builders can immediately start using the platform with free training, free certification and free use of Contentful's tools forever - no 14-day trial or credit card needed.

"The real value is when builders get a project live and grow its impact," said Paolo Negri, CTO of Contentful. "With this offering, we're giving builders the tools, training and infrastructure to do that without having to upgrade to a paid plan. More content types, more records and GraphQL, make this free plan more generous than some paid options offered by competitors."

Contentful streamlines paid plans for growing and enterprise organizations

Contentful is also making it easier for businesses to upgrade as they grow with a streamlined self-service Team plan and expanded Enterprise options. These offerings align with customer needs throughout their digital journey and will make it easier for businesses to scale as they deliver content-driven digital experiences across more advanced use cases.

Teams and small businesses can accelerate development on a self-service plan that enables them to start building for free and then upgrade based on their project needs with just a credit card. This offering includes expanded authoring roles and locales to support basic publishing workflows.

"Contentful's powerful APIs and user-friendly UI was instrumental in helping us build and launch Cloudflare TV on an aggressive timeline," said Zaid Farooqui, Product Manager of Cloudflare, Inc.

Contentful's Enterprise plans are tailored to support advanced use cases, with simplified pricing that scales with customer needs. These plans empower businesses to scale their content platform from one team or business unit to the whole organization, supporting seamless digital experiences at every phase of the customer lifecycle.

"Contentful's enterprise-ready platform is a flexible, extensible solution that allows us to deliver the value our customers expect, quickly, even on the most advanced digital use cases," said Matthew Morey, SVP of Technology at Valtech.

About Contentful

Contentful, the global leader in omnichannel content platforms, powers digital experiences for 28% of the Fortune 500 and thousands of leading global brands. It enables enterprises to deliver omnichannel digital experiences with greater speed and scale than with a traditional CMS. Contentful unifies content in a single hub, structures it for use in any digital channel, and integrates seamlessly with hundreds of other tools through open APIs. Companies such as Spotify, Urban Outfitters, Jack in the Box, The British Museum, Xoom, Lenovo and many others rely on Contentful's content platform. For more information, visit https://www.contentful.com/ .

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MILAN  Patrizio Bertelli sees a further shift into luxury for Prada.

The chief executive officer of the Italian luxury group has been spearheading a no-markdowns policy and slashing wholesale accounts since last year, but he spelled out his aspirations to further raise the profile of the brand during a conference call with analysts on Wednesday, commenting on first half results.

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We have been thinking of the product positioning, and, as costs have increased, it would have been folly not to implement a minimum raise of our prices, said Bertelli, speaking from the groups Valvigna plant in Tuscany. Other luxury brands, such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton, also hiked their prices this spring in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Bertelli characterized the move as a scientific exercise and not across the board.

I want to make it clear once and for all, there have been no markdowns and we cut the number of stores and the amount of product sold to certain wholesalers, affirmed Bertelli in his staple no-nonsense way, responding to an analyst.

The executive touted the groups quick reaction to the health emergency, underscoring that the first half of 2020 represented only a temporary interruption of Pradas growth trajectory until the end of January, which, in a situation of progressive control of the pandemic, we are confident will gradually resume from the second half of 2020, when our store network will again be fully operational.

I am sufficiently positive, it all depends on when the vaccine will be announced and when it will be delivered to countries, Bertelli observed. Values will change and how products will be distributed will also change, but the market is growing not declining. I think the strategy we are pursuing  to place the group in the high-end, luxury bracket  will allow us to achieve the contribution margins [we want].

Story continues

The move is expected to help the group to reach gross margin targets for 2021 of 75 percent.

Chairman Carlo Mazzi said that, if another [coronavirus] outbreak is avoided, if the sales trend can be confirmed, and retail sales are flattish in the second half, the company could return to an operating breakeven at the end of the year.

Prada in the period set in motion cost containment measures but, despite double-digit growth in June in the entire Asia Pacific region and triple-digit online sales growth during and after the global lockdowns, the closure of the groups stores from February to May impacted its bottom line in the first half of the year.

In the six months ended June 30, the company reported a loss of 180 million euros. This compares with profits of 155 million euros in the same period last year, which benefited from the Patent Box tax relief relating to the years 2015-19.

Revenues in the first half amounted to 938 million, down 37.6 percent compared with 1.57 billion euros last year.

The company recorded a negative EBIT of 83 million euros before selling expenses of 112 million euros during the closure of stores, compared with 150 million euros last year, said chief financial officer Alessandra Cozzani.

Analysts, according to the Refinitivs Smarestimates consensus, expected a 35 percent drop in sales and a negative EBIT of 130 million euros.

The current trading commentary was very positive compared to peers, wrote Luca Solca, Bernsteins senior research analyst for luxury goods, in his report on Wednesday, characterizing the performance as a miss, but for the good reasons.

He elaborated, stating that he sees that the miss in revenue and profit expectations is primarily due to the good reasons: a very material cut of wholesale exposure. This is for the better, as reduced wholesale is a prerequisite to better safeguard of brand equity and online development.

Pointing to Pradas renewed brand traction, he concluded writing: We believe Prada is currently the most preferable self-help story in our coverage.

Bertelli expressed his pride in the commitment and sense of responsibility demonstrated in these circumstances by the groups employees and the excellent response of local consumers once the stores reopened, contributing to a positive attitude during the call.

In the first half, retail sales were down 32.2 percent to 835 million euros, representing 90 percent of sales.

Wholesale revenues were down 71 percent to 91 million euros, accounting for 9 percent of the total, reflecting the strategic decision to downsize this business for stricter control and the protection of brand positioning.

On average, 40 percent of the retail network was closed from February to May, reaching a peak of 70 percent in April.

Lorenzo Bertelli, head of marketing and CSR, said the group saw triple-digit growth in its online channel across all markets and across all product categories. He said the online business was up 150 percent in the first half and reached a peak in June, climbing 300 percent.

The company in the period revamped the Prada web site across all major markets and the brands e-commerce in the additional key markets of South Korea and Brazil.

In the first half, sales in Europe were down 41 percent to 228 million euros, representing 27 percent of the total.

Asia Pacific, which represents 44 percent of total sales, was down 18.7 percent to 370 million euros. The region posted strong double-digit sales growth since April in Mainland China, while South Korea and Taiwan, which didnt experience store closures, showed a consistent double-digit trend throughout the period.

Thanks to the contribution of these markets, the entire Asia Pacific region reported double-digit growth in June, despite Hong Kong and Macau still being negatively affected by the lack of travel flows. Taiwan and China have been up 50 percent since July, said Patrizio Bertelli.

Cozzani said that retail sales in Mainland China were up 60 percent in June and up 66 percent in July.

Sales in the Americas fell 41.4 percent to 96 million euros, representing 12 percent of the total, with current trading improving. Patrizio Bertelli addressed the issues affecting department stores in the region, including the bankruptcies and their missed payments. His approach is one of wait-and-see, but he said that business was offset by a strong e-commerce performance in that market. He also noted that the region was not much impacted by travel restrictions as the group has always mainly sold to locals in the U.S.

Canada has also shown sustained growth since the reopening of stores.

Sales in Japan, accounting for 14 percent of the total, were down 36.5 percent to 113 million euros, showing a recovery driven by local consumption.

Revenues in the Middle East were down 43 percent to 28 million euros, with mixed trends as Dubai is still suffering from the lack of tourism but other markets in the region were sustained by better local consumption.

Bertelli said that the group had seen a better-than-expected recovery in Turkey and Russia, growing double-digit, and Germany. Europe was still feeling the lack of tourist flows.

Operating expenditures declined by 12 percent to 743 million euros.

All the costs pertaining to the retail network during the closure period net of savings amounted to 112 million euros, or 18 percent of selling expenses that couldnt generate revenues during the period.

Capital expenditures amounted to 49 million euros, compared with 177 million euros in the same period last year, and were limited to corporate, industrial, IT and retail.

Cost-cutting included the renegotiation of several lease agreement conditions, canceling or postponing marketing initiatives and shrinking discretionary costs, said Cozzani.

Mazzi underscored that the group has been strengthening the organization for the future with new leadership appointments. As reported, Christopher Bugg was appointed director of group communications; Benedetta Petruzzo was named Miu Miu general manager, and Luxottica alum Massimo Vian joined as chief of industrial production.

Raf Simons in February was appointed co-creative director with Miuccia Prada. The design duo will show their first joint collection in September for the spring-summer 2021 season but no details were provided about this event in response to an analysts question.

The groups production activities were impacted by the lockdown, with 21 factories shut down for about five weeks and then resuming operations beginning in the last week of April, enabled by the implementation of protective measures, including systematic temperature testing of all employees. For this reason, seasonal products were delivered on time, and there were no extraordinary inventory write-downs, explained Cozzani. Patrizio Bertelli underscored that all employees had been paid their full salaries during the crisis.

In April, the board withdrew its recommendation to pay a dividend for 2019. This decision, combined with a reduction in costs and investments, has allowed the group to maintain a stable financial position, which stood at a negative 515 million euros, compared with a negative 406 million euros at the end of December last year. The company has had access to an additional credit line for liquidity of 1.2 billion euros.
While Sri Lankas General Elections will be held on the 5th of August, China is nurturing political parties of Sri Lanka to bring the island nation under its agenda of expansionism.

While Sri Lankas General Elections will be held on the 5th of August, China is nurturing political parties of Sri Lanka to bring the island nation under its agenda of expansionism. Chinese interest in Sri Lanka stems from the ambition of establishing a dominant geopolitical control in the Indian Ocean. Chinas acts of aggression in Hong Kong, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and more recently in Galwan Valley coupled with the coronavirus pandemic has raised geopolitical challenges as a consequence global backlash. Chinas clandestine involvement in Sri Lankan general elections can be well termed as a containment strategy to further increase its regional dominance in South-Asia and the Indian Ocean.

It is crucial here to address the agenda of Sri Lankas Hambantota Porta classic example of Chinas debt-trap diplomacy. Under Chinas Belt and Road Project, the port serves as a vital part of the project due to its strategic location on one of the busiest sea routes between Asia and Europe. When Sri Lanka was unable to repay its debts to China, it was decided that the Hambantota would be leased to China Merchant Port Holdings & Co. for 99 years under a deal of $1.1 billion. The deal has further deepened Chinas influence in Sri Lanka, and also faced protests from the locals. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised to revisit the deal during his election canvassing in 2019, but later China refused to negotiate the same.

The issue of Chinese investments has become one of the most crucial agendas in the upcoming elections since a chunk of Sri Lankan voters is of opinion to disapprove Chinese investment ventures in the country, owing to the misadventure of the Hambantota Port Project and the ever-increasing debt trap, amounting to $55 billion, with China accounting around 12% of Sri Lankas debts. Chinese investments are also responsible for forcing the island nation to cancel deals with Quad nations as Japan-funded railway project was just canceled in June 2020 and objections were raised against $450 million grant of US by Sri Lankan officials.

Also read: Hope you will be unbiased: Sachin Pilot congratulates Rajasthan Congress president Govind Dotasara

Also read: Unlock 3 guidelines: Gyms to reopen, Night curfew removed

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has provided an avenue for China to bring a shift in its foreign relations and diplomacy when the Lankan President intensely sought a loan of $500 million to tackle coronavirus in Sri Lanka. The loan gave a boost to Chinas ascendency in Sri Lanka. Thereafter, Song Tao, Minister of International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), held a video conference with the leaders of major political parties of Sri Lanka in order to harvest, or rather extract bipartisan bonds, under the pretense of fighting the pandemic. The conferences, con have been termed as a goodwill gesture in wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Coming back to general elections in Sri Lanka, China, as Japanese newspaper Nikkei describes, is cultivating a wide swathe of political allies ahead of polls. Chinese embassy, according to Chinas state-owned Wire agency, has donated the masks to the election commission. Chinas ambassador is maintaining good relations with all the parties across the political spectrum. From 2015 to 2019, Chinese officials met leaders of right-winger United National Party as well left-winger Sri Lanka Freedom Party. In 2019, leaders from all Lankan political parties clicked photos with members of CPC. China is investing in all political players, as WION anchor Palki Sharma puts it. Thus, it is not a matter of concern who wins these elections, China will be a winner.

It will be intriguing to see what does happen in the future but two things are to be noted: One, Sri Lanka, if all situations remain the same, is going to be hostile towards India and other Quad nations. Second, China may have a stronger strategic position in the Indian Ocean which is the cause of worries.

Harshil Mehta is a columnist, political observer, and news analyst. He tweets @MehHarshil.

Jahnvi Sharma is a law student at GGSIP University and commentator on geopolitical issues. She tweets at @JahnviSharma1.

Also read: Rajasthan crisis: Congress leaders slam Governors decision to return proposal for assembly session

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Union minister Wednesday underlined the importance of integration for empowerment of people from the northeast, and said respecting and accepting those from other regions is the key to integrity.

Addressing a Commission for Women webinar on Issues and Challenges faced by North-Eastern Women in Metropolitan Cities & Empowering Them', Rijiju said there is a need to look at ways to empower people from the region through NGOs.

"When the northeast region as a whole will do better, people from other parts of the country will come to northeast rather than the reverse," said Rijiju, an MP from Arunachal Pradesh.

"We, the northeastern people, will have to understand that unless we initiate and open our arms, unless we lay the red carpet for others to come, the government's help (and) the prime minister's extraordinary focus on the northeast will not lead to any extraordinary change on the ground. Respecting and accepting those from other regions is the key to integrity," he said.

The Minister of State for Youth Affairs urged the NCW to fight more against the mindset of racial and social discrimination.

"Social & racial discrimination is a big issue. I appeal (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma and the NCW to fight more against the societal mindset of people," he was quoted as having said in a tweet by the NCW.

He also called upon state governments to play an important role in integration of the northeastern region with better coordination.

NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said domestic violence, lack of awareness and education in interior regions are some of the issues confronting the women from the region.

"We need to create more jobs in the northeast, especially in the tourism sector and we should use this period to train them. In the handicraft sector, we need to give them direction of expanding in metro cities," she said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ST. LOUIS  As Missouri topped its daily high for new COVID-19 cases Tuesday for the ninth time this month, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page voiced concern over delays in testing results reaching patients and health officials.

Missouri added 1,773 new cases and 12 deaths from the virus Tuesday, 121 more cases than the previous high set four days earlier.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services attributed daily spikes in part to delays in entering cases to state databases and backlogs of testing at national labs that have become overwhelmed.

In the past two weeks, the state redirected more than 40 staff members and hired more than 60 temporary employees to help with the volume of work, department spokeswoman Lisa Cox said.

St. Louis County also addressed reporting delays Tuesday, sending a warning letter to Total Access Urgent Care that alleged the company repeatedly failed to comply with a county rapid reporting order enacted in April.

The order requires labs and providers to report positive test results to the county within six hours and negative results within 24 hours.

County Executive Sam Page said in a news conference Tuesday that an urgent care company, later identified as Total Access, had dumped a backlog of 17,700 test results over three days to the county this week.

Because of the volume, the county was unable to publish a complete count of new cases Tuesday as staff worked to check for duplicates and other issues.

Page told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that he was concerned about both the county and individuals lacking up-to-date data to help steer decisions if test results are not delivered more quickly.

Some patients are waiting five to seven days, and sometimes more, to get test results, Page said. Page recommended this week that people waiting for test results self-isolate, but acknowledged Tuesday that it would be difficult for many.

What are people supposed to do while they wait? What about their jobs? What about their families? Page said. Its just unacceptable.

Matt Bruckel, founder of Total Access Urgent Care, said Tuesday that he did not hear about concerns from the county about a dump of data until receiving the warning letter Tuesday evening.

Weve never ever been asked previously to report negative results, Bruckel said after getting the letter. Those arent helpful.

Bruckel said his company tests about 1,500 people for COVID-19 a day, and the volume can be overwhelming.

We are aggressively testing community members in five different counties to provide a service that no one else is performing to this level, he said, adding that he thinks a six-hour window to inform the county of positive results is not realistic given the volume, timing and logistics of testing.

Weve been bending over backward to report, he said.

Bruckel said Total Access Urgent Care recently changed lab companies for COVID-19 tests after a national lab, Quest Diagnostics, was sometimes taking more than 14 days to turn around results.

The company changed its primary lab company a few weeks ago and, Bruckel said, patients are now typically getting results within two to three days.

Page said the county is also working to improve its own processes by hiring three new employees to help the county notify patients of results more quickly and has been helping the state with its data entry in their antiquated system, he said.

Missouri has reported 44,823 confirmed cases and 1,213 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

On Tuesday, Missouri ranked 15th in the U.S. for the rate of new cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days, according to an analysis by the New York Times. Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi topped the list, and Illinois, which includes St. Louis suburbs, ranked 32nd with 78 cases per 100,000 people, compared with 143 in Missouri.

The states rate of new cases on Tuesday prompted Chicago to add Missouri to its list of 22 states with travel restrictions. Beginning Friday, Chicago will require people traveling from Missouri to quarantine for two weeks, except for essential workers who must travel over state lines. Those who do not follow the order could face fines, according to Chicago officials.

Missouri was added earlier this month to a similar joint quarantine list for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

A mask protest

After dueling protests and a meeting lasting more than four hours with a revolving cast of residents voicing opinions, the Jefferson County Health Department board declined to vote on a county mask requirement Tuesday. Instead, the board discussed working on improving its public information campaign to emphasize the importance of masks to businesses and community members.

Before the meeting Tuesday in Hillsboro, police stood between two shouting groups in the parking lot of the health department as protesters gathered.

On one side, almost 40 people stood without masks, many holding signs that read No mask mandate and No law, no masks and shouting their opposition to what they saw as government overreach.

Across the parking lot, another 20 shouted in favor of masks.

I wear a mask to protect others, said Jessica Shepherd, 40, of Herculaneum. Im tired of these people yelling at me and telling me Im living in fear when the only thing I fear is potentially giving a virus to someone else unknowingly that might kill them.

Masks have been recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and healthcare professionals as an important way to stem the spread of the virus. Mask requirements are in place in St. Louis and St. Louis County, while St. Charles County and Jefferson County have released recommendations that people wear masks.

I say no mask mandate, said protester Samantha Wood, 27, of Franklin County. You have the choice to wear a mask, I have the choice to not wear a mask. Its my body, my choice. My health is my responsibility. I dont expect anybody else to take responsibility for my health.

The protest was the second within a week, as tensions in the Jefferson County board have risen with the arrival of a newly elected member and mask-skeptic Suzy Davis.

Davis refused to wear a mask inside board meetings on Tuesday as well as last week, where face coverings were required. Davis operates the Rocking J Ranch wedding venue in High Ridge and was elected to the board June 2.

Board Chairman Dennis Diehl released a public statement criticizing Davis this week.

Diehl said Davis made numerous false or misleading statements on Facebook and other media.

Since her election, she has persistently led what I can only describe as an effort to assassinate the character of the JCHD Director and of the Department itself, Diehl wrote, adding that Davis has been treating meetings as a campaign event for future elected office.

Diehl said Tuesday that Davis contributed to sharing false information that the county would enact fines and criminal penalties if people do not wear a mask if a mandate is enacted. Davis rejected this.

I did not give out any misinformation, she said, adding: I believe we should be able to build our own immunities and trust our system, and I also believe the positive numbers are not indicative of what is actually going on.

Jefferson County by Tuesday had reported 1,211 virus cases and 25 deaths since the pandemic began. The seven-day average of new daily cases in the county rose to 48 Monday, up from around 10 at the end of June.

COVID-19 in Missouri and Illinois: By the numbers These maps and charts show the spread of COVID-19 in Missouri and Illinois.

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South Africa: Condolences for actress Candy Moloi

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, has paid tribute to veteran actress Candy Moloi.

Moloi was both a stellar linguist and a phenomenal storyteller - in a league of her own. Through her work, she taught us the tshiVenda language.

She was a true embodiment of African culture and heritage. A proud Vha-Venda Queen, who created a path for so many others to enter the media space, the Minister said on Wednesday.

Moloi passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in Pretoria. She is most notably known for her portrayal of the character of Vho-Makhadzi on SABC2s Muvhango, for which she won the 2009 SAFTA Golden Horn Award for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Soapie.

In 2008, she played the role of MaModumedi in the SABC1 mini-series Death of a Queen, which aired as part of the channels Shakespeare in Mzansi strand from July to August of that year.

In 2014, she featured as Fhatu Neluvhola in the SABC2 thriller series Thola and also starred in Giyani: Land of Blood on the same channel in 2019.

Our sincere condolences to her family, especially her daughter, Lerato Zah Moloi, as well as her colleagues, friends and fans around the country. This is the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new eternal life chapter. Lufu a lu shoni. May her soul rest in eternal peace, the Minister said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
ASHEVILLE, NC / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2020 / With the stock market in turmoil to start the year, many investors are looking for ways they can use retirement accounts to immediately boost their returns. This is a great idea for many, as retirement accounts offer tax protections that help investors realize more yield on their money. But one key question-whether retirement investors can use a brokerage account within a Self-Directed IRA-is a hinge point for many.

That is why American IRA, a Self-Directed IRA administration firm based in Asheville, North Carolina, recently took to its blog to explain. Holding a brokerage account within a Self-Directed IRA can be a powerful way to build wealth, the post argued, because it offers several distinct advantages. For example, rather than investors being forced to choose from a limited number of fund options, a brokerage account opens a wider range of possible investments that the IRA holder can use. This could potentially lead to a more diversified portfolio.

The post listed three distinct advantages of holding a brokerage account within a Self-Directed IRA: freedom, tax benefits, and diversification. The tax benefits are obvious, as they include the tax benefits associated with the type of retirement account that the investor is holding. But the ability to build a diverse portfolio with a brokerage account IRA is a powerful reason for investors to congregate to this type of arrangement, according to the post.

A Self-Directed IRA can also be used to buy up different types of assets, broadening the range of diversification available. "Retirement diversification can be much more than building a stock market portfolio," notes the post.

Moving beyond one type of asset class is a powerful reason to use a Self-Directed IRA. But even a brokerage account within a Self-Directed IRA has powerful methods of increasing diversification aside from choosing mutual funds within the account.

Story continues

For more information, visit the post at www.AmericanIRA.com. Additionally, interested parties may contact American IRA by dialing 866-7500-IRA.

About:

American IRA, LLC was established in 2004 by Jim Hitt, CEO in Asheville, NC.

The mission of American IRA is to provide the highest level of customer service in the self-directed retirement industry. Jim Hitt and his team have grown the company to over $400 million in assets under administration by educating the public that their Self-Directed IRA account can invest in a variety of assets such as real estate, private lending, limited liability companies, precious metals and much more.

As a Self-Directed IRA administrator, they are a neutral third party. They do not make any recommendations to any person or entity associated with investments of any type (including financial representatives, investment promoters or companies, or employees, agents or representatives associated with these firms). They are not responsible for and are not bound by any statements, representations, warranties or agreements made by any such person or entity and do not provide any recommendation on the quality profitability or reputability of any investment, individual or company. The term "they" refers to American IRA, located in Asheville and Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA."

SOURCE: American IRA, LLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/595957/American-IRA-Releases-Post-on-the-Advantages-of-a-Brokerage-Account-IRA




Aerotek, a provider of recruiting and staffing services, Wednesday announced nearly 175 job openings for commercial positions with Volkswagen Group of America in Tennessee.

Aerotek is seeking well-qualified employees with experience in production, manufacturing, machine operation, warehouse or logistics to fill open positions. The opportunities are for a contract period and will run up to 24 months. Hourly pay ranges begin at $14 and increase to $17 after six months time.

With the challenging job environment the past few months, we are excited to be hiring for Volkswagen now that the facility has reopened, said Jen Blackburn, strategic account executive at Aerotek. The jobs at Volkswagen are a great opportunity for individuals who are ready to get back to work and begin a long-term career with a major company.

Volkswagens manufacturing plant, located in Chattanooga, employs more than 3,800 people. The plant currently produces Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport. It is Volkswagens future North American hub for electric vehicle manufacturing.

Phone interviews will be held immediately to identify qualified candidates. Interested applicants can apply online at https://aerotektn.selectrakonline.com/recruitment/recruit.aspx or email their resume to Christian Toledo at ctoledan@aerotek.com.

To find out more information or to view current open positions in Tennessee, please visit www.aerotek.com.
By Jonathan Stempel

July 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to send federal agents to major cities controlled by Democrats may be difficult to defend in court, some legal experts said.

Armed with a new executive order aimed at protecting U.S. monuments, federal law enforcement started cracking down last week on demonstrations against police brutality and racism in Portland, Oregon.

Some agents wore camouflage and used tear gas following more than 50 nights of protests over the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

Trump said on Monday he might deploy agents to New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore and Oakland, California, cities controlled by "liberal Democrats."

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said they would sue https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-race-protests/new-york-chicago-promise-court-fight-if-trump-sends-federal-agents-idUSKCN24M2CT if Trump followed through, while predicting he would not.

Legal experts said Trump can deploy federal agents to enforce federal laws, but lacks carte blanche.

"The president is not the king," said Kent Greenfield, a Boston College law professor specializing in constitutional law. "The president does not have the ability to require states to enforce their laws in a certain way, or to elbow aside their law enforcement abilities."

Federal law gives Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf power to deputize agents to protect federal properties, such as the federal courthouse in Portland, and people there.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Tuesday that this enforcement power may extend beyond the physical boundaries of federal properties.

"Where you have someone shooting off a commercial-grade firework and then running across the street, we don't believe that that extends past our jurisdiction," she said.

Most protests nationwide about police misconduct and racism have been peaceful. And while some crime rates, including for murders in Baltimore and Chicago, are high, many major U.S. cities are safer than they once were.

Story continues

"There is no federal statute agents are enforcing by engaging with protesters," said Jimmy Gurule, a University of Notre Dame law professor. "My concern is whether their protection of federal property is a ruse to interfere with protesters' free speech."

Wolf on Tuesday defended the Portland deployment, saying at a press conference that agents are identifying themselves as law enforcement, and "only targeting and arresting those who have been identified as committing crime."

Under the U.S. Constitution, state governors generally have authority to maintain order within their states' borders.

That idea is reflected in the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally bars the federal military from participating in domestic law enforcement.

Another law, the Insurrection Act, lets presidents deploy U.S. forces to suppress domestic insurrection.

However, Ohio State law professor Peter Shane said that law allows unilateral action when it is impracticable to otherwise enforce U.S. laws in court, or local authorities are depriving some people of equal protection.

He said neither situation exists now, and Trump's references to Democratic-led cities "heightens the concern" he is depriving them of due process.

"It suggests his rationale is pretextual," Shane said.

Greenfield distinguished the current situation from 1957, when President Dwight Eisenhower sent Army troops to stop violence over the integration of a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, and 1962, when President John F. Kennedy sent federal agents to help integrate the University of Mississippi.

"Those were cases when a state was refusing to enforce federal law, or was hostile to enforcing it," he said. "You don't have open rebellion."

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Grant McCool)
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- College mental health provider Mantra Health today announced the addition of Dr. Harry Rockland-Miller to its Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Rockland-Miller is Director Emeritus of the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he also served as Executive Director of Wellness. Mantra Health is helping Higher Education institutions respond to the on-going campus mental health crisis, making sure young people navigate the transition to adulthood with the mental health support services they need. Mantra Health's mission is to improve the mental health of young adults by making evidence-based mental health services, and specifically psychiatric specialty care, within reach of all colleges and universities.

Prior to the arrival of the coronavirus, mental health ranked as 1 of the top 3 issues facing college campuses and one of its most intractable challenges due to the high cost and logistical hurdles of providing quality mental health care services. When the pandemic shut down campuses, it further disrupted schools' ability to provide access. Mantra Health began partnering with college and university leaders in late 2019, providing a fully integrated virtual care platform that puts campus health providers and Mantra mental health specialists on the same page, getting students off the waiting list and keeping them from falling through the cracks. Mantra Health's closed-loop telemental health platform also made it possible for schools to continue to provide care with an immediate and seamless shift to 100 percent online care when campuses were required to close.

Mantra Health Medical Advisory Board members provide guidance on the development of effective, evidence-based mental health treatment and delivery as well as how best to partner with leaders at campus health and wellness centers. The combined experience and perspective of Mantra's Medical Advisory Board members allows the company to understand and meet the needs of partner institutions that have been challenged by the college mental health crisis for years. The Medical Advisory Board also provides a unique perspective on the challenges of counseling centers, informing the design of Mantra's digital products, built specifically for Higher Education partners and patients.

Dr. Harry Rockland-Miller, Ph.D . is well known in the college mental health community having served as a health administrator at University of Massachusetts Amherst for more than twenty years. There, he developed a coordinated campus crisis response, including a clinical triage system that became a national model for large university counseling services. The Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), the world's largest organization for college campus mental health leaders, honored Dr. Rockland-Miller with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to campus mental health at the highest national levels in 2017. Since retiring that same year, Dr. Rockland-Miller has continued to dedicated his expertise to suicide prevention with the American Association for Suicidology, where he has been a as a national trainer since 2007.

Dr. Rockland-Miller is the most recent of several world class college mental health experts already providing leadership on the Mantra Health Medical Advisory Board, including:

Dr. Maria A. Oquendo, M.D., Ph.D. Ruth Meltzer Professor and Chairman of Psychiatry at University of Pennsylvania and Psychiatrist-in-Chief at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She received her M.D. from Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, completed a residency in psychiatry at the Payne Whitney Clinic, New York Hospital, Weil-Cornell and until 2016, she was Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chairman for Education at Columbia. In 2017, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in medicine. An internationally renowned expert in mood disorders, Dr. Oquendo has more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and 17,000 citations. She is Past President of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the International Academy of Suicide Research, as well as current President of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) and of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Board of Directors, and has served on the National Institute of Mental Health's Advisory Council. She is a Fellow of the ACNP, APA and American College of Psychiatrists (ACP). Dr. Oquendo was honored with the Virginia Kneeland Award for Distinguished Women in Medicine (Columbia University 2016), the Award for Mood Disorders Research (ACP 2017), the Alexandra Symonds Award (APA 2017), the APA's Research Award (2018) and the Dolores Shockley Award (ACNP 2018).

Dr. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D. , Co-founder and Co-director of the University of Pennsylvania's Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program and an Associate Professor of clinical psychology in the department of psychiatry in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He has served terms on the Professional Advisory Boards (PAB) of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA), Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), and on the Board of the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD), and is the author of five books on adult ADHD. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Palo Alto University (formerly known as Pacific Graduate School of Psychology) and completed a pre-doctoral internship at CPC Behavioral Healthcare and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania, where he continues to work as a senior staff clinician.

"Colleges have long been challenged to meet the demand for psychiatric services," said Dr. Harry Rockland-Miller, Director Emeritus, Center for Counseling and Psychological Health & Executive Director, Wellness, UMASS Amherst. "Hiring on-campus specialists is costly and off-campus referrals are stymied by a shortage of local providers, especially for suburban and rural schools. Working with off-campus providers also presents logistical hurdles in coordinating care and now the pandemic has added the need for virtual access.



Dr. Rockland-Miller continued, "Mantra Health is doing something uniquely different with their platform. With collaboration as its foundation, Mantra's telehealth approach offers a scalable solution based on an exceptionally strong understanding of the real needs of college students, clinicians and counseling centers."

To learn more about how Mantra Health is transforming campus mental health care, visit MantraHealth.com/Higher-Education

About Mantra Health

Mantra Health's mission is to improve the mental health of young adults by making evidence-based mental health services, specifically psychiatric specialty care, within reach of all colleges and universities. Mantra Health partners with Higher Education institutions to respond to the on-going campus mental health crisis, making sure young people navigate the transition to adulthood with the mental health support services they need. Mantra Health's innovative closed-loop Collaboration Portal makes evidence-based mental health services accessible and affordable by integrating directly with college and university health, wellness and counseling centers. Learn more about Mantra Health at MantraHealth.com/Higher-Education.

Media Contact:

Nate Hermes or Monica Miller

646-828-9172

[email protected]

SOURCE Mantra Health

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A group of 20 Harvard and MIT scientists and volunteers have been quietly mixing and trialing coronavirus vaccines in a private lab and testing it on themselves but are yet to find out whether or not any are effective.

The group's efforts have nothing to do with the FDA or the government. They have been working in a lab in Boston to try to come up with a safe, effective vaccine like hundreds of others around the world.

They have not yet published results or explained whether any of the volunteers ever tested positive for COVID-19.

The group claims that because people are mixing the ingredients at home after receiving them in drop-off packages, and because no money is changing hands, it is legal.

Calling themselves Rapid Deployment Vaccine Collaborative or Radvac, the group formed in March. It is being led by Preston Estep, a scientist who has a PhD in genetics from Harvard, who said he was alarmed by the government's timeline of producing a vaccine in 12-18 months. He wondered whether they could privately come up with their own using readily-available ingredients.

Preston Estep (L) and George Church (R) in 2018. They are among the scientists who have taken the vaccine that Estep who decided to come up with his own vaccine when the government announced its 18-month timeline in March

Among the group is George Church, a celebrity geneticist who has not left his home for five months and who says the world is underestimating the disease.

Most of those involved did not want to be named but in an interview with Technology Review, Church said he thought the vaccine could work.

It's unclear yet whether or not it is effective.

'I think we are at much bigger risk from COVID considering how many ways you can get it, and how highly variable the consequences are.

'I think that people are highly underestimating this disease,' he said.

Church says the world is underestimating the disease. He has not left his house for five months, he says

For Church to take it, the ingredients were dropped off in his mailbox. He mixed it himself then took the doses two weeks apart.

The vaccine was produced using information about vaccines to protect against SARS and MERS.

It includes fragments of a pathogen - a protein to match the virus without creating the disease that it brings on - and a substance taken from shrimp shells.

It is administered by squirting the substance up the nose and, according to the volunteers, is like getting saline up the nose.

'Its not the worlds most comfortable feeling,' Alex Hoekstra said.

There are concerns that the vaccine may not work, and that it may even enhance patients' symptoms.

The group released a white paper about the vaccine which sparked concern among some experts.

George Siber, the former head of vaccines at Wyeth, is among those to express concern.

'Its not the best ideaespecially in this case, you could make things worse. You really need to know what you are doing here,' Siber said.

Arthur Caplan from NYU Medical Center, called it 'off-the-charts looney' and stirred up 'ill-informed enthusiasm'.

There are concerns that the FDA may think they are running an unsanctioned clinical trial.

'Its real, hes a solid scientist, but I wouldnt do what he is doing. He called me and said Do you want it? and I said no.

'"Do you want me to send you some?" I said, "No, I am not going to do anything with it, so dont waste it on me."

'The less I know, the better,' one bio-tech executive, who did not want to be named, said.

Moderna is leading the US race for a vaccine. Above, a nurse injects a volunteer in Binghamton, NY, on July 27 as part of the trial

The group, and particularly Estep, is standing by its legality.

'If you are just making it and taking it yourself, the FDA cant stop you,' he said.

Other scientists around the world have been reportedly taking their own vaccines, including one in Germany who got a ping-pong ball-sized bump in his stomach after injecting his.

The front-runner in the US race to develop a vaccine appears to be Moderna, which says its trials are 'going well'. The company is looking for more volunteers.

None are likely to be ready for the public until the end of this year or next year.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  More businesses located in areas under general community quarantine will be allowed to partially reopen starting August 1.

Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday said review centers, gyms, sports facilities, and internet shops can gradually reopen starting at 30 percent capacity. Personal grooming services (except for full body massages), aesthetic services, and pet grooming shops in GCQ areas will also be allowed to reopen while strictly observing minimum health protocols.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said internet shops will be allowed to serve customers so students can have online access as schools shift to blended forms of learning.

"Bawal ang gaming. Doon lang sa work and educational purpose," he told CNN Philippines.

[Translation: Internet shops cannot be used for gaming. It's only allowed for work or school.]

Review centers can only accommodate a maximum of 10 seats inside a room. Other minimum health standards that will be observed in these centers include wearing of face mask inside the room, more than one-meter distance between chairs, and frequent sanitation of rooms.

The Trade Chief said the IATF also approved his proposal to allow drive-through cinemas in GCQ areas as theaters remain closed in these places.

Lopez said they are planning to increase the operations of these industries up to 50 percent capacity within three weeks.

Meanwhile, for areas under modified general community quarantine, IATF also allowed businesses offering full body massage; tattoo and body piercing; and language, driving, dance, acting, voice lessons to resume.

Live events will also be allowed in MGCQ areas. Libraries, archives, museums and cultural centers, and tourist destinations can also reopen.

IATF reiterates cockfighting and operation of cockpits, beer houses, and similar establishments primarily serving liquor, and amusement industries remain prohibited under any form of community quarantine.

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to announce on Thursday new community quarantine classifications for August 1 onwards.
Tesla reported revenue of $1.4 billion in China in the second quarter, soaring 102.9 percent year-on-year and accounting for 23.19 percent of the total, The Paper reported, citing a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

During the first six months, Tesla reported $2.3 billion in revenues in China, accounting for 19.13 percent of the total $12.02 billion.

Tesla delivered 31,000 electric vehicles to China-based customers in the second quarter, accounting for one-third of its global sales, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

According to the filing, Tesla reported revenue of $3.09 billion in the United States, down 11.2 percent year-on-year and accounting for 51.19 percent of the total. China and other markets outside the US contributed $1.55 billion, down 29.08 percent year-on-year.

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Tesla's only US assembly plant, the Fremont factory in California, shut down for nearly six weeks, while the Shanghai gigafactory made a great contribution to the electric carmaker.

Last week, Tesla said it earned net income of $104 million for April to June, marking the first time the company has posted a profit for four straight quarters. The company delivered more than 90,000 vehicles in the second quarter, surpassing analyst expectations.
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

SC directs states to reach out to 10,000 kids orphaned due to Covid-19, pay compensation

India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent

COVID-19 fatalities may be much more than what is being reported

No lockdown extension in Bihar, meeting later today

India

oi-Deepika S

Patna, July 29: A notice issued by Bihar home department regarding a 16-day lockdown from August 1 has been withdrawn and a key meeting will now be held in the evening to decide the on the lockdown extension.

Unlock 3: Gyms to open from August 5th, Night curfew removed | Oneindia News

Taking to Twitter, Bihar Information and Public Relations department said that a "fake" notice is being circulated on social media earlier on Wednesday regarding an extension of the lockdown in the state.

Coronavirus outbreak: Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami extends lockdown till August 31

Earlier, the notice said that the lockdown will be extended for 16 days from 1 August.

Bihar's tally stood at 2,480 on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 43,591, while the death toll mounted to 269. Patna has, so far, recorded the highest number of 41 COVID-19 deaths.
Montgomery County commissioners will discuss an updated public comment policy after commissioners walked out of the room recently as one citizen proclaimed he was God Almighty and asked for control of the countys treasury department.

As Walter Castro began to speak, Commissioners Mike Meador, Charlie Riley, James Noack and James Mett all left the room leaving County Judge Mark Keough to handle Castro.

Keough thanked Castro for his comments and asked his Chief of Staff Jason Millsaps to visit with Castro outside of the meeting.

However, as the commissioners returned to the meeting, Noack said something needed to be done regarding some speakers.

Is there any way the court can update the policy on citizens comments to preclude just asinine things from happening in court? Noack asked.

Keough said it was the courts responsibility as elected officials to listen to all citizens and honor their first amendment rights.

Sometimes its about toughing it out, he said.

But Meador and Riley disagreed.

Im with Commissioner Noack, I dont think we have to put with near as much as we do, Riley said.

I agree, Meador added. That was out of bounds.

This is not the first time the countys public comment policy has been addressed.

In 2018, the court adopted a new policy after months of discussion after former County Judge Craig Doyal altered when citizens could address the court, going from before the meeting to after the meeting and even during the meeting on certain topics.

The issue came to a head in April that year when Doyal had Precinct 50 Chairman Reagan Reed, who tried to speak during public comment, removed from the Commissioners Court meeting for approaching the podium without being recognized.

The new procedure, adopted in May 2018, requires anyone wishing to speak to the court to register to speak and provide any supporting documents before 9:15 a.m. in the county judges office.

Commissioners court meetings begin at 9:30 a.m.

The policy also requires anyone who wishes to address an item on the courts agenda to have three minutes at the beginning of the agenda. Those who have topics not addressed on the agenda will have three minutes at the end of the meeting.

The court will discuss a possible new policy at its Aug. 11 regular meeting.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the event. Photo: VNA

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc last week led an inspection group working with the southern province of Dong Nai, ordering that a land area of over 1,800 hectares for constructing the first phase of Long Thanh International Airport has to be handed to Airports Corporation of Vietnam, the investor of the project, in October. Currently, the public investment disbursement of a sizable project to build settlement areas for people whose land have been withdrawn and used for constructing the airport remains at a snails pace.

A report from the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) on six-month public investment disbursement showed that the resettlement project was given VND18.5 trillion ($804.34 million) as public investment for the 2016-2020 period, including nearly VND18.2 trillion ($791.3 million) during 2018-2020. In a National Assembly resolution released in 2017 on the project, the land revocation, compensation, and assistance in resettlement were to be implemented at once. In April, Dong Nai Peoples Committee stated that all the state-financed money for the project will be disbursed completely within 2020.

However, the total disbursed sum was VND1.83 trillion ($79.56 million) as of July 17, hitting only 10.1 per cent of the assigned plan, said the MPI report. Thus the rate of public investment disbursement of the project remains at a very low level, making it difficult for completing site clearance, handing over land, and finishing all the given capital as Dong Nai has committed and as the National Assembly assigned, read the report.

But Dong Nai authorities said that in the second half of 2020, it will try to complete all activities about site clearance and handing over of part of land to investors to build the $16 billion Long Thanh airport. Investment in the first phase of Long Thanh is set to cost almost VND111.69 trillion ($4.86 billion). Construction is scheduled to begin next year and be completed in 2025.

PM Phuc has established seven inspection teams that will work with provincial authorities and ministries to seek solutions to accelerate public investment as the disbursement rate has lagged behind the schedule for 2020. Along with Long Thanh, hundreds of other projects will also be inspected. These teams will be headed by the prime minister, four deputy prime ministers, and ministers of finance, and planning and investment. The teams will work until the end of August to inspect and deal with the obstacles facing state-funded projects and expedite their capital disbursement. They must report the results to the prime minister within seven days of the conclusion of inspection.

According to the Ministry of Finance, in 2020 about VND633 trillion ($27.5 billion) worth of public investment must be disbursed by years end. This sum includes VND470.6 trillion ($20.46 billion) assigned for 2020 and VND162.4 trillion ($7 billion) transferred to 2020 from 2019.

However, in the first half of 2020, the disbursed sum was VND159.34 trillion ($6.93 billion), hitting 33.9 per cent of the initial plan, with only three ministries and nine localities reporting disbursement rates of over 50 per cent.

We must eradicate stagnancy in public investment disbursement currently negatively affecting economic growth, PM Phuc said at last weeks conference on boosting such disbursement in Ho Chi Minh City where the rate was 45.18 per cent of the assigned VND41.7 trillion ($1.8 billion) as of July 15. Anyone violating regulation on waste of state assets, embezzlement, and corruption are to face strict punishments, he continued. All efforts must be made to completely disburse all public investment capital in 2020. Ministries and localities must report on the progress of public investment disbursement every two weeks.
The Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) has condemned certain utterances made by some leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which denigrate and threaten officers of the various national security institutions.



In a press release copied to the Ghana News Agency, it indicated that, Such outbursts are needless and inimical to our fragile peace and infant democracy.



The release signed by Mr Samuel Owusu Afriyie, National Communications Director of the LPG, stated that it was very unfortunate that Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Mr Sammy Gyamfi, Director of Elections and National Communication Officer respectively, of the NDC, publicly issued threats to security officers of the state because they were dissatisfied with their professional conduct.



The LPG noted that threatening security agents would not solve the problem but rather worsen the situation.



If indeed the adage that tells us that 'to be fore warned, is to be for 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 valour, therefore diplomacy and tact must be adhered to in situations like this.



The party stressed that it was the duty of stakeholders to ensure that the countrys security agencies operated professionally without fear or favour, indicating that to this end, political parties and politicians should desist from influencing the recruitment and enlistment of personnel into the various security services of the state.



We have witnessed some politicians blatantly boasting of getting some party members, relatives, and cronies recruited into the security services. They consider it as an achievement and try to make political gains out of it.



Both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the NDC they stated, were guilty parties to the politicization of state security agencies, adding that ironically, the same people afterwards take turns to complain and play victims to unfair treatment by the Police Service when they find themselves in opposition.



The LPG insisted that no political party or politician should be given protocol slots in the recruitment or enlistment process of the various security services whether directly or covertly.



All qualified Ghanaians who are willing to serve their country must be offered an equal opportunity on the bases of merit but not on ethnic or political lines.



According to the statement, to ensure the neutrality of the services, the future LPG government shall ensure the amendment of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana to allow the various security councils to appoint their highest officers without the influence of government.



The Liberal Party of Ghana added that the Kofi Akpaloo led government had outlined in its 20 core campaign policies that it would overhaul the Ghana Police Service to become an honest and professional organization that actually serves and protects all Ghanaians.



The party added however called on government, the hierarchy of the Ghana Police Service and Ghana Armed Forces to look into the concerns raise by the NDC as well as expedite actions to ensure that justice would be administered where needed stressing that selective justice was a recipe for social disorder.

Source: GNA









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Olalekan Ponle has pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cummings of the United States District Court in Illinois.

Popularly addressed as Woodberry, Mr Ponle is facing charges bordering on wire fraud conspiracy after he was arrested in the United Arab Emirate on June 10 and extradited to the U. S. on July 2.

He was accused of tricking U.S. companies into sending wire transfers worth millions of dollars. Companies based in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New York and California were victims of the fraud, prosecutors say.

Although the complaint against Mr Ponle has been dismissed, the grand jury indictment which summed his offences into eight counts charge is still active.

On Saturday, the defendant appeared in court. He acknowledged the receipt of the indictment and entered a plea of not guilty to each count.

Defendant appears in response to his arrest on 7/2/20. Attorney, Michael Nash, appears on behalf of the defendant. Defendant informed of the charges against him as well as of the possible sentence fine if convicted of those charges.

Arraignment proceedings held, Defendant acknowledges receipt of the Indictment, waives formal reading, and enters a plea of not guilty to each count in which he is named, the documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES read.

However, the status hearing, when to know if the case is set for trial, has been slated for August 8.

Mr Ponle is remanded in the custody of the United States Marshals Service and will remain in custody unless the court orders otherwise.

If convicted of the crime, he may spend the next 20 years in prison.
The UAEs space programmes, especially the successful launch of its Mars Mission, will give a fillip to Asias lead in fourth Industrial revolution and make the Emirates "a big stakeholder in the development of developing countries across the globe," a senior academic told Emirates News Agency, Wam.

"Asians are leading the race in terms of the fourth industrial revolution [4IR] in which space technology has a core role. China, India, South Korea, and Japan are at its forefront, and the UAE has joined them with its successful space programmes," said Dr Narayanappa Janardhan who is a Senior Research Fellow at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy, EDA, in Abu Dhabi.

4IR is a technological revolution that merges the physical, digital and biological technologies in order to deliver unprecedented products and services in new and emerging sectors.

"The UAE will become a frontrunner among those leading Asian nations and its look east policy will also help further develop the ties with those countries," he added in an interview with Wam.

As Wam reported in the last two weeks, China, India, South Korea and Japan, along with the US, Russia and European Union, appreciated the Emirates Mars Mission and expressed their keen interest in further developing cooperation with the UAE in space sector.

Space diplomacy

The academic added that space is used as diplomatic tool in 21st century and as part of the space diplomacy, there will be more and more tie up among those Asian countries [and other developing nations across the world, too] that are advancing the cause of the fourth industrial revolution.

"You have already seen that many of the iconic and mega projects that would have otherwise gone to Western countries in the past are now all being allocated to Asian countries. For example, I mean 5G [5th generation mobile network] developed by Chinese company Huawei," said Dr. Janardhan, who has 25 years of regional expertise in analysing the evolving multi-dimensional partnerships between the Gulf countries and Asia.

China just recently launched its final satellite as a counter to the US government-owned GPS [Global Positioning System, a global navigation satellite system] and the country is completely off the GPS grid now, he pointed out.

Space and Asias growth

He was referring to China successfully putting into orbit the final satellite in its BeiDou-3 navigation system in June, further advancing the country as a major power in space as it no longer rely on the GPS. The $10 billion network is made up of 35 satellites and provides global navigation coverage.

Such advanced space-technology led fourth industrial revolution is at the heart of the growth of Asian economies, Dr. Janardhan noted.

India has been building and launching satellites for many other countries. Perhaps the UAE may also follow suit, utilising the commercial and developmental potential of space sector, he said.

"So the whole concept of space diplomacy has gone beyond just being a diplomatic tool, but it has become a major economic tool as well," the academic pointed out.

Because space technology is going to help the Asian economies continue to grow with D2H [Direct to Home - an Indian direct broadcast satellite service], tele-medicine, tele-education, [and other tools for] disaster relief, agriculture, fishing, and natural resource mapping as these are essential requirements for developing countries, he explained.

UAE and developing countries

With its successful space programmes to offer such services, the UAE will be a big stakeholder in the development of developing countries across the globe, Dr. Janardhan emphasised.

"At the end of the day, the future is not just going to be about bilateral ties. It is about multilateral ties. So if you look at the foreign policies of the Gulf countries, it is not just about they cooperating with one other country but they are cooperating with one other country in a third country," he said.

Saudi Arabia becoming part of the Chinese Belt and Road initiative in Duqm in Oman, and the UAE and Saudi Arabia participating in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor are major examples, the academic explained.

Multilateral ties

The UAE and India have signed an agreement to look at development projects in Africa, mostly to do with tele-education and tele-medicine, he said.

"So at the core of it all is the space technology. It is all about the digital world. The more you move ahead, the UAE is going to be the frontrunner in making that transition from the current economy to a digital economy," he noted.

If the UAE ties up with some of the leading Asian countries, it will become a very important stakeholder in the development of many more other developing countries, Dr. Janardhan reiterated.

"So that is how this whole thing fits into it," he said on the context of the UAEs successful launch of Mars Mission, Hope Probe, which took off from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre on 20th July.

Latest Mars Missions

Hope Probe would travel 493.5 million km over seven months to reach Mars orbit in February 2021, coinciding with the UAEs Golden Jubilee celebrations to mark the historic union of the Emirates.

Once the Hope Probe successfully reaches Mars, the UAE will join the exclusive club of spacefarers that have landed on Mars, alongside the US, Russia, the European Union and India.

China has launched its first rover mission to Mars on 23rd July, which should arrive in orbit around the Red Planet in February 2021.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, of the US will launch its next Mars rover on Thursday, 30th July, which will land within the Red Planet's Jezero Crater on 18th February 2021.TradeArabia News Service
Sure, the Loop is in a far better place to recover from this crisis than Chicagos most impoverished and resource-starved neighborhoods, with their histories of racial inequity and conscious subjugation. But this was always a false dichotomy. Central business districts with good public transportation can be great job generators, especially if attention is paid to workers who need the jobs most. Plenty of lower-income people live in the Loop, which always made it a neighborhood. Many cultural organizations doing righteous work are centered there, and so are many social-service organizations. Many so-called neighborhoods are far less diverse than the neighborhood downtown.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump brushed off the new $1 trillion Senate GOP coronavirus legislation as "sort of semi-irrelevant" Tuesday, dismissing its significance a day after Senate Republican leaders overcame contentious internal divisions to roll it out.

At the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., disavowed a key Trump administration priority in the bill - funding for a new FBI headquarters - while the second-ranking GOP senator suggested that Congress might be unable to make a deal in time to avert the expiration of emergency unemployment benefits on Friday.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said Congress might have to pass a stand-alone extension of unemployment benefits, a piecemeal approach that administration officials have floated but that Senate Republican leaders had avoided publicly embracing before now.

"If things are, the wheels have come off by then, then I think it would probably argue for doing something skinnier or smaller and then, you know, regrouping," Thune told reporters. "But again, we'll know a lot more about that in the next few days."

If the wheels were not entirely off Tuesday, negotiations were not off to a great start. Democratic leaders accused McConnell of not wanting to get a deal at all, while one Republican senator called the new GOP bill "a mess."

At the White House, Trump was asked if there were elements of the bill he opposed.

"Yeah, there are, actually. And we'll be talking about it. There are also things that I very much support," the president said. "But we'll be negotiating. It's sort of semi irrelevant because the Democrats come with their needs and asks and the Republicans go with theirs."

McConnell told reporters that he did not support $1.8 billion for a new FBI building included in the bill at the behest of the Trump administration, calling it "non-germane" and declaring: "When we get to the end of the process, I would hope all of the non-covid-related measures are out."

And McConnell acknowledged divisions among Senate Republicans over the legislation, which he announced Monday after days of delay.

"I think it's a statement of the obvious, that I have members who are all over the lot on this," McConnell told reporters. "There are some members who think we've already done enough, other members who think we need to do more. This is a complicated problem."

The problems arose even before negotiations begin in earnest with Democrats, who lobbed insults at Republicans over their divisions and what Democrats called the inadequacy of the GOP bill at a moment of deep economic uncertainty. Nearly 30 million Americans remain unemployed and the economy is at a precarious juncture with coronavirus cases spiking and some states pulling back on reopening plans.

Democrats want to spend three times more than the $1 trillion in the GOP package, and support continuing $600 weekly enhanced unemployment insurance benefits that expire days from now. The GOP plan would slash the $600 weekly payments to $200 weekly until states can transition to a complex new system aimed at replacing 70% of what a person would've earned before the person lost their job. Republicans say the current benefit gives people an incentive to stay out of work.

Democratic leaders also balked Tuesday at a five-year liability shield included in the GOP plan, aimed at shielding health-care providers, schools, employers and others from lawsuits from people who become ill. McConnell has repeatedly described the liability provision as his one "red line" in the talks.

"That is no way to negotiate, particularly when his provision is so extreme. . . . It's a radical change of all liability law," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-.N.Y., said after he and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows for their second day of talks.

"It seems to me Senator McConnell really does not want to get an agreement made," Pelosi said.

Democrats have indicated to top White House negotiators that they would be unwilling to reduce the current level of enhanced unemployment benefits, and they were also pushing for nearly $1 trillion in state and local aid, which was excluded from the GOP bill, Meadows told reporters late Tuesday.

The reception from some Republicans was not much more positive than the Democratic reaction.

"It's a mess. I can't figure out what this bill's about," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said after a closed-door GOP lunch attended by Meadows and Mnuchin. "This is not going to be the bill. They're going to go negotiate with Pelosi. We have no idea what the final bill will be, and we'll be the last to know."

Inside the lunch, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, proposed a more gradual phasing out of unemployment benefits than what is proposed in the GOP bill, suggesting that the benefits scale down by $200 every 30 days for three months rather than being cut overnight by two-thirds, according to a person with knowledge of his comments who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe them.

"I'd like to see us deal with unemployment more rapidly than I think is going to take for the entire legislation to be completed," Romney told reporters later.

Trump offered assurances that unemployment insurance would be extended, telling reporters at the White House: "We'll do something. We're gonna take care of the people."

Sen. John Neely Kennedy, R-La., said he opposes the GOP plan to have states switch their unemployment benefits to a wage replacement scheme. "Many of our state departments of labor - they just got microwaves last week, much less being able to reprogram the computer in 60 days to effectuate a complicated formula," Kennedy told reporters.

Kennedy also suggested that many other GOP senators were frustrated by the measures. "Some of my colleagues are not either as crazy or candid as I am and they're not going to say anything, but I'm not the only one," Kennedy said. "And I still don't know what's in the bill. . . . You can't assess something if you don't know what's in it."

The bill also includes a new round of $1,200 stimulus checks to individual Americans, about $105 billion for schools with some of the money tied to reopening, a large new injection of money for the small-business Paycheck Protection Program, and $30 billion for the military, including hundreds of millions of dollars for projects the Trump administration had canceled, to pay for Trump's border wall. There's also new money for coronavirus testing and tracing and federal health agencies, despite initial opposition from the Trump administration to those expenditures.

The money for the FBI headquarters is an issue President Donald Trump has taken a personal interest in. The aging building sits across the street and diagonal from his hotel in downtown Washington, and plans had been in place to move the agency to the suburbs.

Moving the building could leave the lot open for redevelopment, and Trump has said he would like to see a brand new FBI building erected on that spot.

Asked about the justification for including the money for the FBI building in a bill that is supposed to be aimed at fighting the coronavirus, Meadows conceded Tuesday that there was no connection between the FBI building and the pandemic that has killed more than 145,000 Americans.

"There are a number of things in the last bill that had nothing to do with the coronavirus. I think everybody acknowledges that it's a funding mechanism," Meadows said of the legislation, which Republicans have been laboring to keep at $1 trillion so fiscal conservatives do not revolt. Meadows called the money for the FBI building "just a pressing need."

GOP senators criticized the inclusion of the FBI headquarters money.

"I don't understand. I mean, if somebody can explain to me how - I just don't get it, I mean, how's it tied to the coronavirus?" said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. "During the pandemic, let's focus on solving the problem."

Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., criticized the $1,200 stimulus payments that Republican leadership included in their legislation. "The vast majority of direct payments went to people who did not have any lost income, and we're going to do that again except on a bigger scale," Toomey said.

"The Republicans will be divided on this one," Toomey added in an interview on CNBC on Tuesday morning. "We're already spending a tremendous amount of money, and that's before Speaker Pelosi gets her pound of flesh."

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., was among several GOP senators who said they have concerns about the overall cost of the bill, after Congress already spent $3 trillion in March and April to prop up the economy.

"We need to spend what we have to spend, and not a dime more. This perception that's being pushed right now is that we need to make everyone whole, I adamantly disagree with," Lankford said. "You can't make everyone whole in the whole country . . . that's absurd."
Nearly 30 people suspected of having COVID-19 in the coronavirus capital Victoria weren't home when health officials went to check if they were isolating.

Representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services and Australian Defence Force have visited 500 homes around Melbourne in the last week.

They approached cases who could not be contacted by health authorities on the phone, and discovered 29 homes where people did not answer the door.

If residents test positive to the highly infectious COVID-19, they are ordered to stay at home until they recover.

'They've been referred to Victoria Police,' Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters on Wednesday.

Health authorities (pictured, DHHS and ADF staff in Melbourne on Saturday) have knocked on 500 homes of coronavirus patients in the last week and found 29 homes with no answer

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured) on Wednesday said these cases that could not be contacted by health authorities had been referred to Victoria Police

He said the door knocking team would increase from 58 to 90 staff and every positive coronavirus case should expect to receive a visit.

'If you are supposed to be at home isolating, you are supposed to be at home doing just that,' Mr Andrews said.

'Each and every positive case, everyone who gets a positive result from the laboratory will be door knocked and visited by an ADF and DHHS team.

'Not just for compliance but making sure that every single positive case knows and understands what we are asking them to do and what they need to do.'

The premier said he sympathised with the difficult nature of spending 14 days in isolation, and encouraged Victorians to ask the door knockers for assistance.

'It's an opportunity where we can say "what can we do for you, what do you need?" and there will be many and varied requests,' Mr Andrews said.

'We will do our level best to meet each of them.'

Representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services and Australian Defence Force (pictured in Melbourne on Saturday) have been conducting the home visits

Mr Andrews said every Victorian who tested positive for COVID-19 should expect a visit from the health representatives (pictured, door knockers in northwest Melbourne on Satuday)

A DHHS spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the cases were being investigated.

Victoria Police has been contacted for comment.

Individuals who fail to self-isolate or follow coronavirus laws can be hit with a $1,652 on-the-spot fine.

Mr Andrews announced Victoria had recorded 295 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the state total to 4,849 active cases.

Another nine people died overnight and the state's death toll has risen to 92.

The dead include two people in their 90s, five in their 80s, one in their 70s and one in their 60s.

Seven of the deaths were from aged care homes, which are responsible for 804 active coronavirus cases, including 502 healthcare workers

There are also 307 Victorians in hospital with 41 in intensive care.
US-based Portals Global Consulting Group is leading an initiative to strengthen the international pandemic response by gathering expert perspectives from medical practitioners around the world, including Africa, UK, the USA, and the Caribbean, into a free online resource.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the collaboration needed to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic as the most massive public health effort in history. Heads of government from Canada, Ethiopia, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Tunisia recently called for the global community to work together to guarantee a managed flow of any future Covid-19 vaccine to vulnerable countries, including the small island developing states of the Caribbean.

At Portals, we recognize that the coronavirus disease is a threat to everyone, so no-one is safe until all are safe, said Omo Igiehon, CEO of Portals Global. Thats why we are compiling expert perspectives of medical professionals from across the Caribbean and around the world, in service of the urgent effort to mount a global response.

Igiehons mother is Jamaican, and he is an alumnus of The University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.

In June, Portals Global supplied Fairfax County, Virginia with 15,000 KN95 masks, to boost COVID-19 response capacity in its home county. The firm has made similar donations across the USA to non-profit organizations and schools. With the online resource, Portals enlisted health care professionals with the first-hand experience of the pandemics ongoing impact on their local health systems. Among them is Dr Barbara Isaac Welds, a general practitioner in Kingston, Jamaica; Dr. Osafo Fraser, a Guyanese-born family physician and public health practitioner in Trinidad and Tobago; and Dr. Glasha Frank, a health policy adviser in the UK, who was born in England and grew up in St Kitts and Nevis in the Eastern Caribbean.

Covid-19 is an opportunity for governments to re-think how they do things, and therefore not to just return to the old way of doing things, said Dr. Farid Youssef, a neuroscientist and senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies. I would be interested to see how we can re-envision human society and human development going forward, taking advantage of some of the lessons that COVID-19 is teaching us.

The virus is creating new categories of at-risk populations, including health care professionals and other essential workers. Globally, frontline workers and disadvantaged economic groups have been hit hard by the pandemic.

When the lockdown started, the jobs people had were not necessarily jobs where they could work from home. Many people were working in the food industry, at grocery stores, delivery guys, construction workers, many essential workers, said Dr. Hayden Spencer, a surgical resident in the Bronx, New York, who was born in Antigua and Barbuda in the Eastern Caribbean. Commuting actually increased after the lockdown, and that just made the impact even worse on this community.

Up to 70 percent of New York States undocumented labour force consists of essential workers, many from Latin America and the Caribbean. Migrant labour makes up about 66 percent of New York States home health care workers and aides for the elderly, one recent research study found. Across the world, elderly residents of long-term care facilities are among those hit hardest by the pandemic.

Nurses are used to spending time with patients, holding their hands. Now there is a very different dynamic where you have to stay six feet away, and the staff has to wear masks, gowns, and other personal protective equipment. The elderly are not very familiar with who theyre looking at, all they see is their eyes. So they get very disoriented and they are very uncertain as to what is going on. They get very scared, said Dr Keshni Ramnanan, a Trinidad and Tobago-born internal medicine specialist who practices at long-term care facilities in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

With the possible re-opening of schools only weeks away, greater focus is now being placed on children and youth.

One of the hardest populations is the little kids, said Dr. Ekuase Sanusi, a pediatrician who practices in Atlanta, Georgia, and manages a practice in Lagos, Nigeria. It's kind of hard if you have a kindergartener to say, Hey, no, you can't sit with your friends. They all want to hug each other and walk togetherto be friends.

For the launch of the resource, Portals conducted documentary video interviews with 20 medical practitioners, including public health officials, family physicians, policymakers, and healthcare workers in long-term care facilities. Other US-based physicians contributing to the Portals resource included Dr. Jason Lofton, a general practitioner and family physician in rural De Queen, Arkansas, and Dr. Heather Lubell, a pediatrician practicing in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.



Globally, Covid-19 is demanding new levels of international collaboration. While the Caribbean is vulnerable to economic fallout from the pandemic, the regions medical professionals have stepped forward to lend their strength to ongoing efforts to mount a coordinated global response.
The California Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that they would begin collecting data regarding COVID-19 patients sexual orientation and gender identity. The announcement was also made by Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the department, during Tuesdays daily briefing on the pandemic.



State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, proposed a bill in May that called for this data collection in order to understand the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the LGBTQ community.



Members of the LGBTQ community are more likely to have underlying conditions such as cancer and HIV, making the symptoms and effects of COVID-19 more severe. Additionally, LGBTQ people are more likely to work essential jobs and experience hardships with paying rent, according to David Heitstuman, the CEO of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.



With physical and financial conditions playing a part in the pandemic, the data will allow for a greater understanding of how the pandemic has affected the LGBTQ community.



Equality California, a statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, worked with the department to implement the regulations.



The COVID-19 crisis has devastated the LGBTQ+ community. But for months, we havent had the data to understand how, why or exactly what to do, said Rick Chavez Zbur, executive director of Equality California.



Zbur expressed concerns that not having LGBTQ-specific data would lead to pandemic solutions and programs that leaves out the community. The Department of Health and Human Services agreed.



Today begins that day when we will have that information anew and be able to tailor our interventions and our programs to close disparities there, Ghaly said.



Ghaly outlined guidelines for county and healthcare worker reporting through the Cal Ready system. While the data may be lacking at first, he expects the reporting to increase throughout the next month.



Ghaly also hopes that careful reporting will increase the race and ethnicity data reported to the California Department of Health and Human Services. As many as one third of cases are reported without race and ethnicity data.



Wieners bill was amended Monday to include reporting sexual orientation and gender identity for all communicable diseases reported to the California Department of Health and Human Services, not just COVID-19.



The goal of the data is to have information about disparities and the magnitude of disparities on the LGBTQ community. Specific policies and interventions could be better tailored to address the disparities.



We cant keep leaving the LGBTQ behind when it comes to public health. California can and should lead the way in giving the LGBTQ community the health justice it deserves, Wiener said.



Wieners bill would make California the first state in the U.S. to collect data about sexual orientation and gender identity when it comes to communicable diseases.



Heitstuman also hopes that the data will help inform policies not only address the physical disparities that the pandemic creates, but also the mental health and economic effects on the community.



I think its super important that we are able to collect that information because without it we cant make informed decisions about how to most effectively address those who are most impacted by COVID-19, Heitstuman said.



(c)2020 The Sacramento Bee. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.




South Africa: Bab' Mlangeni: strident moral voice laid to rest

President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the late Andrew Mlangeni as not only a great patriot but a strident moral voice in the country.

The last surviving member of the Rivonia trial, who turned 95 on 6 June 2020, was admitted to 1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane, Pretoria, on Tuesday, 14 July 2020, following an abdominal complaint. He passed away last Tuesday on 21 July 2020.

Described by the President as a product of the golden age of the struggle, Mlangeni was laid to rest at the Roodepoort cemetery on Wednesday.

President Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at Mlangenis funeral, in which he called for Mlangenis passing to evoke a new era in the country.

If his passing does indeed mark the end of an era, we must ask of ourselves the question: what now? What shall define this new era, our era? Will it be an age of increasing prosperity and security for all? Will it represent the realisation of the dream of the Freedom Charter, of a country that truly belongs to all who live in it, black and white?

Will it witness the emergence of a new generation of young leaders  women and men of extraordinary talent, integrity and resolve, who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity?

This is a question to which all of us who gathered here  whether in person or virtually or in spirit  hold the answer, he said.

In honouring the last of the Rivonia trial members, President Ramaphosa said its through the actions of every citizen that the country will define this new era.

It is through the principles that we observe, the values that we hold dear and through the responsibilities that we each take upon ourselves that we will forge a new society, said President Ramaphosa.

Mlangenis children, his daughter Sylvia Mlangeni and Sello Mlangeni, said the loss of their father left them cold and devastated.

Papa was a loving person but at the same time, he was someone we all went to when we had problems. He lived a fulfilling life. We are really in pain but this shall come to pass, said Sylvia.

With the country now faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, President Ramaphosa said it was time for the country to deepen its resolve.

Borrowing from the words penned nearly 60 years ago in the UMkhonto we Sizwe manifesto on 16 December 1961, President Ramaphosa said the time comes in the life of any nation when there remain only two choices: submit or fight.

That time has now come to South Africa. We shall not submit and we have no choice but to hit back by all means within our power in defence of our people, our future and our freedom, quoted the President.

In reference to the fight against COVID-19, the President said the country will fight against the virus in defence of the health of its people.

It is now our solemn responsibility to build the glorious future to which he dedicated his life. We say today, may his soul rest in peace. Hamba kahle Mkhonto, tsamaya ka kgotso Motlokwa, said the President.

At his funeral service, the South African National Defenc1e Force honoured Bab Mlangeni and appointed him as honorary colonel.

Bab Mlangeni, who joined the ANC in 1954, was in 1992 awarded Isithwalandwe Seaparankwe  the highest honour by the African National Congress for those who have made an outstanding contribution to the liberation struggle  and received the Presidential Order for Meritorious Service: Class 1: Gold from President Nelson Mandela in 1999.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Wise Publishing, Inc. Buys Half Banked, Personal Finance Site for Millennials

TORONTO  July 29, 2020  Wise Publishing, Inc., the personal finance publisher whose popular websites MoneyWise.com and MoneyWise.ca are visited by 10 million unique monthly readers, today announced that its acquiring Half Banked, a consumer finance site that offers stress-free money management tips for millennials. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition is a first for Wise Publishing and expands the companys growing family of online brands as it pursues a goal of becoming one of the top sources of personal finance information in the U.S. and Canada.

The purchase will provide Half Banked with resources to offer more content and new voices, plus the brand will be introduced to more readers through Wise Publishings large network of syndication partners. But though it will have a new owner, Half Banked will maintain the unique, breezy style its loyal audience enjoys.

I am thrilled that Half Banked is joining forces with Wise Publishing, one of the smartest personal finance publishers in North America, said Desirae Odjick, the Ottawa, Ontario-based founder of Half Banked. I started Half Banked as a side gig and passion project to help people figure out their finances, and Im so excited that it has a chance to have an even bigger impact as part of a larger enterprise, under the stewardship of a great team.

Half Banked is fresh and fun, and it provides its audience with valuable information for starting down lifes financial journey, said Kyle Trattner, Wise Publishing CEO. The brand fits perfectly with our mission: to help people make good decisions and get ahead.

About Wise Publishing, Inc.: Launched in 2017, Wise Publishing, Inc. and its websites MoneyWise.com and MoneyWise.ca provide personal finance information, news and tools in ways that are clear, trustworthy and engaging. Readers throughout North America have come to count on the Toronto-based company to help them save money, find the best bank accounts, get the best mortgage rates and navigate many other money matters. Wise Publishing content has been featured by leading media outlets including MSN Money, Yahoo Finance, the Financial Post, USA Today, Fortune, ABC Radio and The San Diego Union-Tribune, among others.

About Half Banked: Desiree Odjick started Half Banked, a personal finance website, after she sat down to work out a budget and realized she was years away from meeting her financial goals. The initial focus was on her personal journey of saving for a house and an emergency fund, and the site has since expanded to cover saving in general, spending, investing and budgeting, all in an accessible way for millennials. About 50% of Half Bankeds readers are between ages 25 and 34, another 20% are between 18 and 24, and an estimated 65% are women. Half Banked has been cited by media organizations including The Globe and Mail, the CBC, Flare and Lifehacker.

Contact: Kyle Trattner CEO, Wise Publishing, Inc. press@wisepublishing.com (647) 352-5595
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:52:08|Editor: huaxia

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MADRID, July 29 (Xinhua) - Spain's right-wing Vox party announced its intention on Wednesday to table a censure motion against the government of Pedro Sanchez in September.

The decision was announced by Vox leader Santiago Abascal during Wednesday's session of the Spanish Congress (lower house), where Sanchez had explained the deal agreed with the European Union (EU) just over a week ago on a fund to help the EU recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Abascal said his party was presenting the motion against a government that was "illegitimate."

Sanchez responded ironically to the motion by asking that "if it is so urgent, why are you delaying it until September? Is it because you are going on holiday?"

Analysts believe that Vox's move has little chance of getting cleared through Congress as the party has just 52 seats in the 350-seat lower house. Furthermore, the main right-wing opposition People's Party (PP), which has 89 seats, has already implied that it will not support the motion. "Don't count on us for maneuvers aimed at distraction, which only strengthen the PSOE" (Sanchez's Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), PP Secretary General Teodoro Gracia-Egea tweeted.

Vox party did very badly in the recent elections for the Basque and Galician regional assemblies, winning just one seat in the Basque Region and none in Galicia (where the PP won its fourth consecutive overall majority).

Observers say that Sanchez could consider the censure motion a chance to not only negotiate the votes he needs to remain in power, but also to drum up support for his budget proposals in parliament. Enditem
The Manitoba Metis Federation announced Monday it would support Metis students with two programs totalling more than $10 million for the 2020-21 school year.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/7/2020 (540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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The Manitoba Metis Federation announced Monday it would support Metis students with two programs totalling more than $10 million for the 2020-21 school year.

Some of the funding comes from the 10-year Post-Secondary Education Sub-Accord signed in 2019 by the federal government and the Metis National Council.

Joan Ledoux

"This agreement ensures that Metis students in Manitoba will have access to much-needed financial and other student supports over the coming decade. Under Budget 2019, the MMF will receive close to $90 million over 10 years and $9.9 million for each year thereafter," MMF minister of provincial education Joan Ledoux said by email.

Another portion of funding is linked to the federal governments Canada Emergency Student Benefit. That program helps support students and new graduates who arent eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

"We understand that our students, especially those who are currently in college or university, those who plan to go to college and university, or who are recent graduates.  We understand that you are suffering during this difficult time," Ledoux said in a video announcement.

Ledoux added the federation knows what students are feeling regarding the impact of the pandemic.

See No student  Page A2

No student will be left behind: Ledoux

"We know they had planned to start a summer job in May. We know that they are now worried about how theyre going to pay their rent or their basic cost of living. We know theyre struggling to find meaningful work in light of the pandemic. ... We know this is a critical time in their lives."

The Post-Secondary Education Support Program totals $6.6 million for Metis university students for the 2020-21 academic year. This is the second year that the program is being offered. For the last school year, the program provided more than $2.3 million to 540 Metis students living in Manitoba.

This year, the MMF announced the program will not have an intake deadline and students will be able to apply at any time during the academic year.

The Metis Employment and Training Program will see an additional $4 million to fund Metis students in colleges and Metis students in the last year of their university degree program.

The COVID-19 Emergency Student Assistance Program is a $1.8-million fund to support students who have been financially impacted due to the pandemic.

"In order to be eligible for this, you have to be attending college or university or be a recent graduate," Ledoux said.

The amount of additional assistance will be based on need, the federation stated in a news release.

"This year, we would like to see more Metis students going to universities, colleges, applying for these programs," Ledoux said.

"I encourage you to take that step, just one step, and get that career that youve wanted. It doesnt matter what your age is. This is the time."

Ledoux added: "No student will be left behind."

She also said that within three hours of launching the program at 10 a.m., close to 30 Manitoba Metis students were working on their online applications.

The application can be found online at mmfeducation.ca

 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.
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Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 16:19 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a43525 1 Business labor-intensive-industry,government,stimulus-package,COVID-19,loan-guarantee Free

The government has guaranteed working capital loans worth Rp 100 trillion (US$6.92 billion) for labor-intensive businesses to speed up business recovery and help businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic.

The loan guarantee program was expected to boost credit disbursement from banks to businesses, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said, adding that it would help spur economic activities and set the stage for economic recovery after three months of large-scale social restrictions.

We are hoping that the credit guarantee scheme will restore the risk appetite from both banks and firms so that it will boost economic activities, Sri Mulyani told reporters on Wednesday. We will use all of our policy instruments to improve the supply and demand sides.

To be eligible for the government program, labor-intensive firms are required to employ at least 300 individuals, prove that their activities have been affected by the pandemic and have a good track record in paying loans, according to the minister.

The government has struggled to keep the economic wheels turning since the virus outbreak forced businesses to close and banks to hold up their loans. The economy is expected to grow just 1 percent this year in a best-case scenario, or contract 0.4 percent at worst.

The government has allocated Rp 695.2 trillion toward strengthening the countrys pandemic response and boosting economic growth, including Rp 53.57 trillion for big business financing. The stimulus for big business includes a fund placement for labor-intensive debt restructuring and credit guarantee programs.

Indonesian Eximbank and state infrastructure guarantee fund PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur Indonesia (PII) would provide a sovereign guarantee for loans provided by banks to labor-intensive firms, Sri Mulyani said.

The government will pay 100 percent of credit insurance premiums for loans of up to Rp 300 billion and 50 percent of insurance premiums for loans between Rp 300 billion and Rp 1 trillion. The program is effective for one-year only and will use funds from the state budget.

The government will also guarantee 60 percent of working capital loans for non-priority sectors and 80 percent of working capital loans for priority sectors. Banks will guarantee 40 percent of loans for non-priority sectors and 20 percent of loans for priority sectors.

This will make banks more responsible for the loans and avoid moral hazards going forward, Sri Mulyani said, adding that the priority sectors for labor-intensive firms included tourism, the automotive industry, textiles and electronics.

Meanwhile, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) is planning to extend debt restructuring for businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, according to chairman Wimboh Santoso.

We expect that corporations will need a longer time to recover and therefore we may need to extend [the debt moratorium] program, Wimboh told reporters, adding that the OJK would decide by year-end over whether to extend the program to 2022.

Indonesian banks have restructured a total of Rp 776 trillion in loans as of Wednesday, according to OJK data, with the majority of debtors being micro, small and medium businesses.

Banks previously urged the OJK to extend its debt relief program by at least another year amid uncertainty regarding the end of the pandemic.
Moscow, 25 July 2020 (SPS) - Spain must honor its historical responsibilities by putting an end to the injustice committed against the Sahrawi people, said Russian media outlet Pravda, pointing out that the time has come to decolonize Africas last colony.



Columnist Luis Portillo Pasqual del Riquelma published in the Russian paper Pravda that Spain, like Portugal did in East Timor, must do the same in the case of Western Sahara, honoring its historical responsibilities and putting an end to the enormous injustice committed against the Sahrawi people.



Former professor of international economy at the Autonomous University of Madrid, affirmed in his article entitled Western Sahara must be decolonized now, that the time has come to decolonize this territory, as declared by those who have more power to do it, UN Secretary General , as well as Hans Corell, John Bolton, James Baker, Thabo Mbeki and others.



In his analysis, the expert said that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called, in his speech on the occasion of the opening of 2020 session of the UN Special Committee on Decolonization on 21 February, for the eradication of colonialism once and for all.



For Luis Portillo, there is no coercion for todays democratic Spain, a social State governed by the rule of law, to assume the heavy burden inherited from the last government of Franco dictatorship, pointing out that the Madrids tripartite agreements (1975) are ignominious, illegal and illegitimate, as recognized by Felipe Gonzalez himself-Secretary general of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) at the time- in his speech on the Sahrawi refugees camps of Tindouf on 14 November 1976, the first anniversary of the inking of agreements.



Because of their nature, content and their objectives, the tripartite agreements of Madrid constitute a blatant violation of the fundamental principle of the United Nations Charter: the peoples right to self-determination, he said. (SPS)



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WASHINGTON - Negotiations on a new coronavirus relief bill hit an impasse on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, leaving no clear path forward even as millions of Americans face a sudden drop in unemployment benefits and the economy teeters on the brink.

A meeting between top White House officials and Democratic leaders ended with no agreement on extending emergency unemployment benefits that expire on Friday, or on reviving a moratorium on evictions that lapsed last week. That means about 20 million jobless Americans will lose $600 weekly enhanced unemployment benefits that Congress approved in March, which could send the economy reeling.

After a day of meetings, all parties declared their differences all but irreconcilable. Democrats shot down the idea of a short-term fix for unemployment insurance and the eviction moratorium, which President Donald Trump had announced earlier Wednesday he would support. And the two parties remained far apart on a larger bill, with Democrats standing by their wide-ranging $3 trillion proposal even as Republicans struggled to coalesce around a $1 trillion bill released by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Monday.

Each side said the other was to blame for the shortcoming. Paying the price will be the unemployed at a moment of deep uncertainty and fear, with coronavirus cases spiking and states pulling back on reopening as deaths near 150,000 in the U.S. The talks could get back on track in coming days, but the signs on Wednesday were not promising.

"I don't know that there is another plan, other than: No deal," said White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. "Which will allow unemployment, enhanced unemployment, I might add, to expire. . . . No deal certainly becomes a greater possibility the longer these negotiations go."

Meadows offered his dour assessment as he headed into his third straight day of meetings with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., at the Capitol. He was no more upbeat when he came out.

"We are nowhere close to a deal," Meadows said.

Democrats echoed his pessimistic assessment while putting the blame on Republicans.

"Our Republican friends don't seem to come close to meeting the moment. . . . They've put us up against the wall. We have two cliffs, because they wouldn't negotiate for months," Schumer said.

"They're tied in a total knot because of the disunity in their caucus, because of their inability to gather votes, because the president says one thing one day, he says another thing the other day," Schumer added. "We want to come back and keep talking to them. But they don't have anything to say."

McConnell held out hope in an evening interview with PBS NewsHour, saying: "This is only Wednesday. So hope springs eternal that we'll reach some kind of agreement, either on a broad basis or a more narrow basis to avoid having an adverse impact on unemployment."

Earlier Wednesday, Trump had called for a quick fix to address the unemployment benefits and eviction moratorium, saying other issues could wait.

"The rest of it, we're so far apart, we don't care, we really don't care," Trump told reporters outside the White House, referring to divisions between the two parties.

But Democrats called that approach inadequate.

"We don't know why the Republicans come around here with a skinny bill, that does nothing to address really what's happening with the virus, and has a little of this and a little of that. We're not accepting that," Pelosi said. "We have to have the comprehensive full bill."

McConnell has not embraced the piecemeal approach either, insisting that any bill must include a five-year liability shield for businesses, health-care providers and others - a non-starter for Democrats.

More than 20 million Americans remain unemployed and have been receiving a $600 weekly emergency unemployment payment that Congress approved in March, on top of whatever benefit their state offers. That federal benefit runs out Friday.

Democrats want to extend the extra jobless payment at its current level. The Senate GOP bill released Monday proposes cutting it to $200 weekly until states can phase in a new system that would aim to replace 70% of a worker's wages before unemployment.

Underscoring the continued need, the head of the Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the rise of coronavirus cases since mid-June is weighing on the economy.

"On balance, it looks like the data are pointing to a slowing in the pace of the recovery," Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said during a news conference Wednesday. "I want to stress it's too early to say both how large that is and how sustained it will be."

Powell said funding from the $2 trillion Cares Act passed in March was key to keeping people in their homes and jobs. He pointed to the success of the small-business Paycheck Protection Program for getting money directly to businesses that could not necessarily have been saved through a Fed lending program.

"Lending is a particular tool, and we're using it very aggressively, but fiscal policy is essential here," Powell said. "As I've said, more will be needed from all of us, and I see Congress is negotiating now over a new package, and I think that's a good thing."

But the negotiations are not going well. Democrats want to spend three times more than Republicans on the overall bill, expected to be Congress's last major coronavirus relief bill before the November elections. They also are insisting on a new round of state and local aid, which was excluded from the GOP bill.

Some Republicans do not want to spend more money, and there are deep divisions over the $1 trillion bill McConnell released Monday, which proposes to send a new round of $1,200 stimulus checks to individual Americans and inject more money into the Paycheck Protection Program, among other provisions.

McConnell said in his PBS interview that there are about 20 GOP senators who would prefer to take no additional action because of deficit concerns.

A number of Republican senators signaled Wednesday they were open to some kind of short-term, stand-alone deal - but also said there was no clarity on what that might actually entail, or on much of anything at all.

"There's no consensus on anything," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters twice after a closed-door lunch with Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. He described this as "A normal part of the catharsis that goes with actually getting to the solution," while noting: "We're far away right now."

McConnell is leaving negotiations with Democrats to Trump administration officials. The whole process has been overtaken by increasingly bitter partisanship, which was on display on the Senate floor Wednesday as McConnell and Schumer traded insults.

McConnell accused Democrats of adopting a "completely unhinged position" in insisting on continuing the $600 weekly emergency unemployment benefits. Republicans say such generous payments act as a disincentive for people to return to the workforce since in many cases they can make more on unemployment.

Referring to Pelosi, McConnell said, "She'll just refuse to legislate until the election and wish American families good luck dealing with the pandemic."

Schumer denounced those comments in his own floor speech a short time later.

"This absurd, nasty insinuation by the Republican leader doesn't pass the laugh test," Schumer said.

As time runs out on the expanded jobless benefit, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has started crafting an alternative unemployment insurance proposal, according to an official familiar with the draft.

The plan would allow states to choose one of two options, the official said: either a jobless benefit supplement that amounts to 80% of the initial wage, or a sliding scale that would amount to an additional $500 per week in August, $400 per week in September and $300 per week in October. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a plan that was still being drafted.

Trump's push for an extension of the eviction moratorium came even though the GOP legislation released by McConnell did not include it. The eviction moratorium provision, which was passed as part of the Cares Act in March, shielded 12 million renters nationwide from eviction - but it expired Friday. House Democrats have pushed for it to be extended.

Larry Kudlow, the president's top economic adviser, suggested Sunday that the administration would back extending the moratorium. He then clarified Monday on Fox News that the administration was pushing an extension in forbearance for homeowners - allowing them to delay payments on their mortgages - but that the administration was still studying the eviction moratorium. That measure prevented renters from being evicted from properties with mortgages backed by the federal government.

Trump also said Wednesday that he would continue to demand nearly $1.8 billion for a new FBI building at its present site, near his hotel in downtown Washington.

McConnell and other Republicans have said they oppose inclusion of the FBI headquarters provision.

"Then Republicans should go back to school and learn. They need a new building . . . and we can do it very easily," Trump said.

Congress passed four bipartisan bills in March and April, injecting about $3 trillion into the economy as the coronavirus began its deadly and economically devastating march across the country. At the time lawmakers hoped the pandemic would die down; instead it's been spiking in many places.

- - -

The Washington Post's Rachel Siegel and Paul Kane contributed to this report
Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, a.k.a. El Mencho, the leader of Mexicos fastest-growing drug cartel, has allegedly built his own private hospital in order to avoid having to treat his illnesses at other, less secure healthcare facilities.

El Mencho, under whose leadership the Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel (CJNG) became the most prominent criminal organization in Mexico, reportedly suffers from kidney failure and other serious illnesses that require constant medical care. Unlike most drug kingpins, who usually keep doctors on their payrolls in order to avoid going to hospitals where they could be arrested or killed by police, El Mencho decided to go one step further. Because his serious kidney condition means he cant have it treated in one of his many mountain hideouts across Jalisco, he allegedly decided to build his own hospital.

According to intelligence reports obtained by Mexican newspaper El Universal, El Menchos state-of-the-art private hospital is located in El Alchihuatl, a small community of around 200 people, located 50 kilometres from the town of Villa Purificacion. Its not the kind of place you would expect to find a modern hospital, but it has the advantage of being a CJNG stronghold. The clinic is a white building, fully equipped, on the orders of Oseguera Cervantes, for the drug lord himself, his men and the locals.

Under El Menchos leadership, the Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel grew into one of the strongest criminal organizations in Mexico, and it has become even stronger in recent months, by taking advantage of the pandemic. CJNG have reportedly been handing out groceries and various other resources to impoverished people in order to boost its influence in Mexican states like Zacatecas, Veracruz and Guanajuato. However, El Mencho himself is a very mysterious figure.

Hes very secretive. He does not show himself, Chris Dalby, an organized crime expert, told The Guardian. Hes not a man of the people like El Chapo, who cultivated that cult of personality, who was seen engaging with people, a little bit like Pablo Escobar. Hes part of an evolution of drug kingpins who want to keep themselves in the shadows.

That doesnt make him any less dangerous, though. In fact, the DEA has made catching El Mencho a priority, going as far as offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the 54-year-olds capture.
Malaysia's former leader, Najib Razak, was jailed for 12 years yesterday after being found guilty of corruption.

It was the first trial over a huge financial scandal at state fund 1MDB that stretched to the Gulf states and Hollywood.

In a case widely seen as a test of the nation's resolve to stamp out corruption, high court judge Mohamad Nazlan Mohamad Ghazali imposed the 12-year sentence and fined Najib 210m ringgit (42m) on a charge of abuse of power.

Najib (67) was also jailed for 10 years, to run concurrently, on each of three charges of criminal breach of trust and three of money laundering for illegally receiving 8.5m from SRC International, a former unit of the state fund.

The judge allowed a request by Najib's lawyers to delay the jail sentence and the financial penalty, but asked Najib to post additional bail and report to a police station twice a month.

Najib had pleaded not guilty, and said he would appeal the verdict in Malaysia's Federal Court if convicted.

The verdict could potentially be partially or fully overturned by the higher court on appeal, though that could take years.

The sum involved in the SRC case is a fraction of the funds Najib is alleged to have misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Prosecutors say more than 852m of 1MDB funds made its way into Najib's personal accounts. He led the country for almost a decade before losing the 2018 election.

Malaysian authorities say a total of 3.8bn is believed to have been stolen from 1MDB, a fund Najib founded to promote economic development, and used by his associates to buy art, a superyacht and fund the 'Wolf of Wall Street' movie.

Prosecutors also said 23m was spent on a pink diamond necklace for Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, and some of the money went into warchests for his election campaigns.

Former US attorney-general Jeff Sessions described the scandal as kleptocracy at its worst.

Allegations of corruption over 1MDB have hung over Najib for more than five years. But the criminal charges came only after his election defeat in 2018 when his successor Mahathir Mohamad reopened investigations.

Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with Singapore's Institute of International Affairs, said the verdict was significant.

"It is the first time a prime minister has been convicted of essentially corruption-related charges and testifies to the level of corruption in Malaysia," he said. While the Federal Court could overturn the verdict, he noted the judge was "extremely thorough in his analysis and reasoning for grounds of judgment".
Delhi is all set to receive medium to high rains over the next 24 hours with the intensity increasing overnight in a welcome relief from humidity to the residents. Several parts of the city have received moderate rains on Wednesday and this current spell is going to last till August 1, according to the weather department. The current bout of rains in the capital and adjoining areas has been brought by the monsoon trough passing close to the city.

Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will receive rains today and it will increase during the night. Delhi is likely to receive medium to high intensity rainfall, RK Jenamani, a senior scientist with the Indian meteorological department was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Wednesday had been beneficent for the capital on the rain front, with parts of south and north Delhi receiving moderate rains. According to the New Delhi-Safdarjung weather forecasting station, the areas covered by the station will receive heavy rains on Wednesday and Thursday with the skies remaining cloudy. On Friday and Saturday, the weather will take a slight turn with the city witnessing thunderstorms with rain and on Sunday the residents can expect either rains or thunderstorms.

Also Read: Several parts of Delhi receive monsoon showers

A senior IMD official has explained the reason behind the current spell.

The monsoon trough is passing along Ferozepur, Hisar, Gurugram, Daltonganj, Dumka, and parts of Nagaland. Since the trough is passing very close to Delhi it is bringing a lot of rain in the national capital. There is moisture incursion both from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC).

He added that during this period, southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea and easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal will reach Haryana, Delhi-NCR, west Uttar Pradesh and northeast Rajasthan.

Under the influence of these systems, heavy to very heavy rainfall will occur over these areas, he said

Also Read:Kerala to receive heavy rainfall; yellow, orange alert issued across several districts

The national capital experienced humidity without any rain on Tuesday. The Safdarjung weather observatory, which provides representative figures for the city, recorded a maximum temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal. Humidity levels shot up to 95 percent, causing inconvenience to residents.

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A federal grand jury has indicted a couple in the case of a little girl who went missing from a birthday party last year and was found dead in a dumpster ten days later with high levels of meth and sedatives in her systems.

Patrick Devone Stallworth, 40, and Derick Irisha Brown aka Quentesa Jackson, 29, were each indicted with one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap a minor victim.

Both have already been formally charged in state court with capital murder of a child under age 14 over the death of Kamille 'Cupcake' McKinney.

However prosecutors also pursued the federal route in hope that proving the kidnapping resulting in McKinney's death would also get them minimum life sentence or death.

Both have blamed each other for the events that transpired last October in Birmingham, Alabama.

The indictments filed in U.S. District Court on Wednesday could mean life in prison or death sentences for the pair if it's proven that the child's death resulted from the charges alleged in the indictments.

They had already been charged with capital murder in the case of Kamille 'Cupcake' McKinney's death in October 2019

Patrick Devone Stallworth (left), 40, and Derick Irisha Brown (right), 29, were each indicted with one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap a minor

McKinney was initially reported missing after she disappeared from a birthday party at a playground on October 12.

Investigators say they suspected Stallworth and Brown within 24 hours of McKinney's abduction.

Last December a two-and-a-half hour testimony from homicide Det. Jonathan Ross brought forward information as he chronicled the suspects' actions leading up to McKinney's death.

Homicide detective Ross testified that Stallworth previously purchased $81.91 worth of candy at a Shell Station near Tom Brown Village, the same housing location where McKinney lived.

Phone records show Stallworth was near Tom Brown Village at the time of McKinney's abduction.

Testimony also showed Stallworth purchasing an energy drink and an erectile dysfunction pill at a convenience store near his home on the night of the abduction.

McKinney (pictured) went missing from a birthday party in Birmingham, Alabama, on October 12

Surveillance footage at a convenience store showed Stallworth purchasing candy before he allegedly attempted to give it away to children

Minutes after buying the candy, two preteen girls were leaving cheerleading practice at Hayes K-8 school when the couple approached them in a blue SUV, Ross said.

One of the girls, aged 11, said Stallworth told her, 'I'm looking for a girl that looks like you,' and offered them candy. Ross said a 10-year-old boy told him that McKinney got into the car with the couple and that she was crying.

After hearing the preteens incident leaving cheer practice, detectives began to visit businesses around Tom Brown Village in hopes of finding additional security footage.

The Shell Station provided footage of the blue Toyota Sequioa that belonged to Stallworth and photos of Stallworth entering the store around noon.

The suspects were arrested two days after the child went missing, for unrelated charges, with Stallworth charged with seven counts of possession of child pornography after investigators found multiple photos on his phone - none of which were McKinney.

Brown was charged with violating probation conditions from a previous kidnapping case involving her own children.

Authorities previously released surveillance images of a male suspect and the SUV they were believed to be traveling in. Cops confirmed they recovered this Toyota Sequioa

Birmingham police homicide Detective Ross testified during a hearing that Brown told police she saw her boyfriend, Patrick Stallworth, forcing the child to perform oral sex on him at their Center Point apartment.

She claimed she went to sleep and when she woke the next morning and asked about where the child was, he told her she was high.

Ross said Brown said she later saw Stallworth leave the apartment with a trash bag.

TIMELINE OF KAMILLE'S DISAPPEARANCE October 12, 2019 - Kamille 'Cupcake' McKinney is reported missing from a birthday party at a playground in Birmingham at 8.30pm October 14 - Patrick Devone Stallworth, 39, and his 29-year-old girlfriend, Derick Irisha Brown, are arrested on unrelated charges and named as persons of interest in Kamille's disappearance October 18 - Police release surveillance video from the night Kamille was abducted, which showed a man approaching her at a park near the Tom Brown public housing projects before he walked off with her October 22 - Police announce that Kamille's remains were found in a trash bin at a landfill near where the three-year-old was taken October 24 - Police formally charge Stallworth and Brown with capital murder of a child under age 14 July 29, 2020 - A federal grand jury indicts Stallworth and Brown on conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping resulting in the death of a minor victim Advertisement

Brown gave investigators hints about where McKinney's remains were located, leading authorities to discovering her body in a dumpster.

Both Stallworth and Brown have maintained their innocence, with Stallworth telling a judge he doesn't understand why he's being charged in the slaying 'of this child.'

During testimony, Stallworth told investigators he had no involvement in McKinney's death and Brown was solely responsible for the horrific crime.

He alleges that he lied about his knowledge of the incident because of his love for Brown.

AL.com previously reported that Ross said Stallworth admitted to seeing McKinney for the first time on the night of her abduction.

Stallworth claims he walked into the couple's apartment to find Brown sitting with McKinney on the couch.

He reportedly told Brown, 'That's not your child,' to which the woman said she wanted to 'keep' the young child.

Brown then suggested that Stallworth 'do something sexual to the child' before he refused and went outside to smoke a cigarette, Ross said.

During this time Brown had removed the child's clothes and hair bows to give her a bath.

Later, Stallworth alleged seeing Brown 'put her hands over Cupcake's nose and mouth' when McKinney was asleep.

An inmate at the same jail as Stallworth claimed he admitted he 'accidentally killed the baby'.

Testimony showed that investigators removed a plastic mattress covering from the couple's living room that had blood stains in several places.

Lab testing revealed that the blood had mixed traces of DNA belonging to Stallworth, Brown and McKinney.

DNA from Stallworth showed up under the child's fingernails. Officers said that while Stallworth was in custody he had scratches on his chest.

Stallworth's attorney pointed out that McKinney had been swabbed for DNA and medical staff found no sign of sexual assault.

Stallworth (right) told investigators that he saw McKinney for the first time in the couple's apartment after Brown (left) allegedly brought the girl home

However, the condition of McKinney's body after it was found by authorities made it difficult to if anything sexual had been done to the child.

The child's cause of death was asphyxiation by suffocation. The toddler had toxic levels of methamphetamine and the anti-depressant Trazodone in her body. Stallworth had a prescription for Trazodone but he claimed Brown was stealing his pills and taking them with meth.

Kamille 'Cupcake' McKinney (pictured) ingested methamphetamine and Trazodone, according to autopsy reports

Stallworth and Brown have been charged with capital murder of a child under age 14.

But prosecutors have also pursued the federal kidnapping charges in hope of securing a minimum life sentence or death.

'The kidnapping of a child is one of a parent's biggest fears.' First Assistant United States Attorney Lloyd C. Peeples said.

'Despite their best efforts, federal, state, and local law enforcement were not able to bring the three-year-old victim home to her family. However, we hope that today's charges will be a step towards bringing justice for her and her family.'

'Again, if we prove death resulted from the kidnapping, which shouldn't be a hard thing to prove, if we do that then they will get a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole. Hopefully we'll be able to bring justice to the family.'

'This case is an excellent example of the seamless cooperation and coordination by federal agencies and our state and local partners,' U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona said. 'Federal law enforcement stands ready to assist whenever our help is needed.'
The Healthcare Insights July 2020 Edition Our management team and advisory board is dedicated to launching the next great genomic companies.

Murrieta Genomics was recently named as a company to watch by The Healthcare Insights, a medical publication that discusses developments in medical technology and treatment for better global health in its July 2020 issue.

Murrieta Genomics was selected as "The Most Influential HealthTech Company to Watch in Genomics Solutions" vertical due to the valuable contributions the company is making in this niche. For a digital copy of the story, click here.

It is a great honor to be selected by The Healthcare Insights team, stated Jay Goth, CEO of Murrieta Genomics. We are a young company but making strides in impacting the genomic space by offering startups in this industry the sequencing and sector knowledge they need to develop their proof of concept. Our management team and advisory board is dedicated to launching the next great genomic companies.

The print magazine reaches out to over 72,000 subscribers across the United States and Canada. The magazines mission is to help readers identify the companies that are bringing reliable and innovative solutions to the healthcare sector.

The July issue features the 20 Most Advanced Healthcare Tech Companies to Watch in 2020 that have pushed the envelope of the healthcare industry with their inspiring ideas and advanced health care solutions.

The magazine contains thought-leadership articles and insights of healthcare experts, doctors, directors of research and development about the advancements in the healthcare sector over the past few years. Subscribers include CIOs, CTOs, Chief Scientific Officers, VPs for Manufacturing/Clinical Research/Clinical Trials/Drug Discovery, Head of Clinical Research, and other technology buyers and leaders.

About Murrieta Genomics

Murrieta Genomics provides access to next generation sequencing technology for researchers in the health, veterinary, agriculture, forensics and direct to consumer industries. The company is a true business incubator, offering mentorship and guidance from both the scientific and business perspective to aspiring genomic-related entrepreneurs. The founders of Murrieta Genomics have extensive background in business, finance, science and technology. They are supplemented with a prestigious advisory board from both business and science. The company provides Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) services, hands-on consulting, review, appraisal and guidance. In addition, it provides help with company value propositions and potential seed funding support to qualified incubator graduates. For more information visit http://www.murrietagenomics.com.

Murrieta Genomics is part of the Murrieta Innovation Center, a RESI Tech Hub dedicated to supporting life science companies. The Innovation Center has medical device, therapeutic, software, clinical research and of course genomic companies that are working hard to advance new ideas and innovations that can impact the world in a positive way. The Center is also a resource for all types of local startup companies, offering services and workshops from a local SBDC, several veteran organizations, a SCORE branch and more.


Chinese Vice Premier of the State Council Liu He on Tuesday called for China and the European Union to work hand-in-hand to promote economic recovery and multilateralism.

Liu, also member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, co-chaired the 8th China-EU High-level Economic and Trade Dialogue via video link with Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis.

The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions under the theme of "Post-COVID-19 China-EU Cooperation, Promote Steady Recovery and Growth for Global Economy", covering topics including joint response to coronavirus and global economic governance issues, bilateral trade and investment concerns, WTO reform, digital economy and cooperation in the area of financial services and taxation, as a follow up to discussions in the EU-China Summit on June 22.

The two sides have reached some consensus through the dialogue.

Liu said that COVID-19 pandemic is a common challenge for human society. As the world's two major economies, China and Europe's promotion of global unity in fighting the pandemic and economic recovery, and jointly safeguarding multilateralism and the free trade system, is beneficial to China and Europe and good for the whole world.

Dombrovskis said that the EU and China are important partners, and it is in the common interest to promote the development of EU-China relations.

Both sides agreed to strengthen mutual understanding, create certainty amidst uncertainties, enhance market confidence, and jointly promote China-EU economic and trade cooperation in the post-epidemic era to a new level.

The China-EU High-level Economic and Trade Dialogue is a mechanism for dialogue between China and the EU to communicate and coordinate economic and trade policies.

Since its inception in 2007, it has been held seven times and has played an instrumental role in strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation and dealing with mutual concerns.

This year's dialogue bears even greater significance, as it marks the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and the EU in the face of a world economy clobbered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington: Russia plans to register a coronavirus vaccine by August 10-12, clearing the way for what its backers say would be the world's first official approval of an inoculation against the epidemic.

The drug developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute and the Russian Direct Investment Fund may be approved for civilian use within three to seven days of registration by regulators, according to a person familiar with the process, who asked not to be identified because the information isn't public.

Russia claims to have a coronavirus vaccine. Credit:AP

The Gamaleya vaccine is expected to get conditional registration in August, meaning it will still need to conduct trials on another 1600 people, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said in a televised meeting of officials with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.

Production should begin in September, she said.
Westpac has tapped banking tech veteran Scott Collary to lead its recently formed Group Operating Office, which brings together technology and operations.

Its the latest in a string of executive appointments by the banks CEO Peter King, who noted that Collarys extensive financial services experience made him the best hire for the job.

He has a proven track record of delivering large-scale transformation programs at major international banks that improve operating and technology performance, King said in a statement.

Collary has spent the past two years with Canadas Bank of Montreal, where he had responsibility for its North American personal and business banking, private wealth and global asset management divisions.

Previously he held senior tech roles with ANZ and Citigroup, following an extensive career with Bank of America and Fifth Third Bank.

Collary will lead Westpacs technology team  taking over from outgoing CIO Craig Bright  as well as the operations team, previously overseen by acting CFO, Gary Thursby, who King revealed today plans to leave Westpac next year.

A 13-year veteran at the bank, Thursby is credited with having developed Westpacs fintech investment strategy, as well as overseeing its implementation of open banking.

Thursby will act as CIO from September 25 when Mr Bright departs, before handing over to Collary upon his commencement later in the year.

King noted it has been a specific focus of his to bring tech and operations together in order to simplify the business.

Bringing group operations and group technology into a single division will help us to continue to drive our technology transformation agenda and accelerate work on simplifying our processes, he said.
Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday sent back Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's third proposal demanding a session of the Legislative Assembly amid the ongoing political crisis in the state.

Gehlot, after the proposal was returned, went to meet Mishra at Raj Bhawan. "Rajasthan Governor has returned the proposal for calling an Assembly session for the third time. I am going to meet him to know what he wants," Gehlot told reporters.

Mishra had earlier clarified that Raj Bhavan had never intended "not to call" the assembly session and asked the Ashok Gehlot government to deliberate on three points including a 21-day notice period for convening a session and maintaining social distancing norms.

He had said the statements from the state government make it clear that it wants to bring a trust vote but there is no mention of it in the proposal sent for convening the session.

"In case, confidence motion is moved in the assembly then proceedings should be done in the presence of chief secretary, parliamentary affairs department. The proceedings should be recorded and the trust vote should be carried out with a button," Mishra had said in a statement, which also added that the proceedings should be telecasted live.

Gehlot had last week accused the Governor of not calling the Assembly session due to "pressure from the top".

He had said the Congress party will approach the president and, if required, will stage a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence over the political situation in the state.

Rajasthan Congress is in turmoil after simmering differences between Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was removed as the Deputy Chief Minister and the state unit chief of Congress. The Congress has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of indulging in horse-trading to bring down the Gehlot government. The BJP has rejected the allegations.
Air Force One is bringing President Donald Trump to Midland today for his 16th visit to Texas since he took office.

He will be visiting West Texas to highlight how his policies of reducing regulations, streamlining the permitting process and incentivizing private investment in infrastructure have helped make the U.S. the worlds leading producer of oil and natural gas, senior administration officials told local media ahead of the visit.

Those officials said the president is very fond of Texas, saying the states spirit of independence, innovation and entrepreneurship has stood for what hes trying to do.

While in West Texas, the president will visit a drilling rig working for Double Eagle Energy out in Midland County.

Were very excited, Cody Campbell, co-chief executive officer, told the Reporter-Telegram in a phone interview.

He has been a great supporter of the industry, and he understands the importance of oil and gas to the country, he said.

The administration officials lauded Double Eagle as reflecting a boot strap story of two individuals with little to their names who started an incredibly successful company that employs 150 directly and thousands indirectly across the Permian Basin.

Campbell said that when the company first started, we had no office, no money. We figured it out and took a lot of risks. This is a great country and a great industry. Were proud of what weve done.

Kirk Edwards, president of Latigo Petroleum, told the Reporter-Telegram in a phone interview, Its exciting to have the president come and let us educate him on how critical we are to national security.

Let him see the importance of the people here and what we do here, Edwards said.

The president will address about 200 members of the community, oil and gas industry representatives and oil workers while touring the rig, administration officials said.

He has seen and felt the pain felt by the industry amid the price collapse caused by COVID-19, one of the officials said. He knows the energy industry will contribute to the economic recovery and he will continue to support the industry.

Trump is aware that the industry has been through hard times with the pandemic, but innovation and entrepreneurship will lead the industry back to new heights going forward, one of the officials said.

The Permian Basin is vital to restoring the nations economy by providing reliable, affordable energy, they said.

Thanks to the nations unconventional shale production  largely in the Permian Basin, they said energy prices have declined 63 percent, wholesale electric costs have fallen 45 percent and consumers have saved $203 billion annually in energy costs. That benefits the poorest households, which pay up to 6.8 percent of their income for energy.

The resulting savings disproportionately benefit the poorest households, one of the officials said.

Aging infrastructure, burdensome permitting processes and regulatory overreach have inhibited the industrys ability to operate, and through the presidents actions in reducing regulations, streamlining the permitting process, cutting taxes and other aggressive moves, manufacturing has been revived, energy production ha growth and private investment in infrastructure has increased, officials said.
I think particularly for members of Congress who are going back and forth, they represent sort of the perfect petri dish for how you spread a disease, said GOP Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. You send 535 people out to 535 different locations, on about 1,000 different airplanes, and bring them back and see what happens. It seems to me theres a better path forward.
Egypts weather is expected to see higher temperatures during Eid Al-Adha holiday, slated from Thursday to Monday, reported the state-run MENA news agency.

Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) experts expect a slight rise in temperatures ranging from two to three degrees Celsius, leading to warm and humid temperatures in the north and extremely hot temperatures in the south.

Light rain of around 40 to 50 percent is also expected in various regions, including southern Upper Egypt, the Red Sea, and South Sinai, accompanied by sand and dust-filled wind that will result in disruptions of maritime navigation in the Gulf of Suez.

Eid Al-Adha is the second of two major annual religious holidays celebrated by Muslims globally.
(Reuters) - Oregon's governor on Wednesday said federal tactical police had agreed to withdraw from Portland, though U.S. officials said agents would stay until conditions improved after weeks of clashes with protesters.

Governor Kate Brown said Vice President Mike Pence agreed to a "phased" end to the deployment that has sparked a standoff between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic mayors over the use of federal police in their cities.

Under the plan, all Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents protecting a federal courthouse will start to leave downtown Portland on Thursday, Brown said in a statement. The head of U.S. Homeland Security said agents would stay near the courthouse until they were sure the plan was working.

During the federal presence in Portland, one protester was nearly killed by a rubber bullet, two officers were likely blinded permanently by protesters using lasers, and activists were snatched off the street and whisked away by agents in minivans.

"They have acted as an occupying force & brought violence," Brown, a Democrat who has clashed with Trump, wrote on Twitter.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, who oversees CBP and ICE, said Oregon State Police would secure a perimeter outside the courthouse and be positioned inside the courthouse grounds with regular federal police.

On a call with reporters, Wolf declined to provide a timeline for tactical agents to leave the city, saying they would remain in Portland on standby to defend the courthouse if Oregon State Police were overwhelmed.

The deal came after suburban mothers, veterans and healthcare workers joined anti-racism demonstrations to oppose the federal intervention. The arrival of these so-called white allies changed the optics of Black Lives Matter protests previously dominated by black-clad activists facing off against police in camoflage.

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"The more the feds are out there, the more attention that's going to grab, and obviously Trump didn't think this through when he did this," said Najee Gow, 22, a Black protest leader.

Separately, the government announced a deployment of federal agents to Cleveland, Milwaukee and Detroit to curtail a surge of violent crime. Some mayors said they were willing to accept the help, while others expressed worries that the Republican president's motives might be election-year politics.

Trump, seeking re-election in November, has sought to crack down on protests to highlight his focus on law and order amid demonstrations and unrest after the May 25 killing of a Black man, George Floyd, by Minneapolis police.

The federal government presence in Portland drew criticism from Democrats and civil liberties groups who alleged excessive force and federal overreach by Trump.

Solidarity protests spread over the weekend to other U.S. cities, prompting complaints by Democratic mayors that federal deployments were escalating tensions across the country.

Separately, the Justice Department said it would send dozens of law enforcement officials to Cleveland, Milwaukee and Detroit, following similar deployments to Chicago, Kansas City, Missouri; and Albuquerque, New Mexico earlier this month.

Distinct from the operation in Portland to secure the federal courthouse, these initiatives are being made under what is known as Operation Legend, a plan launched to address spikes in violent crimes like murders, which have risen by nearly 31 percent in Detroit from 2019.

Matthew Schneider, the chief federal prosecutor in the part of Michigan that includes Detroit, told a briefing on Wednesday that there would be "no federal troops" deployed to his state to interfere with peaceful protests.

"Operation Legend isn't about protests or politics," Schneider said.

The operation's expansion includes sending 42 federal agents to Detroit and more than 25 to both Milwaukee and Cleveland. The agents will come from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Alexandra Alper, Ted Hesson, Gabriella Borter and Nathan Layne, Deborah Bloom and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Alistair Bell and David Gregorio)
So much for Southern hospitality.

This fall, Tennessee will say goodbye to retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander, one of the last of the genteel Republican moderates in the chamber. And the race to replace him has turned into perhaps the ugliest Republican primary in the country  with spurious super PAC attacks, Mitt Romney being invoked as a slur and President Donald Trump lining up on opposite sides as Sen. Ted Cruz.

The race was never supposed to be competitive: The Trump-backed candidate, Bill Hagerty  who served as the presidents ambassador to Japan  was on a glide path. Trump endorsed Hagerty before he even left Tokyo or entered the race. But as the contest has tightened in the run-up to the Aug. 6 election, Hagerty's main opponent, Manny Sethi, has found traction by claiming to be the true, unapologetic Trumpian conservative in the race  while blasting Hagerty as a squishy, Mitt Romney-loving phony.

Hagerty largely ignored Sethi most of the race  seemingly confident of his lead which his internal polls had at 17 points  until earlier this month, when he abruptly went on the offensive. His recent campaign speeches and interviews are chock-full of attack lines. His campaign has dubiously accused Sethi of donating money to a group "bankrolling these rioters" in an ad with a wounded veteran telling voters that Sethi can't be trusted to defend the flag.

And Hagerty has been repeatedly mispronouncing Sethi's name as "Set-ee" instead of "Seth-ee" a year into the race, even in response to reporter questions with the correct pronunciation. Hagerty told POLITICO it was inadvertent, and he didn't know which pronunciation Sethi, the son of Indian immigrants, prefers.

Bill Hagerty is Thurston Howell III without the charm," said Jordan Gehrke, Sethi's senior strategist, comparing Hagerty to the out-of-touch millionaire in the '60s-era sitcom "Gilligan's Island." "Hes desperate. He should be. Sethi's own internal poll released earlier this month showed the race within 2 points.

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Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), who endorsed Hagerty, shot back that Sethis recent attacks were fiction. I think its despair, he said.

FILE - In this March 15, 2018, file photo, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., arrives for a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Republican incumbents Fleischmann and Phil Roe easily won their primaries on Thursday, as they seek a return to their U.S. House seats for another two years. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The outcome almost certainly has no bearing on the makeup of the Senate, with Republicans strongly favored to retain the seat in November. But the battle is a window into the changing nature of the Republican Party, in which economic populism is in vogue, and race and identity have been thrust to the fore.

Many ambitious Republicans eager to position themselves as future leaders of the party have picked sides. Last week, Cruz endorsed Sethi, joining Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. Two other 2024 presidential prospects, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, have lined up behind Hagerty, with Cotton's super PAC set to make its first 2020 expenditure to attack Sethi.

The brawl between the two candidates escalated when Sethi went after Hagerty over his support of Romney in 2008 and 2012, branding him as a "Mitt Romney Republican"  scarlet letters in Trumps GOP.

Since then, the race has devolved into a gnarly thicket of misleading attacks: Sethi's campaign is running an ad that claims Hagerty is endorsed by Mitt Romney, even though the Utah senator hasn't endorsed and Hagerty has denounced him aggressively on the trail. Hagerty's team has accused Sethi of donating money to a group supporting the rioters, a distortion of a $50 contribution in 2008 Sethi made to a Democratic congressional candidate in Virginia that was processed by ActBlue, a party-aligned payment platform that has been used recently by Black Lives Matter-linked groups and other protestors.

Hagerty, a former private equity executive and Jeb Bush delegate, was the sort of business-first conservative who donated to both Al Gore and George W. Bush in 2000, mirroring some of Trump's political donating habits before his presidential run. But in 2020, he has run on a message tailored for the Trump era, telling POLITICO that Black Lives Matter is an anti-Semitic and Marxist organization thats calling for the removal of the images of Jesus Christ. In a recent direct-to-camera ad, Hagerty declared: "Burn our flag or destroy a monument, you go to prison." He's leaning heavily on Trump's endorsement, which came in a presidential tweet.

I think the very first issue is supporting President Trump, Hagerty said. That's the big issue here in Tennessee. Folks in Tennessee want a candidate that's going to support  they want a senator that's going to support President Trump and his agenda.

Sethi, a physician and political newcomer, has used $1.9 million of his own wealth to amplify his message bashing the economic lockdowns and racial justice protests. Church with too many people is a crime. Thousands of people protesting is not, went one viral ad. You got a problem with any of that? Youre a racist, and you want to kill Grandma.

Hagerty has fought back with his own barrage of ads, taking loans of at least $6.5 million to fund his campaign, according to FEC records.

They have both continued in-person campaigning during the coronavirus pandemic even as many campaigns have retreated. Masks are provided and encouraged but not required at Sethi's events, many of which were packed indoors this past weekend. We try to encourage social distancing  but when your crowds are growing and growing, it becomes more challenging, Sethi told POLITICO.

Sethi has drawn attention for his unapologetic and provocative TV ads that try to ride a conservative backlash to the recent Black Lives Matter protests. One accused liberals of not really caring about Black lives because Planned Parenthood places clinics near minority communities, and asking voters if they are sick of liberals saying watching American cities get ripped apart is a chance for you to examine your privilege.

While Hagerty has brandished his Trump endorsement, Sethi has pounded him for his links to Romney. Hagerty worked with Romney in private equity and served on both of his presidential campaigns, including as national finance chair in 2008. He defends his 2012 work as an effort to defeat Barack Obama, whom he calls the worst president of his lifetime, but condemns the Utah senator's recent politics.

Hagerty's response suggests Romney, who preceded Trump as the GOP's presidential nominee, has now become toxic in Republican primary politics. Hagerty frequently bashes him on the trail and told POLITICO that Romneys disagreements with Trump negatively impacted his own job as ambassador. Unprompted, he also called Romney irresponsible for marching with Black Lives Matter protesters recently.

Sethi was unconvinced.

I just think someone like that really has no place in the Republican Party anymore, and Bill Hagerty represents that, said Sethi. Now hes trying to hide it.

Romney hasnt officially endorsed Hagerty or weighed in on his behalf, other than saying he would "love it" if Hagerty entered the race last year, according to the Wall Street Journal .

Jack Johnson, the GOP leader in the state Senate who endorsed Hagerty, said if anyone would be concerned about his past relationship with Romney, it would be Trump himself.

I think he's convinced that any past support or relationship with Mitt Romney is water under the bridge and not really relevant right now because he's obviously 100 percent supporting President Trump, and vice versa, Johnson said.

Tom Ingram, a former Alexander chief of staff, said that even with declining national approval ratings, Tennessee is still a Trump  all caps, underlined, italicized  state, and Romney is a frontline Trump enemy. In large part because of the presidents endorsement, Ingram added that I think it would be a pretty stunning upset if Hagerty lost.

Hagerty has support from more than a dozen senators and has long-held relationships with Tennessee Republican officials stretching back years, both before and after he served as a top adviser to former Gov. Bill Haslam. Dozens of current and former members of the state legislature endorsed him alongside the president and his allies. Hagerty also rolled out endorsements from Vice President Mike Pence and Fox News host Sean Hannity in the closing stretch of the race.

As with most other Republican primaries across the country this year, support for  and from  Trump has been central, although a few of his endorsed candidates have lost in recent primaries.

Fleischmann, who has endorsed Hagerty, said Trumps backing was golden, and that the president discussed Hagerty and the race with him multiple times last year. Trump keeps regular contact with Hagerty: They spoke by phone last week, and the president held a tele-conference with Hagerty the week before to rally supporters ahead of early voting. Youve got a real primary here, and the other side is spending a lot of money. But Bill is somebody that will never, ever let you down, Trump said, adding that Hagerty was one of my earliest supporters, despite his support for other primary candidates in 2016.

Hagertys campaign publicly shrugged off the challenge at first  from Sethi and another self-funder, perennial candidate George Flinn  and released an internal poll earlier this month showing them up 17 points. But last week, the Hagerty campaign abruptly shifted gears and began pounding Sethi as Massachusetts Manny and trying to tie him to Obama because he applied for a nonpartisan White House fellowship in 2009.

On mispronouncing Sethis last name on the stump, Hagerty says the slight is unintentional.

I'm just not sure what his preferred pronunciation is, but there's nothing underlying it, Hagerty said.

How many years of higher education at Vanderbilt does it take to properly pronounce a last name?, Jeri Thompson, the wife of the late Tennessee senator Fred Thompson who has endorsed Sethi, shot back. For shame, Ambassador Hagerty.

Asked if he thought Hagerty was deliberately mispronouncing his name to make him sound more foreign, Sethi said, I think that [voters] can make that judgment for themselves.

The attacks have trickled down to the staff level. Hagertys campaign has bought Facebook ads hitting Sethis campaign manager and top consultant for calling Trump a Manchurian candidate and a short-fingered vulgarian during the 2016 Republican primary. Primaries are messy, said Chris Devaney, Sethis campaign chairman. Fact is, Manny supported President Trump in the primary, while Hagerty was supporting Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio.

The winner of the primary will likely face Democrat James Mackler, an Army veteran and attorney, in the general election. Like many Democrats, Mackler hit both GOP candidates for holding events during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Real leaders put the health and welfare of those they are elected to serve ahead of their own self-interest, he said.

Alex Isenstadt contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, a previous version of this story misstated the decade in which the TV sitcom "Gilligan's Island" aired. It was the 1960s.
Rhea Chakraborty has moved SC urging investigation in Sushant Singh Rajput's case to be moved to Mumbai. The petition stated that one case cannot be investigated in two places. It has also been reported that the actress Rhea will be applying for interim bail.

Rhea Chakraborty has moved SC urging investigation in Sushant Singh Rajputs case to be moved to Mumbai. The petition stated that one case cannot be investigated in two places.

It has also been reported that the actress Rhea will be applying for interim bail.

Late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajputs father KK Singh filed an FIR on Tuesday in the Rajiv Nagar police station, Patna, accusing actress Rhea Chakraborty and her family members of instigating Sushant to suicide.

Also read: Covid-19 impact on auto-industry: Maruti Suzuki reports net loss of Rs 249 crore in Q1 FY21

Also read: New Education Policy 2020: Cabinet renames MHRD to Ministry of Education, more details out at 4 pm

Rheas lawyer Anandini Fernandes was spotted leaving the actress at her house after a three-hour discussion last night, soon after the FIR was filed. The case against Rhea has been filed under various sections of IPC.

A four-member police team from Patna has left for Mumbai to investigate the claims made in the FIR, according to sources.

KK Singh alleged that Rhea took away cash and jewelry from Sushant Singh Rajputs house when she dumped him on June 8, 2020.

For the unaware, Rhea was in a relationship with Sushant.

The actors father lodged a six-page long FIR which stated that Rhea Chakraborty, her close friends, and her family cheated his son for financial gains. It also added that the actress blackmailed him of revealing his medical reports to the media.

Actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found hanging at his Bandra apartment on June 14, 2020, and since then his fans from around the world have been seeking justice for him.

Ever since the death of the actor, Mumbai Police has been undergoing an investigation in the matter and was probing his family, friends, and industry counterparts. Until now, the statements of over 30 people have been recorded by the Mumbai Police in connection to the death of the actor.

Sushants sudden and untimely demise has sent shockwaves across the country and family, friends, and fans are nothing but heartbroken.

Also read: New Education Policy 2020: Cabinet renames MHRD to Ministry of Education, more details out at 4 pm

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Senior government figures told members of Victoria's public health team that the state was achieving the same outcomes as other jurisdictions without committing the same resources. Unfortunately the main outcome for successful public health is the absence of disease, and it has taken the pandemic to lay bare the true deficiencies in the Victoria system, a DHHS source said this week. According to the documents, Victoria had just six physicians in its health protection branch compared to 24 in NSW and 17 in Queensland. Victoria's contact tracing deficiencies have been exposed during the second wave of the pandemic, in which close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases report waiting days and weeks to be notified by DHHS. A DHHS spokesman said there were about 2000 people supporting the contact tracing team since the coronavirus outbreak.

Our massive team of disease detectives is working around the clock to find and contain coronavirus  and we are grateful for the recent support provided by our interstate and federal colleagues to boost our contact tracing efforts, the spokesman said. Weve deployed doctors, nurses, medical students, and now paramedics and ADF personnel as part of our growing contact tracing team  with well over 2000 people now undertaking this vital work. All positive cases are interviewed by the contact tracing team, and well continue to provide the team with the resources they need to manage this unprecedented global pandemic. The DHHS spokesman said new contact tracing staff were given a full induction, as well as technical training conducted by specialists.

"The department uses a proven infectious diseases surveillance system, which is also used in NSW and other major jurisdictions internationally, such as the state of New York, which was a major centre of infection in the United States," the spokesman said. Despite the warnings that Victoria needed a bigger public health team, the number of staff had been in decline for at least 18 months before coronavirus hit Australia. In September 2018, there were 20 public health officers (including after-hours part-time staff), and three team leaders. This was down to 14 officers (with no after-hours staff) and two team leaders by March 2020. Only about half of the public health officers in March were nurses, and the remaining team had people who usually deal only with food-borne outbreaks, such as salmonella. The bungling of hotel quarantine is a major factor in Victorias case numbers, but even before that we were struggling, another department source said.

So even half the staff [in March] were not experienced in infectious diseases. So, essentially, six nurses and a few team leaders had to set up the entire case management, outbreak management and contact tracing groups, train up all the new people, ask for physical space, computers ... fix all the mistakes of the new people. Loading The new staff were making mistakes. Theyre getting better, slightly, but part of the reason why Victoria struggled was because of that. We havent had experienced people to do the volume of work and the variety of tasks. Public health professionals seconded from interstate have been aghast at Victorias clunky and antiquated IT systems, according to one source, in which DHHS staff still rely on paperwork. Once a person is confirmed as contracting COVID-19, their doctor or lab technician contacts the department, and relays to a staffer their details as well as the details of the patient.

The staffer fills out the paperwork, and hands the form to another team to manually enter the details onto the computer. The department has routinely faced a backlog of data entry. The internal DHHS documents, dated September 2019, also highlighted the flaws with Victorias centralised public health team, and pushed for a NSW and Queensland-style model, in which there are 15 local health districts, each with their own public health units. Loading In an interview with ABC Radio National earlier this year, Professor Sutton acknowledged that while Victorias centralised public health structure had proven efficient, it had struggled to meet the demands of the pandemic.
Three inmates are being credited for helping rescue a Georgia sheriff's deputy who fell and hit his head while patrolling a jail. The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office thanked the men for their efforts in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

"We are deeply appreciative to these three inmates for the courage, determination and kindness they displayed when they came to the rescue of our deputy who recently suffered a medical emergency while supervising a jail housing unit," the post read.

"The inmates noticed our deputy appeared to be feeling poorly as he conducted his security procedures in the housing unit. Although they were locked in their cells, they kept an eye on him as he returned to his seat at the deputy desk, where he lost consciousness and fell onto the concrete floor, splitting his head open."

The sheriff's office said a group of inmates began "pounding on their doors" and tried to shout the deputy's name in hopes of waking him.

"Our deputy later stated that while he did not realize he'd been unconscious, he became aware of what sounded like pounding drums and could hear inmates shouting his name over and over," the post explained. "He immediately thought an inmate needed help and somehow managed to rise to his feet and press the control panel to open cell doors."

The three inmates then rushed to the deputy and radioed for help, the post said.

"These inmates had no obligation whatsoever to render aid to a bleeding, vulnerable deputy, but they didn't hesitate," the post read. "Many people have strong opinions about law enforcement officers and criminals, but this incident clearly illustrates the potential goodness found in both."

The sheriff's office said the deputy is recovering at home and will return to duty soon.

Three inmates in Georgia are credited for helping a sheriff's deputy who became unconscious while on patrol in a jail housing unit. / Credit: GWINNETT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Fauci responds to conspiracy theories that claim he's misleading the public

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal hits Trump administration on treatment of protesters

Senate Republicans release COVID-19 relief plan, as White House adviser tests positive for virus
Mumbai: Maharashtra State Board (MSBSHSE) will announce the Maharashtra 10th result 2020 on Wednesday (July 29) at 1 pm on its official website mahresult.nic.in, the Maharashtra education board confirmed the date time from the announcemnet of the Maharashtra SSC result 2020 in an official statement.

Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad had earlier informed that the Maharashtra SSC result would be declared anytime before end of July.

Once officially declared, the Maharashtra SSC Class 10 result 2020 will be made available online on the official websites - mahresult.nic.in 2020, maharashtraeducation.com, and mahahsscboard.maharashtra.gov.in.

Students can also check their SSC10th class result by using SMS. All they need to do is type an SMS in the specified format: MH<exam name> <Seat No.> and send it to 57766. Your result will be received on the same number after some time.

Students are suggested to keep their roll number ready to check the Maharashtra SSC result 2020.

Around 17 Lakh students appeared for the board exams this year. This year, exams were scheduled to be conducted from March 3 to March 23.

However, the geography exam could not be held due to the coronavirus induced lockdown across the country.

Students need to score an aggregate score of 35%, and t least 20% marks in the theory to pass in a subject. About 17 lakh students had registered for the board exams this year. This year, the Geography exam could not be held due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 induced lockdown across the country. The board has decided to grant marks for the Geography subject on the basis of internal assessment.
History

In the Magadha of yore, there lived a woman called Charumathi in a town named Kundinyapura (now in Amravati district in Maharashtra). The prosperous town was the home of Charumathi and her husband. Impressed by her devotion to her family, the Goddess Mahalakshmi appeared in her dream and asked her to worship Varalakshmi (Vara = boon, Lakshmi = goddess of wealth) and seek to fulfill her wishes. Varalakshmi is yet another form of Lord Vishnu's consort, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The prayer/worship was prescribed to be offered on the Friday of Shravana month preceding the night of the full moon.

When Charumathi explained her dream to her family, they encouraged her to perform the pooja. Many other women of the village joined her in performing the pooja in a traditional way and offered many sweets to the Goddess Varalakshmi, along with sacred chants.

Here are the muhurta timings for Varalakshmi Vrata:

Varalakshmi Vratam on Friday, July 31, 2020

Simha Lagna Puja Muhurat (morning) - 07:15 AM to 09:18 AM

Duration - 02 Hours 03 Mins

Vrishchika Lagna Puja Muhurat (afternoon) - 01:26 PM to 03:38 PM

Duration - 02 Hours 12 Mins

Kumbha Lagna Puja Muhurat (evening) - 07:39 PM to 09:21 PM

Duration - 01 Hour 42 Mins

Vrishabha Lagna Puja Muhurat (midnight) - 12:48 AM to 02:51 AM, Aug 01

Duration - 02 Hours 02 Mins

How is it celebrated:

Varamahalakshmi Vrata is performed by a married woman (sumangalis) for the well being of all their family members, especially the husband, to get progeny etc. It is believed that worshipping the Goddess Varalakshmi on this day is equivalent to worshipping Ashtalakshmi - the eight goddesses of Wealth, Earth, Wisdom, Love, Fame, Peace, Contentment, and Strength. Due to the rising popularity of this holy day in some states, it is now being declared as an optional official holiday in India.

Varalakshmi Vratam is very popular fasting and Puja day in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Significance

The importance or significance of the Varalakshmi Vrata was narrated by Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvathi in Skanda Purana. Those who perform this Vratam will be blessed with Dhana (food), Dhanya (food), Aayu (Long life), Aarogya (health), Aishwarya (wealth), Santanana (progeny) and Soubhagya (long life of husband).

What do they eat on this day:

The months of July and August are very auspicious for the Hindus all over India, and while the Southern part of India celebrates the Varamahalakshmi Festival, the other parts of India celebrate other festivals during this time.



In South India, savouries like obattu, kosumbari, puliyogare, huli anna, hesaru bele payasa are made on this festival. In the evening women visit other houses and exchange sweets and offerings.
R omantic drama series Normal People kept viewers hooked earlier this and broke records for BBC Three - resulting in an impressive four Emmy nominations.

Based on Sally Rooney's best-selling novel, Normal People follows the on-off romance between Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell Waldron (Paul Mescal).

Following them from when they are together at school up through to university, it explores the impact they have on each others lives - and if you're anything like us, the emotional ending will have left you in floods of tears.

TODO: define component type apester

The finale sees the couple happy together, but their future is left unclear as Connell wins a place on a prestigious creative writing course in New York while Marianne decides to stay in Ireland.

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Although Connell vows to come home for Marianne after a year, Marianne asks him not to promise anything.

The ending is, time-wise as least, in line with Rooney's novel but plenty of fans have wondered if the show's creators could extend the story further, as the makers of Channel 4's The Handmaid's Tale did.

Fans hoping for a series two may have had their hopes dashed by Paul Mescal, who believes the show has wrapped for good.

Speaking to Wonderland magazine, the 24-year-old explained: "I do feel like the series that has finished is its own thing, and I'm totally comfortable with that.

It's not on the cards at the moment."

BBC

However, the breakout star of Normal People said he would be delighted to star as Connell again should he be given the opportunity.

"There's no question that character to me is still alive and breathing and very much has a lot of life left to live, and has a relationship with Marianne that is maybe unfinished," he said. "If I got the opportunity to play him again, amazing."



Star of the drama Daisy Edgar-Jones has praised the conclusion, saying: I think the reason I love the ending so much is that theyre still very much alive, which is really nice. You dont have to put them to bed because theyre still reading and navigating the world."

BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu

Of her on-screen lover, she continued: I hope Connell is flourishing in New York and really pursuing his dream and being very successful.

In a recent interview, series co-producer Ed Guiney confirmed that the team have turned our attention  we're adapting [Rooney's debut novel] Conversations with Friends as a television series.

Conversations with Friends follows two college students, Frances and Bobbi, in Dublin as they forge a strange and unexpected connection with married couple Melissa and Nick.

The whole production team behind Normal People will be heading over to Conversations with Friends, with the 12-part series being directed by Irish film-maker and Normal People producer Lenny Abrahamson, and produced by Element Pictures for BBC Three.

BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu

Writer Alice Birch, who worked on the BBC drama, will also return to pen a number of episodes.

"It's the same basic team," said Guiney. So, in a way, that's what we'll be turning our attention to next.

However, hope for more on Connell and Marianne is not lost, as he added: But maybe down the line we'll come back to Connell and Marianne.

Executive producer Abrahamson has also spoken about the future of Normal People, telling Digital Spy: I have a fantasy of doing a kind of 10-year you know, seeing where they are in 10 years' time sort of thing. It'd be good.

Normal People is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. The final double bill airs Monday June 1 on BBC One at 9.05pm.
The Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting, approved the appointment of Rahul Bhatnagar & Marc Antoine Lucchini

Sanofi India Limited has announced the appointment of two new directors to its Board.

The Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting, approved the appointment of Rahul Bhatnagar & Marc Antoine Lucchini respectively-

Rahul Bhatnagar as Additional Director (Non-Executive & Independent) of the Company with effect from 29th July 2020 to hold office till the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting and subject to the approval of the members in the ensuing General Meeting, for appointment as an Independent Director for a term of five consecutive years from the effective date of this appointment.

Marc-Antoine Lucchini as Additional Director (Non-Executive) with effect from 29th July 2020 to hold office up to the date of next Annual General Meeting of the Company.

Rahul Bhatnagar is a Chartered Accountant and MBA from Wharton. He has had a long career in Finance and Strategy with reputed organizations like Nestle, Pepsi and Bharti Group. Bhatnagar last served as the Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer at Bharti Enterprises Limited until 2016. He is an Independent Director on the board of Whirlpool India Limited and Akzo Nobel India Limited.

Marc Antoine Lucchini is presently the head of the International region at Sanofi, representing 68 countries with sales of  4.3 billion. Marc-Antoine Lucchini is a French national who has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. During his career, he has been successfully operating in many different environments in Pharma Operations in France first, and then in the United States in more strategic roles in the companys headquarter. Through the different acquisitions or mergers of the company, he had the opportunity to work in Spain as the General Manager for Iberia, in Egypt and then in France since 2014 to lead the French affiliate, one of the biggest and most complex ones for a French Pharma group. In 2016 he moved to a Regional Role as Head of the European Region for the Primary Care Business Unit in which he has been driving an important transformation of the European organization and footprint.

In 2020, he was appointed Head of the International Region, representing 68 countries with sales of Euro 4.3 billion with a direct reporting of 10 high potential countries of the region amongst which India is a key one.
Meghan McCain completely lost her cool on The View with Whoopi Goldberg. The conservative co-host is known to go head to head with Joy Behar, but this time she tried to discredit the shows moderator. After the on-air spat went viral on social media, fans are now urging McCain to take her maternity leave as soon as possible.

Meghan McCain | JB Lacroix/WireImage

What happened with Whoopi Goldberg and Meghan McCain?

The View tensed up when McCain brought up the co-presidents of the Womens March. She made a claim that Goldberg corrected her on, and fireworks hit the screen across America.

It ended up being that the leaders of the Womens March had strong ties to Farrakhan and a lot of anti-Semitic, and in my opinion, extremely problematic and controversial views, McCain said.

Goldberg interjected and said one of the women had strong ties, not both of them.

McCain snapped back saying, Well, you can watch the tape of me interviewing them on the show and make your own decision.

Yeah, I was there, Goldberg fired back.

You were not, McCain insisted.

Both of the women went back and forth a couple more times, but Goldberg was ultimately right as theres a video that proves McCain was wrong.

RELATED: The View: Meghan McCain Slams Haters Calling to Fire Her on Maternity Leave

Fans urge Meghan McCain to go on leave

It was hard for viewers to see McCain disrespect the legend that is Goldberg on national television. Many fans took to Twitter to air their grievances against the Republican pundit and suggest she go on her maternity leave early.

When does Meghan McCain go on maternity leave? She needs to get her horrible attitude off the air. World is sad enough without having to listen to her right now, a fan tweeted.

So today Meghan decides to argue with Whoopi? She sounded stupid and rude, maternity leave cant come soon enough for her or for viewers. Abby Huntsman was not rude and communicated her conservative views quite well. What the hell is Meghans problem? Seriously, its annoying to watch, a viewer commented.

Hoping she takes [an] extended leave, a Twitter user added.

RELATED: The View: Meghan McCain Slams Troll Shaming Her for Saying My Father Regularly

Besides the fact that she was wrong, what the hell was miserable Meg even talking about? Made no sense whatsoever. Might be time for an extended maternity leave girl. In other words, QUIT, another fan suggested.

Cant wait til Meghan McMouth is on leave, another viewer said. If The View is smart, they wont bring her back.

Here we go again, another Twitter user tweeted. How dare Meghan challenge Whoopi Goldberg and rudely insist too many times that Whoopi wasnt somewhere when Whoopi repeatedly said she was there. Viewers have had ENOUGH with Meghan. When does her maternity leave start? Not soon enough.

RELATED: The View: Meghan McCain Slams Report About Whoppi Goldberg Snub

Meghan McCain had been called out for her lies before

Earlier this year McCain was called out for tweeting a lie and misrepresenting the Black Lives Matter protests.

My neighborhood in Manhattan is eviscerated and looks like a war zone, she tweeted. [Bill] DeBlasio and Andrew [Cuomo] are an utter disgrace. This is not America. Our leaders have abandoned us and continue to let great American cities burn to the ground and be destroyed. I never could have fathomed this.

However, Full Frontal writer Kristen Bartlett discredited McCains tweet and put her on blast.

Meghan, we live in the same building, and I just walked outside. Its fine. https://t.co/ZvwNrjL6P7  Kristen Bartlett (@kristencheeks) June 2, 2020

It was later revealed that McCain was not even in New York City and was in Virginia during the stay-at-home orders.

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. PT/CT on ABC.

RELATED: The View: Meghan McCain Wants Attention for Kanye West to Stop
Stocks to watch today: Here is a list of top stocks that are likely to be in focus in Wednesday's trading session based on latest developments. Investors are also awaiting April-June quarter earnings that are scheduled to be released today. Companies set to announce their earnings are Maruti Suzuki, Bharti Airtel, Dr Reddy, TVS Motor, IndiGo, Colgate among others

Share Market News Live: Sensex, Nifty open lower; Maruti, Airtel, Dr Reddy, IndiGo Q1 earnings today

IDBI Bank: The lender's net profit stood at Rs 144.3 crore in Q1FY21 as against a loss of Rs 3,800.8 crore in the year-ago period. Net interest income rose 21.65% to Rs 1,773.4 crore from Rs 1,457.73 crore, YoY.

Castrol India: The company reported 64.2% decline in its net profit of Rs 65.4 crore for the quarter ended June 2020 as against Rs 182.7 crore in the year-ago period. Company's revenue declined 52.8% to Rs 490.6 crore from Rs 1,039.6 crore, YoY.

IndusInd Bank: The bank's profit fell to Rs 460.64 crore in Q1FY21 from Rs 1,432.5 crore during same quarter last year. Banks' net interest income grew by 16.4% to Rs 3,309.2 crore, YoY.

IndusInd Bank share top Sensex, Nifty gainer despite 64% fall in Q1 net profit

Nestle India: The company's net profit gained 11.1% to Rs 486.6 crore in the April-June quarter as compared to Rs 437.8 crore. Its revenue rose 1.48% to Rs 3,050.48 crore as against Rs 3,000.8 crore, YoY.

Yes Bank: The privet sector lender reported 60.1% YoY fall in its net profit at Rs 45.44 crore for Q1FY21 as against Rs 113.76 crore in the same quarter last year. Lener's NII declined by 16.3% to Rs 1,908.2 crore as against Rs 2,280.6 crore, YoY.

RBL Bank: The bank's net profit in Q1FY21 dropped 47.1% to Rs 141.2 crore from Rs 267.05 crore. Lender's net interest income gained 27.4% to Rs 1,041.3 crore from Rs 817.32 crore, YoY.

Bank of Baroda: Lender has raised Rs 981 crore by issuing additional tier-1 bonds under Basel III norms.

Adani Ports and SEZ: Company said its Finance Committee has approved the issuance of fixed rate senior unsecured notes aggregating to $750 million.

Earnings today: Maruti Suzuki India, Bharti Airtel, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, TVS Motor Company, InterGlobe Aviation, Colgate-Palmolive, Ansal Housing, CEAT, GSK Pharmaceuticals, Mahindra Lifespace Developers, Manappuram Finance, Mastek, Navin Fluorine International, Omaxe, Rail Vikas Nigam, Sagar Cements, Snowman Logistics, among others will report Q1 FY21 earnings today.
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday held a high-level meeting on internal security to discuss the law and order situation in Maharashtra on August 5, when bhoomipujan of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will be conducted. The state government has reportedly received specific intelligence input that there could be law-and-order issues if Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the ceremony in the Uttar Pradesh city.

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, home minister Anil Deshmukh and senior officials from the home department were also present at the meeting.

Tension is likely to emerge on August 5, which is also the first anniversary of the decision of revocation of the special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The Central government is likely to issue high alert on the day across the country. The tension could intensify if PM Modi personally attends the function [at Ayodhya]. In such a situation, security forces in the state are to be deployed at full strength as discussed in the meeting, said a state government official, requesting anonymity.

The law-and-order situation during upcoming festivals, Bakri Eid and Ganeshotsav, too, was discussed in the meeting.

No leaders from three ruling parties of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi are expected to attend the bhoomipujan ceremony. While Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has already said he will not be going, Thackeray has said an e-bhoomipujan should be conducted to avoid crowding at the temple site.
Syracuse NY - On Saturday August 1st at 12:00 pm, the North American Delegation of the Pan African Congress will host a one-day online symposium in recognition of the abolition of slavery across the British Empire on Aug. 1, 1834, featuring speakers with roots in Syracuse.

Recognizing the centrality of music to the cultural practices of African people around the world, this symposium will examine the role of music as a liberating force and emancipatory balm critical to sustaining individuals, communities, and movements for social and political transformation throughout the Black world. Moderated by Charles Anderson, President of the Pan-African Community of Central New York, the 90-minute program features presentations by a distinguished panel of academics and thought leaders.

The featured presenters will be Dr. Rick Wright, former Syracuse University Newhouse School professor and long-time radio host, who will speak in the context of R&B/Soul music history; S.U. graduate Fanon Che Wilkins, now Professor of American Studies at Doshisha University in Japan, speaking on Music and Movements in the Black World; and Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor, international media relations specialist and holder of twin S.U. Masters degrees in Public Relations and Pan African Studies, who will focus on Hip-hop to Afrobeats. All panelists will explore freedom and emancipation in music over the last 40 years to create a critical dialogue with symposium participants from around the world.

Register for this free event at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FzCTlqffSSi9MOuRKQ0tRg
A senior lecturer of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Faculty of Education, Dr. Ibrahim M. Gunu is urging government to reopen basic schools in low risk areas.

He argues that the continuous closure of basic schools in Ghana as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to an upsurge in early marriages, school dropouts and child labour prevalent in Northern Ghana.

In an article, Dr. Gunu stated that, I want to commend government for the continuous engagement of significant stakeholders in the education sector and I suggest that government should at least reopen basic schools in low-risk areas in Ghana by September 2020.

We need to know that children cannot wait for that long. Children learn less and lose the habit of learning. In some parts of Ghana, if schools are not reopened, students may give up their studies and start work or get married. Children are more likely going to suffer abuse, malnutrition and poor mental health. Parents who have nowhere to drop their children struggle to go to work.

According to Dr. Gunu, Ghanas high recovery rate coupled with governments stringent measures put in place to curb the pandemics widespread are enormous, hence his assertion.

Read Dr. Gunus full piece below:

The world has been under lockdown for some time now as a result of COVID-19. Globally, schools, Colleges and Universities were closed as a result of the fear of the spread of the disease.

The continued delay in reopening schools, Colleges, and Universities across the country, generated psychological effects on students, which can be expressed as anxiety, fear, worry, and even trauma, among others.

In search of normalcy regarding teaching and learning in Ghanaian Schools, Colleges and Universities, the government of Ghana provided guidelines and support for these institutions, which I consider as a good leadership direction.

Based on the guidelines, Universities in Ghana resorted to remote instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The end of the school year in Ghana is associated with examinations. These are often used to select or certify students as they move from one level to the next or into the workforce.

Concerns regarding the question of what it means to have spent years working towards an exam or a degree only to graduate in one of the longest waiting periods became an issue.

Subsequently, final year students were recalled to take their examination in the Universities, Colleges, Junior High Schools (JHS) and Senior High Schools (SHS).

Final year students in the Colleges of Education and some Universities have successfully finished their final examinations.

It is important to mention that final year students participating in examination, is a good idea. In my opinion, it will reduce the unbearable psychological pressure on them.

Recommendations

The Ghana Education Service (GES) in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) should ensure the continuous observance of health protocols in schools in order to contain the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic in schools.

The most vulnerable teachers should stay at home. Reduce class sizes, reduce contact hours for a start.

Reorganize timetables to prevent crowding at school gates, ensure compulsory wearing of masks and separate desks with recommended spacing dimension.

Government should allow continuing students in grades 1-8 (Primary 1 to JHS2) to be promoted to the next grade without taking examinations.

Remedial measures should be put in place to support the students and government should avoid a situation where the entire academic year will be cancelled.

The reopening of schools should not be a partisan issue, as it has sadly become in Ghana, where some people will assume it to be bad idea.

The teacher unions should not take political stands and rather work with the government to support our children in the schools.

Conclusion

I wish to thank government for taking the needed steps to ensure normalcy in our schools (JHS and SHS), Colleges and Universities in Ghana.

Whilst appreciating the fact that many parents are scared that schools are somehow crowded, that small children may not observe social distancing, cases are rising and many other examples, equally we need to know that recoveries are high and the cost of missing school is huge.

This unprecedented crisis calls for a collaborative efforts for which reason, parents, teachers, politicians and other significant stakeholders should support the students and stop creating fear and panic as this will not support the growth and development of the nation.

---citinewsroom
A Statement by the Prominent Civil Rights advocacy Group; HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) condemning the Indefinite Detention of Mr. Bala Mubarak; A Humanist alleged to have Publicly Insulted Prophet Muhammad on His Facebook page

INTRODUCTION:

Right is a generic term that confers certain benefits on a person who possesses it. Generally, fundamental human right, as a matter of fact, can be innate and naturally endowed by virtue of being human; it can also be derived by the operation of law.

There are basic rights which are both naturally given and protected in the letters and spirit of the law. Some of these rights are regarded as very fundamental to human existence and therefore should not be deprived except in circumstances provided for by the law.

Some rights are also given international recognition because they are so important that they have to be addressed at the global level to appropriately secure such from being trampled upon, and for their observance and effective implementation.

Freedom of expression is one of the fundamental rights, which are universally recognised and protected. Indeed, the Constitutions of most countries of the world, including Nigeria have expressly provided for the protection of this right because of its importance and relevance to the enhancement of personal liberty and democracy.

Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria guarantees freedom of expression as a fundamental right. The right to freedom of expression is also protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the various regional Instruments and Conventions on Human Rights, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, which Nigeria is a signatory which also include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and the International Covenants on civil and political rights.

Though, obligations and duties are imposed on the State or its agencies and on individuals to protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, however, the right to freedom of expression, like most other rights, is not absolute. There are recognised restrictions and exceptions to this right; one of which is to be found in the law of defamation. Thus, the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression must take into consideration the right of other citizens to protect their reputation.

The onus lies on the courts therefore to balance the conflicting interests between freedom of expression and protection of reputation.

It is against this backdrop that in our capacity as a team of professionals who have come together to advance the single agenda of building a formidable and economically strong united Nigeria based on equity, justice and rule of law do condemn the indefinite detention of Bala Mubarak and call for his release unconditionally or he be charged to court in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. Indeed the Nigerian State is in grave violations of his constitutional right to civil liberty and freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention extralegally given that the Nigerian Constitution in section 36(5) guarantees the Right to a fair hearing for all accused persons. In his case, it would seem that the armed security forces simply abducted him and dumped him into the dungeons in clear breaches of all known statutes and legal provisions known to man universally and locally.

*THE ISSUE:*

Mubarak Bala, the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, was arrested at his home in Kaduna State on the 28th of April and taken to neighbouring Kano following a petition filed with the Police Commissioner of Kano Command on 27 April by S. S. Umar & Co. wherein Bala was alleged to have insulted the Prophet Muhammad in his Facebook posts in violation of Section 26(1)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act, which criminalises insult of any persons due to their belonging to a group distinguished by their religion, among other characteristics, and is punishable by a fine and/or up to five years imprisonment.

The petitioners also alleged that Balas posts will incite the Muslim community and lead to public disturbance under Section 210 of the Penal Code of Kano State.

HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) is aware that Bala Mubarak who is a son of a widely regarded Islamic scholar, but he renounced Islam in 2014, and was forcibly committed to a psychiatric facility by his family in Kano for 18 days before being discharged. This action of the Kanobstate government is unlawful and unconstitutional given that the Right to freedom of Religion and worship is guaranteed in Chapter four of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria just as a citizen has the inalienable right to denounce his religious beliefs as an adult.

HURIWA is worried by the emerging media reports to the effect that since being taken to Kano, Balas whereabouts and his health are unknown as he has been denied contact with his family and lawyers. Given that Bala has been the victim of death threats and harassment since he renounced Islam in 2014, we are deeply concerned over his current wellbeing.

Again, the wife who gave birth to a boy six weeks before Bala was taken has repeatedly pleaded with the Nigerian Police Headquarters in Abuja to allow her access to her husband and also show proof that her husband is still alive but all to no avail. Why is this demand too difficult for the law enforcement agencies to fulfill and why will the so called law enforcement agencies be seen engaging in abduction and enforced disappearance of a Nigerian citizen and any human being for that matter when the law is absolutely agaunat such a criminal conduct?

This has become unbearable for her as she is currently passing through psychological and emotional trauma.

Humanists International and its member organizations have continued to call for the Nigerian authorities to clarify Balas legal status and whereabouts, grant him access to his legal representatives, and ensure his safety, and ultimately, appealing for his immediate and unconditional release. HURIWA thinks that these demands are legitimate and must be activated without any further delay. This primitive approach to law enforcement by adopting unlawful means to clamp a citizen into the dungeons because of his belief system or his lack of it, is unjustifiable and criminal.

*OUR CONCERNS AND DEMAND:*

From all indications and from a careful perusal of a plethora of case laws, the power of the police to arrest and detain is not in question; it derives this power from section 4 of the Police Act. What calls for serious attention is the manner in which this power is exercised. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) reads in part (7) as follows:

We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria having firmly and solemnly resolve, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God, dedicated to the promotion of inter-African solidarity, world peace, international co-operation and understanding and to provide for a constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country, on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of our people do hereby make, enact and give to ourselves the following constitution:

From the above preamble to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is clear that the basic essence of the existence of the constitution is to promote freedom, equality and justice for the people of Nigeria. Thus, the constitution and all of its provisions is hinged on the freedom and welfare of the people, and the power of the police is not an exception.

It is in pursuance of this freedom and equality that the constitution provides for fundamental human rights in Chapter four which is totally enforceable and binding on all persons and authority as adumbrated by the constitution in the earlier provisions that the supreme law which is the grund norm of the Country is binding on all persons and authorities. The police is not above the law. Infact and indeed they (Nigerian Police Force) are the servants of the law and must enforce the laws in total compliance to the due process of the law.

HURIWA recalls that very important to this case of Bala Mubarak is the right to personal liberty, which is provided for by section 35 (1) of the constitution as follows:

Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure permitted by law

What this provision of the law suggests is that a person cannot be deprived of their freedom except in certain instances allowed by law. It goes to say that any deprivation of a persons freedom without following the procedures laid down by the law is a serious violation which the law frowns at. Since the purpose of the law and the powers conferred on the police are meant to pursue freedom and equality for the people, the police cannot then turn round to violate the same freedom without recourse to the law.

It is for this reason that the courts have always frowned at the abuse of powers by the police. It has been held repeatedly that while the police has the power to arrest, it must respect the constitutional provision of the right to personal liberty. Where a person commits or is alleged of committing an offence, the police can arrest or detain such person within the confines of the law. Where the Nigerian Police goes beyond the ambit of its constitutional powers, the law which it seeks to enforce is offended.

Hence, we are extremely alarmed over the serious lack of due process in Mr. Bala Mubaraks case. He has reportedly not had access to a lawyer nor been allowed family visits and has been transferred and detained in Kano state, without charge, since his arrest in neighbouring Kaduna on 28 April 2020.

Also, we are deeply concerned about Mr. Balas safety, while in detention, in light of the death threats against him, and further fear that he may be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment due to his atheistic beliefs.

Among the plethora of problems that undermine human rights development in Nigeria, ethno-religious conicts rank high. Corruption and bad governance which are widespread thrive while rent-seeking politicians exploit ethnic and religious sentiments.

It is not only illegal, but also malicious and high-handed for the Nigerian Police to refuse to release Bala Mubarak or charge him to court and to also refuse his lawyers and family access to visit. The indefinite detention of Bala Mubarak is unlawful and a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights to liberty, presumption of innocence, human dignity and due process.

Therefore, in the best interest of justice, equity and rule of law, the Nigerian Police Force should ensure that Bala Mubarak is treated in accordance with legal rights and human rights (as enshrined in the Nigeria Constitution), and with due regard for his welfare. His rights that have already been seriously and serially violated must be redressed forthwith. It is becoming self evident that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has increasingly experienced a dangerous metamorphosis from a quasi-civilian autocracy to a full blown DICTATORSHIP as against the mandate that the people of Nigeria gave to the government in a democratic exercise of civil rights and freedom to elect their political leaders who must be subjected to the dictates and provisions of the laws without exceptions. Nigerian people must stop sleeping and wake up to demand the restoration of respect for their fundamental human rights as citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Bala Mubarak should be released with immediate effect.

COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO;

NATIONAL COORDINATOR.

Miss. Zainab Yusuf;

NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF MEDIA AFFAIRS.

HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).

29TH/JULY/2020.


 Flash

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was found guilty of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering on Tuesday in a case related to SRC International, a former unit of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The verdict is the first in several corruption trials against Najib.

The case involves 42 million ringgits (9.9 million U.S. dollars) deposited into Najib's personal bank account from SRC International, in which Najib faced seven charges including criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power.

In the reading out of the ruling, Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali ruled that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case, hence he found Najib guilty of all seven charges.

The judge later sentenced Najib to 12 years of jail and 210 million ringgit (49.4 million U.S. dollars) fine for abuse of power; 10 years of jail for each of the three criminal breach of trust; and 10 years of jail for each of the three money laundering. All jail sentences to run concurrently.

Najib will be sentenced to additional 5 years of jail if he fails to pay the fine, said the judge.

But the judge granted an application by the defence on a stay of execution on both jail sentence and the fine pending Najib's appeal, while asking him to pay additional bail and to present himself to police twice a month.

Najib, 67, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and said ahead of the verdict that he would appeal if convicted.

The former prime minister was first prosecuted in July 2018. Last year, Najib entered defence after Judge ruled prosecution has established cases on all seven charges against him.

Najib has been slapped with dozens of charges for corruption, money laundering, power abuse and criminal breach of trust after his ruling coalition lost power during the national polls in May 2018.
This article will reflect on the compensation paid to Mike Barry who has served as CEO of Quaker Chemical Corporation (NYSE:KWR) since 2008. This analysis will also evaluate the appropriateness of CEO compensation when taking into account the earnings and shareholder returns of the company.

View our latest analysis for Quaker Chemical

How Does Total Compensation For Mike Barry Compare With Other Companies In The Industry?

At the time of writing, our data shows that Quaker Chemical Corporation has a market capitalization of US$3.5b, and reported total annual CEO compensation of US$7.2m for the year to December 2019. Notably, that's an increase of 48% over the year before. We think total compensation is more important but our data shows that the CEO salary is lower, at US$889k.

In comparison with other companies in the industry with market capitalizations ranging from US$2.0b to US$6.4b, the reported median CEO total compensation was US$5.8m. From this we gather that Mike Barry is paid around the median for CEOs in the industry. Moreover, Mike Barry also holds US$32m worth of Quaker Chemical stock directly under their own name, which reveals to us that they have a significant personal stake in the company.

Component 2019 2018 Proportion (2019) Salary US$889k US$845k 12% Other US$6.3m US$4.0m 88% Total Compensation US$7.2m US$4.8m 100%

On an industry level, roughly 19% of total compensation represents salary and 81% is other remuneration. Quaker Chemical sets aside a smaller share of compensation for salary, in comparison to the overall industry. If total compensation is slanted towards non-salary benefits, it indicates that CEO pay is linked to company performance.

Quaker Chemical Corporation's Growth

Over the last three years, Quaker Chemical Corporation has shrunk its earnings per share by 22% per year. Its revenue is up 50% over the last year.

The decrease in earnings could be a concern for some investors. But in contrast the revenue growth is strong, suggesting future potential for earnings growth. It's hard to reach a conclusion about business performance right now. This may be one to watch. Moving away from current form for a second, it could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future.

Story continues

Has Quaker Chemical Corporation Been A Good Investment?

Boasting a total shareholder return of 45% over three years, Quaker Chemical Corporation has done well by shareholders. This strong performance might mean some shareholders don't mind if the CEO were to be paid more than is normal for a company of its size.

In Summary...

As we touched on above, Quaker Chemical Corporation is currently paying a compensation that's close to the median pay for CEOs of companies belonging to the same industry and with similar market capitalizations. The company has logged solid shareholder returns for the past three years. Revenues have also showed some positive momentum, recently. On a worrying note, its important to acknowledge that EPS growth has been negative recently. Considering overall performance, it's fair to say Mike is paid reasonably.

It is always advisable to analyse CEO pay, along with performing a thorough analysis of the company's key performance areas. That's why we did our research, and identified 4 warning signs for Quaker Chemical (of which 1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you should know about in order to have a holistic understanding of the stock.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a different set of stocks. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
New Delhi: The arrival of the first batch of five Rafale jets on Wednesday (July 29) has given India's air power a strategic edge amid a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh and frayed ties with Pakistan. The combat aircraft landed at the Ambala Air Force base at around 3:10 PM to a rousing reception, nearly four years after India inked an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafales.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the arrival of Rafale jets, and tweeted in Sanskrit, saying there is no virtue like protecting the nation and there is no vow like defence of the nation.

In pics: IAF's Sukhoi Su-30MKIs escort five Rafale jets, give ceremonial welcome at Ambala airbase

As soon as the aircraft touched down the airbase, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted "The Birds have landed safely in Ambala." Giving a veiled warning to China, he said "I would like to add, if it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity."

Each jet was given a special water cannon salute at the strategically-located airbase in the presence of top brass of the Indian Air Force including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria, who had played a key role as lead negotiator in the procurement of the jets.

The fleet, which took off from Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday morning, had a planned stopover at Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE and began its onward journey Wednesday morning. The Rafale jets established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata in the Western Arabian Sea and were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

According to an Indian Air Force statement, "The aircraft covered a distance of nearly 8,500 km from France to India. First stage of the flight covered a distance of 5,800 km in seven and a half hours. French Air Force tanker provided dedicated air-to-air refuelling support during the flight. The second stage of the flight covering over 2700 km was carried out with air-to-air refuelling by IAF tanker."

Earlier on September 23, 2016, the BJP-led NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force failed to fructify during the UPA regime.

Known for air-superiority and precision strikes, the Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 years after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia in 1997.

The fleet, comprising three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft, is being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'. The 'Golden Arrows' was resurrected on September 10 last year. It was originally raised on Oct 1, 1951.

The Ambala base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF as the Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from it. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran. The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden. The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

A look at how Rafale fighters will be a gamechanger against Pakistan and China:

Rafale vs Chinas Chengdu J-20: While Chinas Chengdu J-20 jets are called fifth-generation combat jets, compared to 4.5 generation Rafale, the J-20 have no actual combat experience. The Rafale has been used by the French Air Force for its missions in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali. Rafale can also carry more fuel and weapons than the J-20. It is capable of carrying out at least four missions in one sortie while the J-20 cannot carry out multiple missions in one go.

Rafale vs Pakistans F16: 190-kg Meteor missile has a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) of over 100 km, travelling at a top speed of Mach 4. The F-16 jets, used by Pakistan, carry the AMRAAM missile, which has a BVR of 75 km. Rafale can also outperform F16 in dogfights. PAF will have to deploy two F16s to counter one Rafale.

The Indian Air Force could deploy the first batch of Rafale fighter jets in the Ladakh sector, amid ongoing border tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The combat aircraft will bring following changes in the IAF:

1. More Advanced Technology: The Rafales are armed with 'Meteor' air-to-air missiles (120-150 km strike range), 'Scalp' air-to-ground cruise missiles (over 300 km) and other armaments. The Meteor missiles are arguably the best in the world for air combat duels, with a greater no-escape zone for hostile fighters than any comparable BVR (beyond visual range) weapon. Pakistan and China do not currently have any missiles of this class in their combat inventories.

2. Combat Proven: With more than 30,000 flight hours in operations, it has proven its worth in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. On the other hand, Pakistan JF-17 and Chengdu J-20 are yet to be tested in battles or war-like situations.

3. IAF's lack of long-range weapons over: For almost two decades, the IAF has been perceived to be handicapped on long-range weapons and sensors vis-a-vis PAF. Rafale will reverse this and give IAF the decisive edge with better sensors and weapons. Each Rafale in the air would require at least two F16s for a counter-challenge.

4. Edge over rivals: The Rafale fighters will be able to outgun and outrun Pakistani F-16 and JF-17 as well as the Chinese Chengdu J-20 fighters. According to sources, the air-to-air and the air-to-ground strike capabilities of Rafales cannot be matched by either China or Pakistan and the aircraft would give India an edge over both the rivals.

5. Air superiority: The state-of-the-art 4.5 Generation Rafale jet can reach almost double the speed of sound, with a top speed of 1.8 Mach. With its multi-role capabilities, including electronic warfare, air defence, ground support and in-depth strikes, the Rafale lends air superiority to the Indian Air Force.

6. Enhance offensive capabilities of IAF: The jet is capable of carrying out a variety of missions--ground and sea attack, air defence and air superiority, reconnaissance and nuclear strike deterrence. The Rafale will be the seventh addition to the types of fighters that the IAF has--a feat very unique to the force in comparison to major air forces in the world.

7. Can shoot down enemy targets without crossing border: Rafale jet will be able to shoot down an enemy aircraft, even if over 100 km away, without even crossing the Indian air space.

8. Omnirole (ability to perform multiple mission types simultaneously): The jet is capable of performing several actions at the same time, such as firing air-to-air missiles during a very low altitude penetration phase, giving it outstanding survivability.

9. Can avoid being tracked by Pakistan: The multi-role combat aircraft, reportedly, has a range of between 780-1055 km compared to the 400-550 km of the Su 30 MKI. This means that India will now be able to engage Pakistani aircraft from larger distances, without the risk of being tracked.

10. All-weather capability: Meteor provides the all-weather capability to engage a wide variety of targets from fast jets to small unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles.

11. Pre-planned attacks can be averted: The Scalp is an air-launched long-range deep strike missile, designed to deal with pre-planned attacks against high value fixed or stationary targets.

12. Capability to take out any bunkers: The HAMMERs would give India the capability to take out any bunkers or hardened shelters in any type of terrain including the mountainous locations such as Eastern Ladakh.

13. Will make IAF stronger: The aircraft has very good flying performance and its weapons, radar and other sensors and Electronic Warfare capabilities are amongst the best in the world.

14. Quick reaction deployment in high altitude possible: Specially tailored for the IAF, the Rafale jets have cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases including Leh.

Globally known as one of the most potent strategic platforms with unmatched capability in carrying out a variety of roles, Rafale jets will significantly bolster India's air combat capabilities. It has proven its worth in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria with more than 30,000 flight hours in operations.

1. Supported ISAF Operations in Afghanistan (2006-11): French Air Force and Navy Rafale fighters were engaged in countless combat missions in Afghanistan where they demonstrated a very high proficiency and a tangible military value. The AASM/HAMMER precision-guided modular air-to-surface armament, PAVEWAY laser-guided bombs, and the 30 mm cannon were employed on many occasions, scoring direct hits with remarkable precision.

2. Destroyed air defence in Libya (2011): French Air Force and French Navy Rafale fighters were the first to operate over Benghazi and Tripoli, and carried out the whole spectrum of missions including air-superiority, precision strikes with HAMMERS and laser-guided bombs, deep strike with SCALP cruise missiles, Intelligence, Surveillance, Tactical Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) and Strike Coordination And Reconnaissance (SCAR).

During the Libyan conflict, hundreds of targets  tanks, armored vehicles, artillery emplacements, storage dumps, command centres and air-defence systems (SA-3 Goa and SA-8 Gecko fixed and mobile SAM launchers)  were hit with devastating accuracy by Rafale aircrews. Interestingly, Gaddafi had expressed interest in purchasing a number of them in 2007.

3. Destroyed Jihadist Training camps in Mali (2013): France launched Operation 'Serval' after jihadist armed groups began imposing their rule over the northern territories of Mali. French Air Force Rafales have taken a leading role in Mali, helping destroy enemy infrastructure and support friendly troops in contact.

Four Rafales undertook the longest raid in French Air Force history, taking off from Saint-Dizier, in eastern France, and landing in NDjamena, in Chad, after hitting 21 targets and spending no less than 9 h 35 min airborne. The French Air Force quickly set up a forward operating base in Chad, and the Rafale detachment later grew to eight aircraft.

4. Attacked Islamic state targets in Iraq (2014): Rafales were called in for operations in the fight against the Islamic State militants in Iraq as part of Operation Chammal. In the first few weeks of their deployment, the Rafales' task was to identify targets for the US fighter planes undertaking airstrikes against the Islamic State. Rafales joined American operations in conducting airstrikes. France conducted its first airstrike on September 19 against Islamic State targets in Iraq.

5. Destroyed Islamic state installations in Syria (2015): As part of Operation Chammal, Rafales operated in Syria and hit targets in early October 2015. The November 13, 2015 terror attack in Paris further intensified French air offence against the Islamic State in Libya. Rafales, as part of a fleet of fighters, struck training camps and ammunition facilities in Raqqa, Syria.

Other key highlights of Rafale are:

-It's an Omnirole aircraft

-GameChanger

-Aerial Reconnaissance

-Ground Support

-In-depth Strike

-Anti-Ship Strike

-4.5 Generation Fighter Jet

-It's a two-engine aircraft

-Its top speed is 2,222 Km/Hr

-It can go up to 50,000 Ft

-Its Rate of Climb is 60,000 Ft/Min

-Its Operational Range is 3,700 Km

-With deep air support

-Reach and combat radius is 1600-1700 Kms

-Capable for Long Range standoff Mission

-It can carry best air to air missile

-Equipped with Air-to-Ground Missile System

-It will get French industrial support for 50 years.

-It can also carry the best long-range air-to-land missile

-Fully capable to fulfill the urgent operational requirement of the Indian Air Force

-Specifically designed to take off from extremely cold high altitude region

-It gives the ability to engage enemy fighters from distance without being trapped

-It will also be fitted with the air-to-air beyond visual range interception combat and self-defence missile

-It has a multi-directional radar system which can detect 40 targets at the same time in a range of over 100 Km

-It has advance radar warning receiver to identify hostile tracking system a towed decoy system to thwart incoming missile attacks

-Rafale will ensure that our pilots will not have to cross the border to strike the target, that is about 600 Km in enemy territory
Toby Antony By

Express News Service

KOCHI: The Customs probe into the smuggling of gold through diplomatic channel has revealed that Muvattupuzha native Rabins Hameed was a major hawala dealer who financed several gold smuggling networks from the UAE.

The information was received during the preliminary interrogation of Jalal, also a Muvattupuzha native.

Rabins is a major hawala dealer operating from the UAE. The money collected to procure gold was sent by Jalal and K T Rameez through hawala channels and reached Rabins. The latter has close contacts with hawala agents in Kerala through whom money is sent and received illegally. Rabins invested money in the smuggling of gold through diplomatic channel and also works for other smuggling networks in Dubai, said a source in the Customs.

Sources said Rabins was involved in the 2015 Nedumbassery gold smuggling case in which a Muvattupuzha-based gang smuggled over 1,500kg of gold in a span of two years. Jalal is also a suspect in the case. The Customs has also received more details about an organised network operating from the UAE.

We have received the names of three more persons and are confirming their identity. We will soon arraign them, said a source.

The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) Court has issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Rabins and Faisal who were recently arraigned as accused in the case.

Customs will now approach the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking to issue a lookout notice against Faisal and Rabins on the basis of the NBW. It will also reach out to Interpol via the CBI to issue a Red notice against the duo to ensure their extradition. The paper work to bring them both back to India will be completed soon, said an official.

Meanwhile, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) Court sent Jalal, Muhammad Shafi and Hamjat Ali to Customs custody till 5 pm on Wednesday. Said Alavi, Mohammad Anwar, Samju T M, Abdul Hameed, Aboobacker P, Mohammad Abdu Shamim, Jifsal CV and Abdu PD were sent to Customs custody till Thursday.

Customs gets custody of Swapna and Sandeep

Kochi: The Customs on Tuesday received four-day custody of Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair in the gold smuggling case. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) Court ordered that they be produced in court at 11 am on August 1. Swapnas counsel said the agency had recorded their statements when they were in NIA custody last week. Countering this, the Customs counsel said the case posed a threat to the economic security of the nation.
AUSTIN, Texas  Local health officials in Texas do not have the authority to close schools to prevent spread of the coronavirus, state Attorney General Ken Paxton said Tuesday, pushing that decision solely into the hands of school officials.

Paxton issued a legal guidance letter on schools amid fierce debate among local governments, health officials, parents and teachers on when schools should open in a state that has become one of the nations hot spots in the pandemic.

Texas has seen new confirmed virus cases, hospitalizations and deaths surge during July. On Tuesday, Texas reported 164 new deaths, bringing the state total to nearly 5,900, with nearly 10,000 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

Dozens of cities, counties and school districts  including in the most populous areas  have already decided to delay school reopenings for the upcoming academic year.

In Dallas, health officials have prohibited in-person classes until at least Sept. 8 and similar orders are in place in Houston. Paxtons letter sent them scrambling to check its impact on their decisions and set up the potential for legal challenges.

Our actions to save lives from this crisis should be guided by public health, science, and compassion for the health and safety of our residents  not politics, said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

Paxton, a Republican, said local health officials authority is limited to addressing specific, actual outbreaks of disease. He previously said local health orders closing schools didnt apply to private religious schools.

While playing an important role in protecting the health of school children and employees, local health authorities may not issue sweeping orders closing schools for the sole purpose of preventing future COVID-19 infections, Paxton said.

The Texas Education Agency, which oversees public schools, meanwhile piled more pressure on, telling schools they risk losing state funding if they close campuses to comply with any order from local health authorities.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who toured parts of South Texas hit by Hurricane Hanna, didnt address Paxtons guidance directly when speaking with reporters in Corpus Christi. But he said school opening decisions are best left to local education officials with input from health authorities.

We have a duty to ensure we do not lose a generation of students because of this pandemic, Abbott said. We have an obligation to step up and make sure they are educated about reading, arithmetic, and things like that, but also they are educated in how to respond to challenges that may come their way in life. Pediatricians all recommend the best learning environment for a child is going to be in the classroom.

The Texas State Teachers Association sharply criticized Paxton.

We trust health experts, not the attorney general, when childrens lives are at stake, the group said in a statement.

Abbott also went to the Rio Grande Valley, which remains one of the nations worst hot spots for the virus and where the weekend storm made getting patients to treatment difficult.

Abbott said the state is pushing hard to meet the medical needs of the region, and announced the McAllen Convention Center would be converted into a hospital for up to 250 patients this week. Other nearby communities will get temporary step down facilities for up to 40 patients who are recovering from COVID-19.

Starr County had more than 1,800 COVID-19 patients as of Tuesday, with the most recent being as young as 5 years old. The countys only hospital, which has fewer than 50 beds and no intensive care unit, has been at capacity for weeks. Hannas lashing winds and rain grounded medical transport helicopters for days, leaving doctors with no ability to airlift the most critical patients.

Were in a dire situation, Rio Grande City Mayor Joel Villarreal said. If we continue on the same trajectory, countless more lives will be lost.

Local officials have pleaded with Abbott for weeks to allow them to use tougher enforcement measures to force the use of face masks and business closures. Abbott said local governments already have the authority of civil fines.

The governor has resisted calls to impose a new statewide lockdown and said Tuesday that there are signs his previous orders requiring masks and closing bars are working.

While deaths remain high, Texas has reported fewer than 10,000 new daily confirmed cases since July 18 and the rolling positivity rate has dropped under 13% for the first time since late June.

We are seeing positive results from the executive orders that I put into place that did not force people into poverty, by forcing them to lose their job, losing their income and prevent them from putting food on the table, Abbott said.

___

Associated Press reporter Paul J. Weber contributed to this report from Rio Grande City.
T he origins of the huge Stonehenge sarsen stones have been revealed with the help of a sample returned from the US.

Tests were done on the core of one of the stones, which was drilled during repair work at the Neolithic site in the 1950s.

The results have indicated that the 20-tonne, seven-metre high megaliths were brought from West Woods, near Marlborough.

The core was removed by a Basingstoke diamond-cutting business as part of measures to use metal rods to reinforce one of the upright stones in 1958.

Company employee Robert Phillips kept it in pride of place in his office.

He later took it with him when he emigrated to the US and its existence remained largely unknown for six decades, until he expressed a wish for it to be returned on the eve of his 90th birthday.

Stonehenge / AFP via Getty Images

His sons brought it over and presented it in 2018 to English Heritage, which cares for the World Heritage site, and now it has helped solve the question of where the enormous stones of the world-famous monument are from.

Research has shown the monuments smaller bluestones come from specific spots in the Preseli Hills in Wales, but where the ancient people who constructed Stonehenge quarried the sarsens from was unknown.

They indicates the 20-tonne, seven-metre high megaliths were brought from West Woods, near Marlborough / REUTERS

It has long been assumed they came from Marlborough Downs, but that has never been rigorously tested, according to a study by a team of researchers published in the journal Science Advances.

The team used a non-destructive X-ray technique to assess the make-up of all the remaining sarsen upright and lintel stones, which established that 50 of the 52 remaining megaliths shared a consistent chemistry.

A sign displays the entrance to West Woods on the edge of Wiltshire's Marlborough Downs / REUTERS

This led them to conclude they were sourced from a common area.

The core was cut up and sampled for its chemical composition, and compared with samples of sarsen boulders in 20 areas stretching from Devon to Norfolk, including six in the Marlborough Downs to the north of Stonehenge.

The analysis concludes that stone 58  which the core was taken from  and therefore the majority of the sarsens were mostly likely from West Woods, around 15 miles north of the stone circle on the edge of the downs.

The experts said archaeological investigations and further detailed sampling of sarsens from West Woods and the surrounding areas are needed to more closely pinpoint the stones source and identify the prehistoric quarries.

Trees stand inside West Woods on the edge of Wiltshire's Marlborough Downs / REUTERS

English Heritage senior properties historian Susan Greaney and one of the authors of the paper said it was a real thrill to track down the area that the builders of Stonehenge sourced their materials in 2500 BC.

Now we can start to understand the route they might have travelled and add another piece to the puzzle.

The origins of the huge sarsen stones have been revealed with the help of a sample returned from the US / AFP via Getty Images

While we had our suspicions that Stonehenges sarsens came from the Marlborough Downs, we didnt know for sure, and with areas of sarsens across Wiltshire, the stones could have come from anywhere.

We can now say, when sourcing the sarsens, the over-riding objective was size  they wanted the biggest, most substantial stones they could find and it made sense to get them from as nearby as possible, she said.

Professor David Nash, from the University of Brighton, who led the research, said: It has been really exciting to harness 21st-century science to understand the Neolithic past, and finally answer a question that archaeologists have been debating for centuries.

He said it was the chance to analyse the returned core that enabled the experts to determine the source area for the enormous stones.

Were incredibly grateful to the Phillips family for returning the core to us, he added.
New Delhi:

Upping the ante on the demonetisation issue, the AAP on Thursday announced that it will organise six rallies across the nation, including one in Prime Minister Narendra Modis constituency Varanasi, and raise questions on the alleged Rs 8 lakh crore scam related to it.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold three rallies in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh starting from December 1 in Meerut, followed by a rally in Varanasi and Lucknow on December 8 and 18 respectively, AAP leader Ashish Khetan said.

Modi has defeated Kejriwal from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat in May 2014 by a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes.

The rallies assume significance as UP goes to polls early next year.

On December 20, Kejriwal will hold a rally in Bhopal, followed by two more in Ranchi and Jaipur on December 22 and 23 respectively.

Notably, all three are BJP-ruled states. We will raise important questions about demonetisation and Rs 8 lakh crore scam related to it, said Khetan.

Kejriwal is currently in Punjab, campaigning for the party for the Assembly elections scheduled early next year.

While addressing a press conference, senior leader and National Spokesperson Ashish Khetan said, "Aam Aadmi Party will demonstrate at all District Headquarters across India to protest against the Rs 8 lakh crore scam. National Convener Arvind Kejriwal will address six rallies over the next four weeks across the country on this issue."

Mr Khetan said that the Delhi Chief Minister will ask the following questions to the Modi Government through these rallies:

# The diaries seized by the Income Tax Department from the offices of Aditya Birla and Sahara Groups show that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was paid large sums of cash while he was Gujarat Chief Minister. Leaders of other parties are also named in the diaries. Do you think they should all be investigated?

# Narendra Modi ji has written off loans of Rs 1 lakh and 14 thousand crores of a few companies. Do you think it is right?

# Rupee Seven lakh crores deposited by 'aam aadmi' in banks after November 8 is being used by Prime Minister to write off the loans of top corporate groups. Do you think this is right?

# Do you think the Prime Minister should instead take steps to make the top corporate groups to repay the loans of Rs 8 lakh crores taken from public sector banks?

# Do you think the Prime Minister should make public the list of 700 Swiss Bank Account holders?

# Do you think the Prime Minister should take action against those who have deposited Rs 80 lakh crores in foreign banks?

# A week after Rs 500 & 1000 notes were demonetised, SBI wrote off Rs 1200 crores of Vijay Mallya and Rs 5800 crores of 62 other corporates. Do you think this is right?

(With PTI inputs)

FULL COVERAGE: BLACK MONEY CRACKDOWN

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Embracing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Defence Ministry has proposed to ban the import of weapons that can be manufactured in India. The suggestion was made in the amended draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) on July 28.

"The amended second draft is in line with the defence reforms announced as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and has been placed in the public domain," the ministry said.

The DAP's focuses on promoting self-reliance in defence equipment production, with an ultimate aim to develop India as a global defence manufacturing hub. The Ministry has sought comments from stakeholders by August 10, 2020.

"The Defence Ministry will notify a list of weapons/platforms banned for import, which will be updated from time to time based on the requirements of the various services," the draft said, according to a report by Business Line.

A budget head has been created by the Defence Ministry for Make in India projects and a provision is being made for domestic capital procurement.

The first draft of the DAP, which was then called the Defence Procurement Procedure, was issued on March 20 this year. In a statement, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday it received suggestions from various stakeholders running into more than 10,000 pages on the first draft. Therefore, after analysing those suggestions and holding meetings with stakeholders, the ministry said, the amended DAP was issued.

The Ministry said there are four new chapters in the amended DAP -- leasing; simplified capital expenditure procedure; acquisition of systems products and ICT systems; procurement from DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), DPSUs (Defence Public Sector Units) and OFB (Ordnance Factory Board).

According to the Department of Defence Production, India aims to export defence products worth Rs 15,000 crore in 2020-21. Between April 1 and July 23, India has been able to export defence equipment and platforms worth Rs 1,892 crore, it said on its website.

In 2019-20 and 2018-19, India's defence exports stood at Rs 9,115 crore and Rs 8,320 crore, respectively, the department noted.
A busy mum-of-four and clinical psychologist has shared how she banished her stubborn belly fat in just 16 weeks, and has gone from a size 16 to a slim size 6/8.

Rebecca Jackson, from Canberra, tipped the scales at 90 kilograms after the birth of her fourth child when she knew something had to change, and so she swapped irregular running and yoga for routine weights, Tabata, HIIT and Pilates classes.

Rebecca lost a staggering 16 kilos within the first four months of joining the weight loss program The Healthy Mummy and taking up the high intensity workout, Tabata, before she lost another 11 kilos over the course of one year.

'I've gone from pre-obese BMI to a healthy range,' Rebecca told The Healthy Mummy.

A busy mum-of-four and clinical psychologist has shared how she banished her stubborn belly fat in just 16 weeks, and has gone from a size 16 to a slim size 6/8 (pictured before and after)

Rebecca Jackson (pictured), from Canberra, tipped the scales at 90 kilograms after the birth of her fourth child when she knew something had to change

She added: 'I have reduced my body fat from 43 per cent to 18 per cent.

'Transformed my mindset from feeling ashamed and embarrassed by my body to empowered, confident and self-loving.'

'I'm the strongest, leanest, fittest and healthiest I've been in my adult life.'

The 40-year-old joined The Healthy Mummy in 2017, after giving birth to her fourth child and finding herself the heaviest she had ever been.

'I have struggled with weight my whole life since puberty,' Rebecca admitted, but said it was worst after having kids.

Bec (pictured before and after) said one of the main things she credits for her success is Tabata, which is high intensity interval training

What is Tabata? * Tabata is a popular form of HIIT (high-intensity interval training). * You typically perform 20 seconds of exercise, before resting for 10 seconds and then repeating eight times. * The Tabata regime can include any number of different exercises including burpees, push-ups, mountain climbers and high knees. * The benefits of Tabata is that it is quick, it is more efficient than regular cardio and it doesn't require equipment. Source: Kayla Itsines Advertisement

So, she joined The Healthy Mummy started focusing on her nutrition and training, swapping junk food for smoothies and finding the time to fit in short bursts of exercise in between looking after her four kids.

The Tabata exercise routines that she followed involved short blasts of intense exercise, firstly for eight minutes, then 10, 15, 20, 30 and finally 45-minute sessions.

Tabata is a popular form of high intensity interval training that typically sees the person work out for 20 seconds, before resting for 10 seconds and repeating eight times.

'From struggling to do four minutes of Tabata I can now do 45 minutes of HIIT!' Rebecca said.

'Everyone in my family is calmer and more balanced as a result of my being healthier,' she added.

She started focusing on her nutrition and training, swapping junk food for smoothies and finding the time to fit in short bursts of exercise in between looking after her four kids (pictured before and after)

After losing more than 20 kilos, Rebecca said she's plucked up the courage to wear dresses she hasn't worn for 20 years, and a bikini for the first time in decades (pictured before and after)

What are Bec's weight loss secrets? * Make time for exercise. Workouts like tabata and HIIT are great for getting the heart rate up. * Don't worry if you need to start slow. When she started, Bec said she was only able to do five minutes of HIIT; now she can do 45 minutes non-stop. * Always drink at least two litres of water per day. * Make balanced, nutritious meals and meal prep so there is always something healthy to eat in the fridge or freezer. * Embrace smoothies as a way to flood your body full of nutrients, while staying satiated. Advertisement

After losing more than 20 kilograms, Rebecca said she has plucked up the courage to wear dresses she hasn't worn for 20 years, as well as a bikini for the first time in decades.

'I've lost so much from this, including 27 kilograms, 170 centimetres, five dress sizes and all my negative self image,' she said.

'I've gained self acceptance, body confidence, health and fitness and friends. Never ever have I ever been able to wear a bikini until The Healthy Mummy.'

She knows that she needs to eat healthily and drink at least two litres of water each day to stay in shape, but also doesn't deny herself a little of what she loves.

'By almost 40 years old, I'd smashed goals I never even dreamed of,' Bec said.

'I lost 16 kilograms in my first four months of doing The Healthy Mummy and more than another 10 since then.

'I hope someone can be inspired now by my pics and reap the benefits of the challenges and this community!'

To find out more about The Healthy Mummy, please visit the website here.
Florida has emerged as a major new epicenter of the US coronavirus battle, but two key weapons in the state's fight are misfiring badly: testing and contact tracing. Health officials say that when a person is tested they need to get the results in 48 hours or less, so if they are in fact positive they can self-isolate right away and avoid infecting others. But in the Sunshine State it is taking up to 10 days for results to return. Such was the case of Gemma Garcia, a Spanish journalist who waited 11 days for her test results. During that span she practiced social distancing but did not quarantine. Her test came back positive, and then she did isolate herself. "And I contacted all the people I had been with," said Garcia, who is 53. Luckily, they all came back negative. This lag between testing and results coming back is one of the reasons Florida is a red hot spot in the pandemic -- along with Texas and California -- in the country hardest hit by the virus sweeping the globe. Right now one of every 50 people in Florida is infected with the virus, and as of Tuesday it has killed more than 6,000 people. New cases are around 10,000 a day. The latest single daily death toll was a record 186. "What do I do with a patient that I test today, and the results come back in three, four, five, six days -- when between the test and the time of a positive result they have been with a load of people?" asked Alberto Dominguez-Bali, a doctor at Hialeah Hospital in Miami. "That is poor management of the situation," he said. - Pool testing - With things so messy, people are pointing fingers searching for a culprit. Two weeks ago Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, a firm ally of President Donald Trump and of reopening the economy despite the warnings of health experts, blamed the labs doing the testing. DeSantis threatened to stop sending work to those labs that take a long time to return the results. "You have somebody going through one of the sites, and then they get a result back 10 days later. That is not really going to be very helpful," he said. Since then two big lab companies, Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, said the government has allowed them to do what are called pool tests to save time. This means several samples are combined and examined altogether. If that group tests positive, then the individual parts that compose it are tested one by one. LabCorp told AFP this is helping to speed things up. - Who traces the contacts? - The testing-result lag time also makes contact tracing -- which in other countries proved critical in controlling the pandemic -- inefficient and unmanageable. In the case of the journalist Garcia, for instance, none of the 14 people she told to get tested received a call from a contact tracer. The Florida health department says on its web site it has 1,600 employees doing tracing. Experts say it would need at least 6,300 for this state of 21 million people. The approval rating for governor DeSantis has fallen over the past month over his handling of the crisis. Back in May he bragged that he had managed to control the pandemic, in a speech in which he accused the media of spreading panic. DeSantis has refused to make mask-wearing obligatory state wide, although some mayors have. Florida, which charges no sales tax and lives off tourism, scrambled to bring back visitors in May and June as its economy tanked under lockdown measures and it seemed the pandemic was under control. Now hospitals are running short of beds, intensive care units are packed, the jobless rate is climbing and the economy is a mess again. "They simply were not ready. They didn't have enough people," Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told MSNBC, referring to the state's health officials. "If you can't reach out to the people that are positive and guide them into the people they had contact with, and do that investigation at all, you're basically just letting the virus run wild," Gelber said. Medical workers wait for people to arrive in their vehicles at a drive-through COVID-19 testing site in St. Petersburg, Florida Medical pesonnel in full pesonal protective gear carry out tests at COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites like this one in St. Petersburg Cars line up for Covid-19 test at a "walk-in" and "drive-through" coronavirus testing site in Miami Beach, Florida on July 22, 2020 Medical personnel conduct coronavirus testing at a "walk-in" and "drive-through" site in Miami Beach, Florida, on July 22, 2020
Greenville, SC -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/29/2020 -- Corporate Connection, a short-term furniture rental and temporary housing company in Greenville, SC, is proud to welcome Archie Johnson to the team as the company's first VP of Sales and Marketing.



"I am so excited for the opportunity to join Corporate Connection," Johnson said. "The very first thing I noticed about this company is their commitment to excellence. From the above-and-beyond level of customer service that everyone strives to deliver to the quality of the furniture and housewares we provide for our clients, everything associated with this company is top notch."



Johnson's main responsibility in his new role will be to lead the sales and marketing team while focusing on business development. "My goal for Corporate Connection is to lead a strategic regional expansion while strengthening our position as an industry leader in the upstate," Johnson said.



Johnson brings nearly 15 years of business and finance experience to Corporate Connection. "When we created this position, I knew Archie would be the perfect fit," said Marsha R. Elrod, COO at Corporative Connection. "Between his people-oriented personality and career background, he was the total package to help Corporate Connection stand out to our customers."



About Corporate Connection

Corporate Connection partners with both individuals and companies to provide fully furnished apartment homes and rental furniture. Established in 2000 in Greenville, South Carolina, Corporate Connection is a WBENC-certified company committed to adapting to each of our customers' unique temporary housing needs.
One of the Northern Territory's most powerful police officers raped a female colleague after a night out at a ball, a Darwin court has been told.

The Supreme Court jury trial began on Tuesday for former NT Police assistant commissioner Peter Bravos, 53, who has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape.

NT Police commissioner Jamie Chalker and former parliamentary speaker Kezia Purick will be among more than 40 witnesses expected to appear at a four-week trial.

One of the Northern Territory's most powerful police officers, Peter Bravos, raped a female colleague after a night out at a ball, a Darwin court has been told

ACT Supreme Court Judge John Burns is presiding over the trial after there were difficulties in finding a local judge who was not connected to any of the witnesses among Darwin's legal community.

The alleged events occurred almost 16 years ago after a ball in Darwin for emergency services workers.

A group of police including Bravos and the alleged victim continued partying before they were refused entry to the Darwin casino because she appeared drunk.

She lived some distance away in a rural area and Bravos invited her back to his Darwin house to stay the night, where she found his wife and children not home as they had gone away, crown prosecutor Nick Papas QC told the court.

The pair continued drinking alcohol and swam in the pool but when 'Bravos made advances towards her she rebuffed him', he said.

However, after she went to sleep alone in a spare room she says she later woke to find Bravos was naked next to her and using his fingers and later his penis to penetrate her.

Peter Bravos (left) is pictured with his wife Cindy Bravos (right) and has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape

Both the prosecution and defence agree on those facts but one side argues it was rape and the other that it was consensual sex.

'The criminal code in the Northern Territory states that when a person is asleep, unconscious or so affected by alcohol as to be incapable of freely agreeing ... they do not consent to sexual intercourse,' Mr Papas said.

'We are going to have to prove the accused didn't have belief of consent as well.'

He says the woman was highly distressed the following day, took the morning after pill and spoke to friends, colleagues and later a psychologist, who will all give evidence.

The alleged victim lived some distance away in a rural area and Bravos invited her back to his Darwin house to stay the night, where she found his wife Cindy (pictured) and children not home, the court heard

However, she did not make a formal complaint until 2017 after speaking to people about the incident again and being told about a 'black book' that existed at the time in which she featured in which male police had 'odds as to whether someone could sleep with her'.

Defence lawyer John Lawrence SC said the evidence against Bravos was 'based on a classic gossip, hearsay, tittle-tattle rumour mill' that developed over the intervening years since the incident.

He suggested the alleged victim might have been used as a pawn by senior police who had wanted to damage Bravos and become assistant commissioners themselves.

'You will see evidence laced with a very rich ingredient of ambition,' he said.
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Onix, a leading cloud solutions provider, today announced that it has achieved the Managed Services Provider status in the Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program by demonstrating their end-to-end customer lifecycle service delivery capabilities.

Partners in this initiative give Google Cloud customers the ability to enjoy hands-on support, ongoing workloads management and oversight, as well as more services that help them maximize their cloud environment.

As a Google Cloud Managed Services Provider partner, Onix offers customers 24x7x365 monitoring, managing and problem resolution for their cloud systems. Key services include:

Hosting and monitoring

Server and software maintenance for cloud solutions

License management

Security

Application administration

Ongoing solution reviews

"We're proud to be a Managed Services Provider Partner in the Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program," said Onix Cloud President Tony Bianco. "Google has very high standards for inclusion into the program, and Onix is excited to have passed all of these elements so we can provide the very best service to our shared customers. By partnering with Onix for managed services, our customers enjoy more organizational efficiency and predictable costs while having a world-class team focused on their infrastructure."

About Onix

As a leading cloud solutions provider, Onix elevates customers with consulting services for cloud infrastructure, collaboration, devices, enterprise search and geospatial technology. Onix uses its ever-evolving expertise to achieve clients' strategic cloud computing goals.

Onix backs its strategic planning and deployment with incomparable ongoing service, training and support. It also offers its own suite of standalone products to solve specific business challenges, including OnSpend, a cloud billing and budget management software solution.

Headquartered in Lakewood, Ohio, Onix serves its customers with virtual teams in major metro areas, including Atlanta, Austin, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago and New York. Onix also has Canadian offices in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Learn more at www.onixnet.com .

Contact:

Robin Suttell

Onix

216-801-4984

[email protected]

SOURCE Onix

Related Links

www.onixnet.com


Court Sentence Ex-Director Of Finance At The Niger Delta Ministry To One Year Imprisonment For N60m Fraud

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, has sentenced a former Director Finance of the Niger Delta Ministry, Mr. Ayinla Abibu, 60, to one-year imprisonment as well as the forfeiture of two plots of land in Kubwa and Bwari of Abuja.

Abibu was charged by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for embezzling the sum of N60 Million from the Federal Government through the use of a front company, Zeocat Nigeria Limited, in March, 2014.

Abibu was charged by the Commission before Hon Justice Olukayode Adeniyi for defrauding the Federal Government in collusion with a former Principal Accountant in the Ministry, Kabiru Poloma, by fraudulently withdrawing money from the Constituency Project account of the Ministry domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The 60-year-old convict was said to have used the proceeds of the fraud to acquire a house in Ogbomosho, Oyo state, and plots of land in Kubwa and Bwari of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

Before his sentencing, the defense lawyer, Abiola Akinwale, pleaded with the Court to be lenient with the convict by granting him a lighter sentence as the convict falls amongst the age vulnerable to COVID-19. The defense lawyer further told the Court that a longer sentence would quicken the death of the convicts aged parents who were 99 and 92 years old respectively.

The ICPC Counsel, Mr. George Lawal, while conceding the powers of sentence to the Court, stated that the grievous nature of the crime committed by the convict demanded that he should be punished accordingly. Lawal argued that a lesser sentence might fail to serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.

He Said;



In the circumstances, it is only fair that restitution be made in equal value of what was taken. This will send a clear message that crime does not pay.

This development comes as the National Assembly just concluded an investigation that exposed the financial recklessness in the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, a commission under the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry.
Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday allowed the state assemblys session to run from August 14, approving a proposal by the government for summoning the proceedings after returning three previous recommendations to convene it from July 31 amid an impasse triggered by the rebellion of Congress leader and chief minister Ashok Gehlots dismissed deputy, Sachin Pilot.

The Ashok Gehlot-led Cabinet on Wednesday sent another proposal to the governor for summoning the Rajasthan assembly, saying a session should be called on August 14. According to people aware of the developments, the government was of the view that the fresh plan met the 21-day notice requirement called for by the governor. The Cabinet is counting 21 days from July 23, when its first proposal was sent, they said.

While rejecting the governments proposals earlier, Mishra said a session can be called at short notice if the agenda is to seek a vote of confidence. He said if the government was not stating the reason for holding a short-notice session, it could call a regular session at 21 days notice.

Also Read: Rajasthan Speaker moves SC on high court hearing Sachin Pilot camps plea, says it is judicial indiscipline

Governor Kalraj Mishra has approved the assembly session. The proposal sent by the Cabinet to begin the proceedings by August 14 has been accepted. The governor has given verbal directives on necessary arrangements to be made for prevention of Covid-19, a statement released by the governors office said.

The Rajasthan Cabinet on Tuesday said the governor did not have any locus standi in stipulating conditions to hold the session and asked him to abide by the proposal of the Cabinet. It said the agenda of the session will be determined by the business advisory committee of the House, and added that it was the assembly speakers domain to decide on social distancing norms in the assembly amid the pandemic.

The governor had suggested a 21-day notice period to convene the House; sought clarity on the agenda of the session and advised live-streaming of the floor test, if such a test was to be held; and asked about Covid-19 related precautions in the assembly.

While the Congress has accused that the current crisis is the result of moves by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the BJP said it was purely a result of the internal clash within Rajasthans ruling party. The Rajasthan political turmoil has seen an open tussle between Gehlot and his now-dismissed deputy CM Pilot and a set of rebel Congress legislators, who allege that Gehlots government is in a minority. Over the past few days, Gehlot has sought a quick assembly session based on the assessment that he has the numbers in the House, according to Congress strategists.

Pilot has the support of 18 dissident Congress MLAs. Altogether, the Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member assembly and the BJP 72.

Commenting on the governors approval to the assembly session, Congress leader Mahesh Joshi said: We will run the House successfully. The decision taken in House will bring more relief to the people of the state.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mishra returned the governments third proposal, saying the Cabinet refused to state the reason why it wanted a session at short notice. He asked the Gehlot Cabinet to resubmit its proposal, giving a reason for calling a session at short notice.

As the impasse over calling a session deepened, chief minister Ashok Gehlot held a 15-minute meeting with Mishra at the Raj Bhawan. The love letter has already come. Now, I am only going to have tea with him, Gehlot told party workers at the state Congress office before heading for the Raj Bhawan. Hours later, the state Cabinet met to redraft the proposal, setting the new date.

Although the Congress has said it wants to prove its majority in the House, it has not mentioned this in its proposal. The governor previously referred to the Covid-19 pandemic and asked the government to make it clear why it wanted the session summoned at short notice under such circumstances.

The Congress has alleged that Mishra is acting under pressure from the BJP government at the Centre.

BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said on Tuesday the post of the governor was constitutional and his party did not interfere in the work of the constitutional bodies.
Camera traps in a forest in western Thailand have captured footage of tigers in an area for the first time in four years, a conservationist said, raising hopes over efforts to preserve the species in the Southeast Asian country.

The video and photographs show three male tigers roaming at night, including at one point peering directly into one of the camera traps.

We are excited about this discovery, Kritsana Kaewplang, country director for conservation group Panthera in Thailand, said of the footage which was released on Global Tiger Day.

There are estimated to about 160 Indochinese tigers left in the wild in Thailand. They are also found in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and southwestern China. The total population may only be around 350, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Globally there are estimated to be only about 3,900 tigers left in the wild, including the larger Bengal and Siberian tigers. Kritsana, who has been working with Thailands Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and other organisations, said the sightings mean Thailand is on the right track trying to preserve tigers and their prey.

The next important step for us is that we have to try and make the connecting routes of each forest area accommodating for them, in order for the tigers to roam safely, said Kritsana.

A database of Thailands tiger population showed two of the tigers had travelled from the northern part of the forest to the south, while the third had not been documented before, she said.

Thailand is a well-known trafficking hub of illicit wildlife products and tigers continue to face the threat of poaching.
Sharon Cuneta, sobrang lungkot sa pag-iisa dahil nag-isolate: "Right after my birthday"

Sharon Cuneta took to Instagram and expressed how lonely she is right now. She said she has never felt such loneliness in years and right after her birthday.
Businesses that are still closed after riots and looting followed by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., on July 27, 2020. (Meiling Lee/The Epoch Times)

Minneapolis Business Owners Suffer Quietly

Two months after riots in south Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd, many businesses are still struggling while dealing with rising gun violence in their neighborhoods.

Some small family-owned minority businesses whose shops were vandalized, looted, or burned down say they are still waiting for financial support from state and city-level government officials after Governor Tim Walzs request for $500 million in federal aid to help in the rebuilding was rejected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A spokesperson for FEMA said it was determined that the impact to public infrastructure is within the capabilities of the local and state governments to recover from, according to MPR News.

An email to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey about his offices plans to help the affected businesses were not answered upon publication of the story.

Speedway across from the George Floyd memorial remains closed after it was looted during a riot following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., on July 27, 2020. (Meiling Lee/The Epoch Times)

Another negative impact on the once vibrant business community is the increase in gun assaults. Business owners say they dont feel safe in the community anymore.

The city reported its 37th homicide after a 17-year-old Hispanic boy was shot outside a store three blocks north of the George Floyd memorial site and later died at the hospital on July 23. According to the Star Tribune, At least 274 people have been struck by gunfire so far this yeara total that exceeds all of 2019 and is about 56 percent higher than the five-year average of shooting victims for this time of the year.

For Cande Gama, owner of Pasteleria Gama, adjusting to the high crimes occurring in the neighborhood means closing her shop early and less outdoor activity when shes home. Theres been a lot of killing around the area. I mean, everywhere. Ever since the protesters, its not safe, Gama told The Epoch Times. And Im scared because theres a lot of shooting everywhere now, everywhere, in the park, everywhere in the area.

Gama, an immigrant from Mexico, opened her bakery more than four years ago and bought her home in the community this past December. She wanted to give her kids a permanent place to grow up but now worries for their safety. I dont feel safe to send my kids to the store. I dont feel safe walking on the street. You dont know whos gonna shoot you, when, what time because people have guns, Gama says.

Her bakery was doing well before the stay-at-home order in March. The only aid she has received so far is the PPP loan that allowed her to bring back the eight employees she had to let go for two months. The business has been steady but not like before the shutdown.

The George Floyd memorial in front of Cup Foods where he died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minn., on July 27, 2020. (Meiling Lee/The Epoch Times)

While at the George Floyd memorial site, small groups of tourists still make a visit to the area, but their presence doesnt do much for the few businesses that are still operating and trying to survive.

Dan Refaya of Mill City Auto Body says he is struggling to bring business back to what it was before the riots occurred. My business, since that happened is 70 percent down, Refaya told The Epoch Times. What Im trying to do right [now], just to keep the shop open, no benefits. Actually, Im losing.

Refaya says he has to pay his monthly rent no matter if his business is opened or not. He still hasnt replaced his broken window which is still boarded up, and hes kept the rock that was used to break his window. He says its not worth filing a claim with his insurance for a $1,000$2,000 replacement if his fees will increase afterward.

His wife has been calling the Minneapolis mayors office and the city council every day to inquire about assistance but has not gotten a reply.

Refaya, whos business has been in the area since 2002 says he cant just walk away from his shop that he has worked hard to build with his sweat and tears after he moved to Minnesota from Jerusalem. Ive been suffering for 18 years, over 20 years to build my business, Refaya says. You know I have four kids in college. How am I going to recover? Thats why Im telling you, Im surviving, even [if] I feel not safe.

With the streets cordoned off since May due to the memorial, getting to his shop has been challenging for his customers and the deliverymen. Refaya said one of his customers was beaten four days ago by a small group of people for accidentally crossing a memorial for a black pregnant woman who died from a gunshot wound by her boyfriend and the father of her child, one block from the George Floyd Memorial site. They beat him, they break his glasses, and they take his phone. And even they try to take his car from him, Refaya said. The police were not called about the incident.

Other business owners who didnt want to be identified also said that the community is no longer safe. Many are afraid to speak up for fear of public backlash and for their personal safety. One of them said, How many people have to die after him? When Im out of business, Im dying.
The First Amendment prevents the government from doing a whole lot of things. We tend to focus on the freedom of speech, but the First Amendment also protects other, equally important freedoms, among them, the right of the people peaceably to assemble. The right to assemble, protest, and gather is the neglected younger sister to the free speech clause. As the Supreme Court lavishes attention on commercial speech and money as speech and religious signage and union dues and cake baking as speech, the freedom to gather and protest is often forgotten.

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But this spring and summer, as protests broke out across the country initially in response to the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, and increasingly in response to government crackdowns on protest itself, we are left with the grim prospect of protesters without much legal protection, despite the First Amendment. This much was plain to see in two congressional hearings on Tuesday, in which thousands of peaceful demonstrators were dismissed as anarchists and mobs, both by Republicans in Congress and by Attorney General William Barr.

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The first hearing, before the House Committee on Natural Resources, was about what transpired on June 1, when government officials assaulted protesters in Washingtons Lafayette Square. Adam DeMarco, a major in the D.C. National Guard, testified that he saw what he deemed excessive force used to clear peaceable protesters outside the White House immediately before President Donald Trumps photo opportunity at St. Johns Church. DeMarco testified that inaudible warnings to clear the park were issued at 6:20 p.m. and that even though a curfew was set for 7 p.m., at 6:30 he witnessed a clearing operation that included explosions and smoke he was told was stage smoke, which he recognized from his own military experience as tear gas. He said he later found spent tear gas cannisters on the street nearby. DeMarco described the people targeted as demonstratorsour fellow American citizensengaged in the peaceful expression of their First Amendment rights.

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Testifying immediately before DeMarco, though, acting U.S. Park Police Chief Gregory Monahan insisted that what he had seen in the same park was some of the most violent protests that Ive been a part of my 23 years of the United States Park Police, and that the police were responding to severe violence from a large group of bad actors including arson, vandalism, and injuries sustained by more than 50 officers. He insisted that the surge of official violence to clear the park that happened at 6:30 p.m. needed to occur in a crowded park with almost no warning because protective fencing had to be installed around the perimeter and that the presidents walk to the church at that hour was pure coincidence. In response to multiple videos of police in riot gear assaulting unarmed protesters with bats and shields, and footage of an Australian TV crew punched and assaulted, Monahan insisted that the footage represented merely a moment in time, and that violent protesters had bats, boards, water bottles, and bricks that they were using against law enforcement. Monahan concluded that the Park Police had exercised tremendous restraint in clearing the protesters, although he conceded there were no incidents involving attacks on officers that day, save a single assault after the violent clearing began.

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Neither Barr nor Monahan could explain when and how one protester hellbent on violence turns an entire peaceful protest into an angry mob, or why a thrown water bottle should be met with pepper spray.

In a separate hearing held the same day, Attorney General William Barr was testifying before the House Judiciary Committee for the first time in more than a year. He had said he was the one who gave the order to clear the park in June, and during the hearing, he characterized the scene at Lafayette Square as unprecedented rioting around the White House. He also urged that the timing connected to Trumps photo shoot was a coincidence. Barr described what is widely acknowledged as weeks of peaceful racial justice protests in Portland, Oregon, as a moblike siege by violent rioters and anarchists against a courthouse, which includes the use of lasers, pellet guns, and slingshots against federal officers. (The New York Times could not confirm the use of those weapons.) Barr declared that what unfolds nightly around the [Portland] courthouse cannot reasonably be called a protest; it is, by any objective measure, an assault on the government of the United States, although he could not explain why protests in Michigan by armed white men that included overt threats of lynching the governor were not a mob. (Barr claimed he did not even know of the Michigan protests.) Chillingly, he insisted that while tear gas and violence were not appropriate responses to peaceful protesters, the problem when these things sometimes occur is, its hard to separate people. Barr claimed that unmarked vans were used on protesters so that they could pick them up where there was less of a risk to this mob response. He further claimed there could be probable cause for law enforcement officers to arrest and detain innocent protesters simply because they had been standing next to someone else suspected of using a laser against law enforcement, or because it could mean the person ditched the laser. A peaceful protest thus reverts to a violent mob if one person throws a water bottle or if unarmed protesters fail to clear the perimeter when told to disperse. It is appropriate to use tear gas when its indicatedto disperse an unlawful assembly, the attorney general of the United States said.

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In other words, in Barrs hands, the freedom of assembly is transformed to mass guilt by association. Neither he nor Monahan could explain when and how one protester hellbent on violence turns an entire peaceful protest into an angry mob, or why a thrown water bottle should be met with pepper spray. And never you mind that Barr is virtually alone in his view of what happened at Lafayette Square. Trumps own former Defense Secretary James Mattis has blasted the administration for its treatment of the D.C. protesters, calling the June 1 event a bizarre photo op. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley later said it was a mistake for him to participate in the walk to the church. Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge has decried the use of federal law enforcement authorities in Portland as pouring gasoline on a fire and emphasized that preserving the right to dissent is something very important, and that you cant justify the violence that has accompanied those protests. Michael Chertoff, who served as secretary of homeland security under President George W. Bush, has written that what DHS is doing in Portland is wildly inappropriate:

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Videos reveal agents operating in camouflage uniforms with no clear identifying insignia. That may be appropriate combating transnational drug gangs in a border environment, but not in American cities. Other videos and reports make clear that even peaceful demonstratorssuch as individuals identifying as military veteranswere struck with nonlethal projectiles and strong tear gas. And there was no respect for, or coordination with, the wishes of local authorities.

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Perhaps in response to the widespread horror from virtually everyone who is not currently serving in the Trump administration, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday that federal forces would be withdrawn from the city of Portland.

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But even if Barr stands alone, with only the president and DHS officials sharing his views of what the right to protest actually means, the retreat from Portland isnt without consequences. In perhaps the most alarming development on Tuesday, Dara Lind at ProPublica reported that federal authorities in Portland have been arresting protesters for offenses as minor as failing to obey an order to get off a sidewalk on federal property then advising them that they are specifically barred from attending protests or demonstrations as they await trials on federal misdemeanor charges. While one of Linds experts describes these orders as sort of hilariously unconstitutional, its manifestly clear that Barrs claim that the mere act of standing next to someone holding a weapon, or failing to obey an order to disperse, means you are part of an unlawful assembly has now been used by federal prosecutors to prosecute participants and also to explicitly chill any future protest. That renders the peaceable assembly clause of the First Amendment a shell of a freedom, an alarming new phase in its overlooked status.

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It hasnt always been this way. As Drexel University professor Tabatha Abu El-Haj explained in her 2009 article The Neglected Right of Assembly, the existence of a right of peaceable assembly was not controversial at the founding because it was a traditional right of English freemen.  Despite crowded cities and worked-up mobs, until the late 19th century, it was widely understood that street politics demanded the right to protest, gather, assemble, and shout on busy streets and parks. As Abu El-Haj explains it, that included bonfires and toasting and rowdiness and feasting, and all of that street gathering was deemed a central, and essential, feature of civic political life. And as she notes, so widely accepted was the fundamental right to gather and protest that it was included virtually without comment in the First Amendment. Moreover, in the first United States Congress a discussion of the proposed Bill of Rights amendment [regarding assembly] was declared beneath the dignity of the members.

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There was very little case law, or even academic writing, about the right to assemble, and it was also widely understood that while the state could prosecute those who behaved criminally at public rallies, rallies themselves were integral to democratic freedom and the free exchange of ideas. This all changed, Abu El-Haj explains, only in the late 19th century, when courts began to permit all sorts of licensing requirements on public assemblies. Today, its simply understood and accepted that demonstrations require paperwork and permits and state discretion as to time, place, and manner constraints, and as she notes, in this century, maintaining order, preventing traffic jams, and ensuring security are all considered significant governmental interests. We have, in short, acceded to a regulatory regime that forces protesters to both seek government permission to assemble, and then to be at the mercy of state claims about potential lawlessness, rioting, inconvenience, or traffic, when the government seeks to quell protest. As Abu El-Haj points out, we have replaced the notion that the state can only interfere with gatherings when they disturb the peace, with a legal regime in which the state is permitted to regulate in advance (by confining to certain spaces or times) assemblages that are both peaceful and not inconvenient. Garrett Epps explains here that red states have been expansively regulating protest and protesters for years now, culminating, as he writes, in a grotesque opinion out of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year, approving the principle that anyone who organizes a protest can be suedand thus possibly bankruptedif someone else present commits an illegal act. That is why this summer we have seen enforcement officers justifying the use of tear gas on peaceful protesters on the grounds that they dont want to wait around to see if violence will ensure. That is essentially Barrs claim as well. And the larger the protest, the greater the chance for individual bad actors to act out, the less likely warnings to disperse will be heard, and the more likely arrests, and federal bans on future protest, will occur. In other words, as protests grow and spread, regardless of conduct, the more certain Barrs vision of all protests as inherently dangerous mobs of anarchists will become.

What the centurieslong failure to protect a robust right to assemble and demonstrate means is that we now gather to protest at the sufferance of local authorities. And the testimony of the attorney general on Wednesday signals that federal authorities will not wait to be invited to crack down on protest either. Arrests of protesters on pretext that lead to agreements not to protest in the future are perhaps the best signal that the First Amendment right to assemble is not nearly as robust as we might have believed.
From a womens rights perspective, 2020 was supposed to be the year the world would reflect upon all the ways gender equality had advanced in the 25 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a groundbreaking conference that outlined bold feminist strategies to remove barriers to equality.

Instead, this year risks witnessing all those gains unravel, say the authors of a new report released Tuesday. It took a pandemic for the country to see what was already broken, write the authors of the report titled A Feminist Economic Recovery Plan for Canada.

COVID-19 has claimed more than half a million lives and affected at least 16 million people around the world. Another serious repercussion is the toll it exacted on the millions of already marginalized without even infecting them.

Women are on the front lines of the pandemic, the report says. The jobs that keep our society functioning tend to be done by women, yet women are rarely prioritized in discussions about health and safety or economic well-being.

It notes that women have borne the brunt of economic loss due to the pandemic, and in March alone accounted for 70 per cent of all job losses in Canada in the 25 to 54 age group.

The report by YWCA Canada and the Institute for Gender and the Economy at the University of Torontos Rotman School of Management offers Canadas first COVID economic recovery plan from an intersectional feminist viewpoint. It flips conventional gender-blindness on its head and puts women and gender-diverse people at the centre.

Recommendations include calls for investments in such key areas as housing, child care and anti-racism initiatives.

Shaya MacDonald, who is both Mikmaw and French and identifies as being Two-Spirited, was on YWCA Canadas Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Action Committee.

We cannot talk about recovery until we talk about reconciliation and we talk about the inquiry into the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit people, said MacDonald, who goes by the pronouns they/them.

If we want to have an economy that works for everyone, we need to work towards dismantling things like anti-Indigenous colonial racism, things like anti-Black racism, MacDonald said. Indigenous people, especially women, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The people who experience things like oppression and marginalization, and financial hardships are mostly the ones upholding the economy right now.

As the report says, We cannot talk about protecting against COVID-19 if reserves do not have access to clean drinking water.

According to Statistics Canada, 81 per cent of the Canadian health care and social assistance workforce is made up of women. These would be women who could not work from home during the lockdown

Fifty-six per cent of women workers are concentrated in occupations known as the 5Cs: caring, cashiering, catering, cleaning and clerical functions, many of which are deemed essential occupations, the report says, citing the national statistical agency. These would be women who could not work from home during the lockdown.

Racialized workers made up 42 per cent of the personal support worker labour force, double the rate of racialized communities in Ontario at 23 per cent, according to a 2010 study. These would be women who could not work from home during the lockdown.

MacDonald, who is a Mental Health and Addiction support worker in Toronto, was one of those who could not work from home during the lockdown. In fact, their work intensified because the people they worked with were now at higher risk after access to treatment and safe substance use sites were cut off.

Yet, its not only the historical devaluation of care jobs that has come to the fore in the pandemic. Gender-based violence has also seen such a rise that the United Nations referred to it as the shadow pandemic.

In addition, unlike previous downturns that impacted male-dominated industrial sectors, the fallout of this recession impacts women more than men, leading economist Armine Yalnizyan to refer to it as a she-cession.

The new report offers an eight-point-plan and 25 recommendations that include calls for investment to address historical causes of anti-Indigenous colonial racism and anti-Black racism, tackling gender-based violence, and creating aordable housing and decent, sustainable jobs that provide paid sick leave. It recommends policies to support the care economy and uplift women-owned businesses.

Of course, it focuses on child care. Ensure that child care is a key element of all economic recovery, it says. Investing in care services will result in direct returns for the government.

We must consider how to re-evaluate GDP measures to factor in the enormous economic contribution of care work that is currently performed predominately by women, the report says.

Greater investment in the care economy leads to enormous economic and social benefits, the report says, citing research in the U.K. that shows it creates sustainable jobs, reduces the gender employment gap and cuts down poverty.

Unpaid care work globally is estimated at $10.8 trillion (U.S.), the report says.

How to fund all this investment? The authors suggest progressive taxation and a wealth tax through what the International Monetary Fund recently labelled as a solidarity surcharge.

Poorly paid women at the intersections of gender, poverty, race and immigrant status have footed the bill for the pandemic. Weve called them essential. Weve called them heroes. Now, as the economy starts to reopen, its time to create a new normal by putting the countrys wallet where its mouth is.
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A retired sailor is finally completing his painstaking model of HMS Victory - 51 years after he started it.

Michael Byard first began work on the five feet long replica of Nelson's flagship in 1969.

But after two years he was forced to put the 'labour of love' aside as he concentrated on his career and raising a family.

Retired sailor Michael Byard, 80, has almost completed work on his 1:48 replica of HMS Victory which he started in 1969

Mr Byard started his mammoth project with the stem section, pictured here in 1969, though within two years he was forced to put the project on hold for more than 40 years

Here is a section of the bow which Mr Byard fashioned by hand, pictured around 1969, which he used to build his boat

Mr Byard, pictured here around 1960, on the real vessel in Portsmouth, Hampshire, decided to make his model 4ft11 inches long, 14 inches wide and 16 inches tall

Each part of the replica had to be hand carved and glued together in a painstaking process which he was only able to complete over the summer months because of arthritis in his hands

After it languished in his garage for almost four decades the pensioner finally decided to pick up his tools once again six years ago when he was 74.

But because of the arthritis in his thumbs he was then only able to work on it during summer months.

Now Mr Byard is finally on the verge of completing the replica - which consists of over 3,000 pieces, the vast majority of which he cut himself.

HMS Victory, launched in 1765, achieved lasting fame as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Nelson in Britain's greatest naval victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Mr Byard's model, which features gun ports, life boats and cannons, is 4ft 11inches long, 14 inches wide and 16 inches tall.

Wearing his reading glasses - sometimes even a visor with magnified glasses - he would use tweezers to fit together the most intricate parts.

The model is made with over 300 tiny wooden planks - all hand carved to size - which make up the floor and body of the ship.

The father of two - who estimates he has spent 600 hours working on the model - cut each plank to measure a quarter of an inch to an eighth of an inch before gluing them together with special wood glue.

But arthritis in his thumbs has made it difficult to work constantly on the model, with Michael deciding to stick to building the ship in the summer months for up to five hours a day.

The former naval reserve and shipping company worker, who lives with his wife Anne, 65, in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, said: 'I've had to stop working sometimes because the arthritis gets too bad. Other times, it seemed to ease the pain with use.

'Over winter I wouldn't touch the model at all, it was under a cloth in the garage in my workshop and I'd leave it until the next year. It was too cold because the garage isn't heated. Cold weather doesn't help with the arthritis very much.'

The HMS Victory model includes 104 brass cannons on the upper deck, which Mr Byard bought from a specialist model maker in Devon.

When he resumed the project in 2014, the lower part of hull had been completed as well as some of the interior frames

In the late 1950s, Mr Byard, pictured in his Royal Navy uniform, was living in Australia but returned to Britain in the early with his wife, Anne

In August 2014, Mr Byard was working on the ship's upper deck, in an effort to complete the massive project

A year later, in September 2015, Mr Byard was in a position to fit cannons inside the day cabin of his model

It was necessary to improvise while completing his project, using these plastic clothes pegs to hold together the stern section while the glue used during construction to go off in September 2015

This view of the quarter deck from October 2015 shows the intricate work that went into the individual planks used for the deck

For each cannon, he hand-made carriages out of wooden planks to hold them - even cutting small steps either side and making the wheels out of doweling-, with each one taking about half an hour to make.

'It was very fiddly,' he said. 'I was learning as I was going along. There were thousands of pieces, I've never kept a record of how many. There were more planks than anything else.

'There were times when it was frustrating but I enjoyed what I was doing and I had an end goal in sight - it was just a question of working on it.'

Mr Byard made intricate ladders by hand out of one millimetre plywood - and would spend hours cutting and fixing the wood.

'HMS Victory has so much history and really she's the only surviving ship of the Napoleonic era in the Royal Navy so she's very special,' he said.

He began building the model in 1969 when he was working at a shipping company in Melbourne, Australia, where he had emigrated as a child.

But he packed it away 18 months later before moving back to England with his wife. He had been able to complete the hull up to the Gun Deck level.

Mr Byard, who joined the Royal Australian Naval Reserve as an Ordinary Seaman in 1958, based his model on a book called 'HMS Victory, Building Restoration and Repair' which included detailed drawings of the 1797 refurbishment of the Victory in 1:48 scale plans.

He built his ship using the plans at the same size and scale, and began to build it from scratch by cutting out the frames.

Mr Byard was forced to buy the cannons from a model shop, but he made the carriages holding them himself

In August 2017, he was building the port side cranes which would have been used to load supplies and weapons on the ship

Also in August 2017, Mr Byard continued work on the stern timbers and poop deck, pictured

By May 2018, he had completed three anchors, which are built to scale along with the rest of his replica ship

Now Mr Byard's replica, pictured in July 2020 is almost completed, with cannon along the gun deck

Speaking about his 51 year journey of building the model, he said: 'It's been a labour of love. I hung it up in my garage for over 45 years what with working in London and children coming along.

'And when I was 74 I decided that I better do something about trying to fix it. So for the last six years that's what I've been working on. I've enjoyed every minute of it.'

His daughter Anni, an archeologist, gave her father a small toy cannon from the 18th century to put on his ship.

She said: 'It's from around 1750 to 1850 so it's bang on the era that he's reconstructed the Victory for. It's a really lovely thing to give Dad something of that period to put on his model. It's a nice touch really.'

The 41-year-old, from Oxford, said she remembered the hull of the ship being left in their family garage for years.

'One of my longest memories is that the hull of the ship just hung in the garage for years and as kids we would play in the garage and it was always there,' she said.

'And then to see him finally get it down and start working it and to see him putting it together is heartwarming.

'He would sit there concentrating intensely with his magnifying glass and tweezers in his hand to try and put tiny pins into things,' she added. 'When he got the anchors up, he was like a little boy just smiling, grinning from ear to ear.

'Every time I'd go and see him, he'd say 'Come and look at my model'. His dedication and patience is incredible and the joy he's got out of it, I'm so proud of him. It's been lovely to see it evolve.'
28.07.2020 LISTEN

Covid19 has come to change a lot about us and one of the areas most affected is live theatre. Shows have been suspended for the past few months and it looks like it may remain so until restrictions are further eased.

However, in a Facebook post, Ghanaian playwright, Kobina Ansah, has suggested that his play, THE BOY CALLED A GIRL, will be shown again this August.

The playwright is known for exciting plays such as This Family Is Not For Sale and I Want To Sue God among others.

Will The Boy Called A Girl be live? Are theatres already open? Will it be online since most production houses are now taking their works online?

Fingers crossed.

Source: Scribe News
Salty candour: Heawood says her mother told her that this might not be the right time or the right man, but its the right baby

As part of their lockdown ritual, Sophie Heawood has been playing with her eight-year-old daughter and her group of teddies. Each has a name like Samantha de la Rue, and has been given an outrageous Hollywood backstory.

"We've gotten quite obsessed," laughs Heawood. "Some of them have really fallen from grace. Samantha, for instance, doesn't like to talk about her past."

Heawood is an ebullient, playful and creative writer, so it stands to reason that she would invoke part of her previous life as a Los Angeles-based celebrity journalist during playtime. It also hints at her particularly close bond with her daughter, whom she is raising as a single mum.

Both of these aspects of the former Guardian columnist's life make up much of her lively memoir The Hungover Games. By turns caustic, astute and very, very funny, the book is the work of a woman figuring out if she can still be herself - or still wants to - while becoming a mother.

Read More

In it, Heawood gets unintentionally pregnant at the zenith of her Hollywood reporting career, and spends much of the ensuing months and years navigating dating, working, partying and friendships as a single parent. Against a backdrop of A-list interviews and junkets, she attempts to embrace the Hollywood hype as she prepares for parenthood. Amid all this, she is still always last off the dancefloor.

Eventually, to be closer to her Yorkshire-based family, she leaves behind the kale-crunching craziness of LA for London, where even there, she encounters the 'hallouminati'.

Heawood has made a fine career writing with salty candour about her personal life, but admits that she feels slightly 'naked' on the release of her book ("mainly, I don't want my parents to read the sex bits," she says).

"What I felt myself when I was pregnant, as someone who loves words and stories, was 'what can I read about this [situation]?" Heawood reflects. "Oddly, I couldn't find anyone who wrote about getting pregnant in a Hollywood hotel and moving to east London. I wanted an account of uncertain motherhood and uncertain pregnancy.

"It's quite a good place to lose your sense of self completely," she says of LA. "I was living a dream life but I think if it had gone on any longer, there would have been an empty hole in the heart of it."

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Still, Heawood's path to pregnancy reads as fairly outrageous. When she suffered a slipped disc, she visited the doctor in LA and ended up being diagnosed her with polycystic ovary syndrome. She was in effect told that she might never conceive naturally. Figuring that she could only get pregnant on purpose and not by accident, her friend Mal suggested that she make the most of this situation. "And that is the story of how I didn't use a condom the next time I had sex, which would turn out to be, as it happens, the very next day," Heawood writes in the book. Her on-off friend/lover, referred to as The Musician in the book, later demanded a DNA test.

Somewhat extraordinarily, Heawood returned to her Sunset Strip apartment after this one encounter, pulled out her laptop and, as though her hands were typing the words themselves, wrote into a Word document: "One day I'll tell you all about how you were conceived in a Hollywood hotel room."

When she told her friends about the pregnancy, one of them observed that as she had stopped drinking, it was the only possible explanation. "Some of them were like, 'right, so I've rung the clinic for you'."

Her parents' reaction was more touching: "My mum said, 'this might not be the right time or the right man, but it's the right baby'," Heawood recalls. "As the prodigal daughter who was all 'right, I'm going to LA to get away from you lot', I was definitely the one who came home the hardest."

When her daughter (unnamed in the book, to protect her privacy) was born, Heawood's parents moved into her London home.

"I had nowhere to stay, was pregnant and had no job - a triple whammy, but I was still quite Pollyannaish about these things working out. I do have to acknowledge my luck that my parents are both comfortable and sensible.

"When they left I was all, 'I'm gonna drop the baby!', but you know what? It was fine."

In time, Heawood started to see the advantages in her status as a lone parent.

"I noticed in group chats that other mums would say, '[my partner] doesn't hear the baby, is he doing it to annoy me?', and I didn't have any of that," she smiles. "If there was a bowl of washing up that needed doing, it was on me. I didn't waste any energy on getting cross with anyone. There was a definite moment where I was feeling a little quietly smug."

Her fellow new mums, meanwhile, couldn't get enough of Heawood's postpartum dating misadventures. "Oh, their faces they were very, 'did he kiss you? Tell me again what it's like when someone touches you for the first time'," Heawood laughs. The book's opener recounts a scenario in which her young daughter encounters her and a paramour in flagrante. "Thankfully it only happened the once, but I did become pretty nimble at moving people," she notes.

Predictably, The Hungover Games has already been optioned for TV. "The good thing is that when this becomes fictionalised, we can have fun with it," Heawood says.

"Mainly because I want to put stuff in that didn't get into the book. And then I can always say to my Mum, 'that never really happened! That's just the screenwriter putting that in'."

Though still a celebrity interviewer, Heawood occasionally misses her old LA life. "Part of the book is working out if I can refuse to stop partying, or do I have to settle down with a box set and be a yummy mummy," she says. "I mean, I'm pretty slack as a mum, but I'll tell you one thing. The one thing I've never heard this child say is, 'Mum, I'm bored'."

'The Hungover Games' by Sophie Heawood is out via Penguin Random House
By Laman Ismayilova

There's nothing better than traveling somewhere beautiful with a rich history. If you like traveling to places injected with a touch of history, make sure you visit Gobustan.

Settled since the 8th millennium BC, this historical site is peppered with some of the worlds best-preserved and most atmospheric prehistoric remains.

Here you can explore some of the most iconic stone structures set in the cradle of ancient civilization.

Gobustan State Historical Reserve is home to over 600,000 pethroglyphs. These stone and iron-age figures were carved thousands of years ago and are now considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The ancient rock carvings were discovered in 1939 at the foot of the mountain Djingirdagh and on the top of Yazili Tepe.

Norwegian ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002) began forming Scandinavian ancestry hypothesis after visiting Gobustan.

He suggested that Scandinavian ancestry could be traced to the country now known as Azerbaijan. The ethnographer recognized local boats petroglyphs as the oldest known images of pirogue in the world.

These vessels, similar to the old Scandinavian ships, prompted him to make sensational hypothesis statement about the connection between Norwegians and Azerbaijanis.

Now Gobustan is a real open-air museum, visited by thousands of people from all over the world.

Here's a list of few things all travelers have a chance to enjoy while visiting Gobustan State Historical Reserve.

Eye-catching petroglyphs

Gobustan rock carvings have their own unique charm. Most of them depict primitive men, animals, battle-pieces, ritual dances, bullfights, boats with armed oarsmen, warriors with lances in their hands, camel caravans, pictures of celestial bodies. Among the carvings also pictures of fish, snake, lizard and insects were recorded.

For rock carvings, people in Gobustan used stone tools such as scrapers, pebble and flint tools for cutting out images.

The percussion tools were found in Kaniza site. The edges of percussion tools were blunted as a result of carving pictures on rocks.

The most ancient engravings were made using the techniques of cutting out on a rock with stone and a deep incise.

Charming Musical Stone

Apart from petroglyphs, there is also another unique discovering known as Gaval Dash.

The Gaval Dash is a natural musical stone which can only be found in Gobustan. The musical stone is called Gaval Dash as its sound can be compared to a tambourine.

The "Mystery of Gavaldash" is quite simple: the marks on the stones show that they were struck in places that protruded in some way into the air, and could thus reverberate. In such a way, when this porous limestone was hit one could hear various sounds.

A number of Azerbaijani musicians have used Gaval Dash to create wonderful music pieces.

The musical stone and the Yall chain-dance was also featured in the interval act of the semi-final of Eurovision Song Contest 2012 held in Baku.

Ana Zagha Shelter

Ana Zagha shelter is home to over 200 rock carvings. At the beginning of the excavation, the archeologists noticed only bull flock images at the upper part of the rock; however with further excavations, carvings of humans armed with arrow and bow were discovered in the lower part.

The rock No.31b is located inside the Ana Zagha shelter. Here you can enjoy the images of aurochs, goat, horse and human figures. Notably, aurochs petroglyph approximately dates back to the 18th-15th millennium B.C.

Mud Volcanoes

And now let's whirl through some of the most incredible, sometimes mind-boggling phenomena Gobustan can offer to its curios visitors.

Mud volcanoes are some of the most unique natural phenomenon on Earth.

Azerbaijan has the highest number of mud volcanoes in the world. Some 350 out of over 1,000 mud volcanoes in the world are located here.

On September 5, 2004 the greatest mud volcano in the territory of Azerbaijan was added into the Guinness World Records.

The mud volcanoes located in Gobustan National Park are definitely worth seeing.

Every 20 years or so, volcano ignites and its flame height can reach hundreds of meters.

The lava, mud, and liquid spewed by mud volcanoes are used as raw materials for chemical and construction industries, as well as pharmacology.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The consent order bars Borgese and IMPACT Medical from selling PPE through Jan. 1, 2023, and requires they file a $100,000 performance bond with the state if they want to sell the products after that date. The proceeds of the bond would be used as a restitution fund for any victims damaged by their actions.

Borgese disputed claims Tuesday that he defrauded anyone, or that he claimed to have a direct relationship with the Minneapolis-based 3M, in an interview with The News facilitated by his attorney, Dennis Cleary.

"I never at any point purported to be a 3M distributor or have a direct relationship with a 3M distributor," Borgese said.

Borgese said he believed he had access to 3M products through a southern-based supplier, but said the supply chain fell apart during the pandemic, which prevented him from securing the access.

Borgese said he never promised to supply anyone with N95 or KN95 masks, but traditional three-ply surgical masks.

"There was no defrauding of anybody," Borgese said.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Education Commissioner Mike Morath threw a wrench in school reopening plans Tuesday, issuing new guidance that left many education leaders and community members confused about when campuses can restart in-person classes.

Here, we explain what Tuesdays guidance means, which laws and orders remain in place, and why somebody  such as Gov. Greg Abbott, local health authorities, school districts or parents  needs to take the first steps toward a definitive resolution.

What did Paxton do Tuesday?

In the past three weeks, local health officials in all five of the states most-populous counties, along with several other local government leaders, issued orders saying all of their public schools and many private schools cannot provide in-person classes through at least Labor Day. The local officials cited state laws that give them powers to issue control measures in a public health emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a guidance letter, however, Paxton said he believes local health authorities do not have the power to preemptively order the closure of schools as a method of preventing a COVID-19 outbreak.

Rather, their role is limited by statute to addressing specific, actual outbreaks of disease, Paxton said in a statement. School officials, both public and private, are the appropriate ones to decide whether, when, and how to open school.

What is the impact of Paxtons letter?

Paxtons letter is not legally binding. The only way the local health authority orders can be negated is through an executive order issued by the governor or a judges ruling in a lawsuit.

As of now, Abbott has not issued an executive order declaring that local health authorities cannot mandate school closures, and nobody has filed a lawsuit challenging the local closure orders.

As a result, at this time the school closure mandates issued by local health authorities are legally valid and enforceable.

What did Morath do Tuesday?

Hours after Paxton published his letter, Morath issued new guidance saying public school districts risk losing state funding if they keep campuses shuttered solely as a result of a local health authority closure order.

Districts still can require students with at-home technology access to remain in online-only classes for up to the first eight weeks of the school year. School boards also can push back their school start dates.

If local school closure orders are legally valid, why did Morath say districts risk losing state funding if they follow closure orders?

Morath cited Paxtons letter in issuing the new guidance on school funding.

As a state agency, we will follow the Attorney Generals guidance, Morath said in a statement. Consequently, a blanket order closing schools does not constitute a legally issued closure order for purposes of funding solely remote instruction for an indefinite period of time.

However, another section of TEA guidance says the agency will continue to provide funding to districts that are forced to close campuses by an entity authorized to issue such an order under state law  and as of now, local health authorities have issued legal orders.

Essentially, the TEA has provided two potentially conflicting pieces of guidance.

Who can clear up this conflict?

The simplest answer: Abbott.

At any time, Abbott could issue an executive order that negates all local health orders, or he could announce he will allow the orders to stand.

Abbott has made no move in either direction.

Asked multiple times by the Houston Chronicle earlier this month whether he planned to allow local health officials to order school closures, the governors office never directly answered the question. Abbotts staff also did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday following the release of Paxtons letter.

If he allows local school closure orders to stand, Abbott risks drawing the wrath of Republican leaders who hailed Paxtons letter Tuesday, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Hundreds of thousands of parents, students and teachers across the state have been negatively impacted by Democrat county judges who have overstepped their authority by issuing sweeping restrictions against opening schools, Patrick said in a statement Tuesday.

Alternatively, somebody could file a lawsuit challenging school closure orders issued by local health authorities, and a judge could rule on the legality of those mandates.

Houston-based lawyer Jared Woodfill said he is working with local parents to potentially sue Harris County officials, possibly as early as Wednesday.

What have local government officials said and done in response to Paxtons letter?

County judges and health authorities have taken different approaches to Paxtons guidance.

In Harris County, Judge Lina Hidalgo said the county attorneys office is reviewing the letter and will consider what  if any  impact this will have on local school reopening plans. As of Wednesday morning, Harris Countys order keeping public and non-religious private schools closed through Labor Day remains in place.

In Dallas County, Judge Clay Jenkins told the Dallas Morning News that Paxtons rationale for overruling local health officials doesnt make any sense.

To say that a health order can only be made after an outbreak in that particular school, that does nothing to get confidence up for parents, and I think its wrong, Jenkins said.

Other local government leaders, however, have been more deferential to Paxtons interpretation.

McLennan Countys health authority rescinded his closure order Tuesday, though he continued to recommend that campuses stay shuttered through Labor Day, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported.

What have school districts officials said and done in response to Moraths funding decision?

Most education leaders have been relatively quiet about Moraths new guidance. In the short term, the change does not dramatically impact many districts because they already have pushed their school start dates into September or issued plans to start the year online-only under the eight-week grace period provided by the TEA.

However, the possibility remains that school districts could sue the TEA. Northside ISD Superintendent Brian Woods, who leads the states fourth-largest district, alluded to that option during a school board meeting Tuesday evening.

Unless something changes very quickly around that guidance, I suspect I will be coming to this board and recommending that we go along with many others I know and seek injunctive relief in a court situation, Woods said.

It is worth noting that formal rules about how schools are funded still have not been finalized. To date, the states guidance on school funding merely outlines what the TEA plans to formally propose.

TEA officials also have been changing their guidance over the past several weeks. In his statement Tuesday, Morath said the agency will continue to adjust its waivers as the situation warrants.

What does all this mean for my school district and my child?

Much of the confusion will be sorted out in the coming weeks by state officials, education leaders and lawyers.

For now, schools subjected to a local closure order still cannot offer in-person classes until Sept. 8. In the Greater Houston area, only Harris County has issued such an order.

Several local districts outside of Harris County are scheduled to resume limited face-to-face instruction in late August, including Clear Creek, Pearland and Alvin ISDs, as well as Lamar CISD.

Many districts tentatively plan to begin the year in August with virtual-only classes, then offer in-person instruction starting after Labor Day, pending health conditions. They include Katy, Aldine, Conroe and Klein ISDs.

The regions two largest school districts, Houston and Cy-Fair ISDs, both expect to start classes on Sept. 8. However, Houston plans to offer virtual-only classes through at least mid-October, while Cy-Fair tentatively plans to provide in-person classes from day one.

Alief and Fort Bend ISDs are scheduled to start online-only instruction in August and remain in virtual classes indefinitely.

As has been the case for months, districts are required to offer remote instruction to families that want it.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com
More than 142,000 Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Ghana do not know their status because they have not tested, says the Ghana Aids Commission (GAC).



Again, the Commission maintained that more than 46,000 Ghanaians who knew their status were not on live saving treatment (ARVs).



Mr Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director General of the GAC made this known during a virtual media briefing and National Dissemination of 2019 HIV Estimates and Projections Meeting.



He further revealed that the nearly 190,000 PLHIV who were not on Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) sustained the high level of annual new infections.



Mr Atuahene noted that young people aged from 15-24 years accounted for 28 per cent of the total number of new infections where, as adolescent girls and young women for one in five of all infections.



He pointed out that the annual average of infections have remained more than 20,000 although new infections had reduced by about five per cent between 2015 and 2019.



This trend if allowed to continue, 200,000 more newly infected Ghanaians would be added to the HIV population over the next 10 years, said the Director General of the GAC.



Mr Atuahene noted that it was the determination of the Commission to end the epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.



The National and Sub-National HIV Estimates and Projections are done yearly to generate HIV data on prevalence, and PLHIV population among others for purposes of planning, management of national programmes and global reporting.



The 2019 Report had been produced by the National Estimates Team with Technical Support from the UNAIDS Reference Group.

Source: GNA









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The Rajasthan high court has deferred to Thursday the hearing on the petition filed by the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) seeking disqualification of six lawmakers who contested on the party symbol but merged with the ruling Congress government in the state last year.

The six BSP members of Rajasthan legislative assembly (MLAs) who had merged with the Ashok Gehlotled government are Sandeep Yadav, Tijara MLA, Wajib Ali (Nagar), Deepchand Kheria (Kishangarh Bas), LakhanMeena (Karauli), and Rajendra Gudha (Udaipurwati).

The petition was heard by single bench of justice Mahendra Kumar Goyal. The courts proceedings started around 4pm. Today, arguments took place on the interpretation of schedule 10, BSP counsel Dinesh Garg said on Wednesday.

He added that the merger was unconstitutional. The BSP didnt merged with the party neither at the national level nor state level. As per law, parties merge, not legislators.

Also, these six MLAs didnt submit their resignations and so the whip was issued by the national secretary of BSP. Hence, they are liable to be disqualified under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India, told Garg.

On Wednesday, BJP legislator Madan Dilawar had also filed two petitions in the high court requesting disqualification of the BSP lawmakers.

Both the petitions, of Dilawar and BSP, have been tagged, said Garg.

It is worth mentioning that senior advocate Harish Salve made his arguments on behalf of Dilawar while Satish Mishra represented BSP.

Previously, the BSP had issued a whip to the six MLAs-- who had announced a merger with the ruling Congress party last year-- to vote against the Ashok Gehlot government in any proceedings of the House, including the no-confidence motion.
Questioning authority has always been a central theme of the American spirit. Today we are seeing that mentality front and center from both sides of the political spectrum.

Over the past few weeks, many businesses and local governments have been mandating that facial coverings be worn in public. The stakes of not following that order are becoming more and more inconvenient for those that choose to not comply. I personally have no problem wearing masks and do so most every time I am in public.

However, the threat from the government to revoke business licenses or even fine small businesses for serving a patron without a mask is a gross overreach of government power.

I am sure many folks in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee will go out of their way to continue to frequent businesses without masks to make a stand and prove a point on the mask debate. On the contrary, many of the recent protests we have seen in our area and across the nation are made up of people who no longer believe a police officer has the right to make demands of a citizen or reprimand a person for violating our societys laws.

How many videos of police brutality have we seen that stem from a person refusing to do what the deputized officer is demanding of them? Why not just comply and do what the officer says? Why not just comply and wear the mask? Americans have an inherent rebel spirit, and just as it did 160 years ago, that rebellion is causing a major split in society that spells trouble for the future.
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Rally Capital Advisors, a middle market financial and transaction advisory firm has successfully sold substantially all of the assets of Arlington Plating Company (APC) to Garth Davies, a plating industry veteran, and also owner of Midwest Rustproofing and Enameled Steel. APC is an independent and globally positioned electroplating shop, named Top 50 in the United States for three of the last five years. APC's production lines consist of automated anodizing, nickel chrome (automated and manual), electroless nickel, semi-auto and manual buffing. APC sells end-user parts to a marquee list of customers with a diverse profile across the U.S., Italy, China, Canada and Mexico.

"We are honored to have acquired such a well-known organization within our industry," stated Mr. Davies. "This was a strategic acquisition for our continued expansion. We have hit the ground running with the very experienced senior management team led by Rich Macary, CEO, Ted Dobbels, CFO and Brian Isola, Director of Sales and Marketing."

"Our team is thrilled to be working with Mr. Davies," said Rich Macary, CEO of APC. "Garth brings extensive operating experience and energy to APC."

Mr. Macary added, "Rally's team, including Howard, Dan and Bobby, were true professionals in helping us navigate a very challenging situation. They ran a great process and kept our team engaged and informed every step of the way. Their deep experience and tireless work ethic led to a very successful outcome."

Today's announcement represents the third deal closed by Rally Capital Advisors since the pandemic drastically altered the business landscape over the past five months. Founding Partner Howard Samuels says this latest transaction reflects the results-driven work ethic and ingenuity of the Rally Capital team.

"We have demonstrated time and again how our team can adapt to the environment, be creative and remain flexible to keep the process on track, in spite of the inability to conduct typical meetings and diligence sessions due to travel and other Coronavirus-related restrictions," stated Mr. Samuels.

"I thought I have seen just about everything, but this transaction was pretty unique. We were delighted to collaborate with Harold Israel and his team at Levenfeld Pearlstein, who represented the seller, Jonathan Carlson and his team at Clingen Callow & McLean, who represented the buyer and Gene Kraus, who represented the lender on the transaction. This was a dream team of professionals," added Mr. Samuels.

Partner Robert Goldstein, who joined Rally in the beginning of the year, stated, "This transaction demonstrates Rally's capabilities, despite facing the most unique circumstances, in persevering through the external elements and developing creative marketing strategies to identify buyers for our clients' businesses. We are excited to see Arlington Plating Company's legacy in the capable hands of such a reputable firm and we look forward to their continued success."

About Rally Capital Advisors

Rally Capital Advisors is a leading financial and turnaround management advisory and transactional services firm providing trusted advice to middle market companies (and their stakeholders), financial institutions, investment firms, investors and their professional advisors throughout the United States. For more information, please visit www.rallyllc.com.

For Additional Transaction from Rally Capital Advisors Contact:

Robert G. Goldstein

[email protected]

(312) 494-3633

For Media Inquiries:

Michelle Damico

[email protected]

(312) 217-6572

SOURCE Rally Capital Advisors

Related Links

rallyllc.com


As India awaits the arrival of the first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft, a mid-transit scare occurred on the eve of the final leg of their journey. Three missiles part of an Iranian exercise landed near Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that houses US and French troops and aircraft. This sounded off an alarm for India as the first batch of India's five Rafale fighter due to arrive at Ambala on Wednesday had landed at the Al Dhafra base as a part of overnight halt.

The landing of Iranian missiles is said to have been "very close" to where the Rafales were parked. Perceiving danger, India's Air HQ wanted the Rafales to be flown out at night itself but due to requirements of NOTAM, it could not be arranged. Sources said that the Indian embassy got active to make sure that the fighter aircraft were safe and a team rushed to Al Dhafra base. It was confirmed by by 11 pm (local time) that all Rafales are safe and could fly out in the morning.

READ | Rafale Jet Specifics: From superior attack capability to menacing speed; read features

Iran's military exercise

Iran is holding military exercise - "Prophet Mohammed 14th" near the Strait of Hormuz and has reportedly destroyed a mock-up of a US aircraft carrier with missiles. Amid the heightened tensions between United States and Iran after the killing of Iran's top general Qasem Soleimani by US in January, the military exercise comes as yet another attempt by Iran to posture aggressively before America, which has under Donald Trump imposed several sanctions on the country and scrapped the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal. US Navy described the current Iran military exercise as 'irresponsible and reckless' while Iran released footage of the war games, missile launches from a helicopter, cannons being fired and more.

READ | IAF shares pictures of Rafale Jets enroute India, thanks French Air Force for support

Rafale to arrive on Wednesday

The first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft took off from France for India on Monday, nearly four years after the two countries inked an inter-governmental agreement to supply 36 of the multi-role jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF) under a Rs 59,000-crore deal.

The aircraft flew out from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux and are covering a distance of nearly 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates before their planned arrival at Ambala Air Base on Wednesday at 1 pm. If the weather conditions are unfavourable, they will instead go to Jodhpur airbase which has also been prepped for their arrival. IAF chief RKS Bhadauria will be on hand to receive them. The sophisticated aircraft are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities at a time India is locked in a tense border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had received the first Rafale during his visit to the Dassault Aviation facility in Merignac, France on October 8, 2019. However, the arrival of the aircraft after being refitted with India-specific enhancements was postponed by two months in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Some of the India-specific modifications in the aircraft include radar warning receivers, low band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems.

READ | IAF's Rafale could have up to 6 HAMMER hardpoints; primed to devastate land-based targets

READ | Rafale Jets: The Hammer and other weapon systems that make the aircraft lethal; read here
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine does not currently have adequate access to the occupied territories of Donbas and also lacks the personnel to effectively monitor the situation in these territories, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov has said.

He stated this during a webinar "Minsk Process: Moderate Success or Political Deadlock?", organized at the initiative of the Mission of Ukraine to the EU and the Ukrainian World Congress.

"I can comment on this only by referring to the information we receive during a report by Mr. Ambassador Cevik [Yasar Halit Cevik] who is currently both the head of the OSCE SMM to Ukraine and the coordinator of the OSCE security group in the TCG. Mr. Cevik informs us on a regular basis at each meeting about OSCE patrols being denied access to territories not controlled by the government of Ukraine. [] Due to restrictions since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as the need for rotation, the number of OSCE SMM monitors is currently smaller from the capabilities that the OSCE SMM needs to carry out operational tasks. Today, they are not able to physically move quickly on the territory of the temporarily occupied territories in order to carry out 100 percent monitoring," Reznikov said.

According to him, it is for this reason that the question of opening an additional checkpoint now arises for the OSCE SMM to be granted access to the temporarily occupied territory of Donbas. At the same time, all Ukrainian checkpoints are open, and OSCE SMM patrols arrive there every morning. They can pass through Ukrainian checkpoints, but the opposite side does not let them through. Despite the fact that this issue is raised during each meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group, no progress has been made in addressing this issue, he said.

Reznikov drew the attention of the participants in the discussion to the fact that the occupying power in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions uses the global COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to prevent representatives of the OSCE SMM and the International Committee of the Red Cross from entering the temporarily occupied territory under the guise of "quarantine restrictions."

"The leaders of the Normandy Format, including the president of the Russian Federation, clearly stated in Paris last December that control by the OSCE SMM should be ensured around the clock, and ICRC representatives have the right to unconditional admission to persons who are held in prisons. Ukraine has fulfilled this obligation, and in December, after the summit in Paris, amended the legislation, and today representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross have the undisputed right to be admitted to persons held in the Ukrainian penitentiary system," Reznikov added.

op
The worlds most famous savanna boasts two epic migrations.

One has traversed it for millennia: millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles follow billowing rain clouds in search of new grazing grounds. The other horde descends upon the first in open-air safari jeeps, zoom lens cameras at the ready, coolers tucked between the seats filled with snacks and prosecco.

Coronavirus travel restrictions mean the humans have suddenly vanished, and along with them a billion-dollar tourism industry that employs millions and underpins a symbiotic human-wildlife ecosystem  the private conservancy  that is essential to wildlife conservation in many African countries.

Conservancies constitute more than 11 per cent of Kenyas land, more than national parks. The model is simple: community shareholders, mostly cattle herders, receive tourism revenue from wildlife safaris as compensation for lost grazing land, and salaried jobs proliferate at new hotels and for rangers. Wildlife becomes more valuable alive than dead, disincentivising poaching.

Now, with tourism revenue nearly zeroed out, most workers at Kenyas 167 community-owned conservancies are furloughed, and payouts to nearly 1 million shareholders have been reduced or suspended entirely. Communities are considering a return to grazing, jeopardising decades of wildlife conservation efforts across the continents vast grasslands.

Through conservancies, we built a system in which coexistence between humans and wildlife is central, says Dickson Kaelo, CEO of the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association. Conservation used to be premised on kicking communities off their land. Now we know that those communities are essential. Without benefiting them, there is no future for conservation.

Travel restrictions from March to July brought international tourism to a halt. Industry analysts say 2020 is essentially a lost year for tourism operators: as much as $2.2 trillion lost, at least 80 per cent lower profits, as many as a billion fewer travellers, and more than 100 million jobs gone. Other closely related businesses like airlines, construction, handicrafts, catering and car rentals have been drawn into a whirlpool of bankruptcy.

In Kenya, where 8 per cent of the economy is directly derived from tourism, the gross domestic product is forecast to shrink by 5 per cent. Other tourism-dependent economies like Jamaica and Thailand could see declines of around 10 per cent or more, according to the United Nations. International flights to Kenya resume on August 1, but arrivals are expected to be limited by continued restrictions on travel imposed by European and Asian countries.

With limited flights and travellers worried about the quality of available health care, it could be years before bookings return to normal. Stock market slumps and terrorist attacks threatened tourism here in the past, but the pandemic may leave an indelible scar.

Communities around the Maasai Mara have profited by leasing their land to conservancies (The Washington Post)

Right now, were in survival mode, says Jimi Kariuki, chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board and CEO of one of the countrys swankiest hotel chains. Lets not even talk about recovery yet.

Whereas the past decade saw a growing debate around overtourism clogging the canals of Venice and dirt tracks of the Maasai Mara, theres now talk of a future in which tourists stay closer to home, away from packed planes and public spaces. Vast parking lots sit empty from Disneyland to the pyramids of Giza.

Asia and Europe are hardest hit because of the sheer number of tourists they receive, but some African economies are more dependent on tourism even with fewer travellers. Thats partly because wildlife tourism tends to be pricey: Week-long packages cost upward of $10,000 even at midrange camps. Kenya, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania are particularly reliant. Although Africa has less than 5 per cent of global coronavirus cases, the pandemics effects on economies may be most dire here.

Tourism is gone for now, and it wont bounce back quickly. Im afraid this could be the demise of conservancies as we know them

Tourism brings these countries the very taxes and foreign exchange they might use to bail out tourism operators on the brink of failure. No African country has announced a major bailout for the industry. In Tanzania, the president has reopened borders to promote tourism while denying that the novel coronavirus is present in the country despite clear evidence to the contrary.

By late June, Kenyas Tourism Ministry said, tourism operators had lost more than $750m in 2020, and 82 per cent said they had put employees on unpaid leave.

The entire tourism sector is out of business, says the minister, Najib Balala. We are on our knees.

Its July, the peak of the high season, and bookings made years in advance pointed to another banner year for the conservancy business in the Mara, an undulating savanna whose human inhabitants mostly belong to the Maasai peoples.

Ben Tongoyo, a Maasai safari guide working with Ol Kinyei Conservancy, takes pictures and videos of a lion with his phone for a virtual safari (The Washington Post)

The great migration of animals had begun; wildebeest on their way north from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania crossed the Mara River in frantic stampedes, crocodiles picking off the young and the weak. Guests would be paying huge premiums to witness the spectacle. Orders for prime meats, cheeses and wines had been placed, reserve waitstaff put on standby.

Instead, as many as 7 million Kenyans working in tourism and tourism-dependent jobs  around a third of the countrys labour force  were out of jobs or on reduced pay, says Kariuki, the tourism board chairman. Huge investments in the burgeoning sector had been made with loans that look increasingly impossible to pay back.

Across the Mara, there are brand new camps, new luxury tents, refurbished jeeps, millions and millions and millions spent in anticipation for the high season, says Jimmy Lemara, 40, who has been a guide for 15 years and now manages the Porini Mara Camp, a cluster of plush tents along a gurgling stream on a private conservancy. Gone, all gone. Might as well have thrown it away.

The savannas creatures chewed their cud and chased their prey unperturbed by the rumble of jeep engines, the click of camera shutters and the whine of impatient human children. To the animals, the crisis is imperceptible, but it may cost them, too.

The communities around the Maasai Mara that once saw profit in leasing their land to conservancies are now getting only half of their payout  and that, too, only because of a massive fundraising campaign, with donors as big as the US Agency for International Development. Other conservancies have stopped paying entirely.

Thirty years of hard work building this ecosystem is being undone, Kaelo says. Tourism is gone for now, and it wont bounce back quickly. Im afraid this could be the demise of conservancies as we know them.

290,000 Visitors to the Maasai mara each year

Not all of Kenyas conservancies have shareholders. Some of the biggest ones sit on land that was converted from ranches into conservancies by the descendants of colonial settlers as a way to keep their land. They have been criticised for not investing as much in local communities as others. But the model at large is based on community ownership, and Kaelo says that as tourism revenue plummets, even rangers, now considered essential, may have to be let go, greatly increasing the risk of poaching.

At a cattle market in one village, locals were already preparing to reclaim old grazing lands and increasing the size of their cattle herds to make up for lost conservancy payments. Old bulls were headed for slaughterhouses, while new calves were brought home to ranches right on the Maras edge.

Ask anyone here, and theyll say the same, says Ole Muli Tipatet, an older Maasai man who like nearly everyone else at the market held conservancy shares as well as owned cattle. If the conservancies cant pay us, then what need will we have for them? Why keep holding shares that are worthless? Well go back to grazing the land, what else?

Lemara, the camp manager, embodies the models success. He was one of 29 siblings and half-siblings from a big family in a tiny village, and he now earns an enviable salary by Kenyan standards.

Everything I have  my new house, my cows  I owe to tourism. Even my bush limousine, he says, referring to his brand new safari jeep that can fit eight passengers.

He and all his family members, as well as the majority of Maasai living near the Mara, are conservancy shareholders. A full share, 150 acres, earns its holder just under $400 a month, about 25 per cent higher than the average Kenyan income. Like Lemara, many shareholders earn both through dividends and jobs on conservancies.

Dewal Sengeny, left, and her mother, Koko Sengeny, rely on the tourism dollars that support a conservancy (The Washington Post)

It could be years before we can pay shares in full again, says Mohanjeet Brar, the director of Gamewatchers, a safari company, and Porini Safari Camps.

Investors like Brar face a conundrum: the business could better survive the pandemics economic shock by totally shutting down, but for many conservancies, that would mean returning land to communities who would use it for grazing.

If we could shut down and furlough everyone, it would be better for the bottom line and easier to reopen eventually, he says. But then wed lose all the shareholders.

The sudden nosedive has put the trajectories of thousands of guides aspiring to Lemaras level on indefinite hold, including some of his own siblings. It is an especially cruel irony because fewer than 40 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the Kenyan county home to the Mara.

Lemaras job, too, is greatly diminished. Instead of hosting lavish dinners and round-the-clock game drives, followed by telling stories around the camp bonfire, he goes out into the bush on his own, at times of day geared for viewers in American time zones, and live-streams safaris on Facebook and Instagram, where Porini has tens of thousands of followers.

Americans make up the largest and most lucrative portion of tourists in Kenya, and the virtual safaris are meant to entice people to come back once this is all over, he says.

A mobile phone video couldnt convey how the savanna was coming alive with the grunts of other, unseen beasts, or how the scent of wildflowers rose off the plain

Its a way for us to remind viewers that the beauty is still here. It is waiting for you as soon as you can come, he says. Rather than charge viewers a fee, he promotes an adopt-an-acre program in which people can essentially donate to the conservancys mission. (So far, that initiative has raised about $200,000 through the adoption of about 5,700 acres, with more than 35,000 acres still available.) He and Brar dont expect bookings to return to normal until at least 2023.

Its a lesson, he says. So many Maasai went all in on tourism, and now in a flash, its all gone.

For now, the best survival method is fundraising. Conservancy officials are scrambling to cobble together funds for immediate payments to shareholders but worry how long they can expect them to accept less than what theyre owed.

Yesterday, I was on Zoom for 14 hours fundraising, says Daniel Sopia, CEO of the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association, which comprises 15 conservancies that surround the governments Maasai Mara National Reserve and has secured enough to pay shareholders half their dues through next year. We had expected to pay out $7.5m to shareholders this year. Now were just praying that people dont sell their shares.

Many in the industry are looking to Tanzania to see how its reopening plays out. It began welcoming tourists again in June, amid a propaganda push by President John Magufuli, who has declared the country free of the coronavirus. Kenyan operators worry that should hotspots of the virus emerge at camps there, the entire safari industry could be seen as high risk by potential visitors, further deepening the crisis.

Jimmy Lemara at the Porini Mara Camp, where a blank board that would normally include a list of tourists hangs behind him (The Washington Post)

On July 6, Kenya lifted some domestic travel restrictions, allowing people to move around the country more freely. But domestic tourism accounts for a minuscule proportion of the whole.

Tourism, for us, is an export product, like tea or coffee, Kariuki says.

Thats why Lemara sees promise in the virtual safaris he hosts each dawn and dusk through his cellphone  they might just convince people that a conservancy is where they should take their first post-coronavirus vacation, whenever that may be.

On a recent morning, Lemara opened his phone and began to record.

Its another beautiful morning here in the Mara, he started.

The moon and Venus are in perfect alignment, he continued, pointing his camera at the sky, where the first whispers of dawn hadnt yet dimmed the stars.

Only a few minutes later, as the sun catapulted off the horizon, Lemara came upon a scene of intense carnal beauty: two lions mating as the rays of red light behind them were cut into shards by an errant cloud.

In America, where midnight approached, an attenuated version of the drama unfolded for viewers watching on bright screens in dark rooms. A mobile phone video couldnt convey how the savanna was coming alive with the grunts of other, unseen beasts, or how the scent of wildflowers rose off the plain. Nor could whatever donations it prompted make up for the real thing: hordes of tourists and their dollars.

 The Washington Post
A young sex worker with face tattoos who mysteriously vanished from a wedding and reemerged at a brothel reveals she now makes $15,000 per month on OnlyFans.

Kimberley Summer Hartley, who goes by the name Veruca Salt, sparked a national manhunt when she disappeared from a Gold Coast wedding in August last year.

She was found a week later by police at Desires brothel in Woolongong, south of Sydney, and opened up to Daily Mail Australia about her dreams of running a sex empire.

While coronavirus social restrictions have impacted her ability to monetise her sex life, the 21-year-old has made thousands posting X-rated photos to OnlyFans.

Kimberley Summer Hartley, who goes by the name Veruca Salt , sparked a national manhunt when she disappeared from a Gold Coast wedding in August last year

Ms Salt, 21, posts a series of X-rated photos and posts them to her OnlyFans social media account

OnlyFans is a non-censored social media platform where users pay creators a subscription fee to view their content. Photos and videos are often X-rated.

'I take full nudes, and photos of my b**hole and stuff,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'I guess it's pretty gross,' she laughed. 'I usually do full porn in there, but I haven't had sex with anyone since being in New Zealand, so I can't post videos.'

Ms Salt was born in New Zealand but has lived in Australia since she was three, and flew home to Christchurch in March during the initial spread of COVID-19.

'When I was in Australia, I'd film myself having sex,' she explained.

'So if I was about to sex with someone, I'd ask if they were okay with me filming it for my OnlyFans, and they'd say yes.'

Ms Salt was born in New Zealand but has lived in Australia since she was three, and flew home to Christchurch in March during the initial spread of COVID-19

Ms Salt said the situation is a hassle because she had to reschedule her Brazilian bum lift

'Most don't care because you can't see their face, just their c**k.'

While she regrets heading back to her hometown because it has stifled her ability to do business and she has been unable to see her friends, Ms Salt said the situation is a hassle because she had to reschedule her Brazilian bum lift.

The procedure, which involves surgery to siphon fat from the mid-section and inject it in to the derriere, has been moved from August to November in Sydney.

'That was annoying because I spent $6,000 on a yacht party for my friends and I to celebrate my one year anniversary on OnlyFans, but now that's when my surgery is.'

Despite multiple attempts to book flights to Sydney, including month ago where she sold all her possessions in Christchurch to fly across the Tasman Sea, every flight has been cancelled because of the pandemic.

Ms Salt has shared her experience trying to get back to Australia to her 72,500 followers on TikTok , which include a series of teary videos

Ms Salt previously said she became a sex worker because she had few other job prospects, said she was insecure about her body until she got a series of tattoos

Ms Salt has shared her experience about trying to get back to Australia to her 72,500 followers on TikTok, which has included a series of teary videos.

'I'm a really social person so it's been hard to be away, but I made $15,000 dollars on OnlyFans last month, so this isn't a pity party,' she joked.

'But I have been a bit sad in New Zealand, so when all this is over, I just want to be me and have fun.'

Ms Salt previously said she became a sex worker because she had few other job prospects, said she was insecure about her body until she got a series of tattoos.

'My sense of self before tattoos was honestly disgusting,' she said.

'I was literally 5'6" and 60kg and I thought I was so fat. I look back on pictures now and its like, who let me think that way about myself?

'My sense of self before tattoos was honestly disgusting,' she previously told Daily Mail Australia

The tattoo that stands out the most on Ms Salt's body is a Billie Eilish song lyric, which is inked on her forehead (pictured)

'So many people, including my family would comment on my body and that stuff just sticks with you I guess.

'But sex work taught me that no matter who you are or what you look like - skinny, fat, Caucasian, a person of colour, cis, trans, anything - there will always be a large group of people who find you beautiful, even if you dont.'

The tattoo that stands out the most on Miss Hartley's body is a Billie Eilish song lyric, which is inked on her forehead.

It reads 'heaven's out of sight', a line from the star's song All the Good Girls go to Hell, and is one of her favourites.

Ms Salt (pictured) said she has received judgement over her extensive tattoos

She said: I look back on pictures now and its like, who let me think that way about myself? (pictured: Kimberley Hartley, now known as Veruca Salt, before she had tattoos, age 17)

'When I got my forehead tattooed, I just remember feeling so good afterwards.

'Billie Eilish means a lot to me so I love it because I love her.'

The tattooed woman first made headlines when she disappeared off the radar for seven days following her mate's wedding.

She said she simply left her phone behind at her hotel and was waiting for it to be posted back.

But her friends were deeply concerned because they knew her as a 'social media addict' who 'would go without food before she went without her phone'.

A plea for help finding Ms Salt went viral on social media and she was later found living at a brothel in Wollongong.

Pictured: The last photo of Ms Salt before she was reported 'missing' in August last year

Given the extreme publicity, Ms Salt then decided to go public with the fact she was a sex worker.

'I'm not ashamed of telling people I'm a sex worker,' she said.

'But I'm a pretty private person, and letting the whole world in on my biggest secret scares me.'

Ms Salt said she had been working at brothels since she was 18 - and started because she had 'no money and no nothing'.

'A girl I knew was going into a brothel so I just went with her to check it out...

'After my first pay, I knew there was no going back,' she said.

'I now love my job. I love being able to do what I want when I want and having as much freedom as anyone could ask for.'
Accra, 29th July, 2020  Newmont Ghana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) to support the nations fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the MoU, Newmont Ghana will procure PCR equipment, ancillary equipment, reagents, and other consumables to augment the capacity of KCCR to scale up its testing. Also, KCCR will help set up two laboratories in Newmonts Ahafo and Akyem host communities to build their testing capacity for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

The total value of procuring the PCR machines, ancillary equipment, reagents, and setting up of the laboratories is GHc 3.1million ($545,000).

KCCR is one of the two major testing centers in the country and the increasing number of cases in the country has put significant strain on the facility.

The Director of KCCR, Prof. Richard Phillips, expressed gratitude to Newmont Ghana, saying this will significantly boost our capacity to test more samples. With the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, this support could not have come at a better time.

Vice President, Sustainability and External Relations at Newmont Africa, Adiki Ayitevie, said, Protecting the health and safety of our communities and workforce is our priority. We believe that procuring PCR machines and setting up laboratories for public health facilities in our host communities will help significantly in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MoU is part of the companys initiatives sponsored from its Africa Regions allocation of $3.3m of the Global Community Support Fund set up by the company to support COVID-19 management efforts in its operating jurisdictions.

So far, Newmont Ghana has approved over $2million (GHc11million) to be spent on employee and community health, food security, and local economic resilience initiatives within and beyond its host communities.

Among the beneficiary institutions are the Birim North Health Service, Birim North District Assembly, Birim Central District Assembly, Asutifi North District Assembly Asutifi North Health Service, Asutifi North District Police Service, Tano North Municipal Assembly and the Tano North Health Service.

In April, Newmont Ghana donated US$50,000 to help procure testing kits for the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and the KCCR. The company also contributed about $554,000 (approximately GHc3million) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines $2million (GHc11million) donation to support the national COVID-19 management effort.

About Newmont Africa

Newmont Africa is a subsidiary of Newmont Corporation, the worlds leading gold business. It has two gold mining operations in Ghana: The Ahafo Mine located in the Ahafo Region and the Akyem Mine located in the Eastern Region. Commercial production at Ahafo began in 2006 and at Akyem in 2013.

The Company currently employs over 5,500 employees and contractors. Its Ahafo mine was named Mining Company of the Year in 2016 and Ghanas Corporate Social Responsibility Organization for 2018, while the Akyem mine was adjudged the Best Company in Ghana for 2015 and 2016. The Company also has greenfield exploration activities in Ethiopia.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Golden Lake Exploration Inc. (CSE:GLM) ("GLM" or the "Company") is pleased to report that site preparations are completed for a minimum 5,000-foot, RC (reverse circulation) drill program on the company's keystone Jewel Ridge gold property. Site groundwork involved bulldozer and backhoe excavations, location of drill hole collars, and securing water delivery sources as required. Alford Drilling, LLC, of Elko, Nevada, has mobilized the drill from its last job and it is in transit to the site, located just west of the town of Eureka, Nevada. The maiden drill program is expected to start later this week with targets located on patented mineral claims on the South Eureka and Hamburg zones, both targeting Carlin-type, oxide gold mineralization.

The Company also wishes to report the initial receipt of analysis from its recent soil geochemical survey completed by Rangefront Geological of Elko, Nevada. Results from 191 samples are being compiled and processed, with all analysis completed by ALS labs in Sparks, Nevada.

Mike England, CEO and President of Golden Lake Jewel Ridge states, "The commencement of our first drill program on the Jewel Ridge property marks an important milestone for the Company. We are excited to advance this marquee gold and silver property in this strong precious metals market."

About the Jewel Ridge Property

The Jewel Ridge property is located on the south end of Nevada's prolific Battle Mountain - Eureka trend, along strike and contiguous to Barrick Gold's Archimedes/Ruby Hill gold mine to the north and Timberline Resources' advanced-stage Lookout Mountain project to the south. The property comprises 96 unpatented lode mining claims and 30 patented claims covering approximately 728 hectares (1,800 acres) and contains several historic small gold mines. The Company's focus is on Carlin-style disseminated gold deposits, the primary focus in the area since the late 1970s.

Nevada Carlin-type gold deposits (CTGD) have a combined endowment of more than 250 million ounces, which are concentrated (85 per cent) in only four trends or camps of deposits: Carlin, Cortez (Battle Mountain-Eureka), Getchell and Jerritt Canyon. The Company cautions that results on adjacent and/or nearby projects are not necessarily indicative of results on the Company's property.

About Golden Lake Exploration Inc.

Golden Lake Exploration is a junior public mining exploration company engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets. Its objective is to acquire, explore and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to aggressively advance its exploration program on the Jewel Ridge property.

Qualified Person

Golden Lake's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Garry Clark, P.Geo., who serves as a qualified person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Mike England"

Mike England, CEO & DIRECTOR

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Telephone: 1-604-683-3995

Toll Free: 1-888-945-4770

Neither the Canadian Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward -looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at WWW.SEDAR.COM).

SOURCE: Golden Lake Exploration Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599395/Site-Preparations-Complete-for-Drill-Program-on-the-Jewel-Ridge-Property-NV
Georgie Brophy, Noblis director of Business Development for Space Systems Georgie brings strong analytical and operational skills in satellite ground systems and mission operations, said Mile Corrigan, vice president, Noblis Federal Civilian Solutions.

Noblis, a leading provider of science, technology and strategy services to the federal government has named Georgie Brophy as Director of Business Development focusing on the growth of Noblis Space Systems portfolio.

Georgie brings strong analytical and operational skills in satellite ground systems and mission operations, said Mile Corrigan, vice president, Noblis Federal Civilian Solutions. Her experience with NASA and NOAA satellite programs, including the former Space Shuttle program, spans over 20 years and we look forward to her contributions across our space business.

Noblis applies its space systems expertise across many clients, including systems engineering for space situational awareness sensors, testing space protection systems and doctrine, and enhancing ground architecture to help ensure our nations space resilience. Noblis also provides high-quality advisory and technical services for clients C5ISR missions in space and other domains, and engineering services for the telecommunication and networking infrastructure of the National Airspace System. The company leverages its expertise in traffic management, from space traffic to autonomous surface transportation, to help enable new entrants like drones operate alongside existing traffic. Noblis also provides systems engineering for the development of multiple key systems required to ensure safe launch range operations.

Georgie has extensive strategy and business development expertise and a true passion for the space sector, said Matt Salter, vice president of Business Development, Noblis Federal Civilian Solutions. In addition to her work with NASA and NOAA she has been active in the aerospace industry community serving as president of the board of the Maryland Space Business Roundtable and as co-founder of the Goddard Advocacy Partnership, where she now serves as vice president.

Prior to joining Noblis, Brophy has served in senior management roles in strategy, client relations, business management and business development in the federal government and commercial sectors. In previous government contracting roles Brophy led Space Shuttle mission operations for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Hitchhiker Program and supported satellite mission operations for numerous science missions.

Brophy earned a masters degree in International Business from the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business and a bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

ABOUT NOBLIS

Noblis is a dynamic science, technology, and strategy organization dedicated to creating forward-thinking technical and advisory solutions in the public interest. We bring the best of scientific thought, management, and engineering expertise together in an environment of independence and objectivity to deliver enduring impact on federal missions. Noblis works with a wide range of government clients in the defense, intelligence and federal civil sectors. Together with our wholly owned subsidiary, Noblis ESI, we tackle the nation's toughest problems and apply advanced solutions to our clients' most critical missions.

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Jaipur: Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Wednesday cancelled the customary Independence Day At Home programme at the Raj Bhavan because of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in the state.

The Governor also used pandemic as one of the reasons not to convene the assembly session, despite the Ashok Gehlot-led governments insistence and three proposals sent to him.

The Raj Bhavan hosts the At Home programme on the occasion of the Republic Day and the Independence Day on January 26 and February 15, respectively, every year.

The Governor has expressed deep concern about the severe Covid-19 outbreak in the state. The rising number of active Covid-19 cases in the state is a worrisome cause, stated a communique from the Raj Bhavan.

It quoted Governor Mishra, who said that when the Rajasthan assembly was adjourned sine die on March 13, there only two active Covid-19 cases in the state.

There were 3,381 active cases in Rajasthan on July 1, which has breached the 10,000-mark on July 28. The state needs to make serious efforts to check the spread of the viral infection, it added.

Rajasthan reported 38,964 Covid-19 cases until Wednesday morning, including 10,745 are active cases.

In a separate move, Governor Mishra, who has been rebuffing the Gehlot governments move to convene the assembly session, has returned its proposal for the third time, even though the reasons ascribed to it are not clear as of now.

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot reached the Congress office in Jaipur with party legislators from the hotel, who have been holed up there along the Jaipur-Hotel highway since a bitter internal power struggle started over two weeks.

The Congress infighting has been fuelled by sacked deputy CM Sachin Pilot and backed by another 18 dissident party lawmakers.

Though Gehlot had come to meet the new Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra, who has replaced a rebellious Pilot, he immediately drove to the Raj Bhawan, when he heard that Governor Mishra has returned the proposal for the third time to convene the crucial assembly session.

Gehlot has been eager to prove his governments majority on the floor of the 200-member House amid the Pilot factions bid to pull the rug beneath the ruling Congress dispensations feet that is allegedly being aided and abetted by the main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party.

The ongoing Rajasthan political drama appears to be an echo of what had unfolded in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh (MP) in March and had triggered Kamal Nath-led governments collapse, paving the way for Shivraj Singh Chouhan taking oath as the MP CM for the fourth time.

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(Newser)  "Mama Bear's home," says a Canadian woman reunited with an irreplaceable teddy bear that was stolen while she was moving house last week. Mara Soriano says the bearwhich held a message her mother recorded before she died last yearwas returned Tuesday night by two men who told her they had seen security footage of the thief, recognized him, and retrieved the bear, the BBC reports. "Im not gonna lie I kind of buckled. As soon as I saw (him) pull her out of the bag my knees just buckled, she tells the Canadian Press. She tweeted a photo of herself with the bear, which plays the recording when a button is pressed. Soriano says the bear will have a seat where her mother would have been when she gets married next year.

story continues below

Soriano, who had been searching Vancouver alleys and dumpsters for days, says that after she was contacted Tuesday by somebody saying they had the bear, she called the CBC reporter who shared the story and set up a meeting in a safe placethe broadcaster's offices. Fellow Vancouver resident Ryan Reynolds had offered a $5,000 reward, which was matched by TV host George Stroumboulopoulos. Soriano says she gave the finders an undisclosed amount of her own money as "collateral" until the reward comes through. "Thank you everyone who searched high and low," Reynolds tweeted Wednesday. "Vancouver is awesome." (Read more uplifting news stories.)
In the past week, the aviation space put up a dismal show in the ongoing second-quarter earnings season, intensifying investors woes.



Heavyweight airlines, namely American Airlines AAL, Southwest Airlines LUV, Alaska Air Group ALK, Hawaiian Holdings (HA) and JetBlue Airways JBLU incurred losses for the second quarter of 2020. This underperformance was due to a massive drop in passenger revenues as air-travel demand remains suppressed due to the continued pandemic situation.

The likes of United Airlines UAL and Spirit Airlines SAVE also performed disappointingly in the June quarter as both posted weak financial numbers in the previous week.

Recap of the Past Weeks Most Important Stories

1. American Airlines, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), suffered a loss (excluding $3 from non-recurring items) of $7.82 per share, comparing unfavorably with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $6.75. Operating revenues of $1,622 million also slumped 86.4% year over year but surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,481.1 million. Passenger revenues, which accounted for bulk of the top line (68.3%), however, plunged 89.9% to $1,108 million, highlighting the coronavirus-induced air-travel demand woes.



You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



2. Southwest Airlines endured a loss of $2.67 per share (excluding $1.04 from non-recurring items) for the second quarter, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $2.53. What is worse is that the spike in COVID-19 cases across some parts of the United States due to an anticipated second wave dampened the modest improvement in demand, which Southwest Airlines witnessed in May and June. With bookings having decreased and trip cancellations slightly increased, the carrier fears operating revenues to plummet 70-75% year over year in July. In the same period, capacity is estimated to decline approximately 30% year over year while load factor is expected in the 40-45% band. For August, operating revenues are anticipated to tumble 70-80% year over year. The company predicts capacity to contract approximately 20% year over year next month while load factor is estimated in the range of 30-40%.



3. Alaska Air Group incurred a loss of $3.54 per share (excluding $1.81 from non-recurring items) for the second quarter, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $3.39. However, in the year-ago quarter, the company reported earnings of $2.17. Revenues came in at $421 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $307.7 million. But the top line declined 82% year over year with passenger revenues tanking 85% on a year-over-year basis due to low travel demand.



4. JetBlue reported a loss (excluding 84 cents from non-recurring items) of $2.02 per share in second-quarter results, comparing unfavorably with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.86. Revenues for the third quarter are expected to dive approximately 80% year over year. Capacity is anticipated to contract at least 45% year over year in the third quarter. Average fuel cost per gallon (including fuel taxes) is estimated to be $1.24. JetBlue still expects average daily cash burn for the September quarter in the $7-$9 million band.



5. Hawaiian Holdings second-quarter 2020 loss (excluding $1.48 from non-recurring items) of $3.81 per share was wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $3.72. The carrier, however, delivered earnings of $1.23 in second-quarter 2019. Quarterly revenues of $60 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $61 million and also slumped 91.6% year over year due to the 95.4% fall in passenger revenues. Airline traffic, measured in revenue passenger miles, dropped 97.9% in the quarter under review. Capacity (measured in available seat miles (ASMs) contracted 92.1%. Load factor (percentage of seats filled by passengers) for scheduled operations declined to 23.2% from 87.1% a year ago as the decline in traffic was more than the capacity reduction. Economic fuel cost per gallon was down 41.1% to $1.26.



The company expects August capacity to decrease 85% year over year. As of Jun 30, 2020, the carrier received $214.2 million in grants and $49.0 million in loans pursuant to the CARES Act financial assistance.

Story continues

Performance

The following table shows the price movement of major airline players over the past week and during the past six months.



The table above shows that most airline stocks have traded in the red in the past week due to the discouraging second-quarter 2020 reports. This downside caused a nearly 1% dip in the NYSE ARCA Airline Index to $52.84. Over the course of the past six months, the NYSE ARCA Airline Index has plunged 51.4%.

What's Next in the Airline Space?

Investors will keenly await the second-quarter 2020 earnings releases of SkyWest SKYW on Jul 30 and Gol Linhas on Jul 31.

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Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) : Free Stock Analysis Report



JetBlue Airways Corporation (JBLU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Alaska Air Group, Inc. (ALK) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Spirit Airlines, Inc. (SAVE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



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Bianca Dye has spoken out after being fired from her Brisbane radio job.

In an interview with The Courier Mail on Tuesday, the 46-year-old admitted she was 'devastated by the decision'.

The veteran radio host was sacked from 97.3FM's breakfast show late last year due to poor ratings, and admitted she was completely blindsided.

Confessions: Bianca Dye has spoken out after being fired from her Brisbane radio job. In an interview with The Courier Mail on Tuesday, the 46-year-old admitted she was 'devastated by the decision'

'It's not easy. It's so public and your ego gets bruised,' she admitted.

'Although I was kind of devastated by the decision, I didn't see it coming, there were no hard feelings for me really because this is showbiz.'

She said while the company had initially hoped to keep her on in some capacity, it never eventuated, and she spent six months in limbo off the air.

Fired: The veteran radio host was sacked from 97.3FM's breakfast show late last year due to poor ratings, and admitted she was completely blindsided

Bianca confessed it had been hard not to take the decision personally, reminding herself it all came down to business.

'Once you agree to be part of this world you have to accept this is a business and they make business decisions, you can't take it personally,' she added.

'At first it felt personal but after you take time to reflect you see they did what they had to do.'

'It's not easy. It's so public and your ego gets bruised,' she admitted, adding, 'There were no hard feelings for me really because this is showbiz.'

Still, she admitted she did momentarily question herself and her career.

'There are times when you question your talent and if you're doing the right thing,' she said, adding, 'You really attach so much of you to your job and it's so unhealthy.'

Since leaving the Brisbane radio station, Bianca landed what she described as her dream job, hosting the Gold Coast's Hit 90.9 breakfast show.
After months of relative calm, assassinations and kidnappings have returned to menace Baghdad's streets.

When two protesters were shot dead in Baghdads Tayeran Square, near Tahrir Square, on July 26, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ordered an urgent investigation. The prime minister addressed the Iraqi people in a televised speech on Monday, saying that he had ordered the security forces not to target the protesters under any circumstances.

The security forces do not have permission to fire even a single bullet toward our protesting brothers, Kadhimi said.

He attributed the violence to political rivals without naming them, accusing them of using the protests for political gain and "trying to fish in troubled water."

Kadhimi said he had requested investigators to produce results within 72 hours.

On July 20, German activist Hella Mewis was kidnapped in the busy downtown Baghdad neighborhood of Abu Noaas. She was released July 24 and no details have been released about the kidnappers and how the security forces recovered her. She left Iraq immediately after eight years of helping organize young Iraqis, artists and cultural activists.

The prime minister met with the family of Iraqi journalist Tawfik al-Tamimi on July 26. He told them that the investigation into his kidnapping is ongoing and that he will be returned home as soon as possible.

Tamimi was kidnapped in the front of his home in Baghdad five months ago and the authorities have shared no progress or developments in the case.

The commander of the 59th Brigade, Ali Ghidan, was killed by unknown groups on July 17 in northern Baghdad, and the investigation has produced nothing.

Iraqi researcher on extremist groups Hisham al-Hashimi was assassinated on his doorstep on July. 6. The prime minister ordered the investigation expedited but no results have been announced so far.

The prime minister said following Hashimi's assassination, "Whoever is involved with shedding Iraqi blood will face justice, and we will never allow chaos and mafia ways to run Iraq. He promised, We will not allow anyone to turn Iraq into a gang state."

Although none of the investigations have been successful so far, the victims have been treated very differently. The fate of the majority of those who have been kidnapped is still unknown, raising many questions among Iraqis as to why the Iraqi security forces were able to find and free Mewis so quickly while the fate of many others including hundreds of protesters missing since last October is still unknown.

"While we applaud the efforts of the Interior Ministry and intelligence services to quickly investigate the kidnapping of German activist Hella Mewis and succeed in liberating her within 72 hours, we had hoped that the investigation into Hisham Hashimi's assassination would have produced results as quickly," said Amjad Iqabi, a member of parliament from the Sairoon Alliance, on July. 24.

A senior adviser to the prime minister told The Washington Post on condition of anonymity that Kadhimi "wants justice but his hands are tied," adding, Launching a full-blown investigation into why this happened, well, that is simply too dangerous for any prime minister here.

Following Hashimi's assassination, many experts declined TV interviews for fear of suffering the same fate.

Iraqi journalists and activists are living in great fear and under enormous pressure. Hashimi had good connections with the PMU leadership and the Iraqi government, but it was not enough to protect him.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Munqith Dagher, a senior non-resident researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said, "The groups that target activists and journalists are well known. They are a combination of corruption networks, armed groups and others working against the state.

These groups want to spread fear among the activists and journalists and many of my colleagues indeed are pulling back and reducing their activities, Dagher added, pointing out, Civil society organizations and activists are the last remaining line of defense.  If they fall, the Iraqi state will fall.

The series of assassinations and kidnapping comes in conjunction with a new wave of protests in Baghdad and southern Iraq, demanding justice for their brothers and sisters killed in the previous protests and a functional state able to provide security and basic services.

Other security concerns include increasing militia attacks on US bases that threaten to bring more instability to the country.

Ahmad Hassan, the executive manager of the Iraq-based Amarchi Center for Media Development, told Al-Monitor, The assassinations and kidnapping are happening in front of everyone and with increasing frequency, but the perpetrators are being protected such that no one can talk about them and no evidence is able to be gathered against them.

They want to control the state and dictate their demands without being responsible for their actions, Hassan added.

Some of the rogue PMU groups are threatening independent journalists over social media. So far, the government has been unable to stop them and prosecute those who are spreading fear and violence. Journalists and activists feel increasingly vulnerable. The issue is often neglected in media due to other regional challenges, including the COVOD-19 pandemic.

We all are asking, who is next? the adviser told The Washington Post.
Senate Republicans have finally explained how their 70% solution to federal unemployment benefits would work.

Their HEALS Act, unveiled late Monday, would cut the expired $600-per-week federal unemployment supplement to $200 per week for two months. It would then be changed to a number that, when added to an individuals regular state benefit, would replace 70% of that workers prior wage through year end.

The 70% replacement rate would result in an average benefit of about $310 nationwide, according to Heidi Shierholz, senior economist with the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank. But it would vary by individual and be capped at $500 per week.

The Democrat-controlled House passed a bill in May that would continue the $600 supplement through year end. More recently, Senate Democrats proposed gradually phasing out the $600 per week supplement, in $100 increments, each time a states udnemployment rate dropped by 1 percentage point, starting at 11% unemployment and ending at 6%. Californias rate was 14.9% in June.

Both proposals would add large demands on state employment agencies when many  including Californias Employment Development Department  are running on antiquated systems and struggling to pay existing claims and answer phone calls. The EDD didnt comment Tuesday on the Republican plan.

Beth McMurphy of Novato said she was laid off in late May and paid for the first week she was eligible for unemployment.

But all subsequent weeks, now totaling seven, are listed as pending and I have not been paid nor have I been contacted regarding why. I call EDD customer service daily but have never been able to reach the queue to speak to a human, she said.

The Republican plan would take an enormous amount of effort to do this thing that expires at the end of this year, Shierholz said.

Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia said most states could implement the Republican 70% solution within two months.

We surveyed the states, the great majority indicated they can get this done within eight weeks, Scalia said on CNBC Tuesday.

A nonpartisan association representing state employment agencies said in a letter to Congress last week that an individualized approach could take much longer. It could take states eight to 20 weeks to implement a federal benefit that was a percentage of an individuals state benefit.

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies did not say how long it would take if the benefit was a percentage of a persons prior wages, minus their state benefit, as proposed in the HEALS Act.

The group said it would take one to five weeks to reprogram a new flat dollar amount and eight to 12 weeks to implement tiered benefits based on a states unemployment rate.

Under the Senate Republican plan, unemployed workers would get a $200 supplement starting this week through the week ending on or before Oct. 5, when it would switch to the 70% replacement rate. If a state could not implement the 70% solution by then, it could ask for a waiver, which would keep its supplement at $200 until the end of November.

Congress authorized the original $600 supplement in the Cares Act. It was added to all state unemployment benefits from April through weeks ending on or before July 31. In California, the final week was last week.

Lawmakers chose $600 because when you add it to the average state unemployment nationwide ($374 a week in the first quarter) it replaced roughly 100% of the average wage ($976 a week).

By the same calculation, cutting the replacement rate to 70% would reduce the federal supplement to about $310, Shierholz said.

When it was $600, more than half of workers nationwide  68% by one estimate  earned more on unemployment than they earned on the job. Thats because the median wage, the point at which half of workers earn more and half earn less, is less than the average wage.

Some Republicans and business groups say maintaining the $600 benefit could make it harder for employers to rehire former workers.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

On Tuesday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said there is some validity to the argument that $600 could serve as a disincentive to employment, according to CNN. He added that the Democrats position is not $600 or bust, but that going cold turkey is not the way to deal with it.

Rachel Michelin, president and CEO for the California Retailers Association, said she has heard anecdotal reports of companies having trouble luring back employees, but we are not seeing a shortage of workers who want to work in a retail environment.

Her association has not taken a position on unemployment benefits. Its much more concerned about liability protection for businesses facing COVID-19 lawsuits and people throwing temper tantrums at stores because they dont want to wear a face covering, Michelin added.

Reducing the weekly benefit to $200 would hit states with lower-than-average state unemployment benefits, including California, the hardest.

Many of the states currently experiencing the worst surges in COVID-19 are also those that would see the largest percentage reduction in benefits, including Florida (47.1%), California (44.2%) and Mississippi (50.5 %), the Century Foundation said in a report Monday.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that cutting the federal supplement by $400 a week will hurt families who need it to make ends meet and overwhelm already chaotic unemployment offices and risk benefits never going out at all.

In California, a group of state Democratic lawmakers have proposed borrowing from the federal government to bolster state unemployment insurance programs. This money could fill gaps in unemployment insurance, including extending (it) to undocumented workers, shortfalls resulting from if the federal government does not extend the $600 per week payment, and other holes that remain, their outline says.

That, too, could put pressure on an overloaded EDD.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
Companies linked to two Russian oligarchs exploited the opaqueness of the art world to buy high-value art, bypassing U.S. sanctions, according to a report by the U.S. Senates Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations that was published on Wednesday.

American companies are barred from doing business with sanctioned individuals. But the report said the oligarchs, Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, two brothers who are close to President Vladimir P. Putin of Russia, were able to hide behind an intermediary who made the purchases on behalf of companies owned or funded by the Rotenbergs.

The purchases of works at auction houses and through private art dealers in New York totaled $18.4 million in value and were made after the Rotenbergs came under United States sanctions in 2014.

The report said the financial transactions were enabled by the secrecy and anonymity with which the art market operates and it called for tighter rules to force greater transparency. The investigators concluded that the auction houses  including Christies and Sothebys  and private sellers never knew the true identity of the oligarchs who were buying the art, but they said that was a loophole that needs to be closed for a sanctions policy to be truly effective.
Challenging as romance can be, its a breeze compared with political bromances when the dominant bro happens to be Donald Trump.

At a telephone town hall last week, our own Republican Congressman Dan Meuser gave constituents a glimpse of life as a presidential trophy bro.

Meuser recalled a conversation he had with Trump after the presidents town hall in Scranton last March. Attendees had blasted a stormwater runoff fee for federally mandated measures to limit pollution in the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.

At Trumps request, Meuser explained this so-called rain tax.

He said, Can we kill it?  Meuser said. And I said, Mr. President, what we can do is  and first of all, you dont give him a long answer  I said we have the authority to pull it back and get it right.

But the situations actually trickier than that because of Clean Water Act provisions and the states involvement, Meuser admitted at his town hall.

Maybe he got the same advice mothers used to give their daughters: Dont ever let boys think youre smarter than they are. Or perhaps, like all of us, hes gotten used to Trumps limited attention span and/or comprehension skills.

It also cant be easy to keep up with someone whose positions change like the weather. I almost feel sorry for GOP governors like Georgias Brian Kemp and Floridas Ron DeSantis.

Those loyal bros didnt hesitate when Trump declared COVID-19 was disappearing and pushed governors to get their states back to normal so hed have a good economy on which to run. Kemp even sued the city of Atlanta for requiring everyone to wear masks in public because Trump had politicized this safety measure.

Whats a bro to do now that Trump finally got  or read  the memo that Americans should cover their faces since the pandemic will probably get worse before it gets better?

That about-face, which could very well be reversed, came the same day as Meusers teleconference, which was pretty much a well-orchestrated campaign event for Trump.

Meusers aides couldnt have picked better callers to ask questions that led to answers echoing Trumps Make America Great Again shtick.

As usual, Meuser came off as more courteous, intelligent and businesslike than his bro. He has, however, picked up some of Trumps mannerisms, like tossing grade-school insults (George Propogandapolis for ABC TV host George Stephanopoulos, for example).

He didnt always keep his answers short, but, like Trump, he studiously avoided inconvenient facts as he zeroed in on some of the POTUSs favorite targets:

 Democratic governors, specifically Pennsylvanias Tom Wolf, whos withholding federal pandemic aid to Lebanon County. Meuser called that a whim while ignoring what prompted Wolfs decision: The GOP county commissioners, egged on by state reps, lifted COVID-19 restrictions against his orders. In effect, they risk-ed public health to create political mischief. Whether a whole county should pay for their leaders misdeeds is a valid question, but lets remember who started that fire.

 Voter fraud. A Berks County caller spoke long and incoherently about this extremely rare problem that the GOP uses as an excuse to suppress the vote. Meuser jumped right in, saying that while theres reasonable voter security, reasonable may not be good enough. (Huh!?) He did say voter suppression is close to treason, but not that others in his party, like the aforementioned Brian Kemp, owe their jobs to that tactic. Meuser also neglected to mention that Trumps voter fraud commission had to disband for lack of  voter fraud.

 Demonstrations for racial equality. Someone from Bloomsburg asked why Congress wasnt speaking out against the lawbreaking, and Meuser rightly denounced whatever vandalism and violence has occurred. But he didnt discuss how Trump, in a move right out of the totalitarian playbook, has only added to the problem by dispatching secret police to attack and arrest demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, some apparently for no reason except peacefully protesting.

Characteristically, Meuser ended the teleconference by asking callers to help re-elect his big bro, wholl keep the American dream alive.

Short answer: If the Trump administration is a dream, wake me, please.

(Von Ahn is co-chair of Schuylkill Indivisible, but

the opinions expressed here are her own)
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The joint UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, UNAMID, is calling on the Sudanese Government to arrest those responsible for the recent spike in violent attacks against peaceful protesters, civilians and displaced persons in various locations across the province
TOKYO - The United States supports Japans protests over Chinese ships venturing into the economic waters near disputed East China Sea islands, the commander of the U.S. Forces in Japan said Wednesday.

The United States is 100% absolutely steadfast in its commitment to help the government of Japan with the situation in Senkaku, Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider said of the group of islands, which are controlled by Japan.

China also claims the islands, which it calls Diaoyu.

Thats 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no deviation in that regard, Schneider told reporters.

Japan has long protested the repeated presence of Chinese coast guard vessels in the waters. Schneider also noted such incursions had increased recently.

He called China the No. 1 challenge in regional security, although North Korea was the more immediate threat, given its weapons development.

Schneider said the U.S. was offering Japan surveillance information and other support, such as reconnaissance capability, which refers to monitoring the whereabouts of a potential enemy, to help Japan assess the situation and to figure out exactly whats going on in the water in and around the Senkaku.

China shrugged off such concerns.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, reasserted Chinas claim to the islands, stressing it was the countrys inherent right to carry out patrol and law enforcement activities in the area.

We hope that relevant parties will do something helpful to maintain regional peace and stability and avoid words and deeds that are not conducive to regional peace and stability, Wang told reporters at a daily press briefing.

Schneider was speaking at an online press briefing that mostly touched on U.S. efforts to combat the coronavirus among its forces in Japan.

___

Associated Press journalist Haruka Nuga in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

Read more about:
- A move to Everton will see Branislav Ivanovic reunite with Carlo Ancelotti

- The two worked together during their time at Chelsea, winning the EPL together

- Ivanovic is currently a free agent after leaving Zenit St. Petersburg at the end of 2019/20 season

Chelsea legend Branislav Ivanovic is reportedly in talks with Everton over a shock return to the Premier League.

Ivanovic made over 250 EPL appearances for the Blues during his nine-year stay at Stamford Bridge.

READ ALSO: Man United star drops huge hint over Old Trafford future in heartfelt Instagram post

READ ALSO: Eliud Kipchoge: Marathon legend named Kenya Tourism Board destination ambassador

He departed the west London side in 2017, joining Zenit St. Petersburg on a free transfer.

But after another glittering career with the Russian giants, the experienced defender looks set to return to England with Everton.

SunSport citing Serbian newspaper Novosti reports Ivanovic has also attracted interest from Red Star Belgrade back in his native home.

Ivanovic made over 250 EPL appearances for the Blues during his nine-year stay at Stamford Bridge. Photo: Getty Images.

Source: Getty Images

READ ALSO: Willian expected to complete Arsenal move after FA Cup final

However, it is a move to Goodinson Park that seem likely, with the publication further adding negotiations over a possible move are in the "final phase."

The former Serbia international has previously played under Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti during their time at Stamford Bridge.

The pair won a Premier League and FA Cup titles together with the London outfit and a reunion could be fancied by both.

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Despite his advanced age, his versatility and experience could come in handy for the Toffees in the event the transfer sees the light of day.

In his last assignment with Zenit, the 36-year-old scored four goals in 25 appearances to lead the club to title glory.

Do you have an inspirational story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Tuko news.

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July 29 : Sanjay Dutt turns a year wiser today. As the actor celebrates his 61st birthday today in Mumbai, away from his wife and kids, who are in Dubai, the makers of K.G.F Chapter 2 released the first look of the actor. Sanjay plays the main antagonist named Adheera in K.G.F Chapter 2.

Sharing his first look poster from the film on his Instagram handle, the actor wrote, ...I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift. Thank you @prashanthneel, @karthik_krg, @thenameisyash, @vkiragandur, @deepakcg, #Lithika, #Pradeep & the entire team of KGF.

The most-anticipated Kannada film, KGF Chapter 2 is helmed by Prashant Neel, and stars Yash and Raveena Tandon. Prashants KGF: Chapter 1, released in multiple languages, was a super hit film.

KGF Chapter 2 was almost completed when it was put on hold due to coronavirus pandemic. With the release of the first look poster, it seems that the film would be completed soon. Karthik Gowda, the creative executive producer of the film said recently that the post-production work of KGF 2 are progressing at a fast pace. The makers are eyeing October 23 as the release date for the film.

Sanjay will also be seen in Bhuj: The Pride of India, which is set for Disney+ Hotstar release soon. The war action film directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya, stars Ajay Devgn in the lead role along with Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Nora Fatehi, Sharad Kelkar, among others.
A Chicago cop died by suicide at a police facility linked to recent anti-racism protests in the city less than two weeks after he was promoted to head the department's drug crime unit.

Deputy Chief Dion Boyd, 57, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the Chicago Police Department's Homan Square detention center on Tuesday morning.

Supt David Brown announced the devastating news at a press conference hours later, calling Boyd a 'respected command staff member' who had dedicated the last 30 years of his life to the force.

'There's really no way to convey or express the magnitude of this loss. We are shocked and saddened at the loss that is deeply felt by me and the many colleagues and friends with whom Deputy Chief Boyd worked and mentored throughout his career.'

He did not directly link Boyd's death to the ongoing protests over police brutality in Chicago, but said: 'The job of a Chicago police officer is not easy, particularly in a time where there is intensified stress.

'Everyday life can seem insurmountable at times for anyone, but for police officers the stakes are even higher due to the tireless work that they do to safeguard others.'

Mayor Lori Lightfoot is now asking all Chicago police officers who feel they need support to reach out.

Chicago Police Deputy Chief Dion Boyd, 57, (pictured) was found dead of an apparent suicide at the department's Homan Square detention facility on Tuesday morning

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is now asking all cops to reach out for help if they feel under intense pressure

'We are truly at a loss of words by the death of Deputy Chief of Criminal Networks Dion Boyd, who passed away last night.

'To every officer, we want you to know that you are deserving of help and healing, and no one needs to struggle alone.

'This City has a fundamental obligation to support each of you, and over the coming weeks, we will be taking steps to bolster our support network so that every first responder understands that help is available,' she said in a series of tweets.

Boyd had just been sworn in as the CPD's deputy chief of criminal networks on July 15, putting him in charge of overseeing the narcotics, gang investigation and vice divisions, and the department's role in the CPD/FBI Violent Crimes Task Force.

Prior to taking that role Boyd spent decades as a homicide detective and undercover narcotics officer, and served as the Area One commander on the South Side and commander of the Wentworth District.

Boyd was sworn in as the CPD's deputy chief of criminal networks on July 15 (pictured), putting him in charge of overseeing the narcotics, gang investigation and vice divisions, and the department's role in the CPD/FBI Violent Crimes Task Force

The police station where Boyd took his own life has been a site of angry protests like this one on July 24 where demonstrators held up signs saying 'no good cops'

Protesters outside the police station where Boyd died on July 24. The department has not commented on whether or not the current climate contributed to his death

Dozens of officers gathered outside the Cook County medical examiner's office to pay their respects to Boyd on Tuesday afternoon (pictured)

Protesters have called for the Homan Square facility to be shut down due to injustices they claim have occurred there. Pictured: Hundreds of people gather outside the facility on July 24

Boyd with his wife and their two sons. The family has not yet publicly addressed his death

After announcing Boyd's death on Tuesday afternoon, Brown pleaded with officers to 'always remember to take care of ourselves and each other'.

Chicago Police officer Samuel Jimenez, who was fatally shot in 2018

'There is no shame in reaching out for help,' the superintendent said. 'Please, officers, please, stay humble, stay human, stay safe and stay well.'

The CPD has seen a startling number of officer suicides in recent years, even as the department worked to improve its mental health counseling services.

The Justice Department released a report in 2017 that found that Chicago's officer suicide rate was 60 percent higher than the national average.

The Chicago Sun Times spoke with police sources who met with Boyd recently to discuss investigations and said he had been upbeat and enthusiastic about his new position.

But some who knew Boyd personally said he had struggled with the death of one of his officers in the Wentworth District, Samuel Jimenez, who was killed in a shooting at a Bronzeville hospital in 2018.

Chicago cops salute the casket of Deputy Chief Boyd as it is driven past them on Tuesday

Dozens of emotional cops took to the streets on Tuesday to pay their respects to Boyd

Boyd's body was transported out of the Homan Square detention facility in an ambulance, followed by a procession of police vehicles.

It was then taken to the Cook County medical examiner's office, where dozens of officers gathered to pay their respects to Boyd.

In recent weeks several demonstrations against police brutality have been held outside the Homan Square facility, drawing crowds with hundreds of people.

Protesters have called for the facility on Chicago's West Side to be shut down due to injustices they claim have occurred there.

Activist Damon Williams with the #LetUsBreathe Collective listed off several alleged abuses during a rally on Friday, saying that people detained there have been 'hit with phone books, electrocuted, sexually violated, held without access to legal counsel for hours sometimes days [and] held without a bathroom'.
Unilever is closing its Shelton office, with 45 employees to be transferred to its U.S. headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and another 90 being laid off over the coming year after they chose not to move to New Jersey.

It is the latest development in what has been a continued whittling of Unilevers Connecticut presence. A decade ago the company had more than 1,100 employees at a sprawling Trumbull campus who focused on research and development of personal products along with marketing.

The town of Trumbull reported Unilevers workforce there at 400 people as of last summer.

Through an external public relations firm, Unilever declined to provide details of the planned closure of the 3 Corporate Drive office in Shelton, a development of R.D. Scinto Inc. The company disclosed the decision in a filing with the Connecticut Department of Labor.

In 2006, Unilever designated Englewood Cliffs, N.J. as its central U.S. corporate office, with the company shifting hundreds of jobs there over the next two years from its former Greenwich office while expanding its Trumbull site with additions from Clinton, Edgewater, N.J., and Rolling Meadows, Ill. The company has dual headquarters in London and Rotterdam.

Former Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen sued Unilever in 2009 over wastewater releases in Clinton that allegedly violated state environmental rules. As part of a settlement, Unilever underwrote the $2.5 million creation of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation at the University of Connecticut, along with $1 million more for the town of Clinton.

Unilever picked up its Connecticut operations in its 1986 acquisition of Chesebrough-Ponds, with its Trumbull research center continuing to focus on its Ponds brand of facial cleansers and lotions as well as Dove and Lever 2000 soap, Axe and Degree deodorant, Suave shampoo, Q-Tips swabs and Vaseline. Unilever would spin off its laundry business as an independent company called Sun Products based in Wilton, which Henkel acquired four years ago and relocated to a new U.S. head office in Stamford.

Unilever remains the fourth largest consumer products company in the world today after Nestle, Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo, with its portfolio including ice cream brands Ben & Jerrys, Breyers, Good Humor, Klondike and Magnum which have sold well since the imposition of stay-at-home orders by governors nationally.

With U.S. households stocking up on essentials in the early weeks of the pandemic, Unilever recorded a nearly 10 percent increase in North American sales in the first half of this year, to $3.3 billion. On a conference call last week, CEO Alan Jope indicated that while panic-buying has eased, the company is still playing catch-up for some products.

Were struggling slightly to keep up with demand in North America, Jope said. Weve addressed the hot spots. ... Were seeing tremendous strength in hygiene and skin cleansing.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 13:16:54|Editor: huaxia

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SINGAPORE, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Singapore hopes the United States can stabilize its relations with China, since Asia depends on the stable U.S.-China ties to have a "secure" and "predictable" environment, said Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday.

Lee made the remarks in an online interview hosted by Washington-based think tank Atlantic Council, reported local English-language newspaper the Straits Times on Wednesday.

Lee also voiced hope that the coming U.S. president, be it Republican or Democratic, can develop a bipartisan consensus on U.S.-Asia relations so that the U.S. foreign policy will be consistent and last beyond one administration.

"If you can establish a stable, predictable policy with bipartisan consensus, I think it would be a great help to all your friends and partners who want to be able to depend on you and to rely on you, without the risk that one day the big power may suddenly decide its interests lie elsewhere," he said.

Lee noted that Singapore will not exclude Chinese tech-company Huawei from its 5G networks bidding process, although Huawei was not chosen this time round.

"The bidders did not choose Huawei. But in some of the other aspects of the 5G networks, Huawei will be figured in, and in future bids I have no doubt it will be participating again," said the prime minister. Enditem
The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier expressed confidence at a closed-door meeting with member state envoys to the bloc last Friday that a new deal with Britain was possible, diplomatic sources have told Reuters.

His comments after the latest round of EU-UK negotiations contrast with his downbeat public assessment that London's rigid positions on fisheries and the "level playing field" guarantees of fair competition meant a deal was unlikely for now.

More than four years after Britons voted in a referendum to leave the EU, and after tortuous divorce talks, the two sides are negotiating on all aspects of their ties, from trade to security, from 2021 onwards.

The two key stumbling blocks are access to British fishing waters and the EU's demand that Britain tie itself closely to the bloc's state aid, labour and environmental standards to ensure it does not undercut the EU's single market with poor-quality goods.

The EU says a deal needs to be done by October to allow time for ratification by the end of the year. Both sides have said the talks may be stalling.

"I remain confident that a balanced and sustainable deal remains possible, even if less ambitious," Barnier told the gathering, according to sources present, adding that London seemed more interested in pursuing only a "low-quality, low-profile" deal.

He said his recent encounter with Boris Johnson had left him with the sense that the British prime minister did want a deal, despite insisting that London was prepared for the prospect that there might be no agreement at all.

Barnier's comments were echoed by Ireland and the Netherlands, according to the sources.

Envoys for the two countries, likely to take the biggest hit from any change in trade rules after Dec. 31, said they remained confident that a deal would materialise.

"SWIMMING ACROSS THE CHANNEL"

The Dutch envoy quipped that a deal would eventually "come swimming across (the English) Channel", according to the sources.

They envoys all called for calm and unity, saying this strategy had already helped to narrow the gaps on agreeing ways to settle future disputes, an element regularly mentioned as a stumbling block in the past.

Barnier called the "level playing field" the biggest remaining problem, but also listed energy and transport cooperation, as well as rules for marking the origin of products.

"The level playing field is not for sale," the sources quoted Barnier as saying.

They also said Lithuania and Hungary had expressed concern that an overly tough stance on fisheries might lessen the chance of sealing an overall deal.

France, whose fishing industry is economically and politically sensitive, called the comments "unacceptable", the sources said.

The French mission in Brussels said the French envoy had urged solidarity on all strands of the talks.

The EU's executive body, the European Commission, said it had nothing to add to Barnier's public comments.

EU missions for Lithuania, Ireland and the Netherlands said they would not comment on confidential conversations. The Hungarian EU office did not respond to a request for comment.
WELLESLEY, Mass., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fast Company today announced its second annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list, honoring businesses and organizations that demonstrate a deep commitment to encouraging innovation at all levels. 4G Clinical came in at #8 for its dedication to building a culture that fuels innovation, curiosity and the spirit of experimentation in all facets of the business from product development and brand to services and staffing.

Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2020 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including computer science, biotech, consumer packaged goods, nonprofit, education, financial services, cybersecurity, and engineering. Working together, Fast Company editors and Accenture researchers scored nearly 900 applications, and a panel of eight eminent judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companiesan increase from last year's list of 50. The 2020 awards feature workplaces from around the world with several of the honorees based outside the U.S.

"4G Clinical is a company anchored in purpose, stemming from an abject intolerance for how long it takes to get medications to patients," says David Kelleher, CEO of 4G Clinical. "There will always be things to do better, faster and safer. And without continued innovation in our technology, processes, and culture, we will certainly fail. We are honored to be named one of Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators."

4G Clinical's culture thrives on open communication and collaborative thinking. The company's approach to development of its randomization and trial supply management (RTSM) and supply forecasting optimization software is based on agile software methodologies, with a focus on continuous, iterative feedback from customers, end-users and internal staff. 4G Clinical hires the best talent no matter where they reside, bringing the brightest minds together across the globe to challenge the status quo, center on purpose and to never just do what they are told. Innovation will continue to be a driving force to bring crucial medicines to those who need them, faster.

"As much of the world recovers from health, economic, and social crises, we need innovation more than ever," says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. "This new list of the Best Workplaces for Innovators celebrates organizations that have fostered innovative thinking by investing in technology, research and development, and their employees."

To see the complete list, go to: www.fastcompany.com/best-workplaces-for-innovators/2020

Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators issue (September 2020) is available online now, and the print issue will be on newsstands beginning August 4, 2020. Join the Best Workplaces for Innovators conversation using #FCBestWorkplaces.

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is one of the world's leading business media brands, with an editorial focus on innovation with deep emphasis on creativity, technology, social impact, leadership, and design. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

ABOUT ACCENTURE

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions  underpinned by the world's largest delivery network  Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 482,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

ABOUT 4G Clinical

4G Clinical is a global leader in randomization and trial supply management (RTSM) and supply forecasting optimization software for the life sciences industry, with the aim of leveraging modern technology to accelerate clinical trials and bring crucial medicines to those who need them, faster. Our solutions, Prancer RTSM and 4C Supply, both leverage natural language processing (NLP) to disrupt the way trials are executed and simplify the drug development process. We deliver modern, flexible and validated capabilities and services to Bio/Pharma and CROs faster than anyone else in the world. Visit us at www.4gclinical.com.

Media Contact

Amy Ripston

[email protected]

SOURCE 4G Clinical

Related Links

http://www.4gclinical.com


When Michael and Brenda Pickup received a knock on their door and an offer of free insulation under the Government's Green Deal, they thought it was a safe way to save money.

But, six years on, the pensioners face a bill of nearly 20,000 to correct the damage caused by rogue traders cashing in on the scheme.

The Government will hand out 2billion in grant cash for energy efficient home improvements from September.

Campaigners are now demanding reassurances after previous similar initiatives left behind a legacy of scams and shoddy work.

Huge bill: Michael and Brenda Pickup face paying nearly 20,000 to correct the damage caused by rogue traders

More than half of households across the country plan to apply for a green homes grant, according to MoneySuperMarket.

But last week Darren Jones, chairman of the business, energy and industrial strategy committee, asked the Government how it would ensure only 'quality suppliers' carried out the work.

The Labour MP also pointed out that previous energy efficiency schemes had seen homes suffer 'inadequate work from suppliers who failed to meet required standards'.

One previous multi-million-pound initiative, the Green Deal, offered loans to households for energy efficient home improvements.

It was abandoned due to low uptake just two years after it launched in 2013. Yet many households are still out of pocket after signing up.

Michael, 74, and Brenda, 73, agreed to have cavity wall insulation installed at their 1930s stone property in Rossendale, Lancashire, after a salesman knocked on their door claiming to be from a firm called Heatwave Energy Solutions.

The couple were told they would not have to pay anything and that the company could claim the cost back from the government.

By the end of the year, their wallpaper had started peeling off as rainwater leaked through the insulation, causing damp.

It turned out their home was not suitable and the wall insulation should never have been installed.

But when Michael called Heatwave Energy Solutions, he was told there was no record of work being carried out at their home.

Heatwave Energy Solutions, a company based in Wigan, has since gone into liquidation and Money Mail was unable to contact it.

The couple, who have mobility problems, want to downsize but have been warned they will struggle to sell their 200,000 home unless they spend 19,660 to have the insulation removed.

The Green Deal, used to offer loans to households for energy efficient home improvements

Father-of-three Michael says: 'The whole thing has just made us really angry, as it has ruined the past six-or-so years for us. We trusted them because they said it was a government scheme.'

Families also complained that, under the Green Deal, they had been mis-sold solar panels and insulation tied to long-term high interest loans that were far more costly than any savings they enjoyed on their energy bills.

Close to 200 customers of one firm, Home Energy and Lifestyle Management Systems (Helms), are still waiting for compensation after the company dissolved in 2018.

Chartered surveyor Tim Davies, who acts as an expert witness in trading standards cases, says: 'This country has a big problem with rogue traders and the green grants scheme has all the hallmarks of an initiative which will replicate the same kind of problems as the Green Deal did.

'The Government will have to be scrupulous when it comes to the vetting process, but inevitably some rogue traders will slip through the net.'

National Trading Standards is urging people to make sure they understand the full details of the grants and what they cover, before they agree to have work done.

Having a bad cavity wall insulation fitted could mean wallpaper starts peeling off (stock image)

Director Wendy Martin says: 'Criminals exploit new trends and investments to deceive and defraud consumers and we recognise concerns that some may seek to abuse the Government's green homes grants.'

Homeowners in Suffolk have already started receiving phone calls from companies claiming they are eligible for one of the grants, even though the scheme has not been launched yet, according to Trading Standards.

Last week Matthew Vickers, chief executive of the Energy Ombudsman, called for customers who use the green grants to have the right to 'free, independent redress if things go wrong'.

The green home grants will enable eligible households to claim government cash to cover at least two-thirds of the bill for energy-efficient home improvements, but no more than 5,000.

Those on the lowest income will be able to claim for the full cost of work done, up to 10,000.

A Government spokesman says only 'accredited installers working to specified standards and with robust consumer protection practices' will be able to carry out work for the scheme.
Dramatic cellphone footage shows a pair of Good Samaritans working together to pull an unconscious driver from a burning car along a Missouri highway.

Antonio Morgan was driving along I-70 north of St Louis County, Missouri, with his 14-year-old son in the car on Tuesday when he encountered an accident.

As Morgan was driving past the scene of the crash, he noticed that the person behind the wheel of the mangled vehicle, identified as 23-year-old Kielen Robinson, was unconscious.

Leaping in to action, brave Morgan managed to drag Robinson from the car with the help of another passing motorist, even as flames engulfed the vehicle.

Antonio Morgan (pictured in a lime-green shirt) was driving on I-70 north of St Louis County, Missouri, on Tuesday when he encountered a crash. Morgan quickly jumped into action

Seeing that Kielen Robinson's sedan was emitting smoke after smashing into a concrete highway barrier, Morgan opened the passenger door to try and pull him out

Moments later, orange flames exploded from the damaged hood of the car

Morgan, seen in the video dressed in a lime-green T-shirt, exited his vehicle, approached Robinson's smoking sedan, climbed inside through the front passenger seat and began pulling on the driver, not realizing at first that he still had his seat belt fastened.

'I am pulling. Hes not coming. I saw his seat belt,' Morgan told KMOV4. 'The smoke was right there in my face. I unhooked his seat belt and pulled him out.'

Cellphone video recorded by Morgan' son, also named Antonio, shows that as the Good Samaritan was trying to free Robinson from the driver's seat, something under the hood exploded, igniting flames inside the car.

Seconds later, another motorist who stopped to help ran over and deployed a fire extinguisher to douse the flames that have begun engulfing the interior of the car.

Another Good Samaritan rushed to Morgan's aid and deployed a fire extinguisher, allowing him to drag an unconscious Robinson out of his car

Morgan had to unbuckle the driver's seat belt before pulling him to safety

Morgan checked on the victim seen above sprawled on the ground after is close call

A police officer arrived and urged Robinson to 'just breathe' while awaiting paramedics

Morgan exchanged a hug with his fellow Good Samaritans. Later, firefighters arrived to douse Robinson's car, now fully engulfed in flames

Speaking to KMOV, Morgan said by the time he yanked Robinson out of his car, he was out of energy.

'I was rushing. My adrenaline was rushing,' he recounted.

A police officer arrived and tended to Robinson, seen in the video sprawled out on the ground.

'Breathe, breathe. I just need you to breathe,' she is heard telling the young driver.

The video ends with Morgan embracing the other Good Samaritan still wielding his life-saving fire extinguisher.

Robinson's mother, Kim Johnson (left), and his aunt, met up with Morgan and his teenage son two hours later to thank him personally for his heroic act and pose for a group photo (pictured)

'We aint loosing [sic] no soldiers on my watch!' Morgan wrote in a Facebook post accompanying his son's video, which as of Wednesday evening has been viewed more than 1.4million times.

Two hours after the heroic rescue, Robinson's mother, Kim Johnson, met with Morgan to thank him in person for saving her son's life.

'If he would not have been persistent and stuck on that my son would be dead right now and I would be planning a funeral,' Johnson told KMOV through sobs. 'My guardian angel saved my baby. This man, hallelujah, thank you, Jesus.'

Robinson suffered only minor injuries in the crash. He will be turning 24 on August 10.

Morgan is a married father of two from St Louis. His son, also named Antonio (far right), was the one who recorded the now-viral video of his father's bold rescue efforts

Morgan, who is married with two children, has been widely praised on social media for his act of heroism, not least of all by Johnson, who described him as 'humble and sweet.'

'Thank you doesnt cover the level of gratitude I feel for this wonderful man,' the grateful mother wrote in a Facebook post. 'He stepped up and put himself in danger to save my son. A stranger, put his own life on the line repeatedly in order to get my child free.

'He would of died in a manner of seconds without his help. I cant say it enough, words cant say enough. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a amazing man and saving my son.'
Bengaluru, July 29 : The Bengaluru Police are on the hunt for the 50-year-old former woman corporator of the Hegganahalli ward who hired nine assassins to eliminate her husband's killers.

"We are yet to arrest Varamahalakshmi. Three teams led by inspectors are looking for her," a police official told IANS, here on Wednesday.

Varamahalakshmi's husband Govide Gowda was hacked to death in December 2017. She wanted to avenge his murder. A gang led by two brothers, Kumar and Nataraj, was involved in Gowda's murder.

They are brothers of Chikkathimmegowda who was killed in November 2016. Gowda and Vahamahalakshmi had been arrested in the Chikkathimmegowda murder case, suspecting the alleged political rivalry.

The former corporator fixed a Rs 70 lakh deal for the murder Gowda's killers. She also paid Rs 4 lakh advance to the assassins. "When her husband was killed, Varamahalakshmi took a vow to avenge murder and eliminate killers," said the official.

On Monday night, three persons of a 12-member gang were arrested by Rajagopalnagar police at Peenya. They were allegedly planning to eliminate Kumar and Nataraj. The others had escaped.

But on the information shared by the arrested trio, the police nabbed others as well.

The contract killers included Raju (26), Chetan Kumar (31), Arjun (27), Obalaiah (25), Satish Kumar (23), Shiva Kumar (31), Amit (22), Nagesh (30) and Devaraj (31).
Hryvnia strengthens to UAH 27.69 to U.S. dollar on July 29

09:25, 29.07.20 4746

The official forex rate against the euro for July 29 is set at UAH 32.45 per euro.
The Reporter's Notebook

Its almost unimaginable.

Music, whether we realize it or not, plays an important part in all our lives.

My earliest recollection of music was when I was very young and my father sang to me.

My father had an ocean of Irish ditties that he would sing while I was sitting on his lap. What I wouldnt give to remember all of them. But I do remember one Froggy went a courtin. I dont re...
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) and its Healthcare Finance unit today announced a $25 million loan supporting Seavest Healthcare Properties' acquisition of the MLK Community Hospital Medical Office Building in South Los Angeles. The private, nonprofit hospital provides essential healthcare services for residents of the Watts, Compton and Willowbrook neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

"We're pleased to leverage our expertise to create a financing solution that meets Seavest's investment objectives," said William Douglass, managing director and group head for CIT's Healthcare Finance. "This effort advances the hospital's mission while helping to drive transformative change and further revitalize the Watts area."

MLK Community Hospital is part of a public-private partnership with Los Angeles County and was established in 2015 to meet the needs of the South Los Angeles community including the uninsured and underinsured. Efforts to create additional offerings are in development including outpatient testing, physical therapy, durable medical equipment, chronic care treatment facilities, and other health related services.

"We're pleased to work with CIT on this transaction, and to expand our portfolio in Los Angeles," said John Winer, senior managing director and chief investment officer for Seavest Healthcare Properties. "This acquisition provides the opportunity to invest in a newly developed, on campus outpatient facility in South Los Angeles and to assist in delivering critical healthcare services to the area's one million residents."

CIT's Healthcare Finance unit, part of the Commercial Finance division, provides comprehensive financing and banking solutions to middle market healthcare companies across the U.S. The financing follows CIT's recent $47 million investment in the Jordan Downs Apartment Project to develop a 92-unit multifamily apartment complex in the Watts neighborhood.

"Our community needs our support now more than ever," said Steve Solk, president of Consumer Banking at CIT. "We're pleased to play a key role in this transaction and continue our investment in the Watts neighborhood and surrounding areas during this challenging time."

CIT anticipates making further investments in the Watts community later this year, including a new branch in the area.

About CIT

CIT is a leading national bank focused on empowering businesses and personal savers with the financial agility to navigate their goals. CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) is a financial holding company with over a century of experience and operates a principal bank subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender). The company's commercial banking segment includes commercial financing, community association banking, middle market banking, equipment and vendor financing, factoring, railcar financing, treasury and payments services, and capital markets and asset management. CIT's consumer banking segment includes a national direct bank and regional branch network. Discover more at cit.com/about.

About Seavest

Seavest Healthcare Properties, LLC is a real estate investment management firm focused on the medical office and outpatient facility sector. The firm acquires existing properties, joint ventures with established developers to build new properties, and asset manages medical office buildings, outpatient facilities and similar healthcare real estate assets. A pioneer in this sector, Seavest made its first healthcare real estate investment in the mid-1980s. Today, the firm has a significant portfolio of medical office buildings and outpatient facilities located throughout the United States. For more information, please visit SeavestHCP.com.

MEDIA RELATIONS:

Olivia Weiss

212-771-9657

[email protected]

SOURCE CIT Group Inc.

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President Moon Jae-in announces the Korean New Deal investment initiative at Cheong Wa Dae, July 14. Cheong Wa Dae Press Corps



By Nam Hyun-woo



The Moon Jae-in government has unveiled a grand initiative, the Korean New Deal, which will "define the next century" of the country's economic growth through huge investments in "green" energy industries.



Though the initiative is decorated with fancy words and a rosy outlook on job creation, criticism is rising that it lacks information regarding the country's objectives on reducing carbon emissions and how to achieve them.



Experts said the initiative neither impressed environment advocates nor those in the conventional energy industry, as it lacks clear objectives and action plans. They added the policy package indicates the direction in which energy businesses and municipal governments should go, but fails to suggest how far they should go and what awaits at the end.



President Moon announced the Korean New Deal policies  highlighting big spending on digital and eco-friendly businesses  July 14. Among them, he named renewable energy and eco-friendly businesses the "Green New Deal," and pledged to pour 73.4 trillion won ($61.4 billion won) by 2025 into building a renewable energy infrastructure and environmentally conscious firms.



In announcing the Green New Deal, the administration has set out a direction for the country's energy industry  "pursuing carbon neutrality" and "transforming the economic foundation to emit less carbon and be more eco-friendly."



Missing in this was the timetable and level of emissions cutting.



In its recent Green Deal, the European Commission announced plans to end net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 and declared that economic growth will be decoupled from resource use. The city of Los Angeles also announced that it will reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and the state of New York set its target of providing carbon-free electricity by 2040 and establishing a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.



Unlike these plans, Korea's Green New Deal does not provide a timetable and has vague rhetoric, only saying the country will "pursue" carbon neutrality.



As criticism stirred, Environment Minister Cho Myung-rae said "the purpose of the Green New Deal is not confined to emissions cuts," and "the target year and amount for carbon neutrality will be revealed within this year."



Lacking specifics



Also missing in the plan is how these objectives will be achieved, experts said. The government proclaimed it will pursue net-zero emissions, but failed to suggest the level of emissions cuts, how the country will accomplish these goals and how the government will help companies in so-called sunset industries make a soft landing during this change.



"The direction itself can get an optimistic response," Yonsei University economics professor Sung Tae-yoon said. "But concerns remain on the burden on private companies, as the policy does not suggest how they will handle the costs of transforming into renewable energy and eco-friendly businesses."



One of the main plans of the Green New Deal is the expansion of offshore wind power farms, with the government pledging to expand the country's total wind power capacity to 12 gigawatts by 2030, almost 100 times higher than the current 124 megawatt capacity.



While suggesting this, however, the government did not elaborate on how to soothe ardent opposition from fishermen near target areas, and improve the efficiency of the farms.



Fishermen and residents of candidate areas in South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang provinces are already expressing strong opposition to offshore wind farm projects near their towns, worrying about the potential damage to fishing grounds.



On July 17, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it had reached an agreement with residents and fishermen of the southwestern area of South Jeolla Province on establishing a 2.4 gigawatt offshore wind farm, only after the parties involved in the project spent a year handling disputes.



Efficiency is also in question. Currently, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction is the only Korean company which has succeeded in generating power from wind, but the efficiency of its generator lags far behind that of foreign rivals.



Since 2018, Doosan Heavy has been developing an 8 megawatt wind turbine with a plan to complete it by 2022. However, its rivals, including General Electric, Siemens and Vestas have already commercialized 8 megawatt turbines and are preparing for the commercial use of 12 megawatt turbines.



This means Korea has the option of using less efficient turbines or importing global firms' products, neither of which serve the Green New Deal's purpose of seeking economic growth in Korea through eco-friendly businesses. To avoid this, experts said greater support is needed to allow Korean wind turbine makers to ramp up their R&D efforts, but the Green New Deal does not contain plans for this.





Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction's wind power turbines / Courtesy of Doosan Heavy
WE Charity has been unfairly maligned for stepping up to help the Canadian government in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the organizations founders told a parliamentary committee Tuesday.

During a gruelling four-hour session spent under oath in front of an all-party finance committee of MPs, Craig and Marc Kielburger repeatedly emphasized that the idea for a proposal to run a massive student grant program didnt come from WE Charity, it came from the federal bureaucracy itself. The committee has been probing the now-cancelled program, which would have seen WE help administer up to $543 million in grants to students.

For weeks, WE Charity has faced questions about its lobbying practices, with opposition politicians accusing the organization of inappropriately currying favour with cabinet ministers in an effort to push through the contract.

But the Kielburgers said on Tuesday that theyd been approached unbidden by Employment and Social Development Canada to provide a proposal for the program, which they did as a favour in order to be helpful to Canada during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis and at the request of the civil service.

The agreement was nixed in early July amid charges of cronyism from the Opposition when it was revealed that Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus mother and brother had received a combined $282,000 from WE between 2016 and 2020. Then it was revealed that Finance Minister Bill Morneau has a daughter who works for WE.

The controversy that has followed, said Craig Kielburger, is killing a Canadian charity.

We believe that as a Canadian charity, it should not be dragged over the coals for political purposes, he said.

WE Charity would not have received any financial gain from the CSSG (Canada Student Service Grant) program and its simply incorrect to say otherwise, said Craig Kielburger.

Kielburger said that under the agreement, the charity would only be reimbursed for expenses incurred while administering the program.

The committee meeting on Tuesday devolved into crosstalk, arguing and even yelling at one point as Conservative, NDP, and Bloc Quebecois MPs grilled the Kielburger brothers about their relationship to the Trudeau family.

James Cumming, a Conservative MP on the committee, asked the Kielburgers why they brought in Sacha Trudeau, the prime ministers brother, as a speaker, and about what expertise he had.

At first, the brothers said that it was his environmentalism, but also added that Margaret Trudeau, Justin Trudeaus mother, wasnt available for one year.

So it was more around the Trudeau name, it sounds like, said Cumming, but the brothers rejected that assertion.

The Kielburger brothers said paying high-profile speakers to attend additional activities outside of their time spent on stage at WE events was normal.

The testimony paved the way  or, according to some MPs who charged that the brothers had spent the day evading questions, muddied the waters  for Trudeau and his chief of staff to testify on Thursday.

The Kielburger brothers said that while theyd received $30 million from the federal government once the agreement was made, they hadnt used any of it and planned on returning it. They said that the charity had lost $5 million by deciding to do this.

Its a very painful, difficult decision, but we felt under the circumstances, it was the right thing to do, said Marc Kielburger.

The group had begun incurring eligible expenses on May 5 before signing the agreement with the government in late June.

The Kielburger brothers rejected any suggestion theyd been able to lobby ministers or people in the prime ministers office to get the agreement or that the charity was in financial trouble prior to receiving the deal. The agreement stipulated they could have received upwards of $43.5 million to administer the program depending on the uptake from students.

They said that when the pandemic hit, they made hard choices, laying off scores of staff, and were able to stay financially stable during the height of the pandemic in March and April.

The federal ethics commissioner has launched investigations into Trudeau and Morneau for their participation in cabinet discussions around the deal. Both men have apologized for not recusing themselves from discussions.

It was revealed in front of the same committee last week that Morneau had paid more than $41,000 to WE hours before testifying after hed discovered the organization covered some of his familys expenses for two trips overseas in 2017.

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New Delhi, July 30 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed a law student to withdraw her petition against illegal slaughtering of big animals in Delhi by certain persons on Bakri Eid, and told the petitioner to approach the concerned authorities.

A division bench of the high court presided over by Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan, while asking the petitioner to approach the concerned authorities, directed the said authorities to decide the representation in accordance with the law, rules and government policies.

The plea filed by law student Sana Khan claimed that certain people were putting up banners in which they were offering Qurbani (slaughtering of big animals) on the holy festival of Bakri Eid.

The petition moved through advocate Rajeev Sharma further stated that the municipal corporations in the national capital were responsible for issuing licences after making required scrutiny and verifying the locality for which the licence is sought. "Under such licence, the licence holder is permitted to sell meat to the consumers. None of the individuals are permitted to slaughter the animal under the MCD Act," the plea said.

Khan also stated that illegal slaughtering by some private persons was taking place at areas not demarcated for slaughtering. "By this act of slaughtering, these persons disturb the peace of an area on account of the sound raised by the animal during the process of slaughtering," the plea said.

It was further alleged that the said persons were involved in the slaughtering of big animals at a very large scale and they threw the bigger part of the waste in and around river Yamuna. "Wrong acts are committed by certain persons which amount to a threat to the health of the common man," the plea noted.

Bakri Eid will be celebrated on August 1 this year.
Kim Kardashian is focusing on some of the joy in her life now that she is back home in California following crisis talks with her troubled husband Kanye West.

The 39-year-old mogul took to Instagram with a precious snap of her son Psalm with his 'bestie', cousin True Thompson, in a new post on Wednesday.

Her post comes not long after she was seen breaking down into tears during her short visit with Kanye in Wyoming amid his mental health episode.

Seeing the joy: Kim Kardashian took to Instagram with a snap of her son Psalm with his 'bestie', cousin True Thompson, in a new post on Wednesday after spending time with her troubled husband Kanye West

The mother of four kept things light on social media however and shared a new photo of her one-year-old son with sister Khloe's two-year-old daughter.

'These two are besties. True and Psalm,' the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star penned in the caption of the post.

In the image, True looks every bit the big cousin in a cute little floral sundress and sandals with her hair pulled back.

The toddler is a fair bit taller than her younger cousin who is barefoot in a matching maroon T-shirt and shorts.

'These two are besties. True and Psalm,' the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star penned in the caption of the post of her one-year-old son posed with sister Khloe's two-year-old toddler

Psalm is Kim's youngest with Kanye West, the couple also share daughters North, seven, and Chicago, two-and-a-half, and sons Saint, four-and-a-half. True is Khloe's only child with ex-boyfriend Tristan Thompson.

In her Instagram story, Kim is maintaining business as usual and continuing her usual work promoting her various businesses like SKIMS and KKW Beauty.

However, her personal life has hit a rough patch as Kanye West battles with his bipolar disorder in public, recently going on concerning Twitter rants and a bizarre presidential campaign rally where the rapper divulged personal information about the couple's relationship.

Kanye said on social media that he'd been trying to divorce Kim for year and also insinuated that Kim had cheated on him with rapper Meek Mill.

Troubling times: Kim's post comes the day after she was seen disembarking a plane back in Los Angeles following crisis talks with her troubled husband Kanye West in Wyoming

And, at South Carolina campaign rally for his failed presidential bid, Kanye spoke about how they considered having an abortion when Kim got pregnant with their daughter North.

His troubling outbursts promoted Kim to speak out for the first time ever about her husband's bipolar disorder.

She took to Instagram with a long, emotional and candid post admitting that she was 'powerless' amid his meltdown, calling her husband 'brilliant but complicated'.

The reality star said 'his words sometimes do not align with his intentions' and she asked for grace and understanding for those who struggle with mental health issues during the times that they need it the most.

Breaking down: The TV star reunited with Kanye on Monday after weeks apart and were pictured engaged in an emotional conversation where Kim was seen in tears following several public outbursts from her husband

Kim was seen arriving back in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a brief visit to Cody, Wyoming - where Kanye has been living - to be with him for the first time in weeks.

A source told Dailymail.com that Kim is back in LA to be with the kids while Kanye finishes up his latest album.

The TV star reunited with Kanye on Monday after weeks apart and were pictured engaged in an emotional conversation where Kim was seen in tears and talking animatedly.

The pair were having what appears to be crisis talks in his car after leaving a Wendy's fast-food restaurant near his $14 million ranch.

Shocking claims: Kanye went on several bizarre Twitter rants about Kim and her mom Kris and at South Carolina campaign rally (pictured), Kanye spoke about how they considered having an abortion when Kim got pregnant with their daughter North

It's been reported that Kim and her family are 'shielding the kids' from the drama surrounding Kanye's ongoing erratic behavior.

'She is shielding the kids. All of her family is. They've circled around the kids and are insulating them from all of this,' a source told People. 'And everyone else has decided to create an atmosphere of normalcy around them.'

On Sunday Kanye publicly said sorry to his wife via Twitter.

'I would like to apologize 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.'
In big news, scientists have now created a new, more 'accurate' blood test to detect Alzheimers disease years before the symptoms even begin to show. The test can make diagnosis simpler, more affordable and widely available, reported The New York Times.

According to the research published in JAMA and presented at the Alzheimers Association International Conference, the test determined whether people with dementia had Alzheimers instead of another condition and it identified signs of the degenerative, deadly disease 20 years before memory and thinking problems were expected in people with a genetic mutation that causes Alzheimers.

AP

The blood test can detect Alzheimers in early stages, possibly years before symptoms appear. This has been a longtime goal for Alzheimers and dementia researchers.

Alzheimers disease causes damage to cognitive abilities. Currently, most Alzheimers research involves people who have lived with it and experienced this damage first-hand. However, with this blood test it would be possible to test people with Alzheimers who show no symptoms. The idea is to catch them at a stage when the disease hasnt progressed, making diagnoses and perhaps possible preventative therapies easier to develop.

Also Read: Risk Of Dementia, Alzheimers Disease Grows By Negative Thinking

AP

This blood test very, very accurately predicts whos got Alzheimers disease in their brain, including people who seem to be normal, The New York Times quoted Dr. Michael Weiner, an Alzheimers disease researcher at the University of California, San Francisco as saying. He is not involved in the study. Its not a cure, its not a treatment, but you cant treat the disease without being able to diagnose it. And accurate, low-cost diagnosis is really exciting, so its a breakthrough, he said.

In the research presented at the Alzheimers Association International Conference this week, scientists tested people with dementia to see if they had Alzheimers or some other neurodegenerative condition. They found increased levels of a protein, p-tau217, that could predict Alzheimers dementia with 96% accuracy.

Also Read: 100-Year-Old Chinese Man, Also Suffering From Alzheimer's, Oldest Patient To Beat Coronavirus Infection

AP

According to the research, people with Alzheimers had seven times more tau protein, than people either without any dementia, or with other neurogenerative disorders such as Parkinsons disease. The blood test was found to be more accurate and efficient than the current methods doctors use to diagnose Alzheimers.

This test could be available for clinical use in less than two to three years. If this proves to be a success then a lot of people can be treated for the disease years before any symptoms show.
MONTREAL  Canada said on Tuesday it was launching a public inquiry into the country's deadliest mass shooting to shed light on the tragedy and respond to demands for transparency by victims' families.

The Nova Scotia arson and shooting rampage that killed 22 people April 18-19 ended with police gunning down the shooter after a 13-hour manhunt.

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said that Canadians "deserve answers to how such a tragedy could occur" as he announced the full public inquiry.

"We have heard calls from families, survivors, advocates, and Nova Scotia Members of Parliament for more transparency," he said in a statement.

The killing spree was carried out by a male dental health care professional identified as Gabriel Wortman, 51. Authorities said he was wearing a police uniform, driving a mock police car and had several guns with him, including at least one assault-style weapon.

Police gunned down Wortman on April 19 after a 150 kilometre manhunt, during which time the gunman shot dead 22 people, including a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) constable.

The government announced last week it was launching an independent probe to determine why police took more than 12 hours to stop the shooter.

But in recent days there have been several demonstrations in Nova Scotia, supported by 37 senators, calling on authorities to go further and launch a public inquiry.

A public inquiry will provide investigators with additional powers, including summoning witnesses and compelling them to appear for testimony or provide documents.

In addition to the shooting, Wortman had a long criminal history, according to reports by a media consortium that had access to federal police documents.

For several years Wortman had been dealing in weapons and drugs brought over from the US state of Maine that he hid in secret compartments at several of his properties.

Canadian police were criticized for using Twitter to warn the public that an armed suspect was on the loose, rather than issuing a formal emergency alert.  AFP
<! File photo: 14 people massacred in Kogi village. Above slain Victims of Zamfara massacre

Photo: NAN >

By Friday Idachaba/Lokoja

Unidentified gunmen have killed 13 members of the same family in a village in Kogi-Koton-Karfe LGA in Kogi state.

There was only one survivor in the family, police said.

The killings were carried out in the early hours of Wednesday in Agbudu community.

One other person, outside the family, was killed and six persons were seriously injured.

The state Police Commissioner, Ede Ayuba, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the command headquarters in Lokoja, said he got the report about 2: 00 a.m.

Ayuba confirmed 13 of the slain victims were from same family.

This morning around 2 am, my Area Commander called me to report that he received information that there was an attack on Agbudu community.

I called the SSA on Security of the Local Government in Koton-Karfe and I said that before I get there, he should mobilise his vigilante men to assist the police  the DPO and the Area Commander in the area  for them to assess the place and see what assistance they could render.

Ayuba said that the vigilance men and his men left immediately and by the time they got there, the hoodlums had carried out their operation and left.

The commissioner said he later went to the scene of crime and took part in collection of the dead bodies, adding that: I was there and I was part of those who picked some of the dead bodies we are talking about.

Yes, 14 people were killed and about six others were injured. The saddening thing is that out of the 14 bodies that were brought out, 13 were from one family.

In that family, it is only one person that survived. His uncle, his mother, his uncles wife, his younger brother, his senior brothers wife, his wife and all his children were killed, he said.

The commissioner said that the police had carried out some preliminary investigations and discovered that there had been long-standing communal feud in the community.

What I think is, there has been a long-standing communal problem around that area which we are not clearly seeing, but we know that it would not be far from it.

Presently investigation is in progress. The only person that survived the attack is already with us and he is helping us. The chief of that place is also helping us and some other spirited individuals.

The Ohimege of Koton-Karfe, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isa-Koto, is also helping us, the local government and all the personnel are helping us.

We are sure, God helping us, we are going to get to the root of all these things that are happening.

In the interim, I want to give the assurance that we are not going to relent in our efforts. We will make sure we get to the root of anything that is behind the killings, he said.

Related
A coronavirus-infected teenager enjoyed trips to a cocktail bar and a Thai restaurant after returning to Queensland from Melbourne and lying about where she had been.

There are fears Olivia Winnie Muranga and Diana Lasu's extraordinary disregard for COVID-19 rules could spark a Victoria-style outbreak in Queensland, which recorded its first community transmission in two months on Wednesday.

The pair, both 19, arrived together in Brisbane from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 and made false declarations on their border paperwork.

They are expected to be fined $4,000 each.

A third woman who travelled with the women from the Victorian capital has already been fined and is awaiting her test results for coronavirus.

It is believed all three lived the high life around Brisbane for eight days, going to work, visiting restaurants and bars.

A third woman who tested positive to coronavirus yesterday is believed to be the 22-year-old sister of one of the teenagers.

Ms Muranga went to work for two days at Parklands Christian College in Park Ridge, south of the city.

Olivia Winnie Muranga (left) and Diana Lasu, (right) both 19, arrived together in Brisbane from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21

Between them the teenagers visited 11 different venues in Brisbane while infected with COVID-19

She called in sick and went to see a doctor on Saturday who told her to get tested immediately.

She didn't do so until Monday.

Instead she continued to attend venues in Ipswich and Brisbane, including going to a Thai restaurant in Springfield on Sunday and a Southbank cocktail bar on Monday.

On Thursday Queensland's Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the women are now involved in an ongoing police investigation.

'There was actually three involved not two, we have initiated action against one, the other two remain under investigation, and then there is another person who has tested positive for COVID,' Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said.

'So at the moment we have two people who have been to Melbourne and back that have tested positive, the other one is not yet positive, that person has had action initiated against them and the other two remain under investigation.'

Authorities will probe how the women were able to travel from Melbourne to Brisbane despite the border closure, and whether they used fake names and contact details on their declaration passes.

Ms Lasu (pictured) and Ms Muranga will be fined $4,000 each

Investigators will also probe whether the women were at party during their stay in Melbourne which was attended by about 20 people.

The gathering was broken up by police, who issued fines totalling $30,000.

Ms Muranga is a cleaner at Parklands Christian College in Park Ridge.

The school's principal Gary Cully confirmed a coronavirus-infected cleaner worked for three days last week.

'The staff member was on site last week and then rang in sick and then that's when the trace program started,' Mr Cully told The Courier Mail.

'As far as I'm aware they were not symptomatic while they were onsite and then called in sick the following day and then the next week were tested.'

Shopping centres, restaurants, a school, and a church they visited will shut while authorities scramble to conduct contact tracing.

Ms Muranga works as a cleaner at Parklands Christian College in Park Ridge (pictured), which is functioning as a coronavirus testing facility

People line up in their cars and on foot to get COVID-19 tested at the Parklands Christian College on Wednesday

People arrive to get COVID-19 tested at the Parklands Christian College facility on Wednesday

THE 11 QUEENSLAND LOCATIONS VISITED BY INFECTED TEENAGERS The pair took flight VA863 from Melbourne to Sydney and flight VA977 from Sydney to Brisbane, 21 July Parklands Christian College, Park Ridge, 22-23 July 2020 9.30am-6pm Madtongsan IV Restaurant, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 7-9pm Heeretea -Bubble Tea Shop, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 9.25pm YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care, Springwood, 23-24 July 2020 All Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 24 July 2020 3.30-3.50pm Thai Peak Restaurant, Springfield, 26 July 2020 6.30-9pm Cowch Dessert Cocktail Bar, Southbank, 27 July 2020 All P'Nut Street Noodles, Southbank, 27 July 2020 All African Grocery Shop, Woodridge (Station Rd), 28 July 2020 All Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 12.25-12.30pm Chatime Grand Plaza, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 All Advertisement

Scores of the women's contacts will be forced to isolate, and aged care facilities in the Metro South Health region will re-enter lockdown.

The incident prompted Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to announce all Sydneysiders will be banned from entering the state from Saturday.

'There will be a thorough police investigation here but now we have to act as a community and in the areas where the chief health officer says need to be closed, will be closed and I urge people in those areas when that list goes out later on today to please ensure that if you are feeling sick you must go and get tested,' she said.

Queensland residents returning will have to isolate in a hotel for 14 days at their own expense.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young called the pair 'reckless' and said she was 'very disappointed'.

The teens travelled on flights VA 863 and VA 977. Queensland Health contact tracers are identifying close contacts from those flights.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced all Sydneysiders will be banned from entering the state from Saturday

Health Minister Steven Miles said there was a large amount of contact tracing that needed to be done with the community as well.

'These young women have gone about their business within the communities that they live in and so there will be a large amount of contact tracing to be done, largely within it the Logan and Springfield areas, including shopping malls, restaurants and a church.'

One of the women attended the Orion Springfield Central in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, on Sunday where she dined at the Peak Thai restaurant about 6.30pm.

Parklands Christian College was forced to close on Wednesday after the infected cleaner worked onsite. Pictured: people queue at the coronavirus testing facility in the college

The pair's entry into Queensland is the subject of a criminal investigation, with penalties for lying on your declaration form incurring fines of $4,003 or six months in jail.

'Initial investigations indicate there were incorrect details on border declaration passes,' Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said.

'This highlights why you need to declare if you've been to Victoria where there's been a high instance of community transmission.

'You need to think about those around you - not just yourself.'

The 19-year-old women, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 after travelling together, were active in the community for eight days before isolating (pictured: Travellers waiting at baggage claim at Sydney domestic airport)

The COVID-19 positive sister of the teenager is an employee of YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care in Springwood.

Both the school care service and the associated Chatswood Hills State School have been closed for cleaning.

There are now eight actives cases left in Queensland following three new cases on Wednesday.

Victoria recorded 384 new coronavirus cases and six more deaths between Tuesday and Wednesday's daily updates.

There are 4,774 active cases, including 414 health workers. The state has suffered 83 deaths in total, only one less than the rest of country combined.

A total of 206 people are in hospital, with 45 in intensive care.
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Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 08:24 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1265b 1 Business alternative-rice,disruption,import,COVID-19,Trade Free

The disruptions to trade and falling imports caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a double-digit increase in demand for locally produced, high-quality, alternative rice products, farmer cooperatives have reported.

Sales of high-quality foreign rice varieties and organic rice products such as Japonica rice, Basmati rice, Jasmine rice, and high-protein black rice have increased by 20 percent, Mintogoro Cooperative chairperson Hery Sugiarto told The Jakarta Post on Monday. The cooperative is based in Demak, Central Java.

Alhamdulillah [thank God] the pandemic impacted our business positively rather than the other way around, as demand for our products has increased 20 percent, he said during an online webinar held by the Indonesian Seed Cooperative (Kobeta).

The market for foreign rice varieties in Indonesia is relatively small compared to regular rice. According to the latest available data compiled by the Agriculture Ministry, Indonesia imported 295,714 tons of special rice varieties compared to 987,500 tons of medium-grain rice in 2016.

Read also: Ministry ramps up rice production amid farmers' losses

The special rice varieties comprise Thai hom mali, basmati, japonica, brown and low-glycemic rice, according to the ministrys data.

Despite the niche market for the products, Hery said the worldwide disruptions to trade had impacted rice imports, increasing demand for the cooperatives products.

According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data, the country booked a 14.28 percent year-on-year (yoy) decrease in imports between January and June.

Furthermore, the rise of Indonesias upper-middle class has also supported demand growth for more expensive special rice varieties, which are considered healthier than regular rice.

We are targeting the growing upper-middle class segment. As theyre extremely concerned with product quality, we pack our products neatly and market them through online marketplaces to attract customers, he said.

Amid the growing demand for special rice varieties, Hery said high-quality seeds and fertilizers were crucial for successful cultivation. However, he added that the seeds sometimes were difficult to find.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the Bali-based Jagadhita Farming Cooperative, Nyoman Suma Artha, voiced similar concerns, and urged the government to focus on improving fertilizer and seed quality to increase yields.

Nyoman said farmers in Bali could increase their rice production, in yield per hectare, by up to 5 tons by using high-quality fertilizers and seeds, double the yield rate of lower quality fertilizers.

We could produce between 8 to 10 tons of dried grains [per ha] if we use high-quality fertilizers and the right techniques, while lower quality fertilizers and seeds produce only around 5 tons [per ha], he said.

The Agriculture Ministry has set a rice production target of 62.5 million tons for 2021, 5 percent higher than this years target.

Read also: Virus, climate change cause food shortages in parts of Indonesia

The government has allocated Rp 18.4 trillion (US$1.26 billion) for the ministrys 2021 budget, of which around half has been allocated for programs to ensure the availability and accessibility of high-quality food.

However, Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo said on July 7 that the allocation would not be enough to finance policies to ramp up food production, and proposed an additional Rp 10 trillion in next year's state budget to finance its planned policies.

The Rp 18.4 trillion budget allocated to the ministry for 2021 is far from sufficient for the economy to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic in villages that heavily rely on agriculture, and to meet the food production target set in the governments working plan, Syahrul said in a hearing with the House of Representatives.

In 2019, prolonged drought led to a decline in Indonesias rice production, which was down 13.2 percent year-on-year to 16.1 million tons in the first half of 2020, according to the World Food Programmes (WFP) Indonesia office.
Stimulus talks between President Donald Trumps representatives and Democrats bogged down Tuesday over demands by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that his proposed changes to liability law be included wholesale in the aid package.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said McConnells insistence that his plan for shielding businesses, schools and other organizations against litigation stemming from coronavirus cases be in the bill exactly as proposed suggests that hes not serious about reaching a deal.

It wasnt a good way for us to begin the discussion, Pelosi said after she and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer met with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Mnuchin and Meadows, who had conferred with Senate Republicans over lunch before heading into the meeting with Pelosi and Schumer, echoed the pessimistic tone after their second meeting with the Democrats aimed at bridging differences over the next round of aid aimed at helping the nation weather the coronavirus pandemic.

We still obviously have a lot of work to do, Mnuchin said. I dont know that I would characterize it as getting closer, Meadows said.

McConnell and Senate Republicans unveiled a $1 trillion stimulus package on Monday that is a far cry from the $3.5 trillion proposal that Democrats have put on the table. While there is some common ground on issues like small business aid, stimulus checks for individuals and money to expand coronavirus testing and eventual vaccine distribution, there are major hurdles to any potential compromise.

Some Senate Republicans express dissatisfaction with the size of the partys package, arguing against spending even the smaller amount in the GOP proposals.

The intra-party split leaves McConnell with little room in negotiations, and Democrats are seeking to use GOP dissension to exert maximum pressure.

Trump weighed in on the negotiations on Tuesday, saying there are some things in the Republican package that he doesnt support.

Its sort of semi-irrelevant because the Democrats come with their needs and asks and the Republicans go with theirs, Trump said of the proposals. Well be discussing it with Mitch and all of the other people involved.

$600 Suplemental

Meadows told reporters Tuesday that Democrats are drawing a red line of their own, insisting on the $600 supplemental unemployment insurance benefit. He said they have also demanded $915 billion for state and local aid, but havent made that amount non-negotiable.

I dont know that anything has been definitively ruled in or out, other than what Leader McConnell talks about liability protection having to be in, Meadows said.

McConnell reaffirmed his insistence on the liability shield Tuesday in an interview on CNBC, saying the legislation will have liability protection in it, so were not negotiating with the Democrats over that.

Senator Dick Durbin, the chambers No. 2 Democrat, said he doesnt see any reason his party would support McConnells plan to shield businesses, schools and other organizations from lawsuits over Covid-19 infections from employees or customers.

This is an effort by the Republicans to seize the moment and to push through changes in tort law that they have been longing for for decades that have nothing to do with Covid-19, Durbin told reporters Tuesday.

A short time earlier, McConnell spoke on the Senate floor in defense of the Republican plan to cut supplemental unemployment aid to $200 a week from the $600 a week that was included in an earlier stimulus. That would be the level set until states, which administer the benefits, could devise a system to use federal funds to replace 70% of a workers lost wages.

He and other Republicans contend that the higher payment discourages workers from returning to jobs, which Democrats and some economists dispute.

The American people dont call that a controversy, he said. They call it common sense.

Theres pressure on Republicans to act months after McConnell pressed the pause button on new aid. Earlier stimulus measures are beginning to run dry as soaring virus cases and deaths are disrupting the economy. Thats caused Trumps poll ratings to slump, threatening GOP control of both the White House and Senate.

But some Republicans are saying they are concerned about more deficit spending and signaling they wont support the plan McConnell has put forth.

If Mitch can get half of the conference, I think that would be quite an accomplishment, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said.

Senator Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said McConnell needs to strike the right balance in any final stimulus or risk losing a large group of Republicans in a vote on it. Hes pleased the initial GOP proposal is $1 trillion, but he said it cant get too much larger.

The bigger the price tag gets, the fewer Republicans that will support it, he said.

Top Photo: The U.S. Capitol stands past a window of the Russell Senate Office building in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, July 21, 2020. The White House and Congress have only a few weeks to come up with another stimulus to prevent the economic rout caused by the coronavirus from deepening as the outbreak is surging across the country. Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics COVID-19
Analysis | 12 January 2022 | News

Why or why not: The dilemma for startup investors

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The challenges of informal settlements have once again been thrown into the spotlight in the midst of the current pandemic. Research has shown that some of the most at-risk populations and therefore the potential hotspots of COVID-19 are in informal settlements where density is above the threshold needed for social distancing.

The consequences of this have already become apparent. In the Western Cape province of South Africa, informal settlements continue to exceed residential suburbs in the number of COVID-19 cases. Nearly 12% of the province's infections are in Cape Town's largest low-income settlement of Khayelitsha , even though it is home to just 6% of the population.

At the same time, some of the densest cities in the world, such as Singapore, have managed the outbreak the best. The demon is therefore not density itself . Rather it's the fact that many African governments have not planned and made the investments in informal settlements to manage the downsides of density  including contagion.

This is particularly evident with water and sanitation infrastructure. Only an estimated 56% of the urban population across Africa has access to piped water. This makes the minimum standard of 20 litres per person a day to attain essential levels of health and hygiene near impossible.

The South African government has allocated R2 billion to upgrading slums to improve access to water and sanitation facilities. This could have a significant impact not only on the current pandemic, but on health overall.

However, upgrading informal settlements may only be a temporary solution. For well-managed density, which will be crucial in preventing and fighting the pandemics of the future, governments across Africa must also tackle the regulatory environment that keeps the costs of building large-scale affordable housing high and thus restricts its supply.

Bridging the gap between formal and informal

Across the world, a house will often be the most important asset a family can own. Even when ownership is not an option, rent can make up a substantial portion of overall household consumption. This is particularly true for African cities, where urban dwellers face a 55% price premium on rent compared to other cities in the world.

This is driven by a number of factors, including poorly functioning land markets coupled with the fact that construction costs as well as registering property formally are more expensive than elsewhere.

Governments have tried to address this in a number of ways, from housing voucher schemes, used frequently in the US , which allows poorer households to select where they want to live, to large scale government public housing programmes, as is being undertaken in Addis Ababa .

However, there are often fundamentals that need to be resolved to make formal housing markets operate efficiently to better serve the urban poor. Land rights, and the ability of residents to use their property as collateral, are a distortion which limits private investment. Another is formal density restrictions, which are mostly far too strict in developing contexts, and push up the cost of housing prices. In Dar es Salaam, for example, the minimum lot size is 375m  as compared to 28m in Philadelphia, US, at early stages of development.

With the share of Africa's population living in urban areas set to reach 50% by 2030 , the demand for housing is also rising quickly. The supply of an affordable and decent quality housing stock is not keeping up, resulting in the further proliferation of informal settlements.

In-situ upgrading

Informal settlements are often located quite centrally within cities. Research has shown that people often choose to live in these settlements, rather than in others with better quality housing, because they are closer to economic activity.

Within these settlements dense social networks are formed and therefore in-situ upgrading schemes to improve liveability have the major benefit of maintaining locational and network advantages of settlements. At the same time, upgrading programmes can signal that governments are officially recognising settlements  an important (but insufficient) step to formalisation.

There are costs to in-situ upgrading too. Retrofitting permanent infrastructures where people have already settled can be up to three times more expensive . Furthermore, the central location of some of the land may mean that residential settlement is not the most efficient use of that land in a rapidly growing cities. And informal settlements may be located in dangerous areas prone to flooding or landslides.

In addition, upgrading increases the value of the land and property in that area. The unintended consequence of such schemes can be gentrification. This was the case with the attempts to upgrade the Namuwongo slum in Kampala, where higher costs forced residents to move and establish informal settlements elsewhere.

The conditions of resettlement

Where the challenges outweigh the benefits, and there is clear economic and social reasoning , relocation of people to greenfield sites is another option. But it's important that these sites have been planned and serviced before people settle. This was done, for example, in various Tanzanian cities in the 1970s and 1980s .

Residential plots on the outskirts of the cities were serviced primarily with water mains and roads. People were then invited to relocate to these plots for a fee. Interestingly, this was done at the same time as some informal settlements in other areas in Tanzania underwent upgrading programmes, allowing a comparison of both interventions to be studied 30 years later.

It is clear that the settlements receiving sites and services fared significantly better than those that were upgraded  they were better planned and currently have land values up to five times higher .

Moving people to another site is not always feasible. In some cases, the land may simply not be available. More importantly, evidence shows that even where relocation is voluntary, residents may not want to move .

In Tanzania, the sites and services programme was actually stopped as the initial capital investments were high and could not immediately be recouped by the fees paid.

This comes back to the fact that the value of a home is far more than the bricks and mortar. It's about proximity to opportunities and social networks. Governments need to find ways of making alternative options more attractive to residents, through strong dialogue and understanding of their priorities, as well as compensation which reflects that.

The key is well-managed density

Short-term measures to upgrade informal settlements as announced by the South African government are essential when thinking about tackling COVID-19. However, given that emerging evidence shows that the majority of the transmission is through extended contact of people in small spaces, longer term policy considerations and investments will be needed to ensure density is well managed across the board.

To increase the liveability and resilience of Africa's cities over the long term, we don't need to reduce density. We need well-managed density achieved by addressing the regulatory limitations that keep formal housing at unattainable costs, as well as those that prevent township residents from investing in their properties.

Astrid R.N. Haas is affiliated with the International Growth Centre. The views represented here are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IGC.

Victoria Delbridge 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 Astrid R.N. Haas, Policy Director, International Growth Centre And

Victoria Delbridge, Head of the Cities that Work initiative, International Growth Centre
Strauss, of Gary, and Cook have different versions of what led to the arrest, according to Strauss and police records. Strauss said the arrest stemmed from him asking Cook for his name and supervisors name so he could file a complaint after the officer didnt respond professionally to him asking about the officers headlight being out.
New Delhi: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said that actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case won't be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He added that the Mumbai Police is carrying out the investigation well and hence, there is no need for a CBI probe.

However, the opposition has urged the Maharashtra government to order a CBI probe into the case. Fans of Sushant, a few Bollywood personalities and other politicians have also demanded a CBI probe into his death for a fair investigation.

Amid fresh twists and new angles being probed in Sushant's case, a meeting of the top Mumbai Police officials was called this evening by Anil Deshmukh. The meeting was held just a day after the Bihar Police also began its probe in the case as an FIR was lodged by Sushant's father KK Singh in Patna against his actress-girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty.

KK Singh has accused Rhea and her family of abetment to suicide, exploiting the actor financially, besides other offences.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a meeting was also held at Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's residence to discuss the case. It was attended by the ministers of the Uddhav cabinet and top Mumbai Police officials. After the meeting was over, the government said that the Mumbai Police is capable of investigating the case and hence, it won't be transferred to the CBI.

The Mumbai Police has interrogated over 35 people in the case and meanwhile, the Bihar Police has set up a parallel investigation.

Sushant died by suicide in Mumbai on June 14. He was said to be under stress and depression.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Bullets flying in the vicinity of borough parks.

The sound of shattering glass in a corner deli, as gunfire busts the door of a refrigerated soda display.
Thursday, July 30th, 2020 (12:01 am) - Score 603

A new Opinium survey has found that the loss of electricity for longer than 24 hours would be the biggest inconvenience for those surveyed in the East of England (76%), which is followed by the broadband link going down (9%), fridge not working (8%), loss of central heating (5%) and the car failing to start (3%).

The survey, which was commissioned by rural UK ISP County Broadband and conducted in May 2020, involved 1,000 adults living in urban areas and 1,000 living in rural areas of England. The results also found that 59% of those surveyed in East Anglia are often left frustrated by poor internet. Meanwhile 28% said they need better broadband now, with the figure rising to 67% for those predicting it will need to be better by 2023.

As usual there isnt much context provided in the results, such as to clarify whether or not those who are unhappy were living in an area where faster connection options already exist and if theyre even aware of that. Otherwise being frustrated by poor internet could also be just a reflection of an existing package choice or other issues, such as slow WiFi, rather than just the broadband link itself.

Nevertheless County Broadbands vested interest here is obviously it to highlight the superior Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network theyre building in over 50 rural and remote villages across Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, with plans to connect 20,000 premises by Christmas 2020 following a 46 million private investment from Aviva Investors.

Lloyd Felton, CEO of County Broadband, said: The fact that fridges, central heating and cars  food, warmth and travel  have been overtaken by simply staying online suggests how our primeval instincts might be rapidly changing in the 21st century, and no doubt exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. From Zoom conferences and virtual work events, to 4K streaming and video gaming at home, we are not surprised by these findings which reveal just how vital fast and reliable broadband have become in our daily lives. These changing modern habits are set against the lockdown exposing East Anglias rural poor digital infrastructure and urgent need for new Hyperfast full-fibre networks. Were playing our role in making our region a true flagbearer for world-class digital infrastructure by rolling out Hyperfast full-fibre broadband. Weve catapulted thousands of residents and businesses overnight into the UKs top 10% for digital connectivity and look forward to welcoming many thousands more to our growing network this year.

As usual we should point out that FTTP services, while a massive improvement, are not completely immune to problems caused by issues such as network congestion, slow WiFi and routing / peering / DNS or other general faults.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 16:15:37|Editor: huaxia

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Grape plantation and wine-making have changed the lives of villagers in Mangkam County of Chamdo Prefecture in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Since 2010, the local government has encouraged villagers to plant grapes. After years of mechanized operation and standardized production management, now Mangkam has cultivated 780 hectares of grape farms with an annual production reaches 7,200 tonnes. So far, 9,210 villagers have been living on grape plantation.
Twitter has said sorry for being slow to react over Wiley's anti-Semitic posts as the grime star insisted he's not racist and the row was with his Jewish manager.

The musician, whose real name is Richard Cowie, was widely condemned for a series of posts on the social media platform starting on Friday, and was initially given a temporary ban, with the majority of his tweets remaining visible.

But Twitter said today it had permanently suspended him and is 'continuing to assess the situation internally'.

The rapper today denied he is racist and apologised for 'generalising', saying the argument should have stayed between him and his manager, John Woolf.

Grime star Wiley, pictured, was permanently suspended from Twitter today six days after his series of anti-Semitic posts sparked a 48-hour walkout by users in protest

Wiley today told Sky News: 'I just want to apologise for generalising and going outside of the people who I was talking to within the workspace and workplace I work in.

'My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people. I want to apologise for generalising, and I want to apologise for comments that were looked at as anti-Semitic.'

The grime artist claimed his manager is in possession of his MBE, but a spokesperson for Mr Woolf reportedly said the honour has been framed for Wiley and is 'ready for his collection'.

Wiley said he 'never felt comfortable' going to get the MBE, making reference to Britain's colonial past.

Wiley, known as the Godfather of Grime, was made an MBE for services to music in 2018.

John Woolf, pictured above, has said he no longer represents grime artist Wiley

The Campaign Against Antisemitism has said it will contact the Cabinet Office to ask for Wiley's MBE to be revoked.

According to Sky News, Wiley said he would be willing to give it up as he 'never wanted it'.

He told the broadcaster: 'I never felt comfortable going to get it. Just look at Britain's colonialism history.'

The manager, who is Jewish, said he no longer represents Wiley and has cut ties with the rapper.

Wiley added: 'I'm not racist, you know. I'm a businessman. My thing should have stayed between me and my manager, I get that.'

Speaking on what he would tell his fans and whether they would be influenced to carry out violent acts against Jewish people, the rapper said he has never been seen committing such acts against Jewish people or the Jewish community.

He went on to describe fans as 'fickle', saying he is not 'current' and comparing himself to popular rapper Dave, before adding he is 'at the end' of his career rather than at the beginning.

Twitter issued a statement after finally bowing to public pressure to kick the star off their platform.

A spokesman said: 'Upon further investigation, our teams have permanently suspended the account in question for repeated violations of our hateful conduct policy.

'Let us be clear: hateful conduct has absolutely no place on our service and we strongly condemn antisemitism. We are sorry we did not move faster and are continuing to assess the situation internally. '

Wiley's account, above, was permanently suspended today. Twitter apologised for 'not moving faster' and said they are 'continuing to assess the situation internally'

The company added: 'We deeply respect the concerns shared by the Jewish community and online safety advocates, and we will continue to work closely with government, NGOs, civil society partners and our industry peers to tackle antisemitism on Twitter.'

The Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the news that 'Twitter has finally listened', but said the action was 'too little too late'.

It said in a statement: 'It is at least a start for this deeply irresponsible social network.

'After Twitter's abysmal response to the blatant ant-Jewish incitement on its platform, last night we decided to literally shine a light on the company and project onto its London headquarters some of the hateful tweets that Twitter permits on its platform.

'From their pitiful responses to the hate spewed daily on their platform, it is evident that social media companies will stop at nothing to make a profit. It is time for these deeply damaging and irresponsible companies to be held accountable for the hatred they help spread.'

Yesterday the group protested outside the social media company's London office, projecting on to the building a message that read: 'Twitter, we are all sick of your mess. CLEAN IT UP!'

Wiley shared a series of anti-Semitic posts on the social media site starting on Friday. The comments made on Twitter and Instagram are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police

Social networks have faced criticism for not acting sooner to take down the content, with Downing Street saying their response 'has not been good enough'.

The Facebook and Instagram accounts of grime star Wiley were finally removed yesterday, after the musician had been suspended from the sites for seven days over the posts.

But Twitter and Instagram's alleged slowness to act prompted politicians, celebrities and other prominent names to carry out a 48-hour walkout from both platforms, using the hashtag #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate.

It follows Wiley launching a number of attacks on the Jewish community over the weekend, including posting a video on Friday telling Jews to 'crawl out from under your little rocks.'

He also shared a conspiracy theory to Instagram about Jews funding and creating the Klu-Klux Klan, which still appears on his page despite claims from the social media platform that they have deleted hate speech content from his account.

Metropolitan Police are investigating the comments made on Twitter and Instagram, which prompted Wiley's management company to severe ties with him.

Yesterday the Campaign Against Antisemitism protested outside Twitter's London office, projecting a message onto the social media company's building

Wiley also took aim at Priti Patel during his two-day rant, after the Home Secretary described his anti-Semitic posts as '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,' she said.

'Social media companies must act much faster to remove such appalling hatred from their platforms.'

Appearing to post in response, Wiley said: 'Priti Patel, you wanna see me?'

Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: 'It appears that Twitter has now suspended the account of Richard Cowie, or Wiley, six days after he began an extended anti-Semitic rant and nearly all the way through a 48-hour walkout from Twitter by the Jewish community and its allies.

'Instagram was also slow on this, deleting his profile only yesterday. It is just not good enough. Social media companies have not been strong or fast enough about tackling racism, misogyny or homophobia.

'We will be talking to Twitter today, and other social media companies and government partners over the coming days, to make sure this does not happen again. There must be #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate.'
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- McDermott Will & Emery , the nation's leading health law firm, announces Brian Malkin has joined as partner in the FDA practice of its Health Industry Advisory group based in Washington, DC. Brian's practice complements McDermott's broader life sciences and healthcare capabilities with decades of experience and perspective on critical regulatory and strategic business issues that life sciences, pharmaceutical and biologic companies seek in bringing new products to market and managing product life cycles.

"Aligning FDA regulatory and intellectual property strategy for drug development is more critical than ever and Brian's unique background will give our clients a strategic advantage," said Eric Zimmerman, head of McDermott's Health Industry Advisory practice group and a Washington, DC-based partner. "Incorporating Brian's practice into our existing FDA practice further strengthens our ability to assist innovators through all stages of approval."

"As the market and regulatory landscape evolves to focus on novel therapies, including orphan drugs and biosimilars, our team needs to deftly navigate the complex regulatory, policy and strategic business considerations for this space. Brian is a thought-leader on these issues and has helped several companies successfully bring life-saving products to market. We're thrilled to join forces, added Vernessa Pollard, head of McDermott's FDA practice and a Washington, DC-based partner."

Brian counsels pharmaceutical and biologic clients on FDA regulatory matters and intellectual property law, with an emphasis on patent strategy and litigation. His position at the intersection of FDA regulated products and patent law makes him an invaluable partner to drug developers, biotechnology clients, medical device companies and cannabis companies as they protect their innovations, bring their products to market and pursue transactional opportunities.

He is a key advisor regarding FDA regulated drugs development strategies and patent strategies, including: New Drug Applications (NDAs) and orphan/specialty drugs; 505(b)(2) NDAs, including new indications, dosage forms or regiments, strengths or combination products; biologics and biosimilars; and cannabis-derived products. Additionally, he is an experienced litigator of Hatch-Waxman Act cases for both pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients and a strong partner in the boardroom, providing FDA and IP due diligence for deals and transactions in the life sciences space.

"Joining McDermott's industry-leading health platform and becoming part of its talented FDA team will no doubt be an asset to my clients," Brian added. "I'm also thrilled to bring my experience to McDermott's existing clients as we work to expand their drug and biologics presence by guiding them through the complex FDA regulatory environment."

Brian holds a JD from The George Washington University Law School and a BA also from The George Washington University. While practicing law, Brian earned a BS in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland.

McDermott Will & Emery is the nation's leading health law firm. The Health Industry Advisory group is the only health practice to receive top national rankings from U.S. News  Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms," Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, and Law360. The practice was also recognized by Chambers as "Health Team of the Year" in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019. McDermott has held the top spot in PitchBook's League Tables as the most active firm for healthcare private equity since 2017.

ABOUT MCDERMOTT

McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices, industries and more than 20 locations to deliver highly effectiveand often unexpectedsolutions that propel success. More than 1,200 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.

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She frequently unwinds on sun-soaked getaways following her successful modelling career, which spans over two decades.

And Victoria Silvstedt continued to soak up the sun as she enjoyed another relaxing day at Jardin Tropezina Beach Club in St. Tropez on Tuesday afternoon.

The Swedish model, 45, turned up the heat as she slipped into a tiny white bikini while enjoying a stroll on the sandy shores of the holiday hot spot.

In her element: Victoria Silvstedt continued to soak up the sun as she enjoyed another relaxing day at Jardin Tropezina Beach Club in St. Tropez on Tuesday afternoon

Showing off her washboard abs, the former beauty pageant queen looked sensational in the two-piece, which featured a triangle bralet and matching frilly briefs.

The Playboy icon proved less is more as she went barefoot, and shielded her eyes from the sun in huge shades.

With her tresses worn in a tousled bun, Victoria brought out her features with light strokes of matte make-up.

Wow-factor! The Swedish model, 45, turned up the heat as she slipped into a tiny white bikini while enjoying a stroll on the sandy shores of the holiday hot spot

Jet-setter: As well as frequenting St Tropez (pictured earlier this week), the media personality also spends a large part of her year in tropical St Barts

As well as frequenting St Tropez, the media personality also spends a large part of her year in tropical St Barts.

The blonde bombshell had been lapping up the sunshine in St Barts since the start of 2020, with many celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Bella Hadid and Rita Ora jetting to the Caribbean to ring in the New Year.

Victoria goes to St Barts every year and has enjoyed a lengthy stint in the spotlight after being chosen to represent her country in the Miss World pageant in 1993.

After her pageant days, the Scandinavian stunner was spotted by Hugh Hefner and went on to become a Playboy Playmate.

Since her career rocketed, Victoria has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino.

Despite the glamorous veneer to her lifestyle as a young model, she revealed there was a dark side in a recent interview with Female First.

Victoria said: 'I started very young to model in Paris when I was 18, I remember like starving myself to fit into the clothes and it was an amazing experience but you know I did shows for Valentino, Chanel, so it was really prestigious.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:52:29|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Thai Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin on Wednesday told the media that he had suggested the Corrections Department to lay out measures, using foreign inmates to teach English to fellow Thai prisoners to supplement their occupational training.

"It will be good for the future job prospects for all inmates if they can pick up English from their fellow English-speaking inmates," said Somsak.

"We need to maximize all our resources in the Thai prisons," he said.

Somsak said that he came up with this idea after he and Labour Minister Chatu Mongol Sonakul earlier signed an agreement to step up cooperation between the Justice and Labour ministries to address the problem of ex-convict unemployment.

Under the signed agreement, the Employment and Skill Development departments of the Labour Ministry will provide training courses in various occupations for inmates before they are released and issue them a certificate to convince business operators to hire them.

Meanwhile, Chatu Mongol said that the two ministries are already cooperating to provide skills training for inmates.

In 2019, 8,084 inmates received occupational training and 70 to 80 percent of them found jobs after being released, said the labour minister.

He also said that in 2020, the two ministries aim to train 1,840 inmates for jobs that are in demand, such as construction workers, carpenters and electricians.

"Being able to communicate in English could be a major step forward for prisoners and youths in correction program to be able to return to society with greater job opportunities, Somsak said.

The justice minister also said the Corrections Department is responsible for selecting inmates for training.

Already between 20,000-30,000 inmates have been targeted, said Somsak. Enditem
Critics have called those figures misleading because they do not account for relative population differences; a Black person is more likely to be killed than a white person.

Republicans backed the attorney general for showing courage by taking aim at the Russia investigation and attacks on the police.

Their most visceral defense came in a five-minute video montage that appeared to show protesters or people infiltrating their ranks turning to violence. It began with footage of cable news anchors describing the protests as peaceful before streaming through scenes like a police precinct being set ablaze in Minneapolis, American flags burning, cans being hurled at the police and stores being looted.

I want to thank you for defending law enforcement, for pointing out what a crazy idea this defund-the-police policy, whatever you want to call it, is, and standing up for the rule of law, Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, the panels top Republican, told Mr. Barr before playing the video.

Republicans cheered on Mr. Barr as he defended his decision to overrule career prosecutors in the Stone case, saying that they were trying to treat Mr. Stone more harshly than other defendants. The Judiciary Committee heard testimony from one of the prosecutors last month who accused department leaders of changing the sentencing recommendation for political reasons.

The line prosecutors were trying to advocate for a sentence that was more than twice what anyone else in a similar position had ever served, Mr. Barr said. This is a 67-year-old man, first-time offender, no violence, and they were trying to put him in jail for seven to nine years. I was not going to advocate that. Because that is not the rule of law.

But the prosecutors said in court that they arrived at the seven-to-nine-year recommendation by following the Justice Departments own sentencing guidelines, as is customary in any federal criminal case. Questioned by the federal judge who oversaw the Stone case, department officials acknowledged that it was the policy of the United States attorneys office in Washington to seek the harshest possible sentence under the sentencing guidelines and to let the judge decide whether it was warranted.
An Oregon man with a large tattoo of his last name on his back is facing federal arson charges after online photos and videos of a May 29 fire at Portlands Justice Center showed the shirtless suspect maliciously burning court documents and trying to damage the building, authorities said Tuesday.

Edward Schinzing, 32, was marching with a group of protesters that night when some of them broke several windows near the facilitys Corrections Records Office to enter the center, which houses the Multnomah County Detention Center jail and the Portland Police Bureau headquarters, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the state.

The individuals spray-painted portions of the office; damaged computer and other office equipment, furniture, and interior windows; and started fires, the agency said in a statement.

A review of videos from YouTube, Twitter and surveillance cameras as well as still photos posted on social media suggests that about 30 people were involved in the incident, but only one of them had a distinctive tattoo of his own name across his upper back  Schinzing. Authorities said they compared the images with an old jail booking photo to confirm his identity.

The Portland resident spread a fire that started near the front of the office by burning additional papers and moving them into a drawer of a separate cubicle, according to prosecutors.

The buildings fire sprinkler system eventually activated and extinguished the fires. The blaze did not spread to the jail, which houses nearly 300 inmates.

Three civilian employees of the Justice Center fled before the fire began and were not harmed, authorities said.

The incident happened just four days after the caught-on-tape death of George Floyd, the unarmed Black man who died at the hands of four white police officers in Minneapolis. The shocking homicide triggered a wave of protests against racial injustice and police brutality across the country.

In Portland, nightly demonstrations are still ongoing and some of them have turned violent at times. The unrest in the city has made national headlines in recent weeks after the Trump administration sent federal officers to try to crack down on protesters, a highly controversial move that has angered local activists and city and state officials.

Story continues

Schinzing appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.



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Particularly women in the suburbs broke in a big way for us Democrats, said Mr. Gilchrist, who was elected with Ms. Whitmer, and I think the Biden campaign is running an effort to continue to build on that momentum.

Then there are Mr. Trumps self-inflicted political wounds in the state, none more public than his insults of Ms. Whitmer as she locked down the state after the virus began spreading in March, calling her half Whitmer and the woman in Michigan.

Ms. Whitmer was one of a series of Michigan women whom the president has belittled: the attorney general, the secretary of state, the chief executive of General Motors and two members of Congress.

I dont know any other state where hes gone after as many women, Ms. Dingell said. Mr. Trump also mocked her late husband, former Representative John D. Dingell, at a rally last year, suggesting he had gone to hell and was looking up.

Three state polls last week showed Mr. Biden winning female voters by wide margins, from 15 to 29 percentage points, and ahead in the state over all by six to 12 points.

Mr. Biden is seen as a stronger candidate in Michigan than Mrs. Clinton was, especially after he swept all 83 counties in the Democratic primary race against Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Four years earlier, Mr. Sanders carried 73 counties against Mrs. Clinton, and some of his strongest areas were rural and white regions that would go on to vote overwhelming for Mr. Trump in the fall.

Mr. Trump carried non-college-educated white voters in Michigan by more than 30 percentage points, according to 2016 general election exit polling. Last week, separate CNN and Fox News polls of the state showed that Mr. Trumps lead among that group had shrunk to only 10 points.
Mumbai, July 29 : Actor-comedian Danish Sait says he feels like a political party right now, but one that has lived up to its promise.

Danish's latest release, the Kannada comedy "French Biriyani" opened on OTT last weekend, and has done fabulously. He is happy with the film's success.

"I feel very happy and I am glad that our promise to make people laugh has been delivered. I feel like a political party that lives up to the promise. It's a good feeling that the film has been appreciated and admired," said Danish.

"In the midst of the pandemic, what can we do except for making people laugh? I am glad that we managed to do that. I am also very honest about the fact that the good will not be taken to the head and I am going to wake up the next day and work harder," he added.

The film directed by Pannaga Bharana premiered on Amazon Prime Video.
(Reuters) - Britains GSK (GSK.L) on Wednesday missed second-quarter profit estimates following reduced sales of its existing vaccines and as patients used up treatments stockpiled during coronavirus lockdowns that have eased.

The worlds largest vaccine maker also surprised the market with the announcement it did not receive any government funding to produce its efficacy booster technology, which is being used in many potential coronavirus vaccine collaborations, including one with Frances Sanofi (SASY.PA).

GSK shares traded down, falling 2% at 1,1575 pence as vaccine sales of 1.1 billion pounds ($1.43 billion) fell short of the 1.26 billion pounds consensus here

It had rallied earlier on Wednesday following the announcement of a deal to supply Britain with the potential coronavirus vaccine it is working on with Sanofi.

Rather than developing its own vaccine in the global race to combat the pandemic, GSK has focused on contributing its adjuvant technology to at least seven other global firms.

Lockdowns slowed the take-up of other kinds of immunisation.

GSK said inoculation of children was back to pre-COVID-19 levels, but adolescent and adult vaccination was not.

In the second quarter, with lockdown measures, we have seen an impact on peoples willingness, or being able to access vaccines, Chief Executive Emma Walmsley said on a media call, adding there were early signs the attitude was changing.

Asked about the price agreed in the deal with Britain, Walmsley only said GSK does not expect to profit from the product during the pandemic.

She said any short-term earnings would be partly be reinvested into pandemic preparedness and donated to developing countries.

Revenue from GSKs shingles vaccine, Shingrix, a blockbuster, also fell, but was above analyst expectations, while group turnover and adjusted earnings per share in the three months ended June 30 missed analyst consensus.

For the full year, the company expects annual earnings to decline in the range of 1% to 4%, unchanged from previous forecasts.

Sanofi raised its 2020 earnings forecast on Wednesday after strong second-quarter results.
New York City police officers, several in plainclothes, swooped into a demonstration against aggressive police tactics Tuesday and arrested a protester they appeared to have singled out, pulling her into an unmarked minivan before driving off.

Videos of the encounter drew intense criticism on social media, including accusations that the New York police were adopting tactics similar to those used by federal agents during recent protests in Portland, Oregon, where some people were pulled into unmarked vans.

The Police Department said in a statement that the woman had been taken into custody by officers from the warrant squad in connection with damaging police cameras during five separate criminal incidents in and around City Hall Park, an apparent reference to incidents that occurred during the Occupy City Hall protests. The police did not immediately provide details about those incidents. The arrest took place in the Kips Bay section of Manhattan, according to the Police Department.

The warrant squad typically uses unmarked vehicles to locate people wanted in connection with crimes, the police said. The police did not name the woman but said that charges against her were pending.

While the police indicated that they were following standard procedure, the incident comes at a time when law enforcement practices are under intense scrutiny. Several city officials said Tuesday that they were troubled by the videos of the womans arrest and publicly demanded a fuller explanation from the Police Department.

Corey Johnson, the City Council speaker, called video of the encounter incredibly disturbing. Scott Stringer, the New York City comptroller, said he was deeply concerned.

Councilman Brad Lander of Brooklyn said that with the anxiety about whats happening in Portland, the NYPD deploying unmarked vans with plainclothes cops to make street arrests of protesters feels more like provocation than public safety.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Bill de Blasio referred questions about the womans arrest Tuesday night to the statement from the Police Department.

The arrest was the latest flashpoint in a nationwide conversation about aggressive police tactics. For weeks since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, people have staged protests across the city against police brutality and racism in the criminal justice system.

The protest Tuesday at which the woman was arrested was held in response to the clearing of the Occupy City Hall encampment last week, organizers said.

The Occupy City Hall demonstration itself, which began June 23 when about 100 people set up camp on a small patch of grass to the east of City Hall, was intended to bring pressure on the City Council to cut the Police Departments funding.

Most people at the demonstration went home within days after the council decided to shift nearly $1 billion away from the police, although the move fell short of many of the protesters expectations. Homeless people then flocked to the site for its free meals and open-air camping before the encampment was cleared last week.

The tactics used by federal agents in Portland have spurred renewed protests across the country. Some agents, dressed in camouflage and tactical gear, sprayed tear gas on protesters and pulled others into unmarked vans.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
The stars of iQiyi's The Ferryman: Legends of Nanyang (from left) Qi Yu Wu, Kate Kinney and Lawrence Wong (Wang Guan Yi). The actors were at the Iskandar Malaysia Studios, Johor Bahru, Malaysia on the first day of filming the series for GHY Culture & Media. (Photo: iQiyi)

SINGAPORE  Filming began on Tuesday (28 July) for The Ferryman: Legends Of Nanyang, a fantasy series that will eventually be released on streaming service iQiyi.

The Ferryman is a remake of iQiyis 2014 Mandarin language series of the same title, but with the setting changed to Southeast Asia instead of China  hence Legends Of Nanyang  and featuring an international cast.

The series stars Singaporean actor Lawrence Wong, Singapore-based Chinese actor Qi Yu Wu, and Taiwanese actress Kate Kinney. (Lawrence Wong may be known to Chinese viewers as Wang Guan Yi.)

The Ferryman is about a man Xia Dongqing (Wong), who is able to see ghosts and spirits. He meets Zhao Li (Qi) and a young woman Olivia (Kinney) when he begins working at a convenience store. Xia eventually finds out that Zhao, the store owner, is a grim reaper who guides the deceased to the afterlife, and the convenience store is a gateway between the dimensions of the mortal world and the netherworld.

Yahoo Lifestyle SEA had a chat with the three main stars of The Ferryman, Wong, Qi and Kinney.

Wong shot to fame for his role in popular hit drama Story Of Yanxi Palace. He said this is his first time playing a supernatural role. Among the three of us, Im the only one who watches horror films. Im excited to work on this project. Its not just horror but also includes topics of romance, friendship and human relationships.

As filming is taking place during the coronavirus outbreak, Wong said the cast and crew would practise anti-COVID-19 measures including safe distancing, wearing masks and temperature screening.

Qi said, Its great for the show to reach a bigger international audience through iQiyi. Im sure there will be differences in this series from the original drama... but we just started the shoot so I cant say exactly how the show will depart from the original.

Kinney said, Im glad to be able to come to Malaysia to film. Im grateful that I have Guan Yi-ge, a local, who can bring us around to see the sights. (Wong is Malaysia-born.)

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Several other Singaporean actors feature in the cast, including Tay Ping Hui, Jeanette Aw, Michelle Chia, Terence Cao, Fiona Xie and Jessica Liu.

Other cast members include Debbie Goh, Goh Jojo and Cindy Yen.

The show is being produced by Singapore-based GHY Culture & Media, with Guo Jingyu as executive producer. The producer is Yeo Saik Pin and the directors are Chia Men Yiang, Guo Shi Min, Fok Chi Kai and Chen Yi You, working from a script by Xiao Ji Xiang Tian.

Filming will take place at the Iskandar Malaysia Studios in Johor Bahru and locations around Malaysia.

The Ferryman: Legends Of Nanyang will be released on iQiyi in 2021.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Reimbursement Solutions, LLC ("ARS"), a subsidiary of Pantheon Global Holdings, recently obtained full judgment against Spring Excellence Surgical Hospital, LLC ("SESH"), under the direction of Dr. Mirza Baig, President and CEO, after a four-year dispute in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. ARS asserted a breach-of-contract claim against SESH after it failed to pay amounts due and owing pursuant to the terms of an "Exclusive Healthcare 'Out of Network' Claims Billing Agreement."

The District Court granted summary judgment in favor of ARS on its breach-of-contract claim and awarded damages to ARS in excess of $1.6M for the principal amount owed, late fees, accrued interest, and attorney fees. Following entry of the judgment, the parties reached a settlement that will allow ARS to recoup nearly every dollar it is owed and avoid a time consuming and expensive appeal. "We are thrilled at the favorable outcome of this long journey," said Tyler Grim, General Counsel for ARS. "We pride ourselves on the diligent work we do for our clients, and are gratified the Court recognized that in this case."

Advanced Reimbursement Solutions is a subsidiary of Pantheon Global Holdings, a family-owned, multi-disciplined conglomerate with several subsidiary entities specializing in out-of-network medical billing, medical practice management and marketing, leading-edge technology solutions and full revenue-cycle management.

Direct Media Inquiries to Katie Moore - [email protected]

SOURCE Pantheon Global Holdings LLC

Related Links

https://pantheongh.com/


Europe experienced a 50 per cent rise in excess mortality at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, according to data released by France's Insee statistics agency earlier today.

The figures show that over the course of one week, between March 30 and April 6, European countries saw more than 33,742 excess deaths.

Excess mortality is the number of deaths in a given period over and above what would normally be expected and is a measure widely used to estimate how many people died due to Covid-19.

Spain experienced the highest excess mortality in that week, with 155 per cent, after recording 12,545 excess deaths.

It was followed by Italy, Belgium and France during this period which was 'the peak of excess mortality... linked to the COVID-19 epidemic' in Europe, according to Insee.

Germany, western Europe's most populated country, had a comparably much lower excess mortality rate across the same period.

The study did not mention data from Britain, which has Europe's highest coronavirus death toll, as it is no longer a member of the European Union.

But previous figures from the Office for National Statistics placed England and Wales among the worst effected countries across a similar period.

Europe experienced a 50 per cent rise in excess mortality at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, according to data released by France's Insee statistics agency earlier today. Spain experienced the highest excess mortality, between March 30 and April 6, with 155 per cent

Italy had a 67 per cent increase in excess mortality rate with the country recording 7,669 excess deaths over the set week. Pictured: Medical staff treating coronavirus patients in the intensive care unit at the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in Bergamo, Italy

In previous years the number of deaths in Europe tend to decline from March onwards after the annual flu season.

But the Insee agency said that in 2020 the figure rose sharply based on data collected by EU agency Eurostat from 21 national jurisdictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Compared to data for the years 2016 to 2019, Spain had the highest excess mortality in that week, with 155 per cent, after recording 12,545 excess deaths.

This was followed by 91 per cent in Belgium with 1,908 excess deaths and 67 per cent in Italy where 7,669 excess deaths were recorded.

France was also amongst the worst hit with a 60 per cent increase in the excess mortality rate after reporting 7,327 additional deaths, said the Insee.

Germany had a comparably much lower excess mortality rate of just 11 per cent with 2,076 excess deaths across the same period.

The study did not mention data from Britain but figures previously released by the ONS showed that in England and Wales there were 6,082 excess deaths across a similar time period - 59 per cent above average.

The overall excess mortality rate for Europe was 48 per cent following 33,742 excess deaths.

Spain had the highest excess mortality in that week, with 155 per cent, after recording 12,545 excess deaths. Pictured: Temporary hospital for Covid-19 patients located at the Ifema convention and exhibition centre in Madrid, Spain, following the peak of the pandemic

The upward trend in excess mortality rates decreased progressively across Europe and all but disappeared by the beginning of May.

Over a longer period, from March 2 to April 26, the Insee said more than 80 per cent of the excess mortality jointly registered in 21 European countries was from Spain, Italy, Belgium and France.

As a whole, more men than women died, the data showed, and these were mostly people aged 70 and older.

It noted a series of marked differences in excess mortality between countries and even between regions within countries.

These were likely due to differences in population age and density, access to healthcare, the timing and method of lifting confinement measures, and the ability to work from home, according to the Insee, though it could not say which factors played the biggest role.
Wall Street has always gotten most of its MBAs from a handful of elite schools. That didnt change in 2019  but the top school for finance MBAs by percentage of graduating class did.

Before the world of graduate business education dives headlong into the unknown of an autumn under the pall of coronavirus, Poets&Quants is taking a final look at the MBA Class of 2019 employment picture, beginning with last weeks analysis of tech employment and concluding next week with consulting. In this article we look at finance, an industry perhaps most impacted by the ongoing health crisis, and for which the as-yet-unreleased Class of 2020 data will be very interesting indeed.

For as far back as anyone cares to look, two schools have vied for the distinction of top feeder of MBAs to the money factories of Wall Street. Finance-bound MBAs have always been likeliest to come from either The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania or Columbia Business School, even as both schools populations of finance grads shrank from the 50s to the high 30s over the last decade as consulting and tech began to bite into finances hold at the elite programs  even the ones in New York City.

Wharton and CBSs finance MBA output shrank again in 2019, to the mid-30s, while rising elsewhere. With 37% of its graduating class hiring into finance, up from 29% last year  a whopping one-year jump of more than 27%  Cornell Universitys Johnson Graduate School of Management led all elite schools in Europe and the United States, including all of the top 25 schools as ranked by both Poets&Quants and U.S News. Wharton followed with 35.8% and Columbia was third with 34.3%.

Cornell did not boast the top median base salary for finance MBAs, however. Those bragging rights went to Stanford, which reported a salary of $170,000, the only school to eclipse the $150,000 threshold where 11 peer schools reside. (See all the data on the second and third pages of this story.)

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CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS

It should not be a surprise to see Cornell at the top of the finance heap on the list of 34 U.S. and European schools whose employment reports were examined by Poets&Quants. Four years ago, about one third of their class (32%) went into finance, putting Cornell behind only Columbia, Chicago Booth School of Business, NYU Stern School of Business, and Wharton in the Wall Street pipeline. But by 2018 Stanford had nudged Cornell out of the top five, and Cornells big investment in tech made the Ithaca- and Roosevelt Island-based schools direction seem clear. Now with a resurgence in finance at Cornell, that is no longer the case. In one year the Johnson Schools finance MBA ranks jumped from 29% of the graduating class to 37%, the second-biggest bounce for a top-25 U.S. school after Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, which grew its share of finance MBAs by 35%, from 13.7% to 18.5%.

Of course, in terms of actual numbers, the much larger graduating classes at Wharton (863) and Columbia (753) mean those schools still produce more finance MBAs  approximately 310 from Wharton and 258 from CBS. Cornell, by contrast a small program of fewer than 300 souls, had just over 100 finance grads last year.

After Cornell, Wharton, and Columbia, rounding out the top five finance feeders schools are Stanford (33%) and Chicago Booth (31.3%). These schools are the same you will find in the top five in salary, too: After Stanford, 23 schools provide median salary numbers, and nearly half of those report a base salary of $150,000, including Wharton, Harvard Business School, Chicago Booth, Columbia, Yale SOM, and others. Missing from this group: Cornell, which reports a median salary of $135,000. Five schools out of 34 reported a drop in salary. Three others reported no year-to-year change.

Salaries rarely drop year-to-year for any type of MBA job, but the proportions of finance grads fluctuate a lot, sometimes wildly. The biggest jump in finance MBAs in 2019 occurred outside the top 25, at Notre Dames Mendoza College of Business, which grew its finance class by two-thirds, from 14.1% to 23.5%. Other big year-over-year increases after the aforementioned jumps at Northwestern Kellogg (35%) and Cornell (27.6%) came at Dukes Fuqua School of Business and Georgia Techs Scheller College of Business, both of which reported 25% growth from 2018. Pacing the Europeans, London Business School increased its finance MBAs from 23% in 2018 to 26% last year.

And the biggest declines? USC Marshall School of Business (-37.5%), Emory Goizueta Business School (-31.6%), and Washington Olin Business School (-27.3%). NYU Stern lost 13% but it had room to spare, dropping from 33.8% to 29.4%.

CHECKING IN WITH THE TOP 10

The top 10 U.S. schools are, for the most part, the real feeders to the finance industry. The average at the 10 schools as ranked by P&Q is 26.5%, with Wharton and CBS leading the way and UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business bringing up the rear at 15%. That represents a jump from last year, when the top 10 produced an average finance class of just over 24%, much the same as four years ago, in the Class of 2016.

Seven of the top 10 schools managed growth in their finance numbers from 2018 to 2019, at an average of 14.5%. In the year-over-year comparison last year, looking at 2017 to 2018, that growth average was 9.2%. Northwestern Kelloggs 35% led all schools, but MIT Sloan School of Managements 20.1% and Dartmouth Tucks 20% were noteworthy as well.

So  the finance numbers are going up at the elite schools. What about the money? Of course that is going up, too! Every school in the top 10, with the exception of Stanford ($170K) and Dartmouths Tuck School of Business ($145K), reports a median base salary of $150,000, making the overall median $151,500, an increase of 14.6% over last years $132,250. Top 10 finance MBA salaries have climbed 17% since 2016.

On the signing bonus front, the average median for nine of the 10 schools is $40,555, with Wharton, CBS, and Yale SOM all reporting $50,000 medians bonuses. (One school, Berkeley Haas, reports only an average  $29,369.) Thats a significant jump from last years average of eight schools ($36,806) and even the 2016 average ($39,078).

See the next pages for a detailed breakdown of MBA Class of 2019 hiring in finance and base salaries and bonuses.

With 37% of the MBA Class of 2019 headed to Wall Street or other finance gigs, Cornell leaped to the top of the banking heap. Cornell photo

DONT MISS THESE MBA PROGRAMS ARE THE TOP FEEDERS TO THE TECH INDUSTRY  FOR NOW and WALL STREET GETS ITS FINANCE MBAs FROM THESE SCHOOLS (2019)

The post Wall Street Gets Its Finance MBAs From These Schools appeared first on Poets&Quants.
Yemen's southern separatists have rescinded their declaration of self-rule, ending a months-long power struggle and paving the way for reconciliation between nominal allies in the fight against the countrys Houthi rebels.

We have achieved the goals, Nizar Haitham, spokesperson for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), tweeted Wednesday. Stressing that we are always alongside our great southern people, carrying their noble national aspirations and goals that cannot be undone.

In late April, the STC declared a state of emergency and autonomous rule in the south of the country, including the strategic port city of Aden, which functions as the de facto capital of the Yemeni government. The separatists accused Yemen's UN-recognized government of corruption and mismanagement.

The declaration threatened to unravel a Saudi-brokered deal signed in Riyadh in November 2019 between the government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the separatists. The power-sharing agreement to end months of infighting in Aden was never implemented.

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia announced a mechanism that would speed up implementation of the agreement. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the new framework calls for the removal of rival forces from Aden and the southern province of Abyan, and mandates the formation of a government that includes STC representation within 30 days.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi deputy defense minister, said Wednesday the agreement reflects a serious desire for dialogue.

The Riyadh Agreement shows the possibility of resolving Yemeni differences through dialogue without the use [of] military force, he tweeted. I am optimistic and confident about its implementation and the parties coming together to put the interests of the Yemeni people first.

Riyadh had previously warned the separatists self-rule would have catastrophic consequences and UN special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said it was disappointing." The southern rebellion put further strain on the anti-Houthi military alliance, which includes the Saudi-backed Hadi government and the Emirati-supported separatists, and has been fighting the Iran-aligned rebels since 2015.

The conflict has created what the United Nations has described as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. During a briefing to the Security Council on Tuesday, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock called for increased funding for aid operations he said was necessary to prevent a renewed slide into famine.

The choice before the world is the same as last month: Help Yemen now, or watch the country fall into the abyss, he said.
Channel 10 left fans shocked on Wednesday by announcing that sisters Elly, 25, and Becky Miles, 30, will both star on The Bachelorette this year.

And while the new format is a first for the Australian series, it isn't the first time The Bachelorette franchise has welcomed two female leads.

Earlier this year, The Bachelorette New Zealand made history by featuring both Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster, 32, and Lily McManus, 22, as joint Bachelorettes.

Is this worth the risk? The Bachelorette's Elly and Becky Miles: How having two female leads could actually work... and why the new format could end in disaster. Pictured: Elly and Becky Miles

Lesina was initially announced as the only Bachelorette, before Lily made headlines by entering the show in the fourth episode.

The contestants later learned they had been cast with either Bachelorette in mind, hence why half of them were around Lesina's age and the other half around Lily's age.

However, this likely won't be the case for Elly and Becky, whose closeness in age makes it more likely they will end up fighting over the same man.

Making history: Earlier this year, The Bachelorette New Zealand made history by featuring both Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster, 32, (left) and Lily McManus, 22, (right) as joint Bachelorettes

Doubling up: In New Zealand, having two Bachelorettes meant that he show's traditional format had to be reinvented to accommodate for Lily's arrival - including the introduction of double dates

In New Zealand, having two Bachelorettes meant that he show's traditional format had to be reinvented to accommodate for Lily's arrival - including the introduction of double dates.

Rose ceremonies were also transformed into 'double' rose ceremonies, allowing Lily and Lesina to take turns handing out roses to their preferred suitors.

These aspects of the show will likely be repeated for Ellie and Becky's season.

'I haven't had two women at the same time yet. This could be my chance!' Moments after Lily's arrival, Gutter-brained personal trainer Glenn Richards (pictured) joked about a 'two-for-one special'

No happy ending here! Lesina walked away a single woman after turning down both finalists

Meanwhile, the new format also caused controversy during the series when 'villain' Glenn Richards declared he wanted to end up with both Lily and Lesina.

'It's like a two-for-one special, my dream come true!' smirked Glen, who was quickly booted from the competition.

Not boding well for Elly and Becky is the fact that the New Zealand season ended in disaster, after one Bachelorette decided not to hand out her final rose.

At least one of them found love! Lily found love with clothing designer Richie Boyens (pictured together)

Lesina walked away a single woman after turning down finalists, Aaron McNabb and Quinn Ryan, while Lily found love with clothing designer, Richie Boyens.

The Bachelorette USA also introduced two leading ladies in 2015 - but the outcome was nothing short of catastrophic for one of them.

Kaitlyn Bristowe, a 29-year-old spin-class instructor and Britt Nilsson, a 28-year-old waitress, were announced as America's first duel Bachelorettes before being pitted against each other in the first episode.

Battle of the US Bachelorettes: Baitlyn Bristowe and Britt Nilsson were announced as America's first duel Bachelorettes in 2015 - but were pitted against each other in the first episode (pictured)

The shocking premiere saw the men vote upon which of the two women they wanted to eliminate.

Kaitlyn was eventually voted to remain as the solo Bachelorette, while Britt was forced to leave.

If Channel 10 adopts the American format for Elly and Becky's season, it may have devastating consequences for the sisters' close relationship.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. A suspended University of Arkansas professor has been indicted on multiple wire and passport fraud counts.

The 44-count indictment returned Tuesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, accuses Simon Saw-Teong Ang of failing to disclose close ties to the Chinese government and Chinese companies when he obtained federal grants.

The university suspended the 63-year-old electrical engineering professor and removed him as director of the universitys High Density Electronics Center after his May 8 arrest by federal agents. Ang is free on a $200,000 bond. A message to his attorney was not immediately answered.

At the time of his arrest, federal authorities said Ang failed to disclose his ties on an application for a NASA grant. Such materially false representations to NASA and to the university led to numerous wire messages that facilitated a scheme to defraud, according to a federal complaint. At the time, a university spokeswoman said the school suspended Ang and is cooperating with federal investigators.

The FBI has been reaching out to colleges and universities across the country as it tries to stem what American authorities portray as the wholesale theft of technology and trade secrets by researchers tapped by China. The breadth and intensity of the campaign emerge in emails The Associated Press obtained through records requests to public universities in 50 states. The emails underscore the extent of U.S. concerns that universities, as recruiters of foreign talent and incubators of cutting-edge research, are particularly vulnerable targets.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
A number of major Louisiana water infrastructure projects, representing potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to be spent on studies and construction projects, were included in legislation approved by the U.S House of Representatives on Wednesday.

U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, inserted the Louisiana projects  ranging from speeding the deepening of the Houma Navigation Canal in Terrebonne Parish and the Baptiste Collette Bayou Canal in Plaquemines Parish to requiring a long-dormant federal-state task force to identify new ways of funding coastal restoration within a year -- into the bill during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting two weeks ago.

The bill, the Water Resources Development Act, contains language authorizing the Army Corps of Engineers to begin or continue water control, navigation and levee system projects and studies across the nation, and to determine how money is used to operate and maintain existing and new projects.

A Senate version of the bill, which includes several of the same Louisiana projects, was approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in May. It has not been scheduled for a vote on the Senate floor. Assuming that bill is approved, differences between the two versions must be worked out in a joint conference committee before final approval, something that would have to happen before Congress enters a recess in late October in advance of the national elections.

+6 Low oxygen 'dead zone' to affect 6,700 square miles along Louisiana Coast in July: NOAA The summertime low-oxygen dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to cover at least 6,700 square miles along the Louisiana and eastern T

The Graves amendments to the House bill included language requiring the Corps to include a review of the Mississippi Rivers contribution to algae blooms that create the low-oxygen dead zone along Louisianas coast.

Another Graves amendment is designed to allow the Corps to issue long-term contracts  up to five years  for dredging the lower Mississippi River to prevent shoaling and sand bars. Present rules require the Corps to issue contracts on an as-needed basis, and the change could both reduce dredging costs resulting from those shorter contract periods, and assure that the Corps budgets more accurately.

+15 Water Ways: How the Dutch are building coastal protection for less  with natures help Called the Zandmotor, or Sand Motor in English, the project in The Netherlands is the worlds largest experiment in coastal storm and flood defense.

Repeated high river periods during the past 10 years have resulted in shoaling that has required ocean-going vessels to reduce the amount of cargo they can carry on entering the river, costing millions of dollars in transportation costs.

Graves was unsuccessful in adding an amendment that would have said that past federal appropriations of about $30 milllion for the $14 billion Morganza-to-the-Gulf project gave it the status of a new start under water resources law. Such a designation would have allowed the project to be considered for funding in the Corps annual budget.

The state, plus Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, have already contributed more than $450 million to the project, which has been used to build initial lifts of the 92-mile levee system.

The House took up the bill Wednesday under a suspension of its rules, which prohibits floor amendments, and allowed it to be approved by voice vote.

Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Other Louisiana provisions added by Graves and included in the approved bill:

Authorization of a $253 million project to deepen the Houma Navigation Canal from a presently authorized depth of 15 feet to 20 feet. In 2017, the Corps accepted a feasibility study developed by the state Department of Transportation and Development outlining the plan, but the project has needed congressional authorization. Congress must also still appropriate two-thirds of the construction costs, with the state paying the other third.

Authorization of the dredging of Belle Pass at the mouth of Bayou Lafourche to allow larger ships to enter Port Fourchon.

Authorization of a $45 million project to deepen Baptiste Collette Bayou in Plaquemines Parish from its present authorized depth of 14 feet to 22 feet where it crosses through wetlands and 24 feet in open water, to provide greater access to shipping. The material dredged from the canal would be used to build wetlands in nearby areas.

Language allowing Louisiana to renegotiate its share of the cost of the post-Katrina levee system in New Orleans with the Corps. The state must pay about $100 million a year for 30 years for its share of construction costs and interest, and the renegotiation could reduce the annual charge by more than half.

Authorizing a study of the lower Mississippi River watershed by the Corps, aimed at reducing the need to use the Bonnet Carre Spillway during high river years. The study would require the Corps to consider various proposals included in Louisianas coastal Master Plan, including proposals for a sediment diversion at Ama and a freshwater diversion at Union on the river above New Orleans; a proposal to increase the flow of water from the Atchafalaya River into the Terrebonne Basin; a Manchac Landbridge Diversion to divert water and sediment from the Bonnet Carre Spillway into wetlands to its west.

+5 Upriver diversions could ease New Orleans flood risk, reduce harmful spillway flows, study says Punching two more holes in the sides of the Mississippi River could reduce New Orleans flood risk while easing the environmental harm caused 

Corps proposes $514 million Upper Barataria levee to protect West Bank parishes The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed building a new $514 million, 18.3-mile Upper Barataria levee system to protect portions of seven

Requiring the Corps to speed its work on feasibility studies for the ongoing Amite River flood control project, and on the Upper Barataria Basin coastal storm risk management project, which is expected to result in levee improvement recommendations.

Proposed rules designed to preserve wetlands, decrease flooding coming before Tangipahoa council Providing incentives for developers to steer clear of wetlands when they build residential subdivisions is one of the ideas on the table to re

The Corps also would be required to conduct a feasibility study aimed at reducing the risk of flooding in Tangipahoa Parish.

The law also requires the Corps to submit a report to Congress within a year from a federal-state Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Protection and Restoration Task Force that was established by Congress in 2007, but whose members have never been appointed.

The report is supposed to summarize task force activities and recommendations for addressing "conservation, protection, restoration and maintenance of the coastal Louisiana ecosystem," and the financial contributions made to those efforts by the organizations represented on the task force.

Mark Schleifstein covers the environment and is a leader of the Louisiana Coastal Reporting Team for The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. Email: mschleifstein@theadvocate.com. Facebook: Mark Schleifstein and Louisiana Coastal Watch. Twitter: MSchleifstein.
Vacations, rarely cheap, soon could get a whole lot more expensive for rule-bucking Chicago residents.

According to an order from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the citys health department, those who travel to any of the 22 states deemed a COVID-19 risk must implement a mandatory two-week quarantine upon their return or face hefty fines. The original order, which named 15 states where COVID-19 cases were spiking, was announced right before the long Fourth of July holiday weekend, catching off-guard many Chicagoans who already made plans to travel out of state.

Lightfoots administration Tuesday added Wisconsin, as well as three other states, to the list of 22 states considered risky enough to warrant self-quarantine because they had an average of more than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 resident population over a rolling seven-day period. Any state that in the previous week had an infection rate greater than that will be added to the evolving list each Tuesday and the emergency travel order goes into effect the newly-added states the following Friday.

Heres what you need to know about the citys quarantine policies.

City says people will be fined

This week, that includes Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota and Nebraska. Anyone who spends more than 24 hours in those states should stay inside for two weeks upon their return or risk a fine of $100 to $500 per day.

Yet despite the lists growing size, enforcement of the order so far has been nonexistent, save for some billboards and signs that Lightfoot said were intended to educate people to comply.

In a call with news reporters Tuesday morning, Dr. Allison Arwady, the city health commissioner said the city intends to give the order some teeth to back up what had been idle enforcement threats. Though resources dedicated to identifying violators are limited, the city now is looking to set a precedent by levying hefty fines against travelers who willfully defied compliance with the self-quarantine order.

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The daily fines can add up to $7,000 if there are enough examples of a person venturing out in public when they should be staying indoors, according to the statute. If city contact tracers get information that people whove caught the virus were in close proximity to someone from a quarantine state and flouted the rules, theyll issue a citation, Arwady said.

Theyll also be on the lookout for people who are on social media flagrantly posting their social activities, clearly out and about in Chicago after being in settings that are subject to our quarantine order, within the time frame, she said. Investigators will look into any reports about city workers not following the guidelines, the health commissioner said.

Details for travelers

The order has plenty of exceptions for different types of workers and depending on how long travelers spend in the listed states.

If someone drives through a state on the list, but does not stay there more than 24 hours, they do not need to quarantine.

For example, Chicagoans who drive through Iowa (a listed state) to spend a week in Minnesota (not listed) but who did not stay in Iowa more than 24 hours, do not need to quarantine. There are similar restrictions for air travelers.

Travelers visiting Chicago from listed states also are subject to the order if they are staying longer than a day. Everyone older than age 2 who lands at a Chicago airport is required to wear a mask, then quarantine if theyve come from a listed state.

If someone is staying with a Chicago resident after traveling to an affected state, the traveler must quarantine but other people in the home who did not travel to a listed state are not required to quarantine, but should follow guidance for being around someone who has potentially been exposed.

Travelers or area residents who leave the airport and immediately travel to a suburb or outside Chicago limits are not required to quarantine  unless their municipality also has a travel restriction in place. The order states elsewhere that face coverings should be worn and that public transportation should not be used by those headed outside city limits.

Essential workers and other exceptions

For those who live outside Chicago but who work in the city, its important to determine whether youre an essential or nonessential worker according to the executive order.

There are limited exceptions to the quarantine order for essential workers who had to travel for work. Travelers who dont live in Chicago but who have to be in Chicago to work and who traveled to a listed state for work do not need to quarantine. Travelers who live in Chicago and who travel to a listed state for work do not have to quarantine, according to the order.

But if workers go to a listed state when they didnt have to, or for medical care, or because of parental shared custody, they would be subject to quarantine.

People who work in Chicago and live elsewhere can do so if they havent traveled to a high incidence state. If they have traveled to a high incidence state, they are subject to requirements regarding essential workers who are Chicago residents.

For the purposes of the order, an essential worker is a person who works in any one of the 16 critical employment sectors. The term also includes any government workers traveling in their official capacities. Essential workers must:

Avoid any non-essential interactions until the quarantine period has ended. They must limit their activities to work-related activities and functions that directly support their work-related activities, and avoid public spaces as much as possible.

Monitor temperature and signs of symptoms, wear a face covering when in public, maintain social distance, and clean and disinfect workspaces.

Avoid as much as possible extended periods in public, contact with strangers, and large congregate settings.

What does quarantine mean?

According to the emergency travel order, quarantine means staying at one place for 14 days before doing any activities outside of the home. Included in the restrictions:

Not go out in public or otherwise leave the dwelling that they have identified as suitable for their quarantine, unless seeking medical care or COVID-19 testing.

Wear a face covering and dont use public transit if seeking medical care or testing, or when traveling to or from the airport, train station, or bus station.

Dont go to the grocery store, instead have food and other supplies delivered.

Stay in separate quarters with a separate bedroom and, if possible, separate bathroom from non-traveling household members.

Travelers still must quarantine even if they had a negative COVID-19 test because people can develop symptoms and become contagious up to 14 days from their last exposure.

Are the rules different for each state?

Generally, the emergency order is applied uniformly to any state on the list. However, with neighboring states such as Wisconsin, Missouri, and Iowa on the list, travelers should pay close attention to what constitutes a visit and distinctions between essential and nonessential workers.

The following is a rolling list of states deemed high-risk for COVID-19, the date the determination was made and the rate of infection per 100,000 residents. With the exception of Wisconsin, travel through the states is permitted so long as visit lasts less than a day. Essential workers are exempt from quarantining in Chicago if travel to the states was compulsory for their essential function.

1. Alabama

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 30-40.

2. Arkansas

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 20-30.

3. Arizona

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 30-40.

4. California

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 20-30.

5. Florida

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 40+.

6. Georgia

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 30-40.

7. Idaho

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 20-30.

8. Iowa

Date added: July 17. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 15-20.

9. Kansas

Date added: July 24. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 15-20.

10. Louisiana

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 40+n.

11. Mississippi

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 40+.

12. Missouri

Date added: July 31. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 20-30.

13. Nebraska

Date added: July 31. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 15-20.

14. North Dakota

Date added: July 31. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 15-20.

15. North Carolina

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 15-20.

16. Oklahoma

Date added: July 17. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 30-40.

17. Nevada

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 30-40.

18. South Carolina

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 30-40.

19. Tennessee

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 30-40.

20. Texas

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 20-30.

21. Utah

Date added: July 6. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 15-20.

22. Wisconsin

Date added: July 31. Rate of infection per 100,000 residents: 15-20.

The order applies to individuals coming from Wisconsin to Chicago for non-work purposes and Chicago residents returning from Wisconsin, unless they are deemed an essential worker.

Exceptions to the order for personal travel are permitted for travel for medical care and parental shared custody.

Those traveling through Wisconsin on their way to Chicago from a state not on the list do not need to quarantine if they were in Wisconsin for less than 24 hours. But Individuals who travel to Wisconsin, even if for less than 24 hours still need to quarantine upon returning unless deemed an essential worker and follow other quarantine restrictions.

Essential workers and individuals who are commuting from Wisconsin to Chicago for the purpose of work will be exempt; however, commuters have to follow the same rules as essential workers, such as limiting activities to work-related matters, wear face coverings and avoid long periods in public and large groups.

Chicago Tribune reporters John Byrne and Gregory Pratt contributed.

kdouglas@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @312BreakingNews



2020 the Chicago Tribune

Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com

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Linkedin Sebastian Smith (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Wed, July 29, 2020 08:20 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1238d 2 World Donald-Trump,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,conspiracy-theory,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,novel-coronavirus,virus-corona Free

President Donald Trump's much heralded new tone on the coronavirus pandemic evaporated Tuesday in a burst of misleading medical speculation, criticism for his own top virus expert, and praise for an eccentric preacher-doctor touting conspiracy theories.

Just a week ago, Trump sought to get his shaky reelection campaign back on track by addressing national criticism of a leadership void in a crisis that has already killed nearly 150,000 Americans and wreaked havoc on the world's biggest economy.

The president admitted things were going to "get worse before they get better." He indicated he was embracing the science. He finally urged the wearing of masks.

But at a press conference in the White House on Tuesday, it was the old Trump in full.

He said it was unfair that the leading US infectious diseases specialist Anthony Fauci was more popular than him.

"Nobody likes me," he said.

He pushed his pet theory -- counter to advice from his own government and most doctors -- that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine can be used to treat COVID-19 patients.

"Many doctors think it's extremely successful."

And he took pains to praise Stella Immanuel, a doctor and preacher who believes in witchcraft and a plot being carried out to vaccinate people against being religious, calling her "spectacular."

Social media outcast

Trump's testy press conference, which he abruptly ended while answering a second question about his praise for Immanuel, followed an overnight row with social media giants Twitter and Facebook over some of the same controversies.

Twitter took the rare step of removing clips tweeted by Trump from a video earlier deleted by Facebook in which Immanuel and a group of doctors told Americans that masks are unnecessary and that hydroxychloroquine can defeat the COVID-19 virus.

Twitter said Tuesday that tweeting the video, which was seen by millions of people online late Monday and remained up on different right-wing websites, was "in violation of our COVID-19 misinformation policy."

Twitter also blocked Trump's son Don Jr -- a major player in the president's reelection campaign -- from tweeting for 12 hours after he uploaded a version of the video.

The physician, who calls herself "God's battle axe," claims in the video that "the virus has a cure" in hydroxychloroquine.

This is false -- there is currently no cure for the coronavirus. Also, a majority of medical authorities now have decided, after some initial debate, that hydroxychloroquine has no proven benefit for coronavirus patients and can be very harmful.

Trump has for months pushed the notion of hydroxychloroquine and says he took the drug for two weeks as a precaution, without suffering ill consequences.

As he repeated on Tuesday, "I'm here, right? I'm here."

Anti-Fauci rants

In his Twitter spree late Monday, the president also retweeted a growing right-wing conspiracy theory that Fauci helped push coronavirus to hurt Trump's reelection in November.

The tweet, shared by Trump to his 84 million followers, claimed that Immanuel is highlighting "what should be the biggest scandal in modern American history."

This was "the suppression of #Hydroxychloroquine by Fauci & the Democrats to perpetuate Covid deaths to hurt Trump," the tweet reads.

Trump also attacked Fauci by retweeting a comment on a podcast hosted by his former advisor Steve Bannon that Fauci "misled the American public on many issues."

Fauci responded early Tuesday on ABC News saying he ignores Twitter. "I dont tweet, I dont even read them," he said.

"I have not been misleading the American public under any circumstances," said Fauci, whose decades of experience include pioneering the fight against AIDS from the 1980s onward.

"Were in the middle of a crisis with regard to a pandemic," he said. "This is what Ive been trained for my entire professional life."

Trump insisted on Tuesday at the press conference that he has "a very good relationship with Doctor Fauci."

New tone?

Trump's Twitter activity on Monday was made more remarkable by the fact that hours earlier he'd flown to a North Carolina laboratory participating in the race for a coronavirus vaccine.

Trump used the photo-op, where he was shown inspecting high-tech lab equipment at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies in Morrisville, to underline his support for the scientific response to the pandemic.

"We will achieve a victory over the virus by unleashing American scientific genius," he told reporters.

The facility has been awarded a contract to mass produce an experimental vaccine developed by Novavax, as part of a multi-billion dollar government initiative dubbed Operation Warp Speed.
By Rong-Gong Lin II and Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times

SAN FRANCISCO  Five months into the pandemic, its becoming increasingly clear that California is not going to conquer the coronavirus until it dramatically improves safety measures for essential workers at the epicenter of the health crisis.

From farming communities to urban centers and suburbs, workers in retail, manufacturing, agriculture and logistics are bearing the brunt of COVID-19 outbreaks, and state and local officials are struggling to control the infections even as the outlook in more prosperous communities has improved.

A growing number of officials and health experts say its critical now for California to act more aggressively, including pushing for masks and social distancing measures inside workplaces as well as cracking down much harder on employers who dont follow the rules.

But that is only part of the problem. Some low-wage workers are reluctant to call in sick because they need the money and are afraid to report safety violations for fear of being fired. To deal with that, the state might need to provide additional disability pay to those who become ill and a process to aid workers who face retaliation for speaking out.

Its a particular challenge because many of these industries were ripe for worker exploitation before the pandemic. Some workers lack legal residency and are fearful of working with authorities and crossing their bosses. But experts say California has no hope of fully reopening the economy unless it can get worker infections under control.

What were talking about are low-wage workers  workers that dont themselves have enough protection, said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of UC San Franciscos Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. They need protection of wages in order to be off of work  and they need protections to be able to come back to work.

She and others acknowledge its going to be difficult. Some of these workers are hired by middle men instead of big corporations, and building trust in government action is going to be essential.

If we as a state  and then the counties most heavily affected  are going to get these sectors under control, were going to have to deal with the messiness of this, Bibbins-Domingo said. We call these essential workers because the sectors theyre working in are essential to the California economy. And its essential, therefore, that we figure out how to protect them.

Latinos in California are being infected and dying from the coronavirus at rates significantly higher than white residents, driven by job and housing conditions that continually bring them into contact with others, facilitating the spread of COVID-19. While Latinos  the states largest ethnic group  make up 39% of Californias population, they make up 56% of all coronavirus cases and 46% of deaths.

Some of the states largest outbreaks have occurred at factories, food processing plants, and housing complexes for agricultural workers, both in cities and in agricultural communities.

There is a potential model for this fight in nursing homes, where many Californians who died from the virus were infected. If officials have been able to figure out how to reduce the spread there through widespread adoption of masks and improved infection control procedures, they can probably protect low-income essential workers, experts said.

If you can cut this in a hospital or a nursing home, almost certainly you can handle it somewhere else. Thats a no brainer, said Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine.

With coronavirus raging in Latino communities in the Central Valley, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday announced $52 million in additional aid aimed at education, testing and tracing. But many say much more must be done.

Under this pandemic we were unprepared  and too many farmworkers and essential workers are at risk, said state Assemblyman Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), whose grandfather was a farmworker. That needs to change.

Rivas has pushed a relief package of five bills for farmworkers since March. While many of those provisions were put in place by Newsom on Monday, he and others said there are more big-picture fixes that need to happen to protect workers, and ultimately the California economy, which relies on their labor. Fixes he would like to see include more safe isolation spaces and housing, more enforcement by state worker safety agencies and better sick leave and unemployment, especially for undocumented workers with no safety net.

The situation on the ground in rural areas is dire.

The calls come in to the Rev. Nelson Rabells cellphone every day now: Latino workers desperate for help, for rent, for medical care.

From his Lutheran parish in Lodi in the Central Valley, he has worked with his wife, an epidemiologist and dentist, to provide aid  money, food, tests  since the coronavirus began. Many of his parishioners are poor, working jobs in fields, grocery stories, day care centers and medical facilities.

But what he can do is not enough.

They are suffering a lot, Rabell said. Its just the perfect storm of irresponsible government action at all levels.

He believes government needs to provide direct financial aid to workers, especially those who are infected, so that they can stay home from work without fear of their families being without food or shelter. Though Newsoms aid package increases quarantine housing for workers who cant isolate at home and provides sick leave for more workers, Rabell points out that many of those in essential jobs live paycheck to paycheck and need immediate money if they fall ill.

Rabell said there must be robust accountability and supervision of workplaces such as farms and packing plants, including greater penalties for employers who dont comply with social distancing or provide protective gear.

Jose Rodriguez, director of El Concilio, which runs housing and programs for farmworkers in San Joaquin County, said he believes government needs to also be stricter with isolation and quarantine rules, and better at contact tracing, so that those exposed to the virus are clear about quarantine protocols. In his county, as in many places in the Central Valley, health departments have been overwhelmed by the spiraling number of cases and unable to contact trace each positive, leaving many not even knowing they may be carrying the virus.

He said one of his cousins in Sutter County recently tested positive. A day after receiving the results, county health workers came to her house and instructed all the residents that they had to quarantine for 14 days, and have made repeated checks since to make sure the family is doing what they are told.

Unless someone is doing that here, they are not taking it seriously, he said.
Attorney General William Barr testified for the first time in his tenure in front of a critical congressional audience - a House Judiciary Committee with a Democratic majority - as the Justice Department faces questions from critics who say it is helping President Donald Trump politically in ways ranging from policing and protests to intervening in criminal investigations of Trump allies.

"In your time at the department," Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said in his opening statement, "you have aided and abetted the worst failings of this president."

Barr came ready to defend himself from such accusations, an opportunity Republicans on the committee repeatedly gave him.

Here are five takeaways from Barr's testimony.

1. He is all in as a partisan player

By now, Barr has established himself as a loyal defender of Trump, willing to make decisions that at the very least give the appearance that Barr is doing Trump's personal bidding. Barr denies politics play a role in his decisions while leading the Justice Department.

But on Tuesday, he did little to dissuade the criticism that Trump's personal desires influence him. In his efforts to defend himself, Barr painted Trump as the consummate professional president, giving Barr "complete freedom" to do what he needs. "From my experience, the president has played a role properly and traditionally played by presidents," Barr testified.

We don't know what happens behind closed doors between Trump and Barr, but Barr's projection of the president is just not consistent with the president's public comments on law enforcement, which he regularly attacks when investigations don't go his way.

In his written opening statement, Barr accused Democrats in Congress of trying to "discredit" him. And he echoed Trump's words about the nationwide protests against racial injustice. He downplayed the central theme of Black Lives Matter - police brutality. "The threat to black lives posed by crime on the streets is massively greater than any threat posed by police misconduct," his statement read.

And Barr asserted that his repeated efforts to change the direction of investigations of Trump allies were influenced only by the rule of law.

"I am supposedly punishing the president's enemies and helping his friends," Barr said. He challenged his critics to point to one enemy he has unfairly indicted.

On the friends front, Barr said, "The president's friends don't deserve special breaks, but they also don't deserve to be treated more harshly than other people."

He referred to two recent controversies:

- Reducing Roger Stone's prison sentence, an act that led all four federal prosecutors on the case to resign from the case in protest. One testified to Congress last month that the Justice Department reduced the sentence for "political reasons." (Stone got the lower sentence, then Trump commuted that sentence altogether. Barr has implied he doesn't agree with the commutation.) "Do you think it's fair for a 67-year-old man to be sentenced to prison for seven to nine years?" Barr said.

- Doing an about-face on former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, dropping charges that Flynn had previously pleaded guilty to. "There was no basis to investigate Flynn," Barr said of the FBI. (Justice Department officials involved in the investigation at the time disagree.)

But his opening statement moved neither side. "Your opening statement reads like it was written by Alex Jones or Roger Stone," Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., told Barr, referring to two combative Trump allies.

2. Under increased scrutiny, Barr is not backing down from sending federal agents into cities

There is a chasm between how Barr, Trump and their Republican defenders in Congress view federal police presence in U.S. cities and how Democrats and many protesters see it.

Barr is arguing that Portland, Ore., officials abdicated their duty to keep the peace and that federal officials had to take over to protect the federal courthouse.

"What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called a protest; it is, by any objective measure, an assault on the government of the United States," Barr said in his opening statement.

Democrats argue that Trump is co-opting federal law enforcement for his political benefit, mainly to scare suburban voters into voting for him and to distract from his failure to keep the coronavirus in check. And they accuse Barr of being a willing ally.

"The president wants footage for his campaign ads, and you appear to be serving it up to him as ordered," Nadler said. (One of the Trump campaign's most recent ads was filled with fiery scenes of urban unrest and contained this warning: "You won't be safe in Joe Biden's America.")

The protests across the country in the wake of George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis in May had been fizzling - until Barr sent federal agents to Portland, where there were still some nightly clashes between protesters and police. That has stirred up more protests across the nation.

Now the Justice Department inspector general's office is investigating federal police actions against protesters in Portland, where demonstrators report being clubbed and thrown into unmarked vans. The inspector general's office will also look at what happened in D.C., where in June federal agents fired chemical agents at peaceful protesters, clearing a park across from the White House before Trump stood for a photo opportunity in front of a damaged church.

Barr is also sending federal police to other cities as part of what he says is a separate project to help fight violent crime, not quell protests. Some mayors, including in Chicago and Kansas City, Mo., have said they'll cautiously welcome the help as long as it's not targeted at stirring up trouble on the streets.

"Understandably, Americans are very suspicious of your motives here," Nadler said.

3. Barr doesn't think police have a racism problem

On the major topic of the day - police brutality and what the Justice Department can do about it - Barr was willing to acknowledge some racial inequities in how police treat black Americans. But he referred to it as a past issue in his opening statement: "Given our history, it's understandable that among black Americans, there's some ambivalence and often distrust toward the police. Until just the last 50 years ago or so, our laws and our institutions were explicitly racist, explicitly discriminatory."

More often than not, under questioning, Barr was not willing to say there is systemic racism among police in the United States. He tried to cite statistics that show the opposite. Barr said he's seen studies that said "police are less likely to shoot at a black suspect, a little more likely to shoot at a white suspect."

He also cited Washington Post tallies of police shootings that show eight unarmed black men have been fatally shot by police in 2020, compared with 11 unarmed white people. What Barr did not mention was that white people make up much more of the U.S. population than black people, and when you look at the data in a more representative way, black people are unequivocally shot by police at a higher rate than white people.

Senate Republicans, seeing that even white Americans support the Black Lives Matter protests drawing attention to this cause, have been willing to acknowledge that police target black people at a higher rate. They quickly put together a police reform bill, which failed.

Barr and Trump have disagreed with them.

4. Barr doubled down on raising fears about voting by mail

Barr has said multiple times that he's worried about foreign actors manipulating voting by mail at a large scale in November. He repeated that Tuesday.

But Barr has no evidence to back up that concern, and election officials say what he's warning about is unlikely.

Here's the deal: Among the five states that vote by mail statewide and the thousands of absentee ballots cast every year, there is no evidence that voting by mail leads to substantial voter fraud.

A number of states have practices to confirm absentee ballots, making them difficult to impossible to duplicate on a massive scale. To do so, bad actors would have to know a person's personal signature and correct address. They would have to mail ballots in the same envelopes that the state is using in a way that doesn't attract election officials' attention by duplicating ballots among those who have voted. All of this from a foreign country.

What some election experts warn is more likely than widespread fraud is that Barr and Trump's comments lead to widespread suspicion about the outcome of the race.

If Trump were to clearly lose and not leave office, claiming fraud, there would be nothing clear in the rule book for what to do then.

At the least, Barr responded under questioning that if a president clearly loses an election, the president has no remedy with which to contest it.

5. Barr hesitates to say a president shouldn't accept foreign help to get elected

In probably one of the most stunning exchanges of the day, Barr at first did not denounce clearly illegal behavior. The question was prompted by Rep. David N. Cicilline, D-R.I..

Cicilline: Is it ever appropriate, sir, for the president to solicit or accept foreign assistance in an election?

Barr: It depends what kind of assistance.

Cicilline: Is it ever appropriate for the president or presidential candidate to accept or solicit foreign assistance of any kind in his or her election?

Barr: No, it's not appropriate.

Foreign help in an election is absolutely illegal, of any kind. Trump was impeached by the House in late 2019 for trying to get Ukraine to make former vice president Joe Biden, now his 2020 opponent, look bad.
For months, enforcement of coronavirus health orders has been relatively minimal across the Bay Area. But thats starting to change.

Until recently, when complaints have been lobbed at businesses and individuals for coronavirus-related violations, they have typically received warnings. But as cases throughout the Bay Area have continued to climb and most counties have landed on the states coronavirus watch list, some counties have adopted ordinances allowing law enforcement officers to issue fines for non-compliance.

On Tuesday, Costa Costa joined Napa and Marin counties in allowing fines to be issued for health order violators. These ordinances remove the threat of a misdemeanor criminal charge, and the penalties have been compared to traffic tickets. Depending on where you live, that may mean you could be cited for failing to wear a face mask while out in public or throwing a party at your home.

The state can also send out investigators from various departments, such as Alcoholic Beverage Control, to drop in on businesses and check if they are complying with health orders.

Heres what health order enforcement currently looks like in each Bay Area county.

ALAMEDA COUNTY

According to the Alameda County Health Care Agency website, following the coronavirus health orders is mandatory and those who fail to comply can be subject to a misdemeanor under California law with up to $1,000 in fines or six months imprisonment. But it makes clear that the intent is not for people to get in trouble. The Sheriffs Office did not immediately return calls for further comment.

In Oakland, which accounts for 40% of the countys COVID-19 cases, city police presence has increased particularly at popular Lake Merritt, which has seen an increase in gatherings and vendors in recent weeks. Police have been handing out masks, issuing warnings and informing people of fines that range from $250 for the first offense to $1,000 for the third.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

On Tuesday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an urgency ordinance allowing enforcement officers to issue fines to individuals and businesses that disobey health orders. For individuals, the penalty is $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second and $500 for each subsequent offense within a year of the first violation. Businesses will be fined $250 for the first violation, $500 for the second and $1,000 for each additional offense within a year of the first violation.

Officers designated by the Director of Health Services, the Director of Conservation and Development, and the Sheriffs Office will enforce the ordinance.

Officials said the county hotline has received more than 250 coronavirus-related complaints so far. According to Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office spokesperson Scott Alonso, the consumer protection unit investigates each case, and has sent only one so far to the District Attorneys Office for criminal prosecution involving a Richmond pastor who defied health orders and held church services on Easter Sunday. The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

MARIN COUNTY

The Marin County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously July 21 to approve an ordinance penalizing COVID-19 health order violators. Individuals can be fined $25 to $200 for disobeying mask orders. Businesses not complying with health orders could face fines of $250 to $10,000. The amount is determined by the risk to public health, previous warnings and non-compliance. Officials said county enforcement efforts will focus on businesses more than individuals.

NAPA COUNTY

Napa County was the first in the Bay Area to pass an ordinance in mid-July allowing rule breakers to be fined. For individuals, a fine could range from $25 to $500, and businesses could be fined $200 to $5,000.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY

San Francisco police have not closed any businesses since the public health order went into effect, and the focus for the department is education, according to spokesperson Tiffany Hang. Citation enforcement is considered a last resort. So far, 123 warnings and 325 citations have been issued for coronavirus-related violations from businesses and individuals, she said. The San Francisco Health Department can also issue a notice of violation or temporarily suspend a permit for food facilities violating guidelines.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

SAN MATEO COUNTY

Enforcement is up to each individual city in San Mateo County. In the city of San Mateo, the Police Department has issued six citations. Code enforcement, under the citys community development department, began recording coronavirus-related complaints in April. So far its received 40 complaints about face coverings, four complaints about social distancing protocols, and two complaints about construction safety protocols, according to code enforcement manager Christine Civiletti.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY

The Santa Clara Countys District Attorneys Office manages the health referral hotline and has received nearly 10,000 complaints. The office either sends investigators or notifies local law enforcement. Most of the time, a warning resolves the matter. But further non-compliance results in the office sending a letter citing health order violations, which is a misdemeanor. The office has sent out fewer than 50 letters, and no cases have been filed yet, according to Deputy District Attorney Angela Alvarado.

Failure to further comply would be a misdemeanor, carrying up to 90 days in jail or fines up to $1,000 for each day of the violation, Alvarado said. The violation can also be charged as a civil penalty, which would target businesses that remain open while other businesses are closed under the health order, therefore giving it an unfair advantage. This results in a range of fines and fees, said Alvarado. She added that other departments are also tapped to investigate violations, such as the health department, which have the authority to issue their own penalties.

SOLANO COUNTY

When the Solano County Environmental Health receives reports of health order violations, it says it reaches out to businesses, visits them and provides information and education as needed. After the third report, a business will be reported to the licensing agency. Solano currently is not issuing citations or fines.

SONOMA COUNTY

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors discussed an education and compliance program at a special meeting on July 23. The program includes an ordinance that would allow individuals to receive a fine of $100 for an action such as refusing to wear a mask or hosting a large house party. Businesses could be issued a fine of $1,000 for breaking coronavirus health orders such as putting on a concert or not enforcing mask requirements. The board will vote on the ordinance on Aug. 6.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 00:12:55|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The African continent has so far conducted more than 8.3 million COVID-19 tests amid the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic across countries in the continent, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) disclosed on Wednesday.

The statement was made by John Nkengasong, Africa CDC Director, during a virtual conference on Wednesday that explored economic strategies amid the rising number of COVID-19 positive cases in some African countries.

Noting that the number of COVID 19 tests performed in Africa is presently over 8.3 million, the Africa CDC director warned over rising COVID-19 test positivity rate, which stood at 10.5 percent as compared with the number of tests conducted so far.

The Africa CDC had in June revealed its plan to conduct 10 million COVID-19 tests over the next few months as part of the continental Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing (PACT), which led by three pillars that are testing, tracing, and treating.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent reached 874, 609 on Wednesday, according to the Africa CDC.

The number of deaths related to the COVID-19 pandemic rose to 18, 507 as of Wednesday afternoon, up from 18,160 on Tuesday afternoon, it said.

The continental disease control and prevention agency also stressed that some 526,306 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered across the continent so far. Enditem
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A world-leading University of Waterloo spinoff company, that decodes blood samples for potential treatments for illnesses like cancer and COVID-19, is expanding operations with the help of a $5-million USD investment.

Bin Ma, a University of Waterloo computer science professor who co-founded Rapid Novor in 2015, says the companys technology is the most advanced in the world when it comes to deciphering the complex workings of antibody proteins, a process called sequencing.

Among other projects, Mas team is currently decoding the antibodies in the blood of patients who are recovering from COVID-19 with the hopes that the information can be used to develop new treatments. The National Research Council of Canada, through its Industrial Research Assistance Program, has also given the Rapid Novor team a grant to support the coronavirus work.

The long-term goal is to profile all antibodies in human blood and ultimately provide a brand new way to diagnose disease. Compared to other protein sequencing technologies, we are faster and more accurate, allowing more complex samples. We are the only team in the world that can sequence antibody proteins from blood directly. Bin Ma, Computer Science Professor, University of Waterloo

The recent $5-million USD financing round, led by Co-Win Venture, will allow Rapid Novor, which just tripled its office space at Catalyst 137 in Kitchener, Ont., to hire more scientists.

The teams track record for innovation and their ambitious goal to decode immunity attracted us. Rapid Novor has built a team of world-class scientists and practitioners in proteomics and bioinformatics. Their unique technologies will have profound impact in the life sciences industry. We are thrilled to be part of this innovative team. Eric Wen, Partner, Co-Win Venture

Ma says his team has already developed a sensitive, non-invasive blood test to monitor patients with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer growing in bone marrow. The test detects a cancer relapse six months earlier than standard medical care.
The UK government is poised to put more countries on its quarantine list "straight away" if coronavirus runs "out of control" in them.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told Sky News more announcements could follow the decision to advise against all non-essential trips to Spain over the weekend due to fears over rising levels of COVID-19.

"It would be foolhardy of the government not to impose those restrictions if we think there is a risk and we will impose those restrictions as soon as we think the risk has materialised," he said.

"We cannot risk importing it again from other countries where incidences are rising."

Mr Dowden added the decision to announce any new restrictions will be taken after an assessment by the Joint Biosecurity Centre - set up at the start of the outbreak - and England's chief medical officer.

"We are at a very risky moment with this pandemic," he said.

"So long as you're aware of that risk and comfortable with that risk, go ahead and take your break."

But he added: "If we know that risk is there we will impose those restrictions straight away."

Belgium, Luxembourg and Croatia are being looked at by ministers given the rates of coronavirus there, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Mr Dowden would not say which countries could be next on the quarantine list, but confirmed those where the virus is "rising rapidly" and there is a risk of Britons "coming back in numbers" from are of most concern.

Madrid has been lobbying for the UK to make regional exemptions for travellers from areas with much lower levels of coronavirus - such as Balearic and Canary islands.

A minister revealed on Tuesday the plan is under consideration but cautioned "we are not there yet".

Jose Ramon Bauza, a former president of the Balearic islands, said he "doesn't understand the decision of the British government" to change its travel advice on Spain.

"Of course we had some vacuums of coronavirus in Spain but most of the regions are absolutely low numbers, including better than Britain," he told Sky News.

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"I can assure you that being here in the Balearics is absolutely safe - it's as safe as any other place in Europe."

Travel firms have been hit hard by the UK's decision, with Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary calling it a "badly-managed overreaction" and TUI extending holiday cancellations until 4 August.

Meanwhile, New Zealand is reportedly planning to start charging tourists up to $3100 (A1,591) for the cost of their stay in hotel rooms where anyone arriving must quarantine.

And holiday operator Jet2 says it has "taken the decision to suspend flights and holidays to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza up to and including 9 August".

The company said it had already suspended flights and holidays to Costa de Almeria, Alicante, Malaga and Murcia up to and including 16 August, and said its staff will be contacting customers already in those locations "to advise them of their options regarding flying back to the UK" and urged customers not to contact them.

People due to travel to these destinations with Jet2 after the dates above will be updated "once we receive more information from the government", the operator added.
Kim Sung-min, right, chief human resources officer at LG Chem, poses with Yoon Sung-roh, associate dean of the College of Engineering at Seoul National University after signing a partnership for digital transformation at the latter's headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of LG Chem



By Baek Byung-yeul



LG Chem has forged a partnership with Seoul National University (SNU) to speed up its digital transformation, the company said Wednesday.



"To become a leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, LG Chem signed an agreement with Seoul National University on Wednesday to jointly conduct research and development activities in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI)," the company said.



Under the agreement, the two sides will establish the LG Chem-SNU DX Industry-University Coordination Center at the school's College of Engineering.



At the center, the company will offer a digital transformation education program for LG Chem employees. It will begin operations next month.



"We are aiming to enhance our digital transformation capability by nurturing talented individuals who can develop products using core Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as AI and big data," an LG Chem official said.



The two entities will also jointly discuss where they will apply the latest technologies such as deep learning and data mining to business operations of LG Chem. In addition, they will operate a scholarship program for graduate and doctoral students at the school to nurture talented individuals in the digital technology sector.



"LG Chem has been focusing on improving its digital capability to keep in line with global tech trends," Kim Sung-min, chief human resources officer at LG Chem, said. "With this partnership, we will establish a digital ecosystem."



Park Jin-yong, head of LG Chem's digital transformation division, said the company is increasingly applying these emerging technologies to its product development processes and the LG Chem-SNU partnership will solidify that effort further.



"Ranging from material informatics process and optimization of manufacturing process to new drug development, LG Chem has been expanding the use of machine learning technology-based analytics and optimization technology in our business," Park said. "The partnership will be meaningful as the two will co-develop problem-solving methods using the latest technologies."



"Achieving digital transformation has become essential for not only manufacturing business but also other industry sectors," said Char Kook-heon, dean of the College of Engineering at Seoul National University.



"The partnership between Seoul National University and LG Chem is meaningful as they paved the way for the development of digital technology and can contribute to the development of the country's economy."


The U.S. commander in chief spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone last week, but he did not raise the issue of claims that Russia has offered the Taliban bounties to kill American service members in Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump told Axios in an interview that will air on HBO that he has never spoken to Putin about reports alleging Russian bounties might be connected to the deaths of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, possibly including three Marines killed there in April 2019.

The July 23 phone call with Putin, Trump said, was "to discuss other things."

Read Next: Lawmakers Grill Guard Officer on Claims Police Used Excessive Force on DC Protesters

"A lot of people said it's a fake issue," Trump said of the reports about bounties. "We had a call talking about nuclear proliferation, which is a very big subject where [Russia] would like to do something and so do I."

The New York Times first reported in June that U.S. intelligence officers and special operators in Afghanistan warned their superiors earlier this year of a suspected Russian plot to pay members of the Taliban bounties to kill American troops. Several other media outlets confirmed the reporting from the Times, and the paper in a follow-up story reported that U.S. officials are investigating whether a Russian bounty was connected to the car bombing that killed Marine Staff Sgts. Benjamin Hines and Christopher Slutman, along with Sgt. Robert Hendriks.

That intelligence, Trump said, never reached his desk because "they didn't think it was real."

"If it reached my desk, I would've done something about it," he said. "It never reached my desk."

Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters July 21 that the Defense Department has not found corroborating evidence of a bounty program between Russia and the Taliban.

"Therefore, we do not have any proper evidence that indicates that there were any victims of an alleged bounty program," Hoffman said. "... We're going to continue to examine any information that comes in on this."

Now-retired Army Gen. John Nicholson, who commanded U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said in 2017 that Russia's actions in Afghanistan were complicating the situation there. Nicholson also said the Defense Department was getting reports of Russia sending weapons and supplies to insurgents.

Axios asked why that alone wasn't enough reason for Trump to confront Putin about Russia's actions in Afghanistan.

"We did that, too," Trump said of sending weapons during the 1980s Soviet War in Afghanistan. "I didn't ask Nicholson about that. He was [in Afghanistan] for a long time. He didn't have great success because he was there before me and then, ultimately, I made a change."

Trump did not answer a question from Axios about whether he himself believed the reports about the bounties.

"You know what's interesting? No one ever brings up China," he said. "It's always Russia, Russia, Russia."

Russia, Trump added, doesn't want anything to do with Afghanistan.

"Russia used to be a thing called the Soviet Union. Because of Afghanistan, they went bankrupt, they became Russia, just so you do understand," he said. "The last thing Russia wants to do is get too involved in Afghanistan.

"They tried that once. It didn't work out."

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Related: Lawmakers Want Hearings on Claims Russia Set Bounties on Deployed US Troops
A 29-year-old Rohingyaman was on Wednesday arrested here on the charge of impersonating as an Indian and illegally procuring a voter ID card and Aadhaar card and other ID proofs to get welfare benefits, police said.

The accused paid money to a local person, who works at an online service outlet here, and illegally got the documents by suppressing his personal details and original nationality, a press release from the Hyderabad police said.

The Rohingya man migrated to India in 2009 from Bangladesh after crossing over from Myanmar and stayed in Jammu and Kashmir, the release said. Later in 2011, he shifted to Hyderabad and enrolled with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and also possessed the UNHCR card and is currently working as a labourer, police said.

On the modus operandi of the accused, the police said he claimed to be an Indian citizen to the authorities concernedandhe first obtained voter card. Then he procured aadhaar card and other ID proofs, the police said. Further, he claimed all welfare benefit introduced by government for poor Indians.

Police seized the voter ID and aadhaar card besides the UNHCR card from the possession of the accused.
As South Africa's travel and tourism sector contemplates the future, it's clear that the country will need to appeal to intrepid, adventurous and more socially- and environmentally-conscious travellers - with the 18-34 category at the heart of its post-Covid recovery.

The changing face of youth travel

Its no surprise that youth travel is on the rise. Travel allows young people the opportunity to spread their wings, gain confidence, meet new people, learn new languages, explore different cultures and develop an entirely new outlook on the world. Theyre a formidable group  with money in their pocket.

Tourisms protracted lockdown: the grim reality

58 of many

The challenge now is to look for opportunity among the ashes. To improve and innovate. Lets consider new travel options, including long-term visas for students, digital nomads and interns. Or implement visas on arrival for more countries  with an e-visa system for our top 15 source markets.

Appealing to the 18-35 market

The youth market is far more nuanced. While it does tend to focus on affordable tourism products, it is, in fact, part of the travel mainstream and should not be consigned to the periphery.

The World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) predicts that younger travellers in the 18-35 age group, who appear to be less vulnerable to Covid-19, will be among the first to begin travelling once again.In truth, this group has been flexing their travel muscle for years. According to the South African Tourism 2019 Annual Report, six out of 10 international tourists visiting South Africa in 2019 were below the age of 34 years. With 10.2 million international visitors recorded last year, close to six million fall into the youth category.The domestic report portrays a slightly different picture, with the 18-34 age group accounting for 45.5% of domestic holiday-makers. This is still a significant number  and a group which cant be ignored.Research by WYSE Travel Confederation and UNWTO indicated that the total value of the international youth travel market was almost $190bn in 2009. By 2018, that figure had risen to more than $333bn. Significantly, young people often take much longer trips than most other tourists (52 days was the global average in 2017) and they are spending more on average too  often in local communities, which means they have a more direct and positive economic impact on the communities they visit.Yes, young people are setting off in their numbers and a 2019 study by booking.com shows that their travelling behaviour is becoming more and more conscious, with the majority of millennial and Gen Z travellers looking for sustainable experiences to offset their trip, places to stay that reduce their plastic usage and experiences that contribute to their sustainability credentials.The survey of 163 million verified guest reviews and 21,500 global travellers across 29 countries found that young travellers want to broaden their knowledge, enrich their lives (and those around them) and that single-use plastics will continue to be a hot topic, environmental concerns will turn into greater environmental action; and that travellers will want to add more purpose to their trips by learning life skills or giving back to locals through volunteering.South Africa is well-positioned to take advantage of this trend, indeed a 2020 survey by Tourlane places Cape Town among the best cities worldwide for an eco-friendly getaway.But will South Africas travel and tourism survive long enough to take advantage?Unfortunately, with domestic leisure travel still prohibited under alert Level 3 restrictions and international travel looking increasingly unlikely until 2021, the outlook for South Africas travel and tourism sector remains bleak.Its all well and good to promote youth travel, but will South Africas youth travel offerings and establishments survive?A recent survey undertaken by Satsas Youth Chapter polled various organisations across South Africa (including tour operators, guides, accommodation establishments, language schools, volunteer organisations, international intern bodies and attractions) to gauge the ability of South Africas youth travel market to withstand a protracted lockdown.The 58 participating enterprises (with an average number of 18 employees per company) give a stark snapshot of the current situation.Although one in four respondents remain hopeful that they will not close down completely, many remain unsure  with 44.2% indicating that they will be forced to close between July (10.2%), August (6.8%), September (6,8%), October (8,5%), November (6.8%) and December (5.1%) if the situation does not change. Critically, 60% of the respondents rely on inbound travel, which generates over 91% of the revenue (R505m).And while opening the borders will certainly help, the industry faces challenges around sentiment (how well has the Covid-19 pandemic been handled in South Africa? Is it safe to travel?), seasonality (if borders dont open by September 2020, the country will miss prime season between November and February) and the cost of air travel  another major consideration for youth travellers.Barriers to travel, opening dates and access to funding are all important considerations  and time is of the essence. If we can get inbound tourism up and running as soon as possible and get access to funding with reasonable terms in place, many more businesses would be able to survive.Recovery requires an overhaul of current systems and thinking, with a willingness and appetite for change.Its dangerous (and pointless), to make broad assumptions when looking at the youth market. Its not helpful to label all youth travellers as millennials, for example, or perpetuate the view that youth travellers are the preserve of the budget or backpacker segment.As Jabulani Debedu, senior consultant with advisory firm BDO South Africa, stated in their Youth Travel report published in August last year:Skifts millennial and Gen Z Traveller 2019 survey goes even further, dividing the category into young Gen Z (16-18); old Gen Z (19-22); young millennials (23-30); and old millennials (31-38).The groups share commonalities (for example, they prioritise experiences and are tech-savvy) but, once again, there are nuances at play. Young millennials have more in common with old Gen Zs than with their older counterparts. Each group has different priorities and are at different stages in their lives (with young Gen Zs just finding their feet), they consume and use social media differently (Instagram vs Facebook), use technology differently (smartphone vs other devices)  and travel differently.In other words, any travel agent, operator or establishment looking to attract the youth travel market, needs to offer solutions that cater to the different needs and preferences of a dynamic group of travellers, including a strong social media presence, optimised website, simple (and fast) online booking solutions, interesting and unique holiday packages, competitive prices  and a youth-focused offering appealing to social-and-environmentally conscious travellers.When South Africa emerges from this crisis, survival will depend on how quickly international (inbound) visitors can and will return to our shores  and the numbers involved. The opportunity exists in sustainable trips; volunteer tourism; reducing red tape and regulations for digital nomads; different and unusual accommodation options; and unbeatable experiences. We just need to make it the other side.
BETHESDA, Md., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 14, 2020, IMB Partners ("IMB") made a growth equity investment in Ashburn Consulting LLC ("Ashburn"), a leading Northern Virginia-based information technology consulting firm that specializes in providing network engineering and cybersecurity solutions to federal, state and local governments and commercial clients. The investment commences a long-term partnership between IMB and Ashburn.

Ashburn, founded in 2002, provides superior, vendor agnostic engineering and IT architecture solutions and is highly experienced in infrastructure design, development, implementation, and on-going support. The company's capabilities address the full lifecycle of network and security engineering support needs, which results in Ashburn becoming an embedded, long-term partner for its clients.

CEO of IMB Partners Tarrus Richardson says: "We are excited about our new partnership with Ashburn. It is an outstanding company with a great management team that has experienced significant growth given their subject matter expertise and exceptional client service. We look forward to supporting the company's future growth, which is underpinned by favorable sector tailwinds that include the increasing threat of cyber-attacks and rising demand for enhanced network infrastructures for remote workplaces."

Ashburn's founder and Chief Financial Officer, Sung Lewe, states: "We are proud of our successful history of providing critical services to key federal, state and local government agencies, corporate enterprises and educational institutions. IMB Partners' support will open new avenues for growth while allowing us to continue delivering the highest caliber, innovative solutions that meet our clients' network engineering, cybersecurity and broader IT needs."

The Ashburn investment expands IMB's presence in the government IT services sector and builds on its experience with e&e, a provider of quality IT services to government and corporate clients across Pennsylvania and Florida, which IMB acquired in 2014. S&T Bank, a commercial bank based in Indiana, Pennsylvania, recently refinanced e&e's debt in addition to providing the debt financing to support IMB's investment in Ashburn.

Richardson says, "The private equity markets have shifted since COVID-19, but we remain very active given the resiliency of electric and gas utility services and government contracting, IMB's focus sectors. We are excited about our partnerships with e&e and Ashburn and look forward to collaborating with their management teams to support their growth and continued focus on providing best-in-class client service."

About IMB Partners (Updated)

Founded in 2010, IMB Partners (IMB) is a private equity independent sponsor focused on making control acquisitions and partnering with management teams to grow lower middle market companies serving government agencies and electric and gas utilities. IMB believes that diversity is an advantage and is focused on building large minority-business enterprises (MBEs) of scale. IMB seeks platform investment targets with $5-$25 million in EBITDA and will go as low as $1 million in EBITDA for add-on investments. Learn more at imbpartners.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Karen Lewis, Going Public PR at (323) 424-9400 or [email protected]

SOURCE IMB Partners

Related Links

http://imbpartners.com


A snare (left) found in a Malaysian forest and a Malayan tiger caught on camera in 2010. (PHOTOS: WWF Malaysia)

SINGAPORE  Malaysias tigers could disappear within two years if the current trend is not reversed, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Preliminary results from Malaysias ongoing first national tiger census suggest that the population has plummeted to less than 200 tigers currently, from an estimated 500 in 2003, said WWF-Singapore spokesperson Janissa Ng.

This severe decline is largely a result of the snaring crisis across Southeast Asia that is decimating mammal populations in the region, Ng added. In stark contrast, thousands of Malayan tigers once roamed the entire peninsula from the border with Thailand down to Singapore, which saw its last wild tiger killed in the 1930s.

Malaysia was the first country to champion a global goal  known as Tx2  of doubling the world tiger population by 2022.

In conjunction with Global Tiger Day on Wednesday (29 July), here are facts about the worlds tiger population:

Malaysias tiger crisis

A member of an anti-poaching unit dismantling a snare, while another member shows off an old wire snare. Such traps often mean a slow, painful death for the animals indiscriminately caught in them. (PHOTOS: WWF Malaysia)

The deterioration of Malaysias tiger population comes at a time when the global tiger population has stabilised for the first time in a century.

One of Southeast Asias most important remaining tiger landscapes, Belum-Temengor in Malaysia, experienced a 50 per cent decline in tiger numbers from 2009-2018 largely due to widespread snaring, said WWF-Singapore in a report on 14 July concerning the regions snaring crisis.

The report highlighted how snaring is driven by urban demand for wildlife meat, which is often seen as a delicacy in the region. The practice affects more than 700 of the regions terrestrial mammal species, including the Asian elephant, saola (a type of bovine) and banteng.

Snares are also the principal threat to tigers in the region, and a major contributor to the fact they are now presumed extinct in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Without strong action, a snaring driven extinction wave could break across Asia, said Stuart Chapman, who leads the WWFs Tigers Alive Initiative, in the report.

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Such snares often mean a slow, painful death for the animals indiscriminately caught in them.

To curb the decline in Malayan tigers, the WWF has worked to strengthen its community efforts in tiger landscapes, advocated for effective forest management as well as stepped up efforts to monitor and safeguard tiger habitats against poachers.

Ng said, To do that, we work closely with the Orang Asli, indigenous people (members of WWFs anti-poaching teams) who conduct regular, systematic patrols to deactivate snares and reduce poaching rates we need to urgently step up conservation.

The good news

A snared tiger found by an anti-poaching unit. (PHOTO: WWF Malaysia)

Thanks in part to efforts made to achieve the Tx2 goal, wild tiger numbers around the world have increased to an estimated 3,890 as of April 2016, from about 3,200 in 2010.

Other milestones achieved:

Nepal became the first country to achieve zero tiger poaching in 2013. Its tiger population jumped from 121 in 2009 to 235 in 2018.

Tiger numbers in India rose from 1,706 in 2010 to 2,967 in 2019.

The tiger population in the Russian Far East grew from an all-time low of 50 to around 450.

A total of 67 tiger sites have been registered across seven countries, four of which have become fully accredited in Nepal, Russia and India.

Those looking to play a part in the WWFs tiger conservation efforts can refer to the Tiger Adoption website.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

PM Lee's nephew Li Shengwu fined $15,000 for contempt of court

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Cross-border financial transactions are a major headache for individuals and large companies alike, who often have to deal with long wait times and high fees in order to send money to recipients in other countries. EMQ, a Hong Kong-based startup that develops network infrastructure to make international payments faster, announced today that it has raised a $20 million Series B led by WI Harper Group.

EMQs technology is integrated by clients, including online banks, digital wallets, e-commerce settlement providers and licensed financial institutions, into their existing networks, making it easier for them to perform cross-border remittances.

The funding, which also included participation from AppWorks, Abu Dhabi Capital, DG Ventures, Intudo Ventures, VS Partners, January Capital, Hard Yaka, Vectr Fintech Partners, Quest Venture Partners and SparkLabs, will be used for expanding EMQs international business, product development and licensing in key markets. Its last funding was a $6.5 million Series A announced back in December 2017.

EMQ is already licensed in Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia, and is registered as a Money Service Business in Canada. It has also been accepted into the regulatory sandbox launched by Taiwans Financial Supervisory Commission to encourage innovation by financial tech companies.

The companys co-founder and chief executive officer Max Liu told TechCrunch that EMQ will focus on scaling its operations, especially for business remittances, in China, followed by India and Japan. EMQs tech is already used to process business payments in 80 countries.

Until recently, the majority of transactions facilitated by EMQ were between consumers. Then in May, the company launched its enterprise payment solution for companies. Liu said EMQ now expects business-to-business transactions to account for half of its gross transaction volume in 2021.

According to Juniper Research, cross-border B2B transactions are expected to exceed $218 trillion by 2022, up from $150 trillion in 2018, thanks in large part to the adoption of new technology. Other fintech companies that also provide tech, including APIs, for cross-border transactions, include Currencycloud, Payoneer and TransferWise.

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Liu said EMQs main selling point is that it is focused on building a flexible infrastructure that can handle a large range of use cases in different countries, including e-commerce, merchant settlement, procurement, remittance and payroll.

He added that EMQ can be integrated into a clients existing tech infrastructure with as little as two API calls. EMQ gives clients a fully functional sandbox environment, which mimics real transactions, and allows them to experiment with its tech and work with EMQs customer support team before it is formally deployed. Liu said it usually takes clients between two weeks to two months, depending on a companys size and requirements, to fully integrate EMQ into their business operations.

In a press statement about the investment, Edward Liu, a partner at WI Harper Group, said, "As digital transformation intensifies globally, enterprises today are increasingly international in scale and they will require a network infrastructure like EMQ with greater speed, more certainty, increased flexibility and transparency, to expand their business in Asia and beyond. We are excited to partner with the EMQ team to expand its market-leading position in cross-border business payments globally."
Australian scientists have named five newly-discovered fly species after characters in the the Marvel comic universe.

The flies pay tribute to Deadpool, Loki, Thor, Black Widow and comic book creator Stan Lee, partly due to their characteristic markings.

The Deadpool fly, for example, is an assassin with markings on its back that resembles Deadpool's red and black mask, while the Stan Lee is said to be similar in appearance to the late comic titan.

The flies were just five of 165 discoveries named by the scientists in the past year, which included two fish, three subspecies of bird, and a mite that lives on a lizard.

The newly named Deadpool fly (Humorolethalis sergius) is seen in this handout image supplied by the CSIRO. Deadpool fly is a species of Robber fly, which are assassins of the insect world

Deadpool fly (Humorolethalis sergius) has markings on its back that resemble Deadpools mask

'Naming a species is the first step to understanding that species,' said Dr Bryan Lessard, an entomologist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia.

'Without a scientific name, these species are invisible to science.'

Dr Bryan Lessard, who himself goes by superhero name 'Bry the Fly Guy' on social media is a fan of the Marvel universe and can be seen sporting Marvel apparel on his social media.

Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds as wise-cracking anti-hero Deadpool in the film of the same name

All five species have scientific names inspired by the character they honour and are robber flies, which are assassins of the insect world, according to CSIRO.

For wise-cracking anti-hero Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds for the big screen, CSIRO chose the name Humorolethalis sergius.

'It sounds like lethal humour and is derived from the Latin words humorosus, meaning wet or moist, and lethalis meaning dead,' Dr Lessard said.

Stan Lee's fly (Daptolestes leei). It's said to share the late comic book creator's characteristic glasses and moustache

Stan Lee co-created iconic superheroes like Spider-Man and The Hulk and died in November 2018

The Stan Lee fly, Daptolestes leei, appears to share the late comic book titan's characteristic sunglasses and white moustache.

The name honours Lee, the Marvel legend who revolutionised pop culture as the co-creator of many iconic superheroes, who died in 2018.

The other three are named for Marvel characters Loki, the 'God of Mischief', played by British actor Tom Hiddleston; Thor, the God of Thunder, played by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth; and the Russian spy Black Widow, who will appear in her own film later this year, played by Scarlett Johansson.

Black Widow's fly is Daptolestes feminategus, meaning woman wearing leather. Black Widow is an upcoming American superhero film set to be released this November

Russian spy Black Widow, which will appear in her own film later this year, played by Scarlett Johansson. The film's release has been postponed from May to November due to Covid-19

CSIRO bee and wasp expert Dr Juanita Rodriguez said naming new species is 'fun but vital science' to help understand differences between species.

'We discovered a new species of spider wasp that is only found in an area badly impacted by bushfires this summer, so now we can carefully monitor its recovery,' Dr Rodriguez said.

'Spider wasps have venom that could be useful for treating Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy.'

The newly named Loki's fly (Daptolestes illusiolautus) is seen in this handout image supplied by the CSIRO

Loki's fly (Daptolestes illusiolautus) translates as 'elegant deception' in reference to the Marvel character. The character is based on the Norse deity of the same name

See the resemblance? British actor Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the the 'God of Mischief', on the big screen

In total, CSIRO scientists named 151 new insects, including the five Marvel-themed flies.

With only a quarter of Australian insects known to science, the more species are named, the better we can understand their 'super powers', according to Dr Lessard.

'We named two new species of colourful soldier flies from recently burned national parks. These species are found nowhere else in the world,' he said.

Thor's fly, with the species name Daptolestes bronteflavus, which translates as 'blond thunder'

Thor, the God of Thunder, seen here being portrayed by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth

'Soldier flies have an important role in nature as nutrient recyclers.

'Losing such species could have knock-on effects in ecosystems and food chains.

'We are interested in identifying new insect species that might be useful pollinators, nutrient recyclers or the next food source to support the agricultural sector.'

The government agency also named eight new plants, including two species of Lobelia from Queensland  one vulnerable and one endangered  and two new fish, the Smallfin Eucla Cod and Roberts Eucla Cod.

Both these fish were collected several decades ago and stored at the Australian National Fish Collection in Hobart and prevviously only one species of Eucla cod was known to exist.

It also named one new mite that lives on a lizard and three new subspecies of bird, including the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo and two Rufous Grasswren subspecies.

A male of the new soldier fly species Microchrysa wrightae. CSIRO named two new species of these colourful soldier flies from recently burned national parks

The side view and face of the new spider wasp species Epipompilus namadgi, collected before the 2019-20 bushfires in the ACT burned through their habitat
The New York Times

Mars is the darling of many planetary scientists, who continue to visit it through increasingly advanced robotic explorers. But dont forget that our planetary neighbor is adorned with two moons: puny Phobos, a lumpy mass 17 miles across; and diminutive Deimos, just 9 miles long. Their names in ancient Greek may mean fear and dread, but the aesthetics of these Lilliputian space potatoes inspire anything but.

They dont look anywhere near as interesting as the volcanic or icy-ocean moons of Jupiter and Saturn, nor is their desolation as extreme or diverse as Earths moon. But that hasnt stopped generations of planetary scientists from being eager to get a closer look at the ramshackle duo.

The Soviet Union and, later, Russia have tried three times to reach Phobos, but software errors and launch disasters have doomed every attempt. U.S. scientists have tried and, so far, failed to convince the powers-that-be at NASA that a mission to the two moons will be worthwhile. The next great hope is Japan, which is aiming to launch a heist mission to Phobos in 2024 that will try to steal some of its rocks.

Whats all the fuss about? For many, the desire to visit Phobos and Deimos was galvanized by their deeply mysterious nature.

Theyre super weird, confusing and interesting, said Abigail Fraeman, a planetary scientist studying Mars, Phobos and Deimos at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

We dont know where the moons came from because they look like asteroids foreign to the red planet but behave like byproducts of Mars early, impact-laden history. And if that Japanese mission manages to grab some samples and decode the chemistry of the mangled moons, we might be able to discover their origins. In doing so, we wont just gain a better understanding of Mars ancient past. We will also be able to peer back in time to the chaos that shaped the early solar system.

Much of what we know about Phobos and Deimos comes from serendipitous observations. Rovers on the surface as well as mechanical eyes orbiting Mars are sometimes in the right place to angle their cameras and snap shots of the two moons. Phobos, being larger and closer to Mars, can be seen in greater detail: a misshapen mess scarred by a large crater and multiple grooves that look like they were made by a cosmic cats claws.

Remote observations of their surfaces havent revealed any standout mineral features or textures that could definitively detail the moons overall compositions and, ultimately, their origins, said Laura Kerber, the Mars Odyssey spacecrafts deputy project scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

They check all of the boxes that are consistent with them being these captured asteroids, said Fraeman  rubbly patchworks that drifted too close to Mars long ago and became trapped in the planets orbit.

But both moons orbit the equator in a neat-and-tidy circular fashion, which suggests they coalesced from a disk of debris that danced around a young Mars. Its difficult to capture an asteroid and have it wind up in this beautiful, symmetric, circular orbit, said Jeffrey Plaut, the project scientist for the Mars Odyssey mission.

Mars, having one-tenth of Earths mass, has a relatively weak gravitational pull, so it seems improbable that it would be able to capture asteroids zipping by, said Tomohiro Usui, a robotic planetary exploration expert at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. But if they formed from a debris disk launched up from Mars after a colossal impact, Deimos should be orbiting closer to Mars than it is today.

Reconciling their appearances with their orbits is difficult.

They just shouldnt exist, Fraeman said. They dont make any sense.

Cast as siblings, both moons may not even have the same origin story.

In less than 100 million years, said Matija Cuk, a research scientist at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, Phobos will get so close to Mars that its gravity will tear the moon apart, transforming into a beautiful system of rings.

It wont be the first time, some scientists say. Recent calculations suggest that Phobos was once 20 times more massive. But, as one hypothesis goes, it drifted toward Mars and shattered into ring material, much of it raining onto Mars. The remaining ring material clumped together into a new, smaller Phobos. This cycle has repeated several times over billions of years, with Phobos shrinking with every completed cycle.

Although made of ancient matter, the Phobos we see today may have been assembled just 200 million years ago. If it were confirmed that Phobos is a haphazardly clumped-together mass, it would be a revelation, suggesting planets with rings are the norm for our solar system.

Tiny Deimos, on the other hand, may have remained intact for 3.5 billion years. It is on track to eventually escape Mars entirely, Usui says, to wander elsewhere in the void.

NASAs Perseverance rover, launching Thursday, is the first stage of a protracted series of missions to bring pristine samples of Mars back to Earth for study. Mars atmosphere, ancient volcanism and flowing water has eroded away many of the planets earliest rocks. But if Phobos is made of Martian flotsam from a massive impact shortly after the planets birth, then the moon has retained the earliest memories of Mars.

Many theories suggest the terrestrial planets, including the Earth, formed dry, and water was delivered by icy meteorites that were scattered inward, Usui said. If the moons are captured asteroids, they are evidence of this process in action and their composition shows what materials were delivered to the early Earth.

Meteors crashing into Mars could have coated Phobos in a fine layer of Martian dust sourced from all over the planet. This matter may be both very young and extremely old, and grabbing some of it will help scientists unpack how Mars may have progressed from a habitable world to an uninhabitable one, Usui said.

With one successful (albeit problem-riddled) asteroid sample-return mission under its belt and another speeding back to Earth with more asteroid matter, the Japanese space agency has a fairly good track record at snatching up space rocks, Fraeman said. Hopes are understandably high for Japans Martian Moons eXploration, or MMX mission, which will arrive at Mars in 2025.

Should it be successful, these huge planetary science questions may finally have clear answers. We will come to see not just Mars, but also Earth, in a new light.

To me, thats really cool, Fraeman said.

Robin George Andrews. c.2020 The New York Times Company
The logo of Sanofi is seen at the company's research and production centre in Vitry-sur-Seine, France, August 6, 2019.

Sanofi raised its 2020 earnings forecast on Wednesday after its second-quarter results were boosted by cost cuts and the sale of most of its 20.6% stake in U.S. company Regeneron, although revenue was hit by the coronavirus crisis.

The French drugmaker said it was now targeting earnings per share growth of 6-7% this year, up from 5%.

The company, which is working on two vaccines aimed at preventing COVID-19, also said it had struck a deal to supply up to 60 million doses of a potential vaccine being developed with GlaxoSmithKline to Britain.

Sanofi announced a new strategy in December, and is shifting from a generalist pharmaceutical company to a leaner business centered around vaccines, rare diseases and oncology.

The company has ended diabetes and cardiovascular research and is boosting its internal pipeline of drugs, aiming to make savings and deliver a strong increase in profits by 2022.

Second-quarter net income was up 5.6% at constant exchange rates to 1.6 billion euros ($1.9 billion). Sanofi achieved 990 million euros of cost cuts in the first half and made $11.7 billion in May from selling shares in Regeneron. The money is expected to be spent on innovation and bolt-on acquisitions.

Revenue, however, was down 3.4% in the quarter at 8.2 billion euros. Sales of vaccines were down 6.8% as coronavirus lockdowns hit international travel.

Sales at Sanofi's consumer healthcare business also fell down 8% after a jump in the first quarter when buyers stocked up on painkillers as the pandemic took hold.
Pregnant Black and Hispanic women five times more likely to be exposed to coronavirus

PHILADELPHIA -- Black and Hispanic pregnant women in Philadelphia are five times as likely as white and Asian women to have been exposed to the novel coronavirus, according to a new study led by Scott Hensley, PhD, an associate professor of Microbiology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Karen Marie Puopolo, MD, PhD, an associate professor of Pediatrics and neonatologist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The study was published today in Science Immunology.

"Pregnant women are fairly representative of community exposure, and these data provide more evidence, on top of what we already know with COVID-19, that health and socio-economic equity are inextricably linked," Hensley said, "Hopefully, this will help lead to policies that address these inequities."

The research team measured levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to estimate rates of exposure to the novel coronavirus in pregnant women cared for at two Philadelphia hospitals. They found that, overall, 6.2 percent of these women possessed antibodies to the virus, but with significant variation across racial and ethnic groups -- 9.7 percent in Black women, 10.4 percent in Hispanic/Latina women, 2.0 percent in White/Non-Hispanic women, and 0.9 percent in Asian women.

Researchers said these data can inform clinical practice and care for pregnant women during the coronavirus pandemic, and be used to better understand the prevalence of the virus in the community, and how socio-economic factors and inequities may affect its spread.

"Identifying the disparity in virus exposure will ideally help lead to the discovery of what is causing these differences, including factors rooted in systemic racism, and inform public health measures aimed at preventing further infections," Puopolo said.

As of June 2020 - the time period encompassed in this study - there were 23,160 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city of Philadelphia, which has a population size of nearly 1.6 million people. This suggests an infection rate of approximately 1.4 percent, which is more than 4 times lower than the estimates based on the research team's serological data.

Researchers analyzed 1,293 women who gave birth between April and June at Pennsylvania Hospital and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, which combined represent 50 percent of live births during that time in Philadelphia. The research team's serological test utilized a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain antigen and a modified ELISA protocol. Researchers used samples stored at the Penn Medicine Biobank collected from 834 people prior to the pandemic and 31 people who recovered from known Covid-19 infections to test the efficacy of their antibody test. The researchers also tested samples from 140 pregnant women collected before the pandemic. Based on these data, the overall false positive rate is ~1.0 percent in the serological assay used for this study.

The researchers caution that the clinical meaning of the detected antibody remains unknown. Additionally, estimates of virus prevalence need to be interpreted carefully until studies directly comparing pregnant women and the general population are completed.

###

Additional authors from Penn and CHOP include Dustin D. Flannery, Sigrid Gouma, Miren B. Dhudasia, Sagori Mukhopadhyay, Madeline R. Pfeifer, Emily C. Woodford, Jeffrey S. Gerber, Claudia P. Arevalo, Marcus J. Bolton, Madison E. Weirick, Eileen C. Goodwin, Elizabeth M. Anderson, Allison R. Greenplate, Justin Kim, Nicholas Han, Ajinkya Pattekar, Jeanette Dougherty, Oliva Kuthuru, Divij Mathew, Amy E. Baxter, Laura A. Vella, JoEllen Weaver, Anurag Verma, Rita Leite, Jeffrey S. Morris, Daniel J. Rader, Michal A. Elovitz, and E. John Wherry.

This work was supported by institutional funds from the University of Pennsylvania (AI082630) and National Institutes of Health grants (UL1TR001878). The study was also generously supported by Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Philadelphia 76ers star player Joel Embiid, and co-managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer. E.J.W. is supported by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, which supports the cancer immunology program at Penn.

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $8.6 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for more than 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $494 million awarded in the 2019 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center--which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report--Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; and Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.

Penn Medicine is powered by a talented and dedicated workforce of more than 43,900 people. The organization also has alliances with top community health systems across both Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, creating more options for patients no matter where they live.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2019, Penn Medicine provided more than $583 million to benefit our community.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 06:14:28|Editor: huaxia

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ABUJA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian police authorities on Wednesday confirmed four policemen were shot dead in a suspected robbery attack in the country's southeastern state of Ebonyi.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon along the Enugu-Abakaliki federal highway, said state police chief Philip Maku, adding that one policeman and a civilian were wounded.

Six others escaped unhurt when the suspected armed robbers targeted a bullion van belonging to a local commercial bank, Maku said.

The victims of the attack, including the civilians identified as bank staff, were escorting the bullion van when the gunmen ambushed them.

"The armed robbers shot at the escort vehicle when, perhaps, it became apparent that they could not divert the bullion van," said the police official.

No arrest has been made so far, he said, adding there was an indication that the armed robbers retreated to an unknown hideout. Enditem
PLA's first field modular camping and supporting system puts into use

PLA Daily

Source: China Military Online

Editor: Li Jiayao

2020-07-28 21:01:08

By Lai Yuhong and Jing Bin

BEIJING, July 28  Recently, the first modular camping and supporting system, which was piloted by the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), has passed the procedure of evaluation and been officially distributed to the military.

The system provides various modules that can be quickly-assembled into a field camp, which includes tent, container, steel-structured house, and combination modules. According to the characteristics of specific tasks and environmental conditions, the troops can carry out flexible insertion and assembly, so as to facilitate quick maneuver capability and better support for the troops.

As a mature industrialized product, the inflatable tent of the system is lightweight, simple in structure, and quick to open, which can be flexibly put together and be integrated with multiple functional modules including commanding, accommodation, conference, storage, dining, bathroom, and air conditioning. A field camp can be quickly set up in a short time based on the system, which is able to provide integrated field camping support for a battalion-sized troop unit.

In order to meet the troops' needs in field camping to the maximum extent, the relevant departments under the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force have also made a number of improvements and innovations in the design of the supporting system, as shown by the integrated tap water equipment that could provide both domestic and direct drinking water for service members; and the mobile silent power station that makes use of advanced noise reduction technology.

It is reported that the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force will continue to cooperate with scientific research institutions such as the PLA Academy of Military Sciences to optimize and improve the system's functional modules, such as camouflage protection, anti-strike, and so on.

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Im telling you that this is going to accomplish what the president said with regard to getting us down to a lower number in Europe, and it meets those other objectives I outlined with regard to the strategic piece, Mr. Esper said.

Repositioning the troops will cost several billion dollars, he added. The withdrawal and shifting of forces is likely to take months, if not years.

Several hours later, Mr. Trump undermined his defense secretarys already shaky position.

Germany pays Russia billions of dollars a year for Energy, and we are supposed to protect Germany from Russia, he wrote on Twitter. Whats that all about? Also, Germany is very delinquent in their 2% fee to NATO. We are therefore moving some troops out of Germany!

About 5,600 troops leaving Germany will move elsewhere in Europe, including an F-16 fighter squadron to Italy and an armored unit that will return to the United States and start a rotational deployment in the Black Sea region. The militarys European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, will move to Mons, Belgium. The Africa Command headquarters, also in Germany, will probably move, although Defense Department officials did not name a location.

The shift of forces will reduce the American presence at some U.S. bases in Germany, but none are expected to close. The more remote town of Spangdahlem, where the F-16 jet squadron is based, depends on the American presence there and will experience economic fallout from the withdrawal.

It is a bitter day, the German politician Roger Lewentz told the public broadcaster SWR in Rhineland-Palatinate, the southwestern state where the Spangdahlem Air Base is home to about 4,000 U.S. Air Force personnel, many of whom are stationed there with their families. About 670 Germans are employed at the base, in one of the countrys economically weakest regions.

Unfortunately, this decision by the U.S. administration will mean the loss of German jobs, Mr. Lewentz said. The German employees didnt deserve this.
Five Rafale Jets Land in India Today, Heres How They Compare to Chinas J-20, Paks JF-17 - The first five of a batch of French Rafale fighter jets will touch down at Haryana's Ambala this afternoon after covering a distance of 7,000 km to join the Indian Air Force fleet. The three single-seat and two twin-seat aircraft will be inducted into the IAF as part of its No. 17 Squadron, also known as the Golden Arrows, massively boosting air power amid tensions with China and Pakistan. Here is a comparison of the Rafale with its equivalent in the PLA Air Force, the Chengdu J-20, and the China-made JF-17 used by Pakistan. Read Here

Cash-Strapped Modi Govt in No Position to Pay GST Dues to States - The Centre is said to have told a parliamentary panel that it may not be able to pay the states their share of goods and services tax (GST) compensation in the near future as tax collections have fallen due to the economic slump on account of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. Read Here

Pune Sees Surge in Covid-19 Cases Despite Lockdown, Becomes New Hotspot of India - Pune has slowly emerged as the new major coronavirus hotspot in Maharashtra, and India. The city reported 3,196 cases on July 26 - the highest number for any city in India on the day. This came just after the city was put under a strict 10-day lockdown from July 14 to July 23. The city has reported more cases than Mumbai, where a survey found 16% per cent of all residents had contracted coronavirus, for 14 successive days. Read Here

Sushant Singh Rajput's Father Alleges Rhea Chakraborty Got Him Treated By 'Conniving' Doctors - In a surprising twist in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, the late actors father has lodged a police complaint against his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide. Rajputs father has alleged that Chakraborty got the actor treated by some "conniving" doctors for mental illness and has also asked police to probe if Rs 15 crore in a bank account held by Rajput was transferred. Read Here

BJP wants Arundhati Roys Anti-National Speech Removed from Calicut University Syllabus - The BJP unit in Kerala has demanded the removal of author Arundhati Roys speech from a Calicut University textbook for the Bachelor of Arts (English) course, claiming that dissent is brewing among academics and the general public against the inclusion of this speech, which is anti-national. Read Here

Alien DNA, Half Humans: What a Doctor Praised by Trump Said About Covid-19, Demons - US President Donald Trump has praised as spectacular a doctor who wrongly dismissed the use of face masks to combat coronavirus and promoted hydroxychloroquine as a miracle cure. It turns out Stella Immanuel has a history of making particularly outlandish statements  alien DNA is used in medical treatments, gynecological problems are caused by people dreaming about having sex with demons, and the US government is run by "reptilians." Read Here
Donald Trump was not officially invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Yankees next month despite having announced so at a White House press briefing, according to a report by The New York Times.

Mr Trump told reporters last Thursday that he had been invited by the club's president to throw the opening pitch next month. Days later he cancelled the appearance, citing his busy schedule.

Randy Levine is a great friend of mine from the Yankees," Mr Trump said on Thursday. "And he asked me to throw out the first pitch, and I think Im doing that on 15 August at Yankee Stadium.

However, according to The New York Times, Mr Trump had not actually been invited on that day by the Yankees, one person familiar with the presidents schedule said, and the announcement was reported to have surprised Yankees officials and White House staff.

The president reportedly directed his aides to call Yankees officials and call in a longstanding offer from Mr Levine to throw out an opening pitch, but no date was ever finalised, the report said.

Days later Mr Trump officially cancelled the appearance after White House aides informed the team the president had a prior engagement, the paper reported.

According to the newspaper, an official familiar with his reaction said Mr Trump was frustrated at the amount of attention Dr Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, had received after accepting an offer to throw out the ceremonial pitch for the Washington Nationals.

The White House declined to comment when contacted by The Independent.

Mr Trumps announcement that he had accepted an offer from the Yankees came only hours before Dr Fauci was scheduled to throw the opening day pitch on the same day.

Dr Fauci tossed the ball for The Nationals on Thursday, but his throw was less than perfect and hit the grass and rolled short of the home plate, a mistake that he explained in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

Mr Trump and Dr Faucis relationship has become increasingly strained in recent weeks despite the doctor being one of the key members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

Recommended Dr Fauci explains why his Opening Day pitch missed the mark

Earlier this month in an interview with Fox News Mr Trump called Dr Fauci a little bit of an alarmist speaking of his attitude to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 147,000 Americans.

I consider myself more a realist than an alarmist," Dr Fauci told CNN in response to the comments.

The White House has also attempted to undermine Dr Fauci on a number of recent occasions, distributing statements the doctor made early in the pandemic to the media and reportedly refusing to let the doctor schedule certain television appearances.

When asked by The New York Times if he had any advice if Mr Trump were able to confirm a date with the Yankees, Dr Fauci said the president should be sure to throw high and with a big loft.

The worst thing to do is bounce it like I did, he said.


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The new margin norms, which kick in from August 1, 2020, are causing some apprehensions in the trading community. There could be initial technical issues because the brokers claim that they need software upgrades to implement. However, initial glitches apart, there could be a volume crunch that leads to long-term trends of lower valuations.

The essential difference is that traders will have to maintain, or pay their full margin upfront, for trades in the cash market. They will have to put the margin down even before they sell a stock. The earlier system, which is being phased out by ...
The trailer provides additional storage and transportation capacity and enables the food bank to source and distribute an additional 700,000 pounds (2.8 million servings) of healthy and nutritious product annually. Since March, the Food Bank has utilized the trailer to store 200,000 pounds of food, distribute more than 100,000 pounds, and pick up an estimated 60,000 pounds of product this year from local produce farmers.

The Perdue Foundation gift aligns with the company's "Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors" hunger relief initiative focused on providing access to nutritious protein for people struggling with hunger and making meaningful progress toward ending hunger. In January, the Perdue Foundation announced a $1 million donation to support 10 of its Feeding America-affiliated food bank partners in celebration of the company's 100th anniversary.

"At Perdue Farms, we're committed to doing all that we can to support the communities we call home, and value our ability to help address the issue of food insecurity," said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation. "We're proud that we can expand our partnership with the Food Bank of the Albemarle through this gift and improve their ability to help meet the needs of our neighbors, especially during this uncertain time."

Since 2017, Perdue Farms has donated more than 182,803 pounds - or the equivalent of 731,212 servings - of nutritious protein through its partnership with the Food Bank of the Albemarle.

About Food Bank of the Albemarle

The Mission of the Food Bank of the Albemarle is to fight hunger and poverty in our 15-county service area in northeast North Carolina. We are a regional clearinghouse for the collection and distribution of food and grocery items to 100 hunger-relief partners operating 145 unique programs. Food Bank of the Albemarle serves more than 235,573 individuals annually in Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties. For additional information about Food Bank of the Albemarle and the network of hunger-relief partners in northeastern North Carolina, visit www.afoodbank.org or call (252) 335-4035.

About the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation

The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture.



About Perdue Farms

We're a fourth-generation, family owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers and farmers through trusted choices in products and services. The PERDUE brand is the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the U.S., and the company is leader in organic chicken in the U.S., and Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company. Now in our centennial year, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey and pork, and in USDA-certified organic chicken. Learn more at corporate.perduefarms.com.

SOURCE Perdue Farms
Ghislaine Maxwell has today filed a last-minute attempt to stop the unsealing of bombshell court documents that could expose 'intrusive' details about her sex life.

The 58-year-olds legal team filed a letter on Wednesday to New York judge Loretta Preska asking her to reconsider unsealing Maxwells deposition from a defamation case against Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre.

They also requested to stop the deposition of a Jane Doe from being unsealed.

Maxwell's lawyers argued the depositions were confidential and under a protective order, and federal prosecutors in her sex trafficking case wrongfully got a hold of the documents and used them to form some of the charges against her.

They claim Maxwell was set up for a 'perjury trap', alleging Giuffre was 'privy to and participating in an ongoing criminal investigation' in 2015 and 2016 where Maxwell was a 'person of interest' in that case.

Maxwell's attorney Ty Gee writes that despite a court order that prevented Giuffre from handing over the deposition to law enforcement, the transcript was still leaked to New York prosecutors.

The reconsideration request comes a day before 80 sealed documents were set to be released, stemming from Judge Preska's ruling last week.

Meanwhile, Epstein victims are fearful that sex tapes and photos featuring them being abused could be described as part of the unsealed evidence and eventually shown in court during Maxwell's criminal trial, DailyMail.com can disclose.

Ghislaine Maxwell has today filed a last-minute attempt to stop the unsealing of bombshell court documents that could expose 'invasive' details about her sex life

Maxwell's lawyers argued the depositions were confidential and under a protective order, and federal prosecutors in her sex trafficking case wrongfully got a hold of the documents and used them to form some of the charges against her

Although the civil case is separate from the criminal proceedings against Maxwell, who is accused of procuring girls as young as 14 for Epstein to abuse, there is some overlap as one of the deposition files is linked to her perjury charge.

In the event the reconsideration request is denied, Maxwell's team asked for at least two business days to file an appeal to the Second Circuit court.

In the letter, Maxwell's lawyers included hundreds of pages of press clippings to show 'the widespread negative media publicity and speculation directed at Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell,' adding that unsealing Maxwell's deposition 'would result in substantial negative media publicity and speculation in an internet world.'

Maxwell's lawyer Gee wrote: 'The government had no ability legally to obtain the deposition transcripts.'

He added: 'Ms. Maxwells two deposition transcripts were designated Confidential and subject to the protection of the Protective Order. Both transcripts ended up in the hands of the government, which used them to bring an indictment against Ms. Maxwell, charging her with, among other things, perjury in her deposition testimony.

'This is a serious violation of the Protective Order, and merits the commencement of contempt proceedings.'

'We also write to seek reconsideration of the Courts July 23, 2020 ruling concluding that the transcripts of Ms. Maxwells April 2016 deposition and Doe 1s deposition should be unsealed in their entirety... There are new facts since Ms. Maxwell lodged her objections to the unsealing of the transcript of her deposition, and there is a need to correct clear error or prevent manifest injustice relating to the unsealing of the transcript.'

Epstein victims are fearful that sex tapes and photographs featuring them being abused could be described as part of the unsealed evidence and eventually shown in court during Maxwell's criminal trial, DailyMail.com can disclose. Pictured: Epstein survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre

As interest in Maxwell's case grows, Epstein victims are terrified that twisted sex tapes and photographs featuring them being abused could be shown in court during Maxwell's criminal trial.

High profile attorney Lisa Bloom, who represents six Epstein victims, says her clients are 'very concerned' and she hopes prosecutors will notify victims first if any footage of them is to be used in court.

'We know that the FBI got hundreds of photos a year ago, but what about the recordings, what about the videos? We know that Epstein did record a lot,' she said.

'Even with the news of the photos, my clients were very concerned, ''are their nude photos of me in the hands of the FBI right now?'', they are very concerned about that, 'do they show me underage in a sex act?'

'My clients want to know if there are any images that were retrieved from Epstein's home and that's still something that causes them a lot of anguish even now a year later.

'What's more, should any of this footage be presented in court we would like to be notified first if any of our clients are depicted.'

Another attorney, Florida based lawyer Spencer Kuvin, who also reps six Epstein victims, said his clients are 'incredibly embarrassed and upset' that footage could be aired in a courtroom.

'Any active prosecution that may involve video tapes or the fear of video tapes being utilized by the prosecution is going to bring about anxiety to my clients,' he said.

'Having said that my clients would want Ghislaine Maxwell to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, as well as any co-conspirators.'

High profile attorney Lisa Bloom, who represents six Epstein victims, says her clients are 'very concerned' about the footage

Of the six young women Kuvin reps in the Epstein case two were involved in the original case against the now deceased billionaire financier in 2007/2008. One of these women was in the probable cause affidavit, Kuvin says.

He told DailyMail.com: 'One of the things that my clients were worried about, even back then, was that there were cameras in Epstein's home in Palm Beach that recorded various different sex acts that they may have been involved in and they were incredibly embarrassed and upset as young women that they would be seen in these images and that they may be used in any prosecution.'

The attorney added: 'We would ask that if the federal government is in possession of any of this material that it be destroyed after the prosecution is complete.'

The upcoming release of the unsealed documents could include details about Maxwells sex life that her lawyers have previously tried to stop from being released, relating to a seven-hour, 418-page deposition Maxwell gave, which her legal team said was extremely personal, confidential.

They will also include communications between Maxwell and Epstein from January 2015 when Roberts made explosive allegations about them in court papers.

In the papers Roberts claimed she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times when she was just 17 at Epsteins command.

The case ruled on last Thursday was originally brought by Roberts, now a 36-year-old mother-of-three who lives in Australia and goes by her married name Virginia Giuffre.

The upcoming release of the unsealed documents could include details about Maxwells sex life that her lawyers have previously tried to stop from being released, relating to a seven-hour, 418-page deposition Maxwell gave, which her legal team said was extremely personal, confidential

She sued Maxwell in 2015 for defamation because Maxwell accused her of lying.

Roberts said in court filings that Maxwell recruited her and other girls into a sex trafficking ring for politically connected and financially powerful people.

The case was settled in 2017 for an undisclosed sum but media organizations sued for documents in the case to be made public.

Judge Loretta Preska ruled last week that 80 documents - which will run to hundreds of pages - should be made public by Thursday

During last week's hearing at Manhattans federal court, Judge Preska said Maxwells right to privacy was outweighed by the need for the documents to become public.

She went through the dozens of documents, which included Giuffre's depositions and various dull-sounding legal papers.

The contents however could be explosive and may contain fresh evidence against the wealthy elite who socialized with Epstein.

The lawsuit to release the documents was originally filed by the Miami Herald and their reporter Julie Brown, whose series on Epstein called Perversion of Justice in 2018 put renewed focus on the case and led to his arrest last July.

As a result there are thousands of pages of documents which are being released on a rolling basis.

Each time a persons name comes up they are notified and given the chance to make objections to their name becoming public.

There were two John Does in this latest batch but they did not make any complaints when approached to make any comments, according to court filings.

The Second Circuit had already ordered 2,000 pages of documents to be made public and they were released last August, the day before Epstein killed himself.

The documents included the unpublished manuscript of a memoir from Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts which detailed her years of abuse by him.

The documents will also include communications between Maxwell and Epstein from January 2015 when Virginia Roberts made explosive allegations about them in court papers. In the papers Roberts claimed that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew (pictured together) three times when she was 17 at Epsteins command

There were depositions from Epsteins pilots, his former associates and flight logs showing him traveling the globe with his victims and famous people such as Bill Clinton.

Among those who have taken an interest in the defamation case are lawyers for a John Doe who appears to be somebody who will be featured in the documents.

His identity is unclear but the powerful men who have been accused of involvement with Epstein include former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barack.

On Monday, Maxwell's legal team fought to have any incriminating nude photos and sexualized videos of Maxwell marked 'highly confidential' in her sex trafficking trial.

Prosecutors and Maxwell's lawyers are currently hammering out an agreement on how sensitive documents in the high-profile case should be handled before they hand over to each other the evidence they plan to use at trial.

The reference to videos appears in a proposed version of the agreement lodged by Maxwell's lawyers.

The proposed order says any 'Highly Confidential Information' either side plans to use in the case remains sealed and can only be viewed behind closed doors with lawyers present.

'Highly Confidential Information contains nude, partially-nude, or otherwise sexualized images, videos, or other depictions of individuals,' the court documents said.

The wording of the legal filing raises the prospect that the US Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York could be sitting on explicit photos and videos for their explosive case against Maxwell, the alleged madam to late billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
A man indicted on two sexual assault of a child charges in McLennan County was arrested Monday after a standoff with police in Fayette County, Ohio, officials said.

Police in Ohio arrested Darrel Wayne Patrick, 53, after shooting him with a beanbag round to dislodge a knife from his hand, according to a press release from the Fayette County Sheriff's Office. McLennan County detectives worked with officials in Ohio after learning Patrick had moved there, McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara said.

A McLennan County grand jury indicted Patrick in March on the two sexual assault of a child charges, but he had not previously been arrested on those charges. Patrick was initially arrested in September on a human trafficking charge involving a 26-year-old woman who told detectives Patrick had abused her 10 years earlier, officials reported at the time of his arrest.

When Fayette County deputies made contact with Patrick at a home there Monday, another resident came out but Patrick refused, according to the press release.
Hyderabad: Fired from her job in view of COVID-19 lockdown, a young woman techie here has taken to her family business of selling vegetables and received support from actor Sonu Sood, who offered her employment, and others.

A B.Tech in Computer Science, U Sharada did not lose heart after losing her job and started selling vegetables to support her family.

As her plight came to light, she started receiving support from several quarters, including start-ups, besides Sood, who has been reaching out to people hit hard by the lockdown and last week donated a tractor to a farmer's family in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

"My official met her. Interview done. Job letter already sent. Jai hind," the actor tweeted, in response to the request from a Twitter user to help Sharada.

"They (the company where she worked) said there is no project and we cannot pay salary. I had to take care of myself. There are many in our country... who are working hard for their survival. I had to work hard for my survival. Would anyone feed me if I don't work, she told PTI on Tuesday.

If I work hard, I can take care of myself and also help others, she said, recalling the tough times she faced after losing her job.

With the help of her elder brother, she got into the business of selling vegetables which her father had been carrying on for years.

Sood spoke to her on Monday and told her that a job offer was ready, she said.

Sharada said she has also received help and support from start-up firms and others and hasn't made up her mind yet and would choose the best job that comes her way.

The woman said she would like to give relief to her father, who is now 60 plus, by taking up a good job.

"As children, we need to work for them. At least then, they can relax," she said.

Sharada also said she hasbeen receiving many calls, from young and old alike, who felt motivated by her perseverance which makes her happy.

Sood, who has also acted in several Telugu blockbusters in villain roles, has helped a farmer in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh a few days ago by gifting a tractor to him after he saw a video of the farmers two daughters tilling a farm in place of oxen due to poverty.
The venture has been in the works for nearly a decade, photo Le Toan

In a recent meeting with the prime minister, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said that the committee is keeping its promise to allow the Lotte consortium to be appointed as the investor of the project without any proceeding auction.

However, according to Conclusion No.1041/TB-TTCP dated June 2019, by the Government Inspectorate, Lottes appointment by Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee does not comply with the current provisions of the Law on Bidding and the Law on Land. In addition, so far the land leasing expenses and taxes have not yet been collected from the investor.

At the end of 2019, the committee also released two official documents, No.4655/UBND-DA and No.5019/UBND-DA, to report the obstacles which are halting this project.

According to these documents, two solutions were proposed. The city could either both withdraw and reorganise the auction to choose new investors, or retain Lotte as the investor to implement the venture.

Most recently, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) issued document No.279/BKHDT-DTNN dated April 17, in which it analysed both advantages and disadvantages from both options.

According to the MPIs assessment and opinions collected from related authorities, the option of permitting Lotte to continue this project without an auction had more advantages than

the other. However, in order to keep Lotte involved, the MPI suggested the Prime Minister assigned the Government Inspectorate to review all outstanding issues in order to establish a solid foundation for the final decision.

Chairman Phong said that all related authorities have agreed that Lotte should be permitted to continue the project.

The Government Inspectorate, meanwhile, cited that the permission for Lotte must be based on legal documents and suggested to the MPI to apply Article 26 of the Law on Bidding which regulates the selection of investors in special cases.

Lotte initiated to build the eco-smart city on a five-hectare land plot in Thu Thiem Urban Development Area since 2009.

In 2013, a consortium of four of the groups South Korean affiliates (Lotte Asset Development, Lotte Shopping, Hotel Lotte, Lotte Engineering and Construction) and three other partners from Japan (Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Estate, and Toshiba Corporation) was set up to implement this project.

In 2015, Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee suggested to select this consortium to implement the project by granting it by investment appointment without an auction. This selection, according to the committee, was based on Article 4 of the Law on Bidding 2013, citing that a certain investor can be chosen if it is the only one registered for this project.

In 2016, the Lotte consortium advanced VND120 billion ($5.2 million) to implement this project.

In the same year, the three Japanese investors withdrew, and the consortium only consisted of the remaining four Lotte companies. From then on, the group was managed by Lotte Properties Ho Chi Minh City while the investment capital was also reduced to $900 million. The project, however, was halted by Ho Chi Minh City authorities for reviewing the process of choosing investment and resetting all procedures in accordance with the current laws on bidding and investment.
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A bunch of minority shareholders of Jaypee Infratech has moved the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to seek right compensation in the delisting process of the debt-ridden firm.

A three-member NCLAT bench has issued notices to NBCC, IDBI Bank and resolution professional of Jaypee Infratech as well as to the bourses NSE and BSE.

The appellate tribunal has directed to list the plea of minority shareholders for admission on August 17 along with another petition in the ongoing insolvency proceedings.

State-owned NBCC, which has got an approval from creditors and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to acquire Jaypee Infratech, has challenged some modification by the tribunal in its Resolution Plan' regarding payment to unclaimed Fixed Deposit Holders.

 waives and accepts notice on behalf of erstwhile Interim Resolution Professional Learned counsel for the Appellant shall provide a complete set of paper-book on Respondent No 1 (RP) within a week. Let notice be issued on rest of the Respondents, said NCLAT bench headed by Acting Chairperson Justice B L Bhat.

In their plea, the minority shareholders have asked for exit price at fair market value.

These shareholders have urged the appellate tribunal to either set aside or modify the order passed by the NCLT approving the resolution plan of NBCC on March 3, 2020.

"The impugned order dated March 3, 2020 passed by the adjudicating authority (NCLT) be set aside/quashed or suitably modified to protect the interests of the appellants herein being the minority shareholders of the company," said the petition filed through advocates Rohan Jaitely and Akshay Sharma.

The shareholders have also requested NCLAT to direct Respondent No 4 (BSE) and Respondent No 5 (NSE) not to delist the shares of the corporate debtor (Jaypee Infratech) till the appellants (minority shareholders) are adequately compensated by Respondent No 2 (NBCC).

They have also requested NCLAT to give directions to the resolution professional of the company and NBCC to "consider giving a fair market value of the equity shares" held by them.

According to them, Jaypee Infratech has adequate assets to take care of the liabilities and interests of all stakeholders, but the interest of the minority shareholders was "neglected" in the approved resolution plan.

As per the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code rules, they were not involved in the approval of the resolution plan.

However, it "does not empower the respondents to completely ignore the interest of the minority shareholders", the petition said.

The Delhi-based Principal bench of NCLT had on March 3 approved the NBCC plan to take over Jaypee Infratech and complete around 20,000 pending flats over the next three-and-a-half years.

As per the plan, the debt-laden firm will be delisted.

The petition by 30 minority shareholders said that as per the resolution plan, the entire share capital of Jaypee Infratech aggregating to Rs 1,388.99 crore would stand cancelled against a payment of Rs 1 crore and the complete ownership of the company would be transferred to NBCC by allotting all the shares for just Rs 120 crore.

"It is pertinent to mention here that the net worth of the corporate debtor (Jaypee Infratech) based on the fair value assessed by the valuer appointed by the resolution professional itself is Rs 8,257 crore," the petition said.

"NCLT failed to appreciate that NBCC is attempting to acquire the corporate debtor having a net worth of Rs 8,257 crore for a paltry sum of Rs 120 crore," it added.

In the present case, both the company and the minority shareholders are at a great loss, they said.

According to them, as per a valuation done by IIFCL on March 31, 2017, Jaypee Infratech's net realisable assets stood at Rs 20,277 crore and its net liabilities were Rs 9,900 crore. The amount required by the homebuyers is Rs 3,330 crore.

"As per the valuation done on March 31, 2017 out of the total paid-up equity share capital, there are approximately 139 crore shares out of which the minority shareholders are holding up to 25 crore shares and as per the above estimate and valuation, they should be given a minimum exit price of Rs 25-30 per share, which will not cost more than Rs 500-700 crore," the petition said.

Jaypee Infratech went into insolvency proceedings in August 2017.

In December last year, a committee of creditors (CoC) comprising 13 banks and around 21,000 homebuyers, approved the resolution plan of NBCC with 97.36 per cent votes in favour.

NBCC's proposal was approved by the lenders in the third round of the bidding process to find a buyer for Jaypee Infratech. In its bid, NBCC had proposed to complete over 20,000 pending flats in housing projects launched by Jaypee Infratech in Noida and Greater Noida.
Low-cost carrier SpiceJet has closed the full financial year 2019-20 with a net loss of Rs 935 crore as compared to a net loss of Rs 316 crore in the previous fiscal, impacted by COVID-19 pandemic and grounding of Boeing 737 MAX. For the January-March quarter of FY20, the carrier reported a net loss of Rs 807.1 crore as against net profit of Rs 56.28 crore in Q4 FY19, on weak demand, suspension of flight operations due to coronavirus outbreak.

SpiceJet, the country's second-largest airline in terms of domestic passengers, said that the net loss in FY20 includes a non-cash loss of Rs 697 crore due to forex loss on the restatement of lease liability due to Ind-AS 116. In Q4 FY20, the forex loss on the restatement of lease liability stood at Rs 473.4 crore.

The Gurgaon-headquartered airline saw its total revenue from operations growing by 35.6 per cent to Rs 12,358.64 crore from Rs 9,113.25 crore in FY19. During the March quarter, revenue from operations grew by 13 per cent to Rs 2,863.8 crore in Q4 FY20 against Rs 2,531.2 crore in Q4 FY19.

"FY20 posed multiple unprecedented challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the world-wide grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX which led to the overnight grounding of SpiceJet's MAX fleet," the airline said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Also Read: IndiGo Q1 results: Airline posts Rs 2,844 crore loss as coronavirus hits operations

The airline reported operating revenue of Rs 2,863.9 crore for the March quarter and Rs 12,358.6 crore for the fiscal 2020.

On EBITDA basis, loss was Rs 223.6 crore for the reported quarter and profit of Rs 1,273.9 crore for fiscal 2020. On Earnings before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation and Rent (EBITDAR) basis, the loss was Rs 90.9 crore for March quarter and profit of Rs 1,636.8 crore for the fiscal 2020.

Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said: "Two key factors that adversely impacted our performance and the bottom line was the COVID-19 pandemic that started affecting demand adversely from mid-February and grounding of the 737 MAX, which has been out of service for over a year now."

"Despite the year-long grounding of the MAX aircraft, SpiceJet ran a profitable operation till COVID hit to demand from mid?February. Indian and the global aviation industry are going through the toughest?ever phase in aviation history. We at SpiceJet have constantly adapted to the changing economic environment and I am happy that our cargo operations have performed very well. I am confident that things will only improve in the times to come. We remain cautious but optimistic about the future."

Ahead of Q4 result, SpiceJet shares rose 1.15 per cent to close at Rs 48.50 apiece on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Political defection occurs in two stages -- first, the abandonment of loyalty toward ones political party; second, the shifting of ones loyalty to another party. The victim party can invoke the disqualification threat at the first stage itself.

People say the anti-defection law has been a big failure. It is partly true. But, had there been no lawful threat of defectors losing elected office, the ruling party at the Centre could have lured at least 50 legislators in Rajasthan in no time and installed a BJP government. The anti-defection law, though a weak dam to stop a flood, can still stop small streams of defection. It is estimated that nearly half of the 4,000-odd legislators elected to Parliament and state Assemblies in the 1967 and 1971 general elections subsequently defected, leading to political turmoil in several states and at the national level. If that had continued, the foundations of our democracy would have been destroyed by now.

Luring party

When the ruling party becomes a luring party, engineered defections become the order of the day, which has been the case under the BJP regime since 2014 in states where it failed to win elections. Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh stand as recent proof of the abuse of power to topple state governments.

Sachin Pilots actions, words and meetings suggest that he is voluntarily giving up the membership of Congress, which made him MLA and deputy chief minister. The first part of defection is complete. Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, or the anti-defection law, starts operating against Pilot and his group of MLAs. There is no need to invoke the ground (b) for the Speaker to disqualify him as on today.

Paragraph 2 lists out two grounds for disqualification: (a) if he has voluntarily given up his membership of such political party; or (b) if he votes or abstains from voting in such House contrary to any direction issued by the political party. Note that there is or between clauses (a) and (b), not and, as some media reports said. If it was and, defectors like Pilot would have some more scope to fly. But the law is clear. The Speaker can examine his conduct and infer whether it amounts to voluntarily giving up his membership of such political party (Congress). If that is conclusively inferred, the Speaker need not investigate any further to disqualify him.

In law, debate, dissent and to differ from the opinion of a majority are all part of the freedom of speech and expression generally, as well as part of internal democracy in any political party. There is no democracy without dissent and difference of opinion, which is tolerated by the Constitution and the Tenth Schedule. What is prohibited by the Tenth Schedule is defection in express terms or by implication. Para 2(1)(a) prohibits the passive way of leaving the mother party; Para 2(1)(b) prohibits open defiance of party direction, or the party whip.

The lawmakers deliberately left out the expression resignation, because no elected member would prefer to lose his office, as he can retain it even after expulsion from the party. But the ruling partys legislature wing is empowered to compel the member to support the government under threat of losing that office. Hence, to curb the activities of members when they reach the stage of leaving the party, the expression incorporated is voluntarily giving up the membership of the party. The conduct and statements of Pilot are clear indications that he would topple his own partys government to fulfil his ambition to become CM with the support of non-Congress parties. It is subversion of the peoples verdict, which was emphatically against the BJP in the 2018 elections. Pilot has no runway left to take off.

The second stage -- of express defiance of a party direction -- is yet to happen in Rajasthan. Hence, any litigation contemplated against application of Para 2(1)(b) is premature. Pilot has no right to waste the courts time.

The Constitution did not mention political party though the entire democratic machinery depends on political parties. Nowhere did it even talk about the legislature party, until the Tenth Schedule was added in 1985 out of the sheer necessity created by the Scindias and Pilots of that time.

Ridiculously, Pilot has approached the courts at a premature stage on the ground of his freedom of speech, which was allegedly curbed by the anti-defection law. Its a case of res judicata (not to raise a decided case), as challenge to the anti-defection law on that ground was rejected by the Supreme Court in Kihoto Hollohan vs Zachillhu, in which the constitutionality of the law was unequivocally upheld. Lawyers are compelled to raise this ground on the instructions of clients, knowing full well that it would be rejected on the ground of res judicata at the threshold itself.

Pilot had no case to rush to the High Court to prevent the Speaker from acting on the Congress Legislature Partys petition. Judicial review is available to examine the order of the Speaker for violation of constitutional norms, principles of natural justice, mala fide or perversity. When there is no decision by the Speaker yet, what is there to be reviewed?

Courts presume an occurrence of defection when a legislator speaks against his party and meets the rival party leaders, indicating defection. If it is dissent without an element of defection, the Speaker has no grounds to disqualify the member. It was held in Rajendra Singh Rana vs Swamy Prasad Maurya that the date of disqualification is the date on which the act took place and not the date of the Speakers decision on it. In that case, the Speaker disqualified a legislator when he was part of the Opposition delegation to the Governor demanding dismissal of his partys government. That was res ipsa loquiter (the thing speaks for itself). The court said, no further evidence or enquiry is needed to find that their action comes within Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule. Pilots conduct is res ipsa loquiter and his case is hit by res judicata.

The engineers of defection were allegedly caught on tape, which exposes mala fide. It would be an attempt to commit illegal gratification under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

(The writer is a Professor of Constitutional Law and a former Central Information Commissioner)
New Zealand founders looking to raise venture capital face a raft of challenges, not least of which is physical distance from potential investors. What they do have in their favour is a generation of founders who are often willing to share their knowledge and organisations such as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) that are set up to help them follow the money.

NZTE investment managers Richard Campbell and Nadine Hill, together with Ambit CEO and co-founder Tim Warren, provided an introduction to the unique Kiwi VC scene during Techweek 2020. Their advice falls into five key areas for new founders to consider, noting New Zealand-specific considerations.

[ Keep up on the latest thought leadership, insights, how-to, and analysis on IT through Computerworlds newsletters. ]

1. Plan your capital raising from inception

Ambit, a company founded in 2016 which creates AI chatbots, has just completed its third capital raise, undertaken over the COVID-19 lockdown. It has raised around $1 million in this round and has, for the first time, brought on an international investor from Hong KongTwenty Seven Ventures. Ambit has previously raised $500,000 and $1.8 million and it is unlikely to stop there. Warren says he has planned for six rounds of VC funding, with a round taking place every 12 to18 months.

Its rare that companies just raise a bit of money once and then become something huge and wonderful. Ive just looked at what companies tend to do. Its a five-year horizonyoud cant forecast beyond that, he says.
Visitors try their hands at gilding ink sticks of the age-old brand Caosugong, while a representative of the company introduces its various products.[ China Daily]

Prowess and imagination go on display during World Youth Skills Day, Zhou Wenting reports in Shanghai.

The "plastic toys" looked good enough to eat. Two cartoon pandas, with squinting eyes, smiling faces and a friendly chubby appearance, proved to be a popular hit among visitors to a professional skills event in Shanghai earlier this month.

Maybe the "no touch" policy offered a clue as to their makeup.

Created by Pu Xiao, 28, these models were actually made out of fondant and designed to look like characters from the animated film Kung Fu Panda.

Pu is a pastry chef at a vocational school in Shanghai and she presented a cake featuring these panda models at an event celebrating World Youth Skills Day on July 15.

The event was held by the Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.

A child visitor learns how to maneuver a dragon shadow puppet at the event held in Shanghai. [China Daily]

Around 100 young people from districts around the city participated in the event, showcasing a variety of skills, from paper quilling (transforming strips of paper into decorative items) and traditional Chinese snack-making to more modern activities, such as those related to robotics and electronics.

The event was held as a prelude for the 2021 World Skills Competition, which will also take place in Shanghai.

Pu says the key to creating a vivid panda model lies in the facial expressions and the eyes.

"I referred to photos of pandas rather than cartoon images when making the models. A good piece of handiwork is a result of lengthy observation," says Pu, a teacher at the Shanghai Tangshishi Baking School.

Besides the cake, she also exhibited fondant flowers, which took her just two minutes to twist and fold into shape. Just like the pandas, Pu refers to real flowers before creating their fondant counterparts.

At an event celebrating World Youth Skills Day on July 15 in Shanghai, about 100 young people from the city's various districts display to visitors a variety of skills, such as (from left) making steamed stuffed buns, cocktail mixing and artistic carving of turnips and radishes. [China Daily]

The creativity is due to a greater emphasis being placed on vocational education. China has been particularly stressing the importance of it since 2014, hailing it as an indispensable path for young people to achieve self-realization.

From a macro perspective, vocational skills help to cultivate a diversified pool of talent, pass on techniques and skills and promote employment and entrepreneurship, President Xi Jinping said before a national conference on vocational education in Beijing in June 2014.

That same year, the World Youth Skills Day was established by the United Nations to highlight the importance of youth skills development and solve the common problems of unemployment and lack of job opportunities among young people, as well as to create better social and economic conditions for them.

The China team topped the rankings in terms of total medals, gold medals, and overall score at the last World Skills Competition in Russia in 2019, an indication of the significant progress the country has made in developing its technical expertise and manufacturing industries.

At an event celebrating World Youth Skills Day on July 15 in Shanghai, about 100 young people from the city's various districts display to visitors a variety of skills, such as (from left) making steamed stuffed buns, cocktail mixing and artistic carving of turnips and radishes. [China Daily]

Yu Hui, founder of the Shanghai Tangshishi Baking School, says that most of its students have had good career prospects after completing their studies. Some have even started their own businesses.

In addition to baking training, the school-which takes in around 600 students a year-also offers students courses on how to open their own bakeries. Practical training is also carried out in an actual bakery.

"The country's call for mass entrepreneurship and the need for diversified technical talent have changed the views of parents and wider society regarding vocational education. It is no longer seen as inferior to college education," says Yu.

Also present at the World Youth Skills Day event was He Wenquan from the cultural service center of Yexie town in Shanghai's Songjiang district. There, he led a group of masters who presented their bamboo weaving skills.

At an event celebrating World Youth Skills Day on July 15 in Shanghai, about 100 young people from the city's various districts display to visitors a variety of skills, such as (from left) making steamed stuffed buns, cocktail mixing and artistic carving of turnips and radishes. [China Daily]

To allow youngsters to gain more knowledge of the district-level intangible cultural heritage, classes of bamboo weaving have been included in the syllabus of two local primary schools and a college, he says.

Vocational education has contributed to economic growth and unleashed creative talent that would otherwise not have been tapped, he says.

It also caters to those whose skills are required for the manufacture of everyday items, including making lampshades, purses and bamboo crafts, he adds.

(Source: China Daily)
Young people and Niagara Falls are becoming where the local heart of the COVID-19 pandemic resides, according to public health.

Niagara has seen 40 new cases in the past six days, said Niagaras acting medical officer of health, and of those, 23 are Niagara Falls residents.

Also, of that total, 23 are people 30 years of age or younger. Not all of them are from Niagara Falls.

So what we are seeing is that Niagara Falls and younger people really are the focus of the virus spread, Dr. Mustafa Hirji said Tuesday  a day when Niagara had 21 new confirmed cases, the largest single-day jump in cases since June 1, when the Pioneer Flower Farms outbreak in St. Catharines happened.

Prior to that outbreak, a single-day increase of 20 or more cases happened on April 20 as Niagaras COVID-19 number were slowly starting to fall. Now, however, they have been climbing steadily for two weeks.

This could just be a spike, said Hirji. Something that may be slightly optimistic is that with all the attention around large gatherings in Niagara Falls that people are taking mild symptoms seriously and as a result we are catching more cases.

But there is no question we are seeing more spread of the virus now. COVID-19 is definitely back in Niagara.

Of Tuesdays 21 cases, eight of them are connected to eight outbreaks in the Niagara region. Five of those outbreaks are at medical institutions  the Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre and four long-term care homes.

The other outbreaks are tied to a congregate living home and two uncontrolled outbreaks linked to recent social gatherings.

The remaining 13 cases are the result of community spread of the novel coronavirus. Public health has been able to positively identify the source of the infection in only four of those cases. At least one of them had been to Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls recently where there were large gatherings of people who were not staying physically distanced nor wearing masks.

Of the 21 cases confirmed Tuesday, 11 involve people 30 years old or younger.

Niagara Falls earned a reputation recently as a potential location for increased virus spread because of the large crowds in the tourist district, including Clifton Hill. There was also a huge gathering of people along the parkway by the falls on Colombian Independence Day when people were not staying two metres apart and masks were a rarity.

Niagara public health data shows that due to the recent surge in cases in Niagara Falls, the city is on the cusp of having more COVID-19 cases among its residents than any other Niagara municipality, with 214 total infections.

Welland has 215 cases, but most of those were the result of large outbreaks at long-term care homes in the city in the spring.

In response to the growing number of cases, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati announced that volunteers in yellow T-shirts would be dispatched with hand sanitizer and masks to his citys tourist district to remind visitors to stay distanced and cover their faces.

While Hirji said the volunteer effort is helpful, it likely wont be enough to dissuade large gatherings in Niagara Falls or slow the spread of the virus.

One particular thing is not going to be enough, Hirji said. It is going to take a combined effort to get this under control because it would be devastating for Niagara Falls if restrictions had to be put back in place.

Hirji said increased bylaw officer and police patrols in the tourist areas are warranted and said local business owners need to do their part by ensuring lineups are properly spaced out and infection control measures are being followed in their shops.

He also said people need to rededicate themselves to COVID-19 prevention before the infection gets out of hand.

These things can really snowball, he said. One case leads to another, and another and then several more. We all have to do our part.

It is unclear if, or when, the provincial government could reimpose restrictions on a region with a rising infection rate. Both Ottawa and Windsor-Essex are experiencing an increase in cases, but the province has so far declined to take action.

The province has refused to disclose how it makes COVID-19 related decisions, with the Health Ministry declining to stay what data it uses and how it assesses that information when deciding if a region can reopen or needs to step back.

I do not know how they are making those decisions, but it seems clear that if the infection rate continues to climb, the province could reimpose restrictions, which is something we all want to avoid, said Hirji, who again urged Niagara residents to ensure they are physically distanced, practise good hand hygiene and wear face coverings.
The Ontario government announced more than $955,000 in funding Wednesday to help propel local arts and tourism sectors.

Lisa MacLeod, minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture, joined Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff at Niagara Historical Society and Museum in Niagara-on-the-Lake to make the announcement.

Our sectors were hit first, the hardest and will take the longest to recover (due to COVID-19), said MacLeod.

As our government moves forward with reopening the province, we are proud to support numerous organizations that build up our unique communities and put our tourism industry on a path to recovery.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, the government has continued to invest in Ontarios tourism and creative sectors. Through Community Museum Operating Grants, the Ontario Trillium Fund, and the Celebrate Ontario program, the government has made investments to enrich local and visitor experiences.

They include: $53,155 to Niagara Historical Society and Museum to preserve and protect the areas unique heritage; $224,700 for South Niagara Canoe Club so it can offer more dragon boat programs for breast cancer survivors; $100,000 for the 2020 Shaw Festival season; and $75,000 for La Maison de la culture francophone du Niagara for activities in rural Niagara communities that increase access to performing arts, cultural and heritage experiences.

Tourism and culture are key economic drivers in Niagara, said Oosterhoff.

Todays announcement confirms the commitment of our government to the provinces tourism and arts sectors to ensure we are in a strong position to reopen and welcome visitors back to our region.
The Brazilian health ministry has said that it would start the distribution of 15.2 million dozens of Oxford/ AstraZeneca experimental vaccine against the COVID-19 if trials prove the vaccine is safe. Currently, the vaccine is in phase trials and a total of 5000 Brazilians have volunteered for the testing.

Brazil which has reported 2,484,649 cases till now is expecting a successful vaccine to arrive in the country by this years end. According to Secretary of Health Surveillance Arnoldo Correia de Medeiros, the first batch of vaccine is expected to arrive in Brazil in the second week of December. In addition, it expects the next batch to arrive by January next year and another 70 million by March and April.

Read: Facebook, Twitter Suspend Several Accounts Of Brazilian President's Supporters

Speaking to international media reports, de Medeiros said that that elderly would be the first one to receive a vaccine without specifying where it would come from. A vaccine purchase agreement has yet not been signed between the manufacturers and Brazilian govt. As of now, the Brazilian Health Ministry has said that the negotiations on technical items production, technology transfer are still in discussion.

Read: Brazilian President Bolsonaro Accused Of 'crimes Against Humanity' By Healthcare Union

Read: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Tests COVID-19 Positive For Third Time

Bolsonaro slammed

This comes as a coalition of health professionals in Brazil denounced President Jair Bolsonaro for his handling of coronavirus outbreak which has claimed over 87,000 lives so far, accusing of committing "crimes against humanity" and "genocide" in a judicial complaint to the International Court of Justice. They accused the Brazilian President of neglect and contempt by promoting large gatherings, medication like hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19 without any scientific proof, and venturing into public without a mask.

Read: Brazilian President Bolsonaro Hopes For Trump's Victory In US Presidential Election 2020

Image credits: AP
The UK is considering ways to loosen its coronavirus quarantine rules after restrictions on trips to Spain provoked a backlash from tourists, airlines and the government in Madrid.

Plans being examined by officials include abandoning blanket curbs on travel to whole countries in favour of regional restrictions, and reducing the time passengers arriving in Britain will need to stay in quarantine.

Transport minister Charlotte Vere unveiled the governments latest thinking in answer to questions in the House of Lords, the UK Parliaments upper chamber, on Tuesday.

We are looking at all eventualities because we would like to reduce the days in isolation if we possibly can, Vere said. The UK is also considering regional rules to replace whole-country restrictions, such as the one imposed on Spain, she added. We could put them in place for regions in the future -- were not there yet, but we are looking at it because its an appropriate consideration.

ALSO READ: Covid-19 travel: UK, Germany face lashback from Spain for advising tourists to stay away

Her comments came after ministers advised Britons against all non-essential trips to Spain and ordered arrivals from Spanish airports to quarantine for 14 days amid fears of a spike in cases.

Unbalanced

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described Prime Minister Boris Johnsons blanket rule, which takes in areas of the country with low levels of the disease as well as hot-spots, as unbalanced. British officials have insisted the measures are necessary to combat the spread of the virus.

And on Tuesday, Johnson reinforced his warning that a new wave of infections may force the UK to add more European countries to the list of trouble-spots.

Clearly we now face, Im afraid, the threat of a second wave in other parts of Europe and we just have to be vigilant and we have to be very mindful, Johnson told reporters near Nottingham, central England.

Hours after Johnson spoke, authorities in Oldham, northern England, imposed tougher restrictions on residents for two weeks to try to contain a local coronavirus outbreak.

For Spain, the loss of British tourism is an economic blow, while airlines and travellers caught by surprise at the sudden change in U.K. rules also complained.

Adding to the pain for the Spanish tourist industry, on Tuesday Germany warned against non-essential travel to the regions of Catalonia, Navarre and Aragon amid fears the virus is spreading in these areas. Germans are the second-biggest tourist group for Spain, behind Britons.

Talks have been held between British and Spanish officials and there were reports ahead of Veres comments that the UK is weighing the option of reducing the quarantine period to alleviate some of the impact. The Telegraph newspaper suggested the period of mandatory self-isolation could be reduced from 14 days to 10.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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Grotesque side effects from unproven 'stem cell' therapies are more common than we realized, reports a team of researchers led by UConn Health in Annals of Neurology on July 29. And despite the dangers, many neurologists feel ill-equipped to warn and educate their patients.

People who have suffered debilitating brain or spinal cord damage, or have been diagnosed with progressive neurological disease, are often frustrated by the lack of treatments available to help them. That frustration can make them easy targets for clinics that inject patients with "stem cells". But most of these clinics are operating outside of the Food and Drug Administration's jurisdiction, and the treatments they offer are unproven. And pricey.

"It's an unethical industry. They use fancy websites promising cures left and right, but which are nothing of the sort. They steal your money but give nothing in return," says Jaime Imitola, senior author of the paper and director of the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center at UConn Health.

Patients often pay $25,000 to $50,000 in cash for procedures that claim to cure everything from multiple sclerosis to paralysis, but have no evidence to back them up. The clinics, which can operate in the US but are more commonly found in Mexico, China, Russia and other countries with looser health regulations, entice patients to fly out for a week or two of spa-like treatment, physical therapy and injections of stem cells supposedly designed to cure multiple sclerosis, ALS, paralysis, or whatever other neurological impairment the person suffers from. The physical therapy often makes the patient feel better for a week or two. But sadly, there are no treatments that can reliably improve most of these diseases, and definitely none using stem cells. And anecdotal stories have begun popping up of patients who have had these stem cell procedures and then developed horrifying side effects, from hepatitis to nerve pain to bizarre spinal cord tumors.

In an effort to better understand the impact of this stem cell tourism, as the field calls it, a team of researchers lead by UConn Health conducted a nationwide survey of academic neurologists' experiences in stem cell tourism complications. The survey also investigated the level of physician preparation to counsel and educate patients.

Imitola led the study with colleagues from the Ohio State's Neuroscience Research Institute. The researchers know as well as anyone how far medicine is from any kind of stem cell treatment for these neurological diseases. And they have had patients come to them asking for permission--the clinics call it 'clearance'--to get the stem cell injection treatments.

The results of the survey show that bad outcomes from stem cell tourism are much more common than anyone had realized. Of the neurologists who responded to the survey, one in four had had a patient with complications related to stem cell therapy. Patients who had suffered infections, strokes, spinal tumors, seizures, and even deaths were all reported. And 73% of neurologists responding to the survey said they felt that having more educational tools to discuss the issue with patients would be helpful.

"Stem cells hold the promise for patients, not just the desperate ones with terminal illnesses but also those who are looking for a 'natural solution' where modern medicine has failed them. Anecdotally, I have spent many hours talking to patients about powerful new immunotherapies to prevent relapses of multiple sclerosis or neuromyelitis optica; but, when they ask if these therapies will help them walk or see again, I have to admit they won't," says Michael Levy, research director for the division of neuroimmunology and neuroinfectious disease at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the study.

Levy says the paper by Imitola and his colleagues found that many neurologists are faced with these questions but most have no experience with stem cell therapies.

"Patients as well as physicians are constantly looking for ways to maintain hope. So if a patient asks about it, the doctor may say 'I encourage them to look into it,'" says Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, the William J. and Charles H. Mayo Professor and chair of Neurologic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic, who was also not involved in the study. "We need to be careful how we as physicians find a balance between giving patients hope and maintaining scientific accuracy to the highest standards."

"It is really shocking that only 28% of board-certified neurologists feel completely prepared to discuss this important issue with their patients," Imitola says. The International Society of Stem Cell Research has information available on their website, but Imitola and his colleagues say there is a need for regular educational sessions on stem cell tourism to be held at international and national neurology meetings as well.

"The ultimate goal of this research is to be able to determine the extent of the complications and the readiness of neurologists to counsel patients. All of us are interested in bringing real stem cells to the clinic, but this process is arduous and requires a great level of rigor and reproducibility," Imitola said.

The team also plans on starting a national patient registry, where physicians can report complications from stem cell tourism procedures so that the medical world and regulators can get a better sense of the extent of the problem, and have more data with which to educate patients. These findings are more pressing now, when some stem cell clinics are even promoting cures for COVID19 with stem cells.

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ISTANBUL (AP)  Turkish lawmakers were making their final speeches Tuesday before voting on a bill that would give the government greater powers to regulate social media, in what human rights groups and the opposition have decried as a violation of free expression online.

The new legislation would require major social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter to keep representative offices in Turkey to deal with complaints against content on their platforms.

The government says the draft legislation is needed to combat cybercrime, and will protect people from slander while safeguarding their right to privacy. But critics say Turkeys worrying track record on internet freedoms indicates the law would be used to restrict rather than protect.

Hundreds of social media users have already been investigated and some arrested for their posts on the COVID-19 pandemic, opposition to Turkish military offensives in Syria or insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials.

The U.S.-based non-profit research and advocacy organization Freedom House rates Turkey as not free in its 2019 Freedom of the Net index.

If the social media company refuses to designate an official representative, the legislation mandates steep fines, advertising bans and bandwidth reductions. With a court ruling, bandwidth would be reduced by fifty percent and then by fifty to ninety percent. Bandwidth reductions mean social media networks would be too slow to use.

The representative would be tasked with responding to individual requests to take down content violating privacy and personal rights within 48 hours or to provide grounds for rejection. The company would be held liable for damages if the content is not removed or blocked within 24 hours.

The new legislation also would require social media providers to store user data in Turkey, which the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Tuesday said would undermine peoples right to communicate anonymously.

Story continues

Cahit Ozkan, a lawmaker from Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party, said Tuesday the bill stands at an optimum point for protecting both the freedom of information and the right to privacy.

The main opposition Republican Peoples Party said the law would serve to control social media, which has become a sanctuary for people to obtain and provide alternative news.

Critical voices will be silenced, criticism of the government will decrease, the party said.

If passed, the new law will enable the government to control social media, to get content removed at will, and to arbitrarily target individual users, said Tom Porteous, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. Social media is a lifeline for many people who use it to access news, so this law signals a new dark era of online censorship.

Many mainstream media are owned by pro-government businesses, and critical journalists have been fired or jailed over the years. The Journalists Union of Turkey says 76 journalists and media staff are behind bars in Turkey.

The bill first made its rounds in April. Erdogan renewed his call for more regulation following distasteful comments on social media after the birth of a grandchild.

These platforms where lies, slander, attacks on personal rights, character assassinations go uncontrolled must be regulated, he said early July. He vowed to control social media platforms.

Turkey has topped all other countries in removal requests to Twitter, with more than 6,000 requests in the first half of 2019. Twitter said it complied to 5 percent. Turkey also reported more than 84,000 accounts since 2014.

The Freedom of Expression Association said Turkish authorities have blocked 408,494 websites.

In 2016, Russian lawmakers passed a bill requesting Internet companies and communication providers to store Russians personal data in the country. The law has faced massive criticism from Russian providers pointing at high costs and technical difficulties, but the authorities have insisted on full compliance. The authorities recently have raised pressure on Facebook and Twitter to comply, and have imposed fines that so far have remained symbolic.

Parliament is expected to vote on the bill late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

___

Vladimir Isachenkov contributed from Moscow.
Young Australians have suffered a decade of falling incomes due to government policies and changing workplaces, opening up a generational divide and leaving under 35s particularly exposed to the coronavirus recession.

Special research from the Productivity Commission, released on Thursday, shows the hit to the income of young Australians has been so severe that a person today aged between 15 and 24 has a similar disposable income to a person of the same age in 2001.

The PC, which earlier this week released research showing young Australians' work experiences would be scarred by the pandemic, looked specifically at how wages between age groups had changed in the wake of the global financial crisis.

It found that between 2008 and 2018, incomes for people aged between 15 and 24 fell by 1.6 per cent a year while for those between 25 and 34 their incomes fell by 0.6 per cent annually.
According to the synopsis, the prosecution spent much of Tuesdays hearing describing how Lozoya allegedly received about $3.4 million in payments from a Mexican company in 2012. They said that in 2013, as head of Petroleos Mexicanos, Lozoya argued against all evidence and reason that Pemex should pay the same company well over book value for a disused and decrepit fertilizer plant.
Algeria: cabinet wants to reduce hydrocarbons' relevance Tebboune, 'we are investing in small companies, startups'

(ANSAmed) - NAPLES, JULY 29 - Algeria will implement a government plan to reduce the weight of hydrocarbons on the national economy, said the president Abdelmadjid Tebboune, stressing that ''the richness of hydrocarbons is a blessing but the absence of justice and the persistence of a spirit of reliance have transformed this blessing into an evil. It is time to convert this richness into a tool of development''.



The turning point comes during the Covid-19 crisis when Algeria's reliance on oil exports has exposed the country to price fluctuations in the sector which represents nearly 96% of exports, according to statistics.



The new program vies to lower the percentage of hydrocarbons in the national economy by the end of 2021 and, in order to succeed, the government wants to accelerate business investments by helping the creation of small and medium-sized companies. The government is also expected to focus on the agricultural sector.



''The economy of knowledge and intelligence - continued Tebboune - is the basis of the project, especially Algeria which hides a great richness that has not been exploited yet.



Unfortunately, a certain mentality has influenced the national economy for decades to the point where we are now forced to import vines, something which is unacceptable. The economy can't continue to rely on hydrocarbons, it is necessary to look for alternative resources in which the human resource will be the basis to kick start the economy''.(ANSAmed). (ANSA).




WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top White House officials and congressional Republicans and Democrats tried to narrow stark differences over coronavirus aid on Wednesday, with no guarantees they can craft a compromise before some unemployment benefits expire.

Republican President Donald Trump said he was in no hurry, and his top aides said they were considering short-term extensions of supplemental unemployment benefits and protections against evictions to help Americans affected by a pandemic that has killed 150,000 people in the United States and thrown tens of millions out of work.

Were so far apart, we dont care. We really dont care, Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas, blaming Democrats.

The two parties remained far apart in Congress, with Senate Republican leaders on Monday rolling out a $1 trillion package of proposals that some in their own party have criticized as too expensive. Democrats rejected the new proposal as inadequate compared with the $3 trillion plan the House of Representatives passed in May.

The supplemental unemployment benefit expires on Friday. The moratorium on evictions ended on July 24.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he and the president had discussed a short-term extension of the unemployment insurance and protections against evictions, to provide breathing room for negotiations on broader points.

We want to take care of the people, the Democrats arent taking care of the people, Trump said.

A source familiar with the matter said a short-term measure has been discussed. But the amount of support for such a move is unclear because most Senate Republicans are adamantly opposed to the $600 unemployment insurance supplement and may not support even a short-term extension.

Republican Representative Louie Gohmert, a Trump ally who has balked at wearing a mask, said he had tested positive for COVID-19.

$3 TRILLION PASSED SO FAR

Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows met with congressional Republicans at the Capitol and were due to resume negotiations with the two top Democrats in Congress: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Its abundantly clear that the Senate Republican proposal for the next phase of COVID relief is not a useful starting point, Schumer told the Senate.

Congress has so far passed more than $3 trillion in funding intended to ease the pandemics heavy human and economic toll.

In late March, Washington enacted a wide-ranging aid bill that included $600 per week in enhanced unemployment benefits. The goal was to rescue millions of U.S. workers who lost their jobs because of shutdowns to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

Democrats want to extend the $600 enhancement for several more months. Republicans, arguing that it discourages workers from seeking employment, have proposed temporarily reducing the federal payment to $200 a week, on top of state unemployment benefits.

Senator John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said a deal would take time. He said some in his party dont think that we probably need to be doing anything more at this point.

Besides the jobless benefit, lawmakers are arguing over a Republican plan to prevent liability lawsuits against reopening businesses and schools.

Trump also wants any legislation to include $1.8 billion to build a new FBI headquarters in Washington.

Members of both parties object, with Democrats saying Trump is trying to protect his Washington hotel, which is across the street from the FBI. Some of Trumps fellow Republicans said they want coronavirus aid to focus on the health crisis.

Democrats also want to help state and local governments avoid massive layoffs as tax revenues dwindle.
Mumbai, July 29 : In a heartening development for health authorities, a sero-survey conducted in Mumbai has indicated that slum dwellers and women are at the forefront in the march to herd immunity against coronavirus, officials said here on Wednesday.

The 'Serological Surveillance for SARS-CoV2 Infection' survey was done by BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, along with NITI Aayog and TISS for 12-14 days in the first half of July covering 6,936 people.

Conducted in 3 selected BMC wards, those surveyed comprised 61 per cent poor slum dwellers and the rest living in buildings or middle-class housing complexes.

The survey threw up some unexpected and startling results, showing that 57 per cent of those tested in the slums were exposed to and developed antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, compared to merely 16 per cent in housing complexes.

In the surveyed locations of Matunga, Sion, Wadala (F/North), Chembur and Tilak Nagar (M/West) and Dahisar and Mandapeshwar (R/North), it was also revealed that more women had developed antibodies compared to men.

For the slums, the figures thrown up were 59.30 per cent women (out of 2,297 tested) and 53.20 per cent men (out of 1,937 tested) had developed antibodies against Covid.

In the housing complexes, 16.80 per cent of women tested and 14.90 per cent of men tested had developed antibodies.

Overall, around 40.50 per cent of the people surveyed in Matunga, Chembur and Dahisar areas were exposed to Covid-19, with Matunga - adjacent to Dharavi slum - having the highest exposure rate of 57.80 per cent.

The BMC interprets this high exposure in slums to shared common facilities like toilets, water-taps, high population density and lack of physical distancing compared to the residents in housing complexes.

With the results suggesting more asymptomatic infections, this higher exposure in slums points to an extremely low death rate in Mumbai - "as low as 0.05 to 0.10 per cent" - instead of the existing 5.5 per cent.

"So, despite the high exposure to Covid in slums, the survey results indicate that the fatalities are not that high though there could be many factors behind this," explained a civic official.

The BMC top brass is also startled since none of the people surveyed had taken RT-PCR tests for Covid-19, implying they were asymptomatically infected, and the numbers of such asymptomatic persons is higher than expectations.

The official explained that the presence of antibodies indicated that a person had been infected, fought off the virus and in the process developed a certain level of resistance to the virus.

The presence of more people with antibodies in a community is considered a positive sign as the virus then has limited scope to spread, implying that measures like wearing masks, and physical distancing were successful in these areas.

At the same time, even the lower presence of antibodies in the housing complexes is considered encouraging as it points to lesser number of infectees, due to better hygiene, more physical distancing and other interventions by the BMC, the official added.

"These results will be valuable to learn more about herd immunity. Although it is still unclear what level of prevalence leads to herd immunity, findings indicate that, at least in slums, this could be attained sooner than later, if the immunity exists and persists in a significant proportion of the population," the BMC said in a statement.

The anti-SARS-CoV2-IgG antibodies were detected using Chemiluminescence assay (CLIA) by Abbott group, in what is billed as the largest such cross-sectional survey in India.

It was carried out in collaboration with Kasturba Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, ATE Chandra Foundation and IDFC Institute.

The development comes a fortnight after the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged the success of the Maharashtra government in combating the Covid-19 outbreak in Dharavi.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
TransferWise founder and chief executive Kristo Kaarmann. Photo: TransferWise

Financial technology business TransferWise has been valued at $5bn (3.9bn) in a secondary share sale, confirming its position as one of the most valuable private financial technology businesses in Europe.

TransferWise said on Wednesday that existing shareholders and some employees sold $319m-worth of shares in the business to investors looking to buy in or expand their shareholding.

D1 Capital, a New York-based hedge fund with around $12.9bn under manager, bought into TransferWise for the first time in the deal. So did Vulcan Capital, the family office that oversees the wealth of now deceased Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

READ MORE: Snoop Dogg-backed Swedish payment startup valued at $5.5bn

Existing investors Lone Pine Capital, Baillie Gifford, Fidelity Investments and LocalGlobe all bought additional shares in TransferWise as part of the deal.

The transaction is relatively unusual as TransferWise didnt raise any new money in the deal. Founder and chief executive Kristo Kaarmann called it an anti-fundraise and said it was about rebalancing the share register.

As the company grows, theres a more appropriate set of investors for us, he told Yahoo Finance UK. Doing these transactions lets the company bring on board new types of investors.

READ MORE: Financial crime fighting startup ComplyAdvantage raises $50m

Most tech businesses typically go public when they want to bring on new investors and let early backers realise some gains. Kaarmann said TransferWise wasnt planning on going down that route any time soon.

Theres really no demand for that, he said. We dont see how being public would make us either a better company or let us achieve our mission much faster. The company doesnt need to raise money and it can provide liquidity to shareholders, it can allow new shareholders to join.

The share price in the transaction values TransferWise at $5bn, a 43% jump from the last public valuation of $3.5bn in May 2019. Sky News first reported the share sale earlier this month.

Story continues

READ MORE: Monzo re-launches 5-a-month 'Plus' account

The valuation maintains TransferWises position as one of the most valuable private European financial technology businesses, behind only Swedens Klarna.

We have been impressed by the extensibility of TransferWises platform, which now includes individuals, businesses and financial institutions among its customers, Teddy Gleser, a partner at D1 Capital, said in a statement.

Founded in 2010, TransferWise is a low cost international money transfer business that caters to both businesses and ordinary people. The company has eight million customers worldwide and handles 4bn in transfers each month.

READ MORE: Digital bank for 'mass affluent' set to launch later this year

In recent years, the company has expanded into more traditional banking services with the launch of its borderless account and debit card. TransferWise now has 2bn of deposits in these accounts and one million debit cards in issue. It plans to launch savings and investment products in the next year.

Valuation is reflective on the progress in adoption rather than vice versa, Kaarmann said. Its not a goal in itself but as we see more businesses and more people and even now banks using TransferWise its quite natural it gets reflected in how valuable our mission has been.

TransferWises most recent set of accounts show the business made a profit of 10m on revenues of 179m in the 12 months to March 2019.

READ MORE: Starling CEO Anne Boden on Bounce Back loans and growing during COVID-19 pandemic

Kaarmann said the COVID-19 pandemic had not thrown business off course.

The mix has changed a little bit, he said. Our business customers who are in tourism probably have less volumes now, others who are in digital retail probably have higher volumes but it kind of cancels out a little bit for us.

TransferWise has in fact hired 197 people since the lockdown began and the company is still advertising 41 jobs, Kaarmann said.
Russian intelligence operatives are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, seeking to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November, US officials said Tuesday.

Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscows military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation effort directed at American and Western audiences, US government officials said.

They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The information had previously been classified, but officials said it had been downgraded so they could more freely discuss it. Officials said they were doing so now to sound the alarm about the particular websites and to expose a connection between the sites and Russian intelligence.

Between late May and early July, one of the officials said, a trio of websites published about 150 articles about the pandemic response, including coverage aimed at propping up Russia and denigrating the US.

Among the headlines that caught the attention of US officials are Russias Counter COVID-19 Aid to America Advances Case for Detente, which suggested that Russia had given urgent and substantial aid to the US to fight the pandemic, and Beijing Believes COVID-19 is a Biological Weapon. The disclosure comes as the spread of disinformation, including by Russia, is an urgent concern heading into Novembers presidential election as US officials look to avoid a repeat of the 2016 contest, when Russia launched a covert social media campaign to divide American public opinion to favor then-candidate Donald Trump.

The countrys chief counterintelligence official warned in a public statement Friday about Russias continued use of internet trolls to advance their goals.

Even apart from politics, the twin crises buffeting the country and much of the world  the pandemic and race relations and protests  have offered fertile territory for misinformation or outfight falsehoods.

Officials described the disinformation as part of an ongoing and persistent Russian effort to cause confusion. They did not say whether the effort was directly related to the November election, though some of the coverage on the websites appeared to denigrate Trumps Democratic challenger, Joe Biden.

The stories call to mind Russian efforts from 2016 to exacerbate race relations in America and drive corruption allegations against US political figures. (AP) CK
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 16:11:39|Editor: huaxia

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TASHKENT, July 29 (Xinhua) -- One man was killed and another injured in a fuel tank explosion in Angor district in the southern Surkhandaryo region of Uzbekistan, the country's emergency ministry said Wednesday.

The accident occurred during repair work when the men were trying to weld a 10-ton fuel tank filled with diesel at a warehouse owned by one of the local businesses, according to the ministry.

A second welder who had survived was hospitalized with burns. The flames destroyed an Isuzu truck parked next to the tank, the ministry said, adding that the fire was promptly extinguished. Enditem
EU Buys Remdesivir to Treat 30,000 COVID Patients, Seeks More

BRUSSELSThe European Unions executive said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy a limited supply of the COVID-19 medicine remdesivir from U.S. drugmaker Gilead to address the short-term needs of European patients, and hoped to be able to order more later.

The anti-viral is the only drug so far authorized in the EU to treat patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19, but nearly all available supplies have already been bought by the United States.

Gilead Sciences Inc pharmaceutical company is seen after they announced a Phase 3 Trial of the antiviral drug Remdesivir in patients with severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Oceanside, California, U.S., on April 29, 2020. (Mike Blake/Reuters)

The EU Commission has agreed to pay 63 million euros ($74 million) to buy enough doses to treat about 30,000 patients, it said in a statement.

The United States signed a deal with Gilead in June for more than 500,000 courses of treatment, which accounts for most of the companys output through September.

The price paid by the EU appears to be in line with exchange rates at the end of June when Gilead set a $2,340 price per patient for wealthier nations, although most patients in the United States are being charged a higher rate.

A lab technicians holds the drug Remdesivir at Eva Pharma Facility in Cairo, Egypt, on June 25, 2020. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters)

This agreement is consistent with the previously announced pricing, Gilead said in a statement.

The Commission said this batch would address just immediate needs, and that it was already working to secure new doses from October.

Most European countries have passed the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic but a new wave of infections in recent days has pushed countries to reintroduce restrictions.

While the number of hospitalizations is on the rise in Europe, they remain far below the height of the outbreak in March and April, when many hospitals were overwhelmed.

By Francesco Guarascio and Jan Strupczewski
Danielle Taana Smith, Ph.D., is Professor of African American Studies and Director of the Renee Crown University Honors Program at Syracuse University.

No racial or ethnic group should accept that they have a monopoly on virtue, nor to the contrary, on deviance. Belief systems that function to demonize Blacks are as old as the American republic. Conversations to these effects occur in the privacy of dining rooms and publicly on right-wing media. The accidental recording of police in Wilmington, North Carolina, as they ranted about an imminent massacre of Black people was reprehensible, but not surprising. As they denigrated Blacks, one officer noted, Its bad because not all Black people are like that. To which a second officer insisted that most Blacks are like that, 90 percent of them, Kevin, 90 f------ percent of em, he pronounced. In a time of national crises, some Americans are transfixed with political talk shows that advance similar sentiments.

Influential intellectuals premise their ideology on white supremacy, intended to convince Black folks that, despite historical pits and contemporary barriers, we must forge ahead with minimum or no assistance, and uphold collective social norms. They postulate that individual will can triumph over what we know to be insurmountable obstacles.

These social theorists lecture about the model minority, constructed to create divisions among minority groups. They claim that unlike Blacks, recent arrivers are materially successful because of their innate intelligence and ethic of hard work. With this narrative, one need not ponder as to how the police officer concluded that 90 percent of Blacks exhibit intrinsic deviant behavior. These eugenic premises should have long been discarded as the evidence against them is overwhelming; yet, they form the basis of our daily interactions.

Racism and classism intersect. Within an overarching American economic framework, the poor continue to suffer from economic violence and exploitation, regardless of race or ethnicity. Assumptions are that the poor have intrinsic values and behaviors that differ from those of the affluent, and especially from the financial and intellectual elites. This ideology assumes that the poor are lazy and unintelligent, and bring poverty on themselves, through their choices and behaviors.

However, the evidence shows that social deviance is not intrinsic to the poor of our society, as it is not intrinsic to Blacks nor to any other racial, ethnic or social group. The 1960s Milgram experiments suggest that social and political processes contribute to the willingness of ordinary and decent people to engage in acts that they know to be immoral. The environment and social and economic forces play a critical role and, in many ways, mold us into who we become.

Systemic discrimination against Blacks is evident throughout their life-course. The physical and mental stresses induced through institutional discrimination against a Black female of reproductive age erode her health prior to conception, and negatively impact the health of her child. Social epidemiologists have elucidated pathways in which chronic life stressors adversely affect the well-being of communities.

A densely populated built environment that is devoid of social and economic necessities, in which community members struggle for increasingly scarce resources, will experience higher levels of social deviance. Any poverty-stricken group enduring low employment, poor education, poor healthcare, poor housing and social despair will experience disenfranchisement. This is especially true when the poor are aware of the excesses of affluence of their neighbors who live across the highway.

Cumulative doses of discrimination and ensuing despair contribute to destructive behaviors. Classic experiments show that the most virtuous people, under extreme levels of social stress, may resort to deviant behavior. Poverty and its subsequent social blights provide space for the emergence and normalization of deviant sub-cultures. Being Black does not. As such, it is a strategic and distracting ploy to claim Black on Black violence.

Criminals commit heinous crimes against Blacks. Claiming Black on Black violence blames the victim. It builds on and continues the historical narrative of Black dehumanization. It is intended to silence Black people. Yet, we continue to speak out and expose criminals embedded within our communities. We condemn criminal violence, and all violence, including police violence. We call on the police to be good partners with us to make our communities safe spaces for our children.

During this period of social and economic distress, deviant behavior is more likely to increase, especially within communities that are hardest hit. As criminality and violence escalate across American cities, there is a need for police presence to ensure the safety of all people. The police are an integral component of a functioning state that is premised on institutions and the rule of law. However, we are aware that frequently, the law is unequally applied, and policing alone does not usher in safety, a basic human requirement.

Other basic needs must be fulfilled before a person can ascend Maslows pyramid to achieve self-actualization. This fulfillment may require redirecting of economic resources from public agencies, including police departments, to communities. None of us can thrive in a society where there is war of all against all, bellum omnium contra omnes. As such, we must consider the interest of our neighbors who live in poverty-stricken settings as equal to our own.

More by this writer:

Racism and the fallacy of a few bad apples (Commentary)

#NotAgainSU: Universities can teach and lead on important societal issues (Commentary)
(Natural News) Juan Tang, the 37-year-old visiting cancer researcher at the University of California, Davis who was recently arrested by the FBI on charges of visa fraud, has basically been outed as a communist Chinese spy who was posing as a medical expert. And now, additional evidence has emerged to suggest that there are many more such spies who have infiltrated American institutions as fake medical researchers.

Take Jian-Jian Li, for instance. He is currently a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UC Davis who back in 1984 received his medical degree from Chinas Fourth Military Medical University in Xian. And just like Tang did, Li holds a top position at UC Davis Chinas National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine.

Li has many more accolades and titles from various universities, and throughout his tenure at UC Davis has maintained extensive ties and collaborations with scientists in China, some of whom also attended the Fourth Military Medical University. This is important because Tang was closely affiliated with Li and his affiliations, which suggests that a deep spy network is at play.

It seems highly unlikely that Dr. Li did not know of Juan Tangs affiliation with Chinas Fourth Military Medical University, reports Zero Hedge, noting that the two basically worked together at UC Davis before Tang was outed and tried to flee to safety at the Chinese consulate in San Francisco.

Should all Chinese nationals be deported?

Tang is now being accused of lying about her connections to the Chinese military, which she claimed to not have any affiliation with on her school job application. She also illicitly filed for a non-immigrant visa under this false pretense back on October 28, 2019.

The FBI criminal complaint shows Juan Tang in Chinese military uniform and her scientific affiliations are listed as the National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine & Department of Cell Biology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xian 710032, China, Zero Hedge reveals.

Keep in mind that Tang was also a visiting researcher in the UC Davis School of Medicines Department of Radiation Oncology, which is where Li works. Her research was funded by the Chinese Scholarship Council, which is described as a study-based exchange program affiliated with the Chinas Ministry of Education and Xijing Hospital in China.

There is simply no possible way that Li did not know who Tang was, and presumably what she may have been up to while researching at the school. This suggests that Li may also be connected to the spy ring, along with potentially many others who work not just at UC Davis but at many other research institutions across North America.

According to Zero Hedge, the recent arrest of these and several other Chinese nationals in recent days represents only a tiny proportion of the Chinese students, postdoctoral researchers and full-time medical scientists, many of whom are supported by U.S. taxpayer dollars, and may be actively assisting Chinas military [in obtaining] U.S. secrets and proprietary information, medical research being the softest of the soft espionage targets.

One of the more recent claims concerning the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) plandemic is that Chinese spies have been secretly obtaining proprietary information about upcoming Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines still under development, and taking this information back to the motherland.

Were at war with China, wrote one Zero Hedge commenter. Chinese nationals should all be deported immediately.

Trump should actually team up with Western allies to freeze all assets that belong to CCP members and their families, wrote another. Short of that, anything I read about China is just the left hand trying to distract you while the right hand steals your wallet.

More related news about the communist Chinese infiltration of American institutions is available at Deception.news.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com
A man who shook his three-month-old grandson to death has been labelled as 'the best grandfather' and 'loving' by his family as he was thrown behind bars.

Wayne William Downing, 48, was sentenced to seven years jail at the Western Australia Supreme Court on Wednesday over the 2016 death of Noah.

Downing's children called out 'I love you' from the public gallery as the sentence was handed down.

'We're happy he got a lighter sentence. He didn't deserve it,' one of his daughters said outside the court, The West Australian reported.

'He was the best grandfather, the best dad, loving,' another said.

Noah died after he was shaken by Downing at a Midland property, in Perth's north-west, on May 5, 2016.

The court heard Downing had just over two hours sleep when he awoke to the baby crying about 3am.

Wayne William Downing (pictured), 48, was sentenced to jail over the death of Noah Jayde Downing in 2016 when he appeared at WA's Supreme Court on Wednesday

He got up to feed him and then shook the child for between four and six seconds when he failed to settle - causing him to suffer extensive extensive brain, eye and spinal cord injuries.

Noah was in the care of his grandfather because his meth-addicted mother failed to return home, the court was told.

Downing pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing the child but was not charged until three years after the incident when he made a full confession to police.

He has been in custody since his arrest in August.

Justice Anthony Derrick acknowledged Downing was deeply ashamed by what he had done and genuinely remorseful on Wednesday, but said the seriousness of the crime warranted a prison sentenced.

He said the fact Downing had lied to police when he was first interviewed over his grandson's death, as well as hiding the truth for years, was an aggravating factor.

'The court must do what it can to protect vulnerable infant children,' he said.

Noah Jayde Downing (pictured) died in May 2016 at a property in Midland in Perth's northwest

Downing was sentenced to seven years and six months jail and will be eligible for parole after serving five years and six months.

This could be brought forward a year after Downing backdated his sentence to August 27, 2019.

On Tuesday the court heard the child was found unresponsive by his mother five hours after the incident.

'As soon as I put him down I realised what I'd done  I was just trying to go off to sleep and to get some sleep,' Downing told the court.

Noah was in the care of Downing full-time, along with his older sister, who had spent most of her life with him.

Downing's lawyer, Pete Collins, told the court his client was suffering extreme stress, anxiety and depression at the time of Noah's death.

Wayne William Downing (pictured) was suffering extreme stress, anxiety and depression at the time of Noah's death, the court heard

Mr Collins said his client's 'stress levels went through the roof' and that he was 'lucky to get a few hours sleep a night' once Noah arrived.

Downing had to cover the costs of both children, and the court heard Noah had worn the same set of clothes for months.

In a letter to Justice Anthony Derrick, Downing said: 'My anxiety and depression overwhelmed me. No matter what I get I will have to pay for it forever  I will never get over it.'

He shared an emotional tribute to Noah on his Facebook in the wake of his death in 2016.

'My first grandson Noah Jayde Downing missed deeply and everyday xx,' he wrote next to a photo of the baby.

The court heard on Tuesday there was no doubt Downing loved his grandchildren.

'Having watched the video record of interview, there can be no doubt whatsoever he loved both of his grandchildren and did his best to care for them,' Ms Robinson said, the ABC reported.
Rhea Chakraborty was all over the news yesterday as Sushant Singh Rajputs father filed an FIR against her in Patna, post which the Bihar police arrived in Mumbai for the investigation.

According to ANI, Rhea has now responded to the complaint by seeking the transfer of the investigation to the Mumbai police. Quoting Rheas lawyer the news agency shared, Petition filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty in Supreme Court seeking transfer of investigation in #SushantSinghRajput's death to Mumbai: Satish Maneshinde, Rhea Chakraborty's lawyer.

Petition filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty in Supreme Court seeking transfer of investigation in #SushantSinghRajput's death to Mumbai: Satish Maneshinde, Rhea Chakraborty's lawyer



An FIR was filed by Sushant Singh Rajput's father against Rhea in Bihar yesterday.  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

In fact, as per the reports, the Jalebi actress has gone into hiding, thereby creating more suspicions on this case. Bollywood Hungama quoted a friend of Rhea and Sushants who doesnt want to be named, Ive been trying to call Rhea. She seems to be missing. Which is a pity, really. She should have come forward to come clean, provided her heart was clean. Now she is acting more suspicious than ever.

According to the reports, Sushants father registered a five-page FIR against Rhea on Sunday, accusing the actress of instigating the actor to commit suicide. The case has been filed against Rhea under sections 406, 420, 341,323,342 of the IPC.

Here are 10 points related to the complaint made in the FIR against Rhea Chakraborty in relation to Sushant Singh Rajputs sudden demise:

Before 2019 my son had no mental health issues but after coming into contact with Rhea, why did Sushant develop these issues?



Why was the family not consulted or their written or verbal consent taken for his treatment?

We even believe the doctors who treated Sushant on Rhea's recommendation are a part of the conspiracy.

When Rhea knew my son had mental health issues she did not stand by him, she took away all the papers and left my son alone which pushed him to suicide.

There should be an investigation into why Sushant Singh Rajput stopped getting films after his association with Rhea.

My son's bank account transaction history shows he had Rs 17 crore in one account, of which Rs 15 crore has been transferred to an account that had nothing to do with him. This should be investigated.

Sushant wanted to get into organic farming in Coorg with his friend Mahesh. Rhea protested this and threatened to release his treatment papers to the media and destroy his career.

When Sushant did not give in, she left him and took away his treatment papers, laptop, credit cards, jewellery and cash.

I tried many times to reach out to my son and talk to him but Rhea and her associates and family members did not allow me to talk to my son.

Mumbai Police officers, who are currently investigating Sushant Singh's case, have recorded the statement of at least 38 people including Aditya Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Shekhar Kapur and Mukesh Chhabra. Meanwhile Rhea was interrogated for over 9 hours in connection with the late actor's death case last month.

Sushants Dil Bechara, which was released last week, has scored record viewership in less than 24 hours. It has gained an IMDB rating of 9.8 making it the highest-rated Indian film on IMDB.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 16:41:06|Editor: huaxia

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CHANGCHUN, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Without a seaport, Hunchun, a border city in northeast China's Jilin Province, is aiming to build itself into a marine economy hub.

"Though we do not have a seaport, we have a lot of advantages in terms of location and other fields," said Piao Yifeng, director of the city's shipping administration bureau.

Located at the junction of China, Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the city is 71 km away from the Russian port Zarubino.

Wang Jindong, who has been engaged in seafood trade for nearly 20 years, has seized the business opportunities in the city. In 2016, two land ports in Hunchun were approved as designated ports for seafood import. The opening of a freight route linking the city with Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and the Zarubino Port also helped cut the cost of seafood transportation.

"Before the opening of the route, Russian king crabs had to be transferred to China via the Republic of Korea and Japan, which was costly and affected their quality," said Wang. "Now the king crabs caught in the deep sea of Russia can be transported to Hunchun the next day."

Having first imported king crabs via the route in 2017, Wang can now import up to 50 tonnes of the seafood each day. He is expanding his trade business in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries.

In September 2018, a freight route opened linking the city with the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China, one of the world's top container ports, and the Zarubino Port. Another route was launched linking Hunchun, the port of Qingdao in east China, and the Zarubino Port in May this year. Now 29 voyages have been made along the routes via the city, with over 700 million yuan (about 100 million U.S. dollars) worth of cargo.

"The opening of the routes not only solved the transportation problems of corn, timber and other goods in the province, but promoted trade and economic cooperation in Northeast Asia," said Piao.

At the end of April, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources issued a guideline on the construction of the marine economy demonstration zone in the city, requiring the zone to promote the development of marine industries. Enditem
Kathleen Bogart, a research professor at Oregon State University, is interested in masks, but her latest research has her studying shoes  and how we can use COVID-19 as an opportunity to walk around in each other's.

"Wearing a mask is a simulation of what it's like to have facial paralysis," said Bogart, who has the condition herself. "People in that community have said what it's been like to have people turn to them and say, 'I really get what this feels like for you.'"

Bogart's general field of study is focused on disability and communication, but as COVID-19 requires everyone age 5 and older to wear a mask, it's opened up the possibility for additional study. It's also raised questions for parents on how to keep a mask on little ones, who can and cannot wear a mask and what it will be like for students experiencing sensory issues or who are on the autism spectrum.

For a lot of people, wearing a mask will add another difficulty to managing their lives, but for others it also presents the chance to be flexible and examine our ability to adapt.

"People with this condition (facial paralysis) are very good at adapting," Bogart said. "Especially people who were born with it versus people who acquired it recently. They're very skilled at using non-verbal behaviors like gestures to communicate. You can tell if someone is smiling through their voice."

People living with facial paralysis or other conditions, Bogart said, have been experiencing challenges prior to COVID-19, and the new relationship to a mask has made life a bit more complicated.

"A couple of years ago, I did a large study on people with rare disorders," she said. "It found that they were experiencing significant life challenges, including higher depression and pain compared to the general population."

Bogart has since gone back to those she spoke with for the original study and found that COVID-19 has created balances where their lives tilted towards injustice and offered challenges where there had been some clarity.

"Some have been asking for years to work from home and for flexibility," Bogart said. "It takes a pandemic to get that flexibility."

But that pandemic has also meant those who are part of the high-risk group identified by the local and federal health authorities have been experiencing more isolation than usual and diminished access to health care.

Children in the high-risk category will have to make choices this fall as well. Currently, Greater Albany Public Schools plans a three-method return to school which would allow families to opt into a distance-learning-only model. If children do return to school, the Oregon Department of Education is requiring that they must wear a mask. But for some students, that won't be possible  and yet isolation at home can be harmful as well.

The Autism Society of America has created informational pages offering tips on how to incorporate some of the more difficult aspects of COVID-19 (like social distancing, routine disruption and mask wearing). Students, the group says, can practice wearing the mask at home and find other options if the bands irritate their ears. It offers tips on how to discuss the issue with students, explaining that wearing a mask is for the safety of themselves and others, and suggests wearing the mask for short periods of time at home to adjust.

GAPS will have to adjust as well as it readies its plans for fall. Students can opt into the distance learning program, but for some students, missing out on the school routine or social interactions will be difficult. In an attempt to make in-person school accessible for all students, GAPS said it is looking into the possibility of face shields rather than face masks for some students. But ultimately, ODE has final say on the face covering requirement, which was instituted earlier this month.

Masks or face coverings are now mandated throughout the state in any indoor public space and outside where social distancing cannot be maintained. The result is a sometimes difficult public discourse and questions about how it will impact everyday life.

"Ive done a lot of work on the way people adapt to their conditions, and now that people are wearing masks for the first time in their lives," Bogart said. "Often, were hearing theyre having a hard time interacting with people because their facial expressions are masked."
Is the Minneapolis Effect real? Check out these news stories from the last 24 hours, all collected at SupportMNPolice.com

BREAKING: 2 Minneapolis police officers injured attempting to stop vehicle in suspected carjacking https://t.co/ccVAqfYkEZ  FOX 9 (@FOX9) July 29, 2020





Good Samaritan Shot After Risking Life To Help Stranger Being Robbed In Minneapolis https://t.co/gaEjFtkJe7 pic.twitter.com/DajI8oF6fa  WCCO  CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) July 29, 2020





Recent Surge In Brazen Robberies, Car Thefts Highlight Growing Problem In Twin Cities https://t.co/jBkxtWtePJ pic.twitter.com/Q35HpTpecl  WCCO  CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) July 28, 2020





Yesterday, Minneapoliss 3rd Precinct (that is the one whose station was burned by rioters) sent out this memo to residents of the precinct:

100 robberies and 20 carjackings in July, in just one precinct. Minneapolis has been a crime-ridden city for a while, but the current attacks on law enforcement, accompanied by demands to dismantle the citys police department, threaten to make it uninhabitable.

UPDATE: One more, via an email from a friend received a few minutes ago:

Going to meeting tonight w/ 100% liberals and Democrats in mansion in Lowry Hill to talk about crime, defund police and encampments. My son rides his bike to this spot every day 

Kids mugged. Yeah, that will entice a lot of people to move to Minneapolis.

STEVE adds: The problem of soaring crime isnt limited just to what we used to call transitional neighborhoods. It is affecting the University of Minnesota, too, where, naturally, the wokerati demanded that the U cut its ties with the police, with predictable results.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 11:03:35|Editor: huaxia

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KATHMANDU, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Over 15,000 people including 8,004 foreigners have left Nepal by air since Nepal enforced a nationwide lockdown on March 24, Nepal's Department of Immigration said.

Although scheduled international flights have remained suspended since March 22, the Nepali government has allowed chartered flights for humanitarian purpose and for the delivery of medical equipment.

Nepal's cabinet on July 20 decided to end the nearly four-month long lockdown and allow resumption of domestic and international flights starting from Aug. 17.

According to the immigration department's website on Monday, as many as 15,688 including 8,004 foreigners left Nepal on chartered flights arranged by various foreign countries.

"Most of the Nepalis who departed Nepal are the Nepali students studying abroad, who had come to Nepal before lockdown, relatives of Nepalis who are living abroad and some Nepali migrant workers," Ram Chandra Tiwari, information officer at the immigration department told Xinhua on Tuesday.

According to the department, among the foreigners who departed Nepal during the lockdown, U.S. citizens topped the chart. As many as 1,214 U.S. citizens left Nepal during the period followed by British nationals with 897. A few hundred foreigners are still staying in Nepal, he added.

Meanwhile, as many as 27,654 Nepalis returned home from abroad during the period, according to the department. Enditem
The chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has condemned the Iranian regime after a British-Australian academic detained in the country was reportedly moved to a notorious desert prison.

Tom Tugendhats comments led to a strongly-worded attack on the senior MP from Irans ambassador to the UK.

The Tory MPs intervention followed reports that Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a Cambridge-educated academic who was most recently a lecturer in Islamic Studies at Melbourne University, has been moved to Qarchak prison.

Mr Tugendhat suggested that Tehran was engaged in hostage-taking through its detention of foreigners and the world needs to realise what the Iranian government is doing.

Hostage taking has no place in diplomacy. The world needs to realise what the Iranian government is doing and who is covering up mass human rights violations. @IRIMFA_EN https://t.co/6ovovLOzwJ  Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) July 29, 2020

His intervention provoked a response from Irans ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, who accused the MP of a level of hatred to Tehran that was beyond imagination.

Mr Tugendhat said: Hostage-taking has no place in diplomacy.

The world needs to realise what the Iranian government is doing and who is covering up mass human rights violations.

Mr Tugendhat said on Tuesday that there had been hacking attempts directed at his email account from countries including Iran.

The ambassador used a post on Twitter to attack the senior MP  and claimed the former Army officers military record may have given him a deep misconception of Iran.

The diplomat said: The level of hatred that MP Tom Tugendhat has manifested towards Iran is beyond imagination.

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He never stops attacking Iran and has deep misconception regarding Irans regional policies, which possibly was generated from his earlier association in the Army in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Ms Moore-Gilbert had previously been held in Tehrans Evin prison, having reportedly been given a 10-year sentence.

She has previously published work on the 2011 Arab uprisings and on authoritarian governments.

The Centre for Supporters of Human Rights said Ms Moore-Gilbert has been moved to Qarchak prison, citing information from Reza Khandan, whose wife, human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, is imprisoned in Evin.

In a Facebook post, Mr Khandan said Dr Moore-Gilbert was moved for punishment.

The level of hatred that MP Tom Tugendhat has manifested towards Iran is beyond imagination. He never stops attacking Iran and has deep misconception regarding Irans regional policies, which possibly was generated from his earlier association in the army in Afghanistan and Iraq. pic.twitter.com/V5nJGuoA3B  Hamid Baeidinejad (@baeidinejad) July 29, 2020

Letters smuggled out of prison and published in January revealed the lecturers fears for her mental health.

She said: Im taking psychiatric medications, but these 10 months that I have spent here have gravely damaged my mental health.

I am still denied phone calls and visitations, and I am afraid that my mental and emotional state may further deteriorate if I remain in this extremely restrictive detention ward.

She also appeared to suggest she had been offered the chance to become a spy.

I am not a spy. I have never been a spy and I have no interest to work for a spying organisation in any country, she wrote.
Tadich Grill, San Franicsco's oldest restaurant, will shut down its takeout operation on Friday, about a month after launching it.

The 171-year-old San Francisco institution refused to lay off a single employee in March when the pandemic led to a shelter-in-place order that shuttered the restaurant for the first time in its history.

"Our goal was to maintain 100% of our staff," owner Mike Buich told SFGATE.

And for the last four months they were able to do exactly that using a combination of a Payment Protection Program loan (that totaled between $350,000-$1 million according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury), a GoFundMe that raised more than $60,000 and personal contributions from the Buich family.

They also partnered with national delivery services like GoldBelly, began doing takeout in June with a limited menu and even started taking reservations for the first time in the restaurant's history in anticipation of a July 13 reopening of indoor dining in San Francisco. But that never materialized, as the coronavirus pandemic has continued to spread throughout California. As of Wednesday, every Bay Area county is on California's COVID-19 watch list, which tracks a variety of indicators that can lead to a county becoming subject to state-mandated business closures.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGate

"Those were temporary solutions to bridge us to a reopening date that continues to be pushed out," Buich said. "And as our PPP loan has dried up, we wont be able to continue in the way we have for the last four months."

Buich didn't clarify if Tadich's staff will be subject to furloughs, layoffs or both, but did express frustration with what the restaurant has been put through, as well as his staff.

"Its been a juggling act  every time we get excited and start preparing to reopen, the wind blows a different direction with a days notice," Buich said. "When we are trying to be transparent with our Tadich Family so they can manage their own lives, its extremely frustrating to have the goal posts being moved."

The Buich family additionally shared a post on social media Tuesday that offered support to the city's restaurant community, as well as optimism for a future reopening.

"We have every intention of reopening when indoor dining is permitted," Buich echoed. "But we cant underestimate the heavy lift and financial drain it will require to get up and running again, particularly as our closure gets prolonged."

Grant Marek is the Editorial Director of SFGATE. Email: grant.marek@sfgate.com | Twitter: @grant_marek
The viscera report of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput has ruled out any foul play in his death here last month, a police official said on Monday.

The Mumbai police, probing the case of alleged suicide by Rajput, have received his viscera sample report which came "negative," indicating no foul play in his death, he said. The report was submitted by the Kalina-based Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to the probe team on Sunday, the official said.

Earlier, Rajput's post-mortem report had stated that the 34-year-old actor, who was found dead inside his Mumbai apartment, died due to asphyxia. Cyber report and findings of the physics department of the forensic lab are yet to be submitted, he said. Meanwhile, sources in the FSL said the viscera report did not find anything suspicious in the actor's death. "It seems it is a suicide case. Now we are collecting evidences from his mobile phone and the cyber department is working on it to find out if messages or videos were deleted from his mobile phone," they said.

Earlier in the day, the police recorded the statement of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt in connection with the actor's death case. Rajput was found dead on June 14 at his rented flat in suburban Bandra.
Ashley Graham has always been an advocate for body positivity and continues to do so in her latest photo shoot.

The supermodel can be seen in a variety of unretouched swimsuit photos from her size-inclusive collaboration with Swimsuits For All where she confidently poses and embraces her stretch marks.

"There's always a question of what do you want us to retouch, and what do you want us to take out? And I said, 'nothing except from a clamp holding up the DIY backdrop," Graham told People."

She continued, "I want everybody to know genuinely ... I want people to see who I am because everybody has a story."

PHOTO: Ashley Graham embraces stretch marks in Swimsuits For All campaign shoot. (Justin Ervin for Swimsuits For All)

Photographed by her husband Justine Ervin in Graham's home state of Nebraska, the photoshoot comes six months after Graham gave birth to her son Isaac in January.

Throughout the series of campaign shots, she flaunts her curves in bright bikinis, stylish one-pieces and trendy beach-ready tops that are available in sizes 4 - 24.

One of Graham's favorite looks from the latest offerings is the Ashley Graham Idol Black Shirt. It features a stretch jersey knit material along with an alluring tie-front plunging neckline.

"The thing about working with Swimsuits For All is that I've always been able to design swimsuits that I want to wear and swimsuits that I'm really comfortable in," Graham said. "Now with a new postpartum body, I thought that things were going to feel different, and that they were going to look different, and they do, but it's a new found joy in that."

Ervin and Graham were inspired by a shoot previously photographed by Kennedi Carter they noticed on Instagram and followed a similar aesthetic.

MORE: Valentina Sampaio becomes 1st openly transgender Sports Illustrated swimsuit model

"It looks so simple and beautiful, but powerful," Graham explained. "I've got more weight on me. I've stretch marks, and in the beginning, I really had to have a lot of conversations with myself and tell myself, 'Okay, new body, new mindset.'

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"But after this photoshoot, I felt so empowered because I was like, 'Yes. I look good. I feel good. This is my new mom bod'," she said.

In an Instagram post where Graham reveals her floral bikini look and some behind-the-scenes footage, she shared how much she loves a cute bathing suit and a backyard shoot with family.

She said, "We've had such great time making the most of this summer in Nebraska and these suits have me feeling great for my first summer as a mommy."

Ashley Graham embraces stretch marks in 'Swimsuits For All' campaign shoot originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
HAMDEN  Fire Chief Gary Merwede is advising residents to prepare appropriately before going on a hike, noting firefighters had located six people after they got lost in Sleeping Giant State Park over the past seven days.

The six hikers received aid as part of three separate incidents, Merwede said on Twitter.
From left to right: Anand Menezes, Atira, Seana and Suman Menezes. (PHOTO: courtesy of the family via KKH)

SINGAPORE  It was in 2003 when the Menezes family welcomed their first child Atira  or prayer in Hebrew  into the world.

For the first three months, the baby girls developmental milestones were nothing out of the ordinary and she could roll over easily.

However, at about six months old, Atira was unable to sit up - the first sign that something was not quite right with her.

That was when we realised that something was amiss, said her mother Suman, 42, a former psychiatric counsellor turned homemaker, during a Zoom conference on Tuesday (28 July).

We took her to her local pediatrician who advised us to wait and watch but also to start off physiotherapy, which we did.

The discovery of Atiras initial condition was to eventually lead to the diagnosis of a syndrome linked to a rare protein-linked genetic mutation for the first time in the world.

Two-and-a-half years later, Atira had her first seizure. She remained on anti-seizure medication till the age of five, the same year she started walking.

When Suman became pregnant with her second daughter Seana, she and her husband Anand, 47, remained positive that the child  whose name means gift of God in Welsh  would hit the normal developmental milestones.

In 2011, the Menezes family marked two major milestones in their lives: Suman gave birth to Seana and a few months later, they uprooted themselves from India to Singapore when Anand was offered a job here in the information technology sector.

It was a few months into their stay in Singapore that Suman observed that Seana, like her elder sister, began to exhibit similar traits  encountering the first of several prolonged seizures before turning four.

While the siblings condition remained a mystery, the familys first step towards finding the truth started in 2015 when they were referred to Dr Saumya Jamuar, a senior consultant in genetics service at the KK Womens and Childrens Hospital, and his team.

Dr Jamuar, who is also the head of SingHealth Duke-NUS Genomic Medicine Centre, had asked the family if they would like to enrol their children in the BRIDGES (Bringing Research Innovations for the Diagnosis of Genetic diseases in Singapore) programme, which uses advanced genomic technologies and computation tools to look into undiagnosed diseases of young children.

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Since 2014, the programme have recruited over 470 families and made the diagnosis from about 120 families.

After some discussion, the couple decided to participate in the programme.

It was close to three years that this whole study took place. We (and the children) were called in multiple times to provide blood (and skin tissue) samples, Anand said.

While both siblings exhibited symptoms like an unsteady gait, speech impairment, and epilepsy, no specific abnormalities came up in their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. They also tested negative for Angelman syndrome, a genetic disorder that mainly affects the nervous system of individuals with similar symptoms.

Then in late 2018, a team of clinicians and researchers from the KKH and the Agency for Science, Technology and Researchs (A*STAR) Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) gave the family the answer they were looking for: an official diagnosis.

Both Atira and Seana were eventually the first in the world to be diagnosed with Jamuar Syndrome  named after the doctor whom they were referred to  caused by a mutation in a protein-coding gene called the UGDH (UDP-Glucose 6-Dehydrogenase).

The unique genetic variant Ala82Thr shared by the sisters, and also present in one of their parents, has never been associated with a human disease before.

The probability of a set of parents such as in the Menezes case, who each have one healthy UGDH gene and one UGDH gene-with-variant, having a child with Jamuar Syndrome is 25 per cent, said Dr Jamuar. No one in their extended families has the syndrome.

Dr Saumya Jamuar, a senior consultant in genetics service at the KK Womens and Childrens Hospital and the head of SingHealth Duke-NUS Genomic Medicine Centre. (PHOTO: KKH)

Working towards effective treatment

About half of over 7,000 known rare diseases, such as Jamuar Syndrome, affect children, and 30 per cent of these affected children die by the age of five.

These represent significant numbers from the healthcare perspective and is a challenge for a patient undergoing diagnosis over a period of time, said Dr Jamuar.

These patients, because of the symptoms, are often not recognised, and on average see eight physicians, have two to three misdiagnosis and take an average of 7.6 years before they get the correct diagnosis, he noted.

Apart from the Menezes siblings, children from 18 other families across the world, in countries like the Netherlands, the US, Italy, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia, were found to carry mutations in the same UGDH gene. Another UGDH mutation Arg317Gln was found in 11 children with epileptic encephalopathy in Saudi Arabia.

The teams findings, published in peer-reviewed open access scientific journal Nature Communications in January, indicate that the mutations are likely to be a frequent cause of recessive epileptic encephalopathy, which is characterised by epileptic seizures, and speech and developmental delays of varying severity.

As there are multiple heterogeneous causes of these symptoms, some of which may be genetic, it is best for the child to be brought to a paediatrician or a physician who can assess the child first, to confirm the delay. And if delay is present, to quantify the degree of delay and take note of other symptoms. If appropriate, genetic testing for a set of overlapping genetic conditions (including Jamuar syndrome) can be performed in these children, said Dr Jamuar.

With the discovery, doctors can now focus on finding treatments that are best suited for the Menezes siblings and manage their symptoms based on the underlying diagnosis, he added.

Both sisters continue to receive therapy and are currently on anti-epileptic treatment. They have been given a higher dose of vitamin C as the enzyme is dependent on it, but there was no effect, said Dr Jamuar.

We now know where to look for in terms...of designing strategies for treatment, he pointed out.

The sisters, now 16 and nine, are currently attending Divinity Kindergarten where they receive physiotherapy as well as occupational and speech therapies. Currently, Atira is nonverbal, while Seana is able to speak words and occasional sentences.

The news of an official diagnosis has brought comfort to both Suman and Anand, who are Christians, even if treatment options are limited at this early stage. They remain hopeful and do not plan to have a third child as the sisters are a handful, said Suman jokingly.

As human beings, we do (question) why this has happened to us but we have come to a point where we understand that we know that God has a purpose and plan for all of us, the Singapore resident added.

Yet, we feel that this diagnosis  our children's diagnosis  can benefit the world in some way.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Other Singapore stories

Pritam Singh to get 'right of first response', more speech time as Leader of the Opposition

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Man stalked female neighbour for 4 years, cut off electricity in bid to force her out
A combination of rapid contact tracing and good fortune has stopped NSW's rise in community transmission of COVID-19 from exploding beyond its double-digit daily case numbers to Victorian levels.

About 10 days into its spike in local infection, NSW was closely following Victoria's early trajectory. But while case numbers nearly tripled between the 10th and 16th day of double-digit infections in Victoria, they increased by less than 60 per cent over that same period in NSW.

Yet despite the flattening of cases in NSW, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Wednesday its border will be shut to residents of Greater Sydney because of outbreaks across the city. NSW reported 19 cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, with most linked to existing clusters in western Sydney and the inner-east.

Mary-Louise McLaws, a professor of epidemiology at UNSW and an adviser to the World Health Organisation on COVID-19 infection prevention and control, said NSW is battling a very different outbreak to that in Victoria.
DALLAS, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GridLiance, an electric transmission utility holding company, announced that Fitch Ratings, Inc. recently affirmed investment-grade issuer ratings for three of its subsidiaries. Fitch affirmed its long-term issuer default ratings (IDR) for: GridLiance West ("A-" rating), GridLiance Western Holdings ("BBB" rating) and GridLiance High Plains ("A" rating). The ratings outlook for the three subsidiaries is stable.

According to Fitch, GridLiance's subsidiaries' ratings and stable outlooks primarily reflect their low-business risk profile, predictable cash flows and strong organic growth opportunities.

"These investment-grade ratings reflect GridLiance's strong business fundamentals and built-in resiliency in the face of current economic headwinds," said Calvin Crowder, president and CEO of GridLiance. "We remain focused on continuing our strong financial and operational performance and leveraging the growth opportunities that lay ahead of us."





About GridLiance

GridLiance is an independent electric transmission utility holding company. GridLiance collaborates with rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, joint action agencies and others to plan for the future of the grid, invest in necessary electric infrastructure and implement strategies to improve system reliability and resiliency and reduce overall costs to customers. Based in Dallas, GridLiance operates over 700 miles of transmission lines and related substation facilities in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada and Oklahoma. GridLiance is a portfolio company of Blackstone Energy Partners, an affiliate of Blackstone (NYSE: BX), a leading energy infrastructure investor. For more information about GridLiance, visit gridliance.com.

SOURCE GridLiance
Claims a young girl was sexually assaulted at a playcentre in Sydney's south-west are now believed to have been a false alarm.

NSW Police began a manhunt after the two-year-old was found crying in a storeroom at Lollipop's Playland, in Penrith, about 12.20pm on Sunday.

She was found with minor injuries, leading to fears she had been sexually assaulted.

But NSW Police have now said they believe the child's injuries were not related to any sexual act and while continuing their investigation, believe it to be a false alarm.

Claims a young girl was sexually assaulted at Lollipop's playcentre (pictured) at Penrith, in Sydney's south-west are now believed to have been a false alarm

CCTV cameras are understood to show the toddler entering the back area alone and no one else in the vicinity of her until help arrives

'Investigations by the child abuse and sex crimes squad are continuing following reports that a two-year-old girl was sexually assaulted at a play centre in Penrith on Sunday,' a police spokesperson said.

'Following a review of CCTV footage and a forensic exam of the location, there is no evidence at this time to confirm initial reports that a sexual offence has occurred within the play centre.

'Inquiries are continuing.'

CCTV cameras are understood to show the toddler entering the back area alone and no one else in the vicinity of her until a search party finds her nearly 20 minutes later.

It is thought the youngster got to the back area by squeezing through a hole next to the childproof gate.

Police are expecting to be able to close their investigation next week when final DNA test results are received.

The girl's worried mother and other parents desperately searched for 20 minutes after she was reported missing, but were unable to find the girl.

Eventually, another child who heard her 'crying and in a distressed state' discovered her in a storeroom.

NSW Police began a manhunt after the two-year-old was found crying in a storeroom at the playcentre about 12.20pm on Sunday

She was treated for a number of minor injuries at Westmead Children's Hospital.

'Our team is cooperating fully with the police investigation into this matter. Our thoughts and concerns are with everyone involved in this incident, especially the family,' Lollipop's Playland said in a statement.

'Penrith Lollipops is a franchise of Lollipops Playland. The safety of our customers and staff is always our highest priority. We thank everyone for their support and understanding as we look further into this matter.'

Lollipop's Playground had a register of customers due to COVID-19 contact-tracing requirements.

NSW Police initiated a crime scene and Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad officers launched their investigation.

Lollipop's Playland and Cafe is a national play centre chain with 28 locations across the country in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, and the ACT
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, has blasted the Electoral Commissions decision to still go ahead with the ongoing voter registration exercise on Friday, July 31 which has been declared by the Minister for the Interior as a public holiday.

He describes the Commissions decision as sacrilegious, disrespectful and a breach of peoples religious freedom.

The EC is currently compiling the voter roll for the December 7 polls.

The exercise, which began across the nation on Tuesday, 30 June 2020, is scheduled to end on Thursday, 6 August 2020.

Reacting to the ECs decision to work on Friday, the Kumbungu MP, who is also a Muslim, said he was saddened by the development.

Im sad, Im angry, sad and angry because the Electoral Commission [Chair] has decided not to accord Muslims up and down the country that respect. It is a statutory holiday and it is not just any ordinary holiday, Mr Mubarack stated.

The MP noted that if this were a Christian holiday, the EC would not have gone ahead to work on that day.

This is one of the two most important holidays for Muslims, not just Muslims in Ghana but for Muslims all over the world. The observance of Eid al-Adha, that is the Muslim feast of sacrifice, and there are several, probably hundreds of Electoral Commission officers who are Muslims who would want to observe the day with their loved ones and friends; to say that they should come to work on Friday is sacrilegious, its disrespectful, it is a breach of peoples religious freedom, he fumed.

Imagine if this were Easter or Christmas, would the Electoral Commission [Chair] insist that they will go ahead with the registration? Absolutely not. So, why would she want to disrespect, to show disdain to Muslims up and down the country and to the Muslim faith? Ras Mubarak asked.

The Kumbungu MP further described the action by the EC as insensitive.

If its not an act of insensitivity, tell me what it is; insensitivity to the rights of Muslims in the country. That is what it is, he stressed.

---classfmonline
But are the Suburban Housewives listening?

I grew up in the kind of place Mr. Trump and Ms. McCaughey probably picture when they think about the suburbs. In the 1970s and 80s my hometown, Simsbury, Conn., was an affluent community of 20,000. Today its more than 90 percent white; when I lived there, it was whiter.

The handful of nonwhite students came almost entirely from two places: the ABC House, where boys from big cities lived in Simsbury while they attended its high school (ABC stood for A Better Chance), and Hartford, where kids came as part of an initiative called Project Concern, one of the first voluntary school desegregation programs in the United States. After it began, in 1966, thousands of residents in five Connecticut towns crowded school board meetings to argue against it.

In 1968, a resident of nearby Vernon was applauded after she told the school board: Vernon is a nice, wonderful, middle-class town, and I do not wish to share this with anyone from Hartford. What we have, we have earned and want to keep. What is mine is mine.

Mr. Trumps re-election depends, at least in part, on white suburban women still feeling that way.

But if recent protests and nonfiction best-seller lists are any indication, at least some housewives have arrived at a more nuanced understanding of racial dynamics and have harnessed the potent, symbolic power of white motherhood to advocate for change. Simsbury, for example, now has a Facebook group called Holding the Door Open, for people within greater Simsbury CT who are open, ready and willing to discuss, share and grow in their understanding of racism, white privilege and exclusion in our community and within America.

On Facebook, Wall of Moms groups are popping up, not just in the big cities where youd expect to see them, but also in Montgomery County and Bucks County and Delaware County outside of Philadelphia. There are Walls of Moms in Maine and New Mexico and Michigan.
has announced its authorisation for using the drug remdesivir for treating patients suffering severe symptoms of Covid-19 who have pneumonia and require extra oxygen to help them breathe.

Remdesivir is the first drug that has authorised for the treatment of Covid-19, according to a press release on Tuesday from Health Canada, Xinhua reported.

The drug, manufactured by Gilead Sciences Canada, Inc., is authorised for use in adults and adolescents with a bodyweight of at least 40 kg. The authorization includes a full six-week scientific review.

Gilead Sciences Canada, Inc. did not seek authorisation for an indication for use of remdesivir to treat children or pregnant women, Health said.

Remdesivir is administered intravenously and will be used only in facilities where patients can be closely monitored.

As part of the conditional authorization, Gilead Sciences Canada, Inc. will submit to Health Canada drug safety monitoring reports, including reports on all serious adverse drug reactions.

Health Canada will continue to closely monitor the safety of remdesivir in Canada and will take prompt action should any safety concerns arise, according to the press release.

--IANS

pgh/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgetown Law's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) today rolled out a series of critical resources to help local governments and community members across the country protect public safety while fostering First Amendment-protected activity.

These resources include a new coalition of the nation's leading law firms, representing thousands of attorneys in dozens of cities across the United States, that have offered to work pro-bono with communities facing threats of political violence at protests and rallies. Additionally, ICAP is today launching "Protests and Public Safety: A Guide for Cities and Citizens," which contains legal principles, best practices, and creative solutions for local jurisdictions, concerned residents, and activists.

Political violence, especially from white supremacist and far-right militia organizations, has been on the rise across the country since the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, nearly three years ago, often leading to tragic outcomes. Following successful litigation against individuals and organizations involved in the violence in Charlottesville  aimed at preventing violence at future protests and rallies  ICAP has worked with local jurisdictions across the county to protect public safety at such events while preserving constitutional rights.

More recently, with the surge of protests against police brutality and racial injustice, ICAP has supported local officials, residents, and activists seeking to foster and engage in peaceful protest without the threat of violence and intimidation from heavily armed far-right militias claiming a mission to keep the peace and protect property. ICAP recently teamed up with Bernalillo County, New Mexico, District Attorney Raul Torrez and local firm Peifer, Hanson, Mullins & Baker to file suit seeking to enjoin the unlawful usurpation of law enforcement and military functions of the New Mexico Civil Guard, a heavily armed militia that deployed to "protect" the statue of a Spanish conquistador during a protest in Albuquerque in June.

"Recent examples from around the country of dangerous far-right extremism highlight the important responsibilities of local jurisdictions to both foster First Amendment activity and protect the safety of protesters and the public," said Mary McCord, ICAP's Legal Director and former Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the U.S. Department of Justice. "Following ICAP's successful Charlottesville litigation using anti-paramilitary laws available in every state, local governments and community members have sought our counsel when faced with similar threats during protests and rallies. Our toolkit offers a comprehensive set of legal guidelines and guardrails that provide a roadmap for cities and the law firms that today are committing to help support this critically important work."

Law firms committed to working pro-bono with localities facing challenges of political violence include Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, WilmerHale, Hogan Lovells, O'Melveny & Myers LLP, Jones Day, Stoel Rives LLP, Gibson Dunn, and Dykema.

Today in a virtual event hosted by ICAP, McCord; Torrez; Steven Schulman, Pro Bono Partner at Akin Gump and Co-President of the Association of Pro Bono Counsel; George Selim, Senior Vice President of Programs at the Anti-Defamation League; and Michael Signer, former mayor of Charlottesville, Va., will discuss the current threats facing racial justice protesters, lessons learned from the 2017 Unite the Right rally as featured in Signer's book Cry Havoc, and the work ICAP and the ADL continue to do to address political violence and extremism in American democracy. The conversation will be moderated by NPR's Michel Martin.

"Like so many communities around the country, my hometown of Albuquerque was recently the site of unlawful militia activity during a public protest," said Torrez. "This is absolutely unacceptable, and with ICAP's assistance we filed civil charges against those who attempted to subvert the rule of law and threaten public safety. With today's announcement, communities around the country have new resources and partners to protect themselves and the full diversity of viewpoints while upholding the Constitution."

"Akin Gump is excited to be among the founding members of this collective effort to offer pro bono counsel to communities around the country that increasingly face threats of political violence," said Schulman. "As lawyers, we know that at its best our legal system protects everyone who seeks to exercise their First Amendment rights safely and peacefully. We look forward to working with ICAP and the other firms around the country to help prevent intimidation and violent extremism at protests and rallies."

"As an organization rooted in a 100+ year history of working both to fight against the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all people, ADL knows first-hand how subtle bias and apathy can turn into discrimination and violence," said Selim. "We've seen it in Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, Poway, El Paso, Orlando, Minneapolis and countless other cities, and we can't sit by silently. It's incumbent on all leaders, both local and national, to stand up and speak out forcefully when they witness even a trace of injustice. In these turbulent times, civil society leaders and organizations like the ones working with ICAP on this project are the safety-net for communities nation-wide."

"As mayor of Charlottesville during the 'Unite the Right' rally, I saw firsthand the tragic consequences of unchecked right-wing extremism," said Signer. "Based on that experience, I wrote Cry Havoc, an account of the events leading up to that pivotal moment for our city, our state and our nation. The launch of ICAP's toolkit and a national coalition of law firms representing thousands of the brightest legal minds in the country should give us all hope that no corner of our nation will be given over to extremism, intimidation, or political violence."

About Georgetown Law's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP)

The mission of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection is to use the power of the courts to defend American constitutional rights and values. The Institute, based at Georgetown University Law Center, draws on expert litigators, savvy litigation strategy, and the constitutional scholarship of Georgetown to vindicate individuals' rights and protect America's constitutional way of life.

About Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers and advisors in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1945, the firm is proudly celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020. Akin Gump maintains an industry-leading pro bono practice, devoting more than 100,000 hours to individuals and organizations in our communities around the world. By engaging all members of our team, we help refugees escape persecution, the homeless find housing, former prisoners get a new start, and veterans obtain the benefits they earned.

About the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)

ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is a global leader in exposing extremism and delivering anti-bias education, and is a leading organization in training law enforcement. ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. ADL's ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.

About Cry Havoc: Charlottesville and American Democracy Under Siege

The former mayor of Charlottesville delivers a vivid, first-person chronicle of the terror and mayhem of the August 2017 "Unite the Right" event, and shows how issues of extremism are affecting not just one city but the nation itself. The deadly invasion of Charlottesville, Virginia, by white nationalist militias in August 2017 is a microcosm of the challenges facing American democracy today. In his first-person account of one of recent American history's most polarizing events, Michael Signer, then Charlottesville's mayor, both tells the story of what really happened and draws out its larger significance.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Georgetown Law's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP)
Iraqi PM orders swift investigation into deadly Baghdad protest

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 7:06 AM

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has ordered police to launch a swift probe into the deaths of two protesters during clashes with security forces in the capital Baghdad on the weekend.

Human rights monitors and officials reported Monday that two people had lost their lives after a protest at Baghdad's Tahrir Sqaure over the Arab country's economic woes turned violent overnight.

It was the first such deadly incident at Tahrir Square since Kadhimi took office in May. The site became a symbol of anti-government protests during last year's mass rallies.

The protesters chanted slogans against worsening public services and power cuts during a heat wave that has sent temperatures soaring above 50 degrees Celsius.

Iraqi security forces tried to disperse the crowd by firing tear gas and live ammunition. The demonstrators, in turn, threw stones and petrol bombs.

Police said over 26 protesters and several security forces had been wounded during the confrontation.

In a statement on Twitter late Sunday, Iraq's military spokesman Yahya Rasool said an investigation was underway into the deaths, and that security forces were under orders not to use force unless absolutely necessary.

"The protesters are our brothers and our sons, just as the security forces charged with protecting them," he said. "Attacks on either side are something we will investigate."

The Iraqi premier later addressed the deadly protest at a meeting with security commanders and the interior minister on Monday.

Kadhimi told the law enforcement and security officials that the facts surrounding "unfortunate events" at Baghdad's Tahrir Square must be clarified and presented within 72 hours.

"Peaceful demonstrations are a right guaranteed by the Iraqi constitution, with the government and security services obliged to support them (the peaceful rallies) and listen to the demands of the protesters," he said.

The meeting also addressed reports of abductions and killings of individuals, especially the demonstrators, during protests, calling on Iraqi security bodies to prioritize the prosecution of those behind such crimes.

It further called on the demonstrators to cooperate with police in arresting the suspicious elements who want the protesters to deviate from the pursuit of their legitimate demands.

Separately on Monday, the Iraqi premier said in a televised speech that protests "are a legitimate right and the security forces do not have the permission to fire even one bullet in the direction of the protesters."

Since October 2019, Iraqi people have staged street protests in several cities over unemployment and a lack of basic services, calling for economic reforms and a meaningful fight against corruption in state institutions.

Reports say some 550 people were killed and 30,000 injured as the anti-government rallies took a violent turn.

The protests led to the resignation of Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, who was replaced by Kadhimi in May following months of political deadlock.

Kadhimi has promised dialog with the protesters and justice for those killed or wounded during the demonstrations, which have lost steam in recent months amid a coronavirus outbreak.

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The Estonian government has drafted a proposal that would ascribe security credentials to equipment vendors looking to supply 5G technologies.

The suggested regulations have leaked from the countrys Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, and have already been harshly criticized by operators for being overly political.

Public broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR) reported that if the proposal is adopted, vendors will receive a security ranking based on criteria such as being listed on a public stock exchange or being based in a European Union (EU) country. Vendors would only receive clearance to supply specific technologies if they achieve the corresponding ranking.

Elisa Estonia CEO Sami Seppanen has argued that all vendors are required to manufacture components to effectively the same international standards, and that most operators already use components manufactured in China.

Seppanen noted that there was no evidence to suggest that Huawei equipment featured backdoors that could be used for espionage purposes, concluding that any restrictions on imports from Asia were politically motivated and based on false assumptions about the security risks Huawei presents.
Copper Mountain Mining Announces Strong Q2 2020 Financial Results

Posted by Publisher Internet

Copper Mountain Mining Corporation (TSX: CMMC | ASX:C6C) (the ?Company? or ?Copper Mountain?  https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/copper-mountain-mining-corp/ ) announces strong second quarter 2020 financial and operating results.? All currency is in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise stated.? All results are reported on a 100% basis.? The Company?s Financial Statements and Management Discussion & Analysis (?MD&A?) are available at www.CuMtn.com and www.sedar.com.?

Q2 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

 Exceeded revised operating plan announced March 10, 2020 with Q2 2020 production of 23.9 million pounds of copper equivalent (comprising of 18.1 million pounds of copper, 7,499 ounces of gold and 86,126 ounces of silver).

 Reduced cash cost per pound significantly in Q2 2020:

C1 cash cost per pound of copper produced was US$1.48 compared to US$1.74 in Q2 2019.

All in sustaining cost (AISC) per pound of copper was US$1.67 compared to US$1.85 in Q2 2019.

All-in cost (AIC) per pound of copper was US$1.67 compared to US$2.35 in Q2 2019.

 Increased revenue to $91 million compared to $65 million in Q2 2019

 Increased gross profit to $30.3 million compared to $1.6 million in Q2 2019

 Increased earnings per share to $0.12 compared to $0.01 in Q2 2019

 Increased cash flow from operations before working capital changes to $41.5 million compared to $4.7 million in Q2 2019.

 Completed the installation of Direct Flotation Reactors in July on schedule and on budget.

 Completed updated Eva Copper Feasibility Study (announced May 7, 2020) demonstrating improved economic and operating metrics, including:

After-tax NPV (8%) of US$437 million and an after-tax IRR of 29%.

Total production of 1.5 billion pounds of copper over a 15-year mine life.

C1 cash costs of US$1.44 per pound of copper, net of by-product credits.

?We are pleased to have achieved such a strong quarter despite the global impact of the COVID-19 virus and the associated lower copper price environment,? commented Gil Clausen, Copper Mountain?s President and CEO. ?The positive outcome was a direct result of our quick response in implementing a revised mine plan in early March, demonstrating the flexibility of the Copper Mountain Mine plan and our team?s ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. More importantly, we prioritized the health and safety of our employees and we have had no confirmed or presumptive cases of COVID-19 at any of our operations.?

Mr. Clausen continued, ?With higher metal prices and lower costs, our objective is to build our cash position to allow for a rapid restart of the second stage of the mill expansion project, the installation of the third ball mill. The first stage of our 45,000 tonnes per day (TPD) mill expansion, the installation of the direct flotation reactors, was completed in early July. The Company has also maintained spending on long lead time items associated with the Ball Mill #3 installation and we anticipate recommencing construction in late 2020 or early 2021.?

As announced on March 10, 2020, the Company implemented a revised operating plan for 2020 in reaction to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lower copper price environment. The revised operating plan was focused on maintaining positive margins and cash flow. During the second quarter of 2020 the Company continued to operate on this revised plan, with results exceeding expectations.?

In Q2 2020, the Copper Mountain Mine produced 23.9 million pounds of copper equivalent (comprised of 18.1 million pounds of copper, 7,499 ounces of gold, and 86,126 ounces of silver) as compared to 22.1 million pounds of copper equivalent (comprised of 18.4 million pounds of copper, 6,922 ounces of gold, and 65,707 ounces of silver) in Q2 2019.? Copper, gold and silver production in Q2 2020 was above the revised operating plan expectations.? The mine processed a total of 3.7 million tonnes of ore at an average feed grade of 0.28% Cu and a copper recovery of 79.0% in Q2 2020 as compared to processing 3.8 million tonnes of ore at an average feed grade of 0.28% Cu and a copper recovery of 78.2% in Q2 2019.? Copper grade is expected to improve in the second half of 2020, as the Company restarts mining in Pit #3 while maintaining lower costs.? Mill availability averaged 92.5% for Q2 2020 as compared to 95.0% in Q2 2019. The slight variance in mill availability was a result of scheduled preventative maintenance shutdowns in Q2 2020.??

C1 cash cost per pound of copper produced, net of by-product credits, for Q2 2020 was US$1.48, as compared to US$1.74 in Q2 2019.? The decrease in cost per pound in Q2 2020 was the result of reduced mining costs and higher by-product credits (33.9% increase) for the gold and silver produced in Q2 2020 as compared to Q2 2019. ?AISC per pound of copper produced for Q2 2020 was US$1.67, as compared to US$1.85 in Q2 2019.? The low AISC includes $4.8 million in sustaining capital, lease and applicable administration expenditures in Q2 2020 as compared to $2.7 million in Q2 2019.???

AIC per pound of copper produced for Q2 2020 was US$1.67 as compared to US$2.35 for Q2 2019.? AIC is the same as AISC for Q2 2020 as there were no deferred stripping or low-grade stockpile mining costs incurred in Q2 2020 as compared to $10.7 million of deferred stripping and $1.7 million of low-grade stockpile costs in Q2 2019.?

The significant decrease in C1, AISC, and AIC recognized in Q2 2020 as compared to past quarters was a result of the Company?s cost savings initiatives and operating efficiencies at the Copper Mountain mine, supplemented by an increase in precious metals prices and production for Q2 2020.??

In Q2 2020, revenue was $91.1 million, net of pricing adjustments and treatment charges, compared to $65.1 million in Q2 2019.? Q2 2020 revenue was based on the sale of 18.9 million pounds of copper, 6,289 ounces of gold, and 80,294 ounces of silver.? This compares to 17.9 million pounds of copper, 7,044 ounces of gold and 55,276 ounces of silver sold in Q2 2019.? The increase in revenue was primarily a result of the positive mark to market and final adjustment on concentrate sales of $20.3 million as compared to a negative mark to market and final adjustment of $4.2 million for Q2 2019, a differential of approximately $24.5 million.?

Cost of sales in Q2 2020 was $60.8 million as compared to $63.5 million for Q2 2019.? The reduction in cost of sales was primarily the result of the Company?s cost savings initiatives, which included utilizing less equipment and mining fewer tonnes.? As a result, Q2 2020 cost of sales did not include mining costs being allocated to the low-grade stockpile or to deferred stripping. This is compared to Q2 2019 cost of sales which was net of $12.0 million of deferred stripping and $1.9 million low-grade stockpile costs.

The Company reported net income of $31.9 million for Q2 2020 as compared to net income of $2.5?million for Q2 2019.? The variance in the higher net income for Q2 2020, as compared to Q2 2019, was a result of several items including:

Revenue in Q2 2020 included a large positive mark to market and final adjustment from provisional pricing on concentrate sales, as mentioned above.

The inclusion of a non-cash unrealized foreign exchange gain of $14.5?million as compared to a non-cash unrealized foreign exchange gain of $6.7?million in Q2 2019, a differential of approximately $7.8?million, which was primarily related to the Company?s debt that is denominated in US dollars.

On adjusted basis, the Company recorded a net loss of $1.5 million in Q2 2020, compared to $0.01 million in Q2 2019. ?

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Copper Mountain Mill Expansion

During Q2 2020, the Company completed the first stage of the 45,000 TPD mill expansion project with the installation of Direct Flotation Reactors (DFRs). The DFRs will increase the efficiency and the capacity of the current cleaner circuit, which is expected to increase copper concentrate grade from about 25% to 28%, resulting in lower concentrate transportation, smelting and refining costs.? The installation of the DFRs was completed on schedule and on budget.? Since the commissioning of the DFR?s in early July, the project is achieving the targeted final concentrate grade.

As noted in Q1 2020, as a result of COVID-19, the Company deferred most major capital spend and therefore halted work on the second stage of the Ball Mill expansion plans of the existing Copper Mountain Mine, which is the installation of the third ball mill.? The Ball Mill expansion is designed to increase throughput to 45,000 TPD from 40,000 TPD and improve copper recovery as a result of being able to achieve a finer grind of ore.? The expansion project includes the installation of a third ball mill that the Company had already purchased.? Work has been reduced to completing commitments on the long lead items already ordered at the end of last year, which will allow the project to restart in an efficient and expeditious manner.? With the recent stronger copper prices experienced, the Company plans to continue to operate under its revised operating plan and build its cash position with the target to restart the second stage of the Ball Mill expansion project at the end of 2020 or early 2021, dependent on market conditions.

Eva Copper Project

The Company completed an updated Eva Copper 2020 Feasibility Study and announced its results on May 7, 2020, which demonstrated improved economics and operating metrics, including a higher after-tax NPV, increased production, lower cash costs and a longer mine life, when compared to the prior 2018 Feasibility Study results.

Results included:

After-tax NPV at an 8% discount of US$437 million and an after-tax IRR of 29%.

Total production of 1.5 billion pounds of copper over a 15-year mine life.

C1 cash costs of US$1.44 per pound of copper, net of by product credits

Total initial development capital of US$382 million.

2020 OUTLOOK

The Company reaffirms its 2020 production and AIC guidance of 70 to 75 million pounds of copper and US$2.20 and US$2.35 per pound of copper produced, respectively. Copper production is expected to be more heavily weighted to the second half of the year, as a result of higher grades and as the Company begins to mine coarser grained ore areas that have higher recovery associated with them. AIC for the first half of 2020 is below the AIC guidance and although the Company expects to continue to operate at lower costs in the second half, the Company is not adjusting guidance at this time given any uncertainty that may arise from unforeseen impacts that COVID-19 may have in the future.? The Company will assess its cost guidance on a quarter by quarter basis.

Q2 2020 FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST

Copper Mountain will host a conference call on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 7:30 am (Pacific Time) for senior management to discuss the second quarter 2020 results.?

Dial-in information:

Toronto and international: 647-427-7450

North America (toll-free): 1-888-231-8191

To participate in the webcast live via computer go to:

https://produceredition.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1339910&tp_key=930bdc54ab

Replay Call Information

Toronto and international: 416-849-0833, Passcode: 1289867

North America (toll-free): 1-855-859-2056, Passcode: 1289867

The conference call replay will be available until 8:59 pm (Pacific Time) on August 5, 2020. An archive of the audio webcast will also be available on the company?s website at http://www.cumtn.com.

2020 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Company will be holding its 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 2:00 pm (Vancouver Time).? Given the ongoing health concerns related to the COVID-19 virus, it is imperative to achieve social distancing to reduce risk of the virus spreading. As a result, to mitigate risks to the health and safety of the communities, shareholders, employees and other stakeholders of the Company, Copper Mountain will be holding a virtual meeting.?? ?The Company encourages shareholders to participate via live audio webcast.? Please refer to the Company?s proxy circular, which will be sent to shareholders in August, for further details.

About Copper Mountain Mining Corporation

Copper Mountain?s flagship asset is the 75% owned Copper Mountain mine located in southern British Columbia near the town of Princeton. The Copper Mountain mine currently produces approximately 90 million pounds of copper equivalent, with average annual production expected to increase to approximately 120 million pounds of copper equivalent.? Copper Mountain also has the development-stage Eva Copper Project in Queensland, Australia and an extensive 2,443 km2 highly prospective land package in the Mount Isa area. Copper Mountain trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ?CMMC? and Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol ?C6C?.

Additional information is available on the Company?s web page at www.CuMtn.com.

On behalf of the Board of

COPPER MOUNTAIN MINING CORPORATION

?Gil Clausen?????

Gil Clausen, P.Eng.

President and Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Letitia Wong

Vice President Corporate Development & Investor Relations

Telephone: 604-682-2992

Email: Letitia.Wong@CuMtn.com

Website: www.CuMtn.com

In Europe:

Swiss Resource Capital AG

Jochen Staiger

info@resource-capital.ch

www.resource-capital.ch

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, ?forward-looking statements?) within the meaning of applicable securities laws.? All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements.? Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as ?plans?, ?expects?, ?estimates?, ?intends?, ?anticipates?, ?believes? or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results ?may?, ?could?, ?would?, ?might?, ?occur? or ?be achieved?.? Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance and opportunities to differ materially from those implied by such forward-looking statements.? Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include the successful exploration of the Company?s properties in Canada and Australia, the reliability of the historical data referenced in this press release and risks set out in Copper Mountain?s public documents, including in each management discussion and analysis, filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.? Although Copper Mountain believes that the information and assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all.? Except where required by applicable law, Copper Mountain disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Vietnam exported over 182,000 tonnes of pepper worth 385 million USD as of mid-July, according to the General Department of Customs.

Harvesting pepper

Despite complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, the countrys pepper exports to main markets, including the US, the Philippines, Egypt, and the UK, still witnessed increases in the period.

Vietnam shipped 123,000 tonnes valued at 2.84 million USD to foreign markets in June, up 115.6 percent in volume and 127.6 percent in value year-on-year. Of the number, over 4,000 tonnes worth 9.88 million USD were exported to the US.

Amid the pandemic, the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA) recommends export enterprises to focus on effectively exploiting markets where social distancing measures were eased such as China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan, and promote domestic consumption.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said 95 percent of Vietnam's pepper is reserved for export and the remaining 5 percent is for domestic consumption.

Vietnam has 18 pepper processing plants with a total capacity of about 70,000 - 80,000 tonnes per year, including 14 plants using modern technologies.

The ministry stressed the need to re-plan pepper cultivation areas, promote the application of scientific and technological advances in production, standardise farming processes and enhance clean agriculture-oriented production links.

According to statistics from the MARD, Vietnam's pepper production accounts for about half of the global pepper output.

Vietnam harvested an estimated 250,000 tonnes of pepper in the first four months of 2020, reaching over 50 percent of the target set for the whole year. The country is expected to supply about 350,000 tonnes of pepper to markets this year./. VNA

VN unlikely to reach pepper export target this year Vietnam may not reach its pepper export goal for this year due to many difficulties, according to the Viet Nam Pepper Association (VPA).
Photo credit: The Sun

From Popular Mechanics

Ben Schofield, a sailor in England, dropped his iPhone X into the sea, where it remained for 6 days.

When he finally retrieved it, the device was in full working order.

It's a feat for the iPhone X, considering it's only rated for water exposure up to a maximum depth of one meter for up to 30 minutes.

Miraculously, after 6 days beneath the ocean's waves, an iPhone X emerged victoriousand in full working order.

Ben Schofield, a 35-year-old deckhand, told the British tabloid The Sun that he dropped his phone 50 feet into a harbor near his workplace, the port of Scarborough in North Yorkshire. There, he mans the Regal Ladynow a museum display, but formerly known as the Oulton Belle, one of the ships that sailed to Dunkirk, Northern France to rescue over 338,000 Allied troops back in 1940.

When Schofield had one of his friends dive into the harbor to fetch his phone last week, they couldn't retrieve it from the unforgiving grips of the sea. So on Monday, when the tide was low, Schofield tried his own hand at recovering the phone. He covered up his shoes with plastic bags, shimmied between the Regal Lady and the harbor wall, and spotted it in the mud.

 You like deep dives. So do we. Let's make this thing official.

Schofield immediately cleaned it up, removed the sand from the charging port, and let it dry out. Schofield even felt his phone vibrate in his hand, as it was still powered on. The iPhone Xwhich retails for about $600 these dayswas submerged for an astonishing 6 days.

"It only had three percent battery, so I plugged it in and it began to charge," Schofield told The Sun. "Everything works. I contacted Apple and they couldnt believe it. They reckon the sand filled the holes for charging and preserved it."

Photo credit: The Sun

If true, that would be pretty remarkable; even the best-rated phones for splashes and plunges couldn't handle that depth of water for that duration of time. Technically, Schofield's iPhone X shouldn't have survived at all, if you believe the International Electrotechnical Commission in Geneva, Switzerland.

Story continues

That organization has drawn up what's known as the IP standard, meant to designate how resistant an electronic device is to fresh water and other common materials like dirt, dust, or sand. Following "IP," the first digit in the rating is targeted to the device's resistance to solids. So all water-resistant phones start out with "IP6" in the code name, which tells you no harmful dirt or dust will get into the unit, even after direct contact for 8 hours.

The Best Water-Resistant Phone Cases



The following digit will be a 7 or an 8, meaning your device is either rated "IP67" or "IP68." The former standard means your phone can be submerged in up to 1 meter of fresh water for about 30 minutes without any water seeping into the device, while IP68 means the device can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes.

Photo credit: National Historic Ships UK

Modern phones that meet the IP67 standard include the iPhone X and iPhone 8, while newer phones like the iPhone 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 10, and Google Pixel 4 meet the IP68 standard.

Maybe Schofield's dilemma is proof the IP ratings are very conservative in their estimates of a phone's ability to take a swim without getting waterlogged. That does make sense, because standards are meant to apply to all phones, and not just some. But should you really test those limits?

(No.)

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The agenda of the "Consensus minus one" idea has taken place, the second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said in an interview with Channel 5, H2, and Yerkir Media TV channels.

I think that the agenda has already taken place, the statements of all the opposition forces, if you have noticed, are the same, everyone understands that the situation is getting worse, everyone agrees that the government must change...They will not change voluntarily and the way to change the government can be done via public, mass pressure.

In fact, the agenda has been formed, all that remains is to formulate all this in a serious organizational matter, and this should not be an end in itself. The same opposition should do this for the country, and if the government does not change its work style, this government will have serious problems in the near future, he noted.

In response to the question how safe it is for our country to change the government without waiting for the next elections, Kocharyan said there will definitely be an extraordinary change of government, everything depends on the political process, the working style of the government, the working style and efficiency of the opposition.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on July 27 instructed the Ministry of Education and Training to hold the high school graduation examination in all provinces and cities as previously scheduled,

including in Da Nang, where new COVID-19 cases have appeared.

Students at Hoang Hoa Tham High School in Da Nang fill out registration applications for the national high school graduation examination. VNA/VNS Photo Van Dung

Provincial and city authorities as well as health officials must ensure safety for test candidates, the Prime Minister said at a recent meeting on COVID-19 prevention.

As scheduled, the examination will be organised on August 8-10 nationwide. The date is two months later than in previous years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The content in the tests will be based on what 12th graders have studied.

Candidates will take compulsory tests in math, literature and foreign languages and will have the option of choosing tests in natural sciences or social sciences.

The ministry said that it would guide relevant agencies in provinces and cities to classify candidates based on the risk levels of transmission and arrange suitable venues and classrooms.

It will require local authorities to help school managers and teachers update the health conditions of 12th graders and decide who can sit the exam. Local authorities will report to steering committees for the examination in provinces and cities.

Preventive measures against COVID-19 should be carried out in venues and areas where the tests will be printed and where teachers will mark the candidates tests.

Most provinces and cities have prepared classrooms and teachers for the exam to be organised safely.

Unlike in previous years, provinces and cities have been granted autonomy in organising the exam. The ministry will not assign teachers of universities to watch the exam-taking as it did in previous years.

The southern province of Dong Nai, for instance, will arrange 58 venues with 1,205 classrooms in nine districts and the two cities of Bien Hoa and Long Khanh.

Its Department of Education and Training will assign 3,385 cadres and teachers to monitor the exam-taking and 250 teachers will mark candidates tests. The province is expected to have more than 28,300 candidates sit the exam.

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is also preparing facilities and human resources for the exam. The province will have nearly 14,000 candidates sit the exam.

It has prepared 39 venues with 583 classrooms in all districts. It will assign 2,100 of its staff and teachers to oversee the exam-taking.

The departments of Education and Training in central provinces are also preparing facilities and human resources for the exam.

From July 27 to August 10, Quang Nam Province will isolate 48 cadres who will work with others to print tests. The province has mountainous districts with many families living under difficult circumstances, so its leaders have allocated VND2.5 billion (US$107,919) for instruction for ethnic minority students.

For the exam date, the provincial Department of Education and Training has set up methods for travelling, dining and accommodations for test candidates.

Da Nang is expected to have 10,500 candidates sit the exam. The city will arrange 25 venues with 437 classrooms at high schools and secondary schools. City police will be in charge of ensuring security around the venues. Its Department of Health will be in charge of food safety and hygiene at food stores around the venues.

Thua Thien Hue Province will have more than 12,570 candidates at 35 venues. Cameras will be installed at areas where tests will be marked. VNS
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29) - After losing the Miss Universe franchise, the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) now lost the exclusive rights to send the countrys representative to Miss Supranational pageant.

The local franchise of Miss Supranational is now with Miss World Philippines, which selects the Philippine delegate to the Miss World pageant.

Miss World Philippines Organization announced on Tuesday that Miss Supranational is the latest addition to its roster of current titles: Reina Hispanoamericana, Miss Eco International, Miss Eco Teen International, Miss Multinational, and Miss Philippines Tourism.

Aside from strengthening our foothold in the local and global pageant scenes, the addition of the Miss Supranational title will provide our aspiring Filipina queens with another relevant platform for women empowerment, said MWP national director Arnold Vegafria in a statement.

The organization also noted that Miss World Philippines 2020 has been moved to January 2021.

The country had its first and only Miss Supranational winner through Mutya Datul in 2013, under the management of BPCI.

With this development, the current titles under BPCI are Bb. Pilipinas International, Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental, Bb. Pilipinas Globe, and Bb. Pilipinas Grand International.

The 2020 edition of Bb. Pilipinas was postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Street racers gather in Compton. (Los Angeles Times)

A Texas man was charged with murder Tuesday in connection with a shooting at a street racing scene that left a teenage girl dead in the heart of Hollywood, prosecutors said.

Ramon Roque Monreal, 33, of El Paso was also charged with attempted murder after he allegedly sprayed bullets during a dispute near Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue early Sunday, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Alejandra Estrada, 17, of Huntington Park was killed during the altercation. A second victim was wounded, prosecutors said.

Monreal was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon, but his hearing was continued and he has not entered a plea. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

A sidewalk memorial was set up at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Hollywood for Alejandra Estrada, 17. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

Monreal was armed with a handgun when he was arrested Sunday morning, Los Angeles police said. The shooting was captured in a number of videos posted to social media and appeared to spill out of an argument between two men in the busy intersection that is usually overrun with tourists on the Walk of Fame.

In one video, a man wearing a black shirt, dark pants and white shoes  who police say is Monreal  can be seen confronting a larger man wearing a white shirt, gray shorts and sandals.

You down to do some [stuff] like that? the man in the black shirt asks before pulling a handgun from his waistband. A third man who was watching the confrontation immediately swings and punches the gunman in the head twice from behind, knocking him to the ground.

During the struggle, the gunman then appears to fire three quick shots as he jumps to his feet, scattering the crowd. Ricardo Santiago, a spokesman for the district attorney's office, said Estrada and the other victim were not involved in the dispute, though it was not clear if they were attending the street race or simply standing in the area when the shots rang out.

Earlier this year, police warned that street racers were taking advantage of empty roadways during the pandemic, with reports of sideshows, takeovers and roll races coming in from throughout the state not long after much of California shut down in response to the coronavirus.

Story continues

A law enforcement official described the event that led to the shooting Sunday as a "full-blown takeover," referring to incidents where street racers block sections of roadway to perform dangerous vehicle stunts, including burnouts.

A number of racers had come to Southern California from the Bay Area over the weekend as part of an event known as Bay-to-L.A., according to the official, who requested anonymity in order to speak candidly about an ongoing investigation.

The dispute came after an L.A. racer smacked his hand against a car doing doughnuts near the Hollywood and Highland intersection, the official said. While that kind of behavior is common at L.A. takeovers, the official said, Monreal took offense to it.

Monreal has previously resided in Oakland and has been affiliated with Bay Area street racing crews, the official said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh welcome 'Golden Arrows' Rafale jets as it landed in Haryana's Ambala Air Force Station escorted by two Su-30MKIs. Singh said that the touch down of the five fighter aircraft marks the 'beginning of new era in our country's military history. "I congratulate the IAF on a professionally executed ferry. I am sure that 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows, will continue to live upto their motto of "Udayam Ajasram". I am extremely happy that IAFs combat capability has got a timely boost," he tweeted.

"I am extremely happy that IAF's combat capability has got a timely boost," said Singh. "The jets were purchased when they fully met operational requirements of IAF. If anyone should be worried about our new capability it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed the jets.

A part of security tightening measure and prohibitory orders, the Ambala district administration has barred people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the air base. Roads leading to the Air Force Station will also be sealed till 5pm. Section 144 has been imposed in four villages closer to the air base, an official said, adding that gathering of people on roofs and photography during landing is strictly prohibited.

Here are all the latest updates on Rafale jet's landing:

 The defence ministry has tweeted saying that the five Rafale jets have entered Indian airspace and are being escorted by two Su-30MKIs.

The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020

 The induction of these next generation aircrafts is a true testimony of PM Narendra Modi's resolve to make India a powerful and secure nation. The government is committed to build on Indias defence capabilities, said Home Minister Amit Shah in a series of tweets.

Induction of these next generation aircrafts is a true testimony of PM @narendramodi's resolve to make India a powerful and secure nation. Modi govt is committed to build on Indias defence capabilities. I thank honourable PM for providing this unprecedented strength to our IAF. pic.twitter.com/g9lIO0bl6d  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 29, 2020

 Soon after taking off from the UAE, Rafale contingent established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata, deployed in the Western Arabian Sea.

 The jets, which stopped over at UAE's Al Dhafra Air Base on their way from France, will took off for India at 11:30am, the official said. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will receive the jets at the Ambala air base.

 The jets took off from France on Monday after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates. The fleet comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft, according to an IAF official.

 The first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at the Ambala air base. The five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into the IAF on Wednesday, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later. No 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows, has been resurrected at the Ambala base to operate the Rafale aircraft. The resurrection ceremony in September 2019 was presided over by then Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa, who had commanded the 17 Squadron during the Kargil conflict in 1999.

 Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said Ambala police have taken the necessary measures. The BJP leader and six-term MLA from Ambala Cantt said the people of Ambala are very enthusiastic and thousands would have come out on the streets to welcome the fighter jets before the touch down had there not been a pandemic.

 The minister further said that hadn't there been lockdown due to coronavirus, the residents would have come out and celebrated. "Today, history is being created. The people of Ambala are awaiting the arrival of Rafale fighter jets. If there was no COVID19, the people here would have welcomed the fighters jets with celebrations," he said.

 BJP's Ambala City MLA Aseem Goyal urged to people to light candles in their homes between 7-7:30 pm on Wednesday to welcome the Rafale jets.

 Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France for 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities.
UN highlights destruction of floods in Bangladesh

July 29,2020 | Source: Xinhua

The United Nations on Monday highlighted the devastation caused by monsoon rains in Bangladesh, saying nearly a quarter of the country is flooded, affecting at least 3.3 million people, 40 percent of them children.



Humanitarian partners are responding, in coordination with the government, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).



Nearly half of the 93 people who have died in about a month of flooding are children, OCHA said, citing an assessment just completed by the government and aid partners.



The latest reports from OCHA's humanitarian partners and authorities described 732,000 people as "waterlogged" across 21 of the 64 districts in Bangladesh. And more rain has been forecast.



Flooding damaged housing and infrastructure, including dams, water wells, hygiene facilities and more than 1,900 schools. Health care services in many areas have been disrupted.



"Livelihoods, local markets, crops, livestock and fisheries have also been severely affected, which our humanitarian colleagues warn could also lead to increased food insecurity," OCHA said.

 2000-2020 XINHUANET.com All rights reserved.

Theme(s): Others.
The US authorities have warned people not to open packets of seeds that have been posted unsolicited to addresses in several states.

The seeds have arrived without packaging identifying them, and the US authorities have asked recipients to return them for examination in case they belong to an invasive species.

The seeds appear to have been sent from China, and have landed in mailboxes from Virginia to Washington. The Chinese authorities have asked for the packages to be returned for examination, denying responsibility for them and saying that China Post prohibits seeds from conveyance by post.

After verification with China Post, said a spokesperson, those address labels turned out to be fake ones with erroneous layouts and entries. China Post has contacted [the US Postal Service], asking it to send those fake packages to China for investigation.

In a statement of its own, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) told Americans not to throw the seeds away, and certainly not to plant them.

USDA is aware that people across the country have received suspicious, unsolicited packages of seed that appear to be coming from China. USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working closely with the Department of Homeland Securitys Customs and Border Protection, other federal agencies, and State departments of agriculture to investigate the situation.

USDA urges anyone who receives an unsolicited package of seeds to immediately contact their State plant regulatory official or APHIS State plant health director. Please hold onto the seeds and packaging, including the mailing label, until someone from your State department of agriculture or APHIS contacts you with further instructions. Do not plant seeds from unknown origins.

So far, the main worry is that the seeds could belong to an invasive plant species that could spell havoc for farming and ecosystems alike if allowed to take root. But according to the USDA, the fact that the packages are unsolicited should not in itself be considered unusually sinister.

At this time, we dont have any evidence indicating this is something other than a brushing scam where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales, its statement said.
Washington: Dozens of Australian-born women married to Islamic State fighters in Syria face an even tougher battle to return home, after Foreign Minister Marise Payne warned coronavirus had stretched the resources needed to deradicalise and reintegrate women and children.

Speaking during high-level talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington, Senator Payne said that while some orphan children of IS families had returned to Australia, the Morrison government "would not put our communities at home at risk" in order to repatriate more people from Syria.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington. Credit:AP

The toughening of the governments stance sits at odds with Pompeos calls for countries to bring back and prosecute their own jihadist nationals.

It also comes amid ongoing debate over the future of the wives and children of Australian fighters, many of whom have been residing in the squalid al-Hawl camp for years and are seeking to return following the fall of the terror group.
Senate Republicans announced a $1 trillion package which would slash unemployment benefits from $600 a week to $200

United States Republicans and Democrats faced difficult talks on Tuesday on how best to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, after Republicans unveiled a relief proposal days before millions of Americans lose federal unemployment benefits.

Senate Republicans announced on Monday a one-trillion-dollar coronavirus aid package hammered out with the White House, which would slash the current expanded unemployment benefit from the $600 a week in addition to state unemployment, which expires on Friday, to $200.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell touted the proposal as a tailored and targeted plan to reopen schools and businesses, while protecting companies from lawsuits.

The plan sparked immediate opposition from both Democrats and Republicans. Democrats decried it as too limited, and too late, compared with their three-trillion-dollar proposal that passed the House of Representatives in May.

Some Republicans said it was too expensive.

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wears a face mask while walking to the House Chamber before a vote on an additional economic stimulus package, on Capitol Hill in Washington, US [Tom Brenner/Reuters]

The Republican proposal would give many Americans direct payments of $1,200 each, one area of common ground with the Democrats.

It would also provide billions in loans to small businesses and help schools reopen.

There is widespread agreement between the two political parties that more money is needed for virus testing, to help schools prepare to begin their new year and to shore up small businesses but they are far apart on the details.

Republicans seek $16bn for virus testing, but Democrats want $75bn.

For school reopenings, Democrats want four times the $105bn Republicans have proposed.

Democrats also want to extend a federal eviction moratorium on millions of rental units that is expiring Friday, but Republicans are silent on evictions.

The federal supplemental unemployment benefit has been a financial lifeline for laid-off workers and a key support for consumer spending. Democrats quickly denounced the cuts as draconian when millions of Americans cannot return to shuttered workplaces.

Many Republicans insist the high unemployment payout encourages Americans to stay home rather than go back to work. Their proposal would put the $200 weekly supplemental payment in place until states create a system to provide a 70 percent wage replacement for laid-off workers.

Democrats said the $200 suggestion is insufficient and would damage the economy, and scoffed at suggestions that people would rather stay home.

People want to work, Republican friends. They just dont have jobs to do it. Were not going to let them starve while that happens, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a Senate speech criticising Republicans.

Lets get something done. America desperately needs our help, he said.

Schumer and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are due to meet later on Tuesday with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, after a session on Monday evening.

Protesters temporarily block the street to US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells house with a live band on a flatbed truck during a protest on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 22, 2020 [Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]

McConnell said no bill would go to a vote without liability protection, that he said is not for businesses only.

The bill also includes a provision that would restore hundreds of millions of dollars in US defence spending that President Donald Trumps administration had diverted in order to pay for a wall along the US border with Mexico, according to the Washington Post newspaper.

The partisan dispute comes as US coronavirus cases have passed 4.3 million, with nearly 150,000 people killed in the country, and tens of millions out of work.

The Democratic-led House in May passed its three-trillion-dollar coronavirus relief bill known as the HEROES Act, but the Republican-led Senate refused to consider it.

McConnell acknowledged that the Republican HEALS Act was just a starting point for negotiations that would need bipartisan support to become law.

In his remarks opening the Senate on Tuesday, McConnell accused Democrats of risking Americans wellbeing amid the health and economic crisis by playing politics.

The HEALS Act is full of provisions that I would frankly dare my Democratic colleagues to actually say they oppose, McConnell said.
Greta Ericson, St. Helenas first female mayor, died Saturday at the age of 98.

One of the most influential women in St. Helenas history, Ericson ran her own dress shop, ran the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce, sold real estate, served in a variety of political and community leadership roles, and led the founding of Rianda House Senior Activity Center on land bequeathed by her close friend Jean Rianda.

Friends remember Ericson as a smart and compassionate woman who excelled at virtually everything she tried, from politics to business to creative writing to parenthood.

When she had something that she thought was good for the city, she really pushed it, said Bill Savidge, who served on the Rianda House board with her. That made her effective as a mayor and as a citizen.

She was also committed to her family, raising four children with her high school sweetheart Richard Ericson, who died in 2002 after 61 years of marriage. The couple even adopted three sisters whod lost their parents in a car crash.

If there was something that needed doing and she could do anything about it, she wouldnt just walk away, said her longtime friend Noelle Peterson.

Born Greta Irene Low to Swedish immigrants in Hoboken, New Jersey, Ericson was raised in New Yorks Hudson River Valley, where she worked at Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. She married Richard Ericson shortly before the U.S. entered World War II. While he flew troop carriers, she drew blueprints for battleships in Mobile, Alabama.

The couple moved to Sonoma in 1954 before settling in St. Helena in 1965. Drawing on her experience in New York City department stores, Ericson ran Gretas Wine Country Clothes at the corner of Main Street and Hunt Avenue and operated what was known as the Valley Hotel upstairs. She sold the store after 14 years and entered the real estate business, where she remained active until the age of 84.

Ericson was involved in the PTA, Red Cross, St. Helena Soroptimist  which gives the annual Greta Ericson Achievement Award to a high school student for political leadership  and the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce, where she served as the Chambers first female president/CEO in 1973. The Chamber went on to name her Citizen of the Year in 2000.

Ericson was the first woman elected to the St. Helena City Council, finishing as the top vote-getter in March 1974. Running her own dress shop gave her a distinct advantage, she later told the St. Helena Historical Society in an undated oral history.

You have to realize I had the dress shop in town and knew every woman that came in to be fitted for one thing or another, she said. It was a very definite edge.

In those days, the council selected its own mayor, typically choosing the top vote-getter. Mel Varrelman, whod finished second among seven candidates for three seats, said it was his privilege to nominate Ericson as mayor.

The fundamental role of the mayor is to run efficient and orderly meetings, and Ericson did so, said Varrelman, who offered his condolences to Ericsons family.

During her tenure, the city removed the parking meters from downtown. When trees in the Highway 29 elm tunnel were slated to come down, Ericson organized a massive letter-writing campaign.

I had all the children in the town write letters and everything, and we had almost 3,000 letters and stopped it right there, she recalled in the oral history.

Among her proudest accomplishments as mayor was helping acquire three acres of land on Hunt Avenue, which became the Woodbridge Village senior apartments, and one acre of land that became the site of the St. Helena Public Library.

Ericsons tenure is memorialized in a Taylor Biggs Lewis painting that hangs in the library and shows her presiding over a council meeting, standing to speak as her fellow councilmembers sit on either side of her.

Even when people disagreed with Ericson, she had a wonderful capacity to never let things get disagreeable, Peterson said.

I think that a woman in the position on the council is a housekeeper, more of a housekeeper than a man is, Ericson told the historical society. I think they look at small things and change it. It was a rewarding experience and I wouldnt trade it for anything.

Ericson was mayor from 1974 to 1976 and city councilmember from 1976 to 1978. She also served on the Napa County Grand Jury, Napa County Board of Education, and Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

She founded the MTCs awards program to honor dedicated public servants. The commission presents the annual Greta Ericson Distinguished Service Award recognizing long-term, quality leadership in the transportation profession.

Ericson was most proud of her work with Rianda House, where she served on the first board. As Jean Riandas executor, Ericson took it upon herself to bring Jeans dream to fruition, said Varrelman, Ericsons former City Council colleague who once again teamed up with her as board treasurer.

Jean initially wanted to leave her house to me, but I suggested that she leave it to become a senior center  seniors were meeting at the Carnegie Building, Ericson told the historical society. Jean stipulated this in her will that I, Greta, would make it happen.

It is such a relief that this has come to pass, Ericson told the Star in 2008. Over the years I wondered if Jeans dream would survive  I look around and see St. Helena has made it come alive.

Julie Spencer, executive director of Rianda House, called Ericson the centers founder and guiding star.

Anything was possible when Greta put her mind, heart, soul and gumption into it, Spencer said.

I dont think Rianda House would have happened without her advocating, added Gene Armstead, who served on the Rianda House board with Ericson.

Ericson is survived by daughter Sandra; sons Rick, Steve and Lee; and adopted daughters Maria Tatman, Charmaine Koehler and Cindy Kewell.

The family plans to hold a memorial when it is safe to gather.

Watch now: Californias surprising history of Confederate monuments

You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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Virginias mental health agency is dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks at three psychiatric hospitals and a training center that have infected dozens of patients and employees and have caused five deaths.

Most of the states psychiatric hospitals have more patients than capacity and are operating at critical levels, said Alison Land, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. She and Dr. Daniel Carey, the states secretary of health, last week wrote a three-page letter to lawmakers asking for help.

Piedmont Geriatric Hospital in Nottoway County has stopped admitting new patients.

Unfortunately, we have had five deaths at this hospital related to COVID outcomes, Angela Harvell, deputy commissioner for facility services, said in a Wednesday phone interview.

Six of Piedmonts patients are now in a medical hospital. Another 18 patients are infected and remain at the Burkeville psychiatric hospital. Nine staff members also have tested positive for the virus.

They just recently tested all the other patients at this facility, and they were negative. So the outbreak was contained to one unit, so we were fortunate in that regard, she said.

The other state psychiatric facilities with outbreaks are Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Southern Virginia Mental Hospital in Danville, and the Southeastern Virginia Training Center in Chesapeake. Western State Hospital in Staunton has one patient and two staff members who tested positive, but it is not considered as having an outbreak.

Until now, the state hospitals had seen only isolated cases among staff or patients.

We were closed to visitors early on in the process. In doing so, we believe we were able to delay as much as possible outbreaks in our facilities for several months, Harvell said.

Land said the hospitals were able to lower their census numbers early in the pandemic, but admissions began to rise rapidly as Virginia began to lift pandemic-imposed restrictions.

If you remember before the community started reopening, most everybody stayed at home, Land said. I really think it is more prevalent in the community and people are out more.

She said the hospitals screen staff and take temperatures, but if workers are infected and without symptoms they bring the disease into the facilities.

Eastern State has 16 staff members and six patients with infections. Harvell said the National Guard is doing a point prevalence survey to determine if others are affected. The results are pending.

Southern Virginia Mental Hospital is caring for seven positive patients and has transferred another patient to a medical hospital. The department is working with the Virginia Department of Health to get all tested.

At the Southeastern Virginia Training Center, five residents and four staff members tested positive.

We are fortunate in the layout of that facility in that there are 15 separate homes with five beds each. So its a little bit easier to isolate, and assign staff specifically to that area, Harvell said.

The states psychiatric hospitals serve as the bed of last resort when people are going through a crisis and need inpatient mental health treatment, and a private hospital wont take them.

At the start of the pandemic, private psychiatric hospitals reduced their capacity both to put more distance between patients. Their goal was lessening the spread and freeing up space, staff and supplies for anticipated COVID patients.

Land said some of the private hospitals also ceased admissions after having patients and staff test positive.

Land said her agency early on also decreased the census at its hospitals. Just as people delayed care for physical ailments and stayed away from hospitals, so, too, did those with mental illnesses.

The geriatric hospitals remained full, she said, but the adult beds census dropped to 80% to 85%. But that changed with reopenings.

As of last week, the statewide census was 100%, with six of the eight adult hospitals exceeding 100%.

Because state hospital beds are only funded at 90 percent capacity, state hospitals are unable to sustain such high census level because of major challenges such as staff burnout, turnover and operational issues, Land wrote in the letter to lawmakers. While the department isnt turning patients away, some are experiencing delays and waiting in hospital emergency rooms while staff work to free beds.

Before the pandemic, the states hospitals often operated beyond capacity. The department has been rolling out the STEP Virginia plan to build services in the community that are aimed at preventing crises and hospitalization and at supporting patients after discharge so they wont require readmission.

We were going in the right direction, and then COVID hit. We had such wonderful things in the budget that of course became unallotted because they had to because of COVID and the revenue gap, Land said. So how can we move back to where we can get this funding? We have wonderful plans.

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[music]

michael barbaro

From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today: A fight has erupted among congressional Republicans over how long and how generously government should help the unemployed during the pandemic. Nick Fandos on what that battle is really about. Its Tuesday, July 28. Nick, tell me about this deadline coming up on Friday.

nick fandos

So on Friday, at the end of July, one of the key programs in the $2 trillion economic relief package, called the CARES Act, that Congress passed this spring to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, is set to expire. This is the federal unemployment benefit, this extra $600 that the federal government has been putting into unemployment checks, on top of whatever states give the tens of millions of Americans that are out of work.

michael barbaro

Right. And the thinking was that state unemployment benefits, which is how most people get by when they are laid off, are kind of stingy. And because these layoffs were so widespread, the federal government needed to step in an unusual way.

nick fandos

Thats right. And you know, $600 was arrived at by congressional Democrats and the Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, as something like a kind of average wage that they thought might be lost across the board. And though some Republicans were uneasy 

archived recording Mr. President, the majority leader of the Senate.

nick fandos

 they ultimately set aside their concerns and ended up voting unanimously to put this program and others in place.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) Our nation needed us to go big and go fast. And they did. So today, Mr. President, the Senate will act to help the people of this country weather this storm.

michael barbaro

Right. And I think for many Americans the sense was that this program  $600 a week from the federal government  would probably last as long as widespread unemployment lasted, stemming from the pandemic.

nick fandos

I think that thats right, that that was the assumption of many Americans. But Republicans never quite viewed it that way.

archived recording (john cornyn) We have spent a lot of money in the last couple of months. But weve done so in the face of an emergency, kind of like the civilian equivalent of World War II.

nick fandos

They saw the whole stimulus bill, including this benefit, as a kind of extraordinary measure for extraordinary circumstances. And that this was kind of a bridge to float the economy and float the American people through this period where the government was asking them to stay home, so that we could get the virus under control.

archived recording (ted cruz) Look, I supported every one of these bills that has come through. I agree that we need emergency relief to help people, to help people through the crisis as a short-term bridge loan.

nick fandos

But you know, if that was a gamble  and it was, that this is going to be a temporary thing  Republicans do not come out where they want to. The virus has resurged in many states now across the South and West, you know, in states that are traditionally red states and are represented by Republicans.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) So the question today is where are we? And where do we go from here?

nick fandos

And the party now has to kind of come to terms with the fact that what they hoped would be a bridge is going to be a lot longer than they initially thought.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) We had hoped wed be on the way to saying goodbye to this health care pandemic. Clearly, it is not over.

michael barbaro

Right. Which brings us back to this Friday expiration date. So do Republicans have intrinsic objections to just renewing the $600 a week?

nick fandos

So for most Republicans, the answer is yes.

michael barbaro

Hm.

nick fandos

That $600 figure, as we said, was arrived at honestly, but somewhat hastily back in March. And Republicans started voicing concerns at the time.

archived recording (ted cruz) For 68 percent of people receiving it right now, they are being paid more on unemployment than they made in their job.

nick fandos

And theyve grown a lot louder since. That $600 from the federal government, on top of whatever states were giving people that were out of work, was simply too generous.

archived recording (ted cruz) And Ill tell you, Ive spoken to small business owners all over the state of Texas who are trying to reopen.

nick fandos

And actually was disincentivizing and has disincentivized many Americans from going back to work.

archived recording (ted cruz)  and theyre calling their waiters and waitresses, theyre calling their busboys. And they wont come back. And of course they wont come back. Because the federal government is paying, in some instances, twice as much money to stay home.

nick fandos

So ideologically, many Republicans in Congress were never comfortable with this $600 benefit at that level in the first place. And then, theyre certainly not comfortable with extending it into perpetuity.

michael barbaro

So Nick, with this program running out of time, how is this playing out among the Republicans?

nick fandos

So as Republicans are approaching these deadlines at the end of July, theyre looking around and seeing a bunch of different inputs that are really difficult for them. On the one hand, Democrats are, you know, unabashedly and enthusiastically pushing to extend this $600 benefit through the end of the year and as long as its needed.

michael barbaro

Mhm.

nick fandos

And at the same time, Republicans are having to reconcile themselves to the fact that the virus is spreading around the country. There are signs in the last few weeks that the economy, which was recovering, is starting to potentially soften again. And they recognize for a variety of reasons  economically, for the livelihood of the country, and politically, as theyre looking ahead to Novembers elections  that its simply not going to be an option not to have a plan.

michael barbaro

Mhm.

nick fandos

And so Republicans start trying to put together their own proposal for how to fix unemployment benefits going forward and a range of other programs to keep the economy afloat. And it turns out its a lot harder than they think its going to be.

michael barbaro

What do you mean?

nick fandos

Well, it turns out, as they try to unpack this and get into the details of what might we do next, that theres a pretty big split between two different camps of Republicans.

archived recording (ted cruz) I asked my Republican colleagues, what in the hell are we doing?

nick fandos

So one of them are the kind of arch conservatives that are really worried about federal spending. People like Ted Cruz.

archived recording (ted cruz) A number of senators at lunch get up and say, well gosh, we need $20 billion for this. We need $100 billion for this. And theyre just really eager to spend money. Im, like, what are you guys doing?

nick fandos

Or Rand Paul, who compared his colleagues to a bunch of Bernie bros with the way they were talking.

archived recording (rand paul) I find it extraordinary that I just came from a Republican caucus meeting that could be sort of the Bernie bros progressive caucus.

nick fandos

And that is a sharp pejorative in the Senate Republican conference.

michael barbaro

I would think.

archived recording (rand paul) This is insane. Its got to stop. Were ruining the country. And there has to be some voice left for fiscal conservatism in this country.

nick fandos

This group is just, frankly, uneasy about the $2 trillion that they spent back in the spring and is not interested in seeing the federal government add to the deficit, add to the debt and further involve itself in the U.S. economy.

archived recording (rand paul) I, for one, am alarmed at where the country is heading. Im also alarmed that my party has forgotten what they actually stand for. There is no difference now between the two parties on spending.

nick fandos

Now, at the other end of the spectrum are a group of more moderate or middle-of-the-road Republicans, who are up for re-election this fall and are actually having to face the voters, in many cases, in swing states or blue states where President Trump and the Republican response to the pandemic have been deeply unpopular. People like Cory Gardner or Thom Tillis 

archived recording (thom tillis) Well, I think we have to build on what we did with the CARES Act, almost $3 trillion dollars to help individuals, to provide a supplement for unemployment.

nick fandos

 who have really staked their re-election on the governments response to this crisis, and on showing that they are effectively leading the country through one of its most challenging periods in anybodys memory. And joining with them on that side 

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) This crisis is far from over.

nick fandos

 are some of the best known leaders of the Republican Party on Capitol Hill.

michael barbaro

Hm.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) For weeks now, I have made it clear that further legislation out of the Senate will be a serious response to the crisis.

nick fandos

So Mitch McConnell, the majority leader from Kentucky, and John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas whos one of his longtime deputies 

archived recording (john cornyn) But as the impact of Covid-19 has grown, so has the need for assistance.

nick fandos

 seem to recognize that not only are the fates of individual senators up in the air, but the Republican Partys prospects up and down the ticket this fall may well be tied up into how they are judged to have handled this crisis. And doing what the conservatives want and basically stopping now and saying, weve done what we need to do is not an option for that group.

michael barbaro

Nick, how much of that debate you just described is being informed by the political realities surrounding the single most important person in the party at this moment, which is President Trump?

nick fandos

I think its inescapable for elected Republicans. And its not just the way that the public seems to be viewing President Trump and giving him very poor grades on handling the pandemic, which could hurt the whole Republican Party in November. Its also the kind of erratic nature of his leadership and engagement on this issue itself. And so theyre working with his Treasury secretary to iron out the details. But this is not a negotiation that President Trump is leading or even all that active in. Theyre trying to do whatever they can to bail out the party, not to please President Trump in this case.

michael barbaro

Hm.

nick fandos

And that has added another kind of layer of interest and unpredictability to this whole thing which, you know, we have not seen a lot of in the last three and a half years.

michael barbaro

And what does that tell you, that theyre choosing this moment to do that?

nick fandos

Well, I think whether they want to acknowledge it or not, Republicans are starting to sense that their party is really in trouble. That if things arent turned around quickly, they may not only lose the White House, but really get wiped out in November. And are thinking in different ways about why that is and what the party may need to look like in a world thats just starting to dawn on them as a possibility of being kind of post-Trump.

michael barbaro

So in other words, this battle over $600 a week and what this entire new version of a relief package looks like, its not really just about whats in a piece of legislation like this. Its about the identity of the Republican Party at a time where it may need a new identity. Because theoretically, Donald Trump could lose. And the Republican Party would no longer be just the party of Donald Trump.

nick fandos

Thats right. So while theyre very much focused on how is the party going to be viewed in November, theyre really kind of foreshadowing or staking out positioning for this potentially larger battle to come, over what Republicanism really looks like after Donald Trump has defined it for four or five years.

[music]

And you know, some of these folks are not new to their positions. But they recognize that there may soon be more of a need to kind of assert their views, and the primacy of those views, against others in the Republican Party.

michael barbaro

Well be right back.

[music]

So Nick, where does this very high stakes ideological battle within the Republican Party, where does it leave this economic relief package?

nick fandos

So its up to Mitch McConnell, basically, to try and pull together these different factions and arrive at a bill that deals with the expiring unemployment benefits and a host of other kind of programs and priorities. Basically, to try and reconcile those differences and put together a bill that can be Republicans starting point when they go to the negotiating table with Democrats.

michael barbaro

Mhm.

nick fandos

And so thats where we were by the middle of last week. And as he tries to work out those details with the White House and run it by his Republican colleagues, theres a bunch of snafus along the way. They push past some small deadlines. But in the end, theyre unable to introduce their bill, because those differences turn out to have been more significant than Republicans even wanted to let on.

michael barbaro

So the Republicans cannot come up with any kind of consensus bill to salvage this program that weve been talking about?

nick fandos

So as of Thursday morning, no. And as lawmakers head for the exits for the weekend, without a proposal for how to fix a whole host of programs, they have not arrived at a solution on a range of issues, including what to do about this expiring $600 unemployment benefit. But their staff and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, Meadows, the White House chief of staff, work through the weekend to try and iron out some of these details.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) Well, good afternoon, everyone. The Senate Republicans and the administration have been consulting over the last few weeks.

nick fandos

By Monday afternoon, what they finally introduce 

archived recording (mitch mcconnell)  with what we think is an appropriate amount of additional debt to be added. We think it is about a trillion dollars.

nick fandos

 is a plan that is roughly a trillion dollars.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) And weve allocated that in a way that we think makes the most sense.

nick fandos

Some of that goes to schools to help them reopen and for more testing and contact tracing.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) So with that, Im going to call on my colleagues who have developed the various 

nick fandos

And on this key question of unemployment benefits, Republicans propose a real overhaul to the way that they would work conceptually.

archived recording (mitch mcconnell) Do we know whos next? archived recording Chairman Grassley. archived recording (mitch mcconnell) Senator Grassley. archived recording (chuck grassley) Number one, were going to continue 

nick fandos

So they say that for the short term, were going to cut that $600 down to $200 a week.

michael barbaro

Big cut.

nick fandos

A pretty dramatic cut.

archived recording (chuck grassley) So we want to continue to help the unemployed. But we want to encourage work. And weve learned a very tough lesson, that when you pay people not to work, what do you expect?

nick fandos

And they say, thats just going to buy us time over the next few months for us to basically help states set up a new system, where what were going to try and do is make sure that every individual thats unemployed, between the state government and the federal government ends up getting about 70 percent of what their old wages would have been.

archived recording (chuck grassley) Were going to have further tax relief for businesses to encourage hiring and rehiring. And we want to do that to encourage people to get back to work and help the employer, in the process, support people in the meantime.

nick fandos

And so what Republicans are trying to do here is keep a safety net in place, but remove what they think is hindering people from going back to work.

archived recording (chuck grassley) Lastly, I hope that Democrats will come to the table and we can work out a bipartisan agreement. Thank you very much.

nick fandos

So in other words, if they can get this program up and operating, it will always make sense from a financial point of view for somebody to go and take their old job back or take a new job back, but not be so draconian that theyre making the economic situation drastically worse, or can be accused of forcing people towards soup kitchens or the streets.

michael barbaro

So this is a classic compromise. In other words, were going to keep the benefits but not at $600 a week, because they see that as not conservative and not incentivizing an economic recovery.

nick fandos

Thats right. But remember, this is just kind of the first step. This should have been the easy part for Republicans. Because what they have coming is negotiations with Democrats, who are in favor of keeping the benefit totally as it is, and are already lining up to say basically that Republicans are giving a massive economic financial hit to individuals and the economy right when they need it most, and at this moment where the countrys recovery seems to be teetering. Is it going to keep going up? Or is it about to collapse again? And Democrats are not going to settle for $200 for any period of time.

michael barbaro

So given all that, what is likely to happen to this Republican bill in the Senate?

nick fandos

So the interesting thing about where Republicans find themselves is, this bill that theyre introducing probably couldnt even pass the Senate just on Republican votes. And that leaves them in a pretty weak position as they head into negotiations with the Democrats. Because remember, to pass anything into law, even if theres a Republican president or a Republican Senate, you need the Democrats to get it through Congress. And they have a very long and expensive wish list of things that theyd like to see in legislation. And theyre not going to be easy on the Republicans.

michael barbaro

Nick, this may sound like a strange question. But do you think Republicans now regret ever agreeing to these enhanced unemployment benefits? Im mindful of the fact that it was not a Republican idea. It was Democrats who pushed for it. As you have said, it cuts against a lot of Republican principles. But they agreed to it as a short-term fix. And it turns out its not going to be a short-term term fix, because theres nothing short-term about this pandemic. And it is inevitably hard to take something like this away from people once you give it to them. So is it possible Republicans look back and think we should have never agreed to do this?

nick fandos

I think there may be a small subset of fiscally conservative Republicans that feel that way. But my guess is that the vast majority felt like, hey, we did what we had to do back then in the springtime. I mean, the economy was in freefall, remember. And the course of the virus was highly uncertain. And the fundamental problem for them is that they envisioned the federal government having a relatively short-term role to play in getting the country back on its feet and ready to fight against this virus. And its just turned out to be, for a lot of different reasons, a much more complicated, prolonged, expensive fight than they wanted. And honestly, Michael, at this point, its hard to see how this situation resolves itself. Usually, when you cover Congress for a while, you can kind of see the pattern of how these negotiations will work. But Republicans really find themselves pretty far up the stream without a paddle right now. And there seem to be risks for them and consequences in every direction. And its going to be a pretty fascinating next couple of weeks to see how and if they can reach an agreement with Democrats  and one that some members of the party feel like doesnt completely undermine what they stand for.

michael barbaro

Of course, weeks is not what people who are on this program have. They have days. Because this thing really does expire on Friday.

nick fandos

Thats right. Many of the people receiving these benefits are living paycheck to paycheck or dont have a lot of savings to fall back on. There can and will be very real consequences to this delay. And thats not to mention the whole host of other programs that are being debated by Congress right now that are touching different aspects of peoples lives.

[music]

The longer this goes on, the effects just get magnified. Bigger and bigger and bigger. And it frankly makes the problem even harder to solve.

michael barbaro

Thank you, Nick.

nick fandos

Thank you, Michael.

michael barbaro

On Monday night, Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, met with White House officials to begin negotiations over a new economic relief package, including federal unemployment benefits.

archived recording (nancy pelosi) Suffice to say that we hoped that we would be able to reach an agreement. We clearly do not have shared values.

michael barbaro

Little progress was made during the two-hour session. But afterward, the Democratic leaders made one thing clear. Congressional Republicans lack the votes to pass their own bill. Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today. On Monday, the pandemic touched the worlds of politics, business and sports. The Trump administration said that its national security adviser, Robert OBrien, had contracted the virus, becoming the most senior White House official yet to test positive. Meanwhile, the parent company of Google  Alphabet  told employees that they would not be expected to return to the office until next summer, suggesting that work-from-home policies will extend well past the end of the year. Finally, the Miami Marlins canceled two upcoming baseball games after 12 players and two coaches tested positive for the coronavirus. The outbreak was disclosed just four days after the beginning of the baseball season.

archived recording (dave martinez) My level of concern went from about an eight to a 12. You know, it hits home now that you see half a team get infected and it go from one city to another. So 

michael barbaro

During a news conference, the manager of the Washington Nationals expressed alarm over the news.

archived recording (dave martinez) Yeah, I got friends on that Miami team. And it really stinks. Now Im not going to lie. Im not going to sugarcoat it. Seeing those guys go down like that, its not good for them. Its not good for anybody.

michael barbaro
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Great Plains Communications is the largest privately-owned telecommunications provider in Nebraska. They have over a century of experience providing business, carrier and residential customers with forward-thinking, fiber-based technology services including Ethernet, Internet, video, hosted and voice solutions across an 11-state footprint. The company also takes pride in its progressive approach to accommodating the unique needs of all regional and national telecommunications carriers, LECs, ISPs, wireless carriers and other service providers utilizing superior engineering and custom-build strategies. At the core of its service offering is an extensive 11,500-mile regional fiber network, including long-haul and metro networks that span the state of Nebraska extending into Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota and Wyoming. The network offers community access rings, last-mile and middle-mile solutions, all fully supported by the Companys 24x7x365 Network Operations Center. For more information visit www.gpcom.com.

CONTACT: Laura Kocher Great Plains Communications 4024566429 lkocher@gpcom.com




Playmaker Media founders David Maher and David Taylor are stepping down in the coming months to return to work as independents.

They founded Playmaker in 2009 and sold the company to Sony Pictures Television in 2014.

Their credits have included House Husbands, Bloom, Love Child, The Commons, The Code, Bite Club, Friday on My Mind, The Wrong Girl, Chosen, Hiding, Wicked Love: The Maria Korp Story, Blood Brothers and SLiDE.

It continues to be an exciting time to produce drama and were looking forward to whatever comes next, they said.

Wayne Garvie, Sonys president of international production, said: We fully support Davids Maher and Taylor in their decision to go back to working as independent producers, and look forward to working with them in their new capacity, while continuing to invest in and build Playmaker under a new management team.

Playmakers most recent title, Reckoning, produced for the US market, is coming soon to Seven.

Source: Deadline
Thank you, Chairman Cicilline, Ranking Member Sensenbrenner, and members of the Subcommittee.

I'm Jeff Bezos. I founded Amazon 26 years ago with the long-term mission of making it Earth's most customer-centric company.

My mom, Jackie, had me when she was a 17-year-old high school student in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Being pregnant in high school was not popular in Albuquerque in 1964. It was difficult for her. When they tried to kick her out of school, my grandfather went to bat for her.

After some negotiation, the principal said, 'OK, she can stay and finish high school, but she can't do any extracurricular activities, and she can't have a locker.'

My grandfather took the deal, and my mother finished high school, though she wasn't allowed to walk across the stage with her classmates to get her diploma.

Determined to keep up with her education, she enrolled in night school, picking classes led by professors who would let her bring an infant to class. She would show up with two duffel bagsone full of textbooks, and one packed with diapers, bottles, and anything that would keep me interested and quiet for a few minutes.

My dad's name is Miguel. He adopted me when I was four years old. He was 16 when he came to the United States from Cuba as part of Operation Pedro Pan, shortly after Castro took over.

My dad arrived in America alone. His parents felt he'd be safer here. His mom imagined America would be cold, so she made him a jacket sewn entirely out of cleaning cloths, the only material they had on hand.

We still have that jacket; it hangs in my parents' dining room. My dad spent two weeks at Camp Matecumbe, a refugee center in Florida, before being moved to a Catholic mission in Wilmington, Delaware.

He was lucky to get to the mission, but even so, he didn't speak English and didn't have an easy path.

What he did have was a lot of grit and determination. He received a scholarship to college in Albuquerque, which is where he met my mom.

You get different gifts in life, and one of my great gifts is my mom and dad. They have been incredible role models for me and my siblings our entire lives.

You learn different things from your grandparents than you do from your parents, and I had the opportunity to spend my summers from ages four to 16 on my grandparents' ranch in Texas.

My grandfather was a civil servant and a rancherhe worked on space technology and missile defense systems in the 1950s and '60s for the Atomic Energy Commission - and he was self-reliant and resourceful.

When you're in the middle of nowhere, you don't pick up a phone and call somebody when something breaks. You fix it yourself.

My story: Jeff Bezos started his lengthy statement to Congress by describing his own humble upbringing - which has now made him the world's wealthiest man

As a kid, I got to see him solve many seemingly unsolvable problems himself, whether he was restoring a broken-down Caterpillar bulldozer or doing his own veterinary work.

He taught me that you can take on hard problems. When you have a setback, you get back up and try again. You can invent your way to a better place.

I took these lessons to heart as a teenager, and became a garage inventor. I invented an automatic gate closer out of cement-filled tires, a solar cooker out of an umbrella and tinfoil, and alarms made from baking pans to entrap my siblings.

The concept for Amazon came to me in 1994.

The idea of building an online bookstore with millions of titles - something that simply couldn't exist in the physical world - was exciting to me.

At the time, I was working at an investment firm in New York City. When I told my boss I was leaving, he took me on a long walk in Central Park.

After a lot of listening, he finally said, 'You know what, Jeff, I think this is a good idea, but it would be a better idea for somebody who didn't already have a good job.'

He convinced me to think about it for two days before making a final decision.

It was a decision I made with my heart and not my head. When I'm 80 and reflecting back, I want to have minimized the number of regrets that I have in my life.

And most of our regrets are acts of omission - the things we didn't try, the paths untraveled. Those are the things that haunt us.

And I decided that if I didn't at least give it my best shot, I was going to regret not trying to participate in this thing called the internet that I thought was going to be a big deal.

The initial start-up capital for Amazon.com came primarily from my parents, who invested a large fraction of their life savings in something they didn't understand.

They weren't making a bet on Amazon or the concept of a bookstore on the internet. They were making a bet on their son.

I told them that I thought there was a 70% chance they would lose their investment, and they did it anyway.

It took more than 50 meetings for me to raise $1 million from investors, and over the course of all those meetings, the most common question was, 'What's the internet?'

Unlike many other countries around the world, this great nation we live in supports and does not stigmatize entrepreneurial risk-taking.

I walked away from a steady job into a Seattle garage to found my startup, fully understanding that it might not work.

It feels like just yesterday I was driving the packages to the post office myself, dreaming that one day we might be able to afford a forklift.

Amazon's success was anything but preordained. Investing in Amazon early on was a very risky proposition. From our founding through the end of 2001, our business had cumulative losses of nearly $3 billion, and we did not have a profitable quarter until the fourth quarter of that year.

Smart analysts predicted Barnes & Noble would steamroll us, and branded us 'Amazon.toast.'

In 1999, after we'd been in business for nearly five years, Barron's headlined a story about our impending demise 'Amazon.bomb.'

My annual shareholder letter for 2000 started with a one word sentence: 'Ouch.'

At the pinnacle of the internet bubble our stock price peaked at $116, and then after the bubble burst our stock went down to $6. Experts and pundits thought we were going out of business.

It took a lot of smart people with a willingness to take a risk with me, and a willingness to stick to our convictions, for Amazon to survive and ultimately to succeed. And it wasn't just those early years.

In addition to good luck and great people, we have been able to succeed as a company only because we have continued to take big risks. To invent you have to experiment, and if you know in advance that it's going to work, it's not an experiment.

Outsized returns come from betting against conventional wisdom, but conventional wisdom is usually right.

A lot of observers characterized Amazon Web Services as a risky distraction when we started. 'What does selling compute and storage have to do with selling books?' they wondered.

Distribution business: Jeff Bezos highlighted the $15-an-hour minimum starting salary for Amzon workers saying many cannot be moved offshore

No one asked for AWS. It turned out the world was ready and hungry for cloud computing but didn't know it yet.

We were right about AWS, but the truth is we've also taken plenty of risks that didn't pan out.

In fact, Amazon has made billions of dollars of failures. Failure inevitably comes along with invention and risk-taking, which is why we try to make Amazon the best place in the world to fail.

Since our founding, we have strived to maintain a 'Day One' mentality at the company. By that I mean approaching everything we do with the energy and entrepreneurial spirit of Day One.

Even though Amazon is a large company, I have always believed that if we commit ourselves to maintaining a Day One mentality as a critical part of our DNA, we can have both the scope and capabilities of a large company and the spirit and heart of a small one.

In my view, obsessive customer focus is by far the best way to achieve and maintain Day One vitality.

Why? Because customers are always beautifully, wonderfully dissatisfied, even when they report being happy and business is great.

Even when they don't yet know it, customers want something better, and a constant desire to delight customers drives us to constantly invent on their behalf.

As a result, by focusing obsessively on customers, we are internally driven to improve our services, add benefits and features, invent new products, lower prices, and speed up shipping times - before we have to.

No customer ever asked Amazon to create the Prime membership program, but it sure turns out they wanted it.

And I could give you many such examples. Not every business takes this customer-first approach, but we do, and it's our greatest strength.

Customer trust is hard to win and easy to lose. When you let customers make your business what it is, then they will be loyal to youright up to the second that someone else offers them better service.

We know that customers are perceptive and smart. We take as an article of faith that customers will notice when we work hard to do the right thing, and that by doing so again and again, we will earn trust.

You earn trust slowly, over time, by doing hard things well delivering on time; offering everyday low prices; making promises and keeping them; making principled decisions, even when they're unpopular; and giving customers more time to spend with their families by inventing more convenient ways of shopping, reading, and automating their homes.

As I have said since my first shareholder letter in 1997, we make decisions based on the long-term value we create as we invent to meet customer needs.

When we're criticized for those choices, we listen and look at ourselves in the mirror.

When we think our critics are right, we change. When we make mistakes, we apologize.

But when you look in the mirror, assess the criticism, and still believe you're doing the right thing, no force in the world should be able to move you.

Fortunately, our approach is working. Eighty percent of Americans have a favorable impression of Amazon overall, according to leading independent polls.

Who do Americans trust more than Amazon 'to do the right thing?'

Only their primary physicians and the military, according to a January 2020 Morning Consult survey.

Researchers at Georgetown and New York University found in 2018 that Amazon trailed only the military among all respondents to a survey on institutional and brand trust.

Among Republicans, we trailed only the military and local police; among Democrats, we were at the top, leading every branch of government, universities, and the press.

In Fortune's 2020 rankings of the World's Most Admired Companies, we came in second place (Apple was #1). We are grateful that customers notice the hard work we do on their behalf, and that they reward us with their trust.

Working to earn and keep that trust is the single biggest driver of Amazon's Day One culture.

The company most of you know as Amazon is the one that sends you your online orders in the brown boxes with the smile on the side.

That's where we started, and retail remains our largest business by far, accounting for over 80% of our total revenue. The very nature of that business is getting products to customers.

Those operations need to be close to customers, and we can't outsource these jobs to China or anywhere else.

To fulfill our promises to customers in this country, we need American workers to get products to American customers.

When customers shop on Amazon, they are helping to create jobs in their local communities.

As a result, Amazon directly employs a million people, many of them entry-level and paid by the hour.

We don't just employ highly educated computer scientists and MBAs in Seattle and Silicon Valley.

We hire and train hundreds of thousands of people in states across the country such as West Virginia, Tennessee, Kansas, and Idaho.

These employees are package stowers, mechanics, and plant managers. For many, it's their first job.

For some, these jobs are a stepping stone to other careers, and we are proud to help them with that. We are spending more than $700 million to give more than 100,000 Amazon employees access to training programs in fields such as healthcare, transportation, machine learning, and cloud computing.

That program is called Career Choice, and we pay 95% of tuition and fees toward a certificate or diploma for in-demand, high-paying fields, regardless of whether it's relevant to a career at Amazon.

Patricia Soto, one of our associates, is a Career Choice success story. Patricia always wanted to pursue a career in the medical field to help care for others, but with only a high school diploma and facing the costs of post-secondary education, she wasn't sure she'd be able to accomplish that goal.

After earning her medical certification through Career Choice, Patricia left Amazon to start her new career as a medical assistant at Sutter Gould Medical Foundation, supporting a pulmonary medicine doctor.

Career Choice has given Patricia and so many others a shot at a second career that once seemed out of reach.

Amazon has invested more than $270 billion in the U.S. over the last decade.

Beyond our own workforce, Amazon's investments have created nearly 700,000 indirect jobs in fields like construction, building services, and hospitality.

Our hiring and investments have brought muchneeded jobs and added hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity to areas like Fall River, Massachusetts, California's Inland Empire, and Rust Belt states like Ohio.

During the COVID-19 crisis, we hired an additional 175,000 employees, including many laid off from other jobs during the economic shutdown.

We spent more than $4 billion in the second quarter alone to get essential products to customers and keep our employees safe during the COVID-19 crisis.

And a dedicated team of Amazon employees from across the company has created a program to regularly test our workers for COVID-19. We look forward to sharing our learnings with other interested companies and government partners.

The global retail market we compete in is strikingly large and extraordinarily competitive.

Amazon accounts for less than 1% of the $25 trillion global retail market and less than 4% of retail in the U.S.

Unlike industries that are winner-take-all, there's room in retail for many winners.

For example, more than 80 retailers in the U.S. alone earn over $1 billion in annual revenue.

Like any retailer, we know that the success of our store depends entirely on customers' satisfaction with their experience in our store.

Every day, Amazon competes against large, established players like Target, Costco, Kroger, and, of course, Walmart -a company more than twice Amazon's size.

And while we have always focused on producing a great customer experience for retail sales done primarily online, sales initiated online are now an even larger growth area for other stores. Walmart's online sales grew 74% in the first quarter.

And customers are increasingly flocking to services invented by other stores that Amazon still can't match at the scale of other large companies, like curbside pickup and in-store returns.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on these trends, which have been growing for years.

In recent months, curbside pickup of online orders has increased over 200%, in part due to COVID19 concerns.

We also face new competition from the likes of Shopify and Instacartcompanies that enable traditionally physical stores to put up a full online store almost instantaneously and to deliver products directly to customers in new and innovative waysand a growing list of omnichannel business models.

Like almost every other segment of our economy, technology is used everywhere in retail and has only made retail more competitive, whether online, in physical stores, or in the various combinations of the two that make up most stores today.

Offices around the county: Bezos says Amazon's scale makes it a better company. Its regional HQ in Sunnyvale, Silicon Valley, is one of many places where it has built facilities

And we and all other stores are acutely aware that, regardless of how the best features of 'online' and 'physical' stores are combined, we are all competing for and serving the same customers.

The range of retail competitors and related services is constantly changing, and the only real constant in retail is customers' desire for lower prices, better selection, and convenience.

It's also important to understand that Amazon's success depends overwhelmingly on the success of the thousands of small and medium-sized businesses that also sell their products in Amazon's stores.

Back in 1999, we took what at the time was the unprecedented step of welcoming third-party sellers into our stores and enabling them to offer their products right alongside our own.

Internally, this was extremely controversial, with many disagreeing and some predicting this would be the beginning of a long, losing battle.

We didn't have to invite third-party sellers into the store. We could have kept this valuable real estate for ourselves.

But we committed to the idea that over the long term it would increase selection for customers, and that more satisfied customers would be great for both third-party sellers and for Amazon.

And that's what happened. Within a year of adding those sellers, third-party sales accounted for 5% of unit sales, and it quickly became clear that customers loved the convenience of being able to shop for the best products and to see prices from different sellers all in the same store.

These small and medium-sized third-party businesses now add significantly more product selection to Amazon's stores than Amazon's own retail operation.

Third-party sales now account for approximately 60% of physical product sales on Amazon, and those sales are growing faster than Amazon's own retail sales.

We guessed that it wasn't a zero sum game. And we were right - the whole pie did grow, third-party sellers did very well and are growing fast, and that has been great for customers and for Amazon.

There are now 1.7 million small and medium-sized businesses around the world selling in Amazon's stores. More than 200,000 entrepreneurs worldwide surpassed $100,000 in sales in our stores in 2019.

On top of that, we estimate that third-party businesses selling in Amazon's stores have created over 2.2 million new jobs around the world. One of those sellers is Sherri Yukel, who wanted to change careers to be home more for her children.

She started handcrafting gifts and party supplies for friends as a hobby, and eventually began selling her products on Amazon. Today, Sherri's company employs nearly 80 people and has a global customer base.

Another is Christine Krogue, a stay-at-home mother of five in Salt Lake City. Christine started a business selling baby clothes through her own website before taking a chance on Amazon.

She has since seen her sales more than double, and she's been able to expand her product line and hire a team of part-time employees. Selling on Amazon has allowed Sherri and Christine to grow their own businesses and satisfy customers on their own terms.

And it is striking to remember how recent all of this is. We did not start out as the largest marketplace -eBay was many times our size.

It was only by focusing on supporting sellers and giving them the best tools we could invent that we were able to succeed and eventually surpass eBay.

One such tool is Fulfillment by Amazon, which enables our third-party sellers to stow their inventory in our fulfillment centers, and we take on all logistics, customer service, and product returns.

By dramatically simplifying all of those challenging aspects of the selling experience in a cost-effective way, we have helped many thousands of sellers grow their businesses on Amazon.

Our success may help explain the wide proliferation of marketplaces of all types and sizes around the world.

This includes U.S. companies like Walmart, eBay, Etsy, and Target, as well as retailers based overseas but selling globally, such as Alibaba and Rakuten.

These marketplaces further intensify competition within retail. The trust customers put in us every day has allowed Amazon to create more jobs in the United States over the past decade than any other company - hundreds of thousands of jobs across 42 states.

Amazon employees make a minimum of $15 an hour, more than double the federal minimum wage (which we have urged Congress to increase). We've challenged other large retailers to match our $15 minimum wage.

Target did so recently, and just last week so did Best Buy. We welcome them, and they remain the only ones to have done so.

We do not skimp on benefits, either. Our full-time hourly employees receive the same benefits as our salaried headquarters employees, including comprehensive health insurance starting on the first day of employment, a 401(k) retirement plan, and parental leave, including 20 weeks of paid maternity leave.

I encourage you to benchmark our pay and benefits against any of our retail competitors.

More than 80% of Amazon shares are owned by outsiders, and over the last 26 years - starting from zero - we've created more than $1 trillion of wealth for those outside shareholders.

Who are those shareowners? They are pension funds: fire, police, and school teacher pension funds.

Others are 401(k)smutual funds that own pieces of Amazon. University endowments, too, and the list goes on.

Many people will retire better because of the wealth we've created for so many, and we're enormously proud of this.

At Amazon, customer obsession has made us what we are, and allowed us to do ever greater things.

I know what Amazon could do when we were 10 people. I know what we could do when we were 1,000 people, and when we were 10,000 people. And I know what we can do today when we're nearly a million.

I love garage entrepreneursI was one.

But, just like the world needs small companies, it also needs large ones. There are things small companies simply can't do.

I don't care how good an entrepreneur you are, you're not going to build an all-fiber Boeing 787 in your garage.

Our scale allows us to make a meaningful impact on important societal issues.

The Climate Pledge is a commitment made by Amazon and joined by other companies to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement 10 years early and be net zero carbon by 2040.

Green pledges: Amazon plans to be net carbon zero by 2040, Bezos claimed

We plan to meet the pledge, in part, by purchasing 100,000 electric delivery vans from Rivian - a Michigan-based producer of electric vehicles.

Amazon aims to have 10,000 of Rivian's new electric vans on the road as early as 2022, and all 100,000 vehicles on the road by 2030.

Globally, Amazon operates 91 solar and wind projects that have the capacity to generate over 2,900 MW and deliver more than 7.6 million MWh of energy annually - enough to power more than 680,000 U.S. homes.

Amazon is also investing $100 million in global reforestation projects through the Right Now Climate Fund, including $10 million Amazon committed in April to conserve, restore, and support sustainable forestry, wildlife and nature-based solutions across the Appalachian Mountainsfunding two innovative projects in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy.

Four global companiesVerizon, Reckitt Benckiser, Infosys, and Oak View Grouprecently signed The Climate Pledge, and we continue to encourage others to join us in this fight.

Together, we will use our size and scale to address the climate crisis right away.

And last month, Amazon introduced The Climate Pledge Fund, started with $2 billion in funding from Amazon.

The Fund will support the development of sustainable technologies and services that in turn will enable Amazon and other companies to meet The Climate Pledge.

The Fund will invest in visionary entrepreneurs and innovators who are building products and services to help companies reduce their carbon impact and operate more sustainably.

We recently opened the largest homeless shelter in Washington stateand it's located inside one of our newest headquarters buildings in downtown Seattle.

The shelter is for Mary's Place, an incredible Seattle-based nonprofit.

The shelter, part of Amazon's $100 million investment in Mary's Place, spans eight floors and can accommodate up to 200 family members each night. It has its own health clinic and provides critical tools and services to help families fighting homelessness get back on their feet.

And there is dedicated space for Amazon to provide weekly pro-bono legal clinics offering counsel on credit and debt issues, personal injury, housing and tenant rights.

Since 2018, Amazon's legal team has supported hundreds of Mary's Place guests and volunteered more than 1,000 pro-bono hours.

Amazon Future Engineer is a global childhood-to-career program designed to inspire, educate, and prepare thousands of children and young adults from underrepresented and underserved communities to pursue a computer science career.

The program funds computer science coursework and professional teacher development for hundreds of elementary schools, introductory and AP Computer Science classes for more than 2,000 schools in underserved communities across the country, and 100 four-year, $40,000 college scholarships to computer science students from low-income backgrounds.

Those scholarship recipients also receive guaranteed internships at Amazon.

There is a diversity pipeline problem in tech, and this has an outsized impact on the Black community.

We want to invest in building out the next generation of technical talent for the industry and expanding the opportunities for underrepresented minorities.

We also want to accelerate this change right now. To find the best talent for technical and non-technical roles, we actively partner with historically Black colleges and universities on our recruiting, internship, and upskilling initiatives.

Let me close by saying that I believe Amazon should be scrutinized.

We should scrutinize all large institutions, whether they're companies, government agencies, or non-profits. Our responsibility is to make sure we pass such scrutiny with flying colors.

It's not a coincidence that Amazon was born in this country. More than any other place on Earth, new companies can start, grow, and thrive here in the U.S.

Our country embraces resourcefulness and self-reliance, and it embraces builders who start from scratch.

We nurture entrepreneurs and start-ups with stable rule of law, the finest university system in the world, the freedom of democracy, and a deeply accepted culture of risk-taking.

Of course, this great nation of ours is far from perfect. Even as we remember Congressman John Lewis and honor his legacy, we're in the middle of a much-needed race reckoning.

We also face the challenges of climate change and income inequality, and we're stumbling through the crisis of a global pandemic.

Still, the rest of the world would love even the tiniest sip of the elixir we have here in the U.S.

Immigrants like my dad see what a treasure this country isthey have perspective and can often see it even more clearly than those of us who were lucky enough to be born here.

It's still Day One for this country, and even in the face of today's humbling challenges, I have never been more optimistic about our future.

I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today and am happy to take your questions.
NEW ORLEANS (dpa-AFX) - Entergy Corp. (ETR) affirmed the company's 2020 adjusted earnings per share guidance range of $5.45 to $5.75. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report profit per share of $5.56. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. Second quarter adjusted earnings per share was $1.37 compared to $1.35, prior year. On average, 15 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report profit per share of $1.26, for the quarter. 'Sales were better than expected, we're on pace to achieve our cost savings target for the year, and our capital plan is unchanged. With these results, we are affirming our full-year guidance, our longer-term outlooks, and our dividend growth aspirations,' said Entergy CEO Leo Denault. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Health officials have learned of an outbreak of COVID-19 linked to West Morgan Depot in Jacksonville, the Morgan County Health Department said Tuesday.

Three adults who spent time at the bar have tested positive for coronavirus disease and the health department is encouraging anyone who visited The Depot the night of July 18 and is showing symptoms of infection seek testing for COVID-19 immediately.
The government has announced an autumn consultation on the future regulation of precision breeding techniques in the UK.

The consultation will look at post-Brexit regulation of precision breeding techniques, such as gene editing.

Defra Minister Lord Gardiner of Kimble said there was a strong case for taking these techniques out of the scope of GM regulation.

This would give Britains scientists, farmers and breeders the same access to new gene editing technologies as their counterparts around the world.

The government objects to the European Court ruling of July 2018 classifying gene editing techniques as GM, calling it unscientific.

Lord Gardiner, speaking during the committee stage debate on the agriculture bill, highlighted the need for a more scientific approach to regulation.

He said doing so would help the UK reap the 'economic and environmental benefits' of these technologies.

He re-confirmed the governments view that gene edited products whose DNA changes could have occurred naturally or through traditional breeding techniques should not be regulated as GMOs.

The government are committed to taking a more scientific approach to regulation. Many scientific institutes share our view that the current rules are unscientific.

"A solution is needed soon if we are to reap the benefits, such as more resilient crop varieties, reduced use of synthetic pesticides and more disease-resistant animals.

He said Defra was working on the details so that a consultation can be launched in the autumn.

Welcoming the governments commitment, Lord Cameron highlighted the potential benefits on offer for the advancement of agri research and the prospects for farmers and the environment.

Greater access to these techniques will allow developments to be driven by a wider range of research organisations, mostly led by small businesses and public research organisations, not just large multinationals.

"It will allow some of the worlds best agricultural research stations to team up with smaller research stations in developing countries, which have special crops, often with special local problems.

"By working with these poorer countries, as well as with UK agriculture, we can help farmers everywhere produce the food that their local population requires.
Unlike humans, when pets are sick, they cant tell someone whats wrong.

This simple truth represents the inspiration behind DIG Labs, a Lebanon-based business established in the summer of 2019 to promote and advance individualized pet healthcare and technology.
But even as the conservative congressman vowed to avoid spreading it to others, he continued to ignore expert advice. He insisted on returning to the Capitol. And he used his platform to spread false information about the virus, saying that those who test positive later become immune and suggesting that face masks make it more, not less, likely that one will become infected.
New Delhi/Ambala, Jul 29 (UNI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday inducted a fleet of five France-made Rafale fighter jets into its stable, amid the ongoing border tension with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

The fighter jets landed at Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana at around 1500 hrs, after covering a total distance of 8,500 km from Merignac Airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday, with a stopover at Al Dhafra airbase in UAE.

'The ferry was planned in two stages and was undertaken by IAF pilots. The aircraft covered a distance of nearly 8500 km from France to India,' IAF Spokesperson Wing Commander Indranil Nandi said.

The first stage of the flight covered a distance of 5800 km in seven-and-a-half hours. The French Air Force (FAF) Tanker provided dedicated Air-to-Air Refuelling support during the flight. The second stage of the flight covering over 2700 km was carried out with Air-to-Air Refuelling by IAF Tanker.

'IAF deeply appreciates the proactive support provided by the French Government and Industry in France to ensure timely delivery. The tanker support extended by French Air Force during the ferry was crucial in ensuring that the long haul flight was accomplished successfully and in a time-bound manner,' he added.

The aircraft will be a part of 17 Squadron, the 'Golden Arrows,' which was resurrected on September 10, 2019. The Squadron was originally raised at Ambala Air Force Station on October 1, 1951.

The 17 Squadron has many firsts to its credit; in 1955, it was equipped with first jet fighter, the legendary De Havilland Vampire.

In August 1957, the Squadron became the first to convert on to a swept wing fighter, the Hawker Hunter.

A formal induction ceremony of Rafale aircraft in 17 Squadron is scheduled to be held in the second half of August, 2020.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the landing of Rafale fighter jets in Ambala with a tweet in Sanskrit, which refers to the obligation of protecting one's nation being supreme. The Prime Minister's tweet came moments after the first batch of five Rafale Jets touched down in Ambala.

'There is no greater blessing than protecting the nation, protecting the nation is a virtuous deed and protecting the nation is the best Yagna. There is nothing beyond this. Touch the sky with glory. Welcome,' a rough translation of his tweet said.

More UNI ASH RJ 2200
HAZELWOOD  HR wants to see you might be the last thing almost any company employee wants to hear.

Not so at American Metals Supply Co., where human resources head Shelly Liley embraces the company ethos of supporting workers and carries the non-scary job title of director of employee engagement.

Supporting workers on the job and even in their non-work lives is part of the corporate culture at American Metals, a wholesale distributor of steel, copper, HVAC components and other metal parts.

American Metals, based in Hazelwood, took first place among small-size employers in this years Top Workplaces survey. Company employees, the survey showed, are more confident in their workplace than a benchmark of other employees of small area companies.

More than a decade ago, American Metals got through the severe recession without laying off any employees and is keeping everyone on the payroll during the current coronavirus pandemic. The company has 121 employees in eight locations, including about 50 people at its headquarters and a warehouse in Fenton.

Liley, who has been with the company for 15 years, said American Metals retains the friendly vibe of the family-run company founded in 1962 in Springfield, Illinois, by Al Hassebrock, a building materials salesman. His granddaughter, Chrissy Nardini, is American Metals current president and runs the company.

Liley said that when the companys home office was largely closed at the start of the pandemic, Nardini came in every day to try to keep workers surroundings as virus-free as possible.

Not every company president would be working and using Clorox wipes to make sure every employee is safe, Liley said.

The companys ability to avoid layoffs is a result of keeping the employee headcount low and lean.

Weve stayed people-efficient, Nardini said.

Al Hassebrocks son, Steve Hassebrock, joined the company in 1971 and in 1990 expanded the firm to the St. Louis area. Nardini, Steve Hassebrocks daughter, spent years working as a public accountant before joining the family firm.

As a girl growing up, I never had a strong interest in sheet steel, she said.

Eventually, she asked her father about a job and came aboard in 1997. At first, her tasks included answering phones and working on the company catalog. She soon moved up to the chief financial officers job and has been president since 2006. Her father remains with the company as chief executive.

Expansion under Steve Hassebrock and Nardini has been steady. In 2003, the company opened a warehouse in the Kansas City area and two years later expanded to Springfield, Missouri. The Hazelwood warehouse and headquarters opened in 2009 to augment the existing facility in Fenton. Between 2010 and 2018 came expansions to Indianapolis, Oklahoma City and Dallas. American Metals provides customers one-day deliveries within 200 miles of its warehouses.

Nardini said rapid deliveries are good for customers and the companys truck drivers, who seldom have to spend a night away from home. Trucks loaded in the afternoon roll out the next morning, giving drivers time to make their drops and be home in time for dinner.

At company offices, sales meetings in non-virus times typically conclude with a social outing. For now, the firm uses Zoom to hold virtual happy hours on Thursdays.

In addition, American Metals contributes to employee 401(k) retirement accounts and opens $500 savings accounts for each baby born to workers families.

The company helps distressed workers directly with its hardship fund managed by the United Way of Greater St. Louis. The $40,000 fund helps employees cover home damages resulting from natural disasters and fires or workers facing other challenges, including child care payment when schools are closed as a result of a national pandemic or a spouse experiencing job loss.

Workers seeking hardship help of up to $5,000 apply anonymously through the United Way.

Among American Metals recent hires is Jessi Willhoite as assistant HR person. She joined the company early this year after stints at an electrical supply company and a home remodeler. She said the difference between American Metals and her previous employers is dramatic.

Its day and night, she said. Everybody is incredibly excited to be here every day.

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By Jeremy Cohen and Jeff Zilka

On Friday, July 10th, the SEC proposed a rule change raising the mandatory threshold for filing 13F reports to $3.5 billion in assets under management (AUM). Not a small change, the SECs plan would raise 35-fold (the current minimum is $100 million) the level at which money managers are required to disclose each quarter the companies they own.

As advisors to companies about how they should best engage the investment community, we see significant negative outcomes from this proposed change. In exchange for eliminating cheap and automated 13F filing processes, which will at best marginally benefit asset managers, the capital markets will lose transparency into $2.3 trillion of equity investments from nearly 4,500 money managers, according to the National Investor Relations Institute. Small- and mid-cap companies, which have market capitalizations of less than $10 billion, will be especially hurt.

The SECs proposal comes at a time when it is asking companies to provide robust and transparent disclosures about how they are dealingwith the current (COVID-19) environment. In our advisory role, we push our clients to communicate openly so investors can better understand their operations, helping achieve a fair valuation. It is a stunning irony that the very transparency for which the SEC advocates will be impaired if its suggested rule change takes effect.

We fear the SECs proposal will create harm in two ways. It will create much higher levels of vulnerability to under-the-radar activist investors who will be able to build positions in the shadows, putting executives and their companies in a bind with little warning. And it will remove a critical source of information companies use today to identify current investors and target potential new shareholders, which is the bedrock of an effective investor relations program.

To demonstrate the danger of this potential change, consider the number of activist asset managers that fall below the $3.5 billion threshold. While some famed managers, including ValueAct, Third Point, and Trian Partners, will continue to report their holdings, more than 60 percent of activist investors, including prominent activists JANA Partners and Sachem Head, manage assets below the SECs proposed $3.5 billion cut-off and would no longer file quarterly reports, according to data from research service Activist Insight. The less-than-$3.5 billion threshold includes four-out-of-ten of the most frequent activists in 2019, according to investment bank Lazard, meaning they would have been able to conceal their holdings as they built their positions.

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Ultimately, this burden will be felt not by Americas biggest companies, but by smaller businesses with fewer resources to defend themselves. These are the issuers activists target most frequently, as 75% of activist campaigns in North America last year were waged against them, according to Activist Insight.

The top reasons for activist engagement include gaining board representation, removal of directors or executives, or to support or oppose a merger or acquisition. All three generate highly disruptive contests that can radically alter a companys path forward, impacting both executives and the thousands of people they employ.

We recommend companies engage with all investors, whether they have a history of activism or not, as soon as their investment becomes apparent. Removing notification through quarterly 13F filings, as the SEC proposes, will make this vastly more difficult, and will force companies to wait for the activists knock on the door, versus reaching out proactively, as is the best practice.

We see the SECs proposed change as a step backwards for shareholder democracy. When we work with publicly-traded clients, we champion transparency, as its elimination rarely promotes optimal valuation and capital markets efficiency. We hope the SEC recognizes this and rather than curtailing transparency in the service of reducing de minimis 13F filing costs for asset managers, it reconsider this ill-advised proposal.

Jeremy Cohen and Jeff Zilka are senior executives with Edelmans Financial Communications practice

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John Jannarone, Editor-in-Chief

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Bhaderwah:

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said autonomy to both sides of Jammu and Kashmir was the only viable solution to the nearly seven-decade old problem.

"Borders cannot be changed but these can be made irrelevant and soft for people to people exchange and opening new vistas of trade and commerce for overall economic prosperity of the region.

"We bat for autonomy to both sides of Kashmir and converting LoC-IB as soft border", the National Conference President said while addressing a public meeting in Bhaderwah district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah said that issues between India and Pakistan cannot be resolved by guns or cannons, which have even been proven by four wars, but these can definitely be deliberated upon for amicable solution through a sustained process of dialogue.

He said the reality of LoC and International Border between the two nations cannot be challenged at the strength of military power and therefore the two parts of the state should be granted maximum autonomy.

In the context of Indo-Pak dialogue, he referred to the speech of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Tanghdar, emphasising that friends can be changed but not the neighbours.

He said the intermittent skirmishes on borders have only aggravated the problems of the two sides of Jammu and Kashmir.

The NC President cautioned New Delhi against delaying the resolution of political issue of Kashmir, saying restoration of the commitments made in the Instrument of Accession is the only way forward in wriggling out the state from prevailing crisis.

He said the state of Jammu and Kashmir had acceded to India on three subjects of defence, foreign affairs and communication, which has been re-emphasised by the former Sadr-e-Riyasat, Karan Singh in Parliament.

He said the genesis of discontent among people in Kashmir was due to breaking of promises and said that mistrust among youth is deep-rooted.. The alienation is growing among youth, who cannot be won over by brute force or the notes of Rs 500 or Rs 1000", he said, adding that a meaningful engagement with all the stake holders had assumed immense significance.

Warning RSS against furthering divisive agenda across the country in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular, Abdullah said that the state had not acceded to Hindu India but a secular nation, a proud abode for all faiths and communities.

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In this novel, Memoirs and Misinformation, a multimillionaire actor named Jim Carrey, who is past his prime, is slumping his way through a funk: the dread of death and oblivion, of being alone and unloved. Hes getting few movie offers, and those he considers beneath him, such as voicing an animated character for a movie based on a video game. A documentary about the destruction of Pompeii makes him burst out crying. Even shamanic ceremonies conducted by the guru of a character called Kelsey Grammer, and heart-to-heart chats with his best friend Nic Cage, dont help lift his mood. When a lover enters Carreys life and he thinks his pain is gone, that hes filled the Renee Zellweger-shaped hole in his heart, that hes finally found his one true love, it turns out that reality is much grimmer than his throbbing expectations. And though Carrey sees a glimmer of cinematic resurrection in the form of his friend and auteur Charlie Kaufman, and though he is willing to subsume his sense of self into the role of Mao Zedong, even that dream turns out to be vapour.

While the protagonist of the novel is called Jim Carrey, and while the story surely contains quite a few autobiographical details, conceptual layers are added to it through the use of the third-person narrative and the involvement of co-author Dana Vachon, making it as chimeric as Carreys onscreen persona. And because there are fantasy and science-fictional elements added, this cannot be called an autobiographical novel; this is a fantasy novel.

272pp, 2358; Alfred A Knopf

Carrey and the other characters in Memoirs and Misinformation are mostly in search of redemption, various forms of it such as a desire to regain fame, love or an approximation of it, success, or peace. For Carrey, redemption looks like immunity from oblivion: an Academy award that he hopes to get even if in so doing he risks losing his sense of self in a character. The authors write, He felt, again, the old impressionists fear, that the throne of the self was not only empty, but not a throne at all, just a creaky barstool worn down by the weight of ten thousand asses...What would a Jim even be if Jim was ultimately just the creation of a billion strangers minds? This is as good a passage as any about the nature of celebrity and the fragile sense of self. The protagonist, perhaps, struggles to tell fantasy and reality apart, a trait to which his flash-lit red-carpet past may have contributed. To call him insecure is a massive understatement.

Jim Carrey at a special screening of Sonic the Hedgehog on February 12, 2020. (Shutterstock)

Here, the fantasy-fuelled world of showbiz, which has advanced enough to resurrect live-looking actors through 3D animation, seems as unreal as the world outside. The world outside is running out of time, is neon-speckled, dotted with buffoonish criminals running for president, mountainsides literally going up in flames, and, why not, flying saucers in the sky. Its a setting in which anything can happen, and does, including the Rapture. This makes for a few hilarious scenes. For instance, there is a very funny scene in which Gwyneth Paltrow, Sean Penn, and Kelsey Grammer assemble a shoulder-fired missile system from a crate marked ARMED FORCES OF ANGOLA. The story, which tries to be a satirical send-up of the showbiz world, in its final pages becomes a lampoon of Hollywood tropes. The book is fantastical and trippy but its not rip-roaringly funny as you would expect any book to be that is associated with Jim Carrey, that beloved prankster we know and love from The Mask and Ace Ventura, and that surprisingly nuanced performer who took our breath away in The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Those and other films will still be his major legacy.

B07YRW5817

One of the books themes is of being trapped in a half-real, half-fake, and wholly unbearable reality; a kind of hallucinogenic Truman Show. There is also the hollowness of fame and material wealth, and the self-obsessed nature of the world today. A number of popular literary references are thrown in, from The War of the Worlds to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

So far so good, but for a major flaw: the novel, for the most part, doesnt develop its scenes, it narrates them. It embraces a summarising approach as if the events in the story were being told by a commentator. This makes the book less immersive than it could have been. As narrative strategy goes, it leaves most scenes half-baked; they stream by before they land. Its as if the writers dreaded the grim spectre of the readers Declining Attention Span, and sought to make the book as breezy as possible, to its own detriment. In some places, what keeps you hooked is the name-dropping of characters named after celebrities -- Katie Holmes, Kelsey Grammer, Anthony Hopkins, John Travolta. Occasionally, a well-painted scene comes along but this doesnt happen often enough to redeem the narrative. That is why the novel left me with a feeling of poignancy. It had immense potential to be an immersive weed-trip through Hollywood, celebrity, and self obsession, which is a large chunk of todays mass culture. In the end, it is a competently told story that could have been much more.

Suhit Kelkar is an independent journalist. He lives in Mumbai.

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HARTFORD  A landmark bill in the era of Black Lives Matter passed the state Senate early Wednesday 21-15 after a nearly 10-hour debate on wide-ranging legislation that could hold police personally accountable for malicious brutality, and end a system where bad cops who were fired from one department could find work in other towns and cities.

It tested friendships in the 22-14 Democratic majority, which in the end stuck mostly together, losing only Sen. Joan Hartley, D-Waterbury to the solid Republican opposition.

The debate began at about 5:20 p,m. on Tuesday and finished at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday in a sometimes testy discuss in a near-empty Senate chamber in which custodial crews continually cleaned microphones and desks after one by one, senators spoke.

Gov. Ned Lamont said he would sign the bill. The most contentitious part, which could hold individual cops liable in line with existing federal law, wont take effect until July 2021.

Melvin Medina, public policy and advocacy director of the ACLU of Connecticut, said in a statement after the vote that its a way to address years of complaints about violence and racism among police.

Ending police violence will not be solved by any one bill, but the bill passed out of the legislature today is a start, he said. The legislature must take stronger action in future sessions to end systemic racism and violence in policing, and policymakers must recognize that their work has only just begun. To the legislators who instead voted to shield the profession of policing from accountability, do better.

Since June, we've seen residents across Connecticut raise their voices in peaceful protest, demanding change, said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney,D-New Haven, after the vote. With Senate passage of the police accountability bill, we have affirmed to the people of Connecticut that their voices were not ignored and that changes in laws and policies enhancing transparency and professionalism in policing will be the new norm in our state.

"Over the past few months, I've heard from and marched with constituents who demanded change and accountability in policing," said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. These calls have been echoed across the state and throughout our country, putting us in a unique position for change. By passing this bill, it shows that, as a legislature, we are committed to addressing the structural issues that exist and seek reform so that residents, particularly residents of color, regain trust and confidence in their police departments.

Today, the Senate took a step to right the wrongs of the past," said Sen. Gary Winfield, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee who spent the entire debate at his senate desk For years, I've stood side by side with activists and organizers who have fought tirelessly for social justice and changes in our criminal justice system. This is long-term work and addressing the systemic and racist policies that exist in this system and in policing will not be solved by one piece of legislation. But by passing this police accountability bill, we are finally acknowledging that these entrenched, systemic behaviors are unacceptable, and change is needed.

Today, the Connecticut State Senate voted in favor of the safety and well-being of families and communities across our state and answered the call that our residents so desperately need and rightfully deserve, said State Treasurer Shawn Wooden after the vote. Following hours of heartfelt testimony and debate, this vote landed on the right side of history. The bill, which now heads to the Governors desk for signature, will lead to investments and improvements in training resources for law enforcement, an increase in transparency and trust between police and the neighborhoods in which they serve, and greater accountability for officers who abuse their power. When our children and grandchildren ask us what we did at this pivotal time in our nations history, we will be able to say that we took action to dismantle the systems of oppression in this country and in Connecticut.

Winfield introduced the bill and stressed that the transparency and reform legislation has been in the making since the civil rights movement of the 1960s, but is not aimed at the many exemplary Connecticut cops.

I dont want to talk about the good officers, said Winfield early in the debate. Let them go do their job. I want to have a discussion about the officers who are operating in a rogue way and make sure that we deal with them. This conversation is focused on the officers who do the wrong thing, who are given power and dont know how to use it, and that power goes unchecked. And this bill checks that power.

Toward the end of the debate, Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, a former correction officer, said the bill became a wedge issue in the Democratic caucus, testing friendships.

It will create an independent inspector general to investigate police-related shootings, prohibit choke holds except in cases where cops fear for their lives, and train police in better de-escalation tactics when dealing with crowds. Cops who witness coworkers abuse suspects would be required to intercede and report the instances, with new whistle blower protections in attempt to end the so-called blue wall of silence.

Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, said that even though he might have spent 60 hours collaborating on the bill, he wasnt going to vote for it. He had serious doubts about its goals.

Im not a racist, Im not a bigot, Im not insensitive to whats going on out there, Kissel said, but there are parts of this bill just go a little bit too far. He warned that nuisance lawsuits could result from the most-controversial section of the bill that would eliminate immunity from civil liability for officers linked to brutalizing people in a willful, wanton manners.

I think this issue is not simply about the case in which someone is killed in an interaction with police, but how power is given to police and how they are able to use that power, and whether or not that power has a check on it, Winfield said. Someone said to me is this about history or policing, and I dont see a difference there. This is not something that is new, not something that is rushed, but something that is a longstanding part of our history.

Winfield acknowledge that the immunity section, which survived in a tie vote in the House Friday morning, was important because of the failure of the system.

If youre one of the people on the wrong side of the equation, when the system fails you again, you deserve the ability to have some form of recourse, said Winfield. Thats why that is important to this conversation. And I will say as the father of four children who walk this earth in the black skin that I have, its important to me that if something ever happened, theyd have recourse.

Kissel warned that someone suing police would likely target as many officers as possible.

Youre going to maybe over-charge in the litigation to make sure that you are correct about whos ultimately at fault, Kissel said. I also get that theres litigation out there where folks are looking to get money and if you examine some of these suits, many of them are ultimately settled. Well, people can say the settlement is probably nuisance value. You add up enough nuisance-value suits, all of a sudden youve got a big issue.

Kissel warned that the legal exposure could discourage officers from staying in the profession.

I think ultimately there might be unintended consequences, Kissel said.

During a 45-minute back-and-forth with Winfield, Sen. Dan Champagne, R-Vernon, a retired police officer, continually referred to the so-called defund the police movement. This bill is bad for police and its bad for correction officers, Champagne said. Were rushing this through.

But Sen. Alexandra Kasser, D-Greenwich, said that police abuse and domestic abuse are very similar, in which power is exploited to take advantage. Its a power differential, she said. One party, one person using their power to dominate, control, hurt or exploit another person and its wrong, whether it happens inside our homes, or inside our communities, on our streets, anywhere. It is wrong.

Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, said shes spent much of the last six weeks listening to her Black colleagues. Ive heard about their experiences, she said. Ive heard about the fear in Black and brown communities. Ive heard and believe that too many Black and brown children are raised in fear of the police rather than having the trust we would all want in the local authorities.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
GLENDALE, Ariz.  A trial began Tuesday that will help determine if a voter initiative raising taxes on the wealthy in Arizona to help boost education funding makes the November ballot.

Opponents of the Invest in Education Act allege that backers illegally paid petition circulators and that the initiative summary attached to petition sheets failed to clearly state the full size and scope of the tax increase.

The proposed initiative backed by many educators and the state teachers union would impose a 3.5% tax surcharge on income above $250,000 for an individual or above $500,000 for couples. It aims to raise about $940 million a year for schools.

A group backed by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry filed the lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court. It alleges the initiative backers misled the nearly 436,000 voters who signed petitions to qualify the measure for the ballot and that petition circulators were paid per signature.

Judge Christopher Coury is overseeing three days of testimony that began with a petition circulator denying he was paid per-signature, a key point opponents contend would violate a 2017 state law. A top official with the measures main petition company followed.

Under questioning from an attorney for the initiative challengers, Tom Bilsten, a top manager for Petition Partners, denied that signature collection alone determined how much a circulator was paid. He said a variety of factors went into deciding whether to boost a collectors pay, including productivity.

If you were eligible, heck yeah we would love to give you a promotion, Bilsten said. But there was nothing that they were entitled to or there was a guarantee.

Attorneys for the initiative backers wrote in court papers that nothing in the 2017 law prevents a petition company from boosting pay based on production. Regardless, they were all paid by the hour, not per signature, the lawyers said.

Arizona law does not  and constitutionally cannot  ban paid circulation or preclude the use of productivity standards or performance metrics in setting the hourly pay rate for paid circulators or in deciding whether to terminate paid circulators,' attorney Roopali Desai wrote.

Testimony about the 100-word summary that petition signers saw is expected later in the trial.

The initiative is the latest outgrowth from a teachers strike two years ago that highlighted low wages for educators and a slow rebound from budget cuts enacted during the Great Recession. The walkout secured higher wages for teachers, but many education interest groups said it fell short.

Half of the new tax that would be levied if voters approve the measure would be devoted to raises for credentialed teachers, 25% to boosting wages for cafeteria workers, bus drivers and other support staff, and the rest for teacher training, vocational education and other initiatives.

Three other initiatives that filed enough signatures to qualify for the ballot also face court challenges. Initiatives legalizing marijuana, forbidding surprise medical billing and overhauling the states criminal sentencing rules face similar challenges in upcoming court hearings.

The trial on the Invest in Education Act is expected to conclude Thursday, and Coury would issue a written ruling later. Whoever loses in Courys court is expected to appeal to the state Supreme Court.

The secretary of state is reviewing the petition sheets for all four initiatives and will send a sample to county recorders for verification before certifying that they have enough to make the ballot.
The food drive for members of the Latino community was supposed to get underway at Diversity Richmond around 9 a.m. on Tuesday. But cars of people waiting for a chance to pick up a weeks worth of groceries were lined up along Sherwood Avenue before then.

Given the pressing need, staff and volunteers started the event early, handing out vegetables, eggs, salt, potatoes, noodles, watermelons and other food items, said Bill Harrison, the executive director of Diversity Richmond, one of the regions leading rights organizations for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

They need food badly, Harrison said. And most of these cars have children in them.

Some people who stopped by for the donations on Tuesday said the weeks worth of food is helpful in their time of need.

Were working less hours, said Ricardo Suniga, a 42-year-old Henrico County resident who also said he was grateful for the food donation.

Diversity Richmond had planned to distribute food to 500 families during the event, originally scheduled to run from 9 to 11 a.m.

But by 10 a.m., Harrison said the group had distributed food to more than 500 families.
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WESTFIELD  A man operating a motorcycle died early Wednesday in a collision with a car on Montgomery Road in the Wyben section of the city, according to a fire official.

Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Kane said the man, whose name is not available, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Westfield police are investigating the crash. Through Wednesday morning, police had not issued any information about the crash.

Massachusetts State Police also sent an accident reconstruction team to the site to assist with the investigation.

Kane said firefighters were called to assist the crash scene, in the area of 563 Montgomery Road, just before 4:30 a.m.

The motorcycle apparently crashed into the rear of a motor vehicle, he said.

This is a developing story and more information will be posted as it is known.
It has been 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law.

Over the last three decades, the U.S. Attorneys Office for Connecticut has settled with multiple hotels, restaurants, recreational facilities, financial institutions, transportation companies and other businesses during ADA enforcement.

The act, a civil rights law to ensure access and equal opportunity is provided to people with disabilities, was signed into law on July 26, 1990. The U.S. Attorneys Office enforces the legislation through the Department of Justice.

The Americans with Disabilities Act has been critical in protecting the civil rights of all persons with disabilities, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham said in a statement. The ADA seeks to eliminate disability discrimination in services, programs and activities that most Americans take for granted, but for too long were largely inaccessible to individuals with disabilities.

Durham said his office has also conducted extensive training and outreach to ensure that places of public accommodation are complying with the ADAs mandates.

In 2014, the Education Working Group was launched to tackle complaints against educational institutions regarding discrimination against children with disabilities.

Since 2014, the office has settled cases with local and national day care centers, after school programs, elementary and secondary schools, and higher education institutions, to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities, Durham said.

Last month, the office settled a case with Branford Child Care Services, a Pennsylvania-based company that owns learning centers in Pennsylvania and Connecticut after allegations that the facilities were not operating in compliance with ADA, specifically in regards to children with epilepsy.

More information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Departments ADA information line at 800-514-0301. The TTY number is 800-514-0383. To file an ADA complaint in Connecticut, contact the U.S. Attorneys Office at 203-821-3700.
European Union and British flags flutter in front of a chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on April 9, 2019. (Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters)

EU Watchdog Tells Banks to Get Ready for Full Brexit

LONDONBanks using Britain as a gateway to the European Union must fully execute their plans for serving the blocs customers before a Brexit transition period ends in December, the EUs banking watchdog said on Wednesday.

Britain left the EU in January and financial firms continue to have unfettered access the bloc under transition arrangements that end on December 31.

Many big banks have already opened up hubs in the bloc to continue serving customers there. The European Banking Authority said that these banks must now finalize the full execution of their Brexit plans, as agreed in their new licences.

In particular, financial institutions should ensure that associated management capacity, including appropriate technical risk management capabilities, is effectively placed ahead of time, EBA said.

This should be commensurate to the magnitude, scope and complexity of their activities, it said.

The new EU hubs are expected to increase their footprint in the bloc proportionally to the amount of business carried out there.

By Huw Jones
Its already been a big week for Larry Stalbaum at Saratoga Casino Hotel. On Monday afternoon (July 27), the veteran reinsman won a pair of races, the last of which resulted in him reaching the 6,000 win plateau for his career.

The 56-year-old has had a solid season racing primarily at Saratoga, and on Monday made his 6,000th career trek to the winners circle. He recorded the milestone win with longshot Scarlett Raider, who posted the upset for trainer Melissa Beckwith.

Stalbaum opened up Tuesdays matinee by guiding the Andy Sardella-trained Stonebridge Mach to victory while dismissed at odds of 24-1. The biggest win of the day, though, for Stalbaum came in the Open Pace, as he guided his stable star Crockets Cullen N (by Christian Cullen) to yet another victory in the local feature.

A winner of ten consecutive tries in the local Open from 2019 to the start of the 20 season, Crockets Cullen N was the publics 4-5 betting favourite on Tuesday when Stalbaum unleashed his beast in the early stages of the $8,500 pacing feature. Crockets Cullen N travelled unopposed for the majority of the mile while putting up fast fractions throughout. After reaching the half in :55.3, Crockets Cullen N clicked off three quarters in 1:23.4 and had plenty left to secure the victory in 1:52.4 while winning by more than three lengths. The victory was the fourth Open win this season for Crockets Cullen N, who is the tracks defending Pacer of the Year after his incredible late stretch in the 19 campaign.

Betterlatethnnever (Jay Randall) came on to finish second to Crockets Cullen N on Tuesday while Panocchio (Gerry Mattison) earned the show spot in the five-horse feature. Stalbaum, who owns and trains Crockets Cullen N, completed a Tuesday hat trick as he piloted his trainee Jericho Willie to a first-over victory.

Stalbaum will look to continue his hot streak in Wednesday evenings feature, as his Miss Irish Rose A will seek her second win in the last three tries in the Fillies and Mares Open.

Live racing continues on Wednesday with a first post time set for 7:15 p.m. There is a $2,852 carryover in the Pick Five pool on Wednesday with the Pick Five beginning in the evenings first race.

(Saratoga Casino Hotel)
Oregon schools have been awaiting guidance from the Oregon Department of Education on how to conduct classes in the fall.
The questions at Wednesdays Capitol Hill hearing of four of the most powerful tech CEOs will be focused on the moguls. But lawmakers also have plenty to prove.

Congress has at times stumbled when facing off against the massive power of Silicon Valleys online giants, with some officials even seeming befuddled by the complexities of how they operate  from one senator asking Mark Zuckerberg how Facebook makes money to Googles Sundar Pichai having to explain to House members that the company doesnt make iPhones.

This hearing is their chance to show that era is over  that Capitol Hill is ready to pin the tech moguls for answers and that the industry cant charm or outsmart its way out of a serious investigation. Some of the worlds most powerful companies stand accused of unfairly stifling smaller rivals and lawmakers say they are determined to hold them to account.

[Read: Tech CEOs' opening statements for Wednesday's antitrust hearing]

Hitting that goal will require legislators to prove they've learned how to dissect each behemoths vast but distinct business empires, and lawmakers say theyre hoping to do so while avoiding the partisan squabbles that have muddied other hearings with top tech executives. Thats all while overcoming new challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has pushed the blockbuster session into the CEOs home turf: online.

Members of the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee will grill Facebooks Zuckerberg, Googles Pichai, Amazons Jeff Bezos and Apples Tim Cook in a largely virtual hearing, with all four CEOs and even some lawmakers set to appear through videoconferencing. Its a format that could make it even harder to squeeze the tech moguls for answers.

Still, its an unmatched opportunity for the House. Its the first time the four CEOs will testify jointly before Congress, and the first-ever testimony by Bezos, the worlds richest person. And the session comes as regulators around the globe are ratcheting up investigations into the companies treatment of competitors.

Story continues

Those close to hearing say Wednesdays session could unearth crucial new information about each companies business practices and go a long way toward holding the companies accountable for their business practices  if lawmakers dont lose sight of the goal, that is.

If the committee members are sharp and hold these CEOs to account, then I do think for the American public it illustrates what it looks like when members of Congress are actually willing to govern," said Stacy Mitchell, co-director for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a group advocates against market consolidation.

The hearing, the sixth held by Judiciary as part of a sweeping probe into competition in the tech sector, could inform future legislation to update U.S. antitrust laws in a way that curtails the conduct of online titans like Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple.

But Congress has struggled in past hearings. When Zuckerberg first testified at the height of the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, lawmakers were widely mocked for exchanges that at times exposed a basic lack of knowledge about how tech companies work, including one in which the mogul explained that Facebook is free because it runs ads.

In this April 11, 2018, photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg listens to a question as he testifies before a House Energy and Commerce hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Facebook is rebuffing efforts by U.S. Attorney General William Barr to give authorities a way to read encrypted messages. The heads of Facebook-owned WhatsApp and Messenger services told Barr and his U.K. and Australian counterparts that Facebook is moving forward with plans to enable end-to-end encryption on all of its messaging services. End-to-end encryption locks up messages so that not even Facebook can read their contents. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

In the past when tech company CEOs have testified the popular review of those hearings has not been positive for lawmakers," said Duke University researcher Matt Perault, who testified before House antitrust last year on behalf of Facebook, where he served as director of public policy. "Often it seems like they dont have the kind of understanding of the products and business models that most Americans do."

And even when lawmakers do their homework, hearings with the tech leaders often lost direction, with lawmakers asking questions far afield of their purported purpose and getting caught up in partisan feuding. Theyve sometimes jumped from topic to topic for hours, with questions on everything from cryptocurrency to data privacy to hate speech and allegations of bias. And when Pichai last appeared before the House Judiciary Committee, then under GOP control, Democrats and Republicans bitterly clashed over allegations the company stifles conservative views. (Google and other major platforms deny the charges).

This time has the potential to be different. The hearing is the culmination of the Democratic-led subcommittees investigation into competition online, which has included hundreds of hours of meetings and calls and the collection of over 1.3 million documents, according to senior Judiciary aides. That makes the members of the 15-person panel set to question the CEOs uniquely prepared for the challenge, according to Gene Kimmelman, senior adviser for consumer group Public Knowledge.

Weve seen in the past high-profile hearings with CEOs that are just one-offs  thats not what this is, said Kimmelman, who served in the Justice Departments antitrust unit under the Obama administration. This is the culmination of many hearings, many interviews, thousands of hours of work by the staff and engagement with the members."

Officials are also hoping to keep the hearing from straying too far off course. Democratic lawmakers and senior House Judiciary aides say they expect Wednesday's session to have a needle-like focus on the competitive concerns posed by the companies, the central premise of the hearing.

I believe that it will be largely tethered to the antitrust concerns because that is the purpose of this committees investigation, it is the driving purpose behind the hearing, said Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), vice chair of the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, the 15-member panel hosting the session.

But Republicans say they are preparing for a wholly different kind of hearing: a free-wheeling event where lawmakers air their grievances on everything from competition to online misinformation and allegations of an anti-conservative bias in Silicon Valley.

Ahead of the hearing, Republican staffers on the Judiciary Committee urged lawmakers to make the bias allegations a focal point of the session, according to a memo obtained by POLITICO. And they suggested that proposing legislation to update U.S. antitrust law based off of the sessions findings would be premature  dealing a blow to the prospects of a bipartisan bill emerging out of the investigation.

GOP Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado said while he is planning to press the CEOs on whether their acquisitions or their platforms stifle competition, he expects other lawmakers to fire off questions on a wide range of fronts, including the bias charges.

I think you will see a free-for-all, Buck said.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) said he anticipates Republicans will hone in particularly on Facebook and Google over accusations they stifle viewpoints on the right. Armstrong said those allegations are pressing "given how much influence they have over the general public coming into the election.

Some critics of the tech giants have voiced concern that raising issues like allegations of bias could dilute the hearing. Others say it's par for the course on Capitol Hill.

"Ive never seen a hearing not wander a bit astray," said Kimmelman. "Every lawmaker has a different angle on these things and different pet issues, but I do believe there is a desire to make sure at the very least they dot all the is and cross all the ts on antitrust and competition concerns.

To do that, lawmakers will need to pepper all four chief executives with exacting questions. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), another member of the subcommittee, said one strategy lawmakers plan to take Wednesday is to focus on issues that cut across the tech giants.

I think they can all be assured they will get a lot of love, each one of them, she said. We do intend to split our time and talk about each one of them because I do think that there are some common fact-patterns that have emerged across companies in terms of anti-competitive behavior.

Jayapal said one such area where lawmakers share concern about all four companies is their ability to box out competitors with the vast troves of consumer data they collect. Another, she said, is their ability to deploy "copy, acquire, kill" strategies to duplicate, buy out or otherwise neutralize budding rivals.

But the largely virtual format of the hearing could make it harder for lawmakers to come out on top in those exchanges, according to Daniel Schuman, policy director at the left-leaning advocacy group Demand Progress.

In a circumstance where youre going back and forth with the witness where they can pretend not to hear you, where you talk over each other, where you have a little bit of the technological confusion that goes on top of the interaction anyway  it becomes more likely that the member can lose a little bit more control of the interaction," said Schuman, who has pushed for Congress to bolster its virtual offerings.

And the virtual format could lessen the overall impact of the hearing, according to Buck.

It's unfortunate that we don't have them in person," said the GOP lawmaker. "I think it would be a much more informative and impactful hearing if we were dealing with this in person.

Even if lawmakers' stick the landing on their questions, tech industry officials remain skeptical anything new will come out of them.

Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel of tech trade group NetChoice, said hes very curious to know what questions will be asked that haven't been answered. Szabo, whose tech trade group counts Facebook, Google and Amazon as members, cited the fact that the companies have already turned over scores of documents to the committee.

He added, "What this is ultimately going to do is be dragging tech CEOs before Congress and berate them in front of the cameras, not looking necessarily for answers to antitrust, but looking for publicity."

But even the act of pressing the CEOs for answers on the record could mark a victory for lawmakers, according to Mitchell, regardless of whether or not the CEOs take the bait.

I do think that theres actual real information to be gleamed, and if Bezos and the other CEOs try to dodge those questions and evade and obfuscate, it adds to the picture of these companies believing that they are in charge and that they dont have to answer to anyone, she said.

Betsy Woodruff Swan contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:56:54|Editor: huaxia

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PRAGUE, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The Czech government and the energy company CEZ on Tuesday signed a contract for the construction of a new unit at the Dukovany Nuclear Power Station, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In the contract, the investor undertakes to take specific steps in the preparation and construction of a new nuclear power plant according to a set time schedule. At the same time, given the potential market failures and inherent political risks, it receives adequate and justified guarantees from the state.

"Contracts give security to us and our shareholders. We can continue the project and announce a tender for the main supplier at the end of the year," said CEZ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Daniel Benes.

Under the plan, by the end of 2024, the investor will have to select the main supplier of the new nuclear power plant in Dukovany and negotiate a contract. The construction of the new unit should begin in 2029 and the new power plant unit is planned to be put into operation in 2036.

The government had been in talks with CEZ about expanding its nuclear power operation and replacing older units for some time, but high costs had been a matter of concern for officials.

However, in late May, CEZ was able to secure an estimated six-billion-U.S.-dollar loan from the Czech government for the Dukovany expansion project.

The government will thus help finance the new unit interest-free during construction, after which a two percent interest will be charged during operation. The total cost of the operation is estimated at 160 billion Czech crowns (7.18 billion U.S. dollars), according to local media. Enditem
From the grocery chain's savory spice mixes to its popular frozen basics, there's no doubt that many Trader Joes products have a cult-like following.

So why should dessert be any different? Some people love the store's seasonal finds like apple cider donuts in the fall or Peppermint Joe Joes around the winter holidays, while others prefer classics like the New York-style cheesecake and frozen banana slices dipped in chocolate.

TODAY Food has rounded up 10 of the best Trader Joe's desserts that are perfect for everyday eating or even special occasions.

New York Deli Style Cheesecake, $6.99

Trader Joes

Cheesecake is a classic dessert that always seems to hit the spot. The creamy filling and graham cracker crust make for a tasty combination that almost anyone will recognize as being distinctly New York. The one downside to this cheesecake is that it doesnt come pre-sliced, but that just means you can cut yourself a giant wedge. This versatile dessert is available at the store year-round.

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Chocolate Lava Cake, $2.99

Trader Joes

The Chocolate Lava Cake from Trader Joe's might just rival any dessert of the same name from a high-end restaurant. The cakes, which are always available at the store (unless they're sold out), are moist, and the chocolate lava is the perfect consistency without being soupy. Pull these out for a dinner party and impress all of your guests with a fancy dessert. They dont have to know it came from the frozen food aisle.

Hold The Cone -Vanilla, $2.99

Trader Joes

Ice cream is always a go-to dessert, especially on warm summer evenings. Hold The Cone miniature ice cream cones are filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with a hard chocolate shell, making them the perfect size for late-night snacking. The vanilla variation is sold all year, but Trader Joes also sells a peppermint version around the holidays.

Related: The beloved Mandarin Orange Chicken was pushed to third by one savory seasoning.

Story continues

Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream, $4.99

Trader Joes

Trader Joes jarred Speculoos Cookie Butter has a huge following, so when the store released an ice cream in the same flavor, fans understandably freaked out. The vanilla ice cream base has swirls of cookie butter and actual cookie pieces studded throughout. Both the cookie butter spread and ice cream are now available at Trader Joe's stores year-round.

Gone Bananas, $1.99

Trader Joes

Part snack, part dessert, these chocolate-dipped banana rounds have been a long-time favorite of many Trader Joe's shoppers. The bananas come dipped in either milk or dark chocolate, so there's really something for every chocolate lover. Gone Bananas are super tasty on top of ice cream, dipped into peanut butter or just enjoyed on their own.

Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches, $4.49

Trader Joes

Get dessert for the whole family with a box of the Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches. The frozen dessert starts with vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies, then the outer edges are rolled in mini chocolate chips. These little ice cream treats have been a Trader Joes staple for years (they're available year-round), and they arent going anywhere anytime soon.

Danish Kringle, $7.99, seasonal flavors

Trader Joes

When the Danish Kringle first came out, it was initially only available in the Midwest. Now, the Danish Kringle can be found in the bakery aisle of Trader Joe's stores all year long. Each season, there is a new flavor to enjoy, like raspberry in summer or pumpkin in fall. The buttery pastry can be eaten at room temperature or heated in the oven. Either way its delicious and deserves a place in your cart.

Peaches And Cream Tarte, $4.99

Trader Joes

Nothing screams summer quite like a ripe, juicy peach, but if you dont live in a Southern state then Trader Joes Peaches And Cream Tarte will bring summer to your neck of the woods. The crust of the tarte is perfectly crisp, and the addition of coarse sugar on top adds a bit more crunch to the relatively soft dessert. This summery treat is only available when peaches are usually ripe.

Related: Spice up breakfast, lunch and dinner with these versatile, budget-friendly spices.

Key Lime Pie, $5.49

Trader Joes

This Florida staple is now available pretty much everywhere thanks to Trader Joe's. The pie starts out with a traditional graham cracker crust, then its filled with a sweet and tangy custard of sweetened condensed milk and Key lime juice.

Apple Cider Donuts, $3.99

Trader Joes

Anything with apple just screams the start of fall. At Trader Joes, that means picking up a pack of Apple Cider Donuts. These fluffy doughnuts are made with real apple cider. After their turn in the fryer, the sweets are rolled in cinnamon sugar. For an even more indulgent treat, try heating these doughnuts up a bit before devouring.
Khiron Life Sciences (OTC: KHRNF) has installed the first solar panel plant in Tolima, Colombia for a cannabis production complex.

The company teamed up with ReFeel, a renewable energy company, on the initiative.

The park counts 2,600 solar panels, delivering an annual production of 700 kilowatt-hours.

CO2 emission is expected to reduce by about 570 tons per year.

"This solar park will allow us to save energy costs and self-generate 40% of our energy need while reducing CO2 emissions by 570 tons per year," said Khiron Life Sciences CEO and Co-Founder Alvaro Torres. "This project is closely aligned with our higher purpose of positively impacting people's quality of life."

Flavia Santoro, President of Procolombia, explained that the project not only allows diversifying energy generation, but it also reduces dependence on water.

"Additionally, it opens the new frontier to promote national development," he said. "We are committed to this from the Government and ProColombia to promote the arrival of new investments in the sector. "

The Italian company ReFeel will be in charge of the maintenance and operation of the infrastructure.

RELATED: UK's Sapphire Medical Funds First Cannabis Treatment, While Khiron Backs Colombia Clinic

Photo from press release

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Of course, this analysis is incomplete because the year is not over. In the coming months, corporate boards could decide to significantly reduce the bonuses and stock options they hand out to top executives for 2020. That would represent a big break from recent years when boards, which are primarily made up of corporate executives and investors, approved ever higher pay packages. A few chief executives have already taken a sizeable hit. The survey showed that Glenn Kelman, chief executive of Redfin, a Seattle-based real estate brokerage, took a pay cut that was equivalent to the $US284,000 ($395,000) he got in 2019. "The reason we did it is because we had to furlough or lay off more than a thousand people," Kelman said when asked what motivated the decision to withhold his salary. "It's not just about the pay cut; it's about the general sense that capitalism is not working for everyone." CGLytics surveyed the companies in the Russell 3000 index, which comprises most of the publicly traded businesses in the United States, and found that 419 companies had disclosed details of salary cuts. Only about 10 per cent of those companies cut salaries by more than 25 per cent of the executive's 2019 total "realised" compensation, a figure that CGLytics came up with by adding up all the money and stock each boss received last year. The firm values the stock at the price at which trading ended December 31.

The price of many stocks fell sharply this spring when the pandemic took hold. But stocks can recover over time, and many have soared since March. As it became clear that the pandemic was going to devastate the economy and their businesses, many boards and chief executives appeared to sense a need to tell workers and investors that they were sharing in the pain. United Airlines said the executives' salary cuts were a recognition of the effects of the pandemic and "to lead by example." United, which has been hit hard by a plunge in demand for air travel, is expected to start furloughing up to 36,000 workers October 1. Oscar Munoz, who in May became United's executive chairman after serving as chief executive, did not get salary from March 10 through June 30, which amounted to a $US610,000 pay cut on the $US2 million salary he is being paid this year. But the reduction was a little less than 3 per cent of the $US22.2 million that Munoz took home in 2019. United's new chief executive, J. Scott Kirby, will give up around $US790,000 of salary this year. That is equivalent to 9 per cent of the $US8.7 million that CGLytics estimates he received last year. United said that it was "extremely unlikely" that it would make 2020 bonus payments, which it planned to set at 250 per cent of salary, to its top executives. Delta's chief executive, Ed Bastian, took a salary cut of around $US714,000, or 5.35 per cent of the total compensation he received in 2019, according to CGLytics. A Delta representative said the decline in Delta's stock price and difficulties ahead for the airline would weigh heavily on the value of Bastian's pay. The spokesman, Trebor Banstetter, said the value of Bastian's total compensation this year was likely to be down 58 per cent from "pre-pandemic projections," but he did not provide details of how the company arrived at that figure.

Delta is asking its pilots to take pay cuts in order to keep their jobs Disney awarded Robert A. Iger, its former chief executive who stepped down in February, large compensation packages over the nearly 15 years that he led the company. Iger, who is now executive chairman, gave up his salary from the end of March through the end of the year. The $US2.25 million in foregone pay is equivalent to 3.3 per cent of Iger's total realised compensation in 2019, according to CGLytics. Disney furloughed tens of thousands of workers in March. The hotel industry has also been hit hard by the pandemic, and companies like Marriott International have been furloughing and laying off workers. The company's chief executive, Arne M. Sorenson, took a salary cut that was equivalent to less than 2 per cent of the $US66 million in total compensation that CGLytics says he was paid in 2019. Connie Kim, a Marriott spokeswoman, said nearly $US50 million of the compensation for last year was related to stock appreciation rights granted nine to 10 years earlier. Loading Some companies merely deferred salary payments for senior executives, rather than make outright cuts. General Motors deferred 30 per cent of the salary of its chief executive, Mary T. Barra, and other top leaders, and 20 per cent of other white-collar employees. The deferrals, which began April 1, were going to last for as long as six months, but Tuesday, General Motors told employees that it was ending the 20 per cent deferrals on August 1. Barra and the other senior executives will continue to defer 10 per cent of their salaries. She made $US30 million in total realised compensation last year, according to CGLytics.
A British family found two migrants hiding in the luggage box on the roof of their car while driving through France.

The family stopped at a service station on the A29 in Normandy when they heard a noise coming from the box, France Bleu radio reported.

Upon opening it, they were shocked to find two people hiding inside.

Footage posted online appears to show the moment the migrants were discovered in the roof box.

Officials said the 16-year-olds from Eritrea and Guinea had targeted the car because of its British number plates and had hoped to reach the UK.

However, the British couple and their two children had just arrived in France and were driving towards their holiday destination upon discovering the migrants.

French media reported that the family asked a bystander to call the police as the migrants fled the scene.

The migrants were reportedly caught by local police and have since been released.

The British tourists told police that they had arrived in France on the Eurotunnel and had stayed in Calais overnight, which is where the migrants are believed to have got into their luggage box.

The couple filed a complaint for theft because items of luggage had been removed from the box.
New Jersey can continue to limit what local cops tell immigration officers, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, a blow to both President Donald Trump and the South Jersey counties suing to overturn those rules.

The state currently restricts what police can tell Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, although it doesnt prohibit cooperation completely. Cops may not ask about a suspects immigration status, for example, and jails may not hold onto certain nonviolent offenders simply because ICE wants to arrest them, according to a directive from the state attorney generals office, which has the force of law.

Ocean County and Cape Mays sheriff argued those limits were illegal and sued. The U.S. Department of Justice first joined their lawsuit and then filed its own complaint, making a similar case that the restrictions hurt public safety and prevented the federal government from enforcing immigration law.

But local restrictions on cooperation did not violate federal law, Judge Freda Wolfson of the U.S. District Court of New Jersey wrote in an opinion. Wolfson threw out the counties lawsuit, although she said state courts may intervene in the future.

State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal celebrated the decision.

New Jersey has the authority to draw a clear, bright line between the work of state law enforcement officers and federal civil immigration officers, he said in a statement. This line is more important than ever, as we work hard every day to build and restore trust between New Jerseys police officers and historically marginalized communities.

A spokesman for Cape Mays sheriff said they were reviewing the decision. A request for comment left with Ocean County was not immediately returned.

Immigrant rights advocates also hailed the opinion.

Local limits on cooperation made immigrants less afraid to reside in the place they call home, especially those who are victims and witnesses of crimes who needed to call the police, Maneesha Kelkar, interim director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, said in a statement.

Keeping the restrictions will also make it easier for immigrants to shop and travel, since New Jersey will soon allow undocumented residents to get drivers licenses, said Kevin Escobar, a community organizer with the Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center.

It was not immediately clear how Wednesdays ruling affects the related lawsuit filed by the justice department.

Federal officers have said they were repeatedly blocked from getting information about people who may be in the U.S. illegally, according to the complaint, including some who had been charged or convicted of invasion of privacy or making terroristic threats. However, ICE has previously declined to say how often local cops have been blocked from handing people over to federal officers.

In a statement, ICE defended the more than 140 partnerships it has with law enforcement agencies in 25 states, and it said those agreements help lower crime.

In sanctuary jurisdictions where ICE is not allowed to assume custody of aliens from jails, ICE officers are forced to make at-large arrests, the statement read. This effort requires a significant amount of additional time and resources.

The justice department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wednesdays opinion can be read here:

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The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

July 28, 2020



Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first earth and the first heaven had passed away. Also, there was no more sea.

Rev. 21:1

The Liberian Coat of Arms

If the Republican-controlled Legislature of the State of Mississippi could vote in 2020 to change the state Confederate Flag  a symbol of Americas original sin (slavery) and Jim Crow, then the Liberian Legislature can certainly begin a debate on the Liberian Coat of Arms, especially the Motto: The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here.

A global social racial awakening and revival have taken on mythic proportions for social justice to eviscerate the symbols of slave legacy --- the perpetuation of white race superiority. This awakening and revival have come about as the result of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and the countless numbers of Black men being killed by United States police forces.



The fight for the destruction of the symbols that do not fully represent the values, culture, and aspirations of all people in a truly just society is achieving victory across the world. In this evolutionary struggle for the rights and dignity of black people and the protest against the opposition of equality and social justice, I never dreamed that the state of Mississippi, the bedrock and beacon of American racism, would see its Republican-controlled Legislature vote for the taking down of the Confederate Flag  the symbol of slavery, racism, and the denigration and subjugation of Blacks. The flags supporters have resisted efforts to change it for decades. Yet, Mississippi did change it, despite having a long history of systemic racism and seeing more lynching of African-Americans than any other state in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Great Debate

it takes more courage to examine the dark corners of your own soul than it does for a soldier to fight on a battlefield.

-William Butler Yeats



I think the people of Liberia (especially the descendants of the settlers), a country founded as a refuge for free slaves from the United States and captured slaves on the high seas, can reasonably agree that it is morally revolting and repugnant to display and honor symbols associated with America's shameful institution  slavery. The 1847 Constitution, the Flag, and the Coat of Arms were exclusively about the settlers ( and rightfully so ) with the approval of the American Colonization Society (their sponsors), an organization whose leading members were slave owners. After 138 years, the 1985 Constitutional Commission had the opportunity to debate these troubling and persistent social and political questions but failed to do so. We are now in a period of contemporary classical liberal enlightenment that is propitious for such debate so that we can disabuse the errors of our founding fathers and create a true Republican government of, by, and for the PEOPLE. So that five centuries from today, the Liberian people will say our brothers and sisters of 20 decades created a new nation conceived in the verse of Revelation 21:1.



My detractors will be apoplectic at the suggestion of such debate when Liberian is mired in dire social and economic misery under a government that seems at this moment clueless about how to grow the economy, create jobs, and improve the prosperity of all the people. I will contend that Liberia is going through a process of catharsis after the 1990s bloody civil wars and that Liberians today are enlightened and have the intellectual capacity to address these social, political and economic issues in tandem. And I will remind them of Eleanor Roosevelt's words: Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people.



With this tidal wave blowing across the globe, clamoring for a change of symbols and statues that denigrate and dehumanize one ethnic group in society, I found it incredulous and astounding that the people of Liberia and the Liberian Legislature seem oblivious to the dynamics at play . The Liberian Coat of Arms has been a subject of contention among Liberian intellectuals for decades. The Liberian Legislatures stultified response in this momentous period in the course of human events is an absolute dereliction of duty to the Constitution of Liberia. This subject has not set fire to the forest to draw the attention it needs (because of its esoteric nature) to revolutionize its struggle. This is due to the failure of Liberian intellectuals to change this esoteric nature so that a larger portion of the population can learn the importance of this debate. The Liberian Coat of Arms symbolizes the cultural valves of the Americo-Liberians (less than 5 percent of the population), rather than speaking for and representing the values and cultural heritage of all citizens of the Republic .

The Coming of the Love of Liberty Brought Us Here . On 15 December 1821, a clash of two cultures took place on Cape Mesurado (present-day Liberia) and the life and culture of the Dei and Bassa tribes were transformed forever. Later, other tribal groups would undergo this transformation. On this day (15 December 1821), Dr. Eli Ayres and Lieutenant Robert Stockton of the ship Alligator met the Dei and Bassa chiefs on behalf of the American Colonization Society (ACS) to negotiate for a tract of land on the mouth of Cape Mesurado for the free people of color. The protracted negotiation ended when Lieutenant Robert Stockton pointed a gun to one chiefs head. So, at gunpoint, Cape Mesurado was purchased for trinkets: six muskets, one barrel of gunpowder, six iron bars, ten pots, one box of soap, one box of nail, one box of beads, one box of pipes, two casks of tobacco, one dozen knives, forks, and spoons, six pieces of blue Taft, four hats, three coats, three pairs of shoes, twenty mirrors, three handkerchiefs, three pieces of Calico, four umbrellas, one box of soap, and one box of rum. All of these trinkets were worth about $350.00 ($7,122.06 today).

With the purchased tract of land (Providence Island), the ship Nautilus sailed in 1821 from Richmond, Virginia in early winter with 33 free people of color, bound for West Africa (present-day Liberia). The famous person among these immigrants was Hilary Teage, the author of the Declaration of Independence and the 1847 Constitution of Liberia. He is viewed as Liberias Thomas Jefferson. The historical correlation between Teage and Jefferson is mind-boggling. Thomas Jefferson wrote the American Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights , African slaves and forebears were considered chattel and 3/5 human. When Hilary Teage wrote the Liberian Declaration of Independence in 1847: We the representatives of the people of the Commonwealth of Liberia, in Convention assembled, invested with authority for forming a new government, relying upon the aid the protection of the Great Arbiter of human events, do hereby. declare the said Commonwealth a FREE, SOVEREIGN, AND INDEPENDENT STATE, by the name and title of the republic OF LIBERIA, and the 1847 Constitution, the natives or the inhabitants of the land for centuries were completely excluded from this newfound republic. They were viewed as primitive or heathen. How ironic that in the United States, you (Hilary Teage) were considered chattel and 3/5 human, denied the liberty to pursue life and happiness as endowed by your Creator. Yet here in your new Promised Land and a new birth of freedom, you viewed the natives (creator of the Great Arbiter) as less equal.



In 1847, Liberia was conceived by Hilary Teage and the founding fathers as a Republic with a caste system of social order. The Americo-Liberians formed the elite and perpetuated a double-tiered social structure in which local African peoples could not achieve full participation in the nation's social, civic, and political life. The Americo-Liberians replicated many of the exclusions and social differentiations that had so limited their own lives in the United States. The social caste system was based on skin color and education. The Mulattos or light-skinned occupied the top of the caste because most of them were educated and all were favored by the ACS. They became the political elites until the election of E. J. Roye, a dark-skinned free slave from Ohio. The dark-skinned people were in the middle, and the captured slaves from slave ships on the high seas (the Congos) were at the bottom. The natives were left on the periphery looking in. They remained so for 117 years. In 1964, they were granted paltry political enfranchisement but continue to be excluded from the bounty of economic wealth.



The Liberian Coat of Arms tells the story of one ethnic group  the Americo-Liberians. But the mosaic and tapestry of Liberian history (from 1822 to the present) are far larger than the story of the Americo-Liberians. Theirs is but one thread woven into the quilt and fabric of Liberias past and present. The exodus from bondage in the search for liberty in the Promised Land of their ancestors by the free people of color brought with it all the iniquities that had debased them for two centuries (1620  1820).



The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here has been an illusion of psychological self-importance and elitism for the Americo-Liberians and a psychosomatic trauma of identity for the autochthonous --- since the Love of Liberty did not bring me here, where I do fit this realm? At worst, the Liberia Coat of Arms has been a political, social, and economic fault line between the haves and have-nots, i.e., the Americo-Liberians and the natives prior to 1980. It did symbolize the right of passage for privilege and entitlement for Americo-Liberians. In the 1970s, the liberal members of the Americo-Liberia class saw this as an existential threat to the National Security of the Republic and attempted to address the question; however, it died in its embryonic state due to the weight of the conservative class of the Americo-Liberians. The perceived existential threat (in the 1970s) to the Republic became a reality on 12 April 1980.



With the demise of the True Whig Party after 133 years of rule (not governance), the hope that all the iniquities of the True Whig Party would be washed away and followed by a new birth of freedom and liberty and equality were shattered in the great tempest of the 1990s. Power was seized from the minority (Americo-Liberians) by the majority (the natives) in a bloodbath in 1980. With the majority occupying the center of political gravity and a new constitution in the making, the advocates for change pinned their hopes on the 1985 Constitutional Commission to consider addressing the long-contentious Liberian SYMBOLS created by the 1847 Constitution. The advocates for change were disappointed. The 1986 Constitution left intact the National Symbols of Liberia. For three decades (1950 - 1980), we (the natives) denounced and blamed the minority (the Americo-Liberians) for our dire condition and inferiority. However, since 1980, the reign of power has been in our hands and we have not governed, but ruled . All governments since 1980 have been far more inept and, at worst, corrupt than pre-1980 governments.



A symbol is an emblem representing an idea, cultural heritage and values. It is an expression of faith, doctrine or creed of a people of a society or a republic. The Liberian Coat of Arms speaks for the Americo-Liberians and excludes the rest of the society. The time is propitious to address these symbolic issues that are potent to our republic. In the 1960s, when the waves of the Civil Rights Movement were careening across the U.S., we in Liberia failed to adopt such actions to reform our government in a dynamic way. Six decades later, a similar event is sweeping across the U.S. and the worldand once again, we Liberians at home and in the Diasporas seem oblivious to these social justice events. We must not make this mistake again. We must now begin a conversation on the question of the Liberian Coat of Arms.



The Guardian, June 25,2020 Pham, John  Peter: Liberia: Portrait of A Failed State, Reed Press 2004. New York www.ijas.iaas.ie www.loc.gov








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CampTek Software and Seaglass Technology Partners announce the formation of a Business Alliance Partnership.

FREMONT, CA: The partnership combines CampTek Software, the leading RPA and Hyperautomation provider, with Seaglass Technology Partners, an experienced IT Staffing firm. Together, the companies will provide automation talent and services in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning.

"CampTek Software is thrilled to partner with such a well-tuned IT solutions firm. Together with Seaglass Technology Partners, we hope to reach companies in greater Portland, the state of Maine and the United States with top tier talent," says Peter Camp of CampTek Software.

"Seaglass Technology Partners is excited to partner with such a cutting-edge software company. CampTek Software is a solid match for us given our strengths in the Fintech space, particularly. We look forward to working with them," states David Simpson of Seaglass Technology Partners.

Seaglass Technology Partners has been in the IT consulting and staffing arena for over ten years. The founders have a combined 50-plus years in the space. The company specializes in staffing software development life cycle positions like Project Managers, Business Analysts, Software Developers, and Quality Assurance analysts. They have worked with companies across the country in industries like Fintech, defense contractors, manufacturers, IT service providers, and so on.

CampTek Software is a Full Life Cycle RPA SaaS Provider that is there for every step of the RPA Journey. With over 17 years of developing and supporting RPA Applications, they have the expertise to support any Automation initiative. CampTek Software is a unique RPA Partner in that they have the background to develop and support any RPA Process. Besides, the company offers Hosted Support and Bot Support for the processes that are in production. Their one-of-a-kind hosted model offers many compelling advantages, including a shorter time to market, 24/7 support, and an overall lower cost of entry.
DANVILLE  A Florida woman accused of slitting the throat of an elderly Montour County man after she used his bathroom has a history of mental health issues, the district attorney says.

But, District Attorney Angela Mattis declined to say if Kathleen Susan Reed, 36, of Pembroke Pines, had received treatment for those issues. Mattis wouldnt say anything because of the ongoing investigation.

Reed is accused of killing W. John Ditzler, 83, in his Bloom Road home, five miles east of Danville, on July 21.

An autopsy determined Ditzler died from multiple sharp wounds to the head, neck and chest, coroner Scott E. Lynn said. He had defensive wounds on his hands, he said.

Mattis, who went to the crime scene and attended the autopsy, said there were more puncture wounds than first thought.

She called the killing by far the most violent Ive seen. It was a bloody scene. Its sort of shocking because it happened in sleepy Montour County.

Reed commented after her arraignment she could not understand why she was charged with homicide because it was self-defense but Mattis said there is no evidence that Ditzler was the aggressor.

Reed told state police a struggle began after she came out of the bathroom and Ditzler told her to take her dog and leave.

She said she stabbed him in the left shoulder with a knife that broke so she grabbed another one and stabbed and slashed him in the throat, according to the arrest affidavit.

Reed, who weighs approximately 200 pounds, had a weight advantage on Ditzler. Hes living alone because his wife is in a long-term facility, Mattis said.

Reed was taken into custody later that day at a Sheetz near Interstate 80 in the Wingate area of Centre County by state police responding to an erratic driving complaint. She was in Ditzlers car, they said.

Charged with an open count of homicide, theft and possession of instrument of crime, she is being held without bail. Her preliminary hearing scheduled for Friday has been continued.

Reed told investigators she left Florida and headed to Canada because she thought her mother was trying to poison her.

By the time she got to central Pennsylvania she was running low on money and, according to the affidavit, was driving around the mountains.

She told police in a recorded interview she stopped near Ditzlers home to stretch her legs and encountered him. When he said he did not have a gas can to give her, she asked to use his bathroom.

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EAST LANSING, MI  Multiple Michigan State University students living at Holmes Hall have tested positive for COVID-19, a university spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.

According to MSU spokesperson Dan Olsen, an email was sent to students living in Holmes Hall on Monday, July 27. The email says students who tested positive are self-isolating, and the university is working closely with the Ingham County Health Department to reach out to anyone who may have had close contact with those infected.

Holmes Hall has been used as one of the universitys summer housing locations, not specifically for isolation or quarantine, Olsen said.

The university did not disclose how many students tested positive or any information that could potentially identify those who tested positive for COVID-19.

The email to students defines close contact as more than 15 minutes within six feet of a confirmed COVID-19 case. Anyone believed to have had close contact with someone who tested positive is being contacted by the health department as part of its contact tracing protocol.

Incidental passing in a hallway is not considered exposure by local health officials, the email states.

On-campus residents who test positive have the choice of self-isolating either at their off-campus permanent residence or designated university self-isolation space on campus. Isolation areas on campus include spaces in Akers Hall, Spartan Village and the Kellogg Center.

The email to students states that residence and housing services will continue to follow guidance from local, state and federal public health agencies, and people should practice physical distancing and wear a mask both indoors and outdoors.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face , officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here .

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus .

For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/ .

Read more on MLive:

Wednesday, July 29: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Michigan reports 669 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday, July 28

30% of Michigan residents oppose coronavirus school closings, higher than U.S. average, poll finds
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Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 18:31 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a4aab3 1 Business government-bond,government-debt-papers,finance-ministry,state-budget-deficit,burden-sharing-scheme Free

Indonesia has raised Rp 22 trillion (US$1.51 billion) from government bonds issuances as of Tuesday as it moves to fund the fiscal deficit and the countrys COVID-19 response.

The government received total bids of Rp 72.78 trillion  from an indicative target of Rp 20 trillion  from both domestic and foreign investors, which means the bonds were oversubscribed by 3.6 times. The bonds series have varied maturity periods of five to 20 years, said Finance Ministry director for government debt securities Deni Ridwan.

Investor confidence in the government bonds has increased, Deni said in a statement on Wednesday. The rising participation from foreign investors and the high level of banking liquidity amid slowing credit demand have bolstered incoming bids.

The big appetite of investors has lowered the weighted average yield for the bonds compared to the previous auction. The five-year benchmark bonds, for instance, now offer a yield of 5.94 percent versus 6.29 percent in the previous issuance, while the 10-year bonds have a 6.81 percent yield from the previous 7.05 percent.

The 15-year and 20-year bonds offer a yield of 7.28 percent and 7.4 percent from the previous 7.54 percent and 7.56 percent, respectively.

The government plans to raise Rp 35 trillion to Rp 40 trillion from bonds issuances every two weeks throughout the remainder of the year as it seeks to raise a total of Rp 990.1 trillion in the second half of the year to fund the fiscal deficit.

The government expects the state budget deficit to reach 6.34 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) as it allocated Rp 695.2 trillion for its COVID-19 response to strengthen the healthcare system and rescue the economy, which is expected to shrink 0.4 percent under a worst case scenario or grow 1 percent under a best case scenario this year.

The countrys financial markets have also been hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with foreign investors dumping Rp 122.4 trillion in Indonesian assets as of July, according to the ministrys data. The selling spree has weakened the rupiah exchange rate and caused a spike in yields of government debts earlier this year.

Bank Indonesia agreed earlier this month to buy Rp 397.5 trillion worth of government bonds in a burden sharing scheme to fund healthcare and social safety net programs amid the coronavirus pandemic. The central bank will fully bear the costs of the bonds.

The burden-sharing scheme between the central bank and the government is expected to start this week and last until this year end.
While the Indian Air Force (IAF) plan against the threat of Chinese Air Force remains classified, the basic strategy against Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) was put to test very successfully during 2018 Gagan Shakti pan-India air exercises. The strategy is simple: Disperse, Absorb, Recoup and Retaliate.

Air warriors like Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Birender Singh Dhanoa know that the Chinese will launch a barrage of early long range missile strikes against Indian air bases to incapacitate them. However, according to a March 2020 Belfer Center Study of Harvard Kennedy School, this is easier said than done.

Also read: Chinese bunkers at Lhasa airport, just 1,350 km from Delhi, worry India

The study quotes a senior IAF officer saying that the Chinese need 220 ballistic missiles to keep one airfield shut for 24 hours.

This will not make any difference to IAF operations in the east or the west since the Force has a large number of other airfields (from Leh to Pasighat) to operate from. If the PLA air force attacks just three air bases, it will require 660 ballistic missiles per day for attacking the runway and taxi track alone. Chinas stock of 1,000-1,200 medium range ballistic missiles or short range ballistic missiles will be over in three days with no other major target system like command and communication centres or air defence units being addressed, the study says.

While recognising the rocket threat from China, the IAF strategy has been fine tuned to an art form and put to practice through more than 6,000 sorties alone on the eastern front during Exercise Gagan Shakti. The moment the red flag is up, we will disperse the aircraft from the designated fields to all along the border with China with sufficient ammunition in those bases to take care of the air operations, said a serving Air Force commander.

The next step in the Indian counter strategy is to absorb the attack at the air bases and quickly repair the runway and the taxiway. It is understood that the IAF has the capacity to repair the runway and get the air base operational within four to six hours. We dont have either the US Patriot anti missile system or the Israeli Iron Dome system. But have a proven capacity, tested under Gagan Shakti to repair the runways within six hours maximum, said the IAF officer.

Former Air Chief Dhanoa explains it by saying that even if Chabua, Tezpur, Leh, Adampur air bases are down, the dispersed aircraft will start operating from other bases like Bareilly, Dimapur, Kanpur and Gorakhpur and a dozen of other airfields. The next steps are to recoup and then retaliate, he said.

During the 2018 Gagan Shakti exercise, then defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and then air chief Dhanoa landed at Pasighat advanced landing ground with a Su-30 taking off from the new air strip.

While the Chinese rocket attack will damage the Indian air bases, the inherent problem of rocket attack is that it is a one-time attack and there is a limitation on the warhead load.

Just as the Chinese have the missile ranges to reach any corner of India, the reverse is equally true with the Agni V missile ready and operational. To add to this the Indian manned fighters like Rafale and Sukhoi carry over 30 tons of ordnance to be delivered with pin-pointed accuracy. Compare this to a 100 kg warhead on a missile and you get an answer to what is more lethal, said a senior IAF officer.

Even though the Chinese military propaganda is on a full swing with so called use of powerful ammunition, the fact is that IAF has both the capacity and capability to bring the fight to Han China, way beyond occupied Tibet and Xinjiang.

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The number of Americans giving up smoking appears to have fallen to its lowest level in years - and COVID-19 lockdowns could be the reason why.

On Tuesday, tobacco giant Altria revealed that they are expecting cigarette sales to fall by just 2 percent this year, down from an initial prediction of 6 percent.

Altria manufactures Marlboro, a brand which accounts for more than 40 percent of all cigarette sales across the United States.

Speaking with The Wall Street Journal, Altria Chief Executive Billy Gifford said he believes stay-at-home orders are helping to keep people puffing away.

'Fewer social engagements allow for more tobacco-use occasions,' he stated.

He also claimed that pandemic, stimulus checks and a $600 a week jobless benefits have likely helped smokers stay stocked up on cigarettes even if they've lost their jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Locked down, but lighting up! The number of Americans giving up smoking appears to have fallen to its lowest level in years - and COVID-19 lockdowns could be the reason why

Additionally, a flurry of bad publicity around e-cigarettes means some smokers are switching back to tobacco.

Gifford told the Wall Street Journal that e-cigarette sales were down a whopping 14 percent in the second quarter of 2020 when compared with the same time last year.

Those numbers could get even worse, according to the Journal, as 'the FDA is requiring e-cigarette manufacturers to submit all products for agency review by September or they will take them off the US market'.

Meanwhile, many smokers say cigarettes help relieve their stress.

Millions may be less inclined to try and kick the habit given widespread anxiety around COVID-19 and subsequent societal changes.

It comes despite the fact doctors have claimed smokers face an increased risk of serious illness should they contract the coronavirus.

On Tuesday, Marlboro manufacturer Altria revealed that they are expecting cigarette sales to fall by just 2 percent this year, down from an initial prediction of 6 percent

The number of American adults who smoke has been steadily falling since the 1960s.

In that decade, more than 40 percent of people in the country were smokers, with 523 billion cigarettes smoked in 1963 alone.

In recent years, smoking rates have dropped even more dramatically.

Last year, the CDC reported that 14 percent of American adults are regular smokers.

In 2005, 21 percent of Americans over the age of 18 lit up frequently.

Data shows that smokers are most likely to be less educated and have a lower-than average income.

More than 36 percent of those who did not complete high school are smokers.

Meanwhile, 21 percent of all American adults who make less than $35,000 a year say they smoke on a regular basis.
COMMERZBANK AG (London Branch) - Pre Stabilisation - PHOENIX PIB EUR 5yr

Pre-Stabilisation notice

29 July 2020

Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

PHOENIX PIB Dutch Finance B.V.

EUR 300mil(expected) Fixed Rate Notes due 05 August 2025

Standalone documentation

LEI:529900UUYBCBB7HMVI56

Commerzbank AG (contact: Ian Turner, telephone: +44 207 475 1817) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014).

The security to be stabilised: Issuer: PHOENIX PIB Dutch Finance B.V. Guarantor (if any): PHOENIX PHARMAHANDEL GMBH & CO KG and PHOENIX International Beteiligungs GmbH Aggregate nominal amount: EUR300,000,000 (expected) Description: EUR300mil(exp) Fixed Rate Notes due 05 August 2025 Offer price: Tbc Other offer terms: payment date 05 August 2020, denoms 100k/100k, listing Luxembourg. Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator:

Stabilising Managers: Commerzbank AG

Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank

ING Bank N.V.

UniCredit Bank AG Stabilisation period expected to start on: 29 July 2020 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Euro MTF Market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange

In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

END
An Australian Outback pub has banned emus for bad behavior, and erected barriers to prevent the large, flightless birds from creating havoc inside.

Locals and tourists have been bemused by the antics of the emus eager to steal food from people in Yaraka, a remote Queensland state outpost with a permanent population of 18.

But things took an intolerable turn last week when two of the birds, Carol and Kevin, discovered they could climb the front stairs of the Yaraka Hotel, the only pub, publican Chris Gimblett said Tuesday.

Theyre learnt to walk up the front steps of the hotel, which has been causing just a few issues, especially with the amount of their waste, he said.

Gimblett solved the problem by stringing a rope across the top of the stairs. A sign advises customers to replace the rope once they enter because emus have been banned from this establishment for bad behavior.

The inquisitive emus are not yet clever enough to duck under the rope to get inside the pub.

While Australian pubs occasionally have a parrot in the bar, emus are not indoor birds.

When emus get a fright, they head in a forward direction but are normally looking behind so they cant see where theyre going and this is where chaos can happen, Gimblett said. They bump into everything.

Visitors staying at the Yaraka trailer park have been surprised by the lengths emus will go to steal food, including pecking a fried egg off a barbecue plate, Gimblett said.

They will lean through the (trailer) door with their long necks and pluck toast out of the toaster, he said.

If youve got a mug of coffee on the little table by the door, they will drink all the coffee, without spilling it I might add. You just discover that your mugs empty. Theyre just eating machines, he added.

There used to be eight emus in Yaraka. A resident rescued eggs from an abandoned nest in 2018 and hatched them with the help of an electric blanket. But all except Carol and Kevin have moved on, apparently in search of mates.
Queensland is tightening its border again as the state records three new cases after two women slipped through the cracks following travel through NSW and Victoria.

The states total is now 1079 cases, after two 19-year-old women were diagnosed with the disease in Logan, south of Brisbane.

A third woman, understood to be a close contact of those two women, was confirmed as having tested positive for the virus on Wednesday afternoon.

Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said an investigation would be launched into how the two new cases were able to cross the border and enter the community when they should have been in quarantine.
JetBlue will be testing new ultraviolet technology that can clean an aircraft's cabin in less than 10 minutes as carriers look for more ways to keep planes cleans amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The UV Cabin System was designed by Honeywell and marks the first time a US airline has implemented such technology on their planes as the two companies launch a 90-day pilot program.

According to a statement from Honeywell, the UV technology, which is normally used in hospitals, is about the size of an aircraft beverage cart and has UV-C light arms that extend over the top of seats and sweep the cabin to treat aircraft surfaces.

Clinical studies have found that when properly applied, UV-C lights can deliver doses capable of reducing various viruses and bacteria, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.

JetBlue will be testing new ultraviolet technology (pictured) that can clean an aircraft's cabin in less than 10 minutes as carriers look for more ways to keep planes cleans amid the coronavirus pandemic

The UV Cabin System was designed by Honeywell and marks the first time a US airline has implemented Honeywell technology on their planes as the two companies launch a 90-day pilot program. The device is seen being operated by an employee

Honeywell has already delivered eight of the devices to some of JetBlue's hubs.

The John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport are two locations that have received the technology.

In a statement, Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue's president and COO, said: 'With the safety of our crew members and customers our first priority, JetBlue's Safety from the Ground Up initiative is maintaining a layered approach to safety by ensuring healthy crew members, providing flexibility, adding space, reducing touchpoints, and keeping surfaces clean and sanitized.'

Geraghty called the Honeywell technology a 'potential game changer when it comes to efficiently assisting in our efforts to sanitize surfaces onboard'.

Mike Madsen, Honeywell Aerospace president and CEO, also said that the company has 'ramped up production quickly on the UV Cabin System, and our company is working on a range of solutions to help make passengers more comfortable about flying'.

Video from Honeywell shows a woman pushing the device down the aisle of an aircraft as its arms extend of the seats of the plane.

According to a statement from Honeywell, the UV technology, which is normally used in hospitals, is about the size of an aircraft beverage cart and has UV-C light arms that extend over the top of seats (pictured) and sweep the cabin to treat aircraft surfaces

Honeywell has already delivered eight of the devices (pictured) to some of JetBlue's hubs. The John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport are two locations that have received the technology

CAN UV LIGHT CAN KILL THE VIRUS? It has long been known that UV light has a sterilizing effect because the radiation damages the genetic material of viruses and their ability to replicate. Most viruses - such as SARS-CoV-2 - are covered with a thin membrane that is easily broken apart by UV rays. Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at University of East Anglia said: 'That UV light inactivates SARS-CoV-2 is not surprising. UV inactivates most viruses very efficiently. 'Given the nature of coronaviruses we would expect them to be especially sensitive to disinfection by either hypochlorite (bleach) or UV light.' A bus was disinfected by ultraviolet light on March 4, 2020 in Shanghai, China Dr Penny Ward, chair of the Education and Standards Committee of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine at King's College London said: 'UV irradiation and high heat are known to kill virus particles on surfaces and coronavirus particles are no exception to this general rule.' UV radiation is present in sunlight, and scientists say there is a lower risk of catching the coronavirus outdoors than indoors for this reason. Keith Neal, an emeritus professor in the epidemiology of infectious diseases, University of Nottingham, explained that sunlight damages DNA and RNA in the virus, which would kill it. 'How quickly in affects COVID-19 I have not seen any work, but viruses left on surfaces outside will dry out and be damaged by UV light in sunlight,' he told MailOnline. A Columbia University study published in Scientific Reports two years ago showed UV light can kill more than 95 per cent of pathogens like the coronavirus. Sunlight contains UVB and UVA rays, which are those that give us a tan, but UVC rays do not reach the earth because they are blocked by the ozone atmosphere. UVC rays are shorter are more energetic wavelengths of light. They are particularly good at destroying genetic material by disrupting nucleic acids and DNA, leaving the pathogen unable to perform vital cellular functions. Scientists use artificial forms of UVC light, called germicidal UV light, to sterilise hospitals, airplanes, offices, and factories - and demand has soared during the pandemic. There hasn't been any evidence of its sterilizing effects on SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. But at least studies have shown that it can be used against the closely related SARS coronavirus. Other studies have shown various doses work against coronaviruses murine (MHV), berne (coronaviridae) and canine (CCV). Conventional germicidal UV light kills microbes but also penetrates the skin, raising the risk of various forms of skin cancer as well as cataracts. Advertisement

In an interview on Good Morning America, Dr Jay Bhatt, who practices internal medicine, warned that this type of device can be harmful to humans.

'We've got to be really careful with using this technology to make sure that no humans are around and that only trained operators are using it,' Bhatt said.

'UV light is another tool in our tool box. It's no substitute for proper disinfection and cleaning as well as using distancing, hand hygiene and those awesome masks so that we can keep ourselves safe.'

And while JetBlue may be the only airline testing out UV technology, it's not the only transportation company to do so.

New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced in May that it will be launching a pilot program to disinfect subway cars using UV light.
As it resumed its tour boat operations last month, Wendella instituted various safety protocols like requiring guests to wear face coverings, not accepting cash transactions, limiting seating capacity and installing hand sanitizer stations on all its vessels. It also requires employees to wear face masks and gloves, and takes their temperatures when they arrive to work.
A woman who posted a video of herself breaching coronavirus restrictions has been arrested by police, who broke her car window after she refused to cooperate for a second time.

Eve Black, 28, from Warrandyte, was arrested following a vehicle intercept on Princes Street in Carlton about 2pm on Wednesday.

Eve Black in the border checkpoint video, which she posted online. Credit:Screenshot

A police spokesman said Ms Black was asked for her name and address, her licence and an explanation for why she was travelling - all of which she refused to give.

"During the arrest, police were forced to break the womans car window as she refused to speak to them, wind down her window, or step out of the vehicle," the spokesman said.
This dazzling photos of replica royal rings promises to put the knowledge of even the most dedicated royal watchers to the test.

Katherine, who runs German-based royal fan account @katsroyalletters, shared a snap of her collection of 10 copycat rings twinkling in a jewellery box on Instagram yesterday.

Each stone is a replica of one worn by a senior member of the royal family and includes engagement rings and other favourite jewels.

They are all from Buckley London, which produces replica royal rings.

Katherine, who runs German-based royal fan account Kats Royal Letters, shared a snap of her collection of 10 copycat rings twinkling in a jewellery box on Instagram yesterday (pictured)

Each stone is a replica of one worn by a senior member of the royal family and includes engagement rings and other favourite jewels. But the question is: can you name the royal woman who wears the original?

But the question is: can you name the royal woman who wears the original?

To give you a hint, FEMAIL can reveal that both Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex are represented, and that one person appears more than once.

Think you know your royal jewels? Take a look at the photographs of Katherine's collection and then check your answers below.

ANSWERS

1. The Queen's engagement ring

The Queen's engagement ring, pictured in 1998, features a round three-carat brilliant stone flanked by smaller pave-set diamonds. Prince Philip commissioned it from a London jewelry firm, Philip Antrobus, in 1947. The diamonds came from his grandmother Princess Alice's tiara

2. The Duchess of Cornwall's engagement ring (previously the Queen Mother's)

The Duchess of Cornwall's engagement ring features a large five-carat emerald cut diamond at its centre, with three diamond baguettes on each side. It once belonged to the Queen Mother

3. The Duchess of Cambridge's engagement ring (previously Princess Diana's)

Made by British jeweller Garrad & Co, the ring features a 12ct Ceylon sapphire surrounded by a halo of 14 white diamond (left on Kate's hand). Reportedly priced at 28,000 at the time it was bought, it was hand-picked by Princess Diana and passed on to Prince William, who gave it to Kate. Right, the ring on Princess Diana's finger on a 1985 visit to Italy

4. & 5. The Duchess of Sussex's engagement ring before and after changes

Original: Prince Harry, 34, proposed to Meghan, 37, in November 2017 with a glittering ring comprising of a solid yellow gold band set with three diamonds, pictured

Now: On outings shortly after her wedding the Duchess debuted a different band. At Trooping the Colour in 2019 Meghan's diamonds were set on a thinner, micro-pave band, as seen above

6. Sarah Ferguson's engagement ring

The Duchess of York's 1986 engagement ring, which was made by Diana's jewellers Garrard, was valued at around 25,000 for the stone alone, according to Hello!, which is the equivalent of 71,350 in today's money. It featured a dazzling pink Burma ruby and 10 drop diamonds

7. Zara Tindall's engagement ring

Zara Phillips announced her engagement to rugby star Mike Tindall in 2010, sporting a double banded platinum engagement ring with a solitaire diamond at the centre

8. Princess Eugenie's engagement ring

The ring features an oval cut, salmon-coloured sapphire, surrounded by diamonds and set on a gold band. Experts think the ring cost a relatively modest 7,000

9. Princess Beatrice's engagement ring

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi presented Princess Beatrice with a 3.5 carat diamond ring by Shaun Leane, estimated to have cost 100,000. The round-cut diamond is flanked by four baguette-cut diamonds on a platinum band

10. Duchess of Sussex's aquamarine ring (previously Princess Diana's)
You're a Marine operating with your squad at a forward location with little cover. A lookout spots a small, lightweight drone -- not a friendly -- flying far overhead. What do you do?

A new manual independently compiled by 11 seasoned Marines and veterans aims to answer that question and provide much more guidance to ground troops seeking to avoid detection against a growing enemy threat. Published at the end of June, the 96-page guide proposes a standard operating procedure, or SOP, for Marines training for and operating in an environment where enemy drones, more formally known as unmanned aerial systems, are part of the terrain.

Read next: Sailor Gets OK to Grow 4-Inch Beard, Pushes Navy to Grant Career-Length Waiver

Published on the unofficial infantry skills training website 2ndbn5thmar.com, the guide proposes code words Marines can use to signal that a UAS has been spotted; to tell the unit to camouflage itself; and to order an attack on the drone. It also offers detailed guidance on effective camouflage, building on existing practices such as covering a helmet with foliage and a vehicle with netting and adding in newer precautions such as heat signature masking.

The Marine Corps has yet to publish official training and readiness manuals for the force that address enemy UAS camouflage protocol with this level of specificity. But that's common, said Capt. Walker Mills, a coauthor on the new SOP manual.

Mills, who is now an exchange officer at the Colombian Naval Academy in Cartagena, told Military.com that developing new military procedures and protocols often begins as a decentralized process. While serving as a platoon commander at 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, out of Camp Pendleton, California, Mills said he had written his own after-action review for his battalion following an exercise in which an RQ-11 Raven drone was used to simulate an enemy UAS.

What stood out to him, he said, was the vulnerability of troops on the ground when confronted with one of these little eyes in the sky.

"You can find Marines really easily, and if you used mortars, you could hit these guys," he said.

So when retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Brendan McBreen reached out to him about contributing to the enemy UAS camouflage document, Mills readily contributed his thoughts. Other authors include faculty at The Basic School and School of Infantry-West.

The Marine Corps, Mills noted, was rightly cautious in issuing operational guidance that every Marine would have to adhere to, particularly in a rapidly changing environment in which much was still being learned.

"They don't want to write it down and put it in the manual until it's generally accepted everywhere else," he said. "It's almost incumbent on the fleet Marines to figure out what are the [tactics, techniques and procedures]. ... Hey, what do we think we should be doing."

Officials with Marine Corps Training and Education Command acknowledged a query from Military.com about the effort but said they could not immediately provide a response.

Much of the camouflage guidance within the manual, such as painting rifles and employing vehicle dispersion, is established best practice. More complex proposals, such as masking the shapes of tents with netting and using thermal blankets to mask heat signature, represent not so much new information as the introduction of an aerial threat that has largely been absent in the last few decades of fighting.

"This isn't necessarily ground-breaking stuff," Mills said. "We've kind of collected it and said, 'Hey, Marines, maybe it's time to dust off some of those old manuals and bring those back.' The environment over the last 20 years has not really forced us to place a premium on camouflage. The current environment and the commandant's planning guidance [both indicate] ... 'Hey, we need to worry about this a little bit more.'"

Having protocols and instructions that address enemy drone threat situations also helps counteract the impulse to freeze at the moment of confrontation, Mills said. But the prevailing goal, he said, is to avoid detection altogether.

"To be found is to be targeted, and to be targeted is to be killed," he said.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Related: Finding New Ways to Fight Enemy Drones a 'Top Priority' for the Pentagon
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos plans to tell U.S. lawmakers that his company is an American success story that achieved its position through risk-taking and a relentless focus on customers.

Bezos, the worlds richest person, will strike a patriotic and upbeat tone, according to his prepared testimony for Wednesdays hearing by the House antitrust subcommittee on the market power of big technology firms. In his first appearance before Congress, Bezos will stray far from the subject matter of the committees work. He will again tell his personal story and that of his parents, including their decision to invest in what would become the worlds largest online retailer.

His opening statement covers everything from Amazons hiring surge in recent years for its warehouses, to the companys commitments to renewable energy, to the recent death of Representative John Lewis and the reckoning on race and policing in the U.S., according to a copy of the remarks released Tuesday by Amazon.

But Bezos also will address, if obliquely, the substance of the hearing: the debate over whether the operators of the biggest online services have amassed too much influence over customers, competitors and vast swaths of the digital marketplace. Bezos said his companys success rests on the trust it has earned with customers, and the success of the independent sellers on Amazons sites.

It is striking to remember how recent all of this is, Bezos said in his prepared remarks. We did not start out as the largest marketplace -- EBay was many times our size. It was only by focusing on supporting sellers and giving them the best tools we could invent that we were able to succeed and eventually surpass EBay.

Amazon has faced criticism related to its role as the operator of the largest online retail store and a seller of its own goods on the platform. Some small businesses that sell through Amazon say the Seattle-based companys trove of data gives it an advantage, and the company has faced accusations that it used individual seller data to copy hot products. Others say Amazon uses its position as the largest digital marketplace to charge sellers more in advertising and logistics fees.

Story continues

Bezos pushed back against criticisms of Amazons relationship with third-party merchants, noting they account for 60% of sales of physical products on the e-commerce site, a number thats growing faster than for the companys own goods.

Third-party sellers did very well and are growing fast, and that has been great for customers and for Amazon, Bezos said in to the statement.

The relationship is a focus of antitrust enforcers at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and in California who are probing the company.

Representative David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island and chairman of the subcommittee, and others have suggested that Amazons control of the platform gives the company a leg up in competing against third-party merchants, providing valuable insights for launching competing products and the ability to decide which offerings rise to the top of search results.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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WASHINGTON  Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday aggressively defended the federal response to violence and protests at the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, and his decision to intercede in criminal cases involving President Donald Trumps close associates.

The attorney generals highly anticipated appearance before the House Judiciary Committee lasted a contentious five hours as he parried attacks by Democrats over his response to nationwide protests against police violence, his handling of the Russia investigation and his skepticism about the security of voting by mail.

The bitter and partisan back-and-forth between the nations top law enforcement official and Democrats came as authorities have engaged in violent clashes with protesters outside the federal courthouse in Portland, unrest that escalated after federal officers were captured on video taking people into custody without apparent probable cause and driving them away in unmarked vans. Barr has dispatched dozens of federal officers to protect the building.

Every night for the past two months, a mob of hundreds of rioters has laid siege to the federal courthouse and other nearby federal property, Barr told the House Judiciary Committee.

The rioters arrive equipped for a fight, armed with powerful slingshots, Tasers, sledgehammers, saws, knives, rifles and explosive devices. Inside the courthouse are a relatively small number of federal law enforcement personnel charged with a defensive mission: to protect the courthouse.

Since when is it OK to try to burn down a federal court? he demanded, saying that federal agents were taking the necessary steps to protect federal property, particularly in Portland.

Local officials in Portland say that the presence of federal law enforcement agencies in the city has been inflaming the situation, exacerbating the violence.

Democrats took Barr to task for several actions, including ordering the clearing of protesters outside the White House on June 1, so as to allow Trump to be photographed holding a Bible outside a historic church across the street. Nationwide protests, including those outside the White House, were sparked by the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who died in May after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him at his neck while he was begging for air.

Barr said he ordered the operation at Lafayette Square to expand the perimeter around the White House, not to facilitate a photo op for the president.

Republicans defended Barrs handling of protests and praised him for trying to save federal property. They said he was taking necessary steps to combat rioters.

They urged him to continue his agencys internal investigation into the origins of the federal inquiry into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow. While then-special counsel Robert S. Mueller III found no evidence that the campaign colluded with the Russian government, his report documented how the presidents campaign team welcomed Russias offers of help and expected to benefit from it.

I want to thank you for having the courage to say that we are getting politics out of the Department of Justice, said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the ranking Republican member on the panel.

Democrats also attacked Barr for amplifying Trumps conspiracy theories and seeking to instigate confrontations with protesters to help Trumps campaign. And they chastised the attorney general repeatedly for not doing enough to address racism in policing and use-of-force policies.

Barr testified he did not believe police departments were generally tainted by deep-seated racism but understood why Black people felt they were often treated as suspects first and citizens second.

His insistence that police misconduct reflected isolated incidents rather than a systemwide problem drew rebukes from Democrats.

The department is not doing enough to address issues of racism, bias and brutality in law enforcement, said Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif. As head of the Congressional Black Caucus, Bass has led Democratic efforts to adopt legislation that would ban certain police practices, including chokeholds, nationwide and allow more lawsuits against police officers accused of misconduct.

Barr was put on the defensive for his handling of two cases involving associates of Trump. Rep. Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the committee, cited Barrs efforts to reduce the potential sentence of Roger Stone, a close associate of the president and self-admitted dirty trickster, and to seek to throw out the guilty plea of Michael Flynn, the presidents first national security adviser, to lying to the FBI.

Your tenure is marked by a persistent war against the departments professional core in an apparent effort to secure favors for the president, said Nadler, D-N.Y.

In February, Barr ordered federal prosecutors to reduce their sentencing recommendation for Stone. Barr said their recommendation of seven to nine years in prison was excessive, and the career prosecutors resigned from the case in protest. A federal judge ultimately sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison, in line with the prison term Barr believed was justified.

The judge agreed with me, Barr repeatedly said as Democratic members of the committee pressed him on the Stone sentencing.

Trump ultimately commuted Stones sentence this month.

In response to questions from Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., about Stone, Barr said he had not intervened in the sentencing of any other defendants since he took over as attorney general in February 2019. He said he did not see any reason to investigate the presidents commutation of Stones sentence even though Stone has implied in news interviews that he had information that could harm Trump.

The attorney general also supported the effort to throw out Flynns guilty plea to lying to federal agents about his conversations with a Russian diplomat during the presidential transition.

Barr said federal agents and prosecutors unfairly targeted Flynn. The presidents friends dont deserve special breaks and dont deserve to be treated more harshly, he said.

Flynns lawyers and prosecutors won a key appeals court ruling last month that ordered a federal judge to throw out the plea. The judge has asked the full appeals court to reconsider the order.

The attorney general further defended the Justice Departments handling of politically charged cases by noting it has not charged any of Trumps political foes with crimes.

What enemies have I indicted? Barr asked. Can you point to one indictment you feel was unmerited?

In a potential foreshadowing of fights over the results of the November presidential election, Democrats pressed Barr over whether he agreed with Trump that the election system was rigged.

I have no reason to think it will be, he said.

They also criticized Barr for raising concerns about the security of mail-in voting, though he has voted by mail at least twice in the last decade.

While acknowledging he had no evidence to back up a claim that foreign adversaries could wreak havoc by submitting thousands of counterfeit ballots, Barr said he believed it could still happen. I have common sense, he said.

The problem we are facing is that the president has repeatedly sought to cast doubt on the security of mail-in ballots, countered Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa. Saying the 2020 election could be rigged with millions of mail-in ballots being printed by foreign countries. You have repeated this disinformation.

Democrats have been pushing to give voters more access to mail-in ballots to alleviate the risks of voting amid a pandemic; Trump and other Republicans have resisted such efforts, saying widespread voting by mail could invite fraud. Trump tweeted in May that mail-in voting would result in the end of our great Republican Party.

That suggests the president is spreading disinformation about mail-in voting because he is afraid his party will lose, Scanlon said.



Del Quentin Wilber 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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 00:01:44|Editor: huaxia

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ANKARA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces detained at least three members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

The YPG fighters were "aiming to disrupt peace and security in Operation Olive Branch zone" and they were caught "before they could achieve their treacherous ambitions," the ministry said on Twitter.

Seeing the YPG as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria to create a YPG-free zone along its border within the neighboring country.

Meanwhile, the Turkish security forces have launched a new anti-terror operation in its eastern Tunceli city, Turkey's interior ministry announced Wednesday.

The Operation Lightning-4 was launched with 1,006 security personnel, including gendarmerie commandos, gendarmerie special operations, and police special forces as well as security guards, said the ministry in a written statement.

The Turkish security forces regularly conduct anti-terror operations in the eastern and southeastern parts of Turkey, and the operations were intensified after July 2018.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than 30 years, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people. Enditem
Serbias Finance Ministry has launched a terrorist financing and money laundering probe into journalists and nongovernmental organizations that critics say is a blatant attempt at intimidation by President Aleksandar Vucics government.



The ministry has requested bank information since the start of 2019 from 20 individuals and 37 nongovernmental organizations and institutions known for their work on human rights, transparency, and exposing corruption, according to documents published by TV Newsmax Adria Serbia on July 28.



The ministrys order cites the need to determine whether the listed organizations and individuals have anything to do with terrorist financing or money laundering.



Zeljko Radovanovic, who heads the ministrys anti-money-laundering unit, said the requests were standard procedure and not directed at government critics.



"We need to check if there are donors, or if there are any donors that carry a certain amount of risk," he said.

But those on the list and others point out that the move is mostly targeted at critics of Vucics government. The list includes individuals and organizations that have advocated for Serbias EU accession and associated reforms.

Amnesty Internationals Europe director, Nils Muiznieks, called the move a blatant act of intimidation and the latest in an ongoing campaign by Serbian authorities to silence critics.

This kind of arbitrary investigation that specifically targets those critical of the government undermines the right to freedom of expression and threatens freedom of the press, he added.

The list includes the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) and Serbias two main journalist associations, as well as rights group such as the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights and Civic Initiatives.

Its a clear effort to intimidate government critics" as Serbia slides further "towards authoritarianism, Florian Bieber, the director of the Center for Southeast European Studies at the University of Graz, wrote on Twitter.

A member of the European Parliament, Tanja Fajon, said the investigations appear to be an effort to apply pressure. 

"Most of the civil society organizations, media, and individuals investigated for money laundering by the Serbian Government have been among the primary advocates for pro-EU reforms and supporters of EU values in Serbia," said Falon, who chairs a parliament committee on EU relations with Serbia, which is trying to join the bloc.



The director of the Center for Investigative Journalism, Branko Cecen, who is also on the list, said that the request for bank information was an abuse of institutions for the sake of settling accounts with critics of the government. He advised the government to investigate itself if it wanted to tackle money laundering.



Under Vucics conservative ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), human rights organizations have documented a steady erosion of democracy in the Balkan country.



The U.S.-based Freedom House has said that since the SNS came to power in 2012, it "has steadily eroded political rights and civil liberties, putting pressure on independent media, the political opposition, and civil society organizations."

With reporting by AP, AFP, NOVA.rs, and TV Newsmax Adria Serbia
Tech billionaire Peter Thiel has given $850,000 to a super PAC that's backing Kris Kobach's US Senate run in Kansas, Recode reported Tuesday.

Thiel previously donated money to pro-Kobach groups during his failed 2018 bid for governor, and is closely aligned with his anti-immigration policies, according to Recode.

Thiel has been looking for congressional candidates to put his money behind since abandoning Trump's reelection campaign earlier this month, saying the president faces slim prospects in November.

Thiel is rare among Silicon Valley elites in his support of Trump and his anti-immigrant positions, despite having been born overseas himself.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

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Tech billionaire Peter Thiel has thrown his money behind US Senate candidate Kris Kobach.

Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Tech billionaire Peter Thiel has been spending big in a US Senate race in Kansas, pumping $850,000 into a super PAC called Free Forever that backs Kris Kobach for the seat, Recode reported Tuesday.

During a fundraiser at his New York City penthouse last fall, Thiel told attendees that he would put his money behind Kobach  a hard-line Republican who was once in the running to be President Donald Trump's immigration czar  in an effort to take on the GOP establishment candidate, according to Recode.

Kobach is running against Rep. Roger Marshall, the preferred establishment candidate, in a race that could turn the historically red state into a key 2020 battleground as Republicans increasingly worry about keeping control of the Senate.

But Thiel's motivations appear to be geared more toward gaining new potential allies in Washington, according to Recode.

While he has been one of Trump's few high-profile supporters in the tech industry, Thiel backed away from the president's reelection campaign earlier this month, saying he thought Trump had a slim chance at winning in November.

Since then, he has financially backed Sen. Tom Cotton and gotten closer with Sen. Josh Hawley (who shares Thiel's criticisms of Google's business in China as unpatriotic), Recode reported.

Story continues

Kobach and Thiel are similarly in favor of stricter immigration policies, and Thiel is a co-founder of Palantir, a data analytics firm that works closely with US immigration enforcement agencies.

The two have crossed political and financial paths before as well. Gawker reported in 2008 that Thiel had donated to anti-immigration group NumbersUSA, which has since become a vocal backer of Kobach. Thiel also served on Trump's transition committee that had considered Kobach for immigration czar. More recently, The Kansas City Star reported that Thiel had funneled at least $100,000 to a "dark money" group backing Kobach.

Thiel's tech industry resume includes co-founding PayPal, sitting on Facebook's board, and starting VC firm Founders Fund, but he has also attracted controversy along the way with his politics.

In a 2009 essay, Thiel argued that American democracy has declined since women got the right to vote, and in the early days of Trump's presidency, Thiel supported his widely decried travel ban on refugees from Muslim-majority countries.

"He has a really strong preference for people who stick their middle finger up to the status quo and conventional wisdom," a source close to Thiel told Recode, adding: "There is nobody who I think was more obviously sticking his middle finger up at conventional wisdom quite like Kris Kobach."

Read the original article on Business Insider
J.C. Penney says it is here to stay.

Its attorney told a Texas bankruptcy court at a hearing on Wednesday that the company is working toward a going concern sale to continue operating under the J.C. Penney banner, with its intellectual property intact.

More from WWD

Following reports this week about bids for the company, Joshua Sussberg of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, who represents J.C. Penney in the proceedings, sought to emphasize to the court that the retailer doesnt view any of the outside bids it has received so far as front-runners, and stressed that it has not entertained any discussions of liquidation.

I want to say, unequivocally, that weve had not one discussion, with our lenders or any other stakeholders, about a liquidation, Sussberg told the court. That is simply not in the cards.

There has been no declaration as to what bid is in first, second, third or fourth place, there has been no discussion about any alternatives, he added. And I can tell you that all of the parties-in-interest are working in complete good faith to get to a resolution, and achieve what we have wanted to achieve since Day One, which is a reorganization of this 100-plus-year-[old] company.

Penneys plan for its going concern sale fits in with the reorganization plan that the company has described since it entered Chapter 11 in May. The reorganization has envisioned separating assets into a property company and an operating arm, which Penneys has referred to as a Prop Co./Op Co. structure.

The division under this proposed reorganization is nuanced, but it plays into how a sale process would work.

The companys lenders in its first lien ad hoc group, led by H/2 Capital Partners, have basically helped direct how its assets would be divided among those entities, Sussberg told the court. The Prop Co. portion would itself be split into two entities that contain the retailers owned and ground lease properties, as well as distribution centers, while the operating company would get its remaining assets, which Sussberg said include some real estate, as well as inventory and intellectual property.

Story continues

Previously, the first lien lenders submitted a bid proposal for a transaction involving both the Prop Co. and Op Co., whereas the three additional bids Penneys received this month were for the stand-alone operating company, Sussberg said. The retailer has said the identities of bidders and bid amounts are confidential.

The upshot of this complicated calculus is that while the company is proceeding toward a going concern sale, the make-up of the buying parties is yet to be determined. As Sussberg explained it to the court, the outside bids that have come in so far could potentially be wrapped into the lenders op/co and prop co structure bid, to make a combined sale bid.

The parties are still negotiating, and expect to prepare an asset purchase agreement outlining the terms of a sale by early August. The company expects to close on a sale this fall, Sussberg said.

Whether the lenders are moving forward with an Op Co/Prop Co. credit bid on their own, or with a third party, or whether were moving forward with bidding procedures to move forward with one of the Op Co. participant bids, and maybe ultimately a third party, this is moving forward as a going concern sale, and its going to move forward incredibly fast, he said at the hearing.

The plan for a quick going concern sale appears to have the support of unsecured creditors, a category of stakeholders inclined to rally around efforts to keep bankrupt companies alive.

From our perspective, regardless of where you sit as an unsecured creditor in this case  youre a trade vendor, youre a landlord, youre a bondholder  all interests are aligned in this company emerging from bankruptcy in a healthy, adequately capitalized and consensual path, Seth Van Aalten, member at Cole Schotz PC, who represents the official committee of unsecured creditors, said at the hearing.

Thats not to say we wont have the customary issues with valuation and a piece of the pie for unsecured creditors, Van Aalten added. But I think those are secondary right now to making sure we have a going concern path, whether thats the lenders themselves, or, as Mr. Sussberg said, in combination with potential investors.

Shareholders have also been a vocal group in the proceedings, often calling into the court hearings that are still taking place over telephone conference calls during the ongoing pandemic quarantines. The ad hoc equity committee in the case, whose role is to represent the interests of shareholders, has pointed to Penneys financials to argue their case that the company has value that shareholders may yet realize in the process.

On Wednesday, Penneys advisers had told the court that the companys cash balance had surpassed its earlier projections, and has a balance that is $400 million more than projected in its initial budget. In regulatory filings this month, Penneys also listed roughly $1.3 billion in cash and roughly $2 billion in merchandise inventory among its assets.

We know theyve been performing above projections, that benefits everybody  unsecured creditors, shareholders, Niko Celentano, chair of the ad hoc equity committee, told WWD after the hearing. It gives reason for people to understand this should continue as a going concern business, because theyre going to be profitable going forward.

A representative for J.C. Penney declined to comment.
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], July 28 (ANI): Local police and the Gurugram Drug Control department on Tuesday, busted two big international drug rackets and seized drugs including narcotics and COVID-19 drugs worth lakhs.



According to Senior Drug Controller Officer Amandeep Chauhan, the police raided two areas, sector 56 and Sadar area, in Gurugram, and arrested four Iraq nationals, and one woman from Uzbekistan and seized drugs worth 45 lakh, along with Rs 75 lakh in cash and an SUV.

Chauhan further informed that the accused used to illegally supply drugs in international markets.

Among the drugs seized include a huge quantity of drugs related to COVID-19, Cancer and narcotics. (ANI)


Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested four people on suspicion of pro-independence activities under a draconian security law recently imposed on the city by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.



The arrestees aged from 16 to 21 were taken into custody in raids in the New Territories districts of Yuen Long, Shatin, and Tuen Mun on suspicion of "organizing and inciting secessionist activities," senior superintendent Li Kwai-wah of the newly-formed national security squad of the Hong Kong police told reporters.



They are suspected of posting announcements online calling on people to fight to establish a "Hong Kong nation," and of declaring that they would use all necessary means to achieve this end.



There were also calls to unite all pro-independence groups in Hong Kong, Li said.



As the posts were made after the new law was introduced on July 1, they fall under articles in the law banning "incitement" to secessionist activities.



Earlier on Wednesday, members of a pro-autonomy group called Studentlocalism, which disbanded ahead of the law's implementation, said its former leader Tony Chung had been arrested at his home in Yuen Long.



Footage of the arrest shared online showed a plainclothes national security officer identifying himself, before leading Chung to a vehicle with his hands behind his back.



The arrests came as Hong Kong's leaders discussed postponing September's Legislative Council (LegCo) elections, ostensibly because of a recent surge in coronavirus cases in the city.



Opposition and pro-democracy candidates swept the board in District Council elections last November, prompting fears among pro-China politicians that they could win a majority in LegCo on a wave of popular anger and months of street protests over the loss of Hong Kong's promised freedoms and autonomy under Chinese rule.



Opposition politicians in Hong Kong have accused the authorities of using the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse, citing Beijing's fear of a pro-democracy majority in the LegCo chamber.



Chief executive Carrie Lam alone holds the power to dissolve the current session of LegCo and trigger a general election, and she may also order emergency sessions of the existing council to convene to process urgent government business even after it has been dissolved.



Several media outlets, including pro-China organizations, have reported that such a postponement is imminent.



Based on a political agenda



Tanya Chan, convenor of the pro-democracy camp in the Legislative Council (LegCo), said any such move would be read as political by the majority of people in Hong Kong.



"Without a sufficient or profound medical basis, I'm sure most people will assume that the decision is purely based on a political agenda, instead of any practical and medical reasons," Chan said.



She said other countries had gone ahead with elections during the pandemic, and there was no reason why Hong Kong couldn't do the same.



David Hui, professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), said the government hadn't consulted him about the risks of going ahead with the polls given the current outbreak in the city.



Wilson Wong, associate professor of public policy at CUHK, said there had been no known infection cluster associated with democratic primaries on the weekend of July 14, when more than 600,000 people cast their votes for would-be candidates.



"The absence of any cluster from the democratic primaries shows that it is entirely possible to make election arrangements that pay attention to hygiene and social distancing," Wong said.



"So if the government postpones the [LegCo] election in the face of such a successful example, I think that is a pretty weak argument," he said.



Chan Kin-man, one of the founders of the 2014 Occupy Central movement, said it would be an "extreme" move if the government goes ahead as reported.



"We have ways to prevent coronavirus transmission ... such as social distancing," Chan said. "They have to find a way to respect the political rights of citizens."



"It just shows you how they are thinking now; how easy it is for them to disregard people's political rights," he said.



Broken promises



Under the terms of the 1997 handover agreement, Hong Kong was promised the maintenance of its traditional freedoms of speech and association, as well as universal suffrage.



But Beijing's ruling out of fully democratic elections in 2014, its insistence on the prosecution and disqualification of key opposition figures, and its subsequent imposition of the National Security Law following months of popular protests over diminishing freedoms have collapsed the distinction between the city and the rest of mainland China, rights groups and overseas governments say.



The vaguely worded new security law threatens anyone criticizing the Chinese or Hong Kong authorities anywhere in the world, prompting Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to end their extradition arrangements with Hong Kong.



The U.S., which revoked Hong Kong's special trading privileges after the law took effect, has indicated it will follow suit.



China's feared state security police have now set up a headquarters in the city to implement its ban on actions and speech deemed subversive, pro-independence, or "terrorist" in inclination, although the definitions have already been criticized as impossibly vague by overseas legal experts.



The government has warned that slogans linked to last year's protest movement, including "Free Hong Kong, Revolution Now!", will fall within the law's remit.



The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the law will be "devastating" to human rights protections in the city.



It has created specialized secret security agencies, denied fair trial rights, provided sweeping new powers to police, increased restraints on civil society and the media, and weakened judicial oversight, the group said in a report on its website on Wednesday.



"Long used to freedoms, Hong Kong people now face the prospect of lengthy prison terms for possessing banners or chanting slogans that the authorities dislike," HRW senior China researcher Maya Wang said.



"The Hong Kong authorities, with Chinas backing, are imposing mainland-style repression on a city long recognized for its freedoms," she said.



The law will also affect the right to education and freedom of information, opinion, and expression in schools, as political statements and discussions are banned from the city's classrooms, and as books by pro-democracy figures are removed from its public libraries.



Reported by Man Hoi-tsan for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Lu Xi for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Maharashtra government on Wednesday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that the guidelines imposing restrictions on cast or crew members above 65 years of age from attending film and TV serial shootings was a temporary measure, and, it may be reviewed, when the current lockdown restrictions, which was imposed since end-March to contain the spread of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, end on Friday (July 31).

Government lawyer Purnima Kantharia informed the two-member HC division bench, comprising Justice SJ Kathawalla and Riyaz Chagla, that the guidelines were issued in the interests of senior citizen artistes in a bid to protect them from Covid-19 and cannot be termed arbitrary.

She added that the restrictions were imposed because ageing persons are more vulnerable of contracting SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease.

Kantharia said the guidelines issued by the Maharashtra government for shooting of films and TV serials is expected to be reviewed on August 1 (Saturday) after the current lockdown restrictions are lifted.

She added that changes are expected to be made in the guidelines but as of now it cant be said as to what those changes would be.

She was responding to a petition filed by Pramod Pandey (70), who has been earning his livelihood by performing bit roles in films and TV serials for the past four decades.

He has challenged a clause contained in the guidelines issued by the state government on May 30 regarding shooting for films and TV serials.

Pandey contended that he might be aged, but he is physically fit.

He argued that the government rule deprived him of the only source of his livelihood, as it prohibited the entry of cast and crew members above 65 years of age to film studios and outdoor shooting sites.

He claimed that a perusal of available data made it clear that majority of the persons affected by Covid-19 are below the age of 65 years.

He stated that he would face grave hardship because of the prejudice, as he would not be able to survive with dignity and self-respect, if prevented from acting.

Amicus curiae, senior advocate Sharon Jagtiani, termed the restrictions imposed on aged artistes as discriminatory, as they have been singled out and similar restrictions were not imposed on senior citizens in other walks of life.

He argued that the guidelines were not based on valid grounds.

The Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) has filed a similar petition challenging the same clause.

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Berlin, 19 ene (EFE).- Alemania supero por primera vez en toda la pandemia los 100.000 nuevos contagios diarios y marco un nuevo maximo tambien de incidencia por sexto dia consecutivo, mientras el ministro de Sanidad, Karl Lauterbach, pronostico el pico de esta ola para mediados de febrero. Las autoridades sanitarias notificaron 112.323 nuevas infecciones en 24 horas y 239 muertos con o por covid-19, frente a 80.430 y 384 hace una semana, mientras la cifra de casos activos esta en unos 972.400. La incidencia acumulada subio hasta los 584,4 nuevos contagios por cada 100.000 habitantes en siete dias, frente a 553,2 ayer, 407,5 hace una semana y 315,4 hace un mes, segun datos del Instituto Robert Koch (RKI) de virologia actualizados en la madrugada. Desde el inicio de la pandemia, 8.186.850 personas han dado positivo por covid-19 y 116.081 han muerto, mientras 7.098.400 se han recuperado de la enfermedad. La tasa acumulada de ingresos en siete dias se situa en 3,17 por cada 100.000 habitantes, mientras la ocupacion en las ucis de pacientes con covid-19 es del 12,2 % de las camas disponibles para la poblacion adulta. Hasta el lunes, el 75,1 % de la poblacion (62,5 millones de personas) habia sido vacunada, el 72,8 % (60,6 millones) con la pauta completa, mientras el 47,6 % (39,9 millones) habia recibido ya una dosis de refuerzo. En tanto, el ministro de Sanidad pronostico en una entrevista con la cadena rtl que Alemania alcanzara el pico de esta quinta ola causada por la variante omicron "probablemente a mediados de febrero". Lauterbach volvio a insistir en la necesidad de introducir la vacuna obligatoria que, no obstante, dijo, llega tarde para la actual ola, pero podria ser de ayuda de cara al proximo otono. "La probabilidad de que en otono no tengamos una nueva variante" es muy escasa, advirtio el ministro, quien agrego que ya ahora se observan constantemente mutaciones del virus, aunque no logran imponerse. El peligro es que surja una "variante recombinada", con la peligrosidad de delta y la transmision de omicron, senalo. "Entonces realmente nos quedariamos con las manos vacias si para entonces seguimos teniendo este gran numero de personas no vacunadas, que tenemos que proteger para evitar una saturacion del sistema de salud", dijo. (c) Agencia EFE
Host Regis Philbin on stage at the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Las Vegas, Nev., on June 27, 2010. (Eric Jamison/AP photo)

Regis Philbins Cause of Death Is Revealed: Officials

Former TV host Regis Philbins cause of death was officially revealed after he died on July 24.

The Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? star died from myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease and hypertension, said a spokesperson for the Chief Medical Examiners Office in Farmington, Connecticut, according to the New York Post. He was 88 years old.

It came as his former Regis and Kathie Lee host Kathie Lee Gifford praised Philbin for being a loyal friend.

Everybody talks about the hard times that I went through that were public. And they were hard times. By any definition they were the most painful times of my life, for sure, Gifford, 66, told People magazine this week.

Kathie Lee Gifford and co-host Regis Philbin reminisce during her last appearance on the show in New York, N.Y., on July 28, 2000. (Richard Drew/AP Photo)

She added, But I always knew Regis had my back. He always protected me on the air. The Bible says, You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. I knew my own truth. I was never going to let what the world said about me define me. And he always supported me in all of that.

Gifford also said she saw Philbin several weeks before his death.

We sat right here on my screened porch and we laughed ourselves sickwe always just picked up right where we left off, she said.

Kelly Ripa, who also co-hosted a show with Philbin, also paid tribute to him.

As people get older, you always know that certain things are inevitable, and passing away is one of those things, but Regis is one of the people that we all believed, I think, would somehow figure out a way around the inevitable, she said, according to the Post.
US Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin speaks in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on April 2, 2020, in Washington, DC.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin confirmed Wednesday that social media app TikTok is being reviewed by department's Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.

In comments on the South Lawn of the White House alongside President Donald Trump, Mnuchin told reporters his department would be "making a recommendation to the president." CFIUS has authority to review foreign investments, and in this case appears to be looking at a prior acquisition by TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. The company acquired TikTok precursor Musical.ly in 2017 and CNBC previously reported that CFIUS was looking into potential national security risks involved in that deal.

"We are looking at TikTok," Trump said Wednesday. "We are thinking about making a decision."

Earlier this month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. was looking at banning TikTok as well as other Chinese social media apps, citing national security concerns.

Pompeo added that the Trump administration was evaluating TikTok akin to Chinese state-backed tech companies Huawei and ZTE, which he has previously described as "Trojan horses for Chinese intelligence."

U.S. officials have long complained that Chinese intellectual property theft has cost the economy billions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs and threatens national security. Beijing maintains it does not engage in intellectual property theft.

The comments Wednesday by Trump and Mnuchin came just ahead of a midday hearing where the CEOs of tech giants Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google are scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust. Trump said he would "be watching the hearings today very closely. Because there is no question that what the Big Tech companies are doing is very bad."

In his prepared testimony, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg referred to the threat of tech companies built without democratic American values, calling out China in particular. The line could be easily interpreted as a jab at TikTok, though it was not mentioned by name. TikTok is not offered in China and says it does not store U.S. users' data there. Still, lawmakers have expressed concerns that the Chinese Communist Party could compel the company to hand over data on U.S. users, a claim the company has denied.

Republicans and Democrats have recently pushed to remove TikTok from government-owned devices. An amendment to a defense bill that would ban TikTok from such devices passed in the House last week, and former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential campaign reportedly told staff to remove it from their personal and work devices due to security concerns, according to multiple outlets.

The Pentagon has taken concrete steps to discourage U.S. service members and their families from using Chinese-backed tech.

In December, the Defense Information Systems Agency advised that all Department of Defense personnel should not use the Chinese-owned social media platform, citing a "potential risk associated with using the TikTok app." A year earlier, the Pentagon halted sales of Huawei and ZTE mobile phones and modems on military bases around the world again citing national security concerns.

Ahead of Wednesday's hearing, TikTok made a publicity push seemingly meant to preempt arguments against it that will likely come up at the hearing. The company's new CEO, ex-Disney executive Kevin Mayer, accused Facebook in a blog post of wrapping itself in patriotic language to distract from issues of competition. Facebook's Instagram now has a competing app with TikTok called Reels, which according to The Wall Street Journal has offered TikTok influencers incentives to move over to the new service.

TikTok's top lobbyist sent Mayer's blog post to leaders of the antitrust subcommittee and Judiciary Committee along with a letter objecting to "misconceptions" about its service's connections to China.

A TikTok spokesperson declined to comment on a CFIUS review but provided a statement about its job growth in the U.S.

"Our U.S. team has tripled since the start of 2020, and under the leadership of our American CEO Kevin Mayer, we're proud to be creating more than 10,000 jobs across the country as we continue our work to develop a best-in-class security infrastructure, promote a safe and positive app experience, and bring joy to millions of American families," the spokesperson said.

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WATCH: The U.S. is looking at banning TikTokHere's what you should know
(Newser)  Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched missiles Tuesday targeting a mock aircraft carrier in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a drill that included such a barrage of fire the US military temporarily put two regional bases in the Mideast on alert amid tensions between the two countries, the AP reports. "While we are always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behavior by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways, this exercise has not disrupted coalition operations in the area nor had any impacts to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters," says a US Navy spokesperson, who said the Iranian exercise was "attempting to intimidate and coerce." The drilland the American response to itunderlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the US after a series of escalating incidents.

story continues below

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired Tuesday from the exercise called Great Prophet 14." Anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas. State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers, and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said the Guard, a force answerable only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, planned to fire long-range ballistic missiles as well during the drill that will continue Wednesday. Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the US military's Central Command in Qatar, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time. (Much more at the AP.)
However, the message of the drill seems to be targeted at the United States, which saw two American bases go on alert over the launches

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi. (Representational Image: PTI)

Tehran: Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a fake aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported Wednesday, the latest barrage in a drill that saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches.

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the US military's Central Command in Qatar, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time.

Al-Dhafra also is temporarily home to five French-built Rafale fighter jets on their way to India for that country's air force.

Drones separately targeted the bridge of the fake aircraft carrier, according to the state TV report.

The TV did not immediately air footage of the launches or the drone attack, nor did it identify the missiles used in the drill.

However, the message of the drill was clearly targeted at the United States.

A semiofficial news agency close to the Guard published a graphic overnight that photoshopped the image of an American carrier into the shape of a casket, with a caption quoting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledging to seek revenge for the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January.

The drill and the American response to it underlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the US after a series of escalating incidents last year led to the January drone strike. Tehran responded to that strike by firing ballistic missiles that wounded dozens of American forces in Iraq.

While the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed both Iran and the US for months, there has been a growing confrontation as America argues to extend a yearslong UN weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October.

A recent incident over Syria involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane also has renewed tensions.

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired Tuesday from the exercise called Great Prophet 14. Anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas.

State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier.

A commander said the Guard, a force answerable only to Khamenei, planned to fire "long-range ballistic missiles" as well during the drill that continued Wednesday.

"The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all clear was declared after the threat ... had passed," said US Army Maj. Beth Riordan, a Central Command spokeswoman.

Both bases are hundreds of kilometers (miles) away from where Iran put the replica aircraft carrier.

Other footage from the exercise aired by Iran's state television showed fast boats encircling the mock-up carrier, kicking up white waves in their wake.

While Iran's naval forces are dwarfed by the US Navy, its commanders practice so-called swarm tactics aimed at overwhelming the US carriers that pass through the strait on their way in and out of the Persian Gulf.

It wasn't immediately clear if all the footage was from Tuesday, as one overhead surveillance image that appeared to be shot by a drone bore Monday's date.

The exercise had been expected as satellite photos released Monday showed the fake carrier being moved into place by a tugboat.

A black-and-white satellite photo taken Tuesday by Colorado-based firm Maxar Technologies showed damage to the replica's bow and several of its fake jet fighters.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29) - The Baguio City Regional Trial Court has ordered the transfer of three Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadets involved in the fatal hazing of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio to Baguio City Jail while it has yet to decide on the motion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to retain their custody.

In a July 29 order obtained by CNN Philippines, the court gave the prosecution until 8 am on Thursday (July 30) to file its comment on AFPs motion to retain custody of PMA 3rd Class Cadets Shalimar Imperial, Felix Lumbag, and Julius Tadena.

Their counsels were also given until 9 am on Thursday to respond.

CNN Philippines was reaching out to AFP for comment as of this writing.

In June, the Baguio City Prosecutors Office recommended the filing of hazing and murder charges against Imperial, Lumbag, Tadena, along with PMA Station Hospital commanding officer Cesar Candelaria and attending physicians Captain Flor Apple Apostol and Major Ofelia Beloy.

However, resigned officials of the Baguio-based academy  former PMA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista and former PMA Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro -- were cleared for lack of probable cause.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  A resolution introduced by Cleveland City Council Wednesday calls on the Ohio General Assembly to repeal scandal-tainted House Bill 6, the $1.3-billion bailout for the Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear power plants.

The resolution is a response to a corruption investigation and the indictment of Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, his political aide and three lobbyists on federal racketeering charges last week. They are accused of taking part in a $60 million bribery scheme to pass the nuclear bailout law.

Akron-based First Energy had sought the bailout, ultimately approved in 2019, when its subsidiary, First Energy Solutions, owned the nuclear plants. FES went into bankruptcy in 2018. The plants are now owned by a company known as Energy Harbor.

First Energy has said it acted ethically in its lobbying efforts and that it will cooperate with federal investigators.

The resolution doesnt carry any force of law, and coming from an all-Democratic council, would have debatable influence on the Republican-dominated General Assembly. City Council President Kevin Kelley, the sponsor of the resolution, asked that it go through hearings before being brought to a vote.

The resolution charges that tactics used in the alleged racketeering conspiracy to promote the bailout legislation are similar to tactics used against Cleveland Public Power, the city-owned utility, including the use of phony citizen groups.

This body shall endeavor to investigate the scope and scale of First Energy, and/or their agents and allies, attempts to apply the tactics used in the racketeering conspiracy to enact HB6, here in the city of Cleveland, the resolution states.

In a prepared statement, Kelley noted that customers of Cleveland Public Power are not affected by the bailout. But many Cleveland residents are First Energy customers who would be charged for the bailout on their electric bills.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Columbus announced separate plans last week to introduce legislation seeking repeal of HB6. Gov. Mike DeWine, previously a supporter of the bill who signed it into law, also urged its repeal.

More from Cleveland City Hall

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New rules require people in Cleveland to wear masks, businesses to force social distancing to slow coronavirus spread
The Navy's top cyber official said he expects the department to move "aggressively" towards a zero trust security model to secure government systems while a critical mass of employees continues work from home and log in from personal devices due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shortly after the virus started spreading across the U.S., the Navy set up an internal collaboration tool called Commercial Virtual Response, according to Chief Information Security Officer Chris Cleary. While operational and classified work was still routed through secure facilities, the tool allowed hundreds of thousands of Navy employees to continue working while under stay-at-home orders by accessing agency information through the cloud on their government, mobile or even personal device.

The tool allowed many projects to continue functioning on the fly and the experience has taught the Navy the value of setting up a new, broader security architecture.

"I think you're going to see the Navy, based on COVID, aggressively pursue zero trust," said Cleary during a July 27 webcast hosted by FireEye. "It was something that was being kicked around as the latest buzzword a year ago, but now it's really moved to the top the stack, principally to enable this telework problem."

Zero trust  a model of cybersecurity built on the assumptions that there is no meaningful network perimeter and that access controls should be tightly regulated and monitored even for high-level employees  has been steadily gaining popularity within private and public sector organizations over the past decade.

Government auditors say federal agencies still remain tethered to an outdated concept; namely that the best way to protect data is by shifting defensive resources toward the network boundary.

"We find that for most federal agencies, most of their tools -- 80% -- are focused at the perimeter, which is basically the initial exploitation phase," said Gary Austin, assistant director at the Center for Enhanced Cybersecurity at the Government Accountability Office. "We have not seen a lot of in the security stack of most agencies in terms of knowing the post-exploitation activities, the visibility inside your network, network session data and metadata."

Much of GAO's job involves prodding agencies to focus less on those front-end activities and more on the entire cyber kill chain. One that needs to improvement: monitoring what's happening within the network boundary, particularly around insider threats. Former Air Force Maj. Gen. Earl Matthews, now a vice president of strategy at Mandiant, estimated that 80% a typical organization's network traffic is between employees.

Austin said in all the reviews he's done for the federal government since 2015, he has yet to encounter a blue team dedicated to identifying and fixing security flaws.

"The security groups generally don't have a voice [at leadership meetings], that's what we've seen in terms of convincing the C-level executive how important these issues are," said Austin.

He attributed the problem to a lack of security governance within the c-suite at many agencies, along with an unhealthy emphasis on buying tools without a solid understanding of how they fit into broader strategies. For example, some agencies have turned to machine learning sensors in order to monitor their network activity. However, they often fail to set up the corresponding data feeds that largely power and guide the accuracy of such algorithms.

Cleary lamented that acquisition offices are often skipped over when it comes to sharing threat intelligence, even though they are responsible for evaluating and buying IT and security tools. Operating this way for decades has put the Navy in a position where it must now "scrap things that we realized were engineered without cybersecurity in it [or] figure out how to put cybersecurity in things that already exist."

Such cultural concerns can go in the other direction as well. While the Navy has plenty of dedicated cybersecurity personnel, digital weaknesses can still be more difficult to spot for the rank and file than some of the more straightforward, tangible problems they're used to dealing with.

"Some of these vulnerabilities or risks that are associated with our information systems aren't as readily apparent as something as visible as water coming in through a hole on the side of a ship," Cleary said. "So it's not necessarily reacted to until it becomes a problem."

Institutional memory is also short. Teaching employees basic cyber hygiene concepts like how to spot spotting phishing emails is important, as most breaches often start with some form of credential theft. Retaining those lessons has proven to be substantially harder.

"If we go in and do a review of an agency, we come back three or four years later [and] we're back to square one. We're still seeing those same cyber hygiene issues," said Austin.

This article first appeared on FCW, a Defense Systems partner site.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Lawyers for the Duchess of Sussex asked a judge at a London court on Wednesday to keep the names of five of her friends out of the public domain as she wages a privacy-infringement battle against a British newspaper.

Meghan's attorney said the female friends, who defended her in anonymous magazine interviews last year, are innocent parties who fear intrusion if their names come out. The target of her lawsuit, Associated Newspapers Ltd., argues that the principle of open justice  the publics right to know  means the friends should be identified.

The former Meghan Markle is suing the publisher of the Mail on Sunday newspaper and the MailOnline website at Britains High Court over five articles that published portions of a handwritten letter she wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, after her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.

Meghan, 38, is seeking damages from the publisher for alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and data protection breaches. Her lawyers say publishing the letter was a flagrant and unjustified intrusion into her private and family life. Associated Newspapers says it will strongly contest the claim.

At a half-day pretrial hearing, Meghans lawyers asked judge Mark Warby to prohibit publishing the personal details of the friends who spoke to People magazine in early 2019 to condemn alleged bullying of the duchess by the U.K. press.

The women's names are included in a confidential court document, but they have been identified in public only as A to E.

Meghan's attorney, Justin Rushbrooke, argued that the court had a duty to protect the identity of confidential journalistic sources.

He said that with the full high-profile libel trial yet to begin, the court should be cautious and protect "the innocent party who fears intrusion.

But the Mail's lawyer, Antony White, said granting anonymity would undermine the vitally important open justice principle.

The friends are important potential witnesses on a key issue," White said in a written argument. He said removing their names "would be a heavy curtailment of the medias and the defendants entitlement to report this case and the publics right to know about it.

Associated Newspapers says it was Meghans friends who brought the letter to Thomas Markle into the public domain by describing it in the People article. It argues that details of the letter in that article must have come directly or indirectly from the duchess.

But Rushbrooke said Meghan did not know at the time that her friends were speaking to the magazine. He said the anonymous interviews were arranged by one of the five friends, who was concerned about the toll media criticism was taking on the duchess, pregnant at the time with her first child.

In a witness statement submitted in the case, the duchess said each of these women is a private citizen, young mother, and each has a basic right to privacy.

These five women are not on trial, and nor am I, she wrote. The publisher of the Mail on Sunday is the one on trial. It is this publisher that acted unlawfully and is attempting to evade accountability; to create a circus and distract from the point of this case -- that the Mail on Sunday unlawfully published my private letter.
The first batch of 5 fighter aircraft took off from Al Dhafra air base in UAE at around 11 am IST on Wednesday (July 29) and will land at Ambala Air Force Station at 2 pm to join 'Golden Arrows' Squadron of Indian Air Force (IAF). Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will be present at Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana to receive Rafale fighter jets.

From the geographical and strategic point of view, Ambala is situated almost equidistant from the LoC and the LAC on its northwest and northeast respectively. The Ambala IAF base already houses two squadrons (No. 14 and No. 5) of Jaguar aircraft.

The base offers good reach towards the western and northern borders and, at the same time, is far enough inside to escape surveillance by adversaries. According to IAF officers, Ambala was chosen for housing Rafales in the western sector due to several factors such as depth from the border, base infrastructure and technical facilities, airspace availability for local flying and training as well as allocation of IAF assets at other airbases in the region.

Air Vice-Marshal Sunil Nanodkar (Retd), who served a years-long stint at the Ambala air base as commanding officer of a Jaguar squadron, said it has seen many first inductions. Whether its the French Mystere aircraft, the first two squadrons of the Jaguar aircraft, or even the first MiG-21 Bison squadron, and now the Rafales, they were first inducted at Ambala, he added.

A total of 234 operational sorties were flown from Ambala as part of Operation Safed Sagar during the Kargil conflict, which included several missions at night.

More recently, the Mirage 2000s are reported to have operated from Ambala during the strike across the Line of Control on terrorist camps at Balakote in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

The air base was established in 1919 and home to the Bristol Fighters of the 99 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. It saw several changes in its role before coming to its present designation of No. 7 Wing on August 1, 1954.

In the early days aircraft such as De Havilland 9A and Bristol F2B flew out of Ambala. As air operations in India began increasing, more officers were transferred to Ambala and it was made a permanent air force base on June 18, 1938.

Immediately after Independence, Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, then a Group Captain, took command of Ambala airbase. He led the first flypast over the Red Fort to mark Independence Day.

In the early years after Independence, the Indian government could access the eastern frontiers only through air and it was during this time that Ambala airbase played an important role in controlling the tribal disturbances in the North East. It was then also made the centre for aerial photographic survey, a new advancement in this field which proved to be of great value later.
Mahen Seeruttun a pris la parole le 24 juillet 2020 au Henessy Park Hotel lors de la ceremonie de remise de certificats du ivil Service College Mauritius, concernant un cours de formation AML/CFT .

Thank you for inviting me to this important event.

I am grateful for the opportunity of addressing such an important gathering of public sector officials on a theme which is very much in line with Governments continued determination to adhere to international standards in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing.

Indeed, the unfavourable listing by the Financial Action Task Force with regard to AML/CFT has been a severe blow for our country and untimely as well in the aftermath of Covid-19.

Although we have been red carded, we are taking this setback as an opportunity to correct deficiencies and reinforce the effectiveness of our regime.

This said, we should not lose sight of the fact that all international financial centres face the risks of being abused as conduits for money laundering and terrorist financing activities.

And of course, we are no exception! As our International Financial Centre develops in scale and sophistication we become increasingly visible under the radar of criminals who are constantly on the lookout for jurisdictions where they can launder and park their illicit funds.

And, it becomes the responsibility of all of us from policy maker to regulator and operator to step up our vigilance and strengthen our measures against those who seek to use our financial hub for illicit purposes.

I must say that this is the third capacity building programme on AML/CFT which I am attending this month.

Despite conflicting commitments, I am making it a must to attend these events because I wish to reassure both the private and public sectors of my full support in these upskilling efforts.

I particularly wished to be present today to support my colleague Minister Hurdoyal in the launch of this initiative by the Civil Service College.

You will probably recall that in the very first year that this Government took office in 2015, the then Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, during an official visit to India stated in a reply to the press that : We will put in all the necessary efforts and walk the extra mile to ensure that our reputation as clean, proven and trusted jurisdiction is upheld at all costs.

And, indeed, ladies and gentlemen, many of you present here have been working on these endeavours and, you are witness that we have been doing just that.

Much of these necessary efforts which Sir Aneerood Jugnauth alluded to include capacity building and we are continuing to go the extra mile to put people at the forefront of our efforts.

We are very much conscious that:

 we can have the best laws to criminalise money laundering and terrorism financing;

 we can have the best regulatory regime and the most effective FIU;

 we can have all the preventive measures in place to harden our jurisdiction against threats;

 we can have every possible tool to identify, trace, freeze, and confiscate assets;

 we can do our best to promote international cooperation and facilitate cross-border information sharing;

Yet, ladies and gentlemen, if we lack the human capacity to implement these measures, then our efforts will be in vain.

Heavy investments in systems and controls can never replace the capabilities of well-trained teams.

Our people are our frontliners in the war against financial crime.

We need people to discern suspicious behaviours, we need people to prioritise and escalate riskier customers, we need people to spot new typologies, we need peoples vigilance to make the system effective.

Particularly, the risk-based approach requires objective and subjective analysis from experts.

In this respect, within my Ministry and also at the Financial Services Commission, we have been recruiting specialists and strengthening the AML/CFT team.

The Financial Services Institute, which acts as a training arm at the Ministry, has, on its part, regularly rolled out specialist training for the industry and supervisors on Financial Crime Compliance.

The training has now been extended to Designated Non Financial Businesses and Professions spreading the net across professions and areas of activity well beyond the Financial Services sector.

A new partnership forged between the FSI and Open University is currently working on establishing certification standards for Financial Crime Compliance training.

And, through continuous capacity building, we should strive to inculcate a deeply entrenched AML/CFT Compliance Culture.

Ladies and gentlemen, we should reinforce the AML/CFT Compliance Culture for one and all as the risk of money laundering is a national one.

We are all faced with the ongoing challenges of AML compliance.

We should dispel the notion that AML/CFT is only for banks and players in the financial services sector.

Financial crime can erode the integrity of the financial system and it is highly corrosive for the society as a whole.

For a small open economy like ours with increasing reliance on the contribution of the Financial Services Sector to GDP, we just cannot afford to have our reputation as a jurisdiction and the reputation of our financial institutions to be tarnished by any association with financial crime.

Rising public concern and the attention given by the international press to high-profile cases has shown how detrimental such associations can be.

We should always remain one step ahead of the launderers and offenders.

The nature of risks changes with time and launderers make use of ever-changing technological advances to play hide-and-seek with regulators and law enforcement agencies.

There will always be new threats to mitigate.

Ways and means to launder dirty money and finance terrorism, by their very nature, they exploit opportunities, with criminals and terrorists constantly working to find new tactics to circumvent controls and avoid detection.

Government is committed to responding to these evolving threats and taking every step necessary to keep our country and compatriots safe.

In this respect, your contribution is and will remain valuable as we continue to strengthen and modernise our AML/CFT regime.

The ability to maintain our reputation as a clean and trusted International Financial Centre is a collective responsibility.

We should continue to work towards a financial system that is as safe and as trustworthy as can be. You are a privileged partner in this process and I hope you will go back today motivated with new ideas and insights to join us in this endless fight.

I would like to take a moment to tip my hat to the Civil Service College for the good work they are doing.

I understand that over 30 participants across Ministries and Parastatals have joined this initiative.

I hope you will be conducting many more programmes on a more sustained basis.

It is imperative that we keep invigorating relevant institutions with adequate skills and resources to reinforce their credibility and effectiveness.

I also thank the Trainer, Mr Dev Bikoo, for having shared his wide experience and knowledge in the field.

Allow me to leave with these few words. Let us continue to work hard to be seen by the world and our international partners as a diligent global citizen intent on undercutting the perpetrators of financial crime.

We are going through the tough challenge to demonstrate to FATF and the EU that we are well on course to pass the effectiveness and enforcement tests. Times ahead will be challenging for all of us.

I wish you all well as you go back to your respective departments to stand as our countrys sword and shield waging war against the perpetrators of financial crime.

I thank you for your attention and for the opportunity to speak to you today.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Although Case Western Reserve University wont advertise itself as anyones backup plan, when it comes to bringing in a presidential debate, the designation paid off.

On Monday, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that the university, in cooperation with the Cleveland Clinic, would host the first forum between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden on Sept. 29 at the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion, part of the Health Education Campus.

Frank Fahrenkopf, co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, said the plan only came about within the past week after it became clear the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, would drop out because of logistical challenges with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The Cleveland Clinic, which has a relationship with CWRU, played a large part, Fahrenkopf said.

They talked to the university and it led to the decision that they would like to do that, Fahrenkopf said in an interview. Our technical people went out and looked at the facility, said theyre fabulous and on board and said, Lets go to Cleveland.

Debate site selections are normally a meticulous process carried out months in advance. Prospective sites  normally universities  and their corresponding cities send bids to the commission, which vets and selects sites for three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate per election cycle.

That was no different for the 2020 election, with Notre Dame, the University of Michigan and Belmont University in Tennessee selected for the presidential debates. The University of Utah was chosen as the vice presidential site.

Fahrenkopf, a former Republican National Committee chairman who co-founded the debate commission in 1986, said in every cycle, the commission selects backup sites and its not abnormal to have to switch venues. In 2016, Wright State University in Dayton was originally slated to host the first presidential debate, but it was switched to Hofstra University in New York after Wright State pulled out.

Most of the bids came back in September or October of last year, Fahrenkopf said. Nobody had heard of coronavirus then.

The serendipitous turn for Clevelands prospects as a debate host really started in late June when the commission announced that the Cleveland Clinic would be the health security adviser for all the presidential debates. The Clinic would handle health protocols, such as how pared down the crowd size would be, Fahrenkopf said.

It was in those discussions with the Cleveland Clinic that it became clear we were not going to be going to Notre Dame, Fahrenkopf said.

James Merlino, Cleveland Clinic chief technical officer, said the team helping the debate commission approached Cleveland Clinic CEO Tom Mihaljevic and CWRU President Barbara Snyder about serving as a fill-in.

They saw it as a great opportunity to highlight the joint project of the Health Education Campus and a huge opportunity to bring something important to Northeast Ohio and Ohio generally, Merlino said. Obviously they did consultations and decided to say yes, they would co-host.

Fahrenkopf said he had no idea about the connection between CWRU and the Clinic, but the pairing worked well, especially given the extra health precautions that will be in place.

The great relationship between the university and Cleveland Clinic just made a tremendous amount of sense to us, and were really excited about it, Fahrenkopf said.

Public officials were given short notice. City officials werent involved in the process at all.

Dan Tierney, a spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine, said the governor spoke with the Clinic prior to the announcement, but didnt provide details on when.

What, exactly, the debate will look like is still in the planning stages. Aside from the massive amount of security that goes into staging a debate  especially one between a sitting president and the previous vice president  the state is still in the grips of the coronavirus pandemic and cases in Ohio remain elevated. Debates are often crowded affairs, attracting thousands of attendees, journalists, protesters and activists all to one site  creating the potential for the coronavirus to spread.

The governor is delighted that there will be a presidential debate here in Ohio, Tierney said. Whether that debate has attendees or not is another question. Certainly, we would expect any event to comply with any applicable orders of the Ohio Department of Health or the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Fahrenkopf said the commission would comply with not only what the Cleveland Clinic deems necessary, but whatever rules are in place in the state, county and city. He didnt have specifics on how that would work, given theyre still in the planning stages.

Right now, facial coverings are mandated in public places across Ohio and mass gatherings are limited to fewer than 10 people. The governors office also put out a travel advisory asking that anyone coming into Ohio from a state designated as a hotspot quarantine for 14 days after they arrive.

Tierney said the candidates wouldnt be required to wear a mask on stage as there is a carveout in the mask mandate for broadcast, which the debate would fall under. However, they may be required to wear them when entering and exiting the stage if the mandate is still in place.

The mass gathering rule would likely not apply to the debate itself since it is both a workplace and covered under the First Amendment exception to the rule. Travel quarantines would still be recommended if they are necessary, Tierney said.

Fahrenkopf said social distancing would also be practiced. Debates normally pull in a crowd between 900 and 1,200 people. That total will be much less this time around, if any crowd is allowed at all.

But even without the crowd, Fahrenkopf said he expects the debate in Cleveland to be one of the most viewed ever.

In 2016, if you looked at the Nielsen reports, they said 80-90 million, but that doesnt count C-SPAN, that doesnt count people on their computers or iPads and are streaming it. Each of those debates in 2016 had over 100 million people watching it, Fahrenkopf said. The way things are right now, I suggest this first debate we could have 120-125 million people watching it.

Reporter Emily Bamforth contributed reporting.

Read more cleveland.com politics coverage:

Larry Householder might be re-elected this November unless he withdraws

Republican lawmakers say they will remove Larry Householder as Ohio House speaker following corruption arrest

New Ohio poll shows Donald Trump with slight lead over Joe Biden

Cleveland continues legacy of hosting presidential debate contests with 2020 announcement
This article, Hydroxychloroquine is trending again. It's still no cure for COVID-19, originally appeared on CNET.com.

Hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug used to treat autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis for decades, is not a cure for COVID-19. A swath of studies, some less than a week old and published in prestigious scientific journal Nature, have demonstrated the drug does not have substantial antiviral activity. And as more data rolls in from human clinical trials, hydroxychloroquine keeps coming up short. Very short. It doesn't protect against COVID-19 and it doesn't cure it, either.

So why is it back in the news again?

It appears it's trending largely because of a series of viral videos published by right-wing publication Breitbart are being widely shared across social media, particularly on Facebook and Twitter.

On Monday, a contingent of physicians, clad in white coats and calling themselves "America's Frontline Doctors" held a summit on the steps of the US Supreme Court in Washington. The summit was organized by the right-wing "Tea Party Patriots Foundation" and is intended to run for two days.

Videos of the "Frontline Doctors" advocating for the use of hydroxychloroquine as a "cure" outside the Supreme Court began to pop up online Monday afternoon. We've decided not to link to them but analysis by an NBC internet reporter indicates they gathered over 20 million views on Facebook.

One in particular, of Houston physician and preacher Stella Immanuel, has gathered the lion's share of attention, producing an impassioned argument about her use of hydroxychloroquine in 350 patients who visited her clinic. It has been viewed millions of times on Facebook and even tweeted by Donald Trump Jr. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, also retweeted the video.

As a result, Immanuel's personal follower count on Twitter has jumped by about 30,000 in the space of a few hours. Twitter has begun removing videos associated with the summit, including Immanuel's, and Facebook has also consistently removed the video from its platform. It was one of the top performing posts on the platform at the time of its removal, according to Facebook's insight tool CrowdTangle.

The spotlight has been placed on Immanuel's speech, but it predominantly uses unscientific language to argue that hydroxychloroquine can cure COVID-19, according to Andrew McLachlan, head of the Sydney Pharmacy School at the University of Sydney.

"Passion and anecdote do not provide convincing evidence of safety and efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in treating and preventing COVID-19," he says.

"Good evidence to guide practice comes from carefully controlled studies, scrutiny of the results and peer review to ensure findings and claims are robust and correct."

McLachlan also notes hydroxychloroquine is the most widely investigated drug for COVID-19, based on the number of active trials. He points to the Recovery trial, led by Oxford University, as one of the most rigorous. It did not find a significant difference in mortality and did not show a benefit for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Yet it continues to be pushed as a viable treatment option by various sections of the media, including the likes of Breitbart.

Scientists say arguments have been obscured by rampant politicization.

"It is extraordinary to see [the] hydroxychloroquine agenda being pushed despite the overwhelming evidence against it," says Gaetan Burgio, a geneticist at the Australian National University in Canberra. "It reminds me a lot [of the] anti-vaxxers movement."

In June, the Food and Drug Administration revoked the emergency use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 patients, based on mounting evidence it provides no clinical benefit and in some cases may cause heart problems. There was also a high-profile study, published in The Lancet in May, suggesting hydroxychloroquine caused increased mortality. It even convinced the WHO to pause its hydroxychloroquine trials. However, the study was mired in controversy after it was discovered much of the data used in the study was fabricated. It was later retracted.

Retraction aside, the arguments against using hydroxychloroquine extend back to the beginning of the pandemic. The idea it may be a useful drug for preventing or treating COVID-19 has been increasingly scrutinized in more powerful, more significant clinical trials.

In short, there's overwhelming evidence that hydroxychloroquine doesn't work. Going viral on the internet doesn't change that.
At the foot of the Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region sit two ancient fortress towns, projecting the power of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) hundreds of years ago.

The fortress towns are located in Barkol Kazak Autonomous County, which, with a population of 105,000, borders Mongolia to the north.

Early in the 1990s, Barkol established a cultural heritage protection institution and the renovation of the two fortress towns has since become a major project.

Since 2014, the Barkol government has invested 30 million yuan (about 4.28 million U.S. dollars) on renovating the towns, according to the county's cultural heritage administration.

The Qing Emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong underwent a long battle that lasted for almost 70 years with the separatist forces from the Junggar aristocrats in Xinjiang. Barkol was then a frontline command center and a supply base for the Qing military, thus the erection of the two fortress towns, according to Jiang Xiaoliang, director of the local culture and tourism bureau.

The historical document shows that in 1729, Yue Zhongqi, a senior general, led over 25,600 Qing soldiers to Barkol to suppress the rebels there. Two years later, they built the first fortress town, with four gates and 3,600 battlements on the walls. Outside the walls were a moat of four meters wide and four drawbridges, as well as fort barbettes and protruding ramparts.

In 1772, the Qing government constructed the second town fortress, some 500 meters to the east of the first one. The 7-meter high town walls form a rectangle of 1,306 meters long and 501 meters wide.

Most of the ancient walls of the towns are still in good condition but the relics of folk houses, government mansions, guild halls cannot be discovered anymore, Jiang said.

Over the past five years, the local cultural heritage authorities have been renovating the relics, reconstructing the gate towers and repainting the walls, in a bid to restore their original looks.

Nowadays, the fortress towns have become a landmark for local cultural tourism. In October 2019, they were listed as a national key cultural relics site.

"The towns are a symbol of the Chinese people's determination to safeguard national unity," Jiang said.
There might not be many races happening right now but South African Kyle Buckingham recently got a shiny new Dimond Mogul race machine and we took a closer look. Apparently only 25 Mogul frames will be made available in 2020. When asked about the chromed look of this bike Buckingham said he was inspired by a bike German Andi Bocherer rode a few years back in Kona.

"The bike is super stiff, and fast!" said Buckingham to slowtwitch.com. There are no bottle cages mounted as we speak, but he has a bottle behind the seat and an aero torpedo on the front of the bars when racing. When training he uses a bottle cage on the down tube and bottle behind the seat.

Can you see yourself? Buckingham is riding a SRAM AXS 1x12 system with Speedplay Aero titanium pedals and a 10-33 cassette in the back. Crank length is 170mm and the power meter is built in.

The cockpit of this Dimond Mogul features a Red Crown Monarch Aerobar with 51 Speedshop pads and D2Z extensions.

Here is the view of the cockpit from above, and the Garmin computer is currently not mounted. Also missing here is his BTA Torpedo hydration system.

The upper section of the frame is painted pearl white and the saddle Buckingham is trusting is a Cobb Fifty Five JOF saddle.

The Dimond integrated LUNCH box on the top tube is currently not filled, but on race day he stashes gels in 2 small flasks where he can add up to 12 gels.

A closer look at the front of the frame also shows the placement of the TriRig front brake. The front wheel is a tubeless 64mm Mavic Comete with CeramicSpeed bearings and a Mavic UST PRO 25mm tire.

There is more storage just above the BB, and on this bike the BB is a CeramicSpeed one.

The rear wheel is a Mavic Comete disc with a 25mm UST PRO tire and the derailleur is a SRAM AXS that is busy with the 10-33 SRAM cassette.

The happy pilot of the Dimond Mogul would likely even be happier if he could be racing this fast looking shiny machine.

All images courtesy of Kyle Buckingham.
From the last few days, Kangana Ranaut's team has been leaving no stone unturned to hit back at the naysayers of the Queen actress. In their recent tweets, Kangana's team has called out actress Deepika Padukone and said people making business out of depression should be remanded.

Team Kangana Ranaut tweeted, "Mumbai Police is exposed big time, Sushant's family said they don't trust them, also Bollywood's "repeat after me"gang, depression ka dhanda chalane wale should be remanded @deepikapadukone."

Their tweet received mixed reaction from the netizens. While some agreed with the team, others hit back at them for unnecessarily dragging Deepika into the argument.

A user wrote, "Arrest Deepika first. She was the first one to divert case attention to depression. She didnt have time to write condolence message but she had all time to lecture people on depression. Deepika you are shame."

Another user wrote, "So if deepika says ask people around you if they are ok it's wrong?"

Another supporter of Kangana wrote, "Not only this, Deepika harassed kangana during jhk ka release. Number of movies released which made fun of mental health but she targeted only a movie that initiated talk about mental illness. Deepika is running an agenda and should be exposed."

On this, a Deepika's supporter wrote, "Deepika never harassed kangana instead always praised her , she was the one who refused to accept award for happy new year and claimed kangana deserves every award this year for Queen as both released in 2014."

However, Deepika hasn't reacted to Kangana Ranaut's team's claims yet!

Deepika Padukone Doubles Her Remuneration For Prabhas 21?
Donald Trump and senior members of his administration say talks about a fifth coronavirus recovery bill have yielded little progress.

"As of now, we're very far apart," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Wednesday.

A day after Mr Trump called a Senate Republican Covid-19 relief measure "semi-irrelevant" since Democrats have a laundry list of their own demands, he and his treasury chief did little to raise hopes for another assistance bill.

"Well, we're looking at a deadline, obviously, of this Friday. The president very focused on evictions and unemployment," Mr Mnuchin said, seemingly endorsing the notion of a possible partial deal. "If we can't reach an agreement by then, the president wants to look at giving us more time to negotiate those."

The president appeared to risk putting any deal in jeopardy when he linked another relief bill to his push to deploy federal police officers to cities run by Democratic mayors that have seen increases in violence and protests. He is in a dispute with officials in Oregon over such a deployment to Portland, which he says is not ending but leaders there say soon will.

Mr Trump last week said and other administration officials said they would send federal law enforcement officers to Chicago, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Kansas City.

The president, who sometimes casts off such demands, painted a red line: he signalled he won't sign any coronavirus bill that includes "bailout" money for Democratic-run cities he deems too violent or poorly managed. But he also endorsed a smaller deal, though Speaker Nancy Pelosi has rejected such a "piecemeal" approach.

"We're focused on those two things," the president said of protecting people from being eviction and help for jobless Americans. "We want to take care of them now. The rest we can discuss later.

"They want big bailout money for Democrats that were in cities terribly. There cities are going down the tube," he added. "If you look at Portland, you look at what's going on in Seattle, Democrat run city, whether you like it or not, they're terribly run and they're always overtaxed. So they tax them too much and they run them poorly. And we don't like that. And what the Democrats want are bailout funds.

In a sign of continuing Republican bickering that could hold up a final bill, the president and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are split over including funding for a new FBI headquarters building.

Asked about Mr McConnell and other Republicans calling for that funding to be removed from any final bill, Mr Trump said this: "Then Republicans should go back to school and learn."

Mr Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows were slated to meet again on Wednesday afternoon with Ms Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about a deal.

The two Democrats emerged from an unproductive Tuesday afternoon meeting and offered rather bizarre analogies how the state of the talks.

"It's like a giraffe and a flamingo," Ms Pelosi said. "They're both at a zoo. A dumb person may think they could mate for offspring. A smart person knows that's impossible. That's our bills. They're unable to mate."

And if that wasn't strange enough, Mr Schumer compared the two sides to dogs of very different sizes and breeds.

"A golden retriever can't mate with a Chihuahua," he claimed without providing evidence of the impossibility. "You have a Chihuahua. We have a beautiful lion."
She was spotted wearing the item of jewellery on Tuesday.

And Vogue Williams continued to spark baby name speculation of her newborn daughter on Wednesday as she enjoyed a stroll with son Theodore, 22 months, and her pet dog Winston in London.

The Irish star, 34, proudly wore a gorgeous gold necklace with the initials T and G, with T to represent her son Theodore and the latter letter perhaps hinting at the name of her baby girl.

Baby name: Vogue Williams continued to spark baby name speculation of her newborn daughter on Wednesday as she enjoyed a stroll with son Theodore, 22 months, and her pet dog Winston in London

Vogue looked sensational as she showcased her post-baby body in a vibrant coral ruffled summer dress, with flared sleeves and a cinched waist.

The model finished her look with white trainers and a pair of stylish Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses.

Vogue styled her blonde locks into a curly blow-dried hairdo, which she tucked under a chic cream fedora sun hat, she added a slick of radiant make-up.

Motherhood: The Irish star, 34, proudly wore a gorgeous gold necklace with the initials T and G, with T to represent her son Theodore and the latter letter perhaps hinting at the name of her baby girl

Sensational: Vogue looked sensational as she showcased her post-baby body in a vibrant coral ruffled summer dress, with flared sleeves and a cinched waist

The star finished her ensemble with a collection of necklaces, which included a piece of jewellery with the initials T and G on it.

Vogue's appearance comes after she first sparked baby name speculation of her newborn daughter on Tuesday.

In a video posted to her Instagram Stories, Vogue sported a delicate gold necklace with the initials, T, to represent her son Theodore, and G, which could perhaps reference to the name of her baby girl.

Vogue and Spencer are yet to reveal the name of their newborn daughter, who they welcomed into the world at London's Chelsea and Westminster hospital last week.

Finishing touches: The model finished her look with white trainers and a pair of stylish Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses

Irish beauty: Vogue styled her blonde locks into a curly blow-dried hairdo, which she tucked under a chic cream fedora sun hat, she added a slick of radiant make-up

The couple's little girl is their second child with their son Theodore - who turns two in September - becoming a big brother.

Vogue confirmed the happy news via her Instagram page last Thursday, posting a sweet snap of herself and Spencer.

She captioned the shot: 'Last night we became a family of four. Our beautiful daughter arrived safely and happily into the world.'

Spencer shared a post of Vogue's hospital wristband, alongside a lengthy caption reading: 'Wow, we officially have CHILDREN!! So much has happened in the last three years...

Jewellery: The star finished her ensemble with a collection of necklaces, which included a piece of jewellery with the initials T and G on it

Lovely: Vogue and Spencer are yet to reveal the name of their newborn daughter, who they welcomed into the world at London's Chelsea and Westminster hospital last week

'Real positive change, a son and now a daughter. I couldnt be more thankful to my incredible wife @voguewilliams for all that you do for our family, in particular the laborious pregnancies which us men will never fully understand....

'Thanks for making me see the light through my relationship with alcohol, which fills me with so much drive and purpose would never have existed without you...

'I have always dreamt of being a great father and because of you, that is now achievable. Feel lucky ever day to be married to you.'

Vogue and Spencer announced they were expecting their second child in HELLO! magazine in March, admitting there had been a 'few bumps in the road this time round'.

Big brother duties! The couple's little girl is their second child with their son Theodore - who turns two in September - becoming a big brother

Vogue revealed she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a condition which affects a woman's ovaries.

The Irish beauty told the publication: 'We're delighted. It's so exciting but kind of scary to think we're going to have another newborn. There's no doubt that I feel lucky to be having another baby.'

The TV host revealed the couple have been trying to conceive since last summer and decided to 'keep it under wraps for longer' as the pregnancy 'hasn't been as straightforward the last one'.

Vogue said: 'It was certainly a different path for us this time, so it's really nice to be here and talking about it now. I wouldn't say alarm bells were going off, but we did wonder how we could make it work a bit more efficiently.'

Family-of-four: Vogue confirmed the happy news via her Instagram page last Thursday, posting a sweet snap of herself and Spencer

PCOS is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work, with symptoms including excess androgen, polycystic ovaries and irregular periods - which can make it difficult to get pregnant as a result of irregular/failed ovulation.

Vogue and Spencer fell in love when they competed against each other on the Channel 4 celebrity ski show The Jump in early 2017.

Sparks flew when Vogue was forced to pull out of the ski slopes early because of an injured knee with Spencer winning her affections when he looked after her following her injury.

A sign?: The presenter sparked speculation about the name of her baby daughter, as she showed off a gold necklace with the initials G and T, which would represent her son Theodore, to her Instagram on Tuesday

It was a true whirlwind romance, with the pair moving in together after seven months of dating.

They got engaged in February 2018 when Spencer got down on one knee after treating Vogue to a backstage tour of the West End's Lion King production.

The TV stars married on Spencer's family's stunning 10,000 acre Glen Affric estate in Cannich, Scotland the same summer, surrounded by close family and friends.

One year later, they enjoyed a second wedding reception in London in front of their close friends and wider family.
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Berlin, Germany  Wed, July 29, 2020 16:45 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a442b6 2 World Germany,coronavirus,COVID-19,SARS-CoV-2,COVID-19-vaccines,virus-corona,COVID-19-drugs,pandemic,novel-coronavirus Free

Germany awarded three biotech companies grants to help them speed up the development of coronavirus vaccine candidates, but Research Minister Anja Karliczek said any vaccine was unlikely to be widely available before the middle of next year.

Europe's largest economy has reported a rise in infections in recent days, with the head of Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases blaming negligence and saying it was unclear if a second wave was underway.

"We should not expect a miracle," Karliczek told a news conference, calling for people to maintain social distancing and mask-wearing to avoid jeopardizing what Germany had achieved in recent weeks in terms of bringing the pandemic under control.

"We must continue to assume that vaccines for the broader population will only be available from the middle of next year at the earliest."

Government advisers had recommended making awards from a 750 million euro ($882.23 million) pot for vaccine development the government announced last month to German biotech firms BioNtech , CureVac and IDT Biologika, which are working on coronavirus vaccines, she said.

"All three of them are promising candidates but we must of course always expect setbacks during the testing phase because it's one thing to have an effective vaccine but it's another to have a safe vaccine that people want," Karliczek said.

The money is designed to help the companies scale up production and clinical testing of their offerings.

More than 150 vaccine candidates are in various stages of development, with 23 prospects in human trials across the globe.

With 206,000 confirmed cases and just over 9,000 deaths, Germany wants to avoid a second wave, which would bring back lockdowns after economically crippling restrictions that closed many businesses for six weeks in March and April.
The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday expressed support for the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in dismissing Benny Tai Yiu-ting, an organizer of the 2014 illegal "Occupy Central" movement.

The decision of the governing council of the university to dismiss Tai, based on the University of Hong Kong Ordinance and strictly following related procedures, helps restore normal teaching order and a sound campus environment and shows that the university shoulders the responsibility to the entire society, a spokesperson of the office said in a statement.

As a faculty member of the university, Tai blatantly preached "Hong Kong independence," advocated "achieving justice by violating the law," and played an important role in inciting the 2014 illegal "Occupy Central" movement, violent incidents in social disturbances since last year, and recent so-called "primaries" of the opposition camp, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said Tai went even further after being bailed pending an appeal and showed no sign of stopping until conspiring to paralyze the HKSAR government and seize the governing power of the HKSAR.

Tai's statements and actions intensified social controversies and poisoned the political environment, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also condemned Tai for taking advantage of his position to disseminate propaganda that confuses right and wrong, incite illegal activities, mislead numerous students, and politicize the campus, and stressed that there have been rising appeals from the alumni and students' parents to expel Tai from the campus.

The dismissal of Tai demonstrates that justice is done and that he gets what he deserves, the spokesperson said.
AUSTIN, Texas, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Direct Biologics, LLC, is announcing today that it has received approval from FDA that it may proceed with a Phase II trial under an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the use of ExoFlo, a bone marrow-derived extracellular vesicle and exosome product, in the treatment of COVID-19 associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). The ExoFlo Infusion Treatment for COVID-19 (EXIT COVID-19) Associated ARDS trial will be a multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Direct Biologics believes that this study is the first and only Phase II IND trial utilizing bone marrow-derived extracellular vesicles to treat SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) related ARDS. Extracellular vesicles are naturally occurring vesicles produced by most eukaryotic cells and are the primary mode of intercellular paracrine signaling. The population of extracellular vesicles secreted by bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (bmMSCs) have been studied extensively in preclinical studies for inflammation, and these studies suggest that they may have the ability to downregulate inflammation and upregulate tissue repair in humans.

Mark Adams, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Direct Biologics, stated, "We are pleased the FDA has approved Direct Biologics to proceed with our study in the treatment of severe COVID-19 infections. In addition to its promise in treating COVID-19, the ongoing clinical and scientific research suggests that our proprietary advanced biotechnology platform has the potential to be part of a new class of medicine that may generate positive medical outcomes for patients." Mr. Adams went on to say, "We are also very grateful for the steadfast support of Congressman Michael McCaul, U.S. Representative for his congressional district in Texas. Through his leadership, vision, and support of Direct Biologics, Congressman McCaul has been and continues to be an integral part of the quest to bring a real solution for patients suffering from COVID-19."

"The study of bone marrow-derived stem cell extracellular vesicles as a treatment for acute lung disease has been a topic of great interest among the medical community for years," notes Direct Biologics Co-Founder and President, Joe Schmidt. "We are excited to conduct this potentially ground-breaking study and hope the findings will help in the fight to defeat COVID-19. Furthermore, we are pleased with the collaborative spirit, diligence, and responsiveness of the FDA during the IND application process. We are grateful for the ability to proceed with EXIT COVID-19. Proceeding to a Phase II clinical trial reflects the significant efforts of Direct Biologics to develop a meaningful therapy for COVID-19 and to establish controls necessary for current Good Manufacturing Practice."

The EXIT COVID-19 study will enroll 60 COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS at three research sites across the U.S. The primary efficacy endpoints will be all-cause mortality and median days to recovery. Direct Biologics expects to commence patient enrollment in the next 30 days.

This Phase II investigational study will expand upon previous findings from a prospective, open-label safety and efficacy study of ExoFlo, which was led by New York City physician Vikram Sengupta, MD, in collaboration with Sascha Sengupta, MD, and Angel Lazo, Jr, MD. In that trial, 24 critically ill patients with moderate to severe ARDS caused by COVID-19, many of them entering or in the midst of the destructive inflammatory state known as cytokine storm, were treated with a single intravenous dose of ExoFlo. This initial COVID-19 study had promising safety and efficacy data, and it appeared to be well tolerated. It was published in a special issue of Stem Cells and Development this past June.

About ExoFlo

ExoFlo is an investigational new drug that has not been approved or licensed by FDA. It is an allograft extracellular vesicle product isolated from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSCs). ExoFlo provides signaling proteins that have been shown to modulate inflammation and may stimulate bioactivity and direct cellular communication.

About Direct Biologics

Direct Biologics, LLC, is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with an R&D facility located at the University of California, San Diego, and an Operations and Order Fulfillment Center located in St. Louis, Missouri. Direct Biologics is a market-leading innovator and cGMP manufacturer of regenerative medical products, including a robust line of extracellular vesicle-based biological products. The Company was created to expand the science of cutting-edge biologic technologies. Direct Biologic's management team holds extensive collective experience in biologics research, development, and commercialization, making the Company a leader in the evolving, next generation segment of the biotherapeutics industry. Direct Biologics is dedicated to pursuing additional clinical applications of ExoFlo through the FDA's investigational new drug application process. For more information visit www.directbiologics.com.

Phone: 800-791-1021

Email: Info@directbiologics.com

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Company Website
Electric scooter services will remain parked for now.

Toronto city council on Tuesday never voted on a city staff proposal that would have laid the groudwork for e-scooter rental services to start operating in Toronto for a trial period starting next spring.

That proposal, which would have seen council decide this fall whether to green-light the controversial pilot project, was rendered moot when a competing motion from Coun. Paula Fletcher passed 12-11.

City staff will now look solely at concerns the short-term rental of e-scooters by companies such as Bird Canada pose to the safety of disabled Torontonians, as well as issues around insurance liability for riders and anyone they might hit.

Council wont get those answers before fall, almost certainly meaning further delay in a possible start date for the scooter services that have aggressively lobbied city officials, originally in hopes of having riders whizzing around Toronto last spring.

Electric scooters, which riders unlock with an app and pay per ride or per kilometre, have become a common sight on city streets around the world.

But the services have been kicked out of some cities over concerns they pose a hazard when left in peoples path and that inexperienced riders risk serious injury.

David Lepofsky, chair of disability advocacy group AODA Alliance, expressed relief his members wont have to worry about the devices any time soon.

With the COVID-19 pandemic raging, city council should stop considering allowing e-scooters, and instead focus all its attention on the communitys urgent needs during the COVID-19 crisis, he said in an interview after the vote.

While some councillors wanted to let city staff set the stage for e-scooters, saying Torontonians should have access to the micro-mobility option rolling around cities including Ottawa and Calgary, other councillors sought to kill the initiative.

Other council decisions included:

Priority bus lanes will be installed on Eglinton Ave. E. this fall.

The move, unanimously endorsed by council, will see 8.5 kilometres of bus lanes carved out of existing infrastructure along Eglinton Ave. E., Kingston Rd., and Morningside Ave., from Brimley Rd. to the University of Toronto Scarborough campus.

Existing High Occupancy Vehicle lanes on Eglinton Ave. E. will be converted to priority bus lanes as will curb side general-purpose lanes on Kingston Rd. and Morningside Ave.

The move is part of the RapidTO plan to move transit more quickly through five of the busiest corridors in the city.

The lanes will be reserved for buses and bicycles at all times. The one-time cost of the installation is estimated at $7.8 million, but cost savings are also anticipated. According to the city, the resulting decrease in travel time of two to five minutes will save $2.5 million in annual operating costs and result in a one-time capital cost savings of about $6.3 million, as fewer buses will be required to provide the same level of service.

While some councillors questioned the details, all voted in favour of the motion, which was backed by Mayor John Tory.

We need to get people where theyre going faster, said Coun. Jennifer McKelvie (Ward 25 Scarborough-Rouge Park.)

More bus lanes are scheduled to be installed in 2021.

The Eglinton East corridor where priority bus lanes will be installed serves seven of Scarboroughs eight Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and improving transit service there is part of the citys Poverty Reduction Strategy.

A proposed sole-sourced contract between a Missouri startup firm and the City of Toronto is on hold after several councillors raised concerns.

City staff had strongly recommend council grant authorization for them to negotiate a deal with PayIt to provide Torontonians with an easy online way to pay property taxes, parking tickets and more.

The normal competition process is unnecessary, council was told, because PayIt, which has contracts with some state and municipal governments in the U.S., would had unique benefits including no charge for equipment or licensing.

Instead, the company would get revenue from service fees  for example 2.35 per cent of any bill paid by credit card  on some payment methods. Torontonians would always have the option of at least one fee-free payment option.

Some members of Torontos technology community had complained the proposal shut them out. Coun. Shelley Carroll made a successful motion to send the proposal back to city staff for more study, saying potential cost savings for the city dont justify rushing into a sole-sourced contract.

Torontonians don't want us laying city employees that cost us a few million dollars to then start handing commissions to a U.S. company that will be tens of millions of dollars beyond that, she said.

Mayor John Tory, who supported the contract last week at executive committee, said councillors raised enough questions that he agreed more study is required.

David Rider is the Stars City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider
Coloradans can again explore the great outdoors throughout the state under updated coronavirus restrictions, but the executive director of the state's Department of Natural Resources said preparation and planning are critical.
Senior Economic and Environmental Officer, Vienna, Austria

Organization: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Country: Austria

City: Vienna, Austria

Office: OSCE Vienna

Closing date: Monday, 24 August 2020

Issued by: OSCE Secretariat

Vacancy number: VNSECP01552

Vacancy type: International Contracted

Field of expertise: Economic and Environmental Affairs

Grade: P4

Number of posts: 1

Duty station: Vienna

Date of issue: 24 July 2020

Deadline for application: 24 August 2020 - 23: 59 Central European Time (CET/CEST)

Background

The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, combating human trafficking, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The OSCE Secretariat in Vienna assists the Chairmanship in its activities, and provides operational and administrative support to the field operations, and, as appropriate, to other institutions.

The Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) deals with economic and environmental issues, operating under the premise that promoting economic prosperity and co-operation on environmental problems can contribute to international security and stability. The OSCEs role is twofold: a) to monitor economic and environmental developments among participating States, and alert them to any threat of conflict, and b) to facilitate the formulation of economic and environmental policies and initiatives among participating States, to promote security. The Office currently comprises 22 staff members.

The OSCE is committed to gender equality; therefore, female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Deputy Co-ordinator / Head, Economic Activities, and in order to assist the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities in carrying out their mandate, as Senior Economic and Environmental Officer, you will perform the following:

Directing the work and supervising the staff of the Economic and Environmental Forum Unit; Preparing and organizing the annual Economic and Environmental Forum (EEF) process, consisting of Preparatory Conferences and ministerial level Meetings of the Forum; developing, co-ordinating and implementing various follow-up activities, such as projects, seminars, workshops, trainings, handbooks, etc.; Managing the elaboration of agendas and structure of Preparatory Conferences/Meetings of the Forum; including, selection of speakers and rapporteurs, logistical and financial aspects of the Forums events, recording, substantial analysis and assessment of their recommendations; Organizing preparation of various documents and materials, such as background notes, concept and food-for-thought papers, draft speeches, annotated agendas and summaries on varied topics of the Forum process (transport, migration, investment, energy, water and land management, etc.); Establishing and maintaining contacts, at a senior level, with officials of international organizations, sub-regional initiatives, NGOs, business groupings, the OSCE field operations and the delegations in Vienna in the context of preparing the EFF process and organizing its follow-up activities; Providing substantial policy advice to the OSCE Chairmanship, Chairperson of the Economic and Environmental Committee, and the OCEEA senior management with regard to the EEF process as well as other economic and environmental aspects of security; Co-ordinating the OCEEA input to the Economic and Environmental Committee and the Permanent Council, in particular aiming at consensus building, and drafting and negotiating relevant Permanent Council/Ministerial Council decisions; Supporting the efforts of various OSCE field operations in the development and implementation of activities related to the EEF process; Co-ordinating the organization of the annual meeting with the Economic and Environmental Officers (EEO) and other meetings in the OSCEs economic and environmental dimension to review and assess the progress achieved as well as the preparation and publication of the annual OCEEA Activity Report; Performing other related duties as required.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Secretariat, please see //www.osce.org/secretariat>https: //www.osce.org/secretariat

Necessary Qualifications

Second-level university degree in economics, international relations or political science; focus on economic studies, development and/or transition economics, as well as on environmental security issues would be an asset; first-level university degree in combination with two years of additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the second-level university degree;

A minimum of eight years of professional experience, preferably at the international level;

In-depth understanding of and experience in security-related economic and environmental issues;

Familiarity with a broad spectrum of global and regional economic and environmental issues allowing to adjust to varied themes and topics of the annual EEF process;

Experience in carrying out analysis and conceptualization;

Team leadership skills;

Drafting and speechwriting skills;

Experience in project development would be an important asset;

Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;

Professional fluency in English, with excellent written and oral communication skills; knowledge of another OSCE language, especially Russian, would be an asset;

Ability to work with people of different nationalities, religions or cultural backgrounds;

Tags democratization gender perspective human rights international security land management political science staff rotation trainings

Computer literate with practical experience with Microsoft applications.

Required competencies

Core values

Commitment: Actively contributes to achieving organizational goals

Diversity: Respects others and values their diverse perspectives and contributions

Integrity: Acts in a manner consistent with the Organizations core values and organizational principles

Accountability: Takes responsibility for own action and delegated work

Core competencies

Communication: Actively works to achieve clear and transparent communication with colleagues and with stakeholders of the Organization

Collaboration: Works effectively with others on common goals and fosters a positive, trust-based working environment

Planning: Works towards the achievement of goals in a structured and measured manner

Analysis and decision-making: Analyses available information, draws well-founded conclusions and takes appropriate decisions

Initiative-taking: Proposes and initiates new ideas, activities and projects

Flexibility: Responds positively and effectively to changing circumstances

Managerial competencies (for positions with managerial responsibilities)

Leadership: Provides a clear sense of direction, builds trust and creates an enabling environment

Strategic thinking: Identifies goals that advance the organizational agenda and develops plans for achieving them

Managing performance: Helps to maximize team performance by providing active feedback and skill development opportunities

Remuneration Package

Monthly remuneration is approximately EUR 7,865, depending on post adjustment and family status. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Austria. Social benefits will include possibility of participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund. Other allowances and benefits are similar to those offered under the United Nations Common System.

Please note that appointments are normally made at step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale.

How To Apply

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCEs online application link found under //jobs.osce.org/vacancies>https: //jobs.osce.org/vacancies.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, to offer an appointment at a lower grade or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those applicants who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

Please note that vacancies in the OSCE are open for competition only amongst nationals of participating States, please see //www.osce.org/states>http: //www.osce.org/states.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization.

The OSCE is a non-career organization committed to the principle of staff rotation, therefore the maximum period of service in this post is 7 years.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.
White Christians more racist than secular whites, researcher Robert P. Jones reveals

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In his latest book, White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, Robert P. Jones, founder and CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, argues that white Christians are more racist than their secular counterparts and have perpetuated white supremacy in American culture.

The book, released Tuesday, analyzes the repressed history of the symbiotic relationship between Christianity and white supremacy, according to an overview presented by publisher Simon & Schuster.

White Too Long demonstrates how deeply racist attitudes have become embedded in the DNA of white Christian identity over time and calls for an honest reckoning with a complicated, painful, and even shameful past. Jones challenges white Christians to acknowledge that public apologies are not enoughaccepting responsibility for the past requires work toward repair in the present. Jones argues that contemporary white Christians must confront these unsettling truths because this is the only way to salvage the integrity of their faith and their own identities.

Jones, in an op-ed on the book published by NBC News Monday, argued that white Christian churches, as cultural institutions have legitimized the dominance of white supremacy and white Christians should take note of the current cultural climate around race and finally find the humility and courage and love to face the truth about our long relationship with white supremacy and to dismantle the Christian worldview we built to justify it.

A close read of history reveals that we white Christians have not just been complacent or complicit; rather, as the nation's dominant cultural power, we have constructed and sustained a project of perpetuating white supremacy that has framed the entire American story, he wrote. The legacy of this unholy union still lives in the DNA of white Christianity today  and not just among white evangelical Protestants in the South, but also among white mainline Protestants in the Midwest and white Catholics in the Northeast.

Pointing to his more than two decades of experience studying religious Americans nationwide through public opinion polls, Jones said his research shows how white Christians are more likely than other whites to, for example, deny the existence of structural racism.

He showed how throughout history however how racism and slavery was acceptable in white Christian churches and continues to impact the culture today.

Consider the cultural context in which American Christianity, both Protestant and Catholic, was born. In the 18th and 19th centuries, as Protestant churches were springing up in newly settled territories after Native American populations were forcibly removed, it was common practice  observed, for example, at the Baptist church that was the progenitor of my parents' church in Macon, Georgia  for slaveholding whites to take enslaved people to church with them, he wrote. And as late as the 1940s, urban Catholic parishes in major cities such as New York still required Black members to sit in the back pews and approach the altar last to receive the bread and wine of the Eucharist.

Through the use of a Racism Index, Jones also demonstrated that white Christians scored higher than their secular counterparts regardless of whether they were evangelical, Southern, mainline Protestant or Catholic, even after applying controls to the research like eliminating people who are "Christian in name only."

This disparity in attitudes about systemic racism between white Christians and whites who claim no religious affiliation is important evidence that the common  and catalyzing  denominator here is religious identity, Jones wrote.

Even when controls are introduced in a statistical model for a range of demographic characteristics, such as partisanship, education levels and region, the connection between holding racist attitudes and white Christian identity remains stubbornly robust, he continued. While most white Christians think of themselves as people who hold warm feelings toward African Americans, holding racist views is nonetheless positively and independently associated with white Christian identity.

He argued that while many white Christians will be shocked by his findings and point to evidence of their charity toward black Americans and involvement with social reforms like the abolitionist movement, if they should re-examine history more carefully, a terrifyingly troubled alternative history emerges.

When we allow ourselves to cast our gaze beyond the rosy stories we tell about ourselves as champions and representatives of all that is good in America, while it may seem obvious to mainstream white Christians today that slavery, segregation and overt declarations of white supremacy are antithetical to the teachings of Jesus, such a conviction is, in fact, a recent development for most white American Christians and churches, both Protestant and Catholic, he noted.

The unsettling truth is that, for nearly all of American history, the light-skinned Jesus conjured up by most white congregations was not merely indifferent to the status quo of racial inequality; he demanded its defense and preservation as part of the natural, divinely ordained order of things.
Just seven months after giving birth to her first child, Cameron Diaz is getting into the wine business.

The 47-year-old actress, who gave birth to daughter Raddix in early January, launched her wine Avaline earlier this month, with entrepreneur Katherine Power and gave an update on how she's balancing it all on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Diaz, who shares Raddix with her husband of five years, Benji Madden, opened up about the challenges of motherhood, raising a child in quarantine and Avaline, which launched with two summer-friendly wines, a Spanish white and a French rose.

Mother: Just seven months after giving birth to her first child, Cameron Diaz is getting into the wine business, discussing both her child and new wine on Late Night with Seth Meyers

Wine brand: The 47-year-old actress, who gave birth to daughter Raddix in early January, launched her wine Avaline earlier this month, with entrepreneur Katherine Power

The actress gave birth to Raddix a few months before COVID-19 started to spread and forced many to stay at home, as she joked about her baby previously being an 'excuse' to stay at home.

'Before, my baby was an excuse to stay home, you know,' Diaz said with a laugh. 'Now I don't have to make that excuse it's just what it is, and I get to be with her,' she said.

The Holiday star added that 'the best part' of staying 'within our little bubble' for lockdown is her husband Benji Madden, 'gets to be home, he works from home and so he gets to be with her as much as I do.'

Glass of heaven: Cameron clearly knows the best way to make it through quarantine

Jokes: The actress gave birth to Raddix a few months before COVID-19 started to spread and forced many to stay at home, as she joked about her baby previously being an 'excuse' to stay at home

She added they both 'have a lot of gratitude' for the time they get to spend with their daughter now during COVID-19, before speaking about her wine brand.

Diaz mentioned that Meyers pronounced the name of the wine wrong, pointing out they even have the phonetic spelling on the bottle.

Meyers joked that there were bottles of the wine sent to his house, but 'there was no note so we just drank it,' before revealing he still had some of the French rose left, adding 'it's delicious.'

Phonetic: Diaz mentioned that Meyers pronounced the name of the wine wrong, pointing out they even have the phonetic spelling on the bottle

Meyers added he will, 'out of necessity' just drink from the bottle, with Diaz adding, 'you are drinking it the best way, straight out of the fridge, icy cold.'

After they had a few drinks, Meyers asked how the idea came about to start a wine called Avaline.

'My partner, Katherine power, 'who is an entrepreneur and a friend of mine, who I met through my sister-in-law Nicole Richie, and they have been best friends forever,' Diaz began.

Drinks: Meyers added he will, 'out of necessity' just drink from the bottle, with Diaz adding, 'you are drinking it the best way, straight out of the fridge, icy cold'

Wine: After they had a few drinks, Meyers asked how the idea came about to start a wine called Avaline

Partner: Diaz added Katherine is an entrepreneur, adding her idea is, 'if you find the name first to something, it's easier to kind of, like, you know, go towards that branding so we went through all of the names that we could'

Diaz added Katherine is an entrepreneur, adding her idea is, 'if you find the name first to something, it's easier to kind of, like, you know, go towards that branding so we went through all of the names that we could.'

She added that every name they came up with has already been claimed as a vineyard, 'because there are so many wines.'

'So we, you know, we went to baby naming sites and Avaline just looked beautiful, we thought, as written, and then the meaning, which is sensitive, humble and lively, which it really felt like embodied what we wanted for our brand to sort of, you know, be so we ended up with Avaline,' she added.

So many: She added that every name they came up with has already been claimed as a vineyard, 'because there are so many wines.'

Meyers added that the wine is made with organic grapes, which Diaz realized was important to her after educating herself about the wine-making process.

'Because we never - you know, look, I have drank wine my entire life, and my assumption, is that it was just fermented grapes, why wouldn't it be, and then we learned sort of what possibly could be put into wine, and we realized that we wanted to drink only wines that didn't have those things in it,' Diaz said.

She added the organic grapes were, 'a huge part' of branding Avaline as a 'clean wine, 'because it all starts in the vineyard for us because organic farming is just cleaner by nature than commercial farming you know, there is not the synthetic pesticides, it's kinder to the land and to the environment and to the waterways.'

Organic: Meyers added that the wine is made with organic grapes, which Diaz realized was important to her after educating herself about the wine-making process.

'And so - and then we realized that we only really consume, you know, we make such an effort to consume organic groceries, to put clean skin products on our, you know, bodies, and to wear organic cotton, all these things that we never really questioned our wine and when we realized that it wasn't a given that our wines were organic, we went ahead and sort of went that -- we sort of put the pillar of our wine was that it had to have organic grapes,' Diaz added.

She said it definitely 'made the process more difficult' and that lead them to Europe where more land is 'being farmed organically.'

'And in making wine in the way that we were looking for wine to be made, which was with the least amount of intervention that could be created as a large-scale wine so we found these winemakers who were making the wine we wanted to drink, making it the way we -- or to the standards that we had for it, and then we had, you know, the farming practices were right where we wanted, you know, wanted it to be,' she added.

Fans can learn more about Diaz's wine at DrinkAvaline.com.
DALLAS, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs (NYSE:J) was selected by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Strategic Warning & Surveillance Systems Division for Operations, Maintenance and Sustainment (OM&S) of critical mission systems for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Cheyenne Mountain Complex (NCMC). The contract, known as the Integrated Tactical Warning/Attack Assessment (ITW/AA) and Space Support Contract II (NISSC II) went into effect June 25, 2020, and has a maximum value to Jacobs of $455M over a six-year period of performance.

Jacobs will support the classified communications and processing for Command and Control (C2) capability and legacy space C2 systems at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station (CMAFS) and Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado; Offutt AFB, Nebraska; Vandenberg AFB, California; and other sites, worldwide. The NISSC II OM&S Task Order also establishes requirements for operations and maintenance support for the CMAFS Information Systems Infrastructure.

"We welcome the opportunity to help support the U.S. Air Force in continual operation, maintenance and sustainment of the systems necessary to make decisions about threats to North America, and to maintain space situational awareness," said Jacobs Critical Mission Solutions Senior Vice President Steve Arnette. "The importance of the USAF mission and challenges they face sustaining complex systems for a no-fail mission are tremendous catalysts that energize our entire workforce to redefine what's possible in delivering innovative solutions."

Missions will include warnings and control from airborne, land-based and space-based systems which sense and report threat activities in air and space against North America and its allies, and will be performed at Cheyenne Mountain Complex, located near NORAD and U.S. Northern Command headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.

Jacobs is delivering innovative OM&S solutions for an expanding portfolio of U.S. Government and commercial customers, driving added value while enabling its clients most critical missions.

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $13 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related reaction of governments on global and regional market conditions and the company's business. For a description of some additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 27, 2019, and in particular the discussions contained under Item 1 - Business; Item 1A - Risk Factors; Item 3 - Legal Proceedings; and Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, as well as the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law.

For press/media inquiries:

Kerrie Sparks

214.583.8433

SOURCE Jacobs

Related Links

http://www.jacobs.com


Like many fellow Melburnians, Orpheus Pledger has had to find different ways to entertain himself while in isolation during the city's stage three lockdown.

On Wednesday, the former Home and Away star, 27, said he has been keeping himself distracted by making music.



'There will be singing involved, but I've been mainly producing music,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Former Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger, 27, (pictured) has revealed his SHOCK career move after he left the long-running soap last year

'I'm inspired by all the great eras of music over the years.'

And while he hopes to soon return to acting, Orpheus has been trying to keep busy educating and inspiring himself.

Orpheus added that he is hoping to his platform to send a message to the younger generation while keeping his fans inspired.

Moving on: Orpheus fuelled rumours he was leaving Summer Bay last September, after he relocated from Sydney to Melbourne

Orpheus left the role of Mason Morgan on Home and Away last year, following a number of years on the show.

Last month, Daily Mail Australia revealed the hunky soap star will bare all in this year's season of Seven's All-New Monty: Guys & Gals.

He will join the likes of Fat Pizza star Paul Fenech, former Biggest Loser trainer Shannan Ponton, 46, and Samuel Johnson, 42.

Back in November, he shared a sweet tribute to his on-screen character, who was shot dead in the dramatic season finale.

Drama: His on-screen character was shot dead in the dramatic season finale. During the episode, the Ouroboros gang took over the Northern Districts Hospital and kept those inside captive

'Thanks to Home and Away for an amazing few years, it has been some of the best! Love to the cast/crew, & especially all the fans!' he wrote.

In the episode, four gunmen held a number of characters hostage, including Bella Nixon, played by Courtney Miller.

Mason decided to take a stand against the gang in order to help save Bella.

Orpheus' departure from the long-running program comes after he told TV WEEK that he felt it was 'time to move on, and plan what's next in his career'.
The Rafale jets landed at the Ambala Air Force base after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.

Nearly 23 years after Sukhoi aircraft were imported, a fleet of five French-manufactured Rafale multi-role combat jets touched down in India, giving the country's air power a strategic edge over its adversaries in the neighbourhood.

The aircraft, considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.

Shortly afterwards, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted-

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's office informed the public about the above update via Twitter. "The Birds have landed safely in Ambala.

The touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History. These multirole aircrafts will revolutionise the capabilities of the @IAF_MCC," a tweet from Raksha Mantri Karyalay said.

Singh also tweeted a video of the jets flying in a flying V formation as they entered the Indian air space.

The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020

Singh said the Rafales were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space. The jets were also refulled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet.

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India.

The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, and they are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities. The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on 23 September, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.

The current fleet which was handed over to India comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft.

Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography.

The Ambala district administration has also prohibited people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the air base, officials said earlier.

Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in the villages adjoining the air base, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

Ambala deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said shooting of videos or taking photographs of the boundary wall of the air base and its adjoining areas will remain strictly prohibited during the imposition of the prohibitory orders.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Police has set up several check barricades and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near the air base, making announcements over loudspeakers warning people not to stand on the rooftop of their houses to click pictures or shoot videos. Violators would face punishment as per the law, they warned.

At many places in Ambala, hoardings have been erected to welcome the arrival of the fighter jets with some of these mentioning that their induction will further boost IAF's capabilities.

Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities.

The five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later.

The jets will be inducted into the IAF as part of its No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons.

The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets. Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran. The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat.

The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden. The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

Of the 36 jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala airbase, the second one will based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

The IAF has undertaken major infrastructure upgrades at the two bases, spending around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities. The Ambala base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF as the India-Pakistan border is around 220 kilometre from it.

Built in 1948, the air base is located on the east side of Ambala and is used for military and government flights. The air base has two squadrons of the Jaguar combat aircraft and one squadron of the MIG-21 'Bison'. Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh was the first commander of the base. The Mirage fighters that were used for the air strike in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 after the Pulwama terror attack had taken off from here.

With inputs from PTI
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MECOSTA COUNTY, MI -- Nearly five years after he was arrested for handing out jury nullification pamphlets outside of a Big Rapids courthouse, the state Supreme Court has cleared Keith Wood of jury tampering.

Wood was arrested in November 2015 and ultimately sentenced to eight weekends in jail and ordered to perform 120 hours of community service.

The states highest court agreed in October to hear the case and made a ruling Tuesday, July 28.

The crux of the ruling focuses on the definition of a juror.

Wood, when handing out pamphlets in 2015, was giving them to people heading into the courthouse. Some likely were there for jury duty in a case involving a man with a wetlands dispute with the state.

That case was resolved through a plea deal before any trial began. But Wood was charged anyway.

The Supreme Court, in a split decision, ruled that Wood did not tamper with a jury because there was not an impaneled jury when he was distributing pamphlets.

In sum, an individual summoned for jury duty is not a juror when he or she simply shows up for jury duty, according to the ruling. Defendant here talked to individuals who had been summoned for jury duty but had yet to participate in any court proceedings that would make them a part of any case.

And all the individuals summoned for jury duty on the day of the Yoder trial, ultimately, did not participate in any case because they were dismissed before any proceedings began, according to the ruling.

Two judges, David Viviano and Stephen Markman, disagreed with the majority opinion and said Wood knew that two people he handed pamphlets to would be prospective jurors.

They believed the definition of juror should encompass both empaneled and prospective jurors.

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Michigan Supreme Court to hear jury-tampering case: pamphlets shared at courthouse
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The Philippines' debt soared past the 9-trillion mark in June as the government borrowed more for its pandemic response measures, the Bureau of the Treasury said Wednesday.

In a statement, the Treasury said outstanding loans reached 9.05 trillion during the first half of the year, adding 163.3 billion compared to May as the state borrowed more funds from local and foreign sources.

Authorities have so far borrowed an additional 1.3 trillion when compared to the 2019 debt level, as it scrambled to fund interventions to treat COVID-19 patients and prevent further infections. The gap is bigger as tax collections dwindled as a result of strict lockdowns which forced most businesses to go dark for several months.

Six senators have asked the Commission on Audit to conduct a special probe into government spending related to COVID-19, given the billions of pesos of realigned funds, loans, and donations received from local and international sources.

Senators Risa Hontiveros, Franklin Drilon, Kiko Pangilinan, Leila De Lima, Ralph Recto, and Ping Lacson filed Senate Resolution 49 on Tuesday, citing allegations of overpriced purchases of protective gear and equipment.

"Congress is set to deliberate on the 2021 budget and, anticipating that massive allocations will need to be made to address the health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19, it is of critical importance that there be audit finding to guide legislators in their exercise of the power of the purse," the lawmakers said.

The bulk of the loans were borrowed from domestic investors, which totaled 6.2 trillion. Of the amount, 1.1 trillion was borrowed between January to June.

The Treasury issued debt notes and signed a 300-billion short-term credit line from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to pad its cash position, payable in six months.

The remaining one-third was sourced from foreign lenders, which reached 2.9 trillion. This is 10 percent higher when compared to end-2019 levels, partly tempered by a stronger peso exchange rate at 49.70 to a dollar.

For June alone, the government raised 413.5 billion from foreign borrowings, against 113.5 billion debts repaid during the month.

The government has so far secured program loans worth 216.3 billion for coronavirus response, with 130.5 billion from the Asian Development Bank and 85.8 billion from the World Bank.

RELATED: ADB extending more loans for PH pandemic response, infrastructure projects in 2020

As a developing economy, the Philippines spends more than what it can collect in funding so that it can begin new and high-impact projects  in this case, the coronavirus response, with local infections nearing 85,000 by end-July.

Meanwhile, the government has set aside 460 billion to settle its maturing debts.

READ: DOF to keep national debt below 50% of the size of economy
Mumbai, July 29 : Art and politics should not be mixed, insists veteran Bengali filmmaker Goutam Ghose, even as his latest film is screened at Shanghai International Film Festival in China.

Ghose's latest directorial "Raahgir" stars Adil Hussain, Tillotama Shome and Neeraj Kabi, and is based on a short story by Bengali novelist Prafulla Roy. The film has already received good response at Busan International Film Festival, South Korea, and Jio Mami Film Festival in Mumbai for its cinematic aesthetics.

"In my opinion, art should be treated separately from politics. Filmmakers are not policymakers. We, storytellers, talk of love, compassion, humanity, and world peace. I know there is turmoil between the two countries and that has everything to do with international relations and diplomacy. The administration is working on that, but cinema and art are universal. When an audience watches a film, they do not watch it with hatred. Filmmakers from across the world are participating in the festival with a free mind," Ghose told IANS.

"Globally, there are many countries with several border issues or other problems. In my opinion, the role of art and artiste is to talk about peace and compassion. Keeping our mind democratic, cinema does that. Cinema unites," he added.

The film is being screened as part of the India Film Week section at Shanghai on July 27 and July 29.

Apart from "Raahgir", Indian films like "Article 15", "Section 375", "Pareeksha", and "Cargo", besides the animated film "Bombay Rose" and the Indian-Bangladeshi film "Debris Of Despair", will also be screened at the festival.

Shanghai is the first in-person film festival taking place in China after the global Covid-19 pandemic. Internationally film festivals have either been cancelled, rescheduled, or hosted on virtual media.

Emphasising on world peace and unity, Ghose said: "If we look at history, cinema, over the last 100 years or so is recording the collective memories of people, no matter where you are from. Globally, all filmmakers have been stitching a long garland of memories. We do not want war, we want peace for the global population. So, by telling stories, we artistes are doing our duty." (Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 09:58:06|Editor: huaxia

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Interior Minister of the UN-backed government of Libya Fathi Bashagha speaks at a press conference in Tripoli, Libya, July 28, 2020. The Libyan government will hold accountable all senior officials for financial and administrative corruption, said Fathi Bashagha on Tuesday. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan government will hold accountable all senior officials for financial and administrative corruption, said Fathi Bashagha, interior minister of the UN-backed government, on Tuesday.

"Security cannot be achieved without the rights of the people and their services of electricity and healthcare, as the corruption spreads in the country," Bashagha told a press conference in the capital Tripoli.

"In cooperation with the attorney general's office, we will begin to hold senior officials of the state accountable (for corruption)," the minister said.

An electronic system has been developed to help capture wanted persons, said Bashagha, adding that a mobile phone application has been made to help report criminals. Enditem
A Sri Lankan mother whose Tamil family have been accused by Peter Dutton of wasting $10million in taxpayer money by fighting deportation from Australia has reportedly been dragged from hospital by Border Force guards.

Priya Murugappan - who is being detained on Christmas Island with her husband Nades and her two young daughters at an estimated cost of $20,000 a day - was flown to Perth's Fiona Stanley Hospital 10 days ago with severe abdominal pain.

Refugee advocates claim the mother had been told she would be returned to the detention centre on Friday after being monitored for two additional days in a hotel.

But Tamil Refugee Council spokesman Aran Mylvaganam said the mother-of-two was forcibly removed from the hospital on Wednesday by as many as 15 Border Force personnel.

Priya and Nades Murugappan and their Australian-born daughters Kopika and Tharunicaa are fighting deportation

He said she had to be taken to the mainland for a CT scan which doctors could not carry out on Christmas Island.

'I spoke to Priya when she was dragged away by at least 10 guards and the Border Force told Priya that she was being taken to the airport,' Mr Mylvaganam told 9News.

'Its hard to see why up to 15 guards were required today. Priya would not have resisted being returned to Christmas Island, she is an unwell woman who was desperately missing her little girls.'

Mr Mylvaganam also claimed the mother was denied access to her own discharge summary by the ABF guards.

'Lawyers acting on behalf of Priya and her family had no indication that this sudden removal was taking place,' he said.

Priya Murugappan was flown to Perth's Fiona Stanley Hospital 10 days ago with severe abdominal pain and understood she would be flown back to Christmas Island on Friday

The family's representatives said Ms Murugappan had since been put on a charter flight back to the island following the dramatic intervention about 11am on Wednesday.

A Department of Home Affairs spokesman has confirmed the mother was discharged from the hospital but said it did not comment on individual cases.

The family have been on Christmas Island since August after first being taken into detention in 2018.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton wants them to go back to Sri Lanka - where they fear persecution - and has said the parents are being 'unfair on their children' for fighting deportation.

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia this week, the family's lawyer, Carina Ford, said it was actually Mr Dutton who was costing the taxpayer by refusing to let the family come back to the mainland while their case is pending.

'The same argument applies that he's being unfair by detaining them, it's as simple as that,' she said.

Priya is pictured in hospital in a photo shared by campaigners for the family on July 23

'I feel that trying to flip it around and blame the parents like that hasn't worked for Minister Dutton.

'I think people can see that it doesn't make sense for the person detaining the children to blame the parents.'

She added: 'We are using taxpayer dollars to detain them but they could be in the community while their case is pending, actually contributing, because Nades used to work in the local meatworks, and costing the taxpayer no money.

Advocates for the family claim the mother-of-two was forcibly removed from the hospital in Perth (bottom-left on map) on Wednesday by as many as 15 Border Force personnel

The couple's two children are pictured - Kopika and Tharunicaa (in grey)

'Can you justify spending this amount of money on keeping a detention centre open that no-one else is using? I don't think you can. Maybe that's something the government can re-consider.'

Priya and Nades came to Australia by boat separately in 2012 and 2013, alleging they were escaping the Sri Lankan civil war.

They met in Sydney before getting married and settling in Biloela, Queensland where they had two children, Kopika, four, and Tharunicaa, two.

The family rented a small house, paid for with money Nades earned by working at an abattoir.

While her husband put food on the table, Priya looked after the children and attended Biloela Baptist Church craft group where she made dozens of friends.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) told the family to go back to Sri Lanka - where they fear persecution

But they were kicked out in March 2018 when their home was raided by police at 5am, the day after Priya's bridging visa expired.

Locals started a petition for the family to be allowed to stay and it has been signed by 350,000 people across the country.

The United Nations has also requested the family be let off Christmas Island but the government has ignored those calls.

Minister Dutton does not believe the family are legitimate refugees and wants to deport them - but the courts have ruled they cannot be sent home until their legal proceedings are over.

A Federal Court judge in April ruled their deportation must remain on hold after determining the youngest daughter had been denied procedural fairness in her bid to apply for a protection visa.

The family are stuck on Christmas Island. Pictured: A detention centre on the island

The government was also ordered to pay the family more than $200,000 in legal fees.

The family now faces a long wait for their next hearing, which could be late this year or early next year.

Meanwhile, Priya, who has underlying health conditions, was last Saturday airlifted to hospital in Perth with severe abdominal pain and is still receiving treatment there.

Speaking on Sydney radio 2GB last week, Mr Dutton said the family should stop fighting deportation.

'This case has gone on since 2012 I think, and it must have cost now probably over $10 million,' he said.

'That's money that should be going into... communities and helping Australian citizens.

Priya and Nades (pictured) came to Australia by boat separately in 2012 and 2013, alleging they were escaping the Sri Lankan civil war

'They are not refugees and they have used every trick in the book to make sure they can stay.

'This is a situation of their own making, it is ridiculous, it's unfair on their children, and it sends a very bad message to other people who think that they can rort the system as well.'

Ms Ford said if Mr Dutton wanted to save taxpayer money he could grant a protection visa and allow the family to stay in Australia.

Priya and Nades Murugappan and their two young daughters are the only people being detained on Christmas Island at an estimated cost of $20,000 a day

Nades (left with his family) has claimed he will be persecuted in Sri Lanka because he was forced to join the militant group Tamil Tigers in 2001

'That's always been our position in this case. It's open to the minister to not have this go on and spend more money on it. The choice is his.'

Ms Ford says she believes there is a 'good prospect' of her winning the case, which centres on two-year-old Tharunicaa, whose visa claim was never assessed.

She will also be arguing that Nades should have his application re-assessed because new evidence has emerged proving he will be in danger if he is sent home.

Priya (pictured with her huband) has claimed she watched her former fiance get burned alive and was raped during the Sri Lankan civil war which lasted from 1983 to 2009

Nades has claimed he will be persecuted in Sri Lanka because he was forced to join the militant group Tamil Tigers in 2001 and was harassed by the Sri Lankan military.

The Immigration Assessment Authority rejected the claims on the basis he frequently travelled between Sri Lanka, Kuwait and Qatar for work between 2004 and 2010 during the civil war, something that a Tamil Tigers member would not be allowed to do.

Priya has claimed she watched her former fiance get burned alive and was raped during the Sri Lankan civil war which lasted from 1983 to 2009.
North Korea recently surprised the world by announcing it is developing a Covid-19 vaccine, joining a high-stakes race to show off its scientific chops. But experts increasingly believe the famously secretive Kim Jong Un could also have a more nefarious goal in mind: Using the humanitarian crisis to beef up his biological weapons arsenal.

North Korea could use this legitimate vaccine aspiration as a way to enhance their biotechnology capability, says Andrew Weber, who was assistant secretary of Defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs during the Obama administration. They could buy equipment from Western or Chinese sources that would be necessary for their vaccine effort, and then next year they could turn around and use it to produce biological weapons.

The pandemic, he and other experts say, presents a unique opportunity for the regime, whose imports are normally hampered by international sanctions.

Anything coronavirus-related is going to be viewed as humanitarian and humanitarian things are not prohibited by sanctions, says Bruce Bennett, a defense researcher at the RAND Corporation. You have to get item by item approval, but there have been lots of humanitarian shipments going into North Korea. Lots of stuff could be flowing in that.

North Korean leader Kim Jon Un inspects a military drill in February.

The fears highlight a longstanding concern in the biotech world, where much of the technology and knowledge is inherently dual-useas good for killing as for healing. The fermenters used to manufacture certain vaccines, for example, can also be used to produce anthrax. Genetic modification builds vaccines, as well as novel, lethal pathogens. Aerosolized drug delivery can send a medicine deeper into the lungsor shoot a deadly agent through a ventilation system.

Of the 16 countries suspected of having bio armsincluding Russia, China and Iran, all of which are pursuing coronavirus vaccine researchWeber has always been most worried about North Korea, which has a history of ignoring international weapons agreements and blurring the line between military and civilian research. I think theyre more likely to use a biological weapon against us than a nuclear weapon, he says. They could easily  launch a bio attack in New York City if they choose to.  Youd only need small amounts to kill thousands, tens of thousands of people.

Story continues

Clockwise: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Now, he believes Covid-19 is a chance for North Korea to build newer, better technologyand perhaps even to learn how to develop a coronavirus-like disease that would resist a vaccine.

Bennett agrees. North Korea could be looking for something that nobody else has a vaccine to counter, so they would be doing vaccine work in part to understand how the vaccines could be working on the Covid virus, and what they could do to make something more effective, he says.

That makes this a moment to take North Koreas biotech sector seriously, rather than dismiss the vaccine bid as mere agitprop from the hermit kingdom, say these North Korea watchers. Its easy to find recent reports describing North Koreas dilapidated health care system, which has to import vaccines for basic illnesses. But Kee Park, a lecturer on global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School and the director of the North Korea Program at the Korean American Medical Association, insists that, despite their countrys poverty, North Korean scientists are capable of the advanced genetic modification necessary to create a Covid-19 vaccine.

People dismiss North Korea, say, Oh, they cant do that. But look where it got us with the [nuclear] weapons program, says Park, who has traveled to North Korea over 20 times and attended North Korean medical conferences. They surprised everyone. Dismissing out of hand I think is a mistake.

While Park doesnt think that bioweapons are the goal in this case, Weber points out that its impossible to know.

Thats the beauty of biological weapons, says Obamas former adviser. They can hide it within a legitimate biotechnology sector. The world might not find out what North Korea has been using its Covid-19 research for until its too late.

North Koreas secrecy makes it hard to know anything definitive about the state of its bioweapons program.

According to North Korean defectors and U.S. intelligence analyses, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea has had a bio-arms operation since the 1960s. As early as 1993, Russian intelligence reported that North Korea was conducting military research with anthrax, cholera, bubonic plague and smallpox. In 2002, former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, then serving as undersecretary of State for arms control and international security, said the U.S. government believes that North Korea has one of the most robust offensive bioweapons programs on Earth.

Around 2010, while Weber was serving as U.S. bioweapons chief for President Barack Obama, he says new intelligence confirmed just how advanced the North Korean program wasand also, how vulnerable our forces and the South Korean population was to a covert biological weapons attack.

The administration was so concerned that in 2011, it launched a program of exercises with South Korea to plan for an outbreak on the peninsula, practicing quarantining and disease tracking and improving connections between South Koreas CDC and military, Weber recalls. I think the result of those exercises was South Korea doing a great job of handling the coronavirus pandemic.

Some argue that the apparently advanced state of North Koreas bioweapons program means that technology gained from Covid-19 isnt really going to change anything.

That horse is out the barn door, says Joshua Pollack, editor of the Nonproliferation Review and a senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, recalling the 2015 state-released photos of Kim, DPRKs now-36-year-old leader, touring a glossy, newly completed biotechnical complex.

It had brand new, fancy imported equipment, everything you would need to make anthrax except for the safety equipment, which has been seen at other facilities, Pollack says. They would seem to have no fatal difficulty overcoming export controls and sanctions that forbid dual-use technology from going into the country.  Were so far past the ability to control this stuff.

One scholar concluded, based on the 2015 photo op, that North Korea had obtained the equipment by evading sanctions through front companies and money laundering, or on the black market.

But those dodges might not even be necessary in the Covid-19 era, Weber maintains, if export control restrictions are relaxed for the global health crisis.

Typically, shipments of biotech equipment to North Korea are restricted according to United Nations sanctions rules. If a country wants to allow one of its companies to sell technology to North Korea for humanitarian reasons, the request goes through a humanitarian exemption process, managed by a specific U.N. committee, says Peter Harrell, who was deputy assistant secretary for counter threat finance and sanctions in the State Departments Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs from 2012 to 2014.

People wearing masks in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, July 3, 2020.

Some countries are also governed by the rules of the Australia Group, whose 41 members, including the U.S., Britain and Japan, have all agreed to control exports that could be used for biological weapons. (China is not a member of the forum but has its own similar controls.)

When it comes to export controls, a lot depends on the end user in North Korea and the purpose  [the equipment is] going to be used for, says Weber. And some might see the Covid-19 as a time to lower the bar. The humanitarian impulses are so strong due to the pandemic that it will override any concern about indirectly contributing to North Koreas illegal bioweapons program, he says. This is a perfect opportunity to import technology.

Harrell is more skeptical. I think at the end of the day if the U.S. had any concern that the equipment might be used for bioweapons, the U.S. would veto the approval [in the U.N. sanctions committee], even in the face of some criticism, he says.

Kims regime could be also looking for more than just equipment. The Covid-19 vaccine racein which laboratories around the world are experimenting with brand new vaccine technologies at a speed never seen beforeis an opportunity for North Korean scientists, who often read Western medical studies and replicate them, to gain precious knowledge.

There are traditional vaccines and then there are some new technologies that are coming on like the mRNA vaccines, Weber says. [North Korea] could pursue not just the traditional approaches, but some of the more modern approaches that employ genetic sequencing.  Im not saying that the driver isnt a legitimate interest in having a vaccine, but [bioweapons are] a collateral benefit.

Most rogue regimes aim to mirror the Soviet Unions biological weapons program, says Bennett, where the aim was to develop weapons for which there is no counter  no vaccine, no treatment. Today, he and Weber fear, North Korea could be studying SARS-CoV-2 to learn how to create a more deadly pathogen that is resistant to vaccines.

Scientist Robert Duane Shelton, who has studied science and technology coming out of North Korea, says a Covid-19-like virus could be a doomsday weapon for a small country. Its inexpensive to make. It could be released against your enemies and, since you know what the virus is, you could have developed the vaccine long ago and even immunized your army and maybe your whole population against it.

North Korea could have plenty of other motivations for pursuing a Covid-19 vaccine.

In interviews, analysts broadly agreed that, while its impossible to know for sure, North Korea has likely seen cases of Covid-19 but suffered no major outbreak. (Publicly, the country insisted it had no cases until earlier this week, when state media said a defector who returned from South Korea was displaying Covid-19-like symptoms.) This state of affairs would be due to the extreme measures the state took very early to contain the virus, from shutting down its borders to quarantining more than 25,000 people.

But North Korea still needs a vaccineboth to reopen its struggling economy and protect its people from an outbreak that could ravage the country. Rather than rely on foreign countries to shell out precious and potentially expensive doses, why not try to make one? (North Koreas official state ideology, Juche, means self-reliance.) The North Korean strategy is clear, says Harvard Medical Schools Park. They recognize if there is a major outbreak, [their] hospitals are not equipped to handle a surge.

Weapons should not be our first thought here, says Pollack. This is about the economy. This is about delivering on Kim Jong Uns promises to boost the economy, which is in a sorry state right now.

Another possible goal: profit. Margaret Kosal, a professor at Georgia Techs Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, points to North Koreas history of creating counterfeit medications to sell in developing countriesmedicines that generally look similar to the real thing but dont necessarily work. The North Koreans are some of the best at counterfeiting drugs, she says. They were some of the first producers of fake Viagra.

Andrei Lankov, a specialist in Korean studies and director of Korea Risk Group, says he doesnt think a working vaccine is going to come out of North Koreaits biotech industry just doesnt have the talent and resources. The vaccine announcement, he believes, is mostly about Kim looking strong and powerful.

Recently, they have done a lot of things which were reasonably irrational just because the leader said it should be done, he says.

People watch a TV news program in Seoul, South Korea, reporting North Korea's firing of projectiles last August with a file image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

As for whether Kim could be using this as a chance to build up his countrys bioweapons program, Lankov doesnt think so, stressing that what we know about North Koreas bio arms operation is mostly rumors and that biological weapons are a poor substitute for nuclear ones. Should they worry about this when they have a world-level nuclear program? he asks. If you have a motorcycle, why should you spend a lot of time building a bicycle?

But others say thats the whole point: Bioweapons are subtle, conferring plausible deniability in a way a nuclear attack never could. North Korea has learned that a plausibly deniable attack is by far their preferred approach, says Bennett.

I think they retain [bioweapons] as a deterrent and also as a covert weapon, says Weber. So they could launch a biological attack, for example, during a mobilization in South Korea. If U.S. forces are flowing onto to peninsula, they could covertly release bioweapons and maybe use something  to slow down the flow.

Theres another reason Covid-19 could be bad for biosecurity: Our fumbling of the response just advertises to the world how vulnerable we are to biological attacks, Weber says. So countries that have been thinking about pursuing biological weapons or that have small programs might see the opportunity, and I would include non-state actors and terrorist groups in that. At the same time, biotechnology is becoming cheaper and faster, allowing more players to co-opt it for military purposes. But if countries can perfect early warning systems and vaccine technology, he believes countries pursuing biological weapons would decide it wasnt worth itthat they wont be effective because the defenses against them are so good.

That also requires governments pay attention. In this years budget, the Department of Defense cut its chemical and biological defense program nearly 10 percentat a time, Weber warns, when the threat is blinking red.
The official says it is too early to talk about the subject.

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk has commented on his possible appointment as Ukraine's representative to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) at the Minsk talks on Donbas.

Read alsoKravchuk may replace Kuchma at Minsk talks  Zelensky

"So far, no one has offered me anything," he told the Ukrainian-registered Apostrophe online media outlet.

Kravchuk says it is too early to talk about anything.

"The president mentioned my candidacy. He didn't tell me personally. Therefore, when he tells me personally, invites me to the office, I will think, make decisions," he added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on July 28, Leonid Kuchma concluded his mission as Ukraine's representative to the TCG at the Minsk talks on Donbas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said several candidates were being considered for this position, including Kravchuk and Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Oleksiy Reznikov.
The Association of Hungarian Travel Agencies (MUISZ) has asked the government to extend payroll tax discounts and apply preferences for shortened working hours to the sector to reduce layoffs, business daily Vilaggazdasag said.

MUISZ wants the payroll tax discounts which expired on June 30 extended until February 28.



MUISZ president Judit Molnar told the paper that the travel agencies are expected to lose 80% of their annual revenue in 2020, while keeping 80-85% of their staff on payroll during the past four months.



However, as the outlook for winter travel remains bleak, with many usually popular destinations designated red, or not recommended for travel, because of their rates of coronavirus infections.



The crisis in the sector could grow worse without government intervention, she said.



Even travel agencies with strong financial backing could scale back staff to 50-60% of normal levels in a best-case scenario, the paper said.





MTI Photo
To the Editor;

I am Italian-American. nlike Mark Nicotra , however, I think Syracuses statue of Columbus should come down.

In his commentary, (Columbus monument honors struggles of Italian-Americans who built it, July 22, 2020) Nicotra rightly points out the discrimination, prejudice and violence that Italian-Americans have suffered in the U.S., especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries. I was born in 1964 and saw the remnants of such bigotry. My father, a professor of philosophy and physics at City University of New York, fought hiring discrimination against Italian-Americans at his own institution. A high school guidance counselor assumed that my sister had little interest in college, given her ethnic background. I was often asked whether I had relatives in the Mafia, and I saw Italian-American politicians routinely accused of organized crime connections.

My parents, like other Italian-Americans, took pride in Columbus. Columbus made us feel truly American: our country seemed to owe its very existence to this Italian navigator, even though he never set foot in what is now the mainland U.S. Steeped in the popular, sanitized view of Columbus, few of us were aware of his crimes. Columbus, during his voyages and in his role as a Spanish colonial governor, was responsible for the mass murder, kidnapping, enslavement, rape, and genocide of the Arawak people, and also cruelty against his own Spanish colonists. Aside from Columbus own conduct, veneration of him also promotes a national origin story that is not only tied to the conquest of Indigenous nations, but also erases thousands of years of human history and culture in the Americas. Nicotra reflects this origin story when he writes that Columbus ought to be celebrated because he opened up a hemisphere never written about or thoroughly explored before by and for Western Civilization.

I would argue that the veneration of Columbus is a key part of Italian-Americans being accepted as white. Whiteness, a social construct that marginalizes people from outside Europe, is a badge of status in our racially stratified society. Upon arriving in the U.S., dark-complexioned Italian immigrants  especially Sicilians like my own ancestors  were deemed racially inferior and prone to criminality. Connection with Columbus is more than basic ethnic pride. It gave Italian-Americans, long insecure about their status, a claim of ownership over the European presence here.

The origins of Columbus Day reflect the process of Italian-Americans gaining acceptance. President Benjamin Harrisons 1892 proclamation of a day celebrating Columbus was partly meant to placate Italian-Americans and defuse a diplomatic crisis with Italy after 11 Italian immigrants were lynched in New Orleans, an incident Nicotra cites in his op-ed.

Many Italian-Americans remain loath to reject Columbus. Yet we dont need Columbus to celebrate our rich heritage. Especially during this historic moment in race relations, we should draw on our own experience of marginalization and racism in America and make common cause with Indigenous people and people of color. We should eschew Columbus and join the efforts to rename Columbus Day and take down Syracuses statue. In these ways, we can advance social justice and also truly affirm our own, complicated history in the U.S.

Peter F. Cannavo

Syracuse

More in Opinion:

More responses to call for removal of Columbus statue (Your letters)

More views on Syracuses Columbus monument: Keep it, remove it, add to it (Your letters)

Commentary: Embrace democratic values. Remove iconic fascist memorials

Scholar disputes source of criticism of Columbus (Commentary)
Elsewhere, the Trump campaign has surpassed $20 million in total spending in three states: Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. While Mr. Trump has invested relatively little in Ohio so far, at $3.2 million, he has $18 million reserved through November, the second highest current advance total for his campaign. Its a state his campaign expects to carry, though recent polling shows Mr. Trump up by just a percentage point.

Another swing state where Mr. Trump has spent relatively little is Michigan. The campaign has invested $3.5 million there so far and has $11 million booked through November. But a new poll from CNN found Mr. Biden with a 12-point lead in the state, and his campaign is currently outpacing Mr. Trump on air by nearly $1 million per week.

The inverse is playing out in Iowa, a former swing state turning increasingly red. There, the Trump campaign has spent about $1.8 million and reserved another $5.6 million. But the Biden campaign and Democratic allies have no presence there or future ad buys.

In Pennsylvania, Mr. Trump finds himself in a similar position as in Florida, having already spent $10 million in the state he narrowly won in 2016, and with $17 million currently reserved. And yet, Mr. Trump has consistently trailed Mr. Biden in the former vice presidents home state. The Biden campaign, headquartered in Philadelphia, has spent $6.2 million in the Keystone State, more than double what it has invested in every battleground state except Florida.

Now, about those long shots. The Trump campaign appears to have a serious interest in Minnesota, a state Mr. Trump lost in 2016 by just under 45,000 votes. Though his campaign has spent only $1.2 million so far in the state, it has set aside more than $14 million through November. Current polling has Mr. Trump down by double digits in Minnesota, a state where a Republican hasnt won a presidential election since 1972. And perhaps as a sign of confidence, neither Mr. Biden nor Priorities USA has booked any ads in Minnesota through November.

As a show of force in Texas, the Biden campaign has spent just $65,000 there, though it cut an ad specifically tailored for the state that includes Mr. Biden directly appealing to Texans. But according to his campaign, it has reserved only a six-figure buy at the moment. And similar to Mr. Biden in Minnesota, the Trump campaign has no ads in Texas.
Yesterday was one of the worst days of my life. As I watched the video footage of an old woman of 90-year-Old being hacked to death. I cried in my spirit and felt the heavy yoke of religious indoctrination and enslavement. Like many of you, I could not wrap my brain around such a despicable act.

How on earth, especially in the twenty-first century would an old woman, blessed with longevity that is very rare in our part of the world, be stoned, whipped, and hacked to death because of the perception that she is a witch?

In the 1960s, many modernisation theorists predicted that religion would give way to rationalism. Any institution that is rooted in religion, particularly chieftaincy, was confidently earmarked to collapse in the face of the scientific-technological world.

It was forecasted that religious fanaticism and reckless actions perpetrated in the name of religion would dissipate and give way to modernisation. In short, modernisation was tipped to bury religion.

But by the late 1970s, it became obvious that religion was not ready to go into oblivion, at least not any time soon. The Iranian revolution in 1979 sparked a renewed interest in religion. The so-named Middle East, the home of most of the so-called Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam recovered its religious zest and zeal. The place became the melting pot of religious atavism and revitalisation.

Given that the Middle East is the epicentre of the Abrahamic Religions or revelatory religions, the Iranian revolution spilled over into the Region. In just a matter of a few years, the revolution  which was inspired by religious fundamentalism spread to other parts of the world, including Ghana.

Consequently, by the 1980s, religions like the Shi'a and Nation of Islam, founded by Wallace Fard Muhammed, had officially registered their presence in Ghana. It was also around this time that Ghanaian Christianity experienced sporadic charismatisation, marked by prophetism, speaking in tongues, and divine healing.

Added to the Iranian revolution was the infamous 9/11. The attack on the United States of America on September 11, 2001, instead of cowing America into submissiveness breathed new life into religious activism. The disaster renewed the vision of people to invest in religion, as human incompleteness and vulnerability were shown on the television screen for everyone to watch.

The CNN and BBC announcement that America considered the superpower of the world since the collapse of the Soviet world, was under attack vividly captured the inherent weakness of human beings.

With the illusions of American invincibility deconstructed, many individuals decided to invest in God. Churches were filled.

Spirituality, however, we define it, surged. Religious functionaries, including those with the acclaimed capacity to interpret religious texts on eschatology, became celebrities. There was also the neo-traditionalization of indigenous religions. Scholars reconsidered the modernisation theory and renewed their interests in writing about religion.

Since the group of men who attacked the United States claimed to have been inspired by religion, popular and academic discourses explored the centrality of religion in human civilization. In the end, the world came to the solemn conclusion however grudgingly that religion could not be taken for granted. Religion needed attention if human civilization is to last.

So far, I have argued that religion is central to human life and it cannot be wished away as a fad and figment of the imagination. It is also important to highlight that religion gives inspiration and hope to people to live. It helps human beings to make sense of the mysteries of the world. In other words, we ascribe meaning to and from life largely from the perspective of a religious belief. Religion, therefore, is a major worldview to many people.

Notwithstanding the socio-psychological importance of religion, I want to highlight a few of the areas where religion  defined as a form of indoctrination based on either atheism or theism  can harm human life. As a Christian, I must say that Christianity is not a religion qua religion, as identified by Karl Barth (1886-1968), a Swiss reformed theology. Christianity is a relationship that God establishes with His elect through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit seals the relationship.

This means that in Christianity salvation is the work of the Triune God alone. God the Father appoints us from eternity (Ephesians 1:4), the Son purchases our salvation (I Corinthians 6:20), and the Holy Spirit seals it (Ephesians 4:30).

As we build a relationship with the Triune God, our lives are expected to be transformed. We are to live exemplary lives as the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). It is not about mindlessly following some religious rituals and laws. It is about being transformed to excel in every aspect of life  education, politics, science, business, and interpersonal relations.

All this means that we are freely saved by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone. We are not saved by observing any rituals or sacralising a particular day. Our salvation is essentially and entirely based on what Christ has done for us; not what we are able to do for ourselves. Left to us, we will never love Christ. Left to us, we will never identify with Christianity. Left to us, we will hate the things of God.

This why in Christianity, we did not love God, but God loved us. We were enemies, but God befriended us. We exercised our free will against Him, but He graciously saved us. And He will graciously keep us in Him until the end of our earthly journey (the eternal security of our faith Philippians 1:6).

Unfortunately, many of us have reduced Christianity to religion  seeking to please God with deified rituals. We reduced the freedom we have in Christ to achieve excellence in life with irrelevant religious rituals and observations.

We have sacralised some rituals, including days of worship and made it the centre of religion. Consequently, many religious people have become ardent keepers of religious rituals and yet their contributions to human life is zero.

They are Christians on either Saturday or Sunday and on Monday, life returns to the ordinary. The reduction of religion to rituals implies that we must all pretend to be religious. Politicians are religious when they want to vote; men are religious when they want a woman and so on.

This partly explains the paradox in Ghana: why is there so much corruption in Ghana when about 90 percent of the population claim to be religious? How come that a country with an overwhelmingly Christian population, we are almost retrogressing on a daily basis? How come we cannot account for the progressiveness that Christianity inspires? Why are we not excelling in science and technology? Why do we perform poorly in school?

I will considerably say that we have underperformed as a nation because of religious indoctrination. We pretend to follow Christ and yet, we do not know what it means to be saved. We reduced being saved to keeping a set of laws: don't eat this and that; don't pray in that language; don't work on a particular day and so on. We have sacralised rituals at the expense of godly living that brings about excellence in life.

I was so sad that a friend of mine, whom I considered level-headed, could not go beyond religious indoctrination to look at how Christianity transforms life. This friend of mine was complaining that Seventh-day Adventist students are being forced to write exams on a Sabbath. I could not understand why we have allowed some religious superficiality to blindfold us. I simply could not understand why a graduate of a public university who has also acquired a degree in theology (but which theology?) could not understand the simplicity of our Christian faith and the freedom we have in Christ to excel in life.

I could not understand why a rational and mature human being would privilege the keeping of a particular day sacred, which as it were does not bring salvation to anyone, the future prospects of the students. In my perplexity, I texted one of my friends who is also a Seventh-day Adventist member the following:

I don't know the problem he (the one advocating that the state should not allow SDA students to write exams on the Sabbath) is addressing: is it that the pupils will lose their salvation when they write exams on the Sabbath or it will just be an infraction of a religious duty? If writing exams on the Sabbath is inconsequential to salvation, why the hue? If it is consequential to salvation, then what happens to salvation by grace?

To some extent, I understood my friend who was protesting against SDA students being asked to write exams on Sabbath. This is precise because he has spent his entire childhood and adulthood life on reading commentaries and opinions about the Bible instead of him reading the Bible independently. He has spent his entire life believing that Ellen G.

White was a prophetess, whose insight on the Bible must be treated like a little light to the Bible. Like many SDA members, he spends every Saturday studying commentaries on the Bible, instead of asking critical questions and allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

We might think this is only a challenge with the SDA church. It reflects in many pseudo-Christian churches, including the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It could be found among the historic and Pentecostal and charismatic churches.

It is almost as if we have all become gullible in the face of religion. It is also as if we leave our thinking at home when going to church. We have outsourced our thinking capacity to a few individuals who claim to have mastered Biblical hermeneutics.

In the 2008/2009 academic year at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), a group of students belonging to one of the famed charismatic churches in Ghana failed en mass because these students thought faith was enough. They had been deluded by their religious leader that they have to spend time praying and trusting God instead of studying diligently, alongside. The end was an academic disaster.

While I was a student at the UCC (2004-2008), one of my roommates who was three years ahead of me and a member of the SDA church graduated with a Third Class. This agricultural science student was very brilliant, who entered the UCC after he had gone through the college of education. He had converted from Catholicism to Adventism.

As a convert of the SDA church, his zest and zeal for keeping the Sabbath holy were unapparelled. He never read or studied any of his books (apart from SDA books) on the Sabbath. He never wrote quizzes (mid-semester exams) and exams on the Sabbath.

Unfortunately, he was at the UCC when writing quizzes and exams on a weekend was non-negotiable. In the end, his religious fanaticism ruined his academic success. His zest for keeping the Sabbath holy became his aporia. The last time I met him in 2013 in Accra, he had left the Adventist church and joined a charismatic church. He could not do his postgraduate studies in agricultural science with a Third Class. He had to veer off into another area of study.

As a young man and Christian, I approach every Bible commentary with one goal in mind: the interpreter is fallible . I hold the Bible to be the only inspirational and infallible book to guide my life. Certainly, I have been inspired by some Christian authors, but one thing I do is that I do not allow any of these Christian authors to determine my understanding of the Bible. I admire individuals who spend their entire lives studying the Bible and writing a commentary on it. But try as they do, they are still human beings and are susceptible to making grave mistakes.

It is rather sad that many of us are unwilling to admit that some of the Christian authors we read (including a few of them like Joseph Smith of the Mormons, Ellen G. White of the SDA, and Charles Taze Russell of the Jehovah's) made grave mistakes with some of their interpretation of the Bible. This is precisely because we have deified them and made their writings inviolable and equally important like the Bible.

This posturing is in clear violation of the Bible. The Bible does not have a high view of man as a god, neither does it have a low view of him as a dog. The Bible's image of man is a creature of God who had fallen into sin and whose reasoning faculty has suffered a dislocation. But the Bible sees that the only means of salvation is for God to save man. Yet, whether pre or post-salvation experience, the Bible does not threat the reasoning capacity of man as sacrosanct. That is why the Bible expects us to set Christ apart as Lord in everything, including our interpretation of the Bible (I Peter 3:15a).

Related to the above is the fact that there is a democratisation of the gift of priesthood in Christianity. The Bible is very clear that every Christian is a priest to the glory of Christ (I Peter 2:9). This means that every Christian has equal right to appear before God through Christ. No man has been given the right to mediate between his fellow man and God. The only mediator between God and man is Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:5). This includes the fact that we all have equal access to God's Holy Spirit to understand the Bible.

The Bible is also written in a language that every Christian must be able to understand and apply to his life. Most importantly, the Holy Spirit who is given to all Christians who possesses the faith, helps every Christian to understand God's word. He is our only trusted teacher (John 14:26). He is the only one we can trust to give us insight into the Bible.

I pray that a time will come when Christians from all denominations will understand that no interpreter of the Bible (regardless of their pedigree and outrageous claims they made/make) can claim to be the infallible and final authority of the Bible. We must be guided by the Holy Spirit alone to understand and apply the wisdom of the Bible. In the end, what I want you to take from this journalistic article is that while the Bible is infallible, the interpreters of the Bible (including the revered founders of your Christian denominations) are all miserably fallible .



The writer, Charles Prempeh ([email protected]), African University College of Communications, Accra
India: To conserve the Indian fishing ecosystem and to reduce Bycatch, Tufropes launches Responsible Fishing Initiative on World Conservation Day

July 29,2020 | Source: News Patrolling

- Tufropes, on World Conservation Day is launching, Responsible Fishing Initiative, a program focussed on providing effective solutions to counter the bycatch problem persistent in the Indian fishing ecosystem and to generate awareness about the impact of bycatch amongst the fishing communities of India.

- Bycatch, which is fishing of non target and small and juvenile fishes, directly impacts the fishing ecosystem.

- Small and juvenile fishes killed as bycatch play a vital role in the oceans food web chain, allowing fish populations to regenerate. Without them, the food chain and coastal communities livelihoods are at risk, warn marine researchers.

- This will support the Government of Indias and Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)s programs to reduce bycatch and promote sustainable fishing practices.



The fishing ecosystem of India is under tremendous pressure because of unsustainable fishing practises, rampant across the country. Plagued by overfishing, bycatch, depleting resources, decreasing population of fish, and the lack of urgency to deal with this crisis, India is looking at an unpredictable future of the fisheries industry. India has been experiencing a consistent decline in the coastal marine fish production over the last few years.



- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) data reveals a 9% decline in overall fish catch in 2018 as compared to 2017

- Massive decline of 54% of Indian oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps) catch, a fish found abundantly in the Arabian Sea, particularly the coastal waters that cover Karnataka.



Bycatch is amongst the biggest threats to the fishing ecosystem. Bycatch is defined as unintentional fishing of non target species, and of small and juvenile fishes. Usually thrown away and sold as waste, bycatch roughly accounts for half of the catch yield caught by commercial fishing boats and trawlers. The small and juvenile fishes killed as bycatch play a vital role in the oceans food web chain, allowing fish populations to regenerate. Without them, the food chain and coastal communities livelihoods are at risk, warn marine researchers.



Reducing bycatch is the key to conserve the fishing ecosystem. This can be done by replacing diamond codend fishing nets with square codend fishing nets. Small and juvenile fishes when caught in the fishing net can easily escape from square codends ensuring their survival, regeneration and a balanced fishing ecosystem. On World Conservation Day, Tufropes has launched their social program, Responsible Fishing Initiative, which is dedicated towards providing effective solutions to counter the bycatch problem persistent in the Indian fishing ecosystem and to generate awareness about the impact of bycatch amongst the fishing community of India. Under this initiative, Tufropes through various mediums will educate the fishing community about the sustainable effective solutions of reducing bycatch and bring awareness about the long term impact of bycatch on fisheries industry. RFI will also sensitize the fish consumers through its digital communication about the evident threat to the fisheries sector, and generate awareness to proactively not purchase small or juvenile fishes from the market.



This initiative will support the Government of Indias and Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)s existing programs across coastal states to encourage sustainable fishing. Network for Fish Quality Management & Sustainable Fishing (NETFISH) has already been working extensively to develop sustainable fishing practises amongst India Fishing communities. Launched on World Conservation Day, Responsible Fishing Initiative aims to reach out to the fishing communities of Orissa, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.



Speaking at the launch, Saurabh Goel, director of Tufropes said, Responsible Fishing Initiatives is one of our ambitious projects to generate awareness about unsustainable fishing practices. We launched it on World Conservation Day, as the main objective of the program is to conserve the fisheries ecosystem. Fishing has always been a key sector for India, generating lakhs of employment and crores in revenue. Imagine, if we dont act now and substantially reduce bycatch what will happen within the next decade? There would be no fishes in the sea. he adds.
Danske Bank has said it will not be making mortgage offers to furloughed workers as lenders continue to tighten borrowing criteria during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to HMRC figures from last month, there are around 240,000 furloughed workers in Northern Ireland.

The scheme was introduced at the start of lockdown, with employers signing up for 80% of employees wages to be paid by the Government, up to a maximum of 2,500 per month.

But with fears that furloughed workers could ultimately lose their jobs when the scheme finishes in October, they are now being regarded as a less attractive prospect to lenders.

The scheme is already being wound down, with employers to contribute towards the wages.

Lenders also reduced the availability of 90% mortgages for first-time buyers who can afford only a small deposit, though one lender confirmed it had now reintroduced a 90% product.

A Danske Bank spokesman said: "We are open for business and continue to support the housing market. Throughout the crisis we have continued to draw down mortgages and are currently lending up to 85% loan to value.

"As a responsible lender we consider a range of factors to assess the affordability of the mortgage in the long-term. At this time we are not accepting mortgage applications from customers who are on furlough but we will keep this under review."

Nationwide Building Society said it will consider applications from people who have been furloughed but added "those on furlough are not eligible for the society's recently launched 90% loan to value first-time buyer mortgages".

Bank of Ireland said: "We are lending to customers who are furloughed. We'll ask customers to provide some information about the terms of the furlough during the application process."

Lender AIB said: "All our lending is based on the customer's ability to repay. This is to protect the customer from undue risk. Applications are dealt with on a case by case basis."

Ulster Bank said it was strongly committed to lending to all kinds of mortgage borrowers - this includes those on furlough and those returning from furlough.

As always, they base lending decisions on affordability and ability to repay and they take each case on an individual basis.

A spokeswoman for Progressive Building Society said it is a responsible lender and reviews and assesses every case on an individual basis including the income and expenditure of all applicants.

HSBC said it will not lend to furloughed workers whose return to work date is further than three months away or there is no return date at all.

Mortgage broker and advisor London & Country said: Mortgage lenders have sought to support those on furlough through the lockdown period and in the main have continued to accept furloughed income when considering how much they can offer to borrowers.

That would of course often mean a reduced income and consequent reduction in the size of borrowing available but at least most lenders would be able to consider lending.

As we move closer to the unwinding of the jobs retention scheme borrowers should expect to see more questions about return to work and some lenders are now stipulating that they will want some confirmation. Getting employer confirmation may not be possible for all at this stage but on the upside those that can, may be able to use their return to work income for the affordability assessment.

That approach will be consistent whether for first time buyers or next time buyers as lenders will need to be able to demonstrate that the mortgage is affordable and will remain sustainable.

However the market is still light on deals for those with small deposits which is often a bigger issue for first time buyers and some of the lenders that have returned to the 90% LTV market will potentially set a higher expectation when it comes to credit score.




After crashing to multi-year lows, benchmark indices have registered a strong comeback. Nifty has jumped 50 percent to hit 11,300-mark for the first time since March 3 this year.

Even though the sharp rise is seemingly ahead of the fundamentals, technically, the rally was on expected lines and is likely to move towards 11,400 levels soon, experts feel.

"Equity benchmarks behaved precisely in line with our expectations as the Nifty logged a resolute breakout from the intermediate resistance of 10,600 and eventually surpassed our target of 10,900. This made us confident of revising target upward to 11,400," ICICI Securities said.

In the coming month, the brokerage expects the index to maintain its positive momentum but the upside will be capped at 11,400.

The benchmark index saw a consistent rally in the previous six consecutive weeks, rising more than 12 percent.

"Key point to highlight during the past six week's up move is that the Nifty has seen a sharp up move that hauled the weekly stochastic oscillator to the overbought territory (currently at 96). Therefore, the possibility of a temporary breather at higher levels cannot be ruled out," said the brokerage.

However, ICICI Securities believes a breather from here on should not be construed as negative. Instead, it should be capitalised on to accumulate quality stocks amid the ongoing Q1FY21 result season, the brokerage advised.

As per its relative rotation graph projection and technical ranking, cyclicals (IT, Pharma, Telecom, Agri and Chemicals) are expected to outperform henceforth.

The brokerage is neutral on Infra and Realty, while Consumption and Metals could also be bargain buys now, it feels.

Sun Pharma, Ajantha Pharma, Procter & Gamble Health, Pidilite Industries, Trent, Bajaj Electricals, Berger Paints, L&T Technology Services, Tech Mahindra HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, DCB Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Eicher Motors, Bharat Forge, Cochin Shipyard, Mishra Dhatu Nigam, Container Corporation and HPCL are its top picks, said ICICI Securities.

The brokerage believes the Nifty has strong support at 10,600 as it is the confluence of a) as per the change of polarity concept last month's resistance of 10,600 would now act as support, and b) 38.2 percent retracement of current upmove (9,544-11,240), is placed at 10,592.

Currently, as both Midcap and Smallcap indices have already rallied for 10 weeks, ICICI Securities expects broader markets to maintain the same rhythm by extending the ongoing rally, in fact, it could outperform benchmarks.

Both, midcap and small-cap indices, despite participation in the rally from March lows, still underperformed on a year-to-date basis in addition to past two years of underperformance. The Nifty50 fell 8.5 percent while the Nifty Midcap lost over 10 percent and Smallcap 15 percent YTD.

On the technical ground, ICICI Securities expects the midcap and smallcap space to catch up and outperform the benchmark based on the following thesis:

- During the ongoing major upmove from March low of 7,511, the Nifty has almost retraced 80 percent of CY20 decline (12,430-7,511), 11,445, while Nifty midcap, smallcap indices retraced only 61.8 percent of CY20 decline;

- Constant improvement has been observed in the market breadth. Currently, around 50 percent constituents of the Nifty midcap and smallcap indices are sustaining above their long term 200-day SMA compared to last month's reading of around 38 percent, which signifies broadening of participation.

: The above report is compiled from information available on public platforms. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Rafale to S-400 air defence systems all set to add more firepower to Indian Air Force

People would do bhangra for Rafale jets if there was no COVID, says Anil Vij

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

New Delhi, July 29: Ahead of the five Rafale jets landing at Ambala airbase on Wednesday, Haryana Minister Anil Vij said, "Today, history is being created. The people of Ambala are awaiting the arrival of Rafale fighter jets."

Rafale: First batch of 5 Fighter Jets land at Ambala airbase after covering nearly 7,000 Km|OneIndia

Vij added, "If there was no COVID-19, the people here would have done 'bhangra' and played the 'dhol' to welcome the fighter jets."

The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, and they are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.

Watch: Rafale fighter jets landing at Ambala Airbase in Haryana

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India. The jets were also refuelled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet.

India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, the Rs 59,000-crore deal was signed on September 23, 2016, for 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.

The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base and is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

The Rafale aircraft will cover a distance of nearly 7,000 kms from France to India. The Indian Air Force pilots and supporting personnel have been provided full training on aircraft and weapon systems by Dassault.


RESULTS



SECOND QUARTER 2020



Consolidated Revenue: 55.0m



Consolidated Growth: + 2.6%



Organic Growth on a like-for-like basis: + 1.9%



Profitability (EBITDA margin): 14.4%



FIRST HALF OF 2020



Consolidated Revenue: 112.1m

Consolidated Growth: + 7.7%

Organic Growth on a like-for-like basis: + 6.0%

Profitability (EBITDA margin): 13.1%



ANALYSIS



The + 6% organic growth for the 1st half of 2020 at constant exchange rates on a likefor-like basis can be broken down as follows:



- Software: - 9.1%



- Services: + 7.9%



The Software division shows a decrease, mainly due to the postponement of licence revenue that was budgeted for the first half-year.



The Services division reacted to the crisis with different trends depending on the countries.



Two countries stood out in particular:



- BeLux (-0.4%) that did not show growth due to the Tipik subsidiary, in charge of the development of information systems linked to the organisation of events within the European Union.



- The UK (+ 18.9%) whose business activity was energised by the Oil market.



2020 OUTLOOK



Sword Group plans organic growth of 5%+ (versus 12% budgeted) associated with an EBITDA margin of 13% (no change in relation to the initial budget).



PROJECT TO SELL THE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN FRANCE



Argos Wityu and Sword Group have entered into negotiations with a view to the acquisition by Argos Wityu of the French business activities of Sword Group.



The perimeter concerned by the operation envisaged includes:



- The Services business activities currently managed by the French subsidiaries in France,



- The international Software activities with the National Trademark and Patent Offices.



This perimeter, the profitability of which is in line with the Group standards, generates a revenue trend of 60 million for 2020.



Argos Wityu is a European Fund whose investment strategy favours company growth, and who invests in particulier in the new technologies sector. While preserving the assets and expertise developed by the Group in France, Argos Wityu and the current management team of Sword France have an ambitious development project.



Sword Group will focus on:



- In France, the Software activities generally speaking,



- In the GRC sector (Risk Management and Compliance), acquisitions that provide products that are complementary to those already managed by this division,



- In the UK, Services through aggressive mainly organic growth but also supported by targeted acquisitions,



- In the other countries, the pursuit of its organic growth accompanied by potential acquisitions.



[The operation remains subject to information and consultation of the staff representatives and to approval of the anti-trust authorities.]



Story continues

Attachment




State and local law enforcement will begin securing properties and streets, especially those surrounding federal properties, that have been under nightly attack for the past two months.
In the early morning hours of July 24, Kingston Midstream experienced an oil spill at its terminal in Cromer.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/7/2020 (540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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In the early morning hours of July 24, Kingston Midstream experienced an oil spill at its terminal in Cromer.

"At 3 a.m. a release of oil occurred at Kingstons Cromer terminal," said the companys public affairs adviser, Becky Cassidy.

"Kingston Midstream personnel took immediate steps to stop and contain the release. Applicable regulatory agencies have been notified. Personnel are on site to complete any necessary remediation work."

Cassidy could not address the volume of the spill, saying the company did not have that information.

"Were still confirming details," she said.

But she did say the spill did not head in the direction of the Pipestone Creek.

Kingston Midstream stores and transports crude oil, and until 2019 was known as Tundra Energy Marketing Limited. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of James Richardson & Sons, Limited, and acquired the Cromer asset in 2017.

Cassidy could not say if there had been previous spills.

Dean Brooker, the Reston office manager for the Souris River Watershed District and emergency plan manager for the RM of Pipestone, said the municipality had been notified of the spill.

"Theyre in the process of cleaning up the site," Brooker said, adding the company could provide more information.

"Were happy with the work theyre doing."

The province did not get back to The Brandon Sun by deadline.

 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.
Because students have been at home for several months now, the American Heart Association and Region 4 Education Service Center want to make sure Houston-area children are mentally prepared to head back to campus when they are able.

Dr. Larry Mitnaul is a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist at Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, Kansas, and a volunteer medical expert for the American Heart Association. He said children are likely deconditioned and not necessarily prepared mentally or socially to dive back into the stresses of school.

MORE FROM TRACY MANESS: Principals at Katy ISDs new schools discuss plans amid virtual start to year

For that reason, I think its even more important that were aware of that for our kids and thinking about ways to proactively support and help them to do their best once they go back and working that into family life, Mitnaul said.

He explained that mental health is important to the American Heart Association because it is so highly intertwined with physical health. The pandemic has brought isolation and a decrease in physical activity and connections for many children. A heart will sometimes palpitate during high physical activity and times of anxiety, so Mitnaul said exercise helps the body to cope with that stress.

Region 4 walks alongside 48 traditional school districts and 39 public charter schools across seven Houston-area counties, offering training, products, technical assistance and supports services. Executive Director Pam Wells said although helping students perform well is the organizations main goal, helping to make sure every child is safe, healthy and connected is part of its Safe and Healthy Schools mission. So Region 4 partners with AHA because they share in that objective.

The American Heart Associations focus is to be a force for longer, healthier lives, Wells said. Both organizations know that for students to be successful academically, they must also be healthy and that means having healthy food and healthy support systems.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: COVID-19s coming mental health toll is a disease of despair

Through training and supporting educators, Region 4 supports the mental health of roughly 1.2 million students in its Houston-area school districts, Well said. Hurricane Harvey created a turning point that led to an increased awareness of how crises and trauma affect students and staff members. Wells said Harvey, school violence, the ITC tank fire, Tropical Storm Imelda and now the global pandemic have heightened awareness around mental health and what Region 4s efforts should look like.

One example is that Region 4, in partnership with the Harris Center for Mental Health and the Texas State of Mind/Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, has trained about 1,900 teachers and staff members in Mental Health First Aid, Wells said. But mental health for students is not just a function of dealing with trauma: it also involves helping students develop resilience and life skills.

Mitnaul recommends parents having frequent conversations with their children to gauge how they are doing mentally around going back to school, asking questions like how they are feeling and where they are finding joy or frustration. He said also that mental health issues can sometimes come in the form of headaches or stomach butterflies, so it is worth parents going deeper to see whats really happening.

Mitnaul said for parents, finding some peace with the back-to-school situation and recognizing that the pathway back to campuses is a process will help them to project a better attitude for their children. Its easy for parents to learn about the plans from leadership and roll their eyes or mutter under their breath about whats going on, but he cautioned their children will pick up on those cues.

MORE FROM TRACY MANESS: Compassion Katy to help 3,000 children get ready for school

If we can help, you know, shape their expectation of how positive things will be, at least in reconnecting with friends in the way that they can, and helping and reframing things in the positive, I think that gives them a chance to hopefully and joyfully embrace the fall, in whatever form, Mitnaul said.

Wells said remaining in communication with schools and getting behind their schedules and assignments will also foster a successful fall semester.

I encourage parents to take time to review district and campus websites and to communicate with their childrens teachers, counselors and school leaders about both their academic and emotional and mental health. It will take all of us, working collaboratively, to meet the needs of our students, Wells said.

For more resources from the American Heart Association on childrens health during the pandemic, visit www.heart.org/kids. Region 4 offers resources for both educators and parents at www.esc4.net/safeandhealthyschools. Additionally, visit Dr. Mitnauls YouTube page at https://tinyurl.com/y32m9rlt for helpful videos.
A 20-year-old woman, Chioma Dioke, has narrated how kidnappers forced her elder brother to have sexual intercourse with her while they were in captivity.



Speaking on Tuesday, July 28, Chioma said the kidnappers held them inside a bush called Sambisa forest located in Ezzagu in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.



Chioma, her brother and another victim had gone to Onunwafor, Ezzagu in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State for business purposes before they were kidnapped and held hostage for five days before police came to their rescue.



Chioma, who is from Nsukka in Enugu State, and the two other victims had gone to Ezzagu to sell their goods which included noddles, diapers and oil.



The business involved a modality that allowed people of the community to invest money and those who invested were receiving high amounts as their returns.



However, the owner of the investment business reportedly ran away from the community with the payments made by their customers without the knowledge of Chioma and her brother.



In anger, the youths abducted Chioma, her brother, and the other person involved in the business and held them hostage in the bush. They were starved, threatened, and sexually assaulted.



Narrating her ordeal to journalists at the state police command in Abakaliki after her rescue from the kidnappers den. Chioma said she was repeatedly raped by boys from the community while others inserted hands, rods and sticks into her private part. She said they also forced her brother to have sex with her even though he told them it was incest and forbidden.



She said: "A company employed me to advertise noodles, diapers, oil and other products. If you invest N1,000 in the business, you will get N1,500. We were just doing that and we were paying our customers.



"One day, our boss travelled. I went to the office and couldnt see three of our colleagues. I only saw my elder brother and one other guy that was working with us. As three of us were in the office, the community youths came and started beating us, demanding where our boss was. They tore my clothes, pants and bra and took us into a thick forest.



"They started molesting me; some had sex with me, while others inserted hands into my private parts. Some pressed my breasts.



"After they finished molesting me, they said my elder brother must have sex with me. They carried my brother, beat him up thoroughly and ordered him to start having sex with me. My brother told them that it was against our culture. They insisted that he must do it and pointed a gun at his head. My brother had no option than to have sex with me.



"After blood gushed out of my private parts, they ordered my brother to clean the blood. When he refused, they beat him up again. They came to me again and had sex with me in the pool of my blood."



"After having sex with me again, some of them came to me and inserted sticks in my private parts. Later, they took us to another forest where we stayed for four days. If they hear anything like a gunshot, they will take us to another forest."





Source: LIB









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Though Brennan had argued that his clients age and health made her especially susceptible to the novel coronavirus, the judge sentenced Glenn to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. As a compromise, Blake said Glenn did not need to surrender until Sept. 21, and the date could be extended based on the severity of the pandemic.
Unprecedented mail-in voting didnt stop Northampton County from delivering its election results early the night of the June 2 primary.

It took Lehigh County days to finish an initial count in a contested Allentown state representative race. And more than a week to certify results.

Elected officials in Lehigh County are trying to learn lessons from the 2020 primary to avoid a repeat in the November general election. Pennsylvania is a battleground state in the 2020 presidential race with the power to swing the election. The county doesnt want the nation waiting for its vote tallies to determine who will be the next president on election night.
Russia has intensified efforts to sell arms to Southeast Asia, looking to lift its economy and diversify diplomatic relations in an increasingly polarized world, Nikkei Asia Review writes in the article Russia locks onto Southeast Asia to boost arms sales. Lyudmila Vorobieva, Moscow's ambassador to Jakarta, expressed high hopes this month for Indonesian purchases of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets. The Southeast Asian country had signed a contract to buy 11 of these planes for the equivalent of $1.1 billion back in 2018, though the U.S. has hinted at sanctions on Indonesia should the deal go through.

"Sanctions will not prevent the purchase of high-quality Russian arms," Vorobieva told reporters. Indonesia, which regards the Su-35s as its new mainstay fighters, is monitoring moves by Russia and the U.S.

Russia and Vietnam also affirmed military cooperation at a virtual meeting of high-ranking defense officials July 3. Moscow has exported submarines and other equipment to Vietnam in the past, as well as tanks to Laos in January.

Russia produced 28% of the arms in value terms procured by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations between 2010 and 2019, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reports, up from 24% between 2000 and 2009.

In contrast, the U.S. sank to 18% from 23%. China's share more than doubled between the two decades, but it still trails far behind Russia at roughly 8%.

Russian arms are said to be cheaper than U.S. and European alternatives. Some ASEAN countries like Indonesia and Thailand have cut defense spending in response to the coronavirus pandemic even as China increases activities in the South China Sea, making Russian military equipment an attractive option.

"Russia is flexible on payment methods other than cash, which gives it an edge in developing economies," said Shinji Hyodo, director of policy studies at Japan's National Institute for Defense Studies. Indonesia is slated to make half its payment for the Su-35 jets with exports of palm oil, rubber and other products.

Moscow sees arms exports to Southeast Asia as a way to lift the country's economy, which has suffered under lengthy sanctions led by Washington. It also is pursuing multilateral cooperation in anticipation of a further decoupling between the U.S. and China.

Russia seeks to diversify its economic relationships in Asia by selling nuclear power technology and information technology to Southeast Asian markets, according to Vassily Kashin, a research fellow at the Institute of the Russian Far East.

Greater Russian involvement in Southeast Asia also gives the region more diplomatic options. With the South China Sea as a flash point for Washington and Beijing, ASEAN members worry they will be forced to choose between the two powers. Russia "could become a negotiation chip for us with the U.S. and China," said a source at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.

Russia and the 10-nation bloc are working together economically and on the coronavirus response as well. They agreed to cooperate on vaccine development, in a statement from their foreign ministers meeting in June, and ASEAN hopes to secure its supply of a vaccine candidate under development in Russia.

Singapore signed a free trade deal with the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union in 2019. Russia hopes to sign trade pacts with other Southeast Asian nations as well.
Donald Trump said the doctor was "very impressive" - EPA

Donald Trump has defended his support of a controversial Texas doctor who has touted unproven drugs to treat the coronavirus and pushed other unscientific theories.

The US president on Monday shared a video on Twitter of Dr Stella Immanuel promoting the use of the antimalarial hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19 cases.

In the video, which was taken on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington at a so-called "White Coat Summit", Dr Immanuel recommended hydroxychloroquine, which studies have shown is not effective for treating the novel coronavirus.

She described studies casting doubt on the drug as fake science sponsored by fake pharma companies."

The presidents son, Donald Trump Jnr, also shared the clip, describing it as a must-watch, and was on Tuesday issued with a temporary ban by the website. The video has since been deleted by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for promoting misinformation.

She was on air, along with other doctors, and they were big fans of hydroxychloroquine and I thought she was very impressive, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. She says she has had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients.

"I thought her voice was an important voice, but I know nothing about her," he said before abruptly ending the conference.

Further research on Dr Immanuel's webpage, now accessible only via an archived website viewer, as well as her YouTube account, reveal a long list of bizarre and unscientific beliefs.

These include that "tormenting spirits" routinely have "astral sex" with women, which in turn causes "gynecological problems, marital distress, miscarriages" and more.

In a 2015 video, Dr Immanuel, who leads a religious group called Fire Power Ministries, said: "There are people ruling this nation that are not even human," describing them as "reptilian spirits" who are "half human, half ET."

In the same video she rails against the use of "alien DNA" to treat sick people, which she said had resulted in human beings mixing with demons.
Copperas Cove, TX (76522)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by cloudy and windy conditions after midnight. Low near 25F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by cloudy and windy conditions after midnight. Low near 25F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Former major league right-hander Alex Wilson has retired, Robert Murray reports. The 33-year-old will join the Ballengee Group as an advisor, per Murray.

Wilson, a second-round pick of the Red Sox in 2009, debuted in 2013 and generated solid results with Boston over a combined 56 innings through 2014. But Wilson wasnt long for the Red Sox, who traded him to Detroit after the 2014 campaign in the teams Yoenis CespedesRick Porcello swap. Wilson went on to enjoy a successful stint as a member of the Tigers, with whom he was a durable and effective reliever.

Wilson amassed 264 2/3 innings and pitched to a 3.20 ERA with 5.8 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 as Tiger from 2015-18, but they non-tendered him heading into last season. He saw his final major league action in Milwaukee, where he was tattooed for 12 earned runs on 15 hits in 11 1/3 frames. Although the Tigers brought Wilson back last offseason on a minor league contract, they ended up releasing him in June.

While his career didnt end in ideal fashion, theres no denying Wilson had a more productive MLB career than most. Hell depart with 332 innings of 3.44 ERA ball and 6.1 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9. MLBTR wishes Wilson the best in his next venture.
Chris Aronson "Its not about what you say, its about what you do, and Cartessa is delivering on their word. This is why I wanted to be a part of this amazing team." - Chris Aronson

In just three years, Cartessa Aesthetics has grown to be a significant player in the aesthetics industry, eclipsing many of the long-established companies in both sales revenue and organization size. To continue to fuel this rapid growth, Cartessa Aesthetics announced today that Chris Aronson will be joining the companys executive team as Chief Commercial Officer. In this role, Aronson will lead the strategic expansion into new verticals and support the best-in-class portfolio of products which includes the new RF Microneedling Platform VirtueRF, the CoolPeel by Tetra CO2 treatment that is reinvigorating CO2 device space and at least two more launches planned for 2020.

Aronson brings to Cartessa 20 years of sales and management experience in the medical device industry. Having joined Cynosure in 2003, Aronson held various positions in his fourteen year tenure with Cynosure including his final role as Executive Vice President of North American Sales over seeing yearly revenue in excess of $200 million, a 100+ person commercial team, and multiple product launches and company acquisitions. After leaving Cynosure, Aronson introduced the Artas iX Robot and built the North American sales force for Restoration Robotics and planned the launch the Elipse Intragastric balloon for Allurion in North America and Australia (pending FDA approval).

This is an extremely exciting opportunity, shared Aronson. Over the last 3 years I have been closely watching what the team at Cartessa Aesthetics and Gabe have been building and it is very impressive. The attention to every detail and the pride in which Cartessa delivers service and support to their customers is what sets them apart in a very crowded industry. Its not about what you say, its about what you do, and Cartessa is delivering on their word. This is why I wanted to be a part of this amazing team.

As CCO, Aronson will once again work with Cartessa Aesthetics Founder and CEO, Gabe Lubin. Chris and I have had great success working together in the past. His industry knowledge coupled with his strategic expertise makes him the right leader to help us achieve our mission and ambitious goals, said Lubin. Aronson will work alongside an executive team with deep marketing, operations and financial experience. Lubin added, Our executive team reflects what Cartessa was founded to deliver  partnership and products that are unlike other aesthetic companies - and I am excited that Chris will be joining this leadership team.

About Cartessa Aesthetics, LLC.

Cartessa Aesthetics, LLC sources leading aesthetic medical devices for distribution to dermatologists, plastic surgeons, cosmetic physicians and medical spas. Cartessa selects the most cutting-edge technologies that offer clinically proven efficacy, patient safety, and the best possible investment for patients and professionals. Cartessa is the exclusive US partner for Quanta Systems and the companys portfolio also includes VirtueRF by ShenB, Motus AX & Motus AY, Tetra CO2 with CoolPeel and Luxea (all manufactured by DEKA) and Skinwave. For more information visit: http://www.cartessaaesthetics.com.
Disputes between Daraa and Suweida, which have often turned violent, have prevented farmers in the region from collecting their harvest and stripping them of a livelihood writes Enab Baladi.

At the beginning of the year, Khaled planted wheat; however, he had not been able to get to his fields to harvest crops; because of disputes between residents of al-Qrayya in Suweida Governorate and those in Busra al-Sham in Daraa Governorate.

The effects of kidnappings carried out by Yahya al-Najim, (a leader of a local kidnapping gang) last March, in his village of al-Qrayya, of two people from Busra al-Sham are still playing out, even after his killing by an armed faction from Suweida. As a matter of fact, clashes erupted between members of the Fifth Corps in Daraa and the local factions.

On Mar. 27, 2020, these clashes resulted in the killing of 15 people from Suweida whose bodies were handed over to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), after the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Palestine, Sheikh Mwaffaq Tarif, intervened. Two days later, the SARC transferred the bodies to the National Hospital in Suweida.

Subsequently, the Fifth Corps, supported by Russia, penetrated the western parts of al-Qrayya and raised earthen berms along these lands, for to two kilometers on the borders with Busra al-Sham, which are still there to this date.

Russia as guarantor is ineffective

Speaking to Enab Baladi, Khaled blamed Russia and the regime for not resolving the issue, after villagers tried to reclaim their lands, on Apr. 25, 2020, and declared a state of alert following a deadline given to Syrian regime and Russia, supporting the Fifth Corps, where they asked them to arrest anyone involved in the March incident.

Meanwhile, various religious and social leaders intervened to resolve the situation, which halted the crowd.

One of the participants in the truce (who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons) described the state of alert as trap, while predicting that the region would be in an open war which is not in the interests of Suweida.

On Apr. 27, 2020, Russian police tried to remove the earthen berms from al-Qrayya; but these attempts failed after gunmen shot at them and killed a farmer who was working on his land, according to the Al-Qrayya Now News Network.

The network described the incident as staged to accuse al-Qrayya residents of targeting Russians, as Russian police fled towards Busra al-Sham.

The network talked about frequent attacks against farmers in the village last May and June while the militants responsible for them headed towards the Fifth Corps earthen berms.

The legal advisor representing factions of the south on the opposition members list for the Constitutional Committee, Hassan al-Hariri, who is also taking part in the reconciliation efforts of both governorates, denied the occurrence of these attacks. He also mentioned that, last June, that members of Fifth Corps freed a kidnapped citizen from Suweida and handed him over to his family.

Hariri, who is a resident of Daraa governorate, added that the Russians asked the Fifth Corps to retreat several times, and participated with Busra al-Shams residents on joint patrols in the area separating al-Qrayya and Busra al-Sham.

The Fifth Corps retreated two kilometers away towards Busra al-Sham and removed one of the earthen berms near al-Qrayya, while keeping a permanent patrol to prevent kidnappings, Hariri said. He also said that security patrols are located in the area between al-Qrayya and Busra al-Sham, in the absence of any kind of boundaries between the two areas.

Farmers waiting for a solution

The fate of al-Qrayya crops, where wheat is the most widely grown crop, in addition to lentils, barley, chickpeas, and cumin, are still unknown, while at least 60 families have lost their livelihoods because of their inability to harvest these crops.

According to al-Qrayya residents, sheep randomly graze on farmland, while farmers are still unable to get to their lands safely.

Muayad Fayyad, a member of the general secretariat of the Social Commission for National Action in Suweida, told Enab Baladi that communication with Daraa residents is underway to reach reconciliation between the two governorates.

Fayyad added that there is coordination between the social authority and the opposing National Assembly in Suweida as well as with the leaders of Men of Dignity Movement, which is the most prominent faction in the province that joined clashes with the Fifth Corps, and everyone wants to put an end to the current dispute between brothers in Daraa. 

Although the parties to the dispute have faulted the regime and its security services, the two parties see that the most prominent obstacle is the difference of opinions and attitudes of the residents in both Suweida and Daraa governorates over the issue, which stands in the way of resolving the dispute.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
A day after Sushant Singh Rajput's father filed an FIR in Patna against Rhea Chakraborty, the actress has filed a petition in Supreme Court seeking transfer of investigation to Mumbai. Satish Maneshinde, Rhea's lawyer, has confirmed the same.

Sushant's father Krishna Kumar Singh lodged the FIR with Bihar Police on Tuesday against Rhea and six others, including Rhea's family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide.

An FIR was lodged on the basis of the bereaved father's complaint on July 25 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to abetment of suicide and fraud, Inspector General of Police, Patna Zone, Sanjay Singh told PTI. The IGP added that a four-member team has left for Mumbai to investigate the charges levelled by the complainant.

Sushant's family lawyer Vikas Singh said that the late actor's family was not satisfied with the way Mumbai Police were investigating his alleged suicide case, and therefore, got an FIR registered in Patna, Bihar.

Singh has accused Rhea, a TV and film actress, of having befriended Sushant in May, 2019 with a clear intent to use his good contacts for the advancement of her own career. Singh wanted a police investigation to ascertain where the Rs 15 crore deposited in a bank account held by Rajput was transferred.

He also claimed that Rhea created "distance" between Sushant and his family.

Read: Sushant Singh Rajput's Family Lawyer Demands Rhea Chakraborty's Arrest: I Hope It Happens Fast

The actor, aged 34, was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.
Let me just say it how it is. You have to be really gutsy (and if I may add, screwed in the head) to play with empathy and goodwill, and especially at a time such as the one we are facing right now. Amid this pandemic, when every single person is struggling with one thing or another on various levels, but instead of finding ways to alleviate peoples worries and pain, some extremely messed up people are using others misfortunes to serve their selfish needs.

 Twitter RafaelFuenmayor-Miami Beach Police

US-based David Hines happens to be such a person who is currently making headlines for showing what exactly a self-serving individual looks like. Heres what he did. Hines applied for coronavirus loans and used the granted amount to buy himself a Lamborghini besides many other luxurious items.



Hines had reportedly applied for a $13.4 million coronavirus loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by producing false statements about a few of his companies payroll expenses. Following his request, Hines was granted a loan of nearly $4 million (Rs 29 crore).

 Twitter fox_sheldon-Miami Herald

As soon as he received the loan amount, Hines went on a shopping spree and got himself a 2020 Lamborghini Huracan worth $318,000 approx before moving on to shop from luxury retailers and having a good time at Miami Beach resorts.



However, it was later found out that the data provided by Hines didnt co-relate with his previous months debits and credits. Which meant that not only did he lie about having 70 employees but also that the monthly payroll expenses summed up to $4 million. Whereas in reality, it is believed that Hines probably has about 12 employees he is accountable for.

 Twitter fox_sheldon

The expenditures and luxury purchases didnt go unnoticed and Hines was arrested for bank fraud, making false statements to a financial institution and engaging in transactions in unlawful proceeds. Both Hines newly-purchased Lamborghini and the remaining money have been seized.



Serves him right, we say. At a time when most economies are already struggling and when those funds could have been utilised by some other genuinely needy organizations, this person decided to fill his pockets and get a taste of luxury at the expense of others pain.

Now Hines will go chakki peesing and peesing.
WEST CHESTER  A young Valley Township mother who squeezed her infant son so hard when she was angry with him that she left the child with multiple rib fractures asked a Chester County Common Pleas judge to allow her to return to her family and begin being a mom.

I would do anything I can to be a mother to both of my kids, Brianna Lynam said during a July 29 sentencing hearing for the assault charges she pleaded guilty to earlier this year. I dont want to be in jail anymore. I am not trying to make an excuse, I am trying to be a better mom.

Her request for leniency, however, was met instead with a stern sentence from Judge Jacqueline Carroll Cody, who ordered her incarcerated in state prison for three to 10 years.

The prosecution had been seeking a sentence of four to eight years, while Lynams attorney had asked that she be allowed to serve a term of less than two years in Chester County Prison.

Cody, in handing down her sentence, said she recognized that Lynam, 19, had faced a struggle as a young mother who had little help in dealing with a newborn infant, and that Lynams own experience with a difficult childhood had played a role in how she reacted to her parenting problems.

That is what happens when people dont have good parents, Cody said. They end up continuing the same behavior.

But the judge said Lynams abuse of her 3-month-old son was such a serious, serious matter that I cant take it lightly.

The damage you caused to your child is something you cannot undo, Cody told Lynam. What you did was inexcusable. You made a series of decisions to hurt your child and not ask for help.

In June 2018, the young boy was brought to Brandywine Hospital by his grandmother after the older woman noticed he had trouble breathing and had suspicious bruises on his foot, according to a scenario laid out by Deputy District Attorney Erin OBrien of the D.A.s Child Abuse Unit, who prosecuted the case.

X-rays of the child at the hospital showed as many as nine rib fractures, with subsequent examination of A.I. DuPont Hospital in Delaware showed three more fractures that had healed. Lynam became a suspect because she was the primary caregiver for the children, OBrien said, and had been heard threatening to kill the infant because the father had not been helping her care for him.

When Lynam, who was 18 at the time, was questioned by Chester County Detectives and Valley police, she admitted that she had become angry at the boy when she thought he was being difficult with her attempts to get him to sit in his chair. She would force him physically to sit straight, and then would grab him by the torso and squeeze his rib cage, she said  showing the investigators how she did so by holding a baby doll.

The injuries the child sustained showed that he had been abused on multiple occasions since some of the fractures were older than others, the prosecutor contended, saying Lynam had shown no remorse or regret for her actions, and does not acknowledge she caused her child pain and suffering.

OBrien argued that Lynams statements that she had no one to help her care for the child were contradicted by assistance she had been offered by her pediatrician before the child was born, as well as by counselors who offered her parenting resources afterward.

While free on bail after her June 28, 2018, arrest, Lynam and the injured boys father reconciled and they had another baby. The father, Joshua Boggs, told Cody that he and Lynam had been through some toxic things, but that the two of them had been working to create a good home during the time since her arrest.

I know in her heart she is not a monster, Boggs said in asking the judge to keep her from a long prison sentence. She just needs help. She just wants to get better. And I cant be a mother and a father.

Assistant Public Defender Peter Jurs, who represented Lynam, asked Cody to cap his clients sentence at 111/2 to 23 months in county prison, delaying her parole date until the end of the term and giving her a lengthy period of probation afterward.

He pointed out that Lynam had no prior criminal record, and had been following bail conditions that Cody imposed to improve her relationship with her children, including completing parenting classes and getting counseling.

Her son, Jurs said, had overcome his injuries. He is fully recovered, he said. He is doing very well. He had no lasting injuries. And she does regret very much what happened here. She means it.

To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.
In the early stages of the pandemic, doctors and scientists focused on how COVID-19  an acute respiratory disease  attacks the lungs. Two new studies out of Germany suggest that even if patients escape hospitalization, the virus can damage the heart.

Its too soon to determine if the damage is permanent, but the findings are not encouraging.

The first study, published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association Cardiology, looked at the cardiac MRIs of 100 relatively young patients who had recovered from COVID-19 and compared them to MRIs of 100 similar people who had not contracted the disease. Two-thirds of the patients recovered at home.

Two months following their recovery, 78 infected patients were found to have structural changes to their hearts. A biomarker indicating myocardial injury similar to that occurring in heart attacks was found in 76 patients. Sixty patients suffered inflammation of the heart.

The average age of the infected patients was 49. None had previous heart issues or other pre-existing conditions; in fact, many were skiers returning from vacation.

The second study, also published in JAMA Cardiology on Monday, examined autopsy reports from 39 people, 78 to 89 years old, who died in April. Analysis of cardiac tissue revealed the virus had infiltrated the hearts of 24 of the patients.

The studies results appeared to validate concerns expressed earlier this month by John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases and vaccinology in the the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program.

There is evidence now that the virus can directly attack heart muscle cells, and theres also evidence that the cytokine storm that the virus triggers in the body not only damages the lungs, but can damage the heart, Swartzberg told Berkeley News. We dont know what the long-term effects of that may be, but it could be that we will have a population of people who survive COVID-19 only to go on and have chronic cardiac problems.

Among those problems are chronic heart failure, a progressive illness in which the heart slowly becomes less able to pump blood throughout the body.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, 27, on Sunday confirmed that he was suffering from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, attributed to his coronavirus infection earlier this summer. Rodriguez had been cleared to pitch after testing negative, but the new diagnosis sidelined him.

Symptoms of myocarditis, according to the Mayo Clinic, include disruption of your heart muscle and your heart's electrical system, reducing your heart's ability to pump and causing rapid or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). The condition can lead to heart failure.

The Boston Globe's Stat News was a source for this article.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

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 Trump says virus in US will get worse before it gets better

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 How Taiwan's COVID-19 response saved lives without wrecking the economy



Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate
As Overland Park police arrested four protesters Friday evening during an event calling for an end to police violence and racism, the protest's organizer noticed officers were not wearing identification badges. He was concerned. According to the Overland Park Police Department's policy, officers are required to wear name plates and badge numbers as part of their uniform, said city spokeswoman Meg Ralph.
Punjab National Bank International Limited (PNBIL) has logged a big win in a UK High Court in its pursuit of around USD 22 million in unpaid loans, setting a precedent for other enforcement cases brought by Indian banks against promoters or guarantors in English courts.

The case by the UK subsidiary of PNB is seen as a landmark decision" for similar cases involving wilful defaulters who are residing in or have assets in the UK, or where the finance agreements are subject to English law and jurisdiction.

However, legal experts stressed that there is no direct link between the outcome of this case and that being pursued by a consortium of 13 Indian banks, led by the State Bank of Indian (SBI), against liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya in the High Court over unpaid loans to the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The PNBIL action seeking enforcement through the UK High Court dates back to 2012 and 2013, when it lent money in relation to the purchase and charter of the cruise liner MV Delphin.

The purchaser was Vishal Cruises Ltd, which was said to be supported by guarantees and/or indemnities by businessman Pradeep Agrawal, chairman of Superior Drinks Pvt Ltd and manufacturer Coca-Cola of beverages in India, and Superior Industries Limited (SIL), also said to be associated with Agrawal.

At a two-day hearing in the commercial division of the High Court in London last month, held remotely due to the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, Justice Sara Cockerill concluded that the case did have jurisdiction in the UK and ordered an interim payment towards the banks costs of GBP 70,000.

This is a significant victory for PNBIL as it means it can now pursue its enforcement action against the defendants in the English courts," said Paul Gair, partner at TLT LLP, the law firm which is incidentally also advising the 13 Indian banks over their estimated GBP 1.05-billion debt recovery action in the UK against Mallya.

It is also a landmark decision for similar cases, as the defendants arguments are commonly raised by Indian-based guarantors. It follows a series of similar cases where Indian banks have successfully pursued wilful defaulters in the English courts who are either residing in or have assets in the UK, or where the finance agreements are subject to English law and jurisdiction," said Gair.

"This shows that this can be a successful enforcement route when pursued properly and under the right circumstances," he added.

After the borrowers defaulted on their loans, PNB had issued proceedings and served them in India.

The defendants, whilst accepting they had entered into the various guarantees, sought to argue that the test for permission to serve out of the UK had not been met, citing various grounds, all of which were considered by the judge.

Justice Cockerill's judgment is seen as providing useful precedent, particularly her dismissal of the argument that the guarantees were invalid because of a lack of regulatory approval by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

On the point of whether a certificate of good service from a foreign (in this case Indian) judicial authority can be valid service of English judicial proceedings, Justice Cockerill also found that there is a strong presumption of service and that a claimant need not look beyond the certificate.

Agrawal and SIL have filed applications in the UKs Court of Appeal earlier this month, seeking permission to appeal Justice Cockerills ruling.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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ATLANTA, July 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Spelman College is among more than 100 non-profit institutions selected to receive a generous gift from novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the College announced Tuesday.

"MacKenzie Scott's gift to 116 organizations breaks new philanthropic ground both in scope and in scale. On behalf of the entire Spelman community, I am honored that Spelman College is among the dozens of institutions who are recipients of her gifts," said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman. "I know that I speak for the entire Spelman community in stating our admiration for all of the areas she has chosen to fund and for the organizations within each area. We share the values her gifts represent.

"Spelman will allocate its gift toward the goals of its strategic plan, designed to educate global leaders who graduate from Spelman with a competitive edge, prepared to become successful innovators and change agents," Dr. Campbell continued.

Now in its fourth year, the plan has as its highest priority the support of Spelman students and faculty. Funding will also go towards the College's goal of supporting scholarly and creative excellence by bolstering its technological infrastructure; developing new sources of revenue; promoting curricular innovations that enhance the competitiveness of Spelman students; and improving academic facilities.

"Driven by a deep belief in the value different backgrounds bring to problem-solving on any issue, we selected for diversity in leadership across all categories of giving, supporting vital variety of perspective and experience in solutions on every cause," said Scott in her announcement today. "Like many, I watched the first half of 2020 with a mixture of heartbreak and horror. Life will never stop finding fresh ways to expose inequities in our systems; or waking us up to the fact that a civilization this imbalanced is not only unjust, but also unstable. What fills me with hope is the thought of what will come if each of us reflects on what we can offer. Opportunities that flowed from the mere chance of skin color, sexual orientation, gender, or zip code may have yielded resources that can be powerful levers for change."

Scott has donated close to $1.7 billion in the past year in support of "The Giving Pledge," launched in 2010 by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and billionaire investor Warren Buffett to encourage the world's wealthiest people to donate a majority of their wealth over their lifetimes.

"The success of Spelman has transformed our society, launching Black women in STEM, in the arts, as entrepreneurs and in leadership roles across the public and private sectors," said Dr. Campbell. "These significant new resources will enable Spelman to continue to graduate Black women with a competitive edge to become successful global leaders and social justice change agents in whatever they choose as their life's work. We are so very grateful."

About Spelman College

Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College's picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The College's status is confirmed by U.S. News and World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 57 among all liberal arts colleges, No. 22 for undergraduate teaching and No. 6 for both innovation and social mobility among liberal arts colleges, and No. 1 for the 13th year among historically Black colleges and universities. The Wall Street Journal ranked the College No. 3, nationally, in terms of student satisfaction. Recent initiatives include a designation by the Department of Defense as a Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, a Gender and Sexuality Studies Institute, the first endowed queer studies chair at an HBCU, and a program to increase the number of Black women Ph.D.s in economics. New majors have been added, including documentary filmmaking and photography, and partnerships have been established with MIT's Media Lab, the Broad Institute and the Army Research Lab for artificial intelligence and machine learning. Outstanding alumnae include Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman, Starbucks Group President and COO Rosalind Brewer, political leader Stacey Abrams, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman's first alumna president Audrey Forbes Manley, actress and producer Latanya Richardson Jackson, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and authors Pearl Cleage and Tayari Jones. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.

Jazmyn Burton

Spelman College

(404) 798-5212

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Twitter: @SpelmanMedia



SOURCE Spelman College

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Rich Pedroncelli/AP

All nine counties that comprise the San Francisco Bay Area have now been placed on the state's COVID-19 watch list after San Mateo County appeared on the list Wednesday.

The county was first displayed on an interactive chart of counties on the watch list before being added to the full list with explanations for each county and the state's county-by-county monitoring chart. On the explanation page, state officials write, "San Mateo County is experiencing an elevated case rate that exceeds the State threshold. The County sees roots of community transmission related to social gatherings without sufficient physical distancing and wearing of facial coverings, as well as higher exposure for residents performing work that involves person-to-person contact and crowded housing conditions that make home isolation difficult."
Assured Guaranty (Europe) plc (AGE UK)* announced that it has guaranteed principal and interest payments on 90 million of bonds issued by Kingston Student Living LLP. The bond issuance will finance the refurbishment and redevelopment of existing student accommodations at Kingston University (the University). As a result of the guarantee from AGE UK, the bonds are expected to be rated AA by S&P Global Ratings.

The 35-year bonds, distributed in two tranches of fixed and index-linked debt, reached financial close on 29 July 2020 and took advantage of low long-term rates. The bonds were sold as a private placement to UK investors.

The bonds will finance the refurbishment and redevelopment of student accommodation spread across two existing University sites in Kingston one at Kingston Hill and one at Seething Wells -providing a total of 1,333 bedspaces for students. The revamped student halls will incorporate refurbished bedrooms, kitchens and new social and study spaces.

Engie Regeneration will refurbish and complete the new development, delivering the accommodation in phases over two years. Engie Facilities Management will maintain the halls during the project term. The shareholders of the project company are Equitix, Engie and the University.

Dominic Nathan, Managing Director, AGE UK, commented:

"We are delighted to have closed another student accommodation financing that demonstrates the ability of our wrapped financing solution to provide an efficient form of financing for projects of this type. Despite difficult financial and general market conditions in 2020 and unprecedented overall public health and economic circumstances, our collaborative approach with the University and sponsors, along with investor demand for Assured Guaranty wrapped debt, has resulted in a successful deal for the University. We believe investors, whether direct lenders or bond purchasers, are attracted by the high rating and associated low capital charges our guarantee adds to long-term financings, along with the efficient asset-liability matching this type of investment can provide."

AGE UK guarantees timely payment of scheduled principal and interest to holders of debt instruments throughout the life of the debt, in accordance with the terms of its financial guarantees.

The advisers of AGE UK on the deal were Norton Rose Fulbright (legal adviser), AECOM (technical adviser), Cushman Wakefield (demand adviser) and Marsh (insurance adviser). Traderisks acted as bond lead manager.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

All of the securities having been sold, this announcement is for information purposes only.This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold or transferred, directly or indirectly, in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an available exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States.

AGE UK (company number 2510099) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. AGE UK provides its financial guarantee together with a co-guarantee from its affiliate Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. (AGM

Through its subsidiaries, Assured Guaranty Ltd. (AGL and, together with its subsidiaries, Assured Guaranty) is the leading provider of financial guarantees for principal and interest payments due on municipal, public infrastructure and structured financings. Its subsidiary AGM guarantees international infrastructure and U.S. municipal bonds. AGE UK, a subsidiary of AGM, is Assured Guaranty's United Kingdom operating platform. AGL is a publicly traded (NYSE: AGO), Bermuda-based holding company. More information on AGL and its subsidiaries can be found at AssuredGuaranty.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Any forward-looking statements made in this press release reflect Assured Guaranty's current views with respect to future events and are made pursuant to the safe harbour provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those resulting from Assured Guaranty's inability to execute its business strategies; the demand for Assured Guaranty's financial guarantees; the development, course and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the governmental and private actions taken in response, and the global consequences of the pandemic and such actions; those risks and uncertainties resulting from changes in rating agency models or opinions; adverse credit developments related to Puerto Rico or other portions of Assured Guaranty's guaranteed portfolio; and other risks and uncertainties that have not been identified at this time, management's response to these factors, and other risk factors identified in AGL's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are made as of 29 July 2020. Assured Guaranty undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005629/en/

Contacts:

Investor Relations:

Robert Tucker, +1 212-339-0861

Senior Managing Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

rtucker@agltd.com



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South Africa: Mkhize welcomes Nehawu report, commits to improve working conditions

The Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has welcomed a fact-finding report by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), which details challenges faced by health workers in their fight against COVID-19.

The report, released on Tuesday, identified a general lack of personal protective equipment, staff shortages and a lack of compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act as some of the challenges in the public healthcare system.

Responding to the report, the Minister called for reference to specific provinces, districts and facilities, so that the identified shortfalls can be addressed immediately.

The constant reporting of incidents of non-compliance will assist us in protecting our frontline workers.

We also continue with our drive to recruit new health workers, especially in light of field hospitals, which will stretch the current workforce. This recruitment is being done on an urgent basis during this pandemic period, said Mkhize.

The fact-finding report follows continued reports that some health facilities are still not complying with health protocols.

To address the lack of compliance, at the beginning of July, the Minister requested that a labour workstream be formed by the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC), which will work on a fact-finding exercise, focusing on issues affecting health workers, with a specific focus on the PPE requirements.

The Minister further requested that the labour workstream identify specific facilities that have shortages, so that the Department of Health can immediately intervene in those facilities.

This exercise is ongoing and the Minister will now not only rely on reports from the provincial Departments of Health to understand the situation on the ground. This will now be augmented and the department will benefit from the work done by the labour workstream of the multi-sectoral MAC to timeously respond to concerns raised, said the Minister.

The Health Department reiterated its commitment that no health worker should be exposed to a work environment where they have not been provided with sufficient PPE.

We will continue to provide as much support as we can in various areas affecting our health workers. We continue to take seriously all concerns raised by health workers, said the Minister.

He encouraged unions to continue to engage in all structures and platforms to raise issues, and bring them to the departments attention.

He further thanked health workers on the frontline for their hard work and dedication.

I salute all the men and women who serve our nation in the health sector. I thank them for their dedication and hard work in caring for our nation in the fight against this invisible enemy. We bow our heads as we pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in this fight and convey condolences to their loved ones.

"I salute all our heroes: the doctors, nurses, radiographers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, laboratory workers, therapists, technologists, technicians, emergency care officers, drivers, porters, care workers, general workers and all health worker categories for your commitment to serving our people. It is because of your hard work that South Africa will triumph over the pandemic.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Editors Note: Oil Editor Mella McEwen is one of the Reporter-Telegram staff members who covered President Trumps visit to Midland and Odessa.

By Mella McEwen

Its been warm but luckily theres a nice breeze. Air Force One is an awesome sight.

Watched the president greet Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, former Gov. Rick Perry and some students from Permian and Odessa high schools.

We marveled at all the people lining the roads and waving at the media vans.

Leisurely drive down I-20 to the Odessa Marriott. Along the way, some people stood at attention. The Craddicks  Tom, Nadine and Christi  were seen waiting to enter the luncheon.

The press area was quite busy as journalists filed their stories.

***

The first requirement for everyone was a COVID test. Luckily, they didnt stick the swab up as far as I had dreaded. A half hour later, I got a negative result and a wristband.

A short time later, it was on to the airport, where a drug-sniffing dog checked all the gear and we were all wanded (magnetometer) before going to the tarmac.

***

Covering a presidential visit is a lot of hurry up and wait. Sat in the media van at least 15 minutes waiting to head out to the drilling rig.

***

Driving to the rig, the caravan again encountered large crowds as it drove down FM 307 through Greenwood and then down CR 1120 to the rig.

The caravan kept going and going -- including past two other rigs -- before arriving at the Double Eagle rig. Once there, the president walked up on a stage where he posed with executives from Double Eagle, while noting that it was hot and windy.

He then returned to his vehicle, which drove around to the large tent that had been set up and where several hundred people were waiting, while members of the media hustled across the drill site to the tent. Inside was a campaign-like atmosphere, complete with music
A video of a Houston doctor explaining the benefits of the controversial anti-viral hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus has gone viral, with President Donald Trump and his son tweeting about it on social media.

The doctor at the center of the video is Stella Immanuel, who describes herself as a pediatrician and emergency room physician. Immanuel is a part of a group referring to themselves as Americas Frontline Doctors.

On Monday, members of the group gathered outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. to push use of hydroxychloroquine and cited other information surrounding the global health crisis. After a video of the event was posted on Monday, it was removed by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The group held a second press conference on Tuesday to reiterate their views.

Originally from Cameroon, Immanuel said she went to medical school in Nigeria.

Im kind of used to these medications, said Immanuel, during the presser on Tuesday. When they started saying it was dangerous, I was like what? Because we give it to babies, pregnant women, elderly people. Everybody takes it. Hydroxycholoriqune works.

Immanuel said she has treated over 350 patients with the drug and not one person has died.

If they put everybody on hydroxychloroquine right now, for those with early disease and those that want to get prevention, said Immanuel. Im telling you, it would stop covid in its tracks in 30 days.

President Donald Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr. shared the video of the doctor's gathering on social media. As a consequence for sharing the video, Twitter limited the account functionality of Donald Trump Jr. for twelve hours. President Donald Trump has often widely praised the benefits of using hydroxychloroquine, despite warnings from the Food and Drug Administration.

Most recently, the FDA said the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, another drug used to treat covid-19, have caused reports of heart rhythm problems, kidney injuries, liver problems and blood and lymph system disorders.

Immanuel reposted her video Tuesday on her Twitter page, writing that Big Tech is censoring Experts and suppressing the CURE. I will not be silenced.

Hello Facebook put back my profile page and videos up or your computers with start crashing till you do. You are not bigger that God, Immanuel also posted on Monday after her video was removed. I promise you. If my page is not back up face book will be down in Jesus name.

brooke.lewis@chron.com
Boeing Co slashed production on its widebody programs, delayed the arrival of its newest jet, and confirmed the demise of its iconic 747, as it reported a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss on Wednesday amid fallout from the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The US planemaker, which is also grappling with the 16-month-old ban on its 737 MAX after fatal crashes, delayed its timeline to hit build rates of 31 narrowbodies monthly to early 2022 from 2021, as the pandemic decimates new jet demand. It now expects to resume 737 MAX deliveries to airline customers before year-end in the ...
A Waterloo Road actress whose husband died from a rare brain tumour has told how their two young children are now terrified they'll lose her too due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Holly Matthews, 36, of Coventry, who played Leigh-Ann Galloway on the BBC show and also spent an eight-year stint on Byker Grove, lost Ross Blair three years ago today.

Ross was just 32 when he passed away on July 29, 2017 after battling a grade 4 primitive neuro-ectodermal tumour (PNET), leaving Holly and daughters Brooke, nine, and Texas, seven.

Holly said the Covid-19 outbreak and the UK going into lockdown has 'stirred up' her family's grief.

Holly Matthews, 36, of Coventry, lost her husband Ross Blair three years ago today to a rare brain tumour. Pictured with their daughters Brooke and Texas

Being in lockdown has 'well and truly' tested Holly as a single mother, but she tries to live each day to the full

'I suffered a lot of anxiety at the beginning of lockdown as I felt empathy for so many people suffering bereavement,' she told FEMAIL.

'That brought my own grief to the fore. It is only now that I am allowing myself to focus on the grief I felt in Ross' final days and my feelings about what we went through.

'End of life care is very traumatic and it's been too painful to process until now. But now I feel strong enough to sit with my feelings and start to work through them.

'I don't think avoidance is a healthy way to cope with things but you don't have to feel all your feels at once.'

Holly played Leigh-Ann Galloway on Waterloo Road (pictured) and also spent an eight-year stint on Byker Grove

Three years on from Ross's death, Holly - who founded the Happy Me Project - admitted it still feels 'surreal'.

'In some ways, it feels a million years ago and in other ways just two seconds ago. Life moves forward and life is great a lot of the time, but he's not here,' she said.

'In the first year of grieving, you're in shock and there's so much to sort out and adjust to, you get by on adrenaline. The second year is more painful as it hits home this person isn't coming back.

'Now the third year is having the strength to deal with my feelings about my last days with Ross.

'It's a time of transition between the person I was with him and how his loss is shaping the person I'm becoming.'

Three years on from Ross's death, Holly - who founded the Happy Me Project - admitted it still feels 'surreal'

Ross was just 32 when he passed away on July 29, 2017 after battling a grade 4 primitive neuro-ectodermal tumour (PNET). Pictured with Holly and their girls

Being in lockdown has 'well and truly' tested Holly as a single mother.

'Like so many other people, I'm finding it challenging to balance looking after the girls, home schooling and running a home with my work,' she revealed.

And Covid-19 has triggered more heartbreaking conversations with Brooke and Texas.

'After Ross died, the kids were scared I'd die,' Holly explained. 'The pandemic has made them quite fearful again and they asked me, "Mummy, will you get Covid and die, too?"

'After their daddy dying, their blueprint of the world is that the worst can happen. I can't lie to them and say I'll never get ill or die.

Covid-19 has triggered more heartbreaking conversations with Brooke and Texas, with the girls worried they'll now lose their mum to the virus

'As a family, we've always been honest and talked everything through. I acknowledge the girls' fears, but don't want to scare them, so I encourage them to focus on the positive - that I'm young, healthy and I look after myself.

'Most of all, I tell them that what we're happy and healthy in the "right now", and that's what we've got to focus on.'

The family has been doing their best to do just that during lockdown - and TikTok fan Brooke and keen gymnast Texas have been getting creative with make-believe visits to different countries like France and Turkey.

'We marked Ross' birthday in May with a Disney party day and a quiz as he loved quizzes,' Holly recalled.

'On Father's Day we had a pirate day, as that's something the girls played with him.

'We talk about him every day and laugh about his jokes and quirks. I see him in both girls which makes me smile, but sad that he isn't getting to see the wonderful young people they are turning out to be.

'Brooke is strong-minded like Ross and Texas looks just like him and shares his thoughtfulness.'

Holly met 'the love of her life' Ross in 2008 at a Pimms promotion job.

Holly met 'the love of her life' Ross in 2008 at a Pimms promotion job and the couple's relationship developed very quickly

'Before we met, I cringed if anyone mentioned love at first sight, but it was instant and his friends called us "Rolly",' Holly recalled. 'I moved in with him the next day.'

Brooke was born in March 2011. A year later, the couple got married and Texas was born in February 2013.

Ross started experiencing low moods and, around December 2013, he became increasingly depressed and fatigued.

He suffered excruciating 'ice pick' headaches, which doctors put down to migraines, until scans revealed Ross had a brain tumour.

In February 2014, he underwent a five-hour operation during which surgeons removed most of the tumour, but had to leave some due to its position. Ross was given a 50-50 chance of surviving five years.

Ross suffered a seizure on his 32nd birthday on May 17 2017. A scan revealed his tumour was growing back rapidly and there was nothing more doctors could do for him

He had six weeks of radiotherapy followed by eight months of chemotherapy.

Two-and-half years later, Ross' tumour grew back. In August 2016, surgery removed as much of it as possible.

'It was then I accepted Ross was going to die,' said Holly.

They concentrated on the 'now' and made as many happy memories as they could.

A few days after they got back from a holiday in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Ross suffered a seizure on his 32nd birthday on May 17 2017.

A scan revealed his tumour was growing back rapidly and there was nothing more doctors could do for him.

Holly told FEMAIL: 'My husband died at 32, far too young and it hurts. But to honour his life, I'm going to make damn sure me and his daughters live fully, live bravely and experience as much happiness as we possibly can'

Ross was in hospital for two weeks and then moved into a hospice, where he passed away peacefully in Holly's arms with his parents and sister at his side.

Now Holly is a high profile supporter for The Brain Tumour Charity and is backing their new relationship counselling service in partnership with Relate.

'The Brain Tumour Charity was always there offering support and guidance and when the end came for Ross that didn't stop,' she said.

'I am constantly inspired by the work they do and there is such a need for their new counselling service.

'When your partner is diagnosed with a brain tumour, it changes your roles and dynamic.

'Ross and I pretty much split everything down the middle but he really struggled with his lack of independence, especially when he couldn't drive and I had to drive him everywhere.

Now Holly, pictured with her daughters, is a high profile supporter for The Brain Tumour Charity and is backing their new relationship counselling service in partnership with Relate

'In the last few months of Ross' life, at times I felt more like his carer than his wife. When he went into a hospice, I could focus on being his partner again.'

After sharing her story on ITV's Lorraine show last year and saying there's no 'right way' to grieve, hundreds of people got in touch with Holly after she struck a chord with them.

'Helping other people gives me so much, too,' Holly, who is a health and wellbeing regional finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur awards, added.

'The ethos behind my Happy Me Project is self-development doesn't have to be fancy.

What is a primitive neuro-ectodermal tumour? Primitive neuro-ectodermal tumours (PNETs) are primary central nervous system (CNS) tumours. This means they begin in the brain or spinal cord. PNETs are Grade IV tumours which means they are malignant (cancerous) and fast-growing. They occur more commonly in children, but can occur in adults. PNETs are very rare tumours and their classification is evolving. PNETs occur more often in males than females and are most common in white people. The cause of PNETs is not known. Some PNETs are related to genetic changes. Advertisement

'You don't have to be a certain kind of person to be happy and create a life you love  you can be a person who's been through trauma, loss, sadness and grief and you can take all that hardship and still have a fabulous life.

'I hope that people who are in a similar position can see me as hope, as someone who wasn't and isn't willing for sadness to be my whole life.'

Holly is also passionate about new research into brain tumours as The Brain Tumour Charity recently revealed it is funding 4.8 million research over the next five years.

'Everyone needs hope that their loved one may be the one who will be saved,' she said. 'Hearing that there was nothing more that could be done for Ross and that there was no hope of a cure was devastating.

'It's like looking for a needle in a haystack but there isn't even a needle yet.'

To raise money to help find a cure and support people living with brain tumours, Holly, Brooke and Texas are taking part in The Brain Tumour Charity's virtual Conquer the Climb challenge.

'I'm doing Everest and the girls are doing Snowdon on our stairs,' said Holly. 'It may be too late for Ross, but we want to help The Brain Tumour Charity give hope to other people.

'My husband died at 32, far too young and it hurts. But to honour his life, I'm going to make damn sure me and his daughters live fully, live bravely and experience as much happiness as we possibly can.'

Sarah Lindsell, The Brain Tumour Charity's chief executive, said: 'We are so grateful for Holly's continuing support. Her honesty in talking about the impact of Ross' brain tumour diagnosis on their relationship, his death and her grief help so many people.

'We're very proud Relate is partnering us in providing a counselling service to couples or individuals who are struggling to cope with changes to their relationship caused by a brain tumour diagnosis.

'Our Losing Myself report found that two in three people felt their diagnosis had a negative impact on their relationship with their partner, while 72% said it had affected physical intimacy.

'And, at a time when every penny counts more than ever, we're grateful to Holly and all our wonderful supporters for taking part in Conquer the Climb.

'Covid-19 has put so much on pause but this brutal disease isn't on pause - and nor is our work, which is why we are funding 4.8 million for vital research over the next five years.'

For more information visit thebraintumourcharity.org or to learn more about Holly's work visit iamhollymatthews.com
The operation of the device is based on non-contact and non-invasive spectrometry-based techniques

Professor Samir K. Pal & his group at S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata, an autonomous research Institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India has developed a device called 'AJO-Neo'.

The operation of the device is based on non-contact and non-invasive spectrometry-based techniques for measurement of neonatal bilirubin level as an alternative of total serum bilirubin (TSB) test without limitations of other available bilirubin meters.

According to the study conducted by the SNBNCBS team in NRS medical college, the newly developed device is reliable in measuring bilirubin levels in preterm, and term neonates irrespective of gestational or postnatal age, sex, risk factors, feeding behavior or skin color.

The device is found to deliver an almost instantaneous report (about 10 seconds) to a concerned doctor, who is sitting 10000 km away from the point of care. This is a significant achievement compared to the conventional blood test method, which may take more than 4 hours to generate the report.

The Technology has been transferred by the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India in the presence of Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST to a Vijayawada based company, M/s Zyna Medtech Private Limited.
The Senate committee on finance has invited the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, over the funding status of three federal government legacy road projects estimated to cost N2.7 trillion.

Also to appear before the panel are the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and the Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Uche Orji.

The chairman of the panel, Solomon Olamilekan, gave the directive during an interactive session with the NSIA boss on Tuesday.

The legacy projects are the Abuja-Kano road, Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the Second Niger Bridge. They are funded and implemented through a tripartite agreement between the ministries of finance, works and the NSIA.

Mr Orji, who was invited for the same reason, told the lawmakers that the federal government established the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) in February 2018, to accelerate the execution of certain critical, strategic infrastructure projects essential to the rapid growth and modernization of the nations economy.

He said that the PIDF is being managed by the NSIA to develop the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge Project, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road, Mambilla Hydro-Power Project and the East West Road. He said the total cost of the projects is estimated to be N2.7 trillion.

Sources of funds for the projects included federal governments initial seed funding of $650 million transferred to PIDF in 2018; N90 billion transferred by the Ministry of Finance to PIDF in 2019 and $311 million recovered funds transferred to the PIDF in 2020, he explained.

The NSIA is to provide $300 million, China Exim N1.423 billion, second seed funding $650 million and other sources (local and international financial institutions), $770 million. We have so far expended the sum of N231.8 billion on the three projects as follows: Lagos-Ibadan (N60.9 billion), 2nd Niger Bridge (N100.6 billion) and the Abuja-Kano road (N70.1 billon).

The PIDF is being utilised in the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge project and the Abuja-Kano Road. And the construction contracts were executed between the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH) and the contractors before they were transferred to the PIDF  therefore, all information and documentation relating to the projects prior the handover should be sought from the FMWH.

He also said the legacy debts of the three projects are the responsibility of the FMWH.

Current balance

Giving the current status of funds, Mr Orji noted that the PIDF balance as of June 2020 stood at N181.4 billion.

This balance, he said, incorporates recovered assets of $311 million.

We estimate these funds to be depleted by the beginning of quarter three of 2021.

Under the PIDF mandate, NSIA is to receive two transfers of $650million. Thus far, NSIA received one of the transfers. Once the funding in Q3 2021 is expended, NSIA will either need the additional transfer or raise funding from other sources, he said.

Concerned lawmakers

The lawmakers, however, disagreed and sought to know why he claimed that the projects are being managed by the NSIA but yet refused to inherit the assets and liabilities of the projects.

Mr Olamilekan noted that some issues, particularly funding of the road projects and cost variation require explanation.

On the issue of funding, by virtue of the information at my disposal and by what the finance minister made me to understand, is that you are playing critical roles by providing funds for the legacy projects.

As of today, two years down the line, only $300 million is in the books as having been spent on the projects, this gives cause for concern. We believe that funding is critical to these projects. If the funding is not there, there is no way we can achieve those time frames that you have set out for the completion of the projects.

In his response, the NSIA boss told the panel that the requested information should be sought from the highlighted ministries particularly because the questions are largely from situations that occurred before he assumed office.

Every day we argue out the issue of variation because any slight change affects my budget because I have a number that Im working towards. Any change in the scope of work is a problem to us.

I cant answer some of the questions that border on variation and events that took place before I took over. We need to sit down with the active players in the historical contracts award preceding our entrance.

The panel thereafter, directed that the invited parties appear before the committee alongside Mr Orji in two weeks time to explain the status of funding for the projects and the issue of legacy debts.

On that note, we would be bringing on board the minister of finance, the minister of works and housing, the Managing Director of the NSIA, the Accountant General of the Federation, and the contractors, who should be invited by the minister of works.

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I know there are variations already but we want to know the value and the scope of works that the variation covers; we want to know it because we dont have it. That is why we want to know the actual value for the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, for the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and for the Second Niger bridge, Mr Olamilekan said.
Prosecutors dropped charges against a former Fairfax County, Va., sheriff's deputy accused of sexually assaulting a prisoner after the woman did not show up to testify for a preliminary hearing in the case Wednesday.

Patrick McPartlin of Warrenton was facing two counts of object sexual penetration for allegedly assaulting the victim in a Fairfax City parking lot while he was taking her to the Loudoun County jail in March, police said. The assault allegedly occurred inside a Sheriff's Office cruiser.
Vitamin D is recognized as an important co-factor in several physiological processes linked with bone and calcium metabolism, and also in diverse non-skeletal outcomes, including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity and cognitive decline, and infections. In particular, the pronounced impact of vitamin D metabolites on the immune system response, and on the development of COVID-19 infection by the novel SARS CoV-2 virus, has been previously described in a few studies worldwide.

The collaborative group of scientists from the Leumit Health Services (LHS) and the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine of Bar-Ilan University aimed to determine associations of low plasma 25(OH)D with the risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization. Using the real-world data and Israeli cohort of 782 COVID-19 positive patients and 7,025 COVID-19 negative patients, the groups identified that low plasma vitamin D level appears to be an independent risk factor for COVID-19 infection and hospitalization. The research was just published in The FEBS Journal.

"The main finding of our study was the significant association of low plasma vitamin D level with the likelihood of COVID-19 infection among patients who were tested for COVID-19, even after adjustment for age, gender, socio-economic status and chronic, mental and physical disorders," said Dr. Eugene Merzon, Head of the Department of Managed Care and leading researcher of the LHS group. "Furthermore, low vitamin D level was associated with the risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19 infection, although this association wasn't significant after adjustment for other confounders," he added. "Our finding is in agreement with the results of previous studies in the field. Reduced risk of acute respiratory tract infection following vitamin D supplementation has been reported," said Dr. Ilan Green, Head of the LHS Research Institute.

"According to our analysis, persons that were COVID-19 positive were older than non-infected persons. Interestingly, the two-peak distributions for age groups were demonstrated to confer increased risk for COVID-19: around ages 25 and 50 years old," said Dr. Milana Frenkel-Morgenstern, the leader of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine research group. "The first peak may be explained by high social gathering habits at the young age. The peak at age 50 years may be explained by continued social habits, in conjunction with various chronic diseases," Dr. Frenkel-Morgenstern continued.

"Surprisingly, chronic medical conditions, like dementia, cardiovascular disease, and chronic lung disease that were considered to be very risky in previous studies, were not found as increasing the rate of infection in our study," noted Prof. Shlomo Vinker, LHS Chief Medical Officer. "However, this finding is highly biased by the severe social contacts restrictions that were imposed on all the population during the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, we assume that following the Israeli Ministry of Health instructions, patients with chronic medical conditions significantly reduced their social contacts. This might indeed minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection in that group of patients," explained Prof. Vinker.

Dr. Dmitry Tworowski and Dr. Alessandro Gorohovski. from the Frenkel-Morgenstern laboratory at Bar-Ilan University's Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, suggest that the study will have a very significant impact. "The main strength of our study is its being large, real-world, and population-based," they explained. Now researchers are planning to evaluate factors associated with mortality due to COVID-19 in Israel. "We are willing to find associations to the COVID-19 clinical outcomes (for example, pre-infection glycemic control of COVID-19 patients) to make the assessment of mortality risk due to COVID-19 infection in Israel," said Dr. Eugene Merzon.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:05:05|Editor: huaxia

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BRUSSELS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission has signed a 63 million-euro contract with American pharmaceutical company Gilead to secure treatment doses of Veklury, the brand name for Remdesivir, for the treatment of COVID-19, it announced on Wednesday.

The commission said in a statement that batches of Veklury will be made available to the EU member states and the United Kingdom from early August. The distribution will be coordinated by the European Commission.

Remdesivir was the first medicine authorized at the EU level for treatment of COVID-19 after the European Commission fast-tracked the request for authorization earlier this month. At the time, media reported that the United States had locked down all the production for July and 90 percent of it for August and September.

But EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides was upbeat about the drug reaching Europe. "In recent weeks, the Commission has been working tirelessly with Gilead to reach an agreement to ensure that stocks of the first treatment authorized against COVID-19 are delivered to the EU," she said in the statement.

Kyriakides said the contract, funded by the Commission's Emergency Support Instrument, was signed on Tuesday, and thus would enable the provision of the medicine for the treatment of around 30,000 European patients presenting severe COVID-19 symptoms, helping cover the current needs.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control will be involved in the allocation at the EU level to ensure fair distribution. The Commission said it was preparing a joint procurement for more supplies of the medicine for the period of October onwards.

Remdesivir is a treatment against COVID-19 for adults and adolescents as from age 12 with pneumonia who require supplemental oxygen. Its producer, Gilead must submit the final reports of the Remdesivir studies by December 2020 as part of the conditions to move from a conditional marketing authorization to a full marketing authorization. Enditem
Islamabad, July 29 : A Pakistani soldier was killed in cross-border firing from the Afghan side in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday, officials said.

An army statement said that terrorists carried out a firing raid from the Afghan side of the bilateral border on a security forces' post in Bajaur district, Xinhua news agency reported.

Pakistani security officials have long been saying that militants have crossed border into Afghanistan as a result of major operations in the country's tribal regions.

The Pakistani militants routinely attack the border posts from the Afghan side.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have a nearly 2,600-km border, mostly porous. Pakistan is fencing the border with Afghanistan to block the movement of the militants.
2020 has been a very tough year for the U.S. as a whole, but some portions of the country have been hit much harder than others.

For example, if you live in a rural area that hasnt seen any civil unrest and that hasnt been hit very hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the way that you are living your life now may seem nearly unchanged from the way you were living your life in 2019.

But if you live in an urban area that has experienced endless protests and rioting and that has seen COVID-19 sweep through local neighborhoods like wildfire, your life in 2020 may look radically different from the way it looked in 2019.

Unfortunately, conditions in our largest cities are not likely to improve dramatically any time soon.

But many people that live in rural communities are feeling pretty good about things right now. Even though more than 52 million Americans have filed new claims for unemployment benefits over the last 18 weeks, the official unemployment rate in many rural counties is still in the single digits.

I know that may be difficult to believe, but that is what the numbers tell us.

Sadly, in many of our largest cities it is a completely different story. New York City was one of the early epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, and many of us will never forget watching video footage of the looting that took place in the heart of Manhattan earlier this year. As a result of all of this chaos, the unemployment rate in the state as a whole is nearly twice the national average

New Yorks unemployment rate rose to 20.4% last month, according to state-level data issued Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that detailed figures for some large metro areas. Thats up from 18.3% in May and 15% in April.

We see a very similar story when we look at the city of Los Angeles.

Thanks to COVID-19 and endless civil unrest, the official unemployment rate in the city is hovering near 20 percent

Los Angeles, the second-largest U.S. city, has seen a similar level of joblessness. Its unemployment rate recovered slightly in June but remains startlingly high  at 19.5%, versus 20.6% in May, according to data published Friday by Californias Employment Development Department.

Unfortunately, it appears that the COVID-19 pandemic and the violence in our major cities are both going to be with us for the foreseeable future.

Some people think that the civil unrest will disappear if Joe Biden wins in November, but I do not believe that is the case. Nearly all of the major cities where the violence is happening are controlled by radical Democrats, and those radical Democrats have been completely unable to control the riots. To the protesters, Republicans and Democrats are both two sides of the same coin and are both responsible for the injustices in our society, and they are not going to give up on their goals just because a moderate Democrat like Joe Biden wins the election.

At this point, millions upon millions of Americans are sticking closer to home these days because of COVID-19 and all the unrest, and this has been particularly devastating for the leisure and hospitality industries

The unemployment rate in the leisure and hospitality industries, including restaurants, soared from 5.7% in February to 39.3% in April, and in June was still at an unprecedented 28.9%. By comparison, the overall unemployment rate is 11.1%, and no other industry comes close to restaurants level. The restaurant industry employed nearly 9.2 million people in June, almost 3 million more than in April but still 25% below where it was in February. Anecdotally, though, restaurant workerseven those whove spent decades in the industrysay theyre looking to get out. The line of work that had been stable, geographically flexible, reliable and largely safe for generations is no more, they say.

As I discussed the other day, we have already lost thousands upon thousands of small and independent restaurants, and this restaurant apocalypse is only going to get worse with each passing month.

Moving forward, some cities may never be the same again. In Las Vegas, the official unemployment rate recently hit 29 percent, and everyone agrees that tourism will never recover until the pandemic ends.

If this pandemic stretches on for several years, many of those unemployed workers will be forced to abandon the city entirely in order to find work elsewhere.

Sadly, competition for the few good jobs that are available will become increasingly fierce, and this will result in millions of Americans falling out of the middle class.

And we are starting to see some numbers that indicate that this process is already moving along very quickly. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 24 million Americans say they have little to no chance of being able to pay next months rent.

Just think about that.

We never saw anything like this during the last recession, and the Census Bureau says that things are particular dire for Black and Hispanic renters

This month, nearly 28% of Black renters say they havent paid last months rent, and about 46% say they have slight or no confidence theyll be able to pay next months rent, according to figures from the Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. Hispanic renters face similar economic strain: 22% say they missed last months rent and 46% fear they wont make rent next month.

Those numbers are simply eye-popping. As people increasingly get behind on their bills, the cries for more direct government assistance will become deafening, and it appears that Republicans and Democrats in Congress both want to pass yet another stimulus bill.

Of course that will mean borrowing and spending more gigantic piles of money that we do not currently have, but at this point most Americans do not seem to care that we are literally completely destroying our financial future.

For such a long time, I warned that the next economic downturn would be worse than the last recession, and that has turned out to be precisely correct.

And what we are experiencing right now will pale in comparison to what is eventually coming.

But for most people, the only thing that seems to matter is what is happening here and now.

And at this moment we are seeing tremendous economic suffering in major cities all over the nation, and in an election year very few of our politicians want to be the bad guy that says that we cant hand out free money to everyone.

So our currency will continue to be rapidly devalued, our debt levels will continue to explode, and we shall get to see where this relentless march toward socialism takes us.
Musician and card bearing member of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Kwame A Plus is alleging that his party footsoldiers have become more powerful than the Police Commissioners and Army Generals in the country under the Akufo-Addo government.

A Plus's said this when reacting to a video where the bodyguard of the minority chief whip in Parliament yesterday clashed with a man claiming to be a national security operative at Baba Kompu, a registration center at Aboabo number 2 in the Asawase Constituency.

The civilian was seen arguing with the police bodyguard of the Asawase MP while two military officers intervened to prevent fisticuffs.

The gun-wielding man, known as Boyo, according to reports was a member of a pro-NPP vigilante group, Delta Force.

He threatened to open fire at the police officer if the officer did not leave the registration centre.

Reports say, the police officer was stationed at the registration centre by the Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak to ensure peaceful exercise after confusion broke out.

Read A Plus post below:

Ghana Police Service: "We are investigating a video on social media in which a person in apparent civil dress is seen brandishing an object, which appears to be a pistol in the face of a Police Officer, with Soldiers apparently calming tensions down.

All the uniformed persons in the video are known officers who are presently stationed in the Ashanti region, where the incident took place. They all reported the incident to their commanders on Monday 27th July 2020 when it occurred."

Me: in less than 3 hours you were able to

1. arrest and arraign a parliamentary candidate before court for saying that your commander in Winnneba is the reason why there is no peace in the community.

2. DR Yankson was able to arraign me before court because a politician insulted me and I replied him but you are here investigating someone who drew a gun at an officer and you claiming that "it was an object suspected to be a gun"

When you arrested and arraign Wisa before court for showing his manhood on stage, did you state that it was something suspected to be his manhood?

We know nothing will come out of this so called investigation. Who does not know that you will come and real us it was a stick? It is a shame!!! You are the cause of the mistrust and your own downfall. You are not brave men. You have become a laughing stock. You only use your power to arrest the weak in society while those who are supposed to know better misbehave and walk free.

It's a shame!!!
Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, Heather Humphreys, said it was particularly encouraging to see the downward trend (Julien Behal/PA)

Eighty five people whose Pandemic Unemployment Payments (PUP) were stopped during a holiday may have been entitled to them, the Irish Government said.

The Department of Social Protection has completed the review of the 2,500 PUP cases where the payment was stopped for travelling abroad.

The Government will no longer cut peoples PUP if they travel to countries on the green list.

The Department said: This review has identified some 85 cases that have the potential to be entitled to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment for a holiday period.

The Department will be contacting the 85 individuals directly in the coming days to verify these cases.

It emerged that hundreds of people have had their PUP halted after they were checked while travelling out of Dublin Airport.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said the policy would be changed so that people who travel to the green list countries will not be affected.

The list excludes mainland UK, the US, and popular holiday destinations for Irish holidaymakers such as Spain.

The 15 approved areas are Malta, Finland, Norway, Italy, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Slovakia, Greece, Greenland, Gibraltar, Monaco and San Marino.

The number of people receiving the #COVID19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has fallen by 52% since the peak on 5th May.



Read more in this week's payment update here: https://t.co/8JRjalDszj#COVID19Ireland pic.twitter.com/b9yfasIYMJ  Department of Social Protection (@welfare_ie) July 29, 2020

Ms Humphreys told the Dail: I have now asked my officials to amend the regulations so that people on jobseekers who wish to travel to any of the countries on the green list can do so and continue to receive their payment.

For countries not on the green list, persons can travel for essential reasons only.

Earlier, Labour leader Alan Kelly said that people receiving the PUP are being discriminated against under new legislation passed by the Dail on Tuesday.

Mr Kelly also said that the decision to withhold the payment from people travelling abroad has no basis in law.

Despite widespread opposition from TDs, new legislation was passed that requires people in receipt of the PUP to be actively seeking work. It will now be sent to the Seanad for consideration.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said people on the payment should be seeking work and Government advice states people should avoid non-essential travel abroad.

However, according to the Department of Social Protection, more than 90% of those individuals were leaving the country permanently.

Mr Kelly called for a breakdown of those figures.

There is an issue about reasonable grounds for actually casting the net across ports and airports and effectively interrogating people as regards their social welfare status, given the changes that have been mishandled by the minister (Ms Humphreys), Mr Kelly added.

Weve come through a pandemic, weve done our best, theres been a huge amount of solidarity, but that solidarity went out the window last night because of the discriminatory changes effectively brought in by this Government.

I believe that the actions that have been taken against a certain cohort of people to date have no basis in law until the Bill that was brought forward in the Dail is actually signed by the President in the coming days, or weeks.

This Government has lost the run of itself - first pay rises and then pay cuts or waivers, more Special Advisors, more Junior Ministers and now an extra 200,000 for a State car and 2 Garda drivers for the Minister for Foreign Affairs. #Dail pic.twitter.com/SV3yKRQcGI  The Labour Party (@labour) July 28, 2020

Mr Kelly described the handling of the changes as a mess.

This is about the changes that have been brought about by the current minister to discriminate against people who are on PUP payments, who were working, and lost their jobs, he added.

Many of these people are waiting. Take bar workers, take people working in some of the hospitality industry, take people who are working in some areas around the leisure industry.

They are waiting to come back to work based on the next phase of the implementation of our reopening time.

They have a legitimate expectation not to be treated like this, so this is discrimination and it is a real absolute change by this Government as regards the basis upon which bringing people together in solidarity.
New York - Police say two men have been arrested for assaulting workers at a Trader Joes in New York City over the stores mask requirement.

NBC reports John Carrero and Alejandro Escobar, both 34, entered a Trader Joes store on East 32nd Street on July 14 when several employees told them to leave because they refused to wear face coverings despite concerns about coronavirus. An NYPD spokesperson said they refused to leave the store and pulled a mask off one employee as the scene escalated into violence.

Carrero hit a 22-year-old female employee in the head with a wooden paddle and another workers hair was pulled. Escobar allegedly threatened to get a gun and, after leaving the store, Escobar hit a store window with a chair in an attempt to re-enter, police said.

Vice reports the employee who was hit by a paddle -- used by cashiers to signal theyre ready to checkout a new customer -- was bleeding from the head and went to the hospital.

A spokeswoman for Trader Joes told NBC that seven other employees suffered some sort of injury that did not require hospitalization. All eight workers are now doing OK and are back at work. The company also gave them the opportunity to temporarily transfer to another Trader Joes location or to receive paid time off; Trader Joes has also hired a security guard for the store.

Carrero and Escobar each face charges including disorderly conduct, harassment and criminal trespassing. Carrero is also charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon and Escobar is charged with menacing.

Both were released on their own recognizance and are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 13.

Escobar denied all wrongdoing in an interview with NBC, saying he was recording a video for his YouTube channel. He also said he was wearing a mask that covered his mouth and part of his nose because of asthma.

New York state requires a mask or face covering in public and situations where social distancing is not possible, such as stores, to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Trader Joes also requires face masks for all customers and employees in stores nationwide, with exceptions for young children and people with medical conditions who cannot wear face masks.

Every NY business is permitted by law to refuse entrance to customers who are not wearing masks. No one has the right to endanger the health of store employees or other customers, Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted Wednesday along with a news story about the Trader Joes incident.
As Northwesterns Evanston and Chicago homes continue to grapple with two historic challenges, COVID-19 and systemic racism, the university is in a position to help lead the way in finding a solution, and it has a duty to do so, said Northwestern President Morton Schapiro in the release. As part of our efforts to strengthen our communities, Northwestern is increasing our commitments in Evanston and Chicago.
Four of the nation's most powerful CEOs beamed into a Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday and raised their hands to swear to tell the truth as they faced a barrage of questions on one major issue: Are their companies too big and powerful for America's good?

Members of the House Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee came at them with a wealth of newly released documents that could pose problems for the tech giants as they confront investigations around the globe.

Lawmakers hammered Google Sundar Pichai about his company's relations with China and whether it steals ideas from other businesses, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg about a blizzard of disinformation plaguing his social network, and Apple CEO Tim Cook on whether his iPhone-maker strong-arms developers on its App Store.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos  the world's richest man, making his long-awaited first-ever appearance before a congressional hearing  faced no questions at all for nearly two hours, before offering an inconclusive answer on whether the company uses data to undermine its third-party merchants. Amazon is still facing allegations that one of its executives misled Congress about that same issue last year.

The virtual testimony comes at a time of rising legal jeopardy for the major tech companies, who are the subject of antitrust and consumer-protection probes in Washington, multiple U.S. states and Europe.

Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) set the tone early, with an opening statement vowing to check the power of the "emperors of the online economy." But so did Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the full Judiciary panel, who laid out a long series of alleged slights against conservatives by top social media companies  and later got into a shouting match after a Democrat accused him of promoting fringe conspiracy theories.

See live highlights from the hearing below.

6:30 P.M.

Amazon seller fees increasing because of greater use of services, Bezos says

Story continues

Amazon is making more money from sellers fees because more third-party sellers are using its services, CEO Jeff Bezos told lawmakers, countering the idea that his company is unfairly profiting from the merchants.

But the Amazon CEO acknowledged that the marketplace algorithm may indirectly favor those who pay the company to fulfill orders.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) cited a new report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance that found Amazon brought in nearly $60 billion from seller fees last year  21 percent of Amazons total revenue  and that the e-commerce giant keeps about 30 percent of each sale. That amount is up from 19 percent of each sale five years ago.

Bezos said the increased amount is because sellers are spending more money with Amazon by using additional services such as Fulfillment by Amazon, where the company stores and ships products on behalf of third-party sellers.

When you see these fees going up, sellers are choosing to use more of our services we make available, he said. Previously they were shipping their own products from their own fulfillment centers so they would have had costs doing that.  Now they are doing that through Fulfilment by Amazon.

Bezos also acknowledged that the Buy Box  which preselects the seller for when a user clicks on a product  indirectly favors sellers who use the Fulfilled by Amazon services.

Indirectly, I think the Buy Box does favor products that can be shipped with Prime, he said. The Buy Box is trying to pick the offer that we predict the customer would most like. That includes price, that includes delivery speed, and if youre a Prime member, it includes whether the item is eligible for Prime."

In response to questions from Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ill.) about stolen and counterfeit goods, Bezos said he believes that Amazon requires sellers to provide a real name and address, but wasnt sure whether a phone number is required. He also said he didnt know how many resources Amazon devotes to seller verification.

6:04 P.M.

Jeff Bezos: Social media a nuance destruction machine

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos took a rare swipe against a core feature of his Silicon Valley competitors late in todays hearing, singling out social media as destructive for free expression.

What I find a little discouraging is that it appears to me that social media is a nuance destruction machine, Bezos said. And I dont think thats helpful for a democracy.

Bezos offered his critique while testifying by videoconference, alongside the head of social media giant Facebook.

He was responding to House Judiciary ranking member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who was invoking the idea of cancel culture and the notion of online mobs that shout down unfashionable opinions. The lawmaker was assessing whether lawmakers were concerned about the polarizing idea, which some question as overblown.

I am concerned in general about that, Bezos told Jordan.

Other tech CEOs also appeared sympathetic to Jordans cancel culture worries.

Apple CEO Tim Cook noted he wasnt all the way up to speed on the idea but expressed concern: If youre about where somebody with a different point of view talks, and theyre canceled, I dont think thats good. I think its good for people to hear from different points of view and decide for themselves.

Im very worried about some of the forces of illiberalism that I see in this country that are pushing against free expression, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Jordan, without identifying specifics.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai simply noted the interest in building platforms to allow freedom of expression.

 John Hendel

5:41 P.M.

Tech CEOs demur on China, except Facebooks Zuckerberg

The Chinese government steals U.S. technologies, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said  making him the only one of the four tech CEOs willing to say that plainly in response to a question from Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.).

I think its well-documented that the Chinese government steals technology from American companies, Zuckerberg said.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said he had no personal knowledge about Chinese technology theft.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai initially followed Cooks line, but later corrected the record to confirm that in 2009 China stole Google information in a well-publicized cyberattack.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who answered last, acknowledged that he had read many reports about technology theft by Beijing, but had no first-hand experience beyond knock-off products sold on Amazon.

All four CEOs passed on the opportunity to suggest how Congress could better help defend U.S. companies abroad, against either technology theft or excessive regulation.

 Leah Nylen and Ryan Heath



5:22 p.m.

Cicilline to Zuckerberg: You cant contain deadly content

Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who heads the Houses probe into tech giants, accused Facebook of tolerating a fountain of misinformation that benefits the companys engagement-driven business model  even on topics as deadly as the coronavirus.

Theres no competition forcing you to police your own platform, the House antitrust subcommittee chairman told CEO Mark Zuckerberg. During the greatest public health crisis of our lifetime, dont you agree that these articles viewed by millions on your platform will cost lives?

The lawmaker cited articles that drew millions of views on sites like Facebook while making claims about Covid-19, including those describing President Donald Trumps musings about placing disinfectants inside the body or allegations that coronavirus hype is a political hoax.

Cicilline said Facebook allows such content to reap advertising dollars. But Zuckerberg countered that this kind of noxious material is not helpful for our business.

It is not what people want to see, and we rank what we show in Feed based on what is going to be most meaningful to people and what is going to create long-term satisfaction, Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg defended Facebooks policy of taking down bogus information that could cause imminent harm and its attempt to highlight authoritative guidance. But Cicilline brought up a Monday video from the conservative website Breitbart, which dismissed the necessity of masks and called hydroxychloroquine a Covid-19 cure  and which experienced soaring Facebook traffic over several hours before Facebook removed it.

A lot of people shared that, Zuckerberg said. And we did take it down because it violates our policies.

After 20 million people saw it after a period of five hours? Cicilline countered. Doesnt that suggest, Mr. Zuckerberg, that your platform is so big that even with the right policies in place, you cant contain deadly content?

 John Hendel



4:57 P.M.

Cook: Apple wasnt trying to protect its own app when it removed competitors

Apple didnt consider the impact on its own parental control app when it removed some of the most popular apps that limit screentime from its App Store, CEO Tim Cook told lawmakers.

Apple introduced its own Screen Time app, which allows parents to limit how much time kids spend on their phones, in September 2018. After that, the company removed a number of competing apps. Qustodio and Kidslox, two of the leading parental control apps, have filed a complaint with the European Commission about their removal.

Cook said Apple removed the apps because of privacy concerns.

We were worried about the safety of kids, Cook said in response to questions by Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.).

Demings asked Cook why the company removed many of the most popular screentime apps but not Absher, an app created by the Saudi Arabian government that uses the same technology.

It sounds like you applied different rules to the same apps, Demings said.

Cook said he wasnt familiar with Absher, but said the App Store has about 30 parental control apps after it changed its policy last year. Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), who returned to the issue later in the hearing, noted that Apple eventually allowed the apps back into the App Store after six months without requiring major changes.

We apply the rules to all developers equally, Cook said. I see Screen Time as just an alternative. Theres vibrant competition for parental controls out there.

 Leah Nylen



3:55 P.M.

Zuckerberg denies threatening rivals

Facebook has certainly adapted features from competing services, CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged Wednesday, but he denied it has threatened to copy start-ups if they wouldnt sell to his company.

But Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) expressed skepticism about his answer, reading from text messages between Zuckerberg and Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom and messages between Systrom and a venture capitalist. She asked Zuckerberg whether he threatened Systrom and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel by saying he would clone their products if they didnt sell to Facebook. The company bought Instagram in 2012, but Snap rebuffed offers to sell to the social network.

The House subcommittee also posted those documents to its website Wednesday.

Im not sure what you would mean by threaten, Zuckerberg said, referring to the companys effort to build an app called Facebook Camera. It was public we were building a camera app at the time. That was a well-documented thing.

It was clear this was a space we were going to compete in one way or another, he said. I dont think those are a threat in any way.

Jayapal reminded Zuckerberg he was under oath while testifying.

In closing her questioning, Jayapal said she didnt believe threats should be a normal business practice.

Facebook is a case study in monopoly power, in my opinion, because your company harvests and monetizes our data and then your company uses that data to spy on your competitors and copy, acquire and kill rivals, she said. Youve used Facebooks power to threaten smaller competitors and ensure you always get your way. These tactics reinforce Facebooks dominance.

 Leah Nylen

3:44 P.M.

Sensenbrenner: No need for Congress to change antitrust law

House Judiciary Democrats lost a big potential GOP ally if they had any hopes of bipartisan recommendations to update antitrust law as part of their probe into tech giants.

I have reached the conclusion that we do not need to change our antitrust laws, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), the top Republican on the antitrust subcommittee, said hours into the hearing on alleged bad behavior by Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook. Theyve been working just fine. The question here is the question of enforcement of those antitrust laws.

The subcommittees probe has been led by Chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who has been preparing a report to conclude the long investigation. GOP buy-in would strongly bolster its conclusions, including potential recommendations for updates to antitrust law.

Notably, Sensenbrenner seemed to support the probe itself and said hes been working with the chairman for over a year on this bipartisan investigation. His support runs counter to some Republicans who have disparaged Democratic handling of the probe.

But Congress shouldnt toss out a century of precedent, added the retiring House Republican. He said lawmakers should instead pressure antitrust regulators like the Federal Trade Commission, an agency that has faced accusations of going lightly on companies like Facebook and Google.

 John Hendel

3:20 p.m.

'Mr. Jordan, you do not have the time!'

Tempers flared more than two hours into the hearing after Rep. Mary Scanlon (D-Pa.) began her questioning with a dismissal of what she called fringe conspiracy theories of House Judiciary ranking member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

That prompted an outburst from Jordan, who had just pressed Google on whether its biased toward Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden and said he had internal evidence of the search giants interest in encouraging Latino voters in 2016.

The only problem: It was no longer Jordans time to speak, as Democrats immediately reminded him as they shouted him down.

Mr. Jordan, you do not have the time! antitrust subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) declared amid gavel slamming.

When someone told him to wear a mask, Jordan sought to bring up the unmasking  in the surveillance sense  of former Trump White House national security adviser Michael Flynn.

When someone comes after my motives for asking questions, I get a chance to respond, Jordan said before letting the hearing proceed.

For the record, Google CEO Sundar Pichai maintained that his company is apolitical.

 John Hendel

2:56 P.M.

Bezos doesnt totally resolve questions on misleading Amazon testimony

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said the company is still investigating whether employees may have used data it acquires from its third-party sellers to launch competing products  an issue that has prompted allegations that the company misled House lawmakers a year ago.

We have a policy against using seller-specific data to aid our private label business. I cant guarantee you that that policy has never been violated, Bezos said in response to questions from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), whose district includes Amazon headquarters. If we found someone violated the policy, we would take action against them.

The Wall Street Journal reported this year that Amazon employees frequently looked at seller data to help determine what products the company should offer, contrary to what an Amazon executive told the House a year ago. Jayapal also quoted a former Amazon employee as telling the panel that seller data is a candy shop. Everyone can have access to anything they want.

Bezos also acknowledged that while company policy might prevent employees from looking at a specific sellers information, they could look at aggregate data. Jayapal and The Wall Street Journal story noted that Amazon workers took advantage of that by pairing a successful seller with one who had little business to gain insights into particular products.

You have access to data that other sellers do not have, Jayapal said. The whole goal of this committees work is to make sure that there are more Amazons, that there are more Apples, that there are more companies that get to innovate and small businesses get to thrive. ...That is why we need to regulate these marketplaces so that no company has a platform so dominant that it is essentially a monopoly.

 Leah Nylen

2:42 P.M.

Committee members came out swinging, often catching CEOs flat-footed

The first batch of questions saw the CEOs collectively struggle to directly answer lawmakers, who came armed with well-researched questions and strong opinions  a shift in gear from previous congressional tech hearings.

The one exception was Jeff Bezos, who escaped all questions for the first hour.

As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended his companys management of Instagram, citing the Federal Trade Commissions original decision not to challenge the companys 2012 merger with Instagram, hearing chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) dismissed Zuckerberg, saying the failures of the FTC in 2012 do not alleviate Facebooks current antitrust challenges.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai tried to fend off questions by citing examples of individual vendors using Google to grow their business, before Cicilline cut him off for not answering the question.

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) reeled off a list of possible links and alignment between Google and the Chinese Communist Party, leaving Pichai to say only that Google had only a very limited presence in China. He repeated that answer to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who repeated charges by tech investor Peter Thiel that Googles China links are treason, and concerns from Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said in 2018 that Googles artificial intelligence work in China puts the U.S. military at a competitive disadvantage.

 Ryan Heath



2:19 P.M.

Apples App Store treats developers fairly, Cook says

Apple CEO Tim Cook rejected allegations that the companys App Store rules for developers are enforced arbitrarily and argued that the company must compete with rivals to interest developers in building apps for its iPhone and iPad.

We treat every developer the same. We have open and transparent rules, Cook said under questioning from Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.). Those rules apply evenly to everyone.

Cook said the majority of apps sold through the App Store, 84 percent, pay no fees. The remainder pay either a 30 percent or 15 percent commission, he said.

Johnson noted that Amazon has an agreement with Apple to allow users to bypass the iPhones in-app payment service, and its 30 percent fee, and instead use the credit card on file in their Amazon account for the Amazon Prime Video app. Cook said that would be available to anyone meeting the conditions, though he didnt outline what those conditions are.

The Apple CEO also argued that the company must compete to attract developers, who could offer apps for Googles Android, Microsofts Windows or XBox or Nintendos Playstation.

Theres a competition for developers just like theres a competition for customers, Cook said. Its so competitive I would describe it as a street fight for market share in the smartphone business.

 Leah Nylen

2:15 P.M.

Zuckerberg: Buying Instagram was buying time

Were starting to see some fruits of the subcommittees year-plus investigation, and its got Zuckerberg on the defensive.

The Facebook CEO and New York Democrat Jerry Nadler went back and forth over internal company emails in which, Nadler said, Zuckerberg told a colleague back in 2012 that it was buying the photo-sharing Instagram because it could meaningfully hurt us without becoming a huge business.

Zuckerbergs thinking at the time could become a critical piece of evidence if it bolsters the idea that Facebook was abusing its dominance  and deep coffers  to eliminate budding rivals. Facebooks buying up of Instagram has become a key focus for critics of the company, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and others saying the deal should be unwound. Thats a threat for Facebook: Instagram has become wildly popular in its own right, and is central to Zuckerbergs plan to keep a toe hold with younger generations who are otherwise flocking to sites like TikTok.

Did you mean that consumers might switch from Facebook to Instagram? Nadler asked.

Congressman, started Zuckerberg, attempting to make the case that no one at the time saw Instagram has a general social network app, rather than a really good photo-sharing app. Nadler pressed on: Yes or no: Did you mean that?

Then Nadler went for the kill, asking what Zuckerberg meant when he wrote that what were really buying is time, adding, Mr. Zuckerberg: Mergers and acquisitions that buy off potential competitive threats violate the antitrust laws.

Zuckerberg tried again, insisting that the Federal Trade Commission knew how Facebook was thinking about Instagram back when it signed off on the merger almost a decade ago. Thats when antitrust subcommittee David Cicilline (D-R.I.) jumped in: I would remind the witness that the failures of the FTC in 2012 of course do not alleviate the antitrust challenges that the chairman described.

Translation: Dont think this is over just because that agency down the road said it was.

Nancy Scola

2:04 p.m.

Sensenbrenner presses Zuckerberg over Twitters Don Jr. call

A top House Republican used his questioning to press Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over a recent content moderation squabble involving Donald Trump Jr., the presidents son, with Twitter.

It was reported that Donald Trump Jr. got taken down for a period of time because he put something up on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), the top Republican on the Judiciary antitrust subcommittee. Although Sensenbrenner said he wouldnt take the medication, the lawmaker said, I think this is a legitimate matter of discussion.

Why has that happened? Sensenbrenner asked Zuckerberg.

Congressman, first, to be clear, I think what you might be referring to happened on Twitter, so its hard for me to speak to that, the Facebook CEO said. But I can talk to our policies about this.

Zuckerberg said Facebook would take down any claim a proven cure for Covid-19 exists when there is none, given the potential imminent risk for harm, although he said the social platform would allow free discussion about drug trials and what people may think more generally about a treatments prospects.

Our goal is to offer a platform for all ideas, Zuckerberg told Sensebrenner. Frankly I think weve distinguished ourselves as one of the companies that defends free expression the most.

 John Hendel

1:58 P.M.

Google: We don't steal

Google CEO Sundar Pichai denied that the search giant steals content from other websites and rejected reports alleging that the company steers users to its own products and sites rather than sources elsewhere on the web.

We have always focused on providing users the most relevant information, Pichai said in response to pointed questions from House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee chair David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who said the panel had seen evidence about Google taking content from other websites and placing more ads on its search results. The vast majority of queries on Google, we dont show ads at all.

Cicilline cited an investigation by The Markup that showed Google has devoted more space on the first page of search results to its own products -- which earn the company more revenue that if users go to other webpages. Pichai said that Google only shows ads when consumers are seeking to buy products and argued that they compete with other e-commerce platforms, like Amazon, where consumers often go directly to try to find products.

When I run the company Im really focused on giving users what they want, Pichai said. We see vigorous competition, whether it be travel or real estate, and we are working hard to innovate.

The Federal Trade Commissions investigation into Google in the early 2010s found Google scraped content from other websites, including Yelp and TripAdvisor. The company agreed to allow other companies to opt out of having their content scraped through 2017.

 Leah Nylen

1:51 P.M.

Facebook: Were an underdog  just look at the rest of this witness list

One surprise so far in the hearing: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who generally likes to stick fairly religiously to a script in his public appearances, went far afield from his written testimony  including strongly arguing that his 2-billion-member social network is an underdog when you look at the behemoths hes testifying alongside.

Zuckerberg pointed out that Facebook competes with other companies that, too, have hundreds of millions or even billions of users.

Some are upstarts, said Zuckerberg, but others are gatekeepers with the power to decide if we can even release our apps in their apps stores to compete with them  a seeming shot at Apple, with whom Facebook has no love lost. (Apple CEO Tim Cook was off-screen at the time.)

And its not just Apple, argued Zuckerberg, who added that Facebook has to battle with YouTube when it comes to video and Amazon when it comes to the online ads market.

In many areas were behind our competitors, said Zuckerberg. Thats not what youd expect a CEO to a multibillion-dollar titan to say, but its a direct rebuke to the very premise of the hearing  that Facebook is so giant, so powerful, that Washington needs to step in.

 Nancy Scola

1:49 P.M.

Tim Cook delivers opening statement

Read his prepared testimony here.

 POLITICO staff

1:43 P.M.

Sundar Pichai delivers opening statement

Read his prepared testimony here.

 POLITICO staff

1:40 P.M.

Jeff Bezos delivers opening statement

Just like the world needs small companies, it also needs large ones, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos told the antitrust subcommittee Wednesday  while arguing that his online commerce giant is not all that large when considered as a percentage of the global retail market.

Bezos, the worlds richest person, also pointed to his humble origins, noting that my mom, Jackie, had me when she was a 17-year-old high school student in Albuquerque.

Read the rest of his prepared testimony here.

 Bob King

1:35 P.M.

Jordan: Theyre out to get us



Ill just cut to the chase: Big Tech is out to get conservatives, Rep. Jim Jordan said at the hearing's outset  a not-unexpected outburst from the top Republican on the full Judiciary Committee, who has become a public face of the complaints from some on the right that Silicon Valley is innately biased against them.

Jordan also brought up the fact that hed hoped to have Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter  a frequent target of Jordan, President Donald Trump, and other Republicans  testify at the hearing, a request shot down by Democrats.

Jordan also made a last-minute request to rope into the hearing another Republican member, whos not on the subcommittee, to dig into the alleged constitutional questions raised by the companies testifying. Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) wasnt having it  a signal that he intends to keep the hearing on topic.

 Nancy Scola

1:20 P.M.

Sensenbrenner: Conservatives are consumers too

The Republican leader of the House Judiciary antitrust panel became the first to raise concerns about conservative bias by the biggest U.S. tech companies.

In his opening statement, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) emphasized that a firms large size doesnt mean they are in violation of U.S. antitrust laws. Rather, how the problem is how they use that power.

Companies like Facebook, Googles YouTube and Twitter have become the public square of today where political debates play out in real time, Sensenbrenner said in his opening statement. Conservatives are consumers too and they need the protection of the antitrust laws. The power to influence debate carries with it remarkable responsibilities.

But like his counterpart, panel chair David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Sensenbrenner said he hopes to examine the size and power of the U.S. four biggest tech companies.

Your companies are large. Thats not a problem. Your companies are successful. Thats not a problem either, he said. I want to leave here today with a more complete picture of how your individual companies use your size, success and power and what it means to the American consumer.

 Leah Nylen

1:04 P.M.

Interest groups clamor to raise other tech complaints

Tech companies have become such a political flashpoint  and exert such influence on our economy and society  that dozens of interest groups are angling to get their issues into the record today, during a hearing whose stated topic is antitrust.

Data privacy and misinformation are two themes that many groups want to see raised.

The NAACP is one group with a particularly compelling  though off-topic  message. NAACP tweeted that it hopes the hearing addresses [the] devastating conclusion of civil rights audit of @Facebook  that company allows hate speech & disinformation to thrive. Facebook denies those allegations.

 Ryan Heath

1 P.M.

Cicilline vows to check emperors of the online economy

The top Democrat leading the House Judiciary antitrust panels investigation into competition in digital markets said the nations largest tech companies have too much power.

As gatekeepers to the digital economy, these platforms enjoy the power to pick winners and losers, shake down small businesses, and enrich themselves while choking off competitors, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) said in his opening statement. Our founders would not bow before a king. Nor should we bow before the emperors of the online economy.

The antitrust subcommittees investigation, opened last summer and focused on conduct by Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, has so far compiled millions of documents and hundreds of hours of interviews from more than 100 companies, Cicilline said. While he acknowledged that the four companies operate in different markets, Cicilline said the quartet act in similar ways. They are critical arteries of commerce and communications who use their control over access or marketplaces to surveil rivals and wield their power in order to expand into other markets.

Simply put: They have too much power, Cicilline said. This power staves off new forms of competition, creativity, and innovation. And while these dominant firms may still produce some new innovative products, their dominance is killing the small businesses, manufacturing, and overall dynamism that are the engines of the American economy.

Read the rest of his opening remarks here.

 Leah Nylen

12:30 P.M.

Trumps hearing counterprogramming includes threat of more executive orders

President Donald Trump, who earlier in the day told reporters hell be watching Wednesdays hearing, is now saying hes ready to take executive action to rein in the tech giants.

If Congress doesnt bring fairness to Big Tech, which they should have done years ago, I will do it myself with Executive Orders. In Washington, it has been ALL TALK and NO ACTION for years, and the people of our Country are sick and tired of it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2020

Trump in May already issued a hotly contested executive order aimed at what he called social media censorship, which he signed in the middle of sparring with Twitter over its attempts to fact-check his tweeting.

Under directives from that order, the Commerce Department petitioned the Federal Communications Commission this week asking the independent agency to narrow the liability protections shielding internet companies from lawsuits over the content their users post. The administration petition also asks the FCC, which doesnt regulate social media, to mandate that internet companies offer more transparent disclosure about their moderation policies.

 John Hendel

12:12 p.m.

The world is watching todays hearings

Heading into Wednesdays hearings, Americas big tech firms had similar messages emphasizing that were good for America. While that may or may not be true, what is certain is that this hearing has a global audience.

As CEOs of global companies, todays witnesses run the risk of inflaming regulators and antitrust enforcers in other countries by playing the American patriotism card. Apple and Google have major open cases in Brussels, for example, and when Mark Zuckerberg appeared before Congress in April 2018, it immediately sparked demands from the European Parliament and elsewhere that he appear. British lawmakers are still peeved that hes avoided appearances in London.

Weve seen before  in European antitrust cases  companies like Google and Microsoft shift discussions about technical antitrust matters into broader discussions: essentially saying that because consumers like their products, competition problems and hidden costs either dont exist or do not need to be addressed by regulators and courts.

Those arguments were effective in initial stages of public debate in Europe, but fell flat over time. Based on their opening statements, the CEOs run the risk of making a similar miscalculation today.

 Ryan Heath

12:04 P.M.

Hearing delayed 1 hour

The House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee hearing with tech company CEOs will start later than planned to allow time to clean the hearing room, a spokesperson for the panel said.

An earlier 9:30 a.m. hearing before the Judiciary Committees immigration panel finished up later than expected. Richard Luchette, a spokesperson for antitrust subcommittee chair David Cicilline (D-R.I.), said standard committee procedure requires cleaning of the room between meetings.

The hearing with the top executives of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google will now begin at 1 p.m., Judiciary Committee spokesperson Shadawn Reddick-Smith said in an e-mail.

 Leah Nylen

11:44 A.M.

Trump: What the big tech companies are doing is very bad

President Donald Trump plans to watch Wednesdays hearing, he told reporters outside the White House earlier in the day.

Were going to be watching the hearing today very closely, the president said. Because theres no question that what the big tech companies are doing is very bad.

Trump has long criticized the U.S. tech giants over how they moderate content, including accusing them of making it hard for his supporters to find his posts. They have denied doing any such thing, although some companies  especially Twitter  have started placing warning or fact-checking notices on some of his statements.

 John Hendel

10:13 A.M.

TikTok CEO slams Zuckerbergs China comments just before hearing

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer slammed Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday ahead of Wednesdays high-stakes congressional hearing, where the tech mogul is expected to picture Chinese tech corporations as a threat.

Lets focus our energies on fair and open competition in service of our consumers, rather than maligning attacks by our competitor  namely Facebook  disguised as patriotism and designed to put an end to our very presence in the U.S., Mayer said in a statement.

Zuckerberg depicted Facebook in his prepared statement for the hearing as a proudly American company.

U.S. officials have recently floated a ban on TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance. If the company were to leave the U.S. market, American advertisers would be left with less choice, Mayer argued.

The newly appointed CEO, who comes from Disney, also said tech companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies and data flows to regulators. We will not wait for regulation to come, but instead TikTok has taken the first step by launching a Transparency and Accountability Center for moderation and data practices, he explained.

TikTok has become the latest target, but we are not the enemy, Mayer said.

 Laura Kayali
THUNDER BAY  A Peterborough man charged with attempted murder was denied bail on Tuesday afternoon in a Thunder Bay courtroom.

Brandon Wayne Kelly, 27, appeared by video for his bail hearing on Tuesday for charges related to a May shooting in Thunder Bay.

Kelly also faces various firearm-related charges in connection with the attempted homicide investigation.

On May 3, Thunder Bay Police officers were called to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre after a man with serious gunshot wounds had crashed his vehicle into a barricade on the hospitals property.

Officers arrested Kellys co-accused Terry Allen Pelto, 32, a day after the incident and then, Jacob Daniel Wattie, 24, nearly a week later.

All three men each face a charge of attempted murder as well as various firearm-related offences.

Two women, Natalie Salatino, 29, and Molly OBrien, 29, were also arrested alongside Wattie and face a raft of firearm and drug trafficking-related offences.

Kelly has been in custody since his June 13 arrest. Because of a publication ban, details as to why Kelly has been detained following his bail hearing cannot be published.

His next court appearance will take place next month.

 Thunder Bay Source
Sagar: A coronavirus disease (Covid-1) patient (35) allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday night at a Covid Care Centre at Mahoba Road in Madhya Pradeshs Chhatarpur district, which is located 344 kilometres north-east of Bhopal, police said.

The Covid-19 patient was found dead on the balcony of the Covid Care Centre, the police added.

The deceased was a resident of Chhatarpur district and had tested Covid-19 positive two days ago.

I spoke to him on Tuesday evening, when he complained to me of a loss of appetite. We are clueless what made him take this drastic step, the deceaseds uncle said.

The police have started a probe into his death.

We got the information about a Covid-19 patients death by suicide. An investigation has started. We are looking into whether there was any foul play in his death, said Umesh Shukla, city superintendent of police (CSP), Chhatarpur.
President Trump will tout his policy of "restoring energy dominance" in Texas oil country Wednesday, but market forces, OPEC and a raging pandemic are complicating his plans.

Driving the news: Trump's swing through the state today includes a visit in Midland to a Double Eagle Energy oil rig and speech on energy, and a fundraiser in Odessa.

Why it matters: Texas, long a red state, is looking very competitive heading into November. The oil-and-gas sector's big downturn  and accompanying layoffs accompanying  is something of a political wildcard.

The big picture: The collapse in demand has battered the oil industry, with production down sharply from record levels at the beginning of the year and bankruptcies piling up.

The U.S. oil price recovery from April's record depths has been stuck for nearly two months in the $40-per-barrel range, and the pandemic's persistence is limiting the pace of demand.

What they're saying: Brendan Steinhauser, a Texas-based GOP political strategist, tells me that the oil sector's downturn adds to Trump's problems there.

One reason is the financial downturn affects the total amount of political giving. "Lots of money in GOP politics comes from oil-and-gas and related industries," he said.

And the economic pain from the industry's woes is affecting Trump voters, including blue-collar, rural voters with a two-year degree or less, he said.

They are the ones getting hit. They have lost their jobs, or they are in danger of losing their jobs.

What we're watching: Whether Trump makes the case that White House moves, including his role in helping to broker the OPEC+ production-cutting pact in April, have helped the sector.

And whether he'll echo lines from his campaign operation that Joe Biden, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, would hurt the industry with his climate agenda.

But Steinhauser is skeptical about the political efficacy of targeting Biden, noting that voters understand that the downturn stems from the pandemic.

Very few people are well versed in Joe Bidens energy and environmental plans, and part of that is because he is not an incumbent, he is not the president," he says.

Yes, but: As this Bloomberg story notes, there's still a lot of oil-sector money flowing to the GOP.

The intrigue: Oil prices are up this morning, with WTI trading around $41.34. But a note from Rystad Energy this week says the market could face new headwinds as OPEC+ eases some output curbs starting next month.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 05:40:59|Editor: huaxia

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KIEV, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Ukraine will do everything to comply with the ceasefire in East Ukraine, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency reported.

"Can we say that we have agreed on a ceasefire? Yes. Can we say that there are no single shots? No. Because they are, they exist. Because we have more than 400 kilometers of the contact line, and it is too complicated to control everything," said Zelensky during a briefing on Wednesday.

The representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe agreed on establishing a complete and comprehensive ceasefire in East Ukraine on July 27 during a Trilateral Contact Group video conference on July 22.

The agreements provide for a ban on offensive and reconnaissance actions, the use of firearms, as well as the use of disciplinary measures for violations of the ceasefire.

Earlier, Zelensky discussed the conflict resolution in East Ukraine during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Enditem
Lon Varratu. This is the name of a new campaign that has been launched in Bastars Dantewada district to affect the surrender of Naxals. 'Lon Varratu' means 'Return Home' in Gondi, the language spoken by the tribals in the region. While this is not the first drive to get the extremists to surrender their weapons many such campaigns have been run in the past with mixed successes this time the administration also has some other objectives in mind.

Whether it was the judiciary or the inquiry commissions, nobody had a clear idea of exactly how many Naxals are there in Dantewada. This is the first district in which we have clearly identified close to 1,600 Naxals from 40 villages. This was the first objective of Lon Varratu, said Abhishek Pallava, a 2012-batch IPS officer, and the superintendent of police in Dantewada.

Pallava then explains the second objective of this campaign. Whenever police took stringent steps against the red extremists, it was accused of violating the human rights of innocent villagers.

After the death of Naxals, many large-scale protests would take place. All this used to be terribly embarrassing for usBut now information about the identity of the Naxals has been shared with the villagers. Pamphlets containing information about Naxals, with an appeal to lay down their arms, are being pasted outside the homes of the extremists and receipts are being taken from their family members. So now whenever we take any action against Naxals, we cannot be blamed for hurting innocent villagers, Pallava added.

These pamphlets contain the name of the alleged Naxals, the bounty on them, the weapons they are alleged to be handling and information on the person who should be contacted if the extremists wish to lay down their weapons, in which case the Naxals get the bounty put on them as their reward. Of the identified 1,600 Naxals, the police has set itself the task of getting at least 500 to surrender by the end of the year. The local administration says 68 Naxals have already surrendered since this campaign was started.

The primary objective of this campaign is to encourage people who are foot soldiers or sympathisers of Naxals in the LWE [Left Wing Extremism affected] areas to get into the mainstream. The district administration is doing all that it can within its remit. To help them begin a new life, we are running skill-development programmes for them. We are making efforts to get them enrolled into schemes such as MGNREGA and creating self-help groups (SHGs) for them, Deepak Soni, Dantewada district collector, told News18.

Some human rights activists who have seen the conflict in the area unfold closely over the past nearly 15 years express reservations about the legality of the Lon Varratu campaign.

The polices job is only to catch the criminals and hand them over to the honourable court to pronounce the verdict on them. Who is a Maoist and who isnt is the question before the honourable courts. I dont know if the administration has taken clearance from the judiciary for the campaign, said Himanshu Kumar, a well-known human rights activist.

He even expressed fears about the possibility of the lives of people being put under threat because of Lon Varratu.

The people who are surrendering, and we dont really know about their claims yet, will now be in the cross hairs of the Maoists. Not only will their 'surrender' cause a social upheaval for such families, this campaign has the potential of causing a great deal of distress among people in the coming days. The honourable courts should take cognisance of this, Kumar added.

Meanwhile, pamphlets with names of Naxals are being put up in villages, at prominent places including sites of weekly markets. Police officials say that the 266-page list of the 1,600 alleged Naxals has been compiled over time based on interrogation reports of captured red extremists.

Still, to eliminate the chance of a person with no Naxal background featuring in this list, we have made a mechanism in which such people can get in touch with their local representatives, who in turn could send us the names. After verification, if we find that the person has no criminal antecedents, we will make the necessary changes to the list, Pallava said.

Of the 68 Naxals who have surrendered, police officials say many used to be high-ranking commanders. Jagdish, who used to have a Rs 3 lakh bounty on his head, was one of them.

I saw a Lon Varratu pamphlet in a village and decided to lay down my arms. I was thinking of finding a way out of the life of violence and this campaign gave me that chance. I wish an Aanganwadi health centre is set up in my village because people here face a lot of troubles for the want of basic health facilities, said Jagdish, who used to live and operate around the Abujhmaad area.

Health centres and schools were the first institutions in Bastar to be destroyed in the crossfire between Naxals and security forces. Many Naxals who have surrendered before the administration claim to have been involved in instances of destroying health facilities and schools, essential institutions which they are now in the process of putting back together. Santu is one of them, who upon receiving orders from his superior, blew up a school in Bhansi village. He is right now working to construct that very school, earning a daily wage of Rs 200.

The administration has also promised a tractor to a village where 10 or more youths, whose names feature on the list, surrender. Around a week ago, nearly a dozen youths, all surrendered Naxals, from Badeguda village had posed with photos of one such tractor.

Hidma Sodhi, father of surrendered Naxal fighter Budhra, is one of the people who is using one such tractor on his fields. He told News18 that he has already tilled 4 acres of his 7-acre farm, but now that hes received a tractor, he is planning to till the rest of the land with it.
The countdown is on for NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance mission set to launch Thursday, July 30.

NASA's next mission to Mars will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and land in Jezero Crater on the Red Planet on Feb. 18, 2021.

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"The Perseverance rover will search for signs of ancient microbial life, characterize the planets geology and climate, collect carefully selected and documented rock and sediment samples for possible return to Earth, and pave the way for human exploration beyond the Moon," NASA said.

The rover will also carry a helicopter named Ingenuity, "the first aircraft to fly in a controlled way on another planet."

Here are some other facts about the mission, slated to launch at 6:50 a.m.

1) The name Perseverance was chosen from among 28,000 essays submitted during the Name the Rover contest. The name is symbolic of the challenges the mission is up against in collecting samples and using new technology and "epitomizes" why NASA chose this name.

2) Perseverance will carry seven instruments to conduct its mission to the Red planet which includes a "Mastcam-Z, an advanced camera system with panoramic and stereoscopic imaging capability with the ability to zoom" said its website.

3) The Jezero Crater where Perseverance will land "was a possible oasis in its distant past," states the website. The Perseverance science team believes this location has a high probability of finding past microbial life.

4) Perseverance will also be collecting data on the Red Planet's geology and climate. "Perseverance is the first rover to bring a sample caching system to Mars that will package promising samples for return to Earth by a future mission," NASA said.

You can also follow Perseverances adventure on social media @NASAPersevere and @NASAMars.

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Rating Action: Moody's confirms Atlantic Aviation CFR and senior secured ratings (all B2); outlook changed to negative

Global Credit Research - 29 Jul 2020

New York, July 29, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") confirmed its ratings for Atlantic Aviation FBO, Inc. ("Atlantic"), including the company's B2 corporate family rating (CFR) and B2-PD probability of default rating, and the B2 ratings for its senior secured credit facility. The ratings outlook has been changed to negative. This concludes the review that was initiated on April 17th, 2020.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The B2 CFR balances Atlantic's position and resultant scale advantages as the second largest fixed-base operator (FBO) within the US against comparatively high financial leverage and heavy exposure to cyclical business jet and general aviation markets. Atlantic's historically strong profitability speaks to its good competitive standing within the highly fragmented FBO industry, while meaningful barriers to entry add further credit support. These considerations are tempered, however, by the cyclical nature of general aviation markets and Moody's expectation that lower general aviation traffic will lead to meaningful top-line and earnings headwinds and an across the board weakening of Atlantic's key credit metrics through at least the balance of 2020.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak, the deteriorating global economic outlook, low oil prices and high asset price volatility have created an unprecedented credit shock across a range of sectors and regions. Moody's regards the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under its ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public health and safety. Notwithstanding some early signs that the adverse impact of the coronavirus outbreak on Atlantic and the deterioration in credit quality that it triggered may be relatively short-lived and subsiding, the company remains vulnerable to shifts in market demand and changing sentiment in these unprecedented operating conditions.

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The negative outlook considers the difficult and volatile operating environment that Atlantic will face over the coming period, particularly through the balance of 2020. The negative outlook also reflects weaker liquidity with expectations of reduced cash generation over the coming quarters and the absence of a dedicated revolving credit facility at the borrower level.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

Factors that could lead to a ratings upgrade include expectations of an improved liquidity profile, involving the establishment of a revolving credit facility at Atlantic Aviation, or sustainably higher cash balances, or expectations of free cash flow-to-debt consistently in at least the mid-single-digit percent range. Expectations of growth in general aviation traffic and a more stable operating environment with earnings growth could also result in an upgrade.

Factors that could lead to a ratings downgrade include declines in general aviation volumes beyond those currently contemplated, or if debt-to-EBITDA exceeds 6.5x for any meaningful period. A downgrade could also occur with weakening liquidity such that free cash flow is expected to be materially negative, or if Atlantic's cash balances decline significantly, or if the company fails to implement a new backstop revolving credit facility beyond 2020. A weakening of parent company MIC's overall credit profile could also cause downward ratings pressure.

The following is a summary of today's rating actions:

Issuer: Atlantic Aviation FBO, Inc.:

Corporate Family Rating, confirmed at B2

Probability of Default Rating, confirmed at B2-PD

Gtd Senior Secured credit facility, confirmed at B2 (LGD3)

Outlook, Changed To Negative From Rating Under Review

Atlantic Aviation FBO, Inc. ("Atlantic"), headquartered in Plano, Texas, has fixed base operator (FBO) locations at 70 general aviation airports in the US. The company's FBOs provide fueling and fuel related services, aircraft parking and hangar services to owners/operators of jet aircraft, primarily in the general aviation sector of the air transportation industry, but also to commercial, military, freight and government aviation customers. Through an intermediate holding company, Atlantic is owned by Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation ("MIC"). Gross revenues for the twelve months ended March 2020 were approximately $938 million.

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Business and Consumer Service Industry published in October 2016 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1037985. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.

For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

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b.With Access to Internal Documents: NO

c.With Access to Management: NO

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The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.

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DOJ: Failed to report income received from Wuhan University of Technology

The feds continue to pile on charges against the former chair of Harvard Universitys chemistry and chemical biology department, Charles Lieber, who they accuse of being a paid spy for China.

On Tuesday he was was indicted by a Boston-based federal grand jury on two counts of filing false information on his income tax returns and another two counts of failing to file reports with the IRS regarding his overseas bank accounts, the Department of Justice stated in a news release.

The charges come just one month after the Harvard chemist was indicted for allegedly making false statements denying his involvement with a nefarious talent recruitment program sponsored by the communist Chinese government.

#BREAKING: Dr. Charles Lieber, former Chair of Harvard Universitys Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, charged w/ tax offenses for failing to report income he received from Wuhan University of Technology in Wuhan, China https://t.co/SXr97BcQMm  U.S. Attorney MA (@DMAnews1) July 28, 2020

The department alleges that unbeknownst to Harvard University, Lieber, 61, had became a strategic scientist at the Wuhan University of Technology and later a contractual participant in Chinas Thousand Talents Plan from at least 2012 through 2015.

Harvard Universitys media affairs division did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday from The College Fix.

Under the terms of Liebers three-year Thousand Talents contract, WUT allegedly paid Lieber a salary of up to $50,000 per month, living expenses of up to $150,000 and awarded him more than $1.5 million to establish a research lab at WUT, the department stated.

Earlier this month, FBI Director Christopher Wray gave a speech that called out Chinas spy program.

Through talent recruitment programs like the Thousand Talents Program I mentioned a moment ago, China pays scientists at American universities to secretly bring our knowledge and innovation back to Chinaincluding valuable, federally funded research, Wray said.

To put it bluntly, this means American taxpayers are effectively footing the bill for Chinas own technological development. China then leverages its ill-gotten gains to undercut U.S. research institutions and companies, blunting our nations advancement and costing American jobs. And we are seeing more and more of these cases, he said.

Read the full FBI statement on Lieber here.
St. Catharines is adding its support to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police effort to decriminalize personal possession of illicit drugs, in the hope of focusing on treatment of people suffering from addictions rather than arresting them.

Members of Niagara Area Moms Ending Stigma, a group of parents and family members who lost loved ones to substance use disorder, joined Mondays online city council meeting to urge councillors to support a motion endorsing the chiefs July 9 recommendation that Canadian law enforcement agencies recognize addiction as a public health issue, while also calling for the decriminalization of personal possession.

We would dearly like to see decriminalization of possession of drugs, Jennifer Johnston. Were all moms who are fighting for a future generation of children.

She said its too late for her own son, Jonathan, who died of a drug overdose in 2016.

This is for other peoples kids. It will save lives, Johnston said.

Said Sandi Tantardini, whose son Scott died from a fentanyl overdose in 2016, This needs to be taken seriously.

She said services have been cut right to the bone as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing resources for people dealing with addictions.

I understand concern about COVID-19, but people are dying from overdoses at alarming rates and we dont hear about it, she said.

Decriminalizing possession and focusing on treating addictions as a public health issue, she hopes it will make it easier for users to seek treatment without concern.

If we start treating addiction as a medical issue the way were treating COVID  the resources would be redirected and people will have a chance to live meaningful lives instead of funeral after funeral, she said. Its just heartbreaking whats going on.

After losing her son Jeremy Cyopek in 2015, Cindy Cousineau said she is now trying to help save the life of his younger brother, who is in prison struggling with addictions, too.

The justice system continues to incarcerate the same individuals over and over again without consideration of the underlying health conditions, she said.

In addition to the chiefs association, she said medical professionals, social workers and grieving families are coming forward for harm-reduction strategies such as decriminalization.

RELATED STORIES Niagara Region More government support needed to combat opioid crisis

Mass incarceration is not the answer to this crisis. Harm reduction is, she said.

Merritton Ward Coun. Greg Miller said Niagara emergency workers responded to 498 suspected overdoses last year.

But thats not even close to the real number (of overdoses)  Its probably closer to 2,500, he said. We are failing those who use drugs and we have been for a long time. Its time to change that.

While endorsing the recommendation from the police chiefs, city councillors unanimously approved a motion calling on Mayor Walter Sendzik to send letters in support of decriminalization to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair, local MPs, MPPs, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and the Large Urban Mayors Caucus of Ontario.
Photo: The Canadian Press Family and friends of victims of the deadly Nova Scotia mass shootings display their appreciation after an inquiry was announced, in Halifax on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. The federal and provincial governments will launch an inquiry instead of a review that had no power to compel testimony or deliver binding recommendations. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Relatives of victims of the Nova Scotia mass shooting marched through the streets of Halifax on Wednesday to thank their supporters for helping them persuade Ottawa and Nova Scotia to call a full public inquiry into the killings.

"I'm so pleased that we're here today in celebration rather than in protest," said Sandra McCulloch, a lawyer who represents the families.

"I'm so proud of the families for their hard work and perseverance. It has been painful for them to have to fight this fight. But knowing it has had such a positive result, it surely takes a bit of the pain out of it."

The families had originally planned a march to protest last week's decision by Ottawa and the province to hold a less rigorous joint review of the circumstances surrounding the April 18-19 rampage that killed 22 people.

Scores of experts, academics, politicians, women's groups, senators and family members had come forward to criticize the review, saying it would lack openness, accountability and legal clout. Three protest marches were held in Nova Scotia in the past week.

On Tuesday, several Liberal MPs in the province broke ranks with the government to call for a full inquiry, and federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair then announced a joint federal-provincial inquiry with the power to compel witnesses to testify and produce documents.

Harry Bond, whose parents Joy and Peter Bond were killed in Portapique, N.S., on April 18, said the decision to establish a public inquiry was overdue.

"But it was a very happy moment when we heard about it," he said in an interview before the march. "It's the first time I've felt happy since I heard about mom and dad back in April."

A long line of about 100 marchers gathered under bright sunshine and in sweltering heat on the Halifax waterfront before walking north to the legislature, where they circled the building once and headed back to the harbour.

Some carried Nova Scotia flags. Others held photos of relatives who lost their lives during the 13-hour shooting rampage in northern and central Nova Scotia.

Charlene Bagley, daughter of victim Tom Bagley, said the march marked a day to celebrate a victory for the families. She said a public inquiry was what the families had wanted from the start.

"With a full inquiry, everyone will have to be 100 per cent transparent and, hopefully, the families will get all of the answers they've been wanting all along," she said in an interview before the march. "In an inquiry, where everyone will be held accountable."

Bagley made a point of thanking people from across the province who have offered support to her family. She also took the time to talk about her father, who was shot by the gunman as he tried to help other victims.

"The world lost a really great man," Bagley said as she clutched a large sign showing a photo of her smiling father. "Everybody who met him loved him .... He helped everybody, and it's what cost him his life."

The victims' families have said they want an inquiry to compel testimony about the RCMP's response during the shootings, which started on the night of April 18 when the gunman killed 13 people and set fire to several homes in Portapique before fleeing in a car that looked exactly like a marked RCMP cruiser.

Another nine people were killed the following day as the killer drove more than 150 kilometres, shooting some people he knew and others at random. He was fatally shot by an RCMP officer when he stopped at a gas station in Enfield, N.S., about 40 kilometres north of Halifax.

The victims' families and their supporters say they also want to know how much police knew about the killer's alleged criminal behaviour, which according to witnesses quoted in court documents involved the smuggling of drugs and guns from Maine.
The Black Lives Matter protests shaking the world have thankfully brought renewed attention not just to police brutality but to the broader role of racism in our society. Research suggests some roots of racism lie in the stereotypes we hold about different groups. And those stereotypes can affect everything from the way police diagnose danger to who gets interviewed for jobs to which students get attention from professors. Negative stereotypes harm Black Americans at every turn. To reduce their pernicious effects, its important to first understand how stereotypes work and just how pervasive they are.

Modupe Akinola, an associate professor at Columbia Business School, studies racial bias, workforce diversity and stress. Recently, Katy Milkman, a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, got to chat with Akinola about how stereotypes are formed, how they affect consequential decisions and how we can combat negative stereotypes.

Lets start at the beginning. What is a stereotype?

A stereotype is a snap judgment we make about a person or about a thing that can influence our decision-making. Every day we get millions and millions of bits of information in our head that associate good and bad with certain people or groups or things. And anytime we then see those people, groups or things, that association comes immediately to our mind.

Why do you think we do this?

Were processing so much information all the time; we need these mental shortcuts to allow us to navigate the world. If not, we wouldnt be able to function, quite frankly. We have to make quick judgments to make life easier and to simplify. But any type of shortcut can have its pros and cons.

Could you talk about some of the research connecting stereotyping with racism?

One of my favorite sets of studies examines stereotyping as it relates to policing. I grew up in New York City. And we heard a lot about Amadou Diallo, who was an unarmed Black man who was shot by police, because they thought he was carrying a gunwhen in actuality, he raised his hand, and he had a wallet.

Joshua Correll, [now at the University of Colorado Boulder], and his colleagues wanted to look at whether the stereotypes associating Black people with danger could play a role in how a mistake like that could be made. The news we see regularly shows crime rates being higher for certain populations, mostly minority populations,. And so this creates an automatic stereotype that a Black man would be more linked to danger than a white man, because you dont see those same associations for white people.

Correll came up with a computerized shooter bias exercise that showed pictures of targets, Black and white men, carrying objects, either weapons or regular objects like a Coke can or a wallet. When you saw a person and the object, you had to click on whether or not to shoot. He found that civilians were more likely to shoot unarmed Black men, relative to unarmed white men and even armed white men, which was attributed to the stereotypes associating Black people with danger.

I found that study fascinating, because it showed just how powerful these associations can be. I did some follow-up research, because I wanted to see if stress affects that decision-making process. I stressed out police officers and had them engage in the shooting exercise.

The interesting thing is: I saw that under stress, officers were more accurate. They were able to discern whether to shoot an armed Black man and did that better in terms of not shooting unarmed Black men. However, they were less likely to shoot armed white men, which I think demonstrates the power of stereotypes, because there isnt a stereotype of white and danger.

Stereotypes work in two ways: they can harm some groups, and they can protect others.



Read the whole story: Scientific American
HONOLULU - Hawaii was listed among 12 countries and regions the Japanese government considers safe international travel destinations for its citizens during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The announcement could provide a boost to Hawaiis tourism industry, which is vital to the state economy and has been devastated since the virus put the brakes on global travel.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced the new Japan-Hawaii safe travel program, which will be tightly regulated to protect the health of travellers and prevent the additional spread of COVID-19.

The program is expected to require negative coronavirus tests for tourists before they travel and include screening of travellers entering Japan.

Hawaii, like Japan, has low numbers of coronavirus cases and is the only U.S. state under consideration for Japans program. Others destinations on the list include China, South Korea, Taiwan and nations in Europe.

The program likely would benefit Oahu disproportionately as Hawaii is expected to limit the relaxed entry program to Oahu, which normally receives the majority of visitors to the state from Japan.

Its important that we restore travel between Japan and Hawaii and we see this program as a way to make this possible, while also preventing the further spread of infections from COVID- 19, Democratic Gov. David Ige said in a statement.

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said the announcement is good news for the Big Island and the state. Kim favours allowing travel to and from Japan without quarantines if testing protocols are established.

Theyve led the way in testing, Kim said. Theyll be more than capable of testing any visitor that wants to come to Hawaii.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some  especially older adults and people with existing health problems  it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
A secondary school principal will be asking students to wear face masks in class as "it's simply not possible" to create the space required for social distancing in the next four weeks.

Rachel O'Connor, principal of Ramsgrange Community School, Co Wexford, said that while some aspects of the Government's roadmap are achievable, others are "completely unrealistic".

"We literally have no room," she said.

"Before Covid we were already using non-classroom areas to try and fit students in. I think there is some short-sightedness on behalf of the Government as they're expecting schools to contact local tradespeople to get work done, but they simply aren't available.

"I've been trying to contact plumbers to ensure there is hot water in all the bathrooms for handwashing and it's nearly impossible to get one."

The school caters for 400 students and applied for an extension earlier in the year to build 10 new classrooms, a science lab and a music room, but due to planning permission delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, they've had to resort to temporary prefabs instead.

"We will be in line to open, but we will have to ask students to wear face masks.

"A distance of one metre can't be achieved."
A potential tropical cyclone is developing this morning in the Caribbean and is expected to become Tropical Storm Isaias today.

When the system officially receives the name Isaias, it will be the earliest I storm on record.

As of early Wednesday morning, the developing tropical system was located about five miles south of Dominica and 385 miles ESE of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

PHOTO: As of early Wednesday morning, the developing tropical system was located about five miles south of Dominica and 385 miles ESE of San Juan, Puerto Rico. (ABC News)

The system has winds of 45 mph and is traveling WNW at 23 mph.

There are Tropical Storm warnings for parts of the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Haiti as well as Tropical Storm watches for parts of the Dominican Republic, the Turks and Caicos Islands and parts of the Bahamas.

The system is expected to continue to move through the Leeward Islands in the next few hours before nearing the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight and the system will arrive in Hispaniola on Thursday and the Bahamas on Friday.

PHOTO: The system is expected to continue to move through the Leeward Islands in the next few hours before nearing the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight and the system will arrive in Hispaniola on Thursday and the Bahamas on Friday. (ABC News)

Some strengthening is likely today but the system will fluctuate in intensity over the next few days due to land interaction.

Current tropical storm force winds extend 275 miles from the center and Antigua reported a wind gust of 47 mph this morning.

The most dangerous threat with this system is rainfall. Locally, 3 to 6 inches of rain is possible with possibly over 10 inches in spots, particularly in parts of Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, which could cause major flash flooding as well as mudslides.

Winds are expected to be of tropical strength and could cause some power outages and downed trees and surf in the Caribbean is expected to be quite dangerous over the next few days.

PHOTO: Spaghetti models are indicating that the storm will near the U.S. Southeast Coast in the latter part of the weekend and then eventually make the turn northward but when the system could make the turn northward remains to be seen. (ABC News)

After the Caribbean, it is somewhat unclear where the system will go and at what intensity it will have.

Spaghetti models are indicating that the storm will near the U.S. Southeast Coast in the latter part of the weekend and then eventually make the turn northward but when the system could make the turn northward remains to be seen.

Even though the Global Forecast models seem to be trending a little more favorably for the storm to interact with Florida this weekend, the track remains quite uncertain because the central circulation is still not well defined.

Story continues

But, at this point, it appears there is at least some possibility of impacts to Florida late in the weekend.

However, it is too early to determine, what the magnitude of these impacts will be.

Even though the system will likely become a tropical storm later today, the system faces a lot of hurdles over the next few days that could hurt its ability to stay impactful.

Thus, much remains uncertain as we head towards the second half of this week.

Tropical Storm Isaias expected to develop today, impact Caribbean originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A woman was fatally struck by a car after she ran out on a freeway in Mississippi to try to retrieve her phone after he flew out her vehicle window during a Facebook Live she was filming.

The Jackson Police Department is investigating the incident involving 26-year-old Ashlee Sims, which took place at around 9pm on Tuesday night.

Sims had been singing in the car as she filmed the Facebook Live, riding on I-55 South near Briarwood Drive, WJTV reports.

Ashlee Sims, 26, had been on Facebook Live as she was riding down I-55 in Jackson, Mississippi. She dropped her phone and was fatally struck trying to retrieve it

She could be seen singing into the video until the phone was knocked out of her hand and onto the freeway.

The clip continues for several moments until screams are heard in the distance and cars can be heard screeching to a halt.

Other vehicles can be heard honking as the footage continues playing.

The mother-of-two died at the scene and the Facebook Live video was still on the woman's account

Police shared that the woman had tried to retrieve her phone, and was hit by a vehicle. Authorities are investigating.

The mother-of-two died at the scene.

According to a Facebook account belonging to Sims, both of her children had upcoming birthdays in August.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The countrys coronavirus cases have surged past 85,000, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Wednesday.

The national tally of infected now stands at 85,486  true to the 85,000 end-July total earlier projected by researchers from the University of the Philippines.

The latest figures came after 1,874 more people nationwide were confirmed to have caught the viral disease, the DOH said.

READ: No reason to celebrate: PH wont beat university researchers COVID-19 forecast by end-July, Palace admits

Metro Manila registered 728 of the newly-announced cases, according to the departments case report.

Malacanang earlier said that should the UP forecast become a reality, the country's capital region, which is under a general community quarantine, may return to a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine.

Based on DOH data, Metro Manila has logged nearly 47,000 cases since the start of the outbreak  almost 11,000 of which were recorded over the past two weeks. To date, the disease has killed at least 1,000 of its residents, the department said.

The Wednesday's case report further detailed that Cebu accounted for 325 of the new cases, while Laguna had 130, Iloilo had 67, and Rizal had 53.

Another 388 patients have also recovered, bringing the total number of survivors to 26,996.

Meanwhile, the death toll has reached 1,962, with 16 more succumbing to the disease. Of the added deaths, six occurred in July, while the remaining 10 happened from March to June and were only recently validated.

The DOH said the number of active cases or currently ill patients nationwide is at 56,528.

Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday appealed to the public to exercise more caution and comply with minimum health standards, saying the countrys healthcare system is close to being overwhelmed amid rising COVID-19 cases.

The national government is expected to announce on Thursday new lockdown measures to be imposed on August 1. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque also said President Rodrigo Duterte may announce this week major changes in the governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including scaling up testing.

READ: Major changes expected in PH COVID-19 pandemic response, Palace says
It is extremely doubtful whether any canon of gubernatorial propriety allows a Governor to say that the chief minister of the state which he ceremonially heads is running a police state as Dhankar did early in May this year.

After a hiatus, the political situation in Rajasthan has brought into focus the question of the Governors role in Indias federal polity. It does appear that the direction in which events are moving does not bode well for the constitutional framework and established conventions.

In the wake of the "rebellion" by Congress MLA Sachin Pilot and 18 other legislators, the arithmetic in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly has obviously changed. It has a total strength of 200. Without Pilot and his adherents, the Congress has 88 members; the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party account for 75 seats; there are 13 Independent members in the House; and the Bharatiya Tribal Party (2), the CPI (M) (2) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (1) have a combined strength of five.

Upfront, there is no way of telling, as things stand, which way the Independents and the five members of the smaller party will jump if matters come to the crunch in the form of a floor test, but up until now the Congress government headed by Ashok Gehlot has had the support of most of these 18 MLAs.

Thats not the point, however. The point is the conduct of Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra, who was, till 2017, a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modis previous ast government. Mishra has been sent proposals thrice by Gehlot and his cabinet advising that he should convene a session. He stalled it twice. The third advisory was sent to him on Tuesday, with a date being mentioned for the commencement of the session, which is 31 July.

The first letter was sent to Mishra on 23 July. He had replied saying, among other things, that no agenda had been mentioned, a 21-day notice been provided for and a date not set for the commencement of the session. Faced with a list of queries, Gehlot sent a revised Cabinet proposal to the governor for a session starting 27 July.

Mishra stalled again. On 27 July, he said that Raj Bhavan has no intention not to call the session, but specified three conditions that would have to be first satisfied before a session was called: a 21-day notice; mention of whether a trust vote would be tabled, in which case a session could be called at short notice; and, an indication of the precautions, including social-distancing measures, that would be taken in view of the Covid crisis.

Gehlot then sent the third notice for a session beginning 31 July. Spokespersons for the government have pointed out that a governor cannot set the kind of conditions that Mishra has specified. The agenda for the session falls within the remit of the Business Advisory Committee of the House; the manner of conducting the proceedings, in this case with regarding to social-distancing measures, is within the Speakers jurisdiction and not the governors; and, the governor, to put it simply, cannot unilaterally decide on the scheduling of the session.

The situation in Rajasthan is governed by a fundamental proposition. Once the Cabinet has proposed that a session be convened, the governor has only one option open to him: He must follow the advice tendered by the Cabinet and convene a session unless there is a question of majority involved, which, in turn, can only be decided on the floor of the House in accordance with Supreme Court pronouncements. Its not particularly complicated.

Both the Constitution and the Supreme Courts judgements make this abundantly clear. Legal experts are clear that in keeping with Article 174 of the Constitution and the Supreme Courts judgement of 2016, the Governor cannot refuse to comply with the advice of the Cabinet by setting conditions.

Some experts had argued a few days ago that while this is usually non-negotiable, the pendency of petitions in the Rajasthan High Court and Supreme Court gave the governor room for manoeuvre. Conceding the point for arguments sake, with the judicial decks now cleared, Mishra has to convene the session. In any case, he has not till now offered this particular argument.

What is clear is that Mishra is misusing gubernatorial office to keep the situation fluid in the hope that the BJP can turn a few more Congress MLAs to make sure that Gehlots government falls and it can form a government in the state. It also appears, therefore, that the scales are still tilted in favour of the Congress, which would explain why the BJP has jettisoned its demand for a floor test, which it had raised on 14 July, in the immediate aftermath of Pilots rebellion. Some of Pilots camp followers, too, had made this demand, but seem now to have decided that discretion is, indeed, the better part of valour.

As the BJPs confidence has grown over the past few years, the representatives of the Centre in various states seem to have been given the leeway to provoke confrontations with state governments in order to destabilise them. Particularly egregious have been the constant provocations offered by West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar. Ever since he fetched up at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata in July 2019, he has been engaged in a campaign of interference that has few parallels. Even the pandemic and Cyclone Amphan has failed to stop him.

It is extremely doubtful whether any canon of gubernatorial propriety allows a Governor to say that the chief minister of the state which he ceremonially heads is running a police state as Dhankar did early in May this year.

A different order of partisanship has been consistently displayed by GC Murmu, the Lieutenant-Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The former IAS officer does not, of course, have to deal with a Legislative Assembly because none exists at the moment. But his conduct with respect to a number of issues, particularly the implementation of a draconian media policy, has hardly been exemplary. On Tuesday, the Election Commission was prompted to take the extraordinary step of pulling up a lieutenant-governor, when it practically censured Murmu for repeatedly making public statements about the timing of prospective Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, a matter purely under its jurisdiction.

Mishra has now been provided with a date of commencement. In the second proposal, Gehlot had provided an agenda as well  discussion on the Covid situation, taking stock of finances and the tabling of some Bills. The governor must now convene an Assembly session, failing which he will be doing incalculable harm to the constitutional and federal structure of the countrys democracy. Dhankar and Murmus actions may not be immediately consequential, but they are not doing the polity any favours by egregiously lowering the bar for gubernatorial conduct.

These are not merely matters of partisan concern. They are fundamental to the health of liberal democracy in this country. While, they must be addressed institutionally, the citizenry, too, must hold the relevant authorities to account.
Peterborough Police have spent a bit less than half their 2020 budget of $26.4 million at the halfway point of the year, though there have been unexpected expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic such as $18,511 spent on personal protective equipment.

The Peterborough Police Services Board reviewed a new finance report at a meeting on Tuesday evening that $11,938,282 has been spent so far this year to operate the service from January to the end of June 2020.

Thats 45.2 per cent of the years full budget of $26,392,209, according to the report.

By this time last year, the service had spent 48.9 per cent of its budget, the report states. The department ended up with a surplus of nearly $500,000 at the end of 2019, of which city council is taking back 75 per cent and giving the rest to police.

Meanwhile the report states that the COVID-19 pandemic has occasioned new costs: $18,511 for PPE, plus $22,113 for disinfection of facilities and vehicles and a further $41,949 for mobile equipment for employees to work remotely.

There are also lost revenues: the report estimates $139,000 will have been lost on police record check services between March and August.

We are, however, positive that the unexpected spending can be absorbed in the services overall budget based on trending to date, writes finance manager Tia Nguyen in the report.

Thats in part because several jobs have gone unfilled in the pandemic, the report states. Chief Scott Gilbert added Tuesday there have also been decreased staff costs in overtime and in court (because trials have been postponed).

While many citizens have asked city council lately to defund the police, Mayor Diane Therrien  a member of the police board  said Tuesday that cant happen, in large part because provincial legislation requires city councils to fund police.

Therrien also noted that municipal councils are also bound by collective agreements to pay their police employees.

Meanwhile Coun. Gary Baldwin, the police board chair, put on the agenda three examples of letters of support to the police over its recent acceptance of a light-armoured vehicle (LAV), donated from an anonymous source.

Recently the board has received some letters from citizens concerned that the LAV represents the militarization of police, though Gilbert has said the vehicle will be used only for officer and public protection.

Baldwin said most citizens have nothing critical to say about city police: 99.9 per cent of people in Peterborough appreciate the service.
BRENTWOOD, Tenn., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As America has learned to adjust to the new normal of wearing face masks and practicing social distancing, Brookdale Senior Living, the nation's largest senior living provider, has experienced a shift in how it engaged with residents and families. When physical interaction became limited, Brookdale's ability to connect with its audience virtually was crucial.

Facebook Recognizes Brookdales Social Media Best Practices for COVID-19 Content

Brookdale rose to the challenge to keep 730+ community Facebook page editors posting content and information relevant to its residents and their families during the pandemic. The Company's consistent and captivating content caught the attention of one of the largest social media companies, Facebook, which featured Brookdale as an exemplary social media leader for COVID-19 response.

Brookdale's Chief Marketing Officer David Cygan shared his thoughts on the prestigious honor, saying, "This is really exciting and we are so proud of the Social team. In times like these when sharing information is critical, it feels really good when the programs you work so diligently on gets recognized as a best practice by the largest social media company in the world!"

In March, when concerns about COVID-19 increased, Brookdale adopted appropriate guidelines to protect residents as much as possible by limiting visitors to its communities. To communicate widely and effectively about this, Brookdale tailored posts to address the communities' concerns about the adverse health effects isolation can have on seniors. By curating informative and uplifting content, the senior living company's efforts helped engage residents and gave families peace of mind that their loved ones are in good care.

Facebook noted Brookdale's social media best practices, such as consistently using images and organic posting, supporting and reflecting personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing. "The posts are honest conversations about staying engaged during isolation, making sure we are providing up-to-date information, and being transparent. We are responsive to daily changes, and creating meaningful content to help our followers, prospects and their families get through this difficult time," explained Kristin Puckett, senior director of Social Media Strategy. "The Center of Excellence Social Media team helps our 737 communities pin current information to the top of each Facebook page, including visitor and move-in protocols, what we're doing to help protect our residents, and daily, fresh content. These pinned posts on Facebook help keep our residents and their families up-to-date with information from our corporate and local community leadership."

Beyond informing residents of the ongoing precautions the company is taking to protect residents, patients, and associates as much as possible, Brookdale's posts also provided hope and support despite residents having to be socially isolated from one another and their families. The Company's uplifting posts featured various topics from photos of families safely wishing a resident a happy birthday from outside a window, to an article on fun ways for grandparents and grandkids to stay connected during the pandemic.

Alongside Brookdale's Social team, the communication department also developed a COVID-19 Response Toolkit to help educate their residents, patients, and associates on how to fight against the COVID-19 virus and other infectious diseases. This page features helpful articles, how-to videos and more endearing stories from its communities. Click here to learn more about how Brookdale is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn more about Brookdale Senior Living, visit www.brookdale.com.

About Brookdale Senior Living

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. is the leading operator of senior living communities throughout the United States. The Company is committed to providing senior living solutions primarily within properties that are designed, purpose-built, and operated to provide the highest-quality service, care, and living accommodations for residents. Brookdale operates and manages independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities,737 communities in 44 states and the ability to serve approximately 65,000 residents as of June 30, 2020. The Company also offers a range of home health, hospice, and outpatient therapy services to over 17,000 patients as of that date . For more Brookdale news, go to brookdalenews.com

Contact: Keela Greenlee, 865-712-4186, [email protected]

SOURCE Brookdale Senior Living

Related Links

http://www.brookdaleliving.com


Demetria Johnson (above), 30, has been arrested and charged with capital murder in the July 27 Assault and Kidnapping of 39-year-old Tameka Skinner in Columbus, Georgia, that led to her shooting death in Russell County, Alabama

A jealous Georgia woman has been arrested by police in Alabama after she allegedly masterminded and carried out a plot to kidnap and kill a love rival who was dating the father of her children.

Demetria Johnson, 30, has been arrested and charged with capital murder in the July 27 assault and kidnapping of 39-year-old Tameka Skinner in Columbus, Georgia, that led to her shooting death in Russell County, Alabama.

Three men, Shaun Johnson, 40; Joshua Tolbert, 30; and Jayvonn Phillips, 23, have also been arrested and charged after investigators say they volunteered to help Demetria Johnson carry out the murderous scheme.

Tameka was dating Demetrias ex-boyfriend, father of her two children and she wanted her out the picture, Russell County Sheriff Health Taylor said. Seems to be an old fashioned jealously deal.

Investigators identified Demetrias ex-boyfriend as Martea Pettway. The former lovers share two children together.

Demetrias ire is said to have been struck when Skinner began questioning her parenting skills to Pettway, according to Taylor. The sheriff added that the two love rivals had some issues in the past, but failed to specify further.

Demetria just wanted her out of the way and not dating her ex. So, Demetria recruited the three guys to help her kidnap and take her over to Russell County and kill her, Taylor said.

Tameka Skinner, 39, was found shot to death in Russell County, Alabama. Hours earlier, she had reportedly been kidnapped from a home in a Columbus, Georgia, apartment complex that she had been house-sitting with boyfriend, Martea Pettway

According to detectives, Skinner and Pettway were assaulted in the early hours of July 27 at a home in the Huckleberry Hill Apartment Complex in Columbus (above) that they were house-sitting

Video courtesy of WTVM

According to detectives, Skinner and Pettway were assaulted in the early hours of July 27 at a home in the Huckleberry Hill Apartment Complex in Columbus that they were house-sitting.

Pettway was said to be injured in the assault, reported to have taken place just after 1:00am, but he was left at the apartment complex.

Skinner, meanwhile, was dragged out from the home and her vehicle was stolen by her abductors.

I can only assume she didnt want to harm [Pettway] because hes the father of her children, Taylor theorized.

Pettway then frantically dialed 911 to report to police what had happened.

Investigators were later alerted to a possible sighting of Skinners car across the Alabama state line. Deputies from Russell County were on their way to locate the car when they noticed another suspicious vehicle on Porter Road early Monday.

The vehicle took off when investigators attempted to make contact and a high-speed chase ensued n Highway 169 to Wetumpka, Alabama.

Once the vehicle reached Wetumpka, Alabama, they wrecked, and all four individuals inside were taken into custody, Taylor said.

A few hours later, Skinners body was located in a wooded area in Russell County just after 11:30am on Monday. Her vehicle was located a few miles away from where her body had been dumped.

Three men, (left to right) Shaun Johnson, 40; Joshua Tolbert, 30; and Jayvonn Phillips, 23, have also been arrested and charged after investigators say they volunteered to help Demetria Johnson carry out the murderous scheme.

According to Taylor, the suspects attempted to burn Skinners vehicle and conceal it but were unsuccessful.

Police also recovered a handgun from the wrecked vehicle Demetria and her three alleged accomplices had been apprehended in. Taylor said he suspects the handgun was used to kill Skinner.

I feel like I can prove who pulled the trigger, but I dont want to release that right now, the Sheriff said. We dont have any evidence to show she paid them anything. She just asked them [for] help, and they agreed to help.

Taylor added that he believes Demetria had been planning the murder for at least a week.

We have a couple of statements that said the intention all along was to kidnap and kill her. What boggles my mind is we have gotten to a point in our society where life has absolutely no meaning whatsoever, he added.

Skinners family members spoke to WRBL of their devastation and heartbreak over the violent acts that brought an end to their daughters life, remembering her as very joyful, humorous and caring.

Sheriff Taylor said after speaking with the family, I promised our office would do everything we could do get justice for Tameka.

Skinner had children of her own, two teenage daughters aged 16 and 17.

The four suspects remain behind bars at the Russell County Detention Facility, and are due to appear before Circuit Judge David Johnson at 11:00am on Wednesday morning.

They are expected to remain held without bond, as they are facing a capital offense.
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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya and Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, July 30 2020

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has issued a presidential regulation (Perpres) on remuneration for the directors of the preemployment card program amid ongoing evaluations of several irregularities surrounding the program's training courses.

Presidential Regulation No. 81/2020 sets the salary levels for the programs management  comprising an executive director and a maximum of five directors  at Rp 47 million (US$3,224) to Rp 77.5 million per month.

According to Article 2 of the regulation, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post, the programs president director is entitled to a monthly salary of Rp 77.5 million.

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Hong Kong property tycoon Ivan Ko told The Kerryman his team will visit the county following the COVID-19 pandemic after it emerged that Kerry was cited as a potential location for a brand-new city accommodating tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents.

The Times Ireland last weekend revealed that Mr Ko's Victoria Harbor Group - described as an international charter city investment company - opened contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) last December in relation to the extraordinary plans, and six potential Irish sites were discussed, including one in Kerry.

A map appears to identify a location between Tralee and Killarney as a potential site. Kerry County Council has said it has no knowledge of the proposal and has had no discussions with anyone or any agency about it.

It is unclear how Kerry came to be recognised as a potential site for the proposal, provisionally named 'Nextpolis'. Mr Ko confirmed that no meetings have taken place with Kerry figures, and the area circled in the map published in The Times would encompass far more than 50 square kilometres, which Mr Ko said would be the preferred size for such a city in Ireland.

The Times report, based on documents released under Freedom of Information, highlighted an exchange between DFA Asia Pacific Unit Director Tim Mawe and - it is believed - Mr Ko, during which the locations were discussed.

The Times reported that Mr Ko sent a map image over WhatsApp last February to Mr Mawe, with locations in Ireland circled, including one in Kerry. "Are these the regions or districts you have walked me through briefly in the call?", Mr Ko wrote, to which Mr Mawe replied, "Looks good".

"We have not locked down to regional level yet," Mr Ko told The Kerryman this week when asked for further detail. He claimed that Kerry was suggested to him as a potential location by Irish officials.

"We will for sure visit Kerry as one of the potential sites," Mr Ko confirmed. "Originally, without COVID-19, we planned to secure the first ICC [International Charter City] site within this year. Now with the travel restrictions still going on, we are still hopeful that it can be secured...in a country before the end of this year. Then we will start with master planning followed by construction".

Mr Ko claimed he is in contact with two other countries. While the Freedom of Information documents highlight discussions earlier this year about sourcing a 500-square-kilometre area for a new city in Ireland, Mr Ko now insists that his Irish strategy has changed "to fit into the Ireland situation".

"We target to start with smaller land, which may...ultimately reach 50sqkm and with a total population when the ICC is mature to have 100,000 people at most, half being Hong Kong immigrants," Mr Ko told this newspaper. "According to an opinion survey last October conducted by Asia Pacific Center of Chinese University of Hong Kong, 42 per cent of respondents said they will emigrate if they are given a chance...With the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, we believe more people [will want] to migrate."

In a statement issued to The Times - seen by The Kerryman - an advisor to Mr Ko said that while the possibility of autonomy for such a city was explored, this is no longer being considered as part of the Irish plan. "A new city is not feasible without the support of the host country," the statement added.

In an interview earlier this month, Mr Ko again emphasised he is not seeking to build a new nation, although the city would have its own charter. He also claimed that the project would be helpful to a host nation's economy and provide jobs across various industry sectors.

While he did appear to discuss potential sites with Mr Ko initially, Mr Mawe seems to have cooled towards the proposal, albeit one which was much larger in scale than what Mr Ko claims to now envisage.

Mr Mawe said an area of 500 square kilometres, as was then proposed, "is not held by government in this country, nor can it be obtained by law" The Times revealed.

"People in Ireland who fought long and hard to obtain freedom and have struggled through poverty to maintain that freedom are not inclined to sell part of our national territory to anyone," he also said.

Mr Ko told The Kerryman he is unperturbed by Mr Mawe's more recent comments.

"As said, his comment and guidance has led us to change our early strategies", he said.

"We are waiting to visit Ireland after the pandemic is over. All the actual execution plan will be dependent on the availability of site, conditions and policy support from both national and local government. And certainly, the reception of the local community," Mr Ko added.

In response to The Kerryman, a Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said: "Following an initial approach in December 2019, the Department had limited contact with the individuals involved to provide helpful and realistic guidance about Ireland. Since providing this guidance there has been no further action taken by the Department in this matter."
Back in March, Australian comedian Hamish Blake promised he was going all out for his wife Zoe Foster's 40th birthday celebrations.

And on Tuesday, the 38-year-old funnyman revealed how he treated his better half on her big milestone.

Hamish said he surprised the beauty guru with a piece of toast featuring a single candle, along with eighty cents and a half-eaten banana.

That's grounds for divorce! Hamish Blake treated his wife Zoe to a piece of burnt toast, 80 cents and a half-eaten banana on her 40th birthday on Tuesday during Melbourne's lockdown

'Surprised my wife with breakfast this morning for her 40th,' he wrote before adding, 'It was a classic joke and she said ''bravo, no need for a gift'' several hundred times.'

But the Melbourne-based comedian then treated Zoe to her real surprise, a large cream cake featuring roses and cherries on top and an array of flowers.

'But then this was breakfast so I didn't get sacked. I mean divorced. No, I probably mean sacked,' he cheekily wrote alongside the photo.

Cute! the Melbourne-based comedian then treated Zoe to her real surprise, a large cream cake featuring roses and cherries on top and an array of flowers

Uploading a photo alongside his doting wife, Hamish wrote: A real man holds up his wifes iso-birthday-self-portrait-glitter-wall-backdrop! And by god, its an honour.'

'Happy 40th to my queen Zoe,' he continued.

'A true total babe legend, you give so much zing and light to the world, the least I can do is hold up some shiny streamers to reflect a bit of it. I love you more than you loved woofing that cake.'

'But then this was breakfast so I didn't get sacked. I mean divorced. No, I probably mean sacked,' he cheekily wrote alongside the photo

Back in March, Hamish got his backside tattooed on national television to mark his wife's milestone celebration.

During a guest appearance of Hughesy, We Have A Problem, Hamish asked host Dave Hughes for advice about what to get her for the milestone celebration.

While ideas of buying her jewellery, Dave shared his unique suggestion - getting a tattoo on his backside.

'I wouldn't be damaging my body if I didn't love you': Back in March, Hamish got his backside tattooed on national television to mark his wife's milestone celebration

Hamish agreed and joked: 'Nothing says I love you like, "I was going to do it anyway and then I got peer pressured in the moment".'

He revealed he wanted a 'tasteful' tattoo, explaining: 'I think a "Z" in a love heart on the a**e is probably the best way to go.'

As the design was being drawn, Hamish look down the barrel of the camera lens and addressed his beauty guru wife, saying: 'This was on the cards to get you obviously for your 40th. I wouldn't be damaging my body if I didn't love you.

'I mean, you gave your body for the children. I helped a little bit... so it's the least I can do to show my love to the love of my life,' he added.
KANSAS CITY RISKS MORE VIOLENT PROTESTS AS LEADERS UNITE TO OPPOSE FEDERAL COOPERATION WITH KCPD!!!

"Dear Mayor Quinton Lucas and affiliated parties,

"By inviting federal agents into our city, you have opened the door to undue civilian terror, functional martial law, and the obstruction of basic civil liberties. Now, the people of Chicago and Albuquerque face the same state-sanctioned terrorism you let into Kansas City. This is unacceptable. We have demands for immediate change.

"Your hypocrisy is documented. After welcoming hundreds of federal agents into our city, you signed on to a letter with other mayors condemning a federal presence. Your name on a letter means nothing when you continue to enable the occupation of our city. Our peopleyour constituentsare suffering the consequences . . . "

DESPITE AN ANGRY WARNING LETTER, SO FAR THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY LOCAL LEADERSHIP TO MEDIATE THE DISPUTE!!!

The coalition is absolutely correct to target the Mayor for bouncing back and forth betwixt law enforcement & activists. Moreover, this authoritative statement seems to negate any chance of city hall stepping up to avoid violence.

Angry Letter Unity

Multiple KC organizations denounce 'Operation Legend'; demand Lucas reject federal occupation In a major display of unity, Black Rainbow, One Struggle KC, NAACP Kansas City, SCLC Greater Kansas City Chapter, Urban League of Greater Kansas City, KC Tenants, Sunrise Movement Kansas City, and SURJ came together to denounce Mayor Quinton Lucas's complicity with President Donald Trump's Operation Legend.

AOC Protects Protesters

AOC House Amendment Would Curtail Protest Crackdown Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ted Lieu of California are proposing an amendment this week that would prohibit funds from being used to send federal agents into American cities as part of Operation Legend or Operation Relentless Pursuit: Justice Department initiatives that have led brutal crackdowns on protesters in cities like Portland, Oregon.

Urban Leaders United Against Feds In Kansas City

As Operation Legend Gains International Attention, Civil Rights Groups Call On Kansas City Mayor To Reject Federal Agents A coalition of civil rights organizations is calling on Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to formally reject the presence of federal agents in the city after 200 agents arrived last week as part of Operation LeGend, an initiative aimed at tackling violent crime.

Civil Unrest Blame Game

Trump's Effort to Provoke Violence Is Working Meanwhile, the anger is spreading elsewhere. Activists in other cities have returned to the streets in large numbers, precipitating new clashes with law enforcement, especially in big West Coast cities. At the same time, the Trump administration is promising to deploy thousands of federal agents (as many as 75,000, the president claims) to other cities.

An angry letter distributed to progressive media today confirms what we talked about early this morning . . .Never mind that these political power moves quickly & conveniently omit much reference to the local murder count impacting urban communities. But I digress . . .The proclamation was a result of a collab from Black Rainbow, One Struggle KC, NAACP Kansas City, SCLC Greater Kansas City Chapter, Urban League of Greater Kansas City, KC Tenants, Sunrise Movement Kansas City, and SURJ . . .Check the introIt goes on from there and, again, the militant tone, strident words and urgent demands set the stage for future conflict.Again, it's also worth noting that. Obviously, those assurances haven't been accepted by local leadership.More to the point . . .Credit where it's due . . .Check the links . . .You decide . . .
Iran's IRGC holds massive aerial, naval drills off Hormuz Strait

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 9:03 AM

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is conducting large-scale aerial and naval drills off the strategic Strait of Hormuz and in the Persian Gulf, with the country's first domestic multi-purpose satellite monitoring the process.

According to the IRGC's Sepah News, the final phase of the exercises, codenamed Payambar-e A'zam (The Great Prophet) 14, kicked off on Tuesday across land, air and sea in the general area of Hormozgan Province, west of the Hormuz Strait and in the Persian Gulf.

Several units from IRGC's Navy and Aerospace Division are taking part in the maneuvers, which feature missiles, vessels, drones, and radars, and are designed to practice both offensive and defensive missions.

The IRGC forces are slated to conduct missile, drone and mine-planting operations against mock enemy targets during the drills. They are also scheduled to practice tactics to cut off the connection lines of enemy vessels.

Meanwhile, combat helicopters will target enemy positions with coast-to-sea missiles.

Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, the maneuvers' spokesman, said during the exercises, "the interception of ballistic and cruise missiles has been drilled, while surprising weapons and hardware  including long-range ballistic missiles capable of striking intruding vessels floating at a distance  are being used."

Nour-1 Satellite monitoring the drills

For the first time, the drills are being monitored by Iran's Nour-1 (Light-1) Satellite, which was put into orbit on April 22.

Nour-1 is the country's first multi-purpose satellite with application in the defense industry, among other areas.

The launch operation was carried out by the IRGC's Aerospace Division, which said the country's aerospace program was expected to gather pace following the launch.

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Leaders from the European Union (EU), China, France, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States on Tuesday declared the official start of the assembly of the world's largest nuclear fusion device at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in southern France.

Under construction in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, south France, the ITER site has been receiving gigantic first-of-a-kind components -- in many cases weighing several hundred tons each and more than 15 meters long -- produced by ITER consortium members in recent months. Assembling the ITER machine will take 4.5 years, according to a press release from the ITER project.

When ITER is finished, it is expected that it will demonstrate that fusion power can be generated sustainably on a commercial scale, it added.

"Today we celebrate more than just a technical milestone," said European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson in her video speech to representatives from all of the ITER members attending the celebration ceremony either in-person at the ITER site or virtually via livestream.

"The clean energy transition is both an ethical necessity and an economic opportunity," she said. "ITER perfectly demonstrates this duality: it is a major investment in our high-tech industries and clean energy sources for the future."

President Emmanuel Macron of France, the host country, hailed the ITER as "a promise of peace." "There are moments when the nations of the world choose to overcome their differences to meet a particular moment in history. The decision to launch ITER, in the mid-2000s, was one of these moments," he said in a video message.

Unlike existing fission reactors, which extracts energy by splitting atoms, ITER would generate power by fusion, similar to the way that produces the sun's energy. Fusion has neither physical possibility of a run-away accident with meltdown nor long-term legacy of waste disposal.

Reputed as an "Artificial Sun", the ITER program is one of the largest and most important international scientific research project in the world. China officially joined the program in 2006.

In late May, the 1,250-ton soup bowl-shaped cryostat base -- the heaviest single piece -- of the ITER was positioned in the so-called tokamak pit near Cadarache in southern France, marking the official start of the main equipment installation of the largest international scientific research cooperation project in the world, a Chinese group participating in the project had told Xinhua.

The tokamak is an experimental machine designed to harness the energy of fusion.

"The base was placed into its position with very high precision. The success of this unique, one-of-a-kind operation wrote a new record in our history," a spokesperson of China Nuclear Power Engineering (CNPE) told Xinhua.
Taking a few minutes to get that periodic cup of joe might not be such a bad idea.

When working at home, it's good to have a break, possibly every 30 minutes, to stay healthy and minimize injury to your back, shoulders and arms, says Kermit Davis, PhD, an expert in office ergonomics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

The body doesn't like static postures continually. You don't want to do all sitting or all standing all the time. You want to alter your position and change it up throughout the day." Kermit Davis, Professor, UC Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences

Workers across the nation have converted their basements, spare rooms, dining room tables or bedrooms into makeshift offices in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. But few have much guidance when it comes to making these new spaces ergonomically safe, says Davis, who runs both UC's graduate industrial hygiene and occupational ergonomics programs.

"You can go home but you aren't allowed to take the monitor, chair and most office equipment," explains Davis. "You can use your laptop from home, but it is designed to be a short-term option. It should be used for a few hours while traveling. It is not meant to be used for eight or nine hours each day."

The screen and keyboard on laptops are smaller than a standard office computer, says Davis. As a result the user oftentimes looks downward since the smaller screen is well below eye height.

Davis conducted an ergonomic assessment of employees at the University of Cincinnati sending out an email survey to 4,500 faculty and staff after the coronavirus pandemic prompted the university to join many other employers across the nation in sending workers home to continue operations. The survey had 843 people complete it. As part of the study, 41 employees sent Davis photos of workers at home workstations for ergonomic review. This subset showed some trends and offered a glimpse into what many who work from home are encountering.

The survey's findings were recently published in the scholarly journal Ergonomics in Design.

Davis says the ergonomic evaluations of the home workstations identified many issues that could be adversely affecting the workers. Many chairs were the wrong height with about 41% too low and 2% too high. Fifty-three percent of workers had armrests on their chairs, but 32% did not use them and for 18% of workers the armrests were improperly adjusted, the study found.

Davis says not using the armrests causes contact stress on forearms when rested on the hard front edge of work surfaces and strain across the upper back as the arms need support. Also, support of the back of the chair was not used by 69% and often without any lumbar support for 73% of survey participants. That meant many individuals did not have proper support of their lower back, maintaining the lumbar curvature.

The position of a computer monitor was often too low or off to the side. Three quarters of monitors were laptops, which were too low relative to the workers' eye height, the study found.

External monitors were also routinely set up too low in 52% of participants or too high in 4%. Another common issue with the monitors was the lack of the primary screens centered in front of the workers occurring in 31% of workers and resulting in twisting of the neck and/or back to view the monitor, according to the study.

Davis says not everyone can spend hundreds of dollars on a new chair or other equipment when working from home. He says there are some cheap and easy fixes that will go a long way in improving the ergonomic well-being of office workers.

Here are a few tips that might be helpful for the homebound office worker:

Place a pillow on your seat to elevate the seat height.

Place a pillow or rolled up towel behind your back to provide lumbar and back support.

Wrap armrests when they are low and not adjustable.

Move your chair closer to the desk or table to encourage having the back against the back of the seat.

If a laptop is too low, place a lap desk or large pillow under the laptop to raise the monitor when using it on the lap.

Use an external keyboard and mouse, along with raising the laptop monitor by placing a stack of books or a box under the laptop when using a laptop on a desk.

An appropriate standing workstation should have the top of the monitor at eye height and directly in front, keyboard at a height so that forearms are parallel to the ground (approximately 90 elbow angle), and a soft or rounded front edge to the working surface.

If obtaining a new chair or identifying an appropriate sitting workstation at home is not possible, rotating between a poor sitting workstation and a standing workstation would be the next best practice. There are many simple, makeshift standing workstations available in the home, including implementing the use of an ironing board, a kitchen counter, the top of a piano, a clothes basket placed upside down on a table or desk or a large box under the laptop.

Davis says he worries that workers' discomfort levels are increasing after more than five months of working remotely. "It's not just ergonomics changing but also other factors: isolation, teamwork changes and work-life balance is distorted and changes in the stress level that people have," he says.
Georgetown University will begin the school year online, the campus's president announced Wednesday, rescinding previous plans to conduct courses online and in-person this fall.

The school joins George Washington University this week in amending its plans for the fall as novel coronavirus cases continue to rise across the country.

John J. DeGioia, Georgetown's president, cited the rapid spread of the virus and new travel restrictions in a message he sent to the campus community. Washington D.C.'s Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced that students and other travelers from 27 virus hot spots would have to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in the city, and extended the city's emergency declarations through Oct. 9.

"These new D.C. restrictions reflect a growing awareness and concern about the accelerating spread of the virus in the United States and the speed at which covid-19 test results can be delivered," DeGioia said, referring to the disease caused by the virus. "These developments indicate a strain on our public health framework."

Georgetown intended to bring about 2,000 undergraduates - including freshmen, some international students, resident assistants and students with special circumstances - to live on campus, but plans to offer housing to all first-year students have been scrapped, DeGioia said. Some freshmen, including those unable to live at their permanent addresses, may still be offered on-campus housing, according to Ruth McBain, a spokeswoman for the campus.

"This was a very difficult decision - and one that I know will disappoint members of our community who have been eagerly anticipating a return to campus," he wrote to the student body.

Some work, including biomedical, life and physical sciences research, will take place on campus, but most students will not have in-person activities or instruction until university and health officials deem it to be safe, DeGioia said,

In light of the pandemic and its effects, Georgetown last week said it would offer a 10% tuition discount to undergraduates who are not invited to live on campus, a savings of about $2,800 per student. The full cost of attendance is $28,692.

The campus announced Wednesday that graduate students will get a 5% tuition break, bringing the cost-per-credit hour in graduate programs down from $2,214 to $2,103.30.
The abrupt closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston by the United States surprised analysts, experts and citizens. The sudden announcement, with no clear justification, left analysts to speculate about why the U.S. would take such unprecedented action out of the blue.



China and the U.S. have had disagreements over a range of issues, some of which are exaggerated. However, shutting down a consulate for an ill-defined reason will not help solve those problems.

Closing an embassy is a rare and hugely disruptive move, so for it to be justified, there would have to be credible evidence of real violations of the law or protocol by the country affected. Most analysts, however, do not think that Washington has offered sufficient justification and say that the closure of the consulate was a provocative escalation.

Dr. Hans Stockton, dean of the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Global Studies at the University of St. Thomas, said that the consulate's closure was "an extremely rare" action to take. He added that it "can be seen as an attempt to interfere with the smooth process of diplomacy."

Jerome Cohen, professor at NYU Law and director of the U.S.-Asia Law Institute, said: "The American people and the Chinese people are entitled to a serious explanation of the basis for the abrupt USG closing of the PRC consulate. The brief and cryptic justification offered thus far is simply inadequate."

A lot of the claims put forth by the U.S. are vague assertions repeated uncorroborated over the years. Eric Hundman, an assistant professor at NYU Shanghai, said, "Years of alarmism about ill-defined 'influence activities' bears fruit in justification for closing Houston's consulate."

Meanwhile, James Palmer, deputy editor of Foreign Policy, wrote an article stating, "The move is part of a series of provocative steps that will only make the U.S.-China relationship worse."

Jonah Shepp, a journalist focusing on foreign affairs for New York Magazine, called the consulate closure "a major escalation" which had more to do with U.S. domestic politics than rational policy.

Still, the U.S.-China relationship should not be abandoned, since both sides benefit from peace and trade. In addition, China does not threaten America's strategic national interests.

Last year, a group of five experts with deep experience in China policy  former U.S. Ambassador to China J. Stapleton Roy, M. Taylor Fravel, Michael D. Swaine, Susan A. Thornton, and Ezra Vogel  wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post. The article stated: "We do not believe Beijing is an economic enemy or an existential national security threat," adding that current U.S. efforts to treat China as an "enemy" and to decouple "will damage the United States' international role and reputation and undermine the economic interests of all nations."

The U.S. can avoid this fate if it refrains from escalating conflicts. It should define its demands clearly and deal with its problems on a case-by-case basis, taking proportionate actions to solve any alleged problems. The U.S. should also avoid making provocative grand actions aimed at its domestic politics.

While the latest string of confrontational measures is extremely worrisome, it does not have to be our fate. We can avoid confrontation if we choose peace and prosperity.

Mitchell Blatt is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/MitchellBlatt.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
Do facts matter anymore? Has such intense and unabashed hatred of President Donald Trump caused Democrat leaders to lose any semblance of sanity and let slip all grasp of reality, or are they fully aware of their mendacity, to promulgate a false political narrative about the president's handling of the virus in order to fool the American people into voting Trump out of office in November?

On June 30th, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proclaimed Trumps handling of the virus to be a complete failure at a press conference: Safety is first, and people have families at home that they have to go home to, and they dont want to carry somebody elses virus there... We are at a place now that we dont have to be. This is a president who doesnt want to wear a mask, who again called the virus a hoax... science says, wear a mask, test, trace, keep your distance. The president doesnt support any of that. He has events that are counter to that...this is a matter of life and death, and this administration has failed miserably.

It certainly is curious that Pelosi, who was not wearing a mask as she made those comments, would claim to care about safety and social distancing, considering that on June 3, she went out and joined Black Lives Matter protestors on Capitol Hill for a photo-op that was too important to pass up. That was after her famous rendezvous in San Franciscos Chinatown on February 29th, where she showed her displeasure with Trumps China travel ban that prevented people from coming into the U.S. from the place where the virus originated.

Although Dr. Anthony Fauci and CDC guidance repeatedly changed their stances on mask wearing, Trump never said people should not wear masks, and in fact often encouraged it. Considering that he is tested virtually every day, there is no reason for him to speak to reporters who are also tested, (and are more than six feet away from him), with a mask on during a press conference. He also never called the virus a hoax, he said that the Democrats, similarly to the Mueller Investigation, and to the Ukraine Impeachment, were once again trying to undermine his presidency by falsely accusing him of putting the lives of the American people in danger. Pelosi of course is not the only Democrat leader who criticized Trumps handling of the virus.

During a February 5 hearing before the House Committee that was captioned, "The Wuhan Coronavirus: Assessing the Outbreak, the Response, and Regional Implications," (before it became racist to refer to the virus that way) several witnesses who were called by Democrat House members seemed more concerned about offending people of Chinese origin than of actually stopping the virus. Former Democrat representative Eliot L. Engel, who lost his seat this past month, said of Trumps travel ban, "The United States and other countries around the world have put in place unprecedented travel restrictions in response to the virus. These measures have not proven to improve public health outcomes, rather they tend to cause economic harm and to stoke racist and discriminatory responses to this epidemic." One day earlier, Democratic representative Ami Bera, who presided over the hearing, told Politico, "In our response we can't create prejudices and harbor anxieties toward one population." Joe Biden also famously said of Trumps travel ban, In moments like this, this is where the credibility of a president is most needed... This is no time for Donald Trump's record of hysterical xenophobia, and fear-mongering."

On March 24th, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo attacked the Trump administration, saying What am I going to do with 400 ventilators when I need 30,000? You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators. It turned out Cuomo did not need anywhere close to 30,000 ventilators, and not a single person died because they did not have a ventilator. Instead, he solved the problem by allowing the elderly who tested positive for the virus to go back to nursing homes, where they infected their neighbors, resulting in an additional 12,000 deaths.

On May 5th, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio said, What kind of human being sees the suffering here and decides that the people of New York City dont deserve help... President Trump wasnt there for us when we needed testing to stop this horrible disease. As of July 25th, the U.S. has carried out nearly fifty-three million tests. One could be forgiven for taking anything De Blasio says too seriously, considering that he prioritizes his time by painting large Black Lives Matter letters in front of Trump Tower, freeing violent criminals from jail, and allowing shootings to increase by 130 percent in NYC.

Lets review the facts of Trumps supposed failure.

On January 29th Trump announced the formation of the Coronavirus Task Force, which first began meeting on January 27th.

On January 31, President Trump took the bold and crucial step of banning travel from China, at a time when there were only six known coronavirus cases in the U.S. Dr. Fauci praised the travel ban , saying, What we're doing now with the other travel restrictions -- so you block infections from coming in.

On March 13th Trump declared a nationwide emergency , which increased federal support under the Stafford Act, and put HHS in charge as the lead federal agency for the COVID-19 pandemic response. He also directed FEMA to assist state, and local governments by building field hospitals, setting up mobile testing sites, procuring PPE, and allocating 350 million dollars to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction of alternate care facilities in New York.

On April 2, Trump authorized the Defense Production Act to ramp up production of ventilators and N-95 respirators.

On April 16th, he issued guidelines for reopening America.

Fifty-seven major disaster declarations were declared in all fifty states, five territories, Washington D.C. and one tribe, and 6.5 billion dollars in funding was allocated in emergency protective measures.

199 airbridge flight missions occurred, to expedite critical medical supplies from overseas.

As of June 5th, 13.9 million face shields, 148.9 million surgical masks, 5.2 million coveralls, 1 billion gloves, 205.6 million cloth masks, 93 million N95 respirators, and 37.6 million gowns were delivered to all fifty states, and two U.S. Navy hospital ships arrived in New York City and Los Angeles.

On May 15th Trump initiated Operation Warp Speed , to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

So while the media, Pelosi, Biden and other Democrats falsely vilified the presidents handling of the plague that came from China, and told us to follow the science, by proclaiming that the virus can distinguish between anti-lockdown protestors, churchgoers, or hair salon owners who want to safely reopen their businesses, but not for defund the police protestors, arsonists, looters, vandals and anarchists who destroy property, topple statues, burn courthouses and churches, terrorize civilians, overrun city streets with autonomous zones, and clash with law enforcement officers, one wonders what any of them would have done differently if they had been commander in chief.
Captain Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has advised owners of sweet shops and other shops in the state to provide free masks to customers on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

The appeal comes four days after the Chief Minister had announced that the sweet shops will be allowed to remain open on August 2, a day before the Raksha Bandhan festival, despite the Sunday lockdown in place in the state.

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Capt Amarinder SinghDCs have been asked to advise the owners of sweet shops in their respective districts to give a pair of masks free of cost with the purchase of sweets in order to promote and popularise the use of masks.

Similar advisories may also be issued to owners of other shops for giving away free masks on purchase of Rakhis, said the Chief Minister.

An active proponent of the use of the mask to check the further spread of Coronavirus in the state, where the number of Covid cases has been steadily increasing over the past couple of weeks, Captain Amarinder has already warned of increase in the fine amount on violation of mandatory wearing of mask.

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RakhiAmong the first states to impose fine on those not wearing the mask when venturing out of their homes, Punjab is currently imposing a penalty of Rs 500 in every instance of violation.

However, with a large number of violations being reported from many districts, the Chief Minister has said the amount can be hiked further if people do not behave responsibly.

The Chief Minister has recently directed the Health Department to install mask vending machines at bus stands and other strategic points. In addition, free masks are being distributed to the poor along with their ration kits.
MacKenzie Scott, one of the worlds richest women, pledged one year ago to give away her money until the safe is empty.

On Tuesday, Ms. Scott, an author and philanthropist who was once married to Jeff Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon, said she had so far given $1.7 billion to a long list of institutions, including historically Black colleges and universities as well as organizations that support womens rights, L.G.B.T.Q. equality, and efforts to fight climate change and racial inequities.

I gave each a contribution and encouraged them to spend it on whatever they believe best serves their efforts, Ms. Scott said in a Medium post in which she listed more than 100 organizations that received donations.

Ms. Scott, who was married to Mr. Bezos for 25 years, is estimated to have a net worth of $36 billion and is the fourth-richest woman in the world, according to Forbes. Ms. Scott, 50, received 4 percent of Amazons shares as part of the couples divorce settlement.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Steel export from Turkey to China soared by 68.2 percent in the first half of 2020, compared to the same period of 2019, having exceeded $7.4 million, Turkeys Trade Ministry told Trend.

In June 2020, Turkeys steel export to China rose by 42.15 percent compared to the same month of last year, surpassing $1.3 million.

In 1H2020, export of Turkish steel to international markets dropped by 16.6 percent compared to 1H2019, amounting to $5.9 billion.

Turkeys steel export accounted for 8 percent of the country's total exports during this period.

In June 2020, Turkey exported the steel to foreign markets in the amount of over $1.1 billion, which is 28.6 percent more compared to the same month of 2019. In this month, Turkeys steel export accounted for 8.4 percent of the country's total exports.

Over the past 12 months (from June 2019 through June 2020), Turkey exported $12.6 billion worth of steel abroad.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @IsmailovaNargis
Author Ligia Carvalho receives the Finalist-Award for her book, Grandma is a Star - a book about grief for kids, category Children's Mind/Body/Spirit.

It is the first award received by the author, which makes the moment even more special. "I feel accomplished with this recognition. Knowing that some important people from the industry have read my book and liked it, it is beyond special."

The President and CEO of American Book Fest, Jeffrey Keen, said this year's contest yielded over 2,000 entries from authors and publishers worldwide.

When Carvalho wrote the book back in 2018, she just wanted to touch hearts. This story is very close to our family. I knew this book could touch someone's heart, the same way it has touched ours.

For more information on the International Book Award and all the Finalists and Winners go to http://www.internationalbookawards.com/2020awardannouncement.html.

For more information about the Book Grandma is a Star, go to https://ligiacarvalho.ca/books.

About the Author

Ligia Carvalho is an aspiring children's book author that is keen to transform her ideas into great stories every day. Her first book, "Max Loves Cupcakes," was published in 2017, and it was the start of her writing career. In 2018, she was able to release her second book, "Grandma is a Star - a book about grief for kids."

Ligia Carvalho was born in Brazil, where she got her Bachelor's degree in Social Communication. She moved to Canada in 2009, where she continued her studies in Business Writing. Working as a Freelance Writer, the mother of three young boys enjoys travelling and reading as much as she can.

For more info: https://ligiacarvalho.ca/

Grandma is a Star

By Ligia Carvalho


openings

Albany Center Gallery, 488 Broadway, Albany. "Visions." http://www.albanycentergallery.org. featuring the work of regional artists Virginia Bryant, Jon Gernon, Diane Golden, Andrea Hersh, Robert Morgan, and Christopher Murray. ACG will be following CDC guidelines for visitation to ensure the safety and wellness of all our visitors. Opens Tuesday. through Aug. 28.

in-person exhibitions

Albany Institute of History and Art, 125 Washington Ave., Albany. http://www.albanyinstitute.org. "Telling Her Story: New Acquisitions presented by Bank of America." Through Aug. 30. Also, "A Brilliant Bit of Color: The Work of Walter Launt Palmer." Through Aug. 23. Also, "Recycled & Refashioned: The Art of Ruby Silvious." Through Aug. 30. Also, "The Hudson River School: Landscape Paintings from the Albany Institute Collection." Ongoing. Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly encouraged to ensure social distancing guidelines are met.

American Italian Heritage Museum, 1227 Central Ave, Albany. 518-435-1979. "The Good Life of Italy." The Schenectady Art Society shows its art in this judged show about Italian life. Most paintings will be for sale. Open through August.

Saratoga Automobile Museum, Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs. "Dyson Racing: The Private Collection." saratogaautomuseum.org. Featuring the varied collection of racing legend, Rob Dyson. Ongoing. Also, "Wheels: Woman and Independence 1900-1920." Ongoing. Also, "East of Detroit." Ongoing. Also, "Racing in New York." Ongoing.

Universal Preservation Hall, 25 Washington St., Saratoga Springs. Part of the Machine: Rock & Pinball. universalpreservationhall.org. $10-$20. The interactive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exhibit showcases rock-themed, playable pinball machines and combines them with merchandise and artifacts to explore the artistic portrayal of artists and bands. UPH, a partner in the Proctors Collaborative, will sell tickets for 90-minute blocks throughout the run. Opens Sunday. Through Sept. 26.

Virtual exhibitions

Albany Center Gallery, Albany. 2020 Mohawk-Hudson Regional Invitational. albanycentergallery.org. Virtually explore the annual juried exhibit featuring works by Capital Region artists as well as past exhibitions.

American Italian Heritage Museum, 1227 Central Ave, Albany. 518-435-1979. "The Good Life of Italy." The Schenectady Art Society shows its art in this judged show about Italian life. Most paintings will be for sale. Open through August.

The Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy. "Did You See That: Matt Chinian." artscenteronline.org. Chinian documents places and scenes that present fascinating color fields. He paints typically overlooked locales asking to be found.

The Courthouse Gallery, Lake George. Sculpture by Lee Malerich and paintings by Michael Van Winkle. lakegeorgearts.org/. Lee Malerich (sculpture) and Michael Van Winkle (paintings) create works depicting or referencing the human figure.

Discover Albany Visitors Center, Albany. albany.org/about/visitors-center/. Take a virtual tour of the "Albany Heritage Exhibit," previously housed in visitors center.

Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, "Lover Earth: Art and Ecosexuality." tang.skidmore.edu. A student-curated online exhibition that encourages viewers to think critically about their bodies and the planet.

The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls. "Dox Thrash, Black Life and the Carborundum Mezzotint." hydecollection.org/. Thrash, a member of the "new Negro" movement and active in the Depression-era WPA, tapped a rich vein of Black heritage in his art. His invention of the carborundum printing method greatly facilitated his portrayal of African-Americans in a readily accessible medium. Easily disseminated, Thrash's imagery reached audiences across the nation's racial divide. Also, Hyde House and the Permanent Collection. The Hyde Collection offers works of American and European art that span almost 6,000 years of art from antiquity to the present. The Museum's founders, Louis and Charlotte Hyde, acquired the majority of objects during a 50-year period of avid and highly informed collecting. Many of these works are displayed in Hyde House, the founders' former home.

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Lake George Arts Project's Courthouse Gallery, Lake George. "Algal Blooms in Lake George: The Natural Beauty of Algae... and Its Warning." https://www.lakegeorgearts.org/event/algal-blooms-in-lake-george. Kathy Bozony's work documenting and researching the algal blooms in Lake George. Through July 11.

New York State Museum, Albany. Online exhibitions. nysm.nysed.gov/exhibitions/online. Explore the museum's various exhibitions online, including "Votes for Women: Celebrating New York's Suffrage Centennial," "A Spirit of Sacrifice: New York State in the First World War" and "1962 Audio Recording: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."

Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Mass. "Finding Home: Four Artists' Journeys," "Norman Rockwell in the Age of the Civil Rights Movement" and "Norman Rockwell: Presidential Elections Illustrated." nrm.org/. Curated experiences that collect related images, photography, video, audio and history relating to the museum's renowned collection of Norman Rockwell's original paintings, his Stockbridge Studio, as well as the museum's vast collection of illustration art.

Opalka Gallery, Sage College of Albany. 21st High School Regional Exhibition. opalka.sage.edu/. The annual exhibition is a showcase of the best artwork from the Capital Region's high school students. Safely view the entire body of work and celebrate these young artists.

Pamela Salisbury Gallery, Hudson. Four One-Person Exhibitions. pamelasalisburygallery.com. Willard Boepple: Wood and Paper, Sculpture and Prints; Maud Bryt: Here I'll Show You; Richard Kalina: Selected Work; Ying Li: Alterity. The exhibitions may be viewed in its entirety online in Hudson by appointment (pamela@pamelasalisburygallery.com). Opens Saturday. Through July 26.

Sage College of Albany, Sage BFA 2020. art.sage.edu/bfa2020. The annual bachelor of fine arts exhibition represents work from all three of the programs: Art + Extended Media, Graphic + Media Design, and Interior + Spatial Design.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center, http://www.spacfoya.org. Festival of Young Artists. Works of art from young photographers, painters, sculptors and illustrators from the Capital Region. Presented by the Adirondack Trust Company.

Spencertown Academy Arts Center, Spencertown. "Fifth annual Members' Art Show." spencertownacademy.org, Featuring works made by more than 50 academy community members.

University Art Museum, University at Albany. 2020 Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition. albany.edu/museum/mfa2020/mfa2020.html. View online the work of 2020 master of fine arts degree candidates Courtney Bernardo, Sean Corcoran, Maxwell Goodknight, Anthony Jackson (Bugzdale), Erica Kaufman, Ya Li, Arnela Mahmutovi, Meghan Mason, Anna Nina Pellicone and Tzuyun Wei.
File photo of a Chicago Police Department officer wearing a mourning band on his badge following the death of a colleague, in Des Plaines, Ill., on Nov. 26, 2018. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Chicago Deputy Police Chief Death Ruled a Suicide, Officials Say

A deputy police chief in Chicago was found dead July 28 in an apparent suicide, according to law enforcement officials.

Dion Boyd, who was promoted to the rank of deputy chief of criminal networks earlier this month, was found dead from a gunshot wound at the Homan Square police station on Chicagos West Side, according to the Chicago Tribune. An autopsy conducted July 29 found that he died of a gunshot wound to the chest. The Cook County medical examiners office ruled his death a suicide.

There is really no way to convey the magnitude of this loss, Superintendent David Brown said at a press conference at which Boyd was commemorated, as cited by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Boyds death makes him the 10th Chicago police officer to die by suicide in two years. A Department of Justice review, conducted in 2017, found that the suicide rate at the Chicago Police Department was more than 60 percent higher than the national average of 18.1 law enforcement suicides per 100,000.

The review noted also that more officers die of suicides than in the line of duty.

Boyd, who served with the department for nearly three decades in roles that included tactical officer, undercover officer, and homicide detective was a respected command staff member, Brown added. The criminal networks department he was promoted to deals with investigations into narcotics and gang activity.

Many lives will be forever changed from this moment on, Brown said, according to the Chicago Tribune. And Deputy Chief Boyds presence will be greatly missed. I ask you to keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

The job of a Chicago police officer is not easy, particularly in a time where there is intensified stress, Brown said at the press conference. Every day, life can seem insurmountable at times for anyone. But for police officers, the stakes are even higher due to the tireless work they do to safeguard others.

He said theres no shame in reaching out for help, and urged staff members who may be feeling overwhelmed to seek professional assistance.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot expressed her condolences on Twitter, in which she also called on members of the force who are struggling with issues to seek counseling.

We are truly at a loss of words by the death of Deputy Chief of Criminal Networks Dion Boyd, she wrote.

This devastating loss will not only be felt at every level of this Department, but in the countless communities and homes Deputy Chief Boyd touched during his decades-long service to our city.

To every officer, we want you to know that you are deserving of help and healing, and no one needs to struggle alone. This City has a fundamental obligation to support each of you, and over the coming weeks, we will be taking steps to bolster our support network so that every first responder understands that help is available.
The worst of the shock to oil markets and economies stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic is already behind us, the top executive of one of the largest commercial banks in Qatar told Bloomberg TV in an interview on Wednesday as the Middle East countries are reeling from the double shock of the coronavirus and oil price collapse on their economies.

We look forward to reset the button as and when the world reaches normalcy, Raghavan Seetharaman, chief executive officer at Doha Bank QPSC, told Bloomberg TV.

At the end of last month, Amin Nasser, president and CEO of the worlds biggest oil company, Saudi Aramco, said that the worst in the oil market was over, adding that he as very optimistic for the second half of this year.

Despite the optimism that things cant be as bad as they were back in April, the banks in the Middle East have felt the double whammy of COVID-19 and low oil prices on their portfolios and provisions to cover bad loans.

First Abu Dhabi Bank took a net impairment charge of US$288 million (1.06 billion UAE dirhams) in the second quarter, more than double the provisions for bad loans for the same period of 2019, while Emirates NBD more than tripled its net impairment loss on financial assets in the first half of 2020 compared to H1 2019.

In Qatar, despite timely support from the central bank, the credit profiles of Qatari banks are likely to weaken in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus crisis and lower oil prices, Fitch Ratings said earlier this week.

The crash in oil prices has already sparked a wave of mergers and acquisitions in the banking sector across the Middle East, with lenders in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, and Oman considering tie-ups.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 03:05:57|Editor: huaxia

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AMMAN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Tuesday reported six cases of coronavirus, increasing the total number to 1,182, according to its health ministry.

The new cases included four arrivals from Saudi Arabia, one from Iraq and one from Britain, and all have been put in quarantine at designated hotels, the ministry said in a statement.

A total of 6,364 tests were conducted on Tuesday, bringing the overall number of coronavirus tests administered since the beginning of the crisis in the country to 577,754, the statement added.

The ministry has warned against practices that violate public safety and preventive measures, mainly gathering of more than 20 people, where penalties stipulated in the defense orders will be applied against violators.

China has supported Jordan's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 31, China donated a batch of medical supplies to Jordan to help combat the coronavirus. Enditem
Bogota:

Colombias government and FARC guerrillas will sign a new peace accord in Bogota, after a previous agreement to end the countrys half-century of conflict was rejected in a referendum, said both parties.

The new accord will be submitted to Congress for approval, rather than put to another referendum.

Last month voters taking part in that referendum surprisingly rejected the first accord. Critics said it went too easy on the rebels, who have been waging what is now Latin Americas last insurgency.

The government and FARC delegations have agreed to sign the final agreement to end the conflict and build a stable and lasting peace, negotiators from both sides said in a statement on Wednestay.

The new accord was first announced on November 12. The signing will take place at 11:00 am (local time) at the Colon Theater in Bogota, they said. The accord will then be submitted to Congress, the two sides said.

We are working out the procedures necessary for this, they said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
RUSTON, La., July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Century Next Financial Corporation (OTCQX: CTUY), the holding company of Century Next Bank, with $525.3 million in assets, today announced financial results for the 2nd quarter ended June 30, 2020.



Financial Performance

For the three months ended June 30, 2020, Century Next Financial Corporation (the Company) had net income after tax of $1.52 million compared to net income of $1.18 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019, an increase of $344,000 or 29.2%. Earnings per share (EPS) for the three months ended June 30, 2020 were $0.93 per basic and $0.92 per diluted share compared to $0.73 per basic and $0.71 per diluted share reported for the three months ended June 30, 2019.

For the six months ended June 30, 2020, Century Next Financial Corporation (the Company) had net income after tax of $2.53 million compared to net income of $2.38 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019, an increase of $149,000 or 6.3%. Earnings per share (EPS) for the six months ended June 30, 2020 were $1.55 per basic and $1.53 per diluted share compared to $1.47 per basic and $1.44 per diluted share reported for the six months ended June 30, 2019.

Balance Sheet

Overall, total assets increased by $35.7 million or 7.3% to $525.3 million at June 30, 2020 compared to $489.6 million at December 31, 2019.

The largest component of assets, loans, net of deferred fees and costs and the allowance for loan losses, including loans held for sale, increased $27.8 million or 6.9% for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to December 31, 2019. Total net loans at June 30, 2020 were $429.8 million compared to $402.0 million at December 31, 2019. Net loan growth reflects increases of $27.0 million in commercial non-real estate loans (including $27.3 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans), $4.6 million in commercial real estate, $3.8 million in multi-family loans, $3.5 million in residential 1-4 family HFS and $2.2 million in land loans. These increases were offset by decreases of $8.6 million in residential 1-4 family loans, $1.8 million in residential construction loans, $1.6 million in agricultural real estate loans, $571,000 in home equity lines of credit, $367,000 in consumer non-real estate loans, and $7,000 in agricultural non-real estate loans. The allowance for loan losses increased by $362,000 or 10.6% to $3.78 million at June 30, 2020 from $3.42 million at December 31, 2019.

Story continues

Total deposits at June 30, 2020 increased $33.0 million or 7.8% to $454.9 million compared to $421.9 million at December 31, 2019. Growth occurred in noninterest-bearing checking deposits of $25.8 million, interest-bearing checking deposits of $13.0 million, and savings deposits of $4.8 million. The increases were offset by decreases in money market deposits of $7.8 million and time deposits of $2.8 million.

Total short-term borrowings decreased to $16,000 at June 30, 2020 from $41,000 at December 31, 2019, a decrease of $25,000 or 61.0%, while long-term borrowings did not change at $14.5 million as of June 30, 2020 compared to December 31, 2019. The net decrease in short-term borrowings was primarily due to the payments made on a Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) note.

Income Statement

Net interest income was $5.19 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $4.89 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. This was an increase of $301,000, or 6.2%. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, net interest income was $10.19 million compared to $9.63 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020. The increase for the three- and six-month periods were primarily from increases in interest income earned on loans and decreases in interest expense on deposits offset by decreases in interest income on interest-bearing deposits in banks and other investments.

The provision for loan losses amounted to $362,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $237,000 in provision for the three months ended June 30, 2019. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, provision for loan losses was $724,000 compared to $474,000 for the same period in 2019. The increase in loan loss provision for the three- and six-month periods, as compared to the same periods in the prior year was primarily a reflection of an increased risk awareness and identification of potential credit trend changes within the loan portfolio added to strengthen the allowance for loan losses.

Total non-interest income amounted to $1.15 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $849,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2019, an increase of $299,000 or 35.2%. for the six months ended June 30, 2020, non-interest income was $2.01 million compared to $1.68 million for the same period in 2019, an increase of $331,000 or 19.7%. The increases for the three- and six-month periods were primarily a result of loan servicing release fees from increased mortgage refinancings and a bank-owned life insurance claim proceeds in excess of cash surrender value.

Total non-interest expense increased by $40,000 or 1.0% to $4.07 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $4.03 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, non-interest expense was $8.21 million compared to $7.92 million for the same period in 2019, an increase of $297,000 or 3.8%. The majority of the increases for both three- and six-month periods were primarily due to salaries and employee benefits, occupancy and equipment and advertising expenses. These increases were offset slightly by decreases in data processing, foreclosed assets, audit and examination fees, and other operating expenses. The Companys efficiency ratio, a measure of expense as a percent of total income, decreased to 64.25% for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to 70.27% for the three months ended June 30, 2019. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the efficiency ratio was 67.29% compared to 70.00% for the same six-month period of 2019.

Other Financial Information

Nonperforming assets, including loans past due 90 days or more, nonaccrual loans, and other foreclosed assets, increased from $4.1 million at December 31, 2019 to $4.3 million at June 30, 2020. Total non-performing assets were 0.83% and 0.84% of totals assets as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. Allowance for loan losses were $3.78 million or 0.87% of total loans at June 30, 2020 compared to $3.42 million or 0.84% of total loans at December 31, 2019. Net charge-offs for the year-to-date period ended June 30, 2020 were $362,000 compared to net charge-offs of $47,000 for the year-to-date period ended June 30, 2019. The ratios of net charge-offs to average loans outstanding were 0.09% and 0.01% at June 30, 2020 and June 30, 2019, respectively.

COVID-19 Related Information

The Company is continuing to monitor the economic impact from the COVID-19 restrictions to business operations as it relates to both business and consumer customers of its bank subsidiary and the potential impact to credit quality and future earnings. During the 2nd quarter ended June 30, 2020, the Companys bank subsidiary, Century Next Bank, made approximately $27.3 million in paycheck protection loans to businesses seeking assistance. Although economic conditions may have a negative effect on bank customer throughout the remainder of 2020, the Company has been minimally impacted and will continue to monitor conditions and react as appropriate to mitigate risks to its financial condition.

Assistance provided to business and individuals through the CARES Act enacted by Congress in late March 2020 has provided some relief for the economic effects of the shutdown.

Company Information

Century Next Financial Corporation is the holding company for Century Next Bank (the Bank) which conducts business from its main office in Ruston, Louisiana. The Company was formed in 2010 and is subject to the regulatory oversight of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary and is an insured federally-chartered covered savings association subject to the regulatory oversight of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Bank was established in 1905 and is headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana. The Bank is a full-service bank with four locations in Louisiana including two banking offices in Ruston, one banking office in Monroe, one banking office in West Monroe, and four locations in Arkansas including two banking offices in Crossett, one banking office in Hamburg, and one drive-through location with limited services in Fountain Hill. The Bank emphasizes professional and personal banking service directed primarily to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals, and individuals. The Bank provides a full range of banking services including its primary business of real estate lending to residential and commercial customers.

Statements contained in this news release which are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words like believe, expect, anticipate, estimate, and intend or future or conditional verbs such as will, would, should, could, or may. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Century Next Financial Corporation and Subsidiary

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share data)

June 30, 2020 December 31, 2019 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 61,573 $ 54,100 Investment securities 2,573 2,589 Loans, net 429,843 402,033 Other assets 31,268 30,884 TOTAL ASSETS $ 525,257 $ 489,606 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Deposits $ 454,890 $ 421,855 Short-term borrowings 16 41 Long-term borrowings 14,454 14,454 Other liabilities 3,257 3,119 Total Liabilities 472,617 439,469 Stockholders' equity 52,640 50,137 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 525,257 $ 489,606 Book Value per share $ 31.30 $ 30.16





Century Next Financial Corporation and Subsidiary

Consolidated Statements of Income (unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended June 30 Six Months Ended June 30 2020 2019 2020 2019 Interest Income $ 6,112 $ 6,371 $ 12,402 $ 12,448 Interest Expense 922 1,482 2,211 2,822 Net Interest Income 5,190 4,889 10,191 9,626 Provision for Loan Losses 362 237 724 474 Net interest income after provision for loan losses 4,828 4,652 9,467 9,152 Noninterest Income 1,148 849 2,014 1,683 Noninterest Expense 4,072 4,032 8,213 7,916 Income Before Taxes 1,904 1,469 3,268 2,919 Provision For Income Taxes 382 291 742 542 NET INCOME $ 1,522 $ 1,178 $ 2,526 $ 2,377 EARNINGS PER SHARE Basic $ 0.93 $ 0.73 $ 1.55 $ 1.47 Diluted $ 0.92 $ 0.71 $ 1.53 $ 1.44

Century Next Financial Corporation Contact Information:

William D. Hogan, President & Chief Executive Officer or

Mark A. Taylor, CPA CGMA, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

(318) 255-3733

Company Website: www.cnext. bank




About 78 markets together with lorry parks, public toliets and other public places were on Tuesday disinfected and fumigated in the Volta Region.



The exercise followed a huge clean-up operation last Monday by Dansworld International Services International Limited (DISL), in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, in the markets and public places of the region.



Speaking at the launch at the Ho Central Market in the Volta regional capital, Ho, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, explained that the exercise, which constituted phase two of the national disinfection and fumigation, was part of control measures by the central government to tackle the new coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.



He intimated that the central government through the MLGRD was committed to winning the battle against the COVID-19.



According to him, Volta Region was equally doing its bid to control the virus.



Against this backdrop, Dr Yao Letsa appealed to the people in the region to always endeavour to comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols.



However, he indicated that it was difficult ensuring social/physical distancing, especially in the markets, albeit the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) were doing the best.



"We are also trying to enforce the wearing of nose masks across the region, all as part of efforts to control the spread of the virus in the Volta Region," the minister intoned.



He used the opportunity to lap praises upon the security agencies, comprising the military, police, fire service, prisons and the immigration service, for their supportive roles in the war against COVID-19 in the region.



For his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dansworld International Services Limited, Mr Bernard Danso Ntow, described his outfit's partnership with Zoomlion as excellent.



"Our partnership with Zoomlion is the first of its kind and so far its been excellent," he said.



According to him, their scope of work which will span three days, involved fumigating, disinfecting and huge clean-up operation in the markets and public places.



While describing the phase two of the exercise as good, he, however, indicated that they will improve upon it in the second phase.



Mr Danso Ntow, therefore, advised particularly the market women to observe the COVID-19 preventive protocols.



"Yes disinfection against the virus is good, but my advice to our market women is that they should continue to observe all the WHO prescribed COVID-19 safety protocols," he advised.



The exercise started at 7:30 a.m., at the Ho Central Market with DISL using atomisers, foggers and Knapsack sprayers to disinfect the market, with drones carrying out the fumigation bit.



Public places that benefited from the exercise included the Assembly Mall, Intercity STC Terminal, Matse Ola Station Sokode Station, all in Ho, among others.

It would be recalled that the central government through the MLGRD in March, this year, engaged Zoomlion Ghana Limited to disinfect all the markets across the country to help control the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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(Newser)  Oregon Gov. Kate Brown says she has reached a deal with administration officials that will see the "occupying force" of federal agents removed from downtown Portland. Brown said Wednesday that agents from the US Marshals Service and US Customs and Border Protection will begin a phased withdrawal Thursday and Federal Protective Service officers at the city's federal courthouse will be bolstered by state troopers instead, the Oregonian reports. Brown said the agents "refused accountability and brought strife to our community" during nightly confrontations with protesters. Portland Mayor Ted Wheelerwho was tear-gassed by federal agents last weekhailed what he called the end of an "illegal occupation."

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Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf confirmed that an agreement had been made, although he described it in very different terms. "We are not removing any law enforcement while our facilities and law enforcement remain under attack," he tweeted Wednesday. But "the state of Oregon is finally agreeing to cooperate with our federal forces," he said in a second tweet, "exactly what we asked for since the nightly violence broke out two months ago." He added: "We're glad Oregon is now correcting their months long error." President Trump said Wednesday that agents would remain in Portland until local authorities "secured" the city, the AP reports. "Either theyre gonna clean up Portland soon, or the federal government is going up, and were gonna do it for them," he said. (Read more Portland, Oregon stories.)
By Trend





Turkey plans to reopen schools nationwide on Aug. 31, to get students back into classrooms and free up working parents, assuming a recent stabilization in coronavirus cases holds, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

Teachers and administrators are preparing on-site health precautions, but two government sources told Reuters that the daily infection rate may need to dip below the more than 900 seen recently to allow them to execute what they called Plan A.

Schools shifted to distance education in March, when Turkey identified its first case and began restricting movement. They are planned to start the new academic year in August.

Much of the economy reopened on June 1, after the school year ended, but masks and other hygiene measures are still required in public.

"We have been told that the schools will reopen, so we will see how it goes," said a first-grade teacher in the southern city of Antalya. "I do feel a bit concerned about my students' and my family's health, of course."

Since it lifted most of the lockdown measures last month, Turkey has seen fewer drops in the number of new cases, with daily tolls mostly in the thousands. Although there has been no major increase in the number of new cases or deaths, with thousands of people recovering each day, the country recently accelerated efforts to bring the situation under control.

About half of Turkeys nearly 230,000 cases and more than 5,600 deaths are in its biggest city, Istanbul, the government says. The capital Ankara and eastern Diyarbak?r province have also been hotspots.

One government source said "if the number of cases decreases, all schools will be opened," but that otherwise, schools in high-infection areas might remain closed.

A second senior official said classes might have to remain online for some southeastern provinces. "The normalization is underway ... but the numbers should have fallen faster."

A primary school teacher based in the southeast said some of her students had not had the means to attend online classes, adding: "Online teaching can never be as efficient as classroom learning."

The ministries of Education and Technology have been cooperating on certifying schools according to hygiene standards. Schools complying with the set hygiene standards against the coronavirus will receive the "My School is Clean" certification.

The Health Ministry has already set out several guidelines for reopening, from constant disinfection to social distancing in classrooms and students wearing masks at all times.

Schools will need to comply with comprehensive guidelines, which detail every measure, from the place of sanitizers to checking the body temperature of students and staff while entering the school, rearranging desks to maintain proper air circulation in classrooms.

The guide also covers hygiene measures in school buses, labs, mess halls and playgrounds. The authorities will inspect schools that apply for the certificate.

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and his cabinet will make a final decision late next month based on the spread of infection and advice from scientists, the officials said.
Samsung has optimized the international variant of Samsungs Galaxy Note 20 series to perform better, according to recently reported rumors. The source reports that Samsung has improved the in-house Exynos 990 to be found in the global phone configurations for better thermals. That doesnt necessarily mean that the chip itself will be more powerful. But it could reduce overheating to such a point that better clock speeds are possible.

What could an optimized Galaxy Note 20 mean for international users?

The import of a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 or Note 20 Ultra thats been optimized cannot be understated. Or at least thats the case if the rumors are true.

Summarily, Samsungs run of Exynos chips over the past several years has hardly been impressive. In fact, its been largely underwhelming compared to the Snapdragon chips used in the US and other select regions.

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Samsung has insisted on using the chips, built in-house, for Europe and other international regions regardless of that fact. So when leaks and rumors began swirling, indicating that the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series would again use Exynos chips, suffice it to say that came as a disappointment to many. Not only do the chips not typically perform as well. They also have a tendency to heat up more quickly.

A similar sentiment arose with the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, which used the same chipset internationally. And before that with the Galaxy S10 series. For whatever reason, the use of Exynos chips has, in some cases, resulted in a lower maximum memory as well  compounding the problem.

Optimizations could help Samsung address its shortcomings.

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still not an Exynos 992

Now, this news isnt likely to sate many long-time supporters of Samsung anyway. Even if Samsung has optimized its Exynos 990 chipset in the Galaxy Note 20 series. And thats likely to remain the case even if it better aligns with the Snapdragon processor expected in the US variant.

Thats because Samsung had been expected to unveil and implement a new chip to better bridge the gap prior to launch. Dubbed the Exynos 992, the chip would have placed international users on a similar footing. It isnt immediately clear whether optimizations will be enough to make that happen for the older chipset. But it seems unlikely, given the history here, that fans are going to be happy about it either way.
The annual hajj pilgrimage typically brings millions of Muslims to Mecca. Because of Covid-19, authorities said no more than 10,000 people can participate, dealing a blow to the Saudi economy and businesses that rely on the event. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
A 27-year-old Peterborough man has been arrested after an investigation into domestic assaults over a five-year period.

City police received information Tuesday about four assaults that happened to a woman while she was in a domestic relationship with a man between 2014 and 2019, city police said.

The 27-year-old man has been charged with four counts of domestic assault.

He was released from custody and was to appear in court Wednesday.

City police did not name the man to protect the womans identity.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:15:46|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Deputy Health Minister Hazim al-Jumaili expected on Wednesday that the country will witness a new wave of COVID-19 infections, as the health ministry recorded 2,968 new cases, the highest daily increase since the outbreak of the disease.

"The infections are still high and Iraq is still in the first wave of COVID-19 infections," al-Jumaili told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

Al-Jumaili attributed the expected new wave to the absence of anti-coronavirus drugs, as well as the lack of compliance of the citizens with the preventive measures, according to INA.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday also warned of an increase in COVID-19 infections during the Eid al-Adha holiday in Iraq.

"Iraq is not yet out of the danger phase, and a wave of high infections is inevitable unless there is a commitment to preventive health measures and social distancing to limit the spread of the virus," Wael Hatahit, head of the WHO's emergency team in Iraq, said in an interview with the official al-Sabah newspaper.

Meanwhile, the health ministry reported 2,968 COVID-19 cases during the past 24 hours, bringing the total infections in the country to 118,300.

It also reported 68 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 4,603, while 2,399 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 83,461.

The new cases were recorded after 18,556 testing kits were used across the country during the day, and a total of 965,317 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the statement.

On July 26, Iraq's Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, decided to extend the weekly full curfew from July 30 to Aug. 9.

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
A 40-year-old man has died after being found on fire by cops on a California highway shortly after he got into an argument with a group of people outside a 7-Eleven early Friday morning.

Jerry Mungaray of Gilroy was found burning alive by California Highway Patrol officers who were called out to a report of a fire on the side of the freeway south of Gilroy just after 2.45am, the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office reported.

Sheriff's deputies called to the scene said Mungaray was transported to the Santa Clara Valley Medical Trauma Unit.

He suffered severe burns to his body and was in critical condition before he died from his injuries just before midnight, the sheriff's office said. A final cause of death is pending a local coroner's investigation.

A woman identifying herself as Mungaray's sister said he was last last seen Thursday outside a 7-Eleven in Gilroy where he was having an argument with the occupants of two cars.

Jerry Mungaray, 40, of Gilroy, California (pictured), died after he was found burning alive by California Highway Patrol officers who were called out to Sargent Crossing and Highway 101 south of Gilroy on a report of a fire on the side of the freeway just after 2.45am

A woman identifying herself as Mungaray's sister said he was last last seen Thursday outside a 7-Eleven in Gilroy (pictured) where he was having an argument with the occupants of two cars

Mungaray had been spotted getting into a 'verbal confrontation' with multiple people in two cars outside the convenience store, Jasmine Richards said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Cops did not provide any additional details about what may have caused the incident or how Mungaray ended up being burned alive.

Mungaray's aunt Patricia said the family did not know anything more about the people who argued with him outside the convenience store, or how he could have ended up being burned alive.

'I can't speak to any of that right now. We just don't know at this point,' the aunt said when reached by Dailymail.com.

Mungaray was unmarried and did not have children, she said.

His sister's post on Facebook described him as a loving uncle to her two sons, who got to be with his parents during his last hours.

The sister also said she also 'got to say goodbye' in a phone call.

'My heart is so broken,' she said in the social media post. 'Our lives are forever changed.'

Richards asked in the post for help to 'get these sick people off the street,' in a comment that referred to the persons she said had argued with Mungaray.

Mungaray had been spotted getting into a 'verbal confrontation' with multiple people in two cars outside the convenience store, wrote Jasmine Richards, in a Facebook post on Saturday

Jasmine Richards, who said she is Mungaray's sister, and authorities appealed to anyone with information to come forward. He is pictured from an image posted on Facebook

Sheriffs office detectives are 'actively investigating the circumstances surrounding Mungarays death,' the department said in a news release.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office Investigative Services Division at (408) 808-4500. Anonymous tips can be left at (408) 808-4431.

Richards on Tuesday created a Facebook page in tribute to Mungaray, to give those who remembered him 'comfort.

'This is has been such a hard time for our family as we mourn loosing Jerry,' she wrote on the page's first post.
Tiger numbers are on the rise across the world. (Getty)

Tiger numbers are making a remarkable comeback in five of the countries the species is found, scientists say.

The big cat populations in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Russia are all said to be increasing following the launch of the TX2 initiative a decade ago.

Global conservationists untied for the scheme which sought to double the number of tigers worldwide by 2022  the Chinese year of the tiger.

In 2010 when the TX2 initiative was launched, as few as 3,200 animals remaining across the 13 range countries where they are found.

Nepal's tiger population has nearly doubled in a decade. (AP)

In India alone, the number of tigers has more than doubled between 2006 and 2018, with an estimated 2,600 and 3,350 animals in the south Asian nation.

Nepals tiger population has also swollen in recent years, up from 121 individuals in 2009 to 235 just under a decade later.

Russia has reported a 15% increase in tiger numbers over the past decade, with about 540 animals.

And in Bhutans Royal Manas National Park the population has increased from only 10 tigers a decade ago to 22 in 2019.

Becci May, regional manager, Asian Big Cats, at WWF UK, said: Ten years ago, tigers were in such a perilous state, that there was a very real risk of them becoming extinct in the wild.

From that population low in 2010, they are finally making a remarkable comeback in much of South Asia, Russia and China, thanks to co-ordinated and concerted conservation efforts in these countries.

This is an achievement that not only offers a future for tigers in the wild, but for the landscapes they inhabit and the communities living alongside this iconic big cat.

There are still only around 3,900 tigers in the wild, where they are under threat from poaching for the illegal wildlife trade, and the destruction and breaking up of their habitat across much of their range, WWF said.

The key to helping wild tiger populations recover is to focus on conserving landscapes where they can thrive and ensuring communities in these wildlife-rich areas are supported and included in conservation, the organisation said.
Gehlot gets Governor snub again over demand for assembly session

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Jaipur, July 29: Rajasthan Governor, Kalraj Mishra has sent back Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot's proposal demanding an assembly session again.

The Governor returned the file with the comment that a 21-day notice is necessary to call an assembly session.

Gehlot sent a third proposal to Mishra on Tuesday seeking an assembly session from July 31. During the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, the points raised by the Governor were discussed. The Cabinet said that it was sticking to its decision for holding the session from July 31 onwards.

Citing COVID-19, Rajasthan Governor cancels Independence Day event

Amid nationwide protests by Congress workers over the Governor's apparent reluctance to call a session, Mishra had on Monday said he had no such intention.

Unlock 3: Gyms to open from August 5th, Night curfew removed | Oneindia News

But he sought a redrafted proposal, the second time in the past few days, including three points  a 21-day notice for calling a session, live broadcast of the proceedings if there is a trust vote, and social distancing.

In addition, the Governor had written that a session can be called at a short notice if the government says in its new proposal that it planned to seek a vote of confidence.

{quiz_263}

But sources said the Ashok Gehlot government has not mentioned in its new proposal whether it is seeking a vote of confidence in the assembly session, which it is still insisting should begin on July 31, the date it gave in its last recommendation.

Asked about the agenda of the proposed session, Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said it was for the Business Advisory Committee of the assembly to decide.

On social distancing in the Vidhan Sabha to fight coronavirus, the minister said it was for the Speaker to make the arrangements.

"The BJP stands exposed. They are changing their statements," he said, in an apparent reference to the Speaker's last note.
Authorities have released the name of a young woman shot to death in a park on Birminghams Southside.

The Jefferson County Coroners Office identified the victim as Raven Lynette Swain. She was 24 and lived in Birmingham. Family members said she was a bright young woman who had a heart of gold.

Swain was found unresponsive in the drivers seat of her vehicle when South Precinct officers responded at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday to Underwood Park in the 1100 block of 26th Street South. Birmingham Sgt. Rod Mauldin said when officers arrived at the park, they found Swain in her vehicle that was lodged in the foliage. She was pronounced dead on the scene at 7:48 p.m.

Evidence in the park and parking lot indicated multiple shots had been fired, Mauldin said. Several shell casing markers were placed in the lot, which is not far from the Red Mountain Expressway overpass, about a block from The Nick bar. The rear of the park is behind the St. Vincents Hospital parking deck.

At least one woman who lives nearby reported hearing the shots fired. Dozens of the victims family and friends rushed to the scene.

Right now our detectives are canvassing the area,' Mauldin said. We dont have many details of what took place.

Someone in the area called 911, but Mauldin said he didnt know whether there was anybody else in the park at the time of the shooting. He said it was too soon to tell if anyone had been in the vehicle with the victim prior to the slaying.

We dont know if this took place somewhere else and her vehicle came to a stop here or if it happened here,' Mauldin said. We are working hard but we need people to come forward with information.

Swain is Birminghams 68th homicide this year. Of those, eight have been ruled justifiable and one accidental and therefore are not deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 98 homicides, including the 68 in Birmingham.

She was one of two people killed overnight in Jefferson County. A 45-year-old man was shot to death in Bessemer just hours after Swains killing.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
Ashley Graham loves her new "mom bod," stretch marks and all!

The model, who gave birth to her first child six months ago, is showing off her beautiful curves in a new campaign for Swimsuits For All, and the images are equal parts stunning and refreshing.

Graham enlisted her husband, Justin Ervin, to capture photos of her modeling the designs from her latest swimwear collection. And she's proud to announce that the campaign images, shot at her family's home in Nebraska, aren't Photoshopped.

"There's always a question of what do you want us to retouch, and what do you want us to take out? And I said, 'Nothing,' except from a clamp holding up the DIY backdrop," she told People. "I want everybody to know genuinely ... I want people to see who I am because everybody has a story."

Ashley Graham shows off stretch marks in new photo shoot (Justin Ervin / Swimsuits for All)

The 32-year-old has partnered with the size-inclusive brand for several years and even showed off her baby bump in a campaign earlier this year. Graham has been a body image activist throughout her career and felt compelled to share a raw look at how beautiful a new mom's body really is.

"A lot of women I speak to have image issues, body issues around confidence. I want them to understand that we all have things that society has told us to cover up and why do we need to do that? So here I am with mine out and about and proud," she said.

Ashley Graham shows off stretch marks in new photo shoot (Justin Ervin / Swimsuits for All)

The new mom is thrilled with the results of her photo shoot now, but it seems she was a bit nervous to get back into modeling after giving birth.

"I've got more weight on me. I've stretch marks, and in the beginning I really had to have a lot of conversations with myself and tell myself, 'Okay, new body, new mindset,'" she said.

Ashley Graham shows off stretch marks in new photo shoot (Justin Ervin / Swimsuits for All)

After seeing the campaign photos, Graham is feeling pretty confident: "(After) this photo shoot, I felt so empowered because I was like, 'Yes. I look good. I feel good. This is my new mom bod.'"

Ashley Graham shows off stretch marks in new photo shoot (Justin Ervin / Swimsuits for All)

This isn't the first time in recent months that Graham has enlisted her husband to get behind the camera. He recently shot her for a Harper's Bazaar UK cover, too.

Story continues

Graham strikes a pose at her family's farm. (Justin Ervin / Swimsuits for All)

"Justin and I were already in a rhythm of shooting together in quarantine," she said.

The couple that does photo shoots together stays together!

Video: Ashley Graham broke her front tooth on a cookie
When Fang Zeyu, a Chinese science fiction writer, looked up yet again at the red planet, a different emotion transpired within him.

As China's first Mars mission, Tianwen-1 (meaning Questions to Heaven), blasted off to success on July 23, marking the country's first step in planetary exploration of the solar system, it has induced inspiration for Chinese sci-fi writers and artists.

Yu Jun, an astrophotographer and astronomy blogger, said he has been following the human explorations of Mars extensively.

"It is these explorations that have brought us psychologically closer to Mars. Now we talk about things on Mars as if we were talking about a neighboring village," said Yu.

The exploration could help improve human ability to go deeper into space and provide first-hand data for significant scientific research such as the origin and evolution of the solar system and life.

Last month, Fang completed the first draft of a short story about Mars, but he is yet to revise it, as he thinks the draft lacks novel elements. He believes the successful launch of Tianwen-1 may elicit new materials and help yield different perspectives for his work.

"The advancement of science and technology can further broaden our horizons, and I'm looking forward to it. It is a brand-new start," Fang said.

The prospect of upcoming works inspired by the Mars mission has thrilled many Chinese sci-fi fans.

Yang Chenxi, 27, who has loved science fiction since childhood, thought the mission would increase public interest in Mars, leading to a surge in the creation of Mars-themed sci-fi works.

"I look forward to reading a story someday that the astronauts on Mars found key resources to save Earth when our planet is in danger," Yang said.

Unlike other planets in the universe, the environment of Mars has the closest resemblance to Earth in the solar system. Thus, the exploration of Mars emanates a sense of mission and responsibility in terms of finding a new home for future generations.

Due to this goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese sci-fi writers and scholars believe that the implication of China's first journey to Mars will go beyond science itself.

Through the eyes of Zhang Xiaobei, director and screenwriter, many leaders in the commercial space industry, such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, spent their childhoods under the influence of the Apollo program, which made them set foot in the journey to space after growing up.

"I believe that the future of mankind would be in the space, and I hope our future generations could look up at the starry sky from their childhood," said Zhang. "These are the sparks. One day, maybe a few of these little sparks will have a chance to put a shine on human civilization."

Li Zhaoxin, a sci-fi critic and partner of the Future Affairs Administration, an incubator for sci-fi writers, said that stepping out of Earth and onto other planets is a crucial realistic topic for humankind.

"Everyone should be aware that we live in a fragile ecosystem. The more people realize it, and the more we understand it, the better the world will be," said Li.

As the world is facing unique challenges this year, the Mars mission reminds people that some major undertakings require the cooperation of all mankind.

Zheng Yongchun, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, emphasized that no matter what the international situation may be, people should never give up international cooperation in space exploration, which is the hope of humanity.

"China's Mars exploration will also become a part of human space exploration. I hope that a new Cold War in any form doesn't dim the brilliance of the career," said Wu Yan, a sci-fi writer and professor with the Southern University of Science and Technology.
If a Trumpian populist created his perfect Senate candidate in a lab, the result might look something like Dr. Manny Sethi.

The 42-year-old orthopedic-trauma surgeon is a staunch opponent of illegal immigration, and he is effectively using his familys story  his parents immigrated legally to the United States from India  to his advantage as he seeks to become Tennessees next Republican senator.

In one campaign ad, Sethis mother, also a doctor, looks directly into the camera and tells viewers the story of her long process of immigrating to America, where she worked hard and delivered thousands of Tennessee babies.

So why do others get to break the law, get benefits, and if you dare say thats wrong, you are called racist? she asks, before endorsing her son, who then appears on screen. Were going to have an illegal-immigrant invasion if Republicans dont win in 2020. The Democrats are going to give this country away, he says. Let em try to call me a racist.

The 2020 Senate primary is a stark example of how the Tennessee GOP has changed in the era of Donald Trump. For many years, the state has tended to elect a certain kind of business-friendly, relatively moderate Republican to the upper chamber. In 2013, both of the states Republican senators, Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, voted for the ill-fated, bipartisan Gang of 8 immigration-reform bill. And after Trumps win in 2016, both men developed a more complicated relationship with the president than the typical Republican in Congress: Corker was a sharp critic of Trumps trade policy, and Alexander condemned Trump for the conduct that led to his impeachment while still voting against removing him from office.

Tennessee has typically sent more pragmatic middle-of-the-road-type Republicans to the Senate  Lamar Alexander, Bob Corker, Bill Frist, Howard Baker, says Jessica Taylor, a Tennessee native who analyzes Senate races for the Cook Political Report. The import of the 2020 GOP primary is that Tennessee is poised to have two very different senators than it has. Following Corkers 2018 retirement, his seat was filled by the more conservative Marsha Blackburn, and the man elected to succeed the retiring Alexander in November will be much more populist, regardless of the outcome of the August 6 GOP primary.

Story continues

Sethi is running as the insurgent outsider and trying to claim the mantle of Trumpism in the race. But his chief opponent, Bill Hagerty, is a businessman who served as Trumps ambassador to Japan for two years and has the presidents formal endorsement. And both candidates have pitched themselves as hardline opponents of illegal immigration who want to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to illegal immigrants.

While Trumps job approval rating is underwater nationally, he remains popular among Tennessee Republicans, and Hagerty reminds voters of the presidents endorsement every chance he gets. I went in and gave six months of my life to help President Trump get elected, he says of his decision to volunteer full-time for Trumps general-election campaign in 2016.

Sethi has hit back by contrasting Hagertys support of Marco Rubio in the March 1, 2016 Tennessee GOP primary with his own avowed support of Trump. I immediately was drawn to [Trump] because he just said the things that really no one else was willing to say but everybody was thinking them, Sethi says. And I voted for him in the 2016 presidential primary.

Sethi now has the backing of Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, while Hagerty has the support of Blackburn and Senators Tom Cotton and Mitch McConnell. Hagerty began the race as a heavy favorite, but polls suggest that Sethi has come from behind to make the race a toss-up. A recent poll by JMC Analytics found Hagerty leading Sethi 30 percent to 27 percent, with 32 percent of Tennessee Republicans undecided.

How will undecided voters make up their minds?

With little separating the Tennessee GOP Senate candidates on the issues, the contest between Sethi and Hagerty has focused more on their respective biographies, their associations, and their loyalty to Trump.

Hagerty says his experience as U.S. ambassador to Japan has made him keenly aware of the threat from Communist China. I want to see us get our supply chains back from China, end our dependency on China for antibiotics, for medical supplies, for high technology, he says.

Sethi contends that as a doctor, he would have a unique ability to speak out against Obamacare and Planned Parenthood. As a Christian, I believe all life begins at conception. As a doctor, Ive sworn to protect life, Sethi says. You cant on the one hand support the Black Lives Matter movement and on the other hand support Planned Parenthood. It just makes no sense because Planned Parenthood puts these abortion clinics in underserved neighborhoods across the country and kills millions of African-American children  babies. And I would make that hypocrisy very clear in the U.S. Senate.

With no significant policy differences to fight over, the campaigns have tried to make mountains out of molehills.

Hagerty has hit Sethi for associating with critics of Blackburn and Trump. Sethi has gone after Hagerty for sitting on the board of a company that used the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter in a tweet, portraying the tweet as an endorsement of the official Marxist Black Lives Matter organization. (Hagerty agreed and resigned from the companys board.) And in recent days, the two have traded attacks over past donations to Democratic candidates. Sethi dismissed his $50 contribution to congressional candidate Tom Perriello in 2008 as nothing more than his family buying some t-shirts to help a family friends brother-in-law running for Congress. Hagerty deflected when asked twice for an explanation of his $1,000 donation to Al Gore in 2000, saying simply that people need to focus on Trumps endorsement of his candidacy.

Neither candidate is doing much to appeal to the Republican primary voters who have elected more moderate Republicans to the Senate for decades, and who preferred Alexander to a populist outsider by nine percentage points in the 2014 GOP primary.

On June 30, Alexander issued a plea for Americans to wear masks when appropriate in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus and help the country return to some semblance of normalcy. He lamented that this simple lifesaving practice has become part of a political debate that says: If youre for Trump, you dont wear a mask; if youre against Trump, you do. On July 3, Tennessee GOP governor Bill Lee allowed local authorities to issue mask mandates. But both Sethi and Hagerty are categorically opposed to such mandates, and Sethi has gone so far as to call them unconstitutional.

If youre in a high-density area with a lot of COVID, I think you should wear [a mask]. Im against mandates completely because I dont think theyre constitutional, says Sethi. If someone starts telling you today youve got to wear a mask, what are they going to tell you tomorrow youve got to do for public safety and health?

People in Tennessee certainly dont care to have the government tell them what to do. I trust the judgment of Tennesseeans. I trust individual store owners to do what they want and need for their customers and for their employees, says Hagerty.

Despite the surge of coronavirus cases in Tennessee  the average number of new daily cases jumped from fewer than 500 in early June to more than 2,700 in late July  both campaigns have proceeded with indoor, mask-optional campaign events.

There has been a shift in the party, says Vanderbilt political-science professor John Geer. Tennessee GOP politics now looks a lot more like Alabama GOP politics. In the Alabama Republican Senate primary in 2017, the Trump-endorsed Luther Strange lost to Judge Roy Moore, who successfully claimed to be the true Trumpist candidate. In the 2020 Alabama Senate primary, Trump-endorsed Tommy Tuberville beat Trumps first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who enraged the president by recusing himself from the Russiagate investigations. Sessions, back in private life and seeking his old seat, couldnt withstand Trumps withering attacks throughout the race.

Hagerty ran a campaign that was basically Trumps endorsement, which at one level makes you feel good when you look, for example, at what happened in Alabama [this year], says Geer. The difference is that Trump hasnt attacked Sethi like he did Sessions.

As a result, the race is obviously a lot closer than people thought it would be, Geer adds. Flip a coin right now about how it all works out.

More from National Review
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

Financial results continue to be significantly impacted by COVID-19 and the 737 MAX grounding

Revenue of $11.8 billion , GAAP loss per share of ($4.20) and core (non-GAAP)* loss per share of ($4.79)

Operating cash flow of ( $5.3 ) billion; cash and marketable securities of $32.4 billion

Total backlog of $409 billion , including more than 4,500 commercial airplanes

Table 1. Summary Financial Results Second Quarter





First Half



(Dollars in Millions, except per share data) 2020

2019

Change

2020

2019

Change























Revenues $11,807

$15,751

(25)%

$28,715

$38,668

(26)%























GAAP





















Loss From Operations ($2,964)

($3,380)

NM

($4,317)

($1,030)

NM Operating Margin (25.1)%

(21.5)%

NM

(15.0)%

(2.7)%

NM Net Loss ($2,395)

($2,942)

NM

($3,036)

($793)

NM Loss Per Share ($4.20)

($5.21)

NM

($5.31)

($1.40)

NM Operating Cash Flow ($5,280)

($590)

NM

($9,582)

$2,198

NM Non-GAAP*





















Core Operating Loss ($3,319)

($3,745)

NM

($5,019)

($1,759)

NM Core Operating Margin (28.1)%

(23.8)%

NM

(17.5)%

(4.5)%

NM Core Loss Per Share ($4.79)

($5.82)

NM

($6.49)

($2.60)

NM



*Non-GAAP measure; complete definitions of Boeing's non-GAAP measures are on page 6, "Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures."

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] reported second-quarter revenue of $11.8 billion, GAAP loss per share of ($4.20) and core loss per share (non-GAAP)* of ($4.79), primarily reflecting the impacts of COVID-19 and the 737 MAX grounding (Table 1). Boeing recorded operating cash flow of ($5.3) billion.

"We remained focused on the health of our employees and communities while proactively taking action to navigate the unprecedented commercial market impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic," said Boeing President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Calhoun. "We're working closely with our customers, suppliers and global partners to manage the challenges to our industry, bridge to recovery and rebuild to be stronger on the other side."

In the second quarter, Boeing restarted production operations across key sites following temporary pauses to protect its workforce and introduce rigorous new health and safety procedures. Despite the challenges, Boeing continued to deliver across key commercial, defense, space and services programs. The company also resumed early stages of production on the 737 program with a focus on safety, quality and operational excellence. Following the lead of global regulators, Boeing made steady progress toward the safe return to service of the 737, including completion of FAA certification flight tests.

To align to the sharp reduction in commercial market demand in light of COVID-19, the company is taking several actions including further adjusting commercial airplane production rates and reducing employment levels.

"The diversity of our balanced portfolio and our government services, defense and space programs provide some critical stability for us in the near-term as we take tough but necessary steps to adapt for new market realities," Calhoun said. "We are taking the right action to ensure we're well positioned for the future by strengthening our culture, improving transparency, rebuilding trust and transforming our business to become a better, more sustainable Boeing. Air travel has always proven to be resilient - and so has Boeing."

Table 2. Cash Flow Second Quarter

First Half (Millions) 2020

2019

2020

2019 Operating Cash Flow ($5,280)

($590)

($9,582)

$2,198 Less Additions to Property, Plant & Equipment ($348)

($421)

($776)

($922) Free Cash Flow* ($5,628)

($1,011)

($10,358)

$1,276



*Non-GAAP measure; complete definitions of Boeing's non-GAAP measures are on page 6, "Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures."

Operating cash flow was ($5.3) billion in the quarter, primarily reflecting lower commercial deliveries and services volume due to COVID-19 and the 737 MAX grounding, as well as timing of receipts and expenditures (Table 2).

Table 3. Cash, Marketable Securities and Debt Balances Quarter-End (Billions) Q2 20

Q1 20 Cash $20.0

$15.0 Marketable Securities1 $12.4

$0.5 Total $32.4

$15.5 Debt Balances:





The Boeing Company, net of intercompany loans to BCC $59.5

$36.9 Boeing Capital, including intercompany loans $1.9

$2.0 Total Consolidated Debt $61.4

$38.9



1 Marketable securities consists primarily of time deposits due within one year classified as "short-term investments."

Cash and investments in marketable securities increased to $32.4 billion, compared to $15.5 billion at the beginning of the quarter, driven by the issuance of new debt (Table 3). Debt was $61.4 billion, up from $38.9 billion at the beginning of the quarter due to the issuance of new debt, partially offset by repayment of maturing debt.

Total company backlog at quarter-end was $409 billion.

Segment Results

Commercial Airplanes

Table 4. Commercial Airplanes Second Quarter





First Half



(Dollars in Millions) 2020

2019

Change

2020

2019

Change























Commercial Airplanes Deliveries 20

90

(78)%

70

239

(71)%























Revenues $1,633

$4,722

(65)%

$7,838

$16,544

(53)% Loss from Operations ($2,762)

($4,946)

NM

($4,830)

($3,773)

NM Operating Margin (169.1)%

(104.7)%

NM

(61.6)%

(22.8)%

NM

Commercial Airplanes second-quarter revenue and operating margin decreased reflecting lower delivery volume, partially offset by a lower 737 MAX customer consideration charge of $551 million in the quarter compared to a $5.6 billion charge in the same period last year. Second-quarter operating margin was also negatively impacted by $712 million of abnormal production costs related to the 737 program, $468 million of severance expense and $133 million of abnormal production costs from the temporary suspension of operations in response to COVID-19.

The 737 program resumed early stages of production in May and expects to continue to produce at low rates for the remainder of 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted air travel and reduced near-term demand, resulting in lower production and delivery rate assumptions. Commercial Airplanes expects to gradually increase the 737 production rate to 31 per month by the beginning of 2022, with further gradual increases to correspond with market demand. Estimated potential concessions and other considerations to customers related to the 737 MAX grounding increased by $551 million in the quarter. There was no material change to estimated abnormal production costs.

Commercial Airplanes has further updated its production rate assumptions this quarter to reflect impacts of COVID-19 on its demand outlook, and will continue to assess them on an ongoing basis. The 787 production rate will be reduced to 6 per month in 2021. The 777/777X combined production rate will be gradually reduced to 2 per month in 2021, with 777X first delivery targeted for 2022. At this time, production rate assumptions have not changed on the 767 and 747 programs.

Commercial Airplanes delivered 20 airplanes during the quarter, and backlog included over 4,500 airplanes valued at $326 billion.

Defense, Space & Security

Table 5. Defense, Space & Security Second Quarter





First Half



(Dollars in Millions) 2020

2019

Change

2020

2019

Change























Revenues $6,588

$6,579



$12,630

$13,166

(4)% Earnings from Operations $600

$975

(38)%

$409

$1,827

(78)% Operating Margin 9.1%

14.8%

(5.7) Pts

3.2%

13.9%

(10.7) Pts

Defense, Space & Security second-quarter revenue was $6.6 billion, reflecting COVID-19 impact on derivative aircraft programs, partially offset by higher volume across the remainder of the portfolio (Table 5). Second-quarter operating margin decreased to 9.1 percent primarily due to a gain on sale of property in the second quarter of 2019 and a $151 million KC-46A Tanker charge primarily driven by additional fixed cost allocation resulting from lower commercial airplane production volume due to COVID-19.

During the quarter, Defense, Space & Security received an award for three additional MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling aircraft for the U.S. Navy, as well as contracts for Cruise Missile Systems for the U.S. Navy and a contract for 24 AH-64E Apache helicopters for the Kingdom of Morocco. Defense, Space & Security completed Critical Design Review for the T-7A advanced trainer, achieved first flight and delivery of the F/A-18 U.S. Navy Block III Super Hornet, and achieved first flight of the F-15 Qatar Advanced aircraft. Defense, Space & Security also delivered the 100th U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon, the 400th V-22 Osprey, and the 2,500th AH-64 Apache.

Backlog at Defense, Space & Security was $64 billion, of which 31 percent represents orders from customers outside the U.S.

Global Services

Table 6. Global Services Second Quarter





First Half



(Dollars in Millions) 2020

2019

Change

2020

2019

Change























Revenues $3,488

$4,543

(23)%

$8,116

$9,162

(11)% (Loss)/Earnings from Operations ($672)

$687

NM

$36

$1,340

NM Operating Margin (19.3)%

15.1%

NM

0.4%

14.6%

NM

Global Services second-quarter revenue decreased to $3.5 billion, driven by lower commercial services volume due to COVID-19, partially offset by higher government services volume (Table 6). Second-quarter operating margin decreased to (19.3) percent primarily due to lower commercial services volume, less favorable mix of products and services, and $923 million of charges related to asset impairments and severance costs as a result of the COVID-19 market environment.

During the quarter, Global Services was awarded a contract modification for P-8A integrated logistics support for the U.S. Navy. Global Services captured an order for four 767-300 freighter conversions for DHL and was awarded a contract for F-15 pre-delivery training support for the Qatar Emiri Air Force. Global Services also delivered the first F/A-18 Super Hornet test aircraft modified for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

Additional Financial Information

Table 7. Additional Financial Information Second Quarter

First Half (Dollars in Millions) 2020

2019

2020

2019 Revenues













Boeing Capital $69

$75

$134

$141 Unallocated items, eliminations and other $29

($168)

($3)

($345) Earnings from Operations













Boeing Capital ($7)

$37

$17

$57 FAS/CAS service cost adjustment $355

$365

$702

$729 Other unallocated items and eliminations ($478)

($498)

($651)

($1,210) Other income, net $94

$107

$206

$213 Interest and debt expense ($553)

($154)

($815)

($277) Effective tax rate 30.0%

14.2%

38.4%

27.5%

At quarter-end, Boeing Capital's net portfolio balance was $2.1 billion. Revenue from other unallocated items and eliminations increased primarily due to reserves related to cost accounting litigation recorded in the second quarter of 2019. Interest and debt expense increased due to higher debt balances. The second quarter effective tax rate reflects tax benefits related to the 5 year net operating loss carryback provision in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act as well as the impact of pre-tax losses.

Non-GAAP Measures Disclosures

We supplement the reporting of our financial information determined under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States of America (GAAP) with certain non-GAAP financial information. The non-GAAP financial information presented excludes certain significant items that may not be indicative of, or are unrelated to, results from our ongoing business operations. We believe that these non-GAAP measures provide investors with additional insight into the company's ongoing business performance. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related GAAP measures, and other companies may define such measures differently. We encourage investors to review our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure. The following definitions are provided:

Core Operating Earnings, Core Operating Margin and Core Earnings Per Share

Core operating earnings is defined as GAAP earnings from operations excluding the FAS/CAS service cost adjustment. The FAS/CAS service cost adjustment represents the difference between the FAS pension and postretirement service costs calculated under GAAP and costs allocated to the business segments. Core operating margin is defined as core operating earnings expressed as a percentage of revenue. Core earnings per share is defined as GAAP diluted earnings per share excluding the net earnings per share impact of the FAS/CAS service cost adjustment and Non-operating pension and postretirement expenses. Non-operating pension and postretirement expenses represent the components of net periodic benefit costs other than service cost. Pension costs, comprising service and prior service costs computed in accordance with GAAP are allocated to Commercial Airplanes and BGS businesses supporting commercial customers. Pension costs allocated to BDS and BGS businesses supporting government customers are computed in accordance with U.S. Government Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), which employ different actuarial assumptions and accounting conventions than GAAP. CAS costs are allocable to government contracts. Other postretirement benefit costs are allocated to all business segments based on CAS, which is generally based on benefits paid. Management uses core operating earnings, core operating margin and core earnings per share for purposes of evaluating and forecasting underlying business performance. Management believes these core earnings measures provide investors additional insights into operational performance as they exclude non-service pension and post-retirement costs, which primarily represent costs driven by market factors and costs not allocable to government contracts. A reconciliation between the GAAP and non-GAAP measures is provided on page 13.

Free Cash Flow

Free cash flow is GAAP operating cash flow reduced by capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment. Management believes free cash flow provides investors with an important perspective on the cash available for shareholders, debt repayment, and acquisitions after making the capital investments required to support ongoing business operations and long term value creation. Free cash flow does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures as it excludes certain mandatory expenditures such as repayment of maturing debt. Management uses free cash flow as a measure to assess both business performance and overall liquidity. Table 2 provides a reconciliation of free cash flow to GAAP operating cash flow.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "should," "expects," "intends," "projects," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "targets," "anticipates," and similar expressions generally identify these forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements relating to our future financial condition and operating results, as well as any other statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations and assumptions that we believe to be reasonable when made, but that may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from these forward-looking statements. Among these factors are risks related to: (1) the COVID-19 pandemic and related government actions, including with respect to our operations, our liquidity, the health of our customers and suppliers, and future demand for our products and services; (2) the 737 MAX, including the timing and conditions of 737 MAX regulatory approvals, lower than planned production rates and/or delivery rates, and increased considerations to customers and suppliers, (3) general conditions in the economy and our industry, including those due to regulatory changes; (4) our reliance on our commercial airline customers; (5) the overall health of our aircraft production system, planned commercial aircraft production rate changes, our commercial development and derivative aircraft programs, and our aircraft being subject to stringent performance and reliability standards; (6) changing budget and appropriation levels and acquisition priorities of the U.S. government; (7) our dependence on U.S. government contracts; (8) our reliance on fixed-price contracts; (9) our reliance on cost-type contracts; (10) uncertainties concerning contracts that include in-orbit incentive payments; (11) our dependence on our subcontractors and suppliers, as well as the availability of raw materials; (12) changes in accounting estimates; (13) changes in the competitive landscape in our markets; (14) our non-U.S. operations, including sales to non-U.S. customers; (15) threats to the security of our or our customers' information; (16) potential adverse developments in new or pending litigation and/or government investigations; (17) customer and aircraft concentration in our customer financing portfolio; (18) changes in our ability to obtain debt on commercially reasonable terms and at competitive rates; (19) realizing the anticipated benefits of mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures/strategic alliances or divestitures; (20) the adequacy of our insurance coverage to cover significant risk exposures; (21) potential business disruptions, including those related to physical security threats, information technology or cyber-attacks, epidemics, sanctions or natural disasters; (22) work stoppages or other labor disruptions; (23) substantial pension and other postretirement benefit obligations; and (24) potential environmental liabilities.

Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contact:









Investor Relations:

Maurita Sutedja or Keely Moos (312) 544-2140 Communications:

Michael Friedman [email protected]

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)



Six months ended June 30

Three months ended June 30 (Dollars in millions, except per share data) 2020

2019

2020

2019 Sales of products $23,254

$33,319

$9,063

$13,094 Sales of services 5,461

5,349

2,744

2,657 Total revenues 28,715

38,668

11,807

15,751















Cost of products (25,091)

(31,910)

(10,378)

(15,672) Cost of services (4,632)

(4,511)

(2,589)

(2,122) Boeing Capital interest expense (23)

(34)

(11)

(16) Total costs and expenses (29,746)

(36,455)

(12,978)

(17,810)

(1,031)

2,213

(1,171)

(2,059) (Loss)/income from operating investments, net (47)

5

(45)

(15) General and administrative expense (2,034)

(1,856)

(1,161)

(672) Research and development expense, net (1,297)

(1,692)

(625)

(826) Gain on dispositions, net 92

300

38

192 Loss from operations (4,317)

(1,030)

(2,964)

(3,380) Other income, net 206

213

94

107 Interest and debt expense (815)

(277)

(553)

(154) Loss before income taxes (4,926)

(1,094)

(3,423)

(3,427) Income tax benefit 1,890

301

1,028

485 Net loss (3,036)

(793)

(2,395)

(2,942) Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest (32)





(19)



Net loss attributable to Boeing Shareholders ($3,004)

($793)

($2,376)

($2,942)















Basic loss per share ($5.31)

($1.40)

($4.20)

($5.21)















Diluted loss per share ($5.31)

($1.40)

($4.20)

($5.21)















Weighted average diluted shares (millions) 566.1

566.6

566.4

565.3

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited)

(Dollars in millions, except per share data) June 30 2020

December 31 2019 Assets





Cash and cash equivalents $19,992

$9,485 Short-term and other investments 12,438

545 Accounts receivable, net 2,793

3,266 Unbilled receivables, net 8,570

9,043 Current portion of customer financing, net 115

162 Inventories 83,745

76,622 Other current assets, net 2,624

3,106 Total current assets 130,277

102,229 Customer financing, net 2,054

2,136 Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $19,863 and $19,342 12,182

12,502 Goodwill 8,064

8,060 Acquired intangible assets, net 3,019

3,338 Deferred income taxes 729

683 Investments 1,066

1,092 Other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $617 and $580 5,481

3,585 Total assets $162,872

$133,625 Liabilities and equity





Accounts payable $13,700

$15,553 Accrued liabilities 22,493

22,868 Advances and progress billings 53,367

51,551 Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt 2,922

7,340 Total current liabilities 92,482

97,312 Deferred income taxes 404

413 Accrued retiree health care 4,427

4,540 Accrued pension plan liability, net 15,663

16,276 Other long-term liabilities 2,821

3,422 Long-term debt 58,457

19,962 Total liabilities 174,254

141,925 Shareholders' equity:





Common stock, par value $5.00  1,200,000,000 shares authorized; 1,012,261,159 shares issued 5,061

5,061 Additional paid-in capital 6,648

6,745 Treasury stock, at cost - 447,840,938 and 449,352,405 shares (54,829)

(54,914) Retained earnings 47,478

50,644 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (16,025)

(16,153) Total shareholders' equity (11,667)

(8,617) Noncontrolling interests 285

317 Total equity (11,382)

(8,300) Total liabilities and equity $162,872

$133,625

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)



Six months ended June 30 (Dollars in millions) 2020

2019 Cash flows  operating activities:





Net loss ($3,036)

($793) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used)/provided by operating activities:





Non-cash items 





Share-based plans expense 115

104 Depreciation and amortization 1,103

1,067 Investment/asset impairment charges, net 280

70 Customer financing valuation adjustments 9

249 Gain on dispositions, net (92)

(300) Other charges and credits, net 815

145 Changes in assets and liabilities 





Accounts receivable 143

588 Unbilled receivables 285

(222) Advances and progress billings 1,822

1,842 Inventories (6,741)

(5,233) Other current assets 433

(887) Accounts payable (3,181)

2,002 Accrued liabilities 514

4,959 Income taxes receivable, payable and deferred (1,894)

(921) Other long-term liabilities (109)

(509) Pension and other postretirement plans (357)

(390) Customer financing, net 62

347 Other 247

80 Net cash (used)/provided by operating activities (9,582)

2,198 Cash flows  investing activities:





Property, plant and equipment additions (776)

(922) Property, plant and equipment reductions 96

331 Acquisitions, net of cash acquired



(492) Contributions to investments (12,557)

(496) Proceeds from investments 543

758 Purchase of distribution rights



(20) Other 8

(12) Net cash used by investing activities (12,686)

(853) Cash flows  financing activities:





New borrowings 42,302

11,670 Debt repayments (8,265)

(6,422) Contributions from noncontrolling interests



7 Stock options exercised 27

47 Employee taxes on certain share-based payment arrangements (164)

(238) Common shares repurchased



(2,651) Dividends paid (1,158)

(2,317) Net cash provided by financing activities 32,742

96 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents, including restricted (11)

(2) Net increase in cash & cash equivalents, including restricted 10,463

1,439 Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at beginning of year 9,571

7,813 Cash & cash equivalents, including restricted, at end of period 20,034

9,252 Less restricted cash & cash equivalents, included in Investments 42

85 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $19,992

$9,167

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries

Summary of Business Segment Data

(Unaudited)

Effective at the beginning of 2020, certain programs were realigned between our Defense, Space & Security segment and Unallocated items, eliminations and other. Business segment data for 2019 has been adjusted to reflect the realignment.



Six months ended June 30

Three months ended June 30 (Dollars in millions) 2020

2019

2020

2019 Revenues:













Commercial Airplanes $7,838

$16,544

$1,633

$4,722 Defense, Space & Security 12,630

13,166

6,588

6,579 Global Services 8,116

9,162

3,488

4,543 Boeing Capital 134

141

69

75 Unallocated items, eliminations and other (3)

(345)

29

(168) Total revenues $28,715

$38,668

$11,807

$15,751 Earnings/(loss) from operations:













Commercial Airplanes ($4,830)

($3,773)

($2,762)

($4,946) Defense, Space & Security 409

1,827

600

975 Global Services 36

1,340

(672)

687 Boeing Capital 17

57

(7)

37 Segment operating loss (4,368)

(549)

(2,841)

(3,247) Unallocated items, eliminations and other (651)

(1,210)

(478)

(498) FAS/CAS service cost adjustment 702

729

355

365 Loss from operations (4,317)

(1,030)

(2,964)

(3,380) Other income, net 206

213

94

107 Interest and debt expense (815)

(277)

(553)

(154) Loss before income taxes (4,926)

(1,094)

(3,423)

(3,427) Income tax benefit 1,890

301

1,028

485 Net loss (3,036)

(793)

(2,395)

(2,942) Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest (32)





(19)



Net loss attributable to Boeing Shareholders ($3,004)

($793)

($2,376)

($2,942) Research and development expense, net:













Commercial Airplanes $786

$1,062

$361

$498 Defense, Space & Security 330

374

167

190 Global Services 65

73

35

33 Other 116

183

62

105 Total research and development expense, net $1,297

$1,692

$625

$826 Unallocated items, eliminations and other:













Share-based plans ($43)

($36)

($25)

($22) Deferred compensation 73

(129)

(120)

(27) Amortization of previously capitalized interest (50)

(45)

(27)

(21) Customer financing impairment



(250)







Research and development expense, net (116)

(183)

(62)

(105) Eliminations and other unallocated items (515)

(567)

(244)

(323) Sub-total (included in core operating loss) (651)

(1,210)

(478)

(498) Pension FAS/CAS service cost adjustment 513

549

258

275 Postretirement FAS/CAS service cost adjustment 189

180

97

90 FAS/CAS service cost adjustment 702

729

$355

$365 Total $51

($481)

($123)

($133)

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries Operating and Financial Data (Unaudited)

Deliveries Six months ended June 30

Three months ended June 30

Commercial Airplanes 2020

2019

2020



2019

737 9

113

4



24

747 1

4

1



2

767 14

22

4



10

777 10

22 (1) 4



12

787 36

78

7



42

Total 70

239

20



90

Note: Aircraft accounted for as revenues by BCA and as operating leases in consolidation identified by parentheses















Defense, Space & Security













AH-64 Apache (New) 11

10

9



4

AH-64 Apache (Remanufactured) 32

35

18



13

C-17 Globemaster III 









C-40A 









CH-47 Chinook (New) 15

7

6





CH-47 Chinook (Renewed) 1

9





5

F-15 Models 3

5

3



1

F/A-18 Models 9

10

4



3

KC-46 Tanker 6

12

1



5

P-8 Models 6

8

3



5

Commercial and Civil Satellites 

1





1

Military Satellites 













Total backlog (Dollars in millions) June 30 2020

December 31 2019 Commercial Airplanes $325,674

$376,593 Defense, Space & Security 64,286

63,691 Global Services 18,168

22,902 Unallocated items, eliminations and other 522

217 Total backlog $408,650

$463,403



Contractual backlog $385,389

$436,473 Unobligated backlog 23,261

26,930 Total backlog $408,650

$463,403

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

(Unaudited)

The tables provided below reconcile the non-GAAP financial measures core operating loss, core operating margin, and core loss per share with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, loss from operations, operating margin, and diluted loss per share. See page 6 of this release for additional information on the use of these non-GAAP financial measures.

(Dollars in millions, except per share data) Second Quarter 2020

Second Quarter 2019

$ millions

Per Share

$ millions

Per share Revenues 11,807





15,751



Loss from operations (GAAP) (2,964)





(3,380)



Operating margin (GAAP) (25.1)%





(21.5%)



















FAS/CAS service cost adjustment:













Pension FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (258)





(275)



Postretirement FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (97)





(90)



FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (355)





(365)



Core operating loss (non-GAAP) ($3,319)





($3,745)



Core operating margin (non-GAAP) (28.1)%





(23.8%)



















Diluted loss per share (GAAP)



($4.20)





($5.21) Pension FAS/CAS service cost adjustment ($258)

(0.46)

($275)

(0.49) Postretirement FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (97)

(0.17)

(90)

(0.16) Non-operating pension expense (84)

(0.14)

(94)

(0.17) Non-operating postretirement expense 14

0.02

26

0.05 Provision for deferred income taxes on adjustments 1 89

0.16

91

0.16 Subtotal of adjustments ($336)

($0.59)

($342)

($0.61) Core loss per share (non-GAAP)



($4.79)





($5.82)















Weighted average diluted shares (in millions)



566.4





565.3



1 The income tax impact is calculated using the U.S. corporate statutory tax rate.

The Boeing Company and Subsidiaries

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures

(Unaudited)

The tables provided below reconcile the non-GAAP financial measures core operating loss, core operating margin, and core loss per share with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, loss from operations, operating margin, and diluted loss per share. See page 6 of this release for additional information on the use of these non-GAAP financial measures.

(Dollars in millions, except per share data) First Half 2020

First Half 2019

$ millions

Per Share

$ millions

Per Share Revenues 28,715





38,668



Loss from operations (GAAP) (4,317)





(1,030)



Operating margin (GAAP) (15.0)%





(2.7%)



















FAS/CAS service cost adjustment:













Pension FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (513)





(549)



Postretirement FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (189)





(180)



FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (702)





(729)



Core operating loss (non-GAAP) ($5,019)





($1,759)



Core operating margin (non-GAAP) (17.5)%





(4.5%)



















Diluted loss per share (GAAP)



($5.31)





($1.40) Pension FAS/CAS service cost adjustment ($513)

(0.91)

($549)

(0.97) Postretirement FAS/CAS service cost adjustment (189)

(0.33)

(180)

(0.32) Non-operating pension expense (171)

(0.30)

(187)

(0.32) Non-operating postretirement expense 27

0.05

53

0.09 Provision for deferred income taxes on adjustments 1 178

0.31

181

0.32 Subtotal of adjustments ($668)

($1.18)

($682)

($1.20) Core loss per share (non-GAAP)



($6.49)





($2.60)















Weighted average diluted shares (in millions)



566.1





566.6



1 The income tax impact is calculated using the U.S. corporate statutory tax rate.

SOURCE Boeing

Related Links

http://www.boeing.com


When Russian President Vladimir Putin was preparing for last month's nationwide vote on potentially extending his rule until 2036, he let the veil slip on part of the calculation behind the constitutional change.

'If this doesn't happen, then in about two years  and I know this from personal experience  the normal rhythm of work of many parts of government will be replaced by a search for a possible successor,' Putin said in an interview with state TV channel Rossiya.

'We must be working, not looking for successors.'

Former Kremlin adviser Sergei Pugachev, pictured above, said Putin had been grappling with the question of succession since at least 2006

Public discontent over Putin's rule has begun to spill into the open in Russia's Far East, where tens of thousands have marched in protest for the past three weekends. Above, Putin pictured during a video conference call dedicated to the opening of new military medical centres for patients infected with Covid-19, in June

The Kremlin won the vote, declaring it a triumph. The constitution now will allow Putin to return to power for another two six-year terms.

Independent monitor Golos, however, reported unprecedented vote fraud, and political opponents say the elaborate maneuvering over the ballot has weakened Putin's legitimacy.

Public discontent over Putin's rule has begun to spill into the open in Russia's Far East, where tens of thousands have marched in protest for the past three weekends.

Beyond Putin's own comments to state TV, the Kremlin isn't explaining its calculus about the constitutional change.

But a first-hand account by a former insider of how the Kremlin tried to manage the handover of power in 2008, when Putin first faced a constitutional limit on his presidency, provides a glimpse into the under-the-carpet power struggles of Moscow's ruling elite and some of the issues the Russian leader must grapple with.

Putin pictured during a board meeting of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in December 2007.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin pictured entering the hall with Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov to announce the new cabinet in Moscow in September 2007

Since at least 2006, former Kremlin adviser Sergei Pugachev told Reuters, Putin has been grappling with the question of succession.

Once known as the Kremlin's banker, Pugachev played a key role in Putin's rise 20 years ago. His business interests spanned military shipyards, coal and construction, and he sat as a senator in parliament's upper chamber.

Today he is in deep conflict with his former allies, accused by Russian authorities of bankrupting the bank he co-founded, a charge Pugachev denies. He fled to Britain and then France, where he currently lives, after London's High Court in 2014 ordered his assets frozen at Russia's request.

Now, Pugachev has spoken for the first time about Putin's decision-making in the run-up to 2008. He told how the president was often hostage to the will of his inner circle of former KGB men and associates from his hometown of St Petersburg.

The question of handing over power has always been the 'biggest headache' of Putin's rule, Pugachev told Reuters.

For Putin, the succession 'was always a serious, personal stress. He never intended to hand over control of the country to anyone.' Putin saw himself running Russia behind the scenes as the father of the nation, said Pugachev, but finding a successor who would go along with this plan 'was always a big problem.'

Pugachev has spoken for the first time about Putin's decision-making in the run-up to 2008. Above, Pugachev pictured shaking hands with Putin in July 2000

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment about Pugachev's account of events.

In 2007, Pugachev was still a consummate Kremlin insider, close to many of the powerful men around Putin, the so-called siloviki, mostly drawn from Russia's security services.

He says he was in the room when several key decisions were made. Photos and other documentary materials reviewed by Reuters show Pugachev held a position near the pinnacle of Kremlin power right up to 2008, and support some elements of his account.

The photos show Pugachev's teenage sons hanging out with Putin's daughters at his dacha. Other pictures show Pugachev dining at his dacha in 2005 with the leading security men around Putin.

These included Nikolai Patrushev, then the head of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, successor to the KGB; and Igor Sechin, one of Putin's KGB allies from St Petersburg, who at the time of the photo was deputy head of the Kremlin administration.

The first time Putin considered changing laws to prolong his rule was in the second term of his presidency, Pugachev said.

By the summer of 2007, Sergei Ivanov, Putin's first deputy prime minister and the youngest ever general in Russia's foreign intelligence service, was widely considered the frontrunner to become president the following year, ahead of another Putin ally, Dmitry Medvedev.

The constitution dictated that Putin should step down in 2008 upon expiry of his second consecutive term.

Members of Putin's inner circle feared that if Ivanov got the top job, he would cut them out of power. They began briefing Putin against Ivanov, said Pugachev. 'They began telling Putin that Ivanov is very dangerous. He is very aggressive. He will take power and then you will never be able to get rid of him. They were collecting all kinds of kompromat (compromising information) on Ivanov. Almost everyone was against him.'

Kremlin spokesperson Peskov said Ivanov, now the president's special representative for nature, ecology and transport, would not be able to comment. Reuters couldn't reach him directly.

Pugachev too had fallen out with Ivanov, after failing to win a major shipbuilding contract in 2006, when Ivanov was the defence minister. That Ivanov seemed to be a loner only boosted him in Putin's eyes, according to Pugachev. It meant Ivanov 'couldn't coordinate with anyone against Putin.'

Behind the scenes, another option to extend Putin's hold on power was also under consideration. Pugachev said that, at Putin's request, Pugachev directed a group of lawyers headed by a co-author of the Russian constitution, Sergei Shakhrai, to look into ways Putin could run for a third term.

The lawyers proposed changing the law through a two-thirds majority vote in parliament. Putin had consistently opposed changing the constitution but, said Pugachev, he wanted 'a second option just in case.' Shakhrai declined to comment.

Ivanov's candidacy ended in August 2007, according to Pugachev. Putin had just announced the restoration of long-haul military flights capable of reaching American shores for the first time in 15 years, a move hailed by Russian newspapers as a demonstration of Moscow's restored military might.

While Putin served as prime minister to Dmitry Medvedev's president, many within Russia's elite were confused about who had the final say. Putin pictured with then-President Dmitry Medvedev in June 2011

Six days after Putin's triumphant announcement, Ivanov said in a television interview the flights did not signify a return to the Cold War. By appearing to speak for the Kremlin, he had overstepped the mark.

'Sechin brought a tape of Ivanov's interview to Putin,' Pugachev said, describing a meeting between Pugachev, Putin and Sechin. Sechin, according to Pugachev, told the president: 'Look, Vladimir Vladimirovich, you launched the bombers which have not flown for 15 years, since before the Soviet collapse. And Sergei Ivanov, who is no one  he isn't even the president yet, he isn't even the successor yet  he has already claimed [the project] as his own.'

'Sechin played on his ego,' Pugachev continued. 'Putin has a thing about going down in history. This was his story, and Ivanov entered his territory. It was an important psychological moment.'

A spokesman for Sechin declined to comment. Kremlin spokesman Peskov said he could not comment since he was not present.

'Sechin played on his ego,' Pugachev continued. 'Putin has a thing about going down in history. This was his story, and Ivanov entered his territory. It was an important psychological moment'

Putin wanted a successor who would be president in name only and ready to make way at any moment, Pugachev said. After this incident, added Pugachev, the door was closed to Ivanov.

But time had run out to amend the rules so that Putin could run for a third term. The presidential election was to be announced by the end of 2007, with the vote itself in March 2008. By law, any legal change allowing Putin to remain in power had to happen at least six months prior to an election being called. Putin 'slept through' the opportunity for a third term, Pugachev said.

Instead, in September 2007, Putin announced he was appointing as prime minister Viktor Zubkov, a little-known former state farm director who at the time was head of Russia's anti-money laundering watchdog. The 66-year-old Zubkov was suddenly in the frame to succeed Putin.

In September 2007, Putin announced he was appointing as prime minister Viktor Zubkov. Above, Putin and Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov talk before Putin's departure to Tripoli at Vnukovo II airport in Moscow April 16, 2008

Pugachev said Putin was weighing making Zubkov president for one year, after which Zubkov could say he had fallen ill, and Putin could return.

'I discussed this with him personally. With Putin and with Zubkov,' Pugachev said. But Putin rejected the idea. 'He told me it wouldn't look very good.'

Reuters couldn't reach Zubkov. Kremlin spokesman Peskov declined to comment on the matter.

Finally, on December 10, just as the election was about to be declared, Putin announced Dmitry Medvedev, a St Petersburg lawyer who'd long worked in Putin's shadow, was his favoured candidate to take over as president.

Pugachev said Putin's circle believed that Medvedev, who'd served as Kremlin chief of staff and most recently alongside Ivanov as a first deputy prime minister, would be the most malleable successor and, importantly, the most willing to make way for Putin should Putin decide to return to the presidency.

Similar views of the Putin-Medvedev partnership were widely reported in Russia at the time.

For the next four years of Medvedev's presidency, it was as if there were one and a half presidents, Pugachev said. While Putin served as prime minister to Medvedev's president, many within Russia's elite were confused about who had the final say.

'First people ran to Medvedev, and then they ran to Putin. People didn't understand. If you did something Putin gave you the go ahead to do, the next day Medvedev could reproach you,' Pugachev said, citing the example of one Russian state bank boss who, when arranging financing, first sought Putin's approval and then went to Medvedev for his. 'For people it's unacceptable when there are two presidents, or one and a half. It's very important for them to understand who the Tsar is.'

Pugachev said Putin's circle believed that Medvedev, who'd served as Kremlin chief of staff and most recently alongside Ivanov as a first deputy prime minister, would be the most malleable successor. Above, Putin pictured with Medvedev at the Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square in May 2014

Putin might have been happy to allow Medvedev to serve as president for a second term, but Putin's inner circle could not contemplate the prospect, Pugachev said, because they feared losing their hold over the economy.

A 'vicious war' broke out between factions as Medvedev, in anticipation of running for a second term, began positioning his allies to take over greater chunks of the economy, including Gazprom and Rosneft, the state energy giants long run by Putin's closest cohort, including Sechin.

The U.S. administration's open courtship of Medvedev over Putin further exacerbated the rift.

Medvedev's hopes for a second term were quashed at the very last minute, said Pugachev. By now, Pugachev had already fled Russia, but he said he continued to have in-depth conversations with one of Medvedev's closest allies about what was happening.

If Putin were to pick a successor, it would be imperative this person be a member of his trusted inner circle, according to Pugachev. Above, Putin during an annual news conference in Moscow in December 2018

According to this account, Medvedev was in the Kremlin putting the finishing touches to his anticipated announcement that he would run for a second term, to be delivered the next day, Sept. 24, 2011, at the annual congress of the ruling United Russia party. In the small hours of the morning, Putin's security men quietly swapped out the most loyal members of Medvedev's presidential guard.

The switching of the guards was a threatening sign, according to Pugachev. He recounted that soon afterwards Putin arrived at Medvedev's Kremlin office and the two men had a friendly chat. Later, Putin announced he was seeking the presidency for himself. 'In the end it didn't really matter how much pressure Putin's security men put on Medvedev [to stand aside]. In the end it was a question of personal contact between Putin and Medvedev,' said Pugachev.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov said he could not comment on the veracity of Pugachev's account. He said he only heard of Putin's plans to return as president when it was publicly announced at the United Russia congress. 'I worked alongside Putin. But he did not share his plans,' Peskov said.

Medvedev could not be reached for comment.

A political consultant who'd previously worked for Medvedev, Gleb Pavlovsky, said at the time that it looked like Medvedev had stepped down under pressure. He pointed out that only three months earlier, in an interview with the Financial Times, Medvedev had made clear he would seek a second term as president.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on screen as he delivers his annual state of the nation address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, January 15, 2020

But while the 2008-2012 experiment with Medvedev's presidency had revealed to Putin's circle the risks of a handover of power, Pugachev said he believes Putin might still be considering standing aside again.

The recent constitutional vote may give Putin time to resolve a succession plan behind the scenes, without the pressure of the clock ticking on his final term, Pugachev said.

A sign that Putin may be keeping his options open, Pugachev said, is that a little-noticed change formalises into the constitution a law granting former presidents immunity from prosecution.

If Putin were to pick a successor, it would be imperative this person be a member of his trusted inner circle, Pugachev said. 'Putin can't stand outsiders. It's either his people or no one. It could be his driver or his bodyguard. The successor has to be his.'
A protester holds a U.S. flag outside of the Chinese consulate in Houston on July 24, 2020, after the U.S. Department of State ordered China to close the consulate. (MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images)

Top Republicans Warn of a New Cold War With Communist China

WASHINGTONChina poses more of a threat to the free world than most Americans realize, and its time to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to top Republican lawmakers and national security experts who gathered at a two-day conference on July 27 and 28.

The Freedom Summit, hosted by Liberty Universitys Falkirk Center, highlighted the importance of holding China accountable for the CCP virus and the current economic recession.

The event, held at the Trump Hotel in Washington, came against a backdrop of rapidly deteriorating U.S.China relations. The U.S. government has recently escalated its rhetoric and actions against the Chinese regime for its human rights violations, intellectual property theft, and military aggression.

Speaking at the conference, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said the Chinese regime unleashed this plague on the world because of its negligence and malevolence.

The American people, I think, have seen the true face of Chinese communism, he said.

According to Cotton, a long-time China hawk, there are ways to make the CCP pay directly and indirectly for the damages it has caused. One of them is to allow Americans to sue China in federal court for the outbreak by amending the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

Cotton also introduced legislation that would provide incentives to companies to bring manufacturing onshore, such as tax subsidies or direct support.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), another prominent China critic, said the United States must unravel its relationship with China.

I think it is not a stretch to use the term that this is a Cold War, she said at the conference.

Blackburn and Cotton introduced a bill in May to ban Chinese nationals from receiving U.S. student visas for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research. Last week, Blackburn also published a white paper listing more than 120 recommendations on how to decouple from China.

The CCP uses a variety of tactics to infiltrate our research communities, she said, adding that Washington should cut off Beijings ties to U.S. colleges, universities, grant-making agencies, and think tanks.

Republican lawmakers including Blackburn condemned the ongoing riots in the United States, saying that the same Marxist philosophies used by the CCP are filling the streets of Portland, Chicago, and Washington.

CCP Virus

Last week, the United States, in an unprecedented move, ordered the Chinese Consulate in Houston to close, accusing the facility of being a hub of spying and intellectual property theft.

Beijing retaliated by ordering the closing of the U.S. Consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu.

The Trump administration blames China for stealing trade secrets of U.S. companies and most recently for its attempts to acquire COVID-19-related research.

Theyre actively hacking the computer systems of the people who are trying to develop a vaccine to protect the American people from the CCP virus, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said at the Liberty University event.

And what is more shocking, according to Navarro, is that Chinese officials shook the presidents hand during the signing ceremony of the U.S.China phase one trade agreement at the White House on January 15.

It would have been nice to tell us that there was a China virus with human-to-human transmission raging through China, he said.

The Chinese regime has been accused of misleading and hiding information about the virus and the evidence of human-to-human transmission in the early days of the outbreak.

China poses the single greatest geopolitical threat to the United States over the next century, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said at the conference. They are fighting a 1,000-year war.

Cruz denounced the NBA, Hollywood, American media companies, and think tanks in Washington for kowtowing to China.

They are terrified to say anything bad about China, he said. That corruption is really deep and really profound.

Propaganda

Speaking at the conference, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) warned about Chinas growing propaganda in Washington. He said China Daily, a Chinese state-owned English-language newspaper, uses American media outlets to spread the CCPs rhetoric.

The paper magically appears on the doorstep of every lawmaker on Capitol Hill, Banks told The Epoch Times, questioning its source of funding.

Records from the U.S. Department of Justice showed that China Daily paid nearly $19 million to U.S. media companies for advertising in the past four years.

The U.S. State Department labeled nine Chinese media outlets with operations in the United States as foreign missions. The designated media include CCTV, China Daily, Peoples Daily, and the Global Times.

David Brat, a former U.S. congressman and dean of Libertys School of Business, hosted the Falkirk Centers conference to help expose the true intentions of the Chinese regime.

This event is dedicated to 1.4 billion Chinese who live behind the firewall, who dont have liberty, who dont have information, who are being repressed, Brat told The Epoch Times.

According to Brat, the event is an action conference to address accountability for the CCP, and to preserve and restore the rule of law, free-market economics, and Judeo-Christian principles in America.

More than a dozen members of the House Freedom Caucus who also spoke at the conference sought to spotlight the CCPs malign actions in the United States and around the world. They called for holding China accountable for spreading the virus that has killed more than 650,000 people worldwide and devastated the global economy.
Social media users have expressed anger over a trending video of a young lady being flogged for allegedly fornicating in Saudi Arabia.



The act, per the countrys custom, was a way of punishing offenders who violate some laid down laws in the country.



According to the video, which has received massive condemnation, the lady believed to be Ghanaian is expected to receive not less than 100 lashes or be thrown in jail.



In pain and tears, the young lady is heard pleading with the men to exercise patience during the act.



The video is however in clear violation of the flogging punishment which was abolished by the order of the Saudi Supreme Court General Commission in April this year.



While women who were caught prostituting or fornicating could previously be flogged, punishment for these crimes has now been limited to jail time or fines.



Foreign nationals who are caught can also be deported after punishment. The video cannot be posted here. To watch the full video, copy the address below into your browser (youtube) to watch if interested:-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBLTf5zT1ek

Source: youtube









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
Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, the CSOs, and fellow Ghanaians. My name is Aikins Nana Ofori, a concerned Citizen of Ghana.

I called you here today because a colleague of mine in the Netherlands have posed a question to me and I still dont have the right answers. Insearch for the answers, your medium is so crucial, hence reasons why I invited you.

You and I want to have the right leader at the Jubilee House. Our Constitution sets out certain eligibilities, as to who can go to sit at the Jubilee House.

We all know that the decisions of public political figures affect many aspects of our lives. People have the right to make informed judgements about the kind of MPs, Vice-President, and President, they want. Any attempt to restrict what may be reported about public figures in the press could easily become a conspiracy to keep voters in the dark and to manipulate them.

2. One will therefore ask:

DOES THE GHANA CONSTITUTION ALLOWS 

DUAL CITIZENS TO BE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT? DUAL CITIZEN TO BE A PRESIDENT? DUAL CITIZEN TO BE A VICE-PRESIDENT?

Most of you will remember the case of ADAMU DARAMANI-SAKANDE, an MP for Bawku Central who was found guilty for holding Dual Citizenship. This man did his both GCE O-Level and A-Level in Ghana. What should have prevented him not be a Ghanaian? Yet he didnt renounce his British nationality before running for an MP.

Article 8 as amended in 1996 allows Ghanaians to hold other nationalities in addition to Ghanaian citizenship. This is Dual Citizenship. E.g. Ghanaian-Togolese, Ghanaian-American, Ghanaian-British, Ghanaian-Nigerian.

However, whosoever holds Dual Citizenship cannot be appointed to certain key positions in Ghana.

In moving forward, Article 62 has stated categorically that one cannot be elected or appointed to key positions in Ghana if you are not a fully Ghanaian or a Ghanaian but owe other nationality. Which Article 94 (1a) and (2a) has confirmed that. The phrase allegiance to a country other than Ghana is emphasised. There are many Ghanaian-born citizens abroad who cant do active politics because they have acquired foreign citizenship. This is the reasons why my friend abroad is asking. You will recall that on the 7thof January 2017 at the Independent Square, before Ghanaians and the world at large, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia sworn THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE and THE OATH OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT. This means H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia sworn the two (2) Oaths as a Ghanaian who has no any Allegiance to any Country other than Ghana. Nothing more, nothing less. One will say, oh Dr. Bawumia was born in Tamale which is on records. YES, was born in Tamale and his father, late Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia was one of the greatest Ghanaian politicians. It is assumed his father played much role in his abroad studies.

You see, someone is born in Agogo or Zabzugu as a Ghanaian, but when in abroad can change nationality to any country because of circumstances.

This is what happened to H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia while in England. I have evidence that H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia married an English lady in December 1989 making it easy for him to naturalise as a British. This bring back the Researchers Question, whether or not H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has renounced his British nationality? If indeed done, when did he do it? I cannot tell which year he had his British Citizenship, but evidence prove that he had a British nationality. I am going to prove a case that H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumiawas a BRITISH CITIZEN. You know, Ghana has bank in UK, under the control of Bank of Ghana. The was established in 1997 under President Rawlings regime. Its current name is Ghana International Bank Public Limited Company and you see its current address. The bank is registered with UK Companies House. UK Companies Houseis like our Registrar-General, where every company is registered. In Ghana, it is difficult to see owners or shareholders behind companies. But in most advanced countries, information about shareholders and key people of the companies are in public. So past and present officials of Ghana International Bank PLC are in public. As you can see, the Bank has employed 66 officials.Every Bank of Ghana Governor and one Deputy are automatic Executives of Ghana International Bank PLC. Their information, I mean full name, month and year of birth, profession and national are published. Already told you the year the UK bank was started. At the moment has 10 officials active. They include current Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Addison and his deputy Dr. Maxwell Opoku Afari. Before I show how we got H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia information, let me give samples of how data is kept on UK Companies House.

You know Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom and his company Groupe Nduom. On 2 February 2017, they set up a company in UK called Groupe Nduom UK Limited. But Paa Kwesi Nduoms son, Papa-Wasa Nduom, a lawyer, was the only official of the company. This guy is an American so they registered his nationality as an American. You all know Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko. On 22 November 2013, he set up a company called Global Dyanamix Consult Ltd with his wife, Nana Adjoa Hackman, as Secretary. Gabbys date of birth and his nationality as British is published there. I believe you all know Prof Edward Dua Agyeman, former Auditor-General and current Board Chairman of Audit Service. He and 3 others registered a company called Certified International Tax Accountants Ltdon 6 August 2015. His date of birth and nationality as Ghana was published. Our own Dr. Ekow Spio Garbrah together with others registered lots of companies in UK. One is ICT Ventures Ltd. You check there, they have published his date of birth and nationality Ghana.

So, if you check the registration of Ghana International Bank PLC, (not ranged in order), you can find the details of our 6 Governors since the 4th Republic. You will see Dr. Kwabena Duffour (1st Governor), Mr Paul Acquah, late Mr. Amisssah-Arthur (of blessed memory), Dr. Kofi Wampah, Dr. Issahaku, and current Governor, Dr Ernest Addison. Their dates of birth and all of them are Ghanaians by nationality. As you can see, the only Governor Active on duty is Dr Ernest Addison. All the rest are resigned and the UK Companies House indicates RESIGNED. You all know that Ex-President J.A. Kufuor appointed the Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia Deputy Governor of Bank of Ghana on 1 June 2006. On 18 October 2006, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was appointed Executive to Ghana International Bank PLC. His full name, month and year of birth, his profession, even his then address in Kanda Estate, and his nationality was published. Here you can see Bank of Ghana Deputies appointed to Ghana International Bank PLS. The only one appointed during Dr Duffour time, Mr Percival Alfred Kuranchie, was not a Deputy Governor, the rest have been Deputy Governors. Here you can see Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, born October 1963, occupation is Banker, and nationality is BRITISH. The rest of the Deputy Governors are Ghanaian. You can see Deputy Governor Millison Narh, and current Deputy Governor Dr. Maxwell Opoku Afari, are all Ghanaians. As I have indicated to you the 10 Active (current) Officials of Ghana International Bank Plc include Governor Dr Ernest Addison, his Deputy Dr Maxwell Opoku Afari, and government selected people include Lord Paul Boateng, former Labour UK MP, and now at UK House of Lords. Their details and nationalities are published. Still current active Executives of the bank. From Page 21 to 30 are the FULL LISTS of all 66 officials of Ghana International Bank PLC, Resigned Officials and Current ones.

31. We now feature full records of H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. I have tried to prove to you that H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, was a British. Because his biodata was registered on UK Companies House. When we vote for our leaders, it is because we put our trust, our destiny and our country in their hands. If someone is really an untrustworthy person, then its best to know that before you trust them with something important. We all must be guided that what politicians do in their private lives matters and does impact their public responsibilities. Some time ago, a British Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson ,who won 4 elections between 1964 and 1976 was suspected to be a KGB spy.

In jurisprudence, the burden of proof is upon him who affirms  not on him who denies (In Ghana, we say he who alleges must prove). But in my presentation, I have proved beyond reasonable doubt, that H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was a British. Therefore, some of us, including our brothers in Diasporas would like H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to come clean with his Nationality. Our Vice-President must tell us the truth.

SO MY QUESTIONS ARE:

IS DR. MAHAMUDU BAWUMIA STILL HOLDING HIS BRITISH CITIZENSHIP? DID HE RENOUNCE HIS BRITISH CITIZENSHIP BEFORE 2016 GENERAL ELECTION? IF YES, WHEN DID HE RENOUNCED HIS BRITISH CITIZENSHIP, AND BECAME 100% GHANAIAN? IS HE A DUAL-CITIZEN, (ie GHANAIAN-BRITISH), AND WHEN DID HE DO THAT? CAN H.E. VICE-PRESIDENT PUBLISH HIS CURRENT NATIONALITY TO CLEAR THE DOUBT MANY ARE HAVING?

CONCLUSION

We are considering a legal case against him if should in case he fails to respond, copies and evidence from the UK Visas & Immigration with our petition to them twice indicates that the Vice President of Ghana is still having a British Citizenship/Ghana Citizenship and as such are calling on his outfit to immediately respond to our release before the due processes.

It not a misplaced to ask our Vice-President, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to answer to Ghanaians his real nationality. This is not an infringement of his private life.

With this, the UK Home Office is calling for his arrest to prove of his denouncement of his Citizenship before becoming the Vice President of Ghana

Politicians leave private life when they file for elective office. They can expect gossip and personal attacks in the course of getting elected and serving. If they cant take this heat, they should find work behind the scenes. If they mess up in any way, they need to come clean  explain circumstances and apologize. If they cannot be truthful and reliable with friends, family, and the public, then they should leave the publics business to others who can meet this basic qualification for office.

On that note, I thank you for coming and I expect through your publications H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will address Ghanaians about the state of his nationality.

Thank you and God bless you.

Dated: 29th July, 2020.

Signed: Aikins Ofori

Position: Abuakwa South NDC Communication Officer

Tel: 0558067125/0544731865
"After 15 years of an exciting and passionate journey, which has recently reached new heights through the creation of a second watch fair in Geneva in collaboration with new partner brands, it is time for me to develop new projects," commented Fabienne Lupo. "I leave the Foundation knowing it is more sounder than ever before, thanks to the unwavering support of its founders and partner brands. Now installed in the city center in the Arcades des Arts, formerly known as the Pont de la Machine, the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie organises thematic and cultural exhibitions to promote Fine Watchmaking. Watches & Wonders has become a truly global ecosystem, both physically and digitally, offering events around the world. Moreover and most importantly, Watches & Wonders is the reference in Fine Watchmaking fairs (previously SIHH) for the entire international watchmaking community (professionals, media, collectors and final clients), allowing Geneva to affirm its position as a cornerstone for Swiss watchmaking."

"The FHH sincerely thanks Fabienne Lupo for her 15 years of engagement, commending the remarkable work she has done to secure the endurance and development of the Foundation," states Emmanuel Perrin, on behalf of the FHH. "Fabienne has made Watches & Wonders the key meeting point for exceptional savoir-faire, creation, and innovation of the finest watchmakers. Throughout her tenure as President, Fabienne has made remarkable achievements. The Carre des Horlogers has brought together the best of independent watchmakers and workshops. Innovation has been given an even greater role with the SIHH Lab. SIHH Live has positioned the fair as the Think Tank of the profession. The digital transformation of the fair has accelerated with the launch of the watchesandwonders.com digital platform in a context marked by physical fair cancellations due to Covid-19. She has also planned the opening of the fair to the public with the creation of the Watches & Wonders Geneva in the City program, a true festival of watchmaking in the heart of the city for all audiences, which should have taken place in April 2020. In doing so, Fabienne has continually promoted the culture and savoir-faire of Fine Watchmaking around the world through exhibitions, publications, forums, digital tools, and training programs developed by the FHH. We would also like to thank Fabienne for having created a strong and talented team that will continue to support the Foundation in its future developments."

Emmanuel Perrin, member of the Management Board of the FHH, will ensure the role of interim President and CEO, the functions previously held by Fabienne Lupo.
Last updated on January 27 at 9:45 a.m. EST.

It took a couple months and a few tweaks in the delivery system, but by June, most eligible Americans had received a one-time stimulus check from the Treasury Department of up to $1,200 to spend or save as they wished. What the current presidential administration didn't count on  despite weeks of warnings from public-health experts  was that a summer surge of coronavirus cases across the country would lead to renewed shutdowns in the lifestyle and hospitality sectors and overwhelming need for another round of relief.

So as $600-per-week in additional unemployment benefits expire on July 31 and the Paycheck Protection Program continues to come under scrutiny for failing to serve its stated purpose (i.e. bridging true small businesses through this time), Congress has set about finalizing a new $1 trillion sequel to its initial $2 trillion CARES Act. The details are being fine-tuned as we speak, but Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin  while insisting any extension of unemployment benefits will emphasize rewards for returning to work over payments that rival or exceed an average worker's wages  has pledged that another wave of no-strings-attached, one-time stimulus checks will make their way into millions of checking accounts. But when?

Related: Where's My Stimulus Check?

As of now, Mnuchin foresees the cash finding its way to folks' wallets very soon. As reported by AP, Mnuchin announced this past weekend, Well get the majority of them out in August and those will help people." That is, of course, predicated on the latest CARES package passing smoothly and expeditiously prior to the Senate's upcoming August recess.

But given the precarious state of the economy and the inevitability of more modest unemployment payments, it behooves everyone to ensure their up-to-date tax filings are on record with the IRS. You can do so via this online tool, and we will keep you posted as more information is made available.

Update: After this article went to press, Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) shared the outline of his party's proposed $1 trillion HEALS Act. A key piece of it is Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) American Workers, Employees, and Families Assistance Act, confirming a second round of checks and direct deposits  up to $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 households, with an additional $500 per eligible dependent  to American households. We will continue to update this story as specifics on delivery of payments becomes available.

Update: On August 8, President Trump signed executive orders detailing plans to extend unemployment benefits and eviction moratoriums, among other relief measures. While it remains unclear whether those orders will translate to concrete rule of law, they did not address assurances of a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks. That is because the original authorization for the first round of checks has long since expired, and entirely new legislation would need to be enacted by Congress to trigger a renewed one-time payment. Meanwhile, those anxious for clarity on the matter can at least brush up on whether they'd qualify for the $1,200 infusion.

Update: As Congressional leadership continues its stalemate over another round of overall pandemic relief for individuals and small businesses, a ray of light has emerged via the self-anointed Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan coalition of 50 House Representatives seeking to work through the aforementioned bottleneck. Earlier this week, the Caucus revealed details of a proposed "March to Common Ground" framework that's effectively a formal compromise between Senate leadership's "skinny stimulus" package and Democrats' more robust Heroes Act. The Problem Solvers' proposal includes the allocation of $280 billion toward renewed $1,200 stimulus checks (plus $500 per child and dependent adult). In response, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows commented that "March to Commond Ground" could "show the way" to immediate relief. Here's hoping.

Update: On September 29, the House of Representatives unveiled a modified version of its earlier Heroes Act. The $2.2 trillion stimulus plan, sponsored by House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), would cost the government $1.2 trillion less than its original iteration, possibly making it more palatable to Senate Republicans. And as in the earlier draft, it does allow for $1,200 stimulus checks to most individuals, as well as $2,400 for most married couples and an additional $500 per household dependent. As of this writing, House Dems continue to negotiate terms for potential, enacted legislation with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Update: Following his return to the White House after several days at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland for Covid-19 treatments, President Trump tweeted his desire to effectively forestall stimulus talks until after his election  assuming he wins. There will likely be pushback on this from the House of Representatives and even Republicans in Congress. We will keep you posted.

Update: Despite a glimmer of hope in the wake of bipartisan support for a proposed $908 billion compromise bill drafted in early December, it did not include any language concerning a new round of $1,200 stimulus checks for individuals and families. And as of this writing, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared unlikely to shepherd the proposal through Congress. The wait for relief continues.

Update: On Dec. 16, it was widely reported that Congress was finally nearing a bipartsian Covid-relief package just ahead of winter break. The proposed legislation would reportedly include $600 individual stimulus checks, half the $1,200 sum of the previous round, but an improvement on the previous prosposals' total exclusion of one-time payments. Numerous outlets have additionally reported that movement on the issue was motivated by Republicans leadership's concerns over securing wins in January's upcoming Georgia Senate runoffs.

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

Update: At long last, on Dec. 22, Congress passed a bipartisan, $900 billion stimulus bill as part of a $2.3 trillion spending package put together just prior to the holiday break (and, more pressingly, as everyone from renters to small-business owners and those still left jobless amid the pandemic in dire straits as previous assistance expires and shutdowns reemerge). As expected, the individual stimulus check for Americans who earn under $75,000 a year has been halved relative to the first round, from $1,200 to $600 per person. Likewise, the allocation will be $600 per dependent as opposed to double that sum. Assuming President Trump signs off, what's still undetermined is how fast these payments will be processed and delivered. Holidays or no, time is certainly of the essence. We will continue to keep you posted.

Update: President Trump is threatning to hold up the entire Covid relief bill unless individual stimulus payments are increased from $600 to $2,000 per person. The tradeoff? The removal of "wasteful and unnecessary" spending in the package, though it's unclear what precisely that points to. Again, we will continue to update you as more is confirmed.

Update: On Sunday, December 27, just after crucial benefits  such as enhanced unemployment  from the previous Covid relief package had expired, President Trump finally signed the latest $900 bipartisan bill into law, triggering the imminent delivery (possibly within days, per outgoing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin) of millions of individual $600 stimulus checks for individuals and dependents. But, thanks to Trump's unexpected, 11th-hour screed last week about the bill's shortcomings  particularly the relatively paltry per-person stimulus outlay  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may still succeed in pushing through separate legislation to more than double that amount to $2,000 per person. Strange business, politics. And we will of course keep you posted.

Update: Sadly, as of January 27, 2021, new President Joe Biden's push to supplement the recent $600 payments authorized last December with $1,400 additional funds (a piece of Biden's overall $1.9 trilion Covid-relief proposal) for those eligible is stuck in typical Congressional gridlock. We will continue to keep you posted, but wise money says it will be some time before more direct federal aid arrives in individuals' and families' accounts.

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will stop exporting weapons and dual-use goods to as part of the European Union's reaction to China's national security law for Hong Kong, Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said.

The move comes as a reaction to China's imposition of draconian national security law in which aims to crush dissent.

According to a Sputnik report, commenting on the adoption by the foreign ministers of a package of measures against the actions of the Chinese authorities, Maas said Europe "must speak with one voice" if it wanted to uphold its values and principles in relations "with such powers as "

"Regarding Germany, we have already begun to take the first steps. For me, this also means that we immediately stop the export of weaponry and sensitive dual-use products to Hong Kong, and itself will be treated in this context as the rest of China," he was quoted as saying.

on Tuesday announced the suspension of Hong Kong's extradition treaties with Canada, Australia and Britain after the three countries announced similar decisions in protest to controversial new security law.

Canada, Australia and Britain are part of the 'Five Eyes' intelligence alliance. The other members, New Zealand, which suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong earlier on Tuesday, and the United States, which has signalled it is preparing to do the same.

Countries are angry over China's move to implement Hong Kong security law.The legislation, which came into effect ahead of July 1 punishes what Beijing terms secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference with up to life in prison.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BRASILIA, July 28 (Reuters) - Brazil's economy lost almost 11,000 formal jobs in June, Economy Ministry figures showed on Tuesday, by far the smallest monthly decline since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year.

It followed an upwardly-revised 350,000 formal job losses in May, and brings the net loss in the first six months of the year to almost 1.2 million, the figures showed. (Reporting by Jamie McGeever Editing by Chris Reese)
ALBANY  The economic shutdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus has left New York facing a $30 billion deficit over the next two years, and hiking taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers wont cover the gap, state officials said Wednesday.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said the fiscal needs for New York far exceed what could be generated through increasing taxes on the wealthy.

The governor said New York is grappling with a $14 billion deficit this budget cycle and a $16 billion gap expected in the next fiscal year. Then theres the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) facing an expected $12 billion gap, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's looking at a $3 billion shortfall, and New York City dealing with a $9 billion hole, Cuomo said during a press call.

Youre at about $50 billion (in total deficits). You have 100 billionaires, he said. You will have to tax every billionaire half a billion dollars to make it up. You know what that means? That means you would have no billionaires.

(Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

State Budget Director Robert Mujica also dismissed the notion of making up the lost revenue through tax increases on the wealthy, noting that New York already has some of the highest, and most progressive, wealth taxes  including the second-highest tax on wealthy residents in the nation.

There is no way to tax that much money without doing a staggering amount of revenue-raisers that nowhere in the country has and no one has ever seen before, Mujica said. The only alternative is really to have the federal government provide the assistance. Theres not a way to tax us out of this problem.

The Citizens Budget Commission has also reported New York City residents are subject to the second-highest personal income tax in the country at nearly 12.7 percent. New York also imposes an 8.8 percent personal income tax statewide on married couples filing jointly with incomes greater than $2.2 million annually; only New Jersey and California impose higher wealth taxes, the CBC's report shows.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic threw state and local budgets into disarray, state legislators and labor unions were pushing for tax increases on the wealthy to help fund critical services and programs such as expanding affordable housing and ending homelessness in New York.

The advocates called for bumping up the tax brackets for New Yorkers who make $1 million or more annually, implementing a "pied-a-terre" tax on second homes in New York City and a new capital gains tax on the state's resident billionaires.

A poll conducted by labor unions in February showed broad public support for increasing taxes on the very wealthy.

Michael Kink, executive director of the progressive Strong Economy for All Coalition, blasted Cuomo's stance and accused the governor of wanting to protect the billionaires, of which there are 118 in New York with a combined net worth of $600 billion.

"Gov. Cuomo cares more about keeping billionaires happy than keeping millions of New Yorkers from going hungry," Kink said in a statement. "As countless New Yorkers struggle to put food on the table or pay their rent, the governor is choosing to cut funding for schools, hospitals and housing instead of raising taxes on the rich."

The latest figures on the states deficit come as Cuomo and local elected officials renewed their calls for Congress to include financial relief to state and local governments in the next legislative package to address the economic hits delivered by the pandemic. The U.S. Senate's Republican majority this week released a plan, dubbed the HEALS Act, that does not include funding for those entities.

Cuomo, who sent a letter to congressional leaders on the need for funding, said it will be up to the federal government to provide appropriate revenue to localities to address the deficits.

I dont see additional revenue coming  thats why Im pushing so hard for the federal government just to have a responsible bill, he said. The future for revenues is basic fairness by the federal government.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins agreed that additional federal aid is necessary, but said major revenue efforts must also come from the state. The Democrat noted that the chamber earlier this year developed a "revenue working group" to explore legislative options.

We are all hurting and this crisis calls for multimillionaires and billionaires to help our state shoulder this extraordinary burden," Stewart-Cousins said in a statement. "While there is no single action that will solve all our problems, we shouldn't be looking to the already overburdened working and middle class to solve the crisis."
COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Studio MFP (https://studiomfp.com/) recently announced that they are offering all the members of Columbus Chamber of Commerce a free month trial of social media marketing, as well as other discounts, due to the impact that COVID-19 has had on small businesses. The free month of social media marketing services include Studio MFP's suite of popular bundled monthly management skills like social media marketing, daily social media posting, digital advertising, reporting, analytics and more.

Columbus Chamber members receives free social media from Studio MFP

The first free month's trial of social media marketing will be awarded to all the qualifying chamber members, and in order for the chamber members to qualify they just need to have a consultation with one of Studio MFP's account executives.

"During a time when uncertainty looms over all the businesses and the economy in general, we want to do our part by contributing towards recovering and building the businesses in Columbus," said Studio MFP CEO, Mike Faga. "We started like most new businesses do: as a small company with great big ideas. We want to help all those small businesses who may be impacted by pandemic. We have grown hand-in-hand with our clients, allowing us to meet their unique needs. This helps us understand the needs of other businesses that may face similar hardships. Our strengths are affordable, tailor-made services that help professionals expand in healthy and exciting ways, and we want to really focus on that now."

Since 2016, Studio MFP has closely followed their two core values professionalism and performance. From a humble beginning as a software provider, Studio MFP has expertly diversified into more services. Innovation and proactiveness has always been at the crux of all their services. The company takes great pride in stating themselves as competent and customer oriented, with a team of experts following a methodical five step approach to solve any problem and work on delivering measurable results.

Provide the best-in-class solutions for customers in the best turnaround time possible. Provide measurable results, and create a WOW! Factor for the clients. Quality driven services, which can make a sizeable difference and positive impact on client business. Leading the way with a clearly defined purpose. To understand client business, and give tangible solutions that increase their ROI.

Studio MFP has always aimed at transforming the small, medium or big business, and empowering small businesses by partnering them with the emerging leaders in the world of digital marketing services.

If you are a member of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, please contact Studio MFP to receive a free month trial of their professional social media marketing services.

About Studio MFP

Founded in 2016, Studio MFP offers a wide range of solutions that help professionals, freelancers and small businesses succeed at what they do. With technology, customizations, and managed services, Studio MFP is a trusted problem solver that offers software, hosting, development, design, marketing, social media tools and so much more. To learn what Studio MFP can do to help your business thrive, and other COVID-19 resources, please visit: www.StudioMFP.com.

Media Contact:

Mike Faga

1-855-557-7637 ext 101

[email protected]

SOURCE Studio MFP
- John Regala had an emotional conversation with Raffy Tulfo on the latters program in TV5

- He explained his current situation and he also admitted that his wife left him because of his illness

- To ease the burden of the actor, Raffy vowed to help him in any way possible

- John cried hard after hearing the huge amount of money that the journalist will give

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John Regala became really emotional after hearing good news from Raffy Tulfo.

KAMI learned that the former action star was interviewed by the said broadcast-journalist after his photos went viral on social media.

The actor admitted that he is not living with his family anymore since his wife left him because of his serious medical condition.

John reportedly has liver cirrhosis. He said he has not been eating for 15 days because his stomach does not accept any food.

Raffy Tulfo pledges help to John Regala (Photo from Flickr)

Source: UGC

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While having a conversation with Raffy, the celebrity known for his villain roles emotionally claimed that he already wants to be with his mother in heaven.

To ease the burden that the actor is experiencing, the prominent broadcast-journalist in TV5 pledged to give 100 thousand pesos.

He also revealed that he and his show will give grocery items and medicine to John.

Upon hearing the good news, the actor, who was lauded for his fearless stunt routines, suddenly cried hard and thanked the TV host for his generosity.

Ganito po ang gagawin namin. Magpapapunta ako ng reporter diyan. Lahat po ng klase ng tulong ay ibibigay namin. Sa ngayon po, magpe-pledge po ako. Magbibigay ako sayo ng isandaang-libong piso Bukod pa ho diyan, magbibigay ako ng mga gamot at groceries para sayo, Raffy quipped.

Maraming salamat po! Salamat po! Diyos na po ang bahalang gumanti sa inyo, kuya Pasensya na po kayo Hulog po kayo ng Panginoon. Ginamit po kayo ng Diyos para tulungan ako, John emotionally responded.

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Watch the video below:

John Regala, or John Paul Guido Boucher Scherrer in real life, is a former actor in the Philippines. He is known for portraying antagonist roles in many movies.

In March this year, he appealed for help from Coco Martin and television networks.

The former action star also asked the public for any kind of assistance amid the difficult situation that he is in.

Please like and share our Facebook posts to support KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinion about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
 Flash

On July 21, the U.S. made the unilateral provocation by making an outrageous demand that China close its Consulate-General in Houston. By so doing, the U.S. has grossly violated international law, the basic norms of international relations, and relevant provisions of the China-U.S. Consular Convention, and gravely damaged China-U.S. relations. China has made legitimate and necessary response.

The U.S. has been fabricating pretexts and spreading lies about its egregious decision. In a matter of just a few days, the U.S. has churned out different versions of the story. Lies, however, will always be lies even if they are repeated a thousand times. The different versions of the story concocted by the U.S. side have no factual base and mix black with white. In sum, the U.S. has failed to present even one single piece of solid evidence. It is important that we list U.S. false allegations vis-a-vis the facts. The purpose is to debunk the falsehoods and let people know the truths.

Please see the attachment for the document to find the truths.

Reality Check of U.S. Unilateral Demand for China to Close Consulate-General in Houston
New Delhi, July 29 : Key ministers of the Union Cabinet, BJP leaders and allies patted themselves on the back on Wednesday evening, after the Cabinet gave the nod for the much delayed National Education Policy, which was announced here.

While the BJP President JP Nadda called it "momentous day", Union minister Harsimrat Badal highlighted the long delay after which this reform came.

Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the policy, the BJP chief said, "The National Education Policy 2020 brings much awaited reforms and regulatory framework which caters to the need of a 21st century 'New India' and unleash our children and youth's energy for a self-reliant better India." Akali Dal leader and Union minister Harsimrat Badal said that India got its "much-needed education reforms after a gap of 34 years". While junior minister in MHA G. Kishen Reddy said this will help "address barriers to female and transgender children's access to education", and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan dubbed it as "futuristic".

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to a new National Education Policy aimed to bring about several changes in the education system from the school to college level. Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare said that following the new education policy and reforms, the country will achieve a 50 per cent gross enrolment ratio by 2035.

Speaking at the press briefing, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said: "It is important because there was no change in the education policy in the last 34 years," a sentiment shared by many of his Cabinet colleagues.

Not only has the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) been renamed the Ministry of Education, public investment in the education sector will reach 6 per cent of GDP at the earliest. Currently, it is around 4.43 per cent. This has BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy ecstatic as he claims it was his suggestion to increase the expenditure on education.

Outcomes of the National Education Policy will be universalisation of education from primary to secondary by 2030, attaining foundational learning and numeracy skills by 2025, 100 per cent gross enrolment ratio by 2030, and two crore school children joining back. It will also include preparation of teachers for assessment reforms by 2023, an inclusive education system by 2030, board exams only to test core concepts, and instilling at least one vocational skill in every child.

The key highlights of the New Education Policy is use of technology in teaching, learning and assessment, a single regulator for higher education, graded autonomy for colleges, and phasing out of the affiliation system in 15 years. It also includes formation of the National Research Foundation, internationalisation of education and multiple entry and exit for students and an academic bank of credit.

"Since most of the learning happens in the mother tongue, we ensured that wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language/mother tongue/local language/regional language," said Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal.

The major reforms in school education includes universalisation of early childhood care education, setting up of a national mission on foundational literacy and numeracy, 5+3+3+4 circular and pedological structure and no rigid separation between arts and sciences.

Students will be taught coding from class 6, there will be vocational integration from class 6 as against from secondary level, and a gender inclusion fund for girl child development. Board examinations will now be low stake and based on knowledge application.

The policy also mandates the medium of instruction till at least class 5 and preferably till class 8 and beyond in home or regional language, and 360 degree holistic report card - by children, by classmates and teachers.

Besides this, PARAKH - Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development - will form the standard, norm and guidelines for the schools so that it reaches the benchmark. Schools will have transparent online systems for self-disclosure for public oversight and accountability.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will offer a common entrance exam for admission to higher education institutes, and a National Professional Standard for teachers to be prepared by the NCERT and the NCTE.

As the ruling party, its allies and the government scrambled to hail this new education policy, the point they were driving home was simple - it took 34 years of wait and the Modi government to overhaul the nation's education policy.
DPRK leader says nuclear deterrence to firmly guarantee national security

Global Times

Source: Xinhua Published: 2020/7/28 16:13:40

Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un stressed the importance of nuclear deterrence on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the armistice of the 1950-53 Korean War, according to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday.

At the 6th National Conference of War Veterans held here Monday, Kim said thanks to the "reliable and effective self-defense war deterrence, there will no longer be war on this land and our national security and future will be firmly guaranteed permanently," the KCNA reported.

"Bearing in mind that we should have a strong power to safeguard the fate of our country and people, we will never stop honing the most powerful national defense capacity that cannot be matched by anyone else," Kim was quoted by the KCNA as saying.

During the conference, the North Korean leader also paid tribute to the martyrs and war veterans who "dedicated their valuable lives to the sacred war for the country's reunification and independence and people's freedom and happiness," said the KCNA.

The DPRK held its 1st National Conference of War Veterans in 1993, marking the 40th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.

The following four national conferences in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018 were all held after Kim took office at the end of 2011.

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This realization is important because too many Americans wrongly believe poverty results from laziness, poor parenting or some other moral failing. Rather, the document proves the existence of a system that denied Blacks the chance to raise families in areas where homes appreciated in value and accumulated wealth that could be passed along to future generations.
Farmer Alex Taylor, 29, rejected stunning model Tahlia Rubio during Sunday's premiere episode of Channel Seven's Farmer Wants A Wife reboot.

But just months before Tahlia was vying for the country bachelor's heart, the reality TV star claims she was exchanging 'flirty messages' with Channel 10's new Bachelor.

'Locky and I met while I was in Bali late last year,' the 23-year-old said of her 'holiday fling' with former Survivor star Locklan 'Locky' Gilbert, 30.

Scroll down for video

EXCLUSIVE: Stunning Farmer Wants A Wife star Tahlia Rubio (pictured) has shared details of her alleged secret 'holiday fling' with Channel 10's new Bachelor Locklan 'Locky' Gilbert

Tahlia's brief stint on Seven's FWAW was filmed seven months ago in mid-January, and her Bali trip occurred two months prior in November.

'We exchanged Instagram handles and he reached out to me, to see if I wanted to catch up while I was there. He is a good looking man so we exchanged some flirty messages,' she said.

'We caught up a few times and had fun while I was there. Bit of a short holiday fling. Weve spoken here and there.'

Despite things not working out long-term, Tahlia said she was excited to see Locky's Bachelor journey unfold on TV.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Locklan 'Locky' Gilbert for comment.

'We met while I was in Bali late last year': The 23-year-old said she had a brief 'holiday fling' with former Survivor star-turned-Bachelor Locklan 'Locky' Gilbert, 30 (pictured) in November

'We exchanged some flirty messages': Tahlia said she had caught up and 'had fun' with Locky a few times while on holiday in Bali, and had 'spoken here and there' since

In May, Tahlia appeared on the Hit Network's Hughesy and Ed show to confirm her 'holiday fling' with the radio hosts.

'We met in Bali last year and hung out a few times,' Tahlia said at the time.

'The last time we did speak was once he was announced as Bachelor and I wished him well with everything... he just sent back a thanks and a smiley face,' she said.

Unlucky in love: Farmer Alex Taylor, 29, rejected stunning model Tahlia (pictured) during Sunday's premiere episode of Channel Seven's Farmer Wants A Wife reboot

'I might have to go on Bachelorette so I finally have a selection of men to choose from': Tahlia joked that she'd be keen for more reality TV dating opportunities

Despite not finding love on with farmer Alex, Tahlia said she felt 'blessed' to be part of the Farmer Wants A Wife reboot and hopes to find Mr. Right outside of the show.

Since her exit aired on TV, she said she was still single and 'sadly have had no one ask me out or message me with intentions to take me out on a date'.

'I might have to go on Bachelorette so I finally have a selection of men to choose from,' she joked, adding: 'Kidding! I feel like that would be quite a bit to handle.'

Farmer Wants A Wife continues Sunday from 7pm on Channel Seven
It's high time to "build a new platform" for raising the issue of Crimea, Reznikov added.

There is a need to involve other states in negotiations with the Russian Federation on Donbas settlement, says Vice Prime Minister for the reintegration of temporarily occupied territories Oleksiy Reznikov.

In this context, speaking with Radio NV, Reznikov recalled the Budapest Memorandum and its signatories  the United States and the United Kingdom.

"It seems to me that, as serious players at the international platform, as strategic partners of Ukraine, it would be great if they could join the negotiations and help Ukraine restore our territorial integrity and sovereignty within the internationally-recognized borders," Reznikov said.

Vice PM added that it is high time to "build a new platform" for raising the issue of Crimea.

Read alsoKravchuk may replace Kuchma at Minsk talks  Zelensky

As UNIAN reported earlier, in recent days some media reports have suggested that Oleksiy Reznikov could replace Leonid Kuchma at the helm of Ukraine's delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas settlement in Minsk after the former president announced resignation.

At the same time, other reports say another former president of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, is likely to become Kuchma's successor in Minsk talks. Unlike Reznikov, Kravchuk holds no official position in the Ukrainian government (and neither did Kuchma), while head of Russia's delegation Boris Gryzlov is also not part of the incumbent Russian power vertical.
A single mother of three children who was mocked by a reporter on national television for her teeth has launched a fundraiser asking for help to repair them.

Jessica Sewell, 29, featured in a New Zealand TV segment this week about her ex-boyfriend giving out her phone number for a fake 'Chewbacca roar contest' in Cairns, Queensland.

When the segment about the bizarre prank aired on TVNZ, reporter Wilson Longhurst made harsh comments about her 'teeth and her hair' on live TV.

Following backlash over the comments Ms Sewell launched a GoFundMe page explaining that as a struggling single mother she could not afford the dental work.

Jessica Sewell, 29, (pictured) featured in a story about her ex-boyfriend giving out her phone number for a fake 'Chewbacca roar contest' in Cairns, Queensland

She has launched a GoFundMe page to fix her smile after harsh comments from a reporter about her teeth

Ms Sewell previously told Daily Mail Australia her teeth were knocked out during a domestic violence incident.

'I had a bad relationship for nine years and had two kids with this guy and he knocked out my four front teeth ... I went on TV and people had a massive problem with my looks because of my teeth.' Ms Sewell said on her GoFundMe page.

'So if you feel you would like to see me smile a real smile please give me a helping hand,' she said.

Posting an update video on Wednesday afternoon to the fundraising page, Ms Sewell, showed the extent of the damage to her teeth.

'I can not wait until these are all fixed I'm so nervous, excited and surprised all in one,' Ms Sewell captioned the video.

'Thank you all so much for this help you're all amazing.'

Ms Sewell said she would put up pictures of her new teeth when she has enough donations to get the work done.

The fundraiser had received more than $4,600 on Wednesday afternoon, just 17 hours after being launched.

Ms Sewell originally appeared on television because her ex-boyfriend put up a poster with her phone number, urging people to call up and do an impression of the Star Wars wookie for a chance to win $100.

She revealed she had been inundated with phone calls.

But her coloured hair and missing teeth were criticised on national TV by TVNZ reporter Wilson Longhurst

Following the comments of reporter, Ms Wilson told Daily Mail Australia the extent of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her old boyfriend.

'Me and my ex-partner used to get into a lot of fights... It would get to the point where he would either headbutt me, hold me down to the ground, get quite physical... If we were in the car he would elbow me,' she said.

The abusive partner is not the same who pulled the 'Chewbacca' prank.

The mother-of-three children, one of whom has autism, said she has stayed positive and revealed her appearance is the last thing on her mind.

'He was a hardcore bad person, but I'm lucky I got away. I've got no choice but to put my big girl pants on and become tough,' she said.

Sewell said she is staying strong for her children after the recent media attention and the 'shallow' comments made by Longhurst.

Ms Sewell told Daily Mail Australia beauty is only skin deep and she is a stronger person after enduring domestic violence

'I was just trying to let women know as dark and as harsh as men are to you, you can still smile through it,' she said.

'Beauty is only skin deep.'

The young mum said she hasn't had an opportunity to get her teeth fixed because it wasn't a priority while she's raising three young children.

In a cheeky dig at Longhurst, she suggested she would be happy to get the work done if he paid for it.

Not only has she had to endure the unprovoked attack from the reporter, she's also copping abuse from trolls online.

The TVNZ journalist made the hurtful gaffe while presenting the story on the station's Breakfast show on Monday.

After presenting Jessica's story, Mr Longhurst (right) made fun of her teeth and hair. He was reprimanded by Breakfast co-hosts Hayley Holt (left) and John Campbell (centre) on live TV before apologising on the 'naughty chair' (pictured) shortly after

'If there's anyone out there that can do the real Chewbacca sound, I might marry you,' Jessica said in the story.

This prompted Mr Longhurst to rudely remark: 'What a prize Jessica is, with all her teeth and her hair.'

Breakfast co-host John Campbell immediately called out Mr Longhurst on live TV.

'This isn't a eugenics competition,' Mr Campbell said, before telling Mr Longhurst to 'get out'.

'I'll be having a little bit of a chat with Wilson (Longhurst) later.'

TVNZ reporter Wilson Longhurst and a female friend. Mr Longhurst has apologised for a 'misogynistic comment' after cruelly mocking an Australian single mother on live TV

Shortly after, Mr Longhurst sat on the 'naughty chair because I want to apologise to the woman in the story, Jessica'.

'What I said wasn't funny, it was quite frankly something that just slipped out. But it was a misogynistic comment and I am sorry,' Mr Longhurst said.

'I'm going to take a good, long hard look at myself once we get off air this morning because it just wasn't good enough and I'm really disappointed in myself and I know a lot of you aren't happy with what I said.'
Thirty-five years to the day after Randy Travis released what would (eventually) become his first No. 1 single, hes got a new tune hitting the airwaves. How that came to pass is a story involving a chance recording session, a tape that was lost for years and two songwriters with roots in Alabama.

If youre tuned in to a station that opts to give Fools Love Affair a spin, youll immediately be struck by its classic feel. From the first notes of piano and pedal steel it has the ring of a late-70s country barroom weeper, with a protagonist describing an illicit romance that will never be more than a series of furtive, guilty trysts.

The phone rings twice and its through, Travis sings. I dont even have to answer, I know its you/ Yes Ill meet you for the one thing we share/ Our once-a-week fools love affair.

The second thing you notice is the caliber of Travis voice. In 2013 he suffered a viral heart infection leading to a stroke that had severe impacts on his physical mobility and his ability to speak. He has released a memoir and made limited public appearances in recent years, but has been unable to perform. This sounds like vintage Randy Travis.

The clues start to add up. Its 2020. That call would come on a cell phone with caller ID. Heck, itd probably just be a text saying WYD? Thered be none of this anguish.

"Same old motel, same old room/ same old lies we know can't come true/ it's just pretending but the guilt's always there "

Turns out both the song and the performance are even more vintage than one might suspect.

We wrote this song in 1982, says Milton Brown, a Mobilian whose credits include helping Jimmy Buffett make it to Nashville; co-writing hit soundtrack singles Every Which Way But Loose and Any Which Way You Can for those Clint Eastwood orangutan movies; and being father to filmmaker Margaret Brown.

How do I know thats when we wrote it? asks Brown. I know that because I found my scratched-up notes, where Monk told me hed changed the lyrics and it was time for me to fix the bridge.

Notes from 1982 exchanged between Milton Brown in Mobile and Charlie Monk in Nashville show work on the song "Fool's Love Affair," which would be released as a Randy Travis single 38 years later.Courtesy of Milton Brown

This story is not about me, says Brown. I didnt do the heavy lifting. Monk did the heavy lifting.

Monk. Charlie Monk. He came to Mobile from Geneva, Ala., in 1958 and stayed for 10 years, with an interruption for military service. He worked at radio stations WALA, WUNI and WKRG. He came to Mobile when radio was young, Brown says, when a DJ could play anything he wanted, when the whole concept of country radio was still taking shape from hillbilly and blues roots.

He moved to Nashville in 1968 and did a little bit of everything, starting the Monk Family Records publishing company and founding the Country Radio Seminar, an influential industry gathering. For nearly 20 years hes been on SiriusXM satellite radio and now, in his 80s, hes still on seven days a week for shifts on the classic country channel Willies Roadhouse. His connections are so pervasive that hes been called the mayor of Music Row.

He knows everybody in music, says Brown.

So of course he knows Brown, who he thinks could have really made something of himself if hed ever left Mobile.

I told him he was the dumbest SOB is the world not to move to Nashville, Monk says of the opportunities Brown might have unlocked in that fertile environment.

When Milton would come to town to pitch his songs, hed always come by to see me, says Monk. They knew each other from Monks Mobile days and had a shared love of country music. One time when Brown came through, Monk shared a particular song idea, just a concept and a line or two. That led to Browns first draft of Fools Love Affair.

Charlie Monk, left, worked in radio in Mobile from 1958 to 1968 before moving to Nashville. Milton Brown, right, has had some success as a songwriter while remaining in Mobile.File photos

Hes still got it, complete with handwritten edits from Monk and Keith Stegall, who went on to score a few hit singles as an artist before becoming a top-tier producer for the likes of Alan Jackson, Darius Rucker and the Zac Brown Band. Yep, we changed some of the lyrics, says an accompanying note from Monk. I hope you are not offended because its your turn to change some and finish the bridge. Im gone on vacation.

What did this have to do with Randy Travis? Virtually nothing, except that Monk, who knows everybody, was one of the first to pick up on Travis talent when he moved to Nashville in 1982.

Charlie found Randy, says Brown. Before he was even Randy Travis. He was performing as Randy Ray back then.

Travis was still a few years from his breakthrough. But Monk had a song and he wanted to make a demo. Thats a simple recording intended to display a songs potential, an unpolished version used to sell it to a star who can turn it into a hit. He booked Travis for the session, which was a pretty routine affair.

Monk says he felt like Travis had the right voice for the song, and even now he thinks it would have been a good fit on a Randy Travis record. But for whatever reason it was never recorded by Travis or anyone else. Country had gone pop and people werent really looking for that classic tears-in-your beers vibe, Monk reckons.

We hold each other and then say goodbye/ it seems we ought to, but nobody cries/ Were two people with nothing to share 

Everybody was looking for a crossover hit, Monk says.

The irony is that Travis would help reverse that trend, making neo-traditional country so popular it crossed over to the pop charts. On July 29, 1985, Travis released On the Other Hand as a lead-off single to his forthcoming album Storms of Life. It didnt crack the Top 50, but when it was given another push the next year it hit No. 1. Travis was off to the races.

Meanwhile, the master tape of that Fools Love Affair demo session had been filed away. But Monk never forgot the song. He had run off cassette copies for Brown and Stegall and kept one for himself. Every once in a while, he says, hed play it on SiriusXM and if somebody liked it enough to request a copy, hed send them a digital clip.

When Travis health issues shut down his ability to record or tour, Monk began thinking about it in a different light. He wondered if something could be done with the song. He took his cassette to Kyle Lehning, a producer known for his work with Travis. Lehning told him that the song had potential but the cassette wouldnt do, he had to have the original multi-track tape.

Monk searched for years for that 4-inch reel, scouring studios where hed done work in the past, grilling former collaborators. It was all fruitless. Hed just about given up. Then one day he had to sort through boxes of stuff he had stored at his house, because the Country Music Hall of Fame museum was about to come and haul it off to its archives. As he shoved boxes around, one popped open. There was the reel. Travis name wasnt on it, just the name of the song.

I spent over three years looking for that multitrack, says Monk. It was at my house, the whole time  I believe in divine intervention.

Keep in mind, now, this is a guy who had a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird autographed by Harper Lee, Mary Badham and Phillip Alford and managed to lose that for years, too.

Long story short, Monk says, Lehning worked some magic on that old tape, creating a sparkling new version of the song. Monk set his sights on having it released on July 29 as a tribute to the start of Travis career. For ways to hear it, click here: https://orcd.co/foolsloveaffair

Monk says he proceeded with the blessing of Travis management; Travis wife, Mary Travis, said in an interview with the Nashville Tennessean that For it to all come together the way that it did ... its kinda magical.

The fact that Fools Love Affair even exists, as it can now be heard, is the result of a series of divine interventions, Monk says. For himself, its just a big thank-you to Randy.

Its Randy at the top of his game, Brown says of the vocal. He appraises its chances with a veteran songwriters mix of realism and hope.

It may be just one day, he says. It may grow legs. Well see.
President Donald Trump said he never raised with Russian leader Vladimir Putin media reports that Moscow paid the Taliban to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

"I have never discussed it with him," Trump said in an interview with the news website Axios published on July 28.

Trump has repeatedly said he was not briefed on the intelligence on the alleged Russian bounties before it was reported in the media in June because it was inconclusive. He has described the reports as "fake news."

Russia has denied the reports.

Trump spoke on the phone with Putin on July 23, the eighth conversation the two leaders have had since the intelligence was reportedly included in the presidents written daily intelligence briefing in late February.

Asked why he did not bring up the issue in the July 23 phone call, Trump told Axios: That was a phone call to discuss other things, and frankly thats an issue that many people said was fake news.

A readout from the call last week said the two leaders discussed the expiring New START nuclear agreement and combating the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump has made clear that he did not believe the bounty report, but that if it were true, he would respond to Russia.

"It never reached my desk. You know why? Because they didn't think  intelligence -- they didn't think it was real," Trump told Axios. "I wouldn't mind -- if it reached my desk, I would have done something about it."

He denied media reports he doesnt read the daily intelligence briefing.

"I read it a lot, you know, I read a lot. They like to say I don't read. I read a lot," he said.

There is no clear assessment within the U.S. intelligence community whether Russia paid bounties to the Taliban.

The New York Times reported at the end of June that U.S. intelligence officials concluded months ago that Russian military intelligence offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill American soldiers. The paper went on to claim that Trump was briefed on the matter, but did nothing in response.



The White House has said neither Trump nor Vice President Mike Pence had been briefed on the alleged intelligence. The House of Representatives held several hearings on the topic about how the United States should respond if the allegations are substantiated.

The issue has become a partisan topic ahead of Novembers presidential election, when Trump will face the presumed Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden.

Democrats have used the reports to question why Trump was not informed, and if he was, why there has been no response to Russia.

Biden's campaign responded to Trump's comments by saying that it was "absolutely despicable" the president did not confront Putin with intelligence on the alleged bounties.

"The most critical and sacred obligation of a commander-in-chief is to protect those who serve our nation in harm's way," the Biden campaign's rapid response director, Andrew Bates, said in a statement.

"But months after the U.S. intelligence community sounded the alarm -- to Donald Trump and to our allies -- that Russia was placing bounties on the heads of American servicemen and women in a war zone, our president continues to turn his back on those who put their lives on the line for our country, and on his own duty," Bates said.

With reporting by Reuters
BJP MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur has claimed receiving multiple threatening and abusive phone calls, leading the police to file an FIR against unidentified persons and launch a probe, an official said on Wednesday.

The FIR was filed on a complaint lodged by the Lok Sabha MP at a police station here, he said.

Kamla Nagar Police Station in-charge Vijay Sisodia said, A case has been registered against unidentified persons on Tuesday night for threatening the MP over phone and using abusive language. He said Thakur received these calls from unknown numbers around 6.30 pm on Tuesday.

Sisodia said, The callers also abused her over the phone. The cyber cell is trying to find out from where these phone calls were made.

Appropriate action will be taken against the accused on the basis of information received from the cyber cell. Meanwhile, Thakur, talking to reporters on Wednesday, said, There were many calls yesterday. The phone displayed private and international numbers during these calls. The callers used very abusive language. The BJP leader claimed the callers not only used abusive language against her, but also Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Thakur said the callers also abused her for making an appeal to people to recite Hanuman Chalisa and for supporting construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

She said, I have lodged a complaint in this regard at Bhopals Kamla Nagar Police Station. Thakur said she wont get cowed down by such acts.

Such threats do not affect me. These are cowards, who are afraid. So they call from unknown numbers, she said.

On Saturday, Thakur had tweeted, Let all of us together make a spiritual effort to wish people good health and end the coronavirus epidemic.

Recite Hanuman Chalisa five times a day at your home from July 25 to August 5. Conclude this ritual by lighting lamps on August 5 and offering aarti to Lord Ram at home.

Bhoomi pujan for construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya is scheduled to take place on August 5.
Widespread implementation of AI can help predict which patients showing mild cognitive impairment will go on to develop Alzheimers.

AI-powered technologies can also be used to help patients communicate their symptoms remotely and in the privacy of their homes, which will be of benefit to patients with mobility issues.

London: Artificial intelligence (AI) can diagnose Alzheimers disease faster and improve prognosis, a new study has revealed.

Alzheimers disease is a neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline.

Scientists at the UKs University of Sheffields Neuroscience Institute examines how the routine use of AI in healthcare could help to relieve the time and economic impact that common neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons, put on the National Health Service (NHS).

The main risk factor for many neurological disorders is age, and with populations worldwide living longer than ever before, the number of people with a neurodegenerative disease is expected to hit unprecedented levels. The number of people living with Alzheimers alone is predicted to treble to 115 million by 2050, posing a real challenge for the health system, the study noted.

The study, published in the journal Nature Reviews Neurology, highlights how AI technologies, such as machine learning algorithms, can detect neurodegenerative disorderswhich cause part of the brain to diebefore progressive symptoms worsen. This can improve patients chances of benefitting from successful disease-modifying treatment.

Lead author of the study, Dr Laura Ferraiuolo from the University of Sheffield, said: Most neurodegenerative diseases still do not have a cure and in many cases are diagnosed late due to their molecular complexity. Widespread implementation of AI technologies can help, for example, predict which patients showing mild cognitive impairment will go on to develop Alzheimers disease, or how severely their motor skills will decline over time.

AI-powered technologies can also be used to help patients communicate their symptoms remotely and in the privacy of their own homes, which will be an enormous benefit to patients with mobility issues.

Machine learning algorithms can be trained to recognise changes caused by diseases in medical images, patient movement information, speech recordings or footage showing patient behaviour, making the AI a valuable diagnostic aid.

For example, it can be used by trained professionals in radiology departments to analyse images more quickly and highlight critical results for an immediate follow-up.

Algorithms can also listen to patients speech and analyse their vocabulary and other semantic features to assess their cognitive function. Machine learning can also use information contained within electronic health records or genetic profiles to suggest the best treatments for individual patients.

Monika Myszczynska, another scientist from the University of Sheffield, said: It is too early to talk about the outcomes in terms of treatments but, in this study, we examined how machine learning methods can be used to identify the best course of treatment for patients based on their disease progression or how it could be used to identify new therapeutic targets and drugs.
The easing of lockdown restrictions in June and July have led to an uptick in economic activity. Some of the high-frequency indicators like agriculture, tractor sales, trade surplus, and FMCG have shown growth despite growing coronavirus cases. Though India's economy has been hit the hardest due to prolonged lockdown spanning over four months, some sectors have held the fort. Echoing similar views, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during the recently-concluded 2020 India Ideas Summit, said "the green shoots are (visible) based on high-frequency indicators... we will watch them as we go along".

ALSO READ: Unlock 3.0: Schools, Cinemas, metros to remain shut till Aug 31; gyms to open

Let's take a look at some high-frequency indicators to track India's economic health post the lockdown.

Agriculture sector

The bright spot in the shrinking economy amid COVID-19 ripple is the agriculture sector. The sector has performed exceptionally well on the back of good Rabi and Kharif crop harvests, and better than expected monsoon. Agri experts suggest bumper crop this year could even create a glut in the agricultural markets. Former Reserve Bank Governor D Subbarao, in a webinar organised by economic think-tank NCAER recently, also said the government must build on "some silver linings" in the farm sector to speed up the economic recovery.

Unemployment rate

India's unemployment rate fell significantly to 10.99 per cent in June compared to 23.48 per cent in May, showing signs of improvement in the job scenario in the country and return to the pre-lockdown period, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) data suggests. The unemployment rate in urban areas for the month stood at 12.02 per cent, while it was recorded at 10.52 per cent in rural areas. Notably, India's unemployment rate was recorded at the highest since January at 25.52 per cent after the government announced nation-wide lockdown with strict measures on March 25. April saw the unemployment rate of 23.48 per cent as most of the economic activity remained subdued. The employment rate in March was recorded at 8.75 per cent, while it remained 7.22 per cent and 7.76 per cent in January and February.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus effect: India's GDP to lose steam from Q3, says Oxford Economics

FMCG companies

FMCG consumption is almost back to pre-COVID levels, according to Nielsen's latest edition of 'COVID-19 Consumer Evolving Trends' report. It says the FMCG value sales index that was at 100 in March, before the lockdown, dipped to 75 during April and May. However, June saw a revival with the index touching 98, just a few points lower than the value in March. The recovery has been faster in rural India, which grew from 84 points in April and May to 109 points in June. Rural markets in June saw higher growth than the pre-COVID days in March (103). FMCG consumption in the urban markets was at 100 pre-COVID, which dipped to 70 during April and May and bounced to 94 in June.

Consumer durables

The consumer durable and appliances segment has also shown steadiness in trying times. Most leaders in the segment, including Panasonic India, Godrej Appliances and Philips India, recorded growth in sales, mainly driven by a surge in demand for home appliances, washing machines, television sets, and personal appliances as people remained locked at their homes. For example, Panasonic India recorded 20per cent growth in sales of vacuum cleaners; and 44per cent in microwaves and washing machines sales compared to the pre-COVID-19 levels. Godrej Appliances saw record sales (up to five-fold) in kitchen alliances like microwaves and dishwashers while Philips India and Panasonic India saw significant uptick in personal alliances sale for the month.

Two-wheeler and tractor sales

Though India's passenger vehicle sales fell 49.59 per cent in June, tractor and two-wheeler sale across hinterland have touched pre-COVID levels, with top manufacturers like Hero MotoCorp and Mahindra & Mahindra recording uptick in sales. Mahindra's recorded 47 per cent jump in month-on-month sales to 35,844 units in June compared to 8 per cent in the same period last year. Hero, however, sold 450,744 units, four-fold rise in month-on-month sales. Recovery can be attributed to boost in cash flows in the rural areas due to good rabi harvest, expected bumper kharif production, good rainfall and welfare transfers to migrants and farmers by the government.

Rupee Vs Dollar

The Indian rupee gained 6 paise to trade at 74.78 against the American dollar in early deals on Wednesday tracking weakness in the greenback. The local currency was trading in a narrow range at the interbank forex market, ahead of the outcome of US Federal Reserve's policy today. The value of rupee against dollar was Rs 77 on March 25, the day the government announced the nation-wide lockdown.

ALSO READ: Tier II, III consumers look forward to a normal lifestyle; caution persists

India's food exports

India's food exports have risen 27 per cent since March, despite COVID-19 restrictions in place. The growth has been primarily attributed to high demand for food-based items. Overall, India emerged as the net exporter in June, recording trade surplus of 0.79 billion compared to $15.28 billion deficit in the same period last year. As per ASSOCHAM, India's spices recorded 23 per cent growth in June to $359 million as against $292 million in the same month last year.

Trade surplus

For the first time in the past 18 years, the economy recorded the first-ever trade surplus in June since January 2002. India's merchandise exports for the month fell 12.4 per cent, while imports shrunk 47.6 per cent, showing a cumulative trade surplus of $790 million, thereby indicating increased employment and economic growth recovery. Comparatively, the trade surplus was $3.15 billion in May and $6.8 per cent in April.

PC shipments

As many as 2.9 million desktops, notebooks, tablets and workstations were shipped during April-June period despite lockdown for most of the period and just 45 operational days, according to research firm Canalys. Lenovo was the market leader with 818,000 PCs. HP with 629,000 units shipment was at the second spot. However, the PC industry has been on a decline for the last few years and this recent boost in PC sales may not be enough to change the industry dynamics, say experts.

ALSO READ: Lockdown impact: 2.9 million PCs shipped in just 45 days in Apr-June
Heads of some of the world's biggest tech companies  Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple  are set to testify before US lawmakers on the evening of July 29 in what is being termed the biggest hearing of its kind since that of Microsoft in 1998.

"Since last June, the Subcommittee has been investigating the dominance of a small number of digital platforms and the adequacy of existing antitrust laws and enforcement," Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David N Cicilline said in a statement earlier this month.

"Given the central role these corporations play in the lives of the American people, it is critical that their CEOs are forthcoming. As we have said from the start, their testimony is essential for us to complete this investigation," he added.

Ahead of the hearing that is scheduled for later this evening (12 pm ET or 9.30 pm IST), the four tech CEOs have submitted their opening statements before the House committee.

The probe

In June last year, the US House Judiciary Committee announced a bipartisan investigation into competition in digital markets . Lawmakers have been probing these leading American tech players for over a year now. The objective of these antitrust investigations is to ascertain whether these companies engage in anti-competitive practices and have grown too powerful or too big as a result of the same.

"The growth of monopoly power across our economy is one of the most pressing economic and political challenges we face today. Market power in digital markets presents a whole new set of dangers," Cicilline had said at the time of launching the probe.

The probe aims to ensure that these companies aren't gaining a monopoly in the digital markets. The committee also seeks to assess whether existing antitrust laws, competition policies, and current enforcement levels in the US are adequate to address issues that have reared their heads in the sector recently.

Significance of the hearing

While there have been similar public hearings in the matter earlier as well (remember Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai being grilled?), this is the first time the CEOs of all four mammoth tech players are going to testify before the committee.

What's more, this is going to be Amazon CEO and the world's richest man Jeff Bezos' first time testifying. Besides, due to the pandemic and associated risks, they are all likely to attend the hearing virtually.

What is each company being probed for?

While Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Google's Sundar Pichai and Apple's Tim Cook are all going to testify alongside each other, all four tech giants are being investigated on separate issues.

The committee is looking into Amazon to see whether it used sensitive information from third-party sellers on its platform to develop competing products.

In case of Apple, claims that the company gives undue advantage to its own apps over third-party products on the App Store, are being investigated.

Google is being probed in connection with its dominance in the digital advertising industry; while Facebook's recent acquisition of leading companies like Giphy, WhatsApp and Instagram have brought the company under the scanner.

The next step

While this isn't a trial hearing where a verdict will be delivered at the end, the lawmakers will use the testimonies to further strengthen their year-long probe.

At the end of the process, they will publish a report that is expected to bring key evidence in the public domain. In the long run, this could also pave the way for legislations tailored to regulate the digital and tech industry.
Holidaymakers desperate to cancel trips abroad amid fears of snap travel bans and quarantine rules risk losing thousands of pounds because travel insurers will not pay out.

The Foreign Office has this week warned against 'all but essential travel' to mainland Spain and the Balearic and Canary islands, with returning travellers ordered to quarantine for 14 days when they arrive home.

More countries, including Croatia, Belgium, France and Germany, could soon face curbs, with ministers claiming 'no travel is risk-free during this pandemic'.

Flying into trouble?: Holidaymakers desperate to cancel trips abroad amid fears of snap travel bans and quarantine rules risk losing thousands of pounds

Yet holidaymakers who can't work from home in the event of the new quarantine rules face heavy losses if they try to cancel.

Ministers have already acknowledged that some returning travellers from Spain may have to sign on for benefits if their employers won't pay them while they self-isolate.

Here Money Mail answers your most pressing questions about travelling abroad this summer...

Can I get insurance?

Only a handful of travel insurers will pay coronavirus-related claims.

Abta, British Airways, Cedar Tree, CoverForYou, Coverwise, Insurefor.com, Outbacker and Trailfinders cover the cost of cancellation if you catch the virus or need to self-isolate, medical treatment abroad and repatriation, according to the ratings site, Defaqto.

Axa, Leisure Guard, the Post Office, Saga and Staysure will cover only your treatment abroad and the cost of returning home.

If you bought an annual policy before March, you may also be covered for losses relating to coronavirus, but check the insurer has not since added an exclusion.

There is no cover on offer for holidaymakers who may need to cancel a trip or return home early to avoid new quarantine rules.

Brian Brown, head of insight at Defaqto, says: 'No travel insurer will cover you cancelling your holiday because your employer refuses you time off to quarantine.'

If you were in Spain when the new travel ban was introduced, you should still be protected  but not if you stay longer than planned. And no travel insurer will pay claims  coronavirus-related or not  if you travel against Foreign Office advice.

Only a handful of travel insurers will pay coronavirus-related claims due to the high risk

Will I get a refund?

If your flight is cancelled, the airline should refund you within seven days under EU law.

However, many airlines are encouraging passengers to accept vouchers or rearrange their trip for later in the year  though you may be charged extra if flights are more expensive. Many of those who have demanded a refund are still waiting.

Later this week, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is expected to name and shame airlines who have been slow to refund.

It is crucial you wait for airlines and tour operators to call off the holiday. If you cancel, you may not be refunded.

Package holiday customers must be reimbursed within 14 days under the Package Travel Regulations, although this is also regularly taking longer.

If you accept a refund credit note, this is guaranteed by the government should the operator go bust  but vouchers are not covered.

If you booked a holiday through a third-party booking site such as Lastminute.com, the online agent is responsible for refunding you  however, if you just booked a flight through a third party, you can claim a refund direct from the airline. Some online agents charge an administration fee.

What do airlines say?

Jet2 has cancelled all flights to mainland Spain and the islands.

Ryanair customers who do not want to fly to Spain may have to pay a flight change fee, plus fare difference, to move their trip.

British Airways says customers who choose not to board a flight can claim a voucher for future travel. This applies to bookings made after March 3 for trips scheduled to take place before April 30 next year.

If your flight is cancelled, you can have a voucher or cash refund. EasyJet says that it plans to operate its full schedule to Spain. If you no longer wish to travel you can transfer your flight without paying the usual fee, or request a voucher.

Tui UK has cancelled all holidays to the Balearic and Canary Islands until July 31. Trips to mainland Spain will not go ahead before August 9.

Those whose holidays have been cancelled can request a refund or rearrange the holiday.

Jet2 has cancelled all flights to mainland Spain and the islands, thanks to the new outbreak

Can my bank help me?

If your flight or holiday cost more than 100 on your credit card you have protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, and may be able to claim a refund from your bank or card provider.

However, if your flight or accommodation is not cancelled, you may not have a claim as your holiday could still go ahead.

If you paid by debit card you can make a chargeback request. There is no minimum spend. But if the trip is not cancelled, it's unlikely the claim would be accepted.

Are there any work risks?

Danielle Parsons, an employment lawyer at Slater and Gordon, says: 'Those who suddenly have to quarantine are in a very weak legal position, as their bosses don't have to give them time off if they are unable to work from home.'

You can ask your employer for extra annual or unpaid leave, but they are not obliged to agree. If you lose your income you may be eligible for Universal Credit but not statutory sick pay.

Where can I complain?

If you feel you've been treated unfairly, make a formal complaint to the airline. Your next step is to contact an Alternative Dispute Resolution Service, if your airline is a member.

Aviation ADR (aviationadr.org.uk) covers easyJet, Tui, Virgin Atlantic, Wizz Air, among others.

Take British Airways complaints to CEDR (cedr.com). You must pay 25 but only if your claim fails.

Ryanair and Jet2 do not belong to an ADR scheme. You can take complaints to the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team, but decisions are not binding.
New York, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "INDONESIA FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS MARKET - GROWTH, TRENDS, AND FORECAST (2020 - 2025)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05797252/?utm_source=GNW

Given the scope of household consumption in a densely populated country and its strategic location on geographical terms, Indonesia, an archipelago of around 17,500 islands, is currently a center of attraction for global investment. However, logistics is a key pain point for doing business in Indonesia. Logistics cost varies between 25%-30% of the GDP in Indonesia, as compared to developed economies, where it is below 5% of the GDP. Even neighboring countries, like Malaysia, incur half the cost as a percentage of GDP for logistics expenditure. Given that Indonesia has the worlds 16th largest economy and is the fourth most populous country in the world, there is a display of momentum in the economy, with steady prospects for higher growth, in the more ideal economic scenarios.



Key Market Trends

Rail Freight Transport - To Witness High Growth



Currently, rail transport infrastructure is present only on the islands of Sumatra and Java. Rail transport by goods volume only makes around 1% of the total volume of goods transported in and out of Indonesia. However, this volume is larger than the volume handled via air freight within the country. One of the reasons attributed to this is that rail transport is mostly used for wholesale high volume bulk commodities, such as coal, while air transport is used for less space occupying high-value goods. There is an immediate need for the deployment of mass urban rail networks to shift the transport of goods and passengers away from overburdened roads. This shift will require double tracks on major trunk rail lines, the revival of dormant tracks (some 2,500 km unused, mainly on Java), and the extension of other rail lines, in addition to new station developments with improved accessibility and multimodal integration.



Indonesias railways are operated under the state-owned enterprise (SOE) PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI), which held the monopoly over the sector until 2007. Law No. 23/2007 signaled a shift in attitude toward the nations railways to include them in national development by equipping the sector with more competitive strategies in terms of service and pricing. The railroad network in Java and Sumatra has a strategic role in serving the coal transportation distribution. The railway line that directly connects the mining plant location to port access and the availability of adequate locomotives and carriages make it an attractive choice for mining companies and expeditions to establish coal transportation cooperation with trains. In terms of time, the transportation of coal by train is far more certain in time, fast to the destination, free of traffic, safe and efficient in costs, and environment-friendly as mass transportation. The country is planning to reduce the logistics costs by improving railway infrastructure with the development of new tracks in Java, Sumatra, (BRT) in 29 cities, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan  which comprises 2159 km of inter-urban railways and 1099 km of urban railways.



The Rising Manufacturing Sector of the Country Presents an Opportunity for the Logistics Sector



Indonesia, whose economy accounts for two-third of the ASEAN economy, is growing at a rate of around 5%. The development of its stagnant manufacturing sector may ignite a structurally high economic growth for a sustained period of time. A flourishing manufacturing industry exporting the domestically manufactured products will accelerate economic growth and generate plenty of employment opportunities. According to industry sources, the key strategies to boost the development of Indonesias manufacturing industry include diversifying the range of products that are manufactured in the country and increasing the focus on the further development of the existing manufacturing industries in Indonesia (such as the electronics, chemicals, automotive, and food industries). However, the sector would have to deal with certain challenges, such as a shortage of qualified workers and improvement in the investment climate needed to attract investment.



The rise in commodity prices, government-led infrastructure projects, and growth in consumer confidence can boost the manufacturing sector. The country also encourages investment in the manufacturing sector by allowing a wider range of imports/exports, by reducing dwelling times, as well as by revising and improving tax allowances and tax holidays that are offered to investors (who meet specific criteria). According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Indonesia is one of the most lucrative nations for investment. In the UNCTADs June 2017 survey, Indonesia was ranked 4th in terms of the most prospective investment destinations (after the United States, China, and India). The country has also drawn up a road map for upgrading five manufacturing sectors, to make it one of the worlds 10 biggest economies. The plan, titled Making Indonesia 4.0, released by the ministry of industry in April 2018 includes development plans for the food and beverage, textile and garment, automotive, chemical, and electronics industries.



Competitive Landscape

The Indonesian freight and logistics industry does not have a high level of industry concentration, especially with regard to the international players. International players are responsible for approximately 30% of the market size. The remaining 70% is made up of local players. Within the 70%, the concentration is medium, and even the 10 largest players do not make up for more than 30% of the local market. This can be attributed to the fact that the large players are more focused on freight transport and logistics infrastructure, and hence, are more than just logistics infrastructure providers.



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SINGAPORE  Singapores birth and death rates grew slightly in 2019, maintaining a trend which the government says indicates that Singaporeans continue to value forming families.

In a media release on Tuesday (28 July), Singapores National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) noted that the annual average number of live births between 2015 and 2019 (40,274) was comparable to the annual average for the preceding five-year period between 2010 and 2014 (40,447).

Also, according to latest figures from the Department of Statistics, the annual average number of marriages registered in the last five years (27,389) was higher than the annual average registered between 2010 and 2014 (26,844).

The longer-term marriage and birth trends remain positive; and indicate that Singaporeans continue to value settling down and forming families, the media release said.

We will continue to work closely with employers and the community to build a Singapore society that is Made For Families.

Malays register highest birth rate among ethnicities

In 2019, there were 39,279 occurred live births, while 21,446 deaths and 73 still births were registered. When compared to 2018, there was an increase of 0.6 per cent in live births and 0.8 per cent in deaths registered.

INFOGRAPHIC: Immigration and Checkpoints Authority

Among the newborns, 23,305 (59.3 per cent) were Chinese, 7,615 (19.4 per cent) Malays, 4,210 (10.7 per cent) Indians and 4,149 (10.6 per cent) of newborns were of other races.

Malays registered the highest birth rate of 14.0 per 1,000 residents in 2019, followed by Indians at 8.7 per 1,000 residents. Chinese registered the lowest rate of 7.6 per 1,000 residents.

There were 280 live births born to teenagers aged 19 and below in 2019, a drop of 3.1 per cent as compared to 2018 (289). By proportion, 27.9 per cent of teenage births were born to Chinese, 59.3 per cent to Malays, 9.6 per cent to Indians and 3.2 per cent to other ethnic groups.

Based on the resident birth order figures, Singaporean women seem to have been delaying the birth of children till a later age.

Story continues

In 2010, the average age of women giving birth to their firstborn children was 29.8 years; in 2019 the average age is 30.8 years. The average ages have similarly rose for women giving birth to second-born (32.4 to 33.1) and third-born children (33.9 to 34.3).

Among first-time mothers in 2019, 60.1 per cent had university degrees while 39.9 per cent had A Level or lower qualifications.

Median age at death continues to rise

In 2019, a total of 21,446 deaths were registered, an increase of 164 as compared with 21,282 deaths registered in 2018.

The median age at death was 77.4 years in 2019, continuing the gradual rise over the years from 74.4 years in 2010 and 75.5 in 2014.

Not including other natural causes, the increase in median age was most conspicuous among those with diabetes mellitus (71.7 year in 2010 to 77.4 years in 2019) and those with kidney disorders and disorders of urinary system (79.0 years in 2010 to 82.3 years in 2019).

Females lived longer than their male counterparts. The median age at death was 73.7 years for males compared to 80.7 years for females, a difference of seven years.

INFOGRAPHIC: Immigration and Checkpoints Authority

The two most common causes of death in Singapore in 2019 were malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumours) and heart and hypertensive diseases. Together they accounted for more than half (51.8 per cent) of total deaths.

Lung and respiratory system diseases and cerebrovascular diseases were another two prevalent causes, responsible for 23.1 per cent and 5.8 per cent of death cases respectively.

Unnatural causes such as accidents, suicides and other external causes made up 4.0 per cent of the deaths.

Deceased persons aged 60 years and over accounted for 83.9 per cent of the total deaths, while infant deaths (age less than one year old) accounted for 0.3 per cent.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

Divorces and annulments on the up, as marriage numbers fell in 2019

Syariah Court to appoint its first woman senior president

PM Lee Hsien Loong aims to see through COVID-19 crisis, calls for 'responsible and loyal' opposition

Red Dot United restructures CEC, will remain engaged in Jurong GRC
On Thursday, July 30, at 14:00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a press conference entitled "Who and Why Destroyed Ukraine's Horse Breeding and How to Save the Industry. The Opinion of the Heads of Horse Breeding Enterprises." Participants include Director of Oleksandria stud farm of State-owned enterprise Horse Breeding of Ukraine Oleh Rodionov; Director of Dubrovsky stud farm of State-owned enterprise Horse Breeding of Ukraine Vadym Danylevsky; Director of Lozovsky stud farm of State-owned enterprise Horse Breeding of Ukraine Ihor Dubovyk; former Head of Odesa Hippodrome Kostiantyn Savchyts; President of the Anti-Corruption Entrepreneurial front Ihor Yehorov; lawyer Sabina Knysh, as well as other directors of state-owned horse breeding organizations (8/5a Reitarska Street). The press conference will be broadcast on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 11:40:57|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Democrats in the U.S. Senate released on Tuesday a scathing review on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's tenure at the State Department.

The 46-page report, entitled "Diplomacy in Crisis: The Trump Administration's Decimation of the State Department," says during Pompeo's tenure, critical senior positions remain vacant without nominees, with 11 assistant secretary of under-secretary posts vacant or filled by acting officials.

The report attributes the difficulty of appointing key department posts to the fact that many of the nominees for national security posts "lack the character and fitness expected of U.S. diplomats, and their nominations therefore languish in the Senate."

Pompeo's State Department is also rife with "allegations of retaliation and reprisal," the report said, adding that the result is a State Department left feeling "besieged," "demoralized," "beaten," "mistreated," "paralyzed," and "at a new low."

The ouster of former State Department Inspector General Steve Linick in May, who was conducting investigations related to Pompeo at the time of his firing, "only compounded this reality," the report said.

U.S. President Donald Trump removed Linick at Pompeo's recommendation under the allegation that Linick and his office was leaking to the media.

According to CNN, however, a probe by the Pentagon inspector general found no evidence that the leakage was conducted, and Linick was cleared prior to his removal.

During his congressional hearing in early June, Linick said several senior aides to Pompeo were aware of then ongoing probes into whether Pompeo was using staff to run personal errands and the use of emergency legal powers to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over congressional objections.

ABC News commented after that hearing that Linick's revelation "undercuts Pompeo's public comments that he was aware of only one probe and challenges his statement that Linick's firing was not retaliation for any investigation." Enditem
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Wednesday, July 19 officially launched the 25 th GJA Media Awards while indicating that it has been scheduled to be held virtually as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Silver Jubilee edition of the awards ceremony should have been launched in March but had to be put on hold due to the global crisis which has not spared the country.

Following careful considerations, the ceremony which is being sponsored by VRA, ADB, Euroget, US Embassy, MTN, Plan Ghana, and the Ghana Government has been launched by the GJA today at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, the GJA has adopted the theme: Covid-19 And Credible Presidential and Parliamentary Elections: The Media Factor.

The umbrella body for all journalists in the country believes that journalists need to be awarded for their work especially in a year where they have been forced to work under challenging circumstances.

Despite the destabilizing impact of the pandemic, we were, and are still, poised not to lose heart nor shrink back in our drive to honour journalists who excelled in a large swathe of areas in 2019 as well as those who have distinguished themselves this year in the fight against coronavirus, President of the GFA, Mr. Affail Monney said at the launch today.

Launching the 25th GJA Media Awards as a special guest of honour, Sir Sam Jonah commended the association for taking the decision to have a virtual award ceremony.

While commending GJA for going ahead to award journalists in the wake of all the adversities, he charged journalists to be fair in their work as the country prepares to go to the polls in the last month of the year.

Mr. Chairman, Our country goes to the polls on December 7th, 2020, to elect a President and Parliamentarians in an extraordinarily difficult time. I believe the GJA is well aware of the challenges of this moment and hopefully, you are bracing yourself for the events to come. You carry a very heavy burden in the dispensation of your responsibility. Never underrate your power to create an environment, which will engender peace and stability in our dear country. You have to be strong, fair and just in course of your duties, Sir Sam Jonah said.

On their part, title sponsors for the GJAs Silver Jubilee awards, the Volta River Authority (VRA) have commended the bodys efforts to maintain higher professional standards, even in these unusual times.

The VRA says they will continue to support the GJA to uphold the tenets, ethics, values, and standards of the journalism profession to shape the course of national development.

Check out the entry requirement for the GJAs 25th awards ceremony and the available categories below:
Lies are ceaseless in the U.S. political world as if American politicians had "fallacy-making" machines. Recently, these machines are targeting China with massive amount of slanders.

A report recently published by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee is one of the machine's products, which contains groundless accusations against the development of Chinas digital technologies.

The report misrepresents Chinas efforts to develop digital technologies as fostering digital authoritarianism and falsely accuses China of exporting digital authoritarianism to perpetuate its model of extensive censorship and automated surveillance around the world.

Besides, the ridiculous report suggests containment actions against China like building a coalition of its halfhearted allies on critical technology issues and establishing some cyber service academy.

While the shoddy document filled with clumsy lies has been fabricated to mislead the public, it once again exposed to the world the evil intensions of the U.S. to politicize digital technologies and contain Chinas technological development.

What makes the U.S. jealous is China's effective application of science and technologies in its COVID-19 response.

Science and technology are the most powerful weapon in humanitys battle against diseases. Launching data services in accordance with the law for virus risk control, China has effectively protected the lives and health of the Chinese people and given full play to digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, cloud computing, and biological recognition in the fight against COVID-19. What's wrong with that?

At the critical moment of the battle between mankind and the virus, some politicians in the U.S. are still judging everything based on ideological bias, obsessed with geopolitical games, and racking their brains to stigmatize China. What they have done only revealed how hypocritical and hard-hearted they are.

Although the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee released the report to hype up lies about Chinas efforts to develop digital technologies, it completely unmasked the intention of the U.S. to pursue digital hegemony.

While boasting that the U.S. is a global leader in technologies and urging the U.S. to reassert its leadership in international flora, the report has shown the world that the U.S. is so afraid of free competition and is terrified of being overtaken by China.

The self-contradictory and flawed document reflects the narrow-mindedness of these U.S. politicians as they are unwilling to see a world benefited by science and technologies, and also their true intention to seek technology hegemony.

Besides, the report further exposes the double standards and duplicity of these U.S. politicians who claimed to support technology-driven economy on the surface, but are indeed doing everything to impede China's cooperation with developing countries on digital infrastructure.

The U.S. has long been criticized by the international community for breach of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, conducting large-scale, organized, and indiscriminate cyber theft, spying, and surveillance activities targeting foreign governments, enterprises and individuals.

From WikiLeaks to Edward Snowden, and to the newly revealed Switzerland-based Crypto AG case, various immoral misdeeds of the U.S. have been proven by ironclad evidence. As a notorious godfather of cyber theft, the U.S. can always astonish the world when its global spying efforts are exposed. The U.S. is indeed the world's number one cyber attacker.

According to multiple surveys conducted by Pew Research Center, more than 90 percent of the American people have basically no confidence in their data privacy and security, while at least 64 percent of the Americans have experienced major data leakage. Around 42 percent of the people in the U.S. dont believe that the U.S. federal government and media platforms can protect peoples personal information, and the proportion of Americans who worry that the U.S. government would collect their personal information for unknown purposes rose to 64 percent in 2019. Why cant the U.S. politicians listen to and face the sense of insecurity and distrust of the people?

As Chinese people often say, The innocent is innocent no matter how well-designed those false accusations are.

Chinas technological progress is driven by its economic and social development, the Chinese peoples pursuit of a better life, the countrys efforts to follow the rule of openness and cooperation as required by the law of development, as well as Chinas sincere aspiration to make contributions to improving the well-being of people around the world.

As chief economics commentator of Financial Times Martin Wolf pointed out, the attempt to prevent technologies from flowing to China is doomed to failure.

The U.S. side must grasp that the scientific and technological progress China has achieved is the result of the Chinese peoples painstaking efforts and their spirit of self-reliance.

China has become a major science and technology power with global influence. No political pressure can stop the country from moving forward.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by Peoples Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Whistleblower Victor Carlstrom, a leading global financial broker, recently filed an 88-page amended complaint in his $4.2 billion lawsuit that alleges myriad illegal activities of leading Swedish firms Folksam and Swedbank, their executives, and two Swedish government agencies  equivalent to the IRS and SEC in the United States  to execute a complex money laundering scheme. The complaint now includes charges against Swedish banking giant Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB). Swedish conglomerate Areim has been added to the amended complaint (but not named as a defendant) for their key roles in the scheme and threats from Turkey against Mr. Carlstrom's life. Vinacossa Enterprises is an investment company founded by Mr. Carlstrom in 2013.

Both Swedbank and SEB are already under investigation by U.S. authorities and other nations. Mr. Carlstrom's $4.2 billion RICO lawsuit seeks to further expose a deeply corrupt Swedish financial system.

"Something is rotten in the State of Sweden," said Lawrence Schoenbach, attorney for Mr. Carlstrom. "Major financial and insurance institutions are working in concert with government agencies to silence Victor Carlstrom through threats, intimidation, and financial ruin."

According to the complaint, SEB was an active participant in money laundering operations by the Swedish financial executives and organizations and violated several banking and privacy laws in the process. Areim accounts in SEB, nominally owned by a Swedish citizen not mentioned in the suit, are actually owned by a former Turkish prime minister and close political associate of Turkey's President Recap Erdogan. Attacks on Mr. Carlstrom from Turkey began almost immediately after reporting illegal financial activity by Areim and forced him to seek asylum in the United States

Mr. Carlstrom is a Swedish citizen and former fund manager whose company worked under a contract with Folksam beginning in 2013. Carlstrom's company quickly became the largest source of client investment funds for Folksam by providing a successful investment product with the government-owned bank SBAB. Mr. Carlstrom became the largest cash supplier month-after-month in 2014, securing significant money and new clients for SBAB and Folksam. When Mr. Carlstrom's new clients started to ask questions of Folksam, Folksam responded by directing Mr. Carlstrom to decrease his number of clients. Suspicious of Folksam's reaction, Mr. Carlstrom started his own investigation into Folksam's operations.

Mr. Carlstrom's investigation revealed systematic and widespread bribery and money laundering. After Mr. Carlstrom voiced his concerns to Folksam about the company's operations, Folksam abruptly severed the relationship.

Among the defendants are Swedbank executives  CEO Jens Henriksson, the former Folksam CEO; the Director General of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority Erik Thedeen; and Director General of the Swedish Tax Agency Katrin Westling Palm.

Since discovering widespread corruption, money laundering, bribery and other crimes in the Swedish financial system and government, Mr. Carlstrom has been subject to numerous death threats, mostly deriving from Turkey, and multiple assassination attempts, the lawsuit explains.

This timeline dates back to 2006 and further showcases the timing of events leading to Mr. Carlstrom's original lawsuit filed on December 17, 2019.

Mr. Carlstrom is represented by the Law Offices of Lawrence H. Schoenbach, a boutique New York law firm with affiliate offices in Zurich, Paris, the U.S. Virgin Islands and China. The firm represents individual and corporate clients in complex, high-risk legal matters, primarily in U.S. federal courts throughout the nation and internationally.

Also representing Mr. Carlstrom is Dratel & Lewis, P.C., a nationally recognized, full-service law firm. Established in 1996, the firm has built a reputation for excellence in federal and New York State cases, including trial and appellate representation in criminal defense and civil litigation.

SOURCE Vinacossa Enterprises
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Australia will on Thursday release June data for building permits and Q2 numbers for import and export prices, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Building permits are expected to add 1.5 percent on month after tumbling 16.4 percent in May. In Q1, export prices were up 2.7 percent on quarter and import prices fell 1.0 percent. Japan will provide June numbers for retail sales; in May, sales were up 2.1 percent on month and down 12.3 percent on year. New Zealand will release June figures for building permits; in May, permits surged 35.6 percent on month. Singapore will see Q2 results for its business confidence index; in the previous three months, the index score was -56.0. Hong Kong will release June figures for retail sales; in May, sales plummeted 33.9 percent on year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System on Wednesday demanded Maynilad and Manila Water to explain reported spikes in utility bills issued to customers post-lockdown.

In a statement, the MWSS Regulatory Office said it issued show cause orders against the water firms after receiving more than 400 complaints involving utility bills, which supposedly reflected an unusual spike in consumption.

The issue is similar to complaints raised against power distributor Meralco for overstated charges after resorting to average billing. Meter reading was suspended from mid-March to May as Metro Manila was placed under strict stay-at-home rules.

Meter reading and regular billing activities only resumed in June, with MWSS requiring a grace period for payments.

However, the regulator said the two concessionaires were not compliant with various measures to prevent bill shock.

MWSS said the firms were unable to verify the consumption patterns of customers, check for irregularities and automatically withhold billing statements which have "observed significant deviation" and will need adjustments. They also failed to communicate effectively and urgently such information to their clients, it added.

"The concessionaires are expected to resolve these observed violations, and issue an official explanation within this week," MWSS chief regulator Patrick Ty said in an advisory.

"The agency assures the public that sanctions will be imposed over violations of such policies that aim to protect public welfare," he added.

In a statement, Manila Water said there was only a small number of their 1 million customers who reported issues with their bills, and that bulk of these have been resolved.

The east zone concessionaire said 7 percent or 73,588 of its clients sought clarifications on their billing statements from June 1 to July 27, and that 90 percent have been resolved through their customer feedback channels.

Of these, only 7,937 were referred for further discussions, which ended in 57 customers getting bill adjustments, it said. More than 6,000 reports were resolved as billed based on actual consumption, while 379 cases were due to underground pipe leaks, the concessionaire added.

"We are confident that we have followed each and every guideline issued by the MWSS-RO on average billing during lockdown and actual billing thereafter as well as installment payments and disconnection grace period," the company said, noting that 0.03 percent of complaints will be endorsed for MWSS intervention due to "after-the-meter leaks."

Manila Water is run by the Ayala Group and now counts ports magnate Enrique Razon as its strategic investor.

Maynilad and Manila Water were again the subject of President Rodrigo Duterte's rant during his fifth State of the Nation Address last Monday over their supposedly lopsided supply contracts which ran against public interest.

RELATED: Duterte waiting for Maynilad, Manila Water to sign amended supply contracts

Ty said the MWSS will continue to address customer complaints and asked others to report billing complaints to the regulatory office for processing.
Supervisor Donald Wagner and former chairwoman Michelle Steel, right, attend a meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors in Santa Ana, Calif. (Courtesy of Donald P. Wagner)

OC Board Grills Health Director Over Countys Response to COVID-19

Members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors grilled Health Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau on July 28 over the California countys response to COVID-19, expressing frustration in not receiving data directly from hospitals in order to foster accurate policy-making decisions.

Chau told the board at its weekly meeting that hospitals are struggling to provide up-to-date reports, making it difficult to accurately analyze information regarding the spread of the disease. He said hospital staffs are fatigued due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, and have requested staffing support from the state.

Vice Chairman Andrew Do said the board had been forced to rely on multiple reports to make its decisions, and sometimes those narratives dont coincide.

It is very difficult for a policy-setting body like this board to be able to come up with policy when we dont have data, Do said.

County officials on July 28 reported 187 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 15 additional deaths, bringing the overall totals to 34,833 cases and 581 fatalities.

With over 150 cases per 100,000 citizens, the county remains on the states watch list for counties with high case rates and hospitalizations. The countys rate of positive tests stands at just over 11 percent, compared to the states goal of 8 percent.

Supervisor Donald Wagner questioned the legitimacy of the states testing strategies, asking what the point of continuing to increase available testing was if the results werent always accurate.

We cant be expected to make the best possible decisions without the best possible information.  We dont even trust our own testing, Wagner said.

Wagner asked for the science that supports forcing someone to quarantine for 14 days, if they said they had been exposed but the test results came back negative.

There is a false negative to the tests, Chau said. A false negative result occurs when a test comes back negative, when in fact the patient is positive for the infection.

Wagner then proposed for the county to impose a mandatory lockdown that would force citizens to stay inside for 14 days without leaving their homes to effectively stop the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus.

Effectively eliminating COVID-19 was not that simple, Chau saidthere would still be potential for the disease to spread, even with a mandatory quarantine. He said a conversation had started with local hospitals to facilitate getting more accurate information directly from them.

Wagner, Do, and Chairwoman Michelle Steel requested that Chau speak to state officials about getting hospitals to refine information regarding people who check in for other health reasons but are ultimately diagnosed with COVID-19.

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett also urged Chau to press the state for the reopening of indoor shopping malls, saying they are better suited than outdoor malls to allow for social distancing.

Chau said the countys recommendations for social distancing, hygiene, and mask wearing have contributed to slowing the spread of the disease.
Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Houston firefighters and paramedics fighting on the frontlines of the pandemic will no longer be alerted to potential COVID-19-positive individuals they may encounter on the scene when responding to a call.

This change in procedure ends a practice dispatchers have been implementing since early in the pandemics outset, where 911 callers asking for help have been asked additional questions about whether anyone on location has or is suspected of having the novel coronavirus. This information was then relayed to Houston Fire Department personnel responding to any type of call, from a house fire to a shower fall.
Will Ferrell rediscovers his true talent in Eurovision

Eurovision! That word has very different meanings for people depending on where you are located in the world. In the US it is known as a music event full of strange acts that are barely worth a second glance. But to the rest of the world the Eurovision Song Contest is like a religion. Bands like the ever-popular ABBA became household names after performing at the contest while even today there are television shows and house parties dedicated to what is arguably the worlds biggest annual music event.



By David Griffiths

Wednesday 29 July 2020, 12:31PM

Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020). Photo: IMDB

Now Eurovision comes to the big screen in the form of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga  a comedy starring the iconic Will Ferrell (Blades of Glory). Ferrell plays Icelandic musician Lars Ericksson, who along with his best friend Sigrit Ericksdottir (Rachel McAdams  The Notebook) form pop-group Fire Saga.

Despite the fact the band are treated as a joke in their home town Fire Saga suddenly find themselves thrust into the world spotlight when the actions of a corrupt official leads to them representing Iceland at Eurovision as it is considered that they are the least likely Icelandic act to win. While Lars celebrates the fact that his life-long dream is only a couple of performances away Sigirit sees this as an opportunity to perhaps take that romantic step with Lars.

However things dont go to plan. First the band are set-up to fail and when a Greek pop-star (Melissanthi Mahut  In Transit) sets her sights on Lars while a Russian mega-star (Dan Stevens  Beauty And The Beast) decides he is the perfect match for Sigrit  both on and off the stage.

It may come as a surprise to many film lovers but unlike many American comedies this film is quirky, funny and has a massive amount of heart. Often Ferrell damages the film he is in by trying too hard to get a laugh. Ferrell is reigned in well by director David Dobkin (The Judge) and the result is a smooth comedic performance that sees Ferrell deliver some amazing one-liners and occasionally produce some moments of slap-stick gold.

Ferrell is well supported by the cast around him. McAdams who is known more for her dramatic performances is like a fish to water with comedy. She is equally as funny as Ferrell through the film and some of her scenes with Dan Stevens, who also reveals a comedic side we never existed, are some of the most memorable scenes in the film.

What sets Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga aside from other comedies is its quirkiness and heart. From exploding boats, a romantic couple that may or may not be brother and sister and dancing whales you never know what Dobkin and the screenwriters will throw at the audience next. That alongside some witty one-liners means laughs all throughout the film.

Then there is the heart of this film that makes the experience of watching it something memorable. Unlike many comedies this film has well-rounded and fleshed out characters which leads to some emotionally-driven storylines. Plot points like Lars trying to fulfil his dreams while trying to form a meaningful relationship with his father (Pierce Brosnan  Tomorrow Never Dies) bring a real sense of meaning to the film. Then there are little points like Lars teaching a young Sigrit to talk using music  those kinds of things are a stroke of genius from a screenplay as they really make the audience more emotionally involved with the characters in front of them.

With interesting and three-dimensional characters and a witty screenplay that delivers some moments of comedy gold Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga is one of Will Ferrells best films in years.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga is now available on Netflix.

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus
A scale of 1-5 (with 5 being the best) was used to score the judges performance in a variety of areas.

Judge Stecker earned a rating an overall rating of 4.12 in the area of legal analysis and a 4.43 in the area of impartiality. He was given a 4.26 for attentiveness during arguments and testimony; a 4.12 in the area of quality and clarity of writing in his opinions; and a 4.19 in the area of judicial temperament and demeanor. Judge Steckers rating for appropriate communication was 4.37; he earned a 4.25 for performance of work in a prompt and timely manner; and 4.31 in the area of fairness. Regarding efficiency as far as docket management and scheduling, Judge Stecker earned a 4.16 and 4.37 for punctuality. He was also given a 4.35 for trial management.

The attorneys were asked if he should be retained in office and 84.4 percent said yes.
The five Rafale aircraft, on their way to the Indian Air Force base in Haryanas Ambala, were on Wednesday escorted into the Indian air space by Sukhoi fighter jets.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh tweeted several photographs and a video of the Rafale jets entering Indian air space. The Birds have entered the Indian airspace..Happy Landing in Ambala! defence minister Rajnath Singhs office tweeted.

The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020

Also Read: Indian Air Force with Rafale has plan to take the fight to China

Before this, the leader of the five-jet contingent of Rafale established contact with a warship of the Indian Navy deployed in the western Arabian Sea.

May you touch the sky with glory. Happy landings, INS Kolkata welcomed the contingent, according to news agency ANI. To which the leader of the contingent said, Wish you fair winds. Happy hunting. Over and out.

Group Captain Harkirat Singh, a decorated fighter pilot and the commanding officer of the No 17 Squadron, is heading the aircrew bringing the Rafales to India.

The fighter jets will be welcomed with a water salute and are scheduled to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later.

The jets will be inducted into the IAF as part of its No 17 Squadron, also known as the Golden Arrows.

Police have tightened security around the air force station ahead of the landing of the first batch of five Rafale jets at Ambala airbase. The squadron of Rafale jets will be stationed at the airbase.

Also Read: Missile systems, cold-engine start make multi-role Rafales all the more deadly

The jets, which took off from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday, covered a distance of nearly 7,000km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft.

Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and taking photographs of the boundary wall of the airbase and its adjoining areas. The district administration has also prohibited people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the airbase.

Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in the villages adjoining the airbase, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora

Haryana Police have also set up several check barricades and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near the airbase, making announcements over loudspeakers warning people not to stand on the rooftop of their houses to click pictures or shoot videos.

Violators would face punishment as per the law, they warned.

Hoardings have been erected to welcome the arrival of the fighter jets with some of these mentioning that their induction will further boost IAFs capabilities.

Anil Vij, Haryanas home minister, said on Wednesday said the people of Ambala are very enthusiastic about the arrival of the jets

This is a very proud and a historic moment for us that the Rafale jets will be stationed in Ambala Cantonment area. Rafales are IAFs Sikandar, which will significantly boost our combat capabilities, Vij said.

Thousands would have gathered in the streets to welcome the jets if the threat of coronavirus pandemic had not been there.

India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAFs combat capabilities in 2016.

(With agency inputs)
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Tupperware Brands Corp. (TUP) released a profit for its second quarter that rose from last year. The company's earnings totaled $63.8 million, or $1.30 per share. This compares with $39.4 million, or $0.81 per share, in last year's second quarter. Excluding items, Tupperware Brands Corp. reported adjusted earnings of $41.5 million or $0.84 per share for the period. Analysts had expected the company to earn $0.14 per share, according to figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The company's revenue for the quarter fell 16.4% to $397.4 million from $475.3 million last year. Tupperware Brands Corp. earnings at a glance: -Earnings (Q2): $41.5 Mln. vs. $40.6 Mln. last year. -EPS (Q2): $0.84 vs. $0.83 last year. -Analysts Estimate: $0.14 -Revenue (Q2): $397.4 Mln vs. $475.3 Mln last year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
New Delhi: Over 100 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers on Wednesday joined a protest outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office against the South Delhi Municipal Corporations (SDMC) decision to levy a professional tax on self-employed persons, hike property transfer taxes, and nearly double taxes on rented commercial properties.

All three municipal corporations in Delhi are ruled by the BJP.

The SDMC House on Monday had passed a proposal to levy a professional tax on self-employed persons and professionals working in companies  a first in Delhi  and doubled the tax on rented commercial properties. The civic body also approved a 1% hike in tax on transfer of property, with an aim to ramp up revenue collection, which was affected by the national lockdown to contain spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The volunteers and leaders of AAP will continue opposing this decision at every level. AAP will fight against this decision inside the SDMC House and also on the streets. AAP has promised to the people of Delhi that it will force the BJP to withdraw this decision, said Durgesh Pathak, member of the political affairs committee and in charge of MCD affairs of the AAP.

Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta on Wednesday said, I have urged the SDMC mayor to roll back the professional tax. We will not let the corporations take the professional tax. North corporation has already deferred the move. We did not approve increase in the electricity tax. The corporations are in bad financial shape because the state government is not giving the corporation their due funds. The government should help the civic bodies in these testing times and should not do politics on the matter.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan launches the public consultation for Luas Finglas with the help of Michael Nolan of Transport Infrastructure Ireland

The M50 to the city centre in 30 minutes - that's the promise of the extension to the Luas.

However, commuters fed up of crowded buses and congestion will have to wait until at least 2028 to enjoy the new service as the proposed route is only now going to public consultation.

The new 4km line through Finglas in the north of the city will link Charlestown, close to the M50, with the existing Broombridge station in Cabra.

That journey will take just 13 minutes and, by linking up with existing services, the promise is that passengers will be able to get the whole way from Charlestown to Trinity College in the city centre in just 30 minutes.

Its target is 30,000 passengers daily, drawn from the population who will be living or working within one kilometre of one of its four new stops.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) says it will take 10,000 cars off the road, assisted by a 600-space park-and-ride facility at the Charlestown end.

The proposed route runs through three public parks and Finglas village, with some opposition expected over the impact on any or all of these areas.

A website, luasfinglas.ie, has full details and drawings, and members of the public have until mid-September to submit their observations.

NTA chief executive Anne Graham urged the public to get involved in the project.

Feedback

"We are anxious to get feedback on this proposal so I encourage members of the local community to let us know what you think," she said.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan, who formally opened the public consultation, said he believed the public response would be positive.

"It's going to improve the quality of life of tens of thousands of people. It's the best way of making the city work," he said.

No price has been put on the project, as the NTA says it is impossible to cost it until the route is confirmed, but it is expected to run to hundreds of millions of euro.

The preferred route requires two bridges, one at Broombridge station and the other over the River Tolka, which will add to costs, but alternatives could be even more expensive.

Luas Finglas will differ from the existing 40km of track in that it will be constructed mostly of grass track, with cycle and pedestrian paths laid along much of the line.

If the project proceeds without delays, the consultation, design and approval could be completed in 2023, followed by a one-year tender process and then a four-year construction phase.

Mr Ryan added that he was determined to have the Luas extension in operation no later than 2030.
Jackson Township, N.J.  Three people have been charged with violating the New Jersey governors executive order limiting gatherings after police spent hours breaking up a mansion party in Jackson Township that grew to over 700 people Sunday night and clogged neighborhood streets with traffic, authorities said.

Police said they started receiving complaints about a disturbance on Mill Pond Road around 8:30 p.m. from nearby residents.

After arriving and seeing the large crowd, offices contacted the homeowner, 40-year-old Jackson resident Yaakov Weiss, who told them he had rented the property on Airbnb and he had left when about 200 people were there, authorities said.

The home, which sits on a cul-de-sac in the suburban neighborhood, costs $795 a night to rent and is described as a stunning 3,700+ square foot home, according to the Airbnb listing. The hosts rules include no parties or events.

Police said the gathering eventually grew to more than 700 people with over 100 vehicles parked in the area. As authorities tried to clear the crowd, more people continued arriving.

Weiss and the party organizers, Patience Guanue, 23, and Alicia Hinneh, 22, both of Newark, were all issued summonses for violating the governors executive order, police said. Under current coronavirus restrictions in New Jersey, outdoor gatherings are limited to 500 people and indoor gatherings to 100 people or 25% of a rooms capacity, whichever is less.

Authorities also received a 911 call from a nearby resident reporting that people who had left the party had broken into their residence and were damaging property, police said.

It was determined that a family member of the caller who had been at the original party had invited a large group from the party back to the residence. Additional officers responded and the unwanted group was then dispersed from this second residence, Jackson police said.

This was the second large party authorities in Ocean County broke up recently. In Brick last Monday, three people were charged after multiple departments broke up a rowdy party that grew to more than 400 people in the Baywood section of Brick Township.

At the governors daily press briefing on Monday, New Jersey State Police Colonel Pat Callahan said the continued ban on indoor dining and bars could be driving people to hold house parties instead.

I do think the fact that bars and restaurants are closed then create this underground situation which is certainly not one we want because... young people, even if asymptomatic and youre positive, the fact that you can transmit that to your family members is certainly one that concerns us, Callahan said.

In a statement, Airbnb Spokesman Ben Breit said the company removed both of the party organizers from the platform, deactivated the listing and is investigating further.

To help stem large gatherings in light of COVID-19, Airbnb announced in April that it temporarily removed the parties and events allowed rule from New Jersey listings that formerly authorized parties and temporarily disabled the event-friendly search filter used so guests can find places for gatherings.

We strongly condemn the reported behavior, which represents both a clear violation of Airbnbs community policies and a particularly serious abuse during this public health crisis, Breit said.

All on-duty Jackson officers worked to clear the crowd and direct traffic until 1 a.m., with help from surrounding law enforcement agencies, police said.

The Freehold Police Department, Howell Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Ocean County Sheriffs Department and New Jersey State Police helped clear the area.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo.
New York: The tall man, dressed head to toe in black, including a black gas mask and a black umbrella, can be seen in a video wielding a sledgehammer as he calmly smashed the windows of a Minneapolis auto parts store.

The scene was one of the first widely shared images of wanton destruction to emerge from the protests in Minneapolis after George Floyd was killed by the police there. Yet the figure remained mysterious. He was given the nickname "Umbrella Man" and became the subject of online conspiracy theories.

A fire burns in Minneapolis on the third night of unrest following the death of George Floyd. Credit:Star Tribune

The Minneapolis police unsuccessfully tried to identify the man based on a glimpse of facial features seen in the bystander video. But after receiving a tip about his identity, they used other photographs, including a driver's license, to zero in on a suspect who they say has ties to the Hells Angels and a prison biker gang.

In a search warrant affidavit filed in Hennepin County District Court on Monday, the police requested phone records that would establish the suspect's whereabouts on May 27, when the store was vandalised. They have not charged anyone with a crime.
An unofficial U.S. Army Reserve safety advisory circulating on social media warns units about allegedly defective Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) weight-lifting bars. But it contains inaccurate information, according to Army Reserve Command.

The document, posted on Twitter, displays "SAFETY ADVISORY" four times on a yellow border and is titled "U.S. Army Reserve Safety Advisory ACFT HEX BAR FAILURE."

Read Next: Guard Major Questioned About Plans to Fly Army Helicopters Low over DC Protesters

As part of the ACFT, which all soldiers are set to begin taking Oct. 1, soldiers will use a hex bar, also known as a trap bar, in the deadlift event. Lifted by two handles, the hex bar is supposed to help maintain a more favorable body position during training than the more traditional straight bar. The Army has fielded thousands of hex bars, each with more than 320 pounds of weight, for the more challenging fitness test that will replace the current Army physical Fitness Test (APFT).

But the post being circulated "was an internal draft shared among staff members and has since been recalled due to inaccuracies," Simon Flake, a spokesman for Army Reserve Command, told Military.com in a statement.

"The Tweet in question is not an official safety message published by the Army Reserve," Flake said. "There is currently no official report of defective ACFT equipment in the Army Reserve."

The document reads "Warning: FORSCOM is reporting multiple HEX BAR Failures from Iron Company Manufacturing. The corner welds on these bars are failing."

Iron Company President J.P. Brice told Military.com that his company makes a hex bar designed to ACFT specs that's available on government purchasing site GSA Advantage, but the company is not part of the contract award that provided the bars to the Army for fielding.

"This is what I woke up to Saturday morning, and I was like, 'what?!,'" Brice said.

"We do make that bar, but our bar had nothing to do with this contract. This has been real tough for us because we have been getting blasted ... it's totally unfair what it has done to us."

In June 2019, the Army selected Atlantic Diving Supply Inc. in Virginia Beach and Sorinex Exercise Equipment Inc. in Lexington, South Carolina, to supply the fitness equipment in a $63.7 million deal.

Since then, U.S. Army Tank-automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) has delivered tens of thousands of sets of ACFT equipment to active, National Guard and Reserve units.

"The very, very small number of failed hex bars does not appear to be a significant problem," TACOM spokesman Slade Walters told Military.com. "To date, TACOM has received two official reports of broken ACFT hex bars out of the roughly 36,000 Army Combat Fitness Test equipment kits fielded. The manufacturer shipped replacements for the broken equipment at no additional cost to the Army."

Walters added that manufacturers have assured the Army that they stand behind their equipment and will replace any failed or damaged equipment at their cost.

Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) officials said they have not found any official source to back up the advisory's claim that FORSCOM has experienced hex bar breakages, Paul Boyce, spokesman for the command, told Military.com.

"Forces Command safety, operations and logistics staff members work closely with units to track the fielding, use and quality of equipment," Boyce said in a statement. "We continue to work regularly with Forces Command's Army units in the United States to solicit their feedback and insights about Army equipment as part of the command's operations and logistics planning in conjunction with other Army and Department of Defense agencies, as well as commercial suppliers."

Boyce added that if any soldier does encounter a concern with their equipment's quality or safety, they should report this to their chain of command to avoid injuries, maintain safety and ensure equipment effectiveness.

The advisory also states that there have been "multiple failures" reported by 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York and 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Fort Drum did not immediately respond to a query on the issue.

Lt. Col. Charles Barrett, spokesman for the 101st, told Military.com that the "101st has no reports of broken hex bars, but we are going to look into it."

Beginning Oct. 1, a modified version of the Army Combat Fitness Test will become the service's new fitness evaluation, but training challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic will mean individual scores will not count against soldiers until 2022.

Army leaders suspended all physical fitness tests in late March to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The virus caused delays in shipping fitness equipment needed for the ACFT and prevented soldiers from taking the new six-event assessment, which is meant to build fitness levels above the current three-event APFT.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Related: After Contract Delays, Army Units Finally Close to Getting New ACFT Equipment
Want to manufacture BrahMos so that no country has audacity to cast evil eye on us: Rajnath Singh

IAF chopper crash: Rajnath Singh likely to be apprised of probe team's findings in next couple of days

The Birds have landed safely in Ambala: Rajnath Singh welcomes home Golden Arrows

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, July 29: The first batch of five Rafale fighters have landed at the Ambala airbase. The fighter jets earlier entered the Indian airspace at about 1.30 pm and were greeted by an Indian Navy warship, INS Kolkata, deployed in the western Arabian Sea.

Rafale: First batch of 5 Fighter Jets land at Ambala airbase after covering nearly 7,000 Km|OneIndia

The Rafales reached Ambala, their home base, at around 3.10 pm. They will officially be inducted into the Gloden Arrows No 17 squadron of the IAF.

In Pics: Five Rafale jets enters Indian airspace, flanked by 30 MKIs

Defence Minister Rajnath has confirmed that the five Rafales have landed at the Ambala airbase. He tweeted: "The Birds have landed safely in Ambala. The touch down of Rafale combat aircraft in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History. These multirole aircraft will revolutionise the capabilities of the @IAF_MCC.

"I congratulate the IAF on a professionally executed ferry. I am sure that 17 Squadron, the Golden Arrows, will continue to live upto their motto of "Udayam Ajasram". I am extremely happy that IAF's combat capability has got a timely boost,'' Singh said.

''I also thank the French Government, Dassault Aviation and other French companies for ensuring the timely delivery of the aircraft and its weapons, despite the severe restrictions posed by Covid-19 pandemic,'' Defence minister said.

''The Rafale jets were purchased only because PM Shri Narendra Modi took the right decision to get these aircraft through an Inter-Governmental Agreement with France after the long-pending procurement case for them could not progress. I thank him for his courage and decisiveness,'' he said.

''This aircraft has very good flying performance and its weapons, radar and other sensors and Electronic Warfare capabilities are amongst the best in the world. Its arrival in India will make the IAF much stronger to deter any threat that may be posed on our country,'' Singh also said.

''The Rafale jets were purchased when they fully met the operational requirements of the IAF. The baseless allegations against this procurement have already been answered and settled. I would like to add, if it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity: Rajnath Singh further said.

Watch Five Rafale jets enter Indian airspace, to land shortly in Ambala

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's office said the Rafales are escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space. The jets were also refuelled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria received the fleet at Ambala. The Rafale jets are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, and they are expected to significantly boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to provide Moldova a new $558 million three-year loan as part of an economic reform program for the country, IMF mission leader Ruben Atoyan said in a statement on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th July, 2020) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to provide Moldova a new $558 million three-year loan as part of an economic reform program for the country, IMF mission leader Ruben Atoyan said in a statement on Monday.

"IMF staff and the Moldovan authorities have reached staff-level agreement on an economic reform program to be supported by three-year Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility (ECF/EFF) arrangements," Atoyan said. "Access under this arrangement is proposed to be set at SDR400 million (232 percent of Moldova's quota in the Fund and about US$558 million).

"

Atoyan noted that the IMF Executive board is expected to consider the staff-level agreement in September

The IMF mission leader said the new arrangements will help maintain Moldova's macroeconomic stability, provide an anchor for authorities' policies to support the post-pandemic recovery and catalyze external financing from other donors.

Atoyan also said the new agreement will support Moldova's ambitious institutional reforms aimed designed to tackle widespread vulnerabilities in areas of fiscal governance, non-bank financial sector oversight, market regulation, anti-corruption and rule of law.
A 105-year-old woman in south Keralas Kollam beat the odds of high mortality rate among elderly population to recover from Covid-19 on Wednesday giving much hope to the overworked medical fraternity in the state and the infected as well.

Kollam medical college superintendent Dr Habeeb Naseem said the woman had tested positive on July 20 and was admitted to the hospital with breathing difficulties and persistent cough. A medical board was constituted and it monitored her health parameters regularly, he said.

A pillar of strength, she followed all our directives in letter and spirit. Within one week she tested negative. We did another test on Wednesday before discharging her. People who resort to extreme steps after testing positive will have to learn a lot from her, said the superintendent.

He said she was administered a symptomatic treatment. She was given a warm send off at the hospital. State health minister K K Shailaja congratulated the medical team which treated her back to life.

It is another example of our hard work and dedication. The medical team deserves much praise, she said. It is another feather in Keralas cap. It is really a medical wonder.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage.

The woman is believed to be the third oldest person to recover form Covid-19 after a 107-year-old Dutch woman and a 106-year-old Delhi man.

Two month ago an elderly couple from Pathanamthitta in central Kerala, 94-year-old K Thomas and his 88-year-old wife Mariyamma, had also recovered from Covid-19. Their recovery was much lauded.

Meanwhile, Kerala reported 903 fresh cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday taking its tally to 21,799. The death toll mounted to 70 with two casualties during the day.

There are now 10,057 active cases in the state and while recovered 11,374. As locally-transmitted cases mounted the government has decided to increase the number of tests. In the state it took more than five months to reach 10,000 cases, but it took just 12 days to cross 20,000 mark. The capital Thiruvananthapuram which is the worst affected has been under lock down for more than 20 days.
At least 142 people were killed in different violent attacks in the northern part of Nigeria last week (July 18 to 24), a report has shown.

No fewer than 44 others were also kidnapped in the region amidst the rising insecurity across the country.

According to a security report by the Council on Foreign Relations, Kaduna State recorded the highest number of cases with six incidents of killing and kidnapping while Katsina State, where President Muhammadu Buhari hails from, had four incidents.

The Council of Foreign Relations, an American think-thank, said it tracks insecurity across Nigeria using information from newspapers and families of victims of various violent attacks.

Breakdown

In its breakdown, the report revealed that on July 23, unknown herders killed seven people in Kadunas Kajuru, and on the following day, July 24, bandits killed 10 persons in Jemaa and Kaura LGAs of Kaduna.

On July 18, six people were abducted in Chikun, Kaduna State while suspected herders killed 11 people in Zangon Kataf in the same state on July 20.

It also revealed that on July 19, suspected herders killed 21 persons and a police inspector in Kaura while a sectarian violence caused the death of three in Kauru, Kaduna on July 21.

According to CFR, a bomb explosion killed six children in Malumfashi, Katsina, on July 18 while 23 Nigerian soldiers and 17 bandits were killed in Jibia on same day  in the same state.

Days after, bandits killed another three in Batsari town of Katsina on July 21 and kidnapped 17 residents on July 22 in Safana town of the state.

It said Boko Haram insurgents on July 22 killed five aid workers in Borno State. The group killed three in Chibok town of the state on the same day.

On July 20, a military airstrike killed at least 10 bandits in Talata-Mafara, Zamfara State while they repeated the same action on no fewer than 10 bandits in Birnin-Magaji/Kiyawa of the state on July 23.

Two vigilantes were killed by their abductors in Gassol, Taraba State on July 19 while a joint task force killed four kidnappers in Lokoja, Kogi State on the same day.

The report also said 16 people were abducted on the same July 19 in Rafi, Niger State and another five kidnapped in Jada area of Adamawa State.

Worsening insecurity, adamant presidency

On several occasions, President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired army general, has met with service chiefs to discuss the rising security challenges in the country. Their efforts have failed to curb the sporadic bloodletting across the country.

Numerous calls for their replacement have also been ignored by the president.

In one of the meetings a few months ago, the president threatened that he would not hesitate to replace any of the service chiefs who is under performing.

Not pleased with the rate of killings in the country  particularly the northern part, the Senate last week called for the removal of all the service chiefs over incessant killings especially after a PREMIUM TIMES report on how hundreds of soldiers quit their jobs over loss of interest.

The presidency, in a swift reaction, said the Senate has no such powers to call for their removal  a rebuttal that sparked uproar on social media.

On Monday, the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, stunned many when he said Nigeria is now safer than it was five years ago.
DALLAS, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) ("SC" or the "Company") today announced net income for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020 ("Q2 2020") of $(97) million, or $(0.30) per diluted common share. The quarter included $400 million of incremental allowance for credit loss primarily driven by macroeconomic factors and COVID-19.

As previously announced, based on the interim Federal Reserve Board ("FRB") policy and SHUSA's expected average trailing four quarters of net income, SC is prohibited from paying a dividend in the third quarter of 2020. Although SC's standalone expected income is sufficient to declare and a pay a dividend in the third quarter, SC is consolidated into SHUSA's capital plan and therefore is subject to the FRB's interim policy that utilizes SHUSA's average trailing income to determine the cap on common stock dividends. SHUSA has requested certain exceptions to the interim policy, however the timing and outcome of the request is uncertain. SC does not currently expect to declare or pay a dividend in the third quarter of 2020 pending approval of SHUSA's exception request.

Management Quotes

"The duration of the pandemic has created significant macroeconomic uncertainty, and the speed of the economic recovery will dictate our performance over the next several months. While certain indicators are trending positive, we anticipate a delayed reversion to normal. Our results this quarter demonstrate the resiliency of our portfolio, the effectiveness of the hardship programs we instituted and the strength of our business model. Our employees, dealers and customers continue to be our priority as we endeavor to provide them the highest levels of service in these trying times. In the past weeks, we have also responded to the calls for an end to systemic racism by starting a conversation with our employees and committing to take action to make our company a place where all employees are valued, feel safe and have an opportunity to succeed. In the process, we will make sustained and material differences in the way we view race and interact with each other," said Mahesh Aditya, SC President and CEO.

Fahmi Karam, SC Chief Financial Officer, added, "This quarter's strong credit performance reflects the impact of the pandemic relief we provided to our customers and the improvement in auction recovery rates, particularly towards the end of the quarter. We continued to build reserves this quarter due to the COVID-19 uncertainty and we remain well capitalized with a 13.4% CET1 ratio, combining for an industry leading loss absorbing capacity to manage through the pandemic and position us for long-term success."

Second Quarter of 2020 Highlights (variances compared to second quarter of 2019 ("Q2 2019"), unless otherwise noted)

Total auto originations of $7.8 billion , down 7%

, down 7% Core retail auto loan originations of $2.1 billion , down 12%

, down 12%

Chrysler Capital loan originations of $4.7 billion , up 36%

, up 36%

Chrysler Capital lease originations of $989 million, down 61%



Chrysler average quarterly penetration rate of 37%, from 36%



Santander Bank , N.A. program originations of $1.7 billion

, N.A. program originations of Net finance and other interest income 1 of $1.1 billion , down 7%

of , down 7% 30-59 delinquency ratio of 4.3%, down 510 basis points

59-plus delinquency ratio 2 of 2.4%, down 230 basis points

of 2.4%, down 230 basis points Retail Installment Contract ("RIC") gross charge-off ratio of 11.1%, down 500 basis points

Recovery rate of 46%, down from 60%

RIC net charge-off ratio 3 of 6.0%, down 40 basis points

of 6.0%, down 40 basis points Troubled Debt Restructuring ("TDR") balance of $3.9 billion , down from $4.5 billion

, down from Return on average assets of (0.8)%, down from 3.2%

$1.9 billion in asset-backed securities "ABS" issued

in asset-backed securities "ABS" issued Expense ratio of 1.7%, down from 2.0%

Common equity tier 1 ("CET1") ratio of 13.4%, down from 15.7% as of June 30, 2019

1Includes Finance receivables held for investment, Finance receivables held for sale and Leased vehicles.

2Delinquency Ratio is defined as the ratio of end of period delinquent principal, over 59 days, to end of period gross balance of the respective portfolio, excludes finance leases.

3Net Charge-Off Ratio stated on a recorded investment basis, which is unpaid principal balance adjusted for unaccreted net discounts, subvention and origination costs.

Conference Call Information

SC will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its Q2 2020 results and other general matters at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. The conference call will be accessible by dialing 888-394-8218 (U.S. domestic), or 323-701-0225 (international), conference ID 2177889. Please join 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. The conference call will also be accessible via live audio webcast through the Investor Relations section of SC's corporate website at http://investors.santanderconsumerusa.com . Choose "Events" and select the information pertaining to the Q2 2020 SC Earnings Conference Call. Additionally, there will be slides accompanying the webcast. Please allow at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary software prior to the call.

For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay of the call will be available on the Company's website or by dialing 844-512-2921 (U.S. domestic), or 412-317-6671 (international), conference ID 2177889, approximately two hours after the conference call. An audio webcast of the call and investor presentation will also be archived on the Investor Relations section of SC's corporate website at http://investors.santanderconsumerusa.com , under "Events".

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions, or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as anticipates, believes, can, could, may, predicts, potential, should, will, estimates, plans, projects, continuing, ongoing, expects, intends, and similar words or phrases. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various important factors, some of which are beyond our control. For additional discussion of these risks, refer to the section entitled Risk Factors and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, or other applicable documents that are filed or furnished with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, our "SEC filings"). Among the factors that could cause the forward-looking statements in this press release and/or our financial performance to differ materially from that suggested by the forward-looking statements are (a) the adverse impact of COVID-19 on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations; (b) continually changing federal, state, and local laws and regulations could materially adversely affect our business; (c) adverse economic conditions in the United States and worldwide may negatively impact our results; (d) a reduction in our access to funding a reduction in ; (e) significant risks we face implementing our growth strategy, some of which are outside our control; (f) unexpected costs and delays in connection with exiting our personal lending business; (g) our agreement with FCA US LLC may not result in currently anticipated levels of growth and is subject to certain conditions that could result in termination of the agreement; (h) our business could suffer if we are unsuccessful in developing and maintaining relationships with automobile dealerships; (i) our financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations depend on the credit performance of our loans; (j) loss of our key management or other personnel, or an inability to attract such management and personnel; (k) certain regulations, including but not limited to oversight by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the European Central Bank, and the Federal Reserve, whose oversight and regulation may limit certain of our activities, including the timing and amount of dividends and other limitations on our business; and (l) future changes in our relationship with SHUSA and Banco Santander that could adversely affect our operations. If one or more of the factors affecting our forward-looking information and statements proves incorrect, our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking information and statements. Therefore, we caution the reader not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information or statements. The effect of these factors is difficult to predict. Factors other than these also could adversely affect our results, and the reader should not consider these factors to be a complete set of all potential risks or uncertainties as new factors emerge from time to time. Any forward-looking statements only speak as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, whether written or oral, to reflect any change, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements.

About Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) ("SC") is a full-service consumer finance company focused on vehicle finance, third-party servicing and delivering superior service to our more than 3.1 million customers across the full credit spectrum. SC, which began originating retail installment contracts in 1997, had an average managed asset portfolio of approximately $61 billion (for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020), and is headquartered in Dallas. ( www.santanderconsumerusa.com )

CONTACTS:

Investor Relations

Evan Black

800.493.8219

[email protected]

Media Relations

Annette Rogers

469.563.4157

[email protected]

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. Financial Supplement Second Quarter 2020



Table of Contents





Table 1: Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets 7 Table 2: Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income 8 Table 3: Other Financial Information 9 Table 4: Credit Quality 11 Table 5: Originations 13 Table 6: Asset sales 14 Table 7: Ending Portfolio 15 Table 8: Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures 16

Table 1: Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets



June 30, 2020

December 31, 2019 Assets (Unaudited, Dollars in thousands) Cash and cash equivalents $ 175,936



$ 81,848

Finance receivables held for sale, net 2,445,599



1,007,105

Finance receivables held for investment, at amortized cost 30,606,438



30,810,487

Allowance for credit loss (5,859,954)



(3,043,468)

Finance receivables held for investment, at amortized cost, net 24,746,484



27,767,019

Restricted cash 2,057,315



2,079,239

Accrued interest receivable 447,232



288,615

Leased vehicles, net 16,239,622



16,461,982

Furniture and equipment, net 61,653



59,873

Goodwill 74,056



74,056

Intangible assets 53,159



42,772

Other assets 967,639



1,071,020

Total assets $ 47,268,695



$ 48,933,529

Liabilities and Equity





Liabilities:





Borrowings and other debt obligations $ 40,636,769



$ 39,194,141

Deferred tax liabilities, net 910,448



1,468,222

Accounts payable and accrued expenses 508,290



563,277

Other liabilities 317,723



389,269

Total liabilities $ 42,373,230



$ 41,614,909









Equity:





Common stock, $0.01 par value 3,162



3,392

Additional paid-in capital 624,554



1,173,262

Accumulated other comprehensive income, net (63,705)



(26,693)

Retained earnings 4,331,454



6,168,659

Total stockholders' equity $ 4,895,465



$ 7,318,620

Total liabilities and equity $ 47,268,695



$ 48,933,529



Table 2: Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income



Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2020

2019

2020

2019

(Unaudited, Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) Interest on finance receivables and loans $ 1,236,600



$ 1,261,098



$ 2,510,419



$ 2,514,678

Leased vehicle income 737,549



676,236



1,485,528



1,325,796

Other finance and interest income 2,657



11,437



10,208



21,684

Total finance and other interest income 1,976,806



1,948,771



4,006,155



3,862,158

Interest expense 308,982



330,039



637,816



664,421

Leased vehicle expense 610,861



444,442



1,163,773



888,461

Net finance and other interest income 1,056,963



1,174,290



2,204,566



2,309,276

Credit loss expense 861,896



430,676



1,769,783



981,555

Net finance and other interest income after credit loss expense 195,067



743,614



434,783



1,327,721

Profit sharing 11,530



13,345



25,825



20,313

Net finance and other interest income after credit loss expense and profit sharing 183,537



730,269



408,958



1,307,408

Investment losses, net (147,582)



(84,787)



(211,008)



(151,884)

Servicing fee income 19,120



25,002



38,223



48,808

Fees, commissions, and other 82,069



90,196



177,199



184,572

Total other income (46,393)



30,411



4,414



81,496

Compensation and benefits 127,643



122,678



260,969



250,572

Repossession expense 22,289



69,699



79,951



140,559

Other expenses 116,747



88,272



208,432



180,475

Total other expenses 266,679



280,649



549,352



571,606

Income (loss) before income taxes (129,535)



480,031



(135,980)



817,298

Income tax expense (32,857)



111,764



(35,315)



201,528

Net income (loss) $ (96,678)



$ 368,267



$ (100,665)



$ 615,770

















Net income per common share (basic) $ (0.30)



$ 1.05



$ (0.31)



$ 1.75

Net income per common share (diluted) $ (0.30)



$ 1.05



$ (0.31)



$ 1.75

Weighted average common shares (basic) 319,773,636



351,106,197



326,899,844



351,309,700

Weighted average common shares (diluted) $ 319,878,145



$ 351,556,349



$ 327,137,104



$ 351,825,554

Number of shares outstanding 316,235,387



348,130,140



316,235,387



348,130,140



Table 3: Other Financial Information



Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30, Ratios (Unaudited, Dollars in thousands) 2020

2019

2020

2019 Yield on retail installment contracts 14.8 %

16.1 %

15.0 %

16.1 % Yield on leased vehicles 2.9 %

5.8 %

3.7 %

5.6 % Yield on personal loans, held for sale (1) 25.6 %

26.3 %

26.0 %

26.2 % Yield on earning assets (2) 10.9 %

12.9 %

11.4 %

12.9 % Cost of debt (3) 3.1 %

3.7 %

3.2 %

3.7 % Net interest margin (4) 8.4 %

10.1 %

8.8 %

10.0 % Expense ratio (5) 1.7 %

2.0 %

1.8 %

2.1 % Return on average assets (6) (0.8) %

3.2 %

(0.4) %

2.7 % Return on average equity (7) (7.7) %

20.3 %

(3.6) %

17.2 % Net charge-off ratio on individually acquired retail installment contracts (8) 6.0 %

6.4 %

6.9 %

7.5 % Net charge-off ratio (8) 6.0 %

6.4 %

6.9 %

7.5 % Delinquency ratio on individually acquired retail installment contracts held for investment, end of period (9) 2.4 %

4.7 %

2.4 %

4.7 % Delinquency ratio on loans held for investment, end of period (9) 2.4 %

4.7 %

2.4 %

4.7 % Allowance ratio (10) 19.2 %

10.8 %

19.2 %

10.8 % Common stock dividend payout ratio (11) *

19.1 %

*

22.8 % Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio (12) 13.4 %

15.7 %

13.4 %

15.7 % Charge-offs, net of recoveries, on individually acquired retail installment contracts $ 461,014



$ 462,427



$ 1,054,060



$ 1,077,631

Total charge-offs, net of recoveries 461,925



464,277



$ 1,055,524



$ 1,079,892

End of period delinquent amortized cost over 59 days, retail installment contracts held for investment 743,693



1,367,310



743,693



1,367,310

End of period personal loans delinquent principal over 59 days, held for sale 127,504



167,033



127,504



167,033

End of period delinquent amortized cost over 59 days, loans held for investment 744,170



1,368,427



744,170



1,368,427

End of period assets covered by allowance for credit losses 30,522,963



29,007,585



30,522,963



29,007,585

End of period gross retail installment contracts held for investment 30,492,634



28,971,311



30,492,634



28,971,311

End of period gross retail installment contracts held for sale 1,718,244



321,503



1,718,244



321,503

End of period gross personal loans held for sale 1,283,183



1,364,956



1,283,183



1,364,956

End of period gross finance receivables and loans held for investment 30,496,308



29,009,846



30,496,308



29,009,846

End of period gross finance receivables, loans, and leases held for investment 47,729,637



45,557,709



47,729,637



45,557,709

Average gross retail installment contracts held for investment 30,493,604



29,017,122



30,586,535



28,816,732

Average gross retail installment contracts held for sale 1,363,876



321,503



1,363,876



321,503

Average gross retail installment contracts held for investment and held for sale 31,193,215



29,070,738



31,017,842



28,834,640

Average gross personal loans held for sale 1,307,609



1,375,306



1,363,023



1,424,717

Average gross finance receivables and loans 32,554,978



30,507,780



32,438,109



30,321,739

Average gross operating leases 17,492,255



16,043,654



17,584,849



15,752,705

Average gross finance receivables, loans, and leases 50,047,233



46,551,434



50,022,958



46,074,444

Average managed assets 61,001,767



55,545,503



60,652,091



55,043,583

Average total assets 46,876,726



45,700,887



47,308,997



45,101,873

Average debt 40,113,885



36,152,602



39,858,355



35,715,392

Average total equity 5,033,773



7,273,470



5,573,544



7,163,738



































(1) Includes Finance and other interest income; excludes fees (2) "Yield on earning assets" is defined as the ratio of annualized Total finance and other interest income, net of Leased vehicle expense, to Average gross finance receivables, loans and leases (3) "Cost of debt" is defined as the ratio of annualized Interest expense to Average debt (4) "Net interest margin" is defined as the ratio of annualized Net finance and other interest income to Average gross finance receivables, loans and leases (5) "Expense ratio" is defined as the ratio of annualized Operating expenses to Average managed assets (6) "Return on average assets" is defined as the ratio of annualized Net income to Average total assets (7) "Return on average equity" is defined as the ratio of annualized Net income to Average total equity (8) "Net charge-off ratio" is defined as the ratio of annualized Charge-offs, on a amortized cost basis, net of recoveries, to average unpaid principal balance of the respective held-for-investment portfolio. (9) "Delinquency ratio" is defined as the ratio of End of period Delinquent principal over 59 days to End of period gross balance of the respective portfolio, excludes finance leases (10) "Allowance ratio" is defined as the ratio of Allowance for credit losses, which excludes impairment on purchased receivables portfolios, to End of period assets covered by allowance for credit losses (11) "Common stock dividend payout ratio" is defined as the ratio of Dividends declared per share of common stock to Earnings per share attributable to the Company's shareholders. The Common stock dividend payout ratio for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 has not been disclosed since the earnings per share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 was a negative number (12) "Common Equity Tier 1 Capital ratio" is a non-GAAP ratio defined as the ratio of Total common equity tier 1 capital to Total risk-weighted assets (for a reconciliation from GAAP to this non-GAAP measure, see "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures" in Table 8 of this release)

Table 4: Credit Quality

The activity in the credit loss allowance for retail installment contracts for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was as follows (Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands):



Three Months Ended June 30, 2020

Three Months Ended June 30, 2019

Retail Installment Contracts

Retail Installment Contracts Allowance for Credit Loss Non-TDR

TDR

Non-TDR

TDR

Balance  beginning of period $ 4,482,663



$ 973,236



$ 1,891,351



$ 1,280,649

Credit loss expense (a) 744,511



116,419



348,817



59,806

Charge-offs (b) (721,218)



(127,617)



(795,901)



(369,523)

Recoveries 312,231



75,590



517,626



185,371

Balance  end of period $ 4,818,187



$ 1,037,628



$ 1,961,893



$ 1,156,303



















Six Months Ended June 30, 2020

Six Months Ended June 30, 2019

Retail Installment Contracts

Retail Installment Contracts Allowance for Credit Loss Non-TDR

TDR

Non-TDR

TDR

Balance  beginning of period $ 2,123,878



$ 914,718



$ 1,819,360



$ 1,416,743

Day 1 - Adjustment to allowance for adoption of CECL standard 2,030,473



71,833









Credit loss expense (a) 1,501,704



267,268



795,305



164,419

Charge-offs (b) (1,620,768)



(417,184)



(1,723,358)



(836,160)

Recoveries 782,900



200,993



1,070,586



411,301

Balance  end of period $ 4,818,187



$ 1,037,628



$ 1,961,893



$ 1,156,303



(a) Excluded from the credit loss expense is $39 million related to retail installment contracts sold in an off balance sheet securitization during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020. In addition, credit loss expense excludes $12 million related to retail installment contracts transferred to held for sale during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020. Furthermore, credit loss expense includes $20 million related to retail installment contracts transferred to held for sale during the three and six months ended June 30, 2019. (b) Charge-offs for retail installment contracts includes partial write-down of loans to the collateral value less estimated costs to sell, for which a bankruptcy notice was received. There is no additional ACL on these loans.

A summary of delinquencies of our retail installment contracts as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 is as follows (Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands):

Delinquent Balance

June 30, 2020



Amount

Percent Amortized cost, 30-59 days past due

1,308,305



4.3 % Delinquent amortized cost over 59 days

743,693



2.4 % Total delinquent balance at amortized cost

$ 2,051,998



6.7 %









Delinquent Balance

December 31, 2019



Amount

Percent Principal 30-59 days past due

$ 2,972,495



9.7 % Delinquent principal over 59 days

1,578,452



5.1 % Total delinquent principal (a)

$ 4,550,947



14.8 %

(a) The table includes balances based on UPB. Difference between amortized cost and UPB was not material.

The retail installment contracts held for investment that were placed on nonaccrual status, as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 (Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands):

Nonaccrual Balance June 30, 2020

Amount

Percent Non-TDR 622,126



2.0 % TDR 242,037



0.8 % Total non-accrual loans (a) $ 864,163



2.8 %

(a) The table includes balances based on amortized cost.

Nonaccrual Balance

December 31, 2019



Amount

Percent Non-TDR

$ 1,099,462



3.6 % TDR

516,119



1.7 % Total nonaccrual principal (a)

$ 1,615,581



5.3 %

(a) The table includes balances based on UPB. Difference between amortized cost and UPB was not material.

The table below presents the Company's allowance ratio for TDR and non-TDR individually acquired retail installment contracts as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 (Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands):

Allowance Ratios June 30, 2020

December 31, 2019 TDR - Unpaid principal balance $ 3,946,808



$ 3,859,040

TDR - Impairment 1,037,628



914,718

TDR - Allowance ratio 26.3 %

23.7 %







Non-TDR - Unpaid principal balance $ 26,527,943



$ 26,895,551

Non-TDR - Allowance 4,818,187



2,123,878

Non-TDR Allowance ratio 18.2 %

7.9 %







Total - Unpaid principal balance $ 30,474,751



$ 30,754,591

Total - Allowance 5,855,815



3,038,596

Total - Allowance ratio 19.2 %

9.9 %

The Company's allowance for credit losses increased $0.4 billion and $2.8 billion for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020. For the three months ended June 30, 2020, the increase was primarily due to a reserve build associated with a weaker economic outlook related to COVID-19, partially offset by declines in balances. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the primary drivers were $2.1 billion increase at CECL adoption on January 1, 2020, driven mainly by the addition of lifetime expected credit losses for non-TDR loans, and additional reserves specific to COVID-19 risk, partially offset by decline in balances.

Table 5: Originations

The Company's originations of loans and leases, including revolving loans, average APR, and dealer discount (net of dealer participation) were as follows:



Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

Three Months Ended

June 30, 2020

June 30, 2019

June 30, 2020

June 30, 2019

March 31, 2020 Retained Originations (Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands) Retail installment contracts $ 5,098,496



$ 3,949,648



$ 8,832,741



$ 7,975,975



$ 3,846,226

Average APR 11.7 %

16.2 %

13.3 %

16.7 %

15.3 % Average FICO (a) 657



601



635



597



607

Discount (0.9) %

(0.5) %

(0.8) %

(0.3) %

(0.8) %



















Personal loans (b) 347,238



343,214



618,073



631,770



$ 270,835

Average APR 29.6 %

29.7 %

29.5 %

29.8 %

29.8 %



















Leased vehicles 986,617



2,520,130



3,007,338



4,483,710



$ 2,020,721





















Finance lease 1,927



4,822



4,929



$ 8,129



$ 3,002

Total originations retained $ 6,434,278



$ 6,817,814



$ 12,463,081



$ 13,099,584



$ 6,140,784





















Sold Originations

















Retail installment contracts $ 



$ 



$ 111,981



$ 



$ 

Average APR  %

 %

4.4 %

 %

 % Average FICO (c) 







722









Total originations sold $ 



$ 



$ 111,981



$ 



$ 





















Total originations (excluding SBNA Originations Program) $ 6,434,278



$ 6,817,814



$ 12,575,062



$ 13,099,584



$ 6,140,784



(a) Unpaid principal balance excluded from the weighted average FICO score is $586 million, $448 million, $1.0 billion, $941 million and $432 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, and for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as the borrowers on these loans did not have FICO scores at origination. Of these amounts, $102 million, $141 million, $241 million, $247 million and $139 million, respectively, were commercial loans. (b) Included in the total origination volume is $58 million, $51 million, $79 million, $76 million and $21 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, and for the three months ended March 31, 2020, respectively, related to newly opened accounts. (c) Unpaid principal balance excluded from the weighted average FICO score is $9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, as the borrowers on these loans did not have FICO scores at origination.

SBNA Originations Program

Beginning in 2018, the Company agreed to provide SBNA with origination support services in connection with the processing, underwriting and purchase of retail loans, primarily from Chrysler dealers. In addition, the Company agreed to perform the servicing for any loans originated on SBNA's behalf. The Company facilitated the purchase of $1.7 billion and $2.8 billion of retail installment contacts during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, respectively.

Table 6: Asset Sales



Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

Three Months Ended

June 30, 2020

June 30, 2019

June 30, 2020

June 30, 2019

March 31, 2020 Assets Sold (Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands) Retail installment contracts $ 512,286



$ 



$ 512,286



$ 



$ 

Average APR 6.4 %

 %

6.4 %

 %

 % Average FICO $ 691







691











Table 7: Ending Portfolio

Ending outstanding balance, average APR and remaining unaccreted net discount of our held for investment portfolio as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, are as follows:



June 30, 2020

December 31, 2019

(Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands) Retail installment contracts $ 30,492,634



$ 30,776,038

Average APR 15.4 %

16.1 % Discount 0.03 %

0.3 %







Receivables from dealers $ 3,675



$ 12,668

Average APR 3.9 %

4.0 %







Leased vehicles $ 17,206,674



$ 17,562,782









Finance leases $ 26,655



$ 27,584



Table 8: Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures



June 30, 2020

June 30, 2019

(Unaudited, Dollar amounts in thousands) Total equity $ 4,895,465



$ 7,337,261

Add: Adjustment due to CECL capital relief (c) 1,769,430





Deduct: Goodwill, intangibles, and other assets, net of deferred tax liabilities 154,943



152,264

Deduct: Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net (63,705)



(21,568)

Tier 1 common capital $ 6,573,657



$ 7,206,565

Risk weighted assets (a)(c) 48,997,902



45,849,574

Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio (b)(c) 13.4 %

15.7 %

(a) Under the banking agencies' risk-based capital guidelines, assets and credit equivalent amounts of derivatives and off-balance sheet exposures are assigned to broad risk categories. The aggregate dollar amount in each risk category is multiplied by the associated risk weight of the category. The resulting weighted values are added together with the measure for market risk, resulting in the Company's total Risk weighted assets. (b) CET1 is calculated under Basel III regulations required as of January 1, 2015. The fully phased-in capital ratios are non-GAAP financial measures. (c) As described in our 2019 annual report on Form 10-K, on January 1, 2020, we adopted ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments -Credit Losses ("CECL"), which upon adoption resulted in a reduction to our opening retained earnings balance, net of income tax, and increase to the allowance for credit losses of approximately $2 billion. As also described in our 2019 10-K, the U.S. banking agencies in December 2018 had approved a final rule to address the impact of CECL on regulatory capital by allowing banking organizations, including the Company, the option to phase in the day-one impact of CECL until the first quarter of 2023. In March 2020, the U.S. banking agencies issued an interim final rule that provides banking organizations with an alternative option to delay for two years an estimate of CECL's effect on regulatory capital, relative to the incurred loss methodology's effect on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period. The Company is electing this alternative option instead of the one described in the December 2018 rule.

SOURCE Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.

Related Links

http://www.santanderconsumerusa.com


A Laois school caretaker who drove while under the influence of alcohol and while also disqualified from driving , has appeared before Portlaoise District Court.

Martin Hangonyi, 31, with an address at 49 Ossory Court, Borris-in-Ossory was breathalysed by Garda Cooper on March 3 2020, outside his house.

The Slovakian national had four previous convictions for having no insurance and another one for drink driving, and for driving while disqualified.

Judge Catherine Staines noted the repeat offence.

So he was driving while disqualified without insurance and he did it again, she said at the court last Thursday, July 23.

Defence barrister Susanne Dooner said that Mr Hangonyi had five children, and is a caretaker in a school.

It was an absolutely disgraceful action on the day in question.

His brother is a mechanic and lives in the same estate. He was dropping off a friends car to be repaired. He had been drinking the night before for his sons birthday, she said.

The alcohol reading was 11mg/100ml, Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said, and he said this would normally give a years disqualification on a second offence.

Ms Dooner asked for another chance for her client.

This is someone that has very young children. To go into custody would be a very difficult change. I ask to give him one final opportunity, I appreciate you have done so before, the defence barrister said.

However, Judge Staines convicted Mr Hangonyi to six months in prison with leave to appeal.

You were in breach of two court orders. Not only were you driving but drink driving again. I have to protect the public, this is totally outrageous, the Judge said.
Ooredoo Group, a mjaot telecom groupin the region, said that its revenue declined by 3% year-on-year to QR14.1 billion ($3.87 billion) in the first half (H1) of the year due to the Covid-19 impact.



Consequently, Ooredoo Group reported net profits of QR818 million for the first half of 2020, which were slightly down compared to the same period last year.



A reduction in handset sales and roaming business as well as macroeconomic weakness in some of our markets was partially offset by robust growth in Indonesia, Tunisia and Myanmar.



EBITDA declined by 5% year-on-year to QR6.0 billion, impacted by movement restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19 in our markets as well as challenging market conditions in Algeria, Kuwait, Iraq and Oman.



Group Net Profit attributable to Ooredoo shareholders declined by 3% to QR818 million in H1 2020, compared to the same period last year, due to the reduction in EBITDA which was partially offset by a more favourable Foreign Exchange environment compared to the same period last year.



Data revenues account for more than 50% of total Revenue driven by our data leadership and digital transformation initiatives across the countries we operate in.



Ooredoo Group has healthy cash reserve and liquidity levels to be able to absorb the impact of Covid-19 for the year 2020, a company statement said.



Sheikh Faisal Bin Thani Al Thani, Chairman of Ooredoo, said: Ooredoo Group, with its strong balance sheet and geographically diversified operations, has built a resilient business to successfully navigate the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to our strong digital capabilities, and innovative technology, Ooredoo Group was able to partially contain the erosion in its bottom line, despite the decline in revenues.



Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Thani, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ooredoo said: Ooredoo Group reported revenues of QR14.1 billion in H1 2020, down 3% year-on-year due to movement restrictions designed to contain the spread of the pandemic, reductions in handset sales and macroeconomic weakness in some of our other markets. This was partially offset by strong performances in Indonesia, Tunisia and Myanmar.



Indosat Ooredoos revenues increased 6%, driven by its refreshed strategy and Ooredoo Tunisias value creation plan supported a 6% rise in its revenues. Strong demand for data supported an 8% increase in Ooredoo Myanmars revenue during the period.



In Kuwait and Oman, we have partnered with the respective Ministry of Education to launch e-learning platforms from home for the upcoming school year 20202021. With digitalization at our core, we continue to invest in new products and services to power the future of connectivity. In Oman we launched 5G Home Internet which enables customers to experience connectivity up to 10 times faster than the current home internet services, while bringing high speed internet access to new areas of the country, and in Algeria we continue to operate the fastest 4G network in the country spanning all 48 Wilayas, he added.



Ooredoo Qatar withstood significant pressure and strengthened its leadership position during the first half of 2020, despite the unique challenges created by the global Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on roaming revenue and shop accessibility in particular. Reported revenue was down 4% year-on-year to QR3.5 billion (H1 2019: QR3.7 billion). EBITDA stood at QR1.9 billion (H1 2019: QR2.1 billion). Customer numbers were 3.4 million, up 1.3% year-on-year.



Ooredoo Oman reported revenues of QR1.3 billion, a reduction of 4% compared to the first half of 2019 due to a decline in prepaid mobile and roaming revenues as well as fewer sales due to retail outlet closures (for up to 14 weeks). Free local call offers were extended to the community in support of the national Stay at Home initiative during the period.



Ooredoo Kuwait reported revenues of QR1.2 billion for the first half of 2020, down 10% compared to the same period last year, as measures implemented to manage the Covid-19 pandemic  such as Free Daily 5GB Internet usage and Free Unlimited Local Calls  impacted an already competitive market environment.



Ooredoo Kuwait became the first telecommunications company in Kuwait to launch an e-learning solution as it sought to support schools across the country in the provision of uninterrupted education throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.  TradeArabia News Service


Jordan's Foreign Ministry summoned Azerbaijani Ambassador in Amman Rasim Rzayev late on Tuesday, following a statement issued by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on the summoning of the Jordanian ambassador in Baku on Monday.

The ministry expressed its "astonishment" to Rzayev over the summoning of the Jordanian ambassador, as Jordan's diplomat was told that the meeting was for discussions rather than a summoning, according to a Foreign Ministry's statement.

The ministry also expressed astonishment over remarks by Azeri officials about Jordan that included "allegations that Jordan exports weapons to Armenia."

The statement said Jordanian defense industries export to private companies, and "there is an open international market with private companies that work under international laws and constraints governing their work."

It stressed that Jordan always commits to international laws and stressed the "deep-rooted, brotherly and distinguished" ties between Jordan and Azerbaijan.

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Slowing down a 'helper' cell may someday make vaccines more effective for seniors

Many people have understood that our immune systems get weaker as we age, which in part explains why older people often get less protection than younger ones from annual influenza vaccines.

Now a team of scientists led by experts at Cincinnati Children's have taken a deeper look at how the immune system changes with age--and what they've found could make often-mediocre flu vaccines much more protective.

Their study, published online July 29, 2020, in the journal Science Advances, reports that rather than being weaker, the immune system in the elderly is actively suppressed and that this suppression is reversible. Their data show that triggering a strong response to vaccination in the elderly depends on relieving this suppression, which is driven by a key group of cells within our immune system. The co-authors call them "Tfh 10" cells, which stands for Interleukin 10-producing T follicular helper cells.

"These Tfh10 cells accumulate dramatically in our bodies as we age, and they have the effect of making older individuals less responsive to invading pathogens and less responsive to vaccines," says corresponding author David Hildeman, PhD, Interim Director, Division of Immunobiology.

The good news: it appears possible to boost vaccine power by managing Tfh 10 cells in a way that avoids harming the useful roles the cells play in fending off other types of disease.

If successful in the years to come, their approach may increase vaccine efficacy in the elderly, potentially reducing deaths caused by yearly influenza outbreaks, which have claimed 12,000 to 61,000 American lives per year since 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The age-related variation in response to vaccines is a huge issue," Hildeman says. "The current influenza vaccine is roughly 90% protective in young people, but only about 30% effective in the elderly."

Could this discovery apply to future COVID vaccines?

"Yes, it could. As the elderly do not respond well to multiple vaccines, it is highly likely that the elderly will also not respond as well as the young to new vaccines, either for COVID19 or other emerging pathogens," Hildeman says.

While some might be surprised to see a discovery that could help seniors coming from a pediatric medical center, many lines of research have no real age boundaries.

"Aging starts at birth," Hildeman says. "Often the lessons we learn about the decline of the immune system in later years can teach us about how the immune system begins in the young. The more we learn about defective immune responses in general, and strategies to overcome them, the more we can help kids with primary immunodeficiencies, and other immunologic diseases."

A non-stop quest for balance

Scientists at Cincinnati Children's have been studying the intricate details of the immune system for decades. Since the 1950s and the introduction of the Sabin oral polio vaccine, the medical center has been a leader in vaccine research--including working every year to help update influenza vaccine formulas and most recently recruiting thousands of people to test hopeful vaccines against COVID-19.

The new paper was co-authored by 20 experts at Cincinnati Children's and the University of Cincinnati plus colleagues in Germany, Alabama, and Indiana. It details a number of forces that act against each other as our immune systems respond over and over to infections. The study also describes how the balance of these elements changes as we age, with certain types of cells building up over the years to become more like harmful clutter instead of useful weapons.

In this study, the co-authors describe Interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a force that contributes to a persistent low-grade state of immune activation called "inflammaging." This state gets worse with age and appears to make people more likely to become frail, develop Alzheimer's disease, or suffer the fatal effects of cardiovascular disease.

Meanwhile, the body fights high levels of IL-6 by producing IL-10, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Over the years, repeated cycles of response and counter-response result in an interleukin arms race that often leaves older bodies with excess levels of both IL-6 and IL-10.

One of the breakthroughs laid out in the new paper was pinpointing exactly where undesirable levels of IL-10 come from. The team conducted dozens of different experiments to chase down false leads and rule out competing ideas, using several of the highest tech methods available today.

"These findings are the result of five years of work stemming from a long-standing collaboration between my lab and Dr. Claire Chougnet's lab, contributions from several faculty-level scientists, and particularly the hard work of one amazing former graduate student, Dr. Maha Almanan," Hildeman says.

The detectives ultimately traced excess IL-10 production to the cell type they dubbed Tfh 10. Then, in mouse models, they showed that simple blockade of IL-10 at the time of vaccination could restore the antibody response nearly to the level of young animals.

"Our data suggest that, instead of enhancing proinflammation, transient blockade of IL-10 could be a novel strategy to enhance vaccine responses in the elderly and, due to its transient nature, is unlikely to have untoward effects on autoimmunity, cardiovascular disease, or frailty," the co-authors state.

What's next?

While the new paper reflects a combination of advanced computational and experimental lab work, much of which was confirmed in experiments involving mouse models and human cells, more studies are needed to demonstrate that Tfh 10 cells can be safely managed in people. Then more research will be needed to see how much of a boost to vaccine power can be achieved.

"We are currently in the process of testing whether IL-10 blockade will restore vaccine responses in larger mammals," Hildeman says. "If that proves effective, that would open the door to clinical trials."

Cincinnati Children's and the co-authors have filed a patent application for their discovery. Someday, if future projects succeed, the co-authors envision seniors receiving one shot that would temporarily prevent IL-10 from interfering with the body's response to a vaccine, but not permanently diminish IL-10 levels, and then the vaccine.

"If we can achieve that, the potential impact on lives could be felt worldwide," Hildeman says.

###

About this study

In addition to Hildeman, Cincinnati Children's co-authors include: first author Maha Almanan, contributing authors Jana Raynor (now at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital), Anna Malyshkina, Shibabrata Mukherjee, Sarah Hummel, Ankur Saini, Theresa Alenghat, Sing Sing Way, Senad Divanovic, Harinder Singh, Emily Miraldi, and Claire Chougnet.

Co-authors also included Markus Xie and George Deepe Jr. from the University of Cincinnati; Ireti Ogunsulire and Christoph Holscher of the Research Center Borstel in Germany; Jennifer Ingram and Allan Zajac of the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and A. L. Dent of Indiana University.

This work was supported by five NIH grants (AG033057, AI132771, DK114123, DK116868, and AI049360). The patent application "Methods of improving vaccine responsiveness" is filed under docket number 47108-535001US.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Nearly 12,000 U.S. troops will be withdrawn or repositioned from Germany, with more than half of them returning to the U.S., under a long-term plan aimed at strengthening NATO's eastern flanks against Russia, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday.

He gave no overall timetable for when the pullout would begin or be completed, but said some units could start moving "within weeks" while the withdrawal of others will depend on working out agreements with allies.

Read Next: Lawmakers Grill Guard Officer on Claims Police Used Excessive Force on DC Protesters

However, "no moves will take place without thorough communication with our people" affected by the withdrawals and with Congress, Esper said.

Last month, President Donald Trump directed that 9,500 troops be withdrawn from Germany, but Esper said the overall strategy requires the pullout and repositioning of 11,900, reducing the number of U.S. service members in Germany to about 24,000.

Of the 11,900 troops, about 6,400 will eventually return to the U.S. and the rest will be repositioned in other NATO countries, with an emphasis on Poland, the Baltic states and the Black Sea region to shift NATO's force posture more to the east, Esper said.

The bulk of the troops returning to the U.S. will consist of the 4,500 members of the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, a Stryker unit now garrisoned in Vilseck, Germany, he added.

Esper said an unspecified fighter squadron and elements of a fighter wing now stationed in Germany will be moved to Italy.

In addition, the Army's newly established 5th Corps headquarters is slated to move into Poland, and other units are being considered for stationing in Poland and the Baltic states, he continued.

The 2,500 airmen now stationed at the U.K.'s RAF Mildenhall, who had been scheduled to reposition to Germany, will now stay put, Esper said.

He had no immediate figures for the costs of the withdrawal, but said it could be in the "single digit" billions.

Story continues

Esper said the Defense Department will rely on the service branches to "assure the stability" of military families who will be making permanent change-of-station moves under the sweeping reorganization, adding that the families will be "informed well in advance" of any moves.

The SecDef outlined the plan at a Pentagon briefing with Air Force Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, who doubles as NATO supreme commander and head of U.S. European Command.

Under the plan, Wolters said his own EUCOM headquarters will move from Stuttgart, Germany, to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. He added that EUCOM's Special Operations Command headquarters in Stuttgart will also move to Mons.

Esper said the headquarters of U.S. Africa Command, which currently has about 2,000 personnel in Stuttgart, Germany, will also likely be moved to Belgium, although a final location has yet to be determined.

Wolters said the plan calls for at least two Army battalions now stationed in Germany to move to Italy. He did not give a date but said the first to move will be the 52nd Civil Engineering Battalion.

The demands for deterrence in Europe require speed of movement, which could better be handled by rotational forces coming from the U.S., Wolters said, adding, "This realignment allows us to favorably deter against Russia."

The Germany pullout has triggered bipartisan criticism from Congress, with Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, calling it a "gift" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But Hyten said the plan to rely more on rotational forces going to Europe from the U.S. will boost the unpredictability of the overall deterrent.

The plan will result in a better alignment of NATO and EUCOM forces and "provide Gen. Wolters increased ability to dynamically deploy his force," Hyten said.

Hyten and Esper sought to portray the pullout plan as part of a long-term review of the posture of all the combatant commands, although Trump in announcing the withdrawal directive last month said it was aimed at Germany's refusal to spend more on national defense.

Esper said that Trump's announcement had "accelerated" Pentagon planning "to reduce our footprint in Germany. We are still retaining a little more than 24,000 troops in Germany, which is still a lot, and more than any other country in Europe."

The number of U.S. troops in Europe has "changed many times" over years, Esper said, and "we're now at another one of those inflection points in NATO's history."

He added that Germany is one of the wealthiest countries in Europe "and should pay more for its defense."

Planning for withdrawals from Germany began well before Trump gave the order in June, Esper said.

"We began this process actually several months ago when I gave EUCOM direction to begin looking at ways to improve our force disposition in NATO," he said. "I'm telling you that this is going to accomplish what the president [ordered] with regard to getting us down to a lower number in Europe, and it meets those other objectives I laid out with regard to the strategic piece."

At a June 24 White House meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Trump said that some of the U.S. troops withdrawn from Germany would return to the U.S. and some would go to Poland.

There was also speculation at the time that some of the withdrawn troops would go to the Indo-Pacific region as a counter to China. Esper said there is still a possibility that some of the withdrawn troops will end up there.

"They could be, but right now there are no plans to do so," he said.

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

Related: Army Secretary Skirts Questions on US Troop Pullout from Germany
In Axios interview, Trump expressed doubts about reports that Moscow offered the Taliban bribes to kill US forces.

President Donald Trump said he never questioned Russian leader Vladimir Putin about US intelligence reports that Moscow paid the Taliban to kill American troops in Afghanistan, casting doubt on the reports in an interview.

I have never discussed it with him, Trump said in an interview on Tuesday with the programme, Axios on HBO.

Trump, a Republican who has sought to cultivate warmer relations with Moscow, has said he was not briefed on the matter before it emerged in news media in late June. He has called the reports a hoax and casts doubt on them.

Asked why he did not confront Putin on the issue in their call last Thursday, Trump told Axios, That was a phone call to discuss other things, and frankly, thats an issue that many people said was fake news.

He said he and the Russian president discussed nuclear nonproliferation in that phone call.

Democrats in Congress have accused Trump, who is seeking re-election in November, of not taking intelligence information concerning soldiers deaths seriously enough. They have pressed for more information from the intelligence community and the White House.

National Security Adviser Robert OBrien has said Trump was not verbally briefed on the Russian bounty intelligence because his CIA briefer concluded the reports were uncorroborated.

White House officials have not denied the information was included in the Presidents Daily Brief (PDB), a summary of a daily summary of classified information and analysis on national security. Some news outlets have reported the bounty issue was included in the PDB in February but that Trump may not have read it.









It never reached my desk. You know why? Because they didnt think  intelligence, they didnt think it was real, Trump told Axios. I wouldnt mind  if it reached my desk, I would have done something about it.

Trump has spoken to Putin at least eight times since the intelligence was first included in his briefing, Axios said.

Trump has said many intelligence officials doubted the reports veracity, a stance contradicted by four US and European sources and by its inclusion in a widely read CIA report in May.

The New York Times first reported in June that US intelligence had concluded that a Russian military intelligence unit had offered the Taliban payments of up to $100,000 for each US or allied soldier killed.

Trump told Axios he does read the daily intelligence briefing.

Afghan security officials patrol on a highway in Helmand, Afghanistan. While clashes between Afghan security forces and the Taliban fighters have continued in rural areas, attacks in cities had decreased [Watan Yar/EPA-EFE]

I read it a lot, you know, I read a lot. They like to say I dont read. I read a lot, he said.

Excerpts from the interview were released on Wednesday. It will be broadcast in full on Monday, August 3.
Investigators have identified one of two people killed when a plane crashed Tuesday night in Baldwin County shortly after taking off from Gulf Shores.

According to information provided by the Baldwin County Sheriffs Office, the Baldwin County Coroners Office has confirmed that one of the deceased is Timothy Ray Rhodes, 65, of Florence, Ala. The identity of a female who was on the plane has not yet been confirmed. There were no survivors.

The BCSO had reported Tuesday night that it an other agencies were on the scene of a crash near Stapleton. The Sheriffs Office said that that it took hours to reach the crash site in a heavily wooded area.

On Wednesday, Scott Fuller, airport manager at Jack Edwards National Airport in Gulf Shores, confirmed the plane had taken off before dark on Tuesday. Fuller showed that a review of recordings showed an announcement at 6:37 p.m. that the plane was taxiing toward takeoff. Two other announcements marked its takeoff and then a departure to the north.

Update: FD units were able to make their way to the crash site by the use of ATVs. The plane is in a heavily wooded area. There are fatalities involved. The BC Coroners Office and NTSB will conduct the investigation.  BC Sheriff's Office (@1BC_SO) July 29, 2020

A Tweet from the National Transportation Safety Bureau said it was investigating the crash of a BE55, which would be a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron. However, other reports have said the plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza. Fuller said that on the recording the pilot identified the plane as a Bonanza.

According to the BCSO, both bodies have been taken to a Department of Forensic Sciences office in Mobile. Plans called for local investigators to meet with FAA and NTSB personnel Wednesday morning, with the NTSB to be the primary investigative agency.

A flight tracking website showed that the plane had flown to the coast from the airport in Muscle Shoals on Sunday.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Turkmenistan has increased the volume of electricity exports to Uzbekistan, Trend reports citing the Uzbekistan National News Agency.

"Since July 21, demand for electricity in Uzbekistan has increased significantly, leading to an imbalance between electricity production and consumption in the Uzbekistan's power system. In order to prevent major accidents in the power system and to ensure its sustainable operation (maintaining the necessary parameters), restrictions are being introduced for consumers. The volume of restrictions across the country will be approximately 0.8 - 1 percent of the average daily consumption (195.6 million kWh)," the message said.

Tajikistan has stopped supplying electricity to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan ahead of the deadline stipulated in international agreements due water shortage in Nurek Reservoir.

"Due to water shortages in Tajikistan, from July 16, 2020, the import of electricity through L-508 air power transmission line with a capacity of 500 kW, connecting Regar and Surkhan substations was suspended, and the average daily volume of imports fell from 12 million to 0.3 million kWh," the message said.

Earlier, Uzbekistan signed an agreement with Turkmenenergo on electricity supplies due decline in electricity imports from Tajikistan.

Currently, 80 MW of electricity is supplied to Uzbekistan by Turkmenistan through 500 kW Karagul-Serdar overhead power lines, the message said.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
The new law is expected to make it almost impossible for military personnel to run in any election, in effect preventing anyone from squaring off against Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (pictured January 2020) (AFP Photo/HENRY NICHOLLS)

Cairo (AFP) - Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday ratified a law banning active and former military personnel from running for the presidency or parliament without the army's approval.

The legislative changes come after Egyptians voted overwhelmingly last year in favour of constitutional amendments that will potentially allow Sisi, a former army chief, to stay on until 2030.

The new law is expected to make it almost impossible for military personnel to run in any election, in effect preventing anyone from squaring off against Sisi.

"The Parliament has decided the following law and we have issued it," the official Egyptian gazette said.

"Officers who serve or those whose service has ended in the armed forces aren't allowed to run for the Presidency or Parliamentary or local councils elections without the approval of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces," it added.

Since it became a modern republic, all but two of Egypt's presidents have hailed from a military background.

The army is highly visible in Egypt's public life, with former top brass currently serving as ministers and heading governorates as well.

Sisi led the army's overthrow of elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following mass protests against the Islamist leader's rule.

Sisi won his first term as president in 2014 and was re-elected in March 2018 with more than 97 percent of the vote, after standing virtually unopposed.

The amended law also prohibits officers from divulging information during their service publicly or joining political parties without the Supreme Council of Armed Forces' permission.

SCAF is a military council comprised of the country's most senior generals. It ruled Egypt following the toppling of long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

A former chief of staff of the armed forces, Sami Anan, was jailed in January 2018 after contesting the presidential elections against Sisi without the military's explicit approval.

He was released nearly two years later.

A military court jailed another former soldier in December 2017 for six years for announcing his decision to enter the presidential race as a potential candidate in a video he posted on YouTube.
Texas public school districts risk losing state funding if they shut down campuses solely in response to closure orders issued by local health officials about the coronavirus, the Texas Education Agency announced Tuesday, adding another twist to the weeks-long debate over whether county government leaders can issue such orders.

The reversal in the TEAs stance brought swift reactions: At least one Bexar County school superintendent talked about a lawsuit, the Boerne Independent School District moved ahead to open schools in two weeks, and some leaders expressed frustration about confusing, even contradictory, directions from the state as coronavirus infections and deaths are increasing by a day.

Until Tuesday, TEA officials had said school districts would continue to receive state funding if legally ordered to close campuses by a local health authority.

Nick Wagner /TNS

The change came hours after Attorney General Ken Paxton released a letter  which is not legally binding  in which he opined that state law does not allow local health authorities to order the closure of schools as a preemptive measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

On July 17, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District prohibited school districts in Bexar County from returning to classrooms for in-person learning and school-sponsored events and activities, including sports, until Labor Day, Sept. 7. The order cited the higher risk for spread of COVID-19 in schools and the challenge for children in following social distancing and hygiene guidelines. Health officials in the states other four largest counties issued similar orders.

Now Playing: Three superintendents of San Antonio school districts spoke with the Express-News editorial board Wednesday about reopening schools in the fall. Video: San Antonio Express-News

Gov. Greg Abbott, who has the power to overrule local closure orders, has not explicitly stated whether he believes local health officials have that power. The TEAs decision Tuesday, however, renders the local health orders largely moot for public school districts that rely on state funding.

For now, the TEA guidance does not significantly affect many districts in Bexar County that already had pushed their start date until after Labor Day or those beginning their year with online-only classes, an option available under TEA rules for the first eight weeks of school.

However, the guidance could have a longer-term effect if state officials require districts to provide in-person classes to families that want them after those first eight weeks. If the coronavirus surge hasnt abated, health officials would likely extend orders to keep schools closed. That could put school funding at risk.

Now Playing: Animation shows spread of COVID-19 across Texas from March to April. Video: mySA

Elementary schools to open

One immediate change in response to the TEAs announcement was the opening dates for Fair Oaks Ranch and Van Raub elementary schools in the Boerne ISD. Both are located in Bexar County although the rest of the district is in Kendall County. Pursuant to the San Antonio Metro Health order, those schools had been scheduled to teach fully online until Labor Day.

But on Tuesday, Boerne ISD said both schools will open Aug. 12 for the students whose families have chosen in-person learning five days a week  more than 60 percent at each school.

Billy Calzada /San Antonio Express-News

Thank you to Attorney General Ken Paxton for having confidence in BISD and school districts across Texas to execute our Back to School plans, the district said in a letter to families. Thank you, as well, to Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, along with our State and Local Elected Officials for offering guidance during this process.

Boerne ISD said it would work with local health directors to track coronavirus cases, conduct contact tracing and develop metrics for closing individual campuses when necessary, the letter said.

Boernes decision to break away from Metro Healths order drew criticism from Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Theyre doing that because they dont have trouble up in Boerne, but weve got trouble here and these schools are in Bexar County, not in Boerne, Wolff said, tapping his finger on a table for emphasis during the daily coronavirus briefing. We should be able to have them comply like the rest of em.

Nirenberg said the coronavirus crisis that has filled San Antonio hospitals affects Boerne residents just the same.

As for the TEA, he said he would hope it is as concerned about the health of students, teachers and staff of their schools as my medical director is.

Shortly after the TEAs announcement, Brian Woods, superintendent of Northside ISD, raised the prospect of a legal challenge to the TEAs threat to withhold money.

He told the districts board at a meeting Tuesday evening that unless something changes very quickly around that guidance, I suspect I will be coming to this board and recommending that we go along with many others I know and seek injunctive relief in a court situation.

In an interview with Express-News, Woods said he and his districts lawyers dont believe Paxtons opinion is legally binding on the TEA, but it doesnt really matter what I think because the agency controls the purse strings and if they think it is legally binding, then obviously theyre going to change the guidance.

Woods concern is that districts such as his  Northside is Bexar Countys largest with nearly 106,000 students  could be faced with a no-win decision, no matter what is happening with coronavirus infections. The same would be true for local health officials.

We would have the choice of either refusing to comply with the local health order or lose funding. Those would be our two choices, Woods said.

Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News / Contributor

On ExpressNews.com: Harlandale teachers rally for virtual classes

The TEAs new stance doesnt change the immediate plans of North East or San Antonio ISDs, which will have virtual classes until Labor Day.

This further substantiates why we need additional time to plan, Maika said. The guidance continues to change. Once we think we have a plan, we have to go in another direction. Regardless, we will be ready to provide a safe learning environment for our students and staff.

In his letter, Paxton said local health authorities cannot preemptively order campus closures for the purposes of preventing COVID-19 outbreaks. He said its up to school officials to decide whether, when and how to open schools  not local health authorities whose roles are limited by statute to addressing specific, actual outbreaks of disease.

Education of our children is an essential Texas value and there is no current statewide order prohibiting any school from opening, Paxton said. While local health authorities may possess some authority to close schools in limited circumstances, they may not issue blanket orders closing all schools on a purely preventative basis. That decision rightfully remains with school system leaders.

EARLIER OPINION: Texas AG to private religious schools: Local health orders cant restrict reopenings

Paxtons guidance came in response to a request for an opinion from Stephenville Mayor Doug Svien.

Over the past three weeks, health authorities in more than a dozen counties and cities have ordered the closure of schools. Irrespective of local closure orders, many school districts already have delayed the start of school until after Labor Day or announced they will begin in August with virtual classes for all students.

Paxtons letter and the TEAs new guidance only adds to confusion percolating in recent weeks about the states approach to resuming in-person classes.

Nick Wagner /TNS

Early this month, TEA officials said public school districts risk losing funding if they do not offer five days of in-person instruction each week to all families that want it. At the time, TEA leaders said districts could restrict face-to-face classes to students with at-home technology access for the first three weeks of school.

One week later, TEA officials clarified that districts would continue to receive funding if legally ordered to close campuses by a local health authority. Agency officials also changed their guidance to allow districts to limit in-person classes for up to eight weeks to begin the school year.

In interviews this month, Gov. Greg Abbott has said local school leaders will have the authority to decide when to reopen buildings. However, he did not directly answer questions from Hearst Newspapers on whether he will allow closure orders issued by local health authorities to stand.

The Texas State Teachers Association on Tuesday pushed back on Paxtons letter, saying he was sending a conflicting message to school districts, students, parents and employees.

The Texas State Teachers Association has more confidence in the professionalism of local health officials and their determination to act in the best interests of all Texans, including our children, President Ovidia Molina said

We have less confidence in Ken Paxton, whose primary goal as attorney general has been to advance an ideological agenda. Now, he is promoting President Trumps election-year demands that school campuses reopen prematurely, regardless of the price that educators, students and their families may pay.

The San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, representing non-administrative employees in SAISD, had claimed a limited victory when the state extended the time that schools were allowed to teach remotely.

Now were seeing them regroup and come back at us, said Alejandra Lopez, the unions president.

It is extremely frustrating and scary that someone who holds this office feels like they have to come out and curb local communities from doing the very few things we are able to do, at this point, to stop the stress on our health resources and, literally, to prevent death, she said.

The union has been pushing for school reopenings to be guided by objective metrics, including a virus test positivity rate below 5 percent. If those metrics arent met before Labor Day, many teachers were hoping Metro Health would extend its school closure order. Now its not clear Metro Health would have the power to do so.

These are community decisions, Lopez said. Community health needs to be driven at the community and city level. It should not come down to individual districts.

Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Krista, become a subscriber. Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva |

Alia Malik covers several school districts and the Alamo Colleges District in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Alia, become a subscriber. amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN
Hong Kong is on the verge of a "large-scale" coronavirus outbreak that could overwhelm hospitals, its leader warned Wednesday, as authorities implemented their toughest social distancing measures yet. From Wednesday all residents in the densely packed city of 7.5 million must wear masks when they leave their homes while restaurants can only serve takeaway meals. No more than two people from different households can gather in public with fines of up to HK$5,000 ($625) for those who breach the new emergency rules. The latest measures are a bid to reverse a sudden spike in coronavirus cases that has upended the city's otherwise enviable battle against the deadly disease. More than 1,000 infections have been confirmed since early July -- more than 40 percent of the total since the virus first hit the city in late January. New daily infections have been above 100 for the past six days. "We are on the verge of a large-scale community outbreak, which may lead to a collapse of our hospital system and cost lives, especially of the elderly," Chief Executive Carrie Lam said in a statement released on Wednesday to coincide with the new measures. "In order to protect our loved ones, our healthcare staff and Hong Kong, I appeal to you to follow strictly the social distancing measures and stay at home as far as possible," she added. During their lunch break on Wednesday, many residents were eating takeaway meals outside in the intense summer heat and humidity. "It's so hot outside now," a construction worker, who gave his surname as Chow, told AFP as he tucked into a pork chop in an alcove outside a department store. "Ten minutes after I start work, my shirt is all sweaty," he said, adding he missed the air conditioning of restaurants. Hong Kong has some of the world's smallest and most expensive apartments. Some residents barely have a kitchen to cook in, making them hugely reliant on cheap eateries. - From success to sudden surge - The finance hub was one of the first places hit by the coronavirus when it emerged from China at the start of the year. It initially had remarkable success in controlling the outbreak -- helped in part by a health-conscious public embracing face masks and an efficient track and trace programme, forged in the fires of the deadly SARS virus in 2003. By June, local transmission had all but ended. But the virus later sneaked back into the city and began spreading. Health officials have been scrambling to uncover the source of the latest outbreak. Some have blamed exemptions from the usual 14-day quarantine that the government granted to "essential personnel", including cross-boundary truckers, air and sea crew and some manufacturing executives. The government has since tightened restrictions for some of those groups. Gladys Chan, who was taking her lunch break, said she felt the government had not done enough to monitor those with exemptions. "I think the government has failed us, especially with this third wave of the pandemic," she told AFP, adding the latest measures were "too little, too late". As isolation wards fill up, authorities have announced plans to build a temporary 2,000-bed field hospital near the city's airport, something Chinese authorities have offered to help with. The latest lockdown measures are a new body blow for a city that was already mired in recession thanks to the US-China trade war and months of political unrest last year. Hong Kong is suffering a wave of new coronavirus infections
ISTANBUL  Tensions over disputed tracts of the eastern Mediterranean continue despite an apparent pause in Turkish exploration activities Tuesday to facilitate Ankara-Athens negotiations over shared maritime boundaries.

Hours after Turkish officials called off gas exploration activities near the Greek island of Kastellorizo, Ankara issued a NAVTEX message reserving an area inside Cyprus exclusive economic zone to conduct hydrocarbon research until Sept. 20.

The news comes after Turkish navy vessels withdrew Monday from Greek waters that Ankara claims are part of its continental shelf, in an move to de-escalate recent tensions through reportedly Berlin-mediated talks between the neighboring states.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said he was prepared to sit at the negotiation table with counterparts in Athens during an interview with CNN Turk Tuesday.

"In line with the instructions of our president, we are ready to discuss all issues; the Aegean, continental shelf, islands, airspace, research and screening efforts, and eastern Mediterranean along with other bilateral matters with Greece without any precondition," Kalin said.

Greek government spokesperson Stelios Petsas described the pursuit of negotiations as a positive development.

We want to have open channels of communication with Turkey and to discuss the issue that has been plaguing the two sides for many decades now: The demarcation of maritime zones, Pestas said in an interview with Skai television Tuesday.

The talks are believed to be the result multiple efforts by EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell, who visited Ankara earlier this month to discuss the eastern Mediterranean tensions among other diplomatic concerns shared by Brussels and Turkey.

Germany, which took over the presidency of the European Council this month, has also taken a leading mediation role, facilitating talks between Turkish and Greek officials ahead of the blocs Foreign Affairs Council meeting July 13, in which French leaders unsuccessfully lobbied member states to impose new sanctions on Turkey for its continued gas exploration activities.

Some observers claim the United States may also have influenced de-escalation efforts as the Turkish and American naval forces held joint maritime exercises this week.

Now, with Ankara-Athens negotiations proceeding in various forms, some analysts expressed concerns over unresolved disputes regarding offshore resources between the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey, particularly as Ankara commences gas exploration activities in Cypriot waters once again.

Cyprus is at risk of being sidelined in the private deals that are currently underway, Fiona Mullen, director of Nicosia-based Sapienta Economics, told Al-Monitor. You cant completely deal with Greece if you dont deal with Cyprus.

For more than a year, Ankara has been conducting seismic research near Cyprus that Turkish officials say is meant to defend the resource revenue rights of citizens in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a state solely recognized by Ankara and occupied by Turkish forces since a 1974 military operation.

Cyprus has since been an island divided into two territories and disputes over maritime boundaries increased following the discovery of offshore gas reserves in Cypriot waters in 2011. The issue has been a constant source of discord between Athens, Ankara and Nicosia, and tensions were heightened further when Turkey was excluded from plans to export regional gas to European markets through a proposed EastMed pipeline project.

With gas negotiations long stalled by complex and overlapping resource claims by the neighboring states, Ilke Toygur, an analyst of European Affairs in Elcano Royal Institute, said bilateral talks between Turkey and Greece may provide an avenue for progress amid the myriad disputes.

It is clearly better for Turkey to deal with each country separately, Toygur told Al-Monitor. If you want concessions, it is more difficult to get them against a united European Union. Solidarity is and will be a core principle of the EU. European officials will always underline that. However, the Turkish strategy will very much depend on what is and will be on the table.

The Greece-Turkey talks will likely center on areas along Turkeys Mediterranean coast near the Greek island of Kastellorizo, which expands Greek maritime borders across much of southwestern Turkeys shoreline, an issue increasingly decried by Ankara officials.

Mullen said Greek officials may propose an agreement similar to one reached between Greece and Italy earlier this month, which settled decades-long debates regarding maritime claims involving Greek islands between the two nations.

Yet much of the negotiations will likely center on regional energy projects, which Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said were doomed to fail during a virtual conference by the Turkish Heritage Organization Tuesday.

"Turkey, as a country with the longest continental coastline in the eastern Mediterranean, has sovereign rights in its maritime areas," Akar said Tuesday, adding, Turkey's hydrocarbon-related activities in the eastern Mediterranean are completely based on legitimate rights and international law.

Still, Mullen said regional spats could be best addressed by diminishing the role played by potential revenue from energy developments. Citing falling gas prices and a sharp rise in renewable energy projects, Mullen said the EastMed pipeline is a geopolitical game.

Right now, unless a lot more gas is found, its not a commercially realistic option but its useful politically, Mullen told Al-Monitor.

Though the Israeli government ratified an agreement for the pipeline July 20, Mullen said the project was unlikely to move forward and its bleak prospects could be utilized to defuse discord.

Regional actors have invested so much political capital in the gas, but it might be a dud game, Mullen told Al-Monitor. So, if the EU were being clever, itd be offering them a face-saving way out of this bind.

Berlin and now also Madrid are playing increasingly pivotal roles in mediating Turkey-Greece disputes, Toygur said.

Spain is the fourth biggest EU member state which has no historical baggage  when it comes to Turkey and could contribute to the debate, Toygur told Al-Monitor. Turkey wants to negotiate, wants to be sitting at the table when it comes to issues that are related to its national interests  sometimes even beyond that.
Weather Alert

...Spotty Black Ice Tonight... Slick spots on area roads may persist overnight as temperatures continue to fall. Snow will linger across west Kentucky through about midnight then diminish. Untreated roads and bridges are most likely to see black ice development. Motorists should use caution if driving overnight.
A shopper has discovered a little-known checkout feature at Woolworths that has proven to be a time saver for parents around Australia.

Ian, from Sydney, said he was waiting in line at the supermarket store on Saturday when an employee, who was working in the 'confectionery free checkout' area, motioned him to her counter to pay.

'At Woolworths. Lady in confectionery free checkout motions that she's open. I say, "oh I've got lollies". And start going to another checkout.

'She starts laughing and says, "you can still go here, it means we have no confectionery displayed for the kids". While still laughing,' Ian wrote on Facebook.

A shopper has revealed he would avoid queuing at the 'confectionery free checkout' lane at Woolworths because he assumed he couldn't pay for his lollies. But the sign has been designed to ensure customers, especially parents with kids, there's no confectionery at the checkout

'Say what? All this time I thought it meant you can't use the lane if you have confectionery.'

After he saw the funny side, the man shared a picture of the 'confectionery free checkout' sign on social media, along with the hashtag: 'I was this many years old'.

A Woolworths spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the confectionery-free checkouts have been 'readily available' for customers for more than 20 years.

'These checkouts are located in the vast majority of our stores across the country and act as an alternative checkout option for those customers who do not wish to purchase, or be enticed by, any confectionery,' the Woolworths spokesman said.

The signs have been designed to ensure customers, especially parents with young children, there's no confectionery at the checkout at Woolworths stores (file image)

Many were amazed by the little-known sign, while some parents revealed the 'confectionery-free checkout' has been around for years.

'It stops kids asking parents for sweets at the point of a sale,' one woman said, while another admitted: 'This is news to me. Where is this magical checkout?'

'I didn't even know this existed! About time... it was always difficult to wait in line with those lollies strategically placed at kids' eye level,' another woman said.

The signs have been designed to ensure customers, especially parents with young children, there's no confectionery at the checkout.

The supermarket chain has removed all sweets and chocolates from areas surrounding the checkout queues with the 'confectionery free checkout' signs.
Washington: China under President Xi Jinping has become more aggressive and bullish, former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday, asserting that such a behavior is unlikely to last long.

Indian-American Haley, in an interview to Fox News, said the Chinese were quiet and strategic during her tenure at the UN. They moved and made sure that they were trying to get positions in certain areas, and trying to get things done behind closed doors, she said.

"Then once President Xi kind of named himself king, they got very aggressive. They got very bullish. They started to kind of point their fingers in countries' faces saying, you'd better vote with us. They started to be very aggressive at the UN in wanting positions and wanting to have leadership roles. And they started talking down to everyone," Haley alleged.

With their Belt and Road initiative, the Chinese started really trying to buy up these infrastructures or partnering with smaller countries on infrastructure projects, she said.

"But yet they go in, they wouldn't assimilate with the countries. The countries didn't like their attitude when they were coming in. Now we look at it, it's getting more aggressive in tone," said Haley, who resigned as UN ambassador in 2018 after nearly two years in the post.

"But this can't last. You know, any country that is not letting its people be free, there will be a time when the people rebel. So right now they're continuing to push, they're continuing to put pressure on Hong Kong, as we've seen. We're starting to see the pressure go to Taiwan, the South China Sea, in India. All of this is them playing kind of a king of the mountain scenario," Haley said.

She said the US needs to "let them know we're on to them, we need to actually follow through on the intellectual property measures that were in that trade deal that we had and hold them accountable".

"We need to make sure we continue to let them know we're building up our military so that they know not to mess with us. We need to make sure that our American companies understand that when you do business in China, you are required to work with the Chinese military. That is a national security threat to America. And we really need to have those conversations with those Americans," Haley said in response to a question.

Supporting President Donald Trump's decision to close the Chinese consulate in Houston, Haley alleged that these consulates have been "spy centres" for a long time.

"I mean there's no question that they had some illegal activity going on in those consulates. So I was thrilled to see them close down the one in Houston, which was known to be kind of the epicentre of where all of this was going on. And I think, you know, when you have Chinese officials being hidden at consulates, it goes to show you're doing something wrong," she said.

"This is where we really have to crack down on the spying. Whether it's the intellectual property, whether it's the theft that they're trying to do with our research with the vaccine and with what's going on with the coronavirus, we have to really start cracking down. I was glad to see them do that," Haley said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST

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Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar.
Eleven people in Da Nang, including four medical workers, have been diagnosed with Covid-19, taking Vietnam's cases of community transmission in the last three days to 15.

The 11 infections, recorded Monday evening, raise the countrys tally to 431 and active cases to 66. The test results were confirmed by the central city's Center for Disease Control.

The patients, numbered "421" to "431," are between 24-70 years of age. Of these, four are medical staff at Da Nang Hospital and seven were patients undergoing treatment in different departments of this hospital.

Since Saturday, there have been 15 cases of Covid-19 community transmission, the first of which ended Vietnam's 99-day streak of having no local infections. Of the 15 cases, 14 are in Da Nang and one in nearby Quang Ngai Province.

"Patient 416" and "Patient 418", both Da Nang residents, are in critical condition on ventilators and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines.

The government Monday ordered social distancing in Da Nang for at least 14 days, starting Tuesday.

The city plans to test a further 10,000 residents. It has stopped receiving visitors and closed "non-essential" services like amusement parks, beauty salons, karaoke and massage parlors, and bars from Sunday afternoon.

In the wake of new Covid-19 community transmissions, Vietnam has returned to pandemic prevention protocols on aircraft, trains, ships, and buses.

The Ministry of Transport Sunday instructed all transport operators to install hand sanitizers in their vehicles and ensure that everyone, including staff, wear masks at the stations and in vehicles. They have also been asked to conduct temperature checks. All passengers on long-distance journeys must complete health declaration procedures.

Such protocols had been made mandatory in March when community transmissions peaked.

Since April 16, the country had gone 99 days without a single case of community transmission, until "Patient 416" was confirmed. Authorities are still searching for the source of infection.

There has been no single Covid-19 death recorded in Vietnam.
The COVID-19 outbreak and the imposed lockdown has had a profound social and economic impact across the globe. And with no clear indication of when economic activities will resume full swing, businesses are grappling with this unfolding reality, and finding ways to minimise the damage caused; while maximising their operational efficiencies. Companies have not just had to deal with the massive task of shifting hundreds of workers from on-site to working remotely online almost overnight, they have also had to develop technological capabilities to ensure business continuity.

In Asia Pacific alone, a whopping 91 percent of teams have implemented work from home arrangements since the outbreak as per a Gartner survey. But while companies rely on technology to aid them in smoothening their work functions, it can also leave them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Ever since the work from home protocol was set in motion this March, the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) has reported a spurt in cyber-attacks on personal computers; endangering companies data.

In fact, Lt. General Rajesh Pant, Indias National Cyber Security Coordinator, revealed that since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a 50 percent surge in global cybercrimes. Hackers are using malicious websites to exploit pandemic-related financial incentives and relief packages rolled out by the government. Cyber criminals are also targeting personal computers, routers and unprotected home networks.

This global pandemic has rapidly raised concerns over cyber security risks and questioned whether companies existing cyber insurance policies and crisis-response efforts are sufficient to mitigate them. In fact, PwCs recent US CFO Pulse Survey revealed that nearly one in five (19 percent) CFOs are worried about cyber security risks owing to the rapid shift to remote working. As businesses adopt new technologies, cyber security plans should also get updated and security measures quickly deployed. Its now imperative for organisations to implement a secure system and develop a user-friendly cyber policy to prevent breaches in data security.

The key to building strong cyber resilience is to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities, protect and secure your companys data, and create a recovery program.

Email phishing is one of the most common threats in cyberspace where cyber criminals attempt at accessing sensitive business information by posing as a trusted organisation. Employees should refrain from opening emails/email attachments from unknown sources, and the same protocol should be followed for suspicious pop-ups, which contain malware to breach your data. Another top cybercrime is ransomware attack, where you are locked out of your system and have to pay a ransom to access your files.

To safeguard against these cyber threats, provide your employees with Lenovo devices that are equipped with ThinkShield, a revolutionary approach to securing devices through their entire lifecycle. Lenovos WiFi Security detects threats and notifies users when they are about to connect to unsafe wireless networks for added security. In addition, they use BUFFERZONE technology that isolates online threats before they infect the whole organisation.

Your companys data represents your intellectual capital, which is put at risk if remote workers use unsecured networks. Hence, it is best to avoid public Wi-Fi and safer to use personal hotspots or your phone instead. Sometimes, people even use an insecure password across various platforms on their devices; leaving them vulnerable to unauthorised access by hackers. It bodes well to use a strong password to prevent being locked out of the system, and update it every other month.

ThinkShield greatly helps protect users identities with secure biometrics, facial recognition, fingerprint reader and other authentication procedures to prevent data breach and identity theft. And its BIOS-based Smart USB protection guards USB ports against unauthorised use and blocks the data transfer capability of the USB port. This way no one else can access your device with your permission. Companies can also urge their employees to use a virtual private network (VPN) and multi-factor authentication when performing work-related tasks for added security.

One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks is by providing your employees with secure devices that protect sensitive data. For instance, Lenovos ThinkShield-enabled laptops, powered by the latest 10th Gen Intel Core processors, provide end-to-end security solutions with comprehensive and customisable protection that secures your business without disrupting work productivity. It protects users data on and off the device; and Lenovos Online Data Backupa cloud-based automatic backup and recovery solutionalso helps store confidential data in the cloud securely.

Some of the other ways in which your company can build cyber resilience is by helping employees gain domain knowledge by providing training about data security; and how to recognise and weed out potential phishing and malware attacks. Also consider enforcing the use of company-led communication services, and monitor third-party service provider data to prevent data breaches.

In the next few months, over 70 percent of companies are likely to continue the work-from-home policy, as per a Knight Frank survey. So, to reduce the risks of security breaches over the long term and keep up with the changing technologies, its advisable to adopt these security solutions at the earliest.

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There has been an expedited approach put in this bill about how you can get expedited forgiveness, in other words convert that to a grant from the federal government, he said. You just have to keep your documents  for three years in case you are ever audited.

No mandatory audit would be associated with loans from $150,000 to $2 million, Hern said.

The Senate proposal also sets aside $25 billion for companies employing 10 or fewer employees and makes eligible for loans Chambers of Commerce with 300 and fewer employees.

The first of March, we had the greatest economy in the history of the country, more people working, the lowest unemployment rates regardless of what demographic you looked at or what industry you looked at, Hern said. The impetus behind bringing our businesses in is the Chamber of Commerce. This was heard across America and we were able to get the 501(6s) in there.

As for consumer relief, the $600 per week federal supplement for unemployment is slated to end Friday under the CARES Act. The House bill would extend it through Jan. 31 and expand other unemployment-related benefits. The Senate proposal would continue payments up through October but at a reduced rate of $200 per week.
A remote photograph of Alanis Morissette. Her new album is "Such Pretty Forks in the Road." (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

Alanis Morissette wants to change your mind. Shell do it too. Spend an hour talking to her and youll realize that you like yourself more than you did before your interaction. She makes gifts of her observations. She never lets you over-share alone. Your life path might diverge from hers, but youll come away from a conversation with her feeling strengthened and understood. She listens; maybe thats the rare thing.

Her breakthrough album, "Jagged Little Pill," turns 25 this year. She was only 21 when she rocketed to stardom on that, in 1995. I am struck by how fearlessly she tackled taboo subjects in those early songs, how she remained unwavering in her conviction. She became a spokesmodel for a generation of young women hoping to claim their power when shed barely advanced beyond her teens. In 2019, those same songs became the backbone of a critically acclaimed Broadway musical, and Alanis reasserted her status as a household name. You cant think of anything ironic without thinking of Alanis.

We were supposed to tour together this summer, before the emergence of COVID-19. I was slated to open for Alanis and Garbage on their sold-out North American run. I can vividly imagine how epic it would have been: the balmy night air in the amphitheater, cellphone lights swaying in the crowd, Alanis belting out the soulful and stunning songs off her new album, out Friday, "Such Pretty Forks in the Road." I feel cheated.

But were going to do it next summer, she reminds me. "Theres a lot of important work going on right now that we need to make space for. Damn it. Shes younger than me. But so wise beyond her years.

Liz Phair: We were supposed to be touring right now.

Who's zooming who: Liz Phair in conversation with Alanis Morissette. (Ken Kwok/Los Angeles Times)

Alanis Morissette: I know. I was having a moment of silence for that.

Phair: When was your last gig? I saw on Instagram you'd been in Europe.

Morissette: Yes, we were in Europe doing shows and interviews, and right as we were heading back to California, everyone started going into lockdown. What about you?

Story continues

Phair: Check this out: I was supposed to be on a cruise ship. I am a lifelong avoider of cruise ships. I've always thought that the plague that would end the world would start on a cruise ship. But this was run by my friend, Jonathan Coulton. It's called the JoCo Cruise, and a bunch of nerds and indie people take over the ship. We ended up flying to Santo Domingo on March 11th and flying right back home on the 12th. I have a picture of me on March 11th with this big-ass cruise ship in the background, like, exactly where not to be. It's a photo I'll treasure and be horrified by.

Morissette: The thought of touring with you is very healing for me because you were one of the only people  I'm going to start crying  who just felt really sane to me, even though of course you probably felt insane.

Phair: I did feel insane, Alanis. I still feel insane half the time. At the beginning of the pandemic, I was voracious and I was literally reading medical abstracts about the original SARS. My father was an infectious disease specialist, so I grew up with this kind of crazy ... this is right in the wheelhouse of both my paranoia and my expertise. In my crazy brain, I was like, "I will solve this."

Morissette: We like our answers, we like our control. But this is a really great time to look at the idea of faith, the idea of trust, the idea of not knowing, and living in that kind of limbo grief, limbo fear.

Phair: But it's hard to get back to being an artist in all this. That's the maelstrom that I find difficult to create within. Hyper-vigilance and intimacy with self are ...

Morissette: They're not bedfellows.

Phair: Right. Not many people can sit with themselves and go inward and investigate. A lot of people avoid it. But the pandemic has certainly forced people to do that.

Morissette: But for introverts and empaths, the internal world is heaven. It's rich. Oh, my God, it's so juicy in there. For artists and writers and I think moms too, it's kind of a normal process to be like, "I need a few hours alone to get inside." These days, I basically get it at 4 in the morning. When do you get your alone time?

A screenshot done via the FaceTime App on an iPad, of Grammy Award-winning recording artist Alanis Morissette in her backyard ball pit. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

Phair: In the middle of the night. It's like some little spirit comes out of me, and the genie is out of the bottle. When the world is asleep, I have more room. During the beginning of the pandemic, I did this weird thing. I live two blocks from the beach and there was a bioluminescent bloom going on in L.A., and it was spectacular. We weren't supposed to go down to the water, but I would sneak down with my mask and gloves. During the pandemic, I do my functioning things in the daytime, but my artist self has become a night-timer. There were other night-timers out there in the darkness; I passed a surfer coming up at 3 in the morning, wet from the ocean, who'd just done a session. I have all my big ideas late at night. I have all of my big moments of understanding.

How about you? How are you navigating through the pandemic?

Morissette: Im so maxed out right now, with three kids [Ed. Ever, 9; Onyx, 4; and Winter, 11 months, with husband Mario Treadway] and a new album, that Im accepting that overwhelmed feeling. If I resist it, I just create massive suffering for myself.

As a society, though, we're being crunched into this corner of potential awakening, which I love. Were being asked what matters the most, what do we value, what do we care about? Because in America, it's always been like, "I want to look 20 forever, I want to be a millionaire  or these days billionaire  I want to be famous. Now, everyone's asking, "What's the new value system? What matters now?"

We have to change everything: Systemic racism, systemic misogyny, systemic fricking everything has got to be dismantled. In business, education, everywhere.

I talk to a lot of people who are freaked out about having to home-school their kids. Parents need to cut themselves some slack. Because no parent is going to re-create what conventional school offers. My oldest son is 9, and we've always unschooled him. [Ed. Unschooling is a branch of home-schooling that promotes nonstructured, child-led learning.]

Phair: There is something really troubling about this drive to get our kids back into the classroom. It's like we're just training people for the capitalist machine.

Morissette: There are just so many different ways to go about educating kids. God bless Americans, we're so ethnocentric.

My husband and I loosely use Howard Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences in unschooling our kids. The theory holds that there are different types of intelligences, not just one. You could have musical intelligence, verbal intelligence, naturalistic intelligence ... or intrapersonal intelligence, which is the ability to go within yourself. I was never taught about that in school. I was barely taught that at home. How does one go within and cultivate a world of interiority? For those of us who are highly sensitive and artistic, we go, "Yeah, yeah. Of course. But going within comes with a lot of negative messaging: "If I go within, I'm going to be filled with fear and pain."

Phair: My mental health relies on my ability to go within and write songs. That's an essential part of how I ground myself. I almost don't know what I'm feeling until I write the song. I find that the older I get, the more I end up weeping when I'm writing because there's something unblocking. And I also find  word to the wise  that if I want to say something to someone, rather than writing an email or text that I regret, when I write the song, it just settles everything. Somehow, the universe needed to hear it more than that person did.



Morissette: I used to think that I could write songs and never have to deal with human beings. I'd be like, "I'm really angry at that person, so I'm going to go over here in a room and write about it and then never talk to them. It's perfect." But turned out, if that person walked into a room, there'd still be some unrest. People are like, "Oh, it must be so healing to write these songs." It's clarifying, it's empowering, but it doesn't necessarily heal the relationship itself.

An early photo of Alanis Morissette performing at the T In The Park Festival in Scotland in 1996. (Mick Hutson/Redferns)

I'm Canadian, so I'm basically passive-aggressive. Im kind, friendly, and then I snap. I'm just a cranky little bitch. There's just no way around it. Even with my band mates, I'll just be like, "Mommy hasn't had a lot of time alone today, so I'm just going to do my thing and I'll see you guys at an hour." And they're like, "Right on, thank you."

Phair: I've been working on learning how to lose my temper because I hold on to it.

Morissette: Anger gets such a bad rap, and it can be such a beautiful force. I mean, it helps us say no. It helps us be activists. It helps us stand up for ourselves, for others. Anger's so amazing. It's just that people equate it with something destructive.

Phair: Do you remember when I opened for you a million years ago? We went out to dinner one night, and you were talking to your label about submitting the follow-up to Jagged Little Pill. Youd just achieved the absolute pinnacle of success. And yet the label was saying, "You need to do this, you need to do that." And I just was sitting across from you thinking, there is no end. There's no amount of success that gives you artistic autonomy. There's no amount of success where commerce won't impinge on the art. If you hadnt earned the ability to walk into an office, drop the songs on their desk, be like, "You're welcome" and walk back out, there was no endpoint.

Morissette: You said I didn't have the ability to walk in and drop the music and go, "You're welcome," and walk out. The thing is, is I did do that. Their response was, "She's not very open to feedback." I used to say, "I'm sorry, is your name on the album cover? Its my name, my face and it's my life. So you're welcome."

Phair: Did you ever feel pressure, though?

Morissette: A couple of times. I was like, "All right, I'll re-record Hand in My Pocket and see if it's better, even though I didn't want to re-record it and I thought it was finished. Then we'd re-record it, and they'd say, "No, no, no, the original one's way better." Sometimes theyre like, "You're a genius, but change everything about yourself." Some of that for sure is patriarchy. Some of it is just how the industry is. Record companies are just not compatible with artists. I'm shocked that they even let us be in the same room sometimes.

Back then, it was a very guy-centric time. Labels, musicians: They didn't know what to do with me. If they couldn't f me, they would ignore me. It was like I was an alien. I was going to sleep with them, or I wasn't going to exist. There were exceptions of course, but that was pretty much how it was. A lot of men in the '90s would say to me, "Oh, I love women. Women are amazing." I'm like, "Oh, no, no. You like to f women. That's not the same thing.

Phair: You and I were both chicks in a male world writing from the point of view of being more than just a girl. I think we both saw ourselves as female but also, more importantly, human. A lot of female artists back then were either masculinized, like they had to hang with the boys and do more coke than them, or they were feminized and fit the hot girl bass-player tokenism. Intuitively, I knew I wanted more room. I wanted more territory for myself. I definitely felt lonely. Now, there are so many young women making music of all sorts, with their visions intact. They wear whatever they want. They make the video the way they want. They play keyboards, drums, whatever. They're autonomous in a way that I couldn't have dreamed of back then.

I would have been accepted had I just picked up a bass and played in a male band. I would have been accepted if I'd been a chanteuse who wrote songs and let them be directed by a male producer. But I had the audacity to get onstage and take a spot away from a guy.

Morissette: When You Oughta Know was first sent out to radio stations, the response was, "We're actually playing Sinead O'Connor, so we're good." Or, "We have Tori Amos in our rotation. We can't add another woman. Sorry." That changed pretty fricking quickly.

Phair: Thanks in large part to you.

Morissette: I saw that the wave was coming, and I had the surfboard. I'm like, "Let me get up there on the crest. It was so ready to change.

Phair: The programming at radio stations used to drive me crazy! Thank God I went to Oberlin. It was a very politically progressive college, and it quickly smartened me up about how women are represented in our culture. Like, how many times a woman's body was used to advertise things: dish soap, tires, real estate, cars. The female body was seen constantly, and their heads would almost be cut off, like they were practically in porn. I wanted to take all those female bodies that I saw and tell their story. That's why, on Exile in Guyville, I took the Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street and gave the girls in those lyrics their own voice. I wanted to put the story back in the silenced hot bodies. Subjectify the objectification or whatever.

Morissette: What youre describing, that hyper-sexualizing of women.  There's a new song on my record called "Sandbox Love," and it's really about, what does sex look like post-sexual abuse, post-harassment? How you have sex after abuse is really at the forefront for me right now, because I've experienced so much sexual abuse in my past. And so "Sandbox Love" is about that.

Phair: I would argue that all women, because of patriarchy, and all men, because of patriarchy, are going to have to learn how to have sex after abuse, because in some subtle way, we've all been given an abusive picture of what sex and love is. Women may need it more, but men need it too because a lot of times they're just pantomiming what they think they're supposed to be doing.

When you come down to the best of what sex is, it's this naked, awkward ... You know that space that you can hold with someone that's so special?

Morissette: It's intimate. Yes. I love it.

Phair: It's intimate, and you don't have your armor up, and you're not showing off. The older I get, the more that is my favorite part of life.

Morissette: Everything, even trauma recovery, is all about just coming back into the body.

Phair: Im so glad to see your face. I love women. Women are the best.

Morissette: Were going to hit the stage as soon as its OK to tour. I cant wait.

This interview was moderated by Times television critic Lorraine Ali.
LAS VEGAS, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, known for its award-winning, hand-crafted sandwiches, is continuing its nationwide expansion, further positioning itself at the forefront of the fast casual franchise space. Kicking off the first half of 2020 on a high note, the brand signed 12 multi-unit franchise agreements to bring a total of 46 new restaurants across the United States in the coming years. Growth is only expected to skyrocket as 2020 progresses, with the brands sights set on even bigger goals and milestones in the second half of the year.

In the first half of 2020, the award-winning sandwich shop signed agreements to expand into brand new markets and expand its presence in existing markets, bringing its fan favorite sandwiches to the following areas:

13 units in New York City

Three units in Baltimore

Three units in Tulsa

Three units in Tucson

Three units in Portland, Oregon

Three units in Denver

Three units in Colorado Springs

Three units throughout Collin County, Texas

Three units throughout the Inland Empire in Southern California

This announcement comes on the heels of impressive menu and concept innovation amid the pandemic, which includes new menu rollouts like Impossible Cheesesteak and Wagyu Beef, introducing virtual kitchens and more. The new menu launches have earned Capriotti's first-place recognition in Franchise Update Magazine's Marketing Innovation Awards and recognition in the magazine's Products & Services Awards. In addition, this year Capriotti's introduced the possibility for franchise partners to explore unique revenue streams with ghost kitchen franchise opportunities. To date, the brand has inked deals for five franchised locations for a total of seven under development. With goals to open 15 more shops by the end of 2020, Capriotti's currently has 112 open locations, and more than 180 in progress.

"Capriotti's has always been committed to innovation and doing everything it takes to best serve our fans and franchise partners  especially in times of hardship," said David Bloom, Vice President of Franchise Development. "Capriotti's fan-base continues to grow and those fans are demanding the convenience of mouthwatering, handmade subs on-demand. We look forward to bringing our award-winning subs to even more communities across the nation through passionate franchise partners and strategic development throughout the rest of 2020 and beyond."

Founded in 1976, the Las Vegas based franchise is most famous for its 40-year nightly tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house and hand-shredding them each morning to feature in a variety of subs. This includes The Bobbie, the shop's acclaimed best-seller, made with homemade turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo on a soft roll.

With the top 25 percent of shops averaging $1.1 million average unit volume and an initial average investment of $376,000 with high growth potential, Capriotti's is a profitable and rewarding franchise investment. The brand is backed by a corporate leadership team that offers a continuous support program for franchisees, called CAPMastery. This online and field program provides significant support to franchisees for marketing, retail sales, operations and growth strategies through every stage of their ownership. Looking ahead, Capriotti's focus will be to continue being an extraordinary franchise, whose franchise partners earn exceptional returns by selling the best tasting, highest quality food.

For more information about the Capriotti's franchise opportunity, please visit http://www.ownacapriottis.com.

About Capriotti's Sandwich Shop

Founded in 1976, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop is an award-winning national franchised restaurant chain that remains true to its 40-year tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house every day. Capriotti's cold, grilled and vegetarian subs, cheese steaks and salads are available at more than 100 locations across the United States. Capriotti's signature sub, The Bobbie, was voted "The Greatest Sandwich in America" by thousands of readers across the country, as reported by AOL.com. Capriotti's fans can also download the CAPAddicts Rewards app for iOS and Android, where they can earn and redeem rewards. Capriotti's plans to grow to over 500 locations by 2025, and was ranked #17 on Fast Casual's Top Movers & Shakers List for 2020. For more information, visit capriottis.com. Like Capriotti's on Facebook, follow on Twitter or Instagram.

Media Contact: Marissa Pasillas, Fishman Public Relations, 847-945-1300 or [email protected].

SOURCE Capriotti's Sandwich Shop

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IT company Tech Mahindra and Hinduja Group's CyQureX on Wednesday announced a global partnership to jointly offer cyber security solutions.

Under the partnership, Tech Mahindra will provide consulting, planning, designing, integration, orchestration and automation of services and CyQureX will prioritise capabilities in the cyber security domain, a joint statement of both the entities said.

"We see cybersecurity not only as an essential service but as a key business differentiator for our clients. The partnership with Hinduja Group's CyQureX aligns with our core business proposition, and will further strengthen our position as the cybersecurity partner of choice for our customers globally," Tech Mahindra managing director and chief executive officer CP Gurnani said in a statement.

Hinduja group co-chairman GP Hinduja said with rapid transformation of business to digital, cybersecurity will be the cornerstone to protect all digital assets, particularly for digital transformation of India and other geographies.

"I am extremely delighted to see this strategic partnership formed, as it is in line with one of the core principles of our founder, partnership for growth," Hinuja said.

Simultaneously, Tech Mahindra and CyQureX will work towards product development, consulting services and delivery in the cyber security space.

Former National Security Advisor and Special Advisor on Intelligence and Security to the Prime Minister of India and executive chairman of CyQuerX M K Narayanan said that it is a critical alliance.

"It promises to take digitalisation to the next level, providing clients across the globe with fully integrated cyber security solutions," Narayanan said.

Tech Mahindra, senior vice president and global business head for ESRM, artificial intelligence and Data Analytics, Rajesh Chandiramani said COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation resulting in increased need for cybersecurity solutions.

"This is an important partnership for us and the biggest advantage of the product is that it is software defined perimeter and our customers globally will be able to benefit from this as they will be able to now effectively protect their data," Chandiramani said.

CyQureX CEO Sunil Bangalore said agility of the network management is going to be the key driver of this partnership.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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Sushant Singh Rajput's father KK Singh had lodged a police complaint in Patna against Rhea Chakraborty, accusing her of abetting the actor's suicide.

Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty Wednesday, 29 July moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of an FIR lodged against her in Patna to Mumbai, where probe in the death case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput is going on.

The move came a day after Rajput's father KK Singh lodged a police complaint in Patna against Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide.

Advocate Satish Maneshinde, who is representing Chakraborty, said he has filed a petition in the apex court seeking transfer of the case from Patna to Mumbai.

In her plea, Chakraborty has also sought a stay on the probe by Bihar Police on the FIR lodged by Rajput's father till disposal of her plea in the top court, the lawyer said.

Press Trust of India also tweeted about the news

Actress Rhea Chakraborty moves SC, seeks transfer of Patna FIR to Mumbai where probe is on in Sushant Singh Rajput death case  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 29, 2020

An FIR was lodged on the basis of the Singh's complaint on25 July under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to abetment of suicide and fraud, Inspector General of Police, Patna Zone, Sanjay Singh told PTI.

Mumbai Police is already probing the alleged suicide case and has questioned several Bollywood bigwigs including filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Chakraborty has also recorded her statement.

In his complaint, Rajput's father has also sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the "machinations" of Chakraborty and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.

*

A collection of Suicide prevention helpline numbers are available here. Please reach out if you or anyone you know is in need of support. The All-India helpline number is: 022 2754 6669
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 04:18:15|Editor: huaxia

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U.S. Attorney General William Barr testifies before the House Judiciary Committee during a hearing titled "Oversight of the Department of Justice" on the Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 28, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Attorney General William Barr clashed in a hearing on Tuesday.

In his opening remarks, Nadler, a New York Democrat, said that Barr's tenure "has been marked by a persistent war against the department's professional core in an apparent attempt to secure favors" for President Donald Trump and that he has "aided and abetted the worst failings of this President."

Nadler added that he is "deeply concerned" about a series of Barr's decisions, including "flooding federal law enforcement into the streets of American cities, against the wishes of the state and local leaders of those cities, to forcefully and unconstitutionally suppress dissent."

The Trump administration has recently sent federal agents to Portland, Oregon in the wake of continued protests triggered by the death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota police custody late May, despite opposition from state and local officials. Trump has also announced a "surge" of federal agents to other cities to drive down what he called "violent crime."

Barr, in response, claimed that "violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests to wreak senseless havoc and destruction on innocent victims" in the wake of George Floyd's death.

"We are concerned about this problem metastasizing around the country," Barr said. "We feel that we have to, in a place like Portland where we don't have the support of the local government, we have to take a stand and defend this federal property."

Barr, 70, is the Trump administration's second attorney general. Enditem
Apples iPhones are notoriously some of the most difficult smartphones to get into. While this is good protection against bad actors, it also has a negative effect on legitimate researchers who want to help Apple prevent weaknesses in its software.Thats why Apple is giving these researchers hackable iPhones . These devices have had their outer-level security removed so that hackers can get into the internal software, or the underbelly of what makes the phone go. From there, they can find potential vulnerabilities deep within the system that Apple could be unaware of, and let the company know so it can be fixed.These devices arent new; Apple has used them internally for years. This just marks the first time that those outside of Apple will get the chance to take a crack at them.
Sebastian Hernandez, 15, left, and brother Benjamin, 12, have thrived during the coronavirus pandemic. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Those annoying puffy spots under the eyes of eighth-grader Natalie Alvarez began to disappear, followed by the 10 a.m. hunger bouts and the midafternoon yawns  much to the Carson girl's delight and surprise.

At first, Natalie, 14, had resisted the distance learning thrust upon her when schools closed amid the coronavirus emergency.

I was worried about the distractions of being home with my mom and my sister and doing extra chores, Natalie said. "But then things changed.

Things changed, too, for Marcos Adame, whose grades improved because he could spend more time on problematic subjects. They changed for Sebastian Hernandez, 15, who has more energy, and for 10-year-old Jacob Lalin, who discovered he could mix schoolwork with Lego.

At a time when many of their peers struggle with isolation, uneven online teaching or lack of access to computers, a fraction of students have discovered that distance learning can offer a unique kind of relief  and they have thrived.

Educators and school psychologists stress that campus closures and the suspension of in-class learning have exacted harm on children, especially those who are not fortunate enough to have a quiet, comfortable study space or whose families are coping with deep hardships and illness brought on by the pandemic.

Natalie, Marcos and and others have adapted well in part because their schools were experienced with online learning, and they had home support to help them.

Josephine Kim, a Harvard University lecturer and licensed mental health counselor, said children can be surprisingly adaptable and hardy.

There are intrinsic characteristics that may allow a child to thrive more under the current circumstances, she said. Children who are introverted or those who process information internally and gain energy from time and space for introspection would likely fare well.

Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Austin Beutner agreed that some students, especially adolescents navigating middle school, have excelled at home, away from the pressures of school and a strict routine. He praised Natalie's school, the Harry Bridges Span School in Wilmington, as an example of one doing "extraordinary work" with online learning.

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"Actually, we've heard from middle-schoolers; some students who felt they'd been bullied or were having trouble socially in the melting pot that's middle school are actually liking a little bit of space and enjoying study more," Beutner said. "And so there are some for whom being in this environment has actually benefited. We've heard all kinds of anecdotes."

Natalie said she felt more relaxed despite what she considered an increased workload. She ate healthier, slept longer, rushed less. She spent more time on projects and stayed connected with friends through texts.

Steve Skrumbis, principal at Harry Bridges, said his school had an online component to its instruction before the spread of COVID-19, giving his staff and students a head start when schools closed in mid-March.

Before then, Natalie's mornings consisted of 6:30 wake-up calls, half-consumed breakfast shakes, rushing out of the house at 7:55 and a tense ride to school, worried that she'd be late for first period at 8:15.

I just barely made it a few times, she said. Sometimes those first classes were the toughest, because youre just trying to wake up and focus.

With online learning, Natalie could roll out of bed at 9 a.m., which gave her enough time to prepare a bowl of Chobani Greek yogurt and fruit before her first online period at 9:30.

That extra sleep, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, paid dividends in multiple ways for Natalie and others.

Most of their online classes were asynchronous, meaning teachers would leave assignments, lesson plans and videos ahead of time for students through the schools platforms, such as Schoology and Google Classroom.

Instructors did not require students to turn on their computers' cameras, meaning Natalie and others could take notes, listen in and ask questions while eating  even in the comfort of their pajamas.

Benjamin and Sebastian Hernandez at home with parents Margaret and Alex. Many children have felt stressed, bored or isolated during the pandemic, but the Hernandez brothers have relished the opportunity to slow down. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Everyone had their cameras off, Natalie said, which was great for me. I didnt have to worry about how I looked. I could just focus on class."

And her grades? "Straight A's," she said.

Marcos, who will attend Banning High School in August, had often been a C student, but last semester he got all B's and A's. He said he benefited from the ability to email his eighth-grade teachers as many questions as he liked without fear of bullying.

I didnt know what to think at first, but it seemed to work out, said Marcos, who is considering a career in architecture. Maybe its because Im a natural introvert.

Natalie, who considers herself an extrovert, said she wants to go back when campuses reopen. Shell be starting at the California Academy of Mathematics and Science in Carson and realizes the difficulty of making new friends "when you're not at school."

However, the girl who dreams of becoming an FBI forensic scientist also said that the last three months of the academic year should serve as a wake-up call to schools.

If youre not embracing technology, she said, youre not helping your students.

On the other side of Los Angeles County, Sebastian, a sophomore at Loyola High School from East L.A., said he feels like he has come into his own  while on his own.

He used to carry a lot of anxiety, Sebastian said  worries over being late to school, of getting snarky looks when he'd raise his hand in class again and again.

His classes, which included Honors English, Spanish and chemistry, along with Advanced Placement world history, were still challenging, he said, but breathable. Sebastian also attends the Neighborhood Music School in Boyle Heights and said he has not only "gotten used to" piano lessons at home but has enjoyed the stress-free environment of his living room.

Honestly, it is nice being home, said the teen, who aspires to become an engineer. Its a lot less stressful and easier to keep up with the work. Plus, with two hours of extra sleep, Im much more energized.

His 12-year-old brother, Benjamin, also thrived at home. He and classmates teamed up to check each others work and complete assignments on time, thus leaving more time for video games.

Its a good way to keep your friends motivated, because everyone wants to play, he said.

The surprising gains have been a relief to parents, but they now worry those advancements could be lost when campuses reopen.

Margaret Hernandez, Sebastian's mother, said going back to past routines will be challenging.

My sons do miss being out with their friends, but I dont know if they can also go back to normal," she said. "Theyve changed during this time.

Her husband, Alex Hernandez, worries about kids missing out on social interaction. Its great my sons and others are doing well online, but this is a generation that struggles communicating outside of gadgets and the internet, he said.

Still, for some kids, even younger ones, school at home works.

Jacob Lalin, a 10-year-old fourth-grader from San Gabriel, said he was "so much more happy" at home. Jacob, who attends Washington Elementary School and the Neighborhood Music School, discovered he could spend more time with the classes he loves: math and science.

And if he got bored? The solution was something he could never do at school.

When I would get tired with school, I'd go build with my Legos or go outside and play, Jacob said. I get a lot of breaks, and then I come back and do school.
Like everyone, parents are more subdued these days. So, while the school reopening guidelines spark questions, we accept that the uncertainty of Covid means not all concerns can be addressed.

Yet, while we are grateful to be returning and we realise the school day is going to look different, it's only natural we are anxious about some details.

The need to limit interaction and keep classes in bubbles means big trade-offs - such as no assemblies and children not being able to mix freely with other classes at breaks.

And, following the logic of minimising the mingling, this means no after-schools clubs.

At primary level, this is going to be a big blow on the social side - activities such as speech and drama are great for confidence - and an even bigger one on the economic side as many working parents rely on these activities for childcare and they are too pricey for many families to do privately.

Another related concern is that many creches won't be able to facilitate an after-school service for primary pupils under the guidelines of social distancing of one metre. That's going to pose a serious dilemma.

Would there be scope for keeping the class together for an hour extra, even two times a week, to do things such as supervised reading or chess? Likewise for secondary - could they keep classes together to do after-school study?

Classes are to be kept in bubbles and in primary school in small groups, or "pods", but - confusingly - only "to the extent this is practical".

I can tell you right now this is never going to be practical.

Children will want to be with their mates; it's going to cause heartache.

If pods happen we wonder if an alphabetical system would work so nobody (including parents) can dispute it? Teachers I asked say they will need autonomy on putting pods together - to separate the messers and arrive at an optimum mix.

Trouble ahead on this one, we feel. I really hope our school goes for the bubble only option.

One of the biggest niggling worries is what happens if a child stays home.

The guidelines are clear: if a child is coughing in school, isolate them in a room and send them home straight away.

But, what happens then? And what if they have a mild runny nose in the morning. Will they be a pariah if they go in? Do they have to stay home with every mild sniffle or is there an acceptable level of sniffle?

With parents worrying their children have already lost academic ground, and with jobs to do themselves, they are going to be very reluctant to keep them at home with the mild sniffle.

Especially when there is not clear guidance who will be teaching them. The plan for vulnerable pupils who have to stay home full-time is left up to the school, which does not bode well for the children home with winter sniffles.

Will remote learning be a continuation of the efforts taken during lockdown? Because schools varied big time. Private schools surged ahead with online Zoom classes every day while many national ones had nothing of the sort.

The roadmap says if schools close it is vital they act in an agile way, and guidance is being updated - but this sounds vague.

Parents were hoping for something more organised, like a central online teaching hub for primary schools.

And it is more complex for secondary schools, with more specialist subjects. Because the teacher usually sits in one place for the class here, could it be possible for children who are at home with a runny nose to use Zoom to virtually 'attend' the classroom they should be in at that time? Could this work for primary? Concrete guidance would have been welcomed.

Another worry is the likely individual class start times, to prevent parents entering schools and socialising at the school gates.

Will there be a holding area for the children so parents with multiple drop-offs don't have to wait? Likewise, for junior and senior infants, can parents walk them to the back door? It seems harsh to kiss and run.

There are plans to provide more teachers - but what happens in a worst case scenario? We are on the Wild West frontier, so will schools get autonomy if there is no available teacher that day? Could parents volunteer? Many parents are already Garda vetted.

There are many concerns right now, but a big one is that children might feel unhappy.

Pasi Sahlberg of the University of New South Wales in Australia has advised the Irish government on education matters in the past, and told the Irish Independent well-being will be key to children catching up. If they don't feel okay, they won't be able to learn properly.

"Many kids are stressed, anxious and afraid of what is happening in their lives," he said.

"The last thing they need now is that we adults tell them that they are going to suffer because they have lost months of schooling and that therefore they need to catch up.

"This can be a serious mistake, especially for those who suffer from this the most. I find reports that warn that kids may lose 3pc of their lifetime earnings because of recent school closures are incorrect and wrong. What we should tell them, instead, is not to worry and that we will work this out together."

And in fairness, the plan does include welcome measures for psychological well-being, including 120 posts in this area.

The Government seems set on all children going back - but it's not going to be like it was before and we can't help worrying. It is possible remote learning could be a big part of next year but does not hold a big place in the roadmap for return.
A Lake Hallie man accused of possessing multiple images of child pornography was sentenced Tuesday to serve four years in prison.

Raymond L. Crowell, 37, 13648 43rd Ave., pleaded no contest in April in Chippewa County Court to one count of possessing child pornography. Crowell had originally been charged with 10 counts; the other nine were read-in and dismissed.

According to the criminal complaint, authorities performed a search warrant of his home April 17, 2019, because of a tip that Crowell had uploaded numerous child pornography images. The images showed prepubescent children having sex with adults. When confronted by authorities, Crowell admitted to searching for and viewing the images.

Judge James Isaacson also ordered Crowell be placed on extended supervision for six years upon release from prison. Isaacson said his sentence is also meant as a deterrent to others, noting that the criminal complaint states some of the victims are described as toddlers, who are shown on-screen interacting with naked, adult males.

It boggles the mind, Isaacson said. It makes you wonder about the kids, and what is going on with them. You have a 6-year-old daughter at home.

The Department of Corrections recommended a five-year prison sentence along with three years of extended supervision.

Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said Crowell was using meth at the time he was looking at the child pornography. Crowell initially denied downloading images of child pornography, but later admitted he searched for images of girls as young as 10 years old.

These were clearly children displayed in these images, Newell said.

Newell said he was seeking the five-year prison sentence recommended by the Department of Corrections, instead of the three-year minimum.

Its his unwillingness to concede his wrongdoing in this matter, Newell said.

The fact Crowell was using meth at the time also is a factor in the length of the sentence request, Newell said.

That is very troubling to myself, Newell said. The use of methamphetamine can make people engage in risky behavior they otherwise would not get involved in.

Defense attorney David Field noted that Crowell has some drug and alcohol arrests in the past, but no sex crimes. Crowell also has five children, all under the age of 10.

Without methamphetamine, we wouldnt be here with him facing these charges, Field said. I dont think hell be a further threat to the community when he gets out.

Field also questioned the three-year minimum established by the Legislature. He said the facts in this case dont warrant going to a five-year prison sentence.

Prior to sentencing, Crowell apologized for his behavior and pleaded for leniency, saying Im not that kind of person. This will never happen again, ever.

Its a horrific thing that happened here, Crowell said. I wish it never happened to anybody, and wish it hadnt wound up on computers for people to come across and find. I just plead with the court to not take me away from my kids that long. Being clean and sober since the day I was arrested have opened my eyes to a lot of things, and Ive just tried to be a better person.

Crowell, who had been free on a signature bond, was taken into custody immediately at the conclusion of the hearing Tuesday.

Since he was arrested in April 2019, Crowell was barred from accessing the Internet or having any unsupervised contact with juveniles. He was given credit for two days in jail already served. He also must pay $1,018 in court costs.

Crowell was convicted of battery to an officer and OWI-second offense in 2009. Isaacson also indicated Crowell has a more extensive criminal record while he was living in Michigan.

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The Pentagon on Wednesday laid out a plan to shift nearly 12,000 service members out of Germany after President Donald Trump repeatedly said the country was "delinquent" on defense spending.

Top defense leaders said the plan, which would bring 6,400 service members home and reposition nearly 5,600 to other countries in Europe, is part of the Pentagon's broader effort to redistribute U.S. forces across the world to better compete with new threats from Russia and China. The move will leave 24,000 troops in Germany, where the United States has stationed a significant number of forces since the end of the Cold War.

Yet during a news conference, Defense Secretary Mark Esper was repeatedly asked how that rationale squared with Trump's pronouncements that the troops were being moved to punish Germany.

Esper noted that the review of European Command was accelerated by the presidents June decision to withdraw forces from Germany, which blindsided allies both at home and abroad and was seen as a rebuke of German leaders and beneficial to Russia. Trump has tied the reduction to Berlins failure to meet the non-binding NATO goal of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense.

"They're there to protect Europe. They're there to protect Germany, right? And Germany is supposed to pay for it. Germany's not paying for it. We don't want to be the suckers anymore," Trump told reporters Wednesday morning. "So we're reducing the force because they're not paying their bills. It's very simple, they're delinquent."

Esper stressed that the plan will enhance NATOs ability to deter Russian aggression and strengthen U.S. alliances in Europe, yet also reiterated the presidents criticism of Germany.

Lets be clear: I think Germany is the wealthiest country in Europe, Germany can and should pay more to its defense. It should certainly meet the 2 percent standard and I would argue go above and beyond that, Esper said, noting that the plan has already received "very positive feedback" from several European countries.

Story continues

The move will cost in the single-digit billions of dollars, Esper said, and will begin in the coming weeks.

In a Wednesday statement, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the plan "underlines the continued commitment by the United States to NATO and to European security," and noted that the U.S. consulted "closely" with all NATO allies ahead of the announcement.

"Peace and security in Europe is important for the security and prosperity of North America, and as we face a more unpredictable world, we are stronger and safer when we stand together," he said.

German officials, however, immediately trashed the plan. Norbert Rottgen, chair of the Bundestags foreign affairs committee, noted in a statement to POLITICO that the move would weaken the NATO alliance and reduce the effectiveness of the U.S. military against Russia and in the Middle East.

I stand by my view: The US troop reduction is not in the security interests of Germany or NATO  and makes no geopolitical sense for the US," said Peter Beyer, the German governments coordinator for transatlantic relations, on Twitter. "We need more cooperation to master the future.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) condemned the plan as a "grave error," and noted that he had offered an amendment to the fiscal 2021 defense policy bill aimed at preventing such a withdrawal. The amendment did not receive consideration on the Senate floor.

The plan "is a slap in the face at a friend and ally when we should instead be drawing closer in our mutual commitment to deter Russian and Chinese aggression. And it is a gift to Russia coming at a time when we just have learned of its support for the Taliban and reports of bounties on killing American troops," Romney said. "The move may temporarily play well in domestic politics, but its consequences will be lasting and harmful to American interests.

The plan involves moving the headquarters of U.S. European Command and that of Special Operations Command Europe from Germany to Belgium, said EUCOM Commander Gen. Tod Wolters. In the future, the headquarters of U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Special Operations Command Africa could also move from Germany to a new location, he said.

Esper and other top officials argued that the new approach of deploying more rotational forces, as opposed to troops permanently stationed abroad, will enhance deterrence against Russia, improving the readiness of the deployed forces and providing a more flexible, enduring presence, particularly in the Black Sea and on NATOs southeastern flank.

Our U.S. EUCOM strategy demands ever increasing speed in our endeavors and ever improving posture, Wolters said. This realignment allows us to favorably deter against Russia, assist NATO, strengthen the alliance, improve Secretary Espers strategic flexibility and improve EUCOMs operational flexibility.

Many of the 6,400 troops who return to the U.S. will begin conducting rotational deployments. The 4,500 members of the Second Cavalry Regiment in Germany will return to the U.S. as other Stryker units begin rotations in the Black Sea region. Of the 5,600 troops in Germany who will deploy elsewhere in Europe, roughly 2,000 will go to Belgium to do headquarters work. Another 2,500 airmen currently scheduled to deploy to Germany from the U.K. will remain in the U.K. And a fighter squadron and elements of a fighter wing will be sent to Italy.

Once Warsaw signs a defense cooperation agreement and burden-sharing deal, the U.S. will also rotate a major Army unit to Poland, Esper said. There may be additional opportunities to move forces into Poland and the Baltics in future, he said.

Right now there are no plans to move any of the troops to the Indo-Pacific, Esper said, despite an op-ed in June by national security adviser Robert OBrien that floated that possibility.

Still, the move should send a clear, unmistakable message to our competitors, said Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. John Hyten. While we hope that Russia and China will engage in more productive and cooperative behavior in the future, we are posturing our forces to deter aggression and counter their malign influence.

Hans Joachim Von Der Burchard and Max Cohen contributed to this report.
The United States today announced 14 new targets, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assads 18-year-old son, in a fresh round of sanctions aimed at squeezing the Syrian regime and its financial backers.

It is time for Assads needless, brutal war to end. This, above all, is what our sanctions campaign is meant to bring about, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

Hafez al-Assad, the presidents oldest son, was among the targets announced by the US Treasury Department, as were Zuhair al-Assad and the Syrian Arab Armys First Division. Prominent businessman Wasim al-Qatan and a number of Damascus-based businesses engaging in construction, real estate and tourism were also blacklisted.

While corrupt businessmen with ties to Assad invest in luxury real estate made possible by forced displacement of innocent civilians, they also worsen the oppression of the Syrian people, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

Why it matters: The new sanctions push  what the State Department dubbed would be the summer of Caesar  intends to choke off Assad's financial lifelines and prevent reconstruction in government-held parts of Syria.

Last month, the long-awaited Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, named for the defector who bravely smuggled evidence of war crimes out of Syria, took effect. The US law allows for sanctions on anyone  Syrian or not  who provides assistance to the regimes military operations or the countrys construction, engineering, energy or aviation sectors.

Ten of the 14 sanctions announced today were issued under prior executive orders, not the Caesar Act. The United States has so far not used the bipartisan law to go after companies in Assad-allied Russia, as many Caesar sanctions supporters had hoped.

Whats next: Having wrested control of more than two-thirds of the country from rebel forces, Assad is aiming to rebuild what was destroyed in the crushing nine-year-long war. The Caesar sanctions, if fully enforced, could deprive Syria's dictator of the billions in foreign investment he needs to rebuild and cement his grip on power.

But many fear civilians will be unintended victims of the sanctions, which arrived as Syrias already battered economy took a turn for the worse. The cost of goods has skyrocketed this summer, remittances have dwindled and in June, the Syrian currency fell to its lowest-ever rate against the US dollar. Food prices last month, according to the UN World Food Program, were 240% higher than they were the year before.

The Caesar Act and other US Syria sanctions are not intended to harm the Syrian people and do not target humanitarian assistance or hinder our stabilization activities in northeast Syria, Pompeo said in a statement, noting the United States has contributed $11.3 billion in humanitarian assistance since the start of the war.

Know more: Correspondent Elizabeth Hagedorn delves into the debate over how the long-awaited sanctions might impact civilians, and the first round of penalties issued last month under the Caesar Act.
An international team of researchers has published the most detailed submarine map of the Artic Ocean.

The study, which counts on the participation of the experts Miquel Canals, Jose Luis Casamor and David Amblas, from the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences of the University of Barcelona, has been published in Nature's journal Scientific Data.

The map is the 4.0 version of the International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean (IBCAO), an initiative that was created in 1997 in Saint Petersburg (Russia) in order to map the depths of the Arctic floors. Published in digital format, the new chart expands up to 19.6% the submarine surface mapped in previous versions.

"The 4.0 IBCAO map is this year's contribution to the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030, whose objective is to map all seas and oceans in the world by 2030", notes Martin Jakobsson, professor at the Stockholm University (Sweden), who led the scientific team with experts from fifteen countries, together with Larry Mayer, from the University of New Hampshire (United States).

The new bathymetric chart of the Arctic Ocean

With a strategic position, the Arctic is a mythic ocean in the story of the great geographical explorations to discover the secrets of the polar regions. The northernmost ocean of the planet -also the smallest and shallowest one- plays a decisive role in the regulation of the planet's climate and it is the most sensitive polar region to the effects of global warming. According to some predictions, the progressive loss of the marine ice layers could open the navigation to some areas which were inaccessible so far, such as the Northwest Passage, the legendary marine route pursued by many 19th century expeditions, which joins the boreal Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

"The potential difficulty for the current science campaigns in the Arctic is the access to places which are permanently covered by marine ice, and the short-lived duration of the navigation period. However, global warming made these inaccessible areas easier to reach now", notes Professor Miquel Canals, head of the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Sciences of the UB.

Since 2018, the team of the UB has contributed to the 4.0 IBCAO map with data mainly obtained through the multibeam bathymetry in oceanographic campaigns in the Arctic, specially in the western area in the Barents Sea, "a volunteering collaboration to benefit science and knowledge", as Miquel Canals states. In its different editions, the IBCAO maps received thousands of downloads over the years and are widely used by governments, companies and researchers with scientific interest and activities in the Arctic.

The new cartography has a volume with a higher and better resolution data than the previous versions, and it includes marine regions which were unknown to date. "This results from the efforts made by an international cooperation, which counts on the participation of many institutions and researchers who provided their scientific data to reach a common objective: discovering the depths of the Arctic Ocean", notes Canals, professor at the Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics at the Faculty of Earth Sciences of the UB.

Multibeam probes and nuclear submarine under the Arctic ice

In order to carry out the IBCAO 4.0 map, the team used the same technology used in the submarine study in other regions of the ocean. "The compounds of the new map -mainly the most recent ones- were obtained through the most advanced multibeam bathymetry systems that exist. These data come from oceanographic vessels, ice breakers and nuclear submarines, the only ones to map those areas under the iced sea, impossible to reach with other ships", notes Canals.

"Regarding the data processing and fusion -with a new Mallat algorithm-, new techniques were added, and provided an excellent result", adds the expert.

Ocean currents, climate regulation and stability of ocean floors

In general, a better and larger cartography helps to broaden the knowledge on the geological and glacial evolution of such a sensitive region like the Arctic. Therefore, the new bathymetric map identifies a great variety of the shape of the relief with glacial origins, "some at large scales -from hundreds to thousands of meters in length-, that show the direction of the movement of the ice on the ocean floors, which helps to reconstruct the geological processes of the recent past in arctic latitudes".

Bathymetrical data are relevant in other fields of polar science, such as the study of the path of ocean currents -and therefore, the distribution of the heat-, the sea-ice decline, the effect of inflowing warm waters on tidewater glaciers, and the stability of marine based ice streams and outlet glaciers grounded on the seabed.

One of the most spectacular formations in the Arctic ocean floors is the Lomonosov Ridge, a geological element with more than 1,600 kilometres of length "which connects Northern Greenland and Siberia and crosses the ocean leaving deep basins in both sides", notes canals. "The most recent cartography studies carried out with ice breakers, revealed the presence of thresholds that influence the exchange of water between both basins, and anchoring marks in ice platforms on the ridge", he adds.

The IBCAO 4.0 bathymetric chart also reveals the detailed map of the Greenland fiords, and provides data of interest for the development of predictive models on the behaviour of the ice sheet -currently undergoing a rapid recession- which covers the island and on the sea level rise worldwide.

The challenge of mapping marine floors worldwide

To date, researchers have mapped about the fifth part of the ocean floors worldwide. Knowing the submarine relief of the global ocean is essential to manage and protect the marine and coastal ecosystems, as stated in one of the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), approved by the General Assembly in 2015.

Within the frame of the international effort to study the Arctic marine floors, the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences of the UB is one of the teams that take part in the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030, the most ambitious global project to complete a great task in marine geosciences: high-resolution submarine bathymetry in all oceans worldwide.



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Zimbabwe agreed on Wednesday to pay $3.5bn (2.6bn) in compensation to white farmers whose land was expropriated by the government to resettle black families, moving a step closer to resolving one the most divisive policies of the Robert Mugabe era.

But the southern African nation does not have the money and will issue long term bonds and jointly approach international donors with the farmers to raise funding, according to the compensation agreement.

Two decades ago Mugabes government carried out at times violent evictions of 4,500 white farmers and redistributed the land to around 300,000 black families, arguing it was redressing colonial land imbalances.

The agreement signed at Emmerson Mnangagwas state house offices in Harare showed white farmers would be compensated for infrastructure on the farms and not the land itself, as per the national constitution.

Details of how much money each farmer, or their descendants, given the time elapsed since the farms were seized, was likely to get were not yet clear, but the government has said it would prioritise the elderly when making the settlements.

Farmers would receive 50 per cent of the compensation after a year and the balance within five years.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube and acting agriculture minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri signed on behalf of the government, while farmers unions and a foreign consortium that undertook valuations also penned the agreement.

As Zimbabweans, we have chosen to resolve this long-outstanding issue, said Andrew Pascoe, head of the Commercial Farmers Union representing white farmers.

The land seizures were one of Mugabes signature policies that soured ties with the West. Mugabe, who was ousted in a coup in 2017 and died last year, accused the West of imposing sanctions on his government as punishment.

The programme still divides public opinion in Zimbabwe as opponents see it as a partisan process that left the country struggling to feed itself. But its supporters say it has empowered landless black people.

Reuters
TYGA BITES Oven-Baked Chicken and Tots

Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist, Tyga, joins forces with renowned restaurateur Robert Earl and Earls son Robbie, for the launch of TYGA BITES, a celebrity-owned virtual dining concept. Now available through Grubhub, TYGA BITES is a delivery-only concept that specializes in antibiotic-free, oven-baked, boneless chicken bites. Grubhub will be offering free delivery on orders of $15 or more for the entire month of August to new and existing customers on their first purchase of TYGA BITES*.

With the idea conceived by Tyga, Earl paired the artist with acclaimed chef, author, and TV personality, Eric Greenspan, to create a carefully crafted, bite-sized all-natural chicken thats baked, not fried. Tyga curated TYGA BITES by adding his own specialty spice dusts that sprinkle the chicken with the right amount of sweet and spice, along with a wide variety of dipping sauces to further enhance the flavors.

I wanted to make sure the whole menu, flavors, and even the packaging was on point, said Tyga. The bites are baked just right; choose a dip then take a sip! I even threw in some chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

TYGA BITES online menu offers crispy, oven-baked chicken bites in three different spice dusts including Black Garlic, Lemon Black Pepper, and Peri-Peri, a mix of tangy, sweet and spicy. The bites will also be served with the option of twelve different dips, along with regular or sweet potato Tyga Tots, chocolate chip cookies, and beverages.

Tyga has been an inspiration to collaborate with on this brandhis instincts are spot-on, said Robert Earl, Founder of Virtual Dining Concepts. Consumers can now enjoy TYGA BITES at home through our partnership with Grubhub, offering contact-free delivery for everyones added comfort and peace of mind.

Today begins the independent restaurant revolution, Robbie Earl elaborates. We have created a blueprint that restaurants can truly benefit from with our VACs (virtual additional concepts). We are offering restaurateurs the opportunity to operate a second brand within their existing brick and mortar location, increasing their bottom line by also becoming a virtual kitchen owner.

Working with our partners at Virtual Dining Concepts on the new TYGA BITES brand, we have the exciting opportunity to provide our diners new variety to choose from when ordering in, stated Kevin Kearns, Senior Vice President, Restaurant Network at Grubhub. Were thrilled to give independent restaurants on our platform the opportunity to increase their total business by working with TYGA BITES, and by adding new locations across the country for our diners to try  its a win, win for everyone.

TYGA BITES is now available in more than 30 major markets across the country, and with the support of independent restaurants, it is projected to have contracts with up to 500 locations by the end of August. Consumers based in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, Las Vegas, Houston, Washington D.C., Austin, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh, Albuquerque, Sacramento, St. Paul, Kansas City, Scottsdale, Columbus, Minneapolis, and Louisville are among the first wave with many additional locations opening soon.

TYGA BITES is available through the Grubhub app or Grubhub.com/food/tyga_bites, and diners can input their zip code to find TYGA BITES on Grubhub near them. For more information, visit http://www.tygabites.com and follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @eattygabites.

*Terms & conditions apply: https://lp.grubhub.com/tygabites/

ABOUT TYGA BITES

A delivery-only virtual restaurant launched by Grammy-nominated recording artist Tyga and restaurateur Robert Earl, TYGA BITES taps into kitchens of existing brick-and-mortar restaurants located across the U.S. and is delivered to your door thru Grubhub. The menu features tender chicken that is baked and flavored with a choice of seasoning dusts, accompanied with a wide selection of dipping sauces, sides, and cookies. TYGA BITES initial rollout includes the following cities: Los Angeles, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Denver. Additional locations will be added regularly. Consumers looking for a location near them should search for TYGA BITES on the Grubhub app. For more information please follow us @eattygabites on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

ABOUT GRUBHUB

Grubhub is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as nearly 24 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features nearly 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with more than 200,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Russia exported 35 cattle livestock to Turkmenistan for the amount of $49,980 from January through May 2020, Trend reports, citing the Eurasian Economic Commissions statistics.

According to the statistics, among such countries as Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Russia was the only one that exported cattle to Turkmenistan from January through May.

In addition to cattle livestock, Russia exported 550 sheep and goats worth $46,000 in the reporting period.

For the export of sheep and goats, as well as for cattle, Russia was the only supplier in this period among the above-mentioned countries.

Also, Russia was the only exporter of poultry to Turkmenistan in the amount of $15,694, which makes 720 livestock from January through May.

The trade turnover between Turkmenistan and Russia increased by 2.7 times during 1H2020, compared to the same period of 2019.

The trade turnover between countries increased by 1.5 times and amounted to $695 million in 2019, but taking into account the supply of Turkmen gas to Russia, then mentioned amount reaches $1 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 01:09:11|Editor: huaxia

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SKOPJE, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The government of North Macedonia is taking three sets of anti-crisis measures worth 500 million euros (around 588 million U.S. dollars) in support of the citizens and the country's economy to overcome the negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of Finance Nina Angelovska said on Wednesday.

Via a Facebook post, Angelovska said that so far North Macedonia's citizens and companies have received about 140 million euros in state support, of which 40 million euros were provided to the citizens and 100 million euros to companies.

According to her, the financial support for the citizens was done through domestic payment cards, domestic tourism vouchers, unemployment benefits, including support to the categories of independent artists and athletes.

With regard to companies, the government so far has provided the financial support of 14,500 Macedonian Denar (around 275 U.S. dollars) per person to over 130,000 employees in over 19,500 companies.

Financial support for the companies also includes interest-free loans via the Development Bank for 1,331 companies.

The measures taken so far, according to the minister, helped in overcoming the crisis and will provide support during economic recovery.

Angelovska underlined that the funds provided support to the citizens, protected jobs and supported liquidity of the economy, thus boosting economic activities. The minister added that other financial support measures are underway.

On Wednesday, the Health Ministry in North Macedonia reported 188 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 10,503, with 5,931 recoveries and 476 fatalities. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollars) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 03:59:26|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The labor market barometer of the German Institute for Employment Research (IAB) rose by 3.1 points, compared to the previous month, to 97.8 points in July, the IAB announced on Tuesday.

After a slight rise of 0.8 points in June, the IAB indicator made "a great leap upwards" in July, the research institute of Germany's Federal Employment Agency (BA) noted. In April, the labor market barometer had plummeted to 93.5 points, the lowest value in its history.

"The negative trend in the labor market seems to have largely stopped," said Enzo Weber, head of the IAB research department.

Index values for both unemployment and employment also increased, according to IAB. Both values still remained below the neutral 100-point benchmark.

The labor market in Germany had so far "coped relatively well" with the economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, stressed Weber.

In June, the German government agreed on an economic stimulus package to mitigate the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, including a temporary reduction of value-added tax (VAT), quick loans for struggling companies as well as additional measures to avoid lay-offs.

Last week, head of BA Detlef Scheele told the German Press Agency (dpa) that the German labor market could require up to three years to recover from the coronavirus crisis.

In June, 2.85 million people in Germany were registered as unemployed, around 640,000 more than the same month last year. On Thursday the BA is scheduled to present figures for the German labor market in July.

Despite the COVID-19 impacts, Scheele believed that the unemployment figure in Germany would not exceed the three million mark in the next two months. Enditem
(Bloomberg) -- A raft of U.S. private equity firms backed by the countrys largest endowment and pension funds stands to reap big gains from Ant Groups highly anticipated initial public offering, even as U.S. lawmakers push funds to halt investments in China.

Silver Lake Management LLC, Warburg Pincus LLC, and Carlyle Group Inc. were the biggest U.S. backers in Ants latest funding round in 2018, investing at least $500 million each in the fintech giant, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. General Atlantic LLC invested about $350 million in the same round, according to people familiar.

The funds invested in Chinas biggest payments company when it was valued at about $150 billion. Bernstein estimates Ants now worth about $210 billion, which would generate a 40% return for the funds if they were to sell in the IPO at that valuation. The private equity investors will probably hold on to their stakes, betting on more gains, people familiar have said.

Ant, General Atlantic and Silver Lake declined to comment in emailed statements. Representatives for Warburg Pincus and Carlyle declined to comment.

The investments are the latest example of a money trail that has fueled Chinas biggest national champions and fattened the pockets of U.S. pension funds, ultimately benefiting American fire fighters and teachers. The investment model is now under siege as U.S. senators call for inspections to curtail U.S. pension fund support for Chinese tech companies, while Secretary of Sate Michael Pompeo is scrutinizing U.S. fund investments in the sector.

More than 90% of U.S. foundations and endowments have some exposure to China, mostly through a broad emerging markets strategy, according to a 2018 survey of 47 respondents by consultant NEPC.

Chinese tech companies secured a record amount of funding just before the trade war went into full swing last year. Some of the largest venture capital and private equity firms  including Hillhouse Capital, Warburg Pincus and Sequoia Capital  also raised billions of dollars from a clutch of high-profile U.S. pension funds.

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Warburg Pincuss China-Southeast Asia fund raised about $4.5 billion from pension plans in Ohio, Colorado and Florida last year. Carlyles Asia Partners V LP in 2018 added about $6.6 billion from pensions in Kentucky, New York State and California. Silver Lake Partners V LP, which secured $15 billion from pension funds including Washington State and Texas, has invested in Ant as well as Chinese tech companies including artificial intelligence giant SenseTime Group Ltd.

SZ DJI Technology Co. became the worlds biggest commercial drone maker with money from a venture firm whose investors include the Delaware Public Employees Retirement System and the State of Michigan Retirement System. ByteDance Ltd., the owner of TikTok, has benefited from capital raised via pension funds in New York and Oregon.

Among these private companies, Ants IPO has been the most anticipated for its sheer size. The company, controlled by billionaire Jack Ma, said last week it would pursue a simultaneous dual-listing in Hong Kong and on the Shanghai stock exchanges STAR board. The Hong Kong share sale alone could raise about $10 billion, people familiar have said.

Ant raised about $14 billion in 2018 from backers including Singapores GIC Pte, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Warburg Pincus, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Silver Lake, Temasek Holdings Pte and Carlyle Group.

(Updates with General Atlantics investment in second paragraph)

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There's no denying that we'll all be happy to see the back of 2020. So far, it's been a year extraordinaries, and that extends to our holiday plans too.

You can't really go abroad, despite the Government's 'Green List', so many people are exploring the vast array of staycation options Ireland has to offer on our doorsteps.

If the idea of a few nights away in your run of the mill, and possibly overpriced, hotel in one of the regular tourist haunts doesn't appeal to you - here's one for your consideration: A geometric glamping dome nestled in the Wicklow countryside.

With all the modern comforts blended seamlessly into a beautiful natural setting, why not swap the hustle and bustle of the city for rolling hillsides, lush green fields, forests and stars, where you will awake each morning to spectacular mountain views and the sounds of nature.

The dome is thoughtfully decorated to reflect and in-keep with its surroundings. Built into the hillside under some Scots Pines, using a mix of locally sourced materials and modern tweaks to compliment the natural setting.

Guests can spend the night in a spacious dome that includes Irish designed Foxford luxury linens, bedding, plush towels, bathrobes, double bed, solar-powered lighting and an outdoor deck, with art deco furniture inside and out.

Separate from the dome built into the woodland is a purpose built, fully equipped kitchenette, shower and WC. This consists of a see-through roof and multi-coloured walls of wood to stay immersed in the trees and nature.

If you want to try something a bit different this summer, then you may have just found what you're looking for.

For more information on this luxury dome boutique glamping experience, click here.
A protester was arrested and charged with obstruction for refusing to leave as a Confederate statue was removed a public square in the city of McDonagh, Georgia.

The monument was taken down overnight on Wednesday by workers who used a crane to winch it from its pedestal in McDonagh Square.

The statue was supposed to be taken down on Monday, but the removal was delayed because of an issue with contractors, local TV news station 11 Alive reported.

The statue, which had stood in the square in the centre of McDonough for more than 100 years, was removed after the the Henry County Commission voted earlier this month for it to be taken down.

The vote came amid national protests against police brutality and racism, following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd while in the custody of a then Minneapolis police officer.

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A small group gathered to protest as the monument was removed and multiple law enforcement officials forced demonstrators away from the statue and to the pavement. One was arrested.

We were held back, our freedom of speech was held back because they wouldnt allow us to get off the curb over here, local resident and protester Stanley Layfield told WAGA-TV.

Over the last couple of months there has been a growing conversation in the US about the place of symbols of the Confederacy, following Black Lives Matter protests.

Monuments to Confederate leaders have been taken down in states across the US over the last few months, while the flag has been banned from Nascar events and removed from Marine Corps installations.

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The Confederate battle flag has all too often been co-opted by violent extremist and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps, the service said in a statement that explained its decision.

Despite Georgia governor Brian Kemp passing a law in 2019 that protected monuments to Confederate leaders in the state from being altered or discarded, many local officials have taken action themselves.

In June, a Confederate monument that was erected in an Atlanta suburb was removed, while a memorial outside county courthouse in Conyers was taken down earlier this month.
Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure from Tory MPs to introduce coronavirus testing at airports in order to slash the 14 day quarantine period for travellers returning from high risk countries.

Former Cabinet ministers David Davis and Sir Iain Duncan Smith are leading calls for the Government to use border checks to save the ailing travel industry.

Mr Davis said other countries had already set up airport testing and 'I don't understand why we haven't'.

He also said 'you are as likely to catch the virus on the London Underground back home as you are on the plane or on holiday'.

Sir Iain echoed a similar sentiment as he argued the Government had 'lost the ability to balance risk'.

Meanwhile, Henry Smith, the Tory chairman of the all-party Future of Aviation Group, said testing at airports could ensure 'we don't lose' the rest of the summer holiday season.

There are believed to be as many as 40 Tory MPs who are now pushing for testing at airports as part of a bid to make foreign travel more feasible amid the current uncertainty.

Their intervention came as travel bosses last night urged Mr Johnson to drop blanket restrictions on entire countries amid fears more nations could join Spain on the UK's quarantine list.

A coalition of 47 airlines, airports and tourism leaders also called on the Prime Minister to introduce virus tests for those arriving in the UK  warning the industry could be permanently scarred unless self-isolation measures are eased.

In a letter to Mr Johnson, the bosses of British Airways, Easy Jet, Jet2 and Wizz Air demanded the urgent adoption of a more nuanced policy.

The signatories also included chief executives of Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, London City, Newcastle, Belfast, Birmingham and Bristol airports.

Travelbosses last night urged Boris Johnson to drop blanket restrictions on whole countries as the row over quarantine rules escalated. Pictured: Hotel beaches in Majorca were empty today

They called for the introduction of regional travel corridors to replace blanket measures that mean those arriving from any part of an at-risk country have to quarantine for 14 days.

They suggested this could allow holidaymakers to resume travel to the Spanish islands and some US states.

But as he returned to the UK last night having cut short his own family holiday to Spain, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended the Governments decision to require travellers from the country to isolate for 14 days.

He expressed sympathy with holidaymakers frustrations at the change brought in with just a few hours notice on Saturday evening, but insisted it was the right thing to do.

Mr Shapps said: I very much understand, it obviously had an impact on me and my family and Im very, very sorry and upset for the thousands of Brits who are either away or perhaps even havent managed to go away this summer as well to Spain.

But its absolutely essential we acted when we did, its why all four nations of the United Kingdom acted together and the figures since have turned out to justify that action.

A coalition of 47 airlines, airports and tourism leaders also called on him to introduce virus tests for those arriving in the UK  warning the industry could be permanently scarred. Pictured: Sunbathers on Bournemouth beach today

Former Cabinet minister David Davis last night supported the suggestion, saying: Vienna has been doing this for months. I dont understand why we havent.

We have to, I think, have a clear message and make sure we act by adding entire countries to that list for the time being.

He said the Government had considered excluding certain Spanish islands from the measures but chief medical officer Chris Whitty was very clear with us that he was concerned about the data.

He added: It had doubled in just a few days. He was concerned to see what was happening in the islands and thats why we make it a whole-country approach in these things.

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye yesterday warned holidaymakers face a disastrous quarantine roulette unless the airport testing is adopted.

He proposed that travellers are tested on arrival before going into quarantine.

They would have a second test five or eight days later and  if clear  go back to normal life.

Pressure was last night growing on the Government to offer travellers coronavirus tests when they arrive in this country.

Former Brexit secretary Mr Davis said: 'Heathrow boss is right to call for airport testing to replace hard quarantines.

'Vienna has been doing this for months. I dont understand why we havent.

'Nothing is perfect, you are as likely to catch the virus on the London underground back home as you are on the plane or on holiday.'

He added: 'On a 14 day holiday there is an 80 per cent chance someone infected will manifest symptoms at the airport. If this is the case everyone on the plane should be quarantined. US companies like Cepheid can turnaround a test in 30 minutes.'

Sir Iain said: 'We have lost the ability to balance risk. We have handed everything over to the scientists.

'We need to get people back to work. The blanket quarantine approach affects the poorest the most, and hits the economy. We have to look at testing at airports."

Mr Smith, from the Future of Aviation Group, said testing at airports could help ensure 'we don't lose' the entire summer holiday season abroad.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the travelbosses of British Airways, Easy Jet, Jet2 and Wizz Air demanded the urgent adoption of a more nuanced policy

He told The Telegraph: 'Gatwick, in my constituency, has one of the largest general public testing sites in its car park, and could extend that to people entering the country.'

In their joint letter, travel bosses argued testing has the potential to be a game-changing additional tool for authorities to safely open up travel without quarantine from countries or regions deemed higher risk, such as the United States.

The group also called for blanket quarantine restrictions on arrivals from whole countries to be replaced by regional ones.

They wrote: This would allow for quarantine-free travel to unaffected parts of a country, including not just Spain but other key markets for trade and tourism like the United States and Canada.

The industry leaders wrote that the introduction of quarantine measures for Spain at the weekend had been the latest significant blow to a sector which now risks being permanently scarred.

They added: We fully support the objective of maintaining public health and supporting travel only where safe to do so.

However, the lack of a more targeted approach to quarantine and travel advice will simply further damage the travel and hospitality sector by creating uncertainty.

Latest figures from Spain yesterday showed 1,153 new virus infections in the past 24 hours, down 700 from the previous day.

Ministers are understood to be considering if airport esting could be used to ease quarantine restrictions, but sources last night insisted there were no imminent changes planned.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden yesterday stressed there was no viable alternative to the 14-day quarantine. He said: It (coronavirus) can incubate over a period of time, so theres not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border.

Q&A: How we could test our way out of travel trouble

How could testing passengers as they arrive in the UK help?

Giving travellers the all clear from coronavirus as soon as possible would curtail their period of quarantine.

This would allow them to go back to working and spending  both crucial for the survival of Britains economy.

Research suggests testing passengers on arrival would catch around 50 per cent of those who are infected. However, some period of quarantine would still be necessary for those testing negative.

This is because many infected people would slip through the first test because it takes on average five to six days to begin displaying symptoms after exposure to the virus.

Wish you weren't here Mr Shapps? Transport Secretary Grant Shapps returns to his home in Hertfordshire today

After seven days of quarantine, a second test would pick up 94 per cent of carriers, according to new scientific modelling by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTR). Those free of the virus could then be exempt from the rest of the quarantine period.

What are scientists views on the idea?

Scientists say testing people arriving in the UK from overseas can provide an essential tool to curb the pandemic.

Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, said: This is a welcome illustration of the principle that testing can be used to reduced the need for quarantine. It is possible that a double testing strategy could be almost as effective as 14 days quarantine.

Dr Andrew Freedman, reader in infectious diseases at Cardiff University, said: This modelling study from the LSHTR provides a strong argument in favour of shortening the quarantine period from the current 14 days to eight days, by performing a test on day seven after arrival.

This would have a very significant benefit to the individual traveller as well as the travel industry as a whole.

Professor Jose Vazquez-Boland, chairman of infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh, said it would help prevent the importation of new infections.

These tests are important to halt international transmission and to protect a country from new Covid-19 flare-ups, he said. As such they are an essential tool to curb the pandemic.

Where could the tests take place?

Airports may be able to provide testing centres on site, allowing travellers to book ahead and take their first test immediately. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye has said he could have testing sites ready within weeks. Transport logistics companies Swissport and Collinson said they have already devised a proposal for testing on arrival.

A spokesman said it is safe, prioritises public health, and also enables industries in crisis  including aviation, hospitality, tourism, and all those sectors that rely on international trade  to get back on their feet. It would allow travellers to book a test  known as a polymerase chain reaction or PCR test  which would then be processed within 24 hours  and in most cases within seven hours.

Following receipt of a negative PCR test, travellers would be released from quarantine, the spokesman said.

Airports may be able to provide testing centres on site, allowing travellers to book ahead and take their first test immediately. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye has said he could have testing sites ready within weeks

How much would they cost?

Heathrow boss Mr Holland-Kaye has said a UK airport test would cost about 150 each, with passengers expected to pay. It is feasible that the second test could take place at current Government swab centres, which are currently running with unused capacity  although this would change in the event of a second spike.

Currently, NHS tests are free for anyone showing symptoms. It is not clear whether this  if the Government were to adopt a test on arrival scheme  would remain the case for people who have returned from overseas and who require a second test to free themselves from quarantine.

What are the other drawbacks of testing on arrival?

Coronavirus testing is still not foolproof. It can give false positives, for example.

In those circumstances, on arrival testing could force a passenger into a 14-day quarantine unnecessarily.

False negatives  which fail to detect the virus even though it is present  would also be a risk.

Could we quarantine only those who have visited regions where there is an outbreak?

UK officials say this would be an administrative nightmare.

They would have to keep constant track of the situation in hundreds or thousands of places, and then communicate that information clearly to travellers.

A country-wide quarantine plan is far simpler and, they say, safer.
Vineet Upadhyay By

Express News Service

DEHRADUN: More than 50 environmental organisations, eminent ideologues and activists from across the Himalayan region issued a joint statement on Monday opposing Environment Impact Assessment Notification 2020 (EIA) by the union ministry of environment, forest, and climate change.

Ravi Chopra, an eminent environmentalist from Dehradun who is among the 52 opposing the amendment said, "The Himalayan region today is in the most vulnerable position with massive climate-induced disasters, increasing deforestation, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, drying of rivers, death of groundwater sources, melting glaciers, hollowing of the mountains, solid and hazardous waste-related pollution. Amending environmental norms will accelerate the ecological crisis in the Himalayas".

The signatories from Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kashmir, Himachal and Ladakh demanded immediate scrapping of the 2020 draft amendments.

A joint statement titled Stop Accelerating Ecosystems Distress in the Himalayas and Withdraw Draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2020 was issued saying that amending environmental norms will accelerate an ecological crisis in the Himalayas.

The statement has come in the wake of an attempt by the MoEF&CC to dilute the environmental regulations to facilitate ease of doing business.

The group pointing out that this ecological region is known to be fragile, where even small changes in the landscapes lead to rapid and wide-ranging impacts on the lives of millions of people said that this ecological crisis has worsened due to poor implementation of regulatory and governance mechanisms.

Further adding that lack of adequate and thorough scientific planning and impact assessment studies, non-compliance of environmental norms and social accountability laws, diminishing space for democratic public participation in decision-making processes have further worsened the situation in the past few years, the conservationists said that the latest move of the Central government proposes more exemptions in environmental rules to be followed by companies and project developers under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification.

Acknowledging that the EIA is a legal process, under the 1986 Environment Protection Act, for evaluating the likely environmental and socio-economic impacts of a proposed project or development, they said that decision making under this process has a series of mechanisms, including participation of affected populations through the public consultation, and review by technical and scientific experts, to ascertain that the costs of projects do not outweigh the benefits.

However, this notification has been amended and read down several times, in the last two decades, in favour of easing the norms for business, said the group in the joint statement asserting that the latest draft continues to move in the direction of rendering the EIA process a mere formality whereas what is required for the protection of the Himalayan ecology are stricter and more robust environmental laws.

"The fact that the government of India, under the Climate Change Action plan had set up a separate national mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystems, almost 10 years ago is indicative of the criticality of protecting the biodiversity, geology and socio-cultural fabric of this region," said the statement.

The group said that from the Western to the Eastern Himalayas, there are about 12 states which fall in the Indian Himalayas sustaining a population of close to 80 million, dependent almost entirely on land and forest based livelihoods.

"Over the last three decades, governments, both state and national, have pushed policies and projects which have contributed to severe ecological distress," said the environmentalists in the statement.

According to the group, three most threatening developmental activities that have met with strong resistance from local communities and environmentalists include hydropower development, mindless construction of highways and infrastructure for commercial tourism and growing industrialisation.

Adding that hydropower development is being undertaken in the entire Himalayan region of India, to develop a potential of 150000 MW power, they stated nearly 90 per cent of Indian Himalayan valleys would be affected by dam building and 27 per cent of these dams would affect dense forests.

"If all proposed 292 dams are constructed, on the basis of the current global number of dams, the region will have the highest density of dams in the world," said the statement.

Pointing out that commercial tourism in regions like Ladakh, Kashmir, Himachal and religious tourism in Uttarakhand have meant that there is an increasing push for infrastructure and mindless construction of roads, hotels and resorts, the experts further said that the Char Dham road project is a classic illustration of what such tourism can unleash.

The experts stating that polluted rivers are becoming a menace in the industrial hubs in the lower hills and terai Himalayan states said, "The climatic crisis is already a threat for the region with erratic rainfalls, changing weather patterns, and climate-induced disasters disrupting lives and livelihoods of the inhabitants."

They said that every year the Himalayan states see crores of rupees worth of damages due to landslides, flash floods, abrupt rains, forest fires and the impacts of the disasters are further exacerbated by the nature and scale of construction that is on-going.
The best photos capturing the life and landscape in Ho Chi Minh City's outlying Can Gio District were unveiled at the awards ceremony for a local photo competition on Sunday morning.

The prize-giving ceremony for the photo competition was held at the headquarters of the Can Gio Mangrove Protection Forest Management Board.

The photo contest, entitled The value of Can Gios mangrove forest, is part of a publicity campaign to mark this years International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.

The competition was launched by the Southern Institute of Ecology in collaboration with the Center for Communications and Environmental Education under the Can Gio Mangrove Protection Forest Management Board.

The contest organizers gave awards to the 13 best photos selected from a total of 465 submissions by more than 50 photographers who participated in three categories: single photo, album, and photojournalism.

The first prize went to photographer Tran Cao Bao Long for his photo capturing a girl harvesting the fruit of nipa palm trees, which are grown in abundance in Can Gio District.

Two second prizes were given to the photos The Floating Oyster Farming Rafts" by Bui Van Nghiep and The River Confluence by Nguyen Van Sang. Ten third prizes were also awarded.

Can Gio is a coastal suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City, located around 50 kilometers from the city's downtown.

'The River Confluence' by Nguyen Van Sang, which won second prize at a photo contest in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City

Oyster farming rafts in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City are seen in a photo by Bui Van Nghiep, which won second prize at a local photo contest.

Two laborers carry salt at a salt field in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City in this photo by Nguyen Manh Cuong, which won third prize at a local photo contest.

A bat hangs upside down in this photo by Pham Thanh Son, which won third prize at a local photo contest.

An otter roams the Can Gio Mangrove Forest in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City in this photo by Nguyen Thanh Tung, which won third prize at a local photo contest.

Photographer Tran Cao Bao Long poses for a photo next to his first-prize winning photo, which he said he had taken by chance during a trip to Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Anh Trinh / Tuoi Tre

Participants view photos of the Can Gio Mangrove Forest in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City at the prize-giving ceremony of a local photo contest, July 26, 2020. Photo: Thanh Chieu / Tuoi Tre

Participants view photos of the Can Gio Mangrove Forest in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City at the prize-giving ceremony of a photo contest, July 26, 2020. Photo: Anh Trinh / Tuoi Tre

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The political and public health conversations around reopening schools are complicated, but one San Antonio school has a simple message for students.

"Spread the Gospel, Not Germs!" said Blessed Sacrament Catholic School on Facebook.

The North Side school, which serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, asked members of its community to watch their distance, wear masks, use personal supplies and stay home if they are sick.

READ ALSO: How different a $400K house looks from one Texas city to the next

According to a letter to parents, Blessed Sacrament will reopen on Aug. 17. The school will let students and parents decide between in-person classes, distance learning, and self-paced learning.

The first option involves traditional classes using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Those who choose distance learning will be required to log-in daily for some classes, while other assignments can be completed independently offline.

The self-paced model allows students (in second through eighth grade) to complete all assignments independently using an online learning management system. A campus facilitator will assign due dates.

On ExpressNews.com: Cornerstone Church sues San Antonio, county, Metro Health seeking to open its school in August

All students, regardless of the option they choose, can participate in extracurricular activities.

The school's principal, Michael Fierro, noted that students enrolled in distance or self-paced learning may transition to in-school classes "whenever their family feels comfortable."

Blessed Sacrament acknowledged that plans may have to change if ordered to do so by Gov. Greg Abbott, local health authorities or the Archbishop.

San Antonio health officials recently issued closure orders that aimed to keep campuses closed through at least Labor Day. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said religious private schools were exempt from following such orders.
Punjab National Bank offers customers 4.5 percent interest on deposits less than Rs 2 crore. Senior citizens earn 5.25 percent. Those depositing between Rs 2 crore to Rs 10 crore earn an interest of 3.25 percent.

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Punjab National Bank International Limited (PNBIL) has logged a big win in a UK High Court in its pursuit of around USD 22 million in unpaid loans, setting a precedent for other enforcement cases brought by Indian banks against promoters or guarantors in English courts.

The case by the UK subsidiary of PNB is seen as a landmark decision for similar cases involving wilful defaulters who are residing in or have assets in the UK, or where the finance agreements are subject to English law and jurisdiction.

However, legal experts stressed that there is no direct link between the outcome of this case and that being pursued by a consortium of 13 Indian banks, led by the State Bank of Indian (SBI), against liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya in the High Court over unpaid loans to the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The PNBIL action seeking enforcement through the UK High Court dates back to 2012 and 2013, when it lent money in relation to the purchase and charter of the cruise liner MV Delphin.

The purchaser was Vishal Cruises Ltd, which was said to be supported by guarantees and/or indemnities by businessman Pradeep Agrawal, chairman of Superior Drinks Pvt Ltd and manufacturer Coca-Cola of beverages in India, and Superior Industries Limited (SIL), also said to be associated with Agrawal.

At a two-day hearing in the commercial division of the High Court in London last month, held remotely due to the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, Justice Sara Cockerill concluded that the case did have jurisdiction in the UK and ordered an interim payment towards the bank's costs of GBP 70,000.

This is a significant victory for PNBIL as it means it can now pursue its enforcement action against the defendants in the English courts, said Paul Gair, partner at TLT LLP, the law firm which is incidentally also advising the 13 Indian banks over their estimated GBP 1.05-billion debt recovery action in the UK against Mallya.

It is also a landmark decision for similar cases, as the defendants' arguments are commonly raised by Indian-based guarantors. It follows a series of similar cases where Indian banks have successfully pursued wilful defaulters in the English courts who are either residing in or have assets in the UK, or where the finance agreements are subject to English law and jurisdiction," said Gair.

"This shows that this can be a successful enforcement route when pursued properly and under the right circumstances, he added.

After the borrowers defaulted on their loans, PNB had issued proceedings and served them in India.

The defendants, whilst accepting they had entered into the various guarantees, sought to argue that the test for permission to serve out of the UK had not been met, citing various grounds, all of which were considered by the judge.

Justice Cockerill's judgment is seen as providing useful precedent, particularly her dismissal of the argument that the guarantees were invalid because of a lack of regulatory approval by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

On the point of whether a certificate of good service from a foreign (in this case Indian) judicial authority can be valid service of English judicial proceedings, Justice Cockerill also found that there is a strong presumption of service and that a claimant need not look beyond the certificate.

Agrawal and SIL have filed applications in the UK's Court of Appeal earlier this month, seeking permission to appeal Justice Cockerill's ruling.
To the editor:

I am in complete support of Laura Lee for Midland County Sheriff. As a former county commissioner, I learned the sheriff is an administrator who controls a multimillion dollar budget. The county commission controls the amount, but the sheriff is in charge of how it is spent. Laura Lee has the experience and training to handle the budget. Laura Lee received her BBA from Northwood University from Delta a AAA Criminal Justice. Laura worked in the private sector in project management, contract administration, vendor procurement, and HR services. Laura has hired personal and had to discipline people she has been responsible for.

Laura stated her career at the sheriffs office as a trained, certified and deputized corrections officer where she was a boots on the ground corrections officer in the jail. Taking on more responsibility, Laura assisted in jail administration and operations.

Laura then transferred to the sheriffs office administration at the Law Center where Laura has been assisting the sheriff with the annual budget, updating policies, monthly accounts payable, community relations, building relationship with other agencies and much more.

Lauras background in the in the private sector combined with her background in law enforcement gives Laura the expertise to be our sheriff.

Laura is driven to be the best that she can be. Midland County deputies will work will with Laura because they respect her, her knowledge and commitment to the community.

Laura has the support of many law enforcement personal both local officers and other county sheriffs and State Police personal and people she worked with in midland.

Therefore, I believe Laura lee Is the best person to be our next sheriff. Please vote for Laura Lee for sheriff on Aug. 4.

ALAN KLOHA

Sanford
Burma Myanmar to Lift Ban on Foreign Travel for Citizens With Urgent Business

Foreigners are seen at Yangon International Airport in March before international flights were halted due to COVID-19.

YANGONThe Myanmar government is planning to allow citizens with urgent business abroad to fly out of the country for the first time since a ban on all international commercial passenger flights was put in place on March 30 as a measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Under restrictions that have been in place since the end of March and are valid through the end of August, only cargo, relief and special flights have been permitted.

In a statement issued on Monday, however, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it will allow citizens to board international flights after confirming they have urgent matters to attend to overseas.

MOFA officials couldnt be reached for comment on Wednesday, however.

The ministry said it will allow the departure of those seeking emergency medical treatment or surgical appointments abroad, citizens and seamen who need to get back to workplaces on time, scholars and students working or studying abroad either as part of government or private programs, and others with urgent business to attend to.

Those citizens will be allowed to board cargo or relief flights, or special flights arranged to bring home nationals stranded overseas.

Citizens wishing to travel abroad are asked to arrange the necessary travel documents in advance. They must apply for any required entry visas at the relevant embassies in Yangon by themselves, MOFA said.

Those who want to go abroad must submit the necessary documents to the airline or to the organizers of relief or special flights in advance. MOFA will let them know whether they have permission to travel via the airlines.

MOFA said citizens approved to fly will need to make their own arrangements with the respective airlines to purchase tickets.

One exception to the above rules involves cases in which people are traveling to Thailand for medical treatment. In those cases, the ministry will negotiate with the Thai Embassy on behalf of those citizens and their caregivers who plan to travel to Thailand. Those citizens need to submit the necessary documents to MOFA at the same time as they register with the airlines, according to the ministry.

Citizens cleared to travel can apply to take a COVID-19 test at the National Health Laboratory (Yangon) or the Public Health Laboratory (Mandalay).

MOFA is warning all those approved to travel to carefully read the COVID-19 measures and immigration requirements of the respective countries they are traveling to, as many countries have imposed COVID-19 restrictions on those seeking entry.

As of Wednesday morning, Myanmar had reported 351 COVID-19 cases including six deaths and 293 recoveries, according to the Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, since April 30, Myanmar has arranged around 60 relief flights and brought 9,105 stranded nationals home from more than 10 countries including India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, Singapore, the UK, the US and the UAE, according to MOFA.

On July 14, International Cooperation Minister U Kyaw Tin said during a videoconference with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that officials would arrange 13 relief flights in August to bring home an estimated 1,800 nationals stranded in overseas countries.

All returnees from overseas countries are placed in facility quarantine or hotel quarantine for 21 days and then required to isolate at home for an additional seven days in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Extends Bans on Gatherings, Intl Flights as Imported COVID-19 Cases Rise

Malaysia Deports Nearly 400 Undocumented Myanmar Workers
The Genomics lab run by SGS Canada is the first lab in Canada approved by the worldwide Non-GMO Project which places a butterfly logo on food products and is especially important for snack food manufacturers. SGS Genomics Lab tests a wide variety of crops, food and feed product including canola, soya, corn, flax, wheat and alfalfa.

SGS has been a global leader in testing and certification services to the agricultural community for more than 130 years and has operated the Genomics lab in Saskatoon since 2017.

In March, plans for the grand opening of the expanded facility had to be postponed because of the pandemic. The new state of the art facility is close to 4000 square feet with designated rooms for sample preparation, grinding, DNA extraction, and genetic testing using PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology. Every room is equipped with positive/negative air-pressure to avoid contamination which is crucial for a commercial GMO testing lab.

Today, SGS released a video (https://youtu.be/g4Ht80Cen-8) that was recorded virtually to mark the launch of the facility and the start of the new crop year on August 1. Before the lab opened three years ago, companies often sent their samples across the border to be tested, and it was challenging at the best of the times. That became even more complicated during COVID-19.

One of the largest grain handling companies in Canada, Richardson International Limited has been working with SGS for several years.

"Recognized as a service provider of choice worldwide, The SGS team that serves our business is focused on supplying a superior and reliable level of service, which in turn contributes to our strengths as a global supplier of grains, oilseeds and food products," says Nadia Singh, Director of Quality Assurance and Food Safety (Grain) at Richardson International.

The SGS Genomics lab works with companies across Canada and locally, including Virtex Farm Foods, a non-GMO canola crush facility in Saskatoon, which joined in today's video launch.

"We didn't know much about the lab until recently and were amazed when we brought our samples in at noon and they were tested and ready to go by 4 pm," says Stanley Chukwukelu, who is manager of quality control for Virtex Farm Foods. He adds, "In these COVID-19 days of just in time shipping, this has been very important to us."

"We started this lab because of the need for accurate and efficient GMO testing for Canadian crops and food products." says Dr. Tajinder Grewal, who is Chief Scientist and Head of the Genomics Lab for SGS Canada.

Grewal who was previously worked at the Saskatchewan Research Council and at the University of Saskatchewan grew up in a farming family and is passionate about agriculture. He has been a member of the GMO Committee of International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) since 2010.

About SGS

SGS is the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

SOURCE SGS Canada Inc.

For further information: To arrange an interview, please see contacts below: MEDIA CONTACTS: Fulvio Martinez \, Head of Regional Communications, SGS North America, C: 281-714-6765, E: [email protected]; Teddy Katz, C: 416-523-3188, E: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.sgs.ca/


NASA's Terra Satellite finds no strong storms left in Tropical Storm Douglas

Strong wind shear has been the undoing of Tropical Storm Douglas. NASA's Terra satellite provided infrared data revealed the tropical cyclone was devoid of strong storms, indicating wind shear has weakened it.

One Warning Remains for Douglas

On July 29, a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Maro Reef to Lisianski.

NASA's Terra Satellite Reveals Effects of Wind Shear

NASA's Terra satellite uses infrared light to analyze the strength of storms by providing temperature information about the system's clouds. The strongest thunderstorms that reach high into the atmosphere have the coldest cloud top temperatures. However, cloud tops in Douglas showed no very cold cloud tops on July 29 at 5:45 a.m. EDT (0945 UTC) when they were imaged by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Terra satellite.

Wind shear had sapped the strength of the storm and prevented strong thunderstorms from forming. Tropical cyclones are made up of hundreds of thunderstorms, and when there are no strong storms present in satellite imagery, it is a sure sign of weakening.

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on July 29/11 p.m. HST on July 28, NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) in Honolulu, Hawaii noted, "Due to persistent southerly vertical wind shear, Douglas has been devoid of deep convection for nearly 24 hours, and it appears that it will soon be a post-tropical remnant low."

About Wind Shear

The shape of a tropical cyclone provides forecasters with an idea of its organization and strength. Wind shear occurs when outside winds batter a storm and change the storm's shape pusing much of the associated clouds and rain to one side of it.

In general, wind shear is a measure of how the speed and direction of winds change with altitude. Tropical cyclones are like rotating cylinders of winds. Each level needs to be stacked on top each other vertically in order for the storm to maintain strength or intensify. Wind shear occurs when winds at different levels of the atmosphere push against the rotating cylinder of winds, weakening the rotation by pushing it apart at different levels. Southwesterly wind shear was pushing the bulk of Douglas' clouds to the north-northeast of the center.

Status of Tropical Storm Douglas on July 29, 2020

At 8 a.m. EDT (2 a.m. HST/1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Douglas was located near latitude 24.7 degrees north and longitude 174.3 degrees west. Douglas is about 320 miles (515 km) southeast of Midway Island. Douglas was moving toward the west near 23 mph (37 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue until Douglas crosses the International Date Line in about 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1010 millibars.

Forecast for Douglas

NOAA's CPHC said, "Large seas and swells generated by Douglas will impact portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument west of Maro Reef through Wednesday. These swells may produce large breaking waves that could inundate some of the lower-lying atolls. Rainfall associated with Douglas will impact portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument west of Maro Reef through Wednesday."

Weakening is forecast during the next two days, and Douglas is expected to dissipate shortly after crossing the Date Line.

NASA Researches Tropical Cyclones

Hurricanes/tropical cyclones are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA's expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

For more than five decades, NASA has used the vantage point of space to understand and explore our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA brings together technology, science, and unique global Earth observations to provide societal benefits and strengthen our nation. Advancing knowledge of our home planet contributes directly to America's leadership in space and scientific exploration.

For updated forecasts. visit: http://www. nhc. noaa. gov

By Rob Gutro NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

###

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:07:41|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian police seized 200 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine hailing from Myanmar and arrested four suspects, a police officer said.

The contraband was smuggled through a route from Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Indonesian National Police Inspector General Wahyu Hadiningrat told a press conference in West Java on Wednesday.

To avoid the police's suspicion, the illegal goods were put in 240 sacks containing corn, Hadiningrat said, adding that in Indonesia, the drugs were brought from Batam in Riau Islands province to Bangka Belitung province before arriving at the Tanjung Priok seaport in Jakarta.

Earlier on July 21, the police found crystal methamphetamine in 73 sacks of corn in Bangka Belitung, before the constable found 287 sacks in East Jakarta and 60 sacks in North Jakarta, which were suspected of containing illicit goods, Hadiningrat disclosed.

On July 23, the police arrested a person identified as SC who did checking at a warehouse in Cikarang town, West Java, he said, adding that SC was ordered to do so by a person identified as K who is still at large.

Besides SC, there are other suspects identified as R, A and Y. If found guilty, the suspects shall get a life sentence or death penalty. Enditem
The Irish Georgian Society has said it was never consulted about the removal of four statues from Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel.

The bronze sculptures of two princesses and their slave girls, which have stood outside for more than 150 years, were taken down because of their association with slavery.

The hotel said the statues have been removed "in light of recent world events" and the statues' association with slavery.

The society said that any such works require planning permission, which it believes was not sought.

It has contacted Dublin City Council urging them to address the matter.

Further to reports and in the interests of clarity, the IGS was not consulted about the removal of statues from The Shelbourne Hotel. Such works require planning permission which we believe was not sought. The IGS has contacted DCC Planning urging them to address the matter. pic.twitter.com/2cftDLbffr  Irish Georgian Society (@IrishGeorgian) July 28, 2020

Frank McDonald, former environment editor with The Irish Times, has told Newstalk Breakfast: "I've been around a long time and I've seen a lot of shocking things happening in Dublin - including the blowing up of Nelson's Pillar - but this is really bizarre.

"The four bronze statues were cast in Paris and they've been standing in front of the hotel holding up their torches for more than 150 years.

"They're part of the heritage and cultural memory of Dublin, and so what it is, they depict two Nubian princesses and two slave girls from ancient Egypt because that was 4,000 years ago.

Read More St Vincent's hoping to develop new medical campus in exchange for 13 acres of land

"So they had nothing to do with modern slavery and the demand for the removal of statues associated with the 18th-century slave trade, such as the one that was dumped in Bristol Harbour last month".

"The hotel admits itself that there had been no complaints about them, it was just a decision made by the Shelbourne itself and its owners - Kennedy Wilson - and the operators of the hotel, Marriott International.

Both of them are US companies and it seems to me that what they've done in this case was to foist American cancel culture on Dublin's oldest grand hotel, in what I can only describe as a high-handed exercise in so-called political correctness.

"And this was done without any public debate and, more importantly, with no planning permission".

"There's nothing on file to show that they applied for planning permission for this - if they had, there would have been a public debate of course".

"The basic point is that the Shelbourne is a protected structure and any material changes to the building must have planning permission, and that includes its curtilage".

"It's illegal to make changes to a protected structure without planning permission.

"I've lodged a complaint with the Planning Enforcement Division of Dublin City Council, asking for an immediate investigation and urging them to serve a warning notice on the hotel as soon as possible."

"This is just nonsensical, it's something that shouldn't have happened, it's something that derives from the Black Lives Movement - which I totally support - in the United States.

"But that doesn't mean that you suddenly turn around and say 'what about these statues, they're Nubian princesses and slave girls and we have to get rid of them because of this' - this is just nonsensical".
The longer you look at Kelly OConnors Multifaceted Woman, the more bits and bobs of pop culture you see.

Oompa-Loompas, the rhyming work force of Willy Wonkas chocolate factory, clamber about. The creepy twins from The Shining stand hand-in-hand in their frilly blue party dresses, their heads replaced by a pink box of feminine napkins and Crushed Carnation soap, their feet shod in strappy red shoes much racier than the black flats they sport in the film.

Carol Ann, the little girl from the movie Poltergeist, is in the mix, too, seen from behind, sitting cross-legged with her tiny hands stretching toward a black void. Alice in Wonderland images abound.

All of these characters are arranged in and around images from the Its a Small World rides at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, a reflection of one of OConnors longstanding fascinations.

Its a continuation of this thing Ive always been interested in, which is exploring behind the facade of Disney, she said. Disney is such an important influence on people not only in the U.S. but throughout the world. Its this mega-industry. And I think its something that a lot of us as children accept without question. Theres a lot of homogenization of the cultures in there.

The McNay Art Museum commissioned the piece from OConnor for its AT&T Lobby, where it will be displayed through Jan. 17. She is just the second San Antonio-based artist that the museum has commissioned for the lobby wall, said Rene Paul Barilleaux, head of curatorial affairs.

On ExpressNews.com: SA artist Buster Graybill test drives a piece of his work

Barilleaux said he is taken with the inventiveness and playful spirit of the piece.

I like it because it has kind of a pop sensibility, and there are surrealist moments, he said. Someone walked in here the other day, a more elderly person, looked at it and said, Its a Small World! Got it right away. I dont have that reference  Ive never been to Disney World  but it appeals to me on all these other levels.

And its the kind of piece where your eye cant stop moving  theres no place to rest.

OConnor hatched the idea for the work while on a 17-hour flight from San Francisco to Singapore in January. She decided she wanted to explore Its a Small World, which Disney created for the 1964 New York Worlds Fair. She also wanted to dig into the life and aesthetic of Mary Blair, the Disney artist credited for the rides color palette and the collage-like design.

The whole impetus for that ride was to, (Walt Disney) said, create peace through understanding of multiple cultures, OConnor said. And so that was his goal  to introduce the U.S. to cultures from all around the world. So he enlisted Mary Blair to design the facade. She had been working with him for quite some time. She had worked on Alice in Wonderland and several films, and he just adored her. She was a real powerhouse at Disney.

Some elements in OConnors collage are a nod to Blairs time working on Madison Avenue.

She was the darling of the New York ad industry, in around the Mad Men sort of days, OConnor said. I started to research her life more, and there were all these kind of stark contrasts  she worked at the happiest place on Earth, but she had this darker life. Behind her facade, I started to see this interesting contrast. Her father was an alcoholic, she didnt have a very supportive husband, and she ended up dying of an alcohol-induced brain hemorrhage.

So as I started to work with this facade and to construct it, I was almost starting to get into her psyche.

On ExpressNews.com: SA artists design wildlife blinds for Phil Hardberger Park land bridge

The piece includes images taken from vintage ads for beauty and cleaning products, including Joy and Thrill dish soaps, as well as clothing featured in contemporary fashion magazines. OConnor has anthropomorphized some of them, adding legs or eyes to the bottles.

Everything is supposed to have this empty feel, she said. Theres nothing really nurturing or organic. Its all very devoid of life. And I think of it almost as this post-apocalyptic society of these different female roles living within this environment, almost like a catacomb-type situation.

The piece exists in two forms. The wallpaper-type version at the McNay is a high-resolution reproduction, photographed by Ansen Seale, of a smaller collage.

The collage is one work of art. This is a work of art, Barilleaux said. Its not like this is a photograph of a work of art  this is a work of art. It is conceived this way. Thats been a little tough for people who think more traditionally. Its two works of art that co-exist.

At least, they will co-exist for a while. The collage will be exhibited at David Shelton Gallery in September as part of a solo show of OConnors work. And the installation at the McNay will exist until it is stripped from the wall in January.

It will be destroyed in the process of removing it, Barilleaux said. We commission a work for this spot, for a certain length of time, knowing that the removal of it will destroy it. And everybody signs off on that.

This work of art is like theater - it has a duration. The collage exists forever, whatever that means, but this exists only until January.

Deborah Martin is an arts writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Deborah, become a subscriber. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Hanoi pizza restaurant shut as worker suspected to have Covid-19

Police isolate a pizza restaurant on Tran Thai Tong Street in Hanoi over a suspected Covid-19 case, July 29, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Tat Dinh.

A pizza restaurant in Hanoi was locked down on Wednesday morning following suspicion that one of its workers has contracted Covid-19.

A quick response team from the Cau Giay District Medical Center disinfected the restaurant at 106 Tran Thai Tong Street at around 9:30 a.m., Bui Anh Tuan, the district chairman, said.

Authorities have also drawn up a list of people who have had close contact with the suspected Covid-19 case, a 23-year-old man.

Details are still awaited, but around 10 employees have been told to wear masks and remain inside.

Police have also barricaded alley 230 of Me Tri Thuong Street in Nam Tu Liem District, where the man lives, while restricting movement in the area. The Nam Tu Liem District Medical Center has disinfected the surrounding area as well.

Police have put up a barriers at alley 230 of Me Tri Thuong Street in Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi, where a man suspected to have Covid-19 lives, July 20, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Tat Dinh.

As of Wednesday morning, Hanoi has gone 107 days straight without any Covid-19 community transmission.

But the capital is at high risk of infection due to a large influx of people returning from Da Nang, now Vietnams biggest Covid-19 hotspot, at around 15,000-20,000, said Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung Monday.

Chung has requested people returning from Da Nang since July 8 and had been to several locations associated with recent community transmission cases, including several hospitals and a conference and wedding venue, to self-isolate and inform themselves to authorities.

Vietnam has had 446 Covid-19 cases so far, 77 of them active.

A 99-day streak without local transmission ended last Saturday when a 57-year-old man in Da Nang was infected.

Since then 29 more cases have been reported in Da Nang and Quang Nam and Quang Ngai Provinces.
Muslims around the world are gearing up for the last of their two major celebrations, Eid ul-Adha. Bakra Eid, Bakrid and Eid al-Adha are all names for the Feast of the Sacrifice, and the celebrations is also known as Eid al-Azha, Eid Qurban or Qurban Bayarami. After Eid ul-Fitr (or Ramadan Eid), which takes place at the end of the holy month of Ramadan - where Muslims spend the whole month praying and fasting, Eid al-Adha is the second major Islamic festival celebrated by Muslims around the world. It is the second of the two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide.

Eid al-Adha is observed in Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. On the tenth day of this month, Muslims around the world offer prayers, attend sermons, feast on delicious food, give charity to the poor and share their resources, food and celebrations with their relatives, neighbours and friends.

ALSO READ: Eid al-Adha 2020: History and significance of Bakrid, and date of celebration in India

Since India celebrates a day after Saudi Arabia, except certain states, this year Eid al-Adha will be celebrated on August 1, a day after Saudi. However, Kerala, like Saudi, will celebrate on July 31. Given all the restrictions and safety measures on account of the coronavirus pandemic, Bakrid will only be celebrated with ones direct family that one lives with, however, you can always wish your near and dear ones from a distance and not breach any safety measures. Here are some wishes, images and greetings for you to share with your loved ones this Eid.

No shadows to depress you, Only joys to surround you, God himself to bless you, these are my wishes for you, Today, tomorrow, and every day. Eid al-Adha Mubarak!

Hope, love and laugher, warmth, wishes, joy and a bouquet of Eid wishes, become a part of your Eid and Your Life. Bakra Eid Mubarak!

On this occasion, may Allah flood your life with happiness, your heart with love, your soul with spirituality and your mind with wisdom. Wishing u a very Happy Bakra Eid Mubarak

Lets learn the basic essence of sacrifice and celebrate this Eid by sacrificing our egos! This Eid, may Allah bless you with good health and happiness. Eid al-Adha Mubarak.

I wish that Allah showers his divine blessing and fulfils all your dreams on Eid al-Adha as always. Eid Mubarak!

May Allah shower countless blessings upon you and your family. Keep us in your prayers, like you are in ours. Eid Mubarak!

Today I pray that happiness stays at your door, may it knock early and stay late. And leave the gift of Allahs love, peace, joy and good health behind. Happy Bakra Eid!

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Law Offices of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP If you would like to know more about the Wholesome Harvest Baking, LLC lawsuit, please contact Attorney Nicholas J. De Blouw today by calling (800) 568-8020.

The San Francisco employment law lawyers at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that Wholesome Harvest Baking, LLC failed to provide their California employees with meal and rest periods as required by California law. The Wholesome Harvest Baking, LLC, class action lawsuit, Case No. C20-00989, is currently pending in the Contra Costa Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here.

The lawsuit filed in the Contra Costa Superior Court against Wholesome Harvest Baking, LLC alleges the company (a) failed to provide PLAINTIFF accurate itemized wage statements, (b) failed to properly record and provide legally required meal and rest periods, (c) failed to pay overtime wages, (d) failed to pay minimum wages, (e) failed to reimburse employees for required expenses, and (f) failed to pay wages when due, all in violation of the applicable Labor Code sections listed in Labor Code Sections  201, 202, 203, 226, 226.7, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802, and the applicable Wage Order(s), and thereby gives rise to civil penalties as a result of such alleged conduct.

Additionally, the complaint further alleges Wholesome Harvest Baking, LLC committed acts of unfair competition in violation of the California Unfair Competition Law, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code  17200, et seq. (the UCL), by engaging in a company-wide policy and procedure which failed to accurately calculate and record all missed meal and rest periods by PLAINTIFFS and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members. As a result of DEFENDANTs intentional disregard of the obligation to meet this burden, DEFENDANT allegedly failed to properly calculate and/or pay all required compensation for work performed by the members of the CALIFORNIA CLASS and violated the California Labor Code.

If you would like to know more about the Wholesome Harvest Baking, LLC lawsuit, please contact Attorney Nicholas J. De Blouw today by calling (800) 568-8020.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today.
Mount Greylock Super Recommends Delayed Start, Hybrid Instruction

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The interim superintendent of the Mount Greylock Regional Schools will recommend Wednesday that the school be delayed until Sept. 16 and the year begin in a hybrid learning model that sees half the students in school at any one time.

Robert Putnam on Tuesday delivered two virtual "fireside chats" for members of the school community to discuss the current state of planning for the resumption of classes after in-person instruction ended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citing a Monday memo from the commissioner of education, Putnam said that the commonwealth is reducing the school year by 10 days for 2020-21.

"The full memorandum of understanding with the [Department of Elementary and Secondary Education], the Massachusetts Teachers' Association, AFT-Massachusetts and the Boston Teachers Union . States that DESE and the unions have a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of students, families and staff," Commissioner Jeffrey Rileys Monday letter reads in part. "[T]hey are collaborating to support a successful start to the school year, and they recognize the need to provide additional time for educators and staff to prepare for the start of instruction."

The commonwealth is requiring schools to begin providing instruction to students no later than Sept. 16, and that is the date Putnam said he intends to recommend to the School Committee, which sets the school calendar. The original first day of school was to be Sept. 1.

As for the instructional model, Putnam explained that the commonwealth still is requiring all schools to come up with a plan for three different approaches to the start of school: fully in person, fully remote and a hybrid.

His preference is to start the year with a hybrid model.

"While the Mount Greylock Regional School District schools can accommodate all the students for in-person learning, the district administration believes the district must start the school year with a hybrid model to give students, staff and families the time and training to consistently execute behavioral protocols necessary for safe, in-person learning in these times of pandemic," Putnam said during an hour-long noon webinar that he planned to repeat at 7:30 Tuesday evening.

"Students [would] alternate between in-person learning, with safety requirements, and remote learning," he said. "High-needs students may still participate in full-time, in-person instruction.

"The hybrid model requires schools to divide a student body into two groups and then alternate bringing those groups into the school."

Putnam gave two examples of hybrid learning models.

In one, half the students would attend schools on Mondays, Tuesdays and alternate Wednesdays. The other half would attend on the other Wednesdays plus Thursday and Friday each week. On days when a student was not at the school building, he or she would receive instruction remotely.

In the other, half the students could come to the building in the morning and receive remote instruction in the afternoon. After noon, the two cohorts would swap places each day.

Putnam said there are pluses and minuses to each hybrid model, and he is waiting for recommendations from the districts reopening groups before making a decision on which model to plan for the districts students.

Whatever plan the school uses, the development of strong remote learning practices will be the key for the coming school year, Putnam said.

"The hybrid model will only be as good as the remote portion of the model," he said.

Plus, he noted, the district could find itself moving from in-person instruction to a fully remote model if the public health conditions demand it. And the guidance from DESE requires that schools make available remote instruction for the children in any family that does not feel comfortable sending kids to school despite the cleaning and social-distancing protocols in place.

On Tuesday, he went over the results of a family survey the district conducted.

With at least 84 percent of the families responding from each of the districts three schools, the survey found that the majority (58 percent at Mount Greylock, 61 percent at Lanesborough Elementary and 63 percent at Williamstown elementary) "probably" send their children to school with safety protocols in place.

About the same number at each school said they "maybe" would do so  36 percent at the middle-high school, 31 percent at LES and 30 percent at WES. Ten percent or fewer at each school said they definitely would not, with the highest number in that category, 10 percent, at Mount Greylock.

After presenting his current plan to the School Committee on Wednesday evening, Putnam will make an initial report to the commonwealth on Friday, he said. The final plan is due to DESE on Aug. 10, and he anticipated a School Committee meeting to look at that plan four days earlier.
The tall man, dressed head to toe in black, including a black gas mask and a black umbrella, can be seen in a video wielding a sledgehammer as he calmly smashed the windows of a Minneapolis auto parts store.

The scene was one of the first widely shared images of wanton destruction to emerge from the protests in Minneapolis after George Floyd was killed by the police there. Yet the figure remained mysterious. He was given the nickname Umbrella Man and became the subject of online conspiracy theories.

The Minneapolis police unsuccessfully tried to identify the man based on a glimpse of facial features seen in the bystander video. But after receiving a tip about his identity, they used other photographs, including a drivers license, to zero in on a suspect who they say has ties to the Hells Angels and a prison biker gang.
He was sent packing from the Bachelor In Paradise villa on Wednesday after failing to receive a rose during the elimination ceremony.

But before leaving the Fijian resort, Jamie Doran professed his love for former co-star Helena Sauzier.

After saying his goodbyes to the contestants, the 40-year-old said: 'I just want to say that I think over the last 10 years, I've built some walls around myself and I let those walls down.'

'I had feelings for her that I've never felt for anyone ever!' Jamie Doran (pictured) professed his love for Helena Sauzier after he was eliminated from Bachelor In Paradise on Wednesday

'I felt I came on Paradise and I opened myself up and had feelings for Helena that I've actually never felt for anyone ever in my life,' he continued.

He added: 'She gave me butterflies every morning when I saw her. I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna find my own version of Helena. And that's what I'm gonna take from this experience.'

Jamie also told producers he's 'happy to go home' as he isn't interested in pursuing a relationship with anyone in the villa.

'I'm quite happy to go home. Gives me an epiphany that I just want to pursue Helena. I don't know if it's replicated, but Helena is the girl for me,' he said.

Niranga Amarasinghe and Chris Gilleland also failed to make connections on Bachelor in Paradise and were sent packing.

Jamie said: 'Helena (pictured) gave me butterflies every morning when I saw her. I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna find my own version of Helena. And that's what I'm gonna take from this experience'

Going home: Niranga Amarasinghe (left) and Chris Gilleland (right) also failed to make connections on Bachelor in Paradise and were sent packing

Jamie's elimination comes after he announced he'll be taking legal action against Channel 10 and Warner Bros. over his negative portrayal on The Bachelorette and Bachelor In Paradise.

On Wednesday, the fireman shared a statement to Instagram, explaining why he had decided to call in his lawyers.

'This is not the news I wanted to post, but I feel I owe this to at least my family, friends, and also fans of The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise,' his post began.

He continued: 'After lengthy consideration, I've decided to begin legal proceedings against Network 10 and Warner Bros. Australia.

'Proceedings': Earlier on Wednesday, Jamie claimed on Instagram that he was taking legal action over his negative portrayal on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise

'I'm not going to comment on this any further for the time being and would appreciate it if people would respect my privacy.'

In response to Jamie's legal threat, a network spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Channel 10 has not received any papers regarding this claim.'

Jamie has been portrayed as a 'stage-five clinger' on Bachelor in Paradise so far this season, and received a similar edit on The Bachelorette last year.

Some viewers have complained on Twitter that producers seem to be going out of their way to make him look mentally unhinged.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Some 757 citizens were fined during the last 24 hours across the country for violating the strict quarantine regime, the main traffic police department under the Ministry of Interior reported on July 29.

All 757 were fined according to Article 211.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences. Of them 680 were drivers who failed to follow the quarantine regime requirements and 77 were citizens not using facial masks in the public transport.

In the meantime, 305 cars, which had sought to leave the territories where the quarantine is imposed, were stopped, and returned back during the reporting period.

Earlier, it was reported that 43,855 citizens were fined in the period of June 21 and July 27 for violating the quarantine regime, 635 drivers were fined during June 14-16 lockdown, while 2,524 drivers were fined during June 6-7 lockdown.

Azerbaijan first introduced quarantine regime on March 24, and on July 17 decision was taken to extend special quarantine regime until August 31.

On July 17, Cabinet of Ministers announced decision to prolong a strict quarantine regime till August 5.

The new lockdown imposed on July 20 to August 5 include Baku, Jalilabad, Ganja, Masalli, Sumgayit, Yevlakh cities and Absheron district, and Goranboy, Goygol, Mingachevir, Barda, Khachmaz, Siyazan and Sheki.

There is a change in the SMS permit system to control the citizens movement. According to the new rules, the duration of the permits have been extended from two to three hours.

The work of beauty salons and barber shops have also been resumed under the new rules.

The work of transportation was also suspended over the weekends  on July 25-27 and August 1-3.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The president of Belarus, who has previously dismissed concerns about coronavirus, says he has tested positive for Covid-19 and is asymptomatic.

Alexander Lukashenko made the announcement at a meeting with security officials, the state news agency Belta reported. He had previously referred to concerns about coronavirus as psychosis.

He said: Today you are meeting with a person who managed to survive the coronavirus on his feet. Doctors made such a conclusion yesterday: asymptomatic.

Belarus took no comprehensive measures against coronavirus such as lockdowns or ordering social distancing.

The country has about 67,000 confirmed cases of infection and 543 reported deaths.
New evidence of kickbacks in Rafale deal appears in French journal Mediapart

Rafale to S-400 air defence systems all set to add more firepower to Indian Air Force

Ready to provide more Rafales to India says French Defence Minister Parly

Rafales land in India: What is a water salute

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

New Delhi, July 29: Water salutes has been given to the five Rafale fighter aircraft after they landed at the Ambala airbase in Haryana today.

Rafale: First batch of 5 Fighter Jets land at Ambala airbase after covering nearly 7,000 Km|OneIndia

Air Force Chief R K S Bhadauria was reportedly present at the airbase at the time of the proud occasion.

Bhadauria who played a crucial role in the acquisition of these aircraft as in-charge of the Indian negotiating team for the Rs 60,000 crore defence deal which is the biggest ever to have been signed by the country.

Welcome home Golden Arrows! Formal induction ceremony of Rafale fighter jets next month

Bhadauria was also the first Chief to receive fighter aircraft from abroad with his initials on the tail number of the plane as the two trainer Rafale aircraft came today have R B written on their tails, sources said.

What is water salute

A water salute is given in the ceremonial occasions when a vehicle travels under plumes of water expelled by one or more fire fighting vehicles.

Ceremonial Water Canon welcome to #Rafale at Ambala Air base pic.twitter.com/WqSoUMku2a  All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 29, 2020

In this welcoming ritual, two fire engines parked on either or both side of the runway use their water cannons to create a giant arc above a plane as it taxies to its gate.

In rarest of the times, one might even see a rainbow. It is a fun tradition and an impressive sight to witness.

Watch: Rafale fighter jets landing at Ambala Airbase in Haryana

Why do we do it?

Water salute for planes is to given to mark the retirement of a senior pilot or air traffic controller, the first or last flight of an airline to an airport, or the first or last flight of a type of aircraft.

India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in over two decades, the Rs 59,000-crore deal was signed on September 23, 2016, for 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.

The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base and is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

The Rafale aircraft will cover a distance of nearly 7,000 kms from France to India. The Indian Air Force pilots and supporting personnel have been provided full training on aircraft and weapon systems by Dassault.
July 28 this year marks 25 years of Vietnams official membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh

July 28, 2020 marks a quarter of a century of Vietnam being an official member of ASEAN, and this anniversary coincides with the countrys taking on the responsibility of the blocs rotary Chair for the second time.

Joining the association in 1995 is one of the most important milestones in the history of Vietnams foreign relations since the August Revolution in 1945, as well as in the development of ASEAN itself. The historical event holds a significant meaning, turning Southeast Asia from a region of confrontation into one of dialogue, from scepticism into trust, and from division into solidarity.

For ASEAN, accepting Vietnam as its seventh member helped speed up the expansion of the bloc to all the 10 regional countries, thus consolidating peace and stability in a region that has special geo-political and geo-economic importance as a centre for links between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

At the time when Vietnam joined ASEAN, the region had just come out of the Cold War and its position, role, and economic scale remained modest. The past 25 years have witnessed a vigorous change in the association. The 10 Southeast Asian nations have now become part of a united community with rising prestige in the Asia-Pacific and the world as a whole.

On the basis of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) mechanisms and with the formation of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), ASEAN has eventually become a region of peace and stability with its position gradually affirmed. The formation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the signing of free trade agreements (FTAs) between ASEAN and a series of world key economies have contributed to bringing about prosperity for ASEAN and making it one of the regions with the most dynamic economic development in the world.

ASEAN was the common house of about 650 million people in 2019 with a combined GDP of more than 3.2 trillion USD and trade revenue of 2.8 trillion USD.

The ASEAN Community was set up on December 31, 2015, making the bloc a community with political cohesion, economic links, and shared social responsibility. Today, ASEAN is considered a success model in regional cooperation. ASEAN-led forums have drawn many countries and been valued by all world powers.

In addition to intra-bloc solidarity and connectivity, ASEAN has proactively expanded its relations with partners and become an important partner of major countries inside and outside the region. With its open diplomatic relations with the 10 dialogue partners, including all powers, the voice of ASEAN has been listened to and its central role further consolidated.

In fact, ASEANs central role has been affirmed through its efforts to boost and lead the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM), and ADMM Plus, as well as through increasingly important contributions to resolving the regions common issues. ASEAN has shown a consistent stance on maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea and the region, such as the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

For Vietnam, this day 25 years ago is also an important milestone marking the countrys very important progress in its regional and international integration. It has integrated more confidently, proactively and actively ever since, and continuously promoted its role as a reliable partner and a responsible member of the ASEAN Community in particular and the international community in general.

During the integration process, the diplomatic sector has always played a pioneering role, opening the door to the world. In bringing the country out of blockade and isolation, ASEAN was taken as the first breakthrough for Vietnam in its integration. In the subsequent periods, Vietnams integration and participation in ASEAN were closely associated with the countrys renewal and international integration. Vietnam has made great strides forward in changing its ways of thinking for diplomacy, from the one of more friends, less enemies, diversification and multi-lateralisation of international relations, and shifting from confrontation to dialogues into that of becoming a proactive, active and responsible member in ASEAN, and now that of proactively, actively and responsibly joining other ASEAN countries to build a strong community.

Vietnam has gradually affirmed itself as an integral part of ASEAN and the Southeast Asian region, attached its development with ASEAN, and wished to shoulder the blocs common work. The ASEAN policy has become an important part in Vietnams foreign policy, which is highlighted in the Partys documents and resolutions on external relations, in particular Directive No 25-CT/TW dated August 8, 2018 on boosting and elevating multilateral diplomacy to 2030.

Right after becoming a member of ASEAN in 1995, Vietnam actively pushed for the joining of the other Southeast Asian countries into the bloc, with Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia becoming ASEAN members in 1997 and 1999. As a result, the dream of a ten-member ASEAN had come true. As a member of ASEAN, Vietnam has taken a proactive, active and responsible part in the blocs work, including institution building such as the ASEAN Charter (2008); the roadmap to build the ASEAN Community (2009-2015); the 2009, 2015, and 2025 master plans; and ASEAN Community visions for post-2015, post-2025, and beyond. It has also been comprehensively implementing the three pillars of the ASEAN Community. Vietnam successfully organised the sixth ASEAN Summit and took up the Chairmanship of the 34th ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) from July 2000 to July 2001 and the Chairmanship of the ASEAN this year. The country has spared no efforts in fulfilling its role as the ASEAN Chair 2020. With important initiatives and contributions made, such as expanding the EAS and establishing the ADMM mechanism, Vietnam has actively worked with other member states to maintain the central role of ASEAN in the emerging regional architecture.

One thing for certain is that the participation in ASEAN has brought about significant and practical benefits for Vietnam. Firstly, ASEAN is an important foundation for international integration and creates a favourable international environment for nation building and defence. Over the past 25 years, Vietnam has joined other ASEAN member nations in building a Southeast Asia of friendship, cooperation and without wars. In addition to promoting intra-bloc cooperation, Vietnam has set up strategic partnership and comprehensive partnership frameworks with neighbouring and regional countries, powers, and other important partners. Vietnams rising role in ASEAN has helped it win international support for the safeguard of its security and development interests, including the East Sea issue.

Secondly, joining ASEAN has helped Vietnam with its extensive and intensive international integration and pooling resources to serve development and raise general power. The country has actively engaged in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and new-generation FTAs such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which enables it to push ahead with reforms, expand markets, increase exports, and attract investment and ODA, through which it has boosted economic growth for many years.

Thirdly, integrating into ASEAN helped Vietnam gradually raise its multilateral diplomacy and position in the world. Its successful participation in the bloc has been enabling it to fulfil important multilateral diplomatic missions, such as the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2008-2009 and 2020-2021 tenures and the host of the APEC Summit in 2006 and 2017, as well as actively joining in building international rules and cooperation to cope with global challenges like climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fourthly, the participation in ASEAN over the past 25 years has helped improve the expertise of Vietnams diplomatic officials, especially those working in multilateral efforts, with them becoming more confident when reaching out to the globe.

As the ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnam, together with other member states, has defined the common theme for the year as Cohesive and Responsive so as to push ahead with progress in building the ASEAN Community and promoting the role of ASEAN in a changing world.

Over the past seven months, Vietnams efforts as the ASEAN Chair have demonstrated its cohesive and responsive spirit. Along with solidarity and cohesion among ASEAN member nations and the support and close coordination from ASEAN partners, the bloc has ensured the effective implementation of cooperation and connectivity targets for 2020, as well as overcome difficulties and challenges to curb the pandemic and soon address its consequences to boost economic recovery and development.

The way ASEAN is weathering the unexpected and unprecedented waves caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has attested an ASEAN cohesive, responsive, stubborn and indomitable to adversities. More than ever, Vietnam understands the importance of community thinking and community actions. As Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has stressed, separate efforts should be grouped together beyond the national scale into the common acts of the whole ASEAN Community./.VNA
Washington: Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert, who steadfastly refused to wear a mask during the coronavirus pandemic, says that he has tested positive for COVID-19, raising concerns that other members of Congress may also have been exposed.

Attorney-General William Barr, who testified to a committee hearing on Tuesday that Gohmert took part in, will be tested for coronavirus as a result, a Justice Department spokesman said.

Louie Gohmert, pictured here questioning Attorney-General William Barr during a committee hearing on Tuesday. Credit:Getty Images

A US representative from Texas, where coronavirus cases have surged since the state reopened, Gohmert said he tested positive in a pre-screening at the White House and would self-quarantine for 10 days.

"Now I need to self-quarantine," Gohmert said in an interview with Texas broadcaster KETK-TV. "It's really ironic, because a lot of people have made a big deal out of my not wearing a mask a lot. But in the last week or two, I have worn a mask more than I have in the whole last four months."
President Donald Trump has issued a strong defence of the disproved use of hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment, hours after social media companies deleted videos he shared promoting its use which they saw as potentially harmful.

The president, in a marked shift from a more measured approach taken toward the virus in recent days, took to Twitter to promote the anti-malarial drug as a treatment for Covid-19, and to amplify criticism of Dr Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert.

In a White House briefing, Mr Trump defended his decision to promote a viral video of a group of doctors promoting the use of the drug on Monday, even though his own administration withdrew emergency authorisation for its use against the coronavirus.

I think theyre very respected doctors, Mr Trump said, adding they believed in the drug.

There was a woman who was spectacular in her statements about it.

The doctors, members of a group called Americas Frontline Doctors, took part in an event organised by Tea Party Patriots Action, a dark money group that has helped fund a pro-Trump political action committee.

Scientific studies have shown hydroxychloroquine can do more harm than good when used to treat symptoms of Covid-19.

Mr Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr., and others shared video of the event on Facebook and Twitter, prompting both companies to step in and remove the content as part of an aggressive push to keep the sites free of potentially harmful information about the virus.

However, the deletions came after more than 17 million people had already seen one version of the video circulating on the web.

The decision to remove the videos sparked conservative claims of censorship, with Simone Gold, one of the doctors, tweeting that there are always opposing views in medicine.

(PA Graphics)

Treatment options for Covid-19 should be debated, and spoken about among our colleagues in the medical field, she wrote. They should never, however, be censored and silenced.

Story continues

Others stressed the differences between medical opinion and peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Many high-quality studies have found no evidence that hydroxychloroquine, when used with or without the antibiotic azithromycin  as touted many times by Mr Trump  helps treat coronavirus infection or prevent serious disease from it.

They include studies commissioned by the US National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organisation and universities in the US and abroad.

Because of the lack of benefit and the risks of serious side effects such as heart rhythm problems, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently revoked its brief authorisation of emergency use of the drug for Covid-19. NIH treatment guidelines also specifically recommend against hydroxychloroquines use, except in formal studies.

Still, at Tuesdays White House briefing, Mr Trump said of the drug: Many doctors think its extremely good and some people dont. Some people I think its become very political. I happen to believe in it. I would take it. I  took it for a 14 day period. And Im here. Right?

Mr Trump appears to have resumed his attacks aimed at undermining the credibility of Dr Anthony Fauci (left) (Alex Brandon/AP)

In addition to sharing the video, Mr Trump retweeted several tweets attacking the credibility of Dr Fauci, a leading member of the White House coronavirus task force.

Later, Mr Trump appeared to back away from his criticism of Dr Fauci, saying, I get along with him very well and even appearing envious of his widespread approval rating.

Hes got a very good approval rating, and I like that, Mr Trump said.

He said Dr Fauci and White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr Deborah Birx worked for him, And yet theyre highly thought of but nobody likes me.

Dr Fauci has become an off-and-on target of Mr Trump and some of his White House aides and outside allies, who disagreed with the doctors early recommendation to shut down the economy as a way to slow the virus, which is surging again in parts of the country.

Mr Trump, in recent interviews, has described Dr Fauci as a bit of an alarmist and accused him of making mistakes in his coronavirus guidance.

Dr Fauci on Tuesday said he would deal with the attacks by keeping his head down and doing his job. He also backed the conclusions of the FDA and others about hydroxychloroquine and Covid-19.

Asked if he can do his job while Mr Trump publicly questioned his credibility, Dr Fauci said the stakes were too high not to stay involved.

Were in the middle of a crisis with regard to an epidemic, a pandemic. This is what I do, Dr Fauci said on ABCs Good Morning America. This is what Ive been trained for my entire professional life and Ill continue to do it.

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube began scrubbing their sites of the video of the doctors on Monday. Conservative news outlets, groups and internet personalities shared it.

More than four million people in the US have been infected by the coronavirus and the death toll is nearing 150,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
PARIS - Some 1,500 people have been evacuated from a makeshift camp in Aubervilliers, near Paris.



The operation reflects the French government's intention of preventing the creation of tent camps in the capital or banlieues. The evacuated people, mainly men from the Horn of Africa and Afghanistan, were taken to temporary hosting centers and gyms in the region around Paris, the French capital's prefecture said, evoking in particular the risks connected to Covid-19.



''This operation is the logic consequence of all those conducted over the past few months,'' police prefect Didier Lallement told reporters. The official was on the ground during the operation which started at 4 am local time.



Silvana Gaeta, of the association Solidarite Migrants Wilson, denounced a dramatic situation. ''These people are exhausted, it is the tenth evacuation for some of them, they know they will go to gyms and then half of them will already be on the street tonight''.



Alalisad, a 32-year-old Somalian, said this is his fifth eviction. ''I don't understand, they come get us, put us in hotels for three months and then we are back on the street. I don't understand why the French governments wastes money in this way, putting us in hotels instead of giving us long-term housing'', the young man, who only has a backpack, was quoted as saying by France Presse. For his part, Ismael Fatah, a 29-year-old from Sudan with a son who was born in France, waited to get on a police bus. ''It is the fourth time that I am in a camp. Life is difficult in France, I expected something else. I didn't choose to be here'', he said.
The $10 billion La Gan offshore wind power scheme was signed at last weeks Vietnam Energy Summit

A series of MoUs on energy development worth tens of billions of US dollars were signed at last weeks Vietnam Energy Summit, cementing the belief of investors in the countrys untapped potential in the market. The summit was aimed to seek ways to implement the Politburos Resolution No.55-NQ/TW on orientations to national energy development towards 2030, with a vision to 2045, which was issued early this year.

Standing out among the deals, the $10 billion La Gan offshore wind power scheme, one of the first large-scale offshore wind power in Vietnam and with potential capacity of 3.5GW, was signed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Asiapetro, and Novasia Energy.

The project partners are already fully engaged in the development of close collaboration with the government of the south-central province of Binh Thuan, and other authorities, preparing a final investment decision after inclusion of the project into the Power Development Plan of Vietnam, according to their press release.

In addition, a $6 billion liquefied natural gas project developed by Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone is expected to start construction in the first quarter of next year and launch the first phase of commercial operations in 2024. After that, the plant will provide an average power output of 24-25 billion kilowatt-hours per year.

John Rockhold, CEO and vice chairman of US-Vietnam group Chan May JSC said that a number of institutions had shown interest in financing the projects, including US Exim Bank, the US International Development Finance Corporation, and the International Finance Corporation.

Vietnam is trying to attract more of the private sector in energy to meet the high demand of fuel for economic development, as well as its strong commitments to reduce CO2 emissions. It has been estimated that to achieve this, the country requires new investment of about $10 billion annually frontloaded through 2030, higher than the average of $8 billion for the 2011-2015 period, according to the World Bank.

Nguyen Tam Tien, general director of Trung Nam Group, said, Resolution 55 is considered leverage for private enterprises, but it requires the legal corridor and ministries to participate in a synchronous fashion.

Tam added that private businesses like Trung Nam are interested in the resolution as it will encourage all economic sectors to participate in energy development, while at the same time remove various barriers currently hindering some ventures. Trung Nam is currently building a 500 kilovolt transformer station in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan. It is also implementing a series of renewable energy projects with the goal of joining more than 3,000MW in the provinces of Tra Vinh, Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Ninh Thuan in the next three years.

Meanwhile, the feed-in tariff (FiT) for wind is worrying investors. Under the regulations, the FiT is 8.5 US cents per kilowatt-hour for wind power projects on the mainland and 9.8 US cents per kWh for offshore schemes. The rates are applied to wind power plants connecting to the national grid and beginning generation before November 1, 2021.

Financiers have complained that normally, a solar power plant will take six to eight months depending on the progress of clearance. But to build a wind power plant, it takes a year to build equipment.

Investors are being pressured both on price and production schedule, emphasised one insider.

Nguyen Hai Minh, deputy director of BIM Energy  which has a 30MW solar venture connected to the grid  said, We hope that the policies will be guided more specifically through electricity and investment laws so that investors can participate in a fair and transparent manner.
Committed to the Cause: Working on the Frontline to End Human Trafficking

 UNODC



National anti-trafficking authority

Amina Boukamcha,

Victim Files Officer, National Anti-Trafficking Commission (INLCTP in French), Tunisia

My tasks as an officer in charge of the victim files is to detect suspected cases of human trafficking based on reports we receive. Once a victim is identified and rescued, I am also assisting them by making sure they have access to legal support.

This is only possible through the close collaboration of all entities providing victims support, such as Ministries, civil society, and international organizations.

As a social worker by training, I have over 20 years of experience in supporting people in vulnerable situations. I joined INLCTP two years ago, and since then I have been supporting victims of human trafficking.

I see my work as rewarding. Being there for the most vulnerable and helping them at a very difficult point in their lives fuels my commitment.

Even though sometimes, some situations are very difficult. A victim who passed away recently really hit me hard. But I know that I have to stay strong.

UNODCs support to my office is remarkable. The Organization is a partner that always encourages and supports our activities and initiatives. What I appreciate the most are the trainings UNODC provides.

During the COVID-19 crisis, we had to rethink our assistance. We started to do counselling over the phone and we also provide material support such as food and clothes.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has rejected allegations by one of the most influential figures in Russias state-run media that he has been undermining Russian-Armenian relations and supporting Western-funded groups hostile to Moscow.

Margarita Simonyan, the ethnic Armenian chief editor of the television network RT and several other Kremlin-funded media outlets, accused Pashinian last week of turning Armenia into a bridgehead of anti-Russian forces in the Caucasus.

In a social media post, Simonyan pointed to Yerevans failure to formally recognize Russias annexation of Crimea and controversial coup charges brought against former Armenian President Robert Kocharian. She charged that Pashinian spat in the face of your Russian friends by having Russias perennial ally jailed two years ago.

Simonyan also claimed that Pashinian has inundated Armenia with non-governmental organizations that are training young people how to overthrow the government in Russia.

Pashinian rejected the accusations in an interview with RBC, a private Russian TV channel, aired on Tuesday.

The prime minister argued, in particular, that most Armenian NGOs funded by Western governments or private donors were set up when he Armenia was governed by Kocharian or his successor Serzh Sarkisian. If [Kocharian and Sarkisian] were so pro-Russian why did they not shut down those organizations? he asked.

Turning to the high-profile case against Kocharian, Pashinian said: They should realize in Russia that Russias [main] ally in Armenia is not Pashinian, Petrosian, Poghosian, Kocharian or Sarkisian. Russias ally and partner is the Armenian people. This is a very importance nuance.

Russia and Armenia, Pashinian went on, have long maintained close political, economic and military ties because of their common strategic interests, rather than certain individuals. He said that contrary to some gloomy Russian forecasts he has not changed his countrys geopolitical orientation since coming to power in the Velvet Revolution of April-May 2018.

Kocharian, who ruled the South Caucasus state from 1998-2008, was first arrested in July 2018 on coup charges strongly denied by him. The Russian Foreign Ministry denounced the criminal case as politically motivated at the time.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly signaled support for Kocharian since then. During an October 2019 visit to Yerevan, Putin made a point of meeting with the ex-presidents wife Bella.

Armenias Court of Appeals released Kocharian from custody on bail late last month. Prosecutors appealed against the ruling.

Speaking to the Russian broadcaster, Pashinian also praised Russias absolutely constructive role in international efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In that context, he implicitly urged Moscow to counter what he described as Turkeys efforts to fan Armenian-Azerbaijani tensions and eventually take control of the Caucasus.

If that becomes a reality, I think it is first and foremost clear to the Russians what geopolitical consequences that would have, he said.

Russia cannot stay away from these events [in the conflict zone] because at stake are vital interests of not only Armenia but also the Russian Federation, added the Armenian leader.
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

14 calendar days before earnings. Further, we use moving averages as a safety valve to try to avoid opening a bullish position while a stock is in a technical break down, like the fourth quarter of 2018. There is a bullish momentum pattern in ALK stock. Further, we use moving averages as a safety valve to try to avoid opening a bullish position while a stock is in a technical break down, like the fourth quarter of 2018.

The Bullish Option Trade Before Earnings in Alaska Air Group Inc (NYSE:ALK)

calendar days

before earnings

does not

RISK MANAGEMENT

RESULTS

ALK: Long 40 Delta Call

% Wins: 100% Wins: 3 Losses: 0 % Return: 192.5%

Tap Here to See the Back-test

Setting Expectations



Checking the Moving Average

ALK: Long 40 Delta Call

% Wins: 100.00% Wins: 1 Losses: 0 % Return: 62.1%

Tap Here to See the Back-test



WHAT HAPPENED

We will examine the outcome of getting long a monthly call option in Alaska Air Group Inc 14-days before earnings (using) and selling the call before the earnings announcementthe stock price is above the 50-day simple moving average.Here's the set-up in great clarity; again, note that the trade closes, so this trademake a bet on the earnings result.And here is the technical analysis requirement -- note only one is "turned on," and that is the 50-day moving average requirement.:If the stock price fails the technical requirement, it's fine, we just put a pin in it and check next quarter. Even better, we can set an intra day alert in Trade Machine that will email and/or text you whenrequirements are met, just like this:We can add another layer of risk management to the option trading back-test by instituting and 40% stop loss and a 40% limit gain. Here is that setting:In English, at the close of each trading day we check to see if the long option is either up or down 40% relative to the open price. If it was, the trade was closed.Here are the results over the last two-years in Alaska Air Group Inc: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).Notice that while this is a 2-year back-test and we would expect four times that many earnings triggers (4 earnings per year), the technical requirement using the 50-day moving average. In other words -- it's working.We see a 192.5% return, testing this over the last 3 earnings dates in Alaska Air Group Inc. That's a total of just 42 days (14-days for each earnings date, over 3 earnings dates).This is not a magic bullet, rather it's a. In the short-term it hasn't seen any losses, but more importantly, whether or not it loses on any given earnings run-up, the 192.5% return in less than two-full months of trading is predicated on an idea of consistent momentum.While this strategy had an overall return of%, the trade details keep us in bounds with expectations:The average percent returnwas 57.15%.You can check to see if the 50-day MA for ALK is above or below the current stock price by using the Pivot Points tab on www.CMLviz.com Now we can look at just the last year as well:We're now looking at 62.1% returns, on 1 winning trades and 0 losing trades.The average percent return over the last yearwas 62.32%.There's a better way to find winning option trades -- try pattern recognition Past performance is not an indication of future results.Trading futures and options involves the risk of loss. Please consider carefully whether futures or options are appropriate to your financial situation. Only risk capital should be used when trading futures or options. Investors could lose more than their initial investment.Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results. The risk of loss in trading can be substantial, carefully consider the inherent risks of such an investment in light of your financial condition.Please note that the executions and other statistics in this article are hypothetical, and do not reflect the impact, if any, of certain market factors such as liquidity and slippage.You should read the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options
Taoiseach Micheal Martin and junior Enterprise Minister Robert Troy are to hold a meeting with former Debenhams' workers tomorrow, a meeting of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party has been told.

The workers have been protesting at their treatment by their former employer which ceased operations in Ireland earlier this year.

Mr Troy reportedly told the private meeting that he is seeking to amend legislation to strengthen the rights of workers, but said that it will not be retrospective and will not apply to those affected workers at the former high street outlet.

Mr Martin has sharply criticised the treatment of the workers by Debenhams in the Dail in recent weeks.

The plight of the workers was raised at the meeting by Dublin South-West TD John Lahart.

Last week, the former Debenhams workers marked the 100th day of their dispute over redundancy terms by staging a series of protests around Ireland.

The former staff claim the package offered to them when the Irish arm of Debenhams was placed into liquidation this spring was unfair.

They are set to receive statutory redundancy payouts of two weeks of salary per year of service. The workers are demanding four weeks pay per service year.

They are also calling on the Government to waive monies owed to it through the liquidation process so they can be used to boost the redundancy packages.

Liquidator KPMG is set to use proceeds of the liquidation of the Irish businesss assets to pay off key creditors, such as the Revenue Commissioners and other State bodies.
NEW DELHI: It is a video which will send shivers down the spine of India's enemy. As the five Rafale fighters entered the Indian air space on Wednesday (July 29, 2020), the IAF sent two Sukhoi Su-30MKIs to escort the newest combat aircraft in the country's armoury.

The Defence Ministry tweeted an 18-second-long video showing the Sukhoi Su-30MKIs flying with the five Rafales in an arrow formation over the Indian skies. The Rafales are moving towards the Ambala Air Base in Haryana where they will be based as part of the IAF 17 Squadron, also known as the ''Golden Arrows''.

The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.@IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/djpt16OqVd    / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 29, 2020

Soon after entering the Indian air space over the western Arabian Sea, the Rafales established a contract with Indian Navy ship INS Kolkata, a stealth guided-missile destroyer. The Rafales and INS Kolkata exchanged greeting.

INS Kolkata Delta63: Arrow leader (flying Rafale), welcome to the Indian Ocean. Rafale leader: Many thanks. Most reassuring to have an Indian warship guarding seas

INS Kolkata: May you touch the sky with glory. Happy landings. Rafale leader: Wish you fair winds. Happy hunting. Over&out

#HEAR: Indian #Rafale contingent establishes contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata deployed in Western Arabian Sea. pic.twitter.com/NOnzKOo2fa  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

The lead Rafale jet is being flown by Group Captain Harkirat Singh, who will also command the Golden Arrows Squadron.

The first batch of five Rafale jets is scheduled to land at the Ambala airbase here on Wednesday afternoon with police tightening the security around the air force station. The squadron of Rafale jets will be stationed at the Ambala airbase in Haryana.

The jets took off from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday and will arrive here after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates.

The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft. Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography.

The Ambala district administration has also prohibited people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the airbase, officials said earlier. Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in the villages adjoining the airbase, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

Ambala Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said the shooting of videos or taking photographs of the boundary wall of the airbase and its adjoining areas will remain strictly prohibited during the imposition of the prohibitory orders.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Police has set up several check barricades and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near the airbase, making announcements over loudspeakers warning people not to stand on the rooftop of their houses to click pictures or shoot videos.

Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities. The five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later.

The jets will be inducted into the IAF as part of its No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'. The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

Of the 36 jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

The IAF has undertaken major infrastructure upgrades at the Ambala base for the deployment of the first Rafale squadron. Built in 1948, the airbase is located on the east side of Ambala and is used for military and government flights.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Madrid  Wed, July 29, 2020 11:04 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a20bb5 2 News Spain,travel,tourism Free

Spain remains a "safe" destination for tourists despite a worrying rise in coronavirus infections in some parts of the country, the government insisted on Tuesday.

The remarks came after Britain reimposed a 14-day quarantine on anyone arriving from Spain, and France and Germany warned against travel to certain parts of the country following a spike in cases.

"We want to send a clear message of confidence in our country," said government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero after the weekly cabinet meeting.

Read also: UK PM warns of second wave in virus spat with Spain

"We are a secure destination that has made preparations and strengthened itself to deal with the virus and any outbreaks."

One of Spain's strengths is the quality of its healthcare system, she said.

"One proof that it is working well is that the regions are detecting cases early and activating isolation and containment measures," Montero said, indicating that half of the cases diagnosed were asymptomatic.

"All the figures demonstrate the situation is good in most of the country, where the regional authorities have only registered a low incidence of the illness."

Topics : Spain travel tourism
C.P. Vietnam inaugurating the CPPC factory on July 28

Attending the inauguration ceremony of the mask factory on July 28, there were representatives of the Ministry of Health and other agencies and associations, as well as officials from Binh Dinh province, and Thai Ambassador Tanee Sangrat. On the side of businesses, the event was attended by Montri Suwanposri, CEO of CPV; Le Nhat Thuy, deputy general director of CPV cum chair of CPVs Donation Fund; and Atirote Puangsuwan, general director of CPPC Outdoor Wear Vietnam Co., Ltd.

The CPCC medical mask factory is located at CPPC Outdoor Wear Vietnam, a subsidiary of C.P. Group in Phu Tai Industrial Zone, Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province. The factory applies modern technology, with all machines and equipment imported from Thailand and production lines following Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards (ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016).

The medical masks produced at CPPC will be triple-layered, including two layers of non-woven fabric and one layer of antibacterial fabric. The majority of the raw materials are imported from reputable Thai suppliers. Initially, the factory's production capacity is expected to reach 1.2 million units a month, at a quality similar to goods exported to Europe and North America.

Employees wearing protective equipment while working at the CPPC factory

The Mask for Humanity project was also launched to contribute to the country's fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic by CPV in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Vietnam Youth Federation, Vietnam Young Physician Association, and CPVs Donation Fund. The project will provide 8 million medical masks to health staff, police personnel, and border guards, as well as poor people.

At the inauguration ceremony, Montri Suwanposri, CEO of CPV said that the CPPC factory signifies the group's commitment to proactively fulfill its corporate social responsibility and protect the community in its time of need.

This is the message that CPV has been sending since the very first day of opening our gates in Vietnam more than 27 years ago: to be grateful and repay the country. This also confirms the three benefits that Thailands C.P. Group follows, including benefits for the country, for people, and for the company (including all employees), Montri Suwanposri said.

A few days ago, reacting to the new infections detected in Danang, Mask for Humanity supplied 300,000 medical masks for free to offices in charge of pandemic prevention and the city's poor residents.
Nigeria is awaiting the return of $200 million from The Netherlands and Switzerland as part of OPL 245 Malabu Oil, Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami said.

Mr Malami made this known while declaring open a capacity building workshop and interactive session with judiciary correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday.

The attorney-general, who gave a scorecard of the ministry in the past one year, said: due to the anti-corruption crusade of the present administration, we facilitated the recovery of $62 billion arrears from oil companies as part of federation government Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).

Also recovered within the period is the sum of $311 million from the U.S. and New Jersey, in the third phase of Abacha loot and another $6.3 million Abacha loot from the Republic of Northern Ireland.

Mr Malami said the monies have been paid into the federal government treasury for utility development such as Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Kano-Abuja Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge in line with the agreement reached with the foreign partners.

He further disclosed that over N685 million was recovered through the help of whistleblowers within the last one year while N500 million was recovered from forfeited vessels, trucks, and barges.

The AGF said that a legal framework introduced by the ministry has helped to raise stamp duty collection from a mere total of N22 billion over the years to N66 billion within the last six months of the amendment of the act.

He said that some bills which are currently before the National Assembly, including the electronic transaction, electronic evidence act, digital management act and electronic banking act will stimulate the economy when passed into law.

There are several other acts to regulate emerging digital financial sub-sector of the economy.

Some of these acts will provide for national digital certification authority that will regulate issuance and processing of public and private electronic key validations.

The expected bills will prepare Nigeria for emerging realities relating to digital cash, bitcoin and e-currency, the minister add

Also speaking, the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, in the ministry, Dayo Apata, said effective coverage of the justice sector will help prevent injustice in the country.

This should be done by shining the spotlight on the actions of judges, lawyers and other stakeholders in the justice system.

He said that the growing interest by the public in what the judiciary sector does, necessitated the workshop.

The public is interested in how the sector handles criminal cases, election litigations, fight against corruption among others.

The above underscored the importance of the media in creating the much-needed awareness that will help shape public opinion and perception.

He said the workshop was organised because of complaints that some news organisations send journalists with little training to cover judiciary, without recourse to the complexities and intricacies of the sector.

There are also the complaints of sensational reporting, inaccurate presentation of facts or mutilation of context, contempt of court, media trials among others.

Therefore, it is our hope that this workshop would strengthen the skills of judiciary correspondents to achieve efficient and effective coverage of the sector, he added.

(NAN)
Banks using Britain as a gateway to the European Union must fully execute their plans for serving the bloc's customers before a Brexit transition period ends in December, the EU's banking watchdog said on Wednesday.

Britain left the EU in January and financial firms continue to have unfettered access the bloc under transition arrangements that end on December 31.

Many big banks have already opened up hubs in the bloc to continue serving customers there. The European Banking Authority said that these banks must now finalise the "full execution" of their Brexit plans, as agreed in their new licences.

"In particular, financial institutions should ensure that associated management capacity, including appropriate technical risk management capabilities, is effectively placed ahead of time," EBA said.

This should be "commensurate to the magnitude, scope and complexity of their activities", it said.

The new EU hubs are expected to increase their footprint in the bloc proportionally to the amount of business carried out there. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
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For the second consecutive day on Tuesday, India carried over half a million tests in a single day, thereby setting up a new record, the country's health ministry said.

"India creates and maintains a new high of more than 5 lakh (half a million) COVID-19 tests conducted in a single day over two consecutive days," the ministry said.

Data from India's top health research body - Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) showed on July 26 that a total of 515,472 samples were tested and on July 27 the number of samples tested was 528,082.

The health ministry described the increase in testing as a result of their policy to contain the spread of the pandemic.

"This is the outcome of the Union (federal) government's focus on aggressive testing, tracking and treatment policy to curb the spread of COVID-19," the ministry said.

So far over 17.3 million tests have been conducted in India at its designated laboratories.

"A cumulative total of 17,334,885 samples have been tested up to July 27, 2020," the research body on Tuesday said.

Health officials attribute the increase in testing capacity to the consistent adding up of more laboratories.

In January this year, there was only one laboratory to carry out COVID-19 tests. However, the number of laboratories at present is 1,310.

As per ICMR of the 1,310 laboratories, 905 are in the government sector and 405 in the private sector.

On Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched three hi-tech COVID-19 testing facilities for West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Modi said the number of COVID-19 tests would soon be ramped up to a million a day in coming weeks.

The federal government has advised all states to keep up the strategy of "Test, Track and Treat".

India Tuesday said the number of COVID-19 cases in the country have reached 1,483,156 including 33,425 deaths.

India's case fatality rate (CFR) is falling and currently at 2.25 percent.

Meanwhile, the ministry said 952,743 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement, which has pushed the recovery rate to 64.23 percent.
DETROIT - Flint residents whose health and homes were harmed by lead-contaminated water scored a legal milestone Wednesday when the Michigan Supreme Court said they could proceed with a lawsuit against public officials for the disastrous decisions that caused the scandal.

Plaintiffs in this case raise some of the most disturbing allegations of malfeasance by government actors in Michigans history, Justice Richard Bernstein said.

The courts opinion was a key procedural step in long-running litigation that now will return to the Court of Claims.

The Supreme Court, 4-2, said Flint residents could pursue a claim of diminished property values. Residents also can argue that their right to bodily integrity was violated by the use of corrosive water from the Flint River.

That part of the opinion was a 3-3 tie. But its a victory for residents because a tie under court rules affirms an earlier decision in their favour by the Michigan appeals court.

Flint used water from the Flint River in 2014-15 without treating it to reduce the corrosive effect on old pipes. As a result, lead leached into the system. Use of the river water was supposed to be a temporary measure while a pipeline was built to Lake Huron.

The lawsuit names then-Gov. Rick Snyder, two former Flint government managers appointed by Snyder and public agencies that repeatedly assured the public that the water was safe.

Defendants have fought plaintiffs every step of the way by attempting to foreclose their lawsuit through procedural grounds. Yet, the people of Flint have endured, and they now ask for an opportunity to be heard, Bernstein said. The judiciary should be the one governmental institution that hears their grievances and affords them the opportunity to at least proceed with their case.

In a dissent, two conservative justices, Stephen Markman and Brian Zahra, said the lawsuit should be stopped based on strict deadlines to file a claim. Justice Elizabeth Clement didnt participate because she was involved in Flint water legal matters as a member of Snyders senior staff.

During arguments in March, Assistant Attorney General Nate Gambill had urged the court to rule against Flint residents.

There is no policy maker who authorized or mandated that low-level staffers go out and expose the plaintiffs to toxic water, he said.

___

Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez
Lawmakers will not be asked to take a COVID-19 test nor have testing made available to them prior to the start of a second special session that could convene as early as Thursday, according to multiple lawmakers and a letter from Republican legislative leaders.

Senate Republican Leader James Settelmeyer and Assembly Republican Leader Titus, in a letter sent to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Gov. Steve Sisolak on Tuesday, voiced concerns that new procedures are in the process of being implemented that will reverse the decision to test elected officials and staff for the COVID-19 virus. All lawmakers, staff and reporters were asked to get tested for the virus before the last special session earlier this month.

That testing identified at least one person in the Legislative Building who was positive for COVID-19, but not until two days after the special session convened, forcing a number of individuals who had been exposed into quarantine. The identity of the individual who tested positive has not been made public.

In the letter, Settelmeyer and Titus argued that the protocols from the last special session should continue to remain in place for the upcoming session.

It is remarkably irresponsible to convene the next special session without giving participants proper notification to be tested so they may safeguard their family members, colleagues, and the public, they wrote. The 32nd Special Session should not convene unless we at least follow the minimum safety protocols from the 31st Special Session.

Settelmeyer, in an interview, said that not testing lawmakers in advance of a special session could put legislative staff, particularly those who are older or have autoimmune conditions, at risk.

I think its unwise, Settelmeyer said.

We should follow the same protocol we had last time.

A spokeswoman for Sisolak did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the policy change, though Settelmeyer said that Sisolak responded to him indicating that he would forward the information along to his chief of staff to have her look into the matter.

Frierson and Cannizzaro also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Lawmakers have additionally raised concerns that those who may want to get tested of their own volition wont have enough time to do so until they know when the special session will convene. Sisolak, during a Monday press conference, only said that the session could start as soon as Thursday, though he has yet to issue the official proclamation.

Assemblywoman Jill Tolles, in an email sent to Legislative Counsel Bureau Director Brenda Erdoes on Monday, requested that lawmakers and staff be given additional time between scheduled tests and when they enter the building. Tolles proposed a five-day schedule, with the start of the session happening four days after testing.

In light of all we went through last special session due to someone receiving their positive test results after entering the legislature, I would like to request that all legislators and staff are given a longer lead time between scheduled testing and results before entering the building so we dont run into the same situation twice, Tolles wrote.

However, Tolles, in a text message on Tuesday, said that Erdoes told her that testing would be neither required nor offered for the upcoming special session. Part of the reason given, Tolles said, was that the tests only offer a snapshot of whether someone is positive or negative for COVID-19 at one point in time.

Erdoes did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Tolles added that she was told that people entering the building will still have their temperatures and symptoms checked by the Nevada National Guard, though the guard is only scheduled to be there until July 31.

But Republican Sen. Joe Hardy, a doctor by trade, said in an interview that he agrees with the policy change from the Legislative Counsel Bureau and that lawmakers and staff need to continue to treat everybody in a universal precautions way because tests only offer a brief glimpse into someones positive or negative status.

Just because youre healthy today doesnt mean youll be healthy tomorrow, Hardy said. Theres nobody that says you cant be tested. Its just that we recognize that with decreased availability of testing for people who even have symptoms, it presents a problem trying to find somewhere where they can get the test.

Hardy said that testing asymptomatic lawmakers and staff could take appointments away from people who actually need to get tested.

Lets pretend that 200 people in the Legislature wanted to get tested. Well, what happens to the people that werent in the Legislature that wouldve liked to have gotten tested? Hardy said.

Maybe sometimes legislators need to realize that we arent as special as maybe we think we are.

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Syracuse, N.Y.  Nearly all Central New York nursing homes are still banning visitors three weeks after the state said they could reopen their doors on a limited basis.

And ombudsmen, volunteers who advocate for residents, cannot enter nursing homes yet because of lengthy waits for Covid-19 test results. They must get a negative test result within the seven-day period before entering a nursing home.

But it often takes longer than seven days to get test results, making it impossible for an ombudsman who wants to go to work to comply with the rule.

Elderwood in Liverpool and Seneca Hill Manor in Oswego are the only two of 27 Central New York nursing homes allowing in-person visits, said Jeff Parker, regional coordinator of the state Long Term Care Ombudsman program which advocates for nursing home residents.

Thats because many homes have not yet gone at least 28 days without any Covid-19 cases, one of several strict state requirements that must be met before homes can let visitors in again, Parker said. Two nursing homes in the region that met the requirements and resumed in-person visits had to reinstate the ban for another 28 days after employees tested positive, he said.

The Commons on St. Anthony in Auburn is one of them. It resumed visitations July 20, but had to stop them three days later after a staffer tested positive, said Crystal DeStefano, a spokeswoman for Loretto, which runs the Auburn nursing home.

Parker said many nursing homes in the region expect to meet the 28-day requirement in August.

The 28-day requirement is based on guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency which regulates nursing homes.

The state banned nursing home visitors March 13 to keep out Covid-19.

It certainly is frustrating because people want to get in and see their loved ones, Parker said. But the virus is still lingering in our community and periodically people will test positive.

The March 13 ban also applied to ombudsmen, trained volunteers who help resolve nursing home resident complaints. During the shutdown, the ombudsman program has tried to keep in touch with residents via phone, email and video meetings.

Under the states reopening rules, ombudsmen cannot enter a nursing home unless they have tested negative for Covid-19 in the past seven days. Thats often impossible because many people are waiting longer than seven days for test results due to the national surge in cases that has created backlogs at labs.

Parker got tested July 19 and was still awaiting results Tuesday, nine days later. He said state officials are working to resolve the testing issue so ombudsmen can return to nursing homes within the next few weeks.

Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to the virus. The virus killed 6,401 nursing home residents in New York as of July 27, or 25% of the states 25,126 Covid-19 deaths. The number of nursing home Covid-19 deaths is much higher than that because the state only reports resident deaths that occur in nursing homes, not in hospitals. In Onondaga County, state data shows the virus has killed 77 nursing home residents, nearly 40% of the countys 196 Covid-19 deaths.

Only 65 of the states 613 nursing homes have resumed in-person visitation. About 190 homes are eligible to let visitors in again, but have not yet submitted plans to the state.

As we said from the beginning, science and safety would guide our decision to resume visitations to nursing homes, and it has, Jeffrey Hammond, a state Health Department spokesman, said in an email. The number of facilities that are eligible to reopen to visitors, and the number that have taken the next step, shows they are appropriately adhering to  guidelines with smart and cautious plans for visitation.

Nursing home visits look a lot different under the new state rules. Visitors must make appointments. Visits can only take place outdoors or in large well-ventilated rooms. Visitors are not allowed in residents rooms. Visitors must be screened for Covid-19 and wear facemasks.

Seneca Manor, which resumed visitation Monday, only allows visitors in between 9 and 11 a.m. All visits are outdoors and visitors cannot stay for more than 20 minutes. Initially, the nursing home is not allowing any one person to visit more than once a week.

James T. Mulder covers health news. Have a news tip? Contact him at (315) 470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com
BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), Wednesday presented a certificate of order at a ceremony to promote Xu Zhongbo, political commissar of the Rocket Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, to the rank of general.

The ceremony was held by the CMC in Beijing. General is the highest rank for officers in active service in China.

Xi offered congratulations to Xu for his promotion.

Xu Qiliang, CMC vice chairman, announced the order of promotion at the ceremony, which was presided over by CMC vice chairman Zhang Youxia, and attended by CMC members Wei Fenghe, Li Zuocheng, Miao Hua and Zhang Shengmin.
MIAMI, July 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent Living Systems ("ILS"), an industry leader in managing high-cost, complex member populations in the Medicaid, Medicare, and Dual-Eligible market for almost two decades, is pleased to announce that David Rogers has been named President of ILS, effective Sept. 1, 2020.

"I am delighted to announce that David Rogers will lead ILS into its next stage of growth," said Nestor Plana, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of both Independent Living Systems and Florida Community Care. "David is the right leader for ILS and we are pleased to have him in this new role. He is an accomplished professional with a strong leadership background and a proven business development track record. David's leadership has been essential to the company's recent success and we expect his new role will continue to foster ILS's growth."

In 2018, Rogers joined Florida Community Care ("FCC"), a subsidiary of ILS, as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer. As President of ILS, Rogers will be responsible for day-to-day management of the internal operations of the company as well as executing on strategies to optimize people, process and technology across the enterprise and to continue to advance ILS as a driving force in healthcare innovation.

"This is an exciting time for ILS, and I'm exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to step into this role," said Rogers. "I look forward to continuing to work with the ILS executive team in the years ahead as we grow and strengthen our national footprint while innovating and creating greater value for our customers, employees and members."

Before assuming his role at FCC, Rogers was Managing Principal of Health Management Associates' ("HMA") Medicaid Market Solutions where he advised and supported state agencies, health systems, health plans, and others. Rogers served as Assistant Deputy Secretary for Medicaid Operations, functioning as the Florida's Medicaid program's Chief Operations Officer. He has also served as Idaho's State Medicaid Director. Rogers is a seasoned leader with more than 30 years of health care experience as well as extensive experience in the private sector, having worked as an operations and business development executive in the healthcare sector.

About Independent Living Systems:

Independent Living Systems ("ILS") is a Florida-based health care services company that provides a range of health care management services on behalf of health care plans, health systems, providers, and community-based organizations. ILS provides member-centric health and support solutions to millions of America's Medicare, Medicaid, dually eligible, and Special Needs populations including those requiring Long-Term Services and Supports. For more information, visit www.ilshealthservices.com.

About Florida Community Care:

Florida Community Care ("FCC") is a Provider Services Network (PSN), contracted to provide Managed Medical Assistance (MMA) and Long-Term Care (LTC) services across the state of Florida; sponsored by FCC and the State of Florida, Agency for Health Care Administration. FCC serves the long-term care eligible individuals, focusing on preventing unnecessary admissions into institutionalized settings, and fostering independence by connecting members to community resources that meet their long-term care needs and addressing social determinants of health. For more information, visit www.fcchealthplan.com.

Media Contact

Mari Netto

VP Marketing, ILS

[email protected]

SOURCE Independent Living Systems

Related Links

http://www.ilshealthservices.com


DOYLESTOWN >> A man and woman will face decades in state prison for the repeated sexual assault of three children under the age of 13, abuse that they also filmed in more than 40 videos of child pornography. Leonard F. Hewitt Sr. 51, and Krystyn Anne Smock, 40, both of Bristol Township, committed the acts for more than four years...
NETANYA, Israel, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Trobix Innovation Ltd. (Trobix Bio), an Israeli-based biotechnology company developing therapies to remove the threat of antimicrobial resistance, announces the closing of a US $ 3 Million Series A funding from its lead investor, Chartered Opus. The funding will be used to advance the company's antimicrobial resistance platform technology and to further the pre-clinical development of the its lead product, TBX101.

"I am grateful to Chartered Opus for their confidence in our technology and their trust in our team", said Dr. Adi Elkeles, Founder & CEO of Trobix Bio. "Antimicrobial resistant threatens to undermine the achievements of modern medicine, and Trobix Bio is committed to developing products that can effectively tackle this imminent threat", he added.

"The Covid-19 pandemic stresses the urgent need to tackle the global challenges of infectious diseases, and the global need for a solution to the threat of antimicrobial resistance was there from day one", says Eyal Agmoni, Chairman of Chartered Group. "Trobix Bio is set to revolutionize the landscape of phage-based nanomedicine by introducing its game-changing, precision particle disruptive technology. We are very happy with the progress made by the team and are glad to be part of this unique venture".

About Trobix Bio

Trobix Bio is a preclinical biotechnology company, developing therapies to remove the threat of antimicrobial resistance, a global crisis strongly evidenced nowadays during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Trobix Bio leverages its ActiSense and GoTrap technologies to develop phage-based products that can effectively deliver DNA to a wide range of bacterial pathogens, and actively sensitize these pathogens to antibiotics. The company's lead product, TBX101, aims to treat patients carrying gut antimicrobial resistant bacteria, resulting in an antibiotic sensitive gut microbiome. Trobix Bio's precision medicine technology minimizes resistance development to TBX101.

About Chartered Opus

Chartered Opus is a production platform for investment products combining structural and technological innovations to a new methodology in Structured Products. Opus is the preferred investment vehicle for the Chartered Group High-Tech division. In the past two years, Chartered group grew its high-tech portfolio to about 30 companies all with disruptive technologies, including being the anchor investor for TAU Ventures at Tel Aviv University.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1221167/Trobix_Chartered_Opus_Logo.jpg

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Adi Elkeles

CEO & co-Founder

Trobix Bio

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Trobix Innovation Ltd

Related Links

https://www.trobixbio.com/


Bexar Countys criminal courts, effectively shut down for in-person proceedings for months by COVID-19, stirred to life for a few hours Tuesday to accomplish the one judicial function that cant be done remotely: Taking a sentenced defendant into custody.

Since June 15, jurists have been able to whittle away at their trial dockets using Zoom video conferencing from retrofitted courtrooms that have clear acrylic shields and barriers separating the bailiffs, the judge and court staff from defense attorneys and their clients, probation officers and prosecutors who are in court at different times to conduct proceedings while practicing social distancing.

A lot of work is done from private offices and homes, by remote.

Lisa Krantz, Staff / Staff photographer

But there are things that cant be done online.

All came today because of the possibility that they will go to prison, state District Judge Velia Meza said. If the cases are resolved, I cant sentence them on Zoom. I need to hear something from them in person.

Meza said this is the first time she has had in-person hearings since March 27. Her court staff wore face masks: a mixture of coverings emblazoned with artwork, cartoon characters or Spurs logos. There also were generic bandannas.

Bailiff Diego Torres, who wore a Thin Blue Line flag face covering, walked back and forth from the courtroom to the outside waiting area to make sure everyone kept their masks on and were practicing social distancing.

A lawyer who walked into the courtroom during the proceedings was asked to wait outside until someone inside left so the proceedings could remain complaint with the courtroom restrictions on the number allowed in the room at one time.

Meza had 12 cases set for Tuesday in 226th state District Court, and accepted six plea bargains. One of her defendants was not allowed into the building because the defendant registered a fever.

Between each case, the courtroom was thoroughly disinfected.

All defendants who appeared Tuesday did so voluntarily, and each had a different reason for appearing in person: no access to Zoom technology for lack of a cellphone or Wi-Fi; couldnt operate the computer program; or had the potential to be taken to jail, which, of course, cant be done virtually.

David Macias was with his attorney, Patrick Lamas, and pleaded guilty to an enhanced theft charge, a state jail felony.

Wearing a San Antonio Spurs jersey, Macias stood before Meza, who went over the details of his plea agreement. She sentenced him to 100 days in Bexar County Jail, with credit for time served, and orders to stay away from a big box retailer.

Because of the pandemic, we cant do work release, Meza told Macias, adding she would have him evaluated for participation in a community service program.

After Macias sentence was read, the bailiff led Macias into the jury box and handcuffed him. This usually is the time defendants have their fingerprints taken, talk with their attorneys and wait for instructions before they are taken to the courts lockup room.

In a sign of these COVID-19 times, Torres had Macias remove his face mask and open his mouth to inspect for contraband. Torres said some defendants try to hide things inside their mouths and may not think they will be checked because of the order requiring everyone wear a mask.

Macias was the only person to be taken to jail Tuesday. Another defendant, Jose Briseno, pleaded no contest to a DWI case and a family violence charge. He was sentenced to eight years on both, but will enter a recovery program under supervision instead of going to prison. Meza warned him if he messes up, he will be behind bars.

State District Judge Ron Rangel has been working with local and state officials on ways to keep court proceedings going since juries first were suspended in mid-March.

At that time, some constitutional deadlines for things like the right to a speedy trial and other deadlines were delayed until officials worked out a plan on how to continue. They began with a presiding judge system in which one judge would hear Child Protective Services issues and protective orders.

Civil judges began using audio and video conferencing, something Bexar County Childrens Court has done for several years. County courts-at-law and criminal district court followed soon after.

In May, a man who had been convicted of murder in February was sentenced to 40 years in prison following Bexar Countys first murder sentencing conducted on Zoom video conferencing, with the defendant at the jail, Judge Stephanie Boyd on the bench in her 187th state District Court, and attorneys and witnesses in remote locations. The event was shown live on YouTube.

Last month, Rangel and Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl welcomed prospective grand jurors back to the Central Jury Room. They each said they were surprised that they sat two panels quickly, as residents stood to volunteer to be panelists for the two-month service.

And last week, Bexar County sent out 200 summonses to potential jurors who will serve on a civil jury from their homes, using Zoom, for a case that is yet to be identified.

If all goes well with the virtual civil trial, Rangel said he could see the criminal side moving in that direction.

Things are well. Im pleased, said Rangel, who also is the administrative judge over the district courts. Our judges have been on the same page with protecting the public. We are moving slowly, but methodically.

For her part, Meza said she feels comfortable with using Zoom for proceedings and is looking forward to one day soon when she can use it for a jury trial.

She said her goal is to continue to handle 50-70 cases every week, so the 175 inmates in custody who have cases awaiting trial in her court can move forward.

Meza also said she doesnt want the defendants in her court to think that just because they may not be having many court proceedings that she isnt watching.

I dont want them to think out of sight, out of mind, she said. Everyone on the docket is getting seen, and Im waiting to take it to the next level.

Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. To read more from Elizabeth, become a subscriber. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire through the nations nursing homes. Already, more than 56,000 residents and staff of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities  including more than 4,800 in Pennsylvania  have died of COVID-19. They account for more than 44% of U.S. coronavirus deaths, even though less than 1% of Americans live in nursing homes. This is a national disgrace.

To date, Congress has passed four bills to address the devastating impact of coronavirus on Americans. Yet these bills barely touch on the crisis raging in long-term care facilities. With only a few weeks until the district work period in August, what will it take for Congress to take meaningful action to protect nursing home residents?

For five months, nursing homes have been a hotbed for the virus  yet basic precautions to protect residents and staff are still not in place. AARP has heard gut-wrenching accounts from thousands of family members worried about their loved ones in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

Virginia Jeffries of Bechtelsville hasnt seen her 94-year-old mother in-law since the nursing home where she lives went into lockdown months ago.

Virginia worries the isolation is causing her mother in-law to be depressed and is harming her well-being. The family is concerned because they have not received regular updates on her condition, even after she contracted a serious case of COVID-19 and was moved to a special ward.

Its time for lawmakers to come together to pass a bipartisan COVID-19 response package with dedicated funding and five key policies to protect seniors living in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities:

 Ensure regular, ongoing testing and adequate personal protective equipment.

 Create transparency focused on daily, public reporting of cases and deaths in facilities, communication with families when loved ones are discharged or transferred, and accountability for how billions of dollars in federal funding is spent.

 Require access to facilitated virtual visitation.

 Provide better care for residents through adequate staffing, oversight, and access to in-person formal advocates, called long-term care ombudsmen.

 Stop attempts to provide blanket immunity for long-term care facilities related to COVID-19.

The hopeful news is that legislation has been introduced in Congress that will help save the lives of nursing home residents. However, what remains missing is the will to make these older Americans and their families a priority.

Our elected leaders must act now to protect Pennsylvanias long-term care residents and staff before the death toll rises even higher. It is literally life or death.
The companys annual fall festival, much praised ever since its 2017 debut, is off this year; most plans for next season, including Jennifer Higdons latest opera and Sondra Radvanovskys role debut as Lady Macbeth, are postponed. Instead, there will be a series of online performances  most created anew  to be shown on a new Opera Philadelphia Channel available [on several] platforms. Highlights include Lawrence Brownlee in a staged version of Tyshawn Soreys Cycles of My Being, a new version of David T. Littles Soldier Songs, and the great Willard White in Henzes El Cimmaron.  The Philadelphia Inquirer
Binita Jaiswal By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: TVS Motor, two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer, will be focussing on strengthening its exports and international business for next three to five years. Along with entering new overseas markets, the Chennai headquartered company aims to improve exports from its Indonesia plant, which reported a positive EBITDA of $750,000 for the full year against a loss of $3million in FY 2018-19.

Addressing the companys AGM on Wednesday, chairman and managing director, Venu Srinivasan said the international business of TVS Motor has grown by 7 per cent in 2019-20, compared to 16.6 per cent in 2018-19.

The company has a long term strategic partnership with BMW and has produced 72,000 units of BMW 310 motorcycles under the collaboration. TVS has also acquired Norton motorcycles which has enhanced its global portfolio bringing in complimentary products, segments, markets in the super-premium category, said Srinivasan. The company has long-term plans to increase its presence in the overseas market.

We will consolidate our presence in Africa and Latin America and improve our market share in some of the countries where we have scope for improvement. We are focusing on improving exports from our Indonesian plant also. For the next three to five years we will be focussing on the international side of the business by improving market share, ensuring customer satisfaction and entering new markets, said Sudarshan Venu, joint managing director of TVS, at the AGM. The company expressed that its unique product range will help it to grow in the international market.

Srinivasan expressed that the second quarter looks good as they are witnessing a positive uptick in both domestic retails and in international markets as well, however he refrained from making any forecast for the year. We will have to wait and see how the rest of the year pan out amid this coronavirus pandemic, said Srinivasan. Speaking about the covid impact on the business, Srinivasan said that domestic demand was already down last year due to lower GDP and the prices of the products increased by nearly 30 per cent in the last 18 to 24 months due to GST, emission norm changes and insurance cost and coronavirus lockdown just added to the woes.

The company has reported a loss of Rs. 139.1 Crores for the quarter ended June 2020 as against profit after tax of Rs. 142.3 Crores reported for the quarter ended June 2019.
Mumbai, July 29 : Shweta Singh Kirti, sister of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has demanded justice for her brother in a new Instagram post, saying truth must prevail.

The post comes after their father K.K. Singh filed an FIR at Rajiv Nagar police station in Patna a few days back, accusing six people, including actress Rhea Chakraborty, for abetment to suicide.

Shweta's Instagram post was accompanied by a picture of Sushant's portrait in their Patna home.

"If truth doesn't matter, nothing ever will! #justiceforsushantsinghrajput," she wrote alongside the image.

Rajiv Nagar police station in-charge Yogendra Ravidas said on Tuesday that Sushant Singh Rajput's father KK Singh has accused six people, including Rhea, for abetment to suicide in his complaint (FIR number 241/20) submitted over the weekend. The police are investigating the case.

Shweta also finds mention in the FIR, which mentions at one point: "Sushant called his sister and told her that Rhea threatened him to show certain medical receipts to the media in order to prove that he was mad. After that no one would offer him work." It has been reported earlier that Sushant was undergoing treatment for depression.

Rhea had earlier admitted to being the late actor's girlfriend in an open letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah while pleading for a CBI probe into the matter.

"Rhea Chakraborty and five other persons have been charged under Sections 340, 341, 380, 406, 420 and 306 of IPC after Sushant Singh Rajput's father filed an FIR against them. Further investigation is going on in the case," Sanjay Kumar, IG, Patna Central Zone, told reporters.

Following the FIR by Sushant's father, a four-member team of Patna Police arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday to question Rhea and the other accused. These include Rhea's father Indrajit Chakraborty, mother Sandhya Chakraborty, brother Showik Chakraborty and business partner Shruti Modi. All accused have been booked under Sections 341, 342, 380, 406,420, 306 and 120 (B) of the IPC.

In his FIR, Sushant's father, a retired government official, has alleged that Rhea forced Sushant to stay apart from his family and had also taken over his bank account. He has alleged that crores had been transferred from Sushant's account to another account over the past year, and that Rhea had taken over the late actor's credit card.

Sushant's father has also alleged that Rhea had forcibly kept some vital medical receipts of Sushant and threatened to expose them to the world if he carried out his plans of quitting acting to take up organic farming.

According to the FIR, on June 8, six days before Sushant was found hanging in his residence, Rhea left with cash, jewellery, credit card, and the medical receipts.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery

-- Syndicated from IANS
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Rajasthan is witnessing not just a political crisis  which is an outcome of the power struggle between chief minister (CM) Ashok Gehlot and his now-dismissed deputy CM, Sachin Pilot. It is also staring at a constitutional crisis, with a deepening rift between two of the states most important institutions  the office of the governor and the office of the CM. Mr Gehlot wants an assembly session from July 31 to be able to prove that his government enjoys the confidence of a majority of the members of the House. Governor Kalraj Mishra has appeared reluctant in doing so, and asked for a set of clarifications on the agenda and Covid-19 protocols, besides hinting at a three-week notice period to convene the Assembly. On Tuesday, the government got back to the governor, telling him, quite bluntly, that imposing what can be construed as conditions is beyond his authority. On Wednesday, Mr Mishra once again rejected Mr Gehlots request.

The government, on this issue, is right. It is important to go back to first principles here. The elected executive has a right to ask for a session of the legislature. This is an established constitutional principle, reiterated by successive Supreme Court judgments. The governor, in the case of assemblies, or the President of India, in the case of Parliament, has limited discretionary room in this regard. It is also both an established custom, and good form, for any government to seek to prove its majority in the House  when there are doubts about its stability. It is not in television studios or in hotel resorts that the longevity of a government is determined. It is on the floor of the House.

And that is why Mr Mishra  a former political figure from the Bharatiya Janata Party  must do the right thing and convene the House. He owes it to both the letter and spirit of the Constitution and the dignity of his office. Not doing so is giving rise to the perception that the office of the governor is acting in a partisan way to allow the rebel legislators, and the Opposition, time to rally numbers to destabilise the government. This perception may or may not be true  but his inaction is creating a wrong precedent and undermining faith in institutions.
Montgomery police are asking for the publics help in finding a 9-year-old boy who has been missing since mid-June, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Tuesday.

Ezra Redden was last seen June 19 near Hickory Street in Montgomery, ALEA said.

Ezra was described as 4-feet 3-inches tall, 60 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on the childs whereabouts was asked to call Montgomery police at 334-215-7867 or call 911.
The United States is cutting back its deployments in Germany by nearly 12,000 troops and shifting some of those forces around the continent, including relocating some units to Belgium and Italy, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper announced Wednesday.

About 6,400 troops are set to return to the United States.

The move is certain to rankle European leaders and anger lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who see the US troop presence on the continent, especially in Germany, as a cornerstone of post-World War II order.

I am confident that the alliance will be all the better and stronger for it, Esper told reporters. We can see some moves begin within weeks.

The Pentagons decision to cut US troops in Germany from roughly 36,000 to about 24,000 is in keeping with President Donald Trumps idea of American First and his deep-seated drive to bring home US forces from wars launched after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

He also has vigorously demanded that European allies carry more of the burden for their own protection. In particular, he has long criticized Germany for being delinquent in meeting its commitment to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defense. The plan announced by Esper on Wednesday will affect US deployments to Germany more than any other NATO ally.

The outlines of the move, reported earlier in June by The Wall Street Journal, blindsided German officials and some American military officials, who have long seen the US presence in Germany as the bedrock of the US commitment to NATO.

Esper said the change was a part of an ongoing review of US troop presence around the world that was accelerated by Trumps announcement to cut forces in Germany. Repositioning the troops will cost several billion dollars, Esper added.

Roughly 5,600 troops leaving Germany will move elsewhere in Europe, including an F-16 fighter squadron to Italy and an armored unit that will return to the United States and start a rotational deployment in the Black Sea region. The militarys European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, will move to Mons, Belgium. The Africa Command headquarters, also in Germany, will probably move, although Defense Department officials did not provide a location.

Earlier this month, The Associated Press reported that governors from four German states sent a letter to more than a dozen US lawmakers pushing them to urge Trump not to scale back the US troop presence in Germany.

For decades, Americans and Germans have worked together to build and develop these unique and highly capable structures, the letter said, according to The Associated Press. They provide the necessary foundation for a partnership-based contribution to peace in Europe and the world, to which we all share a common commitment.

In 2012, the Obama administration withdrew two combat brigades from Germany to a mostly muted response.

But that was two years before Russia invaded Crimea and fueled an insurgency in eastern Ukraine with weapons and troops, prompting Europe and American officials to call for a reinvigorated NATO and a harsher stance against Russia.

US bases in Germany span the gamut of missions, from training areas such as the one in Grafenwoehr, to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, often one of the first stops for US troops wounded in combat in places such as Iraq or Afghanistan as they return stateside for medical care.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has called Trumps plan to cut troops in Germany a gift to Russia. The Kremlin has long seen US troops in Europe as a threat to Russian borders.

Esper did say that some US forces could increase rotational deployments to the Black Sea region near Russia, as well as to Poland and the Baltic States.

At the height of the Cold War, when military officials planned for armored blitzes through the Fulda Gap, a patch of land in Germany long seen as a flash point for a shooting war with the Soviet Union, the US military had nearly 300,000 troops stationed in Europe.
The federal government has released a comprehensive schedule for various national examinations for exit classes including Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 and Senior Secondary School (SSS) 3. The examinations are to hold from August 17 to November 18.

These include the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) for SSS3 students conducted by the National Examination Council (NECO) which will start on October 5 and end on November 18.

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba, made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja after a series of meetings with chief executives of examination bodies in the country.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Federal Ministry of Education held a meeting on Tuesday with the chief executives of examination bodies namely, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS, to harmonise their examination dates.

The government Tuesday also said the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will begin on August 17.

Breakdown

The education minister said the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) examinations will start on September 21 and end on October 15.

Other details of the schedule indicate that the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, for SS3, conducted by NECO will start on October 5 and end on November 18, 2020, he said.

The minister said the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) for JSS 3 students, also conducted by NECO, will start on August 24 and end on September 7.

Furthermore, the National Common Entrance Examination, (NCEE) which is a one-day NECO examination for intending applicants into Unity Colleges (JSS1) will run in-between the Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) i.e. on October 17, 2020, he said.

He said the registration for the NECO (SSCE), which is ongoing, will end on September 10, 2020, and there shall be no extension for the registration whatsoever.

He also said the examination by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) will commence on September 23 and end on October 17.

The minister directed all examination bodies to release their examination timetables in the next seven days.

For the one  day National Common Entrance Examination conducted by NECO, it is compulsory for parents and pupils to wear face masks on the exam date, while also carrying along with them, alcohol-based sanitizers, he said.
A man was arrested after shooting and killing a woman while she was driving with four kids in the vehicle, leading to a crash into the Sacramento River, a California sheriff's office said Tuesday.



Mandiko Kwadzo, 27, of West Sacramento, was arrested and booked in the Sacramento County Jail on murder charges, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said.

Kwadzo and the woman he is accused of shooting were in a domestic relationship at the time. Kwadzo is father to three of the four children with the woman. It is unclear who the parents are for the fourth child.

The sheriff's office said a person called 911 after 9:30 p.m. Monday to report a vehicle drove off the roadway and partially into the Sacramento River.

"I heard some crashing and branches breaking, and whatnot," said Harrell Fischer, who was working on his boat Monday.

Fischer saw taillights heading into the river. He and another fisherman went to see what was going on.

"We hopped in his boat and we started hearing screaming," Fischer said.

Fischer and the other man pulled up to the car and opened the passenger door.

"I saw a little face look up at me and I about melted," Fischer said. "It was intense. I was like, 'Oh my gosh.' And then I saw two little hands poke out, too, like, 'Help me.'"

Fischer said without thinking twice, he started pulling the children from the car.

"I grabbed another kid and put him in the boat," he said. "And another kid and put them in the boat and another kid was coming out. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, there are four kids in that car.'"

The oldest child told Fischer something he didn't expect to hear.

"He said, 'He shot my mom,'" Fischer said. "I said, 'What? What did you say?' And he said, 'He shot my mom.' This little 6-year-old says to me, 'You don't come back from a shot like that.'"

The woman was not pulled out of the driver's seat until fire personnel and California Highway Patrol officers arrived.



"We couldn't find a pulse when we tried to lift her up," Fischer said. "She was just covered in blood."

Fire personnel spotted a gunshot wound to the woman's upper body while trying to perform live-saving measures on her, the sheriff's office said. Officials declared her dead at the scene.

Kwadzo was detained by officers at the scene and later arrested after homicide detectives determined he shot the woman while she was driving, the sheriff's office said. The vehicle veered into the river after she was shot.

What led to the shooting is unknown, the sheriff's office said.

"I don't even want anyone to ever see that or have to go through that," Fischer said.

Kwadzo and the four children were not injured in the incident, the officials said.

"I thank God for keeping those kids safe," Fischer said. "I thank God for keeping me and John safe. And I pray for that dude, too, who did all this. I pray for him, too."
Vallourec: availability of the Interim Financial Report

(half-year ended 30 June 2020)

Boulogne-Billancourt (France), July 29th 2020 - The Vallourec Interim financial report ended 30 June 2020 has been made available to the public and filed with the French securities regulator (Autorite des Marches Financiers) today.

It includes the half-year 2020 consolidated financial statements, the half-year activity report, the statement by the person responsible for the interim financial report as well as the Statutory Auditors' review report on the half-year consolidated financial statements.

The French version of Vallourec's Interim financial report at 30 June 2020 can be consulted on Vallourec's website: www.vallourec.com. The English version will be available by 31 July 2020.

About Vallourec

Vallourec is a world leader in premium tubular solutions for the energy markets and for demanding industrial applications such as oil & gas wells in harsh environments, new generation power plants, challenging architectural projects, and high-performance mechanical equipment. Vallourec's pioneering spirit and cutting edge R&D open new technological frontiers. With close to 19,000 dedicated and passionate employees in more than 20 countries, Vallourec works hand-in-hand with its customers to offer more than just tubes: Vallourec delivers innovative, safe, competitive and smart tubular solutions, to make every project possible.

Listed on Euronext in Paris (ISIN code: FR0013506730, Ticker VK) and eligible for the Deferred Settlement System (SRD), Vallourec is included in the following indices: SBF 120 and Next 150.

In the United States, Vallourec has established a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program (ISIN code: US92023R2094, Ticker: VLOWY). Parity between ADR and a Vallourec ordinary share has been set at 5:1.

Calendar

November 18, 2020 Release of the third semester of 2020 results

For further information, please contact:

Investor relations

Jerome Friboulet

Tel: +33 (0)1 49 09 39 77

Investor.relations@vallourec.com (mailto:Investor.relations@vallourec.com) Press relations

Heloise Rothenbuhler

Tel: +33 (0)1 41 03 77 50

heloise.rothenbuhler@vallourec.com (mailto:heloise.rothenbuhler@vallourec.com)



Individual shareholders

Toll Free Number (from France): 0805 65 10 10

actionnaires@vallourec.com (mailto:actionnaires@vallourec.com)









Attachment
Here are some of todays biggest headlines.

Even countries that got coronavirus under control are now struggling, thats deeply concerning for the rest of the world The coronavirus is easily the most severe public health emergency the World Health Organization (WHO) has ever faced, its director-general said Monday, as countries that previously appeared to have the pandemic under control recorded an uptick in cases.

Twitter temporarily restricts Donald Trump Jr.s account after he posts video claiming masks are unnecessary Twitter restricted Donald Trump Jr.s ability to tweet after he posted a video featuring a doctor making false claims about coronavirus cures and stating that people dont need masks to prevent the virus from spreading, a Twitter spokesperson said Tuesday.

Trump makes false claims about his swing state polling Less than 100 days out from the election, President Donald Trump pushed back against criticism that his handling of the coronavirus pandemic is negatively impacting his bid for a second term. At a briefing in North Carolina on Monday, Trump claimed his poll numbers were very good, referring especially to a few battleground states.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak found guilty on seven charges related to 1MDB scandal Disgraced former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been found guilty on seven charges related to the 1MDB scandal, which saw billions of dollars of taxpayers money funneled and embezzled out of Malaysia.

No more war thanks to North Koreas nuclear weapons, Kim says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he believes his country will no longer need to fight wars because its nuclear arsenal guarantees its safety, according to North Korean state media.

Chinese students in Australia targeted in fake kidnapping scam Chinese students in Australia are being coerced by criminal gangs to fake their own kidnappings as part of an elaborate global extortion racket targeting vulnerable overseas communities, authorities said Monday.

India is blocking more apps in the wake of the TikTok ban India is banning dozens more apps and reportedly reviewing hundreds of others from well-known Chinese companies, as tensions between the worlds most populous countries continue to rise.

Activists are urging big brands to eradicate traces of human rights abuse in Xinjiang from their supply chains Global businesses are facing mounting pressure from activist groups and the US government to reexamine and cut any ties they might have to Chinas Xinjiang region, where allegations of human rights violations have run rampant for years.

100 million-year-old sea microbes are alive and thriving, study finds Microbial communities below the seafloor have survived and retained their metabolic potential for up to 101.5 million years, a new study finds.

Lewis Hamilton clarifies anti-vaccine Instagram post after backlash Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has clarified his views on a potential coronavirus vaccine after sharing an anti-vaccination post on social media.

Coronavirus updates: Avoid some Spanish regions, Germany warns  BBC News Germanys foreign ministry has warned against unnecessary visits to three regions of Spain. In a statement, it flagged Aragon, Catalonia and Navarra due to their high infection numbers and local lockdowns. The regions have seen a huge rise in cases during recent days, but Spanish authorities insist that infections in most regions are under control.

Donald Trump Jr suspended from tweeting Twitter has banned the US presidents eldest son from tweeting for 12 hours. The punishment followed a post by Donald Trump Jr containing a video discussing the benefits of hydroxychloroquine. Some, including President Trump, have suggested the drug works as a preventative measure against coronavirus, despite medical studies that indicate the contrary.

Republicans introduce $1tn pandemic recovery plan Republicans have proposed spending an additional $1tn (776bn) to address the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The plan includes $100bn for schools and issuing stimulus payments of up to $1,200 to most Americans. Under the plan, the payment would replace a $600 boost to unemployment benefits during the pandemic.

Emirates covers Covid-19 medical and funeral costs Emirates has become the first airline to offer free Covid-19 insurance as it tries to get people flying again. Passengers will be covered for medical treatment, hotel quarantine, and even their funeral if they catch the coronavirus while travelling. The announcement comes as carriers around the world have been hit hard by measures to tackle the pandemic.

Its official: CES 2021 will be online only For the first time in decades, the tech world is leaving Las Vegas alone in January. The Consumer Technology Association announced Tuesday that CES 2021 will be an all-digital event running from Jan. 6 to Jan. 9, 2021, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Nice guy Ryan Reynolds puts up a $5,000 reward to help find a lost teddy bear Beneath the snark and sass that made him such a perfect Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds seems like a lovely, well-meaning dude. Take this latest example, when Reynolds shared a Saturday tweet from Deborah Goble, a Canadian Broadcasting Company reporter based in Vancouver.

Googles internal data collection on competing apps raises new antitrust questions Google chief Sundar Pichai has a couple of extra days to prepare for Big Techs antitrust hearing in Washington, D.C., and hed be wise to put that extra time toward preparing for questions about Android Lockbox. Thats the name of a recently unearthed internal program that leverages the so-called sensitive data collected by Android to monitor how people are using non-Google apps.

Google tells employees to get used to working from home for another year The coronavirus isnt going anywhere. That appears to be the thinking of Google, as CEO Sundar Pichai told employees Monday morning that many of them would be working from home until July 2021 at the earliest. Thats right, the Big Data company thinks were all in this for the long haul  at least in the U.S., anyway.
Detreck Foster, an Independence, Kansas man who hasnt been seen or heard from since mid-April, has missed several holidays and important occasions, and his family is worried.

He never called his mother on Mothers Day. He missed spending Fathers Day with his two daughters and missed both of their birthdays. He missed celebrating his 38th birthday with his twin sister in June.

Detreck Foster

Three months have passed, but Detrecks family continues to search for him, hoping someone with information will come forward.

Jordan Foster, Detrecks former wife and the mother of his children, told Dateline its uncharacteristic for Detreck to not be in contact with the family.

He would never just disappear, Jordan said. Not from his family. Not from his children. Theyre everything to him. This is not like him.

Jordan, who lives in Kansas City, with the couples daughters, ages 5 and 13, said she last spoke to Detreck on April 4.

He called me to let me know his phone -- its a prepaid phone -- would be shut off soon, Jordan said. But that wasnt anything unusual. A couple days would pass and hed have a new phone. But he always called. He always told me -- or his mother or sisters -- where hed be.

But Detreck never called.

As weeks passed, Jordan said she was slightly concerned that their normal pattern of communication had changed, but did not become really worried until Detreck failed to call his own mother on May 10 -- Mothers Day.

He always calls his mother, his sister and myself on Mothers Day, Jordan said. And hes really close to his mother. When he didnt call her, we knew something was wrong.

The family started making calls and when they figured out that no one had seen or heard from Detreck since mid-April, they filed a missing persons report with the Independence Police Department.

According to Independence Police Chief Jerry Harrison, there are various reports from friends who said they saw Detreck in mid-April in the Independence area, but police said they believe the last confirmed sighting of Detreck was on April 12 in Independence, Kansas. Chief Harrison would not share any further details on the case and told Dateline it is still an open investigation.

Story continues

This is still an open investigation and we are still actively pursuing leads, Chief Harrison said. Several agencies in this area are working on the case and it's a top priority for us.

Jordan told Dateline that the family, who live in Parsons, Kansas, spent days posting missing person fliers around the Independence area, where Detreck lives. But shortly after, the fliers were taken down, leading Jordan to question the communitys sincerity in finding Detreck. She added that a friend who lives in Independence has since re-posted some of the fliers.

I believe someone in Independence knows something, but no one is speaking up, Jordan said. We just need that person to come forward with any information that could help us find Detreck.

Jordan has known Detreck since she was 15 years old. She said Detreck grew up in Parsons, Kansas and graduated from Parsons High School. He had previously worked as a corrections officer and tactical private security officer, which led to a lot of traveling for work.

Detreck Foster with his daughters. (Courtesy of Jordan Foster)

But Jordan said Detreck always called to check in on his daughters and never failed to miss important occasions.

Detreck is the type of guy who would just drop everything to help someone, Jordan said. When hed come to visit the girls, hed help me with things around the house.

Jordan told Dateline that Detreck had been between jobs in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but said he had landed a job at FedEx right before he disappeared.

Jordan, who stays in constant touch with Detrecks family, said the family is not willing to speculate on the details of his disappearance as it is still an ongoing investigation.

All I can say is, we fear the worst, Jordan said. The family is having a tough time right now. The fact that no one in Independence is speaking up is worrisome and frustrating.

She added that its also hard to believe that someone would harm Detreck.

As far as I know, he doesnt have any enemies, Jordan told Dateline. Hes very social and has lots of friends. Our oldest daughter is just like him -- a social butterfly.

As Detrecks daughters continue to ask where he is, Jordan holds on to hope that she can one day give them good news.

Detreck was 37 years old when he disappeared in April. He would have turned 38 in June. He is described as being 59 tall, weighing 190 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.

If you have information that could help the case, contact the Independence Police Department at (620) 332-1700 or the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (785) 296-4017.
President is painting a dystopian portrait of what Joe Biden's America might look like, asserting crime and chaos would ravage communities should the former vice president win the White House in November.

Left unsaid: A recent surge in violent crime in several American cities has happened on his watch.

Irony is way down the list of things that President Trump worries about, said Robert Spitzer, a political scientist at the State University of New York College at Cortland whose research focuses on gun and the American presidency.

He's turning to the old playbook - appeal to the fears of Americans and then associate those fears with the Democratic Party, specifically

With echoes of Richard Nixon's law-and-order campaign in 1968, Trump is trying to energise his conservative base while also making an appeal to a small patch of undecided voters by posing the question: Which man will keep you safer?



By leaning hard on select scenes of violence, Trump is banking on that unrest continuing. But the protests could wane. Violent crime around the US has been on a downward trajectory for the better part of the last three decades.

Lanae Erickson, a senior vice president for social policy and at the centre-left think tank Third Way, said Trump's attempt to use the Nixon playbook and tap into anxieties about crime is odd given that, unlike Nixon in 1968, Trump is already in the White House.

Trump is the incumbent, so if bad things are happening right now, they get blamed on him, Erickson said. I don't know how he can persuade voters that it's Joe Biden's fault.

Trump has tried to paint Biden as captive of his party's most liberal elements who have called to dramatically reshape policing in America.

His campaign has aired advertising in battleground states that shows a woman calling police for help as an intruder breaks into her home and getting a voice recording informing her that, because the police have been defunded, no one is available to take her call.

The president recently tweeted a warning to Suburban Housewives of America that Biden will destroy your neighbourhood and your American dream. No one will be SAFE in Joe Biden's America! Trump declared.

Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York have seen spikes in violent crime and homicides this year. And Trump has dispatched federal agents or announced plans to send agents to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Chicago, and Kansas City, Missouri, to try to stop the unrest. He's also sent federal agents to Portland, Oregon, to try to forcibly quell protests around the federal courthouse.

Trump has tried to argue that Biden, at least implicitly, would condone unchecked violence.

Last week, Trump said he'd like to flood Chicago, which has seen a 51% increase in homicides and a 47% increase in shootings compared to the same time last year, with 50,000 or 75,000 people and solve it like you wouldn't believe."



But Trump said he wouldn't do it because of a lack of cooperation from the city's leadership.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Trump, despite his tough talk, has shown little interest in addressing a central issue driving the violence in the city: About 60% of firearms recovered in crimes committed in Chicago were originally purchased outside Illinois.

At the centre of Trump's attempts to cast Biden as weak on crime is pushing the unfounded notion that Biden wants to defund the police.

In an interview with Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace, Trump incorrectly cited a charter between Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders that was signed as part of the Unity Task Force, an effort to find common ground between the more moderate Biden backers and Sanders' liberal supporters.

But the task force's recommendations for the Democratic platform does not mention defunding police. Trump was unable to show Wallace language in the task force document that said as much.

Still, Trump campaign spokesperson Hogan Gidley hammered on the point during a Monday call to update grassroots activists on strategy.

Peter Scharf, a criminologist at Louisiana State University School of Public Health who has advised the New Orleans Police Department's reform efforts, said Biden's stance on policing is complicated and one that Trump will look to further muddy.

Biden, as a senator, played a key role in writing the 1994 crime bill-- tough-on-crime legislation that critics say fuelled mass incarceration.

During the primary, fellow Democrats repeatedly criticised Biden over the bill. His criminal justice proposal reverses some key provisions of the crime bill. He has also apologised for supporting some policies in the 1990s that he now recognises were harmful, such as sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine.

While Biden does not support defunding police departments, the push in some left-leaning big cities to drastically overhaul police budgets could put him in a difficult position, Scharf said.

The majority of Seattle's nonpartisan City Council, for example, has publicly embraced calls to cut the city's 2021 police budget by half. That makes it crucial that Biden become more proactive in laying out his vision for reinvention of the modern police force to prevent Trump's anti-police jabs from sticking, Scharf added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended the inauguration of a modular hospital for the treatment of coronavirus patients in Gobustan district.

The head of state was informed of the conditions created at the hospital.
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Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions.

Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Nearly five months into the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and despite testing expansion across the city and state, some Staten Islanders say test results are taking nearly two weeks -- and longer in some cases -- making quarantine difficult as the city is in Phase 4 of its reopening plan and thousands have returned to work.

Different testing locations use different labs to process tests, resulting in a wide range of turnaround times and creating delays at labs that are used more frequently.
WATERLOO REGION  Fast, accurate COVID-19 testing is key in making employees feel safer in a return to work, a panel discussion heard Wednesday.

Ontario has made significant improvements on the testing front, but to really feel ready and safe, I think were still an order of magnitude lower than the level of testing we need, said Rick Byers, director of software development at Google in Kitchener.

Byers has been closely following developments in the battle against COVID-19 on his own time, and stressed he was not representing his employer on the Communitech-hosted panel.

Test results should be regularly available within 24 hours  ideally in under an hour  and suspected contacts notified via a contact tracing app, he said. We could totally prevent a lot of the transmission and be safe, and it doesnt feel like were quite there yet.

Health surveys and temperature scans arent enough when a considerable number of infected people arent symptomatic when tested or never show symptoms, but still have the same viral load and can spread the virus, Byers said. If you have an outbreak in your office, its probably going to come from someone whos not showing symptoms.

Concerns about getting sick  especially with the threat of virus spikes or a second wave  are making many people leery about returning to their workplace, if they havent yet had to do so.

The companies that were speaking to, only 15 per cent of their workforce feels safe going back to work, so the ability to have rapid testing will provide more comfort, said Janet De Silva, president and chief executive officer of the Toronto Board of Trade.

Effective contact tracing has been a real pain point early on when hospital staff have been faced with tracking an infected employees contacts within the facility, said St. Marys General Hospital president Lee Fairclough.

If you arent actually acting quickly on the test results and then having people isolate, youre going to see further spread, she said. I just feel this whole area is ripe for some real innovation.

The national phone-based exposure notification app, now being tested, will alert people if theyve been in close proximity to someone who then tests positive. But its effectiveness relies on mass adoption, and privacy concerns could prevent people from using the voluntary app.

The country with the highest adoption of a similar app is Norway  with only 38 per cent of people using it, said De Silva.

Is it time to be thinking about an opt-out as opposed to an opt-in for the good of the whole society, asked moderator and Communitech president and chief executive officer Iain Klugman.

I think if there was a place where you might be able to do it, it is here in Canada, said Fairclough. For the most part, people have embraced the public health measures that weve put in place more generally.

An app that everyone uses by default unless they opt out needs to minimize data collection to ease those privacy concerns, Byers said.

The COVID Alert app being tested in Canada doesnt collect location information; it simply lets the user know if their phone has been in close proximity in the past two weeks to someone who has tested positive. The infected person has to have voluntarily submitted their test results to the app.

The best approach to privacy is to not collect the data you dont need in the first place, Byers said.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / GGX Gold Corp. (TSXV:GGX)(OTCQB:GGXXF)(FRA:3SR2) (the "Company" or "GGX") is pleased to provide an update on its 2020 exploration program at the Gold Drop property in the Greenwood Mining Camp.

A diamond drill has been moved to the property and is now being located on the first site. This hole will test an airborne geophysical anomaly that was identified to the company in 2019 by Earth Science Services Corporation of Oshawa, Ontario (ESSCO). This company is developing the proprietary Stargate II (SG II) Drill Target Modeling System, based on Acoustic EM analysis. SG II employs an enhanced, deep-penetrating ultra-sonic AMT (Audio-Magnetotellurics) geophysical survey (for more information see the ESSCO Website at: http://www.earthscienceservices.ca/index.php). As the system is in developmental / pre-commercial stage, its effectiveness is not fully known to GGX.

Stargate II surveys were performed by ESSCO over the Republic Graben trend in Washington and around Greenwood, B.C. in 2014/2015 at 1 km and 500 metre line spacings.

The geophysical anomaly on the Gold Drop property is large, measuring 1834 by 1377 metres. Its is centered at the intersection of three interpreted major fault conduit structural traces and is located along strike and to the north of the C.O.D. vein trend. Two of the interpreted "conduit-fault-structural traces" coincide with known trends of the C.O.D. vein and a NW-trending cross-fault systems.

Stargate II Anomaly Map:

GGX is excited to have the opportunity to trial this new technology. This will be the second hole to be drilled to test the method. Hole AMT19-01 was drilled to test the northern portion of the large anomaly. It was drilled to a depth of 718.8 metres (2,358 feet) and intersected strong magnetite mineralization, with two sections of high magnetic susceptibility (209 - 325 m and 478 - 597 m) as shown below.

Geochemical results from AMT19-01 indicate elevated copper, zinc and iron between 90.31 and 718.7 metres (628 metres). Copper values averaged 249 ppm Cu in 38 of 62 samples that contained 100 ppm or greater copper, with values ranging from 102 to 837 ppm Cu. The highest copper value was for a 0.32 metre sample at 714.06 metres depth, where sulphide mineralization (pyrrhotite and pyrite) was observed. Zinc averaged 175 ppm Zn in 48 of 62 samples containing ppm 100 or greater zinc, with values ranging from 102 to 572 ppm Zn. Iron averaged 10.0% Fe in 48 of 62 samples containing 5% or greater iron, with values ranging from 5.27 to 12% Fe.

Gold values were slightly elevated between 541.93 and 551.08 metres, with three consecutive 3.05 metre long samples that assayed 0.02, 0.06 and 0.03 ppm gold in an interval containing approximately 10 % magnetite. The highest gold value was for a 0.32 metre sample at 714.06 metres depth, where sulphide mineralization (pyrrhotite and pyrite) was observed. This interval (714.06-714.38 or 0.32m) assayed 0.09 ppm Gold.

The elevated values for gold, copper, zinc and iron are associated with calc-silicate altered rocks and magnetite mineralization in the drill core. These features are interpreted as weak, skarn-type replacement mineralization. Magnetite-bearing skarn-type copper-gold deposits are an important deposit type in the Greenwood camp, with the largest being the Phoenix and Motherlode deposits. The Phoenix produced 28,341 kg of gold, 183,036 kg of silver and 235,693 tonnes of copper and the Motherlode produced 6,648 kg gold, 22,083 kg silver, and 34,918 tonnes copper.

It is now interpreted that AMT19-01 was drilled into a down-dropped, northern block and that the southern block (where the drill will start this year) is a better location because the interpreted source of the anomaly lies closer to surface.

If successful, the test at the Gold Drop property could result in the discovery of a new gold deposit or even a new gold deposit type. It could also lead to further investigations utilizing the new geophysical technique in other areas of the Greenwood Mining Camp. View the Video at GGXGOLD

This field season began in June with development and implementation of protocols and measures to prevent and control the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Personnel received training and individual daily temperature self-monitoring was implemented. An inspection of the accommodations by the Ministry of Mines took place on June 26, with no concerns.

Initial field work has been focussed on preparation for trenching and drilling, with targets being marked out at the C.O.D. vein, Rhoderick Dhu, and Gold Drop mine areas. These areas will be trenched first and then drill tested if warranted. Previous drill holes and trenches from 2017 and 2018 at the COD were surveyed with a Trimble Geo7X instrument for sub-meter accuracy, and prospecting and rock sampling was initiated.

Photo of part of the Gold Drop Property showing the location of 2020 target areas.

Analytical results reported above were provided by ALS Laboratories in North Vancouver, BC., an independent and accredited commercial laboratory. Analyses for gold were done by fire assay with AA finish on 50 gram sub-samples, or by metallics sieve analyses. Quality control was monitored using analytical results for reference standards and blank samples inserted into the sample stream at a frequency of 5% each.

David Martin, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and consultant to the Company, approved the technical information in this release.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Barry Brown, CEO

604-488-3900

Office@GGXgold.com

Forward Looking Statement

This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the acquisition of certain mineral claims. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements and Revolver undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Company operates, including that: the current price of and demand for minerals being targeted by the Company will be sustained or will improve; the Company will be able to obtain required exploration licences and other permits; general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner; financing will be available if and when needed on reasonable terms; the Company will not experience any material accident; and the Company will be able to identify and acquire additional mineral interests on reasonable terms or at all. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including: that resource exploration and development is a speculative business; that environmental laws and regulations may become more onerous; that the Company may not be able to raise additional funds when necessary; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; fluctuating prices of commodities; operating hazards and risks; competition; potential inability to find suitable acquisition opportunities and/or complete the same; and other risks and uncertainties listed in the Company's public filings. These risks, as well as others, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: GGX Gold Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599412/GGX-Gold-Commences-Diamond-Drilling-Gold-Drop-Property-Historic-Greenwood-Gold-Mining-Camp
Kuchma Quits As Presidential Envoy In Group For Resolving Conflict In Ukraine

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service July 28, 2020

KYIV -- Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has left the post of presidential envoy in the trilateral contact group on resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian armed forces in the country's east.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said on July 28 that Kuchma had decided to end his activities in the group. The office did not give any reasons for the decision.

Kuchma, who ran the country between 1994 and 2005, served as Ukraine's presidential envoy in the trilateral group consisting of representatives of Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) from 2014 to 2018.

On June 3 last year, days after Zelenskiy was inaugurated as Ukraine's president, Kuchma returned to the group that has been involved in negotiations on a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine's eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, known jointly as the Donbas. Some parts of the region have been under the control of Kremlin-backed separatists since April 2014.

The armed conflict in Donbas started after Russia forcibly annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014. Kyiv and Western governments have accused Moscow of armed support for the pro-Russian separatists.

Russia insists it has nothing to do with the conflict, saying that some "volunteers" from Russia may have gone to fight in the Donbas.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kuchma-leaves- presidential-envoy-in-group-for-resolving- conflict-in-donbas/30753521.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Published on:

24 July 2020



2020 has been a year of growth for qLegal 2020 has been a year of growth for qLegal

The initiative is a result of a year-long collaboration between Queen Marys pro bono commercial law clinic, qLegal, and Strathmore Universitys Entrepreneurship Law Clinic.

Queen Marys qLegal, based at CCLS, is advising Strathmore Universitys Entrepreneurship Law Clinic on how to deliver tailored legal advice to social enterprises, charities and entrepreneurs in Kenya.

Queen Marys Centre for Commercial Law Studies was established in 1980 by Professor Roy Goode to create an environment where practising commercial lawyers and those from academic could meet and exchange ideas. Over the past 40 years CCLS has become a world leader in commercial law research and teaching.

Supporting local communities

The legal advisory service aims to support the already strong entrepreneurial work being undertaken in Kenya. The country is continuing to develop its expertise and reputation as one of the leading investors in mobile technology in East Africa.

The one-to-one free advisory service is based on qLegals model but has been adapted to suit the requirements of clients in Kenya. Volunteers from leading law firms in Nairobi will be supervising Strathmores law students as they interview and provide tailored written advice to clients.

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, much of the training of the students and volunteer lawyers is being delivered online. Specific measures have also been put in place to ensure that client confidentiality is maintained throughout, despite the introduction of remote working practices.

Clemence Tanzi, qLegal Development Facilitator and Project Lead said: After several years of developing programmes and resources to support student experience and growth, it has been a privilege to collaborate on this new project with Strathmore University Law Clinic.

The enthusiasm and dedication to provide tailored legal advice to meet the needs of Kenyan entrepreneurs has come from across the board. Valuable contributions have been made by the leadership of the law school and existing law clinic, students and partnering law firms, as well as the existing centre for excellence at Strathmore Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT).

Professor Ian Walden, Head of Queen Marys Centre for Commercial Law Studies said: Were delighted this collaboration further strengthens the relationship between CCLS and Strathmore. As CCLS celebrates its 40th anniversary and looks forward to the next 40 years, this initiative is another example of our commitment to commercial law as a means of supporting international development. Its also another way in which our international alumni can stay actively involved, as they support the running of Strathmores clinic.

Dr Kwenjera, Dean of Strathmore Law School, emphasised: The collaboration with Queen Mary University is a very exciting new venture. Strathmore Law Clinic (SLC) is now expanding into the commercial field, which is very ripe with our students. Strathmore University did indeed start  and does still remain  as an entrepreneurship institution, thus this venture is one that is close to home. Under the Constitution of Kenya, social justice is of great importance and as lawyers, we have a duty to pursue social justice. The aim of the Clinic is indeed to uphold social justice and engage in initiatives that will promote that goal.

A proud tradition of pro-bono work

The work being undertaken in Kenya builds on qLegals strong portfolio of work and its commitment to social and economic justice. The team at qLegal work across a range of complex issues including intellectual property matters relating to patents, copyright and trademarks as well as business structures, data protection compliance and non-disclosure agreements.

qLegal also undertakes outreach work where postgraduate law students visit local schools to teach the legal elements of developing a business idea. In addition to this, Queen Marys Department of Law of Law also has a thriving student pro bono society and a deep-rooted culture of pro bono and public engagement.

More information
The United States and close ally Australia held high-level talks on China and agreed on the need to uphold a rules-based global order, but the Australian foreign minister stressed Canberra's relationship with Beijing was important and it had no intention of hurting it.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper held two days of talks in Washington with their Australian counterparts, who had flown around the world for the meetings despite the COVID-19 pandemic and face two weeks of quarantine on their return.

At a joint news conference on Tuesday, Pompeo praised Australia for standing up to pressure from China and said Washington and Canberra would continue to work together to reassert the rule of law in the South China Sea, where China has been pressing its claims. That has led to friction with other countries in the region and concerns about freedom of navigation.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the United States and Australia shared a commitment to the rule of law and had reiterated their commitment to hold countries to account for breaches, such as China's erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.

She said the two sides had also agreed to form a working group to monitor and respond to harmful disinformation and would look at ways to expand cooperation on infectious diseases, including access to vaccines.

At the same time, she said Australia did not agree on everything with Beijing  or with the United States.

"The relationship that we have with China is important. And we have no intention of injuring it," she said. "But nor do we intend to do things that are contrary to our interests."

She said Australia and the United States had a shared interest in an Asia-Pacific region that was free, prosperous and secure and were broadly aligned on issues, including China.

"We don't agree on everything though. And that's part of a respectful relationship, is part of a relationship that has endured over 100 years of 'mateship.'"

Payne did not elaborate on disagreements with Washington, but said Australia made its own decisions and judgments based on its national interests and security.

"We deal with China in the same way. We have a strong economic engagement, other engagement, and it works in the interests of both countries."

Pompeo, a persistent and forceful critic of Beijing, said in a speech last week that Washington and its allies must use "more creative and assertive ways" to press China to change its ways and called it the "mission of our time."

Pompeo also said then it may be time for "a new grouping of like-minded nations, a new alliance of democracies" for this purpose.

Pompeo has been criticized by some for the speech, given the confrontational approach the Trump administration has taken towards some traditional allies, including in Europe, over issues such as trade.

Payne declined to comment on it specifically, but said, "the Secretary's speeches are his own, Australia's positions are our own," even if the countries operated on the basis of shared values.

Responding to a question, Pompeo rejected the suggestion that the administration's approach was unworkable.

"This isn't about picking America versus China," he said.

"This is about choosing freedom and democracy against tyranny and authoritarian regime, and I am confident that the democracies, our transatlantic Alliance ...know precisely, which side of that debate they want to be on."

While Washington is Australia's main security ally, China is its largest trading partner and Canberra has strained ties with the latter by pushing for an international inquiry into the spread of the coronavirus that first emerged in China.

Beijing has imposed dumping tariffs on barley from Australia, suspended some beef imports and warned students and tourists against traveling there, citing racism accusations.
Yves here. Bitcoin boosters are so insistent and doctrinaire as to discourage non-believers from bringing up the topic, since too many adherents engage in flagrant bad-faith argumentation to score points. Nevertheless, were taking a chance with this piece, since Varoufakis tersely and efficiently rebuts some of the misguided claims about how Bitcoin and blockchain might operate in the public sphere.

By Yanis Varoufakis. Originally published at his website

On 15th July, Ben Arc published in Bitcoin Magazine an open letter addressed to me in a bid to convince me that I should re-assess my rejection of Bitcoin as a force for good; as a bulwark for democratising capitalism and paving the ground for socialism. Here is my reply:

Dear Ben Arc,

Thank you for your open letter and your efforts to bring a socialist perspective to bear upon my assessment of Bitcoin.

In my reply below, I shall address you as a fellow socialist, rather than put together a reply meant to address all sorts of different perspectives (e.g. Keynesian, Hayekian, neoclassical)

As you know, I am one of those who, back in 2011, were genuinely intrigued, fascinated even, by the remarkable blockchain algorithm. The prospect of a decentralised ledger controlled by its community of users was mesmerising.

As you also know, I was unimpressed by Bitcoin as an alternative to fiat money that is either likely, or indeed desirable, under our current capitalist predicament.

Having read your open letter, I remain as enthusiastic on blockchains capacities and as unimpressed by Bitcoins ability to help us either civilise or (as any socialist dreams of) transcend capitalism.

Two propositions support this view. In the hypothetical case where Bitcoin were, under presently-existing capitalism, to replace fiat money: (1) It would lack the mechanism necessary to stop capitalist crises from yielding depressions that benefit only the ultra-right; and, (2) Its community-based, democratic protocols would do little to democratise economic life.< I shall explain my two propositions briefly below. But, before you despair (at my continued negative take on Bitcoin), let me foreshadow the concluding sentence in the Epilogue below: Once (and, of course, if) socialism dawns, money will have to be founded on a distributed-ledger, monetary commons enabling tehnology. In other words, I shall argue that Bitcoin is not fit for purpose under capitalism, or as a vehicle toward transcending capitalism, but something like Bitcoin will characterise monetary systems in a future world free of private banks and share markets.] OK, let me now support my two propositions: Proposition 1: Bitcoin lacks the shock absorbers necessary to prevent capitalist crises from doing untold damage to the working class

Consider the Crash of 2008 or the more recent 2020 Covid-19-induced crisis. Suppose that Central Banks did not have the capacity instantly to create trillions of dollars, euros, pounds and yen  and instead had to rely on a spontaneous majority of Bitcoins users to agree to a massive increase in the supply of money. The result would be a 1929-like collapse of banks and corporations.

While socialists would shed no tears for the tragedy of the oligarchy, socialists should beware that a 1929-like systemic collapse is bound to strengthen the forces of the ultra-right  not of the socialist left (that has been, since at least 1991, languishing in the doldrums of political paralysis).

Technically, there is of course nothing that would prevent the Bitcoin community from agreeing instantly to even a doubling of the money base. However, the Tragedy of the Commons guarantees that Bitcoin owners will be subject to the usual prisoners dilemma dynamic that prevents the boost in the money supply necessary to avert the liquidation of potentially viable businesses and jobs. Moreover, this free-rider problem is made far, far worse by the fact that Bitcoin ownership is very unequally distributed, thus giving the Bitcoin-rich powerful incentives to restrain the growth of the money supply (since such restrictions would boost their private rents at the expense of the public interest).

In short, the free-rider problem that guarantees the maximal reinforcement of any capitalist crisis (in any economy relying on Bitcoin as its main currency) will be turbocharged by the unequal ownership of Bitcoin  which is unavoidable in any monetary system overlaid upon contemporary capitalism.

Proposition 2: Under capitalism, Bitcoins dominance will not democratise economic life  or give socialism a chance

Suppose, again, that some magic wand is waved and Bitcoin replaces fiat money under contemporary capitalist conditions. In other words, as Bitcoin replaced dollars, pounds, euros and yen, property rights over land, resources and machines remain as they are while private equity firms and pension funds continue to own the bulk of shares trading in Wall Street, the City etc. All that will have changed is that Central Banks will vanish and the community of Bitcoin users will determine the global money supply (subject to the free-rider problems mentioned above).

At the firm level, nothing will have changed. Jeff Bezos will still control a massive monopsony-cum-monopoly, Facebook will still own the whole marketplace within its platform, Exxon-Mobil will continue to lean on weaker developing country governments to drill for oil and gas that should be left in the Earths guts etc.

And what of private banks? They would, make no mistake here, find ways of creating complex derivatives based on Bitcoin  derivatives that will soon (just like Lehman Brothers CDOs prior to 2008) function as stores of value and means of exchange; i.e. as private money. Massive bubbles denominated in Bitcoin will build up and they will burst just as they did in the 19th century under the Gold Standard. And then?< In the absence of Central Banks and with the Bitcoin community in the clasps of the aforementioned free-rider problem, depression will follow  as it did before the Fed was instituted in the US. Thus, the tragedy mentioned in Proposition 1 above kicks in.< In short, not only will the democratisation of money via Bitcoin fail to democratise capitalism but it will also give an almighty boost to the forces of regression. Epilogue

Bitcoins great appeal is that it breaks the cronyist chain linking central banks and private bankers. However, it does not undermine the cronyism of the network of bosses, politicians and private bankers.

Lest we forget, 19th Century bimetallic America also lacked a central bank. Under the gold and silver standards, the public money supply was fixed  and could not be easily manipulated by the state (either the government or the, then non-existent, Fed). But that did not stop private bankers from leveraging public money out of thin air to create huge quantities of private money with which to fund the Robber Barons, i.e. the Jeff Bezoses, of the era.

In this sense, replacing fiat money with Bitcoin would take us back to a postmodern version of 19th Century America  not exactly a prospect socialists should go to the barricades for.

In summary, the monetary system is like the dogs tail. It cannot wag the capitalist dog, in the sense that democratising money by means of a monetary commons will not democratise economic life but, rather, make capitalism uglier, nastier and more dangerous for humanity.

Having said all this, a monetary commons (that may very well rely on something like the blockchain underpinning Bitcoin) will, I have no doubt, be an essential aspect of a democratised economy; of socialism.
PHOENIX, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 220 frontline US Foods workers are urging restaurants, healthcare providers and schools to prepare for possible commercial food service distribution disruptions. The warehouse and delivery workers, who are members of Teamsters Local 104 in Phoenix, voted overwhelmingly to strike to demand that the company comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) COVID-19 safety guidelines and stop violating federal labor laws. Strikes and work stoppages at U.S. Foods could start as early as Monday, August 10.

US Foods (NYSE: USFD) is the second largest commercial food distributor in Arizona, with customers that include: Banner Health's network of hospitals and specialized healthcare facilities, twenty-eight Brookdale Senior Living facilities, Sunrise, Le Petitie Academy, Childtime and Kindercare childcare centers, as well as public schools that participate in the USDA's National School Lunch Program. US Foods also services thousands of Arizona restaurants including Dairy Queen, Cookie Crumbl, Dickeys, Native Wings and P.F. Changs.

"We are concerned that the company's refusal to follow CDC COVID-19 guidelines could turn the company's Arizona operations into a hub for spreading the virus to struggling schools, hospitals and restaurants," said Frank Solis, a member and union steward for Local 104 who works at US Foods. "We don't want to strike but we may have no other choice if the company continues to refuse to prioritize the safety of its frontline workers, our families, our customers and the general public."

Most recently, US Foods has refused to comply with the CDC's COVID-19 guidelines and the recommendations of public health experts regarding contact tracing procedures for workers exposed to COVID-19, pre-screening employees for COVID-19 before entering the facility, disinfecting and cleaning work spaces, etc.

During one recent incident, the company allowed a supervisor to enter the facility in spite of showing signs of fever and having recently been in close contact with a probable COVID-19 patient.

"We want to give U.S. Foods customers enough time to prepare for service disruptions if U.S. Foods forces us to strike to stop the company from breaking federal labor laws and violating CDC COVID-19 safety guidelines," Teamsters Local 104 Vice President Josh Graves said. "We are encouraging current US Foods customers in Arizona to reach out to US Foods to request that company reimburse customers for any losses they may suffer due to upcoming work stoppages and strikes at US Foods."

Approximately 5,000 U.S. foods workers are members of local unions associated with the Teamsters and other labor organizations nationwide. Thirty-nine Teamster locals representing US Food workers across the country may have the right to honor picket lines extensions. In 2016, US Foods workers in Arizona went on strike for four days and engaged in at least seven separate walkouts incited by the company's numerous unfair labor practices during collective bargaining negotiations.

"During this time, nothing is more important to us than the safety of our members, their families, and the general public," said Teamsters Warehouse Division Director and International Vice President Steve Vairma. "If US Foods expects its frontline workers to perform hazardous jobs and keep our society functioning, the company must provide workers with a safe workplace."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact: Dawn Schumann, (602) 300-5650

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local Union 104
"Do not open the package, plant the seeds, or throw them out," Illinois Ag officials advise. "Please keep all seeds unopened and with their original packaging and labels, including mailing labels, until further instruction is provided.

Several friends have received the small packages, many of which indicate they contain jewelry. That's how we know, even if it's nothing environmentally nefarious, it's likely a scam. It's entirely possible, Ag officials acknowledge, that the mass mailing is a mere marketing ploy.

Krista Lisser with the Illinois Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that her office is collecting information about recipients of the packages to then forward to the USDA, just in case.

She noted that not every seed that comes unsolicited in the mail is suspect. For instance, the University of Illinois Extension Service has sent unsolicited pollinators, urging residents to plant them.

"The seeds coming from foreign countries are the ones we're looking at," she said.

One problem, though, is that many people order seeds online without knowing where they're coming from. In this case, however, many of those who received the China seeds never have ordered any plantings online.
Rome's Dorothy Circus Gallery Rome stages The House of the Rising Light, a group show featuring 42 Asian artists coming from different countries, from 30 July until 18 September.

Comprising sculpture, photography and contemporary painting, the House of the Rising Light collection spans an extensive range of techniques and contexts, covering a wide overview of trends, both traditional and modern.

The exhibition comprises elements of the blossoming street art movement of the Philippines to the Shangai and Hong Kong scene, represented in the exhibition by BLIC, AHOY, Messy Desk, passing through the Cambodian roots and LA vibes expressed by the great Andrew Hem, to the breathtaking Pop Surrealist artistry of Japan, represented by the masterful Pop Surrealist Yoko dHolbachie, Junko Mitzuno.

Sculptural pieces prevailing as an outstanding facet of the show, with outstanding works by Japanese women sculptors Moe Nakamura, Chishi Morimura, Emy Katsuta, Maki Hino, Ai Aibara, Aya Kakeda. Also worth watching are rising stars of the Japanese figurative art scene Tada Koiichiro, and Cheng Cheng Yi and Ziqian Liu, the conceptual genius of Chinese self-portrait photography, showing alongside established Fuco Ueda master of Asian Contemporary, Yosuke Ueno, Tran Nguyen, Karin Iwabuchi, Jeffrey Chong Wang and more DCG Artists.

For more information about the exhibition and the participating artists see Dorothy Circus Gallery website.
In this file photo, Superintendent of Camden Schools Katrina McCombs talks to reporters at U.S. Wiggins College Preparatory Lab Family School in Camden in March. Read more

The Camden School District on Tuesday released a plan to reopen schools in September with a hybrid model that allows parents to choose some in-person learning or all-remote instruction for their children.

Under a preliminary plan presented to the school board by Superintendent Katrina McCombs, students would be divided into two groups, and would spend two consecutive days in school and the remaining three days learning at home.

Parents may also opt for all-remote learning, McCombs said. Nearly 60% of parents have indicated they were uncomfortable sending their children to school because of health concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, she said.

Those who select virtual or online learning cannot switch to in-person learning until the second semester at the end of January. The deadline to sign up is next Wednesday.

McCombs acknowledged that the plan, released during the virtual school board advisory meeting, could change. Schools across the region are struggling with the logistics of reopening buildings while maintaining social distancing.

These plans are fluid. These plans can change at any moment, McCombs said. We recognize that this virus continues to be a great unknown.

During a public comment period, some board members, teachers, and residents expressed concerns about potential health hazards and the effectiveness of remote learning. McCombs has said one-third of the districts teachers have said they may not return in September. No additional hires are planned and substitute teachers will be used to fill vacancies, she said.

McCombs outlined a list of safety precautions, including symptom and temperature checks  on students and staff  to be conducted at home, sanitizing stations, better ventilation, and one-direction hallways to aid in social distancing.

In a statement, Camden Education Association president Keith Benson said the union, which represents teachers and support staff, for a variety of health and safety reasons favors all-remote learning.

McCombs said state guidelines dont allow a remote-only model for the entire district. About 6,800 students are enrolled in the citys 18 traditional public schools; 4,350 in 11 charter schools, and 3,850 in 11 Renaissance schools

Under the hybrid model, in-person learning would occur between 8:15 a.m. and 1 p.m., with staggered dismissals. Desks will be spaced 6 feet apart, and all students and staff must wear masks in the classroom and on buses. Special needs students would get in-person learning Mondays through Thursdays and virtual instruction on Fridays.

McCombs said younger students would be kept in classrooms and the teacher would change rooms. Siblings would be scheduled for the same in-person learning cycle.

No meals would be served in schools, according to McCombs. Instead, students would be given a take-home lunch, dinner, and breakfast meals for the next day when they are dismissed, she said. For students who do only remote learning, meals will be available at satellite locations.

 READ MORE: School reopenings are a mess, home-schooling pods are coming, and they could make inequality even worse

In other business, McCombs also announced that the state has cut $4 million from the districts budget for the 2020-21 school year. She said the district will have to make unspecified changes to balance the budget.

McCombs said the district has made slight gains in its fiscal management, one of five areas required for improvement before Camden can return to local control. Camden has been operating under a state takeover since 2013.

McCombs also announced that more than 130 people have signed up for a committee to rename Woodrow Wilson High School. The district has said it has concerns about the school being named after an individual who expressed and demonstrated racist values. The new name should be in place by September, she said.
Le Quan, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA)

What are the options laid out by the MoLISA to support businesses that are facing delays and other obstacles to maintain operations and retain workers?

Implementing Resolution No.105/NQ-CP issued on July 14, the ministry is co-operating with related ministries and the State Bank of Vietnam to complete a draft resolution on measures to support people facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will submit to the Prime Minister for consideration following several principles. These include supporting those whose income had significantly reduced, those losing jobs, or with suspended employment, and unable to sustain a minimum living standard due to direct impact of the pandemic while avoiding stretching support to all subjects. There will also be shared responsibilities between the state and enterprises in ensuring social security for employees, with a reasonable division between central and local budgets. Further, it will clear defining the responsibilities of state management agencies, local governments, and enterprises in identifying and ensuring support to the right beneficiaries with transparency, while preventing profiteering.

As a rule, businesses must prove that they are in financial difficulties. But in the pandemic situation, the MoLISA has proposed the government to extend the loan period for enterprises whose employees stopped working from January 1 to December 31 this year with a maximum loan period of three months, instead of only applying to enterprises with employees leaving their jobs during the peak pandemic period from April to June as before.

We predict that from now until the end of the year, businesses will be classified into three groups. First are enterprises struggling financially and taking time off operations  workers here will be paid unemployment insurance. The second group is enterprises with no income temporarily but still wanting to retain workers to avoid having to recruit and re-train new personnel. Last are business groups that maintain stable production, pay ordinary workers, and do not need support.

However, we plan to add a fourth group of enterprises that let workers stop working in contravention of labour regulations, where workers do not get paid, and where the businesses themselves do not apply for loans. These employees are not entitled to unemployment insurance and other support policies.

Does loosening the conditions for enterprises to borrow capital to pay salaries for employees attract more businesses to participate?

The policy of providing loans to enterprises to pay salaries for labourers who stop working is given in the context that the government is encouraging businesses not to lay off employees. The loan package will work if the business anticipates they can hold out for a few months, trying to keep labourers so that it does not take time to recruit and re-train. This idea is very effective if the crisis runs on a short cycle. Businesses want to keep skilled, trained, and difficult-to-recruit workers. Unskilled workers will be greatly affected. And in the case of businesses facing long-term difficulties, they may be forced to terminate labour contracts.

The above is suitable for the real situation, but its effect depends on pandemic fluctuations and the economic situation. The fact is, not many businesses choose to keep workers in this context and when dismissing workers, businesses will need unemployment insurance policies.

Recently, a number of businesses that have a lot of labourers such as foreign-invested groups and those operating in textiles, footwear, and electronics, have tried hard to retain workers and wait for 3-4 months  when the pandemic comes under control and the export market explodes, they will have enough labour to produce big orders. If the pandemic situation is still unstable after a long time and orders are not returned, these businesses will be forced to lay off a large number of workers.

It is predicted that the number of unemployed workers will be higher because Vietnams main export markets around the world are seriously affected by the pandemic. What are the MoLISAs solutions to stabilise the labour market?

In years of strong economic development, we pay unemployment insurance and save that fund to ensure workers have a minimum living standard when the economy goes down. In the last six months, the MoLISA has proposed a security package to address the minimum living needs for disadvantaged workers.

For the last six months of the year, we are focusing on the issue of unemployment benefits, supporting employees to receive insurance and promoting training and retraining.

In recent years, the Vietnamese economy has grown well, and an accumulated unemployment insurance fund of up to VND80-90 trillion ($3.5-$3.8 billion) is being used for this period.

While the economy is in crisis due to the pandemic, and even though we are trying our best, we hare forced to accept that there will be a large number of employees receiving unemployment insurance. But with good and thorough preparations, we will have strong human resources for the next stage.
TORONTO, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX: K, NYSE: KGC) today announced its results for the second-quarter ended June 30, 2020.



(This news release contains forward-looking information about expected future events and financial and operating performance of the Company. We refer to the risks and assumptions set out in our Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information located on page 20 of this release. All dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.)

2020 Q2 highlights:

Production 1 of 571,978 attributable gold equivalent ounces (Au eq. oz.), and sales of 584,477 Au eq. oz.

of 571,978 attributable gold equivalent ounces (Au eq. oz.), and sales of 584,477 Au eq. oz. All Kinross mines continued production during the quarter , as the Companys comprehensive COVID-19 response plans mitigated operational risk and continued to help protect the health and safety of employees and host communities.

, as the Companys comprehensive COVID-19 response plans mitigated operational risk and continued to help protect the health and safety of employees and host communities. Kinross three largest producing mines  Paracatu, Kupol and Tasiast  delivered 63% of total production and were the lowest cost mines in the portfolio, with an average cost of sales of $596 per Au eq. oz.

and were the in the portfolio, with an average cost of sales of $596 per Au eq. oz. Reported net earnings 2 and adjusted net earnings 3 both more than doubled to $195.7 million, or $0.16 per share, and $194.0 million, or $0.15 per share, respectively, compared with Q2 2019.

and both more than doubled to $195.7 million, or $0.16 per share, and $194.0 million, or $0.15 per share, respectively, compared with Q2 2019. Operating cash flow of $432.8 million and adjusted operating cash flow 3 of $416.9 million, a 30% and 45% increase, respectively, compared with Q2 2019.

of $432.8 million and of $416.9 million, a 30% and 45% increase, respectively, compared with Q2 2019. Production cost of sales 1,3 of $725 per Au eq. oz. and all-in sustaining cost 1, 3 of $984 per Au eq. oz. sold, both of which are within the Companys original annual 2020 guidance range.

of $725 per Au eq. oz. and of $984 per Au eq. oz. sold, both of which are within the Companys original annual 2020 guidance range. Attributable margin per Au eq. oz. sold 4 increased 53% to $987 per Au eq. oz. compared with Q2 2019, outpacing the 31% increase in average realized gold price to $1,712 per Au oz. compared with Q2 2019.

per Au eq. oz. sold increased 53% to $987 per Au eq. oz. compared with Q2 2019, outpacing the 31% increase in average realized gold price to $1,712 per Au oz. compared with Q2 2019. Cash and cash equivalents of $1,527.1 million and total liquidity of $2.3 billion at June 30, 2020, as both improved quarter-over-quarter. The Company also further improved its debt metrics, including its net debt to EBITDA ratio, and has no debt maturities until September 2021.

of $1,527.1 million and of $2.3 billion at June 30, 2020, as both improved quarter-over-quarter. The Company also further improved its debt metrics, including its net debt to EBITDA ratio, and has no debt maturities until September 2021. While the Company withdrew its full-year guidance as a precautionary measure given the global uncertainties caused by the pandemic, production, cost of sales per ounce, all-in sustaining cost per ounce and capital expenditures are on track to meet Kinross original 2020 guidance.

and On June 15, 2020, Kinross announced an agreement in principle with the Government of Mauritania to enhance the parties partnership.

On July 15, 2020, Kinross announced the results of the Lobo-Marte project pre-feasibility study in Chile, which added 6.4 million Au oz.5 to the Companys mineral reserve estimates and increased its reserve life index by approximately 2.5 years6.

CEO commentary:

J. Paul Rollinson, President and CEO, made the following comments in relation to 2020 second-quarter results.

Kinross had a strong second quarter, as we generated robust free cash flow, more than doubled earnings year-over-year, and continued to strengthen our investment grade balance sheet. Our margins increased 53% year-over-year, well above the 31% increase in the average realized gold price. Our portfolio of mines performed well and continued production during the quarter, with our three largest producing mines  Paracatu, Kupol and Tasiast  delivering the lowest costs.

We have been able to effectively manage COVID-19 impacts on our portfolio of mines during the first half of the year, as our comprehensive pandemic response plan continued to help protect the health of our employees and communities, while supporting the successful continuation of our business. Although we prudently withdrew our full-year guidance given the potential impacts of the pandemic on our operations, we continue to work towards the safe delivery of our annual targets. I would like to thank our employees around the world for their dedication, hard work and commitment to safety during these challenging times.

During the quarter, we announced an agreement in principle with the Government of Mauritania that enhances our partnership and will provide further stability for the long-term success of our Tasiast mine. Earlier this month, we also announced an addition of 6.4 million ounces to our gold reserve estimates with the completion of the Lobo-Marte pre-feasibility study. This high-quality asset increases our reserve life index and further enhances optionality on our long-term development project pipeline.

For the first half of the year, more than 50% of our production came from the Americas, and more than 80% from five key assets in five diverse regions. With the recent acquisition in Russia, and taking into account our track record of exploration success, we expect these assets and regions will continue to produce for at least 10 years.

Financial results

Summary of financial and operating results

Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars, except ounces, per share amounts, and per ounce amounts) 2020 2019 2020 2019 Operating Highlights Total gold equivalent ounces(a) Produced(c) 575,846 653,586 1,147,620 1,264,849 Sold(c) 588,485 641,149 1,145,161 1,244,206 Attributable gold equivalent ounces(a) Produced(c) 571,978 648,251 1,139,305 1,254,282 Sold(c) 584,477 636,035 1,137,219 1,233,684 Financial Highlights Metal sales $ 1,007.2 $ 837.8 $ 1,887.0 $ 1,624.0 Production cost of sales $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Depreciation, depletion and amortization $ 210.4 $ 179.9 $ 403.5 $ 344.0 Reversal of impairment charge $ 48.3 $ - $ 48.3 $ - Operating earnings $ 321.1 $ 144.3 $ 513.7 $ 259.7 Net earnings attributable to common shareholders $ 195.7 $ 71.5 $ 318.4 $ 136.2 Basic earnings per share attributable to common shareholders $ 0.16 $ 0.06 $ 0.25 $ 0.11 Diluted earnings per share attributable to common shareholders $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.25 $ 0.11 Adjusted net earnings attributable to common shareholders(b) $ 194.0 $ 79.6 $ 321.4 $ 162.9 Adjusted net earnings per share(b) $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.26 $ 0.13 Net cash flow provided from operating activities $ 432.8 $ 333.0 $ 732.4 $ 584.6 Adjusted operating cash flow(b) $ 416.9 $ 287.7 $ 835.5 $ 518.5 Capital expenditures(d) $ 214.3 $ 275.8 $ 405.7 $ 519.7 Average realized gold price per ounce(b) $ 1,712 $ 1,307 $ 1,648 $ 1,305 Consolidated production cost of sales per equivalent ounce(c) sold(b) $ 728 $ 665 $ 742 $ 673 Attributable(a) production cost of sales per equivalent ounce(c) sold(b) $ 725 $ 663 $ 739 $ 672 Attributable(a) production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis(b) $ 707 $ 650 $ 722 $ 659 Attributable(a) all-in sustaining cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis(b) $ 971 $ 918 $ 976 $ 917 Attributable(a) all-in sustaining cost per equivalent ounce(c) sold(b) $ 984 $ 925 $ 988 $ 925 Attributable(a) all-in cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis(b) $ 1,208 $ 1,242 $ 1,226 $ 1,240 Attributable(a) all-in cost per equivalent ounce(c) sold(b) $ 1,217 $ 1,243 $ 1,233 $ 1,242

(a) Total includes 100% of Chirano production. "Attributable" includes Kinross' share of Chirano (90%) production

(b) The definition and reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures is included on pages 14 to 19 of this news release

(c) "Gold equivalent ounces" include silver ounces produced and sold converted to a gold equivalent based on a ratio of the average spot market prices for the commodities for each period. The ratio for the second quarter of 2020 was 104.49:1 (second quarter of 2019: 87.98:1). The ratio for the first six months of 2020 was 98.85:1 (first six months of 2019: 85.78:1)

(d) "Capital expenditures" is as reported as Additions to property, plant and equipment on the interim condensed consolidated statement of cash flows and excludes Interest paid capitalized to property, plant and equipment.

The following operating and financial results are based on 2020 second-quarter gold equivalent production. Production and cost measures are on an attributable basis:

Production1: Kinross produced 571,978 attributable Au eq. oz. in Q2 2020, compared with 648,251 Au eq. oz. in Q2 2019. The decrease was mainly due to lower production at Paracatu, Round Mountain and Chirano, partially offset by higher production at Bald Mountain and Kupol.

Production cost of sales1,3: Production cost of sales per Au eq. oz. was $725 for Q2 2020, compared with $663 for Q2 2019. Production cost of sales per Au oz. on a by-product basis was $707 in Q2 2020, compared with $650 in Q2 2019, based on Q2 2020 attributable gold sales of 574,299 ounces and attributable silver sales of 1,063,572 ounces.

All-in sustaining cost1,3: All-in sustaining cost per Au eq. oz. sold was $984 in Q2 2020, compared with $925 in Q2 2019. All-in sustaining cost per Au oz. sold on a by-product basis was $971 in Q2 2020, compared with $918 in Q2 2019.

Revenue: Revenue from metal sales increased 20% to $1,007.2 million in Q2 2020, compared with $837.8 million during the same period in 2019.

Average realized gold price7: The average realized gold price in Q2 2020 increased 31% to $1,712 per ounce, compared with $1,307 per ounce in Q2 2019.

Margins: Kinross attributable margin per Au eq. oz. sold4 increased 53% to $987 per Au eq. oz. for Q2 2020, compared with the Q2 2019 margin of $644 per Au eq. oz. sold.

Operating cash flow: Adjusted operating cash flow3 for Q2 2020 increased significantly by 45% to $416.9 million, compared with $287.7 million for Q2 2019, primarily due to the increase in margins.

Net operating cash flow was $432.8 million for Q2 2020, an increase of 30% compared with $333.0 million for Q2 2019.

Earnings: Adjusted net earnings3 more than doubled to $194.0 million, or $0.15 per share, for Q2 2020, compared with adjusted net earnings of $79.6 million, or $0.06 per share, for Q2 2019, primarily due to the increase in margins.

Reported net earnings2 also more than doubled to $195.7 million, or $0.16 per share, for Q2 2020, compared with net earnings of $71.5 million, or $0.06 per share, in Q2 2019. The increase was mainly due to higher operating earnings and a non-cash impairment reversal of $48.3 million at Lobo-Marte as a result of the addition of mineral reserves at the project in conjunction with the recently completed pre-feasibility study, partially offset by the increase in income tax expense in Q2 2020.

Capital expenditures: Capital expenditures were $214.3 million for Q2 2020, compared with $275.8 million for the same period last year, primarily due to a decrease in spending at Tasiast as a result of impacts of the pandemic on stripping rates, and decreases at Bald Mountain and Round Mountain.

Balance sheet and financial position

As of June 30, 2020, Kinross had cash and cash equivalents of $1,527.1 million, which increased compared with $1,138.6 million at March 31, 2020. The quarter-over-over increase was due to free cash flow generated during Q2 2020 and the $200 million drawdown from the Tasiast project financing.

The Company had additional available credit of $811.2 million as of June 30, 2020, and total liquidity of approximately $2.3 billion, with no scheduled debt repayments until September 2021. The Company had total debt of approximately $2.7 billion, which includes the $750 million draw from the revolving credit facility in the first quarter and the $200 million in Tasiast project financing, and net debt8 of approximately $1.1 billion. Kinross has further improved its debt metrics, including its net debt to EBITDA ratio.

The Company drew down from its revolving credit facility in March 2020 as a precautionary measure to protect against economic and business uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company repaid $250 million of the drawn amount on July 24, 2020 given the increase in the Companys cash and cash equivalents and its strong financial position, and does not plan to deploy the remaining funds.

On July 1, 2020, Kinross extended the maturity date of its $300 million letter of credit guarantee facility with Export Development Canada for two years to June 30, 2022.

Operating results

All of Kinross mines continued production during Q2 2020, as the Companys ongoing response to COVID-19 safeguarded the health and safety of employees and host communities and mitigated material operational impacts to the portfolio. However, COVID-19 did partially affect overall performance and productivity rates, mainly as a result of global travel constraints and the implementation of rigorous safety protocols and measures at all mines and projects.

Mine-by-mine summaries for 2020 second-quarter results can be found on pages nine and 13 of this news release. Operational highlights from Q2 2020 include the following:

Americas

Paracatu performed well during the quarter, with production increasing compared with Q1 2020 mainly due to higher mill throughput and grades, while cost of sales per ounce sold decreased largely as a result of favourable foreign exchange rates. Production was lower compared with Q2 2019s record performance, as grades and recoveries decreased as planned. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher year-over-year mainly due to the lower production, which was offset by favourable foreign exchange rates.

At Round Mountain, production was lower quarter-over-quarter mainly due to fewer ounces recovered from the heap leach pads, and decreased year-over-year mainly due to lower mill grades. Cost of sales per ounce sold was higher versus Q1 2020 and Q2 2019 largely due to lower production as a result of fewer ounces from the heap leach pads, with higher maintenance and contractor costs also contributing to the increase year-over-year.

Bald Mountain had good performance during the quarter, as production increased compared with Q1 2020 and Q2 2019 largely as a result of more ounces recovered from the Vantage Complex heap leach pad and higher grades. Cost of sales per ounce sold increased compared with Q1 2020 mainly due to higher cost ounces recovered from the heap leach pads, and was largely in line with Q2 2019.

At Fort Knox, production increased compared with Q1 2020 primarily as a result of higher mill grades and recoveries, while cost of sales per ounce sold decreased mainly due to higher mill grades and lower energy costs. Production was largely in line year-over-year, with cost of sales per ounce sold increasing mainly due to a higher percentage of operating waste mined and higher maintenance costs, partially offset by lower energy costs.

Russia

The Russia region continued its strong and consistent performance during the quarter, with production at Kupol and Dvoinoye increasing quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year, mainly due to higher gold grades. Cost of sales per ounce sold was lower compared with Q1 2020 largely as a result of favourable foreign exchange rates, and was higher versus Q2 2019 mainly due to higher royalties associated with the increase in the average realized gold price.

West Africa

At Tasiast, production was lower compared with Q1 2020 and Q2 2019 mainly due to the 17-day strike during the quarter and mine sequencing, which was slightly offset by higher grades. The principal impact of COVID-19 was a lower-than-planned mining rate, which resulted in deferrals of some stripping and associated capital expenditures. Production is expected to increase during the second half of the year, and, as a result, 2020 production is not expected to be materially impacted by the deferrals. Throughput performance adjusted for the impact of the strike continued to be strong, with average daily rates slightly better than the record performance in Q1 2020. Cost of sales per ounce sold increased compared with the previous quarter mainly due to the lower production and impacts from COVID-19. Cost of sales per ounce sold decreased compared with the previous year mainly due to lower fuel and overhead costs.

In 2021, stripping rates and capital expenditures are expected to be higher compared to those presented in the Tasiast Technical Report as the mine makes up for the stripping deferred from 2020. A modest reduction in 2021 gold production is also expected compared to the Technical Report due to a longer-than-planned period of stockpile feed and delayed access to higher grade ore. The Company expects no impacts to Tasiasts life of mine production, mineral reserve estimates and overall value, and was able to adjust short-term mine plans given the availability of large stockpiles at site.

At Chirano, production was lower quarter-over-quarter mainly due to temporary downtime at the mill and decreased mining rates from COVID-19 impacts, both of which were slightly offset by higher grades, while cost of sales per ounce sold decreased mainly due to lower operating waste mined. Production decreased compared with the previous year mainly due to lower throughput, grades and recoveries, with cost of sales per ounce sold increasing mainly due to higher operating waste mined.

Development projects

Tasiast 24k

The Tasiast 24k project continues to advance and remains on schedule to increase throughput capacity to 21,000 t/d by the end of 2021, and then to 24,000 t/d by mid-2023. During Q2 2020, COVID-19 impacts affected progress on power plant construction, while civil works in the processing plant, including the gravity circuit, thickener and screens, progressed well. The project team continues to explore measures to mitigate potential impacts of prolonged constraints on the global movement of people and supplies, which could affect the project schedule. However, by late June, the Company reinstated more regular rotations of expatriate staff in Mauritania, which has improved the situation.

Fort Knox Gilmore

The Fort Knox Gilmore project continues to progress well and is on schedule and on budget, with the new Barnes Creek heap leach expected to be completed in Q4 2020. Stripping is advancing well and the project is now approximately 80% complete.

Chulbatkan

At the Chulbatkan development project in Russia, the 2020 drill program is ramping back up after COVID-19-related challenges reduced drilling rates in the second quarter and remains on track to be completed by year-end. As of the end of Q2 2020, approximately 35,500 metres of infill, step-out and metallurgical drilling was completed, with drilling confirming the well disseminated nature of the orebody, including large lower grade intercepts, combined with pockets of high grade intercepts. In the third quarter, the drilling program will focus on further defining the high-grade zone of the known resource through additional tight-spaced drilling. The project currently has a large, near-surface estimated mineral resource, with highly continuous mineralization that is open along strike and at depth.

For Chulbatkan cross-section figure:

https://www.kinross.com/files/doc_financials/2020/q2/KGC-Chulbatkan-Exploration-Figure.pdf

La Coipa Restart and Lobo-Marte

At the La Coipa Restart project, work is ramping up after limitations on people movement challenged the project in the first quarter. Mining crews are being mobilized and fleet rebuilds are commencing in preparation for pre-stripping, which is expected to start in early 2021, with first production expected in mid-2022. The project team continues to study opportunities to optimize the mine plan and potentially extend mine life.

On July 15, 2020, Kinross announced results for the Lobo-Marte pre-feasibility study (PFS). The project added a significant 6.4 million gold ounces5 to Kinross 2019 year-end probable mineral reserve estimates and increased the Companys reserve life index by approximately 2.5 years6. The PFS estimate includes total life of mine production of approximately 4.5 million Au oz. during a 15-year mine life, and pending a positive development decision, is expected to commence production after the conclusion of mining at the La Coipa project.

The long-term Lobo-Marte project provides Kinross with an excellent, organic development option that has attractive all-in sustaining costs and strong returns at the consensus long-term gold price. The project is expected to realize significant upside value and increase margins at higher gold prices without having to increase stripping or current cost estimates as the pit design would remain based on a $1,200/oz. gold price. The Company plans to commence a feasibility study later this year, with scheduled completion in Q4 2021, and will continue to prioritize balance sheet strength and disciplined capital allocation as it moves forward with the project.

Exploration update

Exploration activities during the first half of the year continued to focus on promising targets around current operations, and areas where existing infrastructure can be leveraged, with the goal of extending mine life and adding to the Companys mineral reserve and resource estimates. Highlights include:

Kupol: During the first half of the year, exploration within the existing footprint of Russia operations were very encouraging, with positive results from the Kupol NE Extension, Kupol Deeps South, Moroshka and Providence. Exploration will continue to focus on these targets for the rest of 2020, with the goal of adding significant ounces to Kupols mineral reserve and resource estimates at year-end and extending mine life.

Chirano: Exploration at Chirano showed promising results during the first half of the year as the Company continued to target multi-year mine life extensions. To date, a total of approximately 29,000 metres of drilling was completed at the Akwaaba, Tano, Obra and Mamnao West areas. At Obra, drilling yielded significant results and has extended the depth of high-grade mineralization. For the second half of the year, Kinross will continue to explore the underground mining potential at Obra by commencing initial works on an exploration drift to drill from the underground in order to increase accuracy and targeting. Drilling will also continue to explore the extensions of Akwaaba, Tano and Suraw, and the potential for open pit mining at Mamnao West.

For Chirano Obra cross-section and long-section figures:

https://www.kinross.com/files/doc_financials/2020/q2/KGC-Chirano-Exploration-Figures.pdf

Round Mountain: At Round Mountain, drilling continued at Phase X, which is the northwest continuation of Phase W mineralization. Results received to date have been encouraging, as drilling has intersected significant mineralization in the upper portions within the shallow portion of Phase X to potentially optimize the pit shell design, and confirmed that mineralization extends from Phase W. Further drilling is assessing mineralization to reduce the strip ratio at Phase X.

Curlew Basin Project: The 2020 Curlew exploration program has focused on areas around the historical K2 mine, which is located approximately 35 kilometres north of the Kettle River mill. The program added 162 Au koz. with grades of 8.8 g/t to Kinross indicated mineral resource estimates at year-end 2019, and high level engineering and economic assessment of potential mining at the Curlew Basin achieved encouraging results during the first half of the year. Exploration activities will continue to target incremental high-margin ounces proximal to and extensions of the K2 and K5 deposits by constructing a series of exploration drifts to explore the highly prospective areas. The drifts will allow for underground drilling that will test the large prospective ground at optimal drill angles and at expected lower costs.

Exploration work for the second half of the year is expected to also continue at the Companys other brownfield targets, including Fort Knox, Bald Mountain and La Coipa. As well, Kinross expects to focus on growing mineral resource estimates at Tasiast Sud in Mauritania and progressing work at district targets around Kupol-Dvoinoye in Russia.

Agreement in principle with Government of Mauritania

On June 15, 2020, Kinross reached an agreement in principle with the Government of Mauritania to resolve outstanding matters between the parties. The terms are subject to finalizing definitive agreements and provide Kinross with a 30-year exploitation license for Tasiast Sud, with expedited permitting and the possibility of early mining. The terms also provide for the reinstatement of a tax exemption on fuel duties and repayment by the Government to Kinross of outstanding VAT refunds. Kinross also volunteered to update the royalty structure for Tasiast so it is tied to the gold price, is in line with Mauritanias current mining conventions and codes, and further aligns interests by ensuring the country receives an appropriate share of economic benefits from the Tasiast mine.

2020 Guidance

The following section of the news release represents forward-looking information and users are cautioned that actual results may vary. We refer to the risks and assumptions contained in the Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information on page 20 of this news release.

On April 1, 2020, the Company made the prudent decision to withdraw its full-year guidance. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has not materially impacted Kinross overall business performance during the first half of the year, the pandemic continues to present the potential for further business disruptions.

To date, Kinross ongoing and comprehensive response to the pandemic has enabled the Company to safeguard employees and local communities, help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and mitigate operational risk. The Company continues to target the safe delivery of its operating plans and is on track to meet its original 2020 guidance for production, cost of sales per ounce sold, all-in sustaining cost per ounce sold and capital expenditures.

Q2 2020 conference call details

In connection with the release, Kinross will hold a conference call and audio webcast on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. ET followed by a question-and-answer session. Please enter the passcode: 5161488 to access the call.

Canada & US toll-free  +1 (833) 968-2237; passcode: 5161488

Outside of Canada & US  +1 (825) 312-2059; passcode: 5161488

Replay (available up to 14 days after the call):

Canada & US toll-free  +1 (800) 585-8367; passcode: 5161488

Outside of Canada & US  +1 (416) 621-4642; passcode: 5161488

You may also access the conference call on a listen-only basis via webcast at our website www.kinross.com . The audio webcast will be archived on www.kinross.com .

This news release should be read in conjunction with Kinross 2020 second-quarter unaudited Financial Statements and Managements Discussion and Analysis report at www.kinross.com . Kinross 2020 second-quarter unaudited Financial Statements and Managements Discussion and Analysis have been filed with Canadian securities regulators (available at www.sedar.com ) and furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at www.sec.gov ). Kinross shareholders may obtain a copy of the financial statements free of charge upon request to the Company.

About Kinross Gold Corporation

Kinross is a Canadian-based senior gold mining company with mines and projects in the United States, Brazil, Russia, Mauritania, Chile and Ghana. Kinross maintains listings on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol:K) and the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:KGC).

Media Contact

Louie Diaz

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

phone: 416-369-6469

louie.diaz@kinross.com

_________________________________________________

Investor Relations Contact

Tom Elliott

Senior Vice-President, Investor Relations and Corporate Development

phone: 416-365-3390

tom.elliott@kinross.com



Review of operations

Three months ended June 30, (unaudited) Gold equivalent ounces Produced Sold Production cost of sales

($millions) Production cost of

sales/equivalent ounce sold 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 Fort Knox 56,031 55,440 56,465 55,740 $ 66.1 $ 50.7 $ 1,171 $ 910 Round Mountain 74,351 90,833 71,087 87,106 51.6 57.8 726 664 Bald Mountain 48,368 40,564 49,594 31,547 42.7 27.0 861 856 Paracatu 138,851 186,167 140,646 186,520 83.6 106.8 594 573 Maricunga - 6,648 1,159 9,474 0.8 8.0 690 844 Americas Total 317,601 379,652 318,951 370,387 244.8 250.3 768 676 Kupol 130,983 127,684 130,771 124,873 79.3 70.2 606 562 Russia Total 130,983 127,684 130,771 124,873 79.3 70.2 606 562 Tasiast 88,579 92,901 98,679 94,748 57.8 58.9 586 622 Chirano (100%) 38,683 53,349 40,084 51,141 46.6 46.7 1,163 913 West Africa Total 127,262 146,250 138,763 145,889 104.4 105.6 752 724 Operations Total 575,846 653,586 588,485 641,149 428.5 426.1 728 665 Less Chirano non-controlling interest (10%) (3,868 ) (5,335 ) (4,008 ) (5,114 ) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) Attributable Total 571,978 648,251 584,477 636,035 $ 423.8 $ 421.4 $ 725 $ 663 Six months ended June 30, (unaudited) Gold equivalent ounces Produced Sold Production cost of sales

($millions) Production cost of

sales/equivalent ounce sold 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 Fort Knox 107,697 93,053 107,233 93,677 $ 130.7 $ 89.5 $ 1,219 $ 955 Round Mountain 158,816 175,968 156,802 170,720 107.7 113.8 687 667 Bald Mountain 90,456 87,819 91,970 74,777 78.4 56.2 852 752 Paracatu 263,217 332,943 261,843 332,917 171.1 201.7 653 606 Maricunga - 17,364 2,470 17,098 1.6 12.8 648 749 Americas Total 620,186 707,147 620,318 689,189 489.5 474.0 789 688 Kupol 251,868 257,772 252,795 255,287 156.2 148.2 618 581 Russia Total 251,868 257,772 252,795 255,287 156.2 148.2 618 581 Tasiast 192,416 194,259 192,629 194,506 109.7 124.9 569 642 Chirano (100%) 83,150 105,671 79,419 105,224 94.4 90.7 1,189 862 West Africa Total 275,566 299,930 272,048 299,730 204.1 215.6 750 719 Operations Total 1,147,620 1,264,849 1,145,161 1,244,206 849.8 837.8 742 673 Less Chirano non-controlling interest (10%) (8,315 ) (10,567 ) (7,942 ) (10,522 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Attributable Total 1,139,305 1,254,282 1,137,219 1,233,684 $ 840.4 $ 828.7 $ 739 $ 672

Interim condensed consolidated balance sheets

(unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars, except share amounts) As at June 30, December 31, 2020 2019 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,527.1 $ 575.1 Restricted cash 13.3 15.2 Accounts receivable and other assets 134.1 137.4 Current income tax recoverable 166.1 43.2 Inventories 985.0 1,053.8 2,825.6 1,824.7 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 6,688.3 6,340.0 Goodwill 158.8 158.8 Long-term investments 105.2 126.2 Investment in joint venture 18.3 18.4 Other long-term assets 568.5 572.7 Deferred tax assets - 35.2 Total assets $ 10,364.7 $ 9,076.0 Liabilities Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 451.8 $ 469.3 Current income tax payable 53.6 68.0 Current portion of provisions 60.6 57.9 Other current liabilities 43.4 20.3 Deferred payment obligation 141.5 - 750.9 615.5 Non-current liabilities Long-term debt and credit facilities 2,671.6 1,837.4 Provisions 813.4 838.6 Long-term lease liabilities 32.6 38.9 Unrealized fair value of derivative liabilities 15.9 0.8 Other long-term liabilities 89.2 107.7 Deferred tax liabilities 370.2 304.5 Total liabilities $ 4,743.8 $ 3,743.4 Equity Common shareholders' equity Common share capital $ 4,472.0 $ 14,926.2 Contributed surplus 10,704.3 242.1 Accumulated deficit (9,511.0 ) (9,829.4 ) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (59.4 ) (20.4 ) Total common shareholders' equity 5,605.9 5,318.5 Non-controlling interest 15.0 14.1 Total equity 5,620.9 5,332.6 Total liabilities and equity $ 10,364.7 $ 9,076.0 Common shares Authorized Unlimited Unlimited Issued and outstanding 1,257,998,978 1,253,765,724

Interim condensed consolidated statements of operations

(unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Revenue Metal sales $ 1,007.2 $ 837.8 $ 1,887.0 $ 1,624.0 Cost of sales Production cost of sales 428.5 426.1 849.8 837.8 Depreciation, depletion and amortization 210.4 179.9 403.5 344.0 Reversal of impairment charge (48.3 ) - (48.3 ) - Total cost of sales 590.6 606.0 1,205.0 1,181.8 Gross profit 416.6 231.8 682.0 442.2 Other operating expense 52.9 29.5 74.8 62.4 Exploration and business development 17.9 28.4 37.0 47.9 General and administrative 24.7 29.6 56.5 72.2 Operating earnings 321.1 144.3 513.7 259.7 Other income (expense) - net 9.2 (2.5 ) 8.6 0.2 Finance income 1.0 1.9 3.0 4.0 Finance expense (32.8 ) (26.1 ) (58.5 ) (53.6 ) Earnings before tax 298.5 117.6 466.8 210.3 Income tax expense - net (102.5 ) (46.5 ) (147.5 ) (74.6 ) Net earnings $ 196.0 $ 71.1 $ 319.3 $ 135.7 Net earnings (loss) attributable to: Non-controlling interest $ 0.3 $ (0.4 ) $ 0.9 $ (0.5 ) Common shareholders $ 195.7 $ 71.5 $ 318.4 $ 136.2 Earnings per share attributable to common shareholders Basic $ 0.16 $ 0.06 $ 0.25 $ 0.11 Diluted $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.25 $ 0.11 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding (millions) Basic 1,257.6 1,252.3 1,256.1 1,251.5 Diluted 1,268.5 1,261.2 1,266.9 1,260.3





Interim condensed consolidated statements of cash flows

(unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net inflow (outflow) of cash related to the following activities: Operating: Net earnings $ 196.0 $ 71.1 $ 319.3 $ 135.7 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided from operating activities: Depreciation, depletion and amortization 210.4 179.9 403.5 344.0 Reversal of impairment charge (48.3 ) - (48.3 ) - Share-based compensation expense 2.8 3.0 7.3 7.6 Finance expense 32.8 26.1 58.5 53.6 Deferred tax expense (recovery) 44.1 5.8 112.5 (31.4 ) Foreign exchange (gains) losses and other (20.9 ) 1.8 (17.3 ) 9.0 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable and other assets (49.1 ) (40.3 ) - (127.7 ) (25.7 ) Inventories 31.6 12.6 39.3 50.0 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 96.4 56.6 112.2 42.4 Cash flow provided from operating activities 495.8 316.6 859.3 585.2 Income taxes (paid) recovered (63.0 ) 16.4 (126.9 ) (0.6 ) Net cash flow provided from operating activities 432.8 333.0 732.4 584.6 Investing: Additions to property, plant and equipment (214.3 ) (275.8 ) (405.7 ) (519.7 ) Interest paid capitalized to property, plant and equipment (3.8 ) (0.9 ) (26.1 ) (21.8 ) Acquisitions - - (128.3 ) (30.0 ) Net additions to long-term investments and other assets (1.4 ) (5.9 ) (3.3 ) (12.3 ) Net proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment 0.7 1.2 2.2 2.1 Increase in restricted cash - net (24.9 ) (0.2 ) (23.1 ) (0.8 ) Interest received and other - net 0.7 1.2 1.7 2.1 Net cash flow used in investing activities (243.0 ) (280.4 ) (582.6 ) (580.4 ) Net cash flow of discontinued operations provided from investing activities Financing: Proceeds from drawdown of debt 200.0 100.0 950.0 260.0 Repayment of debt - (80.0 ) (100.0 ) (105.0 ) Interest paid (3.4 ) (1.1 ) (29.0 ) (28.4 ) Payment of lease liabilities (4.8 ) (3.9 ) (9.5 ) (7.2 ) Other - net 2.0 (0.4 ) (4.6 ) (0.2 ) Net cash flow provided from financing activities 193.8 14.6 806.9 119.2 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 4.9 1.3 (4.7 ) 3.0 Increase in cash and cash equivalents 388.5 68.5 952.0 126.4 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 1,138.6 406.9 575.1 349.0 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 1,527.1 $ 475.4 $ 1,527.1 $ 475.4





Operating Summary Mine Period Ownership Tonnes Ore Mined (a) Ore Processed (Milled) (a) Ore Processed

(Heap Leach) (a) Grade (Mill) Grade

(Heap Leach) Recovery (b) Gold Eq Production (e) Gold Eq Sales (e) Production

cost of sales Production

cost of sales/oz Cap Ex (g) DD&A (%) ('000 tonnes) ('000 tonnes) ('000 tonnes) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (ounces) (ounces) ($ millions) ($/ounce) ($ millions) ($ millions) Americas Fort Knox Q2 2020 100 6,116 2,048 4,783 0.73 0.23 83 % 56,031 56,465 $ 66.1 $ 1,171 $ 33.9 $ 23.3 Q1 2020 100 6,795 1,859 5,694 0.60 0.23 80 % 51,667 50,768 64.6 $ 1,272 19.1 22.8 Q4 2019 100 7,648 2,615 5,498 0.43 0.20 81 % 53,183 55,040 65.9 $ 1,197 37.1 25.0 Q3 2019 100 7,094 2,097 5,250 0.52 0.21 83 % 54,027 51,606 58.3 $ 1,130 37.4 24.7 Q2 2019 100 4,829 1,811 3,440 0.59 0.20 81 % 55,440 55,740 50.7 $ 910 34.9 22.6 Round Mountain Q2 2020 100 4,431 911 4,357 0.80 0.36 84 % 74,351 71,087 $ 51.6 $ 726 $ 36.9 $ 10.2 Q1 2020 100 3,700 954 3,594 0.83 0.43 83 % 84,465 85,715 56.1 $ 654 41.8 12.6 Q4 2019 100 7,408 882 7,140 1.00 0.36 82 % 103,501 108,402 79.3 $ 732 62.7 12.6 Q3 2019 100 7,128 1,004 7,557 1.05 0.32 85 % 82,195 81,617 57.5 $ 705 43.1 9.1 Q2 2019 100 4,074 909 3,910 1.17 0.33 86 % 90,833 87,106 57.8 $ 664 58.7 10.2 Bald Mountain (h) Q2 2020 100 4,051 - 4,051 - 0.53 nm 48,368 49,594 $ 42.7 $ 861 $ 29.6 $ 30.2 Q1 2020 100 3,254 - 3,254 - 0.55 nm 42,087 42,376 35.7 $ 842 31.5 26.7 Q4 2019 100 2,928 - 3,007 - 0.48 nm 66,147 65,381 49.8 $ 762 54.6 36.3 Q3 2019 100 6,494 - 6,494 - 0.41 nm 33,995 37,644 30.6 $ 813 38.9 14.8 Q2 2019 100 3,725 - 4,138 - 0.36 nm 40,564 31,547 27.0 $ 856 57.3 12.2 Paracatu Q2 2020 100 15,223 14,703 - 0.40 - 74 % 138,851 140,646 $ 83.6 $ 594 $ 49.1 $ 45.2 Q1 2020 100 12,350 13,224 - 0.39 - 75 % 124,367 121,197 87.5 $ 722 14.4 37.7 Q4 2019 100 12,393 14,168 - 0.38 - 76 % 140,224 140,430 111.1 $ 791 21.4 42.8 Q3 2019 100 12,442 14,731 - 0.38 - 78 % 146,396 145,662 99.5 $ 683 36.8 39.5 Q2 2019 100 12,307 14,439 - 0.48 - 80 % 186,167 186,520 106.8 $ 573 34.5 45.2 Maricunga (h) Q2 2020 100 - - - - - nm - 1,159 $ 0.8 $ 690 $ - $ 0.3 Q1 2020 100 - - - - - nm - 1,311 0.8 $ 610 - 0.3 Q4 2019 100 - - - - - nm 3,221 17,455 11.7 $ 670 - 0.4 Q3 2019 100 - - - - - nm 18,016 9,203 7.0 $ 761 - 0.4 Q2 2019 100 - - - - - nm 6,648 9,474 8.0 $ 844 - 0.5 Russia Kupol (c)(d)(f) Q2 2020 100 386 416 - 9.73 - 95 % 130,983 130,771 $ 79.3 $ 606 $ 5.9 $ 31.1 Q1 2020 100 500 425 - 8.73 - 95 % 120,885 122,024 76.9 $ 630 5.6 34.4 Q4 2019 100 468 435 - 9.14 - 95 % 132,009 135,083 83.3 $ 617 15.8 34.8 Q3 2019 100 338 431 - 9.65 - 95 % 137,562 136,088 82.6 $ 607 7.6 32.2 Q2 2019 100 431 432 - 9.23 - 94 % 127,684 124,873 70.2 $ 562 8.3 30.7 West Africa Tasiast Q2 2020 100 1,134 1,168 - 2.40 - 94 % 88,579 98,679 $ 57.8 $ 586 $ 40.6 $ 54.8 Q1 2020 100 1,160 1,467 - 2.31 - 95 % 103,837 93,950 51.9 $ 552 69.2 40.3 Q4 2019 100 1,129 1,379 - 2.39 - 96 % 102,973 101,940 50.4 $ 494 86.1 35.0 Q3 2019 100 1,010 1,297 - 2.37 - 97 % 93,865 86,357 55.1 $ 638 68.2 32.0 Q2 2019 100 819 1,281 - 2.19 - 97 % 92,901 94,748 58.9 $ 622 74.9 32.2 Chirano - 100% Q2 2020 90 679 785 - 1.85 88 % 38,683 40,084 $ 46.6 $ 1,163 $ 5.8 $ 13.1 Q1 2020 90 690 873 - 1.73 - 88 % 44,465 39,335 47.8 $ 1,215 5.1 15.9 Q4 2019 90 737 844 - 2.00 - 91 % 48,984 47,186 49.0 $ 1,038 8.0 21.4 Q3 2019 90 714 801 - 2.02 - 92 % 46,641 49,458 50.0 $ 1,011 4.8 22.0 Q2 2019 90 619 904 - 1.95 - 92 % 53,349 51,141 46.7 $ 913 2.7 23.8 Chirano - 90% Q2 2020 90 679 785 - 1.85 - 88 % 34,815 36,076 $ 41.9 $ 1,163 $ 5.2 $ 11.8 Q1 2020 90 690 873 - 1.73 - 88 % 40,019 35,401 43.0 $ 1,215 4.7 14.3 Q4 2019 90 737 844 - 2.00 - 91 % 44,086 42,468 44.1 $ 1,038 7.2 19.3 Q3 2019 90 714 801 - 2.02 - 92 % 41,977 44,512 45.0 $ 1,011 4.3 19.8 Q2 2019 90 619 904 - 1.95 - 92 % 48,014 46,027 42.0 $ 913 2.4 21.4

(a) Tonnes of ore mined and processed represent 100% Kinross for all periods presented.

(b) Due to the nature of heap leach operations, recovery rates at Maricunga and Bald Mountain cannot be accurately measured on a quarterly basis. Recovery rates at Fort Knox, Round Mountain and Tasiast represent mill recovery only.

(c) The Kupol segment includes the Kupol and Dvoinoye mines.

(d) Kupol silver grade and recovery were as follows: Q2 2020: 70.36 g/t, 86.1% Q1 2020: 80.02 g/t, 84.1% Q4 2019: 65.63 g/t, 84.8%; Q3 2019: 67.44 g/t, 87.8%; Q2 2019: 75.29 g/t, 84.9%

(e) "Gold equivalent ounces include silver ounces produced and sold converted to a gold equivalent based on the ratio of the average spot market prices for the commodities for each period. The ratios for the quarters presented are as follows:

Q2 2020: 104.49:1, Q1 2020: 93.34:1, Q4 2019: 85.59:1; Q3 2019: 86.73:1; Q2 2019: 87.98:1"

(f) Dvoinoye ore processed and grade were as follows: Q2 2020: 113,472, 9.55 g/t; Q1 2020: 117,502, 9.24 g/t; Q4 2019: 100,685, 9.89 g/t; Q3 2019: 113,497, 9.82 g/t; Q2 2019: 113,872, 9.24 g/t

(g) "Capital expenditures" is as reported as Additions to property, plant and equipment on the interim condensed consolidated statement of cash flows and excludes Interest paid capitalized to property, plant and equipment.

(h) "nm" means not meaningful.

Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures

The Company has included certain non-GAAP financial measures in this document. These measures are not defined under IFRS and should not be considered in isolation. The Company believes that these measures, together with measures determined in accordance with IFRS, provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. The inclusion of these measures is meant to provide additional information and should not be used as a substitute for performance measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures are not necessarily standard and therefore may not be comparable to other issuers.

Adjusted net earnings attributable to common shareholders and adjusted net earnings per share are non-GAAP measures which determine the performance of the Company, excluding certain impacts which the Company believes are not reflective of the Companys underlying performance for the reporting period, such as the impact of foreign exchange gains and losses, reassessment of prior year taxes and/or taxes otherwise not related to the current period, impairment charges (reversals), gains and losses and other one-time costs related to acquisitions, dispositions and other transactions, and non-hedge derivative gains and losses. Although some of the items are recurring, the Company believes that they are not reflective of the underlying operating performance of its current business and are not necessarily indicative of future operating results. Management believes that these measures, which are used internally to assess performance and in planning and forecasting future operating results, provide investors with the ability to better evaluate underlying performance, particularly since the excluded items are typically not included in public guidance. However, adjusted net earnings and adjusted net earnings per share measures are not necessarily indicative of net earnings and earnings per share measures as determined under IFRS.

The following table provides a reconciliation of net earnings to adjusted net earnings for the periods presented:

Adjusted Net Earnings (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S dollars,

except per share amounts) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net earnings attributable to common shareholders - as reported $ 195.7 $ 71.5 $ 318.4 $ 136.2 Adjusting items: Foreign exchange (gains) losses (9.7 ) 4.1 # (7.4 ) 2.0 Foreign exchange losses (gains) on translation of tax basis and foreign

exchange on deferred income taxes within income tax expense 27.6 (5.6 ) # 53.9 (6.8 ) Taxes in respect of prior periods 9.1 5.7 # 6.1 11.4 Reversal of impairment charge(a) (48.3 ) - (48.3 ) - COVID-19 and Tasiast strike costs(b) 28.7 - 29.5 - U.S. CARES Act net benefit (5.0 ) - # (25.4 ) - Fort Knox pit wall slide related costs - 4.9 # - 11.4 Restructuring costs - - # - 9.2 Other 1.1 0.3 # 0.1 2.2 Tax effect of the above adjustments (5.2 ) (1.3 ) # (5.5 ) (2.7 ) (1.7 ) 8.1 3.0 26.7 Adjusted net earnings attributable to common shareholders $ 194.0 $ 79.6 $ 321.4 $ 162.9 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - Basic 1,257.6 1,252.3 1,256.1 1,251.5 Adjusted net earnings per share $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.26 $ 0.13

(a) During the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company recognized a non-cash reversal of impairment charge of $48.3 million related to property, plant and equipment at Lobo-Marte.

(b) Includes $6.0 million of Tasiast strike costs.

The Company makes reference to a non-GAAP measure for adjusted operating cash flow. Adjusted operating cash flow is defined as cash flow from operations excluding certain impacts which the Company believes are not reflective of the Companys regular operating cash flow, and excluding changes in working capital. Working capital can be volatile due to numerous factors, including the timing of tax payments, and in the case of Kupol, a build-up of inventory due to transportation logistics. The Company uses adjusted operating cash flow internally as a measure of the underlying operating cash flow performance and future operating cash flow-generating capability of the Company. However, the adjusted operating cash flow measure is not necessarily indicative of net cash flow from operations as determined under IFRS.

The following table provides a reconciliation of adjusted operating cash flow for the periods presented:

Adjusted Operating Cash Flow (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S dollars,

except per share amounts) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net cash flow provided from operating activities - as reported $ 432.8 $ 333.0 $ 732.4 $ 584.6 Adjusting items: Working capital changes: Accounts receivable and other assets 49.1 40.3 127.7 25.7 Inventories (31.6 ) (12.6 ) (39.3 ) (50.0 ) Accounts payable and other liabilities, including income taxes paid (33.4 ) (73.0 ) 14.7 (41.8 ) (15.9 ) (45.3 ) 103.1 (66.1 ) Adjusted operating cash flow $ 416.9 $ 287.7 $ 835.5 $ 518.5

Consolidated production cost of sales per gold equivalent ounce sold is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as production cost of sales as per the interim condensed consolidated financial statements divided by the total number of gold equivalent ounces sold. This measure converts the Companys non-gold production into gold equivalent ounces and credits it to total production.



Attributable production cost of sales per gold equivalent ounce sold is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as attributable production cost of sales divided by the attributable number of gold equivalent ounces sold. This measure converts the Companys non-gold production into gold equivalent ounces and credits it to total production.

Management uses these measures to monitor and evaluate the performance of its operating properties. The following table presents a reconciliation of consolidated and attributable production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold for the periods presented:

Consolidated and Attributable Production Cost of Sales

Per Equivalent Ounce Sold (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars,

except ounces and production cost of sales per equivalent ounce) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production cost of sales - as reported $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(a) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Attributable(b) production cost of sales $ 423.8 $ 421.4 $ 840.4 $ 828.7 Gold equivalent ounces sold 588,485 641,149 1,145,161 1,244,206 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(j) (4,008 ) (5,114 ) (7,942 ) (10,522 ) Attributable(b) gold equivalent ounces sold 584,477 636,035 1,137,219 1,233,684 Consolidated production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold $ 728 $ 665 $ 742 $ 673 Attributable(b) production cost of sales per equivalent ounce sold $ 725 $ 663 $ 739 $ 672 See pages 18  19 of this news release for details of the footnotes referenced from within the table above.

Attributable production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis is a non-GAAP measure which calculates the Companys non-gold production as a credit against its per ounce production costs, rather than converting its non-gold production into gold equivalent ounces and crediting it to total production, as is the case in co-product accounting. Management believes that this measure provides investors with the ability to better evaluate Kinross production cost of sales per ounce on a comparable basis with other major gold producers who routinely calculate their cost of sales per ounce using by-product accounting rather than co-product accounting.



The following table provides a reconciliation of attributable production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis for the periods presented:

Attributable Production Cost of Sales Per Ounce Sold

on a By-Product Basis (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars,

except ounces and production cost of sales per ounce) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production cost of sales - as reported $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(a) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Less: attributable(b) silver revenue(c) (17.5 ) (15.5 ) (33.9 ) (32.6 ) Attributable(b) production cost of sales net of silver by-product revenue $ 406.3 $ 405.9 $ 806.5 $ 796.1 Gold ounces sold 578,300 629,206 1,124,267 1,219,031 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(j) (4,001 ) (5,108 ) (7,925 ) (10,506 ) Attributable(b) gold ounces sold 574,299 624,098 1,116,342 1,208,525 Attributable(b) production cost of sales per ounce sold on a by-product basis $ 707 $ 650 $ 722 $ 659 See pages 18  19 of this news release for details of the footnotes referenced from within the table above.

In November 2018, the World Gold Council (WGC) published updates to its guidelines for reporting all-in sustaining costs and all-in costs to address how the costs associated with leases, after a companys adoption of IFRS 16, should be treated. The WGC is a market development organization for the gold industry and is an association whose membership comprises leading gold mining companies including Kinross. Although the WGC is not a mining industry regulatory organization, it worked closely with its member companies to develop these non-GAAP measures. Adoption of the all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost metrics is voluntary and not necessarily standard, and therefore, these measures presented by the Company may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The Company believes that the all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost measures complement existing measures reported by Kinross.



All-in sustaining cost includes both operating and capital costs required to sustain gold production on an ongoing basis. The value of silver sold is deducted from the total production cost of sales as it is considered residual production. Sustaining operating costs represent expenditures incurred at current operations that are considered necessary to maintain current production. Sustaining capital represents capital expenditures at existing operations comprising mine development costs and ongoing replacement of mine equipment and other capital facilities, and does not include capital expenditures for major growth projects or enhancement capital for significant infrastructure improvements at existing operations.

All-in cost is comprised of all-in sustaining cost as well as operating expenditures incurred at locations with no current operation, or costs related to other non-sustaining activities, and capital expenditures for major growth projects or enhancement capital for significant infrastructure improvements at existing operations.

Attributable all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis are calculated by adjusting total production cost of sales, as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, as follows:





Attributable All-In Sustaining Cost and All-In Cost Per Ounce Sold

on a By-Product Basis (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars,

except ounces and costs per ounce) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production cost of sales - as reported $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(a) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Less: attributable(b) silver revenue(c) (17.5 ) (15.5 ) (33.9 ) (32.6 ) Attributable(b) production cost of sales net of silver by-product revenue $ 406.3 $ 405.9 $ 806.5 $ 796.1 Adjusting items on an attributable(b) basis: General and administrative(d) 24.7 29.6 56.5 63.0 Other operating expense - sustaining(e) 1.2 6.0 5.6 11.5 Reclamation and remediation - sustaining(f) 12.4 11.9 25.9 23.3 Exploration and business development - sustaining(g) 10.4 18.2 22.3 32.1 Additions to property, plant and equipment - sustaining(h) 97.9 97.8 164.3 176.2 Lease payments - sustaining(i) 4.5 3.5 8.8 6.4 All-in Sustaining Cost on a by-product basis - attributable(b) $ 557.4 $ 572.9 $ 1,089.9 $ 1,108.6 Other operating expense - non-sustaining(e) 12.3 12.0 23.2 28.2 Reclamation and remediation - non-sustaining(f) 1.2 1.8 2.5 3.5 Exploration - non-sustaining(g) 7.2 10.0 14.2 15.5 Additions to property, plant and equipment - non-sustaining(h) 115.2 177.8 238.1 342.5 Lease payments - non-sustaining(i) 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.8 All-in Cost on a by-product basis - attributable(b) $ 693.6 $ 774.9 $ 1,368.6 $ 1,499.1 Gold ounces sold 578,300 629,206 1,124,267 1,219,031 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(j) (4,001 ) (5,108 ) (7,925 ) (10,506 ) Attributable(b) gold ounces sold 574,299 624,098 1,116,342 1,208,525 Attributable(b) all-in sustaining cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis $ 971 $ 918 $ 976 $ 917 Attributable(b) all-in cost per ounce sold on a by-product basis $ 1,208 $ 1,242 $ 1,226 $ 1,240 See pages 18  19 of this news release for details of the footnotes referenced from within the table above.

The Company also assesses its all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost on a gold equivalent ounce basis. Under these non-GAAP measures, the Companys production of silver is converted into gold equivalent ounces and credited to total production.



Attributable all-in sustaining cost and all-in cost per equivalent ounce sold are calculated by adjusting total production cost of sales, as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, as follows:

Attributable All-In Sustaining Cost and All-In Cost

Per Equivalent Ounce Sold (unaudited, expressed in millions of U.S. dollars,

except ounces and costs per equivalent ounce) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Production cost of sales - as reported $ 428.5 $ 426.1 $ 849.8 $ 837.8 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(a) (4.7 ) (4.7 ) (9.4 ) (9.1 ) Attributable(b) production cost of sales $ 423.8 $ 421.4 $ 840.4 $ 828.7 Adjusting items on an attributable(b) basis: General and administrative(d) 24.7 29.6 56.5 63.0 Other operating expense - sustaining(e) 1.2 6.0 5.6 11.5 Reclamation and remediation - sustaining(f) 12.4 11.9 25.9 23.3 Exploration and business development - sustaining(g) 10.4 18.2 22.3 32.1 Additions to property, plant and equipment - sustaining(h) 97.9 97.8 164.3 176.2 Lease payments - sustaining(i) 4.5 3.5 8.8 6.4 All-in Sustaining Cost - attributable(b) $ 574.9 $ 588.4 $ 1,123.8 $ 1,141.2 Other operating expense - non-sustaining(e) 12.3 12.0 23.2 28.2 Reclamation and remediation - non-sustaining(f) 1.2 1.8 2.5 3.5 Exploration - non-sustaining(g) 7.2 10.0 14.2 15.5 Additions to property, plant and equipment - non-sustaining(h) 115.2 177.8 238.1 342.5 Lease payments - non-sustaining(i) 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.8 All-in Cost - attributable(b) $ 711.1 $ 790.4 $ 1,402.5 $ 1,531.7 Gold equivalent ounces sold 588,485 641,149 1,145,161 1,244,206 Less: portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest(j) (4,008 ) (5,114 ) (7,942 ) (10,522 ) Attributable(b) gold equivalent ounces sold 584,477 636,035 1,137,219 1,233,684 Attributable(b) all-in sustaining cost per equivalent ounce sold $ 984 $ 925 $ 988 $ 925 Attributable(b) all-in cost per equivalent ounce sold $ 1,217 $ 1,243 $ 1,233 $ 1,242

(a) The portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest represents the non-controlling interest (10%) in the production cost of sales for the Chirano mine.

(b) Attributable includes Kinross' share of Chirano (90%) production.

(c) Attributable silver revenues represents the attributable portion of metal sales realized from the production of the secondary or by-product metal (i.e. silver). Revenue from the sale of silver, which is produced as a by-product of the process used to produce gold, effectively reduces the cost of gold production.

(d) General and administrative expenses is as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, net of certain restructuring expenses. General and administrative expenses are considered sustaining costs as they are required to be absorbed on a continuing basis for the effective operation and governance of the Company.

(e) Other operating expense  sustaining is calculated as Other operating expense as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, less other operating and reclamation and remediation expenses related to non-sustaining activities as well as other items not reflective of the underlying operating performance of our business. Other operating expenses are classified as either sustaining or non-sustaining based on the type and location of the expenditure incurred. The majority of other operating expenses that are incurred at existing operations are considered costs necessary to sustain operations, and are therefore classified as sustaining. Other operating expenses incurred at locations where there is no current operation or related to other non-sustaining activities are classified as non-sustaining.

(f) Reclamation and remediation - sustaining is calculated as current period accretion related to reclamation and remediation obligations plus current period amortization of the corresponding reclamation and remediation assets, and is intended to reflect the periodic cost of reclamation and remediation for currently operating mines. Reclamation and remediation costs for development projects or closed mines are excluded from this amount and classified as non-sustaining.

(g) Exploration and business development  sustaining is calculated as Exploration and business development expenses as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statement of operations, less non-sustaining exploration expenses. Exploration expenses are classified as either sustaining or non-sustaining based on a determination of the type and location of the exploration expenditure. Exploration expenditures within the footprint of operating mines are considered costs required to sustain current operations and so are included in sustaining costs. Exploration expenditures focused on new ore bodies near existing mines (i.e. brownfield), new exploration projects (i.e. greenfield) or for other generative exploration activity not linked to existing mining operations are classified as non-sustaining. Business development expenses are considered sustaining costs as they are required for general operations.

(h) Additions to property, plant and equipment  sustaining represents the majority of capital expenditures at existing operations including capitalized exploration costs, periodic capitalized stripping and underground mine development costs, ongoing replacement of mine equipment and other capital facilities and other capital expenditures and is calculated as total additions to property, plant and equipment (as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statements of cash flows), less capitalized interest and non-sustaining capital. Non-sustaining capital represents capital expenditures for major projects, including major capital stripping projects at existing operations that are expected to materially benefit the operation, as well as enhancement capital for significant infrastructure improvements at existing operations. Non-sustaining capital expenditures during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, primarily related to major projects at Tasiast, Round Mountain and Fort Knox. Non-sustaining capital expenditures during the three and six months ended June 30, 2019, primarily related to major projects at Tasiast, Round Mountain, and Bald Mountain.

(i) Lease payments  sustaining represents the majority of lease payments as reported on the interim condensed consolidated statements of cash flows and is made up of the principal and financing components of such cash payments, less non-sustaining lease payments. Lease payments for development projects or closed mines are classified as non-sustaining.

(j) Portion attributable to Chirano non-controlling interest represents the non-controlling interest (10%) in the ounces sold from the Chirano mine.

(k) Average realized gold price per ounce is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined as gold metal sales divided by the total number of gold ounces sold. This measure is intended to enable Management to better understand the price realized in each reporting period. The realized price measure does not have any standardized definition under IFRS and should not be considered a substitute for measure of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

______________________________________

1) Unless otherwise stated, production, production costs of sales per Au eq. oz., and all-in-sustaining costs per Au eq. oz., in this news release are based on Kinross 90% share of Chirano production.

2) Net earnings figures in this release represent net earnings attributable to common shareholders.

3) These figures are non-GAAP financial measures and are defined and reconciled on pages 14 to 19 of this news release.

4) Attributable margin per equivalent ounce sold is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as average realized gold price per ounce less attributable production cost of sales per gold equivalent ounce sold.

5) For more information on Lobo-Martes mineral reserve and resource estimates, see Kinross news release dated July 15, 2020 on kinross.com.

6) Calculated as estimated 2019 proven and probable gold reserves divided by 2019 gold production.

7) Average realized gold price is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined as gold metal sales divided by the total number of gold ounces sold.

8) Net debt is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as Long-term debt and credit facilities less Cash and cash equivalents.

9) Refers to all of the currencies in the countries where the Company has mining operations, fluctuating simultaneously by 10% in the same direction, either appreciating or depreciating, taking into consideration the impact of hedging and the weighting of each currency within our consolidated cost structure.



Cautionary statement on forward-looking information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained or incorporated by reference in this news release including, but not limited to, any information as to the future financial or operating performance of Kinross, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including the provisions of the Securities Act (Ontario) and the provisions for safe harbor under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release, include, but are not limited to, those under the headings (or headings that include) CEO commentary, Development projects, Agreement in principle with Government of Mauritania and 2020 Guidance and include, without limitation, statements with respect to our guidance for production, production costs of sales, all-in sustaining cost and capital expenditures; the schedules and budgets for the Companys development projects; mine life; and continuous improvement initiatives, as well as references to other possible events, the future price of gold and silver, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, estimates and the realization of such estimates (such as mineral or gold reserves and resources or mine life), success of exploration, development and mining, currency fluctuations, capital requirements, project studies, mine life extensions, government regulation permit applications and conversions, restarting suspended or disrupted operations; environmental risks and proceedings; and resolution of pending litigation. The words continue, , estimates, expects, explore, focus, forward, goal, guidance, mitigate, on budget, on schedule, on track, opportunity, option, outlook, plan, potential, progress, schedule, target, upside, or variations of or similar such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should or will be achieved, received or taken, or will occur or result and similar such expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Kinross as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The estimates, models and assumptions of Kinross referenced, contained or incorporated by reference in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, the various assumptions set forth herein and in our MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2019, and the Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2020 as well as: (1) there being no significant disruptions affecting the operations of the Company, whether due to extreme weather events (including, without limitation, excessive or lack of rainfall, in particular, the potential for further production curtailments at Paracatu resulting from insufficient rainfall and the operational challenges at Fort Knox and Bald Mountain resulting from excessive rainfall, which can impact costs and/or production) and other or related natural disasters, labour disruptions (including but not limited to strikes or workforce reductions), supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment, pit wall slides (in particular that the effects of the pit wall slides at Fort Knox and Round Mountain are consistent with the Companys expectations) or otherwise; (2) permitting, development, operations and production from the Companys operations and development projects being consistent with Kinross current expectations including, without limitation: the maintenance of existing permits and approvals and the timely receipt of all permits and authorizations necessary for the operation of the Tasiast Phase One expansion, and the development and operation of the 24k Project; operation of the SAG mill at Tasiast; land acquisitions and permitting for the construction and operation of the new tailings facility, water and power supply and continued operation of the tailings reprocessing facility at Paracatu; and the Lobo-Marte project in a manner consistent with the Companys expectations; (3) political and legal developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations including, without limitation, the impact of any political tensions and uncertainty in the Russian Federation and Ukraine or any related sanctions and any other similar restrictions or penalties imposed, or actions taken, by any government, including but not limited to amendments to the mining laws, and potential power rationing and tailings facility regulations in Brazil, potential amendments to water laws and/or other water use restrictions and regulatory actions in Chile, new dam safety regulations, and potential amendments to minerals and mining laws and energy levies laws, and the enforcement of labour laws in Ghana, new regulations relating to work permits, potential amendments to customs and mining laws (including but not limited to amendments to the VAT) and the pending implementation of revisions to the tax code in Mauritania, the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation or similar legislation in other jurisdictions and potential amendments to and enforcement of tax laws in Russia (including, but not limited to, the interpretation, implementation, application and enforcement of any such laws and amendments thereto), and the impact of any trade tariffs being consistent with Kinross current expectations; (4) the completion of studies, including optimization studies, scoping studies and pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, on the timelines currently expected and the results of those studies being consistent with Kinross current expectations, including the completion of the Lobo-Marte feasibility study; (5) the exchange rate between the Canadian dollar, Brazilian real, Chilean peso, Russian rouble, Mauritanian ouguiya, Ghanaian cedi and the U.S. dollar being approximately consistent with current levels; (6) certain price assumptions for gold and silver; (7) prices for diesel, natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and other key supplies being approximately consistent with the Companys expectations; (8) production and cost of sales forecasts for the Company meeting expectations; (9) the accuracy of the current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates of the Company (including but not limited to ore tonnage and ore grade estimates), mine plans for the Companys mining operations, and the Companys internal models; (10) labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Kinross current expectations; (11) the terms and conditions of the legal and fiscal stability agreements for the Tasiast and Chirano operations being interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with their intent and Kinross expectations and without material amendment or formal dispute (including without limitation the application of tax, customs and duties exemptions and royalties); (12) goodwill and/or asset impairment potential; (13) the regulatory and legislative regime regarding mining, electricity production and transmission (including rules related to power tariffs) in Brazil being consistent with Kinross current expectations; (14) access to capital markets, including but not limited to maintaining our current credit ratings consistent with the Companys current expectations; (15) that the Brazilian power plants will operate in a manner consistent with our current expectations; (16) that drawdown of remaining funds under the Tasiast project financing will proceed in a manner consistent with our current expectations; (17) potential direct or indirect operational impacts resulting from infectious diseases or pandemics such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; (18) the effectiveness of preventative actions and contingency plans put in place by the Company to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, social distancing, a non-essential travel ban, business continuity plans, and efforts to mitigate supply chain disruptions; (19) changes in national and local government legislation or other government actions, particularly in response to the COVID-19 outbreak; (20) litigation, regulatory proceedings and audits, and the potential ramifications thereof, being concluded in a manner consistent with the Corporations expectations (including without limitation the ongoing industry-wide audit of mining companies in Ghana which includes the Corporations Ghanaian subsidiaries, litigation in Chile relating to the alleged damage of wetlands and the scope of any remediation plan or other environmental obligations arising therefrom, the ongoing litigation with the Russian tax authorities regarding dividend withholding tax and the ongoing Sunnyside litigation regarding potential liability under the U.S. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act); (21) that the Company will enter into definitive documentation with the Government of Mauritania in accordance with, and on the timeline contemplated by, the terms and conditions of the term sheet, on a basis consistent with our expectations and that the parties will perform their respective obligations thereunder on the timelines agreed; (22) that the exploitation permit for Tasiast Sud will be issued on timelines consistent with our expectations; and (23) that the benefits of the contemplated arrangements will result in increased stability at the Companys operations in Mauritania. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: sanctions (any other similar restrictions or penalties) now or subsequently imposed, other actions taken, by, against, in respect of or otherwise impacting any jurisdiction in which the Company is domiciled or operates (including but not limited to the Russian Federation, Canada, the European Union and the United States), or any government or citizens of, persons or companies domiciled in, or the Companys business, operations or other activities in, any such jurisdiction; reductions in the ability of the Company to transport and refine dore; fluctuations in the currency markets; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold or certain other commodities (such as fuel and electricity); changes in the discount rates applied to calculate the present value of net future cash flows based on country-specific real weighted average cost of capital; changes in the market valuations of peer group gold producers and the Company, and the resulting impact on market price to net asset value multiples; changes in various market variables, such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates, gold or silver prices and lease rates, or global fuel prices, that could impact the mark-to-market value of outstanding derivative instruments and ongoing payments/receipts under any financial obligations; risks arising from holding derivative instruments (such as credit risk, market liquidity risk and mark-to-market risk); changes in national and local government legislation, taxation (including but not limited to income tax, advance income tax, stamp tax, withholding tax, capital tax, tariffs, value-added or sales tax, capital outflow tax, capital gains tax, windfall or windfall profits tax, production royalties, excise tax, customs/import or export taxes/duties, asset taxes, asset transfer tax, property use or other real estate tax, together with any related fine, penalty, surcharge, or interest imposed in connection with such taxes), controls, policies and regulations; the security of personnel and assets; political or economic developments in Canada, the United States, Chile, Brazil, Russia, Mauritania, Ghana, or other countries in which Kinross does business or may carry on business; business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, us; our ability to successfully integrate acquisitions and complete divestitures; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations; litigation or other claims against, or regulatory investigations and/or any enforcement actions, administrative orders or sanctions in respect of the Company (and/or its directors, officers, or employees) including, but not limited to, securities class action litigation in Canada and/or the United States, environmental litigation or regulatory proceedings or any investigations, enforcement actions and/or sanctions under any applicable anti-corruption, international sanctions and/or anti-money laundering laws and regulations in Canada, the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction; the speculative nature of gold exploration and development including, but not limited to, the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits; diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; adverse changes in our credit ratings; and contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, Kinross actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Kinross, including but not limited to resulting in an impairment charge on goodwill and/or assets. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements expectations and plans relating to the future. All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators of Canada and the United States including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the Risk Analysis section of our MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2020. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Kinross. Kinross disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Key Sensitivities

Approximately 70%-80% of the Company's costs are denominated in U.S. dollars.

A 10% change in foreign currency exchange rates would be expected to result in an approximate $14 impact on production cost of sales per ounce.9

Specific to the Russian rouble, a 10% change in the exchange rate would be expected to result in an approximate $15 impact on Russian production cost of sales per ounce.

Specific to the Brazilian real, a 10% change in the exchange rate would be expected to result in an approximate $25 impact on Brazilian production cost of sales per ounce.

A $10 per barrel change in the price of oil would be expected to result in an approximate $2 impact on production cost of sales per ounce.

A $100 change in the price of gold would be expected to result in an approximate $4 impact on production cost of sales per ounce as a result of a change in royalties.

Other information

Where we say "we", "us", "our", the "Company", or "Kinross" in this news release, we mean Kinross Gold Corporation and/or one or more or all of its subsidiaries, as may be applicable.

The technical information about the Companys mineral properties contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Mr. John Sims, an officer of the Company who is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101.

Source: Kinross Gold Corporation
France has announced a ban on heated terraces for cafes and bars, infuriating some Parisans in the process.

The ban comes amid a broad range of measures designed to protect the environment, with Frances Ecology Minister Barbara Pompili calling outdoor heating an ecological aberration.

The ban is set to come into force after winter, to give Frances hospitality sector time to adapt.

From then onwards, All heated or air-conditioned buildings open to the public will also have to keep their doors closed to avoid wasting energy, the BBC reports.

France bans outdoor heaters on terraces  https://t.co/4oiUxve0Qn  Christian Robert (@fidus) July 28, 2020

Some French cities had already banned outdoor heaters. In Paris, however, where more than 75% of restaurants and cafes have a heated terrace, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had previously refused to make the change, saying it would hurt business.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Patrick Colpron (@patrickcolpron) on Jul 14, 2020 at 12:54am PDT

While the English speakers of Twitter have broadly applauded the ban, numerous Parisians have criticised it. One Parisienne Urbaine Raconteuse said the ban shows a government disconnected from the reality of the French people.

Un gouvernement deconnecte de la realite des Francais ! Entre une @barbarapompili qui veut interdire le chauffage exterieur sur les terrasses des bars et une @CoDubost qui se bat pour la #PMA, ces 2 femmes nont aucun sens des priorites pour la vie des Francais !#Incompetence pic.twitter.com/9sIbCE8pN3  Juliette (@JulietteEtVous) July 28, 2020

Another wrote, another gadget of the ecologists who want to kill the Parisian economy.

Encore des gadgets decologistes qui vont tuer leconomie parisienne !  Yves Pozzo di Borgo (@YvesPDB) July 27, 2020

Others pointed out the impracticalities of the other methods of keeping warm, particularly in a time of crisis (youd share a blanket in a time of coronavirus?)

Se partager un plaid en periode de corona virus ? pic.twitter.com/KJXMxnAmws  Telperien (@Embleons) July 28, 2020

 and asked if its necessary to destroy everything the French economy rests upon.

Another protested the simple curtailing of freedom: The upcoming ban on outdoor heating of terraces is both a serious and grotesque mistake It is forbidden to forbid.

On the other side of the coin, many backed the ban, urging smokers and cafe patrons to put on a jumper.

mettez un pull  Ginut50 (@ginut50) July 27, 2020

Its not the first norm change of 2020, and as many other capital cities around the world reconsider how they want their city centers to look post-COVID, it probably wont be the last.

Read Next
City and county clerks across the state are urging Michigan absentee voters who havent yet mailed out their primary ballots to drop them off in person.

Phil Kerns, Frankenmuth City Clerk, said some residents have called in stating they havent received an absentee ballot. Kerns said he sent residents their ballots on July 13. All absentee ballots for the primary election must be returned to the city or township clerks office by 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 4.

Saginaw County Chief Deputy Clerk Kyle Bostwick said with the primary election being just days away, clerks across the state are advising voters to drop their ballots off directly.

While we havent been made aware of any widespread issues of people receiving their ballots, Im advising people to drop their ballots off in person because the election is so close, Bostwick said.

Visiting the clerks office is the fastest way to be issued an absentee ballot, which can be filled out returned to the clerk in the same visit, according to the Secretary of States office.

Voters who have received their absentee ballots are encouraged to fill them out as soon as possible, sign the back of the envelope and drop them off at their local clerks office. Local clerk information can be found here.

Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown also said voters can avoid worrying about timing or postage by dropping their ballots off.

Brown said her office has had more spoiled ballots in August primaries than any other election and is reminding voters to use a black or blue ink pen when completing a ballot, to completely fill in the boxes, not to use a check mark or circle and to not cross party lines.

Under Michigan election law, you can only vote for one partys candidates, otherwise your ballot will be spoiled and the partisan section wont count. Dont forget to check both sides of your ballot and vote for the non-partisan section, Brown said.

As of July 21, more than 1.8 million Michigan voters had requested absentee ballots, compared to just over 500,000 at the same time in 2016, according to state elections officials. More than 600,000 absentee ballots have been returned so far.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Bensons push to promote absentee voting by sending mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters comes amid concerns that mass in-person voting could spread COVID-19 at polling places.

Clerks are still adjusting to procedures and best practices to align with changes to election law brought on by Proposal 18-3, approved by Michigan voters in 2018, allowing any registered voter to obtain an absentee ballot without a providing a reason.

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons said the changes to the law, the pandemic and new executive orders have caused a lot of confusion among voters. The county has issued 122,022 ballots to voters and has received 55,229 completed ballots as of Tuesday, July 28.

We have spent a lot of time reassuring voters that Michigans elections are safe, secure and transparent, Posthumus Lyons said.

Election experts dont expect mail-in voting to generate widespread fraud, despite President Donald Trumps recent attacks on mail-in voting in Michigan and other states.

Related: Trump attacks Michigan Secretary of State with false claim; Benson quickly responds

The president condemned the decision in a series of statements linking no-reason absentee voting to partisan election interference, claims that are considered misleading and possibly harmful by election clerks and researchers in Michigan.

The volume of absentee ballot requests and returns were seeing underscores the near-universal enthusiasm Michigan voters share for casting their ballot in a way that is safe, secure and convenient, Benson said. I am encouraged that this enthusiasm remains unaffected by attempts to spread misinformation about the integrity and security of voting by mail. The numbers make it clear that voters trust our system and are eager to participate in it.

More election workers are needed to process the increase in absent-voter ballots, staff polling places and to serve in place of older or immunocompromised election workers. Benson said people who are registered to vote or are 16 or 17 years old can apply to be paid election workers through the Department of States Democracy MVP initiative.

Registered voters can vote early at their clerks office now through August 3, or at their polling place on Election Day, August 4. Those who havent registered can register and vote in one trip to their clerk office now through 8 p.m. on Election Day, August 4.

More on MLive:

How absentee ballots are deepening the divide between Michigan Democrats and Republicans

Michigans absentee voting push wont cause mass election fraud, election experts say

Absentee ballots must be received by Election Day, Michigan Court of Appeals rules
With the prospect of a virtually all-mail election looming this fall, more than 6 million Californians received an email from the secretary of state this week asking them to check online to make sure their voter registration information is up to date.

That sounds like a lot of emails, but California has 20.6 million registered voters, a number larger than the total population of all but two other states. With every active California voter getting a mail ballot for the November presidential contest, election officials need to have updated registration information.

To make sure you get your ballot, we are asking all California voters to double-check their voter registration status at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov, the email said. You can ensure a smooth voting experience by confirming your mailing address.

These statewide email blasts were sent before the 2018 general election and the March primary and will probably go out again before the Nov. 3 election, state election officials said.

It only takes minutes to check your voter registration and make updates  and it can be done all online, said Sam Mahood, a spokesman for Secretary of State Alex Padilla. With expansion of vote-by-mail, it is extra-critical that elections officials have updated addresses for all voters.

One downside to the email notices is that theyre easy for a voter to ignore or put aside as spam. But they are an important part of the states Vote Safe California program and come directly from the secretary of state at the www.sos.ca.gov website.

People going to the voter status website will be asked for their name, the number on their California drivers license or their state-issued ID card, the last four digits of their Social Security number and their date of birth.

Once signed in, voters can see the name they are registered under, their preferred language for ballots and voting materials, the address where they are registered, party preference and the county where they are registered.

If changes are needed, they can be made by clicking a box that allows voters to re-register with their updated information.

One change plenty of voters might want to make is adding an email address to their voter registration. The 6.4 million emails sent out this week went only to the voters who provided an email address with their registration data, something that excludes an unknown number of people who registered decades ago.

Email became a field on voter registration forms in 2001, Mahood said. It is not required that voters provide an email when they register, (but) we encourage them to provide one so they can receive communications from our office and their local elections office.

The March primary showed just how important an email address can be.

In that election, more than 28,000 ballots statewide were rejected because the envelopes werent signed, the signature didnt match the one on the registration or there was no ballot in the envelope.

By state law, voters have a chance to fix those problems and have the ballots counted, even after election day  but only if county officials can get the message to them.

Election officials are required to send postcards to voters who have sent in problem ballots. But they can also use email and the phone if they are part of the registration information.

Email addresses do help, said John Arntz, San Franciscos election chief. As a tool to contact voters, its one of the best ways.

About half of San Franciscos 505,000 registered voters supply an email address, well above the state average. But its a moving target, Arntz said.

We wish it was higher, but people often call us to ask that their email address be removed, he said. Campaigns also use the voting files, so it can mean they get more political emails.

Looking forward to November, when concerns about the coronavirus will limit the number of in-person polling places, state election officials are also asking voters to sign up for the Wheres My Ballot? tracking app, which notifies voters when their mail ballots are received and if there are problems with their ballot.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
Melbourne JBS Abattoir Briefly Stops Work Over COVID-19 Fears

Cold storage workers at Victorias largest meat processing facility, JBS Australia, temporarily walked off the job on July 28 over concerns about COVID-19; however, the company and WorkSafe denied there were unsafe conditions.

An estimated 45 cold store workers refused to work after a union health and safety representative said that there was an imminent risk of COVID-19 infection for employees.

A United Workers Union (UWU) media release described an incident on July 27 when a staff member returned to work before completing their 14 day isolation period. The worker stayed at the meat facility for more than an hour before being sent home.

JBS is connected to 71 confirmed COVID-19 cases and was already ordered to close about a fortnight ago by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) after four workers tested positive for the virus.

Butcher stock photo. (Yassar Al-Zayyat/AFP via Getty Images)

The UWU wanted the company to address the workers safety concerns before reopening, but JBS said they would meet with workers once they were back to work, according to a media release.

JBS Australia has worked hand-in-glove with DHHS to make the Brooklyn facility as COVID safe as its possible to be, a JBS spokesman said.

A UWU spokesperson said via a media release that JBS agreed to a 30-minute separation between shifts, so workers are not forced into a confined space during the change over, and agreed to give workers a safety briefing before they start.

They have also provided workers with clear details on cleaning regimes for all high touch areas, the laundering of shared equipment, and on the provision of PPE.

Because of these changes, workers have now returned to work, the spokesperson said.

The Victoria government has recently highlighted the growing rate of virus transmission through workplaces.

In a press conference on July 27, Premier Daniel Andrews said: We have too many people who have symptoms, and they are going to work.

That is what is driving these numbers up, and lockdown will not end until people stop going to work with symptoms but instead go and get tested because they have symptoms.
SPRINGFIELD  Eight city councilors have urged a state legislative committee to expand reforms to increase accountability for police misconduct.

The councilors submitted a two-page letter to a legislative conference committee urging members to strengthen the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act pertaining to police, and to reduce legal protection for officers against civil lawsuits, known as qualified immunity.

For too long police officers who have violated peoples secured rights have escaped civil liability because of this legal doctrine, the councilors wrote to the conference committee, which includes state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D-Springfield.

The council recently voted to support a state Senate bill that calls for police reforms in Massachusetts in the aftermath of police brutality cases including the killing of George Floyd of Minneapolis. That bill and a House bill were referred to the conference committee.

The eight councilors said they represent communities that are over-policed and, therefore, we are resolute in our commitment to seeing that any law reform bill that gets passed contain key accountability provisions.

Those sending the letter on Wednesday were council President Justin Hurst and Councilors Adam Gomez, Tracye Whitfield, Marcus Williams, Jesse Lederman, Melvin Edwards, Victor Davila and Orlando Ramos.

Specifically, the councilors want to change a section of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act that prevents officers from being held liable for violating a persons civil rights if the officer does not use threats, intimidation or coercion, councilors said.

This means that in many instances the (Massachusetts Civil Rights Act) provides no remedy for direct violations of rights, including when an officer uses excessive force or violence against the very people they are sworn to serve and protect, councilors said. The communities we represent deserve to have the same remedies for police violence under state law as they do under federal law.

Regarding qualified immunity, the current provision shields police from liability if the right that was violated was not clearly established, councilors said.

This impossibly high standard means that if specific police misconduct has not previously been found to be a clearly established violation of law (same facts, same situation), then a case wont proceed; and if a case doesnt proceed, the law will not become clearly established to protect future victims, the councilors said. The bottom line: no police accountability.

Numerous law enforcement unions recently spoke out against sections of the Senate bill, saying it would make a dangerous job even more difficult as they make judgment calls on the streets.

In their letter, the councilors said they recognize that police have difficult jobs that in many instances require them to make split-second decisions.

The reforms that we seek do not fail to take that reality into account, the councilors said. However, we also want to make sure members of our communities are able to be compensated for the damage done by police violence.

The changes proposed by the councilors, as reflected in the Senate bill, were important steps towards balancing the scales of justice for the victims of police violence and misconduct, the councilors said.
Remove Arundhati Roys speech from Calicut university text book, BJP chief urges Governor

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Thiruvananthapuram, July 29: The Kerala BJP has appeared to Governor, Arif Mohammad Khan to remove the speech of Arundhati Roy from the Calicut University course book for the BA English programme.

The speech in question is 'Come September,' delivery in 2002. The BJP President K Surendran in a letter to Khan, who is also the Chancellor of the University said that the essay raised questions about India's sovereignty.

The BJP chief was referring to the speech which is part of the textbook, 'Appreciating Pose,' of the third semester of BA English language and literature programme.

No complete lockdown in Kerala as of now, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Unlock 3: Gyms to open from August 5th, Night curfew removed | Oneindia News

The letter by the BJP chief said, "dissent is brewing among academics and the general public against the inclusion of this speech, which is anti-national. Roy has stated that India has unleashed terror on the non-violent struggle for the independence of Kashmir. She was introduced by textbook editors Murugan Babu and Abida Farooqi as the sane voice who spoke against the hanging of Afzal Guru.
Okay. So, the Breath of Joy is a practice we would do at the beginning of every Hatha class, which involves a very heavy open mouth exhalation. Its a three-part inhale through the nose with corresponding arm movements.

Mimi Thomas, a Phoenix-based yoga teacher, is sitting on a patio in a maroon floral beach cover-up. She stands to demonstrate.

Inhale one, arms out in front of you, she says. Inhale two, arms come out wide. Inhale three, filling your lungs all the way to the top, arms up, biceps by the ears. And as you exhale, open your mouth and go, Haaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. As she exhales, she swings her upper body forward and down, her curly blonde hair tumbling over her head to brush the ground.

Now imagine 50 people in a room doing that during a fucking pandemic, she says.

Thomas, 26, observed this scene in a Scottsdale yoga studio in early June, as Arizona was making headlines as the countrys latest COVID-19 hotspot. The first week of June, the state saw a 54 percent increase in new cases over the previous week, with ICU beds surpassing 80 percent capacity.

Thomas  who is, full disclosure, my fiances sister, whom I saw on a family visit to Virginia in early July  taught online classes throughout the first months of the pandemic. Three or four nights a week, I would log onto Zoom from my apartment in Brooklyn to follow her through an hour of Energized Vinyasa or Slow Flow. In the void of normalcy that was quarantine, those hours on the mat were bright spots on the horizon of each day. And when things finally started re-opening in Phoenix mid-May, she agreed to teach some in-studio classes in the non-heated room at Hot Yoga University (HYU).

The non-heated room was very small. Like, when we re-opened I would have one person in my class, maybe two, Thomas says. And HYU had made an announcement that they were following CDC guidelines  everyone six feet apart, masks inside, sanitized, touchless check-in, etc. But then you go in and there are 48 people in the hot room, not six feet apart, breathing all over each other. I was standing by the front desk when a lady walked out and said, You guys are not following CDC guidelines. I want my money back. You're blatantly putting people at risk.

Related: 5 Reasons to Start a Yoga Routine While You're Social Distancing

HYUs owner, Karin Fellman, was teaching the class the student walked out of, and later had a conversation with Thomas about the mask-wearing policy. She made this comment about how she refuses to support any business that requires you to wear a mask inside, Thomas says. So thats when my eyes were kind of opened.

Soon after, Thomas told Fellman she didnt feel comfortable teaching classes at HYU anymore, and parted ways with the studio. In the following weeks she began to hear  through other HYU teachers  that numerous teachers and students had tested positive. The studio continued operating on a regular class schedule until June 28, when an email was sent out with the subject line: In Response to COVID-19.

I went to a class at HYU a few years ago on a trip to Phoenix, so was on the studios mailing list and received the email. Like most businesses in Scottsdale, it read, we have had some people come forward and inform us they have tested positive. The most recent person received their test result today. The last day they were at the studio was June 16th. The email went on to say the studio would be closing down to disinfect and would reopen July 5.

But on June 29, the day after HYU sent out their email, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed an executive order mandating that the states gyms, bars, theaters, waterparks and inner-tubing businesses close for 30 days (on July 23 he extended the order indefinitely). On July 1, HYU announced that in light of the second shut-down order, the studio would be closing permanently.

The fatigue simply became too great

I reached out to HYUs owner, Fellman, to get her account of what had happened in the weeks between re-opening in May and closing down at the end of June. She maintains that the studio followed all CDC guidelines throughout the period of re-opening. I do remember one student who left because she felt it was too crowded, Fellman told me in an email. I spoke to her before class explaining that the squares on the floor where yogis put their mats down were 6 feet apart following the CDC guidelines and if they were (husband/wife etc.) they could practice closer together. I think that was what she saw near her and was uncomfortable.

Fellman says that the ultimate decision to shut down was because, At a certain point, it became obvious we could not guarantee students would not be exposed to someone if they attended class, she said. We could not control where people had been before class, or where they worked. Many of our students and teachers worked with the public and exposure was inevitable. At the time we closed we had three confirmed cases and after closing we had members of our community reach out with additional positive tests results, reaffirming our decision to close. The mental, emotional, and spiritual fatigue with providing a safe environment and at the same time trying to ease those who were fearful, simply became too great.

Of course, these difficult calculations are not unique to HYU. And although some yoga studios in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area have taken the threat of COVID-19 very seriously and continued operating virtually throughout the pandemic, a number also resumed normal class schedules as quickly as possible and even defied executive orders to shut back down. These decisions arent just happening in Phoenix, of course; in cities across the country, some studios are opting to offer in-studio classes while others are remaining virtual.

A document recently prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force lists 18 states as being in the red zone (10 percent or higher positive test rate) for COVID-19 cases. The experts who prepared the report recommended that those states close down bars and gyms immediately, require masks be worn at all times and limit gatherings to 10 people or fewer. The report also offers data on the three counties in each state with the highest number of cases. We looked at those three counties in all 18 states  Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah  and found multiple yoga studios offering in-studio classes in 48 of 54 counties. The exceptions were in North Carolina and Southern California, where gyms have been ordered to close (though multiple studios in Orange County still appear to still be offering in-studio classes) and the county of Elko, Nevada, which seems to have only one yoga studio.

To be fair, these studios are mostly small, independent businesses doing everything they can to survive, and their state governments are permitting them to stay open. The majority claim to be following CDC guidelines with limited class sizes and social distancing, along with virtual or livestream options. But in most counties, for every studio offering indoor classes, there is one or more that have opted to stay entirely virtual  or to offer only outdoor classes. This suggests that a significant portion of the yoga community believes the right thing is to stop offering in-studio classes regardless of whether they are legally permitted. There are obvious exposure risks in the physical practice of yoga  a form of exercise that involves heavy breathwork  so for studio owners hoping for their business interests and core yogic values to align, this virus presents an ethically murky dilemma.

Throughout the pandemic, as the U.S. outbreak became the largest in the world, there have been conversations about the downsides of Americas robust strain of individualism. The necessity of considering whats best for the larger collective, as opposed to yourself and your bottom line, has been a tough pill for many Americans to swallow. But its particularly interesting to observe this playing out in the yoga universe, rooted as it is in Eastern philosophy, with its emphasis on mindfulness and the collective good. Every person I spoke to for this story mentioned yogas guiding principle of ahimsa  meaning nonviolence, or do no harm.

So, what are the motivating factors and viewpoints of studio owners who are dead-set on opening? Are there any circumstances under which it could be truly safe to practice inside while this virus is still a threat? And if yoga is a business like anything else, what does its future look like in a country that is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic normalcy anytime soon? Will it look like these studios, resisting change and hoping for the best, or will it look like those who lean into the unknown and seek out opportunities to innovate?

Weve been forced to pull our in-studio offering

Back in Phoenix, following Governor Duceys June 29 executive order for gyms to shut down, HYU decided to close for good. But meanwhile, other studios in the area were telling students that they were planning to stay open, because they considered themselves exempt from the gym category.

Radi8 Hot Yoga, for example, posted an Instagram update on June 30 saying that it was staying open despite the executive order, with the following justification: After further review of the Governor's mandate, it is our interpretation that we do not fall under Gyms as we are a boutique studio with set class times allowing for full social distancing and space between each student. We will continue our elevated cleaning procedures, touchless check in, socially distanced mat markers, deep clean between each class, and require all students to wear masks on the way in and out of the studio. Per its website, it appears to have offered a full schedule of in-studio classes through July 15 (Radi8 did not respond to our requests for comment).

Yoga 6, a California-based franchise with two locations in Arizona, also stayed open in defiance of the executive order until July 7, when the Scottsdale location received a visit from law enforcement. We have some disappointing news to share, it wrote on the studios local Instagram account later that day. Unfortunately, due to the recent local ordinance, we have been forced to pull our in-studio offering for the time being. While we don't agree with the decision to lump us into the same category as gyms (given we are smaller and no one moves stations or shares equipment, have special UVC germicidal lights, and enhanced cleaning standards), we will respect the order while we petition to be allowed to safely reopen.

Related: A Men's Yoga Brand Learns the Real Meaning of Flexibility

On July 13, Yoga 6 and its parent company Xponential Fitness  which also includes Club Pilates, Pure Barre, AKT and CycleBar  sued the Arizona governor for requiring its various brand locations in the state to close for 30 days. On July 14, an Arizona judge ruled against the company. Kate Kwon, the VP of communications at Xponential, told Entrepreneur that the lawsuit was filed because it believed there wasnt sufficient evidence showing that gyms contributed to the spread of the virus. We reopened with extensive health and safety procedures in place and as you mentioned, felt the executive order was arbitrary in nature including gyms and fitness centers, Kwon said in an email. No data was referenced to show gyms and fitness centers were contributing to the spread of COVID19 so we simply wanted to understand how they got to the conclusion to include all fitness.

Is it ever safe to practice yoga inside?

Ingrid Yang is a hospital physician based in San Diego who has been working on the frontlines of the pandemic. She has also been a yoga teacher for over 20 years and is the author of two books, Hatha Yoga Asanas (2012) and Adaptive Yoga (forthcoming in November 2020). As a former studio owner herself, Yang is sympathetic to studios trying to navigate the pandemic. But she also says that from a medical perspective, doing yoga classes indoors  even with mats placed six feet or more apart  is an undeniable risk.

It is hard to maintain strict distancing and mask adherence, even for the most educated of us, and it is simply impossible to ensure that you are creating an environment that is transmission-free, Yang says. If I still owned my yoga center, I would have a hard time justifying opening. People in America are welcome to make their own decisions and take on their own risk, but maybe they aren't asking themselves the right questions: Do you have to go to that yoga class? Will your life end if you don't go to that yoga class? Well, yours might not, but someone else's might.

Dr. Ingrid Yang, practicing pandemic yoga // Image credit: Colin Gazley

In enclosed spaces, even if all social distancing precautions are taken, the most dangerous factor is likely to be aerosolized transmission. Recent research suggests that tiny virus particles can hang in the air for a significant period of time, particularly in enclosed spaces.

In yoga, the technique ujjayi breathing is utilized, which is used to both elongate and deepen the breath, Yang says. So maybe you're six feet apart, but if youre next to someone who is asymptomatic, and theyre inevitably breathing more heavily  because their heart rate is up and they are requiring more oxygen to their muscles  they will be taking in bigger, deeper breaths that may create more aerosolized droplets. And youre taking in longer, more elongated breaths with more volume of air, so youre more at risk for taking in their droplets.

Yang does think the use of UVC lights  which Yoga 6 purports to use  in yoga studios is an interesting innovation, and promising research has been done around UV radiations ability to kill the virus under specific conditions. But there are simply still so many unknowns that its impossible to guarantee a safe experience. Based on the research we have, the SARSCoV can be inactivated by UV radiation at 254 nm (UVC or 200280 nm), with partial viral inactivation at one minute and increasing efficacy up to six minutes, Yang says. But research and our discoveries are changing all the time. Theres still so much we dont know ... so the continued unknown risks may not be worth the benefit for many yogis.

The majority of studios Ive come across during research have been asking yogis to wear masks to and from their mats, but not while theyre actually practicing. Yang acknowledges the difficulties that studios face in asking customers to wear masks throughout the class. When you're a business owner, the customer's always right. Most customers say, I don't want to wear a mask while I'm exercising or practicing yoga because it's uncomfortable. You cant control someone who just takes off their mask in Shavasana to get a deep breath in.

Kim, a Phoenix-based yoga teacher who asked to be identified by her first name, says its definitely been uncomfortable interacting with students who dont want to wear masks. Its just been really hard to maneuver, because people would show up for classes and there will be a sign that says, You have to wear a mask. But they come in without one like, What? You feel like a jerk saying, Sorry you need to go out and put a face covering and then youre free to come back in. I had a student who left and didnt come back. I was like, Okay, well, thats your call. Its just changing everything.

Doubt, denial and God-complexes

What Kim has found more unsettling than awkward interactions with students, however, are the underlying reasons for some students and studios resistance to COVID-19 safety precautions. There are conspiracy theories that have been growing within the yoga community, she says. Like, some students and teachers think that the pandemic is a hoax  a political angle to try to get people to vote a certain way. They think that wearing a mask kind of puts you in a certain group, like you're a Democrat, or you're a Republican or liberal or whatever. My personal opinion is that it's a coping mechanism, like, Oh, this isn't really happening. Its a form of denial, because they would have to stop doing what they want to do. But I'm willing to bet that every studio has had cases or teachers that have come down sick. I mean, its like wildfire here.

A somewhat blatant example of this was on July 4, when Radi8 and Yoga 6, two Phoenix studios that were open despite the executive order to close, posted their in-studio class schedules to their Instagram pages along with the same quote: May we think of freedom as not the right to do what we please, but the opportunity to do what is right.

For her part, Thomas thinks that there are some teachers who suffer from misguided feelings of invincibility, which can feed into attitudes of denial. I totally get that survival mode is kicking in for these studio owners, she says. But there is almost like a God complex that a lot of popular yoga teachers get, knowing that if they stay open, their students will come. Maybe its denial, but teachers have a real responsibility to educate themselves and their students.

Leah Bosworth is the owner of Ironwood Yoga Studios in Phoenix, where Thomas teaches now. Ironwood has stayed fully virtual since the pandemic began, but Bosworth says she is aware of some local studios that buy into these conspiracy-type perspectives. She thinks much of it comes from a place of fear and difficulty imagining another way of doing things.

I think people are attached to the idea that they started with, and understandably so, she says. Ive heard from a few studio owner friends that this just wasnt what I signed up for. And rent is a huge thing. I have heard many upsetting stories about landlords who are not forgiving at all. Taking a brick and mortar studio online with all of your teachers is quite complex... To make [a virtual model] viable long-term it is truly like starting another business. I think for a lot of studio owners the idea of starting over is just too much, so the only path they see forward is in-person or bust.

Finding clarity, accepting reality and embracing change

For Bosworth, the decision to keep building and perfecting her studios virtual offering boiled down to the fact that when she looked reality square in the face, it was the only way forward that was clear.

I kind of figured out really quickly that nobody really knows what's going on, she says. So I had to do what I thought was right in my gut. We closed down in March and immediately, two days later, shifted to doing whatever we could online, which was Facebook Live at the time. But it took us about 20 days of nonstop scrambling to get it together. Figuring out how to do a platform and delivery and all of that stuff is an enormous undertaking.

Leah Bosworth teaching a virtual session at Ironwood Yoga Studios // Image credit: Leah Bosworth

But Bosworth says part of the reason she was probably more open to shifting entirely online was that before she started Ironwood, she had done a lot of research into starting an online health and wellness brand. So she saw the possibilities and creativity of a virtual studio.

As I was doing my research and working with my web designer, this little voice in my head kept saying, Online is the future for yoga studios and gyms, she says. Because nothing [about the pandemic] has actually changed. People are just opening because the economy is going to collapse if we don't. But from a business perspective, I can't grow my studio if there are only eight people in the room. From a safety perspective, its going to put my community at risk. And from a yoga perspective, I wanted to keep that clarity for everyone when everything else was uncertain. I didn't want to go back and forth. I wanted to practice ahimsa, not causing harm to the community. So I just thought, let's commit to this.

The commitment has paid off. Ironwoods virtual attendance has stayed steady since March, and even grown some recently. I've got my pricing options in place, and now I'm shifting into marketing, she says. I just invested in a bunch of video equipment. I'm trying to uplevel everything so we can compete with what's out there. Quality has always been really important to me, and how you deliver makes a big difference in engagement for people.

Yang says that because this virus isnt going away anytime soon, this perspective is likely to be the long-term winning approach. Yoga centers have become innovative with providing online yoga classes, she says. Thats the best and most important way that studios can stay connected and continue to generate income. Now is the time for every yoga studio owner to become a true entrepreneur and to utilize the power of social media to maintain their revenue streams and their connection to their student base.

Bosworth says that, of course, she is not blind to what is lost by not practicing in-person with her students. A big part of the yoga experience has traditionally been about holding space in a room with others. But ultimately, she thinks that the way yogis conceptualize community right now has to be bigger than the community of one yoga class.

What Ive been saying to our students and teachers  and basically to myself  is that we just have to put aside our preferences right now, she says. No, its not ideal for me to teach to a camera in an empty room. But its not really about us right now. Its about the community taking care of each other in this time and being open to doing something differently. People build communities online all the time, and at the end of the day its about, did you practice yoga today? Ive certainly thought of giving up, but ultimately, Im sort of excited by this opportunity to transcend this disaster. I guess I like a good challenge. Im weird like that.

Related: Workplace Wellness Isn't Just for Big Corporations. Here's How ...

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Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Tracy Morgan and his wife Megan Wollover filed for divorce. The Hollywood Reporter, TMZ and other news outlets confirmed the split on July 29. Morgan just appeared on the 30 Rock: One Time Only Special reprising his role as Tracy Jordan on July 23. Here is a look back at Morgan and Wollovers relationship.

Megan Wollover and Tracy Morgan | Rich Fury/Getty Images

Before Megan Wollover, Tracy Morgan was married to Sabina

Standup comedian Tracy Morgan joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1996. At the time, he was married to Sabina, who had been his high school sweetheart. They had three children: Gitrid, Malcolm and Tracy Jr.

Morgan and Sabina divorced in 2009, after a separation that reportedly lasted many years. By this time, Morgan was starring on 30 Rock, created by former SNL writer Tina Fey. Morgan played Tracy Jordan, a difficult actor satirizing the type often found in Hollywood. He met Wollover two years after his divorce.

Tracy Morgan met Megan Wollover on a blind date

Morgan and Wollover met when a mutual friend set them up on a blind date in 2011. Wollover told Inside Weddings that Morgan was subdued after a day of working on 30 Rock.

I just felt [Tracy] was very charming and sweet, such a gentleman, and thats what caught my interest, Wollover said.

They moved somewhat quickly, with Morgan proposing one year later. He told reporters on the red carpet at the 2012 Emmys about their engagement.

Tracy Morgan and Megan Wollover | Mike Coppola/Getty Images for WarnerMedia

RELATED: Who Survived The Tragic Accident That Killed Tracy Morgans Friend, Jimmy Mac?

He was very traditional, Wollover told Inside Weddings. He just asked if I would marry him and I said yes.

The wedding plans were interrupted by Morgans 2014 accident that left him injured and killed James McNair. A Wal-mart truck slammed into a limousine McNair and Morgan were in from behind. Morgan testified at the trial where Wal-Mart tried to shift blame to McNair not wearing a seat belt.

When Morgan recovered, 150 guests joined the couple at their wedding where Tracy Jr. was the best man. They have a daughter, Maven Sonae, born in 2013, who also attended the wedding.

A statement about the divorce

Morgan began filming the TBS comedy The Last O.G. in 2018. He told the Television Critics Association in 2018 that he was learning to take it easier behind the scenes, making sure he sat and rested between takes. He has also had roles in Fist Fight and What Men Want, and provided the voice of Captain Caveman in this years animated movie Scoob!

Tracy Morgan and Megan Wollover | Mike Coppola/Getty Images for TBS

RELATED: Tracy Morgans $2 Million Bugatti Wont Put a Dent in the Last O.G. Stars Net Worth

Representatives of Morgan delivered his statement to the outlets reporting on his divorce from Wollover.

Sadly, after nearly five years of marriage, Megan and I are filing for divorce, Morgan said in a statement to THR, TMZ and other outlets. This is a challenging time for all involved, so I ask that you please respect our privacy.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Fidan Babayeva - Trend:

The preparation of a new strategic plan for the development of Azerbaijans State Oil Company (SOCAR), which will cover the period until 2035, is scheduled to be complete until September this year, the companys Vice-President Khalig Mammadov said.

Mammadov made the remark at the online meeting in SOCAR on human resources (HR) management, Trend reports.

According to the vice-president, the new strategic development plan is elaborated by McKinsey consulting company.

In the recent 10 years, we succeeded in digitizing almost all of the company's data and today we are seeing the results, he said.

According to him, changes in the oil and gas sector and new time requirements set new goals for energy companies. SOCAR will also develop its activities in the field of chemistry, exploration, production, digital technologies and artificial intelligence as part of the new development strategy.

We have also implemented a pilot project of using artificial intelligence in drilling wells and the company is not going to stop on this and will continue to develop, Mammadov added.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Fidan_Babaeva
Republicans have included military weapons funding in their 1 trillion dollar Covid-19 response package they are hoping to get passed in the US Senate.

The Republican measure includes billions for F-35 fighters, Apache helicopters and infantry carriers sought by Washingtons powerful defence lobby.

Overall, the proposal stuffs 8 billion dollars into Pentagon weapons systems built by defence contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics.

The bill, drafted by Senate Appropriations Committee chairman Richard Shelby, would deposit 2.2 billion dollars in Pentagon shipbuilding accounts, boost missile defence systems in California and Alaska and deliver about 1.4 billion dollars for C-130 transport planes and F-35 fighters manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Some of the F-35s could be delivered to an Air National Guard unit in Montgomery, Alabama.

Today my colleagues & I introduced the HEALS Act  our plan to aid American families & businesses suffering from the #COVID19 global pandemic. I believe we need to act with a sense of urgency.  Richard Shelby (@SenShelby) July 27, 2020

In several cases, Mr Shelby proposes restoring cuts imposed by the administration that diverted almost 4 billion dollars to help pay for construction of US President Donald Trumps border wall.

The Pentagon won significant defence increases last year with passage of a budget agreement that erased automatic spending cuts known as sequestration.

The 8 billion dollar weapons procurement package is part of a 29.4 billion dollar defence portion of the Republicans 1 trillion dollar coronavirus response measure, which has been backed by the White House.

Providing that money now would help build headroom into the annual defence funding bill that Congress plans to write later this year.

Story continues

The outlook for Mr Shelbys proposed defence projects could be dim. Democrats slammed the add-ons, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said the final package should not stray from the coronavirus response.

The inclusion upset Democrats whose votes will be required to pass the bill amid widespread divisions among Republicans in the Senate on the measure. They are pressing items such as food aid and funding for postal voting.

To Senate Republicans: This is the greatest crisis America has faced in generations, and you are paying attention to your corporate friends. We want a real bill that answers American people's needs. That deals with the serious problems we face. That's what we're fighting for! pic.twitter.com/jC4Y9i4exB  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 29, 2020

Democratic senator Debbie Stabenow said: We are not going to be supporting anything that does not acknowledge the incredible hardship people are facing on food.

Did you see the states it goes to? Maine. Arizona. Kentucky  we have a list, said Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, naming states where Republicans are defending seats in the November election.

The administration never officially asked for the defence funding. It instead delivered informal requests to powerful members of Congress like Mr Shelby who sit at the top of the defence funding panel, aides say.

Senate Republicans COVID-19 plan:  no food assistance  no eviction protections  drastic cuts to unemployment benefits Struggling Americans deserve better.  Sen. Debbie Stabenow (@SenStabenow) July 28, 2020

Even those informal requests left out the 8 billion dollars for items like planes, ships and missile defence systems, though the White House grew to embrace some of the items.

The weapons package grew to include 1.1 billion dollars to build Boeing Poseidon surveillance jets, manufactured in Washington and Kansas, with 283 million dollars more for the companys Army Apache helicopters, which are made in Mesa, Arizona.
An advert featuring a fictional chat show between a female host and a young interviewee called Tampons and Tea has been deemed offensive after a number of complaints to the advertising watchdog were upheld.

The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) upheld complaints against the Proctor & Gamble ad for Tampax, saying the ad had caused offence despite it being factually correct.

The television advert, set in a studio-type setting typical for a chat show, featured a female host and a young girl sitting in a chair waiting to be interviewed.

It contained a chat between the host about ill-fitting tampons, an on-screen demonstration of how to insert a tampon correctly, and the host saying: "You gotta get em up there, girls."

Some people felt the segment was demeaning to women and not suitable for children, but these complaints were not upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The ASAI complaints committee said the advertisement, although light-hearted in nature, provided factual information in a manner that was neither explicit nor graphic. They did not consider that the advertisement had caused grave offence.

They noted, however, "the level of complaint that had been received and the concerns expressed by complainants about the advertising and considered that it had caused widespread offence".

The advert received 84 complaints in total, but complaints that it was demeaning to women or engaged in sexual innuendo were not upheld.

A drinks company has also been found in breach of advertising standards following a social media post containing too much sexual innuendo.

LeCoq Cocktails had an influencer post an ad on Instagram for its new drink, which some people felt used suggestive sexual content.

A complaint against telecoms firm Three Ireland regarding an advert promoting a smartphone offer that featured three smartphones  the Huawei P30, the iPhone Xr, and the Samsung S10  was upheld.

The complainant viewed the advertisement and, as an existing customer, wanted to upgrade their phone and avail of the offer. The complainant was advised that the offer was not available to existing customers.

The ASAI complaints committee said they considered that the language used in the television advertisement was unlikely to have been clear enough and was insufficiently familiar to consumers generally to indicate that the product was available to only one category of customer.

There were five more complaints upheld against various firms in the ASAI's latest bulletin, including one against Dunnes Stores over its '10 off every 50' promotion.

"The latest complaints bulletin from the ASAI illustrates our ability to handle complaints across a large number of mediums," said CEO Orla Twomey.

The main role of advertising self-regulatory organisations (SROs), such as the ASAI, is to ensure that ads and other marketing communications are legal, truthful, decent and honest, prepared with a sense of social responsibility to the consumer and society and with proper respect for the principles of fair competition.

"The ASAI is committed to protecting society in relation to advertising across all mediums. Self-regulatory ad standards provide an additional layer of consumer protection which complements legislative controls and offers an easily accessible means of resolving disputes."

Meanwhile, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) considered and rejected 12 complaints in meetings held in May and June 2020, it said in its latest complaints publication.

A radio listener took issue with a segment on Ryan Tubridy's show, which heard an interview with a woman who made a documentary called Leaving Limbo.

The documentary was about the experience of the interviewee and another woman in preparing for the Leaving Certificate while in direct provision.

The listener complained that the presenter, standing in for Mr Tubridy, on several occasions referred to the interviewee as a "woman of colour", in reference to her African background.

The BAI said the woman being interviewed had no issue with the description, and dismissed the complaint.
North Korea introduced tougher prevention measures against the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, state media reported, after it locked down the border town of Kaesong to tackle what could be its first publicly confirmed case of the respiratory disease. Strict quarantine measures and the screening of districts were in progress, and test kits, protective clothing, and medical equipment were being rapidly supplied, the North's KCNA state news agency said.

The measures come after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared an emergency on Sunday after a person suspected of being infected with the virus returned from South Korea. North Korea had reported testing 1,211 people for the virus as of July 16 with all returning negative results, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement sent to Reuters on Monday. The report said 696 nationals were under quarantine.

Primers and probes for machines capable of facilitating 1,000 tests have arrived in North Korea, WHO said. There are 15 laboratories designated to test COVID-19 in the country. North Korea has a limited healthcare system with hospitals that lack adequate electricity, medicine, and water. It has long depended on the WHO to procure drugs as sanctions against the country made imports difficult.

In the past months, it received test kits and protective gear from the WHO and countries including Russia, but some of these were held up at the border because of the country's own restrictions. North Korea said earlier this month it has started early clinical trial on a vaccine for the virus, but experts are sceptical.

The country lacks the technology or laboratories to develop COVID-19 vaccines, said Choi Jung-hun, a former North Korean doctor who defected to the South in 2012. "North Korea wasn't even capable of testing people just until three or four months ago," said Choi, now a researcher at Korea University. "It is groundless for them to claim they are enrolling participants for human trials of COVID-19 vaccines."

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Pfizer to charge other developed nations at par with US
It was mid-June in California's Central Valley, and Dr. Patricia Iris was alarmed.

Every COVID-19 patient at Lodi Memorial that day was Latino, even though Latinos make up only 39% of the citys population.

More: Leer en espanol

Testing surveillance in San Joaquin County should have warned Iris that this was coming. But testing in Latino communities was so limited, it missed the oncoming wave.

Hospital beds swelled with Latino patients. On June 1, the county had just 23 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. By the end of the month, there were 140. Most, according to Iris, were Latino.

The numbers continue to rise. As of July 20, hospitals in the county were operating their ICUs at 132% capacity.

People are on waiting lists to get tested, said San Joaquin County Public Health Officer Dr. Maggie Park. Its not a good situation at all.

The same dynamic has played out across the nation as the virus silently spread among Latinos from workplaces to homes to the community. Latinos bore the brunt of the virus. And, experts and advocates say, inadequate testing is one of the reasons.

Hundreds of people line up July 3 for free COVID-19 testing in the parking lot of Lodi, California's Rancho San Miguel Market.

In 20 of 27 states that reported positive coronavirus cases by ethnicity, growth among Latinos has outpaced overall growth since Memorial Day, according to a USA TODAY analysis. Nationwide, Latinos have been four times as likely as whites to be hospitalized, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although few states or counties publish the ethnicity of people being tested, available data show one key disparity. The World Health Organization says if more than 5% of tests in one community come back positive, its a sign testing isnt widespread enough to find and isolate infectious people, including those without symptoms.

In some places where the non-Latino positivity rate fell below 5%, Latino rates remained in double digits  three times as high or more.

USA TODAY has reported that Latinos disproportionate role in meatpacking and other hard-hit industries contributed to outbreaks in some towns. But as the experience in Lodi and other places show, government agencies failed to adequately distribute testing or educational resources to Latino communities.

Story continues

Coronavirus testing began at Shasta College Redding, California on Thursday, April 30, 2020. One of the site's workers, Mckenna Adams, provided a test demonstration for reporters.

Limited testing meant local officials couldnt intervene or offer support services designed to slow the spread and minimize the economic harm of isolating.

In San Joaquin County, the first free walk-up testing site opened in May was a two-hour bus ride for Latinos living in the city of Tracy, for example, or a 36-mile drive for anyone with a car. Arkansas had a single Spanish-speaking caseworker for two counties with large populations of Latinos, one-third of whom speak limited English. An Omaha health center serving low-income Latinos said more than half of its coronavirus tests in April came back positive; Nebraska did not open a new testing site in that neighborhood for weeks, despite local pleas.

Experts say it all added up to needless delays and fewer Latinos being tested. It meant infectious people kept working instead of isolating, which led to more infections. It meant they were disconnected from community resources designed to reduce the virus spread. It meant they were left at home with family members rather than being safely quarantined at a hotel.

By the time local and state leaders realized what they were facing, outbreaks were already well past the point of control.

Testing patients as soon as symptoms start can reduce transmission rates by 80%. Delaying three days reduces transmission by only 21%, according to a study in The Lancet Public Health, a medical journal.

Our priorities for testing do not reflect the needs in our communities, said Dr. Nirav Shah, a scholar at Stanford University's Clinical Excellence Research Center. They have prioritized what has been easy to do: add additional capacity to the existing health care system. That system already had access problems for marginalized communities.

Latino leaders across the country said public officials havent listened to their concerns  and then have been caught off guard when the coronavirus cut through their families exactly as predicted.

At the Catholic Charities Diocese of Stockton in San Joaquin County, Executive Director Elvira Ramirez says she noticed a lack of testing as early as March.

Every time we would ask, Well what about testing? it seemed as though there was no testing being done, Ramirez said. Finally there is something in place, but it seems woefully inadequate to the need.

Failings in Arkansas

Jackie Tobias, of Northwest Arkansas, said that when she lost her sense of smell and taste, she worried that she had contracted the coronavirus.

Just a couple of days earlier, the Latina human resources professional had visited her parents. They work at an area poultry processing plant, a high-exposure environment linked to outbreaks nationwide.

Maybe my mom was asymptomatic and Ive been exposed, she remembers thinking.

Her primary care doctor had an opening in two days, longer than she wanted to wait. Screeners at the door to a local safety-net clinic told her she needed an appointment  a detail not mentioned on the clinics website  and it would be a few days to fit her in. The county health department had no openings and referred her back to the clinic she had visited.

In Arkansas, Baptist Health-Fort Smith medical staff conduct COVID-19 testing July 2 at a new testing site Arkansas. The drive-through site wa open 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., seven days a week.

Finally, after looking for help in three towns, she was swabbed at an urgent care clinic 35 minutes away.

The staff told her results would not be back for at least a week.

When her parents sought testing, they were told that without symptoms they could be tested only if Tobias results came back positive. Without test results, they continued to work.

If it takes me seven days to get my results before they can get tested and then seven days for them to get their results, Tobias thought to herself. Someone could die before they could even get tested or get their results back.

Her mother later developed symptoms that qualified her to be tested. The test came back positive.

Officials in Arkansas were slow to recognize outbreaks among Latinos and their barriers to testing.

Its increase in Latino cases over the past two months was the biggest out of 27 states that report cases by ethnicity. Cases among Arkansas Latinos grew five times as fast as cases in the overall population, a USA TODAY analysis found.

On June 10, Arkansas officials asked the CDC for help investigating outbreaks in the states Hispanic and Marshallese communities, groups that dominate the workforce in poultry plants. By then, COVID-19 had moved beyond mere workplace spread, according to the CDCs report on the outbreaks. It was spreading in households, at community events, in grocery stores and in shared transport on the way to work.

Later that same month, the state worked to expand testing access for Hispanic and Marshallese residents.

The outbreak became very obvious once the testing became free and many, many more individuals were tested, said Dr. Jose Romero, interim health secretary for Arkansas.

This month, the CDC submitted a 59-page report finding that Arkansas failed to prioritize testing in high-risk environments like meatpacking plants and in multigenerational households, said CDC epidemiologist Angela Hernandez.

A testing center at a Walmart parking lot in Fort Smith, Arkansas in May.

Hernandez team also urged Arkansas leaders to focus prevention, support services and testing in Hispanic and Marshallese communities.

Rapid control of the spread of COVID-19 will help minimize illness, deaths and the social and economic impact, Hernandez wrote in an email to USA TODAY and the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.

On Friday, Arkansas legislators voted to delay hearing a request from the state health department to spend $7 million of federal funds to expand testing and contact tracing in Latino and Marshallese communities, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

A key coronavirus benchmark

Across the country, it is difficult to quantify the gaps in testing between Latinos and other ethnic groups because the data isnt public, if its collected at all. Only six states disclose the race and ethnicity of people tested, and the data is spotty. Indiana recorded race and ethnicity in less than half of all tests.

But one measure that is available in a handful of locations highlights the gap in Latino testing that experts have warned about.

In places where it was available by ethnicity, the percentage of Latinos testing positive was usually much higher than the World Health Organizations benchmark of 5%, by wide margins, even when the target was met for non-Latinos.

It basically says that there's disparities about how often testing is available in these communities, said Dr. Ali Khan, who became dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center after leading preparedness efforts at the CDC.

In Illinois, the positivity rate for non-Latinos dipped as low as 3% in late June, according to the states website. Yet among Latinos, the rate remained around 10% to 15% during the same period.

Leo Perez, a paramedic with Gold Coast Ambulance, helps at a drive-thru coronavirus testing site in Santa Paula, California.

Outside Austin, Texas, in the town of Pflugerville, non-Latinos had a 4% positivity rate compared with 29% for Latinos, a local health center reported in May.

Samples collected from 35 health facilities in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., metropolitan area showed white non-Latino whites tested positive a little under 5% of the time in late May, yet the Latino rate was around 35%.

Decades of budget cuts to public health programs left county and state officials across the country ill-prepared to respond to every challenge that a pandemic presents. Testing was no exception.

Nationally, people didnt recognize the importance of public health, said Park, the San Joaquin County health officer. Nobody realized what a health officer was until COVID hit.

From the outset, Park understood that inequities in the health care system and in the economy put Latinos at unique risk. She knew that some Latinos have less access to social services because of language barriers and fears that using public programs would bar them from seeking citizenship.

And, because the federal pandemic stimulus bills excluded noncitizens and mixed-immigration-status households, Park suspected some Latinos would feel pressure to work despite the risk.

Jaylah Cisneros, 5, watches as registered nurse Katrina Nguyen with Community Medical Centers performs a COVID-19 test July 3 on Juan Cisneros at a site in Lodi, California.

About half of San Joaquin Countys 48,000 uninsured residents are noncitizens, according to census estimates, and most are Latinos. About a quarter of the countys 267,000 Latino residents report they do not speak English well.

But Park wasnt able to launch a radio and billboard messaging campaign in Spanish until July.

The truth is, I just got permission to use the funds, she said.

Federal funding from the federal CARES Act did not reach the county until May 12. By then, Latinos accounted for half of area cases. Park said it took weeks more to design an outreach plan and get it approved.

Similar bureaucratic and practical barriers plagued efforts to launch accessible testing sites.

The countys first free testing site opened April 8 with supplies from the state, in a parking lot near San Joaquin General Hospital south of Stockton.

The site was drive-up only. According to Census figures, as many as half of households in some Latino neighborhoods of San Joaquin County do not own a vehicle.

In May, the state paid for a second free site that could serve people without a car but set physical requirements for the building and dictated the ZIP code where it must be located. Lodi Public Library was the only place that met the states specifications.

A resident of Tracy without a car would have to take a two-hour bus ride to get to the testing site for an appointment. As of Saturday, the soonest available appointment was in five days.

Jose Santoyo, 23, a Lodi native who works as an electrician and has insurance, decided to get tested after coming into contact with two people who had tested positive.

His mother told him about a free, pop-up testing site in a grocery store parking lot. Santoyo, whose test came back negative, became one of the 300 people tested that day after waiting about a half-hour in line. More than 200 other people were turned away when organizers ran out of tests.

If I didnt go to that place, I dont know where I would have gone, Santoyo said.

Experts said demand often outpaces capacity at free sites, creating delays people with insurance dont face when tested by the family doctor.

When we talk about equity, were not just talking about access. Were talking about equity in the quality of care, too, said Dr. Kathleen Page, who started the Johns Hopkins Organization for Latino Awareness and runs a community testing program in marginalized communities of Baltimore.

Nationally, people in areas with larger minority populations had to travel farther to get to COVID-19 testing sites, a May study in the Journal of Travel Medicine found.

Most testing is done by private companies, which receive $100 in reimbursements for each test they perform.

Shah, the Stanford researcher, said testing companies have no financial incentive to target supplies where they are needed most, to offer hours that meet the scheduling needs of essential workers, or to return results quickly.

The more tests, the more money  regardless of whos tested.

Missed opportunities

Racial and ethnic disparities in the pandemic are slowly gaining additional scrutiny.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued guidelines making labs report race and ethnicity for all coronavirus tests. The rules take effect on Saturday, more than three months after the federal CARES Act required such reporting.

Hundreds of people wait at the back of the line for COVID-19 testing near Lodi, California's Rancho San Miguel Market on July 3.

Health experts said equal access to coronavirus testing should have been a focus from the start  even before data confirmed Latinos were at increased risk to become ill and die.

Data will lag behind the community wisdom, said Page, the doctor and public health equity expert from Johns Hopkins. What we couldve built if those Latino community leaders had been heard before, in addition to capacity, is trust.

Jose Rodriguez, president of the Central Valley California nonprofit El Concilio, agreed. While he appreciates that area hospitals and health departments have worked with his organization in recent weeks, he wishes that their programs were accessible and equitable by original design.

Every time theres an outbreak, they come to us rather than ... taking our needs into account while planning, said Jose Rodriguez, president of the nonprofit social services organization El Concilio in Californias Central Valley.

As Page set up a free testing site at a Baltimore church last week, she said making health care and social services more accessible would help the entire community. Without improvements, she said, Latinos will continue to receive less testing and more might delay care.

Just last week a man died at home because he didnt know where to go, she said. The family said he was worried about the medical bill. Thats really unfortunate and couldve been prevented.

Jayme Fraser is an investigative reporter with USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID testing: Latinos see more cases due to inadequate outreach, data
Disability Lives Matter. I wonder how that would work as a slogan? Would anyone, I wonder, be offended, the way some people are when they hear the phrase Black Lives Matter?

You hear it again and again, dont you, the question 'why are you singling out black people?' What about the fact that all lives matter? What about women, what about children, what about people of a different colour? What about, what about, what about?

Its a modern word, whataboutery. Its not in my edition of the Concise Oxford Dictionary (which dates from 1990). It basically means Im going to undermine your argument by saying youre just a hypocrite if you dont accept that all lives matter as much as black lives.

Of course, the real hypocrites are the whatabouters. The thing they refuse to accept is that black lives matter because they havent mattered in the past. The age of slavery may be gone, but racism based on skin colour is alive and well.

Black Lives Matter is important as a phrase, not because other lives dont matter, but because black lives have been the repository of a history of cruelty, neglect, injustice, and discrimination.

Its important as a call to arms because nothing will change unless attitudes change.

Its important as a statement of public policy because racism has become so embedded, so institutionalised, that its often impervious to the established law.

So I dont want to be accused of whataboutery  because I believe absolutely in the importance of Black Lives Matter  when I say that I think the time has come to begin to loudly proclaim that Disability Lives Matter.

All the same conditions apply  the neglect, the discrimination, the injustice, and yes  the cruelty.

If you dont believe me on the subject of cruelty, stop for a minute and ask yourself why, years later, we are still 'investigating' (without a result) what happened to Grace, a young woman who was sexually abused for many years while she was the 'responsibility' of the State.

Theres a great irony here. While the notion of Black Lives Matter is still contested in the US, disability lives have been changed for the better by law in that jurisdiction.

And that law, the Americans With Disabilities Act, came into being because people with disabilities refused to settle for less.

You can read a fascinating current series in The New York Times, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Or, if you have access to Netflix, do yourselves a favour and watch a movie called Crip Camp.

Its about a group of young people who came together, around the time of the legendary Woodstock festival, at a 'camp for the handicapped' as it was called then.

The name of the camp was Camp Jened. They discovered all the things that young people were discovering in those days  sex and drugs and rock and roll, basically.

But they also discovered equality. Many of the young people, who had conditions like cerebral palsy, polio, and spina bifida, had never met anyone like themselves before.

The discovery that they werent alone, and werent to be pitied, was transformative.

More than 10 years after they met in that camp, many of the people involved led a major sit-in of a Federal Building, and subsequently a march on Washington, to demand the signing of a single regulation, known as 504, that would ban discrimination against people with a disability in any federally-funded activity.

Later still, and in one of the most powerful scenes from the movie, the activists got out of their wheelchairs and crawled, step by painful step, up the approach to the Capitol Building.

They wanted to symbolise its inaccessibility and to dramatise their demand for what became the Americans With Disability Act.

The Capitol Crawl went into history because it fundamentally changed the dynamic and forced people with disabilities to be listened to.

It was disability activists who led that charge. And particularly a young woman called Judy Heumann, then a survivor of polio and now a world leader of the disability movement.

Judy Heumann still says that she sometimes has difficulty understanding why she is supposed to be grateful that she can have access to a disabled toilet. Its a sentiment that many people with a disability in Ireland  and their families  could echo.

One of the defining features of the provision of services for people with a disability here is the notion that they should be grateful for what they get.

There was a Capitol Crawl moment in Ireland. Ten years after the American Disabilities Act, the Irish government  as the Celtic Tiger was getting into full swing  decided that maybe Ireland should do something.

So they produced a Bill, the Disabilities Bill 2001  which they announced would 'transform Ireland', and finally give people with disabilities in Ireland some legal rights.

It was perhaps the phoniest claim ever made about a piece of law. The bill was 54 pages long. The word 'right' wasnt contained in it anywhere.

It did impose some obligations on public bodies around issues like accessibility. Every obligation in the Act was qualified by language like 'as much as practicable' and 'if resources permit'.

And right at the end, there was an article  section 47  which said, in the most explicit terms possible, that the State could never be sued if it failed to carry out any of its obligations under the bill.

That piece of legislation, as phoney as it was, almost caused a revolution. A major meeting was hastily organised for the Mansion House under the slogan 'No Rights  No Bill', to try to prevent the bill being introduced in that form.

Despite the fact that it was an awful night  February 19, 2001  hundreds of people turned up to protest in appalling conditions.

As one of them said from the floor  Yes, we have disabilities. But why does that give the government the right to think were stupid? That meeting could have been a turning point.

The phoney Bill was withdrawn, the minister responsible for it, Mary Wallace, effectively lost her job, and Bertie Ahern instituted a 'consultative process' to draw up a new Bill.

It turned out to be just as phoney as the legislation. When the movement was worn out by the consultation process (actually a very long bullying process), the old Bill was replaced by a new Bill, which contained every qualification that had been in the old one  the only thing missing was the hated Section 47.

But the result was  and still is  that the only 'right' people with a disability have is the right to an assessment of their needs, and to get a statement setting out what those needs are.

They have no right whatsoever to have any of those needs met.

And to this day, even when people get their assessments, usually after an endless delay, they are basically told how meaningless they are.

Its a great lost opportunity. The great unfought civil rights campaign. Weve made such progress in ending discrimination in Ireland in recent years.

But still, there is one group of people left out. All these years later, disability live still dont matter.
The hearing marks an escalation of antitrust scrutiny in the sector, with the internet platforms -- which have a combined value of nearly $5 trillion -- already under investigation by two federal agencies as well as states across the country. The testimony and documents elicited by the panel could also be used to inform those inquiries.
Those who make animal torture videos can escalate from bugs, to mice, and then eventually larger domesticated pets, experts say.

Universal Images Group via Getty Images

"Animal crush" videos are an extreme version of violent porn shared online where animals are filmed being tortured and killed.

These graphic videos break animal cruelty laws, as well as federal "animal crush" distribution statutes.

Animal crush videos are nothing new, but a recent case involving an Indiana woman peaked an web sleuth movement where animal advocates around the world worked long hours to track her down.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Editor's Note: This story contains graphic details about animal abuse and cruelty.

Lisa Kauffman is no stranger to animal abuse.

As the Idaho and Wyoming state director for the Humane Society of the United States, she's gone into homes where cats and dogs were beaten, neglected, and emaciated. She's walked past the corpses of animals that had been collected by hoarders and forced to live among their own filth.

Her job is at times so dark, in fact, that Kauffman started to worry it had desensitized her to cruelty.

As it turned out, though, none of that despair was enough to prepare her for the horror of "animal crush": an internet subculture where people make and share videos of animals being tortured and killed to a fawning audience on social media.

Videos featuring the abuse of animals have been posted online for years, but the recent arrest of an Indiana woman accused of creating numerous videos skinning, hanging, and suffocating dogs and cats, and a Netflix documentary featuring animal crush as a precursor to a Canadian murder, has piqued a morbid curiosity on the subject.

This year, Kauffman was dragged into that world when internet sleuths and investigators began looking into Instagram user Serial_Dog_Killer_Dude, an account that had posted a prolific number of animal cruelty videos.

The FBI eventually arrested a 19-year-old they believe was responsible for the violent content posted on the account in Kokomo, Indiana, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Story continues

When they took Krystal Cherika Scott into custody, they found two dead cats in her freezer and other disturbing items they say link her to the crimes, the FBI affidavit says.

Web sleuths who worked around the clock to identify the owner of the account determined she had gotten the animals from rehoming ads online.

Scott has been charged with one count of animal crushing and one count of creating animal crush videos, and is being held in jail pending a bail hearing, according to court documents viewed by Insider. Both charges carry a $250,000 fine and up to seven years in prison.

Her arrest, though, didn't come close to putting an end to the availability of animal torture content online.

The Humane Society of the United States receives 12 to 20 cases of animal crush abuse a year. They report it to the FBI.

Charlie Neibergall / AP

Web sleuths work with law enforcement to find 'animal crush' suspects

The Humane Society of the United States receives between 12 and 20 new cases of animal crush abuse each year.

The videos, which are often shared on Instagram, Facebook, or the dark web, are largely filmed in impoverished countries where young women are often paid large sums of money to dress in lingerie and step on and kill small animals, according to Janette Reever, a senior specialist on global Anti-Dogfighting, Animal Protection, and Crisis Response.

In those cases, it can be almost impossible to track down the content creators. When the content is created in places like the US, Canada or Europe, however, civilian web sleuths  often animal advocates  jump into action in an attempt to gather any information that could identify the suspect.

These men and women obsessively scrutinize the graphic content pixel by pixel, looking street signs, traffic lights, storefronts, or anything else that can serve as a clue to the killer's whereabouts. Then they discuss their work with one another on team up in closed chats on Discord, Reddit, and social media groups.

Michelle, a 42-year-old New Jersey woman who asked not to be identified by her last name, spent between 15 and 17 hours a day for over a month completely dedicated to the recent Kokomo case.

The animal lover first became interested in tracking animal abuse cases online in 2015 when she adopted her now internet-famous dachshund, Dobby. Before his adoption, Dobby had been seriously abused, with one of his legs being sawed off, and Michelle scoured the internet trying to track down the perpetrator.

While she wasn't successful in finding Dobby's abuser, Michelle said she was one of the web sleuths who was in direct communication with the FBI throughout their investigation into Scott.

"Every time there is a crisis or some kind of crazy abuse thing everyone comes to me," said Michelle.

After discovering the case of Serial_Dog_Killer_Dude, Michelle began following all of the abuser's related accounts.

In one video, the abuser picked up two dachshunds "who looked exactly like Dobby" and it was clear they were dead.

For Michelle, that video really hit home.

"I said, 'bitch you're done," Michelle told Insider. "'You're f****** finished. You do not know who you f***** with.'"

The case turned into a full-time job. Throughout all of June and early July, she evaluated everything from the killer's tattoos and markings, movies playing in the background of the graphic videos, to the way the light shown through the windows of her home.

In the process, she created two separate usernames and personas on social media. Using one of them, she befriended the Serial_Dog_Killer_Dude account and communicated directly with the account owner.

While she never encouraged the killings during her interactions, Michelle said she used the relationship to ask incriminating questions that could be used to track her down and gather evidence if the case were to be prosecuted.

"I had to have a split personality and become like best friends with the dog killer, asking questions like 'how did you get that down to the skull?'," Michelle said, referring to how the abuser skinned the animals. "I asked, 'how would I go about doing this?'"

With a different username, Michelle befriended Krystal Scott's personal account, on which she shared videos hugging and being affectionate with her pets.

When law enforcement first started to connect Scott to the animal abuse case, Michelle said she convinced her to do a live video to address it.

In the video, Scott denied that she had really killed any animals and said it was a hoax. That video, though, also included shots of incriminating items tying her to the killer accounts, Michelle said.

"I said, 'Yep. I got you, Bitch," Michelle said.

Michelle said she stayed in close communication with law enforcement and Kauffman throughout her investigation.

Animal advocates 'make the best detectives'

Grassroots efforts like Michelle's are partially responsible for the capture of Luka Magnotta, a porn actor whose infamy began with animal crush videos and escalated to the murder of Canadian university student Jun Lin. Magnotta was sentenced to life in prison in 2014.

The story behind his capture, and the role that web sleuths played in the investigation, was featured in the popular Netflix docuseries "Don't F*** with Cats."

"Animal advocates make the best detectives because we're so passionate about what we do," Kauffman said.

In the Krystal Cherika Scott case, Kauffman was on the receiving end of the possible evidence. For weeks, her phone and email was flooded with the photos of cats and dogs fighting for their lives.

Every day, there would be another 50 images, many of them repeated, from strangers around the world.

The images showed key chains that had been fashioned out of the severed tails and legs of four kittens. The eyeballs of dogs and cats were collected and put into a jar. The skinned skulls would be placed into bowls and photographed.

The suspect would post previews to the upcoming killings to her audience and take requests for which animal they wanted to see die next.

Animal Crush creators will often share images of their victims before they are killed.

Instagram

"They could easily be your next-door neighbor. She was someone's neighbor," Kauffman said of Scott. "When I saw the key chain of the kitten tails, I said, 'OK, so at some point, if they don't catch this person, we're going to see a key chain with human fingers or an arm."

Michelle said that she hopes that the case teaches people not to judge a book by its cover. When rehoming an animal online, the person who shows up to pick up the animal could seem loving, but really be a monster, she said.

Krystal Cherika Scott's attorney Mike Donahoe declined to comment on her case.

"It would be irresponsible for me to discuss the case in the media at this point in time," Attorney Mike Donahoe, a public defender told Insider. "Much better to leave the talking for the judge."

Michelle feels that people like Scott should never be let out of jail.

"This is a whole new level of sick, to be sweet and kiss the new dog and then within two hours you're hanging them, cutting their throats, and cutting their heads off," Michelle said. "There is no coming back from it."

To read about how animal abuse has proliferated online  and what social media companies are doing about it, click here.

Read more:

Read the original article on Insider
Corona-patients had to be ventilated, had to die a much higher probability than those who were able to dispense with artificial respiration. About one-fifth of the inpatient Covid-19-patients were recorded by the end of February to mid-April in German hospitals, have died. In patients with mechanical ventilation, the mortality was 53 per cent, in the case of those without mechanical ventilation at 16 percent. A total of 17 percent of the patients were ventilated. These are the most important results of an analysis of the Scientific Institute of the AOK (WIdO), the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive and emergency medicine (DIVI) and the Technical University of Berlin, the Tuesday night in the UK in the medical journal "The Lancet Respiratory Medicine" was published.

Heike Schmoll

Political correspondent in Berlin, responsible for the "formation of worlds".

F. A. Z.

the data from 10000 patients with a confirmed Covid-19-infection, the of 26 were Evaluated. February to to 19. April in 920 German hospitals have been treated. It is the first study, the population provides representative results for the treatment on the basis of AOK billing data, which represent almost a third of the German population. Many of the previously published studies with a large data base include still in the hospital lying patients. The duration of hospital stay and mechanical ventilation, and mortality are not determined exactly.

In the case of the ventilated patients died, mainly the Elderly

The mortality rate of inpatients treated men was 25 per cent, and for women at 29 per cent. Regardless of the gender of the older patients died, mainly  27 per cent belonged to the age group of 70 to 79-year-old people, 38 per cent were over 80. Also in the ventilated patients, the Elderly died, especially in the patients over 80, there were even 72 percent. A significantly higher mortality in patients undergoing dialysis during kidney failure, in addition, liable to pay (27 percent of ventilated patients). In the case of artificial respiration, there was no difference in mortality between men and women. The high mortality rates showed that in the clinics, a relatively large number of patients had been treated with a severe course of the disease.

The were mainly older and with health already impaired people, but also younger patients were affected, said the managing Director of WIdO, Jurgen Klauber. "Even if the infection figures in Germany at the Moment are low, should continue to be all the necessary precautions taken, the infection risk in the population as low as possible."

a Total of 1727 (17 percent) have been 10021 patient, artificial respiration, and more than three-quarters were receiving invasive ventilation. The average age of these patients was 68 years. The older the patients were, the more likely they are to be well ventilated. In the 60-to 69-year-old Covid-Infected, there were 24 percent in the 70 to 79 year old patients, 25 percent, and in the group of 18 to 59 years old, only 15 percent of Patients.

Twice as many men as women have been given artificial respiration

the speaker of The DIVI-section "pulmonary  respiratory failure"and head of the ECMO-center of the lung clinic Cologne-Merheim, Christian what the authorities confirmed that, in Germany, every Patient can be ventilated, in which it was to therapeutically necessary. Because the capacity of the intensive care units was never fully utilised. There is evidence that in other countries, less the oldest elderly people with Covid-ventilated 19  probably for reasons of capacity, said what the authorities. The proportion of ventilated men was 22 percent, almost twice as high as among women (12 percent), the mortality to a comparable level.

Updated Date: 29 July 2020, 15:20
The chief executive of Belfast Chamber has urged councillors to reconsider deferring a decision on the controversial 500m Tribeca development in the Cathedral Quarter.

But campaign group Save Cathedral Quarter, which is opposed to the project, has welcomed what it says is recognition from Belfast city councillors of issues including provision for social housing in the 12-acre scheme.

Belfast City Council's planning committee voted this week to defer a decision. Councillors had previously backed amendments to the plan in January.

Developer Castlebrooke Investments has said the project would involve 600 construction jobs on site, with an economic impact of 225m.

When complete, they say the development would generate around 212m per year and employ 1,600 people.

The site is next to St Anne's Cathedral and takes in parts of Royal Avenue, Donegall Street, Lower Garfield Street and Rosemary Street. A company linked with Castlebrooke first submitted a planning application in 2016.

Simon Hamilton, chief executive of Belfast Chamber, said putting off a decision was "very disappointing, particularly at such a challenging time for the Northern Ireland economy and the local construction industry".

"Tribeca Belfast will not only regenerate a part of the city which desperately needs to be brought back to life, it will also deliver an economic boost," he said.

"To then request further debate, when the city is in dire need of significant investment as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, sends a very negative message to other potential investors in the city and the process that we have to bring major developments to fruition."

He said the council should arrange a special committee to review the decision.

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But councillors Kate Nicholl of the Alliance Party and Gary McKeown of the SDLP said the deferral was justified.

Mr McKeown said: "It has nothing to do with merits or demerits of the case or otherwise. A number of members are seeking additional information on a range of issues and it's right and proper that that information is provided so they can make a full and considered decision."

He said he also wanted detail on how the developer had concluded that the GVA from the site would be 212m.

Agustina Martire, chair of the Save CQ campaign, said it was "delighted" that councillors had requested more detail about housing on the site.

She added: "Now is the time for some real creative thinking and proper communication to find a resolution which all parties can support."

Architect Marcus Patton, who wrote Central Belfast: An Historic Gazetteer, has written a letter of objection to the application.

He said: "Too much has changed since the basis of these plans was drawn up. If they seemed unlikely to succeed four years ago, they now look unmistakeably like a white elephant.

"We have a surplus of offices, and many more may come on the market as home-working becomes more common. The council's priorities now should be encouraging small local businesses rather than the large ones."
The revelations are certain to anger the Vatican as its relationship with the Chinese government has been enormously delicate, especially over Chinas crackdown on Hong Kong

Washington: Chinese hackers infiltrated the Vaticans computer networks in the past three months, a private monitoring group has concluded, in an apparent espionage effort before the beginning of sensitive negotiations with Beijing.

The attack was detected by Recorded Future, a firm based in Somerville, Massachusetts. The Chinese Communist Party has been waging a broad campaign to tighten its grip on religious groups, in what government leaders have periodically referred to as an effort to Sinicise religions in the country.

China officially recognises five religions, including Catholicism, but the authorities often suspect religious groups and worshippers of undermining the control of the Communist Party and the state, and of threatening the countrys national security.

Chinese hackers and state authorities have often used cyber attacks to try to gather information on groups of Buddhist Tibetans, Muslim Uighurs and Falun Gong practitioners outside China.

But this appears to be the first time that hackers, presumed by cyber security experts at Recorded Future to be working for the Chinese state, have been publicly caught directly hacking into the Vatican and the Holy Sees Study Mission to China, the Hong Kong-based group of de facto Vatican representatives who have played a role in negotiating the Catholic Churchs status.

The Vatican and Beijing are expected to start talks in September over control of the appointment of bishops and the status of houses of worship as part of a renewal of a provisional agreement signed in 2018 that revised the terms of the Catholic Churchs operations in China.

The series of intrusions began in early May. One attack was hidden inside a document that appeared to be a legitimate letter from the Vatican to Monsignor Javier Corona Herrera, the chaplain who heads the study mission in Hong Kong, Recorded Future said in a report to be released on Wednesday.

It was an artful deception: An electronic file that looked as if it was on the official stationery of Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra. The letter carried a message from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticans secretary of state, the popes second in command and an old China hand who has defended the deal. In his message, Parolin expressed the popes sadness about the death of a bishop.

It is unclear whether the letter was fabricated or a real document that the attackers had obtained and then linked to malware that gave them access to the computers of the Hong Kong church offices and the Vaticans mail servers. Recorded Future concluded that the attack was most likely connected to negotiations over the extension of the 2018 agreement.

In a recent interview with an Italian television program, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, a key negotiator of the agreement, said that with the provisional agreement set to expire in September, the Holy See wants to continue with this step, it wants to go forward.

Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening, and top Vatican officials with experience dealing with China declined to comment because they said they did not have sufficient information about the alleged hack.

The revelation comes at a moment when the Donald Trump administration is in near daily confrontation with China over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, closures of diplomatic missions, Beijings campaign to claim vast swaths of the South China Sea and American efforts to limit Chinese technological advances in the United States and its allies, especially for installing next-generation communications gear.

But there is no indication that the Trump administration was involved in the report about the attacks on the Vatican.

Recorded Future concluded that the attack was carried out by a state-sponsored group in China, which it named RedDelta. It said that the tactics used by the group were similar to those of other state-sponsored hacking operations that had been identified in the past. But there were also new techniques and new computer code, and identifying the true source of a hack is difficult.

The revelations are certain to anger the Vatican as its relationship with the Chinese government has been enormously delicate, especially over Chinas crackdown on Hong Kong. When the Vatican issued prepared remarks on 5 July for Pope Francis blessing at St Peters Square, it included a message to the people of Hong Kong, saying the current standoff requires courage, humility, nonviolence and respect for the dignity and rights of all. I hope that social and especially religious life may be expressed in full and true liberty, as indeed several international documents foresee.

But in the end, the pope did not deliver those words when he spoke.

The negotiations between the Vatican and Beijing would follow on the provisional agreement of 2018. The deal, the details of which are still largely unknown, was aimed at laying the foundation for a process by which the pope and the Chinese authorities could agree on bishops appointed to the head of official churches in China. As part of the deal, Francis agreed to recognise bishops who had been appointed by the Chinese government.

At the time, both sides said it was a starting point for deeper talks, and the Vatican praised it as leading to a rapprochement between the official churches in China and the Holy See. In China, churches for various Christian denominations, including Roman Catholicism, are either sanctioned by the Chinese government, which appoints or approves clerical leaders, or underground ones. The underground Catholic Churches have been loyal to the Vatican, and they are overseen by bishops secretly appointed by the pope.

The 2018 reportedly allowed Beijing to name bishop candidates to the official churches but gave the pope final say over the appointments. This was understood to be the process moving forward after the pope recognised the seven bishops appointed by Chinese officials. Those bishops had been excommunicated by the Vatican.

Critics of the agreement denounced the Vatican for dealing with an authoritarian government and endowing Beijing with greater legitimacy, allowing it potentially more influence over the religious lives of Chinas 10 to 12 million Catholics. Some prominent American politicians, such as Senator Marco Rubio, R-Florida, have been among those urging the Vatican to refrain from dealing with the Chinese Communist Party.

Under the rule of Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, the party has tightened its control over the nations religious and spiritual life as part of a drive that Xi has led to increase party oversight in almost every aspect of society. Officials in southeastern China have imposed especially harsh restrictions on the practice of Christianity. From 2014 to 2016, the authorities in Zhejiang province, where Xi once served as party chief, ordered crosses to be torn down from 1,200 to 1,700 churches, according to officials and residents there.

The Vatican has had a fraught relationship with Beijing for decades.

The two severed diplomatic ties in 1951, and the Vatican officially recognises Taiwan, the democratic island that has de facto independence from China. In recent years, Chinese officials have increasingly pressured the handful of governments around the world that recognise Taiwan to end those relationships, with some success. If the Vatican and Beijing move to restore diplomatic ties, Chinese officials would almost certainly demand that the Vatican end relations with Taiwan.

Francis had made it a goal to increase the churchs presence around the world. In China, Protestantism has been growing at a much faster rate than Catholicism.

In 2014, the Chinese government allowed the popes airplane to fly through Chinese airspace on its way to Seoul, South Korea, breaking with tradition. The pope broadcast via radio telegram a message to Xi, offering well wishes and blessings of peace. While addressing bishops outside Seoul, the pope said: In this spirit of openness to others, I earnestly hope that those countries of your continent with whom the Holy See does not yet enjoy a full relationship may not hesitate to further a dialogue for the benefit of all.

The hackers might have tried to penetrate the systems of the study mission in Hong Kong not only to try to obtain information on the upcoming negotiations, but also to monitor the group during a period of intense unrest in the city.

Since June 2019, large pro-democracy protests have unfolded in the territory. In May, the National Peoples Congress in Beijing authorised the enactment of a national security law in Hong Kong that would give the authorities greater tools of repression. Officials imposed the law in June.

Throughout the protests in Hong Kong, officials have suspected churches of helping organise demonstrators and giving them aid.

Chinese hackers have tried to aid the Hong Kong authorities in cracking down on the protests, including by carrying out cyber attacks on Telegram, a secure messaging app used by many demonstrators.

David E Sanger, Edward Wong and Jason Horowitz c.2020 The New York Times Company
COVID-19 is proving to be no match for Shopify Inc., which nearly doubled revenues and reported US$36 million in profits as the pandemic raged across Canada.

While many Canadian businesses filed for bankruptcy or watched sales disappear in record time amid the health crisis, the Ottawa-based tech company said Wednesday that its revenues surged by 97 per cent in its second quarter.

Shopifys stock price was up by almost 10 per cent or $127.60 to reach $1,436.55 in morning trading.

Chief operating officer Harley Finkelstein attributed the growth to companies  including Schwinn, Farm Boy, Snickers and Molson Coors  switching to using Shopifys products or starting e-commerce stores for the first time.

The company is seeing an acceleration of companies making the switch from their legacy platforms, he said.

Were also seeing digital transformation generally is pushing larger retailers to look at partners who are nimble, who are flexible, who are certainly cost-effective and thats Shopify Plus for the larger brands.

The flurry of activity Finkelstein discussed propelled Shopify revenues in the three months ended June to US$714.3 million from US$362 million a year earlier.

Shopify also earned 29 cents per diluted share in the quarter, compared with a loss of 26 cents per share or US$28.7 million in the prior year, and adjusted earnings hit US$129.4 million or $1.05 per share, up from US$10.7 million or 10 cents per share in the second quarter of 2019.

Shopify was expected to report a net loss of 59 cents per share or adjusted profit of one cent per share on $513.8 million in revenues, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

Shopify chief executive Tobi Lutke said the trends he saw at Shopify and elsewhere over the last few months tell him that 2030 has gotten pulled forward into 2020.

I think in retail they are all finding ... software that feels like a decade-old because all the assumptions have been tossed into the air and reassembled based on COVID, he said.

COVID has accelerated this thing that was already going on.

The pandemic highlighted how lucky Shopify was to be a company that was born and bred on the internet and already at work on a fulfillment centre network intent on lowering shipping costs and ensuring timely deliveries for U.S. merchants.

Shopify had to look at how to speed up some of its plans and rejig others that had been formed before the pandemic, but the challenges they faced were nothing compared to businesses who had to close their doors and convert to online sales with no notice.

Shopify was ready for the moment and moved new companies to its software as quickly as it could, eventually experiencing a 71 per cent surge in new store growth.

At the same time, Lutke pronounced the company digital-by-default and told his staff that Shopify is moving to a permanent remote-work model for most employees.

Chief financial officer Amy Shapero said Wednesday that Shopify will be keeping its offices closed for the remainder of 2020, redesigning its spaces for its new future and reducing its office footprint.

Employees she said will work from home most of the time, but be able to use office spaces when it makes sense.

This also represents an opportunity for Shopify to open up and further diversify our talent pool, unconstrained by physical location, she said.

While our offices were a special part of the Shopify experience, our culture is not defined by it.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:SHOP)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 20:30:21|Editor: huaxia

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by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The recently published third volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" provides lessons on wise governance and a better understanding of the principles and developments of the Communist Party of China (CPC) under Xi's leadership, said one expert.

"I believe the third volume is extremely important for it shows the political compass of China and the development of the ruling CPC and the state under Xi's leadership," Hussein Ismail, deputy editor-in-chief of the Arabic version of China Today magazine, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Published in both Chinese and English, the volume collects 92 articles, including speeches, conversations, instructions and letters by Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, between Oct. 18, 2017 and Jan. 13, 2020.

The volume also contains 41 photos of the Chinese leader during the same period.

Among the topics highlighted in the third volume is Xi's concept of "a community with a shared future for mankind."

Ismail said that Xi believes that the planet is the common home of humanity who should work together to face massive global challenges, such as the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

The concept is in accordance with China's foreign policy and the initiatives proposed by Xi, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), said the Egyptian expert.

Ismail said that the BRI is contributing to the development of many countries, including Egypt.

Ismail pointed out that under the BRI, China State Construction Engineering Corporation is building a massive business district in Egypt's new administrative capital.

"Chinese investments in Egypt have notably increased since the launch of the initiative, which has positive reflections on the economic relations between Egypt and China," Ismail told Xinhua.

The expert said that the book can help the world better understand how the CPC has combined the fundamental principles of Marxism with China's own reality.

World leaders can learn from China how to adapt imported ideas to suit their countries' culture, history, and domestic conditions.

The new volume also highlights Xi's vision on environmental protection.

Ismail said that China's environmental conditions have greatly improved and the country has lived up to its commitment to tackling climate change.

"The volume highlights Xi's broad vision, deep knowledge and sound wisdom in running the country's affairs, as well as his accurate understandings of international politics and the relations between China and other countries," he added. Enditem
The Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar on Wednesday withdrew the lockdown extension notice issued earlier in the day. It will decide on the same after the cabinet meeting scheduled for today evening.

According to news agency ANI that posted about the lockdown extension, the Bihar government had extended the lockdown in the state for 16 more days till August 16 to control the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

#Correction: This notice stands withdrawn. A meeting to decide on lockdown extension in Bihar to be held this evening. Error regretted. pic.twitter.com/6MrxpiI7Sz - ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

In the state government's order, essential services were allowed, and media persons and bank workers were exempted from the lockdown.

Under the new guidelines, which are now withdrawn by the government, all government, commercial and private offices were to be allowed to work with 50 per cent staff.

The Bihar government had on July 16 imposed a total lockdown in the state until July 31 in order to minimise the spread of coronavirus infection.

The COVID-19 tally in the state had seen 2,480 new cases on Tuesday, and pushed total cases in the state to 43,591, with the death toll reaching 269. The state has witnessed around four times rise in total COVID-19 cases since July 1 when the case count was 10,075.

Because of increasing coronavirus cases across the country, West Bengal has also announced the extension of lockdown in the containment zones till August 31 and extended biweekly restrictions too.

Also Read: Rafale in India: Rajnath Singh welcomes Rafales jets, says India can deter any threat now

Also Read: New education policy approved; HRD Ministry renamed as Education Ministry

Also Read: 88% employees in India favour work from home, claims study
FILE PHOTO: Piglets look out from a fence at Cabanas Argentinas del Sol pig farm in Marcos Paz

By Maximilian Heath and Hallie Gu

BUENOS AIRES/BEIJING (Reuters) - Argentina is nearing an initial agreement with China that could pave for the way for potential investments by the Asian giant in local pork production for export, Argentina's undersecretary of trade and investment promotion told Reuters.

That could eventually lead to Chinese-backed hog farms in the South American nation more famed for its cattle-rearing grasslands, at a time when Beijing is looking to diversify pork supply after domestic farms were hit hard by African swine flu.

Pablo Sivori said a memorandum of understanding could be signed with China in the coming weeks. The country's foreign minister Felipe Sola said earlier this month Chinese investment could help Argentina massively increase pork output.

"We have already agreed on the content of the memorandum," Sivori said, adding that the foreign ministry had asked the Chinese government to sign the document virtually.

He added the planned MOU came after a process initiated by the private sector, and would involve frameworks for investment in Argentina, along with cooperation in areas of health, scientific and technological research related to the sector.

Argentina is already a major beef supplier to China, but a bit-part player in the global pork market. According to official data, in 2019 it produced 630,000 tons of pork, of which just 34,000 tons were exported.

However, the prospect of Chinese interest has sparked wild dreams of growth possibilities. Foreign Minister Sola said this month that Argentina could produce a lofty 9 million tons of pork with Chinese backing, over 14 times current levels.

In March, Beijing urged China's pork companies to invest in supply chains abroad to import due to the devastating effects of the African swine fever on Chinese herds.

China's agriculture and commerce ministries did not respond to requests seeking comment.

Lisandro Culasso, head of the Argentine Association of Pig Producers (AAPP) there was "Chinese interest" in the country, though any investments would depend on the signing of a memorandum between the two countries.

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Experts on both sides however threw cold water on the idea Argentine pork production could scale-up quickly.

Sivori said sanitary production measures established by local authorities would need be followed, meaning the country could only gradually double production within around four years.

An executive with a Chinese firm that has invested in animal farming sector overseas added that Argentina was a "quite risky" place to invest given local market volatility and the physical distance with China that would make shipping live pigs tricky.

"It is more feasible to ship frozen pork than live pigs for sure, but that also means you need to have a more extensive production chain there, and manage labor-intensive slaughterhouses in Argentina," he said.

"Just the idea alone can drive you crazy."

(Reporting by Maximilian Heath in Buenos Aires and Hallie Gu in Beijing; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Alistair Bell)
To heck with algorithms: Sometimes, you need a human touch.

A few years ago, three French filmmakers, inspired by pop stars playlists on Apple Music and Spotify, decided the model could apply to film streaming. We wanted to launch a site that would be the ideal online cinematheque and we thought wed use directors as curators, Cedric Klapisch recently said via FaceTime.

In 2015, Klapisch (LAuberge Espagnole and its sequels) and his friends Pascale Ferran (Lady Chatterley) and Laurent Cantet (The Class) helped start the platform LaCinetek. Organized around lists submitted by directors from all over the world, the catalog is a unique peek into these filmmakers brains. The project puts a cool spin on the recommended if you like approach, basing it not on your viewing history but on tips from those who actually make movies.

At first the founders called on people they knew  hence the large number of French participants  but LaCinetek now has an international roster of contributors, including Dario Argento, Marjane Satrapi and John Woo. It also includes posthumous lists gleaned from Francois Truffaut and Akira Kurosawa, among others.

Were trying to reach out to Noah Baumbach, if you know how to contact him, Klapisch said. Were also looking for Paul Thomas Anderson.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 19:47 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a4c7ca 1 City coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-Jakarta,anies-baswedan,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,pandemic Free

Jakarta reported 584 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, its highest one-day spike since the first confirmed cases were detected in the capital in March.

"Today's number is quite high with more than 400 new cases. There are 584 of them to be precise," Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said during a teleconference on Wednesday morning, as quoted by kompas.com.

Anies said increased daily tallies were to expected as the city administration had ramped up testing.

"If Jakarta wants the figure to be low, then we don't need to carry out more testing," the governor said, adding that widespread testing was necessary to track down carriers so they could be isolated from other people.

He said the public did not need to panic about the spike in confirmed cases.

"We have repeatedly emphasized that we are not seeking to lower the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases but to decrease transmission of the disease, he said

However, the chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction in the Jakarta City Council, Gembong Warsono, criticized the administration's response to the outbreak.

"If we suppress transmission, the case number will not increase no matter how many tests we do," Gembong said, highlighting that people were beginning to neglect health protocols.

The Health Ministry announced 2,381 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections nationwide to 104,432. (vny)
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN

Basel, Switzerland, July 28, 2020

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. ("Basilea" or the "Company") announces today that it completed the repurchase of CHF 47,085,000 in nominal value of outstanding convertible bonds due 2022 (ISIN: CH0305398148; SSN: 30'539'814) ("Existing Bonds") within its partial repurchase offer and the issuance of CHF 97,085,000 new convertible bonds due 2027 (ISIN: CH0554992062; SSN: 55'499'206) ("New Bonds").

By repurchasing CHF 47.085 million of its CHF 200 million Existing Bonds and by issuing CHF 97.085 million New Bonds, the Company managed to make a substantial step in its goal to improve the maturity structure of its debt. Basilea has also earmarked the major part of the net proceeds from the issuance of the New Bonds not used in the repurchase of the Existing Bonds, to further optimize the debt maturity structure.

About Basilea

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on the development of products that address the medical challenges in the therapeutic areas of oncology and infectious diseases. With two commercialized drugs, the company is committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative pharmaceutical products to meet the medical needs of patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Additional information can be found at Basilea's website www.basilea.com.

Disclaimer

This announcement regarding the Repurchase Offer does not constitute an offer or an invitation to participate in the Repurchase Offer or the Offering in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to or from which, it is unlawful to make such invitation or for there to be such participation under applicable securities laws. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this press release comes are required to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

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No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction in relation to the Repurchase Offer that would permit a public offering of securities in any such jurisdiction.

United States

The Repurchase Offer is not being made, and will not be made, directly or indirectly, in or into, or by use of the mail of, or by any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce of or of any facilities of a national securities exchange of, the United States or to or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act (each a "U.S. person"). This includes, but is not limited to, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, telex, telephone and the internet and other forms of electronic communication. The Bonds may not be tendered for purchase pursuant to the Repurchase Offer by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility from or within the United States or by any persons located or resident in the United States as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or to U.S. persons. Accordingly, copies of the Repurchase Offer Notice and any other documents or materials relating to the Repurchase Offer are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise transmitted, distributed or forwarded (including, without limitation, by custodians, nominees or trustees) in or into the United States or to persons located or resident in the United States or to U.S. persons. Any purported offers to tender Bonds pursuant to the Repurchase Offer resulting, directly or indirectly, from a violation of these restrictions will be invalid, and any purported tender of Bonds made by a U.S. person, a person located or resident in the United States or from within the United States or from any agent, fiduciary or other intermediary acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal giving instructions from within the United States or any U.S. person will not be accepted.

Each Bondholder participating in the Repurchase Offer will represent to the Offeror, the Joint Dealer Managers and the Tender Agent that it is not located or resident in the United States and is not a U.S. person and is not giving an order to participate in the Repurchase Offer from within the United States or on behalf of a U.S. person.

United Kingdom

The communication of the Repurchase Offer Notice and any other documents or materials relating to the Repurchase Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, are not directed at and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to persons within the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order)) or falling within Article 43(2) of the Order, or to other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated (together relevant persons). The investment activity to which this document relates will only be engaged in with relevant persons and persons who are not relevant persons should not rely on it.

European Economic Area

In any Member State of the European Economic Area (the "EEA") or in the United Kingdom (each, a "Relevant State"), the Repurchase Offer is only addressed to, and is only directed at, qualified investors in that Relevant State within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the "Prospectus Regulation"). Each person in a Relevant State who receives any communication in respect of the Repurchase Offer contemplated in the Repurchase Offer Notice will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Joint Dealer Managers, the Tender Agent and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. The Bonds have not been admitted to trading on a regulated market in the European Economic Area or in the United Kingdom.

Switzerland and General

This document and the Repurchase Offer Notice neither constitute a prospectus within the meaning of Articles 652a and 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (as in effect immediately prior to the entry into force of the FinSA) nor a prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange, a prospectus within the meaning of the FinSA or under any other applicable laws.

For further information, please contact:

Peer Nils Schroder, PhD



Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Phone +41 61 606 1102 E-mail media_relations@basilea.com

investor_relations@basilea.com

This press release can be downloaded from www.basilea.com.

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Not too long ago, social media witnessed the controversial verbal brawl between Vanitha Vijaykumar and Lakshmy Ramakrishnan. Well now, the Ammani actress has decided to take legal action against Vanitha for allegedly abusing her over a Skype call arranged by a YouTube channel. In a press release issued by Lakshmy, she revealed that a legal notice has been sent to Vanitha in the context of the verbal abuse by her during the call.

Times of India quoted a few lines from the legal notice as saying, "In the context of the verbal abuse over me through a Skype call, by Vanitha Vijaykumar, which was initiated by Ms. Vanitha herself, through a YouTube channel and webcasted through the same channel, owned by M/s Nian Media Pvt Ltd, I have along with my husband adhered to legal proceedings by causing a Legal Demand Notice through our advocates against her and another, notifying her about the liability under both Civil and Criminal Laws."

She added that the notice's copy has been sent to the concerned authorities and wrote, "Accordingly, we have sent the copy of the notice to concerned Inspector of Police, All Women's Police Station, Vadapalani and SRMC station, Deputy Commission of Police, Vadapalani, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women (Mahila Ayog)"

As per several reports, the Manikkam actress was irked with Lakshmy and Kasthuri Shankar, for their interference in her personal matter and recent wedding with Peter Paul. Further, the two senior actors extended support to the filmmaker's first wife Elizabeth Helen. Following these, Vanitha lashed out at Lakshmy on the Skype call and reportedly ended the conversation midway. She had also revealed that Vanitha was being abusive towards her.

Earlier in a tweet, Lakshmy said that she will continue lending support to victims and their children. She also thanked Tamilians across the world for loving and supporting her.

Elizabeth Helen Apologises To Lakshmy Ramakrishnan Post Her Verbal Brawl With Vanitha Vijaykumar!

Sanam Shetty Requests Vanitha Vijaykumar To Not Support Extra Marital Affairs!
YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan announced about the start of overcoming COVID-19 in Armenia in a briefing following the Commandant's Office session. ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan linked it with the activities of the Government.

''The key measure among those anti-pandemic measures is mandatory wearing masks in open and closed areas'', Pashinyan said.

He urged the citizens not to lose vigilance in the light of the decreasing numbers of new cases, because it can cause a return to the former situation with increasingly high numbers of new cases.

Editing and Translating by Tigran Sirekanyan
New Delhi, July 29 : The banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) pro-Khalistan group has planned to hold voter registration camps for its secessionist agenda 'Referendum 2020' on August 15 in front of Indian embassies in seven countries, including the US and the UK.

Besides, the anti-Indian group, which was banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs in July last year for advocating 'Referendum 2020', is learnt to have plans for similar camps in Canada, Italy, Germany, France, Australia and New Zealand when Indian embassies there will be celebrating India's Independence Day on August 15.

Indian security agencies have warned embassies in these countries to be on alert.

As per the inputs, SFJ's Attorney and General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is camping in Canada's capital Ottawa to coordinate the August 15 voter registration camps in front of Indian Consulates in Canada and other western countries.

Recently, the SFJ, headed by Pannun in Canada, burnt the Indian tricolour in Canada and mailed the remains to the Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa.

The group has claimed that "remains of Indian tricolour have been mailed to Ajay Bisaria, Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa as a symbolic gesture to remind India that Canada considers Khalistan as a political opinion unlike India where Referendum 2020 campaigners are being charged under UAPA and sedition".

Article 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms declares the freedom to express political opinion as a fundamental right of the people, the SFJ claims in the mail.

However, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry of Canada last week rejected the SFJ's 'Referendum 2020' campaign and said, "Canada respects the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of India, and the government of Canada will not recognise the referendum." The group since July 4 has chosen Punjab, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir to launch its online voter registration for the 'Referendum 2020' through different portals but reportedly could not gather support.

The group has used Canadian cyberspace twice for launching its voter registration for the referendum in Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir.

Calling SFJ activities constitutionally protected, Pannun has said, "Canadian government did not and cannot restrict activities of Referendum 2020 on Canadian soil." The SFJ leader 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".

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.

The US-based radical Khalistan outfit has urged Sikhs in India and abroad to support its infamous agenda of 'Referendum 2020', which is being promoted by the group to divide India on communal lines.

The SFJ is supported by Pakistan-based handlers to provide money and logistic 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.

However, the SFJ's agenda has been rejected by the Sikh community across India in spite of the Inter-Services Intelligence-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'.

(Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@ians)
MADRID, Spain, July 29, 2020, which lists the most cutting-edge products in the charging industry.



Baseus mainly manufactures mobile phone accessories, laptop docking stations, small household appliances, and car accessories. In 2018 and 2019, Baseus was awarded the AliExpress Global Top Ten Brand Awards.

Since 2011, Baseus has become a leading Chinese consumer electronics brand with flagship stores in China and over 180 countries and regions worldwide. This number is expected to exceed 1000 stores by 2022.

Baseus' success lies in its ability to provide chargers matching the latest industry trends. An example is gallium nitride (GaN) chargers, which are becoming increasingly popular. GaN chargers are physically smaller, more efficient, and more potent than current chargers. No wonder they were everywhere at CES 2020.

With the theme of "Charge fast, Baseus first!", the AliExpress Super Brand Day event will showcase some of Baseus' flagship products, including the world's smallest 120w GaN charger , the world's first 45W GaN 2-in-1 charger , and the world's smallest 45W dual-port GaN charger . Other noteworthy products are the 65W digital display quick charge power bank and the 65W digital display QC+PPS dual quick charge car charger .

This event is also an opportunity to publicize other innovative products from Baseus, including their screen hanging lights , car vacuum cleaners , earphones , phone cases, and many more. Over 10 of their products have won the 2020 German Red Dot Award.

The "Charge fast, Baseus first!" Super Brand Day event starts at 0:00 on August 10th, Pacific Time, USA, and lasts for three days. There are 10% off limited products every day and exquisite gifts for purchases over $49. From July 20th, consumers can visit the Baseus official AliExpress store to receive a large-scale limited coupon when signing in continuously. Users can also participate in the Baseus Facebook fan event to win an iPhone gift pack.

About Baseus

Baseus is a consumer electronics brand under Shenzhen Besing Technology Co., Limited that manufactures mobile phone accessories, laptop docking stations, small household appliances, and car accessories.
New Delhi, July 29 : As the real estate sector goes through twin issues of subdued demand and stuck projects amid the pandemic, market experts say 'property swap' may be a major tool in helping both distressed home buyers and increasing sales.

Developers and consultancy companies have of late came up with this feature in a bid to help out home buyers who are waiting for their home to be completed for a long time.

Recently realty consulting company, Investors Clinic announced the launch of the 'Property Swap' model in a bid to help buyers stuck with projects both in housing as well as commercial real estate properties.

The company has partnered with developers and it says that the strategic tie up will enable customers to reach out to developers for upgrading or exchanging their properties. Investors Clinic will help in restructuring investments either within the same developer or by shifting to another developer.

Ashish Bhutani, CEO of Bhutani Group says: "Property swap is the most benefiting model in these testing times for the real estate industry. It's devised on a win-win basis model where buyers are benefited the most and can pick and choose and switch between properties from reputed builders." He added that developers will get a chance to sell off the unsold inventories which might be ready to move in properties, but have not been sold due to the current market scenario. Customers both in residential as well as commercial properties tend to gain from this novel scheme.

Founder of Investors Clinic, Honey Katiyal said: "As they say, crisis is the mother of all inventions. While, on one hand, COVID-19 has impacted the real estate sector like any other sector, it has also pushed industry leaders to think of innovative solutions." He was of the view that the model would help the real estate investors realise the potential of their existing investments which are at a "dead end" right now.

The company expects to complete 5,000 transactions and execution in the next three months.
Motorcycle accidents ruled Covid deaths? In the rush to paint Florida as the epicenter of the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, government officials and their allies in the mainstream media have stooped to ridiculous depths to maximize the death count. A television station this weekend looked into two highly unusual Covid deaths among victims in their 20s, and when they asked about co-morbidities they were told one victim had none, because his Covid death came in the form of a fatal motorcycle accident.



Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. In fact the spike that has dominated the mainstream for the last couple of weeks is full of examples of such trickery.



Washington state last week revised its Covid death numbers downward when it was revealed that anyone who passed away for any reason whatsoever who also had coronavirus was listed as a Covid-19 death even if the cause of death had nothing to do with Covid-19.



In South Carolina, the state health agency admitted that the spike in Covid deaths was only the result of delayed reporting of suspected Covid deaths.



An analysis of reported daily Covid deaths last week compared to actual day-of-death in Houston revealed that the recent spike consisted largely of deaths that occurred in April through June. Why delay reporting until now?



We do know that based on this spike the Democrat mayor of Houston cancelled the convention of the Texas Republican Party. Mission accomplished?



Doesnt it seem suspicious that so many states have experienced delayed reporting of deaths until Fauci and his gang of experts announced that we are in a new nightmare scenario?



Last week in Florida  which is perhaps not coincidentally the location of the Republican Partys national convention  another scandal emerged when hundreds of Covid test centers reported 100 percent positive results. Obviously this would paint a far grimmer picture of the resurgence of the virus. Orlando Health, for example, reported a positivity rate of 98 percent  a shocking level  but a further investigation revealed a true positivity rate of only 9.4 percent. Those anomalies were repeated throughout the state.



Cases once meant individuals who displayed sufficient symptoms to be treated in medical facilities. But when the scaremongers needed a second wave they began reporting any positive test result as a Covid case. No wonder we have a spike.



Politics demands that politicians be seen doing something rather than nothing, even if that something is more harmful than doing nothing at all. That is why Washington is so addicted to sanctions.



The same has been true especially in Republican-controlled states in the US in response to the coronavirus. Faced with a virus that has killed about one-third as many people as the normal, seasonal flu virus in 2018, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has endorsed a partial shutdown of the economy resulting in millions tossed into the despair of unemployment. Then he arbitrarily shut down bars because massively increased testing showed more people have been exposed to the virus. And he mandated that people wear face masks. Neither shutting down bars (instead of restaurants or Walmarts) nor forcing people to wear masks will have any effect on the progression of the virus through society. But at least he looks like hes doing something.



We are facing the greatest assault on our civil liberties in our lifetimes. The virus is real, but the government reaction is political and totalitarian. As it falls apart, will more Americans start fighting for their liberty?
Washington

They command corporations with gold-plated brands, millions or even billions of customers, and a combined value greater than the entire German economy. One of them is the world's richest individual; another is the fourth-ranked billionaire. Their industry has transformed society, linked people around the globe, mined and commercialized users' personal data, and infuriated critics on both the left and right over speech.

Now Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Google's Sundar Pichai and Tim Cook of Apple will answer for their companies' practices before Congress for the first time as a group. Summoned for a House hearing, they'll raise a hand (remotely) and swear to tell the truth, in the manner of tycoons of Wall Street or the tobacco industry in earlier high-octane televised shamings. It will be Bezos' first-ever appearance before Congress.

The House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust is capping its yearlong investigation of Big Tech's market dominance with Wednesday's teleconferenced hearing spotlighting the four CEOs.

"It's mostly theater. There are few genuine facts left to gather," says Daniel Crane, a law professor at the University of Michigan who focuses on antitrust.

Still, the CEOs' approaches to the questioning are important, Crane notes. "Are they willing to admit that there's a problem with Big Tech's market power or is it denial mode? Will they recommend innovative private solutions, or retreat into defending themselves as champions of consumer interests who play it fair?"

The bipartisan probe stands out in a capital steeped in partisanship, where Republicans and Democrats are now arguing over the size of new federal pandemic relief. It's the first such congressional review of an industry that for over a decade has enjoyed haloed status and a light touch from federal regulators.

Critics question whether the companies stifle competition and innovation and pose a danger to society. The Judiciary panel collected testimony from midlevel executives of the four firms, competitors and legal experts, and pored over more than a million internal documents from the companies.

A key question: Whether existing competition policies and century-old antitrust laws are adequate for overseeing the tech giants or if new legislation and more funding for enforcement are needed.

Subcommittee chairman Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, has called the four companies monopolies, although he says breaking them up should be a last resort. With other Democrats, Cicilline has floated the idea of an antitrust moratorium that would block big corporations from acquiring smaller companies during the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans call the idea misguided and socialistic.

The tech companies now face legal and political offensives on multiplying fronts, from Congress, the Trump administration, federal and state regulators and European watchdogs. The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission have been investigating the four companies' practices, including the earlier acquisitions of smaller firms.

Facebook's fiercest critics in Congress, including liberal Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren and conservative Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, have put breaking up Big Tech companies on the table.

And presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has said breakups of the giants should be considered.

Short of breakup, the scrutiny of the companies across the U.S. and abroad points toward possible new restrictions on their power.

The CEOs could follow the conventional playbook for congressional "star chamber" hearings, making their case while showing some humility.

Beyond that, each company has a distinct profile, and each tech titan has his own approach and story to tell.

Bezos, the world's richest individual presiding over an e-commerce empire and ventures in cloud computing, personal "smart" tech and beyond, initially declined to testify unless he could appear with the other CEOs. He'll likely face questioning over a Wall Street Journal report that found Amazon employees used confidential data collected from sellers on its online marketplace to develop competing products. At a previous hearing, an Amazon executive denied such accusations.

Lawmakers from both parties suggested Amazon's earlier statements could be misleading and might even constitute perjury. Bezos has said, "We don't use individual seller data to directly compete with them." Amazon says it doesn't believe the Journal allegations are accurate, but has started an internal investigation.

Zuckerberg is a Capitol Hill pro by this point. He endured over five hours of grilling last fall by another House committee on hate speech, privacy, misinformation and Facebook's widely criticized plan for a new digital currency. He also met privately with key lawmakers and with President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the tech companies and asserted without evidence that they are biased against him.

In the wake of George Floyd's death and protests against racial injustice, Facebook's handling of hate speech has recently drawn more fire than issues of competition and privacy, especially after Facebook's refusal to take action on inflammatory Trump posts that spread misinformation about voting by mail and, critics said, encouraged violence against protesters. Zuckerberg has said the company aims to allow as much free expression as possible unless it causes imminent risk of specific harms or damage.

Pichai faced his own congressional interrogation in 2018 over online privacy and data protection, the danger of digital monopolies, alleged bias against conservative viewpoints and censorship by China. He acknowledged some points but avoided the yes or no answers that lawmakers demanded. EU regulators already have concluded that Google manipulated its search engine to gain an unfair advantage over other online shopping sites in the e-commerce market, and fined Google, whose parent is Alphabet Inc., a record $2.7 billion. Google has disputed the findings and is appealing.

Attorneys general from both parties in 50 states and territories, led by Texas, launched an antitrust investigation of Google in September, focused on its online advertising business.

Apple, whose iPhone is the third-largest seller in the world, faces EU investigations over the fees charged by its App Store and technical limitations that allegedly shut out competitors to Apple Pay. Cook is expected to lay out the case that the fees Apple charges apps to sell services and other goods are reasonable, especially compared with what other tech companies collect.
Coronavirus cases in New York are at a reassuring low, and the state is on its way to reopening. That includes art galleries, which are starting to welcome people back, mostly by appointment. I recently visited two, but am mostly remaining cautious and spending the bulk of my time at home. At this point, everything in my apartment looks incredibly uninteresting (except for my cats), so Im grateful that Instagram continues to provide a small portal of escape.

The accounts below make me feel, think and see in new ways  something Im always searching for, but that feels especially vital right now.

Home Cooking

(@____homecooking____)
Security research firm CheckPoint Research released a report on Wednesday, July 29, showing a few security flaws in OKCupid's website and mobile apps could allow hackers to access users' full profile details, private messages, personal addresses, and even send messages using the victims' profiles.



Taking advantage of the security flaws CheckPoint Research discovered, a hacker could have posed as a user and sent a malicious link to victims or public forums. If users clicked on the link, the malicious code would give the hackers access to and control their victims' accounts.

According to Engadget, OKCupid claims they have already fixed the flaws within 48 hours after being advised about the flaws. Like most apps, it contains personal and valuable information that hackers can use to launch cyber attacks. Thus, it is always alarming to have security flaws in dating apps.

No users were impacted by the system flaws. However, CheckPoint noted that dating apps contain sensitive personal information, so they may not be as safe as they seem.

Launched in 2004, OKCupid is one of the oldest and most popular dating applications in the United States. In a statement, CheckPoint said it had raised some serious questions over the security of dating apps. CheckPoint raised some questions about the app's safety, whether users' intimate details on the application are safe or if others can access their most private photos, messages, and details.

OKCupid said in a statement that was shared by CheckPoint Research that the app has informed its developers about the flaws exposed in CheckPoint's study, which were immediately resolved to ensure users' safety.

"Not a single user was impacted by the potential vulnerability on OkCupid, and we were able to fix it within 48 hours," OKCupid wrote, adding that it is grateful to Check Point, who puts "the safety and privacy of our users first."

Read also: Tinder Developing Tinder Lite Version For Those With Slow Data

OKCupid is a game-changer after rebranding

OkCupid went through a major rebranding in 2018 with their new advertising, according to Mashable. Their slogan, "Dating deserves better," which they uphold throughout the entire campaign. It features a cheeky sense of humor, bright colors, same-sex couples, and even heterosexual couples while it is fresh and inviting.

OkCupid brings online dating to the next level as it pushes gender inclusivity. This is a huge game-changer as it caters to at least 13 gender identities and 22 sexual orientations. It also includes dedicated space for users' preferred pronouns, unlike in other sites.

Also, OkCupid is one of the places for self-proclaimed geeks and introverts to find a match. The use of questions related to social justice has also enticed open-minded people to create a safe space.

However, in January, a study by Norwegian Consumer Council accused OKCupid, along with Grindr and Tinder, of sharing sensitive data. Specifically, OkCupid was accused of sending data about drug use, political views, and ethnicity to Braze.

Owner of OKCupid and Tinder, Match Group said that it honored privacy laws and would ensure the data security of its users. Similarly, Grindr said it valued privacy and outlined its practices to ensure its privacy policy to protect personal information.

Read also: Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook Took Down Breitbart Viral Video that Claims Hydroxychloroquine Cures COVID-19

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Van der Veen said that he just happened to have the postcard on his screen at home in Strasbourg, France, during lockdown when something clicked in his mind. He pulled up a digital version of the painting, and compared them side by side. The postcard is "not a secret hidden document that nobody can find," van der Veen said. "A lot of people have already seen it, and recognise the subject, the motif of tree roots. It was hidden in plain sight." Because he was unable to travel from Strasbourg himself, van der Veen called Dominique-Charles Janssens, the owner of the Van Gogh Institute who was in Auvers, and asked him to take a look at the area. "I'd say 45 to 50 per cent is still there," Janssens said, referring to the entanglement of roots. "They cut some of the trees down, and it was covered with ivy, but we took some of that down." Van Gogh would have walked along the Rue Daubigny to get to the town's church, which he painted for The Church at Auvers in June 1890, and to make his way to the sprawling wheat fields just outside of town, where he painted Wheatfield with Crows in July, van der Veen said.

There has long been debate about which painting was van Gogh's last work, because he tended not to date his paintings. Many people believe it was Wheatfield with Crows because Vincente Minnelli's 1956 biopic Lust for Life depicts van Gogh, played by Kirk Douglas, painting that work as he goes mad, just before killing himself. Loading Andries Bonger, who wrote down some events surrounding Van Gogh's death and was the brother-in-law of Theo van Gogh, Vincent's brother, noted in a letter, "The morning before his death, he had painted a forest scene, full of sun and life." In 2012, the Van Gogh Museum published a paper by van Tilborgh and Bert Maes arguing that the letter referred to Tree Roots, an unfinished painting in the museum's collection. That claim has now largely been accepted by scholars. Because of the way light is depicted on the roots, van der Veen says he believes that van Gogh was looking at his them at the end of the afternoon, about 5pm or 6pm. He says he thinks this means that van Gogh probably spent the entire day painting.

Van der Veen added that the new evidence challenged a theory put forward in 2011 by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith in their biography, Van Gogh: The Life. They argued that van Gogh did not suicide, but may have gotten drunk and argued with two young boys, who then accidentally killed him, not far from the Auberge Ravoux. Van der Veen's research on Tree Roots was published in a book in France on Tuesday, and will also be available in English in digital form. "Now that we know he was painting all day, there was even less time for that to happen," van der Veen said. Loading Naifeh responded that it would be impossible to time-stamp a painting based on the angle of the light. "It's not a photograph; it's a painting," he said in a telephone interview. "Van Gogh painted somewhat abstractly, and he was always introducing a lot of painterly inventions," he added, so it would be hard to tell if he was painting light he saw with his own eyes or just creating it on the canvas. Naifeh said the discovery could even support his murder theory. "The fact that he went out and painted all day, not just an average painting but a very important painting, indicates that he may not have been depressed," he said. "It was otherwise a productive normal day, and that runs counterintuitive to the idea that he might then go and kill himself."

Van der Veen agreed on one point. "It confirms everything that most witnesses at this time say, that his behaviour was perfectly normal in the last days," he said. "There was no sign that he was having a crisis." However, van der Veen maintains that van Gogh killed himself, which is also the official position of the Van Gogh Museum. Van Gogh had also made a drawing of tree roots when he lived in The Hague in 1882. He described the artwork to his brother, Theo, in a letter. He wrote that he wanted the tree to "express something of life's struggle," seeing it as "Frantically and fervently rooting itself, as it were, in the earth, and yet being half torn up by the storm." Van der Veen said Tree Roots expressed something similar.
 Flash

At the foot of the Tianshan Mountains in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region sit two ancient fortress towns, projecting the power of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) hundreds of years ago.

The fortress towns are located in Barkol Kazak autonomous county, which, with a population of 105,000, borders Mongolia to the north.

Early in the 1990s, Barkol established a cultural heritage protection institution and the renovation of the two fortress towns has since become a major project.

Since 2014, the Barkol government has invested 30 million yuan (about $4.28 million) on renovating the towns, according to the county's cultural heritage administration.

The Qing Emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong underwent a long battle that lasted for almost 70 years with the separatist forces from the Junggar aristocrats in Xinjiang. Barkol was then a frontline command center and a supply base for the Qing military, thus the erection of the two fortress towns, according to Jiang Xiaoliang, director of the local culture and tourism bureau.

The historical document shows that in 1729, Yue Zhongqi, a senior general, led over 25,600 Qing soldiers to Barkol to suppress the rebels there. Two years later, they built the first fortress town, with four gates and 3,600 battlements on the walls. Outside the walls were a moat of four meters wide and four drawbridges, as well as fort barbettes and protruding ramparts.




Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg arrive in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on May 13, 2020. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images)

Australian Workers Could Get Access to Pandemic Leave

The Morrison government is considering providing paid pandemic leave to workers in a bid to curb deadly COVID-19 outbreaks.

Scott Morrison confirmed he spoke with Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter about pandemic leave in recent days.

Those discussions are continuing and when they are completed we will make some announcements, the prime minister told reporters in Canberra on July 29.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions on March 11 called for two weeks paid leave for all permanent, casual and contract workers forced to self-isolate because of the pandemic.

There have been major concerns people with the virus attended work because they couldnt afford the financial hit from staying home.

About 80 percent of Victorias new infections since May have been linked to workplace transmission.

The Fair Work Commission earlier in the week ruled all residential aged care workers including nurses were entitled to two weeks paid leave.

Unions argue the issue goes further than one sector, with more than three million workers lacking sick leave entitlements.

The Greens want to pass legislation giving employees access to special pandemic leave in the August sitting of parliament.

Its going to be essential to not only containing the spread in Victoria, but preventing further outbreaks in other states, Bandt told AAP.

Porter said the government was keeping a watching brief on the issue.

The system is working relatively well at the moment in terms of coping with that scenario where people have to be self-isolated for a period, he told 6PR radio.

Labors industrial relations spokesman Tony Burke said the opposition had been calling for pandemic leave for 141 days.

Matt Coughlan in Canberra
Western Australia has recorded a third Aboriginal death in custody within two months after an inmate died in Roebourne Regional Prison on Wednesday morning.

In a statement, the Department of Justice said the 47-year-old man had been found unconscious by prison officers in his six-person dormitory cell.

The health centre at Roebourne Regional Prison. Credit:OICS

But despite efforts by medical staff and paramedics, the man could not be revived.

His death comes less than three weeks after a 19-year-old man died by suicide five months into his jail term at Acacia Prison, in Wooroloo, an hour east of Perth.
The Rhode Island Department of Health has traced thousands of cases back to large social gatherings where people are not wearing a face covering and are not maintaining proper social distancing. Contact tracing data has made it "crystal clear" that Rhode Islanders are "partying too much."
A man has been charged over the death of a pensioner who was knocked over and killed by a cyclist in east London.

Peter McCombie, 72, was struck by a biker in Bow Road, Tower Hamlets, on July 3 and taken to hospital in critical condition.

He died eight days later with serious head injuries.

Police now say they have charged Ermir Loka, 22, of Waltham Forest, with manslaughter and causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving.

He will appear before Thames Magistrates' Court later today.

Peter McCombie, 72, was struck by a biker in Bow Road, Tower Hamlets, on July 3 and taken to hospital in critical condition. He died eight days later with serious head injuries

Mr McCombie was struck in Bow Road, close to Thames Magistrates' Court, at about 5.05pm on Friday July 3

Mr McCombie's sister, Christine, said: 'It is hard to put into words the effect losing Peter has had on our family.'

Detective Inspector Julie Trodden said of the victim: 'Peter was an active man who had continued to work beyond retirement age.

'As a result of this collision, his family, friends and colleagues are now mourning his loss.'
GOP Stimulus Package Includes Bringing PPE Manufacturing Back to US: Graham

Sen. Lindsey Grahams (R-S.C.) legislation to move the production of personal protective equipment (PPE) from China back to the United States by providing tax credits and incentives to companies is one of the key provisions in the new GOP stimulus package introduced Monday.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Graham said the pandemic has made it apparent that the United States needs to manufacture essential equipment in the country.

So, what have we learned 90 percent of the protective equipment that our doctors and nurses, and healthcare professionals need to keep us safe and keep their families safe is made in China, he said, adding, President Trump is hell-bent on trying to bring the medical supply chain back. Theres a big step forward in this bill.

Graham said that the measure, titled the Restoring Critical Supply Chains and Intellectual Property Act, will bolster national security and safety and allocate $7.5 billion to companies to incentivize them to move PPE production to the United States. He added that military uniforms have been categorized as PPE and will also be manufactured in the country.

Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, took to Twitter Tuesday to praise the GOP legislation.

So, the National Stockpile will have protective equipment Made in America we dont have to depend on China, Haley said. Great leadership by @LindseyGrahamSC, @SenCapito, and @SenatorRounds for sponsoring a provision mandating that the federal government buy American made personal protective equipment to refill the National Strategic Stockpile. #MadeinAmerica.

Other provisions in Grahams bill include requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to begin buying domestic PPE for the Strategic National Stockpile so that over the next five years the department can reach 100 percent domestic sourcing.

The bill also mandates that HHS submit a plan to Congress within 90 days detailing how they will reach 50 percent domestic sourcing in one year, 75 percent in 18 months, and 100 percent in two years.

The goal is to have one hundred percent American-made in the strategic stockpile of PPE within five years, concluded Graham. I made a promise to the state of South Carolina that I would work to end our dependency on China for PPE. This bill is fulfilling that promise.
A blind man who was refused entry to a restaurant with his guide dog has instigated a landmark licence review which could set a precedent for disability training in the hospitality industry.

Artur Ortega said managers at Manjal in Canary Wharf told him he could not dine if he wanted to bring his trained dog Mercer inside.

Under the Equality Act guide and other assistance dog owners have the right to enter most premises and vehicles with their animals.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People complained to Tower Hamlets council on Mr Ortegas behalf. It has triggered a licensing review, believed to be the first of its kind for a restaurant in the UK. The charity wants conditions added to the diners licence, which will ensure staff have to go through training so they know the rules around discrimination against service dog owners.

Jack Holborn, the lawyer the charity has employed for the review, said they do not want to see Manjal, which has since moved to nearby Marsh Wall, lose its licence, but added: The law is already very clear. What we are asking for is that restaurant staff have training to ensure things like this do not happen. We would like to see this added to all premises licences.

Samantha Fothergill, of the RNIB, said: This is an area where local authorities can and must use their licensing powers to stamp out this practice. We believe licensing powers can be used to require staff to be trained, to require the display of a sticker welcoming assistance dogs and, ultimately, to revoke licences where refusals happen.

Mr Ortega, a software engineer, and his colleagues were refused entry to the Indian restaurant last July.

Ms Fothergill said: When Mr Ortega complained, the manager was called but he also confirmed guide dog Mercer was not welcome. The manager told Mr Ortega that not everyone liked dogs and that he should show some understanding of Asian culture. Mr Ortega said when the table was booked he had explained he was bringing a guide dog and he told staff that under the Equality Act he was allowed to bring Mercer inside. He said: I felt completely humiliated to be discriminated against in such a rude way.

He added that he had been to Manjal before with Mercer and had not been turned away. Naveen Bhandari, from Manjal, later wrote a letter to Mr Ortega apologising for the incident and offered the group a complimentary meal.

He said managers had realised their mistake and were going to allow Mr Ortega to dine there  but in the 15 minutes while they were preparing a table for him he had left.
DANBURY  A Windham County man was arrested Wednesday morning in the fatal shooting of a 39-year-old Waterbury man in Danbury earlier this month.

Bryan Howell, 39, of Thompson, has been charged with murder, first-degree assault, criminal possession of a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit and breach of peace in the July 12 fatal shooting of Raymond Irvin Simmons.

Simmons was shot several times near the intersection of Beaver and Elms streets while attending an outdoor vigil for a young man who had unexpectedly died weeks earlier.

Howell was also an attendee of the vigil, police said.

Danbury officers responded to calls about a man who had been shot around 10:35 p.m. and found Simmons at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Danbury Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Simmons was shot in the head, neck, torso and extremities, according to the state Chief Medical Examiners Office, and his death was ruled a homicide.

During the course of investigating Simmons death, witnesses were identified and interviewed, several anonymous tips were received and surveillance footage was obtained and reviewed, which lead to identifying Howell as the person responsible for killing Simmons, Det. Sgt. Adam Marcus said.

Police said Howell was arrested in Thompson without incident and transported back to Danbury police headquarters, where he is currently being held on $1 million bond.

In the last nine years, according to court records, Howell has been charged and found guilty of various offenses in Connecticut, ranging from assault, larceny and risk of injury to a child, to restraining order and probation violations.

Howell was most recently charged with first-degree failure to appear after missing an appearance at state Superior Court in Waterbury in February, according to court records.

Before Howells arrest, police said they did not believe the shooting was indiscriminate.

Simmons was a husband and father, described by friends and loved ones as a great man, father, friend, brother, who was dedicated, loving and down to earth.

His death marked the second homicide in Danbury this year, and the third since September 2019.

Police are still investigating the July 12 fatal shooting and ask anyone with information to call Detective Travis Kupchok at 203-797-2168 or the anonymous TIPS Line at 203-790-8477.
East Syracuse Minoa school district officials say they hope to offer in-person instruction five days a week for students in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade depending on staff and demand.

Offering daily in-class lessons to high school students is more challenging, said ESM Superintendent Donna DeSiato, so the district may have to go with a hybrid mode.

Under that scenario, high school students would be divided into groups, with half attending Monday and Tuesday; and the other half Thursday and Friday.

The school board met Tuesday night to discuss the districts reopening plans.

DeSiato said all parents will have the choice of all distance learning if they prefer that option.

So far, about 35 to 40 percent have indicated they will likely choose that option, she said. Some want in-person instruction and others are undecided.

We are confident we can accommodate our pre-K and elementary students and most likely middle school too,' she told Syracuse.com | The Post Standard on Tuesday night.

The district will submit three plans to the state  all in-person, all remote and a hybrid plan  but is leaving the final decision on the plan open for a while longer, DeSiato said.

Parents had previously been asked to make an informal choice between in-person or distance learning. Now they will be asked to make a final decision by Aug. 14. Once those responses are calculated, the district will see what it has in capacity and staffing, DeSiato said.

If we would exceed our capacity, we will go to a hybrid plan,' she said.

That decision will be made in the latter part of August, she said.

ESM is the seventh largest district in Onondaga County, with about 3,385 students.

Related story: How is your school reopening? See Central New York school district coronavirus plans

Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com
Women who have been suffering from prolonged coronavirus symptoms have hit back at doctors who they say fail to recognise their suffering and dismiss it as a psychological condition or stress.

Speaking to NBC News, Ailsa Court of Portland, Oregon, said that she had initially caught the respiratory disease more than four months ago but is still experiencing a number of debilitating symptoms.

She said that doctors have downplayed her complaints of persistent shortness of breath, pain in her lungs, and tingling in her calves, saying the symptoms are all in her head

Im so ill and some people are telling me this is a figment of my imagination. It truly feels like a nightmare, she said. Gaslighting is the word Ive been using repeatedly.

Ms Court explained that the lack of sympathy for her conditions has a gendered aspect and felt that a male patient who went to urgent care with the same set of health concerns would have been taken more seriously.

There are long-standing biases that are omnipresent, Dr Melissa Simon, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology and the director of the Centre for Health Equity Transformation at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine told the outlet.

Past research has revealed that women are neglected in healthcare systems and are often inadvertently dismissed due to deeply ingrained unconscious bias of professionals.

A 2012 US study found that paramedics were less likely to take severely injured women to an emergency or other trauma centre (49 per cent of women versus 62 per cent of men).

Women are also less likely to be referred for testing if they complain of cardiac symptoms, and more likely to die after a serious heart attack due to a lack of care, research has found.

People of colour are also disproportionately affected by unconscious medical bias, with data showing that black patients in acute pain are 40 per cent less likely than white patients to receive medication, and Latino patients are 25 per cent less likely than white patients.

Alisa Valdes, 51, an Albuquerque, New Mexico, described a similar situation to Ms Court to NBC News, saying that she had been sick from the virus since mid-march and that doctors had said her problems were a mental issue.

She said that she felt doctors have been minimising [her] as a woman, minimising [her] as a latina.

She explained how she has experienced severe complications of the illness including emergency surgery to remove her gallbladder, extreme burning in her digestive tract, unbearable pain in her sternum and upper back, and a loss of appetite.

Nobody is going to come right out and say that theyre discriminating against you for those reasons, she told the broadcaster.

So what do I have to go by? Intuition, instinct, past experience. The attitude of certain providers. The way they look at you. The way they dont look at you. The way they shrug you off.

Adrienne Crenshaw, 38, of Houston, who is black, contracted the coronavirus in mid-June and said she has been forced to make a number of trips to the emergency in the month since.

She told the broadcaster that she had not witnessed explicit racism or sexism during her treatment but said that doctors have often attributed her ongoing symptoms to stress and grief over the recent death of her father from the virus.

Ms Crenshaw, who has been prescribed anti-anxiety medications for her symptoms, said that on one occasion she heard a doctor say: the girls perfectly normal, theres nothing wrong with her.

In my head, Im like, Im not perfectly fine. I dont just go in the ER to take a room up, she told the broadcaster.

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Increased reports of long-term effects of the virus have been steadily emerging throughout the US as the pandemic continues to rage on, infecting over four million Americans.

Earlier in July, the nations top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, recognised the possibility that the disease could cause a post-viral syndrome in a news conference.

If you look anecdotally, there is no question that there are a considerable number of individuals who have a post-viral syndrome that in many respects incapacitates them for weeks and weeks following so-called recovery, Dr Fauci said.

So this is something we really need to seriously look at because it very well might be a post-viral syndrome associated with Covid-19, he added.

Dr Jessica Dine, director of the advanced consultative pulmonary section at Penn Medicine and a pulmonologist who has been treating patients with persistent symptoms, told NBC News that the first step is to recognise that these symptoms are real.

The frustrating part for the patient and the clinician is, we dont know if this is going to get better and when, she said.
The nation's attorneys-general met on Monday to discuss whether to raise the age of criminal responsibility. They decided that no action would be taken at this stage. Right across Australia, children can be locked up in prisons from the age of 10.

Terleaha Williams is a youth ambassador for Just Reinvest NSW.

As Aboriginal young people, from experience we can tell you that this is far too young and has a devastating effect. In NSW, 75 per cent of kids under 14 in detention are Aboriginal. We have to raise the age to at least 14.

African American philosopher Cornel West says justice is what love looks like in public. Our young people need to know that we as a community care for them. Children aged 10 to 13 need to be supported, not punished. Raising the age is about changing the way our systems interact with and support young people.

Despite our peoples longstanding fight for self-determination and land rights, we are still at the mercy of a system that is afraid of us. So afraid that it keeps 10-year-old children locked behind barbed wire, controls their contact with family, and repeatedly strip-searches them.
On the eve of Global Tiger Day, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar declared: 'Despite India's constraint of 2.5 per cent of global land, four per cent of rainfall and 16 per cent of world's human population, India is home to eight per cent of world's biodiversity which includes 70 per cent of the world's tiger population.'

Ironically, the same day, the Karnataka government deleted Tipu Sultan, from school textbooks.

Last year, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had stated that his government was considering removing all references to Tipu Sultan from school textbooks.

Yediyurappa's Bharatiya Janata Party is allergic to the 'Tiger of Mysore', claiming that Tipu Sultan was a Muslim bigot responsible for anti-Hindu pogroms during his rule.

Yediyurappa's government cancelled the Tipu Sultan birth anniversary celebrations, which were to be held on November 10, 2019.

Dominic Xavier offers his take on the BJP's Tiger dilemma -- boast of India's success in enlarging the tiger population on the planet and airbrush the 'Tiger of Mysore's presence out of Karnataka history.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
The Portland school board on Tuesday voted to refer to voters the districts largest ever construction bond measure.

The $1.2 billion effort would extensively renovate Jefferson High School, cover hundreds of millions in cost overruns from projects voters approved in 2017 and invest millions more in technology as students prepare to learn remotely until at least November.

The board voted unanimously to refer the package to the ballot.

The proposed bond will join a bevy of other potential tax measures on the ballot, including a $7 billion transportation package put forth by Metro, a city property tax of 80 cents per $1,000 to fund park operations and, potentially, a proposed tax of 3.9% on individual incomes over $165,000 to fund preschool for every Multnomah County child ages 3 and 4.

The Portland Public Schools measure comes in at about $200 million less than the $1.4 billion bond district officials originally planned to pitch to voters, which would have extensively renovated Cleveland and Wilson high schools as well as Jefferson.

The proposal to remake Jefferson, which district officials estimate will cost $311 million , remain nearly identical to the previous plan.

A poll the district commissioned of a little more than 2,000 likely voters in June showed 66% would support a Portland Public Schools bond in November. Pollsters from ALG Research said they typically look for approvals of 60% or higher to signal support for a measure that will endure until Election Day.

A potential bond that included extensive renovations to the high school in the heart of Portlands historically Black neighborhoods saw three-quarters of respondents expressing approval for the measure.

Another $60 million would fund updates to schools surrounding Jefferson to develop a Center For Black Student Excellence in conjunction with the Albina Vision Trust, a nonprofit devoted to uplifting up the Portland areas Black population and restoring vitality to its historic population, cultural and economic center.

If were going to succeed in serving Black students and youth, well have to do it together, Guerrero said. Were a better school system when we work with our community partners.

The nonprofit wants to repair the neighborhood surrounding the North Portland school, which was once home to about 80% of the citys Black population.

Lakeitha Elliott, a Jefferson alumn and legislative assistant in Salem, voiced her support for the partnership during the public comment period.

In a way, I grew up in a center for Black excellence, Elliott said, citing her intimate ties to the Albina neighborhood where neighbors knew each other by name and pitched in to help when she needed mentorship. I was surrounded by people who knew my name and knew my family.

If passed, the bond would also provide $64 million to merge the two campuses of alternative high school Alliance High and locate them at Benson High School in inner Northeast Portland. The alternative high school is currently split between the Benson campus and a satellite campus on Northeast Alberta Street.

The second largest chunk of the bond would allocate $152 million to fund construction at Benson, which absorbed the bulk of cost overruns tallied in projects voters approved in 2017, totaling some $230 million.

Rather than adjust the scope of projects funded by that bond, district officials opted to roll the cost overruns into a future campaign  the $1.2 billion package the board approved Tuesday.

The bond would also provide $128 million for technology and another $53 million for curriculum, the latter a line item Guerrero pushed for saying its been decades since Portland Public Schools extensively updated its teaching materials across multiple subjects.

Given that this district is 20-plus years behind for curriculum adoption in every grade level, its sorely needed, board member Amy Kohnstamm said Tuesday.

The money would go toward the purchase of Chromebooks to ensure every student has access to a computer for distance learning and also fund further development of the districts virtual curriculum.

Most district students may potentially return to classrooms by the first full week of November, officials said.

The bond also includes $40 million to advance planning for extensive renovations at Cleveland and Wilson high schools, projects voters may be asked to fully fund in 2024. That effort may also include further construction at North Portlands Roosevelt High to expand the building so it can accommodate 1,700 students. Novembers bond provides $2 million for that planning.

Board members last week authorized a last-minute addition to Tuesdays bond vote.

Chief Operating Officer Dan Jung estimates it would cost $100 million to bring every district school up to federal accessibility standards. The proposed bond measure now includes nearly $34 million for such upgrades.

Board members throughout Tuesdays meeting characterized their pitch as a renewal of the existing tax rate, emphasizing that district taxpayers will not see an increase  the rate collected by the district will remain at $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. But the measure will require district taxpayers to pay longer on borrowed money to fund Portland Public Schools capital projects.

Michelle DePass, the boards lone Black member, read a resolution expressing the boards support for the inclusion of the Center for Black Excellence in the ballot measure ahead of the vote.

For close to 170 years, PPS has failed communities of color, especially Black and Native American students, she said. While our commitment to calling out and eradicating racism is clear in our vision, we also know that cultural and institutional racism continues to produce disparities and negatively impact students of color.

DePass lauded the inclusion of projects in the historically Black Albina neighborhood in the bond, saying it symbolized the districts first step in doing right by underserved communities.

The Center for Black Student Excellence will serve as a living expression of Portland Public Schools expressed commitment to Black lives, she said.

A previous version of this story included an incorrect in-class start date for the districts high school juniors and seniors. It has been updated.

--Eder Campuzano | 503-221-4344 | @edercampuzano | Eder on Facebook

Are you a student, parent or teacher? How do you feel about your districts reopening plans for fall? Wed love to hear from you. Email Eder at ecampuzano@oregonian.com or message either of the social accounts above.

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Bengaluru, July 29 : Karnataka registered 5,503 new Covid-19 cases as infection spiked in many places, raising the state's tally to 1.12 lakh, even as 92 more people succumbed to the virus, an official said, here on Wednesday.

Between Tuesday 5 p.m. and Wednesday 5 p.m, the number of new cases reported were 5,503, said a health official.

On Wednesday, cases spiked in Bengaluru Urban, reporting 2,270 new cases as the city continues to be the ground zero of coronavirus in the state. Total cases in the city breached the 50,000-mark to settle at 51,091. Of this, 36,224 are active.

Ballari accounted for 338 new cases, Belagavi (279), Davangere (225), Dakshina Kannada (208), Mysuru (200) and Dharwad (175).

Meanwhile, 92 more patients succumbed to the virus, raising the toll to 2,147.

On a positive note, 2,397 patients have been discharged, increasing the number of discharges to 42,901.

A 95-year-old woman recovered from Covid-19 in Ballari on Wednesday. She was discharged on Wednesday, Ballari Deputy Commissioner S.S. Nakul told IANS.

Of the 1.12 lakh cases, 67,448 are active.
EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y.  Praaghya Meyyan, a rising Columbia High School senior, is the Capital Region Youth Ambassador of the Year (YAYA). The award, sponsored by Reality Check of New York state, honors the outstanding work of young people who have taken the lead in holding tobacco companies accountable for marketing to youth.

These young activists are fighting to protect their peers and communities from the dangers of tobacco use through public education efforts, peer-to-peer training, and outreach to policymakers.

I am involved in Reality Check because I love being a part of the movement that exposes the marketing lies of the tobacco industry. I am passionate about protecting my peers from trying flavored tobacco products that contain nicotine and keep them addicted for life, Meyyan said.

Meyyan has been an active member of Reality Check since 2018 and has provided a vital youth perspective on the impact of tobacco marketing on young people on issues ranging from the mixed message of selling tobacco in pharmacies, the importance of raising the age to 21 for sale of tobacco products, and the youth appeal of flavored tobacco products. Her education efforts contributed to local and state adoption of Tobacco-Free Pharmacies, Tobacco 21 and a statewide ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.

One of Praaghyas early contributions to local tobacco control education was presenting to families of the Capital District Boys and Girls Club. After seeing her in actionpositive, energetic, well-versedI knew she was going to be a powerful force for change, Cara Zampi, Reality Check Coordinator at Capital District Tobacco-Free Communities, noted.

Meyyans activities included providing public comment at local government meetings, providing interviews to the media, and educating community members.

The members of the Rensselaer County Legislature are honored to join in congratulating Praaghya upon her receipt of the Capital Region YAYA Award. We anticipate many great things from Praaghya in the many years and decades to come, Tom Grant, Rensselaer County Legislator (District 2), added.

Since 2001, youth from across New York state have worked to educate their communities about the harms of Big Tobacco.
After a personal experience with the virus, a 24-year-old Georgia man is donating much-needed blood plasma to help sick COVID-19 patients.

Zachary Osterman was the second person to receive a positive diagnosis in Chatham County, Georgia. It didnt take long for his entire family to come down with the illness, and unfortunately his father died due to complications from the virus.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29) There will be no congratulatory remarks from Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque this July as he said the country wont likely beat university researchers latest COVID-19 case forecast.

Speaking to CNN Philippines, Roque admitted the countrys coronavirus infections will likely exceed the 85,000 end-July case prediction of researchers from the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas. As of July 28, the Philippines has reported 83,673 confirmed cases of the infectious disease.

Im sad to say, were not (beating the end-July forecast). To those who made fun of my excitement, you got what you wanted. The forecast happened and I see no reason why we should celebrate, Roque said in an interview with The Source.

The group of UP researchers initially projected 60,000 to 70,000 COVID-19 cases nationwide by the end of the month, but raised the prediction after seeing an increase in the reproduction rate of the virus.

Roque earlier drew flak for congratulating he Philippines in June, when the country beat UPs 40,000 cases forecast. Netizens questioned the need for praise, when the country continues to record rising number of infections.

The spokesperson, however, defended his remark, saying it aimed to serve as a constant reminder to people that the coronavirus battle can be fought and won.

READ: Roque defends Congratulations, Philippines remark amid backlash: Ill keep doing it to encourage people

In the past few weeks, the country has been seeing daily spikes in COVID-19 infections. Officials have attributed the increase to stronger testing capacities.

Roque, for his part, remains optimistic that the country particularly Metro Manila can see a reduced rate of virus transmission in the near future.

We should always aim to beat the forecast, because we have the tools. It can happen. It happened in Cebu already, that they were able to reduce the transmission. Since Cebu was able to do it, we should be able to do it in Metro Manila as well, Roque said.
There has been a surge of castle break-ins, vandalism of ancient sites and illegal metal detecting as heritage thieves target Britain's history during the lockdown.

Two intruders were caught clambering on the rooftops of 12th-century Amberley Castle, West Sussex in the early hours of one morning and arrested for burglary and criminal damage.

In a separate incident, raiders used a mechanical saw to cut through a security door at Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire, before fleeing when they failed to breach a second barrier.

Other historic sites have also been targeted by thieves, including Walsingham Abbey in Norfolk - where thugs stole part of a wall - and two medieval parish churches, which had paving slabs removed.

Elsewhere, vandals caused 'serious' damage to Doll Tor, a Bronze Age stone circle in Derbyshire, by setting fires and removing several smaller stones, leading to a police investigation.

Scroll down for video.

Two intruders were caught clambering on the rooftops of 12th-century Amberley Castle, West Sussex on May 8 and arrested for burglary and criminal damage

In a separate incident, raiders used a mechanical saw to cut through a security door at Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire between June 10 and June 15. File photo

Police were called to Amberley Castle in West Sussex in the morning of May 8 after two people were spotted breaking into the site, which is now a luxury hotel charging up to 480 a night.

Due to the lack of lighting, officers searched the rooftops using thermal imaging equipment and caught two suspects, a 16-year-old boy and a 28-year-old man. They were arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage.

Dunnottar Castle, a medieval fortress near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, was targeted by thieves who managed to break through the main door between June 10 and June 15.

The damage was spotted some time later by a jogger who called police. An investigation found the raiders had tried to break through a second door but had failed to do so and fled.

The threat of criminals targeting historic sites has prompted major heritage organisations, including the National Trust, to maintain tight security at their sites.

A spokesman told MailOnline today: 'We take the safeguarding of our places and collections very seriously. We have security measures and procedures in place at all our properties and keep these under constant review.'

However, many nationally important heritage sites are not regularly staffed, making them more vulnerable to thieves and vandals. Many employees have also been staying at home during the lockdown, making the sites they usually maintain even more vulnerable.

In the Peak District, the prehistoric Doll Tor stone circle near Birchover was 'seriously' damaged by vandals in early June

There has been a rise in reports of illegal metal detecting by Hadrian's Wall, with several thefts recorded near Horsley in Northumberland.

On July 12, police were tipped off about a suspicious car in the area and went on to arrest a 44-year-old man on suspicion of theft.

Similar incidents were investigated by Cheshire Police as part of its Operation Roudhouse investigation, which involved a series of raids that led to four arrests.

In the Peak District, the prehistoric Doll Tor stone circle near Birchover was 'seriously' damaged by vandals in early June.

The thugs moved several of the smaller stones of the scheduled ancient monument to build a fire pit and for a seat, as well as setting several other fires.

Sam Grimshaw, who discovered the damage at the site, told the BBC: 'Once I'd realised what I was seeing I became very angry, and a great feeling of sadness came over me as I saw more and more stones removed.

'I was amazed at the effort that had been put in to move some of the stones, I couldn't quite believe it.'

Recent incidents include paving slabs being stolen from the graveyard of the Church of St Helen in Merseyside. The incident was reported on July 5

The Bronze Age monument is managed by Historic England, a government-funded body that monitors heritage crime and regularly reports incidents on its Twitter account.

Recent incidents include paving slabs being stolen from the graveyard of the Church of St Helen in Merseyside, and from directly outside the entrance of All Saints Church in Whitefield, Greater Manchester.

Meanwhile, on July 3, staff at Walsingham Abbey in Norfolk tweeted that they were 'horrified and fed up' to discover that 175 bricks had been stolen from a wall in the grounds.

Scotland has also seen a spate of heritage crimes during the lockdown.

Since the end of March, six people have been arrested for illegal metal detecting, and a report was made of somebody digging at the world-famous Callanish Standing Stones on the Isles of Lewis.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said no serious damage was done but archaeology at the site could have been disturbed.

Slabs were also taken from directly outside the entrance of All Saints Church in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, at some point before June 11

Some of the pavings stones at All Saints Church were removed from around a memorial slab

Other reports included movement of grave slabs at Restenneth Priory near Forfar and graffiti and littering at Lincluden Collegiate Church in Dumfries.

Dunnottar Castle near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was broken into in June and campers were found at Newark Castle near Port Glasgow, Inverlcyde.

Inspector Alan Dron, chairman of the Scottish Heritage Crime Group, said: 'Over the lockdown period from April to June, rural crime fell by 39 per cent this year, fly tipping spiked and heritage crime also rose. It was one of the areas where we saw a significant increase.

'Because people were staying more local, they were getting out to investigate sites close to where they lived.'

A spokesman for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said: 'We take incidents of heritage crime very seriously.'

Other historic sites have also been targeted by thieves, including Walsingham Abbey in Norfolk - where thugs stole part of a wall at some point before July 3
Kentuckys governor on Monday ordered that bars close and restaurants scale back indoor service and urged school districts to wait until later in August to resume in-person classes in a new round of actions to combat a spike in coronavirus cases.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear stressed that his decisions follow recommendations from federal health officials to try to reverse the recent trend of escalating COVID-19 cases.

Beshear ordered that bars close for two weeks, starting Tuesday. Restaurants will have to limit indoor capacity to 25%, though outdoor seating can be unlimited if social distancing guidelines are followed, Beshear said.

The clampdown comes weeks after Kentuckys bars reopened and restaurants were allowed to increase indoor capacity to 50%. But the Bluegrass State has been hit by record or near-record numbers of daily COVID-19 cases for more than a week.

In defending his actions, the governor said: Its our state. Its the lives of our people. And its our economy on the line. I believe that we are going to do the right thing.

Beshear also recommended that public and private schools wait until at least the third week of August to resume in-person classes to help curb the viruss spread. The governor said hes concerned the virus would spread to schools if in-person classes resume amid the escalation.

And if we see a lot of early cases in schools, it will be harder to get all of our schools open for in-person classes, he said.

State education officials said Monday theyre still collecting updated school calendars from districts, but it appears that fewer than a dozen were planning to open in-person classes before Aug. 17.

Beshear had spent the past few days bracing Kentuckians for a resumption of some restrictions to combat the elevated number of statewide virus cases. The actions are aimed at sparing Kentucky from the dramatic increases in virus cases and deaths that hit some other states, he said.

I dont want to be a state that has to order one of these freezer trucks because our morgues run out of space, he said. I dont want to be a state that runs out of ICU beds and one of your loved ones doesnt have space. I dont want to be a state where a doctor has to look at 10 young people knowing they have three ventilators and make a decision in possibly who lives and who dies.

Beshear recently required that most people wear masks in public to try to blunt the virus surge. Kentuckians should be prepared for the mask mandate to be extended, the governor said Monday.

He also recently reduced the number of people allowed at social gatherings from 50 to 10. The rule doesnt apply to businesses or wedding venues.

Weve really got to control house parties, Beshear said Monday. Its an area that we absolutely see spread and where people let their guards down.

Meanwhile, the governor reported another 522 virus cases Monday, pushing the statewide total past 27,600 since the start of the pandemic. He reported nine more virus-related deaths in Kentucky, raising the death toll to 709.

The governor took aggressive steps in the spring to shut down much of the states economy to curb the virus. Beshear eventually lifted or eased many of those restrictions to reopen commerce and other activities, but Mondays actions continued the partial reversals amid the surge in cases.

Beshear said he hopes to allow bars to reopen after the two-week shutdown, but said there will be new, stricter guidelines once they do. He said there are many responsible bar owners, adding, I hate this requirement for them.

They are certainly paying for actions of others and its not fair but this virus isnt fair, either, the governor said.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some  especially older adults and people with existing health problems  it can cause more severe illness and be fatal.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19 Kentucky
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Logic

Fade the Dip Trigger: The Option Trade with Technical Analysis and Moving Averages in Louisiana-Pacific Corp (NYSE:LPX) .

While some traders like to "Buy the Dip" (BTFD), and we have a model for that event, sometimes it can be prudent to take a less aggressive tack.In this case we ok for tbut seek a higher win rate strategy than buying a call. Looking to "fade the dip" is a fancy way of saying, we examined a straegy that looks to profit if a stock "doesn't go down very much," after bouncing out of technical failure, as opposed to getting aggressively long by buying the dip.This strategy looks to win if the stock goes up or even if it just doesn't go down very much. It's profit zone is signifantly larger than just buying a call, but its upside is limited relative to a long call. The result is a higher average win rates for a trade off of smaller average win amounts.Whether it's buying the dip or fading the dip, this only works if a stock in a down trend actually reverses to a rally or at the very least, doesn't drop back down into techncial failure.We focused our testing specifically on the trigger that identifies a stock in a down channel and when the selling pressure has eased and the stock may be ready for a bounce or a steady state. In other words, we focused less on a simplistic mantra of "," and more on the empirical view of "."Find today's option triggers today. Tap here to finally find the trading outcomes you've been looking for.It doesn't matter if LPX is in a downtrend right now. What matters is what has happened historically when that time comes, because it will come again.We will examine the outcome of going short an out-of-the-money putg spead by selling the 40 delta strike and buying the 30 delta delta strike in options that are the closest to 30-days from expiration (using calendar days). But we follow three rules:Let's not worry about earnings. Here it is, first, we enter the long call.Use a technical trigger to start the trade,these specific items are met.Trigger is here: [ Trade Machine members only You can set an alert in Trade Machine, which will track all of these moving parts for you. Let Trade Machine do the work for you -- there's no need to stare at the screen.* Use a 50% limit and no stop.At the end of each day, the back-tester checks to see if the 30-day short put spread has seen a 50% gain (it has gone down in value by 50% or more). If it has, it closes the position. As an example, of a put spread was sold at $1.00 and in a week it had dropped to $0.50, it would purchased to close with that 50% win on the initial credit.

Fade the Dip: 5-year Stock Option Backtester Results in Louisiana-Pacific Corp

LPX: Short 40/30 Delta Put Spread

% Wins: 92.00% Wins: 12 Losses: 1 % Return: 233.3%

Tap Here to See the Back-test



RESULTS

LPX: Short 40/30 Delta Put Spread

% Wins: 86% Wins: 6 Losses: 1 % Return: 107.4%

Tap Here to See the Back-test

Setting Expectations



Here are the results of opening a 30-day short put spread, using the 40 delta / 30 delta as the strike prices, over the last five-years once this "fade the dip" trigger has fired:We're now looking at 233.3% returns, on 12 winning trades and 1 losing trades.The average percent return over the last yearwas 17.02%.Here are the results for the 30-day short put spread over the last three-years in Louisiana-Pacific Corp:The mechanics of the TradeMachine are that it uses end of day prices for every back-test entry and exit (every trigger).While this strategy had an overall return of%, the trade details keep us in bounds with expectations:The average percent returnwas 17.18% for each 30-day period.

Checking the Moving Average

LPX: Short 40/30 Delta Put Spread

% Wins: 100.00% Wins: 3 Losses: 0 % Return: 91.4%

Tap Here to See the Back-test



Next Steps

You can check to see the values of all the moving averages discussed above with real-time daily prices, including live after hours prices, for LPX by viewing the Pivot Points tab on www.CMLviz.com Now we can look at just the last year as well:We're now looking at 91.4% returns, on 3 winning trades and 0 losing trades.The average percent return over the last yearwas 29.15%.Find tomorrow's option trades triggers today. For that matter, find today's option triggers today. Tap here to finally find the trading outcomes you've been looking for.Past performance is not an indication of future results.Trading futures and options involves the risk of loss. Please consider carefully whether futures or options are appropriate to your financial situation. Only risk capital should be used when trading futures or options. Investors could lose more than their initial investment.Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results. The risk of loss in trading can be substantial, carefully consider the inherent risks of such an investment in light of your financial condition.Please note that the executions and other statistics in this article are hypothetical, and do not reflect the impact, if any, of certain market factors such as liquidity and slippage.You should read the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options
Just as Salem Bin Mahri was starting to feel grounded, the COVID-19 lockdown upended the Canadian refugees new life. His English classes were abruptly suspended in March, and social isolation killed any developing new friendships.

Now, as his first anniversary in Canada fast approaches and the year of financial support  $1,056 a month  from Ottawa comes to an end, the Toronto man wonders how he is going to survive.

My life has stopped again because of COVID-19, said Bin Mahri, 32, who fled wars in Yemen in 2015 and spent four years in limbo in Indonesia before he resettled here under a Canadian government sponsorship.

I want to work. I dont want to get help from the government, but there are no jobs out there. Any job is OK, but everywhere I go, they ask for Canadian experience.

In normal times, the transition to independence is tough enough for resettled refugees when financial support from the federal government or private community groups is cut off after the first year.

However, COVID-19 is making the fledgling integration that much more difficult.

Not only has the access to settlement support and services been impeded, these newcomers are also faced with an even grimmer job market as some of their sponsors, too, are hit by the economic downturn.

When it reaches Month 13, the newcomers are expected to be employed and done with the courses theyre taking. But there is nothing in the job market right now. They dont qualify for CERB because they dont meet the minimum wage requirement, said Laura Beth Bugg, who has spearheaded a campaign to ask Ottawa to extend its financial commitment to resettled refugees during the pandemic.

Although sponsored refugees are eligible for government assistance under Ontario Works after their first year in Canada, the amount they will receive monthly on welfare is less than half of what they get from the federal government or their private sponsors.

Last year, Canada resettled about 30,000 refugees, including 9,300 sponsored by the federal government, 19,000 sponsored by private groups and 1,650 sponsored by both in whats known as the blended program.

In a letter to Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino this week, a coalition of two-dozen private sponsorship groups raised concerns about the disruption for sponsored refugees as a result of COVID-19.

The pandemic has thrown all of our lives into chaos. We ask the government to consider ways to support these vulnerable people whose greatest desire is to begin new lives of promise and make Canada an even better place to live, it said.

Bill Croson, who has been involved with numerous sponsorship groups, said refugees who are cut off financially after 12 months are left with few options.

Right now its not clear what you can do going forward except to apply for welfare, which for most people means a drop in their income level, said Croson.

Nagham Al Jamali, 29, her husband Wael Al Hussni, 34, and their five-year son, Walid, were sponsored to Canada by a community group in April 2019. The couple fled war in Syria and spent more than five years in Lebanon before they were resettled in Toronto.

Al Hussni began working at a Rabba convenience store days after their arrival and his income helped supplement the financial support from their sponsors.

Since April, they have been using the $10,000 they received from the Ontario Student Assistance Program  the couple both attended English programs at George Brown College  as well as $600 monthly child benefits to pay off their expenses.

Al Jamali and her husband both have an e-marketing degree from Syria. She has sent resumes to 180 employers in the last three months but is still looking.

We are lucky that my husband has had a job. We know of many families in worse situations, said Al Jamali, whose family moved from Toronto to Mississauga in July for its cheaper cost of living.

We try very hard to be independent, but COVID has made life a lot more difficult. We came here to work and not to depend on handouts.

Meisam Arefifar, 38, a gay welder who fled Iran, resettled in Canada thanks to a private sponsorship group last November. He is anxious about the future.

I study English by myself but its hard because I have had very little social interaction with people. I want to start a new life in Canada and I need a job. Im very concerned. Is COVID going to be here for one year? Two years? Or even longer?
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Yellow fever, a hemorrhagic disease that is common in South America and sub-Saharan Africa, infects about 200,000 people per year and causes an estimated 30,000 deaths. While there is a vaccine for yellow fever, it can't be given to some people because of the risk of side effects, and there are no approved treatments for the disease.

An international team of researchers, led by MIT Professor Ram Sasisekharan, has now developed a potential treatment for yellow fever. Their drug, an engineered monoclonal antibody that targets the virus, has shown success in early-stage clinical trials in Singapore.

This class of antibodies holds promise for treating a variety of infectious diseases, but it usually takes several years to develop and test them. The MIT-led researchers demonstrated that they could design, produce, and begin clinical trials of their antibody drug within seven months.

Their approach, which condenses the timeline by performing many of the steps necessary for drug development in parallel, could also be applied to developing new treatments for Covid-19, says Sasisekharan, the Alfred H. Caspary Professor of Biological Engineering and Health Sciences and Technology. He adds that a potential Covid-19 antibody treatment, developed using this approach in a process that took just four months, has shown no adverse events in healthy volunteers in phase I clinical trials, and phase 3 trials are expected to start in early August in Singapore.

"Traditional drug development processes are very linear, and they take many years," Sasisekharan says. "If you're going to get something to humans fast, you can't do it linearly, because then the best-case scenario for testing in humans is a year to 18 months. If you need to develop a drug in six months or less, then a lot of these things need to happen in parallel."

Jenny Low, a senior consultant in infectious diseases at Singapore General Hospital, is the lead author of the study, which appears today in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, and the biotechnology company Tysana Pte also contributed to the study.

Speeding up the process

Several types of monoclonal antibodies have been approved to treat a variety of cancers. These engineered antibodies help to stimulate a patient's immune system to attack tumors by binding to proteins found on cancerous cells.

Many researchers are also working on monoclonal antibodies to treat infectious diseases. In recent years, scientists have developed an experimental cocktail of three monoclonal antibodies that target the Ebola virus, which has shown some success in clinical trials in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sasisekharan began working on a "rapid response" to emerging infectious diseases after the Zika outbreak that started in 2015. Singapore, which experienced a small outbreak of the Zika virus in 2016, is home to the SMART antimicrobial resistance research group, where Sasisekharan is a principal investigator.

The Sasisekharan lab antibody design process uses computational methods to target functionally important, and evolutionarily stable, regions on the virus. Building blocks from a database of all known antibody elements are selected based on several criteria, including their functional importance, to build candidate antibodies to evaluate. Testing these candidates provides valuable feedback, and the design loop continues until an optimized antibody that fully neutralizes the target virus is identified.

The group also explored new approaches to compress the timeline by performing many of the necessary steps in parallel, using analytical techniques to address regulatory risks associated with drug safety, manufacturing, and clinical study design.

Using this approach, the researchers developed a candidate Zika treatment within nine months. They performed phase 1a clinical trials to test for safety in March 2018, but by the time they were ready to test the drug's effectiveness in patients, the outbreak had ended. However, the team hopes to eventually test it in areas where the disease is still present.

Sasisekharan and his colleagues then decided to see if they could apply the same approach to developing a potential treatment for yellow fever. Yellow fever, a mosquito-borne disease, tends to appear seasonally in tropical and subtropical regions of South America and Africa. A particularly severe outbreak began in January 2018 in Brazil and lasted for several months.

The MIT/SMART team began working on developing a yellow fever antibody treatment in March 2018, in hopes of having it ready to counter an outbreak so that it could be made available for potential patients in late 2018 or early 2019, when another outbreak was expected. They identified promising antibody candidates based on their ability to bind to the viral envelope and neutralize the virus that causes yellow fever.

The researchers narrowed their candidates down to one antibody, which they called TY014. They then developed production methods to create small, uniform batches that they could use to perform necessary testing phases in parallel. These tests include studying the drugs' effectiveness in human cells, determining the most effective dosages, testing for potential toxicity, and analyzing how the drug behaves in animal models. As soon as they had results indicating that the treatment would be safe, they began clinical trials in December 2018.

"The mindset in the industry is that it's like a relay race. You don't start the next lap until you finish the previous lap," Sasisekharan says. "In our case, we start each runner as soon as we can."

Clinical trials

TY014 was clinically tested in parallel to address safety through dose escalation in healthy human volunteers. Once an appropriate dose was deemed safe, the researchers began a phase 1b trial, in which they measured the antibody's ability to clear the virus. Even though the 1b trial had begun, the 1a trial continued until a maximum safe dose in humans was identified.

Because there is a vaccine available for yellow fever, the researchers could perform a type of clinical trial known as a challenge test. They first vaccinated volunteers, then 24 hours later, they gave them either the experimental antibody drug or a placebo. Two days after that, they measured whether the drug cleared the weakened viruses that make up the vaccine.

The researchers found that following treatment, the virus was undetectable in blood samples from people who received the antibodies. The treatment also reduced inflammation following vaccination, compared to people who received the vaccine but not the antibody treatment. The phase 1b trial was completed in July 2019, and the researchers now hope to perform phase 2 clinical trials in patients infected with the disease.

###

The research was funded by Tysana Pte. Tysana is also performing the clinical trials now underway for a Covid-19 treatment that was developed along with Singaporean government agencies including the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health, and the Economic Development Board.
Soldiers attend a ceremony in 2011 of the First Armored Division at the U.S. Army Airfield in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Associated Press)

The Pentagon said Wednesday it would withdraw nearly 12,000 U.S. troops from Germany, carrying out an order from President Trump to punish Berlin for failing to meet NATO defense spending targets.

About 6,400 soldiers and other military personnel would be sent back to the U.S., while 5,600 personnel would be shifted to Belgium and Italy, a move Defense Secretary Mark Esper said was aimed at bolstering the Pentagons ability to deter Russia from threatening U.S. allies in Eastern Europe.

But Trump did not mention deterring Russia in his comments Wednesday morning about the plan: Were reducing the force because [Germany is] not paying their bills. Its very simple. Theyre delinquent. He added that he might rethink the decision if they start paying their bills.

Initial small troop movements could happen within weeks and roughly 24,000 troops would remain in Germany, officials said. But most of the major moves face congressional opposition and could take years, if they happen at all.

A former top military official warned that the withdrawal would hamper U.S military strength in Europe, deepening the split between Washington and Germany and leaving fewer combat troops permanently stationed in Europe in case of war with Russia.

A colossal mistake, a political decision not based on strategic analysis, retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former U.S. Army commander in Europe, said in a tweet. Germany is a vital ally.

The plan calls for moving a combat regiment to a still-undecided location in the United States and for relocating U.S. European Command headquarters from Stuttgart, Germany, to Mons, Belgium, near NATO headquarters. An F-16 squadron would be repositioned to Italy.

This is going to accomplish what the president said, Esper told reporters at a Pentagon press conference Wednesday. "These changes will achieve the corps principle of deterring Russia.

The Pentagon announcement came only hours after Trump said he had not asked Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone call about intelligence reports that Russia was paying bounties to Taliban militants in Afghanistan for the killing of U.S. service members.

Story continues

That was a phone call to discuss other things, and frankly thats an issue that many people said was fake news, Trump told Axios in an interview Tuesday.

From the start of his presidency, Trump has sought warmer ties with Putin and targeted Germany, claiming it was not spending enough on defense, playing down its central geographic position in Europe, extensive military facilities and decades-old history of close cooperation with the Pentagon.

The withdrawal plan could be derailed if Trump is defeated for reelection in November, and even if it goes forward, the shift in forces will depend on Congress providing billions of dollars to pay for new housing and headquarters buildings.

Even Republicans in Congress appear dubious about the plan. Last month, Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee warned Trump against the redeployment from Germany.

The threats posed by Russia have not lessened, and we believe that signs of a weakened U.S. commitment to NATO will encourage further Russian aggression and opportunism, the letter signed by 22 Republicans said.

The U.S. will continue to send combat units to Poland, the Baltics and other countries in Eastern Europe on temporary deployments to reassure allies in the Black Sea and Baltic regions close to Russia.

There about 47,000 U.S. troops and civilian Defense Department personnel now in Germany, along with tens of thousands of family members. Most are in a handful of larger Army and Air Force bases, including Ramstein Air Base, a key hub for the Pentagon in southwest Germany. Its top-notch combat hospital treated thousands of soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years.

Trump on Wednesday rejected the idea that the Pentagon benefits from its presence in Germany.

They're there to protect Europe. They're there to protect Germany, right? And Germany is supposed to pay for it, he said. We don't want to be the suckers any more.
Harassed by stalkers, a 19-year old school girl allegedly died by suicide on Monday in Indore hours before she was declared to have scored 74% marks in class 12 examination, said police.

The incident didnt come to light immediately as her parents assumed she might have ended her life fearing she might fail the examination. Later, police accepted a complaint from the deceaseds brother but didnt lodge an FIR, as per family members.

Police registered an FIR on the complaint of the girls brother on Tuesday and are investigating the matter. No arrest has been made so far, said Yogesh Tomar, town inspector (TI), Chandan Nagar police station said on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old girl, a resident of a locality in Indore, allegedly died by suicide early morning on Monday by hanging herself from the ceiling in her room. The girls father, who is a labourer, said he felt initially that she had done so out of fear of failure in the exam, the result for which was announced on Monday afternoon. They checked her result and found she had passed with 74% marks, said the police inspector.

Also Read: Man kills live-in partner over suspected illicit affair

The police officer added that his brother later found out from his friends and neighbours that his sister was being stalked and harassed by a couple of men.

Her brother came to know from neighbours and her friends that two men had been stalking and harassing her for a long time. One of the stalkers was exerting pressure on her to accept his offer for marriage with him. They also threatened the girl that they would kill her family, if she refused to accept the proposal. But the family was not aware of it, the police inspector added.

Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Covid-19 patient allegedly dies by suicide at Covid Care Centre

It was also revealed that the stalkers had again threatened her a few hours before she ended her life.

The brother of the deceased said, My father and I had gone to Dhar for some work on Sunday. My mother had gone outside to purchase something. My sister was alone at home when the two stalkers, who have criminal records against them, barged into my house and threatened my sister with dire consequences if she didnt marry one of them. Later, at around 3 am on Monday, she ended her life.

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DETROIT, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Circus and the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) today announced that the two organizations will partner to incorporate live environmental data into the coding academy's training programs. Grand Circus students will now have access to many types of data managed by the Ann Arbor-based binational nonprofit, which collects, manages, and shares key data sets that support science, policy, management, and industry in the Great Lakes.

This partnership comes as the Great Lakes region is experiencing record water temperatures, with some lake surfaces measuring 80 degrees Fahrenheit in July. The protection and sustainability of the Great Lakes is critical to the economic and ecological health of Michigan and other midwestern states, as well as Canada. GLOS has been assembling data in and around the Great Lakes to make datasets available to a multitude of stakeholders, including researchers, government officials, boaters, anglers, homeowners and the general public.

"One of our main goals is to get critical, real-time information into as many hands as possible so people can understand the water and make better decisions," said Kelli Paige, GLOS CEO, "and we are excited to see what the innovative students at Grand Circus will create."

Grand Circus bootcamp students will use data managed by GLOS to enrich their final projects. Students will be encouraged to build dashboards, mobile and web applications with these unique and real-time datasets, highlighting their power to inform policy and action to address climate change and other environmental concerns. Students will also meet with the GLOS team to better understand the organization's mission and data. The first Grand Circus students to interact with GLOS data will begin their bootcamp this month.

"When students have the opportunity to work with actual data to meet a real-world need, they deepen their bootcamp experience," says Peter Guenther, Director of Learning at Grand Circus. "We're so grateful for this partnership with GLOS for the chance to enrich our students' experience and help them build important professional development skills."

Grand Circus has been operating in Michigan since 2013 with a focus on training students from all backgrounds and experience levels for high-impact careers in technology. These graduates join a network of 1,700+ alumni and 350+ employers, the largest tech community of its kind in Michigan. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, all Grand Circus courses are remote hosted with local instructors.

"Real-world data makes a difference for students. It puts the possibilities of a coding career into context," says Damien Rocchi, CEO and Co-founder of Grand Circus. "As a Michigan-based company, we join with GLOS in recognition that the health of the Great Lakes is paramount to the health of our state, economy, and future. Through this partnership, students will have the opportunity to not only learn and earn a new career but to make a significant difference in their world and their environment through technology."

For more information on Grand Circus, please visit grandcircus.co.

For more information on the Great Lakes Observing System, please visit glos.org.

About GLOS

The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) provides end-to-end data services that support science, policy, management, and industry in the Great Lakes.

A binational nonprofit, GLOS aims to enable easy access to the real-time and historical lake data that the people of the region need.

By taking a user-oriented approach to organizing the technologies, people, and processes involved in monitoring the Great Lakes, GLOS is building a system where data is sharable and interoperable so that our immensely valuable freshwater resources can be better managed and more fully understood.

For more information, visit glos.org .

About Grand Circus

Grand Circus is a learning institute that teaches high-demand technology skills and connects the region's employers to exceptional talent. Our 12-and 26-week software developer bootcamps produce graduates with the latest technical knowledge and soft skills required to thrive in the region's growing tech sector. We also offer advanced workshops and both reskilling and upskilling solutions for companies of all sizes.

Since launching in 2013, Grand Circus has maintained strong partnerships with big tech and local government entities to ensure that our students are receiving the latest and most advanced training. To date, more than 1,700 bootcamp graduates now work at over 350 companies across the region.

We also champion a variety of initiatives to advance our mission of making a tech career universally accessible. Grand Circus is one of ten Google for Startup North America tech hubs and partners with Facebook, Detroit at Work, TekSystems, the Grand Rapids SmartZone and Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation to provide a mix of funding and high-impact programming. For more information, visit www.grandcircus.co.

SOURCE Grand Circus

Related Links

http://www.grandcircus.co


The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the life and work of hundreds of university students and lecturers.

Duong Hong Loan, Strategic Engagement Director of RMIT University, for example, said the school is facing difficulties dealing with the consequences caused by Covid-19.





RMIT Vietnam employs a high number of foreign lecturers. Some lecturers left for their home countries on Lunar New Year holiday in late January and cannot return to Vietnam because commercial flights have not resumed.



Loan said government agencies have been trying to create favorable conditions for them to book air tickets to Vietnam. However, the procedures are complicated.



In order to get permission for one specialist to come to Vietnam, our 10 officers have to work with ministries and agencies for one month, from the citys healthcare departments to wards healthcare sub-departments, Loan said.



In many cases, the Ministry of Public Security agrees to grant visas, but local immigration departments refuse to handle the cases.



RMIT Vietnam now has 600 foreign students. Because of Covid-19, the students cannot return because they cannot get visas and there is no flight to Vietnam.

When Vietnamese schools were closed because of social distancing, the education ministry encouraged schools to teach online and recognized the results of online learning.

Other universities complain that their students are stuck in Australia, the US and other countries under student exchange or internship courses.



The students are staying abroad and waiting for flights to Vietnam as they run out of money. On average, life overseas costs them $2,000-3,000 a month.



Loan hopes that the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) will ask the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control to take necessary measures to help the students and lecturers return to Vietnam.



A representative of Vietnam-Germany University said 20-30 percent of its school go abroad each year under joint training programs.

The school is also planning to send students to Germany, and many students in Germany want to return to Vietnam. However, they cannot implement their plans because of Covid-19.



Le Quang Son, deputy director of Da Nang University, said the school has 900 foreign students, but only 300 students from Laos have returned.



Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha, while promising to work with government agencies to settle the problems, requested schools to organize online teaching instead of sitting and waiting.



When Vietnamese schools were closed because of social distancing, the education ministry encouraged schools to teach online and recognized the results of online learning.



Because of Covid-19, most education establishments in Vietnam closed their doors from February to April.

Le Ha

Students change study abroad plans because of Covid-19, new policies The Covid-19 pandemic and new policies applied by countries receiving foreign students have changed Vietnamese students study abroad plans.
UPDATE: The enforcement of the 10 p.m. last call time for bars and restaurants has been temporarily suspended by a lawsuit from multiple bar owners.

The Athens-Clarke County government plans to move the last call to sell alcoholic beverages from 2 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting this Friday in an effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Facebook post by Mayor Kelly Girtz. The order should be formalized this Thursday at a mayor and commission special session at 6 p.m.

The plan comes during a rise in COVID-19 cases in the state and around the nation where other states are implementing similar strategies. Governors of South Carolina, North Carolina, Colorado and Alabama have adopted similar orders, though Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has not yet done the same. In Colorado, bars and restaurants are suing the state over the order. Their last call of 10 p.m. is the earliest of the above mentioned states.

Girtz said in a message to The Red & Black it is uncertain when this order will end as the mayor and commission monitor the pandemic. Bars have been cited as spaces of increased spread of the virus and some states have had to reclose them, including Texas and Florida. Georgias bars, like those in other states such as Illinois, opened under particular conditions outlined by Kemps executive order to make the spaces safer.

The number of cases has increased by over 1,200 in Athens-Clarke County since June 1, when bars reopened.

A slap in the face

After being closed for two months and reopening at the beginning of June with 39 regulations from Kemps orders, bars in Athens have been struggling to stay open and earn a profit.

For owners who have been in compliance with the governors reopening order, which includes limiting capacity to 25 people or 35% of the buildings capacity, the new order to move up the time for last call is seen as a slap in the face.

Every bar and restaurant in town that I know is floating by the skin of their teeth, Jarrod Miller, chief operating officer of Moonshine, On the Rocks and 1785 Bar and Grill, said. Now were being told that we cant even make some of the money that we werent making.

Miller, whose businesses open at 9 p.m., said this is like a second shutdown and that he will have to rethink his bars opening times, potentially opening them up earlier and staying open until 9 p.m.

Restaurants will still be able to serve food after 9 p.m.  it is only the alcohol sales that have been restricted. However, Miller and Kim Long, one of the owners of Flicker Theatre and Bar, are concerned with the fixed expenses they still have to pay and have been paying since the pandemic hit with their limited source of income over the past couple months.

Girtzs post said that licensed alcohol establishments will receive a refund or credit for half of the prorated monthly license fee for each month that the order remains in effect. As part of their fixed expenses, bars pay for a series of alcohol licenses ranging from $600 to $5,000 per year, depending on the type of alcohol they sell. For licenses to sell wine, beer and liquor, establishments must pay $7,000 total annually.

Nevertheless, this might not be enough to help bars with other fixed expenses such as rent, utilities and insurance. The aid that these bars applied for back in spring either may not have been delivered or has already been used up during the past four months to keep their businesses afloat.

All of that money is gone, Long said with regards to the aid her bar applied for back in April. Were just getting further and further in debt.

Girtz also provided an update on the suggested parklet plan, where restaurants and bars would be able to serve drinks to offsite seating on sidewalks and parking spaces. The order for the plan should come next week.

The outdoor seating would allow bars and restaurants more space for more patrons in the open air where the virus is less likely to spread between individuals. Discussion of the parklets has been in the works for months, but has yet to be established, a frustration for Long and her bar.

Weve been bugging them since May and this was their opportunity to give us the parklets, and [they] give us the finger, Long said.
BarcelonaCatalonias 5th Court of penitentiary surveillance has granted the Prosecutors request and suspended the level 3 prison status of five of the Catalan political prisoners, effective immediate: Raul Romeva, Oriol Junqueras, Joaquim Forn, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart. The Prosecutors Office for the Barcelona province filed their appeal on Tuesday morning aiming to strip six of the Catalan leaders of their level 3 status with immediate effect. Level 3 inmates are placed in an open prison regime which means they are only expected back in jail to sleep from Monday to Thursday. The Catalan political prisoners had only been moved up to level 3 on July 14.

Specifically, the Barcelona Prosecutor lodged an appeal against Oriol Junqueras, Carme Forcadell, Raul Romeva, Joaquim Forn, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart. So far Jordi Turull and Josep Rulls status has not been contested, nor has Dolors Bassas who is an inmate at the Puig de les Basses facility in Girona. The judge did not issue a judgement in Carme Forcadells case because the former Speaker of the Catalan parliament does no fall within the same jurisdiction as the other Catalan prisoners.

The Prosecutor claims that being classed as level 3 inmates, in some cases before having served a quarter of their sentence and shortly after being classed into level 2, might send a message of impunity. All six appeals are virtually identical and they reiterate earlier arguments. The Prosecutor argues that the prisoners were first granted leave in January and February by invoking article 100.2 of the Prison Service Rules and Regulations, shortly after being classed as level 2 inmates and before some of them had served a quarter of their sentence, which is unusual for such major crimes and severe sentences. Furthermore, some of the prisoners saw their daily leave hours extended for no obvious reason. Only six months after being classed into level 2, they have been upgraded to level 3, which far from serving the purpose of the sentences imposed creates a feeling of total impunity in the inmate and society at large, the appeal claims.

Incompatible progression

The Prosecutor states that such a fast progression to level 3 is at odds with the penaltys purpose of retribution and general and special prevention, as well as the aim to reeducate and re-socialise. In fact, he argues that all the prisoners are guaranteed social reinsertion because prior to the facts they had a job, a family and a stable social environment. Thats why now the penalty aims to prevent and must constitute a socially useful means to intimidate the criminal, seek retribution for their crimes and instil in the perpetrator the feeling that his actions had harmful consequences. Effective internment is the only way to persuade the criminal that he cannot abuse his former powers to turn his will into law, he adds.

The Prosecutor also believes that the penalty imposed seeks to make the convicts hope to become and be able to live as law-abiding individuals and he states that none of the Catalan prisoners have come to grips with the fact that the actions they were convicted of were criminal. In fact, the Prosecutor goes on to assert that their treatment has not evolved sufficiently to enjoy certain penitentiary benefits and he claims that none of them have taken part in group or individual therapy to work on their crimes and the identified deficits. The only treatment they have sought, according to the Prosecutor, was regular outings thanks to Article 100.2, which in Forcadells case have already been suspended by Madrids Supreme Court.

Following the judgement issued on Thursday last week by the Supreme Court, the Prosecutors move suggests that the Catalan political prisoners will be stripped of their level 3 benefits before the weekend. By invoking section 5 of the Fifth Additional Provision of the Law of the Judiciary [LOPJ in Spanish], the Supreme Court ruled that an appeal by the Prosecutor would suffice to suspend any benefits that involved the Catalan prisoners release.
Sanjay Dutt turns a year older today. The actor has worked in films of various genres from romance to comedy to action in a career span of nearly four decades.

Born to actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis, Sanjay made his debut as an actor in Rocky (1981). He established himself as a mainstream hero in the 90s with films like Saajan (1991) and Khalnayak (1993). Dutt got a breakthrough in his career when he played a common man-turned-gangster in Vaastav: The Reality (1999). He earned his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance. Dutts portrayal of Murli Prasad Sharma in Rajkumar Hiranis Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003) and sequel Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) proved to be a game changer for his career. The actor is married to Maanayata. The couple is blessed with twins son, Shahraan and daughter Iqra.

On the occasion of his birthday, heres looking at some of Sanjays best social media moments with family:

As it is rightly said, a picture is worth a thousand words. This candid picture of the Dutts is all things love. Sanjay wrote alongside the photo, Me and the 3 diamonds in my life, happy to be with them forever, never to go back

Sanjays family was away from him in Dubai during the lockdown and he confessed missing them a lot. Sanjay revealed that he calls his wife, Mom and was grateful for her presence in his life. He wrote, I miss them so much. To everyone who is with their families right now, cherish them!

This one is when the Dutts were enjoying a vacation in a beautiful location together. The caption reads, When I have them, I have everything. With Iqra, Shahraan and @maanayata in Kyrgyzstan #Torbaaz #blessed #family.

Sanjay was shooting for his film Bhoomi when his family visited him on sets in Agra. They posed for a beautiful picture with the stunning Taj Mahal in the backdrop.

Sanjay sends best wishes on Christmas Eve with this post. The photograph has the young Dutts all grown up almost like each others clones

Here's wishing Sanjay Dutt a happy birthday!
Ive been helping authors to write books for over 15 years. This has given me incredible access to some of the worlds top non-fiction authors, like Jack Canfield. Jack, and his business partner at the time Mark Victor Hansen, are the co-authors of one of the most successful book series of all time: Chicken Soup For The Soul.

Jacks books have sold over 500 million copies around the world. Although there is no way to confirm this definitively, Jack Canfield is likely one of the top non-fiction authors of all time.

I recently had a chance to interview Jack about his journey with books. If you are interested in publishing a non-fiction book to help your career, then read on to get his amazing advice.

1. Ask yourself who you want to help

Jack explained that he rarely thought about the money that he would make, in the early days. He focussed all of his attention on the people that his books could help. The journey to becoming a bestselling author is not easy. Its that focus on the people that your book will help that will keep you going!

Related: 7 Common Questions About Self-Publishing on Amazon

Jack told me: I always wanted to be wealthy. I mean, who doesn't? But I never set out to make money. That wasn't my top goal. My goal was to make a difference. I've always been someone who loved to learn, so if I can learn something and turn around and teach it to someone else, I'm really happy.

2. Get a great editor before you self-publish

If you are going to spend any money on your project, spend it on editing. That was one of Jacks biggest pieces of advice. He explained that you could spend a significant amount of time and money on launching and promoting your book, but if the book is not a real page-turner, it will be a big waste. Most authors never get a good editor involved.

3. You have to be persistent

It really wasn't easy in the beginning. No, it wasn't easy at all. Well, first of all, you know, I come from a family where we didn't have any money. My dad made $8,000 a year. And so, we grew up poor and I worked all my way through high school. I worked through college. I served breakfast in the dorms. I did dorm cleaning. I cut the grass in the summer on the university grounds crew. So, you know, this was not handed to me in any way."

When he and his co-writing started Chicken Soup, Jack said he was making about $100,00 year, but was $140,000 in credit card debt from having started his company. "Once we wrote Chicken Soup, we got rejected by 144 publishers."

Publishers told Jack that people don't read collections of short stories and they thought the title was stupid. "Publishers in New York were even more jaded," says Jack. "It was too positive and all that kind of stuff."

Related: 5 Things This Self-Published Author Did to Sell Over 20,000 Books

After 1 1/2 years of trying, the 145th publisher they approached gave them positive feedback. "We found a little publisher down in Florida. He made us go out and prove to him that people would buy it before he gave us a deal. We spent a full year doing seminars in hotels and getting people to sign forms saying that they would buy our book. It was only after we gave the publisher 10,000 signed forms that he gave us our deal!

4. Follow the Rule of Five

Jack said, Do five things a day toward the achievement of your breakthrough goal. Our breakthrough goal was to get this book to be a bestseller. It took us 14 months to hit our first bestseller list, The Washington Post. Then it hit the New York Times list. The book slowly climbed up the list but when it got to the top, it stayed there for three years. Twenty-five years later, we're published in 47 languages. But it was a lot of work. It was a lot of calling up newspaper editors and sending free books out and calling military bases and saying, 'Do you have this book? Can I send you a copy?'"

Jack continued: "We'd call up multilevel marketing companies and see if they would recommend it to their downlines. We get, 'No, no, no.' I'd get hung up on. And then one guy bought a thousand books. Then another person at Discovery Toys bought some books, and then she hired me to be her keynote speaker at a company convention. For every 50 nos, we would get one lucky break.

5. Free media is the key

My favorite tip from this chat with Jack came when I asked him, What would you do differently if you were starting again today?

Jack said that he would take advantage of all the free media that is out there today. Podcasts are one of the top choices for consumption in media, so get yourself on as many podcasts as you can. Search Google for podcast show hosts. There are millions of them and they are all looking for more guests.

Jack also suggested looking for influencers on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Offer to be on a live video with them. If you push these free media options hard enough, it could take you to a bestseller list.

Related: How Self-Publishing Can Establish You as an Expert

Writing a book is a great way to increase your credibility in your business niche. Nothing worthwhile is ever going to be easy, but if you follow Jacks advice you can make your book a success!

You can hear my full interview with Jack Canfield by downloading the Authority Factor Podcast.

Related:

5 Self-Publishing Book Tips From the 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' Author Who Has Sold Over 500 Million Copies

Use This App to Avoid Typos and Craft Perfect Emails Every Time

Planning to Self-Publish Your First Book? Avoid These 6 Rookie Mistakes at All Costs



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Committed to the Cause: Working on the Frontline to End Human Trafficking

 UNODC



Financial Intelligence

Carmen*,

Financial Intelligence Analyst, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Canada

As a Financial Intelligence Analyst, I assist in the detection, prevention, and deterrence of money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities.

I joined FINTRAC five years ago, and I analyse financial transaction reports and create financial intelligence products, which we share with law enforcement agencies.

Some of the cases I am dealing with can be linked to individuals or entities suspected of laundering funds derived from human trafficking in the sex trade.

I have the luxury of not just feeling like my, and all the other analysts, work is successful, I know it is. Real victims are being rescued from sex trafficking operations partially due to FINTRACs contributions.

One example is a recent investigation, based on which now seven people are facing charges for running a human trafficking operation.

The greatest sense of pride I get is when FINTRAC is recognized by our law enforcement partners for its contribution in an investigation.

Trafficking victims suffer immeasurable trauma. Relying solely on their testimonies in a human trafficking case can lead to re-traumatization. But financial intelligence can often support victims testimonies and lower the risk of further trauma.

FINTRAC actively contributes to the Government of Canadas efforts under the new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking. FINTRAC plays a unique role by leveraging its partnerships within the public and private sectors to proactively target individuals or entities suspected to be involved in the laundering of funds from sexual exploitation.

We also established a unique project, called Project Protect, where we engage with financial institutions and law enforcement to target human trafficking in the sex trade. Ive been part of Project Protect since its inception and two years ago I was appointed Lead Intelligence Analyst.

Through Project Protect we managed to build a strong channel of communication from the private to the public sphere, creating a process that has resulted in proactive investigations based on information from the private sector.

As FINTRAC has grown, its value in providing financial intelligence has increasingly been recognized by its partners.

As an analyst, the greatest challenge is managing workload to sustain productivity while also generating high quality analytical products.

Through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), FINTRAC has received a platform to present on the merit of Public-Private Partnerships, as well as the vital role financial intelligence can play in addressing a wide range of criminality through its incorporation into other investigative methods.

During COVID-19 we were able to provide support to our partners in law enforcement through actionable financial intelligence by applying appropriate social distancing, telework policies, and personal protective equipment.

___________________

* Not her real name
Seven babies were stillborn in one night at a major Zimbabwean hospital this week because their mothers did not get adequate medical care due to a nurses strike, doctors said on Wednesday, as a dispute over working conditions cripples hospitals.

Nurses went on strike countrywide last month demanding U.S. dollar salaries, which the government says it cannot afford.

That has left government hospitals with skeleton staff and doctors and senior nurses stretched at a time when the country is grappling with rising COVID-19 cases.

Out of eight pregnant women who underwent caesarean sections on Monday night at Sally Mugabe Hospital, the biggest in the country, only one successfully delivered a baby, three doctors who work in the maternity and paediatric units told Reuters.

This was preventable. Some ruptured their uterus because nobody was there to monitor them, so when interventions were made it was to save the mother, one of the doctors said, declining to be identified because they are not allowed to speak to the press.

Another doctor said fresh stillbirths - meaning a baby that dies during labour or delivery - were just a window into the state of Zimbabwes public hospitals, which had become dysfunctional and a death trap to citizens.

Expecting mothers are spending hours sleeping on benches or the floor in the cold before they are attended to, as smaller clinics which usually absorb some patients are closed due to the strike, piling pressure on major hospitals, doctors said.

The Zimbabwes Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said the situation in hospitals was beyond dire.

Simply put, unborn children and mothers are dying daily, or suffering from the repercussions of inadequate care, the organisation said in a statement.

The situation could worsen as an ultimatum for higher pay issued by senior doctors expires on Wednesday without a resolution. The doctors have said they will go on strike.

Commenting on the stillbirths, President Emmerson Mnangagwas spokesman George Charamba wrote on Twitter; When the true story gets known, many shall be shocked. There is a limit to what can be done with human lives, tender ones at that, all to mobilize for dead political ends!

He could not be reached for further comment.

Acting Health Minister Amon Murwira did not answer calls to his mobile phone.

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New Delhi: Union Cabinet on Wednesday (July 29) approved National Education Policy 2020, paving way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems in the country. The new policy aims for the Universalization of Education from pre-school to secondary level with 100 % GER in school education by 2030, according to a government statement.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the National Education Policy 2020 today, making way for large scale, transformational reforms in both school and higher education sectors.

"This is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. Built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability, this policy is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, suited to 21st century needs and aimed at bringing out the unique capabilities of each student," according to the statement.

Important Highlights: School Education

1. Ensuring Universal Access at all levels of school education: NEP 2020 emphasizes on ensuring universal access to school education at all levels- preschool to secondary.

Infrastructure support, innovative education centres to bring back dropouts into the mainstream, tracking of students and their learning levels, facilitating multiple pathways to learning involving both formal and non-formal education modes, association of counselors or well-trained social workers with schools, open learning for classes 3,5 and 8 through NIOS and State Open Schools, secondary education programs equivalent to Grades 10 and 12, vocational courses, adult literacy and life-enrichment programs are some of the proposed ways for achieving this.

About 2 crore out of school children will be brought back into main stream under NEP 2020.

2. Early Childhood Care, Education with new Curricular and Pedagogical Structure: With emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education, the 10+2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.

This will bring the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for development of mental faculties of a child. The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre schooling.

NCERT will develop a National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCPFECCE) for children up to the age of 8.

ECCE will be delivered through a significantly expanded and strengthened system of institutions including Anganwadis and pre-schools that will have teachers and Anganwadi workers trained in the ECCE pedagogy and curriculum. The planning and implementation of ECCE will be carried out jointly by the Ministries of HRD, Women and Child Development (WCD), Health and Family Welfare (HFW), and Tribal Affairs.

3. Attaining Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: Recognizing Foundational Literacy and Numeracy as an urgent and necessary prerequisite to learning, NEP 2020 calls for setting up of a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy by MHRD.

States will prepare an implementation plan for attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools for all learners by grade 3 by 2025.A National Book Promotion Policy is to be formulated.

4. Reforms in school curricula and pedagogy: The school curricula and pedagogy will aim for holistic development of learners by equipping them with the key 21st century skills, reduction in curricular content to enhance essential learning and critical thinking and greater focus on experiential learning. Students will have increased flexibility and choice of subjects.

There will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams.

Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships.

A new and comprehensive National Curricular Framework for School Education, NCFSE 2020-21, will be developed by the NCERT.

5. Multilingualism and the power of language: The policy has emphasized mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond.

Sanskrit to be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the three-language formula. Other classical languages and literatures of India also to be available as options.

No language will be imposed on any student. Students to participate in a fun project/activity on The Languages of India, sometime in Grades 6-8, such as, under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat initiative. Several foreign languages will also be offered at the secondary level.

Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardized across the country, and National and State curriculum materials developed, for use by students with hearing impairment.

6. Assessment Reforms: NEP 2020 envisages a shift from summative assessment to regular and formative assessment, which is more competency-based, promotes learning and development, and tests higher-order skills, such as analysis, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity.

All students will take school examinations in grades 3, 5, and 8 which will be conducted by the appropriate authority. Board exams for Grades 10 and 12 will be continued, but redesigned with holistic development as the aim. A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), will be set up as a standard-setting body.

7. Equitable and Inclusive Education: NEP 2020 aims to ensure that no child loses any opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background.

Special emphasis will be given on Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups(SEDGs) which include gender, socio-cultural, and geographical identities and disabilities. This includes setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund and also Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups.

Children with disabilities will be enabled to fully participate in the regular schooling process from the foundational stage to higher education, with support of educators with cross disability training, resource centres, accommodations, assistive devices, appropriate technology-based tools and other support mechanisms tailored to suit their needs.

Every state/district will be encouraged to establish Bal Bhavans as a special daytime boarding school, to participate in art-related, career-related, and play-related activities. Free school infrastructure can be used as Samajik Chetna Kendras

8. Robust Teacher Recruitment and Career Path: Teachers will be recruited through robust, transparent processes. Promotions will be merit-based, with a mechanism for multi-source periodic performance appraisals and available progression paths to become educational administrators or teacher educators.

A common National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by the National Council for Teacher Education by 2022, in consultation with NCERT, SCERTs, teachers and expert organizations from across levels and regions.

9. School Governance: Schools can be organized into complexes or clusters which will be the basic unit of governance and ensure availability of all resources including infrastructure, academic libraries and a strong professional teacher community.

10. Standard-setting and Accreditation for School Education: NEP 2020 envisages clear, separate systems for policy making, regulation, operations and academic matters. States/UTs will set up independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA).

Transparent public self-disclosure of all the basic regulatory information, as laid down by the SSSA, will be used extensively for public oversight and accountability.

The SCERT will develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) through consultations with all stakeholders.

Higher Education: Important Highlights:

1. Increase GER to 50 % by 2035: NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. 3.5 Crore new seats will be added to Higher education institutions.

2. Holistic Multidisciplinary Education: The policy envisages broad based, multi-disciplinary, holistic Under Graduate education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification.

UG education can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period. For example, Certificate after 1 year, Advanced Diploma after 2 years, Bachelors Degree after 3 years and Bachelors with Research after 4 years.

An Academic Bank of Credit is to be established for digitally storing academic credits earned from different HEIs so that these can be transferred and counted towards final degree earned.

Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with IITs, IIMs, to be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.

The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.

3. Regulation: Higher Education Commission of India(HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education. HECI to have four independent verticals - National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation, General Education Council (GEC ) for standard-setting, Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding, and National Accreditation Council( NAC) for accreditation.

HECI will function through faceless intervention through technology, & will have powers to penalise HEIs not conforming to norms and standards. Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation, and academic standards.

4. Rationalised Institutional Architecture: Higher education institutions will be transformed into large, well resourced, vibrant multidisciplinary institutions providing high quality teaching, research, and community engagement. The definition of the university will allow a spectrum of institutions that range from research-intensive Universities to Teaching-intensive Universities and Autonomous degree-granting Colleges.

Affiliation of colleges is to be phased out in 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges. Over a period of time, it is envisaged that every college would develop into either an Autonomous degree-granting College, or a constituent college of a university.

5. Motivated, Energized, and Capable Faculty: NEP makes recommendations for motivating, energizing, and building capacity of faculty thorugh clearly defined, independent, transparent recruitment , freedom to design curricula/pedagogy, incentivising excellence, movement into institutional leadership. Faculty not delivering on basic norms will be held accountable

6. Teacher Education: A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021, will be formulated by the NCTE in consultation with NCERT. By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated BEd degree.

Stringent action will be taken against substandard stand-alone Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs).

7. Mentoring Mission: A National Mission for Mentoring will be established, with a large pool of outstanding senior/retired faculty  including those with the ability to teach in Indian languages  who would be willing to provide short and long-term mentoring/professional support to university/college teachers.

8. Financial support for students: Efforts will be made to incentivize the merit of students belonging to SC, ST, OBC, and other SEDGs. The National Scholarship Portal will be expanded to support, foster, and track the progress of students receiving scholarships. Private HEIs will be encouraged to offer larger numbers of free ships and scholarships to their students.

9. Technology in education: An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.

Appropriate integration of technology into all levels of education will be done to improve classroom processes, support teacher professional development, enhance educational access for disadvantaged groups and streamline educational planning, administration, and management
The Grace family appears to have gotten bigger in the last few months.

Actors Topher Grace and Ashley Hinshaw were spotted out walking together with their two-year-old daughter Mabel and pushing an infant stroller in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Back in January, the duo revealed that they were expecting their second child at an event when the 31-year-old beauty debuted her baby bump.

Growing Graces: Topher Grace and Ashley Hinshaw were spotted walking together with their daughter Mabel and pushing an infant stroller in LA on Wednesday after revealing they were expecting again back in January

Ashley was glowing in a blue sundress with her blonde hair swept back in a pony tail as she pushed a baby stroller.

Topher was every bit the doting dad carrying his daughter Mabel in one arm, as the pair waved together at passersby.

The That 70's Show actor sported a retro Atari T-shirt and a pair of casual shorts with sandals and some sunglasses.

Mabel, who was born in 2017, looked precious in a teal and pink tie-dye dress and some pink sneakers.

Trio: Ashley was glowing in a blue sundress with her blonde hair swept back in a pony tail as she pushed a baby stroller

Daddy's girl: Topher was every bit the doting dad carrying his daughter Mabel in one arm, as the two waved together at passersby

Topher and Ashley haven't publicly announced that they welcomed their new bundle of joy but, in Ma, Ashley penned on social media that she was ready for the baby to arrive.

The star made the comment while celebrating a huge accomplishment as she completed her bachelors degree and graduated from college after five years.

The Crackle actress shared a black and white photo in her cap and gown on the day of her virtual graduation from California State University.

Supermom: Topher and Ashley haven't publicly announced their new bundle of joy but in May, Ashley penned on social media that she was ready for the baby to 'come out now' while celebrating her college graduation

'Today I celebrate,' she captioned her proud post. 'Ive spent the last 5 years overcoming challenge after challenge to accomplish this goal. All while juggling a career, a wedding, and having 1.99 children (come out now #2!!)'

Adding: 'Even though #covid19 got in the way of walking across a stage to commemorate this accomplishment, I know the achievement is no less important. Congratulations to my fellow #graduates of 2020. We did it!!!'

Topher and Ashley revealed in January that they were expecting their second child at the swanky annual Art Of Elysium's 13th Annual celebration in Los Angeles.

Ashley showed off her tiny baby bump in a long sleeve sheer watercolor floral midi wrap dress.

Bump alert: Topher and Ashley revealed in January that they were expecting their second child at the swanky annual Art Of Elysium's 13th Annual celebration in Los Angeles

At the charity event, E! News reported that Topher shared the exciting news to the room: 'As you can see, we're expecting our second.'

Then he joked to Jennifer Howell, who heads up the annual gala: 'And after learning what toddlers are really like, this one is all yours Jen.'

Topher and Ashley, who are both actors, started dating back in 2014 and tied the knot two years later in a ceremony near Santa Barbara.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the couple's representatives.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will start with a day-long trip to Pune on Thursday in his mission to assess the ground realities about the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in the state.

The CM will visit Pune, where he will review the pandemic situation and the preventive measures that have been undertaken to contain the viral disease in the western Maharashtra region that comprises five districts such as Pune, Kolhapur, Solapur, Satara and Sangli.

The move comes following trenchant criticism from the main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The CM will cover all the six regions in a phase-wise manner. He will start with Pune, which is the headquarters of western Maharashtra. It will be a day-long trip. While the schedule for the other regions is yet to be firmed up, said an official from the CMs office (CMO).

Though Thackeray has been regularly reviewing the Covid-19 outbreak by holding virtual meetings, he hasnt ventured out yet, except for a few hotspots in Mumbai, the epicentre of the contagion in the country as well as Maharashtra.

Last Saturday, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil had taken a dig at the CM for digging his heels in Mumbai.

Even a school student can say that our Uddhavji is not going anywhere, Patil had told a Marathi news channel.

Pawar, who was defending Thackeray till last week, on Tuesday, spoke out and urged the CM to tour the state and meet the public, who are reeling under the impact of the viral outbreak.

On Tuesday, Sharad Pawar (79), who heads the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is a part of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government, along with Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Congress, made a comment in passing about the CM is expected to tour the state to assess the pandemic situation on the ground that hasnt happened to date. Pawar said he travels more than the CM.

He (Thackeray) is expected to monitor from the state capital as the head of the government, but that doesnt prevent him from travelling. He must make it a point to tour the state by taking out some time from his busy schedule, meet the public and take them into confidence, which is yet to happen, the veteran leader told a Marathi news channel.

He was, however, quick to put his observation into perspective.

I dont think that the CM is not taking everyone into confidence. He also speaks to everyone. The only difference is, Im more visible as I keep travelling. He (Thackeray) doesnt travel, and work from one place, Pawar clarified when he was asked about the disputes within the MVAs ranks based on the swirling allegations that the CM not taking the allies into confidence.

Last Saturday, while defending the CM, Pawar had said Thackeray was urged to oversee and monitor the functioning of his team from Mumbai, as he is the head of the government. He had also singled out Thackeray for fulsome praise, as the latter was working round-the-clock in a bid to flatten the Covid-19 curve with single-minded devotion.

Contrary to the CM, Pawar visited across parts of Covid-19-hit Maharashtra and reviewed preparations made by the local authorities along with the state health minister Rajesh Tope to contain the pandemic outbreak.

Last Saturday, he was in Aurangabad city where he took stock of the situation. He also launched a campaign, Mission Zero -- Aurangabad that aims to bring down the Covid-19-related-death toll to zero in the city. The previous day he was in Nashik. While on July 20, he was in Solapur district.

Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis also recently travelled around the state to review the Covid-19 situation.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council Pravin Darekar, too, had visited various Covid Care Centres and hospitals in the state.

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" " Your job is safe, man. The U.S. utilities sector employed 558,640 people in May 2009, according to estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And it looks like our energy addiction won't be waning any time soon. Hemera/ Thinkstock

We don't have to tell you that the world needs energy -- and lots of it. After all, you wouldn't be reading this article if it weren't for that vast reserve of fuel we collectively call the energy supply. Without the help of nonrenewable energy sources such as coal or renewable ones like wind, we couldn't heat our homes, run our cars, cook our food or surf the Web like you're doing right now. The energy supply is a vital resource.

Day in and day out, the United States -- with only 5 percent of the world's population -- consumes nearly one-quarter of the world's total energy supply [sources: U.S. EIA: International Energy Statistics, NRDC, CIA ]. Here's how that energy consumption broke down in 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration:

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37 percent of U.S. energy came from oil

25 percent from natural gas

21 percent from coal

9 percent from nuclear power

8 percent from renewable sources including wood, biofuels, hydropower, wind, solar , geothermal and biomass waste

[source: U.S. EIA: Energy Facts Explained]

So America has a thriving dependence on energy and specifically on fossil fuels, whose threat of depletion looms large across the globe.

But America isn't alone in this energy addiction. Europe's reliance on energy has forced it to turn to a resurgent Russia to supply its demand [source: Council on Foreign Relations]. And India is expected to jump to third place in energy consumption by 2030, behind only the United States and China [source: Woodrow Wilson Center].

Decades of dependence on fossil fuels have not only sparked wars but also led to disasters like the Deepwater Horizon spill. How long until demand for fossil fuels outstrips the supply? And as the world's population continues to increase, how many people can our energy supply support?

Let's take a look at the energy supply's past performance before we get into predictions. In 2007, the global population of almost 6.7 billion people was consuming 495.2 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) [source: U.S. EIA: International Energy Outlook 2010]. A Btu, in case you need a quick reminder, stands for the amount of heat necessary for making a pound of water rise by 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.6 degrees Celsius). What about the future? Here's what the U.S. EIA predicts:

In 2015, 7.3 billion people will be consuming 543.5 quadrillion Btu.

In 2025, 7.9 billion people will be consuming 638.7 quadrillion Btu.

Finally, in 2035, 8.5 billion people will be consuming 738.7 quadrillion Btu.

[source: U.S. EIA: International Energy Outlook 2010]

So the energy supply can support 8.5 billion people, according to the experts at the U.S. EIA. No doubt our energy consumption will change in the intervening 20 or so years, with renewable energy sources factoring more heavily into the picture. In fact, that shift may be taking place already. China has become the world leader in both wind turbine and solar panel production, and Europe is establishing a renewable energy grid linking wind power from Scotland to hydropower from Norway [sources: Bradsher, Jha]. But no matter the source, someday 8.5 billion people will be relying on the future energy supply.

Keep reading for more links about the energy that powers our world.
Photo: (Photo : Blind Veterans UK)

A 74-year-old Army veteran from Somerset, Haydn Callow, has developed a new hobby due to the lockdown. The legally blind grandpa assembles ukuleles from scratch.

Haydn said that he has always dreamed of playing the ukelele. However, no matter how hard he tries, he could not get the hang of it, making him believe that he is not that musical.

A hidden talent

The grandfather of six discovered his hidden talent after purchasing a DIY ukulele kit from eBay. He found that his true aptitude is not in playing the said instrument, but in assembling it.

Haydn explained that he was not that good at first, but he gets better with each new piece. He shared how fantastic and fun it is to put a ukelele together because it does not take that long. Since his teacher bought one of his masterpieces, he believes that his work is not that bad.

See also: Parents of daughters with rare and degenerative disease went from super happy to extremely sad

To hone his niche craft, Haydn called a Derbyshire professional luthier and ordered woods. He bought a variety of exotic woods like pink ivory and American walnut. He would use them as the basis of his homemade ukuleles.

Served in the army

At the age of 16, Haydn enlisted in the Royal Army Dental Corps. He served for 22 years in the British Army, touring Brunei, Germany, Northern Ireland, and Bahrain.

A rare disease caused him legal blindness

In his early fifties, Haydn was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a rare genetic disorder. The condition caused a gradual decline in his peripheral vision, ultimately leading to his state of legal blindness. He said that with severe tunnel vision in both eyes, he has more challenges in his new hobby. But he said that all it needs is getting used to it.

Haydn is a member of the Blind Veterans UK, a charity founded by Sir Arthur Pearson in 1915. The charity was built to give visually impaired veterans of World War One rehab. After a century, it has assisted more than 15,000 ex-servicemen and women.

See also: Community helped mom raise almost $4,000 to buy son a service dog

Support from Blind Veterans UK

The Somerset resident said that it is great knowing that they have support when they need it. Throughout the year, the charity keeps in touch with the members. Haydn knows that it is only a phone call away when his vision further declines.

Blind Veterans UK have kept their lines open with their members after the pandemic happened. It has linked with volunteer groups to help their members with their shopping. Ninety percent of which are aged 70 and up.

See also: Woman raises $84,000 after sharing heartbreaking story of 94-year-old man on wheelchair

Nicky Shaw, Blind Veterans UK Director of Operations, said that there is so much to help the blind veterans. They help their members maintain physical and emotional well being so that they could feel safe, reassured, and cared for during the hard times.
The COVID-19 pandemic apparently is not discouraging as many visitors as previously expected, but home rentals, campground spaces and hotel rooms remain available for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally that starts Aug. 7.

"Its the 80th rally, so people are coming, said Kimberly Roberts, owner of Kickstands Campground and Venue outside Sturgis.

Roberts said some primitive tent camping and self-contained RV spaces are still open because of cancellations, but full-service RV spots are full.

This is our fourth rally. Whats different Im noticing is people are trickling in. People are showing up, she said.

Gina Huiet, manager of Sturgis RV Park in Sturgis, said that park is usually fully booked by October for the following summers rally. The park rents sites for five or 10 days at a time. As of Friday, the park had some openings because Canadian travelers were forced to cancel due to COVID-19 border closures.

Yes, I have had some people cancel because of COVID-19, but all those spots, weve booked them, Huiet said. People are coming anyway.

We do have an overflow camping lot. We do allow one- and two-night stays for motorcycles and tents. Weve never filled it up before but it could happen this year, she said. All those people that waited until the last minute, the only good thing about COVID-19 is it opened a rally spot for you.

As of Friday, sturgis.com still listed a variety of rentals open throughout the Black Hills. Options ranged from high-end luxury homes to rustic cabins and campsites.

Meanwhile this week, Airbnb.com shows its rentals throughout the Black Hills are 81% booked during the rally. Several entire houses for rent during the rally have not yet been reserved.

Julie Schmitz Jensen, executive director of Visit Rapid City, said shes optimistic about visitor numbers this summer.

Nothing about this year is normal, but I think there are some that had already made reservations, and some are still contemplating reservations, Jensen said. We all know things could change overnight; were keeping our fingers crossed.

By mid-July, she said Rapid City area hotels, motels and campgrounds were reporting between 65% and 85% reservation rates during the rally, with the two weekends being more booked than midweek.

There have been some cancellations recently because some states are implementing stay-at-home rules.  Im not seeing that as a huge trend yet, Jensen said. Canadians have always been a really big part of the rally market so (with the border closure) Canadian numbers are either nonexistent or way down.

Were all dipping our toes into regional marketing. Were not telling the world to come visit this summer. We are telling (those who are within driving distance) we are open, we are safe, we are following all the Centers for Disease Control regulations, Jensen said. We are coming back up. Were arent out of the hole yet, but we are getting back.  Were getting a lot of interest.

Meanwhile, at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, last-minute guests are always invited.

We always have room at the Chip for more people and this year is no different," said Buffalo Chip founder and President Rod Woodruff. Wed welcome anybody that makes up their mind at the last minute. We always have a lot of people who make up their minds at the last minute.

The Buffalo Chip has RV sites and primitive camping sites available. Cabins there are fully booked. The Buffalo Chip also rents campers and if it runs out will work with a camper company to bring in more from out of state. The Buffalo Chip also has added a new garage and will have mechanics on site to help visitors whose motorcycles break down.

We always have room for another million, Woodruff said. Were conscious of COVID-19 so were changing the amphitheaters (for the concerts) to accommodate for COVID, but we still have room for people.

Reservations have been increasing for the past couple of months, he said.

South Dakota has fresh air, lots of space, beautiful roads, nice little mountains and wide open prairies that visitors love, Woodruff said. People are wanting to get back to living a normal life and were sitting pretty well out here.  Its good to see people getting out and goofing off.

Woodruff said hell encourage people to goof off responsibly and take precautions, but at the Buffalo Chip everyones going to focus on fun.

We call it partying like its 1982. The folks that are worried about COVID-19 arent going to come. The people that are coming are coming to have a good time, see other people and socialize, he said.

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Market Overview

Global Coffee Market is an ever flourishing market space, reason being the worldwide popularity of coffee as a beverage. Coffee is consumed in high volume globally thanks to its taste, feel, and caffeine content. Moreover, the rapid urbanization and the demand for the beverages-on-the-go to deal with the modern lifestyles escalate the market on the global platform.

Conversely, factors such as the volatility in the prices and demand & supply gap of coffee beans are expected to pose challenges in the growth of the market, further worrying market players to the core. Nevertheless, factors such as the emergence of organic coffee and various functional beverages based on coffee would support the market growth over the forecast period.

Achieving fair trade certification continues to be a popular trend among producers as well as coffee shoppers. Fairtrade coffee is a big business for grocery retailers as well as to the private label coffee lines. Citing the growing consumers' demand for transparency in the production and understanding more about the supply chain, the decision to certify the entire private label coffee line as fair trade is a natural next step in the process, which also indicates that shoppers have responded well to the initial offering.

Fairtrade certification also increases the sales of coffee products by nearly 10%. Almost half of all coffee meets some sustainability standard, reflecting consumers sentiments about from where their coffee comes and supports fair practices.

Major Players

Key players driving the Coffee Market Analysis include Starbucks Corporation (U.S.), Tata Global Beverages Ltd. (India), Nestle S.A. (Switzerland), Jacobs Douwe Egberts (The Netherlands), The Coca-Cola Company (U.S.), Strauss Group Ltd. (Israel), Unilever PLC (U.K.), The Kraft Heinz Company (U.S.), Tchibo Coffee International Ltd. (U.K.), and The J.M. Smucker Company (U.S.) among others.

Industry Advancements/Related News

March 21, 2019 - Archer Farms, Inc. (the US), one of the larger producer and supplier of coffee beans as well as swine and sheep to hospitals, research facilities, and universities announced that their coffee products, including bags and pods, will be fair trade certified by 2023. In 2016, Archer Farms had introduced an expanded assortment of coffee that featured many bold new farm-to-cup improvements for clients as well as for the environment.

About 20% of Archer Farms coffee is already certified, and sold around the United States Target Corporation (the US), a general merchandise retailer, collecting 6 MN pounds of the private label coffee, annually. Target is teaming up with Fair Trade USA to complete the certification process. The Fair Trade Certified program works to ensure coffee producers are paid fairly for their products and have safe working conditions.

Market Segmentation

For ease of understanding, the market has been segmented into four key dynamics: -

By Variety: Arabica and Robusta among others.

By Form: Whole and Ground (Instant Coffee Powder, Portioned Coffee,) among others.

By Distribution Channel: Store-based and Non-store-based.

By Regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest-of-the-World.

Access Full Report Details and Order this Premium Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/coffee-market-6889

Regional Analysis

The North American region, heading with the high consumption of Arabica dominates the global coffee market. The region accounts for an attractive market space for coffee manufacturers, worldwide. As a result, these manufacturers are continually bringing up a new flavor of the product, expanding their product portfolio which consecutively leads to increasing the size of the coffee market in the region.

Additionally, these manufacturers are focusing on the promotional activities to create awareness among the consumers related to the new product launch that, as a result, further stimulates the growth of the regional coffee market. Owing to the various innovations in flavor and the quality of the product, the coffee market in the North American region is estimated to garner a value of USD 24,277.8 MN by 2023, registering a whopping 23.88% CAGR throughout the forecast period.

The coffee market in the European region accounts for the second-largest market globally. Europe is also known for the larger producer of coffee in the world which makes it host of coffee for the world. Also, the European government supports the organic production of coffee which in turn escalates the demand in the market.

The Asia Pacific coffee market accounts for a profitable market globally. Being one of the larger producer and consumer of coffee, the APAC region has been witnessing a remarkable growth overall. Under the APAC region, Vietnam is popularly known for the second largest producer of coffee, globally.

Related Video Analysis on FnB Reports:

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/videos/tea-market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/videos/organic-pesticides-market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/videos/honey-market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/videos/used-cooking-oil-market

NOTE: Our Team of Researchers are Studying Covid19 and its Impact on Various Industry Verticals and wherever required we will be considering Covid19 Footprints for Better Analysis of Market and Industries. Cordially get in Touch for More Details.
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Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 15:30 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a3b24a 1 Art & Culture Museum-MACAN,auction-sales,arts-and-culture,Indonesian-artists,Bagus-Pandega,exhibition,auction,auction-house Free

After running two successful rounds, "Arisan Karya" (artwork raffle) of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN) is returning this month for its third and final edition.

To be held from July 28 to Aug. 2, the final iteration of Arisan Karya is to feature up to 150 works of art for the taking, selected from an open call for artists that ran on July 16-19.

The two prior editions of the art raffle featured a total of 209 artists selected from over 1,000 who participated in the open call, and included both established and up-and-coming artists like Tisna Sanjaya, Melati Suryodarmo and Ika Vantiani.

People interested in taking part in the art raffle can purchase a numbered coupon at shop.museummacan.org for Rp 1 million (US$68). The actual raffle will be held on Aug. 3 via Instagram Live.

But speed is key, as the two previous rounds sold out in the first hour of sales.

The majority of the proceeds will go to the artists, with a percentage going to art managers who assisted as regional coordinators in running the event. A separate percentage of the proceeds will go to artists of the "MACAN At Home" initiative for developing an online arts program.

Museum MACAN director Aaron Seeto said in a statement that the diversity of talent, ideas and approaches were Arisan Karya's strengths.

Arisan Karya has been a platform of discovery, with emerging artists presented alongside some of the most recognizable names in Indonesias contemporary art scene. This is exactly what we had in mind when we started Arisan Karya. We wanted to start a chain of support within arts communities, he said

Museum MACAN has collaborated on the last edition of Arisan Karya with smartphone brand OPPO, which will be represented in three commissioned pieces by Bagus Pandega, Patricia Untario and Etza Meisyara.

'Remembering something that never happened' (2020), commissioned work featuring the OPPO Find X2 by Bagus Pandega (MuseumMacan.org/-)

The three young artists have the same alma mater, the Bandung Institute of Technology, but their artistic styles are as different as they come.

Bagus has exhibited across the world, the latest being the Condo London 2020 at the Project Native Informant in the first month of the year. His works often challenge the preconditioned relationship between audience and objects by emphasizing physical space, while encouraging direct audience interaction through movement, sound and light.

Patricia mainly works with glass as her medium of choice, having studied glassmaking at the Vetroricerca Glass & Modern in Bolzano, Italy. She has participated in group exhibitions, including the second edition of the Trienal Seni Patung Indonesia in 2014 and the 2015 Sovereign Asian Art Prize in Hong Kong. In 2017, she held the "Perjalanan Senyap" (Silent Journey) solo exhibition at the Orbital Dago contemporary art gallery in Bandung, West Java.

'Front-Face Solitude' (2020), commissioned work featuring the OPPO Find X2 by Etza Meisyara (MuseumMacan.org/-)

Meanwhile, Etza derives her art from her emotional journey while traveling through nature. Bridging installation, performance art and sound art, her works explore human relationships in stories illustrated through her materials.

The three artists were tasked with creating art infused with technology, and were provided with OPPO Find X2 smartphones for the commissioned pieces. The artwork are also part of the final raffle and three lucky coupon holders will win them during the livestreamed event on Aug. 3.

Untitled (2020), commissioned work featuring the OPPO Find X2 by Patricia Untario. (MuseumMacan.org/-)

The behind-the-scenes on the creative process of the three interactive pieces will feature on Museum MACANs Instagram account (@xxx) through the month of August.

OPPO chief creative officer Patrick Owen said that the collaboration with Museum MACAN came from a mutual appreciation of art as a platform for reflection, discussion and knowledge exchange on how to move forward as a society through these tough times.

We are excited to be rolling out meaningful digital content from exemplary Indonesian artists, Owen said.
State police face protesters on Vine Street amid demonstrations in Philadelphia against the death of George Floyd on May 30. Read more

Six people were arrested Wednesday and accused of vandalizing two Pennsylvania State Police cruisers during the first day of protests in Center City over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

State police said the suspects were part of a large crowd that attacked the marked cars May 30 along Vine Street with a scooter, a hammer, skateboards, a bike lock, crowbars, and their hands and fists. Several personal items were stolen from inside the cars, investigators said.

Arrested were Luke Cossman, 20, and Steven Anderson, 20, both of Levittown; Sammy Rivera and Francisco A. Reyes of Philadelphia; William Besaw, 21, of Souderton; and a 17-year-old from Croydon whose name was not released.

Investigators released few details as to how they identified the males, who are charged with crimes including criminal mischief, institutional vandalism, criminal conspiracy, and disorderly conduct.. As of Wednesday evening, none of their names had appeared in city jail databases or in court records.

A spokesperson for the State Police barracks in Philadelphia did not return calls for comment. It was not immediately clear whether any of those charged had been arraigned or retained an attorney.

According to a news release, Cossman, Anderson, Rivera, and Reyes were taken into custody Wednesday morning while state police served search warrants on five locations  two in Philadelphia and three in Bucks County.

Besaw was already in the Bucks County jail on an unrelated disorderly conduct and harassment arrest from last month in Perkasie, according to court records. The 17-year-old was also in custody prior to Wednesdays arrests.

Bucks County District Attorney Matthew P. Weintraub said his office assisted state police in obtaining arrest warrants and search warrants served Wednesday.

I fully support peaceful protest, he said in a statement. But we will not tolerate lawlessness resulting in destruction of property, and theft from that property in any form.

The new charges come six weeks after federal authorities charged a Germantown woman with setting fire to two Philadelphia police squad cars during demonstrations outside City Hall the same day. Because her alleged crime involves an accusation of arson, she was charged federally under statutes that carry a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison if she is convicted.
Vietnams fruit exporters has been striving to sell to new markets because they understand that reliance on the Chinese market will bring high risks.

The vegetable and fruit export turnover in the first six months of the year for the first time witnessed a sharp decrease of 11.4 percent compared with the same period last year. However, exporters believe that export turnover will increase again after Covid-19 as they have found many new markets.

Vo Quan Huy, director of Huy Long An, a major banana exporter





In mid-June, litchis hit supermarket shelves in Japan and Singapore, while bananas were available in South Korea. More than 2,400 hectares of longan growing area in Son La have been granted codes, including 34 codes for export to the US and Australia, and 58 to China.



According to the General Department of Customs (GDC), Vietnam exported $300 million worth of vegetables and fruits in June, an increase of 8.4 percent over June 2019, raising the total export turnover in H1 to $1.8 billion.



Exports to China just accounted for 60.4 percent of market share, worth $906.1 million, a decrease of 30.3 percent compared with the same period last year ($1.3 billion).

Vietnams fruit exporters has been striving to sell to new markets because they understand that reliance on the Chinese market will bring high risks.

Meanwhile, exports to other markets were very satisfactory, including Thailand ($68 million, up by 233.4 percent compared with the same period last year), South Korea ($67.4 million, 21.9 percent), the US ($62 million, 6.2 percent) and Japan ($57.7 million, 15.7 percent).

However, analysts pointed out that the sharp increases in export turnover from these markets cannot offset the decline of the Chinese market. They have urged Vietnams exporters to make greater efforts to diversify export markets and ease reliance on China.



According to Vo Quan Huy, director of Huy Long An, a major banana exporter, demand in all export markets has been weakened by Covid-19. The purchasing power from the Chinese market, for example, has dropped by 30 percent.



Regarding the opening of new markets, he said businesses should not be struggling to look for new markets. Instead, trade counsellors should work with local agencies to clear the way for Vietnams products to the markets.



Vietnam has relations with more than 100 countries. Learning about purchasing power and the consumption culture of each market is out of reach of businesses. Trade counsellors, with deep knowledge about local markets, can help a lot, Huy explained.



In a related manner, Vietnams bananas have successfully penetrated Lotte Mart chain in South Korea, and Hai Duong and Bac Giangs litchis have been exported to Japan, China and the US.



Meanwhile, India favors Vietnams dragon fruit, litchis and rambutans, and Son Las longan fruit has been recognized as meeting standards to enter some markets.

Linh Ha

Local farm produce faces obstacles to move forward Exporting $43 billion worth of farm, forestry and seafood produce this year has been a difficult task, though the situation improved when European and regional countries began reopening their markets.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler is Dorian Gray's opposite. Unlike Oscar Wilde's fictional character, we don't have to dig in an attic to see the rot in his soul. Looking at and listening to this shrunken gnome instantly proves that anything he says is factually and morally untrue.

Nadler didn't disappoint with his opening statement to Attorney General Barr, who appeared before the House today. As Mary McCarthy said about Lillian Hellman, every word Nadler speaks is a lie, including "and" and "the."

Nadler accused a stone-faced Barr of endless professional and ethical failings, all of which were predicated on factual lies. This post addresses just some of those lies.

1. Nadler alleged that the DOJ endangered Americans by "flooding federal law enforcement in the streets of American cities" to "unconstitutionally" suppress "dissent."

The following acts are not "dissent":

Barr addressed the riots later in the hearing:

"Federal courts are under attack. Since when is it OK to burn down a federal court?" Barr said. He said: "If someone went down the street to the Prettyman Court here, that beautiful courthouse we have right at the bottom of the hill and started breaking windows and firing industrial-grade fireworks in to start a fire, throw kerosene balloons in and start fires in the court, is that OK? Is that OK now? No, the U.S. Marshals have a duty to stop that and defend the courthouse, and that's what we are doing in Portland. We are at the courthouse, defending the courthouse." "We are not out looking for trouble."

Barr did misremember history, saying,

"What makes me concerned for the country is this is the first time in my memory that the leaders of one of our two great political parties, the democratic party are not coming out and condemning mob violence and the attack on federal courts," Barr said. "Why can't we just say, you know, violence against federal courts has to stop? Could we hear something like that?"

Actually, this is the fourth time Democrats have condoned mob violence against government buildings and institutions. The first was in 1861, at Fort Sumter; the second was in the second half of the 1950s when the Democrats refused to abide by the 14th and 15th Amendments; and the third was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when Democrat activists staged riots, bombings, and murders all over America.

2. Nadler alleged that the DOJ has downplayed systemic racism, abandoned victims of police brutality, refused to hold abusive police departments accountable, and has been hostile to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Racism is so minimal in this country that activists are reduced to complaining about microaggressions  and trying to make them criminally actionable.

Police brutality is at its lowest point in history, with the deaths of unarmed black men reduced to the single digits annually (and many of those were attacking police with the intent to kill).

Democrats refused to consider a bill for police reform from Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), lest Republicans improve black civil rights  as they have since 1856.

The Black Lives Matter movement is a communist front group, controlled almost entirely by...whites.

3. Nadler alleged that the DOJ had coordinated with the White House to spread disinformation about voter fraud and tried to change Census rules, all to get the president re-elected.

There is endless evidence that voting by mail is an invitation to fraud, as is ballot-harvesting. Add the two together, and each election becomes a race to see which party cheats better. (Hint: It's always the Democrats.)

For 200 years, citizenship has regularly shown up on the Census. It was Obama who removed the question to ensure more representatives in Democrat states overrun by illegal aliens (e.g., California, New Mexico). Requiring voting in person, with identification, makes sure fraudsters and non-citizens cannot run away with an election.

4. Nadler alleged that the DOJ amplified the president's conspiracies theories about the Mueller report and failed to hold foreign actors responsible for what they did.

Nadler can say what he likes, but the reality is that the Mueller report, quite grudgingly, conceded that Trump did nothing to conspire with Russia. Ideally, Barr's DOJ is on the case of those Democrat operatives who colluded with Ukraine, Russia, and England to throw the election to Hillary, as well as the law enforcement agents who spied on Americans to overthrow an election.

5. Nadler alleged that Barr interfered with a criminal investigation to protect Trump.

Wrong. Judge Sullivan illegally refused to dismiss the case against Gen. Flynn after the FBI reluctantly released proof that there was no basis to prosecute.

Nadler badly needs a narrative addressing the Democrats' myriad problems: Biden is senile and uninspiring; Democrat states liquidated their economies with lockdowns and turned old age homes into abattoirs; Democrats are allowing anarchists to destroy their cities; and Democrat policies severely damage blacks, their most important constituency.

Nadler's desperation doesn't make him less grotesque.

Image: Facebook screen grab.
When Gary Tonjes graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in the late 1970s, he returned to his hometown of Albuquerque looking for work.

However, he didnt find much in the private sector.

So, more than a decade later and after stints working in Texas and Missouri, Tonjes jumped at the chance to move back to New Mexico as the president of Albuquerque Economic Development  aiming to help ensure the next generation of graduates would have a wider range of job opportunities to choose from.

I always believed in Albuquerque, said Tonjes, who started the position in November 1994. They didnt have to sell me.

On Friday, Tonjes will conclude his 25-year tenure at the head of AED.

During an Economic Forum of Albuquerque event earlier this month, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the economic development organization brought more than 100,000 jobs to Central New Mexico under Tonjes stewardship.

We owe you a huge debt of gratitude, Keller told Tonjes during the event.

Albuquerques business leaders, too, lined up to praise Tonjes humility, work ethic and other positive traits.

Gary was really about changing peoples lives, said Steve Maestas, CEO of Maestas Development Group.

New Mexico grew quickly in the years leading up to the Great Recession. For Tonjes, one of the highlights from that period was luring Eclipse Aviation to Albuquerque from Arizona in 2000. At its peak, Tonjes said the aircraft manufacturer employed more than 2000 employees.

They had the community buzzing in so many positive ways, he said.

More recently, AED has helped attract several household names to the region. Netflix purchased Albuquerque Studios in 2019 and Facebook opened a $1 billion data center in Los Lunas last year, with more construction on the way.

Tonjes praised Facebook in particular, saying he and his team felt fortunate to be part of a high-profile project that required a lot of legwork.

Of course, there were setbacks along the way as well. The 2008 recession pushed Eclipse and a number of other companies into bankruptcy and robbed the city of its positive momentum.

Not only did we lose Eclipse, but we lost tens of thousands of jobs during that period, Tonjes said.

Tonjes was also frustrated that the city missed out on Tesla production facilities twice: once in 2007 and again in 2014. He said the electric car company could have created a multiplier effect that brought other technology companies to the city, as it did in Reno.

Along the way, Tonjes said Albuquerque has learned from its mistakes and become a more appealing place for companies to relocate.

Even with retirement on the horizon and a road trip across the West beckoning, Tonjes excitement about current and upcoming projects in Albuquerque was unmistakable. He praised projects ranging from Mesa Del Sols development to the proposed New Mexico United stadium that promise to make Albuquerque a vibrant city to live and work.

New Mexico is, today, far more competitive than it has been, Tonjes told the Journal. Frankly, more competitive than its been since I joined the organization.
More people than ever before are losing their lives trying to defend land from environmental or climate threats, a campaign group claims.

Four people a week have died on average since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015, Global Witness says.

A total of 212 murders were reported in 2019 and over half of them were concentrated in just two countries - Colombia and the Philippines , figures from the 12-month period show.

Global Witness says many more people were subjected to violent attacks, arrests, death threats, sexual violence or legal action.

But a human rights activist in the Colombian capital Bogota told Sky News the situation has got even worse during the coronavirus pandemic because of lockdowns in rural communities.

Vivian Newman of the research and advocacy group Dejusticia said: "It's easier for the enemies of people who don't like their causes now.

"It's easier to spot them, threaten them and kill them.

"It's because of a combination of the absence of a state presence, illegal actors and visibility of the rural leaders who are now locked down in their homes.

"Colombia is a big country and in general these rural leaders are spread throughout the country in places where the presence of the government is not strong and they are more visible.

"But people will continue with their causes to protect the land, the air and clean water.

"They are not going to be stopped because this is their life, they fight for their resources and it's their livelihoods."

A spokesman for Global Witness added: "Communities across the world are standing up to carbon-intensive industries and exposing unsustainable business practices wreaking havoc on ecosystems and our climate.

"These are the people on the frontline of the climate crisis trying to protect climate critical areas and reverse these devastating practices.

"Time after time they have challenged the damaging aspects of industries rampaging unhampered through forests, wetlands, oceans and biodiversity hotspots.

Story continues

"Yet far too many businesses, financiers and governments fail to protect them in their vital and peaceful work."

Global Witness says it defines land and environmental "defenders" as "people who take a stand and peaceful action against the unjust, discriminatory, corrupt or damaging exploitation of natural resources or the environment".

One in 10 of the reported fatalities were women, it added.

And the Philippines saw a rise from 30 killings in 2018 to 43 in 2019, according to campaigners.

In all countries attacks were most frequently linked to communities opposing carbon-intensive oil, gas and coal projects and clearing land for commodities like palm oil and sugar.

In the UK climate activists, unable to take to the streets, say part of their role in lockdown is giving a voice to people in other parts of the world for whom the risks are so much greater.

Rosanna Wiseman, a UK climate activist with Our Future Now told Sky News: "I think there can be some people who are dismissive of climate activists in the UK who label them all sorts of names and say this is a problem that isn't affecting us right now as we can't really see the effects in the UK of the climate crisis.

"So that's why it's important to understand how dangerous it is in other parts of the world."

The group says it has been using the COVID-19 outbreak to forge greater global links.

Ms Wiseman said: "A lot of the workshops we used to do in real life are now being put online and that gives us an opportunity for people from all over the world to join.

"In a way coronavirus has brought people closer together because we're able to connect over the internet."

Total deaths in 2019 by country

Colombia - 64

Philippines - 43

Brazil - 24

Mexico - 18

Honduras - 14

Total deaths in 2019 by sector

Mining and extractives - 50

Agribusiness - 34

Logging - 24

Illegal crop substitution - 14

Land reform - 11
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 05:57:29|Editor: huaxia

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ABUJA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A gang of gunmen attacked a community in Nigeria's north-central state of Kogi and killed 14 people early Wednesday, said the police.

Among the dead victims 13 were members of a family in the Agbudu community of the Korton-Karfe local government area of Kogi, said state police chief Ede Ayuba.

Ayuba told reporters that six others were wounded by the gunmen, whose motive for the attack is unknown for now.

All the victims were shot dead. The gunmen had escaped before the arrival of security agents, said the police chief.

An investigation has been launched amid a search for the attackers, Ayuba added. Enditem
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Donald Trump dismissed plans for a $1 trillion (776bn) Republican economic stimulus package aimed at easing the impact of the coronavirus crisis as semi-irrelevant, as he sought to big up a deal with Kodak to manufacture medical products.

Senate Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, on Monday proposed a package that would make payments of $1,200 (925) to most Americans, with $100bn (77m) set aside to help schools struggling amid the pandemic.

But the proposal means around 32 million citizens could see their unemployment payments slashed from $600 (466) to $200 (155).

At a White House press briefing on Tuesday, Trump lambasted the proposals, telling reporters there were elements of the deal he did not agree with.

Its sort of semi-irrelevant because the Democrats come with their needs and asks and the Republicans go with theirs, he said. Well be talking about it.

The president instead tried to keep the focus on the Kodak deal, which he described as groundbreaking. Officials are in talks with Eastman Kodak  traditionally known for its camera products  to launch a pharmaceutical arm.

The US International Development Finance Corporation plans to loan the company $765m (589) to make products to help battle against coronavirus.

Its a breakthrough in bringing pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States, Trump told the briefings, adding that White House staff had been sent to New York to hash out the final details of the deal.

Meanwhile, congressional leaders on Capitol Hill concluded talks that would add $1 trillion to the $2.4tn (1.8tn) already spent on virus relief measures.

Mark Meadows, Trumps chief of staff, has been in talks with treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, to ensure that the GOP deal aligns with the presidents demands.

Meadows said I dont know if I would characterise it as getting closer when asked if the two sides were close to reaching an agreement.

I think everybody recognises theres a long way between $1 trillion and $3 trillion and to suggest that theres room for negotiation, it actually is going to be built from the ground up, Meadows added when asked about his bosss semi-irrelevant comments.

Story continues

Democrats have put forward their own $3tn (2.3tn) plan, describing the Republican proposal as totally inadequate.

Under the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability protection, and Schools Act, payments would also be made to help struggling businesses, as well as schools and citizens.

Trump has demanded that any deal must ensure that schools and universities are fully reopened.

Congress is facing increasing pressure to pass the bill as millions of jobless Americans prepare for their unemployment insurance to expire this week.

Read more

Trump defends doctor who claimed medicine is made from alien DNA
After the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) suspended the import licence of India's largest laboratory diagnositcs company Transasia Bio-Medicals for its ICMR-approved COVID-19 rapid testing kits, the company's chairman and managing director called the action to be unfair and hasty, which will cause them to lose orders from state governments and the Indian Army.

"It is surprising that the DCGI has taken a hasty decision to suspend our import licence for a product which was duly tested and approved by India's premier medical research organisation, the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR). We were L1 in a few tenders of four-five state governments and also the one from the Indian Army," Suresh Vazirani, chairman and managing director, Transasia Bio-Medicals told Business Today.

Last week, the DCGI had cancelled the rapid diagnostic kit import licences of three firms and suspended that of 16 others saying the US drug regulator USFDA has removed the manufacturers from their list of coronavirus serology test kits, with directions that they should not be distributed. The three firms were Cadila Healthcare, MDAAC International and N W Overseas while the 16 companies included Transasia Bio-Medicals, Cosmic Scientific, Inbios India, S D Biosensor, Accurex Biomedicals, Biohouse Solutions and Trivitron Healthcare, among others. The companies were issued show cause notices on July 17 asking why their import licences shall not be cancelled since the diagnostic kits of the manufacturers have been removed by the USFDA with direction that it should not be distributed from the list of product of serology test kits for COVID-19 disease, according to an official order by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).

Sources said many companies had applied for import licence from the DCGI between April and May for such kits, targeting to import from China and sell to the Central, state governments and approved private labs. Of them, only a few got clearance from the ICMR. Meanwhile, many domestic companies created capabilities to manufacture ELISA-based and rapid antigen tests, besides RT-PCR kits. ICMR itself developed ELISA-based technology, which was transferred to about half a dozen companies, of which a few of them have already started manufacturing, they said.

"We got the show-cause letter only a day prior to the deadline and responded to the same day, but the very next working day, we got a communication informing suspension of the licence," he said.

Mumbai-based Transasia Biomedicals' R&D centres located in Germany and the US had developed COVID-19 antibody ELISA kits by its German subsidiary Erba Mannheim in the early phase of COVID-19, while the virus was spreading in Europe. Erba Mannheim claimed that each kit, developed in one and half months, could test 100 samples in an hour, with an accuracy rate of 98 per cent.

Vazirani said when the virus started spreading in the US, the USFDA had asked manufacturers to 'notify' themselves in the regulator's website and start supplying, with a note on the kit saying that it is not officially approved by the regulator. Transasia's US subsidiary Calbiotech started supplying in the US and simultaneously applied to the USFDA for getting official approval, which is pending. About 400 such suppliers were there in that market, and three-month 'notification' period had expired by the end of May. Meanwhile, Erba Mannheim got clearance from the European Union (EU) and Transasia started supplying the kits to Italy, Spain, Brazil and many other countries. The product was also cleared by the ICMR and the DCGI had given an import licence.

Following this, Transasia started setting up a factory at Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone in Visakhapatnam to manufacture various COVID-19 diagnostic kits. The unit is claimed to be the largest in Asia for its capacity. Production is slated to start by next month and is waiting for a few more approvals, he said.

Also Read: Rafale in India: Rajnath Singh welcomes Rafales jets, says India can deter any threat now

Also Read: New education policy approved; HRD Ministry renamed as Education Ministry

Also Read: 88% employees in India favour work from home, claims study
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The number of Midland Country residents who have recovered after testing positive for coronavirus has increased by 260 since late last week, according to the Midland Health Department.

The department reported Tuesday that the number of recoveries has reached 1,113, up from 853 on Friday. That puts recoveries in the county well above the number of active cases  839.
A medical staff checks temperature of a man at a checkpoint in Quang Ngai Province, which has reported one Covid-19 infection. Photo by VnExpress/Linh Pham.

Vietnam confirmed four more Covid-19 cases Wednesday evening in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.

"Patient 447" is a 23 year-old man living in Hanois Nam Tu Liem District. He traveled to Da Nang City on July 12 and returned to Hanoi on July 15.

He started to cough and had a mild fever on July 23 and was admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on July 28, where he tested coronavirus positive the next day.

His workplace, Al Frescos pizza restaurant on 106 Tran Thai Tong Street in Cau Giay District, was locked down on Wednesday morning.

"Patient 448" is a 21-year old woman in Cu Kuin District, Dak Lak Province. She was an intern at the Da Nang Hospital from June 22 to July 17. She developed a fever on July 20 and taken to the Tay Nguyen General Hospital on July 27, where she tested coronavirus positive.

"Patient 449" is a 57-year-old American man who lives in Lien Chieu District, Da Nang City. On June 26, he developed a fever and cough, had body pain and trouble breathing. He was admitted to the Hoan My Da Nang Hospital.

From July 6-19 he was treated at the Da Nang Hospital. On July 20, he was transferred to the Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, and the very next day, to the City International Hospital.

Both hospitals and a hotel opposite the Cho Ray Hospital on District 11s Nguyen Chi Thanh Street were locked down Wednesday.

"Patient 450" is a 46-year old woman who took care of "Patient 449." She had a running nose and felt her muscles weaken on July 26. The samples of both patients were tested the next day at the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the results were positive for the novel coronavirus.

HCMC authorities have locked down a 100-meter alley in Ward 16, District 8, that was visited by "Patient 450" on July 23 and 28. About 50 households live in the alley.

Vietnam has recorded 34 community transmission cases since Saturday  26 in Da Nang, three in Quang Nam Province, two in HCMC and one each in Hanoi, Quang Ngai Province and Dak Lak Province.

All 34 new patients are linked to Da Nang City.

The national Covid-19 tally now stands at 450, of which 81 cases are active. There has been no death to date.

Over 16,000 people are in quarantine nationwide at present - 13,000 in quarantine facilities, 375 at hospitals and the rest at home.
Mont Belvieu Police Department

Authorities began battling an industrial fire Wednesday afternoon after an explosion at a facility in Mont Belvieu, according to police.

The explosion took place at the Lone Star NGL facility located at 506 W. Winfree St.
Training Industry's criteria for selecting companies for their 2020 Top 20 Online Learning Library ranking included industry visibility, innovation and impact, breadth and quality of courses and content, company size and growth potential, quality of clients, and geographic reach. Simplilearn's innovative Blended Learning model provides an effective combination of online self-paced learning, instructor-led live virtual classes, practical projects, online programming labs, and simulations.

This latest achievement is a testimonial to Simplilearn's commitment towards providing effective online training solutions for organizations seeking to upskill their workforce in emerging technologies. Speaking on the company's recognition. Krishna Kumar  Founder & CEO, Simplilearn, said, "It is an honor to feature in the Training Industry Magazine Top 20, and achieving this ranking for the fourth time in a row makes it even more special. In a rapidly evolving digital world, it is now a requisite for organizations to invest in digital skilling of their workforce in order to be at par with industry demands. Through Simplilearn's comprehensive curriculum and online Blended Learning programs, we are focused towards enabling professionals with industry-relevant digital skills to face new opportunities and challenges of the digital era."

"This year's Top 20 Online Learning Library Companies List features a strong set of organizations offering relevant, up-to-date, on-demand content and personalized features that enhance the learning experience," said Ken Taylor, president of Training Industry, Inc. "Through reinforcement tools, assessments, and pathways, these companies have exceeded expectations in engaging the learner and sustaining the impact of training."

Based in San Francisco (California), USA, and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn has provided training and certification to more than one million professionals in 150 countries. The company offers more than 400 programs with a curriculum that is primarily focused on IT and other digital economy skills. Program disciplines include big data, analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, digital marketing, cloud computing, DevOps, project management, data science, cyber security, and other emerging technologies.

About Simplilearn

Simplilearn enables professionals and enterprises to succeed in the fast-changing digital economy. The company provides outcome-based online training across digital technologies and applications such as Big Data, Machine Learning, AI, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing, and other emerging technologies. Based in San Francisco and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn has helped more than one million professionals and 1,000 companies across 150 countries get trained, acquire certifications, and reach their business and career goals. The company's Blended Learning curriculum combines self-paced online learning, instructor-led live virtual classrooms, hands-on projects, student collaboration, and 24/7 global teaching assistance.

SOURCE Simplilearn Solutions Private Limited
She spent lockdown with her ex Bruce Willis and their three children.

And Demi Moore and her daughter Tallulah Willis appeared to still be getting on like a house on fire, as they posed for a playful snap together on Tuesday evening.

The actress, 57, appeared in high spirits as she flashed a beaming smile, while her youngest daughter seemed equally elated as she threw her arms in the air.

We are family! Demi Moore and her daughter Tallulah Willis appeared to still be getting on like a house on fire, as they posed for a playful snap together on Tuesday evening

Demi opted for casual chic in a pair of shell-print trousers, with a form-fitting white T-shirt tucked in, teamed wit ha pair of black Birkenstock sandals.

The Ghost star opted for minimal make-up as she showcased her natural beauty, while wearing her glossy raven locks loose and cascading down her back.

Demi accessorised with a pair of quirky glasses, while carrying one of her seven pooches - a small grey Chihuahua - in her hand.

Women supporting women! A-lister Demi regularly shares snaps with her fury pals, and most recently posted a picture as part of the women supporting women challenge

Meanwhile, Tallulah showcased her svelte physique in a plunging white vest top, which she teamed with a pair of high-waisted blue trousers.

She finished the look with a pair of suede slip ons, while slicking her cropped locks back and accessorising with a pair of retro sunglasses.

A-lister Demi regularly shares snaps with her fury pals, and most recently posted a picture as part of the women supporting women challenge.

Demi uploaded a black and white image of herself and one of her dogs on her Instagram page on Tuesday, as she highlighted the struggle of women in Turkey.

She wrote alongside the snap: 'UPDATE: I recently learned that this challenge originated in Turkey to stand in solidarity with the hundreds of women killed.

'Their photos would appear in newspapers in black and white. Ive shared more in stories, and you can learn more at @auturkishculturalclub.

Lets all continue educating, supporting, and uplifting each other! #challengeaccepted! Love to see #womensupportingwomen.
Singaporeans get first glimpses of rare lemur twins after zoo reopens Red Ruffed lemur twins, born in February, are seen in a carrier at the Singapore Zoo

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singaporeans are getting their first look at rare twin red-ruffed lemurs born at the Singapore zoo a few months ago, after coronavirus restrictions delayed their introduction to the public.

The yet-to-be named twins who arrived on Feb. 22 are the first births of the critically endangered species in the zoo since their 11-year-old father Bosco was born.

Their mother, eight-year-old Minnie, came to Singapore in 2016 from a zoo in Japan.

The couple was specially matched because of their genetic compatibility.

The rust-coloured primates only breed once a year, making reproduction notoriously difficult, Wildlife Reserves Singapore said in a statement on Thursday.

"On top of this, females are only fertile for one out of the few days they are sexually receptive, making this twin birth particularly special," it said.

The twins started to greet visitors only this month as the zoo was closed due to a coronavirus lockdown.

The fluffy-furred family with black faces and paws is often spotted together at mealtimes. The five-month-old babies have grown to nearly the same size as their parents.

Native to the north-eastern part of Madagascar, red ruffed lemurs are a sister species to the black and white ruffed lemurs.

The main threat to their population is habitat loss due to illegal logging and hunting. They live together as a family so are often hunted in groups.

(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan and Yi Shu Ng; Editing by Martin Petty)
Tik Tok logo in an illustration picture taken on Nov. 8, 2019. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

TikToks Potential to Influence US Election Draws Senators Scrutiny

The U.S. administration is reviewing popular social media app TikTok over potential security risks to decide whether a ban is necessary, President Donald Trump said on July 29, as the company draws growing scrutiny over its Chinese ownership.

Were looking at TikTok. Were thinking about making a decision, Trump told reporters before departing for a flight to Texas.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin added that TikTok is under federal government review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which he chairs, and that the agency would make a recommendation to Trump this week.

We have lots of alternatives, said Mnuchin, who was accompanying the president.

CFIUS, which scrutinizes foreign deals for potential national security risks, began a probe into the popular video-sharing app in November 2019 over its $1 billion acquisition of U.S. app Musical.ly.

Lawmakers in recent months have repeatedly criticized the company for its censorship of politically sensitive content and its handling of personal data. Its also seeing a backlash from other countries, including Japan, Australia, and India.

Election Meddling Worries

On July 28, six senators wrote to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Christopher Wray, and acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, expressing concerns that TikTok may open the door for the Chinese regime to conduct influence operations and sway U.S. elections.

They questioned whether the apps ownership by Beijing-based tech firm ByteDance could lead the company to suppress U.S. users, and whether Beijing could deploy bot networks on the platform to manipulate narratives to its favor.

The app has previously censored an American teenager who criticized the Chinese regimes mistreatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, as well as a Chinese student who mocked the Chinese anthem.

The Chinese Communist Party devotes significant resources to conduct information operations overseas and propagate its narratives, the senators noted.

Officials have raised concerns about English language editions of Chinese state-owned outlets that have spent millions to run supplements in prominent U.S. newspapers. As the pandemic wrought havoc globally, social media platforms also became major tools for the regime to broadcast disinformation in order to deflect blame about the Chinese regimes mishandling of the virus outbreak.

Defending the company, a TikTok representative said that the app, while not a go-to for political news, was proactively investing to safeguard our app and drawing past experiences from peers.

TikTok already has a strict policy against disinformation, and we dont accept political ads, the representative told Reuters, adding that content and moderation policies are led by a California-based team and arent influenced by any foreign government.

Wray warned earlier this month that the Chinese regime is engaging in a broad, diverse campaign of theft and malign influence with authoritarian efficiency.

China, as led by the Chinese Communist Party, is going to continue to try to misappropriate our ideas, influence our policymakers, manipulate our public opinion, and steal our data, he said in a July 7 speech. They will use an all-tools and all-sectors approachand that demands our own all-tools and all-sectors approach in response.
(HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Houston-based VALIC Financial Advisors Inc. (VFA) in a pair of actions for failing to disclose to teachers and other investors practices that generated millions of dollars in fees and other financial benefits for VFA.

In the first action, the SEC found that VFA failed to disclose that its parent company paid a for-profit entity owned by Florida K-12 teachers unions to promote VFA and its parent company services to teachers.

In the second action, the SEC found that VFA failed to disclose conflicts of interest regarding its receipt of millions of dollars of financial benefits that directly resulted from advisory client mutual fund investments that were generally more expensive for clients than other mutual fund investment options available to clients.

VFA agreed to pay approximately $40 million to settle the charges in these two actions. In the first action, VFA agreed to cap advisory fees for all Florida K-12 teachers who currently participate (and, in some cases, those who prospectively participate) in its advisory product in Floridas 403(b) and 457(b) retirement programs. This will result in significant savings for thousands of teachers.

VFA Failed to Disclose Payments Made in Exchange for Referral of Teachers

VFA is a financial services vendor in nearly every school district in Florida. According to the SECs order, VFAs parent company, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC), for 13 years made payments to an entity owned by the Florida teachers unions in exchange for that entitys exclusive endorsement of VFA as its preferred financial services partner and the entitys agreement to not promote or endorse VFAs competitors. VALIC also provided the entity owned by the teachers unions three full-time employees to serve as member benefit coordinators. These coordinators  who deceptively presented themselves as employees of the entity owned by the teachers unions  promoted VALIC and VFA to Florida K-12 teachers, including at benefits fairs and financial planning seminars, and referred teachers to VFA for investment recommendations. The order finds that the member benefit coordinators increased VFAs access to K-12 teachers in Florida, and that VFA did not disclose that the for-profit entity was paid to make VFA its preferred financial services provider.

VFA (together with VALIC) earned more than $30 million on the products it sold to Florida K-12 teachers during the period covered by the SECs order.

Teachers need and deserve our attention, and we are dedicated to ensuring they receive all of the information they are entitled to when making decisions about their financial futures, said Chairman Jay Clayton. Too often educators are targeted with misconduct related to their investments. Our nations educators, and our Main Street investors more generally, are entitled to full and accurate information about the incentives and conflicts affecting their financial advisors.

By failing to disclose to teachers that it was making payments to and providing employees for the union-owned entity in exchange for that entity referring teachers to VFA, VFA took advantage of the trust teachers placed in that entity, said Stephanie Avakian, Co-Director of the SECs Division of Enforcement. Like all investors, teachers need full and fair disclosure.

Financial relationships and affiliations in the K-12 teachers retirement sector can impact teachers financial interests, added Steven Peikin, Co-Director of the SECs Division of Enforcement. It is critical that teachers get the information they need to make informed decisions about their retirement options.

The SECs Office of Investor Education and Advocacy today issued an Investor Bulletin with tips to help teachers make informed investment decisions, including about retirement plans. The agency offers resources for teachers and investing and provides outreach and education to teachers through its Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Retail Strategy Task Force, and its San Francisco Regional Office.

VFA Failed to Disclose Millions of Dollars in Financial Benefits It Received for Investing Clients in Certain Funds

The SEC separately charged VFA for making false and misleading statements about, and otherwise failing to disclose, conflicts related to its receipt of millions of dollars of financial benefits from client mutual fund investments.

According to the SECs order, VFAs wrap agreements with its clients provided that the advisory fee the client paid to VFA included the costs to execute securities transactions. The order finds that VFA either directly invested or instructed its primary sub-adviser to select new mutual fund investments for clients that were part of VFAs clearing brokers no-transaction fee program (NTF Program), and thus would not incur a transaction fee VFA would be responsible for paying. The NTF Program mutual funds were generally more expensive than other mutual funds available to VFA clients, including instances when a less expensive mutual fund share class for the same fund was available outside the NTF Program.

The order finds that VFAs participation in the NTF Program generated three key financial benefits to VFA, and that VFA not only failed to provide disclosures regarding these conflicts, but also provided false and misleading disclosures concerning the conflicts. The order sets forth that VFA received both 12b-1 fees and revenue sharing from the clearing broker for client investment in mutual funds within the NTF Program. In addition, according to the order, for clients with wrap agreements in which VFA was responsible for client execution costs, VFA financially benefited by not having to pay any transaction fees for mutual funds in the NTF Program. Despite being eligible to do so, VFA did not self report its receipt of undisclosed 12b-1 fees as part of the Division of Enforcements Share Class Selection Disclosure Initiative announced in February 2018.

Investment advisers must disclose conflicts between their financial interests and those of their clients, said Mr. Peikin. Here, VFA for years reaped million in benefits at its clients expenses while not only failing to disclose the conflicts, but while providing false and misleading information.

VFA misled clients by telling them that their advisory fee would cover execution costs without also telling them that VFA would put them in more expensive mutual fund share classes and thus avoid paying those costs. Ms. Avakian added. By not disclosing these practices as well as the other financial benefits VFA received, the firm deprived its clients of essential information about their relationship with their adviser and violated core fiduciary obligations.
Ilham Ahmed

AF International has a six-month agreement to provide government affairs and media relations services to the US mission of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political wing of the Syrian Defense Forces.

The SDF has been a major US ally in the fight against ISIS, losing more than 11K of its male and female fighters in the campaign.

The SDC, which represents Arab and Kurdish political and civil society groups in north and east Syria, says its goal is to work towards a democratic country through conversations, consensus building and diplomacy.

The group condemned president Trump's Oct. 6 decision to allow Turkey to invade northeastern Syria, a move that "heralded chaos and bloodshed for our people," according to Ilham Ahmed, executive president of the SDC.

The Oct. 9 Turkish invasion, which displaced 130K Syrians, was an act of genocide against the Kurdish people, Ahmed told Congress on Oct. 23.

The subsequent "ceasefire" ironed out by the US, Turkey and Russia ceded a large portion of SDF-controlled territory to Turkish control. "Now the same fighters who defeated ISIS are being told to retreat like criminals, and being labeled 'terrorists,'" said Ahmed.
The IAB SA is hosting its next insight webinar tomorrow, 30 July at 11am on Zoom, featuring speakers Stephane Rogovsky, Pierre Cassuto, Siya Metane and Aqeelah Harron-Ally on the topic of digital influencer marketing...

Aqeelah Harron-Ally, Pierre Cassuto, Stephane Rogovsky and Siya Metane

What is the key theme or message of your talk?

Talk us through some of your key insights on the subject.

What one main call to action would you advise brands to take at this time?

The digital economy is changing at such a rapid rate, especially given the current global crisis. Comment on its impact of content on the digital economy in context of your talk.

At this time of crisis  please share one key learning that you have personally (or professionally) taken on board, that you believe will assist others to navigate the future of work as we (are getting to) know it.

Whether our clients, partners or the target audience, people need to engage and are keener to connect at a human level, which eventually creates a much stronger bond between all parties. From a process point of view, every day brings new challenges, and an extreme level of agility is required to understand the clients reality, needs and challenges, with the operational, economical and reputational reality of the company. True partnerships and work to find practical compromises is the only way forward.

Here, Rogovsky, founder and CEO at R-Squared and council lead of the IAB SA Digital Influencer Council, Cassuto, CMO of the social-media influencer platform Humanz globally and CEO for its African operations, Metane, better known in the music industry as 'Slikour', CEO of SlikourOnLife and Harron-Ally, modest-dressing blogger (Fashion Breed), social media influencer and stylist, share some key insights and a bit about what theyre going to be sharing in their presentationsUsing influencers to drive results in a post-lockdown world.Identifying real influencers and measuring the ROI of influencer marketing campaigns successfully and consistently is extremely difficult. The core reason is that definitions for both of these concepts are fluid and interpretations still differ.People + stories = influencersThe world has changed for a long, long time. Adaptation is key, but it can be a good thing in the long-term.What is influencer marketing? How does it differentiate from celebrity advertising? The need for brands to reconnect with their audience, and the increased relatability and resonance that influencers have with their audience as a consequence of Covid-19.People typically refer to one of three practices when speaking about influencer marketing: a) paying people with large social media followings to post branded content, as a replacement for traditional publishers and broadcasters; b) commissioning online content creators to produce branded content, as a replacement for traditional creatives; c) exchanging thoughts and ideas with leaders within communities, as a replacement for traditional research and strategy consultants. There is then an expectation that doing any or all of these successfully will result in influence but without consensus on how its defined or measured.People also tend to equate high social media following and influence, but influence is contextual, relative to a specific group over a specific matter and sometimes even at a specific time. Being an influencer is a role that someone takes on at a specific place and time, on the back of a position they have earned based on their perceived expertise, character and interactions with the community in question. So, an influencer could in theory mean anybody, depending on the context that you have in mind or the community you want to influence.Each social network, platform and agency tends to have their own definition and interpretation not only for both of these concepts but also metrics: reach, impressions, opportunities to see, engagement, etc. can all mean different things depending on who you ask. As a result, comparing proposals or reports from campaign to campaign or partner to partner is nearly impossible for a marketer today.The power of influencers. Using the right influencers for the right purpose/objective. Its more than just the number of followers but the truth of the narrative and how its curated to create relevance.Brands need to identify what their objectives are, their audience and if their truth resonates with the narrative of that influencer. The agency needs to strategically select influencers that will bring the clients objectives to life, as authentic as possible to build that real connection with their audience.Topic one: adapting fully to the pandemic and accepting it. This will cover accepting that the pandemic as a long-term situation with long-term effects, to finding ways to keep your brand relevant in this time. Using this time to stay connected with your audience through home-DIY product innovation, digital product innovation, collaboration with free education. Also explore ways of providing escapism. It will also discuss honesty with advertising partners. Topic two: screen time and engagement are up right now, but do viewers have money? Here we will explore ways to use this to your advantage.Keep the communication flowing with your audience, even if you cannot trade. Influencers can bring the authentic, personal and human message that your audience needs during these challenging times. Covid-19 is a human crisis, and personalised and human communication is essential.Question what is being presented to you and how it is being calculated. Define explicitly and upfront how you will measure success and equate your ROI. Create and test a theory of how you will build your own influence within specific communities.Understand your target audiences social climate and offer a solution that caters to their direct needs, considering what is currently happening in the world. Be relatable, be relevant and dont just do it because its a quick reach scheme.Continue to explore ways to adapt and get creative in order to stay relevant. Look at what other brands are doing to keep their names out there, and also ask yourself as a consumer what do you want to see, what is irritating you, what has helped you, etc. Its still going to be stories and emotions that sell your product, not forced advertising.Whether rich or poor, famous or infamous or in a relationship or not, influencers and their audience are now all in the same boat. They too are isolated and miss going out, travelling and seeing their friends and family. Covid-19 created a level of relatability between influencers and their audience that was never reached before. This relatability is a key driver of resonance. At R-Squared we have seen a significant increase of influencer marketing activity and more meaningful conversations happening between influencers and their audience.The rules that apply to influencers apply to brands too. Building brand equity is akin to building trust, by demonstrating competence and character and your track record of interactions with communities around you. The beauty of influencer marketing, when done successfully, is that you are putting money directly back in the pockets of your customers, fans or leaders of communities you are involved with.There has never been a more important time to understand the social climate of the influencers audience. Over 60% of South Africans are on the internet daily looking for narratives from people who can give them hope, joy, information and companionship. The human need for assertiveness is at its highest. Brands need to use this opportunity to fill these gaps but can only do it if they understand the social nuances to identify influencers that tell narratives that fill the current consumer void.It has resulted in jobs being cancelled and less frequent overall, rates being reduced, narratives and approaches changing, and many cheeky requests for a lot of work at a very low price.Extreme agility and open communication.Be clear and explicit on your values and beliefs as an individual or organisation. The world is getting more polarised and less tolerant of nuance, neutrality or passivity. People will try to force you to choose sides. Think in terms of the legacy you want to build, not just your short-term risk.We are all affected by the pandemic. Were in a different time now and you need the right people in your team, that are agile, believe in the vision of the business and want to be a part of your journey towards creating the new world post-Covid-19.Stare this pandemic right in the face and take it head-on. Realise that you cannot go on the way things were before. You cannot use your old tone, your previous budget, your typical approach, even if your brand is an essential item. You may even find you were fine in the beginning for months and are only experiencing the harder times now. That's normal too, as the economy changes and moves in waves these days, and you need to learn how to ride these waves and prepare for the unexpected.
The four winners and four honorable mention recipients of the 2020 Essex County Senior Citizen Legacies Writing Contest were announced by Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. announced. Normally announced in May during Older Americans Month, the awards were delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Listening to our senior citizens read their stories during the awards ceremony is one of my most favorite events. The writers vivid recollections stir up great memories and share lessons they have learned during their lifetime, DiVincenzo said. Unfortunately, the coronavirus forced us to cancel our in-person celebration of our talented writers and the ongoing concerns for public health means we wont be able to reschedule. As with each year, we were impressed with the entries and did not want to completely deprive our seniors of this much anticipated event, he added.

Selected as winners of the 2020 Senior Citizen Legacies Writing Contest were South Orange resident Lorraine Kerry Barnett, who wrote The Fatality of Dreams, Montclair resident Rikke Beal who wrote Kikke Kissing Louis Armstrong, Caldwell resident Eva M. Ogens who wrote Love in a Jar and South Orange resident Janyce Wolf who wrote The Day the World Changes. Receiving honorable mentions were Montclair resident Roger Birnbaum who wrote Off to War, Bloomfield resident Alfred Sonny Piccoli who wrote Remembering Downtown Newark in the 1960s, South Orange resident Terry Salley who wrote O My Grief and Bloomfield resident Paula R. Zaccone who wrote What Grandma Didnt Tell Us.

South Orange resident Lorraine Kerry Barnett wrote The Fatality of Dreams, which was selected as one of the winning stories. While in college, Barnett was taking a summer literature course. One day, her professor asked her what she wanted to do after graduation, and she replied that her dream was to attend graduate school. Instead of support, the professor questioned her goals and told her graduate school is not for everyone. He wanted me to know that there were limitations to what I should or could aspire to become, she wrote. This bias did not discourage Barnett, who four years later would earn her law degree from Rutgers School of Law and be sworn in as an attorney.

Montclair resident Rikke Beal wrote Kikke Kissing Louis Armstrong, which was selected as one of the winning stories. Growing up in Copenhagen, Denmark, Beal and her friends adored jazz music. When they learned Louis Armstrong was going to perform at the KB Hall and then was rumored to play in a jam session at a local club, they skipped class and bought tickets. After enjoying the concert, they rushed to the club, where Armstrong mingled with the audience. I got closer and closer, but still could only see his back. Finally, I was close enough to reach out touch his shoulder. While my posse cheered in the back, I placed a big smacking kiss on Satchmos back, right between his shoulder blades, she wrote.

Caldwell resident Eva M. Ogens wrote Love in a Jar, which was selected as one of the winning stories. In rich detail, Ogens wrote about the homemade jelly and pies her mother made  how her father grew the fruit in their backyard and how the family, under the guidance of her mother, would cook the fruit and jar it. These delicacies were enjoyed by the family and shared with neighbors and friends as gifts. I am continuing the legacy of making homemade pies, cakes, cookies, jam and jellies to grace the tables of family and friends, Ogens writes. I am perpetuating and sharing the love that was so sweetly packaged in that jar of jelly and reinforcing the value of homegrown goodness and love, she concludes.

South Orange resident Janyce Wolf wrote The Day the World Changes, which was selected as one of the winning stories. Her story focused on the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and the grief and uncertainty it caused. We can see the results of the 9/11 attacks in two ways. In many ways, the world is not a better place: wars, more surveillance, hucksterism, racism, economic instability. But individually people drew together, learned from each other, helped each other. Many people grew to know more about the world outside their own lives, Wolf writes. She sees many similarities  both good and bad examples  happening now during the coronavirus pandemic.

Montclair resident Roger Birnbaum wrote Off to War, which received an honorable mention award. Birnbaum was 6 years old when World War II began. His mother immediately joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Although he was too young at the time to understand, he explains that his mother was a pioneer, a female who wanted her independence at a time when women were supposed to be subservient to their husbands. After the war, she earned a bachelors degree and took a job as a school nurse and teacher. My mother, while loving and devoted to her family, believed that women should have an identity separate from their husbands and children, the freedom to pursue their own intellectual and career interests, and their own source of funds and bank accounts, he writes.

Bloomfield resident Alfred Sonny Piccoli wrote Remembering Downtown Newark in the 1960s, which received an honorable mention award. Piccoli shares his memories of growing up and spending time in Downtown Newark. He writes about visiting Bambergers and discovering their giant toy department, even though he could not afford to buy any toys. There were other department stores, Military Park, arcades with pinball machines, the Army & Navy Store, movie theaters, Woolworths, the Newark Public Library and the historical Newark Fire Museum. While writing about the Seated Lincoln Statue in front of the Historic Essex County Courthouse, he writes, While I sat in contemplation next to Lincoln, I felt I belonged and was a part of this diverse, great city. This strengthened by faith in humanity, leading to my better understanding and acceptance of others.

South Orange resident Terry Salley wrote O My Grief, which received an honorable mention award. Salley shares his deep love for his wife, Marilyn, and the last days before her death. The couple recently moved from Brooklyn to South Orange so they would be closer to their children. After moving, however, Marilyn, became ill. To cheer her spirits, the family gave her a party at the Highlawn Pavilion and made her wear a tiara because she was the queen of the family. After the party, however, Marilyn had to be admitted to the hospital and then hospice. Salley spent days in the hospital with his wife and recounts the last moments he spent with his Earth Angel.

Bloomfield resident Paula R. Zaccone wrote What Grandma Didnt Tell Us, which received an honorable mention award. After her grandmother immigrated to America from Italy around 1900, little information about their lives in their home country was shared with the family. In fact, when Zaccone and her husband were planning a trip to Europe, her mother said there probably were no living relatives from Cassano. Zaccone still visited the town and, to her surprise, stumbled upon distant relatives and cousins, who welcomed her into their homes and celebrated the discovery of long, lost family members. My Italian discoveries have linked multiple generations of family in two countries and their bonds continue today, she writes.
Demonstrators supporting a legal path for so-called Dreamers gather outside the White House. (Olivier Douliery / Abaca Press)

Well, the Trump administration certainly is persistent.

The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that it would no longer accept new applications under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and would limit renewals of current protections to one year (down from two) while charging the same $495 filing fee (effectively doubling the cost for two years of protection).

At the same time, the administration said it is reviewing the history of DACA in light of the Supreme Court's recent ruling that it had violated regulatory procedures when it sought to kill the program. That suggests DACA very much remains a target.

When the administration next acts on DACA, it will be on the basis of the comprehensive review of the substantive legal and legal policy justifications offered for winding down the program, a White House official told reporters shortly before the DHS announcement.

Will this new move last longer than a DACA advocates sprint to the courthouse? Thats unclear, given how the administration is going about it. Acting DHS Secretary Chad R. Wolf rescinded memos issued by his predecessors on how the program should operate and released his own new memo establishing these new guidelines.

But a federal judge in Maryland on July 17 ordered the administration to resume accepting new DACA applications; whether this new memo sidesteps that order or runs afoul of it is unclear.

Regardless of the legal arguments involved here, the administration is pursuing bad policy to exploit divisive electoral politics.

Immigration has been a thorny issue for decades now, and Trump fanned dissent over enforcement of existing laws into a political tailwind that helped propel him to the White House. Yet except among immigration hardliners, Americans including most Trump voters  support at a minimum protecting Dreamers from deportation

Further, most Americans support creating a path to citizenship for Dreamers, people who since childhood have lived in the U.S. without permission after decisions made by their families.

Story continues

For many, the U.S. is the only home they have known. They have been educated here, become part of communities, and as they advanced into adulthood many have started families and in some cases businesses. By one estimate, nearly 30,000 current DACA recipients work in healthcare alone, crucial employees particularly during this pandemic.

And heres a rare moment of agreement between me and the White House. President Trump has said, and Wolfs memo reaffirms, that Congress has had plenty of time to clarify its intent for how Dreamers should be handled, and it has failed to do so.

Even if the DACA policy could have been justified as a temporary measure when it was created, Congress arguably has had more than sufficient time to consider affording permanent status or immigration relief to the class of aliens covered by the policy, Wolf said. And yet, although various proposals have been advanced to do that, Congress has so far declined to take action.

Wolf went on to suggest that failure to act is itself a signal on Congress intent.

In the face of this failure to reach a legislative solution, I have serious doubts as to whether DHS should continue to provide either a reprieve from removal or a grant of attendant benefits to more than half a million aliens through a broad, class-based deferred-action policy, he said.

But Congress, unfortunately, fails to act as a force of habit, and those failures must be read for what they are: congressional dereliction, not congressional intent.

Congress needs to saddle up and fix this. Variations of the Dream Act have been introduced since 2001, but all withered on the vine. President Obama crafted DACA precisely because of Congress inability to find a way to protect Dreamers from deportation  a vastly unjust punishment for the actions of their parents.

More fundamentally, it's an indictment of Congress that it is so willing to let the lives of more than 600,000 people twist in the wind for so long. The conundrum in which the Dreamers find themselves has a clear and politically popular resolution, but on Capitol Hill, political cynicism wins out.
Samsungs online store has seen a surge in traffic and sales during the last few months, as the pandemic has forced people to buy products online. To celebrate their customers in India, Samsung is launching three new initiatives  the Samsung Referral Program, the Student Program and the Shop 20K Advantage initiative.

With the Samsung Referral program, a referrer can an help their friends and family get exciting rewards (up to 8% off) on purchase of a range of mobile and consumer electronics products when purchased via Samsung.com. The referrer will also get up to Rs.1500 per successful transaction. The program is applicable on 15+ devices, which include smartphones, tablets and wearables.

The Student program is designed to give student community access to a special catalogue of products consisting smartphones, tablets, wearable and accessories, all of which will be at a special price along with services like complimentary insurance, easy exchange and convenient EMI options. To enter the program, students must sign in via their official college email id or be validated by an authorized student credentials verification agency.

And finally, the Shop 20K Advantage initiative will offer the following:

Samsung Shop App users get the opportunity to unlock 10 shopping vouchers worth INR 20000 in total value by registering on the Samsung Shop App with their contact details

These vouchers bring the best of Samsungs cross-category portfolio to consumers. There is one voucher for each of the following categories  Smartphones, Televisions, Washing Machines, Refrigerators, Microwaves, Tablets, Smartwatches, True Wireless Audio, Accessories & Harman/JBL products

Each voucher gives a consumer up to INR 2000 shopping benefit, depending on transaction value and category and is valid for 365 days

Commenting on these initiatives, Asim Warsi, Senior Vice President, Samsung India, said:
Taoiseach Micheal Martin and his senior team of ministers will cost an extra 50,000 over a full five years in government.

The changes in ministerial pay will mean Mr Martin, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar and other senior ministers cost the taxpayer 10,000 more per year than the same roles in the former Fine Gael-led minority government.

It comes as three super junior ministers at the centre of a controversy over a salary top-up agreed to gift the allowance back to the State.

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They agreed to combine the two existing allowances together and divided it between the three of them, which means they will each receive a top-up of around 11,000.

The Taoiseach revealed what he described as a 10pc across- the-board pay cut for ministers amid the storm over the top-up for super junior ministers Jack Chambers, Hildegarde Naughton and Pippa Hackett.

However, the last government had been waiving pay restoration increases that had been due to ministers in recent years.

That means the 10pc cut announced by Mr Martin to the official salary rates still leaves senior ministers better off in terms of take-home pay compared to the last administration. Mr Martin was forced to defend the move in the Dail.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald criticised the situation, while Rise TD Paul Murphy claimed it was an "utter joke" and asked Mr Martin whether he agreed it was time for "sky-high" pay for the Taoiseach and ministers to end.

Mr Martin said he would be "gifting back" around 25,000 to the State as a result of the Cabinet decision.

This takes into account the waiving of a 2pc increase due to ministers in October.

Mr Martin said: "I have no difficulty in doing that. I'm happy to do that."

He said he previously took a "significant cut in pension" in 2010 and also gave back a severance of around 80,000.

He disagreed with Mr Murphy on lowering pay for TDs, arguing that it ultimately led to wealthier people entering politics or benefiting richer parties.

An Irish Independent analysis of the changes to ministers' pay shows that in total Mr Martin and his senior team will cost 10,092 more per year than the corresponding roles in the last government.

Mr Martin will get 186,831 - almost 1,500 more than the 185,350 Mr Varadkar was being paid during his time as Taoiseach.

Mr Varadkar is to be paid 172,263 - almost 1,000 more than the 171,309 his predecessors were paid in the same role.

And other senior ministers, including Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, are to be paid 158,129 - almost 600 more than the 157,540 that senior ministers took home during the last government.

Ministers joined Mr Martin in defending the changes to pay. Mr Ryan said he hadn't known how ministerial salaries compared with those of the last government when the Cabinet made a decision to hand back 10pc of their pay.

He denied the move was tokenistic, despite it leaving some ministers and the Taoiseach better off. He argued the cut that was decided would result in around 600,000 being returned to the State each year.

Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath said what the previous government had done was "very complicated" and it was "far simpler to take a cut off the official salary". He told Cork's RedFM: "I'm certainly not there for the money and never have been."
The Ten Commandments came down from God to the recently liberated Hebrews at Mount Sinai, showing them the basics of living as a godly people, a shining light on a hill for the world to look towards and see the way of the one true God. He began with the ten, and then elaborated more with the Levitical law.

Often, people look at these rules and believe they are easy to follow or can be selectively followed and ignored in certain circumstances. The sixth commandment is one that people feel they can avoid easily. However, God prioritized this law as one of the ten most important.

When God said, You shall not murder in Exodus 20:13, He meant no one could take the life of another. But Jesus clarified that one should not harbor hatred, murderous thoughts, or wicked feelings for a neighbor either.

Why Did God Send the 10 Commandments?

The Ten Commandments were the foundations of the Law that Israel would build itself on. As a nation, these rules were important because Israel was meant to show the world the way of the one, true God. The Bible says that, The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious (Isaiah 41:21). He chose to magnify His law through the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God also handed down the Ten Commandments so that no one could claim to be ignorant of right and wrong. Paul wrote to the Galatian church, Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for The righteous shall live by faith. But the law is not of faith, rather The one who does them shall live by them (Galatians 3:11-12).

The law created an impossible standard for sinful individuals, highlighting the need for a Savior; There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2). The Holy Spirit helps those who have become disciples of Jesus Christ grow more like Jesus, becoming more righteous through their lives.

Where Does "Thou Shalt Not Kill" Command Appear?

Before their time in Egypt, the people who became the nation of Israel were tribal shepherd people. God brought them out of Egypt to make them a nation modeled after His rules and His ways, and ...a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6b). When they gathered at Mount Sinai, God descended upon the mountain and gave Moses the basis of the laws the nation of Israel was to live by, with the first ten being carved into stone by Gods own finger.

While God handed down more laws on Mount Sinai, only the first ten were written in stone. The first four focus on mans relationship with God, codifying the way man should interact with a Holy God. The last six deal with mans interactions with other people. In a perfect world, the sixth commandment would be easy to follow, requiring that no one take the life of another.

What Does the Bible Say about Killing?

If this world was perfect, then it would be easy to follow the sixth commandment. But sin entered the world, making killing a part of life, and justice harder to enforce. The Book of Deuteronomy outlines the ways of upholding justice and obeying the law. One such moral complication is manslaughter, when someone accidentally kills another. God instituted Refugee Cities for the displaced, the dispossessed, and for those who have committed manslaughter:

This is the provision for the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life. If anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally without having hated him in the past  as when someone goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies  he may flee to one of these cities and live, lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past (Deuteronomy 19:4-6).

Here, the law makes allowance for grace in the case of accidents. It is important to note that part of this allowance is the individuals heart, with the provision in verse six being, ...he had not hated his neighbor in the past. God sees the heart of each person, and asks the law to do it as much as possible. Such grace is not to be extended under mans justice for the intentional killing of another person, with Old Testament law requiring, then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die (Deuteronomy 19:12). Life is sacred, and killing is a violation of the order God intended and must be dealt with.

Photo credit: Getty Images

In Biblically based approaches to the law, killing must be met with a firm hand of justice. The reason why God  and by extension the Law  takes this so seriously is because, Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image (Genesis 9:6). God gave man body, soul, and a will, a level of conscience and awareness that means man can create, invent, build, and know right from wrong. God endowed man with a unique mark of His own nature, and every human bears that mark, meaning each person is loved uniquely by God. To dishonor that image is blasphemous before the Creator of that image.

Does This Verse Just Cover Murder?

For many, the control over their actions is enough to feel they have not violated the sixth commandment. Not taking a life is enough for some. When Jesus came, He clarified the law, teaching what God truly desired from His people. The Law did not just dictate what actions people should or should not take, but also what the condition of the heart ought to be.

The Lord wants people to be like Him, holy and righteous, which is an internal condition as much as it is external action. Of killing, Jesus said, You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, You fool! will be liable to the hell of fire (Matthew 5:21).

Hating ones neighbor, harboring the feelings and thoughts that can lead to murder is sinful as well, and is failing to live up to the righteousness of Holy God. John the Beloved Apostle elaborated further on this internal state of sin, Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has evil thoughts and intentions, even if they are not acted on, as sinful (1 John 3:15).

Is Exodus 20:13 Still Relevant for Us Today?

Until the end of days, there will be death, murder, accidents, and hate in peoples hearts. Jesus came and released Christians from the burdens of the law, because He served as the final sacrifice in atonement for the sins of the world. But He also came to uphold and fulfill the law, including the Ten Commandments.

People struggle to live upright lives that line up with their values, set by the first ten rules. Understanding that you shall not murder is both refusing to take a life, and not to harbor hateful feelings toward others can serve as a reminder to cling to Jesus for peace. When there is division, rather than caving into malicious thoughts, vitriolic words, and violent actions, Christians should look to their Saviors example, and remember that God is love.

Sources

Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. Grand Rapids: Academie Books, 1960.

Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999.

Wilmington, H.L. Wilmingtons Guide to the Bible. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 1981.

Photo credit: Getty Images/fergregory

Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer and editor. She maintains a faith and lifestyle blog graceandgrowing.com, where she muses about the Lord, life, culture, and ministry.
Ministry leader questions John MacArthurs resistance to Calif. COVID-19 shutdown order

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A prominent ministry leader has expressed concern over megachurch pastor and author John MacArthurs decision to keep Grace Community Church open despite a state order.

Earlier this month, California announced that churches and other in-person public gatherings in 30 of its counties would be closed to help curb an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

MacArthur said that Grace Community would remain open despite the order, arguing that the state government had no right to interfere in ecclesiastical matters in a way that undermines or disregards the God-given authority of pastors and elders.

 we cannot and will not acquiesce to a government-imposed moratorium on our weekly congregational worship or other regular corporate gatherings. Compliance would be disobedience to our Lords clear commands, MacArthur stated.

 when any government official issues orders regulating worship (such as bans on singing, caps on attendance, or prohibitions against gatherings and services), he steps outside the legitimate bounds of his God-ordained authority as a civic official and arrogates to himself authority that God expressly grants only to the Lord Jesus Christ as sovereign over His Kingdom, which is the church.

Jonathan Leeman, editorial director of the ministry group 9Marks and an elder at Cheverly Baptist Church in Maryland, penned a column in response to MacArthurs announcement.

Leeman warned churches about following the actions of Grace Community, noting that while he respected some of what MacArthur had to say, he was concerned about certain conclusions.

One was that churches can still meet outdoors under the guidelines and that, in the past, churches have altered their worship patterns in light of national calamities due to government orders.

Churches in coastal cities during World War Two accommodated evening black-out requirements in case enemy planes hit the coasts. Those churches didnt insist the government had no right to restrict our worship, wrote Leeman.

In other words, just because you think God will ultimately vindicate your decision to disobey the government on the last day doesnt mean its wise. You might have other options that avoid undue attention.

Leeman also pointed to the increasing debate over LGBT issues and religious liberty, especially government mandated support for LGBT agenda items for Christian individuals and groups.

The politics of LGBT tells me our churches may have more occasions to defy government requirements in years to come. Do we want to spend down our capital on pandemics? he continued.

Right now, the guidelines restricting churches also restricts restaurants, movie theaters, museum, gyms, funeral homes, non-essential offices, shopping malls, barbershops, and more. As those restaurant and gym owners cast a glance over at our churches, will our refusal to abide by the same restrictions which are causing them financial distress help the witness of the gospel, especially if we could find other ways to comply, such as meeting outdoors?

Leeman added that while he is also concerned about the indefinite timeline provided by California on the restrictions, he was concerned that Graces stance implied that the church did not believe there is a real threat with Covid-19.

Again, that is a judgment call they are allowed to make. And that judgement call presumably stands behind their subsequent judgment call to disobey the government, he added.

Once more, my goal here is not to necessarily disagree with much less condemn either judgment. My goal is to open up a little space of Christian freedom for other churches to make different judgments, and then to encourage all of us to exercise patience and charity with one another and our churches as we make different decisions.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has garnered much criticism for his orders restricting in-person worship in his efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This included a ban on singing in church, believed to be a way in which the coronavirus can be spread. Three churches filed suit against the ban earlier this month.

When Newsom banned indoor worship services and small group meetings in as many as 30 counties earlier this month, two ministry groups filed suit in district court.

The Pasadena-based Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministries filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The Governors orders impose disparately onerous prohibitions and numerical restrictions on religious gatherings in churches, and even on in-home Bible studies, worship meetings, and life groups, they claimed in the lawsuit.

And the Governor has imposed these draconian restrictions on Plaintiffs while openly celebrating and encouraging mass gatherings for protests. The Constitution demands more and so should this Court.
Shocking footage has revealed the moment two teenage boys were catapulted onto the ground while playing on a swing in Kazakhstan.

The teenagers, aged 14 and 13, had both been standing on the same swing when it snapped off the metal support under their weight and somersaulted through the air with them still hanging on to it.

The boys were flung into a fence before horrified adults ran to their aid in a playground in Pavlodar in the north-east of the country.

The boys were rushed to Pavlodar Regional Children's Hospital and diagnosed with head injuries, a concussion, bruises to the chest and soft tissue damage.

The two teenage boys move back and forth on the swing in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, and begin to gain momentum

The swing snaps from the metal framework under their weight and sends the boys flying through the air

The boys are thrown from the swing into a nearby fence and try to stand back onto their feet

The incident was filmed on a street CCTV camera and shared online by local media.

At the start of the footage, the boys can be seen gaining momentum as they swing high into the air.

Just seconds later, the swing detaches from its metal framework under and flips over before crashing to the ground along with the boys.

One of the boys, dressed in a blue T-shirt, falls on the ground, while the other, dressed in a white T-shirt, lands on a metal fence.

As they roll around in pain and try to get to their feet, adults in the playground rush to their aid.

Following the incident, hospital spokeswoman Kamshat Kunpeisova told local media: 'Both kids were admitted to the hospital in moderate condition. They are receiving medical care they need in full.'

Horrified adults in the playground begin to rush to the two teenagers before the pair are taken to hospital

The boys has been riding on the swing when it snapped under their weight and flung them into the air. Pictured: The playground the boys has been playing in

The teenagers' lives are not believed to be in any danger, according to reports.

Local residents say the playground was built four years ago. One of them, Yekaterina Plaksina, commented: 'We asked children to swing in turn but they climbed the swing together anyway. The structure broke under their weight.'

Police are carrying out inquiries into the incident.
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Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f04865b2c50)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f048666e970)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f04865b2c50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f048666e970)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f048655bfa8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f048666e970)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f048666e970)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f0485f965b0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f04866c54a8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f04866c54a8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
In Myanmars restive Rakhine state, civilian deaths in military custody have increased to at least 29 cases this year, with most of the victims ethnic Rakhine men detained and tortured for suspected connections to the rebel Arakan Army (AA), family members of the missing or dead told RFA.

Rakhine state has been torn by conflict since nearly three years ago, when the Myanmar Army responded to an attack on border guard posts by a militant group with a scorched-earth campaign that drove 740,000 Rohingya Muslims across the nearby border to Bangladesh.

Similar attacks on border posts in early 2019 by the AA, a group formed in 2009 with an estimated 8,000 fighters last year that seeks autonomy for ethnic Rakhines in the state, launched the Rakhine conflict, which has killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands of civilians.

At the end of April, RFAs Myanmar Service reported that the number of cases stood at 15 since the conflict between the AA and the military flared up in December 2018. Since April, the figure has almost doubled as the corpses of more detainees are discovered.

Some of the deaths occurred after groups of villagers were rounded up en masse in army operations. Though many remain missing, those who have resurfaced say they were tortured, while others were discovered dead, with their bodies bearing signs of torture.

On Feb. 29, a land mine detonated by the AA against government forces prompted those soldiers to open fire in Myaung Bway Chay village, in Mrauk-U township, and round up villagers. According to relatives of victims, village administrators and local civil society groups, the onslaught left 11 dead and 17 wounded. Among the dead was Maung Soe Lwin, a 47-year-old from Shwe Lan village, who was visiting Myaung Bway Chay at the time.

Government troops asked him questions about his involvement with the AA and killed him, according to his son-in-law Aung Naing Htay, who hid in a nearby latrine.

According Maung Soe Lwins widow, his body was left buried in a shallow grave apparently dug by government troops. One outstretched hand was poking out.

We found a bullet wound and several dagger wounds. It seems like he was buried while he was still alive, the widow, May Chay, told RFAs Myanmar Service on Thursday.

She added that the family called the police to report what they suspected, but nobody answered. Instead, the son-in-law Aung Naing Htay was arrested on charges of violating the Anti-Terrorism Act and detained at the Mrauk-U district police station, where the army tortured him for four days, his wife Ngwe Na Chay said.

My husband is tall and strong, but after I saw him I could not recognize him. He had so many wounds all over his body and he said he could not breathe well, Ngwe Na Chay told RFA.

Enquiry committee launched

On July 12, the military announced that an inquiry committee would be formed in order to investigate the allegations of abuses by the government troops in Minbya, Kyauktaw, Rathedaung and Mrauk-U townships, but it has yet to comment further on any progress in its investigations.

On March 16, army troops detained 10 residents Tin Ma village in Kyauktaw Township. The body of one of them, Maung Win, was discovered a day later in the Kaladan River, riddled with bullet wounds.

The other nine are still missing. In mid-June, the mother of one of the missing, Nay Lin Oo, told a news conference, that she had spotted her son, who has hearing and speech impairments, at a military camp in the Taung Shay mountain area near Tin Ma Gyi village, with some of the others missing from Tin Ma.

I recognized my son there, the mother, Oo Than Ye, said. I saw other villagers, too. They were forced to work. Some were shoveling dirt, and others were carrying bags of soil on their shoulders.

Than Tin, who is the widow of Maung Win, said: The army arrested [a large group of] villagers including my husband, and they marched them into the mountains. On the way, they chose ten people including my husband, and sent the rest back to the village.

Than Tin said soldiers had fired warning shots in the direction of those who were released, and one person suffered a bullet wound to the neck.

Then they shot the villagers [whom they sent back] and a friend of mine ran for his life and was badly injured, she said.

Slow responses to complaints

Contacted by RFA, a military spokesman refused to answer questions regarding deaths in custody.

Concerning these cases, investigations are still ongoing. We cannot answer right now, Major General Tun Tun Nyi told RFA.

The government has, however, pledged to punish those who kill detainees.

If there is a case like that, then they can be sued according to the law, with enough evidence, said Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay during a press conference in Naypyidaw on July 17.

We protect [those we detain] totally. We have been trying to do that, he said.

But in Rakhine, those who attempt to alert the authorities say they have had difficulty getting a response from authorities.

Complaints have been accepted by the National Human Rights Commission, but not by the police or the court. In some cases, police stations did not accept complaints, and in others, the families are too afraid to report the incidents, residents said.

Commenting on the May 2, 2019, killing of six detained civilians in Kyauktan, which the military acknowledged, Human Rights Watch said, the Myanmar Army has a long history of failing to effectively or credibly investigate alleged abuses by its own forces, rarely holding military personnel accountable.

The fighting, most of which has taken place near villages outside urban areas, has left 274 civilians dead and 587 injured since December 2018, according to figures compiled by RFA.

The armed conflict has displaced nearly 200,000 civilians, according to the Rakhine Ethnics Congress, a local relief group.

Reported by RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Maung Maung Nyo. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Maharashtra SSC Result 2020: The wait is about to end. Over 17 lakh students who took the Maharashtra Board class 10th exam will get their results today. Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education(MSBSHSE) will release the Maharashtra SSC Results 2020 at 1pm today, July 29. Students will be able to check their results online at www.mahresult.nic.in.

Out of the 17 lakh students who took the Maharashtra SSC exam, 3.91 lakh were from the Mumbai division alone. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, MSBSHE had to cancel the last Geography paper which was scheduled to be held on March 23.

Assessment Scheme:

The Maharashtra board would consider marks of written exams only while calculating average scores for the cancelled paper. Of the total 600 marks that students write their papers for, 480 marks are for written exams and 120 for internal assessments. With the cancellation of the 40 marks written paper of Geography, the written total would now be 440.

Oral exams introduced:

The education department had also reintroduced oral exams for languages and social sciences this year after the overall pass percentage of students seeing a dip in 2019 due to the scrapping of orals. The Mumbai divisional board had also introduced a new rule wherein private candidates were not allowed to change their exam centres at the last minute.

Revaluation:

Students who are not satisfied with their marks and want to apply for revaluation can apply online at the boards portal online from July 30, 2020.

(With inputs from Ankita Bhatkhande in Mumbai)
A South Hadley resident was one of many people across the country to receive unsolicited packets of seeds, prompting the state Department of Agriculture Resources to ask anyone who else who receives a similar package to save the seeds and report the mysterious mailing.

Massachusetts and federal agriculture officials are urging people not to plant them because they could be an invasive plant species. They are believed to be mailed from China.

Officials are not certain what the seeds are but do not believe they are harmful to people or pets. They are concerned they could pose a risk to agriculture or the environment, said Craig Gilvarg, spokesman for the state agriculture resources.

The South Hadley resident reported having received the seeds from China to the towns Health Department on Tuesday, said Sharon D. Hart, the public health director.

She then contacted the state Department of Health which in turn reported the mailing to the Department of Agriculture Resources, Hart said in an email.

Any residents who receive unsolicited packages of seeds are asked not to plant them and to fill out a form found on the state Department of Agricultures website to help plant regulatory officials learn more information about the seeds, Gilvarg said.

He would not say how many other people are known to have received seeds in the state. WCVB-Channel 5 reported a resident of Burlington also received the seeds.

Residents who receive a package are asked to hold onto the seeds and all packaging, including the mailing label. A representative from the state or U.S. Department of Agriculture will contact residents with more information about what they should do with them, Gilvarg said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Tuesday also issued a warning about the seeds after multiple residents across the country received them.

At this time, we dont have any evidence indicating this is something other than a brushing scam where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales. USDA is currently collecting seed packages from recipients and will test their contents and determine if they contain anything that could be of concern to U.S. agriculture or the environment, said Cecilia Sequeria, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Agriculture officials from at least 27 states across the country from New Hampshire and New York to Colorado and Texas have put out warnings about the seeds and asked people not to plant them.

The Departments Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is working with the Department of Homeland Securitys Customs and Border Protection, other federal agencies, and multiple state agriculture departments to investigate the seeds, she said.

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Tech Mahindra announced a global strategic partnership with Hinduja Groups CyQureX to offer cyber security solutions in support of clients through successful digital transformation.

The strategic partnership will enable the organizations to become leaders in the emerging Zero Trust environment, leveraging CyQureXs core SDP (Software Defined Perimeter) technology and solutions, alongside Tech Mahindras strategic focus on cybersecurity and other next generation technologies. The partnership will enable Global customers to have access to state-of-the-art cyber security protection for Data Assets across the entire life cycle i.e Data in Motion, Data in Use and Data at Rest.

With decades of consulting and digital transformation expertise, Tech Mahindra will provide consulting, planning, designing, integration, orchestration and automation of services. CyQureX, which represents a new and critical business vertical of the well diversified, multimillion dollar turnover transnational Hinduja Group, with research and development centers in India and USA and offices spread across USA, Europe/United Kingdom, Middle East and India, will prioritize capabilities in the Cyber Security domain  the new middleware of the future.

CP Gurnani, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Tech Mahindra, said, Organisations have accelerated their digital transformation journey to emerge stronger and smarter from the current crisis. As a global leading provider of digital services, Tech Mahindra is committed towards leveraging new-age technologies to unleash new business opportunities and experiences for our customers and partner ecosystem through strategic partnerships and world class solutions. We see cybersecurity not only as an essential service but as a key business differentiator for our clients. The partnership with Hinduja Groups CyQureX aligns with our core business proposition, and will further strengthen our position as the cybersecurity partner of choice for our customers globally.

GP Hinduja, Co-Chairman, Hinduja group is of the view that This partnership is a game changer in the cyber security domain. It brings the leading security services company Tech Mahindra, and our newest technology company, CyQureX, together to create a highly secure, agile and resilient digital world. I am extremely delighted to see this strategic partnership formed, as it is in line with one of the core principles of our founder, Partnership for Growth. With rapid transformation of business to digital, we believe cybersecurity will be the cornerstone to protect all digital assets, particularly for digital transformation of India and other geographies. We are committed to develop many more indigenous state-of-the-art cyber security products and technologies in the coming years, with a vision to be a major global player in the emerging cyber security solutions market.

I am very excited about the alliance with Tech Mahindra observes M.K.Narayanan, Executive Chairman of CyQureX, a Former National Security Advisor and Special Advisor on Intelligence and Security to the Prime Minister of India. This is a critical alliance and I am hopeful that it will be the catalyst to leverage next generation technologies like Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and create Cyber Security platforms to protect businesses, critical infrastructure and government. It promises to take digitalisation to the next level, providing clients across the globe with fully integrated cyber security solutions.

The strategic partnership between Tech Mahindra and Hinduja Groups CyQureX will not only provide affordable protection to critical data, and defend nations against stealth offences, but would provide Cyber Security solutions for agile deployment that are critically important for business continuity, competitiveness and flexibility. Together, given TechMNxt charter, which focuses on leveraging next-generation technologies, and Hinduja Groups CyQureX as a leading provider of cyber security solutions, exciting new opportunities have become available in the arcane world of Cyber security. Simultaneously, Tech Mahindra and Hinduja Groups CyQureX will work towards Product Development, Consulting Services and Delivery in the Cyber Security space.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Albuquerques most recent shooting death is looking to be a case of friendly fire.

Police say Ahmond Bridges, 36, and Michael Baisden opened fire at some onlookers at an East Central hotel Saturday morning before Baisden stepped in front of Bridges and was fatally struck by bullets.

Baisden was pronounced dead at the hospital soon after and Bridges is now charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of tampering with evidence.

Bridges, who police say is a convicted felon from Alabama with multiple counts of attempted murder on his rap sheet, is also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court:

Police responded around 11:45 a.m. to a fight outside the Four Hills Studios in the 12900 block of Central, west of Tramway. Arriving officers were told a man, later identified as Baisden, had been shot and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Witnesses told police two men were kicking, punching and pistol whipping another man in the parking lot before a mailman in the area yelled at them to stop. The two men believed they were being yelled at by onlookers outside an adjacent mobile home and, within minutes, both men opened fire.

As the men were shooting at those outside the mobile home, witnesses said, one man stepped in front of the other and was shot before being loaded into a truck and driven away. Soon after, police say Bridges showed up at the hospital with a fatally wounded Baisden.

A man at the hotel told police Baisden and Bridges attacked him after his girlfriend, Bridges sister, made domestic violence allegations against him. The man said both men beat him for nearly 20 minutes inside an apartment and threatened two others at gunpoint when they tried to intervene.

The man told police the pair left, but then returned, dragged him outside, and beat him in the parking lot until someone yelled at them. He said the two men got distracted, arguing with those at a nearby mobile home, and he ran back toward the apartments as Baisden and Bridges started shooting.

After being detained, Bridges refused to speak with police and requested a lawyer.
One of the founding members of Argentina's Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo dies at the age of 100. Haydee Vallino spent decades searching for her daughter and son, which ended in her finding her granddaughter.

By James Blears

The life of Haydee Vallino was caught up in the barbaric Argentine death squads.

In June 1977, her youngest daughter Monica, who was eight months pregnant, was abducted. She gave birth to a daughter in one of the notorious detention centers, where torture and death resulted.

In August of that same year, her son Mario was kidnapped from his place of work.

Days later, the death squads went to the home of another daughter, Maria Del Consuelo, but missed her, as she had already fled the country.

Neither Haydee's daughter nor son, who were seized, have been positively identified.

But Monica's daughter, Maria Jose, who was taken after birth and raised by a police woman, was traced via a DNA test in 1987. At the age of ten, she returned to her family.

Seeking out the lost

Haydee and her husband had searched in vain, and then turned to the Mothers and Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo.



For the rest of her life Haydee expressed her profound and heartfelt gratitude to them for their vital, persistent, and humanitarian help.

Paying tribute to Haydee's life and memory, the organization has stated that her tremendous bravery in confronting State terrorism back then was part of a collective struggle for justice.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two additional Staten Island library branches will reopen for grab-and-go service on Monday, Aug. 3.

The New York Public Library (NYPL) announced that it will reopen 22 additional neighborhoods for limited, grab-and-go service -- expanding its initial opening of eight branches on July 13.

With these additional locations -- which were temporarily closed since March 16 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) -- the NYPL system will have 30 branches open for grab-and-go service.

On Staten Island, New Dorp Library and Stapleton Library will reopen Monday -- joining the already open Richmondtown Library and Todt HillWesterleigh Library.

The reopenings expand on the 22 total branches that the NYPL, Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) and Queens Public Library (QPL) reopened July 13 across the five boroughs with guidelines patrons must follow during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Queens Public Library will reopen eight more branches for to-go service on Monday, Aug. 10 -- increasing the total number of open branches to 15. The Brooklyn Public Library plans to reopen more branches Aug. 10, but those locations have not yet been announced.

The citys libraries will reopen in phases to ensure a safe transition back for employees and visitors.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

In the first phase of the library reopening plan, New Yorkers will be able to access a small area of the open branches to pick up and return checkouts placed online or on the phone, which will be a contactless process.

Guests must wear masks, physically distance from staff and other patrons, and respect capacity limits at open branches.

Patrons must leave the library as soon as their pick-ups or returns are complete. At this stage, there will be no browsing, in-person reference, or computer use.

Fines have been temporarily suspended for all items checked out before the temporary closure or during phase one of the reopening. At NYPL, fines will not accrue until Oct. 1 at the earliest.

Patrons can continue to access programming, e-books, research databases, classes, and more virtually, via enhanced digital offerings that will remain in place. For now, in-person programs and classes will not be held in branches.

The NYPL said it is taking precautionary cleaning measures and making a few accommodations for patron accounts during this period of service. Each open library will undergo enhanced cleaning protocols and will have equipment, such as sneeze guards, installed. All returned materials will be quarantined for 72 hours, per expert recommendations.

New Yorkers with NYPL digital library cards -- which are usually only able to check out digital materials -- will be able to use them to check out physical materials.

All three systems are working toward opening more branches and adding services in a safe and thoughtful manner in later phases of the citys reopening.

Heres a look at the NYPL that will be open:

Staten Island (New York Public Library)

Branches open as of Aug. 3:

Branches open as of July 13:

Manhattan (New York Public Library)

Branches open as of Aug. 3:

Branches open as of July 13:

Bronx (New York Public Library)

Branches open as of Aug. 3:

Branches open as of July 13:

Hours for most branches will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday; 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The only exception is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, which will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Brooklyn (Brooklyn Public Library)

Hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.

Queens (Queens Public Library)

Branches that will be open as of Aug. 10:

Branches that have been open since July 13:

Hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (with a one-hour closure from 1 to 2 p.m. for cleaning); 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday; and 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday (with a one-hour closure from 3 to 4 p.m. for cleaning).

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By Nic White for Daily Mail Australia

Groups opposing lockdowns, mask wearing, and police authority in general rely on a series of dubious arguments that are easily discredited:

Rules are 'directives' not 'laws'

A common theme to infuriating exchanges with police is that the public health orders are invalid because Parliament never approved them.

They claim such 'directives' can only be enforced by 'consent' and thus can be ignored at will.

However, the Public Health and Wellbeing Act of 2008 does give state governments and their chief health officers power to impose restrictions.

Section 200 of the act explicitly states they can can restrict movement or 'give any other direction that the authorised officer considers is reasonably necessary to protect public health'.

These powers kick in when a state of emergency is declared by the state government, which Premier Daniel Andrews did in Victoria on March 16.

Extra powers kick in when a state of emergency is declared by the state government, which Premier Daniel Andrews did in Victoria on March 16

Section 193 of the act allows for stay at home directions, which Deputy Chief Health Officer Finn Romanes enacted on July 22.

This directive also covers the wearing of face masks, as it states people can only leave their house while wearing one - exceptions notwithstanding.

Victoria also passed its own COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Act 2020 to strengthen these emergency powers.

State of emergency is invalid

Some conspiracy theorists claim the state of emergency shouldn't have been imposed in the first place.

They quote what they believe to be the conditions that must be established, including that a deadly pathogen must be present around the country.

As they deny the seriousness of Covid-19, they declare there is 'no deadly virus' in Australia.

The 167 Australians who have died from coronavirus, and their families, would beg to differ.

Police don't have authority to enforce orders

Many of the video feature coronavirus deniers refusing to answer police questions or give their details.

They make bizarre appeals to common law overriding state legislation, which are discussed at the end of this article.

Again, the Public Health and Wellbeing Act of 2008 comes into play as it empowers health officials to ask police for help enforcing directives.

Police officers can usually only ask for someone's details if they are committing a crime or are reasonably believed to be about to be.

But the Act extends this to investigating, eliminating or reducing the risk to public health.

Police can also detain anyone deemed a 'serious risk to public health', so long as they are warned that refusal to comply would lead to their arrest.

'We will not hesitate to issue fines to people who are obviously and blatantly showing a disregard for community safety by failing to wear a mask,' Victorian Police said on July 26.

'Police are working incredibly hard to keep the community safe and this type of behaviour is unacceptable and unnecessary.'

Police are violating human rights

Conspiracy theorists make frequent reference to the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This does not actually create any laws, it is just an undertaking to preserve and protect human rights around the world.

What rights citizens do have are in the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act.

This compels Parliament to balance any infringement on human rights, as laid down in the act, and produce a 'statement of compatibility'.

This balancing act is known as 'proportionality testing' and weighs, in this case, forcing people to wear masks with the threat of illness and death.

Parliament took this into account when passing the Public Health and Wellbeing Act of 2008, and health officials have done the same this year.

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton even explained on Tuesday that human rights laws enshrined the right to exercise during lockdown.

'They are entitled to exercise within their home and their garden, ideally. People who have no garden and have no other option, have a right to exercise,' he said.

'The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities is pretty clear that if you aren't giving people an option to exercise then you are effectively putting them in prison and that's not something that can be done for a case of coronavirus or for anyone else for that matter.'

Mr Andrews has very little time for human rights arguments, pointing out that not dying of coronavirus is a rather important right.

'Seriously, one more comment about human rights - honestly. It is about human life,' he said.

'If we continue with this stuff, standing in the car park of Bunnings reading whatever nonsense you have pulled up from some obscure website...'

Mr Andrews later apologised for losing his cool, but reiterated that police were doing what needed to be done.

'[Police] are trying to be as fair as they possibly can be,' he said, 'but if you're just making a selfish choice based on your belief, your personal belief, quoting something you've read on some website, it's not about human rights.'

Even Human Rights Law Centre executive director Hugh de Kretser isn't giving the conspiracy theorists any cover.

'Being required to wear a mask in public in Melbourne does not breach human rights,' he said.

'It's a very small limit on personal freedom for a very good reason; saving lives and protecting public health. There are sensible exceptions set out in the rules.

'Those who claim their rights are being breached are wrong.'

Businesses are discriminating by requiring masks before entry

Some anti-maskers have accused businesses of being in breach of anti-discrimination laws by refusing them entry.

Wesfarmers CEO Rob Scott said he stood behind the Bunnings workers in the video

The problem with this argument is that all the other regulations around mask wearing aren't even relevant because businesses have the right refuse entry at their discretion.

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.'

Ms Nash claims she has a medical exemption to wearing a mask, which she never specified.

If she had produced proof of this, the whole situation could have been avoided.

Why these people are dangerous

Associate Professor Luke Beck Monash University's law faculty said the group appeared to be an offshoot of the sovereign citizen movement.

'These people make these kinds of pseudo-legal arguments, usually to try and get out of parking fines or paying council rates or things like that,' he told SBS.

'Some of these people think if you utter particular words or emphasise particular 'facts', it will somehow get you out of things.'

This is problematic for functioning society at the best of times, but University of Melbourne law Associate Professor Jonathan Liberman said it was downright dangerous during a pandemic.

'These people are trying to encourage others to do things that put people's health at risk and that will ultimately lead to these restrictions being in place for a lot longer,' he said.

'They are also promoting a rejection of the rule of law and a rejection of a harmonious society.'
Unknown band of gunmen ambushed a convoy of the Governor of Borno, Babagana Zulum Wednesday in Baga, the Cable newspaper is reporting.

The governor survived. A security source told TheCable that the governor was on his way to some internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the northern part of Borno when the incident happened.

Babagana Zulum, in February blamed Nigeria soldiers for a night attack by Boko Haram that killed over 30 stranded travellers.

In February 2019, suspected Boko Haram rebels attacked the convoy of the governor of Borno at that time Kashim Shettimas convoy killing at least three people. Shettimas convoy came under attack while travelling from state capital Maiduguri to Gamboru Ngala for a campaign rally.

Recently, a former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff's convoy was on Apr 25, 2020 attacked by the boko haram insugents as he was on his way to his father's funeral.
Vietnams becoming the seventh member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) marked a strategic decision and paved the way for the countrys regional and international integration,

which has also been seen as a milestone in the groupings development.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh speaks at the reception.

The remarks were made by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh at a reception celebrating the ASEANs 53rd founding anniversary and Vietnams 25-year ASEAN membership in Hanoi on July 28.

He said the 25-year membership in ASEAN has brought about pragmatic benefits to Vietnam, while Vietnam has also made major contributions to the ASEANs development and success during the period.

Vietnam has always considered the ASEAN a common house where it has joined hands with other member countries in building a strong ASEAN Community, for prosperity of each nation, as well as for peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world at large, he stressed.

Minh said the groupings existence, development, solidarity and centrality are factors that have brought peace, stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia.

The ASEAN has promoted multilateralism and trade liberalisation, and formed core mechanisms for economic and security structures in Asia-Pacific, thus helping to expand its partnership and cooperation with countries and organiations in the world, he continued.

As ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam has carried forward the community-based mindset and actions to closely coordinate with other member countries in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in a flexible manner and ensuring normal activities of the bloc as well as the implementation of priorities and initiatives.

The ASEAN is working hard to materialise short, mid and long-term plans such as setting up the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and warehouses of medical supplies, compiling standard pandemic response procedures, and completing plans for comprehensive recovery post COVID-19, among others.

The bloc has also taken the initiative in anticipating and seizing the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution by joining new-technology sectors, developing a network of smart cities, and improving human resources quality.

These achievements have demonstrated a cohesive and responsive ASEAN, Minh said.

The official also highlighted the support and cooperation of partners, countries and organisations worldwide with the grouping, saying Vietnam has received the whole-hearted support of other ASEAN member countries and international friends while performing its ASEAN Chairmanship./.VNA
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Brussels, Belgium  Wed, July 29, 2020 10:40 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a1ffcb 2 Business EU,Hong-Kong,export,China,Hong-Kong-security-law Free

The European Union on Tuesday agreed to limit exports to Hong Kong of equipment that could be used for surveillance and repression after Beijing imposed a controversial new security law.

The bloc voiced "grave concern" over the new law, saying it would severely erode freedoms in Hong Kong that were supposed to be protected under the terms of its handover from Britain to China.

The EU has struggled to agree a united response to China. Member states deeply divided over whether to stand up to Beijing -- a hugely important trading partner -- or to try to cooperate with it.

But following a proposal by France and Germany, the 27 member states on Tuesday agreed to limit exports to Hong Kong of technology that could be used for "internal repression, the interception of internal communications or cyber-surveillance".

"The EU considers the national security legislation for Hong Kong... to be a matter of grave concern," said a statement from the EU council, where all member states' leaders have a seat.

"The EU is particularly concerned about the extensive erosion of rights and freedoms that were supposed to remain protected until at least 2047."

Along with the export restriction, the EU will also bring in measures to support the population of the former British colony, granting visas, scholarships and academic exchanges to make it easier for them to travel to Europe, diplomats said.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that with the new security law in place, "It makes sense to treat Hong Kong no differently from mainland China" when it comes to the export of equipment that can be used for repression.

Beijing on Tuesday announced the suspension of extradition treaties with Canada, Australia and Britain, following similar moves by those countries over the new law.

Hong Kong's former colonial ruler Britain suspended its extradition treaty last week saying the security law had "significantly changed key assumptions" including a provision to try certain cases in mainland China.

Beijing insists the security law is needed to restore stability in the financial hub after prolonged political unrest.
The five Rafales fly in formation into Indian air space after taking of from Dubai. (Photo- Twitter/@DefenceMinIndia)

Ambala: Nearly 23 years after Sukhoi aircraft were imported, a fleet of five French-manufactured Rafale multi-role combat jets touched down in India, giving the country's air power a strategic edge over its adversaries in the neighbourhood.

The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.

"The Birds have landed safely in Ambala," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted.

Singh said "the touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History. These multirole aircrafts will revolutionise the capabilities of the IAF".

"Welcome home 'Golden Arrows'. Blue skies always," the Indian Air Force tweeted with a photo of the Rafales in "Arrow formation", given a ceremonial welcome by SU-30s.

The Rafales were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.

The fleet, comprising three single seater and two twin seater aircraft, are being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

A government statement on Monday said 10 Rafale jets were delivered to India and that five of them are staying back in France for training missions. The delivery of all 36 aircraft will be completed on schedule by the end of 2021, it added.

The Rafale jets, known for air-superiority and precision strikes, are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets.

Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran. The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy.

Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

Though the jets are being inducted into the IAF on Wednesday, there will be formal ceremony in mid-August to welcome them into the force. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top military brass of the country are expected to attend the event.

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India.

The jets were also refulled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet, according to the Indian Embassy in France.

The first Rafale jet was handed over to the IAF in October last year during a visit to France by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala airbase, the second one will based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

The Ambala base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF as the Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from it.

The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by AK Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder). In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology. The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29) The Philippines may soon see major changes in its COVID-19 pandemic response, Malacanang said Wednesday ahead of the announcement of new lockdown policies this week.

Lets just say that things will not be the same. There will be major changes in our response to the pandemic, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines The Source when asked about new measures to be imposed starting this weekend.

Roque, however, stressed the revamp will focus more on the policies to contain the health crisis and not the quarantine protocols per se.

These include increased massive testing, invigorated tracing, and the establishment of more isolation facilities, the spokesperson noted.

"Its not so much the classification that will matter, but the new, invigorated responses we will have during this COVID-19 pandemic," Roque said.

Pooled testing

Roque said that, for one, he sees the countrys COVID-19 testing capacity to further increase especially with the governments plan to use the pooled approach in the conduct of polymerase chain reaction or PCR tests.

Under the said approach, patients samples will be grouped into 10 and will undergo one PCR test a move officials labeled as more cost-efficient and speedy. Lawmakers who have pushed for the implementation of this protocol also argued it will accelerate the isolation procedures in the country.

Roque said the price for COVID-19 tests is also seen to decrease to as low as 300 per person from the usual thousands of pesos charged on patients, given that fewer test kits will be used for this method.

Apart from improvements in testing protocols, Roque said the government will also open up more isolation facilities for patients, including those showing mild symptoms and the asymptomatics.

He added officials will also be converting a drug rehabilitation center in Nueva Ecija to an additional mega isolation facility for virus-hit persons. Vacant school dormitories may also be tapped should the need for more facilities arise, Roque said.

In addition, Roque stressed the Philippines is on track to have reinvigorated tracing protocols for the infectious disease, with the help of new COVID-19 tracing czar, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong. These include the creation of an army of volunteers to further intensify tracing procedures in the country.

READ: New coronavirus contact tracing czar Magalong: Task is challenging, but not impossible

The people will now see the difference in the response that we will have. It is now thoroughly invigorated and part of it is we built capacity and we now have the capacity to do what we wanted to do from the very beginning, Roque said.

Metro Manila, a living experiment

Roque refused to preempt President Rodrigo Dutertes announcement of the fresh lockdown rules expected on Thursday, noting the recommended classifications are still subject to finalization amid appeals from local government units.

When asked of the possibility of imposing a new quarantine measure in the capital region, Roque only said that Metro Manila will be a living experiment.

"I cant announce it because the President will announce it on Thursday if Im not mistaken," Roque said.

Metro Manila will be a living experiment, and its an experiment that we believe we can be successful at and it will be something that we can be proud of, he added.
A recent ruling from a Michigan judge that business interruption claims payouts require tangible alteration to a property may have sounded like a knockout win for the insurance industry but a legal expert has a slightly different take.

Tom Baker, the William Maul Measey Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said a defective pleading stands in the way of viewing Judge Joyce Draganchuks verbal ruling in Gavrilides Management Company et al. vs. Michigan Insurance Co. as the textbook ruling that the industry has been waiting for.

He also called a case being tried in London this week a one-way ratchet for insurersmeaning that a ruling in favor of the insurers in that case does little to help the industry cause while a ruling against insurers would be a defeat on both sides of the Atlantic.

Bakers remarks came last week during a COVIDigation Trends webinar hosted by RiskGenius and its CEO and co-founder, Chris Cheatham.

Cheatham offered the textbook description of the U.S. ruling after playing a video of Judge Draganchuks analysis in which she said: Under their common meanings and under federal case lawthat interprets this standard form of insurance, direct physical loss of, or damage to, the property has to be something with material existence, something that is tangible, somethingthat alters the physical integrity of the property.

Tamping down a bit on the hyped post-ruling celebration across the industry, Baker said: The thing I would want to point out is that this complaint didnt [actually] plead physical loss of, or damage to, the building. They pled simply that it was shut down.In the long run, it may be that this is how it comes out but this particular case can be explained as a defective pleading on the part of the plaintiffs.

In the Michigan case, the attorney for the plaintiff, Matthew Heos of the Nichols law firm, had argued that a government order that restricted business to dine-in only patrons amounted to a physical loss because the order effectively blocked public entry to the propertyan argument that the judge said was simply nonsense.

She did not address the presence of a virus exclusion in the policy, Cheatham noted.

Because you dont need toand that just relates to the structure of the way that insurance litigation works, Baker explained. First, its the obligation of the policyholder to prove that [its interruption] comes within coverage. If the policyholder fails at that, then [the court doesnt] have to go to the question of whether theres an exclusion that applies, which is the insurers burden, the law professor and insurance expert explained.

Baker noted that he has seen media reports about the presence of a virus exclusion giving carriers another reason they wouldnt have to pay the claim. The issue didnt surface, Baker said, noting what he viewed as an impressive strategy from the defense attorney and the insurers.

They did a gutsy thing, focusing on the direct physical loss of or damage to wording, in spite of the fact that there is indeed a good, from their perspective, virus exclusion in the policy. The carrier, I think, was playing the long game and was thinking, You know what? Its going to be more valuable for us if we get this ruling based on the physical loss or damage to property because that protects us, even if we somehow issued a policy that didnt have the virus exclusion.'

Across the Ocean

As Baker and Cheatham were discussing what many viewed as the first significant ruling in the U.S. on the question of whether a property insurer is liable for financial damages caused by a COVID shutdown order, the high court in London was hearing early arguments in a test case filed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to get legal clarity on BI coverage questions. (In particular, the FCA case focuses on BI claims under coverage extensions which are not dependent on physical damageon whether non-damage BI claims are valid.) The hearing is scheduled to conclude on July 30.

I think its a one-way ratchet: If the carriers lose or end up having a lot of coverage, thats going to be bad for them here in the U.S., said Baker. I think if the carriers win, the insurance policies there are really different. They tend to be named-peril rather than all risks policies. I think it will be easy to distinguish them, he continued.

If theres bad rulings or positive rulings, either way, from the FCA cases, [then] obviously thats going to be big news in the insurance industry, Cheatham said. I think the insurers, if you ask them, theyd probably prefer to have positive results, not headlines blaring that businesses are recovering. Weve already seen one of those headlines from France, he said, referring to a Paris court ruling that AXA had to pay a restaurant owners virus-related revenue losses.

You dont want to see a wave of those headlines because those start trickling down in our Internet-based society these days, Cheatham concluded.

Topics Carriers COVID-19 Michigan Property
Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams joined a virtual event with Michigan entrepreneurs to discuss challenges facing minority-owned businesses and their support of Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden Wednesday.

The online event is the latest in a series of virtual meetings featuring Biden surrogates and focused on Michigan voters since the COVID-19 pandemic brought a halt to in-person events. Abrams touted Bidens plan to rebuild the U.S. economy rocked by historic unemployment due to the coronavirus, also highlighting Bidens proposed investments in small businesses owned by people of color.

Biden unveiled the plan Tuesday in Deleware, pledging to fix racial inequalities by steering federal funds and tax credits to minority-owned businesses that have lacked access to such programs for generations. The former vice president calls for a $150 billion investment in small businesses.

It is not enough to say you believe in communities of color if youre not willing to invest in them, and invest in their capacity to grow, Abrams said.

The Biden campaign pointed to the disproportionate distribution of federal funding from the Small Business Administration. Ten percent of funding from the SBAs major lending programs went to Black, Hispanic and Native American entrepreneurs in 2019, while 49% went to white business owners.

Bidens plan commits to reforming Economic Opportunity Zones created by President Donald Trumps 2017 tax cuts. The program allows investors to receive tax breaks if they make investments in designated economically-distressed areas.

Trump has promoted the programs impact on Detroit during his visits to Michigan, but Bidens plan claims the program hasnt lived up to its goals, citing a recent report from the Urban Institute.

Trump Victory Spokesperson Chris Gustafson also touted the opportunity zones in a statement.

Unlike Joe Bidens track record which has harmed the Black community, President Trump has delivered policies that led to record low unemployment and invest in forgotten communities through Opportunity Zones, he said. While Biden and Democrats are all talk and no action, President Trump maintains a track record of promises made, promises kept.

Bidens plan states Black business owners have a more difficult time securing bank loans compared to white counterparts with similar financial standing.

Abrams shared her own experience as the former partner of a woman-owned business that struggled to find a bank willing to help finance their expansion. Abrams said she was told the banks didnt trust a minority-owned business to make loan payments on time, and the company later shut down.

We know that in the wake of the Great Recession, banks disappeared from black and brown communities and they didnt come back, Abrams said. Most small businesses get their funding from local banks. When the banks arent there, the money doesnt flow.

The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities coupled with the recent killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor inspired protests pushing for greater investment in Black communities. Demonstrators in Michigan and across the country have called on the federal government to fix poor economic conditions created by racist policies that have affected generations of Americans.

Abrams is a former Georgia legislative leader who became a voting rights advocate after her unsuccessful gubernatorial run in 2018. She partnered with the Michigan Democratic Party to launch a voter rights initiative as part of a national effort to increase participation in elections.

Abrams, the first Black woman to secure a major party nomination for governor, is believed to be on the shortlist of Democrats who are being considered to run with Biden, along with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Biden previously indicated he would prefer his running mate to be a person of color or woman.

In an interview with Local 4 Tuesday, Biden said Whitmer is still in the running to join him on the Democratic ticket.

No, I have not narrowed that list, Biden said Tuesday. Look, your governor is, shes really capable, shes really capable of doing virtually anything.

READ MORE ON MLIVE:

Michigan senator asks FEMA to help school districts buy masks, cover costs related to reopening

Michigans largest police group sticks with Trump, citing opposition to law enforcement reform

Whitmers office says Trump did not call about holding a rally in Michigan

Dont trust the polls, Democrats warn Biden campaign about lead in Michigan

Biden campaign highlights plan to increase skilled trades jobs at virtual event in Michigan

Trump, Biden take different approaches to campaigning, amid coronavirus concerns in Michigan
Hong Kong: $4.7b in wage subsidies granted

The Employment Support Scheme (ESS) Secretariat today published the list of the sixth batch of employers who have received wage subsidies, covering about 11,600 applicants and subsidies totalling about $4.7 billion.

These employers have committed to maintaining a total paid headcount of about 200,000.

The ESS Secretariat will start the disbursement of wage subsidies to the seventh batch of about 17,300 successful employer applicants next week, with subsidies totalling about $6.4 billion covering around 283,000 employees.

The wage subsidies involved in all seven batches amount to about $40.5 billion, covering nearly 138,000 employers and a total committed headcount of paid employees of about 1.75 million.

After excluding 12,500 ineligible applications, the ESS Secretariat has completed processing nearly 90% of the applications from employers and is working on the remaining 18,300 applications.

Meanwhile, the $7,500 one-off subsidy will be disbursed to the seventh batch of 3,900 self-employed people next week, involving $29.6 million.

The Government noted that around 190 employers' organisations have been checked under the monitoring and auditing mechanisms of the ESS. It encouraged employees and the public to report scheme abuse or violations by employers to the ESS Secretariat.

Since the publication on June 22 of the list of employers who have received wage subsidies, 229 reports have been received. The cases mainly involved unreasonable staff reductions, dismissal of employees, late payment of wages or pay cuts, and suspected company closure or change of operator.

The secretariat has referred 26 reports to the Labour Department and one case to Customs.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The two sides exchanged fire on LoC in Degwar and Qasba sectors of frontier Poonch district, about 180 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Reports said the exchange of fire between the two sides went on for several hours, with no reports of any damage to Indian or Pakistani side.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan-controlled parts.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 06:13:16|Editor: huaxia

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SAN FRANCISCO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Boeing will further assess the size of its workforce amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the company's president and CEO Dave Calhoun said on Wednesday.

The market simply won't support higher output levels at this time, and the company needs to adapt accordingly, Calhoun wrote in a letter to employees.

Boeing previously announced a net 10 percent workforce reduction in 2020 through a combination of voluntary layoffs, attrition and involuntary layoffs (ILOs) to align to a smaller market.

According to Calhoun, the first wave of associates affected by ILOs received notification in May, and the company continues to conduct smaller, phased workforce reductions to reach the target. "Managers are communicating the latest wave of those reductions beginning today," he said.

"Regretfully, the prolonged impact of COVID-19 causing further reductions in our production rates and lower demand for commercial services means we'll have to further assess the size of our workforce," Calhoun noted. "This is difficult news, and I know it adds uncertainty during an already challenging time. We will try to limit the impact on our people as much as possible going forward."

Boeing Company on Wednesday reported second-quarter revenue of 11.8 billion U.S. dollars, GAAP loss per share of 4.20 dollars, and operating cash flow of 5.3 billion dollars, primarily reflecting the impacts of COVID-19 and the 737 MAX grounding.

In Commercial Airplanes Programs, Boeing delivered a total of 20 aircraft in the second quarter of 2020. The delivery included two 777Fs to China Southern Airlines in May. The backlog included over 4,500 airplanes valued at 326 billion U.S. dollars. Enditem
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To: Former state Sen. Bill Carrico

We have some advice for your campaign for the Republican nomination for governor.

A great opportunity has just presented itself, and you need to seize it. This isnt an endorsement. We dont do those. But you are from Southwest Virginia and whether you win or lose, its in the interest of everyone in these parts that voices from Southwest Virginia are taken seriously at the state level. So here goes.

First, we must talk about the only other declared candidate for the Republican nomination next year  state Sen. Amanda Chase of Chesterfield County, who so far is doing a good job of making even Corey Stewart look like a moderate.

Last week, an extraordinary thing happened: The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce rescinded its invitation to have Chase speak to the group, with the chamber president saying that Chase is playing on peoples fears and appealing to bigotry and hate. Its unclear what exactly precipitated this, because there are so many things to choose from. Was it Chase declaring that attempts to remove the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond are tantamount to erasing the history of the white people? Or was it her decision to speak to a gun rights rally in Richmond on July 4 where, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, a handful of white men raised their hands in Nazi-like salutes and another speaker represented a fringe group whose literature calls for an escalation of hostilities in what will constitute the bloodiest civil war in human history. No wonder that Chase has been called idiotic and inflammatory. That, by the way, wasnt some left-wing commentator, that was an official statement by the state Senate Republican leadership, which has done its best to disown Chase.

Now, its extraordinary enough when fellow Republican legislators take on Chase, but the Northern Virginia Chambers disinvite takes things to another level. Think of it this way: Here is arguably the most important business group in the state  Northern Virginia being both the states population center and its main economic engine  telling a Republican candidate for governor to stay away. When has this ever happened before? Business groups always want to hear from candidates for governor. They may like some better than others, but after election day they all want to get along with the new governor. For a chamber of commerce  institutions usually pretty conservative in nature  to publicly rebuke a potential governor is simply unheard of. The Northern Virginia chambers very public disinvite says more than any newspaper editorial ever can about just how far out of the political mainstream Chase has gone. It didnt stop there, either. Chase demanded an apology, and the chamber doubled down, saying the chamber will consider Senator Chases request [to speak] once she apologizes for her racist, bigoted and insensitive comments. Its fair to say we have not seen anything like this before in Virginia. The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce has laid down an important marker about how far out of bounds Chase has gone  and thats where you have an opportunity.

Lets face it: Your problem is that youre from Southwest Virginia. Thats not a problem for us, of course, but its a problem in the context of Virginias political environment. The votes are in Northern Virginia and the rest of the urban crescent. Rural candidates are at a disadvantage  rural Republicans even more so, because even Republicans from Northern Virginia havent been able to win statewide elections lately. As Republicans look for a candidate to carry their banner in 2021, why in the world should they consider someone from Grayson County? We dont mean to be harsh  just realistic. Heres where you need to surprise people. You should be up there speaking to the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

First, there are the politics of the moment: After the Northern Virginia chambers decision to disinvite Chase, any candidate speaking to them is going to get more attention than he or she normally would.

Second, theres the spectacle of a candidate from the states furthest and most rural corner speaking to the chamber in the most cosmopolitan part of Virginia. The expectations would be low, which means the opportunity is high.

You actually have a message to deliver to Northern Virginia business leaders that may surprise them. Not your platform about public safety  not that thats not important, but potential governors have to show they are multi-dimensional and not just one-issue candidates. Heres the unique message you can deliver: You can tell the Northern Virginia chamber that you, more than anyone else in the race on either side, understand the importance of keeping the Northern Virginia economy healthy. Four of the six potential candidates on the Democratic side are from Northern Virginia, which might give them some natural advantage with a hometown crowd, but you can argue quite convincingly that they dont appreciate the value of the Northern Virginia economy the way someone from Southwest Virginia does.

Why? Because you as a former member of the Senate Finance Committee understand that Northern Virginia effectively subsidizes the rest of the state, particularly our schools. You can point out that your former district includes Scott County, which has the distinction of having a school system that is more subsidized by the state than any other. In Arlington, the state pays just 8% of the costs. In Scott County, the state pays 65%  and we all know the single biggest source of those state revenues. Northern Virginia. You can make the case that someone from rural Virginia has a vested interest in making sure that the Northern Virginia economy keeps growing. If the Northern Virginia economy slows down, Northern Virginia localities wont feel the hurt the way we would. Its the same as how former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau  father of Justin  once described his countrys relationship with the United States: Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.

Northern Virginia business leaders may or may not like the rest of your platform thats between you and them. But if Republicans are to ever win the governorship again, they will have to win back Northern Virginia. Heres how a Republican from Southwest Virginia can make a case that no one else in the race can.
In Columbia County last summer, PS 21 took a giant step forward in presenting performing arts and film with the opening of an $11 million theater featuring the latest in sound and light technologies and open air seating for 300. The new venue was a huge achievement for the Chatham-based organization, showing it can live up to its full name, Performance Spaces for the 21st Century. For the previous 20 years of summer programs, events happened inside a big tent.

With social distancing and other safety measures in place, PS 21 is proudly returning with an abbreviated and reconfigured lineup of events. The schedule, running through Sept. 15, features film screenings and short classical music programs, plus a celebration of the recently completed walking paths that link PS 21s 100 acres of grounds to existing trails leading to the village of Chatham.

PS 21s new theater, completed in fall 2018, includes offices, a rehearsal studio and a flexible stage that can become a self-contained, year-round performance space. The building was a dream come true for founder Judith Grunberg, the tireless community activist of Chatham. Sadly, Grunberg died at age 87 in September 2019, just weeks after the close of PS 21s debut summer in its new home.

One of Grunbergs last decisions was to hire Elena Siyanko as the organizations first executive director. Siyanko began in the position in June of last year. Her long resume in arts management includes fundraising at Bard Colleges Fisher Center, programming and audience development for the Clark Art Institute, and serving as executive director of the Monadnock Music Festival in New Hampshire. Just months after her arrival in Chatham, the parameters and weight of her new job suddenly grew upon the death of Grunberg, who was not only PS 21s founder but also its principal donor. Nevertheless, Siyanko put together a rich array of happenings for a 2020 season that was scheduled to launch in March. Then came COVID-19.

Its been one earthquake after another, says Siyanko. Shifting metaphors, she later remarks, Theres been no chance to spread our wings.

Having a great building is one thing but having the administrative and financial oomph to keep it going is another matter entirely. Siyanko said that the priority for PS 21 is to tend to matters that are usually addressed before constructing or opening a new venue, things like building an expanded board and a sustainable base of funders. The cost of running a year-round venue are exponentially higher than a summer, she says, while adding a positive note that the new building carries no debt.

Judys vision was incredible, continues Siyanko. She left us a beautiful theater in the middle of 100 acres that are now preserved. One of her goals was that audiences experience the landscape in new ways.

Recently, PS 21 received its first grant from the NEA, a subsidy of $25,000 under the endowments Our Town program, which is dedicated to creative placemaking in the form of projects that bring arts groups and local governments into partnership in order to sustain cultural life and strengthen communities.

Working with the village of Chatham and the Columbia Land Conservancy, PS 21 is presenting a series of events titled Pathways: Blazing Trails to a Sustainable Future that runs Aug. 2-8. There will be talks on ecology and climate change and several guided walks on the recently completed trails, including one under the full moon of Monday, Aug. 3.

The high point of the Pathways series and the entire season at PS 21 is the local debut of Alarm Will Sound, a chamber orchestra dedicated to contemporary music. Carrying forward the theme of nature, the group will perform Ten Thousand Birds, a 2014 piece based on bird calls and written by composer John Luther Adams. Alarm Will Sound presents the piece on three different occasions. First up on Thursday evening Aug. 6, there will be an outdoor performance with 19 musicians sprinkled around the landscape and audiences strolling while listening. The event is being staged by director Ashley Tata. T The next day, theres a 4 p.m. concert in the theater, and a fundraising gala follows that evening.

Adams, the composer, was a resident of northern Alaska for 40 years and now lives in desert locales of North and South America. He bases all of his works in the realm of the natural world and won the Pulitzer Prize in 2014 for an hourlong orchestral piece titled Become Ocean. He composed Ten Thousand Birds specifically for Alarm Will Sound and its founder and conductor, Alan Pierson.

The score is a series of bird songs, so theres no score in a traditional sense, explains Pierson, who was rather mystified upon first receiving the stack of 27 distinct songs. The idea is that the songs are distributed among the players, though some of them are actually duets or trios. The performers then come up with their own sequence and layering of the material, which includes other nature sounds.

To add some structure to the piece, Pierson took a suggestion from Adams and shaped it around the flow of a day -- morning, midday, afternoon, evening and back to morning. There are no breaks between what might be considered movements. The piece lasts about 16 minutes and begins and ends with the sound of frogs. But its not like the frogs lay down a beat, since there is no unifying pulse to the work.

Everybody has a timer, and they know when they have to be to play each song. While all that is planned out carefully, there is still some openness, and sometimes multiple bird songs are simultaneous, says Pierson. Like birds, the players are aware of dialogue, but kind of in their own time and the pacing is often determined with breath.

When Pierson and his 20-member group arrive in Chatham, it will be their first time together since the shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Theyll be in residence at PS 21 for about a week, working on other contemporary scores, and preparing for upcoming concerts and recordings.

Early in the quarantine, Pierson made another version of Ten Thousand Birds that brought together his ensemble in a unique fashion. He asked each player to record a video of their performance and send it to him. He then transferred the videos to sundry laptops, cellphones, tablets, and other devices, new and old, with one player per screen. Next, Pierson distributed the gadgets around his New York City apartment, placing them on furniture, windowsills and door frames. Once he got everything in position and on play, he walks around the space with a video camera. The five-minute film can be viewed on the Alarm Will Sound channel on YouTube.

Its a reduction, a Cliff Notes version of the piece, explains Pierson. I used a sequencer with 40 tracks with everyones recording in the right order. I then put them in concert, a dialogue,

Its a simple and clever idea thats fascinating to watch. But with so many disparate devices to synch up, it must have been a nightmare to realize. Pierson said thats just what his boyfriend said.

Hes a software designer, hes very very smart and realized it would be extremely complicated and thought hed never see me for the next month, says Pierson. But it became a collaboration for us. It took over our house and our lives.



Joseph Dalton is a freelance writer based in Troy.

The Pathways series of concerts, walks and talks runs Aug. 3-9. Other events coming up at PS21 include a film series and a modern music festival. View the full schedule at: ps21chatham.org
Actress Becca Tobin found the perfect home on Tuesday's episode of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeleswith one complication.

The gorgeous 1920s house had an all-red velvet room so horrifying that Becca and her pals dubbed it 'the murder room,' and saged it to get the bad energy out.

The former Glee actress, 34, and her husband Zach Martin wanted a Hollywood Hills place with character and privacy that cost less than $3 million.

Becca buys: Actress Becca Tobin found the perfect home on Tuesday's episode of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeleswith one complication

Glee star: The former Glee actress, 34, and her husband Zach Martin wanted a Hollywood Hills place with character and privacy that cost less than $3 million

She asked realtor Josh Flagg, 34, to take part in her Ladygang podcast to see if the two of them were a good fit before she hired him.

She and her fellow hosts, Keltie Knight, 38, and Jac Vanek, 33, had him play a game called 'Flagg or Bag,' weighing the merits of hot tubs, Instagram quotes and private jet pics.

Josh fit right in with her pals, and Becca hired him to find her next place.

Josh: She asked realtor Josh Flagg, 34, to take part in her Ladygang podcast to see if the two of them were a good fit before she hired him

Ladygang: She and her fellow hosts, Keltie Knight, 38, and Jac Vanek, 33, had him play a game called 'Flagg or Bag,' weighing the merits of hot tubs, Instagram quotes and private jet pics

The first house Josh took her to was Outpost, a 1920s three-bedroom 'gem' he already represented that was selling for $2 million, right within her budget.

Becca hated its red screening room that looked 'like murder,' but liked its price point: $580 per square foot, which was much better than what other places were charging.

The second place, Las Palmas, was a three-bedroom Mediterranean built in 1920, but set too close to the neighbors' homes, with a seriously outdated bathroom and kitchen.

First house: The first house Josh took her to was Outpost, a 1920s three-bedroom 'gem' he already represented that was selling for $2 million, right within her budget

Redrum: Becca hated its red screening room that looked 'like murder,' but liked its price point: $580 per square foot, which was much better than what other places were charging

Outdated: The second place, Las Palmas, was a three-bedroom Mediterranean built in 1920, but set too close to the neighbors' homes, with a seriously outdated bathroom and kitchen

'When clients tell me they want historic charm, they don't want authentic charm,' Josh observed. 'It's kind of annoying when you go to the bathroom and have to pull a chain.'

Becca liked the next place she sawa charming 1926 home in great shape, from which she could walk to the hotel Chateau Marmontyet it was too expensive.

Through Josh, she decided to place a $1.8 million bid on Outpost, which she subsequently scored for a little over $1.870 million.

Historic: 'When clients tell me they want historic charm, they don't want authentic charm,' Josh observed. 'It's kind of annoying when you go to the bathroom and have to pull a chain'

Winning bid: Through Josh, she decided to place a $1.8 million bid on Outpost, which she subsequently scored for a little over $1.870 million

After the sale, Josh greeted her with a bottle of Dom Perignon he had promised her, and walked her into the 'murder' room, where her podcast co-hosts were sitting.

'Welcome to Shambhala!' Josh told her, throwing open the door.

'Welcome home, Becca,' Keltie and Jac whispered, saging the room and offering her a 'ceremonial robe' to put on as she joined them. 'Grab a crystal.'

Murder room: After the sale, Josh greeted her with a bottle of Dom Perignon he had promised her, and walked her into the 'murder' room, where her podcast co-hosts were sitting

Welcome: Welcome home, Becca, Keltie and Jac whispered, saging the room and offering her a ceremonial robe to put on as she joined them. Grab a crystal'

'Do these idiots come with the house?' Becca joked.

'I'm cleansing this room of the evil,' her pals chanted. 'I'm cleansing this room of the murders. I'm cleansing this room of the porno.'

Keltie and Jac held crystals to their foreheads.

Cleanse: 'I'm cleansing this room of the evil,' her pals chanted. 'I'm cleansing this room of the murders. I'm cleansing this room of the porno'

'Shoo, Charles Manson,' they called, waving the bad energy toward the door. 'Shoo, Ted Bundy. Shoo John Wayne Gacy.'

'To Josh,' Becca said, toasting him with champagne. 'You turned the nightmare room into a dream.'

Elsewhere in the Hills, Josh Altman, 41, and Matt Altman drove around the Bird Streets, the ritzy enclave where the blocks had avian names.

Cheers: 'To Josh,' Becca said, toasting him with champagne. 'You turned the nightmare room into a dream'

Bird streets: Elsewhere in the Hills, Josh Altman, 41, and Matt Altman drove around the Bird Streets, the ritzy enclave where the blocks had avian names

The brothers had the listing for Oriole, a huge, untouched 'party house' in with an 'entertainer's kitchen,' private theater, infinity pool, full gym and insane views.

They put it up at $21.995 million, but the sellers soon got a $15 million offer through someone who previously represented the house, which might cost Altman his commission.

He did some mental calculations, and realized he might be able to save the situation.

Oriole: The brothers had the listing for Oriole, a huge, untouched 'party house' in with an 'entertainer's kitchen,' private theater, infinity pool, full gym and insane views

Costly: They put it up at $21.995 million, but the sellers soon got a $15 million offer through someone who previously represented the house, which might cost Altman his commission

'You're telling me that if I can generate another offer within 24 hours that is higher than this offer, they would accept it?' Altman asked the seller's representative.

As he set to work, his fellow brokers David Parnes, 37, and James Harris, 35, went to see Marguerita, a gorgeous six-bedroom home in Santa Monica, California.

Located a block from the beach, the property had an expansive backyard, pool, and artist's studio, and had just been repainted and restaged by the owners.

Offer: 'You're telling me that if I can generate another offer within 24 hours that is higher than this offer, they would accept it?' Altman asked the seller's representative

Santa Monica: Located a block from the beach, the property had an expansive backyard, pool, and artist's studio, and had just been repainted and restaged by the owners

David and James: As he set to work, his fellow brokers David Parnes, 37, and James Harris, 35, went to see Marguerita, a gorgeous six-bedroom home in Santa Monica, California

At $17.995 million, it was going for $3 million less than the year before, and the couple who lived there, Serene and Ray, were newly motivated.

David and James threw an open house and set up games on the lush lawn, hoping to give those who visited the feeling of what it would be like to live there.

An 'intuitive astrologer' named Victoria then showed up to preview the property for an unnamed celebrity client, promising to 'feel out the energy for her.'

Open House: David and James threw an open house and set up games on the lush lawn, hoping to give those who visited the feeling of what it would be like to live there

Victoria declared the grounds 'peaceful' and 'stable,' but when she swung her crystals in one bathroom, sensed 'the hint of something' that happened in the 1940s.

'I felt a woman waiting for someone to come home,' she told David, mentioning World War II.

David was sanguine about her findings, saying, 'Whatever it takes to convince the buyer'

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles returns next week on Bravo

Astrologer: An 'intuitive astrologer' named Victoria then showed up to preview the property for an unnamed celebrity client, promising to 'feel out the energy for her'
The government has adopted a multi-pronged approach involving the Army, the Indian Air Force and the Navy as well as diplomacy and economic measures to send out a firm and clear message to China that its misadventure in eastern Ladakh was not acceptable at all.

IMAGE: An Indian Navy personnel stands in front of the rocket launcher system mounted on the deck of the newly built INS Chennai, India's third indigenously designed guided missile destroyer. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade / Reuters.

The Indian Navy has deployed a large number of frontline warships and submarines in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) in the wake of the border row in eastern Ladakh to send out a clear message to China, according to top defence sources on Wednesday.

A source said the message has been "registered" by China.

The Indian Navy deployed a range of its frontline warships and submarines in the IOR when the border tension escalated after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian army personnel were killed.

Defence sources told PTI that the government has adopted a multi-pronged approach involving the Army, the Indian Air Force and the Navy as well as diplomacy and economic measures to send out a firm and clear message to China that its misadventure in eastern Ladakh was not acceptable at all.

They said the three service chiefs are engaged in deliberations on a regular basis to ensure a coordinated approach in dealing with the situation as well as to make China understand about India's clear message.

"Yes, our message has been registered by China," said a source without elaborating.

Asked whether China has responded to India's deployment, the sources said there was no visible increase in forays by Chinese ships in the IOR.

They said the reason could be the PLA Navy's excessive deployment of resources in the South China Sea following the strong opposition by the US to Beijing's expansive territorial claims in the region.

The US sent a number of its warships to the South China Sea to demonstrate freedom of navigation and rallying support to countries who have territorial disputes with China over the region.

The Indian Navy is also ramping up its operational cooperation with various friendly naval forces like the US Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defence Force in view of the fast evolving regional security landscape.

In recent weeks, the Indian Navy has conducted exercises with the US, French and Japanese navies in the IOR, which were seen as sending a signal to China.

The exercise with the US Navy involved its carrier strike group led by nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. The US carrier strike group was transiting through the IOR on its way from the South China Sea.

The Indian Navy has also been expanding cooperation with like-minded navies in the region with an aim to keep strategically key sea lanes of communication safe and free from any influence.

India, Japan and the US are part of the influential "Quad" or Quadrilateral coalition which also included Australia.

In November 2017, the four countries gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.

Following the Galwan Valley clashes, the IAF deployed almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft in the key frontier air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The IAF has been carrying out night time combat air patrols over the eastern Ladakh region in an apparent message to China that it was ready to deal with any eventualities in the mountainous region.

The Army significantly enhanced deployment after the clashes in Galwan Valley. 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.

Following the Galwan Valley incident, the government has given the armed forces "full freedom" to give a "befitting" response to any Chinese misadventure along the LAC.

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.
The pressure on longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to step down is mounting.

Madigan hasnt been charged with a crime. However, he has been embroiled in charging documents the U.S. Department of Justice secured against ComEd. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine for taking part in a patronage scandal with Madigan associates in exchange for favorable legislation.

In a statement on Tuesday, state Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, was the latest high-profile elected official to call for Madigan to step down from leadership. The statement published to a political blog said the ComEd agreement painted a sordid picture of bribery, influence peddling and insider-dealing at the highest levels.

She called for Madigan to resign as speaker of the House and to step down as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. She said while Madigan hasnt been charged, public servants in such leadership roles should avoid even the perception of wrongdoing.

Speaker Madigans continued service in the legislature and on the Democratic State Central Committee are matters for his constituents to decide, Steans said. The many ethical questions swirling around him, however, should disqualify him from legislative or party leadership posts.

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, said from what hes seen in the ComEd documents, Madigan could face indictment.

I would anticipate from reading this indictment and seeing whats transpired thus far that there will be an indictment to come forward here in the next 30 days, LaHood told WMAY radio.

I also anticipate that there will be people at the highest level of Commonwealth Edison and people within the state of Illinois and former elected officials, some of which are cooperating with the FBI to come forward and testify against Madigan, LaHood said. The feds dont normally bring a case like this unless they have what they believe is a winnable case.

ComEd admitted that its efforts to influence and reward the high-level elected official  identified in the Statement of Facts as Public Official A  began in or around 2011 and continued through in or around 2019, the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois announced earlier this month. The company admitted that it arranged for jobs and vendor subcontracts for Public Official As political allies and workers even in instances where those people performed little or no work that they were purportedly hired by ComEd to perform.

Public Official A is the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives and the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives, the deferred prosecution agreement states.

Madigan has served in the House since 1971. Hes been speaker of the House for all but two years since 1983. Hes been chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois since 1998.

Madigan has said he has done nothing wrong.
Local and international experts, supported with solid data and evidence from all over the world, have demonstrated the effectiveness of communitywide mask use as a proactive way to stop the spread of the virus and ultimately reduce hospitalizations and save lives.

As a public health physician with more than 20 years of experience and a physician with 16 years of prehospital emergency management experience serving the great state of Nebraska, we believe all data-driven science points to universal mask wearing in public settings as the single most cost-effective decision we could make.

We are not saying that everyone in Nebraska is in the same situation as Lancaster County. A rancher in Cherry County is not dealing with what we are seeing here in our clinics or hospitals in Lincoln, but we can assure you if he has sent his daughter to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, she is. Governor Ricketts could easily recognize the local emergent need for a temporary change and support our local decision without breaking political rank.
Kim Hyun-chong, deputy chief of the presidential National Security Office, arrives for a briefing at the Cheong Wa Dae media center, Tuesday. Yonhap



By Do Je-hae



Korea will seek to realize an expansion of the G7 framework of the world's most advanced economies, an initiative proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a Cheong Wa Dae official.



The remark follows opposition from some of the existing G7 members.



Kim Hyun-chong, second deputy chief of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), reaffirmed Seoul's position to actively respond to the proposal from Trump for a G11 or G12.



"The G7 summit is likely to take place on Aug. 31 or Sept. 1 in Washington. If we participate, we need to make relevant negotiations in order for Korea to take part in it every year," Kim said during a KBS interview, Tuesday. "We also need to discuss in what capacity we will be taking part."



Kim referred to Trump's remarks during a phone call with President Moon Jae-in in June when the U.S. leader called the G7 system "obsolete."



"We need to establish the G11. But for this, we will need unanimous approval from all G7 member states," Kim added.



Kim's comment is in response to opposition from Japan and Germany about expanding the current G7 framework.



The two countries have protested Trump's proposal, with Germany expressing doubt about the necessity of the expansion. "The G7 and G20 are two sensibly coordinated formats. We don't need a G11 or a G12," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Sunday.



Tokyo has cited Seoul's position on North Korea and China, which it claims is different from G7 members', as reasons that it should not be accepted into the G7 framework, but has said it is open to the idea of inviting Korea as an observer.



In June, Trump said he wanted to invite leaders from Korea, Australia, India and Russia for this year's G6 summit and to expand G7. Cheong Wa Dae has welcomed the idea and been reviewing the issue since then.


Hundreds gathered for the weekly Saturate OC worship event held north of the pier in Huntington Beach on July 10. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: Over the last two months we've watched helplessly as unlawful gatherings took place in cities across the country, with people angrily taking over streets and highways to block traffic. There was little social distancing, and not many of the people were wearing masks.

How absolutely strange, then, to open my newspaper and read about hundreds of people gathering peacefully at Huntington Beach without social distancing or wearing masks. What gives?

Oh, I see: It was the evangelicals.

These people were breaking the law by gathering peacefully at the beach, honoring their God. How awful. They didn't even have a permit. They were praying for peace, good health and asking for forgiveness. In these trying times, Christians believe this is essential.

I might remind the L.A. Times that there is a 1st Amendment right to freedom of religion. We have the right to worship. There is no 1st Amendment right to riot and block streets and freeways in the name of social justice.

But thank you so much for pointing out those evangelicals in Huntington Beach worshiping in these trying times.

Dan Jones, Rancho Santa Margarita

..

To the editor: Moving religious gatherings to outdoor venues seems prudent  but not when congregants remain closely packed and maskless, as was the case with a Thursday night Pasadena event that ended with them singing, "He's got the whole world in His hands."

However comforting that 1958 pop-gospel hit's lyrics, they hardly provide divine assurance that the faithful might mingle together closely and still escape the pandemic's deadly orbit.

How about a change of tune? Next time, close with another 1958 pop-gospel hit, "A Wonderful Time Up There," in which Pat Boone croons an apt caveat:

"Brother, there's a reckonin' a comin' in the mornin'/ Better get ready 'cause I'm given' you the warnin'/ Everybody's gonna have a wonderful time up there."

Story continues

Singing that tune might prompt congregants to reconsider whether they want to gamble on their deity's virus-shielding reach.

Devra Mindell, Santa Monica

..

To the editor: About 1,800 people gathered at the "Saturate OC" evangelical event "with no masks, waving their hands in the air, and singing songs of praise."

Their contingent is named well  they will surely contribute to saturating Orange County with COVID-19.

One of the organizers of the event noted, "We have people crying on the beach because they're getting set free from suicidal thoughts."

The people crying on the beach are not being set free from suicidal ideation; they are, in essence, acting in a suicidal manner and worse, raising the probability that they themselves will be infected and the probability of infecting the rest of us.

Glenn A. Goodwin, Claremont
Elsa Hosk braved the sweltering heat in New York on Tuesday as she was spotted taking a stroll with boyfriend Tom Daly.

The couple still managed to put on a stylish display in the heat as they ran errands and browsed boutiques together.

Earlier in the day Elsa, 31, and Tom celebrated some good news with friends over lunch after Elsa revealed she's been signed by talent agency CAA.

Hot couple: Elsa Hosk managed to look stylish during the heat wave in New York on Tuesday as she strolled with boyfriend Tom Daly

The Victoria's Secret beauty revealed the news on Instagram, sharing a screenshot of the news article with the caption: 'Hiii got some news. I joined CAA, so excited for this new chapter!'

For Tuesday's outing Elsa wore a black bardot style sundress with dainty straps and strappy white sandals with stiletto heel and ankle straps.

Completing the Swedish star's look was a mini cow print purse and some layered necklaces.

Heat wave: For Tuesday's outing Elsa wore a black bardot style sundress with dainty straps and strappy white sandals with stiletto heel and ankle straps

Someone's gotta do it: The Victoria's Secret beauty took the garbage out before their outing

Completing the Swedish star's look was a mini cow print purse and some layered necklaces

Tom opted for a bold banana print shirt and khaki pants for a summery chic look.

During their stroll Elsa stopped by a store to check out some children's shoes and stuffed toys and picked them to show Tom.

Elsa has been dating Daly, a Danish entrepreneur who co-founded the sunglasses brand Running Vision, since 2015.

The stunning New York City apartment that they share is set to be featured in an upcoming issue of Architectural Digest.

During their stroll Elsa stopped by a store to check out some children's shoes and stuffed toys and picked them to show Tom

Elsa has been dating Daly, a Danish entrepreneur who co-founded the sunglasses brand Running Vision, since 2015

Elsa said in the spring that she is taking care of her mental health during the scary pandemic.

'I spend time doing meditation, cooking, not sleeping longer than usual, working out, staying creative, taking pictures, drawing, painting , playing games, and checking in on family and friends.'

During the crisis, Hosk has been very open proactive about spreading the word of home sequestering to her six million followers.

Catching up: Earlier in the day the couple had lunch at Sant Ambroeus in Soho
Brussels, 27 July 2020 (SPS) - Morocco's allegations, through a small group of its far-right allies in the European Parliament regarding the "alleged misappropriation of humanitarian aid" sent to the Sahrawi refugees, are "baseless, absurd and ridiculous," said Monday Polisario Front delegate for Europe and the European Union, Oubi Bouchraya Bachir.



In a press release in response to the "baseless, absurd and ridiculous" accusations, Oubi said the sole purpose of these allegations remains to "discredit" the Polisario Front and its struggle for its inalienable right to self-determination and independence.



The Sahrawi diplomat recalled that "soon the European Court will render its decisions following the two appeals lodged by the Polisario Front against the renewal of the partnership and fisheries agreements between the European Union and Morocco, de facto extended to Western Sahara in flagrant violation of the CJEU decisions of 2016 and 2018."



"This prospect pushes, as of now, Morocco to appeal, as usual, to the representatives of the French extreme right at the European Parliament in order to defame the sole and legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people," he stressed.



The diplomat observed that some members of this movement such as the frontist MEP, Dominique Bilde, behave like "a box echoing the propaganda of the Moroccan special services ". (SPS)



062/SPS/700
Last week, we asked you to share the one thing that has provided joy in your life amidst the confusion and uncertainty of the coronavirus. You responded with simple yet meaningful items and activities that spark creativity, love and the desire to help other people. We are sharing them here and hope they provide inspiration for others.
Donald Trump said California Senator Kamala Harris would be a "fine choice" to join Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket, weighing in on the former vice president's ongoing deliberations over his running mate.

"I think she'd be a fine choice, Kamala Harris. She'd be a fine choice," the president said as he left for a trip to Texas after being asked to rank her chances in the "Veepstakes."

Mr Biden said on Tuesday that he plans to announce his selection by the end of next week, with several women of colour reportedly rocketing to the top of his shortlist.

Ms Harris and others  like Florida Congresswoman Val Demings, California Congresswoman Karen Bass, former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice and former Georgia state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams  have been making the cable television rounds stumping for Mr Biden for months as he mulled a running mate.

Notably, however, only 28 per cent of those polled for a new survey released Wednesday by Politico and Morning Consult said it is "very" or "somewhat" important that Mr Biden choose a person of colour to join him on the Democratic Party's presidential ticket.

Only slightly more, 32 per cent, said it is "very" or "somewhat" important for him to select a woman.

A majority, 56 per cent, want Mr Biden to choose a running mate who has had executive-level experience. And a clear majority, 61 per cent, want someone who has legislative experience.

Mr Biden would be the oldest person ever elected to the US presidency. To that end, 49 per cent of those polled want him to choose a running mate who is younger than his 77 years of age.

In a blow to VP possibilities like Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, only 25 per cent of those surveyed would like Mr Biden to select someone more progressive.

The former vice president, considered a moderate for years, said on Tuesday, if elected, he would go down as the most progressive president in American history.

A longshot is Susan Rice. She was Barack Obama's last national security adviser and US ambassador to the United Nations under the 44th president.

Mr Biden had a West Wing office beside hers, and the two became chums. But she initially misspoke about the attack on an American facility in Bengazhi, Libya, and was panned for years by conservatives. Selecting Ms Rice could give Mr Trump plenty of fodder to fire up his base about her joining Mr Biden on the ticket.

Most widely respected polls show Mr Biden leading Mr Trump nationally, and more importantly, in a slew of swing states and others, including Texas, that the president won rather easily four years ago.
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Linkedin Yunindita Prasidya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 15:19 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a3952c 1 Business retail-investors,stock-market,IDX,bias Free

Retail investors, who have surged in numbers during the pandemic, are prone to behavioral bias and herd behavior, experts have warned, although the impact on the countrys stock exchange remained limited.

The behavioral biases include confirmation bias, where people only want to hear things that align with their predisposed outlook and ignore those that are not, according to Budi Frensidy, a stock market expert from the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Indonesia.

Another type of bias is availability bias, which refers to the tendency of people taking action based on familiar information, without further investigation.

Retail investors run into behavioral bias, something that institutional investors do not experience, as institutional investors have to refer to a set of guidelines or strict rules, Budi said during a webinar on Tuesday, saying that, for example, institutional investors had to keep their losses within a predetermined percentage range.

Retail investors, on the other hand, are more flexible in their investing, and their asset allocation is determined by more varied factors, including their age, in comparison to institutional investors whose asset allocation is solely determined by their ability to take risks, Budi explained.

During the pandemic, the local bourse saw a significant increase in domestic retail investors' participation, while foreign investors sustained selling pressure on the market. The number of retail investors at Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) has reached over 1.2 million, growing by 12.17 percent as of June 30 from December last year, according to data shared by Budi.

According to IDX data, the bourse on Tuesday comprised of 62 percent domestic investors and 38 percent foreign investors. At the end of last year, the shares of domestic and foreign investors were 55.71 percent and 44.29 percent, respectively.

Foreign investors dumped Rp 295.44 billion (US$20.3 million) worth of stocks on Tuesday, sustaining a trend of foreign net sells that amounted to Rp 19.11 trillion this year.

Read also: Domestic investors dominate stock market amid pandemic

On June 8, retail investors average daily transaction value surpassed that of the institutional investors by Rp 2.9 trillion, the first time in history, according to IDX.

However, Budi said that the behavioral bias would not significantly impact the market, as retail investors funds were only around 17 percent of those of institutional investors.

Meanwhile, Anugerah Mega Investama director Hans Kwee said retail investors also tended to be influenced by herd behavior in that they are likely to react faster to negative news than positive ones.

When the market goes down, people tend to panic, Hans said. But when [the trading] is temporarily suspended following the decline, people return to being rational and that is why we can see prices rallying up, he added, noting how regulatory actions could counteract investors behavioral dispositions.

Hans attributed the rising participation of retail investors to the large-scale social restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which led to many people working from home.

As of July 24, the average number of daily retail investors trading on the market increased by 52 percent year-on-year (yoy) in July, with the highest number recorded so far on July 24 when the bourse saw over 112,000 retail investors trading on a single day, according to data provided by IDX development director Hasan Fawzi.

In July last year, the average was 60,000 daily retail investors.

Almost 70 percent of the retail investors in the country were under 40 years old, Hasan said.

However, he saw the trend as something positive, noting that the dominance of domestic retail investors would help the bourse to be less volatile against the foreign capital flight.

We hope that this can increase our capital market resilience level, especially in times of volatility or economic crisis, Hasan said.

Indonesia's capital market is considered to be shallow at Rp 5.92 quadrillion in market capitalization as of Tuesday, a steep fall from Rp 7.26 quadrillion in 2019, IDX data showed.

The IDX is planning to introduce new systems to prevent trading actions taken based on asymmetric information. Hasan said that the bourse is developing a watch list board to highlight companies that have issues with liquidity, volatility or irregular price discovery mechanisms, so that investors could be made aware of the risks when investing in these stocks.

It is also working into integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect irregular market activities, such as false trading and stock price manipulation, to improve market surveillance.

Read also: Market manipulation among common violations found at IDX: OJK
Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives at the court on July 28 morning. A judge found him guilty on all seven counts. (Photo: Al Jazeera)

Kuala Lumpur  Former Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the offence related to abuse of power at a trial on July 28.

He was also fined 210 million RM (49.4 million USD).

High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali also sentenced Najib to 10 years in prison for breach of trust and another 10 years for money laundering.

However, he ordered that all the sentences run concurrently. This means Najib will only serve a total of 12 years in jail.

Earlier the same day, the High Court found Najib guilty of all seven charges related to the misappropriation of 42 million RM of SRC International funds.

The 1MDB was formed by Najib Razak in 2009 for socio-economic development. Malaysian and US investigators held that the fund caused a loss of about 4.5 billion USD in the 2009-2015 period, while about 1 billion USD was sent to Najibs personal bank accounts.
FP Trending

Scientists have managed to bring to life microbes that were in a dormant state for more than 100 million years. Some of the simplest organisms on Earth, these microbes were found in the South Pacific seabed in sediments which are poor in nutrients, but with enough oxygen for them to survive.

The research, led by Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, was published in the journal Nature Communications.

In an interaction with AFP, lead author Yuki Morono said that when he found the microbes, he was skeptical whether the findings are a mistake or a failure in their experiment. "We now know that there is no age limit for [organisms in the] sub-seafloor biosphere," Morono added.

While earlier experiments have highlighted how certain bacteria can survive in tough places, Morono says the new study shows that some of Earths simplest living beings "do not actually have the concept of lifespan."

According to a report in Cosmos, Steven DHondt, an oceanographer at the University of Rhode Island, said the discovery is "violating our sense of the [microbial] world as we know it."

DHondt says the bacteria are survivors of microbial communities that lived as much as 101.5 million years ago.

The researcher added that when they were first buried, the sediments would have contained one million cells per cubic centimetre. However, now about 1,000 cells per cubic centimetre remain, under extremely challenging conditions.

According to D'Hondt, how the microbes managed to survive is a mystery. They are somehow surviving for "ridiculous lengths of time" or are reproducing with less energy.

The report mentions that the new finding also suggests that life might actually be possible in other low-productivity environments such as subsurface oceans in the moons of Saturn and Jupiter.
A pilot works in an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter aircraft, aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) aircraft carrier while at sea, on January 18, 2020 off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said Wednesday that he was confident that whoever wins the White House in November  whether it's President Donald Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden  will continue supporting the defense industry.

"I think both candidates, at least in my view, appear globally oriented and interested in the defense of our country and I believe they'll support the industries," Calhoun said on a media call. "They'll do it in different ways and they'll have different teams for sure, but I don't think we're going to take a position on one being better than the other."

The Trump administration, lawmakers and political candidates are under increasing pressure to come up with ways to aid the U.S. through the coronavirus pandemic and accompanying economic turmoil.

Defense spending is taking on new importance for the aerospace giant, one of the largest U.S. defense contractors, as its commercial aircraft unit reels from the pandemic. The turmoil drove Boeing to a $2.4 billion loss in the second quarter, prompting further cuts to production of planes like the 787 and the possibility of job reductions beyond the roughly 19,000 people the company said are leaving Boeing.

Revenue for Boeing's defense and space unit was little changed from the second quarter a year ago at $6.6 billion, but sales at its commercial aircraft unit plunged by more than 65% year over year to $1.6 billion.

The trend has been echoed at other companies like Raytheon Technologies that have both commercial and defense businesses.

"Overall, while the pandemic continues to deeply impact our commercial aero business, our balanced portfolio includes a resilient defense business that will help us offset near-term commercial aero headwinds," said CEO Greg Hayes during an analyst call Tuesday.

The White House didn't comment. Representatives for both Trump's and Biden's presidential campaigns didn't immediately comment.

Defense contractors have good reasons to be concerned. Across the country, incumbent Republicans are being dragged down by the president's poor approval ratings, despite efforts by some candidates to distance themselves from Trump's positions. Still, most analysts now believe Democrats are well positioned to expand their majority in the House and, increasingly, to win the four net Senate seats they need to take control of the upper chamber.

Boeing's Calhoun brushed off the possibility of an impact to the industry because of a potential shift in Congress, saying lawmakers "tend to come together" on policies that support jobs.

Like many Fortune 100 companies whose bottom lines are heavily impacted both by government spending and federal regulation, Boeing is careful not to wade too far into partisan politics, or to give the appearance that it favors one party over the other.

So far in the 2020 election cycle, Boeing's political action committee has donated $1.1 million to federal candidates. Of that, 47% has gone to Democrats and 53% to Republicans, according to the Open Secrets campaign finance tracking website.
The Tennessee Historical Commission, the state agency that is designated as the State Historic Preservation Office, announced Wednesday the addition of seven properties to the National Register of Historic Places. They include two bridges, an industrial building, historic district, school, historic road and church.



Tennessee has a tremendous inheritance of important historic places that are highlighted by the diversity of these recent National Register listings. said State Historic Preservation Officer and Executive Director Patrick McIntyre.



The sites recently added to the National Register of Historic Places are:



Ebenezer Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Jasper - Marion County)



Located about 3 miles from Jasper in the Sequatchie Valley, the church building has seen few architectural changes since its construction in 1914. One of the most distinguishing features on the outside are the double-hung stained glass windows that show elements of the Gothic Revival style in the tracery that forms pointed arches. Also important are the historic weatherboard siding, hipped roof with exposed rafters and paneled entry door. Wood wainscoting and wood pews with decorative side walls are historic features on the interior. Marion County has several notable rural churches that are listed in the national Register. These include the circa 1853 Primitive Baptist Church of Sweetens Cove, circa 1875 McKendree Methodist Church and circa 1892 Whitwell Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Ebenezer Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a fine addition to this list.



Dixie Mercerizing Company (Chattanooga  Hamilton County)



The 6 historic resources that comprise the Dixie Mercerizing Company were built between circa 1920 and 1951. These are the 1920-1925 Art Deco influenced mercerizing mill building, circa 1920 boiler building with smokestack, circa 1951 Mid-Century Modern headquarters building, circa 1948 mutual risk building, circa 1920 water tower and circa 1920 storage shed. All the buildings have been updated over the years as the company went from cotton yarn to synthetics. The buildings represent good examples of industrial buildings in Chattanooga. Yarn mercerizing to improve the strength of fibers took place at this site, while the spinning was done in nearby Lupton City. Lupton City was named for John T. Lupton, Chattanooga businessman, and president of the Dixie Mercerizing in 1921. The company began operating in late 1920 and eventually became one of the larger industries in the city, which was known as a hub for industry.



Downtown Chattanooga Historic District (Chattanooga  Hamilton County)



Of the 71 resources are included in the Downtown Chattanooga Historic District, 13 were already individually listed in the National Register for their importance in the architectural and commercial development of the city. The new district provides a more comprehensive picture of the magnitude of Chattanoogas architectural and commercial history. Chattanooga was a major center for businesses from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Architectural styles in the district range from Italianate, Beaux Arts, Art Deco, and various revival styles to include modern styles of Moderne and Brutalism. The district was the core area for banking, retail, hotels, government and general office use. Like many cities in the post-WWII era, Chattanooga experienced a loss of businesses as companies moved to the suburbs. In recent decades, the city has transformed itself into a vibrant commercial area with a resurgence of new building and adaptation for historic buildings.



Arch Bridge (Olive Hill  Hardin County)



Designed in 1925 by the Tennessee State Highway Department (now TDOT), the Arch Bridge in Hardin County is a closed spandrel, single arch concrete bridge over Indian Creek. When the bridge was built, the road was part of State Route 15/US 64, but when the route was realigned in 1964, it became a county road. V.W. Clanton completed the bridge construction by March 1926. Noteworthy features of the bridge are the spindled railing and bush-hammered panels. These features were typical of bridges designed by the highway department in the early 20th century but are rarely seen on later concrete bridge designs. The Arch Bridge was considered significant as an example of a closed spandrel concrete arch bridge as part of TDOTs historic bridge survey. It is a local landmark.



Sulphur Fork Bridge (Adams  Montgomery and Robertson Counties)



The 1890 Sulphur Fork Bridge is the third bridge at this once well-traveled crossing on what was the Old Clarksville Springfield Road. Located in northeast Montgomery County at the Robertson County line, over the Sulphur Fork Creek, both counties paid for the bridge. Built by the Converse Bridge Company, it is a pin connected, iron Pratt through truss that sits on masonry piers. Concrete deck girders on concrete piers were added in 1955. William H. Converse started the Converse Bridge Company in Chattanooga and the Sulphur Fork Bridge is one of the first bridges he constructed. The Pratt truss was invented by Thomas Pratt in 1844 and was an economical choice since it required less metal that other forms. The Sulphur Fork Bridge was considered significant as an example of a truss bridge as part of TDOTs historic bridge survey. In 1990, a new bridge was erected nearby, and this bridge was taken out of service for vehicles. It is now a pedestrian bridge in Port Royal State Park.



Ward School (Hartsville  Trousdale County)



The Ward School served Hartsvilles African American students from its opening in 1948 until 1966 with its last graduating class. Located outside of the downtown commercial area, the school is in a historic African American neighborhood and was the only school building in Trousdale County for African American high school students. The building symbolizes the patterns of school segregation prevalent during the Jim Crow era, while trying to provide educational opportunities for the African American community. The H-shaped, one-story-with-basement, concrete block building has metal frame multi-pane windows. When it opened, the school included classrooms, workshop, library, cafeteria, restrooms, offices and a gym. In addition to its primary use for education, the Ward School was used as a meeting space for public activities, examples being the May Day celebration and concerts.



Higginbotham Turnpike (Spencer  Van Buren and Warren Counties)

The Higginbotham Turnpike is part of the 1838 Trail of Tears when the federal government forcibly removed Native Americans from their ancestral homes in the southeast. The Trail of Tears encompassed several routes for the removal of Native Americans. This 4.7-mile segment was part of the Northern Removal Route where 9 detachments comprising about 10,000 people were sent to the west. Higginbotham Turnpike is near the Rocky River Crossing and Road, another important site associated with the Trail of Tears.



The National Register of Historic Places is the nations official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. It is part of a nationwide program that coordinates and supports efforts to identify, evaluate and protect historic resources. The SHPO administers the program in Tennessee.



For more information or copies of the nominations contact Rebecca Schmitt at Rebecca.schmitt@tn.gov . Visit http://tnhistoricalcommission.org to find out more about our programs.
Mahesh Agarwal (extreme right) (Image: Facebook Mahesh Agarwal)

An estranged widows bitter struggle over property is at the heart of a raging feud in Kolkatas Haldiram family which recently lost one of its pioneers, Mahesh Agarwal.

Family insiders said the fight could get even bitter in the coming days, ostensibly because the property runs into hundreds of crores. The brawl became public when vandals  encouraged by a section of the family  appeared at two Haldiram stores in Kolkata, destroyed property and decamped with high-value products such as bank details, laptops and pen drives containing sensitive information about the company and its properties.

There were tensions within the family, said Nilanjan Ghosh, a senior business analyst based in Kolkata. It has all come to the surface now that Mahesh Agarwal is dead.

Mahesh was warmly called Mr Gentleman by his friends in Kolkata, a city where he operated as many as four, huge Haldiram outlets. Children too had fond memories of him. They called him Uncle Willy Wonka. Like the fictional character in the 1964 Roald Dahls novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Agarwal cared for everyone in the family, even rank outsiders.

The companys legacy is traced to Ganga Bhishen Agarwal, who was called Haldiram for his wheatish-turmeric complexion. The family hailed from Bikaner, a desert town popular for its Karni Mata Temple where rats share food with the reigning deity. The Agarwals had a kirana store and sold bhujia sev, a yellow-coloured, salted savoury. And then, a decade after India gained independence, the family travelled to Kolkata.

The Agarwal siblings split in the early 1990s, dividing the outlets into zones to maintain independent operations. Manoharlal and Madhusudan sought the north Indian markets, Shiv Kishan got the south and west Indian markets and Prabhu Shankar and Ashok got the markets in east India.

A court ruling in 2013 banned Prabhu Shankar and Ashok from using the Haldirams Bhujiawala name. The duo rebranded it to Prabhuji: From the house of Haldirams. The brand, split into three geographic entities with nearly 12 companies, grossed Rs 7,130 crore during FY19. The sales of Haldiram products were on a par with Hindustan Unilevers food and refreshment division. In FY18, the combined sales of Haldiram products grossed Rs 6,241 crore.

What triggered the fight?

So what was the trigger to the slugfest in the family which controlled the business in east India?

Mahesh, a cousin of Prabhu Shankar, had a serious problem with his wife, Meena, who stayed separately with the children for almost eight years. Mahesh, who often slept in the office complex, had even sent her a divorce notice but did not push it in the courts. Marwari families, always well-knit, rarely make internal fights public and prefer to lie low.

Mahesh, who had a liver transplant, was taken to Singapore for treatment by Sharad Agarwal, his trusted lieutenant for many years. Sharads father Ravi, a cousin of Mahesh, died in a car accident in the 19090s in Bikaner, Rajasthan. Sharad ran the fast food and sweetmeat business on behalf of an ailing Mahesh for many years.

Mahesh died in Singapore on April 3, 2020, a day before his 57th birthday. His estranged wife Meena and daughter Avni were in Singapore when Mahesh died. Sharad, who had accompanied Mahesh to Singapore, had by then returned to Kolkata.

And it was around that time it was known in the Agarwal family circles that Mahesh had split his ancestral properties worth Rs 1,200 crore in three parts, offering one third each to his son Pratik, sister Manju and Sharad. He had put a stringent condition that no one would be allowed to sell the properties and that the troika must develop the branch of the foods company he created  known as Haldiram Bhujiawala (Pratik Foods) brand  beyond its current turnover of Rs 4,000 crore.

Pratik was asked to pay Rs 1 lakh a month to his mother for her pocket expenses. Mahesh had also made arrangements for educational expenses of his daughters and also allotted Rs 3 crore each for his daughters marriage (whenever that happens). Pratik and sister Avni, for the record, live in Kolkata. Elder daughter Anchal is a scientist and works with Sandisk in San Francisco while another daughter Antara is studying in Durham University, UK. Besides Haldiram outlets in the city, the properties also included some real estate and a Monotel, a luxury business hotel close to the Kolkata airport.

An uneasy division

But Meena did not like the arrangement and pressed for a change in the family will of Mahesh Agarwal.

And it was then all hell broke loose. And this is not the first time that troubles have hit the Haldiram family which is extended all over India. They have had serious issues earlier at their Delhi operations, remarked Ghosh the analyst.

Wrote author Pavitra Kumar in his book Bhujia Barons: The Untold Story of How Haldiram Built a Rs 5,000-crore Empire: Their success have come at a price, and while they certainly enjoy their place in the Sun, they too have many a dark moment. Like Mario Puzo very aptly noted in The Godfather: Every family has bad memories, this family certainly has a few old cupboards filled with pain, endurance, loss and disappointment. It is these very moments that test the mettle of a man and define character. It is also these moments that have shaped the history of this empire and differentiated one brother from another.

Ghosh said the stuff people dont know in Kolkata was far more intriguing.

We are learning many things now, including how Mahesh relied totally on Sharad and how Sharad almost single handedlyran the business on his behalf and did everything, including his treatment. It reflected a sad trend in the family where Maheshs son seemed a little disinterested in the business, said Ghosh.

Tensions remained high within the extended Haldiram family. Things started getting out of control when Meena pressed for changes in the property and wanted total control of the stores and other properties. She was initially told by lawyers belonging to Sharads family that Maheshs property did not support her claims and that only her son had one third of the property, the rest were with Sharad and Manju.

How important was Sharad to Mahesh, Meena asked?

She was told Sharad was Maheshs lifeline and had been handling all operations of Haldirams in Kolkata on behalf of Mahesh. She was shown the property papers and also countless WhatsApp messages sent by Sharad asking her to visit her ailing husband which she did not respond to, said a family insider.

The family insider also told Meena there were high chances of Sharad and Manju trying to take control of what they claim is their legitimate slice of business.

But Meena and her daughter Avni did not agree. Strangely, Pratik remained silent when tensions were building up. Many in Kolkata claim that Pratik had never been a hands-on person in the business. He was Maheshs son and the company was rechristened as Haldiram Bhujiawala (Pratik Foods) but Sharad ran the show with Mahesh. If there is one thing we know for sure, its that Maheshs forward planning skills were second to none. But as he developed liver complications, Sharad meant everything to him, the insider added.

Fight becomes public, ugly

Things took an ugly turn meanwhile.

Avni, Maheshs daughter, took to Facebook to say how their stores in Kolkata were vandalised on July 11, 2020, by hoodlums allegedly hired by members of the extended Agarwal family. She shared some photographs, saying her family has lost all the bank details and property papers.

We are shocked, terrified. We do not know what to do? Avni wrote on her Facebook page. Avni alleged that the mobsters were led by Sharad Agarwal, Manju Agarwal, sister of Prabhu Shankar, the brother who was given the eastern part of the Haldiram empire, and Manjus son, Vatsal Agarwal. She alleged that the troika entered the shop forcibly, cut CCTV cameras telephone lines, stole hard discs of computers, assaulted and forced employees to divulge the bank account details and passwords of emails operated by the late Mahesh Aggarwal. The hoodlums also took away account books, legal papers, property papers, official stamps, share certificates, signed cheques, purchase bills, Income tax files, balance sheets and many other documents, including Maheshs laptop and pen drives. She claimed the damage caused to their property was over Rs 80 lakh. Avni further said she is scared about the safety of her businesses, employees and lives of her family members.

Cops at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station said a complaint was registered and a few members of the Haldiram family were questioned but not detained. The case is under investigation and will progress further only if both sides press charges, said an officer. The officer further said it is still not clear why the fight took place and why some members of the extended Haldiram family descended on the stores in what appeared to be an attempt to gain control of the operations.

The dust has not yet settled, there are high chances of renewed clashes within the extended Haldiram family in Kolkata who control the business in east India.

Avni and her mother want to take the case much beyond the clashes at store, the duo could even go to the courts to seek a re-look at the property will finalised by Mahesh.

Seasoned business analyst and former partner, PWC, Ambarish Dasgupta, however, sees the case as an isolated incident. This is just a one-off incident which took place and caused some tensions. You must also remember how Marwaris have shaped businesses in West Bengal and parts of India for generations. I would not be too worried about this Haldiram incident and I am sure they will sort it out among themselves, Dasgupta said in a telephonic interview.

Decades after members of the Haldiram family fought bitter courtroom battles to gain control over their slice of business in north India, the development in Kolkata has shaken up family members controlling the business in Indias eastern parts.

Shantanu Guha Ray is a senior journalist based in New Delhi.
SEGUIN, Texas, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Alamo Group Inc. (NYSE: ALG) today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020.

Highlights for the Quarter

Net sales for the second quarter of $268.6 million , down 5.8%

, down 5.8% Industrial Division net sales $182.3 million , down 6.2%

, down 6.2%

Agricultural Division net sales $86.4 million , down 5.0%

, down 5.0% Net income for the second quarter of $13.0 million , down 37.2%

, down 37.2% Record net sales for the first six months of $583.1 million , up 6.6%

, up 6.6% Net income for the first six months of $28.5 million , down 20.6%

, down 20.6% EBITDA for the first six months of $68.9 million , up 5.6% (1)

, up 5.6% Reduced total debt outstanding during the quarter by $51.5 million

Backlog at $216.6 million , down 5.3% from the second quarter of 2019 and down 6.9% compared to the first quarter of 2020

Summary of Results

Alamo Group's net sales for the second quarter of 2020 were $268.6 million compared to net sales of $285.2 million in the second quarter of 2019, a decrease of 5.8%. Net income for the quarter was $13.0 million, or $1.10 per diluted share, compared to $20.7 million, or $1.75 per diluted share, in the previous year's second quarter, a decrease of 37.2% in net income.

For the first six months of 2020 net sales were a record $583.1 million compared to $547.1 million in the previous year's first six month period, an increase of 6.6%. Net income for the first half of 2020 was $28.5 million, or $2.41 per diluted share, versus $35.9 million, or $3.05 per diluted share, for the same period in 2019, a decrease of 20.6% in net income.

The results for the second quarter and first six months of 2020 include the effects of the acquisition of Dutch Power, which was completed in March 2019, and the acquisition of Morbark, completed in October 2019. Together these acquisitions contributed $58.0 million to net sales and $2.5 million to net income in the second quarter of 2020 compared to $14.0 million in net sales and $0.9 million in net income in the second quarter of 2019. For the first six months of 2020, these acquisitions contributed $124.5 million to net sales and $6.0 million to net income compared to $17.6 million in net sales and $1.1 million in net income in the first six months of 2019. The above results also include the negative effects of non-cash inventory step up charges of approximately $0.7 million in the second quarter of 2020 and $2.7 million in the first six months of 2020 related to the Morbark acquisition. The acquisition of Dixie Chopper was completed in September 2019, however its contribution to consolidated results was not material.

Alamo Group's results for the second quarter and first six months of 2020 were affected by issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic which began to materially impact the Company in March of the current year and is ongoing. In late March and throughout most of April, the Company experienced multiple plant closures most notably in France and England and to a lesser extent in the U.S. and Canada. The plants have now reopened and currently all Alamo Group manufacturing facilities are functioning at various levels of operation based on demand. In total, out of a workforce of approximately 4,270 employees at the beginning of 2020, we have 550 workers on some form of a furlough, temporary layoff or other such arrangements as of the end of June. In addition, we have had permanent reductions in work force totaling about 200 positions. We also have about 269 employees involved in various government sponsored work share programs working reduced hours. In addition to the above, we have approximately 225 employees working remotely. All the above numbers change on a regular basis as a result of changing conditions and production needs to meet current market demand. For the most part the Company, supported by its supply chain, is functioning in a somewhat normal, though at a reduced level of operation and is able to meet most demand in a timely fashion.

Results by Division

Net sales for Alamo Group's Industrial Division in the second quarter of 2020 were $182.3 million, compared to $194.3 million in the prior year, a decrease of 6.2%. The Division's income from operations for the quarter was $13.9 million compared to $21.5 million in the second quarter of 2019, a decrease of 35.5%. For the first six months of 2020, the Industrial Division's net sales were $412.2 million versus $367.8 million in the first six months of 2019, an increase of 12.1%. The Division's income from operations for the first six months of 2020 was $32.2 million versus $38.5 million in the same period of the prior year, a decrease of 16.3%.

The Industrial Division's results included the effects of the acquisitions of Dutch Power and Morbark mentioned previously. These acquisitions contributed $58.0 million to net sales and $3.8 million to income from operations in the second quarter of 2020 compared to $14.0 million in net sales and $1.2 million in income from operations contributed by Dutch Power in the previous year's second quarter. For the first six months of 2020, these acquisitions contributed $124.5 million to the Division's net sales and $8.1 million to income from operations compared to $17.6 million in net sales and $1.5 million in income from operations contributed by Dutch Power in the first six months of 2019. The Industrial Division's results include the negative effects of non-cash inventory step up charges of approximately $0.7 million in the second quarter of 2020 and $2.7 million for the first six months as mentioned above. While the Industrial Division's sales benefited from the acquisition of Dutch Power and Morbark, this was more than offset in the second quarter by reduced sales related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact this has had on demand for the Division's products.

The Company's Agricultural Division net sales in the second quarter of 2020 were $86.4 million compared to $90.9 million in the prior year's second quarter, a decrease of 5.0%. The Division's income from operations for the quarter was $8.8 million compared to $7.8 million in 2019, an increase of 12.2%. For the first six months of 2020, the Agricultural Division's net sales were $170.9 million versus $179.3 million in the prior year, a decrease of 4.7%. The Division's income from operations for the first six months of 2020 was $14.3 million compared to $13.5 million in the prior year, an increase of 6.2%, as a result of cost control and a favorable product mix. The Agricultural Division's results have been impacted by the repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic, though to a lesser extent than our Industrial Division. Also, the Division's North American operations have held up better in the short term than its European operations, which experienced more operational and demand issues during the second quarter.

Comments on Results

Ron Robinson, Alamo Group's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented on Alamo's second quarter results as follows: "While our second quarter results were down, given the environment in which we continue to operate, they were in line with our expectations. I am proud of all the dedicated people at our Company who have worked so hard to achieve these results, given the many operational challenges we experienced - temporary plant closures, supply chain issues, stay at home directives, customer constraints and other issues, which all effected our operations during the quarter, but we managed to continue to function throughout this time and generally deliver our products when and as required.

"Fortunately, many of these challenging conditions with functionality for us, our vendors and our customers have eased and currently all of our facilities are now operating, though generally at reduced levels. The same is true for our supply chain. Our customers are also operating at a more effective level than at the beginning of the crisis as communication levels have generally improved. We hope the progress we are seeing does not move in a negative direction as many areas in which we operate are dealing with increased levels of cases related to COVID-19.

"While we are glad to see the improved functionality we are concerned about the effects this pandemic is having on our markets and the overall economic environment. We feel the challenging business climate will impact our business for the balance of 2020 and into next year as well. Fortunately, both our Industrial and Agricultural customers are using our equipment on a regular basis, but budget constraints and lower incomes are impacting new order placements. Our bookings are still active and coming in at a consistent pace, but at levels that are below our typical pace. Our Agricultural Division products are holding up at a little better pace since the agricultural industry is functioning reasonably well and seems to have less downside since this sector had already been operating at a reduced level for the last several years. Our Industrial Division equipment, which is highly focused on infrastructure maintenance operations for various governmental entities is seeing more challenging conditions as reduced levels of tax revenue has had a heavier impact on governmental operating budgets. Still, we feel Alamo should continue to hold up a little better than many other industrial equipment manufacturers and rebound more quickly when conditions start to improve as a result of the historic stability of the types of equipment we provide, which are used regularly even during times such as these and need replacing on a steady basis.

"We also believe, while our results will be negatively impacted during this downturn, as evidenced by past economic upheavals, our cash flow should remain strong as demonstrated in our second quarter results. Despite reduced sales and earnings, we paid down over $50 million in debt during the quarter, while maintaining high cash levels of over $80 million. We achieved this through a combination of balance sheet management and expense control as we focused on reducing inventory and receivables in line with sales reductions and cut back on capital spending among other actions. We feel such measures will allow us to maintain our financial stability going forward, even as economic conditions remain soft.

"Alamo is also continuing to benefit from our backlog which is still at a healthy level of $217 million. This came down 6.9% during the second quarter, compared to the first quarter of 2020, but gives us a good base to support our operations as we move into the second half of the year. Certainly, new bookings are the key to our ongoing results and while they are continuing at a steady pace, we would like to see them at a higher level than we are currently experiencing. Until they return to a more historic level, we will continue to take all reasonable actions to manage our business including adjusting our staff levels commensurate with production needs, controlling our expenses, limiting capital expenditures and other actions to maintain our financial stability and ensure Alamo Group can continue to meet our customers' needs for the benefit of our Company, our employees, our vendors and our stakeholders. We thank you for your support during these challenging times."

Earnings Conference Call

Alamo Group will host a conference call to discuss the results on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Hosting the call will be members of senior management.

Individuals wishing to participate in the conference call should dial 800-367-2403 (domestic) or 334-777-6978 (international). For interested individuals unable to join the call, a replay will be available until Tuesday, August 04, 2020 by dialing 888-203-1112 (domestic) or 719-457-0820 (internationally), passcode 2270876.

The live broadcast of Alamo Group Inc.'s quarterly conference call will be available online at the Company's website, www.alamo-group.com (under "Investor Relations/Events & and Presentations") on Thursday, July 30, 2020, beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET. The online replay will follow shortly after the call ends and will be archived on the Company's website for 60 days.

About Alamo Group

Alamo Group is a leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and service of high quality equipment for infrastructure maintenance, agriculture and other applications. Our products include truck and tractor mounted mowing and other vegetation maintenance equipment, street sweepers, snow removal equipment, excavators, vacuum trucks, other industrial equipment, agricultural implements, forestry equipment and related after-market parts and services. The Company, founded in 1969, has approximately 4,070 employees and operates 30 plants in North America, Europe, Australia and Brazil as of June 30, 2020. The corporate offices of Alamo Group Inc. are located in Seguin, Texas.

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. Among those factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: overall market demand, continuing impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic including more significant supply chain disruptions, further reductions in customer demand, sales and profitability declines, operational disruptions, full or partial facility closures, and other similar impacts, competition, weather, seasonality, currency-related issues, and other risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein, which speaks only as of this date.

(Tables Follow)

(1) This is a non-GAAP financial measure or other information relating to our GAAP financial measures that we have provided to investors in order to allow greater transparency and a deeper understanding of our financial condition and operating results. For a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure or for a more detailed explanation of financial results, refer to "Non-GAAP Financial Measure Reconciliation" below and the Attachments thereto.

Alamo Group Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands) (Unaudited)







June 30,

2020 June 30,

2019 ASSETS











Current assets:











Cash and cash equivalents

$ 82,002





$ 48,190



Accounts receivable, net

229,714





267,064



Inventories

248,706





205,910



Other current assets

11,691





14,940



Total current assets

572,113





536,104

















Rental equipment, net

48,583





51,517

















Property, plant and equipment

156,210





105,467

















Goodwill

195,457





93,134



Intangible assets

198,925





62,725



Other non-current assets

18,400





17,632

















Total assets

$ 1,189,688





$ 866,579

















LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY











Current liabilities:











Trade accounts payable

$ 63,417





$ 67,391



Income taxes payable

2,619





1,926



Accrued liabilities

52,615





47,707



Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations

15,072





131



Total current liabilities

133,723





117,155

















Long-term debt, net of current maturities

423,723





166,232



Long-term tax liability

6,778





6,378



Deferred pension liability

1,464





1,719



Other long-term liabilities

25,361





14,340



Deferred income taxes

21,488





17,923

















Total stockholders' equity

577,151





542,832

















Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$ 1,189,688





$ 866,579





Alamo Group Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (in thousands, except per share amounts) (Unaudited)













Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended



6/30/2020

6/30/2019

6/30/2020

6/30/2019 Net sales:















Industrial

$ 182,257



$ 194,304



$ 412,232



$ 367,834

Agricultural

86,378



90,882



170,851



179,286

Total net sales

268,635



285,186



583,083



547,120



















Cost of sales

200,810



212,053



436,318



410,679

Gross margin

67,825



73,133



146,765



136,441





25.2 %

25.6 %

25.2 %

24.9 %

















Selling, general and administration expense

41,551



42,670



92,799



82,517

Amortization Expense

3,613



1,114



7,449



1,969

Income from operations

22,661



29,349



46,517



51,955





8.4 %

10.3 %

8.0 %

9.5 %

















Interest expense

(3,941)



(1,935)



(9,460)



(3,385)

Interest income

306



330



662



503

Other income (expense)

(1,288)



(295)



1,053



(684)



















Income before income taxes

17,738



27,449



38,772



48,389

Provision for income taxes

4,749



6,782



10,255



12,469



















Net Income

$ 12,989



$ 20,667



$ 28,517



$ 35,920



















Net income per common share:

































Basic

$ 1.10



$ 1.76



$ 2.42



$ 3.07



















Diluted

$ 1.10



$ 1.75



$ 2.41



$ 3.05



















Average common shares:















Basic

11,778



11,726



11,769



11,712



















Diluted

11,842



11,798



11,835



11,787





















Alamo Group Inc.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation

From time to time, Alamo Group Inc. may disclose certain "non-GAAP financial measures" in the course of its earnings releases, earnings conference calls, financial presentations and otherwise. For these purposes, "GAAP" refers to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defines a "non-GAAP financial measure" as a numerical measure of historical or future financial performance, financial positions, or cash flows that is subject to adjustments that effectively exclude or include amounts from the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by Alamo Group are provided as additional information to investors in order to provide them with greater transparency about, or an alternative method for assessing, our financial condition and operating results. These measures are not in accordance with, or a substitute for, GAAP and may be different from, or inconsistent with, non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Whenever we refer to a non-GAAP financial measure, we will also generally present the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, along with a reconciliation of the differences between the non-GAAP financial measure we reference and such comparable GAAP financial measure.

Attachment 1 discloses the impact of the Company's recently completed acquisitions upon Sales, Operating Income and Net Income all of which are non-GAAP financial measures. Attachment 2 discloses Adjusted Operating Income, Acquisition Adjusted Net Income and Acquisition Adjusted Diluted EPS, each adjusted to exclude the impact of the recently completed acquisitions, all of which are non-GAAP financial measures. Attachment 3 discloses a non-GAAP financial presentation related to the impact of currency translation on net sales by division. Attachment 4 shows the net change in our total debt net of cash and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") and Adjusted EBITDA excluding the impact of the step-up inventory charge at Morbark, all of which are non-GAAP financial measures. The Company considers this information useful to investors to allow better comparability of period-to-period operating performance.

Attachment 1

Alamo Group Inc. Non-GAAP Financial Reconciliation (in thousands) (Unaudited)

Impact of Acquisitions













Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended



June 30,

June 30,



2020

2019

2020

2019

















Net Sales (consolidated) - GAAP

$ 268,635



$ 285,186



$ 583,083



$ 547,120

(less: net sales attributable to acquisitions)

(57,983)



(14,034)



(124,514)



(17,648)

Net Sales less acquisitions (consolidated) - non-GAAP

$ 210,652



$ 271,152



$ 458,569



$ 529,472



















Net Sales (Industrial Division) - GAAP

$ 182,257



$ 194,304



$ 412,232



$ 367,834

(less: net sales attributable to acquisition)

(57,983)



(14,034)



(124,514)



(17,648)

Net Sales less acquisitions (N.A. Industrial Division) - non-GAAP

$ 124,274



$ 180,270



$ 287,718



$ 350,186



















Net Sales (Agricultural Division) - GAAP

$ 86,378



$ 90,882



$ 170,851



$ 179,286

(less: net sales attributable to acquisitions)















Net Sales less acquisitions (N.A. Agricultural Division) - non-GAAP

$ 86,378



$ 90,882



$ 170,851



$ 179,286





































Operating Income (consolidated) - GAAP

$ 22,661



$ 29,349



$ 46,517



$ 51,955

(less: operating income attributable to acquisitions)

(3,830)



(1,200)



(8,134)



(1,452)

Operating Income less acquisitions (consolidated) - non-GAAP

$ 18,831



$ 28,149



$ 38,383



$ 50,503



















Net Income (consolidated) - GAAP

$ 12,989



$ 20,667



$ 28,517



$ 35,920

(less: net income attributable to acquisitions)

(2,475)



(896)



(5,995)



(1,078)

Net Income less acquisitions (consolidated) - non-GAAP

$ 10,514



$ 19,771



$ 22,522



$ 34,842





















Attachment 2

Alamo Group Inc. Non-GAAP Financial Reconciliation (in thousands, except per share numbers) (Unaudited)

Impact of Acquisitions, Acquisition Expenses, and Tax Reform





















Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended



June 30,

June 30,



2020

2019

2020

2019

















Operating Income - GAAP

$ 22,661



$ 29,349



$ 46,517



$ 51,955

(adjust: results from acquisitions)















earnings from acquisitions

(7,297)



(1,447)



(16,522)



(1,699)

acquisition inventory step-up charge

711







2,662





amortization expense

2,756



247



5,726



247

Adjusted Operating Income - non-GAAP

$ 18,831



$ 28,149



$ 38,383



$ 50,503



















Net Income - GAAP

$ 12,989



$ 20,667



$ 28,517



$ 35,920

(adjust: results from acquisitions)

(2,475)



(896)



(5,995)



(1,078)

(adjust: interest expense relating to acquisitions)

1,998



374



5,110



514

Acquisition Adjusted Net Income - non-GAAP

$ 12,512



$ 20,145



$ 27,632



$ 35,356



















Diluted EPS - GAAP

$ 1.10



$ 1.75



$ 2.41



$ 3.05

(adjust: results from acquisitions)

(0.21)



(0.08)



(0.51)



(0.09)

(adjust: interest expense relating to acquisitions)

0.17



0.03



0.43



0.04

Acquisition Adjusted Diluted EPS - non-GAAP

$ 1.06



$ 1.70



$ 2.33



$ 3.00



Attachment 3

Alamo Group Inc. Non-GAAP Financial Reconciliation (in thousands) (Unaudited)

Impact of Currency Translation on Net Sales by Division





















Three Months Ended

June 30,





Change due to currency

translation

2020

2019

% change

from 2019

$

%



















Industrial $ 182,257



$ 194,304



(6.2) %

$ (912)



(0.5) % Agricultural 86,378



90,882



(5.0) %

(2,322)



(2.6) % Total net sales $ 268,635



$ 285,186



(5.8) %

$ (3,234)



(1.1) %





























































Six Months Ended

June 30,





Change due to currency

translation

2020

2019

% change

from 2019

$

%







































Industrial $ 412,232



$ 367,834



12.1 %

$ (1,703)



(0.5) % Agricultural 170,851



179,286



(4.7) %

(3,691)



(2.1) % Total net sales $ 583,083



$ 547,120



6.6 %

$ (5,394)



(1.0) %





















Attachment 4

Alamo Group Inc. Non-GAAP Financial Reconciliation (in thousands) (Unaudited)

Consolidated Net Change of Total Debt, Net of Cash



June 30, 2020

June 30, 2019

Net Change













Current maturities

$ 15,072



$ 131





Long-term debt,net of current

423,723



166,232





Total debt

$ 438,795



$ 166,363



















Total cash

82,002



48,190





Total Debt Net of Cash

$ 356,793



$ 118,173



$ 238,620

















EBITDA



Six Months Ended

Trailing Twelve Months Ended



June 30,

2020

June 30,

2019

June 30,

2020

December 31,

2019

















Income from operations

$ 46,517



$ 51,955



$ 89,210



$ 94,648

Depreciation

14,565



11,191



27,681



24,307

Amortization

7,783



2,079



11,657



5,953

EBITDA

$ 68,865



$ 65,225



$ 128,548



$ 124,908

























Adjusted EBITDA



Six Months Ended

Trailing Twelve Months Ended



June 30,

2020

June 30,

2019

June 30,

2020

December 31,

2019

















Income from operations

$ 46,517



$ 51,955



$ 89,210



$ 94,648

adjust: acquisition inventory step-up charge

2,662







5,913



3,251

Adjusted Income from operations

$ 49,179



$ 51,955



$ 95,123



$ 97,899

Depreciation

14,565



11,191



27,681



24,307

Amortization

7,783



2,079



11,657



5,953

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 71,527



$ 65,225



$ 134,461



$ 128,159





















SOURCE Alamo Group Inc.

Related Links

http://alamo-group.com


Representative Image

The Congress in Manipur submitted a notice for a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led coalition government in the state. Congress legislators K Meghachandra and Th Lokeshwar submitted the notice to the Assembly secretary.

Manipur Congress spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei said the party was confident that the House will take up the no-confidence motion during the Monsoon Session on August 10.

The Congress has been targeting the Manipur government over what the party called its failure to hand over a 2018 drug haul case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Thounaojam Brinda, Additional Superintendent of police, Narcotic and Affairs of Border (NAB), had in June 2018 recovered a consignment of contraband drugs and old currencies from the official quarter of Lukhosei Zou, Chairman of Autonomous District Council (ADC), Chandel district of Manipur.

In her affidavit submitted before the Manipur High Court recently, she had alleged that Chief Minister N Biren Singh had pressured her to release Zhou.

The chief minister has denied the allegations.

The woman police officer's affidavit was published in two local newspaper on July 14, following which an criminal contempt case was lodged against them.

The state Congress unit had on July 15 demanded a CBI probe into the case. Meghachandra said that the submission of the no-confidence motion was also in consideration of the FIR lodged against the two local media houses which had published the officer's affidavit.

Lokeshwar also urged all to support their cause.

After failed attempts to dislodge the Biren Singh government following the resignation of nine ruling coalition legislators, including four ministers belonging to National People's Party (NPP), the Congress is trying to put the Manipur government on the mat on the drug haul case.

The Manipur political crisis triggered by the resignations was later resolved after intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda.

The four NPP ministers returned to the cabinet subsequently.
Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 (7:00 am) - Score 6,861

The latest biannual H1 2020 study of mobile network (4G and 5G) performance across the United Kingdom, which was conducted by RootMetrics, has once again named EE (BT) as the best overall operator. On top of that they delivered the fastest median (average) broadband download speed of 42.6Mbps (up from 36.5Mbps).

The latest study has, for the first time, been conducted by harnessing a batch of 5G Smartphones, specifically the Samsung Note 10+ 5G as purchased off the shelf from operator stores (earlier studies used the 4G based Samsung Galaxy S9). The data this time around will thus include some impact from early 5G deployments (currently only present in a few urban areas).

The testing itself was conducted during both the day and night across 16 of the UKs most populated cities, while walking and driving. Overall a total of 537,780 tests were completed, including 22,082 miles driven and over 750 total places visited. Sadly, this means we dont get a good picture of rural performance as that isnt the main focus.

The study then splits its results into several categories (network reliability, speed, data, call and text quality etc.) and each was assigned a score out of 100 (higher numbers = better). In terms of the UK-wide results, EE came top of every single category and their closest rival remains Vodafone. Meanwhile O2 and Three UK continue to battle over the bottom two places.

Overall Scores for H1 2020 (vs H2 2019 Result)

1. EE  95.2 (down from 95.6)

2. Vodafone  90 (down from 94.7)

3. Three UK  86.5 (down from 89.3)

4. O2  85.2 (down from 89.7)

Interestingly Vodafone, O2 and Three UK all suffered a big fall in their scores, while EE held relatively stable. Elsewhere Three UK leapt over O2 to take 3rd place. In terms of download speed, EE delivered the strongest showing on 42.6Mbps (up from 36.5Mbps in H2 2019), followed by Vodafone 19Mbps (down from 19.8Mbps), Three UK 14.1Mbps (up from 11.7Mbps) and O2 13.3Mbps (up from 12.5Mbps).

The study also includes a useful summary of how the new generation of ultrafast 5G based mobile broadband networks have impacted the results. On this front Three UKs performance is impressive, which is thanks to their 100MHz block of contiguous spectrum (rivals only have a 40-50MHz slice of the 3.4GHz band). However, the reason why this didnt help Three UK much overall is down to weak coverage (i.e. they were the last to start their full roll-out and that was just as COVID-19 became a problem).

Summary of 5G Performance by Operator * EE offers broad 5G availability and strong 5G speeds: EE was the only operator with 5G in each of the 16 cities we tested in 1H 2020, and the operators 5G coverage was relatively broad, with 5G availability above 21% in 12 markets. EEs 5G network was also consistently fast, clocking impressive 5G median download speeds of at least 103.9 Mbps in all 16 cities. * O2 offers limited 5G availability in four UK cities: We recorded 5G results for O2 in 4 of the 16 cities we tested in 1H 2020, and the operators 5G availability was quite low in each market. O2s highest 5G availability was just 0.6% (in Belfast). In the other three cities in which O2 registered 5G results, we didnt collect enough test samples to accurately characterise its 5G median download speeds. That said, we expect O2s 5G network to expand over time. * Three shows impressive 5G speeds: We recorded 5G results on Threes network in 11 out of 16 cities, and the operator recorded very impressive speeds in several markets. Three clocked the fastest 5G median download speed of any operator at 193.7 Mbps in Leicester, while also registering the fastest 5G maximum download speed at 478.1 Mbps in Liverpool. That said, Threes 5G availability was relatively limited, ranging from 1.0% to 15.4%. As a result, the operators 5G speeds havent made a notable impact on its speed interval results or to the speeds that Three users will likely experience on an everyday basis. * Vodafones 5G shows impressive speeds but limited 5G coverage: We recorded 5G results on Vodafones network in 10 of the 16 cities we tested, and the operators median download speeds were faster than 112 Mbps in 9 of those markets. While Vodafones 5G availability was relatively limited, the operators performance in London was noteworthy. Keeping in mind that Vodafones 5G availability in London was just 5.2%, the operator delivered the fastest 5G median download speed in the city at 181.8 Mbps.

The RootMetrics study also gave a result for each operators aggregate median mobile broadband download speed across each of the four UK nations  including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A new study by researchers at the University of Kentucky identifies a novel function of the enzyme spermine synthase (SMS) to facilitate colorectal cancer growth.

SMS is an enzyme that produces spermine from spermidine, which has been shown to be important for cell growth. However, excessive accumulation of spermidine can have harmful effects on cell viability. How cancer cells maintain a relatively high level of spermidine but below the toxic threshold to facilitate tumor growth is not well understood.

A group led by the Markey Cancer Center researcher Qing-Bai She, a professor in the UK College of Medicine's Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, discovered that SMS is overexpressed in colorectal cancers and plays an important role in balancing cellular spermidine levels that are a necessary adaptation for colorectal cancer growth.

The group further revealed a link between the signaling of SMS and the oncogene MYC, a gene that plays a role in many cancer types, to maintain colorectal cancer cell survival. The study showed that combined inhibition of SMS and MYC signaling induced cancer cell death and tumor regression, which could be a promising strategy for colorectal cancer therapy.

"Our findings provide an in-depth understanding of how the polyamine metabolic pathway interacts with oncogenic signaling pathways in tumorigenesis and highlight the unmet need of clinically effective SMS inhibitors for the targeted therapy," said She.

###

The findings were published on June 26, 2020 in Nature Communications.

This work was supported, in part, by funding from the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the UK Markey Cancer Center, and the UK Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences. Researchers from the Southern Medical University and the Greenwood Genetic Center collaborated with UK scientists in this study.
The world's largest nuclear fusion project that will replicate reactions in the sun to create the ultimate clean energy source has begun assembly in France.

Located in Provence, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor  or ITER, for short  is expected to start delivering energy in the year 2035.

Fusion power works by colliding heavy hydrogen atoms to form helium  releasing vast amounts of energy in the process, as occurs naturally in the centre of stars.

In such stellar furnaces, it is gravity that overcomes the tendency of the charged hydrogen atoms to repel away from each other  like two positive ends of a magnet.

In ITER, however, this will be done by creating a ring of charged, super-hot gas called a plasma  reaching some 270,000,000F  which will be held in place by magnets.

For the same amount of fuel, fusion produces around four time the energy of a conventional nuclear power station  which uses atom-splitting, fission, reactions.

Fusion  dubbed a 'miracle for our planet'  uses easy-to-source fuel and provides cheap, clean and safe energy without radioactive waste, or the risk of meltdown.

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The world's largest nuclear fusion project that will replicate the reactions that power the sun in pursuit of clean power has begun assembly in France. Pictured, the base of the cryostat  the chamber which will create the ultra-cool vacuum environment needed to operate the reactor's superconducting magnets  was lowered into ITER on May 26 this year

Fusion power works by colliding heavy hydrogen atoms to form helium  releasing vast amounts of energy in the process, as occurs naturally in the centre of stars. In such stellar furnaces, it is gravity that overcomes the tendency of the charged hydrogen atoms to repel away from each other. In ITER, however, this will be done by creating a ring of charged, super-hot gas  reaching some 270,000,000F  which will be held in place by magnets

For the same amount of fuel, fusion produces around four time the energy of a conventional nuclear power station  which uses atom-splitting, fusion, reactions. Pictured, an artist's cutaway of ITER showing the central Tokamak with its doughnut-shaped ring of super-hot plasma (shown in purple) and the surrounding plant and its concrete support structures

Seven main international partners are collaborating to bring ITER's practical fusion power to reality  including China, Europe, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the US.

The ITER project was launched in 2006 and had originally planned to conduct its first test run this year, to reach full fusion by 2023.

However, the project has faced assorted delays as a result of financing issues, budgetary overrun and, most recently, set-backs due to COVID-19.

At the end of 2016, ITER director general Bernard Bigot reported that the new schedule would aim to see so-called 'first plasma'  to prove the reactor concept works  by December 2025, and full operation reached by the year 2035.

He admitted, however, that the plan would be 'challenging' to deliver and that further delays remained a possibility.

'Clearly, the pandemic impacted the initial schedule,' Dr Bigot added on July 28, 2020, during the assembly launch ceremony for ITER's plasma-containing Tokamak device, which was virtually attended by world leaders and national representatives.

None of the staff at the ITER site  located in at Saint-Paul-les-Durance, northeast of Marseille  has contracted COVID-19, he said

'Constructing the machine piece by piece will be like assembling a three-dimensional puzzle on an intricate timeline,' Dr Bigot continued, comparing the intricate workings of ITER to that of a Swiss timepiece.

Dubbed by some as the world's 'largest science project', ITER's central Tokamak has a circumference of around 98 feet and stands just as high.

'We have a complicated script to follow over the next few years,' Dr Bigot added.

In fact, it is estimated that the ITER machine will comprise more than one million individual parts that will need to be assembled together.

If the project is successful, a second, scaled-up version could later be built to provide more power to the grid.

In recent months huge components  many weighing several hundred tonnes each that required specialist lifts and cranes to position correctly  have begun to arrive in southern France in preparation for the assembly to begin. Pictured, one of ITER's two 800-tonne vacuum vessel assembly tools, as captured by the artist Luca Zanier

At the end of 2016, ITER director general Bernard Bigot  pictured here on July 28, 2020 during the assembly launch ceremony for the ITER Tokamak  reported that the new schedule would aim to see so-called 'first plasma' by December 2025 and full operation reached by the year 2035. He admitted, however, that the plan would be 'challenging' to deliver

In recent months huge components  many weighing several hundred tonnes each that required specialist lifts and cranes to position correctly  have begun to arrive in southern France in preparation for the assembly to begin.

These have been produced in national laboratories across the member countries of the ITER consortium member states, who contribute to the project mainly in kind.

South Korea's contribution, for example, included manufacturing four sectors of the vacuum vessel within which the super-heated fusion plasma will circulate  with magnets 'confining' the flow and stopping it from touching the surrounding walls.

South Korea's President, Moon Jae-in, has said that the project to create 'an artificial sun' will produce 'an energy source of dreams.'

For the same amount of fuel, fusion produces around four time the energy of a conventional nuclear power station  which uses atom-splitting, fusion, reactions. Pictured, the construction launch ceremony in the ITER assembly hall on July 28, 2020

Fusion  dubbed a 'miracle for our planet'  uses easy-to-source fuel and provides cheap, clean and safe energy without radioactive waste, or the risk of meltdown. Pictured, a worker stands between two of ITER's giant magnetic field coils in an assembly line

In recent months huge components  many weighing several hundred tonnes each that required specialist lifts and cranes to position correctly  have begun to arrive in southern France in preparation for the assembly to begin. Pictured, thermal shield frames designed in Korea are lifted into position in the ITER Assembly Hall on July 22 this year

The other five sectors of the vacuum chamber are being constructed in Europe.

According Dr Bigot, the total financial investment placed in ITER is hard to quantity, given the international involvement in the project  however, he estimated that the European Union has contributed some 20 billion (18.1/$23.5 billion)

President Emmanuel Macron of France hailed ITER as a 'promise of peace', bringing together various countries to forego their differences for the 'common good.'

'Constructing the machine piece by piece will be like assembling a three-dimensional puzzle on an intricate timeline,' Dr Bigot continued, comparing the intricate workings of ITER to that of a Swiss timepiece. Pictured, an ITER technician working in the winding facility that constructs the magnetic field coils used to hold the super-heated plasma in place

Located in Provence, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, pictured  or ITER, for short  is expected to start delivering energy in the year 2035
Domenico, 79, and Concetta, 73, were admitted to Barnet Hospital in north London. (SWNS)

A couple married for 57 years have recovered from coronavirus after their beds were moved together in hospital.

Domenico and Concetta Scolaro were admitted to Barnet Hospital in north London suffering from COVID-19.

Mrs Scolaro, 73, was taken ill on 22 June, while her husband, 79, joined her nine days later on 1 July.

Intensive care unit staff, after hearing their pleas to be together, took the decision to place the couple in beds side-by-side so they could support each other.

The couple on their 50th wedding anniversary. (SWNS)

Their daughter Sabrina said: Because ICU wasnt as busy as it had been the staff listened to my fathers impassioned request that he should be reunited with his wife.

"Staff went above and beyond to make this happen as they knew just how much strength they would both gain from being able to fight this battle together.

Mrs Scolaro added: When the nurse woke me up she said she had something to tell me about my husband. I feared the very worst but instead she told me he had the virus, had been admitted the previous night but now he was being put in the bed right next to me.

"I cried, but actually it was incredibly comforting to be together and just being able to watch him as he slept gave me strength.

"The staff were angels, they looked after me so well and never left my side. I remember one nurse in particular, Rachel, who stroked my hair. Our care was outstanding.

Domenico and Concetta Scolaro on their wedding day in 1963. (SWNS)

As the couple, who live in Cockfosters, north London, began to recover they were taken from ICU on the same day to a ward where they were again put together side-by-side in their own bay.

After 16 days in hospital, Mrs Scolaro went home on 8 July and Mr Scolaro was discharged the day after.

The grandparents of five, who have owned Italian restaurants, are hoping to recover well enough to see friends and family.

The couple from Cockfosters, north London, married in 1963 after meeting at an Italian club in the capital.

Mrs Scolaro said: I thought I was going to die, I honestly thought Id never see my husband, my children or my grandchildren again.

Story continues

Now Im looking forward to going dancing with my husband again  we met at a dance at an Italian club back in London in 1962 - and when we have our strength back we will visit Italy.

"Both of us have been given a second chance and that means everything.

Debbie Kirby, ICU matron at Barnet Hospital, said: We knew that putting this couple together would mean everything to them. Both of them had such spirit and determination.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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Oil prices nosedived during the second quarter because of COVID-19. Prices got so low that producers started shutting in some of their production to save money. That impacted pipeline volumes, taking a bite out of ONEOK's (NYSE:OKE) cash flow during the second quarter.

Drilling down into ONEOK's second-quarter results

Metric Q2 2020 Q2 2019 Year-Over-Year Change Adjusted EBITDA $533.9 million $632.4 million (15.6%) Distributable cash flow $300.5 million $540.5 million (44.4%) Dividend coverage ratio 0.78 times 1.51 times (48.3%)

ONEOK's earnings and cash flow plummeted during the second quarter, primarily because of the impact volume curtailments had on two of its three business segments:

Earnings from natural gas liquids (NGL)-related assets slumped 7.5% year over year during the second quarter. Several factors weighed on these results, including lower optimization and marketing earnings and the impact of production curtailments resulting from low oil prices.

Gas gathering and processing earnings plummeted 52.5% year over year. Dual headwinds from production curtailments and the impact of lower commodity prices on its percent of proceeds contracts drove down earnings.

On a brighter note, earnings in the company's natural gas pipelines segment rose 9% from the year-ago period. That's due to higher transportation services revenue and a contract settlement.

A look at what's ahead for ONEOK

While the second quarter was brutal, "the trends we are seeing in all of our operating areas are improving," according to CEO Terry Spencer. He further pointed out that "volumes on our systems are sharply increasing as our customers bring production back online with improvements in commodity prices, which is positive for our business in the second half of the year."

However, a new issue emerged in recent weeks as courts ordered the shutdown of two key oil pipelines in North Dakota. That has the potential to affect ONEOK's operations in the region. Between that and the continued uncertainty in the oil market, the company now expects its 2020 financial results to be at the low end of its revised guidance range. This forecast implies adjusted EBITDA closer to $2.6 billion and distributable cash flow of around $1.785 billion. That's well below its initial ranges ($3.1 billion-$3.35 billion of adjusted EBITDA and $2.245 billion-$2.505 billion of distributable cash flow) and down slightly from last year's tally ($2.58 billion in adjusted EBITDA and $2.02 billion of distributable cash flow).

On a positive note, that's just enough money to cover the company's dividend, which will be around $1.6 billion this year. ONEOK also has $300 million to $400 million of remaining capital spending this year, which it can cover with its current liquidity. The company ended the quarter with $945 million in cash and $2.5 billion on its undrawn credit facility following two recent bond offerings and a stock sale to bolster its financial flexibility. That equity offering helped improve its leverage ratio from 4.86 times debt-to-EBITDA at the end of the first quarter to a more comfortable 4.5 at the end of the second.

A brutal quarter, but better days seem to be ahead

Crashing crude prices in the second quarter forced many of ONEOK's customers to shut off their oil pumps, affecting the volume of gas and NGLs it handled and the associated cash flow. While the industry is restarting its pumps, other headwinds are likely to keep the company's earnings to the low end of its revised guidance.

On a more positive note, the company took several steps to shore up its balance sheet this year, which should enable it to maintain its big-time dividend. Meanwhile, earnings could bounce back sharply next year if oil keeps improving. However, risks to the dividend remain since another deep dive in crude oil prices might force ONEOK to reduce its payout. Income investors might want to hold off on buying until there are clear signs that the oil market is back on solid ground.
Grape harvests across Texas are starting earlier than normal due to an early spring. This year brings a new twist to the grape harvest with pickers being distanced in the vineyards and mechanical harvesters picking up the pace. There are still some volunteer opportunities if you want to experience the grape harvest. Flat Creek Estate Winery and Vineyards will be harvesting their Texas Hill Country Vineyards on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings starting at 6:15 a.m. and working through 11 a.m. Reservations are a must in order to experience a grape harvest. Please go online at https://flatcreekestate.rezdy.com/402306/harvest-2020 to register for this grape harvest near Marble Falls. They will be harvesting their reds, being Syrah, Tempranillo and Sangiovese.

Grapes are coming in from the various parts of Texas with some good news and some not so good. A freeze last winter hit several Texas High Plains vineyards very hard. Below are reports from several Texas wineries:

Pedernales Cellars

Co-Founder David Kuhlken reported, This is the craziest year I have ever seen, with the 2020 harvest being a low-yield year, but the fruit quality should be good. With COVID-19 closing wineries and stalling sales, its probably a good thing that the 2020 vintage is smaller than usual because many wineries are cash-strapped to purchase fruit. We started harvest at our estate vineyard, Kuhlken Vineyards, on Tuesday, July 21 with Tempranillo (yield and ripeness look good), followed by Albarino and Mourvedre. Because some of the biggest vineyards we work with experienced significant damage from an October 2019 freeze, we have turned to other vineyards to source Tempranillo and some Italian varieties including Teroldego, Dolcetto, Montepulciano and Sangiovese.

Co-Founder Julie Kuhlken told me, We will handle most of our Hill Country estate harvest with just our team, which has been working together throughout the shut downs and following strict safety protocols. We will keep plenty of social distance spacing. In the High Plains, many of the large blocks that we would usually machine harvest were damaged by the early fall freeze in 2019, and instead we will harvest many smaller lots by hand, again relying heavily on our own team. For the same reasons, we will not be using the custom crush facilities in the High Plains, instead bringing the fruit to Pedernales Cellars to be processed by our team.

Spicewood Vineyards

Owner Ron Yates said, We started our white grape harvest the week of July 13, including our Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Viognier, with lower yields than normal, but great fruit quality and intensity. We will pick reds the week of July 20 and hope to finish up this weekend if the tropical storm heads this way. We expect to get very little production from the Texas High Plains vineyards, but thanks to the past two years, we have plenty of wine in barrels and tanks that will allow us to continue our popular varieties as well as experiment with some new blends.

Bending Branch Winery

General Manager Jennifer McInnis told me, We are getting more fruit this year than in the past from the Texas Hill Country, with harvest getting underway around July 27 with Tannat from our estate vineyard, Lost Pirogue Vineyard, and Tempranillo from a nearby vineyard. All of our Picpoul this year will come from the estate vineyard. We are anticipating a great Malbec harvest from Cherokee Rose Vineyard in Comfort. We are about to release the first Malbec Reserve from that vineyard. I am very excited about the quality of our fruit this year - its intensity and concentration is really exceptional. We will get some fruit from the Texas High Plains; overall, the fruit will come from smaller lots from multiple vineyards. Given harvest will be made up of smaller lots, we will not use the flash detente technology as much this year, and instead, will focus on small-batch, whole-berry fermentation and cryomaceration. We will use this opportunity to make more reserve and special selection wines. Its a bit of a relief the 2020 will not deliver a bumper crop like the past two years. Everybody got more fruit than they committed for last year. With our tasting room closed since March and lower sales, it would have been difficult to take on additional fruit from a big crop.

Brennan Vineyards

Vineyard Manager Travis Conley said, We are expecting normal yields from our Comanche and Newburg Vineyards and fruit quality is looking great; our Muscat of Alexandria and Nero dAvola look spectacular. We harvested Viognier the week of July 20 (which is one of our earliest harvest dates), followed by Semillon, Tempranillo, Muscat and Nero. Given the heat and drought, I expect this to be a fast-and-furious harvest, harvesting one variety after another, and picking everything by the end of August (last year, we completed our estate harvest about mid-September). Things are moving slower in the Texas High Plains; while we get much lower yields than normal from the growers there, the quality looks great.

Duchman Family Winery

Winemaker Dave Reilly replied to my inquiry on their harvest, 2020 will go down in history for many reasons; a bumper crop will not be one of them. Due to the freeze event last October on the Texas High Plains, we are not expecting to harvest any white wine grapes this year except for Roussanne. We expect very low yields from the red varieties, with the exception of Sangiovese. Fingers crossed for 2021.

Texas Father of Blanc du Bois is Retiring

A Texas icon, Raymond Haak, founder of Haak Winery in Galveston County has sold most of his interest in the winery he founded 20 years ago. Many consider Raymond Haak the reason why Texas is growing Blanc du Bois in such outstanding quality and quantity. More on this in next weeks column.

Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
The head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention says he has been injected with an experimental coronavirus vaccine in an attempt to persuade the public to follow suit when one is approved.



"I'm going to reveal something undercover: I am injected with one of the vaccines," Gao Fu said in a webinar Sunday hosted by Alibaba Health, an arm of the Chinese e-commerce giant, and Cell Press, an American publisher of scientific journals. "I hope it will work."



The Associated Press reported earlier this month that a state-owned Chinese company injected employees with experimental shots in March, even before the government-approved testing in people  a move that raised ethical concerns among some experts.



Gao did not say when or how he took the vaccine candidate, leaving it unclear whether he was injected as part of a government-approved human trial. He did not respond to requests for comment.



The claim underscores the enormous stakes as China competes with U.S. and British companies to be the first with a vaccine to help end the pandemic  a feat that would be both a scientific and political triumph.



China has positioned itself to be a strong contender. Eight of the nearly two dozen potential vaccines in various stages of human testing worldwide are from China, the most of any country.

Gao declined to say which of the vaccines he was injected with, saying he didn't want to be seen as "doing some kind of propaganda" for a particular company.



Last month, Gao was a coauthor on a paper introducing one candidate, an "inactivated" vaccine made by growing the whole virus in a lab and then killing it. That candidate is being developed by an affiliate of state-owned SinoPharm.



The company previously said in an online post that 30 employees, including top executives, helped "pre-test" its vaccine in March, before it was approved for its initial human study.

Scientists vehemently debate such self-experimentation, because what happens to one or a few people outside a well-designed study is not usable evidence of safety or effectiveness.



Chinese state media have also reported that employees of state-owned companies going abroad are being offered injections of the vaccine.



Gao said he took the injection to instill public confidence in vaccines, especially amid a tide of rising mistrust that has fueled conspiracy theories and attacks on scientists.



"Everybody has suspicions about the new coronavirus vaccine," Gao said. "As a scientist, you've got to be brave.  If even we didn't do it, how can we persuade the whole world  all the people, the public  to be vaccinated?"



Andrew Rennekamp, an editor at Cell and one of the moderators of Gao's webinar, said, "This is a brave thing to do, and it shows his faith in what he believes is the safety of the vaccine and his commitment to the science and to public health."



Even as China is among the leaders in the global race for a vaccine, it is also striving to overcome years of drug scandals  the latest coming in 2018 when authorities recalled a rabies vaccine and later announced that batches of children's DPT vaccines, for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, were ineffective.



Gao himself had also been under heavy scrutiny for the China CDC's initial handling of the coronavirus outbreak, both at home and abroad. He largely vanished from public view for months, resurfacing again in an interview with state media in late April.



Recently, Gao has been involved in research on the coronavirus.



As vaccine research continues, China's CDC is now looking into potential immunization programs, trying to figure out whether to prioritize children, the elderly or healthcare workers, he said.



Gao's revelations come at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions fueled by the outbreak. Beijing's delays in warning the public and releasing data at the beginning of the outbreak contributed significantly to the coronavirus's spread, while President Donald Trump and other American politicians have made unsubstantiated claims that the virus escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, the central Chinese city where it was first detected.



Tensions have flared to the point where it's now disrupting research, leading to frustration among scientists who work with Chinese collaborators. The Trump administration has moved to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization, and has cut funding to research initiatives studying coronaviruses in China.



Gao said repeatedly in his lecture that he wanted more cooperation between the U.S. and China, pleading for unity even as relations between Beijing and Washington plummet to new lows.

"We don't want to have China and the U.S. separated scientifically," Gao said. "We've got to work together."
Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma took to social media to commend the government on its efforts to refund tax returns -- but with a blooper. Sharma tweeted to his 382.7K followers and congratulated the government for its continuous tax reforms.

"This is absolutely correct direction our country is going, for refunds of tax returns filed ! Congratulations Income TAX India and Finance Ministry for continuous tax reforms," said Sharma along with an image of a receipt of Paytm's I-T refund. The image had the amount and other details blurred.

This is absolutely correct direction our country is going, for refunds of tax returns filed !

Congratulations @IncomeTaxIndia and @FinMinIndia for continuous tax reforms. pic.twitter.com/HeDlYlNzqr Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) July 28, 2020 However, concerned users soon took to point out that the numbers and details that he had blurred are still legible. One can see that Rs 27,45,46,760, including I-T refund of Rs 25,42,09,970 and interest amount of Rs 2,03,36,790 was credited to the company's account. The message by Vikas Garg is followed up by him saying, "The last two came automatically on self-assessment." Vikas Garg is Deputy CFO at Paytm. Board member Vivek Mathur replied, "This government really works!! This is great!!" The 42-year-old soon replied to his tweet to address the concerns of his followers. He said that he realises that all the details are visible but they can anyway be accessed through Registrar of Companies (ROC). Yes I figured every number is visible.

Anyways, an indian companys all numbers are available to public on RoC website.

Appreciate, calls and messages by well wishers.

The key message is that, India is marching forward and cutting red tape. https://t.co/50QML2iJSQ Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) July 28, 2020

"Yes I figured every number is visible. Anyways, an Indian company's all numbers are available to public on RoC website. Appreciate, calls and messages by well wishers. The key message is that, India is marching forward and cutting red tape," he said.

Also read: Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma hails ban on 59 Chinese apps; faces backlash

Also read: Coronavirus pandemic: Paytm witnesses 3.5X growth in transactions, says Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Prominent lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), on Tuesday, appeared before the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel to testify against the suspend...

Prominent lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), on Tuesday, appeared before the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel to testify against the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, and submitted six exhibits, including two video clips and some documents.





During the session, which lasted about two hours, Ozekhome spoke about the alleged leadership failures of Magu and the investigative deficiencies of the anti-graft agency.





The senior advocate also made recommendations to the panel on the need for the EFCC to be more professional and engage less in media trial.





Reacting to the development, however, a lawyer to Magu, Mr Tosin Ojaomo, said he was aware of the senior advocates visit to the panel.





Ojaomo said it was unfortunate that Ozekhome, who had publicly lambasted the leadership of the EFCC and Magu, could be invited by the panel, while his client had not been given the opportunity to defend himself.





The lawyer said it seemed the panel was on a fishing expedition and was seeking to nail Magu at all cost, hence the decision to invite people, who had grievances with the suspended EFCC boss.





He said, We are aware of the visit of Chief Ozekhome. His grouse is the freezing of his account in 2017, which was later unfrozen. Unfortunately, it only goes on to show that the panel is on a fishing expedition, because the panel is also inviting people, who have a score to settle with Magu.









This is not how panels are supposed to act. We all remember how the Justice Oputa panel conducted itself professionally many years ago. People, who were invited, were given petitions ahead of time so that they could defend themselves. Till date, Magu has not received any petition. Is this fair?





Ozekhome, who confirmed his visit to the panel, told ThePunch that he was invited to make certain recommendations, which he did.





He said his primary aim was not to settle scores with Magu, but to address the deficiencies in the EFCC with a view to helping it to actualise its core mandate.

The senior advocate said he submitted six exhibits to the panel, including two videos as well as a letter he wrote to the then acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on the urgent need for reforms and accountability as regards recovered loot.





Ozekhome stated, I have not even said anything about the seizure of my funds by the EFCC and I am surprised that Ojaomo, a lawyer, can talk about something he didnt witness. My N75m was seized by Magu and his goons despite the fact that it was my legal fees. I went to court and defeated them; so, I have nothing to prove.





All I did at the panel was to tender some documents and some CDs, which contained videos. One of them is a video where I was given a standing ovation at an event where I advised Magu on how to fight corruption. It was about telling them not to do a one-sided anti-graft war, where you arrest activists and leave those in government.




21 Metres Grading 1.84 gpt Gold

102 Metres Grading 0.61 gpt Gold

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 29, 2020) - Goldsource Mines Inc. (TSXV: GXS) (OTCQB: GXSFF) (FSE: G5M) ("Goldsource" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additional expansion and in-fill drill results from several targets located within the Eagle Mountain Gold Project ("Eagle Mountain Project") in Guyana, South America. Expansion drill results of the Eagle Mountain Gold deposit (No 1 Hill area) and Salbora deposit and in-fill drill results of the Powis Prospect represent 19 core holes for 4,173 metres (see attached Figures). These new results will be included in the ongoing resources estimation anticipated by Q4, 2020.

Eagle Mountain Gold Deposit (No. 1 Hill area): Expansion step out drilling is for an area 170 metres west of the boundary to the current Eagle Mountain resource. Drill results of five (5) core holes for 595 metres are reported in the table below. Historic drilling in the area consists of six (6) core holes for 705 metres are also included in the table below. An additional three (3) core holes, totalling 313 metres, have been drilled in the No.1 Hill area and are awaiting assays. Additional drilling is planned in H2, 2020.



Salbora Deposit: Expansion step out drilling results to the northern part of the deposit and to depth. Drill results of seven (7) core holes for 1,779 metres are reported in the table below. Represents an expanded high-grade footprint (surface) of 300 metres long by 100 metres wide. Near surface drilling is planned in H2, 2020.



Powis Prospect: In-fill drill results of five (5) core holes for 1,389 metres. A gold mineralized footprint of 200 metres long by 40 metres wide to a minimum depth of 200 metres. Additional drilling is planned in H2, 2020.



The Company currently does not plan to conduct any work to verify the historical drilling or estimates other than using them to guide its exploratory drilling work.

Yannis Tsitos, President, commented, "The continued expansion of several gold deposits at the Eagle Mountain Project increases our near-surface gold mineralization. Two drill rigs are currently operating at Waterline, an extension target North of Salbora, and at No. 1 Hill area. We plan to add a third drill rig when COVID-19 related travel restrictions are eased in Guyana."

The most significant results for this release are holes EMD20-111 which intersected 21 metres grading 1.84 grams per tonne ("gpt") gold (or "Au") and EME20-041 which intersected 102 metres grading 0.61 gpt gold. The following table shows the most significant results (uncut, undiluted):

Eagle Mountain (No. 1 Hill) Hole Intercepts:

Hole ID (1) From (m) To

(m) Drilled Interval (m)(2) Au (gpt)(3) EMD20-111 7.5 16.5 9.0 1.48 includes 7.5 13.5 6.0 2.07 48.0 51.0 3.0 1.59 78.0 99.0 21.0 1.84 EMD20-112 7.5 13.5 6.0 0.49 24.0 25.5 1.5 5.11 64.5 72.0 7.5 0.77 EMD20-113 16.5 22.5 6.0 0.88 39.0 42.0 3.0 1.24 70.5 73.5 3.0 0.77 EMD20-114 13.5 18.0 4.5 3.20 96.0 99.0 3.0 1.01 120.0 121.5 1.5 2.24 130.5 144.5 14.0 0.44 includes 132.0 135.5 3.5 1.51 142.5 144.5 2.0 0.86 EMD20-115 84.0 90.0 6.0 4.10 99.0 100.5 1.5 1.16

Eagle Mountain (No. 1 Hill) Historic Hole Intercepts:

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Drilled Interval (m) Au (gpt) AD01 0.0 27.8 27.8 N/A 58.6 61.5 3.0 0.80 AD02 0.0 34.1 34.1 N/A 82.6 85.2 2.6 1.14 88.3 89.4 1.1 1.03 92.1 92.8 0.8 5.05 AD05 0.0 13.3 13.3 N/A 26.6 27.9 1.3 0.69 76.4 77.7 1.3 6.26 AD10 0.0 22.8 22.8 N/A 61.1 65.8 4.7 0.78 79.9 80.5 0.6 19.20 AD13 0.0 16.6 16.6 N/A 27.5 28.1 0.6 1.03 50.1 50.8 0.6 48.70 58.0 59.1 1.1 0.69 97.2 103.2 6.0 0.81 EM021 14.4 19.0 4.6 1.63 63.5 65.0 1.5 1.80 77.0 78.5 1.5 0.93

Notes:

AD01, AD02, AD05, AD10, AD13 drilled by Anaconda Mining in 1940's, no saprolite recovery (N/A), not all intervals assayed, assaying by pounding and recovery of gold, not assay lab.

EM021 by Golden star in 1997, partial core recovered and re assayed by IAMGOLD for these figures.



Salbora Hole Intercepts:

Hole ID (1) From (m) To (m) Drilled Interval (m)(2) Au (gpt)(3) EME20-035 0.0 2.5 2.5 0.49 99.0 102.0 3.0 0.58 115.5 118.5 3.0 0.41 139.0 141.0 1.5 0.89 EME20-036 114.0 117.0 3.0 0.47 177.0 178.5 1.5 0.68 EME20-037 82.5 85.5 3.0 0.47 EME20-038 178.5 207.0 28.5 0.58 234.0 237.0 3.0 0.57 EME20-041 55.5 58.5 3.0 0.46 72.0 174.0 102.0 0.61 includes 72.0 76.5 4.5 0.51 105.0 109.5 4.5 0.56 114.0 127.5 13.5 1.13 135.0 141.0 6.0 0.46 142.5 169.5 27.0 1.01 172.5 174.0 1.5 0.54

Powis Hole Intercepts:

Hole ID (1) From (m) To (m) Drilled Interval (m)(2) Au (gpt)(3) EME20-032 76.5 78.0 1.5 0.76 156.0 157.5 1.5 1.55 168.0 171.0 3.0 0.55 EME20-033 20.5 22.0 1.5 5.56 88.5 93.0 4.5 3.18 123.0 126.0 3.0 1.78 145.5 147.0 1.5 1.28 EME20-034 49.5 51.0 1.5 2.40 211.5 213.0 1.5 0.94 246.0 249.0 3.0 0.43 268.5 271.5 3.0 1.55 EMD20-106 90.0 91.5 1.5 2.38 EMD20-107 9.0 15.0 6.0 0.97 103.5 108.0 4.5 1.53 153.0 154.5 1.5 0.47

Note: All numbers rounded.

(1) EMD defines diamond core holes drilled in-house.

EME defines diamond core holes drilled by drilling contractor.

(2) True widths are 70 to 90% of drilled widths.

(3) Cutoff grade of 0.3 gpt Au.

All sample preparation and geochemical analyses were completed by Actlabs Guyana Inc. in Georgetown, Guyana. EME20-030, EME20-031, EME20-039 and EME20-040 intersected mineralization below the Company's cut off grade of 0.3 gpt Au.

Geologically, the No. 1 Hill area at Eagle Mountain shows the same characteristics to the main Eagle Mountain deposit, with gold located in shallowly dipping mineralized zones, within chloritic fractures containing pyrite crosscutting granodiorite (granitoid). No.1 Hill is the down dropped extension of the Kilroy zone which contains gold resources. This extension may expand resources that were previously limited by a fault. At Salbora, several hydrothermal breccias have been discovered along a general north-south trend, the Company is targeting this trend to locate additional hydrothermal breccias and gold mineralization.

Once Guyana COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted and the International airport is re-opened, the Company plans to operate three (3) drills to complete additional expansion and in-fill drill holes for 7,500 to 10,000 metres (H2, 2020) at Eagle Mountain including testing additional geophysical and geological target areas, such as Waterline, Montgomery and Minnehaha. The objective is to complete an updated resource estimate for the Eagle Mountain Project in Q4, 2020.

The Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this news release is N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, Executive Chairman and Chief Operating Officer for Goldsource, who has reviewed and approved its contents.

ABOUT GOLDSOURCE MINES INC.

Goldsource Mines Inc. (www.goldsourcemines.com) is a Canadian resource company working aggressively to develop its advanced-stage, 100%-owned Eagle Mountain saprolite and hard-rock gold project in Guyana, South America. From 2016 to 2017, through a gravity pilot plant initiative, the Company completed testing on gravity-only gold production and both dry and wet mining open-pit techniques. Goldsource is now focused on expanding gold resources and delivering subsequent studies for decision-making on a large-scale gold production at Eagle Mountain. Goldsource is led by an experienced management team, proven in making exploration discoveries and in project construction.



Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos

President

Goldsource Mines Inc.

For Further Information:

Goldsource Mines Inc.

Contact: Yannis Tsitos, President

Fred Cooper, Investor Relations

Telephone: +1 (604) 694-1760

Fax: +1 (604) 357-1313

Toll Free: 1-866-691-1760 (Canada & USA)

Email: info@goldsourcemines.com

Website: www.goldsourcemines.com

570 Granville Street, Suite 501

Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3P1

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT AND FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER



This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements concern Goldsource's strategic plans, timing and expectations for the Company's exploration and drilling programs at Eagle Mountain; and information regarding high grade areas projected from sampling results and drilling results. Such forward-looking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: conditions in general economic and financial markets; accuracy of assay results and availability of mining equipment; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other related services; the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on operations and future operating costs. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors including: the timing and content of work programs; the ultimate impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on operations and results, results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; the uncertainties of resource estimations; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; project costs overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; availability of funds and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



Figure 1: Drilling Summary



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https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4977/60721_gold.h2.jpg



Figure 2: Summary of Drilling Results



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https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4977/60721_gold.h4.jpg



Figure 3: No 1. Hill Expansion Drill Results



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https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4977/60721_gold.h6.jpg



Figure 4: Cross Section A-A" Through No 1. Hill Looking North



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https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4977/60721_gold.h8.jpg



Figure 5: Salbora Deposit



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https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4977/60721_gold.h10.jpg



Figure 6: Cross section B-B' through Salbora Deposit, Looking North



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https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4977/60721_gold.h12.jpg



Figure 7: Cross Section S-S' through Salbora Deposit Looking North



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Figure 8: Power-Powis Hill



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Figure 9: Powis Prospect Cross Section along C-C' Looking North



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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday held talks with his Gambian counterpart Mamadou Tangara on expanding development partnership and India's responsiveness to Gambia's priorities.

Jaishankar also said that India's medical supplies have been well received in Banjul, the capital of Gambia. "Very pleased to speak to FM Mamadou Tangara of The Gambia. Appreciated his good wishes on our UNSC membership. Assured that India will advance the cause of multilateralism," he tweeted.

"Discussed our expanding development partnership and underlined India's responsiveness to Gambia's priorities. Glad to learn that India's medical supplies have been so well received in Banjul," Jaishankar said in another tweet.

(Photo Credit: PTI)
A wheelchair-bound man who is almost completely paralyzed has called out his private insurance company for denying him a $50,000 robotic arm that would dramatically enhance the quality of his life.

Shane Burcaw, 28, and his fiancee Hannah Aylward, 24, opened up about their disappointment and frustration in the latest video shared on their popular 'Squirmy and Grubs' YouTube channel.

'As many of you know, I recently got the opportunity to test out a piece of life-changing adaptive technology called the JACO arm,' Shane explained. 'It's extremely expensive, like, $50,000, and even though it would give me a huge boost in daily function, it's so far out of our price range that we're going the insurance route to hopefully get them to pay for the arm.'

Upset: Shane Burcaw, 28, and his fiancee Hannah Aylward, 24, have revealed in their latest YouTube video that his insurance company denied his request for a life-changing robotic arm

The author was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disease that causes muscles to deteriorate over time. He has been in an electric wheelchair since he was two years old and can barely move his legs, arms, and hands.

The JACO arm has a three-fingered hand and can be used by people with upper-body disabilities to perform everyday tasks such as picking up objects and opening doors  things Shane currently has to rely on Hannah to do for him.

Shane tested the arm and applied for money for it a month ago, but his insurance company denied it because he is 'functioning well.'

Hannah admitted she has been stewing about the letter for the past week before reading it out loud to their viewers.

'Your request for a robotic arm for your wheelchair cannot be approved. We carefully reviewed the information sent by your provider and our eligibility criteria,' she read. 'Your request requires notes that show this wheelchair option is used primarily for a medical purpose and that it is the most cost-effective alternative to achieve your goals.

Life-changing: The JACO arm has a three-fingered hand and can be used by people with upper-body disabilities to perform everyday tasks such as picking up objects

Improving his quality of life: If Shane had the arm, he would be able to get himself a glass of water and open doors

Outrage: The couple said the insurance company told them that the $50,000 device was a 'convenience' and not 'cost-effective'

'However, the information that we received from your provider indicates that you are functioning well. You are managing your activities of daily living and improving with your treatment.'

'Yeah, pretty soon I'll be up and walking,' Shane said sarcastically.

According to Hannah, the letter stated that 'the wheelchair accessory would be used primarily for convenience' and it 'does not appear to be the most cost-effective solution for improving activities of daily living.'

'I like how we listed escaping from a fire and accessing water, and that is convenient to them,' she said of the reasons they applied for the robotic arm.

'What really frustrated me about this is how they positioned it as a convenience,' Shane agreed, 'a device that would allow me to brush my own teeth, get myself water, get myself food, open a door in case of a fire, lock my door, hand my future child a snack or a toy, and the list goes on and on. How are those things a convenience?'

Looking back: Shane has been in an electric wheelchair since he was two years old and can barely move his legs, arms, and hands

Good point: The couple pointed out that if they were to hire a caregiver to take care of him when she is gone, it would be 'exorbitantly expensive'

Unfair: Shane and Hannah were outraged that they listed escaping from a fire and accessing water as reasons for needing the arm and was told it's a 'convenience'

The couple pointed out that if they were to hire a caregiver to take care of him when she is gone, it would be 'exorbitantly expensive.'

They explained that if they paid someone $10 an hour  minimum wage in Minnesota  to be with Shane 12 hours a day, it would cost $43,800 a year.

The arm is much more cost-effective, but they are gonna deny it in the hopes that we won't appeal it. But guess what? We're gonna appeal it,' Shane said. 'We're putting together the appeal right now with the help of my doctors and the JACO company.

'I don't want JACO to take blame for this,' he added. 'They've been really, really helpful in helping me put together the materials I need.'

'This just insurance,' Hannah stressed. 'Shane pays for private insurance, and that is who is denying it.'

The YouTuber explained that she wants to go to graduate school and won't be able to be with Shane to take care of him every minute of every day.

Upset: 'This JACO arm is so far from a convenience,' Shane said. 'It's a realistic need that I have and it disheartens me that insurance is not going to pay for it as of now'

Not taking no for an answer: The couple plans on appealing the insurance company, and while viewers have offered to start a GoFundMe to raise the money, they passed

YouTube stars: Shane and Hannah launched their YouTube channel to better educate people about interabled relationships and now have more than 658,000 subscribers

'I deserve the ability to be able to do my own stuff if a product exists that would allow me to do that,' Shane said. 'This JACO arm is so far from a convenience. It's a realistic need that I have and it disheartens me that insurance is not going to pay for it as of now.'

When the couple first posted a video about the JACO arm, they received offers from fans who wanted to start a GoFundMe to help them raise the money. While they greatly appreciate the offer, they don't feel comfortable using their platform to ask for money for something they want.

'There are a lot of people that don't have the platforms that we have who also could really benefit from the JACO,' Shane said. 'To use our platform to ask for that feels wrong.'

Shane and Hannah started dating in 2016 after she watched a documentary that 'The Office' actor Rainn Wilson produced about his life and reached out to him.

In the email, she complimented the writer and public speaker on his sense of humor and his writing before admitting that she thought he was very cute. They got to know each other through FaceTime calls and text messages and eventually fell in love.

Shane and Hannah launched their YouTube channel to better educate people about interabled relationships and now have more than 658,000 subscribers.
Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong told reporters that the limits on the use of solid-fuel rockets have been "completely lifted" in revised missile guidelines agreed by the U.S.

The decision is expected to speed up South Korea's efforts to develop space rockets and bolster military reconnaissance satellites.

The U.S. has removed all restrictions on South Korea using solid fuel to power rockets, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.

In 1979, the U.S banned South Korea from building rockets above a certain range and payload, with restrictions gradually eased in 2001, 2012 and 2017. So far the guidelines limited the thrust of solid-fuel rockets to just 1/10 the level of advanced countries.

Seoul has been complaining that it lags behind the rest of the world in terms of rocket technology even as North Korea is developing its own solid-fuel ballistic missiles.

South Korea failed to launch two liquid-fuel space rockets back in 2009 and 2010.

Solid-fuel rockets are simpler to design, cheaper to build and can more easily be moved around and launched. That could allow South Korea to launch its own military reconnaissance satellites that will monitor the Korean Peninsula around the clock. It will also be able to develop and produce civilian rockets.

"All businesses, research centers and private individuals can now freely research, develop, produce and possess not only liquid-fuel, but solid-fuel and hybrid-type space launch vehicles without any limitations," Kim said.

Asked if the U.S. demanded a quid-pro-quo for giving permission, Kim added, "There was none." When asked about possible protests from China and North Korea, Kim said, "Our regional neighbors have scores of reconnaissance satellites, but we have zero. This is solely a matter and decision for ourselves."
A British expat living in Australia is amused by the country's confusing transport system, contradictory slang terms and men's penchant for exercising in little but a pair of long white socks.

Jordana Milward posted a series of TikTok videos titled 'Things I love about Australia but don't quite understand', sharing revelations she had discovered since relocating from London to Brisbane, Queensland.

The comedy writer said she can't understand why handsome Australian men run topless in tiny shorts with thick socks pulled high up their legs, even at the height of summer.

'I see all these beautiful, muscular, Greek God-like men running with no shirts, tiny shorts, but socks pulled all the way up - it's like, just for show?' she said.

Ms Milward was also baffled by the absence of 'next stop' signs on Australian buses, decades-old fixtures in the UK, and the Aussie phrase 'yeah nah', which actually means 'no'.

British comedy writer Jordana Milward on holiday in Mount Tamborine, southeast Queensland

Public transport

Interactive signs on UK buses announce the upcoming stop, but in Australia commuters are expected to keep an eye on the journey and know where to jump off themselves - something Ms Milward struggles to wrap her head around.

'You get on and tell the driver where you want to go, and he just has to remember your stop,' she said.

'It's like Australians play a game of guess the tourist  it's the one who looks panicked because they don't know where they're going!'

Ms Milward said drivers always say hello and tell her where she needs to go, which has led her to believe that people are friendlier Down Under than in her native London.

Ms Milward (pictured in Brisbane in June 2020) couldn't believe that Queensland buses did not have 'next stop' signs like they do in the UK

'Yeah nah'?

While Australians are notorious for shortening words beyond all recognition, Ms Milward said she was most confused by the contradictory term 'yeah nah'.

'Yeah nah' is Aussie slang for 'no', while 'nah yeah' is slang for 'yes'. The last word indicates the meaning of what the person is trying to say.

'I don't know if it's 'yeah, NAH', or 'YEAH, nah' - I think it means no?' she said.

'But in New Zealand, they say 'yeah nah yeah'. I don't know!'

Ms Milward (left and right) learned about Australian quirks like the phrase 'yeah nah' after relocating Down Under

Earlier this month, Ms Milward posted another video warning expats about the dangers of shopping at Kmart.

While travellers are told to beware of deadly animals and Australia's intensely hot climate, she said foreigners should also be wary of the addictive bargain store because of the hole it can burn in a shopper's wallet.

The clip shows Ms Milward walking into the chain store to the soundtrack of 50 Cent hit, Candy Shop.

Ms Milward urged fellow travellers to beware of the addictive shopping experience at the Australian bargain store (pictured)

'You're gonna buy lots and lots,' Ms Milward sings to the beat of the song, her arms filled with goods.

'Do I even need this stuff? My bank account is screaming,' she continues.

The video has gone viral, racking up more than 158,000 reactions and almost 22,000 comments since it was shared on July 8.

Amused Australians said Ms Milward perfectly captured the Kmart shopping experience.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 13:04:53|Editor: huaxia

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Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, addresses a meeting of a law enforcement inspection team of the NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, July 28, 2020. Wang has stressed fully implementing the Wildlife Protection Law and a decision adopted in February to completely ban the eating of wild animals. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese legislator has stressed fully implementing the Wildlife Protection Law and a decision adopted in February to completely ban the eating of wild animals.

Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks on Tuesday at a meeting of a law enforcement inspection team of the NPC Standing Committee.

Authorities across China have investigated and dealt with a batch of cases involving wild animals in recent months, stepping up the protection of wild animals, Wang noted.

Illegal acts related to wild animals should be strictly handled, and the capabilities of law enforcement supervision and quarantine inspections must be strengthened, he said.

Efforts should also be made to help breeders shift to producing or selling other products and ensure compensations are paid, Wang said, stressing needs to step up the protection and construction of wild animal habitats, and advance legislation and law revisions. Enditem
Last week, regular readers of this column will remember, we focused on the question of how a pair of distinctive twin Byzantine towers made their way from the former Temple Sinai building on Carondelet Street to a so-called Graveyard Palazzo on Bottinelli Place just off Canal Street.

But, as it turns out, theres more to the story of those towers. Dating back fully 150 years, its a story of the largest and oldest Reform Jewish congregation in Louisiana, a building once described as an architectural tour de force and the vocal, headline-making and ultimately futile efforts to save it.

That story starts in 1870, when Temple Sinai was formed from members of two other local Jewish congregations. Initially, it held its services at Minerva Hall on Clio Street, but in November of the following year, a crowd estimated at 4,000 strong attended a cornerstone-laying ceremony for a synagogue to house the new congregation.

Located at 1032 Carondelet St. just off Lee Circle  which was then still known by its original name, Tivoli Circle  it was designed by local architect Charles Lewis Hilger and built for $150,000 on land purchased from the local Masonic Lodge.

Consecrated and completed in late 1872, it was an attention-getting edifice, to say the least.

In addition to those aforementioned towers  which are said to have been visible for miles  it featured an imposing granite staircase measuring 27 feet wide and including 20 steps that led worshippers to the main entrance, according to a detailed description published in The Daily Picayune on Nov. 19, 1871.

By all accounts, the temples exterior was nothing short of majestic. Among other embellishments, it included 14 ornamental iron pillars, a portico, detailed scrollwork, engraved stonework and a brickwork design that alternated eight rows of red brick with two rows of light yellow brick, all imported from Milwaukee.

Inside, a triple-tiered gallery lined three walls, looking down into the main room. Altogether, the building could accommodate 1,300 people.

A graceful and most imposing structure  (it) is, without a doubt, the most beautiful edifice of the kind in the United States, combining grandeur with simplicity so appropriately that the beholder is charmed, read a description published in William Head Colemans 1885 Historical Sketch Book and Guide to New Orleans.

Then there were those towers on top.

Each tower has its own eight windows, and countless lesser eyelets lighted up by the rays of the dying sun, Colemans guidebook continued. Each is fringed with all the circles, curves and scallops of Byzantine and Gothic architecture, and capped by mosque-like green minarets. All this gives it an Oriental look, to which the checkered mosaic work of its red and yellow bricks greatly add.

(Sharp-eyed readers will notice the towers on Bottinelli Place today are six-sided. That was the result of repairs required after they were salvaged and moved to Bottinelli Place.)

As the decades went by and the citys population began shifting Uptown, the temples leaders followed suit. In 1928, they would build a new temple on a plot at St. Charles Avenue and Calhoun Street that is still occupied today by Temple Sinai.

Meanwhile, the original Carondelet Street temple building was sold. Changing hands numerous times over the years, it has been used for such varied things as a studio for TV commercials, a theater for stage productions and a Jesuit church.

(Years later, during a hearing over the future of the building, local Civil District Judge Thomas Early Jr. expressed surprise upon learning of that last listed use. Lawyer Russ Herman confirmed by quipping, Yes, your honor, Old Testament and New Testament.)

By July 1977, the former temples owners at the time  Katz and Besthoff, whose K&B Plaza stands on land adjacent to the then-107-year-old building  began demolishing it. Preservationists were livid, launching a full-throated campaign, and a legal challenge, to save the historic building.

The building is a combination of Romanesque and Byzantine architectural style, local preservationist Mary Louise Christovich told The Times-Picayune at the time. We have no other buildings of that stylistic quality remaining in the city. They have all been torn down.

With the discovery that K&B had already acquired the necessary demolition permits, however, preservationists efforts were stymied.

Within a few months, the building was gone. In its place: a parking lot.

Know of a New Orleans building worth profiling in this column, or just curious about one? Contact Mike Scott at moviegoermike@gmail.com.
Laybuy, an Auckland, New Zealand- and Chicago, IL-based global leader in Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) technology, secured an 80m debt facility.

Victory Park Capital provided the financing.

The company intends to use the funds for continued international expansion and growth in the UK.

Led by Gary Rohloff, co-founder and CEO, Laybuy enables shoppers to pay for in-store and online purchases over six weekly payments, interest-free.

Founded in New Zealand in 2017, the company officially launched in the UK market with streetwear brand retailer Foot Asylum in 2019. For the 12-month period ending June 30, 2020, Laybuy had more than 5,600 active merchants and over 470,000 active customers on its platform.

FinSMEs

29/07/2020
(Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @KarlsonDwayne) 100 Million Years Old Microbes Beneath the Sea, Revived by Scientists: Could Mars' Dormant Living Organisms be Awaken as Well? (Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @paulpeterson192) 100 Million Years Old Microbes Beneath the Sea, Revived by Scientists: Could Mars' Dormant Living Organisms be Awaken as Well?

Scientists were able to awaken 100 million years old microbes from the bottom of the sea, suggesting that dormant living organisms on Mars could also be revived. According to Independent's latest report, after lying dormant for more than 100 million years, scientists and researchers were able to wake up the sleeping microbes.

Also Read: New Evidence of Dinosour-Killing Asteroid Suggests it Hit Earth at The Angle to Cause Maximum Damage

The study showed that the microbes started to grow and reproduce after laying dormant on the seafloor. Sciencemag reported that the study raised possibilities that dormant living organisms on Mars could also be revived.

These microbes came from the oldest marine sediment samples ever studied. Scientists collected them 10 years ago from up to 75 meters below the seafloor and nearly 6,000 meters below the ocean's surface, during an expedition to the South Pacific Gyre.

It was explained that the revived microbes were able to remain in a energy-saving state in an atmosphere where there are extremely limited nutrients that fuel the marine food chain, as well as harsh living conditions since the era of dinosaurs.

"We knew that there was life in deep sediment near the continents where there's a lot of buried organic matter," said Steven D'Hondt, the study author of the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography.

"But what we found was that life extends in the deep ocean from the seafloor all the way to the underlying rocky basement," he added.

The study gave hope for finding life forms on the Red Planet

The report claimed that the discovery of ancient life in the solid rock beneath the seafloor suggested that dormant life forms could also be found on Mars since the subterranean environment is similar to the conditions of Earth's surface, making the study a major breakthrough.

Researchers also explained that if the Red Planet is once home to living organisms, there's a chance that life on Mars could also be in a dormant, revivable state. Mr. D'Hont claimed that if the microbes could survive 100 million years, they can also possibly survive a billion or three billion more years.

"Our main question was whether life could exist in such a nutrient-limited environment or if this was a lifeless zone," said Yuki Morono, the lead author of the study from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.

The Japanese and U.S. scientists thought that the microbes were fossilized, however, the later found out that the microorganisms could be revived in the laboratory. The study revealed that all the microbes were able to respond quickly to the incubation conditions.

For more suprising study and space theories, keep your tabs open at TechTimes.

Also Read: [BEWARE] 100-Year-Old Metal-Eating Bacteria Discovered: Should We be Scared?

This article is owned by TechTimes. To learn more, visit https://www.techtimes.com/

Written by: Giuliano de Leon.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Environment minister Zac Goldsmith appeared to back his under-fire brother yesterday as he said the Government was committed to rewilding.

The Tory peer said farmers should be rewarded for allowing their land to return to its natural state, letting native plants and animals come back.

His public backing for the policy comes as the police are investigating his younger brother Ben Goldsmith, a Department for Environment board member, over claims by neighbours that he released red deer and wild boar from his land in breach of rules.

Millionaire farmer Mr Goldsmith told the Mail last night that the issue was a bit of a Vicar of Dibley-style local ding-dong and said he believed it was due to two neighbours who had philosophical differences with him over his rewilding stance.

Environment minister Zac Goldsmith appeared to back his under-fire brother yesterday as he said the Government was committed to rewilding

Yesterday Lord Goldsmith said in a speech to Tory think-tank Bright Blue: Im committed to ensuring that as we invest our Nature for Climate fund, we place a lot of importance on rewilding.

He added that he wanted to see a much greater uptake of rewilding.

Lord Goldsmith also hailed the end of the EUs Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which will become the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELM) after the Brexit transition period. The Mail revealed yesterday that his brother had claimed EU CAP subsidies of 25,000 for his farm last year.

The payments were under the CAP scheme that ministers have vowed to reform post-Brexit.

Lord Goldsmith said: Our shift from CAP to the ELM is huge, and this is going to turn the whole subsidy system on its head, and within ELM I want there to be a recognition of the value of rewilding.

Mr Goldmsmith, pictured on his farm, is accused of releasing wild boar and red deer on his land in contravention of Defra rules - where he is a non-executive director

So if I want to go and plant ten hectares of land with trees I can be paid to do so and I can be paid reasonably well. If I want to leave that land to actually regenerate because thats the best solution for that piece of land, it wont be recognised and thats something that we need to address.

So there is lots of work to be done... but Im absolutely convinced that we need to get the incentives right to reward, and incentivise, much greater uptake of rewilding.

Mr Goldsmith is under pressure to step down from his role on a Defra board. He faces allegations  revealed by the Daily Mail at the weekend  that he breached rules by releasing red deer and wild boar on his land in Somerset.

At first Mr Goldsmith, 39, claimed that he had attempted to round up almost all of the deer but later accepted it was a lie and apologised.

Millionaire farmer Ben Goldsmith , pictured, received 25,000 in EU subsidies for his farm in Somerset. While he admits the deer escaped over fencing on his land, he insists the boar, which he admitted feeding, were already in the area

While he admits the deer escaped over fencing on his land, he insists the boar, which he admitted feeding, were already in the area.

As well as the police probe, Mr Goldsmith is also facing the threat of a second investigation by the local district council.

Defra continued to stand by Mr Goldsmith and insisted he will remain in position.

Yesterday he said he might get a slap on the wrist but expected the police to close the case. I think a couple of the neighbours are a bit upset with this wilding approach to farming, and they lost their s*** over these deer, he added.

Yesterday, the National Farming Union said: Red deer roaming from private land could cause problems for neighbouring farmers, while wild boar are a known biosecurity threat when it comes to the spread of African swine fever.

Releasing wild boar could result in a maximum of two years jail.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 15:00:34|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and some others injured in a gas blast at a shop in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, local officials said Wednesday.

The explosion happened at around 6:58 p.m. local time (1758 GMT) on Tuesday at Ajao Estate area of Lagos, during which several shops were burnt, said Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, head of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

Ibrahim Farinloye, coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, told media that the explosion occurred due to a technician's mishandling of a gas cylinder. Enditem
San Francisco, July 29 : Despite a slow start to the quarter due to Covid-19, Swedish music streaming service Spotify on Wednesday said that its number of monthly active users grew 29 per cent year-over-year to 299 million in the second quarter of this year.

At the end of the quarter, Spotify had 138 million premium subscribers globally, a growth of 27 per cent year-over-year.

Spotify reported total revenue of 1,889 million euros in Q2, an increase of 13 per cent year-over-year.

Premium revenue grew 17 per cent year-over-year to 1,758 million euros.

But ad-supported revenue fell 21 per cent year-over-year as a result of Covid-19, the company said.

While ad-supported revenue of 131 million euros was down both year-over-year and sequentially, Spotify said it outperformed its forecast.

"Last quarter we noted a marked deceleration in sales brought on by the global health crisis where the last three weeks in March were down more than 20 per cent relative to our forecast. Performance continued to lag our expectations through April and May, but we significantly outperformed expectations in the month of June," the company said in a statement.

Ad Studio and Podcast channels of the company saw double digit growth and exceeded its expectations.

Spotify said that user growth in North America exceeded its expectations and India also outperformed its forecast this quarter thanks to strong performance from marketing campaigns in the region.

Latin America and Rest of World continue to see the fastest growth, with those regions growing 33 per cent and 58 per cent year-over-year, respectively, the company said.
" " This illustration depicts NASA's Perseverance rover operating on the surface of Mars. Perseverance will land at the red planet's Jezero Crater a little after 3:40 p.m. EST (12:40 p.m. PST) on Feb. 18, 2021. NASA/JPL-Caltech

On July 30, 2020, an Atlas V-541 rocket lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral carrying the Mars 2020 mission and its Perseverance rover on an approximately five-month journey to the red planet. After the rover lands on the Jezero Crater Feb. 18, 2021, the 2,260-pound (1,025 kilogram), 10-foot-long (3-meter-long) robotic vehicle will roam the crater, extracting chalk-sized pieces of Martian rock that eventually could reveal whether life once existed on the solar system's fourth planet from the sun.

Perseverance is the latest in a succession of Mars rovers that has included Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity, which since arriving on the Martian surface in August 2012 has traveled 14.27 miles (22.97 kilometers) and in 2019 found evidence of an ancient oasis on the seemingly arid planet's Gale Crater.

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NASA plans for Perseverance to operate for at least one Martian year  687 Earth days  and cover a distance of between 3 and 12 miles (5 and 20 kilometers).

Perseverance's most attention-getting scientific goal is to search for evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars. But as two NASA scientist explain, the mission is much more complex.

"The most significant aspect of this mission is that the mission represents the evolution of studying Mars  follow the water, understand habitability, and now search for the signs of ancient life," Michael Meyer, lead scientist for the Mars Exploration Program, and Mitch Schulte, a Mars 2020 Program Scientist, wrote in a joint message via email when we first talked to them in 2020.

"However, we don't know what we will find until we get there, and that will be the most significant," the two scientists note. "Among the mission goals are to understand the geologic environment of the landing site and the search for biosignatures, and the rover is ably equipped to either find or at least identify the most promising samples that might have preserved biosignatures, and the extremely promising part, cache them to be brought back to Earth to be examined by the best instruments in the world."

" " Jezero Crater on Mars is a 28-mile-wide (45-kilometer-wide) crater on the western edge of Isidis Planitia, a giant impact basin just north of the Martian equator. The crater was a possible oasis in its distant past. NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA had to complete preparations for the launch in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. As NASA's website details, that situation required the project team to limit the number of personnel working together at any one time at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, to the minimum needed, and workers had to practice social distancing, wear protective equipment and use hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies. But on the science end, NASA workers were more concerned about maintaining the cleanliness of the planetary probe's sampling and caching system, which will handle Martian soil and rock samples.

"The contamination control levels are unprecedented for any spacecraft and unachievable in most laboratories on Earth," Meyer and Schulte explain. "To build a sampling system to such ultra-clean standards, and keep the system clean, has been a real achievement. Of course, the proof of the pudding will be when the samples are returned to Earth. Technically, the rover is the most complex spacecraft sent to Mars, and designing and building the sample caching system was a substantial challenge. The only challenge posed by the pandemic has been keeping the team assembling the spacecraft and launch vehicle safe, which has been successful."

Perseverance will land on Jezero Crater, an area that researchers believe is a likely spot to find evidence of ancient microscopic organisms.

"Our orbital studies show that Jezero Crater was an ancient crater lake with a recognizable delta deposit, indicative of water flowing into a standing body of water," Meyer and Schulte write. "Life as we know it requires a liquid water environment to exist. In addition, a critical aspect is that the same site shows a high diversity of environments, a great place to sample multiple rock types that can tell us about the climate and geological history of the crater and the planet. On Earth, a delta is one type of deposit you would expect to have signs of life preserved. Furthermore, there are other tantalizing mineral deposits like the purported lakeshore has carbonate rocks, also a good place to have preserved evidence of life, if there was any."

" " This artist's concept depicts astronauts and human habitats on Mars. NASA's Mars 2020 rover will have a number of technologies that could make Mars safer and easier to explore for humans. NASA

While Perseverance's instruments will gather some data about the area from which Martian soil and rock samples are gathered, the samples eventually will be retrieved by a future mission and transported back to Earth for more extensive analysis.

The two NASA scientists explain that while the retrieval details are still being worked out, "the general plan is that in 2026 NASA and the European Space Agency will launch two missions, one a lander that will carry a fetch rover to get the samples and a rocket for lifting the samples off the red planet. The other mission will be an orbiter for capturing the sample container launched from the surface of Mars and then bringing the contained samples to Earth. Of course, we will know a fair amount about the samples and the area of Jezero Crater from which they come because of the science instruments on board the rover. Perseverance is well equipped to explore the region to understand the present and ancient environment, the details of each site explored, and specifically each rock or regolith from which the sample will have been collected."

We're likely to see some spectacular pictures of the Martian surface, since the rover is equipped with more cameras  23 in all  than any previous Mars mission. "The premier imaging instrument, MastCam-Z, is a marked improvement to the impressive camera that's on Curiosity," the scientists write. "MastCam-Z has two 12-inch (30-centimeter) color filter wheels and, importantly, is able to zoom in up to 3 times on any object near and far."

Now That's Interesting The Perseverance mission will provide an opportunity for the first test of the Ingenuity robotic helicopter, which could be an important part of future planetary exploration. "The helicopter is a technology demonstration and as such, the flights are designed to test its capabilities," Meyer and Schulte write. "The potential of Ingenuity to contribute to the science of the mission is there, but will be incidental to the data being collected for assessing the helicopter's performance."

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Originally Published: Jul 29, 2020
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 01:00:13|Editor: huaxia

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TIRANA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The mayor of Albanian capital Tirana, Erion Veliaj, said on Tuesday that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Via a message on Facebook, Veliaj said that after taking the test, he was confirmed positive.

"I am in good health, as is my family. But, from today I will continue to work from home with the same dedication for Tirana," Veliaj wrote.

The mayor underlined that no one is immune to the virus, calling for everyone "to wash their hands as often as possible and wear a mask to protect oneself and family."

In his reaction to the news, President Ilir Meta wished Veliaj a quick recovery via a Facebook message.

In his message, Meta also appealed to all citizens to respect health protocols in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

"I call on all citizens to follow the instructions made public for wearing masks and respecting physical distances, especially as the peak of the tourist season approaches," Meta said.

"Considering the alarming pace of increasing cases of affected citizens, unfortunately the number of victims as well," Meta asked for "a more efficient and transparent strategy to cope with the serious consequences of this dangerous pandemic."

On Tuesday, local media reported that three members of the Albanian parliament have tested positive for COVID-19 as well.

On Tuesday, health authorities reported 117 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total in the country to 4,997, with 2,789 recoveries and 148 fatalities. Enditem
The National Oil Spill Contingency Plan Coordination Committee met on 28 July 2020 in presence of key stakeholders namely National Coast Guard(NCG), Special Mobile Force(SMF), National Parks and Conservation Service(NPCS), Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources , Fisheries and Shipping (MBEMRFS) , Ministry of Tourism, Association des Hoteliers et Restaurateurs de lIle Maurice , Mauritian Wildlife Foundation(MWF) , Rogers Shipping, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre(NDDRMC) , District Council of Grand Port , Beach Authority, Mauritius Oceanography Institute(MOI) , Tourism Authority.

As at Wednesday 29 July 2020, the NCG has informed that about 332m of booms have been deployed at the seaward entrance of the Blue Bay Marine Park.

A joint survey is being effected on 29 July 2020 at 10.00 hrs in the Blue Bay Marine Park, Pointe dEsny, Pointe Jerome, Ile aux Aigrettes and in the vicinity by this Ministry, NCG, Ministry of Blue Economy MRFS, NPCS, MOI, MWF, and SMF. The aim of the survey is to make an assessment of the ecologically sensitive areas and identify locations for placement of booms in other areas such as Pointe dEsny Ramsar site, Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve, Mahebourg Fishing Reserves, barachois and mangrove areas. Following the survey, placement of booms would be effected.

Site monitoring is continuing. Additionally, Police Department is considering conduct of aerial drone surveys.

District Council of Grand Port has been requested to provide logistics (transport) for removal of oil spill debris in case of an oil spill.

The National Environment Laboratory (NEL) is effecting daily water quality monitoring; whereas the Ministry of Blue Economy MRFS has been requested to carry out ecological surveys and water quality monitoring in the lagoons of Blue Bay, Pointe dEsny and Ile aux Aigrettes. Results of analysis carried out by NEL on 28 July 2020 showed absence of oil and grease and hydrocarbons in the water samples collected.

The Living Environment Unit of the Ministry would provide support as and when required for cleaning of the beach.

As per information received from Shipping Division :

Captain Lars TESMAR has been nominated as the Special Casualty Representative (SCR) that is, for MV Wakashio and would be joining a first tug PSV Standford Hawk in Reunion Island together with the Salvors team. On arrival to Port Louis, they will be clearing all conditions imposed by the |Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Immigration Office before attending the casualty site. The Salvage team (SCR and 6 Salvors) is expected in Mauritius on 29 July 2020. The role of the SCR is to monitor the salvage services. He will be key man from the casualty salvage side.

Immersub Co Ltd has been contracted by the Salvors and a diving exercise would be conducted as soon as weather permits to carry out a first assessment of the damage sustained by the vessel.

Polyeco Group Co Ltd has been appointed as the environmental arm of SMIT Salvage for the salvage operations of MV Wakashio.

International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd (ITOPF) expert Mr Alex Hunt has been contracted by the insurers to assist Polyeco Group Co Ltd in environmental response.

Second tug BOKASHERPA left Singapore on 27 July 2020

A third tug BOKAEXPEDITION is being prepared for sailing from Fujairah to Mauritius should the need arise .

There are 258 Fishers operating in the Mahebourg-Pointe dEsny-Blue Bay area. Ministry of Blue Economy MRFS will sensitise registered fishers.

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Shares of Castlight Health (NYSE:CSLT) declined 1.68% in after-market trading after the company reported Q2 results.

Quarterly Results

Earnings per share were up 150.00% over the past year to $0.01, which beat the estimate of ($0.04).

Revenue of $35,500,000 decreased by 1.14% from the same period last year, which beat the estimate of $31,000,000.

Outlook

The upcoming fiscal year's EPS expected to be between ($0.16) and ($0.11).

The upcoming fiscal year's revenue expected to be between $127,000,000 and $135,000,000.

Details Of The Call

Date: Jul 28, 2020

View more earnings on CSLT

Time: 05:00 PM

ET Webcast URL: https://www.directeventreg.com/der/validateConferenceId.action

Price Action

52-week high: $3.03

Company's 52-week low was at $0.60

Price action over last quarter: Up 43.72%

Company Profile

Castlight Health Inc provides a software-as-a-service platform. It is used for health benefits navigation for employees in the United States. Its platform matches employees to the resources their employers make available to them; managing a condition; and assists them to manage their benefits. The company derives its revenue from sales of cloud-based subscription service and professional services contracts. Castlight generates its geographical revenue from the United States.

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
(Bloomberg) -- Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai highlighted a long list of digital rivals in his opening statement ahead of Wednesdays hearing with the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on antitrust.

When searching for products online, you may be visiting Amazon, EBay, Walmart, or any one of a number of e-commerce providers, where most online shopping queries happen, Pichai said, according to a copy of his prepared testimony. Similarly, in areas like travel and real estate, Google faces strong competition for search queries from many businesses that are experts in these areas.

Alphabet Inc.s Google is about to be sued by the Justice Department in what will be the biggest U.S. antitrust case since the government went after Microsoft Corp. in the late 1990s. European regulators have already fined the company billions of euros for breaking antitrust rules in the region.

Read more: Google Search Upgrades Make It Harder and More Expensive for Businesses to Win Traffic

Google controls about 85% of the online search market in the U.S., and dominates the business even more in Europe. However, Pichai said in his testimony that the company is beset on all sides by rivals.

People have more ways to search for information than ever before -- and increasingly this is happening outside the context of only a search engine, Pichai said. You can ask Alexa a question from your kitchen; read your news on Twitter; ask friends for information via WhatsApp; and get recommendations on Snapchat or Pinterest.

Competition in digital advertising, from Twitter Inc., Facebook Inc.s Instagram, Pinterest Inc., Comcast Corp. and others, has helped lower online ad costs by 40% over the last decade, and these savings have been passed down to consumers through lower prices, the CEO added.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:04:04|Editor: huaxia

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WARSAW, July 29 (Xinhua) -- China's economic recovery has brought confidence to the recovery of the world economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a tough global recession, Sylwester Szafarz, former consul general of Poland in the Chinese city of Shanghai, has told Xinhua.

China's GDP grew by 3.2 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics. Szafarz spoke highly of the growth, saying that China has overcome the adverse effects of the epidemic and the global economic recession, and has become the first major economy to resume growth since the outbreak of the epidemic. "This will play a positive role in the reconstruction of the world economy in the post-epidemic era."

Szafarz noted that as European countries have been striving to contain the spread of the coronavirus, China has shared its valuable anti-epidemic experience and expertise, donated medical supplies, and dispatched medical personnel to countries in need, effectively helping Europe's economic recovery.

China's economic stimulus measures are "mild," and are worth learning for European countries, Szafarz said. "I believe that there is room for further expansion of cooperation between Europe and China in the fields of economy, finance, society, science and technology in the post-epidemic era."

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in the first half of this year, the China Railway (CR) Express delivered a total of 3.67 million units of anti-epidemic goods to European countries including Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Lithuania. The total volume of goods shipped reached 461,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), an increase of 41 percent year-on-year.

Szafarz also hailed the role played by the CR Express in Europe's economic recovery. The China Railway Express has brought epidemic prevention materials to Europe, which greatly helped the continent resume work and production as soon as possible.

"I believe that both Europe and China hope and need to further deepen cooperation, and promote the economic recovery of the two sides in the post-epidemic era under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and '17+1 cooperation.' This will also form a benign stimulus to the global economic recovery," he said.

Poland is building a Central Transportation Port as a central hub for air, rail and road travel, whose construction scope sits between the Polish capital city of Warsaw and Lodz, an important node city for the CR Express. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has called the project "a window of Poland to the world."

"I believe that Poland's Central Transportation Port is expected to become an important transportation and logistics hub connecting China with European and American countries, and it will help the China Railway Express transport goods to western European countries through Poland with higher efficiency," Szafarz said.

Szafarz noted that the pandemic has provided an opportunity to expand bilateral cooperation between Europe and China, which is conducive to Europe's economic recovery.

"The Chinese economy took the lead in recovering, and it also injected confidence and momentum into the recovery of the European and global economy in the post-epidemic era," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 01:59:58|Editor: huaxia

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BRUSSELS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The European Union's (EU) institutions have started talks on the implementation of a massive recovery package linked to the EU's next seven-year budget that was agreed upon by EU leaders at their summit meeting in July. Their aim is also to conclude an agreement with the European Parliament, which demands significant improvements to the plans.

In a telephone call on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the matter with European Parliament (EP) President David Sassoli and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who chairs the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The European Commission said in a statement that the three leaders had discussed the next steps in the adoption of the EU's recovery package and the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Last week, a sizeable majority of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) demanded significant changes to the EU budget deal, saying that they were prepared to block it unless it was improved.

Several MEPs told the EP's extraordinary plenary session last week that they were disappointed that many of the priorities in the MFF had their fundings cut substantially, while other funds had been transferred to the pandemic recovery plan.

A resolution warning that the long-term budget could be blocked unless improved was adopted by 465 votes in favor and 150 against. MEPs are expected to vote on the MFF later this year.

It took the heads of state and government of the 27 EU member states four days to hammer out an agreement on the over 1 trillion-euro MFF in conjunction with a 750-billion-euro economic recovery package that aims to help EU countries bounce back from the recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Von der Leyen, Sassoli and Merkel also discussed the interinstitutional negotiations that lie ahead to enable a swift adoption of the package building on the agreement reached by the European Council and on the resolution adopted by the European Parliament.

According to the Commission statement, the three leaders reaffirmed that reaching a good agreement rapidly is their highest priority for the coming weeks and concurred that there was no time to waste. They agreed on a method and a calendar to ensure that the recovery package will be in place by Jan. 1, 2021.

For the recovery package to become operational, the European Parliament said it was ready to give its opinion on the EU's system of own resources as quickly as possible.

Following the formal adoption of this decision by the Council, the member states would then need to ratify it. The negotiations on the sectoral programs under the next MFF also must be completed before the end of the year. Enditem
EAST HAVEN  The Fire Department is among 50 in the United States to receive grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the latest round of a grant program that reimburses local communities for expenses related to the coronavirus pandemic, town officials said.

The East Haven Fire Department received $68,819 under the program, Mayor Joe Carfora and Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli said.

The grant was the second-highest award in Connecticut under the program so far, second only to a $95,000 grant awarded to West Haven, Marcarelli said Tuesday.

The program is backed by a total $100 million funding pool, Marcarelli said.

East Haven applied for a $75,000 grant. The $68,819 represents that figure less the towns 15 percent match, he said.

Our department began to prepare early, and sourced our PPE (personal protective equipment) ahead of the surge and not during it, said Carfora in a written release. You may recall that we worked closely with the Board of Finance and Town Council, at the onset of this pandemic, to provide an emergency funding source to acquire much needed PPE and supplies.

We wanted to make sure first responders had everything they needed to prepare for and respond to this pandemic as safely as possible, Carfora said.

The 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program  COVID-19 Supplemental is a supplemental funding opportunity under FEMAs Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, the release said. FEMA is part of the federal Department of Homeland Security.

This is a competitive grant that is electronically scored, and then peer reviewed before moving onto funding, the release said. Chief Marcarelli has utilized this grant before and as a result, the East Haven Fire Department has received nearly three-quarters of a million dollars from this grant program, which provided a new fire truck for Foxon and new breathing apparatus and a compressor for firefighters.

The town will use the latest funding to reimburse for money it already spent on critical personal protective equipment and supplies needed to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency, Marcarelli and Carfora said.

When our emergency funding source was approved, I assured the Mayor and Legislative Town Council that we would aggressively pursue funding sources to recoup unexpected expenditures, Marcarelli said. This grant pays 85 percent, with a 15 percent cost share by the town, so we thought it prudent to compete for this before pursuing other federal sources that only provide 75 percent reimbursement.

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and state Rep. Joe Zullo, R-East Haven, supported the towns application, Carfora and Marcarelli said.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
CAIRO  The Egyptian army said in an official statement July 21 that it managed to thwart a terrorist attack on a military security post in the city of Bir al-Abed in the northern Sinai Peninsula.

The statement continued that armed forces shot dead 18 militants, one of whom was wearing an explosive belt. The military also destroyed four vehicles, three of which were booby-trapped. Two army soldiers were killed and four others wounded in the incident.

The attack comes in tandem with the Egyptian parliaments approval July 20 of the deployment of Egyptian armed forces on combat missions outside the countrys borders. The parliaments vote comes against the backdrop of the events in neighboring Libya.

In a televised speech July 20, Egptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that his countrys intervention in Libya has now gained international legitimacy.

The situation in Libya is particularly critical especially since the Turkish navy had announced July 8 that it was preparing to conduct massive naval exercises in three locations off the coast of Libya. This prompted the Libyan Tobruk-based parliament, which is allied with eastern military commander Khalifa Hifter, on July 14 to call on Egypt to intervene in Libya to protect the national security of both countries, deeming what was happening as an immediate threat to Libya and Egypt.

Khaled Okasha, head of the Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies, an independent institution, told Al-Monitor via phone, The link is very clear between the terrorist attack on Bir al-Abed [in Sinai] and Egypts announcement of its legitimate intervention in Libya to hold off the danger of extremist militias.

This terrorist operation is seen as a swift response by the armed militants in Sinai to the Egyptian decision in a bid to revive terrorist threats in eastern Egypt, he added.

Okasha believes the terrorist elements in Sinai as well as in Libya  where Hifter is leading an assault against them  are funded and given orders by the same parties.

Sinai has been witnessing increased terrorist attacks against the security forces and army, since the latter ousted former Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi on July 3, 2013, following massive demonstrations that swept the nation against his mismanagaement of the country.

Okasha explained that the recent terrorist attack was a foreseeable scenario for Egypt, which was able to thwart it.

It is not the first terrorist operation the Egyptian military was able to foil. Pre-emptive strikes have taken place recently, which points to Egypts security control in Sinai, he noted.

Okasha added, The Egyptian army has the ability to address threats across the nation, whether in the east or the west [near the border with Libya], or on any other front if necessary. Anyone who doubts this, does not have sufficient knowledge of the Egyptian armed forces strength, be it their numbers or armament.

The Egyptian intervention in Libya is not a pointless venture. Eliminating terrorist militias in Libya contributes to destroying their counterparts in Sinai. All parties involved in the security issue in Egypt are well aware of the extent of association between the terrorist presence in Libya and in Egypt, Okasha concluded.

On July 19, the Pentagon reported that Turkey sent approximately 3,800 Syrian mercenaries to Libya in the first quarter of this year.

Maj. Gen. Yahya al-Kadwani, a member of the parliamentary Defense Committee, told Al-Monitor via phone, The attack in Bir al-Abed is seen as an attempt directed from [parties] abroad to confuse and hinder the Egyptian army from carrying its primary mission to confront any threat to Egyptian security in Libya.

He said, The armed militias operating in Libya, in Sinai and other locations in Arab countries work along the lines of the same mindset. The Egyptian army is widespread and therefore capable of carrying out several missions in more than one strategic direction. What is happening in Sinai is merely guerrilla wars that the army is very much capable of thwarting as it has done now and has been doing before.

Kadwani added, The countries that support terrorism, international intelligence services or the Muslim Brotherhood are pushing armed groups to commit such operations, in a desperate attempt to convey a picture to the public opinion at home and abroad that these militias can outperform the Egyptian armed forces. These are failed attempts.

Maj. Gen. Fourad Allam, a member of the National Committee to Combat Extremism and Terrorism, told the Saudi daily Okaz July 23 that the terrorist attack in Sinai is a failed attempt to prove the presence of militants despite the Egyptian military operation against them. He said that there are plans to confuse Egypts security by mercenaries set to carry out terrorist crimes and target checkpoints.

The attack on the security checkpoint is an attempt to dissuade Egypt from playing a historical role in securing its western borders and defending the security of Libya. This is especially true since the Egyptian parliament had approved the deployment of armed forces in a mission abroad. These groups are working according to international schemes aimed at harming Egypts interests and national security, Allam concluded.
Impact21_logo Eric Hinkle is an outstanding addition to Impact 21. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in retail automation that will benefit our clients." Lisa Biggs, President, Impact 21

Impact 21, a retail consulting, analytics, and services company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Eric Hinkle as its newest Principal Consultant. Hinkle will lead Impact 21s clients in deploying business-facing solutions by driving store automation in the areas of ordering, receiving, store inventories, auditing, and store reporting.

Eric Hinkle is an outstanding addition to Impact 21. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in retail automation that will benefit our clients, said Impact 21 President, Lisa Biggs. We are excited to work with him and have him on our team. Were confident our clients will quickly see the value he brings to our team.

Hinkle brings first-hand knowledge to his client engagements, giving him a deep understanding of the store employee perspective  what it takes to work the night shift in the store, juggling all of the tasks store employees are asked to accomplish, and the dedication of employees to their stores success. He has shared his expertise with Conexxus as Chair of the eB2B Committee and Vice-Chair of the Board of Advisors. Hinkle is specialized in numerous areas of integration with specific solutions, including PDI/RMS and current PDI/Enterprise solution, PDI/Store Assistant, PDI/FocalPoint, Relativity, Monarch, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Business Objects, SAP, and Oracle Financial reporting.

Hinkle has served in many roles within the c-store industry. As the Systems Integration Specialist for EG America, he provided support for a large-scale store integration of an accounting system with an impact across all business functions. He facilitated store and pricebook setup, adding new vendors, new items, and costs. Hinkles expertise guided the company through a move of their back-office accounting data from self-hosted to managed services and cloud-hosted server. He provided store-level support and built processes to eliminate the daily paperwork receiving for 1100+ stores. As administrator of new hosted servers, he set up all users, maintained all security, and configured and scheduled all tasks for daily/weekly processes.

Hinkle also acted as Director of Centralized Pricebook for Kroger C-stores and Small Format where he developed and utilized hands-on training for the entire staff, including those with no or limited pricebook or c-store knowledge. Hinkle got his start with Town & Country Food Stores, Inc., starting in the stores and working his way up through the company  from Store Manager, Store Auditor, Pricebook Administrator, MIS Support Coordinator, to ultimately Director of Retail Automation.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Hinkle traveled to Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on marketing. He later earned his Master of Business Administration with an emphasis on management from Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas. He holds the honor of serving in the U.S. Army Reserve, finishing top ten among his Finance Officer Basic Course classmates. His career led him across the country, eventually bringing him to his current home in Union, Kentucky, where he now spends time with his wife and family.

For further information, please visit http://www.impact21.com or call (859) 219-3040. Get timely updates on Twitter and connect with Impact 21 on Facebook and LinkedIn for insightful industry trends and best practices.

About Impact 21

Impact 21 was founded in 1998 by industry experts and former retailers, Lesley Saitta and Lisa Stewart. The company is headquartered in Lexington, KY.

By offering a proven business model for integration of business and technology strategies, as well as a world-class collaboration, project, and content management solution, we position companies to drive profitability and enhance their customers experience.

Our experienced team of industry experts bring real-world solutions to manage and execute initiatives of all sizes and impact. We have a passion for driving business alignment for our clients and bringing thought leadership to all the industries and clients we serve.

For more information please visit http://www.impact21.com or call (859) 219-3040.
Jose Farias, who's infected with the coronavirus, stands in the doorway of a Stockton care center. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)

Five months into the pandemic, it's becoming increasingly clear that California is not going to conquer the coronavirus until it dramatically improves safety measures for essential workers at the epicenter of the health crisis.

From farming communities to urban centers and suburbs, workers in retail, manufacturing, agriculture and logistics are bearing the brunt of COVID-19 outbreaks, and state and local officials are struggling to control the infections even as the outlook in more prosperous communities has improved.

A growing number of officials and health experts say it's critical now for California to act more aggressively, including pushing for masks and social distancing measures inside workplaces as well as cracking down much harder on employers who don't follow the rules.

But that is only part of the problem. Some low-wage workers are reluctant to call in sick because they need the money and are afraid to report safety violations for fear of being fired. To deal with that, the state might need to provide additional disability pay to those who become ill and a process to aid workers who face retaliation for speaking out.

It's a particular challenge because many of these industries were ripe for worker exploitation before the pandemic. Some workers lack legal residency and are fearful of working with authorities and crossing their bosses. But experts say California has no hope of fully reopening the economy unless it can get worker infections under control.

What were talking about are low-wage workers  workers that dont themselves have enough protection, said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of UC San Franciscos Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. They need protection of wages in order to be off of work  and they need protections to be able to come back to work.

She and others acknowledge it's going to be difficult. Some of these workers are hired by middle men instead of big corporations, and building trust in government action is going to be essential.

Story continues

If we as a state  and then the counties most heavily affected  are going to get these sectors under control, were going to have to deal with the messiness of this, Bibbins-Domingo said. We call these essential workers because the sectors theyre working in are essential to the California economy. And its essential, therefore, that we figure out" how to protect them.

Latinos in California are being infected and dying from the coronavirus at rates significantly higher than white residents, driven by job and housing conditions that continually bring them into contact with others, facilitating the spread of COVID-19. While Latinos  the state's largest ethnic group  make up 39% of California's population, they make up 56% of all coronavirus cases and 46% of deaths.

Some of the state's largest outbreaks have occurred at factories, food processing plants, and housing complexes for agricultural workers, both in cities and in agricultural communities.

There is a potential model for this fight in nursing homes, where many Californians who died from the virus were infected. If officials have been able to figure out how to reduce the spread there through widespread adoption of masks and improved infection control procedures, they can probably protect low-income essential workers, experts said.

"If you can cut this in a hospital or a nursing home, almost certainly you can handle it somewhere else. That's a no brainer," said Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine.

With coronavirus raging in Latino communities in the Central Valley, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday announced $52 million in additional aid aimed at education, testing and tracing. But many say much more must be done.

"Under this pandemic we were unprepared ... and too many farmworkers and essential workers are at risk," said state Assemblyman Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), whose grandfather was a farmworker. "That needs to change."

Rivas has pushed a relief package of five bills for farmworkers since March. While many of those provisions were put in place by Newsom on Monday, he and others said there are more big-picture fixes that need to happen to protect workers, and ultimately the California economy, which relies on their labor. Fixes he would like to see include more safe isolation spaces and housing, more enforcement by state worker safety agencies and better sick leave and unemployment, especially for undocumented workers with no safety net.

The situation on the ground in rural areas is dire.

The calls come in to the Rev. Nelson Rabell's cellphone every day now: Latino workers desperate for help, for rent, for medical care.

From his Lutheran parish in Lodi in the Central Valley, he has worked with his wife, an epidemiologist and dentist, to provide aid  money, food, tests  since the coronavirus began. Many of his parishioners are poor, working jobs in fields, grocery stories, day care centers and medical facilities.

But what he can do is not enough.

"They are suffering a lot," Rabell said. "It's just the perfect storm of irresponsible government action at all levels."

He believes government needs to provide direct financial aid to workers, especially those who are infected, so that they can stay home from work without fear of their families being without food or shelter. Though Newsom's aid package increases quarantine housing for workers who can't isolate at home and provides sick leave for more workers, Rabell points out that many of those in essential jobs live paycheck to paycheck and need immediate money if they fall ill.

Rabell said there must be "robust accountability and supervision" of workplaces such as farms and packing plants, including greater penalties for employers who don't comply with social distancing or provide protective gear.

Jose Rodriguez, director of El Concilio, which runs housing and programs for farmworkers in San Joaquin County, said he believes government needs to also be stricter with isolation and quarantine rules, and better at contact tracing, so that those exposed to the virus are clear about quarantine protocols. In his county, as in many places in the Central Valley, health departments have been overwhelmed by the spiraling number of cases and unable to contact trace each positive, leaving many not even knowing they may be carrying the virus.

He said one of his cousins in Sutter County recently tested positive. A day after receiving the results, county health workers came to her house and instructed all the residents that they had to quarantine for 14 days, and have made repeated checks since to make "sure the family is doing what they are told."

"Unless someone is doing that here, they are not taking it seriously," he said.

Lin reported from San Francisco, Chabria from Sacramento. Times staff writer Iris Lee contributed to this report.
"In this paper we show that supporting Indigenous peoples' rights is in the interest of the conservation agenda," explains Dr. Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, the first author of the study, from the University of Helsinki. "The future of a substantial proportion of the Amazon's biodiversity depends largely on coordinated action to support and strengthen Indigenous peoples' rights across the entire region."

The authors argue that the convergence of the agendas and priorities of both wilderness-centred conservationists and Indigenous peoples is more important than ever, as some of the government in the region have started to trample over commitments towards globally agreed goals on both the environment and Indigenous peoples' rights.

"There is no doubt that the Amazon is at a crossroads in its social-ecological history," adds Dr. Fernandez-Llamazares. "Rollbacks on environmental protections and Indigenous Peoples rights across the entire region are opening up vast natural areas to new external pressures."

All these macroeconomic and political forces are being felt in both wilderness areas and Indigenous Peoples territories. However, disputes on whether conserving wilderness should come at the expense of Indigenous peoples rights undermine potential for collaborative conservation.

Minimal forest loss on Indigenous territories across the Amazon

The study underscored the substantial role of Indigenous territories in buffering against deforestation through advanced geospatial analyses based on available satellite data. These lands account for less than 15% of all the forest loss occurring within the Amazon's last wilderness frontiers. This is largely evidenced throughout the southern rim of the Amazon, where Indigenous territories represent the only islands of biological and cultural diversity in the larger landscape.

"The concept of wilderness has a contentious history across much of the Global South, as it is based on the assumption that humans have inherently negative impacts on nature," highlights Prof. Eduardo S. Brondizio, a researcher from Indiana University Bloomington and senior author of the study.

"Yet, the Amazon is a classic example of how long-term interactions between Indigenous peoples and forests can be linked to positive environmental outcomes. We have known for decades that a significant portion of the region's supposedly pristine forests are in fact cultural forests,"he notes. "Indigenous peoples, and also other traditional communities, show that it is possible to successfully combine forest conservation, management and agroforestry systems."

In view of this, the authors call for a more socially inclusive notion of wilderness in order to align the agendas and priorities of both wilderness-focused conservationists and Indigenous peoples against a new wave of frontier expansion.

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MILLBROOK  Helping Hands Daycare in Millbrook had its grand opening on Tuesday afternoon, after being delayed for nearly a month-and-a-half due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief executive officer Ryan Eickmeier was joined by Education Minister Stephen Lecce, Infrastructure Minister Laurie Scott, the MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, and Cavan Monaghan Township Mayor Scott McFadden to cut the ribbon and tour the facility, which will begin taking care of its registered children next week.

We werent allowed to do any construction for most of March, so it was just small things like that that led us to be delayed, Eickmeier said.

But it actually worked out OK because were on what appears to be the recovery side of this pandemic, so its probably a better time to open a new childcare centre.

The business has eight other daycares in or just outside of the GTA and was established in 1989 by Eickmeiers mother, Nancy.

Its something I had always wanted to do. My very first job as a young teenager was working in childcare. Then I went to college and got my early childhood education and established a home daycare, which is where two of our supervisors came from, said Nancy.

I realized there was such a demand that we bought an existing centre in 1989, and then from there we just started expanding.

The Millbrook location currently has 92 children registered, but still has vacancies.

Several COVID-19 virus precautions are being taken to keep children and staff safe when the doors open next Tuesday.

The front entrance will have a full screening station set up. Childrens temperatures will be checked and parents will be required to fill out a daily screening sheet that asks multiple questions, such as whether their child has travelled outside of the country within the last 14 days. If any questions are answered as yes, the child wont be permitted to enter the facility.

If a child shows any symptoms of the virus while at the daycare, the child, along with a staff member who will be required to put on a protective suit, will immediately isolate in the staff room.

Well also keep children in cohort. So when youre in toddler one, youre not mixing with another room and youre not outside with another room, Eickmeier said.

Between uses of the outdoor space, it will be thoroughly sanitized, Eickmeier said.

Nancy said shes extremely proud of Ryan and is thrilled to be in the area.

We love this little village and people have been extremely welcoming, so we look forward to a really long, wonderful relationship, she said.
Three more Rafale jets to land in India from France in non-stop flight

Defended Rafale deal as did not want it go the Bofors way: Former IAF Chief B S Dhanoa

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, July 29: Former Chief of Air Staff B S Dhanoa on Wednesday welcomed the arrival of Rafales in India and said he defended the deal to procure the multi-role jets notwithstanding the political controversy to stop it from going the Bofors way.

Rafale: First batch of 5 Fighter Jets land at Ambala airbase after covering nearly 7,000 Km|OneIndia

The alleged pay-offs in procurement of a batch of Bofors guns in mid-1980s and its subsequent political ramifications had severely crippled defence procurement as bureaucrats were apprehensive of taking decisions on military purchases.

Specifications and performance data of Rafale fighter jets

"I defended the deal as I did not want it to go the Bofors way. We were against politicisation of the defence acquisition process. It was a question of capability of the Air Force," Air Chief Marshal (retd) Dhanoa told PTI.

On Wednesday, India received the first batch of five Rafale jets, nearly four years after it inked an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore.

The IAF received the Rafale jets 23 years after it imported Sukhoi-30 Ks from Russia in 1997.

"I am very happy for the Indian Air Force as it (the Rafale) has given the Air Force a tremendous capability jump and technological asymmetry over our adversaries something which was missing for such a long time," Dhanoa said.

Dhanoa was succeeded by Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria as the Chief of Air Staff in September last year. Air Chief Marshal (retd) Arup Raha, under whose tenure the mega deal was inked, said the induction of the fleet will bolster the IAF's capability, but added that the country needs at least 126 combat jets as envisaged earlier.

"It is a good aircraft. It is one of the best in the region. It is going to bolster IAF's capabilities in terms of aerospace power which has been dwindling for quite some time as there has been no induction of combat jets for quite sometime," he told PTI.

"The Rafale jets will increase the deterrence value. Our aim is not to fight a war unless we are forced to. It is to basically deter our adversaries and say that we will respond if you get on our wrong side," he added.

The former IAF chief said India needs to significantly enhance its air power capability and that the government should consider procurement of more Rafales or similar jets. "We need at least 126 aircraft of similar kind. If we get Rafale, it will be better as inventory management will become easier. It will also help maintenance, training and deployment," he added.

Another former Chief of Air Staff Fali Homi Major said the 36 Rafales will boost India's aerial prowess, but having at least two more squadrons will add tremendous capability to the country's air dominance capability.

"The arrival of Rafales is certainly significant. It is a very good beginning after a very very long break. The Rafales will boost our strike capability. It will be great if we get two more squadrons," he said. One squadron comprises of at least 18 aircraft. Both Dhanoa and Major said Rafale is a much superior aircraft than China's J-20s.

"The world does not know the capability of J-20s. You cannot really know and you will never know. The Rafale is a much more superior aircraft," Major added.

The Rafale aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets. India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by AK Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder).

In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology. The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.

The NDA government inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation as an emergency acquisition.

The deal was sealed primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.
A couple whose rental Mercedes from Western Australia had Victorian licence plates has left a hilarious note on the car.

An image posted to Facebook on Tuesday showed the note taped to the front of the luxury vehicle in Karijini, Western Australia.

WA has recorded one new case of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and Victoria, which is in the midst of a widespread outbreak, has reported 295.

Concerns that locals would slam the couple when they saw the car led them to attach a note explaining the situation.

The couple attached the note to their rental because they were worried Western Australians would slam them for entering the state from coronavirus-ravaged Victoria

'Don't hate on us,' the note read.

'We are NOT Victorians. It's a rental.

'Keeping WA COVID-free since 2020.'

Social media users flocked to the comments sections to share their similar experiences.

'Small world I was at Karijini on Sunday and met a couple of people who commented about their rental motor home having Victorian plates,' one man wrote.

One woman tagged a friend and wrote: 'Same as what happened to you guys in Tassie. It's bulls**t it has to come to something like this. Feel for the poor buggers.'

Social media users flocked to the comments sections to share their similar experiences

There have also been reports of Victorian residents painting over their number plates to disguise them in an attempt to bypass coronavirus checkpoints.

A TikTok video on Monday showed a driver spray-painting his white licence plates yellow to imitate New South Wales plates.

The user called the operation 'escape from Melbatraz' and used the backing music, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place by The Animals.

While the video showed the vehicle driving towards and away from the checkpoint between Victoria and NSW, it did not show interactions with police.

A TikTok video on Monday showed a driver spray-painting his white licence plates yellow to imitate New South Wales plates

Victorian police told Daily Mail Australia that tampering with number plates carries heavy fines and up to two months' jail.

'It is an offence to fraudulently alter number plates or use number plates that are not correctly registered to the vehicle,' a spokeswoman said.

'Police take this very seriously and will investigate and hold offenders to account where appropriate.'

Police are using plate recognition technology at checkpoints, allowing officers to identify the addresses and identities of motorists.

The user called the operation 'escape from Melbatraz' and used the backing music, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place by The Animals

While the video showed the vehicle driving towards and away from the checkpoint between Victoria and NSW (pictured), it did not show interactions with police

'Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology is being used at these sites, which allows police to verify car registration details and identify the residential addresses of those license holders,' he said.

'Anyone pulled over at these sites can also expect to have their licences checked by police and their residential address confirmed.'

Melbourne is three weeks into a six-week lockdown after a surge in positive test results.

Residents have been told to only leave the house for essential purposes, including to go to school or work, buy groceries or to exercise.

Checkpoints are along major roads to stop the virus from spreading to other states and communities.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:34:02|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Royal Thai Army said on Wednesday it has decided to put on hold the participation of Thai soldiers in overseas military training after nine soldiers who returned from Hawaii to Thailand tested positive for COVID-19.

"Out of all 151 soldiers, nine soldiers tested positive to COVID-19 after they took part in the joint exercise with the United States force code named Lightning Forge 2020, since July 1," said Gen. Nattapon Srisawat, director of the Thai Army's anti-COVID-19 unit.

"These soldiers returned to Thailand on July 22 and were immediately sent to state quarantine. More than 10 fell ill; later nine were confirmed to have contracted the virus."

Nattapon also said that the weapons used in the joint training were disinfected and sent to armories.

Soldiers who are being quarantined are healthy and will undergo repeat swab tests on Aug. 2 to ensure they are free of COVID-19 at the end of the 14-day quarantine, he said.

Thailand's Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has repeatedly called on Thais living in the United States to stay vigilant, as the latter still tops the world's number of COVID-19 cases.

On Wednesday, Thailand discovered another new COVID-19 case in state quarantine.

The new case was one out of the nine soldiers who contracted the virus in the military exercise.

The Thai soldiers while in Hawaii, shared drinking glasses with their fellow soldiers, while they were staying in the same tent during their training course, said Nattapon.

During the second stage of the training course, the Thai and American troops were in close contact and slept together in the same tents, although none of them fell sick during the training.

Between July 19 and 21, the Thai troops were taken shopping at an army surplus store in the compound of the training camp. Upon arrival at the Suvarnabhumi international airport, 11 Thai soldiers were found sick and classified as PUIs (patients under investigation).

The cumulative infections in Thailand to date are 3,298. Of those, 2,444 were locally acquired infections and 361 were in state quarantine.

Thailand's death toll remains at 58 while 3,111 people have recovered. Enditem
The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LSWRC) on Tuesday announced it had sealed a private water agency on Banana Island for falling short of quality standards for water production in the state.

According to the LSWRC, the Banana Island Property Owners Resident Association (BIPORAL) Water Treatment Plant was sealed for failing to meet the required safety and quality standards.

The regulatory compliance seal order on the BIPORAL water plant supplying water to residents of Banana Island was sequel to the tests earlier conducted by the LSWRC, which revealed that the water quality of the plant was unsafe for consumption and required improved treatment.

The Executive Secretary of LSWRC, Funke Adepoju, said the decision was taken to protect residents from consumption of unhygienic water which is harmful to health.

She said the plant will remain shut until necessary improvements are carried out by the service provider in line with the drinking water quality control of the State Government and the plant recertified safe to resume operation.

While maintaining that the Lagos State government is very much interested in the quality of the water consumed by residents, Adepoju declared that no unwholesome practice that will endanger the peoples health would be allowed, the statement contained.

While sealing BIPORAL, Mrs Adepoju, said that the power of the Commission to regulate the activities of the water sector by monitoring water quality is being exercised because so much caution has been thrown to the wind in water production and profit is placed above safety.

The Executive Secretary added that all water producers and private service providers in residential estates in Lagos, are all obligated by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, to deliver water that meets quality specified by the regulator.

Water shortage in Lagos

While the government is working to enforce standards in Banana Island, several other areas of Lagos being supplied water by the Lagos State Water Corporation have been enduring lack of water supply in the last two months, PREMIUM TIMES reporter learnt.

While some residents registered their complaints on Twitter, others are seen on the streets of Lagos on a daily basis, looking for portable water.

A report by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) also revealed how several waterworks in Lagos State are not functional, while those producing water are producing below the required capacity.

Some of the waterworks CAPPA visited include Adiyan, Akilo-Ogba, Badagry, Bariga, Epe, Ifako-Ijaiye, Iju, Isashi and Lekki waterworks, which are supposed to provide Lagos residents about 137.6 million gallons of water per day.

The organisation said the 13 waterworks visited during a three-month investigation on the status of the waterworks in Lagos revealed the grim water situation in the state.

Not only did we discover that many of the waterworks were performing abysmally below capacity, at the time of the most crucial need for residents, most were practically on lockdown.

READ ALSO:

According to the report, some of the reasons why the waterworks were performing abysmally include faulty engines, irregular power supply and lack of manpower among others.

Public outcry

Following the announcement of the sealing of BIPORAL, many Twitter users have condemned lack of water supply in the state.

A Twitter user, @iamMrAbodunrin tweeted;

Sealing up a privately funded water plant when you cant even provide one despite huge taxes paid shows how clueless and anti-people the @followlasg is.

Whats the required safety and quality standard, have you been to any of the Lagos State water corporation offices to check if they met any standards? Hypocrisy is when you cant put your house in order but goes mediating in other peoples businesses, the user tweeted.

Another user tweeted, In this Lagos? There is water cooperation? They are sealing people up? Do they ever give people water? With their pipes in gutter, do they give people clean water?

Like seriously?!?!

Another user, @Mumbeauty1 tweeted;

Useless people, all government water pipes pass through dirty gutters and refuse dump sites and for the pass 2 months now we have not seen water flow

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South Africa: Sisulu, Plato commit to assist backyard dwellers

Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, and Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato have committed to assist people living in backyards and destitute people.

The commitment was made during a meeting on Tuesday to consolidate a plan aimed at addressing the housing challenges in the city.

During the meeting, Plato presented to the Minister the citys human settlements plans, aimed at responding to COVID-19 and its broader response to housing challenges in the city.

Sisulu welcomed the plan and also committed her full support to the city.

The Minister presented an overall plan, which seeks to cover the various land needs for shelters in the Western Cape.

Despite the plans, the Minister and Mayor acknowledged that the plans are inadequate to respond to the insurmountable need for well-located land and human settlements for those who are in desperate need of shelter.

Both leaders committed to a more comprehensive plan that accommodates both the immediate and long-term needs in a more proactive fashion.

Sisulu said this requires a concerted effort to bring up a holistic approach, and to minimise incidents of illegal invasions and evictions.

We must emphasise that whatever plans we are putting in place are for those who are genuinely distressed and not opportunists. We will screen all those invading land to see if they are in distress and assist them accordingly. However, those who have broken the law have to face the consequences, Sisulu said.

She also appealed with landlords not to carry out evictions.

We all understand that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in people losing their jobs, and has hit already destitute communities particularly hard... We need to practice Ubuntu and make arrangements with those whose income security has been affected, the Minister said.

The meeting came just a few days after the Minister met with community leaders in Khayelitsha and surrounding areas to understand the causes of the recent unrest in the City of Cape Town.

The Minister has also been consulting with various Ministries and other stakeholders in order to address human settlements challenges in the city, which recently resulted in land invasions and evictions.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Police officers prevent monks and activists from commemorating the fourth anniversary of Kem Ley's murder in Phnom Penh, July 8, 2020.

Cambodias government regularly utilized the countrys laws to impinge on fundamental freedoms, rather than to protect them over the past year, according to the latest edition of an annual report compiled by three local rights groups.

The Fundamental Freedoms Monitoring Project (FFMP) on Wednesday released its Fourth Annual Report of the Cambodia Fundamental Freedoms Monitor, which detailed the state of Cambodias freedoms of association, expression, and assembly between April 2019 and March this year.

In Year Four, the FFMP recorded persistent restrictions to the fundamental freedoms, carried out by national and local authorities, demonstrating a lack of compliance with international human rights law and domestic law, the initiatives rights groups Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), the Solidarity Center (SC), and ADHOC said in a joint statement accompanying the release of the report.

The RGC (Royal Government of Cambodia) appears to utilize laws, not to protect fundamental freedoms, but rather to curtail civic space and restrict the exercise of fundamental freedoms.

The FFMP said that laws like the Criminal Code, the Law on Telecommunications, the Law on Association and Nongovernmental Organizations (LANGO), and the Law on Peaceful Assembly, amongst others, continue to be arbitrarily enforced and systematically misapplied by authorities in curbing

The report, which is based on nearly 1,200 media articles and 120 incident reports, as well as a survey of some 800 people across all 25 provinces and 142 civil society organizations (CSOs) and trade unions, found that the space to exercise fundamental freedoms continued to shrink in Cambodia last year.

It highlighted the arbitrary uses of the crimes of defamation, plotting, incitement to commit a felony, and falsifying information under Cambodias Criminal Code to discourage public participation and inhibit the exercise of fundamental freedoms, and a decrease in the publics understanding of those freedoms.

In particular, the report noted an ongoing crackdown on political dissentin large part due to the November 2017 ban on the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) over allegations of its involvement in a plot to topple the governmentand the silencing of speech, which it said creates an environment of widespread self-censorship.

Restrictions and violations

The FFMP, which works in cooperation with the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law (ICNL), recorded a total of 656 incidents related to the exercise of fundamental freedoms. It said two-thirds of all incidents included one or more restrictions or violations of those freedoms, while 440 involved at least one restriction and 246 involved at least one violation.

In one recent example of what rights groups have decried as an assault on freedom of expression, 17 CNRP activists have been held in pretrial detention at Cambodias Prey Sar Prison on charges of incitement to commit a felony since early this year after voicing views critical of Hun Sens leadership and his governments response to the coronavirus pandemicmost notably in March.

But the FFMP said it had documented 245 restrictions on freedom of expression and 103 violations of the freedom during the reporting period, which also included the summonsing of former opposition members and a crackdown on those voicing support for the return from self-imposed exile of CNRP acting president Sam Rainsy in May and September last year.

It said the government seems to be particularly intolerant of speech regarding its officials, policies, or Hun Sen, which often results in a lack of public debate on important policy matters.

The FFMP recorded 338 restrictions and 186 violations of the freedom of association between April 2019 and March 2020, noting peaks again in May during the summonsing of former CNRP members and in September and October ahead of Sam Rainsys failed return, but also in July 2019, with restrictions around the anniversary of political commentator Kem Leys murder.

The groups noted that restrictions to freedom of association seem to be often used to target political dissent and to curtail civil society.

The FFMP said freedom of assembly, which is frequently exercised by those advocating for land rights and by employees calling for rights in the workplace, was the most protected freedom during the reporting period, with the fewest number of restrictions and violations.

The groups counted 53 restrictions and 21 violations over the course of 185 assemblies, with peaks in July 2019 around the anniversary of Kem Leys death, but also on International Labor Day in May 2019 and during an increase in employee strikes in January this year.

Public understanding

But while government restrictions and violations of fundamental freedoms remained high over the reporting period, the FFMP said that public understanding of the freedoms was also the lowest recorded since the initiative began.

Similarly, the groups said, knowledge of the domestic legal framework governing fundamental freedoms decreased from previous years.

Individuals continue to believe that laws governing fundamental freedoms are more restrictive than they actually are, they said.

This is likely to prevent the full exercise of fundamental freedoms, and deter public participation and civic activity.

The FFMP said that in compiling its report, it seeks to inform legislative developments that can bring Cambodias domestic laws in line with international standards and to create an environment in which civil society can work freely.

The freedoms of association, assembly, and expression are fundamental for the exercise of all human rights, and paramount to a healthy democracy, the groups said.

Without the ability to exercise their fundamental freedoms, citizens of Cambodia and others living in Cambodia, are prevented from being active members of society and prevented from holding rights violators accountable.

Government response

Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service on Wednesday, Kata Orn, a spokesman for the governments Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC), rejected the report as failing to reflect fact. He denied that Cambodias human rights record is getting worse and said the government implements the law to crack down on crime.

Some issues raised in the report are groundless and lack any investigation, he said.

[The rights groups] surveyed people and then made assumptions without a proper study. Its the wrong way to go about an evaluation.

However, Hun Seanghak, CCHRs coordinator for the FFMP told RFA that the governments relentless crackdown on critics and abuse of freedoms through the use of criminal offenses had lowered the publics understanding of their rights, and led to self-censorship by NGOs and unions.

The government should consider and accept these findingswe arent exaggerating the statistics, he said.

The government should study our report and seek solutions to resolve the issues.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney is accusing the NSW government of being undemocratic and a disgrace after failing to enact a law to eradicate modern slavery two years after it was unanimously passed by Parliament.

Launching a new report on Wednesday which warns the COVID-19 pandemic has put migrants, refugees and temporary visa holders at greater risk of forced labour, Archbishop Anthony Fisher said the government was "stalling for time" after having declared the law a "moral imperative" in 2018.

Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher has accused the state government of disgrace and dishonour for failing to enact an anti-slavery law passed unanimously by Parliament. Credit:Edwina Pickles

"Disgrace and dishonour it has been that for many years our community was blind, deaf and mute to the problem of modern slavery and human trafficking," he said.

"But how much more disgraceful and dishonourable after it has publicly recognised this evil, moved to eradicate it from our supply chains and by other action, and then thwarted such measures apparently so businesses and consumers may continue to benefit from slavery.
Three generations of the Geraghty family have vowed to fight any plan to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on their shop on Main Street, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Speaking to the Leitrim Observer the family said they were left devastated when they discovered there were plans were submitted to see if it is feasible to seek funding to demolish our shop and home in order to build a Destination Centre in the town.

The family, who are celebrating 70 years in business in 2021, have taken to social media highlighting their concerns over the proposal and the lack of communication from the Council.

Speaking to the Observer, Karen Geraghty Prior, granddaughter of the current owner of the property, Kathleen Geraghty, said the family had been shocked to hear from a neighbour that there was such a proposal.

Four generations of our family have lived and worked here and it is my hope to one day raise my own family and grandchildren here as well, she said.

This is more than a business, it has been home to our family for four generations. I live here now and my mother, her sisters and brother were all brought up here. My granny and grandad built this business up over many years.

It has been a complete shock to be told that there is a plan to demolish our family home and business.

She said that the family had been surprised and heartened by the amount of support their petition and campaign had received in a such a short period of time.

It has been very emotional for all of us but especially for my granny, she added.

The family said they had initially been told by the Council that they would be allowed to view the proposal but said that they had since been informed that the information is too sensitive to view explains Karen.

We have been told that we'll have our time to have our say after the funding for the project has been secured but we don't want it to get that far. We are going to fight this, she said.

An online petition page set up in the last week by members of the family states: "We as a family are shocked to discover that the plans were submitted to see if it is feasible to seek funding to demolish our shop and home Geraghtys this was without our knowledge or our consent. We are based in the North West of Ireland in the tourist town of Carrick-on-Shannon in Co Leitrim. Our shop has a deep tradition of trade with artists, musicians, antique collectors, tourists, and our loyal local customers.

We want it known that we did NOT and do NOT give our consent to these plans from the Leitrim County Council. We OBJECT to any proposals on our behalf which involves our property. Any person stating that we the Geraghtys have no objections to these plans are fraudulently misrepresenting.

The family point out their building is of historic significance, adding The building dates to 16th and 17th century Carrick-on-Shannon, it was the original part of the town centre of the historical Main Street.

In a post on the shop's Facebook page, Ella Geraghty, daughter of Kathleen Geraghty said: We very much appreciate and are overwhelmed with all the support that we have received from you; the phone calls, drop-ins, offer of help, the fantastic stories that youve shared, the petition signatures, likes, shares and comments. You have all been amazing and we do so appreciate it all.

The petition is available at https://bit.ly/3f45K6l
Oldham has overtaken Leicester to have the second highest Covid-19 infection rate in England, official figures revealed today.

NHS statistics today showed Oldham recorded 54.3 coronavirus cases for every 100,000 people between July 20 and 26.

The weekly infection rate for the Greater Manchester town has risen by 191 per cent. In comparison, Leicester's outbreak has dropped slightly to 53.2.

Only Blackburn with Darwen is currently being hit worse than Oldham, with the area recording 85.9 cases per 100,000 people in the past week.

Two thirds of new Covid-19 cases in Oldham are among Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, the council said.

Local officials have pleaded with locals to abide by tough restrictions implemented yesterday, in a desperate bid to prevent a full-blown lockdown.

Council bosses have now urged all of the borough's 235,000 residents to not let any visitors into their home for at least two weeks.

It puts Oldham at odds with the rest of England, after lockdown rules were relaxed earlier this month to let people to stay overnight with loved ones.

Everyone living in the Greater Manchester borough has also been asked to keep two metres apart from friends and family when seeing them outside.

Current government advice for the rest of the nation recommends a one metre-plus rule  but people should keep two metres apart where possible.

Officials noted the new guidelines would be 'particularly tough' for the Muslim community who were preparing to celebrate Eid on Friday.

Oldham has 54.3 cases per 100,000 people, data from Public Health England shows, against the 53.2 in Leicester. Blackburn with Darwen remains the leading authority in the country, with 85.9 cases per 100,000

Cases in Oldham appear to be striking people between the age of 20 and 40 years old more than would be expected. Pictured: People in the town centre on July 28

Official NHS statistics show 119 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the week up to July 25 - a four-fold increase from the week before. Pictured: People in the town centre yesterday

Councillors in Oldham are keen to prevent a local lockdown like that seen in Leicester, and have ramped up restrictions to curb growing cases

According to official statistics, cases in Oldham have risen by 191 per cent in the past seven days.

THE 10 PLACES WITH THE HIGHEST INFECTION RATE IN ENGLAND Blackburn with Darwen: 85.9 Oldham: 54.3 Leicester: 53.2 Bradford: 45.1 Trafford: 36.8 Rochdale: 32.7 Sandwell: 30.9 Calderdale: 28.6 Manchester: 22.1 Kirklees: 19.8 NHS figures up to July 26 Advertisement

Some 128 people were diagnosed in the borough between July 20 and 26, according to the NHS.

Trafford, located on the other side of Greater Manchester, has also seen a 235 per cent rise in cases over the past seven days.

It has the fifth highest infection rate in England (36.8 per 100,000), with Manchester in ninth position (22).

Katrina Stephens, the director of public health in Oldham, said the spike was not due to more testing but a 'genuine increase' in transmission, Manchester Evening News reported.

The central and western districts have mostly been affected, and there are 'increasingly' cases in the younger population, particularly among 20 to 40-year-olds, Ms Stephens said at a media briefing yesterday.

A significant proportion of recent cases involve multiple individuals testing positive within a household.

Councillor Arooj Shah confirmed they had seen a rise in cases among Oldham's Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, which account for up to two thirds of overall new cases, New Post Leader reported.

Around 20 per cent of Oldham's population are from Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage, compared to the 2.8 per cent average in England and Wales.

TEN PEOPLE CATCH CORONAVIRUS IN PUB WHERE 200 DRINKERS WERE CRAMMED INTO BEER GARDEN Ten people have caught coronavirus at a pub in a market town where up to 200 drinkers were filmed crammed into beer garden 'like sardines'. Punters and staff who were at the Crown and Anchor in Stone, Staffordshire, between July 16 and 18 are now being told to urgently get swabs done. Anyone who has been in close contact with visitors to the pub is being encouraged to have a test at a new centre set up 350 yards away at the Crown Street car park. And people who were out in Stone on one of those nights who have since displayed symptoms despite not going to the pub have also been told told to get a test. One customer at the pub - which has now shut due to overcrowding - who tested positive is also said to have held a private gathering, causing a further spread. Advertisement

It is known people of an ethnic minority background are at a higher risk of catching Covid-19, and the reasons for this are still being investigated.

There are a number of ideas about why people from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) backgrounds have been harder hit by the coronavirus.

These include that they are more likely to live in poverty, have lower-paid jobs, and live in densely-populated areas of cities and towns, all of which raise the risk of coming into contact with other people who may carry the disease.

Along with other towns with a large Asian population suffering elevated infection rates, public officials and local politicians say large families, often living in small terraced houses and looking after elderly relatives at home, explain the ethnic population's vulnerability to the disease.

There is also concern the way public health messaging is being communicated to areas where English may not be the first language.

Blackburn with Darwen, which is also under tighter coronavirus restrictions to prevent a local lockdown, has also seen the majority of new cases in ethnic minorities.

The day after the council announced new rules, on July 14, a local health chief revealed a staggering 85 per cent of the new Covid-19 infections were among the South Asian population.

Ms Shah said the new guidelines in Oldham may be 'particularly tough' for the Muslim community who were preparing to celebrate Eid on Friday.

She added: 'We haven't got any concerns about people not adhering to guidelines around Eid. I have to stress this isn't anything to do with behavioural issues.'

Religious leaders have reportedly been given 'robust' measures in place to support people with the latest advice.

'There are no concerns around enforcement and we haven't had a need for that so far, that's not the approach we're trying to use,' Ms Shah said.

How cases of Covid-19 have risen in Oldham up until 19 July

The government had dropped Oldham from its most recent watch list of areas of concern, based on data between 13 July and 19 July

Health chiefs are now preparing to launch door-to-door coronavirus testing in some of the hardest hit areas from next week.

4MILLION FUNDING TO INVESTIGATE BAME AND COVID-19 LINK Scientists have been given 4.3million to investigate why black and Asian people are more likely to die from Covid-19. UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health Research have funded six new research projects which will examine the link between coronavirus and ethnicity. Emerging evidence suggests BAME (black and minority ethnic) people are nearly twice as likely to die of Covid-19 than those who are white, after taking into account the age of the individuals and other sociodemographic factors. The six projects are: One will explore the impact of Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, specifically on migrant and refugee groups.

Another will look for ways to create targeted, digital health messages with help from key voices within BAME communities.

The 2.1 million UK-Reach project, which received the largest proportion of the fund, will calculate the risk of contracting and dying from Covid-19 for ethnic minority healthcare workers.

One of the research projects will seek to determine the risk of infection and death from Covid-19 in individual ethnicity groups, combining more than 40million patient GP records in England to create one of the largest Covid-19 cohorts in the UK.

Another project will use data from the UK Biobank, which contains biomedical information of 500,000 individuals, to examine whether the increased risk of developing severe Covid-19 in minority ethnic groups can be explained by differences in health status, lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity, and environmental factors such as social inequality.

The final research project aims to help enable the designers of clinical trials to consider the factors that may reduce the inclusion of BAME participants, such as culture, or trial information and procedures. Advertisement

The approach has been used in Leicester for the first time during the pandemic. The NHS Test and Trace chief Baroness Dido Harding said it takes testing where it is 'needed most'.

To limit further spread, Oldham's council is telling people to avoid contact with others as much as possible and not to invite people into the home.

It puts Oldham at odds with the rest of England, after lockdown rules were relaxed earlier this month to let people to stay overnight with loved ones.

Ms Shah said yesterday: 'We know people across Oldham desperately want to see their friends and family, and get back to normal.

'But these restrictions are essential if we are to stop the spread of coronavirus and prevent a strict local lockdown being put in place, as we have seen elsewhere in the country.'

Everyone living in the Greater Manchester borough has been asked to keep two metres apart from friends and family when seeing them outside.

Current government advice for the rest of the nation recommends a one metre-plus rule  but people should keep two metres apart where possible.

People are still allowed to meet in groups of six as long as everyone is socially distanced and outdoors - which are current national guidelines.

And gatherings larger than six 'should only take place if everyone is exclusively from two households or support bubbles,' Ms Shah has reminded Oldham residents.

Non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants, cafes and hairdressers are still open. But are at risk of closure if national health officials deem it necessary in the coming weeks.

Blackburn with Darwen, which has also seen the majority of new cases in ethnic minorities, is also under tighter coronavirus restrictions to prevent a local lockdown.

Several other places in England are under the careful watch of health officials who are trying to squash cases.

'Areas of intervention' - where there is divergence from the measures in place in the rest of England because of the significance of the spread - include Leicester, Oadby and Wigston, Blackburn and Darwen, and Luton.

A range of measures might be introduced in an area of intervention if officials think it is necessary, such as restriction of travel for anyone other than key workers.

An 'area of concern' is the lowest level on the watchlist. It includes Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Northampton, Peterborough, Rochdale, Rotherham and Wakefield.

The government had dropped Oldham from its most recent watch list of areas of concern, based on data between 13 July and 19 July.

Infections fell slightly during that week. Data shows the town's cases have fluctuated up and down during July.

According to the most recent data, some of authorities with the highest infection rates are not seeing cases slow down.

Sandwell, Calderdale and Manchester have each seen an uptick of more than a fifth.
China reported 101 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, its highest single-day figure in three months, as a local COVID-19 outbreak ravages Muslim-inhabited Xinjiang.

The authorities registered a total of 98 domestic infections, among which 89 were found in Xinjiang, home to the country's most Uighur ethnic minority.

The north-western Chinese region has launched mass testing and quarantine measures after discovering a growing coronavirus cluster earlier this month.

China reported 101 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, its highest single-day figure in three months, as a local COVID-19 outbreak ravages Muslim-inhabited Xinjiang. The picture shows a girl receiving a nucleic acid test for the coronavirus in the north-eastern Chinese city Dalian

Urumqi, a city of 3.5million in China's western Uighur region, recorded five new confirmed cases today after registering its first COVID-19 infection in five months on Thursday. The file picture taken on June 21 shows a group of Uighur women working at a garment factory in a resettlement area in Yecheng county of China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region

Fears have arisen that a COVID-19 outbreak erupting China's Xinjiang could infect millions of Uighur allegedly detained inside the region's 're-education camps'. The file picture reportedly shows detainees in a Xinjiang re-education camp located in the far western Chinese region

It comes as fears have escalated that the health crisis could infect millions of Uighurs who are allegedly detained inside the region's 're-education camps'.

Xinjiang, where the Uighurs live, has been battling a fresh coronavirus crisis that has infected nearly 300 people, including a range of ethnic minorities, according to the country's Vice Premier Sun Chunlan.

China - where the global outbreak first emerged - had largely brought domestic transmission under control through targeted lockdowns, travel restrictions and testing. But sporadic regional outbreaks have illustrated the difficulty of keeping the virus at bay.

The last time it recorded so many new cases was April 13, when 108 infections were confirmed - mostly imported.

A worker in protective suit measures the body temperature of a woman at the entrance to a residential compound after a local COVID-19 outbreak was detected in the city of Urumqi

This photo taken on May 31, 2019 shows watchtowers on a high-security facility near what is believed to be a re-education camp where mostly Muslim ethnic minorities are detained

China reported 101 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, its highest single-day figure in three months with the bulk of infections being found in Xinjiang, the Chinese Muslim-inhabited region in north-west. A medical collects a swab from a man in Urumqi, Xinjiang on July 19

Authorities have concentrated their attention on a cluster which emerged last week at a food processing plant in Dalian, in the northeastern province of Liaoning. Officials said workers there handled contaminated packaging of imported seafood.

Fifty-two cases have been confirmed in the major port city in the past week, of which 30 involved employees at the factory.

More than three million people have been tested in Dalian and Zhao Lian, head of the city's health commission, said Wednesday that enclosed public venues -- including libraries, gyms, bars, museums, restaurants and spas -- would be closed.

During an inspection tour to the city this week, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan urged local authorities to increase oversight of imported goods, as well as of any people leaving Dalian, state news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday.

'The task of prevention and control is still arduous, and there should be no slacking,' Sun was quoted as saying.

Following a June outbreak in Beijing which infected more than 300 people, Dalian authorities are using a similar targeted approach to implement virus control measures on different districts of the city based on their risk levels.

In total, 84,060 people have been infected with coronavirus in China, of whom 482 remain hospitalised. There have been 4,634 related deaths, according to an official count.
QINGDAO, China, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SOS Limited, (NYSE: SOS) (formerly China Rapid Finance Limited, the "Company") today announced its plans for the future after it has settled on the west coast of Qingdao.

SOS Limited, through its operating subsidiary, SOS Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("SOS") is a high-technology company providing a wide range of services to its corporate and individual members, including marketing data, technology and solutions for emergency rescue services. SOS is focused on the research and development of big data, cloud computing, Internet of Things, blockchain and artificial intelligence. We have created a SOS cloud emergency rescue service software as a service (SaaS) platform with three major product categories, including basic cloud (medical rescue card, car rescue card, financial rescue card, mutual assistance rescue card), cooperative cloud (information rescue center, intelligent big data, intelligent software and hardware), and information cloud (News Today, E-Commerce Today). This system provide marketing-related data, technology solutions, and technology-driven big data to clients such as insurance companies, financial institutions, medical institutions, healthcare providers, auto manufacturers, security providers, senior living assistance providers and other service providers in the emergency rescue services industry. SOS has obtained a national high-tech enterprise certification, the title of "big data star enterprise" awarded by Gui'an New District Government, and has registered 11 software copyrights and 2 patents.

As previously disclosed, on July 17th, 2020, SOS officially entered into a cooperation agreement with Qingdao West Coast New District Management Committee, a branch office of the Qingdao government, for the relocation of the Company's headquarters.

According to the cooperation agreement, SOS will invest in building a financial data cloud headquarters in Qingdao. The Company's aim is to build a comprehensive main headquarters encompassing the fields of investment, health management, insurance, financial factoring, emergency rescue, and data cloud center. The total planned investment is estimated to be around US$1 billion, and the first phase of the investment will be around US$50 million. Present at the signing ceremony were Mr. Yonghong Sun, Deputy Mayor of Qingdao city, Mr. An Zhou, Mayor of the West Coast New Area, Mr. Yandai Wang, the CEO of the Company, and Messrs. Jonathan Zhang and Wenbin Wu, independent directors of the Company.

In the next five years, we aim to create a complete ecological rescue, insurance, and safety testing service system, and enter India, Europe, the United States and other populous countries to create an international rescue service. Through big data and cloud computing service platforms, we plan to improve the entire internationalized rescue service, insurance, security testing, intelligent software and hardware, big data, cloud computing and other intelligent service systems.

About SOS Limited

SOS Limited (NYSE: SOS) is a holding company providing marketing data, technology and solutions to the emergency rescue services in China. The Company provides a wide range of services to its corporate and individual members in China through its operating subsidiary, SOS Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("SOS"). SOS also provides various types of membership cards to individual members in large corporations as part of employee benefits. Its products include SOS Medical Rescue Card, SOS Auto Rescue Card, SOS Financial Rescue Card, and SOS Life Rescue Card. SOS utilizes cloud and other cutting-edge technologies to provide marketing solutions in a new fashion, including its app based mobile platform, cloud call centers and large data centers. SOS has contractual service agreements with major banks, insurance companies, internet companies, and telecom providers in China.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "plan," "outlook," and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include timing of the proposed transaction; the business plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties once the transaction is complete, and XRF's estimated and future results of operations, business strategies, competitive position, industry environment and potential growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. As a result, caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Due to known and unknown risks, our actual results may differ materially from our expectations or projections. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact our expectations and projections can be found in our periodic filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. XRF's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. XRF disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE SOS limited
In an era of Instagramable weddings, this couple reminds everyone that all you need to be married is an officiant and each other.

Nikola Kovalenko, 32, and Stefan Ponova, 31, were married on July 27 in a ceremony on the Brooklyn Bridge. The wedding did not include friends or family members.

MORE: Taylor Swift gifts 'Folklore' cardigan to Kobe Bryant's 17-year-old daughter

We knew that the family and friends would not be able to join us for the celebration. So we decided to make the ceremony as private as possible just for us, which we did. And we didn't invite any guests or even a photographer, said Kovalenko.

There was also no photographer on hand, but the intimate ceremony was captured by Twitter user nevona, who took to Twitter and tagged Spectrum News NY1's Jamie Stelter and Pat Kiernan for help identifying the couple. The tweet has since gone viral on Twitter, garnering more than 137,000 likes since July 26.

if you were getting married on the brooklyn bridge this evening, ive got some photos for you! pic.twitter.com/c61eDmAIaM  nevona (@nevona) July 27, 2020

At first we were a bit confused because I guess we didn't think it was that special. You know, people get married all the time, said Kovalenko.

But then we realized what it symbolizes, and we were reading all those comments under the picture and feeling so much love and support and good energy from friends and strangers alike. And then we realized that in some way we are, I guess, extending our love to everyone else, like including everybody else in the love bubble, she added.

PHOTO: Nikola Kovalenko, 32, and Stefan Ponova, 31, were married on July 27, 2020 in a ceremony on the Brooklyn Bridge. (Courtesy Nikola Kovalenko and Stefan Ponova)

The two met last June in Colombia and have since traveled the world together, climbing mountains in Patagonia, visiting Egypt and hiking the Inca Trail, said Kovalenko, who is an artist focused on environmental activism.

MORE: This drive-in movie wedding is too breathtaking for words

Story continues

We were dancing salsa and we had this amazing connection, but the next morning very early, I already had a bus to go to the next town," she said. "I had jokingly said that if he wants to continue talking, then maybe he could just meet me at the bus station and go with me. When I went to the terminal at 6 a.m., he was already there with a backpack."

On June 26, Ponova proposed and a month later the two married on an unplanned day with no expectations of a wedding day, said Kovalenko.

PHOTO: Nikola Kovalenko, 32, and Stefan Ponova, 31, were married on July 27, 2020 in a ceremony on the Brooklyn Bridge. (Courtesy Nikola Kovalenko and Stefan Ponova)

The only planned part of the day happened to be the location and the time. The two decided on the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset because they felt like a bridge is great symbolism for their love and life together. The couple and the minister arrived in masks, but removed them for the vows and practiced as much social-distancing from others as possible, said Kovalenko.

As for the future, the two hope to travel soon to celebrate with family in Europe, but for now, they are just enjoying each other.

First of all, we started with a honeymoon, right? When we have a chance we would like to visit our family because they're so happy for us and they would like to embrace us. We would like to have a bigger celebration when possible and we also will never stop traveling, said Kovalenko.

Stranger photographs couple's Brooklyn Bridge wedding and Twitter helps find them originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Two thought leaders from Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. will host an online session at the 2020 Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) Annual Conference. The session will take place on Thursday, July 30 and will focus on the 2020 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey: Performance Drivers, providing valuable insights on the factors of the legal industry transformation.

The 2020 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey: Performance Drivers, which was released earlier this year, gauges the legal industry's future readiness and resilience. The survey examines ongoing trends in the legal sector and organizations' ability to drive higher performance. In the upcoming session at SEALS, Nicole Pinard, Vice President & General Manager of Legal Education at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. and Ken Crutchfield, Vice President and General Manager of Legal Markets at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. will examine the survey's results, including observations about the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts on the legal sector. Pinard will discuss the most important takeaways from the survey for law school students and graduates, while Crutchfield will cover key findings for corporate legal departments.

"We are pleased to join the program for SEALS Annual Conference to discuss the performance drivers that are shaping the legal industry," said Pinard. "We look forward to exploring the results of the 2020 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey to facilitate a conversation around the future of the industry and how law school students can prepare for that future."

"We are excited to share the results from the 2020 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Lawyer Survey at the 2020 SEALS Annual Conference," said Crutchfield. "Our survey provides valuable information on the factors impacting the future of the legal profession, and we look forward to sharing insights on the most practical findings for law students, recent law school graduates, and professionals in corporate legal departments."

The online session will take place on Thursday, July 30 at 12 PM ET. To register for the 2020 SEALS Conference, click here.

SEALS is a regional association of law schools that hosts an annual meeting that highlights legal educator panels and discussion groups that focus on pedagogy. The Annual Conference is intended to give law professors an opportunity to enhance their classroom teaching.

About Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with advanced technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2019 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

For more information about Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., visit www.WoltersKluwerLR.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Linda Gharib

Director, Communications

Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Tel: +1 (646) 887-7962

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Related Links

http://www.WoltersKluwerLR.com


PHOENIX, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Health tech start up BuddyCheque has partnered with Swift Aviation to provide real-time employee health data to inform safer decisions at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport. BuddyCheque's app, ConfirmD, provides decision makers with up-to-date employee COVID-19 test results helping to ensure safety for associates and customers alike. Swift's Chief Operations, Kevin Burdette, said of ConfirmD, "We're happy to have the ConfirmD app as a way to keep our employees and our clients safer as we maintain our critical operations during this unprecedented time."

The Swift Aviation fleet and facility at Phoenix Sky Harbor.

Swift Aviation is a leading fixed-base operator (FBO) at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, boasting a fleet of luxury private jets, while also providing aircraft maintenance and fueling. Swift Aviation is a member of the Air Elite global network of exceptional FBOs delivering "Diamond Level" customer service. The COVID-19 pandemic has had dire consequences for the air travel industry, with only 20% the number of travelers as last year flying this year.

Despite the challenges, Swift Aviation is confident in their response and ability to protect their team and customers. Burdette says, "In addition to daily protocols and testing, we view ConfirmD as the third leg of the safety stool. It not only lets the employee have control of their status, but is an important tool to get the business world operating safely."

BuddyCheque is led by Arizonans Dr. Ramsey Kilani, MD and Bob Ramsey, as well as Karl Wagner, and Alex Chatel. They recognized the lack of a platform for verified and accessible test results, sharing the same visions for health security and connecting and empowering individuals. The ConfirmD app offers individuals a platform to capture, track, and voluntarily share their provider-verified health information and COVID-19 test results. ConfirmD provides a portable, HIPAA-compliant health data solution to individuals and enterprises.

ConfirmD users begin by validating their identity using best-in-class verification methodologies. Users then have their COVID-19 tests, whether virus (PCR and antigen) or antibody (kit or blood serology), verified by an authorized medical professional. Results reports are accessible through secure QR Codes, which users can share with employers, public venues and stores, and other third parties. All information is securely stored using leading data protection solutions, exceeding compliance of all related standards.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put major stresses on individuals and businesses, and the inability to easily access and share healthcare information has decreased resiliency and the capacity to rebound. As leaders are tasked with the challenge of understanding how to safely reopen, ConfirmD provides a data-driven solution that allows individuals and enterprises to make information-based decisions.

Find ConfirmD online at https://www.confirmd.io.

Contact:

Ben Dlin  Senior Marketing Manager

[email protected]

https://www.confirmd.io

Related Files

ConfirmD Press Kit.pdf

Related Images

swift-aviation-at-sky-harbor.png

Swift Aviation at Sky Harbor

The Swift Aviation fleet and facility at Phoenix Sky Harbor.

SOURCE BuddyCheque
HARTFORD  The state Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved legislation to allow mail-in voting for the Nov. 3 presidential election for voters who want to avoid crowded polling places during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sen. Dennis Bradley, D-Bridgeport, was the lone dissenter in the 35-1 vote after he criticized a culture of absentee ballot shenanigans in his hometown, particularly remembering an election he lost when 60 votes were recorded from an empty lot.

Although the bill was on-track to be easily approved, conservative state Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott wasnt going to let the imminent action get in the way of his arguments against the legislation. The ranking member of the Government Administration & Elections Committee, he warned that tampering and election fraud could be encouraged by the statewide distribution of absentee ballots.

Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, and Sen. Will Haskell, D-Westport pushed back against the charges during the first of four debates scheduled for the business day, including a wide-ranging police accountability bill that forced an all-nighter in the state House of Representatives last week.

Flexer, who recently gave birth to a girl, used her newborn as a way to stress the need for mail-in balloting during the coronavirus pandemic that has caused concern among many state residents who are afraid to go into crowded places such as polling place.

They know that that is the most-important duty that they have as American citizens, Flexer said.

Voters, she said, will not have to choose between the health of themselves and their families, and their right to vote, if the bill passes.

The Democratic majority in the Senate is 22-14, which was identical to the vote against Sampsons first amendment, defeated an hour and 20 minutes after the debate started. During votes, senators entered the chamber from their caucus rooms a few at a time, touched the voting buttons on their desks, then returned to their Capitol offices.

Custodial crews regularly cleaned surfaces in the Senate during the afternoon.

Current state law limits absentee ballot eligibility to people who are actually ill, out of town on business, in the military or have a religious conflict. During the early stages of the pandemic, Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order allowing for mail-in balloting for the August 11 Republican and Democratic primaries. The bill, which is expected to be signed by the governor, would allow people who are afraid of becoming ill to use absentee ballots in November.

Sampson criticized the tactic by House leaders who adjourned the special session last Friday morning after the passage of the last bill, giving the Senate no choice but to either approve or defeat the four bills as written and approved in the House.

That concerns me, because there are changes I would like to see made to this bill, Sampson said, who still planned to submit amendments. I am going to support this bill anyway, he conceded, after Haskell took over the lead of the debate. The public should realize that this bill is not just about allowing people to vote based on having COVID-19 as a concern and being able to obtain an absentee ballot. It is really chock full of unrelated and even contrary items.

Sampson questioned whether the bill is actually needed.

What this legislation addresses is the folks who havent been diagnosed with COVID-19, Haskell said. Perhaps theyre immuno-compromised. Perhaps they are elderly. Perhaps theyve just been watching the news and are fearful about entering into a crowded polling location. People are thrilled about the opportunity to vote from home, said Haskell, vice chairman of the committee.

State policies seem to indicate that it is safe for at least some people to gather as long as they are wearing a mask and remain socially distant? Sampson asked Haskell.

Just because something is safe for some, does not mean that it is safe for all, Haskell said. Sampsons two amendments failed.

Bradley said he was worried about corruption. Very oftentimes there is manipulation, trickery and full-out deception in the absentee ballot process, he said. He said that absentee ballot procedures have reached dysfunction levels in Bridgeport. We have to protect the electoral process in this country.

Last fall, Bradley, a lawyer, represented a city employee in the court case challenging Mayor Joe Ganims Democratic mayoral primary victory over state Sen. Marilyn Moore.

Even supporters of the bill had critiques, stressing that it is only going to be in effect for the November election.

With I support this bill I am not satisfied with it, said Sen. Alexandra Kasser, D-Greenwich, adding that local officials wont be allowed to start counting the results of absentee ballots until the morning of Election Day. This bill will last less than 100 days and in only limited circumstances, she said.

"This should be a first step, not a last step however, said Secretary of the State Denise Merrill after the vote. According to recent polling, there is a broad and bipartisan consensus - Connecticut voters want to be able to vote more conveniently, through Early Voting and No-Excuse Absentee Ballots, every year, not just in 2020, just like the voters in 43 other states.

But overall, leaders said it is a step toward wider voter reforms to be discussed in the 2012 legislative session. This bill has been a long time coming, said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. In this pandemic, it only makes it more important that we get this done today, he said. Were in very unprecedented times right now so its important for us to listen and lead.

The reality is our people are frightened, said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven. He called Lamonts earlier executive order reasonable and prudent and needs to be extended to November, as Lamonts emergency powers will expire in September.

But Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, disagreed with Secretary of the State Merrills decision to send applications for absentee ballots to every registered Republican and Democrat in the state in advance of the primaries. Theres a problem tracking these, Fasano said. There are people who are going to be disenfranchised by her actions, not our actions.

Voting on the bill, following the three-hour debate, was delayed because Flexer, the new mother, drove home a half hour a way to tend to her infant. While waiting for her to return, Senate began debate on a bill that would expand coverage for telehealth services. When she returned, the first vote was the telehealth legislation, which passed 35-0.

By 5 p.m., the Senate had completed the third of four bills, legislation that would lower insulin costs for diabetics, capping prices at $25 a month. The bill passed 35-1 with Sampson the lone vote against the measure. All three head to Lamont for final action.

The most controversial bill, on police accountability was on track to be debated later in the afternoon or evening.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
By Trend





Azerbaijani Azercosmos OJSC satellite operator has signed a cooperation agreement with Prime African Media Systems company, which operates in the field of telecommunications, providing satellite solutions and telecommunications services, Trend reports citing Azercosmos.

Under the agreement, Prime African Media Systems will broadcast ATN TV in the West African region using the capabilities of the Azerspace-2 satellite.

With the infrastructure capabilities of Prime African Media Systems, we will provide innovative satellite solutions for complex geographic locations in the African region," said Mark Guthrie, Commercial Director of Azercosmos.

"This is a great opportunity for us to project and present African stories from an African perspective. The opportunities for us are endless to educate, uplift and empower African generations with this satellite solution from Azercosmos," said Victory Khan, Chief Technology Officer of Prime African Media Systems.
Cash-strapped Hong Kong developer Goldin Financial Holdings said it had found a new buyer for its waterfront residential plot in Kai Tak, less than two weeks after agreeing to sell the property to an offshore buyer. The change of mind comes with an immediate loss of HK$450 million (US$58 million).

Chen Zhuang Rong, a mainland businessman, is the new buyer of the site, Goldin said in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange late on Thursday evening. According to Tianyancha, a Chinese company information search platform, Chen owns stakes in eight Chinese companies, none of which is listed.

Goldin signed an agreement on Monday to sell the asset known as Kai Tak Area 4B Site 4 in Kowloon for HK$3.477 billion to yet another little-known entity called Yan You, it said in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing on Wednesday. The new deal comes with a profit-sharing plan for residential units and parking spaces in the former airport runway site, it added.

The about-turn suggests a scramble for some of Goldin's prized land bank in the city as the developer controlled by billionaire chairman Pan Sutong seeks to fend off hostile creditors. The company's distress is the first major trouble to unfold from the cracks in Hong Kong's property market, stemming from the US-China trade war, social unrest and the coronavirus pandemic.

Goldin Financial Global Centre in Kowloon Bay, one of the group's key assets worth at least HK$15 billion. Photo: Handout alt=Goldin Financial Global Centre in Kowloon Bay, one of the group's key assets worth at least HK$15 billion. Photo: Handout

"We have different interested parties who were willing to give better offers than the one we announced a week ago," a person close to the deal said, declining to be identified. "It allows the group to fetch a higher price with the profit-sharing plan."

Goldin is no stranger to self-inflicted damages arising from a series of U-turns related to its venture in Kai Tak redevelopment plan. The developer bought the land for HK$8.91 billion in a government tender in late 2018, and attempted to sell it to a private company in May for what would have been a record loss in local market history.

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In June last year, it walked away from its winning bid for a commercial plot in the former airport site, known as Kai Tak 4C Site 4, and forfeited a HK$25 million deposit.

The latest deal unveiled on Wednesday values the Kai Tak land at a 2.6 per cent premium over its net adjusted value, versus a 23.6 per cent discount under the previous agreement, according to the filing. It will offer Goldin a 30 per cent share of excess profits from the sale of residential units priced at HK$29,000 per square foot, and 30 per cent of the revenue from car parking spaces.

"Land in Kai Tak has been sought after among developers," said Kenny Tang, chief executive of Royston Securities. "Goldin has been forced to sell the site at a bargain because of its financial problem. The site will attract different cash-rich suitors."

Goldin will return HK$2.872 billion to the undisclosed buyer in the previous transaction signed on July 17 for the HK$2.5 billion upfront cash and other fees, a sum that includes associated fees and the termination of buy-back options. In all, Goldin expects to lose HK$450 million from the aborted deal, the filing shows.

That previous arrangement came after the board appointment of Gerald Ma Lai-chee, a top lieutenant from CK Asset Holdings controlled by the family of Hong Kong's most-famous billionaire Li Ka-shing. His presence stoked speculation the flagship was eyeing some of Goldin's assets at beaten-down prices.

In a separate announcement on Wednesday, Goldin also said undisclosed creditors stepped up their pursuit on July 24 by seeking court approval to gain access to some of the company's accounts and keys to its premises, after appointing their own receivers over the units that owed the creditors.

The creditors issued letters of demand earlier this month, seeking the immediate repayment of loans amounting to about HK$1.542 billion and US$250.7 million.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
When I received the email from my editor that Michael Kagan, a graduate of the Bethlehem school district, had published his first book, I immediately wrote back that I wanted to interview him. I was Mikes seventh-grade English teacher back in the late 1980s, and I remembered him fondly.

I knew that he had gone to Northwestern University after graduation and eventually to law school, but I had lost contact with him after that. From the email I learned that he was now a law professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the director of the UNLV Immigration Clinic, which defends children and families from deportation.

His first book The Battle to Stay in America: Immigrations Hidden Front Line, (University of Nevada Press, $27.95) will be published on Aug. 11.

Growing up in Delmar I didnt have much contact with immigrants, said Kagan. I didnt see the integral role they play on a daily basis in our society. This is something I wanted to get across in the book, that immigrants are often invisible in our society and this makes them vulnerable. Its easy to attack them and make them a political bargaining chip.

He ended up in this field of law because his wife had relocated to the Middle East and the first job he got out of law school was working with a refugee rights organization in Cairo, Egypt. I did that for 10 years, and that job allowed me to see the world through the eyes of an immigrant.

Working with the powerless and helping people in need was a value his parents instilled in him when he was a kid growing up. My parents always emphasized where our family came from, and that had a profound impact on me. In 5th grade we did a family history project. I got in contact with my great grandmother Eva who came to the United States in 1905 when many Jews fled the pogroms occurring in Eastern Europe. She wrote me a letter describing how she was hidden as a little girl in the oven during one of the attacks when something bad happened to her mother. That image has always stayed with me.

What Kagan loves about his job at UNLV is that its not a conventional legal academic position. Im not purely in the ivory tower. Im practicing law and running a clinic, which is like a teaching hospital for lawyers. We dont have a lot of resources to defend immigrants here and sometimes they are middle school-aged kids who are desperately hoping to not be deported. We offer as much support as we can to help their cases, and Im glad to devote so much time to them, but it has taken a personal toll on me. The mental health of most immigration lawyers right now is not very good.

As a law professor it is essential for him to publish articles in law reviews to maintain his job. Those articles are of interest to a limited number of people, but in the summer of 2018 I found I just had to write something different. I was haunted by something my daughter had said the day Trump won the election in 2016.

His two daughters are both adopted from Ethiopia, and his oldest daughter began sobbing that she would now be deported with a Trump administration. He attempted to explain to her that she was a legal citizen and that she would not be deported, but his daughter burst out, Daddy, thats just a piece of paper.

Kagan wanted this book to be accessible to people who arent experts in immigration law. He wanted people to come away from it with a better understanding of how the immigration system works and why it has this cruel effect on people. And I wanted to show the fear that even legal residents like my daughter feel in this country today.

Like many lawyers Kagan has dreams of being the hero to save people from an unjust situation. But that has usually not come to fruition very often. Im not Thurgood Marshall, and I have yet to accomplish what I came here to do, but with this book I wanted to tell the story of some of the amazing people I have around me, other lawyers Ive worked with and some activists who do so much for the immigrant community.

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Kagan said its a very desperate situation for many families living with an undocumented immigrant. Many of these people have escaped unspeakable violence in their homeland, and every day is a battle for these people to just stay here," he said. And yet the Trump administration talks about merit-based immigration which means only people with an advanced degree in computer science or engineering have merit, and thats incredibly offensive.

In the book Kagan is also critical of the Obama administration. Obamas immigration policy was complicated, but it evolved over time. In the first term they were very harsh at the border especially with children. They deported many people at that time, but in his second term they began to stop the harassment of undocumented workers that had not committed a serious crime. You could also call someone in his administration to stop the most cruel and unfair deportation.

He said that, under Trump, that no longer works. This is an administration that is seeking out cruelty such as putting kids in cages, and there is no longer anyone to call for help.

He said writing this book has been both cathartic and exhausting. Writing it was necessary for my mental well-being, and I hope the people Ive written about, the lawyers, the activists and the immigrants, will be pleased in how I captured their dedication. On many levels I feel like Ive gone to war with them in trying to work with people that no one else will.

Kagan continues to fight every day for his strong beliefs, which is similar to what he was like as a seventh-grader at the Bethlehem Middle School. I remember we were doing a class newspaper and I wrote an editorial about why we shouldnt have had to attend school when every other school in the area had a snow day. I even grilled the superintendent for thirty minutes in the library, face to face. To me it was like an absolute scandal and we needed some accountability. I was 13 years old, and I made that superintendent sweat a bit. It might not have been the most heroic issue in the world, but that taught me you can stand up to power and theres a valuable lesson there.

Jack Rightmyer, an adjunct English professor at Siena College, is a regular contributor to the Times Union.
Police detectives on Wednesday arrested a Hialeah supermarket security guard who fired at a seafood shoplifter speeding away in a car, wounding two young girls sitting in the backseat.

The security guard, Leonardo Morales Gomez, is being charged with two counts of attempted manslaughter with a deadly weapon for injuring the two children. For the attack on the adults, Morales was initially charged with shooting a deadly missile into an occupied conveyance. But after speaking to more witnesses, authorities on Wednesday afternoon upgraded that shooting charge to two counts of attempted murder.

Authorities believe surveillance video shows that the shoplifter was driving away  and was not a threat  as the guard squeezed off one round from his pistol.

The girls mother, Angela Pupo, who was a passenger in the getaway car, has also been arrested, on two counts of child endangerment and one count of petty theft. Her daughters were in the backseat; their injuries are not life-threatening.

According to a Hialeah police report, Pupo initially told officers that they were shot at by two black males, but later admitted the shooting happened during a plan to steal seafood from the Rey Chavez food market.

Morales, 50, and Pupo, 32, were booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Wednesday. The suspected shoplifter himself has now been identified as Stedman Amaya, 39; detectives on Wednesday afternoon were searching for him.

Pupo has an extensive criminal history, with previous convictions for petty theft, grand theft, burglary and attempted home invasion robbery, among others, records show.

The bizarre story began on Tuesday afternoon when Pupo showed up at Jackson Memorial Hospital with her daughters, ages 6 and 8. Both had been wounded in the lower body.

The hospital called Miami-Dade police. She initially told police officers that she was driving near Northwest 19th Avenue and 60th Street, when she heard gunfire and realized her daughters had been shot.

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Stedman Amaya

Suspicious detectives pressed her. She finally admitted that the shooting took place outside the Rey Chavez Food Distributors, 780 West 17th St., in Hialeah.

Her partner was Amaya, who has been in and out of Florida prison repeatedly over the past decade for convictions including grand theft, fleeing, burglary and eluding police. Pupo agreed to go with Amaya to steal crab legs from the supermarket, in her car, according to a Hialeah police report.

Amaya walked into the store, selecting a box of lobster tails worth $199. According to an arrest report, he decided against buying the box  but moments later, snatched them from a shopping cart and ran out.

Morales chased the man as he got into the drivers seat of the blue Toyota Corolla and drove off. At this point, the defendant pointed the firearm at the vehicle and discharged one round into the vehicle, Hialeah Detective F. Perez wrote in an arrest report.

When questioned by police, Morales said he never saw a firearm, observe an overt movement, and the vehicle never attempted to run him over, the report said.

One bullet hit the 6-year-old in the knee. Shattered glass apparently punctured the thigh of the 8-year-old.

The defendants actions placing the victims in danger during the commission of a crime resulted in the victims receiving serious injuries, Hialeah Detective Jose Elosegui wrote in his arrest report.

Pupos story that two Black men shot at her was reminiscent of another high-profile Miami case.

In May, Patricia Ripley, 47 and Hispanic, told police that two Black men ran her car off the road, then kidnapped her severely autistic son, Alejandro. But unlike Morales, she stuck to her story repeatedly, sparking a statewide Amber Alert.

Detectives eventually determined that Ripley pushed Alejandro into a canal, where he drowned. She is awaiting trial on a host of felonies.
Jim Dey, a member of The News-Gazette staff, can be reached by email at jdey@news-gazette.com or by phone at 217-351-5369.
Alabama will move forward with the reopening of schools under the mandate that students grades second and above must wear facial coverings.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced today the states mask order, in place since mid-July, will be extended through Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. The order, designed to slow the spread of coronavirus, was set to expire at the end of July.

These decisions are not easy and they are certainly not fun and theres no way in the world youre going to make everybody happy 100% of the time, Ivey said. Because no one enjoys wearing a maskI believe we are making progress in this arena. We must remain vigilant if were going to get our kids back in school and keep our economy open.

The update to the Safer at Home order requires masks in schools and colleges - where possible - for employees and students in second grade and above. More importantly, it signals the state wont step in to prevent schools from reopening for in-person learning with some schools planning to bring students back to class as early as next week.

Ivey encouraged schools to move ahead with phased openings of in-classroom learning.

We need to do everything we can to get our students back in the classroom, she said.

Other school systems have opted for virtual learning for up to 9 weeks as the state continues to see increases in coronavirus cases.

The order states a face covering must be worn in public when in close contact with other people. Specifically, it stipulates Alabamians must wear a mask when within 6 feet of a person from another household; in an indoor space open to the public; a vehicle operated by a transportation service such as Uber; or an outdoor public space where 10 or more people are gathered.

Today, with the support of Dr. Harris, I am extending our current #SaferAtHome order until the end of August with a few minor modifications. Learn more here: https://t.co/DzV9Z2zxTP. @ALPublicHealth #TogetherAL #alpolitics 1/5 pic.twitter.com/vKovuFtpjp  Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) July 29, 2020
Photo: Miriam Halpenny

The provincial government is increasing anti-hate and anti-racism community support in B.C.'s Interior.

"There is no place for racism and hate in British Columbia. To fight racism and hate crimes, we must work together in a co-ordinated way in communities in every corner of the province," said Anne Kang, Minister of Citizens' Services and responsible for Multiculturalism. "These community organizations will lead action at a local and regional level to respond to and prevent racist and hate activity."

After a competitive process, the Resilience BC program has selected 34 organizations to provide services in 40 communities throughout the province.

"No community is immune to racism, and we know that racism in B.C. can't be addressed effectively with a one-size-fits-all approach," said Michelle Mungall, MLA for Nelson-Creston. "Everyone in B.C. should feel safe, comfortable and accepted where they live. That's why our government is supporting organizations doing community-based work and developing local solutions to combat racism and discrimination in communities all around the province."

Five organizations in the Interior will receive $67,500 as part of a total of $300,000 from the Resilience BC annual budget:

North Okanagan Social Planning Society (Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton/South Okanagan, Salmon Arm/Shuswap and Kamloops)

Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre Society (100 Mile House)

Okanagan College (Revelstoke)

Cranbrook & District Restorative Justice Society (Cranbrook and East Kootenay)

Nelson and District Arts Council (Nelson and district)

"We recognize that as a rural arts organization in a predominantly Caucasian region, it is our responsibility to not only provide safer spaces and opportunities for Black-, Indigenous- and People of Colour-led programming, but also to work toward deeper organizational change," said Sydney Black, executive director, Nelson and District Arts Council.

"We understand that anti-racism work is constantly adapting and growing and part of a lifelong process. We are grateful to the government for this support through the Resilience BC program to make our communities more inclusive."

Resilience BC, launched in November 2019, as a province-wide anti-racism network to help support diversity and end racism in British Columbia.
Human rights report details 'heartbreaking' accounts of women detained in DPRK

28 July 2020 - Women forcibly returned to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are subjected to torture, ill treatment, sexual abuse, and other violations, according to a report published on Tuesday by the UN Human Rights office.

The study is based on 100 first-hand accounts by North Korean women who said they were beaten or suffered other individual or collective punishment while in detention between 2009 and 2019.

The women eventually managed to escape the DPRK, more commonly known as North Korea, and gave detailed interviews to staff from the UN rights office, OHCHR.

Heartbreaking stories

"It is heartbreaking to read these stories of women who fled their country looking to make ends meet, but who ended up being punished. These are women who have often been the victims of exploitation and trafficking who should be taken care of, not detained and subjected to further human rights violations," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet. "These women have a right to justice, truth and reparation."

Although the DPRK effectively bans citizens from travelling abroad, women undertake dangerous journeys to pursue work or a new life abroad.

They often fall into the hands of human traffickers, who push them into cheap bonded labour or sexual exploitation, and even forced marriage.

'Traitors' systematically punished

On return to their homeland, the women are detained by State authorities and sentenced to imprisonment, often without a trial, or after proceedings that do not meet international standards for due process.

The report revealed that returnees, particularly "traitors"  the label frequently given to those who have attempted to reach neighbouring South Korea, or contacted Christian groups  are systematically punished and subjected to numerous human rights violations.

One witness who had escaped to China recounted her harrowing experience.

"I was beaten with a club by a preliminary investigation officer and was kicked by the officer. The treatment was particularly harsh at the Ministry of State Security. If one is found to have gone to a South Korean church while staying in China, they are dead. I therefore tried hard not to reveal my life in China. I was beaten up as a result. I was beaten to a level that my rib was broken. I still feel the pain," she said.

Inhumane conditions, malnutrition and death

The women also spoke of the inhumane, overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in detention, where they were under constant surveillance by male guards.

They had little or no access to daylight and fresh air, insufficient food, and were denied access to facilities and items required for women's specific hygiene needs. Because they were malnourished, some suffered irregularities with their menstrual cycles.

"During my time in prison about five to six people died. Most of them died due to malnutrition," one woman told UN Human Rights staff.

Detainees were regularly beaten or otherwise tortured, including for failing to complete the hard manual labour assigned to them.

Forced nudity, invasive searches

Witnesses said they were subjected to forced nudity and invasive body searches. Some reported sexual violence by guards, or seeing other detainees subjected to sexual violence.

Several women said that in some cases, prison officials sought to cause pregnant detainees to abort, either by beating them or making them do hard labour.

The practices documented in the report are in violation of the DPRK's obligations under international human rights law, the authors stated.

'Systematic' violations

"These accounts show once again the systemic nature of human rights violations in the DPRK, and the need to keep seeking pathways to proper accountability for such crimes", said Ms. Bachelet, the UN Human Rights Chief.

"The UN Human Rights Office will continue to gather evidence of this kind to support a process of criminal accountability, whenever and wherever possible."

The report concludes with recommendations calling for the Government to bring the detention system into line with international norms and standards.

Other recommendations include ensuring that all citizens are guaranteed the fundamental right to enter and leave the DPRK, and that anyone returned or repatriated there is not subjected to imprisonment or other punishment.

The report further urged other countries not to repatriate North Koreans if there are substantial grounds for believing they would face serious human rights violations. Other States were also asked to support any process to investigate whether crimes against humanity, and other international crimes, have been or are being committed, in the DPRK

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is warning Americans not to plant unsolicited packages of seeds that appear to be arriving from China.

States stretching from Washington to Virginia have also told residents not to put the seeds in the ground, after they arrived in the mailboxes of people who did not order them. Officials said the seeds could grow invasive species that threaten crops or livestock.

The USDA said on Tuesday it was collecting the seeds and would test them to determine if they were a concern to agriculture or the environment. The agency is working with states and the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection to investigate the packages, according to a statement.

The USDA said it had no evidence the shipments are something other than a "brushing scam," in which people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales.

The packages "appear to be coming from China," according to the USDA. On Monday, the agency said it was "aware that people across the country have received unsolicited packages of seed from China."

Relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated this year to what experts say is their lowest level in decades over issues ranging from trade and technology to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday China's postal service strictly abides by restrictions on sending seeds.

Records on the packages appear to have been falsified, according to checks by China's postal service, which has asked for them to be sent to China for investigation, he said at a daily news briefing.

U.S. states, including Washington and Alabama, labeled the shipments as "agricultural smuggling." Photos distributed by state agriculture departments show seeds of different sizes, shapes and colors in white or yellow envelopes.

State officials said some packages were labeled as jewelry and may have contained Chinese writing. They asked recipients to keep the seeds in sealed plastic bags until authorities collect them.
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Linkedin Eisya A. Eloksari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, July 30 2020

Telkom University, an institution affiliated with state telecommunication firm PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), is hosting a local community lab that promotes research for shared telco infrastructure as the country aims to boost network connectivity and internet penetration.

The community lab is being run in partnership with global telecommunication collaborative Telecom Infra Project (TIP) and the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA).

The universitys president, Adiwijaya, said that having shared telecommunication infrastructure, such as the open radio access network (ORAN), could promote wider and faster connectivity.

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It is with deep regret that I learnt of the passing of Professor Owen Arthur, the former Prime Minister of Barbados.

During his tenure as Prime Minister for an unprecedented three consecutive terms from 1994 to 2008, Professor Arthur used his considerable intellect and economic skill to further the development of Barbados and the Region. His devotion to his native Barbados resulted in his tenure being the longest among Barbadian Prime Ministers.

He was a strident regionalist and a relentless advocate for the advancement of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). As then CARICOM Lead Head of Government for the CSME, he worked very closely with the CARICOM Secretariat in efforts to advance the process. In that regard, he was instrumental in the establishment of a Secretariat Office in Barbados dedicated to the initiative. He also worked assiduously to encourage the private sector to become more engaged in the work to make the CSME a lived reality.

Professor Arthur was a strong advocate of functional co-operation which he viewed as fundamental for the success of the integration movement. As Chair of CARICOM, he was the driving force behind the Needham Point Declaration of 2007, which positioned functional co-operation both as a priority and one of the principal means of distributing benefits among the Members of the Community.

Professor Arthur continued his interest in the development of CARICOM and the integration process after demitting office. In 2010, he produced a major study for the Community on the Integration of Belize and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) into the CSME.

During his mission to Guyana to observe the Elections last March, he found the time to visit the Secretariat Headquarters, where I engaged with him once again. Our discussions about the Community and the CSME demonstrated his on-going passion and concerns for the Region.

His commitment to regionalism has been maintained with his work at the University of the West Indies (UWI), as Professor of Practice: Economics of Development and more recently as Chairman of the Board of LIAT.

From his student days at the UWI to his untimely passing, Professor Arthur has been an unstinting champion of the Region and of integration.

On behalf of the Community, its Secretariat and on my own behalf, I extend heartfelt condolences to his wife Julie, his children, and to you Prime Minister, and the Government and People of Barbados. The country and the Region have lost a most eminent son.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 21:05:03|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Over 13,200 people have been sampled for nucleic acid tests in an outlying district in Beijing after two new domestically-transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported there, a local official told a press conference Wednesday.

One case was related to confirmed cases in Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province where clusters of new infections were reported, and the other is one of the patient's family members. They both live in a densely-populated community in Changping District, said Wu Bin, deputy chief of the district.

As of Wednesday noon, a total of 606 residents at the same building had been tested for nucleic acid and all were negative, while 12,649 nearby residents had also been sampled with no positive cases reported so far, Wu said.

Wu said that relevant departments have acted quickly to launch epidemiological investigations. Samples were taken at residential premises and venues the patients had visited, and the results were negative.

The building where the patients live is now under isolated management, and daily necessities are being allocated for those under home-based observation. Enditem
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have let slip the name of a new venture, after papers detailing the shutting down of their Sussex Royal charity revealed they plan to change its name to the MWX Foundation.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex agreed to stop using their 'Sussex Royal' brand after officially stepping away from The Firm on April 1 this year.

Their departure - nicknamed Megxit - prompted talks with aides, which ended with the aggrement that they would be unable to use the word 'royal' as part of any of new branding.

Now paperwork published about the winding-up of their 'Sussex Royal The Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' cause said it would change its identity.

Meghan and Harry have already announced their Archewell charity but no mention of MWX

New publicly available paperwork showing the Sussex Royal Foundation's new name

Companies House documents state: 'The charity's name be changed to the MWX Foundation'.

The papers also show the Sussex Royal Foundation had 99,000 in the bank and how it will cost 16,000 to wind up the good cause.

They also show that the charity was owed 200,00 from an unknown source.

Financial expert Robert Leach, who looked over the publicly available documents, told MailOnline: 'I have never heard of a company changing its name while it is being would up.

'It does take a little bit of time to wind up a company though, so perhaps it's a break from the 'Royal' name for that period.

The Sussex Royal logo for the charity, which incorporate the letters H and M in the design

Previously Harry, Meghan, Kate and William had been involved in the Royal Foundation

'The Companies Act 2005 section the papers quote is simply the procedure for changing a company's name. A name may be changed for any reason. The most commons reasons are because the existing name has become toxic, because it no longer represents what the company does, or because the name is not permitted.

'In this case, it is probably the latter. Many terms require permission from someone to be used in a company name. The word 'royal' is strictly guarded.

'It is unusual to have a figure for 'receivables' in a charity account as that indicates sums owed but not yet paid, such as an invoice not yet paid.

'Charities rely on donations which are not sums legally owed before being paid.

'The fact that the sum is a round figure of 200,000 suggests that whoever it is coming from is making periodic payments, possibly with future payments to the new charity.'

The Duke of Sussex speaking during a sustainable tourism summit about Travalyst in February

This is not the first time the MWX brand has been linked to the couple.

They established the company MWX Trading Ltd last August, naming their lawyer, Gerrard Tyrrell, as its secretary.

Natalie Campbell, who worked for their charitable foundation Sussex Royal, is the director.

They registered it at Companies House and have already used the business to apply for trademarks, which included the name Travalyst.

Sussex Royal was also the title of their Instagram page and their website, which still bear the name.

The couple used their social media to put out visits, talks and speeches the couple were attending and delivering.

One of the Instagram posts showing the The Duchess of Sussex visiting Victoria Yards

They said of the July transition: 'The Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not plan to start a 'foundation', but rather intend to develop a new way to effect change and complement the efforts made by so many excellent foundations globally.

'The creation of this non-profit entity will be in addition to their cause driven work that they remain deeply committed to.

'While The Duke and Duchess are focused on plans to establish a new non-profit organisation, given the specific UK government rules surrounding use of the word 'Royal', it has been therefore agreed that their non-profit organisation will not utilise the name 'Sussex Royal' or any other iteration of 'Royal'.'

After announcing they were launching a new charity Archewell in the US back in April, the couple said they were 'looking forward' to getting started with the foundation, which will replace their Sussex Royal brand.

Harry and Meghan also revealed the Greek word in the project Arche  meaning source of action  was the inspiration behind the name of their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

The final stage in Sussex Royal's closure begins amid the fallout from the Finding Freedom biography, which has exposed the resentment and mistrust that led to Harry and Meghan quitting as working royals.

Documents filed for the Sussex foundation on July 7 gave a new service address for Harry and Meghan at Buckingham Palace, following their decision to base themselves in Los Angeles.

It also emerged that an error at Companies House had meant that the prefix of Meghan's name was initially filed as 'Dr' even though she has never been a doctor. The error was quickly corrected after it was spotted.

Harry and Meghan have been reported to be planning to shift their emphasis on to helping other charitable endeavours and good causes such as their new Archewell foundation which still has to be properly launched.

They are also said to be keen on promoting Harry's eco-tourism scheme 'Travalyst'

The company - which has been set up independently - hopes to help the hard-hit tourism industry survive the coronavirus crisis and to promote more sustainable forms of travel and holidays.

It brings together some of the biggest operators in the travel industry - including Visa, Booking.com and Skyscanner - to help travellers pick low carbon options more easily and chose destinations that will have more benefit to local communities.

Responding to media reports back in April about Archewell, the duke and duchess said they were focusing their efforts on the coronavirus pandemic but felt 'compelled' to reveal details of the venture.

A spokesman for Meghan and Harry did not respond to a request to comment about MWX when contacted by MailOnline.
Grassroots knowledge from Indigenous people can help to map and monitor ecological changes and improve scientific studies, according to Rutgers-led research.

The study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, shows the importance of Indigenous and local knowledge for monitoring ecosystem changes and managing ecosystems. The team collected more than 300 indicators developed by Indigenous people to monitor ecosystem change, and most revealed negative trends, such as increased invasive species or changes in the health of wild animals. Such local knowledge influences decisions about where and how to hunt, benefits ecosystem management and is important for scientific monitoring at a global scale.

"Scientists and Indigenous communities working together are needed to understand our rapidly changing world," said lead author Pamela McElwee, an associate professor in the Department of Human Ecology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "Many Indigenous peoples have unique abilities to notice ecosystems altering before their eyes by using local indicators, like the color of fat in hunted prey or changes in types of species found together. Scientists wouldn't be able to perform these kinds of observations over the long run for many reasons, including costs and the remoteness of some areas. So Indigenous knowledge is absolutely essential for understanding the cumulative impacts of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation."

Indigenous and local knowledge is the practical information that people use to manage resources and pass on between generations. Such knowledge benefits conservation initiatives and economies that depend on natural resources in vast areas of the world.

The study follows the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services released last year by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. That report was the first global ecological assessment to use Indigenous and local knowledge as a source of evidence.

The new study, by researchers at many institutions who were part of the global assessment, provides background on how the report tapped into Indigenous knowledge systems and lessons learned. Working with these local sources of information in ecological research and in management requires a deliberate approach from the start, additional resources and engagement with stakeholders reflecting diverse worldviews, McElwee said.

"Partnering with Indigenous peoples can help scientists and researchers understand how natural and cultural systems affect each other, identify trends through diverse indicators and improve sustainable development goals and policies for all," she said.

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Vidyut Jammwal, who shot for Yaara in 2014-15, believes that this is the right time for it to release. Ahead of the films release on July 30 on Zee5, he told Hindustan Times in an interview, When the time is right, things happen, and I believe this is the right time for Yaara to release. Why it took so much time, I have no idea. Maybe it was meant to be releasing at this time. That is the way I think of it. For me, to work with a director like Tigmanshu Dhulia was the idea and I was fortunate enough to work with him. I am very happy with the way things are.

Yaara, a licensed adaptation of the French film A Gang Story, has friendship at its core and also stars Amit Sadh, Vijay Verma and Kenny Basumatry. The camaraderie shown on screen is a reflection of the actors real-life friendship. Talking about his brilliant equation with his co-stars, Vidyut said, We are friends from the time we started shooting the film till today. We had a few Zoom interviews recently and people have commented saying, Its amazing to see people being so normal. We were at ease with each other. Its quite cool to have friends like these.

While director Tigmanshu Dhulia had mixed feelings about a direct-to-digital release for Yaara, Vidyut is quite happy. I believe that whatever happens, happens for the best and this is how it is. Everyone is just excited that the film is releasing. We all know we did such a phenomenal job, we made such great friendships. I am talking on my behalf, I am very proud and there is no disappointment. The whole nation can watch the film, lots of countries will get to see it. I am happy, he said.

Another film of Vidyuts that is heading straight for a digital release is Faruk Kabirs Khuda Haafiz. Last month, the actor called out streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar for not inviting him or anyone from the team for the digital press conference to announce their new line-up. 7 films scheduled for release but only 5 are deemed worthy of representation. 2 films, receive no invitation or intimation. Its a long road ahead. THE CYCLE CONTINUES, he had written on Twitter.

A BIG announcement for sure!!

7 films scheduled for release but only 5 are deemed worthy of representation. 2 films, receive no invitation or intimation. Its a long road ahead. THE CYCLE CONTINUES https://t.co/rWfHBy2d77  Vidyut Jammwal (@VidyutJammwal) June 29, 2020

I read about the release and when I realised we werent invited, the first thought in my head was the question I tweeted, verbatim. Disney did not reach out to me in context to why and what but I must tell you that the country reached out to me and that is a bigger achievement than anything else. The response was amazing. I felt very proud of the fact that people have belief in me. Thats more important than anything else, he told Hindustan Times.

Vidyut, who made a name for himself without any connections to the film industry, said that it was very difficult as an outsider. Of course, it is very difficult. My father was in the Indian Army and I have grown up in an army environment. I didnt know anything about the industry, the only thing I knew was the craft that I had, which is training in martial arts - kalaripayattu. I had an ambition for it to reach where it is supposed to, that is, everyone should know about it because it is the mother of all martial arts. From kung fu to karate to jujutsu, everything has come out of it. I came with an ambition like that. I started doing very imperceptible roles in films, I worked as a stunt guy. For me, it was only about that and I am still on that path. Nothing can deter me. About the insider-outsider debate, yes, of course, it is a different world altogether but you need to be ready for this world, he said.

When asked if he ever lost out on films because of groupism in Bollywood, Vidyut said that as a trained martial artist, he is used to being hit but knows how to bounce back. I operate in a very different mode. My answers might not be the way you expect them to be. I am a trained martial artist. I have fought in the rings since the age of seven, professionally. The point here is, I am used to being hit and thrown down but that does not stop me or affect me. When you are a martial artist, you are ready to be hit. I must have experienced these things but the ultimate idea is to win the fight and the fight is to just stand every time you fall. I have done it all the time. I must have experienced it, I must have gotten wounded but I let it pass, he said.

Also read | Ranvir Shorey says he is a cynical man now: Nothing really changes, theatre game is going to go back to the same

Recently, Vidyut became the only Indian actor to be part of the list 10 People You Dont Want To Mess With in the world, an achievement he is extremely proud of as he brought glory to the country. You know what the funny thing is? I read about this a week back, when it came up on my Facebook page. I saw this article and there was this very monstrous looking man in the photo and when I first saw it, I thought bohot ajeeb-ajeeb se log honge, people who break walls with their heads and all that. I didnt even go into that and I moved on to the next thing that I was reading. A few days later, my fanpage tweeted to me saying, Sir, you are on the list. I have to tell you, the excitement of going through the list was so much because I was like, Dude, am I one of them? I didnt aspire to be but then I saw the list and I felt very proud of myself and that I represented the nation, he said.

This is the second time I have done it. I was the top martial artist in the world also last year. When your name gets associated with your country, it is bigger than anything else, so I felt very proud, he added.

Call him one of the best action stars in the country, and Vidyut corrects you. I am the top action star in the world. You are a journalist, you need to be careful. Someone just asked me sometime back, they gave me an option of five stars from India This is out of great respect to you, by the way He said, Who do you think is your competition? You cant say that. The world is saying that I am the top martial artist in the world. You cant put me in any category. People have to be careful. This is out of great respect, I need you to know this. Last year, I got awarded for the best action in the world by Jackie Chan, who is the biggest action star in the world. It was national news. When people still ask me these questions, I find it a bit weird. I really do, he said.

Last year, at the Jackie Chan International Film Week in China, Vidyuts film Junglee won two awards - best action sequence choreographer and special jury prize for best action family film.

Vidyut is proud of his action star image and does not worry about being typecast in a certain image in the film industry. I have been put amongst people like the President of Russia. Do you really think I would think, Oh my God, I hope the industry doesnt typecast me? No. If you excel at something and you are known for it, you should work even harder so that people dont get disappointed and thats what I am doing, he said.

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Neena Gopal By

While all eyes are on Chinas intrusions into Ladakh, where its military seeks to aggressively enforce the 1960 claim line, the hitherto unarticulated motive behind Beijings bid to block India from having a free run on its near complete Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie road link from Leh to the DBO airbase may stem from an altogether more complex challenge further south.

With one attack after another by Baloch insurgents on Chinese targets now spilling over into Sindh, the latest being the June 29 four-man assault by the Balochistan Liberation Army on the Karachi Stock Exchange (40% of which is owned by a consortium of three Chinese bourses), Beijing is growing increasingly nervous over Pakistans inability to curb the raging Baloch insurgency that has put the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project at risk.

As inept as the KSE attack may have been, giving rise to speculation that it was a false flag operation by Islamabad to tar India with the Baloch terror tag, the November 2018 attack by the BLA on the Chinese consulate in Karachi was an early warning that despite the drop in the number of attacks by Baloch separatists, the anger among ordinary Balochis over the rising number of disappearances is unlikely to dissipate.

China is not taking any chances. In sealing off Ladakh after the June 15 clash, the Peoples Liberation Army has ensured it now controls access right up to the so-called Y-Nallah at the strategic confluence of the Galwan-Shyok rivers. In effect, Indian forces will be denied unfettered access to the Karakoram Highway, Pakistan-held Gilgit Baltistan, Tibet and Kashgar in vulnerable Xinjiang, where India could fish in troubled waters given that the native Uighurs are being intimidated into silence with forced sterilisations and disappearances. And for all of Indias bluster on retaking Aksai Chin, military strategists are now having to factor in the new realitya twin pincer threat posed by China and Pakistan working in tandem to pin India down on both its western and eastern borders.

The CPEC, which runs from Xinjiang through Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab to the sprawling port city of Gwadar in Balochistan, is integral to the Chinese President Xi Jinpings flagship Belt and Road Initiative. But its import may well be far wider, with India not only caught napping on Chinas ingress into the Galwan Valley, but also blind to how far Beijing will go to secure its interests. The warm water port of Gwadar and access to the Indian Ocean is central to the BRI, as it secures Chinas quest for an alternative land and sea route if the Indo-Pacific maritime sea lanes through the Malacca Straits and the South and East China sea are thwarted by the coming together of a new-found alliance of nations ranged against it.

But in a demonstration that China sees the need to step away from the threat posed by the belligerent Baloch, Xis two-ocean strategy of securing the Indo-Pacific as well as the Indian Ocean region with a Plan B unfolded last week when the nimble-footed Chinese not only cocked a snook at the US by pitching to buy Iranian oil but also leaked details of plans to invest in the Iranian port of Chabahar that India has long had an eye on. Irans quibble over building the railway line to Zahedan delivered the final coup de grace to a waffling Delhi, caught between jeopardising longstanding ties with Tehran and the new-found commonality of interests with Washington.

The challenge ahead for China will be how it navigates the treacherous waters of the Gulf, where a link up with Iran could mean it has to cut ties with Irans enemy and Americas main ally in the region, Saudi Arabia. Pakistan runs the danger of angering the Saudis and the UAE, who have kept the Pakistan economy afloat. Iran and Pakistan, long suspicious of each other over terror groups Jundullah and Jaish-e-Adil that foment trouble in Balochistan and Irans Sistan Balochistan province, must also find a new equilibrium.

For China, Chabahar may not be the well-established port cities that Gwadar or Karachi are, where it has built container terminals, and nuclear and coal power plants. But unlike the other naval outposts in its zone of influence such as Kyaukpyu in Myanmar, Colombo and Hambantota in Sri Lanka, and even Djibouti, both Gwadar and Karachi are under threat from Baloch separatists, casting a shadow over the big prize, CPEC. The Iranian port on the critical Straits of Hormuz could be Chinas new fallback port of choice. And in the continuing geopolitical outflanking of India, Afghanistan could be next.

As America goes into election mode without completing the drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan or the peace talks with the Taliban, China is looking at building greater links with Kabul by investing in its natural resources and connecting through the tiny sliver of landthe 46-mile Wakhan corridor through the Wakhjir Passon the historic Silk Road. Despite the harsh terrain, China has quietly built a road network that connects Kashgar to Islamabad and into Central Asia. Security analysts believe the greater import is that it presages a wider Chinese military footprint, if American troops leave as planned.

Indias foot-dragging on capitalising on the weakest link in China and Pakistan must therefore end. In 2016, with a mention of the Baloch peoples aspirations in his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the hopes of Baloch leader Brahmadagh Bugti, grandson of Nawab Bugti (hunted down and killed by former Pakistan president Pervez Musharrafs forces in 2006) and Hyrbyair Marri. Both were seeking asylum in India and a bully pulpit from which they could launch a vocalnot armedcampaign for an end to the use of CPEC as a means to keep their people under subjugation.

Under the Imran Khan government, voices of dissent have been brutally silenced. The mutilated body of Baloch journalist Haji Abdul Razaq, who disappeared four months ago, was found days ago. Four social workers of Ost, the Balochistan-based welfare organisation who have peacefully protested the disappearances, have not been heard from. Pakistan believesas does Chinathat with alleged Indian spy and former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, accused of espionage in Balochistannot terrorismthey have a tool to keep India off balance. Perhaps its time for Delhi to shed its reticence and play the Baloch card. Or risk being geopolitically outflanked by the enemy in the north.

Neena Gopal

Independent journalist and author (neenagopal@gmail.com)
Maharashtra State Board (MSBSHSE) will release the Maharashtra 10th result 2020 today (July 29) at 1 pm on its official website mahresult.nic.in.

An official statement released by the Maharashtra education board stated the date and time confirmation for the announcement of Maharashtra SSC result 2020.

Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad had earlier informed that the Maharashtra SSC result would be declared anytime before the month-end.

Once officially declared, the Maharashtra SSC Class 10 result 2020 will be made available online on the official websites - mahresult.nic.in 2020, maharashtraeducation.com, and mahahsscboard.maharashtra.gov.in.

Students can also check their SSC10th class result by using SMS. All they need to do is type an SMS in the specified format: MH<exam name> <Seat No.> and send it to 57766. Your result will be received on the same number after some time.

Students are suggested to keep their roll number ready to check the Maharashtra SSC result 2020.

A few days ago, Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad also said that the Maharashtra SSC result will be released by the end of July.

Around 17 Lakh students appeared for the board exams this year. This year, exams were scheduled to be conducted from March 3 to March 23.

However, the geography exam could not be held due to the coronavirus induced lockdown across the country.

Students need to score an aggregate score of 35%, and t least 20% marks in the theory to pass in a subject. About 17 lakh students had registered for the board exams this year. This year, the Geography exam could not be held due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 induced lockdown across the country. The board has decided to grant marks for the Geography subject on the basis of internal assessment.
Alex Wong/Getty; Doug MIlls/The New York Times/Pool/Getty Dr. Anthony Fauci (left) and President Donald Trump

Donald Trump jokingly expressed confusion that his approval rating isn't as high as Dr. Anthony Fauci's when it comes to the handling of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Speaking to reporters during his press briefing Tuesday, Trump, 74, said that while he's glad Fauci, 79, is accepted by the public, he finds it "interesting" that the country's approval of his handling of the pandemic doesn't match that of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director.

"I get along with him very well and I agree with a lot of what he's said," Trump told reporters.

"It's interesting: he's got a very good approval rating. And I like that, it's good," Trump said, pointing out that Fauci is "working for this administration."

"He's working with us," Trump said. "We could have gotten other people. We could have gotten somebody else. It didn't have to be Dr. Fauci. He's working with our administration. And for the most part we've done what he and others, and Dr. Birx and others, who are terrific, recommended."

Alex Wong/Getty Images Donald Trump

RELATED: President Trump's National Security Adviser Tests Positive for COVID-19 but 'Has Mild Symptoms'

Trump sarcastically added that his own rating should be higher  and blamed his low rating on his own personality.

"And he's got this high approval rating. So, why don't I have a high approval rating with respect  and the administration  with respect to the virus? We should have it very high, because what we've done in terms of  we're just reading off about the masks and the gowns and the ventilators. Numbers that nobody's seen. And testing at 55 million tests," he said.

Trump called the disparity in approval of his administration and Fauci "curious."

Story continues

"So it sort of is curious. A man works for us, with us, very closely, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx also, highly thought of, and yet  they're highly thought of, but nobody likes me. It can only be my personality, that's all."

According to an ABC News/Ipsos poll released earlier this month, 67 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Trump has handled the coronavirus pandemic.

Shutterstock Dr. Anthony Fauci at the White House on April 22.

RELATED: Barron Trump's School Not Resuming Classes Like Normal This Fall Despite Trump's Push to Reopen

A Quinnipac poll showed earlier this month that 65 percent of Americans had faith in Fauci, though 52 percent of Republicans expressed distrust in the physician, according to a report from The New York Times.

Trump's comments Tuesday came in response to a reporter's question about a tweet he sent out on Monday that called Fauci a "fraud" that was later removed, according to CNN.

Fauci appeared on Good Morning America Tuesday and said that he does not read Trump's tweets and "will continue to do my job no matter what comes out."

"Because I think it's very important. We are in the middle of a crisis with regard to an epidemic, a pandemic. This is what I do. This is what I've been trained for my entire professional life and I'll continue to do it," Fauci said, per CNN. "I have not been misleading the American public under any circumstances."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 05:59:01|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday urged the United States to stop politicizing the Syrian humanitarian issue and to immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Syria.

China has always adopted a constructive and responsible approach in dealing with the issue of cross-border humanitarian mechanism for Syrians. In fact, it is the United States that should reflect on its actions, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

In addressing the cross-border issue, the United States voted six times against reasonable draft resolutions and amendments aimed at narrowing differences and finding solutions, he told a Security Council virtual meeting on Syria's humanitarian situation.

If the United States truly cares about the humanitarian situation in Syria, it should stop politicizing the humanitarian issue, stop putting up a hypocritical political show. If the United States truly cares about the humanitarian situation in Syria, it should immediately lift unilateral sanctions against the Syrian people, instead of creating groundless excuses. If the United States truly cares about the humanitarian situation in Syria, it should stop hegemony policy, regime change and bullying practices in the Middle East and other parts of the world, which had led to endless chaos and instability, said Zhang. Enditem
Hong Kong has suspended the implementation of agreements on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with Canada, Australia and Britain, respectively.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Tuesday in a statement that it has issued notices about the suspension to consulates of those countries in Hong Kong.

A government spokesman said that to safeguard national security through the enactment of laws is an international practice as the three countries all have put in place relevant legislation and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding their national security and sovereignty.

However, those countries used the enactment of the national security law in Hong Kong as an excuse to suspend the agreements on surrender of fugitive offenders with the HKSAR, he said, stressing that such action smacks of political manipulation and double standards.

The HKSAR government strongly objects to the moves as they posed a gross interference in China's internal affairs and a grave violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations, the spokesman said.

The wrongful act of Canada, Australia and Britain in politicizing juridical cooperation has seriously damaged the basis of juridical cooperation between the HKSAR and them, he said.

With the authorization and assistance of the central government, the HKSAR government has conducted close and effective law enforcement cooperation with those countries based on the principle of mutual assistance and reciprocity, the spokesman said.

Despite the suspension of agreements with those three countries, the HKSAR has established a comprehensive cooperation regime and will as always uphold the principle of mutual assistance and reciprocity, and carry out law enforcement cooperation with other members of the international community, the spokesman said.
BROOKFIELD, Wis., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hydrite Chemical Co., an integrated manufacturer and supplier of chemicals and related services, is pleased to announce the schedule for their 2020 Food Safety Training Program.

As an alternative to the typical classroom style training offered previous years, Hydrite will be conducting their food safety and sanitation technical training program in a virtual environment in 2020 as a result of the ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19).

Kara Baldus, Food Safety Program Manager for Hydrite. Kara will be the Lead Instructor for the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), Preventive Controls for Human Food (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual), and Introduction to HACCP Plan Development Training.

The training program includes Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), Preventive Controls for Human Food (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual), and Introduction to HACCP Plan Development Training. The online training dates are August 18 - 20, 2020, October 6 - 8, 2020, and December 8 - 10, 2020.

Kara Baldus, Food Safety Program Manager for Hydrite, commented, "We are offering an exciting online training program filled with a ton of content and engaging learning opportunities. This is a great platform to also discuss issues the food industry is facing in response to the impact of COVID-19. I am looking forward to teaching the course and building connections with the attendees."

Kara Baldus will be the lead instructor for Hydrite's food safety and sanitation technical training program. Kara has over 20 years of training and experience in food microbiology and food manufacturing. She has a background in food microbiology training, microbiology methods, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, and Food Safety Plans. Kara has a B.S. Degree in Bacteriology and Genetics from UW-Madison and an MBA from Edgewood College.

For more information about Hydrite's Food Safety Training Program and online registration, visit: https://www.hydrite.com/Industries/Food-Processing/Educational-Services.htm

As a company with a strong commitment to quality and service, Hydrite Chemical Co. continues to invest in people, research, quality control, and training to offer products and systems that enhance the quality of food supply and help deliver creative solutions.

To learn more, visit www.hydrite.com or call 262-792-1450.

About Hydrite Chemical Co.

Hydrite, a family-owned company established in 1929, is one of the largest independent providers of chemicals and related services in the United States. Headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, Hydrite has a network of manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and laboratories located in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, California, and Texas with nearly 1,000 employees in 25 states. Hydrite owns and operates a private fleet of over 255 units including tractors, van trailers, tankers, and railcars.

Hydrite offers expertise in chemical distribution and manufacturing, food and dairy sanitation, organic processing, liquid sulfites, foam control, water treatment, and compliance management services.

With over 5,000 items in its product portfolio, Hydrite's dedicated chemists, engineers, and technical service staff have extensive knowledge and experience to solve the most challenging formulation problems. Hydrite has a strong commitment to quality and customer responsiveness, and offers superior products and innovative solutions.

Media Contact

Judy Allen

262-792-1450

[email protected]

SOURCE Hydrite Chemical Co.

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First they came for Republicans, and I did not speak out  because politics are my own business.

Then they came for conservatives, and I did not speak out  because I am a moderate.

Then they came for "right-wingers," and I did not speak out  because I certainly was not one of those.

Then they came for racists, and I did not speak out  because I was not a racist.

Then they came for homophobes, and I did not speak out  because I was not a hater.

Then they came for Evangelicals and conservative Catholics, and I did not speak out  because I was not that exact sort of Christian.

Then they came for home-schoolers, and I did not speak out  because my kids went to public schools.

Then they came after the Second Amendment, and I did not speak out  because I did not own a gun.

Then they came after books and movies, and I did not speak out  because I had books and DVDs at home.

Then they came after displaying the flag, and I did not speak out  because I know I'm a loyal American; I don't need to prove it.

Then they censored speakers and sermons, and I did not speak out  because I was secure in my beliefs.

Then they called religion "hate speech," and I did not speak out  because faith is something I consider private.

Then they came for my conscience because other attacks were not working. They tried to make me think I was prejudiced, that my heritage was hateful, that my race is inferior. And I did not speak out  because it is all nonsense.

Then they banned speakers on college campuses, and I did not speak out  because I was not in college anymore.

Then they came for babies, killing them in the third trimester, even right after birth, and forcing citizens, even nuns, to pay for the operations, and I did not speak out  because I did not want to be thought of as mean to pregnant women.

Then they attacked people, throwing bottles and rocks when they shared their opinions, and I did not speak out  because if people were stupid enough to take risks, that was their own fault.

Then they tried to rig elections and frame politicians, and I did not speak out  because "these things happen in politics."

Then they formed a virtual monopoly over news on TV and in print, and I did not speak out  because I have learned to read what I choose and watch what I want.

Then they tried to impeach a president, and myriad lies were uncovered about it, but I did not speak out  because his own administration hardly went after the scoundrels.

Then they came after veterans and patriots, but I did not speak out  because I respected vets in my own way.

Then they came after police, saying they were brutal monsters, and I did not speak out  because I "support our men in blue." You can see my bumper strip if you don't believe me.

Then they rioted in streets and looted stores, and I did not speak out  because I was not one of those poor shop-owners or old folks.

Then they defaced statues and pulled them down, and I did not speak out  because I agreed with my neighbors that it was horrible, just horrible.

Then they freely attacked cops, torched their cars, and occupied police stations, and I did not speak out  because those are not things I would do!

Then they despoiled monuments and public buildings, even memorials to civil rights leaders and the Virgin Mary and Jesus, spray-painting obscenities everywhere, and I did not speak out  because, well, young people and disadvantaged folks have to vent.

Then they came with "health rules" to regiment society, keep kids from school, and freeze the economy, and I did not speak out  because I was still doing OK, me and my family.

Then they came for my kids and neighbors, by politics and the media, telling them what they should approve and what to feel guilty about, and I did not speak out  because I will stick to my own opinions.

Then they came after democracy, rigging polls and votes, insisting on government controls and massive taxes and crazy rules and regulations, and I did not speak out  because, well, there's always the next election.

Then they came after the unions and other groups, and I did not speak out  because I was not a union member.

Then they came with "official vandalism": government-ordered graffiti on signs and slogans on streets, and I did not speak out  because I thought maybe someday they would ease up.

Then they came after school boards and teachers, after librarians, after pastors and priests, and I did not speak out  because I was not a student or a religious nut, you know.

Then there were riots and vandalism in my own town and neighborhood, and I did not speak out  because I was told to be "accepting."

Then my town hall was set on fire, local cops were attacked, and mobs smashed my car in the driveway and tried to break into my house, and I did not speak out  because there was nobody left who would listen to what I had to say.

Then they came for me  and there was no one left to speak for me or defend me.

Rick Marschall is the author of 74 books and, currently, three weekly blogs. A former political cartoonist, he has been editor of Marvel Comics and a writer for Disney and serves as an archivist for the Theodore Roosevelt Center. He has written for The American Spectator; RealClearReligion, and WORLD Magazine.
This is me back in my college days. And this is my roommate, Mark. Together, we founded Facebook in 2004. Now, 15 years later, I think Facebook has grown too big and too powerful. Every week brings new headlines about privacy violations, election interference or mental health concerns. I havent been at the company in over a decade, but I feel a sense of responsibility to account for the damage done. Americans have the power to right the ship through government action. We need new regulations. Its time to break up Facebook. The early days of Facebook tell a classic American story of innovation and entrepreneurship. From our college dorm room, we started a little social network for our friends that exploded in popularity and connected the world. Marks hustle in those early years made it possible for Facebook to dominate our rivals like Friendster, MySpace, Tumblr and many others. These competitors made us better. And then we beat them out. This is how its supposed to work in America. Hard work leads to economic success. You start a small business and compete on the merits to provide a better product. Today, nearly three billion people use Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and theyre all owned and controlled by the same company. Of every dollar spent buying ads on social media, $0.84 goes to Facebook. Its now worth over half a trillion dollars. Thats roughly the size of the G.D.P. of the bottom 65 countries in the world  combined. Its not just that Facebook is a really big social network. Its everything. When a single company dominates any market, they become susceptible to abusing their power. Social networking is like most other American industries. There used to be plenty of healthy competition. But now many industries are controlled by just one or two companies. Companies often create an illusion of choice. You think there are hundreds of beer brands out there, but theyre all made by one or two companies. Why is this a problem? Well, when companies get too big, they get sloppy and careless, and that leads to things like poor privacy practices, enabling foreign actors to meddle in elections, the spread of violent rhetoric, fake news and the unbounded drive to capture more of our data and attention. I often hear people say, Im shutting down my Facebook account. Thank God for Instagram, not realizing that Instagram is owned by Facebook. People are powerless in this situation because theres nowhere else to go. Monopolies stifle innovation. Facebook snatches up competitors by buying them before they get too big. Or, by copying their innovations. Despite all the money and hype being poured into new startups, there hasnt been a single major social media platform launched since 2011. The harm goes beyond he economy though, it goes to democracy itself. When companies become empires, people are stripped of power. Facebooks employees write complex rules called algorithms that decide what you see in your News Feed. Facebook can decide what messages get delivered and which dont. And what exactly makes for violent or inappropriate content. Even Mark himself has said that he and the Facebook team have too much power over speech. Facebook does have a board of directors. But Mark owns the majority of the shares. Unlike the leader of a democracy there are no checks and balances on Facebook. Mark has no boss, and he cannot be fired. Listen, itd be great if Mark can fix this himself. But this, ironically, is a problem he cannot solve. We need the government to intervene with two steps. First, the Facebook empire needs to be broken up. Americas regulated corporate empires before, and we can do it again. This isnt unprecedented and surprisingly, it often boosts the value of these companies in the long run. The Federal Trade Commission can force Facebook to unwind its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. Then well see real competition around social media and digital messaging. Breaking up Facebook isnt a punishment for its economic success. Its a way to guarantee that other new companies can compete. We also need a new government agency to protect Americans from the overreach of Facebook and other companies like it. Think about it. We dont trust airlines or pharmaceutical companies to regulate themselves. We shouldnt trust social media companies either. We need basic privacy protections and the ability for people to move their data around as they please. Right now Facebook makes free speech decisions on its own with little accountability. Instead, we need government to set guidelines, not Facebook employees in Menlo Park. I dont think Marks a bad guy and Ive made this decision to speak out because I feel a sense of responsibility for what Facebook has become. And to be honest, Im angry that Marks obsession with growth led him to sacrifice security for clicks. I think we all want to live in a country where David can take on Goliath, where a kid with a smart idea in a dorm room can start a billion- dollar company. Weve strayed from that ideal, and breaking up and regulating Facebook will help put us back on that path.
By Nic White for Daily Mail Australia

A vegan activist who invaded the field during an AFLW match emerged from court with her mouth taped shut and animal slaughter sounds blaring.

Tash Peterson, 26, ran on to Perth Stadium in the first-ever women's Western Derby on February 15, holding a black flag reading 'right to rescue'.

The serial protester ran around for about a minute before she was tackled by Fremantle midfielder Kiara Bowers long enough for security to catch up.

Peterson walked free from Perth Magistrate's Court with a spent conviction and a $1,800 fine over trespassing charges.

Peterson, 26, ran onto the oval with a black flag that read 'right to rescue' at Perth's Optus Stadium, late in the first half of the Fremantle and West Coast game on February 15

Tash Peterson emerged from Perth Magistrate's Court with her mouth taped shut and animal slaughter sounds blaring, alongside another activist

She and a fellow activist stood on the court steps for several minutes with black duct tape over their mouths holding signs reading 'it's time to listen to the animals'.

Peterson refused to answer questions from reporters while the squeals of cows and pigs being slaughtered in Western Australian abattoirs played from nearby speakers.

'We're choosing not to speak today because we want people to look at what's really happening, we're not here for ourselves,' a third activist said.

'We are just a mouthpiece for the animals and we will not stop until people see what is really going on.'

Peterson told Daily Mail Australia after the protest that her sentence was 'reasonable and expected' but wouldn't deter her from more protests.

'As long as animals are continuing to be exploited, it will not deter me from speaking up for them,' she said.

'If society ignores their screams, we will continue to defend and speak out for them.'

Peterson rose to infamy with a series of stunts in supermarkets where she dressed as an abattoir worker covered in fake blood holding a lamb

Fremantle midfielder Kiara Bowers made short work of Peterson, tackling her and holding her shirt while security guards rushed to detain the vegan activist

Peterson rose to infamy with a series of stunts in supermarkets where she dressed as an abattoir worker covered in fake blood holding a lamb.

Peterson at the time of the Perth Stadium invasion said her arrest was actually helpful to her cause.

'This was an opportunity to be a powerful voice for animals with a big audience and make them listen to us,' she told Daily Mail Australia at the time.

'It's so effective because everyone wants to know 'why are you doing something so insane?' and it gets people talking and thinking.'

Peterson said she was surprised how easy it was to get on to the ground from the grandstand and security were unable to stop her.

'When I first got there I did freak out because it looked like a massive jump, but once I got over the fence it was easy,' she said.

'There was security all around the oval so I was concerned that they were going to get me straight away but I got through.

'It couldn't have worked out better, really.'

In livestreamed footage of the protest, Peterson can be seen jumping the fence onto the oval with her flag in hand.

Peterson leaves an earlier court appearance with a toy lamb under her arm and a sign referencing Australia's bushfire crisis

Australian stadiums have increased security over the years to stop pitch invaders, including stationing guards just metres apart around the fence.

However, Peterson was able to climb over the fence, jump off a ledge, recover from a pulled muscle and start running without being noticed or stopped.

Peterson said her stunt was a success because dozens of people came up to her outside the ground to ask about her cause.

'Some asked what the right to rescue was, many just congratulated me and shook my hand,' she said.

'Two sheep farmers asked me: do I know where my food comes from?

'(It) led to a big conversation on animal rights.'

Peterson said one of the farmers was initially she was very angry but settled down as they discussed it.

'She said many farmers treat their animals well and humanely. I told her that I don't doubt many truly love their animals but in the end they're all sent to have their throats slit,' she said.

'I am not against farmers, I am against the system that has indoctrinated us to believe it is OK and humane to use animals for food and other forms of exploitation when it is unnecessary.'

'As you can see Tash Peterson has just been taken off of the field now. She's likely to be arrested,' the woman recording the video said. Ms Peterson was served a three-year ban from Optus Stadium and pulled a leg muscle from running on the field

DXE posted another video of Ms Peterson, filmed before the match, in which she explained what the groups 'right to rescue' campaign

In livestreamed footage of the pitch invasion, Ms Peterson can be seen jumping the fence onto the oval with her flag in hand.

Wearing tights that said 'vegan booty' and a 'right to rescue' crop top, the activist made a beeline to the centre of the pitch, where she was tackled by Bowers.

DXE posted another video of Ms Peterson, filmed before the match, in which she explained what the groups 'right to rescue' campaign.

The video included footage of Warden carrying the calf he stole around his shoulders.

'My friends rescued a bobby calf named Theodore from a dairy farm here in WA. Theodore was taken to a sanctuary to live out the rest of his life in peace but when the police found out, they took him back to the farm,' Peterson said in the clip.

'Bobby calves like Theodore are often killed at just five days old.'

She was dressed in bloodied clothes and called on the big supermarkets to 'tell the truth about where their meat really comes from'

On Christmas Eve last year, Peterson entered supermarkets with a stereo blasting cow and pig noises - calling on the supermarkets to reveal where their meat 'really comes from'.

Peterson, dressed in a bloodied apron with a fake butchered pig's head under her arm and wearing a face mask, made her protest at Western Australia stores.

The back of her shirt read: 'Your ''food'' fought for their life. That should leave a bad taste in your mouth.'

The 26-year-old held a sign which demanded: 'Coles/Woolworths Tell them the truth.'

Peterson made her way to the butcher section of the supermarkets and stood silently as a stereo blasted sounds of cows and pigs being slaughtered, much to the displeasure of customers shopping for their Christmas meats.

She repeated the stunt days before Australia Day where she spoke against festive bardeques and blamed meat eaters for the bushfire crisis.
Pro-life group releases investigative report on dangers of abortion pill

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The pro-life group Live Action released an investigative report Monday that exposes the dangers the abortion pill poses to women and children.

The report is part of Live Actions new campaign called Abortion Pill Kills, which aims to expose the history of the pill and the abortion industrys plan to expand the drug. It was written in consultation with the American Association of Pro-Life OB/GYNS. The abortion pills official name is mifepristone and it is sold in the United States as Mifeprex.

Im happy that we have this campaign right now to make the nation wake up to the reality of why this industry is dangerous and how dangerous the abortion pill really is, Alison Centofante, Live Actions director of External Affairs, told The Christian Post. People are waking up to the reality of what this pill does.

Weve got a series of videos on our landing page, on our website, she said. One documents the true story behind the abortion pill, it goes through the history of how it came to be and also looking at the financing, the push for its expansion, as well as the future of what the abortion industry wants to do with the pill. The videos are available on Live Action's Twitter page as well.

The report goes into detail about the complications that often result from taking the abortion pill, which include severe cramping, contractions, and heavy bleeding. According to the FDA, women can expect the bleeding to last 9 to 16 days on average, while 8% experience bleeding for more than 30 days.

STOP SCROLLING.



Right now the abortion industry is fighting for the largest expansion of child-killing since Roe v. Wade.



Learn the true story behind the abortion pill and how you can put a stop to the killing.



RT!#AbortionPillKillspic.twitter.com/PDubHGnOL0  Live Action (@LiveAction) July 27, 2020

It also debunks the big lie that abortion pills are safer than surgical abortions. Citing statistics from the FDA, the report points out that the abortion pill caused 24 maternal deaths between 2000 (the year it was approved) and 2018, and contributed to more than 1,000 hospitalizations and more than 4,000 total adverse events.

According to the report, interest groups and individuals seeking to deregulate the abortion pill include the Population Council, which seeks to limit population growth. Donors to the Population Council include Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and the Packard Foundation.

Buffet also funds the Ryan Fellowship, which gives funding to universities and institutions that train abortionists. One such university is The University of California San Francisco, which trains abortion providers through its Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health. The Bixby Center has issued a call to end the excessive regulation of mifepristone.

The release of the report comes just two weeks after a federal judge blocked the FDA from enforcing the requirements surrounding the distribution of the abortion pill. These requirements are known as a risk evaluation mitigation strategy or REMS.

The REMS requires the abortion pill to be administered at a healthcare setting such as a clinic or hospital by a qualified medical professional. Under the FDA requirements, prescribers of the abortion pill must certify that they are capable of dating a pregnancy, diagnosing dangerous ectopic pregnancies, and that they will provide or arrange for surgical intervention in case of failure or complications.

As the report notes, In 2016, under the Obama administration, the FDA extended the period women could take the abortion pill from the first 7 weeks of pregnancy to the first 10 weeks, reduced the required dosage of mifepristone from 600 milligrams to 200 milligrams, and reduced the number of required visits from three to two.

While the United States grapples with the coronavirus, pro-abortion activists had sued to prevent the FDA from enforcing the requirement that abortion pills must be administered at an in-person medical appointment. They believed that making women go to a medical facility to have an abortion during the pandemic constituted an undue burden.

Judge Theodore Chuang agreed. His ruling blocks the FDA from enforcing the REMS and allows the pill to be mailed or delivered to patients for the duration of the pandemic.

In a statement, Lila Rose, the founder and president of Live Action, urged the FDA to go on offense against the abortion industry.

The FDA should acknowledge the subversive tactics of the abortion industry and its allies, which are using a national pandemic to instigate abortion expansions that could remain long after the pandemic is over, she said. Most importantly, the FDA should acknowledge that the abortion pill, which kills children and destroys womens wellbeing, has always been a hazard to public health and should never have been approved for sale in the United States.

The abortion pill has ended the lives of at least 3.7 million innocent children in the U.S. alone. The abortion pill will never be safe for children, or for women.

The report emphasizes that the ultimate goal of the abortion industry is to continue to demedicalize until abortion pills are available over the counter in hopes of removing any requirement that licensed physicians be involved in the process.

Live Action outlined some action steps, calling on the FDA to stop approving abortion drugs and resist the efforts by the abortion lobby to stop enforcing the REMS, and for the removal of all legal protections for abortionists and any clinician that prescribes the abortion pill.

According to Centofante, a coalition of pro-life groups joined a letter calling on FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn to pull the pill from the market.

We were able to solidify partners like Samaritans Purse, Susan B. Anthony List, Heritage Action, the American Association of Pro-Life OB/GYNS, the American College of Pediatricians, National Right to Life, and others to encourage Commissioner Hahn to acknowledge the way the abortion industry has  subverted their protocols on this pill in order to fast-track it for consumption and to pull the pill from the market, she said.
29.07.2020 LISTEN

On 1 July 2020, the first real-time conference in Europe past the early-spring lockdown took place at the Diplomatic Academy Vienna. This highly anticipated event, entitled From the Victory Day to Corona Disarray 75 years of Europes Collective Security and Human Rights System Legacy of antifascism for the common pan-European future, was organized by the International Institute for the Middle East and Balkan Studies, Media Platform Modern Diplomacy, Scientific Journal European Perspectives, and Action Platform Culture for Peace. (the entire conference proceedings are available: https://www.facebook.com/DiplomaticAcademyVienna )

After the end of World War II, the United Nations was founded in 1945 to maintain international peace and security, build relationships among nations, promote social progress, better living standards, and human rights. The Nurnberg and Tokyo trials (1945-1948) prosecuted war crimes and contributed to the development of international criminal law as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). These laid down the foundation for the liberal international system that is based on the shared interest in maintaining rule of law, the cooperation to resolve security issues, and to maintain an open, stable system, in which institutions reinforce cooperation and collective problem-solving.

The first panel reflected on the legacy of World War II, collective security, Human Rights, and the importance of mutual trust within alliances. Discussions emphasized the testing times that we are living in, which unwittingly remind us of the set of challenges that the international system must overcome. Challenges that will commend other solutions, while testing the integrity of the current international system. During the first panel, discussions touched upon a crucial and complex issue, which came under the spotlight due to the severe worldwide effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of international institutions as well as the transatlantic relations.

As the health crisis started to unfold rapidly, an unprecedented macroeconomic shock was triggered. To slow the spread of the virus, national governments-imposed sanctions, lockdowns, curfews, closed educational institutions, and non-essential businesses. National borders were shut down in a matter of hours, governments started to look for unilateral solutions to solve their lack of medical and food supply, and suddenly it seemed like the globalized world and the relevance of the international organizations are fading away, as the interest to act in concert would not exist anymore.

National crisis management aimed at containing the spread of the virus and minimize the economic damages, at the same time sent an immediate warning that the collective problem-solving mechanisms are not functioning properly. It also demonstrated how interdependent the economic, social systems are and this magnitude of crisis cannot be dealt with unilaterally within national borders. As Mr. Steve Clemons, Editor-at-large, HILL pointed out in his intervention, the course that a nation should take is more in question than it has ever been before. When you look at the Transatlantic experiment, it looked like it succeeded enormously until it stopped succeeding and working.

As the C-19 crisis demonstrates, the scale of transnational threats cannot be dealt with on a national level. Combatting interstate terrorism, cybercrimes, climate change, the slow pace of clean energy transition, migration, global pandemics require transnational solutions. Meanwhile, countries are putting more emphasis on strengthening their positions as a nation in the international discourse and seeking a different role by redefining themselves and embracing other core values and institutions.

Attempts to look for alternatives and transform the existing institutional structure put in place after World War II have surged in the last decade, especially after 9/11, the financial crisis in 2008, but with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world arrived at another tipping point. As Mr. Clemons phrased it: A point of diminishing return that these institutions need to be rethought, reconsidered, and recalibrated, that the power players that now guide much of the world need to be reassorted. There is no doubt that countries like Brazil, India, etc. are not included in those power centers, and yet they have enormous stakes in the way global affairs occur.

A global power transition has been taking place for years, the question is how the shift from unipolarity will accommodate rising powers, who will be able to take the lead and fill the power vacuum that the United States leaves behind. As opposed to the rules of the liberal value-based world order, a new set of rules is being written by rising powers. Some of the political leaders turned back to ideologies like nationalism and populism, as a potential alternative to liberalism. Conflicts in recent years reinforced this tendency, like disputes between Hong Kong and mainland China, the Ukraine crisis, and Turkey`s autocratic behavior. In addition to this, the United Kingdom left the European Union and Hungary changed its raison d'etat by redefining itself as an illiberal democracy.

Even the United States is less committed to the post-war world order. Demonstrating that by leaving institutions that it helped to build, such as the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate Accord, questioning the legitimacy of NATO and certain UN institutions. Mr. Clemons stated that the United States has become a serious competitor with its allies to a certain degree and the notion of shared interest has diminished. He emphasized the different stand that the United States took in the C-19 event as oppose to its position in World War II: The United States has chosen not to be the kind of leader that it has been in the past. It did not step forward in the C-19 crisis to help become a broker of strength and benefits and help support nations around the world. We may have done something here and there, but nothing on the scale.

The set of challenges put the resistance of decade long alliances to a test. At the same time, they create the opportunity to find comprehensive solutions and more efficient problem-solving mechanisms for the future, by revitalizing and reforming institutions that are the cornerstones of long-standing regional orders, cooperation, and collective problem-solving. To stand resilient against global challenges like C-19, the transatlantic relationship must come back to its core values and redefine itself. Therefore, as a first step, it must be acknowledged what led to this harsh world without much leadership.

The strength lies within like-minded alliances and sharing the same core values as well as in the ability to come together despite the differences and finding a common ground again. That is what happened 75 years ago, after the end of World War II, when the United Nations was founded. Let us remember that.

Anna Kassai

Vienna, 12 July 2020
"We are thrilled to welcome these accomplished individuals and look forward to the value they will add to our insight and practice," said Alex Chucri, CEO at Pravati Capital. "Our clients are our top priority and we are confident these additions will enhance our company as we continue to grow and offer exceptional service as we expand our practice of finance litigation."

New additions to Pravati Capital's leadership includes:

Pravati Capital welcomes Bruce Cohen as Director of Business Development in the Dallas office. Cohen's 30 years of well-rounded background add extreme value to the firm and his past positions include Senior Legal Director at PepsiCo, Inc., where he was responsible for sales and antitrust matters in its Frito-Lay subsidiary and Associate General Counsel of Verizon Communications Inc. A former U.S. Army Field Artillery Officer, he is a Distinguished Graduate with Honors of the Virginia Military Institute and received his Juris Doctor summa cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law. Cohen was a litigation partner at a prominent Atlanta law firm and has appeared in trials, regulatory proceedings and appeals in over three dozen states. He holds advanced degrees in history and law from Michigan State, the University of North Texas, and King's College London. He previously served as a Special Assistant to the Attorney General of Texas, and as a judicial law clerk for a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

"I've really enjoyed the challenge of learning about litigation finance and explaining it to law firms and legal departments, many of whom really didn't know it existed, let alone the ways it could help their practice and their teams," said Cohen. "It's still a nascent business in many respects, and I look forward to helping it grow."

Doug Smith serves as Senior Commercial Lending Advisor in the Scottsdale, AZ office. With a 30-year background managing corporate and commercial real estate lending, Smith focused primarily on structured finance transactions, Debtor-In-Possession bankruptcy restructuring, and distressed loan portfolios. Prior to the private sector, he worked for Congressman John Rhodes, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives during the Carter and Reagan administrations. Currently, he is a member of the Arizona board of directors for a commercial bank and President of the private non-profit Phoenician II Foundation. In the past, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority, the Board of Directors for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Maricopa County Community Development Advisory Committee and the Arizona Republican Party Finance Committee.

"The economy is experiencing major dislocation and businesses will need debtor-in-possession and debt restructuring services for some time to come," said Smith. "Pravati is uniquely positioned to provide these financial services in an efficient and creative manner to middle market enterprises."

Scott Potter joins as Director of Business Development in Pravati Capital's home office in Scottsdale, AZ. Potter honed both his legal and client relations skills through a decade long commercial litigation career and an additional four years of in-house counsel experience. He was the corporate counsel and global client relations manager for an international manufacturing firm and the vice president of legal affairs for a national lien company. Scott is a graduate of both the Marriott School of Management and the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He has practiced at the administrative, trial and appellate levels in both real estate and commercial litigation and represented both billion-dollar corporations and impoverished individuals. Scott has served on the Arizona State Bar's alternative Dispute Resolution committee and been named a Southwest Super Lawyer Rising Star.

"My parents always said I could excel at anything that I wanted to do. What I always wanted to do was help people to be happy," said Potter. "Pravati gives me the chance to lift financial burdens from others as they seek greater peace in their lives."

Shane Ham joins as a Legal Investment Analyst in Pravati Capital's home office in Scottsdale, Arizona. Formerly a litigation partner at Osborn Maledon, he focused on complex commercial and personal injury matters. His practice spanned a broad variety of topic areas, from constitutional law to medical marijuana compliance. Prior to attending law school, Shane spent nearly a decade in Washington, D.C. where he worked as a producer on a political talk show and a technology policy analyst for a prominent think tank. Shane received both his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Juris Doctorate (magna cum laude) from the University of Arizona, and he clerked for then-Vice Chief Justice Andrew D. Hurwitz at the Arizona Supreme Court.

"As a litigator I saw too many cases that were strong on the merits but had to be abandoned because the plaintiff did not have the funds to fight for years against a deep-pocket defendant," said Ham. "At Pravati I get to help level the playing field, and give people who have been wronged a chance to have their day in court."

"The new additions to our leadership team will continue to support our vision of transformation and innovation, which together with leading and breakthrough insight and practices within our industry, will allow us to continue serving our clients as we grow in the future," added Pravati Capital's CEO Chucri.

About Pravati Capital

As a leader in the litigation financing field, Pravati Capital has changed how companies and law firms envision their future. For more than a decade, we have been at the forefront of litigation financing solutions, creating innovative sources for bridge capital. It is our mission to provide innovative, efficient capital solutions for law firms, compassionate assistance to plaintiffs, and a secure alternative investment option for accredited investors.

For more information, please visit our website at Pravati Capital or call 1.844.772.8284. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contacts:

Lucia Domville / Selin Ilik / Greg Marshall

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +1 (646) 284- 9416

SOURCE Pravati Capital
(Bloomberg) -- Qualcomm Inc. gave a strong sales forecast for the current quarter, signaling that fifth generation mobile phone services are taking off. The chipmaker also announced a new licensing deal with Chinas Huawei Technologies Co., sending shares up more than 12% in extended trading.

Revenue excluding certain items will be $5.5 billion to $6.3 billion in the period ending in September, the San Diego-based company said Wednesday in a statement. Analysts, on average, estimated $5.77 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Including back payments from Huawei, sales will be $7.3 billion to $8.1 billion, the company said. Profit, excluding some items, will be $1.05 to $1.25 cents a share.

The smartphone industry, which has suffered declining unit shipments since 2016, is pinning its hopes for a rebound on 5G, which will bring faster data speeds for consumers and add connections and services to currently stand-alone electronics. Investors are looking at Qualcomm, whose chips are the main component in smartphones, for assurances that major markets are ready to build out 5G networks as the world economy emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.

The recovery that wed forecast from Covid in the June quarter was stronger than wed expected primarily on the strength of the developed world and China, Chief Executive Officer Steve Mollenkopf said in a telephone interview. And now were heading into the second inflection point which is more global launches of 5G.

Shares jumped to a high of $106.50 in extended trading after closing at $93.03 in New York. Qualcomms stock had gained 5.4% this year, trailing a general rally by semiconductor companies.

In the fiscal third quarter, Qualcomm said adjusted revenue was little changed from a year earlier at $4.89 billion. Analysts, on average, projected $4.8 billion. Net income was $845 million, or 74 cents a share. Excluding certain items, profit was 86 cents, compared with Wall Streets average estimate of 70 cents.

Story continues

Qualcomm provides the modems and processors that let handsets connect to networks and turn the data they receive into the smartphone features consumers have come to depend on. The company has said its the first to field 5G parts and aims to gain back market share that was eroded as the previous 4G network technology matured and its customers began to look elsewhere.

The chipmaker has repaired a once-broken relationship with Apple Inc. and will be returning to a role in the iPhone models debuting later this year. The company, however, has lost share in China as Huawei has focused on its home market and built devices with its own silicon.

The delay of the launch of one 5G flagship phone will cause a partial impact on revenue in the current period, Qualcomm said. Bloomberg has reported that the next iPhone will likely debut later in the year than usual.

Qualcomm is unique in the chip industry because it gets the bulk of its profit from licensing patents that cover the fundamentals of modern phone systems. The company charges a percentage of the selling price of each handset, payable by phone makers regardless of whether they use its chips.The reach of its intellectual property and the profits they generate has attracted legal and regulatory challenges around the world. Most have been settled and with the long-term agreement reached this month with Huawei, Qualcomm said it has signed up all major phone makers to license its patents.

It is still seeking to overturn a sweeping U.S. antitrust decision against the company.

(Updates with CEO comments in fourth paragraph.)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
The owner of British Airways is seeking to halve the price of its planned 900m takeover of a Spanish rival.

As unions threatened a wave of crippling strikes at BA, parent company IAG was closing in on a deal to reduce the amount it will pay for Air Europa to between 450m and 550m.

IAG, which also owns Spanish flag carrier and Air Europa rival Iberia, has come under fire for pursuing the deal during the coronavirus crisis.

Tough times: The pandemic has pummelled the airline conglomerate's finances and it has been forced to make sweeping cuts, including axing 12,000 staff at BA

The pandemic has pummelled the airline conglomerate's finances and it has been forced to make sweeping cuts, including axing 12,000 staff at BA.

Critics say IAG should abandon the deal and use the cash to save jobs. It has also been accused by unions of stitching up the aviation market in Spain because it accepted 900m of Covid-related loans guaranteed by the Spanish state.

IAG argues the Air Europa takeover will give its existing airlines in the country  Iberia and Vueling  dominance at the country's largest airport, Madrid, and on routes to South America. Air Europa's price tag is expected to be lowered to between 550m and 450m.

The negotiations come as IAG faces strikes at BA. Members of the Unite union have threatened walkouts over plans to cut thousands of jobs and change staff contracts, to protect workers against a 'fire and rehire' strategy that will see them lose their jobs if they don't accept new terms, with lower salaries.

The timing would be crippling for BA, which is trying desperately to restart flights to European destinations.

And the wrangling with unions comes after BA did a deal with pilots that means fewer of them will be made redundant if the remainder take pay cuts over the next three years. Pilots vote on that tomorrow.

The influence of IAG's Spanish arm has become apparent after boss  and former BA chief  Willie Walsh lined up Iberia head Luis Gallego as his successor, to take over in September.
DUBLIN, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "SSD Caching Market: Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2020-2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global SSD caching market is expected to register a CAGR of 15.51% over the forecast period from 2020 to 2025.



Amidst the coronavirus outbreak, there was increased use of internet connections, which indicates a higher utilization of private and public cloud services in the connected data center environment. This is also suggestive of growth potential across data center infrastructure to meet increased demand. The shortages and higher prices for memory and storage products to service the increase in data center demand are prevalent as of March 2020. With the electronics supply chain in China and South Korea starting to recover, amidst a decline in COVID-19 cases, the supply chain gap is expected to reduce. The SSD suppliers with factories, third-party assemblers, or source materials in Wuhan, witnessed an impact from the coronavirus outbreak. The factories were running at low utilization attributable to the slow return of laborers amidst the virus-based restrictions.



The SSD caching feature of Intel's SSDs is increasingly preferred by consumers since it made a PC that ran on a regular old hard drive load up the data at a relative speed to a pure SSD system. However, Intel's Smart Response Technology can be enabled or disabled through the company's rapid storage technology control panel, which gets installed along with the storage controller drivers. Additionally, this technology offers flexibility to have high capacity storage and faster access speeds of SSD, which ultimately results in better user experience. Servers and networks have shown high adoption interest to exploit these benefits of SSD caching.



SSDs based on NAND flash memory is ideal for Big Data applications, because they offer ultra-fast storage performance, quickly providing an impressive return on investment (ROI). SSDs can be deployed as host cache, network cache, all-SSD storage arrays, or hybrid storage arrays with the SSD tier. According to Seagate Technology PLC, the volume of data created worldwide is expected to increase to 47 zettabytes and 163 zettabytes in 2020 and 2025, respectively, from 12 zettabytes in 2015. According to the NCTA (the Internet and Television Association), there will be around 50 billion connected devices by 2020, generating tens of zettabytes of data that must be managed and stored. Therefore, with the surge in Big Data, faster processing has become necessary, thereby creating opportunities for the growth of the market.



For instance, there is an increase in the number of connected devices in China. In 2019, GSMA, the industry association of more than 750 operators with nearly 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem globally, reported that China, with 64% of the 1.5 billion global cellular connections, is the world's most extensive Internet of Things (IoT) market. SSDs' read performance is excellent compared to HDDs. SSD cache is valuable, especially for the systems mainly storing the fast accumulating write-once-read-many data (e.g., images, videos, and shared files). Moreover, 90% of network traffic in taobao.com (Alibaba Group), one of the largest e-commerce websites in China, is contributed by image browsing. The image data storage of the website increases by 200% each year. Similarly, videos stored in Facebook's data centers grow by 239% per year.



Enterprise Storage Expected to Hold Major Share

Servers have generally been configured with banks of hard disk drives (HDD) or attached to storage area networks (SANs), which themselves are vast banks of hard drives. Enhancements to server technology created an I/O performance gap in the enterprise storage network. The application of SSD-based caching is to address the I/O performance gap by decreasing I/O latency and increasing IOPS performance. The server-based caching requires no upgrades to the storage arrays and no other appliance installation on critical networks' data path. By servicing the large percentages of the I/O demand of essential servers at the network edge, SSD caching in servers effectively decreases the need for storage networks and arrays. This demand reduction enhances storage performance for other attached servers, and this may extend the useful life of existing storage infrastructure.

The use of SSD caching in an enterprise environment is to store previously requested data, as it travels through the network, so it can be retrieved quickly when needed. Placing prior requested information in temporary storage reduces the demand on an enterprise's bandwidth and accelerates access to the most current data. SSDs in enterprises store data persistently or cache data in non-volatile semiconductor memory temporarily. These SSDs generally use NAND flash memory and deliver higher performance and consume less power than spinning HDDs. As the demand for computing speed increases across numerous industries, the need for SSD caching is increasing. This resulted in multiple vendors entering the SSD cache market. This, in turn, led to a decrease in the prices of SSD caches.

Current data-center applications across various enterprises tend to process an increasingly large volume of data sets. The caching effect of page cache is reduced by its limited capacity. Emerging flash-based SSD has latency and price advantages compared to hard disk and DRAM. Thus, SSD-based caching is widely deployed in data centers. According to the global cloud index, data center traffic witnessed increasing requirements for data storage. The high-traffic data center would further drive the demand for SSD caching, owing to its high-performance features. The acceleration of input/output operations per second (IOPs) and reduction of latency offered by SSD caching allow the data center and cloud computing environments to host more users and perform more transactions per second.

Many companies across North America and Asia-Pacific started offering SSDs, which can be used as a caching solution. For instance, Samsung enterprise SSDs provide a comprehensive selection of enterprise data storage and caching options for nearly any application. Leveraging its extensive OEM expertise in data center SSDs, Samsung can provide low-latency, high-speed, and reliable data storage solutions to improve server performance and efficiency. According to the information from the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, India has 50 million MSMEs. Additionally, in October 2019 , Western Digital Corporation introduced an array of purpose-built storage solutions for small businesses and offices leveraging NAS environments. These solutions include the WD Red SSDs, which improve performance and caching abilities in the hybrid NAS environment.

North America Expected to Hold Significant Market Share

Due to the growing adoption of advanced technologies, North America is expected to be a prominent market, such as cloud, IoT, Big Data, AI, and edge computing. The growing need for storage, due to the high adoption of such technologies, drives the market's growth in the region. The presence of a well-established infrastructure that supports the faster implementation of advanced technologies made this region a key market. Enterprises in the region are increasing their spending on IT infrastructure to gain a competitive edge and expand their business productivity. Therefore, there has been a need for using SSD caching in IT infrastructure devices to save time, speed up data transfer, and achieve a high-performance level. The replacement rate of traditional hard disk drives with SSDs is high in the region.

is expected to be a prominent market, such as cloud, IoT, Big Data, AI, and edge computing. The growing need for storage, due to the high adoption of such technologies, drives the market's growth in the region. The presence of a well-established infrastructure that supports the faster implementation of advanced technologies made this region a key market. Enterprises in the region are increasing their spending on IT infrastructure to gain a competitive edge and expand their business productivity. Therefore, there has been a need for using SSD caching in IT infrastructure devices to save time, speed up data transfer, and achieve a high-performance level. The replacement rate of traditional hard disk drives with SSDs is high in the region. North America also has a strong foothold of vendors, which contributes to the growth of the market. Some of them include Intel Corporation, Western Digital Corporation, Micron Technology Inc., and Edge Tech Corporation. In April 2019 , Micron Technology Inc. announced the launch of its new series of SSDs featuring the NVM Express (NVMe) protocol, bringing storage performance at higher capacities to the cloud and enterprise computing markets. The Micron 9300 series of NVMe SSDs helps companies with data-intensive applications access and process data faster, thus helping reduce the response time. It helps accelerate the growth of data centers to meet the present day's growing data demands. It is optimized for low-latency and performance-critical workloads, like caching, database acceleration, and training/caching for AI, ML, and DL, among others.

also has a strong foothold of vendors, which contributes to the growth of the market. Some of them include Intel Corporation, Western Digital Corporation, Micron Technology Inc., and Edge Tech Corporation. In , Micron Technology Inc. announced the launch of its new series of SSDs featuring the NVM Express (NVMe) protocol, bringing storage performance at higher capacities to the cloud and enterprise computing markets. The Micron 9300 series of NVMe SSDs helps companies with data-intensive applications access and process data faster, thus helping reduce the response time. It helps accelerate the growth of data centers to meet the present day's growing data demands. It is optimized for low-latency and performance-critical workloads, like caching, database acceleration, and training/caching for AI, ML, and DL, among others. In the United States , cloud storage is expected to continue to grow, both by the desire to reduce latency by locating data closer to the consumer and due to the regulatory and corporate mandates demanding the data to be housed locally within different regions. Enterprises deploying advanced cloud infrastructures in the region need systems that can store, retrieve, process, and quickly analyze massive amounts of business-critical data. Driven by this need, many companies in the United States are transitioning primary storage from SATA-based SSDs to NVMe. The new NVMe SSDs offer caching features. The data center industry is witnessing rapid growth and focusing more on efficiency and maximum uptime. For instance, the rising demand for cognitive capabilities in the country led IBM Corporation to build four new cloud data centers in the country.

, cloud storage is expected to continue to grow, both by the desire to reduce latency by locating data closer to the consumer and due to the regulatory and corporate mandates demanding the data to be housed locally within different regions. Enterprises deploying advanced cloud infrastructures in the region need systems that can store, retrieve, process, and quickly analyze massive amounts of business-critical data. Driven by this need, many companies in are transitioning primary storage from SATA-based SSDs to NVMe. The new NVMe SSDs offer caching features. The data center industry is witnessing rapid growth and focusing more on efficiency and maximum uptime. For instance, the rising demand for cognitive capabilities in the country led IBM Corporation to build four new cloud data centers in the country. The need for data centers in Canada is on the rise, despite the declining number of corporate-run data centers. The decisive shift toward cloud computing in the country is likely to ascend the data centers, in turn, creating opportunities for market growth over the forecast period. In North America , particularly in the United States , data storage moves from endpoints to the core and edge of networks. Furthermore, edge computing in the region has become increasingly critical, as more endpoints from autonomous cars to the internet of things (IoT) and millions of new streaming-enabled devices are being added across the web and on corporate and home networks. It is anticipated that the number of edge devices in production may reach billions, making controlling the costs more critical. Therefore, inexpensive storage with improved performance is vital, which, in turn, creates opportunities for the growth of the market.

Competitive Landscape



The SSD caching market is quite competitive. In terms of market share, significant players currently dominate the market. The companies present in the market are continuously investing in Research and Development to gain product differentiation. Technological advancements in the market are also bringing sustainable competitive advantage to the companies, and the market is also witnessing multiple partnerships and mergers. Recent developments include:



May 2020 - Samsung developed a new SSD with support for the latest PCIe Gen. 4 standard and an E1.S form factor. The company's new PM9A3 SSD uses Samsung's sixth-generation 3-bit V-NAND technology and will be available in three form factors: E1.S, M.2, and U.2. The E1.S and U.2 versions of the SSD can reach peak sequential read and write speeds of up to 6,500 MB/s and 3,500 MB/s, respectively

- Samsung developed a new SSD with support for the latest PCIe Gen. 4 standard and an E1.S form factor. The company's new PM9A3 SSD uses Samsung's sixth-generation 3-bit V-NAND technology and will be available in three form factors: E1.S, M.2, and U.2. The E1.S and U.2 versions of the SSD can reach peak sequential read and write speeds of up to 6,500 MB/s and 3,500 MB/s, respectively May 2020 - Intel Corporation announced a 144-layer 3D NAND, QLC SSD is on track to ship later this year. Intel will ship the Alder Stream Optane SSD in a single port form this year and dual-port form in 2021. Alder Stream uses second-generation 3D XPoint media, with four layers instead of gen 1's two. It has a new controller ASIC with the latest firmware and the PCIe 4 link technology.

Key Topics Covered



1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition

1.2 Scope of the Study



2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4 MARKET INSIGHTS

4.1 Market Overview (Covers the impact due to COVID-19)

4.2 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Force Analysis

4.3 Industry Value Chain Analysis



5 MARKET DYNAMICS

5.1 Market Drivers

5.1.1 Improvements Offered by SSDs Over Conventional HDDs

5.1.2 Growing Penetration of High-end Cloud Computing

5.2 Market Challenges

5.2.1 High Cost of Products and Inconsistency Regarding Low-rate Latency by SSDs



6 MARKET SEGMENTATION

6.1 By Application

6.1.1 Enterprise Storage

6.1.2 Personal Storage

6.2 Geography

6.2.1 North America

6.2.2 Europe

6.2.3 Asia-Pacific

6.2.4 Rest of the World



7 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

7.1 Company Profiles

7.1.1 Intel Corporation

7.1.2 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

7.1.3 Micron Technology Inc.

7.1.4 Western Digital Corporation

7.1.5 QNAP Systems Inc.

7.1.6 NetApp Inc.

7.1.7 Kioxia (Toshiba Memory Corporation)

7.1.8 SK Hynix Inc.

7.1.9 ADATA Technology Co. Ltd.

7.1.10 Seagate Technology LLC

7.1.11 Transcend Information Inc.

7.1.12 Inspur Group

7.1.13 Microsemi (Microchip Technology Inc.)



8 INVESTMENT ANALYSIS



9 FUTURE OF THE MARKET



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/f3973t

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SINGAPORE  The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) on Wednesday evening (29 July) clarified a viral Facebook post detailing a netizens encounter with an elderly woman who allegedly was on her way to Sentosa to seek additional employment.

The MSF said on Facebook that its Social Service Office (SSO) colleagues have identified the elderly woman, whom they referred to only as Mdm L.

She is staying in a five-room flat with her sons family. The family has a domestic helper. Her son provides her with food and shelter but she works to supplement her other expenses, said the ministry.

Facebook user Meng Shuen Koh had posted details of his encounter with Mdm L in the train station on his personal account on Monday. He wrote that the elderly woman  whom he identified as an 82-year-old Malaysian citizen  had asked him how to travel from Bedok to Sentosa.

The woman had reportedly told him she resided in a flat in Sembawang with two friends and that she was on the way to the island to seek additional employment as a dishwasher.

In his post, Koh also wrote that Mdm L had related that she is working as a cleaner and dishwasher at Our Tampines Hub hawker centre with a wage of $5 per hour. According to Koh, the woman also told him that her only son had died during an exercise while serving his National Service.

In MSFs clarifications, the ministry said that its records indicated that Mdm L is a permanent resident here and that she has not applied for Singapore citizenship in the past.

The ministry also shed light on her current employment circumstances, stating that prior to the COVID-19 circuit breaker, the elderly woman was paid about $1,300 per month for her full-time job before Central Provident Fund deductions.

Because of reduced business, her employer had arranged for her and other full-time employees to work part-time as a way to retain staff, it added.

She is currently paid $675 for working part-time in 4-hour shifts (or about $6.50/hour). We understand from her employer that when business improves, they will review and reinstate the cleaners part-time employment to full-time, said the MSF.

Story continues

To mitigate the impact of Mdm Ls wage loss during this period, the ministry said it is assessing her eligibility for the COVID-19 Support Grant, which provides monthly payouts of $500 to $800 to eligible applicants with certain criteria in place.

As Mdm L is not a Singaporean, she does not qualify for Silver Support or Workfare, the MSF noted, adding that she currently receives benefits like the Solidarity Payment, which are also extended to PRs.

In addition, we will support her in other ways. Grassroots organisations will support her with $120 food vouchers monthly for the next six months. We are also arranging for her to get some help for her medical expenses, said the MSF.

The ministry also said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) had verified that Mdm Ls elder son, a regular warrant officer, had died during a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) freefall training session in South Africa in May 2009.

Full compensation was paid out to his family. Mindef and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family, it added.

The MSF highlighted its appreciation of the efforts made by the public in reaching out to those who seem to be in need but cautioned against posting and sharing their circumstances on social media as it may lead to further distress for these vulnerable groups of people and their families.

Such posts may not correctly reflect the circumstances of vulnerable groups of people, who may be elderly, or may not share all the details accurately because of the stressors they are facing, said the ministry.

We encourage members of the public to please link them up directly with us through our SSOs or any Family Service Centre. In the case of Mdm L, she indicated she was unaware of being photographed or that her comments and photo would be shared in public on social media.

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, who shared the ministrys post on his Facebook account, wrote on the social media platform, This is the consequence...(The) lady is distraught by all the attention the post has brought to her. The manager at the hawker stall there has stopped any further contact with her.

She said that ever since the post went up she has been harassed at home by people who have been flocking to where she is staying, he added.

I know many of you mean well. But please stop going to her place of work or approaching her and her family. They are in significant distress.

Koh later took down the viral post and on Wednesday explained the rationale behind the move in a separate Facebook post.

In light of new knowledge I received affecting the accuracy of the initial story (and) her turning down aid from members of the public, I have decided it would be best to remove the original post, wrote Koh, who also called on for the public to refrain from approaching Mdm L at her workplace.



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Birminghams Crawford Square Real Estate Advisors is giving would-be restaurateurs a shot later this year at properties in Birmingham and Montgomery to test out their dining concepts.

Rotate the Plate will bow in Alabama after opening in Louisville, Ky. at Westport Village.

The concept is designed to revamp former restaurant locations by placing established local chefs in them, letting them roll out new restaurant concepts with minimal upfront investment. The spaces will be delivered in turn-key condition and will rotate every three to six months, the company said.

Crawford Square Real Estate Advisors is actively searching for qualified partners in Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina.

Mary Beyer Lell, CSREA Principal, said the pop-up nature of the concept will allow talented chefs the ability to gain exposure without a large commitment.

The space will provide an ideal setting for an ever-evolving and unique culinary experience, Lell said.

Louisville-based Weber Group, Inc. led the design and creative direction.

Our team immediately understood the exciting concept that Crawford Square was describing for Westport Village and throughout their portfolio of assets, Adam McIntyre, creative director and architect for Weber Group, Inc., said. Weber Group was eager to jump right in and provide some visuals of what we think will be part of the evolution of mixed-use campuses.

Interested parties may click here to apply.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 00:20:54|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday said that he had ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to quickly organize flights to pick up Thais stranded overseas after a student died of COVID-19 in Egypt.

"Repatriation flights would be provided on an ongoing basis and would bring back tens of thousands of Thai people now waiting to return home from overseas," said Prayut.

A Thai student passed away on Tuesday in a hospital in Cairo due to a lung inflammation caused by the coronavirus, the ministry announced.

The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Thailand said that 325 Thais who returned on a repatriation flight earlier from Egypt, were tested for COVID-19.

Also, three Thai monks at a Buddhist temple in Las Vegas of the United States had been infected with the virus and two of them were taken to hospital and required the use of a respirator, according to the CCSA.

Meanwhile in Uzbekistan, 27 of the Thai workers have been found to be infected with COVID-19, raising concerns amongst other Thais there that they may be contracted with the virus. Enditem
Sir Keir Starmer has launched a witch-hunt against the left, in the Labour Party and beyond, of unprecedented scope.

He leads an alliance of Blairite Labour MPs, Zionist groups, the Conservative Party, and the mainstream media, intent on driving out what remains of the official Labour left, expelling hundreds, if not thousands, of members, setting up former party leader Jeremy Corbyn and others for legal prosecution, bankruptcy and worse, and is planning the same for various left-leaning websites.

In the process, political opposition to the criminal suppression of the Palestinians by Israel will be officially recast as a form of anti-Semitism, slandering, and virtually outlawing, a vast swathe of left-wing opinion. The only disagreement within this unprincipled cabal, given that it extends into Tory central office and has the support of Benjamin Netanyahus far-right government, is whether the entire Labour Party should be bankrupted in the process.

On Wednesday, July 22, Labour apologised in the High Court to seven former staffers from Labours governance and legal unit, involved in investigating accusations of anti-Semitism, who became whistleblowers in a July 2019 BBC Panorama documentary, Is Labour Anti-Semitic? A letter of apology was sent to BBC journalist and Panorama presenter John Ware. Undisclosed financial compensation was made to the whistleblowers and to Ware, reported to be worth around 500,000.

Under Corbyn, the party had issued a press release immediately after the Panorama programme aired, that Labour now accepted, contained defamatory and false allegations about the seven whistleblowers. We unreservedly withdraw all allegations of bad faith, malice and lying. We would like to apologise unreservedly for the distress, embarrassment and hurt caused by their publication.

Corbyn and the former party leadership had rejected the accusations made in the Panorama programme that they had shown a lack of commitment to investigating charges of anti-Semitism levelled against Labour members. A party spokesman had called the whistleblowers disaffected former officials, who had worked actively to undermine Corbyn and had both personal and political axes to grind.

They described the Panorama programme as a seriously inaccurate, politically one-sided polemic, which breached basic journalistic standards, invented quotes and edited emails to change their meaning.

Labour has been investigated by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into its handling of anti-Semitism allegations under Corbyn. A report was commissioned by Labours former General Secretary Jennie Formby to be submitted as evidence to the EHRC, but which was blocked by the partys lawyers. This internal report was leaked in April. It accused the Panorama whistleblowers of bad faith in their charges made against Corbyns leadership and insisted that all accusations of anti-Semitism had been pursued once Corbyns team had control of the partys governance and legal unit. The report referred to a hyper factional atmosphere of hostility towards Corbyn in Labours head office.

With Starmer having accepted all the allegations made against Labour, Corbynas his opponents would have anticipatedwas forced to respond, insisting in a Facebook post, The Partys decision to apologise today and make substantial payments to former staff who sued the party in relation to last years Panorama programme is a political decision, not a legal one.

Our legal advice was that the party had a strong defence, and the evidence in the leaked Labour report that is now the subject of an NEC [National Executive Committee] inquiry led by Martin Forde QC strengthened concerns about the role played by some of those who took part in the programme.

Others, including Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite trade union, voiced criticisms. McCluskey tweeted, Todays settlement is a misuse of Labour Party funds to settle a case it was advised we would win in court.

A fresh round of legal action was swiftly announced, instigated by Ware, the seven whistleblowers, and by some of those named in the leaked internal Labour Party report commissioned by Formby. Mark Lewis of Patron Law, representing Ware and the whistleblowers, said, I can confirm that I have been instructed to pursue cases. Wednesdays settlement, he said, was the first battle of many battles. The leaked Formby report had seriously harmed a whole list of people and would now also have to be challenged in the court.

The findings of the EHRC are due to be published in September, after which many of those named in the leaked report and other Jewish members would be entitled to bring discrimination cases against Labour, citing personal injury. Each of these claims can be for an upper limit of 47,000. The Jewish Chronicle has reported that the pro-Zionist Jewish Labour Movement is considering bringing a class action against Labour, on behalf of its members, if the EHRC report finds they have been discriminated against.

The internal party inquiry into the leaked report, led by Martin Forde QC, will also no doubt become an occasion for condemning its authors.

For Patron Law, Lewis revealed that former Labour General Secretary Iain McNicol is already suing the party over the leaked report, adding, There are many other people who are named in the report, they come under different categories: people who work for the party, people who were in the party in political positions.

Claims covering the Data Protection Act, invasion of privacy, and libel have already been submitted. Estimates of the potential costs of various cases, encompassing more than 50 individuals, range from 5.5 million to 8 million.

Corbyn is being personally targeted. The Mail on Sunday reported that some of the ex-party staff would drop their legal action against Labour if Corbyn were to be expelled. A source said, Labour says they have zero tolerance to anti-Semitism. Zero tolerance means no Corbyn and no Corbynistas. Its Keirs choice, zero tolerance, or zero money.

Campaign Against Anti-Semitism chief executive Gideon Falter has also called for Corbyns suspension or expulsion for gaslighting the whistleblowers he bullied for standing up to Jew-hatred.

Corbyn already faces a legal case based on allegations of anti-Semitism. On July 10, blogger Richard Millett won the first stage of a libel case against Corbyn for claiming that Zionists in the audience at a 2013 meeting featuring Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Manuel Hassassian, lacked English irony and were disruptive and abusive.

Mr Justice Saini ruled that Corbyn was making factual allegations as to Mr Milletts behaviour. By then, Millett had been publicly identified as one of the two individuals referred to by Corbyn on BBC1s Andrew Marr Show in September 2018 while defending his 2013 comments from claims of anti-Semitism. Millett, too, is represented by Lewis, of Patron Law.

Starmer had already begun purging the few remaining Corbynites from the party leadership before making his apology to the Panorama whistleblowers. He dismissed Rebecca Long-Bailey as Shadow Education Secretary for retweeting comments by actress Maxine Peake that were critical of Israel. Peake had pointed out that Israeli security forces trained US police in the restraint techniques that led to the May 25 death of George Floyd.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle, a shadow environment minister, did not even need to be expelled. He quit after the Jewish Labour Movement demanded his resignation for an old Facebook message describing Zionism as a dangerous nationalist idea.

This is nothing compared with what is to come. The legal and political witch-hunt will extend far beyond Corbyn and his immediate periphery and prepare the machinery for a more ferocious onslaught on any socialist movement of workers and young people. Lewis for Patron Law warned, This is just the start. Actions are being taken against those who repeat the libels and will be taken against those who choose to do so in future. An honest opinion has to be based upon facts.

On July 23, John Ware wrote in the Jewish Chronicle, in which he has a commercial interest, of a year-long fusillade of falsehoods from a stream of Left wing bloggers, media activists, Labours people powered Momentum faction, and alt-Left outletsall of whom share a conviction that the mainstream media is fundamentally dishonest.

Acknowledging an unwritten code that says we journalists should never sue because however offensive or defamatory criticism of our journalism may be, we hold free speech sacrosanct, he continued, It was a rule with which for decades I agreed. I no longer do. That is why my proceedings against Labour are only the first of several I have begun against alternative media outlets and individuals.

Ware cited the then Chair of Momentum Jon Lansman, pro-Corbyn alt-Left outlets, notably Skwawkbox and the Canary, and more mainstream journalists who should have known bettersuch as Owen Jones, the Guardian columnist.

Lansman has already issued a public apology effectively blaming Corbyn for statements he (Lansman) made, because they were based on the partys advice and assurances.

This orgy of McCarthyite slanders must be opposed by all workers and young people. This includes defending Corbyn and others facing legal censurea crowdfunding appeal for Corbyn has already raised over 300,000.

But opposing this right-wing offensive cannot be left under the leadership of Corbyn and his allies. The working class has already paid a bitter price for the glorification of the Corbynites as a supposedly socialist alternative by pseudo-left groups such as the Socialist Party and Socialist Workers Party.

Even as the Blairite right and their Zionist and Tory allies prepare for all-out war, Corbyn, McDonnell, Long-Bailey, et al. remain tight-lipped in the faint hope of a compromise on the rights termsincluding allowing ordinary Labour members to be expelled or driven out of the party.

Corbyn is absolutely opposed to any political struggle by workers and young people against the Labour and trade union bureaucracy. He stands for a policy of death by a thousand compromises. That he now faces a personal attack of such magnitude is because he spent his four and a half years as party leader demobilising opposition to the Blairites and bowing to their every dictateincluding granting free votes on war against Syria and the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons programme, dropping opposition to NATO, and instructing Labour councils to impose Tory austerity cuts. In the process he delivered an electoral victory to Boris Johnson, before meekly handing back control of the party to the representative of the right wing, Starmer.

Corbyns refusal to oppose the Zionist and Blairite rights anti-Semitism witch-hunt epitomises his political cowardice and lack of principle. He allowed some of his closest allies to be driven from the partyincluding Ken Livingstone, Jackie Walker, Marc Wadsworth, and Chris Williamsonon trumped up charges, along with hundreds of other members. Moreover, his endorsement of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)s designation of legitimate political criticism of Israel as a form of anti-Semitism, and its inclusion in Labours new code of practice, has fashioned the noose his opponents intend to hang him with.

Even now, the message of unity with the right wing remains the same. Responding to the sacking of Long-Bailey, for example, McCluskey complained, Unity is too important to be risked like this. Unite Assistant General Secretary Steve Turner tweeted, Sacking her is wrong and undermines unity in our Party.

The working class must respond to the witch-hunt by striking out on a new political road.

Corbyns abject betrayal of his popular mandate to end the Blairite era of austerity and imperialist militarism and take the fight to the Tories and the ruling class was predicted by the Socialist Equality Party. Basing itself on Trotskys writings from the 1920s onwards, the SEP explained that the role of the Labour and trade union lefts has always been to ensure the domination of the right wing.

Today, moreover, no change of leader, or influx of left-leaning members, could reverse Labours transformation into a naked party of big business. Labours abandonment of reforms and embrace of Thatcherite neoliberalism was not the product of the scheming of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Rather, fundamental changes within world capitalism associated with globalisation have objectively undermined all organisations embedded in the nation state and seeking limited reforms through an accommodation with their own bourgeoisie.

The conflict between rival imperialist powers for control of global markets and resources demands trade war and militarism abroad and austerity, authoritarianism, and class war at home. Combatting the agents of this capitalist perspective such as Starmer and his allies, therefore, demands far more than trench warfare to maintain a left rump within the Labour Party. It means building a new leadership, the SEP, to take forward a revolutionary struggle against capitalism and for socialism.
Defunding the police, in Texas?

Three Austin city councilmembers have unveiled their latest attempt to put money in the hands of workers they say are better equipped to handle certain calls better than Austin police officers. The proposals drew criticism from Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, who previously headed the police department in Austin.

Councilmembers Leslie Pool, Greg Casar and Jimmy Flannigan each submitted separate proposals detailing their ideas, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Those proposals include:

Moving money from cadet classes to domestic violence shelters, homeless services, mental health services

Breaking up divisions within Austin PD to create separate civilian-headed departments focused on types of crimes, such as investigations, patrol and professional standards

Bringing down overtime and mounted patrol budgets

Cutting budgets for Austin PDs bomb squad and lake patrol

The proposals could pull close to $100 million away from Austin PD. They come after now-charged police officers in Minneapolis killed former Houston resident George Floyd in a violent confrontation over an allegedly fake $20 bill.

"I think it's really important for the community to understand and for us to act in a way that shows that this is about reducing harm and reducing violence, and that is a big part of why we're trying to change public safety budgets, because we want to make things safer," Casar said, according to the newspaper.

While reforms like these are making their way through Austins city council, Houston by contrast has increased its funding for its police department, according to the Rice / Kinder Institute for Urban Research. The central Texas proposals also drew fire from Acevedo.

Approach to homelessness was not a huge success, now this? Acevedo tweeted Wednesday morning. People in what has been one of the greatest and safest cities in America should get ready for the results that are sure to follow.

In Houston, Mayor Sylvester Turner claims the city is in a shortage of police officers, an argument used in part to defend the citys nearly $1 billion budget for police. HPDs appropriations increased at twice the rate of the rest of the citys in the most recent budget approved by the Houston city council, according to the Houston Chronicle.

jay.jordan@chron.com
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government on Wednesday managed to get two Financial Action Task Force (FATF) related bills passed by the National Assembly despite disruption in the House due to vociferous protest by the Opposition parties.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan moved the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the United Nations (Security Council) (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

As the clause by clause voting started, the opposition lawmakers stood up to create pandemonium, forcing the speaker to suspend the proceedings thrice.

The protest was in reaction to a speech by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday in which he said that the Opposition was not supporting the bills as the government refused to soften the anti-graft laws.

ALSO READ | Pakistan PM Imran Khan's top aides resign after assets, dual nationalities of special assistants made public

However, the government went ahead undaunted ignoring protest and succeeded to get the bills passed.

Through the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2020, the government suggested strict punishment and heavy fines for anyone supporting or facilitating any terrorism related activity.

The second bill would empower the government to direct authorities in Pakistan to implement various measures, in the Security Council resolutions including the freezing and seizure of assets, travel ban and arms embargo on the entities and individuals, who are designated on the sanctions list of the United Nations.

The UN Security Council Resolution 1373 made it incumbent on the member states to implement counter terrorism measures, especially countering the financing of terrorism through their domestic laws.

The legislation was part of efforts by Pakistan to move from the Financial Action Task Force's grey list to the white list.

Paris-based FATF put Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action by the end of 2019 but the deadline was extended later on due to COVID-19.

ALSO READ | Pak court adjourns hearing of money laundering case against ex-president Asif Ali Zardari till Aug 7

The two bills will now be taken up by the Senate which is dominated by the opposition.

In case the bills are rejected, the government would call a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate and try to get through the bills by simple majority.

Official sources said that due to the fear of rejection of the bills in the Senate, the government had already decided to call the joint sitting on Thursday.

The government and opposition representatives met on Monday to forge consensus but no headway was made.

Later, Qureshi said that the opposition wanted a bargain to get amendment in the anti-corruption laws to support the FATF related legislation.

The allegation was rejected by the opposition and its Pakistan Muslims League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Asif said that Qureshi misled the house on the issue.

The government has prepared eight bills for legislation on anti-money laundering and terror financing with a view for Pakistan to move from the FATF's grey list to the white list.

In its third and final plenary held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic in June, the FATF decided to keep Pakistan in the "grey list" as Islamabad failed to check flow of money to terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

The plenary was held under the Chinese Presidency of Xiangmin Liu.

With Pakistan's continuation in the 'grey list', it will be difficult for the country to get financial aid from the IMF, World Bank, ADB and the European Union, thus further enhancing problems for the nation which is in a precarious financial situation.

If Pakistan fails to comply with the FATF directive by October, there is every possibility that the global body may put the country in the 'Black List' along with North Korea and Iran.

The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

The FATF currently has 39 members including two regional organisations -- the European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council.


Quarterly Report

Brisbane, July 29, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Anatara Lifesciences Ltd ( ASX:ANR ) is pleased to release its Appendix 4C for the quarter ending 30th June 2020. The Company's cash plus term deposits at the end of the quarter stood at $2.7m (31st March 2020: $3.3m). On 30th June 2020, the Company had cash at bank of $1,182,367 and $1,500,000 in term deposits.Expenditure during the quarter was lower than forecast and 29% lower than the prior quarter due to the delay in initiation of the GaRP clinical trial. Covid-19 cash preservation initiatives drove quarterly reductions in Staff costs and Administration and Corporate costs of 12% and 27% respectively. For the full year, costs were 15% lower driven by cost containment initiatives which reduced Administration and Corporate costs by 38%.Aggregate amount of payments to related parties and their associates during the quarter was $86,000 which includes director's fees and superannuation.Forecast expenditure for the September 2020 quarter is anticipated to increase as activities for clinical development of the Company's Gastrointestinal Reprogramming (GaRP) over-the-counter (OTC) medicine advance.Anatara made three announcements during the quarter: (1) partnering update; (2) cancelled options.While focussing financial resources on development of GaRP, Anatara has been evaluating development, in collaboration with third parties, additional dosage forms for piglets and to utilise Anatara's intellectual property in other species including in-feed formulations for piglets, formulations for aquaculture and formulations for poultry. New formulations are ready for in-feed trials for piglets and trials for poultry.CEO Steve Lydeamore commented, "Anatara is close to finalising discussions with third parties to progress challenge trials of Anatara's animal health assets to address barriers to partnering. We will continue to provide updates to the market as these activities progress. Anatara anticipates initiation of a GaRP clinical trial in the 4th quarter of calendar 2020."To view the report, please visit:About Anatara Lifesciences Limited

Anatara Lifesciences Limited (ASX:ANR) is developing and commercialising innovative, evidence-based products for gastrointestinal health where there is significant unmet need. Anatara is a life sciences company with expertise in developing products for animal and human health. Anatara is focused on building a pipeline of human gastrointestinal health products. Underlying this product development program is our commitment to delivering real outcomes for patients and strong value for our shareholders. For more information, please visit www.anataralifesciences.com.
Bank of Ireland has been fined by the regulator over failings that led to a client losing money in a fraud attack and because it failed to inform the Central Bank about the incident.

The bank was also found to have failed to notify the Gardai until the Central Bank discovered what had happened. It was fined 1.66m.

Regulators said Bank of Ireland's failure to be open and transparent had the effect of misleading the Central Bank and "materially added to the time it took to investigate this case".

The Central Bank's investigation arose from a cyber-fraud incident that occurred in September, 2014.

It discovered a reference to the incident in an operational incident log.

A fraudster impersonated a client and Bank of Ireland Private Banking responded by making two payments to a third-party account totalling 106,430.

One payment was from a client's personal current account, the other from the private bank's own funds.

According to the regulator, Bank of Ireland Private Banking immediately reimbursed the client.

During a risk assessment of the private bank in 2015, the Central Bank discovered a reference to the incident in an operational incident log.

The fraudster engaged in "email hijacking".

This is the hacking of a client's e-mail account and re-directing e-mails coming from the bank to a mirror image e-mail account secretly set up by the fraudster to intercept communications coming from Bank of Ireland Private Banking.

The fraudster also engaged in "social engineering" in communications with staff at the bank.

This involved making reference to the purchase of a property, the name of the client's solicitor, and similar terminology to that used by the client in other emails.

The bank had not reported the cyber-fraud to An Garda Siochana, and only did so at the request of the Central Bank over one year after the incident.

The probe found failings including inadequate systems and controls to minimise the risk of loss from fraud, inadequate governance, oversight and ongoing review of the systems and control environment, and a lack of staff training.

The Central Bank determined the appropriate fine to be 2.3m, which was cut by 30pc in accordance with the settlement discount scheme provided for in the Central Bank's administrative sanctions procedure.

Central Bank director of enforcement and anti-money laundering Seana Cunningham said Bank of Ireland Private Banking's failure to be open and transparent had the effect of misleading the Central Bank in the course of the investigation.

Bank of Ireland apologised and said it regrets the circumstances of the incident and the weaknesses in internal controls and procedures that it highlighted.

The bank said it has learnt lessons from this incident and has taken a range of actions arising from the issue.

Bank of Ireland Private Banking Ltd was fully integrated into Bank of Ireland Group in 2017.
National Aviation Services (NAS) has announced that all travellers departing from Kuwait can now get PCR testing done through the International German Company (IGC).

The exclusive partnership is authorised to test passengers travelling out of Kuwait that require a PCR test certificate. Travellers can book an appointment for testing through the kuwaitmosafer.com portal.

Mansour Al-Kheziem, General Manager, NAS Kuwait, said NAS had been providing aviation and airport services in Kuwait since 2003. We are pleased to partner with International German Company (IGC), a reputable and Ministry of Health (MOH) authorised organisation, to conduct PCR testing for departing passengers in Kuwait. A number of countries require the PCR test certificate on arrival and we have done our best to make the process faster, simpler and smoother for all travellers. Integrating a number of functionalities to facilitate seamless travel, we enable passengers to book PCR test appointments, issue the certification and get the authorized certificate scanned at check-in for a relaxed travel experience.

All the passenger information registered on kuwaitmosafer.com will be treated with the utmost privacy and confidentiality.

Travellers can choose to do the test at any of the locations available across Kuwait. New locations will continue to be added. A list of testing locations is available on kuwaitmosafer.com.

Professor Dr Eyad Al Saleh, President and CEO of IGC, said: Through our officially licensed virology laboratory "New Kuwait German Lab", we upgraded our capability of handling sufficient number of tests per day for travellers and ensure that their results are made available on schedule. IGC strictly follows rules and regulations of Ministry of Health regarding the Covid-19 testing for all patients and passengers. We also follow all the precautionary protocols to ensure the safety of any visitors to our testing locations.

Test results will be available within 36 hours and if negative, the certificates will be sent by SMS and email to the travellers.

NAS strongly advises all travellers to check the PCR testing, quarantine procedures and visa requirements for their respective destinations. This should be done well in advance of their flights to ensure that they book the test according to the required timelines.

Some countries may require test results to be issued within a specified time, before travel. Appointments should be taken accordingly to ensure that the certificates are issued on time, prior to departure. An original, printed test certificate can be issued on request.

NAS is in discussions with other airports, including London Heathrow and Dubai International, to connect its systems with those of the UK and Dubai with the objective that passengers from Kuwait are only tested once upon departure. This can only be possible if the authenticity and integrity of the entire process is credible. In conjunction with its affiliate companies, NAS is further developing a blockchain solution that will create an authentication mechanism to be accepted around the world. - TradeArabia News Service
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cornish Metals Inc. (TSX-V: CUSN), (Cornish Metals or the Company) announces that further to its news release dated July 9, 2020 , its name change from Strongbow Exploration has come into effect. The Companys shares have commenced trading under the new name Cornish Metals Inc. and new ticker symbol TSX-V:CUSN.



Richard Williams, CEO, stated, The renaming to Cornish Metals is a reflection of our dedication to revitalizing an industry which means so much to the people of Cornwall. The objective is to bring tin and copper mining back to Cornwall, to create well-paid, highly skilled jobs hand in hand with the community, with an emphasis on hiring locally wherever possible. Our guiding principle is to ensure we attain the highest standards for health, safety, and the environment, and to continue collaborating with all stakeholders. We are currently drilling at the South Crofty tin project, and thereafter will be expanding the drill programme to United Downs to follow up on the recent high grade copper  tin discovery.

There is no consolidation of share capital. Shareholders are not required to exchange their existing share certificates for new certificates bearing the new company name and Company shares held electronically will be booked automatically. The name change does not affect the rights of the Company's shareholders, and no further action is required by existing shareholders with respect to the name change.

The company has also launched a new website at www.cornishmetals.com.

Effective Date: July 27, 2020 Trading Symbol: TSX-V:CUSN New CUSIP: 21948L104 New ISIN: CA21948L1040



ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS



Richard D. Williams

Richard D. Williams, P.Geo

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.




WATERLOO  The Canadian Shield is giving 750,000 reusable face shields to teachers in Canada to protect them from COVID-19.

Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce was at the Waterloo company on Wednesday to accept Ontarios portion of the donation and said it will help with school preparations for September.

The province recognizes that we have to take leadership as well to ensure that our front-line staff have the protective equipment they need, he said. They will, and those details will be unveiled very shortly.

The province is expected to announce school plans for September this week. The announcement will clarify funding as well as standards for things like masking and busing protocols, the Ministry of Education said.

The government has asked school boards to prepare for three possible scenarios for September: a full return to school, remote learning, or a mix of the two. School boards have until Aug. 4 to finalize plans for all the scenarios.

The ministry met with boards this week to discuss those plans.

With school just weeks away, the The Canadian Shield is donating about $7.5 million worth of shields to provincial and territorial governments to distribute.

Were donating a shield for every single teacher in Ontario and well be working with other provinces and ministries across the country to do the same in the coming weeks, said company president Jeremy Hedges.

The shield allows others to see peoples facial expressions, he said.

You can really communicate on a human level. And I think in general, its one more layer of protection  it protects your eyes from droplets, Hedges said.

On Wednesday, Hedges also announced the launch of a line of face shields for children ages five to 12 years old.

The company first manufactured shields in March when the education technology company InkSmith  which founded The Canadian Shield  pivoted to respond to the pandemic and the shortage of personal protective equipment for front-line staff in hospitals and medical facilities.

In the early days of the pandemic, the company reached out to the community for help to 3D-print visors needed for the face shields. Organizations across the country and dozens of school boards  including Waterloo Region District School Board and Waterloo Catholic District School Board  offered their assistance.

Those school boards really helped us in those early days, said Hedges. As a result, The Canadian Shield was able to donate 20,000 shields to health-care workers in the first weeks of the pandemic.

Theyve had our back. Now were going to have theirs, Hedges said.

The company has since produced millions of face shields and now also produces cloth and surgical masks. In the next few months it will begin manufacturing isolation gowns as well.
A total of 29 Android apps with over 3.5 million downloads on the Play Store have been discovered with adware.

Google has removed 29 apps from the Play Store which were found filled with adware. These Android apps had over 3.5 million downloads on the Play Store.

White Ops Satori threat intelligence team discovered these 29 apps as part of their CHARTREUSEBLUR investigation. The word blur in the codename of the investigation is due to the fact that most of the malicious apps were photo editing apps which had a blur feature. As for the word chartreuse the team just found it fun to say and that the liquor is tasty.

These Android apps were found running out-of-context (OOC) ads which are said to be used to avoid detection. After the user installs any of these apps, the launch icons would immediately disappear from the phone. This made it difficult for users to remove the malicious app from their phones.

ALSO READ: Google bans these apps for injecting malware

One such app with adware was the Square Photo Blur app. The Satori team tested this app and discovered a hollow shell of an app which managed to pass the Play Store security checks. The app obviously didnt function as advertised and instead ran OOC ads on phones. Once the app was installed on the phone the launch icon disappeared and there was no open function on the Play Store either.

Ads that popped on up through these apps happened within intervals of only a few seconds. Also, almost every action the user performed on their phone triggered a code in the app for ads to pop-up. Some of these actions include unlocking the phone, uninstalling an app, charging the phone or even switching from mobile data to Wi-Fi. The ads pop up and occupy the whole screen of the phone. Its not just ads though. The Square Photo Blur app even managed to launch an OOC web browser randomly.

29 Android apps have been identified with this malicious adware. But there could be more in the future. You can find the full list of apps here and uninstall them. The Satori team also advises to look out for hints like - reviews of the apps mentioning ads popping up all the time, apps disappearing after downloading it, a lot of 5-star reviews but recent ones are mostly 1-star, app doesnt work as advertised, app received a lot of downloads in a very short time. Some of these points can act as indicators that the app is probably a malicious one.

Google recently removed 11 apps from the Play Store which contained the Joker malware. These apps have been lurking around since 2017. Hackers have managed to introduce new variants of the Joker malware in Android apps. The malicious apps are no longer there but they may appear again in the future.
The Alliance Partys health spokeswoman has defended her decision to proceed with a foreign holiday against Stormont guidance on non-essential travel.

Paula Bradshaw, who sits on the Assemblys health committee, is going to an all-inclusive hotel in Italy with her family next week.

The South Belfast MLA insisted she was not breaking any laws or being disrespectful to anyone who was working to suppress the virus in Northern Ireland.

Paula Bradshaw is the Alliance Partys health spokeswoman (Liam McBurney/PA)

The executives coronavirus guidance is not to travel abroad unless it is essential.

Im not breaking any laws, she said.

The guidance is there around all of those measures and we as a family have weighed it up.

If the holiday is cancelled, the holiday is cancelled but its our intention to proceed at this point.

I am not breaking any law and Im not trying to be disrespectful of the work of anybody during this pandemic to keep it under control.

In many ways Ive tried to play an active part, so were just going to proceed on that basis.

Ms Bradshaw, who is also Assembly private secretary to her party leader and Stormont justice minister Naomi Long, told BBC Radio Ulsters Nolan Show: A lot of people are going on holidays, a lot of people will be doing the same as were doing, so thats where were at.

She added: I just felt weve spent so much time in lockdown, were going to an all-inclusive resort, we will be respectful when we get there and well just spend some peaceful time as a family.
AMG boss Criss Waddle has showered praises on Medikal for being the humblest artiste, and servant he has ever worked it.

According to Criss Waddle in a post on Twitter, he is yet to meet anyone who shows as much gratitude as Medikal.

Criss Waddle expatiated that even his family members and friends do not even show appreciation when he does a benevolent act.

Criss Waddle wrote on Twitter: Till today 29-July-2020 at exactly 2:57pm I can confirm that I still havent met anyone thats as grateful and appreciative as @AmgMedikal, not even my family & friends I grew up with Hundred points symbol

Medikal was an underground artiste until Criss Waddle decided to invest in his talent and today Medikal has become a household name in Ghana.

See video below
US automaker General Motors announced Tuesday it will keep the third shift at its Wentzville, Missouri, plant in operation. Earlier this month, GM announced its intention to temporarily eliminate the third shift of about 1,250 workers, many of whom are temps, as COVID-19 cases surged at the facility and large numbers of workers who feared infection stayed home.

COVID-19 is spreading out of control in Missouri, as it is across the US. No systematic testing for the virus or contact tracing is taking place in the Wentzville plant. Asymptomatic workers can potentially spread the infection because social distancing during production is virtually impossible.

For the ninth time in July, the state of Missouri reported a record number of COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, averaging more than 1,400 new cases a day. Wentzville was one of three areas in St. Charles County singled out by the St. Louis Pandemic Task Force as a COVID-19 hot spot. State health officials are calling for aggressive actions as the seven-day average of COVID-19 infected in the state reached 8.8 percent.

GM Wentzville Assembly (Credit: WSWS)

But despite the rapid growth of infections in the region and calls by workers to shut down the plant under the unsafe conditions, GM is keeping its St. Louis-area factory operating round the clock on all three shifts.

Autoworkers are reportedly being transferred to Wentzville from Spring Hill, Tennessee, where a shift is being cut at another General Motors plant, and from the Detroit-Hamtramck GM facility, in addition to hiring in more temporary workers. More than 500 production and skilled trades workers and 155 temps are being let go this week in Spring Hill due to falling demand.

A GM Wentzville worker told the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, We are about to get 250 or more from Spring Hill. Theyre supposedly making 50-something temps already here permanent, bringing back some laid off temps and they are still hiring off the street.

Saying that mandatory overtime was being enforced two out of three Saturdays, they continued, Every day, they ask for early or late overtime.

Opposition among workers has been mounting as the auto companies and the UAW demand the sacrifice of lives and health to keep production running.

Autoworkers at Fiat Chryslers Jefferson North, Sterling Heights and Toledo Jeep assembly plants have recently launched a fight for safe working conditions, organizing rank-and-file safety committees, independent of and opposed to the pro-management UAW. The committees have issued a series of demands, including immediate notification of new cases, 24-hour shutdowns of plants for deep cleaning, 10-minute cooldowns every hour, universal testing, and an end to retaliation against workers who speak out on unsafe conditions.

At Wentzville, as at the vast majority of workplaces, GM has blacked out information on new coronavirus cases. Media outlets such as the Detroit Free Press have reported that the companys policy is to not confirm the number of cases at its plants.

Although UAW Local 2250 Chairperson Alan Chambliss reportedly communicated late last week that 44 workers had tested positive for COVID-19 at GM Wentzville, workers at the plant widely suspect the figure to be much higher. The factory has more than 4,000 workers.

Commenting on Chambliss role, the GM worker said, Everyone is saying Alan Trump Chambliss has been working with management all along and is using the cancellation of the layoffs as his platform for reelection [as UAW local chairperson].

When the coronavirus initially erupted earlier this year, the Wentzville plant was closed temporarily beginning in mid-March, after workers forced the shutdown of the auto industry through a series of wildcat strikes and job actions. Production was restarted in May under the whip of the Trump administrations homicidal back-to-work campaign, which enjoys bipartisan support among state and federal officials.

GMs decision to keep the third shift is driven in part by an inventory shortfall of its highly profitable pickups, arising from both the two-month shutdown this year and the 40-day strike by autoworkers against the company last fall. While sales in recent months have not fallen as much as industry analysts worst-case predictions, tens of millions remain out of work and face financial ruin with the end of the $600 federal unemployment supplemental aid. If sales again decline, the company will not hesitate to carry out new attacks on jobs and working conditions.

More fundamental to GMs effort to increase production at Wentzville, and in the aggressive effort to re-open the economy more broadly, are ballooning corporate debt and the profit demands of Wall Street investors.

CNBC reported Tuesday that GM and Ford doubled their corporate debt in the first months of this year, to $30 billion, and investors are watching how quickly that debt can be paid down before the end of the year. This requires a major increase in cash flow.

GM is expected to announce losses close to $2.9 billion on Wednesday. One auto industry analyst from Merrill Lynch declared the second quarter of 2020 is likely to be the toughest in modern history in which automakers grappled with close to a zero revenue environment for a few months.

At the same time, Wall Street is pressing corporate executives to spell out in detail further restructuring and cost-cutting measures. GMs Chief Financial Officer, Dhivya Suryadevara, told CNBC the company has aggressively reduced costs and is on track to cut spending by $6 billion by the end of the year.

In their relentless pursuit of profit, corporate leaders and the financial aristocracy have judged workers lives to be acceptable losses. At the same time, the UAW has been working diligently with the automakers to try to control the rapidly growing opposition among workers to the dangerous plant conditions.

In a recent interview with the Detroit Free Press, UAW President Rory Gamble, who is currently the target of federal investigation in a massive corruption scandal, sought to discourage eligible workers from taking early retirement, aiming to assist the companies in keeping workers in the plants despite the clear dangers to their health.

Gambles admonition was echoed by Spring Hills UAW Local 1853 Chairman Mike Herron, who stated on Monday workers should not take the very retirement buyouts management and UAW have been pushing on older workers for decades. The biggest concern that I have today for active UAW team members is that they are no longer working for a pension, Herron said, expecting workers to forget the UAWs role in eliminating pensions for new hires, along with numerous other attacks on workers over decades.

GM Wentzville workers should follow the lead given by the FCA workers and establish their own safety committees in order to enforce safe working conditions. For help starting a rank-and-file safety committee at your factory, contact the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter at autoworkers@wsws.org.
FILE PHOTO: A palm oil seed is seen at a plantation in Pulau Carey

By Mei Mei Chu

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia, the world's second largest palm oil producer and exporter, has said it will fight growing anti-palm oil sentiment around the world with a new slogan: "Palm oil is God's gift".

A Malaysian government official said on Tuesday the country would use the slogan, first introduced last week at a national level, internationally to fight widespread criticism about palm oil's negative impact on the environment.

"The government is committed to marketing the new slogan locally and internationally," Willie Mongin, the deputy minister of the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry, told parliament on Tuesday.

It replaces a previous "Love my palm oil" campaign introduced domestically last year to instill national pride for Malaysian palm oil amid widespread international criticism.

Malaysia, which accounts for 28% of the world's palm oil production and 33% of global exports, introduced the new slogan as part of efforts to counter growing anti-palm oil lobbyists in the European Union, a major palm importer.

The EU last year decided to phase out palm-based transport fuels from its renewable energy sector by 2030 and is expected to set new safety limits on food contaminant 3-MCPD esters found in refined vegetable oils, including palm.

The world's most widely consumed vegetable oil is used by major international companies to make everything from cereal to lipstick and detergent.

Environmental groups say its cultivation is responsible for excessive deforestation and the killing of endangered animals.

The Southeast Asian nation is also gearing up to follow a move by Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil producer and exporter, to file a World Trade Organization suit against the EU over its ban on palm-based biofuel.

Palm oil is Malaysia's fourth major export product, with the US$60 billion palm industry accounting for 4.4% of the country's total exports in the first half of this year.

(This story has been refiled to remove extraneous word in headline)

(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing Ana Nicolaci da Costa)
New York political leaders, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Human Rights Campaign are demanding answers after an 18-year-old protestor was arrested by plainclothes officers and thrown into an unmarked van on Tuesday night.

That protestor, Nikki Stone, was arrested at a demonstration near 2nd Avenue and East 25th Street in Manhattan. Other protesters said they were fighting for Black liberation.

The New York City Police Department said Stone was wanted for damaging police cameras in five separate vandalism incidents in and around City Hall Park. A police official also told ABC News Stone's arrest was conducted in a manner consistent with NYPD warrant squad deployments.

Fellow protesters said the arrest looked more like a kidnapping, reminiscent of a tactic used by federal officers in Portland, Oregon.

PHOTO: A protester was arrested last night by plainclothes officer, prompting concerns from NYC officials. (Naddleez via Twitter)

After video of the arrest hit social media, the response from politicians and nonprofit organizations was swift.

MORE: Legality of federal agents in Portland scrutinized as protests become more violent

"Our civil liberties are on brink. This is not a drill," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wrote on Twitter. "To not protect our rights is to give them away. It is our responsibility to resist authoritarianism."

Carlina Rivera, the councilwoman for the 2nd District of the New York City, where the arrest took place, tweeted that there needs to be an independent review and "an immediate explanation for why an unmarked van full of officers was anywhere near a peaceful protest."

"It's clear that using an unmarked van and plainclothes officers to make an arrest for vandalism (in the middle of a peaceful protest) is a massive overstep. I'm exploring legislation," Rivera later tweeted.

Nikki is currently waiting to be released from the 1st Precinct w/ supporters there on-site. It's clear that using an unmarked van and plainclothes officers to make an arrest for vandalism (in the middle of a peaceful protest) is a massive overstep. I'm exploring legislation.  Carlina Rivera  (@CarlinaRivera) July 29, 2020

The ACLU called the actions of police "dangerous, abusive, and indefensible," while the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said the incident was "deeply troubling."

Story continues

HRC President Alphonso David said in a statement to ABC News that Stone is transgender and this arrest shows how people of color and transgender people face greater risks.

"We know that people of color and transgender people are at greater risk of police brutality, with transgender people at particular risk of harassment and abuse while detained," David said. "We must transform policing and the criminal justice system in this country so that marginalized populations are free from police brutality and a militarized police force."

Stone, held for five hours before being released, was charged with five counts of criminal mischief, four counts of making graffiti and three counts of possession of a graffiti instrument.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison wrote on Twitter that while police welcome peaceful protesters "damage to NYPD technology that helps keep this city safe will never be tolerated." The cameras, he wrote, are "vital resources which help prevent and solve crimes throughout the city."

The #NYPD welcomes peaceful protests. However, damage to NYPD technology that helps keep this city safe will never be tolerated. These cameras are vital resources which help prevent and solve crimes throughout the city. pic.twitter.com/dwv5vkhQiP  Chief Rodney Harrison (@NYPDDetectives) July 29, 2020

Harrison also released video that appears to show Stone vandalizing a police camera overlooking City Hall.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed the arrest in a daily briefing on Wednesday, saying it was "the wrong time and wrong place."

MORE: Portland isn't under siege, but part of the city feels foreign: Reporter's Notebook

De Blasio said it's been painful to see what is going on in Portland and "anything that even slightly suggests" something similar is happening in New York City is "troubling."

"This," the mayor said, "is not Portland."

ABC News' Mark Crudele contributed to this report.

AOC, ACLU demand answers after NYC protester arrested and thrown into unmarked van originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Former Married At First Sight star Nasser Sultan has slammed Channel 10 for casting two blonde-haired, blue-eyed sisters for a joint role on The Bachelorette.

Clearly fed up in a video shared to his Instagram on Wednesday, the reality star said 'in this day and age, you would think that producers would cast some cultural diversity.'

And with former Bachelor star Elly Miles and her older sister Becky having been announced as the show's new leads, Nasser expressed his annoyance of having to sit through another season of 'same same, but different.'

Where's the diversity? Former Married At First Sight star Nasser Sultan has slammed Channel 10 for casting two blonde-haired, blue-eyed sisters for a joint role on The Bachelorette

Nasser said in the video: 'So, The Bachelorette for 2020 has been announced and we're not going to put up with one, we're going to put up with two [lead women], right.

'In this day and age, with all that's going on, you would think that producers would cast some cultural diversity. But no we are set to have the same same but different.'

He offered some advice to producers, saying: 'Please think outside the square and cast someone outside the norm - not the same blonde hair and blue eyes.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted a Channel Ten representative for further comment.

'Same same, but different': Clearly fed up in a video shared to his Instagram on Wednesday, the reality said 'in this day and age, you would think that producers would cast some cultural diversity'

No diversity: With former Bachelor star Elly Miles and her older sister Becky [Pictured] having been announced as the show's new leads, Nasser expressed his annoyance of having to sit through another season of 'same same, but different'

Earlier on in the day, The Bachelorette Australia announced it will feature two sisters searching for love in a franchise first.

And while fans of the franchise will be familiar with former Bachelor star Elly, her older sister Becky is new to television.

Elly was a popular contestant on Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor last year, but was sent home after she warned Matt that another contestant, Abbie Chatfield, was only there to become 'Instagram famous'.

Nasser offered some advice to producers, saying: 'Please think outside the square and cast someone outside the norm - not the same blonde hair and blue eyes'

The 25-year-old works as a nurse, while her older sister has been a defence contracting specialist for the Australian Government since 2016.

Becky, who has recently suffered a heartbreak, is looking for someone honest and loyal, and who has good 'banter'.

It's unclear how long Becky has been single for, as she last confirmed she was in a relationship on Facebook in August 2019.
By Associated Press

TOKYO: A Japanese court on Wednesday for the first time recognized people exposed to radioactive "black rain" that fell after the 1945 US atomic attack on Hiroshima as atomic bomb survivors, ordering the city and the prefecture to provide the same government medical benefits as given to other survivors.

The Hiroshima District Court said all 84 plaintiffs who were outside of a zone previously set by the government as where radioactive rain fell also developed radiation-induced illnesses and should be certified as atomic bomb victims.

All of the plaintiffs are older than their late 70s, with some in their 90s.

The landmark ruling comes a week before the city marks the 75th anniversary of the US bombing.

The US dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, killing 140,000 people and almost destroying the entire city.

The plaintiffs were in areas northwest of the ground zero where radioactive black rain fell hours after the bomb was dropped.

The plaintiffs have developed 11 illnesses such as cancer and cataracts linked to radiation after they were exposed to black rain, not just that which fell but also by taking water and food in the area contaminated with radiation.

They filed the lawsuit after Hiroshima city and prefectural officials rejected their request to expand the zone to cover their areas where black rain also fell.

In Wednesday's ruling, the court said the plaintiffs' argument about their black rain exposure was reasonable and that their medical records showed they have health problems linked to radiation exposure.

Earlier in the day, dozens of plaintiffs walked into the Hiroshima court in the rain, showing a banner saying "Certificates to all 'black rain' victims."

As soon as the ruling was issued, lawyers for the plaintiffs ran out of the court, showing a banner saying "full victory," and their supporters applauded and cheered.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the government will closely examine the ruling and respond after consulting with related government agencies and Hiroshima officials.
COLONIE  Three-quarters of the airports offering nonstop service to and from Albany International Airport are in states now covered by New York's Emergency Health Order, requiring passengers from those states to complete a Department of Health Traveler Form and possibly quarantine for 14 days. The addition of Illinois, Minnesota and Washington, D.C. on Tuesday added Midway and O'Hare Airports in Chicago, the Minneapolis airport, and Dulles and Reagan National airports to the list.

Puerto Rico and Kentucky also were added to the order on Tuesday. Thirty-four states are now covered.

Passengers are required to complete the form before leaving the Albany airport or potentially face a $2,000 fine and possible mandatory quarantine.

Travelers arriving by train or highway from any of the locales on the list are required to complete the forms online. Amtrak has advisories on its website that give travelers state-by-state information on requirements when traveling.

New York regulations require a 14-day quarantine for travelers from any of the listed locales. Essential workers and individuals passing through New York aren't required to complete the form. Essential workers staying in the state for up to 36 hours must monitor their health conditions and practice social distancing, while those staying longer than 36 hours must get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible.

The addition of Illinois on Tuesday affects at least half a dozen daily flights operated by American, Southwest and United. Airports serving Washington, D.C., likely were already covered by the Emergency Health Order. Both Reagan and Dulles airports are physically in Virginia, while Baltimore-Washington International is in Maryland. Both states were already on the list.

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

States are added or deleted based on a seven-day rolling average of positive tests in excess of 10%, or on positive cases exceeding 10 per 100,000 residents, according to the state Health Department website.

Of the 16 airports with nonstop service to Albany, only Newark, Philadelphia, Detroit and Denver are in states that aren't on the Emergency Health Order list.

eanderson@timesunion.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:22:12|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- China is firmly opposed to the United States adding 11 Chinese entities to its "entity list" of export controls, a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in response to media requests Tuesday.

By utilizing economy and trade as a tool of political oppression, repeatedly abusing export controls and other measures, and using state power to suppress companies in other countries, the United States has severely disrupted the international economic and trade order and poses serious threat to the security of global industrial and supply chains, said the spokesperson.

"This is not conducive to China, the United States or the international community," said the spokesperson. "China urges the United States to immediately stop the wrong practice, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard Chinese companies' legitimate rights and interests." Enditem
A Merseyside farmer has said a huge 'thank you' to NHS staff battling the Covid-19 crisis by planting 35,000 sunflower seeds across an acre of land.

Olly Harrison, who farms in Prescot, created 200ft high letters that now spell 'NHS', done at the height of the still ongoing global pandemic.

The yellow sunflowers, symbolic of joy and happiness, were planted for the hundreds of thousands of NHS staff who continue to make huge sacrifices.

He said: I planted these sunflowers during what felt like the peak of summer, where we experienced a long spell of beautiful, hot weather.

"While most people enjoy the sunshine I was wasnt sure if the seedlings would make it. However, they have and here there are  a beautiful symbol of hope.

Mr Harrison has also planted a field of sunflowers to create a maze for families to enjoy over the summer holidays.

Half the proceeds of tickets sales will be donated to NHS charities and its charitable partners.

Mr Harrison said: Although we still havent beaten the virus, we are now able to enjoy more freedoms and I hope that families will join us to enjoy the sunflowers this summer.

Knowsley Councils Cabinet Member for Communities, Shelley Powell applauded the farmer's work.

Farmer Olly Harrison is a great example of Knowsley Better Together where communities are coming together and supporting one another in whatever way they can.

"I have eagerly awaited the arrival of the sunflowers and they dont disappoint  they are a beautiful show of support for NHS staff and residents. 
A food workers union filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to block Trump administration waivers that allow poultry plants to operate production lines at a faster pace, arguing the higher speeds endanger employees.

The suit challenges the U.S. Department of Agricultures waivers, saying the agency ignored concerns that increased speeds would boost the risk of injury for workers. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and five of its local members said in the compliant that the USDA also violated administrative rules when it issued the waivers.

As meat and poultry producers have been forced to shutter or slow output at plants amid Covid-19 outbreaks, the Trump administration has allowed some poultry processors to run their facilities at faster speeds, a step experts and labor advocates have long said raises the safety risk to workers.

As Covid-19 continues to infect thousands of meatpacking workers, it is stunning that USDA is further endangering these workers by allowing poultry companies to increase line speeds to dangerous new levels that increase the risk of injury and make social distancing next to impossible, UFCW International President Marc Perrone said in an emailed statement.

This lawsuit will help to finally stop this dangerous corporate giveaway from the USDA.

A spokesman for USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service declined to comment, citing a policy against commenting on pending litigation.

Americas meat and poultry plants have been one of the hardest-hit sectors in the covid pandemic. More than 16,200 meat plant workers had tested positive for the virus by the end of May and 86 had died, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that collected data from more than 20 states.

Minority workers have suffered the most. Of the cases that disclosed race and ethnicity, 87% involved minority workers  with employees identified as Hispanic accounting for 56% of infections despite making up less than a third of the overall workforce.

In April, the USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service allowed five poultry plants  two owned by Tyson Foods Inc., and three by Wayne Farms LLC  to run their slaughter lines at higher speeds. The agency also gave approval to Foster Farms in March.

Plants have to seek permission for the line-speed changes under a USDA program called the New Poultry Inspection Service. While waivers have been available since the program was started in 2018, companies have drawn a backlash by applying for them at a time when many employees are already at risk of getting sick.

Poultry workers suffer from high rates of on-the-job injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve damage due to the repetitive motions required to do their jobs, a 2015 report from the CDC found. The concern is that faster line speeds will worsen these dangerous conditions.

The program has been controversial since long before the pandemic. Originally proposed under the Obama administration, the line-speed change garnered so much opposition that it was not enacted. The Trump administrations USDA reversed that decision in 2018.

The case is United Food and Commercial Workers Union v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 20-cv-02045, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia.

With assistance from Deena Shanker and Lydia Mulvany.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Selling STIMULAN and genex calcium matrices for surgical use in musculoskeletal infections, trauma, spine and foot and ankle

KEELE, England, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocomposites, an international medical devices company that engineers, manufactures and markets world leading products for use in infection management in bone and soft tissue, today announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with LifeHealthcare to sell its STIMULAN and genex products in Australia.

LifeHealthcare is one of Australia's leading providers of medical device solutions with a team of complex orthopaedic experts that focus on infection, revision arthroplasty, oncology, limb deformity, paediatrics and biologics.

The STIMULAN Rapid Cure and STIMULAN Kit products are truly absorbable and specifically designed to be placed at the site of infection as part of a surgeon's dead space and infection management strategies. Its unique crystal structure and properties transform outcomes in the presence of infection. The genex platform is an innovative, versatile synthetic bone graft that supports natural healing and vanishes without a trace.

Michael Harris, Chief Executive Officer of Biocomposites, said: "Partnering with LifeHealthcare allows us to provide surgeons treating infected and high-risk patients with our innovative products - to improve patient outcomes, reduce hospital readmissions and lower overall treatment costs. This is another example of our strategy to partner with key players in our priority markets, which already includes agreements with the NHS in the UK and HealthTrust in the US."

Matt Muscio, Chief Executive Officer of LifeHealthcare, said: "We are very pleased to collaborate with Biocomposites to further address the needs of Australian surgeons and their patients. LifeHealthcare has established an excellent distribution presence and our strong relationship with surgeons enables us to effectively bring best in class products such as STIMULAN to market. This product fits well into our portfolio of complex arthroplasty and oncology solutions and we look forward to working with the Biocomposites team into the future."

STIMULAN is already used in over 50,000 cases every year and in thousands of hospitals around the world.

Contact for media enquiries:

Optimum Strategic Communications

Mary Clark, Shabnam Bashir, Manel Mateus

Tel: +44 (0)20 3950 9144

biocomposites@optimumcomms.com

About Biocomposites

Biocomposites is an international medical devices company that engineers, manufactures and markets world leading products for use in infection management in bone and soft tissue. Based in Keele, UK, it has global operations across Europe, USA, Canada, China and India. Biocomposites is a world leader in the development of innovative calcium compounds for surgical use. Its products target a broad spectrum of infection risks across a variety of specialities, including musculoskeletal infection, orthopaedics, trauma, spine, foot and ankle and podiatry. Its STIMULAN products are the first calcium matrices to receive European approval for mixing with antibiotics such as vancomycin, gentamicin and tobramycin, for use in bone and soft tissue. Biocomposites products are now used in over 100,000 procedures per annum and sold in more than 40 countries around the world. Please visit www.biocomposites.com

About LifeHealthcare

LifeHealthcare is a leading independent provider of healthcare solutions in Australia and New Zealand bringing healthcare professionals innovative medical devices by partnering with world class companies who share the vision of innovation and making a real difference to people's lives. LifeHealthcare has been recognised as one of the Financial Times 1,000 High Growth Companies in Asia-Pacific. In May 2018 LifeHealthcare was acquired by Australasia's largest private equity fund, Pacific Equity Partners, a market leader that has been recognised as a Top 20 Consistent Performer Globally by Prequin. For further information, please visit www.lifehealthcare.com.au
-The minister's death was announced by Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday, July 29

- His death came barely a day after he was hospitalised in Harare but the spokesman for the presidency and Cabinet said he was in self-isolation

- This was after the minister's driver succumbed to COVID-19 over the weekend prompting him to miss Cabinet meetings

Zimbabwe's Minister for Agriculture Perrance Shiri has died at the age of 65.

His death was announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday, July 29, but he did not disclose the cause of his death.

READ ALSO: Two men arrested over CS Matiang'i's COVID-19 rumours

Zimbabwe's Minister for Agriculture Perrance Shiri has died at the age of 65. Photo: Daily Monitor.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: 17-year-old girl who went viral for repairing forklifts gets government scholarship

Local media further reported the 65-year-old minister died at a private hospital where he was receiving treatment in the capital, Harare.

"I am deeply saddened to inform the nation of the death of the Minister of Agriculture retired Air Marshall Perrance Shiri, a long time friend and colleague," Mnangagwa said.

"Comrade Shiri was a true patriot, who devoted his life to the liberation, independence and service of his country," he added.

READ ALSO: Kenyan man inspires people online after narrating how he made KSh 100k by hawking sweets

The retired Air Marshall is reported to have been hospitalised on Tuesday, July 28, just days after his driver succumbed to COVID-19 over the weekend.

The spokesman for the presidency and Cabinet, George Charamba, however, told ZimLive that the former Air Force commander was in self-isolation.

"The ministers driver died from the virus and it is only normal that the minister goes into self-isolation, and in the process miss cabinet, as a contact of his former driver," he said.

READ ALSO: Chania Boys high school principal succumbed to cardiac arrest not COVID-19, family says

The development came as the Zimbabwe Parliament was shut down on Monday, July 27, after two legislators tested positive for the novel virus which has infected over 16.8 million people globally.

Meanwhile, another legislator, Masango Matambanadzo, of the opposition party National Patriotic Front died of an undisclosed ailment on Tuesday, July 28.

Shiri was the commander of Zimbabwe's Air Force until the 2017 military coup that toppled long time ruler Robert Mugabe.

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
24 April 2018, Germany, Berlin: Head of Amazon Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie Bezos arrive for the Axel Springer award ceremony. Bezos will be receiving the award later.

Jorg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images

In a Medium blog post posted on Tuesday, MacKenzie Scott announced that she is allocating her fortune to causes including racial equality, LGBTQ rights, public health and climate change.

"Last year I pledged to give the majority of my wealth back to the society that helped generate it, to do it thoughtfully, to get started soon, and to keep at it until the safe is empty," Scott wrote in the post.

Six HBCUs  Howard University, Hampton University, Spelman College, Tuskegee University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Morehouse College  publicly announced that they received eight-figure donations from Scott.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Video: How Jeff Bezos spends his fortune

MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos' ex-wife, issued eight-figure donations to various historically Black colleges and universities this week.

In a Tuesday blog post on Medium, MacKenzie Scott publicly announced her pledge of $1.7 billion of her fortune to organizations pursuing "transformative" work in causes including racial equality, LGBTQ rights, public health, and climate change, as Insider previously reported.

"Last year I pledged to give the majority of my wealth back to the society that helped generate it, to do it thoughtfully, to get started soon, and to keep at it until the safe is empty," Scott wrote in the blog post.

Six HBCUs were amongst the 116 listed recipients. Most of the presidents of these institutions highlighted that Scott's donations were the largest from a single individual in schools' history.

Howard University

In a Tuesday morning statement, Howard University announced that Scott donated $40 million.

"I would like to thank Ms. Mackenzie Scott for her investment into Howard University and our 153-year mission of serving a diverse community of dynamic scholars who come here for an education and leave here with purpose to serve the world," President Wayne A. I. Frederick said in the statement.

Story continues

According to Howard University's statement, the donation will be dispersed in four focal areas; "including on-going campus infrastructure improvement projects, such as essential renovations to the steam plant system and updates to improve technology."

Hampton University

According to a Tuesday morning statement, Scott donated $30 million to Hampton University.

"This pure act of benevolence is clearly a game changer and it could not have come at a better time," President Dr. William R. Harvey said in the statement. "I speak for the entire Hampton University community when I say we are grateful to Ms. MacKenzie Scott, who has chosen to support us during this unprecedented period of uncertainty."

The statement reveals that Hampton University plans to use the funds to give scholarships to assist high school students, fund Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, update campus scientific laboratories, and "further support of the University's technological advances."

Spelman College

On Tuesday, Spelman College also released a statement announcing that the institution was one of the recipients of the large donation. They did not disclose how much they received.

"MacKenzie Scott's gift to 116 organizations breaks new philanthropic ground both in scope and in scale. On behalf of the entire Spelman community, I am honored that Spelman College is among the dozens of institutions who are recipients of her gifts," President Mary Schmidt Campbell said in a statement.

The statement highlights that the college will use the funding towards "the College's goal of supporting scholarly and creative excellence by bolstering its technological infrastructure; developing new sources of revenue; promoting curricular innovations that enhance the competitiveness of Spelman students; and improving academic facilities."

Tuskegee University

Tuskegee University announced that the institution received a whopping $20 million dollar donation from Scott.

"This gift comes at an opportune time for us," President Lily D. McNair said in a statement. "We are about to launch a five-year strategic planning effort and, with this investment from Ms. Scott, we will be able to unfold the next phase of our mission in ways we simply could not have considered before."

According to President McNair, Tuskegee plans to use the generous donation to increase "student access, strengthening signature programs, advancing research and innovation, and preserving the university's legacy," she said.

Xavier University of Louisiana

Xavier Univ. of LA (@XULA1925) July 28, 2020

Xavier University of Louisiana received $20 from Scott's donation, according to a statement released on Tuesday. The institution doesn't list who the donor is, but according to Scott's blog post, the school was one of the recipients of her donations.

"This is a remarkable demonstration of support and encouragement for Xavier and its mission, and a reminder that what we do is important-not only at the University, but also within our global community," President Reynold Verret said in the statement.

President Verret said the donation "will enhance the university's capacity to educate in the medical sciences, pharmacy, law, the arts, and the social sciences."

Morehouse College

On Wednesday, Morehouse College announced that they received $20 million from Scott.

"MacKenzie Scott's beneficent gift to Morehouse and several of our companion institutions in the HBCU network is an investment into the future of Black excellence," President David A. Thomas said in a statement."This gift will help Morehouse to lay the foundation for the campus of the 21st century and continue the important work we do to produce graduates who effect positive change in their communities, the nation, and the world."

Read the original article on Insider
Kolkata, July 29 : Haldiram's Kolkata food chain owner Mahesh Agarwal's death in Singapore in April has triggered a serious tussle within the family over the property, according to sources.

The tussle broke out in open when Agarwal's two Kolkata stores were targeted by miscreants, reportedly encouraged by a section of the family. The miscreants also took away items, like laptops and pen drives that contained sensitive information such as bank details of the company and its properties.

A complaint was filed with the Shakespeare Sarani police station. "We have registered a case and collected a lot of CCTV footage in connection with the incident. We are examining them," Kolkata Police Joint Commissioner (crime) Murlidhar Sharma told IANS.

Sharma said there were case and counter-case on the same incident. "We are looking into all possible aspects of the incident and will take action against the offenders accordingly," he said.

However, the case would progress further only if both sides pressed charges, he added.

According to the police sources, a few members of the Haldiram family have been quizzed, but no one has been detained.

Nothing was clear about the internal family dispute as well as the reason behind such actions (encouragement for break-in) by few members of the extended Haldiram family.

According to reports, an estranged widow's bitter struggle over property rights could be behind the the incident.

The company was set up by Ganga Bhishen Agarwal, a businessman from Bikaner in Rajasthan. The family shifted to Kolkata a decade after the Independence in 1947.

The Agarwal siblings split in the early 1990s, dividing business operations in four different zones. While Manoharlal and Madhusudan got the north Indian markets, Shiv Kishan the south and west markets, and Prabhu Shankar and Ashok the markets in east India.

When in 2013, a court ruling barred Prabhu Shankar and Ashok from using the "Haldiram's Bhujiawala" name, the duo re-branded it as "Prabhuji: From the house of Haldiram's".

Mahesh, a cousin of Prabhu Shankar, had a serious issues with wife Meena who stayed separately with the children for almost eight years.

Mahesh had been taken to Singapore for liver transplant by Sharad Agarwal, his trusted lieutenant for many years. But he died in April. Sharad had run ailing Mahesh's fast-food and sweetmeat businesses for many years.

According to the media reports, Sharad's father Ravi, a cousin of Mahesh, had died in a car accident in Bikaner in the 90s.

According to family insiders, Mahesh had split his Rs 1,200 crore ancestral properties in three parts - to his son Pratik, sister Manju and Sharad with a stringent condition that no one would be allowed to sell the assets and the trio would develop the branch of the foods company beyond its current turnover of Rs 4,000 crore.
United States Attorney General William Barr appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on July 28 for the first time since taking office in February 2019.

Barrs appearance came amid the deployment of federal law enforcement officers against crowds of protesters in Portland, Washington, DC, and other American cities.

Barrs tenure as the top law enforcement official in the US has been controversial. Some Democratic politicians have called for Barrs impeachment. More than a thousand former Justice Department lawyers have signed a letter urging him to step down. Four former presidents of the DC Bar Association have called for a professional ethics probe.

In the hearing, Democrats, who control a majority in the US House of Representatives, challenged Barr on a wide range of issues including whether he believes there is systemic racism in the US and whether he has favoured the presidents friends in prosecutions stemming from the Mueller probe.

Here are key excerpts of what Barr said during the five-hour hearing:

Police killings of Black men quite rare

Police forces today are far more diverse than theyve ever been. And there are both more Black police chiefs and more Black officers in the ranks. Although the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police was a shocking event, the fact is that these events are, fortunately, quite rare.

Police killings not rooted in racism

As one prominent Black professional in Washington said to me, African Americans will often feel treated as suspects first and citizens second, and I think these concerns are legitimate. At the same time, it would be an oversimplification to treat the problem is rooted in some deep-seated racism generally infecting our police departments. It seems far more likely that the problem stems from a complex mix of factors which can be addressed with focused attention over time.

Four now former police officers were charged in the days following the killing of George Floyd on May 25. From left: Derek Chauvin, who placed his knee on Floyds neck and J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao [Hennepin County Sheriffs Office/via AP Photo]

Police demonised in wake of George Floyd, most Black people killed by other Black people

Unfortunately, some have chosen to respond to George Floyds death in a far less productive way by demonising the police, promoting slogans like all cops are bastards and making grossly irresponsible programme proposals to defund the police. The demonisation of the police is not only unfair and inconsistent with principles of all people should be treated as individuals, but gravely injurious to the inner-city communities. When communities turn on and pillory the police, officers naturally become more risk-averse and crime rates soar. So, unfortunately, we are seeing that now in many of our cities, the threat to Black lives posed by crime on the streets is massively greater than any threat posed by police misconduct.

Protests have been hijacked by rioters, notably in Portland

In the wake of George Floyds death, violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests to wreak senseless havoc and destruction on innocent victims. The current situation in Portland is a telling example. Every night for the past two months, a mob of hundreds of rioters have laid siege to the federal courthouse and other nearby federal property. The rioters have come equipped for a fight, armed with powerful slingshots, tasers, sledgehammers, saws, knives, rifles and explosive devices. Inside the courthouse are a relatively small number of federal law enforcement personnel, charged with the defensive mission to protect the courthouse. What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called protest. It is, by any objective measure, an assault on the government of the United States.

Hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters hold their phones aloft in Portland, Oregon where federal agents were deployed without local consent, and camouflaged outside Portlands US court, they clashed violently with civilians leading the governor to call for their removal [Noah Berger/AP Photo]

Rise in violent crime prompted federal deployments to US cities

However, in the intervening time, we saw violent crime continuing to rise and a lot of that was triggered by the events after the death of George Floyd. So we did reboot the programme after COVID started breaking and we could commit the law enforcement resources to actually accomplish the mission, which is to reduce violent crime. Now, I regret that COVID interrupted our law enforcement activities, but it doesnt obviate the fact that there is serious violent crime in these cities. These police departments and mayors have been asking us for help and we have put in additional federal agents and investigators to help deal with it.

Did Barr talk politics with Trump in context of federal police response?

Im a member of the cabinet. And theres an election going on, obviously, the topic comes up in cabinet meetings and other things. It shouldnt be a surprise that topic of the election was discussed.

Im not going to get into my discussions with the president, but Ive made it clear that I would like to pick the cities based on law enforcement need and based on neutral criteria.

Democrats allege Trump is provoking conflict with protesters in Portland and other US cities to boost his election prospects in November. Barr declined to reveal any election discussions with the president and insisted US law enforcement was being deployed as necessary on the basis of neutral criteria [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

Roger Stones prosecution excessive

Stone was prosecuted under me. And I said all along, I thought that was a righteous prosecution. I thought he should go to jail. And I thought the judges sentence was correct. But the line prosecutors were trying to advocate for a sentence that was more than twice anyone else in a similar position had ever served and this is a 67-year-old man, first time offender, no violence, and they were trying to put him in jail for seven to nine years. And I wasnt going to advocate that, because that is not the rule of law. I agree the presidents friends dont deserve special breaks but they also dont deserve to be treated more harshly than other people.

Michael Flynn investigation unwarranted

Well, I would just say I asked another US Attorney in St Louis, who had 10 years in the FBI and 10 years in the Department of Justice as a career prosecutor, to take a look at it. And he determined based on documents that had not been provided to the Flynn side and not been provided to the court, that in fact, there was no basis to investigate Flynn. And furthermore, it was clearly established by the documents that the FBI agents who interviewed him did not believe that they thought he was lying.

What the counsel concluded was that the only purpose of the interview  the only purpose  was to try to catch him in saying something that they could then say was a lie. So then, therefore, the interview was untethered to any legitimate investigation.

Riot police detain a man as they fired pepper spray and tear gas on protesters to clear Lafayette Park and the area around it across from the White House on June 1, 2020 [Ken Cedeno/Reuters]

Barrs role in Lafayette Square on June 1

There was unprecedented rioting right around the White House, very violent. During that time  we had around 90 officers injured. Im talking about things like concussions, one was operated on and so forth  It was so bad that  as its been reported  the Secret Service recommended the president go down to the shelter. We had a breach of the Treasury Department. The historical building on Lafayette Park was burned down. St Johns was set on fire. Bricks were thrown at the police repeatedly. They took crowbars and pried up the pavers at Lafayette Park and threw those at the police. Balloons of caustic liquids were thrown on the police. And it was clear when I arrived at the White House on Monday, there was total consensus that we couldnt allow that to happen so close to the White House, that kind of rioting. And therefore we had to move the perimeter out one block and push it up toward I Street. And there was already a plan in being at that point that the Park Police and the Secret Service had worked out the night before, which was to put the perimeter further away and then give them time to put a non-scaleable fence across the northern part of the park.

Tactical decisions were made by US Park Police

During the day, the factors that led to the timing of it was that movement was going to be made as soon as there were enough units in place to actually perform it and units were very slow in getting into place throughout the day, much to my frustration, because I wanted to move before there was a big buildup of demonstrators, and also the fencing had to be delivered. And when those things were accomplished the tactical commander in charge of the Park Police proceeded with the movement of pushing the perimeter. So this was something conceived long before and didnt turn on the nature of the crowd, although I would say the crowd was very unruly. And while the tactical considerations were made by the Park Police, they tried to respond to the situation.

Police officers wearing riot gear push back demonstrators and shoot canisters with chemical agents in Washington DC, during a protest over the death of George Floyd. President Trump then posed outside St Johns church, after the area was cleared of protesters [Jose Luis Magana / AFP]

On Trumps photo in front of St Johns church

To say that this had to do with the photo op, I dont mean to analogise this to a military operation, but its akin to saying that we invaded the Philippines in World War II so Douglas MacArthur could walk through the surf on the beach, one follows the other but we did not invade the Philippines so that MacArthur could walk to the beach.
Anyone not living under a rock for the past week must be aware of the Black and White photo challenge doing the rounds on women's Instagram feeds across the world. The "challenge" includes sharing monotone photos and selfies of themselves with hashtags such as #WomenSupportingWomen, #WomenEmpowerment and #ChallengeAccepted.

The "Challenge" became a global phenomenon with women across all walks of life - celebrities to students, activists to professors, journalists to just ordinary social media users. By Wednesday, there were millions of black and white photos of women under the #WomenSupportingWomen hashtag. The problem was, a majority of them came with no context.

What did the hashtag and the trend represent?

Many women and journalists of colour have pointed out that the meaningless sharing of the black and white photos without context has led to a hijacking of the trend which they claim was started as a mark of protest against femicide in Turkey.

Several viral posts by a number of women from Turkey and other places have gone viral on social media, claiming that the photo challenge was started in Turkey after the murder of 27-year-old student named Pinar Gultekin, who was reported missing on July 16, only to be found dead in a forest five days later. The university student had been murdered by her boyfriend in what became yet another case among the growing number of femicides in Turkey.

As the black and white photo challenge went viral across the world, several Turkish women took to social media to draw attention to the alleged origin of the movement.

Femicide in Turkey

Turkey has been seeing protests by women across the country after the killing of Pinar Gultekin. The outrage reached fever pitch when the Turkish government indicated that it may be backing out of the landmark Istanbul Convention, a treaty that was ratified by the country in 2012 and was one of the first binding treaties in the world to combat and prevent cases of gender-based violence against women, as well as cases of marital rape and genital mutilation.

On the other hand, Turkey has one of the highest numbers of femicides in the world with 474 women being killed in 2019 due to gender-based violence and abuse. As per numbers recorded by the Turkish online platform 'We Will Stop Femicide', 27 cases of femicides have similar to the killing of Pinar Guletkin have been reported in this year alone.

Many on social media claimed that the Black and White photo challenge was in fact a result of the ongoing agitations by women across Turkey.

As per messages going viral on Instagram, the trend started in Turkey by way of calling attention to the myriad cases of domestic violence, gender-based abuse and femicide that women in the country wake up to, every day. The black and white photo was meant to represent the victims of gender violence whose photos were broadcast in news media. The idea of sharing own black and white photos? To point out that if you don't raise your voice against violence, one day, it could be you.

Twitter user Imaan Patel shared the following message on Twitter. The screenshots have been going viral across social media platforms.

"Turkey is one of the top countries when it comes to femicides. Most often the murderers barely get a slap on a wrist or no charges at all Our government is trying to abolish certain aspects of [the] Istanbul Convention which is a human rights treaty that protects women against domestic violence Turkish people wake up every day to see a black and white photo of a woman who has been murdered on their Instagram feed, on their newspapers, on their TV screens. The black and white photo challenge started as a way for women to raise their voice. To stand in solidarity with the women we have lost. To show that one day, it could be their picture that is plastered across news outlets.

just thought all of you posting these "black and white" challenges should see how tone deaf they actually are xx pic.twitter.com/WdQzQqMlza   (@imaann_patel) July 28, 2020

Turkish Instagrammer Zeycan Rochelle Yildirim also shared a similar post on Instagram in which she explaine din detail what the Istanbul Convention is and why the Turkish government's move to disband the convennction can lead to further violence against women.

The New York Times journalist Tariro Mzezewa took to Twitter to clarify that she had spoken to Turkish women to find out if the truth and found out that several women in Turkey had been tweeting under hashtags like #kadnasiddetehayr and #istanbulsozlesmesiyasatr (Say no to violence against women) and "Istanbul sozlesmesi yasatr" (Enforce the Istanbul convention). These hashtags were, however, drowned out by the global photo-sharing trend.

The Turkish hashtags about domestic violence and femicide were dropped as the challenge went viral. The images were for women to bond but MORE importantly that we know that we can be the next trending image and hashtag. - @zeycan_rochelle Tariro Mzezewa (@tariro) July 28, 2020

Indian Instagrammer Dr Pragya Aggarwal also shared a similar post in wake of several Indian celebrities including Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhat as well as a plethora of other Indian women sharing their greyscale headshots.

Alternative origins

Not all agree to this version of the trend's origins. Some such as an article in The New York Times suggested that the trend was similar to one that went viral in 2016 in to show support for women with cancer. The report also suggested that as per Instagram, the first #WomenSupportWomen post in the past month came a week ago from the Instagram account of a Brazilian journalist Ana Paula Padrao who posted an image of herself and tagged another woman to take up the challenge.

Yet another theory noted that the trend was in fact the result of the viral video of United States Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez who recently lambasted Ted Yoho for his deeply sexist remarks against her. As per the NYT report, there has been an uptick on social media posts revolving around the themes of feminism and female solidarity since the AOC's video.

Context > Origin

Many, however, agreed that no matter what the exact origin, it was important to understand the context of the trend - solidarity against gender-based violence and abuse of women.

Though the trend and the hashtag of "women supporting women" may have been old, it's various reiterations over the years such as during the Black Lives Movement as well as in Turkey were all important in terms of growing representation of diverse women and the issues and violence they face.

People love these types of challenges because they dont require any actual advocacy. You can self promote in the name of a cause, but the cause in these #ChallengeAccepted posts is so vague they basically don't support anything at all https://t.co/MfUVFh1bjd Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) July 27, 2020

Sharing beautiful photos of oneself and tagging other women by way of uplifting them may be empowering. But sharing the photos without knowing or iterating the cause may work toward diluting the campaign which is ultimately aimed at raising voice against gender violence. While celebrating women empowerment, it is important to remember that those fighting for their rights - the ones who really need global support and solidarity to stand up against sexist and oppressive governments and regimes - may find reprieve to know that their voices are not being drowned out by a trend that was co-opted by celebrities to promote themselves.
The Oregon Employment Department is rapidly clearing its backlog of unprocessed jobless claims, asserting Wednesday it is solidly on track to meet an August 8 target for resolving outstanding benefits applications from self-employed workers -- a little more than four months after Congress funded the payments.

However, tens of thousands of people are still waiting to have their claims adjudicated  a process that can take months. Such complicated claims are now the biggest obstacle to resolving unpaid claims, according to David Gerstenfeld, the departments interim director.

Oregon has struggled with a succession of issues as it attempted to address more than 640,000 new jobless claims that have swamped the employment department since the states pandemic shutdown began in March.

The state has largely worked through a backlog of regular unemployment claims, which once numbered more than 100,000.

Oregon then took up a separate backlog of 70,000 self-employed claimants, newly eligible for benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program Congress established in March. A month into a concerted effort to resolve that backlog, Gerstenfeld said the state has now processed 51,000 of those.

A Google-based technology upgrade Oregon implemented earlier this month has rapidly accelerated processing of these PUA claims, according to Gerstenfeld, by automating the weekly claims review. The state spent $240,000 on the project.

It has made a massive difference in how quickly were able to address the work, Gerstenfeld said on his weekly media call Wednesday. He said he expects to have nearly all those claims processed by the end of next week.

Processing a claim doesnt necessarily equate to issuing a check, though. People with complex work histories, some who work out of state and some employed by school districts, among others, must have their claims adjudicated before they receive any money.

Thats a highly involved process and Gerstenfeld said Wednesday the backlog for adjudication remains 12 to 14 weeks. He said the department doesnt have data on just how many are in the adjudication pipeline but said the number is in the tens of thousands.

The state has now paid $3.4 billion in jobless benefits since the pandemic began, but it owes laid-off workers several hundred million more for the first week Oregonians are unemployed. Congress funded a waiver of the so-called waiting week, in March, but the states antiquated computer systems have prevented Oregon from implementing the change.

The department plans to begin pursuing a technological fix beginning in August, but it will be at least a few months before the state issues any checks. And the department has left open the possibility it may not be able to implement the waiver by the end of the year, at which time the federal funds may expire.

Meanwhile, $600 in weekly unemployment bonus payments Congress funded in March expired this week. Congress is deadlocked on how or whether to expend the program, with Senate Republicans favoring a complex formula for extending bonus payments based on workers income.

Oregon and other states have warned that adding complexity to the program could delay the payments by many months. Gerstenfeld said Wednesday that Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has sent a letter to Congress urging it to extend bonus benefits with a flat rate.

If Congress does approve a straightforward extension, Gerstenfeld said the state could begin making those payments in a matter of weeks.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway |

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Pressure group OccupyGhana has called for a law to criminalise vote-buying in internal party elections and primaries.



In a letter to the Attorney-General, Ms Gloria Akuffo, the group urged the minister to consider preparing a bill to Parliament to "criminalise such acts as vote-buying in the manner that was provided under Part IV, Chapter 5 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), Part II of the Referendum Act, 1977 (SMCD 143) and Part V of the Representation of the People Act, 1992 (PNDCL 284)".



Such a move, the pressure group believes, will help seal a loophole in the law which is silent on the criminality of vote buying in internal party elections.



In the letter, which provided a legal basis for the request to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the group said: "We have taken note of the several reports of vote-buying during internal political party elections and primaries since the inception of the Fourth Republican Constitution.



The phenomenon seems to be getting worse with every election cycle when politicians raise funds simply to distribute to party delegates, either in cash or in kind, in exchange for their votes. It has got to a stage where it is the highest bidder who wins internal elections and primaries, which have become the cocoa season for those fortunate to be selected as delegates," it stated.



No law



The group added: "We are concerned that this is prevalent probably because there appears to be no law that specifically criminalises vote-buying during internal elections and primaries. The provisions against vote-buying and related offences in Act 29, SMCD 143 and PNDCL 284 are specifically targeted at public elections and referenda, and by definition do not extend to internal elections and primaries".



The group explained that "for instance, section 3(5) of Act 29 says the expression public election shall be construed by reference to article 49 of the Constitution, and includes an election the qualification for voting at which, or the mode of voting at which, is determined or regulated by an enactment. Section 50 of PNDCL 284 simply says election means any public election. Even section 11 of the more recent Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999) defines public election by reference to general, presidential and district level elections and referenda conducted or supervised by the Electoral Commission."



According to the group, although it is arguable that the definition in Act 999 may apply to internal elections and primaries because they are supervised by the Electoral Commission, it does not go far enough. This is because under article 19 (11) of the Constitution, an act is not a crime until it is specifically provided as such in written law with a specifically prescribed punishment".



It said "the current lacuna in the law cannot continue, adding that " For starters, article 55(5) of the Constitution demands that political parties must be run along democratic lines. Specifically, it says the internal organisation of a political party shall conform to democratic principles and its actions and purposes shall not contravene or be inconsistent with this Constitution or any other law.



Clear message



OccupyGhana added that although simply criminalising vote-buying may not eradicate the practice, "we think that the specific criminalisation will send a clear message to current and future perpetrators that, at the very least, Ghana frowns on those acts and is willing to punish those who engage in them. It will also serve as a clear message that if they are caught, the law will deal with them".



"We do not think that Ghana requires any massive legislative amendments to achieve this. We could achieve this by extending the current definition of public elections to cover internal elections and primaries so that the criminalising provisions under Part IV, Chapter 5 of Act 29 and Part V of PNDCL 284 will apply. Alternatively, we may consider a stand-alone legislation that regulates such internal elections and primaries and criminalises vote-buying among others," it said.









Source: Graphic.com.gh









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Japanese businessmen participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony at Uniqlo's new store in Hanoi, March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

Eighty nine percent of Japanese firms in Vietnam complain over entry restrictions, 65 percent stating they are impacted by domestic travel restrictions, a survey revealed.

Revenues were down in the first half of the year for 65 percent of firms, and higher for only 13 percent, according to the survey, done in June by the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).

Eighty percent expressed the hope that the Vietnamese government would soon resume flights between the two countries, and 90 percent wanted the government to lift travel restrictions as soon as possible, said the survey of 631 firms.

Vietnam has not allowed foreign nationals in since March 22 and suspended international flights on March 25. Only diplomatic and official passport holders, experts and high-skilled workers are allowed entry.

The country cut down drastically on domestic flights and halted passenger road transport including taxis from April 1-22 as the country imposed nationwide social distancing.

Nearly three fourths expected full-year revenues to drop sharply. Twenty one percent said revenues would drop by 21-30 percent, while 20 percent expected an 11-20 percent drop.

Only 23 percent expected a recovery by the end of this year. Twenty one percent expected a recovery in the first quarter of next year, 15 percent in the second quarter and 7 percent in the third quarter while the rest said they are unclear when their businesses would recover.
Napa County still awaits signs of a COVID-19 turnaround that would allow it to reopen indoor fitness centers, hair salons and various other activities that for now are limited to outdoors.

The signs didnt come during Tuesdays COVID-19 update at the county Board of Supervisors meeting. Dr. Karen Relucio, public health officer, delivered mixed news at best.

As long as the county remains among 36 counties on a state monitoring list, it cannot reopen indoor fitness centers, barber shops, worship services, hair salons, personal care services such as nail salons and offices for non-essential sectors. All of these activities can be done only outdoors, if possible.

In addition, schools cannot reopen for in-person instruction until Napa County has been off the monitoring list for 14 days, though elementary schools can seek a waiver.

A key to getting off the monitoring list is lowering the 14-day COVID-19 case rate to below 100 cases per 100,000 people. Latest figures show the rate at 166.5, up from 134.5 a week ago.

Some counties in the region are faring worse, with Solano Countys rate at 242.4 and Yolo Countys at 214.5. Others are faring better, with Sonoma Countys rate at 149.5 and Lake Countys rate at 90.1.

Napa County is trying to avoid a more severe, job-sapping economic shutdown that hurts peoples ability to house and feed themselves, while still trying to control the spread of the disease, Board of Supervisors chairwoman Diane Dillon said when questioned after the presentation.

Thats the balance were trying to strike, she said.

Relucio offered what has become a mantra as the way to knock back the pandemic  wear masks, watch your distance and wash your hands. Yet stressing the three Ws has yet to remove the county from state monitoring list status that resulted in various indoor businesses and activities shutting on July 13.

Perhaps, Dillon said, people feel too comfortable socializing amid the warm weather and are relaxing their COVID-19 precautions while with friends and family. She also noted that convincing people to buy into past safety messages such as wearing seat belts took time.

This is a big behavior change, she said.

Yet another issue is reopening indoor operations of restaurants, wineries and tasting rooms, movie theaters, card rooms and museums and either indoor or outdoor operations of bars. California has closed these operations statewide, for counties both on and off the monitoring list.

Relucio had no news to deliver on COVID-19 test result waits that in some cases take 10 to 14 days. The previous week, she said the county was addressing the issue in such ways as possibly contracting with other testing labs and encouraging local labs to pool test results. That is, test several samples at once and then test individually if one is positive.

On Tuesday, Relucio said long waits for test results make contact tracing more difficult. Contact tracers are health officials who interview infected people to find out whom they have exposed to the disease so those exposed can be quarantined and spread of the disease checked.

By the time Napa County receives some positive test results, the infected persons have passed their isolation period, Relucio said. That hinders the ability to do isolation and quarantine on a timely basis.

Also, some infected people arent cooperating with contract tracers. She called this an anti-contract tracing narrative.

There will be anything from, I dont want to give the names (of contacts) to sometimes frank hostility to some of the workers, she said.

The pandemic continues to hit the local Hispanic/Latinx community disproportionately hard. They make up 32% of the population, yet 53% of the cases, 44% of hospitalizations, 53% of intensive care unit cases and 50% of the deaths.

Napa County is trying to address the disparity in several ways, Relucio said. Among them is helping farmworkers by providing isolation and quarantine facilities and working with local nonprofit groups on cash aid and case management services for eligible COVID-19-positive residents.

Dillon, looking for positives in the days COVID-19 news, noted that it is taking longer for Napa County to double its number of cases. The doubling time over the past week increased from 21 days to 24 days.

Relucio said that 37% of hospital beds, 50% of ICU beds and 10% of ventilators are in use. All three categories are in the green on the countys COVID-19 Resilience Roadmap feature.

Supervisors will learn next week if the county can build on the positive notes.

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

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Central Virginians have reason for satisfaction in the recent decline in the COVID positivity rate over a seven-day period. For the benefit of all, we need to cooperate in good health practices  social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands  to keep driving the rate down.

Across the Thomas Jefferson Health District, the rate declined last week to 6.6% from the previous 7.6%.

Thats the good news.

But its not all good. Some localities continue to see high numbers.

Whats more, Central Virginia is not isolated from the rest of the state, nor is Virginia isolated from the rest of the country. COVID pressures from other areas can affect how well we can manage the crisis here.

Charlottesville recorded a positivity rate of 7.8% last week, according to the TJHD, while Albemarles rate was 7.7%. Both were higher than the state average of 7.5%.

Meanwhile, over a five-day period positive cases jumped for those in the 20-29 age range, potentially heightening local concerns over re-opening the University of Virginia.

Additionally, as the pandemic drags on, the numbers of deaths and infections  as opposed to the weekly percentage of positive new tests  continue to climb.

As of July 27, the district had seen 1,648 COVID-19 cases and 30 fatalities.

Local government officials have been concerned over another statistical marker  hospital capacity. The Board of Supervisors heard from the TJHD last week that University of Virginia Health Systems COVID ICU is full, COVID acute care is at 86% capacity, ICU is at 72% capacity and acute care is at 83% capacity. The capacity issue also is, to some degree, affecting Sentara Martha Jefferson, according to District Health Director Denise Bonds.

Both UVa and Sentara later pointed out that, overall, hospital census rates have risen not necessarily because of the coronavirus alone but because patients either have begun to feel comfortable with emerging from their homes to seek treatment for other ills  or have reached a serious stage where treatment no longer can be put off.

Patients who delayed non-COVID treatment because of COVID fears became sicker than would otherwise have been the case, and therefore needed to be hospitalized in intensive- or acute-care units.

And thats not all. A major hospital like UVa draws not just from the Thomas Jefferson region but from all over the state and beyond. UVas patient census statistics likely do not reflect local infection rates for COVID or any other illness; they are driven by patient intakes from a much larger area.

We would not want a hospital with UVas stellar expertise to be limited just to local residents. The healing skills and technologies available at UVa  and Sentara as well  should be shared with those who need them.

But that does raise the question: If UVa ever is at or near capacity treating patients, whether theyre local or reside outside the district, what happens if infection rates surge here? Where would our patients go?

We are fortunate to have two excellent hospitals in our midst. But if Sentara were at capacity as well, would local patients then be shuffled to still other hospitals?

The cascade effect is not just theoretical, at least not in some parts of the state. In a question-and-answer session before Charlottesville City Council last week, Dr. Bonds noted that the Tidewater area has experienced a surge in COVID cases, stressing capacity at local hospitals. That in turn has affected other hospitals, as they take in patients who cannot be treated closer to home. The overflow even could impact hospitals as far west as our area, she said.

A similar cascade of consequences could occur in Central Virginia if COVID cases surged here or nearby.

And its not just treatment of such cases thats affected by what happens elsewhere, its also testing.

First of two parts Tomorrow: New delays in coronavirus test results
Israeli startup Nanox has big ambitions to take on the world of medical imaging and imaging analytics with hardware that reduces the size and cost of scanning equipment, plus software that improves the quality of images and the insights you can gain from them. Today, Nanox is announcing another big step ahead in that plan: it has raised another $59 million in funding, closing out its Series B at $110 million, to continue building its full-body scanning hardware and securing more customers after already securing deals in 13 countries.

The money is coming from a range of strategic investors that include SK Telecom, Industrial Alliance (the Canadian insurance group), Foxconn and Yozma Korea, and it has arrived swiftly on the heels of $51 million delivered in two tranches, the most recent being $20 million in June from strategic investor SK Telecom, which is building a factory to manufacture Nanox hardware in South Korea (there is another factory in Japan).

Nanox is not disclosing its valuation, but in June, it was $600 million, and from what we understand, this is likely to be the company's last fundraise before it goes public, although a timeline for that has not been set (and never say never in the world of startup funding, of course).

Ran Poliakine, Nanox's founder and CEO, said in an interview that today the startup makes the majority of its revenues from licensing deals: it provides IP to manufacturers like Foxconn, SK and Fuji (another investor) to build devices based on its concepts, and the plan is to have some 15,000 scanners out in the market over the next several years.

Longer term, Nanox is seeing regulatory approval across all markets where the machines are in place to start to roll out the services side of its business, providing insights into the imaging that is sourced by way of the hardware -- a process that is in play but has been delayed due to the spread of the coronavirus (and the subsequent slowdown of many processes, such as getting regulatory approvals and clearance).

Story continues

This services aspect of Nanox's business is particularly interesting, as it underscores a major shift in how medical services are delivered and will be delivered in the future.

Namely, the rise of more powerful communications networks and better technology for imaging, and the high overhead of employing people and keeping costly equipment up to date, has led to a wave of deals where hospitals and others are outsourcing some of the analytics work away from on-site labs to remote facilities. And that has led to a surge of businesses looking to tap into the new opportunities arising out of that.

Telecoms carriers are looking for opportunities around how to sell 5G, said Ilung Kim, SK Telecoms president, in an interview in June. Now you can imagine a scanner of this size being used in an ambulance, using 5G data. Its a game changer for the industry.

This means that, even as it is waiting for regulatory clearance, Nanox is already signing on customers for this service -- a sign of the times and the demand in the market. Most recently, it inked a deal with USA Radiology, which will be using the tech for a scan-as-a-service business across the U.S. as well as in 15 other countries.

Nanox, of course, benefits on two sides with those deals: not only is it licensing its tech for the services, but it's getting licensing fees connected to the hardware that's being built and sold to use them.

As we have described before, the Nanox system is based around proprietary digital X-ray technology, a relatively new area in imaging that relies on digital scans rather than X-ray plates to capture and process images. Nanox's flagship ARC hardware comes in at 70 kg compared to 2,000 kg for the average CT scanner, and production costs are around $10,000 compared to $1-3 million for the CT scanner.

In addition to being smaller (and thus cheaper) machines with much of the processing of images done in the cloud, the Nanox system, according to Poliakine, can make its images in a fraction of a second, making them significantly safer in terms of radiation exposure compared to existing methods. This makes it easier and cheaper to own the machines, as well as to take regular scans with them, covering not just one small area of the body but the full length of it, which opens the door also to gaining more insights. Nanox today is working on that, but is also partnering with institutions that are building complex algorithms to "read" better and more accurate insights into those images.

Nanox's proposition is particularly compelling at the moment. As we've pointed out before, imaging has been in the news a lot of late because it has so far been one of the most accurate methods for detecting the progress of COVID-19 in patients or would-be patients because of how the illness impacts patients lungs and other organs.

But on the other hand, the global health pandemic, and the push to keep people physically away from each other, has also pointed to a big need in the healthcare community for services that make it easier to diagnose patients remotely, putting Nanox and its approach right at the heart of how all of medicine and healthcare seem to be evolving.

That's provided that Nanox gets the necessary regulatory approvals for services so that it can take its business to the intended next level.

It is easy to say that we are aiming to change the world, Poliakine said in a statement. The main challenge with such statements is always the execution. We have a bold vision of helping to eradicate cancer and other disease by means of early detection. We are actively working for the deployment of a global medical imaging service infrastructure that may turn this dream into reality."
A day after the governor told the public that 81 percent of public school teachers intend to return to in-class learning in the fall, a new teacher survey says most educators prefer a mixture of in-person and online learning.

We need to listen to the concerns of our educators, parents, community members, and health experts during a life-threatening pandemic, said Jeff Leake, president of the Connecticut Education Association, the states largest teachers union.

The union polled around 16,000 members last week and found nearly three-quarters oppose a state push to fully reopen schools without what they consider the necessary protections for students and educators.

Lamont and Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona directed school districts to plan for a full reopening of school in the fall along with two alternative options based on the states COVID-19 infection rate at the time school resumes.

Many school superintendents have expressed concern that a full return to school may be impractical given space and social-distancing requirements. On Monday, both Lamont and Cardona seemed to acknowledge that many schools may have to open with a blend of in-person and at-home learning, at least to start.

Lamont, however, citing preliminary results of a Connecticut re-open survey said three quarters of students and 81 percent of staff were expected to attend.

That statistic left many teachers, Leake included, confused.

Our teachers want to go back, but for us it is all about safety, Leake said.

State officials on Tuesday would not say how the 192 school superintendents completing the states survey reached the conclusion that four out of five teachers are expected in the classroom in the fall.

The CEA survey found that as of now, 16 percent of teachers would prefer to return to school in the fall, 39 percent support a so-called hybrid approach, which includes a combination of in-school and distance learning, and 46 percent favor continued distance learning.

We cant expect to reopen our schools in a usual fashion, Leake said. Especially as new evidence demonstrates that school-age children 10 years and older spread the virus as readily as adults.

After the state issued a 50-page reopening guideline for districts to follow in late June, the CEA countered with a plan of its own that called for schools to stay closed until public health and safety requirements can be met, all COVID-related expenses are covered and weekly COVID testing is conducted of students, teachers and staff.

Teachers surveyed want schools to have the options of a mixture of in-school and distance learning, or full-time remote learning depending on COVID infection rates.

A number of the more than 200 district plans submitted to the state on July 24, favor schedules that rotate students into school. Others would seem to require teachers to instruct students both in school and at home simultaneously.

Leake said 15,882 of some 40,000 CEA members completed the survey  a strong indication of the importance of the issue.

Of those responding, 97 percent want students and educators to be able to physically 6 six feet apart in classrooms, gyms and school buses.

Some 96 percent want everyone to wear masks, even though most suspect it will be difficult for students to keep masks on all day.

Ninty-five percent want there to be COVID-19 testing protocols at each school and nine in 10 want bus monitors hired to help enforce social distancing rules on school buses. The vast majority of teachers say school buses should run at half capacity.

Nearly two out of three teachers worry that their schools ventilation system is not adequate.

Most teachers see distance learning as somewhat effective so far. All had to pivot to online learning without warning when in-person classes came to an abrupt halt in mid-March.

We have to do a better job at distance learning than we did in March, Leake said. I think most districts are ready to do a better job but it all comes down do we have the devices out to the kids. We are still concerned.

Nearly 30 percent of educators who answered the survey say the pandemic has made them consider leaving the profession.

On Thursday, the CEA is organizing car caravans through their local affiliates for teachers to drive through town in an attempt to urge the governor and state Department of Education to change their plans for the fall.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck
CONNECTICUT  A new survey shows area educators have concerns about safety and funding when school reopen in the fall.

The Connecticut Education Association, a lobbying group based in Hartford that advocates for public school teachers, conducted the survey statewide. Nearly 16,000 educators responded to the poll, conducted July 13-20, before Gov. Ned Lamont's reversal allowing schools to reopen with a hybrid attendance model.

The survey found 39 percent of teachers support the hybrid approach and 46 percent favor continued distance learning. A total of 74 percent of the teachers surveyed opposed the previous state plan to fully reopen schools.

Although they recognized the value of remote learning in keeping everyone healthy, most teachers weren't fans of it. A majority of teachers surveyed  89 percent  believe there is a drop in learning when schooling from afar, with 62 percent saying there is a slight dip, and 27 percent calling the learning loss significant.

Funding is an issue, as it always is. The survey showed that 68 percent of the teachers believe their school districts will not be able to adequately implement the new health and safety guidelines.

"We need to listen to the concerns of our educators, parents, community members, and health experts during a life-threatening pandemic, said CEA President Jeff Leake. "We can't expect to reopen our schools in a usual fashion, especially as new evidence demonstrates that school-age children 10 years and older spread the virus as readily as adults."



A majority of teachers  90 percent  support masks for students and educators, but they have no illusions about the kids keeping them on all day. That same number said that task will be "difficult," and 54 percent said it will be "very difficult." Special education and elementary teachers expect mask adherence to be most difficult among their charges.

"We know the importance of following safety protocols, but we also know that our students, especially our youngest learners, are going to have extreme difficulties keeping their masks on, keeping their hands to themselves, and staying away from their friends and teachers," Leake said.

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Teachers surveyed also did not hold out much hope that social distancing could be maintained in the schools come September, with a whopping 96 percent saying it will be difficult to implement.



CEA members aren't looking forward to whatever surprises school buses could bring, either. A majority of 87 percent buses should all be operated at half-capacity or less, and 68 percent described themselves as "uncomfortable" loading and unloading them.

Safety was clearly the main driver of the educators' concerns.

A quarter of the teachers surveyed reported considering leaving the profession earlier than planned. A full 100 percent said they believed it was important for teachers to be included in the decision-making and development of their districts' reopening plans.



The teachers overwhelmingly agreed with the following practices:



Requiring students and educators to follow CDC recommendations about regularly washing hands (99 percent) and making hand sanitizer available throughout buildings (99 percent). Limiting groupings of students and educators in a way that reflect schools ability to physically distance 6 feet apart, including in classrooms, gyms and school buses (97 percent). Providing and requiring masks for educators and students (96%) and prohibiting visitor access (96 percent). COVID-19 testing protocols at each school (95 percent). Hiring bus monitors to help enforce social distancing and mask wearing on school buses (91 percent).

You can view the survey results online here.

See also: Coronavirus Clusters Among Teens, Young Adults Worry CT Officials

Drunken man breaks into home: PD/ Neighbors save mans life/ Mosquito tests positive for West Nile virus/ UPS truck rolls over and more>>>Read More.

This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch
Netflixs new reality series, Indian Matchmaking, debuted on July 16 across the platform  and its already a sensation. The show follows Mumbais premier matchmaker, Sima Taparia, as she finds the perfect matches for single people in the United States and India.

Full disclosure: Ive never been a fan of reality television. Fantasy suites, tension-filled cook-offs and racing around the world arent really my thing, though I did have a long-ago fascination with House Hunters. I have nothing against the genre, its just that most of the participants and storylines have not been relatable to me, on multiple levels. Even if the participants hailed from diverse backgrounds, the storylines are firmly lodged in a point of view that doesnt make much space for other cultures and tend to be very cynical as well.

But Indian Matchmaking is different. For one, its set in a deeply relatable world: my parents are Indian and Ive had my share of interactions with matchmaking Aunties. In fact, my husband and I were set up by a mutual Aunty family friend. For another, it has been refreshing to watch an entire series devoted to doing a deep dive on arranged marriage from an insiders perspective, without the usual exoticization. At the start of the first episode, Sima explains there are two types of unions in India: marriage (i.e. so-called arranged marriage) and love marriage (when two people fall in love and then marry), a subtle demonstration that Western norms on romantic relationships are far from the norm worldwide.

The rest of the show is fun in the usual reality TV ways: with dramatic visuals of a sanitized Mumbai; characters that viewers will root for and others we are expected to loathe; beautiful clothes, awkward dating banter and even some genuine chemistry.

Like all reality television, there is both fiction and fact in the show. In my experience, the helpful (some might say busybody) Aunties are real. I know Sima. Ive met Sima or women like her. My friends and I have been set up by her. Sometimes I worry Im turning into a Sima, as long-married South Asian women are wont to do. Certainly, Ive tried to set up my share of friends, family members and co-workers over the years, and Ive been known to ask nice young Muslim men why they arent married yet and if theyd like to meet my cousin. No matches so far, but Im sure Ill keep trying.

Are parts of Indian Matchmaking problematic? You bet. Colourism is rampant on the show, with peoples complexions and fairness being praised as a desirable trait, the underlying racism of this sentiment an ugly stain on South Asian culture.

There is also reference to the caste system and one particularly poignant character, Guyanese-American Nadia, laments not being considered Indian enough. The underlying premise of the show, that marriage is the ultimate goal for upwardly mobile South Asian men and woman, is inherently limiting, and some parents become alarmingly pushy as the show progresses. The show has also been criticized for upholding same-old stereotypes of Indian culture, lumping a wide diaspora of billions of people together.

And yet, I cant stop watching. Its rare to find a show devoted entirely to POC characters finding love, with all the usual false starts and messiness and heartbreak that it involves. Its also rare to have any diversity of South Asian characters, each with their own personalities and arcs, the focus of my boos and cheers.

I dont mind the tropey, simple storytelling. Isnt that the whole point of reality television? If I wanted convoluted, gritty shows, I would watch HBO. The critiques are all valid, but reality television is designed to outrage and incite discussion, as viewers are caught up in the outrageous behaviour of stars. Indian Matchmaker has already added to ongoing conversations about limiting stereotypes and colourism in the diaspora, along with the usual speculation. The bigger issue is the rarity of these shows, and the disproportionate representation of an entire diverse community they are expected to carry as a result.

Its about time that reality television spoke to my cultures specific stereotypes. Platitudes about Indian marriages being all about family? Exhortations for girls to be flexible and homely? Overbearing mothers and submissive sons? Who am I to resist a television show tailor-made for my guilty viewing pleasure.

As Sima Aunty put it: Ultimately my efforts are meaningless if the stars are not aligned. Next episode please!
Would you support a Kardashian-Jenner album? Khloe Kardashian recently shared a post on Instagram teasing that she and her sisters had a project in the works, but it doesnt look like many people are feeling the idea. Almost immediately after she shared the post, fans rushed to the comment section and shut her down, urging them to keep it to themselves.

Khloe Kardashian at an event in May 2017 | Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Khloe Kardashians post about the KarJenner album

The Good American co-founder took to Instagram on July 16 and shared a photo posing alongside her sisters Kim Kardashian West, Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and her nephew Saint West.

Album dropping 2021, she wrote in the caption, following a trend on social media where users post such captions to describe a photo that looks like an album cover.

RELATED: Kardashian/Jenner Critics Fight Over Which Sister Is the Least Controversial

A KarJenner album is the last thing a lot of fans want to hear

Though it was seemingly only a joke, fans made sure to let Kardashian know that they would never want a family album.

PLEASE KHLOE, THE LAST THING WE NEED FROM YALL IS AN ALBUM, one person wrote.

You guys can barely speak without being fake IMAGINE THEM SINGING YALL MY EARS WOULD BLEED, commented another.

A third fan also questioned their vocal abilities, asking, Can any of you yall really sing . They also wondered, dont yall think you should be worried about your family member Ye.he is reckless as hell ..really no joke  That person was referring to Kanye West and the campaign rally he held on July 19 in Charleston, South Carolina that sparked national headlines concerning his mental health, which she has not publicly commented on.

But at the same time, there were a few positive reactions to Kardashians post. One fan encouraged her to drop the single tonight at midnight, while another person mused, I pre ordered on ITunes yesterday- love you.

RELATED: Why Are the Kardashians Famous?

Some Kardashian-Jenners have already dabbled in the music

Most recently, Kylie Jenner went viral when she was heard singing Rise and Shine to wake up her daughter Stormi in a video posted to YouTube in October 2019. The moment became a meme on nearly all major social media platforms and led to Jenner creating her own merchandise, which sold out almost instantly.

Kim Kardashian West also experimented with music in 2011 when she teamed up with the producer The Dream to create the song Jam (Turn It Up) for charity. The track was widely panned and has even been named as one of the worst celebrity songs ever, but Kardashian West has no regrets about it.

RELATED: Kourtney Kardashian Has Her Own Rise and Shine Song and Its Just as Catchy as Kylie Jenners
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 11:56:56|Editor: huaxia

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MEXICO CITY, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Emilio Lozoya, the former CEO of Mexico's state oil company Pemex, said during a court appearance Tuesday that he was innocent of corruption charges against him.

Lozoya served as the head of Pemex during 2012-2016, and was arrested in Spain in February on an outstanding arrest warrant issued by Mexican judicial authorities, before being extradited to Mexico earlier this month.

He faces charges for his suspected role in a corruption scheme involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht and Pemex's multimillion-dollar purchase of a fertilizer plant called Agronitrogenados.

Lozoya has been under investigation since 2017, after Odebrecht revealed to U.S. prosecutors that it ran a multinational bribery operation to secure lucrative government contracts, including from Pemex.

Tuesday's hearing dealt with the Agronitrogenados purchase case, and another hearing into the Odebrecht case is due on Wednesday, according to local media report. Enditem
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned yesterday's incident of violence against anti-government demonstrators. Netanyahu stated July 29, "There is no place for violence for any reason." Still, he added that threats against him and against his family should be prevented, saying, At the same time, there is no place for incitement and threats of murder, implicit and explicit, against me or my family.

The protesters were demonstrating outside the Tel Aviv home of Public Security Minister Amir Ohana. The demonstration was organized after reports emerged that Ohana had pressured police to crack down on anti-Netanyahu demonstrators. Five anti-Netanyahu demonstrators were injured and hospitalized after a group of people attacked them with clubs and glass bottles.

At least three other violent incidents have taken place during recent demonstrations outside Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem. But the level of violence in Tuesday nights attack shocked many. According to reports, a group of people beat demonstrators with clubs while others hit them with glass bottles and chairs and sprayed them with mace. The police reportedly suspect the attackers are far-right militants. This afternoon, the police arrested three men on suspicion of involvement in the attacks.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that the violent attack showed the divisions in Israeli society. Baseless hatred has eroded, and continues to erode, the people of Israel, whose true resilience is in their unity. The attackers of the demonstrators must be caught and punished. No one will silence protests in Israel for as long as we are here, he tweeted.

Opposition chair Yair Lapid blamed Netanyahus "incitement" for the attack, stating, The violence and blood spilled yesterday in Tel Aviv is on the hands of Netanyahu and his messengers. One who sows incitement will receive blood in return. Calling protesters spreaders of disease and inciting against civilians who protest is leading Israel into a civil war."

Joining the chorus of condemnations, President Reuven Rivlin warned against political violence. I would like to say clearly in light of the violent developments in the last day: The murder of a demonstrator protesting in the State of Israel and the murder of an Israeli prime minister arent imaginary. Alas for our democracy if a mans hand is raised against his brother.

Rivlin was referring not only to growing attacks against demonstrators, but also to recent threats against Netanyahu over social networks. Netanyahu himself insisted today that an exhibit at the Tel Aviv Rabin Square mocking him should be considered a threat. The pop-up exhibit depicts a life-size statue of Netanyahu enjoying a lavish meal by himself in a tableau of Jesus Last Supper.
Rajasthan assembly to start from August 14, orders Governor

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 29: The deadlock over convening the Rajasthan Assembly ended on Wednesday with Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra issuing orders to convene session from 14th August.

The Governor, in his order, has also directed that all measures should be taken during the conduct of Assembly Session, as per the guidelines issued to prevent spread of COVID-19.

"The Rajasthan Governor has approved the Cabinet proposal to call the assembly session from August 14," a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said.

Expect you to respect workers with whose hard work govt was formed: Pilot to new Rajasthan Cong chief

Unlock 3: Gyms to open from August 5th, Night curfew removed | Oneindia News

"He also gave verbal directions to make the necessary arrangements for the prevention of COVID-19 spread during the session," the spokesperson added.

The Ashok Gehlot Cabinet sent another proposal to the Governor for summoning the Rajasthan Assembly, saying a session should be called on August 14.

The Cabinet is counting the 21 days from July 23, when its first proposal was sent. But the latest proposal falls short if the notice period is counted from Wednesday. While rejecting the government proposal earlier, Mishra had said a session can be called at short notice if the agenda is to seek a vote of confidence.

The state government was earlier insisting that the session should begin on July 31.

Ashok Gehlot is caught in a power tussle with his now sacked deputy, Sachin Pilot, who has the support of 18 dissident Congress MLAs. Altogether, Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member assembly and the BJP 72.
Experts are keeping close eye on a storm system that appears to be barreling directly toward Florida.

On Tuesday evening, the National Hurricane Center released a map showing the forecasted track of the disturbance, with the Sunshine State sitting squarely in its path.

The storm is currently tracking northwest across the Atlantic and could spell more bad news for Florida - a state already stretched to breaking point by the COVID-19 crisis.

The system will be named Tropical Storm Isaias if it continues to build its strength.

In a statement, the NHC says 'it cannot be stressed enough that since the system is still in the formative stage, greater than average uncertainty exists regarding both the short-term and longer-term track and intensity forecasts.'

However, FOX 35 meteorologist Jayme King is warning Floridians not to be complacent.

'The bottom line is it is hurricane season and you need to be prepared for this,' he told The Orlando Sentinel.

Experts are keeping close eye on a storm system that appears to be barreling directly toward Florida. On Tuesday evening, the National Hurricane Center released a map showing the forecasted track of the disturbance, with the Sunshine State sitting squarely in its path

King says the storm would likely hit coronavirus-ravaged South Florida sometime over the weekend, bringing gusty rains and heavy winds.

The news comes the same day that the state recorded its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 deaths.

Florida saw 186 additional deaths on Monday, bringing the total to a staggering 6,117, according to the Florida health department.

The state also saw stubbornly high numbers of new cases, with 9,282 infections recorded.

But while it remains to be seen just what impact the storm system will have on Florida and its residents, those in Puerto Rico are already bunkering down.

A forecast map released by WDT (Weather Decision Technologies) also shows that Florida could be hit by potential Tropical Storm Isaias

The storm is expected to move expected to move through the Leeward Islands on Wednesday, and reach Puerto Rico by the evening.

Officials in Puerto Rico said in a news conference that they were concerned about landslides and widespread flooding and urged people not to lower their guard, noting that the US territory is also struggling with a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The island also is still trying to recover from 2017's devastating Hurricane Maria and a string of earthquakes earlier this year that damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes in the island's south.

'We're not facing a situation like Maria, but we have to remain wary,' Department of Public Safety secretary, Pedro Janer, stated.

Many are worried about whether Puerto Rico's fragile power grid, which was destroyed by Maria, would withstand tropical storm force winds.

Officials in Puerto Rico said in a news conference that they were concerned about landslides and widespread flooding with the approaching storm. The US territory is still reeling from Hurricane Maria in 2017 (pictured)

On Tuesday, the island's power company and union leaders announced that more than 450,000 customers were briefly left without electricity when a plant was knocked offline for unknown reasons.

In a press conference on Tuesday evening, Gov. Wanda Vazquez said the storm is expected to cause power outages.

She added that more than 300 shelters across the island are prepared to receive people if needed and that more than 130,000 face masks were available.

Vazquez stated: 'We've lived through several emergencies at one time. I want you to remain calm.'
A MAN threatened to put a bullet in TD Michael Healy Rae's head in a "vicious verbal attack" as they were stopped in cars on a busy Dublin street.

Cianan Doyle (35) subjected the Kerry politician to a "tirade" of abuse as he was driving in rush hour traffic to the Dail.

Mr Healy Rae told a court the "frightening" incident left him "rattled" and "afraid."

Doyle was found guilty of breach of the peace, but Judge Michael Walsh struck the charge out, leaving him without a conviction after he made a 1,500 charity donation.

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The judge said Doyle's behaviour had been "totally inappropriate and unacceptable" and it was a situation that had got "out of control."

Doyle admitted using bad language but denied making any threat. Mr Healy Rae denied a defence assertion that he was driving in a bus lane at the time.

Doyle, of Beechfield Road, Perrystown in Dublin 12 pleaded not guilty to threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

Dublin District Court heard the accused was front seat passenger in a car driven by his father Alan Doyle when they encountered the TD in traffic on December 4, 2018.

Mr Healy Rae said he was travelling from Kerry to Dublin and was on the Crumlin Road approaching the junction of Dolphins Barn and South Circular Road at around 8.30am.

He was in the left lane, and the lane to his right was completely free when a car pulled up alongside him, he said.

The passenger, whose window was down, was gesturing at him to roll down his own window, which he did.

The man was extremely angry, extremely cross and started using very bad language, he said of the driver, adding: and the passenger was as bad as him, using very bad language.

It was an awful tirade of abuse and he alleged the passenger - the accused - threatened him.

He said you would want a bullet put in your head and then Id do it or I would do it or something to that effect, Mr Healy Rae told the court.

He said this rattled him and made him uncomfortable, and he did not see why someone should tell him this on his way to work.

When he told a senior garda later that morning, he said the officer told him if you let this go, you are wrong.

Mr Healy Rae said he was a politician a long time and used to a lot of things but what was said was not usual banter.

He was used to the rough and tumble of life but Im not used to somebody telling me they would put a bullet in my head.

He said he had a dictaphone and read the cars registration number into it.

In cross-examination, defence solicitor Michael Staines said the accused would say while he did use bad language, he made no threat, and his father used no bad language whatsoever.

The accused would accept he used the word f**ker once or twice.

I know what I heard, Mr Healy Rae said, insisting it was a tirade that went on for up to a minute.

He was as angry a person as I have ever seen in my life, he said. He was an extremely angry and vicious person on that morning, as was the driver of the car.

He said every kind of bad word you can think of was used.

Mr Staines said Mr Healy Raes car had his name emblazoned on it so whether you had your cap on or not, everyone would have known it was you.

Mr Staines said the accused rolled down the window at the request of his father, who said what would you do about the homeless and made politically oriented remarks like that.

Mr Healy Rae said it was not politically orientated.

There was one mention of the homeless, everything else was a vicious verbal attack, he said. It was completely unwarranted.

He said after they moved off, the accused had his head out the car window, still effing and blinding and viciously agitated.

Mr Staines put it to Mr Healy Rae he was telling half-truths and exagerrated what happened.

He insisted he had told the truth.

Mr Staines said his client had always been prepared to apologise for using bad language. Mr Healy Rae replied that the first he heard of this was this morning.

Mr Staines put it to Mr Healy Rae that he had gone into a bus lane and ended up beside the accused. Mr Healy Rae said this was not true, and that he was stopped in a line of traffic where he was perfectly entitled to be when the accuseds car pulled up alongside him.

I would have gone in any lane to get away from where I was that morning, he said.

Mr Staines said it was an incident that wouldnt have happened if you had obeyed the law and not gone into the bus lane.

Mr Healy Rae said it was being insinuated that it was his own fault he was told he would have a bullet put in his head.

Detective Garda Sarah Keogh told Mr Staines in cross examination she was unaware if Mr Healy Rae had been in the bus lane, as it turned into a lane for traffic to go straight on 50m before the junction.

In evidence, the accused said his sister Sorcha noticed Mr Healy Rae's car and their father asked him to roll down the window.

"My dad said, you are a greedy little man, you don't care about the people of Kerry and you don't care about the people of Ireland," the accused said.

"Mr Healy Rae said 'do you think so?', I said 'yes, we do think so. You are a greedy effing man... you know what you are, you are a me feiner, what are you doing about the homeless situation?' And Mr Healy Rae said 'what are you doing?'

"It was a politically orientated exchange," he said. "In hindsight, I definitely shouldn't have used bad language, but there was no threat as alleged."

He apologised for cursing. His father denied using any bad language.

Judge Walsh said there was a huge conflict in the evidence but he accepted Mr Healy's account "without reservation."

"What started off as somewhat minor engagement escalated into something far more serious than that," he said. "The accused behaved in a most rude and most offensive manner.

Det Gda Keogh said the accused had one prior conviction for assault causing harm when he was 18.

Mr Staines said his client was a hard working young man from a good family, had a degree and was doing well in his job and had a "great career in front of him."

The judge struck the charge out after he made a 1,500 donation to the PARC road safety group.
An international team of astronomers has discovered the remnant of an ancient collection of stars that was torn apart by our own galaxy, the Milky Way, more than two billion years ago.

The extraordinary discovery of this shredded 'globular cluster' is surprising, as the stars in this galactic archaeological find have much lower quantities of heavier elements than in other such clusters. The evidence strongly suggests the original structure was the last of its kind, a globular cluster whose birth and life were different to those remaining today.

Our Galaxy is home to about 150 globular clusters, each a ball of a million or so stars that orbit in the Galaxy's tenuous stellar halo. These globular clusters are old and have witnessed the growth of the Milky Way over billions of years.

The study, published in Nature, was led by University of Sydney PhD student, Zhen Wan, and his supervisor, Professor Geraint Lewis, as part of the S5 international collaboration.

Using the Anglo-Australian Telescope in outback New South Wales, this collaboration measured the speeds of a stream of stars in the Phoenix constellation, revealing them to be remnants of a globular cluster that was pulled apart by the gravity of the Milky Way about two billion years ago.

Mr Wan said: "Once we knew which stars belonged to the stream, we measured their abundance of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium; something astronomers refer to as metallicity. We were really surprised to find that the Phoenix Stream has a very low metallicity, making it distinctly different to all of the other globular clusters in the Galaxy.

"Even though the cluster was destroyed billions of years ago, we can still tell it formed in the early Universe from the composition of its stars."

HEAVY METALS

After the Big Bang, only hydrogen and helium existed in any substantial amount in the Universe. These elements formed the first generation of stars many billions of years ago. It is within these and later stellar generations that heavier elements were formed, such as the calcium, oxygen and phosphorous that in part make up your bones.

Observations of other globular clusters have found that their stars are enriched with heavier elements forged in earlier generations of stars. Current formation theories suggest that this dependence on previous stars means that no globular cluster should be found unenriched and that there is a minimum metallicity 'floor' below which no cluster can form.

But the metallicity of the Phoenix Stream progenitor sits well below this minimum, posing a significant problem for our ideas of globular cluster origins.

"This stream comes from a cluster that, by our understanding, shouldn't have existed," said co-author Associate Professor Daniel Zucker from Macquarie University.

S5 team leader, Dr Ting Li from Carnegie Observatories, said: "One possible explanation is that the Phoenix Stream represents the last of its kind, the remnant of a population of globular clusters that was born in radically different environments to those we see today."

While potentially numerous in the past, this population of globular clusters was steadily depleted by the gravitational forces of the Galaxy, which tore them to pieces, absorbing their stars into the main body of the galactic system. This means that the stream is a relatively temporary phenomenon, which will dissipate in time.

"We found the remains of this cluster before it faded forever into the Galaxy's halo," Mr Wan said.

As yet, there is no clear explanation for the origins of the Phoenix Stream progenitor cluster and where it sits in the evolution of galaxies remains unclear.

Professor Lewis said: "There is plenty of theoretical work left to do. There are now many new questions for us to explore about how galaxies and globular clusters form, which is incredibly exciting."

Is the Phoenix Stream unique? "In astronomy, when we find a new kind of object, it suggests that there are more of them out there," said co-author Dr Jeffrey Simpson from the University of New South Wales. While globular clusters like the progenitor of the Phoenix Stream may no longer exist, their remnants may live on as faint streams."

Dr Li said: "The next question to ask is whether there are more ancient remnants out there, the leftovers of a population that no longer exists. Finding more such streams will give us a new view of what was going on in the early Universe."

"This is a regime we have hardly explored. It's a very exciting time," she said.

###

DOWNLOAD MULTIMEDIA: illustration, video animation and photographs at this link.

RESEARCH PAPER available on request.

INTERVIEWS

LEAD AUTHOR Zhen Wan | zhen.wan@sydney.edu.au

School of Physics, The University of Sydney, Australia

Professor Geraint Lewis | geraint.lewis@sydney.edu.au | +61 424 254 551

School of Physics, The University of Sydney, Australia

Dr Ting Li | tingli@carnegiescience.edu

Carnegie Observatories, Pasedena, California, USA

Associate Professor Daniel Zucker | daniel.zucker@mq.edu.au

Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Australia

Dr Jeffrey Simpson | jeffrey.simpson@unsw.edu.au

School of Physics, UNSW Sydney, Australia

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

This study was part of the Southern Stellar Streams Spectroscopic Survey, or S5 for short, an international collaboration using the 2dF/AAOmega instrument on the Anglo-Australian Telescope at Coonabarabran, NSW, to survey streams of stars uncovered during the Dark Energy Survey (DES).

S5: https://s5collab.github.io

AAT: https://aat.anu.edu.au

DES: https://www.darkenergysurvey.org

DECLARATION

Zhen Wan is supported by a Dean's International Postgraduate Research Scholarship at the University of Sydney. The researchers also acknowledge financial support from NASA via two Hubble Fellowship grants and the Australian Research Council through Discovery Project grants and a Future Fellowship.
Arts & Culture

By Ls Cohen Published: July 29 2020

Plane came across Atlantic to Pan American Airways base.

In 1938, the German seaplane, Nordmeer was expected to land at the Pan American Airways base in Port Washington. A New York Times article from July 22, 1938 announced the event saying that the plane left the Azores (an archipelago off Portugal) the day before. At the time, America and Germany were not at war although relations between the two countries was said to have been cool.

A caption accompanying the image says that after landing at Port Washington, Long Island, the crew of the seaplane Nordmeer, one of Germany's planned commercial aviation fleet, is taken ashore.
(TNS)  More than a month into a resurgence of the novel coronavirus that has besieged Sun Belt states, flooded hospitals and strained public-health infrastructure, the U.S. still lacks a complete picture of the on-the-ground reality.Thats no surprise to public-health experts following the countrys response, since the U.S. doesnt have an accessible, real-time system to track the viruss spread. At times, even the federal government has had to rely on third-party databases.The gap is due to decades of neglect of technological infrastructure, exacerbated by the countrys sprawling size and a state-by-state approach to collecting public health data. It has left not only government officials hunting for reliable data, but kept the public in the dark as well.The challenges were highlighted earlier this month when hospitals were told to send virus data to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services instead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agencies said the goal was to streamline the system, which helps inform where to send medical supplies, but critics worried it could impede transparency.We do have gaps in data reporting; we hope that by making this public, we will drive improved data reporting among hospitals and states across the country, an HHS spokeswoman said in a statement.State and local areas also report virus data on online dashboards, with approaches to presenting information varying widely. The result is an inconsistent, incomplete and inaccessible system, according to Tom Frieden, a former CDC director who now leads the nonprofit Resolve to Save Lives.In May, some states acknowledged theyd released data mixing diagnostic and antibody tests, muddying how much testing was actually going on. Georgia backdated new cases to the first symptoms or when a test was taken  other states count them from when the results arrive  making its current figures look low and helping to justify reopening. In Florida, the health department recently had to correct a daily death toll after erroneously combining two days of data, and didnt report current COVID hospitalizations until this month.On Monday, the death toll in Texas rose by 675, an apparent 13% leap. However 631 were additional cases added after analyzing death certificates going back to March.After analyzing how states tracked 15 essential data points, including numbers of new cases, deaths and hospitalizations, Resolve to Save Lives found further discrepancies. The report called it an information catastrophe.Metrics like new cases and hospitalizations were surprisingly inconsistent, the review concluded. The one thing every state tallied was daily deaths by confirmed cases, but that too provides limited information since many people may have died of the virus without being diagnosed, and as seen in Texas, not all localities track COVID deaths the same.HHS has set federal reporting standards, the spokeswoman said, pointing to guidance outlining how hospitals should submit information on capacity and other metrics.States have always collected local data, she said.Nicholas Reich, an associate professor at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is working with the CDC to better predict the viruss trajectory. The work has been impeded by inconsistent hospitalization figures, and the HHS reporting change has cost him the data hed relied on the CDC for.The lack of a coordinated effort at a national level has hurt our models ability to assist with a response, Reich said.Since the data collection change was implemented, HHS has made an even larger amount of hospital data public to researchers, the spokeswoman said, by publishing raw data for everyone to access and analyze.A further complication is that each metric has its flaws. Hospitalizations and deaths lag, but even confirmed case counts dont track outbreaks in real time. Symptoms take days to develop, and even if a test is performed, waits for results mean that by the time an increase is evident, it could be weeks late.Without good data on your situation, states are really operating with one hand tied behind their back, said Jaline Gerardin, an assistant professor of preventive medicine in epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She and a colleague are working with Illinoiss public-health department to use ongoing testing to track whether COVID is on the rise.A CDC spokesperson said the agency is working with states to track illnesses that resemble the flu and coronavirus and sending them twice-weekly reports on the viruss trajectory.Monitoring how people feel can also provide early warnings, which the CDC and HHS are incorporating in their tracking efforts.In March, volunteers from tech companies built CovidNearYou, an online crowdsourcing tool thats collected data from nearly two million people on relevant symptoms like body aches and shortness of breath. Local and state officials as well as the CDC use it to help capture the national picture.People feel symptoms before they eventually go to their doctors, said John Brownstein, who leads the project and is chief innovation officer at Boston Childrens Hospital.Kinsa, a maker of smart thermometers, has long used them to track fevers during flu seasons. The devices could also help track COVID outbreaks in real time, founder Inder Singh said.We have the technology to talk to people before they enter into the health-care system, Singh said. He looked into federal funding for surveillance efforts, but was told theyre focused on early detection in individuals rather than across whole populations.HHS is, however, using Kinsas data in its response efforts, according to the spokeswoman.Symptom screenings are becoming more commonplace, as employers deploy them broadly in the workforce before sending individuals back to the office, schools and other settings. But Meredith Matone, the scientific director of PolicyLab at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, cautioned that without standardized questions and a method of reporting answers, it could be just another missed opportunity.None of that datas going anywhere, she said. If we know folks are going to be doing this, why would we not roll that up into an effective, robust surveillance strategy?
The Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) Parliamentary standing committee on Wednesday convened a meeting over the issue of international marriage rights. Earlier last month, the MEA had cancelled two meetings over the issue after members voted for discussions on border issues with China and Nepal to be taken on priority. The members had also flagged the issue of holding virtual meetings amid the prevailing Coronavirus pandemic.

The MEA last month had issued a statement saying that they had been receiving a number of grievances pertaining to international marriages, wherein an Indian national had entered into a marriage with an overseas Indian national. The Ministry had stated that it was paying special cognizance to complaints in such cases saying, "Ministry is empowering such Indian nationals by providing them information about legal procedures to be followed w.r.t. filing court cases, issue of summons, Look Out Circulars, revoking/impounding passports, obtaining maintenance and child support, etc."

Read: India-Israel Partnership Currently Focussed On Combating COVID-19: EAM Jaishankar

Read: India-Bangladesh Partnership Role-model For The Region: Jaishankar At Locomotive Handover

It added that under a special scheme it was providing legal and financial assistance to Indian women married overseas especially getting them in contact with lawyers and NGOs empanelled with missions abroad. "The scheme is applicable to 51 countries. Petitioners use this assistance to seek redressal from foreign courts on issues such as restoration of conjugal rights, maintenance, contesting ex-parte divorce, custody of children, abuse/ harassment by spouse etc," read the official statement of the MEA.

Earlier this week, the standing committee had come together to discuss job losses amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to boost startups. The meeting of the Standing Committee titled-- Commerce on 'Attracting investment in the post-COVID economy, challenges and opportunities for India' was attended by senior officials of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

Read: India-Israel Partnership Currently Focussed On Combating COVID-19: EAM Jaishankar

Read: Jaishankar's Lists 2 India-US Gamechangers: 'Geopolitical Basket & People-to-people Ties'

(With Agency Inputs)
Exeter Chiefs is facing calls to drop its name, badge and mascot as 'snowflakes' claim the theme is 'offensive'.

Activists set up a petition calling for the 150-year-old rugby union side to change over its 'harmful' impact on Native Americans.

Their claims were echoed by modern American history professor Rachel Herrmann from Cardiff University, who lashed out at fans who wear merchandise to matches.

But supporters of the Devon club have set up a counter petition as they desperately hold on to the club's nickname, which dates back to the 1930s.

Exeter's directors are today reviewing their official branding at a board meeting, with many fearing they will bow to pressure.

It comes in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has seen protesters target allegedly racist names, symbols and landmarks.

Activists set up a petition calling for the 150-year-old rugby union side to change over its 'harmful' impact on Native Americans. Pictured: The Chiefs' mascot

Exeter's directors are today reviewing their official branding at a board meeting, with many fearing they will bow to pressure

One petition is titled Asking Exeter Chiefs to drop its harmful use of Indigenous Peoples' imagery & branding.

It says the club's theme is 'on the wrong side of history' in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

A post reads: 'There is no place in a predominantly white British environment for appropriation of Indigenous Peoples' imagery that has no relation whatsoever to the history of the club, or the city.

'The Chiefs brand dates back to 1999, a decision that was not taken with racism in mind, but one that is now sat increasingly awkwardly at the pinnacle of English rugby.'

It adds: 'The stylised Chief on the club's crest, the ''Big Chief'' mascot, the headdresses and tomahawks adorning the supporters, and the ''Tomahawk Chop'' chant are all examples of cultural appropriation of the Indigenous Peoples who were all but wiped out by white European settlers and who still suffer extreme examples of racial prejudice today, across the world.'

Luke Cowan-Dickie of Exeter Chiefs and England looks for a pass during a training session at Sandy Park on July 22

Ashley Green, who created it, told the BBC earlier this month: 'There is a lot of momentum gathering, hopefully on both sides of the Atlantic, and Exeter Chiefs really can't ignore it.

'They have to do this proactively and of their own accord. We just want to be as proud of the club off the pitch as we are of the team on the pitch.'

Dr Herrmann agreed, criticising the Premier League leaders for evoking 'Britain's forgotten imperial American past'.

Memorials to politicians, war heroes and authors all targeted due to links to slavery and racist beliefs Since Edward Colston's statue was thrown into Bristol Harbour, there has been a wave of attacks from vandals on various monuments across Britain. A statue to Sir Winston Churchill was defaced with the words 'was a racist' and 'f*** your agenda' written underneath the memorial to the war time PM in Westminster Square, London. Slave trader Robert Milligan's was covered with a shord and the message 'Black Lives Matter' was placed on it in West India Docks amid calls for it to be taken down. It was later removed by Tower Hamlets Council. Less than a year after it was erected, 'Nazi' was scrawled underneath a statue of Nancy Astor, the first woman to take a seat in Parliament, in Plymouth. A monument to 19th-century politician Henry Vassall-Fox, the third Baron Holland, was left splattered with red paint in Holland Park. A cardboard sign reading 'I owned 401 slaves' was perched in the bronze statue's arms, with the number painted on the plinth alongside red handprints. A Grade II-listed monument to Admiral Lord Nelson, Britain's foremost naval hero, which stands in the grounds of Norwich Cathedral, was sprayed with a black 'V' in the middle of a circle - an anarchist symbol. Red paint spattered another stature of Lord Nelson at Deptford Town Hall in South London. In Kent, a former councillor wrote 'Dickens Racist' outside a museum dedicated to the beloved 19th century author. Letters sent by the Oliver Twist author showed he wished to 'exterminate' Indian citizens after a failed uprising. A statue of Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell in Wythenshawe Park, Manchester, had the words 'Cromwell is a cockroach,' 'f*** racist' and the Black Lives Matter acronym 'BLM' scrawled across it last month. Thousands of people were massacred during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. BLM was also scrawled across the Worcester Civil War memorial in Royal Park. Advertisement

She told Ruck: 'I think changing [Exeter's] name would be the ultimate step but I don't know whether that is likely to happen.

'I would at least like to see an engaged discussion between the team and Native American groups that could better explain why the name might be offensive.'

She also slammed fans who wave tomahawks, wore Native American headdress and war paint at matches for evoking a history of settler colonialism.

Exeter officially adopted the name and logo in 1999, but supporters have used it as a nickname since the 1930s.

It is thought to derive from a Devon tradition of club first teams in the county being referred to as 'Chiefs'.

Sportsmail reported this month the side had never previously received a complaint about its branding prior to the recent campaign.

Thousands of fans rallied to defend their club's theme, with a counter petition called 'The Chiefs representation of an American Indian is about respect and honour to them' set up.

It said: 'The usage of the Native American in the Exeter Chiefs logo and brand is to honour and respect their cultural beliefs.

'Exeter Chiefs fans wear their replica shirts and merchandise with pride of their team, and all that goes with it.

'The Chiefs have a huge, dedicated and very loyal following who all do the ''chop'' with pride.'

It added: 'We would all love everyone to share our belief and not see it with any offence.'

Ian Dunstan, who made the counter petition, said: 'How could a club with so many fans from so many cultures ever market something that was racist?

'You can see the Chiefs logo across the world. I have seen people wearing it in Kenya, Dubai and Montreal.'

Another supporter added online: 'You woke snowflakes find everything these days offensive.'

The backlash has come as historical symbols, names and landmarks are being targeted in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Protesters tore down a statue of former politician and salver trader Edward Colston on June 7.

On the same day a memorial to the country's greatest prime minister Sir Winston Churchill in London was defaced with the words 'was a racist' written on its plinth.

It prompted a wave of statues being targeted with graffiti or being attacked during protests.

Some statues, including ones for Nelson Mandela and Sir Winston, had to be covered up to be protected from vandals.

The Topple the Racists campaign launched a comprehensive list of statues it wanted to see removed as it claimed the names behind the monuments held racist beliefs.

It led to Oriel College at Oxford University voting to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes, a colonialist politician in southern Africa in the 19th century.

PM Boris Johnson wrote last month: 'We cannot now try to edit or censor our past. We cannot pretend to have a different history.

A 'hit list' of memorials to some of Britain's most famous figures was created by an anti-racism group and uploaded to the website Topple The Racists

'The statues in our cities and towns were put up by previous generations. They had different perspectives, different understandings of right and wrong.

'But those statues teach us about our past, with all its faults. To tear them down would be to lie about our history, and impoverish the education of generations to come.'

Exeter have not publicly commented on whether it will change its name, mascot and logo and will not until the board has met.
Singapore Airlines Ltd. posted its biggest quarterly loss on record as the coronavirus left it flying less than one per cent of its usual number of passengers.

The net loss in the three months to June was S$1.12 billion, compared with net income of S$111 million a year earlier, the carrier said in a statement Wednesday. Sales dropped 79 per cent to S$851 million and traffic measured by revenue passenger kilometres sank 99.5 per cent.

Air traffic the world over has plunged because of tight border controls and a reluctance to travel during the pandemic. The International Air Transport Association said Tuesday that the airline industry is unlikely to fully recover before 2024. The situation is particularly dire for the likes of Singapore Airlines as it has no domestic market to fall back on.

Singapore Airlines said its passenger capacity may still be less than half pre-coronavirus levels by the end of its fiscal year next March, and that the recovery in international travel is slower than initially expected.

The carriers fuel hedging policy led to a S$535 million loss in the quarter, while there was also a S$127 million hit from the liquidation of NokScoot Airlines Co. Singapore Airlines owned a 49 per cent stake in the low-cost Thai carrier that collapsed in June.

Smaller network

Singapore Airlines scaled back its network to just 14 cities in the quarter, before increasing it to 24 by the end of June. Its SilkAir unit ceased all operations temporarily except for flights to Chongqing, China, and has indefinitely suspended flights to the Thai resort island of Koh Samui. Low-cost unit Scoot operated a minimal network to cities including Hong Kong and Perth.

Passenger capacity at the end of the second quarter is forecast to be about seven per cent of the level before COVID-19. Out of a fleet of 213 passenger aircraft, only 32 are being deployed for passenger services, the airline said.

Singapore Airlines is reviewing its network and fleet, which is likely to lead to a material impairment of its older aircraft, particularly the Airbus SE A380, accounting for about S$1 billion, the company said. It expects to complete the review by the end of the current quarter.

The airline said it has reached an agreement with Airbus on adjusting aircraft deliveries and payments, though it didnt provide details. It is still in talks with Boeing Co.

Singapore Airlines shares fell 1.1 per cent to close at S$3.53 before the earnings release. Theyve slumped 45 per cent this year, among the worst on a Bloomberg gauge of carriers in the Asia Pacific region.
IRGC launches final stage of joint military exercise in southern Iran

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Tue / 28 July 2020 / 13:16

Tehran (ISNA) - The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday launched the final stage of a large-scale and joint military exercise named "Payambar-e Azam 14" in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

"The final stage of Payambar-e Azam 14 military drills kicked off on Tuesday morning in the southern province of Hormozgan, western parts of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Persian Gulf," the IRGC Public Relations announced in a statement.

During the joint exercise, forces from the IRGC Navy and the IRGC Aerospace Force will conduct ground, aerial, naval and space operations.

The final stage of the drills includes joint operations by missile units, vessels and drones from the IRGC Navy and missile, drone and radar units from the IRGC Aerospace Force.

The servicemen will attend the military exercise offensive operations using missiles, drones and vessels, offensive mine-laying operations and tactics to cut off the naval connections of the hypothetical enemy, missile combat operations using helicopters, and launch of coast-to-sea missiles.

End Item

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The St. Laurentius Church in Fishtown is known for its soaring copper spires. Its facade has begun to deteriorate in recent years. Read more

The future of the structurally unstable, century-old St. Laurentius Roman Catholic Church remained muddy Tuesday after the Philadelphia Historical Commissions architectural committee rejected the idea of demolishing the 19th-century brownstone building.

The committee did not follow a recommendation from the Department of Licenses and Inspections that the commission approve the demolition of St. Laurentius increasingly unstable, soaring twin spires.

Discussion, going forward, should focus upon saving portions of the building, its facades, and artifacts for incorporation into a future building design, David J. Perri, the L&I commissioner, wrote in a letter on Monday. We sincerely regret having to provide this sobering report, but the building has simply run out of time, and public safety is our overarching priority.

The seven-member committee, which acts as an advisory body to the Historical Commission, asked that developer Humberto Fernandini come up with alternatives to rehabilitate the church.

Fernandini bought the building in January for $50,000 from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and said then that he was committed to keeping the church standing.

The committee noted that in the seven months Fernandini has owned the property at 1600 Berks St. in Fishtown, he has not taken any temporary measures to keep the local landmark intact, despite three engineers recent warnings that the church was in critical condition.

In recent weeks, Fernandini, of Mountain Lakes, N.J., had asked for permission to tear down the church. Shortly afterward, L&I urged the Historical Commission to review the matter, given the instability of the building, but it did not until Monday provide specific direction about how to resolve the problem.

The architectural committee said Fernandini had not offered alternatives to demolition, for which engineers had suggested pulling down the 150-foot spires into the main body of the church to avoid dropping debris onto neighboring buildings or narrow surrounding streets.

Its very disturbing to me that there are no options in front of us, committee member Amy Stein said during the nearly four-hour Zoom meeting on Tuesday, which at times grew tense between her peers and Matthew McClure, a lawyer who spoke on Fernandinis behalf.

We have heard testimony after testimony about one option, which is complete demolition of the building, removal of the towers from the south side, and its as if nothing else was studied, she said. I do respect the immediacy is part of the concern; safety is part of the concern, but very few applications come in front of us with zero options.... I just dont know why were having the meeting, to be frank, because in all honesty, there are no options except the one youve presented.

McClure said he had little say about limited choice.

The fact that we are here the way we are with no options is not of our doing, he replied to Stein. It is at at the request of the way the city directed us to do this. So I understand the objection, but, you know, please dont shoot the messenger.

Dan McCoubrey, the committees chair, said it was the owner and not the city who would decide how to take down the building.

McClure, of the Philadelphia law firm Ballard Spahr, reiterated the findings of the structural engineers Fernandini hired this summer to examine the church. Janis Vacca of the Harman Group wrote in her report that the extent of structural damage was so severe that she estimated an 80% chance that one of the spires would partially collapse within three years.

This is nothing I would ever put a gamble on, she said during the meeting Tuesday. I am adamant these towers have to come down.

Another structural engineer hired by Fernandini  Mark Coggin of the firm Thornton Tomasetti  said he agreed with Vaccas conclusions.

Preserving parts of the church, such as its eastern or southern walls, would require some significant structural bracing to hold that in place, Coggin said. He estimated that it would take six to eight months to construct the bracing and another several months to install it in the church. He said he feared the building couldnt wait that long.

But theres been seven months of ownership, said Justin Detwiler, an architectural committee member. And now we dont have another six months for a design solution to save it.

Justin Spivey, a structural engineer hired by the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, suggested that part of the church could temporarily be supported with metal scaffolding that acted as an exoskeleton during a partial demolition.

But even if Fernandini were to preserve and convert the church for another use, such as apartments  a proposal hearkening back to the idea from the churchs last owner, developer Leo Voloshin  it would be a sunk cost, said Peter Angelides, president of the Philadelphia economic consulting firm Econsult Solutions.

Angelides estimated that it would cost around $3 million to demolish parts of the church. It could perhaps fit up to 25 apartments, some of which would have large, soaring windows, and others with hardly any window at all based on the churchs architecture, he said. He added that there would be no parking in that particular area of Fishtown.

You would have awkward apartments with no parking, he said. Youre going to spend an awful lot of money to partially demolish the church, save what can be saved, and that money then is followed up by a lot more money to build apartment buildings you couldnt rent for much money. The juice is not worth the squeeze in that one.

The matter is expected to return to the entire historical commission on Aug. 14.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- In an effort to make classrooms safer against the coronavirus (COVID-19), New York City public schools and Catholic elementary schools in the Archdiocese of New York will make enhancements to its school buildings to improve air circulation for students and staff upon their return in September.

The city Department of Education (DOE) is planning to make improvements to its HVAC systems to improve air circulation, as well as replace regular air filters with higher efficiency filters. Additionally, air conditioning units will be identified and repaired, and other physical adjustments will be made to buildings in order to increase airflow.
Wyoming regulators look to stimulate oil production in the state with a new tax relief proposal that calls for a tax exemption until the price of WTI reaches $45 per barrel

The Wyoming legislatures Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee has sponsored a bill proposing tax relief for oil and gas companies in a bid to stimulate an increase in production.

The bill calls for a tax exemption once the price of West Texas Intermediate reaches $45 per barrel for light sweet crude and $38 per barrel for sour grades produced in the state.

While the tax exemption will only be temporary, to be in effect no longer than 12 months after the benchmark price of oil reaches the necessary threshold, its sponsors believe it could have a positive effect on the oil and gas industry in Wyoming.

Were recognizing that if [the] price is too low, companies are not going to come back anyway. So, were gonna set it at maybe a break-even to get a company over the hump to choose Wyoming over North Dakota, to choose Wyoming over New Mexico, said the president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, Pete Obermueller, as quoted by Wyoming Public Media.

While not the biggest producer in the United States, Wyoming did pump 102.1 million barrels of crude last year. That was up from 87.9 million barrels a year earlier, according to the Wyoming State Geological Survey. And yet the price collapse has severely affected production in the state: a year ago, there were 37 drilling rigs in Wyoming. To date, there is just one.

One of the oldest oil-producing regions in the United States, three years ago Wyoming grabbed headlines with its Powder River Basina legacy producing region that was attracting a lot of oil and gas investment thanks to low land prices and the recovery in the prices of oil. At the time, some expected the Powder River Basin to become something like a new Permian. This has not happened, but tax relief would certainly motivate drillers to expand once the price becomes right.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
FFK and Dogara

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode says he is convinced that the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara is under a Luciferean spell to have gone back to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Dogara recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and returned to the APC where he was two years ago.

Reacting to the development, Fani-Kayode said: I am convinced that the former Speaker has been put under a Luciferean spell and is the victim of some form of demonic ritual, voodoo and witchcraft.



I expect nothing less from the APC because that is their stock in trade. They are a party whose leaders are well versed in the black arts, the occult and sorcery.

He said Dogara was not just a leader in the PDP but that he was also Speaker of the House, saying that when he left the APC and joined the PDP he was welcomed with joy and open arms and enjoyed immense goodwill in the party and always exhibited the traits of a kind-hearted, soft-spoken and warm gentleman.

He is also a very good Christian. Given all this I cannot understand how such a good man can leave the light of the PDP and willingly enter into the darkness of the APC. It is utterly unbelievable and totally inexplicable.



This is especially so given the fact that I happen to know that my dear friend and brother Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state treated him with so much respect, warmth, generosity and kindness, he said.

Fani-Kayode said his prayer was that God delivered Yakubu and cause him to retrace his steps and come to his senses, as it was never too late to return to the light and I believe that one day he will. This is because nothing good can come from the darkness of satan and those that bask in it and that worship and serve him.

He said nothing wholesome could ever come out of the APC because it is a party of heartless and merciless thugs, cultists, fraudsters, rogues and gangsters and it is a gathering of desperate and relentless vampires and power-seekers that trade in blood and that thrive in subterfuge, evil and all manner of skulduggery.



The APC is the darkness that seeks the darkness. It is poison. It is utterly and completely evil and has been nothing but a plague on our nation.



Yakubu is far too good to be part of what is essentially a bloodsucking coven of warlocks and witches and I have no doubt that his great, gallant and noble Sayyawa people, whom I am very close to and who I know well, will never follow him there.

He urged him to remember that there is no fellowship between light and darkness and that he is a child of light and a son of the Living God.

I implore him to get deliverance, retrace his steps and leave the camp of the Egyptians and Philistines before it is too late and before they use, dump, rubbish and destroy him. I urge him to return to God and to the ranks of the God-fearing, the righteous and the faithful and to be the man that the Lord has destined him to be, he said.
While the back-and-forth between local and state officials on in-person learning continues in Texas, the YMCA of Greater Houston is reigniting their yearly program Operation Backpack to support students in need.

The YMCA has spent 16 years helping students get access school supplies through Operation Backpack. Last year, the Lake Houston YMCA distributed over 2,000 backpack kits to Humble ISD. The overall Houston goal is to raise 30,000 backpacks while the Lake Houston YMCA, which serves Humble and Sheldon ISDs, has a goal of raising 3,000 backpacks by Aug. 8.

EDUCATION: Humble ISD outlines 4 options after county delays return to class until at least Sept. 8

To help, individuals can donate virtually on the Operation Backpack page or text YMCABACKPACK to the number 24365, purchase a $7 school supply kit from H-E-B at checkout, or help spread awareness about the fundraiser by sharing on social media or through word of mouth.

H-E-B will fulfill the donations and school districts will directly receive the materials from a distribution warehouse. This year they will not be collecting supplies in the form of a drop off and will only be accepting donations through non-contact options.

Chris Butsch, district executive director for the YMCA of Greater Houston, said the goal is to help kids start successfully with the tools they need. Butsch, who manages the Lake Houston and East Montgomery County YMCAs, said the kits will be timely because the YMCAs coordinate with school districts to provide for the specific needs. For example, certain school districts like Sheldon ISD require clear backpacks, Butsch said.

Our ultimate goal is just making sure kids start successfully, whether that is at school or at home, which we know it will be at home here for the first couple of weeks, Butsch said. And then obviously to take the financial strain away from parents when they do return back to school.

POLITICS: Trump administration rejects all new DACA applications

Despite the financial struggles and job losses sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, Butsch said they have seen more donors this year than. They are currently up to $10,000 raised in their own donations, not counting the H-E-B collections, which brings them to just under 504 kits. While they have had large gifts this year, Butsch said anyone can find a way to participate in Operation Backpack, whether that just be sharing the cause or donating what is possible. Typically they see more people supporting the program through H-E-B, and with the additional H-E-B on Northpark, he thinks they will have a successful year.

I think everybody recognizes that people are going to be in a different type of financial strain with the way that unemployment is going and really just everything that the pandemic is bringing us now, Butsch said. When we look at that were actually seeing people (be) supportive and trying to figure out how they fit into the mold.

For more information or to donate, visit the YMCA of Lake Houston website.

savannah.mehrtens@chron.com
Matthew Smith, head of Research at Yuanta Securities

In the next few months, Kuwait will likely be upgraded to emerging market status. How can Vietnam benefit from this move?

Vietnam should see some inflows as a result of this reshuffling given that its weighting in the frontier markets index should increase from the current 17 per cent to around 25 per cent. Unfortunately, fund assets under management (AUMs) in global frontier markets have seen substantial declines in recent years, dropping by about 40 per cent in the period of 2018-2019 to around $13 billion at the end of last year.

I suspect that this trend has continued in 2020, so its probably around $11 billion in total AUMs, of which perhaps $8 billion are passive funds and the rest are active funds.

If Vietnams weighting in the index is raised by 8 percentage points, we should see $640 million in inflows into Vietnam stocks from the passive funds and perhaps as much as $960 million if the active funds also increase their weightings at the same pace.

I reckon it will probably be closer to the lower estimate however, because active funds dont actually have to benchmark themselves to the index exactly. So its not a game-changer for Vietnam, in my view.

Which tickers/companies could be the biggest beneficiaries and why?

The stocks that will benefit are the MSCI Vietnam index components. The key names are all large caps that have foreign ownership limit (FOL) room.

For example, Vingroup (VIC), Vinamilk (VNM), and VinHomes (VHM) all have about 3 per cent weightings in the MSCI now and these weightings will all rise once Kuwait is no longer in the index. Unfortunately, full-FOL shares wont see any direct inflows because they are not included in the MSCIs index.

What must Vietnam do in order to be upgraded to emerging market status and when, realistically, could this happen?

The legal reforms might enable the use of non-voting depository receipts (NVDRs), and this is positive in my view. Still, its going to take time to finalise the legal structure and put NVDRs into practice. I am optimistic that this will happen and that NVDRs are sufficient for the index providers to upgrade Vietnam to their emerging markets category.

Still, it will take time to put all this into practice and MSCI will require a period of observation of how the system actually works in practice. Realistically, I dont see the actual upgrade coming through until 2023 or 2024.

How might overseas investors and funds pour cash into the Vietnamese market in the near future?

I think the outlook for foreign direct investment is still far better than that of portfolio inflows in the second half of this year, but there is room for optimism. One is the index weighting change discussed earlier.

Also, in my opinion the US dollar could be poised for a period of continued weakness, which has typically tended to benefit emerging markets in the past. But the global outlook is highly uncertain so I wouldnt expect much change in the recent trend of foreign net selling over the next couple of months.

However, I think the outlook for 2021 is much better given the sharp macro-economic recovery that I think Vietnam will see next year, along with the expected re-start of various infrastructure and property development projects and potentially a resurgence of initial public offerings.
Vendors are branching into industry-driven solutions vs holistic-horizontal platforms

LONDON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the IoT data-enabled services continue to expand, the market is approaching the stage of data democratization, where real-time analytics is very sought after. Currently, data integration, real-time stream processing, and analytics services are falling under the umbrella of Data Management services within the IoT value chain, where each component has also seen economic growth. Global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research, estimates that IoT Data Management services are a rapidly growing market, with expected growth from US$10.1 billion in 2020 to US$42.9 billion by 2026.

The emergence of stream processing and analytics solutions provided the impetus for data-enabled decision making and insights for enterprises. Ultimately, there are two supplier groups dominating the discussion of stream processing and analytics: cloud-first and edge-first. Azure, AWS, IBM Microsoft, Cloudera, Informatica, Software AG Apama, and TIBCO are centering their data management services around the cloud-centric approach, which complements their already existing product and capabilities within full-stack end-to-end IoT portfolios. Other vendors, such as ScaleOut, Crosser, SWIM.ai., and ClearBlade, are serving the real-time streaming analytics market by bringing an edge-centric approach and teaming up with cloud vendors to deliver industry-specific data management applications.

"Edge vendors are expanding their Streaming as a Service (SaaS) offering toward hardware-agnostic systems. The embedded event streaming and ingestion capabilities packaged as purpose-built, off-the-shelf SaaS has a pre-built application logic and an industry-specific "way" to handle data," says Kateryna Dubrova, Research Analyst at ABI Research. "Effectively, everyone is attempting to move from a service market to productized out-of-the-box SaaS in relation to streaming technologies."

Interestingly, data management and streaming services have been deeply impacted by Apache Project open-source technologies, such as Spark and Flink. IBM, Confluent, Azure, and AWS have already adopted open-source technology into their IoT portfolio. "The adoption is largely driven by the cost incentive to reduce the capital investment for the end-users as well as appeal to enterprises with existing open-source legacy infrastructure. In contrast, companies like Striim, SWIM.ai Guavus are offering streaming analytics services only reliant on proprietary technology," Dubrova explains.

Additionally, by focusing on data management and streaming technologies, cloud vendors are ceding the advanced analytics market to other suppliers. "Hence, the advanced analytics market is an excellent example of the "coopetition" in the IoT ecosystem, where cloud vendors are partnering with advanced analytics suppliers. This coopetition enables them to promote an end-to-end IoT technology stack; for example, Azure and AWS have partnered with Seeq to leverage its advanced analytics capabilities," says Dubrova. At the same time, other vendors, such as Oracle, Cisco, and Huawei, are pushing intelligence and analytics closer to the devices, expanding their edge portfolio. Such divergent analytics strategies represent the reality and challenges for serving a very diverse IoT ecosystem with IoT data-enabled services.

"Essentially, the vendors are branching into industry-driven solutions, and holistic-horizontal platforms with vertical enabled applications, all and all, the competitive market landscape remains in a state of flux. Subsequently, it is vital to understand each vendor offering and placement in the IoT analytics value chain to gain insight into the competitive landscape for real-time streaming and analytics solutions," Dubrova concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research's Business Intelligence 2.0: IoT Stream Processing, Analytics, and Data Management Services application analysis report. This report is part of the company's M2M, IoT & IoE research service, which includes research, data, and analyst insights. Application Analysis reports present an in-depth analysis of key market trends and factors for a specific technology.

About ABI Research

ABI Research provides strategic guidance to visionaries, delivering actionable intelligence on the transformative technologies that are dramatically reshaping industries, economies, and workforces across the world. ABI Research's global team of analysts publish groundbreaking studies often years ahead of other technology advisory firms, empowering our clients to stay ahead of their markets and their competitors.

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Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau, on Wednesday, assented the states revised 2020 budget tagged Budget of Rescue and Infrastructural Consolidation at the Government House, Jos.

Mr Lalong, at the event, directed the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure strict and effective implementation of the budget, in line with extant financial regulations.

The governor said that the budget, which was previously more than N177 billion, was reviewed in line with the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic to N122 billion for the 2020 fiscal year.

For us as a state, the impact has been huge, as our earnings have drastically fallen even in the face of demands for funds to carry out our statutory responsibilities and also respond to the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic.

That is why we engaged in cost cutting measures to enable us manage the lean resources efficiently and also try to fulfil our most basic responsibilities of providing services to our citizens, he said.

Mr Lalong reiterated the commitment of his administration to be effective in the judicious use of the state resources , to address the most critical areas in the state.

With the appointment of a reputable revenue collection firm, we shall redouble our efforts toward improving our revenue targets, especially the Internally Generated Revenue, which is crucial to funding the 2020 budget.

We shall continue to strengthen the work of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Efficiency Unit, Bureau for Public Procurement, Liquidity Management Committee, as well as the Project Monitoring and Result Delivery Unit (PMRDU), to ensure that we maximize our resources and eliminate wastages,the governor said.

He assured the legislature that the executive would cooperate with them on their oversight duties of ensuring that the budget was implemented as planned for the well being of Plateau people.

The governor said that efforts were being made to ensure the early preparation and presentation of the 2021 Appropriation Bill to the State Assembly by September,

Mr Lalong said this was in compliance with the state fiscal, transparency, accountability and sustainability programme.

Governor Simon Lalong signs the state revised budget [PHOTO CREDIT: @sblalong]

Earlier, Slyvester Wallangko, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, said that the rationale of the revised budget was to re-allocate the state meagre resources to the most critical policies and programmes, to reduce the economic burden of the pandemic.

He said that the budget was reviewed not to only incorporate the combat of COVID-19 but other life-threatening disease outbreak in the state

The commissioner said that the budget, which would be sourced from Internally Generated Revenue, Statutory Revenue Allocation and Capital receipts, had a deficit of N21.7 million.

This deficit will be financed from loans, both from internal and external resources, as the need arises, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the revised budget was passed on June 30.(NAN)
C adogan, the landlord behind swathes of Chelsea, has moved hospitality firms to turnover-based rents, as part of a package outlined to help tenants ride out the virus crisis.

The more than 300-year-old estate saw scores of retail and restaurant businesses left with no trade after having to shut in March for the lockdown.

Cadogan expects Covid-19 to have a pronounced effect on trading this year, finance chief Sanjay Patel warned.

Chief executive Hugh Seaborn said the landlord will help those hammered by the pandemic.

He told the Standard: We are a long-term family business. Our interest is in having a thriving and successful area. We want to do all we can to help these businesses reopen.

He said a business community fund, which has set aside funding to deliver ongoing financial help and cash-flow support, has been set up to help firms into 2021.

It will be used to expand on original rent assistance given in March.

Cadogan has introduced a move to stop fixed-rent terms for a number of bars and restaurants. It is allowing owners instead to pay based on how sales perform, joining a list of landlords offering a turnover-based rent model.

On a case-by-case basis it will also offer rent holidays and other rent relief.

The update came as the company revealed the value of the real estate portfolio fell 9.4% to 5.6 billion in 2019.

That was due to falls in the values of the retail and residential divisions, despite good demand.

But Cadogan, uktimately owned by Earl Cadogans family and charitable foundations, said it had a strong operational performance in the face of significant political and economic uncertainty.

It saw growth in office values, and said total group rental income improved 9.7% to 185.9 million.

It benefited from a number of upmarket retailers opening new shops across the estate, including Belgian womenswear brand Essentiel Antwerp.
Pharmapacks, LLC, an Islandia, NY-based ecommerce enablement platform and retail seller for brands across the major ecommerce marketplaces, received a growth financing of up to $150m.

GPI Capital and JPMorgan Chase Bank participated in the transaction, joining Series A investors, including Reckitt Benckiser (leading consumer goods company and maker of Lysol), McKesson (one of the worlds largest healthcare companies), SealedAir (one of the worlds leading packaging companies), and the Emerson Group (a leading consumer products equity organization).

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its expansion plans.

Led by Andrew Vagenas, Chief Executive Officer, Pharmapacks is an e-commerce company with a proprietary technology platform featuring a logistics, fulfillment, marketing and sales solution. The company has a premier team of eCommerce experts with over 10 years experience and 850 employees connecting consumers to their favorite brands on online marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, Google, eBay and Facebook.

Pharmapacks serves as a launch pad for emerging brands by giving a select amount of lesser-known brands access to its e-commerce platform and consumer base. This enables brands to focus on product research and development, while the company strategically sets competitive price points and builds a connection between the consumer and the brand.

The company reached over $250MM in sales in 2019 and is on a current run rate to achieve more than 70% year-over-year growth and, with the opening of a 230k square foot replenishment center in late Q3, 100% year-over-year growth in Q4.

FinSMEs

29/07/2020
Actor Anupam Shyam, who was admitted to the intensive care unit of a Mumbai hospital, is now stable, his brother Anurag has confirmed. Anurag also revealed that many celebs helped the family financially in this difficult time.

He said while Manoj Bajpayee has been helping the family of the 62-year-old actor, Sonu Sood has also approached the doctors. Anurag told Mumbai Mirror, We are grateful to those who have acknowledged the difficult times we are going through and thank those who have donated for my brothers treatment. His condition has improved and he also had dinner last night.

The Twitter handle of Cine and TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) urged people to come forward and donate for Anupams cause and tweeted, Misfortune of ill health has befallen on our much-loved actor Anupam Shyam. Your donation for his hospital expense would help greatly in this hour of need.

Anupam was admitted to a Malad hospital where he collapsed during dialysis on Monday and had to be shifted to the Goregaon hospital, the tabloid added. Sonu had quoted a tweet late Tuesday and wrote, in touch with them.

In touch with them https://t.co/yedW7S7erW  sonu sood (@SonuSood) July 28, 2020

Also read: Sanjay Dutts birthday gift to fans is first look poster of KGF 2 character Adheera, see pic

Anurag had earlier told Spotboye about the actors illness and said, He has been keeping unwell for the last six months now. He has an infection in his kidney due to which we had admitted him to Hinduja Hospital back then and got him treated for almost one and half month. That time his health got fine but he was suggested dialysis, from time to time. But he decided to go for ayurvedic treatment as dialysis costs a lot. That didnt help. He got breathless recently because of not doing dialysis. His chest was filled with water, so we again started his dialysis and he started getting relief.

Apart from playing the popular negative role of Thakur Sajjan Singh in Pratugya, Anupam has also worked in feature films, including Dil Se, Lajja, Nayak, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Bandit Queen, and Slumdog Millionaire among others.

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The US has warned against consuming Cuban rum and cigars, claiming that two of the island's most iconic products help finance the country's Communist "dictatorship."

"The #Castro economy relies on the theft of private property and the repression of the people. Regime-made Cuban rum and cigars are luxuries that are not worth the human cost," tweeted the main US diplomat for Latin America, Michael Kozak, on Monday.

The acting assistant secretary for western hemisphere affairs accompanied the tweet, posted in both English and Spanish, with a photo of a lit cigar captioned with the words, "Are they worth the price?"

Kozak doubled down on his message Tuesday, posting a photo to Twitter of a glass of rum that urged people to "consume responsibly."

"The #Castro regime has aged badly," he tweeted alongside the image, again in the two languages.

"Cuba's rum was legendary before the regime stole it to finance their repression. Now every bottle sold keeps Cuba's dictatorship in power longer," he said.

"Still enjoying that mojito?"

Neither Cuban rum nor cigars, the traditional engines of the country's economy, can legally be brought into the US, which has maintained an embargo on the island since 1962.

Relations between Washington and Havana have chilled considerably since President Donald Trump took office, despite a warming of ties initiated by his predecessor Barack Obama.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  Is Congress likely to pass dubious and controversial measures in the plenary amid the coronavirus pandemic?

At least one lawmaker thinks so.

Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza warned on Wednesday about the "doubtful processes" he claimed have been going on in the House plenary, such as the declaration of a quorum and holding of deliberations despite a limited number of congressmen who are physically present on the floor.

On the first two days of the second regular session of the 18th Congress, Atienza said 301 House members were declared present, with the majority listening remotely in the proceedings. He said this is contrary to past traditions wherein lawmakers barely reach half of their total number on the floor.

"You really really have to doubt the processes being followed now," Atienza told the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

"Kahapon, nag-roll call, 301 [were declared present]," he said. "Ni hindi nga nakaka-120, 140 [ang attendance] pag regular process 'yung sinusunod. Paano, there is no way of questioning it."

[Translation: Yesterday during the roll call, 301 were declared present. During the regular proceedings, we can't even reach 120 or 140 congressmen. No wonder, because there is no way of questioning the true number.]

Atienza, known for constantly questioning the declaration of quorum in House sessions, noted that measures may be railroaded anew since lawmakers cannot meet on a regular basis and physical deliberations are limited.

"We will pass measures which may be doubtful on its reality and practicality and usefulness, and it could even be self-serving to the members of Congress," he said.

"Kawawa naman ang tao," he added. "Mabababoy ang ating legislative arm of government."

[Translation: It's the people who will suffer. The legislative arm of the government could be bastardized.]

For Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante, there is no problem with the House minority uniting with the national government in terms of tackling crucial measures.

"The minority should also help the government when the government needs help as the state of the nation is concerned, and oppose when there is a real sense of opposing it," he said.

But Atienza disagreed to this, noting that such scenario is "very peculiar" in Congress.

"This is the first time that the minority is working with the majority in many measures," he said. "Pag nagsama yang dalawang iyan, walang laban ang taongbayan (If the two join forces, the people are powerless)."

Abante's designation was criticized by some lawmakers last year, with allegations that he was installed by the House majority, dominated by pro-administration lawmakers.

Numerous issues were also raised in the past month, particularly on the voting of controversial measures like the anti-terrorism bill, and the junking of the ABS-CBN franchise application, due to Congress' teleconferencing procedures.

In June, some lawmakers complained that their votes were erroneously tallied in the voting of the anti-terrorism bill when it was still up for third and final reading.

There is also a pending appeal for plenary action on the matter from some opposition lawmakers, claiming that all 305 representatives need to vote and decide on ABS-CBN's fate, due to "unsure" and "insecure" issues considered in the panel vote last time.

Ex-officio members and members of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises voted to junk the network's franchise on July 10, owing to alleged violations on tax obligations, ownership, and supposedly unfair reporting, among other things.
Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted Sunday of nearing deployment of nuclear-tipped hypersonic missiles with his Navy, upping the ante in a three-way arms race with the U.S. and China to develop super-fast missiles that can penetrate any existing defensive system.

At the annual naval parade in St. Petersburg, Putin did not detail specifically when hypersonic missiles would be deployed, but the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the weapons are in the final stages of testing.

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"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.

China has also made significant advances in hypersonics, according to Dr. Mark Lewis, director of Defense Research and Engineering for Modernization at the Defense Department.

Last October, Chinese President Xi Jinping presided at a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. During the parade, a purported vehicle-mounted DF-17 hypersonic nuclear missile was displayed.

At a June 30 Hudson Institute discussion, Lewis said both China and Russia have taken advantage of a lull in U.S. modernization to make advances in what he called the "game changer" technology of hypersonics.

"I'm often accused of saying speed is the new stealth," he said, stressing the need for more focus and investment on hypersonics.

Stealth properties make bombers and fighters difficult to track, but hypersonic missiles traveling at speeds well in excess of Mach 5 mean that "you see me a little bit too late to do anything," Lewis said.

The advantage of hypersonic missiles is usually "thought of only as speed," he explained, adding that it's actually speed plus the ability to change trajectory, giving the missiles the capability of "penetrating from long ranges with tremendous resilience."

There is little time to react and that, combined with a less predictable trajectory, make hypersonic missiles "a class of weapons system which, frankly, is hard to counter," Lewis said.

The U.S. once had a formidable lead in hypersonics technology, he added, but let that lead slip away.

"There was an element of hubris to it. We were so far ahead," Lewis said. "We did their homework for [China and Russia]. We developed it.  Then, we kind of took our foot off the gas. We didn't listen to our own advice. Now, we're in a situation where we're truly in a three-way race."

As a result, China "hasn't been shy" about showing off its advances in hypersonics. "That has been eye-opening," he said.

On at least three occasions in recent months, President Donald Trump has made reference to U.S. development of what he called a "super-duper missile" that can travel up to 17 times Mach and hit targets with extreme precision.

At the June 13 West Point commencement ceremony, Trump touted overall U.S. investment in national defense.

"We are building new ships, bombers, jet fighters and helicopters by the hundreds; new tanks, military satellites, rockets and missiles; even a hypersonic missile that goes 17 times faster than the fastest missile currently available in the world and can hit a target 1,000 miles away within 14 inches from center point," he said.

In March, the Defense Department announced the successful test of a common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB) jointly executed by the Army and Navy in a launch from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii.

The C-HGB flew at unspecified hypersonic speeds and successfully hit a designated impact area, according to the DoD.

"Today, we validated our design and are now ready to move to the next phase toward fielding a hypersonic strike capability,'' said Vice Adm. Johnny R. Wolfe, director of the Navy's Strategic Systems Programs.

In his remarks at the Hudson Institute, Lewis said fielding of hypersonic weapons by the U.S. is years away but added, "Our competitors should have no doubt we're moving in a big way. Our goal is to deliver at scale in the mid-2020s."

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

Related: Navy, Army Flight Test a Common Hypersonic Weapon Glide Body
INDIANAPOLIS, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis ("FHLBank Indianapolis" or "Bank") declared its second quarter 2020 dividends on Class B-1 and Class B-2 capital stock at annualized rates of 3.50% and 2.80%, respectively. The dividends will be paid in cash on July 30, 2020.



"We're pleased to be able to pay our members an attractive return and meet their liquidity needs during these uncertain times," said Cindy Konich, FHLBank Indianapolis President and CEO. "We have considerable remote capabilities, and continue to conduct business as usual and operate at full strength."

Earnings Highlights

Net income for the second quarter of 2020 was $13 million, a decrease of $22 million compared to the corresponding quarter in the prior year, primarily due to accelerated amortization of purchase premium resulting from higher prepayments on mortgage loans, net losses on trading securities1, and higher net losses on qualifying fair-value hedging relationships.2 These decreases were partially offset by additional net interest income resulting from the Bank's growth in average asset balances.

Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was $43 million, a decrease of $25 million compared to the corresponding period in the prior year, substantially due to accelerated amortization of purchase premium resulting from higher prepayments on mortgage loans.

Hedging gains (losses) on qualifying fair-value hedging relationships are reported in net interest income. As a result, net interest income3 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 included net hedging losses of $19 million and $22 million, respectively, compared to net hedging losses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 of $9 million and $22 million, respectively. In general, the Bank holds the derivatives and associated hedged items to the maturity, call, or put date. As a result, we expect that nearly all of the gains and losses on these financial instruments will reverse over the remaining contractual terms of the hedged items.

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1 The Bank uses U.S. Treasury securities as part of its liquidity portfolio. Such securities are classified as trading securities, on which changes in fair value are recorded in other income. Changes in the estimated fair value of the associated economic hedging instruments are also recorded in other income.

2 The Bank uses interest-rate swaps to hedge the risk of changes in the fair value of certain of its advances, available-for-sale securities and consolidated obligations. These derivatives are designated as fair-value hedges. Changes in the estimated fair value of the derivative and, to the extent these relationships qualify for hedge accounting, changes in the fair value of the hedged item that are attributable to the hedged risk are recorded in earnings.

3 FHLBank Indianapolis earns interest income on advances to and mortgage loans purchased from its Michigan and Indiana member financial institutions, as well as on long- and short-term investments. Net interest income is primarily determined by the spread between the interest earned on those assets and the interest cost of funding with consolidated obligations.

Affordable Housing Program Allocation 4

For the six months ended June 30, 2020, FHLBank Indianapolis allocated $5 million to its Affordable Housing Program ("AHP"), which provides grant funding to support housing for low- and moderate-income families in Michigan and Indiana. Full year 2020 AHP allocations will be available to the Bank's members in 2021 to help address their communities' affordable housing needs, including construction, rehabilitation, accessibility improvements and homebuyer down-payment assistance.

Balance Sheet Highlights

Total assets at June 30, 2020 were $71.1 billion, an increase of $3.6 billion, or 5%, from December 31, 2019, primarily driven by increases in advances to members.

Advances 5

Advances outstanding at June 30, 2020, at carrying value, totaled $34.8 billion, a net increase of $2.4 billion, or 7%, from December 31, 2019. Such increase included net increases in the par value of short-term advances outstanding of 4.6% and long-term advances outstanding of 5.5%.

The par value of advances to depository institutions - comprising commercial banks, savings institutions and credit unions - and insurance companies each increased by 5%. Advances to depository institutions, as a percent of total advances outstanding at par value, were 53% at June 30, 2020, while advances to insurance companies were 47%.

Mortgage Loans Held for Portfolio 6

Purchases of mortgage loans from the Bank's members for the six months ended June 30, 2020 totaled $1.0 billion. Mortgage loans held for portfolio at June 30, 2020 totaled $10.1 billion, a net decrease of $732 million, or 7%, from December 31, 2019, as principal repayments by borrowers outpaced the Bank's purchases during the period.

Liquidity Portfolio 7

The liquidity portfolio at June 30, 2020 totaled $10.8 billion, an increase of $661 million, or 7%, from December 31, 2019. Included in this portfolio are U.S. Treasury securities classified as trading securities, which decreased by $51 million, or 1%, to $5.0 billion at June 30, 2020. Cash and short-term investments increased by $712 million, or 14%, to $5.8 billion. As a result, cash and short-term investments represented 54% of the liquidity portfolio at June 30, 2020, while U.S. Treasury securities represented 46%.

4 Each year Federal Home Loan Banks ("FHLBanks") allocate to the AHP 10% of earnings, which is defined as income before assessments, plus interest expense on mandatorily redeemable capital stock.

5 Advances are secured loans that FHLBank Indianapolis provides to its member institutions.

6 FHLBank Indianapolis purchases mortgage loans from its members to support its housing mission, provide an additional source of liquidity to its members, and diversify its investments.

7 The Bank's liquidity portfolio consists of cash, interest-bearing deposits, securities purchased under agreements to resell, federal funds sold and U.S. Treasury securities.



Consolidated Obligations 8

FHLBank Indianapolis' consolidated obligations outstanding at June 30, 2020 totaled $65.2 billion, a net increase of $2.8 billion, or 5%, from December 31, 2019. Such increase supported the Bank's asset growth.

Capital 9

Total capital at June 30, 2020 was $3.3 billion, a net increase of $161 million, or 5%, from December 31, 2019. Such increase was substantially due to proceeds from the issuance of capital stock, partially offset by net unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities.

The Bank's regulatory capital-to-assets ratio10 at June 30, 2020 was 5.10%, which exceeds all applicable regulatory capital requirements.

All amounts referenced above and in the following table are unaudited. More detailed information about FHLBank Indianapolis' financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 will be included in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Bank's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which we intend to file by mid-August.

8 The primary source of funds for FHLBank Indianapolis, and for the other FHLBanks, is the sale of FHLBanks' consolidated obligations in the capital markets. FHLBank Indianapolis is the primary obligor for the payment of the principal and interest on the consolidated obligations issued on its behalf; additionally, it is jointly and severally liable with each of the other FHLBanks for all of the FHLBanks' consolidated obligations outstanding.

9 FHLBank Indianapolis is a cooperative whose member financial institutions and former members own all of its capital stock as a condition of membership and to support outstanding credit products.

10 Total regulatory capital, which consists of capital stock, mandatorily redeemable capital stock and retained earnings, as a percentage of total assets.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Financial Highlights (unaudited) ($ amounts in millions, as rounded)





Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, Condensed Statements of Income 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net interest income after provision for credit losses $ 67 $ 60 $ 131 $ 117 Other income (loss) (25 ) 3 (30 ) 6 Other expenses 27 24 53 47 AHP assessments 2 4 5 8 Net income $ 13 $ 35 $ 43 $ 68





Condensed Statements of Condition June 30, 2020 December 31, 2019 Advances $ 34,848 $ 32,480 Mortgage loans held for portfolio, net 10,083 10,815 Cash and short-term investments 5,791 5,079 Investment securities and other assets (1) 20,348 19,137 Total assets $ 71,070 $ 67,511 Consolidated obligations $ 65,207 $ 62,392 MRCS 300 323 Other liabilities 2,245 1,639 Total liabilities 67,752 64,354 Capital stock (2) 2,194 1,974 Retained earnings (3) 1,128 1,115 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (4 ) 68 Total capital 3,318 3,157 Total liabilities and capital $ 71,070 $ 67,511 Total regulatory capital (4) $ 3,622 $ 3,412 Regulatory capital-to-assets ratio 5.10 % 5.05 %

(1) Includes trading, held-to-maturity and available-for-sale securities.

(2) Putable by members at par value.

(3) Includes restricted retained earnings at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 of $260 million and $251 million, respectively.

(4) Consists of total capital less accumulated other comprehensive income plus mandatorily redeemable capital stock.



Safe Harbor Statement

This document may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "believes," "estimates," "expects" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. Any forward-looking statement contained in this document reflects FHLBank Indianapolis' current beliefs and expectations. Actual results or performance may differ materially from what is expressed in any forward-looking statements.

Any forward-looking statement contained in this document speaks only as of the date on which it was made. FHLBank Indianapolis undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. Readers are referred to the documents filed by the Bank with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, which include factors that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements. These reports are available at www.sec.gov .

Building Partnerships. Serving Communities.

FHLBank Indianapolis is a regional bank included in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to ensure access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with particular attention paid to providing solutions that support the housing and small business needs of members' customers. FHLBanks are privately capitalized and funded, and receive no Congressional appropriations. FHLBank Indianapolis is owned by its Indiana and Michigan financial institution members, which include commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions. For more information about FHLBank Indianapolis, visit www.fhlbi.com.

Contact: Carrie O'Connor

Senior Director of Communications

coconnor@fhlbi.com | 317.465.0469




Seven months after wrecking crews erased it from existence, Ontario Provincial announced Wednesday the former Niagara headquarters of the worlds most notorious biker gang has been destroyed.

However, the OPP biker enforcement unit said the Hells Angels have reformed themselves in the region, and while it may not wield the influence it once did the gang is still an underworld force.

They are still very much active in the Niagara area, said Det. Staff Sgt. Scott Wade. There was a period when they basically were just limping along, but in the last few years they have recovered.

The OPP had the Hell Angels Darby Road clubhouse in rural east Welland demolished in January, 14 years after a joint-forces operation resulted in the building being seized and key gang members incarcerated.

In 2006 the OPP and Niagara Regional Police operation, dubbed Project Tandem, resulted in arrests of Hells Angels members across the province, including local club president and then Niagara drug kingpin Gerald (Skinny) Ward along with his lieutenants.

Ward pleaded guilty in Toronto in September 2008 to trafficking four kilograms of cocaine and possessing more than $304,000 in proceeds of crime. He was also found guilty in December 2008 of a criminal organization charge.

He was sentenced to nine years in prison and in 2015 was released to a half-way house.

The fortified building  which featured an array of surveillance cameras, high fences and protective barriers  was seized by police as part of Project Tandem.

Wade said the building was seized under civil forfeiture legislation that can eventually lead to an order to have it destroyed. But that process does not happen quickly.

The civil remedies are an efficient tool for law enforcement to use but they are complicated and they take time, he said.

The fate of the clubhouse was tied up in civil courts for more than a decade as the owners attempted to have the building returned to them.

However, in January 2019 the courts found the buildings mortgage had been paid for with proceeds of crime and was itself an instrument of unlawful activity and rejected the Hells Angels bid to reclaim it.

Wade said even after that ruling, it took more time to get approval to destroy the clubhouse, a former machine shop.

Although it was torn down on Jan. 20 of this year, Wade said the OPP were slow to notify the public and press because it took time to get internal approvals and then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, further delaying the issue.

Project Tandem effectively crippled the Hells Angels locally but the Niagara chapter was kept alive by bikers from out-of-town chapters. However, the chapter was no longer viable and the Hells Angels eventually abandoned it, until more recently, Scott said.

Slowly, the gang has established itself in Niagara, albeit with a lower profile. Scott would not say how many members are currently part of the Niagara chapter, but said the gangs internal rules stipulate a chapter needs at least six members.

I can tell you there are more than that, he said.

The gang also has not established a new clubhouse in a traditional manner, he said.

There is a clubhouse in Niagara Falls on Garner Road that belongs to an affiliated gang that Hells Angels visit, Scott said. However, it does not display the gangs logos or its Hells Angels affiliation publicly.

He also said while the gang is called the Niagara chapter, its members operate across the province and the country.

They are not limited to a single geographic area, he said.

The OPPs Wednesday news release announcing the demolition of the clubhouse said the public should be aware the gang has not vanished.

Wade said the warning was not triggered by any particular event, although he did note a Hells Angel affiliate was charged with assaulting a member of the rival Outlaws Motorcycle Club last month in St. Catharines.

I am not saying there is a threat of a biker war or anything like that, Wade said. But it is absolutely true that the Hells Angels are active in the area.

CORRECTION: This story has been edited to include the correct location of a outlaw biker clubhouse.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 06:06:25|Editor: huaxia

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SANTIAGO, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Chile on Tuesday reported 349,800 cases of novel coronavirus infection and 9,240 deaths from the disease.

According to the Health Ministry, in the previous 24 hours, tests detected 1,876 new cases and 53 more patients died.

Authorities said 18,228 cases are considered active, while 322,332 people have recovered from the disease.

Chile declared a state of catastrophe months ago to better enforce lockdown and social distancing measures with the help of the army and police force, including a nighttime curfew.

Due to a decline in cases, on Friday, the ministry announced a partial lifting of lockdown measures in seven of 40 districts within the capital Santiago and its metropolitan area, home to a third of the country's population. Enditem
ALMER TOWNSHIP  Thanks to the quick actions of Alan White July 27, an 82-year-old man was revived, stabilized and transferred to the hospital after driving off the roadway.

White, 42, of Gagetown was driving behind the other man on M-81 in Almer Township, when he watched his vehicle drive off the road and out into a nearby farm field.

White stopped his vehicle and ran out into the farm field to help the victim, a Michigan State Police press release read.

Mr. White, without a doubt, saved the drivers life by stopping his vehicle, traversing through the farm field, and making contact with the driver, Sgt. Don Pisha said in the release. He then called 911 before removing the man from his vehicle and started performing CPR until first responders could arrive to take over.

Upon arrival, troopers were waived down by White, who was performing resuscitation on the man. Troopers immediately took over CPR, and continued resuscitation efforts including the use of an automated external defibrillator until ambulance and fire crews arrived.

Investigation of the scene determined the 82-year-old man was driving east on E. Caro Road when he suffered a medical emergency behind the wheel and drove off the road. After the mans vehicle left the roadway, it traveled several hundred yards across a farm field.

As a result of Mr. White's quick actions and the rapid response of first responders, the driver is alive today, Pisha said. He was transported to Covenant hospital in Saginaw for further treatment and was listed in critical but stable condition the following day.

MSP troopers were assisted on scene by the Caro Police Department, Caro Fire Department, MMR and the Tuscola County Sheriffs Office.

Editor's Note: Due to incorrect information, this article previously credited the wrong person for the heroic act.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Wednesday that TikTok was under a national security review and that his agency would make a recommendation to the president about the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app this week.

The comments marked the first time the U.S. government has acknowledged that TikTok was under review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which scrutinizes deals by foreign acquirers for potential national security risks and is led by Treasury.

"TikTok is under CFIUS review. We will be making a recommendation to the president this week so we have lots of alternatives," Mnuchin said.

Reuters reported in November that the app's Chinese parent, Beijing ByteDance Technology Co was being probed by CFIUS over its $1 billion purchase of social media app Musical.ly, after lawmakers raised concerns over how it stores personal data as well as allegations of censorship.

A TikTok representative said the company could not comment on CFIUS matters, but added that TikTok was working to "develop a best-in-class security infrastructure" and promote a safe app experience.

The committee can force ByteDance to unwind the deal, or take other measures to mitigate the national security threat. Reuters reported earlier on Wednesday that ByteDance has received a proposal from some of its investors, including Sequoia and General Atlantic, to transfer majority ownership of TikTok to them. Some ByteDance investors are valuing the popular app at about $50 billion.

Flanked by Mnuchin, President Donald Trump said before leaving the White House on a trip to Texas that "we are looking at TikTok."

The company is under fire in Washington, as relations between the Trump administration and Beijing have grown chilly over the coronavirus and China's moves against Hong Kong. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration was considering banning the app, and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said earlier this month that action was coming in weeks.

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Chris Reese, Bernadette Baum and Jonathan Oatis)
Priced from as low as one-third[1] the cost of a traditional critical illness (CI) plan, the FWD Big 3 CI plan offers one-time full pay-out upon diagnosis of any cancer, heart attack or stroke -- which collectively account for 90% of all CI insurance claims in Singapore

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 29 July 2020 - FWD Singapore ("FWD") has launched a first-in-market insurance plan - Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance - that offers working adults comprehensive financial protection against three leading causes of death -- cancer, heart attack or stroke -- that together account for 90% of all critical illness (CI) insurance claims in the country.





This newly created plan is available from as low as one-third[1] the cost of a traditional CI insurance policy, providing a more affordable choice for working adults in Singapore. For example, a 35-year-old non-smoking male can get S$50,000 of coverage from as low as S$18 a month. According to a study[2] published by the Life Insurance Association (LIA) in 2018, a patient diagnosed with a critical illness requires at least S$316,000 to cover family needs and support recovery that would take approximately five years. However, the study revealed that the average critical illness coverage for a working adult in Singapore is just S$60,000, or about 20% of the recommended coverage. FWD Singapore offers this new Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance plan -- which is available in three coverage sums of $50,000, $100,000 and $200,000 -- aiming to help Singaporeans plug the shortfall in their CI protection gap.





Sociologist Tan Ern Ser attributed this worrying protection gap to the heavy financial constraints and pressures faced by many working adults in Singapore. Associate Professor Tan, who researched on family issues and social policies at the National University of Singapore, explained, "I believe most people would like to have adequate critical illness insurance cover, but they don't, or feel, they don't have enough disposable income to pay for all sorts of insurance, important as they are, and this is most likely because they have multiple financial commitments, such as to parents and children, and servicing housing loans."

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Against this worrying backdrop, FWD Singapore CEO Khor Kee Eng said, "The Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance offers all working adults an affordable solution and an important safeguard for their dependents, young and old. As the LIA study clearly states, inadequacy in critical illness insurance coverage among them can lead to significant social and economic impact for their loved ones, especially given the prevalence of cancer, heart attack or stroke in Singapore. We will continue to ride on our customer-led approach to innovate more easy-to-understand products to support Singaporeans."





Cancer is the leading cause of death in Singapore, with one in five Singaporeans likely to contract a form of the disease in their lifetime, while an average of 17 lives are lost to heart diseases or stroke every day, according to 2018 statistics from the Singapore Heart Foundation.





WHAT IS FWD BIG 3 CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE?

The FWD Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance plan is a protection policy that provides coverage for heart attack, cancer and all stages of cancer. Insured customers will receive a one-time full pay-out of the insured sum upon diagnosis of any of the three diseases, to enable them to focus on recovery and taking care of their financial commitments and those of their loved ones. The other key features of the product are:





No medical examination -- The application process can be completed fully online at www.fwd.com.sg. Applicants need only to answer one health declaration and does not require medical examination like applying for traditional CI plans.

Comprehensive yet affordable protection -- A 35-year-old non-smoking male can get S$50,000 of coverage from as low as S$18 a month.

Guaranteed cover up to age 85 -- Residents between 18 and 65 years old (both inclusive) with a valid NRIC or FIN number can buy the FWD Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance, with the guaranteed option to renew up to age 85.

Death benefit -- In the event of death, we pay a lump sum benefit of S$20,000.

All stages of cancer -- FWD is the first digital insurer that offers full pay-out for all stages of cancer.

Enhanced coverage with riders -- Guaranteed one-time full pay-out should you suffer from or require procedures from any of the 24 covered heart and neurological conditions that affect your brain (11 conditions) or heart (13 conditions) function. These include coronary artery disease and bacterial meningitis.





Kee Eng added, "For insurance, the moments of truth come in three areas, namely the affordability and extent of coverage, the ease of the application process and most crucially, the ease of making a claim. We believe the Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance satisfies all three criteria and clearly demonstrates how FWD is changing the way people feel about insurance in Singapore."





[1] Information correct as of 25 June 2020 according to internal proprietary research. Base plan comparison is for All stage Cancer, late stage Stroke and late stage Heart attack against similar plans (not identical) in the market.





[2] The Life Insurance Association's Protection Gap Study 2017

https://www.lia.org.sg/media/1332/protection-gap-study-report-2017.pdf

About FWD

FWD Group spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan and Malaysia, offering life and medical insurance, general insurance, employee benefits, Shariah and Family Takaful products across a number of its markets.

FWD is focused on creating fresh customer experiences, with easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD aims to become a leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.

Established in Asia in 2013, FWD started operations in Singapore in 2016 and is the insurance business of investment group, Pacific Century Group. For more information please visit www.fwd.com.sg
Michigan Medicine, the wholly owned medical center of the University of Michigan, is moving ahead with mass layoffs even though COVID-19 cases in the state have spiked since mid-June.

Two months ago, the Ann Arbor-based hospital chain, formerly known as the University of Michigan Health System, announced an economic recovery plan that included the elimination of 1,400 positions. After achieving nearly half of its target through forced retirements and voluntary furloughs, management has moved ahead with the layoff of 738 nurses, technicians and other health care workers.

In a statement, Michigan Medicine said it lost $230 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, largely due to the cancellation of elective procedures as hospitals treated COVID-19 patients. Medical center officials predict the losses will continue throughout the rest of the calendar year. At the same time, they claimed their cost-cutting plan would minimize impact on employees and ensure high standards of patient care.

Michigan Medicine workers in September 2019 (Source: UMPNC)

Contacted by this reporter, a spokesperson for Michigan Medicine said about 60 nurses, who are members of the University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council (UMPNC), had been given Reduction in Force notices. In addition, 38 emergency technicians were laid off, leaving only 12 EMTs.

Workers and patients at Michigan Medicine debunked the claims that the layoffs would not impact the quality of care. Martin Smith, an EMT who was laid off after working more than five years for Michigan Medicine, told Michigan Live, We were very vital to the ER. It definitely hurt because wed been there for the whole pandemic, and many people were there for anywhere from six months to 15 years.

A long-term Michigan Medicine cancer patient told the World Socialist Web Site, The hospital has laid off hundreds of people including key personnel in the cancer center. When I went in for chemo last week, the tension was palpable. Nurse Practitioners who are retiring are not being replaced, putting enormous added pressure on the oncologists. The delivery of complex and life-saving treatment is, in some cases, being shifted from RNs [Registered Nurses] to LPNs [Licensed Practical Nurses], who have far less medical education.

It is very disturbing to feel that my care may be compromised, she continued, as complicated issues always arise during treatment. These measures and many more cuts are saving the hospital a ton of money but putting undue strain on patients and staff. As my oncology nurse of long standing said to me, They are expecting us to do more for less pay. The cancer ward is already an area of acute tension for patients and care-givers, which will only increase.

One comment following a local news report on the layoffs noted, I am genuinely confused about this. Im just asking, didnt we have a shortage of health care workers not too long ago? Now they are laying them off? How are they preserving jobs? All I see is a them preserving a big fat payday for the CEOs.

In late March, corporations around the country including large hospital chains like Ascension, HCA Tenet, Providence and others received billions through the bipartisan CARES Act to cover their losses even though they had huge cash reserves and financial and real estate investments. From the beginning of the pandemic outbreak until May, roughly 1.5 million health care workers, including in dentist offices and small medical practices forced to close during the crisis, have been laid off.

When it came to the corporate bottom line, hospital executives had no problems cutting the jobs of hundreds of thousands of workers whom they had previously hailed as heroes. In the meantime, the salaries and bonuses of the top executives have hardly been touched. In a publicity move coinciding with the layoff announcement, Michigan Medicine CEO Marschall S. Runge announced he was taking a 20 percent cut in his base salary. This left him with a paltry $1.12 million, plus investment income. Last year, Runge received a base salary of $1.4 million, up $450,272 from 2018.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average salary for RNs was $73,963 annually. LPNs make $48,673 a year. Wages continue downward for other hospital staff.

In September 2018, after the University of Michigan Professional Nurses Council (UMPNC) kept them working for months after the expiration of their labor agreement, Michigan Medicine nurses voted by 94 percent to strike, The main demand of nurses was a reduction of dangerously high patient-to-nurse ratios, an issue that has only been worsened since the pandemic for nurses throughout the country and the world.

Ignoring the strike vote, UMPNC agreed to a concessions contract that has paved the way for the current round of layoffs.

Shortly before the expiration of the nurses contract, the University of Michigan announced a new program called Victors Care, a system of primary care aimed entirely at servicing the rich and upper middle class. Billed as the latest advancement in patient satisfaction, this class-based system promised easier and faster access to physicians, as well as comprehensive preventive care, for those who could afford to pay an additional $3,600 per year out of pocket.

On its web site, the program listed benefits such as 24-hour telephone access to a primary care physician, ability to meet with a physician away from the hospital to avoid long waiting room experiences and parking costs, exercise and nutrition counseling, no time limits for doctor visits, and a personalized treatment plan with an array of yearly preventive care appraisal tests.

The layoffs will have a devastating effect on hospital workers who bore the most difficult burden as the pandemic in the state peaked in March and April. In a recent article, titled, This Spring They Were Heroes, but Summer May Be Cruel for Health Professionals, University of Michigans Health Lab said the deadly virus has left tens of thousands of doctors, nurses, therapists and others with a real risk of ongoing depression and even post-traumatic stress disorder.

The article added that this psychological toll could be compounded by financial pressures, as health systems ramp back up for in-person care, and try to make up for the revenue lost this spring through added clinical care duties or layoffs.
Photo: The Canadian Press A police officer carry evidence after RCMP raided a house and arrested two people in Kingston, Ont., on Thursday Jan. 24, 2019.\

A teenager arrested in an RCMP raid in Kingston, Ont., last year has pleaded guilty to a series of terrorism-related charges for trying to encourage and facilitate a bomb attack.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be identified under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, admitted to the four charges  plus another for violating his bail conditions  during a video appearance in the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville, Ont., on Tuesday.

Sentencing is expected at a later date. The Crown is asking that the youth be sentenced as an adult. Justice Elaine Deluzio ordered a psychiatric assessment and a pre-sentence report be compiled, with the case expected back in court on Sept. 29.

The Canadian Press monitored the proceedings via telephone due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The RCMP arrested the youth during a raid in Kingston on Jan. 25, 2019, following an investigation initiated by a tip from the FBI in the United States after the teen began unwittingly communicating with an FBI undercover agent.

According to an agreed statement of facts read in English by the Crown and translated into Arabic in court, the youth thought the agent was a "lone wolf" Islamic terrorist in Virginia who needed support.

The youth sent the agent instructions on how to build a pressure-cooker bomb. He also encouraged him to build it and plant it in a public place, such as a bar, to kill "infidels," according to the statement of facts, saying such an attack would help the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

While the RCMP have said an explosive device was not planted, the court heard police seized a number of explosive substances and that the youth admitted to manufacturing an explosive substance and planned to put it in a public place or beneath a police or military vehicle.

He also admitted to creating a PowerPoint presentation with instructions on how to build a pressure-cooker bomb and disseminating the information online.

The youth pleaded guilty Tuesday to facilitating a terrorist activity, possession of an explosive substance with intent to injure or kill, taking action to cause an explosion and counselling another person to detonate an explosive device to cause injury or death.

He also admitted to breaching his bail conditions for failing to wear a tracking device.

Like the rest of the proceeding, the charges were read in English and translated into Arabic. The youth, who at one point was warned by the judge to keep his eyes open, pleaded guilty to each charge in Arabic.

The youth's arrest in January 2019 caused a stir following an investigation that included assistance from the FBI, Kingston police, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Canada Border Services Agency and the federal agency that tracks suspicious financial activities.

The effort included a small RCMP surveillance plane, whose circling over Kingston had puzzled, and sometimes annoyed, residents of the normally sedate city on the shore of Lake Ontario for weeks. The RCMP said the aerial support helped police keep tabs on certain addresses.

The arrest also stoked fresh fears at the time about ISIL sympathizers in Canada. Two Canadian Armed Forces members were killed in separate attacks in 2014.
The Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya West, George Andah, is demanding a retraction and apology over the publication by Corruption Watch, an affiliate of the Center for Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana), revealing that he [George Andah] engaged in vote-buying during the New Patriotic Party parliamentary primary in his constituency.

In a July 29 letter from his lawyers to the CDD-Ghana, Mr. Andah is described as being extremely unhappy with the reports he says are false.

The decision by Corruption Watch/CDD-Ghana to do a one-sided report in respect of my client has therefore severely damaged his hard-earned reputation, the letter noted.

The retraction and apology should be given the same media prominence as the report that has caused such damage to his reputation.

The retraction is expected within a week of the receipt of this letter.

Mr. Andah has through his lawyers threatened further action if CDD-Ghana does not respond favourably.

It is my clients firm resolve to seek appropriate redress if Corruption Watch and or CDD-Ghana fails to issue a public retraction of the report and an apology to clear the taint of corruption which this report has attached to his otherwise untainted and unblemished record as a public officer.

According to Mr. Andahs legal team, CDD-Ghana claimed the MP had distributed GHS1,000, a 32-inch Nasco flat-screen TV and a standing fan to each delegate in his constituency

The MP, however, denied the claims, saying they were baseless.

He also requested the detailed findings of the report in an attempt to officially refute same.

Notwithstanding my clients admonishing and Corruption Watch/CDD-Ghanas failure to provide him with evidence, Corruption Watch/CDD-Ghana went ahead to publish the allegation.

---citinewsroom
In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Sydney Airport Limited (ASX:SYD) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple!

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

See our latest analysis for Sydney Airport

Is Sydney Airport fairly valued?

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF (A$, Millions) AU$564.0m AU$739.6m AU$713.8m AU$701.2m AU$697.3m AU$699.3m AU$705.4m AU$714.5m AU$725.8m AU$738.8m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x2 Est @ -3.49% Est @ -1.77% Est @ -0.56% Est @ 0.29% Est @ 0.88% Est @ 1.29% Est @ 1.58% Est @ 1.79% Present Value (A$, Millions) Discounted @ 9.1% AU$517 AU$622 AU$550 AU$495 AU$452 AU$415 AU$384 AU$357 AU$332 AU$310

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = AU$4.4b

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We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.3%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 9.1%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030  (1 + g)  (r  g) = AU$739m (1 + 2.3%)  (9.1% 2.3%) = AU$11b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= AU$11b ( 1 + 9.1%)10= AU$4.6b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is AU$9.1b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of AU$5.4, the company appears reasonably expensive at the time of writing. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

dcf

Important assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Sydney Airport as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 9.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.134. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Looking Ahead:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Can we work out why the company is trading at a premium to intrinsic value? For Sydney Airport, we've put together three important factors you should look at:

Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Sydney Airport (of which 1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) you should know about. Future Earnings: How does SYD's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the ASX every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
While President Donald Trump heads to West Texas on Wednesday hoping to focus on the oil industry and fundraise for his re-election campaign, hes also touching down in a region hit hard by COVID-19.

In visiting Midland and Ector counties, senior Trump administration officials Tuesday said their goal is to highlight how Trumps deregulatory actions have made the oil and natural gas industry dominant overseas  underscoring that Trump is fighting for the American dream and the American worker.

Before the pandemic hit, U.S. oil production peaked at a record 13.1 million barrels per day in mid-March; exports peaked at nearly 4.4 million barrels a day.

But in going to those counties, Trump also is opening himself up to criticism from Democrats over how he has managed the pandemic. Since July 1, Midland and Ector counties have seen their combined death toll from COVID-19 grow from 26 to 54. And the number of reported coronavirus infections also has more than doubled, from 1,259 on July 1 to 3,264.

Overall, Texas has seen its coronavirus deaths nearly double in July, with more than 6,000 as of Tuesday.

FOR THE LATEST: Interactive maps, charts show spread of coronavirus in Texas

Former Vice President Joe Biden slammed Trump for campaigning while Texas is dealing with a surge in cases and the aftermath of Hurricane Hanna, which hammered South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.

Mr. Trump, now isnt the time for politicking or photo-ops, Biden said Wednesday morning. Texans need a President with the experience and vision to fight for families no matter how many catastrophes reach our shores.

The pandemic is forcing the Trump administration to take precautions at his events in Texas by requiring social distancing and making sure there is hand sanitizer to keep people safe. That is in addition to mask requirements that have been put in place by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Trump on Wednesday plans to visit Double Eagle Energy in Midland and tour an oil rig where hell give a speech. He also is scheduled to attend a private fundraiser earlier in Odessa to support his re-election effort. Donors are required to donate a minimum of $2,800 to attend the luncheon fundraiser.

The two co-founders of Double Eagle Energy have been major Republican Party donors, combining to give over $244,000 in federal donations to Republican Party candidates and causes in the 2020 election cycle. That includes almost $74,000 to Trumps re-election campaign and a political action committee supporting his re-election.

It marks the third time Trump has visited Texas this year and 16th time since he took office in 2017.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

The visit also comes with just 76 days remaining until early voting begins in Texas on Oct. 13 in what has become a far closer race that Texas has seen in previous presidential races. The three most recent public polls have shown Trump in a virtual dead heat with Biden  polling Trump said he does not believe.

Im not one point up in Texas, Trump said earlier this month. Were many points up.

But U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has been warning rank-and-file Republicans that the battle in November is going to be unlike any the GOP has seen in Texas in decades. Cruz said his own experience in 2018 against Democrat Beto ORourke shows 2020 is going to be a battle.

This is a real race, Cruz told the Republican Partys state convention last week.

In 2018, Cruz won his re-election by less than 3 percentage points  which he said is a clear warning for 2020.

Let me tell you right now, every one of those crazed leftists that showed up in 2018 are showing up in 2020, Cruz said. And they are even angrier.

Trumps visit in some respects is a return to a theme his campaign was making a year ago in Texas. Back in the fall, Trump ran full-page newspaper ads and flew a biplane with a banner over a Democratic presidential debate in Houston warning that Democratic plans to address climate change would damage the states economy and put people in the oil industry out of work.

In Midland, longtime state Rep. Tom Craddick said Trumps visit to the area shows the presidents commitment to what remains the states biggest economic driver.

He is committed to making sure we do not ever see a market swing like we experienced in March of this year, Craddick told the Midland Reporter-Telegram. He is committed to making sure Texans and energy producers can spend their time doing what they know best, working. Most of all, he is committed to making sure the American dream is attainable by all Americans. Jobs in the energy industry are certainly a part of the American dream.

While polls have shown the race for Texas could be close, the Biden campaign has not invested much in the state. Biden began running a small TV buy just over a week ago focused on COVID-19, but the size and expense of competing in Texas have dissuaded the campaign from going deeper.

Trump meanwhile has been organizing a volunteer network since last year, convinced they can get more voters to the polls for the president than he had in 2016 when he won Texas by just 9 percentage points, the closest margin for a Republican presidential candidate since the 1990s.

While Democrats are excited about trying to win the state, Samantha Cotten, regional communications director for Trump Victory, said the Trump campaign has done far too much organizing for the Biden campaign to have any shot at winning Texas.

Simply put, Joe Biden and Texas Democrats have no chance of catching up, she said.

Staff writer Sergio Chapa contributed to this report.
An international team of astronomers has discovered the remnant of an ancient collection of stars that was torn apart by our own galaxy, the Milky Way, more than two billion years ago.

The extraordinary discovery of this shredded 'globular cluster' is surprising, as the stars in this galactic archaeological find have much lower quantities of heavier elements than in other such clusters. The evidence strongly suggests the original structure was the last of its kind, a globular cluster whose birth and life were different to those remaining today.

Our Galaxy is home to about 150 globular clusters, each a ball of a million or so stars that orbit in the Galaxy's tenuous stellar halo. These globular clusters are old and have witnessed the growth of the Milky Way over billions of years.

The study, published in Nature, was led by University of Sydney PhD student, Zhen Wan, and his supervisor, Professor Geraint Lewis, as part of the S5 international collaboration.

Using the Anglo-Australian Telescope in outback New South Wales, this collaboration measured the speeds of a stream of stars in the Phoenix constellation, revealing them to be remnants of a globular cluster that was pulled apart by the gravity of the Milky Way about two billion years ago.

Mr Wan said: "Once we knew which stars belonged to the stream, we measured their abundance of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium; something astronomers refer to as metallicity. We were really surprised to find that the Phoenix Stream has a very low metallicity, making it distinctly different to all of the other globular clusters in the Galaxy.

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"Even though the cluster was destroyed billions of years ago, we can still tell it formed in the early Universe from the composition of its stars."

HEAVY METALS

After the Big Bang, only hydrogen and helium existed in any substantial amount in the Universe. These elements formed the first generation of stars many billions of years ago. It is within these and later stellar generations that heavier elements were formed, such as the calcium, oxygen and phosphorus that in part make up your bones.

Observations of other globular clusters have found that their stars are enriched with heavier elements forged in earlier generations of stars. Current formation theories suggest that this dependence on previous stars means that no globular cluster should be found unenriched and that there is a minimum metallicity 'floor' below which no cluster can form.

But the metallicity of the Phoenix Stream progenitor sits well below this minimum, posing a significant problem for our ideas of globular cluster origins.

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"This stream comes from a cluster that, by our understanding, shouldn't have existed," said co-author Associate Professor Daniel Zucker from Macquarie University.

S5 team leader, Dr Ting Li from Carnegie Observatories, said: "One possible explanation is that the Phoenix Stream represents the last of its kind, the remnant of a population of globular clusters that was born in radically different environments to those we see today."

While potentially numerous in the past, this population of globular clusters was steadily depleted by the gravitational forces of the Galaxy, which tore them to pieces, absorbing their stars into the main body of the galactic system. This means that the stream is a relatively temporary phenomenon, which will dissipate in time.

"We found the remains of this cluster before it faded forever into the Galaxy's halo," Mr Wan said.

As yet, there is no clear explanation for the origins of the Phoenix Stream progenitor cluster and where it sits in the evolution of galaxies remains unclear.

Professor Lewis said: "There is plenty of theoretical work left to do. There are now many new questions for us to explore about how galaxies and globular clusters form, which is incredibly exciting."

Is the Phoenix Stream unique? "In astronomy, when we find a new kind of object, it suggests that there are more of them out there," said co-author Dr Jeffrey Simpson from the University of New South Wales. While globular clusters like the progenitor of the Phoenix Stream may no longer exist, their remnants may live on as faint streams."

Dr Li said: "The next question to ask is whether there are more ancient remnants out there, the leftovers of a population that no longer exists. Finding more such streams will give us a new view of what was going on in the early Universe."

"This is a regime we have hardly explored. It's a very exciting time," she said.
The United States is no longer a world leader, and the Republican Party has lost its soul. Over the years (really going all the way back to the Civil War where two of my great, great-grandfathers were line officers in Mr. Lincolns Army), I unapologetically considered myself a true Republican. I attended Republican rallies (which back in those days were not particularly well attended in the South), but we discussed balancing the budget, minding our own business, a strong defense, expanding the economy, and we were concerned the democrats would steal another election. I was a true believer.

In my law office, you will see autographed portraits of Dwight D. Eisenhower, George Bush, and oh yes, I even have a portrait of Richard Nixon whom I thought was one of the greatest Geo political strategists in the last 100 years. I repeat I was a true believer.

Over the years, I have heard the phrase elections matter. I now understand the meaning of this phrase. Simply stated, in the past three and a half years, under Donald Trumps presidency, the United States is no longer a world leader, the world is a more dangerous place, we got nothing for this giveaway and the Republican party sits mute.

Every day, under the Trump administration, there is an absolute embarrassment. I understand when I write Letters to the Editor, I am supposed to limit the size of my content; however, let me just hit a few high spots: I could say much more---this being only the tip of the iceberg.

1. Befuddled & Discouraged: The military and the Pentagon are absolutely befuddled by Trumps conduct. In the past month, 15 former generals publicly have expressed disapproval or lack of confidence in Trump. I was in the Army once. The thought of bad-mouthing superiors did not happen. Repeatedly, there have been expressions of lack of confidence and questioning his understanding of The Constitution, concerns about his mental stability and most important openly questioning his integrity. Abandoning our Syrian allies was immoral causing the deaths of thousands of faithful allies and solders. There seems to be no plan or vision whatsoever from the United Stated. This should astound every citizen.

2. Department of State: The Department of State is discouraged and in absolute disarray. I have read the Department of State does not have all jobs filled. Americas allies despair as Trump abandons Americas leadership role and nothing was gained. America has no foreign policy.

3. The Economy and the 1.5 Trillion-Dollar Deficit: For several years, Trump has been talking about the great economy and this is the greatest economy the world has ever known, and he takes all the credit. This statement is untrue! There is absolutely no mention of the fact that prior to the coronavirus we continued to run a 1.5 trillion-dollar a year deficit. I have never known of running a giant deficit when the economy is doing well. It has never been done this way. When I was young, we went to Republican rallies and talked about how the Democrats were running up such a big deficit. The Republican Party now says absolutely nothing.

4. Paris Accord: Trump says climate change is a hoax  I totally disagree. When every major teaching institution in the entire world that has addressed the climate issue says that global warming is a serious problem, not to mention NASA says it is a problem--- How in the world can reasonable people ignore these warnings? The Republican Party says absolutely nothing. We are doing our children a giant disservice. I cannot overstate the risk we are placing on our children.

5. Immigration Problem: The immigration problem is an absolute mess. There is no happy solution to this issue which has been around for decades. Many people came to America for safety. Trump wants to deport children and young adults whose parents brought them to America when they were children. Many of these children who were brought here by their parents, decades ago, can barely speak their native language if they can speak it at all. To send them back to some foreign country would be a death sentence. The Republican Party says absolutely nothing, and the calloused disregard is immoral. I remind the readers that everybody has a coming to America story.

6. White Collar Districts in America: The white-collar districts in America are rapidly trending Democratic. Young people, college-educated white women, our former South American constituency are all starting to trend Democratic.

7. Black Vote: The black, American vote has absolutely become calcified as Democratic. I know this will come as a great surprise, but many of our black citizens are conservative. They are not a bunch of potted plants. The Republican Party is the party of Lincoln. The Republican Party says nothing. The Republican party has lost its soul.

8. Giulianis Incoherency  Drunkenness: Several months ago, Trumps lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani, comes on National Television making allegations. Not only was he incoherent, but I thought he was drunk. Andrew Cuomo even looks embarrassed The Republican Party sits back and says nothing, acting like he is a brilliant lawyer!

9. Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un: These two men have absolutely pimped the President of the United States in foreign affairs. The United States of America now has the reputation that we will cut and run and not back our word. Simply stated (among other embarrassments), that is what our allies think. I am embarrassed!! America was the nation that saved the world three times in the last 100 years. To say the United States has lost its direction and no longer a world leader is an understatement.

10. Trump on TV: Trump gets on television and referred to himself as the chosen one. One would have thought he confused himself with Abraham, King David, or the Apostle Paul. If Barack Obama had made such a statement, the Republican Party would have gone bat-shit crazy. As tolerant as my mother was with me, I would have never gotten away with such a sacrilege.



11. Americas Clean Air & Tariffs: Trump boasted that America has the cleanest air, China will pay tariffs and Mexico will pay for the wall. These statements are preposterous! The Republican Party sits mute.

12. Divisive: Trump has a pattern of trying to turn us against one another or against another group, making baseless accusations and engendering divisive hatred of others. He does nothing to try to bring us together. He would rather sow hatred. I am of the opinion, in the long arc of history, this might be Trumps greatest blunder.

13. CIA & Foreign State Officials Thoughts on Trump: Uniformly, the heads of the CIA and foreign state officials think Trump is crazy, unpredictable, not to mention, dangerous and unstable with no coherent plan. The Republican Party and our Republican leaders (other than Mitt Romney and the former Senator John McCain) say absolutely nothing. Read John Boltons book. Folks, if only 10 percent of the book is true and the rest total fiction, I shake with fear. I am of the opinion Boltons book is not fiction.

14. Impeachment A Hoax: Trump says impeachment was a hoax. That is simply untrue as a matter of law. Trump asked a foreign government to criminally investigate a political opponent involving a criminal matter for his own shameless benefit. It is apparent that Trump was tying foreign aid to oppose Russia as part if not all the deal. Folks, I have been practicing law for 44 years. I can spot a shakedown when I see one. The impeachment was absolutely no hoax.

15. Speech Regarding John Dingle: Trump gave a speech and said that John Dingle (deceased), who was a former United States Congressman and Civil Rights Leader, is looking up from Hell. I was offended. This statement was craven beyond shameless.

16. Speech Bullying Greta Thunderburg: Trump gave a speech bullying Greta Thunderburg, the little girl expressing concerns about global warming. I learned a long time ago, you keep your hands off the children. In my opinion, not only was this a lack of class, but if Trump had a brain in his head, he would invite the young lady to the White House. I learned long ago you keep your hands off the children.

17. Interference with the 2016 Election: Trump accused Ukraine for interfering with the 2016 election. He said, Putin told him (of all people not to believe). Not only can you not believe such a statement, but the reality is that every intelligence agency in the United States Government says that Russia was involved, and they are still involved in our elections. The embarrassment is that the Republican Party says absolutely nothing. And by the way, for academic integrity, the Ukrainians have been fighting Russia and the United States has given the Ukrainian government support.

18. No Moral Character: Christianity Today, a magazine started by none other than Billy Graham said that Trump should be removed from office indicating no moral character. The Republican Party says nothing, but, as we all know, the Republican Party is the Christian party.

19. Iranian Disaster: Trump pulled the United States from the Iranian Nuclear Deal. Simply stated, the world is a far more dangerous place because of his actions. Once again, absolutely no Plan B and the Republican Party says nothing! This might turn out to be the most dangerous mistake ever made by a President.

20. The Republican Party: The Republican Party is no longer the party of principle, but the party of Trump totally robbed of any ideological center. Howard Baker, George H.W. Bush, Everette Dirksen, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald Ford would turn over in their graves. The Republican Party says nothing. I believe Trump will damage the Republican Party far beyond what happened after Watergate.

21. Belittling Immigrants: Trump viciously belittles immigrants. I gently point out two of Trumps string of wives are non-American. I remind each of you, everybody has a Coming to America story.

22. Nancy Pelosi: Nancy Pelosi absolutely rubbed Trumps nose in the mud, particularly when she said, All roads lead to Putin. Since 1945, the Republican Party is the party that stood up against Russia. Nothing has benefited world stability and benefited this country more than standing up against Russia for the past 75 years. The Republican Party says absolutely nothing (except for Mitt Romney and the late John McCain!) I cannot help but suspect (and I believe) Russia has something on Trump.

23. Lies, Accusations, Bullying, etc.: Trump has issued a long string of outright lies, mischaracterizations, bullying, and smears. He starts off accusing Obama of not being an American. If that doesnt beat the band, he has accused Senator Ted Cruzs father of being involved in the Kennedy assassination. Recently, Trump has accused a CNN reporter for being involved in a murder --- no whopper is too big. Does the Republican Party or the administration have any shame?

24. Doing Nothing & Blaming Everyone But Himself: Prior to the coronavirus, the United States was enjoying the fruits of a tremendous economic recovery. Trump did nothing for infrastructure; did nothing for the 23-trillion-dollar deficit, did nothing about climate change, and blames the coronavirus on everyone but himself. The deficit will go out the ceiling because of the coronavirus. If the deficit is not addressed our children will ultimately live in a Banana Republic. The Republican Party sits mute! The Republican Party has lost its soul.

25. The Coronavirus: Speaking of the coronavirus, clearly in January, February and March 2020, Trump and his administration were missing in action. Now, Trump blames everything on his predecessors (not to mention Hillary Clinton) and says he was not warned. I can say with absolute certainty Trump was warned. When Graham Swafford, from Jasper, Tennessee, knows about the potential for viruses, dont say there was no warning. The coronavirus has been a complete disaster, and Trump has lied about and mishandled everything. I repeat everything! By the way, poor Hillary is blamed on so much I have almost become sympathetic.

26. Trumps Previous Secretary: Trumps previous press secretary never had a press conference. Why doesnt the Republican Party explain no press conferences. If Obama gave no press conferences, the Republican Party would have gone apoplectic.

27. The Verge of War: Last Summer, the United States was on the verge of a war with Iran. The Republican Party says absolutely nothing! In my opinion we dont know how close we came.

28. Lies vs. Truth: Trump would rather tell a lie even when the truth helps him. A few months ago, the United States droned/killed an Iranian general. Trump had absolutely no proof of a clear and imminent danger which is required for an American President to go out and assassinate some individual. Here is the tragedy: The general that was killed (Qasem Soleimani) was a murderous thug that had killed Americans before and was planning additional mischief. All Trump had to say was that he had a murderous thug in his crosshairs, the guy was planning to kill additional American servicemen and he unapologetically pulled the trigger, there being no time to get Congressional approval. America, not to mention most of the world, would have applauded his character. There was no need to lie.

29. Michael Flynn: Here is another unforgettable friend of Trump. Remember Michael Flynn? The guy that stood up at the last Republican convention and referring to Hillary, screamed Lock her up? At the time Flynn made these comments, I knew this will come back to haunt him and it sure did. Flynn went on to become the National Security Advisor for a few days and then gets indicted for lies about his contacts with (yes you guessed it) Trumps friend, Russia. Michael Flynn then pleads guilty. Then, out of the wild blue, the Department of Justice dismissed the charges. Folks, he had already plead guilty! This gets more unbelievable. Twenty-five hundred former United States attorneys signed a petition of disapproval. Over the years, I have practiced criminal law in the United States Federal Court. I did well in law school. I have never even heard of dismissing a case in either state or federal courts after someone has already entered a guilty plea. I repeat never.

30. Roger Stone: If all of this doesnt beat the band, Trump has a buddy named Roger Stone who was convicted of perjury by a jury. I repeat by a jury. The United States Attorneys filed a sentencing brief which is pretty much standard operating procedure and then the Trump Administration got involved in trying to get the sentence reduced. All the United States district attorneys involved in the case simply resigned (they quit their jobs) as U.S. Attorneys in indignation and contempt for the unheard-of interference. I have never heard of quitting such a job. Now, tell me why people should not question the uniform administration of criminal justice and equal treatment in America. The Republican Party says absolutely nothing! Folks this is a big deal. Equal justice for all is a cornerstone of our democracy. I cannot express how big a deal this is. And when you watch recent protests ----you dont need to wonder why some think the United States does not have equal justice.

31. Authority: Trump stands up in a press conference and says he has complete authority to do pretty much what he wants to do. Trump has a complete misunderstanding of the United States Constitution.

32. Laughing at the President: Trump pulls out of the Paris Accord, the World Health Organization, the Iranian Nuclear Deal, for all practical purposes, NATO. Three months ago, at a NATO conference in Europe the cameras were scanning Justin Trudeau of Canada, Angela Merkel of Germany, the Prime Minister of France, and they were laughing at the President of the United States of America. For all the boys that went over there in World War II and saved the world, not to mention, saved Europe, you cannot tell me they are not outraged, and the Republican Party says absolutely nothing!! Folks, the United States of America is no longer a world leader. Nothing has benefited the stability of the world more than NATO and the fact that the United States of America has been a world leader and stood up against Russia. I am beyond embarrassed --- I am frightened.

33. World Health Organization: Trump withdrew from the World Health Organization, then cut the United States worldwide staff and ignored the pandemic coronavirus until March 2020. Why would the United States withdraw from the World Health Organization in the middle of the greatest health crisis since 1918? During the Trump years the United States, for no discernable reason (or benefit whatsoever), has abandoned its leadership position in the world. Do not tell me the world is not a more dangerous place. The Republican Party is shamelessly mute.

34. Nancy Pelosi: Trump tries to belittle Nancy Pelosi calling her Nervous Nancy  an inherently dumb person. Nancy Pelosi has cleaned Trumps clock and continues to clean Trumps clock with predictable regularity. I am embarrassed by the fact that my Democratic friends have repeatedly asked me Where is the Republican Party? About all I can say is: Thank God for Nancy! The Republican Party is and remains missing in action! And by the way, if any of you run into Nancy, tell her she has a great admiring friend in Jasper, Tennessee.

35. Press Conferences: Trumps staff has tried to keep him from press conferences. His former third communications director simply did not give press conferences at all. Last month, Trump gave a press conference and indicated that injecting oneself with a disinfectant or ultraviolet ray might cure the coronavirus. Not to be outdone, he then says, Hydroxychloroquine might cure the coronavirus  why not try it. There can be no harm. With no medical authority in the entire world, Trump made these reckless not to mention dangerous representations. The Republican Party, whom I have supported for over 60 years, says absolutely nothing about such inaccurate, not to mention, dangerous comments! There is no medical source in the world that would even remotely support such a suggestion that injecting oneself with Lysol might solve the problem. And again, the Republican Party says absolutely nothing!

36. Medical Care: At one time Trump announced that America will have a beautiful medical plan. There is no health care plan on the horizon and quite frankly he never had a plan. Then last week the Trump Administration filed suit in Federal Court to do away with Obama Care, which would take 20 million people off medical benefits in the middle of a health crisis. Would the Republican Party please attempt to explain this??

I could go on and on. The reality is that every day, there is a holy cow embarrassment which will destroy the Republican Party. A couple of weeks ago, the coronavirus reached record levels. Over 140,000 people have died. Over 3 million people have been infected. Then I read that the Russians put a bounty on American Troops in Afghanistan. As a former officer in the United States Army, words cannot express my outrage. I wonder how the parents of a child in a combat infantry platoon in Afghanistan feels when the Commander in Chief allows such to happen and does nothing or sort of pleads ignorance. If this is not treason beyond a doubt it is malfeasance by any standards in the world. If a cabinet member or a member of the administration tells the truth, if for no other reason than to avoid criminal perjury, he subjects himself to being fired (just ask Col Vindman who I point out for academic accuracy was a Purple Heart winner and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.) Simply stated, I could go on forever., I am saddened by the fact that the Republican Party (the Party of Lincoln) has lost its soul saying absolutely nothing and the United States of America, who has saved the world three times in the last 100 years, is no longer a world leader.

H. Graham Swafford, Jr.

Marion County, Tn.

* * *

Thank You, Thank You Mr. Swafford for your article. You laid out enough discrepancies in the Trumps administration that maybe someone will finally listen to the facts. I also have tried to get people to see the horrible person this man is in articles I have previously written, maybe not as long as yours, but I tried.

I am amazed at how many people vehemently deny how this egotistical narcissist's ways are wrong and just say "He tells it like it is." It only proves to me that they will go along with anyone if they are a Republican. That's fine, I don't have a problem with the Republican party at all and, like you, I remember how it used to be even in the Reagan years. Sometimes I fear some people would vote for Satan if he was a Republican and just say "maybe he is not as bad of a guy as we thought he was."

I am embarrassed as you are of this president and ashamed at what America looks like now in the world view. Your article has brought to the forefront the things that this man has done that hurts our standing in the world and here at home. But, even with your article new things happen everyday so you can't cover them all unless you just have a daily running commentary. As of today he is pulling 12,000 troops from Germany, a country he says does not pay their share of dues to countries that pay even less. Mr. Putin will be very proud of him to get those mean old troops away from his border.

How's everyone liking the nightly coronavirus briefings where there is no doctor anywhere and even his VP Pence who was put in charge is nowhere to be seen. And, oh yeah, the doctor who he trusts and posted the video of who said we have a cure, no masks needed. All you have to do is take hydroxychloroquine {hard word to spell} and you're cured and to prove it Trump took it for 14 days and he is fine. He never had the coronavirus in the first place but it works according to that doctor. So she is so smart that maybe we should take heed that she says Wiccans can impregnate ladies through an astral path and she has proof. A woman came to her church service and sat on the front row and she knows exactly what seat and began screaming and swelling right there and then and had the baby before the church service was over.

Trump needs to get rid of Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx (amateurs) and let this lady lead the task force. I mean he took her advice and it worked for him.

Clifton W, Duggan

Dayton, Tn.

* * *

As a conservative Republican, I reject Mr. Swaffords absurd opinion and allegations. Period.



Joey Blevins




Vecima to deliver cable industry's most advanced next generation access ecosystem

The technology and product portfolio will be integrated with Vecima's existing Entra Distributed Access product suite

Nokia employees associated with these key technologies will move to Vecima Networks

Nokia retains cable-related products including mobile, routing, transport, fiber, and fixed wireless access technology, along with network operations and customer experience-related solutions

Nokia and Vecima Networks intend to maintain an ongoing business relationship and product specific resell agreements to address unified cable access opportunities

Nokia and Vecima Networks (TSX: VCM) today announced plans for Vecima to acquire key, next generation technology and products for cable service providers. Under the agreement, Nokia's Gainspeed portfolio along with all supporting technology and assets will transition to Vecima Networks. The planned deal is expected to close quickly subject to customary closing conditions. Financial details are not being disclosed.

Vecima Networks is a global leader focused on developing integrated hardware and scalable software solutions for broadband access, content delivery and telematics. Nokia's Gainspeed cable access portfolio is well-aligned with Vecima's Entra family, both of which address the migration to cable's 10G platform, including DAA (Distributed Access Architecture) and 10G-EPON (Ethernet Passive Optical Network).

The Nokia Unified Cable Access solution, featuring the Gainspeed portfolio of products, includes a centrally controlled Distributed Access Architecture solution with unified support for Flexible MAC DAA nodes for Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial (HFC) networks and DOCSIS Provisioning of EPON (DPoE) nodes for fiber-to-the-home and business. The portfolio also includes a DAA video engine and a chassis based EPON/DPoE solution for non-HFC network implementations.

Employees who currently support the Nokia DOCSIS DAA and EPON/DPoE portfolios are expected to transition to Vecima.Nokia will retain cable-related products and solutions not listed above. The companies intend to maintain an ongoing business relationship, including resell agreements for key, enabling technologies, to address unified cable access opportunities.

"Our cable access solutions have played a very important role in helping to redefine next generation cable solutions and our customers' strategies for addressing evolving network demands using distributed architectures," said Sandra Motley, President of Fixed Networks at Nokia. "However, the industry continues to go through significant shifts, and we believe the timing is right to transition our cable access business to Vecima Networks. Vecima has the focus, resources and complementary product portfolio needed to support these changes and help operators move toward a Distributed Access Architecture."

"Nokia's portfolio to be acquired aligns perfectly with Vecima Networks' strategy to provide open, independent, and future-proof cable access solutions that support a multi-vendor ecosystem," said Sumit Kumar, President and Chief Executive Officer at Vecima Networks. "The addition of these products and world-class talent broadens our DAA platform and adds 10G-EPON products to our portfolio. In addition to expanding the products and services we are providing to existing customers, we look forward to partnering with service providers around the globe we don't currently do business with."

About Nokia

We create the technology to connect the world. Only Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With our commitment to innovation, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, we are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks.

Our communications service provider customers support more than 6.4 billion subscriptions with our radio networks, and our enterprise customers have deployed over 1,300 industrial networks worldwide. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, we transform how people live, work and communicate. For our latest updates, please visit us online www.nokia.com and follow us on Twitter @nokia.

About Vecima Networks

Vecima Networks Inc. is a global leader focused on developing integrated hardware and scalable software solutions for broadband access, content delivery, and telematics. We enable the world's leading innovators to advance, connect, entertain, and analyze. We build technologies that transform content delivery and storage, enable high-capacity broadband network access, and streamline data analytics. For more information, please visit our website at www.vecima.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005311/en/

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Saudi Arabia booked a deficit of $29 billion for the second quarter of the year because of the continued slump in oil prices and oil demand, which affected revenues.

Reuters reports the Kingdoms oil revenues for April to June were down 45 percent on the year, with total budget revenues down 49 percent from a year earlier.

Saudi Arabia has taken some austerity steps already in an attempt to rein in public spending and mitigate the impact of the oil crisis on its economy, but it seems more would be needed.

A pullback in spending is essential for containing the deficit, Reuters quoted Monica Malik, chief economist at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, as saying. The proactive stance of the government was already reflected in the austerity measures announced in April. However, these will dampen the recovery outlook.

So far this year the Saudi government has announced a cut in 2020 budget expenditures of $13.2 billion through a partial reduction in some items with the least social and economic impact, along with a tripling of value-added tax to 15 percent from 5 percent and a suspension of the so-called cost-of-living allowances for all Saudi public servants, who are the majority of Saudis in employment.

The problem with these austerity measures is that they may slow down the economys recovery once the crisis is over. And the fact that the Kingdom also plans to borrow a lot to get through the worst of it is not helping, either, because loans need to be repaid. For now, there is a strong interest in Saudi debt, but if we are indeed past peak oil demand, this may change before long. So far this year, Riyadh has borrowed almost $13 billion on the international and domestic markets.

The IMF expects Saudi Arabias economy to contract by 6.8 percent this year. The Kingdom itself has called the figure pessimistic.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
In the coming battle to shape Canadas post-pandemic economy, right-wing forces will likely be led by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, the closest thing we have to Donald Trump.

So its worth examining the fiercely pro-corporate economic model endorsed by Kenney  a self-styled populist who specializes in stirring up resentment and division  and see why we should go to great lengths to avoid it in the future.

Of course, were used to the mantra that the Alberta economy has been a roaring success. True, its been a have province, lecturing the rest of us on how to live within our means  a task that would have been easier if wed all been born with abundant quantities of one of the worlds most valuable commodities under our soil.

But the real measure of success is what one makes of the hand one is dealt. And, by that measure, Alberta has been a train wreck.

Its political leaders, by allowing corporate interests to design the economy to their own benefit, have squandered the provinces vast natural wealth, leaving Albertas citizens with a mere fraction of what they could be enjoying today, even with the downturn in world oil prices.

Over the past two decades, more than half a trillion dollars  $528 billion  has been siphoned off by foreign shareholders who have ended up owning every major development in the oilsands, with only two small enterprises under Canadian ownership, according to a new study by University of Alberta political economist Gordon Laxer and Calgary researcher Regan Boychuk.

While the usual narrative has it that oil companies invested billions of dollars of capital to develop the oilsands, in truth, theyve done nothing of the sort. All the investment that has gone into the oilsands over the past 23 years has effectively been paid for by the people of Alberta.

Industry didnt pay those costs. Albertans did, says the report, soon to be released by the University of Albertas Parkland Institute and the Council of Canadians.

Thats because the oil companies have been operating under an extraordinarily generous regime  paying a mere 1 per cent royalty, and only after all costs have been deducted.

Its a royalty regime that the companies designed themselves, the report notes.

This exceptionally favourable arrangement, begun under Premier Ralph Klein in the 1990s, was inspired by the pro-corporate revolution launched by Britains Margaret Thatcher and Americas Ronald Reagan.

It was a sharp departure from how the province had been operating. In the 1980s, Premier Peter Lougheed had been much tougher on the oil industry, forcing it to pay a royalty of 25 per cent and even creating an energy company owned in part by the public.

Kleins sweetheart deal for the oilsands, which remains in force today under Kenney, has amounted to a complete capitulation to Big Oil.

On the industrys behalf, the province has also resisted action on climate change, despite producing one of the worlds dirtiest oils. And its allowed Big Oil to destroy Albertas environment, leaving a clean-up bill estimated at $260 billion, without clear evidence of who will pay for it. (Clue: so far, the province has collected only a paltry $1.6 billion from the companies to cover clean-up costs.)

Defenders of Albertas oil establishment hate it when critics mention Norway  understandably.

This annoying little country, also endowed with generous oil reserves and a small population, has shown how to throw a punch when it comes to dealing with Big Oil, ensuring the lions share of the nations oil wealth benefits its citizens.

By imposing a tough tax regime on oil companies (which always threaten to depart, but never actually leave the negotiating table) and setting up its own publicly owned oil company (now diversified into wind and solar power), Norway has ended up with a heritage fund worth about $1 trillion more than Albertas fund.

Unless were indifferent to money, Albertas management of its economy should be seen as nothing short of a disaster  something to keep in mind as Kenney and his followers push for maintaining the pro-corporate model in the post-pandemic order.

Theyll make their case with a huge megaphone and a lot of swagger, but lets demand they explain why they left a trillion dollars on the table, and little Norway didnt.

Linda McQuaig is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star and author of The Sport & Prey of Capitalists. is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star and author of The Sport & Prey of Capitalists.
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Linkedin Parvaiz Bukhari and Tauseef Mustafa (Agence France-Presse) Doodhpathri, India  Wed, July 29, 2020 11:15 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a214a0 2 World kashmir,school,back-to-school,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic Free

Sitting cross-legged and hunched over her textbooks in a lush meadow surrounded by mountains and pine trees, Tasleem Bashir can hardly contain her joy at being back at school.

The 14-year-old is among hundreds of students attending open-air classes in Doodhpathri, high above Srinagar in Indian-controlled Kashmir, as the coronavirus continues to cripple life in the country.

"It feels so good to have school in this fresh air. At home I didn't study much because there were many house chores to do," Bashir said.

"After classes, I sit around with friends and we also play together before walking back home," she told AFP.

The relief is obvious for everyone involved in the classes in the clouds held at an altitude of 2,730 meters.

Parents and grandparents walk or carry their children up a slope to the flat patch of grass ahead of the daily classes.

Children run to a glacier-fed stream to dip their feet in the cool water during breaks, while others jump in after classes for a bath before heading home.

Even before the coronavirus epidemic, schooling in restive Kashmir had been severely disrupted by a strict curfew imposed almost a year ago when New Delhi stripped the Muslim-majority region of its semi-autonomy.

With India now the third-most infected nation in the world -- with almost 1.5 million infections -- it is not yet clear when classes will restart.

Unable to afford smartphones, and with limited internet access in remote villages, many students were unable to attend online lessons.

So parents turned to the education department, pleading for help.

Face masks and sanitizer

"We decided to organize classes for these children in the open air, where we observe social distancing," local education department official Mohammad Ramzan told AFP.

In this meadow, pupils from 15 villages are supplied with face masks and sanitizer before sitting in eight groups divided by age.

Teachers carried whiteboards to the meadow to use during the three- to four-hour classes.

"It felt wrong to receive my salary sitting at home," said teachers Manzoor Ahmad.

"I really enjoy teaching in this enchanting atmosphere rather than inside usually cramped classrooms," he told AFP.

Shabnam, 12, who walks over a mile to the makeshift classroom, said she initially felt suffocated by wearing a face mask during lessons.

"But now I feel good and enjoy it here very much," she said.

"I had thought my school was over for good and I would never meet my school friends again."
YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. Vasily Esenamanov, Emergency Preparedness Program Coordinator at the World Health Organizations (WHO) Office in South Caucasus, says the second wave of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) will take place, and everyone must be ready for that.

Vasily Esenamanov arrived in Armenia together with the WHO mission at the invitation of the Armenian minister of healthcare.

He gave an interview to ARMENPRESS, stating that even those countries, which show declining signs in new confirmed cases, should not weaken their vigilance.

- Mr. Esenamanov, its already a month you are in Yerevan. How would you assess the preparedness level of Armenias healthcare system in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic?

- Thank you for the question. In fact, this question is relevant for many other countries as many states were not sufficiently ready for a new virus, like COVID-19. Even the World Health Organization could not predict that coronavirus will reach such scales. No one could predict that so many infectious diseases hospitals, hospital beds, ventilators would be needed, and no country was ready for this. From this perspective, if we consider Armenias preparedness level, it isnt so different from the preparedness level of any other country. Looking at how the government responded to the pandemic, I can say that it showed quite a rational approach to the issue, the ministry of healthcare assessed the existing opportunities, that it is possible to further increase and strengthen them both in a short-run and long-run. Taking into account all of these possible means, more optimal decisions were made.

- Is there anything you would like to change in Armenia for running a more effective fight against COVID-19?

- When I was planning to visit Armenia, I was thinking that some actions would have been taken, I would propose several other options, but when I came to Armenia I understood that the government has considered all possible options, therefore I would not make any serious change. The WHO urges all countries to increase the number of tests, enhance the systems of detecting infected people, as well as it is also necessary to continue the isolation process.

- As for the second wave of the pandemic, can the countries, which have already announced overcoming the virus, be calm or can they face the second wave of the virus as well?

- Its difficult to speak on what it means that the countries have successfully overcome the coronavirus. There are some countries where the number of daily confirmed cases has declined, but when these countries mitigated the restrictions, we saw that outbreaks grow. This happened in Germany and Spain. This is a very big problem. As a WHO, we do not advice any country to weaken the vigilance. All countries must be ready for the second wave because it will happen. It will start in autumn, in line with certain changes in weather conditions. Societies should get used to living in a new reality because the virus will still exist. There are great hopes with the vaccine, however, time will still be needed for it to be ready and be used.

- Many people are interested in whether its possible to get infected with COVID-19 for the second time? How long can a person will safe if he has been infected and has already recovered?

- Its very difficult to give a concrete answer to this question. We have cases in the world practice when a person has been infected for the second time shortly after being discharged from hospital and passing two PCR tests the results of which were negative. All these depend on the immune system, on how long it resists and when it is formed in a person who has been infected and has already recovered. This is a major issue, and only the research can give an answer, but time is needed. We are dealing with this virus for about half a year, which is a small period of time for giving a scientific and medical conclusion about a new type of a virus.

- When will the clinical trials of the vaccine end? When will the first vaccine be ready?

- At this moment there are several vaccines which are at the clinical trial stage. They have been selected from nearly 100 vaccine types. Their examinations have recorded certain efficiency. The effectiveness of a vaccine depends on how long it takes for the immune system to develop. Antibodies may die, for instance, a month later, such a vaccine cannot be effective because we cannot vaccinate most of the planets population and do that once a month or once every three months. This is unrealistic. A great team is working at the WHO over the issue of vaccines, but at this moment its very difficult to say when the vaccine will be ready.

- Lets talk about the necessity of wearing masks. Is there a difference between medical, respirator and home-made masks?

- Of course, there is a difference between them, but each of them is for concrete cases. For instance, respirator masks are used exclusively in hospitals and concrete cases, medical masks firstly need the healthcare workers, and also the patients who communicate with the doctors. As for the ordinary people, they do not need to wear respirator or medical masks, the home-made masks are enough.

- What will be you call to the people who do not believe in the existence of the virus?

- I am surprised that people do not believe in the existence of the virus. When an ordinary consumer is expressing his/her negative opinion over the existence of the virus, this is very surprising to me because with the same logic I can question the existence of Australia as I have never been in Australia and can state that it doesnt exist as I havent seen it. The virus really exists. Its terrible that some people do not believe in that. I hope the number of such people is less in Armenia. We visited the hospitals in Armenia which deal only with the treatment of coronavirus patients and saw how overloaded they were. I call on Armenias population to cooperate with the government by following the anti-coronavirus rules. Peoples lives depend on everyones behavior.

- Thank you for the interview.

Interview by Norayr Shoghikyan

Photos by Tatev Duryan

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
HSBC warned over Huawei role in Chinese government-backed website column FILE PHOTO: Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her home to attend a court hearing in Vancouver

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese government-backed website took aim at HSBC Holdings PLC <HSBA.L> on Tuesday, accusing the Asia-focussed lender of "maliciously" playing a role in the arrest of Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer.

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou's is fighting against extradition from Canada to the United States, where she is accused 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 U.S. sanctions on Tehran.

Anger in China over the treatment of Meng and Huawei, the world's biggest telecoms equipment maker, has led to criticism of London-headquartered HSBC intensifying in recent days, with the latest salvo fired by website China.com.cn.

"The role of HSBC in the Meng Wanzhou incident is already clear. HSBC's credibility has also been wiped out," said the commentary (http://www.china.com.cn/opinion/2020-07/28/content_76319622.html) posted on the site backed by the State Council Information Office and the China International Publishing Group.

"In the U.S. government's political pursuit of Huawei, HSBC was the one who 'handed the knife'," it said in a column written under the byline Tang Hua, and signed by three editors.

HSBC had issued a statement on Saturday saying it had not participated in the decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Huawei and that it had no "malice" against the company.

The Chinese website article dismissed HSBC's denial as "meaningless".

"Now, wallowing in degradation and with its reputation at rock bottom, HSBC may struggle to continue to enjoy treatment in China where it can break the pot it eats food from," the column said.

A spokeswoman for HSBC in China declined to comment on the article.

HSBC, which last month broke from its usual political neutrality to back Beijing's imposition of a controversial national security law in Hong Kong, generates the bulk of its revenue in Hong Kong and mainland China.

Other official Chinese media outlets including the People's Daily newspaper and the China Global Television Network have also targeted HSBC in the past week.

(Reporting by Cheng Leng and Gabriel Crossley; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Simon Cameron-Moore)
Ballia : , July 29 (IANS) The Bakwa village in Bansdih in Ballia district broke into a jig the moment five Rafale fighter jets landed at the IAF airbase in Ambala on Wednesday, as Wing Commander Manish Singh, who belongs to this village, piloted one of the aircraft from France.

Manish's father, Madan Singh, is a retired army jawan. "I have distributed sweets in the entire village because my son is a part of a history-making initiative. People are also bursting crackers and lighting diyas to celebrate the occasion," he said.

His wife Urmila Singh said that she was glad that her son had done something to strengthen the country.

"We had been waiting for this moment since the past three days and were following every step through the media and social media. The entire nation is celebrating and so are we," she said.

The family said that they had spoken to Manish minutes before the take-off from France.

Manish's sister Anjali said that her brother has already given her the Raksha Bandhan gift by bringing the Rafale.

Village head Arun Singh said that hundreds of people had reached Manish's house to celebrate the occasion with flowers, sweets and crackers. "Manish is now an icon for the youth," he said.

The family members said that Manish had got his education in the village till Class IV and then went to the Sainik School in Karnal where his father was posted. Manish joined the Air Force in 2002 and was posted in Gorakhpur in 2017-18.

"That was when he came to the village and met everyone," said the village head.

Manish has two sisters and one brother.
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 said. 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 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent, 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."

Story continues

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.

Also Watch:

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 per cent 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.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, It's a Penalty announced its newest global film, "What is Human Trafficking?" Launched in collaboration with Actor Liam Neeson, It's a Penalty's short film is designed to educate the world about the misconceptions and the reality of human trafficking & exploitation happening globally.

Neeson, captivates viewers as he explains critical information, including signs to watch for and ways to report human trafficking & exploitation. Throughout the film viewers learn how to help protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities.

"We are honored to produce this important, powerful short film in collaboration with Liam Neeson," said Sarah de Carvalho, CEO, It's a Penalty Campaign. "The message is incredibly impactful, because it educates about what human trafficking is and it equips everyone with practical information and tools that may help save someone's life. Liam starred in the action-thriller TAKEN about a teenage girl and her friend who are kidnapped while traveling abroad. This movie helped raise awareness about human trafficking, however it's much more common for victims to be exploited locally, in their own community and often by people they know."

The short film will premiere on July 29th, the day before the UN's World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, during a LIVE Expert Panel. The panel, entitled

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING? will take place on https://bit.ly/LIVEPANEL at 12:00 pm PST / 3:00 pm EDT / 8:00 pm BST and will feature noteworthy leaders supporting the global fight to end exploitation, abuse and human trafficking:

Sarah de Carvalho , CEO at It's a Penalty Campaign

, CEO at It's a Penalty Campaign Christian Elliott , Global Development Director at A21

, Global Development Director at A21 Callahan Walsh , Director, Strategic Advancement & Partnerships at NCMEC

, Director, Strategic Advancement & Partnerships at NCMEC Deborah Richardson , Executive Director of the International Human Trafficking Institute

, Executive Director of the International Human Trafficking Institute Kat Rosenblatt, International Survivor, Executive Director at There Is Hope For Me

Sharmila Wijeyakumar, Human Trafficking Survivor and COO at Rahab's Daughters

ADDITIONAL KEY PARTNERS

To find out more about the IT'S A PENALTY CAMPAIGN, it's worldwide impact, or to donate please visit KnowTheSignsNow.org.

Instagram: @its_apenalty - Twitter: @its_apenalty - Facebook: FB.com/itsapenaltycampaign

ABOUT IT'S A PENALTY:

Since 2014, It's a Penalty has been working to disrupt the fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the world: human trafficking and exploitation. Our Campaign harnesses the power of sport to prevent exploitation and human trafficking around major sporting events. We believe that prevention is even better than cure. It's a Penalty raises awareness and educates the community by providing a platform - equipping people with the tools to protect those who are being exploited or trafficked.

We believe that collaboration and partnership are essential in order to achieve our aims. It's a Penalty's incredible impact is a result of our collaboration with strategic stakeholders, such as high-profile sporting athletes, the travel and tourism industry  including airlines, hotels, and transportation companies  sporting governing bodies/hosting committees, NGOs, governments, and corporations.

ABOUT LIAM NEESON:

Liam Neeson, an actor from Ireland, rose to prominence when he starred as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List in 1993. Liam also starred in the hugely successful Taken trilogy in 2008, 2012 and 2014. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including an Academy Award for best actor, three Golden Globe Awards for best actor in a motion picture drama, and a BAFTA Award for best actor in a leading role.

SOURCE Its A Penalty

Related Links

http://itsapenalty.org


(Photo : ITER/Youtube) Screentshot on ITER - the world's largest puzzle video (Photo : ITER/Youtube) Screentshot on ITER - the world's largest puzzle video (Photo : REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier) Technicians and visitors stand inside the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) assembly hall in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, southern France, November 7, 2019. (Photo : REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier) General view of the circular bioshield inside the construction site of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, southern France, November 7, 2019.

French scientists started building the giant machine designed to mimic how the sun is powered by nuclear fusion.

Fourteen years after getting the approval, French scientists will prove that nuclear fusion is a safe and sustainable energy source on Earth, according to a Science Alert report.

In recent months, components for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) were delivered to Saint-Paul-Les-Durance in southern France from different locations across the globe. Scientists would carefully assemble the "world's largest puzzle" and hope to finish it in time for the initial experiments, which are scheduled in December 2025.

The Sun and other stars use nuclear fusion when light atomic nuclei fuse to form heavier ones, then release huge amounts of energy.

For this landmark experiment, scientists would initially create a machine that is capable of collecting a huge amount of energy and hold it in the reactor vessel, which is controlled by a strong magnetic field.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a message broadcast to an event on Tuesday, July 28, to mark the official start of assembly that nuclear fusion "holds promise for the future."

The technology also promises "clean, no-carbon, safe and practically waste-free energy", which the president has long advocated tackling climate change caused by greenhouse gases produced from coal burning.

The chief executive of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)Prof Ian Chapman told BBC News that the project is now on a "hugely exciting phase" as most of the project partners aim to change the world with fusion for the future generations.

Similarly, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said "the biggest international science project" brings hope to have a clean, safe energy source by 2050.

World's largest puzzle

The ITER's "Tokamak" nuclear fusion reactor is comprised of about a million components and around 2,300 people are tasked to work on assembling this massive machine. This includes putting together its huge superconducting magnets that are four floors high and weigh 360 tonnes each.



ITER's Director-General Bernard Bigot the project is "like assembling a three-dimensional puzzle" that follows a complex timeline as every aspect must perform together in extreme precision. This involves systems engineering, project management, machine assembly logistics, and risk management.

"We have a complicated script to follow over the next few years," Bigot added as the project is already behind schedule by five years. Its budget also bloated to $23.4 billion, which is three times higher than the initial project cost.

Once finished, the reactor should be capable of replicating the fusion processes of the sun at a super high temperature of 150 million degrees Celsius, which is 10 times higher than the Sun's heat.

While it could reach full power by 2035, the experimental project is not designed to produce electricity. However, Bigot hopes to build future fusion reactors if the technology is proven feasible. Each reactor can power two million homes each at an operational cost similar to those of conventional nuclear machines.

Read also: [BREAKING] U.S. and Russia Treaty: Nuclear Arms Control Talks to Start This Month; Trump Wants to Include China

Low-risk, higher gains

In 2006, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia as well as the 27 members of the European Union partnered to launch the ITER project.

The ITER aspires to produce about 500 megawatts of thermal power, which equates to around 200 megawatts of electric energy, which can supply energy to 200,000 homes. This will be an easy task as a pineapple-sized amount of fuel is comparable to 10,000 tonnes of coal.

In a statement, ITER partners said that fusion is safe as it does not entail risks of a meltdown incident, unlike traditional nuclear power plants. It also uses fuel found in seawater and lithium to help manage the reaction, in which the world is abundant.

Learn more about science and technology stories from Tech Times!

Read also: Radiation Has Spiked Over Scandinavia and Experts Believe it Might Have Come From Russia

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The study published in Nature identifies the mechanism used by our brain to distinguish smells. The research was conducted by IIT and Harvard University and may have an impact on the creation of the artificial sense of smell in robots

Rovereto, Italy, 29th July 2020 - An Italian-American research conducted by researchers at the IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) in Rovereto (Italy) and Harvard University in Boston (Usa) explains for the first time the mechanisms used by our brain to recognize specific smells. The study, published in Nature, sheds new light on the brain processes involved in the continuous flow of information arriving from our senses, in particular from the sense of smell. Thanks to this result, researchers will be able to think about the realization of an artificial sense of smell, to be transferred to robots and other intelligent machines in the future.

If we talk about sight or hearing, scientists know quite well the mechanisms that lead us to distinguish two colors or two notes. This knowledge was translated into relatively well-established theories: we know which wavelength a neon must emit to appear red and which frequency an electronic keyboard must produce to make us hear a G. The same does not happen with odors: we are not able to say how a molecule smells just by looking at its chemical structure.

Imagine that you are at the restaurant, and you are having a sorbet with a pleasant citrus scent. If you are a chef you could use the olfactory information to understand whether they used lemon or lime, two fruits producing odorous molecules perceptively similar, but chemically different. If you are not interested in the recipe you may simply notice that it is a citrus sorbet instead of a coffee sorbet. Which means, you will discard the small chemical differences between lemon and lime smells to generalize using the unique category of citrus.

It is not easy to flexibly choose between olfactory discrimination and generalization according to our experience and goals. Until now, scientists did not know the code used by our brain to smell a specific odor.

The new study answers this question for the first time. The team of Italian-American scientists, coordinated by Bob Datta of Harvard Medical School in Boston, identified the tricks used by the brain to discriminate and generalize odorous molecules having chemical structures with various levels of similarity. The team includes two Italian research groups from the Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems at IIT in Rovereto: the team of Giuliano Iurilli, who returned to Italy thanks to the Armenise Harvard Foundation, and the team of Stefano Panzeri, coordinator of the Center.

Iurilli, one of the project's main authors, acted as a "bridge" between Italy and the United States. After a PhD in Neuroscience and Robotics at IIT, he moved to Harvard in 2012 where he studied the brain mechanisms underlying the perception of odors and their effects on our daily behavior. In 2018, he won the Career Development Award from the Armenise Harvard Foundation, a million-dollar grant for 5 years that promotes basic biomedical research. Thanks to these funds, Iurilli returned to Italy and started his neurophysiology laboratory at IIT in Rovereto. He brought with him a fundamental piece of research realized in Boston, and contributed to complete it with the Armenise Harvard grant. Bob Datta, lead author of the study, was also an Armenise Harvard awardee, being the Foundation's HMS Junior Faculty Grant winner in 2010 and 2016.

"We developed ad hoc analysis methods - Giuliano Iurilli explains - and we saw that the sensory neurons in the nose capture the odorous molecules, analyzing them almost like chromatographs, machines that precisely describe the chemical differences between molecules."

However, this precision only concerns the first "door" for the odors' recognition, namely the nose. But something changes when the information collected and processed by the nose arrives in a more central structure of the brain, called the olfactory cortex. At this stage, the odors' descriptions begin to "get personal", and they no longer respect chemical differences.

This is where memory comes into action. The new similarities described in the olfactory cortex are less about the chemistry and more about the subject's previous experiences. For example, if our nose is scenting an ethanol molecule and an octene-3-yl acetate molecule, our olfactory cortex simply registers the scent of a gentian schnapps if we have drunk one before.

"We found out that this happens because past experiences modify the way the neurons of the olfactory cortex exchange the chemical information they received from the nose - Giuliano Iurilli concludes - Now we can start thinking concretely about how to build an artificial brain that does the same thing in a robot".

In fact, this discovery could have a great impact to the field of robotics and artificial intelligence, through the realization of an artificial olfactory system. This intelligent system might be able to evaluate the safety of an environment or to recognize an object by quickly scenting the volatile molecules, just like a human being.

Link to the article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2451-1

###
By Joseph Akwiri

MOMBASA (Reuters) - Kenyan police arrested a fugitive wanted in the United States on charges of trafficking ivory and rhino horn, who arrived in the coastal city of Mombasa from Yemen, authorities said on Wednesday.

Abubakar Mansur Mohammed Surur was detained for alleged "ivory-related offences" after he landed in a chartered plane, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said on Twitter.

In a June 2019 indictment, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration charged Surur and three others with conspiracy to traffic at least 190 kilograms of rhino horn and 10 tonnes of ivory worth more than $7 million. Surur was also charged with conspiracy to launder money and distribute heroin.

"We have been looking for him for the past two years and on Monday we got information that he would be among 33 passengers flying to Mombasa from Yemen via a Skywood aircraft," Hamisi Masa, head of Kenya's anti-narcotics police unit, told Reuters via telephone.

Masa said Interpol was also involved in the arrest and that Surur was being held in Mombasa port's police station.

The DEA said last year that Surur and another Kenyan, Abdi Hussein Ahmed "Abu Khadi", were on the run while a Liberian suspect was in custody in the United States and a Guinean suspect detained in Senegal pending extradition.

Kenya also has an extradition treaty with the United States.

"We are discussing the way forward about him because he is also needed by authorities in the U.S.," Masa said.

The quartet had run their enterprise out of Uganda and neighbouring countries between 2012 and last year, according to the DEA indictment.

(Additional reporting and writing by George Obulutsa in Nairobi; editing by Elias Biryabarema and Peter Graff)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has a long record of invading countries, funding proxy wars, crushing dissent, and violating human rights. When the United States denounces these crimes, Putin, like his Soviet predecessors, accuses us of hypocrisy. But in this propaganda war, Putin has an ally his forebears never enjoyed: the president of the United States. Donald Trump, elected in 2016 with Russias help, consistently defends Russias atrocities by arguing that were no better.

Trump has known for at least a monthand was briefed in writing long before thenabout U.S. intelligence that Russia paid bounties to Afghan militants to kill our troops. But in an HBO interview with Jonathan Swan of Axios, Trump admits that when he spoke to Putin last Thursday, he didnt ask about the bounties. Trump says he didnt bring them up because he didnt believe the intelligence.

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In the interview, Swan reminds Trump that his own former commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, confirmed that Russia was supplying weapons to the Taliban. Swan asks: Isnt that enough to challenge Putin over the killings of U.S. soldiers? Trump, in response, shrugs that America is just as guilty. Well, we supplied weapons when they [the Afghans] were fighting Russia, too, he says. We did that, too.

Thats a flawed comparison. For one thing, when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan more than 40 years ago, they were trying to install a communist government and expand the Soviet bloc. But Trump has been preaching moral equivalence between Russia and America for a long time. In December 2015, when Trump was running for president, MSNBCs Joe Scarborough asked him why he admired Putin, a leader who kills journalists, political opponents, and invades countries. Trump replied that the U.S. was in no position to criticize Putins behavior, since our country does plenty of killing also.

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Trump has been preaching moral equivalence between Russia and America for a long time.

Several months after that interview, Russia hacked Trumps opponents to help Trump win the U.S. election. And Trump repaid the help. Two weeks into his presidency, he defended Putin in a Fox News interview. When the interviewer, Bill OReilly, noted that Putins a killer, Trump scoffed that the world was full of a lot of killers. What, you think our countrys so innocent? You think our countrys so innocent?  Take a look at what weve done, too.

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In May 2017, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who was investigating the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia during the election. The next day, Trump met behind closed doors with Russian officials andaccording to three people who witnessed the conversation or saw notes from ittold the Russians that he was unconcerned about Moscows interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election because the United States did the same in other countries. The Washington Post reported that one witnessspeaking two years later, when this detail of the conversation was disclosedsaid Trump regularly defended Russias actions, even in private, saying no country is pure.

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In July 2018, the Department of Justice released a grand jury indictment against 12 Russian intelligence officers for hacking Trumps opponents in the 2016 election. But three days later, at a summit in Helsinki, Trump refused to criticize Putin. A reporter asked Trump, Do you hold Russia at all accountable for anything in particular? Trump answered, I hold both countries responsible. I think that the United States has been foolish. I think weve all been foolish.  I think were all to blame.

Four months ago, in another Fox News interview, Brian Kilmeade asked Trump to address anti-American propaganda about the novel coronavirus. According to the Washington Post, said Kilmeade, Russia, Iran, and China are going through a sophisticated disinformation campaign essentially blaming us for causing the virus, using the same principles they used to infiltrate our 2016 election. Trump dismissed the report. You dont know what theyre doing, he told Kilmeade, referring to the accused countries. And when you read it in the Washington Post, you dont believe it. I dont. The president said of disinformation: They do it, and we do it, and we call them different things.  Hey, every country does it.

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Now Trump is peddling the same excuse for Russias proxy attacks on U.S. troops: Our hands are just as dirty, he says. In fact, he claims were worse than Russia. In a Newsmax interview on June 3, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer asked Trump which adversary was the most difficult to negotiate with. Trump replied:

People always ask, Whos the toughest? Is it Russia? Is it China? Could it be North Korea? Whos the toughest, sir? I say the toughest is the United States of America. Because we have people on the other side that are vicious. And theyreI think theyre more vicious, in many respects, than any of the leaders I deal with. Look what they put us through: a phony Russian witch hunt, a phony impeachment 

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It seemed impossible that the president of the United States would call leaders of his own country more vicious than foreign regimes responsible for genocide and other crimes against humanity. Trump couldnt really mean that, could he? But three weeks later, he repeated it. On June 25, speaking at a military shipyard in Wisconsin, Trump said his domestic opponents were far more unreasonable than the leaders of Russia, China, or North Korea. Hours later, in an interview with Sean Hannity, he posed the same questionIs it China? Is it Russia? Could it be North Korea?and gave the same answer: No, its the United States of America. The toughest country to deal with. Because we have [Chuck] Schumer and [Nancy] Pelosi and people that are bad people.

Trump is a traitor. Throughout his presidency, he has stood with hostile or authoritarian regimesRussia, China, Turkey, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and othersagainst the United States. He has excused their assaults on our country and has dismissed U.S. intelligence that exposed their crimes. He has bashed AmericaI dont blame China. I blame our countryand has called our adversaries far more honorable than his domestic opponents. Russias proxy war against our troops is just another enemy attack hes willing to defend.
The Maharashtra Board Class 10 results will be announced for approximately 17 lakh students who had appeared in the state board SSC exams

SSC Result 2020 Maharashtra | The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) announced Class 10 results today, media reports said.

The official websites, mahresult.nic.in and mahahsscboard.maharashtra.gov.in will host the result data of over 17 lakh students, who have been eagerly awaiting their scores since two months.

Follow LIVE updates on SSC Result 2020 Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Board had to delay the announcement of results because the state was hit massively by the coronavirus pandemic and was the state with maximum case load in all of India. This not only disrupted normal life, but also derailed plans to finish evaluation of copies on time. Earlier the board had planned to send copies to examiners' homes, but secure means of transport also could not be arranged due to the lockdown.

Now finally the wait has ended for the students of Class 10 Maharashtra as the board is ready with the results. Adequate preparations have been made to keep the servers uncluttered in the face of heavy traffic flow when the results are uploaded online. However, despite that it is possible that students may face some delays or disruptions while trying to log on to the website.

Students can log on to Firspost to check their result. Just fill the required details below to check your score.

Results will also be available on several other platforms like maharashtraeducation.com and www.examresults.net/maharashtra.

The steps to check your results through such sites are simple and require details easily found on your admit card. Here are the steps you can follow to register yourself and check your Maharashtra SSC scores on these alternative websites.

Step 1: Visit either maharashtraeducation.com or www.examresults.net/maharashtra or jagranjosh.com.

Step 2: On the homepages, you will find the latest announcement of the Maharashtra Class 10 SSC results.

Step 3: You will be redirected to pages, where you will have to enter details like your roll number and date of birth.

Step 4: Register where required or hit on buttons titled "view results".

Step 5: You will be able to see your scores now.

Step 6: Save your results and take a printout for safekeeping.

Step 7: Cross check your score on the official website too, when it is up and running.

Candidates will be able to access hard copies of their results, along with their certificates, at their respective schools.
(CNN)  The coronavirus is "easily the most severe" public health emergency the World Health Organization (WHO) has ever faced, its director-general said Monday, as countries that previously appeared to have the pandemic under control recorded an uptick in cases.

Across the Asia-Pacific region, where countries were among the first hit by the virus and the first to contain it, there have been new and in some cases seemingly unexplained increases in the number of infections. Governments that had previously been lauded for their response to the pandemic now seem to be struggling.

All this is concerning news for those where the first wave of the virus has yet to come fully under control, let alone in the disaster zones of the United States and Brazil. It's especially scary as there are only a few more weeks of summer left in parts of the northern hemisphere, and many epidemiologists expect the virus to peak again in winter.

Setbacks in Asia-Pacific

On Tuesday, China reported the highest number of locally transmitted coronavirus cases since early March for the second consecutive day, with the majority of the 64 new domestic cases in Xinjiang. The far western region has seen a fresh outbreak in its capital Urumqi since July 15, after nearly five months of no new cases.

Down south in Hong Kong, the semi-autonomous Chinese city is also experiencing a major new outbreak, with more than a thousand new cases in the past two weeks, and six days straight of over 100 cases. The new surge came after the city appeared to be almost cornonavirus free, relaxing restrictions and beginning discussion of potential "travel bubbles" with other post-pandemic parts of the world.

While there was a slight dip in the number of cases recorded on Monday, Japan has been seeing some of its worst numbers since the early phases of the pandemic, with some 5,000 new cases in the past week, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU) data. The worst of the new outbreak has been focused on the capital Tokyo, which recorded six straight days of over 200 new cases until Monday, when there were 131 cases. However, that dip may be because there were far fewer tests performed over a four-day holiday weekend designed to promote domestic tourism.

Elsewhere in Asia-Pacific, Australia is also experiencing a major upsurge in the number of cases. The country had cases down to just a handful in June, but that surged towards the end of the month and has exploded in July, with the worst-hit area the southern state of Victoria, which on Monday announced a further 384 cases. There are 4,775 active cases in Victoria, 414 of which are health workers, putting further strain on the state's ability to treat the sick.

What happened?

Many of the most recent waves of the virus, in Hong Kong, Australia, China and elsewhere, have come as a surprise to officials. While there are a number of flaws to point out in various governments' responses, the numbers did not explode until very recently -- potentially because a more virulent strain of the virus had been introduced, or that cases were simply building up undetected and suddenly reached a tipping point.

Ben Cowling, a professor at Hong Kong University's school of public health, wrote this week that "we may never know" how the latest wave of cases in the city began, but data points to infections being imported from overseas.

"When (this) epidemic is controlled, this really emphasizes the importance of keeping infections out through effective testing and quarantine of persons arriving in Hong Kong," he said. "Once an epidemic begins, it will take a lot of effort to stop."

Speaking Monday, Hong Kong deputy leader Matthew Cheung said the city had been following the approach of "lift and suppress," gradually relaxing restrictions as cases diminished and ramping them back up should there be a surge.

This week, the government announced it was making wearing masks in public compulsory -- a fairly redundant move given that almost all Hong Kongers already did -- and limiting public gatherings to just two people. The Chinese government will also help build a Wuhan-style makeshift hospital near Hong Kong's airport with a capacity of around 2,000 hospital beds.

"The epidemic situation is critical," Cheung said, adding that the next few weeks are extremely crucial for the city. "We are facing a high risk of community outbreak."

Officials in the city have been facing criticism for their handling of the latest wave, particularly over the large number of quarantine exemptions given to business travelers and airline crew, which some blamed for reintroducing the virus to the city. However, the government has defended the policy as necessary for the economy, and health authorities have not yet been able to track where the latest infections originated.

And for all Cheung's insistence that Hong Kong has been following a policy of "lift and suppress," the city has yet to introduce anything like a full lockdown, even as cases continue to rise.

That isn't the case in Australia, where Victoria has been placed under strict restrictions, but is nevertheless struggling to get numbers back under control. Speaking to the ABC, the country's public broadcaster, experts advised patience, saying that the lockdown is likely working, but that many infections took place weeks ago and are only just being detected.

The most extreme suppression action in the region has come in Vietnam, where the government on Monday began evacuating some 80,000 tourists from the central city of Da Nang after three residents contracted the virus.

Vietnam has been held up as a leading example in containing the virus, thanks to an aggressive strategy of early screening of passengers at airports and a strict quarantine and monitoring program. The country has not reported any deaths from Covid-19 and has confirmed just 431 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Hard task ahead

The difficulty even countries in Asia-Pacific -- the region of the world with perhaps the best coronavirus response -- are having points to the potentially insurmountable task of getting the virus under control in other parts of the world, at least until a vaccine becomes available.

Even with the new rises, the numbers in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan don't come anywhere close to the misery in the United States and Brazil, both of which are still dealing with the first wave of the pandemic, and have yet to take the concerted national action that experts have long recommended.

And while the July heat may make the northern hemisphere winter seem a long way away, it is coming. Scientists say countries need to prepare for a potential uptick in cases that could be more serious than the initial outbreak, as cold weather pushes people indoors to poorly ventilated spaces -- exactly the conditions that are likely to make the novel coronavirus spread more easily.

More than ever, hope is resting on the dozens of coronavirus vaccines under development. Speaking Monday, US infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said that if one is effective, and enough people get it, that could finally end this pandemic.

"If we get a widespread uptake of vaccine, we can put an end to this pandemic and we can create a veil of immunity in this country, preventing the infection from coming back," he said.

This story was first published on CNN.com Even countries that got coronavirus under control are now struggling. That's deeply concerning for the rest of the world
Federal and Oregon state officials have developed a plan to cooperate on securing the Portland federal courthouse from rioters, however differences regarding the deployment of federal law enforcement remain.

Portland has seen nightly riots since the death of George Floyd, an African American man killed during his arrest by Minneapolis officers. Rioters have consistently targeted the federal courthouse in Portland, attacking federal law enforcement with various weapons including Molotov cocktails, and in some cases blinding officers with lasers.

Officers from the Border Patrol as well as Immigration, Customs and Enforcement have been deployed to augment personnel from the Federal Protective Services already stationed in the city.

Department of Homeland Security secretary Chad Wolf has criticized Oregon elected officials for demanding that federal law enforcement leave Portland. President Trump has also weighed in, writing on Twitter on Wednesday that there would be no Portland if DHS personnel had not gone into the city.

According to the agreement reached between federal and state officials, Oregon state and Portland police will begin coordinating with federal law enforcement to protect the courthouse, Wolf told reporters at a press call on Wednesday.

We have FPS officers, we have ICE officers and we have CBP officers. Those individuals are still there and will remain thereuntil we see that the plan is working, when we see that the courthouse is not continually attacked, Wolf said.

However, Governor Kate Brown, a Democrat, said in a statement earlier in the day thatA these federal officers have acted as an occupying force, refused accountability, and brought violence and strife to our community. Beginning Thursday, all Customs and Border Protection and ICE officers will leave downtown Portland, and shortly thereafter will begin going home.

Wolf did not answer directly when asked if the governors statement contradicted his remarks.

Story continues

The commitment by state officials to work with DHS officers regardless marks a turnaround from previous reluctance to aid federal authorities. Portland mayor Ted Wheeler has accused the Trump administration of fueling tension in the city, although he himself has also been attacked by rioters.

More from National Review
Frederick called the GRACE grant one of the most transformative things weve done, and added that students in the program graduate at a rate 33 percentage points higher than those in similar financial situations who do not receive the grant. Students tend to perform better academically when they can focus on school and worry less about finances, Frederick said.
While most areas in Japan have, in large measure, won the battle against COVID-19, the virus remains a tremendous threat in many countries and regions. As the world adapts to a new "post-Corona" lifestyle, people kept asking themselves, in what way could they make a contribution to society. The company communicated with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, who authorised them to send their original face masks to Japanese schools in 6 countries (New Jersey, USA/ Milan, Italy/ Paris, France/ Madrid, Spain/ Melbourne, Australia/ London, UK). The CEO graduated from a university in Melbourne where he was hosted by local families, so he is particularly elated to give back to the community.

The company's deep desire is to see children smiling and looking forward to the future. This is why, in the past, they donated some 1,000 face masks to Mononobe Primary School in Moriyama, which Tomohiko Banno, CEO, and Akihiro Banno, director, both attended.

They would love to see all the children who receive these masks grow up and become strong leaders. Even while spending time abroad, they hope that the children remember their home and be proud of Japanese culture by wearing these Wagara print masks. https://www.david-layer.com/

The facemasks

In addition to tailored suits, DAVID LAYER produces a lineup of fashion items for different occasions, including custom-made shirts. They select from more than 12,000 types of fabric that are used for the front and backing of suits and shirts. For the masks they handpicked pieces of linen, cotton and stretchy denim, considering functionality as a mask such as good air filtering and comfort on the skin, as well as fashionability and fun for the kids, with traditional prints from their home country.

The masks come in three sizes (small, medium and large) to accommodate growing children in primary school, as well as the teachers and staff who support them. The gauze lining ensures that the masks will be long lasting in addition to being easy to launder.

COLOR Inc.'s global vision

This donation of these original design face masks by COLOR Inc. is a contribution to the effort to control the spread of COVID-19. It is also part of their corporate efforts to meeting the SDGs.

- COLOR Inc.'s SDG efforts

Health and wellbeing for everyone: While the main focus of the company has been on the sales of tailored suits, this face mask project marks the beginning of their new endeavour to build a future where everyone in the world can lead a healthy life through quality clothing.

company has been on the sales of tailored suits, this face mask project marks the beginning of new endeavour to build a future where everyone in the world can lead a healthy life through quality clothing. Gender equality: Suits are still generally considered strictly a men's fashion item all around the world. They want to do away with such a biased viewpoint by developing custom suits for women and children. The "matching suits for parents and children" concept is a part of this effort.

want to do away with such a biased viewpoint by developing custom suits for women and children. "matching suits for parents and children" concept is a part of this effort. Responsibility of manufacturers and consumers: The original design masks they donated to schools were made from the excess pieces of fabric left over from the custom-made suits and shirts. This contributes to the environment by reducing waste.

The business is based in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, where Tomohiko Banno, the CEO, and his brother and business partner, Akihiro Banno, grew up. Their passion is to invent new possibilities for tailored suits and local businesses in Shiga and to showcase them to the rest of the world.

SOURCE COLOR Inc.
WASHINGTON  More than a third of women at Fort Hood surveyed by an Army inspector general said they have been sexually harassed, according to testimony during a congressional hearing on the death of Vanessa Guillen, a soldier who told friends and family that she was harassed by a sergeant on the base in the weeks before she was killed.

The inspector generals report says that two dozen of the women interviewed said they had been sexually harassed in the past year. It says 20 of them reported the incidents.

The congresswoman leading Wednesdays hearing on Specialist Guillens death also pointed to findings that indicate females serving at the base did not trust their direct supervisors to protect them if they reported harassment.

The inspection at Fort Hood found that survey respondents did not trust their immediate supervisors to handle a sexual harassment or sexual assault incident, U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, a California Democrat who chaired the hearing on Wednesday, said during questioning of Col. Patrick Wempe, inspector general of the U.S. Army Forces Command.

Eighteen of the 52 women surveyed  more than a third  reported being sexually harassed, Speier said.

Other studies  both nationally and at Fort Hood have demonstrated that many service members have little faith in the process, and have documented problems with how such outcries have been investigated in the past.

Col. Wempe testified that Fort Hoods sexual harassment and assault prevention program meets the Army's standards.

VANESSA GUILLENS STORY: A vibrant life and tragic death that sparked a movement

The inspector generals report found that the vast majority of soldiers on the base  more than 85 percent  felt comfortable reporting sexual harassment and assault to officials, more than 90 percent reported trust in leadership.

At Fort Hood we observed a [Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program] needing to improve in certain areas, but one in which units generally execute the standard, Wempe said. Importantly, most soldiers said they would report if sexually harassed, most would report if sexually assaulted and nearly all said that leaders take reports of sexual harassment and assault serious.

Those findings appear to be at odds with the experience of Guillen, who had told her mother that she wasnt going to report harassment for fear her superiors would laugh or brush it off. Guillen did not make an official report of sexual harassment, Army officials say.

She was killed on the base; one soldier who was a suspect killed himself as police closed in on him on July 1, according to a federal complaint. That soldiers girlfriend, who authorities say has confessed, is charged with helping him dispose of the body.

The death of Guillen, a 20-year-old Houston native, has sparked a #MeToo reckoning for the military, with other soldiers and veterans speaking out online about harassment and assault they have faced under the hashtag #IAmVanessaGuillen. Within two weeks of its formation, a private Facebook group called I am Vanessa Guillen attracted 12,000 female military members who posted about the abuse they suffered.

Her death has also led to calls for a congressional investigation and for reforming how reports of sexual harassment and assault are handled in the Armed Forces. Guillens family is pushing for legislation in Washington, D.C. and is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Thursday following a march from the U.S. Capitol to the White House.

Leaving victims even more confused

In 2019, service members filed 7,825 formal reports of sexual assault, according to a U.S. Department of Defense report that also notes that the previous year a survey found that an estimated 20,500 active duty service members experienced sexual assault  suggesting that far less than half of those who were assaulted filed complaints.

Other studies have concluded that sexual harassment is a main factor affecting the militarys cultural climate on assault. More than 24 percent of female active duty service members were sexually harassed in 2018, the report found in a survey, and one in five of those women were also assaulted.

Two Army veterans testified Wednesday that they had been harassed and assaulted and their reports had been ignored.

HAPPENING TOMORROW: Vanessa Guillens family to meet with Trump in D.C.

This is very similar to what I have heard in my own district from victims  an inability to get information about why something was dismissed, an accusation was dismissed, why there was no further investigation, leaving victims even more confused, leaving victims even more distraught, feeling like there is no justice, said U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, an El Paso Democrat.

At Fort Hood, there is a documented history of sexual abuse involving soldiers and command staff. The base had the most sexual assaults of all U.S. Army posts from 2013 through 2016, according to the most recent data available from the Department of Defense. The Departments audit of Fort Hood found internal control weaknesses that allowed officials to either omit from asking victims whether they wanted to prosecute their abusers or didnt document the information as required by law.

In 2015, Sgt. 1st Class Gregory McQueen, a man once tasked with coordinating his Fort Hood battalions sexual assault prevention program was convicted of sex trafficking vulnerable female soldiers.

Wempes testimony on Wednesday drew heated questions from members of Congress, who criticized some aspects of the inspections and suggested the Armys standards may need to be changed.

If were seeing reporting of over a third of women being sexually harassed, if we have a murder that took place on Fort Hood, I have grave concerns about how were measuring success in this instance, and I think were failing, quite frankly, said U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a New Jersey Democrat.

Wempe said the inspection was conducted during the last few days of June at the direction of Michael Garrett, the commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command, who ordered a review of Fort Hoods sexual harassment and assault prevention protocols and overall climate after Guillen went missing. Wempe said his team conducted written surveys and listening sessions beginning June 29, but the work was interrupted on July 1 when Guillens body was found. A team returned earlier this week to complete the inspection.

Wempe said that a few soldiers indicated a hesitancy to report incidents, for a number of reasons, which he did not detail, but said its a deeply personal decision. Others said they thought junior leaders in particular lacked experience needed to respond to reports. He said long waits for new personnel can result in episodically unfilled positions and that some soldiers reported training on sexual harassment and assault is repetitious and unimaginative.

Its really disturbing to me that the numbers still dont look good, said U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat. You all need to rethink your assessments, something other than just standard, because obviously that doesnt quite meet todays demands.

Staff writer Hannah Dellinger contributed reporting from Houston.

Editor's note: The date of the male suspect's death by suicide has been corrected.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Australias foreign minister said Tuesday that the global coronavirus pandemic is part of the reason her government will still not repatriate dozens of Islamic State suspects with Australian citizenship who are detained in Syria.

We will not put Australian lives at risk to try  to extract people, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said during a press conference alongside US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds at the US State Department in Washington.

Its important to note that Australia has repatriated some orphans from Syria, but these are very complex challenges, Payne said.

COVID-19 has further complicated this picture extensively.  Movement in Syria and in the region is now more complex than ever, she said.

Australia is among a number of Western countries that have so far refused to repatriate their citizens captured during the US-led war against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria.

Australian officials have repeatedly cited the safety of the countrys citizens and diplomats as reasons not to take back more than 60 detainees held in camps and prisons run by Kurdish-led forces in Syria.

Lawyers representing some of the Australian women detained at the al-Hol internment camp have argued that their government has a constitutional duty to repatriate them, something US officials have publicly urged the international community to do.

Australia is not alone. Some 2,000 foreign IS fighters are detained in Syria, with some 800 of them believed to hold some form of European citizenship.

France, Britain and Germany are among the countries who have refused to take citizens back. Germany and France have allowed some of their detained citizens to be transferred to Iraq, where some of the French detainees have been sentenced to death.

Britain and other countries such as Denmark have stripped the citizenship of select IS-affiliated citizens. A number of Western countries have brought home some children from the camps, mainly orphans.

"Were a good international citizen, we dont shy away from our responsibilities, Payne said Tuesday. Those also of course include our responsibilities to citizens at home, to our diplomats and officials who would be required to travel into what are very dangerous situations.

Syrias Kurdish-led forces and the US Defense Department have both said the IS prisoners indefinite detention is not sustainable. Calls by northeast Syrias autonomous administration for an international tribunal to try foreign IS detainees have gone largely unanswered.
Vietnam on July 28 2020, signed an agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to borrow 36.63 billion yen ($348.2 million) to build six patrol vessels, state media reported, amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.

Vietnam on July 28 2020, signed an agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to borrow 36.63 billion yen ($348.2 million) to build six patrol vessels, state media reported, amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.

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A vessel that Vietnam Coast Guard received from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2017. (Picture source: Vietnam Coast Guard)

Vietnam will borrow 36.6 billion yen ($348.66 million) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to build six patrol boats.

The patrol boats, planned to be delivered to the Coast Guard by October 2025, will be designed to strengthen law enforcement and maritime rescue operations and ensure security, maritime safety and freedom of navigation in Vietnam, JICA said in a statement.

For the record, the United States announced last year, it would supply Vietnam Coast Guards another coast guard cutter for its growing fleet, in addition to at least 18 "Metal Shark" patrol boats it provided to Vietnam in the last three years.

A Metal Shark patrol boat delivered by the U.S. sails in the waters off Khanh Hoa Province in central Vietnam. (Picture source: U.S. Embassy in Hanoi)
IPL Plastics, formerly One 51, is being sold for CA$555m (354m) to US private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (MDP), a Chicago-based private equity firm.

Shareholders will receive C$10.00 in cash per share, less than the price shares floated at two years ago but a 153pc premium to the closing price on May 15, 2020 before media reports a deal was in the works.

The sale is subject to approvals by IPL shareholders, and has been unanimously recommended by the board of directors.

IPLs biggest shareholder Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), will roll most of its stake into the new ownership and will emerge with a minority 24.9pc stake.

One51 emerged out of the IAWS group of companies but first entered the plastics business in 2006 when it acquired Protech Plastics. Its 200m purchase of a 67pc stake in Canadian firm IPL in July 2015 was transformational in shifting One51 from investment vehicle to plastics company.

The investment in IPL increased One51s annual sales by two-thirds from 275m to 450m.

In December 2017 One51 shareholders approved an arrangement under which CDPQ and a number of other large IPL shareholders swapped their shares in the Canadian company for shares in One51, which then changed its name to IPL Plastics.

The company then floated its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange in June 2018.

Former One51 shareholders received one new IPL shares for every five existing One51 shares.

The new shares were priced at CA$13.50.

IPL's share price performed poorly in the two years since the IPO, prompting takeover interest that has now lead to a formal offer backed by the board.
After nearly two months of displacement, the residents and staff at the Deer Run Rehabilitation have returned to the facility on West Main Street.

After the flooding in May, the Deer Run community went through multiple evacuations.

Administrator Janet Allen said the damages to the facility were extensive.

We had to pretty much put the building back together. We lost everything in the floods, all of our equipment and beds and furniture. Its been a whole rebuilding process, Allen said.

Deer Run is an assisted living facility specializing in the care for traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. The 12-bed facility has been in Midland since 1998. The organization is affiliated with the Michigan Assisted Living Association and The Brain Injury Association of Michigan.

At first, the staff and residents evacuated to Medilodge of Midland, about a mile away from the Deer Run facility. Later that afternoon, the Medilodge had to be evacuated to Edgewood Assisted Living Center in Saginaw.

Allen said some residents stayed in hotels until it was time to move back on July 17.

Everybody was very ready to move back. Everybody was very happy. It took a lot of hard work to get back in that fast, Allen said.

Deer Run had never been flooded prior to this year. Allen said several church groups from out-of-state volunteered to help with restoration including Samaritans Purse and volunteers from Florida and Indiana.

Were getting back into our routine and making sure the most important priority is that the residents are taken care of and happy where they are, Allen said. Everyone seems very happy to be back.

To contact the staff at Deer Run, call 989-832-9026
Trade (Image: Reuters)

As of July 26, exports during the month have recovered to 87.5 percent of that recorded during the same period in 2019.

India exported $26.33 billion worth of goods in July 2019, and exports in July are likely to recover to that level, The Economic Times reported citing official data.

"Imports are 72 percent of the corresponding period of July 2019. The trade deficit is falling," an official told the publication.

Railway freight loading as on July 27 was 3.13 million tonne as against 3.12 million tonne reported in July 2019, the report added.

"These are signs of economic revival," a government official told the paper.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story.

Export of non-oil products in July have bounced back to 95 percent of the levels seen last year while non-oil imports have recovered to 70 percent, the report stated.

India's exports had contracted for the fourth month in a row in June, falling 12.41 percent to $21.91 billion, it said.

Economic activity had picked up in June, after halting for around two months during the COVID-induced lockdown.

According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the country's unemployment rate in June was 10.99 percent, lower than the levels of 23 percent observed in April and May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently 'green shoots' of economic recovery are visible.
Russia Deploys S-400 to Arctic Only to Ensure National Security, Foreign Ministry Says

Sputnik News

08:48 GMT 28.07.2020(updated 12:37 GMT 28.07.2020)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The deployment of S-400 missile systems on Russia's Arctic islands is a logical step, needed exclusively for national defence, and it should not raise concerns, Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large Nikolai Korchunov stated in an interview.

"As for the emergence of the S-400 systems on Russia's Arctic islands, this is a consistent move after the creation of a seamless radar field above the territory of our country. The S-400 system is intended solely for defence. Its deployment anywhere should not raise concerns  if those who express concerns do not develop aggressive intentions against an area or an object that the S-400 is meant to protect", Korchunov said.

US Naval Forces Europe/Africa Commander Adm. James Foggo has recently made a point of Russia's increasing activity in the Arctic, including the opening of new military bases and the deployment of the S-400 surface-to-air systems there.

Russia's Ivan Papanin is not a classic icebreaker but a military ship, therefore the mounting of weapons on it should not trigger any questions, Korchunov stressed. This came as a comment to another statement by Adm. James Foggo, who noted that Ivan Papanin was designed to carry Kalibr cruise missiles and qualified this as a sign of "aggressive approach in the Arctic."

"The fact that weapons are mounted on a military ship should hardly generate questions, especially given that the weapons do not contradict international agreements that our country participates in, like in the case with the sea-based Kalibr missiles", Korchunov said. "The possibility to install containers with Kalibr or Uran cruise missiles on our icebreakers  which is, by the way, mentioned in Russian media as well  is envisioned only during a special period. For this period, it is planned that the vessels can be involved to strengthen the Northern Fleet's seaborne command, whose area of responsibility covers the entire Northern Sea Route and Russia's Arctic coast".

Ivan Papanin, the first Project 23550 multipurpose Arctic-class patrol vessel, was floated in October 2019 and is set to be commissioned on November 25, 2023.

The ship, designed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau, is capable of performing functions of a tug, a patrol vessel and an icebreaker. It is one of the latest developments in the interests of equipping the surface division of the Russian Navy. Ivan Papanin is designated to protect and monitor water resources, to escort and tow detained vessels, to support supply vessels, to take part in rescue operations and to transport special cargo.

Ivan Papanin, expected to be 328 feet long and 65 feet wide, will be able to break 5-feet-thick ice. Its full speed will reach around 18 knots. The vessel will be equipped with a portable anti-aircraft missile system, a shipborne helicopter, a radar station and a hydrometeorological station.

NATO Building Up Potential in Arctic

Korchunov went on to say that NATO countries use claims of Russia militarising the Arctic to continue ramping up own potential there.

"Despite the fact that at the ministerial meeting in Rovaniemi [in Finland in May 2019], a joint statement was adopted, in which all member countries of the Arctic Council reaffirmed commitment to maintain peace, stability and constructive cooperation in the Arctic, NATO nations, hiding behind the claims of the region's 'militarisation' against our country, have continued to build up military potential there, including through harnessing the potential of non-Arctic states, and expand military exercises north of the Arctic Circle under the scenario in which Russia is seen as the main threat", Nikolay Korchunov said.

The West has repeatedly expressed concerns over Russia increasing military presence and activities in the Arctic. Moscow has consistently dismissed the "militarisation" allegations, noting that it considers the Arctic to be an area for constructive dialogue and equal, conflict-free cooperation in the interests of all nations.

Russia's Arctic Presence

The ambassador-at-large has rejected claims that Russia has been building up presence in the Arctic to challenge the United States, saying its operations do not go beyond territorial defence.

"The overhaul of the Russian armed forces and efforts to increase operational preparedness in the Arctic are not excessive and are defensive in nature. They correspond to the military and political situation", he underlined.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary Michael Murphy said in May that Russia was trying to project power into the North Atlantic by establishing a new Arctic command, creating Arctic brigades, building new ports and air fields, and preparing to deploy an S-400 air defense system to the Kola Peninsula.

Korchunov argued that Russia's Arctic presence did not pose a national security threat to Arctic states and was not in breach of any international agreements. He added that Russia had never deployed its military to other Arctic states, hosted foreign troops in the Arctic or conducted drills close to "non-Arctic states."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week that the United States was "a little late" to react to Russia's interests in the Arctic, but insisted it could still succeed in entrenching there. Korchunov believes that Russia would continue advocating for pragmatism in ties among Arctic neighbors despite "anti-Russian propaganda."

"We have been closely monitoring the nature and undercurrents of Washington's statements on the Arctic. Donald Trump's administration has, on the whole, argued in favor of a special US role in northern matters and pushed through its agenda. Simultaneously, it has been trying to contain its 'opponents' in the region and relying on allies for a stronger claim to northern resources", he explained.

Russia too has a claim to an extended continental shelf in the Arctic, which is estimated to contain about 5 billion tonnes of fuel equivalent. It filed a revised submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in 2015. Korchunov said it was being reviewed by a subcommittee. An answer is expected by 2022.

A Sputnik

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Shortly after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent out a guidance letter stating local health authorities cannot issue orders that close schools as a preventive measure to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Texas Education Agency reversed course and said it will not fund schools that are closed under local health orders.

The announcement is a direct reversal from the agency's previous guidance when it stated earlier this month it would fund school districts if local health officials closed campuses due to COVID-19, the Texas Tribune reported. Harris County public and non-religious private schools were ordered by local officials and health authorities last week to start the school year virtually for the first eight weeks of the year. Many of Houston's largest school districts have already announced plans to do so, including Houston ISD, Katy ISD and Fort Bend ISD.

Paxton's letter states school officials should be the ones to decide when and how to open their campuses, not local officials.

TEXAS TEACHERS SPEAK OUT: CDC updates school safety guidelines, strongly advocates for reopening campuses in the fall

"Nothing in the law gives health authorities the power to indiscriminately close schoolspublic or privateas these local orders claim to do," Paxton said in the statement. "The decision to close schools on such a preventative basis whether public or privateremains with school system leaders who should consult with relevant public health authorities, including the department and local health authorities"

Later that same day, the TEA updated its guidance on state funding for closed schools on its website and referenced Paxton's letter as the reason why it is has reversed its decision.

"The guidance letter further provides that health authority orders may not conflict with executive orders of the governor and must apply control measures required by statute," the website read. "Consequently, a blanket order closing schools does not constitute a legally issued closure order for purposes of funding solely remote instruction as described in this document."

School districts that have already planned to start the year virtually for the first eight weeks will not be impacted due to the TEA's decision to extend the transition period for districts to operate virtually for up to eight weeks.

On ExpressNews.com: Other countries opened schools, so why shouldnt Texas? Outbreak severity, health experts say

Virtually all of the public health authority orders covered a time period that was also covered by the start-of-school transition period, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath told Texas superintendents on a conference call Tuesday.

When it was first announced, local officials said Harris County's school closure order could be extended pending COVID-19 case trends. If an extension were to happen, the TEA guidance could have further implications on Harris County schools.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo responded to Paxton's letter on Tuesday evening, citing recent COVID-19 data as the reason why local schools should remain closed.

"We're in an immensely worse position than we were when things opened too early, leading to where we are now," Hidalgo said on Twitter. "We stand behind our decision to close schools."

According to the Houston Chronicle, local health orders to keep schools closed are still legally binding, despite Paxton's letter. Despite numerous requests from media outlets, including the Houston Chronicle, Gov. Greg Abbott has not commented on the orders or provided clarification.T

rebecca.hennes@chron.com
COVID-19 is a major global shock that has turned our lives upside down, but how does it measure up on the grand billion-year scale of Earth history? The answer puts our human dramas in the largest perspective  and may yet be critical to all our futures. The pandemic wont leave a direct record of the viruses for geologists of the far future to investigate, as viruses dont fossilise.

And it may be hard to pick out a clear fossil record of the victims too, as they could be difficult to distinguish among other causes of death. There will be indirect signals such as ...
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a notification stating that passengers flying under the Vande Bharat Mission to international destinations don't require to pay more than the official prices issued by Air India on the website. The fourth phase of the Vande Bharat Mission is expected to go on till August 2 after which phase 5 will commence.

Air India announced that it will be ramping up its number of flights in the upcoming phase, the details for which will be announced shortly. The fourth phase of the Vande Bharat Mission brought back as much as 2.5 lakh Indians from 53 countries around the world. Under the Phase 4 of the Vande Bharat mission, a total of 1,197 flights have been scheduled so far, including 945 international flights and 252 feeder flights, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing.

Passengers booking tickets for #VBM flights through Travel Agents, may please note that they should not pay more than the fares mentioned on the @airindiain website.Passengers facing issues of overcharging by Travel Agents may write to gmsm@airindia.in MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) July 29, 2020

"These flights are operated by the Air India group, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir. They cover 29 countries. They will be reaching 34 airports in India," he said.

Of these, 694 flights have reached India as on July 22, repatriating nearly one lakh people, he said.

Phase 4 is expected to continue until August 2, by which time around 80,000 more people are expected to return, Srivastava said.

"As on 22nd July, 7,88,217 Indian nationals have returned. 1,03,976 Indians have returned from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh by land borders," he said.

Noting that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had announced the establishment of bilateral bubbles with some countries, the MEA spokesperson said that between July 22 and August 31, Air India will be operating 30 flights a week to the US (New York, Chicago, Washington, New Jersey and San Francisco), four flights a week to Germany (Frankfurt) and three flights a week to France (Paris).

Also Watch:

The ministry continues to be in touch with missions on specific demands for repatriation from students completing their courses abroad, workers and other stranded Indians with compelling reasons, he said.

As regards to repatriation from Kyrgyzstan, Srivastava said India is scheduling additional flights. "In fact, a number of such flights are scheduled and we are hopeful that with these additional flights we will be able to repatriate more and more of our students from there," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)
The U.S. oil and gas pipelines industry has had a rough month, with court setbacks for two critical oil pipelines and a ditched plan for a new natural gas pipeline.

And July isnt over yet, for on the horizon looms yet another potential blow to existing and future oil and gas pipelines. That blow could be delivered by AOC.

Democratic Congresswoman and prominent environmental activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is now seeking an amendment to the text in the next budget to block the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from issuing permits to oil and gas infrastructure, HuffPost reports.

According to the proposed legislation, None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Corps of Engineers to issue a permit under section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) for the discharge of dredged or fill material resulting from an activity to construct a pipeline for the transportation of oil or gas.

The proposed amendment was set for discussion at a hearing of the House Committee on Rules on Tuesday.

The amendment could basically prevent the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from working on and building oil and gas pipelines crossing waterways, dertailing not just future pipelines but also the Dakota Access Pipeline, which was ordered shut pending a new environmental review.

Ocasio-Cortezs proposed amendment, however, is unlikely to pass even in the Democrat-majority House where Democrats are not at all on the same page about dropping oil and gas pipeline projects, not to speak of the Republican-majority Senate, which is unlikely to pass such a measure.

Still, the proposed legislation highlights the growing divide between environmental justice campaigners and the oil and gas industry, and the ever-growing opposition to pipelines in North America.

The Pipelines Black July

The anti-pipeline camp has scored several huge victories this month.

First, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy said on July 5 that it was canceling the Atlantic Coast Pipeline due to ongoing delays and increasing cost uncertainty which threaten the economic viability of the project. Related: The 400% Tesla Rally Was Only The Beginning Of The EV Boom

Despite a major win on a right-of-way issue at the U.S. Supreme Court last month, the developers of the Atlantic Coast natural gas pipeline are definitively scrapping the project because of ongoing delays and significant cost overruns.

This announcement reflects the increasing legal uncertainty that overhangs large-scale energy and industrial infrastructure development in the United States. Until these issues are resolved, the ability to satisfy the countrys energy needs will be significantly challenged, said Thomas F. Farrell II, Dominion Energy chairman, president, and chief executive officer, and Lynn J. Good, Duke Energy chair, president, and CEO.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette said that The well-funded, obstructionist environmental lobby has successfully killed the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

On the next day came the highest-profile setback for oil pipelines  a federal judge ruled on July 6 that the Dakota Access Pipeline, in operation since 2017, must be emptied and shut down within 30 days, by August 5, until a new comprehensive environmental review is completed.

A U.S. Appeals Court ruled a week later that Dakota Access can continue to operate while the court considers whether the pipeline should be shut down as ordered by the lower courts ruling.

Ocasio-Cortezs proposal to block the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from issuing permits to oil and gas pipelines crossing waterways could directly impact a new permit for Dakota Access should courts order the already operational pipeline to obtain one.

In the third major blow to oil pipelines in just two days, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered on July 6 that construction of the long-delayed and once-resurrected Keystone XL project cannot begin. The justices at the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that Keystone XL cannot use the so-called Nationwide Permit 12 that allowed pipelines to cross rivers with minimal review if they meet certain criteria. The Supreme Court, however, allowed other pipeline projects to return to use that permit aimed at fast-tracking construction of vital oil and gas infrastructure. Related: The Permian Could See Record Gas Production In 2021

This is a significant step toward restoring more certainty for energy companies, but declining to revive the permit for Keystone XL is short-sighted as the project has already been thoroughly reviewed for well over a decade, the American Petroleum Institute (API) commented on the Supreme Courts decision.

Court Battles

Dakota Access, Keystone XL, and any other new pipeline project will continue to face challenges to their construction, completion, and operation, potentially delaying in-service dates for new pipelines and adding more costs to already costly projects.

The court order for Dakota Access to shut down shows that even already operational pipelines are not safe from disruptions to their operations.

Regardless of how the proposed amendment from Ocasio-Cortez will pan out in the House committee, the House, and the Senate, Dakota Access and other pipeline projects will continue to face legal challenges for the foreseeable futureto the delight of environmentalists and to the frustration of the oil and gas industry.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Cass County confirmed nine new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the countys total count to 185.

The new positive cases involve two boys under age 10, a girl between ages 10 and 19, two women in their 20s, a woman in her 30s, a man in his 40s, a woman in her 40s and a man in his 50s, according to Cass County Health Department.

This virus continues to spread throughout our communities, a health department representative said. We encourage everyone to make choices to best protect yourself and your families by staying home, socially distancing if you must go out, wearing a mask and frequently washing hands.

Two new cases were reported Tuesday in Morgan County, involving a woman in her 30s and a man in his 80s.

The woman is isolated at home; the man is isolated in a hospital, according to a daily briefing by the Morgan County Department of Public Health, Jacksonville/Morgan County Emergency Management, Memorial Health System, Morgan County commissioners and the city of Jacksonville.

The additional diagnoses bring the total case count to 170 in Morgan County. Of those, 142 people have been released from restrictions and five have died.

Morgan County Health Department said Tuesday it has identified an outbreak of cases linked to West Morgan Depot in Jacksonville. Three adults who were at the bar the night of July 18 have tested positive for coronavirus disease.

Health department officials say those who were at the establishment that night and are experiencing body aches, a cough, diarrhea, fatigue, shortness of breath, a sore throat or sudden loss of taste or smell are urged to seek testing for COVID-19 immediately.

Total cases in other west-central Illinois counties as of Tuesday were: 12 in Brown County; 17 in Greene County; 59 in Jersey County; 117 in Macoupin County; 11 in Pike County; 850 in Sangamon County; six in Scott County; and 14 in Schuyler County, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Statewide, 1,076 new cases of coronavirus disease and 30 deaths were reported Tuesday, according to the state health department.

There have been 173,731 cases in Illinois and 7,446 deaths.
The government has for the third time extended the deadline for bidding for privatisation of India's second-biggest oil refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) by two months to September 30. While the Cabinet had in November last year approved the sale of government's entire 52.98 per cent stake in BPCL, offers seeking expression of interest (EoI) or bids showing interest in buying its stake were invited only on March 7.

The EoI submission deadline was May 2, but on March 31 it was extended up to June 13. On May 26, it was extended to July 31 and now it has been ...
As the first batch of five Rafale aircraft is all set to arrive in Ambala on Wednesday from France to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet, the Ambala Police have tightened the security and prohibited people from taking photos or videos of the jet planes. People have been asked not to go to their terraces for taking videos or photographs of the aircraft.

The violators will face an immediate arrest and an FIR against them, the police said. Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, which prohibits congregation of four or more people in an area, has been imposed near the Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana and in adjoining areas like Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

The jets took off from France on Monday and will arrive at the Ambala Air Force station after covering a distance of 7,000 kilometres with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates. The fleet comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft, an IAF official said.

Also read: With Rafales induction, IAF will have an edge over neighbours. Heres how

Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria would be visiting Ambala to receive the Rafale combat aircraft. The planes are expected to take off from Al Dhafra in UAE at around 11 am IST and reach Ambala by 2 pm, news agency ANI reported citing sources.

A team of pilots led by Group Captain Harkirat Singh would meet the Air Chief and brief him about their flying and training in France after which the formal induction ceremony of the aircraft would take place.

The agreement for the biggest-ever defence deal by India was signed in 2016 for acquiring 36 Rafale jets for over Rs 60,000 crore.

(With inputs from agencies)
By Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Ahead of the first anniversary of the revocation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories (UTs), state Congress chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir described revocation of the constitutional provision as worst-ever decision" and demanded that J&Ks statehood with constitutional guarantees be restored.

Talking to TNIE, Mir said Congress would fight for the restoration of state with constitutional guarantees.

Asked what he meant by constitutional guarantees, he said, J&K had got special status and that should be restored. We want it back. J&K parties should be consulted and taken into confidence on what kind of constitutional guarantees should be provided to J&K.

But unfortunately, Government of India has not taken any call in this regard so far, Mir said.

The National Conference leader and former CM Omar Abdullah had announced that he would not contest elections till statehood to J&K was restored.

On August 5 last year, Centre scrapped Article 370 and split J&K into two UTs -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The Modi government had told the Parliament that revocation of Article 370 will lead to an increase in employment in J&K. How much employment has increased. In fact, jobs have been snatched from many, he said.

ALSO READ | J&K administration says Congress leader Saifuddin Soz not under detention, SC disposes of plea

The J&K Congress chief said Centre had also said militancy will be controlled.

Everybody knows what was the situation in 2019 and how it (militancy) is now.

Mir said the Modi government had claimed that trade would increase and new avenues will be opened in the education sector. The reality is that trade has been badly hit since August 5, 2019, while all educational institutions are closed for the last 11 months. Even nursery classes have not opened.

After Article 370 revocation, the government imposed tough clampdown in J&K and suspended telecommunication and the internet. The high-speed internet has still not been restored in J&K.

On issuance of domicile certificates, Mir said, We say state bifurcation was wrong and the State subject was pre-1947 law. It was introduced during Maharaja rule. They want to provide entry to lakhs of non-locals into J&K and how can we support and welcome such a decision.

Referring to BJP general secretary Ram Madhavs statement that political parties in J&K are shying away from doing politics, he said, Madhav does not know the ground reality. He came in a helicopter and moved in a tight security cover. He feels that everybody is enjoying the same security cover. The mainstream opposition politicians are even not allowed to go for a condolence meeting.

Mir said a Congress sarpanch was killed by militants on November 26 last year.

I was in house arrest in Jammu and could not visit to offer my condolences. For the last two months, I have been staying in Srinagar. I am not being allowed to visit the slain sarpanchs family to express my condolences, he said.

The Congress leader further said the government has withdrawn, de-categorised, and downgraded security of political leaders and workers of parties except BJP and another party.

The BJP ex-MLAs who were legislators for one term are enjoying Z+, Z, and Y+ security while the security of former Congress ministers, who were four-time legislators, have been downgraded. The government has withdrawn all security of our vice-presidents, general secretaries, district presidents, and other office-bearers.
A coalition of Black legislative staffers on Beacon Hill are calling on House and Senate leadership to fulfill their promise to address racism in Massachusetts, starting with the State House.

The coalition, The Black Staffers of Beacon B.L.O.C (Building Leaders of Color), issued a letter with eight demands earlier this month to House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Karen Spilka and Secretary of State William Galvin. Some demands include a process to review complaints of racist harassment and discrimination, a paid internship program and a review of how bills that end up debated would advance racial justice principles.

In drafting the recommendations, the staffers drew from their own experiences working in the State House.

In stepping forward with these critiques and outlined requests, we are thinking of our initial encounters within the Massachusetts Legislature, the ensuing years of hushed grievances, and our role in ensuring that newly hired staffers of color are not met with the same barriers we came to understand as status quo,the staffers wrote to State House leadership. We firmly believe Black staff ought to feel as empowered in our workspaces as our white counterparts.

One staffer who raised concerns was Maia Raynor, who works in Sen. Sonia Chang-Diazs office. Chang-Diaz, a Boston Democrat, is the only senator in the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus.

Our offices diversity is mocked and weve been called the United Nations in order to underscore that, Raynor said in a statement. However, you dont need to be a diverse group to treat issues of racial justice with a modicum of respect.

Mark Martinez, who works in Sen. Pat Jehlens office, said he is the the only Black male staffer who works on policy for the Senate.

To not have a single other Black man that does the same work that I do means I dont have another person with a shared lived experience to turn to for advice, guidance or mentorship and it makes me question how long I can remain in my role, Martinez said.

A Black House staffer, who declined to be identified, said legislators and lobbyists have made jokes at the expense of non-white communities and made inappropriate remarks about Black womens bodies.

The statement from the anonymous House staffer was referred to the Houses Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, a House source told MassLive.

The May 25 death of George Floyd, a Black man killed in Minneapolis police custody, prompted legislative leaders to pledge their commitment to addressing racism. DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat, expressed his commitment in a letter to lawmakers in June. Spilka, an Ashland Democrat, said during the Massachusetts Womens Political Caucus legislative breakfast being angry and heartbroken are not enough if we truly wish to be allies in the fight for racial justice.

Up to this point, the group says, legislative leaders still have a ways to go to fulfill those promises.

Leadership of both branches have publicly stated their commitment to combating racism and listening to those most impacted by it. That commitment has yet to be realized, and as the days left in formal session continue to wind down, we question the likelihood of the Legislature sending a comprehensive bill that centers the needs of Black residents to the Governors desk before the July 31st end of formal session, the letter states, referring to House and Senate police reform bills that is in conference committee.

A spokesperson for Spilkas office confirmed the Senate president received the letter and said her office extended an offer to meet. The details of the meeting are still being scheduled.

The BLOC tweeted that Spilka was responsive to the letter but that she cant be the only one on board to make the predominantly white State House more racially diverse and more responsive to the concerns of staffers of color.

The BLOCs letter was referred to the Houses employee engagement officer to arrange a meeting, according to a House source. A meeting has not yet been scheduled.

When asked about the letter Wednesday afternoon, DeLeos office noted that the House of Representatives changed its rules in 2018 to create an Equal Employment Opportunity officer. The independent official is expected to enforce the Houses anti-harassment policy and train staff on how to identify and report incidents. John McLafferty was named the Houses inaugural EEO officer in June 2019.

From an initial read, there may be overlap between some of the groups requests and the Houses expanded HR functions, DeLeos office said in a statement. We look forward to learning more about the details of the requests and how we can work with our partners in state government on enhancing best practices.

We want to thank @KarenSpilka for her responsiveness to our letter and we look forwarding to working with her on these issues. However, this is a State House wide problem and she alone cannot address all of our concerns  Beacon BLOC (@BeaconBloc) July 29, 2020

One of the BLOCs demands, the extension the legislative session beyond July 31, appears to be in the works as lawmakers run up against a fast approaching deadline without finalized bills on economic development, health care, police reform and climate.

The staffers called for the creation of a Central Office on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion that serves both chambers and that a team conduct an audit of the State Houses hiring, training, disciplinary measures and employee turnover.

No bicameral office that serves this purpose exists. The Senate created a human resources manager of diversity, equity and inclusion position in early 2019. The Senate announced April 15 that it hired Diana Kasule, a human resources specialist at Tufts Health Plan, to fill the role.

The BLOC also calls for a standardized on-boarding process to make sure new staffers can learn about the State Houses procedures and resources. They also call for an ad-hoc committee to implement such an on-boarding process, led by senior staffers who are Black, indigenous or people of color.

The staffers said the Legislature needs a bicameral reporting structure, rather than one in the House or Senate, to process complaints alleging racially motivated harassment, discrimination and other incidents, a review process to temporarily suspend lobbying privileges to those who engage in workplace abuses and a paid internship program to increase levels of diversity in the building drafted by staffers of color.

Such a process would require a change in state law, according to Galvins office. A Galvin spokesperson confirmed his office received the letter.

Their list of demands also included an expansion of catalogs that display Black legislative efforts, speeches, writings and other documents, including contemporary records.

Lastly, the staffers called for the creation of an Office of Policy Equity and Independent Review of Legislation. The office would be tasked with oversee the bills that are selected to be debated in each branch and report on the extent to which each proposal fulfills, or fails to meet, commitments to racial justice.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the BLOCs letter has garnered support from some lawmakers, staffers and others who work on Beacon Hill. It is unclear how many people have signed onto the letter.

#TeamEldridge supports these demands from Black Staffers and we hope that they are taken seriously and are responded to in a timely manner. https://t.co/yIWvALMtci  Team Eldridge (@TeamEldridgeMA) July 29, 2020

As an organization working to build a pipeline of AAPI leaders AAWPI stands in solidarity with @BeaconBloc. Support Black leadership and civic participation of communities of color in MA by signing this letter:https://t.co/kaqLovSEUm#ProtectThePeoplesHouse #BeaconBLOC pic.twitter.com/uykY8VPV9Z  AAWPI (@AAWPI) July 29, 2020

I'm here for this... https://t.co/I2LHkWzzEI  A Rahsaan in the Sun (@rahsaandhall) July 29, 2020

Related Content:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 01:30:14|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A company of the 74th Group Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Wednesday was honored with the title of "role model of the times" in recognition of its outstanding service.

The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee announced the decision through an online release ceremony.

The heroic unit, known as the "hard-boned sixth company," fought 161 battles in wars, including the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Chinese People's War of Liberation, and the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.

The company has won the first-class merit citation eight times.

China's Ministry of National Defense conferred the honorary title of "hard-boned sixth company" to the unit in 1964.

The 93rd founding anniversary of the PLA will fall on Aug. 1. Enditem




President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned Nigerians, friends and well-wishers to celebrate Eid el-Kabir prayers with his family at home.

He did the same during the Eid el-Fitr over two months ago.

The presidency made the announcement on Wednesday.

Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the president will not receive visitors.

A statement he signed said the decision was in line with advisories from the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, and the Presidential Task Force, PTF, on COVID-19.

Buhari wished all Muslims a safe and happy Eid celebration.

He reiterated that the protocols issued by the PTF against large gatherings be obeyed.

Where small groups choose to hold the Eid together, face masks are absolutely necessary, as is social distancing. Advisedly, such prayers should hold outdoors and worshipers are encouraged to bring their own prayer mats..

In order to stop the spread of the disease, the President will not be receiving Sallah homages by religious, community, party and government leaders and urges all citizens to observe the occasion as advised by state and local authorities, Shehu noted.
They are laser-focused on the latest updates from other schools, Mr. Dunbar, 57, said, because it seems like when one rolls out a new policy, others follow it.

Other parents may have their offspring around the house a bit longer.

Mr. Lorence, the management consultant from Needham, Mass., expected to drop off Matthew at New York University in August. But just last week Matthew decided to stay home until October. His classes are all online, and his musical performance was canceled. He thinks a later move-in would perhaps help him snag an apartment with reduced rent.

Meanwhile, the Lorences oldest daughter, Audrey, will be a first-year student at University of Pittsburgh. For her drop-off in mid-August, the entire family (Mark, his wife, Jean, and younger siblings Meredith and Luke) wanted to go along for the ride. Now it will only be the parents, and they struggled on whether to stay with family in town  grandparents or an uncles family usually host them. This year, they decided to stay in a hotel.

Uncertainty is the word to describe it, Mr. Lorence said.

To fly or drive

Other families are deciding to fly or drive. Sure, air circulation on planes is excellent, and the journey should be shorter, but its hard to know how full the flight will be or if flight attendants will be enforcing mask-wearing. There are also fewer nonstop flights between smaller cities, fewer flights period, and airlines have been frequently changing times and dates of flights to optimize revenues. All these headaches from the air need to be weighed against a drive that might require hours in the car, food stops and a hotel stay.

The Feder-Johnson family of Madison, Wis., typically flies to New Orleans each school year, to drop off their daughter, Nora, at Tulane University. This year, mother, father and daughter are driving the 14 hours each way. At restroom and fuel stops, Noras mother, Elizabeth Feder, a public health researcher, will be looking to see if the people around her are taking the necessary precautions.

If we pull into a gas station and the people there arent wearing masks, well go on by to the next one, Dr. Feder, 62, said.

Louisiana has had more than 100,000 Covid cases (including a significant increase in July), so when they arrive in New Orleans, instead of exploring the sights, hearing live music and eating at favorite restaurants as they did in years past, the family plans to eat takeout and make essential trips only to help Nora set up her home. Household items will be ordered online and picked up curbside.
As a boy in Guatemala, Ricardo Leon worked with his father, a contractor. By the time he was a teen he was working on his own, even as he did his high school classwork, according to a biography posted on his company website. He later studied architectural drawing and went on to manage projects in Guatemala, according to the biography.
 Flash

A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked for an end to hostilities and for a political settlement of the Yemeni issue.

The current situation in Yemen is not favorable. The international community must step up its efforts to push for an early breakthrough in the political settlement of the Yemeni issue, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

China supports the search for a solution to the Yemeni problem from the three aspects of a nationwide cease-fire, economic and humanitarian measures, and comprehensive political negotiations, he told the Security Council.

Parties to the conflict should stop violence and improve the security situation on the ground, said Zhang.

From April to May this year, a general cease-fire was achieved in northern Yemen. This shows that as long as there is political will, it is not impossible to cease fire and stop violence. However, the recent increase in hostilities among parties to the conflict has destabilized the security situation in the north and the south. China is deeply concerned about this, he said.

Military means cannot solve any problem, but will only prolong the war and the suffering of the people. China urges all parties concerned to actively heed the call of the UN secretary-general and his special envoy for Yemen and immediately cease all hostilities, said Zhang.

The international community must remain committed to a political settlement and continue to promote good offices and mediation, he said.

Special Envoy Martin Griffiths has worked hard to broker a new peace deal in the past four months. But due to various factors, progress has not been satisfactory, said Zhang.

China calls on all parties to the conflict to strengthen cooperation with the special envoy, engage in in-depth consultations on the peace initiative, build consensus, and narrow down their differences so as to ensure the future of the agreement. At the same time, it is necessary to fully mobilize the regional countries and urge them to play an active role in synergy with the mediation efforts of the United Nations, he said.

The humanitarian situation in Yemen should be improved and humanitarian access guaranteed, he said.

The people of Yemen are facing multiple threats such as violent conflict, economic crisis, flood, locust plagues and COVID-19. It is imperative to remove barriers to humanitarian access and expand the scale of humanitarian operations, he said.

The international community should encourage concerted actions by all parties in Yemen to assist the United Nations and relevant agencies in carrying out humanitarian relief operations. Special attention should be given to the difficulties and needs of women, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, said Zhang.

The United Nations should also urge parties that have actual control in various regions to take effective measures to prevent and control COVID-19, he said.

On July 15, China once again provided Yemen with a batch of supplies to fight the the pandemic. China will continue to support and assist the Yemeni government and people, and calls on donor countries to fulfill their pledges as soon as possible, he said.

The issue of the Safer oil tanker, spills from which may cause disasters, should be given great attention. All parties concerned should maintain dialogue to ensure that a UN technical team can conduct safety assessments and do repairs as soon as possible, said Zhang.

China has noticed that there has been no substantive progress concerning the access to the tanker so far. The Security Council should urge relevant parties to take practical actions to prevent the tanker from causing environmental, human and economic catastrophes, he said.
San Mateo became the latest Bay Area county added to Californias coronavirus watch list Wednesday, threatening to bring the regions economic reopening to a complete standstill.

The county fell under the states monitoring protocol for exceeding the threshold for coronavirus cases and hospitalizations for more than two weeks.

If the county does not improve its numbers for three or more consecutive days, it will join San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties on the list, and will be forced to close or delay opening many indoor businesses and all bars.

The latest setback for a Bay Area countys reopening plans is linked to the recent surge of coronavirus cases across California. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials are enforcing strict guidelines to ensure counties are meeting certain benchmarks to remain on track for reopening. The Bay Area has stepped backward in recent weeks, as case counts and hospitalizations remain at record highs.

San Mateo County Manager Mike Callagy said officials would attempt to negotiate with the state to avoid the restrictions scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

We believe its unwarranted at this point in time, Callagy said Wednesday, during an online press briefing. There needs to be a more surgical approach to these shutdowns than were seeing here. These are widespread, blanket closures of businesses that we cant tie back to COVID-19.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

Under the state guidelines, businesses including barbershops and salons, gyms, malls, nonessential offices, and places of worship will have to close completely or shift to outdoor-only operations.

Callagy and David Silberman, chief deputy county counsel for San Mateo, conceded that despite their planned appeals, the restrictions would most likely go into effect by Saturday.

The key is that businesses should prepare, Silberman said. We always hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

San Mateos economic problems come at a time when the number of coronavirus cases in the Bay Area surged past 50,000 while the United States hit a grim milestone.

The COVID-19 death count in the U.S. surpassed 150,000 on Wednesday, according to a San Francisco Chronicle database. The coronavirus pandemic has killed and infected more people in the U.S. than any other country.

California also set its single-day record for deaths, reporting 197 fatalities on Wednesday, bringing the state total to 8,909. The overall case tally is at 485,503.

The state has averaged 91 COVID-19 deaths a day so far this month, compared with 64 a day in June.

Locally, nearly 500 new cases brought the total to 51,460. The number of deaths in the Bay Area reached 792.

The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the Bay Area soared past 800 for the first time, according to state data released Wednesday, reaching an all-time high of 815 people as seven counties recorded increases.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

Eighteen additional people were hospitalized in Sonoma County, for a total of 60 patients. Fifteen more people were hospitalized in Alameda County, bringing the total to a record 213. Six more patients brought the San Francisco patient count to an all-time high of 107.

The United States now has more than 4.4 million coronavirus cases, and California and Florida each have passed New York in the number of cases per state.

In a Twitter post on Wednesday morning, Sen. Kamala Harris blasted the Trump administrations lack of response to the pandemic.

Donald Trump ignored early coronavirus warning signs. Dismissed the seriousness of the threat. Attacked the advice of doctors and scientists. Failed to institute an adequate national plan for testing and contact tracing, the California Democrat said. Now nearly 150,000 Americans have died. This is on Trump.

Among the 20 countries hardest hit by the virus, the United States ranks sixth in deaths per capita, at 4.5 fatalities per 100,000 people. U.S. deaths make up nearly 23% of the global total of 660,997.

California joined Arkansas, Florida, Montana, Oregon and Texas in reporting record spikes in fatalities on Tuesday.

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.

Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press

I think the numbers speak for themselves, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the United States top infectious disease expert, said in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday. There are 150,000 deaths and more than 4 million infections. That is serious business  no matter how many percentage are asymptomatic.

In California, the virus is disproportionately affecting low-income and minority populations.

According to state health officials, Latinos account for 56% of COVID-19 infections and 46% of deaths.

During the San Mateo County briefing, Callagy said the county planned to roll out a new media campaign targeted at vulnerable communities, as well as continuing its mobile-testing push.

We are moving our test sites all around the county, he said. Weve also engaged in an extensive communication program with our Latino communities.

That message was echoed during a Santa Clara County Public Health Department virus update on Wednesday morning. Marty Fenstersheib, the COVID-19 testing officer, said Latinos account for nearly half of the countys infections.

But he said the coronavirus does not discriminate, impacting all ethnicities and age groups.

Half of our cases are people under 35, Fenstersheib said. Its not a disease of old people. Its a disease of all people.

Santa Clara County counted one new death and 158 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, public health officials reported Wednesday. These bring the countys totals to 9,359 infected and 185 dead from the coronavirus.

He urged county residents to remember to follow the established coronavirus safety protocols, which include physical distancing, frequent hand sanitizing and wearing face coverings when out in public.

If everybody wore these masks, we would see our case numbers drop sharply, said Fenstersheib. No matter where you are outside your house, you need to wear your mask.

Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie and Riska Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, July 30 2020

State-owned pharmaceutical holding company PT Bio Farma is looking for volunteers to assist in the clinical trial of a COVID-19 candidate vaccine developed in partnership with Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech.

Arya Sinulingga, an aide to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, said the company was looking for Indonesians who fulfilled the requirements to help in testing the candidate vaccine for its first tryouts in the country.

Volunteers should be healthy adults between the age of 18 and 59 years old with no history of having contracted COVID-19 -- tested either through rapid or repeated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, Arya said. Additionally, volunteers who register in the program should not participate in other clinical trials.

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By every measure, Indian Country lags far behind national access to high-speed internet, and in some cases, lacks internet access altogether. This is a direct result of historical removal and exclusion, underpinned by distance, terrain and higher costs.

Tribal nations also lack traditional sources of revenue, such as the practical ability to tax income and property, and they face endemic and cyclical economic hardship. To be disconnected in a world of connectedness is a great injustice. Now, amidst a global pandemic that is having disproportionate health and economic impacts for Indian Country, when we need broadband more than ever, we are without it.

The Federal Communications Commission overstates levels of broadband deployment in Indian Country, which are not necessarily based on actual deployment but, in many instances, on potential deployment. More shocking and insulting is the FCCs definition of tribal lands, which excludes areas actually located within tribal lands that have greater population density  arguing these more-populated areas have some modicum of development. Besides being underpinned by faulty data, this new, more restrictive definition smacks of colonialism  as if tribal lands can only be remote, destitute and unserved locations.

Solutions to the tribal broadband problem are fairly straightforward. Get back to the actual definition of tribal lands. Dedicate resources, with specifically defined strategic purposes, to address the underlying lack of infrastructure. And genuinely involve and position those who will actually confront the challenges.

Historically, bringing broadband to Indian Country has been a largely unsuccessful endeavor, requiring negotiation with profit-driven internet service providers that have little if no interest in expanding their networks across tribal lands. Our funding efforts must acknowledge that most industry players are simply not giving tribal lands any priority in their plans, and our funding mechanisms should identify and empower those who will actually get the job done, including tribal nations themselves.

The 2.5 GHz Tribal Priority Window created by the FCC has the potential to fundamentally change that dynamic by putting broadband deployment where it belongs, in the hands of tribal nations in the form of tribally-owned spectrum licenses. The Tribal Priority Window, which is currently scheduled to close on Aug. 3, provides federally recognized American Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, Hawaiian Home Lands and certain qualifying tribal entities with the opportunity to be first in line to apply for free spectrum licenses over their tribal lands. However, spectrum not allocated during the Tribal Priority Window will be auctioned to the highest bidder.

Holding a spectrum license allows tribal nations to exercise their sovereignty and control their digital destiny. With these licenses, tribal nations can, for example, build their own internet networks or negotiate to sublease to an existing wireless carrier to build networks that serve their communities. Because licenses can be leased and sub-leased, they can also turn their licenses into a revenue stream. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, threatens to make this opportunity an impossibility. With tribal headquarters shuttered, tribal borders closed and tribal governments attempting to remotely deal with many competing major priorities, the scarce resources available are focused on public health and safety, and the chance to meet the FCCs filing deadline is slipping away for many tribes.

Even before the pandemic, tribes faced challenges in obtaining information and preparing an application for the Tribal Priority Window. But the pandemic has multiplied those challenges hundredfold. By the end of February, the FCC halted their limited in-person outreach, and online webinars were no help to tribal leaders without internet access at home.

There is an easy solution here, however. The FCC need only heed the many requests from members of Congress, inter-tribal government associations and tribal leaders from across Indian Country to extend the Tribal Priority Window. The FCC has extended numerous other regulatory deadlines because of COVID-19. Yet it has oddly refused to extend the Tribal Priority Window. This is a simple regulatory lift for the FCC, one that will have a profound and lasting impact across Indian Country. The Tribal Priority Window offers a future in which tribes can build and control their own broadband networks and have viable options for telehealth, distance learning and telework. It is also a future in which tribes are the architects of their communications destiny. If this once-in-a-generation opportunity for tribes to exercise their spectrum sovereignty is to be more than illusory, the FCC must extend the deadline. Without it, tribes will be left out, once again.
205 Chinese peacekeepers depart for Lebanon

PLA Daily

Source: Xinhuanet

Editor: Li Wei

2020-07-28 22:06:40

KUNMING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 205 Chinese peacekeepers Tuesday left Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, for Lebanon on a one-year United Nations peacekeeping mission.

The team is the first batch of China's 19th group of peacekeepers sent to Lebanon. The second batch of 205 peacekeepers will leave for the Middle Eastern country on August 18. The 410-member peacekeeping task force will consist of a multifunction sapper unit, a construction sapper unit and a medical unit. They will perform duties including mine clearance, construction and humanitarian rescue.

The peacekeepers, who are carrying anti-epidemic materials, will first finish a 14-day quarantine in Lebanon before starting duty.

Before departure, the peacekeepers underwent professional and language training, studied courses on preventing COVID-19, finished nucleic acid testing, and studied Lebanese laws and customs.

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Netflix revealed the air date for its series Ratched on Wednesday with a first look at the highly anticipated show.

The streamer announced that the One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest prequel would be released in its entirety on September 18.

The show, which is executive produced by Ryan Murphy, stars his regular actress Sarah Paulson as the eponymous nurse Mildred Ratched in the early years of her career.

Coming soon! Netflix announced Wednesday that Ryan Murphy's highly anticipated series Ratched would premiere on September 18; publicity still from Ratched

The iconic character, the head nurse at a psychiatric hospital, served as the villain of Ken Kesey's iconic 1962 novel and was later immortalized by Louise Fletcher in the 1975 film adaptation, for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress.

The series begins in 1947, when Mildred moves to Northern California to to begin work at a prestigious psychiatric hospital where 'new and unsettling experiments have begun on the human mind,' Netflix synopsized.

'On a clandestine mission, Mildred presents herself as the perfect image of what a dedicated nurse should be, but the wheels are always turning and as she begins to infiltrate the mental health care system and those within it, Mildreds stylish exterior belies a growing darkness that has long been smoldering within, revealing that true monsters are made, not born.'

Classic novel: The series is a prequel to the iconic novel and film One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, with Sarah Paulson starring as Nurse Mildred Ratched

Big shoes to fill: The title character, the head nurse at a psychiatric hospital, was immortalized by Louise Fletcher in the 1975 film adaptation, for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress

In addition to Murphy, who also co-created Hollywood and The Politician for Netflix, Michael Douglas will executive produce the new series.

The actor previously produced the 1975 Milos Forman film in an attempt to expand the scope of his early career.

Though the new series will be released on Netflix, it was one of the last projects Murphy developed for Fox 21 Television Studios before beginning an exclusive deal with the streamer.

Heavy hitters: In addition to Murphy, who also co-created Hollywood and The Politician for Netflix, Michael Douglas will executive produce the new series

Chilling: The series follows Nurse Mildred Ratched (Paulson) in the early years of her career as she joins an asylum where 'new and unsettling experiments have begun on the human mind

Star power: In addition to Paulson lead character, Sex And The City's Cynthia Nixon will appear as Gwendolyn Briggs

In addition to Paulson lead character, Sex And The City's Cynthia Nixon will appear as Gwendolyn Briggs and Australian actress Judy Davis will play Nurse Betsy Bucket.

Sharon Stone's career revival will continue with her role Lenore Osgood, and American Horror Story star Finn Wittrock will reunite with Murphy as Edmund Tolleson.

Other cast members include The Strain's Corey Stoll, Vincent DOnofrio and Amanda Plummer.

Back on top: Sharon Stone's career revival will continue with her role Lenore Osgood

New nurse: Australian actress Judy Davis will play Nurse Betsy Bucket

Stock company: American Horror Story star Finn Wittrock will reunite with Murphy as Edmund Tolleson

Netflix seems to have plenty of confidence in the period series, which it gave an 18-episode two-season order.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was written in 1959 by author Ken Kesey and published in 1962, and has since become one of the most influential novels of the century, along with being one of the most commonly banned books in schools and libraries.

The influential counterculture novel exposed many of the failures of the country's mental institutions at the time.

Jack Nicholson won an Oscar for his portrayal of Randle 'R.P.' McMurphy, a criminal who fakes a mental illness in order to be confined to an institution instead of prison.

Legendary star Kirk Douglas originated the role of McMurphy in a broadway adaptation of the novel from 1963.

Strong start: Netflix seems to have plenty of confidence in the period series, which it gave an 18-episode two-season order

Classic: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was written in 1959 by author Ken Kesey and published in 1962, and has since become one of the most influential novels of the century
Republican had refused to wear a mask during the coronavirus pandemic raising concerns for other House members.

United States Congressman Louie Gohmert, who had resisted wearing a mask during the coronavirus pandemic, said on Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, raising concerns that other members of Congress may also have been exposed.

Attorney General William Barr, who testified to a committee hearing on Tuesday that Gohmert took part in, will be tested for coronavirus as a result, a Justice Department spokesman said.

A US representative from Texas, where coronavirus cases have surged since the state reopened, Gohmert said he tested positive in a pre-screening at the White House and would self-quarantine for 10 days.

Now, I need to self-quarantine, Gohmert said in an interview with Texas broadcaster KETK-TV. Its really ironic, because a lot of people have made a big deal out of my not wearing a mask a lot. But in the last week or two, I have worn a mask more than I have in the whole last four months.

Masks, which health experts say help to prevent the transmission of the highly contagious virus, have become a symbol of the USs bitter political divide, with some Republicans including Gohmert shunning them after President Donald Trump long refused to wear one in public.

During Tuesdays hearing with Barr, Committee Chairman Representative Jerry Nadler, a Democrat, scolded several Republicans including ranking member Jim Jordan for failing to wear masks. Gohmert said he wore a mask during the proceedings.

In a Twitter posting on Wednesday, Nadler wished Gohmert a full and speedy recovery.

I want to wish @replouiegohmert a full & speedy recovery. When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. Ive regularly instructed all Members to wear their masks and hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues. https://t.co/WstJuAW9BG  Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) July 29, 2020

Democratic House of Representatives Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he would consider having all House members tested as a result of Gohmerts testing positive.

Nearly 150,000 people in the US have died of coronavirus, and almost 4.4 million have tested positive, according to a tally by the Reuters News Agency. Infection rates have begun to soar in recent weeks as states lifted restrictions on social gatherings and travel intended to slow the virus spread.

Several members of Congress have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and all have recovered.

Republican Rand Paul in March became the first senator to contract the disease, and faced criticism from his colleagues after spending time walking maskless around the Capitol, even using its gym, while waiting for test results. After recovering, Paul, a physician, shunned a mask, arguing that he is now immune. Other medical professionals have said it is unclear whether a person can contract COVID-19 a second time.

Gohmert said he would now wear a mask, but when asked about mask policies, said, If somebody feels strongly that everybody should wear a mask then they shouldnt be around people that dont wear masks.
The UN reports that fewer Afghan civilian deaths were recorded for the first six months of the year which is reduced by 13% than previous years.

One of the reasons for the drop-in casualties is a lesser number of foreign soldiers that are called to action and in-country to support the local Afghan forces. Another is the control of the radical Islamic State group and blunt their attacks on both civilian and military alike, reported AP News.

Despite the U.S.-Taliban deal that was supposed to assure peace in Afghanistan, it is not holding things together. The peace deal has not panned out since there are still militants conducting violence and destabilization against the ruling Afghan regime. Part of the agreement is the multinational forces that lessen the number of troops. In the second phase, the Taliban and the Kabul government have not met yet.

UN report and particulars

According to the report, 1,282 people were slain during the year 2020 and 2,176 got hurt in the crossfire. It is 13% less than recorded deaths in 2019.

Also, the UN had made note of 17 attacks by the Islamic State that always resulted in civilian deaths for their terroristic acts. This savage assaults on civilians in the starting six months of 2020 is 97 attacks lesser than the same duration last year in 2019.

Also read: U.S. Retaliates 'Defensive Strike' Against Talibans After Attack on Afghan Checkpoint

Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesman, did not accept the report. It is painting the Taliban as cold-blooded with murderers' intent on chaos and death. He shifted the blame to the airstrikes and heavy artillery attacks, killing the civilians. He said that Kabul and its foreign allies should take the blame, not the Taliban, noted Military.

At a time when the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban have a historic opportunity to come together at the negotiating table for peace talks, the tragic reality is that the fighting continues, inflicting terrible harm to civilians every day, said Deborah Lyons, head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, according to ABC News.

Lyons said that the Taliban and the Afghan government has the chance to negotiate for peace. However, as the fighting never stops, it kill civilians caught in the crosshairs of both forces. As the head of the UN mission to Afghanistan, she seeks an agreement between the two parties to begin the peace process, Al Jazeera.

Reckless airstrikes ordered by Kabul has tripled the death count in the first six months in the year which is more than last year. It was the Afghan forces who killed 23% of the civilians. It pales to the 43% of the Taliban that killed more without discrimination. Overall, both Kabul and the Taliban are killing non-combatants without concern.

Lyon appeals to the warring parties to stop and realize the death and harm brought upon those not involved in the conflict. Both should desist fighting and shed unnecessary blood. She added that it is better to stop and negotiate a better option to bloodshed.

Related article: The US and the Taliban Sign Agreement to End Hostilities After Eighteen Years

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Police said they used Bluestar blood visualizing agent to locate what had apparently been a large pool of blood in the apartment of a man who has since been charged with the murder of Tamara Church and her seven-year-old daughter, Aquarious Church.

Gabriel Boykins, 45, was arrested in Knoxville last Thursday and charged with two counts of criminal homicide and two counts of abuse of a corpse.

The bodies of Ms. Church and the child were found on July 9 in woods near Greenwood Road.

Police said on May 20 Ulysses Bradley said his girlfriend, Ms.

Church, and her daughter were missing. He said she had last been seen at 4:30 p.m. on May 17 driving a white 2004 Honda Odyssey minivan that she had recently bought.

On May 20 at 4:25 p.m., police responded to 1922 Lynnbrook Ave. for a vehicle engulfed in flames. It was a white 2004 Honda Odyssey minivan. It was found that Ms. Church had bought the vehicle on May 15.

It was found there had been no activity on Ms. Church's cell phone since May 17. The last known location of the phone was from 2303 Greenwood Road. That led to the discovery of the bodies in some woods.

The manner of death was ruled as homicide.

On July 9, police located Boykins with another young daughter of Ms. Church at a residence on 6th Avenue Court. That daughter said the last time she saw her mother was around 2 p.m. on May 17 at their residence at 6th Avenue Court. She said she and her sister left in the Honda and that was the last time she ever saw them.

Police said Boykins gave conflicting information. He said he had left town to go to Louisville, Ky., and then to Oklahoma. Police said he had no family or other contacts in those places.

The last day Boykins worked at his longtime job at Pilgrim's Pride was May 15.

Police said they searched 1917 Foust St., Apt., B, which was the last reported location of Ms. Church and her child. Detectives said it was apparent that the apartment had been cleaned and no one had been living there for some time.

The landlord said in the past that Boykins had kept the residence in a disheveled condition.

The other daughter said Ms. Church always slept on a mattress in the front room of the Foust Street unit.

Police said on July 15 video footage was discovered at the area where the burned vehicle was found. It shows a man leaving the scene within minutes of the vehicle being burned. He was walking south in the direction of the Boykins residence on Foust Street.

Police said the man in the video has hair and build consistent with that of Boykins.

Police said in the course of their investigation they found that on Feb. 27, 2016, that Ms. Church had brought the daughter who was later killed to the hospital to be examined for rape. The child was brought back in a few days later saying she had been sexually assaulted. The child said the incidents involved Boykins.
GAUTIER, Mississippi -- Gautier police are actively searching for a truck driver last seen at an Interstate 10 rest area near Gautier two days ago.

Gautier interim police chief Danny Selover said the last known contact with the trucker -- identified as 47-year-old Dimitri Rai Williams -- was about 6 a.m. Monday.

Investigators have learned that Williams was traveling in his 18-wheeler from Fresno, Calif., to Atlanta, Ga., when he stopped at a rest area on I-10 east. Williams truck was followed into the rest area by a black SUV and, after parking his truck, Williams got into the SUV on the passenger side. He has not been seen nor heard from since.

Selover noted that Williams suffers from both multiple sclerosis and diabetes.

Anyone with information on Williams location or the circumstances surrounding his disappearance is asked to contact the Gautier Police Department at 228-497-2486 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.
Private 5G cellular deployments fit the needs of enterprises for high-speed, low-latency connections between large numbers of devices, and some say the technology could replace Wi-Fi, but thats not likely to happen anytime soon.

Outside of particularly unusual use cases, private 5G networks are best thought of as a supplementary to Wi-Fi and not a competitor, experts say, even though thats clearly an ambition of the carriers. For example, Mo Katibeh, an executive vice president at AT&T Business in charge of products and platforms, said 5G is inherently secure and doesnt face the interference problems Wi-Fi does, so eventually it will challenge Wi-Fi.

On a continuum of time, absolutely [licensed use] will eventually displace Wi-Fi, he said. When you think about the security aspects of this, the ability to create a much more personalized, low-friction environment for workers becomes a great choice.

Yet Katibeh concedes that, at the moment, 5G and Wi-Fi are more likely to be found working in concert than otherwise, which rings particularly true in light of the nascent state of public 5G coverage in the U.S. Whats more, there has even been a pattern developing around how the two technologies work together.
65 migrants rescued at sea in the Mediterranean have tested positive for coronavirus while being quarantined in Malta.

Maltese authorities say the group of migrants rescued on Sunday tested positive for the coronavirus after being rescued by the country's coastguard.

Twenty of them tested negative and officials are waiting for results on another nine.

65 migrants rescued at sea in the Mediterranean have tested positive for coronavirus while being quarantined in Malta. Above, file image of rescued migrants are seen on an Armed Forces of Malta's vessel after arriving in Senglea, in Valletta's Grand Harbour, on July 27

The migrants were among 94 who were adrift in the Mediterranean Sea for more than 30 hours before Maltese authorities rescued them under intense pressure from aid groups.

They are thought to be from Eritrea, Morocco and Sudan.

The results of the first 85 swab tests showed the vast majority positive for the coronavirus.

The government said those who are positive will be isolated at a reception center, with the others will be quarantined for 14 days.

'Migrants arriving by boat are immediately quarantined for 14 days and tested. The migrants who are positive will continue to be isolated and the rest will remain in quarantine and followed up,' the health ministry said.

The migrants were among 94 who were adrift in the Mediterranean Sea for more than 30 hours. Above, rescued migrants are checked by a UNHCR worker upon arrival in Malta on July 27

'This group arrived in Malta together and were in contact with very few other people before they were tested.'

The incident has brought Malta's total number of active coronavirus cases up to 99, according to AFP news agency.

Malta previously had reported 708 cases of coronavirus and nine deaths, most among permanent Malta residents. Fifty migrants tested positive in March and April.
TRENTON  Six officers were injured, or shaken up, with three still hospitalized, including one in critical condition, following a wild car chase through the city that ended in a serious collision after at least one of the suspects opened fire on cops earlier Tuesday, authorities said.

The crash happened around 2 a.m., authorities said.

Officials said 15-year veteran cop Kevin Starkey, who was driving the police cruiser that was struck, remained in critical condition. Police sources said he suffered a skull fracture from the collision.

Trenton cops Andy Gomez, who pension records shows has less than two years on the job, and Orlando Santiago, in his third year, suffered minor injuries and were treated at the hospital, Trenton Police Lt. Jason Kmiec said.

Starkeys partner, Brandon Walker, sustained serious head injuries and was still hospitalized in stable condition, while Santiago was treated for a head injury and elbow abrasions. Officers Michael Gettler and Jeffery Pownall were evaluated and released.

During an afternoon news conference, Mayor Reed Gusciora lauded the six cops as heroes at a time when many officers are faced with nationwide condemnation and scrutiny following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Theyre testaments of those efforts under police director Sheilah Coley patrolling our neighborhoods and, when necessary, risking their own lives to get these violent criminals and their guns off the street. The weapons seized today are three less that can be used against residents.

The police department displayed replicas of the weapons seized: a FN PS90 sub-gun, a Glock 26 9mm and an AR-15, along with three spent 9mm casings discovered on the front-passenger floorboard, prosecutors said.

The weapons were among the 104 guns that cops have seized this year off the capital streets, as authorities await ballistics results that could tie the weapons to other violent incidents, Coley said.

Thats a lot of guns, people, Coley said. That gives you an idea of the type of firepower thats on the streets and can wreak havoc on the city at any given time.

Trenton has already surpassed the number of homicides it had over the last two years, with 21 about halfway through the year.

Zaire Butler, 19, Nazere Crews, 18, and a 16-year-old boy, all of Trenton, were apprehended after crashing their getaway vehicle, and are expected to face multiple charges, including attempted murder, eluding and weapons offenses. prosecutors said.

Butler and Crews have extensive criminal records that include eluding and weapons offenses, Coley said.

Butler remained hospitalized in critical condition after suffering internal injuries in the crash, prosecutors said. while Crews was still being treated for a fractured femur.

The teen was treated for a fractured wrist and released.

What else could they have been looking for other than trouble and to create mischief and harm to residents of this city, Coley said.

Earlier in the night, Trenton cops learned of a social media post of people with guns driving around the West Ward looking for people to shoot, the prosecutors office said.

An alert about the alleged gunmen was broadcast over the radio system, prosecutors said.

At 2:26 a.m., officers Gettler and Pownall spotted a 2003 red Ford Focus four-door sedan that was reported stolen. They ran the plates and confirmed it was the missing vehicle.

But when they tried to pull over the vehicle on Parkside Avenue, the driver accelerated leading cops on a chase that went through Ewing Township and ended in Trenton.

During the chase, at least one of the suspects opened fire on cops a minimum of four times as they pursued the vehicle past the Home Depot on Olden Avenue in Ewing.

No officers were struck by gunfire and they didnt return fire, prosecutors said.

Coley said the TPD cruiser appeared to have at least two strike marks. One of the shots hit the top light bar before bouncing off the cruisers rooftop, prosecutors said.

Cops later recovered a shell casing and two projectiles at the Home Depot in Ewing, prosecutors said.

Risking their lives, Coley said, the officers continued pursuing the Ford Focus back into Trenton.

The crash occurred at North Olden and North Clinton avenues, where the suspects car collided head-on with Starkeys patrol cruiser, Coley said, then plowed into a white minivan traveling the opposite way.

Coley said the car chase was all captured on either the cops body-worn cameras or dash-cam footage. That footage has not been released.

Officers Santiago and Gomez were injured approaching the vehicle. Santiago slipped on fluids that spilled out from the car crash and cut his elbow. Gomez slashed his hand on broken glass, prosecutors said.

This is a true testament to the fortitude of the Trenton Police department, Coley said about the officers efforts to nab the gunmen.
(This July 29 story corrects first sentence to say "television station" instead of "television journalist," removes tweet by TV reporter in paragraph 2 and replaces it with tweet by TV station, adds follow-up tweet by television station in paragraph 4, corrects source to WCNC in paragraphs 5 and 6 instead of television reporter.)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) A tweet by a North Carolina television station on Wednesday that said President Donald Trump would accept the Republican presidential nomination in Charlotte, North Carolina, on the first night of the party's convention is incorrect, a Fox News reporter said on Twitter, citing unnamed sources.

"#BREAKING: In an exclusive interview with WCNC Charlotte, Vice President Mike Pence said President Trump will make his RNC acceptance speech in Charlotte," the NBC affiliate said on Twitter.

Fox News' White House correspondent John Roberts later said he was told that was not the case, tweeting "Sources tell @FoxNews this tweet is incorrect."

"In a follow-up message to WCNC Charlotte, officials confirmed Trump would accept the nomination in Charlotte but the president has not yet committed to a location for his actual acceptance speech," @WCNC later tweeted.

Pence in the interview makes clear that the nomination would occur in Charlotte, but it left some ambiguity about where and when Trump would accept it.

"Itll be here in North Carolina that were renominated by the Republican Party," Pence told WCNC. "And I know the president -- were all making plans for him to accept that renomination here in Charlotte, to acknowledge the great work of our delegates."

Trump said on Wednesday that he would be nominated on Monday, Aug. 24, in Charlotte, but that he would speak on Thursday, Aug. 27, the convention's final day.

Trump, who had to give up on plans for a packed convention in Florida as coronavirus cases surged there, has fallen back on Charlotte as the main convention location.

Story continues

He has been coy, however, on where he will deliver his acceptance speech.

On Thursday, he told reporters he was still considering where to make it, and said it might even be from the White House.

(Reporting by Tim Ahmann; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Susan Heavey)
A Texas mother was found dead inside an SUV with her two young daughters on Thursday morning, less than 24 hours after they were reported missing.

Authorities believed that the woman likely died of an overdose before her children succumbed to heat stroke as they were trapped inside the vehicle.

Police found the bodies of Natalie Chambers, 31, and her daughters Isabel, 4, and Elise, 2, around 10 a.m. inside a blue Ford Escape in a parking lot at Farmers Branch, near Dallas.

According to MSN, they had last been seen alive Wednesday morning, when they left their home in Forney. Chambers was supposed to take her children to a play date in the nearby town of Grapevine, but they never arrived.

Chambers' family immediately filed a missing persons report with Kauffman County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday afternoon after several calls to Chambers' cell phone went unanswered.

Following concerns from family members, police searched an area, where Chambers might have been traveling. The next day, authorities found the SUV in a parking lot near a furniture store along Midway Road and Interstate 635.

Farmers Branch Police Department Officer Steve Rutherford said police, who found Natalie's SUV, observed that there "were three occupants inside the vehicle and the tragic discovery was made that all three occupants of the vehicle were deceased."

In an inForney.com report, it noted that relatives and law enforcement believed that Chambers likely died from an apparent overdose of an undisclosed substance and her two daughters were likely died as as result of heat stroke after being left in the back of the vehicle amid sweltering heat.

The Fox4 News reported that a nearby worker saw the SUV in the parking lot, but he said it didn't appear anything was "unusual."

"To be honest with you, we didn't see anything wrong, or gunshots or anything like that, nothing unusual," Amado Silva said. He noted that windows were rolled up and they didn't notice there was someone inside or see anything suspicious around the car."

Chambers allegedly had a history of drug and alcohol abuse and recent bouts of depression, according to her family and friends. An unnamed family member said Chambers was an amazing mom, but she recently became more depressed because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Chambers' sister, Jessica Purcell, released a statement to CBS News after the discovery of the bodies.

"We are all devastated that the girls had to witness such a tragedy and suffer themselves," said Purcell. She said she also remembered her sister as a "charismatic" and "hilarious" mother, who loved her daughters.

"I always used to tell her that I am glad she did it first, so I can get parenting tips from her. Elise and Izabel were happy and so very smart and witty," Purcell added.

Surveillance footage obtained by investigators showed that Chambers drove into the parking lot near the furniture store at around 9 a.m. on Wednesday. That afternoon, temperatures soared to 93 degrees.

Authorities said no suspect is being sought at the moment since there were no apparent signs of foul play. They said they still waiting on the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office to determine the cause of death for the family members.

Police said the county's Medical Examiner is expected to complete official autopsy reports this week.

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Appeals against sentence of seven terrorist group members set for September

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

18:58 29/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 29 (RAPSI)  An appeals military court will consider appeals against sentence passed on seven members of a St. Petersburg cell of a group known as Set, meaning Network, banned in Russia as terrorist, on September 2, according to a statement of the advocacy group Agora.

In February, the Privolzhsky District Military Court found Arman Sagynbayev, Dmitry Pchelintsev, Ilya Shakursky, Vasily Kuksov, Andrey Chernov, Mikhail Kulkov, Maxim Ivankin guilty of participation in a terrorist community and sentenced them to jail terms ranging from 6 to 18 years.

According to investigators, the terrorist group members plotted to overthrow the government and commit terrorist attacks.

The defendants pleaded not guilty insisting that earlier confessed under torture.
In commemoration of World Hepatitis Day, a coalition of medical volunteer groups have conducted free hepatitis screening for children and adolescents at Ilaje community, Bariga, Lagos.

The medical volunteer groups which comprise Neo-Child Initiative, Health Drive Nigeria, Fola David Foundation and DOCi Initiative, sensitised residents on how to prevent Hepatitis and called for the support of the government in vaccinating against the illness.

During the free screening and campaign against hepatitis on Tuesday, about 200 children and adolescents were screened for the disease.

World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is marked on July 28 every year to create more awareness on hepatitis and ways to reduce the burden. WHD 2020 is tagged Hepatitis-free future.

Nigerias health minister, Osagie Ehanire, said on Tuesday that about 20 million Nigerians are chronically infected with hepatitis B and C.

Screening

The Acting Team Lead of the medical volunteers, Nimat Anibaba, said two out of the 200 children screened were positive. She said those who tested positive will be referred to the Primary Health Centre in the Local Council Development Area and vaccinated against hepatitis.

Volunteers screening children and adolescents

Miss Anibaba said the screening and campaign against hepatitis is in line with the focus of the organisation.

In line with the objectives of the organisation which caters for the health and education of the Nigerian children, the project was divided into two major aspects which include health and education.

The health section screened children while the education aspect gave health and awareness talks to the children and their mothers, she said.

Residents screened for hepatitis

Miss Anibaba solicited support from sponsors to enable the organisation to facilitate a Post Health Education Intervention Research.

Speaking at the campaign, the project manager, Obehioye Aimiosior, said there is a need for more awareness and funding for immunization against the viral illness.

The attention on COVID-19 has caused a shift from other illnesses which are just as serious or even that are even more serious, she said.

She called on the government and other stakeholders to pay attention to education on hepatitis and vaccination against the disease.

Campaign against hepatitis

Tamilore Oyewumi, a medical volunteer at the campaign, said hepatitis is one of the diseases people know little or nothing about, despite its widespread.

Ms Oyewumi said although hepatitis has symptoms like malaria, it is easily spread more than HIV and malaria, but many people do not know about it.

Symptoms of Hepatitis are similar to malaria so it is important to screen and get them immunised against the disease in order to get them treated early enough.

The group called for more awareness on hepatitis as carriers of this deadly disease are most ignorant of the disease which can cause a potential death.
 Flash

For the United Kingdom, China has always been an opportunity rather than a threat, a complement rather than a decrement, a solution rather than a challenge or risk, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

In a phone conversion with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Wang said that both China and the United Kingdom are permanent members of the UN Security Council, influential countries in the world and have huge space and potential for cooperation in international affairs.

The two sides should strengthen communication and coordination and assume due international responsibilities and obligations, he said.

The current China-UK relations have encountered obstacles and interference, Wang said, adding that some people in the United Kingdom demand the "reset" of bilateral ties in an attempt to overthrow the two countries' cooperation, which will only see the relationship hit a dead end.

At the crossroads of China-UK relations, both sides should remain rational and mature, abide by the basic norms of international relations, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and maintain political foundations of bilateral relations, he said.

On the issue of Hong Kong, Wang reiterated China's principled position, pointing out that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs.

This is a matter of principle, he said.

The United Kingdom's recent series of words and deeds regarding China's national security legislation for Hong Kong violated the basic norms of international relations, which China firmly opposes, Wang said.

The formulation and implementation of China's national security legislation for Hong Kong aim to improve the rule of law in Hong Kong, and to ensure the steady and sustained development of "one country, two systems" on the track of the rule of law, which is in full compliance with the Constitution and the Basic Law, he said.

The legislation not only contributes to the prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, but also is conducive to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of all foreign companies and personnel in Hong Kong, he added.

Regarding the 5G issue, Wang said that China and the United Kingdom share consensus on providing a level playing field for all enterprises based on the principle of marketization.

Regrettably, under pressure and coercion from a certain country, the United Kingdom has politicized business issues and discriminates against Chinese companies, Wang said.

China calls on the British side to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory investment environment for all companies including Chinese ones, and to rebuild Chinese companies' confidence in the British market, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:27:32|Editor: huaxia

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Turkey's Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy attends the online ceremony on July 28, 2020. (Xinhua)

The WeChat Pay, run by Chinese tech giant Tencent, is launched in Turkey, an important destination for Chinese tourists, which further strengthens economic cooperation between the two countries.

ISTANBUL, July 28 (Xinhua) -- China's third-party payment platform WeChat Pay, run by Chinese tech giant Tencent, was launched in Turkey on Tuesday.

Speaking at an online signing ceremony, Turkey's Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the payment service is first offered in Turkey's Istanbul Airport, and later it will be used in different parts of the country.

He said Turkey is an important destination for Chinese tourists and the system will make the visit of Chinese travelers to Turkey more comfortable.

Cui Wei, the Chinese consul general in Istanbul, said the project further strengthened the economic cooperation between the two countries.

Last year, 426,000 Chinese tourists visited Turkey, with an 8.2 percent year-on-year increase, he said.

The WeChat Pay was introduced to Turkey with a joint effort of the Turkish subsidiary of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Tencent, according to a press release issued after the ceremony.

The Istanbul Airport served 64 million passengers over the last year after it became operational in April 2019. 
This is the horrifying moment two migrants trying to get to the UK clambered out of the roof box of a British car after being taken 100 miles in the wrong direction further into France.

The teenagers, believed to be from Eritrea and Guinea, had broken into the box and dumped most of its contents in Calais believing the BMW 4x4 was heading over the Channel.

But the family, from the Midlands, had actually stopped for the night on their way to the French Atlantic coast near Nantes for their summer holidays and got a shock when they pulled over in a service station.

The extraordinary moment the migrants got out of the roof box believing they had made it to Britain was filmed by the daughter in the family, who was shaking with fear.

Her father, Colin, then explodes with rage as one of the young men, both believed to be 16, knocks a laptop on to the ground and he yells: 'What the f*** are you doing you f***ing t**t - you've broken this you c**t. F***ing get out of my sight'.

He continues: 'Have you nicked anything? Where's all our stuff?' before demanding the migrants prove they are empty handed as his wife screams: 'Where are the keys?'

Pointing his finger at one of the men he says: 'Come here and empty your pockets' but the two men say nothing, put up their hoods and head towards the motorway via a hedge.

This is the moment two migrants climbed from the roof box and slid down the side of a British BMW believing they were in the UK - only to discover they had gone further into France

The driver went berserk when one of the stowaways knocked a laptop onto the ground as he clambered out

The migrants believed they were sneaking into Britain - but in fact the British tourists were off to Vendee on their summer holidays

He then asks his wife: 'What's still in there' and she screams: 'There's nothing there!'

Colin then inspects the car for the laptops and then looks in the box and says: 'All the wood's gone', and his daughter squeals in anguish and begins to shake with shock.

Do you know the family? Email martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk or tips@dailymail.com Advertisement

The family called the police who arrived swiftly and found the stowaways nearby.

The young men from Africa were taken to a nearby charity for migrants, but they reportedly refused to help.

A police source told The Sun: 'The British couple are from central England and had stopped for the night in Calais for the night after arriving on the Eurotunnel.

'The next morning they got up and started driving towards the Vendee for their holiday when after about 100 miles they heard noises and so they pulled over at a service station.

''Police were called and a motorcycle unit arrived on scene and when they opened the box they found the two sixteen year old migrants - one from Guinea and one from Eritrea.

'The two migrants had seen the British registered BMW and assumed it was going back to Britain but instead it was heading away into France. The local prosecutor has been informed as the couple filed a complaint about their stolen belongings'.

The family's father, in the blue shirt, demands one of the young men turns out his pockets as his wife has her head in her hands

The two young men don't say a word, put up their hoods and sidle off towards a hedge but were later picked up by police. They were not detained and were handed to a charity for migrants

The number of migrants who have reached the UK after travelling across the Channel this year surged past 3,000 last week.

At least 15 small vessels were intercepted by authorities after calm weather conditions led to a flurry of activity on the world's busiest shipping route.

Up to 2,994 people had already made the perilous trip to the UK by Monday, largely in flimsy inflatable dinghies arranged by criminal human trafficking gangs in France.

The number of migrant arrivals on the Channel, up from 1,850 in 2019, has prompted a diplomatic war of words between France and the UK over how to tackle the issue.

After at least 500 migrant crossings last week, another large-scale rescue operation was launched yesterday involving three Border Force vessels.

The Coastguard said that it had deployed its fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter due to a 'significant number of incidents' off the Kent coast.

Witnesses described seeing a heavily pregnant woman being rescued from one vessel along with two toddlers, another woman and five men.

A young child is carried by a Border Force officer as a group of migrants are brought onto the shore at Dover in Kent last week

Hundreds of boats believed to have been used in past attempts are being stored at a high-security government compound in Dover (pictured)

The number of people crossing the Channel has continued to rise over the last 18 months despite a promise by Priti Patel in October to all but stop the issue.

Tensions about how to control illegal immigration on the Channel were inflamed last week when the Home Secretary sought to blame France for failing to stop boats just 250 yards from its coast.

She said that French patrol vessels will intervene to stop migrant boats only if they are seen to be sinking - and not to prevent illegal crossings.

But Calais MP Pierre-Henri Dumont urged Priti Patel to 'face the truth' as he denied her claims, saying that authorities in France had intercepted boats on a daily basis.

He said more boats had departed French shores in the first six months of the year than in the whole of 2019.
She's jetted off on her first holiday abroad with her husband Hugo Taylor and baby girl Sienna as a family-of-three.

And Millie Mackintosh looked every inch the yummy mummy as she uploaded stunning bikini shots from her five-star hotel Andronis Luxury Suites in Santorini on Wednesday morning.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 31, who welcomed her daughter two months ago, showcased her impressive postpartum figure in a black two-piece by KYMINA swim.

Radiant: Millie Mackintosh looked every inch the yummy mummy as she uploaded stunning bikini shots from her five-star hotel Andronis Luxury Suites in Santorini on Wednesday

Highlighting her physique, the first-time mum looked as radiant as ever in her swimwear, which featured a tie-front bralet and high-waisted bottoms.

'Love how this bikini can be worn up or down', Millie penned while posing in her walk-in wardrobe.

The make-up artist shielded her eyes from the sun in a pair of thick-framed shades by Prive Revaux, while letting her skin breathe by going make-up free.

Looking good: The former Made In Chelsea star, 31, who welcomed her daughter Sienna two months ago, showcased her postpartum figure in a black two-piece by KYMINA swim

Hot mama: Highlighting her physique, the first-time mum looked as radiant as ever in her swimwear, which featured a tie-front bralet and high-waisted bottoms

Her happy place: She's jetted off on her first holiday abroad with her husband Hugo Taylor and baby girl Sienna as a family-of-three

Style savvy: The make-up artist shielded her eyes from the sun in a pair of thick-framed shades by Prive Revaux and sported a necklace which featured her daughter's name

'My perfect view': In another picture shared by the London native, businessman Hugo went shirtless as he chilled by the pool

Idyllic: Millie treated her social media followers to a glimpse of her scenic getaway

'Ideal to keep her entertained': The media personality also shared an image of the captain calamari toy Sienna is 'obsessed with'

On Tuesday, Millie uploaded a sweet snap of herself breastfeeding her daughter Sienna during her baby's first flight.

Proving safety comes first, she sported a protective face mask as she thanked British Airways staff for their help during their 'smooth' journey.

The media personality, who has been vocal about urging others to 'normalise breastfeeding', appeared in great spirits as she nursed her little one.

At peace: On Tuesday, Millie uploaded a sweet snap of herself breastfeeding her daughter Sienna during her baby's first flight

Sharing her delight at her relaxing trip from London Heathrow Airport, the TV star said: 'Our first experience @heathrow_airport with Sienna went really smoothly, everyone had masks on and kept their distance.

'Planning on feeding at take off and landing to help with her ears.' (sic)

The blonde posted another photo of herself cuddling up to the sunglasses entrepreneur and their bundle of joy as she revealed her newborn slept throughout the flight.

She said: 'We made it! No tears on the flight she mainly slept and @british_airways staff were really helpful.' (sic)

'We made it!' The TV star posted another photo of herself cuddling up to the sunglasses entrepreneur and their bundle of joy

Radiant: Millie was a vision in a billowing cream maxi dress with bardot sleeves as she posed for snaps on her family holiday

On 4 July, travel advice in the UK changed, with exemptions for going on holiday to certain countries and territories that no longer pose a high risk for British travellers.

Earlier this month, the socialite said she is coming to terms with the physical changes to her body since giving birth.

Speaking to Glamour, she insisted the contrast between her pre and post pregnancy appearance is akin to looking at two completely different people.

'I've started walking every day, I've started doing a bit of strength training again and it's nice to feel like I'm just getting stronger,' Millie said of her post-partum exercise routine.

Honest: Earlier this month, the blonde beauty said she is coming to terms with the physical changes to her body since giving birth

'I just don't like the term, 'getting my body back,' because I think it's a new body, it's different, you've given birth. So, it's not your old body anymore.'

While she's fully embraced parenthood in the weeks following Sienna's birth, the influencer admitted the coronavirus pandemic prompted inevitable uncertainty regarding what would happen when she finally went into labour.

Reflecting on the anxious build up to her daughter's arrival, the mother-of-one revealed there was uncertainty regarding whether or not Hugo would even be allowed into the hospital.

'That was one of the ways it did really affect me - just not knowing would Hugo be able to be there for the birth or not,' she explained.

'I was so glad that Hugo was there, and it was the most incredible moment of my life. I'm really lucky that during coronavirus I gave birth and still managed for it to be a really positive experience.'

Millie is now looking ahead to raising Sienna, and freely admits her daughter has given her a new lease of life.
Emmy Rossum added a much-needed explanation to the viral black and white challenge, which has gone viral on Instagram.

With little context or uniformity apart from using the caption 'Challenge accepted' and hashtag #womensupportingwomen, the 33-year-old Shameless actress clarified the important origins of new social media's latest challenge.

'Let's know the WHY behind social media 'challenges' and not let our desire for cute black and white selfies erase the original intent. Glad someone alerted me to the real reason for this challenge,' Rossum captioned a series of informational Instagram snaps on Tuesday.

Speaking up: Emmy Rossum added a much-needed explanation to the viral black and white challenge, which has gone viral on Instagram (seen in October)

In an effort to promote positivity and female empowerment amid the pandemic, women have been sharing monochrome photos of themselves across social media.

But, as Rossum points out, these 'empowerment' selfies have inadvertently buried a powerful Turkish women's rights campaign.

The actress explains, 'Turkish people wake up every day to see a black and white photo of a woman who has been murdered on their Instagram feed, on their newspapers, on their TV screens.'

Reminder: With little context or uniformity apart from using the caption 'Challenge accepted' and hashtag #womensupportingwomen, the 33-year-old Shameless star provided an important explanation behind the new social media challenge

'The black and white photo challenge started as a way for women to raise their voice. To stand in solidarity with the women we have lost. To show that one day, it could be their picture that is plastered across news outlets,' she noted in a series of slides, which she shared from Turkish Twitter user, @imaann_patel.

Like the Showtime star, Sophia Bush also took the time to inform her nearly four million Instagram followers about Turkey's devastatingly high femicide rates.

She pointed out that 'with more than 500 murders of women recorded in 2019,' the country has 'one of the highest global rates of #femicide' and is 'attempting to abolish certain aspects of the Istanbul Convention, which are meant to protect women from domestic violence.'

'Let's know the WHY behind social media 'challenges' and not let our desire for cute black and white selfies erase the original intent. Glad someone alerted me to the real reason for this challenge

'This reprehensible action would quite literally make murdering women easier. Women in Turkey are protesting the lack of action or punishment for these murders by their government,' the One Tree Hill alum continued.

'They are protesting because every day they wake up to see black & white photos of women who've been murdered on the news,' Sophia pointed out. 'The Instagram action was intended to show the Turkish government that all women know it could be them, their picture on the news, next.'

She paired her lengthy captioned with a a black and white photo of Breonna Taylor, who was murdered by police officers in her home in Louisville, Kentucky earlier this year.

In memory: Bush paired her lengthy captioned with a a black and white photo of Breonna Taylor, who was murdered by police officers in her home in Louisville, Kentucky earlier this year

Bush explained her choice to post Taylor, writing, 'I'll say #challengeaccepted for #BreonnaTaylor. She was murdered. In her bed. By the police. 200 days ago. And not one of those men has been arrested for killing her. Brett Hankison, Jonathan Mattingly, & Myles Cosgrove need to be arrested & charged.'

Then, she went on to 'challenge' Attorney General Daniel Cameron to 'pursue justice in this case' and arrest her 'killers.'

'For Breonna, and for our sisters in Turkey, I chant again today 'NO JUSTICE NO PEACE!' #justiceforbreonnataylor #blacklivesmatter #Turkey,' Sophia concluded.
Turkey has passed a social media law that human rights groups warn could lead to harsh censorship and further erode the ability of Turks to voice dissent.

The law, passed early on Wednesday with the approval of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ultra-nationalist junior partners, forces social media companies with more than 1 million local daily users to set up offices or hire a Turkish representative, and store data inside the country.

Those that fail to comply face fines of up to 40 million Turkish lira (4.4m), bandwidth reductions and bans on advertising. In addition, platform providers will be responsible for responding to requests for content removal within 48 hours.

Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had pushed for the law after his daughter and son-in-law, who is a cabinet minister, were subject to abuse on social media after posting about their newborn child.

Perhaps the most threatening measure is the requirement for social media platforms to store data on individual users within Turkey, potentially giving the government access to the private information of anonymous accounts.

The social media law is part of what critics have described as a harsh authoritarian turn for Turkey under Mr Erdogan. Up to 2019, Turkey had blocked more than 400,000 websites, according to the international freedom of expression group Article 19.

At the same time, the law is emblematic of the governments frustrations and fumbling in its attempts to control the media narrative. As Mr Erdogans allies have taken control of mainstream print and broadcast outlets, young people in Turkey have turned away from them in droves, towards social media and hashtag politics.

One social media user warned that Mr Erdogan was only further alienating Turkeys youth by attempting to restrict their virtual hangouts at a time of overlapping economic and public health crises.

The youth of the country does not have jobs, said the user writing on the wildly popular Eksi Sozluk messaging board.

Those children have no hope. The only joy left in the hands of those hopeless children is to relax on Twitter and watch things they cannot do due to poverty on YouTube. Young people will not forget this and will make you pay the price at the ballot box.

A report last year said that three-quarters of Turks under 75 years old were using the internet, and that was before the coronavirus pandemic drove even more people online.

The government has attempted to engage with young people via social media, but has stumbled badly. Mr Erdogan recently gave an interview over YouTube, but his team was forced to shut down the comments as the page was flooded with insults and dislikes.

Twitter last month shut down more than 7,000 accounts it described as state-directed propaganda glorifying Mr Erdogan.

Supporters of the law said that it would shield Turkish citizens from reputational damage. There is a choice here, attorney Aydin Egemen told the pro-government news channel CNN Turk. If the state is a state, no Turkish citizen is different from any citizen in the US or Spain and the state needs to provide full protection. This law provides this.

The Turkish government is attempting to blackmail tech companies into accepting their proposals. They face either becoming the long arm of the state censorship or having access to their platforms slowed so much that they are in effect blocked in Turkey. Sarah Clarke, Article 19

However, domestic and international criticism of the law has been harsh. The International Press Institute said the law is poised to greatly expand digital censorship and threaten media freedom, warning that it could lead to prosecutions of critical voices, including independent journalists who have been forced to move to platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram after being fired or blacklisted from mainstream print and broadcast outlets.

This law brings the Turkish censorship regime into the social media space, IPIs deputy director, Scott Griffen, said in a statement.

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are yet to comment.

In recent years, social media companies have refused to abide by rules set in countries such Russia, India and Indonesia.

Restrictions on social media have largely failed in other countries. Iranians, faced with draconian censorship on the web, have become experts at using internet tunnelling software to circumvent the bans. Many migrate to messaging-based platforms such as Telegram that are more difficult to control.

The Turkish government is attempting to blackmail tech companies into accepting their proposals, Sarah Clarke of Article 19 said in a statement. They face either becoming the long arm of the state censorship or having access to their platforms slowed so much that they are in effect blocked in Turkey.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:03:53|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Russian law enforcers have "suppressed the activities" of a group of supporters of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said Wednesday.

The group, from a Central Asian country, planned to murder Russian servicemen and law enforcement officials and then travel to the Middle East to join the IS, the FSB said in a statement.

Operating in Russia's second largest city of St. Petersburg, the perpetrators were raising funds for the IS, the service said, adding that law enforcers are investigating if the group promulgated terrorism and recruited Russian citizens.

Means of communication and bank cards used in criminal activities were seized at the perpetrators' residence, it added. Enditem
With the plan ready to go as classrooms were prepared and all safety precautions put in place, Price sent a survey to the districts families last week to find out how they felt. In the first 48 hours, he learned enough, sending a letter to families telling them school will open virtually.
Border soldiers and police in northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on Monday caught three groups of people trying to illegally enter China.

People who tried to illegally cross border have been taken to a local police station. VNA/VNS Photo

In total, 41 people were stopped from crossing the border.

The first group, including three women living in the south, was found while trying to cross the border in Meo Vac District.

They told police someone on a social network promised to help them cross to find work, but when they reached the border, no one was waiting to help them.

When the group were found by police in the forest, it was discovered they had not eaten for two days.

Eight other men hailing from Lai Chau Province were also caught by police just as they had crossed into China.

Police also found a group of 30 people living in caves close to the border waiting for the chance to cross.

According to Xin Cai border soldiers, in only one week, they discovered 51 people illegally crossing borders and four others who helped with crossing to escape from quarantine.

Since February, about 3,000 people have been discovered to illegally travelling both to China and from China to Vietnam in Meo Vac District.

In another move, nine people who took a boat from Tonle Sap, Cambodia to illegally enter Tri An Lake, southern Dong Nai Province of Vietnam on Monday evening, have been taken to hospital for quarantine.

Police in Quang Nam Province have also started investigation into a criminal case in which 21 Chinese nationals illegally entered Vietnam.

The investigation will look into brokering illegal entry, exit, or stay in Vietnam and paying bribes to gain entry.

The Chinese were found to stay at a hotel in Dien Ban Town and did not follow local authorities orders. Some even escaped.

Local police traced and took 21 people to quarantine. VNS
OFALLON, Mo. - The popular Missouri tourist town of Branson will require face coverings in most public places in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, despite the objections of many, including comedian Yakov Smirnoff.

Meanwhile, Missouri set another one-day record Wednesday for new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, the 10th time this month that a new daily record has been reached.

Smirnoff, who operates a successful theatre in Branson, told the Board of Aldermen Tuesday night that the mask ordinance would make his adopted home more like his native land, Russia, the Springfield News-Leader reported.

Im hoping that you can make this an island of freedom and choice in the sea of hatred and fear, Smirnoff said, drawing applause from many in the crowd.

Nevertheless, the board voted 4-1 to approve the ordinance, which requires face coverings for people ages 13 and older, with some exceptions.

Missouri reopened its economy in mid-June and has seen a big surge in confirmed coronavirus cases this month  so much so that a new federal report lists Missouri as among 21 states in the red zone for the outbreak. Those states are reporting more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson has refused to issue a statewide mask mandate, but several jurisdictions across the state have enacted their own.

Some places are going even further. Starting Friday, St. Louis County is limiting crowd sizes, ordering bars to close early and getting tough on businesses that ignore the guidelines. Kansas City is considering similar measures.

The state health department reported 1,927 new confirmed cases of the virus on Wednesday, topping the daily record of 1,773 set a day earlier. The state also announced seven more deaths.

All told, 46,750 Missourians have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and 1,220 have died. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
HANGZHOU, China, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) ("BEST" or the "Company"), a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China, today announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020, after the U.S. market closes on Monday, August 17, 2020.

The Company will hold a conference call to discuss the financial results at 9:00pm U.S. Eastern Time on Monday, August 17, 2020, or 9:00am Beijing Time on Tuesday, August 18, 2020.

Participants may access the call by dialing the following numbers:

United States: +1-888-317-6003 Hong Kong: 800-963976 or +852-58081995 China: 4001-206115 International: +1-412-317-6061 Participant Elite Entry Number: 7770489

A replay of the conference call will be accessible through August 24, 2020 by dialing the following numbers:

United States: +1-877-344-7529 International: +1-412-317-0088 Replay Access Code 10146908

Please visit the Company's investor relations website http://ir.best-inc.com/ to view the earnings release prior to the conference call. A live and archived webcast of the conference call and a presentation will also be available at the same site.

ABOUT BEST INC.

BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) is a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China. Through its proprietary technology platform and extensive networks, BEST offers a comprehensive set of logistics and value-add services, including express and freight delivery, supply chain management and last-mile services, truckload service brokerage, international logistics and financial services. BEST's mission is to empower business and enrich life by leveraging technology and business model innovation to create a smarter, more efficient supply chain. For more information, please visit: http://www.best-inc.com/en/.

INVESTOR AND MEDIA CONTACTS

BEST Inc.

Investor Relations Team

E-mail: [email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Yang Song

Tel: +86-10-6508-0677

E-mail: [email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Brandi Piacente

Tel: +1-212-481-2050

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE BEST Inc.

Related Links

https://www.best-inc.com/


With 100,000 students spread between three universities, Manchester boasts one of the largest student populations of any city in Europe. The University of Manchester, is the city's main student hive with the main campus located on Oxford Road and further buildings in the city centre.

A stone's throw away from The University of Manchester, also on Oxford Road, is MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University), while The University of Salford lies a five minute bus ride out of the other side of the city centre.

The city's nightlife caters for all with numerous bars and nightclubs that put on nights dedicated to house, garage, funk, indie, hip hop and loads more. Manchester's clubbing scene is steeped in history and even in the wake of the Hacienda's closure it still boasts some of the country's best-known clubs.

Freshers' week brings with it night after night of partying so keep a keen eye on our Fresher's Guide to find out which of the city's hottest nights you should be heading down to.

After Fresher's Week is done be sure to visit our Manchester What's On Guide and make sure you get the most out of Manchester.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 05:58:32|Editor: huaxia

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Abdullah Ali Fadhel Al-Saadi, permanent representative of Yemen to the United Nations, addresses a Security Council meeting on the situation in Yemen at the UN headquarters in New York, on July 28, 2020. The prolonged UN-brokered peace talks between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels might fail, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths warned on Tuesday. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The prolonged UN-brokered peace talks between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels might fail, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths warned on Tuesday.

"There is a real risk that these negotiations will slip away, and that Yemen will enter a new phase of prolonged escalation, of the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, and of severe and threatening economic decline," Griffiths told the Security Council in a briefing.

He said he still has hopes, but does not want to "sugarcoat things."

Negotiations aimed at a nationwide cease-fire, economic and humanitarian measures, and the resumption of the political process to comprehensively end the conflict, have been ongoing for four months. Both parties have provided feedback on various drafts and proposals. But they have yet to reach agreement on a final text, said Griffiths.

The process has been long and challenging. It has experienced bursts of momentum, as well as very significant hurdles, he noted.

This is perhaps normal for any mediation process that addresses issues of great importance to the parties. But it is important that both parties continue to engage in the process. The negotiations must be concluded before the window of opportunity closes, warned Griffiths.

"As a mediator, not as a negotiator, as a mediator, I continue to attempt to bridge the divides between the parties' positions. And I hope that they will make the compromises necessary to reach their agreement -- not mine -- their agreement between them that meets the aspirations of the Yemeni people."

The United Nations is committed to doing all that it can to support the parties to reach an agreement that puts Yemen on the path toward a peaceful and prosperous future, he said.

Griffiths called on all UN member states and countries that have an interest in the stability and future of the region to lend their full support to persuade all involved to move forward with speed to a successful conclusion of the peace negotiations.

But ultimately, the responsibility lies with the parties to bring these negotiations to a successful close. The coming period will test the parties' political will to bring forward a breakthrough, he said.

Griffiths voiced deep concern about the overall situation in Yemen.

The military situation has not improved over the past month, and the indicators on the economy are all pointing in the wrong direction, he said.

Food prices are rising. The currency is depreciating. Most Yemenis do not have enough money in their pockets to meet their basic needs, he said.

There are no quick fixes to Yemen's economic problems. But the parties need to agree on steps to keep the economy out of the conflict. It is the people of Yemen who suffer where the economy is weaponized and politicized, he said.

It is essential that all obstacles to imports and the domestic distribution of fuel and other goods vital for the civilian population be removed, he said.

There has been no progress with regard to the Safer, the decaying oil tanker that threatens to spill over a million barrels of oil into the Red Sea, he said.

Although the Houthi rebel authorities, at the beginning of this month, confirmed in writing that they would authorize a UN-supervised technical mission to the tanker, the United Nations is still awaiting the permissions necessary for this team to deploy, he said. Enditem
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / GlobeX Data Ltd. (OTCQB:SWISF) (CSE:SWIS) ("GlobeX" or the "Company"), the leader in Swiss hosted cyber security and Internet privacy solutions for secure data management and secure communications, is pleased to announce that a report issued by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) advised that Investors should consider U.S. technology stocks with high International exposures. The report has been published on Bloomberg.com on July 26 2020 and can be seen by clicking this link Bloomberg.com Goldman Sachs Group report. The report validates GlobeX's strategy to develop its channel distribution in over 20 countries spanning all continents of the globe.

In the last twelve months, GlobeX Data has signed distribution agreements in over 20 countries located in North America, Central America, The Caribbean, South America, South and South East Asia, Australasia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In Central and Latin America alone, the Company has agreements in place to sell its solutions in 11 countries. In the Middle East, the Company is engaged in distribution in most of the G.C.C. countries and is planning to sign more agreements in the next coming weeks and months, in order to cover the entire Arab Gulf region and several countries in Africa. In Canada, where GlobeX has its headquarters in Toronto, the Company is preparing a campaign with its distributor Darn IT Group once the launch of GlobeX's latest secure communications application Sekur is official.

Additional to its global footprint of distribution, GlobeX Data has offices in Mexico, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Switzerland, and is planning to open a representative office in India later this year. The Company's Mexico office handles all of Central and Latin America's business. Its main offices are in Toronto, Canada and its subsidiary's office are in New York, USA.

Alain Ghiai, CEO of GlobeX Data said: "We have spent the last 12 months building our International network of distributors and are expecting to see the first revenues by Q4 2020. COVID-19 has delayed the completion of sales in the Emerging Markets by about nine months, however, we are seeing some rapid increases in activity in South Asia with other regions showing signs of early business activity. We expect to ramp sales by Q4 2020 and go in full force mode in 2021. Most of the Emerging Markets are just re-opening their economies and all are embracing WFH mode so this is going to be a very good boost for our remote work security solutions. Based to what we hear from our distributors, we expect that recurring sales from the Emerging Markets alone would exceed USD 1,000,000 in 2021 (based on approx. 12,500 subscribers paying USD 80/year/user) resulting in a company wide net profit of USD 700,000 for the year based on our expected company wide expenses for 2021 of USD 300,000. Sales for 2022 are expected to double the previous year with Company expenses maintained at around USD 500,000 for all of 2022. Our strategy was to spread our geographic risk in all five continents spanning over 20 countries. This permits GlobeX to have a variety of economies contributing to its sales and bottom line. Cybersecurity is a global phenomenon and we want to be present globally in order to help businesses worldwide fight cyber crime and protect their data."

In addition to International sales, GlobeX is planning to launch its Sekur encrypted email and messaging solution to millions of business users in the USA through direct email campaign and social media in September of this year. It is also preparing a campaign to launch a channel distribution program in the USA and Canada as well.

GlobeX's Data privacy solutions are all hosted in Switzerland, protecting users' data from any outside data intrusion requests. In Switzerland, the right to privacy is guaranteed in article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The Federal Act on Data Protection ("FADP") of 19 June 1992 (in force since 1993) has set up a strict protection of privacy by prohibiting virtually any processing of personal data which is not expressly authorized by the data subjects. The protection is subject to the authority of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner.

Under Swiss federal law, it is a crime to publish information based on leaked "secret official discussions." In 2010 the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland found that IP addresses are personal information and that under Swiss privacy laws they may not be used to track Internet usage without the knowledge of the individuals involved.

About GlobeX Data Ltd.

GlobeX Data Ltd. is a Cybersecurity and Internet privacy provider of Swiss hosted solutions for secure data management and secure communications. The Company distributes a suite of secure cloud-based storage, disaster recovery, document management, encrypted e-mails, and secure communication tools. GlobeX Data Ltd. sells its products through its approved wholesalers and distributors, and telecommunications companies worldwide. GlobeX Data Ltd. serves consumers, businesses and governments worldwide.



On behalf of Management

GLOBEX DATA LTD.

Alain Ghiai

President and Chief Executive Officer

+1.416.644.8690

corporate@globexdatagroup.com

For more information please contact GlobeX Data at corporate@globexdatagroup.com or visit us at https://globexdatagroup.com.



For more information on Sekur visit us at: https://www.sekur.com .

For more information on DigitalSafe visit us at: https://digitalsafe.com.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guaranteeing future performance. GlobeX cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond GlobeX's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the future of the Company's business; the success of marketing and sales efforts of the Company; the projections prepared in house and projections delivered by channel partners; the Company's ability to complete the necessary software updates; increases in sales as a result of investments software development technology; consumer interest in the Products; future sales plans and strategies; reliance on large channel partners and expectations of renewals to ongoing agreements with these partners; anticipated events and trends; the economy and other future conditions; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in GlobeX's prospectus dated May 8, 2019 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available on www.sedar.com. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, GlobeX undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

SOURCE: GlobeX Data Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599413/Goldman-Sachs-Report-on-Foreign-Exposed-Techs-Beneficial-for-GlobeX-Data
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / Silver Range Resources Ltd. (TSXV:SNG) ("Silver Range") announces that it has consolidated the historic Gold Point district in southwestern Nevada and optioned the project to GGL Resources Corp.

The Gold Point District

Gold Point is a high-grade gold and silver mining district, about 26 miles south of Goldfield and 43 miles northwest of Beatty. The district was discovered in 1868 and became known as Hornsilver following the discovery of bonanza grade chlorargyrite in 1908. As mining progressed to depth, gold predominated and the district was renamed Gold Point in the 1930's. Underground mining of higher-grade portions of the veins in the district occurred intermittently between 1882 and 1962. The last operation ceased with the closure of their mill at Silver Peak. Total historic production to date in the district has been estimated at approximately 74,000 oz gold equivalent, silver being included in earlier production records.

Gold occurs in mesothermal orogenic or intrusion related quartz-limonite-hematite veins. The veins occur in a west-northwest striking structural corridor extending at least 4 km from Mount Dunfee to west of the town of Gold Point. The veins are subparallel to the structural trend, dip moderately to steeply northeast and generally rake east in the plane of the controlling structures. The most significant mining occurred on the Great Western, Welcome Stranger (Townsite) and Orleans veins. These were high grading operations, mining material averaging about 29 g/t Au at a 10 g/t Au cutoff. The higher-grade portions of the veins ranged in width from around 1.5 m to 7 m with stopes up to 13 m on the Great Western and Orleans veins. Stope maps indicate abundant lower grade mineralization was left behind in the ribs and backs. The gold mineralization persists to depth with material averaging 10.7 g/t Au collected in 35 samples from the 900' through 1020' levels of the Orleans veins following mining. There has been no significant modern exploration or drilling in the core of the Gold Point district since mining ceased due to fragmented mineral tenure.

Consolidation

Silver Range has forged an alliance with Nevada Rand LLC ("Nevada Rand") to consolidate the major past producing mines and prospects in the Gold Point district. Nevada Rand is a family-owned, underground mining contracting firm, well experienced in narrow vein high grading operations. Since the 1990's, they have acquired historic data and consolidated claim holdings covering the Great Western and Orleans veins and most of the Townsite Vein. Silver Range's East Gold Point project is southeast of Nevada Rand's claims and covers the eastern extension of the structural corridor hosting the gold bearing veins at Gold Point. The Lucky Boy shaft on the East Gold Point project was sunk where float containing visible gold was found and the Hornsilver America shaft at the southeastern end of the East Gold Point property hosts gold bearing veins which returned up to 13.8 g/t Au in recent sampling. Silver Range and Nevada Rand staked and jointly own buffer claims between their respective land positions. They have been aggressively marketing the Gold Point project, seeking an opportunity to apply modern exploration technology to finding new resources in this historic high-grade gold district.

More information on the Gold Point Project including a short video presentation can be found on Silver Range's website at www.silverrangeresources.com.

Gold Point Property option

The Gold Point Project has been optioned to GGL Resources Corp. (TSX.V - GGL) ("GGL"). GGL has entered into three option agreements in respect of contiguous parcels of federal lode mining claims near Gold Point in Esmeralda County, Nevada (hereinafter called the "Project Area").

The first option agreement is with Silver Range in respect of the EGP property, consisting of 39 federal lode mining claims, and provides that GGL has the right to earn a 75% interest therein by making cash payments totaling CAD$180,000 and incurring aggregate expenditures on, in or under the Project Area of an aggregate of CAD$1,500,000 on or before July 31, 2023. Upon making these payments and incurring these expenditures, GGL will have earned a 75% interest in and to the EGP property and will enter into a 75% / 25% joint venture with Silver Range for the further exploration and development of the property. Upon exercising the option, Silver Range will be entitled to receive a one-time cash payment of US$4.00 per ounce based on the number of ounces of gold identified in the earlier of a measured or indicated mineral resource, or a proven or a probable mineral reserve, as contained in a NI 43-101 compliant technical report applicable to the EGP property.

The second option agreement is with Nevada Rand and entitles GGL to acquire a 100% interest in the LBD property, consisting of 10 federal lode mining claims, by making cash payments totaling US$1,000,000 and incurring expenditures on, in or under the Project Area of not less than US$850,000 on or before July 31, 2025. This option agreement also provides that Nevada Rand shall retain a 2% net smelter return royalty related to mineral products from commercial production from the LBD property. GGL has the right to purchase one-half of the royalty for US$1,000,000.

The third option agreement is with Silver Range Resources Ltd. and Nevada Rand (collectively the "Optionors"), pursuant to which GGL has been granted the right to acquire a 100% interest in and to the TOM property, consisting of 14 federal lode mining claims, by incurring expenditures on, in or under the Project Area of not less than US$1,500,000 on or before July 31, 2023. Upon exercising the option, each of the Optionors will be entitled to receive a one-time cash payment of US$1.00 per ounce based on the number of ounces of gold identified in the earlier of a measured or indicated mineral resource, or a proven or a probable mineral reserve, as contained in a NI 43-101 compliant technical report applicable to the TOM property. The option agreement also provides that each of the Optionors shall retain a 1% smelter return royalty related to mineral products from commercial production from the TOM property. GGL has the right to purchase one-half of each of the royalties for a payment of US$1.00 for each ounce of gold contained in any measured or indicated resource, or any proven or probable reserve.

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mike Power, M.Sc., P.Geo., President and CEO of Silver Range Resources Ltd. and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. Information concerning historical exploration, development and mining at Gold Point is based on Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology archive material and on historic information provided by Nevada Rand LLC.

About Silver Range Resources Ltd.

Silver Range is a precious metals prospect generator working in Nevada and Northern Canada. It has assembled a portfolio of 45 properties, 9 of which are currently under option to others. Silver Range is actively seeking other joint venture partners to explore the high precious metal targets in its portfolio.

ON BEHALF OF SILVER RANGE RESOURCES LTD.

"Michael A. Power"

President and Chief Executive Officer

For further information concerning Silver Range or its exploration projects please contact:

Investor Inquiries

Richard Drechsler

Vice-President, Communications

Tel: (604) 687-2522

NA Toll-Free: (888) 688-2522

rdrechsler@silverrangeresources.com

http://www.silverrangeresources.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.

This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results.

SOURCE: Silver Range Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599388/Silver-Range-Resources-Ltd-Expands-Options-Gold-Point-Project
If the mountain wont come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain. The popular proverb explains pretty well what happened to Bebe Moratti in what we will all remember as the summer of COVID-19. A music lover, the Milanese designer reacted to the cancellation of all the music festivals this summer by launching his own music event.

Throughout the month of August, every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Milan time, a different artist or band will perform live on the Instagram account of Morattis Redemption fashion label.

I had planned a schedule of festivals I wanted to attend, including the Florence Rock Festival, and suddenly everything was canceled. I dont go to clubs, I dont go to the restaurant, I dont travel that much, for me summer means attending music festivals, Moratti said during a Zoom meeting. So we decided to use technology to give some relief to music lovers like me.

According to the designer, it took over two months to organize the Redemption Summer Rock Festival. The lineup is mainly focused on young artists who are already very accustomed to digital, said Moratti, who also put the focus on the fact that the scouting was made across the globe. The final lineup includes Jessica Andrea, Mixed Up Everything, Mint Green, Natasha Hunt Lee, Troi Irons, Sophie Lloyd, Tonina and Monica Valli among others.

Along with my passion for music and the fact that music has always been an integral part of the Redemption DNA, another main reason pushing me to organize this festival is that I think that decade after decade music has always played a key role in the shaping of society and in the promotion of healthy rebellion aimed at social improvement, said Moratti, praising musics unifying power. I think that nowadays the role of music in this sense is less impactful probably because the music scenario is quite mainstream. This is why we chose only emerging, independent talents.

Meeting the needs of the medium, Moratti will ask each artist or brand to play three songs. We all suffer from an attention deficit disorder online, so it was impossible to stage an hourlong live performance. I think we found a good balance.

Story continues

Moratti also revealed that he will close the festival with his own band. We are not closing because we are the most prestigious, but just because we still have to record the songs since Im pretty busy designing a collection, said Moratti, who is working on the development of the Redemption spring 2021 lineup, which for the first time, after years of presentations in Paris, will be unveiled in Milan in September. We are shooting a video this weekend and we have secured a location for the presentation, Moratti said. Im very happy with the location, its very iconic of the most authentic Milan.

In the meantime, Redemption continues to support those hit by the COVID-19 emergency by donating all the proceeds from its e-commerce sales to Best Buddies and Meals on Wheels America, as well as to Action Aid in Italy.

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YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan urges to use the situation for better recognizing Armenia. ARMENPRESS reports referring to the issue of restoring air transportation, PM Pashinyan noted that it's a good opportunity to spend holidays in Armenia.

''This is a very good opportunity for us to develop domestic tourism and I am confident that many of our compatriots have not been to many sights of the Republic of Armenia'', Pashinyan said.

Editing and Translating by Tigran Sirekanyan
Australians looking to travel to the Sunshine State before its borders slam shut on Saturday are facing sky-high prices for limited seats on last minute flights.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced all Sydneysiders will be banned from crossing the border after the state recorded its first community COVID-19 transmission in two months on Wednesday.

Flyers desperate to travel from Sydney to Brisbane before 1am on Saturday are now forced to pay up to $2,000 for a one way ticket.

With nearly all economy seats already sold, Qantas has a seat in business class going for $1,983 on Saturday.

Even prices in discounted and more affordable categories are sky-high, including $1,250 for a Red e-Deal ticket and $1,654 for a Flex ticket on Friday.

With nearly all economy seats already sold, Qantas has a seat in business class going for $1,983 on Saturday

Astronomical prices can be seen in the discounted categories of Qantas (pictured), including $1,250 for a Red e-Deal ticket and $1,654 for a Flex ticket on Friday

Cheaper tickets are available; however, seats are very limited.

Virgin Australia's only flight from Sydney to Brisbane on Thursday cost travellers $799.

Flights are then unavailable on Friday but available, but the ticket price plunges to $169 on Saturday.

For Jetstar, the airline only has two seats on one flight for $209 on Thursday and Friday; and one flight available for $92 on Saturday.

It is the cheapest among the bunch but does not offer baggage, meals or drinks.

Virgin Australia's only flight from Sydney to Brisbane on Thursday cost travellers $799

Jetstar only has two seats on one flight for $209 on Thursday (pictured) and Friday; and one flight available for $92 on Saturday

Meanwhile, Premier Palaszczuk declared all of Greater Sydney a COVID-19 hotspot on Wednesday - as well as announcing nobody was welcome from the city into the state from Saturday.

It came after two infected 19-year-old women, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21, were active in the community for eight days before isolating.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian criticised Ms Palaszczuk's decision to close the border.

She said would hurt the 'smaller state much more than it hurts NSW', and boasted NSW was in 'the strongest position in the nation' despite the state having 188 active coronavirus - while Queensland has five.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) announced that all people from Greater Sydney will be banned from entering the sunshine state from 1am on Saturday

When asked if she was disappointed in Ms Palaszczuk's decision, the NSW premier said: 'It would have been nice if she told me, but that's fine.

'It hurts the smaller states when they don't interact with NSW, it hurts us less if you talk about economy and that's a decision for her.'

Ms Berejiklian later clarified who were the 'smaller states', saying: 'It hurts Queensland or South Australia or WA much more than it hurts NSW.

'We are in the strongest position in the nation which we want to maintain, obviously.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured on Wednesday) said Queensland's decision to close its border to Sydneysiders will hurt the 'smaller state' much 'more than it hurts NSW'

'We're very much focused on NSW, it's obviously up to other jurisdictions on what decisions they take. The only challenge for NSW is limited freedom of movement for out residents.

'It's always finding that right balance of making sure that the virus is in check but then also providing sufficient freedoms for our residents.'

The NSW premier also highlighted Queensland's new cases were not directly from Sydney.

'I note that the cases that they've had up there announced today are all from Victoria and the case from South Australia is from Victoria,' she said.
Ivanka Trump is facing backlash for sharing a 'Challenge Accepted' photo of herself as part of a social media trend that claims to be about 'women supporting women' but has been dubbed 'vapid' and 'meaningless' by critics.

The 38-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a black-and-white throwback photo of herself pregnant with her now four-year-old son Theodore along with a gushing post about how all women are mothers and should be kind to each other.

'#ChallengeAccepted. Gratitude for the sisterhood  the women who have held me up and pushed me forward! Each day brings countless opportunities, large and small, to spread light and uplift those around us,' she wrote in the caption.

Slammed: Ivanka Trump is facing backlash for sharing a black-and-white throwback photo of herself when she was pregnant as part of the 'women supporting women' challenge

Gushing: In her caption, she wrote that women 'are ALL mothers' and should support one another. Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle called the post 'beautiful'

'Lets be kind to each other. Lets choose to love, support and strengthen one another. We are ALL mothers  we each bring something unique and beautiful into this world. Lets [love] each other. I challenge all of my followers to lead with love. You create the future as you live. #womensupportingwomen.'

The photo was taken during Ivanka's cover shoot for the February 2016 issue of Town & Country magazine. In the glamorous portrait, she is wearing a collared button-down dress while cradling her baby bump. She edited the original image to make it black and white before posting it online.

President Donald Trump's eldest daughter is among the millions of women who have posted flattering black-and-white photos of themselves this week using the hashtags #WomenSupportingWomen and #ChallengeAccepted in the name of female empowerment.

Celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Khloe Kardashian, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Aniston, and Kelly Rowland have all taken part in the social media 'challenge,' though many have found Ivanka's participation to be problematic for a number of reasons.

Not having it: Ivanka was slammed for taking part in the 'challenge' when the Trump administration has long been criticized for being anti-woman

Backlash: Critics argued that if she really supported women, she wouldn't support her father, while others posted face vomiting emoji in the comments

The first daughter has long purported that she supports women, despite her role in her father's administration, which has been criticized for its anti-woman agenda.

Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle commented that Ivanka's post was 'beautiful,' but not everyone was quite as impressed considering the White House senior adviser's ongoing support of her father's controversial policies.

'Ummm...not supporting a white-supremacist-enabling-legacy-case who's destroying the country. Even if they are a woman, sorry!!!' one person commented, while others posted the face vomiting emoji to show their disgust.

'If you really supported women you would be outraged by your father and all his administration. You are a joke!' someone else responded.

In an article for Refinery29, writer Elly Belle questioned Ivanka's motivation for stating women 'are ALL mothers' while sharing an old pregnancy photo of herself.

At odds: Ivanka has long purported that she supports women, despite her role in her father's administration, which has been criticized for rolling back on women's rights

Critics: Some Twitter users shared Ivanka's post as proof that the social media challenge was pointless. The trend itself has been criticized for being a performative empty gesture

'Ivanka is doing what Ivanka does best to position herself as an everyperson, while using her identity as a mother and a woman to evade responsibility for the ways the Trump administration has hurt women and mothers,' she wrote.

'Or perhaps Trump's point is simple and shes saying that all women are mothers in their own way regardless of having children  but it stands that not everyone wants to be referred to as a mother, or have their worth tied to reproduction.'

Some Twitter users shared Ivanka's post as proof that the trend was pointless, with one person writing: 'You already know if Ivanka trump is doing this wsw challenge that you should not be..... girls, get it together.'

'A helpful barometer for whether a social media "challenge" is pure bulls**t: Would Ivanka participate?' another tweeted.

'Ivanka Trump did "challenge accepted"....you girls better hang it up, flatscreen,' someone else commented.

Viral: Celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon have posted black-and-white photos of themselves using the hashtags #WomenSupportingWomen and #ChallengeAccepted

Strike a pose: Khloe Kardashian posted this photo of herself in the name of female empowerment as part of the trend, which has gotten mixed reviews

The 'women supporting women' challenge itself has faced criticism this week, as some see it to be a performative empty gesture. Its origins are also unclear as there are conflicting theories as to how the challenge started.

New York Times writer Taylor Lorenz pointed out that people have been sharing black-and-white photos using the #ChallengeAccepted hashtag since 2016, including a campaign to raise awareness for cancer.

A representative from Instagram told The New York Times that the earliest post for 'this current cycle of the challenge' was shared a week and a half ago by Brazilian journalist Ana Paula Padrao.

Others have claimed that the trend was recently started in Turkey when women began sharing black-and-white photos to raise awareness about femicide and domestic violence.

Many have participated in the challenge without question simply because they were nominated by their friends, and the recent backlash has even led some, including Jennifer Love Hewitt, to delete their #ChallengeAccepted posts.

Ivanka has been called out numerous times throughout her father's presidency for her 'tone-deaf' social media posts, and she has yet to publicly respond to the criticism.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 20:11:29|Editor: huaxia

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CHANGCHUN, July 29 (Xinhua) -- On a scorching summer afternoon, a wild Siberian tiger with flamboyant orange coat and vertical black stripes is seen taking a nap in deep forests of northeast China.

Experts in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park saw the visuals through a real-time monitoring system.

While some experts predicted in 1988 that wild Siberian tigers would disappear from China in four decades, Feng Limin, a tiger expert, witnessed how China brought back the big cat from the brink of extinction.

China has launched a pilot national park project for Siberian tigers and Amur leopards, spanning an area of over 1.46 million hectares in the provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang. Construction of the national park is scheduled to be completed this year.

Four years ago, Feng and his colleagues sank their teeth into the protection and research of Siberian tigers in the city of Hunchun, Jilin Province, a core area of the national park.

But where are the big cats? In the early days, researchers had to spend a lot of manpower to climb over mountains by feet and install infrared cameras.

"We usually spent three months replacing batteries of the cameras, three months retrieving data cards and another three months analyzing the data," said Feng, deputy director of the monitoring and research center of Siberian tigers and Amur leopards under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

"So the final videos and images we got were actually recorded a year ago, making it difficult to carry out the protection work efficiently," Feng said ahead of the International Tiger Day, which fell on Wednesday.

To get real-time data of the endangered animals, researchers cooperated with tech firms to set up networks in the uninhabited forest and develop intelligent infrared cameras.

The devices can relay high-definition images and videos of animals and collect data on natural resources such as soil, water and air.

"What we protect is not only a single species but also their habitats, surrounding vegetation and the complete food chain to make sure the species can survive and prosper in the environment," Feng said.

The monitoring system uses artificial intelligence to record the appearances of the animals, and big data analysis enables researchers to know the condition of different species and habitats.

The number of intelligent infrared cameras has increased to over 3,000 from more than 100 in 2018. More such cameras will be installed in the forest.

Siberian tigers, also known as Amur tigers, mainly live in Russia's Far East and northeast China. One of the world's most endangered species, about 500 Siberian tigers are believed to be living in the wild.

With the intensified protection efforts, including the introduction of a logging ban and a national park, the number of tigers has rebounded in China.

A total of 10 wild Siberian tiger cubs had been bred in the park between 2017 and 2019, park administration said.

Monitoring results show a marked increase of wild Siberian tigers and Amur leopards in the pilot park. Six Siberian tiger breeding families and five Amur leopard breeding families have been monitored, and the proportion of the young animals has reached 30 percent to 35 percent, which is an ideal population structure state, according to the park officials.

China's conservation efforts to protect wild Siberian tigers have promoted the global population restoration of this species and the expansion of its habitats, said Jiang Guangshun, executive deputy director of the feline research center at the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. Enditem
Over the years, Indians have used Wikipedia for a variety of purposes. The free online storehouse of information on all things under the sun has been a true friend and guide, ensuring that many science projects got made, many examinations passed, information on films and musicians gathered and books "read".

It seems, however, that the not-for-profit organisation behind everyone's favourite online encyclopedia needs its readers.

On Wednesday, Wikipedia which is run by the Wikimedia Foundation posted an "awkward" message for its Indian readers, urging readers to not "scroll past" the notice.

"We humbly ask you to defend Wikipedia's independence. 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way," the message read. "If you donate just Rs 150, Wikipedia could keep thriving for years," it continued.

Most people donate because Wikipedia is useful. If Wikipedia has given you Rs 150 worth of knowledge this year, take a minute to donate. Show the volunteers who bring you reliable, neutral information that their work matters."

This is not the first time that organisation has taken to social media to seek support from its readers.

In August last year, a similar message appeared on the Wikipedia website, seeking donations from readers to continue running the online page.

READ: Wikipedia is Asking Indian Users to Contribute Money in Awkwardly Emotional Pitch

In fact, not just in India, it is a common practice for the WMF to announce fundraisers for the smooth running of Wikipedia, the world's seventh-largest site with the respectable aim to provide free knowledge to the world.

In a 2015 blog post, WMF had clarified that the "small donations" it seeks are used to keep Wikipedia and its sister sites safe, secure, fast and available. They also help pay for the salaries of all the editors and and staff who work with Wikimedia to provide correct and edited content with readers around the globe.
Madonna twice posted a video of doctors supporting the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a 'cure' for the novel coronavirus after it was retweeted by President Trump before being removed for 'misinformation' by Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.

The pop star seemed to ignore the warnings of falsehoods in the video and was slammed by fans on Tuesday.

Madonna, 61, showed support for the doctors shown in the video, including Dr. Stella Immanuel who has a history of believing in satanic plots and that endometriosis is caused by 'sex demons' among other outlandish claims.

Promoting conspiracy theories: Madonna seemed to ignore the warnings of falsities as she shared a video promoting a coronavirus conspiracy theory 'cure' and posted it twice on social media, once after it was removed, on Tuesday (pictured in 2018)

She shared the videos of doctors describing the malaria drug as a 'cure' for COVID-19 to her 15.4 million followers.

'The Truth will set us all Free,' she wrote. 'But some people dont want to hear the truth.'

Instagram included a 'false information warning,' before the video could be viewed on her channel, adding it was 'Reviewed by independent fact-checkers.'

In the video, a group of doctors who identified themselves as America's Frontline Doctors claim the drug is a 'cure' for the virus and a preventative measure.

The World Health Organization has said 'there is currently no proof' that hydroxychloroquine is a treatment for a preventative measure against the novel coronavirus.

What she said: She shared the videos of doctors describing the malaria drug as a 'cure' for COVID-19 to her 15.4 million followers. 'The Truth will set us all Free,' she wrote. 'But some people dont want to hear the truth'

Unsubstantiated claims: In the video, a group of doctors who identified themselves as America's Frontline Doctors claim the drug is a 'cure' for the virus and a preventative measure (Stella Immanuel shown in the video)

The WHO continued to say 'The misuse of hydroxychloroquine can cause serious side effects and illness and even lead to death.'

In her caption, Madonna continued: 'Especially the people in power who stand to make money from this long drawn out search for a vaccine Which has been proven and has been available for months.'

Adding: 'They would rather let fear control them and let the rich get richer and the poor and sick get sicker.'

Facts: The World Health Organization has said 'there is currently no proof' that hydroxychloroquine is a treatment for a preventative measure against the novel coronavirus. The WHO continued to say 'The misuse of hydroxychloroquine can cause serious side effects and illness and even lead to death (Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization pictured in February)

Slammed: Madonna went on to say that Doctor Stella Immanuel 'is my hero thank you Stella Immanuel,' many fans commented on her post pointing out the falsities included and slamming her for sharing a conspiracy theory

The video was pushed by right-wing site Breitbart, and went on to be viewed millions of times before it was taken down by Twitter, Youtube Facebook and subsidiary Instagram due to 'false information.'

'Tweets with the video are in violation of our Covid-19 misinformation policy. We are taking action in line with our policy here,' Twitter told BBC. While Facebook said 'We've removed this video for sharing false information about cures and treatments for Covid-19.'

President Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. had his Twitter account suspended after sharing the video and promoting the conspiracy theory.

Bizarre: As well as making unsubstantiated claims that the drug is effective against the coronavirus, in the video, Immanuel also said 'You don't need masks. There is a cure. I know they don't want to open schools. No, you don't need people to be locked down. There is prevention and there is a cure.' Among other bizarre claims (Immanuel pictured)

Madonna went on to say that Doctor Stella Immanuel 'is my hero thank you Stella Immanuel,' many fans commented on her post pointing out the falsities included and slamming her for sharing a conspiracy theory.

As well as making unsubstantiated claims that the drug is effective against the coronavirus, in the video, Immanuel also said 'You don't need masks. There is a cure. I know they don't want to open schools. No, you don't need people to be locked down. There is prevention and there is a cure.'

After the video went viral, people dug up other bizarre claims made my Immanuel that include believing in alien DNA is being used in medical treatment, that endometriosis is caused by having sex dreams with demons and witches and that homosexuality is the 'agenda of the devil.'

President Trump, who has touted the alleged benefits of hydroxychloroquine and took the drug himself for 14 days, defended the doctor on Tuesday.

'She was on air along with many other doctors,' he said. 'They were big fans of hydroxychloroquine. And I thought she was very impressive in the sense that from where she came - I don't know which country she comes from - but she says she's had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients and I thought her voice was an important voice but I know nothing about her.'

He said on Tuesday that 'many doctors' think hydroxychloroquine is successful.

'Many doctors think it is extremely successful,' he said. 'The hydroxychloroquine coupled with the z-pack. And some some people think it's become political. I took it for a 14-day period. And I'm here. I think it works in the early stages. I think front line medical people believe that too. Some. Many. So we'll take a look at it.

'The one thing we know. It's been out for a long time, that particular formula and that's essentially what it is, the pill, and it's been for malaria, lupus and other things,' Trump said. 'It's safe. It doesn't cause problems. I had no problem. I had absolutely no problem. Felt no different. Didn't feel good, bad or indifferent.'

In his Monday Twitter spree Trump retweeted a video of Immanuel claiming hydroxychloroquine works in battling the virus, which has infected more than 4.42 million and killed more than 151,000 Americans.

Video of her fiery speech was shared on Twitter where it racked up over 14 million views on Monday, partly due to the promotion by far-right news organizations, but Twitter later took it down.

Facebook and YouTube also began to pull down videos of her claims, claiming it's spreading misinformation about the pandemic.

Immanuel demanded the social media platforms reupload her videos after they were taken down for spreading disinformation. She claimed God would crash their computers if they did not repost her speech.

'Hello Facebook put back my profile page and videos up or your computers with start crashing till you do. You are not bigger that God. I promise you. If my page is not back up face book will be down in Jesus name,' Immanuel said in a mistake-littered tweet Monday night.
Attorney General William Barr appears before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 28, 2020. (Matt McClain/Pool via Reuters)

Barr to Get COVID-19 Test After Gohmert Tests Positive for Virus

Attorney General William Barr was to be tested for COVID-19 on July 29 after coming in contact with Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), who tested positive for the CCP virus, Justice Department (DOJ) spokesperson Kerri Kupec told reporters.

Barr had been in close contact with Gohmert on July 28, during a visit to Congress to testify for hours before the House Judiciary Committee. At one point, the two men were seen walking in close proximity prior to entering the hearing room, according to a video posted by a reporter. Neither was wearing a mask at that time.

Gohmert, 66, reportedly tested positive at a pre-screening procedure at the White House, multiple media outlets have reported, citing people familiar with the situation. He was scheduled to fly to Texas with President Donald Trump.

Gohmerts office and the Justice Department didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

The Texas Republican appears to be the 10th member of Congress to test positive for or presumed to be positive for the virus.

The news of Gohmerts positive test is likely to prompt concerns for lawmakers in Washington.

Gohmert said last month that he wasnt wearing a mask because he regularly gets tested for the virus.

I dont have the coronavirus, turns out as of yesterday, Ive never had it, Gohmert told CNN. But if I get it, youll never see me without a mask.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said in a Twitter post on July 29 that he wishes Gohmert a full & speedy recovery.

When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. Ive regularly instructed all Members to wear their masks and hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues, Nadler wrote.

During the July 28 hearing, Nadler warned several Republican committee membersReps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), and Mike Johnson (R-La.)about the need to wear masks. Gohmert was not among those who was scolded.

I would remind Mr. Jordan, Mr. Biggs, and Mr. Johnson to stop violating the rules of the committee, Nadler said during the hearing. To stop violating the safety of the members of the committee. To stop holding themselves out as not caring by refusing to wear their masks.

One of the members was heard asking whether it was permissible to drink a sip of coffee, to which Nadler replied, it is not permissible.

Throughout the hearing, most members were seen wearing masks, except for during their turn to speak. Meanwhile, some members attended the hearing remotely.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people to wear cloth face coverings in public settings and when around people who they do not live with, in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
Leila Cavetts three sisters drove more than 800 miles Monday night to South Florida in hopes of finding out how and why their 2-year-old nephew was found wandering alone in a Miramar apartment complex.

And even more concerning: Why their sister  the mother of the boy who they said is named Kamdyn  has not yet been found.

We just want to know that my sister is OK, Gina Lewis told reporters Tuesday outside of Miramar police headquarters. Were really not sure whats going on.

Lewis, who drove from Jasper, Alabama, Tuesday morning, added that Cavett, 21, lives in Georgia and the rest of their family lives in Jasper, which is about about 40 miles northwest of Birmingham.

Lewis said her sister didnt have any known ties to South Florida.

If you are OK, please let someone know, Lewis said. She would have never just left him like that.

This is the boy found in Miramar, wandering near the Willowbrook Apartments.

Cavett is approximately five-foot-four, and has a cursive tattoo that says Kamdyn on her right arm and a Jesus fish symbol on her right wrist, according to her sister Tyuania Cavett.

On Sunday, the little boy was found wandering near the 1800 block of Southwest 68th Avenue, in the Willowbrook Apartments in Miramar.

Miramar detectives met with the boys family Tuesday, but are still trying to figure out why the 21-year-old mother has mysteriously disappeared.

This morning, detectives met with Leila Cavetts family. As the search for the missing mother continues, we request anyone who has seen her or has information on her whereabouts contact @crimestoppers2 at 954-493-TIPS. Calls can be made anonymously. #MiramarPD #FindLeila #Missing  Miramar Police (@MiramarPD) July 28, 2020

At about 8 a.m. Sunday, Ebony Williams returned to the Miramar apartment complex after getting vanilla creamer for her coffee. She saw the little boy in the parking lot and then heard him cry.

Story continues

She walked over and realized the boy  who was only wearing a T-shirt and a diaper  was alone. She walked the boy through the neighborhood looking for his parents, but had no luck. She then called police.

Miramar police put the picture of the little boy on social media and it soon went viral. By Monday evening, Miramar police said they were looking for Leila Cavett.

Cavett was last seen driving a mid-to-late 90s white Chevy Silverado 3500, with a red tailgate and a Baby on Board sign on the passenger window, according to police.

The police stated the last sighting was this Sunday in Florida. We sadly do not know more than that, her sister Tyuania said in a post on Facebook, adding in a comment that the sighting happened in Miami sometime before Kamdyn was found.

Pictures of the vehicle Leila Cavett was last seen driving: pic.twitter.com/99r2J4qOHj  Miramar Police (@MiramarPD) July 27, 2020

Cavetts sisters told reporters Tuesday that they heard from her July 17 and she didnt say anything about going to Florida.

TJ Armstrong, a public information officer for Walker County Sheriffs Office in Alabama, said the department is doing whatever it can to help in the search for Cavett.

While it is not believed that Cavett lived in Jasper in recent months, Armstrong said its a small town and everybody knows everybody, and if they can help one of their own, they will.

We want to do whatever we can to reunite this little boy with his mother, Armstrong said.

Alabama court records show that Cavett was arrested in Walker County on Sept. 16, 2019, on a charge of having a controlled substance and marijuana. It was not clear whether the case has been settled.

According to the Daily Mountain Eagle, the Jasper daily newspaper, Cavett received two traffic tickets in October. The paper reported that Cavett skipped a February court date and her license was suspended in March.

Cavett was in Dawsonville, Georgia, in February, according to the Dawson County Sheriffs Office. She lists her hometown on her Facebook page as Atlanta. Dawsonville is about 50 miles north of Atlanta.

A family member filed a report with the office claiming that Cavett had been using crack cocaine in a residential home, and had thrown a can of soda at her and yelled at her, the report said.

There was no mention of a child in the report, according to deputies.

Her sisters just want answers.

I just feel so lost right now, Lewis said. I was hoping coming down here we would get a little more.

Anyone with information about the child should call the Miramar Police Department at 954-602-4000.
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A Sydney primary school has joined the growing list of businesses and institutions forced to close after suffering coronavirus scares as the crisis in New South Wales expands to a pub, surf club and pizza parlour.

Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary in Bossley Park in the city's west will now shut until at least August 10 as fears of a deadly second wave grow.

Fort Street High School in Sydney's inner west will also shut and undergo deep cleaning today after a student required COVID-19 testing on Wednesday.

Frank's Pizza Bar in the inner-west suburb of Camperdown also closed on Wednesday night after revealing a patron tested positive.

'We are choosing to close the restaurant until next Tuesday the 4th of August, in order for our restaurant to be professionally deep cleaned,' the owner said in a statement later that night.

Fort Street High School (pictured) in Sydney's inner west will undergo deep cleaning today after a student required COVID-19 testing on Wednesday

Bondi's iconic Surf Bathers Life Saving Club will also close after four members dined at The Apollo restaurant in Potts Point after a coronavirus carrier visited the eatery.

Surf club president Brent Jackson told The Australian three of the four members had already tested negative to the virus.

Results for the fourth member are due soon, but the club has been shut to members in the interim.

'We did not want to jeopardise the ability of Emergency Callout crews to use the club and thus we have cleaned and will not reopen to general members until the last members results are known,' Mr Jackson said.

Frank's Pizza Bar in Camperdown (pictured) also closed on Wednesday night after revealing a patron tested positive for the deadly respiratory infection

The Petersham school released a statement late on Wednesday which revealed students would need to undertake online classes.

'The school has been advised by NSW Health of a possible case of COVID-19. The person concerned is being tested and the results will be confirmed tomorrow,' the statement read.

'The school will be non-operational for the on-site attendance of staff and students and will be thoroughly cleaned as an extra precaution while we await the test results.'

EverLearn Preschool in Prestons, 37km south-west of the Sydney CBD, is also closed for cleaning after they were notified of a confirmed case.

'We are choosing to close the restaurant until next Tuesday the 4th of August, in order for our restaurant to be professionally deep cleaned,' the owner of Frank's Pizza Bar said in a statement on Wednesday night

Health care workers are seen setting up a pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic in Rushcutters Bay on Thursday (pictured)

A healthcare worker tests a person for COVID-19 at the Rushcutters Bay testing clinic (pictured on Thursday)

The school was among several others which closed for cleaning last week.

Freeman Catholic College in Bonnyrigg also closed last week when two cases connected to the school were diagnosed.

It has since confirmed additional cases, and will also stay closed until at least August 10.

NSW Health also issued an alert for anyone who visited Mounties in Mount Pritchard, south-west Sydney, between July 23 and July 25.

A new alert was also issued for the Pritchard's Hotel because contact tracers realised the infected patron dined at the restaurant on July 24, not July 23 as previously reported.

People are seen lining up at a pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic in Rushcutters Bay on Thursday (pictured) as the COVID-19 crisis in New South Wales deepens
Normal People star Paul Mescal has been nominated for an Emmy Award after his critically-acclaimed performance in the smash-hit drama.

The Kildare actor is in good company in the category for Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie.

He is up against Jeremy Irons for Watchmen, Hugh Jackman for Bad Education, Mark Ruffalo for I Know This Much Is True and Jeremy Pope for Hollywood.

Praise

The 24-year-old received rave reviews for his performance as shy but popular Connell in coming-of-age drama Normal People.

The series, which was shot in Ireland, earned universal praise and made household names of Mescal and co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones, who played troubled Marianne.

Mescal said he is "utterly honoured" to be nominated alongside "such immense actors I have admired from afar".

"Normal People was created by a huge cast and crew who deserve so much recognition for their incredible work," he said.

"Most importantly I want to thank my amazing friend and brilliant co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones as the show would not have got the extraordinary response without her electric performance."

Normal People received four Emmy nominations overall, with Lenny Abrahamson getting the nod for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, while author Sally Rooney, along with Alice Birch, was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series.

Louise Kiely got the nod for Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series.

Abrahamson said: "I'm really delighted. It feels like a lovely way to end this great story that began quite a few years ago now. I'm delighted for Louise Kiely, for Paul Mescal - an amazing lead - and it's lovely to be nominated myself.

"Also, to see Alice and Sally nominated for writing is also just wonderful."

Culture Minister Catherine Martin congratulated the cast and crew of the acclaimed series. "TV drama is hugely important to the Irish audiovisual sector and a key focus of the Audiovisual Action Plan," she said.

"Screen Ireland committed significant funding and resources to TV drama last year and Normal People was the first large-scale indigenous project that Screen Ireland supported with this fund."

Ms Martin also congratulated Irish actors Andrew Scott, who was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Black Mirror, and Fiona Shaw, who was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Killing Eve.

Commenting on the nominations, Screen Ireland chair Dr Annie Doona added: "Congratulations to Paul Mescal, Lenny Abrahamson, Sally Rooney, Alice Birch and Louise Kiely on their well-deserved Emmy nominations for their work on Normal People.

Talent

"Normal People has been a global success story, captivating audiences around the world.

"The critical success of the show reminds us of the intrinsic value of Irish storytelling on screen. We are delighted to see Irish creative talent recognised and celebrated at the highest level on the international stage."

The build-up to this year's nominations announcement was severely disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

While the major platforms, including HBO and Netflix, would usually hold glitzy events to promote their shows to the TV Academy's voting body, made up of roughly 23,000 industry figures, this time around they were forced to go virtual.
New Zealand's news service Newshub Nation reports on a Korean diplomat accused of sexually assaulting a local staff member in the embassy in 2017, Saturday. Newshub also stated that a New Zealand police investigation is at an impasse due to the Korean government's refusal to cooperate. / Captured from Newshub Nation



By Park Han-sol



A Korean diplomat's alleged sexual assault of an embassy staff member while posted in New Zealand in 2017 has emerged as a potential diplomatic issue after it was discussed in a phone call Tuesday between President Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern  a very rare occasion for such a topic to be discussed between the leaders of countries.



This is indicative of how seriously New Zealand is taking the issue, which Korea's foreign affairs ministry has attempted to smooth over with light disciplinary action taken against the diplomat. Concern is rising, however, that the issue may grow into a serious diplomatic incident if the government fails to co-operate with the investigation by New Zealand's law enforcement authorities.



Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday evening that President Moon had discussed the sexual assault allegations during the conversation.



According to a presidential official, Wednesday, Ardern mentioned the case during their talks, and Moon answered that the relevant government organizations would check into the facts and deal with the matter. Cheong Wa Dae did not disclose any further details of the call.



Korea's former deputy ambassador to New Zealand, surnamed Kim, faces three separate charges of sexually assaulting a male staff member at the Korean embassy in Wellington in 2017. Each charge could land him a seven years jail sentence under New Zealand law.



Kim returned to Korea in February, 2018. After an internal investigation, during which he denied the allegations, the foreign ministry gave him a one-month pay cut, a penalty seen as far too light compared to the punishment he could face if he was tried in New Zealand. Soon after he was assigned as a consul general in the Korean Embassy to the Philippines, where he is still serving.



Despite his absence, the New Zealand police continued the investigation and a local court there issued an arrest warrant for him in late February this year.



But the investigation has hit an impasse due to the Korean government's lack of cooperation. According to a July 25 report by Newshub Nation, a New Zealand news service, the government here declined to cooperate with a request from New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade by "refusing to allow a scene examination, declining police access to CCTV, failing to release their investigation, and refusing to waive diplomatic immunity so staff could be interviewed by police."



Regarding the issue, the Korean foreign affairs ministry is seemingly taking an ambiguous stance, saying it was in talks with the New Zealand authorities.



"The foreign ministry would like to make it clear that it is not protecting an individual by citing diplomatic immunity," ministry spokesman Kim In-chul said in a press briefing, Tuesday.



As to the possibility of extradition, a ministry official said it depended on what the New Zealand police decide to do, and if such a request is submitted, a local court here will hear the case according to relevant international treaties and local laws.



But after the phone call between Moon and Ardern, the ministry said Wednesday it was discussing how to respond to the request for cooperation in the investigation.



The case marks yet another instance of sex offenses involving foreign ministry officials over the past few years despite the ministry's self-proclaimed zero-tolerance policy toward such crimes. Sex offenses have also been committed by Korean officials in a growing list of countries including the United States, Ethiopia, Pakistan and Cambodia.



"When diplomats commit misdeeds, it has been the custom within the ministry to simply conduct an internal investigation, impose disciplinary sanctions and then close the cases without any transparency," Choi Won-mok, a diplomat-turned-law professor at Ewha Womans University told The Korea Times.



"It's important for the ministry to be transparent from the initial stages, and it should implement an appropriate training system so that diplomats' actions correspond with the public's expectations," Choi said.


Concerns are growing for jailed Xinjiang dissident Zhang Haitao, who has only been allowed three family visits in the past five years of his sentence at a prison in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.



Zhang, an outspoken critic of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's treatment of the mostly Muslim Uyghur ethnic group, is serving a 19-year jail term at Xinjiang's Shaya Prison for "incitement to subvert state power" and spying charges.



Zhang's wife Li Aijie fled China with her son after being targeted for threats by local authorities after Zhang was sentenced by the Intermediate People's Court in Urumqi, regional capital of the northwestern region of Xinjiang, on Jan. 15, 2016.



Li told RFA on Wednesday that nobody in the family has had any news of Zhang since their last visit in April 2018.



"Zhang Haitao was detained on Dec. 2, 2016. He was sent to Shaya prison in Xinjiang. His last visit was from his sister on April 26, 2018," Li said.



"Family members haven't been allowed by the Chinese government to meet with him for two years and three months," she said.



"I call on the Chinese government to release Zhang Haitao immediately," she said. "He is innocent, and our son misses his father very much."



"He asks me every day when his father will be allowed to come home," Li said.



Zhang's sister said prison guards had called an immediate halt to her last meeting with him on April 26, 2018 when they heard her telling him that his wife and son were now safely in the United States.



"Before the visit, the prison guards called us to the office and told us that we wouldn't be allowed to discuss his wife and child's departure for the U.S., nor anything to do with religion," she said.



"About 30 minutes into the visit, we told him about his wife and child, and the meeting was terminated immediately," she said.



Held in isolation, deprived of exercise



Zhang's sister said he was being held in solitary confinement with no exercise in the open air.



"He said he was alone, and I asked if he was allowed to go outside for exercise, but he said there was a door which had been sealed off," she said.



She said the authorities had refused to allow her to visit again, despite frequent telephone requests.



"They told me it was on orders from higher up," she said. "Later on, nobody even picked up."



Repeated calls to Shaya Prison rang unanswered during office hours on Wednesday.



At Zhang's trial, the prosecution cited 69 posts to the Chinese social media platform WeChat and 205 Twitter posts and reweets, as evidence of inciting subversion of state power.



Li, who gave birth to the couple's son shortly after he was jailed, and was left with no income, was relying on relatives for financial support, she told RFA at the time.



But ChinaAid, which helped to organize her escape from China, said she had faced abuse within her family as well as threats from officials.



Zhang, 46, was initially detained on June 26, 2015 on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," but the charges against him were later changed to the more serious charges of subversion and spying.



The court said it had handed down a longer jail term because Zhang had "colluded" with overseas organizations.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A former Vallejo police captain is accusing the department of firing him for flagging misconduct that included concerns that some officers bent their badges to mark fatal shootings and that a former police chief told an underling to burn a kidnapping victim he wrongly accused of orchestrating a hoax.

The captain, John Whitney, said that some officers would bend one tip of their seven-point star for each of their killings. He said he became aware of the practice in February 2019 after police fatally shot Willie McCoy in a Taco Bell drive-through, where he had passed out with a gun in his lap.

Whitney brought his misconduct concerns to Mayor Bob Sampayan, City Manager Greg Nyhoff and then-City Attorney Claudia Quintana, before he was released last August after 19 years on the job, his lawyer, Alison Berry Wilkinson, told The Chronicle.

According to his claim, Whitney was released for expressing his professional opinions on a variety of misconduct issues within the Police Department. The claim seeks back pay, benefits, attorneys fees and $25,000 for Whitney, who now works for another Bay Area police agency.

The city did not respond to the claim, filed Feb. 21 and amended March 24. Claims are considered rejected if not answered within 45 days, meaning Whitney can now file a lawsuit.

The claim does not mention the badge-bending allegations, but Wilkinson said they will be part of the lawsuit to come.

Im not able to speak to those allegations at this time, Brittany Jackson, a spokeswoman for the Vallejo Police Department, said Tuesday evening. She said Police Chief Shawny Williams, who took over in November, was not immediately available.

Nyhoff and City Attorney Randy Risner did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Assistant City Manager Anne Cardwell told The Chronicle that the city was aware of previous complaints about badge bending.

I am not aware of any current complaints related to badge bendings being filed with Human Resources, City Managers Office or City Attorneys Office, she said. In conferring this evening with the City Manager, he noted that the Mayor had advised him last year regarding rumors of such a prior practice in years past at the Police Dept., and that he, the City Manager, then immediately consulted with former Police Chief (Andrew) Bidou, who indicated it had been previously investigated and such claims had not been substantiated.

The City takes any claims or credible information regarding potential misconduct seriously and we will follow up with the appropriate investigatory measures, as well as take appropriate action based on information provided.

Finally, as it relates to former Captain John Whitney, the City cannot comment on personnel matters and/or ongoing legal actions.

The allegations by Whitney were first reported Tuesday by Open Vallejo.

According to Whitneys claim, the city tied his firing to an investigation into a leak of confidential information, saying he improperly erased data from his phone amid the probe. Whitney said he had only erased personal information; he was exonerated in the leak case, Wilkinson said.

Now Playing: Pancho Kachingwe joined Oakland community members, artists and local businesses to paint Black Lives Matter across three blocks of 15th Street on Sunday, June 7. The project responds to the civil unrest over police violence and systemic racism, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Video: Caron Creighton

The allegations come as the Vallejo force faces intense scrutiny over a string of shootings in recent years. The state is investigating the departments disposal of a bullet-shattered windshield in the June 2 police killing of San Francisco resident Sean Monterrosa, while separately reviewing the departments policies and practices.

Whitneys claim states that, before his termination, he had raised concerns about issues, including a car stop involving the cousin of Willie McCoy and the embezzlement of time by a high-ranking officer.

More explosively, Whitney said that, in 2015, former Police Chief Bidou told the departments then-spokesman, Lt. Kenny Park, to burn that bitch  an alleged reference to kidnap victim Denise Huskins. Bidou retired last year.

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 claim also states that Bidou told Whitney to delete text messages on his cell phone so that they would not be downloadable during the litigation involving the Huskins kidnapping. The city ultimately paid the couple $2.5 million in a settlement.

Bidou could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

Huskins was kidnapped from her boyfriends Vallejo home and held for ransom before her captor let her go two days later. Rather than looking for the attacker, Vallejo police accused Huskins and her boyfriend of faking the whole thing. At a news conference, Park called it an orchestrated event and not a kidnapping.

The claim concludes that Whitney was also retaliated against for truthfully answering questions posed by the City Manager and the Mayor concerning ongoing issues within the Police Department.

After Whitneys release, Mayor Sampayan wrote a recommendation letter for Whitney, saying, Frankly, I believe that because John spoke out about a negative culture on the Vallejo Police Department, his reputation was soiled by those that did not want any dirty laundry aired. The letter was attached to the claim.

Wilkinson said that when Whitney found out about the badge-bending, he sought an investigation of the alleged practice. She said Whitney subsequently ordered supervisors at a meeting of the departments command staff to inspect officers uniforms and collect any bent badges.

After 10 badges were turned in and held in a box in the office of Bidous executive assistant, Wilkinson said, Bidou told Whitney the repair costs could raise suspicion and cost him his job. Instead, the chief had the badges returned to officers, who were to fix them on their own, Wilkinson said.

John Whitney repeatedly challenged unethical practices at Vallejo PD, including badge bending and destruction of evidence, Wilkinson said.  The City tried to silence him by firing him. Only the Mayor was willing to speak the truth about why Whitney was fired. No one else was willing to do the right thing.

Anna Bauman and Demian Bulwa are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com; demian.bulwa@sfchronicle.com
Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has boasted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the forthcoming Edo governorship election Gov...





Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has boasted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the forthcoming Edo governorship election Governor Godwin Obaseki has no opponent.





Speaking on a live programme on Wednesday, Wike said the people of Edo already knew the type of candidate the All Progressives Congress (APC) presented to them following what Adams Oshiomhole said about him four years ago.





Wike, in a statement by his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, said: Such a character cannot be accepted by Edo people as Governor during the election.





I respect the Benin tradition and I know that Edo people are educated to know that Oshiomhole cannot play on their intelligence.





If he is now retracting what he said of Ize Iyamu, who is sure that hes saying the correct thing now.





Adams Oshiomoles sudden u- turn is a great insult on Edo people. This is an opportunity for Edo people both at home and in the diaspora to use their votes to tell Oshiomole they cannot take his lies anymore.





From all indications, it is obvious that there is no strong opposition against Obaseki and he will win convincingly.





Wike, who is chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council, stated he and his team accepted the responsibility to lead the campaign because they are satisfied with results coming out already from Edo State.





Wike said the PDP had continued to take steps in strengthening the nations democracy with the promotion of internal politics and resolving conflict of interests of members to achieve common goals.





He said the success recorded by the PDP in conducting free and fair party primaries in Edo state was evidence of the internal democracy in the party.





The governor said all the aspirants decided to work together to support the candidature of Obaseki





He said: It was not easy to have a sole candidate for the party in Edo state. People thought there will be problems, given the fact that Obaseki was coming from another Party.





But Party members who are grounded and believe in the Party didnt see any sacrifice too much to make.





Even in Ondo State, the former Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi who decamped to PDP contested keenly during the primaries and lost . If there are other pending issues in the South West, be sure that the Party will resolve them.





That is exactly what Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as the chairman of South-South States Governors had done.




Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 20:08:33|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Wednesday lauded the efforts exerted by both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in seeking a political settlement in Yemen, the country's Foreign Ministry said.

In a statement, Egyptian Foreign Ministry reiterated "keenness of Saudi Arabia to implement the Riyadh deal and the kingdom's initiatives to speed up the pace of concluding a deal between the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC)."

Egypt values the Saudi sincere endeavors that aimed at reaching a cease-fire, boosting the political settlement, activating the state institutions, and achieving peace and stability in Yemen, it added.

"Egypt also commends the role of UAE in resolving the Yemeni war through political channels," the statement noted.

Earlier, Yemen's government and the STC have agreed to accelerate the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement within Saudi proposed mechanisms.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthis overran much of the country and seized all northern areas including the capital Sanaa. Enditem
Urbana, IL--Forty-five years after superconductivity was first discovered in metals, the physics giving rise to it was finally explained in 1957 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory of superconductivity.

Thirty years after that benchmark achievement, a new mystery confronted condensed matter physicists: the discovery in 1987 of copper-oxide or high-temperature superconductors. Now commonly known as the cuprates, this new class of materials demonstrated physics that fell squarely outside of BCS theory. The cuprates are insulators at room temperature, but transition to a superconducting phase at a much higher critical temperature than traditional BCS superconductors. (The cuprates' critical temperature can be as high as 170 Kelvin--that's -153.67?F--as opposed to the much lower critical temperature of 4 Kelvin--or -452.47?F--for mercury, a BCS superconductor.)

The discovery of high-temperature superconductors, now more than 30 years ago, seemed to promise that a host of new technologies were on the horizon. After all, the cuprates' superconducting phase can be reached using liquid nitrogen as a coolant, instead of the far costlier and rare liquid helium required to cool BCS superconductors. But until the unusual and unexpected superconducting behavior of these insulators can be theoretically explained, that promise remains largely unfulfilled.

An outpouring of both experimental and theoretical physics research has sought to uncover a satisfactory explanation for superconductivity in the cuprates. But today, this remains perhaps the most pressing unsolved question in condensed matter physics.

Now a team of theoretical physicists at the Institute for Condensed Matter Theory (ICMT) in the Department of Physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, led by Illinois Physics Professor Philip Phillips, has for the first time exactly solved a representative model of the cuprate problem, the 1992 Hatsugai-Kohmoto (HK) model of a doped Mott insulator.

The team has published its findings online in the journal Nature Physics on July 27, 2020.

"Aside from the obvious difference in superconducting temperatures, the cuprates start off their lives as Mott insulators, in which the electrons do not move independently as in a metal, but rather are strongly interacting," explains Phillips. "It is the strong interactions that make them insulate so well."

In their research, Phillips' team solves exactly the analog of the "Cooper pairing" problem from BCS theory, but now for a doped Mott insulator.

What is "Cooper pairing"? Leon Cooper demonstrated this key element of BCS theory: the normal state of a traditional superconducting metal is unstable to an attractive interaction between pairs of electrons. At a BCS superconductor's critical temperature, Cooper pairs of electrons travel without resistance through the metal--this is superconductivity!

"This is the first paper to show exactly that a Cooper instability exists in even a toy model of a doped Mott insulator," notes Phillips. "From this we show that superconductivity exists and that the properties differ drastically from the standard BCS theory. This problem had proven so difficult, only numerical or suggestive phenomenology was possible before our work."

Phillips credits ICMT post-doctoral Fellow Edwin Huang with writing the analogue of the BCS wave function for the superconducting state, for the Mott problem.

"The wave function is the key thing that you have to have to say a problem is solved," Phillips says. "John Robert Schrieffer's wave function turned out to be the computational workhorse of the whole BCS theory. All the calculations were done with it. For interacting electron problems, it is notoriously difficult to write a wave function. In fact, so far only two wave functions have been computed that describe interacting states of matter, one by Robert Laughlin in the fractional quantum Hall effect, and the other by Schrieffer in the context of BCS theory. So the fact that Edwin was able to do this for this problem is quite a feat."

Asked why the cuprates have proven such a mystery to physicists, Phillips explains, "In fact, it is the strong interactions in the Mott state that has prevented a solution to the problem of superconductivity in the cuprates. It has been difficult even to demonstrate the analogue of Cooper's pairing problem in any model of a doped Mott insulator."

Huang's Mott insulator wave function further enabled Phillips, Huang, and physics graduate student Luke Yeo to solve a key experimental puzzle in the cuprates, known as "the color change." Unlike metals, the cuprates exhibit an enhanced absorption of radiation at low energies with a concomitant decrease in absorption at high energies. Phillips' team has shown that this behavior arises from the remnants of what Phillips calls "Mott physics" or "Mottness" in the superconducting state.

Mottness is a term coined by Phillips to encapsulate certain collective properties of Mott insulators, first predicted shortly after World War II by British physicist and Nobel laureate Nevill Francis Mott.

In addition, the researchers have shown that the superfluid density, which has been observed to be suppressed in the cuprates relative to its value in metals, is also a direct consequence of the material's Mottness.

Further, Phillips' team has gone beyond the Cooper problem to demonstrate that the model has superconducting properties that lie outside that of BCS theory.

"For example," Phillips explains, "the ratio of the transition temperature to the energy gap in the superconducting state vastly exceeds that in the BCS theory. In addition, our work shows that the elementary excitations in the superconducting state also lie outside the BCS paradigm as they arise from the wide range of energy scales intrinsic to the Mott state."

###

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation's Division of Materials Research and by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems (EPiQS) Initiative. The findings presented are those of the researchers, and not necessarily those of the funding agencies.
Moncef Ait Kaci, who was until recently FRANCE 24s correspondent in Algeria, and technician Ramdane Rahmouni were released on Wednesday after having been detained the previous evening.

Ait Kacis lawyer said earlier that he was unable to provide details on the charges or the reasons for the arrest. He added that Ait Kaci did have a problem with his press accreditation from the Algerian authorities.

Ait Kaci and Rahmouni worked together on FRANCE 24s July 4 interview with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

Their detention sparked swift calls for their release from FRANCE 24 management as well as from press freedom groups and Algerian journalists on social media.

In a Twitter post in French, Paris-based NGO Reporters Without Borders said it was deeply concerned about the increased suppression of press freedom in Algeria, warning that the Algerian authorities are sinking into a spiral of repression, where new arbitrary measures serve to mask earlier ones".

In a statement released earlier on Wednesday, the management of France Medias Monde  the parent company of FRANCE 24 and Radio France Internationale  said they had been working tirelessly" throughout the night to obtain the release of the two journalists.

We obviously extend our full support to our colleagues who have been unjustly arrested, said the statement, adding that the French foreign ministry had been alerted.

This article is a translation of the original in French.
Up to 10,000 mask-clad Muslims begin the scaled back five-day pilgrimage as Saudi hosts try to prevent virus outbreak.

Hajj  the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca  has begun, but under dramatically different circumstances due to the coronavirus outbreak.

One of the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj is required for all Muslims who are physically or financially capable of undertaking it at least once in their lifetime and is usually one of the worlds largest religious gatherings.

But this year, only up to 10,000 people already residing in Saudi Arabia will participate in the five-day pilgrimage, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world that attended last year.

There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but [downsizing] is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic, said Khalid bin Qarar Al-Harbi, Saudi Arabias director of public security.

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Pilgrims will be required to wear masks and observe physical distancing during a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in the holy city of Mecca and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.

Those selected to take part in the Hajj were subject to temperature checks and placed in a short quarantine ahead of the rites beginning on Wednesday.

State media showed health workers sanitising pilgrims luggage, and pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.

Workers, armed with brooms and disinfectant, were seen cleaning the area around the Kaaba, the structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque draped in gold-embroidered black cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.

Touching or kissing the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam, is banned this year. All pilgrims must also maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres (five feet) during prayers.

Hajj authorities reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims. The foreign press is barred from this years Hajj, usually a huge global media event, as the government tightens access to Mecca.

Saudi authorities initially said only some 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom would be permitted to perform Hajj, but local media reports say as many as 10,000 will be allowed to take part.

Some 70 percent of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in Saudi Arabia, while the rest will be Saudi citizens, authorities said.

All worshippers had to undergo a coronavirus test before arriving in Mecca and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the kingdom nears 270,000  one of the largest outbreaks in the Middle East.

They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilised pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the ihram, a seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a Hajj ministry programme document.

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I did not expect, among millions of Muslims, to be blessed with approval, Emirati pilgrim Abdullah al-Kathiri said in a video released by the Saudi media ministry.

It is an indescribable feeling especially since it is my first pilgrimage.

The Hajj ministry said non-Saudi residents of the kingdom from about 160 countries competed in the online selection process, but it did not say how many people applied.

Some disappointed applicants have complained that the government-run lottery was not clearly outlined and that no reason was given for their rejection.

The virus has also battered pilgrimage-reliant businesses that support hundreds of thousands of jobs in Mecca, from travel agents to street barbers and souvenir shops [AFP]

The government scaled back the pilgrimage because it could be a major source of contagion, but the move will deepen the kingdoms economic slump, analysts say.

In normal times, it is estimated the pilgrimage contributes $12bn to Saudi Arabias gross domestic product (GDP) each year.

Already facing a sharp downturn in oil prices due to a collapse in global demand driven by coronavirus lockdowns, Saudi Arabia has instituted austerity measures, including the tripling of a value added tax and cuts to civil servants allowances.

The virus has also battered pilgrimage-reliant businesses that support hundreds of thousands of jobs in Mecca, from travel agents to street barbers and souvenir shops.

The International Monetary Fund expects the kingdoms GDP for 2020 to contract by 6.8 percent as both the pandemic and slumping oil prices take a toll.
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The Victims' Commissioner has today blasted 'utterly shameful' rape conviction figures as they fell to a record low.

Dame Vera Baird hit out after shocking Home Office data showed just 1.4 per cent of rapes recorded by police led to prosecution in the 12 months to March.

The number of reported rapes fell from 55,771 to 55,130 offences during the same period.

The Crown Prosecution Service today set out a five-year plan to reverse the decline in the number of sex offenders being jailed, but Dame Vera insisted action needed to be taken immediately, not further down the line.

She said: 'These rape statistics are utterly shameful with 1,500 fewer rapists being convicted than three years ago. Rape is a serial offence and rapists carry on until they are stopped.

'The CPS have to change its practice in rape now, not in half a decade. There is no complexity in why rape prosecutions and convictions have crashed.'

Experts believe there are several reasons behind the low conviction rate.

Victims have complained about 'digital rape' as police demand to go through their phones and social media accounts while investigating cases  leading some complainants to drop out of potential prosecutions.

And in November it was revealed that prosecutors had been operating a secret 60 per cent conviction target - meaning they were unwilling to take cases to court if they were not considered 'slam dunk' prosecutions.

Meanwhile a recent law change has led to more suspects being released without bail, taking pressure off prosecutors to examine cases promptly and allowing cases to drift, campaigners say.

The Crown Prosecution Service is pushing to bring more sex offenders to justice  days after watchdogs said rape had in effect been 'decriminalised'

1,000 extra probation officers hired A thousand extra probation officers are to be recruited to keep tabs on freed offenders. Staff numbers will be boosted following a costly Government U-turn that will see privatised work taken back 'in house'. The additional officers, combined with 800 trainees already being recruited, will see the workforce grow by almost 30 per cent year-on-year by January, the Ministry of Justice said. The department promised the recruitment drive would allow probation officers to have a 'more balanced workload'. High-risk criminals are supervised by the National Probation Service, with all other work assigned to part-private community rehabilitation companies. But from next June supervision of around 200,000 low and medium-risk offenders will be taken over by the NPS. The move by Justice Secretary Robert Buckland was a humiliation for Tory colleague Chris Grayling, who introduced the 3.7billion shakeup. It was beset by problems, including the revelation that many freed criminals were monitored by just one phone call every six weeks. The new strategy includes IT systems to let staff spend more time working with offenders. Advertisement

CPS data today also showed just 1,439 alleged rapists were convicted of rape or lesser offences in the last 12 months - down 25 per cent from the previous year.

It comes amid a push by prosecutors to bring more sex offenders to justice - days after watchdogs said rape had in effect been 'decriminalised'.

The CPS has pledged to 'reduce the gap' between cases reported by victims and the number that reach court.

Completed prosecutions also reached a record low, with 2,102 in the last 12 months, compared to 3,034 in the previous year, a fall of around 31 per cent.

Dame Vera added: 'It is a policy by CPS only to take only rock-solid prosecutions as set down in a CPS document in 2016/17 by the director of legal services and personally driven by him nationwide.

'The Director of Public Prosecutions could reverse that immediately and he has been asked to do so by the rape campaigners for the entire time he has been in post.

'For the sake of getting a higher rate of convictions the CPS have cut the volume of cases they charge leaving thousands of rape complainants without the chance of justice, even in cases when they appear to have a strong evidential case. The bowing to rape myths must end.

'I suggest the DPP should announce the end to that policy today and then a 'blueprint' for CPS further improvement can be taken seriously.

'Before this change of policy CPS were rising to the challenge and increasing prosecutions and convictions at the same time.

'They saw rape as a challenge where now they're told to see it as a barrier. There are some excellent people in the CPS and it needs this policy to be reversed to ensure that they can do the good job of securing justice which they want to do,'

The DPP, Max Hill QC, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'I do accept the scale of the problem but we must also accept if we are talking about that, that looking back three or four years some serious mistakes were also being made.

'There were cases going to court which shouldn't have been going to court, so we have had to eradicate that as well.'

The CPS figures also show a drop in the number of rape cases referred to the CPS by police, with 2,747 in the last 12 months, down from 3,375 the previous year - around a 19 per cent decrease.

And the average time for the police and CPS to bring a charge increased to 145 days, compared with 108 in 2018/19.

The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) described the fall in the number of convictions as 'very concerning for us'.

A joint statement from the NPCC's leads for rape, domestic abuse and charging said there are a number of reasons for the drop in referrals, many due to the way forces work, but that police have been working with the CPS to 'streamline' the process.

'However, we are hearing from our officers that it is becoming harder to achieve the standard of evidence required to charge a suspect and get a case into court,' a statement said.

'Victims tell us clearly how important it is to them to have the evidence tested in this way.

'Investigators are working incredibly hard to try and reach that standard, but in some occasions when they are unable to do so they are taking local decisions through gatekeepers and supervisors.

Victims' Commissioner Dame Vera Baird suggested ministers should consider taking matters out of the hands of the Director of Public Prosecutions

'We are also concerned about the increasing length of time it is taking to reach the point of charge. Many issues are contributing to this including more cases, more material and evidence to gather and the high evidential threshold we need to meet.'

The CPS said it was 'working hard to reverse the trend we've seen in recent years' as a new five-year strategy was unveiled to improve the rate of conviction in rape cases.

This includes a joint action plan with police and giving officers legal advice early in investigations.

Mr Hill also said more alleged rape victims should be allowed to pre-record evidence to avoid coming to court for trial, and victims who do need to attend should be offered a 'digital walkthrough' of the process so that they know what to expect.

He said 'trends are moving in the right direction', pointing to a rise in the proportion of cases referred to the CPS by police that result in charges.

'I'm very anxious to ensure that everyone understands that the Crown Prosecution Service, just like our partners in the police and everybody else involved in dealing with these truly awful crimes, is keen to do more, to look further and to work harder to improve in the interests of the whole system,' he said.

'What I'm saying today in launching our rape and sexual offences strategy for five years through to 2025 is that the CPS will continue to develop, to train our people and to work out how to help individuals and their cases to come through the criminal justice system.

'We need to continue to achieve a balance between the needs and the rights of victims and those of suspects, but if we work harder we will see continuing improvement.'

Earlier this month, a report from Dame Vera warned that the country is in effect witnessing 'the decriminalisation of rape' and women's groups said the latest figures show this is continuing.

End Violence Against Women director Sarah Green said: 'We have seen a vacuum of leadership and accountability within the CPS when it comes to rape, with no recognition of the harm done to the thousands of survivors being failed by the system.'

According to a report from the Police Foundation published on Wednesday, the number of rapes reported to police rose by 260% between 2013 and 2019.

But data from the Home Office showed that in the 12 months to March just 1.4 per cent of 55,130 offences recorded by police led to prosecution.

Of the cases that were closed, 41 per cent collapsed because the victim did not support further action.
Online investment and wealth management platform Paytm Money on Wednesday announced the appointment of Varun Sridhar as its new Chief Executive Officer. Sridhar has led the digital transformation journey of some of the top retail banks in India and abroad.

Most recently, he served as CEO of FinShell India where he launched realme PaySa a fintech platform on mobile.

Prior to this role, he was with BNP Paribas for close to eight years where amongst other assignments he supported the acquisition of Sharekhan.Sridhar will report to Amit Nayyar, President at Paytm.

"Paytm Money is on a mission to empower millions of Indians with wealth management products. We are very excited to welcome Varun, whose experience in retail banking, broking, and wealth segment would help us accelerate our goals," Nayyar said in a statement.

A subsidiary of One97 Communications Ltd which operates Paytm, Paytm Money is headquartered in Bengaluru and has a team of over 300 employees.

The company said it has over six million users on its platform.

Paytm Money plans to invest Rs 250 crores over the next 12-18 months as it has planned to launch new businesses including equity brokerage in this financial year.

"At Paytm Money, I hope to build along with a fantastic team the most cost-effective & consumer-friendly products and experience for investors and traders," Sridhar said on his appointment.

"The wealth management and financial service solutions that Paytm is building are transforming the lives of millions of Indians and are relevant globally as well," he said.
The Department of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE), Kerala is scheduled to release the Class 11 Results or Kerala Plus One Result at 11 am on the official its website today (July 29, 2020). Once released, candidates can check their results by visiting the official website keralaresults.nic.in.

Students can also check their Kerala DHSE class 11 results on dhsekerala.gov.in.

Follow live updates on Kerala DHSE class 11 results

Kerala Education Minister C Raveendranath had earlier made an announcement regarding the Kerala DHSE +1 results 2020 and said that the results will be announced soon. The minister made the announcement while announcing the Kerala Plus Two results 2020 on Wednesday.

Here's how to check Kerala DHSE Kerala Plus one result 2020 online:

Step 1: Log in at the official website of Kerala DHSE  keralaresults.nic.in;

Step 2: On home page, click at 'HSE Results'.

Step 3: Click at Plus one results.

Step 4: Fill in your roll number and other credentials.

Step 5: Your result will be displayed on the computer monitor.

Step 6: Download and take a printout of it for future references.

Those students who appeared in the Kerala DHSE +1 Exams 2020 are advised to keep checking at the boards official websites - keralaresults.nic.in and dhsekerala.gov.in to know their result.

The Kerala DHSE class 12 result is now available on the official website of the Kerala board - keralaresults.nic.in, dhsekerala.gov.in. In the Kerala DHSE class 12 results, the pass percentage has registered an improvement of 0.77 per cent as it is 85.13 per cent in 2020 as compared to 84.33 per cent in 2019. A total of 3.75 lakh students appeared for Kerala Board +2 exams out of which 3.19 lakh passed the exams successfully.
China became a net steel importer in June for the first time since the last global recession in 2009, with exports from India, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam set for short term gains as demand overshoots supply in the rapidly recovering economy.

China, the world's biggest steel producer, imported 4.4 million metric tonnes of finished and semi-finished steel products last month and exported a total of 3.7 million metric tonnes, according to data from China General Administration of Customs. It produced a record 91.58 million metric tonnes of crude steel for the month.

The surprising strength in demand for steel in China, particularly for hot-rolled coil that is used in everything from cars to billet products used in construction, is forecast to last throughout July, with imports expected to rise further to 5.5 million metric tonnes, according to an analysis by S&P Global Platts based on trading data from May and June.

In the short run this will help China's steel trading partners in the region to continue exporting steel to the country as a means of offsetting weak demand in their local markets.

But China's purchases of additional steel will be limited to Asian partners and is unlikely to reach more distant sources such as the United States, with whom Beijing has made purchasing commitments under the phase one trade deal, S&P Global Platts said.

China's economy grew by 3.2 per cent in the second quarter, a dramatic turnaround from a 6.8 per cent contraction in quarter one. Earlier this week, China's industrial giants saw their monthly profits grow for a second successive month in June, although they were still in the red over the first half of the year.

"The surge of [steel] imports was within market expectations as China was the first country to emerge from the Covid-19 lockdowns, therefore, its economic recovery and steel demand had temporarily outpaced overseas markets, soliciting inflows of steel," S&P Global Platts analysts said.

Story continues

"More importantly, China's monetary loosening and credit easing in the first half of 2020 have boosted the infrastructure and property construction sectors. Steel traders have embarked on some speculative buying in anticipation of a further liquidity boost that would drive up property and infrastructure demand in the second half of the year.

"Traders with plenty of cash flows have been more than willing to purchase from domestic and overseas steelmakers, even at the cost of holding on to climbing steel inventories."

Chinese metals market analysis firm Mysteel said local steel producers attribute lower exports in June to muted global demand as the rest of the world struggled to restart their economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, over 70 per cent of automobile producers in Europe, Japan and South Korea who are normally buyers of China's flat steel, have stopped or cut back production.

The weakness in non-Chinese demand is seen in the large gap in steel prices of as much as US$50 per tonne between China's domestic market and that in the rest of the world, Mysteel added.

In China, the demand for steel comes not only from the infrastructure and property sectors but also from shipbuilding, car and home appliance manufacturing, all of which have rebounded, S&P Global Platts said.

This has resulted in strong demand for two kinds of steel products in June: hot rolled coil, which is a flat steel product that goes into making machinery, home appliances and automobiles; and billet which is used to make reinforcing bars used in construction.

Strong steel demand in China has boosted Australia's iron ore exports, which rose to A$9.92 billion (US$7 billion) in June, the highest monthly export value on record, according to preliminary data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Australia's iron ore exports to China will remain buoyant in the near future as China's steel imports in June were only a "drop in the ocean" compared to its overall steel production, S&P Global Platts said.

China, in turn, is gearing up for more steel production and iron ore imports after approving four new ports along its coast that can operate berths for extra-large iron ore transport ships, opening up new possibilities for more shipments from Brazil and Africa.

The Chinese steel industry, however, was not optimistic that the current strong demand for steel would last, especially with China looking to address the possible overheating in certain property markets.

"August should however see [steel] imports ease to 2.8 million [metric tonnes] as Chinese buyers adopted a more cautious stance in June in light of the now-contained resurgence of the coronavirus in Beijing and torrential rains leading to historic floods in the country's south," S&P Global Platts said.

Despite that, China's total crude steel production for the year was still on track to rise by 2 per cent, the firm said.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
NDCs Parliamentary Candidate for Efutu Constituency in the Central Region, Dr. James Kofi Annan says his constituency needs no other person to represent them in parliament than himself.



He claims he has single-handedly transformed the constituency over the years by creating jobs for all, but, the majority is the youth.



If I was able to do that when I wasnt an MP, then why dont I lead the people and do more, he said.



Dr. James Kofi Annan who was speaking on NEAT FMs evening political show The Torch Light described himself as the messiah to save the people of Efutu if elected to represent them in parliament.







Dr. James Kofi Annan, founder of Winneba is King Movement has been introduced to the people of Effutuman as the NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the Efutu Constituency.This followed the resignation of Mr. Victor Nyankson a renowned legal Practitioner, who was elected at a delegates congress.His vision among others is to rehabilitate the Winneba Water Works to address the perennial water shortage, extension of electricity to all rural communities, and the provision of School infrastructure.Dr Annan has sponsored the education of 100 young people from the primary to the various Universities and also enrolled several young men and women to learn various vocations, while others have been employed by his organization.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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IDFC First Bank rose 2.87% to Rs 28.65 after net profit of Rs 93.55 crore in Q1 June 2020 compared with net loss of Rs 617.36 crore in Q1 June 2019.

Total income gained 5.2% to Rs 4,316.24 crore in Q1 June 2020 over Rs 4,103.57 crore in Q1 June 2019. Pre-tax profit stood at Rs 127.55 crore in Q1 June 2020 as against pre-tax loss of Rs 963.02 crore in Q1 June 2019. The result was declared post market hours yesterday, 28 July 2020.

The bank's gross non-performing assets (NPAs) stood at Rs 1,741.66 crore as on 30 June 2020 as against Rs 2,279.56 crore as on 31 March 2020 and Rs 2,418.56 crore as on 30 June 2019. The ratio of gross NPAs to gross advances stood at 1.99% as on 30 June 2020 as against 2.60% as on 31 March 2020 and 2.66% as on 30 June 2019. The ratio of net NPAs to net advances stood at 0.51% as on 30 June 2020 as against 0.94% as on 31 March 2020 and 1.35% as on 30 June 2019.

The bank's provisions and contingencies declined 40.34% to Rs 764.08 crore in Q1 FY21 over Rs 1280.75 crore in Q1 FY20. Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR) on NPA accounts improved to 74.93% at 30 June 2020 as compared to 49.76% at 30 June 2019 and 64.53% at 31 March 2020.

In the first phase of moratorium, the bank took COVID-19 related provision worth Rs 225 crore through the profit and loss account in the quarter ending on 31 March 2020. During Q1 FY21, the bank has created additional COVID-19 related provision of Rs 375 crore to further strengthen the balance sheet.

IDFC First Bank's Q1 FY2021 Net Interest Income (NII) grew 38% Y-o-Y (year-on-year) to Rs 1,626 crore from Rs 1,174 crore in Q1 FY2020. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown impact, the Q-o-Q (quarter-on-quarter) NII grew by 4%. Net Interest Margin (quarterly annualized) (NIM) rose to 4.53% in Q1 June 2020 from 3.01% in Q1 June 2019.

Fee and other income (without trading gains) dropped 54% to Rs 148 crore in Q1 FY21 as compared to Rs 321 crore in Q1 FY20 due to lower loan originations and reduced banking activity on account of COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown throughout the country. The trading gain for Q1 FY21 was at Rs 337 crore.

Current Account-Savings Account (CASA) deposits posted strong growth of 145% Y-o-Y (year-on-year) to Rs 23,491 crore as on 30 June 2020 as compared to Rs 9,594 crore as on 30 June 2019. CASA ratio improved to 33.74% as on 30 June 2020 as compared to 14.57% as on 30 June 2019. As of 30 June 2020, the net worth of the bank was Rs 17,436 crore.

The bank focused on growing the retail loan book and decreased the wholesale loan book including infrastructure loans to reduce concentration risk on the portfolio. Out of the total book mentioned above, retail loan book jumped 26% to Rs 56,043 crore as on 30 June 2020 as compared to Rs 44,642 crore as on 30 June 2019.

During Q1 FY2021, the nation-wide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic stayed for the entire first two months of the last quarter and practically continues till now in the localized manner in some of the key business locations including main cities in India. In the midst of such situation, the bank continued to service its customers in all possible ways emphasizing on technology driven solutions and grew its business gradually, both for deposits and loans.

The branches of the bank have remained open during this emergency time and the employees have efficiently helped their customers for all their needs in this situation, while remaining under the guidelines as prescribed by the Government Authorities. The Bank introduced video-based KYC to onboard customers remotely in a completely touch-free way during the last quarter.

During May 2020, the RBI also announced the second phase of moratorium till end of August 2020 and IDFC First Bank accordingly extended moratorium to its eligible customers. For the second phase, till date, the bank has provided moratorium to about 28% of its customers based on the value, out of which 23% is in retail assets including rural portfolio and 35% is in the wholesale financing portfolio.

Commenting on the Q1 result, V Vaidyanathan, the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of IDFC First Bank, has said that: "We are happy to inform that we continue to progress well on all parameters as per the guidance provided for the bank. Further, we have liberally provided moratorium to customers who sought it, and our moratorium was about 45% last quarter. This has reduced to 28% now, which we expect to fall below 10% by August 31, 2020 based on the strong improving trend in collections we are experiencing."

IDFC First Bank provides a range of financial solutions to individuals, small businesses and corporates. As of 30 June 2020, the bank has 503 branches and 417 ATMs across the country.

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PHILLIPS  In this tiny community east of the Cooper, family land that's been passed down for generations is under threat from a plan to widen a traffic-choked road.

The Phillips Community, founded along Horlbeck Creek in 1875, is a success story in this region for Black families who found economic stability in the aftermath of enslavement. Two of the original land buyers in this area were Black women who led their households, said Richard Habersham, whose family has lived here since it was founded.

But this neighborhood is waiting to hear how many homes would be in jeopardy if a road through the middle of the settlement  S.C. Highway 41  is expanded to five lanes. An alternative route would send most traffic around Phillips instead; that's the route residents hope will emerge as the final plan.

The community might not have had this chance to make their case to Charleston County leaders if not for the National Environmental Policy Act, a bedrock law known as NEPA, which has been in place without major reinterpretation for half a century.

But for future projects, that review process has been slashed by the Trump administration. Earlier this month, the White House finalized strict time limits on reviews of major infrastructure, like highways, bridges or pipelines. Planners can even buy land for a project before they've even finished considering their options.

"It's really problematic because it just turns the whole thing into a farce," said Kym Hunter, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center of the time compression.

"Youre just checking boxes," Hunter said. "Youre not actually using it as a decision-making process."

The White House and industry leaders in construction sectors argue the changes will help streamline work that must be done under NEPA. As it stood before, many reviews took several years to complete.

Historic property

The families who live in Phillips today can draw direct lines back to their ancestors who bought plots there just 12 years after the end of slavery on what was formerly the Phillips Plantation.

"They had nothing and they had the wisdom to buy property," Habersham said. "Youre uneducated, but you can, not see the future, but predict how you wanted the future to turn out for your (descendants). That in itself is something."

Habersham is a meticulous chronicler of Phillips' history. In his home, he stores an array of surveying maps, some of which date back centuries. The whole community is considered a cultural asset and is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places; that cultural heritage is part of the equation in the NEPA review that's under way.

If S.C. 41 does widen through the middle of Phillips, it wouldn't be the first time a road wreaked havoc there. When 41 was originally built in the middle of the 20th century, it forced the relocation of a schoolhouse in its direct path, which was later torn down.

Some homes are so close to the road now, it's hard to conceive of how they could be saved if the road expanded to five lanes.

"Wed just be uprooted," said the Rev. Elijah Smalls, another Phillips resident. His great-great-grandfather, Sepio Smalls, was the largest land buyer in the original settlement.

"We have no way of fighting it, (except) to get people to hear our case," Smalls said.

Weighing options

Charleston County is now weighing two long-term options to relieve the congestion on S.C. 41. One would expand the current two-lane road to five inside Phillips. The other would expand it to just three lanes inside Phillips  to account for a middle turning lane  and expand thoroughfares that wind around it, including Dunes West Boulevard.

Habersham argued that increased traffic on the narrow road comes from the nearby Dunes West and Park West subdivisions, which are in the town of Mount Pleasant. Phillips is an unincorporated piece of land under Charleston County's jurisdiction, but Mount Pleasant surrounds it.

"If it's your problem, you solve the traffic, and not on our backs," Habersham said.

Traffic planners with Charleston County have said a different route around Phillips would provide a better fix because it would be closer to congestion coming from Dunes West and Park West.

Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie, meanwhile, said routing around the community could prove more damaging because of the additional land that would be acquired. He said residents of the nearby subdivisions worry about a heavier flow of traffic by those neighborhoods, especially because of anticipated growth in nearby Berkeley County.

"The straight shot though where 41 is now, appears to be the (least) damaging, in many ways, of the two alternatives that were selected," he said.

Charleston County will make the final call on the project. A spokesman for the county said staff is planning meetings later this summer to give more information to the public, including an analysis of how much land and how many homes would be affected by each alternative.

Shorter review

At this point, earnest review of long-term solutions for S.C. 41 has been going on for about three years, though the work was discussed long before that.

The changes to the law finalized by the Trump administration now cap environmental reviews at one or two years. Haynie said he didn't think that the length of time spent on S.C. 41 so far had necessarily been a bad thing.

"If it's a process that's very deliberate ... I don't have a problem with it, because once those (natural and cultural) resources are gone, they're gone," Haynie said.

Other changes might make it harder for a layman to take part in the commenting process in the future.

Hunter, of the Southern Environmental Law Center, said public comments now must be highly technical to be considered at all. Arguments like appeals to history in a place like Phillips might not be considered "if they're not saying specifically what the concern is, referencing the page number of where the concern is in the analysis," Hunter said.

Public meetings for these reviews can also be held exclusively online, which might prove useful in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic but leave some out of the conversation.

"These are older residents, and a lot of people don't do internet," Habersham said.

Projects will be subject to the newer, shorter NEPA review starting in September, though the new rule can be retroactively applied to projects that are under consideration now.

Charleston County is not going to change its review process for S.C. 41, spokesman Shawn Smetana said, regardless of the White House's new interpretation of NEPA.
To truly honor Rep. John Lewis, we have to do more than paper homage, writes Indian American Neera Kuckreja Sohoni. We need to recall his style of warfare and let it fashion ours. Above: Rep. Lewis speaks onstage during the 51st NAACP Image Awards, Presented by BET, at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Rich Fury/Getty Images)
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President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard to quell Portland protests in an apparent attempt to save face hours after he backed down and agreed to remove federal troops from the city.

Trump once again decried 'agitators and anarchists' in Portland during an address in Midland, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon following the announcement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin a phased withdrawal of federal officers on Thursday after almost a month of nightly violent clashes outside the city's courthouse.

The president praised the officers' efforts before warning that he will take even stronger action if the unrest continues after they leave.

'If they don't solve that problem locally very soon, we're going to send in the National Guard and get it solved very quickly, just like we did in Minneapolis and just like we will do in other places,' he said.

'They want to solve their problem, they've got a very short time to do it, but they'll either solve their problem or we send in the National Guard.'

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President Donald Trump threatened to deploy the National Guard to quell Portland protests during a speech in Midland, Texas on Wednesday afternoon - hours after he backed down and agreed to remove federal troops from the city

A protester taunts federal officers after being shot with less-lethal munitions outside the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse after an unlawful assembly was declared Tuesday night

A mortar round thrown by protesters explodes amidst federal officers in downtown Portland Tuesday night

Protesters are seen outside the Multnomah County Justice Center on Wednesday night after the announcement that federal troops would be removed from Portland's downtown area

Federal police at the garage entrance to the Mark O Hatfield federal courthouse on Wednesday night

Trump made the comments during a speech on restoring energy dominance in the Permian Basin, where he railed against liberals for trying to regulate the area's oil industry.

He segued into the protests in an awkward fashion by charging that eliminating methods such as fracking could turn the US into Venezuela. He said the US 'isn't far from that - just look at Portland'.

Trump expressed similar sentiments about the situation in Portland in a pair of tweets ahead of the speech, writing: 'If the Federal Government and its brilliant Law Enforcement (Homeland) didn't go into Portland one week ago, there would be no Portland - it would be burned and beaten to the ground,' he wrote.

'If the Mayor and Governor do not stop the Crime and Violence from the Anarchists and Agitators immediately, the Federal Government will go in and do the job that local law enforcement was supposed to do!'

The tweets came just after Oregon Gov Kate Brown confirmed that the federal government had agreed to remove agents from Portland if officials secure the city and its Mark O Hatfield federal courthouse, where the height of the violence has occurred.

Just before Trump's tweets, Oregon Gov Kate Brown (left) confirmed in a statement that the federal government agreed to withdraw agents from Portland

'Beginning Thursday, all Customs and Border Protection and ICE officers will leave downtown Portland, and shortly thereafter will begin going home,' Brown said in a statement.

The DHS said it had signed on to the joint plan to end the violence in which state and local law enforcement would begin to secure areas around federal properties.

In a statement, DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said that the 'department will continue to maintain our current, augmented federal law enforcement personnel in Portland until we are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure'.

Trump had said earlier on Wednesday that federal agents will not be leaving Portland until local officials rid it of 'anarchists and agitators'.

'We're not leaving until they secure their city. If they don't secure their city soon, we have no choice. We're gonna have to go in and clean it out,' the president told reporters ahead of his flight to Texas.

'So in Portland, they either clean out their city and do the job and get rid of the anarchists and agitators, which is what they are. They're not protesters.

'They either clean out their city and do it right or we're going to have to do it for them.'

At the Midland event Trump specified how he intended to intervene in the future - by sending in the federal National Guard.

The president has made the same threat on multiple occasions in the two months since protests broke out nationwide over the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed when a white Minneapolis cop kneeled on his neck during an arrest.

In the first few weeks of protests he did send troops to several US cities, but they were only allowed to serve as support for law enforcement and did not have any power to arrest or detain citizens.

To give them those powers Trump would have to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which allows the president to deploy troops when federal laws cannot be properly enforced.

Trump signaled his intent to invoke the act last month but never followed through amid a debate over whether he could do so without consent from governors, most of whom said they did not want troops in their cities.

Protesters face off with federal officers in downtown Portland after an unlawful assembly was declared Tuesday night

Several moms stand behind protesters holding shields during another night of protests in downtown Portland

One protester is seen holding up a shield to protect himself from less-lethal munitions fired by federal agents

A demonstrator flashes a peace sign at federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse early Wednesday morning

Mothers face off with federal law enforcement officers during a demonstration against police violence and racial inequality in Portland Tuesday night

Federal officers advance on retreating demonstrators after an illegal assembly was declared during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse

Demonstrators retreat as federal officers launch tear gas on them during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse early Wednesday morning

The talks between the White House and Oregon began on Tuesday, a day after the US Marshals Service and the DHS debated whether to send in more agents.

The marshals were taking steps to identify up to 100 additional personnel who could go in case they were needed to relieve or supplement the deputy marshals who work in Oregon, spokesman Drew Wade said.

On Tuesday, Portland officials also announced their own action against the deployment of troops by fining the federal government until it removes an unpermitted fence around the Mark O. Hatfield courthouse.

Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly announced fines on the fence that was set up without permission.

Eudaly said the government hasn't responded to a cease and desist demand on behalf of the city sent last week and said the bill against the federal government is now $192,000 'and counting' as of Monday night.

'We intend to collect,' she said. 'Typically, we would send a maintenance crew or contractor to remove such an obstruction, but I will not send workers into harm's way,' she said.

Protests in Portland have spiraled out of control since the death of George Floyd in May, prompting the federal government to intervene and send in troops

Demonstrators hold placards reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Cops are paid to protect not murder' during protests

Protest in the Portland entered their 62nd night on Tuesday as federal authorities attempt to quell the civil unrest plaguing the city

Demonstrator Teal Lindseth uses a megaphone during a protest against racial inequality and police violence on Tuesday night

The protests have shown no sign of stopping despite the U.S. Marshals Service and Department of Homeland Security weighing whether to send in more agents

'Yes, I am afraid to direct workers to do their job and enforce our laws against the federal government - I hope that gives everyone reading this pause,' she added.

According to the transportation bureau's rules, which Eudaly oversees, it can assess a maximum $500 fine for obstructing the public right of way without a permit and levy a charge every 15 minutes, hourly, daily, weekly or monthly, according to Oregon Live.

The fence has become the heart of evening protests, which have broken out in the city for months following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

Protesters have hit the streets demanding an end to racial injustice and police brutality.

The demonstrations have escalated into violence with protesters throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails, fireworks and laser pointers at the federal courthouse.

Crowds gathered outside the Mark O. Hatfield courthouse on Tuesday where the federal government installed a protective fence

Hundreds of protesters gathered to listen to Native American speakers outside the Multnomah County Justice Center

Recent protests have escalated into violence with protesters throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails, fireworks and laser pointers at the federal courthouse

Portland officials announced Tuesday the city is fining the federal government $500 every 15 minutes for erecting an unauthorized fence surround the federal court house and the Justice Center in downtown Portland

Protesters attempted to push over the fence set up by federal agents above on Friday

A fire burns behind a fence as protesters gather at the Justice Center and Federal Courthouse on Monday evening. Protests have only worsened with the deployment of federal agents to Portland

Demonstrators are seen holding up umbrellas for protection against less-lethal munitions outside the Portland courthouse Tuesday night

People gather for a demonstration in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland on Tuesday

Federal police clean in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland as the city experiences another night of unrest

Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly announced Tuesday that the city of Portland is assessing a maximum fine of $500 for every 15 minutes that the unauthorized fence set up by federal agents remains standing

Federal agents have responded with tear gas, less-lethal ammunition and arrests.

Despite the clashes between agents and civilians, Trump has touted their deployment as a success.

'We, as you know, have done an excellent job of watching over Portland and watching our courthouse where they wanted to burn it down, they're anarchists, nothing short of anarchist agitators,' Trump said Tuesday.

'And we have protected it very powerfully. And if we didn't go there, I will tell you, you wouldn't have a courthouse. You'd have a billion-dollar burned-out building.'

US Attorney General William Barr has also defended the aggressive federal response to Congress, saying 'violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests' sparked by Floyds death.

On Monday the feud between troops and city officials only inflamed when the Trump administration announced they'll send in additional federal agents to the city, despite demands from elected representatives and lawsuits against the deployment.

Now Oregon state leaders are advocating for a ban on tear gas, limits on munitions and legislation to require officers display their names and ID numbers in the upcoming special session in the State Legislature.

Federal law enforcement officials pictured aiming at protesters standing outside a fence they set up around the Justice Center and Federal Courthouse in Portland on Friday

Demonstrators hold signs during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Monday in Portland, Oregon

Members of the 'Wall of Moms' protest group lock arms as they are tear-gassed by federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Portland courthouse on Monday

A demonstrator holds a sign in front of a fire during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Tuesday in Portland

A demonstrator kicks a tear gas canister back at federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse early Wednesday morning

A protester walks through tear gas deployed by federal law enforcement officers during a demonstration against police violence and racial inequality in Portland early Wednesday morning

Federal officers are surrounded by smoke as they push back demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse early Wednesday morning

Several moms join together to block a Department of Homeland Security SUV from pursuing street protesters as they clash with federal officers Tuesday night

People gather in protest in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland as the city experiences another night of unrest

'Our federal delegation has pushed for DOJ and DHS Inspectors General to investigate Trump's lawless actions in Portlandthey are also working to defund this action in Congress,' she said.

'I know how challenging this is for Portlanders. I am committed to doing everything in my power to end this federal occupation and move forward with our community's reckoning with racial injustice and our efforts to transform our approach to policing and public safety,' Eudaly added.

Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty have called for a 'cease-fire' in the protests.

The American Civil Liberties Union in Oregon filed a motion alleging that the militarized U.S. agents are attacking journalists and legal observers with riot-control munitions, despite a federal court ordering them to stop this week.

Last week, the U.S. District Court in Portland - located in the same federal court building that's been the focus of protests - temporarily blocked federal officers from targeting journalists and legal observers at the protests.

The ACLU asked the court to sanction and hold in contempt federal agents for violating the temporary restraining order.

'As of yesterday, the federal government owes us $192,000 and counting. We intend to collect,' Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly tweeted Tuesday

Several moms join together to block a Department of Homeland Security SUV from pursuing street protesters as they clash with federal officers on Tuesday

A fire is set during a demonstration in downtown Portland Tuesday night

Federal law enforcement officers stand guard during a protest against racial inequality and police violence in Portland

Meanwhile, business owner Stacey Gibson (right), who owns five fast-food restaurants in Portland has said that nightly protests have been hijacked by people 'taking advantage of an opportunity' and who are not a part of the Black Lives Matter movement

It also asked the court to order Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli to personally appear and show why they should not be sanctioned for contempt.

The organization cited numerous instances in which agents have violated the order by firing impact munitions and using pepper spray against people clearly marked as journalists or legal observers.

One journalist, Jonathan Levinson of Oregon Public Broadcasting, said in a statement to the court that while he was trying to take a photograph Friday, he saw a federal agent raise his weapon, aim it at him and fire several rounds.

'My camera and lens were splattered with paint,' Levinson said. 'Based on my position and the position of people around me, there is almost no chance the agent was aiming at anyone other than me.'

Trump had also sent troops to Seattle on 'standby' last week to protect federal buildings amid civil unrest.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Tuesday that she had received confirmation that agents had left her city.

Meanwhile, businesses in the downtown area are fighting to survive.

Stacey Gibson, who owns five fast-food restaurants in Portland has said that nightly protests have been hijacked by people 'taking advantage of an opportunity' and who are not a part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Gibson said it has been 'terrifying' trying to keep her businesses open.

She told Fox News @ Night that she believes a bunch of opportunists are taking advantage of the protests and that the message of the Black Lives Matter movement 'is getting lost'.

'It's certainly not the Black Lives movement that is causing all this damage on the federal buildings and everything else,' Gibson said.

'It's just people taking advantage of an opportunity. And it's hurting a lot of people  I mean, not just the businesses but the residents and everybody that's trying to be down here. I mean, it's just destroyed Portland, in my opinion.

'It's terrifying as a business owner. I'm just not really sure what to expect and this is just unprecedented situations.'
It's dog eat dog in the world of COVID-19 vaccines.

That's the fear of global health agencies planning a scheme to bulk-buy and equitably distribute vaccines around the world. They are watching with dismay as some wealthier countries have decided to go it alone, striking deals with drugmakers to secure millions of doses of promising candidates for their citizens.

The deals - including those agreed by the United States, Britain and the European Union with the likes of Pfizer, BioNtech, AstraZeneca and Moderna - are undermining the global drive, experts say.

"Everybody doing bilateral deals is not a way to optimize the situation," said Seth Berkley, chief executive of the GAVI alliance which co-leads the scheme called COVAX designed to secure rapid and fair global access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Pfizer said this week it was in concurrent talks with the EU and several of its member states on supplying them with its potential vaccine.

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

And in the latest swoop, Britain announced a deal on Wednesday to secure advanced supplies of potential COVID-19 vaccines from GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi .

This, according to global health charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), will further fuel "the global scramble to hoard vaccines by rich countries" and feed "a dangerous trend of vaccine nationalism".

The concern is that vaccine supply and allocation in this pandemic will echo the last - caused by the H1N1 flu virus in 2009/2010 - when rich nations bought up the available supply of vaccines, initially leaving poor countries with none.

In that instance, since H1N1 turned out to be a milder disease and the pandemic ultimately petered out, the impact on infections and deaths from vaccine imbalances was limited.

However COVID-19 is a far greater threat, and leaving swathes of the world's people vulnerable will not only harm them, but also extend the pandemic and the damage it can cause, health experts say.

"There is a risk that some countries are doing exactly what we feared - which is every man for himself," said Gayle Smith, former head of the U.S. Agency for International Development and CEO of the One Campaign, a non-profit aimed at ending poverty and preventable disease.

'I AM WORRIED'

More than 75 wealthier countries including Britain have expressed interest in the COVAX financing scheme, which is also co-led by the World Health Organization and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, joining 90 poorer ones who would be supported through donations.

But the United States, China and Russia are not among countries expressing interest in COVAX, according to GAVI.

And an EU source said last week that the European Commission, which is the bloc's executive arm and leads EU talks with drugmakers, has advised EU countries not to buy COVID-19 vaccines via COVAX.

"I am worried," said Thomas Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations. "What is happening with the handful of nations that are locking up supply of vaccine competes with the multilateral supply deals.

"At the end of the day, vaccine manufacturing is a finite resource. You can expand it, but only so much."

Experts estimate the world can reasonably hope to have around 2 billion doses of effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of next year, if several of the leading candidates prove effective in expedited late-stage trials currently underway. COVAX's aim is to distribute doses for at least 20% of its signed-up countries' populations.

ANOTHER TWO YEARS?

Berkley of GAVI said, however, that if self-interested countries or regions snapped those up to cover their entire populations - instead of sharing them across nations and protecting the most at-risk people first - the pandemic could not be controlled.

"If you were to try to vaccinate the entire U.S., (and) the entire EU, for example, with two doses of vaccine - then you'd get to about 1.7 billion doses. And if that is the number of doses that's available, there's not a lot left for others."

If a handful, or even 30 or 40 countries have vaccines, but more than 150 others don't, "then the epidemic will rage there" Berkley said.

"This virus ... moves around like lightning. So you'll end up in a situation where you will not be able to go back to normal. You won't be able to have commerce, tourism, travel, trade, unless you can get the whole pandemic to be slowed down."

He and Smith and other health experts said ending the pandemic meant ending it globally.

"It's the difference from a pandemic (for) another two years as opposed to one year," Smith added. "The economics and health consequences of that are enormous."
City of Odessa

In preparation for President Donald Trumps visit tomorrow, there will be several road closures in Odessa. Between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. traffic will be shut down in the following areas:

-- On 1st Street between Lincoln and Texas
Residents gathering at Hougang Avenue 5 in the early hours of 11 July, 2020, hours after the GE2020 polls have ended. (PHOTO: Don Wong/Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE  As the dust settles after what has been described as a watershed General Election (GE), Members of Singapores 14th Parliament have been busy at work over the past two-and-a-half weeks ahead of the first sitting of the House.

Last Saturday (25 July), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled his new Cabinet line-up and announced that the new Parliament session will convene on 24 August with the Presidents Address, just one-and-a-half months after the polls. The Cabinet was sworn in on Monday (27 July).

Returning Officer Tan Meng Dui had declared the 93 MPs as elected for their respective constituencies on polling night on 10 July and into the next morning; the list of MPs were also published in the government gazette on 13 July.

But the newly elected MPs were already walking the ground early in the morning of 11 July  not just to thank residents for their support, but to also take note of feedback. For instance, the Workers Party (WP) Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim was seen making notes on his tablet while talking to a resident at Rivervale Plaza.

Due to the pandemic, physical meet-the-people sessions (MPS) did not resume immediately. Instead, MPs have been conducting these sessions virtually. For instance, the Peoples Action Partys (PAP) Sembawang GRC MP Mariam Jaafar said in Facebook post on 13 July that the MPS for her Woodlands ward would be done virtually, except for a skeletal team available at the regular Monday slots to attend to residents who dont use email.

Meanwhile, PAPs Marymount MP Gan Siow Huang held her first face-to-face MPS on 21 July. Measures will be put in place to ensure that the session is conducted safely, she said on Facebook, referring to precautions in light of the pandemic.

As of 24 July, the profiles of the new MPs, details of their MPS and contact details had already been uploaded onto the Parliament website.

So what happens after an election and before Parliament sits?

Parliament and town councils

Story continues

Cabinet members continue to hold their positions after the dissolution of Parliament until the next session of Parliament for continuity of governance.

For each new session of the House, the Clerk of Parliament will notify MPs to a Proclamation by the President in the government gazette summoning the House to convene. After GE2015, the 13th Parliament first met in January 2016, some four months after the polls. (The maximum term of Parliament is five years from its first sitting.)

MPs will first elect the Speaker, and the Clerk will then administer the Oath of Allegiance to the Speaker before doing so to the other MPs.

The opening of the Parliament session will then formally commence with the Presidents Address, which will set out the government's broad plans for its five-year term. After the speech, Parliament will adjourn for at least two full days before its next sitting, on a date to be determined by the Leader of the House.

On Saturday, PM Lee announced that following President Halimah Yacobs Address to open Parliament, MPs will reconvene for debates on 31 August.

Meanwhile, towns will be declared by the Minister for National Development after the GE. The handover of town councils after a GE must take place within 90 days of the declaration of towns.

Singapore's Parliament building. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

PAP reflects on performance

Apart from its MPs walking the ground, the ruling PAP has also been analysing the results of GE2020. The party won just over 61 per cent of the vote, a sharp drop from the 69.9 per cent it garnered in GE2015. It was the partys worst electoral performance since independence in terms of the number of seats lost to the opposition, with the WP winning Sengkang GRC and retaining Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC.

The morning after the election, PAP treasurer K. Shanmugam told reporters of the results, I think it requires a lot of soul searching and reflection.

And on 18 July, a week after the polls, PAP central executive committee member Lawrence Wong addressed party activists to set the results in context. He reiterated PAP chief Lee Hsien Loongs message that it had a clear mandate. Wong said, 61.2 per cent is a solid majority of those who support and want a PAP government, although it is lower than we had hoped for.

In his speech, Wong acknowledged that there was a nationwide swing away from the PAP, not just for young voters but also for older Singaporeans. Noting that the PAPs vote share has never fallen below 60 per cent, he said, And that is because the base kept faith with PAP, knowing that the PAP kept faith with its base.

What is this base? They are the working class, the middle-class, the heartlands of Singapore. The PAP must continue to keep faith with our base. Our policies must always tilt in favour of the less fortunate and vulnerable. This is in the PAPs roots and DNA. We must never waver in our commitment to social justice  to preserve social mobility for all Singaporeans, and to build a more fair and just society, Wong added.

Urging activists to continue to strive to win the trust of the people, Wong also said, We have five years to overcome the problems, consolidate on the ground, and show voters what we can do. Comrades, the work to win GE2025 starts now.

Indeed, Wong himself was on the ground the previous day. In a Facebook photo caption on 17 July, he said, Ive resumed my weekly house visits in Limbang and it was wonderful to chat with many of our residents, and to receive your kind words of encouragement and support...Look forward to catching up with all of you in the weeks ahead.

Leader of the Opposition

One key development following the end of the GE was the formal appointment of WP chief Pritam Singh as the Leader of the Opposition (LO).

On Tuesday (28 July), the offices of the Speaker of Parliament and Leader of the House outlined the privileges and duties attached to the LO in a joint statement.

PM Lee said on Monday that the GE2020 results had shown a strong desire among Singaporeans for a greater diversity of views in politics and that the trend is here to stay. The designation of an LO is thus a recognition of this desire and will enable Singapores political system to evolve in a way that maintains our sense of national purpose, the statement said.

Singh will generally be given the right of first response among Members of Parliament (MPs) and receive confidential briefings by the government on select matters of national security and external relations, and in the event of a national crisis or emergency.

He will be allowed to ask the lead question to ministers on policies, Bills and motions  subject to existing speaking conventions  and will also be given more time for speeches, as much as that given to political officeholders.

Among his new duties as the countrys first-ever LO, Singh will have to:

Lead the opposition in presenting alternative views during parliamentary debates

Lead and scrutinise the governments positions and actions in Parliament

Be consulted on the appointment of opposition members to Select Committees

In addition to his parliamentary obligations, he may also be called upon to attend official state functions, as well as take part in visits and meetings alongside members of the government and public service. The joint statement said in defining the role of the LO in Singapore, other Westminster-style parliamentary systems, such as in the UK, were considered.

In a Facebook post, Singh said on Tuesday he will give half of his additional parliamentary allowance to charitable and community causes, as well as the WP.

WP to set up new town council

On 18 July, WPs Sengkang GRC MP He Ting Ru informed residents via a Facebook post that the opposition partys MPs intend to run Sengkang Town Council on its own, without merging it with any other constituency, and that she will chair the new town council.

The takeover process involves working with two existing town councils which currently service the constituency  Ang Mo Kio Town Council and Pasir-Ris Punggol Town Council.

Sengkang GRC consists of the now-defunct Sengkang West and Punggol East single member constituencies, as well as the Sengkang Central ward from Pasir RisPunggol GRC.

The preference is for Sengkang to be run as a standalone town council, said Singh at a press conference on 12 July. Sengkang, we believe, has the economies of scale that will allow it to stand as (one), he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Lim spent last week scouting for two locations for his MPS, among other things. I will rotate between these two spots weekly, and on weeks Im further north, Ill do my weekly house visit at a more southerly block, and vice versa, the Sengkang GRC MP said on Facebook on 20 July.

Over at Aljunied GRC, Singh was visiting residents homes. Great to be back meeting residents in the Eunos ward of Aljunied GRC over house visits this evening after GE2020, he wrote on Facebook on 15 July.

House visits are an important touch point for opposition MPs and MPs-elect. It is also where we achieve a better understanding of what is topmost on the minds of our residents and friends, he added.

MP Gerald Giam was also busy. He posted a photo of himself on Facebook on 19 July carrying a mattress with the caption, Thankful to a resident in Bedok Reservoir area for generously donating some really good quality (and heavy!) mattresses to another family in Hougang-Punggol who needed it for their children. We need more of this "gotong royong spirit in our communities!

In another photo caption on 17 July, Giam wrote, Lunch meeting with fellow MPs, had a long meeting with a resident to discuss an appeal, attended a gathering at our favourite Resident's Corner, followed by our first house visits since #GE2020, then ended the day with a round of greetings to residents at the nearby kopitiam.

NCMPs relinquish party positions

On 16 July, the Returning Officer also declared Progress Singapore Party (PSP) leaders Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa as Non-Constituency MPs (NCMP), after their five-member West Coast group representation team garnered the best showing among the losing opposition candidates.

Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, the number of NCMP seats in the House is 12 minus the number of opposition MPs elected. The PSP team had decided among themselves as to who would take up the NCMP seats.

Party members had reportedly been told on 19 July that Leong and Poa would relinquish their leadership roles within PSP as assistant secretary-general and vice-chairman respectively. This is so that they can focus on their parliamentary duties, even as the party restructures itself for the future. Nonetheless, the duo remain in the PSPs central executive committee.

The partys new assistant secretary-general Francis Yuen told The Straits Times, We want to get it right for our first two NCMPs, so they need to spend all their time there (in Parliament), and step down from internal assignments. We don't want them distracted with things like interviewing new members and setting up ground operations."

Meanwhile, Leong told Today, Both on the party side and Parliament side, we have many things to do in order to meet the expectations that the voters have of us.

Indeed, Singapores newest political party signalled that it wouldnt fade away after the elections and would stay the course.

In a Facebook post on 17 July, Leong said the party has started a virtual MPS at West Coast GRC and will continue doing so every Monday.

We will also be starting our physical MPS soon in all the wards that we have contested in...After all the hustle and bustle of the GE, its time to get down to doing the ultimate thing  serving the people. Looking forward to seeing some of you on the ground too, he added.

Altogether, there were 2,540,359 votes cast at GE2020  including 45,822 rejected ones  making up 95.81 per cent of the 2,651,435 registered electors. Locally, 2,535,565 votes were cast  including 45,772 rejected ones  while 4,794 ballots were cast overseas.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related stories:

GE2020: WP's gains in northeast Singapore due to long-term resident engagement  analysts

GE2020: Leader of the Opposition role reflects WP's coming of age, say analysts

GE2020: PAP loses most seats to opposition since independence, vote share falls to 61.24%

'A flight from the status quo': Analysts break down GE2020 results

COMMENT: Pritam Singh is the man of the moment, but there is a long road ahead

COMMENT: GE2020  Singapores day of decision and the challenge of a generation

COMMENT: Dear PAP, here's how to win back the youth vote

WP targeted younger Singaporeans well during GE2020, PAP has to do better, says Chan Heng Chee
KALAMAZOO, MI  The city manager has approved a number of changes recommended by the Kalamazoo Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeals Board meant to give the board increased oversight of police in Kalamazoo.

During a closed-session meeting on Tuesday, July 29, the advisory board made up of Kalamazoo citizens approved a recommendation to the city managers office to change how the board functions including:

Monthly review of all citizen complaint investigations

Monthly review of KDPS use of force incident report

Quarterly review of benchmark analytics  officer behavior indicators

Assist in independent review of KDPS policies and procedures

Receive citizen complaints at CPSRAB Public Meetings

City of Kalamazoo Deputy City Manager Patsy Moore confirmed the boards recommendation and said the city managers office has since approved the recommendations.

The recommendation was discussed and approved by the board in a closed meeting not open to the public, which city staff said has been common practice for the advisory boards work meetings though regular monthly meetings are open.

The changes to the board expand its role. The advisory board was instituted years ago for community members to provide recommendations to the city manager on how to address citizen complaints that were appealed following rulings on complaints made by the public safety department itself, Moore said.

Read more: Kalamazoo citizens board looks to expand role in holding police accountable

These changes now present an opportunity for the board to have a better understanding of all complaints that are filed, not just those that are appealed, Moore said.

The board will be able to recommend changes in policies and procedures to the city manager that could help in better police interactions, Moore said. The board will review monthly use of force reports she said, and if the board has concerns about the appropriate utilization of use of force during public safety interactions, inquiry and recommendations can be made by the board.

The changes also include the opportunity for citizens to make a formal complaint at a review and advisory board meeting, in addition to other locations around the city, Moore said.

Further explaining the point on officer behavior indicators, Moore said KDPS has started using a tool that may be used to detect patterns of concerning behavior that could be addressed sooner rather than later. The citizen board will have access to the data, she said.

Board Chair Vernon Payne on Wednesday said the recommended changes are all positive, though there is much work still to be done. Possible structural changes are still being discussed, he said, which could include changing the board from an advisory board, to an oversight board that would have more input in the decision making process, or a hybrid model somewhere between the two types.

This is the most important recommendation that will be made to determine how the citizens of Kalamazoo will have a voice in making decisions about how they are to be policed, Payne said.

He said he wants to work to find the right plan that will work for the community.

The entire advisory board meeting on Wednesday was held in a closed session, Moore said. Regular monthly meetings are open, she said. The board is an administrative advisory body and, as such, is not subject to requirements of Michigans Open Meetings Act, Moore said.

Deputy City Manager Jeff Chamberlain, responding to a question about why the meeting was held in a closed session, said it has been the current and past practice of the board to hold monthly meetings in public and to hold additional work meetings as members only meetings not open to the public.

Payne said the choice to make this meeting a public or a private meeting was not the boards decision. He described it as a working meeting.

Payne said the group plans to have more meetings now, including in smaller and larger groups. He said he did not know how each would be handled from a public meetings perspective.

Calls for reform have echoed across the country in recent months. The movement has grown as police clash with citizens and as a result of incidents such as the Minneapolis in-custody death of George Floyd, which have inspired further calls for change.

In Kalamazoo, officers fired tear gas at people lying on the ground during a night of protests and property damage that KDPS labeled as civil unrest. The police response  which occurred during protests aimed at drawing attention to police brutality across the country  added fuel to the local debate about changes in policing in Kalamazoo.

In the wake of the continuing calls for reform, the city of Kalamazoo also announced an independent investigation would be conducted to examine the police response to the events of late May and early June that included the use of tear gas and other police tactics meant to disperse crowds.

Read more:

Portage City Council appoints former Kalamazoo Public Safety captain to vacant seat

Outside investigator will review police use of tear gas on Kalamazoo protesters

Outside agitators forced officers to deploy tear gas, pepper spray in Kalamazoo, police say
But the letter from a police wife spoke to what we can all assume is a factor in the rising numbers of police officers who die by suicide: The stress and trauma of the job at a time of deep under-appreciation and outright attack on the profession can lead to crisis. The number of Chicago officers who have died by suicide in recent years has outpaced the norms in other cities; Chicagos consent decree on police reform includes a chapter on the need to address officers mental health. The Department of Justice reported last year that Chicagos suicide rate in 2017 was 60% higher than the average nationwide.
Washington Reit (WRE) came out with quarterly funds from operations (FFO) of $0.38 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.37 per share. This compares to FFO of $0.47 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an FFO surprise of 2.70%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this real estate investment trust would post FFO of $0.38 per share when it actually produced FFO of $0.38, delivering no surprise.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus FFO estimates just once.

Washington Reit, which belongs to the Zacks REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry, posted revenues of $72.87 million for the quarter ended June 2020, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.53%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $76.82 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future FFO expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Washington Reit shares have lost about 26.6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 0.3%.

What's Next for Washington Reit?

While Washington Reit has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's FFO outlook. Not only does this include current consensus FFO expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of estimate revisions.

Story continues

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Washington Reit was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus FFO estimate is $0.37 on $72.55 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.48 on $295.48 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, REIT and Equity Trust - Other is currently in the bottom 21% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Washington Real Estate Investment Trust (WRE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
A home built for a fashion icon by an architecture icon is now on the market for $4.2 million.

The fully restored midcentury modern residence on Finney Farm Road in Croton-on-Hudson, NY, was built in 1953 for the artist Vera Neumann. She was known for her bold and colorful textiles, as well as her signature scarves, each signed Vera" and featuring a ladybug.

In the early 1950s, she and her husband, George Neumann, hired her friend the celebrated architect Marcel Breuer to design a 3,200-square-foot home on almost 3.5 acres on the Hudson River.

Breuer was a modernist architect and furniture designer who studied at the famous Bauhaus and spent time teaching at Harvard.

It was custom-built for them, and she lived there for about 30 years, says the co-listing agent, Inger Stringfellow.

It was an important house. She did a lot of entertaining both indoors and outdoors with people from New York City and the arts.

Exterior of home in Croton-on-Hudson, NY Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

View of the Hudson Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Interior Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Neumann eventually sold the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home to an antique dealer, who lived in the home for a few decades and then sold it to the current owners in 2014 for $1.3 million.

It was not in good shape when my clients bought it. They are really devotees of Breuer in particular, Stringfellow explains.

The couple had already restored two midcentury modern homes in Litchfield, CT, so they were prepared for a major project with the Breuer design.

As the agent puts it, "Everything got taken apart and put back together again."

As an example of the meticulous nature of the renovation, each stone in the blue stone floors was taken up, numbered, cleaned up, and put back in the exact same configuration.

Indoor pool Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Outdoor pool Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

The home features two pools: one indoors and one outdoors. The indoor pool was a Breuer-designed addition in the early 1970s, and the outdoor one dates back to the home's inception. Both were in sorry shape in 2014.

The outdoor pool was almost filled with dirt and had plants growing in it, and the indoor pool was not in great shape. They literally had to be taken apart and put together again, Stringfellow says.

There's also an 800-square-foot guesthouse with one bedroom and one bathroom, which is connected to the main house.

Kitchen Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

The current owners' restoration work received the 2019 Preservation League of New York State Award for Excellence in Historical Restoration.

It literally is perfection. There was a lot of work to be done, Stringfellow says. The bathrooms and kitchen have all been done with top-end fixtures.

Living area Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

The furniture isnt included in the sale price, except for the pieces that are built in, like headboards, credenzas, and the chairs that match the built-in sofa. However, other pieces that appear in the listing photos can be negotiated into an offer.

The windows are frameless, with new mechanisms, to preserve the views of the Hudson River.

"As you enter the house, you look out from the courtyard looking west out over the Hudson, with just magical views, says Stringfellow.

Then the house is open to the other side to this beautiful interior courtyard, with a pergola that casts magnificent shadows, depending on the time of day. Theres a lot of drama in the house, but its also extremely peaceful.

The agent tells us she believes the buyer will be a creative type, ready to pick up a turnkey beauty.

There is a cult following for these moderns, she says. They're purists, and they would like to have the originals, but restored up to the current standards."

Interior Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Courtyard Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Bedroom Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Living space Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Interior Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

Another bedroom Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty

The post Designed by Marcel Breuer, This Midcentury Home Has Been Beautifully Restored appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
Massachusetts health officials announced another 29 coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, bringing the statewide death count to 8,360.

Officials also confirmed another 356 cases of the virus, bringing the total number of cases statewide to at least 109,096. Thats based on 15,556 new molecular tests reported on Wednesday, according to the Department of Public Health.

The number of new cases is a jump up from yesterday, but health officials noted that due a technical reporting error by a hospital group, there was a delay in that providers laboratory test results being reported to DPH.

These newly reported test results have been included in todays dashboard report and are reflected in todays case totals, officials noted. However, these positive test results have been assigned retrospectively to the appropriate date of test.

There are currently 390 people hospitalized with the virus.

The latest data comes as cases in some of the harder-hit states, like Florida, California, Texas and Arizona have started to level off and even decline, according to the New York Times. But some of the places, particularly Arizona, Texas and South Carolina, have seen the largest increase in newly reported deaths.

The seven-day average of new cases across the United States as of Tuesday is 65,218, the Times reports. There are currently more than 4.3 million cases of the virus in the U.S. and roughly 150,340 deaths.

The infection rate in Massachusetts has increased slightly in recent weeks, which officials believe is the result of several small clusters of cases linked to recent gatherings, Gov. Charlie Baker said on Monday. The rate of positive tests has increased from about 1.7% to roughly 2%, Baker said.

Baystate Health on Monday reported an outbreak of new infections at Baystate Medical Center affecting 23 employees and 13 patients. Baystate Healths president and CEO Dr. Mark Keroack said the outbreak may be traced back to a single employee, who returned to work after visiting a state identified as a new virus hotspot.

There was also an outbreak in the Cape Cod town of Chatham after at least 10 people who attended a house party on July 12 tested positive for coronavirus. Cape officials announced on Sunday that they will offer pop-testing for anyone who attended the party, or is a close contact of someone who was there.

On Tuesday, the Holyoke Soldiers Home, which was the site of one of the deadliest coronavirus outbreaks since the pandemic began, said it will be suspending visits after a resident of the facility who recovered from COVID-19 again tested positive for the virus.

Coronavirus in Mass.: See cases, maps, charts and resources

Here are the cases listed by county:

Barnstable County: 1,731

Berkshire County: 648

Bristol County: 8,987

Dukes County: 65

Essex County: 17,119

Franklin County: 397

Hampden County: 7,353

Hampshire County: 1,102

Middlesex County: 25,535

Nantucket County: 33

Norfolk County: 10,103

Plymouth County: 9,043

Suffolk County: 21,030

Worcester County: 13,204

Unknown location: 334

Related Content:
News Anchor, Serwaa Amihere has waded into discussions regarding a 90-year old woman who was lynched in Kafaga in the Savannah Region.



The 90-year old woman was sentenced to death after a high priestess declared her to be a witch.



The incident which occurred last week saw the elderly woman mercilessly beaten to death by some residents while she sat in their midst with them going round her.



Many people have condemned the barbaric act and the Police Service has also begun investigations into the matter.



The perpetrators are however said to be at large but the Police have placed a GHC 2000 reward for informants to disclose their hideout.



Serwaa Amihere is also worried and seeking answers to why it is only the northern sector of Ghana that such incidents do happen.



''Why do witch camps exist only in the Northern Region?'' she asked on her twitter handle.







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
Departments that pledged to send officers to help with security during Democratic convention withdraw those offers.

More than 100 United States police agencies are withdrawing from agreements to send personnel to bolster security at next months Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in part because they are concerned about a recent directive ordering police in the city to stop using tear gas to control crowds.

A citizen oversight commission last week directed Milwaukees police chief to publicly account for why the department used tear gas during protests in late May and early June after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and to change Milwaukees police policies to ban the use of tear gas and pepper spray. The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission said in its order that Police Chief Alfonso Morales could be fired if he fails to comply.

That order came amid intense scrutiny of police tactics at protests in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere.

Since the Milwaukee order was issued, more than 100 law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin and across the US decided against coming to Milwaukee, Morales told WTMJ-TV on Tuesday. They were concerned with directives placed on the police department, including not allowing tear gas or pepper spray, he said.

With leaf blowers, the protesters appear to be winning this battle with the feds, who have launched an immense amount of tear gas pic.twitter.com/A1D7dVhg0p  Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) July 24, 2020

Morales did not say which agencies would not be coming or how many officers were still expected. The original plan was to have 1,000 officers on hand from outside agencies to assist with security. Morales said utilizing the US National Guard or enlisting federal assistance was under consideration.

The convention, scheduled for August 17 to August 20 at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee, has been scaled down to a mostly virtual event, with only about 300 people expected to attend in person. Most of the speeches will be delivered online from other locations, though former Vice President Joe Biden has said he will be in Milwaukee to accept the nomination for the presidential race. Despite the events smaller scale, police are preparing for potentially large protests in and around the venue.

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Police Chief William Lamb told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper that the agreements were collapsing, saying he expects other agencies in the state to also withdraw. Lamb chairs the Wisconsin Police Executive Group, which is made up of police chiefs from cities with populations of more than 20,000 people.

Lamb sent a letter to Milwaukee police on July 6 outlining his organisations concerns about limiting the use of tear gas and pepper spray. West Allis, Wisconsin police first sent a letter to Morales with concerns in mid-June after Milwaukees Common Council temporarily halted the purchase of those chemicals.

Our concern is that in the event protests turn non-peaceful, such a policy would remove tools from officers that may otherwise be legal and justifiable to utilise in specific situations, West Allis Deputy Chief Robert Fletcher told the Journal Sentinel in an email.

RT if you want to see Congress pass legislation prohibiting the use of tear gas in the U.S.  Robert Reich (@RBReich) July 23, 2020

The police chief of Waukesha, Wisconsin said he was consulting with the city attorneys office on how to withdraw from the agreement, which had promised about two dozen Waukesha officers.

Not all police departments withdrew because of the tear gas order. The Madison Police Department notified Milwaukee early this month that an accelerating COVID-19 pandemic coupled with ongoing protests in Madison had strained its resources, making it impossible to commit resources to the convention, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

Madison originally committed to providing 100 officers to Milwaukee for what was to have been a 10-day convention before it got shortened and postponed until August.
Shainu Mohan By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: By the time Edward (name changed) was informed about the mistake, it was too late. He was already exposed to COVID-19 through a roomful of patients he was being kept with.

I initially tested negative for COVID, but due to the laxity of a few officers, I was put in a First-Line Treatment Centre. I sincerely hope no one else goes through something like this, he said.

Edward, a government employee, wanted a Covidpositive certificate to withdraw money from the Prime Ministers National Pension System (NPS).

I contacted them about the certificate, and to my shock, I was told about the mix-up. At first, they hesitated, but due to my constant efforts, I was redirected to the war room, where the staff asked me why I was in a COVID-19 ward because my result was apparently negative. This was after I spent five days in the centre with 50 other COVID-19 patients. My second test turned positive, lamented Edward.

He filed a complaint with the District Medical Officer (DMO). With nearly 3000 COVID-19 patients in the state capital, it has become a herculean task for the authorities to keep track.

We were told my uncle was COVID-19 positive on July 6th. We all live in the same compound and were declared primary contacts. I live with my wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, grandfather and a two-year-old kid. We got tested at Fort Hospital Trivandrum on July 9 and on July 15, they moved me, my grandfather and my brother-in-law to the CFLTC in Parassala, which is on the outskirts of the city, said Edward, who works at a college.

I conducted the University exam. Around 1000 people, including students, teachers and non-teaching staff had to go on quarantine after I was declared COVID-19 positive, in case they had contracted the virus through me. This is a shame for the entire department, caused by the negligence of a few people, added Edward, who got released after the treatment.

I have been advised to stay in strict quarantine at home for seven days, and the authorities even asked us to pay for our ride back from the centre, he said.

There are many who went through similar plight because of manual error in the process of handling details of COVID-19 patients. Ramesh (name changed), (49), a petrol station employee, was also wrongly admitted in a COVID-19 ward because of confusion regarding his name.

He has depression. They kept him in the COVID-19 ward for several days. Fortunately, he tested negative afterwards and is now in-home quarantine, said Rameshs wife.

He had a fever and we took him to Peroorkada hospital. After three days he was referred to the General Hospital. They asked him to stay in a quarantine centre at Vellayambalam till the results came. After a couple of days, the ambulance driver transported him to the COVID-19 care centreat Peroorkada by mistake. Later, a second test was done and fortunately, his result came out negative, says Rameshs wife.

Later, I got a call from the District Medical Office. They admitted their mistake and apologised to us, and requested us not to register any complaint, she said. A senior official at the district administration admitted that they have taken note of this issue.

One such case came up recently and we have taken it up seriously. We have ramped up testing and manual errors happen during manual entry. We will resolve the issue soon, said the official.

A vast ordeal

Edward and his family got tested at Fort Hospital on July 9. On July 15, he was moved to the COVID centre in Parassala.

He conducted the university exam. Hence, around 1,000 people including students, teachers, parents and non-teaching staff had to quarantine themselves after Edward was declared COVID positive
Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has been convicted of crimes involving the multibillion-dollar looting of a state investment fund that brought down his government in a shocking election ousting two years ago.

Najib, who was calm and stony-faced as he became the first Malaysian leader to be convicted, has vowed to appeal against the verdict that could bring many years in prison.

The ruling in the first of his five corruption trials came five months after Najibs Malay party returned to government as the biggest bloc in an alliance that took power from the reformist government that ousted Najibs in 2018.

Analysts said the ruling would bolster the prosecutions case in Najibs other trials and would signal to the business community that Malaysias legal system has strength in tackling international financial crimes.

Supporters of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak outside court in Kuala Lumpur (Vincent Thian/AP)

I find the accused guilty and convict the accused of all seven charges, Judge Mohamad Nazlan Ghazali said after spending two hours to read out an elaborate ruling.

Some of Najibs supporters waiting outside the courthouse cried when they learned of the verdict.

Najib, 67, faces between 15 and 20 years plus hefty fines for each of the seven charges and has vowed to fight to the end.

He has said he was misled by rogue bankers and the case against him is political.

I want justice. I want to clear my name, he wrote on Facebook.

After this, we will go to the Court of Appeal. I am ready.

A scion of one of Malaysias most prominent political families, he faces 42 charges in five separate trials and could face years in prison.

Najibs lawyers were asking the judge to delay their arguments on sentencing until next week.

Najib was found guilty on all seven charges (Vincent Thian/AP)

The current trial involved a charge of abuse of power, three charges of criminal breach of trust and three money laundering charges involving the transfer of 42 million ringgit (7.6 million) from SRC International, a former 1MDB unit, into Najibs bank accounts.

Story continues

The judge agreed with prosecutors that Najib had overarching control of SRC, failed to rebut the allegations against him and that prosecutors had established beyond reasonable doubt that Najib misappropriated money for his own use.

The conviction would serve as a solid foundation for the prosecution in ensuing 1MDB-related trials, said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with Singapores Institute of International Affairs.

He said the ruling also would strengthen the credibility of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, even though he now relies on Najibs party for support.

Mr Muhyiddin was fired as Najibs deputy five years ago to the date of Tuesdays verdict for speaking out on the 1MDB scandal.

Najibs party is the biggest bloc in the current Malay nationalist alliance that has governed since March with a shaky, wafer-thin majority in parliament.

The ruling was absolutely good for Malaysia, said analyst Bridget Welsh, honorary research associate with University of Nottingham Malaysia.

I think that there is a sense of euphoria among the citizens that justice is being served, among the majority of Malaysians, Ms Welsh said.

Supporters of Najib wait outside court (Vincent Thian/AP)

Keep in mind that majority of Malaysians voted (in 2018) for political change, and the 1MDB case was a catalyst in that. The 1MDB case damaged Malaysias reputation, and I think today worked towards restoring that.

Najib is a political scion whose father and uncle were Malaysias second and third prime ministers.

Shortly after he took office in 2009, he set up 1MDB to ostensibly accelerate Malaysias economic development.

But the fund accumulated billions in debt, and US investigators allege that at least 4.5 billion dollars (3.5 billion) was stolen from it and laundered by Najibs associates to finance Hollywood films and buy hotels, a luxury yacht, artwork, jewellery and other extravagances.

More than 700 million dollars (544 million) from the fund allegedly landed in Najibs bank accounts.

During the trial, Najib was accused of using his position to receive a bribe for approving a government guarantee for billions in loans to SRC, committing criminal breach of trust and accepting proceeds from unlawful activities.

Evidence showed a complex trail of ill-gotten money paid for his home renovation, credit card purchases including a Chanel watch bought in Hawaii as a birthday gift for his wife, and disbursements to political parties.

The judge said the defences argument that Najib, as premier, was duped by rogue bankers led by Malaysian fugitive financier Low Taek Jho was too far-fetched as the two had a close relationship.

Investigators have identified Low as the mastermind behind the looting of 1MDB and he remains at large.

Najib testified he assumed the money was part of an Arab donation arranged by Low as a guise to keep Najib from being suspicious of his plundering of the 1MDB fund.

The judge debunked that argument in the guilty verdict, finding it an elaborate but weak fabrication.

Najibs second and third trials involving some of the remaining charges are ongoing. His wife and several officials from his party and previous government have also been charged with graft related to 1MDB corruption.

People should not really be celebrating now we know in Malaysia, many of these politically charged cases, once they get to the appeals court, they get reversed, said James Chin, professor of Asian studies at Australias University of Tasmania.

So the fact that we have todays guilty verdict doesnt mean things will change. Najib will still remain an MP and we have to wait for the appeal court system, Prof Chin added.
Many of the claims in Immanuels video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonalds and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human reptilians work in the government.
Technavio has been monitoring the vacation rental market and it is poised to grow by USD 62.97 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 7% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005487/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Vacation Rental Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

Frequently Asked Questions-

At what rate is the market projected to grow during the forecast period 2020-2024?

Growing at a CAGR of almost 7%, the market growth will accelerate in the forecast period.

What is the key factor driving the market?

The adoption of effective promotional strategies and technological advances are among the key factors driving the market growth.

Who are the top players in the market?

9flats.com Pte Ltd., Airbnb Inc., Booking Holdings Inc., Expedia Group Inc., Hotelplan Holding AG, MakeMyTrip Pvt. Ltd., NOVASOL AS, Oravel Stays Pvt. Ltd., TripAdvisor Inc., and Wyndham Destinations Inc. are some of the major market participants.

Which region is expected to hold the highest market share?

Europe

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. 9flats.com Pte Ltd., Airbnb Inc., Booking Holdings Inc., Expedia Group Inc., Hotelplan Holding AG, MakeMyTrip Pvt. Ltd., NOVASOL AS, Oravel Stays Pvt. Ltd., TripAdvisor Inc., and Wyndham Destinations Inc. are some of the major market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

The adoption of effective promotional strategies has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Vacation Rental Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Vacation Rental Market is segmented as below:

Type Managed by Owners Professionally Managed

Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40053

Vacation Rental Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our vacation rental market report covers the following areas:

Vacation Rental Market size

Vacation Rental Market trends

Vacation Rental Market analysis

This study identifies technological advances as one of the prime reasons driving the vacation rental market growth during the next few years.

Vacation Rental Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the vacation rental market, including some of the vendors such as 9flats.com Pte Ltd., Airbnb Inc., Booking Holdings Inc., Expedia Group Inc., Hotelplan Holding AG, MakeMyTrip Pvt. Ltd., NOVASOL AS, Oravel Stays Pvt. Ltd., TripAdvisor Inc., and Wyndham Destinations Inc. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the vacation rental market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and m&as as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Vacation Rental Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist vacation rental market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the vacation rental market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the vacation rental market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of vacation rental market vendors

Table of Contents:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

2.1 Preface

2.2 Preface

2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market size and forecast 2019-2024

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 07: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY MANAGEMENT

Market segmentation by management

Comparison by management

Managed by owners Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Professionally managed Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by management

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Instant bookings

Rapid growth of online booking

Adoption of effective promotional strategies

Other trends

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

9flats.com Pte Ltd.

Airbnb Inc.

Booking Holdings Inc.

Expedia Group Inc.

Hotelplan Holding AG

MakeMyTrip Pvt. Ltd.

NOVASOL AS

Oravel Stays Pvt. Ltd.

TripAdvisor Inc.

Wyndham Destinations Inc.

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005487/en/

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Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

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Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/
KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI -- Teachers in Kalamazoo County are asking for distance learning in lieu of returning to the classroom during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to Kalamazoo County school boards and superintendents, teacher union presidents from eight area schools asked to begin the school year with remote, distance learning. The letter was created by the Kalamazoo County Presidents Council, a group of local teacher union presidents.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 28, 2020 / Entrepreneur Marcello Cantu values the moments others often forget about.

"I try to focus on the small wins and not so much on the big wins because there are many small wins in the lifetime of a business," says Cantu. "I know when times become difficult, there's always a brighter day around the corner."

Cantu is an entrepreneur from Dallas, Texas, who grew up with the ambition of one day owning his own business. After spending his childhood watching his grandfather create a successful business, his entrepreneurial mindset was molded and ingrained within him. Cantu wanted to help his grandfather with his business but recognized that bigger opportunities were potentially ahead. After graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in marketing, Cantu packed his bags and moved to California.

In California, Cantu would find like-minded entrepreneurs- Andy Ta Kong, Paul Parker, and Mohammed Shakaoat. The four would grow a million-dollar Amazon management company by the name of Project Wifi. Cantu endured many ups and downs as every entrepreneur typically does along their journey to success. He believes the roller coaster moments are what ultimately lead him to where he is today, and Cantu would not change a thing.

His first failure came when he was trading cryptocurrency years ago. He was swing trading and shorting (betting that the price would go down) bitcoin. At one point, Cantu made $18,000 on a single trade. He would spend upwards of 10 hours a day waiting and trying to strategically time a trade for 20 days. He ended up missing by one hour and was devastated. One day, early in the morning, Cantu was exhausted and falling asleep. He had opened the trade at the best price available, and then he closed it once he realized that he could fall asleep any second and could not properly monitor it. He missed a huge trade that would have vastly surpassed his prior $18,000. Super emotional over his mistake, he started to over trade aggressively resulting in huge losses.

"When you're very emotional, you shouldn't be making any major decisions because there are always more opportunities around the corner." says Cantu.

Cantu attributes his failures with shaping him into the person he is today. It helped him to create his newest company, Project WiFi, which he states is his biggest success in life thus far.

"it's a win-win situation for both us- the clients as well as our employees." says Cantu.

Cantu is creating a plethora of jobs for people in the Philippines, as his company has offices and workers out there. "A game plan, consistency, laser focus, and execution." says Cantu when asked what manifests success.

If you would like more information on Project Wifi, you can contact them on their official website at https://projectwifi.io, or follow Marcello Cantu on Instagram.

SOURCE: BIGWORK Media

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599389/Entrepreneur-Marcello-Cantu-Focuses-on-the-Small-Victories
Foxwoods Resort Casino reported Wednesday the first instance of an employee testing positive for COVID-19 since the casino reopened nearly two months ago.

According to the Hartford Courant, the employee had little contact with patrons at the casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

A statement issued by the casino said the individual has minimal contact with guests on a daily basis and is part of a small work group.

The casino through contract tracing was able to identify everyone known to have contact with the person, according to the Courant. Each will be tested, and will be required to stay home for two weeks even if the tests are negative.

To our knowledge, this is the first positive team member case at Foxwoods, and we have seen thousands of guests visit us since reopening on June 1, Foxwoods said in a statement.

Since the casino reopened, over the objections of Gov. Ned Lamont, all visitors are checked for high temperatures before being allowed inside. Also guests and employees are required to wear masks, employ social distancing, and the casino is limited to 25% capacity.

Mohegan Sun, Connecticuts other major casino, announced last week that three employees tested positive for the virus, resulting in one being hospitalized.

MGM Springfield reopened in a limited capacity on July 13 with several precautions in place, including masks and social distancing, and capacity capped at about one-third of what it was before. To date, MGM Springfield has not announced any cases of employees or patrons testing positive.
SINGAPORE, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global green tech, Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things (AIoT) technology leader, Envision Digital International Pte Ltd ("Envision Digital"), today announced the appointment of nine new management hires as the company expands to deliver on its Net Zero Carbon and automation promises.

The appointments follow the recent announcement of Envision Digital's expansion into the German marketplace, which marks the 12th global office for the company.

Envision Digital brings together AIoT to enable machine to machine, no human touch, real-time optimisation of key assets in the energy, building, manufacturing and city spaces. This includes solutions for solar or wind electricity generation, smart battery charging and load balancing, heating ventilation and air conditioning, field fault detection, predictive maintenance and asset optimisation, security and safety, as well as alerting.

Sylvie Ouziel, International President of Envision Digital International, says: "I am thrilled to welcome those new executives to our global team. We share the same vision and ambition towards a decarbonised and efficient world which reconciles performance and sustainability. Given the extreme economic and societal challenges the planet is facing, our corporate focus is to continuously support sustainable business growth while ensuring safe and efficient operations for public and private organisations. I am confident that our new colleagues will massively contribute to collectively reach those objectives."

Five of the nine new hires serve global remits and three of them are based in San Francisco, California. They are the Global Chief Product Integration Officer (CPIO), Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), and Global Common Products Lead. Based out of Paris, France is the new Head of Global Digital Grid and Vehicle to Grid (V2G) Centre of Excellence (CoE). Based out of Singapore is the new Head of the Smart City and Decarbonisation domain.

Thomas Kiessling has been appointed as Global Chief Product Integration Officer (CPIO). Thomas will coordinate the architecture of Envision Digital's offerings between the technology platforms and functional domains to maximise client value whilst fostering reusability and interoperability. He will also play a leading role in promoting Envision Digital's solutions to key industry stakeholders, including industry analysts, software and system integration partners. Thomas has held various C-suite roles in the past, such as serving as the Chief Product and Innovation Officer of Deutsch Telekom. His most recent role was co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of predictive IoT platform, AMPLY Power, Inc., specialising in electric vehicle (EV) smart charging systems.

Al Ghous joins as Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), bringing over 18 years of experience in cybersecurity strategy and operations, information and product security, and risk management. Al joins from his previous role as Chief Security Officer (CSO) at ServiceMax, a global asset-centric field service management company. He is also the co-founder of SVCI, a group of CISOs that operate as an angel investor syndicate.

Matthew Brocklehurst joins as the Global Common Products Lead for Envision Digital, leading new innovations, products and platform strategy, and enhancing existing offerings with a focus on renewables and energy storage. Matthew joins from his previous role as CTO at Power Factors, a performance optimisation platform for the renewable energy industry.

Xavier Becuwe joins as Head of Global Digital Grid and V2G CoE. He will lead a team of experts based in Paris and take responsibility of Envision Digital's solutions in the Smart Grid and V2G Ecosystem. Xavier brings more than 13 years of experience in smart technologies, with a focus on smart grid and electro-mobility, developing innovations, building capacity and delivering solutions to major customers across Europe and Asia.

Ynse de Boer joins as the Smart City and Decarbonisation International Domain Lead, based out of Singapore. He will lead the development and deployment of Smart City, Smart Spaces and Corporate Decarbonisation programs. In his previous role at Accenture, Ynse built and led Accenture's Strategy and Sustainability practices for Asia Pacific based in Singapore first, and more recently for a region comprised of France, Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands.

The global hires will report to Sylvie Ouziel, International President of Envision Digital.

In APAC, Envision Digital has hired a Delivery Lead based in Singapore, Envision Digital's global headquarters.

Saqib Khan joins the APAC team as Delivery Lead, directly reporting to Robin Li, head of the Global Solutions and Services Centre (GSSC) in Singapore. Saqib will ensure delivery excellence of client projects across the region. Beyond management duties, his role includes defining solutions and leading the implementation of large programs notably related to smart plans and assets management, where his personal expertise lies. Saqib has previously held roles as a Consulting Director at Deloitte and Principal Director at Accenture.

Complementing the Envision Digital leadership team, three new hires take various roles in Europe across operations and finance.

Marc Chevenement joins as Operations Director of Envision Digital France. He will be responsible for end-to-end client and partner projects, developing new partnerships within various industry verticals, as well as supporting cross-entity battery and wind turbine projects. Marc brings experience in industrial operations and digital business transformation, previously holding a variety of roles in automotive, consulting, and insurance at PSA, Accenture and Allianz.

Matthias Felber joins as Head of Operations for Envision Digital's Germany retail activities, coordinating and implementing Envision Digital's EV charging solution. Matthias brings over 20 years of experience across a range of business verticals, most recently serving as Managing Director of strategic digital consultancy, Neusta Accelerate.

Sabine Moser joins as the Finance Director of Envision Digital in Germany. She joins from intelligent automation solution provider, KUKA, previously serving as the Director of Finance for the EMEA region.

Sabine and Matthias will report to the new Managing Director of Envision Digital Germany, Drazen Nikolic, who was appointed in May this year, while Marc will report to Sylvie Ouziel, International President of Envision Digital.

About Envision Digital

Envision Digital is a global AIoT technology leader headquartered in Singapore with over 500 employees across 12 offices in China, France, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Envision Digital owns EnOS  the world-class AIoT operating system which currently connects and manages over 63 million smart devices and 120GW of energy assets globally. Its monitoring, advanced analytics, forecasting and optimising applications provide insights to help clients better manage their assets and portfolio performance. Its offering extends to Smart Renewables (Solar, Wind); Smart Cities; Connected Energy; and Smart Plants; partnering governments and companies in their digital transformation journey.

As a major player in AIoT operating systems, Envision Digital is growing an ecosystem of partners to enable energy and digital transformation globally. Its growing list of over 250 customers and partners spans across ten industries and includes: Accenture, Amazon Web Services, GovTech Singapore, Keppel, Microsoft, Nissan, PSA International, PTT, Sonnen, Tableau and Total.

For more information, visit www.envision-digital.com

SOURCE Envision Digital

Related Links

http://www.envision-digital.com


Sanofi and GSK said they had reached an agreement with Britain to supply it with up to 60 million doses of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, and that discussions with other governments were ongoing.

No vaccine has yet been approved to treat or prevent COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus which has killed more than 659,000 people and triggered economic havoc worldwide.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Sanofi and GSK, which had first teamed up in April, confirmed in a statement that regulatory approval for their vaccine could be achieved by the first half of 2021 if clinical data was to be positive.

The first clinical trials are expected in September.

The vaccine will be developed by combining Sanofi's S-protein COVID-19 antigen and GSK's pandemic adjuvant technology.

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

Adjuvants are efficacy boosters that play a vital role in many vaccines. An adjuvant is added to some vaccines to enhance the immune response, and has been shown to create a stronger and longer lasting immunity against infections than a vaccine alone.

Sanofi and GSK said other discussions with the European Union, Italy and France to supply their vaccine were ongoing.

Sanofi and GSK are hoping to clinch a deal soon to provide 300 million doses to the European Union.

Two sources told Reuters that negotiations stalled because the company wanted to secure an upfront payment for the entire stock while the EU would rather delay payments until the vaccine has passed large clinical trials.
VALLEY FORGE, Pa., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanguard today announced it would seek shareholder approval to merge the $1.1 billion Vanguard U.S. Value Fund into the $77.2 billion Vanguard Value Index Fund. Effective immediately, Vanguard U.S. Value Fund is closed to new shareholder accounts. The firm also announced plans to seek shareholder approval to change the diversification status of five funds.

Like other U.S. investment companies, Vanguard holds a proxy when shareholder approval is needed for certain fund matters. Following review by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the fund proxy materials are expected to be sent to Vanguard fund shareholders beginning in November 2020 for voting online, by phone, or by mail. Vanguard encourages online voting for shareholder convenience and associated cost savings. The shareholder meetingwhich will be held in a virtual formatis scheduled for January 22, 2021.

"We encourage shareholders of the six funds to vote on these important proposals," said Tim Buckley, Vanguard Chairman and CEO. "We believe the proposed changes will enable Vanguard to manage these funds more efficiently and effectively, and continue to deliver strong outcomes for investors."

The proposals are summarized below.

Vanguard U.S. Value Fund merger

Vanguard will be seeking shareholder approval to merge Vanguard U.S. Value Fund into Vanguard Value Index Fund. Vanguard U.S. Value Fund is closed to new shareholder accounts, effective immediately.

Introduced in 1992, Vanguard Value Index Fund is a broadly diversified, large-capitalization U.S. value portfolio. If approved, the merged fund would retain the Vanguard Value Index Fund name and current expense ratio of 0.05%a decrease of 0.17% for existing Vanguard U.S. Value Fund shareholders.

The proposed merger is a result of Vanguard's ongoing and comprehensive fund oversight program. Given the funds have a significant overlap in holdings, similar characteristics, and highly-correlated returns, Vanguard determined a merger would be the most beneficial path for Vanguard U.S. Value Fund shareholders and result in greater efficiencies in the administration of the combined Vanguard Value Index Fund.



Vanguard has a long history of product innovation and has continued to enhance and refine its global fund and ETF roster. In addition, the firm's rigorous product governance ensures a carefully curated and enduring lineup that meets a diverse range of client needs. Recent efforts to improve its product lineup include: introducing new funds and modifying mandates, restructuring advisory teams, closing and liquidating funds, and partnering with world-class active management talent.

Change in diversification status for five Vanguard funds

Vanguard will also be seeking shareholder approval to change the diversification status of Vanguard Health Care Fund, Vanguard Energy Fund, Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund, Vanguard Variable Insurance Fund - Growth Portfolio, and Vanguard Variable Insurance Fund - Real Estate Index Portfolio.

Due to increased concentration within each fund's investment universe, Vanguard is proposing to reclassify the funds from "diversified" to "non-diversified" as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940. The change would afford the funds' investment advisors greater flexibility to manage their respective mandates, while not materially altering the funds' characteristics.

About Vanguard

Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment management companies. As of June 30, 2020, Vanguard managed $6.1 trillion in global assets. The firm, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, offers more than 427 funds to its more than 30 million investors worldwide. For more information, visit vanguard.com.

Asset figures as of June 30, 2020 unless otherwise noted.

Shareholders of Vanguard U.S. Value Fund will receive a Proxy Statement/Prospectus that describes the investment objective, strategies, expenses, and risks of an investment in Vanguard Value Index Fund and provides other important information about the proposal. When it is available, shareholders should read the Proxy Statement/Prospectus carefully before making any decision to invest or to approve the proposal. To receive a free copy of a Proxy Statement/Prospectus (when available) and other relevant documents, shareholders should call Vanguard toll free at 800-662-7447 or visit vanguard.com. The Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other relevant documents will also be available for free on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).

Shareholders of Vanguard Health Care Fund, Vanguard Energy Fund, Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund, Vanguard Variable Insurance Fund  Growth Portfolio, and Vanguard Variable Insurance Fund  Real Estate Index Portfolio will receive a Proxy Statement that provides important information about the proposals. When it is available, shareholders should read the Proxy Statement carefully before making any decision to approve any proposal. To receive a free copy of a Proxy Statement (when available) and other relevant documents, shareholders should call Vanguard toll free at 800-662-7447 or visit vanguard.com. The Proxy Statement and other relevant documents will also be available for free on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).

For more information about Vanguard funds, visit institutional.vanguard.com or call 800-523-7064 to obtain a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information about a fund are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing.

All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss.

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

SOURCE Vanguard
Australians have been urged to use caution when they fly as a health expert claims the deadly coronavirus can spread wildly on planes.

Airlines have previously claimed there was a low risk of catching the virus while flying, adding there had been no confirmed evidence of transmission on aircraft.

Qantas and other airlines also recently scrapped their middle seat ban to allow for more passengers on domestic flights.

But Queensland University of Technology atmospheric science professor Lidia Morawska believes the risk of contracting the virus while in the air is much higher than the airlines claim.

Qantas and other airlines banned passengers from booking the middle seat after a picture went viral (pictured) of a packed flight from Townsville to Brisbane in April - but they have since scrapped the rule

'Every virus on planes can be transmitted because it's a small environment; I don't know why this virus would be different,' Professor Morawska told the Australian Financial Review.

The professor said because planes were so confined, the air flows between people before it goes into the filtration system.

'If someone sits in that airflow from an infected person for a duration of the flight, the person can inhale enough of the virus to be infected,' she said.

Airlines are supplying masks to passengers, using hand sanitiser and ensuring social distancing is carried out before boarding.

Professor Morawska believes wearing a mask can 'significantly decrease the risk and potentially bring it below the infectious dose'.

Professor Lidia Morawska says there is a very real risk of contracting coronavirus while on board a plane (pictured, passengers at Sydney Airport during the pandemic)

Morawska advised passengers to wear masks to lessen the risk of getting coronavirus but noted that they don't guarantee 100 per cent protection (pictured, passengers have their temperature checked at Sydney Airport)

She said due to the airflow on planes, masks should be a priority.

Dr Oliver Rawashdeh from the University of Queensland's School of Biomedical Sciences also warned travellers about the risk of flying.

He said it was clear coronavirus could be transmitted through the air and airconditioning services - and aircraft are no exception.

'As a scientist, I would not put myself on a plane at the moment unless I really had to, such as for a family emergency,' he said.

Last month, Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy described the risk of contracting COVID-19 on flights as 'low'.

'Airlines, domestic airlines, certainly short-haul airlines, present quite a low risk of transmission because of their air handling,' he said.

Last month, Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy described the risk of contracting COVID-19 on flights as 'low' (pictured, NSW police officers onlook as passengers disembark flight at Sydney Airport on July 6)

'We have not seen a clear case of transmission of the virus on a domestic flight in Australia. So whilst initially the airlines were practising good distancing, they are now occupying their seats more fully, and I know that's one of the circumstances where we think it's not an unreasonable choice if someone chooses to wear a mask.'

In April airlines like Qantas banned passengers from booking the middle seat after a photo went viral showing a packed domestic flight.

But a month later Qantas announced that policy would be discontinued for financial reasons.

The airline is offering all Qantas and Jetstar passengers with masks on flights.

Masks are mandatory on Qantas flights to and from Victoria.

Technology used in the planes are able to trap around 99 per cent of bacteria travelling in the air.

A spokesperson for Qantas said the airline was following strict health advice from the Chief Medical Officer.

'Australia's Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Medical Officers in each state and territory have endorsed the approach taken by airlines,' they said.

'Health Minister Greg Hunt has said the Medical Expert Panel, consisting of the Chief Medical Officers, believes the risk of transmission of COVID-19 on flights is low.'

Qantas Group Medical Director, Dr Ian Hosegood, said the airflow on board aircraft also allowed for low risk of transmission.

'The data shows that actual risk of catching Coronavirus on an aircraft is already extremely low,' he said.

'That's due to a combination of factors, including the cabin air filtration system, the fact people don't sit face-to-face and the high backs of aircraft seats acting as a physical barrier. As far as the virus goes, an aircraft cabin is a very different environment to other forms of public transport.'

It comes as a woman in her 30s tested positive after flying from into Sydney from Victoria (pictured, passengers wear masks as they collect their luggage at Sydney Airport on July 9)

It comes as a woman in her 30s tested positive after flying from into Sydney from Victoria, it was revealed on Tuesday.

The passenger boarded flight JQ506 in Melbourne on Saturday before testing positive to COVID-19 in New South Wales.

NSW Health said they are contacting travellers who sat near the woman on the flight. Close contacts will be required to isolate for two weeks.

Passengers seated in rows 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 have been identified as close contacts.

NSW Health said the woman is in isolation and contact tracing is underway.

Another flight from Jakarta to Sydney was also revealed to have a positive passenger after landing on July 22.
There are two new cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation in New Zealand today.

It has been 89 days since the last case of COVID-19 was acquired locally from an unknown source.

Today's first case is a man in his 50s who arrived in New Zealand on July 14 from Afghanistan via Dubai, says a statement from the Ministry of Health.

"The positive test was from day 12 testing. He has been transferred to an Auckland quarantine facility."

Today's second case is a man aged in his 40s who arrived in New Zealand on July 27 from the Philippines, via Hong Kong.

He was taken straight to an Auckland quarantine facility as he was symptomatic on arrival. The positive test was from a test on arrival.

"There are no recovered cases to report today, meaning the number of active cases in New Zealand is 23," says the Ministry.

There is no one in New Zealand receiving hospital-level care for COVID-19.

"Our total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is now 1209, which is the number we report to the World Health Organization.

"Yesterday, our laboratories completed 2733 tests, of which 2481 were in the community, and 252 were in managed isolation and quarantine facilities."

That brings the total number of tests completed to date 460,067.

COVID-19 case in South Korea

"We continue to exchange information with our counterparts over the traveller who recently tested positive upon arrival in South Korea," says the Ministry.

To date, there is no evidence of any transmission in New Zealand involving this case.

"We can report today that the Auckland household contacts of this individual have all returned negative results, reinforcing the current low risk of this case to New Zealand.

"We are working with our counterparts in Korea and Singapore to further investigate the situation including awaiting the result from a second PCR test from the case."

Contact tracing of passengers on a domestic flight this person was on from Auckland to Christchurch and other possible close contacts continues.

All related tests undertaken to date have returned a negative result, including tests results the Ministry has to date from border staff at Christchurch airport. Further testing is underway.

Those identified as close contacts within the 48 hours before the case had their positive test are being asked to self-isolate for the balance of their 14 days.

Any casual contacts do not need to self-isolate but are being asked to be tested if they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 over the 14 day period.

"We are also continuing to follow up on the individuals movements while they were in New Zealand.

"While the risk is low, this is an opportunity to demonstrate and continue developing the strength of our contact tracing ability, should community transmission become an issue in this or any other case.

"It's also an important reminder to members of the public about continuing to record their movements and to have up to date contacts available for public health officials to find you, if this needs to happen rapidly.

"We are very appreciative of the communication we have had from this individual and their close contacts who have been particularly mindful of recording their movements and making them available to us.

"We also appreciate the cooperation of our counterparts in South Korea in providing information, particularly from their public health interviews with the traveller."

Anyone concerned about their health as a result of this update can call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

NZ COVID Tracer

NZ COVID Tracer has now recorded 621,000 registered users.

There have been 81,048 posters created to date.

The Ministry continues to remind New Zealanders to keep a record of where they've been as this remains one of the best tools in the continued fight against COVID-19. That's why we are continuing to encourage all New Zealanders to download, register and use the app.
Dozens of violations were reported to Southwest Virginias Mount Rogers Health District in the weeks after Gov. Ralph Northam mandated face coverings in public indoor settings, but local officials say they took firm enforcement action only once, when they revoked a restaurants operating permit and reinstated it after the owner agreed to require that employees wear masks.

The districts officials have primarily taken an educational approach to the face mask requirements, designed to slow the spread of COVID-19, which apply to employees in customer-facing areas in many businesses, as well as patrons.

We have gone with the spirit of public health education rather than writing tickets when it comes to face masks, said district Director Karen Shelton.

The Mount Rogers Health District serves a number of Southwest Virginia localities, including Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Washington and Wythe counties and the cities of Bristol and Galax.

The mask requirements in Executive Order 63 took effect on May 29. In the month that followed, the district received reports of 181 violations, according to records the Bristol Herald Courier obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Complaints were filed via an online form, as well as by phone and email.

The text of complaints ranged in specificity but often described customers and employees at businesses like restaurants, retail stores, grocery stores and convenience stores failing to wear masks.

Washington County led the district with 38 complaints, followed by Galax with 35 and Carroll County with 30. Ten reports were documented for Bristol, Virginia.

Walmart was the most frequently named business in the complaints, appearing in 17 reports from across the district.

Dollar General stores in the region followed in second with 11 complaints.

On the first day of the order, a person wrote in an email to the district that only a handful of people wore masks at the Walmart in Bristol, Virginia.

I feel like businesses need to be monitored and mentored to ensure they are following mask protocol, the complaint states.

Other reports across the Health District describe people failing to cover noses with face masks, establishments declining to enforce mask requirements and concerns about rising COVID-19 case numbers.

The Virginia Department of Health is tasked with enforcing the requirements, and violators could face a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

But, in general, state officials have made it clear that they want to pursue education before taking anyone to court.

Public health has been given the ability for enforcement, but we have been given the direction for trying to rely on education and public goodwill as much as possible, Shelton said. Should the governor encourage more forceful enforcement ... of the mandate, then we will go from there.

The main response to complaints has been to call businesses and educate them about the requirements, she added.

Still, she acknowledged a constraining factor is having staff available to engage in enforcement as the district also investigates COVID-19 cases, tries to contain the virus and do as much public health education as possible.

We triage the complaints and try to respond to them to the highest priority first, but we dont have the manpower to deal with all the complaints in the district, she said.

Another challenge is the habits some people developed early in the pandemic due, in part, to some of the mixed messaging around face coverings, Shelton said.

Initially, public health leaders said healthy people did not need to wear masks, but in early April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its recommendation for face coverings in public spaces as more was learned about the virus and how it spreads.

Public health authorities have since reiterated that message. Earlier this month, for example, CDC Director Robert Redfield described cloth face coverings as one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus  particularly when used universally within a community setting.

State and local leaders across the country have also issued various types of mask mandates.

But with rising case numbers in some areas, Virginia officials are starting to call for heightened enforcement measures.

The Virginia Department of Health is tasked with enforcement, and you have been working first to educate, assist, and inform citizens about the dangers of COVID-19 before any enforcement action is contemplated, State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver said in a letter to health district directors.

Then, in bolded lettering, Oliver wrote, I need to be clear that VDH will enforce these orders, if education and information are insufficient to address violations and violations become pervasive or severe.

He also said that districts could suspend permits of businesses regulated by VDH, including restaurants.

The letter noted that state agencies such as the Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services would coordinate to enforce measures.

If you own a restaurant or a business, and youre not following the regulations, your license will be on the line, and we will not hesitate to take action if needed, Northam said at a news briefing on the same day the letter was sent.

He referenced the mantra of No shirt, no shoes, no service to say masks should be added to that list.

But the governor once again emphasized that the state is not looking to put people in jail.

Speaking with the Bristol Herald Courier before state officials issued the recent statements about enforcement, Shelton said the Mount Rogers Health District revoked a restaurant permit when an owner did not require employees to wear face coverings. She declined to share which locality the business was in but said the permit was reinstated after the employer agreed to comply with the mask requirements.

Breanne Forbes Hubbard, the districts population health manager, confirmed that this has been the only firm enforcement measure the district has taken.

As the focus shifts from education toward more enforcement, Hubbard said the district is awaiting more guidance on what this will look like in the local area.

Meanwhile, businesses have also taken steps to encourage mask wearing, including issuing new requirements for customers to wear them in stores.

Both Dollar General and Walmart, for example, had policies take effect last week.

In a statement, a Dollar General spokeswoman said, Throughout the pandemic, we have implemented more robust cleaning protocols across the Company. We also have provided all employees with washable fabric and disposable facial coverings, disposable gloves and additional hand sanitizer. Social distancing measures have been implemented and are being exercised in each of our stores, distribution centers and corporate offices.

Walmart, for its part, has stationed health ambassadors at store entrances to remind people without a mask of new requirements and work with those who dont have a mask to try and find a solution, according to a statement on its website.

We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers and members in wearing face coverings to protect their safety and the safety of our associates, the company said.

Ultimately, wearing a mask is a type of socially responsible behavior people need to adhere to during the pandemic, Shelton said.

I know that a lot of people like to feel that its their independent right not to wear the mask, she said. And I will just tell you, though, for those who are elderly in our community or medically vulnerable, it is not safe for them to come out in a community where people dont wear masks and take conscientious effort to protect the citizens of their community.
Washington: The chief executives of four of the world's biggest technology firms - Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon - have faced a day of hostile questioning in the US Congress as politicians accused them of using their market power to crush competitors and distort the political debate.

The world's richest person - Amazon founder Jeff Bezos - made his first appearance before Congress and was forced to defend his company against claims it seeks to beat competitors "like a cheetah would pursue a sickly gazelle".

The chief executives faced near-constant criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, but for different reasons and with Democrats showing far more willingness to use competition laws to forcibly break up the tech giants.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos testified before Congress for the first time. Credit:AP

"Simply put: they have too much power," David Cicilline, the Democratic subcommittee chairman, said of the four tech companies.
Dozens of first responders are working to put out a fire following a Union Pacific train derailment near Tempe, Arizona. The bridge it was traveling on has partially collapsed, but no injuries have been reported.

Video and photos from the scene show massive amounts of smoke billowing from the site of the crash. Local officials say the smoke cloud is so obtrusive that it has caused traffic in nearby areas to be rerouted. Police are warning people to avoid the area.

Train fire causes of the collapse of the bridge over Tempe Town lake near the Arizona State University pic.twitter.com/k8n7Bv3mnG  Locksmith Charley (@yegg57) July 29, 2020

BREAKING! Train fire and bridge collapse on Tempe Town Lake. LIVE coverage on 3TV and CBS 5. Video from @chopperguy #azfamily pic.twitter.com/sU3nKoJf9L  Ian Schwartz (@SchwartzTV) July 29, 2020

An eyewitness described the crash, which she turned to see after smoke disrupted her bike ride, as a scene from hell in comments to local media.

Oh the Tempe Town Lake train bridge just collapsed thats all While I was under it#arizona pic.twitter.com/BeUHvUkYix  Camille Kimball (@CamilleKimball) July 29, 2020

The damaged bridge sits over Tempe Town Lake and near Tempe Beach Park, and the crash is believed to have happened around 6am on Wednesday. The cause of the derailment is unknown, and local media are reporting that the train was carrying lumber. A tanker car that fell off the bridge now sits with other debris in the water. The crash is being described as second-alarm hazardous until first responders can determine whether or not any hazardous materials were being transported on board. All of Tempe Town Lake is closed temporarily as a precaution.

DEVELOPING: Emergency crews are on the scene of a train derailment in Tempe, Arizona. pic.twitter.com/wIlSflUaTL  Jake Boswell (@JakeBoswellNews) July 29, 2020
China reserves right to further respond to NZ suspension of extradition treaty with HKSAR

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/28 18:03:41

China on Tuesday expressed strong opposition to New Zealand's wrong move of suspending its extradition treaty with the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR), which is based on the wrong interpretation of the national security law for Hong Kong, and reserves the right to further respond.

New Zealand on Tuesday announced the suspension of its extradition agreement with HKSAR, claiming it erodes the rule of law and undermines the "one country, two systems" principle.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin dismissed the move, saying it was based on the wrong interpretation of the legislation, violated the international law and basic norms governing international relations and blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs.

Wang reiterated that the Chinese government is unwavering in its determination to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and in its determination to oppose external forces' interference in Hong Kong affairs. Any attempt to put pressure on China will never succeed, Wang said.

China urges New Zealand to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs in any form to avoid further damaging bilateral relations, Wang said.

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Tesla received bailout cash during the coronavirus shutdown despite being valued at more than $270billion, the company has revealed.

The firm did not reveal how much money it was given, but said in filing on Tuesday that the money was enough to offset a large portion of its costs after it was forced to shut down its factories.

It comes just days after CEO Elon Musk said that another bailout was 'not in the best interests of people' - because so much of the money is earmarked for companies and special interest groups.

Tesla (CEO Elon Musk pictured) received government handouts during the coronavirus shutdown, despite being valued at more than $270billion

Payments were revealed after Musk said another round of stimulus was 'not in the interests of the people' because so much of the money is earmarked for companies

In its filing, Tesla wrote: 'As part of various governmental responses to the pandemic granted to companies globally, we received certain payroll related benefits which helped to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our financial results.'

The firm, which has two factories in the US as well as one each in China and Germany, did not reveal which governments it collected the money from.

However, it did say that all of its factories had to be closed during lockdown, including the two in the US.

While it did not reveal the exact amount it received, the company did say it was enough to 'almost entirely' offset 'idle capacity charges' such as property taxes, depreciation in assets and salaries incurred during the lockdown.

Tesla also offset the charges by furloughing staff, reducing employee base salaries and reducing bonuses and commission costs, the filing said.

Despite the shutdown, Tesla managed to post a surprise profit in the second quarter of this year - extending its record profitability streak to four straight quarters.

That has seen its share price soar from around $430 per share at the beginning of the year to more than $1,480 per share currently, despite the shutdown.

The price puts Tesla's current valuation at more than $270billion.

Musk weighed in on the issue of a bailout on Friday, as Republicans and the White House debated into the weekend about what form their new bill should take.

Tesla did not reveal where it got the money from or the total amount, but said it offset a large portion of property taxes, salaries and other costs in incurred during the shutdown (file)

Tesla has seen its share price soar from $430 at the start of the year to almost $1,480 per share this week despite the lockdown, putting its total value north of $270billion

The entrepreneur, who has an estimated personal fortune of $69billion, tweeted: 'Another government stimulus package is not in the best interests of the people imo.

'These are jammed to gills with special interests earmarks. If we do a stimulus at all, it should just be direct payments to consumers,' he added.

Special interest earmarks refer to money that is sent straight to companies and other groups, bypassing benchmarks that others need to pass to qualify for a handout.

Musk was also a vocal opponent of the lockdown, after likening it to 'fascism' during an earnings call with investors back in April.

He later tweeted out 'FREE AMERICA NOW' while demanding that states 'give people their freedom back'.

He also praised Texas's plans to reopen shops, restaurants and movie theaters, right before the state saw its infection and death rates soar.

Included in the $2trillion bill passed in March were provisions for restaurants and retailers, for-profit colleges, small businesses including hotels - such as the ones Trump owns - and defense manufacturers.

Republicans have now presented their next stimulus bill, a $1trillion piece of legislation dubbed the HEALS Act.

While it does contain another round of $1,200 checks that will be paid direct to Americans, it also seeks to limit unemployment benefits to $200-per-week until October, and then to a 70 per cent salary replacement until the end of the year.

Meanwhile $60billion has been earmarked for loans to small businesses.

The bill will still need to be passed by House Democrats, with unemployment benefits being a sticking point.
A resurgent cononavirus outbreak in Walworth County that has infected more than 1,000 people and killed 20 has prompted organizers of the county fair to cancel the 2020 fair.

Citing a concern for public safety, county fair officials also announced the cancellation of Elkhorn Ribfest, which means the public health crisis is shutting down the years two biggest events at the fairgrounds.

Ribfest was scheduled for Aug. 13-16, and the county fair was scheduled for Sept. 2-7.

The decision to cancel both events came from board members of the Walworth County Agricultural Society, the private organization that operates the county fairgrounds in Elkhorn.

Larry Gaffey, general manager of the organization, noted that both the county fair and the barbecue festival draw crowds from Midwest cities with high rates of coronavirus infection.

The board was concerned these events could pose a risk to Walworth County residents, Gaffey said. He added: The board feared the influx of visitors could strain the countys public health system.

The announcement came as Walworth County recorded two new deaths while also surpassing 1,000 confirmed cases since the pandemic broke out earlier this year.

In the past month, the number of cases locally has doubled, from 500 to 1,014 as of July 24.

Carlo Nevicosi, deputy director of the county health department, said officials also are concerned that the percentage of people testing positive has jumped from below 5 percent to 8 percent.

Nevicosi said the surge is happening not only because more people are getting tested, but because more people are being exposed and being infected.

Theres no way to sugarcoat it, he said. Yes, its spreading.

Of the two new deaths, one becomes the youngest fatality so far in the county, at under age 65.

Walworth County previously had gone six weeks without recording a death in the coronavirus pandemic, also known as COVID-19.

County officials said one new death involved a person under 65 who had no known history of health problems and who died in the community, as opposed to inside a hospital or nursing home.

The other death involved a person in their 80s who had significant prior health issues and who died in a health-care setting.

The county does not identify local coronavirus patients or divulge other details about their cases.

Nevicosi said health officials continue to urge people to adhere to public safety practices to control the spread of the upper respiratory infection: wear face masks in public, maintain social distancing, and wash their hands.

All three of them work pretty darn well together, he said.

As recently as last month, organizers of the county fair were trying to salvage the event, even winning approval to sell beer for the first time ever as a way of generating new revenue and fortifying the organization financially.

But since the states Safer At Home public health order was thrown out by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on May 13, the number of confirmed cases in Walworth County has quadruped, from 250 to 1,014.

Organizers of the Lake Geneva Venetian Festival last month similarly cited the coronavirus outbreak in announcing the cancellation of their downtown Lake Geneva event, which would have taken place the week after Ribfest.

Rita VanSchyndel, co-leader of the Springfield 4-H Club, said she was disappointed to see the county fair canceled, but she believes officials probably made the right decision to protect public health.

We kind of were expecting it, but were hoping it wouldnt happen, she said of the cancellation.

The Springfield group of 15 to 20 kids is among many throughout the county who participate in the county fair.

Fair organizers said they will still present exhibits for children to show off their livestock and other projects. But the exhibits will not be open to the public.

Officials said they also are working out details of a method to conduct the traditional livestock sale.

Gaffey noted that the coronavirus disrupted the last school year for many of the same children who were looking forward to the county fair.

COVID-19 stole part of a school year from these kids, he said. We will not allow it ruin their dream projects as well.

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New Delhi, July 29 : National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) barred an auditor with Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP, Shrenik Baid from auditing activities for five years for professional misconduct in the statutory audit of IL&FS Financial Services (IFIN) for the year 2017-18.

The authority in its order July 28 also imposed a penalty of Rs 15 lakh on Baid.

"CA Shrenik Baid is debarred for a period of five years from being appointed as an auditor or internal auditor or undertaking any audit in respect of financial statements or internal audit of the functions and activities of any company or body corporate," the order said.

The authority noted that "implicitly" Baid accepted all the charges levelled against him including loss of independence, failure to company with the mandatory quality standards among others.

Citing his argument that CA Udayan Sen, who has already been barred for seven years was responsible for everything, NFRA said that Baid has come up with patently lame excuses to try and transfer the blame to someone else.

Saying that the role of a partner or an auditor is to provide the leadership and direction necessary to the engagement team to achieve the necessary audit quality, the order copy said: "The charges proved have shown the colossal failure of the CA to discharge this duty." The order comes, after the authority last week issued two orders barring former Deloitte India CEO, Udayan Sen and CA Rukshad Daruvala for seven and five years respectively, in the IFIN matter.
Check out the news you should not miss today:

Politics

 The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Tuesday signed a 36.6 billion yen (US$348 million) official development assistance (ODA) loan agreement with the Vietnamese government for a project to ensure Vietnams maritime security and safety.

Society

 Vietnam on Wednesday morning reported eight new cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) linked to four hospitals in the central city of Da Nang, raising the countrys tally to 446 cases with 77 under treatment and 369 recoveries, according to the Ministry of Health.

 Ho Chi Minh City standing vice-chairman Le Thanh Liem on Tuesday night issued an urgent dispatch requesting local authorities to strictly implement measures to prevent and control COVID-19, as well as field hospitals meant for COVID-19 treatment to get ready to receive patients, especially serious cases.

 A woman was in a critical condition while her three children died in a fire in Hoa Binh Village in the north-central province of Ha Tinh on Tuesday afternoon. Local authorities are investigating the cause.

 Local rescue forces on Tuesday evening put out a fire engulfing a truck while it was crossing the Hai Van Tunnel in central Vietnam in seven minutes after they detected the incident. No casualties were reported while all cargo on the truck was burned down.

 A flight carrying 230 Vietnamese people from Taiwan arrived at Cam Ranh International Airport in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa on Tuesday afternoon. All passengers underwent a medical examination before being sent to collective quarantine.

Lifestyle

 The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism on Tuesday announced a collaboration with famous Vietnamese-French model Jessica Minh Anh to produce a reality show in order to attract tourists to Vietnam after the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Local netizens have recently praised a couple in the central province of Quang Ngai for organizing their wedding ceremony modestly on Tuesday with only the two families members in attendance and no guests to prevent the spread of COVID-19. All participants were required to wear masks, wash their hands, not to shake hands, and have body temperature checks.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
We are starting to wonder why we never thought of this two taoisigh lark before. Nothing like a little bit of healthy competition to keep people on their toes, and let's face it, with everything that's going on right now, we need both taoisigh on their toes.

Former and future Taoiseach Leo is on his feet a lot. When he is not offering his official imprimatur to current Taoiseach Micheal's pronouncements, and when he's not enjoying the number of people in the Dail and across various media appearances who nearly refer to him as the Taoiseach, he is settling nicely back into his former role as commentator-at-large. "They'd want to get that green list sorted," he might venture. "People are getting confused. And what's the point of it anyway?" He will says this innocently, as if the green list wasn't his invention. Or: "Jeez, we'd need to sort out the schools thing. Other people had them opened months ago, even people with far worse Covid-19 situations than ours," - as if he wasn't the one who didn't open the schools for months. Leo hints all the time too that, unlike those conservative old fogeys in FF, he would have stood up for the people who get up early in the morning to take the red eye down to Faro. Leo still seemed to be telling us to go on holidays during a slew of outings last Thursday/Friday.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to refute the idea that as civilization advances, our collective memories are shrinking. Its as if we cant remember things that just happened a few short years ago. Whether the cause is advancing technology, the breakneck pace of our world or growing self-absorption, we are losing our ability to connect our past to our present. This can only bring bad consequences.

A recent example is the threat of foreign influence in our elections. Remember that? Barely a year ago the headlines were buzzing with the specter of Russian intelligence agents meddling in our 2020 presidential election, same as supposedly happened in 2016. Back then, the media breathlessly proclaimed the purported hack of our election to be as sinister as the attack on Pearl Harbor. Wherever you sit on the ideological spectrum, the message was clear: foreign influence bad; electoral integrity good.

To return to the present, we apparently have forgotten about that whole foreign-influence-bad thing. When President Trump recently signed an executive order to not count illegal aliens for the purpose of determining how many representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned to each state, the very same people who railed about Russian influence howled in protest. Either some cannot remember the recent past, or they are hopelessly captive to their hyper-partisanship.

Make no mistake, foreign influence in our elections is indeed a bad thing. The biggest threat to our electoral integrity comes not from Russians, but from allowing illegal aliens to affect congressional apportionment.

Absent President Trumps recent order, states can increase their number of representatives in Congress if they have more illegals aliens. More representation means more political clout in Washington and more ability to direct federal dollars home to those states. And when millions of illegal aliens are concentrated in just a few states, counting them gives political power to foreign nationals who choose to come here in violation of our laws, and takes power from Americans by diluting their votes. One can easily see the noxious incentive that creates for states: flood your state with illegal aliens and reap the political and financial rewards.

More representatives in Congress also means more votes for a state in the Electoral College. Another reward for encouraging foreign nationals to violate our immigration laws is to receive more importance in presidential elections. This is not the policy of a country that wants to be sound and prosperous for the long term.

President Trumps apportionment order raises another question: is there any founding principle of this country we are not prepared to abandon? Americans are not united by their DNA, but by our belief in uniquely American ideas such as the Bill of Rights and that we are endowed with those rights by a Creator, not government. That is why we have taught these concepts to our children from an early age.

Those who apply for U.S. citizenship legally are similarly required to learn about Americas history and its commitment to individual liberty. Foreign nationals here illegally, by contrast, have none of that grounding. They often come from countries run by oppressive dictatorships where the United States is despised. An oppressive nanny state is often all they know and expect from government. Unscrupulous politicians see these people as gullible marks whose votes can be purchased with the promise of a utopia that can never exist. That is precisely why such politicians are staunchly opposed to any measure that restricts illegal aliens from our electoral process.

Electoral integrity is one of the vital pillars upon which our country stands. To abandon it in the name of political correctness and the quest to consolidate political power is to set our country on a downward spiral from which it may never recover. At that point we will be no better than the authoritarian, corrupt and poverty-stricken states from which many prospective immigrants flee. This is a battle worth fighting. Few other issues are as important. Let us not forget our history when we need it most.

Dale Wilcox is executive director and general counsel at the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a public interest law firm working to defend the rights and interests of the American people from the negative effects of illegal migration.

Image credit: The Guardian, shareable YouTube screen shot.
Mr. Castro Wede, Assemblyman for Mafi-Wudukpo Electoral Area in the Central Tongu District has appealed to government and non-governmental organisations to provide communities in the area with potable water.

He said people in the area had no other choice than to compete with animals for water in the streams and ponds for water.

Mr. Wede, who made the appeal through the Ghana News Agency at Mafi Wudukpo said the situation was compounded by the long drought in the area, causing the streams and ponds to dry up.

He mentioned some of the communities as Mafi-Wudukpo, Mafi- Tsakpodzi, Mafi-Lokokope, Mafi-Vogorme and Mafi-Waya.

The Assemblyman who described the situation as 'perennial' said it was affecting the economic activities of the people and if not addressed could affect the health of the people due to the quality of water they were drinking.

He said the people had to travel over a distance of 10 kilometres to Mafi Bogolikope in the South Tongu district to buy gallons of potable water for two Ghana Cedis each.

He said his appeal to the Assembly to repair the two broken down boreholes in the area was yet to receive attention.

Mr Wede said a borehole drilled for the people of Tsakpodzi was also so salty that it could not be used and appealed to government to expedite action on the third phase of the water project in the Central Tongu district, which stalled for sometime now.

---GNA
A foreign arrival listens to COVID-19 guidelines from health officials at Incheon International Airport, Wednesday. / Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye



The government has decided to strengthen its supervision of foreign nationals required to participate in a mandatory two-week quarantine period after arriving in Korea to stem the possible community transmission of COVID-19, officials said Wednesday.


Nearly half the worlds natural heritage sites are threatened by various forms of industrial development, according to a new report. The World Wildlife Fund says extractive industries and other large projects pose a clear risk to at least 114 of 229 global sites identified by the organization.

The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries in China are home to more than 30 percent of the worlds endangered wild giant pandas, but the world heritage site is under threat from industrial activities, says WWF. Photo credit: Donald G. Reid / WWF

A full two-thirds of the sites in sub-Saharan Africa are under threat and 46 sites are recorded as facing multiple threats, including Australias Great Barrier Reef and the Galapagos Islands. The report calls on governments to restrict industrial activities in these areas and demands accountability from the businesses whose operations are damaging these landmarks.

Greater flamingos in flight over Donana national park marshes, Andalusia, Spain. The Andalusian government is supporting the reopening of a mine near the park, a world heritage site. Photo credit: Diego Lopez Alvarez / WWF

For a deeper dive:

News: Guardian, Reuters, Time, Christian Science Monitor

Commentary: Discovery News, Climate Progress

For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for daily Hot News.

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Ninety-five percent of fall classes at the University of Texas at San Antonio will be fully online, the school has announced.

The health and well-being of our students has to be our primary concern, said Joe Izbrand, a university spokesman.

UTSA is going almost entirely online based on recommendations from its public health task force, which worked in consultation with the University of Texas System and local health officials.

More than 80 percent of faculty members who responded to a June survey said they preferred online instruction to in-person classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will be a semester of new discoveries and adjustments, UTSA President Taylor Eighmy, Provost Kimberly Espy and Chief Financial Officer Veronica Mendez said in a letter to students and employees Tuesday.

Classes that will not go fully online include graduate-level courses in which students work individually with professors on dissertations, research or other projects. Those courses can involve face-to-face meetings or other in-person work, Izbrand said.

Other classes that might not be entirely remote include dance, music and art studio classes and science labs. Students in those classes, however, will be allowed to choose virtual alternatives to all in-person activities.

After Thanksgiving break, all classes will be fully online, and finals will be taken online.

Rania Nasser, a computer science major entering her sophomore year, said four of her five fall classes would be completely online: introduction to anthropology, environmental science, Texas history and American politics.

The fifth class, a computer programming lab, has in-person elements.

Nasser, 18, said she intended to do her lab work remotely, although she finds it harder to attend classes from home.

I would rather have them in person,but I would also have there not be a pandemic, Nasser said. I feel much safer having them all online.

In the spring semester, UTSAs student enrollment was more than 30,000, about 4,000 of whom lived in campus housing. Officials have budgeted for a 2.5 percent drop in tuition revenue this fall because of an anticipated drop in enrollment.

The university also absorbed a 10 percent, or $36 million, cut in state funding caused by a steep fall-off in sales tax and oil tax revenue during the pandemic.

In response, the university laid off more than 300 employees earlier this month, including 69 non-tenure-track faculty members and most of the staff of the Institute of Texan Cultures.

UTSAs fall semester begins Aug. 24. Its unclear what enrollment will be. Students registration payments are not due until mid-August.

We dont know what will happen between now and the start of fall classes that may impact the decisions of students and their families, Izbrand said.

Students who already have reserved campus housing have until Monday to decide whether to pull out.

Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox

In the fall, UTSA will not offer on-campus transportation services, such as the Runner shuttle buses, because so few students will be on campus. The university will waive the student transportation fee. It also will waive international education fees, since fall study abroad has also been canceled.

The recreation and student union buildings will reopen with modified operations. The Roadrunner Pantry will be open on weekdays to provide free food staples and other essential items. Libraries will operate with modified hours and operations.

To support virtual learning, the university will provide enhanced wireless internet in areas on campus where students can socially distance, including Sombrilla Plaza, the Paseo Principal outside the student union and part of the Barshop parking lot.

Telecommuting agreements were set to expire Friday for university employees, but those have been extended through Aug. 14. Restrictions on university-sponsored travel were extended through October.

Face masks will be required on campus. Starting early next month, university leaders said a UTSA-branded cloth face covering would be provided to all students and employees. Virtual safety training, which students and employees must complete before returning to campus, will begin early next month.

Nasser lives in an apartment near UTSAs main campus on the Northwest Side, but said she didnt anticipate setting foot on campus this fall.

I dont see any reason why I would need to, she said.

Nasser said she thought the university was right to go almost fully online but she wished fewer employees had been laid off and that her tuition and fees had gone down by more than just $35.

The concept of having a professional teach you is kind of gone, Nasser said. Last semester, I felt like I just taught myself everything and then did the work, which is not what you go to university for.

Alia Malik covers several school districts and the University of Texas at San Antonio. To read more from Alia, become a subscriber. amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:54:23|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Feb. 19, 2020 shows the Pentagon seen from an airplane over Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

The reposition announcement came as relations between Washington and Berlin have become strained. The two allies have been at odds with each other on Iran nuclear issues, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, and defense burden-sharing, among other topics.



WASHINGTON, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States plans to withdraw 11,900 military personnel from Germany, reducing U.S. troops there from some 36,000 to 24,000, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Wednesday.

Among the U.S. troops that would be withdrawn, about 5,600 will be repositioned to other NATO countries, while the rest will be returned to the United States with some beginning rotational deployment back to Europe, the Pentagon chief told a news briefing.

Some U.S. forces currently stationed in Germany would be redeployed to Belgium and Italy, and others would begin continuous rotation in the Black Sea region, according to Esper.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper testifies before the House Armed Services Committee during a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of Defense on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 26, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

"We also plan on rotating forward the lead element of the Army's newly established V Corps headquarters to Poland, once Warsaw agrees to a Defense Cooperation Agreement and burden sharing details, as previously pledged," he said.

Esper noted that the Pentagon seeks to implement its plans "as expeditiously as possible," adding that redeployment could begin within weeks.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly complained that U.S. allies are exploiting the country on defense spending.

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 27, 2018. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

Criticizing Berlin's "delinquency" on military spending, Trump last month ordered the U.S. military to withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany. "Until they pay, we're removing our soldiers," he said.

Dozens of House Republicans have voiced opposition to Trump's decision to reduce the country's military presence in Germany.

The reposition announcement came as relations between Washington and Berlin have become strained. The two allies have been at odds with each other on Iran nuclear issues, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, and defense burden-sharing, among other topics. 
Government policy in Indonesia will remain focused on moving the mineral industry up the value chain in the coming years, and the mining industry will increasingly lose dominance as a driver of Indonesias mineral exports, according to Fitch Solutions latest report.

There will be increasing restrictions on the export of unprocessed mineral ores and while exports of unprocessed minerals will stagnate, shipments of refined metals will grow strongly, Fitch forecasts.

A combination of policies ranging from investment incentives for metal refiners to outright bans on the export of unprocessed ores will be implemented in order to direct investment into higher value-added mineral activities and away from exporting raw minerals.

Coal exports to shrink

The mining industry will lose prominence as a driver of Indonesias commodity exports in the coming decade, Fitch predicts.

Mining products accounted for 13.1% of total merchandise exports in 2019 and coal made up over 90% of this trade. Coal exports will weaken due to a shrinking domestic surplus and weaker external demand, analysts say. On the domestic front, aggressive expansion of coal-fired electricity generation will consume a rising proportion of the countrys coal production.

Fitchs Key Project Database indicates that coal power projects make up more than 60% of power projects in the pipeline, at more than 21GW.

Source: Fitch Solutions

Unprocessed metal exports on borrowed time

Restrictions on the export of unprocessed mineral ores will increase over the coming years, analysts forecast. The nickel sector is most advanced on this road, as in January 2020 the government implemented a ban on exports of unprocessed nickel ore in a resumption of the moratorium that had initially been implemented in 2014, only to be later relaxed in 2017.

Following Indonesias announcement to bring forward the nickel ore export ban, Fitch revised its forecasts for the countrys nickel ore production. Analysts now expect nickel ore production to decline by 60% in 2020 and to remain only two- thirds of 2019 levels by 2029. Related: Are Gold Stocks Still Undervalued?

Other mining segments including bauxite, copper and tin are likely to eventually also face greater restrictions on exports of unprocessed ores. Indonesian bauxite miners are currently only permitted to export if they are in the process of building processing plants.

ANALYSTS NOW EXPECT NICKEL ORE PRODUCTION TO DECLINE BY 60% IN 2020 AND TO REMAIN ONLY TWO- THIRDS OF 2019 LEVELS BY 2029

In May 2019, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources temporarily revoked the export permits of five mining companies after they failed to show any progress in developing smelters. Restrictions on bauxite exports are likely to be tightened in the coming years as domestic refining capacity increases, Fitch predicts.

While exports of unprocessed minerals will stagnate, Fitch says, shipments of refined metals will grow strongly in the coming years. The governments policy of encouraging local processing has already had a substantial impact, with exports of refined metals growing at an annual average rate of 9.2% over the five years to 2019, rising from $9.3 billion to $13.4 billion.

Exports of steel, nickel and ferro-nickel products such as nickel pig iron will dominate export growth in the next five years, Fitch predicts.

Iron and steel exports rose more than five-fold to $7.4 billion in 2019, accounting for around 80% of all refined metal exports. Almost half of these iron and steel products were sent to China in 2019 and Fitch expects that China will remain a key growth driver of Indonesias processed metal exports.

By Mining.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com:
Before their first customer, Hyungmin Mun knew the deck was already stacked against his familys new Ridgewood restaurant.

Building renovations lasted months longer than expected, pushing their opening date into March  just in time for the coronavirus pandemic to shut down all on-site dining.
Coronavirus restrictions are to be strengthened at New South Wales gyms, which will now be required to have a permanent on-site hygiene marshal, as the state tried to suppress a COVID-19 outbreak.

Gyms will be required from Saturday to register a COVID-safe plan and have a dedicated hygiene marshal on site to ensure social distancing, equipment cleaning and hand sanitiser use.

The new measures will be particularly tough for 24/7 gyms, which are typically not staffed at all times and will be forced to pay penalty-rate wages if they are to remain open around the clock.

'That includes gyms who currently might have a business model where no staff might be present,' Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Wednesday.

'This is in line with the health advice, which we know those high-risk activities are those indoor venues where people are in close proximity to others, where they are speaking or where they are in close physical activity, such as a gym.'

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would prefer to 'be harder now' on some restrictions to avoid a worse outbreak down the track

The new measures will be particularly tough for 24/7 gyms, which are typically not staffed at all times (pictured: Sydney gym in June after lockdown was lifted)

Gyms in NSW will be required from Saturday to register a COVID-safe plan and have a dedicated hygiene marshal on site

Ms Berejiklian said she would prefer to 'be harder now' on some restrictions to avoid a worse outbreak down the track.

'The only way to get through this under the current restrictions if all of us step and do the right thing,' she said.

Fitness First gym in Kings Cross on Tuesday confirmed one person who attended a class on July 20 had tested positive.

Of the 19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, 10 were connected to the Thai Rock Restaurant at Wetherill Park, taking the size of that cluster to 85.

The Thai Rock chain's restaurant in Potts Point was connected to two additional cases, taking the size of that cluster in the densely-populated eastern Sydney suburb to seven. One new case was also linked to The Apollo; a nearby eatery.

NSW Health has yet to establish a link between COVID-19 cases at the two Thai Rock restaurants and are still investigating.

Just two of the 19 cases on Wednesday were in hotel quarantine.

The case load prompted Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Wednesday to ban all greater Sydney residents from the state as of Saturday.

'NSW is holding the line but as I've been saying for a number of weeks, we're at a critical stage of the pandemic,' Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.

Two more pop-up COVID-19 testing clinics have also been set up in Sydney's east as NSW health authorities monitor the Potts Point cluster.

A clinic opened up in Surry Hills on Tuesday and another will open from noon on Wednesday in Rushcutters Bay Park, down the road from Potts Point.

Planet Fitness Gym in Casula, southwest Sydney, which has closed after a worker tested positive for COVID-19 on July 13

Two infected Thai Rock diners visited the nearby Cruising Yacht Club Australia in Rushcutters Bay on July 23, 24 and 26, with the venue's staff to be tested.

The prestigious members'-only club, which is the home of the Sydney-to-Hobart annual sailing race, has closed until August 1 for deep cleaning.

A number of other restaurants in the eastern Sydney suburb have voluntarily shut down as a precaution.

All residents and visitors to Potts Point have been asked to seek COVID-19 testing if they experience any respiratory symptoms.

A primary school in western Sydney, meanwhile, will be closed for at least one day after a student tested positive to COVID-19.

Bayanami Public School in Parramatta will be closed on Wednesday to allow time for the school to complete contact tracing and cleaning.
Contesting a disqualification challenge from Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi in court, Sachin Pilot, whose rebellion has kept Rajasthan Congress on the edge, did not forget to wish the speaker on his birthday.

Birthday greetings and best wishes to Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi Ji. I pray for his good health and long life, tweeted the rebel leader on Wednesday.

Speaker Joshi is yet to respond or acknowledge the greeting.

Pilot, who was sacked as deputy chief minister and as head of pradesh Congress unit, and his 18 MLA are awaiting the high courts decision on their challenge to the speakers disqualification notice. The court has ordered status quo to be maintained on the notices issued to the Pilot camp, essentially meaning that team Pilot does not have to appear before the speaker or answer the notices. The court has also ordered that no action will be taken against in the interim period.

The speaker had served the notices on July 15, asking the rebels why they should not be disqualified after they skipped two consecutive Congress legislature party meetings defying the party whip.

Team Pilot has argued that a party whip applies when the House is in session, not outside it. Also, mere disagreement does not amount to defection, they added. Additionally, the team argued that notices were a violation of their freedom of speech right. Sachin Pilot has categorically denied that he joining the BJP.

Speaker Joshi took the matter to the Supreme Court, arguing that the state court cannot interfere in the legislative business. Also, the court cannot intervene before a decision is made by the speaker.

The apex court, refusing the speakers plea to stop the state court from deciding, said the voice of dissent cannot be suppressed.

Can a person elected by people not express his dissent? Voice of dissent cannot be suppressed. In a democracy, can somebody be shut down like this? the court asked.

The Speaker has thereafter dropped his case in the top court.
Enterprising: An artists impression of the interior of Virgin Galactics space cabin

When you're in the space- tourism business, spacious windows are essential.

And so are ample "astronaut float zones" coupled with a bevy of cameras to supply one's social media feeds, all the better to impress friends.

Virgin Galactic Holdings these covered in the cabin of its VSS Unity spaceship, which it unveiled yesterday in a virtual media tour that aimed to mimic the luxury feel of its airline and hotels offerings.

Virgin Galactic calls its spacecraft cabin the "centrepiece" of the experience it's selling for those able to afford tickets that cost upwards of $250,000. The interior space offers each customer "safety without distraction, quietly absorbing periods of sensory intensity and offering each astronaut a level of intimacy required for personal discovery and transformation."

The company has said it intends to fly its first customers into space later this year. Ahead of that milestone, Virgin Galactic last week installed a Walt Disney Co. customer-experience veteran as its new chief executive and has gradually ramped up marketing efforts to tout space joyrides as the ultimate journey for rich adventure seekers.

"When we created Virgin Galactic, we started with what we believed would be an optimal customer experience, and then built the spaceship around it," British entrepreneur and Virgin founder Richard Branson said.

The VSS Unity reaches space not from a launch pad, but from a larger aircraft.

At or above 45,000 feet, the carrier plane drops the spacecraft, which then ignites its rocket engine, propelling its two pilots and six passengers to an altitude of more than 68 miles above the Earth.

That, according to NASA, is technically in "space."

The long journey to commercial flight stretches back to 2004, when Branson founded Virgin Galactic. Arguably the pioneer in the field, his dream was dealt a deadly setback in October 2014, when a test pilot was killed during a flight in California.

The tragedy informed major redesign work over the next six years. But financial struggles would follow.

In 2018, Branson rejected a proposed $1 billion investment from Saudi Arabia after the murder of U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Branson instead decided to take the company public through a 2019 merger with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp, a Palo Alto, California-based special purpose acquisition which took a 49pc stake.

Virgin Galactic plans to fly five spaceships in coming years and to expand internationally.

But Branson isn't the only billionaire dreaming of building a flourishing space-tourism industry.

Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin to help expand private space exploration; and Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is constructing a massive Starship in South Texas to fly astronauts to the moon and would-be colonisers to Mars under the tag line "The road to making humanity interplanetary".

Bloomberg
But Rushbrooke said Meghan did not know at the time that her friends were speaking to the magazine. He said the anonymous interviews were arranged by one of the five friends, who was concerned about the toll media criticism was taking on the duchess, pregnant at the time with her first child.
An artist's depiction of Park Ji-young crossing the Yalu river into China to search for her daughter in the spring of 2000.

North Korean refugee went undercover to help Chinese authorities take down human trafficking rings.

In the spring of 2000, Park Ji-young (a pseudonym) crossed the Yalu river into China to escape a dire situation in her native North Korea, which was struggling to recover from a 1994-1998 famine that killed millions of North Koreans -- as much as 10 percent of its population by some estimates. But this was not the first time she had ventured across the bordershe had made two trips previously and had become separated from her daughter.

This time the desperate mother was looking to reunite with her child and make a life for herself, possibly in South Korea, but she was again caught by Chinese police in Changbai, an ethnic Korean autonomous county across the border from the North Korean city of Hyesan. She fully expected to be sent back to North Korea again, when the authorities made her an offer she couldnt refuse.

They wanted Parks help in taking down several human trafficking rings that preyed on North Korean women escaping into China. In return they promised to help her find her daughter, and quietly send them back to North Korea. With nothing to lose, Park agreed and went immediately to work helping infiltrate and arrest bride sellers and their customers.

Trafficking of North Korean women in China was at or near its peak at the time Park got caught. Estimates place the number of North Koreans illegally in China at about 150,000 in 1999 according to a 2019 report published by the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK).

Chinas one-child policy combined with a patriarchal culture had resulted in a widespread gender imbalancethere were far too many Chinese men and not enough Chinese women to marry them. With possibly hundreds of thousands of desperate North Korean women streaming across the border that year, conditions were ripe for their exploitation by brokers who sold wives to Chinese men.

According to Park, she lived up to her end of the bargain, but the Chinese authorities that recruited her went back on their word, handing her over to North Koreas State Security Department once she had outlived her usefulness.

Again in North Korea, Park was not only charged with illegally leaving the country, she was additionally accused of espionage and had to serve a prison sentence longer than a year. Once she was out, she again went straight back to China to look for her missing daughter. She was caught for a fourth time and sent to what she described as a concentration camp in Tumen, a Chinese border city across from North Koreas North Hamgyong province.

The US State Department this year designated both North Korea and China under Tier 3  the worst category -- in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report. North Korean authorities have not made any efforts to prevent or eradicate the prevalence of human trafficking, failing to meet even the most basic standards regarding human rights, the department said.

In observance of the seventh annual World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, RFAs Korean Service asked Park, now in her fifties, to tell her story. The exclusive interview was conducted in Seoul, where she now resides with the daughter she eventually rescued. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

"They made this offer to methey promised not to hand me over to North Korea as long as I would agree to work with them." RFA/Rebel Pepper

RFA: Can you describe how the authorities recruited you?

Park: So I was caught and detained in [Changbai,] China as I was trying to locate my daughter, and this was the third time I had been caught. There is a saying in North Korea that goes, One can be forgiven for the first or second offense, but never for the third.

One day, the director of the local public security bureau personally summoned me in front of him. There were also non-uniformed officers who spoke Korean in the room.

They made this offer to methey promised not to hand me over to North Korea as long as I would agree to work with them on a certain task. I questioned what the work was all about, and I was told that I would help them bust a Chinese human trafficking group notoriously known for selling North Korean women.

Basically, I was told to pick three or four women from among the other North Koreans detained with me, and we would be dressed in some poor looking clothes to seem as if we had just crossed the border, and we would try to gain entry into this specific house.

RFA: So you agreed? What happened next?

Park: I signed a contract along with my thumbprint. The contract stated that if I cooperate on their terms, they would eventually help me find my daughter, and would send us back to North Korea silently.

The operation began that evening. I handpicked three reliable North Korean women [to go with] me, and three or four plainclothes Chinese police tagged along. We then went to the house and knocked on the door shouting, Please, help us! Please, help us! We are from North Korea and we are so hungry! Please, save us!

The door opened up and someone said, Come in quickly.

When we entered, we were asked where we were from, and we answered, We just crossed the border and we were told along the way that if we came to this house, we would be able to get help to be married to someone nice and rich.

Inside that house, we took showers and they dressed us in new clothes, decorated our hair and even put makeup on our faces. They gave us a huge meal as well. It was then that they asked how old we were.

"They said my face looked pretty but also old, so 8,000 was all I was worth." RFA/Rebel Pepper

The other women answered that they were in their twenties, and I told them I was 30 years old. A little later, a Chinese man stood in front of us and made us stand in a single line, and started putting a price on each one of us. The young woman who looked very delicate and pretty was priced at 10,000 yuan [$1,400], but another woman who was 27 years old, was priced at only 5,000 yuan [$700], because [in his opinion] she was ugly.

RFA: Please excuse me for asking this, but how much did they say your price was?

Park: I remember my price was about 8,000 yuan [$1,100]. They said my face looked pretty but also old, so 8,000 was all I was worth. Also, they mentioned that it cost 1,000 yuan [$140] for them to decorate us, so those costs were deducted apparently from our prices (that were paid to the traffickers). Then they put us in a car together.

RFA: Where did they take you?

Park: With the undercover Chinese authorities secretly tailing us, the car went up over a mountain, and on the other side there was another car that came to collect us. The seller spoke in Chinese, calling out prices to the buyer and they seemed to be negotiating back and forth.

After the seller received the money from the buyer, we were told to get in the other car, the one belonging to the buyer. So we started getting in that car one by one, and the undercover cops stormed the area at that instant. All the sellers and buyers at the scene were caught that day.

On the next day, they sent us to another house for a repeat performance. We did this probably six times in total, bringing down group after group.

"Listening to these horrendous stories from the other refugees made me feel humiliated and hopeless." RFA/Rebel Pepper

RFA: Can you describe the situation in the Tumen camp?

Park: There were so many North Korean defectors who were caught in different places and regions all over China, and not only women, but many men as well.

Many of these people were victims of human trafficking and got caught [by the police] as they tried to escape [their captors].

There were also people who were asking to be sent back to North Korea simply because they couldnt find anywhere else to go.

Many people there had been treated as if they were animals or slaves, and had been forced into prostitution against their will. Listening to these horrendous stories from the other refugees made me feel humiliated and hopeless.

RFA: Did any of the other women in the camp tell you how they became involved in human trafficking?

Park: Some said they were lied to, and some said they did it voluntarily out of their sole desperation to survive. There were so many unfathomable stories that I heard while I was detained in that concentration camp in Tumen.

For instance, there was a story about how a mother and her daughter were sold at the same time and how they were separated in the process, and how some suffered constant sexual abuse by the Chinese.

There was one woman who married a Chinese husband only for his family members to take advantage of her as a sex slave, and so on.

There were so many stories where these women just could not bear the severity of abuse, and so they decided to escape after getting married. All of these stories were just so horrendous to listen to.

"Despite North Koreas Juche [self-reliance] ideology... there is so much ongoing suffering everywhere in reality." RFA/Rebel Pepper

Despite North Koreas Juche [self-reliance] ideology that constantly refers to canned tenets like People come first in all things, We are the happiest people [on Earth] or The outer world has nothing that stokes our envy, and so on, there is so much ongoing suffering everywhere in reality.

Many women in North Korea cannot survive the immense hunger so they end up separating from their parents, brothers and sisters to try to take hold of any economic opportunity there may be, whatever is available in front of their eyes. And most of the time, they are sold around as if they are some kind of an object, not a human being.

The sad thing is that despite this ridiculous situation they are in, some [who have not been through it themselves] think that it could be rather nice, as long as they can end up living in some type of normalcy. However, in reality, most of them are beaten almost to death, or are treated below the most basic human standards as if they are dogs.

When I hear more and more stories like these, I cannot stop but question, How can such a failed socialist system still exist today? How in the world can this be reality?

I thought once previously, that I would write my story and publish it as a book later on. But even today, I still think its just too terrible and creepy to recall such occurrences from my past, knowing that [human trafficking] is still prevalent today.

Reported by Jung Min Noh for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Dukin Han. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
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PHOENIX (AP)  Nike said Tuesday it's withdrawing plans to make soles for its Nike Air shoes in a Phoenix suburb because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The company had planned to invest $184 million in its third U.S. manufacturing line for Nike Air sneakers in Goodyear, Arizona.





. . .
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case took a new turn after his father KK Singh lodged an FIR in Patna against Rhea Chakraborty and her family for cheating, exploiting and abetment to suicide. A four-member police team from Bihar flew to Mumbai to carry out an investigation along with the Mumbai Police.

KK Singh's legal advisor and lawyer Vikas Singh states that actor's father is keen on wanting Bihar police to investigate Sushant's death case. The late actor's father is currently in Faridabad at his daughter's residence.

KK Singh has been regularly in touch with his lawyers and is seeking their advice on the case for past few days.

Sushant's father filed an FIR against Rhea Chakraborty in Patna's Rajiv Nagar police station under IPC Sections 341, 342, 380, 406, 420 and 306.

Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020. Over 37 people have been questioned so far in relation to the actor. Fans are demanding a CBI probe into the death case.
When I was alerted to the detainees impending transfer, I inquired about their level of potential exposure to COVID-19 at their previous facilities, Crawford said in the filing. In response, ICE stated that there were no active COVID-19 cases at the Arizona facility and that there were very few cases at the Florida facility. There was no indication that ICA Farmville could not accommodate the needs of these transferees at that time.
Bengaluru, July 29 : Four educated young men have been arrested for peddling drugs to pub-hopping youngsters in the city and contraband valued at Rs 1.25 crore seized from them, a police officer said on Wednesday.

"All four accused from Kerala were into supplying drugs procured through international couriers from Germany and Netherlands," Central Crime Branch Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kuldeep Jain told IANS.

Accused Nitin Mohan, 29, K. Ajmal, 22, Shahad Mohammed, 24 and Ajin K.G. Varghese, 21, hold high educational qualifications like in engineering and MBA. The allegedly procured drugs from overseas locations through the dark net using bitcoins.

Police seized 2,000 LSD strips, 20 ecstasy tablets, 5 kg marijuana (ganja) and 105 gm MDMA from the quartet. According to Sandeep Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police, the seized drugs are valued at Rs 1.25 crore.

Underscoring the seriousness of Karnataka government's fight against drugs, Home Minister Basvaraj Bommai and Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao attended the press conference to announce the peddlers' arrest from Sola Devanahalli area and the seizure of narcotics.

Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, the DCP said that they visited raves and pubs to establish contacts with young people interested in buying and consuming drugs.

"They generally targeted pub-hopping young people and lured them into buying LSD strips for around Rs 5,000 each and employed similar other tactics," explained Jain.

Jain said that though international courier packages are scanned, there is always some loophole which the peddlers take advantage of.

Once procured from the international locations, the drugs were further divided into smaller quantities for local peddling.

Police is also focusing on any nexus between disco jockeys (DJ) and peddlers as one of the arrested persons, Ajmal, was also a DJ.

The DCP said police is on the job to hunt for bigger fish involved in drug supply.

He said the international drug suppliers transact in bitcoins and only deal with very exclusive contacts.

All the four accused have been booked under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and will be produced in the court on Wednesday.
BILTHOVEN, Netherlands and BASEL, Switzerland, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Intravacc, a global leader in translational research and development of viral and bacterial vaccines, and Celonic Group, a premium biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), specialized in development and production of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) and mammalian cell lines expressed bio-therapeutics, today announced that they have signed a research agreement to further design, develop and produce a Covid-19 vaccine based on an immunogenic Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 combined with Intravacc's prorietary Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV) technology.

In the beginning of March this year Intravacc started working on the development of four candidate coronavirus vaccines based on three proprietary technologies: Vero cell, OMV and iBoost.

For this specific joint vaccine development, Intravacc combines its safe and immunogenic OMV delivery platform with S-proteins expressed by Celonic Group's industry-leading CHOvolution mammalian cell expression sytem, in order to generate a highly effective and balanced B and T cell response against SARS-CoV-2. Swiss based Celonic Group will construct cell lines producing the S-protein in high quantities and develop a GMP production process. Preclinical studies will start shortly to select the best candidate protein for the vaccine. The collaboration aims to accelerate development of Intravacc's COVID-19 OMV protein vaccine, which is expected to enter clinical testing in 2021.

Dr. Jan Groen, Intravacc's Chief Executive Officer, said:

"Several studies have shown that OMVs have the ability to enhance the immune response and can be relatively easy formulated with target specific peptides and proteins. This, combined with the fact they can be quickly scaled-up for manufacturing, makes it an ideal suited platform under the current circumstances where quantity and speed are critical"

Dr. Konstantin Matentzoglu, Chief Executive Officer of Celonic, adds:

"At Celonic, we are thrilled to join hands with Intravacc in the fight against this worldwide pandemic. The novel vaccine has the potential to prevent morbidity and mortality of COVID-19. Together, we have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of patients at this time of great need."

About OMV platform technology

For the development of vaccines against pathogens, Intravacc has designed and developed a platform based on outer membrane vesicles (OMVs)  spherical particles with intrinsic adjuvating properties. The OMVs can be decorated with immunogenic peptides and/or proteins that that will drive effective adaptive immunity. The OMV carrier has been optimized to induce a more effective immune response against these newly introduced antigens.

Intravacc also has developed genetic tools to increase the yield of OMVs, to reduce toxicity, and to achieve the desired antigenic composition. Intravacc's OMV platform is fully scalable and allows for fast and efficient modification of antigen composition, either via genetic modification of the bacterial host or by associating antigens to stockpiled carrier OMVs.

About Intravacc

The Netherlands-based Intravacc is one of the world's leading institutes for translational vaccinology. As an established independent CDMO organization with many years of experience in the development and optimization of vaccines and vaccine technologies, Intravacc has transferred its technology all over the globe, including oral polio vaccines, measles vaccines, and DPT, Hib and influenza vaccines. Intravacc offers a wide range of expertise to independently develop vaccines from lead concept to clinical phase I/II studies for partners worldwide such as academia, public health organizations (WHO, BMGF), and biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

To learn more, visit www.intravacc.nl

About Celonic

Celonic Group is a privately-owned CDMO based in Basel, Switzerland, with a state-of-the-art bio manufacturing facility in Heidelberg, Germany. Celonic provides comprehensive development and manufacturing services for bio therapeutics including cell line development, USP and DSP development, GMP and non-GMP manufacturing of biopharmaceutical drug substances and drug products, along with cell expression platforms and diagnostics. Celonic offers two cell expression platforms to clients, developers, and service providers  CHOvolution, developed by Celonic and GEX, developed by Glycotope GmbH and in-licensed by Celonic. With a new state-of-the-art GMP manufacturing facility for gene vectors and cell therapy, Celonic is soon expanding its existing ATMP development and GMP manufacturing capacity.

For more information, visit www.celonic.com

Contact info

Intravacc Dr. Jan Groen, CEO P: +31 30 7920 454 Mirjam Hartman, Media relations P: +31 6 115 969 94 E: [email protected] LifeSpring Life Sciences Communication, Amsterdam Leon Melens P: +31 6 538 16427 E: [email protected] Celonic Group Rebeca Ulloa [email protected] P: +41 61 56 49 150

SOURCE Intravacc B.V.

Related Links

https://www.intravacc.nl/


Made in KC moving Crossroads HQ, flagship retail store to revitalized Martini Corner A new spin on Made in KC's local-first, retail-cafe concept - complete with a drive-thru window and shuffleboard bar - will provide a vibrant and dynamic new experience for the Tower East neighborhood in Midtown, said Keith Bradley.

A sign that "momentum" has stalled amid the pandemic, a deadly First Friday shooting and the realization that broke-ass city hall no longer has the cash to sustain this hotspot . . . Read more:
President Aliyev arrived in Ismayilli region on July 29 where he inaugurated a number of projects.

First, the president familiarized himself with the project of reconstruction of part of the Baku-Shamakhi-Muganli-Ismayilli-Gabala highway.

Later, he attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the DOST Evi Creative, Exhibition and Sales Center under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population in Ismayilli.

The president also inaugurated the Mughanli-Ismayilli (30 km) -Tazakand-Aghbulag-Goshakand highway (8 km) that was put into operation after reconstruction.

During the same visit, President Aliyev inaugurated a modular hospital in Ismayilli for patients with COVID-19.








The beautiful thing about learning, the great blues guitarist B.B. King once wrote, is that no one can take it away from you.

Born and raised in poverty, King understood the value of education as a force for change. If only political leaders responding to the Covid-19 pandemic had an ounce of his insight.

Covid-19 is mutating into a global education emergency.

Millions of children, especially the poorest and young girls, stand to lose the learning opportunities that could transform their lives.

Because education is so closely tied to future prosperity, job creation, and improved health, a setback on this scale would undermine countries progress, reinforcing extreme inequalities. Yet it has yet to register on the pandemic response agenda.

Lockdowns have shut more than one billion children out of school. For an estimated 500 million, that means receiving no education at all.

A Save the Children survey in India found that two-thirds of children stopped all educational activity during lockdown.

The danger now is that a perfect storm of lost schooling, increased child poverty, and deep budget cuts will lead to unprecedented reversals in education.

This is an emergency layered on a pre-existing crisis. Before the pandemic, 258 million children were out of school, and progress toward universal education had stalled.

Now, increased child poverty could result in ten million children not returning to school, and time spent out of school can have an enormous impact.

Education empowers people, reduces poverty and improves health.

Governments should now be investing to prevent that outcome.

Unfortunately, education budgets are being hollowed out by recession and the diversion of public spending  and international aid  to health care and economic recovery.

So, what can be done to avert disaster? In its new global Save Our Education campaign, Save the Children sets out a three-part agenda for recovery.

The first priority is to keep learning alive during lockdown. Governments should do all they can to reach children through radio, TV, and remote-learning initiatives.

Second, the pandemic creates an opportunity to address the wider learning crisis. Too many children are being taught at the wrong level, owing to schools rigid application of poorly designed curricula.

Read More Human rights law only shows depths of Trump's hypocrisy

Every child returning to school should undergo a learning assessment aimed at identifying those in need of support.

Remedial teaching programs can then prevent these children from falling further behind, reducing the risk of future dropout.

Third, increased international financing is critical. Most of the worlds poorest countries entered the economic downturn with limited fiscal space.

That room for manoeuvre is now shrinking further as recession bites and external-debt problems intensify.

Wealthy governments have responded to the Covid-19 crisis by tearing up their fiscal policy rulebooks and underwriting ambitious national recovery plans. They should be equally bold in supporting education in developing countries.

More effective leveraging of multilateral development bank balance sheets is an obvious starting place.

The Education Commission has advocated establishing an International Finance Facility for education to provide loan guarantees, enabling the World Bank and others to borrow cheaply on international markets and lend the funds to developing countries. Every $1 of guarantees under this scheme could unlock $4 of financing for education.

To its credit, the Bank is front-loading resources already allocated to the International Development Association, its concessional lending arm.

But an unprecedented crisis surely demands more than that. The Bank should establish a supplementary IDA budget of at least $35 billion and step up its support for education.

Debt relief is another potential source of financing.

The G20s Debt Service Suspension Initiative for IDA members (the worlds 73 poorest countries) is a small step in the right direction.

But, private and Chinese creditors, which account for over half of these countries debt-service payments (about $25bn this year) have shown scant interest in participating.

As a result, countries like Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Ghana are currently spending two or three times more on debt service than on primary education.

In effect, countries are meeting short-term debt payments by eroding long-term human capital.

Allowing the claims of private creditors to rob children of their right to an education is morally indefensible and economically ruinous.

That is why Save the Children has proposed a mechanism through which debt obligations can be converted into investments in children.

We measure the health impact of Covid-19 on adults by tracking infection rates and deaths, and we gauge its economic effects in terms of lost GDP, higher unemployment, and rising debt.

The education emergency is less visible.

But it will leave millions of the worlds poorest children carrying the scars of diminished opportunity for the rest of their lives. We can  and must  protect their future.

- Kevin Watkins is CEO of Save the Children UK.

: Project Syndicate
A senior minister yesterday called for a new generation of prefab homes and hospitals to speed up delivery of the Governments infrastructure plans.

Treasury chief secretary Steve Barclay said the upcoming comprehensive spending review will include a flat pack strategy to get Britain building more quickly.

He said the rapid development of the Nightingale hospitals, created at the height of the virus pandemic, should be used as models for delivering Boris Johnsons pledge to build 40 new hospitals.

Treasury chief secretary Steve Barclay, pictured during a visit to an Edinburgh farm on Friday, has suggested housing developers using pre-fabricated units to build British homes

Mr Barclay added the housing shortage could be solved in part if developers switched to using prefabricated units.

He said prefab houses had improved dramatically since the notorious draughty models of the post-war era.

In a speech to the centre-right Onward think-tank, Mr Barclay said that while 84 per cent of homes in Sweden were now built using prefab sections, the corresponding figure in the UK was just five per cent.

He said mega-factories in Japan were able to churn out 20,000 homes a year, adding: This is what we should be seeing in the UK... The spending review will accelerate modern methods of production and link funding to schemes that prioritise it.

Mr Barclay's comments come a week after the government announced it was tearing up planning red tape to allow boarded up shops and abandoned offices to be turned into homes without the need for full planning permission.

Changes to the planning system will make it easier for business owners and developers to 'repurpose' premises that are no longer needed and bring them back into use.

In a further move to support town centres, families will be offered a new fast-track system allowing them to add up to two storeys to their homes.
Indigenous town councillor Jacinta Price (pictured) has slammed as selfish Black Lives Matter activists for protesting in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic

An indigenous town councillor has slammed as selfish Black Lives Matter activists for protesting in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

Jacinta Price posted on Facebook an image of a dying elderly woman, being treated by a nurse in personal protective equipment, to highlight the irresponsibility of mass gatherings.

'When you are not one of our elders wanting to die in isolation you do your part so that the vulnerable don't have to face this heartbreak,' she said on Wednesday.

'This is why you don't protest in the middle of a pandemic and this is why you adhere to regulations. Sometimes it's not about you.'

Ms Price, an Alice Springs town councillor in central Australia, condemned Black Lives Matter activists after six protesters were arrested on Tuesday in Sydney.

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She posted on Facebook an image of a dying elderly woman, being treated by a nurse in personal protective equipment, to highlight the irresponsibility of mass gatherings

The police swooped in to stop the demonstration after the New South Wales Court of Appeal rejected organiser Paddy Gibson's illegal gathering. He is pictured being put into a van on the edge of Sydney's The Domain

The police swooped in to stop the demonstration after the New South Wales Court of Appeal rejected organiser Paddy Gibson's illegal gathering.

He was filmed being arrested at The Domain and dragged into a waiting police van.

'Leave now, don't come near me, don't come near me,' Mr Gibson is heard yelling in footage shot by Nine News.

'Tell the people to cancel the rally, leave The Domain, don't come near me.'

Three men, aged 40, 37 and 22, and two women aged 50 and 23, were arrested at The Domain, behind Parliament House.

Each were issued with $1,000 fines for breaching public health orders, before being issued move-on directions.

A third woman, aged 25, was arrested and issued a criminal infringement notice for offensive language.

The protest was due to start at noon Tuesday, despite being declared illegal by the NSW Supreme Court on Sunday.

Black Lives Matter organiser Paddy Gibson (pictured) persisted with the protest despite

A subsequent appeal on Monday failed in the NSW Court of Appeal, with Chief Justice Tom Bathurst, Court of Appeal president Andrew Bell, and justice Robert McFarlan agreeing with the arguments put forward by NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller's legal team.

Up to 5,000 protesters had registered on Facebook to attend the rally but police shut it down shortly before the demonstration was due to begin.

Ms Price, who ran as a Country Liberal Party candidate at last year's federal election, has previously criticised the symbolism of the hard-left Black Lives Matter movement, arguing domestic violence against women in remote Aboriginal communities was a more pressing concern.

The daughter of former Northern Territory CLP minister Bess Price has also questioned the focus on black deaths in custody, pointing out indigenous inmates were no more likely to die in custody than white prisoners.

The outspoken conservative, who has indigenous Warlpiri heritage, has criticised the Black Lives Matter movement in Australia for importing an American slogan, devised by Marxists capitalising on the death in May of former African-American security guard George Floyd, as he was arrested in Minneapolis.
R ina Sawayama said she wants to dream the same dream as everyone else after learning she wasnt eligible for either the Mercury Prize or the BRIT Awards because she doesnt have a British passport.

The British-Japanese artist, who won plaudits for her debut album SAWAYAMA back in April, has lived in the UK for 25 years and holds indefinite leave to remain.

Born in Japan, a country that does not allow dual nationality, the 29-year-old told Vice that she was reluctant to cut ties with family members and renounce her Japanese citizenship.

The Mercury Prize, which released its 12-album shortlist for 2020 last week, stipulates that solo artists must have British or Irish nationality to enter. Bands, meanwhile, must include at least 30 per cent British of Irish citizens, with more than half of their members residing in the UK.

Sawayama told Vice it was heartbreaking to find out she couldnt enter the Mercury Prize, adding: I rarely get upset to the level where I cry. And I cried.

She continued: I just lived here all my life. I went to summer school in Japan and thats literally it. But I feel like Ive contributed to the UK in a way that I think is worthy of being celebrated, or at least being eligible to be celebrated.

The best albums of 2020 so far 1 /14 The best albums of 2020 so far Getty Images Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia Future Nostalgia arrived at the end of March, a ray of light to pierce the lockdown gloom. It was a shot at writing something timeless, taking strands of classic disco and Eighties synth-pop and putting them through a slick, modern filter. On standout tracks such as Dont Start Now and Cool, Dua Lipa hit her target. More than anything though, this was something defiantly fun, a heartening reminder that there are brighter times ahead. Getty Images Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher It would be easy to label Punisher as a sad album, because it is, with heartache and despondency always within an arms reach. But to simply call it that would be to grossly undersell it  the album, also out today, is cathartic, nostalgic, surreal, grounded, darkly comic and, more often than not, weepingly beautiful. The disarming vocals are morbidly quotable (The doctor put her hands over my liver /She told me my resentments getting smaller) and confirm the 25-year-old Bridgers as one of her generations deftest writers. Getty Images for Tibet House Tame Impala - The Slow Rush It took some time to fall in love with Kevin Parkers latest album as Tame Impala. Its layers were dense and meticulously produced, a product of the Australians dogged perfectionism, but when they did eventually unravel, the albums brilliance was revealed in vivid colour. There was squelchy hip-hop and tap-dancing piano on Borderline, alluring sophisto-funk on Breathe Deeper, and dizzying disco on One More Year. Parkers lyrics were typically conflicted, stuck between past and future, but musically, hed never sounded so assured. AFP via Getty Images Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters Fiona Apples fifth album was eight years in the making, and sounded as if it had been simmering for all that time. It was inescapably personal, rattling with homemade percussion, grinding against Apples visceral vocals as she retold traumas of sexual abuse and toxic relationships. But it all coalesced to give momentum to a magnificent release of tension, the sound of a furiously convinced artist. Kick me under the table all you want, she asserted, I wont shut up. Getty Images Run The Jewels - RTJ4 When Killer Mike, one half of Run The Jewels, wrote Walking In The Snow (You so numb, you watch the cops choke out a man like me) he was remembering the tragic death of Eric Garner in 2014. It should have been retrospective; instead, it was hideously prophetic, arriving on RTJ4 amid the George Floyd protests. But these were wide-lens raps  joined by partner El-P, they fired lyrical missiles at the racist police and ruling elite, interspersing it with cutting quips and dark humour. Painful, prescient, and hugely powerful. Getty Images for DIRECTV J Hus - Big Conspiracy Big Conspiracy was the sound of an artist taking his time. The eclectic beats, largely provided by chameleonic producer Jae5, avoided the usual bombast for something understated. The lyrical gaze was sharp, ranging from the legacy of slavery to the grind of everyday life, all of it recounted with clever wordplay. It wouldnt be a Hus album without tales of at least one sexual conquest  the song Cucumber provides it  but all in all, never has the east Londoner been so searingly composed. Getty Images for Nike Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways Bob Dylans 39th studio album, released today, might just be one of his greatest. Before this, eight years had passed without any new original music. Had the old master lulled himself into retirement? The surprise release of a 17-minute song about the JFK assassination did away with any doubts. Its a densely lyrical album, a poetic and historical tapestry, proving that, at 79, the Nobel Prize-winner is still at the peak of his songwriting powers. AFP via Getty Images Georgia - Seeking Thrills Georgias exhilarating second album landed back in January (oh, those halcyon days) and was the sound of an artist brimming with new-found conviction. Arriving five years after her debut, she had finally found her voice  quite literally, shunning the over-produced vocals of before  and a winning musical formula: retro-tinted dance pop, pairing the throbbing echoes of Chicago house with sharp modern melodies. Hollie Fernando Orlando Weeks - A Quickening Former Maccabees frontman Orlando Weeks took a mature step away from his indie-rock past on his debut solo album, supplanting it with soft, cloudy atmospheres. A Quickening covered his impending fatherhood, and all of the unknowingness that comes with it. It was minutely intimate  Ill be your blood sugar, he pledged to the unborn child  with his vocals at their most tender and innocent. Jackson Bowley Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter Another album to ease the pandemic blues, Laura Marling had initially planned an August release, but brought it forward to April. It had an effortlessly classic sound to it  the folky tones of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake chimed throughout  but this album was undoubtedly Marlings own. Her vocals were soaring, sardonic and soothing, singing with all the wisdom of an artist who, still only 30, now has seven albums worth of experience behind her. Getty Images

Sawayama said that incidents such as this bring into sharp focus, like, whether I am even British. Its just very upsetting.

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which organises the Mercury Prize, said: Both the Brit awards and the Hyundai Mercury prize aim to be as inclusive as possible within their parameters, and their processes and eligibility criteria are constantly reviewed.

The news led to an swell of support for Sawayama on social media, with the hashtag #SAWAYAMAISBRITISH trending on Twitter in the UK.


LONDON (dpa-AFX) - GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK.L, GSK) reported a second-quarter profit that more than doubled, reflecting net profit on disposal of Horlicks and other Consumer Healthcare brands as well as increased income from asset disposals.



The profit was partly offset by higher re-measurement charges on the contingent onsideration liabilities and lower operating performance as a result of COVID-19 impact on the Vaccines business and destocking in Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Healthcare following a strong operating performance in the first-quarter of 2020.



The company still expects full-year 2020 adjusted earnings per share decline in the range of 1% to 4% at CER.



While it maintained its 2020 adjusted earnings per share guidance, there remain notable risks to business performance over the balance of the year, the company said.



The company reported that its profit attributable to shareholders for the second-quarter was 2.26 billion pounds or 45.5 pence per share compared to 964 million pounds or 19.5 pence per share in the prior year.



Adjusted earnings per was 19.2 pence, down 37% AER, 38% CER. The reduction primarily resulted from lower sales and a higher non-controlling interest allocation of Consumer Healthcare profits and a higher effective tax rate.



Profit before taxation for the second-quarter was 2.64 billion pounds up from 1.26 billion pounds in the previous year.



Group turnover was 7.62 billion pounds in the quarter, down 2% AER, 3% CER and 10% CER on a pro-forma basis.



On a pro-forma basis, Group turnover was down 10% CER, and down 8% CER excluding the impact of divestments in Vaccines and brands divested or under review in Consumer Healthcare. Sales decline reflected expected disruption from COVID-19, particularly in Vaccines as well as destocking from the first-quarter 2020 in Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Healthcare.



Vaccines turnover declined 29% AER, 29% CER to 1.13 billion pounds, primarily driven by the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on DTPa-containing, Hepatitis, Shingles and Meningitis vaccines, together with the Rabipur and Encepur divestment.



Consumer Healthcare sales grew 25% AER, 25% CER to 2.39 billion pounds in the quarter, largely driven by the inclusion of the Pfizer portfolio. On a pro-forma basis, sales declined 6% CER, and were flat at CER excluding brands divested/under review, including reversal of stockbuilding in the first-quarter of 2020.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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The Trump administration on Tuesday announced it will continue to reject new applications from undocumented immigrants brought as children as it reviews an Obama-era regulation that protects them from deportation.

During the review of the programme, Deferred Action on Childhood Arrival (DACA), those already signed up will be granted shortened renewal from 2 year to 1 and all applications for advance parole, which allows these immigrants to travel abroad, will be denied barring exceptional circumstances.

This new arrangement is likely to be challenged in court as it violates a federal courts order preventing the administration from rejecting new applications and denying advance parole.

There are an estimated 644,000 undocumented immigrants protected from deportation under this regulation and they are also called DREAMERs, including at least 2,500 from India.

The administration is now undertaking a comprehensive review of the DACA program and the justifications that have been offered for winding DACA down, including its illegality and the negative effect the program has on what Id call immigration behavior, a senior Trump administration official told reporters.

The Trump administration has had this programme in its crosshairs from Year 1, and rescinded it in September 2017, arguing, chiefly, for congress to legislate a resolution, to replace the Obama-era regulations instituted through an executive order. As the Department continues looking at the policy and considers future action, the fact remains that Congress should act on this matter, said Chad F. Wolf., acting secretary of the department of homeland security on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court in June blocked the administrations September order saying it had not provided adequate legal justification for rescinding the Obama-era regulation.

But the Trump administration argued the court had not upheld the Obama regulation as lawful. The issue that the Court reached in its decision was only that the administration had insufficiently justified its wind-down of the DACA program, the official said. The court agreed that the administration can, in fact, pursue a wind-down of the DACA program.


By Kim Se-jeong



Korea is experiencing an insect population boom, which is in part an effect of climate change, environment experts said Wednesday.



A mountain area in Eunpyeong District, western Seoul, has been hit with hordes of stick insects; a species found in abundance in tropical and subtropical climates. The huge number of green and brown insects can be seen over the entire mountain area.



While local volunteers and officials from the local government have come together to solve the problem, news of the growing number of insects has concerned many local hikers who are "bug phobic."



Insect researcher Kim Tae-woo from the National Institute of Biological Resources said stick insects were not seen here until the 1990s. In 2014, a similar infestation was reported in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province but this is the first case in Seoul.



However, the gypsy moth problem seems bigger.





The Gangwon and North Chungcheong provinces, and Seoul are currently experiencing a massive number of gypsy moths whose eggs and larvae can be found in trees, small bushes and power poles. Many residents in North Chungcheong said they have found caterpillars in residential buildings, vehicles and other nearby structures.



The Mount Bukhan National Park Service in Seoul has installed nets close to trails near the Jeongneung area to keep the caterpillars away from hikers. On Wednesday, the park service said the insect population decreased a lot after their efforts.



Contact with gypsy moths can have detrimental health effects on people. The tiny hairs on their wings are known to carry toxic substances that can cause skin allergies. No injury has been reported related to this year's infestation, but farmers claim the moths are reducing their crop yields. The Korea Forestry Service announced more than 6,000 hectares of land across Korea have been affected by the moths.



"Korea is a traditional habitat for gypsy moths. The problem is an exponential increase in its population," Kim said. "We think the increase was due to breeding between the moths and an invasive alien species which usually arrive in Korea via planes and ships  like hitchhikers. They would die off if the climate didn't suit them," he added.



Kim noted that climate change was to blame for the exploding number of insects.



National Institute of Ecology senior researcher Kim Dong-eon also echoed this view.



"I think the warming climate played a big part in what has happened recently. Insects are heavily affected by temperature and precipitation. Last winter was very warm and that is expected to have a big impact on the lifecycle of those insects. And as the climate changes, we will see such events occurring more often."



According to the Korea Meteorological Agency, last winter's average temperature was 3.1 Celsius, breaking the record for the highest winter temperature since 1973.



Rising temperatures are a global trend and the current international goal is to keep the rise below 2 degrees by 2050. However, it is said Korea will see a bigger increase  more than 3 degrees  during the same time period, given statistics on the temperature hike here over the last 100 years.




Google in Talks to Take Over More Search Tasks on Samsung Phones

(Bloomberg) -- Alphabet Inc.s Google and Samsung Electronics Co. are negotiating a major deal that would give Google products more prominence on the South Korean companys smartphones, according to correspondence viewed by Bloomberg News.

The talks involve giving Google more control over search on Samsung handsets globally. Samsung is the largest smartphone maker in the world, selling close to 300 million phones last year. Googles Android is already the underlying operating system on Galaxy devices, but a potential deal would promote Googles digital assistant and Play Store for apps on those devices, details from a person briefed on the matter show.

That would provide the U.S. internet giant with more valuable daily access to Samsung users and would mean the Korean companys own mobile services, such as the Bixby digital assistant, are less integrated on its own devices, according to the correspondence. The move would be a capitulation for Samsung, but the drop in demand for mobile devices during the Covid-19 pandemic has intensified the companys need for revenue and weakened its negotiating position with a key partner.

Read more: Smartphone Shipments Projected to Fall a Record 12% in 2020

Like all Android device makers, Samsung is free to create its own app store and digital assistant, a Google spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Thats one of the great features of the Android platform. And while we regularly talk with partners about ways to improve the user experience, we have no plans to change that.

Samsung remains committed to our own ecosystem and services, said a Samsung spokesperson. At the same time, Samsung closely works with Google and other partners to offer the best mobile experiences for our users.

Samsung wont be giving up this valuable digital real estate for free. Terms of a potential deal could not be confirmed. However, Google pays billions of dollars each year to be the default search engine on the iPhones Safari web browser and other Apple Inc. devices.

Story continues

Google and Samsung have a tense but successful partnership through Android, Googles mobile operating system. The web giant provides the basic software for free, but has previously required hardware makers to pre-install its Play app store and suite of commercial products like Search, Chrome and YouTube. In return, Google sometimes agrees to share advertising revenue with the manufacturers.

Samsung has tried to develop its own services for its smartphones, including an Android alternative that was initially called Bada OS and later merged with other unsuccessful mobile software into the Tizen project. Samsungs Google Assistant rival, Bixby, has also met with little positive reception. The company has over the years trimmed the overlapping apps and services on its handsets, but it still has a few vestiges of prior efforts to more actively take on Googles apps suite.

Samsung shipped 58 million smartphones in the first quarter, according to researcher IDC. While that led all manufacturers, the Covid-19 pandemic has hammered handset sales, leaving the company relying on other sources of revenue.

Deal talks are happening in the midst of antitrust investigations into Google. The companys Play Store is one of several services at the center of this scrutiny. Beyond China, Google and Apple control how most mobile app developers reach consumers, and the tech giants take a cut of as much as 30% on many sales through their digital marketplaces. Samsungs deal with Google may give the U.S. company even more power over developers.

Sundar Pichai, Googles chief executive officer, and Tim Cook, Apples CEO, are set testify to a U.S. congressional antitrust panel on Wednesday, along with the leaders of Facebook Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Ashland (ASH) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.84 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.85 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.77 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -1.18%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this chemical company would post earnings of $0.84 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.84, delivering no surprise.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once.

Ashland, which belongs to the Zacks Chemical - Specialty industry, posted revenues of $574 million for the quarter ended June 2020, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.01%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $641 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Ashland shares have added about 4.1% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 0.3%.

What's Next for Ashland?

While Ashland has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Story continues

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Ashland was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.73 on $570.80 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $2.55 on $2.30 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Chemical - Specialty is currently in the top 39% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Ashland Global Holdings Inc. (ASH) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Exeter, N.Y. -- A teen was flown to Upstate University Hospital on Tuesday afternoon after an ATV crash in Otsego County, according to New York State Police.

At 2:58 p.m., troopers responded to a house off County Road 23 in Exeter for a reported ATV accident, police said.

An investigation found that two teens were injured after an ATV they were riding rolled over, police said. One of the teens was flown to Upstate University Hospital by LifeNet and the other was flown to Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, police said.

State police are still investigating the crash.

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.
The Great American Outdoors Act, authored and driven by Coloradans, passed the U.S. House Wednesday by a vote of 310-107 and now heads to President Trump, who is expected to sign the most sweeping public lands legislation in a generation.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Patient Access Solutions Market Size, Share, key Trends, Top Leaders and Analyzed information by Global Patient Access Solutions Market  Service (Support & Maintenance and Implementation), Software (Eligibility Verification Software and Medical Necessity Management Software,), End User & RegionGlobal Forecast till 2024

Patient access solutions can be used by patients to gain access to their records, prescriptions, reports, and bills in a centralized location. The software helps in identification, management, and collection of data. The global patient access solutions market report by Market Research Future (MRFR) uses industry insights accumulated from experts by analysts for the compilation of pertinent drivers and challenges in a comprehensive manner.

Market Overview

The global patient access solutions market is predicted to accrue revenues at a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period (2019-2024). The market can thrive by minimizing the amount of staff required for management of patient data. The increase in healthcare expenditure by nations globally can drive the adoption rate by hospital chains globally and provide the market a much-needed boost. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the total healthcare expenditure was reported to be USD 831.5 billion.

Technological advances in software which have culminated in accuracy, portability, and affordability can ramp up the adoption rate significantly. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the software to assist patients in their search can bode well for the global Patient Access Solutions Market growth . Additional functions of health economics management and patient record management, as well as integration of real-time management models, can influence the growth patterns of the market.

Segmentation

The global patient access solutions market is segmented by delivery mode, software, service, and end-user.

By delivery mode, it is segmented into on-premise solutions and web & cloud-based solutions.

By software, it is segmented into eligibility verification software, pre-certification & authorization software, payment estimation software, medical necessity management software, medical claims payment processing software, claims denial & appeal management software, and others.

By service, it is segmented into training & education, support & maintenance, and implementation.

By end-user, it is segmented into laboratories & research institutes, hospitals & clinics, and healthcare providers.

Regional Analysis

The Middle East & Africa (MEA), Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and North America are the main regions considered during the compilation of the market report.

The Americas accounted for the lions share of the market due to presence of well-established hospital chains, reputed personnel, sophisticated infrastructure, and high healthcare expenditure.

Europe accounted for the second-largest market share due to increased support for research and development. Furthermore, the integration of the latest technology as well as upgradation of current equipment can drive the global patient access solutions market demand till 2023. Investment of capital as well as the large healthcare expenditure allocated for the well-being of patients can augur favorably for the market in the region.

The APAC region is estimated to grow at a robust pace due to rapidly growing economies as well as the large patient pool. Awareness among patients of mobile applications as well as large disposable income levels has led to the integration of the latest automated solution at major hospitals. This can prove fruitful for the market looking to expand in the region. Furthermore, the improving economies other than large ones of China and India can be lucrative areas for investment.

Competition Outlook

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Optum, TeleTracking Technologies, Inc., TransUnion LLC, SCI Solutions, Inc., GAFFEY Healthcare, Experian Information Solutions, Inc., Genentech USA, Inc., PokitDok, Inc, nThrive, Inc, Stericycle Inc, Cardinal Health, McKesson, Availity, LLC, UNITED BIOSOURCE LLC, KYRUUS, Cerner Corporation, MEDHOST, and FormFast are prominent names in the global patient access solutions market.

Industry News

Patient Access Solutions, Inc., has decided to try out a new strategy of acquiring local clinics in order to expand its services. It will establish Integrated Health Centers in its place and focus on patient care.

Table Of Contents:

Chapter 1. Report Prologue

Chapter 2. Market Introduction

2.1 Definition

2.2 Scope Of The Study

2.2.1 Research Objective

2.2.2 Assumptions

2.2.3 Limitations

Chapter 3. Research Methodology

3.1 Overview

3.2 Primary Research

3.3 Secondary Research

3.4 Market Size Estimation

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.2 Restraints

4.3 Opportunities

Continued

OBTAIN RESEARCH REPORT DETAILS WITH TOC @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/patient-access-solutions-market-7811

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About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/
Mr Amidu Ibrahim-Tanko, Executive Director of Star Ghana Foundation, has urged the government to revisit its decentralisation policy and ensure its effective implementation for resolving problems efficiently at the grassroots level.



He said decentralisation was very important because it was the surest way for the Government to properly engage the district assemblies in its COVID-19 combat response to achieve maximum results.



Mr Tanko said this in Accra when Star Ghana Foundation engaged the media to disseminate lessons learnt on its COVID-19 response projects, three months after its implementation.



Star Ghana Foundation in April 2020 launched its COVID-19 response project on the theme: The role of Civil Society in the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic.



The project, designed to complement efforts by the Government in the prevention and spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, is being funded by the UKAid and the European Union.



Eight Ghanaian Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including the Media Foundation for West Africa, Caritas Ghana, Christian Health Association of Ghana, and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations are presently working under the project to increase access to accurate, timely, inclusive and relevant information on COVID-19.



Mr Tanko said lessons learnt during the implementation of the project would be shared with stakeholders, as part of CSOs contributions to the combat of the pandemic.



The lessons include the need for uniform systems for citizens to monitor public issues and the effective collaboration between CSOs and citizens to promote accurate and timely information and education.



He urged the Government to collaborate more with CSOs to address the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic.



Star Ghana, sponsored mainly by DANIDA, the European Union and UKaid, works with partners towards achieving a well-informed and active Ghanaian citizenry able to contribute to transformational change that advances democracy, accountability and social inclusion.

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
- EUR23M Series A Financing to Advance Lead Novel Llama-derived Antibody into Clinical Trials

- Technology Platform with Potential to Generate Robust Antiviral Therapies

- Founded by VIB, UCB Ventures and Fund+

LEUVEN, Belgium, July 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ExeVir Bio announces today a first closing of a EUR23 million Series A financing led by Fund+, with the participation of VIB, UCB Ventures, the Belgian Federal Government via SFPI-FPIM, V-Bio Ventures and several Belgian family offices. ExeVir Bio has been established by Belgian partners combining world class science, antibody engineering, manufacturing, blue-chip venture capital investment and Flemish Government financing, which have joined forces in a unique collaboration to boost the development of new therapies to combat COVID-19.

ExeVir Bio, a spin out of VIB, the world-leading Belgium-based life sciences research institute, is harnessing its Llama-derived antibody (VHH) technology platform to generate robust antiviral therapies providing broad protection against coronaviruses. After early pre-financing by the Flemish Government, UCB, a multinational biopharmaceutical company, assisted in the generation of the lead candidate and is producing the GMP batches for clinical trials. Fund+, a leading Life Sciences-focused investment firm in Belgium, led the financing and was instrumental in setting up ExeVir Bio.

ExeVir Bio is using a highly innovative and clinically validated VHH technology to develop treatments for viral infections that may pose a significant global threat. Lead asset VHH72-Fc binds to a unique epitope that is conserved in SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 viruses and this binding prevents these viruses from entering the cell. The importance of this approach is that it could be used both as a therapeutic and prophylactic. Therapeutic use could help slow viral replication in the lungs, reduce inflammation, and give patients valuable time to raise their own productive immune response. Prophylactic use could support the ringfencing of an outbreak, protect healthcare workers, and support those at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Torsten Mummenbrauer, CEO of ExeVir Bio, said: "We are committed to the international effort against COVID-19 to support healthcare systems and to offer global access to our new treatment. With this Series A financing we can rapidly advance the development of our lead compound into clinical studies by the end of the year. We are confident our Llama-derived antibodies hold a key to saving the lives of patients who can become seriously ill with coronavirus."

The technology platform was developed by VIB-UGent scientists, Professors Xavier Saelens and Nico Callewaert with the help of VIB's drug discovery team at VIB Discovery Sciences, and national and international scientific collaborators. The team has shown that Llama-derived single-domain antibodies can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in preclinical studies and SARS-CoV-1 in in vitro assays. As Llama antibodies are smaller than human antibodies, they can attach to parts of the coronavirus that would otherwise be inaccessible. The antibodies were derived from a Llama called 'Winter'. A paper on the platform was published on 28 May 2020 in the journal Cell, on 'Structural Basis for Potent Neutralization of Betacoronaviruses by Single-Domain Camelid Antibodies' by Wrapp et al. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(20)30494-3.

Philippe Monteyne, Partner at Fund+, said: "Our mission is to contribute to Belgium's leadership position in the Life Sciences sector and to generate a tangible, beneficial impact on society. ExeVir Bio fits both of these goals; it has been founded on world class science, with an excellent management team, a global pharmaceutical partner to develop the clinical trial material, and financing to accelerate the development of this promising therapeutic approach to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The ExeVir Bio team will focus on ultra-fast implementation of this promising research to develop novel treatments with broad protection against coronaviruses. We are confident that they will be the leader in antibody-derived therapies against a broad range of viral infections."

Jerome Van Biervliet, Managing Director, VIB, said: "VIB-UGent scientists, Xavier Saelens and Nico Callewaert and their team members, and our early drug discovery capability at VIB Discovery Sciences, have been leading a massive effort to identify safe and effective new treatments in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. This is a great example of how the top science and entrepreneurial approach at VIB makes a significant societal contribution in partnership with companies and dedicated investors."

Dhaval Patel, Chief Science Officer, UCB said: "UCB is focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions. We are proud to be part of this great example of science, industry and finance collaborating at a very fast pace to develop a novel treatment for COVID-19."

Minister Crevits, Deputy Prime Minister of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for Science and Innovation, said: "Belgium is at the fore-front of cutting edge research, innovation and science, with a highly developed life sciences industry and a deep pool of capital that is available to develop promising, potentially life-saving treatments. At the early stage of this crisis, we quickly decided to support VIB in its search for a treatment for COVID-19. As a result, an important first step has now been taken to develop this treatment on a worldwide scale. We are very proud to support VIB and our researchers in their efforts against COVID-19."

Koenraad van Loo, Managing Director of FPIM, said: "The Federal Holding and Investment Company is excited to participate in this unique antibody concept for potential treatment and prevention of COVID-19. As public investor, we very much care about the health, well-being and job security of our citizens. Therefore, together with our Life Sciences funds, Fund+ and V-Bio, we are committed to play an active role in managing the current health care crisis. FPIM is convinced that ExeVir's powerful platform technology based on camelid antibodies deserves a special place among the numerous initiatives taken and can lay the foundations for a successful therapy to combat future pandemics."

Torsten Mummenbrauer, CEO of ExeVir Bio, Philippe Monteyne, Partner at Fund+, Erica Whittaker, Head of UCB Ventures, Jerome Van Biervliet, Managing Director, VIB and Katja Rosenkranz, Partner at V-Bio (observer) will join the Board of ExeVir Bio. Further board appointments will be announced in the future.

For more information contact :

ExeVir Bio

Fiona du Monceau, COO

Email: info@exevir.com

Optimum Strategic Communications

Mary Clark, Shabnam Bashir, Manel Mateus

Tel: +44 (0) 203 174 1789

Email: exevir@optimumcomms.com

About ExeVir Bio

ExeVir Bio is harnessing its VHH technology platform to generate robust antiviral therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, including coronaviruses. It is a spin out from VIB, the world class Belgium-based life sciences research institute, based on the work of Professor Drs Xavier Saelens and Nico Callewaert from VIB in collaboration with: Laboratory of Jason McLellan  University of Texas at Austin; Laboratory of Barney Graham  NIAID (Vaccine Research Center); Laboratory of Johan Neyts  KU Leuven (Rega Institute). ExeVir Bio is led by a team of experts that combines international biotech and pharma experience with a successful track record of developing and bringing products to market. It is backed by blue chip investors led by Fund+, VIB, UCB Ventures, FPIM, V-Bio and Several Belgian Family Offices.

About Fund+

Fund+ is a Belgian venture capital firm that invests in innovative European Life Sciences companies developing drugs, medical devices and diagnostics, with a strong focus on patient-centric approaches and major unmet medical needs. With over 200M in assets under management, Fund+ has built a strong track record since 2015, investing in 13 portfolio companies with two major exits. The fund is managed by a specialist team of seasoned life sciences professionals with healthcare industry, corporate finance and strategy consulting experience, supporting companies throughout their growth cycle. The company aims to maintain a leading position in the Life Sciences sector, creating sustainable value for its shareholders and a tangible impact on society. www.fundplus.be

About VIB

VIB is an entrepreneurial non-profit research institute, with a clear focus on ground breaking strategic basic research in life sciences and operates in close partnership with the five universities in Flanders  Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Hasselt University.

VIB scientists study the molecular mechanisms that regulate the functions of the human body, plants and microorganisms. Such mechanistic research leads to innovative insights into the normal and abnormal/pathological life processes, with the potential to use these insights to develop novel therapeutics, diagnostics, agricultural applications and technologies. Thanks to the hard work of many people over a period of almost 25 years and the support of a sustained investment by the government of Flanders, VIB is widely recognized as an established and world-leading knowledge center in life sciences and biotechnology with an excellent reputation in technology transfer. The unique combination of strategic basic research and a clear focus on innovation & business is one of the major contributors to its success. VIB is highly committed to being the driving force behind the growth of the dynamic life sciences cluster in Flanders.

About UCB

UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com), is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 7,500 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of  4.9 billion in 2019. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news

About UCB Ventures

UCB Ventures is a 150 million strategic corporate venture fund established in 2017 to further strengthen UCB's ability to create value from novel insights and technologies that can transform the lives of patients suffering from severe diseases. UCB Ventures invests in innovative therapeutics and technology platforms that are early stage and higher risk, in areas adjacent to or even beyond UCB's therapeutic focus on neurology/neurodegenerative diseases, immunology and muscular skeletal/bone health. UCB Ventures takes an active role in its portfolio companies, contributing expertise in drug discovery, development and operations. Visit www.UCBVentures.com to learn more.

About FPIM

The Belgian Federal Holding and Investment company (Societe Federale de Participations et d'Investissement /Federale Participatie- en Investeringsmaatschappij; SFPI/FPIM), created on November 1th, 2006, is the sovereign wealth fund of Belgium, driving long-term and sustainable economic and social prosperity. SFPI/FPIM, with the Belgian Government as its sole shareholder, acts as a trusted partner in helping Belgian companies to become a reference in their industry by providing smart capital solutions. In addition, SFPI/FPIM safeguards the long-term stability of the Belgian economy by contributing to the anchoring of strategic assets in both promising and established companies. SFPI/FPIM has about 14 bln EUR in assets under management for the Federal State. http://www.sfpi-fpim.be/en

About V-Bio Ventures

V-Bio Ventures (www.v-bio.ventures) is an independent venture capital firm specialized in building and financing young, innovative life science companies. V-Bio Ventures was established in 2015 and works closely with Belgium-based VIB, one of the world's premier life science institutes. The fund invests throughout Europe in start-up and early-stage companies with high growth potential focusing on technologies that provide transformational improvements in the biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical, diagnostics and agricultural sectors.

SOURCE ExeVir Bio
A few weeks ago I was at home on Exmoor, cleaning and puppy-sitting, but mainly scratching and tearing at my left foot which had, overnight, exploded. Two of my toes were pink Walls cocktail chipolatas covered in itchy red bumps.

Please get me some athletes foot cream or powder, anything! I begged my husband via text, hoping he was still patrolling the shops in his black leather gloves (his choice of PPE).

I should explain: he is classified as clinically extremely vulnerable following a liver transplant, and so in theory he will be allowed back into circulation for the first time in four months this Saturday, August 1.

In fact, the notion that he has been shielding from March 23 is, Im afraid, a bit ridiculous.

Rachel Johnson (pictured) who had itchy red bumps on her toes a few weeks ago, questions if she had Covid Toe

One, the letter telling him to stay in his room self-isolating arrived halfway through lockdown. Two, the suggestion that I would wait on him hand and foot, wearing a pinny and a visor, was never going to happen.

Three, he had no intention of not going out at all during the most perfect spring theres ever been, and was, therefore, in our local town of Dulverton, having the strimmer fixed, when I begged him to go to the chemist for me.

When he returned, laden with Mycil products, I anointed the two red, itchy, and swollen toes. After a few days, it settled down and I forgot about it, until I read a story in this paper headlined How To Spot Covid Toe.

This ailment, it explained, was a mysterious rash appearing well after the respiratory symptoms of Covid-19 in some patients.

To me, this was conclusive  and good news.

I announced: Well, that proves it! I definitely had Covid Toe. (I could swear I had the tell-tale red maculopapules on two toes of my left foot), which means I did have Covid in February after all when I came back from Venice and was laid out with a streaming cold for five days. My husband laughed. It didnt help when a poll came out revealing that vast numbers were convinced, like me, that theyd had coronavirus, despite testing data showing they hadnt.

After the Covid Toe episode, my husband took to groaning sceptically whenever I told other people Id had the virus.

Rachel (pictured) is convinced that she's had the virus, despite having a negative antibody test

But I stuck to my guns. Can you blame me? We are both pretty sanguine, but the one thing that did worry me was passing it on to him  I was going to London for work  so Id had regular antigen tests to see if I was an asymptomatic carrier (I wasnt). Plus, if Id had it already, I reasoned  then I could be immune now, right?

All in all, Covid Toe seemed the perfect solution to me, and many others who choose to believe theyd had the unpleasantness and therefore 1. Couldnt get it again or 2. Infect others.

Meanwhile, I have at least one other unusual symptom, although I cant find a catchy label for it like Covid Toe.

I have a sort of electric  flashing feeling, I say, at any opportunity. My skin goes all crawly  its as if theres Champagne in my veins and not blood.

Unlike most men (who are far too frightened to mention it), Ivo insists on telling me its the menopause when I bang on about the fizzing and flashing, which makes me bark back, But I can assure you its not! That ship has sailed!

Breaking news This just in from Liz Hurley, who once admitted that the only meal she eats is dinner plus tiny snacks in the day like six raisins: Wearing a mask inside your home is now highly recommended, she says. Not so much to prevent Covid-19 but to stop eating. Advertisement

Indeed, so convinced I am that Fizzy Legs is a weird post-viral syndrome that I am collecting fellow sufferers. In fact, I am thinking of forming a Fizzy Legs Support Network.

If you are so convinced youve had it, my husband suggested why dont you do an antibody test? It seemed like a sensible way forward.

Private antibody tests were 100. So I did the fiddly home test and posted it back.

On that agonising cliffhanger, let us pause to take in the science.

In search of corroboration, I went straight to the horses mouth, ie my friend Kate Bingham, chair of the UKs Covid-19 vaccine taskforce.

She could not pronounce on Covid Toe/Fizzy Legs, but she did say that even those who had definitely, definitely had the virus werent necessarily immune for ever.

We dont know and wont know until we have much more data on reinfections, she said, then added that when it came to world-beating progress on the vaccine we shouldnt hold our breath either as its unlikely one dose will offer any durable protection but two might.

Very disappointing. For everyone.

As shielding lifts on Saturday, the vulnerable may well be encouraged to step outside their homes and the hale and hearty back to the office, but we are all essentially at the same place as we were at the beginning of lockdown: still in limbo.

P. S. My antibody test was negative, but Im still convinced I had it and am, therefore, right!

I cant wait for Charless cheeky flash Dance...

Rachel revealed she's looking forward to period drama Singapore Grip because it's starring Charles Dance (pictured)

I cant tell a lie: am looking forward to the lush period drama Singapore Grip on ITV, mainly because Charles Dance, pictured, is starring.

As a teenager, I locked eyes at Taunton station with the future Game of Thrones actor, and swooned so hard I almost fell under a train. My anticipation has nothing at all to do with the fact that he gets his kit off (aged 73, good for him). Still, I checked if we would be seeing more of him. Not that much more, a brief cameo, he parried. Blink and youll miss me! BOO!

Whatever else you think of the Harry book, hes a good date

Rachel said Prince Harry's cardinal sin was to put his woman first and his family second. Pictured: The Duchess and Duke of Sussex

Its become fashionable to decry the stall of whining self-pity of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pictured, as set out in the new book Finding Freedom, but something stops me from laying in.

Harrys cardinal sin, after all, was only to put his woman first and his family second.

In the Royal family, duty is all, but Harry is a wild romantic and was prepared to sacrifice everything for Meghan Markle, the woman his older brother William dismissed as this girl. This girl. Just two words  dropped into a fraternal chat about Harrys girlfriend of a few short months  came between the brothers and maybe changed history.

I have no doubt Harry thinks this girl is worth it, the fact that he flew Meghan all the way to the Okavango Delta in Botswana for one of their first meet cutes (in movie parlance) was the giveaway. But golly, Harry does set the bar high for a third date, doesnt he!

Empowered or posers?

Rachel admits she has mixed feelings about using hashtag #challengeaccepted to empower women. Pictured: Eva Longoria's Instagram post

My Instagram feed is awash with beautiful black-and-white images of women, posted by the subjects, using the hashtag #challengeaccepted, like this one by Eva Longoria, and tagging other women to do the same. Its supposed to be some marvellously empowering movement to make us feel good. I am mixed about this.

One, Im not sure it does honour, even less empower, other women for us to put up flattering, self- curated portraits.

Two, and far more worrying, not a single, strong girlfriend has yet asked me to post a #blessed picture of myself!
As the Rafale jets entered the Indian airspace, naval warship INS Kolkata welcomed the aircraft. In an audio clip that has been doing the rounds, one can hear warm welcome messages shared between the Rafale pilot and the INS Kolkata deployed in the Western Arabian Sea.

The INS Kolkata welcomed the Rafale jets into the Indian Ocean airspace. The Rafale leader replied by saying that it is reassuring to have an Indian warship guarding the seas. The Arrow Leader is then wished luck by the Indian warship.

Here is the conversation between the INS Kolkata and Rafale leader:

INS KOLKATA: Arrow leader, Indian naval warship Delta 63. Welcome to Indian Ocean.

RAFALE LEADER: Indian warship Delta 63, Arrow leader. Many thanks. Most reassuring to have an Indian warship guarding the seas.

INS KOLKATA: Arrow leader, Delta 63. May you touch the sky with glory. Happy landing.

RAFALE LEADER: Delta 63, Arrow leader. Wish you fair winds. Happy hunting. Over and out.

The five Rafale jets would be delivered to India today. Air Force Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria would receive the aircraft that started their journey on July 27 from France. These three single-seat and two twin-seat Omni-role fighter aircraft will be flown by seven Indian Air Force pilots and will be part of the 17 Golden Arrows squadron.

Earlier in the day security was tightened around the Ambala Air Force Base. Prohibitory orders were imposed near the air force station.

Also read: Rafale in India Live Updates: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweets first visuals of Rafale fighter jets

Also read: 5 Rafale fighter jets to land in India shortly; key highlights
ABC ME series Hardball has been picked up by childrens channel CBBC in the UK.

It follows recent sales to France, Norway, Ireland, Canada, Hong Kong, Portugal, Slovenia and South Africa and wins at Prix Jeunesse, 2020 BANFF World Media Festival Rockie Awards and the 36th Chicago International Childrens Film Festival.

The Australian Childrens Television Foundation Executive Producer, Bernadette OMahony said: Its great to see the success of Hardball across the world, and to know that kids in the UK are now also going to enjoy this funny and delightful series. Im sure they are going to love the warmth and craziness of the gang from Block Street Primary School as much as Australian kids have.

Hardball is produced by Northern Pictures in association with Screen Australia, Create NSW and the ACTF. Series 2 will be in production in the second half of 2020 with delivery in early 2021.

First Day was also recently sold to CBBC.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  Vice President Leni Robredo presented a list of recommendations for the country to address the COVID-19 pandemic which includes using a unified strategy and getting help from experts in academic institutions.

In a recorded message aired on Tuesday, Robredo urged the government not to just wait for a vaccine before acting on the crisis.

"Nagsisimula ang lahat sa tamang datos," she said in her speech. "Mula dito, matutukoy ang kung sino at aling mga lugar ang dapat tutukan pagdating sa mass testing, contact tracing, at suporta sa mga komunidad at ospital."

[Translation: It starts with the right data and from here, you can pinpoint which areas you can focus on mass testing and contact tracing and whose communities and hospitals need support.]

In order to address problems in data backlogs, Robredo suggested accepting help from experts who have offered platforms to centralize data. She said there should also be a "communication campaign" for healthcare workers to handle data validation.

Robredo also stressed that there should be a unified platform and process for contact tracing. She cited Baguio City's model as an example.

"Tumukoy na tayo agad ng iisang platform at technology... at imungkahi sa mga LGU na ito ang gamitin kaysa magkanya-kanyang diskarte," she said.

[Translation: Let us follow one platform and technology and suggest this to the LGUs so they won't just be left to their own devices.]

Robredo said locally stranded individuals in Metro Manila should also be given free swab tests before leaving for their home provinces. When they arrive in their destinations, the local government units should ensure that they will have a source of livelihood, Robredo said.

The Vice President maintained that her suggestions are based on consultations with different sectors over the past five months.

Support local

To help the economy recover from the impact of the crisis, Robredo said the government must support local products and businesses as well as micro, small and medium enterprises.

She also expressed support for the CREATE and ARISE bills which seek to create incentives to attract investors and to set up a 1.3 trillion stimulus package.

The government should also identify which industries are low-risk and look at them as opportunities for workers who have no means of working from home, she added.

As for the social amelioration program or cash aid, Robredo recommended a central database to identify who to prioritise.

Back to school

As for education, Robredo urged to refrain from burdening private schools with too many requirements for flexible learning.

"Ang kailangan nila, tulong at empowermenthindi patung-patong na papeles," she argued.

[Translation: What they need is help and empowerment - not mounds of paperwork]

Each barangay should also have its own "internet hub" to allow internet and digital access to students without gadgets, Robredo said.

Help should also be extended to the teachers and parents, she added, by giving training and modules on how to conduct distance learning and home schooling.

Robredo also supported teaching back in the classrooms only in areas with no COVID-19 community transmission. She also proposed scholarships for dependents of those who died from the disease.

The Vice President encouraged the public not to lose hope in the battle against COVID-19.

"Hindi talunan ang Pilipino," she said. "Kinaya na natin ang marami pang ibang hamon, at kakayanin natin ito."

[Translation: The Filipino is not a quitter. We overcame many obstacles and we will get through this.]
Photograph: Thomas Winz/Getty Images

People in Portland, Oregon, have protested against racism and policing for more than 50 consecutive nights, following the police killing of George Floyd on 25 May. The violence of the police response has further stoked the anger of protesters, as it has around the country.

In response, President Trump has empowered federal agents under the Department of Homeland Security to detain and arrest protesters. Many around the world were shocked when Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that federal agents wearing camouflage were driving around in unmarked vehicles, snatching up protesters and speeding away.

That description sounded all too familiar. Weve spent much of the last five years reporting on the Baltimore police department. In reporting our new book, I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of Americas Most Corrupt Police Squad, we found that police units in unmarked cars have long used terror and confusion to destabilize communities.

During the uprising following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody in 2015, the national guard snatched up one protester and police attacked another on live television. Away from the cameras, we witnessed other agencies with unmarked uniforms rounding citizens onto school buses, for mass detention, often without ever formally charging them.

Even before the uprising, Baltimore, like most American cities, has heavily relied on aggressive police squads to maintain order. Plainclothes police squads  jump-out boys  ride around in unmarked vehicles looking for citizens to tackle or throw against a wall, then search for guns or drugs.

Police departments officially call it proactive policing.

Chad Wolf, the acting head of the Department of Homeland Security, recently used similar language on Fox News to describe what is happening in Portland.

Because we dont have  local law enforcement support, we are having to go out and proactively arrest individuals, Wolf said. And we need to do that because we need to hold them accountable.

Story continues

Yet the police themselves are rarely held accountable. Proactive policing is, at its core, unconstitutional. These practices presume people guilty and ignore constitutional protections. We, in turn, are all too ready to ignore these violations, especially if the victim has a criminal record and the cops actually find drugs or guns during the search.

The US Department of Justices 2017 report on policing in Chicago noted that residents reported that plainclothes units acted like an occupying army and made the neighborhood feel like an open-air prison. Police in Baltimore, where nearly 80% of the officers do not live in the city, have also been described as an occupying army.

Many cities have made a troubling, quasi-fascist trade-off: use terrorizing tactics to heavily police certain parts of the city, in the name of comforting the parts of the city and the suburbs which rarely see plainclothes police.

In June, the New York police department abolished a plainclothes anti-crime unit and reassigned 600 plainclothes officers because of their involvement in a disproportionate number of shootings and their use of stop-and-frisk tactics widely considered racist and unconstitutional.

In the New York Daily News, civil rights attorney Joel Berger said he was encouraged by the disbanding of New Yorks plainclothes units, which follow an approach designed as a form of social control to show people in minority neighborhoods who is in charge, just like stop and frisk.

Even those who support these tactics do not shy from this philosophy. In her 2016 book The War on Cops: How the New Attack on Law and Order Makes Everyone Less Safe, the conservative writer Heather MacDonald argued that proactive policing is a form of urban reclamation.

In Baltimore, this kind of policing has been exceptionally egregious. A special plainclothes squad called the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) was the subject of a sweeping 2017 federal indictment charging eight detectives with robbery and racketeering charges. All either pleaded guilty or were convicted and are currently serving sentences for widespread violations of constitutional rights. Before they became federal prisoners, however, these were decorated and celebrated police officers who acted precisely as we see Trumps federal agents acting in Portland.

According to the testimony of squadmate Maurice Ward, Wayne Jenkins, a 14-year veteran who ran the GTTF at the time it was taken down, would make as many as 50 unconstitutional stops a night. Jenkins used a technique he called a door pop. When he saw a group of Black men standing at, say, a bus stop, he would speed up in his unmarked car and slam the brakes. Another cop would pop open the door and they would chase and tackle anyone who ran. If the person had a gun, they arrested them. If the person had drugs, they stole and sold them. The police considered these people, a federal prosecutor later said, beneath the law.

Wiretaps and trial testimony revealed that because Jenkins wasnt wearing a uniform or displaying any police identification beyond a tactical vest, he often lied to victims and said he worked for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or the US Department of Justice. In one case in 2016, Jenkins and his squad stopped a man and his wife as they left a home repairs store. They took them to an unofficial interrogation site called The Barn, where Jenkins claimed to be a federal prosecutor.

Then members of the GTTF took the couple to their home, in another jurisdiction, and detained them for hours. They found nothing illegal, so they didnt arrest the couple for any crimes. They did, however, steal $20,000 from them.

Because the man had a criminal record, no one believed him when he said police kidnapped and robbed him. The mans wife later explained that she didnt know if the people stopping her were even cops. This is common in Baltimore, where police in cargo pants and sneakers prowl around looking for trouble. Sometimes, members of the GTTF even wore masks so residents they ambushed would think they were criminals. In his guilty plea, Jenkins admitted that when he did this to a driver in 2010, the man panicked and crashed into another car killing its driver. Jenkins and a sergeant planted heroin to justify the chase.

These arent isolated examples of bad apples. The US Department of Justice report on Chicago cites a case where two plainclothes officers wearing all black approached a couple, who thought they were being robbed and fled. One of the officers shot and killed the man.

Whenever there is a perceived crime spike, calls for proactive policing are renewed. When the NYPD disbanded its plainclothes unit, the police union president, Patrick J Lynch, said that shooting and murders are both climbing steadily upward, but city leaders have clearly decided that proactive policing isnt a priority and they will have to reckon with the consequences.

After Freddie Grays death, a rise in crime in Baltimore quickly turned the narrative from police reform to tough-on-crime solutions that further empower police. Every time members of the GTFF stole drugs or money, it created a ripple effect of violence. Those who were robbed had to answer to people they owed money or drugs. In one case, GTTF officers stole $10,000 from a man who was later murdered over a debt as he returned home from an appearance in court for the gun they charged him with. Of course, his murder, like those of the more than 300 other Baltimoreans killed that year, further justified increasing police powers  and expanding the police budget.

In Portland, we are seeing the federal version of proactive policing sow confusion and chaos  and Trump is betting on the turmoil. Unaccountable police, whether in plainclothes or uniforms, create chaos, which allows authoritarian leaders to argue that we need more police power, the very thing that people in Portland  and across the country  are protesting against.

Trumps federal police simply expand the definition of who is beneath the law so that it encompasses white, middle-class protesters as well as Black and brown people. Now, hes threatening to send the same shock troops to more cities. But our cities do not need more jump-out boys. Theyre teeming with them already, and theyve already contributed enough chaos and violence.
The river Belcoo, which forms the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Hong Kong real-estate magnate Ivan Ko is proposing a new city be built for Hong Kong emigrants looking to flee Beijing's crackdown.

The city, called Nextpolis, would host 50,000 Hong Kong emigrants on a site located between Dublin and Belfast.

Irish officials told The Guardian that they had spoken with Ko, but seemingly dismissed the idea.

Hong Kong could see a mass exodus following nearly a year of unrest and a new national security law that bans all types of dissent.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Hong Kong residents fleeing their home amid China's crackdown might soon have a new place to settle  in the Irish countryside.

Ivan Ko, the founder of charter city investment company Victoria Harbour Group, formulated a plan to build a new city modeled after Hong Kong to house emigrants near Dublin's airport. Ko's new city, which he told The Guardian would be called Nextpolis, would house 50,000 former Hong Kong residents in a 50 square kilometer (31.07 square miles) site located between Dublin and Belfast, complete with Cantonese-speaking schools.

"We like Ireland," Ko told The Guardian's Rory Carroll. "Corporate taxes are very low. You have very strong manufacturing and biomedical companies. Major tech giants have European headquarters there. Overall we think Ireland is very good."

Ko had originally planned for a 500,000-person Nextpolis that would be semi-autonomous like his native Hong Kong, but dropped that aspect of the plan after consulting with the Irish government starting in December 2019, per The Guardian. A spokesperson for the Irish Department of foreign services told The Guardian that Irish officials had had limited contact with Ko's team "to provide helpful and realistic guidance about Ireland."

Hong Kong is grappling with an uncertain future

Pro-democracy protesters set barricade on fire at a demonstration in Causeway Bay district on October 6, 2019 in Hong Kong, China.

Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

Hong Kong has been gripped by unrest since mass protests broke out over an extradition bill in March 2019, and later morphed to oppose new national security laws that criminalize dissent, Business Insider previously reported. City residents are expected to emigrate in large numbers as China continues to tighten its grip on the one-time British colony with little regard for condemnations from the west.

Story continues

Both the UK and Australia have made special immigration provisions for Hong Kong residents looking to relocate, per Fox News, and Nextpolis' proposed location would allow immigrants to live in Belfast and take advantage of the UK's path to citizenship for select Hong Kongers.

"We are in pursuit of freedom and democracy, which is a little bit similar to the pilgrims and the puritans who left Europe in pursuit of religious freedom," Ko said while describing the project on his podcast, per The Guardian.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Supplier News

29 July 2020

Paris - On April 9th, D-EDGE launched the Hospitality Recovery Tracker to help hoteliers and the hospitality ecosystem spot the first signs of recovery, so they could allocate the right resources at the right time.

D-EDGE is happy to launch the V2 of its Recovery Tracker barometer: quicker, easier to use, and richer.

D-EDGE Hospitality Recovery tracker is web-based. Everyone can access it: there is no need to register or download anything. There isno marketing purpose here; we simply want to help our industry get a good understanding of the ongoing trends.

The barometer is built on data collected using our Central Reservation platform from 10,000+ independent hotels (individuals and groups).

Data available in the tracker include:

Daily bookings by hotel country or by main regions/cities,

Daily confirmed bookings and cancellations,

Bookings by creation date and arrival date,

Data by channels (Direct channel, OTAs, ..) and markets for 2020 and 2019.

There are many ways to play with the Recovery Tracker to filter the data as you need:

Select one or several countries/cities; for example, Spain only or Spain AND Portugal.

Select one or several distribution channels; for example, hotel website only.

Select the booking origin to see the domestic or international market.

Below you can see examples of the kinds of trends that can be spotted using the D-EDGE Hospitality Recovery Tracker.

***Special offer for press : If you need specific data that is not available in our barometer, please contact Isabelle Falque; she will look at your demand with our data scientists.***

Examples of Trends visible on the Recovery Tracker

Photo: D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions

1 - Globally the booking levels are still well below 2019 level, but

2 - Globally the demand is driven by Domestic Markets (E.g. French travellers booking hotels in France). The volume of domestic bookings is much higher than last year's.
The UK government on July 25 advised against all but essential travel to mainland Spain and told travellers returning from the country from July 26 to self-isolate for 14 days. British authorities removed Spain from its list of safe countries, or so-called travel corridors, on midnight on Saturday, as Spain reported a spike in COVID-19 cases and as Catalonia shut nightlife venues in an attempt to prevent a second wave of the virus, Euronews writes in the article Coronavirus: Spain wants UK to reconsider 'unjust' quarantine rule.

We cant make apologies...we must be able to take swift, decisive action, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Sky News on Sunday. In response, Europe's largest holiday company TUI said on Sunday it would cancel all flights to mainland Spain until August 9. On Monday, the British government updated its advice against all non-essential travel to Spain to include the Balearic and Canary Islands. This came despite far lower infection rates in these areas than in other parts of Spain and appeals from the regional authorities for exemptions from the new UK rule.

"I think it's very important to stop the spread but it's really annoying that there has absolutely been no warning," said Helena, who was flying back to the UK from Madrid on Sunday in comments to the Associated Press.

"It's an absolute nightmare for everyone involved for the holidaymakers who are planning on coming out, the people who are here," said Georgie Frost, a British personal finance journalist who is currently in Spain's southeastern Murcia region visiting her partner. She told Euronews she is "fortunate" that she is not forking out on accommodation and she has her work equipment with her as she thought the situation could arise. She is due to come back to the UK on August 11 but does not know whether she will extend her stay if the quarantine rule stays in place.

The tourism sector, which makes up for 12% of Spain's GDP, is already on its knees and is bound to be badly hit by the measure.

Tourists are not the only ones who are being affected by the change in the British government guidance. Ian Rutter, a British citizen living in Andalusia, southern Spain, was set to fly back to the UK on Wednesday to join his grieving family after the death of his mother and brother in April. He was not able to travel during that period due to lockdown restrictions. "We couldnt get back for the funerals and this was our chance to be together as a family to grieve," he told Euronews. "I doubt if the hotels we have reserved will want us in such circumstances". Rutter said that as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel helpline is only open from Monday to Friday he has "no idea" how to get advice on his situation.

Meanwhile, The UKs transport secretary Grant Shapps, who is currently in Spain, will also have to self-isolate for 14 days upon his return.

Spain recorded 280 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours on Friday, three times more than two weeks ago. It comes less than a month after the country ended its lockdown. The country is one of Europe's hardest hit by the pandemic, with more than 28,000 people killed by the virus and over 272,000 infections, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Spanish government said on Sunday that the situation was "under control". "The outbreaks are located, have been isolated and controlled," the foreign ministry told the AFP news agency.
Hale County farmers and landowners that need areas sprayed by the Noxious Weed Control District should either visit the boards website at halecountynoxiousweeds.com or contact Lewis Senter, board supervisor, at 806-292-4750.

Show your patriotism by having a U.S. flag displayed outside your home or business on eight holidays throughout the year with the Kiwanis Clubs flag program! The club works with PHS Band Boosters, PHS Jr. Navy ROTC, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Elks Lodge. Proceeds benefit local scholarships. Cost is $40. Make checks payable to the Plainview Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 684, Plainview, Texas 79073.

The South Plains AA Group meets at 803 S. Columbia in Plainview. A Big Book Study (open meeting) is held from 6-7 p.m. Monday. Closed meetings are held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, 6 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. Sunday.

Office hours for the Hale County Veterans Service Office, staffed by Karla Glowicki, are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. The office is at 111 W. Sixth, in the northwest corner of the Courthouse Annex. Call 806-291-5301 or email kglowicki@halecounty.org.

Fitness for Life, a program of Paragon Healthcare, offers a fitness class for senior adults at Covenant Hospital every Monday from 10-10:45 a.m. on the fourth floor. The class is free of charge and is open to all ability levels, including those with walkers and wheelchairs.

Free ESL classes are held Monday through Thursday at The Hale County Literacy Council. Contact 806-293-6186 for more information.

Covenant Health Plainview hosts the cancer survivors prayer support group We Fight to Live from 7-8 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month in Room B. The sessions will consist of a monthly topic and presenter, and a structured segment, allowing time for group sharing. The support group is open to those with a cancer diagnosis and anyone affected by their diagnosis. The group is led by Andrea Ingram, a cancer survivor, as well as Sherry Wall, hospital mission services. There is no charge for the group. For more information contact Andrea Ingram at 806-293-7614 or Sherry Wall at 806-291-3364.

The Salvation Army of Plainview store is open and seeking volunteers to serve in the processing area. The store is located at 615 Broadway.

**The library is currently closed. **Unger Memorial Library card holders now have access to more digital content. The library joined the West Texas Digital Consortium, which is a partnership between more than 15 libraries in the region. The partnership means card holders can have access to digital content at those other libraries as well as the content at Unger Memorial Library. Those interested in registering for a library card can do so at the library at 825 Austin St. Visit www.plainviewtx.org, call (806) 296-1149 or visit the library for additional information. The library is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Its also open Saturdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

(Currently suspended) The Plainview Dance Club hosts dances at First Christian Church in Plainview once a week. Dances are Mondays from 6:30-9 p.m. at the third church off the east service road of Interstate 27. Snacks and live entertainment is available for those interested in joining in dancing and fellowship. No smoking and/or drinking permitted. The event is open to everyone. The entry fee is $5 for members, $7 for nonmembers or $10 for a yearlong membership.

The Hale County Literacy Council and the RADAR Foundations, Inc. will offer a Sensory Friendly Reading Night once a month. The reading nights will be at Pastors Class, corner of Seventh St. and Broadway. Subsequent reading nights are set for the second Monday of every month from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Locations could change. The reading nights will be catered to individuals with sensory needs.

The 9th and Columbia Church of Christ now offers community suppers once a month. The suppers will be every second Wednesday from 5-6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. The church is located at 808 N. Columbia St. For additional information, call (806) 293-2616.

The United States Census Bureau is looking for individuals to join its team. The Census Bureau needs individuals to fill supervisor positions and lister positions from Plainview and the surrounding areas. The positions offer flexible hours, weekly pay and paid training. The job covers mileage for 58 cents per mile. Those interested can apply at 2020census.gov/jobs or call 1(855)JOB-2020.

The Never Surrender MS Support Group is set to meet the first Monday of each month from 6:30-8 p.m. at Ninth and Columbia Church of Christ, 808 North Columbia St. The meeting location could change to a local restaurant. Those interested in learning additional information or joining the group are encouraged to contact Casandra at (806)983-1862 or via email at ms.vet.ed@gmail.com.

The Hi-Plains Genealogical Society will meet monthly, except in December, at 5 p.m. in the basement of Unger Memorial Library for the 2019-2020 year. Interested persons are invited to attend a meeting and join the Society. Dues are $10 for one person, and $12.50 for a couple. The Society has a program each monthly meeting in October, November, and January through May.

GED morning classes are open all year and are available free of charge for all adults at Plainview Adult Learning Center, in South Plains Community Action, 1407 W. 5th St. Computer learning lab hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and new students may enroll daily. Official GED practice tests and GED test registration provided. Call 296-5459 to speak to Melba or Ron for more information.

The Community Foundation of West Texas and the Lubbock Area United Way have created a partnership to form the South Plains COVID-19 Response Fund. The funds purpose is to aid community-based organizations in tackling issues created by the coronavirus outbreak. For additional information about the fund, visit www.cfwtx.org/spneighbors.

The Small Business Association has set up a relief fund for restaurants affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Plainview Chamber of Commerce and the Plainview-Hale County Economic Development Corporation have links for additional information for that specific fund and several other resources on their websites.

The Plainview Area United Way and Plainview Area Endowment have established a Disaster Relief Fund to support locals who have been affected by COVID-19. The fund is available to individuals and/or families who need access to food or utility assistance and to nonprofits and small businesses who need support. Applications are available at www.plainviewareaunitedway.org or www.plainviewareaendowment.org.

American Cultural Exchange Service is looking for families that may be interested in hosting a foreign exchange student. ACES is an educational exchange organization designated by the U.S. Department of State to help place high school students with participating ACES families for the school year. The organization is looking for married families, single family homes, single adults or retirees who might be interested in hosting an international high school student. Those interested have an option to host for just one semester or an entire school year for the 2020-2021 school year. Students dont require their own room, have ample spending money for personal needs, complete medical coverage and will help with household chores, according to the news release. Students come from Japan, Thailand, China, Asia, South America and Europe. Those interested in being a host can contact Kevin Foster at (806)335-5857. TO contact the ACES National Office, call 1(800)661-2237 or visit www.ExploreTheWorld.org.

Registration for the Head Start and Early Head Start programs is open.

Plainview citizens are asked to tie their trash bags as the COVID-19 public health emergency continues. The Solid Waste Department also reminds citizens that trash cans are for trash only. Gins around town are marked according to what can be dumped in them. There are green dumpsters available at 2nd St. and Columbia, 4th St. and Floydada and at the 16th Street Park. Recycling needs can be taken care of at the Landfill, which is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. For additional information, call (806)296-1152.

The Head Start & Early Head Start programs are now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year. Online registration is currently available. Early head start accepts kids who are up to 2-and-a-half years old (30 months). The Head start program accepts kids who are 3 and 4 years old. Three-year-olds must have turned 3 by Sept. 1. Those who are currently pregnant can also fill out applications for their yet unborn child. Those interested can apply at www.spcaa.org. SPCAA staff will review applications and ask if they need additional information. Call (806)438-1721 for additional information. SPCAA information is also available in Spanish for those that need it.

Unger Memorial Library is now offering Mango language learning resources. Mango offers learning materials for more than 70 world languages. Those interested in learning more can visit www.plainviewtx.org/library.

Compassionate Care Pregnancy Center at 1209 Quincy Street is open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesdays from 12:30 - 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m.

If you or someone you know needs the following, call (806)296-5000 to make an appointment.

1. a pregnancy test

2. proof of pregnancy for a positive test

3. diapers, wipes, baby wash and baby lotion





The Unger Memorial Library is now transitioning to summer hours. It will not be open on Saturdays.

Motivation Education and Training (MET) offers career training and certification programs. A few of the different career trainings offered through MET include truck drivers, basic electric, CNA, basic welding and police officer. For additional information about MET, visit their office at 927 Broadway or contact them at (806)293-4457 or via email at salazar@metinc.org or plainview@metinc.org.

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas is now accepting applications for new clients. The organization can help with civil legal matters including: eviction, unemployment benefits, foreclosure prevention, Medicare/Medicaid benefits, expunctions/nondisclosures, bankruptcy, family law matters and driver license restoration. Those interested in learning more filling out an application can do so online or by phone. Visit www.lanwt.org to apply online. Online applications are for non-family cases only. The Legal Aid Line phone number is (888)529-5277. The office is open Mondays and Wednesday from 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The Plainview office is also accepting applications by phone. Those interested can call (806)293-8491. Applicants must be financially eligible to obtain free help.

The Abraham Art Gallery on the Wayland Baptist University campus is open again. Zen Tales: The Art of Jon J Muth exhibit is currently on display through Aug. 1. The gallery is located on the atrium level of the campus library. Its open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. during the summer. Call (806)291-3710 for additional information.

The Friends of the Library will not be taking book or magazine donations until further notice. Due to the COVID-19 situation, no fall book sale will be scheduled and storage space is limited. We appreciate everyones help with this matter and will notify the public when we will begin to take donations again.

StarCare currently has a COVID-19 Mental Health and Information Hotline available. Those experiencing anxiety or stress about COVID-19 can call the hotline at (877)320-0513 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The 2020 fall semester for Wayland Baptist University will begin on Aug. 12.

The Texas Department of State Health Services recently started a pen pal program for residents at the states supported living centers. Those interested in becoming a pen pal can fill out an application at https://texashhs.secure.force.com/Volunteer/. Those interested in learning additional information can also email VolunteerHHSC@hhsc.state.tx.us.

Covenant Health Care Center Plainview, 2222 W. 24th St., is offering COVID-19 testing Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (806)291-5100 for additional information. To be tested, patients need to make an appointment and bring ID and insurance cards. No co-pay will be collected for the screenings. Those interested in testing for antibodies can call (806)725-6087. Those with questions about COVID-19 are also invited to call (806)726-8378.

Olton has canceled its annual Sandhills Celebration. The celebration had been set for Aug. 1 but due to area COVID-19 activities, the planning committee chose to cancel the celebration.

Paws Pet Adoption will host a low cost spay/neuter/vaccine/dental clinic next month at the Ollie Liner Center. The event is slated for Aug. 21-23 at 2000 S. Columbia St. Surgeries and dentals will be done by appointment only. Those interested in setting an appointment or viewing pricing can visit www.petvetrelief.com. The vaccination clinic will be from noon-3 p.m.

To submit This and That items:

phnews@hearstnp.com
The first batch of Rafale fighter jets entered the Indian airspace today around 14:00 hrs. The Arrow formation (Rafales) was given ceremonial welcome by two SU-30MKIs. Ministry of Defence took to Twitter to officially released the pictures. The first batch of Rafale aircraft took off from France on July 27 and arrived in India on July 29 and will be officially inducted to the Indian Air Force fleet at Ambala airbase in Haryana. (Image: IAF)
Hardcore liberals are far more apt to engage in public criticism and protest to support their views than conservatives. A recent poll has just confirmed what weve all known in our gut for a long time: While conservatives are hesitant to express their political views in public -- whether it be at school, the workplace or at social gatherings, for fear of damaging reprisals -- extreme liberals have no such reservations. Emboldened by supportive social media platforms and major media outlets that are unabashedly liberal and decidedly anti-Trump, the far Left has no fear of repercussions as a result of expressing their political opinions. According to a Cato Institute study conducted in July 2020 of 2000 Americans age 18 and older, Strong liberals are the only political group who feels they can express themselves without fear of repercussions.

And express themselves they do. Every chance they get, extreme liberals are pointing out their self-declared moral superiority, their greater concern for the environment, their supposed deeper awareness of subtle social issues and complex interpersonal relationships, their purportedly more advanced understanding of what economic/employment/income factors matter -- or should matter to people. We are indeed fortunate to have these liberals with us to enlighten us and show us the error of our unsophisticated, primitive thinking. It's always such a pleasure to be lectured to by hypocritical liberals like Nancy Pelosi with her $24,000 refrigerator and $12/pint ice cream, living behind her security gates and consuming more energy than God-knows-what. Or by Democrats like Al Gore and Barbara Streisand or just by 'regular' well-heeled Democrats who live in large houses, alone or just two people, in a 9- or 10-room 3000 sq ft+ home with a big screen TV in every room, central AC and a big, honkin' SUV or luxury car in the three-car garage. This after watching them embark on a lifelong pursuit of monetary wealth and material possessions/snooty fashion. Capitalism, tax breaks and profits for them, thank you, but socialism, spread-the-wealth, and high taxes for us detestable conservatives.

These upper-crust Democrats own their guns, have their security details, revel in their luxuries, enjoy their cushy lifestyles, think nothing about their egregious personal consumption, but then they have the temerity to try to tell us about the climate and nature and conservation. A well-to-do, super-materialistic liberal associate I know with a size 14 carbon footprint is quick to admonish the Great Unwashed that, its time for you to take accountability for your place and role in the world. This is said in all seriousness, without the slightest sliver or awareness of irony or self-recognition.

No one needs to tell me about respect for the environment or conservation. As one of my best and smartest friends says, "What do you think the root of 'conservative' is? 'Conserve.'" Like many, I dont wear my environmental best practices on my shirtsleeve for the purpose of collecting shallow public accolades, but, as the old adage goes, What counts is what you do when nobodys watching. By way of anecdotal contrast, a frighteningly large percentage of so-called environmentally-enlightened liberals have seemingly no regard whatsoever for their local surroundings, as witness the incredible trash and mess that they leave behind at one of their peaceful protests.

The Wuhan coronavirus -- which was started in China either by horrible laboratory sloppiness or as an intentional stab at the western world (we'll likely never know, but it certainly wasn't from a "wet market," where there aren't even bats) -- has been magnified into a political weapon of historic proportions by both the Democratic Party and the liberal media. Every move and action by the Trump administration has been criticized and made to seem as if the deaths and case count is directly his fault. No positive measure is accorded any credit whatsoever -- not building field hospitals, not invoking the Defense Production Act to build ventilators, not moving the Navy hospital ships to CA and NY, not imposing travel restrictions from high-risk regions in the world.

The Democrats lecture us with their haughty, holier-than-thou platitudes about race, privilege, and income inequality. They have invented friction and conflict between President Trump and top national health officials in order to cast the President as reckless, uncaring, and concerned only with his own political fortunes. The disgrace and shame of all they have done with regard to politicizing the coronavirus and creating class, racial, and political division in this country is without precedent. Its beyond merely callous and disingenuous. It is explicitly anti-American. That no Democrat feels the slightest remorse -- or even has the intellectual honesty to admit it -- tells us everything we need to know about the 2020 liberal mindset.

"Hypocritical" doesn't begin to cover it. Neither does "dishonest." New words will be needed.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth year in a row, Simplilearn, a global provider of digital skills training, has been named by Training Industry, Inc. to their list of the Top 20 Online Learning Library Companies. The ranking has been conferred upon Simplilearn's after market-wide research of online learning programs in the corporate training space. This honor is in addition to the other awards that the company has earned in 2020, which include the 10th Annual Aegis Graham Bell Award for the 'Innovation in Edtech' category and the Stevie Gold Award for Customer Service Success.

Training Industry's criteria for selecting companies for their 2020 Top 20 Online Learning Library ranking included industry visibility, innovation and impact, breadth and quality of courses and content, company size and growth potential, quality of clients, and geographic reach. Simplilearn's innovative Blended Learning model provides an effective combination of online self-paced learning, instructor-led live virtual classes, practical projects, online programming labs, and simulations.

This latest achievement is a testimonial to Simplilearn's commitment towards providing effective online training solutions for organizations seeking to upskill their workforce in emerging technologies. Speaking on the company's recognition. Krishna Kumar - Founder & CEO, Simplilearn, said, "It is an honor to feature in the Training Industry Magazine Top 20, and achieving this ranking for the fourth time in a row makes it even more special. In a rapidly evolving digital world, it is now a requisite for organizations to invest in digital skilling of their workforce in order to be at par with industry demands. Through Simplilearn's comprehensive curriculum and online Blended Learning programs, we are focused towards enabling professionals with industry-relevant digital skills to face new opportunities and challenges of the digital era."

"This year's Top 20 Online Learning Library Companies List features a strong set of organizations offering relevant, up-to-date, on-demand content and personalized features that enhance the learning experience,"said Ken Taylor, president of Training Industry, Inc. "Through reinforcement tools, assessments, and pathways, these companies have exceeded expectations in engaging the learner and sustaining the impact of training."

Based in San Francisco (California), USA, and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn has provided training and certification to more than one million professionals in 150 countries. The company offers more than 400 programs with a curriculum that is primarily focused on IT and other digital economy skills. Program disciplines include big data, analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, digital marketing, cloud computing, DevOps, project management, data science, cyber security, and other emerging technologies.

About Simplilearn

Simplilearn enables professionals and enterprises to succeed in the fast-changing digital economy. The company provides outcome-based online training across digital technologies and applications such as Big Data, Machine Learning, AI, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing, and other emerging technologies. Based in San Francisco and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn has helped more than one million professionals and 1,000 companies across 150 countries get trained, acquire certifications, and reach their business and career goals. The company's Blended Learning curriculum combines self-paced online learning, instructor-led live virtual classrooms, hands-on projects, student collaboration, and 24/7 global teaching assistance.

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PONTOON BEACH  Madison County Transit will receive $12.5 million as part of the federal CARES Act to offset the cost of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao made the announcement as part of a larger funding package for mass transit agencies under the CARES Act, the first stimulus package to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.

This historic $25 billion in grant funding will ensure our nations public transportation systems can continue to provide services to the millions of Americans who continue to depend on them, Chao said.

MCT Managing Director SJ Morrison said the money would be going toward a wide variety of expenses, ranging from safety-related improvements to general operating cost.

He said it will help pay for all the transit districts personal protective equipment, additional cleaning and sanitizing equipment, and staffing.

We have retrofitted our buses with Plexiglas barriers for the drivers, he said. There has been signage; we have bought air purifiers for our facilities. Those expenses have mounted quickly.

We know many of our nations public transportation systems are facing extraordinary challenges and these funds will go a long way to assisting our transit industry partners in battling COVID-19, said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. These federal funds will support operating assistance to transit agencies of all sizes providing essential travel and supporting transit workers across the country who are unable to work because of the public health emergency.

In addition to safety equipment and personnel costs, Morrison said the money can also be used for some capital and operating expenses.

We are a public body that depends on tax revenue, he said. We are going to be using some of these funds to offset revenue losses.

He noted that, in addition to less tax revenue, ridership is down and for several months MCT was operating a fareless system to minimize personal contact between the drivers and passengers. He said they may also consider capital improvements related to permanent changes required by new safety and sanitizing standards, as well as permanent equipment to do those operations.

Morrison said those changes would have to be considered by the board.

Whats been tricky about this is that all along, weve been learning as we go, he added. And thats not just MCT; its the world.

He noted that at first much of the discussion was about sanitizing surfaces.

Then it was, Wait a minute, its airborne, so we have to get masks and filters, Morrison said. We have done our best to keep up with the guidance form the CDC, IDPH. Madison County Health Department has been very helpful.

He also praised federal legislators for making the funds available. Several of them touted the funding announcement.

Madison County has been one of the communities hit hardest by COVID-19 in Southern Illinois, said U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro. This funding will help Madison County Transit respond to the ongoing pandemic and keep both public transit employees and customers safe.

Essential workers rely on bus services in Madison County to get them to their jobs, said U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville. This funding from the Department of Transportation will help ensure their commutes and travels remain as safe and reliable as possible during these challenging times.

Also responding was U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville.

 We supported the bipartisan CARES Act because it provided much-needed funding to ensure vital local services like transit continue safely and uninterrupted, said Davis. This grant will allow Madison County Transit to do just that. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will continue to advocate for transit funding for the Metro East and Illinois at-large.

Morrison said they also plan to restore some services in the near future. He said the immediate plan is to bring it back to about 80 percent.

Some service is not coming back, he said.

He said MCT also plans to expand service at Gateway Commerce Center. Before the pandemic the board had approved new services for the warehouse and logistics district, including implementing shuttle and express routes from Alton and Collinsville directly to Gateway.

Morrison said part of the issue was coordinating services so it hit at peak shift changes. He noted there are 27 unique shift times, but three peak windows they needed to hit.

The plan is to increase service during the peak times and decrease service through long periods during midday.

Morrison noted that 90 percent of shifts will fall into those peak times, and some employers will have to make adjustments in shift times to take advantage of that.

Details of the plan will be announced in the near future.
SCHWENKSVILLE  If you walked into The Duck Inn Taproom today, a thriving family-friendly restaurant and bar thats located right on the banks of the Perkiomen Creek on Route 29 in Perkiomen Township, youd have no idea what type of hell the owner and his loyal staff endured just a few short months ago. In []
Description

GIS  29 July 2020:The main aim of Government is to trace, eradicate and eliminate Hepatitis in Mauritius. We currently have 13 centres including the five national hospitals for the treatment of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C patients and to better fight the virus intensive training sessions will be provided to doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

This statement was made today by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr K. Jagutpal at the Dr A.G. Jeetoo Hospital on the occasion of the launching of activities to commemorate World Hepatitis Day 2020.

Minister Jagutpal underlined that 98% of patients are successfully treated in Mauritius and the treatment period lasts up to 12 weeks. He added that the main aim for the country to meet the requirements well before the deadline set by the World Health Organisation.

On the occasion the Minister offered boxes of Hepatitis C medications to patients and visited the new digital equipment put in place for the treatment of Hepatitis.

World Hepatitis Day takes place every year on 28 July bringing the world together under a single theme to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis and to influence real change. In 2020 the theme is Find the Missing Millions.

Worldwide, 290 million people are living with viral hepatitis unaware. Without finding the undiagnosed and linking them to care, millions will continue to suffer, and lives will be lost. On World Hepatitis Day, 28 July, we call on people from across the world to take action and raise awareness to find the missing millions.

World Hepatitis Day is commemorated each year on 28 July to enhance awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes a range of health problems, including liver cancer.

There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus  A, B, C, D and E. Together, Hepatitis B and C are the most common cause of deaths, with 1.4 million lives lost each year. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, viral hepatitis continues to claim thousands of lives every day.

This years theme is Hepatitis-free future, with a strong focus on preventing Hepatitis B (HBV) among mothers and newborns. On 28 July, WHO will publish new recommendations on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the virus. HBV can be prevented among newborns through the use of a safe and effective vaccine.
By PTI

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will resume flights to repatriate its citizens stranded overseas due to the coronavirus pandemic, a top official said on Wednesday.

The government halted the repatriation of its citizens from various countries from July 14 in view of the increasing number of cases.

Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Additional Secretary to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, said two flights have been scheduled for July 31 and August 1 to repatriate Sri Lankans from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Nearly 600 Sri Lankans are expected to return via the two flights.

"We had to temporarily halt the repatriation flights from July 14 due to a sudden spike of COVID-19 infections in a drug rehabilitation centre.

We have been able to successfully control it. This means that the space in the quarantine centre has been made free," Colombage said.

The next few flights have been scheduled predominantly focussing on the Middle East, especially countries such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Over 500 coronavirus cases reported from a drug rehabilitation centre in the north central region had raised fears of a second wave of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka, which reopened its businesses in mid-May.

It was suspected that the infections at the drug rehabilitation centre was caused by an expat worker who returned from Dubai.

Admiral Jayanath Colombage said nearly 50,000 Sri Lankans stranded overseas have registered with their relevant embassies requesting to be repatriated.

As a majority of these Sri Lankans have lost their jobs and places of residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the responsibility of the government to assist them and repatriate them, he said.

Colombage said once they are repatriated, attention will be focused on creating and granting jobs for these Sri Lankans, the Colombo Gazette reported.

Sri Lanka has so far reported 2,810 cases. The virus has claimed 11 lives, while 600 are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals across the country.
Even if COVID-19 infection rates in the state stay low, Gov. Ned Lamont on Wednesday predicted there will be mix of in-class and hybrid instruction in public school classrooms this fall.

Everything weve done so far, it hasnt been Do this over my dead body, Lamont said. We thought it was really important to get kids back in the classroom whenever we can do that safely.

Lamont and Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona have gone from issuing guidance in late June that required districts plan for a full, in-person classroom experience in the fall as an option, to acknowledging this week that many districts may not have the space or staffing to do that.

Many district-level plans submitted to the State Department of Education last week emphasize the need to create blended learning environments to maximize social distancing and accommodate parents and teachers not yet comfortable with a full return to school.

Lamont said while everything possible will be done to get as many elementary school children back in school full time  so they can return to learning and their parents to work  it will be tough to do that in high schools where students cant be kept together throughout the day in the same classroom.

Keeping classes of students together throughout a school day and requiring everyone to wear face masks are key strategies districts plan to use to keep the coronavirus from spreading at school.

Speaking from an afternoon press conference at the Holberton School in New Haven, Lamont acknowledged there is work to do to get teachers on board with the plan.

There is some anxiety there, Lamont said. School doesnt work unless teachers are in the classroom ...I have to do everything I can to give teachers confidence that we are putting public health first.

On Monday, Lamont cited surveys conducted by school districts that show 67 percent of parents prefer their students return to school in the fall, provided it can be done safely.

So did an overwhelming majority of teachers, Lamont said then.

Actually, school superintendents were asked what percentage of their staff they expected to show up for work in the fall. The answer was 81 percent.

A survey released Tuesday by the Connecticut Education Association, the states largest teachers union, show that many teachers are apprehensive about returning in person in the fall.

Of nearly16,000 teachers responding, 16 percent said they would prefer a full return to school in the fall, 39 percent support a so-called hybrid approach, which includes a combination of in-school and distance learning, and 46 percent favor continued distance learning.

Were not there yet, Lamont told reporters on Wednesday. Look, we are going to work in collaboration with the superintendents and in collaboration with the teachers, encouraging them, giving them confidence, so we can get people back to school safely.

It may be, Lamont added, that older teachers and teachers with preexisting conditions are allowed to teach remotely.

If infection rates rise again dramatically, Lamont said, it is likely all instruction would return to remote learning.

Lamont ordered schools closed by executive order in mid-March. By then, most had closed on their own.

We were prescriptive when we thought it was dangerous, Lamont said. We will have a similar mindset going forward.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lambeck
China announced the suspension Tuesday of Hong Kong's extradition treaties with Canada, Australia and Britain in a tit-for-tat move following similar decisions by those countries over a controversial new security law. Western nations have angered Beijing over their responses to the law imposed on Hong Kong which they see as an erosion of the civil liberties and human rights the city has enjoyed since its handover from Britain in 1997. The United States has decided to rescind Hong Kong's special trading privileges while Washington's "Five Eyes" intelligence partners have suspended their extradition treaties with the city, with New Zealand on Tuesday joining Canada, Britain and Australia. The United States has signalled it was preparing to do the same. China has accused the countries of interfering in its internal affairs and defended the security law as crucial to restore order in Hong Kong following a wave of pro-democracy protests marred by violence. "The wrong action of Canada, Australia and the UK in politicising judicial cooperation with Hong Kong has seriously hurt the basis of judicial cooperation," said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a regular press briefing. "China has decided to suspend extradition treaties between Hong Kong and Canada, Australia and UK, as well as criminal justice cooperation agreements." Wang accused the countries of having used the national security law as "an excuse to unilaterally announce the suspension of extradition treaties" with Hong Kong. - Divisions - Britain suspended its extradition treaty last week, following moves by Australia and Canada, saying the security law had "significantly changed key assumptions" including a provision to try certain cases in mainland China. London and Canberra have also angered Beijing by offering pathways to citizenship or residency to Hong Kongers looking to leave because of the new law. New Zealand's updated travel advice said the security law had led to an increased risk of arrest for activities such as protests, with the possibility of being removed to mainland China to face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Wang warned on Tuesday that China reserved the right to respond after New Zealand suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong. "Any schemes to suppress China will never prevail," Wang said. "China urges New Zealand to immediately redress its mistake, and stop all forms of interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, to avoid harming China-New Zealand relations."
New Delhi, July 29 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday during the hearing of a matter in connection with the detention of Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association President Mian Abdul Qayoom, said "it is time to build roads for the future".

A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Ajay Rastogi and Aniruddha Bose orally observed that the government should make all endeavours to bring complete normalcy in the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. "It is time to build roads for the future....do not live in the past, look ahead", said the bench in its order.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, informed the top court that he agrees not to extend Qayoom's detention any further. Mehta submitted before the bench that he will be released immediately. Qayoom was detained under the Public Safety Act in August 2019. His detention was upheld by the High Court citing his "separatist ideology." Justice Kaul noted that there is a huge potential for tourism in the region, which is untapped. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing Qayoom, urged the top court for his release on Thursday so that his family can receive him. Mehta also accepted suggestions from the top court that Qayoom will remain in Delhi and not go to Kashmir till August 7.

On August 5 last year Article 370 was revoked. Dave accepted the condition that his client will not make any contentious statement on Article 370.

The bench then appreciated efforts of both Mehta and Dave for being able to resolve this matter without taking any adversarial positions.

During the arguments, Dave said one can compare Kashmir's scenic beauty with Switzerland. Justice Kaul replied that he must make a visit to the region. "There are only some small pockets which are disturbed. Otherwise it is all good," Justice Kaul orally observed.

Qayoom had argued that he is more than 70 years of age and suffering from life threatening heart ailments showing blockade of artery to the extent of 55-60 per cent, with uncontrolled blood sugar and is surviving on a single kidney which is further aggravated by disease of Urethra stricture.

"Furthermore, because of the bullet injury sustained in 1995, the detenue suffered cervical vertebral column injury and there is degeneration in cervical and limb spine for which the detenue is on medication", said his plea in the apex court.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
The central government has brought cheer for gym owners and fitness enthusiasts. In its Unlock 3.0 guidelines issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has allowed gyms and yoga centres to reopen from August 5 if they follow specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

However, cinema owners have been left disappointed once again. Cinemas, schools and colleges, swimming pools and recreational clubs continue to be on the restricted list of the Centre.

After receiving a representation from cinema owners, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had recommended to the MHA that halls could be reopened with 25% seating capacity. However, the MHA felt the time is not right yet as coronavirus numbers continue to grow.

Metro services, too, have not been allowed even though states like Delhi have been demanding that it be reopened.

Night curfew has been removed, allowing people to work in night shifts or freely move about for work or other purposes.

The MHA guidelines have reiterated that the ban on religious, political functions and other large congregations will continue. It was expected that this clause may be tweaked since the government will conduct a grand 'shilanyas' ceremony for the Ayodhya Ram Mandir on August 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event.

An MHA spokesperson did not respond when asked if the Ram Mandir Trust has sought specific exemptions for the event and if they have been granted.

The guidelines said that strict restrictions will continue in containment zones till August 31. The states will still have the freedom to decide if they want to impose restrictions even though the Centre has removed them. Many states have brought back complete or partial lockdowns in wake of rising coronavirus cases.
In a surprising announcement, the European Union has placed sanctions on China on Tuesday after Beijing imposed a new security law in Hong Kong that undermined the city's residents' political freedom.

The decision suggests the bloc is moving closer to a similar stance that the United States has taken against China.

EU sanctions China

According to the Wall Street Journal, the sanctions include limiting China's equipment exports that it could potentially use to repress its citizens. The UK is also reassessing extradition arrangements due to the new security law passed in Hong Kong that seemingly imposes harsh punishments for the Chinese government's opposition.

The UK had recently parted ways with the EU earlier this year and had suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong. The EU governments are currently discussing ways to increase the accessibility of visa and asylum to Hong Kong citizens and had announced it could potentially take further measures by the end of the year.

The Chinese government, however, had reacted violently to the decision of the UK. A Chinese mission spokesman to the EU told the bloc to immediately stop interfering with Hong Kong and China's domestic affairs.

The spokesman continued to state that Hong Kong citizens knew best what was good for their city and noted that the vast majority of the residents supported the new security law. He stated China was firmly standing against the EU's discrimination decision that Beijing considered a misrepresentation of the country.

The passing of the new security law in Hong Kong has caused several countries in the West to reassess their relationship with the city, citing it would become increasingly difficult to guarantee the rule of law, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

Spearheaded by Germany and France, the EU took its initiative against China as Heiko Maas, Germany's Foreign Minister, stated on Tuesday that member states will respond to Beiwould's disregard of Hong Kong's autonomy.

Also Read: Beijing Forces US Diplomats to Flee Chengdu Consulate Amid Political War

A statement by the German Foreign Ministry said Germany would immediately halt its exports of military equipment to Hong Kong, including particularly sensitive dual-use goods. The country would also treat the city with the same stance as the mainland.

Interference in domestic affairs

However, the Chinese mission urged international rivals to respect China's position and method of maintaining the safety and security of its citizens in Hong Kong, as reported by CGTN.

Last year, the EU labeled China as its systemic rival and had since tightened its screening of investments made by the Asian country. Brussels had previously cautioned Beijing that if the investment agreement were not maintained, the EU would not sign new economic agreements.

An official of the EU said Beijing was overconfident and misplayed its hand. The official noted that China's aggressiveness over Hong Kong helped convince those who were not previously convinced within the union.

Several European officials expressed their continued hopes of being neutral between the United States and China. However, more and more officials are warning that Beijing is capitalizing on the EU's openness to further its own agenda.

Related Article: Pompeo Declares New US Approach Towards China Amid Human Rights Violations and Theft Accusations

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Following is a translation of his article:

July 28, 2020 marks a quarter of a century of Vietnam being an official member of ASEAN, and this anniversary coincides with the countrys taking on the responsibility of the blocs rotary Chair for the second time.

Joining the association in 1995 is one of the most important milestones in the history of Vietnams foreign relations since the August Revolution in 1945, as well as in the development of ASEAN itself. The historical event holds a significant meaning, turning Southeast Asia from a region of confrontation into one of dialogue, from scepticism into trust, and from division into solidarity.

For ASEAN, accepting Vietnam as its seventh member helped speed up the expansion of the bloc to all the 10 regional countries, thus consolidating peace and stability in a region that has special geo-political and geo-economic importance as a centre for links between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

At the time when Vietnam joined ASEAN, the region had just come out of the Cold War and its position, role, and economic scale remained modest. The past 25 years have witnessed a vigorous change in the association. The 10 Southeast Asian nations have now become part of a united community with rising prestige in the Asia-Pacific and the world as a whole.

On the basis of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) mechanisms and with the formation of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), ASEAN has eventually become a region of peace and stability with its position gradually affirmed. The formation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the signing of free trade agreements (FTAs) between ASEAN and a series of world key economies have contributed to bringing about prosperity for ASEAN and making it one of the regions with the most dynamic economic development in the world.

ASEAN was the common house of about 650 million people in 2019 with a combined GDP of more than 3.2 trillion USD and trade revenue of 2.8 trillion USD.

The ASEAN Community was set up on December 31, 2015, making the bloc a community with political cohesion, economic links, and shared social responsibility. Today, ASEAN is considered a success model in regional cooperation. ASEAN-led forums have drawn many countries and been valued by all world powers.

In addition to intra-bloc solidarity and connectivity, ASEAN has proactively expanded its relations with partners and become an important partner of major countries inside and outside the region. With its open diplomatic relations with the 10 dialogue partners, including all powers, the voice of ASEAN has been listened to and its central role further consolidated.

In fact, ASEANs central role has been affirmed through its efforts to boost and lead the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM), and ADMM Plus, as well as through increasingly important contributions to resolving the regions common issues. ASEAN has shown a consistent stance on maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea and the region, such as the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

For Vietnam, this day 25 years ago is also an important milestone marking the countrys very important progress in its regional and international integration. It has integrated more confidently, proactively and actively ever since, and continuously promoted its role as a reliable partner and a responsible member of the ASEAN Community in particular and the international community in general.

During the integration process, the diplomatic sector has always played a pioneering role, opening the door to the world. In bringing the country out of blockade and isolation, ASEAN was taken as the first breakthrough for Vietnam in its integration. In the subsequent periods, Vietnams integration and participation in ASEAN were closely associated with the countrys renewal and international integration. Vietnam has made great strides forward in changing its ways of thinking for diplomacy, from the one of more friends, less enemies, diversification and multi-lateralisation of international relations, and shifting from confrontation to dialogues into that of becoming a proactive, active and responsible member in ASEAN, and now that of proactively, actively and responsibly joining other ASEAN countries to build a strong community.

Vietnam has gradually affirmed itself as an integral part of ASEAN and the Southeast Asian region, attached its development with ASEAN, and wished to shoulder the blocs common work. The ASEAN policy has become an important part in Vietnams foreign policy, which is highlighted in the Partys documents and resolutions on external relations, in particular Directive No 25-CT/TW dated August 8, 2018 on boosting and elevating multilateral diplomacy to 2030.

Right after becoming a member of ASEAN in 1995, Vietnam actively pushed for the joining of the other Southeast Asian countries into the bloc, with Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia becoming ASEAN members in 1997 and 1999. As a result, the dream of a ten-member ASEAN had come true. As a member of ASEAN, Vietnam has taken a proactive, active and responsible part in the blocs work, including institution building such as the ASEAN Charter (2008); the roadmap to build the ASEAN Community (2009-2015); the 2009, 2015, and 2025 master plans; and ASEAN Community visions for post-2015, post-2025, and beyond. It has also been comprehensively implementing the three pillars of the ASEAN Community. Vietnam successfully organised the sixth ASEAN Summit and took up the Chairmanship of the 34th ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) from July 2000 to July 2001 and the Chairmanship of the ASEAN this year. The country has spared no efforts in fulfilling its role as the ASEAN Chair 2020. With important initiatives and contributions made, such as expanding the EAS and establishing the ADMM+ mechanism, Vietnam has actively worked with other member states to maintain the central role of ASEAN in the emerging regional architecture.

One thing for certain is that the participation in ASEAN has brought about significant and practical benefits for Vietnam. Firstly, ASEAN is an important foundation for international integration and creates a favourable international environment for nation building and defence. Over the past 25 years, Vietnam has joined other ASEAN member nations in building a Southeast Asia of friendship, cooperation and without wars. In addition to promoting intra-bloc cooperation, Vietnam has set up strategic partnership and comprehensive partnership frameworks with neighbouring and regional countries, powers, and other important partners. Vietnams rising role in ASEAN has helped it win international support for the safeguard of its security and development interests, including the East Sea issue.

Secondly, joining ASEAN has helped Vietnam with its extensive and intensive international integration and pooling resources to serve development and raise general power. The country has actively engaged in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and new-generation FTAs such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which enables it to push ahead with reforms, expand markets, increase exports, and attract investment and ODA, through which it has boosted economic growth for many years.

Thirdly, integrating into ASEAN helped Vietnam gradually raise its multilateral diplomacy and position in the world. Its successful participation in the bloc has been enabling it to fulfil important multilateral diplomatic missions, such as the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2008-2009 and 2020-2021 tenures and the host of the APEC Summit in 2006 and 2017, as well as actively joining in building international rules and cooperation to cope with global challenges like climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fourthly, the participation in ASEAN over the past 25 years has helped improve the expertise of Vietnams diplomatic officials, especially those working in multilateral efforts, with them becoming more confident when reaching out to the globe.

As the ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnam, together with other member states, has defined the common theme for the year as Cohesive and Responsive so as to push ahead with progress in building the ASEAN Community and promoting the role of ASEAN in a changing world.

Over the past seven months, Vietnams efforts as the ASEAN Chair have demonstrated its cohesive and responsive spirit. Along with solidarity and cohesion among ASEAN member nations and the support and close coordination from ASEAN partners, the bloc has ensured the effective implementation of cooperation and connectivity targets for 2020, as well as overcome difficulties and challenges to curb the pandemic and soon address its consequences to boost economic recovery and development.

The way ASEAN is weathering the unexpected and unprecedented waves caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has attested an ASEAN cohesive, responsive, stubborn and indomitable to adversities. More than ever, Vietnam understands the importance of community thinking and community actions. As Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has stressed, separate efforts should be grouped together beyond the national scale into the common acts of the whole ASEAN Community.
Close to a million people in Beirut can no longer afford basic necessities and children are likely to starve to death this year, the charity Save The Children said Wednesday.

The group said 910,000 people, more than half of them children, in the Greater Beirut area no longer have sufficient amounts of food because of the economic crisis.

"We will start seeing children dying from hunger before the end of the year," said Jad Sakr, acting country director of Save the Children in Lebanon.

Lebanon's economy has collapsed in recent months, with the local currency losing 80 per cent of its value, businesses closing en masse and poverty soaring at the same alarming rate as unemployment.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

The economic crisis, the worst in Lebanon's history, is compounded by the loss of income caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This crisis hits everybody -- Lebanese families, Palestinian and Syrian refugees alike," Sakr said.

The charity recounted the case of a young Syrian mother living in southern Lebanon whose nine-year-old daughter offered to sell tissues on the highway so her siblings would not starve.

Save The Children urged the government of Lebanon, which has yet to strike a deal with the International Monetary Fund for emergency aid, to set up assistance mechanisms covering the basic needs of the most vulnerable.
We won because they never gave up. No matter how intimidating the odds, they never sat down. Truly, this victory is our ancestors just as much as it is ours.

In the aftermath, I have faced some very tough decisions. While I greatly value our nations solidarity with our sister sovereign tribal nations and I want to continue what has, so far, been a successful cross-jurisdictional partnership with the state of Oklahoma, I will not voluntarily surrender the sovereignty that my great-grandfather worked so hard to protect. On July 17, I announced that our nation would not sign Attorney General Mike Hunters Agreement in Principle that would in effect reverse the Supreme Courts decision.

We have heard rumors that legislation is inevitable and that our insistence on standing for full victory is a futile effort. As referenced in the Tulsa Worlds recent editorial (Lacking diversity), we are also aware that many powerful interests may be stacking the deck against our position. They claim that an established Muscogee reservation will result in economic instability or decreased public safety for Oklahoma.
Republicans and Democrats appeared far from striking a coronavirus relief deal Wednesday as millions of Americans wait to see whether Congress will renew financial lifelines during an ongoing economic and health crisis.

As negotiators cite little progress in talks and congressional leaders snipe at one another on Capitol Hill, the Trump administration again raised the prospect of a short-term plan to address only enhanced unemployment insurance and a federal eviction moratorium while the sides hash out a broader bill. Democrats have repeatedly rejected a temporary fix.

"We're nowhere close to a deal," White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Wednesday after a meeting with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., according to reporters at the Capitol.

Earlier, Mnuchin said President Donald Trump would support approving short-term legislation to allow more time for talks if the parties fail to strike an agreement before Friday. The enhanced $600 per week federal unemployment benefit technically expires that day.

"We're not accepting that," Pelosi told reporters after the meeting, saying she wants a "comprehensive" bill.

Comments from congressional leaders and White House officials portrayed a messy, politically charged process that appears unlikely to lead to a quick breakthrough to combat an economic and health-care calamity. As roughly 30 million people still receive some form of unemployment insurance, states have stopped paying out the extra jobless benefit. A federal eviction moratorium also expired last week.

As Covid-19 spreads throughout the country, the U.S. has now reported more than 4.3 million cases and more than 150,000 deaths related to the disease, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Senate Republicans released a roughly $1 trillion pandemic aid bill this week, a counter to the $3 trillion package House Democrats passed in May. But the proposal has not earned the support of many GOP lawmakers, let alone Democrats.

As his administration works with Pelosi and Schumer to craft a plan that could pass both the GOP-controlled Senate and Democratic-held House, Trump downplayed the importance of resolving issues other than the jobless benefit and eviction moratorium.

"We're going to work on the evictions, so that people don't get evicted. We'll work on the payments for the people. And the rest of it, we're so far apart, we don't care. We really don't care," the president told reporters before he left for Texas on Wednesday.

He claimed that "the Democrats aren't taking care of the people. The payments aren't enough."
One month before the first day of school, thousands of students in Kirkwood and St. Louis learned they will be staying home.

Kirkwood is the sixth school district in St. Louis County to move to an all-virtual start to the 2020-2021 year, following Affton, Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, Maplewood-Richmond Heights and Ritenour. Most other districts in the region released back-to-school plans on July 20, offering at least two days of in-person classes along with all-virtual options.

David Ulrich, who started one month ago as Kirkwood superintendent, said rising coronavirus rates led to his recommendation to offer classes online through at least the first nine-week quarter. The Kirkwood School Board voted 7-0 Tuesday to approve the plan.

We need 28 days of declining rates. We are within that window and that trend is not going in the right direction, Ulrich said during the videoconference meeting.

St. Louis County has reported the most COVID-19 cases and deaths of any county in the state. On Tuesday, cases reached 11,595 and deaths totaled 643.

Ulrich sent a letter to parents Monday saying the district had to pivot to all-virtual classes because of a rollback of preventive measures in the county. County Executive Sam Page said Monday that businesses would be limited to 25% and gatherings capped at 50 or fewer people.

For us to engage in any face-to-face learning, based on the 25% capacity restriction, it would be impossible to deliver a rigorous curriculum to our students, Ulrich wrote.

The capacity and crowd limits do not apply to schools nor day care centers, although Page has encouraged parents to choose an all-virtual option when available.

At the board meeting Tuesday, Ulrich said he was unaware that schools were exempt from the capacity limits, but that was not the only factor in his decision.

Under Kirkwoods plan, certain students may be able to attend school in person, including the children of health care workers and those with disabilities or financial hardships. Students in kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade may also have opportunities for small group meetings.

We believe that we can come up with a way that we will be able to engage very small groups of students and we are working on that right now, Ulrich said. Thankfully, we have many families that are blessed to be able to manage this, but we know there is a percentage of our families that this will be a hardship.

Students will be taught virtually by teachers at their assigned schools with hopes of reopening buildings for the start of the second quarter in October. Off-hours virtual instruction may be available to accommodate working parents schedules, Ulrich said.

At least four districts in the Metro East  Cahokia, East St. Louis, Granite City and Waterloo  have also announced an all-virtual start to the school year.

The fall semester starts Aug. 24 in most St. Louis area districts.

But St. Louis Public Schools will start Aug. 31 with mostly online classes if a plan by Superintendent Kelvin Adams is approved. There will be 20 schools open as instructional support centers for the 35% of students who requested an in-person option. Those students will receive virtual instruction with supervision and meals will be provided.

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Big Brother had a new voice this year, but there's a good chance it wasn't the first time viewers had heard it on television.

The mystery voice actor behind Channel Seven's reboot is tipped to be voice actor Chris Coucouvinis.

Chris is the head announcer for Sydney's FBi Radio and has also voiced countless advertisements over the years.

Meet Chris Coucouvinis, the man believed to be behind the voice of Big Brother Australia - and you definitely will have heard him before

He has previously done voice-over work for the likes of ANZ, Tourism Australia, Canon, Aldi and Lindt.

Chris 'lives and breathes music and sound', his online bio states, and he endeavours to 'deliver ambitious audio that cuts through with clarity' for his clients.

He particularly enjoyed being the voice of Big Brother because it allowed him to improvise and have fun with the contestants.

Talented: With more than 15 years of industry experience, Chris has developed a booming baritone voice, and is adept at American and English accents

He often joked around with the housemates, and at one point during filming learned 'street talk' with Chad Hurst.

With more than 15 years of industry experience, Chris has developed a booming baritone voice, and is adept at American and English accents.

However, when contacted by Daily Mail Australia, the voice actor denied he was part of the popular television show.

'He's very mischievous!' Last month, host Sonia Kruger (pictured) admitted that the narrator behind Big Brother was actually 'quite cute' in real life

Last month, host Sonia Kruger admitted that the narrator behind Big Brother was actually 'quite cute' in real life.

'He is a bit of an international man of mystery, to be honest. He is very mischievous, and it's hard to talk about him as a real person,' she told The Sunday Telegraph.

Sonia didn't reveal the identity of the man behind Big Brother's voice at the time.

She added: 'He is quite cute I can tell you that much.'
LOS ANGELES, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. ("Gol" or the "Company") (NYSE: GOL) investors that the firm has initiated an investigation into possible securities fraud, and may file a class action on behalf of investors. The investigation focuses on news concerning the firing of the Companys auditors.



Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy , by phone 310-692-8883 or email : lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case via www.portnoylaw.com . The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors options for pursuing claims to recover their losses.

On July 23, 2020, Gol announced it had fired its auditor, KPMG Auditores Independentes, which had issued an audit dated June 29, 2020 that concluded "the Company has a negative net working capital and has a net capital deficiency that raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern." On this news the Companys shares fell sharply in value.

Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information.

The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firms founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

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310-692-8883

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Father Faces 20 Years Imprisonment For Testing Daughters Virginity

A 37-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Emmanuel Idoko has been jailed for 20 years by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court for testing his daughters virginity with his finger.

Justice Sybil Nwaka, while delivering judgment on the charge of sexual assault by penetration against Idoko, said the prosecution provided ingredients necessary to prove its case.

The judge said;

The defendant is found guilty of the charge of sexual assault by penetration contrary to Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. He is hereby sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

The prosecution led by Mr. Babajide Boye, had told the court that Idoko committed the offense between July and November 2017 at his residence in Oworoshoki, Lagos state.

Note stated;

He sexually assaulted his 12-year-old daughter (name withheld) by penetrating her vagina using his finger.

During the trial, four witnesses testified for the prosecution while Idoko testified solely in his defense.

Testifying for the prosecution on March 5, 2019, Dr. Oyedeji Alagbe, a medical doctor and a consultant with the Mirabel Centre (a sexual assault referral centre), narrated what the complainant revealed to him when he examined her.

Alagbe said;

The client declared in her history that her father, though not married to her mother, had her and her male sibling living with him. The victims ordeal started in 2016, a year before she was referred to the Mirabel Centre. The victim said her father came home and said that he heard from people that she was no longer a virgin and he needed to test her to see if it was true. He forced her to undress and said he will use his finger to test her, the client was reluctant.

He scolded her and eventually did it with his fingers. He also said that he would use his penis to examine her and she refused, he beat her and he subsequently started torturing her in the home because she kept turning down his requests.

Idoko, who testified on Nov. 21, 2019, denied seeing his daughter nakedness and inserting his fingers into her private part to test her virginity.

He stated;

My daughter is following bad friends, my neighbours said all sorts of things about her. I initially did not believe it until I saw it myself. On Nov. 21, 2017, I saw my daughter with some boys while her brother was in the house watching television.



When I called her name, the boys ran away and I asked her to tell me who her boyfriend was. When I tried to beat her, she tried to fight me like those friends of hers who beat up their parents. That was the reason I beat her that day.

When he was confronted with his police statement in which he admitted seeing his daughters nakedness, Idoko told the court that her clothes fell off when she was struggling with him in his attempt to discipline her.

Idoko added;

I did not tear her clothes. I do not understand my statement, I was close to fainting when the statement was written.
Many small businesses would have gone under without financial aid during widespread closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Carolimas Lowcountry Cuisine owner Sameka Jenkins said at an Axios virtual event Tuesday.

Zoom in: Jenkins said her South Carolina-based company received an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the Small Business Administration to ease the financial effects of the crisis.

The loan allowed the business to serve clients online, provide them with new products, and market the business, Jenkins said.

"We wouldn't have been able to do that without the EIDL," Jenkins said.

But, but, but: Jenkins warned small business owners to be smart in how they use the funding.
SpiceJet's auditors are of the view that there is a significant doubt on the airline's ability to continue as a going concern after the budget carrier reported its highest ever quarterly loss during the March quarter. The loss was attributed to low demand due to COVID-19 led suspension of flight operations and grounding of Boeing 737 MAX planes.

In a report submitted to the SpiceJet board on Wednesday, S.R. Batliboi and Associates Llp said the company has incurred losses during current and previous years and its current liabilities exceeded total assets.

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet has closed full financial year 2019-20 with a net loss of Rs 935 crore as compared to the net loss of Rs 316 crore in the previous fiscal. For the January-March quarter of FY20, the carrier reported a net loss of Rs 807.1 crore as against net profit of Rs 56.28 corre in Q4 FY19.

It is notable that the airline has reported this massive loss in a quarter, which was partially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The April-June quarter earning numbers will provide a clear picture of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemics on the finances of SpiceJet.

Also Read: SpiceJet FY20 results: Airline reports net loss of Rs 935 crore due to COVID-19, grounding of Boeing 737 MAX

"These conditions...indicate the existence of a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern as its current liabilities exceeded its current assets on its balance sheet date," the auditors said.

SpiceJet, which has 13 of its B737 MAX aircraft grounded since last March, has assumed that Boeing will pay a compensation of Rs 671.8 crore for the expenses it incurred during the year under review on "aircraft and supplemental lease rentals and certain other identified expenses relating to the Max aircraft".

The auditors raised concerns over recognition of Rs 671.8 crore as other income for the year ended March 31, 2020 (including Rs 134.53 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2020) and the related foreign exchange gain on restatement of these balances for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2020, amounting to Rs 36.70 crore and Rs 42.73 crore, respectively.

Also Read: After US, SpiceJet gets nod to operate flights between India, UK

If the SpiceJet had not recognised such other income (including its related foreign exchange restatement), the reported loss for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2020, would have been Rs 978.31 crore and Rs 1,649.23 crore, respectively, and accumulated losses as on March 31, 2020, would have been higher by Rs 714.53 crore, the auditors said.

"In our view, there is no virtual certainty to recognise such other income and related receivable,...provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets," it said.

SpiceJet, on the other hand, said that it has recognised these incomes on the basis of the ongoing negotiations and the interim offer received from Boeing, its own assessment and legal advice.

Despite the worldwide grounding of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft due to technical reasons, the company continues to incur various costs with respect to these aircraft. As a result of this, and the uncertainty in timing of return to operations of these aircraft, SpiceJet has initiated the process of claims on the aircraft manufacturer towards costs and losses, which are currently under discussion.

Also Read: IndiGo Q1 results: Airline posts Rs 2,844 crore loss as coronavirus hits operations

Apart from this, the budget carrier has said that it has deferred some payment to various parties, including vendors and expressed inability to determine all such costs and penalties.

Commenting on earnings, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said: "Two key factors that adversely impacted our performance and the bottom line was the COVID-19 pandemic that started affecting demand adversely from mid-February and grounding of the 737 MAX, which has been out of service for over a year now."

"Despite the year-long grounding of the MAX aircraft, SpiceJet ran a profitable operation till COVID hit to demand from mid-February. Indian and the global aviation industry are going through the toughest-ever phase in aviation history. We at SpiceJet have constantly adapted to the changing economic environment and I am happy that our cargo operations have performed very well. I am confident that things will only improve in the times to come. We remain cautious but optimistic about the future."

Ahead of Q4 result, SpiceJet shares closed 1.15 per cent higher at Rs 48.50 apiece on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Wednesday.
A Massachusetts State Police trooper found 500 bags of heroin and a bag of pills after stopping a car in Holyoke, officials said Wednesday.

The trooper was on patrol on Worcester Place in Holyoke around 7:25 p.m. Tuesday when he saw an Acura make motor vehicle violations. The driver of the Acura was pulled over at the intersection of High Street, state police said in a statement.

When the trooper spoke with the driver, 31-year-old Santiago Soltren-Ramirez of Holyoke, the trooper saw several wax paper folds stamped with blue ink in the center console area of the Acura, according to the statement.

As the trooper took Soltren-Ramirez from the car, several more wax paper bags stamped with blue ink fell from his lap, state police said. The suspect was arrested.

During a search of the car, the trooper found 500 bags of a substance believed to be heroin, a bag of pills believed to be MDMA, commonly called Molly, and $613 in cash.

Soltren-Ramirez is facing drug charges, a plate violation and equipment violation. He is expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Holyoke District Court.
Belarusian authorities say they have detained 32 Russian members of the private military company Vagner who were allegedly plotting to destabilize the country ahead of a presidential election on August 9.

State news agency BelTA reported on July 29 that security forces detained 32 foreign members of the Vagner Group at a health resort near Minsk overnight, after receiving information that more than 200 Russian military contractors had arrived in Belarus on July 24 to "destabilize the situation in the country ahead of the election.



Another suspect was detained in the south of the country, according to BelTA, which also published a list of the 33 Russian citizens, aged between 24 and 55, who had been apprehended.

President Alyaksandr Lukashenka accused Russia of dirty intentions and instructed KGB security service chief Valer Vakulchyk to seek an explanation from Moscow.



We need to urgently ask the relevant structures of the Russian Federation to explain what's going on, he said at a security meeting.



The Russian Embassy in Minsk said it had received notification from Belarus's Foreign Ministry about the detention of its citizens.

The Vagner Group is a Russian paramilitary organization believed to be run by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an influential Russian businessman close to President Vladimir Putin. Its fighters have turned up in conflicts in Syria, Libya, Ukraine, and Africa.

In 2018, the U.S. State Department blacklisted the group along with more than 30 other Russian companies and individuals with ties to military and intelligence agencies.

BelTA reported that the detainees behavior was "uncharacteristic for Russian tourists" because they didn't drink alcohol and their "uniform military-style clothing" drew attention.

The state-run Belarus-1 television channel showed video footage it said was taken during the detainment of the suspects.

The footage showed several Russian passports that allegedly belonged to the detained men, as well as stacks of U.S. dollar bills, packets of condoms, and pieces of paper with Arabic script.

Other belongings captured on camera included Sudanese currency and a Sudanese phone card, suggesting the men may have been en route to or from the African country.

Unlike Russia, Belarus has kept its borders open during the coronavirus pandemic and operates flights as usual.



Moscow is Minsk's closest political and economic ally, but Lukashenka has repeatedly accused Russia of trying to force Belarus to abandon its independence.



The arrests push tensions between the neighbors to a new high, with some observers seeing the move as a stunt by the 65-year-old Belarusian leader, who is seeking a sixth term in the upcoming polls.

The Vagner group is known to operate in Sudan, as well as in neighboring Libya.

Lukashenka has faced mounting public opposition in recent months after 26 years in power, in part from public discontent over the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition, hundreds of people, including activists and bloggers, have been arrested as the government has cracked down hard on rallies and demonstrations supporting opposition candidates who were not registered by election officials.

Despite the crackdown, Lukashenka faces one of his biggest challenges yet from an energetic opposition that has rallied around 37-year-old Svetlana Tikhanouskaya.

Lukashenka had said that unnamed forces might use trained fighters from unspecified foreign private military companies -- which are illegal in Belarus -- to foment a revolution in Belarus that would be similar to how pro-European demonstrations in neighboring Ukraine toppled pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.

"They will be professional military fighters, bandits, who are specially trained, mainly at private military companies all around the world and make big money in these or those countries," Lukashenka has said.

With reporting by BelTA, Belarus-1, TASS, and AP
Forty-two Creighton University faculty members this week have asked the university president for the right to decide for themselves whether to teach online or in person this fall.

Creighton administrators responded Tuesday that faculty members should notify the campus human relations department, which would then work with the professors dean to determine the impact of the request. Many faculty members at Creighton and elsewhere are concerned about the risk of contracting the coronavirus by teaching in person.

The faculty letter raises questions about who will decide who may teach online and what criteria will be used.

At the University of Nebraska at Kearney, a spokesman said, professors are given the freedom to make that decision and we trust how they choose to deliver their curriculum. However, the spokesman added that professors need the approval of the department chairman and, in some cases, the dean of the college.
Hot, humid weather has arrived right on schedule. Torrid days last forever as we wait for fall to get here and dispatch the heat. The most pleasant thing to slake hot, dusty thirst is a libation served as cold as possible.

This eliminates red wine from consideration as chilling removes fruit flavors, leaving only bitter tannins on the palate. Wine experts advise that white wine should be served at 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but I am going to defy them and suggest some wines that taste good served refrigerator cold. Chardonnay is full bodied and often aged in oak for buttery complexity so its not a candidate for icy serving temperatures. Consider serving cold Vinho Verde from northeastern Portugal or Austrias Gruner Veltliner.

Literally translated, Vinho Verde means green wine, but this is an over-simplification. The area is located in northwest Portugals Minho River valley where cool and moist Atlantic breezes produce verdant flora and delicious vegetables. Indeed the entire area is lush and green. Indigenous white grapes such as Alavainho, Loureiro and Trajadura are harvested when significantly less ripe than your typical California chardonnay. This means the grapes have brisk acidity and moderate sugar content, resulting in wines around 10% in alcohol. Vinho Verde is usually fermented in large stainless steel tanks and never sees the inside of an oak barrel. Given the moist conditions, older grape growers trained their vines on pergolas to promote air flow among the grapes and ward off mold and mildew. Modern growers plant the vines in rows and judiciously prune excess foliage.

The wine is finished quickly and is bottled soon after fermentation has completed. In the old days, winemakers bottled the wine before it had completely finished fermenting, resulting in carbonation in the bottle. Today, vintners inject a small of amount of carbon dioxide when bottling. This controlled process yields a fresh wine with a light, scintillating fizz, but not so much that the bottle requires a wired stopper.

Vinho Verde was recognized as a notable wine producing area in 1908 by the Decree of October. The area was awarded Controlled Designation of Origin by the Office International de la Vigne et du Vin in Paris in 1949.

I have found a good selection in local wine shops, and the bottles are usually priced around $10. Look for the most recent vintage available because the younger, the fresher. The wine pairs magnificently with seafood such as salmon, scallops or shrimp.

If Vinho Verde sounds light, consider Austrias Gruner Veltliner. Unlike the wine above, Gruner Veltliner is a grape variety, and the name translated means green grapes from Veltlin, which is a small town in the Tirol area. The wines are usually made in a light, crisp style with bracing acidity and notes of white pepper and notes akin to green pea pods.

Gruner is late ripening and was susceptible to rot and fungus until winemaker Lenz Moser invented a high trellis system that helped ventilate the grapes and facilitated machine harvesting. This system produces large volumes of wine, but there are producers that employ traditional trellising and a scant few age wines in oak barrels. The readily available, non-oaked wines are great for hot weather refreshment, and many are packaged in a liter bottle, which is great for socially distanced get-togethers. Most are reasonably priced, around $15.

Gruner pairs well with summertime foods such as salads, cheeses, sausages and even artichokes, a difficult wine match. I have tasted a few of these wines below, all of which were sealed with screw caps.

Gordons Picks for Cooling Wines

Available locally

* Prices are approximate and subject to variation

Gatao Vinho Verde

Gondomar, Portugal

Gatao is Portuguese for cat, and a colorful one is depicted on the label. The color is light straw with just a tinge of green. Fresh and vibrant aromas of limes, lemons, peaches and bananas give way to a palate of crisp lemon-lime flavors spritzed up with a touch of fizziness. The finish is tangy, which would make it a great match with steelhead trout poached in butter and dill. 9% alcohol by volume, $10.

Aveleda Vinho Verde 2019

Pinafiel, Portugal

This winery was founded in 1870 and is still managed by the fifth generation of the Guedes family. The company owns several other brands and is the largest producer of Vinho Verde in Portugal. The estate is lush and beautiful and features a cellar where a brandy made from leftover grape pressings is aged. The wine displays a light pea-green color and aromas of lemon peel and mandarin orange. The palate has flavors of lemon meringue but is crisp and dry. Serve with lobster tails. 9.5% ABV, $10.

Faisao Vinho Verde 2019

Rio Maior, Portugal

The wine is inspired by the colorful Faisao, or pheasant, which was brought to the area by Asian merchants in the Middle Ages. The fowl is depicted on the label. The wines color is so light straw that its almost clear. Fresh aromas of kiwi fruit and white peaches lead to flavors of citrus punch and a touch of frizzante with bracing acidity on the finish. Serve this wine with a first course of oysters on the half shell. 10% ABV, $10.

Paul D. Gruner Veltliner 2019

Wagram, Austria

In 2006, 16-year-old Paul Direder via power of attorney leased and began managing his grandparents farm. Gruner has been grown at the foot of the Wagram Mountain since 1849. The wine is bright, clean and fresh with a light green tint. Notes of tropical fruit predominate with a touch of carbonation and bright notes of white pepper on the finish. Serve this crisp, clean wine with a ripe tomato, brie and basil salad. 12.5% ABV, $11/liter bottle.

Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner Ried Gmirk 2018

Osterreich, Wagram, Austria

The grapes for this wine are sourced from a single vineyard, Ried Gmirk, that features soil of deep humus on top of a loam loess mix, which is ideal for this grape. The Wagram hills are situated alongside the Danube. This wine displays a medium golden color and aromas of honeydew melon and snow peas. Richer than the above wines with notes of peach nectar and cantaloupe and balancing acidity. No spritz on this one. Serve with chicken liver mousse. 12.5% ABV, $15.
The first consignment of the much-awaited Rafale aircrafts took off from an airbase in France to land in Ambala on Monday; to land at the final destination from UAE at 1 pm, reported IAF sources.

The first batch of five Rafale aircraft, would be arriving in Ambala today to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet.

Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria would be visiting Ambala today to receive the first batch of five Rafale combat aircraft arriving from France.

The Indian Rafales are expected to take off from Al Dhafra in UAE at around 11 am IST and reach Ambala by 2 pm, sources said.

The backup base for the arrival of the aircraft in case there is a weather issue in and around Ambala would be the Jodhpur airbase.

Also read: West Bengal extends partial lockdown till August 31

Also read: India China standoff: Beijing says disengagement at most locations complete

In view of Rafale fighter jets landing in the city, Section 144 has been imposed in four villages close to Ambala airbase.

Munish Sehgal, DSP Traffic, Ambala, said the administration is on a high alert and the gathering of people on roofs and photography during landing has been strictly prohibited.

The administration has prohibited pictures of Air Force Station from places such as Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjokhara.

Ram Kumar, DSP Ambala, said that the Ambala Cantt area has been made a no-drone area as it is a sensitive zone. Action will be taken against those violating no-photography orders.

The Ambala Cantt area is a no-drone area as it is a sensitive zone. Also, no photography is allowed in the area. If anyone violates these orders, action will be taken against them, Kumar said.

The police officers also made announcements and informed the local residents to not gather on roofs and engage in photography between 10 am and 05 pm on Wednesday.

The Indian Air Force is further boosting the capabilities of the combat aircraft by equipping it with the HAMMER missiles from France.

The order for the HAMMER standoff missiles with the capability to take out any types of targets at the range of around 60-70 kms is being processed under the emergency powers for acquisition given to the armed forces by the Narendra Modi government.

HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a medium-range air-to-ground weapon designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy initially.

Armed with the long-range Meteor air to air missiles and SCALP, the Rafales would give India an edge over both Pakistan and China in terms of air strike capability.

Once the aircrafts land in Ambala, the pilots led by Group Captain Harkirat Singh would meet the Air Chief and brief him about their flying and training in France.

The formal induction ceremony of the aircraft would be held later. The Rafale aircraft would move out soon to another operational base for operational sorties.

The pilots include Group Captain Harkirat Singh who is the Commanding Officer of the 17 squadron along with Wing Commander MK Singh and R Kataria.

In a long-awaited development, five Rafale fighter aircraft took off on Monday for India from an airbase in France.

The fighter jets were flagged off by the Indian Ambassador to France from an airbase in Merignac, France where he interacted with the India crew flying it to India. The five aircraft flying to India include seven Indian pilots with the commanding officer of the 17 Golden Arrows squadron.

All the pilots have been trained on the aircraft by the French Dassault Aviation company as per the agreement signed for the biggest-ever defence deal signed by India in 2016 for acquiring 36 Rafale jets for over Rs 60,000 crore.

Also read: SC asks Centre to verify J&Ks response on restoration of 4G services

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Egypt's Health Ministry announced that it has started to prepare for the manufacturing of a COVID-19 vaccine in cooperation with the Chinese government once the vaccine is proved effective in trials, local media Egypt Independent reported Saturday.

Egypt aims to become the African continent's center of coronavirus vaccine manufacturing. The Ministry of Health and Population said it has discussed with China about that, after a meeting between health minister Hala Zayed and the Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Li Chang last Monday.

The meeting discussed Egypt's participation in conducting experiments as one of the international centers involved in producing coronavirus vaccines in cooperation with China.

On Saturday, Zayed chaired a meeting at the headquarters of the Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA), an Egypt vaccine manufacturer, to inspect the readiness of the company's factories and production lines to begin producing the vaccine.

Health Ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed said that the minister also checked the efficiency of the company's infrastructure and factory equipment to determine what is needed and identify any obstacles to be resolved.

Health officials also discussed the number of doses needed to be produced and the production capacity once approved in order to fulfill the demand in Egypt and export to other African countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has instructed that at least one or two countries per continent can manufacture COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the WHO, 17 potential vaccines are now in clinical trials worldwide, and 132 are in the pre-clinical trial stage. Those currently in clinical trials are being developed by Oxford University, Imperial College London, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Maybe the fabulously wealthy and powerful can look after themselves, and the rest of us shouldnt mind too much if their successes are ignored and their failings exaggerated.

Rupert Murdoch is, after all, the most influential media mogul who has ever lived, as well as the richest. Why should we care if he is the victim of a hatchet job? Havent his own newspapers sometimes traduced the innocent?

If his persecutor were a leading journalist, I wouldnt care. But when the BBC our state broadcaster whose power enormously exceeds that of Murdochs newspapers  is guilty of breathtaking bias, and a striking lack of fair-mindedness, its impossible to remain silent.

Parts of BBC2s three-episode The Rise Of The Murdoch Dynasty, which concluded on Tuesday, were unexceptionable. Some of it was gripping.

A story of money and politicians sucking up to the billionaire proprietor, of family fallings-out and sibling rivalry, is bound to fascinate.

Why should we care if Rupert Murdoch is the victim of a hatchet job? If his persecutor were a leading journalist, I wouldnt care. But when the BBC our state broadcaster  is guilty of breathtaking bias, and a striking lack of fair-mindedness, its impossible to remain silent

But the case against the mogul was put one-sidedly by inveterate Murdoch-haters whose own discreditable pasts were overlooked. Meanwhile, the mans achievements were barely mentioned. The BBC treated him like a low-grade Mafia don.

Here I should emphasise one ineradicable black mark against Murdoch: phone-hacking. His red-top tabloid, the now defunct News of the World, conducted extensive eavesdropping of the private telephone conversations of celebrities, and of people in the news.

This was obviously distressing to many of those involved. It led to the whole Press being investigated by the Leveson Inquiry, and to the still extant threat of coercive measures against newspapers.

If Murdoch were in all other respects as virtuous as the Archangel Gabriel, which he obviously isnt, this stain couldnt be removed.

However, the case against the tycoon was made at such length and so tendentiously that it was hard for this viewer to keep calm  particularly so when Murdochs hysterical accusers were wheeled out.

Parts of BBC2s three-episode The Rise Of The Murdoch Dynasty, which concluded on Tuesday, were unexceptionable. Some of it was gripping (pictured with sons Lachlan and James)

One of them was former motor-racing boss Max Mosley, who readers may remember as the instigator of an S&M orgy involving dominatrices in his flat in 2008.

Although violence was inflicted, Mosley later described the goings-on as perfectly harmless. He sued the News of the World for having described the orgy as Nazi, and won 60,000.

Others may recall the more recent discovery by this newspaper of a 1961 pamphlet in his name which stated that coloured immigrants spread disease.

The young Max Mosley, who made no secret of his Far Right sympathies, continued for some years to support South Africas extreme apartheid regime.

Yet none of his sleazy and shady past was mentioned by the BBC. He was presented as a decent and upright elderly man. I could scarcely contain myself when the old rogue described his (continuing) opposition to Murdoch as a sort of battle between good and evil.

Also part of what was described without irony as the Rebel Alliance and the resistance was erstwhile Labour deputy leader Tom Watson.

But the case against the mogul was put one-sidedly by inveterate Murdoch-haters whose own discreditable pasts were overlooked. The BBC treated him like a low-grade Mafia don (pictured with Rebekah Brooks)

Viewers were not told that he had accepted 540,000 in donations from Mosley, with whom he shares a hatred of the tabloid Press and a burning desire to regulate it.

Nor were we reminded of Watsons championing of Carl Beech, who made fantastical allegations about a VIP paedophile network that included war hero Lord Bramall, former Home Secretary Leon Brittan, and former Prime Minister Edward Heath.

The BBC also omitted to tell its audience that the third member of the gang, actor Hugh Grant, is a fanatical and long-standing supporter of the anti-Press lobby group Hacked Off.

It somehow slipped Aunties mind that Grant is a cheerleader for Impress, a State-approved regulator ignored by mainstream newspapers, funded indirectly by Max Mosleys family charity.

Some biographical information about Nick Davies, the fourth member, would also have been helpful. To his credit, Davies spearheaded The Guardians exposure of phone hacking.

The case against the tycoon was made at such length and so tendentiously that it was hard for this viewer to keep calm  particularly so when Murdochs hysterical accusers were wheeled out. Left: Hugh Grant, right: Max Mosley

What wasnt mentioned is that he was driven by an obsessive hatred for Murdoch, whom he had earlier described as a brutal and unscrupulous bully.

With a characteristic lack of generosity towards journalistic colleagues, in 2009 he declared The Sun a source of repulsively dishonest journalism.

Finally  in this list of facts withheld by the BBC  was a crucial flaw in Daviess 2011 story about the hacking of the mobile phone of missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler, who it later transpired had been murdered.

This bombshell article led directly to the Leveson Inquiry, and Murdochs panic-stricken decision to shut down the News of the World.

This was the strapline in The Guardians front page splash about the News of the World: Exclusive. Paper deleted missing schoolgirls voicemail, giving the family false hope. But it turned out not to be true.

Five months later, The Guardian conceded that the News of the World is unlikely to have been responsible for the deletion of a set of voicemails from the phone that caused Milly Dowlers parents to have false hope that she was still alive. Davies has never properly apologised for his error.

All these omissions are highly significant. I suggest that the programme makers made a decision to withhold important background information about its star witnesses for fear of undermining the case it intended to build against Rupert Murdoch.

A story of money and politicians sucking up to the billionaire proprietor, of family fallings-out and sibling rivalry, is bound to fascinate.

There are other examples of the documentary rigging information. It alleged that, acting on Murdochs orders, The Sun and News of the World ran a series of Tory sex scandal stories in the months before the 1997 election in order to help Tony Blair and Labour win.

A series of lurid headlines were displayed. One featured a Conservative MP, Alan Amos, arrested by police over an alleged sexual indecency offence. In fact, this story was published by The Sun some five years earlier, on March 9, 1992, a month before the 1992 election, when the paper strongly backed the Tories.

There are other instances of the programme manipulating dates. The irony is that the BBC accuses Murdochs titles of shoddy journalism, and yet is itself guilty of the very same fault.

Needless to say, Murdochs achievements are ignored. In 1986, by removing his printing operations to Wapping overnight, he broke the power of the trade unions, whose restrictive practices were throttling newspapers.

Other titles followed his lead, and saved themselves financially. This is what Nick Davies later wrote: He threw 6,000 men out of work when he broke away from the printing unions in London. Thats all!

Nor was Murdochs triumph in building up the satellite broadcaster BSkyB (nearly bankrupting himself in the early days) cited by the programme. Sky, as it became, brought increased choice for TV viewers, and a great deal of money to the Premier League and other sports.

Believe me, Im very far from being a Murdoch acolyte. In 1993, he initiated a price war to damage the Independent, in whose founding I had played a part, by slashing the cover price of the loss-making Times  a cross-subsidy that would have been illegal in some countries. I shant forgive him for that.

But I can recognise that he has been a media titan, who has done great things as well as bad ones. Alas, the BBC is incapable of a balanced view. It showed none of the fair-mindedness we are entitled to expect from our national broadcaster. This was a stitch-up, borrowed from the Lefts mean-spirited playbook.
In what marks another dangerous step towards a US clash with China, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week made a keynote speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum titled Communist China and the Free Worlds Future.

By couching American foreign policy as a choice between a future dominated by Communist China or the Free World, Pompeo set the stage for greatly intensified US confrontation with China on all frontsdiplomatic, economic and military. One, moreover, implicitly aimed at regime-change in Beijing.

If we want to have a free 21st century, Pompeo declared, the old paradigm of blind engagement with China has to be replaced by a strategy to ensure the free world must triumph over this new tyranny.

The speech effectively overturns nearly half a century of US engagement with China, which, Pompeo notwithstanding, was never blindthat is, unlimited or uncritical.

It began with Nixons rapprochement and trip to Beijing in 1972. Its strategic purpose was to form a bloc against the Soviet Union, and not, as Pompeo claimed, to transform China into a so-called democracy.

Pompeos resort to Cold War demagogy is simply an absurdity. No one who is politically literate believes that China is communist. The US-China detente established by Nixon and Mao opened the door for an accelerating process of capitalist restoration that transformed China into the worlds largest cheap-labour platform for American and global corporations.

Moreover, to speak of the free world when the Trump administration is rapidly dispensing with democratic rights and using police state measures against protesters is a grotesque lie. Nor is the situation different elsewhere among Washingtons free world allies, where far-right and openly fascist parties are promoted and governments increasingly resort to autocratic forms of rule.

Pompeo is speaking not just for the Trump administration, but for the dominant sections of the American ruling class, which, confronted with a profound economic, social and political crisis at home, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are seeking to project rising social tensions outwards against an external enemy.

An editorial on Monday in the New York Times, a mouthpiece for the Democrats, fully supports the Trump administrations aggressive policy towards China, arguing only that it has to be more effective and coherent. Titled Chinas Claims to the South China Sea Are Unlawful. Now What?, it denounces Chinese aggression and bullying in one of the worlds most critical waterways and backs Pompeos recent statement declaring Chinese territorial claims in the disputed waters to be illegal.

Hypocrisy abounds. The editorial praises Pompeos declaration for bringing the US into line with international law, but Washington has not ratified the very international lawthe UN Convention on the Law of the Seait claims Beijing is in breach of. It was President Obama, whom the editorial hails, who transformed the South China Sea into a dangerous global flashpoint by inciting Chinas neighbors to press their own South China Sea claims, and provocatively deploying American warships in Chinese-claimed territorial waters.

As for bullying and aggression, US imperialism has engaged in one criminal war after another in the Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa over the past quarter-century, creating humanitarian disasters for the peoples of these regions. Obamas Pivot to Asia, continued and expanded by Trump, involved a huge military buildup throughout Asia targeting China, which responded by consolidating its control of islets in the South China Sea adjacent to key Chinese naval bases.

The New York Times editorial tacitly endorses the Trump administrations aggressive policies towards China, including its cynical invocation of human rights over Hong Kong and the Uyghur population in Chinas Xinjiang province and unsubstantiated allegations of Chinese spying and intellectual property theft.

Significantly, like Pompeo, the editorial draws a distinction between the Cold War with the Soviet Union and Washingtons increasingly dangerous confrontation with China. It states: China is a major trading partner with the United States and much of the rest of the world. It does not command an empire, and its economy is not likely to crumble under the weight of Western challenges the way Moscows command economy did.

As a result, Pompeo concluded in his speech that there could be no return to a Cold War policy of containment or peaceful coexistence, as the Soviet Stalinist bureaucracy termed the standoff. The rejection of containment is an ominous warning sign. In the debate in American ruling circles in the 1950s, the alternative to containment was the policy of rollbackthat is, to use the economic and military might of US imperialism to aggressively undermine and ultimately destroy the Soviet Union.

While the New York Times does not explicitly draw the same conclusion as Pompeo, the implication is obvious: if China is not going to crumble like the Soviet Union, then more aggressive and forceful methods will have to be used. Like Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, the Times criticizes Trump for failing to formulate a comprehensive strategy to bring down the Chinese regime.

While the debate over China is a key issue in the US presidential election, the underlying bipartisan agreement points to the more fundamental interests at stake for US imperialism. Amid its accelerating historic decline, the United States regards China as the chief threat to its efforts to retain global dominance, which it is determined to retain by any and all methods, including military.

Pompeos speech as well as announcing a definitive shift in US policy towards China brought together all the lies and unsubstantiated accusations that the Trump administration is using to poison public opinion and create a war atmosphere. This includes the attempt to shift the blame onto Beijing for the catastrophic loss of life caused by Washingtons criminally negligent response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All of Pompeo and Trumps lies and charges are linked to Washingtons strategic designs: the promotion of human rights in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang is aimed at fostering separatist movements to divide China, and the calls for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea are meant to ensure the freedom of US aircraft carriers to prowl the Chinese coastline.

The US is preparing for a calamitous war with nuclear-armed China that has the potential to rapidly engulf the world. Workers and youth cannot stand by as the world slides towards catastrophe. The only social force capable of halting this war drive is the working class, which must be mobilized through the building of a unified, international anti-war movement based on socialist principles to overturn the capitalist system that is the source of war. That is the perspective for which the International Committee of the Fourth International fights.
Los Angeles, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright today announced that employment and labor lawyer Ryan McCoy has rejoined its Los Angeles office as a partner. Part of Norton Rose Fulbrights dispute resolution and litigation practice from 2005-13, McCoy split the last seven years between Alston & Bird and Baute Crochetiere Hartley & Velkei.

McCoy focuses on wage and hour class actions, discrimination suits, wrongful termination and retaliation, commercial litigation, and complex insurance coverage. He represents clients from an array of industries, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, transport, warehousing, retail and insurance.

Additionally, McCoy has an active arbitration practice, defending before the American Arbitration Association in wage and hour violations, sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, disability discrimination as well as meal and rest period disputes.

McCoy is the sixth lateral partner to join Norton Rose Fulbright in California in the last 10 months. Another employment litigator, Josh Henderson, joined the firms Los Angeles and San Francisco offices in March.

Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbrights US Managing Partner, said:

Starting his legal career at Norton Rose Fulbright, Ryan is deeply familiar with collaborative culture and client service focus. Ryan is an excellent lawyer and with his arrival, we continue to strengthen our capabilities to serve clients in California, the US and around the world.

Shauna Clark, Norton Rose Fulbrights US Head of Employment and Labor, commented:

Ryan impressed us as a young lawyer, and we are thrilled to have him return in his prime. The client demand for employment and labor law seems to be at an all-time high during this unusual time for businesses.

McCoy, who provided pro bono support to homeless citizens issued quality of life citations in Los Angeles skid row area, said:

I am delighted to return to Norton Rose Fulbright and collaborate once again with these talented lawyers. The firms unmatched global reach and wide range of offerings will benefit my clients significantly.

Licensed to practice in California, McCoy earned his JD at Loyola Law School and his BS in microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Notes for editors:

Norton Rose Fulbright

Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm providing the worlds preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. The firm has more than 4,000 lawyers and other legal staff based in Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East.

Recognized for its industry focus, Norton Rose Fulbright is strong across all the key industry sectors: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare. Through its global risk advisory group, the firm leverages its industry experience with its knowledge of legal, regulatory, compliance and governance issues to provide clients with practical solutions to the legal and regulatory risks facing their businesses.

Norton Rose Fulbright operates in accordance with its global business principles of quality, unity and integrity, aiming to provide the highest possible standard of legal service in each of its offices and to maintain that level of quality at every point of contact.

Norton Rose Fulbright Verein, a Swiss verein, helps coordinate the activities of Norton Rose Fulbright members but does not itself provide legal services to clients. Norton Rose Fulbright has offices in more than 50 cities worldwide, including London, Houston, New York, Toronto, Mexico City, Hong Kong, Sydney and Johannesburg. For more information, see nortonrosefulbright.com/legal-notices.

Law around the world

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Indian-American orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr Manish 'Manny' Kumar Sethi has said that he is running for the US Senate to "make a different kind of difference", aiming to bring back jobs from China, fix the "broken immigration system" and enhance ties with India.

The senatorial campaign of Sethi, 42, received a big boost this weekend, when top Republican senator Ted Cruz not only endorsed him, but also campaigned with him across Tennessee ahead of the primary.

"I think India has been an incredible trading partner, an incredible ally. Indo-American alliance has always been strong and I think it should always continue to be," Sethi told PTI.

Pitted against Republican Bill Hagerty, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, Sethi is in a statistical tie in the August 6 Senate primary in Tennessee.

On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence joined Trump in endorsing Hagerty, saying he will fight for conservative values, stand up for life, protect the Second Amendment and create jobs.

But Sethi's poll numbers have been towards an upswing in recent weeks. "I believe, we are on the verge of winning," he said, referring to the latest opinion polls. Before Cruz, he was endorsed by senator Rand Paul and former senator Jim Demint.

"I've lived the American dream and in Tennessee," Sethi said, adding that he is running for the US Senate "to make a different kind of difference."

He said that his parents grew up in India and came to the US in 1970s looking for a better life. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and moved to rural Tennessee along with his parents when he was four. "They were both country doctors," he said.

The United States Senate offers a very unique opportunity to implement and make policy change and shape the direction of policy in the country, he said.

"I think Obamacare is awful. I think we need a new healthcare system that's free market based. We need to really shift our strategy and bring our jobs back home from China," he said as he listed out his priorities.

"We need to fix our broken immigration system," Dr Sethi said, adding that people from India come to the US legally, but there are others who abuse the system which needs to be changed.

Given that Tennessee is a Republican bastion, a win in the primary on August 6 would make his entry to the Senate a mere formality. In such a case, he would script history by becoming the first Indian-American to enter the United State Senate. Democratic Kamala Harris, who represents California, is the first Indian-origin senator. Her mother was Indian and father an African-American from Jamaica.

In recent weeks, a large number of Indian-Americans from across the country have been coming out in his support as they see in him a community member in the Senate.

The biggest challenge, he said, is the negative campaign being run by his opponent Hagerty, who was US Ambassador to Japan in the first two years of the Trump administration.

He is spending USD 3 million in negative advertisements, attacking him and his family, Sethi said. "In Tennessee that really never works. He is desperate now. So that's the biggest challenge. Taking the high road and not going down that path and just staying up on competing with that negativity in a positive way," he said in response to a question.

Based on his experience of crisscrossing Tennessee, Sethi said that the people of his state are ready for a change and do not want a Washington insider.

"They really want someone who comes from outside of the government," he said. Though Trump has not endorsed him, Sethi's policy perspective on major issues including China are similar to that of the president.

"The most substantial geopolitical threat to our country in the next decade is the Chinese. We have to take them head on," he said in response to a question.

Whether that's intellectual property or what it has done with the coronavirus the US has to make itself more independent and separate itself from the communist Chinese government, he said.

"I think that in our foreign policy, we really need to stop sending money to countries that hate us," he said. Responding to a question, Sethi said that people in Tennessee love Trump.

"I love the president. If he had 10 minutes with me, I believe he would reconsider his endorsement of my opponents. I don't think he knows that my opponent was one of Mitt Romney's best friends," Sethi added.
Over two lakh bricks inscribed with Sri Ram (Lord Ram) in different languages collected from across the country over 30 years will form the foundation of the temple.

Donations have started pouring in for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Saints, politicians, businessmen and others have contributed for the construction, which will begin after the foundation stone laying ceremony by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5.

Morari Bapu, a renowned exponent of the Ramcharitmanas, has announced a donation of Rs 5 crore from his Vyaspeeth to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust (SRJTKT) for the construction of the temple in Ayodhya, reported Hindustan Times.

According to the report, the famous spiritual guru announced the donation during an online spiritual talk on July 27. His ashram in Madhya Pradeshs Chitrakoot will send Rs 5 crore for the temple construction, said Bapu. He also appealed devotees to contribute voluntarily.

Politicians are also donating money for the construction of the temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi, the report suggested.

Uttar Pradeshs Deputy Chief Minister, Keshav Prasad Maurya visited Ayodhya along with his wife on July 28 and offered prayers to Lord Ram at His birthplace.

During his visit, the Deputy CM donated Rs 6.60 lakh to the Trust on behalf of late Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Ashok Singhal, his late guru Gurujan Singh and family members, said the report.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had, in his personal capacity, donated Rs 11 lakh to the Trust for the temple construction. The CM had made the donation on the occasion of shifting the Ram Lalla idol to a temporary new location on March 25.

The Mahavir Mandir Trust of Patna has donated the first instalment of Rs two crore, said the report. It has announced a donation of Rs 10 crore for the cause with five instalments of Rs two crore each to be paid every year as per the instructions of SRJTKT, it added.

Besides cash, devotees are also donating gold and silver for the cause. Hyderabad-based jeweller K Srinivas has donated gold brick weighing one kilogram and a five-kilogram silver brick to the Trust.

As per the report, the Trust has received around Rs 6 crore through online donations in the past four months.

Meanwhile, the VHP has planned to reach 10 crore families across the country and collect donations ranging from Re 1 to Rs 10 from each for the cause, added the report.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked its functionaries in poll-bound Bihar to redouble efforts to offer relief to Covid-19 and flood-hit people as the party has begun preparations for the assembly elections in the countrys third most populous state, people aware of the matter said.

The elections are crucial for the BJP, which is in alliance with the Janata Dal United (JDU) in Bihar, since it lost power in Maharashtra and Jharkhand last year. They are due later this year as the state needs to have a new assembly in place before November 26.

The elections in the flood-hit state would be the first since the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted lives and triggered an exodus of migrant workers to their home states including Bihar.

The BJP has also carried out a survey among the migrant workforce forced to return to the state after the lockdown imposed to check the pandemic left them jobless. The survey assessed the response to the aid offered by the state government. Between July 1 and 10, a survey was conducted across districts to find out the response of the workers and there were no complaints, said a person aware of the details.

The BJP lost the last assembly elections in the state when JDU formed the government with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress. JDU returned to BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)s fold in Bihar in 2017.

The BJP suffered electoral setbacks after retaining power at the Centre with a bigger majority in 2019. It was unable to form the government in Maharashtra despite emerging as the single largest party following disagreements with its oldest ally, Shiv Sena, over power-sharing. In Haryana too, it could form the government only after Jannayak Janata Partys support. The BJP was voted out of power in Jharkhand in December 2019.

At a recent meeting between state BJP and national leadership, the issue of reaching out to people with aid was underlined, said the people.

Leaders of both the BJP and JDU maintain their response to the pandemic has been adequate even as it has had a severe impact on the economy and jobs. They insist it will not have any adverse impact on the electoral outcome.

But the BJP is looking at ways to mitigate public anger. In recent weeks, there has been a spurt in the number of Covid-19 cases in the state. On Sunday, the states count stood at 234 deaths and 36,604 active cases. Floods have also hit tens of thousands of people.

There were some complaints of medical negligence in some hospitals, but the government has stepped up efforts. State unit president Sanjay Jaiswal, who was himself infected with the virus recently, took the lead and went for inspections to hospitals to ensure proper treatment for all, said the person quoted above.

A second functionary said BJP chief JP Nadda interacted with the state unit functionaries this week and instructed them to scale up relief measures and ensure people in the flood-affected area are not left without food, shelter, and medical care.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we were distributing food parcels and other essentials but with the flooding now in several areas of the state, we will scale up our efforts, said the functionary, requesting anonymity.

Jaiswal rejected allegations that the states medical infrastructure is crumbling. We have ensured that there are medical supplies such as oxygen concentrators and other equipment at all hospitals at the sub-division level. This has also helped ease the burden on AIIMS [All India Institute of Medical Sciences] and a few other hospitals. Medical colleges have also been equipped to handle the patient load and monitoring of the situation is being done on a real-time basis, he said.

Opposition RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has attacked the BJP and JDU for being preoccupied with poll preparations. He has said chief minister Nitish Kumar is wary of the Presidents Rule if elections are not held as per schedule.

BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain rejected the oppositions criticism as baseless and added the party or the government have no role in deciding the election schedule.

Milind Awad, a professor at New Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the Bihar poll will be focused on Prime Minister Narendra Modi rather than NDA or Nitish Kumar. It is important to understand that it is for the first time when most of the Bihari working class is home due to pandemic... [under] this situation, failure in handling workers crisis may have a negative impact on the NDA alliance. Also, it is important to understand the dominant agrarian castes sentiment about [RJD leader] Lalu Prasad Yadav; he is in jail. This fact may create insecurity and agony among OBC [other backward class] and most of the lower caste, which may... damage NDA.

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France's coronavirus crisis has sparked a fierce battle in its hallowed champagne industry over this season's harvest, with producers and growers at loggerheads over how much bubbly should be put into bottles. The main production houses are demanding a sharp reduction in harvest yields as sales plunge amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Growers say this would decimate their revenues. Traditionally, both sides negotiate how many grapes are harvested by the hundreds of champagne growers each year, many of whom sell to merchants including big-name brands like Veuve Clicquot or Pommery. The goal is to limit the risks from poor harvests and drastic price swings that could put many players out of business. But merchants say they are already loaded with stocks and with revenues hit hard by the crisis they cannot afford to produce more bottles than they can sell. "The growers want 8,500 kilogrammes per hectare [about 7,600 pounds per acre] and the houses want just 6,000 to 7,000 kilos," said Bernard Beaulieu, a grower in Mutigny, a village amid rolling vineyards south of Reims, the capital of France's Champagne region. With the price per kilo expected to remain relatively strong this year at roughly 6.50 euros, the stakes are high. "Not having a deal with harvests just a month away, this hasn't happened since after World War II," Beaulieu said. The Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC) trade body, however, expects to sell 100 million fewer bottles this year, an unheard-of hit that will slash overall sales to 3.3 billion euros ($3.9 billion) -- down 34 percent from 2019. And they say over one billion bottles are currently waiting in champagne cellars, representing several years of potential sales. The UMC's director general, David Chatillon, told AFP he would not comment on the dispute before an August 18 meeting of the Champagne Committee, which groups both growers and merchants. - 'Roll of the dice' - Growers are especially furious because this year's harvest, to begin on August 20, is set to be "exceptionally good, with vines able to yield up to 16,000 kilos per hectare", Beaulieu said. Maxime Toubart, head of the SGV grower's association, accused merchants of putting livelihoods at risk by trying to take advantage of a crisis to reduce storage costs. "Growers are demanding a yield level that covers 2020 shipments while ensuring survival for vineyards," Toubart said. The situation for growers is all the more alarming, he said, since the SGV has not obtained additional payroll tax exemptions from the government to weather the coronavirus slump. For Yves Couvreur of the FRVIC federation of independent growers, which groups some 400 vineyards that also produce their own champagne, "9,000 kilos per hectare is the limit, we can't go any lower than that". To cope with a crisis that could last "two or three years," he is pushing for a suspension of uniform harvest yields so that the different players could adapt as they see fit. "The break-even point isn't the same for people who sell their grapes, and those who make a living off of their brands," he said. Couvreur also wants more leverage against merchants by allowing growers to let their wines mature in cellars longer, up to 18 or even 24 months instead of 15 currently. "Any proposal that prevents a flooding of the market is good," he said. For now, if no deal is reached on yields, the decision will be left with France's National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO), which governs the country's wine appellations. "And if that happens, it's a roll of the dice for both sides," Beaulieu warned.
After successful implementation of Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) from April to June 2020, the Government of India extended this scheme for another 5 months from July to November 2020. About 81 crore beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Antyodaya Ann Yojana (AAY) are being provided 5 Kgs of Rice/wheat free of cost under this scheme. The total allocation for PMGKAY II from July to November 2020 is 200.19 lakh metric tonnes or LMT (91.33 LMT Wheat and 109.96 LMT rice).

There has been very enthusiastic response from the state governments as well as beneficiaries to this scheme. The scheme was rolled out on 08.07.20 and till 27.07.20, a quantity of 33.40 LMT food grains (13.42 LMT wheat and 19.98 LMT rice) has already been handed over to state governments across the country for further distribution to the beneficiaries, which is about 83% of the allocation for the month of July 2020. Including the additional allocation of 200.19 LMT for PMGKAY II, the total quantity of food grains that will be distributed by Government of India to the vulnerable sections of the society during the 5 months will be about 455 LMT. Every beneficiary under NFSA and AAY shall receive 5 Kg of wheat or rice totally free of cost in addition to their regular quota of food grain at subsidized prices.

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Getting married seems like an easy task if you are not the one to taking the vow. Couples who are getting married go through a tedious process of deciding the most complicated things to the smallest details of the ceremony.

For some marrying couples, wedding venues are no brainers; some choose cheap wedding venues so that paying for it will not be a hassle. However, some couples think of this as an important detail that should go through careful planning.

Wedding venues are not just places for a union. According to Sarah Schreiber of Martha Stewart Weddings, wedding venues are places that help set the tone of a wedding.

Hence, choosing wedding venues should not just be a simple Google search for "wedding venues near me" or "cheap wedding venues."

READ ALSO: Couple Marched Down Philadelphia Protest Rally to Celebrate Wedding





According to wedding planners, here are some important things that couples should consider when choosing a wedding venue:

Location

The location is a very important factor when choosing a wedding venue.

Marrying couples should consider the guests. Will there be accommodations near the target venue? Will it be accessible to guests who are going to travel far? Can it be easily found on the map?

Remember that the perfect wedding venue has the right answer to these questions.

Budget

Not all marrying couples have a limitless budget when it comes to weddings. That is why cheap wedding venues should be among the options.

According to easyweddings.com, prior research on the costs of wedding venues can prevent later frustration. Instead of looking at the place, falling in love with it, and not booking it in the end, determining the costs first will be easier.

READ ALSO: Married Couple for 76 Years Died From Coronavirus Two Weeks Apart





Parking

Aside from the location and choosing cheap wedding venues, parking is also something that couples should consider.

Guests will come in their cars. If they carpooled, then you will have no problem with parking.

The thing about considering the parking is that it is the starting point of welcoming guests. If they get pissed looking for a parking space, they could be annoyed with the parking situation, and carry on such mood until the end of the celebration.

Good wedding venues have great parking spaces. If there are not enough parking spaces near the area, there should be a shuttle service from the parking space to the venue.

READ ALSO: Online Marriage: Counties Offer Online Licenses and Ceremonies





Space

When choosing the wedding venue, marrying couples should also consider the number of guests they plan to house and the venue's space. You would not want to have a place fit for 300 guests if you only have 150, right?

Your gut

Following one's gut when choosing wedding venues may sound weird, but for wedding planners, this is the final say to the decision. Sometimes, marrying couples trust their gut in choosing the wedding venue that they deem perfect for them.

READ ALSO: Nurse Who Was Still Wearing Her Wedding Dress Helped in A Car Crash
Scranton, PA (18503)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Morning high of 28F with temps falling to near 15. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Bitterly cold. Mostly cloudy skies. Low 6F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
New Details Emerge in Case of 3-Year-Old Olivia Jansen

The father of 3-year-old Olivia Jansen was arrested last week on suspicion of first-degree murder and child abuse, while officials revealed that she suffered abuse before her death, according to an affidavit.

Online records from the Wyandotte County Jail revealed that Howard Jansen, 29, was arrested. Jansen and girlfriend Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick each face first-degree murder, aggravated endangering a child, and other charges, according to FOX4 in Kansas City.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the girls body was covered with bruises and she died of a brain bleed, as reported by The Associated Press.

The girls grandparents told AP that they had raised concerns about the childs safety with the states child protective services agency.

But the agency told the outlet that state records are not open to the public because it hasnt completed its investigation.

Court papers said that Jansen told police in Kansas City, Kansas, that Olivia had disappeared earlier this month. He said she was sleeping on a couch at 6 p.m. the night before. Investigators said the last time hed seen the girl was 11 p.m. when he went to sleep. An AMBER Alert was issued for the child.

Investigators searched for several days before they discovered her body in a shallow grave covered by sticks and dirt. Authorities said she was found covered in bruises.

Olivias maternal grandmother, Vicky Saindon, told KCTV5 that family members suspected her father and girlfriend were at fault.

He quit talking to me in February and told me I would never see my granddaughter again, she said. Ive called the cops. Ive called DCF, paternal step-grandmother Elisabeth Jansen told the outlet.

Jansen told KSHB 41 that she last saw the child in March, saying the girl didnt want to go home and wanted her grandparents assurance that she could come back.

She was always so unhappy to go home. She would frown and say, You love me? Youre not mad at me? I come back? I come back? [sic] and I told her, I will hurt anybody who that keeps you away from me, she said.

She said that they contacted child services but no one removed the child from her fathers care.
The Michigan City administration team first presented its plan for 2020-21 school reentry in a July 6 board meeting. That plan included three color-coded phases of school operations; green, yellow and red.

In Tuesday night's meeting, McCollum shared rates of community spread following the guidance of Indiana Health Commissioner Kristina Box that will help determine each phase of operation.

The district's green or low/no spread phase will be determined by a positivity rate of less than 5%; yellow or minimal/moderate spread will be characterized by a flat, rising or decreasing rate of between 5% and 15%; and red or substantial spread will be determined by cases increasing in the community over a 14-day period at a rate of 15% or greater positivity.

Under the current rates in Indiana, the Region and LaPorte County today, McCollum said Michigan City would fall under the yellow or minimal/moderate spread phase.

A recent survey of 283 Michigan City teachers given after district administrators first shared their reopening plan showed approximately 58% of teachers were either "not comfortable" or "not very comfortable" with returning to in-person instruction.
Lahore, July 29 : Former Supreme Court Judge Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, in his capacity as an independent adjudicator, announced his order on Umar Akmal's appeal on Wednesday.

The Independent Adjudicator judge in his order dated 29 July 2020 held that: "The self-incriminatory admission by the appellant both in his interview and reply to the show cause notice regarding the non-disclosure of vital information of approaches made to him about match fixing on two occasions by two different persons leaves no room for doubt as to the veracity of the charges against him.

"The stance taken by the appellant is self-contradictory and not credit-worthy. The case against the appellant stands proved to the hilt. The learned Chairman [of the Disciplinary Panel] has quite justifiably found the appellant guilty of both the charges." However, whilst taking a compassionate view, the Independent Adjudicator reduced the length of Umar Akmal's ban to one year and six months. The period of ineligibility imposed on Umar Akmal shall run from, backdated to 20 February 2020 when he was suspended provisionally.

On April 27, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel, Justice (retd) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, had banned Umar Akmal for three years after finding him guilty of breaching Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two separate incidents.

Under Article 7.5.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, an appeal against the decision of the Independent Adjudicator shall lie exclusively before the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
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Over 30 social organizations under the banner of Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has condemned the arrest of Professor Hany Babu MT by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at Mumbai on Tuesday.

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Professor Hony Babu is the most recent to be arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon-Elgaar Parishad case despite reports of political activists being under increasing danger of getting infected with COVID-19. The CASR statement has informed that despite the surging cases of COVID-19 in both Delhi and Mumbai, Prof. Babu of the Department of English in Delhi University was summoned as a witness and forced by the NIA to travel to Mumbai after being denied the option of video conferencing. CASR, which includes activists network from AISA, AISF, Bhim Army, Bigul Mazdoor Dasta, Disha, DSU, DTF, IMK, Karnataka Janashakti, Lokpaksh, LSI, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, Mehnatkash Mahila Sangathan, Morcha Patrika, NAPM, Nowruz, NTUI, Peoples Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Satyashodak Sangh, SFI, United Against Hate and several others, strongly opposed the charges against the Professor by drawing attention to his interaction with the authorities.

CASR mentioned that Professor Hany Babu has been cooperating with the NIA since July 24 and gradually it became clear that the questioning was merely a ruse to force Prof Babu into providing false testimony against other persons and accepting allegations of being a functionary of the Maoists. It noted that Prof Babu vehemently and consistently refused to agree to the ridiculous lies and as response, the NIA, after five days of continuous harassment in the name of interrogation has now made him an accused and formally arrested him.

In its condemnation statement, CASR has noted that Prof Babu was subjected to a raid without a search warrant at his residence by the Maharashtra Police in September 2019 where several electronic devices and books were seized and no hash value of any of the devices confiscated was provided. CASR called out against this violation of procedure, accusing the NIA of leaving the seized devices open to tampering. It highlighted that the investigating agencies have repeatedly denied the hash value of the confiscated devices that can reveal the timestamp of activities on the device. It iterated that it is clear now that there is a pattern of confiscating devices, planting fabricated evidence and conducting a media trial on this basis.

CASR blamed the judiciary for turning a blind eye to these illegalities and blatant harassment and intimidation of persons who question the State. It further resonated that people who struggle for the rights of the marginalized and oppressed castes, classes and communities have been put under scanner by the authorities and Prof Babus case is no different. CASR stated that the Prof has been an anti-caste activist who has been consistently fighting for social justice within and outside the university space. He has also played an active role as Committee member for the Defence and Release of Dr. GN Saibaba, and Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP).

CASR noted that arrest of Hany Babu by the NIA shows for a fact that the entire conspiracy hatched in the aftermath of the violence at Bhima Koregaon is intended to incarcerate and silence a range of activists who have been speaking about the anti-people policies of the State.

According to them, it is also being done to divert attention away from the true perpetrators of the violence, namely, Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, both with ties to the RSS.

Such incidents of incarcerating activists is intended to spread fear among the democratic and progressive spirited academics, activists, artists, journalists, lawyers, poets and trade unionists.

Going forward with the Profs arrest, CASR has forecasted that this legal action under false charges is likely to follow the predictable narrative of branding Prof Babu an urban Naxal while the charges would remain unproven and unsubstantiated except through the deployment of the fabricated evidence which will not hold water under the scrutiny of a fair trial.

It reiterated that similar incidents have been seen in multiple cases where the purpose is not to prove guilt but to punish via lengthy isolation and detention while being demonized by a State-sponsored media witch-hunt.

CASR stated that it stands against all such tactics which are being deployed by the State without any consideration for the basic right to life of the persons targeted, as is seen in the case of the revolutionary poet Varavara Rao, Dr GN Saibaba and Prof. Anand Teltumbde among others.

In the light of the above matters, CASR has urged all the progressive and democratic institutions to unite and condemn the arrest of Prof Hany Babu and the threat of arrest looming over several more activists, artists and journalists.

Subsequently, CASR demanded the immediate release of all activists charged in the fabricated Bhima Koregaon case as well as a repeal of draconian laws including UAPA, PSA, NSA and release of anti-CAA-NRC -NPR protestors. It has also raised concerns of clutter in prisons amid a pandemic, urging the authorities to release of all political prisoners and de-congest Indian prisons.
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Howard University proudly announces a generous $40 million gift from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. A former pupil of Howard alumna Toni Morrison, Scott's gift marks the largest gift from a single donor in school history.

"I would like to thank Ms. MacKenzie Scott for her investment into Howard University and our 153-year mission of serving a diverse community of dynamic scholars who come here for an education and leave here with purpose to serve the world," said President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA. "We plan to immediately put this eight-figure gift to good use to support components of our 5-year strategic plan to help students graduate on time, retain our talented faculty, enhance our campus infrastructure and support academic innovation and entrepreneurship."

Howard University will allocate the gift to four areas of need, including on-going campus infrastructure improvement projects, such as essential renovations to the steam plant system and updates to improve technology. Howard will implement a new faculty development plan to provide additional educational development opportunities for faculty to increase rigor and quality of instruction, and to promote professional advancement and specialized skills training. Howard will also develop a program focused on social innovation and entrepreneurship to further enhance Howard's outreach to instill the importance of financial wellness in our campus community.

Lastly, the Scott gift will help underwrite a portion of one of Howard's signature retention programs, the Graduation & Retention Access to Continued Excellence (GRACE) Grant. This need-based program provides a 100 percent match for students who receive the maximum Federal Pell Grant and provides additional funding to students with an expected family contribution of zero (EFC $0). Created in 2014, the GRACE Grant is designed to help remove the financial barriers to academic success and encourage on-time graduation for students who have successfully completed their freshman year. During this time, EFC $0 GRACE recipients saw an average 18 percent increase in retention as compared to non-GRACE students. Additionally, the average 4-year graduation rate for EFC $0 GRACE recipients is 79%, which is 33 points higher than those who did not receive GRACE funds in the same category.

"Thanks to Ms. Scott's gift, and the accompanying positive publicity, we hope that other donors will follow her example to lift the financial burden off of deserving students and help make ends meet so they can focus on graduating on time. With this unrestricted donation, we now have the opportunity to expedite our efforts and fund the initiatives in a way that will reap benefits for generations to come," said President Frederick.

"Today's generous gift from Ms. Scott is a direct result of Howard University establishing a track record for being a good steward of our resources, demonstrating our thought leadership in various areas of expertise and recruiting and training the best and brightest young minds that this country has to offer," said David P. Bennett, vice president of Development and Alumni Relations. "Every gift makes a difference in the life of an institution and through this unrestricted gift, we'll be able to tap several facets of the university in ways that will make an immediate and lasting impact."

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Alonda Thomas, [email protected]

SOURCE Howard University

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A masked man who was filmed holding an umbrella while smashing the windows of a Minneapolis AutoZone during the George Floyd protests has been identified as a 'Hells Angels' biker with ties to a white supremacist group.

Minneapolis Police announced on Tuesday that they have confirmed the identity of the mysterious figure who was dubbed 'Umbrella Man' on social media after video of the incident went viral.

Footage taken on May 27 - two days after Floyd's death - showed a man dressed all in black casually walking up to the store and smashing its windows with a sledgehammer in broad daylight.

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Minneapolis Police confirmed the identity of the mysterious figure who was dubbed 'Umbrella Man' (pictured) on social media after video of the incident went viral in May

The masked man, clad in black clothing, was seen smashing the windows of an AutoZone during the George Floyd protests on May 27

He also vandalized the auto shop by spray-painting 'free s***for everyone zone' on the front doors.

The store was later burned to the ground along with dozens of other businesses after protests in the city descended into chaos and violence resulting in $500million in damage.

Police had asked members of the public to help identify the suspect but had had no success until last week when they received an email from a tipster.

According to an affidavit seen by the Star Tribune, the man was identified as a Hells Angels biker who 'wanted to sow discord and racial unrest by breaking out the windows and writing what he did on the double red doors.'

Police sergeant Erika Christensen said the man's sole intention was to incite violence and racial tensions during a protest which had 'been relatively peaceful' until then.

The AutoZone was later burned to the ground after peaceful protests in the wake of Floyd's death turned violent

Police said the man had intended to incite violence and that the demonstrations were 'relatively' peaceful prior to his actions

'This was the first fire that set off a string of fires and looting throughout the precinct and the rest of the city,' she said.

'The actions of this person created an atmosphere of hostility and tension. Your affiant believes that this individual's sole aim was to incite violence.'

The local paper did not name the man because he is yet to be formally charged with a crime.

The Star Tribune, however, reported the 32-year-old man has links to Aryan Cowboy Brotherhood, a white supremacist gang based in Minnesota and Kentucky.

He was also reportedly involved in an incident last month in which a Muslim woman was confronted by a group of white supremacists in Stillwater.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 21:51:47|Editor: huaxia

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by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- For the first time in Egypt, a restaurant has hired a robot to assist in serving the customers to maintain social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Kimbo Restaurant & Cafe in the upscale district of Nasr City in eastern Cairo, a robot wearing in black and white, named Mozo which means waiter in Spanish, was welcoming the guests and taking the orders.

"I'm so excited to have an adorable robot to reduce the human contact and improve the hygiene criteria here," said Mohamed Bassam, a 33-year-old banker, while pressing on the robot screen to choose his meal.

The robot will attract people especially the kids who would love to have a new experience, he noted, expressing hopes to see more robots in the hypermarkets and malls.

"We are concerned about the transmission of the coronavirus, but the robot gave me a feeling of security as it limits the interaction among people," Bassam said.

Mohamed Koriem, CEO of the company Ghraghar that owns and operates the coffee store Kimbo Egypt, said the robot has reassured the customers that social distancing can be applied through technology.

"Many people came to the restaurant after knowing about the robot from social media and asked for Mozo to serve them," he added.

After greeting customers, Mozo will serve drinks and dishes. The robot can even return used glasses to the kitchen.

When receiving a message from the robot, the chefs in the kitchen will start to make the food and beverage immediately.

Mozo makes a sound as it brings the food, and when the customer takes the dishes, a sensor will signal the robot to leave.

"The robot is completely sterilized after each order," Koriem noted.

He said the robot has been trained to reach the tables without accidents and to answer some common questions such as the types of cheese, bread and drinks, as well as temperature.

The robotic service will be added to the other branches of Kimbo, said Alaa al-Howeny, sales manager of Marses Robotic Solutions, an Egyptian company that works in designing, manufacturing, programming and integrating full robotic solutions.

According to Howeny, the cost of a robot varies from 10,000 U.S. dollars to 50,000 dollars depending on the specifications and services it will offer.

But the robot cannot completely replace the employees as it will reduce the human workers by only one percent in the coming 15 years, he noted.

Egypt reopened its cafes and restaurants in 50-percent capacity at the beginning of July after strict measures had been applied for three months to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The North African country recorded on Tuesday 39 deaths and 465 infections from the novel coronavirus, continuing the remarkable decline of daily cases after the outbreak in mid-February. Enditem
A Dublin man has appealed against his conviction for raping and abusing his younger sister over a number of years when she was a child.

The man (37), who can't be named to protect the victim's identity, went on trial at the Central Criminal Court in 2016.

He pleaded not guilty to 48 counts including rape, oral rape, rape with a screwdriver, rape with a vibrator and sexual assault at two Dublin locations between 2000 and 2005. However, a jury found him guilty.

The woman said she'd thought she had the perfect life before the abuse and how, at age ten, it had been filled with a black hole of uncertainty, fear and terror, when her brother started sexually abusing her.

She said that her family had changed forever and that her parents were shadows of themselves since the court proceedings.

She said that her father had told her: I thought I had to protect you from the monsters in the street, not the monster in my home.

Justice Isobel Kennedy heard that the man had no previous convictions, and jailed him for 11 years.

He appealed against his conviction to the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.

His barrister, Micheal P O'Higgins SC, submitted that the trial judge had erred in failing to give a warning to the jury on the dangers of convicting on uncorroborated evidence.

In my submission, the overall context was that my client was saying that these events did not happen, the allegations are made up. That was the overall dispute to be resolved by the jury, he said.

John OKelly SC responded on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

He said that the mans parents had given evidence that they had confronted their son in 2012 about what he had done, and that he had made admissions, saying they were only playing and were children.

His mother had said that his sister was a child at the time but that he was not a child.

Mr OKelly said that the man had then continued making the admissions, telling his father that it was on me.

Im submitting that theres independent evidence from two sources, both of whom were there on the day, said counsel. The judge was right to decide it was an inappropriate case to give a corroboration warning.

Justice John Edwards, presiding with Justice Patrick McCarthy and Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh, reserved judgment in the case and will give a decision at a later date.
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Linkedin A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 17:34 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a46e82 1 National #SumatranTiger,Sumatran-tiger,conservation,#Conservation,animals,#animal,tigers,animal-welfare,poaching,#EndangeredSpecies,endangered-species Free

The recent birth of a Sumatran tiger, a critically endangered species native to Indonesia, at the Wroclaw Zoo in Poland is a welcome development, as its wild relatives continue to face threats in their natural habitat in Indonesia.

The female cub was born on May 29 from her 7-year-old mother Nuri and 11 year old father Tengah, but news of her arrival was made public only recently. The cub is yet to be named and the zoo has invited the public to offer suggestions via its Facebook account.

There are 402 Sumatran tigers in captivity, 130 of which are in Indonesia, with the rest in zoos in Europe, Australia, Japan and the United States, according to Indonesian Environment and Forestry Ministry.

Sumatran tigers overseas are from wildlife exchanges between Indonesian zoos and foreign zoos  some are also gifts from Indonesian presidents when visiting other countries in the past, the ministry 's biodiversity conservation director Indra Exploitasia told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Indra said human intervention in the form of a global species management plan to improve genetic variation among Sumatran tigers was needed after the ministry found in a 2016 study that tigers in captivity were less genetically diverse, increasing their likelihood of becoming extinct. Such an intervention could also prevent inbreeding, which can cause serious genetic problems.

In Indonesia, we recommend that Sumatran tigers in captivity be exchanged between zoos. We will soon include Sumatran tigers abroad while also recording them in a studbook, Indra said.

Read also: Habitat loss pushes Sumatran tiger out of forests, into conflicts with humans

Wildlife trafficking expert Dwi Nugroho Adhiasto from Wildlife Conservation Societys (WCS) Indonesia office said that tracing every Sumatran tiger born in captivity was key to their survival, as their natural habitat and numbers in the wild continue to decline.

About 600 Sumatran tigers are believed to remain in the wild, according to a government estimate. Native to the island of Sumatra, the tigers are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Sumatran tiger is the only surviving subspecies of the Sunda Islands tigers that once included the now-extinct Bali and Javan tigers. Compared to its other living relatives, like the Bengal tiger and Indochinese tiger, the Sumatran tiger is the smallest in size, with stripes closer together, darker orange fur and a beard and mane.

Global Tiger Day is commemorated across the globe on July 29 every year to raise awareness about tiger conservation.

At home, some conservation groups have hosted numerous campaigns to celebrate the day in the past.

But poaching and conflict between humans and Sumatran tigers persist in Sumatra, especially in areas where rainforest is cleared to make way for plantations, often leading to the deaths of tigers.

Read also: COVID-19 wont stop Indonesia from conserving endangered wildlife treasures

A Sumatran tiger was found dead after reportedly ingesting toxic substances in South Aceh, Aceh on June 29. A suspect has not been named in the case.

The incident came about a week after the Aceh Police arrested four suspected poachers for killing another Sumatran tiger. The poachers allegedly trapped the animal and left it to die. The police confiscated the tiger pelt along with teeth and bones from the suspected traffickers.

In neighboring North Sumatra, a buried carcass of a male tiger was uncovered in Batang Gadis National Park on June 23. The tigers pelt and organs were missing.

In a separate case in Riau, a tiger was found dead in a conservation area in Siak on May 18 with one of its legs caught in a wire trap.

Read also: Endangered Sumatran tiger found dead, ensnared in Riau

Poaching accounts for almost 80 percent of Sumatran tiger deaths, according to TRAFFIC, a global wildlife trade monitoring network.

Deforestation has intensified conflicts between humans and tigers and increased the risk of extinction of the Sumatran tiger, the Zoological Society of London's (ZSL) Indonesia program warned. In South Sumatra alone, the four remaining natural habitats for tigers are shrinking because of deforestation, ZSL said. The four habitats are among just 23 areas suitable for Sumatran tigers across Sumatra Island.

Dwi from WCS said the tigers could easily reproduce in the wild, so protecting their habitat was more important than trying to release those in captivity into the wild. He said the carrying capacity of Sumatran tiger habitat  how many animals a certain environment can support  must be improved by making sure they have enough prey, sources of water and mates.

Captivity is the last resort if the population in the wild declines, Dwi said. But, what good is that hard work [of releasing tigers in captivity into the wild] if they still face threats in their natural habitat?
Amidst the ongoing political turmoil in Rajasthan, Former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Wednesday congratulated state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara after he took charge of office earlier in the day.

Amidst the ongoing political turmoil in Rajasthan, Former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Wednesday congratulated state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara after he took charge of office earlier in the day.

Congratulations to Dotasara Ji on taking charge as Rajasthan Congress chief. Hope that without any pressure or partiality, youll give full respect to the workers whose hard work resulted in government formation, Pilot tweeted.

Sachin Pilot Pilot was removed as Congress state unit chief earlier this month.

Rajasthan Congress is in turmoil after simmering differences between Pilot and state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot came out in the open.

Also read: Unlock 3 guidelines: Gyms to reopen, Night curfew removed

Also read: Rajasthan crisis: Congress leaders slam Governors decision to return proposal for assembly session

Pilot was removed as the deputy chief minister Rajasthan and as the state unit chief of the party on July 14. Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi sent disqualification notices to Pilot and 18 other legislators.

Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs had filed a petition before the Rajasthan High Court on July 23.

The Congress has accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading to bring down the Gehlot government. The BJP has rejected the allegations.

Also read: Stuart Broad becomes 2nd Englishman to scale Mt.500 in Tests

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
Reznikov or Leonid Kravchuk may become new head of Ukrainian delegation to TCG along with other candidates - Zelensky

The current first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, First President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk may become the new head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group on resolving the situation in Donbas, and a number of other candidates are also being considered, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"We have several applicants. One of the applicants, you know, is our Deputy Prime Minister Reznikov. We are also talking with the first President of Ukraine Leonid Makarovych Kravchuk. And there are a couple more candidates. There will be official information in the coming days," he said at a briefing on Wednesday after visiting Okhmatdyt hospital.

According to him, all the candidates under consideration will, to one degree or another, participate in the work to achieve peace in Donbas, either in the role of an advisor, or in other roles.
CNBC's Jim Cramer on Wednesday bemoaned the congressional hearing on antitrust claims in Big Tech, arguing that the companies included in the event should be considered America's "national champions" in a globalized world.

Another company in Microsoft, which was not summoned in the hearing, can also be considered among the prized group, he said.

"I come to praise the titans of tech, not bury them," the "Mad Money" host said, in an effort to "reframe" the discussion after the chief executives of Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Alphabet's Google testified Wednesday afternoon in front of a House Judiciary subcommittee.

These companies are the "best things the American economy has going for it" and the hearings "feel more like an opportunity to rake the ultra-rich over the coals," he said.

The hearing marked the first time all four executives  Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple's Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai  appeared before Congress at the same time.

America is the "top dog" in many parts of the technology industry, particularly those that big tech deals in, and the country needs to leverage tech to stay competitive with the rest of the world, especially an ascendant China, Cramer said.

While he's in favor of implementing regulations to reign in the business practices of the tech behemoths, including abusing their market powers, Cramer cast doubt about a divided Congress' ability to come to an agreement on a set of rules.

In Wednesday's hearing, Facebook's Zuckerberg was bashed for acquiring WhatsApp, then a nascent rival messaging app, for $19 billion in 2014.

Amazon's Bezos was questioned about using third-party seller data to gain a competitive edge on products the online retail giant sells.

Google's Pichai, who added the title of Alphabet CEO in December, was grilled on the company's China connections after dropping out of the U.S. Department of Defense's $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI, cloud project deal. The chief was also questioned about its now-abandoned work on a Chinese search engine project called Dragonfly.

Meanwhile, Apple's Cook was pressed on how the company's equal treatment of developers on its App Store. The company has been dogged for taking a 30% cut of sales on in-app payments.

Cramer, though, said he is taking the other side of the coin.

"Every other industrialized [country] has so-called national champions. These are companies that let them compete worldwide and their governments bend over backwards to give them an edge," he said. "In an increasingly globalized economy, maybe America needs some national champions of its own."
Will serve as Managing Director for Canada, based in Ottawa

OTTAWA, Ontario, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Boeing [NYSE:BA] today named Charles S. Duff Sullivan as Managing Director of Boeing Canada, effective August 4. He will be based in Ottawa and report to Donna Hrinak, President of Boeing Canada.



Sullivan will be responsible for strengthening company-to-country relationships and pursuing new business and industrial partnerships. He succeeds Bob Cantwell, who is based in Vancouver and will become director of policy and strategy integration for the Boeing Canada team.

Duff has a distinguished 40-year career in aviation, aerospace, the military, public safety and security, said Hrinak. His unique expertise will advance Boeings relationships and help develop new business opportunities that can further expand our century-long partnership with Canada.

Prior to joining Boeing, Sullivan served as Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer for the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada. He is also a veteran of the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he accumulated over 3,500 flying hours on jet aircraft, 1,600 of which were flown in the CF-18 Hornet.

Sullivan has also served in several senior executive and leadership positions throughout his career, most notably as Director-General of Capability Development at National Defence Headquarters; Director of International Security and Senior Defence Adviser in the Prime Minister of Canada's Privy Council Office; Major-General on a 12-month tour of duty in Afghanistan as NATOs Air Component Commander; and, Director of Operations for the Canadian North American Air Defense Command Region during 9/11 and the G8 and G20 Summit in Kananaskis.

Boeing is celebrating more than 100 years of partnership with Canada. The company has approximately 1,600 highly skilled workers at 15 locations across the country. Canada is home to a broad customer base of products and services from Boeings commercial, defense, services and space business. Boeing facilities in Canada provide parts, components and assemblies for all current Boeing 7-series jetliners, along with software development and consulting services. Canada is one of the largest international supplier bases for Boeing, including more than 500 suppliers spanning every region of the country.

Story continues

Contact

Karen Forte

Boeing Communications

+1 -312-209-0525

Karen.C.Forte@boeing.com




Weve been tracking the spread of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania since the first COVID-19 case was identified on March 6.

And we havent stopped.

Every day we compile data from a variety of sources -- including the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the COVID Tracking Project, local health departments and county coroners -- to give you a comprehensive view of the viruss impact on the Lehigh Valley and across the state.

(Cant see the map? Click here.)

We are bringing all of that information together in one place with a variety of charts and maps tracking the metrics that health experts worldwide study to gauge how the United States is doing in the fight against the coronavirus.

Well update them regularly as the Pennsylvania Department of Health releases new data.

A few things to note: The charts and maps are interactive, so click around and explore. Many of the charts allow users to isolate an individual datapoint by clicking on the legend.

All of the numbers represent confirmed cases. Theyre surely an undercount due to the nations limited testing capacity and the number of undiagnosed cases.

Total tests are calculated by adding together positive and negative lab results. This does not represent all tests performed since some people are tested multiple times.

(Cant see this chart? Click here.)

Cases in Pennsylvania

There have been an average of 814 new cases and 12 deaths a day over the past week. The chart below shows daily new cases and a 7-day moving average of new cases.

(Cant see this chart? Want to see it bigger? Click here.)

There have been 146,990 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel virus, and 7,903 deaths.

(Cant see this chart? Click here.)

Cases in the Lehigh Valley

After being hard hit in the early days of the pandemic, the Lehigh Valley has not seen a huge surge of new cases since it began reopening in June.

The health department says that younger adults are contracting COVID-19 more frequently. In Pennsylvanias northeast region, which includes the Lehigh Valley, the 19-to-24 age group accounted for 40% of cases in September, compared to 6% in April and 20% in August.

Lehigh County averaged 14 new cases a day over the last week, up from 12 a week ago. Northampton County averaged 16 a day, up from nine a week ago. Averages help smooth out the blips in the daily reporting from labs.

The Lehigh Valley now totals 9,729 coronavirus cases and at least 649 deaths, per state figures.

(Cant see this chart? Want to see it bigger? Click here.)

Current hospitalizations

Statewide, hospitalizations from COVID-19 surged through the month of July, but now they seem to be stabilizing, according to health department data.

(Cant see the chart? Want to see it bigger? Click here.)

We know that a lag occurs between when cases increase and when hospitalizations and also deaths increase, and that plays a role here, health department spokesperson Nate Wardle told lehighvalleylive.com. Also, with younger people getting the virus, it is unlikely for as many of them to need to be hospitalized with their symptoms.

More cases are appearing in adults ages 19 to 24 across the state. Thats skyrocketed to 40% of all cases in September compared to just 6% in April.

Lehighvalleylive.com stopped updating the hospitalization chart at the start of August due to health department data reporting issues. We resumed Aug. 13 after the department said theyve been resolved.

We are confident it is showing the complete picture of hospitalizations in Pennsylvania, Wardle said Aug. 13.

The Trump administration ordered hospitals to stop reporting COVID-19 hospitalization data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and instead send it to the Department of Health and Human Services. It is resulting in incomplete data reports on hospitalizations nationally and in Pennsylvania.

On July 30, Pennsylvania had 756 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 109 of those patients were on ventilators. This dropped sharply the next day to 522 patients with 89 on ventilators.

The death toll in Pa.

There have been at least 7,903 COVID-19 deaths since the virus was first detected in March.

(Cant see this map? Click here.)

Pennsylvanias elderly population makes up a disproportionate share of the states death toll. Residents of long-term care facilities account for 67% of all deaths and only 15% of all cases.

Counts include both deaths with lab-confirmed testing and probable deaths based on CDC guidelines.

(Cant see this chart? Click here.)

Several of the spikes seen in April and May occurred after the state Department of Health changed how it counts COVID-19 deaths. The state also removed 201 probable deaths on April 23.

There is a major lag in the states death reporting as it takes time to confirm the cause of death and issue a death certificate.

This means when the state makes its daily data release, oftentimes the new deaths reported occurred weeks ago.

Of the 28 deaths added to Pennsylvania's covid-19 count today, 9/16:



 2 occurred in August

 26 occurred in September



Running total:

 99 deaths so far in September



Total deaths in Pa.: 7,903  Mike Palm (@MikePalmMedia) September 16, 2020

It is actually hard to get data on when deaths actually occurred. The state recently began posting deaths by date on its COVID-19 dashboard, but it does not make the information easily available to the public.

This makes it hard to grasp the viruss real-time toll when cases spike.

The Lehigh Valley death toll

The Northampton and Lehigh county coroners offices release their own death tallies by municipality.

Bethlehem, Allentown, South Whitehall Township and Upper Nazareth Township -- the latter home to the county-owned Gracedale nursing home -- are among the hardest hit.

(Cant see this map? Click here.)

The state of testing

Pennsylvania is making strides with testing, but theyre tenuous.

Outbreaks in other states are causing major testing result delays in commercial labs. This impedes efforts to trace contacts of and quarantine those who may have been infected to break the chain of infection.

Over the last week, statewide, there have been 173,790 tests performed -- including duplicates -- with 5,855 positive cases.

In the chart below, people tested daily is calculated by adding together new cases and negative tests. This is not all of the tests conducted since some people are tested multiple times. This ensures no one is double-counted, according to the state.

We calculate the positivity rate by taking all of the new cases over the last seven days divided by tests performed, not counting duplicate tests.

The state has been calculating its rate based on all tests performed in its early-warning system dashboard, resulting in a lower rate. State officials say they have been doing that to show the scope of available testing.

(Cant see this chart? Click here.)

One key metric to follow as testing capacity ramps up is the positive test rate.

The lower the rate, the more likely that testing is capturing the full spread of the virus in a community. High positivity rates, like we saw at the start of the pandemic in Pennsylvania, show that only the sickest people are being tested.

The World Health Organization recommends a rate of 5% or less when considering economic reopening.

Adequate testing and contact tracing allow communities to detect embers of the virus and extinguish them -- via quarantines -- before it spreads like an out-of-control forest fire. Theyre critical to reopen the economy, get people back to work and children back to school.

But the United States has struggled to accomplish this nationally, plagued by test and supply shortages and laboratory logjams that render test results meaningless.

Hotspots in other states are putting extreme pressure on the nations testing system thats now being felt in Pennsylvania.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

Where did this data come from?

The data is current as of noon Sept. 16.

The data comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the COVID Tracking Project and the Lehigh and Northampton county coroners offices. The department releases updated figures at noon each day. The coroners typically release data once a week.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com.
MIAMI, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Meltdown Station, under the guidance of founder Ivette Cortiella, has created a fitness program to combat obesity in children and adults. "The goal of the program is to reverse the trend toward childhood obesity," explains Ms.Cortiella. "This issue can feel like too much to handle, especially when parents and children do not have access to the proper resources to combat obesity safely and enjoyably. Curriculums at school have changed, fast food is all around us and children stay indoors playing video games on the couch, increasing obesity rates dramatically."

Brick and Mortar Locations Mobile Location

Meltdown Station's solution to obesity is to bring fun, safe, and affordable fitness activities to our local communities. This is accomplished using brick and mortar locations and/or full fitness mobile gyms for children and teens. This program brings kids a fun and safe way to get moving, make friends, and lose weight.

These programs are not designed to shame kids into trying to look a certain way or weigh a certain amount, but rather to help them get into better shape with circuit training machines and fun interactive VR games. Meltdown Station focuses on providing educational material and a place where children can strengthen themselves physically and emotionally while learning self-confidence, positive body image, and personal motivation. The goal is to teach and instill in children healthy lifestyle skills that can be carried on into adulthood.

With the assistance of some of the foremost local doctors and nutritionists in the field of childhood obesity, Ms.Cortiella developed her own fitness video line, as well as formulated FDA-approved multivitamins, protein shakes, nutrition bars, and meal plans for children as young as 5 years old. Her vision is for children and parents to have access to fitness and nutrition programs throughout the nation where they can get the guidance and education they need to transform their lives - teaching them how to exercise, eat properly, cook healthy meals, and be aware of obesity as a health issue.

Ms. Cortiella's, programs have proven results. She's been recognized by cities and governments, and won awards from Disney, the University of Miami, and more. She's met with Kathy Ireland on CBS, as well as interviewed with her personally in January 2017 at her studio in Los Angeles. The Meltdown Station program is her next step in helping to take back control of children's' weight-related health. Meltdown Station is proud to offer their business model and proven formula as a franchise opportunity for who are interested in joining us to combat the ever rising issue of obesity in kids.

As a Hispanic/ Latina female business owner, Ms. Cortiella is aware of the challenges faced by lower income kids needing to receive nutrition and a safe place to exercise, and is working to change that each and every day. The hope is to provide not only nutrition and exercise, but a safe place for children to learn and grow with children of all walks of life, and to help bring people together as one human race.

Please visit our website for more information http://www.meltdownstation.com

A Link to our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhz4wk9urIQ&feature=youtu.be

Ms. Ivette Cortiella

786-635-3500-contact number

[email protected]

SOURCE Superfit Kids/Meltdown Station

Related Links

http://superfits.net


Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:39:06|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is likely to become free from desert locusts in the near future thanks to roll-out of robust containment measures, a senior official from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said on Tuesday.

Cyril Ferrand, FAO's resilience team leader for East Africa, said that Kenya and other Horn of Africa nations have made significant progress towards eradication of the voracious pests.

He said that only two out of the 29 counties in Kenya that were infested by desert locusts in February are yet to contain them.

"In the coming days, that will drop to one county, and within three weeks Kenya should be free of large-scale infestations altogether," Ferrand said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

He said that FAO is fighting the second generation of desert locusts that have been successful but the threat of possible re-infestation towards the end of the year calls for enhanced surveillance.

Ferrand said that Ethiopia is still infested with a second breeding generation, and also partly re-infested by swarms from Kenya.

He said that from the beginning of January to the end of June, FAO and regional governments had cushioned nearly 600,000 hectares from desert locusts.

"We estimate that so far we have killed over 400 billion locusts in the entire region. That is really a lot. That is 400 to 500 billion locusts that were prevented from damaging crops and rangelands," said Ferrand.

He said that Kenya's breadbaskets have been spared desert locust invasion due to robust control measures.

He clarified that locusts have found good locations for breeding as evidenced by widespread damage in the agro-pastoral and pastoral livelihood areas.

"We are still assessing the damage, but we have noticed abnormal poor livestock body condition in areas where desert locusts were present," said Ferrand.

He said that in Turkana County in northern Kenya, sorghum crops with around 15 to 20 percent damage of the yield linked to the pests had been reported.

"The multiple layers of threats that these communities have been facing is a significant concern and a source of acute food insecurity in the region," said Ferrand. Enditem
An overpass will be built over Gympie Road at Carseldine if the LNP wins the Queensland election in October.

Election promises continue to be rolled out before the October 31 poll, with the LNP announcing it would set aside $90 million to build the overpass and remove one of the biggest bottlenecks on Brisbanes northside.

The intersection of Gympie Road and Beams Road where the LNP will build an overpass if it wins the October 2020 state election. Credit:Google Maps

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said the RACQ identified the Gympie Road-Beams Road junction as the third-worst congestion hot spot in Queensland.

I want to build Queensland out of recession by delivering new infrastructure like the Beams Road overpass, Ms Frecklington said.
DETROIT, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today reported solid second-quarter earnings, despite significant impacts to production and wholesales as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results reflect actions GM has taken over the past few years to be more resilient.

Second-quarter 2020 results:

EPS-diluted of $(0.56) , and EPS-diluted-adjusted of $(0.50)

, and EPS-diluted-adjusted of EPS-diluted-adjusted includes a $0.08 gain from PSA revaluations

gain from PSA revaluations Income of $(0.8) billion , and EBIT-adjusted of $(0.5) billion

, and EBIT-adjusted of Revenue of $16.8 billion

Automotive liquidity of $30.6 billion

Automotive operating cash flow of $(8.0) billion , and adjusted automotive free cash flow of $(9.0) billion

, and adjusted automotive free cash flow of GM North America EBIT-adjusted near breakeven at $(0.1) billion

GM Financial EBT-adjusted of $0.2 billion

For complete details and to see reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures, click here to download the full press release, or visit the GM Investor Relations website.

Investor analyst conference call

GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra and Chief Financial Officer Dhivya Suryadevara will host a conference call for investor analysts at 10 a.m. EDT today to discuss second-quarter results. Introductory remarks will be followed by a question-and-answer session for analysts.

Journalists who wish to listen to the call may dial in using the following numbers:

United States: 1-888-808-8618 International: +1-949-484-0645 Name of Call: GM Earnings Call

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Holden, Baojun, and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that represent our current judgment about possible future events. In making these statements we rely on assumptions and analysis based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments as well as other factors we consider appropriate under the circumstances. We believe these judgments are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially due to a variety of important factors, both positive and negative. A list and description of these factors can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors that affect the subject of these statements, except where we are expressly required to do so by law.

SOURCE General Motors Co.

Related Links

https://www.gm.com/


The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coastal Development Authority (CODA), Jerry Ahmed Shaib has inspected ongoing construction of constituency specific projects being undertaken by the Authority in the Western Region under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).



The inspection is part of the CEOs tour of the six regions that make up the Coastal Development Zone to acquaint himself, at first hand, with the progress of ongoing projects and to lead the Authoritys public education campaign and distribution of facemasks and hand sanitizers to help end the spread of coronavirus.



Sekondi Constituency



On Friday, 24th July, 2020 the CEO was joined by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekondi Constituency, Hon. Andrew Egyapa Mercer to visit the site of ongoing construction of a community center at Ekuase. At Nkontompo they visited the site of ongoing construction of a community center and a ten seater water closet toilet facility.



The CEO and MP also distributed facemasks and hand sanitisers to registrants and electoral officials at voter registration centers and to residents in some communities while they educated them on COVID-19 safety protocols.



Ellembelle Constituency



On Saturday 25th July, 2020, at Ellembelle Constituency, the District Chief Executive for the Ellembelle District Assembly, Hon. Kwasi Bonzoh joined the CEO to inspect ongoing construction of a market at Esiama which will have 40 lockable shops, 40 open seater shops, a creche, paved ground and a recreational center for the community. They also visited Anyinase to inspect construction of a small market.



There was also public education and distribution of masks to residents and stakeholders in the ongoing voter registration exercise.



Jomoro Constituency



On Sunday, 26th July, 2020, Lawyer Jerry Ahmed Shaib and Hon. Paul Essien, MP for Jomoro Constituency were at the site of construction of the Benyin Market. They also visited the site of the ongoing construction of the Twenen Community Center as well as the site of the construction of the Twenen Circuit Supervisors Bungalow.



At Aluwole the CEO and MP inspected the ongoing construction of a community center with a sitting capacity of 1,000 fully fitted with changing rooms, and disability friendly facilities. At Tikobonu Number 1, the two leaders visited the Tikobonu Number 1 Health Center where construction is ongoing for an Admission Ward.



They also visited the Tikobonu Number 1 Market which is set to be transformed into a modern market with lockable shops, paved grounds and a creche.



There was also public education on coronavirus and distribution of facemasks and hand sanitisers at some registration centers and communities.



Takoradi Constituency



The final stop of the CEOs tour was the Takoradi Constituency on Sunday, 26th July, 2020 where he was joined by the Western Regional Minister and MP for Takoradi Constituency, Hon Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah to educate the public and distribute facemasks and hand sanitisers in some communities and some registration centers.



One million dollars per constituency



Under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) of the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives (MSDI), each constituency is allocated an equivalent of one million dollars to undertake special projects aimed at accelerating the economic and social development of Ghana. IPEP is implemented through the Development Authorities who carry out their mandate through intensive public engagement and stakeholder consultation to build consensus for projects.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

Trend:

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov received the Indonesian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Husnan Bey Fanani regarding the completion of his diplomatic mission, Trend reports.

During the meeting, Bayramov noted with satisfaction the development of cooperation between the two countries, both in bilateral and multilateral formats, and emphasized cooperation between the countries within various international organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The FM expressed gratitude to the ambassador for his country's unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The minister informed the diplomat in detail about Armenia's policy of aggression, which poses a threat to peace and security in the region, as well as about the recent pre-planned military provocation by the Armenian armed forces in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border.

Armenia, which did not achieve its goals with this provocation, faced strong condemnation of its actions by the international community, stressed Bayramov.

In turn, Fanani expressed condolences to the families of Azerbaijani servicemen who died as a result of the provocation of the Armenian armed forces at the border, as well as to the government of Azerbaijan.

The ambassador highlighted Indonesia's unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Fanani expressed confidence that the mutual visits between the two countries will contribute to the further development of bilateral ties.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee praised the Senate and the House of Representatives for authorizing $3.8 billion in defense assistance for Israel.

The pro-Israel lobbying group thanked an array of Democrats and Republicans in Congress for shepherding through the funding this week as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, saying the money will help Israel protect itself against continuing security threats.

Also included in the House version of the NDAA was $1 million for the office of the State Departments anti-Semitism monitor, doubling the current amount.

Jewish Insider reported that two Jewish Democrats were behind the doubling  Ted Deutch of Florida and Max Rose of New York.

The defense funding, once unremarkable, now faces calls for cuts from a small group of Democratic Party left-wingers, who say it should be leveraged to pressure Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has embraced the Trump administration peace plan, unveiled in January 2020, which has been entirely rejected by the Palestinians.

The prime minister has been pushing to move ahead with a key aspect of the plan that allows Israel to extend sovereignty to its settlements in the West Bank, and the Jordan Valley, together comprising about 30 percent of the West Bank territory. Under the US plan, the remaining 70% would be allocated to the Palestinians for a future state.

Though Netanyahu had set July 1 as a target date to unilaterally apply sovereignty, he has refrained from taking steps amid wide opposition in the international community and even Washington, and among his political allies.
The anti-plagiarism software market for education sector is expected to grow by USD 798.28 million during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect the impact to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth according to the latest market research report by Technavio.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005360/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Anti-plagiarism Software Market for Education Sector 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Request challenges and opportunities influenced by COVID-19 pandemic Request a free sample report of the anti-plagiarism software market for education sector

The wide acceptance of e-learning has led to an increase in the number of online assignments and project submission platforms. Students are sometimes asked to solve open-ended questions that require the use of various concepts and technologies in the questions. These questions demand the use of a variety of available online content which may lead to plagiarism issues. This is increasing the demand for anti-plagiarism software among students. The software helps students to improve their writing skills by understanding proper paraphrasing techniques. The software is also being widely adopted by educational institutes and universities to improve the knowledge base and inculcate better learning ethics in students. With the increasing number of online assessment and project submission platforms, the demand for anti-plagiarism software will increase significantly during the forecast period.

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43989

As per Technavio, supportive government initiatives will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024.

Anti-plagiarism Software Market for Education Sector: Supportive Government Initiatives

Governments across the world are undertaking several initiatives to curb plagiarism activities and maintain the authenticity and integrity of educational institutions. For instance, the Federal Ministry of Education in Vienna, Austria encourages the use of anti-plagiarism software and has successfully installed it in over 250 schools since 2015. Similarly, the Government of India passed a rule that mandated the use of anti-plagiarism software while checking the theses written by doctoral students. Such government initiatives are positively influencing the growth of the global anti-plagiarism software market in the education sector.

"Rising standards for doctoral programs and the increasing demand for legal and authentic data will further boost market growth during the forecast period", says a senior analyst at Technavio.

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Anti-plagiarism Software Market for Education Sector: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the anti-plagiarism software market for education sector by end-user (research institutions and academic institutions) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA).

The North American region led the anti-plagiarism software market for the Education sector in 2019, followed by Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, North America is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to the increasing adoption of e-learning in the region.

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An Otago economist argues New Zealand should expand its trade agreements in the wake of COVID-19, as his new research shows the country benefited from the NZ-China free trade agreement.

University of Otago Economics Lecturer Dr Murat Ungor and his former Masters student, Sam Verevis collaborated on the paper What has New Zealand gained from the FTA with China: Two counterfactual analyses, which has just been published in the Scottish Journal of Political Economy.

It is one of the first systematic studies to analyse the effects of the historic 2008 NZ-China FTA on the economic performance of NZ, and found evidence it has contributed strongly to NZ's export growth.

Its release comes as NZ renegotiates and diversifies its trade agreements to maintain economic security as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Dr Ungor says China is still New Zealand's most important trade partner, and its emergence into the world market has caused unforeseen shifts in world trading patterns.

It has become NZ's top commodity export destination, with exports from NZ to China increasing from around US$90 million in 1979 to more than US$11 billion in 2019.

His co-authored paper with Mr Verevis sought to answer whether NZ's exports to China increased significantly due to the 2008 FTA, and how the agreement has affected NZ's per capita income.

"We find NZ exports to China were 200 per cent higher in 2014 than what they would have been, had the FTA never been signed," he says.

Food and live animal exports to China in 2014 were more than 180 per cent higher than the counterfactual model.

However, Dr Ungor says while NZ made substantial export gains, the research did not find a significant or robust impact on NZ's GDP per capita.

Globally, trade-exposed businesses have been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and NZ has been very active to strengthen its economic ties.

China's economy was already showing signs of slowing down in 2019, and while it's plausible to expect it to continue to be NZ's major trading partner, there's no reason NZ can't diversify its trade agreements, Dr Ungor says.

"There is no reason to put all of your eggs in the same basket.

"Diversifying export partners and export goods, improving the current agreements and developing new strategic ties are very important."

Rather than NZ reducing its economic transactions with China, it should expand the size of current trade agreements or sign new bilateral and multilateral agreements, he says.

He notes a key item on the agenda at a video meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) later this month will be the implementation of inclusive policy measures to ensure a fast-track regional recovery from COVID-19.

"The economic consequences of the negotiations and renegotiations of NZ's FTAs in the age of COVID-19 is another direction for future research," he says.

Dr Ungor suggests what could also be useful for policymakers is research on the spill over effect from a downturn in an economy of a large trading partner like China, on a smaller economy like NZ.

"It would be extremely interesting to examine how a small open economy is affected by trade with such a large open economy in terms of productivity, reallocation of capital, and labour," he says.

Mr Verevis and Dr Ungor's study used a synthetic control method commonly used in economics, political science and international relations.

As it would be impossible to know what would actually have happened to the NZ economy if it had not signed the China FTA, a 'synthetic' counterfactual model of an alternate reality had to be created, Dr Ungor says.

"We used a combination of 24 OECD countries to construct a 'synthetic' control NZ, which resembles relevant economic characteristics of the NZ economy before signing the FTA with China.

"This was our benchmark control group."

Countries used in the model had not signed FTAs with China.

###
Zimbabwe on Wednesday signed a US$3.5 billion compensation agreement with white farmers whose land was seized over 20 years ago under the country's controversial reforms.

Then president Robert Mugabe forcibly took more than 4,000 farms from the country's 4,500 white large-scale commercial farmers.

The compensation is for built structures including farmhouses and irrigation systems on the farms which were redistributed to landless blacks.

Zimbabwe on Wednesday signed a US$3.5 billion compensation agreement with white farmers whose land was seized over 20 years ago. Above, an old container is seen next to a burnt-out farmhouse at Mount Carmel Farm in Chegutu,, about 107 kilometres south-west of Harare, that ten years ago was owned and run by British settler Ben Freeth

Mugabe's successor Emmerson Mnangagwa, pictured above, said the Wednesday deal was 'historic in many respects'

But as the cash-strapped government does not have the funds to make the payouts, a committee made up of farmers and donors has been tasked with raising the money.

'In the agreement we have given ourselves 12 months to run around the world, around Zimbabwe to think of ways of raising this funding,' Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said at the signing ceremony in Harare.

'We are determined that we achieve that. It's also about pledges not necessarily about cash being put on the table. It's about commitment.'

Zimbabwe launched controversial land reforms in the year 2000. Above, workers harvest tobacco at a farm outside Harare

Zimbabwe launched controversial land reforms in the year 2000 when ruling ZANU-PF party activists and veterans of the 1970s liberation seized large swathes of farms.

Mugabe justified the land grabs as a way to correct historical wrongs by claiming back land that was forcibly taken from the nation's blacks.

Critics blame Mugabe's land programme for wreaking havoc on the agriculture sector - a mainstay of the economy.

Economic output fell by half following the land seizures, and the economy has been hobbled ever since.

Mugabe justified the land grabs as a way to correct historical wrongs by claiming back land that was forcibly taken from the nation's blacks. Above, two men stand by the gates of a farm which they seized from white farmers in Chegutu, some 120km south-west of Harare on April 17, 2009

Mugabe's successor Emmerson Mnangagwa said the Wednesday deal was 'historic in many respects'.

'It brings closure and a new beginning in the history of the land discourse in Zimbabwe,' Mnangagwa said.

'The process which has brought us to this event is equally historic as it is a reaffirmation of the irreversibility of land as well as a symbol of our commitment to constitutionalism, the respect of the rule of law and property rights,' he said.
Scientists have identified 21 compounds that could help treat coronavirus, including everything from an already-approved leprosy drug to a failed allergy drug and experimental cancer treatments, recent study reveals.

And 13 of those drugs have already proven safe at doses that are unlikely to pose dangers to coronavirus patients in trials for other purposes, according to the study published in Nature.

The researchers from Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in California are particularly encouraged by finding that four of the drugs might work well in combination with remdesivir, which the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already given emergency approval to treat COVID-19.

Now, they're using miniature lung 'organoids' grown in labs to further test the drugs' potential to treat the infection that's killed more than 140,000 Americans since January.

By testing them against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the lab, scientists identified 21 compounds that may treat the disease (file)

Currently, the only drug with emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA is remdesivir, an antiviral that failed to treat Ebola but has been shown to reduce the risk that a patient will die of COVID-by 30 to 62 percent.

After winning the same designation from the FDA, the controversial, Trump-backed drug hydroxychloroquine was stripped of its EUA.

Blood plasma from coronavirus survivors is also approved as an experimental treatment for COVID-19 and has been deemed safe, but how well it works is still under investigation.

The cheap steroid dexamethasone has proven perhaps the most promising drug to treat coronavirus in studies in the UK and is already approved for other uses in the US, but studies on its efficacy for treating coronavirus are in progress there.

Dozens more drugs have been tried and failed to save lives from the devastating respiratory infection.

That leaves the field wide open for additional treatments - and thousands of patients badly in need of them.

In an effort to identify the drugs with the most potential, the Sanford scientists screened an exhaustive database of over 12,000 drugs, called the ReFrame drug repurposing collection.

The library consists of drugs that have been approved by the FDA for some uses but could have others, drugs that failed to treat the condition they were developed to address, and those still in trials.

Senior study author Dr Sumit Chanda partnered with the Hong Kong scientists who discovered the first known SARS virus to expedite the process of screening the exhaustive list of drugs against viruses like SARS-CoV-2.

They narrowed the list of 12,000 down to 21 compounds or already fully developed drugs with promise for treating coronavirus.

After putting the drugs in a petri dish with SARS-CoV-2, the researchers discovered:

FOUR DRUGS THAT MAY WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH REMDESIVIR AT SAFE DOSES FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS

1. CLOFAZIMINE

What was it made to treat?

Clofazimine fights the bacteria that cause leprosy, a disease that was long untreatable, disfiguring and often deadly. The drug isn't exactly a sniper for the bacteria but can gradually kill it off, slowing the growth of the infection.

Is it FDA approved?

Yes. Clofazimine was approved in the US in 1986, but is no longer commercially sold there.

How might it fight coronavirus?

Scientists don't yet know why the antibacterial drug seems to combat the virus, but it's currently in clinical trials in combination with other drugs.

2. HANFANGCHIN A (TETRANDRINE)

What was it made to treat?

Hanfangchin A is actually a derivative of chloroquine, an older form of the controversial malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. It's shown promise for treating malaria that's resistant to its parent-compound and cancer.

Is it FDA approved?

No. Tetrandrine is in phase 3 trials for treating both illnesses.

How might it fight coronavirus?

In the Sanford petri dish tests, it seemed to block SARS-CoV-2 from entering cells - but it's worth noting that hydroxychloroquine appeared similarly promising in lab tests, but those results have not been repeated reliably when the drug was given to actual COVID-19 patients.

Remdesivir has been given emergency authorization for treating coronavirus, and four drugs showed promise for working in combination with the antiviral

3. APILIMOD

What was it made to treat?

Apilimod is under development to treat autoimmune diseases and cancer. It was made to treat Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, but has also shown potential to work against cancer and viruses (aside from the one that causes COVID-19).

Is it FDA approved?

No. The drug is phase II trials.

How might it fight coronavirus?

Like Tetrandrine, the drug shows promise for keeping the virus from entering cells. It seems to prevent a process by which cells take in other matter from occurring.

4. ONO 5334

What was it made to treat?

ONO 5334 is an experimental osteoporosis drug made to keep bone from being reabsorbed.

Is it FDA approved?

No. It's currently in phase 2 trials to test how safely it can treat patients with the bone deterioration condition.

How might it fight coronavirus?

ONO 5334 also seems to prevent SARS-CoV-2 from entering human cells. It blocks the activity of an enzyme that may be involved in how a virus infects cells.

DRUGS IDENTIFIED BY LAB TESTS THAT ARE ALREADY APPROVED OR AUTHORIZED BY THE FDA

5. REMDESIVIR

The Sanford study began before results of the NIH's remdesivir trial were released and independently identified its potential for treating COVID-19.

6. ASTEMIZOLE

Astemizole was granted FDA approval to treat allergies, but has since been withdrawn over concerns it may cause dangerous heart arrhythmias - the same side effect that eventually led the agency to revoke authorization for hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19.

15 ADDITIONAL DRUGS IN EARLY PHASES OF RESEARCH THAT SHOWED PROMISE FOR TREATING COVID-19

7. MLN-3897 - An experimental drug for treating bone and inflammatory diseases, the compound had mysteriously antiviral effects.

8. ELOPIPRAZOLE - An antipsychotic drug in phase 2 tests, it's unclear why it had antiviral effects.

9. SDZ-62-434 - A cancer drug in phase 1 studies, the drug had showed potential benefits against the virus, but the mechanism is unclear.

10. YH-1238 - Being tested in phase 1 studies, the compound is designed to treat stomach ulcers.

11. DS-6930 - A drug in early phases of development for treating diabetes mellitus.

12. N-TERT-BUTYLISOQUINE (GSK369786) - Yet another malaria drug in development, but only in its first phase of testing.

13. R 82913 - A compound in development for the treatment of HIV in phase 1 trials. Several HIV drugs have shown promise for treating COVID-19, but failed in trials

14. VBY-825 - Scientists are working on the compound for the treatment. It's in phase 0 testing for that purpose, but seemed to block coronavirus from entering cells.

15. 8-(3-CHLORROSTYRYL)CAFFEINE - Another antipsychotic, the drug is still in lab tests and has not begun clinical trials.

16. AMG-2674 - Scientists are still working on the compound in the lab, but believe it could be an alternative pain treatment to drugs like NSAIDS or opioids

17. KW 8232 - Like ONO 5334, the compound is being investigated to treat osteoporosis, but is in earlier stages of development.

18. MDL 28170 - Scientists hope this molecule may treat Alzheimer's disease based on lab testing, but it also appears to prevent coronavirus from invading cells.

19. SB-616234-A - It's unclear how the drug might work against coronavirus, but it's still in preclinical development for mood disorders.

20. SL-11128 - This compound shows anticancer qualities in the lab, but hasn't entered clinical trials.

21. Z LVG CHN2 - Although it is being designed for treating bacterial infections, the preclinical drug also seemed to block coronavirus from entering cells.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is again extending the deadline for employers that are finding it difficult to pay their workers compensation premiums during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Under L&Is extension, employers who are participating in the Employer Assistance Program have until Nov. 2 to pay their workers comp premiums for the second quarter (April-May-June). Without the extension, the full payments would have been due on July 31. L&I previously extended the due date for first quarter premiums (January-February-March) through July 31.

Interested employers must still reapply for the second quarter payment relief, even if they received a payment extension for the first quarter.

Under state law, L&I is required to collect workers comp premiums from employers to pay benefits for workers who are injured on the job or develop work-related illnesses.

The Employer Assistance Program offers a grace period for premium payments, along with payment plans for employers facing financial difficulties during the pandemic. Under this offer, employers can request a payment deferral for up to 90 days, or ask for a 90-day payment plan. the delayed payments are penalty- and interest-free.

Employers must contact the L&I Collections, Education, and Outreach unit if they know they will not be able to make their quarterly premium payment by calling (800) 301-1826 or by sending an email to L&Is dialer collections mailbox.

L&I will waive late penalties and interest charges as long as qualifying businesses pay their premiums within 90 days. In some cases, the payment plan may be renegotiated if a business goes deeper into financial distress.

As part of the agreement, businesses must still file their quarterly report on time, which is no later than July 31, for second quarter workers comp premiums. Quarterly reports can be filed online through QuickFile.

Topics Workers' Compensation Commercial Lines Business Insurance Washington
The Wildlife Conservation Society, which operates the Bronx Zoo, three other zoos and an aquarium in New York, apologized Wednesday for two aspects of its history that the societys chief executive described as demonstrating unconscionable racial intolerance.

In a statement, the society apologized for an incident that took place in 1906 when the Bronx Zoo put a young Central African man of the Mbuti ethnic group on display in the Monkey House for several days.

Objections from local Black ministers ultimately put a stop to the exploitative exhibition.

The conservation society, which was established as the New York Zoological Society in 1895, had never before issued a formal public apology for the inhumane treatment of the young man, Ota Benga, who had previously been taken from his home in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo and put on display at the St. Louis Worlds Fair.

The second part of the apology addressed two of the groups founders  Madison Grant and Henry Fairfield Osborn  and their advancement of eugenics-based, pseudoscientific racism.
Hyderabad: As many as 20 visually handicapped men living in a government hostel for the disabled in Hyderabad have contracted the coronavirus and have been admitted to the Covid-treatment facility at the Nature Cure Hospital (NCH).

Their symptoms are mild but taking care of them in NCH is a challenge as it has no support facilities for the visually handicapped. There are 50 visually handicapped persons lodged in the 180-bed hostel at Mehdipatnam. Many boarders left after the first coronavirus lockdown in March and have not returned. Of the boarders 15 who have tested positive, 14 say they were exposed to the hostel warden who had contracted Covid-19. Six others got the disease from the staff nurse.

R. Swamy Nayak, central executive council member of the All India Confederation of the Blind (AICB) says, The hostel warden, Rama Devis, husband had contracted Covid-19. The warden should have quarantined herself. She did not do that and due to that several hostel inmates have been infected. They are now at Nature Cure Hospital where the facilities are not very good. Who is responsible for their position? How will they be taken care of?

They have been calling Nayak from the hospital and demanding that they be moved to a better facility. They are complaining that there is no one to take care of them.

Rama Devi, warden of the hostel says, The 14 boarders developed fever, cough and cold in the last 10 days. I was quarantined and not available at work. Once I came back, they were immediately sent for testing and have been sent to the government isolation centre. They have been going out for their essential work and it would be wrong to blame me for infecting them.

With the hostel having few inmates, there has been distancing but it has not been possible to keep all of them away due to their social needs to be together. The hostel premises have been sanitised and there is monitoring of the remaining inmates who have been asked to not go out at all and stay inside.
Geoff Duncan, a former ABC Western Australian State Director, has died.

In a statement ABC managing director David Anderson said in a statement he was well known for his passion and advocacy.

He was State Director for almost 16 years from 1998 until his retirement in 2013 and oversaw the move from the ABCs former Adelaide Terrace studios to our current site in East Perth. Geoffs first role in the ABC was as a radio current affairs reporter and he later headed the AM/PMs Canberra bureau before moving into management, he said.

Geoff was the first manager to really bring the WA branch together, championing new local television productions such as How The Quest Was Won; Pet Show and Can We Help? and taking radio into the community, forging strong connections with local government and artistic and cultural organisations and sitting on the board of the Perth International Arts Festival. He had an enthusiasm for the ABC and WA that was contagious and galvanized staff across the state.

Our thoughts are with Geoffs family, friends and former colleagues.
U.S. cybersecurity firm revealed that China-linked hackers have infiltrated Vatican computer networks ahead of talks.

China-linked hackers have infiltrated the Vatican computer networks, reads a report published by the U.S. cybersecurity firm Recorded Future that focuses on the analysis of nation-state actors.

According to the experts, the cyber espionage campaign began in May ahead the talk between the Vatican and the Chinese government.

The hackers also targeted the Catholic diocese of Hong Kong, including the head of the Hong Kong Study Mission.

It said the attacks began in May. The Vatican and Beijing were expected to engage in talks this year over the renewal of a landmark 2018 deal that stabilised relations between China and the Church. reads the article published by the Reuters.

U.S. cybersecurity firm Recorded Future said in the report that the attacks targeted the Vatican and the Catholic diocese of Hong Kong, including the head of the Hong Kong Study Mission, who is seen as Pope Francis de facto representative to China.

Hackers focused on communications between the Hong Kong diocese and the Vatican. Techniques, tactics, and procedures are aligned with the ones used by China-linked APT groups.

Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, recently speaking at a daily news conference in Beijing, declared that its country always defended the cybersecurity and never used an offensive approach.

Beijing always denied any engagement in any nation-state campaign against foreign governments.

The Vatican, either the Hong Kong Study Mission, did not comment on the claims of the US cybersecurity firm.

The reported hacking follows an extremely rare meeting between Beijing and the Vaticans foreign minister earlier this year in Germany, marking the highest-level official encounter between the two sides in decades. continues the Reuters.

Relations between the two have been improving and they have been expected to renew the provisional two-year deal on the operation of the Catholic Church in China this September.

A Chinese delegation is expected to visit the Vatican as part of ongoing talks, but at the time there is no indication of the exact calendar of the talks. We have also to consider the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak that could have an impact on the talks between the two states.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  hacking, Vatican)

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The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has suspended the four officers, including two senior officers, already arrested or being sought on allegations of abuse of office and bribery over their handling of the investigation into the illegal sale of stands in Kuwadzana in a US$1 million scam.





The four  Deputy Director for the police CID commercial crimes unit Assistant Commissioner Obeylaw Moyo (47), Detective Assistant Inspector Claudious Majonga (37), Detective Constable Aaron Karuru (32), and a fourth officer who is still on the run  will be suspended until their cases are finalised by the courts. This is now standard police procedure for any officer before the courts on a criminal charge, or who is being sought for a criminal charge.





Should they be convicted, dismissal will be almost automatic. Chief public prosecutor Clement Chimbare was implicated in the matter, and was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (zacc) together the police officers.





The accused were allegedly paid off with housing stands for not arresting or not charging suspected kingpins in the scam. There is evidence that they were allocated stands in the new middle-income Harare suburb of Westlea, using waiting list numbers already given to others.





Another senior police officer, Superintendent Naboth Nyachega, and two Harare City Council officials  human resources director and former housing director Matthew Marara and housing assistant Aaron Taerera  were also arrested over the case.





Police sources yesterday confirmed the developments, saying any member arrested for any offence will automatically be suspended from duty pending investigations.





That is the procedure. They will also be charged internally under the Police Act as part of the disciplinary processes, said a close source yesterday.





National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said he was still checking the details of the matter.





Allegations are that in September last year, the Harare municipality through town clerk, Engineer Hosiah Chisango, reported a case of suspected fraud in which Edgar Dzehonye, Mathew Marara, Rudo Chigocha, Believer Mpawaenda and Margeth Geroge were the accused persons.





The fraud arose from the alleged creation and corrupt selling of 150 stands by Dzehonye, Marara and other accomplices in Kuwadzana 3, 4, and 5 without the knowledge or approval of council.





Investigations led to the arrest of the suspects, Tapiwa Gona, Chigocha, Mpawaenda and Geroge, who then appeared in court after the required paperwork was vetted by Chief Prosecutor Chimbare at the Harare Magistrates Courts.





On February 4 this year, the four police officers in the direct investigation  Majonga, Karuru, Nyachega and Mutipforo  also arrested Dzehonye and Marara who appeared in court the following day.





Their docket was again vetted by chief prosecutor Chimbare, who allegedly corruptly ordered the release of Dzehonye and Marara and advised the State to proceed by way of summons as there were several others facing the same charges.





According to the State, this was despite the fact that the other four suspects had already appeared in court on the same charges and had been formally remanded, although released on $1 000 bail each.





Investigations carried out revealed that after the case of Dzehonye and Marara was ordered to proceed by way of summons, on March 19, Moyo, Majonga, Karuru and another unnamed suspect still on the run, corruptly received waiting list numbers belonging to other home-seekers and were selected for consideration of unserviced residential stands in Westlea, in a bid to jeopardise investigations and prosecution of the two. Herald




Archbishop slams Catholic leaders for allowing heresy, sodomy and corruption to run rampant

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Roman Catholic Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a prominent critic of Pope Francis, has accused a group of Church leaders of subverting the Church from within by allowing "heresy, sodomy and corruption" to run rampant.

In a recent interview with Vatican expert Marco Tosatti, the 79-year-old Vigano elaborated further on what he sees as the "deep church."

Vigano, who previously served as the Vatican's ambassador to the United States in one of the top diplomatic positions, first coined the phrase "deep church" in a June letter to President Donald Trump in which he described it as mercenary infidels who seek to scatter the flock and hand the sheep over to be devoured by ravenous wolves.

According to Vigano, there's an effort by the leadership of the Catholic Church, including the pope, to downplay the role of sodomy and homosexual behaviors in the sexual abuse of minors.

Throughout the interview, Vigano referred to Pope Francis by his given name of Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

For Bergoglio and his entourage, sodomy is not a sin that cries out for vengeance in the presence of God, as the Catechism teaches," Vigano said. "Bergoglios words on this topic  and even more the actions and words of those who surround him  unfortunately, confirm that an operation of legalization of homosexuality is currently underway and that prelates and theologians are carrying this discussion forward who have manifested without equivocation that they are unfaithful to Catholic teaching."

After declaring that a "gay lobby"  consisting of now defrocked Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Cardinal Joseph Tobin and others  has infiltrated the Catholic Church, Vigano spoke of another interest of a political nature. He alleges the interest can explain the Catholic churchs response to McCarrick, who faced allegations of sexual abuse.

Vigano quoted from an article in Church Militant that alleged that Francis unshackled him [McCarrick] from Benedict-imposed restrictions just weeks after becoming pope.

Sources in China  show that McCarrick may have been instrumental in working out the ongoing secret payments of billions of dollars from the Chinese communists to Francis Vatican, Church Militant claimed.

Vigano alleged that it was hardly a coincidence that the Vatican remained silent when China ordered Christian villagers to renounce their faith and worship the nations Communist Party leaders instead.

The implication from Vigano was that a secret agreement made between the Holy See and Beijing explains the Vaticans decision to remain silent on the human rights violations perpetrated by the regime.

Vigano added that he remains pessimistic as to whether Catholics worldwide will ever learn the whole truth about McCarrick.

McCarrick, who served as archbishop of Washington, D.C., has faced a multitude of sexual abuse allegations dating back half a century when he allegedly grabbed the genitals of a teenage boy on two occasions.

While multiple priests and seminarians have accused McCarrick of predatory sexual behavior over the years, most of those accusations were ignored.

The dynamics of McCarrick's situation changed considerably in 2018 when an investigation conducted by the Archdiocese of New York deemed allegations against McCarrick to be credible. McCarrick resigned from the College of Cardinals that summer and the pope placed him in seclusion for a "life of prayer and penance."

The Vatican laicized McCarrick in early 2019, stripping him of his clerical status.

Lets not forget that the legitimization of homosexuality is part of the agenda of the New World Order  to which the Bergoglian church adheres openly and unconditionally  not only for its destabilizing value in the social body but also because sodomy is the principal instrument with which the Enemy intends to destroy the Catholic priesthood, corrupting the souls of the Ministers of God, Vigano said. For this reason, at least as far as what seems possible, the entire truth about McCarrick will never officially come to light.

Vigano concluded the interview with Tosatti by calling for action from the sons of light to expose the complicities and crimes of those who make war on the Good so as to establish the New World Order.

In May, Vigano penned a document titled the Appeal for the Church and the World to Catholics and all people of good will." In the appeal, he criticized the restrictions on religious services during the coronavirus pandemic. He also warned of a world government beyond all control and an odious technological tyranny.

Vigano caused a stir in the global Catholic community in 2018 by publishing an 11-page letter calling on Pope Francis to resign and accusing the pontiff of covering for McCarrick. The Vatican responded to Viganos allegations by calling them monstrous and blasphemous.

In 2019, the Vatican held a global summit focusing on the need to combat the sexual abuse of minors within the Catholic church. The summit featured about 200 leaders from across the world.

During his introductory remarks at the summit, Pope Francis implored leaders to find ways to fight this evil afflicting the Church and humanity. However, critics contend that the Vatican still has not done enough to halt clergy sexual abuse since the summit.
Nord Stream 2 AG, the Swiss-based operator of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, has filed an appeal against the General Court of the European Unions decision to dismiss the companys claim against the EU Gas Directive, the press service of Nord Stream 2 AG said.



"Nord Stream 2 AG disagrees with the courts reasoning regarding procedural issues, and is still convinced that amendments to the Gas Directive are an unlawful discrimination. In connection with that, Nord Stream 2 filed an appeal to the European Court [of Justice] against the ruling of the General Court of the European Union," TASS cited the company as saying.



On July 25, 2019, Nord Stream 2 AG initiated an action at the General Court of the European Union against Directive 2019/692, which extends certain rules of the internal market in natural gas to pipelines from third countries. The company argued that this directive constitutes an infringement on the EU law principles of equal treatment and proportionality. On May 20, the court ruled to dismiss the lawsuit for procedural reasons, but stopped short of rejecting it on merits.



Earlier, Nord Stream 2 told TASS it might file an appeal against the ruling until July 30. In line with the amendments, Nord Stream 2 should be operated by a company independent from Russias energy giant Gazprom. Moreover, 50% of the pipelines capacity is to be reserved for pumping gas from other suppliers.



In May 2020, Germanys Federal Network Agency exempted the Nord Stream pipeline from those requirements for the period of 20 years, but refused to do the same for Nord Stream 2.
Another minister of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans cabinet has tested positive for coronavirus, as per the ministers statement on his Twitter handle posted late Tuesday night. The ministers wife has also contracted the infection.

A senior state BJP leader too tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. The senior leader had accompanied the chief minister, state BJP president VD Sharma and a minister on a state governments plane to Lucknow on July 21 to attend the funeral of MP governor Lalji Tandon.

The minister who accompanied the CM to Lucknow was the first minister in the state cabinet to have tested positive for Covid-19 on July 22, the day he attended the state cabinet meeting along with other ministers. The meeting was chaired by the CM who tested positive for the virus on Saturday. CM Chouhan and the minister are being treated at a private medical colleges hospital in Bhopal.

Also read: 57% from slums in 3 wards have Covid antibodies, finds BMCs sero survey

The minister who tested positive on Tuesday hails from Malwa region, thus, happens to be the second minister in Chouhan cabinet to have tested positive for the virus within a week.

The minister said in his statement, Despite having no symptoms, we underwent a Covid-19 test on the instructions of the chief minister. My wifes and my reports have come back positive. I hope we will defeat Corona with good wishes of people and work for people with the same dedication. My appeal to my friends is they should undergo the test.

The minister said, We are going to quarantine at home on doctors advice. Those who were in close contact too are going to quarantine at home.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, senior BJP leader, Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia, among other BJP leaders including ministers and several Congress leaders, wished the minister and his wife a speedy recovery.

Notably, the minister has to face ensuing assembly bypolls in the state to retain his position as he happens to be one of the 14 ex-MLAs who have been inducted as a minister in the Chouhan cabinet. He had been canvassing for his election too in the constituency for months as he is expected to get the BJP ticket for the bypolls for the constituency. The dates of the bypolls are yet to be announced by the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, CM Chouhan chaired a virtual cabinet meeting from the hospital and shared that he reported no fever and his cough was also controlled.
Washington: Australia and the United States have vowed to beef up their joint military efforts in Darwin, boost naval exercises in the South China Sea and investigate the development of missile and hypersonic defence technologies to counter an increasingly assertive China.

Tensions with China dominated the annual Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations between Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and US counterparts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mike Esper on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).

Shared values but independent thinking: (From left) Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, Foreign Minister Marise Payne and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Credit:DFAT

While celebrating Australia's long-standing strategic alliance with the US, Senator Payne stressed that Australia would seek to promote its own national interests and notably declined to echo Mr Pompeo's strident rhetoric against the Chinese Communist Party.

Senator Payne said that although Australia and the US were close allies, they "dont agree on everything though  and thats part of a respectful relationship".
RESTON, Va., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) today reported second-quarter 2020 net earnings of $625 million on revenue of $9.3 billion. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) were $2.18.

"We have continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, meeting our customers' needs while keeping our people as safe as possible," said Phebe N. Novakovic, chairman and chief executive officer. "We are focused on the basics of early and aggressive cost management, performance and cash conversion as we manage through this period."

EXHIBIT H-1 EXHIBIT H-2 Aerospace EXHIBIT H-2 Combat Systems EXHIBIT H-2 Information Technology EXHIBIT H-2 Mission Systems EXHIBIT H-2 Marine Systems EXHIBIT H-2 Key

Aircraft deliveries

The company delivered 32 aircraft during the quarter, up from 23 last quarter, despite continued pandemic-related challenges to making international deliveries.

Cash

Net cash provided by operating activities in the quarter totaled $843 million, $552 million better than the year-ago quarter. Free cash flow from operations, defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, was $622 million, 100% of net earnings. The company ended the quarter with $2.3 billion of cash on hand, $1.6 billion more than at the end of second-quarter 2019.

Backlog

Total backlog at the end of second-quarter 2020 was $82.7 billion, 22% higher than the year-ago quarter. Estimated potential contract value, representing management's estimate of value in unfunded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts and unexercised options, was $49.6 billion. Total estimated contract value, the sum of all backlog components, was $132.2 billion at the end of the quarter, approximately 30% more than the year-ago quarter.

Significant awards in the quarter included a contract to construct the first two Columbia-class submarines which will be worth $11.5 billion when funding is received from Congress; $320 million to upgrade Stryker vehicles to the double-V-hull A1 configuration; $215 million from the U.S. Army to produce Hydra-70 rockets; $175 million from the Army for computing and communications equipment under the Common Hardware Systems-5 program; $160 million in separate contracts from the U.S. Navy to provide missile components for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program and gun systems for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; $130 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for several contracts, including support of the agency's Healthcare Integrated General Ledger Accounting System (HIGLAS) application; and $125 million for several key contracts to provide intelligence services to classified customers.

About General Dynamics

Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; IT services; C4ISR solutions; and shipbuilding and ship repair. General Dynamics employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and generated $39.4 billion in revenue in 2019. More information is available at www.gd.com .

Certain statements made in this press release, including any statements as to future results of operations and financial projections, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. Additional information regarding these factors is contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made. The company does not undertake any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this press release.

WEBCAST INFORMATION: General Dynamics will webcast its second-quarter 2020 financial results conference call at 9 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. The webcast will be a listen-only audio event available at www.gd.com . An on-demand replay of the webcast will be available one hour after the end of the call and end on August 5, 2020. To hear a recording of the conference call by telephone, please call 1-877-344-7529 (international: 1-412-317-0088) passcode 10144907. Charts furnished to investors and securities analysts in connection with General Dynamics' announcement of its financial results are available at www.gd.com .

EXHIBIT A CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS - (UNAUDITED) DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS



Three Months Ended

Variance

June 28, 2020

June 30, 2019

$

% Revenue $ 9,264



$ 9,555



$ (291)



(3.0) % Operating costs and expenses (8,423)



(8,465)



42





Operating earnings 841



1,090



(249)



(22.8) % Interest, net (132)



(119)



(13)





Other, net 18



12



6





Earnings before income tax 727



983



(256)



(26.0) % Provision for income tax, net (102)



(177)



75





Net earnings $ 625



$ 806



$ (181)



(22.5) % Earnings per sharebasic $ 2.18



$ 2.80



$ (0.62)



(22.1) % Basic weighted average shares outstanding 286.4



288.1









Earnings per sharediluted $ 2.18



$ 2.77



$ (0.59)



(21.3) % Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 286.9



290.8











EXHIBIT B CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS - (UNAUDITED) DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS



Six Months Ended

Variance

June 28, 2020

June 30, 2019

$

% Revenue $ 18,013



$ 18,816



$ (803)



(4.3) % Operating costs and expenses (16,231)



(16,712)



481





Operating earnings 1,782



2,104



(322)



(15.3) % Interest, net (239)



(236)



(3)





Other, net 32



30



2





Earnings before income tax 1,575



1,898



(323)



(17.0) % Provision for income tax, net (244)



(347)



103





Net earnings $ 1,331



$ 1,551



$ (220)



(14.2) % Earnings per sharebasic $ 4.63



$ 5.39



$ (0.76)



(14.1) % Basic weighted average shares outstanding 287.5



288.0









Earnings per sharediluted $ 4.61



$ 5.33



$ (0.72)



(13.5) % Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 288.5



290.8











EXHIBIT C REVENUE AND OPERATING EARNINGS BY SEGMENT - (UNAUDITED) DOLLARS IN MILLIONS



Three Months Ended

Variance

June 28, 2020

June 30, 2019

$

% Revenue:













Aerospace $ 1,974



$ 2,136



$ (162)



(7.6) % Combat Systems 1,754



1,659



95



5.7 % Information Technology 1,884



2,158



(274)



(12.7) % Mission Systems 1,181



1,277



(96)



(7.5) % Marine Systems 2,471



2,325



146



6.3 % Total $ 9,264



$ 9,555



$ (291)



(3.0) % Operating earnings:













Aerospace $ 159



$ 331



$ (172)



(52.0) % Combat Systems 239



242



(3)



(1.2) % Information Technology 83



154



(71)



(46.1) % Mission Systems 164



162



2



1.2 % Marine Systems 200



197



3



1.5 % Corporate (4)



4



(8)



(200.0) % Total $ 841



$ 1,090



$ (249)



(22.8) % Operating margin:













Aerospace 8.1 %

15.5 %







Combat Systems 13.6 %

14.6 %







Information Technology 4.4 %

7.1 %







Mission Systems 13.9 %

12.7 %







Marine Systems 8.1 %

8.5 %







Total 9.1 %

11.4 %









EXHIBIT D REVENUE AND OPERATING EARNINGS BY SEGMENT - (UNAUDITED) DOLLARS IN MILLIONS



Six Months Ended

Variance

June 28, 2020

June 30, 2019

$

% Revenue:













Aerospace $ 3,665



$ 4,376



$ (711)



(16.2) % Combat Systems 3,462



3,295



167



5.1 % Information Technology 3,872



4,327



(455)



(10.5) % Mission Systems 2,297



2,435



(138)



(5.7) % Marine Systems 4,717



4,383



334



7.6 % Total $ 18,013



$ 18,816



$ (803)



(4.3) % Operating earnings:













Aerospace $ 399



$ 659



$ (260)



(39.5) % Combat Systems 462



448



14



3.1 % Information Technology 233



310



(77)



(24.8) % Mission Systems 312



310



2



0.6 % Marine Systems 384



377



7



1.9 % Corporate (8)







(8)



 % Total $ 1,782



$ 2,104



$ (322)



(15.3) % Operating margin:













Aerospace 10.9 %

15.1 %







Combat Systems 13.3 %

13.6 %







Information Technology 6.0 %

7.2 %







Mission Systems 13.6 %

12.7 %







Marine Systems 8.1 %

8.6 %







Total 9.9 %

11.2 %









EXHIBIT E CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DOLLARS IN MILLIONS



(Unaudited)





June 28, 2020

December 31, 2019 ASSETS





Current assets:





Cash and equivalents $ 2,300



$ 902

Accounts receivable 3,515



3,544

Unbilled receivables 7,715



7,857

Inventories 6,666



6,306

Other current assets 939



1,171

Total current assets 21,135



19,780

Noncurrent assets:





Property, plant and equipment, net 4,721



4,475

Intangible assets, net 2,197



2,315

Goodwill 19,718



19,677

Other assets 2,451



2,594

Total noncurrent assets 29,087



29,061

Total assets $ 50,222



$ 48,841

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current liabilities:





Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt $ 4,121



$ 2,920

Accounts payable 2,383



3,162

Customer advances and deposits 6,212



7,148

Other current liabilities 3,890



3,571

Total current liabilities 16,606



16,801

Noncurrent liabilities:





Long-term debt 10,470



9,010

Other liabilities 9,256



9,453

Total noncurrent liabilities 19,726



18,463

Shareholders' equity:





Common stock 482



482

Surplus 3,050



3,039

Retained earnings 32,294



31,633

Treasury stock (17,809)



(17,358)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss (4,127)



(4,219)

Total shareholders' equity 13,890



13,577

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 50,222



$ 48,841



EXHIBIT F CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS - (UNAUDITED) DOLLARS IN MILLIONS



Six Months Ended

June 28, 2020

June 30, 2019 Cash flows from operating activitiescontinuing operations:





Net earnings $ 1,331



$ 1,551

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash from operating activities:





Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 254



232

Amortization of intangible and finance lease right-of-use assets 177



183

Equity-based compensation expense 61



72

Deferred income tax benefit (83)



(17)

(Increase) decrease in assets, net of effects of business acquisitions:





Accounts receivable (1)



64

Unbilled receivables 160



(1,074)

Inventories (433)



(556)

Increase (decrease) in liabilities, net of effects of business acquisitions:





Accounts payable (782)



(301)

Customer advances and deposits (863)



(607)

Other, net 356



(51)

Net cash provided (used) by operating activities 177



(504)

Cash flows from investing activities:





Capital expenditures (406)



(362)

Other, net 184



(1)

Net cash used by investing activities (222)



(363)

Cash flows from financing activities:





Proceeds from fixed-rate notes 3,960





Repayment of fixed-rate notes (2,000)





Proceeds from commercial paper, net 816



1,394

Dividends paid (610)



(563)

Purchases of common stock (501)



(231)

Repayment of floating-rate notes (500)





Proceeds from commercial paper, gross (maturities greater than 3 months) 420





Other, net (118)



30

Net cash provided by financing activities 1,467



630

Net cash used by discontinued operations (24)



(24)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents 1,398



(261)

Cash and equivalents at beginning of period 902



963

Cash and equivalents at end of period $ 2,300



$ 702



EXHIBIT G ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION - (UNAUDITED) DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS

Other Financial Information:















June 28, 2020

December 31, 2019







Debt-to-equity (a) 105.0 %

87.9 %







Debt-to-capital (b) 51.2 %

46.8 %







Book value per share (c) 48.41



$ 46.88









Shares outstanding 286,932,436



289,610,336



























Second Quarter

Six Months

2020

2019

2020

2019 Income tax payments, net $ 13



$ 360



$ 56



$ 397

Company-sponsored research and

development (d) $ 116



$ 120



$ 194



$ 242

Return on sales (e) 6.7 %

8.4 %

7.4 %

8.2 %















Non-GAAP Financial Measures:















Second Quarter

Six Months

2020

2019

2020

2019 Earnings before interest, taxes,

depreciation and amortization:













Net earnings $ 625



$ 806



$ 1,331



$ 1,551

Interest, net 132



119



239



236

Provision for income tax, net 102



177



244



347

Depreciation of property, plant and

equipment 132



118



254



232

Amortization of intangible and

finance lease right-of-use assets 87



92



177



183

Earnings before interest, taxes,

depreciation and amortization (f) $ 1,078



$ 1,312



$ 2,245



$ 2,549

















Free cash flow from operations:













Net cash provided (used) by

operating activities $ 843



$ 291



$ 177



$ (504)

Capital expenditures (221)



(181)



(406)



(362)

Free cash flow from operations (g) $ 622



$ 110



$ (229)



$ (866)









(a) Debt-to-equity ratio is calculated as total debt divided by total equity as of the end of the period.



(b) Debt-to-capital ratio is calculated as total debt divided by the sum of total debt plus total equity as of the end of the period.



(c) Book value per share is calculated as total equity divided by total outstanding shares as of the end of the period.



(d) Includes independent research and development and Aerospace product-development costs.



(e) Return on sales is calculated as net earnings divided by revenue.



(f) We believe earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) is a useful measure for investors because it provides another measure of our profitability and our ability to service our debt. We calculate EBITDA by adding back interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to net earnings. The most directly comparable GAAP measure to EBITDA is net earnings.



(g) We believe free cash flow from operations is a useful measure for investors because it portrays our ability to generate cash from our businesses for purposes such as repaying maturing debt, funding business acquisitions, repurchasing our common stock and paying dividends. We use free cash flow from operations to assess the quality of our earnings and as a key performance measure in evaluating management. The most directly comparable GAAP measure to free cash flow from operations is net cash provided (used) by operating activities.

EXHIBIT H BACKLOG - (UNAUDITED) DOLLARS IN MILLIONS





Funded

Unfunded

Total

Backlog

Estimated Potential Contract Value*

Total

Estimated

Contract Value Second Quarter 2020:



















Aerospace

$ 11,874



$ 239



$ 12,113



$ 2,834



$ 14,947

Combat Systems

13,863



242



14,105



6,399



20,504

Information Technology

5,464



3,463



8,927



18,392



27,319

Mission Systems

4,856



185



5,041



7,510



12,551

Marine Systems

25,118



17,365



42,483



14,441



56,924

Total

$ 61,175



$ 21,494



$ 82,669



$ 49,576



$ 132,245

First Quarter 2020:



















Aerospace

$ 12,998



$ 274



$ 13,272



$ 2,837



$ 16,109

Combat Systems

14,373



244



14,617



4,253



18,870

Information Technology

5,375



4,127



9,502



18,638



28,140

Mission Systems

4,947



229



5,176



7,957



13,133

Marine Systems

26,112



17,053



43,165



4,460



47,625

Total

$ 63,805



$ 21,927



$ 85,732



$ 38,145



$ 123,877

Second Quarter 2019:



















Aerospace

$ 11,932



$ 213



$ 12,145



$ 2,079



$ 14,224

Combat Systems

14,794



438



15,232



4,113



19,345

Information Technology

4,446



4,405



8,851



17,983



26,834

Mission Systems

4,925



258



5,183



6,847



12,030

Marine Systems

18,344



7,899



26,243



3,223



29,466

Total

$ 54,441



$ 13,213



$ 67,654



$ 34,245



$ 101,899









* The estimated potential contract value includes work awarded on unfunded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts and unexercised options associated with existing firm contracts, including options and other agreements with existing customers to purchase new aircraft and aircraft services. We recognize options in backlog when the customer exercises the option and establishes a firm order. For IDIQ contracts, we evaluate the amount of funding we expect to receive and include this amount in our estimated potential contract value. The actual amount of funding received in the future may be higher or lower than our estimate of potential contract value.

EXHIBIT H-1

BACKLOG - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220566/Exhibit_H_1.jpg

EXHIBIT H-2

BACKLOG BY SEGMENT - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220564/EXHIBIT_H_2_Aerospace.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220565/EXHIBIT_H_2_Combat_Systems.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220567/EXHIBIT_H_2_Information_Technology.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220569/EXHIBIT_H_2_Mission_Systems.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220568/EXHIBIT_H_2_Marine_Systems.jpg

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1220570/EXHIBIT_H_2_Key.jpg

EXHIBIT I

SECOND QUARTER 2020 SIGNIFICANT ORDERS - (UNAUDITED)

DOLLARS IN MILLIONS

We received the following significant contract awards during the second quarter of 2020:

Combat Systems:

$320 from the U.S. Army to upgrade Stryker vehicles to the double-V-hull A1 configuration. The contract has a maximum potential value of $2.5 billion .

$215 from the Army for the production of Hydra-70 rockets. The contract has a maximum potential value of $3.4 billion .

$110 from the U.S. Navy to provide missile components for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program.

$100 for various munitions and ordnance.

$50 from the Navy to produce gun systems for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Information Technology:

$120 from the U.S. Air Force for the Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System (BICES) program to provide intelligence information sharing capabilities for the Department of Defense (DoD). The contract has a maximum potential value of $620 .

$130 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for several contracts, including support of the agency's Healthcare Integrated General Ledger Accounting System (HIGLAS) application.

$125 for several key contracts to provide intelligence services to classified customers.

$50 from the Navy to provide training and training-related program support.

$40 to provide IT, cloud support and network management services for a commercial customer.

Mission Systems:

$175 from the Army for computing and communications equipment under the Common Hardware Systems-5 program.

$105 from the Navy to support the design and development of fire-control systems for ballistic-missile submarines for the Navy and the U.K. Royal Navy .

$60 to provide sustainment services for the Navy's next-generation Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite communications system.

$35 from the U.S. Coast Guard to provide system sustainment support for the Rescue 21 program.

$35 from the Army to provide continued software support and engineering for the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 2 program.

Marine Systems:

A contract from the Navy to construct the first two Columbia-class submarines, which will be worth $11.5 billion when funding is received from Congress.

$130 from the Navy for capital expenditures and industrial base development in support of the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG-51) guided-missile destroyer program.

$80 from the Navy for Advanced Nuclear Plant Studies (ANPS) in support of the Columbia-class submarine program.

$55 from the Navy to support the Common Missile Compartment work under joint development for the Navy and the U.K. Royal Navy .

$45 from the Navy to provide ongoing lead yard services for the DDG-51 program.

EXHIBIT J AEROSPACE SUPPLEMENTAL DATA - (UNAUDITED)





Second Quarter

Six Months



2020

2019

2020

2019 Gulfstream Aircraft Deliveries (units):















Large-cabin aircraft

26



23



46



50

Mid-cabin aircraft

6



8



9



15

Total

32



31



55



65



















Aerospace Book-to-Bill:















Orders*

$ 1,072



$ 2,198



$ 2,928



$ 5,329

Revenue (excluding pre-owned aircraft sales)

1,974



2,134



3,665



4,332

Book-to-Bill Ratio

0.54x



1.03x



0.80x



1.23x









* Does not include customer defaults, liquidated damages, cancellations, foreign exchange fluctuations and other backlog adjustments.

SOURCE General Dynamics

Related Links

http://www.generaldynamics.com


Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, after yet another cabinet meeting, proposed convening an assembly session from July 14, from the earlier demand of July 31, in deference to the governors 21-day notice period condition for calling such a session.

The first proposal for an assembly session was sent on July 23 but it did not have the cabinets approval and no date was mentioned. Counting from that date onwards, the new date proposed meets the 21-day criterion.

Earlier today, governor Kalraj Mishra returned for the third time a proposal from the state government to convene the assembly, saying the cabinet had refused to state the reason why it wanted a session at short notice.

As the deadlock over calling a session deepened, CM Gehlot went up to meet the governor at the Raj Bhawan. The state cabinet met later.

The governor said if the government was not stating the reason for holding a short-notice session, it could call a regular session after giving a 21-day notice.

He asked the Gehlot cabinet to resubmit its proposal, giving a solid reason for calling a session at short notice.

The love letter has already come. Now, I am only going to have tea with him, Gehlot told party workers at the state Congress office before heading for the Raj Bhawan.

The Gehlot-led cabinet, which met on Tuesday, had claimed governor Mishra did not have any locus standi in stipulating conditions to hold the session. The cabinet asked Mishra to abide by its proposal and claimed the failure to do so would be unconstitutional.

It also asserted that the agenda of the session will be determined by the business advisory committee of the house. It was the speakers domain to decide on social distancing norms in the assembly.

Ashok Gehlot, who is battling a rebellion from his former Number 2 in the government - Sachin Pilot, claims the support of over 100 MLAs. Sachin Pilot, along with 18 MLAs, says he is only protesting the CMs way of functioning. He has maintained that he is not joining the opposition BJP.

The BJP with 72 MLAs has been watching the drama from the sidelines.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday strongly condemned reported attempts to convert a Gurdwara in Pakistan's Lahore into a mosque. He urged Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take up the issue with the Pakistan government to ensure that the character of the holy shrine was not changed in any manner whatsoever.

Akali Dal wants 'clear cut assurance' from Pak

In a statement, the SAD president said reports emanating from Pakistan indicated that constant efforts were being made to "convert the 18th-century shrine of Bhai Taru Singh into a mosque." Dubbing it as reprehensible, Badal said a "clear cut assurance" should be taken from the Pakistan government that such acts would not be allowed.

He also sought strict action against the perpetrators behind it. Badal requested Jaishankar to take up the issue of safety of all Sikh and Hindu religious shrines in Pakistan at the highest level. He said the Pakistan government should also ensure that Sikhs and Hindus do not face any impediments in observing the tenets of their faith.

Condemning the news, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh also urged the External Affairs Minister to convey a strong objection to Pakistan about the incident and has asked the Minister to tell the Pakistani administration to safeguard all Sikh places in their country.

Strongly condemn attempts being made to convert holy Gurdwara Sri Shahidi Asthan in Lahore, site of martyrdom of Bhai Taru Singh Ji, into mosque. Urge @DrSJaishankar to convey Punjab's concerns in strongest terms to Pakistan to safeguard all Sikh places of reverence.  Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) July 28, 2020

India lodges protest with Pakistan

India on Monday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan High Commission over reports of attempts being made to convert a gurudwara at Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore into a mosque. "A strong protest was lodged with the Pakistan High Commission today on the reported incident whereby Gurdwara Shahidi Asthan, site of martyrdom of Bhai Taru Singh Ji at Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore, Pakistan has been claimed as the place of Masjid Shahid Ganj and attempts are being made to convert it to a mosque," MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

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He said India expressed its concerns, in strongest terms, on the incident and called upon Pakistan to investigate the matter and take immediate remedial measures. "Pakistan was also called upon to look after the safety, security, well-being of its minority communities including protection of their religious rights and cultural heritage," Srivastava said, responding to a query on the matter.

He added Gurdwara Shahidi Asthan Bhai Taru Ji is a historical gurdwara where Bhai Taru Ji made supreme sacrifice in 1745. "The gurdwara is a place of reverence and considered sacred by the Sikh community. This incident has been viewed with grave concern in India. There have been calls for justice for the minority Sikh community in Pakistan," he added.

READ | Sushant Singh's father files complaint, Kangana Ranaut questions Rhea & Bollywood lobby

READ | Punjab CM appeals to EAM against Pakistan's attempt to convert Lahore Gurudwara to mosque

(With agency inputs)
Gov. Yuriko Koike said Wednesday asking restaurants and shops to close will be a "huge burden" for Tokyo's finances as the city faces a second wave of coronavirus infections.

Koike made the remarks in an interview with the Nikkei Asian Review. Tokyo reported another 250 new infections on Wednesday, the 21st consecutive day that its daily count has reached above 100. Koike also said that Tokyo is mulling a new medical facility to deal solely with the resurgence of cases.

On April 11, shortly after the national government declared a state of emergency, Tokyo asked restaurants and shops to close and subsidized those that followed the guidance. It fully lifted the request on June 19.

"At first, we did not know much about the virus and groped in the dark [over how to curb the spread of the epidemic]," said Koike. "Due to the request, many shop owners faced financial difficulties and we had to provide subsidies twice."

Those subsidies were a financial drain on the metropolitan government that had already spent around 95% of its 935 billion yen ($8.9 billion) reserves set aside for emergencies.

Asking businesses to close again will be a financial drain on Tokyo, Gov. Koike said on Wednesday. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)

Koike said asking businesses citywide to close again will lead to "a huge financial burden," if Tokyo had to offer subsidies.

"We need a more strategic approach," Koike said. This could mean that the Tokyo government may request specific sectors or areas to close, if the need arises.
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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 has launched in India as a thin and light laptop. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 starts at Rs 60,990. The IdeaPad Slim 5 is powered by an AMD processor

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 has launched in India as a thin and light laptop that comes with the latest hardware inside. The company announced the IdeaPad Slim 3 last month in June and now the Slim 5 takes it a notch higher as it is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 is listed in a single variant on the official India website priced at Rs 60,990 and comes with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage. It is available in a single colour, Graphite Grey, online. The listing was first spotted by TechnoSports who reported that the IdeaPad Slim 5 is also listed on Amazon India but is priced at Rs 66,950.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 specifications and features

The IdeaPad Slim 5 features a 14-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution anti-glare display with 300 nits of brightness and 100% sRGB colour range. The screen is surrounded by narrow bezels, the top one measuring less than 7mm, the left and right ones measuring 4.3mm and bottom bezel measuring less than 10mm.

The Slim 5 is powered by AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor with Radeon graphics and runs on Windows 10 Home. This is paired with upto 16GB RAM and upto 1TB HDD/SSD M.2 storage options to choose from. Having said that, currently the only variant listed on the website comes with 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 packs in a 57Wh three-cell battery that is able to provide upto 12 hours worth of battery life with support for Quick Charge 2.0. Lenovo claims that a 15-minute charge can top-up the battery for a 3-hour long use.

Theres a privacy shutter on the webcam and the power button doubles up as a fingerprint reader. The IdeaPad Slim 5 comes with upward-firing stereo speakers tuned by Dolby Audio. It also comes with support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

As for the I/O ports, the IdeaPad Slim 5 comes with two USB-A 3.1 ports, a USB Type-C port, an HDMI port, an SD card reader and a headphone/mic combo jack.
President Donald Trump told reporters Monday he would not visit the Capitol to pay respects to civil rights activist Rep. John Lewis, who died July 17.

"No I won't be going," the president said when asked. "No."

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: CDC updates school safety guidelines, strongly advocates for reopening campuses in the fall

Trump travelled to North Carolina Monday to visit a facility working on a COVID-19 vaccine. He returned later that day.

Trump and Lewis publicly conflicted. Lewis called Trump an "illegitimate president" and refused to attend the 2017 inauguration, while Trump has said Lewis was all talk with no action or results" in his congressional career.

Lewis is lying in state in the Capitol as part of six days of funeral services. The public was permitted to visit Monday and Tuesday.

Lewis died from pancreatic cancer at age 80 on July 17. Serving for more than three decades in Congress, Lewis was a prominent activist in the Civil Rights movement, an original freedom rider and the last living member of the Big Six who organized the 1963 March on Washington. He is the second black lawmaker to lay in state in the Capitol, according to the Washington Post.

Bill Clark, Contributor / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Vice President Mike Pence, former Vice President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and more have visited.
What the Permian Basin needs right now is our presidents commitment to less regulation, more production and stabilized markets. This is key to recovery of the Texas oil and gas industry. President Trumps commitment to reducing red tape and regulations on this vital industry is the next great step to recovery for not only the Permian Basin, but for all of Texas and the United States.

We have all weathered an unexpected storm this year. The collapse of the oil and gas market, combined with a pandemic, has left the Permian Basin facing unthinkable challenges. The energy sector of the worlds economy took a tremendous blow. President Trumps commitment to reducing regulations and promoting growth in the energy sector, while expanding access to other world markets, will be vital to the industry. These steps will help the Permian Basin, Texas and America.

President Trump will be in the Permian Basin today. He will spend his time on this trip to Texas meeting with Texans, visiting with producers in the industry and hearing firsthand the necessary steps for a recovery. President Trump knows firsthand how to run a business with less regulation; after all, he was in business for many years before his public service. He and his team have worked hard to get Americas businesses open again after the pandemic shutdown in March. His commitment to ensuring the Permian Basin operators and producers are part of this energy recovery is unparalleled.

After watching the energy industry suffer as a result of COVID-19 and the collapse of oil markets this year, President Trump has worked diligently to help with recovery. Today, he will talk about incentivizing funding for energy producers. He will also discuss cutting regulations and streamlining permits. Each of these demonstrate his commitment to a recovery in Texas and across all energy- producing markets.

What does this mean for West Texas? It means new jobs, old jobs coming back, increased wages, more money for health care and education and so much more. President Trumps commitment to making West Texas a great place to live and work will be evident today when he opens the doors of energy business. He is committed to making sure we do not ever see a market swing like we experienced in March of this year. He is committed to making sure Texans and energy producers can spend their time doing what they know best: working. Most of all, he is committed to making sure the American dream is attainable by all Americans. Jobs in the energy industry are certainly a part of the American dream.

These are uncertain times in our community and our country. We all have to make difficult choices each day as we navigate this recovery. One thing you and I can do is support President Trump today and in the future. He knows how important the work you do is to the American economy. President Trump is putting his commitment into words and actions today. His support will set the Permian Basin, Texas and America on the right path to recovery.

State Rep. Tom Craddick represents District 82 and is a former speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
Everyone has experienced a fashion faux pas or two, and former Bachelorette Georgia Love is no different.

The 31-year-old shared a video to her Instagram story on Tuesday, which revealed a hilarious wardrobe malfunction.

Georgia explained that she had gone for a '3km walk' in Melbourne wearing different shoes and didn't realise.

Scroll down for video

Clothing mishap: Georgia Love shared a video to her Instagram story on Tuesday that revealed a hilarious wardrobe malfunction

'GUYS I've just come home from a 3km walk and only noticed this when I went to take them off,' she captioned the video.

In the clip, Georgia was wearing two black and white sneakers that looked very similar with a pair of exercise leggings.

She tilted her right foot to the side and revealed the pattern on the side of her Asics sneaker.

If the shoe fits: In the video, Georgia was wearing two black and white sneakers that look very similar with a pair of exercise leggings, but the shoes were different

She then tilted her left foot to the side to reveal the famous Nike tick on her other shoe.

The media personality could be heard laughing in the background of the video and she further captioned the clip: 'Why am I like this?

Georgia's post comes after she sarcastically remarked on Instagram earlier this month that '2020 is not good.'

Tough year: Georgia's post comes after she sarcastically remarked on Instagram earlier this month that '2020 is not good'

The Channel Ten reporter shared an image of herself wearing a face mask to work in Melbourne amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In the photo, Georgia wore a chic tan ensemble and angled the camera to capture her face mask and microphone with the Channel Ten logo.

The brunette sarcastically wrote in the post's caption: 'I don't know if I'm the first person to point this out but 2020 is....not good.'
A report from the Washington Free Beacon notes that Billionaire elitist George Soros has pumped more than $50 million into Democrats election campaigns for 2020, a record amount, and around $30 million more than he spent in 2016, with over three months still to go.

The report notes that Soros created a Democracy PAC in 2019, and that Federal Election Commission figures show the PAC distributed almost $17 million in last the quarter alone.

This means that Soros has pumped in $48 million to leftist groups.

That figure is more than Amazon, Facebook, Boeing, and Googles parent company, Alphabet, the report notes.

The report adds that Soros has also pledged $4 million directly to Democratic campaigns and committees, outside of the PAC. This means that the $22 million Soros spent in 2016 has been more than doubled this time around.

The direct $4 million includes hundreds of thousands going to the DNC-led Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund, the Nancy Pelosi Victory Fund, and the Biden Victory Fund, according to the figures.

The fact that Soros diverts the money through the PAC and groups within the Open Society Foundation network means that his name is kept off the top of donation lists. However, anyone taking more than a cursory look at where Democratic money is coming from can see that Soros is funding a huge chunk of the operation.

Earlier this month, in an interview with The New York Times, Open Society Foundations President Patrick Gaspard announced that the organisation, headed by billionaire George Soros, is to double down on funding black-led justice organizations.

The interview was accompanied by a press release from the Open Society declaring that The largest share of this support$150 millionwill be through a set of five-year grants to Black-led justice organizations that helped to create and now sustain the momentum towards racial equality.
A sculpture of controversial British explorer and pirate Sir Francis Drake no longer stands by the bay at Larkspur Landing in Marin County.

City of Larkspur crews removed the 30-foot-tall steel artwork early Wednesday morning while it was still dark.



A statement posted on the citys website provided this explanation:

The removal is in response to planned demonstrations to tear down or demolish the statue this Thursday in a way that is potentially unsafe. Removing the statue is intended to promote public safety while preserving the statue so that dialogue about its future can continue.

City Manager Dan Schwarz authorized the removal, which the city says is temporary.

The sculpture commemorates Drakes landfall on a beach in what is now Point Reyes National Seashore in the spring of 1579. He claimed the land for England, according to some historical accounts.

Drake was the most famous sea captain of his time, a pirate commissioned by Queen Elizabeth to raid and loot the Spanish, and a vice admiral in the fleet that defeated the Spanish Armada, a turning point in English history.

But as a young sea officer eager to get his first captainship, he accepted the command of a slave ship that made three voyages to Guinea and Sierra Leone. During the voyages, some 1,200-1,400 Africans were enslaved and as many as 4,000 may have died.

Drakes sculpture, an abstract depiction of the explorer erected in 1990 next to the ferry terminal, was targeted by Black Lives Matter activists in the wake of the George Floyd killing. A petition calling for its removal has been circulating.

A similar movement seeks to remove Drake statues in Plymouth and Tavistock, England.

Dennis Patton, the San Rafael sculptor who created the Larkspur Landing piece, only learned that it had been taken down when SFGATE contacted him Wednesday morning. He said he was not given any advance notice by the city.

Larkspur City Council will address the removal of the sculpture and its future at its next meeting on Aug. 5.



Drakes name is found throughout Marin County and the Bay Area, including the well-known Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Marin, a high school in San Anselmo and a famous hotel on Union Square in San Francisco.



Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate
(Natural News) Medicinal plants have seen much in use as traditional medicines, especially in developing countries. In Ethiopia, reports suggest that more than 70 percent of the population still relies on traditional medicines and considers them their primary source of healthcare. It is estimated that more than 95 percent of traditional Ethiopian medicines are sourced from medicinal plants.

The global burden of cancer  a group of diseases caused by genetic, metabolic and signaling aberrations  continues to rise, according to the World Health Organization. It is the second leading cause of death worldwide and is, in fact, responsible for approximately 70 percent of deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Given the rising incidence of the disease, the lack of an effective and reliable treatment for cancer is also a major global health concern.

In countries like Ethiopia, traditional medicines are used to treat serious diseases like cancer. This is because they are less expensive and more comprehensive. Even in other African countries, traditional medicines are more widely used than modern medicines due to their accessibility, affordability and wide acceptance by different communities.

In a recent study, researchers from Ethiopia and Sweden decided to investigate the toxicity of extracts derived from seven Ethiopian medicinal plants traditionally used to treat breast cancer. They used three human breast cancer cell lines and one normal human breast epithelial cell line to assess not only the anti-cancer activities of the extracts but also their selectivity toward cancer cells.

The researchers reported their findings in an article published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research.

Ethiopian plants are great sources of powerful and selective anti-cancer agents

According to traditional healers, Sideroxylon oxyacanthum, Zanthoxylum chalybeum (knob wood), Clematis simensis, Clematis longicauda, Dovyalis abyssinica (abyssinian gooseberry), Vernonia leopoldi (bitter leaf) and Clerodendrum myricoides (blue butterfly bush) are the most frequently used medicinal plants to treat breast cancer in Ethiopia.

Using methanol as solvent, the researchers obtained crude extracts from all seven plants and tested their cytotoxicity using a dose-response assay. All of the crude extracts proved cytotoxic to cancer cells except for the knob wood and blue butterfly bush extracts.

The crude extracts of S. oxyacanthum, C. simensis and Abyssinian gooseberry exhibited cytotoxic effects on human breast cancer cell lines (JIMT-1, MCF-7 and HCC1937) at half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) below 1 mcg/mL.

To further evaluate their anti-cancer potential, the researchers fractionated the methanol extracts of the most toxic plants to gain petroleum ether, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and water fractions. These were also tested for cytotoxicity.

They found that the ethyl acetate fraction of bitter leaf was the most cytotoxic, with an IC50 of 0.87 mcg/mL against JIMT-1 cells (breast carcinoma). The aqueous fraction of S. oxyacanthum and the chloroform fraction of C. simensis were also found to be cytotoxic.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that some Ethiopian medicinal plants are great sources of new compounds that can be developed for breast cancer treatment. Among these, bitter leaf, S. oxyacanthum and C. simensis are the most promising, showing high cytotoxicity at low concentrations against breast cancer cells.

Other plants with reported anti-breast cancer activities

According to a review published in the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, active compounds like carotenoids, flavonoids, lignans, polyphenols, sulfides, terpenoids and plant sterols give medicinal plants the ability to fight cancer using different mechanisms. These include stimulating protective enzymes, such as glutathione transferase, preventing cancer cell proliferation and inhibiting the production of mevalonate, which greatly reduces tumor growth. The compounds also give medicinal plants immune-stimulating and anti-tumor properties that make them effective anti-cancer medicines.

Here are some examples of medicinal plants that exhibit anti-cancer activities against breast cancer:

Garlic (Allium sativum)

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Greater burdock (Arctium lappa)

Tea tree (Camellia sinensis)

Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng)

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum)

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Rohituka (Amoora rohituka)

Rosewood (Dysoxylum binectariferum)

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. While death rates due to breast cancer are steadily declining, conventional treatments cause many undesirable side effects. Natural medicines, on the other hand, offer cancer solutions without compromising the patients quality of life. Not only are they as effective as modern therapies, but plant-based anti-cancer medicines also cause fewer side effects, according to studies.

Sources include:

Science.news

WHO.int

AcademicJournals.org

ScienceDirect.com

MayoClinic.org
At least three Iranian missiles landed near the Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday (July 28) after a military exercise carried out by Iran Revolutionary Guards.

It is to be noted that the the first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft scheduled to arrive in India on Wednesday (July 29) landed at UAE's Al Dhafra base on Tuesday night after taking off from France on Monday (July 27). The Rafale jets landed at Al Dhafra base as part of an overnight halt. Al Dhafra base is located about an hour from UAE's capital city Abu Dhabi.

US news channel CNN reported that alert was sounded at UAE's Al Dhafra base and Al Udeid airbase in Qatar after intel indicators hinted at an incoming "Iranian missile possibly headed that way". CNN added that personnel present at these two bases were told to take cover but no missile landed at these bases.

CNN has learned US bases at Al Udeid and Al Dhafra went on alert this am when intel indicators showed an Iranian missile possibly headed that way. Personnel told to take cover for several minutes. No missile struck, US officials say they took prudent precautionary measures  Barbara Starr (@barbarastarrcnn) July 28, 2020

Fox News also reported the incident claiming that two bases in Middle East housing US troops and aircraft were put on high alert when "3 Iranian missiles splashed down in waters near the bases Tues. (Tuesday) as part of Iran's military exercises."

Two bases in Middle East housing U.S. troops and aircraft went on high alert when 3 Iranian missiles splashed down in waters near the bases Tues. as part of Irans military exercises: official Missiles landed "close enough" to Al Dhafra in UAE and Al Udeid in Qatar for concern  Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) July 28, 2020

Earlier on Tuesday, Sepahnews released a picture of an speedboat belonging to Iran Revolutionary Guard firing a missile during a military exercise on July.
This article was originally published by the Jamestown Foundation and is reprinted here with permission.

On July 9, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) arrested a group of radical pro-Russia separatists promoting the creation of the so-called Zaporizhian Peoples Republic (ZPR). In 2014, these individuals allegedly tried to seize power in southeastern Ukraines Zaporizhia Oblast but had to flee to Luhansk, where they began cooperating with the Moscow-backed separatist authorities of the self-declared Luhansk and Donetsk peoples republics (LPR/DPR). Having secretly returned to Zaporizhia, the perpetrators allegedly planned to carry out various subversive activities and distributed pro-Russia separatist materials that called for the overthrow of the constitutional order in Ukraine and the creation of the ZPR ( Ssu.gov.ua , July 9).

The arrested group of subversives was not the first indication of Moscows attempts to destabilize Ukrainian Zaporizhia, an important littoral region on the Azov Sea, northwest of occupied Crimea. A week earlier, on July 2, the SSU broke up the activities of a bot farm in the port city of Berdyansk that was generating fake/manipulative material for dissemination by 500 bots (fake/automated social media accounts) that were part of an extensive inter-regional network operated from Russia. The bot network was created by registering social media accounts using hundreds of SIM-cards of Ukrainian and Russian mobile operators. The SSU specifically uncovered a cache of almost 900 such SIM-cards at an apartment owned by one local resident involved with the bot farm. The information throw-ins produced by the Berdyansk bot farm were designed to sow panic during the coronavirus pandemic as well as discredit the actions of Ukrainian authorities ( Ssu.gov.ua , July 2). In June, the authorities exposed a massive network of pro-Russian bot farms running 10,000 bots in four Ukrainian regions. According to the SSU, it would be impossible to anonymously (without passports) purchase such a massive number of Russian SIM-cards without the support of Moscows special services ( Liga.net , June 16).

Also, on June 28, the Zaporizhian Cossacks lower army (nizovoye kazatstvo) opened an office in nearby Melitopol. This was sponsored by local entrepreneurs and supported by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), with which Zaporizhian Cossacks have cooperated closely since the early 2000s. According to Ihor Lysenko, the head of the Melitopol Kuren (local unit), the main goal of the organization is to protect public order by training peoples police units to detain suspects ( Nv.ua , July 1). The Cossacks are planning to patrol the Melitopol region and Ukrainian state borders, particularly the strategically vital Azov Sea coast. Lysenko affirmed that Cossacks are already conducting negotiations with the Berdyansk border outpost. However, according to current Ukrainian legislation, non-state groups can participate in law enforcement activities only after obtaining special registration and strictly under the control of the National Police. As of early July, the Ukrainian police had not received any such request from the Melitopol Kurenregarding joint patrols ( Novynarnia.com , July 7). Additionally, the Cossack organization will apparently engage in patriotic education of youth ( Ria-m.tv , June 29). This seemingly patriotic initiative is quite alarming and threatens Ukraines national security.

The Zaporizhian Cossack Army is led by Oleksandr Panchenko, the chief ataman, famous for his ties to several Russian-based Cossack organizations that under, the patronage of the Russian Orthodox Church, participated in the Russian Spring, which led to the illegal annexation of Crimea (March 2014) and instability in Donbas ( UNIAN , July 13, 2020; see Jamestown.org , September 3, 2019). Panchenko, who was present at the opening of the Melitopol office, had also been mentioned in a phone conversation between Vladimir Putins advisor, Sergei Glazyev, and the first deputy chair of the State Duma committee for the post-Soviet space, Konstantin Zatulin, as someone who would assist with the creation of the Zaporizhia Peoples Republic. These records were made public in 2018, during a court hearing on the treason case against Viktor Yanukovych ( Censor.net.ua , February 6, 2018). Furthermore, the Zaporizhian Cossack leader has received the highest award of the UOC-MP and the Ten Years of the Union of Cossacks of Russia medal ( 5.ua , June 30, 2020).

In 1994, Panchenko led the creation of the Zaporizhian Cossacks lower army, which assembled retired army and navy officers and Afghan War veterans. Among the main priorities of the newly created organization are military-patriotic education of the youth, the preparation of its members for military service, as well as the protection of public order and the state border (with special interest in the Kherson, Zaporizhia and Donetsk oblasts as well as the Sea of Azov). Under Panchenkos patronage, special para-military Cossack schools (dzhur) were opened along with representative offices in the Dnipro, Kharkov, Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson regions. In 1999, his Army signed an agreement with the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Former graduates of dzhur schools first became students of the University and later officers of the State Border Guard Service; they have since served in elite units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations ( Kvzn.zp.ua , December 6, 2016). Panchenko and his pro-Russian Cossacks receive financial support from Vyacheslav Boguslayev, the president of the strategically important industrial giant Motor Sich and a former deputy chairperson of the Ukrainian parliamentary committee on national security and defense ( Library.znu.edu.ua , accessed July 8; Rada.gov.ua , accessed July 15).

Importantly, Melitopol and Berdyansk lie along the M14 highway, which forms part of the Black Sea Economic Association transportation corridor. The latter connects Transnistria with the Russian border via OdessaKhersonNova KahovkaMelitopolBerdyanskMariupolNovoazovsk ( Euro2012highway.blogspot.com , accessed July 15). The road is also the only transport artery physically connecting the LPR/DPR with Crimea. Put another way, the M14 links Russian paramilitary (Cossacks) and military formations in Transnistria, Crimea, Donbas and Russia. Pro-Russian Cossacks have participated in each of the conflicts in these aforementioned regions and they have local chapters all along the M14 (Odesa, Kherson, Melitopol, Mariupol, etc.) (see Jamestown.org , June 25, 2019). Control over this route and Zaporizhia would provide Russia with total access to the Kakhovka Reservoir and enable Moscow to redirect Ukrainian water supplies to occupied Crimea. Moreover, pro-Russian activities in Zaporizhia could play a double role: military support in case of Russian military intervention and pro-Russian agitation ahead of local elections (fall 2020).

Russias involvement in Zaporizhia is a clear example of continuity and tradition. The region, which acquired strategic importance under the reign of Catherine the Great (as a part of Novorossiya), remains a priority for Moscow. Hybrid threatsinformation and cyber operations, use of Cossacks and other paramilitary formations, and the Orthodox Churchis the reality Ukraine must not ignore, especially considering the grim experience of Crimea and Donbas.
Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday filed a writ petition in Rajasthan High Court against the merger of six of its MLAs with the Congress party in state. In a statement, the BSP chief called the merger of her MLAs with the Congress unconstitutional.

The BSP had announced on Tuesday, it will move the Rajasthan high court against the merger. Mayawati said the BSP had extended an unconditional support to Congress to keep communal forces at bay after the 2018 assembly elections.

She alleged that Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot merged the MLAs with the Congress out of malicious intent.

Also read: Rajasthan impasse continues as Ashok Gehlot pushes for session

In Rajasthan, after elections results, the BSP gave unconditional support of all its six MLAs to Congress. Unfortunately, chief minister Ashok Gehlot, out of his malicious intent and to damage the BSP, merged them with Congress in an unconstitutional. He did the same even in his last tenure, Mayawati said on Tuesday.

She said the party is willing to even move the Supreme Court if the need arises.

The BSP could have gone to the court earlier too but we were looking for a time to teach Congress party and CM Ashok Gehlot a lesson. Now we have decided to go to the court. We will not let this matter alone. We will go even to the Supreme Court, Mayawati said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 11:26:53|Editor: huaxia

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by Naim-Ul-Karim

DHAKA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping to develop the infrastructure of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) member states worldwide is "in the right direction," said Mashiur Rahmanan, an economic adviser to the Bangladeshi prime minister.

Rahman commended Xi's speech made Tuesday via video link at the opening ceremony of the fifth annual meeting of the multilateral development bank, as the Beijing-based development bank is keen to support more member states in mobilizing fast financing for their infrastructure projects.

The Chinese leader called for making the AIIB a new platform that promotes development for all its members and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi called for efforts to make the AIIB a new type of multilateral development bank that promotes development across the world, a new type of development platform progressing with the times, a new type of high-performance institution for international cooperation and a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation.

"President Xi's speech at AIIB annual meeting ... strike the right note of inspiration," said Rahman.

Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was among the countries which encouraged the setting up of the AIIB and is a founding member, he said.

"It (Bangladesh) will benefit immensely from AIIB's operation," Rahman noted, adding that several crucial Bangladeshi projects have already been implemented with AIIB funding.

Noting that developing countries are facing a shortage of infrastructures, the adviser said that regional trades will also pick up to a large extent if infrastructure problems can be resolved through the AIIB in the near future.

The AIIB, proposed by Xi in late 2013, was officially launched in January 2016.

From the 57 founding members to today's membership of 102 spanning the six continents of Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Oceania, the AIIB has grown from strength to strength and provided nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars in infrastructure investment to its members. Enditem
July 29, 2020

CARNIVAL CORPORATION & PLC ANNOUNCES NON-CASH IMPAIRMENT CHARGES

Carnival Corporation & plc is disclosing non-cash impairment charges on Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

Schedule A contains Carnival Corporation & plc's announcement of non-cash impairment charges.

The Directors consider that within the Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc dual listed company arrangement, the most appropriate presentation of Carnival plc's results and financial position is by reference to the Carnival Corporation & plc U.S. GAAP consolidated financial statements.

MEDIA CONTACT INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

Roger Frizzell Beth Roberts

001 305 406 7862 001 305 406 4832

The Form 8-K is available for viewing on the SEC website at www.sec.gov under Carnival Corporation or Carnival plc or the Carnival Corporation & plc website at www.carnivalcorp.com or www.carnivalplc.com.

Carnival Corporation &?plc is one of the world's largest leisure travel companies with a portfolio of nine of the world's leading cruise lines. With operations in?North America,?Australia, Europe?and Asia, its portfolio features - Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line,?P&O Cruises?(Australia), Seabourn, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises?(UK) and Cunard.

Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com, www.carnivalsustainability.com, www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.seabourn.com, www.costacruise.com, www.aida.de, www.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com.

SCHEDULE A

In connection with Carnival Corporation & plc's (the "Company," "we," and "our") actions to maximize liquidity, we previously announced, on July 10, 2020, plans to remove nine ships from our fleet in the next 90 days. The plans for the disposal of these ships are in addition to the sale of four ships, which were announced prior to fiscal 2020. We have made a decision to remove a further two ships from our fleet. These decisions are intended to align the fleet with the expected phased restart of guest cruise operations while also generating cost savings.

On July 23, 2020, senior management of the Company evaluated these two ships for impairment and concluded their carrying values are no longer recoverable when compared to their estimated remaining future cash flows. Consequently, and in combination with other ships and notes receivables with recoverability impacted by the current environment, we expect to record non-cash impairment charges during the third quarter of 2020. Although the actual amount of the charges has not yet been finalized, we expect the aggregate impairment charge to be in the range of $600 million to $650 million. We do not expect these impairments to result in any material future cash expenditures. We plan to continue to evaluate other options to maximize our liquidity and best position our fleet for future operations.

Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results

Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc and their respective subsidiaries are referred to collectively in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the Exhibits hereto (collectively, this "document"), as "Carnival Corporation & plc," "our," "us" and "we." Some of the statements, estimates or projections contained in this document are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions with respect to us, including some statements concerning future results, operations, outlooks, plans, goals, reputation, cash flows, liquidity and other events which have not yet occurred. These statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than statements of historical facts are statements that could be deemed forward-looking. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and the beliefs and assumptions of our management. We have tried, whenever possible, to identify these statements by using words like "will," "may," "could," "should," "would," "believe," "depends," "expect," "goal," "anticipate," "forecast," "project," "future," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "target," "indicate," "outlook," and similar expressions of future intent or the negative of such terms.

Forward-looking statements include those statements that relate to our outlook and financial position including, but not limited to, statements regarding:

Net revenue yields Estimates of ship depreciable lives and residual values Booking levels Goodwill, ship and trademark fair values Pricing and occupancy Liquidity Interest, tax and fuel expenses Adjusted earnings per share Currency exchange rates Impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus global pandemic on our financial condition and results of operations Net cruise costs, excluding fuel per available lower berth day

Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are many factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. This note contains important cautionary statements of the known factors that we consider could materially affect the accuracy of our forward looking statements and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial position. Additionally, many of these risks and uncertainties are currently amplified by and will continue to be amplified by, or in the future may be amplified by, the COVID-19 outbreak. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks. There may be additional risks that we consider immaterial or which are unknown. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

COVID-19 has had, and is expected to continue to have, a significant impact on our financial condition and operations, which impacts our ability to obtain acceptable financing to fund resulting reductions in cash from operations. The current, and uncertain future, impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, including its effect on the ability or desire of people to travel (including on cruises), is expected to continue to impact our results, operations, outlooks, plans, goals, growth, reputation, litigation, cash flows, liquidity, and stock price

As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have paused our guest cruise operations, and if we are unable to re-commence normal operations in the near-term, we may be out of compliance with a maintenance covenant in certain of our debt facilities as of May 31, 2021

World events impacting the ability or desire of people to travel may lead to a decline in demand for cruises

Incidents concerning our ships, guests or the cruise vacation industry as well as adverse weather conditions and other natural disasters may impact the satisfaction of our guests and crew and lead to reputational damage

Changes in and non-compliance with laws and regulations under which we operate, such as those relating to health, environment, safety and security, data privacy and protection, anti-corruption, economic sanctions, trade protection and tax may lead to litigation, enforcement actions, fines, penalties, and reputational damage

Breaches in data security and lapses in data privacy as well as disruptions and other damages to our principal offices, information technology operations and system networks and failure to keep pace with developments in technology may adversely impact our business operations, the satisfaction of our guests and crew and lead to reputational damage

Ability to recruit, develop and retain qualified shipboard personnel who live away from home for extended periods of time may adversely impact our business operations, guest services and satisfaction

Increases in fuel prices, changes in the types of fuel consumed and availability of fuel supply may adversely impact our scheduled itineraries and costs

Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may adversely impact our financial results

Overcapacity and competition in the cruise and land-based vacation industry may lead to a decline in our cruise sales, pricing and destination options

Geographic regions in which we try to expand our business may be slow to develop or ultimately not develop how we expect

Inability to implement our shipbuilding programs and ship repairs, maintenance and refurbishments may adversely impact our business operations and the satisfaction of our guests

The ordering of the risk factors set forth above is not intended to reflect our indication of priority or likelihood.

Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. Subject to any continuing obligations under applicable law or any relevant stock exchange rules, we expressly disclaim any obligation to disseminate, after the date of this document, any updates or revisions to any such forward-looking statements to reflect any change in expectations or events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
As China 'will definitely retaliate' military provocation, experts warn US not to escalate tensions

Global Times

By Yang Sheng and Liu Xuanzun Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/28 23:28:40

The increasing tensions between China and the US, the worsening COVID-19 epidemic situation, as well as the declining approval ratings of US President Donald Trump have raised concerns, among strategists and experts, of a military conflict between the two nuclear-armed powers caused by the dangerous US attempts.

Chinese experts said on Tuesday that China could be restrained on retaliating to new US provocations on politics, diplomacy or economy, because Chinese policymakers will not let the Trump administration use them for his reelection, and will wait for the presidential election result to decide how to respond.

However, if Washington launches military provocations to challenge the bottom line of China's national security and sovereignty, China will make immediate and effective retaliations. Experts said whether or not the two major powers can avoid military conflict in the next three months depends on the White House, and China needs to make its deterrence "more visible" to warn the US about how dangerous a war could be.

Jin Canrong, associate dean of Renmin University of China's School of International Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday that apart from the upcoming presidential election and failed handling of the domestic epidemic situation, "the collective hostility against China among US elites and policymakers, which we didn't expect, will also make the US more aggressive."

Hostile remarks on China made recently by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien do not just represent the Trump administration, but also meet the demand of the "deep state" in the US, and China must be aware of these dangerous signs, Jin noted.

"Direct China-US military conflicts, or even the severance of diplomatic ties, which used to be unimaginable, are being discussed more frequently by the mainstream media outlets and scholars, so the danger of military conflicts exists and is growing," he said.

Ezra Vogel, Professor Emeritus at Harvard University and a leading US scholar on East Asian affairs, expressed the same concern in an exclusive interview with the Global Times.

"Unfortunately, there is [possibility of an armed confrontation]. Nobody wants it, and everybody would lose if a war erupts. But if you look at what happened in World War I, for example, it was started by a little event, and then the larger countries quickly became involved even though they had not planned to," he said.

Vogel further said, "If there is a little scuffle in the South China Sea, it could soon escalate. And if the countries fail to control it, it could be devastating and everybody would lose. It is very scary."

South China Sea

The rising tensions between the two countries and increased military activities from both sides even raised speculations that the US could attack China's islands in the South China Sea, since US military presence in the region has increased. But Chinese military experts said the US has no advantage in the South China Sea.

An E-8C battlefield command and surveillance aircraft of the US Air Force again approached South China's coastal province Guangdong on Tuesday morning in the sixth such operation in the past two weeks, according to the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI), a Beijing-based think tank.

Citing SCSPI, media in the island of Taiwan said that US military aircraft have been frequently appearing in the Bashi Channel south of the island, and conducting reconnaissance operations on the Chinese mainland.

As of Tuesday, the US has conducted more than 60 close-in reconnaissance operations with large aircraft in the South China Sea, according to SCSPI. The US Navy also held dual carrier exercises in the South China Sea twice earlier this month, with B-52 and B-1B bombers also frequently operating in and around the region, media reported.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) also conducted intense drills in the South China Sea, including one in waters off the Leizhou Peninsula from July 25 till August 2, that the PLA said would feature powerful ammunition; one near the Xisha Islands from July 1 to 5, and many others with bombers, fighter bombers, anti-submarine aircraft, destroyers and frigates, media reported.

On potential military conflicts in the region between China and the US, Hu Bo, director of SCSPI, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the chance of a large-scale conflict between China and the US is minimal because both countries are nuclear powers. Even if the US frequently flexes its muscles in the South China Sea, it does not mean it is materially and mentally prepared for a major conflict.

Rumors say the US could launch attacks on Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea, but "this is basically impossible, as the US knows this will lead to an all-out war," Hu said.

However, the possibility of small and medium-sized clashes, which could involve ship collisions and occasional firing incidents, is rising, Hu said, noting that the uncertainties mainly come from the US, including its upcoming presidential election, influence of domestic hard-liners, and potential escalations of aircraft and vessel encounters in the South China Sea.

"Maybe the US could start an armed conflict, but it would be up to more than the US to decide how this conflict would end, as China will and must safeguard its bottom line and dignity no matter how much it wants to maintain China-US relations," Hu said.

Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, said, "Although US reconnaissance operations have increased, an incident similar to the one in 2001 would be unlikely as China has more advanced fighter jets and anti-air systems to warn and expel US aircraft."

In 2001, a US intelligence aircraft, which was conducting a reconnaissance mission extremely close to South China's Hainan Province, collided with a PLA fighter jet. The Chinese pilot is still missing.

But if US aircraft or ships in the region cross the bottom line of China's security and sovereignty, and also ignore the warning, small-scale "firing incidents" could erupt, Song told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Taiwan more risky

Song said the US has no advantage in the South China Sea, and a typical Trump characteristic on military decision-making is that he really doesn't want to get involved in a costly conflict with other countries, even if these countries are much weaker than the US, like Iran and Syria.

But US politicians believe that Taiwan is a card that can effectively influence the Chinese mainland, and the US Congress has already authorized the White House to boost military ties with the island. So it is very likely to see Taiwan military forces join drills organized by the US, or US military ships could visit Taiwan ports, Song noted.

Jin said patience is needed to handle US provocations on politics, trade and diplomacy, and wait until the next US administration.

"But there is no room for Chinese policymakers to compromise on sovereignty and security issues. The US could face a direct military operation from the PLA if it provokes China," Jin noted.

At this point, deterrence is extremely important, Jin said. "Some US politicians who support a hawkish approach to China don't even know China is armed with nuclear arsenals. This is truly dangerous, because it means your rivals have no idea about your strength, and then they will make stupid moves. We need to make our deterrence more visible, transparent and direct, to effectively deter any US military provocation."

If the US crosses the red line and activates the Anti-secession Law of China, the PLA will give a stronger response than during the 1995-96 Taiwan Straits crisis, as the PLA is getting much more powerful and modern, analysts said.

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FLINT, MI  A Genesee County insurance agent is due to be sentenced in October after reaching a plea deal in a case involving embezzlement and fake insurance certificates.

Angella Kay Swain, 53, of Flint Township pleaded no contest on Monday, July 27, in Genesee County Circuit Court to one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, one count of using a computer to commit a crime, and 11 counts of embezzlement by an agent of more than $1,000 but less than $20,000.

She agreed to pay back all the money she is accused of embezzling, amounting to between $100,000 and $150,000, to approximately 60 victims. Swain faces a minimum of 36-60 months and up to 20 years in prison.

Conducting a criminal enterprise and using a computer to commit a crime are both 20-year felonies, while each of the felony embezzlement charges carries a five-year sentence.

Charges were filed by the Michigan Attorney Generals Office in October 2018 after it was referred by the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services, or DIFS.

Between 2011 and 2016, the state alleged Swain took some of her clients insurance premiums and converted the money to her own use instead of remitting them to the insurance companies.

Swain also issued her clients false insurance certificates, leading her clients to believe they had homeowners or auto insurance coverage when they did not, the state alleged.

She was a licensed insurance producer and operated the Swain Agency from 2002-2013 in Burton, a suburb of Flint.

DIFS took enforcement actions against Swain in 2003, 2006 and 2009. In 2013, DIFS summarily suspended Swains insurance producer license and permanently revoked it in December 2014 for misappropriating clients premiums.

Swains ex-husband, Cornell Jones Sr., began operating the Select Insurance Agency in November 2013, where Swain continued to sell fake insurance policies, the state alleged.

Through her operation of the Swain Agency and the Select Insurance Agency, multiple victims reportedly paid for homeowners or vehicle insurance between 2011 and 2016 but did not receive coverage.

In some instances, the victims discovered they lacked insurance after they were in automobile accidents and tried to make claims against canceled policies, the state said.

When hardworking Michiganders seek the assistance of an insurance agent to protect their belongings, they should not have to worry that their money is being mishandled or used inappropriately, said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in a prepared statement. My office and the Department of Insurance and Financial Services take fraud cases very seriously, and Im grateful for the work of my team and the professionals at DIFS for seeing this to a conclusion that provides victims compensation for their losses.

Anita Fox is director of DIFS.

Michigan citizens should feel secure that the insurance they pay for will be there when they need it, Fox said.

Jones, 70, of Flint, had his insurance producer license revoked by DIFS in 2016.

Hed been charged with a single count of conspiring to conduct a criminal enterprise, but it was dismissed in September 2019, according to Genesee County District Court records.

Swain is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 26 by Genesee Circuit Judge Celeste D. Bell.

More on MLive:

Former Flint cop, ex-wife charged in connection with fake insurance scheme

State takes action against Flint cops insurance agency
The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Japan on Wednesday topped 1,200. It's the highest daily total and the first time the symbolic 1,000 threshold has been crossed.

Officials in the western prefecture of Osaka reported 221 cases on Wednesday. It's the highest ever daily total there and the first time the figure has surpassed 200.

Osaka's governor says the situation could worsen.

Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi said, "Considering the positive rate in virus tests is as high as 10 percent, I think the number of infections will increase further."

The central prefecture of Aichi reported 167 infections -- another daily record.

The southern prefecture of Okinawa registered a record figure for the third day in a row. The number is relatively low at 44 -- but it's more than double Tuesday's daily tally. Figures do not include cases linked to US military bases in the prefecture.

Tokyo continues to be the biggest hot spot with 250 cases on Wednesday. The daily figure has been above 200 eight of the past nine days.

Out of Japan's 47 prefectures, Iwate was the only one that had no confirmed infections. But that changed on Wednesday when it reported two cases.

In total, more than 34,000 cases have been confirmed across the country. More than 1,000 people have died.
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The daughter of a Queensland MP who dealt drugs in her dressing gown has been convicted and ordered to perform 80 hours of community service by a Sydney court.

Criminology student Brianna Grace Costigan attempted to have the two cocaine supply charges dismissed under mental health grounds after admitting being a runner in her husband's scheme.

But magistrate Kate Thompson on Wednesday said the severity of the offences and need to send a message to the community outweighed the 20-year-old's subjective matters.

Brianna Grace Costigan (pictured arriving at court on Wednesday) has been convicted after selling drugs in her dressing down

Costigan is pictured with her father Liberal-National-turned-independent MP Jason Costigan (right)

She rejected the characterisation of the June 2019 offences as 'spontaneous', noting the law student met at an arranged point and time in a hire car.

Costigan was supported in court by her mother while her father, Liberal-National-turned-independent MP Jason Costigan, wrote a character reference.

Her husband, 26-year-old Maroubra man Ahmed Taha, has since admitted facilitating the 'cocaine run' as part of his business supplying up to 30 people across Sydney.

During the police sting, Taha was recorded saying he was 'paranoid' about getting caught selling to police again, having already served two years in jail.

With Taha on bail for other offences, Costigan drove a hire car to meet the customer near the Palisade Hotel in Millers Point on June 22, 2019.

Dressed in a polka-dot dressing gown, she was seen handing over two small bags of cocaine for $500.

The 20-year-old daughter of the Queensland MP moved to Sydney to study law at university

Costigan (centre) arrives at the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on Wednesday

Costigan was seen handing over two small bags of cocaine for $500, while dressed in a polka-dot dressing gown

Almost a week later, in the same place and car, Costigan accepted $300 for a small bag she promised was 'the good stuff'.

Her lawyer told Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday she had been a user and was not receiving treatment.

Costigan had a disrupted upbringing with episodes of trauma and was left with significant mental conditions, the court was told.

Ms Thompson was satisfied the young woman suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder and had endured a disjointed childhood.

The magistrate also noted Costigan's limited criminal record, guilty plea and 'very strong' prospects of rehabilitation.

As part of her sentence to a community corrections order, Costigan must be of good behaviour for 18 months and continue receiving treatment for her conditions.

Costigan (pictured on Wednesday in Sydney) was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service by the court
YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook deleted video of a press conference in which the group America's Frontline Doctors challenged Dr. Fauci's viewpoint. Most notably, group members asserted that hydroxychloroquine cures the Wuhan virus and may act as a preventative. What's concerning about the social media giants' response is that they justify their censorship by insisting that the World Health Organization's pronouncements are the only acceptable standard.

Monica Showalter discussed in detail how YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook removed the press conference showing America's Frontline Doctors. Leftists have also challenged the doctors involved, claiming they are crackpots who cannot be relied upon for scientific conclusions. (For example, the most prominent speaker, Stella Immanuel, embraces both science and non-science.)

This post isn't about whether the doctors at the press conference were pure and perfect, or even correct. Instead, it's about the standard that social media outlets are using  that is, the fact that they've decided that only information that conforms to pronouncements from the World Health Organization (WHO) may be promulgated:

Also, one other thing to note. We're showing messages in News Feed to people who have reacted to, commented on or shared harmful COVID-19-related misinformation that we have removed, connecting them to myths debunked by the WHO.  Andy Stone (@andymstone) July 28, 2020

This screen shot from Breitbart reflects the WHO standard, which it used to justify locking down Breitbart's and Donald Trump, Jr. accounts:

In April, YouTube stated that it would remove any content that contradicted WHO:

"Anything that is medically unsubstantiated, so people saying, like, 'Take Vitamin C take turmeric, those cure you,' those are examples of things that would be a violation of our policy. Um, anything that would go against World Health Organization recommendations would be a violation of our policy," [YouTube CEO Susan] Wojcicki said.

Since March, Facebook has been using WHO and the United Nations as standards for what constitutes acceptable information about the Wuhan virus:

In January, we started showing educational pop-ups connecting people to information from the WHO, the CDC and regional health authorities toward the top of News Feed in countries with reported person-to-person transmissions and in all countries when people search for COVID-19 related information. We show similar pop-ups at the top of Instagram Feed in the hardest hit countries and when anyone taps on a COVID-19 related hashtag.

Last week, we launched the COVID-19 Information Center, which is now featured at the top of News Feed on Facebook in several countries and includes real-time updates from national health authorities and global organizations, such as the WHO.

Think about this: the largest platforms in America for ordinary citizens who want to share and learn information have made it clear that no one can talk about Wuhan virus issues if the WHO has not preapproved the data. Frankly, it's a terrible idea to have the WHO as the gatekeeper.

The Wuhan virus began in China. It may have been accidental, or, as even the most level-headed people are wondering, it might not have been. Regardless, China consistently lied about it, either to hide its mistakes or to spread the virus and damage the world economy.

The WHO actively aided China's deceit. Katie Pavlich summed up the evidence, showing that the WHO had information in December that there was a dangerous virus on the loose but that it continued to report Chinese propaganda as fact, even after it was apparent that China was lying. Mike Pompeo asserts that U.S. intelligence shows that China paid to install WHO's current head, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. (Tedros denies this charge.)

We may never know whether the WHO is a stooge or a shill, but we know it's consistently wrong. By March, even a Trump-hating outlet such as The Atlantic was questioning the WHO's errors. In June, there were more errors: the WHO announced that people with the virus who showed no symptoms were not contagious. It had to retract that claim.

The WHO hates Trump because he's withdrawing American funds. It's no wonder, then, that the WHO is as hostile to HDQ as Democrats are. Neither can afford to have Trump proven correct that HDQ can help defeat the virus. So it was that, in May, the WHO leaped on a study purporting to show that HDQ was fatal. The article was bogus and had to be retracted.

Indeed, in its battle against Trump, the WHO drops and restarts HDQ with the clumsiness of a drunk juggler. Meanwhile, data are adding up that HDQ, when used with azithromycin and zinc, works. And keep in mind that, up until Trump praised it, doctors routinely prescribed the medicine without a second thought to Americans traveling to malarial destinations.

What's happening here is that, in the war against Trump, the social media giants are opting to deprive Americans of useful (or even ridiculous) information. The people have a right to know what's out there. The way to defeat bad ideas is to push back with good ones, not to engage in one-sided censorship. (See Scott Adams on the importance of looking beyond a single expert for anything.) There's nothing good about the nation's self-appointed gatekeepers allowing information from only an organization that shills for China, is frequently incorrect, and has an open bias against the one drug that seems to work.

Image: Created using publicly available images from Wikipedia (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WHO).
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

The challenges kept coming at Renada McGuire, and she kept rising to the occasion.

Whether raising six children as a single mother, fighting through kidney and heart problems or learning how to fish, Ms. McGuire, family and friends said, was determined to triumph.

While raising her first son, who was born prematurely and developed a mental disability, Ms. McGuire decided to become a home health aide specializing in mentally challenged adults.

There was just a spunk she had in her, her sister-in-law Natasha Guerrero said.

Ms. McGuire died on July 4 at Baptist Medical Center South in Jacksonville, Fla. The cause was complications of the novel coronavirus, her family said. She was 39 and lived nearby in Palm Coast.
PHILADELPHIA, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PIDC, Philadelphia's public-private economic development corporation, has selected a team comprised of Ensemble Real Estate Investments and Mosaic Development Partners as its development partner for 109 acres at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Selection of the Ensemble/Mosaic team is the culmination of a year-long competitive process that attracted interest from more than 35 development teams from across the country. The next phase of development will further establish the Navy Yard as a world-class business, manufacturing, R&D, and life sciences hub, and will include the creation of a vibrant mixed-use district including retail and makerspace. PIDC and the Ensemble/Mosaic team envision up to $2.6 billion of new private investment that will drive many thousands of new construction and permanent jobs.

Combined, the Ensemble/Mosaic team has successfully developed five million square feet of commercial, industrial, residential, and mixed-use properties in Philadelphia and across the country, and has been recognized for their exceptional projects and positive impacts to neighborhoods and communities. The team demonstrated an understanding of PIDC's mission and shared a strategic vision for the Navy Yard to drive business growth and job creation for Philadelphia. The team also brings a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of the project, including ownership, construction, professional services, operations, and tenancy. These factors, combined with the team's local presence and experience, demonstrated financial capacity, and a track record of success with both new construction and adaptive re-use of historic buildings, positioned the Ensemble/Mosaic team as the clear choice to lead the next stage of growth and development at the Navy Yard.

"Today's announcement marks a significant milestone for this long-term public-private partnership led by PIDC that has brought the Navy Yard from the uncertainty and job losses of the early 1990's to a dynamic home to more than 175 companies and 15,000 employees," said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. "The Navy Yard has fulfilled its initial promise of becoming a thriving center for business, innovation, investment, talent, and jobs, establishing itself as one of the city's major engines of economic growth. The exciting new partnership with Ensemble/Mosaic will not only build on this track record, but will also bring new ideas and energy to the Navy Yard while ensuring that equity and inclusion are at the forefront of its next phase of development."

In alignment with PIDC's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Ensemble/Mosaic team is committed to providing opportunities for all Philadelphians to share in the next stage of successful development at the Navy Yard. This holistic inclusion strategy provides for minority- and women-owned business enterprise (M/WBE) participation, including diverse equity ownership with an innovative crowd-funding component, substantial M/WBE participation in construction and operations, inclusion of local and M/WBE small businesses in retail and makerspace opportunities, and allocating a share of net income to a charitable foundation that will create new opportunities for young people in Philadelphia.

"The long-term commitments and investments made by employers, developers, partners, and the U.S. Navy through the years has reestablished the Navy Yard as a major employment center in Philadelphia and as an exciting place to work," said Kate McNamara, PIDC Senior Vice President, Navy Yard. "We are thrilled to embark on our new partnership with Ensemble and Mosaic to sustain and build on the Navy Yard's momentum. Together, we will deliver on our commitment of an innovative, inclusive, and welcoming place in Philadelphia for workers to access jobs at all skill levels, businesses to grow and thrive, and visitors to appreciate the outdoors, public art, and history."

Ensemble, based locally at the Navy Yard and headquartered in Long Beach, California, is a full-service real estate solutions and investments provider that creates exceptional real estate in the healthcare, hospitality, commercial and urban multifamily/mixed-use sectors. Ensemble entered the Philadelphia market in 2012 when it began the development and construction of the 172-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel at the Navy Yard  and in 2016, its 40-room expansion. Since that time, Ensemble has developed, acquired, or is in development of 14 properties totaling 1.3 million square feet on over 45 acres at the Navy Yard, and is the largest private owner at the Navy Yard. Ensemble has successfully delivered over 4 million square feet across its national portfolio.

"We are excited to join together with PIDC and Mosaic to achieve our collective vision of providing high-quality mixed-use and residential projects, compelling public spaces, and a nationally recognized Life Sciences campus that the city of Philadelphia can be proud of," said Kam Babaoff, Chairman of Ensemble Real Estate Investments. "We recognize the immense responsibility it will be to steward the development of the Navy Yard so it can endure for the good of the community for generations to come. Our partnership with Mosaic, with their intimate local perspective, keen development expertise, and innovative approaches to engaging every demographic in Philadelphia, heightens this perspective and will greatly contribute to a successful development."

Mosaic Development Partners is a Philadelphia based, certified MBE real estate development and management company, founded in 2008 by Gregory Reaves and Leslie Smallwood-Lewis. Mosaic primarily focuses on ground up development and adaptive reuse of commercial properties in underserved urban communities. Since 2012, Mosaic and its partners have secured financing, invested, and initiated more than $200 million in the greater Philadelphia region, bringing quality retail, commercial, recreational, and residential space to communities of color, along with hundreds of construction and full-time jobs.

"The Mosaic team is thrilled to partner with Ensemble and PIDC on the next phase of the Navy Yard," said Gregory Reaves, co-owner of Mosaic Development Partners. "The prior work at the Navy Yard has set an extremely high bar, and we are eager to apply our development model and expertise to bring unique perspective and solutions to the development team and create opportunities for disenfranchised businesses and communities who seek to become a part of this historic location."

In September 2019, PIDC put out a call for prospective partners through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), seeking real estate developers and/or end-users capable of planning, delivering, and managing extraordinary office, R&D, and mixed-use residential buildings to respond to the RFQ. PIDC received more than 35 responses to the RFQ in December 2019. Based on the RFQ criteria, five highly experienced teams were shortlisted and invited to submit full proposals in response to a comprehensive Request for Proposals (RFP). All five shortlisted teams submitted comprehensive proposals on May 22, 2020. After detailed review and evaluation of the proposals and virtual team interviews with an Advisory Panel, PIDC selected the Ensemble/Mosaic co-development team. The parties expect to finalize a development agreement shortly and pre-development work for the first project is expected to occur in 2021.

About PIDC

PIDC is Philadelphia's public-private economic development corporation. A non-profit founded in 1958 by the City of Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, PIDC's mission is to spur investment, support business growth, and foster developments that create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and drive growth to every corner of Philadelphia. PIDC has invested more than $16.6 billion of financing and more than 3,200 acres of land saleswhich has leveraged over $29 billion in total investment and assisted in retaining and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in Philadelphia.

For more information about PIDC, visit www.PIDCphila.com and follow us @PIDCphila on Twitter.

About the Navy Yard:

Today, the Navy Yard is a growing community of nearly 15,000 employees and 170 employers who occupy 7.5 million square feet across a mix of property types, including office, retail, industrial, R&D, and institutional. These employers include the Urban Outfitters headquarters; GSK's North American headquarters; Jefferson Health; life science and technology startups; manufacturers; corporate R&D, including Axalta's Global Innovation Center; critical U.S. Navy engineering centers; and a graduate engineering, business, and research campus for Penn State University.

In addition to its proximity to a large, diverse talent pool; airport and highway access; and the ability to create customizable workplaces, the Navy Yard offers community members a range of amenities including restaurants and cafes, a riverfront greenway, free shuttle access, bikeshare, and over 20 acres of open green space. The Navy Yard is a collaborative community with curated food trucks, health and wellness programs, rotating public art installations by local and international artists, and hosts a variety of food, fitness, and philanthropic events in its parks.

For more information about the Navy Yard, visit www.navyyard.org and follow us on Twitter @NavyYardPhila .

About Ensemble Real Estate Investments:

Over the past 40 years, Ensemble has successfully invested and developed over $2 billion in real estate across the United States, offering state-of-the-art property solutions in the healthcare, hospitality, commercial, and urban multi-family and mixed-use sectors. A widely respected leader in its industry, Ensemble has revolutionized the art of master planning, delivering iconic and strategically engineered facilities and beautifully preserved historic buildingsall designed to transform and inspire the communities they serve.

In January 2020, Ensemble opened its Philadelphia's Navy Yard office, which will be led by previous Liberty Property Trust executives Brian Cohen and Mark Seltzer. The office seeks to support Ensemble's East Coast growth, particularly at the Navy Yard where Ensemble has already invested $360 million. The company's 14 Navy Yard properties boast a collective 1.3 million square feet and 45 acres, and include hotels, mixed-use developments, and life science facilities for leading-edge companies like Iovance Biotherapeutics, Adaptimmune, and WuXi Advanced Therapies.

To learn more about Ensemble, visit https://ensemble.net/.

About Mosaic Development Partners and Mosaic Brokerage Group:

Mosaic Development Partners is a Philadelphia based, minority certified commercial real estate development and project management company founded in 2008. Mosaic primarily focuses on ground up development and adaptive reuse of commercial properties in underserved urban communities. The company has successfully used viable, but complicated finance instruments (largely in the form of local, state, and federal loans and tax credits) to help stabilize and grow neighborhoods and create jobs. By partnering with municipalities, established developers, not-for-profit organizations and government entities, Mosaic has leveraged its investments and revitalized properties in struggling or stagnated communities. Since 2012, Mosaic and its partners have secured and invested more than $100 million in Philadelphia neighborhoods, resulting in hundreds of construction and full-time jobs, eliminating blight, and spurring additional investment in those communities.

Mosaic Brokerage Group (MBG) is a full-service real estate brokerage. Its agents are experienced in residential and commercial leasing and sales, tenant representation and the repositioning of existing assets. The brokerage is well regarded for its ability to assist its clients in evaluating and implementing improvements that will best position the asset to ensure a positive outcome.

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A group of men accompanied by a US State Department official were seen forcing open a door at the Chinese consulate in Houston last Friday. The Chinese foreign ministry on Saturday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this forced entry by US law enforcement officers. Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-US Consular Convention, the United States must not infringe on the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston in any way.

The US initiated a trade war against China, and while China tried its best to avert it, after all efforts failed, China also reciprocated by imposing tariffs on American products. The US then imposed sanctions on Chinese nationals travelling to America, and China was forced to reluctantly reciprocate. Now, the US has initiated a war on the diplomatic front. China waited for a sufficient amount of time before reciprocating, with the expectation that the US might revert its wrong decision.

China is left with no option but to close down the US Consulate in Chengdu after the US blamed China for spying and stealing Intellectual Property (IPs). As the number of American diplomats in China is greater than the number of their Chinese counterparts in America, one may ask, what are these US personnel doing in China? "Some staff of the US Consulate General in Chengdu have engaged in activities inconsistent with their capacities to interfere in China's internal affairs and undermine China's security interests. China has lodged representations on multiple occasions and the US knows that very well," said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a press conference on July 24, 2020.

It has been observed that it is the US that has been initiating all the hostile actions against China, while China is following a reasonable, responsible stance on such issues and reciprocates only when there is no other option. Usually, China waits for a period of time, allowing the US to realize its wrongdoings, not following up if the US repents and reverses its actions. China is a responsible state and a wise nation. Chinese people are peace-loving and always give peace a chance to prevail. In the event that the other side does not appreciate Chinese wisdom and does not change its hardline stance, then China will give a tit-for-tat response.

Although China has emerged as a geopolitical power and possesses the ability to react instantly, centuries-old wisdom and Chinese character always provide space for peace to prevail.

It is hoped that the US will rethink its policies and move back toward cooperation based on mutual benefits, rather than toward tension and conflicts. The UN Charter provides an excellent platform for resolving all differences among nations amicably.

The opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to People's Daily Online.

Zamir Ahmed Awan is a senior fellow with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and a sinologist at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. E-mail: [email protected]
A health worker is carrying out a COVID-19 test in Dalian, in China's northeast Liaoning province on July 26, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Dalian Virus Outbreak Spreads to Beijing, as Locals Complain of Authorities Testing Mismanagement

The latest CCP virus outbreak in Dalian has spread to Beijing, according to official announcements on July 28.

The Beijing Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) announced that one COVID-19 patient, a 53-year-old woman, had become infected after having dinner with a friend from Dalian who was an asymptomatic carrier.

The virus has now been confirmed by authorities to have spread from Dalian to nine other cities in four provinces and one directly-governed municipality.

A city of about 6.9 million in northeastern China, Dalian has launched a series of strict rules to prevent the spread of the virus. But locals became disgruntled at authorities haphazard implementation and fought with medical staff and each other.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Dalian Municipal Health Commission announced that it had arranged for 520 additional hospital beds to treat COVID-19 patients and was preparing for another 860 additional beds.

Dalian Outbreak

The Dalian Municipal Health Commission announced more diagnosed COVID-19 patients on July 28, including a patient who had not contacted any previously diagnosed patients or asymptomatic carriers, suggesting there is already community spread in Dalians latest outbreak.

The new wave outbreak in Dalian was first announced on July 23.

People are lining up to take COVID-19 tests at a makeshift testing center in Dalian city, in Chinas northeast Liaoning Province on July 26, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Three days later, Chinas National Health Commission Ma Xiaowei ordered COVID-19 testing on every resident in Dalian within the following four days.

Dalian residents shared their experiences with the Chinese-language Epoch Times, explaining that the testing created chaos.

Ms. Liu lives at the Xinchang residential compound in the Xinzhaizi neighborhood. She was informed by her landlord that all residents must be tested on July 27.

That morning, Liu went to the test site at the Xinzhaizi Primary School after 6 a.m. She thought she could be tested earlier if she arrived earlier.

We just saw countless people waiting in front of the school gate. Some of them arrived at 3 a.m., Liu said. She realized that many other residents had the same idea as her.

Residents crowding in front of a COVID-19 testing site in Dalian, China on July 27, 2020. (Provided to The Epoch Times by interviewee)

When the testing site opened at 8 a.m., people in the queue pushed and shoved. Its a mess everywhere, Liu added. We had no idea where we should go very crowded.

Liu witnessed residents fighting with each other due to the crowding. Some argued with medical staff, while police officers onsite started shouting in an attempt to restore order.

Residents crowding in front of a testing site in Dalian, China on July 27, 2020. (Provided to The Epoch Times by interviewee)

By 10 a.m., Lius child, who had accompanied her to the testing site, grew impatient. Liu decided to go to a local hospital to get tested for her and her family members, which cost them 106 yuan ($15).

Getting tested at the public testing sites is free-of-charge, but authorities will not return test results to residents. If someone wishes to receive their test result, they must test again at a local hospital.

But according to new city rules, residents must show a negative nucleic acid test result in order to take the metro, or leave the city.

Patient Zero

The Epoch Times also obtained an officials handwritten investigative record about the suspected patient zero, Mr. Shi, in Dalianrevealing that a local hospital did not promptly test Shi for COVID-19.

According to the record, on July 14, Shi visited a local hospital, but his ailment was treated as a normal cold. Shi also took medicine himself, the Lianhua Qingwen Capsule, a Chinese herbal medicine previously promoted by the Chinese regimes top specialist as an effective drug to prevent, mitigate, and treat COVID-19. But the medicine had no effect, and Shis health kept deteriorating.

On July 21, Shi visited another hospital and was finally diagnosed with COVID-19 on July 22.

Since May, Zhong Nanshan, one of Chinas top epidemiologist experts, has promoted the Lianhua Qingwen Capsule as an effective COVID-19 treatment on state-run media as well as a government conference.

But on June 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter, stating that Lianhua Qingwen was an unapproved and misbranded product, and would not be allowed to be sold in the United States.

Lianhua Qingwen is manufactured by Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical, a company founded and chaired by Wu Yiling. Wu and Zhong co-founded a medical research center in Guangzhou city in July 2019, which studies Chinese medicine that can help treat lung-related diseases.

Zhong may benefit from the [capsule] medicines sales, said U.S.-based China affairs commentator Li Linyi.

Xinjiang

And in the far-western Xinjiang region, the latest outbreak continued to worsen.

An official at the Xinjiang Regional CDC told The Epoch Times by phone that most of the newly diagnosed patients had not visited the area identified by authorities as the ground zerothe Erdaoqiao neighborhood in Urumqi. They contracted the virus from other places and were diagnosed via general nucleic acid testing, the official said.

Though he did not provide further details, his admission of infections outside the ground zero suggested a broader community outbreak.

Residents of different cities in Xinjiang said in phone calls that local authorities locked down Ghulja, Kashgar, and Changji, though there were no official announcements. Furthermore, their residential compounds, which had not publicly reported any diagnosed cases or symptomatic carriers, were sealed off, with no resident allowed to leave home.
It was unfair to force people who retired at age 65 onto the dole for a year before they received their pension, the Minister for Social Protection has admitted.

Heather Humphreys told the Dail: It was unfair for people who have worked all their lives to sign on. But now there was a single form to be filled in to allow for an automatic transition payment for 12 months before the pension kicked in.

Sinn Fein TD Mark Ward of Dublin Mid West said his father had been forced into the humiliation of signing on for a year  after working much of his career, ironically, at the Department of Social Protection.

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My father left school early and started working at age 12, he said. He joined the Defence Forces at 17 and served the State for 25 years.

He then, ironically, joined, the Department of Social Protection, and after working for 53 years, decided to retire at age 65. My father was forced to go to Jobseekers for a year.

For people to be forced to sign on the dole at age 65 until they reached 66 was absolutely disgraceful, the TD said.

Minister Humphreys said the situation had now changed and someone retiring at age 65 had to fill up one form, and thats it. You are not going to be asked to sign on again. You receive the payment until pension age at 66.

The retirement age was now being reviewed, as pledged by all three parties in the Programme for Government, she added.

On conditions in the economy generally, she said: We hope more people will return to work. The unfortunate reality is that many of these people will not be able to return to the jobs they had pre-Covid.

We also have 220,000 on the live register, she pointed out, in addition to the 287,000 on the PUP, a cumulative total of over half a million people.

Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats said pre-existing poverty had been extended by the pandemic, pointing out that 160,000 people had been in work and yet experiencing poverty prior to the pandemic.

He said the Society of St Vincent De Paul estimated there were now 700,000 people affected by poverty in Ireland. It had called for a special task force.

Minister Humphreys said she hoped to meet the VdeP very soon. Many were in difficulty across the country in current circumstances, which was why her Department had rolled out the PUP payment.

It had been estimated that 400,000 families would see their income call by more than 20 per cent because of Covid in the absence of PUP, she said.

Its effect had prevented such losses and cushioned people at the lower end of the income scale.

Mr Gannon asked her to state specifically what jobs she did not expect to return.

But the Minister said that while there were phased returns due in August, everything the Government did was dependent on public health advice and she could make no predictions.
One of Britain's most wanted fugitive murder suspects has been arrested almost four years after a new dad was stabbed to death in a road rage attack.

Abdulahi Shire, 24, fled the UK after Zakir Nawaz, 21, was killed in a Birmingham street on September 10, 2016.

Warsame Mohamed, 23, was caught on CCTV helping to kick and stamp on Mr Nawaz following a 'minor road prang'.

One of UK's most-wanted fugitives Abdulahi Shire, left, has been brought back to the UK under a European arrest warrant more than four years after the fatal stabbing of Zakir Nawaz (right)

Abdulahi Shire nearest the kerb and Warsame Mohamed back left before the attack which took place in 2016 and saw Mr Nawaz killed after what police called a minor road rage collision

Shire, who was in the car with Mohamed, then allegedly fatally stabbed Mr Nawaz in the chest after the accident in Highfield Road in Washwood Heath.

Mr Nawaz, who had become a father for the second time ten days before the attack, died at the scene while Mohamed and Shire drove off.

Mohamed fled to Holland but sneaked back into the UK and was arrested after police spotted him walking on the M40 in High Wycombe on January 29, 2017.

The Somali national was jailed for seven years after he admitted manslaughter at Birmingham Crown Court.

Warsame Mohamed fled to Holland but sneaked back into the UK and was arrested after police spotted him in 2017. The Somali national was jailed for seven years for manslaughter

A third man, Waseem Raja Azram, 29, was jailed for two years for violent disorder relating to Mr Nawaz's killing.

West Midlands Police and Europol issued an international arrest warrant for Shire, who is originally from Holland.

He was finally arrested in Norway earlier this month.

A police spokesperson said: 'Abdulahi Shire was sought over the fatal stabbing of Zakir Nawaz in Highfield Road, Washwood Heath, on 10 September 2016.

'A European Arrest Warrant was issued shortly after the killing - which had been sparked by a minor road rage collision - and our detectives were working with Europol in a bid to locate Shire.

'The 24-year-old of no fixed address - who is originally from Holland - has now been charged with murder and is due to appear in Birmingham Magistrates Court this morning.'
The family of Spc. Vanessa Guillen travels to Washington D.C. to introduce the #IAmVanessaGuillen bill on Thursday, July 30, in addition to a rally and meeting with President Donald Trump.

On Wednesday morning, July 29, Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14), Chair of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, held the first U.S. House of Representatives hearing focused on the sexual harassment, disappearance and killing of Guillen.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 18:12:34|Editor: huaxia

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Algerians will face the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, which is expected to start on July 31, amid strict epidemic prevention measures. The Algerian government announced to renew the partial lockdown measures from July 28 for 15 days in 29 provinces to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne had an unusually delicate diplomatic mission when she flew to Washington this week for the annual Australia-US Ministerial Consultations.

On the one hand Senator Payne did not want to miss this opportunity to signal Australia's close strategic ties with the US and our joint determination to protect shared interests against the rise of China.

But on the other hand she had to distance Australia from some of the almost unhinged Cold War rhetoric that has emerged from the mouth of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the heat of the US presidential election campaign.

In pursuit of the former she signed a number of important agreements including on fighting China's malign cyber hacking in the region, creating a strategic fuel reserve in the Northern Territory and mining rare earths in Australia to undercut China's current global monopoly.

On the second priority she made her position clear by a rather blunt response when asked about her attitude to current US policy as enunciated by Mr Pompeo last week at a speech in the Richard Nixon Presidential Library.
Nigeria is one of the world's biggest cocoa growers but you wouldn't know that from looking at its shelves.

They're loaded with the likes of Lindt and Twix - imported from overseas because Nigeria exports almost all of its cocoa beans.

But among the foreign bars there's also Loshes, made by Femi Oyedipe, who saw an opportunity in the gap between the country's cocoa exports and its lack of domestic brands.

"The agenda is to promote as best as we can, locally produced chocolate products to meet our local needs, that can compete globally on the shelves alongside international brands."

With a mid-crop of between 50,000 and 60,000 tons, Nigeria is the world's fifth biggest cocoa grower but the imported bars are usually cheaper than domestic products.

Oyedipe - who set up her business using personal savings, donations from friends and family and some government support - says she can't compete on price and instead focuses on quality, with chocolate that has no additives or preservatives.

"Loshes Chocolate is that little drop of water trying to make a mighty ocean. You know we are doing our best to create and add value to that sector in Nigeria, so it will take a lot more people wanting to do this to have the sort of impact that we are wanting to have."

Part of the challenge is infrastructure: Loshes, in the commercial capital Lagos, faces an erratic power supply and is often forced to run on a power generator for days at a time as Oyedipe grinds cocoa beans.

But the challenges are not getting in the way of her ambition.

Having started out in 2016 turning 60 kilograms of beans into chocolate per quarter, she now gets through six tons a year and eventually wants to expand to a factory with a capacity of 72 tonnes.
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Linkedin Sarah Young and Paul Sandle (Reuters) London  Wed, July 29, 2020 13:56 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a2f90d 2 News Heathrow-Airport,Airport,travel,United-Kingdom,quarantine,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, called on Britain to urgently introduce a passenger testing regime, warning that without one it would lose a game of global "quarantine roulette" after coronavirus stalled aviation.

The worst public health crisis since the 1918 influenza outbreak has wrought economic turmoil across the world and just as the travel industry restarted there are now fears of a second wave of shutdowns after Britain imposed a quarantine on travelers from Spain.

"The UK needs a passenger testing regime and fast," Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said. "Without it, Britain is just playing a game of quarantine roulette."

"Our European competitors are racing ahead with passenger testing, if the UK doesn't act soon global Britain will be nothing more than a campaign slogan," Holland-Kaye said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced criticism for being too slow to craft a nationwide testing program, and the government has bet heavily on a home testing approach that has been dogged by delays.

Read also: UK to unveil obesity plan after PM's near-death experience

Asked about such sharp criticism from the head of the country's biggest airport, the government said there was no easy solution.

"There's not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border," Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told the BBC. "It can incubate over a period of time so there's not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border."

Heathrow, along with airlines and the entire tourism industry, is hurting.

Passenger numbers fell 96 percent in the second quarter while cargo volumes fell over 30 percent. Revenue fell 85 percent per Heathrow, though, said its finances remained robust.

It said it had enough cash to last until at least June 2021 with no revenue.

"We have agreed a waiver on financial covenants until the end of 2021 and maintained our Investment Grade credit rating status," it said.
A Cape May County hotel temporarily halted its food and beverage service after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus, the business said Tuesday.

The Windrift Hotel Resort announced it would complete a deep cleaning of all food and beverage service areas and engage in contact tracing to identify whether additional employees may be affected.

In a statement, the Avalon hotel said the infected worker was involved in restaurant operations.

We anticipate resuming operations within the coming days, but will only do so once we have completed our investigation and determined that we can safely do so, the hotels statement said.

The hotel said it was taking the voluntary move and apologized for the inconvenience to guests.

The Windrift remains committed to protecting the health and safety of our guests. Since we reopened in May, we have implemented rigorous protocols that include temperature checks at the start of each employee shift, the use of safe and sanitary employee practices in accordance with state and federal directives, and strict rules to prevent employees with known exposures from reporting to work, the statement added.

There is no evidence that the contagious virus can spread directly through food, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The illness can spread through contaminated surfaces and health officials have urged people to frequently wash their hands among other precautions.

Local officials could not be immediately reached late Tuesday. New Jersey officials reported 24 new coronavirus deaths and 565 additional cases Tuesday while the states rate of transmission for the virus also increased. In Cape May County, there were 800 reported cases of the respiratory illness.

Gov. Phil Murphy earlier this month paused the states gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions, including keeping in place a ban on indoor dining.

TEMPORARILY CLOSED The Windrift Hotel Resort has temporarily suspended its food and beverage service following the... Posted by Windrift Hotel Resort on Tuesday, July 28, 2020

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Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com.
In 2002, Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fail famously went to the people under the banner of 'A lot done. More to do'.

On Monday, as Norma Foley announced the Government's 375million plan to get schools back open in a month's time, that famous party slogan may well have crossed the Education Minister's mind.

The last few weeks have not been easy for the first-time Tralee TD, who has come in for a barrage of criticism - much of it based on her lack of experience - since she took the reins at the Department of Eduction.

Last week she was at the centre of a furore over the delay to the Leaving Cert results, a problem not of her making but one which saw the former teacher rounded on by critics.

Monday's announcement, of a plan for which Ms Foley was wholly responsible, represented both a major test for the Minister and a chance for her to prove her mettle. These are very early days, and there is a long way to go but, thus far, Minister Foley looks to have passed her first major test as one of the most senior office holders in cabinet.

While there has been criticism of the short time-frame involved - with many questioning whether measures in the plan such as hiring thousands of additional teachers can be carried out so quickly - it has been broadly well received.

Most importantly it has gained the overall backing of the main teaching unions who - though also concerned about the time-frame - have signalled their support for the plan.

While the lack of communication from the Department and Minister Foley in recent weeks has been widely castigated, it would appear that Minister Foley and her team have been extremely busy behind the scenes. The plan they have come up with has its flaws - which is understandable given the bizarre circumstances we now live in - but it is far reaching and comprehensive.

Given the money involved, it also sends a signal that the Government is serious about getting children back to schools and won't be cutting any corners. The re-opening of schools will be a make-or-break moment for the Government and Minister Foley. So far it appears to be going well.
Jessica Nabongo had already planned to slow down her travels in 2020. "At the beginning of the year, I said the maximum I'm doing is 100 flights and no more than 40 countries," she says while reciting the impressive list of destinations she hit before the coronavirus grounded her at home in Detroit.

This U.N. consultant turned professional traveler took 170 flights in 2019 - a pace she's maintained for a half-decade in her quest to become the first Black woman to visit every country in the world. In October, she wrapped up the tour in her 195th country, but she now says she can't imagine herself stepping onto a plane anytime soon.

As the founder of boutique tourism agency Jet Black, Nabongo has managed clients disgruntled by canceled and postponed trips. In March, she mostly heard disappointment from her network. But she's observed a shift in recent months. The tune from her about 200,000 Instagram followers now sounds much antsier, with more and more of her online following telling her they're planning bigger trips for 2021.

There's an angsty new term to describe this apparent pent-up demand: "revenge travel." And lately, many industry insiders are talking about the sinister-sounding buzzword.

Nabongo is personally "kind of flabbergasted" people would currently book international trips, but she understands their motivation. "Americans definitely have a feeling of being trapped. And granted, it's a strange climate in the U.S. - politically, it's like we're living in 'The Twilight Zone,' " she says. "People DM me, email me and post in our comments section things like 'I'm so ready to go! I want out of here!' "

That restless mood has many pro travelers and experts predicting revenge travelers could bring back leisure tourism with a bang - though others caution revenge may not be as sweet as we'd like.

- - -

The concept of "revenge spending" emerged in China in the 1980s with descriptions of burgeoning consumer demand following the poverty of the Cultural Revolution. In the past few months, researchers have reapplied it to the resurgent spending on luxury goods, as strict stay-at-home orders eased across China. In April, for example, a single Hermes store raked in $2.7 million in one day in Guangzhou, a sign of how the wealthy have responded to their quarantine blues.

Revenge travel is a riff on the same notion. As with the retail sector, travel analysts now carefully watch Chinese consumer sentiment and spending since tourism restarted there. In May, a report by McKinsey & Company found Chinese confidence in domestic travel had risen by 60% from its shutdown lows, as much of the country reopened. Travelers have opted to stay close to home and go by car or train over flying. Reduced capacity, mandatory masks and more stringent sanitation routines are a few ways tourist sites and hotels in China have sought to lure still-hesitant travelers, according to the McKinsey report.

In the past several months, such dynamics have played out in the United States' domestic market as well. Demand has similarly increased for driving-distance and rural getaways, with attractions and lodging properties placing a greater emphasis on cleanliness. The recent uptick in lodging bookings and RV rentals looks like the first phase of this rebound.

That's why experts think China provides helpful clues as to how other countries may recover. "[Chinese] domestic travel - both for business and leisure - has bounced back as airline passengers are back to around 60 to 70 percent of pre-crisis levels," said Steve Saxon, a Shenzhen-based partner at McKinsey, in a statement to The Washington Post. June also saw a few promising signs in U.S. air travel, which remains an extraordinarily precarious business. "This is significantly driven by people being comfortable with traveling and the perception that there may be a low risk of infection when flying."

But when coronavirus cases rise, the demand for travel also seems to fall, he observed, referencing how the mid-June outbreak in Beijing had caused more than 1,000 canceled flights in the Chinese capital. "China and the U.S. are at different stages of travel recovery," Saxon cautioned, noting the U.S. still has a significant number of cases in contrast. "This eliminates much of the discretionary demand for travel."

- - -

Worsening outbreaks throughout much of the United States make it almost impossible to issue predictions as to when the U.S. tourism market might recover to pre-coronavirus levels of demand. Airline executives believe it'll take an effective vaccine. But present demand and a desire to travel in the future are not one and the same. Consumer sentiment research shows the pandemic has hardly hampered travelers' desire of getting away, even if booking behavior has shifted to favor flexibility and last-minute planning.

A Harris Poll survey of 2,500 U.S. travelers in early May found the desire to travel had only increased as the crisis deepened. The results indicate travelers from the hardest-hit states were the most eager to travel within the following four months. Beyond concerns with public health risks, Harris Poll discovered that wanting to connect with distant loved ones and a change of scenery were key factors motivating leisure travelers in all states. A craving for different surroundings was strongest among those in regions with the most severe coronavirus outbreaks.

In this vein, it seems the pandemic is not changing our motivations as much as it's causing each of us to prioritize them differently. Or as one of the leading researchers on tourist behavior and psychology phrases it: "The covid-19 situation has stripped the motivational profile to its basic elements," wrote Philip Pearce, foundation professor of tourism at James Cook University in Australia, in an email.

The pandemic has put a new spin on some of the core reasons we travel, Pearce explains. Take the motivation to relax and escape, which he has defined in his research. "Usually this motive is to forget or leave work stresses," he wrote. "Now it is about leaving the stresses of the lived-in community and house/apartment life to be in another place where worrying about the problem of the pandemic is less pressing."

- - -

Fast forward to a world when pandemic concerns are far less pressing and it's socially acceptable to plan ambitious trips: Where might the revenge travel hot spots emerge? Right now it's an open-ended question, but experts are forming theories.

If you track what Americans say online, classic driving destinations look primed for a much quicker recovery than international travel. Even as domestic conversations are down, road trips are trending in social conversations among U.S. travelers, according to marketers at Sparkloft Media who have analyzed millions of public posts across major social media platforms, forums and blogs to measure consumer perceptions. There are no signs that this driving trend is ebbing anytime soon.

They report that conversations about international travel, on the other hand, are down 49%, with the few spikes up being negative chatter about U.S. and European Union border closures.

Some silver lining? When international travel does return, Jet Black founder Nabongo believes a "corona hangover" may leave typically overcrowded destinations that suffered from overtourism before the pandemic with fewer visitors.

"I am racing to the places I never went because they're overrun with tourists," she says. "I lived in Italy for three years and I've never been to Venice because there [were] so many tourists."
(Adds background, details on GMV categories, net income)

July 29 (Reuters) - Shopify Inc beat analysts estimates for quarterly revenue and profit on Wednesday, as more brick-and-mortar businesses listed on the Canadian e-commerce firms platform to cash in on the increase in number of people shopping online.

U.S.-listed shares of Shopify, which in May briefly became Canadas most valuable company, rose about 7% before the bell.

Online retailers have emerged as winners from coronavirus lockdowns and retain their appeal as people prefer to shop from their homes instead of making a trip to brick-and-mortar stores due to a resurgence in infections.

In June, Walmart Inc, the worlds biggest brick-and-mortar retailer, partnered with Shopify to ramp up its efforts to capture a bigger slice of that surge.

Shopify generates revenue by selling subscription to merchants looking to join its e-commerce platform and by charging them payment processing and transaction fees, as well as for logistics services.

New stores created on the platform jumped 71% in the second quarter from the first quarter.

Shopifys gross merchandise volume (GMV), a metric used to measure transaction volumes, more than doubled to $30.1 billion in the quarter, largely helped by food, beverages, and tobacco categories. Analysts on average had estimated $18.45 billion.

Revenue nearly doubled to $714.3 million from a year earlier, beating the average analyst estimate of $513.83 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

Shopify posted a net income of $36.0 million, or 29 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $28.7 million, or 26 cents per share.

Excluding items, it reported earnings of $1.05 per share, while analysts had expected a profit of 1 cent. (Reporting by Ayanti Bera in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Sriraj Kalluvila)
Adams Oshiomhole, immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has boasted that the partys governorship cand...

Adams Oshiomhole, immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has boasted that the partys governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu would win all 18 local government areas in the State.





Oshiomhole spoke while addressing some youths who paid Ize-Iyamu a visit, yesterday.





He also charged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, not to focus on things he said in the past concerning Ize-Iyamu.





The former APC National Chairman said rather than focus on the past, PDP should present their achievements and plans to the people, ahead of the governorship election.





According to Oshiomhole: They cannot display their achievements because they dont have any.





They have decided to focus on Oshiomhole although he is not on the ballot.





Pastor Ize-Iyamu is a good man with genuine plans to move Edo State forward.





He has the support of all and is on his way to repeating the 2012 feat of winning in all the 18 local governments as I did when he was my campaign director general.





People of Edo State would on September 19 determine the next governor of the state via the ballot box.




Building a strong partnership like the one between the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board and Mission Critical Partners is crucial to serving Tennesseans and maintaining Tennessee's role as a national leader when it comes to emergency response.

The Tennessee Emergency Communications Board (TECB), today announced a partnership with Mission Critical Partners (MCP), a leading mission-critical communications consulting and information technology (IT) support services firm, on a new project focused on assessing the cybersecurity status of the states 142 public safety answering points (PSAPs). When completed, the cybersecurity assessment will provide the PSAPs with an understanding of their baseline status and increased awareness of vulnerabilities.

The project will generate greater visibility into Tennessees 911 infrastructure, which is growing in complexity and sophistication as the state transitions to Next Generation 911 (NG911), a broadband, Internet Protocol (IP)-based system that enables the transmission of real-time text, images, video and voice calls. Tennessee is a leader in implementing NG911 technology with a nationally recognized, redundant Emergency Services Internet Protocol Network (ESInet) known as NetTN. This network, which has been operating for seven years, processes more than 20 million calls annually and helps to keep Tennessees citizens and visitors safe.

"Building a strong partnership like the one between the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board and Mission Critical Partners is crucial to serving Tennesseans and maintaining Tennessee's role as a national leader when it comes to emergency response," said Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Hodgen Mainda. "This partnership will help better protect Tennesseans and Tennessee's public safety answering points from cybersecurity threats that may occur."

In conjunction with the cybersecurity program, the TECB is transitioning its PSAPs from an Internet Protocol (IP)-based selective-routing (IPSR) solution to an ESInet that leverages Next Generation Core Services (NGCS). NGCS are the fundamental elements that enable 911 calls to be processed in a NG911 environment. The NENA i3-compliant solution will provide enhanced technology services outlined in the TECBs NG911 Strategic Plan. The board projects that all Tennessee PSAPs will be offering NG911 service in 2021.

Because IP-based networks inherently are more vulnerable to cyberattacks, the cybersecurity initiative being undertaken by the TECB and MCP takes on even greater importance as the states PSAPs transition to NG911, according to Curtis Sutton, TECBs executive director.

Across the country, public-safety leaders increasingly are viewing cybersecurity as a priority, recognizing that cybercriminals are targeting 911 operations because of their mission-critical nature, Sutton said. The TECB is committed to providing excellent customer service to Tennessees 911 community. Understanding the vulnerabilities of our 911 network is a critical step toward implementing a proactive cybersecurity risk-prevention program in the state.

The project is funded in part by the 911 Grant Program jointly provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and Department of Commerce in 2019. The programwhich authorized $109 million in grant funding to 34 states and two tribal nationsis designed to support state and local efforts to deliver modernized 911 services. Any Tennessee PSAP opting into the statewide cybersecurity project will receive:



An assessment of the PSAPs computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system and call-processing networks

An assessment of the PSAPs physical security

A report that identifies resolvable cybersecurity vulnerabilities and recommendations so that plans may be developed to address deficiencies

We are honored to partner with the TECB in this effort, and we applaud their vision to be confident in the security surrounding the states 911 infrastructure, said Kevin Murray, MCPs chairman, chief executive officer and cofounder. Taking this proactive approach will help them safeguard against threats that could disable them or interrupt their ability to serve Tennessees citizens and visitors and will ultimately help to improve emergency response.

About Mission Critical Partners (MCP)

Mission Critical Partners (MCP) is an independent consulting and IT support services firm that helps clients enhance and evolve their public safety systems and operations through our extensive experience, knowledge and resources. By providing insight and support every step of the way, our clients are able to transform their mission critical operations, maximizing the value of their investments and ensuring optimal performance and success. Additional information and career opportunities are available at http://www.MissionCriticalPartners.com.

About the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI)

Fostering fair marketplaces, public safety, and consumer education that promote the success of individuals and businesses while serving as innovative leaders. Our divisions include the State Fire Marshals Office, Insurance, Securities, Regulatory Boards, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, Tennessee Emergency Communications Board, and TennCare Oversight.

About the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board (TECB)

The Tennessee Emergency Communications Board is a self-funded nine-member board located within the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. The Board was created to establish emergency communications for citizens across the state and assist emergency communications districts (ECDs) in the areas of management, operations, and accountability.
As ComEds regulator, rate payers are looking to the commission to have effective and transparent oversight over ComEd, said Oliva, who was appointed by former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. I believe the allegations surrounding the bribery scheme may conflict with Chairman Zalewskis ability to do her job effectively by adversely affecting the confidence of the public. Holding this hearing, in this manner, is not good for the integrity of the commission while attempting to restore the trust of the rate payers. 
In this Gazette file photo, Edward Box III and other members of the Southern, Northern and Mountain Ute tribes demonstrated a traditional dance to Colorado College students and staff in October 2019. The tribes taught about their traditions and culture on the eve of the college changing the name of Armstrong Quad to Tava Quad as part of an antiracist initiative. Tava means sun in the Ute language and is how the Utes identified the mountain known today as Pikes Peak. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Journalists Detained Near KGB Building In Minsk Amid Crackdown On Press

By RFE/RL's Belarus Service July 28, 2020

MINSK -- Belarusian police have detained at least 11 journalists near the KGB security service building in the capital, Minsk, in the latest crackdown on the press ahead of the country's upcoming presidential election.

The detentions on July 28 occurred as a representative of jailed presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka filed a petition with the KGB to change the terms of his arrest.

The representative, Maria Kolesnikova, was untouched by security forces, but several people were arrested outside the KGB building as they sought to file similar petitions to release Babaryka on his own recognizance.

According to Boris Goretsky, deputy chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, 11 journalists were also detained while covering the event.

All but three were later released, he said on Facebook.

Among those detained were a journalist from Tut.by, four journalists from Belsat TV, two reporters from BelaPAN, a photojournalist from Russia's TASS news agency, and Reuters journalists.

The Tut.by news website reported that security forces took the journalists to the Zavodskoye District Department of Internal Affairs to check their media accreditation.

The latest detentions have come just days after President Alyaksandr Lukashenka attacked both Russian and Western media outlets for their coverage of developments in Belarus.

He also called for those promoting "mass disturbances" to be expelled from the country because they "don't observe our country's laws."

Lukashenka faces mounting public pressure after 26 years in power and an energized opposition ahead of the August 9 presidential election in which he is seeking a sixth presidential term.

Hundreds of people, including activists and bloggers, have been detained or arrested as the government cracks down hard on rallies and demonstrations supporting opposition candidates, who were not registered by election officials.

On July 14 and 15, at least 17 journalists were detained while covering protests against the electoral body's decision to deny opposition presidential candidates Valery Tsapkala and Babaryka the ability to register in the upcoming election, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

In June, Belarusian authorities detained at least 14 journalists for allegedly participating in unsanctioned protests, and in May, five journalists covering opposition candidates were detained.

Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has emerged as the opposition's main candidate against strongman Lukashenka.

She became a presidential candidate because her jailed husband, well-known vlogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski, was incarcerated after he openly expressed his intention to run for president.

Tsikhanouskaya is campaigning with the representatives of two opposition candidates who were denied registration as presidential candidates -- former Belgazprombank head Babaryka and prominent businessman Tsapkala.

Babaryka, who was viewed as a potentially potent rival to Lukashenka, was jailed in June on suspicion of money laundering, bribery, and tax evasion. He rejected the charges as politically motivated.

With reporting by Tut.by

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus -journalists-detained-kgb-minsk- press-crackdown/30753837.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Three of the five brothers who allegedly crossed into Ghana on a vehicle in defiance of the closure of the border and assaulted two customs officers at Vedome, near Kpetoe, before taking away their duty rifle from them were put before the Kpetoe Magistrate Court on Monday.



They are James Gatsi, 32, a driver; Domenic Gatsi, 34, a farmer and Mensah Ahiakpatsi Gatsi, 25, a commercial motor-cycle operator.



The three were charged jointly with stealing, assault on a public officer and causing unlawful damage.



Their pleas were not taken.



Sergeant Ernest Nketia, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mr Samuel Essel Walker that the incident took place last week Thursday at about 5pm.



According to the prosecution, the two customs officers who were on patrol duties near the border that day spotted the Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number GE 4753 Y entering Ghana from Togo, heading towards Kpetoe and signalled it to stop.



The court heard that at that instance, Dominic Gatsi, the third accused, started yelling at the customs officers and asking them: Didnt I warn you never to come to this area to patrol again?



Thereafter, all the five men on board the vehicle pounced on the officers and subjected them to severe beatings, tore their uniforms and took a sub-machine gun loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition from the senior officer and took it along to Worglokope in Togo.



According to the prosecution, on reaching Worglokope, the accused persons handed the weapon to the chief of the village.



The court was told that prior to that the battered customs officers called their base for reinforcement upon which a team of customs and immigration officers were dispatched to the scene.



However, the team returned from the scene shortly to lodge a complaint at the Kpetoe Police Station, and that led to the arrest of the accused persons at the Ghana side of the frontier.



The prosecution said that the chief of Worglokope in Togo, on July 25, handed the rifle to the police at Wudome in Togo, who returned it to the Kpetoe Police.



The prosecution said that the accused in their caution statement denied assaulting the officers, but admitted taking the weapon from them.



The accused who were remanded in police custody would appear before the court again on Monday.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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Featured Video
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at an event at the Colwyck Center in New Castle, Del., on July 21, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Will Biden Debate Trump?

Commentary

Look, we have to talk about Joe.

I realize the Democratic Party and Bidens campaign staff are blithely maintaining the pretense that theres nothing wrong with the former vice president, but what possible reason would the rest of the country have for going along with this charade?

Video clips of a mentally struggling Biden continue to go viral on social media, because even as his campaign tries to keep his interactions with others tightly scripted and controlled, the candidate himself is still saying head-scratching things.

In a Biden campaign livestream broadcast on July 22, Biden told a representative of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) that the nurses at Walter Reed hospital would blow into his nostrils to get him moving.

This is far from the most bizarre thing Biden has said during his presidential campaign over the past year.

Will Biden Debate Trump?

Im confident making the prediction that Biden wont be debating President Donald Trump after observing how quickly Bidens own campaign has shut down media events that went off-script.

You cant really script a public debate. Such an event calls for the candidates to react instinctively and on the spot to tough and unexpected questions and challenges, both from their opponent and the moderators.

Given that at all of his recent events Bidens been limited to reading speeches from a teleprompter and then quickly exiting the room without taking any questions, he doesnt give the impression of a strong and confident candidate up to any and all challenges.

Biden is also refusing to sit for interviews with reporters. When Fox News Chris Wallace requested one, Bidens campaign replied that the candidate was unavailable.

During a normal campaign season, candidates are ramping up their media appearances and events at this time of year, not reducing or limiting them. But this is precisely what the Biden campaign has been doing, and there doesnt seem to be any indication the trend will change.

Whatever one may think of Trump, he certainly hasnt been in hiding or ducking questions from reporters. Trump has frequently made himself available for questions at almost every public appearance in recent months. Some of these conferences have lasted for more than an hour.

Trump sat for a 40-minute interview with Wallace on July 19 and answered every question thrown at him. Its well known that the son of the former 60 Minutes reporter Mike Wallace is far from a fan of the current president.

Having seen the tough questions Trump had to field from Wallace, its certainly understandable why the Biden campaign doesnt want to subject him to such a grilling by a veteran reporter.

But the longer this campaign goes on and the closer the election gets, the more difficult it will be for Bidens handlers to keep their candidate sheltered and away from tough questions.

If Biden is going to avoid unfriendly reporters while hes running for the job of president of the United States, what does that say about his fitness to hold the office, should he win the election?

U.S. citizens need confidence that the person who serves as chief executive can handle any crisis that arises. While a president can duck reporters with pesky questions, he or she cant duck Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, or the mullahs of Iran.

A Return to Normalcy

Biden has been a Washington insider for 48 years, ever since he won the race for Delawares Senate seat in 1972. Let that sink in for a minute. This man has been a politician in Washington ever since then-President Richard M. Nixon made his historic visit to China.

Realizing that running Biden as some kind of outside reformer would be absurd on its face, his campaign has instead opted for a message of a return to normalcy narrative.

This theme sells the idea of getting rid of Trump and all the changes he has been making in Washington and returning that town back to what it was when President Barack Obama and Biden left office in January 2017.

Had enough people wanted the Obama years to continue, Hillary Clinton would be president right now. I dont think this is a very convincing campaign message: Vote for me and Ill turn back the clock and make everything in Washington the way it was when Obama and I left office four years ago.

Trusting the Polls?

On July 21, the Trump campaign got more than 300,000 people to tune into its very first virtual fundraiser and took in more than $20 million.

But if you spent all day looking at the mainstream media polls and watched cable television news, youd get the impression that Trump is not only losing the election at this point, hes being massacred. Some polls have Biden up on the president by as much as 15 points.

Nobody learned anything from 2016. Electoral College votes cannot be predicted. Many media outlets also ignore the clearest sign of where the voter enthusiasm lies this election season. Trump not only garnered as many votes or more than Biden did in many of the state primary races; he set primary voting records running unopposed.

People who put their faith in national news media polls are once again going to be shocked by the actual election results.

Brian Cates is a writer based in South Texas and the author of Nobody Asked For My Opinion  But Here It Is Anyway! He can be reached on Twitter @drawandstrike.

The views expressed herein are solely those of the author. As a nonpartisan public charity, The Epoch Times does not endorse these statements and takes no position on political candidates.
She has often given followers a taste of what to expect from her OnlyFans account by sharing sizzling posts on social media.

And Megan Barton Hanson was sure to set pulses racing with her latest Instagram snaps, which saw her model an Ann Summers bodysuit on Tuesday.

The former Love Island star, 26, showcased her sensational figure as she slipped into the blue semi-sheer ensemble that showed off a generous glimpse of her cleavage.

Wow! Megan Barton Hanson set pulses racing as she slipped into a semi-sheer blue bodysuit for a sizzling snap that she shared via Instagram on Tuesday

Megan's ensemble featured semi-sheer panels to show off her toned abs, while the sexy number also had floral detailing to cover her modesty.

Her cropped styled into tousled waves that fell over her face, while she wore a light palette of make-up to accentuate her pretty features.

Megan posed seductively for the camera, Megan was sure to send pulses soaring as she showed off the garment which she was being paid to promote.

Looking good: Megan's ensemble featured semi-sheer panels to show off her toned abs, while the sexy number also had floral detailing to cover her modesty

Megan has joined the likes of Kerry Katona, Danielle Lloyd and American star Blac Chyna in launching an accounts with OnlyFans over recent months.

The TV personality's latest post comes after she admitted to finding it difficult to meet other bisexual or gay women due to a lack of confidence while in the company of people she's attracted to.

She told Cosmopolitan UK's weekly podcast All The Way With: 'As I've only recently come out as bisexual, I always found it really hard to meet gay girls.

Getting involved: The former Love Island star is the latest in a string of TV personalities to launch a subscription only account with the website

'That was half the issue before Love Island so for that, I use a dating app,' she explained.

'I think it's just knowing if I was in a bar and I saw a girl, I wouldn't just approach her because I'd be like, "Is she straight?" I don't know, it's hard to know. So I feel like in that area, I'm not confident.'

'With men I am so confident. If I fancy someone I'll go over and be like, "Are you single?"

'But with girls I do feel a bit more intimidated. Maybe because it's newer for me. So yeah, I just find it easier on the app if you both know where you stand.'
Employee Lexi Kuehnel at The Seabrook Waffle Co., a picturesque Seabrook eatery where blackbirds share an outdoor tree-covered patio with customers, noted the construction hubbub going on a stones throw away on the Texas 146 expansion project.

Theyve been working on it for some time; so were all ready for them to be done. We hope its worth it, Kuehnel said on a recent weekday morning at the restaurant, which is at the corner of Fifth Street and Hardesty Road.

Customers of the Old Seabrook business have adjusted.

We really havent had any trouble with people getting here, Kuehnel said.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Critics complain those most impacted by I-45 rebuild left out of group to improve $7B project

The city of Seabrook has an animated video on Youtube showing what the completed work will be like. The improvements will widen the four-lane road to up to 12 lanes and add overpasses of various streets. The highway will be an elevated road from NASA 1 south to League City Parkway. A planned 2.5-mile express bridge with 116 spans will run alongside the Kemah-Seabrook bridge.

The $201 million project also aims to improve the highways function as a critical hurricane evacuation route.

But the massive undertaking still has a way to go before completion, Texas Department of Transportation spokeswoman Deidrea George said.

The project is 60 months in duration, and we have completed 16 months; so there are approximately 44 months remaining, she said.

In other words, if Seabrook and Kemah residents and anyone else who must travel on Texas 146 isnt accustomed to the orange construction barrels by now, they will be.

MORE FROM ROBERT AVERY: UIL gives Pasadena ISD coaches the green light to begin preparing for a season

The expansion project is the result of a long-ago study that accurately projected the daily traffic count at NASA Parkway was going to skyrocket.

The average daily traffic count in 2018 was 50,900 for the Harris side and 47,600 in Galveston County. Come 2038, the count is expected to be 79,300 for the Harris side and 72,000 in Galveston County.

First phase could be finished in six months

The project has been split into four phases, with the first and second underway. As long as hurricanes stay away from the upper Texas Gulf Coast, the first phase could be less than six months from completion.

That phase has entailed the widening to the northbound side of the Kemah-Seabrook bridge as well as building a new northbound frontage road in Seabrook. Work on the phase began in February 2019 and is scheduled for completion in December or January.

But first, noted George, some chemical pipelines must be relocated.

Once theyre removed, well see frontage road construction in Seabrook, she said.

Work on the northbound frontage road will be followed by construction of southbound frontage lanes, George said.

Signs of construction everywhere

The project has transformed the local landscape. The iconic triangular-shaped building that once stood at the NASA Parkway and Texas 146 intersection fell victim to the project, and abandoned railroad tracks that ran parallel to the highway are gone. Businesses also ran parallel along the west side of Texas 146 have long been bulldozed.

MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox

In Seabrook, which a billboard along NASA Parkway declares as the city of pelicans, the pelicans are now greatly outnumbered by orange construction barrels.

At the west end of Fifth Street, travelers must turn right onto the southbound lanes of Texas 146. Just on the other side is where all sorts of construction equipment is visible at a once-swampy area transformed into solid ground, and now more than a dozen cement columns stand waiting for a road that will lead to the bridge.

To the north of the NASA Parkway-Texas 146 intersection are four support columns where businesses once stood. Construction continues northbound on the west side of Texas 146 all the way to Red Bluff Road. Theres further construction on Red Bluff Road where the road leading up to the highway is being transformed from single north- and southbound lanes to multiple ones.

Whats ahead

The projects second phase will feature the widening of the southbound side to the Kemah-Seabrook bridge. In addition, Seabrook will receive a new southbound frontage road. Completion is expected in mid-2022.

Phase 3 is an 11-month project that will see Seabrook get new highway main lanes while a new northbound frontage road in Kemah is constructed. The phase also will include completion of the north end of the express bridge.

Phase 4 will require the building of a new southbound frontage road in Kemah and finish the south end of the express bridge, which will be TxDots longest bridge in the Houston area.

The primary work taking place right now is construction of the express bridge foundations on the Kemah side and express bridge structures (columns, caps) on the Seabrook side, George said.

ravery@hcnonline.com
Pfizer Inc on Tuesday said other developed countries would not get a lower price for its coronavirus vaccine than what it will charge the United States under a contract announced last week. The U.S. government agreed to pay nearly $2 billion to buy enough of a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and German biotech BioNTech SE to inoculate 50 million people at a price of $39 for a two-dose treatment course.

That deal likely set a global benchmark for vaccines at about the same price as a seasonal flu shot and could pressure other vaccine makers to set similar prices. "All the countries that are developed right now will not receive a lower price for the same volume commitment than the U.S.," Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said on a conference call.

Pfizer said the vaccine's price could change once the pandemic period ends, compared with its initial decision aimed at ensuring broadest access. Pfizer is one of many companies racing to bring COVID-19 vaccines to market, seen as essential to ending a pandemic that has claimed more than 655,000 lives globally.

Bourla told Reuters that Pfizer was in concurrent talks with the European Union and several of its member states on supplying them with the vaccine. "We are negotiating with the EU because that would be much easier. But also we are having extensive discussions with several member states, just in case we can't find agreement with the EU," Bourla said.

BioNTech and Pfizer on Monday began a large, late-stage trial of one of their vaccine candidates to demonstrate its efficacy hours after Moderna Inc announced the start of a 30,000-subject trial of its vaccine using a different technology.

Bourla called an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump last week that would tie what Medicare pays for drugs to lower prices in other countries "an enormous distraction at a time where the industry needs to be completely focused on developing a potential COVID-19 vaccine or treatment." The CEO said Pfizer could rethink U.S. expansion plans if the Trump order were to be implemented.

On Tuesday, Pfizer beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter profit by 12 cents a share and raised its full-year earnings forecast range by 3 cents, as the U.S. drugmaker predicted a recovery in vaccination rates and doctor visits after patients avoided treatments over coronavirus fears in the year's first half.

The company took a roughly $500 million hit to total sales in the second quarter as the drop in visits to hospitals and doctors' offices curtailed demand for several products. The impact was offset somewhat by demand for blood thinner Eliquis, which has been used to help treat COVID-19 patients.

Pfizer now expects 2020 adjusted profit of $2.28 to $2.38 per share. Pfizer shares rose 4% to $39.07.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Moderna, Pfizer kickstart final-stage trials, aim for year-end launches
Radio presenter and digital media boffin, Jacaranda's Renaldo Schwarp is shaking things up by expanding his professional portfolio. After wrapping up his last show this past weekend at Jacaranda FM, he now shifts focus to his role as the digital lead at the station. All while writing a book and getting a film project off the ground.

Radio presenter and digital media boffin, Jacaranda's Renaldo Schwarp.

Tell us more about your decision to wrap up your weekend shows at Jacaranda FM. What's next for you?

How do you feel about this new move?

View this post on Instagram Lets go make some radio! @jacarandafm 12:00-16:00 

A post shared by Renaldo Schwarp (@renaldoschwarp) on Jul 27, 2019 at 2:51am PDT



Im sure Ill be back behind the mic in the next few years, but being a fully-fledged 'slasher', Im excited about the move (I hopefully also get to fully enjoy sleeping in on a Sunday morning).

What excites you most about the station and where its going?

What do you love most about your career?

Its evolution... In my line of work, there is no time to get complacent, bored or set in your ways. Over the years Ive created a few awesome things for a variety of platforms and being able to share stories on radio, television and online is extremely fulfilling. I turned my passion into a paycheque. Its a lot of hard work, but so much fun!

Any career highlights youre particularly proud of?

Skeef: Die Dokumenter debuted at the 2019 kykNET Silwerskermfees, it also screened in the USA at the Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBTI+ Film Festival, and more recently as part of the US Toyota Woordfees 2020 film festival in Stellenbosch. In April 2020 I conceptualised, produced and hosted Netwerk24s first podcast for their youth platform, Die Student. Werkfiks was an interactive Afrikaans podcast series that set out to equip young people with practical advice to help them get ready for their first year of work.

Tell us a bit about the book youre writing and how this came about?

View this post on Instagram Al wat nou kort is n glas wyn 

A post shared by Renaldo Schwarp (@renaldoschwarp) on Jul 1, 2020 at 8:13am PDT



What are you most looking forward to/enjoying so far?

Consumers are more open to digital offerings during the pandemic, this places an increased value on digital experiences. As a digital native, l have always had a reverence for periods of change  if managed correctly, it leads to innovation and growth. But to innovate and grow, change is required in culture, in strategy and in the way of working.

Whats at the top of your to-do list (at work)?

What are you currently reading/watching/listening to for work?

Tell us something about yourself not generally known?

We caught up with Schwarp who tells us more about the change and how he's been focusing on all these upcoming projects.If this year has taught me anything, it's that the world evolves, priorities change and so we as people need to do the same. So after being offered to continue to host my show, I decided that after two and a half years in the same seat, its time to close this specific chapter.Im grateful that since I started my commercial and corporate career in 2014, I get to wear multiple professional hats: digital strategist, columnist, TV producer and host, podcaster, multimedia journalist and more recently writer. The latter and my role as digital lead at Jacaranda FM will be top priority.Jacaranda FM has shown significant growth in our online users in the last two years. In 2019 we dominated the South African radio digital space as the most visited website for a South African radio station. Six months into 2020, we still hold this top spot for a music format radio station. Taking my growing portfolio as digital lead, as well as my writing and upcoming TV commitments into consideration, wrapping up my Jacaranda FM radio shows just made the most sense.Ive been working on air since 2011. The thing about hosting shows for nine years straight (across different stations) is that it becomes part of who you are and how you engage with what is happening in the world.Since starting Weekends with Renaldo Schwarp in February 2018, it has grown from strength to strength, not just based on audience numbers but from a commercial perspective as well. To say it was a blast would be a massive understatement! The Jacaranda FM audience has a tendency to grow on one quite quickly, so it will be a while before I get used to spending my weekends without them.We truly have an amazing audience, extremely engaged and always ready to help. We see it every time we set out to help those in need with our Good Morning Angels initiatives. Its rewarding to serve an audience like that. I might be biased, but we really are a kick-ass team. Great leadership and some really skilled individuals making sure the station evolves as we navigate the current pandemic and life post-Covid.The notion of creating work that is truly meaningful and representative has become quite important for me. I started to consciously make this shift just before I produced Skeef: Die Dokumenter in 2018 and the results have been amazing.At the start of 2020, the opportunity to write a book presented itself to me. Without giving too much away, the book is roughly based on my documentary, Skeef. Its one of the projects that Im most excited about, mainly because it is a new challenge. Writing a book is no mean feat, but the process has been lovely so far; a lot of late nights, copious amounts of coffee and zoom interviews. Im excited to see the book on the shelves by mid-2021.Im truly enjoying seeing how the pandemic has forced brands to lean into digital and how we as media professionals had to relook our approach to serving our audiences.We are living in such uncertain times: job losses, business closures and millions of children are bearing the brunt of an unprecedented pause in their education. Issues that all affect our audiences. Top of the to-do list for me and my team is realigning our digital content strategies to reflect the (new) needs of our audience, and relooking events and virtual experiences.They Called Me Queer, a book curated by Kim Windvogel and Kelly-Eve Koopman. Its a fascinating compilation of essays and poems that highlight the experiences of LGBTIQA+ South Africans. Netflix's recently released documentary, Disclosure is also extremely insightful and a must-watch.I believe in working hard, but I believe in indulging even harder. Its how I maintain a balance.Connect with Schwarp on LinkedIn and/or follow him on Facebook Twitter or Instagram
The alleged killer of a young woman has been viciously bashed in his jail cell while awaiting trial.

Sydney man Dennis Pietrobon, 51, is charged with the 2018 murder of Nicole Cartwright, 32, before dumping her body at Buffalo Creek Reserve, Hunters Hill.

He was found in his Parklea Correctional Centre cell on June 30 with serious head and neck injuries.

Since the attack Strike Force Raptor detectives have charged Hells Angel John Gavellas with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The accused killer of Sydney woman Nicole Cartwright (pictured right), Dennis Pietrobon (pictured left), has been bashed in his jail cell while awaiting trial

It's being alleged Hells Angel John Gavellas attacked Pietrobon (pictured during his arrest) in his cell, the bikie has been being charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm

Gavellas, 22, was refused bail by the Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday and the matter was adjourned until September 8, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Pietrobon was arrested at Parramatta Police Station on May 27 following a gruelling police investigation spanning more than 18 months.

He was charged with the murder of Ms Cartwright before declining to appear before a magistrate by video link.

The case was adjourned for eight weeks so police could prepare the brief of evidence and Pietrobon was formally refused bail.

He was due to appear before the courts again in July.

It's being alleged Pietrobon killed Ms Cartwright on October 1, 2018, her 32nd birthday, and kept her body for up to two days before dumping it.

Pietrobon is accused of killing Miss Cartwright on her 32nd birthday before dumping her body at the Buffalo Creek Reserve, Hunters Hill (pictured)

Her body was found wrapped in a sheet at Buffalo Creek Reserve in Hunters Hill, on Sydneys lower north shore, on October 3, 2018.

NSW Police homicide squad commander Danny Doherty said Pietrobon had been at the police station in relation to a separate matter when he was arrested.

'Police will allege that Nicole and this 51-year-old man had met through dating sites that Nicole was known to be using,' Det Supt Doherty said.

'There's (allegedly) links between this man and Nicole, and to the crime scene.

The matter is still before the courts.
Oil marketing companies IOC, BPCL and HPCL have invited expressions of interest from start-ups that wish to be enrolled as fuel entrepreneurs for doorstep delivery of high-speed diesel through mobile petrol pumps.

In what might be the Uber-Ola moment for fuel retail in India, oil marketing companies (OMCs) are planning to rope in start-ups or FuelEnts (fuel entrepreneurs) for doorstep delivery of high-speed diesel (HSD) through mobile petrol pumps.

This move is expected to help garner around Rs 9,000 crore of investments, according to industry experts.

The OMCs - Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation - have invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from start-ups that wish to be enrolled as FuelEnts.

The firms that were already in the sector as partners of OMCs will now become official resellers after turning FuelEnts.

The major players already running home delivery of diesel include FuelBuddy, Repos Energy, Pepfuels, MyPetrolPump, and Humsafar.

A source said around Rs 2,000 crore of revenue is up for grabs for interested players in the next 12-18 months.

Calling for EoIs on July 15, IOC said the aim was to register start-ups to set up the door-to-door delivery of diesel as a business proposition.

To improve last-mile delivery, the government is promoting less capital petrol pumps, that can be operated with a small investment of Rs 20-30 lakh.

"We expect at least 30,000 entrepreneurs to get registered as FuelEnts, that may see investments to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore.

"We have a presence in 130 cities and plan to expand with this move, said Chetan Walunj, CEO, Repos Energy, which is a start-up backed by Ratan Tata.

The total diesel consumption in India in 2019-20 was 82.6 million tonne (mt), down by 1 per cent from 83.5 mt in 2018-19.

The FuelEnts will be able to substitute the supply location or retail outlet if the dealer gives a consent letter and has loading facility for the mobile dispensers at the retail outlet, according to Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) regulations, the EOI document said.

This is going to be the Uber-Ola moment in fuel retail.

"It will open up at least 30 per cent of the overall diesel market for start-ups.

"Moreover, the demand for diesel is going to increase in the coming years and, hence, this will be a game changer, said Adnan Kidwai, co-founder of FuelBuddy.

Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters
A SoftBank Robotics official introduces the company's Whiz robot vacuum during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul



By Baek Byung-yeul



SoftBank Robotics, an affiliate of Japanese tech giant SoftBank, has announced its bid to enter the Korean market with its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robot vacuums, its Korean unit said Tuesday.



SoftBank Robotics Korea had a press preview for its Whiz robot vacuum in Seoul. It said it plans to sell the products in the country's business-to-business (B2B) market to commercial enterprises such as offices, hotels and airports.



Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the company also expects there will be a need for its vacuum cleaning robot in hospitals due to the growing demand for unmanned cleaning systems.



"Today, we held a press conference to announce our bid to enter the Korean market and introduce the Whiz," Kim Dong-hyup, business development director at SoftBank Robotics, told reporters. "We don't think we can replace human labor with our Whiz robot vacuum. Instead, we are aiming to lessen the human workload."





SoftBank Robotics' robot vacuum Whiz is on display during a press conference held in Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
I Am Redeemed: Christ in Me: Finding Victory Over Sexual Addiction: an engrossing memoir of a mans toilful life brought about by sin and abuse in which God inspired him to repent and evangelize his salvation from depravity. I Am Redeemed: Christ in Me: Finding Victory Over Sexual Addiction is the creation of published author Eric Saterdalen, a dedicated writer who attended Westmont College in California and graduated with a degree in chemistry and a minor in psychology, as well as a masters degree in health and human services administration from Saint Marys University.

Saterdalen shares, This is an incredible true story of a man who overcame sexual addiction, turned his marriage around, and has since gone on to help many others create similar victories in their own lives. After his arrest in 2017, Eric Saterdalen was faced with the devastating truth of his sexual addiction. This event launched him on a journey of recovery that would bring him closer to God and his faith. He now shares his story with the world in hopes that others wont have to go through the extremes that he did before getting help. Eric presents his story as a testament to faith-based recovery and provides readers with actionable steps and resources to support their own journey of redemption. This book is meant to inspire peopleto show them that they can do it, too.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Eric Saterdalens new book proves to people the openness of God that beckons sinners to His love and healing that grant forgiveness and rediscovery of purpose and meaning in their lives.

This book also reminds readers of the importance of wholehearted repentance to gain Gods mercy that supports and brings blessedness in life.

View the synopsis of I Am Redeemed: Christ in Me: Finding Victory Over Sexual Addiction on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase I Am Redeemed: Christ in Me: Finding Victory Over Sexual Addiction at traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about I Am Redeemed: Christ in Me: Finding Victory Over Sexual Addiction, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 16:04:48|Editor: huaxia

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Children stand next to a tent after flood destroyed their house in Midi District of Hajjah province, Yemen, July 28, 2020. Heavy rains and flooding in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah killed at least a girl and damaged 70 houses in the last 24 hours, a local medical source and residents said on Wednesday. (Photo by Mohammed ALwafi/Xinhua)

SANAA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains and flooding in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah killed at least a girl and damaged 70 houses in the last 24 hours, a local medical source and residents said on Wednesday.

The body of the girl was retrieved as the search continues for possible missing people following the flash flooding in the districts of Midi and Hayran that also killed dozens of livestock, the medical source in Hajjah told Xinhua.

She is one of 16 people died this week in the northwestern parts of the war-torn country, he added.

A total of 70 houses, farms and roads in both districts have also been damaged, said the residents.

Yemen has been mired in civil war for more than five years that caused the collapse of the country's health system and triggered the spread of epidemics, including cholera which has infected over 1 million people and killed more than 2,000.
Konami, the Japanese developer of games like the Metal Gear and Silent Hill series, has decided to enter the very crowded gaming PC hardware market. The company has unveiled three low-to-mid-range PCs with new Arespear branding, along with two gaming keyboards and headphones.

The PCs feature black and silver perforated grills on the front, not unlike the cheese graters on Apple Mac Pros. They appear to have relatively compact mid- or mini-tower designs. The cheapest model is the 184,000 yen ($1,750) Arespear C300, with an i5-9400F processor, a GTX 1650, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The higher-end option is the 338,800 yen ($3,200) C700, with a watercooled i7-9700 CPU, RTX 2070 Super graphics, 16GB DDR4 RAM, a 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD and a 1TB hard drive. For an extra $210 or so, you can upgrade the latter to the C700+ with a transparent cover and RGB lighting.

The other Arespear products include the K100F full and K100L reduced size keyboards, both of which use capacitive non-contact keys with adjustable actuation points. The Arespeak H100 headphones, meanwhile, promise high-quality and powerful sound.

Though hardware might seem a stretch for a gaming developer, Konami already has a business dedicated to arcade machines. Still, PCs seem like a risk unless Konami fans are really clamoring for branded PC. The new products ship in December in Japan, though they arent likely to come to the US  but never say never.
An amount of GHC50.2 million was transferred to 400,000 most vulnerable individuals under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.

In the first half of this year, the LEAP programme provided three payment cycles (64th, 65th and 66th) of cash grants to a total of 334,084 households consisting of approximately 1,451,656 individuals as compared to 213,044 households consisting of 943,842 individuals in 2016.



This represents an increase of 53.8 per cent in beneficiaries. The programme has also successfully enrolled 73 per cent of its beneficiaries onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for free.



The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, when he presented the mid-year review of the 2020 budget in Parliament in Accra on July 23, 2020, said the LEAP, one of the social intervention policies by the government, had linked 5,522 individuals to the various support programmes.



These include the Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW) - 3,054, Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF) - 1,235, Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) - 348, Complementary Income-Generating Support (CIGs) - 537 and other complementary productive activities to help leap them out of extreme poverty.



The programme, he said, had also migrated all LEAP households to financial services through the e-payment (E-zwich) platform.



The programme is also implementing an electronic reporting and monitoring system in 99 districts. The remaining districts will be brought on board by the end of 2020, he said.



LEAP performance

The LEAP programme was established in March 2008 to provide basic and secure incomes for the most vulnerable households. It covered payments to 1, 645 households in 21 pilot districts.



It has since expanded to cover 1,444,518 individuals in 332,200 households in all 260 districts across the country, representing a 55 per cent increase over the 2017 figures.



Other social interventions

Prior to the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ghana School Feeding (GSF) programme was providing one hot nutritious meal per day for 2,980,000 beneficiaries compared to the 1,671,766 in 2016, representing an increase of 78.3 per cent beneficiaries.



Due to the closure of the schools, cooking had to be suspended and this has affected the livelihood of caterers and their employees, as well as farmers who sell their produce to these caterers.



Food items procured in bulk by caterers got spoilt, causing financial loss to them. The planned innovative nutrition training programmes for caterers to improve the quality of meals served to pupils was also suspended due to the restrictions imposed on social gatherings.



Also, the daily nutritional needs of beneficiary pupils have been negatively affected, placing a financial burden on their parents.



According to Mr Ofori-Atta, the GSF programme was currently collaborating with some development partners to provide dry food rations to each family of children on the GSF in extremely poor districts.



He said that was to ensure that the gains made in feeding those pupils were not negatively affected by the closure of the schools.







Source: graphiconline.com









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Two districts with schools within Bexar County have announced they will open for in-person learning in August, with a majority of students opting for on-campus schooling.

Boerne ISD and Comal ISD both said they will open campuses inside Bexar County, despite the San Antonio Metropolitan Health Department's directive to delay on-campus learning until at least Sept. 7.

RELATED: S.A. school boundaries are rooted in racial segregation

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday that school officials, and not health officials, have the authority to make the decision. Boerne ISD decided to open two elementary schools  Fair Oaks and Van Raub  Aug. 12 with the rest of the district, which has 10 schools located in Kendall County.

"As we proceed with our opening on August 12th, we will continue to work with our local health directors to identify any local spread of the virus, including contact tracking by the county, and craft metrics that are related to the safe opening and closing of individual campuses when necessary," the district said in a letter home to parents.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

Parents still have the option for distance learning. At Fair Oaks and Van Raub 65 and 61 percent of parents, respectively, opted to send their children to school, according to district spokesman Bryan Benway.

Throughout Boerne ISD, 77 percent of families have chosen on-campus education, or just over 7,400 students who will attend classes in August. About 2,100 students opted for distance learning.

Comal ISD will welcome students back to campus before the end August, including five campuses located in Bexar County.

In a letter from Superintendent Andrew Kim, Indian Springs, Kinder Ranch, Specht, Timberwood Park elementary schools and Pieper Ranch Middle School  all in Bexar County  will open on Aug. 25 for in-person learning.

On Express-News: TEA reverses course on orders to close schools due to coronavirus

Kim said logically it made more sense for them to have all campuses on the same start schedule. Currently, about 57 percent of families have indicated that their students will show up to campus.

In the district's reopening plans, Comal ISD Board of Trustees President David Drastata said "this year will be a year like no other," and if students are encouraged to follow simple rules such as wearing face coverings, washing their hands and social distancing everyone can "protect our health and create a healthy academic experience for everyone."

Find Comal ISD's reopening plans here.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Protesters rallied at the headquarters of Thailand's army on Monday, accusing it of wasting taxpayers' money on procurements and renewing demands for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's resignation, the latest show of public opposition to his rule.

About 200 demonstrators denounced the government and the army, accusing it of inappropriate defence spending and of interfering in politics by backing Prayuth's bloodless 2014 putsch, which saw him installed as prime minister.

Though Prayuth now leads a civilian government following an election last year, critics say the military ensured the deck was stacked in his favour by writing a constitution that virtually guaranteed victory for his party.

The rally followed a protest in Bangkok on Saturday of about 2,500 people, who demanded the government dissolve parliament, step down and end harassment of its critics, in one of the biggest street demonstrations since the 2014 coup that ousted the last elected administration.

That rally and subsequent, smaller protests on Sunday in Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, were in defiance of a coronavirus ban on gatherings. Though police were present, there were no arrests.

Demonstrators on Monday displayed signs of detained or missing dissidents and carried placards saying "no coup" and reminding soldiers their duty was to the public.

One leader tore up a large poster of the army chief, General Apirat Kongsompong.

Prayuth, a former army chief, has seen opposition to him grow recently. Since Thursday six of his Cabinet members have resigned.

Their exit comes as Southeast Asia's worst performing economy, which the central bank says could shrink by a record 8.1% this year, tries to recover from the impacts of the coronavirus crisis.

(Reporting by Jorge Silva; Writing by Martin Petty; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
The Kerala BJP has appealed to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan asking for the removal of Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roys Come September speech of 2002 from Calicut Universitys coursebook for the BA English programme.

According to a report in The Indian Express, state BJP president, K Surendran wrote a letter to Khan, who is also the Chancellor of the university, and said that essay raised questions on India's sovereignty.

The Kerala BJP chief was referring to the speech which is part of the textbook Appreciating Prose of the third semester of the BA English Language and Literature programme. The syllabus was put in place last year and the text is expected to be taught to the current third-semester students.

Dissent is brewing among academics and the general public against the inclusion of this speech, which is anti-national. Roy has stated that India has unleashed terror on the non-violent struggle for the independence of Kashmir. She was introduced by textbook editors Murugan Babu and Abida Farooqi as the sane voice who spoke against the hanging of Afzal Guru," the letter read.

Surendran added that in the speech, Afzal Guru's hanging was described as a dark chapter in India's history.

He said that Roy, in her speech, termed Hindus as fascists and sought its removal from the syllabus.

However, chairperson for the university board of studies, Dr Abida Farooqi, told the publication that the speech was suggested by a 10-member committee in 2019 and approved by the Academic Council before it was made part of the syllabus.

The speech had appeared in periodicals. So far, none has raised any allegation against it. In the textbook committee also, nobody objected to its inclusion, Farooqi was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Calicut University Registrar Dr CL Joshi told IE that a decision on the matter has not yet been taken and added that the Academic Council would take a call after it has gone through the issue.
The Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. and his father before him served as pastors, is certainly no stranger to hosting prominent funerals  from King himself to Rayshard Brooks last month.

So the Atlanta institution known as Americas Freedom Church was a natural home for the funeral of John Lewis, the longtime Georgia congressman and civil rights champion who died on July 17 at age 80.

The Lewis funeral is being held Thursday as Ebenezer, like religious gathering places across the country, is making special accommodations to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, the church is capping attendance at the private ceremony at 240 (including Secret Service details for prominent guests) to account for social distancing measures, but the funeral will be livestreamed for the general public.

The service also takes place as America is having a much-needed conversation on racial justice, and as the church and nation commemorates the life of a much-admired statesman whose lifes work was an embodiment of Ebenezers mission.

The Rev. John Vaughn, who took over as the churchs executive pastor in February, said Ebenezer has long been known for hosting state funerals for civil rights leaders  like the organizer Hosea Williams and Rita Jackson Samuels, a womens rights advocate who worked in the Civil Rights movement  and for celebrating the lives of those who have made a difference in the fight for civil rights. Its also been a place for the local community to gather in the wake of tragedies like the mass shootings at the Pulse nightclub in 2016 in Orlando, Florida, and at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.

The most noteworthy send-off, of course, was the one for King after his assassination in 1968. The most recent was in June for Brooks, a Black man killed by police in the parking lot of a Wendys in Atlanta. Brooks only became famous in death, but Vaughn said his killing helped renew a crucial conversation about the change that needs to happen in America.

Story continues

Rayshard Brooks' coffin is carried out of Ebenezer Baptist Church following his funeral in Atlanta on June 23. (Curtis Compton / Atlanta Journal-Constitution Pool)

Ebenezers senior pastor, the Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, delivered the eulogy for Brooks  calling him the latest high-profile casualty in the struggle for justice  and will do so for Lewis on Thursday.

When you take stock of his courage, its a courage that is rooted in his faith, Warnock said of Lewis in a phone interview this week. Hes always been a church boy. He wrestled with a call to ministry early in life. But instead of preaching sermons, he became one. That is his legacy. And it is tied to a church with a storied history of faith and freedom making.

During Brooks eulogy, Warnock spoke about Ebenezers work to end the mass incarceration of Black Americans and recalled an annual summit the church participates in to help attendees expunge records from felony and misdemeanor arrests that did not result in a conviction.

Rep. John Lewis with Ebenezer pastor Raphael G. Warnock. (Courtesy Richard DuCree)

Warnock, 51, is attempting to take that work to Washington by being one of several Democrats running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Kelly Loeffler, a Republican who was appointed to the position last year.

Warnock has been outspoken about voter suppression and an advocate for reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act, and said he sees his political run as a part of his spiritual stewardship.

I'm worried about the future of our country and the soul of our democracy, he said.

Ebenezer Baptist Church was founded in 1886 by a former enslave, the Rev. John A. Parker, with 13 members on Airline Street. Kings maternal grandfather, the Rev. Alfred Daniel Williams, took over Ebenezer after Parkers death, increasing membership and eventually moving the church to its current site on historic Auburn Avenue. The Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. became pastor in 1930 and was joined by his son as co-pastor in 1960.

Image: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to members of his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church (AP file)

Warnock became the fifth senior pastor in Ebenezers 134-year history in 2005, joining a line of church leaders involved in civil rights issues, with the elder King fighting for voting rights before his son took up the cause.

In keeping with the churchs moral legacy, Warnock was arrested in 2014 during a protest outside the governors office in the state Capitol in Atlanta after then-Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican, decided not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Ebenezer, Warnock said, has always been a church focused on issues in the public square, and about the implications of faith around issues of human dignity and justice.

When Warnock takes the pulpit to pay tribute to Lewis on Thursday, he will do so as the pastor of one of the most influential churches in America, but also as a politician making his first run for office.

When I consider the history of Ebenezer, and the legacy of someone like John Lewis, when presented with this opportunity, who am I to say, No? Warnock said of his Senate candidacy. I've got to do the best I can to continue the work that John Lewis and so many others left for us to do.
The frontline troops of China and India have "completed" disengagement at most locations of their border, a senior Chinese official said on Tuesday, adding the situation on the ground is easing.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made this statement at a briefing here when a reporter from China's official media asked him to comment on media reports that the border troops from India and China have completed the disengagement from the Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Kongka Pass areas and the only area where disengagement is left to be implemented is along the Pangong Tso.

During the briefing, the spokesman noted that China and India have recently conducted frequent communication through military and diplomatic channels.

The border troops of China and India have "completed" the disengagement in most locations in eastern Ladakh after "intensive communication" through military and diplomatic channels and the situation on the ground is easing, the official translator quoted Wang as saying.

Indian government sources in New Delhi said this statement is not correct.

Later, an English translation of Wang's remarks in Mandarin put up on the Chinese foreign ministry website which read as, As border troops have disengaged in most localities, the situation on the ground is deescalating and the temperature is coming down."

At the briefing, Wang said, We have held four rounds of commander level talks and three meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC)."

Currently the two sides are actively preparing for the fifth round of commander-level talks to resolve outstanding issues on the ground. We hope the Indian side will work towards the same goal with China, implement the two sides' consensus and jointly uphold peace and tranquillity along the border," the spokesman added.

Asked when the next commanders level meeting will be held, Wang said the information will be released in due course.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said that India and China agreed on "early and complete" disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh and may hold more military talks 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 had also asked China to sincerely implement the understanding on troop withdrawals reached by senior military commanders of the two sides.

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 between the armies of the two countries in eastern Ladakh.

Both China and India commenced the disengagement process from July 6 following talks between Doval and Wang who are Special Representatives for the boundary question.

The tension in eastern Ladakh escalated manifold after the violent clashes in the 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. As per U.S. intelligence reports, the Chinese Army suffered 35 casualties.
Prosecutors have decried Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys' 'absurd' efforts to publicly name the underage girls she is accused of grooming in Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex trafficking ring.

Maxwell's legal team has argued that they should be allowed to openly identify any women who have previously spoken about the British socialite or Epstein before her case goes to trial.

But Assistant US Attorney Alex Rossmiller hit back at that request in a filing in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, calling it 'extraordinarily broad, unnecessary and inappropriate'.

Rossmiller argued that some witnesses in the criminal case could face harassment and intimidation and could be reluctant to cooperate with the government if the defense's request is approved.

'The victims of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein have suffered enough,' he wrote, urging privacy for accusers except for anyone who acknowledges publicly they are part of the criminal case against Maxwell.

Prosecutors have decried Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys' 'absurd' efforts to publicly name the underage girls she is accused of grooming in Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex trafficking ring

Assistant US Attorney Alex Rossmiller (left) called the defense's request to publicly identify victims 'absurd' in a court filing on Tuesday. In an earlier court filing Maxwell's attorney Christian Everdell (right) had argued that naming the women who had already publicly spoken about his client or Epstein was necessary to building the defense's case

Rossmiller continued: 'Permitting defense counsel to publicly identify witnesses who have not identified themselves on the record in this case risks subjecting witnesses to harassment and intimidation, with no conceivable benefit to the defense other than perhaps discouraging witnesses from cooperating with the Government.'

Maxwell's attorneys made their argument in a filing on Monday, saying that banning them from publicly identifying alleged victims or potential witnesses in the case will hinder their ability to investigate, prepare witnesses for trial and advocate on Maxwell's behalf.

In his response, Rossmiller said that prosecutors have repeatedly asked the defense to explain 'how or why' publicly naming victims would help them prepare.

'The defense repeatedly has declined to do so, presumably because the argument borders on the absurd,' he wrote.

'Victims should be able to continue to come forward, in the ways and in the venues they themselves choose, without fear of reprisal, shaming, or other consequence arising from having their identities broadcast by defense counsel in this case.'

Rossmiller said that both the Crime Victims' Rights Act and 'common decency' should compel the judge to protect the victims' privacy.

He charged that the defense's argument is based on their belief that some victims' had gotten a 'benefit' by publicly identifying themselves previously.

'Beyond the offensive notion that victims of sexual abuse experience a "benefit" by making the incredibly difficult decision to share their experience publicly, the suggestion that victims who receive this supposed "benefit" should receive fewer protections than the law ordinarily offers to victims in criminal cases is alarming,' he wrote.

Maxwell, 58, was arrested on July 2 on a six-count federal indictment accusing her of procuring underage girls for Epstein's alleged sex trafficking ring

Maxwell is seen in a court sketch from her July 14 arraignment in Manhattan Federal Court

The dispute over victim privacy arose as lawyers on both sides tried to agree on the rules of secrecy about evidence prior to Maxwell's July 2021 trial.

In the same Monday affidavit, defense attorneys asked the judge to prevent prosecution witnesses from publishing information about the case online.

Presiding Judge Alison Nathan will rule on the requests.

Maxwell, 58, was arrested in New Hampshire on July 2 under a six-count federal indictment from the Southern District of New York.

She is accused of enticing underage girls to travel for sex, actually having sex with them and Epstein and later lying about it under oath in depositions when she was being sued by Virginia Giuffre Roberts, one of Epstein's accusers who says she had sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17.

Maxwell pleaded not guilty to the charges against her and is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn until her trial.

Several Epstein victims have described Maxwell as his chief enabler, recruiting and grooming young girls for abuse.

Epstein, 66, was facing sex trafficking charges in Manhattan when he killed himself last August while awaiting trial.
Richard Bruton has spoken about how it feels to have grabbed the attention of social media users after he posed for a tourism video revealing his "ripped beach bod".

The Dublin TD quite a stir on social media in a video for Fine Gael showing his top activities in Howth and the surrounding areas, but it was the 67 year old's physique that caught the attention of most commentators on the party's twitter post.

Twitter users were quick to point out the impressive shape of the Fine Gael TD.

Mrs Brown's Boys actor Rory Cowen described MR Bruton as the Mick Jagger of politics.

"Hes in great shape isnt he? For a man of 67 hes a great example that you dont have to be young to be fit and toned. Hes the Mick Jagger of politics," he said.

Hes in great shape isnt he? For a man of 67 hes a great example that you dont have to be young to be fit and toned. Hes the Mick Jagger of politics  Rory Cowan (@1rorycowan) July 29, 2020

Many agreed with Cowen, describing Mr Bruton as "ripped" and in "great nick" and commented that his appearance is impressive for a man of his age.

Jesus. Dick Bruton is ripped. pic.twitter.com/9S10Dl8XWV  John Greene (@jjyoss83) July 29, 2020

I'd love to look that good at 47 let alone 67  Richard Collumb - #StaySafe (@collumbo) July 29, 2020

Bruton says hes glad people have seen the human side of himself as a politician after he posed for a staycation video showing off his fit physique.

And though Deputy Bruton was surprised by how much attention the promotional tourism clip, encouraging people to holiday at home, received, hes pleasantly surprised the public get to see the man behind the politician.

He said he wants to encourage people of all ages to get out and about and stay fit by walking, swimming and cycling.

I spent 10 years in earnest policy making and the day I take off to talk about the great places to visit on our doorstep, is when I get all the attention, Deputy Bruton told the Irish Independent.

I am surprised at how its taken off. Ill have to lie low for a while, he joked.

Read More

The former Minister for Communications, whos in tip top condition for the age of 67 - said his phone had been buzzing since the video clip went live on social media.

And hes been pleasantly surprised by the many positive comments, including Mrs Browns Boys star, Rory Cowan, who tweeted Mr Bruton is the Mick Jagger of politics.

I saw some of the comments, Mr Bruton said. And its been a surprise. After 10 years as a minister youre only seen in the job constantly dealing with serious issues, so its nice the personality can seep out as well - its an advantage.

Its a bit of fun but theres also a serious message to get out there. There are great things to do on the doorstep and we should all make the most of them.

Mr Bruton said no matter how busy he was with politics he always set out a diary of exercise along with his day job.

I am definitely a believer in fitness - its good for general mental outlook, as well as fitness, so I am always building fitness into my diary.

I am very lucky to have facilities on my doorstep. I run round St Annes Park (in north Dublin). I cycle to and from work and Dublin City Council have made it much safer to cycle in the city, which is great.

I swim off the Bull Wall jetty in the summer season. And I love to cook.

I want to encourage people to take advantage of whats out there on the doorstep across Ireland and if it means Ill encourage people to be fit, thats great.

Im delighted its getting all this attention, hope it reflects on getting the tills ringing across Ireland.

The former minister recommended people who want to get fit be consistent.

Carve out time to exercise. If youre new to getting fit, start with two times a week and all the health experts say you need to ease yourself into it.

A lot of people are preparing for the holiday, so its time to get out and about around the country.

Theres lots of nice places to visit and some people in Dublin may not realise just how much is on our doorstep, from great parks to hill walks -theres so much to do.

I make sure I make time in the diary to exercise. In the Summer I swim and follow the tide.

People should diary their exercise and stick to it, build it into a program.

And it appears fitness is something Mr Bruton has passed onto his son, Neil Bruton, campaign development worker for the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI). Neil is currently doing a 1000km cycle this month to raise funds for the organisation.

Hes doing the cycle, which is like cycling across Paris, this month, to raise money and its great hes doing that for such a fantastic cause.

I cant keep up with him though. I have had to ease off on cycling a bit. My wife Susan comes walking with me too.

Exercise and getting out and about it is a fantastic thing for families to do together too, so I hope lots of families get out and about this Summer.

In the clip Mr Bruton is filmed walking on Howth Hill, cycling on the seafront and diving into the water at Dollymount Strand in north Dublin.

One Twitter user described the politician as Beefcake Bruton and without doubt, the clip has gained the Governments new Stay and Spend initiative a great deal of public attention.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar retweeted the post adding: "Dont let Richards beach bod put you off availing of the Governments Stay and Spend initiative this autumn!

From October, you can avail of our new scheme on your food and accommodation costs, as the Government encourages people to holiday in the Ireland, rather than travelling abroad."

Not everyone was so enamored with the tweet, however. One woman expressed her annoyance that a tweet was posted from Leo Varadkar's account commenting on a co-worker's appearance.

"I dont know who wrote this tweet for you but Id stop them writing the twitter feed if I were you," she wrote.

Another user claimed to be "cringing" at former Taoiseach's comment, with somebody else claiming Mr Bruton couldn't be working hard enough if he has time to keep himself in such good shape.
China's Mars probe, Tianwen-1, has beamed back a photo of the Earth and the Moon as it heads towards the Red Planet.

The image, which shows the two celestial bodies as small crescents in the empty darkness of space, was taken 746,000 miles (1.2 million kilometres) away from Earth.

The black and white photo simultaneously reveals the shape of the directly sunlit portion of the Earth, which appears to the left, and the smaller Moon, on the right.

It was captured just three days after the mission launched last Thursday (July 23), and precedes NASA's launch of its Perseverance rover, scheduled for around 12.50pm BST tomorrow.

China, the US and the UAE, which launched a probe on July 20, are all taking advantage of a period when Mars and Earth are favourably aligned to launch exploratory missions to the Red Planet.

A view of the Earth (left) and Moon (right) taken by China's Tianwen-1 Mars probe from a distance of 1.2 million kilometers (746,000 miles)

The image was captured using the optical navigation sensor on board the unmanned space probe, which is under the operation of the flight control team from the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center, in close collaboration with China Academy of Space Technology.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Tuesday that Tianwen-1, which has left Earth's gravitational field, 'is currently in good flight conditions, has balanced fuel and is operating normally.'

Ground measurement, control and tracking are stable, and flight control and data reception carried out in order, it added.

The rover had by Tuesday travelled least 746,000 miles from Earth, the agency said  just 2 per cent of the 34 million miles it must traverse before it reaches Mars.

China successfully launched Tianwen-1 on July 23 aboard a Long March 5 Y-4 carrier rocket at 12:41pm (04:41 GMT) from Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island province of Hainan, China.

China's largest carrier rocket, the Long March 5, blasted off with the Tianwen-1 probe at 12:41 pm local time (0441 GMT) from Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Hainan

The craft, which consists of an orbiter, lander and rover, measures just over six feet in height (1.85m) and weighs 530 pounds (240kg).

The probe is due to arrive on the Red Planet next February after a seven-month, 34-million-mile voyage.

Once it gets to Mars, it will survey the composition, types of substance, geological structure and meteorological environment of the Martian surface, and look for signs of alien life.

The Tianwen-1 mission, given a name that means 'Questions to Heaven,' aims to enter Martian orbit seven months after the launch and release a small rover to study the planet's surface.

This is an illustration of what the Tianwen-1 rover could look like when it lands on Mars. The space probe is set to reach Mars in February

Tianwen-1 represents the latest milestone in Beijing's space programme, which has sent two rovers to the Moon and set up a satellite navigation, Beidou, to rival the United States' GPS.

This is not China's first attempt at Mars  in 2011, a Chinese orbiter accompanying a Russian mission was lost when the spacecraft failed to get out of Earth's orbit after launching from Kazakhstan, eventually burning up in the atmosphere.

The launch of Tianwen-1, the country's first Mars lander, followed the UAE's launch of its Hope probe on July 20.

Hope, which is also due to reach Mars in February 2021, will not land on the Martian surface but take readings from the Red Planet's atmosphere.

But the race to watch is between the US and China, which has worked furiously to try and match Washington's supremacy in space.

NASA, the American space agency, has already sent four rovers to Mars since the late 1990s.

The next one, Perseverance, is an SUV-sized vehicle that will look for signs of ancient microbial life, and gather rock and soil samples with the goal of bringing them back to Earth on another mission in 2031.

Perseverance will carry instruments geared to search for the carbon building blocks of life and other microbes and to reconstruct the geological history of the Red Planet

Perseverance blasts off from Florida at 7:50am EDT (12.50pm BST) tomorrow (Thursday, July 30) and is due to touch down on the Martian surface in February too.

NASA on Monday gave its latest Mars rover Perseverance the all clear to launch later this week on a mission to seek out signs of ancient microbial life.

'The launch readiness review is complete, and we are indeed go for launch,' administrator Jim Bridenstine said, as quoted by AFP.

'We are in extraordinary times right now with the coronavirus pandemic, and yet we have in fact persevered and we have protected this mission because it is so important.'

Perseverance is carrying seven instruments that will analyse samples from the surface, including an advanced panoramic camera, a ground-penetrating radar and an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for analysis of chemical elements.

Perseverance will also be trialling technologies to help astronauts make future expeditions to, and eventually live and work on, Mars.

These include testing a method for producing oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, identifying resources such as water beneath the surface, improving landing techniques and characterising weather and other environmental conditions.
Two former executives of Indiana-based plastics manufacturer Lucent Polymers, Inc., who are defendants in ongoing SEC litigation, have pleaded guilty to criminal charges filed by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. On June 18, 2020, Jason Jimerson, Lucent's former COO, pleaded guilty to two counts of securities fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of making false statements to federal agents. On July 28, 2020, Kevin R. Kuhnash, Lucent's former CEO, pleaded guilty to two counts of securities fraud and one count of money laundering.

The SEC previously charged Kuhnash and Jimerson on February 12, 2019 for their roles in a scheme to conceal that Lucent's core business model was a sham in connection with the company's acquisition in 2013. According to the SEC's complaint, Lucent routinely lied to its customers and falsified its certifications of test data to show that its products complied with customer specifications, including on important aspects such as fire-retardant measures. Kuhnash and Jimerson allegedly hid Lucent's fraudulent practices, made misrepresentations to the company that acquired Lucent, and continued the fraud even after the sale of the business to secure future payments.

The SEC's litigation, which was stayed pending resolution of the criminal action, continues. The SEC's complaint charges Kuhnash and Jimerson with violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, civil monetary penalties, and officer-and-director bars.
FLINT, MI -- Guns confiscated by Flint police will be destroyed instead of auctioned in the future.

Thats the latest action announced by Mayor Sheldon Neeley in the face of escalating gun violence in the city.

Neeley and Police Chief Phil Hart announced an end to gun auction sales, which last year netted the city more than $200,000, in a news conference Wednesday, July 29.

These weapons can prove to be devastating, and we have a devastating amount of loss ..., Neeley said. Even though we lose money in our revenues, that revenue should never have been generated. That showed a gross lack of critical thinking ...

The no-auction decision means that the city will immediately dispose of 250 guns, including more than 30 confiscated by city police during the past week, ending a 2017 city policy that allowed for the resale of seized weapons, including pistols, shotguns and semi-automatic rifles, to the highest bidders.

Under this administration, we will never again line our pockets by selling guns, Neeley said in a statement issued by the city. It is unconscionable that after seizing these illegal weapons that anyone would gamble by putting them back on the streets where they could again fall into the wrong hands.

Wednesdays announcement by Neeley and Police Chief Phil Hart comes as Flint officials are facing what they have called the intersection of a crisis with violent crime and homicides tracking above the same period last year.

As of July 12, Flints homicides were up 12.5 percent and violent crime had increased 17 percent compared to the same time in 2019. Flint police statistics show property crime had decreased 21 percent and overall crime was down about 5 percent during that same time.

Last week in response, the mayor announced he would start a program to buy back guns from residents and work with Flint pastors and others to encourage residents to apply to fill 14 vacant positions in the Police Department. On Sunday, July 26, Neeley joined other city leaders in pleading with residents to end violence after a rash of weekend shootings left 12 people injured, including six at a popup party in a parking lot on Flints west side.

At Wednesdays new conference, the mayor spoke behind a table of confiscated guns, which he said will be turned over to the Michigan State Police for proper disposal.

Last year, city officials said, Flint auctioned off more than 1,200 guns, bringing in more than $200,000 in sales revenue.

Hart said the money isnt worth the cost to the community.

These are pretty extreme weapons ... Its just not worth it, Hart said. Were going nightly out to shooting scenes and this past weekend was horrible for all of us. We would like to never have anything like that ever happen again.

Flint has recorded at least 29 homicides so far in 2020, including a 17-year-old girl, who died Tuesday, July 28, after she was shot in the back over the weekend in the city.

Anyone with information about that shooting death is asked to contact Detective Tpr. Keith Bieganski at 810-701-0364 or to remain anonymous contact Crime Stoppers of Flint & Genesee County at 1-800-422-JAIL (5245), on the P3TIPS mobile app, or online at CrimeStoppersofFlint.com.

More on MLive.com:

Flint mayor calls for end to violence after weekend shootings leave 12 injured

Flint will buy back guns as part of effort to combat rising violent crime

17-year-old girl dies after she is shot in the back in Flint
Some investors of TikTok's parent company ByteDance seeking to take over the popular social media app are valuing it at about $50 billion, significantly more than peers such as Snap Inc, according to people familiar with the matter. Beijing-based ByteDance is considering a range of options for TikTok amid pressure from the United States to relinquish control of the app, which allows users to create short videos with special effects and has become wildly popular with U.S. teenagers. The app's success has helped turn ByteDance into one of only a handful truly global Chinese ...
Ukraine has offered Egypt a new format for economic cooperation and the possibility of signing a bilateral preferential trade agreement, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has reported.

According to the report, this issue was discussed during a phone call between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.

"We aim to significantly increase bilateral trade that amounted to more than $2.6 billion last year. To this end, we have offered the Egyptian side a new format for economic cooperation, namely to consider the possibility of concluding a bilateral preferential trade agreement," Kuleba said.

The ministers discussed joint efforts to diversify cooperation in the trade, economic, investment, tourism and humanitarian areas.

At the same time, the sides noted the significant progress made in recent years in the political sphere and discussed concrete next steps for the exchange of visits by the two countries' high-ranking officials.

Kuleba stressed the importance of ensuring the upward dynamics of bilateral relations and invited his Egyptian counterpart to pay an official visit to Ukraine after the improvement of the epidemiological situation.

The foreign ministers spoke separately about the current state of the bilateral legal framework and agreed to promote its expansion.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry added that Egypt is a key economic partner of Ukraine on the African continent. Total trade in goods and services between Ukraine and Egypt in 2019 amounted to $2.631 billion. In the first five months of this year, this figure exceeded $1 billion.

Some 1.49 million Ukrainian tourists visited Egypt in 2019. According to this figure, Ukraine took second place after Germany.

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Chicago Public Schools is committed to increasing transparency and awareness around critical decisions being made by LSCs and as part of that commitment, it is posting dates of LSC meetings and information online for the public, said CPS spokeswoman Emily Bolton. Last year was the districts inaugural process of having LSCs vote on SROs and we have taken firm steps to improve and further formalize the process with training and additional resources and support for LSCs while they navigate this decision. We are encouraged by this renewed interest in the role of LSCs and hope it encourages more people to serve their local schools in this critical capacity.
New Delhi: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlots brother, Agrasain Gehlot, did not appear for questioning before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday citing health issues, people familiar with the matter said. Agrasain Gehlot has now been issued a fresh summons for August 4 while his son, Anupam Gehlot, was questioned on Wednesday, they added.

The agency on Tuesday summoned Agrasain Gehlot to appear before it in Delhi on Wednesday in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in the export of fertilizers.

EDs investigation against him in the case is based on a customs department and the directorate of revenue and intelligence probe in 2009 into the export of Muriate of Potash (MOP), a restricted commodity for export under the foreign trade policy. Agrasain Gehlots company is suspected to have diverted about 35,000 metric tonnes of MOP valued at Rs 130 crore in the international market.

ED on July 22 conducted raids at his premises apart from several companies and individuals in Rajasthan, Delhi, and West Bengal.

The Congress has linked EDs actions to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s alleged attempts to topple the Ashok Gehlot government, which is facing a revolt from former deputy chief minister and 18 lawmakers loyal to him. The BJP has rejected the Congresss allegations.
An elderly man from the minority Ahmadi community, facing trial for blasphemy, was shot dead on Wednesday in front of the judge in a local court situated in a high-security zone in Pakistan's Peshawar city, police said.

Tahir Ahmad Naseem, who was arrested two years ago on blasphemy charges, died on the spot in the court of Additional Session Judge Shaukatullah Khan, they said.

The court is situated in a high-security zone in the cantonment area where the provincial assembly building, the Peshawar High Court, chief minister's secretariat and Governor House are also situated. Security at the main gate and inside the judicial complex is also high. It was not clear how the armed attacker managed to get into the court amid tight security.

The police arrested the killer, identified as Khalid Khan, from the courtroom.

A lawyer, who was present in the courtroom when the incident occurred, said a case had been registered against the deceased under blasphemy laws.

The accused was brought to the court from Peshawar Central Jail.

Police shifted the body of the deceased to the Khyber Medical University for post-mortem.

Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan, with even unproven allegations often prompting mob violence.

Anyone convicted, or even just accused, of insulting Islam, risks a violent and bloody death at the hands of vigilantes. Rights groups have said the blasphemy laws are routinely abused to seek vengeance and settle personal scores.

There had been a number of incidents in different parts of Pakistan in which members of Ahmadi community were targeted by religious zealots in the past.

Pakistan's Parliament in 1974 declared the Ahmadi community as non-Muslims. A decade later, they were banned from calling themselves Muslims. They are banned from preaching and from travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.

In Pakistan, around 10 million out of the 220 million population are non-Muslims.

According to the 2017 census, Hindus constitute the largest religious minority in Pakistan. Christians make up the second largest religious minority. The Ahmadis, Sikhs and Parsis are also among the notable religious minorities in Pakistan.
Yemens southern separatists have pledged to abandon their aspirations for self-rule and implement a Saudi-brokered power-sharing agreement with the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The Southern Transitional Councils (STC) announcement on Wednesday marked a big step towards closing a major front in Yemens chaotic war, and came hours after Saudi Arabia presented a plan to accelerate the stalled peace deals implementation.

Signed in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in November last year, the agreement set the stage for the end of a long-running rivalry between the Saudi-supported Hadi government and the UAE-backed southern separatists. Both sides are supposed allies in the Saudi-led military coalitions war against Yemens Houthi rebels, who control the countrys capital, Sanaa.

The Riyadh agreement stipulated the formation of a new unity government within 30 days and the appointment of a new governor and security director for Aden, an STC stronghold and the interim seat of Hadis government.

It also specified, among others, the centralisation of all armed groups under government control.

But the deal was never implemented and in April, the separatists declared self-rule and seized control of Aden, a move that ignited fierce fighting across southern Yemen and the Socotra archipelago.





The standoff between Saudi Arabia and the UAEs respective allies in Yemen has threatened to shatter the coalition and complicated broader peace efforts to end the five-year conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of people and created the worlds worst humanitarian disaster.

We have achieved our goals, Nizar Haitham, STC spokesman, said in a Twitter post on Wednesday.

The Southern Transitional Council announces the abandonment of the declaration of self-administration in order to allow the Arab alliance to implement the Riyadh agreement, he said.

The move followed intervention from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, noted Haitham, who went on to affirm the continuing and deepening of the STCs strategic partnership with the Arab coalition

Saudi proposal

Earlier on Wednesday, the Saudi plan had laid out commitments that have been obstacles for months, such as the formation of a government composed of 24 ministers with equal representation for northerners and southerners, including the separatists.

It also asked for the withdrawal of rival forces from Aden and the flashpoint southern province of Abyan, and gave Yemens current prime minister, Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, the mandate to form a government over the next month.

Shortly after the STCs pledge to rescind self-rule, Yemens state-run SABA news agency named the newly appointed security director and governor of Aden  Ahmed al-Amlas.

Rajih Badi, a spokesman for Hadis government, welcomed the Saudi initiative and expressed hope that the separatists would make good on their promise to implement the agreement out of necessary and urgent national interest.

Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabias vice minister of defence, said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans efforts have succeeded to implement the Riyadh deal and achieve lasting peace, security, and prosperity for Yemen.

The rapprochement comes as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have sought to inch away from their war with the Houthi rebels, which has pushed millions to the brink of famine and settled into a bloody stalemate.





Saudi Arabia announced a unilateral ceasefire earlier this year, which swiftly collapsed. Last summer, the UAE announced it was ending its role in the conflict, although it continues to wield influence through its proxies, such as the separatist group.

Mahjoob Zweiri, director of the Gulf Studies Center in Doha, Qatar, said Wednesdays developments indicate that all parties are tired and exhausted by this conflict.

He cast doubts, however, on the Riyadh agreements implementation.

Riyadh and Abu Dhabi do not agree 100 percent on how things should be moved, he told Al Jazeera. [And] its not only those two countries that can decide the situation in Yemen. They also need the international community on board, including the United Nations, Iran. But none of these players have confidence in [Saudi and the UAE].

He added: There is no long-term vision. There are different parties with different agendas and no agreement on where things should go.

Human Rights Watch in November also criticised the Riyadh agreement, saying it failed to address serious human rights violations, including the arbitrary detention and forcible disappearance of dozens of people.

Bleak warning

Wednesdays developments come as Yemens devastated health sector grapples with a major coronavirus outbreak and the country faces a drastic shortfall of humanitarian aid that has forced 75 percent of UN programmes to end or reduce operations.

On Tuesday, UN special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths painted a bleak picture of the situation in Yemen to the Security Council.

UN-mediated peace negotiations between the rebels and government have failed to produce an agreement, he said.

Houthi forces were pushing fiercely into the oil-rich province of Marib with profound humanitarian and economic consequences, Griffiths said, while missile attacks across the northwest have resulted in civilian deaths, many of whom were children.

Yemens economy is collapsing, he continued, food prices are surging, and to make matters worse, an abandoned oil tanker moored off the coast and loaded with more than 1 million barrels of crude oil is at risk of rupture or exploding.

I do not wish to sugarcoat things, Griffiths said, warning that the country could plunge at any moment into a new phase of prolonged escalation, uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, and economic decline.
Agitators use lasers, slingshots, fireworks and kerosene against US officers defending US courthouse, Barr says.

United States Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday defended the harsh tactics of federal law enforcement against anti-racism protests in US cities and denied accusations he intervened in criminal cases to help President Donald Trumps allies.

These peaceful protests in many places are being hijacked by a very hardcore group of instigators, violent instigators, Barr said in his first appearance before the US House of Representatives since taking office in February 2019.

They become violent and the primary direction of violence is to injure police. Police casualties far exceed anything on the civilian side, Barr said.

Federal law enforcement officers block off a street after clearing protesters from the area during a demonstration against police violence and racial inequality in Portland, Oregon [Caitlin Ochs/Reuters]

In a contentious five-hour hearing, Barr depicted protests at a federal courthouse in Portland, the 26th largest US city, as a siege. Demonstrators gather nightly in an escalating standoff with federal agents barricaded inside to defend the building from attempts to set it on fire, Barr said.

Attackers in Portland mix with political protesters, aim lasers at the eyes of US officers defending the courthouse, fire steel projectiles using slingshots, and  dressed in black  swarm officers attempting to make arrests, Barr told the House Committee on the Judiciary on Tuesday.

The rioters have come equipped for a fight, armed with powerful slingshots, tasers, sledgehammers, saws, knives, rifles and explosive devices, Barr said.

Democrats accused Barr of condoning unconstitutional arrests of peaceful protesters who have been exercising their rights to speak out against police killings of unarmed Black men and women.

Black activist Myke Tavarres speaks to the crowd during a protest against racial inequality and police violence in Portland, Oregon [Caitlin Ochs/Reuters]

Most of the protests have been peaceful. You know that, said Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a Democrat. You are just using language for political purposes.

Democrats said that by escalating confrontations between federal officers and protesters, Barr is helping Trump divide the nation ahead of Novembers election.

Demonstrations in Portland and elsewhere in the US began in May after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in Minneapolis police custody. The Portland protests continued through June.

Beginning in early July, despite opposition from local authorities, federal officers from US agencies deployed in tactical gear to Portland, where they began pulling people off the streets into unmarked vans and interrogating them.

Barr told the House panel the violence in Portland is fomented by left-wing, antifa or antifascist groups and would metastasize to other US cities if the federal government does not take a stand. Barr said he does not believe there is systematic racism in most police departments across the US even though Blacks are killed by police at a disproportionate rate.

US Attorney General William Barr testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC [Chip Somodevilla/Pool via Reuters]

You seem to have a difficult time understanding systematic racism and institutional racism that has plagued so many, said Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat who is Black.

Barr and Trump have announced plans to send additional federal law enforcement forces to other US cities. The Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General is investigating the confrontations between federal forces and protesters.

Democrats, who control a majority in the US House of Representatives, accused the Republican attorney general of improperly using his position as the top US law enforcement official to help Trump politically.

You have aided and abetted the worst failings of the president, said Representative Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Again and again, you personally have interfered with ongoing criminal investigations to protect the president and his allies from the consequences of their actions, Nadler said.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a Democrat, participates in a House Judiciary Committee hearing with US Attorney General William Barr in Washington, DC [Chip Somodevilla/Pool via Reuters]

Barr intervened in the sentencing of Trump associate Roger Stone, who was convicted of lying to investigators and intimidating a witness.

A longtime friend of Trump, Stone had coordinated the release of hacked Democratic emails with WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign, according the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Trump commuted Stones sentence on July 10 so that he would not serve prison time.

Barr intervened in the sentencing of Michael Flynn, a former US military officer who served as a national security adviser to Trump. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in the Mueller investigation about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador to the US. A Barr aide moved to dismiss the charges.

Testifying under penalty of perjury, Barr told the House panel that Trump has not attempted to interfere in these decisions although the presidents tweets have signalled Trumps interests.

I will never testify against Trump. This statement was recently made by Roger Stone, essentially stating that he will not be forced by a rogue and out of control prosecutor to make up lies and stories about President Trump. Nice to know that some people still have guts!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018

On the contrary, he has told me from the start, that he expects me to exercise my independent judgement to make whatever call I think is right, Barr said.

Barr sided in Tuesdays hearing with repeated Republican assertions that the previous administration of President Barack Obama had improperly spied on members of the Trump campaign and transition team.

A DOJ Inspector Generals report in 2019 rejected allegations that Obama officials had spied on the Trump campaign, but found violations of rules in FBI requests for secret warrants.

Spying, that one word, thats why they are after you, Representative Jim Jordan, a Republican, told Barr at the start of the hearing.

US Attorney General William Barr told the House Judiciary Committee that President Trump has not sought to influence the outcomes of criminal cases brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller against Trumps associates [Chip Somodevilla/Pool via Reuters]

Barr has ordered an investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation by US Attorney John Durham in Connecticut and a separate investigation by US Attorney John Bash in Texas of Obama administration officials requests for secret foreign surveillance.

Neither inquiry has yielded any charges to date.

In June, Barr removed the top US prosecutor in New York City, Geoffrey Berman, who was investigating Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Berman has described steps by Barr leading to Bermans firing as irregular.
The Wikipedia entry for Meghan Markle was altered days before her relationship with Prince Harry was made public to remove a television game show appearance and change her occupation from model to humanitarian.

A reference to her work as a model on the US version of 'Deal or No Deal' was scrubbed from Wikipedia late at night on October 9, 2016 - three weeks before it was disclosed she was dating the prince. In a separate edit 10 minutes later, her occupation was changed from "actress, fashion model and spokesmodel" to "actress, activist, humanitarian".

The edit, timed at 10.48pm, drastically altered her entry to include a new section under the heading "Humanitarian work" that included a visit to Rwanda for a water charity, her work with "the United Nations Women" and a visit to Afghanistan in 2014. It also added that she was "founder of The TIG", her lifestyle blog at the time.

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Wikipedia is meticulous at charting changes to entries and the ones on October 9 were made by an anonymous user giving only an IP computer address 69.75.177.197.

The same user made a further, minor change three minutes later. An internet database search links the IP address to a public relations company in Los Angeles.

The 'Daily Telegraph' could find no evidence that the company ever represented Markle.

The actress's blossoming romance was finally made public at the end of October. A new biography, 'Finding Freedom', claims Meghan and Harry were aware their relationship was likely to become public after they first met in the summer and that she would become subject to intense scrutiny.

It is possible her friends chose to make edits to the Wikipedia entry, aware her life would suddenly be of huge public interest.

Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia, is the fifth most popular website in the English-speaking world and one of the first places people will have turned to when she came to public attention. Until the changes on October 9, the entry stated: "Markle made her debut late in the first season of Deal or No Deal on April 12, 2006. Aside from a single appearance holding case #12, Markle was the regular model carrying case #24. Markle quit the show in early 2007."

The reference vanished when the entry was edited and instead extra space was made for her "humanitarian work".

Read More

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
" " Most nonverbal clues that someone's lying won't be this obvious. Titus/The Image Bank/ Getty Images

There is no single telltale sign of lying, but rather a constellation of possible signs that may "leak" from the liar during the act. We'll discuss both verbal and nonverbal signs of lying in this section.

First, we'll examine some nonverbal signs of lying. One sign that escapes most people is the flashing of a microexpression. Microexpressions are superquick expressions that cross over people's faces against their will and without their awareness. These provide a true look at their honest feelings about a matter. While most people aren't looking for such clues, a good many of us detect them without knowing what just happened. The information we glean -- detecting a millisecond-long look of anger in the middle of a smile -- is often chalked up to intuition or a "gut feeling." If your "gut" is telling you something isn't quite right with a person, you very well may have detected a microexpression on that person's face that doesn't mesh with what he or she is saying.

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Another nonverbal sign of lying is a forced smile, which generally involves only the muscles of the mouth and not the rest of the face. A sign of deception is a smile or other gesture -- such as nodding "yes" during a denial -- that contradicts what is being said. When we normally interact, both speech and body language happen naturally, without specific thought. When we lie, however, not only must we appraise the truth, construct a plausible lie and then verbalize it, we must also decide which body gestures best match the lie, or rather best represent the telling of the truth. All of this thought leads to mis-matching words and body language.

Someone who's lying may feel attacked and get in a defensive position. He or she might turn away from the questioner, cross his or her arms or even move farther away. Liars may noticeably fidget, especially during a pause in the conversation.

There are other nonverbal cues that many people think are surefire signs of lying but aren't, such as increased blinking, scratching the face or nose, or placing a hand over the mouth while speaking. These signs are only good indicators when they represent a change in the person's normal behavior (that is, the behavior immediately preceding the suspected lie). Maybe the guy who's blinking a lot has an eyelash in his eye, and the girl covering her mouth is just self-conscious; however, if the person doesn't blink often during the first three statements and blinks like crazy and scratches his or her neck while giving the fourth statement, then that statement warrants closer examination.

Someone telling a lie will also leak verbal clues that point to dishonesty. Since he or she has to invent an answer, a lie-teller will often spend more time searching for the right word in the course of telling a story. The person might take too long to provide an answer or get words mixed up. To get extra time to think, a liar won't use contractions (opting for "cannot" instead of "can't") and may also repeat questions ("Where was I last night?" or "You want to know what I was doing yesterday?").

Since they have to create an alternate reality apart from the truth, liars have difficulty knowing how much of the new story to tell and will often include unnecessary details.

Next, we'll learn what to do if the glove fits.
About 20 million Nigerian are chronically infected with hepatitis B and C, the minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, said on Tuesday.

Mr Ehanire, while speaking at the World Health Organisation (WHO) virtual high-level commemoration of World Hepatitis Day, said viral hepatitis B and C is endemic in the country.

In 2018, Nigeria conducted a National AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey which showed a prevalence of 8.1 per cent for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and 1.1 per cent for Hepatitis C (HCV).

We can estimate that about 20 million people are chronically infected, he said.

World Hepatitis Day (WHD) takes places yearly on July 28, to bring the world together under a single theme and to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis in order to influence real change.

This years theme Hepatitis-free future holds a strong focus on preventing hepatitis B among mothers and newborns, and spreading awareness about the disease amid COVID-19 pandemic.

So, it becomes all the more crucial to know about the nature, prevention, and treatment of these viral illnesses.

Vaccinations

Mr Ehanire said the country is working in alignment with the regional resolution to reduce Hepatitis B virus (HBV) to less than two per cent in children by the end of 2020.

This, he said will be achieved through Hepatitis B birth dose vaccination.

He noted that the Hepatitis B Birth Dose vaccination remains the best way to reduce the numbers of new infections in the country.

Mr Ehanire, however, identified inadequate domestic contribution for financing vaccines as a major challenge of the HBV Birth Dose.

One of the major challenges of Hepatitis B birth dose vaccination was the inadequate domestic contribution to finance vaccines and expand access to services.

In recent times, Nigeria has made important progress in this area. We are committed to a $3billion Nigeria Strategy on Immunization and PHC Systems Strengthening (NSIPSS).

This is our plan for transitioning to financial ownership of the immunization and primary health care system over a ten-year period, from 2018-2028, he said.

Screening, awareness

In his remarks, WHO Country Representative, Walter Mulombo, said public awareness has increasingly become important to urge all adults who dont know their status to go for screening and children to get immunized for hepatitis B.

He said this years theme helps to highlight the importance of preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B as well as the need to scale-up prevention, testing and treatment for hepatitis B and C.

If all children are protected with hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination within (the) first 24 hours of life, hepatitis B, which accounts for 85 per cent viral hepatitis in our region, can be eliminated for the incoming generations.

For the current generation, screening and treatment remain (the) mainstay intervention, he said.

He commended Nigeria for being among 13 countries, in the region, that has introduced Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination.

This, he said, has contributed to notable global progress in the expansion of routine hepatitis B vaccination despite the continued stagnation of Penta3 coverage at 76 per cent for over a five-year period.
By Trend

Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL) continues to hold the negotiations on special flights with a number of countries, including Russia, President of AZAL Jahangir Asgarov said, Trend reports on July 28.

The civil aviation and tourism sectors are going through a very difficult period due to the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of borders between the countries, Asgarov said. "Since March 15 up till now, AZAL and its partners have carried out 239 international flights, through which more than 23,000 of our compatriots were brought to Azerbaijan.

AZAL continues to operate charter flights to evacuate our compatriots to Azerbaijan in accordance with the schedule of the Operational Headquarters of the Cabinet of Ministers," AZAL president said.

After the approval of new temporary air transportation rules during the pandemic, AZAL and some foreign airlines began to operate special international flights to the most popular destinations such as Istanbul, London, Berlin, Dubai and Minsk, Asgarov said. At the same time, there is a 30-percent-discount on air tickets for Azerbaijani students wishing to return to Azerbaijan via AZAL flights.

All airports in Azerbaijan have been closed for making regular passenger flights due to the extension of the quarantine regime and the closure of borders until August 31, 2020, Asgarov added.

"Taking into account the wishes of travel companies, voiced recently at a video conference, AZAL will open offline sale for its direct agents in Azerbaijan through the Global Distribution System (GDS) from August 1, AZAL president said.

At the same time, it is necessary to understand that not only the sale of air tickets, but the sale of ready-made tour packages, as is practiced all over the world, must be the main source of income of tour operators, AZAL president said.

Proceeding from the experience of other countries, first of all, it will be necessary to focus on the development of domestic tourism during the post-pandemic period, Asgarov added. AZAL will make Azerbaijan even more accessible for foreign tourists."

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn became the latest public figure to distance themselves from Wiley today after the grime star was banned from social media over anti-Semitic rants.

Mr Corbyn deleted a tweet from December thanking the musician for his support at the disastrous general election, which handed Boris Johnson an 80-seat majority.

The rout also forced Mr Corbyn to call time on his five-year leadership of Labour, during which is was dogged by complained of anti-Semitism.

Wiley - real name Richard Cowie - was permanently suspended from Twitter today after anti-Semitic comments at the weekend which are currently being probed by police.

He had his Facebook and Instagram accounts removed last night after he launched another inflammatory rant which appeared to contain anti-Semitic remarks.

The tweet from Mr Corbyn simply said 'Thank you Wiley' in response to one from the 41-year-old 'Godfather of Grime'.

Wiley - real name Richard Cowie - was permanently suspended from Twitter today after anti-Semitic comments at the weekend which are currently being probed by police

Mr Corbyn deleted a tweet from December thanking the musician for his support at the disastrous general election, which handed Boris Johnson an 80-seat majority

Its deletion on Saturday was picked up by the Twitter account @deletedbyMPs, which monitors political message removals.

Twitter apologised today for being slow to act over a series of anti-Jewish posts on the social media site starting on Friday.

A company spokesperson said: 'Upon further investigation, our teams have permanently suspended the account in question for repeated violations of our hateful conduct policy.

'Let us be clear: hateful conduct has absolutely no place on our service and we strongly condemn antisemitism. We are sorry we did not move faster and are continuing to assess the situation internally. '

The company added: 'We deeply respect the concerns shared by the Jewish community and online safety advocates, and we will continue to work closely with government, NGOs, civil society partners and our industry peers to tackle antisemitism on Twitter.'

The Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the news that 'Twitter has finally listened', but said the action was 'too little too late'.

It said in a statement: 'It is at least a start for this deeply irresponsible social network.

'After Twitter's abysmal response to the blatant ant-Jewish incitement on its platform, last night we decided to literally shine a light on the company and project onto its London headquarters some of the hateful tweets that Twitter permits on its platform.

'From their pitiful responses to the hate spewed daily on their platform, it is evident that social media companies will stop at nothing to make a profit. It is time for these deeply damaging and irresponsible companies to be held accountable for the hatred they help spread.'

Yesterday the group protested outside the social media company's London office, projecting on to the building a message that read: 'Twitter, we are all sick of your mess. CLEAN IT UP!'

Social networks have faced criticism for not acting sooner to take down the content, with Downing Street saying their response 'has not been good enough'.

Mr Corbyn's deletion on Saturday was picked up by the Twitter account @deletedbyMPs, which monitors political message removals

Twitter and Instagram's alleged slowness to act prompted politicians, celebrities and other prominent names to carry out a 48-hour walkout from both platforms, using the hashtag NoSafeSpaceForJewHate.

Facebook and Instagram banned Wiley from their platforms on Tuesday.

Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: 'It appears that Twitter has now suspended the account of Richard Cowie, or Wiley, six days after he began an extended antisemitic rant and nearly all the way through a 48-hour walkout from Twitter by the Jewish community and its allies.

'Instagram was also slow on this, deleting his profile only yesterday. It is just not good enough. Social media companies have not been strong or fast enough about tackling racism, misogyny or homophobia.

'We will be talking to Twitter today, and other social media companies and government partners over the coming days, to make sure this does not happen again. There must be NoSafeSpaceForJewHate.'
SALT LAKE CITY, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Veracity Networks today announces Cloud Connected PSTN (CCP) for Cisco Webex Calling. Veracity Networks becomes one of the first carriers to be authorized for this program. This new offering provides customers with an enterprise-class voice service delivered over Veracity's private tier-one voice and data network. Webex Calling is part of Cisco's complete collaboration suite which includes messaging, meetings, team collaboration and contact centers.

Veracity Networks becomes one of the first carriers to be authorized for Cloud Connected PSTN for Webex Calling. (PRNewsfoto/Veracity Networks LLC) (PRNewsfoto/Veracity Networks LLC)

"Being authorized to deliver CCP is an incredible accomplishment for our team," said Drew Peterson, Founder and President at Veracity Networks. "We're excited to work closely with Cisco partners to provide their customers an exceptional experience with competitive pricing." Veracity Networks, a leading provider of enterprise-grade Internet, voice, and cloud UC services, now offers companies based in North America local dial tone services domestically and internationally. In addition, Veracity Networks now provides branch office support to regions around the world, including Australia, Europe, and Asia. With this new CCP offering and their private cloud IP network peered with over 200 carriers, customers from every area of the globe will now have an efficient and reliable option for Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) in the cloud.

Veracity Networks now equips Cisco Value Added Resellers (VARs) with the ability to deliver a global cloud native solution for their customers with one partner relationship. With this new offering, which is natively integrated with Cisco Webex Calling, customers will benefit from competitive calling plans and streamlined fully integrated communication channels through the Webex suite.

For more information, visit www.veracitynetworks.com/pstn-for-webex-calling.

ABOUT VERACITY NETWORKS

Veracity Networks operates as a CLEC providing companies voice, unified communications, cloud contact center, network connectivity, and SD-WAN both domestically and internationally. In 2018, Veracity was named Cisco's Cloud Contact Center Partner of the Year. Veracity is currently one of the only Cisco Service Providers that have fully integrated their telecom services into both the Webex Calling and Contact Center platforms. With 18 years of experience deploying voice, network and cloud solutions, Veracity inspires customer loyalty, reliability, and responsiveness. For more information about Veracity, visit www.veracitynetworks.com.

CONTACT: Sarah Croff, [email protected]



SOURCE Veracity Networks LLC

Related Links

www.veracitynetworks.com


Commissioners Justen and Harvey I look forward to helping Memorial Healthcare System and the community, Justen said. It is my honor and privilege to serve on the South Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners, Harvey added.

Elizabeth Justen and Steven Harvey were appointed this month by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to the Board of Commissioners of the South Broward Hospital District, which oversees all actions of the Memorial Healthcare System. Justen and Harvey are serving alongside Chairman Douglas A. Harrison, Vice Chair Dr. Luis E. Orta, and Commissioners Jose Basulto, Brad Friedman and Laura Raybin Miller. Justen is also serving as secretary/treasurer on the board. Both of these appointments are for a four-year term.

Justen, a Hollywood resident, is the assistant executive director of the Sheriffs Foundation of Broward County, a nonprofit organization which funds community programs and initiatives. She is also the key account manager at OFB Marketing and a principal at The Marketing Experience.

Thank you to the Memorial Healthcare System for the warm welcome. I am honored to be appointed by Governor DeSantis to serve alongside my fellow Commissioners. It is my privilege to be associated with this excellent South Florida landmark, Justen said. I look forward to helping Memorial Healthcare System and the community.

Harvey, of Cooper City, is the assistant dean of operations and administration at Nova Southeastern University, where he previously earned his bachelors and masters degrees in business administration.

It is my honor and privilege to serve on the South Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners, Harvey said. As a resident of the district for nearly 50 years and a diabetic, I look forward to giving back to a healthcare system that has provided high-quality care to me and my loved ones.

Memorial Healthcare System is one of the largest public healthcare systems in the U.S. and a national leader in quality care and patient satisfaction. It is highly regarded for a patient and family-centered approach at facilities that include Memorial Regional Hospital, Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital, Memorial Regional Hospital South, Memorial Hospital West, Memorial Hospital Miramar, Memorial Hospital Pembroke, Joe DiMaggio Childrens Health Specialty Center in Wellington, and Memorial Manor nursing home.

Among the many awards it has earned are Modern Healthcare magazines Best Place to Work in Healthcare, Florida Trends Floridas Best Companies to Work For, and Beckers Hospital Reviews 150 Great Places to Work in Healthcare. In a recent report, Humanizing Brand Experience, the Denver-based consulting firm Monigle named Memorial the top health system brand in America, based on consumer surveys. To learn more, visit http://www.mhs.net.
Christians urged to call for release of deacon kidnapped, imprisoned for sharing Gospel in N. Korea

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The Voice of the Martyrs in Korea has launched a global letter-writing campaign urging the release of an ethnic Korean Chinese Christian who was kidnapped from China six years ago, put in a North Korean prison, and sentenced to 15 years in prison for his ministry to North Korean people.

Deacon Jang Moon Seok, who is also known by his Chinese name Zhang Wen Shi, is serving a prison sentence for defaming the regime, attempting to incite subversion of state power and providing aid and the Gospel to North Koreans, according to the U.S.-based group International Christian Concern.

VOMs Korea representative, Dr. Hyun Sook Foley, said North Korea kidnapped Jang to gather information about VOMs ministry work in that country, particularly their work with Pastor Han  who was stabbed to death in Changbai in China (a town on the border between China and North Korea) over a year after Jang's arrest.

Though it is illegal to cross into China without permission, North Koreans often visit Chinese border towns to purchase goods for reselling in North Korea, to seek medicine or other help, and to conduct business, explains Deacon Jangs prisoner profile, which is part of the campaign. Near Changbai, North Koreans gather herbs on the North Korean side of the mountain and then take them into Changbai to sell at the market and bring the money back with them to North Korea.

Foley described Jang as "a simple man who never did anything political. He just helped North Korean people for many years. That should never be a crime, and Christians should join together to help Deacon Jang and his family.

Jang regularly hosted visiting North Koreans in Changbai for days and weeks at a time before they returned to North Korea, giving them warm clothing, feeding them and providing supplies they might need for their return to North Korea. He saw this as his Christian duty to welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and care for the sick. As a believer, he also shared about his faith to those who were willing.

A number of North Korean visitors became Christians.

Some returned to Deacon Jangs home repeatedly for more Bible training, and Deacon Jang and Pastor Han also taught them how to share their faith with their loved ones," VOM noted. "Their goal was always to see North Koreans return home.

The campaign urges Christians to write to the North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations on his (Deacon Jangs) behalf and respectfully ask for his release, using his Chinese name. It notes that North Korea is not part of the international postal system, so letters cannot be sent to North Korea.

Credible reports consistently rank North Korea, led by dictator Kim Jong Un, as the worst place in the world for Christians and anyone of any faith in terms of oppression and human rights violations, as was noted by Olivia Enos, a policy analyst in Asian studies at the Heritage Foundation, during the State Departments Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom last July.

Communist governments are right to fear religion, Enos said, citing how peaceful religious movements toppled communist regimes in decades past as in Eastern Europe. The Kim regime sees religion as potentially threatening to its leadership.

Conservative estimates hold that approximately 80,000 to 120,000 people are presently held in labor and political prison camps inside North Korea, according to Enos. Individuals can be sent to these prison camps for something as simple as having read the Bible, having watched a South Korean drama, listened to K-pop. These are average, ordinary things that we as Americans take for granted.

No definitive estimates exist on how many people have died inside North Korean political camps but some believe the number ranges from 400,000 to many millions, Enos elaborated.

According to recent reports, North Korean leader Kim has undergone medical treatment by a team of doctors from China, and the White House is closely monitoring the situation.
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Jet Airways net loss ballooned to Rs 5,538 crore for the year ending March 31, 2019, as compared to a loss of Rs 767 crore a year earlier, hurt by a substantial increase in fuel costs and other expenses.

In comparison, its standalone revenue was marginally down, by 2.6 percent, to Rs 23,314 crore, from Rs 23,958 crore, a year earlier.

The results, which were announced by the company to the exchanges past midnight on July 29, underline its delicate financial condition. The airline had grounded its operations in April 2019, after it ran out of money to meet its debt repayment obligations.

This is a rare instance of a company announcing its results, more than a year late.

Jet Airways fuel costs jumped by 24.8 percent to Rs 8,680 crore in the year ending March 31, 2019. Its finance cost also increased significantly, by 16.5 percent in the year to Rs 981 crore.

The biggest jump though was in other expenses, to Rs 9,821 crore, from Rs 817 crore. The biggest jump under other expenses that hurt the company most was forex losses. These zoomed to Rs 448 crore for the year, from Rs 47 crore in the year-ago period.

Its non-claimable GST jumped to Rs 397 crore, from Rs 63 crore. There were also significant increases in aircraft and engine rentals.





"This is to bring to your notice that the Resolution Professional is not in a position to provide the consolidated financial results , as the subsidiaries of the company are separate legal entities, also currently non-operational and the RP is facing huge difficulty in obtaining relevant data from the said subsidiaries. In view of the above, the Resolution Professional is hereby submitting the standalone financial results, you are therefore requested to kindly take the same on record."





Announcing the results, the resolution professional overseeing the airline's insolvency process said that he was unable to furnish consolidated results. Ashish Chhawchharia stated:

Overall, Jet Airways net worth at the end of March 31, 2019, stood at a negative Rs 12,695 crore.

Delicate situation

Jet Airways had last announced its financial results in February 2019, when it reported its third quarter results. It had reported a standalone net loss of Rs 587.77 crore, as compared to a net profit of Rs 165.25 crore in the same quarter a year earlier.
China is firmly opposed to the United States adding 11 Chinese entities to its "entity list" of export controls, a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in response to media requests Tuesday.



By utilizing economy and trade as a tool of political oppression, repeatedly abusing export controls and other measures, and using state power to suppress companies in other countries, the United States has severely disrupted the international economic and trade order and poses serious threat to the security of global industrial and supply chains, said the spokesperson.

"This is not conducive to China, the United States or the international community," said the spokesperson. "China urges the United States to immediately stop the wrong practice, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard Chinese companies' legitimate rights and interests."
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Muslim pilgrims will today begin a dramatically downsized hajj as the Saudi hosts strive to prevent a coronavirus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage.

Pilgrims will be required to wear masks and worship at a social distance as they complete one of the five pillars of Islam - which is usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings.

This year only 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom will participate in the annual ritual, a tiny fraction of the 2.5million pilgrims from around the world that attended last year.

This year's pilgrims were chosen through a lottery system organised by the Saudi government which left many people disappointed, but some successful applicants say they feel safer without the usual massive crowds.

Deserted: The Kaaba - the holiest shrine in Islam - stands at the centre of an empty Grand Mosque in Mecca ahead of this year's hajj, which has been dramatically downsized to avoid a coronavirus outbreak during the pilgrimage

AUGUST 2019: A huge crowd of pilgrims walk around the Kaaba last year after arriving in Mecca for the hajj, which brings around 2.5million people to Saudi Arabia in normal times

Muslim pilgrims wear protective face masks as they pray around the Grand mosque during the annual Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca. Pilgrims are required to wear face coverings and observe social distancing during the five days of religious rites

'There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but (downsizing) is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic,' said Khalid bin Qarar Al-Harbi, Saudi Arabia's director of public security.

Pilgrims will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in the holy city of Mecca and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.

Those selected to take part in the hajj were subject to temperature checks and placed in quarantine as they began trickling into Mecca at the weekend.

Muslim pilgrims maintain social distancing as they circle the Kaaba at the Grand mosque during the annual Haj pilgrimage

Muslim pilgrims wearing protective face masks arrive to circle the Kaaba at the Grand mosque in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday

Muslim pilgrims maintain social distancing as they circle the Kaaba at the Grand mosque. Pilgrims are required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in the holy city of Mecca and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia

State media showed health workers sanitising their luggage, and some pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.

Workers, clutching brooms and disinfectant, were seen cleaning the area around the Kaaba, the structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque draped in gold-embroidered cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.

Hajj authorities have cordoned off the Kaaba this year, saying pilgrims will not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection.

They also reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims.

A handful of people stand around Islam's holiest shrine at the centre of the Grand Mosque on Tuesday, with rings laid around the floor of the mosque in order to separate pilgrims with social distancing measures

Workers wearing blue uniforms and face masks lay out lines to mark where pilgrims should stand to keep their distance during this year's pilgrimage, which is expected to involve only around 10,000 people

Muslim pilgrims pull their luggage as they wear protective masks heading to the Meeqaat to hold the intention of the Haj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease

The foreign press are barred from this year's hajj, usually a huge global media event, as the government tightens access to Mecca.

Saudi authorities initially said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom would be permitted for the hajj, but local media reports say as many as 10,000 will be allowed to take part.

Some 70 per cent of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in the kingdom, while the rest will be Saudi citizens, authorities said.

All worshippers were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in Mecca and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the kingdom nears 270,000 - one of the largest outbreaks in the Middle East.

Muslim pilgrims wearing protective face masks arrive to circle the Kaaba at the Grand mosque during the annual Haj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease on Wednesday

Muslim pilgrims maintain social distancing as they circle the Kaaba at the Grand mosque during the annual Haj pilgrimage. Saudi authorities initially said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom would be permitted for the hajj, but local media reports say as many as 10,000 will be allowed to take part

Muslim pilgrims maintain social distancing as they circle the Kaaba. The hajj ministry said non-Saudi residents of the kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process but it did not say how many people applied

They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilised pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the ihram, a seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a hajj ministry programme document.

'I did not expect, among millions of Muslims, to be blessed with approval,' Emirati pilgrim Abdullah al-Kathiri said in a video released by the Saudi media ministry.

'It is an indescribable feeling... especially since it is my first pilgrimage.'

The hajj ministry said non-Saudi residents of the kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process but it did not say how many people applied.

Some disappointed applicants have complained that the government-run lottery was not clearly outlined and that no reason was given for their rejection.

The Kaaba at the centre of the Grand Mosque, where fewer pilgrims will be packed in this year - meaning that some worshippers regard this year's hajj as safer despite the pandemic

A woman wearing a mask stands on one of the rings delineating where pilgrims should stand on the marble floors of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam's holiest site

Not this year: Muslim pilgrims touch the Kaaba - the cubic building which Muslims face when praying - during last year's hajj, a practice which has been banned in 2020 over coronavirus fears

The hajj ministry has fielded a deluge of anguished queries on Twitter from rejected applicants.

But Hajj Minister Mohammad Benten insisted the process was transparent, telling the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television that 'health determinants' formed the basis of selection.

Despite the pandemic, many pilgrims consider it safer to participate in this year's ritual without the usual colossal crowds cramming into tiny religious sites, which make it a logistical nightmare and a health hazard.

Even in a regular year, the hajj leaves pilgrims exposed to a host of illnesses.

The government scaled back the pilgrimage as it could be a major source of contagion, but the move will deepen the kingdom's economic slump, analysts say.

Saudi Arabia is already facing a sharp downturn in oil prices due to a collapse in global demand driven by national lockdowns, which triggered austerity measures, including the tripling of a value added tax and cuts to civil servants' allowances.

The virus has also battered pilgrimage-reliant businesses that support hundreds of thousands of jobs in Mecca, from travel agents to street barbers and souvenir shops.

The hajj and the year-round umrah pilgrimages together rake in some $12 billion annually. All able-bodied Muslims are expected to complete the hajj at least once in their lifetimes.
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation

Global Credit Research - 29 Jul 2020

New York, July 29, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation 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.

Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation (GMICO) Baa3 rating reflects the company's consistent profitability and capital adequacy levels based upon the solid cushion above the GSE's capital standard (PMIERs) capitalization that has increased liquidity at the company. Tempering these strengths are the price competition of the commodity-like nature of the mortgage insurance product which could adversely impact profitability, the potential implications from the contraction of the US economy due to coronavirus-related shutdown and deteriorating economic conditions, and the financial flexibility of its ultimate parent, Genworth Financial Inc. (Genworth) weak financial flexibility that exposes the company to event risk from Genworth's possible inability to address its debt ladder and restructure its organization.

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This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Mortgage Insurers Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Robert Garofalo VP - Senior Credit Officer Financial Institutions Group Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Scott Robinson, CFA Associate Managing Director Financial Institutions Group JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653

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Nine is cutting its one hour regional bulletins to thirty minute editions due to an advertising downturn, as a result of COVID-19.

Around a dozen roles are expected to be made redundant.

New half hour bulletins will screen at 5:30pm from Monday, August 10, followed by a 6pm statewide bulletin.

For the past three years, Nine has produced a one-hour bulletin for the Southern Cross Austereo regional television markets in regional Queensland, Southern New South Wales and Victoria. During COVID-19 these were suspended, with statewide bulletins in their place.

Each local bulletin will retain a local presenter, 2 x 1.30-minute packages and 2 x voiceovers per bulletin from each of the submarkets within each market. It will retain two journalists and two camera operations on the ground (in submarkets noted below). Daily news updates will also be produced.

Nine indicates it has been able to avoid larger cuts with the help of the governments recent regional funding.

Queensland

Wide Bay

Capricornia

Far North Queensland

North Queensland

Sunshine Coast

Southern News South Wales

Canberra

Illawarra

Central West

Wagga

Victoria

Border North East

Bendigo

Ballarat

Gippsland

In a note to staff, Kylie Blucher, Managing Director  Nine Queensland & Nine Northern NSW, thanked Network Regional News Director, Kate Limon and said, Changes like this are never easy and I am conscious of the impact this restructure will have on individual people. However, the unprecedented advertising and economic downturn has prompted a review of the functional effectiveness while ensuring our bulletins remain commercially sustainable.

Regrettably, this change will have an impact on some of our staff  and in total we expect a little over a dozen roles to be impacted  in these regional markets and we are in the process of pursuing alternate opportunities across the business, where possible, for those individuals impacted. We will endeavour to speak to everyone affected within the next 24 hours.

To those who are sadly leaving us, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for everything that you have done during your time at Nine. These are difficult circumstances and I hope over the coming weeks your teams will find a way to ensure that everyone has the opportunity, within the health guidelines, to recognise your contribution to Nine and to say an appropriate farewell.
Renewable energy will supply as much as 90 per cent of the power for Australia's main energy grid by 2035 if more than $100 billion is spent on critical transmission lines and other investments.

That's the verdict from the latest Integrated System Plan, the 20-year road map provided every two years by the main regulator, the Australian Energy Market Operator. The plan rules out the addition of any new baseload coal-fired power plants and assumes the giant Snowy pumped hydro scheme proceeds.

The power grid will increasingly be based on renewable energy, the main market operator says. Credit:James Davies

The report said the National Electricity Market, which serves eastern Australia, is undergoing a rapid transition as renewable energy and storage costs tumble and ageing coal-fired power plants exit.

"On certain measures, the rate of change in Australia is the fastest of any country in the world," it said.
The prehistoric monument of Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. (Getty)

The origins of Stonehenges huge sarsen stones have been revealed.

Tests done on the core of one of the stones, which was drilled during repair work at the Neolithic site in the 1950s, indicates the 20-tonne, seven-metre high megaliths were brought from West Woods, near Marlborough, Wiltshire.

The core was removed by a Basingstoke diamond-cutting business as part of measures to use metal rods to reinforce one of the upright stones in 1958.

Company employee Robert Phillips kept it in pride of place in his office.

He later took it with him when he emigrated to the US and its existence remained largely unknown for six decades until he expressed a wish for it to be returned on the eve of his 90th birthday.

His sons brought it over and presented it in 2018 to English Heritage, which cares for the World Heritage site in Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.

View from north towards sarsen circle bluestones and one trilithon (Picture: Getty)

It has helped solve the question of where the enormous stones of the world-famous monument are from.

Research has shown the monuments smaller bluestones come from specific spots in the Preseli Hills in Wales, but where the ancient people who constructed Stonehenge quarried the sarsens from was unknown.

It has long been assumed they came from Marlborough Downs, but that has never been rigorously tested, according to a study by a team of researchers published in the journal Science Advances.

The team used a non-destructive X-ray technique to assess the make-up of all the remaining sarsen upright and lintel stones, which established that 50 of the 52 remaining megaliths shared consistent chemistry.

This led them to conclude they were sourced from a common area.

The core was cut up and sampled for its chemical composition and compared with samples of sarsen boulders in 20 areas stretching from Devon to Norfolk, including six in the Marlborough Downs to the north of Stonehenge.

Crowds of people gather at Stonehenge to celebrate the dawn of the longest day in the UK in 2018. (Getty)

The analysis concludes that stone 58  which the core was taken from  and therefore the majority of the sarsens were mostly likely from West Woods, around 15 miles north of the stone circle on the edge of the downs.

Story continues

The experts said archaeological investigations and further detailed sampling of sarsens from West Woods and the surrounding areas are needed to more closely pinpoint the stones source and identify the prehistoric quarries.

English Heritage senior properties historian Susan Greaney and one of the authors of the paper said it was a real thrill to track down the area that the builders of Stonehenge sourced their materials in 2500 BC.

Professor David Nash, from the University of Brighton, who led the research, added: It has been really exciting to harness 21st-century science to understand the Neolithic past, and finally answer a question that archaeologists have been debating for centuries.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Uzbekistan and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) will develop a three-year cooperation program, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan.

It became known during the meeting of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov and TIKA President Serkan Kayalar.

In order to further develop technical cooperation, it was agreed to jointly develop and approve a program of cooperation for the period from 2021 through 2023.

The sides also considered opportunities to develop and implement projects on planting greenery in the Aral Sea, establishing a training center in agriculture with the participation of TIKA and introducing digital technologies in tax and financial spheres of Uzbekistan.

At the end of the meeting, an agreement was reached to set up a joint working group whose tasks will include forming a cooperation program for the period from 2021 through 2023.

Over the past three years, 147 projects worth $26 million have been implemented with the agency's assistance, while a total of 800 projects worth $52.4 million have been implemented since the establishment of partnership with TIKA in healthcare, agriculture, small and medium business development, modernization of educational institutions.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:19:37|Editor: huaxia

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by Pankaj Yadav

NEW DELHI, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Till a couple of weeks ago, Delhi was among the states registering highest number of COVID-19 cases every day. But the rate of new cases has come down to below 5 percent.

The turnaround has been marvellous. The Indian capital city has seen a significant improvement in the COVID-19 situation over the past few days as the recovery rate here stands at nearly 90 percent, and only 9 percent are still infected, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was quoted as saying on Monday.

According to him, there has been a decline in the number of COVID-9 deaths as well.

In June, around 100 coronavirus patients used to die every day, but now it has come down to around 20 per day.

Earlier in June, for every 100 persons tested for COVID-19 around 35 tested positive, and this has come down to 5 percent now, added the chief minister.

The improvement in death rate has been quite significant, i.e. around 44 percent in early July compared with early June, say the Delhi health department officials.

The state's health department said the primary strategies that helped in containing COVID-19 were - aggressive testing and efficient management of not only the Containment Zones but also the Buffer Zones and the areas with isolated cases.

The COVID-19 testing in the capital city has gone up from 25,175 tests per million on June 27, to 50,435 tests per million. The number of Containment Zones has also gone from 315 on June 27 to 716.

As per the data released by the health ministry Tuesday morning, there are almost 11,000 active COVID-19 cases in Delhi, which is said to be an improvement of 910 compared to Monday.

Till Tuesday there have been a total of 116,372 COVID-19 cases in Delhi.

The central government's intervention too is lauded in overall COVID-19 improvement in Delhi.

In the second week of June, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had predicted that the capital would have more than 550,000 cases by July-end. Only a couple of days later, India's Home (Internal Security) Minister Amit Shah took charge of Delhi spelling out a multi-pronged strategy to contain the then evolving COVID-19 situation.

On Shah's intervention and direction, aggressive Contact Tracing and Streamlining of Containment Zones was taken up, even as door-to-door serological surveys were carried out to get proper information about the spread of the virus. Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and resident welfare associations (RWAs) were roped in actively.

Praising Shah for his successful intervention, Sisodia was quoted as saying that for increasing COVID-19 testing, the Delhi government had sought the central government's help, and they helped with procuring rapid testing kits.

"Since then, testing has been increased by many times," he added. Enditem
A man in his 50s has been beaten to death in a casino in Camden, north London.

The Metropolitan Police launched a murder investigation following the attack at City Slots in Camden High Street at around 10pm on Tuesday.

Officers and paramedics were called to reports of a serious assault at the casino and found a man in his 50s with serious injuries.

Despite efforts to save him, the victim was declared dead at the scene.

His next of kin have been informed.

A man in his 20s was detained at the venue on suspicion of murder, after a staff member at the casino reportedly locked him inside the building once customers had fled.

Witness Joshua Lyons, 19, told the Evening Standard: "Everyone was hysterical and quite shaken up. About 10 customers were inside when it happened.

The owner locked the doors. But that seemed to agitate [the attacker] more and he carried on the attack.

After watching the attacker being arrested, Mr Lyons said he saw the victim lying motionless on the floor inside the building.

Police sergeant Alvaro Aracena-Fuentes described the crime as shocking and brutal. He confirmed the attack was not gang-related, according to the Camden New Journal.

The killing comes in Londons deadliest month of the year so far, with 15 murders recorded in July.

This figure is up from the 12 murders that were reported in both March and April, according to crime data on Scotland Yard's website.

There have been 74 murders in the capital in 2020.

Any witnesses are asked to call 101 ref 7949/28jul or contact Crimestoppers if you wish to be anonymous.
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Linkedin Tri Indah Oktavianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 13:18 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a2a3b7 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,MUI,Idul-Adha,health-protocol,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,coronavirus,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

To contain the spread of COVID-19, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called on all Muslims nationwide to maintain health protocols when celebrating and praying on Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice), which falls on Friday.

Repeating previous calls from the Religious Affairs Ministry and Muslim groups, the MUI fatwa commission secretary, Asrorun Niam Sholeh, advised people living in areas at high risk of COVID-19 transmission to pray at home.

Those living in considerably safer areas are allowed to perform mass prayers in mosques but they must comply with strict health protocols. Use masks, perform wudhu [ablution rituals] at home, bring our own sajadah [praying mat] and maintain a physical distance, Asrorun said through a written statement on Tuesday.

We need to focus on our health. If we are unfit or carrying preexisting diseases, it is advisable for us to pray from home.

Residents who wish to perform qurban (animal sacrifice) for Idul Adha are suggested to go to abattoirs in order to prevent crowds during the ritual. In addition, the MUI recommended that qurban be done by professionals.

We must pay attention to the cattles health conditions, Asrorun said, adding that the cattle should meet the requirement for qurban  proper age and good health.

He also called on qurban procession committees or religious social institutions to distribute the qurban meat directly to those in need and prevent any large crowds from forming during the qurban.

The MUI had previously warned that, given the current pandemic, distributing the meat immediately after the ritual might pose a health risk. Thus, it suggested the qurban meat be processed into canned food or cooked as rendang before being distributed.

The council through its fatwa permits the distribution of qurban meat at a later time after Idul Adha, suggesting that any excess meat should be preserved instead of thrown out.

During this years Idul Adha, Indonesias second-largest Islamic group, Muhammadiyah, encouraged Muslims to convert their qurban into sadaqah (alms) to help those who have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Almost four million people have been hit by monsoon floods in South Asia, officials said Tuesday, with a third of Bangladesh already underwater from some of the heaviest rains in a decade. The monsoon -- which usually falls from June to September -- is crucial to the economy of the Indian sub-continent, but also causes widespread death and destruction across the region each year. "This is going to be the worst flood in a decade," Bangladesh's Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre chief Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan told AFP. The heavy rains have swollen two main Himalayan river systems -- the Brahmaputra and the Ganges -- that flow through India and Bangladesh. Bhuiyan said about a third of flood-prone Bangladesh -- a delta-nation crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers -- was underwater, and at least 1.5 million people were affected, with village homes and roads flooded. In north-central Bangladesh, the Brahmaputra river was almost 40 centimetres (16 inches) higher than normal and threatening to burst its banks, district administrator Farook Ahmed told AFP. Most villagers were trying to stay near their flood-damaged homes, but some 15,000 had fled severely affected areas, officials said. With a 10-day forecast pointing to rising waters, Bhuiyan said if more rivers burst their banks some 40 percent of the nation could be flooded "in a worst-case scenario". In the northern town of Biswambharpur, villagers said most of the houses were partly underwater after the Surma, a major river in northeast Bangladesh, burst its banks. Farmer Abdur Rashid, 35, said he sent his wife and three children to a multi-storied village school that has been turned into a government shelter. "My whole house has gone underwater. I have sent the rest of the family to the school, but I stayed behind to guard my properties," Rashid told AFP. - Twin challenges - In Assam, northeast India, more than 2.1 million people have been affected since mid-May. At least 50 people have died so far -- 12 in the past week as floodwaters surged -- with tens of thousands of mostly rural residents evacuated to relief camps, officials said. Emergency services personnel wore head-to-toe bright-orange suits to protect themselves from the floods and coronavirus -- which has infected almost 17,000 people in Assam -- as they used boats to reach stranded villagers. "We have two challenges here, one is COVID-19 and another is (the) flood," the head of a local rescue team, Abhijeet Kumar Verma, told AFP. In Nepal, at least 50 people have died in landslides and floods triggered by the monsoon rains, with homes swept away and roads and bridges damaged. "We are distributing food and relief goods from helicopters to about 300 displaced families after the roads were blocked by floods and landslides," district official Gyan Nath Dahal told AFP. burs-grk-stu/fox
An employer applies for PPP funds but tells the employees to go on unemployment, causing them to unwittingly commit UI fraud;

A fake company uses stolen identities to apply for a PPP loan, when those individuals are actually employed elsewhere; or

A false, stolen or synthetic identity is used to apply for UI, connecting this fake persona to a real or fake company

Stop Fraud at the Front Door

The Answer Is Data

The federal government moved quickly to stand up programs to blunt the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a tremendous undertaking that provided needed financial support to hundreds of millions of Americans. Still, it would be unrealistic to think that such a large-scale effort could be implemented so quickly without any glitches. Unfortunately, fraudsters, both domestically and worldwide, saw this as an opportunity, impacting not only CARES Act funds but Unemployment Insurance (UI) assets , as well. The scope of the issue is vast: Washington state reports up to $650 million in UI money stolen by fraudsters and Maryland has identified more than $500 million in UI fraud The Small Business Administrations (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is intended to keep businesses open by providing forgivable loans to employers to keep workers on the job. However, SBA has been challenged by numerous applications from nonexistent small businesses  duly registered at the state level  claiming they have employees to keep on payroll. Also, some actual small businesses falsified their qualifications for PPP loans, misrepresenting the number of employees and expenses.While states have no vested interest in PPP funds themselves, fraud has an impact down to the local level:Through these techniques and more, fraudsters can directly affect state and local resources and tax revenues, while delaying UI payments to legitimate applicants.Pay-and-chase could potentially lead to the recovery of a portion of the lost funds, but historically, a large percentage of fraudulently obtained dollars is never recovered. Pay-and-chase also has its own costs: The original money is gone, and now you have to spend more  in time, resources and personnel  to try to recoup it. Of course, there is also the deterrent value of chasing down fraudsters, but with limited resources available to auditors, the likelihood is that the majority of that money is unrecoverable.Businesses dont commit fraud; the people who run those businesses  legitimate or otherwise  do. Its essential to make sure the applicants are who they say they are, that their businesses are genuine, and that their employees actually exist and work for them.True, banks are important parties in the loan application process, but the issue starts with state registration, where new businesses register with the Secretary of State and other offices at the city or county level. Its relatively easy for fraudsters to use stolen identities and fabricated information to create a realistic business entity, complete with management personnel and officers. Its up to agencies to determine if any or all of the information submitted is true. Historically, this has been tough to do: Research by LexisNexis Risk Solutions shows that only 50 percent of small businesses have a credit history, and half of those with a history only have thin files. Once the business is registered, that information can flow to federal agencies, including the SBA as it reviews PPP loan applications.The same set of identity issues need to be dealt with when processing UI applicants. Unfortunately, its very easy to create an identity that looks real. Online resources exist to falsify an ID or drivers license, utility bills and pay stubs, so that an applicant can appear legitimate. Stolen or synthetic identities are also being used, which adds to the confusion, as some or all of the information being used about that person is real. The result is that, ultimately, stimulus and UI funds can end up in the wrong hands, leaving the government to recover it from someone who doesnt exist. These identities may also be used to obtain assistance and benefits through additional state-run programs, as well as to apply for UI and assistance in other states altogether, creating the issue of dual participation.Preventing fraud requires a judicious, intelligent process that screens applications for business registrations and UI at the earliest possible stage. Most states have systems in place for this, not only for approving business licenses and UI, but also for disaster contingency programs, which require funds to flow quickly from the state or locality to people and businesses. The current environment, however, has made things more complicated, since offices may have limited resources and many applications are completely online to ensure social distancing. But whether in person or digitally, vetting the identities of applicants with confidence can only be done with a comprehensive set of accurate, up-to-date data sources.Connecting a persons physical identity  their address, birthdate, Social Security number, etc.  with their digital life  their online activity and where, when and how they interact online  is crucial for building risk scores, which support well-informed decisions on how best to apply limited resources to the issue of fraud. A system that provides real-time identity intelligence and pattern recognition in near-real time would not slow down the application process; in fact, it would improve turnaround time, since less manual vetting is needed.With a PPP programs extension, the ability to apply for loan forgiveness and the likelihood of another round of stimulus on the way, the opportunities for continued PPP fraud may be growing, further straining citizens, public resources and the economy. A multi-layered physical and digital identity intelligence solution, powered by comprehensive government and commercial data sources, means approvers can more quickly  and more accurately  sort legitimate applicants from scammers by automating the process using a comprehensive data solution. And that helps ensure that funds go where they are needed most to support hardworking people in every state. Hopefully these critical safeguards will be implemented in disaster-ready solutions so we are not chasing taxpayer money next time.
As more and more Covid-19 patients opt for home isolation in Ghaziabad, the health department, along with the municipal corporation, has chalked out a plan for storage, collection and disposal of biomedical waste collected from these patients homes.

According to official records, the administration till Wednesday afternoon granted permission for home isolation to 99 Covid-19 positive patients, while the screening process is on for 11 more patients. Since July 21, the control room teams have dialled 1,137 different patients for home isolation, while 396 persons, living in vicinities of the patients , were designated as friendly watchers to update teams about their neighbours and who may also get in touch with the control room in case of any issues.

The municipal corporation will be providing a yellow-coloured bag to each patient who is in home isolation. The patient is required to dispose of their masks, gloves, head cap, tissues, used syringes or medicines, if any, in the bag. A special van from the corporation will visit the home of each patient and collect the yellow bag every Sunday. The staff of the vans will be provided addresses of each patient, said Dr Mithlesh Kumar, the civic bodys city health officer, adding that each of the five zones in the city has been designated two vans.

Meanwhile, biomedical waste of the family members of the patient will be collected by the usual solid waste collection vehicles of the corporation, albeit with some rules. The family members of the patients are required to cut up the gloves, masks, head cap, etc into two parts and store them in a paper bag for 72 hours. After this, they can dispose of it off by handing over the bag to the normal solid waste collection vehicles which come daily in localities.

Utsav Sharma, regional officer from UP pollution control board said, The process for disposal of biomedical waste is in accordance with the guidelines. The corporation has tied up with a biomedical waste collection agency which will collect the waste and dispose of it off in a scientific manner. The patient as well as their family members will have to abide by the health protocols.

The state government had allowed home isolation on July 20. Since July 21, there have been 810 new positive cases in the district out of which 99 have been permitted home isolation once they fulfilled conditions. The rate of patients in home isolation has been about 12.22% from July 21 to July 28.

The rate is low at present as there is delay in uploading patients data over the portal. If we analyse the data for July 28, the portal showed 83 patients. Out of these, 20 were found to be admitted to hospitals and 11 were discharged. Of the 83 patients, home isolation was allowed for 18 these while nine were those whose mobile phones were not reachable or found switched off, said an officer from the health department who wished not to be named.

So, there has been some delay in uploading data at the end of the hospitals (private and government) and we are trying to fix it at the earliest. Once the issue is settled, the figures of patients in home isolation will also go up, the official quoted above said.

The conditions to be fulfilled for home isolation include an undertaking from the patient, a consulting doctor to declare the patient asymptomatic, round-the-clock availability of a caregiver for the patient, a minimum of two toilets at home, and a separate isolation room. Patients will also have to purchase medical kits equipped with a pulse oximeter, a thermometer, masks and gloves, among others.

We are trying to approach every patient in order to know if he/she wishes to opt for home isolation or not on the basis of laid down norms. There is some delay in uploading data on the portal and it will be expedited. With home isolation in place, there are only seven active patients lodged at Divya Jyoti Hospital, an L1 category facility. So, we are not closing it down but suspending operations for the time being. However, we have 800 L1 beds ready with us which can be made operational within a day if the need arises, said Ajay Shankar Pandey, district magistrate.

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A Derry school girl is hoping to be elected to represent the Foyle constituency in the UK Youth Parliament.

Ellie Jo Taylor has just completed her GCSEs at St Cecilia's College but already has plans to pursue a career in politics.

The 16-year-old, who is the daughter of dissident republican Tony Taylor, said she grew up around politics.

"My parents are very political and even though they never discussed it with me directly you pick things up," she said.

Ellie Jo is also part of the North West Ministry of Youth Project, which is a youth council for the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.

Although the project members have been unable to meet in person since lockdown they have continued to work on creating a youth manifesto for the city and district using zoom video conferencing.

The group recently met with East Derry SDLP MLA Cara Hunter via zoom where they discussed her role in the Assembly.

Ellie Jo, who is the North West Ministry for Youth's Minister for Equality and Inclusion, said lockdown has allowed her the time to engage with politics at a local and national level.

"I have always been interested in politics but quarantine has given me the opportunity to get really into it," she explained.

"Through the Ministry for Youth I have met local councillors and MLAs and they have been very receptive to hearing our views.

"After getting involved in the campaign for a skate park in Derry I contacted three local councillors Eamonn McCann, Mary Durkan and Gary Donnelly and this has now been raised at council level.

"I also contacted Cara Hunter after learning that 'upskirting' (taking a picture under someone's skirt without permission) isn't a crime here and she has agreed to raise this at the Northern Ireland Assembly."

Ellie Jo recently met with Councillor Durkan to discuss youth issues and accompanied her delivering food boxes in the local area.

"I really look up to Mary Durkan because she is an amazing councillor and she carries out a lot of research about everything that she does," she said.

Ellie Jo now hopes to study law and politics at University before entering the world of politics.

Her fellow Ministry of Youth member Danny Walsh, 17, from Strabane is also hoping to be elected to the UK Youth Parliament.

"I love being involved with the Ministry of Youth because you feel you can get your voice heard," he said.

"Afterall we will be able to vote soon so councillors and politicians want to know what we think."

Barry Fennell, North West Ministry of Youth Project Manager, Co-operation Ireland commented: Its brilliant to see young people take the lead in shaping and developing their own youth manifesto for the area, their communities, their peers and themselves, especially during this difficult time.
Jo Burnside is gearing up to begin her 17th year as a teacher in the Metropolitan School District (MSD) of Wayne Township. In a typical summer, she prepares for the nearly 30 children who will fill her classroom and stocks the room with supplies.

This isnt a typical summer.

Due to COVID-19, Burnside is preparing to teach her third graders through a face shield, figuring out a way to maintain social distancing and teaching her students how to use the appropriate technology if the township is forced to return to e-learning. Not only that, shes been discussing her plans and wishes with her family in case she gets sick.

Wayne Township teachers return to school on Aug. 6, and Burnside said they will undergo training to help students deal with the pandemic and all the changes it has caused. However, Burnside isnt convinced it will be enough.

It takes a certain type of teacher to be able to navigate that, Burnside said. If this teacher has possibly been dealing with the effects of COVID or financial problems because of it, that puts an educator in a very tough space to be able to nurture students the way they may want to.

I hope everyone is ready, but if Im speaking realistically, Burnside continued, I think its going to be difficult.

This year, Burnside said shell have roughly 24 students in her classroom, but that number could drop due to parents opting to have their child continue e-learning.

In Washington Township, families dont have a choice to send their children back to school  its all e-learning. Tammy Mann, whose son Mylan will be a senior at North Central High School, isnt happy about that.

Mylan struggled with e-learning last semester, and Mann disliked that he was assigned what seemed to be busy work. While MSD of Washington Township officials said e-learning will be more structured this time around, Mann is concerned assistance wont be readily available.

I just hope theyll provide some kind of help, Mann said. He doesnt do well in math, and it looks like Russian to me, I just hope they take stuff like that into consideration, she added with a laugh.

Despite her issues with e-learning, Mann also wasnt comfortable with the idea of sending her son back to school without a vaccine available.

No, I couldnt have done it, Mann said. I was torn, because its his senior year, and he kept saying Im going back. I could understand where he was coming from, but I wasnt comfortable with it.

Mann isnt alone. In townships where families have the option, including in Wayne Township, schools are seeing a significant number of students opt for e-learning.

Burnside said roughly 100 families in Rhoades Elementary have opted to continue learning from home. While shes nervous about returning to the classroom, she said e-learning last quarter hindered her ability to foster the relationships she had built with her students.

Because of the relationships I had made prior [to COVID-19], though, I was successful, Burnside said. Thats not the case for everyone.

Burnside isnt worried about her students struggling to wear masks; shes seen children wearing masks with no problem when they came to pick up items left behind in classrooms. She is, however, concerned about what children are exposed to at home, and what theyll bring into the school.

Im doing everything on my end to make sure Im as healthy as I can be mentally and physically, but it feels like going into a battleground, Burnside said.   Just not knowing who the kids are around before they come to me is scary.  Theyre only with us seven hours out of the day. What are they being exposed to at home?

Nothing was left unchanged by COVID-19, including curriculum.

Burnside and other teachers will have to incorporate what students should have learned throughout the e-learning period into the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year, just in case students had difficulty accessing or understanding the material.

I think its going to be very difficult, Burnside said. Wayne [Township] is going full steam ahead, and Ill still be teaching five days a week in class. Its definitely going to be a no-second wasted three months of work on top of what I should be doing.

One issue Burnside is worried will be left out of the conversation when students return to the classroom is trauma.

Not just trauma stemming from the ongoing pandemic, but from heightened racial tensions as well.

I know that because of where I work, Im sure some kids have probably been affected because of the racial tensions that they may feel in their homes  or from being out there with their parents marching, Burnside said.

As one of two Black teachers in her building, Burnside feels responsible for leading conversations about race, but its not something shes comfortable doing.

I feel like a spokesperson, which I dont like, Burnside said. I do it because I know it needs to be done, but I have to lead with, I dont speak for the Black collective. I speak for me and the things I have faced. I have to hope that my colleagues are going to be allies, and you dont always know that because youre not in the classroom with them. I dont know whats being done to make their students of color feel comfortable, for them to feel safe.

Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.
Donald Trump said in an interview recorded Tuesday he did not bring up Moscow putting a bounty on American troops during his recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, dismissing the reports as 'fake news.'

'We don't talk about what we discussed, but we had plenty of discussion,' Trump told 'Axios on HBO,' before revealing: 'I have never discussed it with him.'

A clip of the talk was released Wednesday morning, and the full interview with the president will air Monday night.

When pushed on why he did not confront Putin during Thursday's phone call, the president said, 'That was a phone call to discuss other things, and frankly that's an issue that many people said was fake news.'

A New York Times report emerged in June claiming U.S. intelligence concluded 'months ago' that a Russian military intelligence unit offered payments  running as high as $100,000  and weapons for every U.S. or allied soldier the Taliban killed in Afghanistan.

When asked Wednesday morning at the White House if he is confident that Russia did not actually place bounties on American soldiers, Trump deflected but acknowledged he would be 'very angry' if it turned out to be true.

'I don't  I told you, I certainly read about it, and since then, I've talked about it,' Trump said. 'Colin Powell says it's not true. Other people say it's not true.'

'If it were true, I'd be very angry about it,' Trump said. 'I don't know why they'd be doing it. But if you tell me they're doing it, I will certainly take that under consideration.'

President Donald Trump said in an interview conducted Tuesday that he did not bring up Moscow paying the Taliban to kill U.S. troops n Afghanistan during his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday

'We don't talk about what we discussed, but we had plenty of discussion,' Trump told 'Axios on HBO,' before revealing: 'I have never discussed it with him'

Reports emerged in June of the alleged Russian bounty on American troops, but Trump says the information 'never reached my desk' because 'many people said was fake news' and U.S. intelligence 'didn't think it was real'

'We know that the Russians are involved,' then the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson accused in 2018, claiming the Kremlin was providing money and arms to the terrorist group.

Trump said he was not aware of the general's comments, adding that no evidence or intelligence of the alleged bounty ever 'reached my desk.'

The White House said the president was never briefed on the matter, claiming the intelligence was inconclusive, and Trump reiterated in the interview that U.S. intelligence 'didn't think it was real.'

But several media outlets' follow-up reports on the issue said it was included in the presidential daily briefing, but insist Trump didn't read it.

'They like to say I don't read, I read a lot,' Trump told Axios of his intelligence briefings.

Trump, a Republican who has sought to cultivate warmer relations with Moscow, has said he was not briefed on the matter before it emerged in news media in late June. He has called the reports a hoax and frequently casts doubt on them.

The president has met with Russian counterpart six times and often touts their relationship.

The two have also spoken on the phone nearly two dozen times since Trump took office.

Trump's skepticism of the reports have been contradicted by four U.S. and European sources and by its inclusion in a widely read CIA report in May.

Democrats in Congress have accused Trump of not taking intelligence information concerning soldiers' deaths seriously enough.

The issue has also been made into an election issue, with presumed Democratic nominee and other Democrats taking aim at the president for his handling of the issue.

Trump and Putin have met on several occasions and the president frequently touts his close relationship and phone calls with his Russian counterpart

Biden accused Trump of 'dereliction of duty,' admitting that he isn't sure if the president was briefed on the alleged bounty.

His other theory is that he 'was briefed and nothing was done about this.'

Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who lost both of her legs, has maintained a running tally of the days Trump has not challenged Putin on the matter.

Duckworth is one of the many women Biden has considered as a potential running mate.

White House officials have struggled to explain the Trump administration's response to the bounty reports, but have not commented on their substance.

National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien has said Trump was not verbally briefed on the intelligence because his CIA briefer concluded the reports were uncorroborated.
Saudi Arabia's 84-year-old ruler King Salman has been admitted to hospital in the capital Riyadh for gall bladder inflammation, the royal court said on Monday. It is rare for Saudi Arabia to report on the health of the ageing monarch, who has ruled the top oil exporter and the Arab world's biggest economy since 2015. The king was "admitted today to King Faisal specialist hospital in Riyadh for some medical tests due to cholecystitis," inflammation of the gall bladder, the royal court said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency. It did not disclose any further details. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia, which was due to start on Monday, has been postponed after the king's hospitalisation, according to the kingdom's foreign minister. "In recognition of the extremely important visit and a desire to make it a success, our wise leadership in coordination with our brothers in Iraq have decided to postpone the visit," Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan wrote on Twitter. Under the king's rule, Saudi Arabia launched ambitious economic reforms for a post-oil era and gave more rights to women, but also adopted a more assertive foreign policy and entered a war in neighbouring Yemen. King Salman took the throne after the death of his half-brother Abdullah, who was around 90 years old. In 2017, Saudi Arabia denied media reports that the king was planning to abdicate in favour of his son, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who is widely seen as the de facto ruler. Prince Mohammed's meteoric rise to power has coincided with a sweeping crackdown on critics and dissenters, as well as royal family members.
Krishna Kumar Singh wanted a police investigation to ascertain where Rs 15 crore deposited in a bank account held by Rajput was transferred

Patna: In a surprising twist in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, his father has lodged a police complaint against his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide.

Krishna Kumar Singh (74), a resident of Rajiv Nagar locality, had been maintaining a stoic silence over the tragic death of his 34-year-old son on June 14.

An FIR was lodged on the basis of the bereaved fathers complaint on July 25 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to abetment of suicide and fraud, Inspector General of Police, Patna Zone, Sanjay Singh told PTI.

The IGP said a four-member team has left for Mumbai to investigate the charges levelled by the complainant.

After Rajput's death, Chakraborty had requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Twitter seeking a CBI probe.

"I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step," she wrote.

Mumbai police is already probing the alleged suicide case, and has questioned several Bollywood bigwigs including filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Rhea Chakraborty has also recorded her statement.

The case has been lodged under various sections of IPC including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

In his complaint, Rajputs father has also sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the "machinations" of Chakraborty and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.

Singh has accused Chakraborty, a budding TV and film actress, of having befriended Rajput in May, 2019 with a clear intent to use his good contacts for the advancement of her own career.

He has also alleged that the actress was aided by her family members, including parents, since they all were looking to purloin the assets of my son worth crores of rupees and started interfering in all aspects of his life.

Singh wanted a police investigation to ascertain where the Rs 15 crore deposited in a bank account held by Rajput was transferred.

The complaint said Chakraborty and her family convinced Rajput to leave his own residence and stay at a resort in the vicinity of Mumbai claiming his house was "haunted.

Singh has alleged that Chakraborty got Rajput treated by some "conniving" doctors for mental illness while keeping his family in the dark.

He also alleged that on June 6, less than a week before Rajput was found hanging from the ceiling of his Bandra house, Chakraborty came to his place and decamped with many of his belongings, including cash, his laptop, ATM card and other important documents.

At one point of time, my son decided to give up films, settle down in Coorg and pursue farming. He was blackmailed by Chakraborty who threatened him that she would make his medical history public and let the world know that he was mentally unstable, putting his career in jeopardy, he alleged in the FIR.

He also claimed that Chakraborty created "distance" between Rajput and his family.

The actor, aged 34, was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.

Several political leaders and film personalities have demanded a CBI probe into his death.

Rajput's suspected death by suicide has also triggered a debate on alleged nepotism and favouritism in the Hindi film industry. Several top production houses had allegedly boycotted the Patna-born actor, causing him distress and compelling him to end his life.
YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian assessed the developments on Armenia-Azerbaijan border very concerning.

ARMENPRESS reports the French FM said, ''The developments in that region are very concerning from numerous standpoints. First of all, because since the April war 2016 this is the first time such large-scale clashes take place, which claimed 19 lives. By the way, one of the Armenians was killed yesterday. Second, this is concerning because this is the 1st case that clashes occur not on the contact line between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, where they periodically occur and where the April war of 2016 happened, but on Armenia-Azerbaijan interstate border. And the third reason that further compicates the situation is the healthcare crisis''.

Jean-Yves Le Drian noted that the OSCE Minsk Group chaired by Russia, USA and France, mediate for the peaceful settlement of the conflict. ''There can be no military solution. It's necessary to find a political solution. I think it is possible to achieve such a solution by demonstrating strength of will by both sides'', he said, emphasizing that France, as a Minsk Group Co-chair, will spare no efforts for the peaceful settlement.

Editing and Translating by Tigran Sirekanyan
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Royce Value Trust, Inc. (NYSE: RVT) (the "Fund") announced that the Fund's stockholders voted to approve a new investment advisory agreement1 with the Fund's investment manager, Royce Investment Partners ("Royce")2 at today's Special Meeting of Stockholders of the Fund (the "Special Meeting").

"We appreciate the strong participation and support of the Fund's stockholders throughout this process," said Christopher D. Clark, the Fund's President. "Stockholder approval of the new agreement ensures that Royce can continue to manage the Fund and execute the strategy that has produced impressive relative performance for stockholders."

The new agreement will become effective upon completion of Franklin Resources, Inc.'s acquisition of Legg Mason Inc., Royce's indirect parent company. There will be no increase in the contractual investment advisory fee rate for the Fund as a result of the implementation of the new agreement. In addition, implementation of the new agreement will not result in any changes to the Fund's portfolio management personnel, investment objective, principal investment strategy, or investment restrictions.

About Royce Value Trust, Inc.

Royce Value Trust, Inc. is a closed-end diversified management investment company whose shares of Common Stock are listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The Fund's primary investment goal is long-term capital growth, which it seeks by normally investing at least 65% of its assets in equity securities primarily of small- and micro-cap companies.

For further information on The Royce Funds, please visit our web site at: www.royceinvest.com.

Forward Looking Statement

This release is not an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell shares of the Fund. This release may contain statements regarding plans and expectations for the future that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking and can sometimes be identified by the use of words such as "plan," "expect," "will," "should," "could," "anticipate," "intend," "project," "estimate," "guidance," "possible," "continue" and other similar terms and phrases, although not all forward-looking statements include these words. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current plans and expectations of the Fund, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Additionally, past performance is no guarantee of future results. Additional information concerning such risks and uncertainties are or will be contained in the Fund's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Fund's Annual Report to Stockholders on Form N-CSR, for the year ended December 31, 2019, and subsequent filings with the Commission. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Fund undertakes no responsibility to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement

Media Contact

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

Lucas Pers

212-355-4449

1 Due to the "change of control" that will result from the pending combination of Legg Mason Inc. ("Legg Mason") and Franklin Resources, Inc., a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton, that will cause the Fund's current investment advisory agreement to terminate in accordance with its terms as required by applicable law.

2 Royce & Associates, LP is a Delaware limited partnership that primarily conducts its business under the name Royce Investment Partners.

SOURCE Royce Value Trust, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.royceinvest.com


Americans are in the midst of an unusually heated and high-stakes election season.

That being the case, any changes to how elections are conducted, or overseen, should probably be made deliberately, judiciously and with maximum transparency. None of us are in the mood for greater uncertainty.

With that said, Harris County voters can be reasonably optimistic about the third-largest countys plans to overhaul elections administration.

The commissioners court voted this month along party lines to create an election administrators office. The office will be up and running later this year, assuming a final report on the subject  covering what it would cost and what personnel would be needed  is approved in the coming weeks.

The move drew some pushback from Democrats and Republicans alike, coming as it did with relatively little discussion in the midst of a pandemic and on primary runoff day. It struck some observers as sneaky.

But its an important change, says County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat who describes the current system as an antiquated one with a troubling history.

The current election system in Harris County is a relic of Jim Crow and is as much of an insult to voters as having to walk into a polling center named after Robert E. Lee, he wrote in a joint op-ed for the Houston Chronicle with U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Democrat who represents the 9th Congressional District.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Green, Ellis: Election reform is social justice reform

As it stands, they explain, responsibilities for Harris Countys elections are divided between two offices. The county clerk conducts the elections. The county tax assessor-collector handles voter registration and maintains the voter rollsa relic of the poll tax days. The former office is currently held by attorney Chris Hollins, who was appointed to the position on an interim basis after Diane Trautman, a Democrat elected in 2018, announced her retirement this spring. The latter office is held by Democrat Ann Harris Bennett, elected in 2016.

Were all used to that system, but it is a bit strange. Under the new system, both functions would fall under the purview of an elections administrator, who would be appointed by the county election commission.

In a letter to County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the countys Democratic legislators concurred that the current system is an outdated relic, and inefficient.

Though change can be difficult we are confident that this move to an Elections Administrator is prudent and will strengthen our democracy in Harris County, they wrote.

Hollins, who is not running for a full term as clerk, supports the proposed change. Bennett has warned that it would necessarily lead to a loss of checks and balances, among other things.

In counties with election administrators, the lack of accountability between voter registrars and election clerks has caused the type of problem that erodes public trust, she wrote in a letter to the commissioners court earlier this month.

Commissioner Jack Cagle raised similar concerns about checks and balances and accountability.

I believe in the principle that the people stand before the population, he said. Both he and Steve Radack, the other Republican on the commissioners court, voted against the changes.

They have a point: the new elections administrator wont be directly accountable to the electorate in the way that the clerk and tax assessor-collector are. But he or she will still be subject to oversight, via our elected representatives.

And as a practical matter, according to Rice University political scientist Robert M. Stein, its a good idea. In a new analysis, he concludes that unifying these functions in the same office would likely enhance ballot access in Harris County, as it has in other jurisdictions across the country.

The difference between an elected and appointed elections administrator, he said, is less consequential than whether the responsibilities for conducting an election are united in one office or divided as they now are. Under the latter system, he explained, problems that arise for any given voter are harder to remediate.

When youre running with two different offices, its like a bunch of kids playing telephone, Stein said in an interview Tuesday.

The change may be an overdue one, he explained.

Sometimes we think we solved the problem by saying you cant charge the poll tax, said Stein. But the institution that separated voting from registration may have had a lasting implication.

erica.grieder@chron.com
HEBRON, West Bank  In the foothills of the rocky mountains of Hebron, Munther Abu Aram, 48, lives a primitive life inside a natural cave with his wife and four children. When the Israeli authorities demolished Abu Arams home, they were left with no choice but to live in a cave with no infrastructure, electricity, water or sanitation.

The small cave of some 150 square meters (500 square feet) is located in Khirbet Janba in the occupied West Bank. Life inside the cave is very difficult, but we got used to it after the Israeli occupation bulldozers demolished my home in 2018, which was built out of bricks, cement and tinplate, because it was built without a license. It was rebuilt and demolished again in 2019, Abu Aram told Al-Monitor.

According to a report by the Turkish Anadolu Agency in December 2019, about 19 Palestinian families  some 100 people  are living in the caves of southern Hebron, without access to electricity or water, schools or roads.

Israel forbids Palestinians from building in Area C and demolishes the houses they do put up. According to a report by the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem published Feb. 6, 2019, Israeli forces demolished 1,401 Palestinian homes in Area C, resulting in the displacement of 6,207 Palestinians, including 3,134 children under the age of 16, between 2006 and 2018.

On Jan. 15, 1997, the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel signed the Hebron Agreement, also known as the Hebron Protocol, which calls for dividing the city into two sectors: H1 with 80% of the citys area is subject to Palestinian security and administrative control. H2, the remaining 20% of the city, mainly consists of the central Old City and is under Israeli security control. Its population is an estimated 40,000 people.

Abu Aram said, The Israeli occupation wants to displace us from Khirbet Janba, to confiscate land and turn it into closed military areas and to expand the settlement of Kiryat Arba and the outposts surrounding it. He added that the Israeli authorities refuse to provide Khirbet Janba with electricity and water and have removed and destroyed utility poles and water networks several times.

Abu Aram and his family farm crops and raise livestock, and he uses a donkey cart to travel to neighboring towns to buy drinking water and other supplies, as well as to transport his children to their schools in a neighboring village dozens of kilometers away.

He uses fuel lanterns to light the cave and his wife prepares food over a fire. During summer, the family sleeps outside for fear of the snakes and scorpions that often make caves their homes.

Khalil Jabreen, 41, also lives with his family in a cave of 250 square meters (820 square feet) near the site of his demolished house in Khirbet al-Fakhit, destroyed by the Israeli authorities in 2000 and twice more in 2015 and 2018.

Jabreens family of six has been living in the cave since his house was first demolished in 2000 for having been built without a permit. He told Al-Monitor that every time he would rebuild his home, the Israeli army would demolish it."

The Israeli forces are constantly evicting us from the area, but we reject all attempts at displacement and we want to keep our land from being stolen from us for them to build new outposts, he said.

He explained that settlers constantly attack him and his children, while the Israeli forces keep erecting pop-up military checkpoints at the entrances of Khirbet al-Fakhit to prevent them from bringing in food, water and other needs.

Jabreen added, The area where we live lacks schools, health centers and clinics, and whenever there is an emergency, I am forced to take a long, dangerous journey on a donkey cart to make it to a hospital or so my children can attend school.

Abdel Hadi Hantash, a member of the General Committee for the Defense of Palestinian Land in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor, Hebron governorate in the southern West Bank includes 27 Israeli settlements and 32 outposts. He noted that Israel aims to Judaize Hebron and annex the Old City to the settlement of Kiryat Arba, which the Israeli government granted municipal status.

He continued, The Israelis consider Hebron a religious city, pointing out that settlers in this area are particularly characterized by religious fanaticism and political extremism.

Hantash noted, There are two types of settlement in Hebron. The first is declared by the Israeli government and outlined by the council of settlements in the West Bank, which submits its plans through political channels so they can be legitimized and tenders can be offered for their construction. However, there is also unofficial settlement expansion carried out through Zionist organizations and influential figures in the Israeli government.

He added, The Israeli authorities issued over 16 demolition orders in the Masafer Yatta area in Hebron, confiscated 250,000 dunums and declared them closed military areas. Palestinians are not permitted to live or build in them, and the [Israeli forces] constantly try to coerce them into leaving their lands.

Hantash called on the Palestinian official authorities to build infrastructure in the areas threatened with confiscation and seizure. "They ought to appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which the occupation fears since it can issue arrest warrants for its leaders who commit war crimes and confiscate land, and compel the ICC to issue decisions that do justice to the Palestinians and strengthen their resilience.
If you go to a party and dont post about it on Instagram, did it really happen? Thats the hope and thought process behind no post parties  gatherings where guests are requested by the host to refrain from posting any happenings on social media.

Its nothing new  celebrities have had guests do everything from checking their phones and devices upon entry, to sign non-disclosure agreements. Some just request their friends avoid posting and hope that they abide by the request. But thanks to COVID-19 they are on the rise, not only to avoid legal issues, but also to avoid judgement of ones, perhaps, not so safety-forward decisions.

This past weekend, The Chainsmokers put on a charitable drive-in concert in the Hamptons, where many people were seen breaking health and safety guidelines and closer to home in Brampton, a party of around 200 guests got broken up by police and bylaw officers after a passerby contacted Peel Regional Police. According to some media reports, organizers tried to keep the gathering off social media and hide the event from their neighbours.

In the past a no-post request was about maintaining privacy for appropriate reasons. For example at a wedding, it lets a bride and groom manage the images that were posted of their day, says etiquette expert Lisa Orr.

During this pandemic, Orr says that if youre invited to a no-post party you need to ask why they call for no posts and if its to cover up the fact that theyre hosting a party that is in conflict with local public health guidelines you should not go and you can politely decline.

Being a good citizen is about standing up for whats right even when and especially when its uncomfortable, so if youre invited to a no-post party and its clearly private to violate a public health order, decline the invitation and encourage your host and other friends who are invited to do the right thing and postpone until its safe again, Orr said. Weve all lost so much during this pandemic but the sad truth is we could lose so much more if were not careful.

But not all no-post parties are created equal. I was one of five people invited to a friends terrace for a Canada Day barbeque. Upon my arrival, the host requested that none of us post anything on social. I hadnt planned on posting anything anyway, but it was an interesting request, because they were abiding by all mandated rules and regulations: Less than 10 people. Outdoors. Physically-distanced. The works. When I asked the host after-the-fact why they made that request, they said they wanted to avoid any judgement from others. We werent in masks, and were in a safe bubble, but the second people post something on social, its up for criticism.

My reasons for not planning to post that evening, were to avoid criticism from family. I didnt want to put myself in a position - during an already sensitive time  of having to justify myself. I know Im doing my best, but I felt no need to flaunt that I was included in an intimate soiree of sorts and instead  and perhaps, for once  stayed off socials for the evening.

I spoke to a handful of friends after a call-out on social media on this topic and many told me that though they are still posting, they are posting less and are doing so with some semblance of anxiety, waiting to potentially be shamed or called out by others.

It really is a tough situation socially right now. I know personally that Ive lost friendships through the pandemic. There were people I couldnt stay friends with because of the way they were behaving and it became clear we just didnt share the same values, Orr said.

Other people are perhaps, not self-conscious enough.Of course, we all heard about the Trinity Bellwoods park incident in May, in which many appeared not to be social-distancing. A quick glance through your Instagram and you may catch a handful of friends questionably close, parading their quarantine whereabouts for your viewing pleasure. But when sharing your #summer #blessed photos, perhaps a no-post policy is for the better?

I mean, people can choose what they want to do and expose themselves to - but at the very least, if you are going to, no need to broadcast! It seems beyond gauche for you to do so, says Star contributing columnist Shinan Govani. It is such a second nature for some people to post what they are doing, where they are going now, that asking them not to seems to be taking away the experience, in the way that the post has so often become the experience. And the lock-down of their feeds is almost as lethal to them as the actual physical lock-down, Govani said.

He acknowledges the tension between the experience or enjoyment of something, but also the act of documenting that very experience, and suggests this is a good time to tone down the natural inclination to post every single thing youre doing. I mean, is now, during a global pandemic really a time to post thirst-traps and show off the whos who of your friend group and night life?

Even seeing people standing too close together - which most photos require in terms of framing - seems so terribly off-key. And is rattling, given the climate we are in, Govani says.
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 13:49 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a2e2f8 1 Business renewable-energy,West-Java,north-kalimantan,energy-and-mineral-resources-ministry Free

The development of West Javas Cirata solar power plant and North Kalimantans Kayan hydropower plant is moving forward despite the ongoing pandemic. The two plants are nearing the construction phase, bringing Indonesia closer to a boost in its green energy capacity.

Cirata is currently preparing its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) plans, the last phase before beginning construction, said Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ministry renewables director Harris on Tuesday.

Read also: Thorcon, Defense Ministry to cooperate on thorium nuclear reactor

The 145 megawatt (MW) floating solar plant, backed by Abu Dhabi-based energy company Masdar, will be the largest solar power plant in Indonesia. The plant has nearly ten times the capacity of Indonesias current largest solar plant, the 15 MW Likupang plant in North Sulawesi.

We hope the EPC can be done by 2020 so that construction begins by 2021, and then by early 2022, it can begin commercial operations, Harris told reporters at a briefing.

Meanwhile, the 9,000 MW Kayan plant, being developed by PT Kayan Hydro Energy (KHE), is awaiting approval from the Reservoir Safety Commission to begin construction on the first phase of its 900 MW facility.

The commission belongs to the Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Ministry.

Theyve spent around Rp 2 trillion (US$137.53 million) to speed up the project. So theyre really serious, said North Kalimantan Governor Irianto Lambrie of KHE on Saturday, as quoted by Tempo.co.

Harris said KHE had secured deals to power the Sangkulirang industrial area in East Kalimantan, some 200 kilometers away from the plants site.

This plant has seen better progress than the others, he noted.

Read also: It sends a negative message: Hydropower players lament PLN power cap in Sumatra

He cited PT Kayan Hydropower Nusantara (KHN), which was developing another hydropower plant in Kalimantan. The company is still trying to secure an International Industrial Area and Seaport (KIPI) as a customer.

Once completed, the former Kayan plant will be Indonesias largest hydropower facility and is slated to power a number of industrial areas and seaports within coal-rich Kalimantan.

The two projects are the Energy Ministrys big guns in the struggle to meet Indonesias clean energy commitments. Official figures show that the country ended last year with a 9.15 percent renewable energy mix. Indonesia has committed to achieve 23 percent renewable energy by 2025.
(TNS)  Parents of Naperville, Ill., students are appealing to district officials to expand the remote learning classes being offered this fall so they include the same courses being taught in person at schools.The e-learning program is called the Online Academy, and students must enroll for the entire semester or they will automatically be placed in the districts hybrid system under which they will attend classes in person on a part-time basis.In reevaluating its initial Return to Learn Plan, district officials Tuesday said they have identified some areas that must be changed to ensure compliance with the state guidelines and to ensure a safe return to school.The changes include suspending the deadline to select the Online Academy indefinitely and shifting the start of the school year to Sept. 1. The deadline had been July 29.The district said students who have chosen either option will have access to selected specialized programs, such as dual language and Advanced Placement courses. Students who qualify for an individual education plan will continue to receive appropriate services.When the school reopening options were unveiled earlier in the month, officials warned older students that e-learning elective and core choices would be limited compared what is available if they attended school in person.That is not sitting well with parents, who fear their high school juniors and seniors are being forced to decide between protecting their health during the coronavirus pandemic and the classes they want to take. change.org petition drive calling for more remote learning options has been launched, and had nearly 850 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon. companion online petition is calling for the expansion of the Online Academy option to include all courses being offered in-person, such as AP and honors classes and gifted education instruction.Parent Jennifer Hajer said shes unhappy because nearly all the classes her son registered for in the spring are not currently listed among those being offered through the Online Academy.As of this week, the only class the Naperville Central senior was certain he could sign up for is physical education, Hajer said.To meet graduation requirements, her son needs just one career and technology education class, she said. He had planned to take a digital art class in the fall, though its not offered at the moment.Decisions on which courses will be offered in the fall wont be determined until after registration for the Online Academy closes, district officials said. Final course offerings will depend on enrollment.In the meantime, the Hajers and other families are stuck in limbo, waiting to see if any more courses will be available online this fall before committing to the hybrid program or opting to do classes from home.District 203 has said a limited number of elective courses aligned to graduation requirements will be available for Online Academy students once enrollment is set. Online courses in art, music, career and technical education, Spanish and French have yet to be determined.While district officials have said they will strive to have courses facilitated by district teachers, there could be some in which content is purchased from a vendor. The district already contracts with groups like Illinois Virtual School to provide online courses.In the event theres not enough enrollment for an online course, the district has said students will be pre-enrolled in courses best aligned with previous in-person schedules without duplicating past coursework.Hajer said her family has already decided the Online Academy is best for their family. For us, that is what works, she said.However, Hajer said shes willing to pursue other options to supplement coursework if District 203 cant provide it, such as enrolling in classes provided by local colleges.She said she feels bad for families who might not have that ability and will get stuck with what some parents fear are sub-par courses.Her family will continue to take 2020 day by day, she said. I understand this year may look completely unconventional, she said.
They have arrived! A nation deprived of saying that for arriving baraats through the wedding season, finally found a let-out in the arrival of Rafale fighter jets today. Now they are here. Here is where? Ambala IAF airbase.

Hours before the arrival, everyone broke into a chorus of Happy Landings to the jets. Now, jets cant listen to you but, with freedom of expression, who can stop you from saying things to things animate and inanimate.

First batch of 5 Rafale fighter jets to land in Ambala shortly????:The five Rafales escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian air space.pic.twitter.com/hAfNOtIYA0  All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 29, 2020

That is a needless point. The point of importance is that five of the 36 jets for which India and France are tied in a deal, have landed in India  with Pakistan and China watching. Will these gusts of wind and bursts of fire deter them from eyeing Indian territory? That is a tough one to answer so we would skip that for now. For now, we will focus on Rafale. The word the nation is obsessing over today is our Word Of The Day.

Rafale is a French word and so are the jets. As in they are ours now, but they have been built by French firm Dassault Aviation. In French, the word Rafale means gusts of wind or bursts of fire. In the military sense the word came to be used by French general Hippolyte Langlois. It was adopted soon after in English, but seems to have petered out after World War I. In India, the word is back in reckoning.

Five Rafale jets have arrived in India from France. (Photo: Twitter/@Indian_Embassy)

The talks to acquire the jets began during the UPA era. The groundwork happened during the NDA era. But political slugfest happened in all eras. The current one is over who can claim credit for the arrival. We say just credit the pilots who have flown in the jets and get done. But there is a greater possibility to jets listening to our Happy Landings wishes than political parties listening to sane advice.

Be that as it may. Manohar Parrikar was the Minister of Defence when the deal was signed between India and France for 36 jets. It is however said Parrikar was inaugurating a mobile fish stall the day PM Narendra Modi was signing the deal in France. It still needs to be said that Parrikar played a more pivotal role in the ministry than his UPA predecessor AK Antony. One thing which has to be credited to Parrikar is the chance discovery of US $3 billion (Rs 22,422 crore) in a long-unused and long-forgotten account.

You know the joy of finding even a Rs 100 note in your pocket before you throw the pants for washing. So imagine chancing upon this kind of money. The money had reportedly been parked in the account Indian Ministry of Defence in an account managed by US governments Defence Department. Who forgets that kind of money? One who has a lot of money. Like the government. But how was it discovered? As per a press statement by MoD, it was thanks to the scrupulous and holistic financial management in practice in the Parrikar-led ministry. But not everything about the man was great. To know more about the man Parrikar was, you can read his biography by Sadguru Patil and Mayabhushan Nagvenkar, but if you want to read a review of the biography itself, read this.

Rafale will fire its salvo when the time comes. We hope the enemy behaves and that time, like tomorrow, never comes. But Sushant Singh Rajputs father KK Singh has fired his salvo at actor and Sushants girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty by filing an FIR against her saying that Rhea took money from Sushant and instigated him to kill himself. Sushants family counsel has said that Mumbai Police was informed by the actors family that he is in danger and immediate action is required. Vikas Singh, the counsel, said the family told Mumbai Police in February that Sushants life was in danger. Singh says this complaint was made on February 25.

The Mumbai Police has questioned Rhea in connection Sushants death, it is now time for Patna Police to question her. Rhea has meanwhile moved the Supreme Court asking the case be moved to Mumbai.

We will keep you updated on how she exercises her legal options, but Sushants former girlfriend Ankita Lokhande has exercised her social media options, posting and tweeting: Truth Wins.

What truth Ankita is talking about is difficult to say, but given that the tweet and post came after the FIR news broke, many are seeing it as one connected to Sushants death by suicide. Why is Ankita not naming names? Because it can have legal implications for Ankita.

But who has undergone a name change? Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). The new name is Ministry of Education because MHRD was dealing with all things related to education.

The name change has been followed by policy change and a new education policy has been announced soon. Expect politics to break out over this too.

And expect China to lie through the teeth. The country has been claiming disengagement at most friction point has been completed, but India has refuted the claim saying not much has changed at Gogra and Pangong Lake for over a fortnight even as a new status quo has emerged. The dragon nation has been silent on the status of Pangong Lake even as it says disengagement at Galwan, Hot Springs and Gogra is complete.

China doesnt seem to have learnt any lessons from app bans in India. But Facebook is trying to make a windfall from the TikTok ban imposed in India and now a possible one in the US.

Facebook has offered financial incentives to TikTok influencers with millions of followers to join Reels. What is Reels? Its a new yet-to-be-launched short video-making service. It's already on Instagram, if you were wondering where you've heard that word before.

If you were a TikTok influencer your time is now. If you werent one, the times to come could be yours because if you werent an influencer on TikTok doesnt mean you cant be one on Reels.

And if you say, Why the heck should I be an influencer? Congratulations, on being Zen.

On that note, we will take your leave for today.

Be back tomorrow.

Also Read | An Extraordinary Life: Manohar Parrikar, the man under whom Rafale deal was signed
NEW YORK, NY/ ACCESSWIRE / July 29, 2020 / According to estimates from UNESCO, 1.2 billion children worldwide had their normal classroom experience disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic this spring. In the United States, debate continues to rage over how students will resume the school year.

Unsurprisingly, concerns over the potential to spread COVID-19 in a classroom setting has resulted in many advocating for the continued use of virtual classrooms. This side argues that e-learning is the safest option during the pandemic, even if it isn't always ideal.

On the opposite side of the spectrum are those who argue that e-learning has proven far inferior to the in-person classroom experience, harming the quality of education that children are receiving.

While there remain many issues to be addressed as schools adapt to e-learning and hybrid models, companies like Gooroo are poised to put a positive light on this unique situation. The company's unique matching algorithm aims to ensure better outcomes for all types of learners.

What Is Gooroo's Matching Algorithm?

"The goal of our matching algorithm is to ensure that students are matched to the tutor who will best meet their needs for a particular subject," says Scott Lee, Gooroo's founder and CEO.

"We vet all of our tutors to ensure that they can teach the subject well, but this isn't the only thing that matters in creating a positive learning experience. Successful tutoring requires good relationships, and that means there needs to be a meaningful connection between students and tutors."

To achieve this, Gooroo's algorithm asks for more than just the subject students need help with. The algorithm also asks for information such as a student's hobbies and interests, as well as any special needs or learning disabilities they may have.

Based on the information that parents submit to Gooroo's system, students can be given either an instant match with a tutor or a set of recommended candidates that they can choose from.

"We find that if we can match students with tutors who have similar interests and personality types, they are more likely to form a meaningful bond," Lee explains. "This helps the students become more engaged with their learning experience so they can achieve lasting improvement to their academic performance."

Calibrating for Different Learning Styles

A key part of Gooroo's matching algorithm is accounting for students' different learning styles - something that Lee feels is particularly important for the program's success.

"We focus on five main learning styles of instruction, discovery, storytelling, analogy, and theory," he explains. "Some of us learn best with one of these styles, while others learn through a combination of styles. Unfortunately, classroom learning - and traditional tutoring - often devolve into lectures that ignore the learning styles of most students. The children become less engaged and don't perform as well as expected."

Ensuring that students are matched to tutors who can accommodate their learning style has proven vital for Gooroo. After all, a student who prefers to experiment and perform hands-on work will require a different learning environment than one who wants a full explanation of the theory before applying the concept.

Some studies have previously shown that most students perform best when exposed to multiple teaching methods, something that is often easier to accommodate in individual e-learning than a classroom.

"E-learning allows for the introduction of augmented reality for discovery learners or easier access to case studies for storytelling learners," Lee notes. "Tech can be a distraction, but it can also be a tutor's greatest asset in helping topics come to life."

A Flexible Solution for Challenging Times

Like so many other educational programs, Gooroo has experienced significant changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, because the company already handled matching through an algorithm and had online functionality in place, it was better equipped to adapt to the change.

"We've always given parents the option to hold tutoring sessions online, as well as in their home or a public place like a library," Lee says. "With stay at home orders and other mandates, we've seen the demand for online learning skyrocket. Flexibility has always been part of what we do, like letting unused tutoring hours roll over from month to month or letting kids work with multiple tutors. This helped us be better prepared to adapt to increased digital demand."

This flexibility may prove vital as the shift to e-learning is likely to continue and possibly even accelerate in the near future. A recent USA Today poll found that six in 10 parents were now more likely to look at home learning options for their children. Many teachers do not want to go back to their classrooms because of COVID-19 risks.

For parents, supplementing a digital classroom with e-tutoring could be key to ensuring that their children don't fall behind. Flexibility and adaptability are key to life in the pandemic, and e-learning can serve as a vital solution to this unique challenge.

Preparing for the Future

Given the current environment, it is hard to have much certainty regarding what education will look like in the months and years to come. Children could have vastly different experiences simply based on the school district they live in.

With the help of tools like Gooroo's matching algorithm, however, parents can have greater confidence that e-learning can become a viable educational method.

Media Details

Name: Scott Lee

Company: Gooroo

Email: scott@gooroo.com

Website: https://www.gooroo.com/

Telephone: (646) 791-3081

SOURCE: Gooroo

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/599449/How-Gooroos-Student-Tutor-Matching-Algorithm-Will-Change-the-Future-of-E-Learning
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said he is opposing the nomination of Anthony Tata for undersecretary of defense for policy unless the Defense Department changes its position on adding the names of sailors killed on the USS Frank E. Evans a half-century ago to the memorial in Washington.

"If the department does not make significant changes to its policy, I plan to oppose Tata's nomination," Cramer said in a statement last week ahead of a hearing Thursday on Tata's nomination before the Armed Services Committee.

There are 14 Republicans and 13 Democrats on the committee. If Cramer maintains his position and votes against the nomination, he would tip the balance against Tata.

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Democrats on the committee oppose the nomination of Tata, a retired Army brigadier general, for different reasons  tweets in 2018 in which he called former President Barack Obama a "terrorist leader" who did more to hurt the United States "and help Islamic countries than any president in history." In a separate radio appearance, he attributed the Iran nuclear deal to Obama's "Islamic roots," saying the deal was an attempt "to help Iranians and the greater Islamic state crush Israel."

But Cramer's issue is the "Lost 74"  crew members who were killed in the South China Sea in 1969 when the Evans was hit by another ship during maneuvers with the Australian and New Zealand navies. An Australian aircraft carrier "broadsided" the destroyer, severing the Evans' bow, survivors said.

"Our ship was cut in half and the bow half of the ship sank in five minutes and took 74 sailors to their death," Richard Grant, one of the 199 survivors, wrote in a letter to the editor in The Forum newspaper of Fargo-Moorhead, North Dakota, in 2018.

Among the dead were the three Sage brothers of Niobrara, Nebraska  Gary, 22, Gregory, 21, and Kelly, 19.

Story continues

Because the ship was more than 100 miles from Vietnam at the time, the sailors weren't considered war dead, and their names were not included on the memorial wall.

"It made no sense to me that a ship of sailors who had just left the combat zone and was going to return to the combat zone, and in the meantime doing exercises in preparation for war, aren't worthy of being memorialized," Cramer told The Bismarck, North Dakota, Tribune last year.

A relative of Grant's brought the issue to Cramer's attention at a town hall meeting in 2018, when Cramer was in the House.

"I was deeply moved by the story, and I introduced an amendment to last year's National Defense Authorization Act to inscribe the names of the 74 sailors to the memorial. While the measure unanimously passed the House, it failed to pass the Senate," he wrote in an essay last year marking the 50th anniversary of the crash.

Despite strong bipartisan support for a similar measure in the Senate, the bill has yet to pass. Cramer tried to push it through using a process called unanimous consent this year, but Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, blocked it. Murkowski cited "practical legal and technical considerations" for the objection.

Besides the Defense Department's position that the ship was outside the 100-mile combat zone, the agency has resisted adding names to the wall because they're organized by date, which would make adding the 74 names to the more than 58,000 already on it logistically difficult.

In testimony last year before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on National Parks, Daniel Smith, then the deputy director of the National Park Service, said that including the 74 names "will be hard to accomplish the way the wall is currently constructed" and that it would "necessitate substantial modification, and possibly a wholesale replacement, of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall."

Image: David Fraser and Anthony Tata (Murray Brewster / AP file)

Now Cramer is strong-arming the Defense Department to add the names, challenging what he called "a policy based on arbitrary Defense Department guidelines enforced by unelected bureaucrats."

The White House has maintained its support of Tata, who has been a pro-Trump commentator on Fox News.

In the statement he released last week, Cramer said of Tata, "I hope to hear some positive news at his hearing next week."
3 Hasidic And Orthodox Jews Are The Biggest Blood Plasma Donors

Hasidic and Orthodox Jews were some of the communities hit hardest by the pandemic, losing hundreds of people. That tragedy had at least one small silver lining, though -- it led to a large spike in donations of blood plasma from COVID survivors (which is believed to have COVID-treating antibodies), as Hasidic and Orthodox Jews are the groups that have donated the most nationwide by far, making up possibly half the total. Like in a Dracula wet dream, 12,000 donors signed up in just over a month, which completely filled New York and New Jersey blood banks and forced new donors to drive to Pennsylvania and Delaware.

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And the amazing thing is, it wasn't one person that had the idea to do this. Several independent efforts to recruit donors started up at the same time in the community. One Johns Hopkins doctor contacted a friend in the community and asked if anyone would be interested in donating blood, and he got a positive response right away. But at the same time, a couple of initiatives had already started up from within, by people who had nothing to do with each other. We'd make a joke here, but that kind of dedication to giving is seriously impressive.

One of the organizers of those drives, Avraham Weinstock, thinks this happened because the idea of kindness, or chesed, is so foundational to the community. Plus, very close community ties -- which let people quickly get the word out about donation drives -- probably helped, just like organizers who were committed to making something positive out of the pain inflicted by the pandemic.
ByteDance received a proposal from some of its investors to transfer majority ownership of TikTok to them, say sources.

Some investors of TikToks parent company ByteDance seeking to take over the popular social media app are valuing it at about $50bn, significantly more than peers such as Snap Inc, people familiar with the matter told Reuters news agency.

Beijing-based ByteDance is considering a range of options for TikTok amid pressure from the United States to relinquish control of the app that allows users to create short videos with special effects and has become wildly popular with US teenagers.

The apps success has helped turn ByteDance into one of only a handful of truly global Chinese conglomerates.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a US government panel which reviews deals by foreign acquirers for potential national security risks, has raised concerns about the safety of the personal data that TikTok handles under its Chinese owner, Reuters news agency has previously reported.

Privately held ByteDance has received a proposal from some of its investors, including Sequoia and General Atlantic, to transfer majority ownership of TikTok to them, the sources said. It has also fielded acquisition interest in TikTok from other companies and investment firms, the sources said.

The investors bid values TikTok at 50 times its projected 2020 revenue of about $1bn, according to the sources. By comparison, Snap is valued at 15 times its projected 2020 revenue, at about $33bn, according to data provider Refinitiv.

It is unclear whether ByteDances founder and CEO, Yiming Zhang, will be satisfied with the offer. ByteDance executives recently discussed valuation projections for TikTok that exceed $50bn, one of the sources said.

A man walks by a logo of ByteDance, the China-based company which owns the short video app TikTok, at its office in Beijing, China [File: Thomas Suen/Reuters]

TikTok is growing rapidly as it rakes in more cash from advertising, and its management team expects to achieve $6bn in revenue in 2021, one of the sources said. ByteDance, which owns other apps including TikToks Chinese counterpart, Douyin, has set itself a revenue target for 2020 of about 200 billion yuan ($28bn), Reuters has previously reported.

ByteDance was valued at as much as $140bn earlier this year when one of its shareholders, Cheetah Mobile Inc, sold a small stake in a private deal, one of the sources said.

If a deal for the whole of TikTok cannot be reached, ByteDance is exploring divesting only TikToks US operations, one of the sources said. It is not clear what such a deal would be worth and what ties TikTok in the US would maintain with its global operations.

There is no certainty that ByteDance will agree to any deal, the sources said. It is pushing ahead with structural changes that will further ringfence the US business of TikTok from its global empire, the sources added. These changes could include a new holding company for TikTok and an independent board, one of the sources said, cautioning that no decision has been made. The company has already separated TikTok operationally from its other apps through dedicated teams.

The sources requested anonymity because the deliberations are confidential.

ByteDance, General Atlantic and Sequoia declined to comment, while Cheetah Mobile and a CFIUS spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer said in a blog post on Wednesday that the company was committed to following US laws, and was allowing experts to observe its moderation policies and examine the code that drives its algorithms.

Target of US lawmakers

As relations between the US and China deteriorate over trade, Hong Kongs autonomy, cyber security and the spread of the novel coronavirus, TikTok has emerged as a flashpoint in the dispute between the worlds two largest economies.

Last week, the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs unanimously passed a bill that would bar US federal employees from using TikTok on government-issued devices. It will be taken up by the full Senate for a vote. The House of Representatives has already voted for a similar measure.

President Donald Trump and top administrations officials have said they are considering a broader ban on TikTok and other Chinese-linked apps.

ByteDance acquired Shanghai-based video app Musical.ly in a $1bn deal in 2017 and relaunched it as TikTok the following year. About 70 percent of the equity capital ByteDance has raised from outside investors has come from the US, according to one of the sources.
STAUNTON  The Bank of Hillsboro, in partnership with Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, has donated $2,500 to Staunton Helping Hands Center food pantry.

Co-coordinator Lori Semanik said the money will help them keep shelves stocked with a variety of healthy food, hygiene and other necessary items.

This donation is a huge help, she said. We try to purchase items for $1 or less so that tells you how far a $2,500 will go for us.

The need in our community is great right now, and as COVID-19 continues impacting more families and jobs, we expect that need to continue, if not increase, in coming months, she said.

Bank of Hillsboro was able to offer the donation after applying for a $20,000 grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago. The bank is offering a COVID-19 Relief Program consisting of zero-rate advances and grants to support all of its member institutions, such as Bank of Hillsboro, and the communities they serve.

Bank of Hillsboro Senior Vice President Mike Ward said that, after recognizing the need in the communities they serve, they decided to apply for the grant and were thrilled when they received it.

Were distributing a total of $20,000 to six different local nonprofits throughout our service area, he said. Especially during this time of extreme hardship for so many people, theres nothing more gratifying than being able to call nonprofits in our communities such as Staunton Helping Hands, and tell them were giving them a donation.

Staunton Helping Hands Center affects 650 to 750 individuals every month through its food pantry. The center utilizes the Central Food Bank and the Midwest Food Bank to obtain cost-effective food. The center supplies non-perishable items in addition to fresh produce, grains, frozen and refrigerated food and basic hygiene products.
At a time when the need for social distancing has driven organizations to embrace telework, questions about the future continue to inspire discussion: How permanent will the shift to telework be? And what effects would sustained telework have?In response to such questions, the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis published a post titled Working from Home and Broadband Access in Oregon. Josh Lehner, a state economist who authored the post, toldthat increased telework presents a long-term growth opportunity for small states in the west that rely on migration for labor and consumer spending.However, Lehner said its too early to tell whether telework will be a fixture of modern life on a massive scale, so he doesnt believe local areas in Oregon should get their hopes too high when it comes to the impact of remote work on population and economic growth.I have had multiple conversations with folks who think there is a big wave of remote workers coming to save rural economies, Lehner said. I dont think thats the case. I think were more likely to see incremental changes and incremental growth.Lehner said although available survey data has shown a massive spike in remote work in 2020, the vast majority of those workers are going to back to the office whenever its safe to do so.Lehners cautious perspective seems to be in line with a recent analysis of the pandemics impact on vehicle miles traveled (VMT). According to StreetLight Data CEO Laura Schewel, VMT across the U.S. is almost back to where it was in March, particularly in rural areas. One potential implication of higher VMT is that telework may not remain as prevalent as it was during the start of the health crisis.Others have a different point of view. Randy Cox, executive director of Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA) in Oregon, said the increased traffic hes seen in Klamath County has been associated with more visitors and tourists. Cox pointed out that KCEDA tends to work with employers, and what hes hearing is that remote work has been efficient and effective.Theyre finding that theyre getting more from the workers at home, he said.Cox also sees the shift to telework as something that was in the cards anyway. COVID-19 simply accelerated the change.We knew this was coming, Cox said. We thought it was coming in three or four years from now. What happened in three weeks [after the start of the health crisis] has been pretty incredible.Others have expressed optimism that U.S. society as a whole could benefit significantly from the new trend in telework. Articles from the Brookings Institution have suggested that remote work is likely here to stay and could move Americas highest-value employment away from large superstar metro areas and into the lower-priced American heartland..Meanwhile, reports from CNN and U.S. News & World Report indicate that citizens in urban areas are becoming more attracted to the idea of moving to a rural area due to a perceived higher risk of threat to COVID-19 in big cities.The limitation with such ideas, according to Lehner, is that its not necessarily true that rural areas are safer from the threat of infection. Lehner also points to the lack of hard data on community migration patterns; this type of information from the American Community Survey and the Internal Revenue Service wont be available until late next year.Another related issue is broadband availability in rural areas, Lehner said. Even in Oregon, where Internet subscription rates tend to be higher than the national average, rural broadband quality may not be where it needs to be for widespread telework.In other words, smaller local areas that may see telework as a potential economic boost must still contend with the complicated issue of broadband infrastructure.Still, stakeholders like Cox welcome the promise of change. Klamath County has great access to broadband, Cox said, as well as other characteristics that can attract workforce.Klamath County is ready for growth, Cox said. Were prepared, and we welcome anyone who wants to work remotely.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told MSNBC Tuesday night that Attorney General Bill Barr was "despicable" and acted like a "henchman" for President Trump during testimony on Capitol Hill earlier in the day.

The big picture: Barr testified that it was "irresponsible" of Pelosi to have likened federal law enforcement to "stormtroopers," after they were deployed to Portland, Oregon, during unrest at anti-racism protests. He said it's "possible" her remarks could endanger the officers. But Pelosi told MSNBC, "Do some other people come along and try to disrupt? Yes. But you dont send in people acting like stormtroopers into the scene and evoking even more, even more unease and unrest."

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

Go deeper: Barr's time in the barrel
Xtalks Life Science Webinars Most organizations are sitting on a gold mine of people data, with a typical HR department storing more than 400 data elements about each employee across multiple systems and in various schemas.

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Bill Barr, who is Donald Trumps personal lawyer ...

No, wait a minute, that's not right.

Bill Barr, who runs President Donald Trump's reelection campaign ...

Nope. That's not it, either.

Bill Barr, our nations attorney general, is the top law-enforcement officer in the land, though he regularly acts as though he sees his role quite differently: as Trumps lawyer, his campaign chief, his fixer, even.

Barr testified on Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee.

He repeatedly said, when asked direct questions, that he was unaware of this, that, the other thing. Especially when admitting that he knew about the matter at hand would shine a bad light on him and the president.

Barr, who was at times combative, sometimes acted as though he found the whole thing beneath him. And at least once, he was caught off guard and made to look the fool.

Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, asked Barr:

"Is it ever appropriate, sir, for the president to solicit or accept foreign assistance in an election?"

Barr's response, after a fairly long pause: "It depends what kind of assistance."

The congressman pushed ahead, asking Barr, "Is it ever appropriate for the president or presidential candidate to accept or solicit foreign assistance of any kind in his or her election?"

This time, Barr answered, "No, it's not appropriate."

In fact, it's illegal. And you'd like to think that our nation's top cop would know that. Said Cicilline, after Barr found his way to the correct answer, "OK, sorry you had to struggle with that one."

Barr generally seems to have difficulty demonstrating that he understands his role as the guy at the head of our nation's Department of Justice. Rather than standing up for the rule of law and equal protection, he often appears to be working mostly to shield Trump and aid in his reelection campaign.

Committee Democrats were highly critical of Barrs use of federal forces in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere. They accused him of politicizing the department by focusing only on the excesses of protesters from the left while repeatedly claiming to be unaware of violence and threats from those on the right. They damned his intervention in cases involving Trumps friends and allies.

And once the hearing was over? One imagines that politician Barr simply shrugged it all off and returned to working for Trumps reelection effort.
MaidPro and Men In Kilts Franchises Continuing to Grow "This pandemic has given people the opportunity to evaluate their current situation and pursue other options.

MaidPro, a residential home cleaning franchise, and Men In Kilts, a window and exterior house cleaning franchise, have continued to welcome new owners into their brands throughout 2020. Cleaning and home maintenance is at the forefront of many peoples priority list as they are spending more time at home due to the Covid-19 virus.

This year, MaidPro has signed on six new franchise owners with locations in Texas, California, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Massachusetts. During the same period, they have also trained five additional new franchisees who have successfully opened their doors for business. Currently, MaidPro has over 285 locations across North America and is ranked second in the country for franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review.

Men In Kilts has signed on and trained six new franchise owners with locations in Ohio, Texas, Colorado, Alabama, Arizona, and North Carolina. Men In Kilts U.S., originally a Canadian franchise brand, was acquired in 2019 and has seen an exponential increase in new offices and businesses ever since. The brand uses a unique marketing strategy where their technicians wear kilts in the field to help both promote and create a fun experience for the customer.

The continued growth of these brands has come as a bit of a surprise as most other industries have seen a halt in sales and operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Mark Kushinsky, MaidPro & Men In Kilts CEO, attributes this growth to the large number of people wanting and needing new opportunities, With the economy shut down, many people have job insecurity and more time to spend thinking about their futures. We are proud to offer low-cost business opportunities that allow people to become their own boss and design a lifestyle that they desire. Kushinky continued, Its easy for people to get caught up in their everyday routines and push off career or personal goals. This pandemic has given people the opportunity to evaluate their current situation and pursue other options.

MaidPro and Men In Kilts both pride themselves on their franchisee satisfaction, innovative technology, and freedom (both financially and personally) that their brands provide. Both also offer a variety of startup options based on investment level and special discounts for qualified candidates.

MaidPro and Men In Kilts are both currently accepting new owners into their systems. For more information visit maidprofranchise.com or meninkiltsfranchising.com.


The stolen teddy bear Ryan Reynolds offered a $5,000 reward for has been found and safely returned.

Mara Soriano, 28, was the toy's owner and had a voice recording of her late mother saved onto the Build-A-Bear product.

She tweeted a picture of herself with the returned teddy bear this Wednesday and wrote: 'BREAK OUT THE @AviationGin, @VancityReynolds!!! MAMABEAR IS HOME!!! #FOUNDMARASBEAR.'

'In happier news...': The stolen teddy bear Ryan Reynolds offered a $5,000 reward for has been found and safely returned

Ryan, who is from Vancouver, quoted Mara's tweet and wrote: 'In happier news... thank you everyone who searched high and low. To the person who took the bear, thanks for keeping it safe. Vancouver is awesome. #FoundMarasBear.'

Mara had 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.

Hometown pride: Ryan, who is pictured at the premiere of his film Pokemon: Detective Pikachu last year, is from Vancouver

Mara Soriano had appealed for the safe return of her teddy bear, stolen in Vancouver on Friday

'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.

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

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.'
Iranian forces launched their first missile from underground today, according to state-run media outlets. The Islamic Republic has conducted well publicized military drills for two days amid heightened tensions with the United States.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) exercise took place in the southern Hormozgan province along the Persian Gulf on Wednesday. The elite units Aerospace Division was responsible for the launch, Irans Press TV reported. Videos of the drill published by the outlet showed small structures exploding.

Underground missiles are stored and fired from underneath the earths surface. The United States and Russia also possess such technology.

Iranian forces are in the middle of military drills that are clearly focused on the United States. The IRGC also practiced targeting US anti-missile defense systems and used images purportedly taken by an Iranian satellite of a US base during todays drills, the state-run Tasnim News Agency reported.

Irans Supreme Leader the Ayatollah Ali Khameini said the US presence in the Middle East is a detriment and a cause for insecurity, destruction and backwardness of the countries in a speech during the exercises.

During yesterdays drill, Iran fired missiles at a replica of a US aircraft carrier.

Tehran has boasted a few military technology achievements this year. In April, the IRGC launched its first military satellite into orbit.

US-Iran tensions have been heightened throughout 2020. In April, the United States accused Iran of harassing US ships in the Persian Gulf, through which much of the worlds oil shipments pass. Iran has long viewed the US presence there and US support for Sunni Arab states in the Gulf as a threat and considers the Gulf of immense strategic importance.

More recently, Iran accused two US fighter jets of harassing an Iranian Beirut-bound passenger plane over Syria last week. The United States has accused the carrier, Mahan Air, of flying weapons to Iran-backed fighters in the region.
Iranian Delegation To Visit Ukraine To Discuss Compensation For Shooting Down Passenger Jet

By RFE/RL July 28, 2020

An Iranian delegation will visit Ukraine later this week to discuss compensation for a Ukrainian jet shot down by Iran on January 8, the Ukrainian foreign minister has said.

"Given the circumstance of what happened, there are all reasons to ask from Iran to pay the highest price for what it did," Dmytro Kuleba said at a news conference during a visit to Warsaw.

"I cannot disclose final numbers of the compensation...numbers will be the result of the consultations," he said.

Kuleba said Ukraine would represent all countries and groups affected during the talks, which will take place July 29-30.

Iran's military says it downed the Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) passenger jet after mistaking it for a missile amid heightened tensions with the United States. All 176 people on board, including 57 Canadians, were killed.

The aircraft was shot down hours after Iran fired missiles at Iraqi air bases housing U.S. forces in retaliation for the U.S. drone killing of a senior Iranian commander.

The data extraction from the jet's black boxes is being carried out in Paris. Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB) said on July 23 the download and preliminary analysis of the cockpit voice and flight data was finished but the investigation is far from over.

"The download and preliminary data analysis was an important milestone in what must be a thorough and transparent safety investigation," TSB Chairwoman Kathy Fox said in a statement.

Iran's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the investigation, which is being observed by Canadian, U.S., Swedish, and British experts and representatives from UIA, aircraft manufacturer Boeing, and engine maker Safran.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-ukraine -passenger-jet/30751532.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have requested three local hospitals to make preparations for the treatment of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients if necessary.

Vice-chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Le Thanh Liem has sent an urgent document to lower-level administrations, asking them to continue COVID-19 prevention and control efforts across the metropolis.

The citys Department of Health was tasked with coordinating with relevant agencies to further monitor and perform COVID-19 tests on all patients with symptoms of respiratory diseases at local medical facilities, as well as on high-risk cases in the community.

Local pharmacies are required to advise medicine buyers with potential COVID-19 symptoms to seek health check-ups at hospitals and medical centers.

All medical facilities must require patients to fill out health declaration forms in order to promptly detect people who have previously been to the central city of Da Nang, as well as other localities where community infections were recently recorded.

Vice-chairman Liem asked two makeshift hospitals in Cu Chi and Can Gio Districts, as well as the City Children's Hospital in Binh Chanh District, to be ready for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, especially those who are critically sickened.

The Department of Information and Communications will be in charge of raising awareness of COVID-19 among local residents, and sternly penalize those who spread false information on the pandemic.

The Department of Transport will examine all vehicles coming from Da Nang and localities with newly-recorded COVID-19 cases.

Vietnams COVID-19 tally was at 446, with 369 having recovered as of Wednesday morning.

The country has documented 30 community-based cases since Saturday last week, ending a streak of 99 days without a single local transmission, according to a Tuoi Tre News count.

Twenty-six of the patients, including three critical cases, are in Da Nang, three in Quang Nam, and one in Quang Ngai Province.

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Its no secret that Queen Elizabeth II has an impressive jewelry collection. Over the years royal fans have marveled at the dripping diamonds and shiny pieces members of the royal family wear. Some of the most glamorous are the tiaras.

Weve seen not just the queen but also Princess Diana; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex wear some exquisite headpieces. Heres more about the queens many tiaras including which one is her favorite and which is the most expensive.

Queen Elizabeth II | Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

RELATED: Why Sarah Ferguson Was Allowed To Keep Her Wedding Tiara After Her Divorce But Princess Diana Was Not

Queen Elizabeth owns dozens of tiaras

The queen has worn a number of tiaras during royal events and state visits.

She wore Queen Marys Fringe Tiara on her wedding day in 1947. The monarch has worn it a few other times as well including for a state banquet in Iceland in 1990. Princess Beatrice borrowed the tiara from her grandmother to wear when she married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on July 17, 2020. Royal fans may also be familiar with The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara as the sovereign has worn that for her portrait on stamps.

Queen Elizabeth also has a tiara that is said to protect her from evil. She was seen wearing that Burmese Ruby and Diamond Tiara during a state banquet held at Buckingham Palace for U.S. President Donald Trump.

So just how many tiaras does she have in her collection? No one knows the exact number but its believed to be around four dozen.

Which is her favorite?

Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara in 2019 | Victoria Jones  WPA Pool/Getty Images

One of the royal family matriarchs favorite tiaras is the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara. Shes worn it on several different occasions including the annual diplomatic reception in 2019.

The piece belonged to Russian royal Grand Duchess Vladimir. As the story goes, when the duchess had to flee Russia she left the tiara and other precious jewels behind. According to Town & County, a British officer was able to retrieve the jewels sometime later and gave them to her son, Grand Duke Boris, who had been living in London in exile.

Queen Mary purchased the tiara in 1921. It is made up of 15 diamond circles interlinked and can be worn multiple ways with hanging pearls, diamonds, or emeralds.

The priciest tiara was worn by Princess Eugenie on her wedding day

Princess Eugenie wearing the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara | ALASTAIR GRANT/AFP via Getty Images

Of all the queens tiaras, one of the priciest was worn by Princess Eugenie on her wedding day. Queen Elizabeths granddaughter donned the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara when she married Jack Brooksbank on Oct. 12, 2018.

The stunning headpiece was created in 1919 by Boucheron for Queen Marys close friend, Margaret Greville, and later given to the Queen Mother. It features diamonds and emeralds set in platinum with a 93.7-carat oval-shaped emerald in the center.

This piece is certainly exquisite; the center emerald has a wonderfully vivid color and large size, something which is rare to find these days, gemologist and jewelry expert Deborah Papas told The Express. With such strong historical provenance, from Mrs. Greville to the Queen Mother, and now the queen, an elegant jewel such as this would be estimated to fetch in the region of 5-10 million ($6 to $12 million USD) at auction.

RELATED: When Is Kate Middleton Forbidden From Wearing a Tiara?
So what can we do if we want to break out of the stranglehold of Big Tech?

At first glance, there may not seem like much we can do to escape. Its not like you can start shopping at local bookstores and put Amazon out of business, said Jason Fried, the founder of Basecamp, a Chicago-based company that offers productivity apps.

But the more I thought about this, the more I realized that there were some steps that we could take to better support techs little guys, too. We would do ourselves and smaller businesses a favor by staying informed on alternatives, for one. We could change our consumption patterns so that we were not just buying new products from the tech giants. And we could show our support for indie developers who make the apps we love.

As Mr. Fried put it, We can do things to change our own conscience. Heres how.

When possible, find alternatives

Step One to becoming a more conscientious consumer is doing some research.

While Google Chrome may be the most popular web browser, there are alternatives that collect less data about us. And while all of our friends are on Facebook, there are also smaller apps or methods we can use to stay connected with them. The key is to read news sites and tech blogs to learn about options.

You have to read and be informed, said Don Heider, chief executive of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Otherwise, youre not going to have a clue of where to go and what to pick and what the impact is.
Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh has said that Sushant Singh Rajputs death will be investigated by the Mumbai Police, and the case will not be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation, despite sustained public pressure. Mumbai police are investigating the case. It will not be transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation, Deshmukh said, according to ANI, following a meeting on Wednesday.

His comments come a day after Sushants father, KK Singh, filed an FIR in Patna against the actors girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty, under the various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Rhea on Wednesday filed a petition to transfer the investigation to Mumbai.

Mumbai police are investigating the case. It will not be transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): Anil Deshmukh, Maharashtra Home Minister on #SushantSinghRajput's death case pic.twitter.com/RCPDDMvF2t  ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2020

Also read: Rhea Chakraborty files petition to transfer investigation in Sushant Singh Rajput death case to Mumbai

Rhea had earlier demanded a CBI probe into Rajput's death case. She had said that she was the deceased actor's "girlfriend" and requested a CBI inquiry to "understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step".

Sushants father, in his FIR said that on June 8, when Rhea found that the bank balance of Sushant is going down, she left with cash, jewellery, laptop, credit card, its pin number and password and important documents and doctors receipts.

According to the Maharashtra police, statements of 41 people, including filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt film critic Rajeev Masand, director-producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and filmmaker Aditya Chopra have been recorded in the investigation so far. Sushant was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14.

(With ANI inputs)

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NASA astronaut Megan McArthur will pilot the second Crew Dragon mission to ISS

NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, whose husband Bob Behnken was one of two crew members aboard spacex's historic Crew Dragon mission in May, will pilot the commercial craft's second launch in the spring of 2021.

McArthur and Behnken met as members of the Astronaut Class of 2000, and have a six-year-old son, Theodore.

NASA on Tuesday announced the four-member crew for the second operational SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to the International Space Station, which will be commanded by NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough.

Joining the crew as specialists will be Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

McArthur and Bob Behnken (together above) met as members of the Astronaut Class of 2000, and have a six-year-old son, Theodore

McArthur is seen training for the spring mission with NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough. She will pilot and Kimbrogh will command the mission

Previously, McArthur launched on space shuttle Atlantis as a mission specialist on STS-125, the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, in 2009

McArthur will be making her second trip to space, but her first to the station. She flew on NASAs final mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Her husband Behnken remained aboard the ISS as NASA announced McArthur's selection for the second mission, and is due to return to Earth this weekend.

'So excited to get to fly with these guys!' McArthur said in a tweet as the crew list for the second mission was announced.

According to NASA, McArthur was born in Honolulu but considers California to be her home state.

After being selected as an astronaut in 2000, she launched on space shuttle Atlantis as a mission specialist on STS-125, the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, in 2009.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (L) and Doug Hurley (R) on seen on the ISS shortly after arriving aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on May 31. They will return to Earth this weekend

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft launched from Launch Complex 39A on NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard on May 31

McArthur operated the shuttle's robotic arm over the course of the nearly 13-day mission, capturing the telescope and moving crew members during the five spacewalks needed to repair and upgrade it.

She holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a doctorate in oceanography from the University of California, San Diego.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting 7.34pm EDT on Saturday, August 1, for undocking of the Dragon 'Endeavour' spacecraft from the ISS for Behnken and Doug Hurley to return to Earth.

Splashdown is targeted for 2.42pm on Sunday. It will be the first return of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft carrying astronauts from the space station.

'The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight,' NASA said in a statement.

'As commercial companies focus on providing human transportation services to and from low-Earth orbit, NASA is free to focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep space missions to the Moon and Mars.'
The Conservatives have started searching for a new 100,000-a-year spokesperson for Boris Johnson to front White House-style press briefings televised to the country.

The prime minister revealed earlier this month the government was going to have a go at the live briefings following the public interest in No 10s daily coronavirus press conferences, which took place during the first months of the pandemic.

People have liked a more direct, detailed information from the government about what is going on, he said. And I think that theyve actually particularly liked out brilliant scientists and medical advisers, possibly more than the politicians to be frank.

Mr Johnson, who said he would appear at the podium on occasions, added: We do think that people want direct engagement and want stuff from us, and so were going to have a go at that.

The advertisement for the vacancy, posted on the Conservatives LinkedIn page on Tuesday evening, describes the unique opportunity to work at the heart of government and communicate with the nation on behalf of the prime minister from the autumn. The role will not be appointed by the civil service so that the spokesperson can address questions of a political nature, including Labour Party policy.

The successful candidate will represent the government and Mr Johnson to an audience of millions on a daily basis, across the main broadcast channels and social media, and to have the chance to influence and shape public opinion, it added.

Applicants for the job are required to email their CVs and a statement of suitability to No 10s director of communications Lee Cain by the middle of August and undergo security clearance.

It says hopefuls would need to be an experienced and confident media operator who would enjoy working on camera with senior ministers, political advisers, officials and journalists; who would relish the challenge and pace of televised briefings, and who has a strong grasp of foreign and domestic policy issues.

The successful candidate will become a trusted political adviser to the prime minister and member of the senior team at Downing Street, reporting into the prime ministers director of communications, the adverts adds.

While the job advert states that salary will be determined based on experience, The Daily Telegraph reported the role will come with a 100,000 per year pay packet.

Former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders answers questions from reporters (Reuters) (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

At the time, Labour MP Chris Bryant criticised the proposals, saying: I dont like this idea of televised daily press briefings from Downing Street. Were a parliamentary democracy, we have a prime minister not a president. So announcements should be in and to parliament.

It is expected the daily, off-camera briefing from the prime ministers official spokesperson, who is a civil servant, will continue alongside the new White House-style press conference hosted at Downing Street.

For many years the White House has held similar briefings fronted by the administrations press secretary and US presidents have often made appearances at them. Kayleigh McEnany is the fourth person to hold the role since Donald Trump entered the Oval Office in 2016, her predecessors being Stephanie Grisham, Sarah Sanders and Sean Spicer.

Ms Sanders, who left the role last year, once displayed her loyalties to Mr Trump, telling a religious television network that God wanted Donald Trump to become president.
(Newser)  A Nevada library recently posted a proposed statement on diversity and inclusion, and it didn't sit well with the county sheriff. The Douglas County Public Library "denounces all acts of violence, racism, and disregard for human rights. We support #Black Lives Matter," the library wrote in the statement first shared publicly last week, per the Washington Post. Sheriff Dan Coverley reacted Monday with his own open letter on the sheriff's office website. "Due to your support of Black Lives Matter and the obvious lack of support or trust with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, please do not feel the need to call 911 for help," Coverley wrote. "I wish you good luck with disturbances and lewd behavior, since those are just some of the recent calls my office has assisted you with." Coverley expanded on his reasoning, noting the "violence" and "property damage" that have taken place at BLM protests nationwide.

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"To support this movement is to support violence and to openly ask for it to happen in Douglas County," he wrote. Library director Amy Dodson says the diversity statement was meant to be one of inclusion, not anti-police. "I want the sheriff's office to know we do love and support our law enforcement here," she says. "I think a lot of this has been a big misunderstanding." After she met with Coverley, he agreed. "This has been a difficult time to be a law enforcement professional," he said in a joint statement issued Tuesday by the library and sheriff's office. "My response was rooted in my belief that these issues need to be openly discussed in a way that values diversity and law enforcement." A county rep notes that deputies will continue to respond to all 911 calls, including those at the library. (Read more Black Lives Matter stories.)
As absentee ballots were tallied for years primaries, the number of Democratic Assembly incumbents who were toppled by challengers grew to historic proportions. A total of seven insurgents, most first-time candidates running from the left, were victorious  a remarkable shift from recent decades, in which Assembly members have rarely lost a reelection bid.

The same cant be said about Congress. Both the number of insurgent congressional campaigns and the attention paid to them increased this year, but that did not translate into a wave of victories for challengers. In the June primary, 19 Democrats in New Yorks House delegation were up for reelection the other two retired, leaving their seats open. Of those 19, only eight didnt face challengers.

Despite that unusually large number of high-profile primary challenges to Democrats, only one incumbent ultimately lost his seat. Rep. Eliot Engel, a white man in a majority-minority Bronx/Westchester district, was the lone loser, succumbing to Jamaal Bowman, a Black middle-school principal and member of the Democratic Socialists of America. And while progressive Mondaire Jones in the lower Hudson Valley is likely on his way to the House of Representatives, he won an open seat.

It was the first time a majority of incumbents had primaries in at least a decade. In 2010, only one Democratic incumbent  then-Rep. Gary Ackerman of Queens  had a primary, one he won with an overwhelming majority.

2012 saw the number of challenges increase to five out of 19 Democratic incumbents having to fend off opponents. None of the challengers won. All the incumbents won again in 2014, when four out of 19 incumbents faced insurgents, and again in 2016 when five out of 16 were challenged.

In the past decade, only two New York congressional candidates who have challenged sitting members in the Democratic primary have won, Bowman and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who beat then-Rep. Joseph Crowley in a Bronx-Queens district in 2018. That year, hers was one of only five primary races among New York congressional Democrats. Inspired by her success and the wave of progressive upset victors in the state Senate that year, more than twice as many congressional challengers threw their hat in the ring this time.

In most cases, this years congressional primaries were not particularly close in June. Rep. Carolyn Maloneys rematch against Suraj Patel was the closest race in which the incumbent won, with a near tie after election night. But Maloney pulled ahead by a 3,700 vote margin after all the votes were counted, according to her campaign. However, while Maloney declared victory, Patel has not yet conceded. (In this and every other New York City 2020 primary race, the city Board of Elections has not yet officially certified the elections and final vote tallies are not available, only unofficial election night returns.)

The race for Maloneys seat is one example of why more insurgent candidates don't necessarily lead to more insurgent victories. The progressive, anti-establishment vote got split among Maloneys opponents, mostly between Patel, who received nearly 39% of the vote on election night, and democratic socialist Lauren Ashcraft, who got about 13%. In the past decade, Maloneys only other challenger in the Manhattan/Brooklyn/Queens district was Peter Lindner, who got less than 10% in 2016.

Patel may have been a victim of his own success in 2018, when he surprised observers by garnering 40%. That, and challenger Adem Bunkeddekos 47% against Brooklyn Rep. Yvette Clarke, inspired both of them to run again and also drew in other challengers to those races. Like with Maloney, the race for Clarkes seat attracted more candidates in 2020, including democratic socialist Isiah James and socially conservative New York City Council Member Chaim Deutsch. Clarke came out of election night with over 60%, more than enough to have overpowered a single opponent if every vote against her went to a single candidate. But Bunkeddeko may have been hurt by splitting progressive momentum with James. And the entrance of Deustch may have caused left-leaning voters who supported Bunkeddeko in 2018 to coalesce around Clarke to head off the threat of a Deutsch victory.

Both Clarke and Maloney may have also campaigned harder this year given the surprising strength of the 2018 challenges.

Nonetheless, if the trend of more challengers continues, the number of unseated incumbents may increase simply because more people are running serious campaigns against them. If 2020 is any indication, incumbents who are used to remaining in office with no serious challenge to their position may soon face regular primaries from younger candidates.

Rep. Grace Meng faced her first primary since winning office in 2012, against two challengers, including demotratic socialist Melquiades Gagarin. Rep. Jerrold Nadler had only one other primary challenger in the past decade  a race he won with 90% of the vote 2016  before he faced off against two candidates in June. He ultimately won with 60% to Lindsay Boylans 24% and Jonathan Herzogs 12% after election night.

Prior to 2018, now-Rep. Adriano Espaillat put up the toughest primary challenges in the last few election cycles, in his attempts to unseat to then-Rep. Charles Rangel in 2012 and 2014. But, unlike the more recent candidates, he was already serving in the Assembly. The district Espaillat sought to represent (and eventually won in 2016) was also changing from majority-Black to majority-Latino, giving him a natural base of support.

The emerging trend of serious congressional primary challenges from political newcomers is unprecedented in recent New York history.

However, the insurgency wave still seems largely contained to downstate. Rep. Joseph Morelle was the only sitting Democratic member of Congress north of Westchester to have a primary. He faced democratic socialist Robin Wilt and won 68% to 32%.

But if the state Senate in 2018 and the Assembly in 2020, combined with the sudden spike in the number of congressional primary races, are any indication, it may only be a matter of time before New York starts seeing a lot more turnover in its congressional delegation.

Update: This post has been updated to reflect the final results of Rep. Joseph Morelles race.

Correction: This post originally misstated the certification status of elections outside of New York City.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr faced scrutiny from Democrats in Congress on Tuesday for dispatching federal agents to quell Black Lives Matter protests after ignoring armed protests and death threats against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over her coronavirus orders.

Barr testified on the use of federal law enforcement to restrain nationwide demonstrations against police brutality before the House Judiciary Committee. Democrats on the committee argued Barr exhibited a bias against protesters who dont support President Donald Trump while protecting those who sided with the president against Whitmers stay-at-home orders.

In April, Barr instructed the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan to oversee efforts to look out for unconstitutional orders aiming to stop the spread of COVID-19. The next month, the Justice Department backed a lawsuit filed against Whitmer by business owners who argued the governors orders are unconstitutional and discriminatory.

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, said Barr threw the weight of the Justice Department behind a campaign to shut down safe public health orders in March and April. Baskin criticized Barr for ignoring protests inside Michigans Capitol on April 30, which saw gun-carrying demonstrators in tactical gear enter the Senate gallery and verbally clash with police.

You did not send in a secret police force on horseback to unleash tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets against these protesters storming the state Capitol of Michigan, Raskin said. No, you embraced it by joining litigation against the governors of Michigan and Virginia.

Barr said he was not aware of violent threats against Whitmer, but later said the Michigan authorities can handle the situation.

Protests against Whitmers executive orders requiring businesses to close and residents to stay away from public spaces inspired months of demonstrations in cities across the state, on the steps of the Capitol and outside the governors taxpayer-funded home in Lansing. Some of the demonstrators displayed extreme rhetoric comparing the governor to Adolf Hitler, carrying Confederate flags and calling for tyrants to be hung.

Several Michigan lawmakers expressed concerns for their safety and some wore bulletproof vests to the State House. Firearms are not prohibited from the Capitol building.

During at least two demonstrations, one in Lansing and another outside an Ypsilanti venue where Trump was scheduled to speak, a man hung a doll representing the governor by a noose. A 32-year-old Detroit man was arrested, accused of making death threats against the governor.

Several private Facebook groups also promoted violence against Whitmer and other female politicians. Some members who posted in the groups, a few of which were taken down by Facebook, said Whitmer should be assassinated.

Though the anti-lockdown protests featured extreme rhetoric, there have been no accounts of property damage or violence associated with them. Barr testified Tuesday that violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, had a heated exchange with Barr over what she called a disproportionate response against protesters in Portland and other cities.

You didnt send federal agents in to do to the presidents supporters what you did to the presidents protesters, Jayapal said. When white men with swastikas storm a government building with guns, there is no need for the president to activate you because theyre getting the presidents agenda done. When black people and people of color protest police brutality, system racism and the presidents own lack of response to those issues, then you forcibly remove them with armed federal officers, pepper balls, because they are considered terrorists by the president.

Jayapal later called for Barr to resign in a statement on Twitter.

READ MORE ON MLIVE:

Sexist attacks cast Michigan Gov. Whitmer as mothering tyrant of coronavirus dystopia

Fight erupts at Michigan Capitol over doll with noose around neck

Michigan Republicans condemn social media threats as Democrats call for gun ban in Capitol

Michigan Capitol Commission agrees it can ban guns, but stops short of doing so
EU leaders will resume their fractious summit on Monday to save an $860-billion coronavirus aid plan, hoping to offset some of the economic destruction unleashed worldwide by the pandemic. The disease has killed more than 600,000 people globally out of nearly 14.5 million known infections, and with new clusters across the planet, alarm is growing about the virus spreading out of control. Europe remains the worst-hit continent, with more than 200,000 deaths, but there is bitter dispute among European Union leaders on how to help its worst-hit -- and most indebted -- members such as Italy and Spain. "Are the 27 leaders, responsible for the people of Europe, capable of building European unity and trust?" EU Council President Charles Michel asked the attending leaders, reminding them of the human cost of the crisis. A handful of EU countries led by the Netherlands are reluctant to hand over such vast sums -- 750 billion euros -- to nations they regard as profligate, particularly Spain and Italy. The summit will resume at 1200 GMT on Monday. Many countries in the continent had largely brought their outbreaks under control and were considering further easing of restrictions before fresh clusters were detected. France has made face masks compulsory in public indoor spaces, Spain asks millions to stay at home again, while the German state of Bavaria said it would soon offer free virus tests at airports. But an anti-mask demonstration in London on Sunday highlighted the challenge still facing authorities and health experts despite the mounting COVID-19 toll. Dozens gathered to protest the face mask requirement in England's shops and supermarkets, many of them holding banners with widely discredited conspiracy theories -- such as coronavirus prevention measures being used for "mind control". - Deadly US surge - The United States -- the worst-hit country in the world -- has reported more than 60,000 new daily cases for six days. With close to 3.8 million cases and more than 140,000 deaths, American authorities are struggling to contain the surge and US President Donald Trump has been criticised for his response to the crisis. The devastation has left tens of millions jobless, and the poorest have been hit hardest by the economic downturn. To help the less privileged and the homeless, one charity in Los Angeles has started a "community fridges" programme. It involves seven colourful, clean and well-stocked refrigerators for anyone to access. "If you need to empty the fridge, no one will judge you. If you need to take one tomato, or you only put one tomato in there, do it," said Marina Vergara, an organiser for LA Community Fridges. - Mask measures - Despite the vocal and stubborn opposition to lockdowns and face masks in some parts of the world, they remain among the few options for authorities to control new outbreaks in the absence of a vaccine. There was grim evidence of how quickly the virus can spread over the weekend, with Iran's president saying an estimated 25 million people in the country have already been infected. While Hong Kong's daily case count of 108 on Sunday was far below other parts of the world, city authorities tightened distancing measures further, pointing to the fear of uncontrolled infections. That followed the Australian state of Victoria making face masks mandatory for millions in and around Melbourne last week. But the tightened restrictions have also come with increased frustration over the economy and the inability to interact with others. In the latest illustration of such a situation boiling over, police in Germany -- where bars and clubs remain closed -- said they were hit by a "hail of bottles" when they tried to break up an open-air party in the city centre. "What I find especially abhorrent is that bystanders cheered and clapped when bottles hit my colleagues," said Frankfurt police chief Gerhard Bereswill. burs-qan/hg
Representative image

Thailand's PTT Group is holding discussions with Goldman Sachs to purchase a stake in India's ReNew Power, according to a report by The Economic Times.

US investment bank Goldman Sachs could shed at least half of its 48 percent stake in the Gurugram-based renewable energy company, the report suggests.

PTT, the Thai state-owned energy giant, is reportedly willing to invest a minimum of $500 million in the company at a valuation of around $2.2 billion, lower than the valuation ReNew Power had sought two years ago. PTT is conducting due diligence and is being advised by EY on the deal, the report suggests.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report. Goldman, ReNew Power declined to comment when contacted by the newspaper and PTT had not yet responded.

"The discussions are being led by Goldmans teams in London and Hong Kong. They have been talking for months with existing and new to monestise their investment as the life of the original fund that had invested got over. With traditional oil and gas companies diversifying into environment friendly investment opportunities for their ESG compliance you will see more of this trend," a person aware of the development told the newspaper.

The transaction's details are still being finalised and there is no guarantee that a deal will materialise, the report adds.
Mumbai, July 29 : India can emerge as top five exporters of agro commodities in the world, if the central and state governments take effective measures to handhold farmers, a study conducted by MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai showed.

According to the study, through focused intervention in capacity building, India can enhance its agro export to surpass Thailand and Indonesia and become the fifth largest exporter in the world.

"As a first strategy, the government should re-orient the role of its extension centres, viz the 715 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across the country, to handhold farmers in growing those varieties of crops that are demanded in the global market," a statement on the study said.

"Many a times, India's export consignments are rejected because of presence of pesticides above the prescribed 'Maximum Residual Limits' in foreign countries. KVKs should guide farmers on prudential use of pesticides and other agro chemicals so that they conform to the global quality standards." However, the study pointed out that in the last decade, India has made "remarkable progress" in export of niche products such as capsicum chilly, castor oil, tobacco extracts and sweet biscuits.

"India has also made considerable progress in export of basmati rice, meat and marine products. These success stories should be replicated in other potential food products," the statement said.

"India has less than 1 per cent share in world exports of beverages, floriculture, cereal preparations, flour and starch, processed fruits and vegetables." It recommends that India should explore 'South Asia and ASEAN' markets for beverages. Accordingly, the study says that India can tap $1.46 billion worth import demand for non-alcoholic beverages in South Asia and ASEAN countries.

Besides, the study mentions that India's export of mango pulp has declined from 154,820 tonnes in 2014-15 to 105,873 tonnes in 2018-19. "There is a need to set up more mango clusters in the country to enhance production capacity and arrest this declining trend," the statement said.

At present, India ranks eighth with annual agro exports of $39 billion, after EU ($181 bn), USA ($172 bn), Brazil ($93 bn), China ($83 bn), Canada ($69 bn), Indonesia ($46 bn) and Thailand ($44 bn), showed the latest data from the WTO.

As per FAO data, India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world and yet its share in world exports is 1.7-1.8 per cent.

Similarly, India is the largest producer of papaya, lemons and limes; but meets hardly 3.2 per cent of the world import demand for papaya, 0.5 per cent of world import demand for lemons and limes, showed FAO data.
New Delhi: With new angles being probed in Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, sources reveal that Mumbai police recorded his sister Mitu Singh's statement only once. She didn't respond when called for the second time.

According to the source, Mumbai police has not been able to record Sushant's father KK Singh's statement as yet. He was in Mumbai for only for one and half days for completing the last rites of his son and during that time, he was not in a condition to recording any statement. However, the police did manage to talk to him but only briefly.

It is learnt that the actor's family did not mention about his medical treatment or finances to the Mumbai police.

However, Mumbai police is yet to question Ankita Lokhande, who was Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend for almost six years and actress Kriti Sanon, with whom Sushant starred in 'Rabta'.

Sushant Singh Rajput's father KK Singh lodged an FIR against Rhea Chakraborty and her family for cheating, exploiting and abetment to suicide. The FIR has been filed in Patna's Rajiv Nagar police station under IPC Sections 341, 342, 380, 406, 420 and 306. A four-member police team has been constituted to probe the case which flew to Mumbai to carry out an investigation along with the Mumbai Police.

Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020. Over 37 people have been questioned so far in relation to the actor.
Russian Authors Society ex-CEO sentenced to 5 years in jail for $10.5 mln embezzlement

 City news agency Moskva, Kirill Zykov

20:20 29/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 29 (RAPSI)  Ex-CEO of the Russian Authors Society (RAO) Sergey Fedotov on Wednesday was found guilty of the 762 million-ruble (over $10.5 million at the current exchange rate) embezzlement and received 5 years in penal colony, RAPSI reported from the Presnensky District Court of Moscow.

The court also convicted and sentenced his mother and ex-deputy director of the organization Vera Fedotova to a 4-year suspended term. Ex-Society's employee Anzhela Ageikina and ex-CEO of the Service Operation Company Svetlana Temesheva also received a 5-year suspended sentence each. Temesheva's husband Volodiy Nazgashvili was given a 3-year suspended sentence.

On Tuesday a prosecutor demanded 5.5 years in jail for Fedotov and 4.5 years behind bars for other defendants.

Investigators claimed that the defendants had transferred the authors royalty payments to the fake accounts and then cashed the money.

The trial was held under a special procedure, without examining evidence, as the defendant had pleaded guilty. Fedotov also admitted embezzlement of 12 million rubles during payment of legal services that had not been provided to the Society.

In December 2018, Moscows Tverskoy District Court ordered the accused persons to be placed in detention. Investigators believe that they transferred the authors royalty payments to the fake accounts and then cashed the money.

In June 2017, Fedotov was convicted in his first embezzlement case and sentenced to 1.5 years behind bars.

As previously reported, employees of the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) have revealed a fraud scheme over illegal alienation of RAOs property. Damage caused to the RAOs property has been estimated at 500 million rubles (over $7 million at the current exchange rate). The defendant pleaded guilty.

In December 2017, he was released on parole.
Kodak

The Eastman Kodak Company, best known for making cameras, has forayed into the pharmaceutical business after US President Donald Trump announced that the fallen giant of the photography industry will produce ingredients used in generic drugs to help in the fight against coronavirus.

As per media reports, the US government has granted Kodak a $765-million loan to start producing drug ingredients under the defense production act.

"Our 33rd use of the defense production act will mobilise Kodak to make generic, active pharmaceutical ingredients. We will bring back our jobs and we will make America the worlds premier medical manufacturer and supplier," Trump said in a press conference.

The President called the decision one of the most important deals in the history of US pharmaceutical industries.

The government loan will help support startup costs needed to repurpose and expand Kodaks existing facilities in Rochester, New York, and St Paul, Minnesota.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The Kodak unit will have the capacity to produce up to 25 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) needed to make generic drugs in the United States, Trump said.

The move is aimed to reduce US' dependency on foreign countries for medical supplies.

We must never be reliant on a foreign nation for Americas medical or other needs," Trump said at the White House.

"If you look at drugs, 90 percent of the drugs that we take today are generics, and they are almost all made overseas, Adam Boehler, who heads the US International Development Finance Corp, said in an interview on CNBC.

"The dominant manufacturer of ingredients for generics is China, and Number 2 is India. And so, we said if were going to re-shore and bring things back and were going to have safety and security going forward, we need to change that."

Following the announcement, shares of Kodak surged over 60 percent. The stock jumped threefolds during the trading session and extended gains in the aftermarket hours.

Kodak's slowness in transitioning to digital photography, despite developing the first self-contained digital camera, led to financial struggles for the company in the late 1990s.

In 2012, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US and shifted its focus onto printing and professional services for companies

According to reports, Japan's Fujifilm is another photography firm that has joined hands in the fight against the deadly virus. The company is reportedly working on a potential COVID-19 vaccine and hopes to start human trials soon.

After multiple years of underperformance due to regulatory and pricing issues, the pharma sector came to the forefront since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which has so far claimed more than 6.5 lakh lives across the world.

The US has the reported the highest infections and deaths in the world.

In India, the Nifty Pharma is up over 27 percent on a year-to-date basis. Despite the sharp rise, experts feel the rally may still have some fuel left.

"Pharma stocks have witnessed a brief halt/pullback towards short-term moving averages, however, the trend is still positive. Some of the players are starting their next up leg," Umesh Mehta, Head of Research, Samco Group told Moneycontrol.

(with inputs from AP)
The Qatar Investment Authority or QIA of the Sovereign Fund is in advance talks with Reliance Industries Ltd. to invest $1.5 billion which means 11,200 crores into an infrastructural investment trust (InvIT) that is holding the companys fibre-optic assets.

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) of the Sovereign Fund is in final negotiations with Reliance Industries Ltd. to invest $1.5 billion ( 11,200 crores) into an infrastructural investment trust (InvIT) that is holding the companys fibre-optic assets. This was revealed by two people wishing to remain anonymous. Earlier this year, Reliance had managed to raise around $20 billion through the sale of stocks in Jio Platforms Ltd. Reliance now wants to fund the fibre assets of Jio Digital Fibre Pvt. Ltd.

One of the two aforementioned anonymous sources said that fibre network business monetization is precisely in the category of Reliances original plan of making Jio an asset-light digital services company and greatly save the costs as the company plans to provide affordable 5G Internet services. As such QIA may invest around $1.5 billion in Reliances fibre business.

ICICI Securities Ltd. and Global Markets, Moelis and Co. have both been approached by Reliance to work as investment bankers for this investment deal. The previous year, $35 billion (25,215 crores) were invested in an InvIT that holds its telecom tower assets by a consortium led by Canadas Brookfield Asset Management. Spokespeople at Reliance, Moelis and ICICI Securities refused to give any insight. Qatar Investment Authority and Citigroup did not reply to any requests for comment either.

Also read: Gurgaon court summons Alibaba, Jack Ma on charges of fake news and censorship by former employee

Also read: India changes trade rules amid China standoff

Jio Digital Fibre currently has a fibre-optic cable network of 7 lakh k.m. in India. It wants to extend it to 11 lakh k.m. Reliances Jio Infocomm decided to separate its fibre and tower businesses from Jio Digital Fibre Ltd. and Reliance Jio Infratel Ltd. This caused Reliance to write off these assets from its balance sheet. The two organisations are now functioning independently, with Reliance Jio Infocomm as the sponsor.

As per the current plan, Reliance Jio Infocomm will continue as the sponsor of the InvIT and while keeping a minimum 15% share in the company, with the rest 85% being sold to global investors, including QIA. This investment in Jio Fibre comes after a decision taken by Indian tax authorities not so long ago of not collecting taxes on investments made by sovereign funds in the infrastructural sector of India.

In its annual report at the end of the fiscal year, Reliance said that Jios 5G ready network and substantial fibre assets would have a pivotal role in the making of the 5G system in India.

The report wrote that Jios expansive intracity fibre network, last-mile execution, flawless customer experience, coupled with attractive bundling of digital content and smart home Internet solutions, would make the main differences.

Jio is said to have plans to provide top of the edge wireline services, of which all are 5G ready.

Also read: Google extends work from home till July 2021 amid Covid-19 spike

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 16:12:51|Editor: huaxia

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ADEN, Yemen, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced early on Wednesday giving up its previous self-governance decision following three months of official declaration in the country's southern main regions.

According to the STC's Spokesman Nizar Haitham, abandoning the self-governance declaration came in favor of implementing the stalled power-sharing deal brokered by Saudi Arabia last year.

The STC's leadership accepted a proposal presented by Saudi Arabia, aimed at accelerating the implementation of the Riyadh deal and ending the conflict in the country's southern part, said the spokesman on his official Twitter account.

"The STC officially decided to rescind its self-governance decision to start implementing the Riyadh Deal to ensure security and stability and to demonstrate a joint effort to confront Houthi militias and terrorist groups," he added.

Giving up the self-governance decision coincided with republican decrees issued by Yemen's President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to form a government that includes representatives of northern and southern Yemen and appointing a governor and security director for Aden province.

Hadi issued his presidential directive to the country's current Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik to form the new power-sharing government during the upcoming weeks in another positive step towards de-escalation in southern Yemen.

The STC's spokesman stressed partnership in all areas with the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, saying that their fighting against the Iranian interventions will continue.

"We affirm the continuing and deepening of our strategic partnership with the Arab coalition to achieve our common goals," Nizar noted in his statement.

In April, the STC leaders announced a plan for implementing a self-ruled administration in the country's southern port city of Aden and other southern provinces.

The STC's self-governance declaration escalated the tensions with Yemen's government that mobilized hundreds of troops to Aden, sparking armed confrontations in Abyan.

Last year, Saudi Arabia persuaded the STC and Yemen's government to hold reconciliation talks, which succeeded in reaching a deal to form a new technocrat cabinet of no more than 24 ministers.

But numerous previous obstacles prevented the implementation of the deal's provisions, including failure to form a new government or achieving permanent stability in the country's southern part.

The main points of the deal also included the return of the exiled Yemeni government to Aden and the unification of all military units under the authority of the country's interior and defense ministries.

The Saudi-brokered deal excluded the Iranian-backed Houthis who are still controlling the capital Sanaa and other northern provinces of the war-torn Arab country.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthis overran much of the country and seized all northern areas including Sanaa. Enditem
6th National Conference of War Veterans Held

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, July 28 (KCNA) -- The 6th National Conference of War Veterans was held splendidly in Pyongyang at the April 25 House of Culture on Monday.

Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, was present at the conference.

War veterans and persons of wartime merits who displayed unrivaled bravery and self-sacrificing spirit out of boundless loyalty to the leader attended the conference.

Present there were chairmen of provincial Party committees, officials of ministries, national institutions and armed forces organs, faculty members and students of revolutionary schools, and youth and students of Pyongyang.

Amid the playing of the welcome music, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un appeared at the platform of the conference with war veterans.

All the participants raised stormy cheers of "hurrah!" in great reverence and trust in Kim Jong Un who represents the might and dignity of Juche Korea and the symbol of invincibility.

Kim Jong Un warmly acknowledged the war veterans, genuine patriots who made an immortal contribution in the country's history of victory in the war.

Seated at the platform were Choe Yong Rim, Yang Hyong Sop, Thae Jong Su, Ri Myong Su, Ri Yong Mu, O Kuk Ryol, Kim Si Hak and other war veterans who served as cadres of the Party and the state and senior officials of the armed forces organs for a long period.

Also ascending the platform were Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, first vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and Pak Pong Ju, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and vice-chairman of the WPK Central Committee.

Officials of the Party and state Ri Pyong Chol, Ri Il Hwan, Choe Hwi, Choe Pu Il, Ri Man Gon, O Su Yong, Jo Yong Won, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Yong Hwan, Pak Jong Nam, Ri Hi Yong, Kim Jong Ho and officials of working people's organizations took the platform.

Together with them were Pak Jong Chon, Kim Jong Gwan and other leading officials of the armed forces organs.

Kim Jong Un made a significant congratulatory speech at the conference.

He extended warm congratulations to the war veterans who participated in the conference, all the participants in the Fatherland Liberation War and persons of wartime merits on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the Korean people's victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War.

He also paid noble tributes to the well-known and unsung revolutionary martyrs who dedicated their valuable lives to the sacred war for the country's reunification and independence and people's freedom and happiness and the fallen fighters of the Chinese People's Volunteers who set a genuine example of militant friendship while helping the Korean people in their revolutionary war at the cost of blood, and war veterans.

Highly appreciating the heroic life of the generation who performed the undying feats and created the noble fighting spirit in the hard-fought Fatherland Liberation War true to the guidance of President Kim Il Sung, he expressed great belief that the war veterans would successfully hand down the spirit of the 1950s to the rising generation as the bloodline of faith.

The participants in the conference were greatly excited by the congratulatory speech full of high appreciation, respect, noble comradely loving care and noble revolutionary obligation for the participants in the great Fatherland Liberation War.

As soon as Kim Jong Un finished his speech, loud cheers of "hurrah!" resounded around the venue of the conference once again.

All the participants extended the greatest glory and the warmest thanks to Kim Jong Un who holds up the war veterans as the honorable master who made the great history and laid a foundation of the independent power and bestows all sorts of benevolence on them.

Kim Sung Un, hero of the Republic who is a lecturer of the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, made a speech addressed to the rising generation.

Saying that Kim Il Sung who is the national liberator and illustrious leader of new Korea meant the country and the pillar of faith for the Korean people and fighters of the People's Army during the days of the war, he stressed that the war veterans brought about July 27 of victory by fighting in the indomitable faith that they could never be deprived of the land and the thankful country liberated by Kim Il Sung and with a unique thought that they have to kill the enemy even though they might die one hundred times.

Saying that the war veterans take pride in handing down the spirit of defending the country to the rising generation as a heritage, he expressed the absolute conviction that the DPRK would certainly win victories thanks to Kim Jong Un, the iron-willed commander.

He stressed that our country would certainly win victory, asking the rising generation to uphold well Kim Jong Un who devotes himself for the people's dignity and happiness and believing, holding and following only our Party despite any trial, bearing in mind the spirit of defending the country and spirit of defending the revolution displayed in the 1950s as their faith.

Then, Jo Chun Hyok, student of Kim Il Sung University, made a resolution speech on behalf of youths and Ji Yong Min, officer of the Korean People's Army on behalf of the service personnel.

Speakers extended warm congratulations and militant salute to the war veterans who participated in the 6th National Conference of War Veterans, reflecting the mind of the youth and service personnel across the country.

They said that the war veterans who honorably defended the dignity and sovereignty of the country from the imperialists' gangster-like invasion and handed down the indomitable spirit of defending the country as their valuable heritage are clearly kept in their minds as the model of true soldier.

They stressed that they would become the youth heroes, who dedicate their lives for the sake of the Party, revolution and country by carrying forward the spirit and soul in the great era of winning victory in the war, and invariably and single-mindedly believe in and follow only our Party in any storm and stress.

They made a firm resolution to devotedly defend the Central Committee of the Party headed by Kim Jong Un and implement the Party's policies in the van, bearing in mind that the history of winning victory in the war and victory of socialism are guaranteed only by the spirit of devotedly defending the leader.

Kim Jong Un extended warm greetings to the war veterans across the country, warmly congratulating them once again upon performing the immortal exploits which would shine long in the history of the country.

The 6th National Conference of War Veterans fully demonstrated the firm faith and will of our people and service personnel to add shine to the proud history and tradition, created and continued under the guidance of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il, generation after generation under the leadership of Kim Jong Un and accomplish the cause of building a powerful socialist nation without fail. -0-

(2020.07.28)

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'Normal People' star Paul Mescal has been nominated for a prestigious Emmy Award for his critically acclaimed performance in the smash-hit drama.

The Kildare actor is in good company in the category for lead actor in a limited series or movie.

He is up against Jeremy Irons for 'Watchmen', Hugh Jackman for 'Bad Education', Mark Ruffalo for 'I Know This Much is True', and Jeremy Pope for 'Hollywood'.

Read More

There was also good news for fellow Irish actors Andrew Scott, who was recognised for his performance in 'Black Mirror' in the Best Guest Actor category, and Fiona Shaw, who was nominated for Outstanding Support Actress for her role in 'Killing Eve'.

Mescal (24) received rave reviews for his performance as shy but popular Connell in coming-of-age drama 'Normal People'.

As his Emmy nomination was announced, the actor tweeted a still from the drama showing him crying saying: "My actual face right now!"

He thanked the show's producers and director Lenny Abrahamson and made special mention of his co-star, Daisy Edgar-Jones, saying: "This only exists because of you and your extraordinary talent it's as simple as that."

The drama, which was shot in Ireland, earned universal praise and made household names of Mescal and Edgar-Jones, who played troubled Marianne.

Mescal's second TV project - crime drama 'The Deceived', which he began shooting just two days after 'Normal People' - is due out next month on Virgin Media One.

'Normal People' received four Emmy nominations overall, with Abrahamson getting a nod in the category of Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, author Sally Rooney and Alice Birch were nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, while Louise Kiely was nominated for Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series.

Tweeting his congratulations to his fellow nominees last night, Abrahamson also had special praise for Edgar-Jones.

"Huge love too to the brilliant Daisy Edgar-Jones who is woven into the DNA of this show in a way impossible to separate. The nominations are hers too," he said.

Andrew Lowe and Ed Guiney, executive producers of 'Normal People' and co-founders of Element Pictures, said: "The response to the show internationally has exceeded our wildest dreams and this is an incredible honour for the show and for everyone who worked on it."

Culture Minister Catherine Martin congratulated the cast and crew of the series.

"TV drama is hugely important to the Irish audiovisual sector and a key focus of the Audiovisual Action Plan. Screen Ireland committed significant funding and resources to TV drama production last year and 'Normal People' was the first large-scale indigenous project that Screen Ireland supported with this fund," she said.

Screen Ireland's chairperson Dr Annie Doona said: "The critical success of the show reminds us of the intrinsic value of Irish storytelling on-screen.

"We are delighted to see Irish creative talent recognised and celebrated at the highest level on the international stage."

The Emmy Awards take place on September 20.
Fire investigators stand outside the Arizona Democratic Party headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on July 24, 2020. (Matt York/AP Photo)

Former Volunteer Arrested for Setting Arizona Democratic Party HQ on Fire

A former volunteer was arrested on Wednesday in the arson of the Arizona Democratic Party headquarters.

Matthew Egler, 29, was taken into custody at a relatives home in Peoria, the Phoenix Police Department said. Egler was arrested and booked on one count of arson.

The fire, which was started after midnight on July 24, caused substantial damage to the party headquarters.

Surveillance video showed a man arriving alone in a car before breaking glass to get into the building, lighting a fire inside, and driving off.

Police officers and fire investigators were able to link the vehicle from the video to a family member of Egler; the car was found abandoned in Chandler.

Investigators saw Egler posted information on social media linking him to the arson and threatening additional violence.

Matthew Egler in a mugshot. (Maricopa County Jail)

A selfie video was posted by a man who appears to be Egler on Sunday. It isnt very sad that that building was bombed. The reason its not very sad is because, again, I got robbed by that guy, he said.

Egler also claimed to be married to Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trumps daughter. She is married to businessman Jared Kushner.

And he wrote on Tuesday: I TOLD YOU I BOMBED THE AZ DEM HEADQUARTERS.

Police officials said Egler was a former volunteer at the Democratic office but had recently been banned from continued volunteer service.

It wasnt clear if Egler had retained a lawyer.

In a statement after the arrest was announced, Felecia Rotellini, chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, and Steven Slugocki, chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party, said, We are deeply saddened and shocked by todays news, but appreciate the swift action by law enforcement to ensure that the suspect is in custody.

After the fire, the party called for donations. Rotellini and Slugocki thanked people for the donations in the new statement, saying theyre working on finding a new headquarters.
PORTLAND, Ore.  Life has been a series of adjustments for protesters in Portland as they clash nightly with federal agents.

We came out here dressed in T-shirts and twirling Hula-Hoops and stuff, and they started gassing us, so we came back with respirators, and they started shooting us, so we came back with vests, and they started aiming for the head, so we started wearing helmets, and now they call us terrorists, Mac Smiff, a local Black organizer in Portland, said. Whos escalating this? Its not us.

Protests in Portland have been going on for two months, but the situation intensified when federal agents  from the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Marshals Service  were deployed to the city beginning the weekend of July 4.

Since that time, the agents have used tear gas, pepper spray and shot less lethal munitions, at times indiscriminately, into crowds. The city saw its largest turnout of the protests this past weekend, when upwards of 5,000 people gathered in front of and around the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, which has been heavily guarded by federal agents.

While many have preached a nonviolent response to the use of force by federal agents, others have countered by lighting fires and hurling mortar-style fireworks over a fence that agents have erected around the federal courthouse. In some instances, Molotov cocktails have been thrown, along with rocks, bricks and canned vegetables, while some people have tried at times to tear down the fence.

Yes, there are some people throwing rocks and bricks and water bottles and fireworks. But they're a small, small fraction of the people out here to protest, Paul Swortz, one of the Marine veterans standing alongside the Wall of Vets, said. These are a handful of people among thousands, and you don't judge thousands of people based on the actions of a handful.

Image: Portland Protests Continue Unabated Despite Federal Law Enforcement Presence (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

As nights have turned into weeks and months, the protests have evolved. The Wall of Moms appeared last week, dressed in yellow and holding sunflowers while linking arms to form a physical barrier separating protesters -- some, their own children -- from federal officers. The next night, they were accompanied by the Wall of Dads, toting leaf blowers to blow tear gas back toward federal officers.

Story continues

Not knowing whether they will be warned before tear gas fills the air, some protesters come prepared with gas masks and sprayers filled with eye wash.

At one point, Marine veteran and protester India Wynne thought it started raining in the middle of the night as they wore their gas mask. It turns out, it was the density of what appeared to be pepper spray from federal agents.

My skin started burning. The federal officers escalate way before we do, and they escalate to a point that it's not necessary, Wynne said. I know crowd control tactics, and this is not what's happening. You dont need to deploy 20 or 30 canisters of tear gas...And they don't care who they're gassing.

Weapons-wielding agents in heavy riot gear have clashed with protesters who have created their own makeshift protection and shields, including helmets and body armor labeled Press, after a restraining order was approved preventing federal agents from arresting or attacking journalists and legal observers.

Jayla Lindseth, a Black protester, urges people to come to the protests with at least a few other friends who can help protect one another, and to de-arrest.

When I say de-arrest, I mean if you see your friend getting grabbed [by officers], grab them back, Lindseth advised. Were out here fighting for change.

Image: Portland Protests Continue Unabated Despite Federal Law Enforcement Presence (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Portlands Bureau of Transportation filed a cease and desist order calling on federal agents to remove the fence Tuesday, alleging that it was put up illegally and that it impedes the citys public right of way. The agency added that it has already begun assessing a maximum fine of $500 for every 15 minutes the fence obstructs the street, which has already totaled nearly $200,000 in penalties.

The Trump administration deployed the unsolicited and apparently unwelcome federal response to the city to counter demonstrations and protests decrying police brutality in the wake of the killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.

The agents, many wearing uniform emblems dark in color, making it difficult to identify which agency they are working for, were accused of overly abusive action against the demonstrators, according to a lawsuit several nonprofit organizations, including Protect Democracy, Don't Shoot Portland and Wall of Moms, filed on behalf of protesters Monday.

The complaint alleges that federal agents grossly overstepped their bounds beyond protecting federal property with the use of pepper balls and flash bang explosives, and other similar tactics.

The presence of federal agents has been heavily criticized not only by the protesters but also by Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who has repeatedly asked Trump to remove them.

This week, Wheeler called for an immediate meeting with the Department of Homeland Security to discuss a cease-fire.

Department of Homeland Security officials have not returned a request for comment on that meeting.

Both the Department of Homeland Security and the Marshals Service have said that they are already identifying officers to possibly rotate or supplement agents in Portland.

As of Wednesday, at least 114 federal officers were known to be in the city per a court filing by the government.

Attorney General William Barr also weighed in on the use of federal force in Portland during his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday.

"In the wake of George Floyd's death, violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests to wreak senseless havoc and destruction on innocent victims," he said. "The current situation in Portland is a telling example."

Barr added they've had to increase the federal presence in the city in an effort to protect federal functions and federal buildings.

Meanwhile passions are becoming more resolute for protesters who have been demonstrating for days and even weeks on end.

I'm so tired of this. I am so tired. Im sleep deprived because I am a single mom and I work full time and I have to come and spend my nights with you because I cant stand in my own street and say, 'Black lives matter,' a woman, dressed in a signature yellow T-shirt with the Wall of Moms, said Monday night. Black lives matter, thats why were here. Were not here because of some d-- building. We don't care about the building, we don't care about your stupid fence, we care about Black lives.

Maura Barrett and David Douglas reported from Portland and Safia Samee Ali from Chicago.
The father of a teenage boy who tried to murder a woman he met on an internet dating app has apologised to the victim saying: "There is no excuse for the terrible actions our son carried out that day."

The Court of Appeal also heard today that the man regretted his son not being hospitalised or being given the correct medication at an earlier stage. The father said he wished he hadn't allowed his son to have such a high dose of antidepressants, which he gave the boy every night and which he felt may have induced the manic episode during which he attacked the victim.

He also said the attack was not unpredictable and his son had previously attempted to commit suicide "to avoid attacking people".

The teenage boy must wait until Wednesday to hear what his sentence will be increased to following a successful "undue leniency" appeal by prosecutors.

The now 17-year-old, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was originally sentenced by Mr Justice Michael White at the Central Criminal Court to 11 years detention with a review to commence after five years on January 1, 2023. The attempted murderer has been in custody since December 2017 when he lured Stephanie Ng to an isolated area at the Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire.

After pleading guilty to her attempted murder, the teenager received his sentence in November 2019.

The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully sought a review of the teenager's sentence earlier this month on the grounds that it was unduly lenient, arguing that a review of the 11-year sentence imposed on the teenage boy after a five-year period was too early. The Court of Appeal found that the element of planning and premeditation meant that, even as attempted murders go, the offence had to be seen as being at the high end of the spectrum.

The teenager met his 25-year-old victim on the Whisper social media app, where he had pretended to be 19. The boy was just 15 when he tried to kill Ms Ng during their first face-to-face meeting, after suggesting they take a selfie by the waters edge. There, he grabbed her from behind and choked her to unconsciousness before slashing her neck with a knife.

Gardai later found a book of drawings in his bedroom, containing a sketch of someone being cut up with a knife. The words, serial killer, had been written on another page.

His victim previously gave evidence of taking what she thought was her last breath, as the teenager tried to choke the life out of her before leaving her for dead. She later felt that he was frustrated with himself for not having killed her. Through tears, she told the Central Criminal Court that the boy had destroyed her life.

Patrick Gageby SC, for the boy, today called the father of the teenager to take the stand and the barrister told the three-judge panel that he understood there were a number of things he (the father) would like to tell the court about his son and their family.

The Court's President Mr Justice George Birmingham previously granted the boys wish to have a physical hearing today, as opposed to the remote hearings taking place as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. The boy was present in court with his two parents.

The father of the teenager said he would like to start by apologising to the victim as no one should have to go through the trauma she had suffered in December 2017. "There is no excuse for the terrible actions our son carried out that day," he said.

The man said his son had exhibited some disturbing signs at primary school in that he drew some "violent pictures" which had worried teachers and was suffering from "dark thoughts".

By the time sixth class arrived, the boy seemed to be making a lot of progress and was doing well academically, said the father, adding that he had a bright future.

The father said his son went to secondary school at 13 years of age and like other teenagers, he was finding it difficult to adjust. "He became lonely and depressed and disassociated from other children. This went on for two years and he went to a new school at 14 years of age," he continued.

The man said his son told him after a couple of weeks in the new school that he could not go to school the following day as he had a voice in his head telling him to carry out "violent things" and he might attack the other children in the school. "I gave him the day off but on the Sunday evening he had taken an overdose of tablets from the medicine cupboard," he said.

he man said that his son had waited a period of time to tell him about the overdose so it was too late to have his stomach pumped. The boy was admitted to hospital, where he was treated and his mother was allowed to stay in the bed next to him, he said, adding that his 15th birthday took place in the hospital.

The witness said that a psychiatrist had told the family that what had happened to the boy was very serious and they should try to get him into an in-patient psychiatric facility. The family went to a facility in Ballyfermot, where the boy was seen by three psychiatrists but they did not have a bed for him, he said. "We were disappointed as it was a big deal putting a child into a mental hospital. He wanted to go there as he recognised something was very wrong. We were told we had to watch him 24 hours a day so we stayed up to keep an eye on him and did it in shifts," he explained.

The father said the voices in his son's head were getting "more frequent and frightening" at this point. "He said he couldn't tell what was real and what he was imagining. A lot of the time he was disassociated like he was dreaming," he continued.

The father said he heard a noise one night and went into the boy's bedroom. "He was trying to hang himself with a belt. I cut him down. He couldn't go to school at this point," he said.

The parents brought the boy to another clinic to see a psychiatrist, who prescribed anti-depressants for him and they were hopeful at that point, he said. However, after three weeks there was a disturbing incident when the boy had a fight on the street with a child, he said. "This was uncharacteristic behaviour. It was not normal for him as there had been no previous violent incidents," he said.

The father highlighted to the court that the disturbing thing was that his son was happy after this event. "It looked like he was empowered by it. He told his psychiatrist that he had blue blood in his veins and he was no longer frightened by the voice anymore," said the man.

Psychiatrists increased his dosage of antidepressants and he was 50 per cent above the maximum dose by the middle of December 2017, he said. The father said that he saw his son on his phone a lot around this time, which he thought was normal for someone his son's age. "It was only afterwards that I discovered he was on a dating app and exchanging hundreds of messages with an adult," he noted.

On Christmas morning 2017, the man said the family were exchanging presents when gardai arrived at the house at 9am to arrest his son. "I was very surprised but I knew it was him and my wife knew it was him because of what we had seen in the previous months and what he had told us," he said.

The boy was taken to Oberstown Children Detention Campus the following day and he has been there since, he said. The teenager got a new doctor to treat him, Professor Harry Kennedy, who immediately put him on an antipsychotic drug. After a short period of time, his hallucinations reduced from three times every hour to once a day, he said.

The man said he has since seen a dramatic change in his son, who only weighed eight stone at the time. "He had been absolutely wired, manic, wide-eyed and could not sleep at night and suddenly he was making eye contact again. He was coming back to the child he had been since before he was sick," he said.

The father became emotional as he told the Court of Appeal that he had "a great feeling of regret" in relation to when his son was hallucinating a couple of months earlier. "I wished I had asked for that drug to be given to him at that time, that's a regret. I regret that he had not managed to be hospitalised. I also regret that he was so manic at the end before the attack. I wish we hadn't allowed him to have such a high dose of antidepressants. We put it in his mouth every night in liquid form and I feel that may have induced the manic. What I'm saying is it wasn't out of the blue," he explained.

The man said that his son had been seen by five psychiatrists by the time of the attack on Ms Ng. "He was manic and had seriously attempted suicide to avoid attacking people," he said.

He said his son had agreed to every treatment to date and the attack was not something that was unpredictable. "That's a regret," he added.

The teenage boy has been in Oberstown Children Detention Centre for the last two-and-a-half years where he has been well treated and is much better than he was, he said. "He is still sick but treatment is going well. He is well liked by the other children and has completed his Junior and Leaving Certificate. It was huge he was able to do his exams," he pointed out.

The man said he feels there is a chink of light and a possibility of recovery for his son but the doctors cannot say what condition he has yet because of his young age. Prof Kennedy said most people can't be diagnosed until their 20's. "I want him to continue to have a therapeutic approach and not give up on him and see he gets better," he said.

The father stressed that "none of this is an excuse for what happened" and his son was guilty for what he did to Ms Ng and he knows he is. "I apologise to the victim for the dreadful trauma she had to go through and I completely regret what happened," he concluded.

Answering questions from the three-judge panel, the man said Prof Kennedy had treated his son and he understood that this meant that the doctor would not be testifying against him in court. The man said he and his wife had fully authorised the doctor's notes to be given to whoever wanted them and there might have been a misunderstanding about this.

President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham asked the witness if Oberstown Children Detention Centre had got Prof Kennedy involved in treating his son. "Once my son went to Oberstown Prof Kennedy rang and asked if it was ok for him to treat him. I said yes, once you don't testify against him in court," he replied.

The father also told the court that his son has been attacked twice in the detention facility and he was moved to another unit.

In mitigation, Mr Gageby said his client had no convictions, made admissions at the time of his arrest and has a history of mental difficulties. The barrister highlighted the boy's excellent conduct and progress in Oberstown Children detention Centre and said it was open to the court to consider a review at a later date.

In her submissions, Anne-Marie Lawlor SC for the State, said it was the DPP's view that the boy must serve in excess of eight years to reflect the gravity of the crime but it was a matter for the court as to how that was structured.

Mr Justice Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, considered the matter for a number of minutes and said the court would give its decision tomorrow. "We appreciate that people are anxious to see a conclusion," he added.
Universities in Vietnam are welcoming returning students, but say that they will only admit students who can satisfy their requirements.

Universities now have a great opportunity to have more students as more Vietnamese and foreign students want to transfer from schools overseas to schools in Vietnam.





High school graduates and students who have to return to Vietnam because of Covid-19 are potential students for the international joint training programs run by Vietnams universities.



Bui Quoc Trieu from the Hanoi National Economics University (NEU) said returning students have to satisfy the admission criteria set by the training programs they wish to follow.



NEU has 15 international joint training programs at different levels for undergraduates, masters and doctors degrees. The school has nine programs with seven foreign partners.



The HCM City University of Technology and Education has also announced that it is ready to receive returning students. The students will be admitted based on their academic results and numbers of credits accumulated during their study abroad.



Tran Hoang Hai, Vice Rector of the HCM City Law University, confirmed that returning students have many opportunities to continue studying in Vietnam. However, the majors that students followed when studying overseas need to be compatible with the majors available at Vietnams schools.

Universities in Vietnam are welcoming returning students, but say that they will only admit students who can satisfy their requirements.

Hai said the school will set up an academic council to discuss the criteria for receiving returning students.

The students finishing high schools abroad who want to come back to Vietnam also have a wide range of choice for study in Vietnam.



Some universities in Vietnam are reserving a certain proportion of their enrollment quotas for full-time courses for students who finished international general education and have English skill certificates. The enrollment is implemented based on their learning records, and SAT and ACT results.



If students dont want to follow a full-time program, they can choose international joint training programs and obtain degrees granted by foreign universities.



Trieu believes that most schools will admit returning students to international joint training programs because these are the most suitable programs for the students.



Under the programs, students are taught in English and in accordance with international curricula, he explained.



He thinks that the current full-time training courses at Vietnams universities are not suitable to these students, though lessons are also provided in English.



There are two reasons. First, under the full-time training program, students are enrolled in association with the national high school finals in Vietnam. And second, there are still some subjects provided in Vietnamese.



Trieu commented that Covid-19 has caused students to change their views about studying abroad. The optimal goal is for their study to be suitable and effective.

Le Ha

Many returning students want to study at domestic schools More Vietnamese and foreign students want to transfer from schools overseas to schools in Vietnam.
Blasphemy and accusations of the crime have led to the deaths of dozens of people in Pakistan since 1990.

Rights groups have repeatedly criticised and called for the reform or repeal of the countrys controversial blasphemy laws, which date back to the British empire.

The Islamabad High Court asked parliament on Friday to make changes to the current decree to prevent people from being falsely accused of the crime, which is punishable by death if the Prophet Muhammad is insulted.

Other punishments include a fine or prison term, depending on the specific offence.

In a lengthy 116-page order, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui suggested that parliament amend the law to require the same punishment of the death penalty for those who falsely allege blasphemy as for those who commit the crime.

READ MORE: Pakistan: Death penalty for blasphemy on Facebook

Currently, there is a very minor punishment for falsely accusing someone of blasphemy, the judgement said.

Under the existing law, the false accuser faces punishments ranging from two years in prison to life imprisonment.

Mehdi Hasan, chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, welcomed the Islamabad courts move seeking amendment for the law.

This law is being misused by people to take revenge against their opponents, and it is very easy to charge anyone for blasphemy, he told Al Jazeera from Lahore.

Exploitation of law

Fridays ruling noted that some critics are demanding the law be abolished but Siddiqui argued that its better to stop the laws exploitation rather than get rid of it.

A majority vote in the provincial assemblies is required for the law to be amended. Backing of that vote by the federal government would likely be needed for the Senate to move.

Decrees in Pakistan are derived from the British common law, but the constitution holds that no laws shall be passed that are against the teachings of Islam.

WATCH UpFront: Tahir ul Qadri: No rule of law in Pakistan

After previous unsuccessful attempts to amend the blasphemy laws, legal experts offered little optimism over the new recommendation.

Blasphemy is a very difficult topic, and any small change will be opposed by the right when they feel like its being watered down and by the left when they feel its being made stronger, Angbeen Mirza, a lawyer based in Lahore, told Al Jazeera.

In late January, Pakistans Senate officially took up the issue of the laws potential misuse for the first time in 24 years.





Analysts say previous attempts at reviewing the law have been thwarted by the pressure of religious parties who, along with most in society, see it as equivalent to religion in the country.

The religious right is on the offensive in Pakistan and because of the apologetic attitude of all governments they do not take a stand, Hasan said.

Legal experts say instead of repealing the law, legislation to curb false accusations and hate speech is required to deter the decrees exploitation for personal gains.

An accusation of blasphemy hardly ever results in legal process, Mirza said.

When someone makes an accusation, the neighbours do the rest.

She added: The justice system is slow and provides no protection, leaving the accused at the mercy of the people.

Aarafat Mazhar, an independent researcher of Pakistans blasphemy laws, said there is a tendency in the country to resort to public accusations rather than formally registering a case.

Labelling a specific person or a community as being a blasphemer or just being anti-Islamic in general can be a death sentence and is a cause for disruption in public order, he said.

Constitutionally speaking, such speech is not protected, and there is a definite need for legislation.

Culture of intolerance

Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, a religious cleric and chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, said while there can be no room for change in the existing law, a review to prevent its misuse should take place.

Any change or addition to the current law could bring about a state of unrest in the country, he told Al Jazeera. We should not go in that direction.

However, beyond legal parameters, it is thought that a culture of intolerance towards free speech and religion is at the root of the problem.

Other countries have survived without blasphemy provisions, Mirza said. All they regulate is hate speech. By creating offences where there should probably be none, Pakistan is creating hatred.

In a December 2016 report, rights group Amnesty International condemned Pakistans blasphemy laws for violating human rights and called for their abolition.

While not a single convict has ever been executed for blasphemy in Pakistan, currently about 40 people are on death row or serving life sentences for the crime, according to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Punjabs governor Taseer was assassinated in 2011 by his guard Qadri for seeking reform of the blasphemy law [Reuters]

Increasingly, however, right-wing vigilantes and mobs have taken the law into their own hands, killing at least 69 people over alleged blasphemy since 1990, according to an Al Jazeera tally.

In April, a university student, Mashal Khan, was killed and two others wounded during a violent mob attack after being accused of committing blasphemy in the northern city of Mardan.

In two prominent cases in 2011, Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab, and Shahbaz Bhatti, minorities minister, were both assassinated within two months of each other for asking for the law to be reformed.

Taseers killer and bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, was hanged in February 2016.

READ MORE: Campaigning to reform Pakistans deadly blasphemy law

Ashrafi blamed the judiciarys failure to hand down timely judgements for the rise in public tensions.

When the punishments are not given, or the judgements are not passed on time, then people get an opportunity to take the law in their own hands, he said.

Academic circles in Pakistan advocate more research and urge authorities to learn from the example of other Muslim countries.

The point is to make sure that our laws are aligned with the fundamental rights promised in the constitution, Mazhar said.

Death or nothing is a rhetoric that creates a false binary and leads the conversation nowhere.
Mali's opposition on Wednesday reiterated calls for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign, rejecting a compromise floated by West African leaders seeking to help resolve a months-old political crisis.

Speaking at a press conference in the capital Bamako, opposition figurehead Mahmoud Dicko also said he had asked Prime Minister Boubou Cisse to step down.

Heads of government from the Economic Community of West African States on Monday suggested the formation of a new unity government to include opposition members -- while sticking by Keita.

Cisse had visited Dicko on Tuesday evening to invite him to bring his June 5 Movement (M5-RFP) into a unity government.

Dicko had earlier heaped scorn on the latest government offer, raising the spectre of further unrest.

The loose alliance of opposition groups and religious leaders has been channelling deep anger in the poor Sahel country over a dire economy, perceived corruption and a brutal jihadist conflict.

But much of Mali's current tension was sparked in April, when the Constitutional Court tossed out 31 results from long-delayed parliamentary elections -- a move that benefited Keita's party.

Protests ratcheted up into a crisis on July 10 when an anti-Keita rally organised by the June 5 Movement turned violent.

Eleven people died in clashes with security forces over several days, marking the bloodiest political unrest the former French colony has seen in years.

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San Francisco companies with top executives who rake in more than 100 times the salary of their average employee would be subject to a special tax under a measure city voters will approve or reject in November.

On Tuesday the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to put the Charter amendment on the ballot. If the measure passes  it requires a simple majority at the ballot box  it would raise upward of $140 million a year for the city.

The tax measure was sponsored by Supervisor Matt Haney, who called it a much-needed revenue source to help address income inequality. He said the added tax revenue would allow the city to hire hundreds of doctors, nurses, and first-responders.

Its a very simple, straightforward tax measure, Haney said. Big companies that can afford to pay multimillion-dollar salaries every year can afford to pay more taxes.

The proposal states that if the top executive of a company earns 100 times that of the median worker salary, the tax would be 0.1% of taxable gross receipts. If the top earner makes 200 times that of the median worker, the tax would double to 0.2%. At 300 times, it would jump to 0.3%, and so on up to 1,000 times, which would be taxed at 1%.

Rudy Gonzalez, executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council, said the measure could have two disparate outcomes, both of which would benefit rank-and-file workers. It could prompt companies to raise the wages of their average workers so that the CEOs compensation package dips below the 100:1 ratio. Or if companies choose to maintain the 100-fold gap, it would generate tax revenue to help shore up city services at a time when the city faces a $1.5 billion deficit over the next two years.

Working people always bear the brunt of a downturn or recessions, Gonzalez said. Any time we can advance progressive taxation that speaks to income inequality, its good policy.

The prospect that the measure could inspire companies to raise workers income could help speed up recovery from the coronavirus-driven recession, Gonzalez said.

If the goal is to stimulate the economy, who does that best? he asked. A handful of excessively paid CEOs or thousands of working people? Everyone agrees that what works best is putting money in the pockets of workers.

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.

Jay Chang, public policy director of the Chamber of Commerce, which opposes the tax increase, said that it would mostly hurt companies already struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic: hotels and retailers. The tax would hit the Gap, Williams-Sonoma, Levis, Target, Ross Dress For Less, as well as hotel chains like the InterContinental and the Fairmont, and real estate companies like Public Storage, whose employees are not top-earners. It would not hit tech companies like Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, where the median workers are typically well-paid engineers.

The CEO tax is one of three taxes headed for the November ballot. The others are a gross receipts tax and a transfer tax on residential and commercial sales over $10 million.

When we look at the November ballot, what is concerning is that we have all three tax measures piled up on top of each other, Chang said. The concern is that all three together is what is going to push the economy off the cliff.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-28 23:45:50|Editor: huaxia

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DOHA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Qatar's Health Ministry on Tuesday announced 283 new infections of COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 109,880.

"Some 275 people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 106,603, while two others died, raising the fatalities to 167," the official Qatar News Agency quoted a statement by the ministry as saying.

A total of 481,930 people in Qatar have undergone lab tests for COVID-19 so far, it added.

China and Qatar have offered mutual help during the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

On Feb. 21, five Qatar Airways cargo freighters flew to China carrying approximately 300 tons of medical supplies donated by the airline.

On July 8, Chinese health officials and medical experts held a video conference with Qatari counterparts to share experience and expertise in fighting COVID-19.

The two sides also held in-depth exchange of views on the issues that Qatar is most concerned about, including coronavirus prevention and control, test analysis, clinic care, vaccine development and social management. Enditem
An Australian man has been accused of sexually exploiting a young New Zealand girl after chatting to her on social media.

The 23-year-old man allegedly groomed the girl online by posing as a child and sending explicit images to 'coerce' her into sending pictures back.

Australian Federal Police arrested the man on June 3 and charged him with using a carriage service to transmit indecent communication to a person aged under 16.

Scroll down for video

The 23-year-old Sydney man (pictured) allegedly posed as a child on social media in order to groom a young New Zealand girl before coercing her into sending explicit images

The AFP alleges a computer and phone seized during the arrest contain child abuse material, including records of sexualised online conversations with young girls.

New Zealand Police contacted the AFP's NSW Child Protection Operations with their suspicions which ultimately culminated with the man's arrest.

AFP Commander Kirsty Schofield, Investigations Eastern Command, said the arrest highlights the AFP's close partnership with NZ Police.

'Australian and NZ Police stand together in protecting our young people from this abhorrent crime,' Commander Schofield said.

'It is disgusting that adults trawl online platforms to try to engage children in sexualised conversations or to send intimate images, and the distress and harm it causes children is irreparable.

'We work tirelessly with our partners to stamp out this behaviour and prosecute anyone who preys on children  whether that's online or through physical contact.'

Commander Schofield said cyber security is an important conversation which all families should be having.

'It is important that children feel comfortable talking to adults if they are worried about someone who has contacted them online,' she said.

The accused is set to appear before the Parramatta Local Court on July 29.

He faces a maximum seven years imprisonment if he's convicted.

Last year, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received almost 17,000 reports of child exploitation, equating to almost 45 cases a day.

Meanwhile the annual report from the Internet Watch Foundation stated that in 2019 it assessed a webpage every two minutes and every four minutes that webpage showed a child being sexually abused.

'If it takes a village to raise a child, advances in technology now means it takes a country to keep them safe,' Commander Schofield said.

'The AFP will never relinquish this duty.'
Researchers began with the goal of identifying where in the nations households are likely to need the most aggressive action to meet the 2025 and 2050 goals set forth by the Paris Climate Agreement. Residential emissions account for 20 percent of the total in the United States, they said, and would by themselves be the worlds sixth-largest polluter of greenhouse gases, on the scale of Germany.
Ciarran Stott was brutally trolled by his own Instagram followers over his 'possessive' and 'hypocritical' behaviour on Tuesday's episode of Bachelor in Paradise.

The womaniser was sent into a rage after intruder Matt Whyatt dared to invite his ex-girlfriend Renee Barrett on a romantic date.

Viewers were left appalled by the 25-year-old's on-screen meltdown, tracking him down on social media to blast him for his 'toxicity' and 'chauvinism'.

'You're toxic!' Ciarran Stott (pictured) was brutally trolled by his own Instagram followers over his 'possessive' and 'hypocritical' behaviour on Tuesday's episode of Bachelor in Paradise

'Bad boy' Ciarran, who was left blindsided by the arrival of his ex last week, wasn't too pleased when she attempted to move on with Matt.

The heavily tattooed reality star's hostile attitude was slammed by viewers, many of whom expressed their anger in the comments section of his latest Instagram post.

One wrote: 'I was obsessed with you in Angie's season. I thought you were a rare and precious gem of a man that all other men should aspire to be like. Now I see your true colours and I'm so sad.

'You're just like every other f**k boy and it's so disappointing. Now don't get me wrong, you do you, boo. BUT. DO. NOT. HURT. WOMEN'S. FEELINGS. WHILE. DOING. YOU. I really hope you address this behaviour soon.'

Storyline: Ciarran, who was left blindsided by the arrival of his ex Renee (pictured) last week, wasn't too pleased when she attempted to move on with intruder Matt Whyatt

'Validating your ego!' Viewers were left appalled by the 25-year-old's on-screen meltdown, tracking him down on social media to blast him for his 'toxicity' and 'chauvinism'

'Mate, you are an absolute chauvinist womaniser' one said, while another fumed: 'Women aren't objects, Ciarran.'

Another commented: 'It's obvious that you're very insecure and you're constantly using girls to feel validated and massage your ego.'

A viewer also retaliated against someone who stuck up for Ciarran in the comments, saying: 'Do you think it's demeaning to women that he needs to be consulted before another guy can date his ex? I thought his behaviour was scary and toxic.'

The Instagram comments were just part of the wider backlash against Ciarran, as viewers flocked to Twitter to call out his behaviour during Tuesday's episode.

Ouch! The Instagram comments were just part of the wider backlash against Ciarran, as fans flocked to Twitter to call out his behaviour during Tuesday's episode. Pictured with Kiki Morris

'Renee is not your property Ciarran. If you can throw it around everywhere you have no business saying a thing about her,' one person tweeted.

'Oh dear, Ciarran. Renee is not your property and she does not need your consent to go on a date. Double standards,' another agreed.

A third wrote: 'How does Ciarran have the audacity to be calling other guys snakes? The pot is calling the kettle and guess the colour mate?'

Will she be his match? Matt (left), who appeared on Angie Kent's season of The Bachelorette, invited Renee on a date upon entering the villa

'Everyone across Australia right now is getting ready to kill Ciarran,' one person said.

'Ciarran doesn't need to have a say. You aren't with Renee anymore. You cheated on her and have "dated" two other women in this series already,' another commented.

'So the guy that cheated on his girlfriend is upset that someone didn't seek approval to date his ex,' one person wrote.

'Renee is not your property!' Bachelor in Paradise fans slammed Ciarran's behaviour and labelled him as a 'hypocrite'

Ciarran took umbrage when Matt arrived at the villa and made a move on Renee.

'[He's] a snake... if you're gonna date one of your mate's exes, then have a bit of balls let them know,' he grumbled.

'I knew he was going to do it from the start. If he'd have just said to me, "Oh, I'm, you know, feeling Renee now you're not together..." Just man up and just tell me.'

He added: 'Matt definitely doesn't understand the bro code.'

In a previous episode, Ciarran had admitted to cheating on Renee during their relationship. Since then, he has romanced Abbie Chatfield, Jessica Brody and Kiki Morris on the show.

Bachelor in Paradise continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10
BEIRUT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th July, 2020) Syrian President Bashar Assad met with the Russian president's special envoy, Alexander Lavrentiev, and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin in Damascus on Wednesday, his office said.

"It was stressed that continued aggressive political and economic actions taken by some countries against the Syrian people and their interference in its internal affairs is the main reason why terrorists remain in Syria," the presidential palace's press office said.

Lavrentiev conveyed President Vladimir Putin's congratulations on the recent parliamentary elections to Assad. The trio discussed preparations for August's Constitutional Committee meeting in Geneva and efforts to create a favorable climate for the talks.
H undreds of Virgin Media users have complained of repeated internet outages for the second day in a row.

Social media users have written to the broadband provider to complain of days of sporadic cuts to their service.

Following an outage on Tuesday, a Virgin Media spokesperson insisted it was a "localised issue" in the south of the capital.

But the Downdetector website recorded more than 600 complaints across the UK on Wednesday morning.

Despite the high number of reported problems, a Virgin Media spokesman told the Standard there were no widespread or major issues with its services.

A Downdetector map shows the problem hotspots in the UK / Downdetector

Most complaints were recorded in London, Leeds, Preston, Birmingham and Nottingham.

A high number of customers in Portsmouth, Norwich and Peterborough have also reported problems.

More than 200 people reported cuts to their services at 1am on Wednesday, before another spike in complaints at 7.30am.

One customer wrote on Twitter: "Cheers for this, looks like I might have to go into the office at the height of a pandemic..."

A second said: "Given the frequency of your internet drop outs I feel like virgin using the term 'stay connected' is incorrect."

A third wrote: "I've been on down detector for the past hour and turns out pretty much everyone has the same issues as us."

Other customers also reported problems on the Virgin Media website, with some saying it was slow to load and others couldn't access their accounts.

A spokesman for Virgin Media told the Standard: "Down Detector is not an accurate representation of our network status.

"There are no widespread or major issues with our broadband, TV, mobile or phone services.

"There is a technical problem affecting some people accessing their 'My Virgin Media' account and this is being looked into.

"This will not impact connectivity. We apologise for any inconvenience caused."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:16:48|Editor: huaxia

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A medical worker takes testing sample from a resident, who was in contact with a suspected COVID-19 patient, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on July 29, 2020. Vietnam reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 infection in the community on Wednesday, including one in the capital city Hanoi, bringing its total confirmed cases to 450, according to the country's Ministry of Health. (VNA via Xinhua)

HANOI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 infection in the community on Wednesday, including one in the capital city Hanoi, bringing its total confirmed cases to 450, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

Eight of the new cases are in Vietnam's central city of Da Nang, where a number of community COVID-19 cases have been reported since July 25. Among them, four are patients at hospitals in Da Nang and the other four are relatives of patients at hospitals in the city, according to the ministry.

The other four new cases are also reportedly related to Da Nang, among which Hanoi reported one case, a 23-year-old man who has recently traveled to Da Nang. The capital city has placed lockdown on an alley and a pizza shop where the patient lives and works.

Besides Hanoi, the southern Ho Chi Minh City reported two new cases, a 57-year-old U.S. citizen that has received treatment at hospitals in Da Nang and a 46-year-old female who took care of him, while the central highlands Dak Lak province reported one case, a 21-year-old female who has taken an internship at a hospital in Da Nang.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a meeting on Wednesday that the disease had spread in the community with the source unknown for days and there is a risk of transmission in localities surrounding Da Nang.

Wearing face masks is necessary in places of crowded gatherings especially on public transport, he said, adding that big festivals are not allowed in epidemic-hit areas.

He also ordered localities and the Ministry of Education and Training to take measures to ensure the safety of the upcoming national exam.

A total of 369 patients in Vietnam have totally recovered from the disease as of Wednesday. The country has recorded no deaths of COVID-19 so far while there are over 16,200 people being quarantined and monitored, according to the health ministry. Enditem
Press Release

July 29, 2020 Villanueva: P1-B fund for TESDA scholarships under Bayanihan 2 to help displaced workers, OFWs train for 'new normal' job market The P1 billion allocated to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) under the Bayanihan 2 bill would go a long way in training displaced workers and returning overseas Filipino workers, according to Senator Joel Villanueva. Villanueva said it was high time for the agency to step up to the enormous task of retooling or upskilling workers to help them navigate a job market under the "new normal," especially since the President mentioned the need of workers to be trained. "Mismo ang Pangulo na po ang nagsaad ng kahalagahan ng karagdagang training para sa ating mga manggagagawang nawalan ng trabaho. TESDA po ang pangunahing ahensya na makakatugon sa panawagan ng ating gobyerno kaya po hinihikayat natin ang pamunuan ng ahensya na ipakita ang kakayahan nito na sanayin at baguhin ang buhay ng mga manggagawa," said Villanueva, who chairs the Senate labor committee. "We've seen first-hand the transformative power of tech-voc in uplifting the quality of life of our workers," added the lawmaker who served as TESDA director general for five years. "It is high time for TESDA to step up to the challenge of the times, and showcase its capability to help our workers to become employable." Villanueva underscored how the government's COVID-19 response affected the budgets of education agencies like TESDA, which realigned P2.103 billion of its 2020 budget under the Bayanihan 1 Act. The amount mostly came from its scholarship fund. Under the Bayanihan 2 bill, which the Senate passed on third and final reading on Tuesday, Villanueva facilitated the allocation of P1 billion for the tech-voc agency to enable it to grant scholarships for displaced workers and returning OFWs. Recognizing the key role of TESDA in the COVID-19 recovery phase, our amendment for a Php1 billion scholarship funds for TESDA is just apt, considering that Php2.103 billion of its 2020 budget has been realigned. Villanueva also asked TESDA to proactively seek out online sellers and encourage them to take entrepreneurship courses the agency has to help them professionalize the new wave of entrepreneurs. "TESDA will also play a crucial role to help our online sellers in their enterprise. Training them to run their businesses properly will enable them to succeed in their venture. Our government should be an enabler of their success," the lawmaker said. The P140-billion Bayanihan 2 bill likewise included important allocations to various labor and education concerns such as cash-for-work assistance for workers (P15 billion), involuntary separation assistance for workers (P17 billion), and ICT infrastructure upgrades for state universities and colleges (P3 billion).
Mumbai: A special court here on Wednesday remanded associate professor Hany Babu of Delhi University (DU), who was arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad case, in NIA custody till August 4.

Hany Babu Musaliyarveettil Tharayil, 54, associate professor in the Department of English, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday in connection with the case.

He was produced before a special NIA court in Mumbai on Wednesday. The probe agency told the court that the accused was arrested for his alleged involvement in the case.

It submitted that the accused had links with the CPI (Maoist) party. During the investigation, various letters were recovered from the seized electronic articles, which indicated his involvement in the case, the NIA said.

The lawyer, who appeared on behalf of the accused, submitted that Hany Babu was being interrogated by the NIA for the last four to five days, and hence his further custody was not required.

Special court judge, A T Wankhede, after perusing the document on record, found that the allegations made against the accused are of serious nature. The court then remanded him in seven days of NIA custody.

The case relates to an Elgar Parishad event of December 31, 2017, organised by theKabir Kala Manchat Shaniwarwada in Pune, where alleged provocative speeches were made, promoting enmity between various caste groups and

leading to violence resulting in loss of life and property and statewide agitation in Maharashtra.

The Pune police filed a charge sheet and a supplementary charge sheet in the case on November 15, 2018 and February 21, 2019 respectively.

The NIA took up the investigation of the case on January 24 this year and arrested Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on April 14.

During further investigation, it was revealed that Hany Babu was propagating Naxal activities and Maoist ideology and was a "co-conspirator" with the other arrested accused, the NIA has said.
Patna, July 29 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress demanded a CBI probe into the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case on Wednesday, a day after late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's father, K. K. Singh, filed an FIR at Rajiv Nagar police station here.

BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand said Sushant Singh Rajput was a 'brilliant', 'talented' and 'intellectual' actor. His suspicious death has hurt his fan across the world.

He said, "We support the actor's family for filing the case, we are with them. All important people from all walks of life have demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter." He further said, "There should be a CBI investigation in Sushant case, so that 'Bihar's son' can get a justice. Bollywood's mafia, Hawala, anti-national and criminal alliances could come to the fore." Meanwhile, the Congress has also reiterated the demand of the CBI investigation into the matter. Lalan Kumar, former president of Bihar Pradesh Youth Congress, said on the basis of the FIR filed by Sushan's father in Rajiv Nagar, it can be said that many 'secrets' are hidden in his death. His fans should get answers to these questions.

He said that the investigation of this case should be done by the CBI, so that the reality of the case can be revealed to everyone.

Kumar had earlier written to the Governor requesting for a CBI inquiry.

Earlier, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) President Chirag Paswan also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over phone. Paswan said that the Bihar and Maharashtra Police are seriously investigating the case, but it is better to hand over the investigation to the CBI to solve the suicide scandal.

Sushant had allegedly committed suicide on June 14 at his flat in Mumbai's Bandra. Sushant's father has lodged a case in Patna on June 25 against Sushant's friend Riya and her family under various sections of the IPC.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Five family members have been found dead inside an Ohio home in what appears to be a murder-suicide.

Elyria police responded to a home on Willow Park Road in Elyria at 8.11am on Wednesday morning for a wellness check on the residents.

Police said they found the family members - three children, two adults and the family dog - deceased in the home on Wednesday morning.

The Lorain County Coroner's Office will make an official ruling on the cause of death. Elyria police are now investigating their deaths.

The names of the deceased are not being released until family members are notified.

Five family members were found dead inside in Elyria, Ohio home (above) on Willow Park Road on Wednesday morning in what appears to be a murder-suicide

Sources told WKBN the deaths appeared to be a murder-suicide.

Neighbors reported hearing two rounds of what they believed to be gunshots last night.

'About 5.20pm, I heard what sounded like firecrackers going off like "pop pop pop pop pop,"' neighbor Enetta Hubbard said to News5Cleveland. 'He said, "It sounds like gunshots." I said "I know, but I dont know where."'

'Like I tell everybody, Im the nosy neighbor that watches everything but I didnt see this. If I wouldve known, you know, I wouldve called yesterday,' Hubbard, who lived in her home for 28 years, said.

Hubbad said a co-worker of the man who owned the home showed up to the residence and asked Hubbard if she had seen any activity outside the house this morning. Hubbard said no and he called police.

'He said, "I see five shell casings at the front door. Im calling the cops,"' Hubbard recounted.

Raw video of police and coroner activity at the home in Elyria where five people were found dead this morning. Police say 2 adults and 3 children 6-12 were found inside the house. @YourChronicle #breakingnews #ohio pic.twitter.com/apiamwLfeR  Bruce Bishop (@bruce_bishop) July 29, 2020

Elyria Police and the Lorain County Coroners office were investigating the home for hours and cleared the scene around 3pm on Wednesday.

'They went into the house and they started putting crime scene tape on it and they made us stand across the street,' Hubbard said.

Police said they found two splinter marks in the vinyl siding of the home, which they revealed were created by gunfire inside the house, according to The Courier Daily.

Another neighbor Linda Bristow also though she heard fireworks Tuesday evening and the screaming of children, but didnt think it was due to gunshots.

'Now I know why they were running around screaming,' she said.

Police said additional information will be released at a later date. They said there is no threat to public safety or a suspect at large.
The QDX HealthID ecosystem adds MIG USA serology tests.

Once FDA EUA approval is granted, MIG USA to offer QDX HealthID

to persons taking its tests, including its own employees

San Marcos, TX and High Point, NC, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QDX HealthID Incorporated, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quantum Materials Corp (OTC Bulletin Board: QTMM)  today announced that in conjunction with its parent it has signed an agreement with MIG USA, for the inclusion of MIG USA and affiliates test kits in the QDX HealthID ecosystem. Additionally, the agreement allows for MIG USA to offer QDX HealthID to users of its test kits.

QDX HealthID, currently in beta release, is a SaaS-based platform that allows companies and individuals to see and select a particular COVID-19 test kit, authenticate and record the test results in a secure way, and then share those authenticated results with friends, familyor any other third party of their choosing.

MIG USA is awaiting FDA EUA approval for two rapid serology tests, to which MIG USA has distributor rights in the U.S. and several countries abroad.

The agreement allows those persons registered on the QDX HealthID platform to use a MIG USA test kit  when a health care provider prescribes it. The agreement is non-exclusive and allows for other registered test kits and diagnostic services to be used by QDX HealthID customers.



The agreement also allows for MIG USA to offer the QDX HealthID service to users of MIG USAs and affiliates branded test kits. Initially, MIG USAs employees will use QDX HealthID to create their health status. Additionally, MIG USA is including QDX HealthID as part of usability testing submission to the FDA.

MIG USA is based in High Point, North Carolina. MIG USA and its subsidiaries and affiliates focus on the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of infectious disease screening and diagnostic products as well as contagion mitigation products. This agreement will allow for the parties expansion into a multitude of MIG USA product offerings and technologies which are synergistic with the vision for QDX HealthID.

Story continues

"We are pleased to expand the ecosystem of test kits and diagnostic services that are part of our QDX HealthID service with the inclusion of the MIG USA serology tests," says Stephen B. Squires, CEO of QDX HealthID Incorporated. "These antibody test kits and MIG USAs products complement those from other ecosystem members and demonstrates the open approach weve taken with QDX HealthID."

We are excited to work with QDX HealthID to help fulfill our mission to provide COVID-19 testing and tracking to potentially save lives and reopen businesses, and our contagion mitigation products, which are subject to collaboration with QDX HealthID Incorporated, promise to provide a whole host of novel approaches to future epidemics, says Dr. Adnan Mjalli, CEO and Chairman, MIG USA.



The QDX HealthID service allows an individual to control when and how to share an authenticated health status, such as the result of a COVID-19 test, without revealing the test result itself. QDX HealthIDs guiding mantra is We dont share your data. You do.



ABOUT QDX HEALTHID INCORPORATED

QDX HealthID Incorporated is a wholly owned subsidiary of Quantum Materials Corp (QMC) created to leverage, adapt and augment QMC technologies to address global health and wellness opportunities, with an emphasis on authentication of people, products and places while recognizing the individuals information privacy rights. More information is available at www.qdxhealthid.com.

ABOUT QUANTUM MATERIALS CORP

Quantum Materials Corp develops and manufactures quantum dots and nanomaterials for use in display, solar energy and lighting applications through its proprietary high-volume continuous flow production process. Combined with its proprietary blockchain technology, QMCs unique quantum dots are also used in anti-counterfeit applications.



QMC's volume manufacturing methods enable consistent quality and scalable cost reductions to provide the foundation for technologically superior, energy efficient and environmentally sound displays, the next generation of solid-state lighting and solar photovoltaic power applications. By leveraging the highly tunable emission quality of its quantum dots, combined with its scalable blockchain platform, QMC also offers products that underpin anti-counterfeit initiatives. For more information, visit Quantum Materials Corp at www.quantummaterialscorp.com.



ABOUT MIG USA



MIG USA is based in High Point, North Carolina. MIG USA and its subsidiaries and affiliates focus on the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of infectious disease screening and diagnostic products as well as contagion mitigation products.



Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995



Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements involve risks and uncertainties concerning our business, products and financial results, are predictions only and actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences include the uncertainty regarding viability and market acceptance of the Quantum Materials Corp products and services, the ability to complete software development plans in a timely manner, changes in relationships with third parties, changes to the product mix sold by the Company and other factors. More information about potential risk factors that could affect our business, products, and financial results are included in our annual report and reports subsequently filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). All documents are available through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (EDGAR) at http://www.sec.gov/ or from our website. Quantum Materials Corp. hereby disclaims any obligation to update the information provided above, including forward-looking statements publicly, to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.



QDX HEALTHID INCORPORATED AND QUANTUM MATERIALS CORP CONTACT:



Michael Glavich

VP, Business Development

mglavich@qdxhealthid.com



MIG USA CONTACT:



Adnan Mjalli, PhD

CEO and Chairman, MIG USA

www.migusa.com




Moderna Inc is planning to price its coronavirus vaccine at $50 to $60 per course, at least $11 more than another vaccine from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.

Modernas proposed price for a two-dose course sold to governments compares with $39 for two doses under a deal that Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech struck with the US government.

Industry analysts said Pfizer and BioNTechs $2 billion deal to cover 50 million patients, which is contingent on an approvable product, would likely pressure other manufacturers to set similar prices.

Modernas proposed price would apply to the United States and other high-income countries, according to the report.

A Moderna spokesperson said the company was in discussions with governments about potential supply of the vaccine, called mRNA-1273, but did not provide any details on pricing given the confidential nature of the discussions and contracts.

The final price for Modernas Covid vaccine has yet to be determined, a person familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

Pfizer, Moderna and Merck & Co have said they plan to sell their vaccines at a profit, while some drugmakers, including Johnson & Johnson have announced plans to price their vaccines on a not-for-profit basis.

AstraZeneca Plc agreed to provide the United States 300 million doses of its potential vaccine in exchange for $1.2 billion in upfront funding, which works out to $4 per dose.

The U.S. government has provided Moderna with nearly $1 billion in funding to support its research and development efforts for its potential Covid-19 vaccine.

The funding is part of Operation Warp Speed, an initiative by the Trump administration to hasten the production of an inoculation for Covid-19, which has so far killed around 650,000 people worldwide.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unity FI Solutions, a leading provider of payment and software processing solutions, announced today a new premier partnership with 1Core Solution, further positioning itself as one of the nations premier financial technology partners.



Named to the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list in 2019 for the second year in a row, the team at Unity FI Solutions has worked hand-in-hand with key stakeholders at 1Core Solution to provide a fully integrated childcare software and payments solution.

Its very clear in working with our new partner that they care tremendously for the childcare industry. 1Core has listened to identify the current modern-day needs of the industry and has provided the solutions, said Stephen Contino, co-founder of Unity FI Solutions. We are proud to offer such a streamlined technology solution that enhances the parent experience while at the same time helping childcare companies to be more competitive and profitable."

With more than 15 years of providing cloud-based and mobile app solutions to childcare businesses, 1Core Solution is able to help streamlined all aspects of the client operations, all within one common solution platform. With the recent introduction of their COVID-19 responsive features, they are well positioned to help even more childcare providers to survive and thrive during these uncertain times.



We are extremely pleased to partner with payment technology leader Unity FI Solutions as we continue to strive to deliver peace of mind to each one of our clients, said Simon Ho, co-founder of 1Core Solution. Our integration with Unity allows the parents to make tuition payments hassle free while giving providers greater control over their cash flow. The 1Core all-encompassing software platform enables our clients to have more time to focus on what matters most, the children.

About Unity FI Solutions:

Unity FI Solutions is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based technology firm that delivers customized, secure and cost-effective electronic payment and collections solutions to clients in a wide range of industries. For more than a decade, Unity FI Solutions has brought innovative payment solutions to its clients with the goal of helping them improve their bottom lines and increase operational efficiencies.

Story continues

About 1Core Solution:



1Core Solution is a Cupertino, California based true all-in-one solution platform company dedicated to delivering peace of mind via technology to the childcare industry. 1Core believes that childcare providers are not only essential but the backbone of the economy. 1Core listens to the essentials of modern-day childcare businesses and develops 1Core solution for childcare providers to elevate their business.

Contact:

Stephen Contino

(704) 329-0125

steve.contino@unityfisolutions.com




The question about whom they may have exposed to the virus  the crucial part  was step No. 11.

You get to the end of the call, step 11, and by that time, people are so fed up that they are not willing to provide that information, one tracer said.

Tracers asked those reached over the phone to name anyone they had been in close contact with, defined as within six feet for at least 10 minutes. But they did not ask where patients might have exposed someone outside their homes, making it harder to identify clusters.

On July 17, the Trace Corps rolled out changes that responded to some of these concerns.

The demographic questions, which some patients found off-putting, were moved to the end of the call. Interviews were shortened, in part because they can be now marked as complete even if people do not answer the last eight of 21 sections, tracers said.

People infected with the coronavirus are now being asked where they work and if they visited a restaurant, bar or house of worship in the two weeks before they got tested or began having symptoms.

Unable to get clear answers about many of their questions, some of the workers found their private Slack channels the easiest way to share guidance. On June 30, they were told to shut them down because of concerns about patient privacy. Shelly Tenor, Optums director of operations for the program, said at the July 9 meeting that tracers could only communicate with one another through approved channels.

Some of the tracers have continued to quietly share notes on another platform, Discord, which is popular with gamers, two tracers said.

Im pretty shocked that this huge city initiative is acting this way, a 22-year-old tracer said. I still speak to co-workers, but its like we are fugitives.
South Africa: Gauteng residents urged to use water cautiously

The Department of Water and Sanitation has urged Gauteng users to reduce water usage to a bare minimum as the Vaal Dam continues to be constrained and dam levels decline week-on-week.

The department warned that the drop in dam levels could spell a serious situation if water consumers do not heed the call to use water cautiously during this dry, winter season.

The levels of the Vaal Dam are reaching critical levels week-on-week and this requires everyone to save water as much as possible, said the department in a statement.

The department stressed the importance of responding timeously to leaks and wastages to minimise losses.

A major dam in the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), the Vaal Dam dipped to even lower levels this week when it declined from last weeks 43.4% to 42.6%.

This, according to the department, indicates that the dam has been hovering under stress for some time, a situation which is now worsened by the dry winter season.

The Grootdraai Dam continues to stand firm at 81.4%. This is, however, down from the 82.4% at which it stood last week. Both these levels are healthier when compared to the 66.8% the dam was at during the same period last year.

For a third consecutive week at 93.9%, the Sterkfontein Dam located in Free State sits in a strong position. During the same week last year, the dam levels were at 92.4%

The Bloemhof Dam, which is firmly at 99.5%, has seen an upswing this week as it increased from 99.3% last week and looks set to rise to the full capacity of 101.4% it saw last year at the same time.

The Mohale Dam in Lesotho presently sits at 8.0%, recording a fall from last weeks levels of 8.5%. The dam has been at a concerning state ever since last year during the same week when it was at 33.2%

With its levels slipping further down weekly, the Katse Dam, which is also located in Lesotho, is in dire straits this week. The dam declined from 31.6% last week to 31.0% this week. If the levels of the dam are anything to go by, it looks set to remain in a critical state for some time to come.

The Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) declined from 63.7% last week to the present 63.3%. The system remains lower when compared to the 69.5% at which it stood at the same period in the preceding year. The IVRS consists of 14 dams that are vital to a number of provinces.

KZN ramps up efforts to supply water

Meanwhile, the Department of Water and Sanitation in KwaZulu-Natal has ramped up its efforts to supplement water supply shortages in the province as dam levels continue to show a week-on-week decline.

According to a Water and Sanitation National Command Centre (NCC), a progress report issued by Rand Water said a total of 4 200 water tanks have been dispatched to various municipalities thus far.

The department and its entities had earmarked to deliver a total of 4 211 water tanks and this means that there is a shortfall of a mere 11 water tanks that still needs to be delivered.

Of the 4 200 delivered water tanks, 3 026 of them have already been installed and are currently in use. Adding to this, the targeted 639 water tankers have been delivered to assist with refilling the tanks as a way to assist communities experiencing water supply challenges.

Meanwhile, the provincial dam storage capacity has slightly decreased from 59.8% last week to 59.4% in the current week. When compared to a similar period last year, the average storage capacity was 61.1%.

The Umgeni Water Supply System with five dams which supply water to the eThekwini Metro, Pietermaritzburg and surrounds has slightly decreased from 70.5% last week to 69.5% this week. The Water Supply System this time last year was slightly above average at 70.7%.

The Albert Falls dam on the Umgeni River just outside Pietermaritzburg, has declined further from 39.8% last week to 39.2% this week. The Pongolapoort Dam in Northern KwaZulu-Natal is this week at 42.4% from last weeks 42.5%.

We implore KZN residents to use water with care as we work towards implementing long-term measures to address water supply challenges in many parts of the province, said department spokesperson Sputnik Ratau.

Ratau said the department would commission the construction of Phase 1 of the uMkhomazi Water Project for eThekwini, uMgungundlovu and Msunduzi. He said the departments plan included the construction of a dam at Smithfield, a tunnel and associated water Infrastructures.

The uMkhomazi Water Project is amongst the top 10 mega projects we will be implementing countrywide, as announced by Deputy Minister David Mahlobo during the departments Budget Vote last week, Ratau said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Britain could sign its first post-Brexit trade deal within weeks as ministers target finalising an agreement with Japan by September.

Talks with Tokyo started on June 8 and have been ongoing since then, with a 'significant breakthrough' taking place yesterday.

The UK is now hopeful of getting the trade deal in the books before the autumn.

The deal would then kick in from January 1, 2021, after the end of the Brexit transition period.

It came as International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said a deal with New Zealand is now a 'step closer' after a first round of talks concluded.

Hopes have faded of the UK doing a deal with the US this year while the 'working assumption' within the Government is said to be that talks with the EU will fail.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said today that the first round of trade talks with New Zealand have now concluded amid reports a deal with Japan could be struck by September

The UK Japan trade deal is broadly based on an agreement done between Tokyo and the EU but Britain has sought to negotiate further tariff reductions and better access to Japanese markets for British firms.

The deal could mean cheaper Japanese tech goods like Sony Playstations for British consumers.

A Government source told The Sun the Japan deal 'is happening and it is happening soon'.

The Department for International Trade announced this morning that the first round of virtual talks with New Zealand had now finished.

Ms Truss said: 'We are a step closer to reaching a comprehensive trade deal with a like-minded friend and ally.

'The first round of talks were positive and productive, with a shared aim to be particularly ambitious in areas including digital trade and sustainability.

'A deal with New Zealand will strengthen the global consensus for free and fair trade at a time of increased protectionism, and create more opportunities for UK businesses as we recover from the economic impact of Coronavirus.'

Earlier this month it emerged that hopes are fading of the UK and US being able to strike a trade deal before the presidential election in November.

Both Downing Street and the White House were aiming to get a trade deal finalised before Donald Trump seeks re-election later this year.

But Number 10 recently would not commit to a specific timetable for the talks to conclude, instead saying the aim is to strike a deal 'as soon as we can'.

Meanwhile, the 'working assumption' within the Government is now said to be that Britain and Brussels will not be able to agree the terms of their future relationship before the end of the Brexit transition period.

The Government has said it does not want talks with the EU to drag on into the autumn, leaving just a matter of weeks to get the deal done.

But 'significant differences' still remain between the two sides on key issues like fishing rights and to what extent the UK will agree to abide by EU rules.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 28)  President Rodrigo Duterte's warning to telecommunications companies Smart and Globe diverts attention from his failure to discuss plans to address the pandemic, among other issues, a telco expert said.

During his fifth State of the Nation Address, the President criticized the two leading telco players for their lousy service and ordered them to improve their services before December.

"The patience of the Filipino is reaching its limit, Duterte said. I will be the one to articulate the anger of the Filipino people and you might not want what I intended to do with you.

For Democracy.net co-founder Pierre Tito Galla, the Presidents call-out is a distraction  a "believable" one, now that many are highly dependent on the internet due to the need to socially distance.

Doon sa kaniyang SONA, wala siyang sinabi tungkol sa ano ang gagawing plano mula ngayon hanggang sa end ng kaniyang term tungkol sa pandemic, Galla said in an interview on CNN Philippines News.PH on Tuesday.

[Translation: In his SONA, he didnt say anything about the governments plans to address the pandemic starting from now until the end of his term.]

The Chief Executive was expected to focus on the country's COVID-19 roadmap to recovery, but he took numerous detours in his speech.

Galla added that Duterte failed to mention the rehabilitation of the war-torn city of Marawi, which remains in ruins three years after terrorists siege.

Several officials from Mindanao pointed out this omission, with House Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman saying he hoped that the President would also give a deadline for the Marawi rehabilitation, the same way he gave an ultimatum to the telco providers.

READ: Marawi rehab not a priority? Duterte SONA hit for leaving out war-torn city

Push for passage of ICT reform bills

According to Galla, if the government is serious in its demand for a higher quality of internet service, it should move to pass Information and Communications Technology reform bills filed in Congress.

These include the measures on open access in data transmission, spectrum management reform, and other bills seeking to amend telco policies, he said.

Galla argued that reforms are necessary to increase competition in the industry, which will then result in an improved quality of service, lowered costs, and increased customer satisfaction, which he said the country is not getting right now.

Kasi kung dalawa lang ang telco  na for example nga, mobile  eh madaling maging tamad kasi I will only be as good as the other guy, he said.

[Translation: Because if there are only two telcos  for example, for mobile  it is easy to be lazy because I will only be as good as the other guy.]
A photo of the 25-year-old chief suspect in Monday's gun murder in the capital was circulated to all garda stations in the city as a manhunt continued last night.

Detectives said he might be safer in their custody, as it is feared that associates of the dead man may also be hunting for him.

The criminal is wanted over the murder of Thomas McCarthy (55), who was shot dead at his mother's home in Croftwood Park, Bally- fermot.

"Gardai want to arr-est and question this individual for the murder. He is the chief suspect and an alert has been issued," a senior source told the Herald last night.

Reckless

As part of the manhunt, specialist officers tried to "ping" his mobile phone in the early hours of yesterday to obtain his exact location after receiving information he was in the city centre.

"A reckless criminal going around with a gun in the middle of town is not a good prospect, but gardai have not yet been able to locate him," the source said.

It is understood the suspect's social media accounts are being monitored as part of the investigation.

The Herald previously revealed that gardai are investigating whether Mr McCarthy travelled back to the capital from his home in England to "seek retribution" after the suspect assaulted a woman who was well-known to him.

However, it was a case of who could strike first, and Mr McCarthy was gunned down in a hail of bullets fired from a handgun by his killer, who wore a mask when he called to the door.

The suspect has numerous previous convictions, including for knife crimes and reckless driving offences and has served a number of jail terms.

He has also been homeless on occasion.

"He is a very, very dangerous young man, as can be seen with what happened to the unfortunate Mr McCarthy, who was shot eight times when he answered the door to that property on Monday - it was literally overkill. The sooner he is brought in, the better," the source said.

A previous court hearing heard the suspect had a "volatile" childhood and had been abusing alcohol and sleeping tablets from a young age.

The Herald has learned he amassed around 20 previous criminal convictions before he turned 18.

Sources also revealed that the suspect is in "grave danger" from associates of the murdered man, including a 49-year-old who is considered a key member of the notorious Derek 'Dee Dee' O'Driscoll gang.

Messy

Gardai initially investigated if the 49-year-old, who was very close to murder victim Mr McCarthy, was the target of the murder, and sources said that this had not been ruled out.

"The truth of the matter is that garda custody might well be the safest place for this murder suspect," the source said.

"If the 'Dee Dee' gang set their sights on him, it could all get extremely messy."

An investigation led by Ballyfermot gardai continued last night into the first gangland murder in the capital for many months.

Officers continued to appeal for information as they disclosed that a third car was used in Monday's murder.

"A black Toyota Avensis with registration number 10-D-123251 was sighted in the vicinity of Woodford Walk between 10.57am and 11.06am on Monday morning," a garda spokeswoman said.

"Gardai are interested in the movements of this vehicle before and after this sighting.

"The car was later discovered burnt out on Peamount Road, Newcastle, Co Dublin, at 9.30pm on Monday.

"Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have observed this vehicle between the hours of 10am and 9.30pm on Monday or who may have any information in relation to this vehicle, to contact them."

Earlier, gardai appealed for information about two cars that had been used by the lone gunman, a blue Ford Fiesta that was driven from the scene and a Skoda Octavia that the killer then got into.

The Fiesta was found burnt-out in nearby Le Fanu Drive, while the Skoda was set on fire in the Monksfield area of Clondalkin.

It is believed the killer then transferred to the third car, the Avensis, which was burnt-out in Newcastle on Monday night.

"This was well planned and a large amount of CCTV is being analysed from a large number of locations in west Dublin and beyond," gardai said.

A senior source said four shots were fired at Mr McCarthy when he answered the door of the property, and four more inside the house.

Mr McCarthy was married with children and had been living in Essex. He had been back home for just over a week when he was shot dead.

Tensions

"This murder could increase tensions in the Ballyfermot area after what has been a relatively calm period in the locality, especially if the Dee Dee O'Driscoll gang decide to seek revenge for the murder," a senior source said.

O'Driscoll is one of the most dangerous criminals in Irish gangland and has previous convictions including for bribing a garda, violent disorder and perverting the course of justice.
Arrival of OptGrid: Advanced Technology for Grid Management Now Available to Industry

July 29, 2020

A new product developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has industry-shifting potential to help manage todays increasingly distributed energy infrastructure. OptGrid has been trialed in rigorous lab experiments and on real power systems, and it has emerged as a commercial solution for real-time coordination of distributed energy resources (DERs).

Analogous to a software that operates a households smart devices, OptGrid is the operating system for the new grid, which is being defined by distributed energy technologies in large numbers and great variety. OptGrid manages the complex connections between those technologies, facilitating efficient energy exchange and flexible power systems. With OptGrid, communities, utilities, microgrids, and residents are closer than ever to realizing a power system that operates at the full potential provided by modern energy resources.

Under the hood, OptGrid utilizes a novel method for real-time optimization of power flow that is scalable to coordinate large numbers of distributed energy resources.

Since its commercial release, OptGrid has been licensed by grid analytics group Utilidata, which will embed OptGrid into smart meters to control DERs at homes and businesses. Utilidata states that OptGrid will make DERs including solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicle chargers more cost effective for customers and make their homes more resilience during outages.

At NREL, OptGrid is the engine behind autonomous energy systemsa power system design that applies distributed controls and optimization across energy domains.

As described in the above video, Principal Investigator Andrey Bernstein characterizes the OptGrid technology as a cornerstone of a future vision of energy systems, where you can add different devices into the system in a way that is plug and play and that can support the growth of smart cities.

Since OptGrids formation in the Department of Energys ARPA-E program, OptGrid has been demonstrated on a California microgrid-vineyard, in a rural Colorado neighborhood, and in NRELs advanced research laboratories where it controlled more than 100 physical power devices. Out of those early experiments, OptGrid has shown that its approach to real-time power flow is ready to make an impact on other systems across the world.

This technology can be part of a cleaner-energy world, where customers can use their own energy sources on the [grid] edge and orchestrate them so that the grid is stable and customers are satisfied, Bernstein said.

Learn more about OptGrid.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf speaks to the press. With a recent rise in COVID cases and subsequent additional targeted mitigation efforts put in place, Gov. Wolf today visited WellSpan York Hospital to thank staff and emphasize why mask-wearing and social distancing are necessary and effective to fight the spread of COVID-19. Harrisburg  July 21, 2020 Read more

When does a crisis become an excuse?

Over the weekend, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that he will reluctantly allow a transparency bill that passed unanimously in both chambers of the General Assembly to become law without his signature. The Republican-crafted legislation compels the administration to resume its responses to requests under the states Right-to-Know Law  a practice that was suspended in March as the government transitioned to work-from-home.

The bill became a priority after businesses, lawmakers, journalists, and residents raised questions about the administrations decision-making at the height of the pandemic, including which businesses were deemed life-sustaining and which qualified for a controversial waiver program  which led Senate Republicans to sue the administration.

Wolf had threatened to veto the bill in the past, arguing that it will put state employees in danger by forcing them to come back to work on site. In a statement released Sunday, he stated that he will allow the bill to become law, despite concerns.

Maintaining a balance between employee safety and continued operations has been a hard task for many businesses and organizations  not just government.

 READ MORE: Gov. Tom Wolf will allow transparency bill to become law despite veto threat

Still, there is some irony in Wolfs statement. After all, as governor, he is the one who led the states reopening plan, pushing Philadelphia to transition to yellow and green even if it hadnt met the caseload criteria. That plan directed workers in gyms, libraries, indoor shopping malls, and soon, potentially schools, to work on site  with safety precautions that should ensure employees health. So why doesnt that same directive, and those precautions, apply to state employees whose work product is transparency?

In the same statement on Sunday, Wolf called on legislators to pass a law that will provide the public access to their secret emails and calendars. Both existing Right-to-Know Laws and necessary new laws like the one Wolf suggested are critical to holding the government accountable, especially important during this kind of prolonged crisis.

Like the state, the City of Philadelphia also suspended its Right-to-Know operations. The city is required to respond to requests within five business days, with an allowance of a 30-day extension for specific reasons. Since mid-March, these deadlines have been suspended for all requests. According to the Mayors Office, the city still continues to process requests. The speed depends on the department and where they are in their phasing back to full capacity. And while some requests, such as for email communication, can be processed virtually, the Mayors Office says they require in-person legal review.

Right-to-Know Laws have deadlines for a reason. Government entities are compelled by law to answer information requests. There are just too many outstanding questions on recent decision-making, both on the state level and the city level, for excuses. All Right-to-Know deadlines should be restored. For the rare cases that require in-person interaction that cant be done safely, there should be an extension  but that should not be the default. And if it is truly unsafe to do any on-site work, maybe Pennsylvania shouldnt be all green.
Meredith Shaw is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel.

Daniel Davis' July 23 opinion piece, "America's Military Should Not Be Used as an Auxiliary Force to Defend Berlin," on the Trump administration's proposal to remove 10,000 troops from Germany startled me.

Many of this administration's proposals do not go further than a tweet, but that this one is supported by Davis and the Defense Priorities organization requires comment.

The premiers of four German states are requesting that Congress block President Donald Trump's tentative plan to withdraw nearly 10,000 troops from Germany. Davis states, "The plea was based on their perception of what's good for their county, however, and certainly not based on what's best for America."

Of course, the premiers plea supported their own interests. But at this moment in history, their plea -- indeed, NATO's plea -- to maintain these troops in Germany is also very, very much "what's best for America."

Davis maintains that the Cold War conditions that required this presence no longer exist. In fact, they had not existed for some time, but the troops remained as part of our participation in NATO, as a superpower presence to offset Russian aspirations and as the visual and symbolic reminder that the U.S. had the watch.

In addition, operations of purely U.S. interest sometimes pulled from those troops. Proximity can be critical. But the Cold War conditions Davis cites exist again. Russian aspirational plans are being executed. It took the Crimea; Ukraine is torn. Russia threatens action to alleviate perceived slights against Russian ethnic minorities in the Baltics, while it spies, assassinates on foreign soil, murders journalists, and meddles in elections and politics worldwide, including ours.

Putin is smiling -- all the time. U.S. leadership in the world is in question. Worse, U.S. intentions and reliability are doubted. We do not present a stable or consistent foreign policy. Regardless of the rhetoric, our official positions appear more pro-Warsaw Pact than pro-NATO. The president proposes leaving NATO. He also proposes Russia returning to the G-8 minus 1.

Not just Germany, but the world, needs affirmation that America intends to be the good guy and wants to retain its mantle as the pillar of light and liberal democracy that smashed fascism, communism and the Nazi state, and owned the 20th century. Yet our leadership's photo ops are not with our allies, but with the world dictators and abusers. Not in 40 years have U.S. assurances to NATO and our allies been more necessary, or more important to our standing in the world.

Davis cites the amount NATO members pay for their own defense. Yes, it can be improved. The German pipeline deal with Russia is analogous to our dependence on Chinese goods. Risk assessments are continuous for economically expedient solutions. To this argument, these issues are small potatoes. One cannot argue against Davis' position that the United States must pursue policies in our interests. Of course, it must.

Pulling troops out of Berlin at this moment is the worst thing we could do for the U.S.

-- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
US forces asked to stay in bunkers as Iran fires missiles amid drills: Reports

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 28 July 2020 6:51 PM

US military forces deployed to the Persian Gulf kingdoms were reportedly asked to stay in bunkers as Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) fired ballistic missiles during normal military drills off the strategic Hormuz Strait.

Citing her "sources" and those of the CNN, a reporter for the BBC wrote in a post on her official page on Tuesday that US troops based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Qatar had been briefly put on "high alert" due to "concerns" over Iran's missile activities.

Other sources identified the facilities as al-Dhafra base in the UAE and al-Udeid air base in Qatar, saying the American troops deployed there had been asked to stay in bunkers.

US forces in Qatar and the UAE "went on high alert early Tuesday and were asked to stay in bunkers, due to intelligence indicators showing an Iranian ballistic missile had been fired and possibly headed their way, US defense officials tell CNN," a Twitter user said, indicating that the US forces had misread the trajectory of Iranian missiles.

The reported high-alert notice came as Iran's IRGC started the final phase of large-scale aerial and naval drills, codenamed Payambar-e A'zam (The Great Prophet) 14, involving the elite force's Aerospace Division and Navy.

The maneuvers were held in the general area of the Hormozgan Province, west of the strategic Hormuz Strait, and the Persian Gulf.

The drills featured missiles, vessels, drones, and radars, and are designed to practice both offensive and defensive missions.

Tuesday saw the Corps stage strikes against the life-size replica of a Nimitz-class US aircraft carrier, which the American navy usually sails into the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.

The high-alert notice came a week after Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Iran would definitely deliver a "counterblow" to the United States over the assassination of top anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani in January.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will never forget this issue and will definitely deal the counterblow to the Americans," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Tehran last week.

General Soleimani, former commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, was assassinated in a US airstrike at Baghdad airport on January 3 upon an order by US President Donald Trump.

The assassination pushed Iran and the US to the brink of war.

Shortly after the atrocity, the Leader warned about a pending "harsh revenge."

The IRGC fired volleys of ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq on January 8. According to the US Defense Department, more than 100 American forces suffered "traumatic brain injuries" during the counterstrikes.

The Corps, however, says Washington uses the term to mask the number of the Americans, who perished during the retaliation.

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The first day of the school summer break began with claims published in the Times that schools are safe to reopen in September, with little evidence to suggest that children are vectors for COVID-19.

The article, cited widely, confirms how science is being cherry picked in the service of a back to work agenda to guarantee profits for the wealthy, in which the opening of schools is key. The broad-based hostility among teachers and parents to the unsafe reopening of schools is being met with a barrage of propaganda to confuse, disorient, and dissipate this opposition.

The Times article, published July 22, quotes Mark Woolhouse, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Edinburgh University and a member of the UK governments scientific advisory group, Sage. He said, One thing we have learnt is that children are certainly, in the five to 15 brackets from school to early years, minimally involved in the epidemiology of this virus. They are probably less susceptible and vanishingly unlikely to end up in hospital or to die from it.

Number of acute respiratory infection incidents by institution in England (credit Public Health England)

He goes on to assert, There is increasing evidence that they rarely transmit. For example, it is extremely difficult to find any instance anywhere in the world a single example of a child transmitting to a teacher in school. There may have been one in Australia but it is incredibly rare.

The comments reveal the highly politicised character of the science of the pandemic and how science is increasingly subordinated to the profit interests of the ruling class. The reality is that there have been numerous studies that challenge Woolhouses claim.

As his comments were published, data was released in the US of alarmingly high numbers of COVID infections of children. The Tennessee Department of Health revealed that 7,572 school-age childrenthose between the ages of 5 and 18have been diagnosed with COVID-19. In Mississippi, more than 4,900 children had tested positive for COVID-19. In Florida, over 23,000 minors have tested positive.

A recent study from South Korea, the largest of its kind, showed that of 5,706 infected people and their 59,073 contacts, only children under 10 transmitted less often to adults, but those between the ages of 10 and 19 spread the virus as readily as adults. Households with the older children had the highest rate of spread to other members18.6 percentof any age group, while households with younger children had the least spread, just 5.3 percent. The overall average was 11.8 percent.

An article in the Smithsonian Review highlighted evidence that children, including those without symptoms, are as likely to be as infectious as adults. It noted that the reopening of schools in Israel was one of the most significant factors in the renewed circulation of the virus. The number of new cases there had risen from fewer than 50 per day two months ago, to more than 1,500 per day in early July. The increase followed school outbreaks that infected at least 1,335 students and 691 staff.

Jeffrey Shaman, an infectious disease expert at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health, explained that it is impossible to get a clear picture of the effects of COVID on children, as the studies to date about COVID-19 and children have been too small or too compromised by factors such as school closings, lack of testing, or much smaller community caseloads than the United States.

He insisted, The question is, what happens when the children get it? Are they effectively dead ends? Or are they capable of communicating the virus and spreading it to other people? I think the evidence is not conclusive. We dont know enough to know that children to some degree are less capable of transmitting this virus.

But Shaman indicated the very real pressure being exerted on science under a system which is driven in the interests of defending profits rather than the health and well-being of society. He understood the need to get children back to school but stressed that it is hard to gauge the risk, given the current state of knowledge and information slanted by governments looking to reopen schools. We dont have a policy model and an experience model that allows us to understand what will be appropriate.

Were dealing with a novel coronavirus, he added.

That political ends and not the search for truth dominates government policy is sharply revealed in the totally negligent response to COVID-19 in Sweden, the favoured model for all advocates of a herd immunity strategy and opponents of lockdown measures. Sweden is the only country in Europe that did not go into a national lockdown. Schools and businesses all remained open. However, sciencemag.org explains, The one country that could have definitively answered that question (whether children are vectors) has apparently failed to collect any data.  Swedish officials have not tracked infections among school childreneven when large outbreaks led to the closure of individual schools or staff members died of the disease.

The Karolinska Institute (KI), Swedens flagship medical research centre, developed a protocol to study school outbreaks, but the lack of funding, time, and resources placed huge hurdles before their efforts. The KI did scan Swedish newspapers, which made clear that school outbreaks had occurred. In the town of Skelleftea, a teacher died and 18 of 76 staff tested positive at a school with about 500 students, in preschool through ninth grade. The article states that several teachers have died in Sweden.

The KI found that in the Swedish Public Health Agencys preliminary results from antibody surveys of 1,100 people from nine regions, the antibody prevalence in children and teenagers was 4.7 percent, compared with 6.7 percent in adults age 20 to 64 and 2.7 percent in 65- to 70-year-olds. The relatively high rate in children suggests there may have been significant spread in schools, it concluded.

There have been many concerns by the scientific community that reopening schools can increase the spread of the virus. Anita Cicero, deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Centre for Health Security, noted; In Japan, South Korea, Finland and France, each of those countries had about 1 or fewer cases per 100,000 people when they reopened, she says. In contrast, there are currently some US counties with 80 or more new daily cases per 100,000. She stressed the importance of the rate of infection circulating before reopening schools.

In England, the Conservative government was forced to acknowledge that children are vectors for the virus, following the local lockdown imposed in Leicester in July. Health Minister Matt Hancock said that one of the main reasons for imposing the Leicester lockdown was an increase in the number of under 18 year olds who have tested positive, explaining, Because children can transmit the disease, although they are highly unlikely to get ill from the disease, we think that the safest thing to do is to close the schools

Leading up to the Leicester lockdown, Public Health Englands Weekly COVID-19 Surveillance Report revealed that the number of acute respiratory infection incidents increased from 43 in week 26 of the pandemic to 55 in week 27. Although the number of incidents has been declining in both care homes and hospitals, and remain stable in workplace settings, it has increased in educational settings so that they have overtaken care home incidents. This is a grave warning as to the impact of a full return to schools in September.

The tremendous pressure exerted on scientists, the agreement of the education unions to the reopening of schools, the support of the Labour Party for Johnsons criminal agenda all point to the need for workers and educators to take independent action to protect their lives.

The Socialist Equality Party insists that a genuine fight against the pandemic can only emerge through establishing a broad network of rank-and-file safety committees, independent of the unions and both big business parties, in every school and neighbourhood, working in conjunction with a panel of trusted scientists and health experts. These committees, democratically controlled by workers themselves, should formulate, implement, and oversee measures that are necessary to safeguard the health and lives of workers, their families and the broader community.
The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on the 18-year-old son of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, vowing never to let the war-torn nation's regime enrich itself. Hafez al-Assad -- named after his grandfather, who ruled Syria with an iron fist for three decades -- will not be allowed to travel or maintain assets in the United States, the State Department said. The designation was part of a second set of sanctions under the Caesar Act, a US law that took effect in June and aims to prevent any normalization of Assad even as he wins back most of Syrian territory after a brutal nine-year war. "We will continue to hold Bashar al-Assad and his regime accountable for their atrocities, while keeping the memory of their victims alive," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "It is time for Assad's needless, brutal war to end," he said. The United States has already imposed sanctions on Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma. Officials said the sanctions against their only adult child were meant to stop Hafez from becoming a conduit for his family overseas. "It has been such a prominent trend among Syrian regime actors to use their adult family members, whether their siblings or children, to try to continue business in their place after being sanctioned," said Joel Rayburn, a State Department official who handles Syria. Rayburn warned that the Assads and other prominent families were increasing their economic leverage as Syria looks to rebuild. "For us, the point of the sanctions is to try to prevent the Assad regime from consolidating that kind of economic control which is then used to perpetuate the war and to perpetuate the killing machine against the Syrian people," Rayburn told reporters. Hafez al-Assad, the eldest of the Assads' three children, has made headlines as a teenager mostly for his passion for mathematics. He has taken part in international math competitions in Romania and Brazil, where in 2017 he finished 528th out of 615. - Targeting businesses, but not Russia - The United States also slapped sanctions on Syrian businessman Wassim Anwar al-Qattan, who is involved in major construction projects in Damascus. According to the Treasury Department, Syrian authorities awarded him a contract to develop a high-end shopping mall, removing the previous investor, after Qattan agreed to pay $2.7 million a year in fees. Also sanctioned was Major General Zuhair Tawfik al-Assad, a member of the extended ruling family, and his adult son. The officer has led the First Division of the Syrian army which since the start of the revolt in 2011 has been accused of mass killings and arrests in areas near Damascus. US officials said it was designating the latest sanctions in memory of the victims of a deadly 2011 siege of Hama as well as last year's bombing, allegedly involving Russia, of a marketplace in the town of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province where more than 40 civilians died. The United States, however, has not yet targeted business interests from Assad's key ally Russia. Fears of action against foreign investors under the Caesar Act have wreaked havoc on Syria's war-ravaged economy by clouding hopes for reconstruction. Idlib remains the last bastion of opposition forces including jihadists who have battled Assad in a war that has claimed more than 380,000 lives, displaced millions and fueled the rise of the ultra-violent Islamic State group.
A 2011 CBO study found that reducing employer payroll taxes has a larger effect on GDP than reducing employee payroll taxes or individual income taxes. The federal government should do a review to determine whether thats appropriate in this case. - Pioneer Executive Director Jim Stergios

A new guide to economic recovery in the retail and hospitality industries published by Pioneer Institute calls for the federal and state governments to consider consumption-based refundable tax credits for brick and mortar businesses; the federal government to conduct a detailed study of the costs and benefits of suspending employer-side payroll taxes; businesses to pay special attention to developing and marketing their cleanliness, hygiene and contactless procedures; and third-party customer review sites to include comments about the implementation of COVID safety measures to provide options and reassurance to safety-minded consumers.

A 2011 Congressional Budget Office study found that reducing employer payroll taxes has a larger effect on GDP than reducing either employee payroll taxes or individual income taxes, said Pioneer Executive Director Jim Stergios. The federal government should do an in-depth review to determine whether thats appropriate in this case.

As we emerge from the COVID-19 economic crisis, said Pioneer Director of Government Transparency Mary Connaughton, tax policy must balance incentivizing consumption related to the industries hardest hit with stabilizing government revenues in the long-term.

In addition to these recommendations that will benefit all of these industries, Rebekah Paxton, Andrew Mikula and Greg Sullivan, authors of Public Policy Guide for Economic Recovery from COVID-19 in the Retail and Hospitality Sectors make specific proposals for each.

Retail

The retail sector was struggling before the pandemic hit. Statewide retail sales are now projected to fall by 10.5 percent, or about $2.8 billion, in 2020.

COVID-19 created a distinction between essential and non-essential businesses. Food and beverage retailers, which include essential businesses like grocery stores, saw sales rise 14.5 percent from May 2019 and May 2020. But sales of clothing and accessories dropped by more than 63 percent, and electronics sales fell nearly 30 percent.

The authors urge state policy makers to give retailers the right to expand delivery options through by-right delivery, and to explore whether an extended state sales tax holiday would stimulate long-term economic growth. They also call for the elimination or a significant reduction in permitting requirements for outdoor product sales on business property.

The authors urge business owners to implement systems that clearly communicate to consumers how to pick up online orders and to retailers when to pick up their orders. To boost cash flow, it will be important to advertise and hold clearance sales of out-of-season inventory.

Accommodation and Tourism

Massachusetts accommodations and tourism sales are projected to fall by nearly 45 percent in 2020, a reduction of nearly $11 billion. From February to May of this year alone, state employment in the sector dropped by 70 percent.

Maine recently adopted a policy that allows out-of-state visitors who provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test to forgo the states 14-day quarantine requirement. To assuage consumer fears, the authors urge accommodations and tourism business owners in Massachusetts to develop metrics to monitor guest health metrics prior to arrival.

State leaders should also weigh the cost of suspending or reducing the Commonwealths room occupancy and/or car rental tax against their ability to stimulate demand, although in these cases the marginal reduction in cost may not be enough to overcome coronavirus fears. Demand for car rentals has also previously been found to be relatively inelastic.

Restaurants

Between 2015 and 2019, 54 percent of all spending on food was outside the home. But according to the Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA), 3,600 establishments, or 22.5 percent of all the Commonwealths restaurants, will not survive COVID-19s impact on the state economy.

U.S. restaurant industry sales were down by more than half between February and April of this year, and bars, taverns and fine dining establishments laid off 90 percent of their employees between March and April alone.

The authors urge the Commonwealth to:



shift control over the number and distribution of liquor licenses to the local level

allow restaurants to sell fresh produce, meats and other whole foods by right to provide easier access to consumers during the pandemic

investigate the possibility of providing immunity from COVID-related liability to restaurants that demonstrate compliance with testing, PPE, and all other public health guidelines.

Local governments are urged to allow restaurants to do alcohol takeout with fewer restrictions; to make permitting for food trucks owned by restaurants a priority; and to allow sidewalk seating, by-right food delivery, curbside pick-up, and drive-through service.

The authors urge restaurant owners to target advertising to reach consumers in their homes via events like cook-alongs with meal kits from the restaurant. Owners should also expand seating into parking lots and sidewalks as allowed.

Several Western Massachusetts restaurants have banded together to sweeten the deal on their gift card program, offering gift cards valid at several establishments and bonus vouchers for larger purchases. This approach allows the gift cards to retain their value even if some of the restaurants go out of business, which, sadly, is quite possible in the present business climate.

About the Co-Authors

Andrew Mikula is the Lovett & Ruth Peters Economic Opportunity Fellow at Pioneer Institute. Mr. Mikula was previously a Roger Perry Government Transparency Intern at Pioneer Institute and studied economics at Bates College.

Rebekah Paxton is a Research Analyst at Pioneer Institute. She first joined Pioneer in 2017 as a Roger Perry intern, writing about various transparency issues within the Commonwealth, including fiscal policy and higher education. Since then, she has worked on various research projects under PioneerPublic and PioneerOpportunity, in areas of state finance, public policy, and labor relations. She recently earned an M.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics, from Boston University, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Gregory Sullivan is Pioneers Research Director. Prior to joining Pioneer, Sullivan served two five-year terms as Inspector General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and held several positions within that office previously. Sullivan was a 17-year member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, serving on the committees of Ways and Means, Human Services, and Post-Audit and Oversight. Greg holds a bachelors degree from Harvard College, a masters degree in public administration from The Kennedy School of Public Administration at Harvard, and a masters degree from the Sloan School at M.I.T., with a concentration in finance.

About Pioneer

Mission: Pioneer Institute develops and communicates dynamic ideas that advance prosperity and a vibrant civic life in Massachusetts and beyond.

Vision: Success for Pioneer is when the citizens of our state and nation prosper and our society thrives because we enjoy world-class options in education, healthcare, transportation and economic opportunity, and when our government is limited, accountable and transparent.

Values: Pioneer believes that America is at its best when our citizenry is well-educated, committed to liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise, and both willing and able to test their beliefs based on facts and the free exchange of ideas.
The horse-drawn carriage transported Congressman John Lewis across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, one final time. The emotional images on my television this past weekend took me back to the humbling walk I took with him there on the 50th anniversary of the infamous Bloody Sunday attack. As a 25-year-old, Lewis had spilled his own blood so Black people would no longer be denied their constitutional right to vote in Selma and throughout the Jim Crow South. When we retraced his steps on that March day in 2015, the infamous black-and-white images of state troopers beating young, nonviolent protesters like Lewis played in my minds eye.

We gathered at Brown Chapel just like the original marchers did before proceeding to the bridge. When you begin to cross it, the bridges incline is so steep that all you can see is the sky. Only at its apex can you see where the police had stood waiting in 1965, batons in hand, the threat of violence palpable. I can only imagine the fear the marchers felt, many of them in their 20s, some even youngerthe full force of the state amassed against them. And yet they continued to walk. Spending time with the congressman was always akin to walking through history, but when he reached the spot where he had almost lost his life, I felt a surreal connection to the past that will stay with me forever. I think everyone there that day was inspired to redouble their efforts in fighting for social justice. I certainly was.

That was the power of John Lewis. He simultaneously reminded Americans of our history and challenged us to build on it to make the nation better, as I was lucky enough to experience firsthand.

I first got to know Congressman Lewis when the Smithsonian hired me to make real the centurylong dream of a museum on the National Mall dedicated to the history and culture of African Americans. Without his persistence, the museum might never have existed. Upon his election to office in 1986, one of the first bills Lewis introduced was legislation to create the museum. He continued to champion it, building enthusiasm for the project among his colleagues and constituents for 15 years, before the National Museum of African American History and Culture Act finally passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by President George W. Bush.

Story continues

Every time I met with the congressman, I was struck by his patience and perseverance, qualities one would expect from someone who had been deeply involved in the struggle for civil rights since he was a teenager. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s radio sermons and the movement to integrate Alabamas schools, John Lewis gave his first sermon at Macedonia Baptist Church in Troy, Alabama, when he was just 15. When he later attended the American Baptist Theological Seminary, he tried to start a campus chapter of the NAACP, only to encounter resistance from the schools leaders, who were reluctant to lose the white support they counted on. Lewis became adept at overcoming resistance throughout his life and shared wisdom about doing so with many peoplemyself included. As I struggled to build the National Museum of African American History and Culture, I cannot count the number of times I looked to his example of fighting the good fight every day.

The congressmans calm and patient demeanor belied his fierce urgency to act, a characteristic that was evident during his days as an original Freedom Rider and chairperson for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. When Lewis was set to give a fiery speech at the 1963 March on Washington, the march leaders deemed the text too confrontational for the audiences at home and on the Mall and, more importantly, for the administration of President John F. Kennedy. Asked to tone down the rhetoric, the young John Lewis showed political savvy beyond his years. He understood the importance of showing a unified front for the historic event, and he had immense respect for organizer A. Philip Randolph. So, Lewis and other SNCC members agreed to edit some of the more incendiary parts of the speech. Despite the changes, the general consensus was that Lewis was a radical whom the New York Times called the harshest of the speakers. Throughout his career, he never stopped getting into good trouble, whether speaking truth to allies or calling out evil for what it was.

Every time I met with the congressman, it was a chance to listen and learn. I took him through the African American museum many times, first when it was under construction and later when it was finished, a testament to his vision and tenacity. We discussed one of my proudest acquisitions as a curator at the National Museum of American History: the stools and part of the lunch counter from the Greensboro Woolworths where four North Carolina A&T students sat to protest segregation in 1960. That protest had inspired Congressman Lewis as a student at Fisk University in Nashville to organize sit-ins at lunch counters and other segregated public spaces, as it did for other activists around the country.

Before meeting him, the picture I had of Lewis was someone with a steadfast faith in our common humanity, an unflagging optimism and a belief in the power of redemption. As I got to know him, it became obvious that my assessment was accurate. His uncommon grace led him to publicly forgive and even form a bond with Elwin Wilson, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan mob who had beaten Lewis and other Freedom Riders at the bus station in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in 1961. Lewis reasoned that when people put down the mechanisms of division and separation to pick up the tools of reconciliation, they can help build a greater sense of community in our society, even between the most unlikely people.

I think his instinct to look for the best of us is part of the reason the congressman organized annual bipartisan pilgrimages to the South with other members of Congress, an effort to bring to life some of the milestones of the civil rights movement. He knew how moving and transformative his firsthand recollections could be, especially in the settings where they took place. There was something almost sacred about retracing his steps in Selma and seeing the site of the Montgomery bus boycott, which was accompanied by his poignant account of what it was like to face down that kind of oppression. The loss of both Lewis and civil rights icon C.T. Vivian on the same weekend earlier this month reminds us how vital it is to preserve the oral histories of people who lived through the civil rights movement and other pivotal moments in American history.

On one of the congressmans trips, in 2014, we went to Mississippi, where Myrlie Evers-Williams, Medgar Evers widow, showed us the house where her husband had been murdered and told us in detail about the night it happened. She spoke frankly and easily with us, likely because of Lewis reassuring presence. Because of his desire to bring people together, Evers-Williams and I developed a lasting friendship beginning with that visit.

The congressman then took us to Fannie Lou Hamers gravesite in Ruleville, Mississippi, and told stories along with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton about how Hamer and others were beaten trying to register voters in the Mississippi Delta. As if to give us some respite from the somber tone, we then went to some blues joints in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where I sat with the congressman as he sang and tapped his toes to the blues. If you have seen the viral video of him dancing, you know he had a musical soul.

Perhaps the most touching moment for me was standing with Lewis in Money, Mississippi, where Emmett Till was brutally murdered. I had gotten to know Emmetts mother, the late Mamie Till Mobley, several years earlier. She had talked about choosing to have an open casket at her sons funeral so that everyone could see what had happened to him. Her wisdom and strength awes me to this day, and her example was a guiding light for me. Standing on that site with Lewis was very emotional. The congressman shared how he had marched in honor of Emmett. He helped ease the pain of that tragedy by reminding us how Emmetts murder had been a rallying cry for justice and a turning point in the civil rights movement.

As we rode the buses back to Alabama, we stopped in a rest area, and Lewis, Congressman Steny Hoyer and I went into the restroom. Sadly, but unsurprisingly, racist comments were written on the walls. It was a stark reminder that the struggle was still far from over, and that laws can be changed more easily than deeply ingrained prejudices.

There are so many lessons Congressman Lewis left us that it is hard to know which to be most thankful for. His willingness to sacrifice himself to ensure that all receive the blessings of liberty, the way he espoused nonviolence and showed it to be an effective tool in the quest for justice, and his unwavering moral authority are but a few. But two parts of his legacy stand out to me: his lifelong fight for voting rights and the lesson that all of us can make a difference.

The year 2020 marks two voting-rights anniversaries: the centennial of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote, and the sesquicentennial of the 15th Amendment, ostensibly giving black men the right to vote after the Civil War.

Lewis spent much of his early life fighting to see that Black men and women were able to enjoy those constitutional rights despite the entrenched racism of Jim Crow that prevented them from doing so with poll taxes, literacy tests and violence. After the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, those rights have been slowly eroded over time by racial gerrymandering, voter ID laws, voter purges and virtual poll taxes, culminating in the Supreme Courts 2013 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder, which eliminated the provision in the Voting Rights Act that required certain states to get federal pre-clearance before changing their voting rules. Since then, more than 1,600 polling places have closed, mostly in minority communities. And according to the Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights, in at least 10 voting-rights decisions since Shelby, courts have found intentional discrimination.

In 2019, a Republican political operatives plan to dilute Black voting power in North Carolina was revealed. The operative had gerrymandered adjacent districts so precisely that he drew one through the campus of a historically black university, splitting the dorms almost equally between two different districts. That university was North Carolina A&T, the alma mater of the Greensboro Four, less than two miles from the Woolworths where they helped start a movement and show the way for Lewis and all the other civil rights activists who followed. Clearly the need to protect the right of all citizens to vote is as pronounced today as it was during the height of the civil rights era.

The other lasting impact Lewis has had is inspiring activism. So many people have followed his example and worked to have the nation live up to its democratic ideals of justice and equality. Many today are students like he was: the young activists of Parkland, Florida, whose advocacy was activated by the plague of gun violence; the countless young people of the Black Lives Matter movement who have continued to march and protest against injustice; the students in Fairfax County, Virginia, who petitioned their school board successfully to remove Robert E. Lees name and rechristen the school as John R. Lewis High School, even going so far as to make plans for a good trouble social justice committee.

John Lewis looks over a section of 16th Street in Washington, D.C., that's been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza on June 7, 2020.

Clearly, Lewis story resonates with young activists today, kindred spirits who know that youth is no impediment to changing the world. To the contrary, Generation Z uses social media to mobilize massive social movements for good. When the congressman went to Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., in June, he was passing the baton to these new, fearless defenders of civil rights as surely as he had picked it up from leaders like Dr. King, A. Philip Randolph and Ella Baker. He was encouraging a whole new wave of good trouble to change the world for the better.

I think we can best honor Lewis by preserving and strengthening the voting rights that he fought for his entire life. The vote is the cornerstone of democracy. Extending it to all is paramount if we want a government that represents us. We should also embrace his hopefulness, his dedication to justice and his enduring humanity, which drove everything he did. Finally, his legacy reminds us that we, the people, have the power in this democratic republic, but we also have the obligation to stand up and speak up for the discarded, for the dispossessed, for the disenfranchised.

Any of us who had the pleasure of hearing Lewis speak knew that he was a master storyteller, someone who had the cadence of the preacher he had once planned to be and the moral authority gained from a lifetime of service to a righteous cause. When the National Museum of African American History and Culture broke ground in 2012, luminaries from former first lady Laura Bush to President Barack Obama spoke eloquently about the importance of the moment. But none held the audience rapt like Lewis did.

He said, This is an end, but it is also a beginning. There is still much more work to do, and as we pursue this worthy goal sent to us down through the ages, we must not shrink. We must call on the courage of those who were in this struggle long before any of us were even born. His beautiful rhetoric matched the moment almost as well as it does this one. But I must admit, what made my heart soar most at the time was the simple fact that he thanked me.

I first came to be aware of John Lewis when I was 10 years old, watching his March on Washington speech. He was a towering figure then, but he also proved to be the rare instance of someone whose stature only grew over time, a beacon of hope who consistently fought the good fight and whose sacrifices changed a nation. So, when this titan expressed gratitude for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, I was at a loss for words. The only way I knew to reply was to thank him for allowing me and the nation to stand on his broad shoulders.

As I think back on the magnitude of his life, what he meant to me personally and professionally, and what he meant to the nation, I am still left with only this: Thank you, Congressman Lewis. How fortunate we all were for your strength to carry a nation on your shoulders. You reminded us to draw inspiration and guidance from the past to dream a world yet to be and challenged us to do the work to make that dream real.
Some firms said they were indeed funded for two loans, which isnt supposed to happen in the program. In other cases, companies said duplicate loans listed under the same name were actually for different businesses with similar ownership or should have been listed under different company names. Other firms said they were listed for multiple loans when they only got one or were shown with more than one loan approval when they never received any funding.
New Delhi, July 29 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's elder brother Agrasain Gehlot on Wednesday skipped the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summon for questioning in connection with an alleged Rs 150 crore fertilizer scam.

According to ED sources, Agrasain Gehlot, proprietor of Anupam Krishi was asked to appear before the financial probe agency sleuths in connection with the money laundering probe at its headquarters in the national capital.

The source said that the agency will soon issue fresh summon on Agrasain Gehlot for questioning in the coming days.

Last week, the financial probe agency carried out searches at 13 locations including the residential and official premises of Gehlot and others in Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat and Delhi. The ED searches were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED has filed a case under the PMLA based on a Customs Department complaint and chargesheet in the alleged fertilizer scam case.

According to ED officials, Anupam Krishi, a company owned by Agrasain Gehlot, was involved in exporting Muriate of Potash (MoP) fertilizer, which is banned for exports. MoP is imported by Indian Potash Limited (IPL) and distributed among farmers at subsidised rates.

According to officials, Agrasian Gehlot was an authorised dealer for IPL and between 2007-09, his company bought MoP at subsidised rates and instead of distributing to farmers, sold it to few other companies, who in turn exported it to Malaysia and Singapore in the guise of industrial salt.

The searches came in the backdrop of a political crisis in Rajasthan after the rebellion by then Deputy Chief Minister and PCC President Sachin Pilot, who was sacked from these posts on July 14.

The case was unearthed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in 2012-13. The BJP had raised the issue in 2017.
WATERLOO REGION  Eight companies across Waterloo Region will share nearly $30 million in federal government funding to grow locally and expand around the globe.

The announcement from Minister of Economic Development Melanie Joly Wednesday morning is expected to help create close to 500 new jobs and maintain nearly 300 existing jobs.

Funding will support companies from a wide range of fields, including advanced manufacturing, medical technology, information and communications technology, and video communications. It comes from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (known as FedDev Ontario) in the form of a no-interest, repayable loan.

Canadas technology sector is a world leader, and Waterloo Region is its beating heart, said Joly in a statement Tuesday. As we reopen our economy, these investments will help promising companies scale up, commercialize new technologies, reach new markets and create skilled jobs for Canadians.

The largest chunk of funding will go to software firm Axonify Inc., which develops corporate e-learning tools and solutions for business. Axonify will receive about $7.2 million to expand into new global markets and create 81 new jobs in the region.

The FedDev Ontario program and its associated funding has been invaluable to Axonify as we navigate the uncertain markets during COVID-19 while still looking to capitalize on growth opportunities, said chief executive officer Carol Leaman.

Other funding recipients include:

$6.1 million for gas barbecue manufacturer Onward Manufacturing to enhance its Waterloo production facility with advanced manufacturing technology, creating up to 175 new jobs.

$5 million for network technology developer Dejero Labs to expand its smart cities technology and create 30 new jobs.

$4.8 million to medical technology firm Intellijoint Surgical to expand the commercialization opportunities for its hip and knee replacement products into Canada, the United States, Australia and Japan. This will create 94 jobs and maintain 60 others.

$4.2 million to video quality software company SSIMWAVE to boost sales and marketing resources, and allow it to expand its customer base, while supporting 65 jobs.

$1 million will go to X-ray imaging manufacturer KA Imaging to accelerate the commercialization of its technology, including for patients dealing with COVID-19. The investment will create 10 new jobs in Waterloo Region.

$700,000 for advanced manufacturing firm TeTechS to develop its plastic measuring machine that measures the thickness of plastic bottles, vaccine vials and containers, to increase its market share and further reduce plastic waste in the production process. It will create 19 new jobs.

$676,000 to manufacturer Shimco North America to increase capacity to produce next-generation metal surface treatments for the aerospace industry, and to create 12 new jobs.

Waterloo Region has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, which is what makes this region one of the most innovative and prosperous places in Canada, said Bardish Chagger, minister of diversity and inclusion and youth, and MP for Waterloo.

Our governments investment of nearly $30 million will support these eight innovative businesses to grow and position themselves for success at home and abroad.

Since November 2015, FedDev Ontario has invested close to $140 million in more than 60 projects in Waterloo Region. Over that same time, the agency has invested more than $900 million into close to 500 manufacturing and technology companies or projects in southern Ontario.
Abdulrasheed Maina, ex-Chairman, Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), has been released from Kuje Correctional Centre nine months after his detention, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has confirmed.

Maina, who was arraigned before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Oct. 25, 2019, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside his son, Faisal, and firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd., had been in detention since the period.

However, Maina's Lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, in a telephone interview with NAN on Tuesday, said the ex-PRTT boss was finally released on Monday evening after completing the necessary documents for his freedom.

Adedipe, who is from the chamber of Lawyer Ahmed Raji, SAN, said though Maina should have been released July 24, it was delayed till this week due to administrative procedures.

It was already late last week Friday so they now have a new timeline shifted at 6 O'Clock.

We went there and everything was done, he said.

On why Maina had been kept in detention after Justice Abang further varied his bail conditions on June 29, the lawyer said: It was also administrative. There were laspses here and there; transmission of processes from one department of government to another.

He, however, said the development had nothing to do with an act of vindictiveness on the part of the government officials.

Adedipe, who expressed happiness over the release, said the action would nit only afford his client to have adequate medical attention but would also afford him the

We can only thank God and this is good for us because we will now have time to prepare for his defence; we will now have goof conferencing on the matter.

We will have a better perspective of what the case is all about. And this will also allow him to treat himself you know he has been very ill in order to stand the trial, he said.

Another counsel to Maina, Afam Osigwe, also confirmed that his client had been released from the correctional centre.

Yes, Maina came out yesterday (Monday). We have met all the bail conditions but they did not release him until yesterday, he said.

Osigwe said he was happy Maina had been released on bail and that the development would allow him to attend to his health challenge and continue his trial.

NAN reports that the ex-Pension Reform boss, through his lawyer, Joe Gadzama, SAN, had, on June 23, informed the court that Sen. Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, had decided to stand as surety for him.

Ndume, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, had, in a statement on June 24, had also admitted standing as surety for Maina.

He revealed that it took him six months of painful consideration to agree to be a surety for the ex-Pension boss, and that it was part of the cross he had to carry as Maina's elected senator.

According to the lawmaker, it was a hard decision I had to make because I have a duty to represent the good, the bad and the ugly of Borno South.

Justice Abang had, on Jan. 28, varied Miana's bail conditions, following his inability to meet the bail terms granted him on Nov. 26, 2019.

Abang reduced Maina's bail condition from N1 billion to N500 million with a surety in the like sum who must be a serving senator as opposed to the earlier order of producing two serving senators.

The judge ruled that the surety, who should not have a criminal case pending in any court, must have a landed property fully developed in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, Katampe or Central Business Districts of Abuja, with Certificate of Occupancy attached as evidence.

Abang also ruled that the senator though would always come to the court at every adjourned date, the lawmaker only needed to come and sign a court register that would be opened at the registry, among other terms.

However, Maina had been unable to get a senator as surety for his release until Ndume decided to do so.

Justice Abang, who had, on June 29, considered the arguments of parties, said it was within the court's jurisdiction to either grant bail by vacating the existing conditions or grant new conditions.

Although Maina is charged with 12-counts bordering on money laundering, he had, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges. (NAN)
H e may be best-known as scene-stealing seance Klaus Hargreaves in Netflixs hit series The Umbrella Academy, but for some fans, Robert Sheehan will very much always be Nathan from Misfits.

The 32-year-old was an instant hit with viewers of the 2009 superheroes-with-ASBOs comedy-drama, tanks to his star turn as smack-talking teenager Nathan Young.

Despite having bowed out of the show after its second series (with Nathan heading to Las Vegas, naturally), there was hope that Sheehan could reprise the role in Misfits, until the show concluded in 2013.

While Misfits has become somewhat of a cult hit amongst TV fans, while Sheehan at the time admitted it was a challenge to quit the role, the actor has now revealed he is unlikely to ever be part of a Misfits reunion.

Sheehan has moved on from his breakout show / Channel 4

When asked about a possible return to the hit show, Sheehan told Standard Online: No. Its slightly troublesome, all your nostalgia culture [and] the past looming larger than the future all the time.

You know, old Oscar Wilde goes 'Life unchanged, his life wasted'  I might be paraphrasing. We've all moved on and it's been over 10 years.

However, Sheehan joked that he does often change his mind about Misfits  depending on what time of day it is.

Sheehan says there are similarities between Klaus and Nathan / Netflix

You are asking me early in the morning, he said. If you check at lunchtime, maybe!

Sheehan does acknowledge that playing Klaus in The Umbrella Academy, which sees the freaky family head back in time to 1960s America in a bid to try and save the world from an impending apocalypse, does sometimes remind him of Nathan.

I always saw Nathan as knowing the limit of himself, and was quite happy with that, and therefore wouldn't really change much, he said. Nathan has always remained the same person.

Whereas Klaus is sort of in a constant state of change, because he has absolutely no idea who he is. But both have similar coping mechanisms with life. They both play around emotionally with how theyre meant to be feeling.

The Umbrella Academy season two launches on Netflix on Friday July 31
Health Minister Hala Zayed said that Egypt's weekly COVID-19 infection rate is down for the fifth consecutive week

Egypt's health ministry reported on Wednesday 409 new coronavirus infections, bringing the countrys total number of confirmed cases to 93,356 since the detection of the first case on 14 February.

Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement that the new cases were detected through the ministrys investigation and contact tracing protocols.

The statement added that the total number of COVID-19 deaths has now reached 4,728 nationwide, after announcing 37 deaths today.

Megahed also said that 1,066 patients have fully recovered and left isolation hospitals on Wednesday, which brings the total number of recoveries from the virus so far to 37,025.

In a separate statement by the cabinet earlier in the day, Health Minister Hala Zayed said that Egypt's weekly COVID-19 infection rate has gone down for the fifth consecutive week.

In the period between 18 and 24 July, 4,360 coronavirus cases were detected nationwide, compared to 5,413 cases detected from 11 to 17 July, the statement noted.

During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the minister highlighted a report by the World Health Organisation which stated that Egypt has the lowest infection rate in the Middle East.

Despite the recent lifting of lockdown measures, Egypt has been seeing a significant drop in its daily detected coronavirus cases, with the country's daily record  1,774 infections recorded on 19 June  unbroken to date.

Minister Zayed stated that the process of shutting down makeshift isolation facilities at youth hostels started on 8 June, and that the last patients isolated at youth hostels nationwide were discharged on Tuesday.

The minister previously said that coronavirus patients who show mild or no symptoms are placed in quarantine facilities, youth hostels and university dorms, while isolation hospital beds are reserved for critically ill patients.

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Cracks and Structure Problems in Three Gorges Dam; Xi Sends Veiled Message; Third Wave Hits Chongqing

With concerns growing over a possible collapse of the Three Gorges Dam, where authorities have opened all water discharge gates amid heavy flooding in China, several issues with the dam are coming to light. Well take an in-depth look at these.

Meanwhile, with the ongoing floods in China, the third wave of the floods passed through the city of Chongqing on July 27, and the water levels in the Yangtze River and the Jialing River have continued to rise.

And Xi Jinping may have sent a veiled message by making a visit to the Siping Battle Memorial Hall. He visited the memorial on July 22, which pays tribute to the decisive battle for Siping City in 1947 and 1948, between the communist party and the nationalist Koumintang.

These stories and more in this episode of Crossroads.

Crossroads is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube.

Join Patreon to Support Crossroads: https://www.patreon.com/Crossroads_Josh
The current state of emergency is set to expire on Friday. "Although the curve of the contagion and the impact (of the coronavirus) on the national health service has reduced significantly, something that encourages us, the data tell us that the virus continues to circulate in our country," Conte said, Xinhua reported. The state of emergency gives government officials temporary power to act quickly to tamp down new ...

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Canary Wharf in London. Photo: Victoria Jones/PA via AP

European markets tread water in early trading on Wednesday, with investors waiting for a Federal Reserve meeting in the US later in the day.

The Fed had already announced on Tuesday (28 July) it would extend most of its emergency programmes until the end of the year as its two-day policy meeting got underway in Washington, DC.

The central banks chair Jerome Powell will hold a press conference later on Wednesday. Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Avatrade, said on Tuesday (28 July) the meeting made traders hesitant about placing bigger bets.

Pressure is growing on the Fed to sustain its support for stocks, Aslam added, but Deutsche Bank analysts said in a note on Wednesday they did not expect any significant policy announcements until later this year. Powell could instead set the stage for a more consequential announcement in September, they added.

READ MORE: Barclays profit halves as it sets aside another 1.6bn to cover COVID-19 losses

Trading was fairly muted in Europe. The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) opened flat and the DAX (^GDAXI) lost 0.1%, though the CAC 40 (^FCHI) gained 0.5%.

But US futures pointed to a slightly higher open. S&P 500 futures (ES=F) were up 0.2%, Dow Jones futures (YM=F) up 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures (NQ=F) up 0.4%.

"Some pockets of the market are looking for the forward guidance to be a bit bolder in a dovish direction," said Imre Speizer, currency analyst at Australian bank Westpac, according to Reuters.

There are concerns among investors about the future of US fiscal support however, with Republicans proposing to slash a weekly $600 (466) unemployment benefit to $200 after it expires on Friday. The crisis measure is seen to have supported consumer spending in recent months.

It follows a mixed trading session overnight in Asia. Japans Nikkei (^N225) lost 1.2% and Australias ASX 200 (^AXJO) fell 0.2%, but Shanghai Composite (000001.SS) rose 0.7%, and the Hong Kong Hang Seng (^HSI) rose 0.5%.
As much as they all thanked the subcommittee members for the opportunity to appear virtually, and complimented them on their fantastic questions that they couldnt wait to answer, eating up a little time so that they wouldnt have to respond to too many questions, no one appeared delighted to be there. And why should they be? The politicians are so obsessed with their limited amount of time that they ask a question and then trample over the answers in their hurry to get to the next one. They want one-word answers to questions that are akin to soliloquies.
Jamie Doran left with a bang after being eliminated from Bachelor in Paradise on Wednesday night.

He bizarrely professed his love for Helena Sauzier before walking out of the Rose Ceremony, leaving his co-stars speechless.

And no one was more surprised by the outburst than Helena herself, who was watching the episode at home.

Viewing party from hell: Bachelor in Paradise's Helena Sauzier was horrified as she watched Jamie Doran bizarrely declare his feelings for her after being eliminated on Wednesday

The 25-year-old nutritionist documented her live reaction to Jamie's speech on Instagram Stories.

She looked horrified to start with, then started giggling and covering her face out of sheer embarrassment.

She later wrote: 'If my future husband doesn't p**s his pants for me he's not worth it. But seriously Jamie, you absolutely kill me.'

Helena jokingly added that her future husband 'has some big boots to fill' after Jamie's romantic declaration.

Say what?! Jamie (pictured) left with a bang after being eliminated from Bachelor in Paradise on Wednesday night. He bizarrely professed his love for Helena before walking out of the Rose Ceremony, leaving his co-stars speechless

'You absolutely kill me': No one was more surprised by the outburst than Helena herself, who was watching the episode at home

Firefighter Jamie, 40, was booted off the show on Wednesday night when he failed to receive a rose at the elimination ceremony.

But before leaving the Fijian resort, he professed his love for former co-star Helena.

After saying his goodbyes to the contestants, he said: 'I just want to say that I think over the last 10 years, I've built some walls around myself and I let those walls down.

'I felt I came on Paradise and I opened myself up and had feelings for Helena that I've actually never felt for anyone ever in my life.'

Chilling: After saying his goodbyes to the contestants, Jamie said: 'I had feelings for Helena that I've actually never felt for anyone ever in my life. She gave me butterflies every morning when I saw her. I'm going to go out there and find my own version of Helena'

He continued: 'She gave me butterflies every morning when I saw her. I'm going to go out there and find my own version of Helena. And that's what I'm going to take from this experience.'

Jamie also told producers he was 'happy to go home' because he wasn't interested in pursuing a relationship with anyone in the villa.

'I'm quite happy to go home. Gives me an epiphany that I just want to pursue Helena. I don't know if it's replicated [sic], but Helena is the girl for me,' he said.

Niranga Amarasinghe and Chris Gilleland were also sent home on Wednesday night.

Awkward! Helena made it clear on Bachelor in Paradise that she only saw Jamie as a friend

Jamie's elimination comes after he announced he was taking legal action against Channel 10 and Warner Bros. over his negative portrayal on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise.

'This is not the news I wanted to post, but I feel I owe this to at least my family, friends, and also fans of The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise,' he wrote on Instagram earlier on Wednesday.

He continued: 'After lengthy consideration, I've decided to begin legal proceedings against Network 10 and Warner Bros. Australia.

Lawyer up! Jamie's elimination comes after he announced he was taking legal action against Channel 10 and Warner Bros. over his negative portrayal on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise. Pictured with Brittney Weldon

'I'm not going to comment on this any further for the time being and would appreciate it if people would respect my privacy.'

A Channel 10 spokesperson later dismissed the legal threat in a brief statement, saying that Jamie had not in fact engaged lawyers to act on his behalf against the broadcaster and production company.

'Network 10 has not received any papers regarding this claim,' a representative said.

'Proceedings': He told his Instagram followers, 'After lengthy consideration, I've decided to begin legal proceedings against Network 10 and Warner Bros. Australia'

Jamie has been portrayed as a 'stage-five clinger' on Bachelor in Paradise so far this season, and received a similar edit on The Bachelorette last year.

Some viewers have complained on Twitter that producers seem to be going out of their way to make him look 'emotionally unstable'.

A source close to Jamie told The Daily Telegraph on Thursday: 'He's been made to look weird, like a complete idiot. That's why he's so upset.'

Unfair? Some viewers have complained on Twitter that producers seem to be going out of their way to make Jamie look 'emotionally unstable'
Ankita Lokhande, who once dated Sushant Singh Rajput, has taken to social media to share a cryptic post, a day after an FIR was lodged against the late actor's rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty by his family.

Ankita, who was in a six-year relationship with Sushant, wrote "Truth Wins" on her social media accounts without mentioning anything else.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ankita Lokhande (@lokhandeankita) on Jul 28, 2020 at 11:53pm PDT

On Sushants one month death anniversary, Ankita finally took to her Instagram and shared a picture of a diya and white flowers against the backdrop of her mandir. Along with the picture, she wrote, CHILD Of GOD Check out her post below:

She even supported the peaceful candle protest held for Sushant on social media recently. His fans have been demanding a CBI inquiry in Sushants case. She shared a picture of a candle on Instagram and wrote, HOPE, PRAYERS AND STRENGTH !!! Keep smiling wherever you are.

Ankita and Sushant had met on the sets of their very popular show Pavitra Rishta. Post Sushant's demise, Ankita had met with his father at his Mumbai residence and later travelled to Sushant's hometown in Patna, too.

Meanwhile, Sushant's father has lodged a police complaint against his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide. Krishna Kumar Singh (74), a resident of Rajiv Nagar locality, Patna, had been maintaining a stoic silence over the tragic death of his 34-year-old son on June 14.

An FIR was lodged on the basis of the bereaved father's complaint on July 25 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to abetment of suicide and fraud, Inspector General of Police, Patna Zone, Sanjay Singh told PTI.

Mumbai police are already probing the alleged suicide case, and has questioned several Bollywood bigwigs including filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Rhea Chakraborty has also recorded her statement.

The case has been lodged under various sections of IPC including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

In his complaint, Rajput's father has also sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the "machinations" of Chakraborty and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.
TOKYO (AP)  The United States supports Japan's protests over Chinese ships venturing into the economic waters near disputed East China Sea islands, the commander of the U.S. Forces in Japan said Wednesday.

The United States is 100% absolutely steadfast in its commitment to help the government of Japan with the situation in Senkaku, Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider said of the group of islands, which are controlled by Japan.

China also claims the islands, which it calls Diaoyu.

Thats 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no deviation in that regard, Schneider told reporters.

Japan has long protested the repeated presence of Chinese coast guard vessels in the waters. Schneider also noted such incursions had increased recently.

He called China the No. 1 challenge in regional security, although North Korea was the more immediate threat, given its weapons development.

Schneider said the U.S. was offering Japan surveillance information and other support, such as reconnaissance capability, which refers to monitoring the whereabouts of a potential enemy, to help Japan assess the situation and to figure out exactly whats going on in the water in and around the Senkaku.

China shrugged off such concerns.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, reasserted Chinas claim to the islands, stressing it was the countrys inherent right to carry out patrol and law enforcement activities in the area.

We hope that relevant parties will do something helpful to maintain regional peace and stability and avoid words and deeds that are not conducive to regional peace and stability, Wang told reporters at a daily press briefing.

Schneider was speaking at an online press briefing that mostly touched on U.S. efforts to combat the coronavirus among its forces in Japan.

___

Associated Press journalist Haruka Nuga in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
Coronavirus deaths in the United States surged to their highest level in months on Wednesday as Muslim pilgrims began a pandemic-curtailed version of their sacred hajj. The human toll of the disease in the US hit a magnitude not seen since mid-May with nearly 1,600 deaths recorded in 24 hours for the world's hardest-hit country, Johns Hopkins University reported Tuesday. Meanwhile China, where the deadly pathogen was first detected late last year, reported its highest single-day case total in three months. Residents in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong were adjusting to their strictest social-distancing measures yet over fears a "large-scale" outbreak could overwhelm hospitals. COVID-19 has claimed 660,000 lives and infected more than 16.7 million people across the globe, according to an AFP tally of official figures, although experts believe the true infection rate could be wildly higher. A second startling study from India in under a week, based on blood tests from almost 7,000 people, revealed more than half those living in the slums of Mumbai have had the coronavirus. - Clusters and lockdowns - Case numbers have been rising across the US for weeks, leaving health authorities and leaders to watch nervously for a feared spike in fatalities. President Donald Trump's push for re-election in November has been dogged by the virus crisis that has already killed nearly 150,000 Americans and wrought havoc on the world's biggest economy. In a fresh blow to the president, Twitter removed a video that Trump retweeted in which doctors made allegedly false claims about the pandemic, saying it broke its "COVID-19 misinformation policy". China, which Trump has often criticised for its initial handling of the pandemic, reported a three-month high of 101 new virus cases Wednesday as sporadic regional outbreaks illustrated the mammoth task of keeping contagion at bay. Authorities have concentrated their attention on a cluster that emerged last week in the northeastern port city of Dalian, where officials said workers handled contaminated packaging of imported seafood. More than three million people have been tested there and enclosed public venues including libraries, gyms and restaurants will be closed. Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam warned the financial hub was "on the verge of a large-scale community outbreak, which may lead to a collapse of our hospital system and cost lives, especially of the elderly". From Wednesday all residents in the densely packed city of 7.5 million must wear masks when they leave their homes, while restaurants can only serve takeaway meals, in a blow for diners during the city's hot and humid summer. "It's so hot outside now," a construction worker, who gave his surname as Chow, told AFP as he tucked into a pork chop in an alcove outside a department store. "Ten minutes after I start work, my shirt is all sweaty," he said, adding that he missed the air-conditioning of restaurants. And there were distressing scenes in Australia, where a care home resident who had died of the virus was seen being wheeled away in a body bag, while other residents waited for transport to hospital. Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned of a "critical" situation at more than a dozen care homes in Melbourne, where disaster-relief teams have been deployed to overwhelmed nursing facilities. - Hampered hajj - Resurgent outbreaks have forced nations to step up measures against the virus, leaving tourism and event calendars in tatters. The annual hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia's Mecca drew 2.5 million Muslims last year, but in 2020 just 10,000 already living in the kingdom will be allowed in. The chosen ones were subject to electronic tagging, temperature checks and quarantine as they began trickling into Mecca over the weekend. In addition to being a spiritual rite for faithful Muslims, the pilgrimage normally provides a boost to the local economy that will be sorely missed this year. In Europe, swelling caseloads are blasting a similar hole in local hopes for a financial windfall in summer holiday hotspots. Spain, one of the countries hit hardest by the pandemic, insists it is a safe destination despite dealing with 361 active outbreaks and more than 4,000 new cases. Several countries have nonetheless imposed quarantines on people returning from Spain, including its biggest tourist market, Britain. Spain's strict lockdown destroyed more than a million jobs during the second quarter of the year, the National Statistics Institute reported -- mainly in tourism. burs-je/leg/kaf
RABAT (Reuters) - Moroccan police on Wednesday arrested a dissident journalist and charged him with rape and helping foreign spies, a prosecutor said, in a case worrying rights groups.

Omar Radi, a business journalist and critic of Morocco's human rights record, was also accused of receiving funds from abroad to undermine Morocco's security, the Casablanca prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Radi, 33, denies all the charges, his lawyer Miloud Kandil told Reuters, adding that a first hearing would be on Sept. 22.

His arrest follows 10 summons for a police investigation over suspicions of receiving funds linked to foreign intelligence which he denied.The investigation came after rights group Amnesty International accused Morocco of using Israeli-made spyware to snoop on his phone. Moroccan officials deny that and have demanded Amnesty turn over proof.

Radi had already been given a four-month suspended prison sentence in March, on charges of insulting a judge, for Twitter comments criticising jail terms for people in 2017 protests.

Rights groups say Morocco increasingly uses detention to target dissent. Courts have sentenced a dozen individuals to terms of up to four years on charges from insulting institutions or public servants to inciting protests, a committee of rights activists said in January.

Morocco mostly sidestepped the turmoil of the 2011 Arab uprisings, responding to protests with reforms to cede some of King Mohammed VI's powers to an elected government, though he remains the ultimate authority.

(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Editing by Angus McDowall and Andrew Cawthorne)
FP Trending

Google has improved the lazy-loading for images in Chrome. Aside from reducing the image quality threshold, Google has also managed to save data loss.

Native lazy-loading configuration for images is used by Google Chrome to load images only when a user has scrolled enough to reach them. Using the loading attribute, users of Chrome 76+ can defer off-screen images from getting loaded. And, this saves data.

Addy Osmani, Google Engineering Manager working on Chrome, explained the new settings in his blog. He wrote that the distance-from-viewpoint threshold for images will be brought down from 3,000 pixels to 1,250 pixels on fast connections and from 4,000 pixels to 2,500 pixels on slower ones.

Reducing the threshold will help developers achieve two things  the coding will give a similar experience to other lazy-loading libraries present and it will still guarantee that images have been loaded by the time a user has reached them.

Demo images on the site show that the changed settings mean the images off-screen get loaded a little later and the overall results are quite similar to those offered by Lazysizes, which is a popular JavaScript online library. The demo by Osmani shows that the data required to complete the loading gets nearly halved upon using the new thresholds.

Osmani wrote that the changes have been backported till Chrome 79, so the users of older versions can also access the feature.

A report by Android Police said that the iframe embeds used by YouTube videos or Spotify widgets will also be able to benefit from lazy loading. When these apps are not in use, data can be saved.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has found himself in the unlikely position of defending Twitter's decision to suspend Donald Trump's Jr's account after he posted "harmful" information about countering the coronavirus.

In an exchange that suggested not every member of the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust was entirely up to speed on the difference between various social media platforms, Mr Zuckerberg was pressed about a repeated claim of conservatives that social media discriminates against them.

Mr Zuckerberg was asked by the committees ranking Republican, congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, about the temporary restriction of Mr Trump Jr Twitter account, after he posted a video featuring a controversial doctor, Stella Immanuel, making false claims about coronavirus cures and stating that people don't need masks.

Where the tweet was posted now reads: This Tweet is no longer available because it violated the Twitter Rules.

Mr Sensenbrenner said he would not personally take hydroxychloroquine to counter the coronavirus - a drug that most medical experts say could be harmful but which the president and Ms Immanuel continue to promote - but asked whether such a decision ought to left to a person and their physician.

Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Show all 9 1 /9 Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Activists from the Brazilian NGO Rio de Paz (Peace Rio), dig 100 mock graves on Copacabana beach in Rio, Brazil, 11 June 2020, to symbolise deaths from the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis in protest against Brazil's "bad governance" of the pandemic. Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Leo Correa/AP Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Pilar Olivares/Reuters Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Buda Mendes/Getty Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Pilar Olivares/Reuters Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Pilar Olivares/Reuters Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Pilar Olivares/Reuters Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Pilar Olivares/Reuters Activists dig beach memorial for Brazil's 40,000 coronavirus victims Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty

There still is a debate as to whether it is effective either a treating or preventing Covid-19, said Mr Sensenbrenner.

Mr Zuckerberg responded: Well, first, to be clear, I think what you might be referring to happened on Twitter so it's hard for me to speak to that, but I can talk to our policies about this.

 Mark Zuckerberg says Dr. Fauci is being 'quite generous in your description of the governments response here'

Mr Zuckerberg went on to say that Facebook did prohibit content that will lead to imminent risk of harm and stating theres a proven cure for Covid when there is in fact not, might encourage someone to go take something that could have some adverse effects so we do take that down.

He added: We do not prohibit discussion around trials of drugs.

Earlier, Republican Jim Jordan had laid into the social media firms, claiming that big tech is out to get conservatives.

On Twitter, Donald Trump tweeted: If Congress doesnt bring fairness to Big Tech, which they should have done years ago, I will do it myself with Executive Orders. In Washington, it has been ALL TALK and NO ACTION for years, and the people of our Country are sick and tired of it.

After Twitter suspended temporarily Mr Trump Jrs account, his spokesperson, Andy Surabian, said in a statement the move was further proof that Big Tech is intent on killing free expression online.
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The Commander-in-Chief says the situation in the zone of the Joint Forces operation remains stable.

Isolated cases of comprehensive ceasefire violations by Ukraine's adversaries in Donbas are non-systemic, says Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ruslan Khomchak.

Speaking at a traditional conference call chaired by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Khomchak said the ceasefire is being implemented on both sides, according to the press service of the President's Office.

Since the launch of the latest full and comprehensive ceasefire, no casualties have been reported among Ukrainian troops, the senior military official said.

Also, he noted that the situation in the Joint Forces Operation zone, the situation remains stable and under control. No reports on COVID-19 active cases have been reported.

Read alsoTruce in Donbas: Ukraine reports one provocative incident in past day

As UNIAN reported earlier, since midnight on July 27, a full and comprehensive ceasefire has been operating along the contact line in the Joint Forces Operation zone in Donbas.

The ceasefire agreement was reached by participants in the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE) on Donbas settlement on July 22.

At the same time, the Kremlin said they could not guarantee ceasefire implementation in Donbas. According to the JFO HQ, on the first day of the ceasefire in Donbas, three enemy attacks were recorded.

Today, on July 29, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine has been fully complying with its ceasefire obligations, doing its utmost to preserve it, while control over the observance of a sustainable ceasefire by the opposing side depends on the Russian Federation.
Dressed to impress in a recycled floral jumpsuit, Queen Letizia of Spain proved her fashion prowess once again when continuing her tour of the nation today.

The mother-of-two, 47, joined her husband King Felipe VI, 52, for a visit to the National Cattle Market in Torrelavega, Cantabria, before travelling to the Santona fishing port.

Showing off her stylish wardrobe, Letizia wowed in a pretty rose-embellished ensemble for the occasion, which was first worn by the royal in 2018 during a solo tour to the Dominican Republic.

Both Letizia and Felipe, who were not accompanied by their two daughters Princess Leonor, 14 and Princess Sofia, 13, put safety first as they continued to wear face masks for their royal engagements.

The trip is part of a tour that will take the pair through several Spanish autonomous communities with the objective of supporting economic, social and cultural activity after the coronavirus outbreak.

Dressed to impress in a recycled floral jumpsuit, Queen Letizia of Spain (pictured with her husband King Felipe VI) proved her fashion prowess once again when continuing her tour of the nation today

The mother-of-two (above), 47, joined her husband King Felipe VI, 52, for a visit to the National Cattle Market in Torrelavega, Cantabria

King Felipe and Queen Letizia hand out an award at the National Cattle Market following their tour of the organisation

Letizia stunned in the understated blue jumpsuit adorned with flowers as she met with Cantabria's regional President Miguel Angel Revilla.

The piece fell to her ankles revealing a glimpse of her matching skyscraper wedges which boasted delicate ankle straps.

Keeping her jewellery to a minimum, Letizia wore small silver earrings and her hair in a casual updo.

Showing off her stylish wardrobe, Letizia (seen with her husband) wowed in a pretty rose-embellished ensemble for the occasion, which was first worn by the royal in 2018 during a solo tour to the Dominican Republic

Letizia stunned in the understated blue jumpsuit adorned with flowers as she met with Cantabria's regional President Miguel Angel Revilla, pictured left, wearing a blue blazer

Both Letizia, seen left, and Felipe, right, who were not accompanied by their two daughters Princess Leonor, 14 and Princess Sofia, 13, put safety first as they continued to wear face masks for their royal engagements

Following their visit to the National Cattle Market in Torrelavega, Cantabria, the couple travelled to the Santona fishing port (pictured)

The former journalist enhanced her summer ensemble with a smokey eye makeup look, while keeping her mask on.

Letizia's husband Felipe complemented her fashionable outfit by wearing a light blue shirt, smart trousers and a pair of brown leather shoes.

The royal and her husband were shown around the National Cattle Market to hear about the situation regarding the livestock sector following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The couple's (pictured) trips today are part of a tour that will take the pair through several Spanish autonomous communities with the objective of supporting economic, social and cultural activity after the coronavirus outbreak

Keeping her jewellery to a minimum, Letizia (pictured centre) wore small silver earrings and her hair in a casual updo

Letizia and Felipe are seen looking at the livestock when visiting the National Cattle Market in Torrelavega

Letizia's husband Felipe (pictured centre) complemented her fashionable outfit by wearing a light blue shirt, smart trousers and a pair of brown leather shoes

They were then taken to the picturesque fishing port of Santona.

Felipe and Letizia have been attending a range of touristic and cultural engagements to help boost the country's economy following their stringent lockdown.

Their visit marks the fourteenth community the pair have visited on their tour that began in late June once lockdown restrictions were lifted amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The royal and her husband were shown around the picturesque fishing port of Santona (above) to hear about the situation regarding the sector following the COVID-19 pandemic

The former journalist, pictured with her husband, enhanced her summer ensemble with a smokey eye makeup look, while keeping her mask on

Felipe and Letizia, pictured, have been attending a range of touristic and cultural engagements to help boost the country's economy following their stringent lockdown

Letizia's jumpsuit fell to her ankles revealing a glimpse of her matching skyscraper wedges which boasted delicate ankle straps. Pictured, the couple posing together

On Monday, the couple visited the Ramon y Cajal centre of Aspace (Cerebral Palsy Association) in Navarra.

Queen Letizia is mother to Princesses Leonor, 14, and Sofia, 13, with husband King Felipe who ascended to the Spanish throne in 2014.

Letizia married King Felipe in 2004 at Cathedral Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena in Madrid.

The couple's visit, above, marks the fourteenth community the pair have visited on their tour that began in late June once lockdown restrictions were lifted amid the coronavirus pandemic
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 05:21:28|Editor: huaxia

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Video: Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, on July 28, 2020 asks for an end to hostilities and for a political settlement of the Yemeni issue. (Xinhua)



China supports the search for a solution to the Yemeni problem from the three aspects of a nationwide cease-fire, economic and humanitarian measures, and comprehensive political negotiations.



UNITED NATIONS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked for an end to hostilities and for a political settlement of the Yemeni issue.

The current situation in Yemen is not favorable. The international community must step up its efforts to push for an early breakthrough in the political settlement of the Yemeni issue, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

China supports the search for a solution to the Yemeni problem from the three aspects of a nationwide cease-fire, economic and humanitarian measures, and comprehensive political negotiations, he told the Security Council.

A man tries to extinguish a fire following airstrikes on a warehouse in Sanaa, Yemen, on July 2, 2020. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)

Parties to the conflict should stop violence and improve the security situation on the ground. The international community must remain committed to a political settlement and continue to promote good offices and mediation. The humanitarian situation in Yemen should be improved and humanitarian access guaranteed, he said.

The issue of the Safer oil tanker, spills from which may cause disasters, should be given great attention. All parties concerned should maintain dialogue to ensure that a UN technical team can conduct safety assessments and do repairs as soon as possible, said Zhang. 
Welcome to a safe Dubai! Image: Emirates Airlines

Tourists can easily apply for visas in advance, or get their visa stamped on arrival if they hold a passport from one of 70 countries and territories, as per the entry and immigration regulations that were in place pre-pandemic. Dubai has also updated its entry requirements for inbound travellers. From 1 August 2020, COVID-19 PCR tests will be required for all travellers arriving to Dubai or transiting Dubai. Travellers heading to the UK and Europe will also be required to hold a negative PCR test certificate.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates' chief operating officer said: "Dubai remains a highly attractive destination to international visitors. In the 3 weeks since Dubai re-opened for tourists, we saw more than 1.6 million searches for destination Dubai on emirates.com, and an increase in bookings with travellers coming from more than 30 countries including France, Germany, Malaysia, UK, and US. Emirates is working with Dubai Tourism and our other partners on even more attractive travel offers and packages, and we look forward to announcing these offers soon." Al Redha added: "We know people want to travel, and Emirates is expanding its network to provide more choice to its customers. We have also implemented various measures to assure our customers of a smooth and safe travel experience. We encourage travellers to consider Dubai as their destination of choice for enjoying their summer break, and to take advantage of the great offers and programmes during the Dubai Summer Surprises festival currently underway. Whether visiting Dubai or another Emirates destination, our customers can fly without the worry of procuring COVID-19 insurance which is required by many countries, as Emirates is the first airline to offer free global cover for COVID-19 related expenses if they should unfortunately be tested positive while they are travelling and away from home."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 28)  Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has ordered faster implementation of the National Renewable Energy Program 2020-2040 to achieve its target of 20,000 megawatts of renewable energy in 20 years.

There is a need to fast track the NREP to help the country achieve the goals set forth in the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, Cusi said in a statement on Tuesday.

The program contains the policy framework under the Republic Act 9513, or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.

The official also said that it is already late to update the NREP 2011-2030 given developments in the past years.

The department said based on its accomplishment report for 2020, NREP 2020-2040 presents a paradigm shift by renewable energy systems, namely:

1. Consumer + RE Systems that aims to develop renewable energy for consumers in the agriculture, health and education sectors;

2. Consumer + RE Systems + Distribution Utility that aims to promote investments; and

3. Consumer + RE Systems + Distribution Utility + System and Market Operations that targets to increase investments in large-scale renewable energy projects and accelerate compliance with standards and policies.

The shift comes amid President Rodrigo Duterte's recent proclamation that that he was ready to open the borders for trade, including big time coal which is considered to be a nonrenewable energy because it takes time to form.

Earlier this month, Duterte told military troops in Jolo that coal will be used for the next 30 years, while solar energy is unsustainable.

Meanwhile, groups across Asia are urging China-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to stop financing fossil fuel projects and instead focus on helping build economic resilience as countries try to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The toxic impacts of these projects not only undermine global climate goals, but also exacerbate the consequences of the coronavirus crisis, Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development said in an open letter to the financial institution.

It added that what is needed now are climate-friendly responses both for the health and climate crises.

APMDD Coordinator Lidy Nacpil also said that they should close policy loopholes in order to stop supporting such projects.

The group also called out the institutions lack of clear strategy on achieving its own climate mitigation targets despite its pledge in 2017. APMDD noted a report that for every $1 the bank invests in renewable energy, at least twice is invested in fossil fuels.
By Trend

Articles regarding military provocation committed by Armenian army in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, have appeared in Arabian media outlets, Trend reports.

The articles were published based on an interview with Assistant to Azerbaijans President - Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev on the issue of the provocation.

The materials published in the Arabian and English-language news agencies, newspapers and internet resources of the UAE, Dubai Global News, Emirates Tourism, as well as in the publications of the Union of News Agencies (UNA) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Egypt and Lebanon - Al-Ahd Al-Duwali, Al Gimmah News, Al-Diplomasi, Egypt News, Al-Habbar, Wasat Al-Balad, Kalemat Al Arab, Vol News, highlights the need to increase the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and the entire world community towards the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

The articles noted that during the meetings of the Security Council and the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave a full assessment for the latest provocations of Armenia in connection with the current developments.

Hajiyev in his interviews accused Armenia of trying to involve in the conflict third states and military-political organizations, of which Armenia is a member.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By ANI

INDORE: The Madhya Pradesh police on Tuesday registered a case against Congress MLA Sanjay Shukla, city Congress president Vinay Bakaliwal, and 29 other people in Indore after they protested against the city administration's COVID-19 guidelines.

Amrita Solanki, the station in-charge of Sarafa police station, said Shukla, Bakaliwal and their supporters tried to violate the district magistrate's order of opening left and right side shops on alternate days. They staged a protest march against the order in Bartan Bazar and Nihal Pura area, both of which fall under Sarafa Bazar police station, Solanki said.

"They tried to open all shops. They even violated the social distancing norms by collecting a large crowd. In this situation we registered a case against them under various sections of Indian Penal Court including section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention)," she said.

She said the accused violated the rules at a time when Indore was in a vulnerable position with respect to COVID-19 and more than 300 people have lost their lives to the viral infection.

Madhya Police has named 14 people other than Shukla and Bakaliwal with the remaining 15 being unnamed.

"We will add more names after watching the video footage and identifying them," said Solanki.
Manoranjan Mohanty

Migrant worker stories have almost disappeared from the newspapers. Governments are preoccupied with either containing the spread of COVID-19 or re-opening the economy. Sadly, the millions of migrant labourers who were forced to head towards their homes since March 24 are still looking for support.

Some got MGNREGS jobs in their villages, but most of them are unemployed after spending time in quarantine centres. They live on paltry ration in unhygienic conditions. The fact that containing the virus and resuming production are both connected with the migrants is not sufficiently understood. Their poor living conditions and unsafe transportation made them victims of COVID-19 and its carriers, further spreading it to towns and villages which are now seeing a surge in cases.

Let us remember that migrant workers are the key element in the construction sector and industries, especially the small and medium industries. Hence, the need to appreciate a few facts and design a policy that goes beyond giving relief for a few months as charity. Migrant workers have rights as citizens, and are major drivers of the economy.

First, during the lockdown, the health emergency was as challenging as the labour faced an existential crisis due to closure of factories. This was evident in the big cities where labour from the underdeveloped states such as Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were forced out of their premises.

Estimates on migrant labour vary, but most analysts put the figure at about 150 million, of whom about two-thirds were single migrants. If each one has about four members back at home, then the total affected would amount to another 400 million. This vast mass of humanity faced livelihood, displacement and health crisis, which is as serious as the outbreak.

Second, every agricultural labour, marginal and small farmer, small artisan, worker in a small enterprise, is a potential migrant labourer when rural economy is unable to provide a source of livelihood. The COVID-19 period brought out this phenomenon sharply. The vast majority of them were distress migrants. When many of them returned to their villages and after the quarantine period they had only MGNREGS as an employment option. Even though the government enhanced the allocation for the scheme by some Rs 40,000 crore that is not enough. Many skilled labourers and youth declined to join that work.

The rural economy was not designed to absorb local labour. Therefore, the root of the migrant labour crisis lay in the lack of employment opportunities in rural India, which must be restructured with vastly diversified productive activities to absorb local labour. Thereafter, when they migrate it would not be out of distress, but bargaining for better prospects.

Third, it is not appreciated that the migrant labour was the main contributor to the building of urban India. The employers use them and send them off after a project is over. The few welfare measures achieved in the recent decades after long struggles do not meet their legitimate long-term needs. The charity approach was evident when three months after the lockdown, the Prime Minister announced a Garib Kalyan Rozgar Yojana giving 125 days work till November.

In this situation, at least two measures are urgently required. One is to implement the existing law in letter and spirit, and ensuring this by setting up a statutory National Commission on Migrant Labour to protect the rights of migrant workers. Two, is to restructure the rural economy enabling the panchayats to plan a full-employment development programme.

Under the 1979 Act and its 2011 rules, the migrant workers are entitled to minimum wage, displacement allowance, home journey allowance, suitable accommodation facilities and medical facilities among other things. The Act warrants registration of labour contractors, employers and the enterprises where they are engaged. The state governments are obliged to conduct an audit of each establishment to ensure that the law was implemented.

The COVID-19 experience exposed how this law was only on paper and how disinterested were the labour officials to enforce it. Absence of strong migrant workers organisations made it worse. There are also neoliberal labour reforms going on restricting workers rights reducing all labour laws into four codes on wages, social security and welfare, industrial relations and occupational safety, health and working conditions.

On the question of making rural India an attractive, full-employment sector, one needs a change of outlook. Even China has failed in this and is facing a rural crisis. Rather than making panchayats a channel of delivery of central schemes, if they can have the power to plan for comprehensive development giving land and forest rights to the people, then distress migration will be a thing of the past.
The Rafales, described as beauty and beast by the Indian envoy in France, entered the Indian airspace and were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs, defence minister Rajnath Singh tweeted while welcoming them home.

The 3 single-seater and 2 twin-seater aircraft have landed at the Ambala airbase and Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria is there to receive the fleet. The jets will be given a customary water salute as part of the welcome ceremony.

Real beauty and beast! Indian ambassador to France Jawed Ashraf said while the planes were being flagged off in Bordeaux. First five Rafale to India  swift, nimble, versatile, advanced and lethal, he added.

The new fighters  the first imported jets to be inducted into the IAF in 23 years after the Russian Sukhoi-30 jets entered service in June 1997  will significantly enhance the offensive capabilities of the IAF, which has for long planned to update its fighter jet force.

Acting on a special request by the IAF, France has accelerated the deliveries of Rafale fighters to India.

The first Rafales RB-001 tail number denotes the initials of the IAF chief: Rakesh Bhadauria. He led the complex negotiations for the Rafale deal.

Here a look at their journey:

The Rafales will be a part of the IAFs No. 17 Squadron, which is also known as the Golden Arrows.

The first batch of five Rafale fighter jets, on their way to India, were seen being re-fuelled mid-air from a French Air Force tanker, and the pictures taken at 30,000 feet were posted on Twitter by the Indian embassy in France.

Another short of the Rafales being re-fuelled mid-air on way to India.

Indian ambassador in France Jawed Ashraf visited the Rafale Assembly line, training facilities and interacted with officials from Dassault.

Rafale ready to fly to India

The delivery of 36 fighters will be completed by the end of next year.

When defence minister Rajnath Singh took a sortie on a Rafale aircraft in France last year in October.

Rajnath Singh all geared up for the sortie on Rafale last year.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 20:15:36|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Asia-Pacific countries are on high alert as India's COVID-19 cases surpassed the 1.5-million mark on Wednesday while Japan's daily COVID-19 cases topped 1,000 for the first time.

India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 1.5 million-mark, reaching 1,531,669, the country's health ministry said.

The ministry said 768 new deaths from COVID-19 and 48,513 positive cases were reported during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 34,193 and total cases to 1,531,669.

"The number of active cases in the country right now is 509,447," said the ministry.

Japan confirmed 1,002 new cases of COVID-19, exceeding 1,000 for the first time, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities.

In Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan's outbreak, 250 new cases were reported on Wednesday. The daily tally of the capital has been above 200 every day in the past week except once.

As of 5:30 p.m. local time Wednesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide in Japan stood at 33,247, with the figure excluding 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo.

Bangladesh reported over 3,000 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to reach more than 232,000, with 3,035 deaths so far.

"3,009 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 232,194," Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing Wednesday afternoon.

"Thirty-five deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh and total fatalities stood at 3,035," she said.

The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 2,381 within one day to 104,432, with the death toll adding by 74 to 4,975, the Health Ministry said.

The ministry also said 1,599 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 62,138.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 85,486 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,874 new infections.

The DOH said that the number of recoveries further rose to 26,996 after 388 more patients survived the disease.

The death toll also increased to 1,962 after 16 more patients died, the DOH said.

Premier of the Australian state of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk declared the city of Sydney to be a COVID-19 hotspot, as fears of a national backslide intensified.

Within Sydney there were 19 new infections recorded on Wednesday as a number of clusters originating in restaurants and bars across the city proved difficult to contain.

The State of Victoria remained the centre of Australia's current outbreak, with 295 infections recorded on Wednesday, however a spate of unknown transmissions within Sydney have many Australians increasingly on edge.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health confirmed 105 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of patients in the country to 36,473.

One patient died within the period, taking the death toll to 1,271, a statement added. The total number of people having recovered from the virus reached 25,389 after 31 new recoveries were recorded since early Tuesday.

South Korea reported 48 more cases of the COVID-19 as of 0:00 a.m. Wednesday local time compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 14,251.

The daily caseload rebounded after staying below 30 for the past two days amid the continued imported cases and small cluster infections.

No more death was confirmed, leaving the death toll at 300. The total fatality rate stood at 2.11 percent.

Malaysia reported another 13 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said, bringing the national total to 8,956.

Of the remaining 220 active cases, two are being held in intensive care and one of those is in need of assisted breathing.

No new deaths had been reported, leaving the total deaths at 124.

Cambodia confirmed seven new imported COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the country to 233, said a Health Ministry's statement.

Four COVID-19 positive cases were found on Cambodian peacekeepers, who returned to Cambodia on July 10 from Mali after taking part in a United Nations peacekeeping mission, the statement said, adding that they are among a group of 80 returned Blue Helmet peacekeepers.

While three other new cases were detected on Cambodian men, who arrived in the kingdom on July 23 from Indonesia via a direct flight, the statement said, adding that their first tests turned out to be negative for the virus.
ALBION, MI  Albion College announced Tuesday that it has partnered with Testing Centers of America to ensure every student, staff and faculty member will be tested for COVID-19 when they return to campus.

The testing and adaptations for the semester  foot pedals on bathroom doors, hand sanitizer stations and other new technology  will cost the college between $1 million and $2 million, Albion College President Mathew Johnson said. However, a recent $7.5-million unrestricted gift will be used to pay for much of those expenses, he said.

We think its an important investment to make sure that our students can have the education we promised them and not only our students, faculty and staff are safe, but that the large community is safe as well, Johnson said.

Albion College plans to use part of $7.5M unrestricted gift for coronavirus safety measures

Albion College announced in June that it will have students on campus for two seven-week sessions where students can take two in-person classes per semester starting Aug. 24. All on-campus instruction will end prior to Thanksgiving.

Albion College splitting semester into two parts, will have in-person instruction in fall

Upon arrival on campus, students will be tested for COVID-19 and will receive results no later than 72 hours after being tested. From the time students are tested until they get their results, they must self-quarantine, which Johnson said means staying in or around their room.

The results will come through Aura, an app developed by Nucleus Healthcare that will track each students health throughout the semester. The app allows college officials to communicate directly with students and will offer daily reminders about wearing a mask, washing their hands and other safety measures on campus.

Each morning, students will be asked to take their temperature and report it on the app. In the event a student does test positive for COVID-19, the app uses geo-tracking to perform contact tracing of where that student has been.

Faculty and staff will also utilize the app. The college said employees will be tested 14 days prior to the first in-person contact on campus, and if they test positive, they will be sent home to isolate.

Johnson said the app is first in class in terms of keeping everyone safe and managing the virus. If students do not agree to use the app, Johnson said they wont be able to be on campus.

We believe that its our responsibility both to students and families, as well as our local community, to have the highest level of safety protection and management of the epidemic in the most responsible public health way that we can, Johnson said.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 will be instructed to isolate in Dean Hall, which has been set aside for quarantine housing. Johnson said the college has also rented or acquired buildings in town for quarantine housing as well, and students will have virtual access to their courses so they can continue their education.

The college said routine and random testing will continue throughout the academic year.

Testing will also be open to the community, Johnson said, as the college is facilitating and hosting free testing that is available through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Some businesses are in conversation with the college to participate directly in testing, Johnson said.

Testing will take place at the Washington Gardner school, and Johnson said the college has reacquired and put into circulation about 20 classrooms in the building.

Johnson said the college has surveyed all incoming and returning students, and more than 95% said they want to be on campus and will follow the rules to be safe.

The general messages are to participate in the testing, wear your mask, wash your hands and practice physical distancing, Johnson said. Communicability will be down below 1% and we will be able to detect and manage and be safe if you follow the rules.

More information on Albion Colleges fall plan can be found here.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face , officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here .

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus .

For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/ .

READ MORE:

Multiple students living in Michigan State Universitys Holmes Hall test positive for COVID-19

Albion Colleges public health initiative helping students, community members understand COVID-19

Am I still going to get the full experience? Students facing uncertainty at Michigans small colleges
Riley Wilsons reason for attending last Saturdays protest in Omaha, Neb., against police brutality was displayed in bold black letters across the front and back of his neon-yellow safety vest: Legal Observer. As he has done at a handful of other demonstrations that have taken place in the Midwestern city over the last several weeks, Wilson arrived at the event around 7:30 p.m. with a pen and a legal pad on which he planned to take notes on any interactions he might have witnessed between police and protesters. Wilson said that when he arrived, there were already well over 100 protesters present.

I was only able to take a couple of notes before I was pushed to the ground, told not to move, Wilson told Yahoo News. Despite his vest, as well as multiple verbal attempts to identify himself to police as a legal observer, Wilson was one of 120 people who were arrested in an unexpected and violent end to what, by many accounts, started off as a peaceful protest.

Wilson, who is beginning his second year at Creighton Law School in Omaha, explained that that, as a legal observer, hes obligated to follow all laws during a protest. That means remaining on the sidewalk while the rest of the crowd marches in the street, and waiting for the light at a crosswalk before crossing a street, even if it means occasionally falling behind as the rest of the group proceeds through intersections. Wilson said he was asked to observe Saturdays gathering by its organizers, as he has for a number of recent protests in Omaha. He is not affiliated with any local advocacy groups, working pro bono as a legal observer for a civil rights attorney based in Scottsbluff, Neb.

People protest for the fourth day in a row in Omaha on June 22, 2020. (Anna Reed/The World-Herald)

I was there following all the laws ... and they didnt care, they arrested me as well, said Wilson, noting that Saturdays clash is typical of the way police have indiscriminately rounded up protesters in cities nationwide.

The mass arrests in Omaha, which were followed by a chaotic, crowded and prolonged detention process that carried well into the next day, have prompted backlash from local officials and civil rights advocates.

Story continues

In a statement posted on Monday to Facebook, the ACLU of Nebraska said it was exploring all legal options to hold the Omaha Police Department accountable for any civil rights violations that may have occurred at Saturdays protest. Saying the police knew what they were doing, they also accused the OPD of defying state policy by detaining so many protesters en mass on Saturday rather than issuing citations.

Democratic State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha expressed her support for the protesters in a statement to Yahoo News, vowing to ensure that the state is accountable for any and every civil rights violation that occurred this weekend.

When Omaha Police chose to arrest 120 Omahans who were peacefully exercising their right to protest, they knew that they were putting these protestors in danger by risking them to exposure to COVID, and they knew they were sending dozens of people to a jail that wasn't prepared to handle the influx, said Hunt.

James Scurlock, left, and Jake Garder. (via Facebook, LinkedIn)

Like many other American cities, tensions between law enforcement and local activists in Omaha have been high since late May, when the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in Minneapolis, set off nationwide protests against what is widely viewed as a systemic problem of racism in law enforcement.

In Omaha, the outrage that sparked the initial protests has been further stoked by the death of James Scurlock, a 22-year-old unarmed Black protester who was shot and killed by a white bar owner on May 30 during unrest that followed the death of George Floyd.

Within 36 hours, the county prosecutor Don Kleine announced that the bar owner would not face any charges in connection to Scurlocks death. Amid a public backlash, Kleine ultimately agreed to allow a grand jury to review the case and a special prosecutor has since been appointed. In the meantime, protests have continued throughout Omaha, with Scurlock becoming a local symbol for the kind of ingrained racism of the criminal justice system.

According to numbers provided to Yahoo News on Monday, Omaha police have arrested a total 422 people in relation to protests and civil unrest since the first night of demonstrations on May 29.

The July 25 event, which was organized by the Omaha-based progressive activist group proBLAC, was billed on Facebook as a call to action to march against the institution of policing in solidarity with protesters in Portland, Ore., and those in other cities where President Trump had recently vowed to send in federal troops.

In a Facebook post, proBLAC organizer Alexander Bear Matthews said that time had come to not only defund Omahas police force, but to abolish it altogether.

We are calling on all abolitionists, youth or non-youth, to coordinate mass protests on July 25th to show the world that the fire of this uprising is still burning strong, and that flames will just keep getting bigger until the police state has been dismantled once and for all, Alexander wrote.

Despite the groups firmly antipolice stance and a heavy law enforcement presence at the demonstration, which started at a corner of Turner Park, in the Midtown area of Omaha, Wilson said that up until the very end, the protest was entirely peaceful.

As a legal observer, Im thinking, OK, theyre keeping their distance, theyre not interacting with the crowd, Wilson said of the police. At the same time, he recalled observing that the crowd is being peaceful, theyre not causing any damage, no vandalism, nothing like that.

As the protesters began marching toward downtown Omaha, Wilson described the polices role largely as escorts for the protesters, remaining roughly two blocks ahead of the group at most times and blocking traffic from interfering with the crowd.

Activist Jordan Corbin, who was among those arrested Saturday, told Yahoo News that while some protesters gave police the middle finger, or chanted things like All cops are bastards, he felt like there was actually a sense of understanding between the protesters who were voicing their anger and frustration at the system and the officers who he perceived to be escorting the group along their route.

There was no confrontation between us and the police, said Corbin. There was no situation where we were trying to interact negatively with them. Everybody was cool. We were just marching and doing our thing.

The protesters then reached the Old Market section of Downtown Omaha, not far from where James Scurlock was killed. Corbin recalled that that was where the group circled back, retracing their route.

I think everyone in their mind thought, OK, great, this was a successful rally. A lot of people saw it, there were no injuries, nobody got hurt. Everythings fine, Wilson said.

Federal police face off with protesters in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in Portland, Ore. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Exactly what happened next  and why  is in dispute. According to Wilson, Corbin and several others who posted similar accounts to social media, the protesters continued to march peacefully through the streets back toward where the demonstration began, in the Midtown section of Omaha. Wilson said that the police appeared to continue escorting the group, just as they had done on the way downtown, blocking oncoming traffic as the protesters marched through the streets.

However, once the group marched onto the Farnam Street bridge, a highway overpass with both vehicle and pedestrian lanes just blocks from where the protest began, that changed.

Once everyone was in the middle of the bridge, the police came and cut off the protesters from behind and from the front, said Wilson, adding that This is not just regular police. They brought Omaha SWAT and gang unit members.

A spokesperson for the Omaha Police Department did not answer a request from Yahoo News to verify whether and why SWAT and gang unit officers were present at the scene.

Wilson said the officers got very aggressive very quickly, tackling protests and firing more pepper balls into the crowd. One of the first to get hit was Mark Vondrasek, a progressive candidate for the Nebraska state legislature, who was riding his bike at the front of the crowd. In a Facebook post on Sunday, Vondrasek, whose bio identifies him as a registered Democrat and progressive socialist, accused the OPD of forcing the protesters into an enclosed environment in order to arrest them en masse.

OPD decided to start with me personally, and tackled me while I was on my bicycle  I was shot at point blank range with pepper bullets before three officers body slammed me to the ground, Vondrasek wrote in his Facebook post that included a photo of his bruised and bloodied face and torso. My face was slammed onto the ground at least twice, and my nose bled profusely. The officers knew who I was and kept saying Thats Vondrasek, like I was a prize they had won.

According to police records obtained by Yahoo News, Vondrasek was charged with resisting arrest in addition to charges of obstructing traffic and unlawful assembly that most of the others also received.

Omaha Police Capt. Mark Matuza explained the rationale for the arrests, stating that while the event had started peacefully, it leaned toward the potential of getting violent, according to a report published Sunday by the Omaha World-Herald.

A spokesperson for the Omaha Police Department told Yahoo News on Monday that the total number of people arrested in relation to the protest was 120. Per the spokesperson, 110 were charged with failure to disperse, one charged with negligent driving, six charged with obstructing officers, 112 charged with obstructing passage, four charged with resisting arrest and 11 charged with unlawful assembly.

Asked to clarify why Saturdays gathering had been deemed unlawful, the spokesperson cited a city ordinance defining unlawful assembly.

It shall be unlawful for any two or more persons to assemble in this city with the intent to commit an unlawful act, or, being assembled, to mutually agree to act in concert to commit an unlawful act with force or violence against any public or private property or to the annoyance or injury of others, the text of the ordinance states.

Local ABC affiliate KETV reportedly received a similar explanation from OPD, but with a notable addition: The protesters started walking in the street against the direction of traffic, then there were announcements made advising the crowd that they were unlawfully assembling before arrests were made.

According to a timeline of events released by Omaha Police late Wednesday, officers at the scene gave protesters at least 10 clearly audible warnings starting at 8:50 p.m., approximately 10 minutes after the group began leaving the park and started marching downtown. Most of the group disregarded the warnings and continued to violate the law, OPD said.

Per the police timeline, protesters were seen walking eastbound in the westbound one-way traffic on Farman Street at 29th Street and appear to be occupying all lanes which, they noted, is a violation of the law. The police timeline states that once all of the protesters were on the highway overpass, they received additional warnings both verbally from a sergeant on scene. This is an unlawful assembly, you are under arrest, OPD said the protesters were told over a public address system.

On-scene command made the decision to book the involved parties into jail out of fear that disturbances and potential further criminal activity would continue in the downtown area if they were cited and released, the statement released by police Wednesday added.

Antiracism demonstrators in St. Louis. (Chris Kohley/St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Wilson, who witnessed the protest from the sidewalk, recalled first hearing an announcement about unlawful assembly from a parked police SUV that he passed in front of earlier in the evening, as the protesters were still making their way downtown.

I have no way of knowing if those down on the street who were chanting and protesting could even hear the announcements, he said, noting that the police continued to escort the protesters through the streets for roughly an hour or so after that first announcement.

Why would you allow us to walk all the way back to where our cars were and then trap us there? Corbin asked. He said that if the police made any announcements to disperse before the group had reached the bridge, he did not hear them.

Using his cellphone, Corbin streamed the melee on the bridge live on Facebook. In the video, various armed officers, some in all black, others in camouflage pants and bulletproof vests, can be seen forcefully scuffling with protesters and firing pepper balls. Eventually, protesters and others (including Wilson and several people wearing press badges) were made to sit on the street, their hands zip-tied behind their backs, before they were arrested.

Like Wilson, Corbin said, the journalists' attempts to communicate to police their role as observers, not participants, fell on deaf ears.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, police stated that just one pepper ball was deployed, a claim contradicted by the accounts of many of those who were present, including Corbin, who said that he was hit in the stomach with them several times.

After being forced to sit on the bridge with their hands bound for two hours, Wilson said police moved the group to the Douglas County Correctional Center.

Once we got inside, conditions were not good, Wilson said, recalling the hours waiting to be processed that he spent in the jails hot and overcrowded holding tanks. At one point, he was put in a cell for at least an hour with 43 other men that he estimates was designed for a capacity of less than half that number.

As someone who is interning at the federal public defender's office, one thing I work on is compassionate release cases due to COVID, Wilson said, explaining that he was acutely aware of how much of a tinderbox of illness prisons and jails are.

In a phone interview, Michael Myers, director of corrections for Douglas County, conceded that Douglas County Correctional Center was just not built to handle Saturdays influx.

Its only been in 2020 where weve had mass arrests, said Myers, referring to the large numbers of protesters whove been hauled into jail following large demonstrations and civil unrest over the last few months. Nobody working here, no matter how long, has ever seen a time like this.

Myers said that he and his staff received little warning about possible mass arrests on Saturday night, and when Omaha police began bringing people in close to midnight, the facilitys computer system was about to begin a planned system outage that further slowed processing.

Ill admit it was heartbreaking, Myers said of what turned out to be a 12-hour delay. To have all these people wait outside for their loved ones and having very little immediate impact on that was very frustrating.

As for specific concerns about coronavirus exposure, Myers said that all inmates are typically provided with a clean mask upon arrival at the jail, and noted that, since April, the Department of Corrections has urged its criminal justice partners to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus within the jail by booking as few people as possible. Both Corbin and Wilson confirmed to Yahoo News that they were provided with a mask upon entering the jail. For the most part, Myers said, the Omaha Police Department has been pretty helpful with that effort, noting that theyve been doing a lot more citing and releasing of people instead of bringing them straight to jail.

I don't want to throw OPD under the bus, because they typically do the right thing, said Myers. I don't know what happened Saturday night.

A spokesperson for the OPD did not respond to a question about why, given the pandemic, police did not simply issue citations to protesters on Saturday night instead of bringing them all to the jail. OPD also did not explain why the Department of Corrections was not given advance warning about the likely onslaught of arrests.

Inside the jail, Wilson said there was speculation among some of those who had been arrested that the polices aggressive response to Saturdays demonstration might be part of an effort to discourage further protest activity.

We support peaceful, lawful protests, but if it is no longer peaceful or within the guidelines of the law, we may have to intervene, a spokesperson for the OPD told Yahoo News in an email.

Corbin and Wilson both told Yahoo News that the actions of the Omaha police on Saturday have only reinforced their respective reasons for being at the protest in the first place.

Wilson also said he hopes that the weekends events might offer a new perspective for those who tend to dismiss participants of this particular movement as violent and destructive.

So often it gets boiled down to, I dont disagree with what theyre saying, I just wish they would be peaceful, he said, arguing that the aggressive police response to Saturdays peaceful demonstration is the perfect counterpoint to that argument. This should outrage you to your core, because this is a prime example of that.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30, 2020

Posted on 29 July 2020 by Doug Bostrom

86 Articles

Observations & observational methods of global warming & effects

Forced Changes in the Arctic Freshwater Budget Emerge in the Early 21st Century

Ocean Acidification from Below in the Tropical Pacific

Snow cover duration trends observed at sites and predicted by multiple models

New insights into the world's longest series of monthly snowfall (Parma, Northern Italy, 1777?2018)

Late 1990s cool season climate shift in eastern North America

Ice loss in High Mountain Asia and the Gulf of Alaska observed by CryoSat-2 swath altimetry between 2010 and 2019 (open access)

Trends in winter light environment over the Arctic Ocean: a perspective from two decades of ocean?colour data

Greening hiatus in Eurasian boreal forests since 1997 caused by a wetting and cooling summer climate

Impacts of Oceanic and Atmospheric Heat Transports on Sea Ice Extent (open access)

Change in the heatwave statistical characteristics over China during the climate warming slowdown

Instrumentation of global warming

Statistical predictability of the Arctic sea ice volume anomaly: identifying predictors and optimal sampling locations (open access)

Multidecadal trend analysis of in situ aerosol radiative properties around the world (open access)

Modeling & simulation of global warming & global warming effects

Time of Emergence & Large Ensemble Intercomparison For Ocean Biogeochemical trends

Comparison of equilibrium climate sensitivity estimates from slab ocean, 150?year, and longer simulations

Greater Future U.K. Winter Precipitation Increase in New Convection-Permitting Scenarios

Projected Changes in South Asian Monsoon Low Pressure Systems (open access)

Future changes in precipitation-caused landslide frequency in British Columbia

Dynamical and hydrological changes in climate simulations of the last millennium (open access)

Trends and spatial shifts in lightning fires and smoke concentrations in response to 21st century climate over the national forests and parks of the western United States (open access)

Cloudy-sky contributions to the direct aerosol effect (open access)

An Internal Atmospheric Process Determining Summertime Arctic Sea Ice Melting in the Next Three Decades: Lessons Learned from Five Large Ensembles and Multiple CMIP5 Climate Simulations

Projected changes in extreme precipitation indices from CORDEX simulations over Ethiopia, East Africa

Projections of tropical cyclone rainfall over land with an Eulerian approach: case study of three islands in the West Indies

Evaluation and ensemble projection of extreme high and low temperature events in China from four dynamical downscaling simulations

Climate model advancement

Combining Emergent Constraints for Climate Sensitivity

Experimental protocol for sea level projections from ISMIP6 stand-alone ice sheet models (open access)

Impact of Coherent Ocean Stratification on AMOC Reconstruction by Coupled Data Assimilation with a Biased Model

The Arctic Ocean Observation Operator for 6.9 GHz (ARC3O)  Part 1: How to obtain sea ice brightness temperatures at 6.9 GHz from climate model output (open access)

The Arctic Ocean Observation Operator for 6.9 GHz (ARC3O)  Part 2: Development and evaluation (open access)

Improving a Biogeochemical Model to Simulate Surface Energy, Greenhouse Gas Fluxes, and Radiative Forcing for Different Land Use Types in Northeastern United States

The Extratropical Linear Step Response to Tropical Precipitation Anomalies and Its Use in Constraining Projected Circulation Changes under Climate Warming

Numerical impacts on tracer transport: A proposed intercomparison test of Atmospheric General Circulation Models

Cryosphere & climate change

Ice loss in High Mountain Asia and the Gulf of Alaska observed by CryoSat-2 swath altimetry between 2010 and 2019 (open access)

Tidal Modulation of Antarctic Ice Shelf Melting (open access)

Greenland temperature and precipitation over the last 20 000 years using data assimilation (open access)

Integrating perspectives to understand lake ice dynamics in a changing world

Greenland surface air temperature changes from 1981 to 2019 and implications for ice?sheet melt and mass?balance change

Biology & global warming

The Importance of Extreme Rainfall Events and Their Timing in a Semi?Arid Grassland

Multidecadal records of intrinsic water-use efficiency in the desert shrub Encelia farinosa reveal strong responses to climate change (open access)

Climate impacts on vegetation and fire dynamics since the last deglaciation at Moossee, Switzerland (open access)

Vulnerability of global coral reef habitat suitability to ocean warming, acidification and eutrophication

Scots pine plantations growth adaptation to climate warming in locations at the southernmost distribution limit of the species

Differences in tree and shrub growth responses to climate change in a boreal forest in China

Climate change shifts the distribution of vegetation types in South Brazilian hotspots

Mountain stoneflies may tolerate warming streams: evidence from organismal physiology and gene expression

Rapid genomic and phenotypic change in response to climate warming in a widespread plant invader

Unfamiliar partnerships limit cnidarian holobiont acclimation to warming

Projected climate and land use change alter western blacklegged tick phenology, seasonal host?seeking suitability and human encounter risk in California

Degrees of change: between and within population variation in thermal reaction norms of phenology in a viviparous lizard

Thermal evolution of life history and heat tolerance during range expansions toward warmer and cooler regions

Eco?evolutionary dynamics of range expansion

A trait?based approach to assessing resistance and resilience to wildfire in two iconic North American conifers

GHG sources & sinks, flux

Relative impacts of global changes and regional watershed changes on the inorganic carbon balance of the Chesapeake Bay (open access)

Greenhouse gas emissions from river riparian wetlands: An example from the Inner Mongolia grassland region in China (open access)

Uncertainties in turbulent statistics and fluxes of CO2 associated with density effect corrections

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Fluxes from Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments in a High?Altitude Tropical Catchment

Biophysical and socioeconomic factors influencing soil carbon stocks: a global assessment

EKC test study on the relationship between carbon dioxide emission and regional economic growth (open access)

CO2 removal science, engineering & policy

Coupled CO2 capture and thermochemical heat storage of CaO derived from calcium acetate

Fair-share carbon dioxide removal increases major emitter responsibility

Tree species suitable for roadside afforestation and carbon sequestration in Bilaspur, India (open access)

Strategies for enhancing long-term carbon sequestration in mixed-species, naturally regenerated Northern temperate forests (open access)

Climate geoengineering science, engineering and policy

Contesting the climate

Black carbon

Co-benefits of black carbon mitigation for climate and air quality (open access)

Indian Network Project on Carbonaceous Aerosol Emissions, Source Apportionment and Climate Impacts (COALESCE) (open access)

Climate change communications & cognition

In climate news, statements from large businesses and opponents of climate action receive heightened visibility (open access)

Localized Climate Reporting by TV Weathercasters Enhances Public Understanding of Climate Change as a Local Problem: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Experiment (open access)

The nature, significance, and influence of perceived personal experience of climate change

Agronomy & climate change

Agricultural acceleration of soil carbonate weathering

On the use of mean and extreme climate indices to predict sugar yield in western Fiji

Assessing the impact of increased legume production in Europe on global agricultural emissions

Increased greenhouse gas emission intensity of major croplands in China: implications for food security and climate change mitigation

Climatic Yield Potential of Japonica?type rice in the Korean Peninsula under RCP scenarios using the ensemble of multi?GCM and multi?RCM chains

Economics & climate change

The low carbon development options for Russia

Trading for climate resilience

Humans dealing with our global warming

The future of coal in a carbon-constrained climate (open access)

More perceived but not faster evolution of heat stress than temperature extremes in the future (open access)

Socioeconomic drought under growing population and changing climate: A new index considering the resilience of a regional water resources system

Spatial Patterns of Human Thermal Comfort Conditions in Russia: Present Climate and Trends

Climate change and population health research in China: Knowledge gaps and further directions

The drivers of carbon disclosure: evidence from chinas sustainability plans (open access)

Carbon footprint of school lunch menus adhering to the Spanish dietary guidelines (open access)

Other

Effects of low?carbon energy adoption on airborne particulate matter concentrations with feedbacks to future climate over California

Informed opinion & nudges

The business of rapid transition

Integrating perspectives to understand lake ice dynamics in a changing world

Deliberate decline: An emerging frontier for the study and practice of decarbonization

Enhancing synergies between action on ocean acidification and the post?2020 global biodiversity framework

Legally obtaining copies of "paywalled" articles

We know it's frustrating that many articles we cite here are not free to read. One-off paid access fees are generally astronomically priced, suitable for such as "On a Heuristic Point of View Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light" but not as a gamble on unknowns. With a median world income of $US 9,3733, for most of us $US 42 is significant money to wager against a small marginal cost.

Economists of a scientific bent may someday help scientific publishers bring science to their business activities as reflected in rational a la carte article disclosure fees. Meanwhile there are several possible paths to equality of information access short of paying an objectively and crushingly large fee for the unveiling of a single article:

Here's an excellent collection of tips and techniques for obtaining articles, legally.

Unpaywall offers a browser extension for Chrome that automatically indicates when an article is freely accessible and provides immediate access without further trouble. Unpaywall is also unscammy, works well, is itself offered free to use. The organizers (a legitimate nonprofit) report about a 50% success rate

If you're interested in an article and it is not listed here as "open access," be sure to check the link anyway. Due to time constraints open access articles are identified by us via imperfect machine analysis. Compared with Unpaywall statistics we successfully identify roughly 2/3rds of open access articles. There's definitely gold left in the ground.

Suggestions

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Journals covered

A list of journals we cover may be found here. We welcome pointers to omissions, new journals etc.

Previous edition

The previous edition of Skeptical Science New Research may be found here.
I nternet giant Amazons dramatic expansion into the grocery delivery market poses a real threat to food businesses competing in the booming online retail sector, experts said today.

Amazon Prime customers in about 300 postcodes in London and the South-East will be able to order their food shopping with free delivery on orders over 40 from Tuesday.

Julian Skelly, retail industry expert at digital consultancy Publicis Sapient, told the Standard: "Amazon coming into any market is always a big threat.

"It is potentially going to have a big impact because these companies are already struggling and this is going to dilute the market for them. The size of the market will be lower, and their only path to profitability is through scale, so this is going to be another challenger.

"If Amazon come in and set expectations in consumers that you don't have to pay for delivery, then that route to profitability could be gone.

"This is a market which is no longer an experiment [for retailers], it's an important part of their business. It's losing money and the route to making a profit is suddenly more challenging, so I think some of them will decide to bow out...If they are going to fight Amazon they are going to need to expect to be there for the long haul."

James Bailey, boss of Waitrose, told The Times: It feels like the nuclear button has been pressed because Amazon have nuclear capacity behind them.

Maike Hachfeld, who owns deli Hack & Veldt in Chiswick, made around 100 deliveries a week in lockdown.

She said: Having a huge supplier which is able to buy at low prices and not charge delivery will potentially have huge impact on the high street.

We were able to stay open and look after our community during the pandemic, when Ocado and others did not have slots for everyone. If Amazon move into cheaper online deliveries it will not only impact on our delivery services but potentially also our store sales.

Amazon said it will make same-day delivery available, starting with Prime customers. They will be able to buy tens of thousands of grocery items supplied by Booths and Whole Foods, as well as a raft of brand suppliers such as Pepsi, Danone, Warburtons and Britvic.

The Labour Party today called for policies to be set that ensure "a level playing field" for high street retailers.

Ed Miliband, Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary, said: The pandemic has changed how people live, work and shop, and retailers have adapted in response, with grocery sales helping drive up retail figures.

The world increasingly moving online means scope for innovation, but there must be a level playing field between the high street and online retail."

Amazon plans to expand the service to millions more by the end of the year.

Russell Jones, country manager at Amazon Fresh UK, said grocery sales had been particularly strong during the pandemic but that the latest move had been in the pipeline long before it.

Writing in todays Standard, retail analyst Natalie Berg said: By offering free delivery of groceries, Amazon is capitalising on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire market share.

This is the boldest move Amazon has ever made on this side of the Atlantic, and the worst possible news for the supermarkets who were finally getting comfortable with online deliveries in the middle of a pandemic.
The US has raised questions in a committee of the World Trade Organisation on certain fishery schemes of India, the international body said in a communication on Tuesday. The questions were posed by the US in WTO's Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM), it said.

On Puducherry's 50 per cent subsidy for the purchase of FRP catamaran, the US has asked, "can India explain whether the programme might increase India's overall fishing capacity?"

Similarly, it has posed questions on Marine Products Export Development Authority's (MPEDA) culture fisheries schemes like financial assistance for new farm development and medium-scale hatcheries.

For these programmes, "please explain if the fisheries must export their production in order to receive financial assistance from the Government of India? if so, please explain how these programmes are consistent with India's SCM obligations," the US has asked.
New Delhi: A four-member police team to probe Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case reached Mumbai Crime branch office today to step-up the investigation. The cops are also likely to investigate the death of actor's former manager Disha Salian, who died a few days before Sushant's demise.

Bihar police team has sought information from Mumbai police regarding Disha Salian's alleged suicide as well. Former Additional Solicitor General of India Vikas Singh, a Delhi-based lawyer, has been approached by the Sushant family to represent their case.

Meanwhile, the actor's maternal uncle and aunt are demanding the arrest of Rhea Chakraborty, urging for a Narco test. They are claiming Rhea is just a pawn and the real gang is much bigger. They are alleging, "Rhea held Sushant captive and Mumbai police is not investigating the case properly. We have hopes from Bihar police and the case should be probed by the CBI for a fair inquiry.

Patna Central City SP, Vinay Tiwari said, "The four-member police team from Bihar is investigating the case. IG is monitoring the case himself. If need be, a woman police officer will be sent to Mumbai for assistance."

According to sources, Sushant Singh Rajput's sister will record her statement at an unknown place and not at her Goregaon residence. Bihar police is also likely to question the late actor's cook and other employees today.

Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020. Fans are demanding a CBI probe into the death case.
The reforms and policies announced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 on Wednesday evoked mixed responses from the teaching community and educationists across the national capital while the Delhi government said it would study the changes in detail before offering its opinion, though it welcomed the step to rename the Union ministry of human resource development as the ministry of education.

The changes include increased focus on multidisciplinary courses, multilingual and digital learning, a revised curricular structure, reduced course load, and a pre-primary education curriculum.

Meeta Sengupta, an educationist, said she largely supports the NEP for its visionary and idealistic nature. The revised policy challenges schools and teachers to step up to the future. However, in some areas, the policy hasnt done enough, she said. While the multidisciplinary approach and multiple entry-exit points in higher education are a welcome step, more work could have been done with respect to class 10 and 12 board exams by allowing students multiple options. Increased attention towards foundational learning is also a good move, she said.

The focus on digital education, which comes amid a pandemic, also needs a robust implementation mechanism ensuring equity among all children, Sengupta said, expressing concern over the usage of Artificial Intelligence to analyse inputs for the holistic report card proposed by the policy.

Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia, welcoming the Centres step to rename the Union HRD ministry as the ministry of education, said they will offer its opinion on Thursday, National Education policy after so many years of wait is welcome step. But as I have said earlier, an education policy cannot be a compilation of all wishful thinking about education...Its important to say what well do but its more important to tell how well do that.

We are studying #NEP announced today in greater detail. Will express our opinions tomorrow...Edu. policy has to be the road map to fulfill those good wishes we already have about education. he wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, he said, It is of utmost importance that education be about developing human beings rather than develop human resources. A much needed step in the right direction.

Addressing privacy concerns, Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School in Rohini and governing body member of the Central Board of Secondary Education, said any new development will have its own challenges and authorities will work towards it.

The policy seems to be progressive and it also promotes home language, Indian knowledge system, culture, and values. Focus on early childhood development is appreciable and the 5+3+3+4 schooling structure instead of the previous 10+2 system will ensure a strong base of early childhood care. Inclusion of 21st-century skills like coding for middle-school students and vocational courses is welcome since they are the need of the hour. However, the government must ensure that there is a standardised form of teaching and training across the nation, she said.

Mary Jyotsna Minj, principal of a government school in Kondli, said, Introducing vocational courses at an early stage will help students who may not perform well in subjects like Maths and Science and then get a compartment. Many of our students come with the idea of setting up a business to support their family and they often show a tendency of doing better in vocational subjects. An early introduction to these courses will help such students.

In higher education, the major reforms include scrapping of MPhil course, the introduction of multiple entry-exit points in graduate courses, fees and charges to be fully disclosed, graded autonomy on the basis of performance, and multidisciplinary courses.

Jawaharlal Nehru University vice-chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar and Jamia Millia Islamia V-C Najma Akhtar called the new policy a positive step forward and groundbreaking.

The JNU students union, however, said the government used the pandemic to approve the objectionable policy. Ever since the draft NEP was introduced last year, students across the country were on the warpath against it as it is another move in the neoliberal agenda to commercialise education, it said in a statement.

The Delhi University Teachers Association also condemned the move to approve the policy amid a pandemic. Our opposition to the draft NEP rested, among other things, on its proposal to dismember universities and hand over every higher educational institution to a Board of Governors...DUTA calls upon the government to desist from bulldozing changes and instead to engage in a dialogue with the academia, DUTA president Rajib Ray said.

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The Chief of Kafaba in the East Gonja municipality in the Savannah Region, Kafabawura Seidu Yahaya, has been arrested by the Regional Police Command in connection with the lynching of a 90-year-old woman who was accused of being a witch.



The police have also mounted an intensive search for 13 others who are on the run.



According to the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Enoch Adutwum Bediako, the statement of the Kafabawura had been taken and was in custody to be arraigned today.



He said the chief would be charged with conspiracy to commit murder.



Barbaric



The arrest of the chief follows the sending of homicide experts from the Police Headquarters in Accra to the Savannah Region on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr James Oppong-Buanuh, to arrest the perpetrators of the heinous crime.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Monday condemned the lynching of Madam Akua Denteh, the 90-year-old woman who was accused of being a witch, describing it as barbaric and unfortunate.



The President called on the police to look for the perpetrators and bring them to book, adding that never again should such a dastardly act happen in the country.



The President was speaking at the inauguration of a GH5.66 million Small Towns Water Supply System at Yapei in the Central Gonja District as part of his three-day tour of the northern part of the country.



Foundation



The Savannah Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Adam Braimah, announced that the Regional Coordinating Council (SRCC) had set up a foundation in memory of the late Madam Denteh.



"This is to say clearly to the world that never again should such a thing happen in the history of the newly created Savannah Region," he stated.



Mr Braimah said the police were on the heels of the perpetrators of the dastardly crime and that tremendous progress had been made towards arresting those involved.



"It is comforting that this unfortunate situation has attracted the attention of the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who has already sent a delegation to Kafaba to comfort the family of the late Madam Denteh, he said.



President Akufo-Addo pledged his support to the foundation.



Context



Madam Denteh was pounded mercilessly by her attackers at Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region on Thursday, July 23, 2020 on the accusation that she was a witch, leading to her death.



Amnesty International



In a related development, Amnesty International (AI) has visited Kafaba to meet with the family of the late Madam Denteh.



AI has taken interest in the case and has sought permission from the family of the deceased to work towards achieving justice for her.









Source: Graphic.com.gh









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Linkedin Alexandria Sage (Agence France-Presse) Rome  Wed, July 29, 2020 16:09 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a41e3b 2 Entertainment Venice-Film-Festival Free

The Venice Film Festival will put the accent on homegrown Italian cinema in September among its eclectic offering of international films, as the prestigious festival in its 77th year faces unprecedented challenges in the time of coronavirus.

In a chaotic year that has seen the cancellation of rival competitions, shuttered film production and closed movie theaters across the globe, the festival in Italy's beloved canal city will proceed from September 2 to 12 with 18 films vying for the top award, the Golden Lion.

Auteurs with films in the main competition hail from Mexico, Azerbaijan, Israel, Russia, Iran, Japan, and India, among other countries, organizers said on Tuesday.

"Cinema has not been overwhelmed by the tsunami of the pandemic but retains an enviable vitality," said festival director Alberto Barbera.

At the same time, he warned that some "spectacular titles" would be missing, still blocked by ongoing lockdowns around the world.

Even so, "the heart of the festival is saved," Barbera said.

Paparazzi-free?

Four of the main competition films are Italian -- "Le Sorella Macaluso," from director Emma Dante, who made her Venice debut in 2012; Claudio Noce's "Padrenostro" about Italy's wave of terrorism in the 1970s seen through children's eyes; "Notturno" by 2013 Golden Lion winner Gianfranco Rosi, which was shot over two years in Syria, and "Miss Marx" by Susanna Nicchiarelli about Karl Marx's youngest daughter.

The highest profile film in competition, which has already got some Oscar buzz, is US director Chloe Zhao's "Nomadland," starring two-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand and Academy Award "Best Actor" nominee David Strathairn.

Opening the festival, but out of competition, will be Daniele Luchetti's "Lacci" (The Ties), a feature set in Naples about a marriage threatened by infidelity, the first time in over a decade that Venice's opening film has been Italian.

The Biennale di Venezia, as it is called in Italian, has taken on outsized importance this year as film festivals across have the globe have been cancelled, including Venice's main competitor, the glamorous Cannes Film Festival on the Cote d'Azur, originally planned for May.

Although familiar scenes of throngs of paparazzi snapping photographs of A-listers on the red carpet and screaming fans behind barricades hoping for autographs from their favorite stars may be unlikely, this year's festival promises to offer a wide range of film styles, including auteur, horror and gangster films, documentaries as well as comedies.

Read also: Venice Film Festival to honor Tilda Swinton, Ann Hui

'Sign of recovery'

Fifty countries are represented in the festival, and within the main competition eight out of the 18 films were directed by women, a figure Barbera called "extremely significant."

The festival's president, Roberto Cicutto, told reporters that the 2020 offering "has not renounced quantity nor the number of movies in the official selection."

"This is a sign of recovery... It's like a laboratory, a test of how such an important event can be organised," he said, adding that safety measures would include empty seats between moviegoers, temperatures taken at entrances and online-only tickets.

Other festivals cancelled this year include the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, New York's Tribeca Film Festival and South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.

Cannes, the highest profile festival to cancel, will bestow a "Cannes 2020" label on selected films that would have been shown on the Croisette in May but which will now premiere at other festivals.
C ulture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the UK government is poised to add more countries to the quarantine list "straight away".

Mr Dowden told Sky News that "more announcements" could follow the government's decision to abruptly impose a 14 day quarantine on travellers returning from Spain.

"It would be foolhardy of the government not to impose those restrictions if we think there is a risk and we will impose those restrictions as soon as we think the risk has materialised," he said.

"We cannot risk importing it again from other countries where incidences are rising."

While he added that we are at a "risky moment" in the coronavirus pandemic, he said that travellers who are comfortable with the risk should take it.

Spain has been added to the list catching out holidaymakers who already made the journey / Getty Images

"We are at a very risky moment with this pandemic," he said.

"So long as you're aware of that risk and comfortable with that risk, go ahead and take your break."

It comes after Boris Johnson warned that further European nations could lose their exempted status amid signs of a second wave of Covid-19.

The PM triggered a diplomatic row with Spain by reimposing a warning against all but essential travel / AP

The Prime Minister triggered a diplomatic row with Spain by reimposing a warning against all but essential travel to the country and insisting that travellers arriving in the UK from there spend 14 days in quarantine.

One idea floated is for passengers to be tested on arrival before being tested again a number of days later to confirm they are not infected with the virus. A second test could allow their quarantine to be shortened under the proposal.

Government advisers have warned it can take a number of days from infection before tests return a positive result, meaning testing negative on arrival does not mean the passenger will not develop symptoms later on.

But Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care are believed to have spoken with travel assistance company Collinson to understand the proposed testing pilot it is developing with Heathrow.

Preliminary modelling from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggested 94% of cases would be detected if the quarantine period was cut to eight days and passengers tested negative on the seventh.
There are eight confirmed cases undergoing treatment in hospital (PA)

Ireland has reached its lowest number of Covid-19 hospitalisations since March, the acting chief medical officer said.

There are eight confirmed cases undergoing treatment.

Across Europe the pandemic appears to be accelerating once again, Dr Ronan Glynn said.

He added: We have an opportunity to avoid a similar scenario here.

Expand Close Dr Ronan Glynn (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook

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The health system has been notified of another 14 confirmed cases but no new deaths.

Ireland has driven down its rate of infection with an early lockdown, widespread testing and largely good compliance with social distancing advice.

Dr Glynn added: Eleven of todays cases were close contacts of confirmed cases and half of these had no symptoms.

If you are concerned that you have been in contact with a confirmed case, please come forward for testing. Do not wait for symptoms to emerge.

As of midnight Tuesday 28th July, @hpscireland has been notified of 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19.



There is now a total of 25,942 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.  Department of Health (@roinnslainte) July 29, 2020

Hospitals placed on a wartime footing by health chiefs have avoided being overwhelmed by the infection.

Dr Glynn said: There are now eight confirmed cases of Covid-19 in our hospital system, the lowest number since early March.

Irish police have reported widespread compliance with public health regulations by pub owners.

Contact tracing is one of the vital measures that will allow us to contain the virus Liz Canavan

Only pubs which serve a substantial meal can open and drink-only bars must wait until next month.

From Monday July 20 to last Sunday, police found potential breaches of health regulations and/or licensing laws on 22 occasions.

Most cases continue to involve no evidence of food being served or consumed and no evidence of receipts to show that food had been sold.

More than 100 people have been warned they have come into close contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case through the contact tracing app.

Almost 1.45 million people have downloaded the Covid-19 tracker app since it went live in recent weeks.

Public health chiefs say the app plays a vital part in Irelands fight against coronavirus.

Senior civil servant Liz Canavan, of the Department of the Taoiseach, described the app as a very important enhancement to the tracing service, but she did not say how many of the close contacts had also tested positive or if any had been tested.

Remember the testing isnt just about you. Its about the people around you, the people youve been in contact with, some of whom may be much more vulnerable to the disease than you are, Ms Canavan said.

There may be people that you dont even know that you were close to in a public space. Thats why the Covid tracker app is another tool in our toolbox.

Contact tracing is one of the vital measures that will allow us to contain the virus, and the Covid tracker app is a very important enhancement to our contact tracing service.

To date, 105 people have been alerted by the app that they have been in close contact with a confirmed case.

If youve been in close contact with someone who tests positive for Covid, the app sends you a close contact alert. If you provide your phone number, the HSE will then contact you to give you advice and refer you for testing if thats appropriate.
In the cocoon of the van, with the highway humming, we talked about growing up in the South. I found myself wanting to apologize to him for that place and time we had both come from, though he didnt make me feel I needed to. What I remember most about the conversation was his belief in peoples ability to change, his recognition that some never would and his willingness to forgive. The essence of humility.
The Greek Orthodox church's continued use of its traditional communion - in breach of government health advice - is being blamed for putting people at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Unlike the Catholic and Protestant churches, the traditional practice in the Orthodox church is for the priest to use a shared spoon to place the bread and wine directly into the mouth of those receiving communion.

The Greek Orthodox Church St Euphemia in Bankstown, in the virus hotspot of Sydney's west, is still performing holy communion in clear breach of NSW Heath advice.

Greek Orthodox Church St Euphemia in Bankstown (pictured), in Sydney's west, is performing holy communion in clear breach of NSW Heath advice

During a service on Saturday, about 70 churchgoers were offered bread and wine with the same spoon before the priest wiped each individual's chin with a single cloth, news.com.au reported.

Worshippers expressed their concern, calling on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese to cease the common practice during the coronavirus crisis.

There has been strong resistance from some Archdiocese to stop the traditional method of holy communion during COVID-19.

Archbishop Makarios Griniezakis, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia, was also contacted by churchgoers requesting he step in to stop the practice.

The email requested a safe place for worshippers during coronavirus restrictions, but the went unanswered.

Archbishop Griniezakis was previously criticised for saying there was no risk of infection.

He eventually gave in and suspended communion, but as NSW reopened, the practice once again continued.

During a service on Saturday, about 70 churchgoers were offered bread and wine with the same spoon before the priest wipes each individual's chin with a single cloth (stock)

NSW Health ordered all places of worship to enact a COVID-19 Safety Plan as of July 24.

Under the plan, places of worship were restricted to 100 people, or one person per four square metres, excluding staff, to ensure the safe distance of 1.5metres.

'Consider modifying religious rites or rituals to avoid direct contact where practical, such as communion or other similar practices,' the NSW Health website read.

'Where this is not practical, ensure before and after each interaction with soap and water or hand sanitiser.

'Avoid sharing books, drinking cups or other shared objects used during the service such as collection plates.

'Also consider putting barriers around frequently touched objects of worship, such as shrines, relics or fonts, to prevent people frequently touching these.'

NSW recorded a further 19 cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Ten of those cases are linked to Thai Rock Wetherill Park, two to Thai Rock Potts Point, a staff member at Apollo Potts Point, three linked to funeral gatherings cluster, one linked to Crossroads Hotel and two in hotel quarantine.
29.07.2020 LISTEN

The building of the Bussie Health Center, according to reports from community members, was facilitated by the former Member of Parliament, Hon Emmanuel Zumakpeh with funding from Saudi fund, decades ago.

Since then, no major expansion of the facility has been made. As a result, the community and its catchment area has outgrown the facility, putting a lot of pressure on the facility and its staff.

The current situation of the facility has been a very big problem with regards to patient delivery and admissions, due to inadequate facilities for patients.

According to checks done by Tumpaani fm, the Paramount Chief and sectional Chiefs of Bussie upon several meetings and complains about the nature of the facility, took it upon themselves to start a project which comprises of two wards, Office, and washrooms. The project has reached lintel level.

Responding to a question asked by Douglas Gyeena, a co-host of Tumpaani FM Community development talk show on the steps taken to address the situation, Naa Elias Yieon Baligi II, secretary to Bussie traditional Area Council, revealed that the council wrote letters to some influential stakeholders including the Member of Parliament, the District Chief Executive and other politicians to Solicit funds to complete the project but have not received any positive feedback from any of them except the NPP constituency chairman who donated Two Hundred (200) Ghana Cedis.

He also revealed that the project has stalled because contributions made by some community members are locked up in GN bank following its collapse.

We would be glad if anybody comes to our aid to enable us expand the facility by completing the stalled project."

The Chief and Secretary to the Traditional Council added.

It was actually observed that a patient was admitted and being treated on the floor.

The in-charge of the facility explained that all the beds were occupied and that he had no option than to admit and treat the patient on the floor. He added that, that was not the first time he was compelled to admit patients on the floor and bemoaned the need for additional facilities to enable the facility handle its current pressure.

Filed: Mwine Paschal//Tumpaani fm
Description

GIS  29 July 2020: A half-day workshop on Human Rights and Law Enforcement in Mauritius, targeting some 50 Senior Police Officers and aiming at sensitising them on the principles on non-discrimination, kicked-off, this morning, at Labourdonnais Hotel in Caudan. The Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr Dheerujlall Seetulsingh, and the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Vincent Degert, were present on that occasion.

In his opening remarks, Mr Seetulsingh highlighted that emphasis would be laid upon principles of non-discrimination, namely vis-a-vis the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community and the elderly persons. He pointed out that LGBTI people are also members of society who live and work like everyone else, and as such, encouraged the police force to help eliminate any prejudice that may still exist.

The NHRC Chairman also underscored that the workshop was an opportunity to familiarise Police Officers with the role and mandate of the NHRC and to present the 2019 annual report of the Commission.

For his part, Mr Degert underlined that, through the NHRC-EU partnership, Police Officers can be sensitised on how to apply the principles of non-discrimination with various target groups, including LGBTI people and the elderly. As Police Officers are in direct contact with the population on a daily basis, it is essential that they are familiar with equality and non-discrimination, two concepts which are at the heart of modern societies based on human rights, he added.

He further reiterated EUs commitment to eliminate all forms of discriminations, within its borders and in the world, so that every person may enjoy human rights and fundamental freedom without restrictions or exceptions.

The workshop, jointly organised by the NHRC and the EU, forms part of the project Promotion du respect des droits de l'homme a Maurice et a Rodrigues, implemented by the NHRC and financed by the EU. It is part of a series of actions implemented since March 2018 by the Commission to raise awareness among citizens, in particular women and young people, about human rights and also contribute to the fight against all forms of discrimination.

Themes addressed during the workshop were: The Mandate of the National Preventive Mechanism Division; Sexual Orientation and Human Rights; Sensitising the Police on LGBTI issues; and Law Enforcement and Elderly Persons.

The NHRC also launched two new tools to promote human rights on the occasion. They are: a silicone bracelet engraved with key human rights principles, which will be widely distributed so that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is disseminated in Mauritius and Rodrigues; and a leaflet with all important information for victims of domestic violence, giving them quick access to comprehensive information on the help they can receive.
* Brazil's real at one-month high after aid to small businesses * Investors cheer massive EU stimulus plan * U.S. Congress, White House to meet on coronavirus aid * Argentina creditors close ranks on debt deal as government digs in By Shreyashi Sanyal July 21 (Reuters) - Brazil's real jumped to a one-month high on Tuesday after the central bank announced aid to small and medium businesses, while investors around the world cheered a massive stimulus plan from the European Union. The real leaped as the central bank launched a program aimed at providing up to 120 billion reais ($23 billion) in loans to small and medium-sized enterprises, which have struggled to access credit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Commodity-linked currencies, including the Chilean and Mexican pesos, firmed 0.9% each against the U.S. dollar, which hit a four-month low. Global markets cheered an historic deal by European Union leaders on a massive stimulus plan for their coronavirus-hit economies in the early hours of Tuesday. "Fiscal policy remains the center of attention, reflecting the broader push toward growth-enhancing policies in the wake of COVID," said Mark McCormick, global head of FX strategy at TD Securities. "This global factor underscores that local stories have given way to broader themes." Advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats were set to discuss the next steps in responding to the coronavirus crisis on Tuesday, with congressional Republicans saying they were working on a $1 trillion relief bill. Latin American risk assets carried their positive momentum from the previous session, fueled by early data from promising trials of three potential coronavirus vaccines released on Monday, including a closely watched candidate from Oxford University. Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras gained 3.4% after it agreed to sell its remaining 10% stake in natural gas pipeline company TAG to Engie Brasil and Canadian investment fund Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec late on Monday. Argentina's peso was rangebound after the government rejected a counterproposal from the country's three main creditor groups on Monday to revamp around $65 billion in foreign debt, doubling down on its own "final" offer as bondholders appeared to close ranks. However, analysts say the country and its creditors are likely to find a way to seal a debt restructuring deal despite the standoff. Ecuador pushed forward with its debt overhaul plans on Monday, requesting a vote among its creditors on reconfiguring the terms of $17.4 billion of its external bonds, with its largest group of creditors backing the proposal. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies; Stock indexes Latest Daily % change MSCI Emerging Markets 1087.01 2.11 MSCI LatAm 2062.32 2.12 Brazil Bovespa 104210.14 -0.21 Mexico IPC 36697.88 1.03 Chile IPSA 3928.98 0.11 Argentina MerVal 46344.62 1.448 Colombia COLCAP 1157.65 0.13 Currencies Latest Daily % change Brazil real 5.2263 2.18 Mexico peso 22.3928 0.38 Chile peso 778.7 0.73 Colombia peso 3631.2 0.32 Peru sol 3.4917 0.32 Argentina peso (interbank) 71.7100 -0.07 Argentina peso (parallel) 126 3.17 (Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Editing by Dan Grebler)
ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As healthcare organizations across the country are overwhelmed with patient intake processes, many have turned to eHealth Technologies to effectively streamline patient care. With increased demand, eHealth has added four new team membersincluding two newly created positionsto support current and new customers.

Ben Betzer, regional vice president of sales, has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare leadership roles, focused on operations, sales and marketing, and product management. Betzer has worked with provider, consulting, and vendor organizations across the continuum of care. He has a passion and ability to drive the best in patient and clinical experiences for better outcomes, quality metrics and financial performance. Betzer's professional experiences includes sales and management roles at established companies such as McKesson, Philips, and Wolters Kluwer, as well as entrepreneurial leadership in the start-up space.

Chris Coleman also joins as a vice president of sales. He comes to eHealth from emids, where he led the company's "Provider/Hospital" Marketplace consulting and digital solution initiatives. He has aggressively grown business and managed sales teams in healthcare organizations across the country, including M*Modal, Dell Healthcare and LifeSciences, InSite One (now NTT Data), and CCA (now Asprya). Coleman's record of accomplishments includes consistently exceeding expectations, leading teams, developing and deploying winning strategic sales processes, and cultivating a dedicated customer base.

The addition of Betzer and Coleman marks an expansion of the Sales team  joining Steve Malta, who has been with eHealth for 10 years. Interest in services to streamline access to critical patient information continues to grow as healthcare systems seek innovative solutions to enhance patient care.

Susan Barnes, newly appointed account manager, has worked with health systems across the country for more than two decades, focused on the delivery of products and services that drive efficiencies and generate value. She has a degree in health services administration and began her career in healthcare IT operations, before shifting to technology, software implementation, and support in healthcare services delivery.

Nick Luerding has also joined as account manager. He began his professional career in healthcare at Cerner Corporation and later CareCloud, serving in both implementation and sales roles. Most recently, he has worked in biotech, pharmaceuticals, and medical device industries, where he drove streamlined solutions for clients through health IT.

The addition of Barnes and Luerding speaks to the growth eHealth has experienced in its customer base over the past several years. In the past, the account management function was covered jointly by several teams, including Customer Success and Sales. Demand has resulted in an opportunity to create a dedicated team to monitor current client needs and volumes, while ensuring streamlined and efficient processes. Additionally, the team lead workflow and optimization efforts for new and ongoing projects, to provide consistent reporting and meet project metrics.

"We're excited to provide more resources to meet our customers' needs," says Jeff Markin, chief financial officer. "As we continue our roll-up-our-sleeves approach to customer service, we welcome these new members who will provide much-needed support to new clients in hospitals and healthcare organizations across the country."

Photos available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i3lr4w61nkfaqsl/AADUYQ7DqzPCj0MqmLMODOL4a?dl=0

About eHealth Technologies

eHealth Technologies is the leading provider of image-enabled Health Information Exchange (HIE) and medical record retrieval and organization services. With customers across the country, eHealth Technologies works with prominent HIEs throughout the US and top-ranked hospitals, including 16 of the 20 U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll Hospitals for 2018-2019. eHealth Connect Image Exchange enables HIE subscribers access to full diagnostic quality medical records in the context of the patient record. The company's eHealth Connect solutions enhance patient and physician satisfaction by streamlining care transitions and assuring physicians have the right information to care for their patients. Visit www.eHealthTechnologies.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Kathleen Dutton-Fanning, Director of Marketing, eHealth Technologies

E: [email protected]

P: (585) 242-1000 ext. 565

Aimee Lewis, Aimee J. Lewis PR, Marketing & Communications

E: [email protected]

P: (585) 414-9838

SOURCE eHealth Technologies

Related Links

http://www.ehealthtechnologies.com


Authorities arrested Xavier DeJesus in his Fall River home Tuesday, ending a month-long search for the man wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of Deija Mendez in Lowell.

Xavier was charged with murder, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, carrying a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without an FID card. He will be arraigned Wednesday in Lowell District Court, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Lowell Police Superintendent Kelly Richardson.

Authorities say DeJesus shot Mendez, 23, of Boston, around 3:30 p.m. June 23 outside of a house on Coral Street in Lowell. Mendez was in the drivers seat of a black Chevrolet Tahoe.

When Lowell police arrived, they found Mendez suffering from a gunshot to the head. Authorities say they believe Mendez and DeJesus may have known each other and that they might have been fighting over the car before the shooting.

Fall River police, Massachusetts State Police detectives and the MSP Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section assisted in DeJesuss arrest Tuesday.

The DAs office first asked the public for help in its search for DeJesus in late June after the shooting. Authorities asked anyone with information to call Lowell police 978-459-8477. In July, the MSP Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section added DeJesus to its most wanted list.

When troopers and officers approached the Fall River residence, DeJesus tried to run out the back door but ran back in after seeing police behind the house, according to a statement from MSP spokesman Dave Procopio.

Police found DeJesus hiding in the basement and took him into custody, Procopio said. He was returned to Middlesex County to be held pending his arraignment.
The man accusing reality TV contestant and former Penthouse cover girl Suzi Taylor of assault and extortion after a late-night rendezvous says he knew she was a prostitute but not that she was 'famous'.

David Butler says he was extremely drunk when he went to The Block 2015 contestant's Brisbane home after allegedly meeting Taylor, whose real name is Suellen Jan Taylor, on Tinder.

He said he did not recognise her.

A man has accused reality TV contestant and former Penthouse cover girl Suzi Taylor (pictured) of assault and extortion after a late-night rendezvous

Taylor (pictured left), whose real name is Suellen Jan Taylor, was a contestant on The Block in 2015

It is alleged Taylor and her co-accused, Ali Ebrahimi, demanded money, bashed and tied up Mr Butler, who arrived carrying champagne but denies he wanted sex.

'You knew of her status in television,' defence lawyer Michael Gatenby asserted at Taylor's committal hearing for deprivation of liberty, assault occasioning bodily harm and extortion in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

'No, I did not know because her name was Katy (on the app),' Mr Butler replied.

'You did not see a photo of her?' Mr Gatenby asked.

'I used to watch The Block, so if I saw a photo I would have recognised her, but I did not,' Mr Butler replied.

He said he only became aware of her identity when Fortitude Valley police informed him.

It is alleged Taylor and her co-accused, Ali Ebrahimi, demanded money, bashed and tied up Mr Butler, who arrived carrying champagne but denies he wanted sex

Mr Butler alleges he and 'Katy' drank wine and talked about Fleetwood Mac before moving to the bedroom.

It was there, after kissing and cuddling and allegedly groping Taylor, that Mr Butler was asked to pay for sex.

'She wanted money and I refused. That is when I wanted to leave,' Mr Butler said.

'You understand how a prostitution arrangement works ... but that took you by surprise?' Mr Gatenby said.

'I remember her screaming: 'He has got no money!',' Mr Butler said.

Mr Butler alleges he was then grabbed and bashed by a man, who was also in the unit, dragged into the kitchen and tied up with an iPhone cable.

During this time Mr Butler says his mobile phone was taken from him.

Police allege an online transaction was made from his account to withdraw money, however details of who this was to have not been revealed in court.

Mr Butler later walked to a police station and reported the incident.

Taylor and Ebrahimi were later charged.

They have been committed to stand trial in the Brisbane District Court at a date to be fixed.
A 37-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in connection with the execution-style shooting and killing of a woman, who he believed was involved in his sister's fatal overdose, according to an arrest affidavit.

On July 5, a man called San Antonio police to the 7700 block of Blue Gulf drive on the Southeast Side to report that he witnessed Rogelio Sanchez and an unidentified man shoot and kill Christina Delacruz, 37, the affidavit said.

According to the affidavit, the man said Sanchez and a second suspect kidnapped him, Delacruz and another male friend from a residence near the 100 block of Omaha Street, just east of downtown, and demanded they get into a vehicle.

Sanchez and the second suspect questioned the three about his sister's drug overdose, which took place at the Omaha Street residence a few days prior, the affidavit said. The man who called authorities later told police Sanchez believed there was foul play involved in his sister's death.

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Sanchez then drove the three to a secluded area where he demanded the unidentified man to get out of the vehicle. The man who called police said he then heard a single gunshot before Sanchez took him and Delacruz to an area near the 9200 block of WW White Road and demanded that both of them get out of the car and lie on the ground with their faces down, according to the affidavit.

The second suspect with Sanchez then shot Delacruz once in the back of the head and attempted to fire at the man but the gun malfunctioned and he was able to run to a nearby neighborhood to call for help, the affidavit said.

The man was unable to tell police where Delacruz's body was, but SAPD's EAGLE helicopter located her a short time later. It is unclear what happened to the unidentified male friend who was asked to get out of the car alone.

According to police, this wasn't the first time the family of the woman who overdosed have kidnapped someone. An unidentified man previously reported to police that another member of the family abducted and assaulted him the day of the overdose.

Though Sanchez isn't suspected of firing the weapon, Texas law says anyone involved in the execution of a crime will be charged. Police said Sanchez was the driver and and was armed during the incident. Police have not identified the shooter.

Sanchez was charged with murder and is being held on a $700,000 bond.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
ANN ARBOR, MI  Just in time for the latest rains, a pair of new stormwater tunnels to Ann Arbors riverfront are complete.

The city announced Tuesday, July 28, construction of two culverts to divert stormwater under the railroad tracks on the north side of Depot Street is now finished.

City officials are hailing it as a major step toward resolving flooding problems that have long plagued the neighborhood.

This is an exciting milestone that will really make a difference in the lives of property owners and residents in the Depot Street area, Jerry Hancock, the citys stormwater and floodplain program manager, said in a statement, calling it the biggest flood-mitigation project in city history.

Watch time-lapse video of crews building new tunnels to Ann Arbors riverfront

Another part of the $9.4 million project, an adjacent tunnel and pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, is still under construction and expected to be complete in September.

It will give people more direct access between the downtown/Kerrytown area and riverfront recreation areas, linking with the Border-to-Border Trail along the Huron River by Argo Dam.

This project ticks so many boxes for our community, Mayor Christopher Taylor said in a statement. It provides a safe link for trail users, provides much-needed flood protection and peace of mind for nearby property owners and could result in lower flood insurance premiums for property owners, with fewer taxpayer dollars going to repair flood damage.

The new stormwater culverts measure roughly 200 feet long, 12 feet wide and 7 feet high.

They will eliminate or greatly reduce flooding risks for dozens of properties in the area, Brian Slizewski, the city engineer overseeing the project, said in a statement.

Were effectively lowering the floodplain from 10 feet to 3 1/2 feet, so depending on exactly where the property is, the chances of flooding will be reduced by at least 70%, he said.

Work continues on a new tunnel pathway to Ann Arbor's riverfront on May 21, 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

The city now plans to submit documentation to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting a change in the floodplain map for the area.

That process, which is expected to take several months, will remove several houses and businesses from the floodplain, eliminating their need to purchase flood insurance or potentially reducing their insurance costs because of the lowered flood risk, Hancock said.

Before the culverts were built, there was periodic flooding during rain storms because the railroad berm would block overland flow from reaching the river once the underground Allen Creek drain that discharges to the river reached its capacity, officials said.

That problem is now corrected with the culverts under the tracks, along with 286 feet of four-foot-diameter pipe to reroute the storm drain in Depot Street through the new culverts.

Construction began in March, nearly 13 years after Hancock first proposed the project. Now its a highlight of the citys new STORMWATER SMA2RT education campaign.

This is definitely one of the more visible stormwater projects that the city of Ann Arbor has ever done, Jennifer Lawson, city water quality manager, said in a statement.

It took a while for it to move to the top of the citys list of capital improvement projects, but its exciting to see something like this that will have such a huge impact on bettering the community moving toward completion.

The pedestrian tunnel pathway also will greatly boost non-motorized transportation and help meet the citys A2Zero carbon-neutrality goals, Eli Cooper, Ann Arbors transportation program manager, said in a statement.

The pedestrian tunnel will be 14 feet by 9 feet and extend for 85 feet under the railroad tracks, leading to a new bridge over the Allen Creek drain outlet at the river and then connecting to the Border-to-Border Trail next to Argo Dam.

In combination with new fencing, that will end the common but dangerous practice of pedestrians illegally crossing the railroad tracks in the area, Cooper said.

The project is funded with $4.1 million in city funds, plus grants of $3.7 million from FEMA, $970,000 from the Michigan Department of Transportation, $315,000 from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and $300,000 from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

Campaign finance reports show alliances in Ann Arbor council races

Ann Arbor affordable housing tax proposal heads to November ballot

Over $400K in donations fuel hotly contested Washtenaw County prosecutors race

Ann Arbor launches waitlist website for citys 15 newest affordable housing units

Defenders vs. disrupters: The debate over preserving neighborhood character in Ann Arbor
The end is near

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jesus christ. in the meantime are there petitions yall can post to push these chains to require masks as well as other demands.





it worked here in tx for HEB- our biggest grocer...



ONTDers forced to work, how are yall doing?

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heb's pandemic response should be the standard tbh

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What, stocking up on what they need to sell to customers but not on what they need to keep their employees safe?

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I'm in retail. I recently worked another 32 hour shift. I was under managerial orders to have yesterday off but still got called in because a so-called co-lead couldn't handle doing my job. It's been like this February. That's how I'm doing.

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I second that some of my coworkers are batshit and think this whole thing is fake and complain about how they cant breathe to which I go I breathe just fine but I really want to say is maybe its your funky breath that makes it hard.**



When they give allergies or some type of excuse I reply I have allergies and actually, I havent had as bad of a reaction this season because I have to wear a mask etc.



Honestly have been cussed out by passengers not wearing their masks when I ask them to and they can cuss me out all they want but the more they berate me the more likely they will be put on that no fly list so be my guest. So glad my state finally issued mandatory masks indoors so that has helped a little (until they get on the plane ).



NGL if Im standing outside in my uniform, a person walking buy will usually subconsciously put theirs on as well I love it. I notice also when people see me putting a huge chunk of space between me and another person, if I am in uniform, the person behind me is less likely to get close now that we have the mandate. Before I would have to tell them to back up off me bc people will stand by you even though we are in the middle of a pandemic and act like youre the crazy one when you look at them like wth.



Edited at 2020-07-29 10:27 pm (UTC)

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pretty terribly!



my job is going to mandate masks starting aug 3rd and i'm terrified of customers flipping shit. i wish people just... actively cared about us. i've dealt with so many weirdos ranting about how the pandemic is fake, the coin shortage is fake, everything is fake, idk are they a fucking simulation too?



my coworker's husband has covid and is currently recovering but has not tested negative, she was never tested, she's still coming into work every day, he DRIVES her to work every day, they sleep in the same bed, it's insane. half his family is in the hospital rn with breathing issues... they don't care! lmao idk it's bizarro world

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I work at a community college and a lot of our stuff is still being done online but we still had to come back (can't be paying people to not be at work and we sure aren't going to get things set so they can work from home). We don't have too much traffic right now because there isn't much students can do in person but one co-worker is a total Trumper and even though she wears her mask, I still stress about her. One thing I've noticed for myself that has made me tired and irritable is that there's so much added stuff right now, having to clean and sanitize after people leave (and remember to actually do it), wearing masks all the time when you aren't used to it (I'm for sure wearing it though) and being hard of hearing it's really tiring communicating with people because they won't speak up and I can't see their mouths any more. It's just put me in a mood, not angry but just a mood. I actually used a few vacation days this week because I just need a small break. I can't imagine what retail and medical workers are going through if I'm this annoyed and I'm not that busy.

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i'm burnt out honestly; between all the extra PPE and now MY fear of patients is adding to my stress. i'm not at a hospital but our clinic has been incredibly busy. I am taking friday off and a few days next month. i was hoping for another slow down on elective procedures (in LA), but doesn't seem like that's happening. i'm taking random classes on the side b/c i already wanted to change professions BEFORE all this COVID crap. what can i do to work from home? work for twitter? lol

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I'm not forced to work, but I'm back to work at Ulta. we now require masks, as does the mall we're in. thus far we had two instances of people being tools about it.

the first was a woman whose daughter had an issue with a card on a previous purchase or some shit and griped about how we're supposed to provide masks if we're requiring them (false, we require shirts and shoes but don't hand those out either). she later came in after pulling a mask from her pocket, and her husband stayed outside. said husband, I eventually noticed, had a fucking swastika tattoo on his leg.

the most recent was a woman Monday who went on about it being "unhealthy to breathe in all that CO2" and "only 0.3% of people who get it die!" and "the governor hasn't ordered it!". like, fuck you bitch, my stepdad has one lung and wears a mask to Market Basket, so can you.

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I work at a local grocery store and there keep being new cases at stores in the same chain. They took away the hazard pay and claimed it was never hazard pay or meant to be long term lmao. Doing the math it only seems lime a 10% increase in the labor budget. I know that's a lot but maybe it's worth it to not make employees feel completely expendable and forced to risk their lives for an income?? Half the customers dgaf about distance.



There was a case at my store this month and I doubt it will be the last. The last case at another store was asymptomatic and 10+ other workers at that store are in (paid at least) quarantine. I really need to get tested.

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suicidal and murderous tbh

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I'm so glad we live in this fucked up time where we let people try to kill retail employees instead of WEARING A FUCKING MASK YOU SELFISH FUCKING SHIT ROOSTERS.

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Sorry guys I'm just really angry about how people won't wear masks when it has worked in other countries

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You are absolutely right!



I saw a suggestion for some kind of "mask-free happy hour", saying if people want to go shopping without masks so badly, they can be selfish together and infect each other, no big loss... but what about the employees ffs.

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that anger is so justifiable... cause I'm not a dumb person, but I just can't figure out why certain people are so abhorred with the idea of wearing a mask. sure, it's not an all-guarantee to keep one safe. but certainly, it ain't gonna kill you to wear one. I just feel dumbfounded that some had the luxury of protesting. So yes, it's definitely angering.

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I'm so angry too. And depressed.



Just today I had one of my clients tell me he feels uncomfortable going to his program because the staff aren't wearing masks even though it's a mandatory order in our state, AND all of my clients have disabilities/immunocompromised/pre-exist ing conditions! He told me one of the staff said she doesn't need to wear one because she got it before so she won't get it again... I HATE PEOPLE.

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I'm so lucky I live in New York where masks are required to enter anywhere. Americans are terrifying.

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idk friend. we start wearing masks and before we know it, we're having dream sex with demons while lizard men infiltrate our government. it's a slippery slope.



just kidding. i'm starting to feel there should be armed forces on premises at stores to arrest people who willfully, violently refuse to wear a mask. i'm not talking about someone who may have innocently forgotten theirs, but is happy to wear a disposable one provided by the store, but rather those selfish shit roosters you previously spoke of.

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Oh, America. You're so fucked.

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It's a failed experiment.

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I hope the people who did that to the TJ people got arrested. The reason why I feel relatively safe in there is because of the mask and distancing policies. Don't want to wear a mask? Stay your ass home then.

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Yeah like how is the urinating lady or anyone who commits assault not getting arrested??

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https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/k7qp7a/customers-who-refused-masks-assault-trader-joes-worker-send-them-to-hospital Looks like they got arrested but unsurprisingly Trader Joe's doesn't give a shit about their employees

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Dear god i am so embarrassed to live in the US. I swear I am not a fucking idiot like these morons.

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Using a wooden paddle, typically meant to help direct the flow of traffic at cash registers, they began pummeling another employee over the head, police told NBC News.



What the ACTUAL fuck.

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It's too bad these stores can't hire security, I'm sure there are bouncers and such out of work. It's frustrating that these people are reacting with violence and then we're essentially conceding to them.

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laughing and crying at this comment. :(

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This isn't that wild!



I live in London and every grocery store I've been to has someone standing out front (either a store employee or a security guard) counting customers and, more recently, enforcing masks for anyone entering.

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i need one good laugh a day. just one. this was it. thank you.

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Yeah, but...



In May, a security guard at a Family Dollar store in Flint, Mich., was shot and killed after trying to enforce a face-mask requirement. Days later, a woman in Oklahoma City who had insisted on entering a McDonalds, which had been partly closed for social distancing, returned with a handgun, firing several rounds and injuring a handful of employees.



So many Americans are just violent freedom loving fools.

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Considering that they stay open since they are essential as grocery stores they should have the funds to hire security. I assume they just don't want to. They probably think they'll loose business when selfish ignorant assholes who don't want to wear a mask won't come shopping there anymore. That other people might go because with security ensuring the mask wearing makes them feel safe when they have to go out doesn't matter.

Fuck them for putting their profit over their employees and customer safety.

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My local grocery store hired security. And one dude does look like he was a bouncer in the before-times. They ensure every shopper uses hand sanitizer before entering the store, control the number of people in there and encourage people to hand sanitize on the way out. They are also coralling stray shopping carts and sanitizing them regularly. So far we haven't had any fights and everybody is wearing masks. They were like that before security arrived on the scene, though. It's a super small store in a super small town, though. Everybody knows everybody else; I think people would rather mask up than be shunned or shamed.

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My local TJs has a security guard.

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I went to get a to-go drink with a friend of mine and there actually was a mask bouncer. I was shook. I wanted to fuck him tho :-( Yas daddy lemme put this massssssssssssk on for you *Beyonce voice*

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I imagine that there are many bouncers currently out of work. They should be hired to guard grocery stores and other services from these assholes.

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We have them in most grocery shops in the UK. Some dgaf, but most do and will stop you if you're without a mask and I deeply appreciate that.



I once saw one chase a woman who tried to skip the outside-shop queue inside and tell her to gtfo. I've never cheered anyone more in my life.

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These are private businesses that can deny service to people.



You might as well let people steal if you want to avoid confrontations between employees and customers.



Edited at 2020-07-29 10:07 pm (UTC)

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The grocery store closest to me had a cop posted at the entrance for weeks - I feel like mask compliance was 100 percent. That cop is gone now, and I'm seeing folks fucking around now - mask around their chins, under their noses, etc. Back to instacart/peapod for me, I guess.

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wait... you have a GREAT idea -- hire out of work bouncers as security detail for grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. during this time. I think this is brill.

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the Apple Store at our mall hired security.

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Some are hiring security. On some new program a man who owns a security company said he hired 120 additional people.



My local Wal-Mart has security, but I think it's to protect the merchandise from theft, not the employees.

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Theres been violence with security guards too

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Meanwhile I'm over here like "I want to buy some cool DCU masks, where can I find some?" Wearing a mask isn't pleasant, but you CAN make it fun!

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whachu lookin for bb, i've seen lots of artists selling different ones! I haven't saved them but I sure i could find them with a quick search of my IG!

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Something kind of in the vein of the aesthetic of Birds of Prey, or Harley/Zatanna/Mera/Bumblebee/Booster Gold.

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Me too! Can you pass me the ig names/links too plz? X

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I would like in on this plz! Gotham based stuff would be best <3

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Mte! Like you can make it crafty..hell, IDGAF if you wear a mask saying "Im wearing this bc I have to" as long as you frickin' wear one!



Meanwhile I'm patiently waiting for the ones I ordered to come.

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Same. I don't love wearing them but I have to for work and won't go anywhere without one so I bought some cute ones on Etsy. Might as well make it fun any way I can.

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pretty sure if you go into a DCU they'll have them

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I'm bummed because the DR Who mask I ordered from etsy weeks ago still hasn't come in yet. My Disney star wars masks are supposed to be here this week though. My current favorite is a Crimson Tide (Alabama) mask my aunt made me.

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I honestly don't blame these retailers to say it's recommended/optional now. Enforcing it should not on the store employees as they should not be victims of assault.



Fuck people who don't wear them at places that are 100% required.



Edited at 2020-07-29 09:21 pm (UTC)

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They should give the bouncers work who usually work at clubs since they have the presence + experience for this, unlike probably most of the regular store employees.

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But that would cost extra money and we all know these stores are cheap.

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This! The answer should never be to put employees in even more danger. Fuck rich people.

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Yeah I get why they're doing it. Making their employees enforce this with violent customers isn't fair to them.



But oh my god I wish people would just wear masks and make everyone's lives easier.

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Yeah... I understand why they don't want to put them at risk of assault but they're also putting them at risk of getting the virus then. :(



In an ideal world they'd have a little buzzer system where they could buzz people with masks in TBH without ever having to interact with them.

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I do. When they word it like that it means we, workers on the frontline have no agency to protect ourselves if we dont feel comfortable having someone in the store bc theyre not wearing a mask.



The ONE thing I liked about my old workplace was that my manager could kick out anyone he wanted bc we were a private business.

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I doubt concern for the employees is the reason for walking it back. Its concern over being liable and getting hit with lawsuits by all parties.

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I'm doing the enforcing/shaming for the employees now. I've been getting into fights every time I'm in a retail space because I have zero fucking tolerance for this shit anymore. A lady screamed at me today about it being "MY BUSINESS AND MY BUSINESS ALONE" when I said "it doesn't do shit when it doesn't cover your nose" as I walked by and I definitely had the time today to make her regret that.

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This makes me so sad. I hate people. They don't care about anything.

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same.... its incredulous to see people giving no two fucks. Even they shot up essential workers in stores. This aint right. Plus the election is coming up. Lawd have mercy lol

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This is what America gets with its bullshit "freedoms" and "the customer is always right" shit. People are entitled as hell. America needs to fix that shit.



Edited at 2020-07-29 11:01 pm (UTC)

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why is this whole mask thing working everywhere (even in countries with no prior mask wearing culture) except in the US

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Because we are the free-est country on earth!

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Its not tbh. There have been spates of these stories from places like Canada and Brazil and Mexico.

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Canada's had a few weird one-offs, but it's nothing compared to the US. The woman who refused to wear a mask in a Toronto hospital made a big stink, but ultimately just stalked off and was mostly written off as a crazy person.



In general, I see mask compliance about 60-70% of the time in stores near where I live, and we have no mask requirements at the moment.

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Most business in Mexico demand masks tho, but yeah i've seen videos of people angry cause they're not allowed inside without a mask. And there's a lot of people walking around without one.

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er even Brazil is only a minority that mostly make noise not hundreds of people who literally assault others

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I can only speak for Germany, but I know it helps when the state governments are in agreement and give the official order that mask wearing is mandatory in closed public spaces like shops and public transit. There are still idiots not wanting to wear masks, but I feel like the percentage is signifcantly lower compared to the US.

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I wish it was working in Canada but there are asshole here too.

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"working everywhere" is oversimplifying things a little bit (in my country there's plenty of dumb assholes who don't want to wear masks and spread their little conspiracy theories) but I think in America there is this strong culture of individualism where people of certain social class are just absolutely not able to accept having to do something they don't want to do.

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Because Americans were raised to think that they are exceptional and intelligent people even though they've done nothing to be worthy of those compliments.

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Canadian and although Ive thankfully not dealt w customers refusing to wear a mask, Ive had some angry ones yelling in my face about not being able to put on hand sanitizer bc theyre allergic (highly doubt it lol). Although I do have assholes who uncover their mouths when speaking or lower their mask to HEAR ME when I speak. Or having their nose out of their mask. Annoying when you tell them to stop and they continue to do it

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Because FREEDUM!!!





apparently a piece of cloth takes away our freedoms that was written in the constitution. I dont remember seeing anything about masks written in it tho.

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I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's a combination of mass paranoia (masks are social control devices, etc.), poor science and health education, a really shitty federal government and president, and of course to a degree, rampant extreme individualism.



also we're in an election year and the U.S. always tends to get batshit around this time.



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This. If Walmart and other retailers didnt cave so much to shitty customers in the past, theyd probably be able to better manage and enforce the mask rule. Instead they created a system where an entitled soccer mom can I need to see the manager their way through life, and 150k dead is the price we are all paying for it.

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I know these anti-mask assholes are the minority and only get coverage because they make a lot of noise but seriously fuck anyone who acts so entitled to get violent because they don't want to do a public health good.

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I just don't understand why some people have a default setting of violence & assault.

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somehow one of the worst things about this pandemic is how much it's exposing how little some people care about literally anyone else around them. it's not like i didn't know so many people are this way before this, but people absolutely refusing to do the simplest thing by wearing a mask is almost more saddening than it is frustrating sometimes.



my city is instituting a bylaw on masks in public spaces soon (i'm in canada) and i'm relieved but i also feel awful for the people who will be expected to enforce it when faced with people like this.



Edited at 2020-07-29 09:23 pm (UTC)

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Here in FL, at Target, a lady was like "I don't have to wear this, right?" and took off a mask. One of the team members said how she wasn't looking forward to enforcing the mask mandate when it apparently becomes mandatory on Aug. 1st (for the state, country, or company, I'm not sure).

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it's ridiculous that it's going to have to fall on people who are already getting underpaid and overworked to begin with, ugh. i feel bad for her given how entitled retail customers can be on the best days.

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somehow one of the worst things about this pandemic is how much it's exposing how little some people care about literally anyone else around them.



agreed!

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Im in a city in Canada and its been fine in both of the provinces I live on the border of. Ive been out at stores and I havent seen a ruckus at all.

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Its like some old timey Twilight Zone episode where you think all the people in the small town in the 50s are kind and look after each other and then a crisis happens and you realise that the monster is everyone.

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Oooo are you in Calgary, too???

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The practice of denying bond to crime suspects prior to trial is one of the targets of those advocating for police reform in the wake of George Floyds death in Minneapolis. Under the Constitution, suspects must be considered innocent until found guilty in a court of law, and nobody should be denied bond based on their race or income.

While suspects accused of violent felonies  such as murder, rape, and armed robbery  should be held in the local jail until trial, those arrested for lesser offenses who are not considered to be an ongoing threat to the community should be released on bond.

Citizens want to be safe, and they rely on the police and prosecutor to do everything they can to make them safe, Stafford County Commonwealths Attorney Eric Olsen recently said. But that does not necessarily mean a knee-jerk reaction to lock everybody up thats charged with a crime.

But the corollary to that is that there should not be a knee-jerk reaction to allow every suspect out on bond either, especially if they are accused of a felony. A recent case in Stafford County illustrates what can happen when prosecutors and judges make the wrong call.

On Jan. 23, 2019, Hussein Jarrar, of Stafford, was arrested and charged with burglary by deputies responding to an alarm at the Chicas Deli Market on Garrisonville Road. Olsen said that Jarrar was released on bond the same day even though burglary is a felony under the Virginia Code.

But Jarrars criminal activity was far from over. He later pleaded guilty to 23 counts of burglary, grand larceny and destruction of property during seven subsequent burglaries and one attempted break-in. He is scheduled to be sentenced for these crimes on Oct. 8.

Thats seven other victims who would have been spared the trauma and financial loss of a burglary if Jarrar had not been released on bond.

But the ripple effect did not stop there. One of Jarrars burglaries was at a neighbors house last summer while the neighbor was away on vacation.

Deputies said a 38-caliber handgun Jarrar took from the home was later used by 17-year-old Caine Davis to murder 20-year-old Troy Barnett and shoot his 18-year-old girlfriend, Laura Gomez-De La Cruz, in the head outside the 5 Twelve convenience store on Garrisonville Road on July 3, 2019. Davis recently was convicted of the shootings and ordered to serve a sentence of life in prison.

Olsen said Jarrar was not involved in the ambush murder of Barnett and the nearly fatal wounding of Gomez-De La Cruz  except for stealing the gun. But he wouldnt have been able to steal the neighbors gun that was used to kill Barnett, or been a suspect in five subsequent burglaries at local businesses, if he had been in jail.

Its easy in hindsight to criticize Stafford County officials for letting Jarrar out on bond back in January 2019 when he was first apprehended for burglarizing the deli. And to be fair, they had no way of knowing then that over the next five months that crime would be followed by many more and eventually lead to a critical wounding and a homicide.

But there would have been a lot fewer crime victims in Stafford County if Jarrar had been kept off the streets until his trial.

The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-30 01:12:56|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Following a large COVID-19 outbreak at meat processing company Toennies, the German government has reached an agreement on new regulations aimed at creating "orderly and safe working conditions" in the country's meat industry, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) announced on Wednesday.

"We ensure that employers once again have direct responsibility for their people," said Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil, adding "We protect the workers and (will) end the irresponsibility in parts of the meat industry."

The rules would explicitly prohibit the use of external staff in the core business of Germany's meat industry and would apply to subcontractors as well as labor leasing models from early 2021 onwards, according to BMAS.

"The government is putting meat production in Germany at risk," Friedrich-Otto Ripke, president of the Central Association of the German Poultry Industry (ZDG), told newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung on Wednesday.

According to Ripke, the meat industry required external workers in order to help in peak times of the year to "cushion high demand during barbecue season."

The working and living conditions of subcontractors in Germany's meat industry became a topic of public interest after the large outbreak at Toennies where more than 1,500 employees were infected with COVID-19.

On Tuesday, Toennies presented a "future housing concept," aiming to provide well-equipped flats meeting a fixed standard for all its employees in the future.

Heil stressed that 16-hour days and "cramped living conditions" in mass accommodations were no longer acceptable. The new rules now also require companies in the meat sector to improve accommodation facilities of employees, even outside company grounds.

Furthermore, the regulations would introduce an obligation for logging and controlling working hours with a digital system. The fines for violations of the working time regulations for Germany's meat industry would be doubled from 15,000 euros to 30,000 euros (35,204 U.S. dollars), according to BMAS. Enditem
The Lukewarm Lutherans: a potent read that discusses the pertinence of the Lutheran Churchs awakening from its lukewarm state to serve God better and identify as willing Christians. The Lukewarm Lutherans is the creation of published author L. C. Reed, a member of the Lutheran Church.

Reed shares, The Lutheran Church is known for sound doctrine and order in its service, but in their efforts to stay true to the teachings of Martin Luther, something seems to get lost. Passion in the message, passion in prayer, and passion in worship has led to a lukewarm lifestyle in the hearts of Lutheran believers. Rituals and traditions have taken the place of relationship with God so much so that the idea of having a true personal relationship with God is foreign to most Lutheran believers.

The Lukewarm Lutherans points out some simple truths about the Lutheran Church that needs to be addressed before Christ returns and the Lutheran Church finds itself in the same predicament as the church of the Laodiceans mentioned in the Revelation of Jesus Christ who warned that they will be violently rejected by Christ at his return.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, L. C. Reeds new book aims to aid Lutheran Christians fulfill their intended duty as Gods stewards with full attentiveness to His will and majesty.

This book is a gripping tool that seeks to realize the wholehearted praise of the Lutheran Church according to Gods original teachings and not the doctrines of the world.

View the synopsis of The Lukewarm Lutherans on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase The Lukewarm Lutherans at traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Lukewarm Lutherans, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
CAS reveals Man City ignored UEFA investigation, but did not breach FFP

FOOTBALL: Manchester City showed a blatant disregard for UEFAs investigation into alleged Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but European footballs governing body failed to prove City had disguised funding from the clubs owners as sponsorship income.

FootballPremier-League

By AFP

Wednesday 29 July 2020, 11:22AM

Manchester Citys two-season ban from European competitions was overturned on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Photo: AFP

Earlier this month, CAS overturned a two-year ban from European competitions imposed on City by UEFA and reduced a fine of 30 million to 10 million (B357mn).

The full reasoned judgement by CAS released yesterday (July 28) showed that the fine was to reflect a severe breach in Citys unwillingness to cooperate with UEFAs investigation.

But that the charges of alleged concealment of equity funding were more significant violations and that based on the evidence the panel cannot reach the conclusion that disguised funding was paid to City.

Citys fortunes on the field have been transformed since a takeover from Shiekh Mansour, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, in 2008.

The club were accused of deliberately inflating the value of income from Emirati sponsors Etisalat and Etihad Airways to meet UEFAs FFP regulations, which limits the losses clubs can make to spend on player transfer fees and wages.

UEFA launched an investigation after German magazine Der Spiegel published a series of leaked emails relating to Citys finances in 2018.

CAS indicated that witness statements from senior City executives as well as a letter from Sheikh Mansour - all provided to CAS but not to UEFA during the first process - could have swung the original verdict in Citys favour.

The appealed decision is therefore not per se wrong but, at least to a certain extent, is a consequence of MCFCs decision to produce the most relevant evidence at its disposal only in the present appeal proceedings before CAS, said the court.

The judgement also found that UEFAs case was hamstrung by the necessity to finalise the appeal before the start of the 2020/2021 Champions League as it relinquished a request for more evidence to be provided from Citys emails.

UEFAs approach in this regard is understood, because it was faced with a dilemma between trying to obtain additional evidence and having an award issued before the start of the 2020/2021 UEFA club competitions season, added the CAS panel.

Nine Premier League clubs - Arsenal, Burnley, Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool, Man United, Newcastle, Tottenham and Wolves - filed an application to UEFA for City not to be allowed to compete in European competition if a verdict was not reached before the start of the 2020/21 season.
A former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, has been appointed as patron of the Former Governors Forum, a group made up of past state governors in Nigeria.

In a letter signed by Chairman of the group and former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, and Prof Tunde Esan, the Executive Secretary, Iboris appointment took effect from July 13, 2020.

The letter reads partly, In line with the provisions of the Former Governors Forum and based on the unanimous decision of the Executive Committee of the Forum, we convey to you your appointment as Patron of the Forum.

The Forum recognises your role not only as a former governor but equally as a respected elder statesman with passion for the promotion of unity in Nigeria, which is the major objective of the Forum.

In addition, your role as Patron will be invaluable in the development of good leadership qualities among emerging leaders in Nigeria.

Governor of Delta state from 1999 to 2007, Ibori was in 2012 sentenced to many years in prison for money laundering by a court in the United Kingdom.

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Athens  Wed, July 29, 2020 11:38 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a23632 2 News greece,cruise-ship,travel,tourism Free

Greece will reopen six of its ports, including Piraeus in Athens, to cruise ships on Saturday for the first time in the coronavirus-shortened tourism season, the tourism minister said.

In a letter to the Cruise Lines International Association and three major cruise operators, Harry Theoharis said the ports of Piraeus, Rhodes, Iraklio, Volos, Corfu and Katakolo would accept passengers, state agency ANA reported Tuesday.

After docking at one of these ports, cruise ships will subsequently be able to travel elsewhere in Greece, depending on local coronavirus conditions, he said.

Read also: Set sail and social distance: Taiwan resumes ocean cruise amid pandemic

With a quarter of the economy dependent on tourism, Greece has sought to capitalize on its relatively low infection rate to bring in visitors.

So far officials have announced nearly 4,200 infections and 202 deaths.

Last month, Greece began progressively reopening its land borders to select countries, before allowing mostly European flights to all its airports on July 1.

Since then, there have been over 340 confirmed infections among nearly 1.3 million incoming travelers, the civil protection agency said Tuesday.

But demand is lagging.

Greek hotels are about a fifth full, according to the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, and local cruise operators do not expect bookings before September.
This is the moment a quick-thinking sea otter clambered onto a boat to escape the orca chasing it.

John Dornellas, 37, who works with Coldwater Alaska, an exploration company providing boat trips in the area, filmed the animal frantically swimming towards him as the orca followed in Halibut Cove Lagoon.

The sea otter jumped onto the transom of Mr Dornellas's boat just seconds before the orca, also known as a killer whale, emerged from the waters.

The sea otter jumps onto a boat in Halibut Cove Lagoon, Alaska, on July 26, after it is chased by a orca

The orca emerges from the water and swims up towards the boat in search of the sea otter before swimming away

John Dornellas (pictured), 37, who works with Coldwater Alaska, an exploration company providing boat trips in the area, filmed the sea otter clamber onto his boat

During the footage, which was captured on July 26, Mr Dornellas spots the killer whale make its appearance from beneath the waters and exclaims: 'Oh my gosh. It's coming right to the front of the boat!'

Just seconds later, a sea otter emerges from the water and begins to swim towards the boat as Mr Dornellas says: 'Oh dude, that poor otter wants to get the heck out of the water. Oh my gosh, oh this poor dude.'

The otter circles the boat before jumping onboard and looking back towards its predator in the water as Mr Dornellas says: 'Come on up, bud!'

Moments later, the sea otter, believing the coast is clear, jumps back into the water only to find the orca is still on its tail, so it jumps back into the boat.

Mr Dornellas later revealed that the otter hopped back into the water around four times before finally jumping onboard the boat and refusing to leave.

Another captain, Chantrelle Major, who also filmed the moment from her vessel nearby, watched as the killer whale circled Mr Dornellas' boat in search of the sea otter.

Eventually, once the orca had moved away from the boat, Mr Dornellas headed for his next pickup in Halibut Cove Lagoon.

The tour agency worker later discovered the female killer whale was the largest in her pod.

He said: 'I felt absolute awe - there was a visceral energy in the air that I can't explain, a powerful hunting energy coming from the orca.

The sea otter emerges from the water and begins to circle the boat that Mr Dornellas is on in search of safety

After swimming towards the vessel, the sea otter clambers onto the boat and looks back at its predator in the water

Mr Dornellas' fellow captain, Chantrelle Major, who also filmed the moment from her vessel, watches in shock as the orca circles the boat

'Utter, primal fear from the otter was also felt, but the combination of such power and helplessness left a knot in my stomach.

'I felt incredibly fortunate to be able to see such an interaction.

'I believe the orca had an otter pup in its mouth, so I'm guessing that's why the otter kept getting back into the water, but eventually it climbed aboard, refusing to leave.

'After days on end running the boat for 14 hours a day, I was tired and feeling a bit low, but this 'wink' from God powered me right back up and made the rest of the day easy.

'Nothing I could plan for or do could possibly arrange this encounter, so I was left feeling humble and grateful.'

Orcas, which were first given the name killer whales because they were observed to attack other marine animals, are the largest member of the dolphin family and live in groups in the sea called 'pods'.

The sea animals, who are capable of navigating and hunting underwater, can often be seen in southeast Alaska between early May and early June.
DGAP-News: DIC Asset AG / Key word(s): Half Year Results

Correction of the Press Release - DIC Asset AG: 55% Rise in Letting Performance and Doubling of Real Estate Management Fees Lead to 18% Increase in FFO



29.07.2020 / 08:11

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Correction of the Press Release

DIC Asset AG: 55% Rise in Letting Performance and Doubling of Real Estate Management Fees Lead to 18% Increase in FFO

FFO rise by 18% to EUR 50.6 million

Exceptional letting performance during Q2, with a total of 125,800 sqm in new leases, (+55% over prior year)

Real estate management fees more than doubled at EUR 42.1 million

EUR 8.5 billion in assets under management achieved

Annual forecast for 2020 confirmed

Christian Bock appointed to the Management Board as of 1 August 2020

Frankfurt am Main, 29 July 2020. DIC Asset AG (ISIN: DE000A1X3XX4), one of Germany's leading listed property companies, is well on course to achieve its annual target for 2020 after a successful business performance and high earnings strength during the first half-year. The business model with its strong platform of two income streams stood the test of time by proving highly crisis-resilient and flexible. The annual forecast as updated in April was confirmed without reservations at the end of the first six months.

"Our crisp response to the 'new normal' was marked by agility and creativity, and we are optimally positioned for the challenges we face. On the one hand, we are close to our clients while, on the other hand, we minimise risks by making clear strategic decisions. This makes it safe to reaffirm: We are steadily approaching our medium-term growth target of EUR 10 billion in assets under management. DIC Asset AG is synonymous with robustness, continuity and perspective, as the mid-year figures 2020 illustrate once again," said CEO Sonja Warntges, as she commented on the company's strong and stable position.

Milestones of the First Half-Year of 2020:

- The first half-year of 2020 was characterised by a strong letting performance, as a number of large letting deals involving more than 10,000 sqm each resulted in a take-up of 125,800 sqm, which implies a one-year increase of 55% (81,300 sqm). Especially the second quarter of 2020 experienced a brisk increase in subsequent lettings. On the whole, the rent level negotiated for lease renewals translated into an average increase of 4.9%.

- Its diversified revenue streams have made DIC Asset AG highly resilient against short-term volatilities from external shocks: Even though the portfolio size shrank, the gross rental income increased year on year, rising to EUR 51.4 million (previous year: EUR 49.7 million). Driven by steady growth and by the acquisition of GEG, income from property management more than doubled, rising to EUR 42.1 million (previous years: EUR 17.5 million). On top of that, sales profits in the amount of EUR 2.5 million (previous year: EUR 1.7 million) and a share of the profit or loss of associates in the amount of EUR 6.3 million (previous year: EUR 15.8 million, incl. TLG dividends in the amount of EUR 13.0 million) were achieved.

- The bottom line shows substantial FFO growth by 18% to EUR 50.6 million (previous year: EUR 43.0 million). It was driven primarily by the rapid increase in income from property management and an improved net interest income in the amount of EUR -14.2 million (previous year: EUR -16.9 million), which more than offset the rise in opeRating costs from the inorganic growth of the Institutional Business segment to EUR 24.4 million (previous year: EUR 16.8 million).

- As of 30 June 2020, the assets under management rose to a total of EUR 8.5 billion for the first time, which implies a 20% increase over the prior-year figure (30 June 2019: EUR 7.1 billion). The Commercial Portfolio accounts for c. EUR 1.9 billion thereof (30 June 2019: EUR 1.8 billion) and the Institutional Business for EUR 6.6 billion (30 June 2019: EUR 5.3 billion).

- Acquisitions of prime Core properties prompted a pro-forma increase of the Commercial Portfolio to more than EUR 2 billion (transfer of possession, benefits and burdens to take place midway through the third quarter). This means the company already cleared the half-way mark of the 2020 acquisition target by mid-year.

- With the full value of the Institutional Business segment factored in, the Adjusted NAV amounted to EUR 22.07 per share as of 30 June 2020 (31 December 2019: EUR 22.26). The EPRA-NAV per share equalled EUR 17.48 (31 December 2019: EUR 17.23). The total number of shares increased by around 9.5% during H1 2020 as a result of the capital increase in January 2020.

- The LTV ratio (loan-to-value) - warehoused assets not included - dropped to 44.3% as of 30 June 2020 (31 December 2019: 47.8%). The Adjusted LTV (also factoring in the full value of the Institutional Business) equalled 38.9% (31 December 2019: 41.8%).

- Cash and cash equivalents totalled EUR 416.6 million as of the reporting date (31 December 2019: EUR 351.2 million).

Effective as of 1 August 2020, the Supervisory Board of DIC Asset AG appointed Christian Bock as new member of the Management Board. In this role, Christian Bock will be in charge of the Institutional Business. He has been on the Management Board of GEG German Estate Group AG since 1 April 2019.

"With the appointment of Christian Bock to the Management Board of DIC Asset AG, we are reaffirming the significance of our Institutional Business segment and of our third-party asset management business. Christian Bock has worked in the real estate industry for 14 years. During this time, be played a definitive part in the successful expansion of the assets under management. His long-term experience and his personal track record have convinced the Supervisory Board that Christian Bock, together with the other members of the Management Board, will successfully implement our medium-term growth target of EUR 10 billion in assets under management," said Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DIC Asset AG.

Outlook for the Remainder of the Year and Confirmation of the 2020 Forecast

DIC Asset AG will continue to respond quickly, flexibly and creatively to economic shifts and to new client expectations. Recent talks with our clients have shown that the strong demand for office accommodation is here to stay. However, offices must come with options to restructure their layout. The portfolio of DIC Asset includes many flexible units on the periphery of prime locations that will see a serious surge in demand.

In addition, DIC Asset AG will adapt its mix of asset classes to reflect the "new normal" and step up its commitments in the office and logistics segments. This will inversely bring down the share of retail assets.

Plus, DIC Asset AG will clearly keep focusing on investments in Germany. Its prudent handling of the pandemic has bolstered Germany's reputation among investors and corporates as a safe haven. So, this is the market where DIC Asset AG intends to keep expanding. The company has a sound letting pipeline as well as an excellent acquisition pipeline.

At the moment, more than EUR 500 million in committed equity capital from investors is available to DIC Asset AG in the Institutional Business segment. Going forward, this will permit the acquisition and day-to-day management of additional real estate on a scale of over EUR 1 billion. On top of that, DIC Asset AG derives considerable financial strength from the cash and cash equivalents available for financing its growth in the Commercial Portfolio and thus for the continued expansion of attractive rental cash flows from existing properties.

Accordingly, DIC Asset AG reaffirms its annual forecast for 2020: All things considered, the company expects EUR 94-96 million in FFO, EUR 94-98 million in gross rental income, and EUR 80-90 million in property management revenues by year-end. On the acquisition side, it expects to spend a total of EUR 700 million to EUR 1.1 billion, of which EUR 200 million to EUR 300 million for the Commercial Portfolio and EUR 500 million to EUR 800 million for the Institutional Business. Out of the planned disposals, which add up to EUR 400 million, assets from the Commercial Portfolio account for c. EUR 100 million, assets from the Institutional Business for c. EUR 300 million.



Invitation to Attend Investor Call / Webcast on 29 July 2020



The Management Board of DIC Asset AG invites you to attend the presentation of the financial statement for the first half-year of 2020 on 29 July 2019 at 10.00 CEST.

Please use the numbers below to dial in: Dial-in numbers:

Germany: +49 (0)69 2222 2018

United Kingdom: +44 (0)330 336 9411

United States: +1 323-794-2597

The confirmation code is: 1718673#

The webcast (incl. replay) is available under the link below:

https://webcasts.eqs.com/dic20200729/no-audio

For more details on DIC Asset AG, visit the company's homepage at www.dic-asset.de.



About DIC Asset AG:

With more than 20 years of experience on the German real estate market, the company maintains a regional footprint on all major German markets through seven branch offices, and has 187 assets with a combined market value of c. EUR 8.5 billion under management (as of 30/06/2020).

Taking an active asset management approach, DIC Asset AG employs its proprietary, integrated real estate management platform to raise capital appreciation potential company-wide and to boost its revenues.

In its Commercial Portfolio division (EUR 1.9 billion in assets under management, as of 30/06/2020), DIC Asset AG acts as proprietor and property asset holder, and thus generates revenues both from the management of the assets and through the value optimisation of its own real estate portfolio.

In its Institutional Business division (EUR 6.6 billion in assets under management, as of 30/06/2020), which operates under the name GEG German Estate Group, DIC Asset AG generates income from structuring and managing investment vehicles with attractive dividend yields for national and international institutional investors.

DIC Asset AG has been SDAX-listed since June 2006.

IR Contact DIC Asset AG:

Peer Schlinkmann

Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

Neue Mainzer Strasse 20

D-60311 Frankfurt am Main

Phone +49 69 9454858-1492

ir@dic-asset.de



DIC Asset AG at a Glance

Key financial figures in EUR million H1 2020 H1 2019 Gross rental income 51.4 49.7 Net rental income 41.0 43.0 Real estate management fees 42.1 17.5 Proceeds from sales of property 9.5 16.0 Total income 114.3 94.1 Profits on property disposals 2.5 1.7 Share of the profit or loss of associates 6.3 15.8 Funds from Operations (FFO) 50.6 43.0 EBITDA 67.2 61.2 EBIT 48.6 45.5 Profit for the period 28.5 25.9 Cash flow from operating activities 36.5 42.3 Key financial figures per share in EUR* H1 2020 H1 2019 FFO 0.65 0.60 Earnings 0.36 0.37 EPRA earnings 0.57 0.57

Balance sheet figures in EUR million 30/06/2020 31/12/2019 Loan-to-value (LtV) in %** 44.3 47.8 Adjusted LtV in %** 38.9 41.8 Investment property 1,625.2 1,623.0 Total equity 1,097.2 968.8 Financial liabilities 1,498.0 1,547.2 Total assets 2,725.5 2,657.4 Cash and cash equivalents 416.6 351.2 EPRA NAV per share (in EUR)* 17.48 17.23 Adjusted NAV per share (in EUR)* 22.07 22.26

*All per-share figures adjusted in accordance with IFRS. (Total number of shares H1 2020: 78,234k; H1 2019: 71,205k)

** Not including warehoused assets
Having already joined the upper ranks of spacefaring nations, China is preparing to try its next bold leap: launching an orbiter, a lander and a rover to Mars.

The mission  shadowing NASAs Perseverance rover and the United Arab Emirates Hope orbiter  lifted off Thursday and aims to place China where its Communist leadership has long wanted to be. China is eager to show it can manage complex interplanetary missions on its own; landing on Mars is a difficult accomplishment that only the United States and, briefly, the Soviet Union have achieved before.

We cannot lie in the cradle of Earth forever, Bao Weimin, a senior director at the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said on state television recently, paraphrasing a Soviet rocket scientist, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. He called the exploration of Mars a manifestation of the countrys scientific and technological strength.

For China, more than pride is on the line. The countrys leader, Xi Jinping, has made space exploration a pillar of the countrys development, with an assortment of missions planned through the middle of the century, many involving human crews.

The mission is called Tianwen-1, or Questions to Heaven after a classical Chinese poem (also translated as Heavenly Questions) from the third century B.C. The vessel, weighing more than 5 tons in all, includes an orbiter that will circle the planet for a Martian year  687 days  and conduct its own scientific observations. It will also serve as a relay for communications to a lander and rover that two or three months after arriving in orbit in February will try to descend to the planets surface.

While the U.S. has reached all these milestones, China is trying to do them all at once. Tianwen-1 is going to orbit, land and release a rover all on the very first try, and coordinate observations with an orbiter, four scientists involved in the program wrote last week in the journal Nature Astronomy. No planetary missions have ever been implemented in this way, they added. If successful, it would signify a major technical breakthrough.

The orbiter will carry seven instruments, including cameras, subsurface radar, a spectrometer, a magnetometer and particle analyzers for what they called a global and extensive survey of the entire planet.

The lander  which, at 530 pounds, is nearly twice the mass of the rovers China sent to the moon  has six instruments that it will employ over 90 days on the surface. They include ground-penetrating radar to study the planets geology and search for potential underground reservoirs of ice  a key to sustaining an extended human presence in space. The main candidate for a landing site, the scientists said, is Utopia Planitia, a 2,000-mile wide basin where NASAs Viking 2 landed in 1976.

Tianwen-1 lifted off Thursday from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on Hainan, the island off Chinas southeastern coast. The center, which launched its first rocket in 2016, was selected to take advantage of its comparatively lower latitude than those of Chinas other launch sites.

This will not be Chinas first attempt to travel to Mars. That one, in 2011, ended in failure, though not of Chinas own making. It built an orbiter, Yinghuo-1, that was piggybacking on a Russian mission to Phobos, a Martian moon, but the Russian rocket stalled in low-Earth orbit, crippled by faulty computer circuits. The two spacecraft eventually plunged back to Earth.

In the years that followed that setback, China has racked up a number of impressive spaceflight accomplishments. On three occasions, Chinas astronauts have docked in orbit with space stations of the countrys own construction. And twice it has landed robotic rovers on the moon, with its latest mission reaching the lunar far side, a feat never before accomplished by any space program. That rover continues to roam, and its ground-penetrating radar has deepened understanding of the lunar surface.

Namrata Goswami, an independent analyst and author of a forthcoming book, Great Power Competition in Outer Space, said that the Chinese were systematically building strategic and logistical capabilities in space with a geopolitical goal in mind.

Last month, for example, China launched the last of the satellites needed to establish a global positioning system, called Beidou, which it plans to offer to countries as an alternative to the American GPS and other countries navigation systems. The Communist Party of China wants to prove to the world that they are actually a legitimate alternative to a U.S.-led space order, she said.

Bao, from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, even floated the idea last year that China could create an economic zone in space by the middle of this century, one that could contribute $10 trillion to the Chinese economy.

In the nearer term, China plans to launch another lunar lander at the end of the year, which will return samples from the moon for the first time since the Apollo missions, and complete its third orbiting space station as soon as 2022. It hopes to gather samples for return to Earth from Mars by 2030  setting up a race with a joint project by NASA and the European Space Agency with the same goal.

For the Chinese, space touches on all the strands of comprehensive national power, said Dean Cheng, an expert on Chinas space program with the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.

The Mars mission could also be useful in other geopolitical arenas.

The timing of the launch comes as China is facing increasing international pressure over its handling of a variety of issues. They include the coronavirus pandemic, which spread from Wuhan, a city of 11 million in central China, early this year; the systematic and ongoing repression of Uighurs and other Muslims in its Xinjiang province; and the harsh crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, the semiautonomous territory whose political and economic freedoms China promised to respect until 2047.

A mission to Mars might seem like a golden opportunity to change the topic. At the same time, the countrys promotion of the journey has been relatively restrained compared with the fanfare of NASA missions. That is in keeping with a tradition in China, where its human space missions were broadcast only on a tape delay.

The space program remains closely linked with Chinas military, which leaves a partial shroud of secrecy over the preparation and operational details of missions. Fear of failure also remains a powerful factor in the management  and publicity  of its space program. Chinas previous leader, Hu Jintao, ultimately wrapped himself in the countrys successful astronaut missions, beginning in 2003, but Xi has been far more careful with his public embrace of the Mars mission. This is in contrast to the way that the prime ministers of India and Israel were both directly involved in those countries moon landing attempts last year  only to see them fail.

Still, the country recently broadcast its final Beidou launch on national television, though with a delay. As the launch approached, the anticipation of the Mars mission built-in state media and online. The success of Chinas Mars mission depends on the Long March 5, a launch system that suffered a catastrophic failure in 2017, prompting a two-year delay for redesign and testing and pushing back other deep-space missions. The Long March 5 was successfully launched again in December, clearing the way for the Mars mission this month.

There is a lot riding on this, Cheng said. Failure is always a possibility, and the Chinese themselves write about how space is one of the most complex environments to work in. But that does not mean they will accept failure gracefully.
Gwyneth Paltrow has never shied away from shocking fans.

During her visit on Rob Lowe's Literally! podcast, she confessed his wife, Sheryl Berkoff, taught her how to perform oral sex, when she was a teenager.

But the 56-year-old Parks and Rec actor said the story didn't shock him at all, when speaking with ET on Tuesday.

Confession: Rob Lowe said Gwyneth Paltrow's confession that his wife taught her about oral sex as a teenager, didn't surprise him, when speaking with ET on Tuesday

He said: 'GP calls andI was not aware of that story. But can I just say, it doesnt surprise me.'

Adding: 'You know, GP, she throws it down.'

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.

Sounds like Sheryl: But the 56-year-old Parks and Rec actor said the story didn't shock him at all, saying 'GP calls andI was not aware of that story. But can I just say, it doesnt surprise me' (Lowe and Berkoff in 2019)

'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.'

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.

Gushing: '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 about Sheryl (Paltrow in 2020)

Connection: 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 (Lowe and Paltrow in 2015)

Rob and Sheryl's youngest son, John Owen Lowe, hilariously reacted to Gwyneth's risque confession.

Upon seeing the racy headline, the 25-year-old shared the article on Twitter and addressed the Goop founder's recent comment.

He wrote: '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

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

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***.

'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

'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

Rob and Sheryl first met in 1983 on a blind date, but the two didn't become an item 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.
3 1 of 3 Dianna H. via Yelp Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mike C. via Yelp Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Over the weekend of July 4, a San Francisco couple defied health orders and attempted to host an indoor wedding with nearly 100 guests at Saints Peter and Paul Church in North Beach before being stopped by city officials, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. Afterwards, at least 10 attendees who had flown in from places as far way as Nashville, Arizona, and San Diego tested positive for the coronavirus, including the newlywed couple. The night before, 40 wedding guests also congregated on the expansive outdoor patio at Harborview Restaurant and Bar, a dim sum restaurant at Embarcadero Center.

An unnamed guest told the Chronicle that at the rehearsal dinner, masks were not worn and social distancing was not observed. In an interview with Eater, Harborview spokesperson Karen Liu said she could not confirm or deny these claims, but that they posted signs around the restaurant reminding customers to wear masks, spaced tables six feet apart, and only seated six at each table.
Falun Gong practitioners tour around New York in a car parade to commemorate the 21st year of the persecution in China, on July 18, 2020. (Zhang Binqian/The Epoch Times)

Sending a Message to Communist China, One Mile at a Time

FLUSHING, N.Y.Zhang Jians face lit up as he walked out of Kissena Park. He waved toward the stream of cars that arrived and chatted with a few drivers who rolled down their side windows, his eyes slightly squinting under the midday summer sun.

On each of the dozens of cars was a banner pinned to the side, varying in hues of white, azure, or golden yellow, which matches the color of his shirt. On July 18 and 19, the group of driversmade up of adherents of the spiritual practice Falun Gongtoured across Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, in a show of support to their counterparts in China, who have been the target of a violent persecution campaign since 21 years ago.

Each year around mid-July, Falun Gong practitioners around the world commemorate the anniversary and the resilience that carried them through the decades-long suppression.

Falun Gong practitioners tour around New York in a car parade to commemorate the 21st anniversary of Chinas persecution of adherents in China, on July 18, 2020. (Pan Jun/The Epoch Times)

A wistful look came over Zhangs face as he recalled the haunting years he spent in Chinese jails while resisting the regimes coercion.

July 20, the day the Chinese regime launched its persecution, was a turning point for an estimated 70 million to 100 million adherents in China. For Zhang, who eventually got smuggled out of China following four arrests and brutal torture, the day invokes a mix of pain, nostalgia, and an urge to express the words he had long kept unsaid.

These experiences are carved into your brain, and they dont go away, he said in an interview. You just cant shake it off.

No Place to Set Foot

First introduced in China in 1992 amid a booming interest in qigong meditation exercises, Falun Gong, a spiritual practice with moral teachings centered around the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, enjoyed explosive popularity in the late 1990s.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) initially endorsed the practice and its health benefits. But Falun Gongs vast followingfar exceeding the Partys membership by the end of the decadewas perceived by the regime as a threat to its power, leading to a statewide campaign to eradicate the practice that continues to this day.

Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Jian at Kissena Park in Flushing, New York, on July 18, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Zhang, who is from northeastern Jilin Province where the practice was first introduced, was in his 20s when the campaign began. He said the state medias hate propaganda vilifying Falun Gong practitioners created an atmosphere so fearful and toxic that all relatives and friends would turn him away.

It felt as if in the vast land of China, there was not a tiny space for you to stay or hide, he said in a recent interview.

In 2002, three giant banners with messages supporting the practice were hung up on a bridge in his hometown Tonghua city. The provincial authorities took it as a major transgression and arrested more than 100 local practitioners in an effort to find out who was behind it. Zhang, whose young age and expertise in mechanics made him a principal suspect, became their target for retaliation.

To make Zhang confess his crimes, a burly guard with extraordinary strength shackled Zhang to a heavy metal chair, and grabbed him by the hair to swing the chair around. Zhangs hair was pulled off in batches. When the torture session was over, the concrete floor was covered in his sweat. Bean-sized bald spots appeared all over Zhangs scalp, Zhang recalled, as his eyes reddened and his voice quivered. At the time, his remaining hair stood up and appeared charred, he said.

Other torments the guards applied included jamming a lighter deep into his chest, causing bruises and internal injuries, and squeezing a full tube of wasabi paste into his nose. Zhang, who was not involved in hoisting the banner, ended up admitting the false charge in order to avoid further agony.

The detention lasted for 18 months, with Zhang spending the latter period mostly sitting motionless in a single cell. When he was released, his face was ghostly white. His legs became so stiff that he could not walk for two or three months.

In 2007, facing another arrest, Zhang escaped through a four-day-five-night journey on a bus, then the only form of transportation that didnt require security screenings, eventually arriving in Thailand. When he saw the local practitioners there, many who had fled China like him, he felt as if the sun had just come out and the sky brightened up again, he said. Seeing them made me feel that I again had family and a home.

He now resides in New York with his son, who reunited with him in 2013 at the age of 12.

Falun Gong practitioners tour around New York in a car parade to commemorate the 21st year of the persecution in China, on July 18, 2020. (Pan Jun/The Epoch Times)

A Different Voice

The car parade Zhang participated in became an annual tradition several years ago. But this year, it took on an extra layer of significance amid the virus pandemic, when other means of raising awarenesssuch as parades and ralliesbecame impractical.

Zhang said he was heartened to see his fellow practitioners that day, whom he hadnt seen during the months of lockdown. Many passersby stopped to take photos of the cars, while others clapped and gave them thumbs-up signs.

Falun Gong practitioners tour around New York in a car parade to commemorate the 21st year of the persecution in China, on July 18, 2020. (Pan Jun/The Epoch Times)

Reflecting on the Falun Gong persecution, Zhang said that under communist rule, the regime sets the standards for right and wrong, denying 1.4 billion people the chance to hear a second kind of voice, and accordingly, their ability to make independent judgements, he said.

They [the Chinese regime] may tell lies as if they are truths, and confuse wrong with right, and you just have to believe them, he said. What we do presents them [the public] with a different voice.

Thanh Nguyen and Thao Truong, a Vietnamese couple from upstate New York, drove two hours to join the car parade. Both immigrated to the United States to flee communist persecution, and credited their experience with giving them more clarity about the nature of communism.

Falun Gong practitioner Thao Truong (L) and Thanh Nguyen at Kissena Park in Flushing, New York, on July 18, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Truongs grandfather was a victim of communist Vietnams massive land reform campaign, Truong said. After the communists took over North Vietnam in 1954, they branded him a landlord and buried him alive. Nguyens family, meanwhile, incurred the communist regimes wrath due to Nguyens brothers having fought against the communists control during the Vietnam War. The Vietnamese communist regime, in their eyes, is nowhere representative of their homeland, the same way the CCP is not equivalent to the country of China.

We want to show that they [the Falun Gong practitioners under persecution] are not aloneWe understand them and we are here for everybody in China, Nguyen said.

Falun Gong practitioners tour around New York in a car parade to commemorate the 21st year of the persecution in China, on July 18, 2020. (Pan Jun/The Epoch Times)

Quitting the Party

Their efforts also parallelled a grassroots movement called Tuidang, meaning quitting the Party in Chinese, which has been steadily gaining momentum since 2005. The New York-based Global Tuidang Center has processed close to 361 million requests from the greater Chinese community to publicly renounce their ties with the Party and its affiliate organizations.

For Zhang, such actions are more than symbolic: they signify peoples resolve to support whats right and not stand by a regime that has blood on its hands, he said.

Many Chinese have been deceived by the Partys lies, he said. How can you not stop it when they [CCP] is feeding good people poison? he said.

Truong nonetheless believes that the days for such lies may be numbered.

In the end, truth is always the truth, she said.
Police have revealed they seized more than thirty sex dolls designed to look like children over the past six months.

From January to June, Australian Border Force intercepted 31 packages at international mail centres which contained lifelike child sex dolls.

Another 86 child-like sex dolls were seized at international mail centres in the 12 months leading up to June 30.

This comes after police allegedly seized five child-like sex dolls imported from China and Japan in March and April and arrested three men from Sydney in May.

From January to June, Australian Border Force intercepted 31 packages at international mail centres which contained lifelike child sex dolls

Another 86 child-like sex dolls were seized at international mail centres in the 12 months leading up to June 30

An ABF spokesperson said child-like sex dolls are a part of a larger threat posed by pedophiles who wish to sexually abuse children.

'That's why the ABF works with its law enforcement and intelligence partners to further investigate these imports,' the spokesperson told news.com.au.

'ABF officers at our air cargo and mail facilities are actively targeting these dolls, which are a prohibited import and are considered child abuse material.

The ABF said they have a 'zero-tolerance approach' to child abuse material which includes sex dolls designed to look like children.

'We use all powers available to us to protect Australians from anyone associated with these sickening activities.'

This comes after police allegedly seized five child-like sex dolls imported from China and Japan in March and April and arrested three men from Sydney

An ABF spokesperson said child-like sex dolls are a part of a larger threat posed by pedophiles who wish to sexually abuse children

Three men were arrested over two days in Grafton, NSW, and Turramurra in Sydney after the ABF allegedly intercepted sex dolls being imported into the country.

A 62-year-old was arrested in Grafton after being accused of importing one of the dolls from China, with police allegedly finding two other dolls and children's clothing at his home

Police arrested a 42-year-old man in his home in Turramurra where they allegedly found a child sex-doll from Japan and another doll.

A 37-year-old in Grafton was also arrested for allegedly possessing a child-like doll.

Each man was charged with possessing and illegally importing a child-like sex doll and child abuse charges, though police do not believe the arrests are connected to each other.

Possessing a childlike sex doll can incur a punishment of 15 years imprisonment in New South Wales.
Three hospitals in Da Nang city have been locked down since July 28. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has urged medical centres in other provinces and cities to share the burden with Da Nang as the central coastal city is now a hotspot of COVID-19.

After 15 community infection cases were recorded at three hospitals in Da Nang, doctors of Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi and Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City have come to Da Nang to offer assistance in treatment and medical equipment.

Da Nang Hospital has made arrangements to ensure quarantine and treatment conditions for severe cases.

Hue Central Hospital in neighbouring Thua Thien-Hue province is preparing equipment and infrastructure to receive critically-ill COVID-19 patients, especially those suffering from various diseases or on kidney dialysis, to share the burden with Da Nang.

During an online meeting with leading hospitals on July 28 on the treatment of COVID-19 patients, leaders of the Da Nang Hospital said among 15 active cases, two patients (No 416 and 418) are in critical condition.

Patient 416, the first locally-transmitted case found in Vietnam after more than three months, has been now on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for four consecutive days.

He is also on blood filtration and a breathing machine. His health indexes and body functions are in control.

Patient 418 was diagnosed with a severe acute respiratory infection and suffering from other conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes as well as kidney damage and increased white blood cells. Doctors are considering ECMO.

These two patients no longer have a fever, according to doctors.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, said: The treatment needs utmost efforts in order to avoid fatalities."

The pandemic is very dangerous. If we are negligent, we will see rapid developments, he said.

He asked the Ministry of Health to use technology in testing to trace the infection sources as soon as possible. Hospitals must strictly follow prevention and control regulations when receiving patients and get ready to offer help to others if necessary.

Society must take preventive measures, from immigration control, testing, quarantine to checking those exposed to infections, he said.

Seven more new COVID-19 cases were confirmed on July 28 in Da Nang city and Quang Nam province, taking the total count in the country to 438 as of 6pm of July 28, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Three COVID-29 patients were given the all clear on July 27 and one more on July 28, raising the number of recoveries to 369.
Mexico City, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

The company plans to carry out 1,200 more flights compared to the previous month.

Mexico City, July 29, 2020.- Aeromexico reports that for the third consecutive month after May 2020, it continues to increase its flights. As one of its priorities, the airline will maintain its leadership in investing and applying to all operations their Health and Sanitization Management System, guaranteeing the highest safety standards for clients and internal teams.

In August, the airline will add more routes and frequencies, increasing its operation by almost 20% compared to the previous month.

Domestically, it will increase the number of flights from Mexico City to:

Cancun - Merida - Durango - Los Mochis - Chihuahua  Culiacan

For international flights, it will resume service from Mexico City to:

Quito - Las Vegas - Denver - San Francisco

Additionally, it will increase frequencies from Mexico City to:

Miami - Paris - Sao Paulo

With these adjustments, Aeromexico will be operating in 37 national destinations departing from Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, as well as 21 international destinations from the country's capital and 3 from Guadalajara.

The Mexican global airline reaffirms its commitment to connect the inland regions and to continue increasing connectivity to key destinations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and South America, operating with the most efficient, modern, and least polluting fleet.

The company plans to conclude August having carried out around 7,400 flights in all of its operation.

oo0oo

Additional information in the following links:

Health and Sanitization Management System was created by Aeromexico with the highest standards worldwide to protect the health of its clients and internal teams during all stages of its operations.

Travel Waiver Policy. Aeromexico offer its customers a new flexibility waiver, applicable for flights purchased as of July 1, 2020.

Aeromexicos network update. Where you can find out the details of domestic and international destinations, which the airline operates.

About Grupo Aeromexico

Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. is a holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in commercial aviation in Mexico and the promotion of passenger loyalty programs. Aeromexico, Mexicos global airline has its main hub at Terminal 2 at the Mexico City International Airport. Its destinations network features the United States, Canada, Central America, South America, Asia and Europe. The Group's operating fleet is comprised of Boeing 787 and 737 jet airliners and Embraer 190 models. Aeromexico is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, which celebrated its 20th anniversary, and serves in 170 countries by the 19 SkyTeam airline partners. Aeromexico created and implemented a Health and Sanitization Management System (HSMS) to protect its customers and employees at all steps of its operations.

Media Contact

Aeromexicos Corporate Communications

amcomunicacioncorporativa@aeromexico.com
OTTAWA - Federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion is widening his investigation of Finance Minister Bill Morneau's dealings with WE Charity.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rises to respond to questions from the opposition during a sitting of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the House of Commons Wednesday July 22, 2020 in Ottawa. MPs on the House of Commons ethics committee will meet this afternoon to push forward their own parliamentary probe of the federal government's aborted deal with WE Charity to run a student-volunteer program. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - Federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion is widening his investigation of Finance Minister Bill Morneau's dealings with WE Charity.

Dion was already investigating Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for possible violations of the Conflict of Interest Act for not recusing themselves during cabinet discussions about an agreement to have WE Charity run a federal volunteering program for students who couldn't find work in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both have apologized for not doing so.

Morneau's problems grew bigger Wednesday over his repayment of $41,000 in WE-sponsored travel expenses for family trips three years ago, with Dion telling the opposition parties he would look into that potential ethics violation.

Rules prohibit ministers or their families from accepting free travel, lest it be seen as buying influence in government policy.

In letters released by NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus and Conservative critic Michael Barrett, responding to their complaints, the commissioner wrote he will look into whether Morneau ran afoul of that rule and a separate one for "failing to disclose these gifts" that could lead to a fine, albeit not a large one.

For Trudeau, the issues stem from speaking fees and related expense reimbursements the WE organization paid to his mother, brother, and wife, amounting to over $500,000 based on testimony the charity's co-founders provided to the House of Commons finance committee Tuesday.

During an afternoon news conference Wednesday, Conservatives said the new numbers related to the travel expenses also demand an additional investigation by Dion to see if the payments violate conflict-of-interest rules.

Dion rejected a call from the Tories to look into whether Morneau has failed to publicly declare previous recusals from cabinet decisions, saying they offered him no reasonable grounds to believe that had happened.

It all landed on the eve of Trudeau's own appearance at the Commons finance committee about the events that led to his cabinet to ask WE Charity to oversee a program that provides grants to students and graduates for volunteering if they couldn't find work this summer due to the pandemic-related economic slowdown.

His chief of staff, Katie Telford, is also to appear.

The two were originally scheduled to appear separately for one hour each, but opposition MPs on the finance committee voted Wednesday evening to have Trudeau appear for at least three hours and Telford for at least two  each of them alone.

The partisan barbs and rhetoric on display Wednesday set the stage for a potentially contentious and rare prime ministerial appearance.

"We want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre said in Ottawa.

He warned the Opposition would look to pry more testimony out of Trudeau this fall if he didn't provide detailed answers.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he wanted Trudeau to explain why the Liberals opted to have the charity run a service program when there were other, potentially easier, avenues to help financially strapped students.

He cited increasing student grants or putting more money into the Canada Summer Jobs program as examples.

"This was never about helping students," Singh said Wednesday in Burnaby, B.C.

"This was about helping close friends of the Liberal government and of Prime Minister Trudeau and that is deeply troubling."

The Liberals budgeted $912 million for the student-volunteer program, but only agreed to pay a maximum of $543 million to WE. That included about $43.5 million in administration fees to the group, with the remainder to be spent on the grants.

The program is to pay eligible students and graduates $1,000 for every 100 hours of volunteering, up to a maximum of $5,000. The government has yet to roll it out nearly a month after WE backed out over the controversy.

On Tuesday, WE co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger told the finance committee they expected the program to cost up to $300 million because the majority would earn between $1,000 and $3,000, with few hitting the maximum amount.

They also spoke about the expenses paid to Trudeau's family members, and the $41,000 in travel expenses for Morneau and his family, which the finance minister paid back last week.

Their message to the committee was that it was their history as an organization that earned them the deal, not any political ties. Similarly, the Liberals say they acted on the advice of the non-partisan public service.

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The ethics committee is meeting separately to look into the conflict-of-interest safeguards around government spending decisions.

While its members have asked Trudeau to testify there, a Conservative proposal to have cabinet ministers declare whether any of their relatives have ties to WE failed to land the necessary votes.

The Conservatives' Barrett argued opposing the motion amounted to "complicity in a cover-up," prompting Liberal MP Greg Fergus to argue the committee shouldn't be used for a political witch hunt where MPs investigate each other.

Angus, the New Democrat on the committee, cautioned against forging ahead with any probe against MPs or ministers absent a specific reason: "Fishing expeditions, I believe, are beyond the purview of the committee."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2020.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the commissioner is expanding investigations of both Bill Morneau and Justin Trudeau; however, he is only expanding his investigation of Morneau.
What happened

Shares of larger-than-life cinema technologist IMAX (NYSE:IMAX) closed Wednesday's trading session 10.6% lower. The company reported second-quarter results on Tuesday, falling short of Wall Street's revenue estimates.

So what

Your average analyst had expected IMAX to report a net loss of $0.52 per share on revenues near $9.8 million. The final net loss was smaller at $0.44 per share but sales fell 92% year over year to $8.9 million. The COVID-19 health crisis slammed the brakes on IMAX's revenue generation in March, and the company is recovering slowly from that situation.

Now what

The company generated $750,000 in revenue over the last weekend through two new movie releases in China. Forty percent of the global theater network has generated sales in July with an overwhelming focus on the Middle Kingdom. Only 10% of IMAX's screens in North America are operating at this time, and that's mostly in Canada.

"The reopening of our network is, of course, a positive incremental step forward for IMAX, but we still have a long way to go," said CEO Rich Gelfond in IMAX's earnings call. "Around the world, we're seeing solid early evidence that audiences will return to theaters where and when it's safe to do so."

Until then, the company continues to burn roughly $10 million of its cash reserves on fixed costs. IMAX has $319 million of cash equivalents at the moment, and management is convinced that the company will weather this crisis.

The stock is trading 51% below its 52-week highs.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and National Association of Attorneys General Human Trafficking Committee Co-Chair Sean Reyes (R-UT) and committee member Maura Healey (D-MA) announced a new initiative to help combat human trafficking in the United States. Working alongside the attorneys general, NBWA will offer awareness training to the more than 140,000 beer distribution employees in the U.S. to help them recognize and report signs of human trafficking.

The launch of the Distributors Against Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative coincides with the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30.

"America's beer distributors are in every community across the country," said Craig Purser, NBWA president and CEO. "These men and women not only live and serve in the communities where they work, but they visit 640,000 licensed retail locations from coast to coast. Distributors are uniquely positioned to help fight this heinous crime given their level of access in locations often unseen by the public. NBWA and our members are proud to work alongside Attorneys General Healey and Reyes to identify criminal traffickers and, ultimately, we hope to help save lives."

To help distributors understand human trafficking, identify the signs and respond if they suspect exploitation is taking place, NBWA partnered with Healey, Reyes and Camila Zolfaghari, executive director of Street Grace and a former human trafficking prosecutor, to produce an awareness training video.

"The sad truth is human trafficking is a fast-growing criminal industry, and it happens in every community across the country," said Maura Healey, Massachusetts Attorney General. "Businesses can play a critical role in helping the U.S. fight and end this crime. As a member of the NAAG Human Trafficking Committee, we are always looking for new partnerships and collaborations that help us to eliminate exploitation while protecting victims and survivors. I am thrilled to see NBWA stepping up to the challenge, and I look forward to combatting human trafficking together."

Through NBWA's human trafficking initiative, beer distributors will provide awareness training sessions to employees to recognize possible signs of exploitation, including common red flags and behaviors associated with human trafficking. Distributors will also be equipped with contact information to alert authorities if they spot suspicious behaviors.

"Human trafficking is an urgent human rights issue," said Sean Reyes, Utah Attorney General. "Through this new partnership, beer distributors can be an extra set of eyes and ears on the ground by being knowledgeable and aware of the signs of human trafficking. I am grateful for the role beer distributors play in communities across the country and for being a part of this critical fight. Together, I know that we can end human trafficking and save lives."

Human trafficking continues to be a major issue in the United States. In fact, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually exploited before the age of 18, and human trafficking is one of the most horrific ways children are sexually exploited. Annually, The International Labour Organization found that human trafficking is a $150 billion illegal industry, and $99 billion comes specifically from sex trafficking.

For more information visit www.nbwa.org.

SOURCE National Beer Wholesalers Association

Related Links

http://www.nbwa.org


Seth Rogen, who attended Jewish schools and camps growing up in Canada, opened up this week about his heritage, his views on Israel and antisemitism

Seth Rogen says he's glad his father warned him about antisemitism from a young age and reveals he was fed a 'huge amount of lies' about Israel as a child and didn't know the Jewish state was created where Palestinians were living.

The Hollywood actor, who attended Jewish schools and camps growing up in Canada, opened up this week about his heritage, his views on Israel and antisemitism.

'I remember my dad frankly telling me, "People hate Jews. Just be aware of that. They just do,"' Rogen said in an interview on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast.

The actor revealed he didn't know much about the history of the land where Israel and Palestine are located.

'As a Jewish person I was fed a huge amount of lies about Israel my entire life,' the actor said.

'They never tell you that, "Oh, by the way, there were people there". They make it seem like it was just like sitting there, like the f***ing door's open.

'They forget to include the fact to every young Jewish person.'

The 38-year-old actor was being interviewed to promote his new film The American Pickle. The comedy centers on a Jewish immigrant in the 1920s who falls into a vat of pickle brine, is preserved for 100 years and wakes up in modern-day Brooklyn

More than 700,000 Palestinians fled during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel.

'To me it just seems an antiquated thought process,' he said.

'If it is for religious reasons, I don't agree with it, because I think religion is silly.

'If it is for truly the preservation of Jewish people, it makes no sense, because again, you don't keep something you're trying to preserve all in one place  especially when that place is proven to be pretty volatile, you know?'

Both Rogen and Maron, who is also Jewish, said they would never live in Israel.

Maron acknowledge: 'We're gonna p**s off a bunch of Jews.'

The 38-year-old actor was speaking to fellow comedian Maron to promote his new film The American Pickle.

The comedy centers on a Jewish immigrant in the 1920s who falls into a vat of pickle brine, is preserved for 100 years and wakes up in modern-day Brooklyn.
Heathrow Airport, once Europe's busiest airport, called on Britain to urgently back a passenger testing regime, warning that without one, the country's strict quarantine rules will stop travel, stall the economy and lead to more job losses.

Heathrow said that to avoid losing a game of global "quarantine roulette", the government should change its rules to cut quarantine from 14 days to around eight days for passengers who take two tests over the course of a week.

The worst public health crisis since the 1918 influenza outbreak has wrought economic turmoil across the world and just as the travel industry restarted there are now fears of a second wave of shutdowns after Britain hastily imposed a quarantine on travellers from Spain.

"The UK needs a passenger testing regime and fast," Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said. "Without it, Britain is just playing a game of quarantine roulette."

The cost of having a coronavirus test at the airport would be about 150 pounds ($195) per person and the passenger would be expected to pay, Holland-Kaye told Reuters on Wednesday.

While he conceded that it was not cheap, he said consumers and business travellers would be prepared to pay, and it would help Britain protect its aviation industry, which has already announced over 20,000 job cuts, and facilitate trade.

"We are an island nation - we cannot cut ourselves off from the world for the foreseeable future," Holland-Kaye told the BBC. "We've got to find a way of keeping people safe from a second wave but also getting the economy going again."

Quarantine rules are in place for arrivals to Britain from the United States, a lucrative market for Heathrow accounting for 20% of its traffic, as well as other countries such as India and Spain.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

Responding to Heathrow's criticism, a minister said there was no easy solution to allow quarantine-free travel from countries with higher infection rates.

"It can incubate over a period of time so there's not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border," Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told the BBC.

But Holland-Kaye said the government was receptive to Heathrow's double testing plan, which needs agreement that two tests, one on arrival and one either five or eight days later, can reduce the number of days a person spends quarantining.

"They've certainly come alive to that in the last few days following the Spain experience with the realisation that there needs to be an alternative," he said.

Heathrow said it was trialling testing with companies Swissport and Collinson Group and the system could be up and running within two weeks.

The test would add a significant cost to the cost of travel, with Heathrow's biggest operator British Airways selling European tickets from about 50 pounds and tickets to the United States from about 400 pounds.

The potential extra cost illustrates the challenge to airlines desperate to fill planes and start generating profits again after the pandemic wiped out air travel for months.

Airports are also suffering. Heathrow passenger numbers fell 96% in the second quarter on revenue which was down 85% pushing the airport to a 1.1 billion pound loss for the first six months of the year. Despite the loss, the airport said its finances remained robust.

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Avanti Financial expects to open its doors this October with a new bank-issued digital asset.

Led by Wyoming blockchain advocate Caitlin Long, the crypto-friendly bank announced Thursday its application was accepted by the Wyoming Division of Banking on July 15. Avanti will open in the fall because the regulator accelerated the timeline of its application process.

In the same announcement, Avanti revealed its plans to issue Avit, a programmable digital asset that can only be issued by banks and will be treated as a cash equivalent. With Blockstream as the banks technology partner, Long said in an interview that one could presume that the Bitcoin blockchain will be involved, but could not comment further.

Related: Banks Won't Rush to Hold Crypto  But OCC's Regulatory Approval Makes It Harder to Ignore

Read more: Caitlin Longs Avanti Raises $5M, Submits Wyoming Bank Charter Application Draft

If Avantis charter application is approved in October, the bank will be the only financial institution capable of issuing Avit. While Avit would not be pegged one-to-one to the U.S. dollar  because its a new digital asset, not a digital representation of a real-world asset  the currency would be 100% backed by a reserve of liquid traditional U.S. assets. (The bank requires this reserve for all the assets it custodies.)

Avanti claims Avit will not have the same delayed settlement and chargeback issues that traditional fiat payments face. Because an automated clearing house (ACH) transaction can be reversed several weeks after a payment has been made, exchanges and other asset service providers often hold traders cash for several days, Long said.

Theres a lot of counterparty risk in OTC trading of digital assets, Long said. Everyone wants to settle second. What were doing is offering the ability for both sides to settle simultaneously.

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Related: Binance Enters German Market via Partnership With Crypto Investment Firm

The bank also claims Avit will not have the legal, accounting or tax issues associated with stablecoins.

No one knows the legal enforceability of digital assets in the U.S. because they fall through the cracks, Long said. The legal clarity of all stableicons is not there. Tax and accounting is also far from clear.

Read more: Banks in US Can Now Offer Crypto Custody Services, Regulator Says

Long argued that despite the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) letter clarifying that U.S. banks may provide crypto custody, the special purpose depository institution in Wyoming is still the most advanced framework for crypto custody in the U.S.

The OCC and 49 other states do not yet have in place the comprehensive legal structure necessary for enabling digital asset custody without significant legal risk, Long said in a press statement, adding:

They also do not have a roadmap for courts to adjudicate disputes involving digital assets and do not provide the certainty in bankruptcy that Wyoming provides for digital asset custodians. Its prudential standards make Wyoming the only jurisdiction in the U.S. where digital asset custody in a bank can truly be executed in a safe and sound manner.

The Wyoming Division of Banking did not return a request for comment by press time.

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The nations most high-profile hospital rankings report, produced by U.S. News & World Report, recognized two of the Lehigh Valleys largest facilities as among the Top 6 in the state.

Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township and St. Lukes University Hospital in Fountain Hill were tied for sixth place in the Pennsylvania rankings. Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian was the only in the state that made U.S. News Honor Roll of the Top 20 in the nation. Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic was once again named the best hospital nationally.

The entire list of all hospitals statewide and nationally can be viewed here.

The magazine reviewed 5,000 hospitals and medical centers nationally in 26 specialties, procedures and conditions for its annual list. The data gathered for the listing was prior to the coronavirus pandemic so its impact on hospitals nationally is not shown in the latest rankings.

The pandemic has altered, perhaps permanently, how patients get care and from whom they get it, said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News, in a statement. Amid the disruption, we are steadfastly committed to providing the public with authoritative data for comparing hospital quality. No hospitals clinical team came through this unprecedented health crisis unscathed.

Specialties in which the hospitals were ranked included cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology and GI surgery; geriatrics; gynecology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; ophthalmology; orthopedics; psychiatry, pulmonology and lung surgery; rehabilitation; rheumatology and urology.

Survival rates, patient experience, specialized staff and advanced technologies were among the factors weighed.

In the 16 specialty areas, 134 hospitals were ranked in at least one specialty. In rankings by state and metro area, U.S. News recognized hospitals as high performing across multiple areas of care. The list, now in its 31st year, is designed to assist patients and physicians in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or for common elective procedures.

Regionally, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest rated in the top spot in the Allentown region for the seventh consecutive year. It was ranked high performing in seven adult specialties and eight procedures and conditions. Specialties include: gastroenterology and GI surgery; geriatrics; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology and lung surgery; and urology. Procedures and conditions include: aortic valve surgery; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); colon cancer surgery; heart bypass surgery; heart failure; hip replacement; knee replacement; and transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The evaluation also included data from Lehigh Valley Health Network Pediatrics and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem.

(The) Lehigh Valley Health Network is extremely proud to provide the highest level of quality and safety in caring for our patients that has stood the test of time, said Brian Nester, the health networks president and CEO, in a statement. For more than 20 years, U.S. News & World Report has consistently recognized the work of our dedicated and experienced colleagues on a level with the top providers around the nation, and the level to which that care benefits our community. Going forward, we will continue to monitor, measure and improve how we are partnering with and serving our patients and community to ensure they are as healthy as possible.

St. Lukes University Hospital also was rated in the top spot in the Allentown region this year. It was ranked high performing in five adult specialties and 10 procedures and conditions. Specialties included: geriatrics; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology and lung surgery. Procedure and conditions included: colon and lung cancer; heart failure, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, heart bypass surgery, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement; hip and knee replacement; lung cancer surgery and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The evaluation of St. Lukes University Hospital-Fountain Hill also included data from St Lukes Allentown campus.

Donna Sabol, chief quality officer at St. Lukes, said the network was pleased the Fountain Hill hospital was the only area hospital to be rated high performing in all 10 procedures and conditions. Thirty-seven of more than 4,500 hospitals nationally achieved the high performing ranking in all 10.

This is a well-deserved recognition of St. Lukes relentless, network-wide focus on quality, Sabol said.

To be nationally ranked in a specialty, a hospital had to excel in caring for the sickest, most medically complex patients. Only 134 hospitals out of more than 4,500 were nationally ranked in one specialty while 563 were ranked among the best regional hospitals in a state or metro area. A hospital was ranked regionally based on its performance in delivering complex and common care, U.S. News says.

The rankings are jointly produced by U.S. News and RTI International, a North Carolina-based research organization. The U.S. News Best Hospitals methodologies in most areas of care also are based largely on objective measures such as risk-adjusted survival and discharge-to-home rates, volume, and quality of nursing, among other care-related indicators.

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.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Armenia tries to solve its internal problems via external aggression, Deputy Chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party of Turkey Mahir Unal said, Trend reports on July 29 referring to Turkish media outlets.

Turkey has always supported Azerbaijan and will continue to provide all kinds of support to the brotherly country, Unal noted, referring to the recent Armenian military provocation in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district.

Following continuous ceasefire violations of Armenia's armed forces, the country launched another military provocation against Azerbaijan on July 12. Grossly violating the ceasefire regime, Armenian armed forces opened fire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district.

As a result of the appropriate measures, the Armenian armed forces were silenced. The tensions continued on the border, July 12 night. During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, army vehicles.

As a result of the shelling, many houses in the Tovuz district's border villages were damaged.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @rhafizoglu
UnionPay cardholders in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy are able to use the Glovo app to make purchases and arrange pickups with a delivery service

Delivery free service available for cardholders until 15 August in Spain, Portugal and France

UnionPay International, the card payment organisation with the world's largest cardholder base, today announces a partnership with Glovo, the Barcelona-based on-demand economy technology start-up, which enables UnionPay cardholders to use its app initially in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy.

Founded in 2015, Glovo is an on-demand economy technology start-up that allows local stores to offer their products in the same city through the GLOVO App and supports intermediates in the delivery of such products. It is currently present in 22 countries including Croatia, France, Georgia, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain and Ukraine.

This new partnership with Glovo enables UnionPay cardholders to make a wider range of purchases without the need to leave home. To encourage take up of the service while some lockdown measures are still in place, UnionPay customers have been offered free delivery until 15 August in Spain, Portugal and France.

UnionPay acceptance in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain has grown significantly in the last 12 months with a large number of online and offline merchants now accepting UnionPay cards. UnionPay's cardholder base comprises Chinese ex-pats living and working in Europe, students from Asian countries, as well as a rapidly increasing domestic customer base among European nationals. This is particularly the case in Portugal where last year Millennium bcp became the first European bank to issue UnionPay cards.

Wei Zhihong, UnionPay International's Market Director and Head of Europe said: "As one of the largest bankcard schemes worldwide, we are committed to providing payment ease for our cardholders. In this difficult time, we are making an extra effort, together with our partners, to offer safer and easier services to support our cardholders in Europe. We are very pleased to have reached a partnership with one of the world's leading on-demand economy technology start-ups. Glovo is a company which has grown rapidly since its foundation in 2015 and through this new partnership the reach of its app is extended to our cardholders.

"With consumer behaviour changing as a result of COVID-19, more people are staying indoors and making purchases. This new partnership will enable our customers to benefit from Glovo's platform and service, making purchases and arranging pick-ups without having to leave their own home. We are happy that we have been able to agree a delivery fee free period with Glovo to help keep costs down for cardholders. We look forward to announcing many more similar partnerships in the very near future."

Sacha Michaud, Co-founder of Glovo said: "We are delighted to have reached a new partnership with UnionPay and hope that it represents the beginning of a long-term relationship which will benefit UnionPay card holders throughout France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. We look forward to working together on further partnerships as we move forward."

With over 8.4 billion cards accumulatively issued worldwide, UnionPay is the card payment organisation with the world's largest cardholder base. Its global network extends to 179 countries and regions, covering over 52 million merchants and more than 2.9 million ATMs worldwide.

- Ends -

About UnionPay International

UnionPay International (UPI) is a subsidiary of China UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay's global business. In partnership with more than 2300 institutions worldwide, UnionPay

International has enabled card acceptance in 179 countries and regions with issuance in 61 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high quality, cost effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world's largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.

For more information, please visit: www.unionpayintl.com/en

For media enquiries please contact:

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Oliver Parry/ Brandon Stockwell/ Patrick Evans

unionpay@citigatedewerogerson.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005031/en/

Contacts:

For media enquiries please contact:

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Oliver Parry/ Brandon Stockwell/ Patrick Evans

unionpay@citigatedewerogerson.com
Sacked Queensland scientist Peter Ridd will take his wrongful dismissal claim to the High Court, after having an initial victory overturned on appeal.

Dr Ridd was awarded $1.2 million in damages in the Federal Circuit Court in September 2019, after he was sacked by James Cook University in 2018 following his public criticism of colleagues' research on the impact of global warming on the Great Barrier Reef.

James Cook University sacked Peter Ridd in 2018 on grounds he had engaged in serious misconduct contrary to the academic code of conduct. Credit:

On Wednesday last week, JCU won an appeal against that decision in the Federal Court, with two of the three judges hearing the case recommending the compensation be set aside and JCU be allowed to further appeal claims by Dr Ridd that it acted unlawfully in firing him.

JCU maintains it did not sack Dr Ridd because of his views on global warming, but alleges he breached the staff code of conduct by publicly criticising colleagues work.
The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday informed the Madras High Court that the state Governor was awaiting the final report of the Multi- Disciplinary Monitoring Agency, probing the larger conspiracy behind the Rajiv Gandhi assassination,to decide on the cabinet recommendation to release all seven life convicts of the case.

"The Governors Secretary has informed the state that only for this reason that the governor has not taken any decision on the recommendation so far," Public Prosecutor A Natarajan said.

The MDMA was constituted pursuant to the Jain Commission's report to probe the larger conspiracy in the case involving persons of other countries like Sri Lanka. The proceeding of the agency is being monitored by the Supreme Court, the prosecutor said.

The submissions were made in view of the July 22 oral observation by a division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and V M Velumani that the Governor cannot sit over the states recommendation for so long and that the court will be constrained to interfere. The state Cabinet had passed a resolution on September 9, 2018 for the premature release of all the convicts and recommended it to the Governor.

The court made the observations while hearing a plea moved by T Arputham mother of life convict A G Perarivalan. She sought a direction from the court to grant 90 days parole to her son, who needs immediate medical attention in view of various ailments. When the plea came up for hearing on Wednesday, the bench questioned the delay by the prison authorities in disposing of the representation for parole.

"Why we should not impose Rs 1 lakh as cost on the authorities for not disposing of the representation within a reasonable time?" the court asked. The bench said it might be the discretion of the authorities to grant parole or reject the request. But the decision should be made within a reasonable time.

"Any convict who are in incarceration will be already distressed. By not disposing of their representations on time, you are pushing them to approach the court spending money," the court said while adding that the cost of such litigations should be made to be borne by the government.

The bench then adjourned the plea to August 3 for the Public Prosecutor to file a counter. Besides Nalini Sriharan and her husband, the others convicted in the Rajiv case are A G Perarivalan, Santhan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran and Robert Pyas. All are serving life imprisonment for their role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991 by an LTTE suicide-bomber at nearby Sriperumbudur.
Natural gas futures rose to Rs 139 per mmBtu on July 29 as participants increased their long positions. Gas price gained 4.4 percent on the NYMEX on July 28.

The commodity has been supported by hot weather in parts of the US, increased storm activity in the Gulf of Mexico and expectation of marginal rise in gas stocks.

In the futures market, natural gas for August delivery touched an intraday high of Rs 139.60 and a low of Rs 138.40 per mmBtu on the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX). So far in the current series, natural gas has touched a low of Rs 121.40 and a high of Rs 159.40.

Natural gas futures for July delivery jumped Re 1, or 0.72 percent, to Rs 139.10 per mmBtu at 14:39 hours IST on a business turnover of 12,222 lots. The same for September delivery gained Rs 0.6, or 0.4 percent, at Rs 150.3 per mmBtu on a business volume of 1,139 lots.

The value of August and September contracts traded so far is Rs383.01 crore and Rs 10.05 crore, respectively.

Natural gas may witness choppy trade ahead of contract expiration and inventory report, but general bias maybe on the downside owing to well supplied US market, Kotak Securities said in a recent report.

At 09:12 (GMT), the natural gas price was down 0.64 percent at $1.85 per mmBtu in New York.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 28, 2020) - Pure Energy Minerals Limited (TSXV: PE) (OTCQB: PEMIF) (the "Company" or "Pure Energy") is pleased to report the ongoing progress of well CV-09 at its 100%-held Clayton Valley lithium brine project ("CV Project") located in Esmeralda County, Nevada.

Drilling of well CV-09 has been completed to the planned depth of 1500 feet, the well has been constructed, and well development is complete. Next activities include collection of preliminary bulk lithium brine samples for chemical analysis and testing by Pure Energy's strategic partner, Schlumberger Technologies Corporation ("SLB"). The CV-09 drill hole exhibits similar stratigraphy and lithologies as shown in Pure Energy's previous drilling of nearby exploration wells, as anticipated. CV-09 is located within the resource area encompassed by Pure Energy's Preliminary Economic Assessment study ("PEA") for the Clayton Valley Project (see news releases of June 26, 2017 and April 6, 2018).

News releases for drill holes CV-01 through CV-08 are available at www.pureenergyminerals.com.

Schlumberger Technologies Corporation is the operator of the Clayton Valley Project. In May of 2019, Pure Energy and SLB signed an Earn-In agreement over the CV Project which requires significant investment by SLB at the Project, to include the design and construction of a pilot plant capable of processing lithium-bearing brines for high-quality lithium hydroxide monohydrate ("lithium hydroxide" or "LiOHH 2 O") and/or lithium carbonate products at a specified rate. SLB plans to utilize both in-house and commercially available technology in the design of the CV pilot plant. SLB's costs, technical parameters and ultimate technology are anticipated to differ from the published PEA. For further details regarding SLB's participation, please refer to Pure Energy's Annual General and Special Meeting Management Information Circular dated April 4, 2019, available on SEDAR.com.

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In addition, the Company reports that it has closed activities at the Terra Cotta property located in Salta, Argentina, and has returned the property to the optionors.

About Pure Energy

Pure Energy Minerals is a lithium resource developer that is driven to become a low-cost supplier for the growing lithium battery industry. Pure Energy has consolidated a pre-eminent land position at its Clayton Valley Project in the Clayton Valley of central Nevada for the exploration and development of lithium resources, comprising 948 claims over 23,360 acres (9,450 hectares), representing the largest mineral land holdings in the valley. Pure Energy's Clayton Valley Project adjoins and surrounds on three sides the Silver Peak lithium brine mine operated by Albemarle Corporation.

The Company completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Clayton Valley Project (news releases of June 26, 2017 and April 6, 2018) which includes an updated resource calculation and a preliminary economic evaluation. The economic analysis presented in the PEA is based upon inferred mineral resources only. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the Project envisioned by the PEA will be realized.

On January 3, 2019, the Nevada Division of Water Resources ("NDWR") approved and granted a Finite Term Water Right to Pure Energy, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Esmeralda Minerals LLC, for the extraction of up to 50 acre-feet of water during a 5-year period from the CV properties. This water right is deemed sufficient for brine testing requirements and SLB's future pilot plant facility.

Quality Assurance

Walter Weinig, Professional Geologist and Qualified Person as designated by the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America (MMSA registration #01529QP), is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Mary L. Little"

Director, Pure Energy Minerals Limited

CONTACT:

Pure Energy Minerals Limited (www.pureenergyminerals.com)

Email: info@pureenergyminerals.com

Telephone - 604 608 6611

Cautionary Statements and Forward-Looking Information

The information in this news release contains forward looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, costs and supply of materials relevant to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry. Forward-looking statements in this release may include future exploration and development on the CV Project. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



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

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/60662
Peel police have halted a program that placed officers in schools following complaints from Black and Indigenous students that the program had fallen out of sync with their needs.

The regional police service announced Tuesday that it will put the school resource officer program on an indefinite hiatus, and will start community consultations this summer as it overhauls the program, getting feedback from the Black community, the school board and other groups.

Sophia Brown Ramsay, executive director of the Black Community Action Network of Peel, said a revamp of the program is long overdue for Black, brown and Indigenous youth who have complained about feeling harassed and intimidated in a what should be a safe space. The consulting piece is a good step, she said.

The police service will report its findings in the winter, police said.

The Peel District School Board endorsed the move. Interim director of education Jaspal Gill said Peel police have committed to getting input from the Black, African and Caribbean communities.

We have heard from members of our school communities, in particular those who identify as Black and Indigenous, that they do not feel safe when (school resource officers) and other police officers are present in Peel schools, Gill said.

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is also in support.

Once a model is established by Peel Police, the board will consult with students, staff and families to determine next steps.

If we determine that the new model does not meet the needs of the students and families we serve, we will not move ahead, said Peel school board supervisor Bruce Rodrigues.

The school-officer program was established to foster relationships with students, administrators and staff, and to address complaints on school board property, Peel Regional Police chief Nishan Duraiappah said.

The needs of the community and school environments have changed and advanced to a level where the service delivery requires a vital review of the program and a complete overhaul of the system that oversees the SRO program, he said Tuesday.

Jason Miller is a Toronto-based reporter for the Star covering crime and justice in the Peel Region. His reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Reach him on email: jasonmiller@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @millermotionpic
Washington

Attorney General William Barr and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee tensely confronted each other over both the Russia investigation and the federal response to the nationwide protests after the killing of George Floyd in police custody.

Democrats immediately accused Barr of making overtly political decisions to help President Donald Trump.

"You have aided and abetted the worst failings of the president," Rep. Jerrold R. Nadler of New York, the committee chairman, said to Barr, who sat impassively.

Nadler added, "The message these actions send is clear: In this Justice Department, the president's enemies will be punished and his friends will be protected, no matter the cost to liberty, no matter the cost to justice."

He said that Barr's actions eroded the separation of powers and damaged norms and the public's faith in the administration of justice.

Barr came out swinging. In a prepared opening statement released a night earlier, he accused Democrats of demonizing him because he believed the Trump-Russia investigation was misguided.

He also warned that "violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests to wreak senseless havoc and destruction" in places like Portland, Ore.

In his prepared statement, which he did not fully read aloud, Barr said: "We should all be able to agree that there is no place in this country for armed mobs that seek to establish autonomous zones beyond government control, or tear down statues and monuments that law-abiding communities chose to erect, or to destroy the property and livelihoods of innocent business owners."

His comments were the latest attempt by federal officials to draw more attention to vandals' nightly bids to damage federal buildings in Portland, accusing local police of doing little to stop them. City officials have accused federal agents of being heavy-handed and said their presence reinvigorated tensions that had been subsiding.

The attorney general appears to have played a primary role in using federal agents to violently clear protesters from Lafayette Square near the White House last month before a photo opportunity for Trump in front of a church. Although the White House initially said that Barr had ordered the clearance, he later said that he had not given a "tactical" order.

More recently, he has become a face of the Trump administration's pledge to surge federal agents into Democratic-led cities like Portland, Chicago and Kansas City, Mo., where, the White House says, violence has increased, both during protests and elsewhere. The federal intervention is becoming another flashpoint in the monthslong cultural reckoning over systemic racism, and it appears to be a key campaign strategy by Trump, who is trying to stoke a sense that Democrats are leading the country into chaos.

Republicans had counterpunches of their own. Their most visceral case came in the form of a five-minute video montage that appeared to show protesters or people infiltrating their ranks across the country turning to violence.

"I want to thank you for defending law enforcement, for pointing out what a crazy idea the 'defund the police' policy, whatever you want to call it, is, and standing up for the rule of law," Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the panel's top Republican, told Barr before playing the video.

In the afternoon, Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., grilled Barr about instances in which peaceful protesters  and some elected officials who joined them  have been injured or subjected to tear gas.

"I want to let you see now a video that fairly represents peaceful protest that is happening now across America that you conveniently omitted from your testimony and your statement," Cicilline said.

He defended the protests as a fundamental American value and said it was important to remember that what inspired them was the abuse of African-Americans by police. His montage featured footage of demonstrators kneeling and holding their arms aloft, saying "Hands up, don't shoot."

Democrats attacked Barr's intervention to recommend a shorter prison sentence for Trump's longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. on seven felony crimes  a sentence that Trump has since commuted.

Barr defended his decision to overrule career prosecutors, saying that they were trying to treat Stone more harshly than other defendants. The Judiciary Committee heard testimony from a prosecutor on the case last month accusing department leaders of changing the sentencing recommendation for "political reasons."

"The prosecutors were trying to advocate for a sentence that was more than twice what anyone else in a similar position had ever served," Barr said. "This is a 67-year-old man, first-time offender, no violence  they were trying to put them in jail for seven to nine years. I was not going to advocate that. That is not the rule of law."

But the prosecutors said in court that they arrived at the seven- to nine-year recommendation by following the department's own sentencing guidelines, as is customary in any federal criminal case. Under questioning by Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., Barr agreed that the prosecutors' recommendation was within sentencing guidelines.

"But it was not within Justice Department policy in my view," he said.

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

In an especially heated exchange, Johnson retorted: "You are expecting the American people to believe that you did not do what Trump wanted you to do? You think the American people don't understand that you were carrying out Trump's" wishes?

Barr insisted that he never discussed his decision to overrule Stone's prosecutors with anyone at the White House.

House Democrats have sought to press Barr on his handling of the Russia report by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, for more than a year. They finally had their chance.

A federal judge has said that in summarizing the report himself weeks before releasing it, Barr put forward a "distorted" and "misleading" account that torqued public understanding of it in a way that favored Trump. Democrats felt at the time that those distortions brazenly helped protect Trump politically from possible impeachment  an accusation that Barr denies.

Barr's written opening statement suggested that Democrats' hatred of Trump has blinded them to abuses by law enforcement and intelligence officials.

Barr has long been a critic of law enforcement and intelligence officials' attempts to understand Russia's efforts to tilt the 2016 election in Trump's favor and whether any Trump associates conspired. Barr has directed a criminal prosecutor to scrutinize the FBI inquiry into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia and stepped in to reverse key prosecutorial decisions stemming from the investigation.

Mueller's report said that Russia favored Trump and that his campaign welcomed the interference and expected to benefit from it, but that investigators found insufficient evidence to bring criminal conspiracy charges.

Barr also said that Trump has never tried to "interfere" in his decisions and that he feels that he has "complete freedom" to do what he thinks is right.

But Trump has repeatedly attacked the Justice Department's investigations and employees. Barr himself expressed frustration with Trump's attacks, saying in February that his public statements and tweets "make it impossible for me to do my job and to assure the courts and the prosecutors in the department that we're doing our work with integrity."

As states prepare for record numbers of voters to cast ballots this fall by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic, Barr has provided key backup to Trump's claims of rampant fraud. Democrats fear those comments are intended to, or will at least have the effect of, suppressing voter turnout or limiting access to the ballot box.

After Trump attacked efforts to expand mail-in voting during the pandemic and claimed it would be used to rig the election against him  even though the president has voted by mail  Barr has repeatedly raised without evidence the suggestion that a foreign country could engage in fraud by counterfeiting numerous ballots.

Experts say that a foreign-sponsored plot to systematically tamper with ballots is nearly impossible because of how they are printed and tracked.

At the hearing, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., asked Barr whether he believed the 2020 election would be rigged. The attorney general said he had no reason to think it would be. Richmond then followed up by asking whether he believed that mail-in voting would lead to massive voter fraud.

"I think there is a high risk that it will," Barr replied, adding: "If you have wholesale mail-in voting, it increases the risk of fraud."

Barr did not explain further. But the lawmakers did get Barr to acknowledge that he had once cast a ballot by mail.
In an appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show in 2017, actor Shah Rukh Khan was at his charming best when the host tried to tease him about performing romantic scenes that his wife could potentially see.

In a clip from the episode, shared by an online fan club of Shah Rukhs, Kapil asks the actor how hed react if his wife, interior designer Gauri Khan, were to watch him perform a romantic scene. Kapil says hes a fan of how Shah Rukh, known as the king of romance in Bollywood, grazes the necks of his heroines. Shah Rukh quipped that theres a reason why he only shoots romantic scenes abroad, and never in India.

As famous as he is for his romantic roles, Shah Rukh had never kissed any of his co-stars, until Katrina Kaif in their film, Jab Tak Hai Jaan. I dont feel at ease while doing romantic scenes when people are around, be it onlookers or crew members, he told Hindustan Times years ago. Thats the major reason behind my resistance to do such scenes in outdoor locations. I can never do a thing if I do not feel comfortable enough.

He told Stardust in a 1992 article, My wife comes first. And I can tell you this much that if ever I am asked to make a choice between my career and Gauri, Ill leave filmsI mean I would go insane but for her. Shes the only thing I haveI love her body. I am hooked to her.

Also read: What Shah Rukh Khan once said about leaving movies for Gauri Khan: I would go insane but for her

On Rendezvous With Simi Garewal in 1997, when Gauri was asked if Shah Rukh had always been protective about her, she said, It was possessiveness. It has turned to protectiveness. He was disgustingly possessive, he was sick. He wouldnt let me wear a white shirt because he thought that it was transparent. It was a kink in the mind, I think.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Iran also could have used missiles buried in hermetically sealed canisters for the launches without the need for a major underground base, said Michael Elleman, a missile expert and the director of the nonproliferation and nuclear policy program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Solid-fuel propellant could allow such missiles to be buried for years, he said.
German police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have begun digging up land close to a former home of the prime suspect.

Detectives using heavy equipment, including an excavator, started work early yesterday examining an allotment just outside Hannover, the city where Christian Bruckner lived temporarily in 2017.

Julai Meyer, from the prosecutor's office in nearby Braunschweig, told 'The Daily Telegraph': "I can confirm that the search is being carried out in connection with the investigation into the Maddie McCann case and is still ongoing. I can't disclose any further details about the operation."

Bruckner, a convicted paedophile, who was living in the Algarve when Madeleine went missing in May 2007, was named as the prime suspect in her disappearance last month. German authorities have said they are convinced she is dead and claim to have evidence linking Bruckner to the case.

Local police have admitted they do not have enough to charge Bruckner and have refused to divulge what evidence they have against him.

He is currently in prison in Kiel, serving a sentence for drug offences, but has also been convicted of a rape in Praia da Luz which occurred in 2005.

Specialist detectives, accompanied by sniffer dogs, arrived at the allotments shortly after dawn and spent much of the day excavating a specific corner of a plot. One officer could be seen chest-deep in a hole, while colleagues appeared to be placing samples of earth in large plastic bags.

Around a dozen detectives were at the site and the excavator was being used to remove large stones from the ground. Forensic vans were also parked at the site. Sources said the dig was expected to continue through the night and into the coming days.

The area the police are examining is around 20 square metres and sits next to a canal.

It is thought that one hole they have dug is at least two metres deep. An elderly couple who live nearby said they were woken up early yesterday by the sound of officers arriving.

Federal detectives travelled from Wiesbaden, Braunschweig and Hannover to the scene and at least one vehicle had driven from Berlin.

The work went on all day, and finished at 6.30pm. It is expected to continue today.

Earlier this month, detectives in Portugal carried out a series of searches at wells in the Algarve region. Bruckner is known to have lived in Hannover in 2017, sleeping in a trailer while working at a car repair centre around four miles from the allotment site.

He first became a suspect around that time when he boasted to a friend in a bar that he knew what had happened to Madeleine as they watched a television appeal on the 10th anniversary of her disappearance.

Bruckner has not been formally interrogated by the German police about the Madeleine investigation and it is not clear why, three years into their investigation, they have suddenly begun digging at this site.

However, in 2016 he was jailed for 15 months after police found indecent images of children contained on USB sticks that he had buried underneath the body of his dead dog at a site in Braunschweig.

In December, he was convicted of the 2005 rape of an American tourist in Praia da Luz and given a seven-year prison sentence.

He has appealed his conviction and, if successful, could be released from prison as early as December when his sentence for his drug offences is complete.

The German authorities, convinced of Bruckner's involvement in Madeleine's abduction, are desperate to make a breakthrough before he is eligible for release.

Bruckner has a string of convictions which date back to when he molested a six-year-old girl in a park as a teenager.

Hans Christian Wolters, the Braunschweig state prosecutor, recently said: "You also have to be realistic enough that the investigation may not lead to a charge for the murder of Madeleine.

"It could be stopped if we fail to find the missing evidence."
In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke wrote a letter to Gov. Brad Little, offering his support, encouragement and a suggestion.

A statewide, one-size-fits-all approach, in my judgment, is ill-advised, Bedke wrote in the letter dated April 12. Rather, allowing public health districts the discretion to modify response policies regionally and locally would best begin the transition back to our pre-COVID-19 economy.

At the time, the suggestion seemed preposterous, as new cases began to spike all over the state, and so much was still unknown about the virus, how it was going to spread and whether it was going to overwhelm our health care system.

As time has passed, however, that localized approach has begun to take hold, and the strategy begins to make more sense.

Idaho has had a wide disparity in how coronavirus has affected different parts of the state. While Ada and Canyon counties combined have had more than 12,000 cases of COVID-19 and nearly 90 deaths, for example, Lewis and Butte counties have yet to have a confirmed case. Other regions, such as the Magic Valley and Sun Valley, have been hot spots, while other parts of the state have managed to escape a widespread outbreak. Treating individual regions with a little more surgical precision makes sense.

However, there are serious flaws in Idahos public health district law, written in 1970, that we have seen painfully played out as some public health boards struggle to respond to the pandemic.

For example, disregarding recommendations from hospital officials and health experts, Southwest District Health board members last month failed to issue a mask mandate in Canyon County, where new cases, hospitalizations and deaths were spiking.

I mean that is just, from my perspective, a complete failure of public health duty, and a complete abdication of their duty, Dr. David Pate, retired physician and former CEO of St. Lukes, told me in a phone interview Monday morning. And I think irresponsible.

The good news is that the fixes are relatively simple and would make a district-by-district approach not only more palatable, but eminently more effective.

Here are three main areas that should be fixed:

HEALTH DISTRICT BOUNDARIES

I cant speak firsthand for the boundaries all of the health districts, and at first blush, most of them seem to make sense. District 1 covers the Panhandle; District 2 covers North Central and includes Latah, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Lewis and Idaho counties; District 5 covers South Central and is centered around Twin Falls and the Magic Valley, and includes Sun Valley; District 6 is centered around Pocatello; and District 7 is centered around Idaho Falls.

Districts 3 and 4, though, are problematic.

Ada County is in one district, Central District Health, which also includes Elmore, Boise and Valley counties. Canyon County is in another district, Southwest District Health, that includes Owyhee, Payette, Adams, Washington and Gem.

Splitting Canyon and Ada counties into two separate districts is a mistake. The two counties are so interconnected, it is vital to make unified public health decisions for both counties.

Perhaps it makes sense back in 1970, when the legislature passed the law, to have a Southwest District Health (in Canyon County) and a Central District Health in Ada County  Idaho looked a lot different back then, Pate said. But when you look at it today and you look at how infectious organisms work, it makes no sense to take a large metropolitan area and divide it in two and make completely separate and different decisions about how to mitigate a health threat.

I suggest creating a Treasure Valley Health District that includes Ada, Canyon and Owhyee counties.

Elmore County would join the South Central district in Twin Falls.

That would leave Adams, Washington, Payette, Gem, Boise and Valley counties to make up what could be called the Western Idaho Public Health District.

This also would eliminate someone from rural Adams County, population 4,250, making public health decisions for Canyon County, population 230,000. In 1970, when the public health district law was written and the boundaries were established, Canyon Countys population was 61,000. Nampa was about the size Kuna is today, at 20,000 people.

Also, who is making those decisions is the next change that should be made.

PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT GOVERNANCE

Each district has a health board, whose members are appointed by county commissioners, which keeps that line of accountability to the voters. As it turns out, most health board members are county commissioners. Only one board member is required to be a licensed physician.

Other than that, the only requirement for being a board member is, All members shall be chosen with due regard to their knowledge and interest in public health and in promoting the health of the citizens of the state and the public health district.

As we saw during the debate over whether to mandate masks in Canyon County, which has the states highest rate of new cases, one board member for Southwest District Health, Viki Purdy, a county commissioner from Adams County, regularly posted anti-mask and conspiracy theories about the pandemic on social media.

Purdy, a dairy farmer and rancher, won her last election in 2018, with 1,206 votes.

In Purdys defense, Adams County has had only 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19. So whatever Purdy wants to think about mask use and the coronavirus hoax, that might be fine fine for Adams County. But thats not fine for Canyon County, which has a quarter-million people and two large city centers. As of Monday, Canyon County had 37 deaths and 4,869 total cases.

Changing the geographic boundaries of the districts will help, but changing the requirements also would help.

Rather than a vague mention of having knowledge and interest in public health, board members making decisions should have some sort of medical or health care expertise. Board members still could be appointed by county commissioners, thus maintaining that line of voter accountability. But the decisions must be made on the basis of some sort of medical expertise and knowledge.

If were going to trust the health and welfare of people in health districts to these boards, then the board members need to be qualified, and qualified means that you must have an acceptance of the basic public health principles, Pate said. And you must be open to listening to health care experts and public health experts and make decisions, to the best of your ability of what you think will help protect the public health, it seems to me. Its that simple.

Pate noted there are people who dont believe in going to the hospital or relying on medical treatment, and thats fine, and theyre entitled to those beliefs. Those people dont need to be on the St. Lukes health system board, though. People who dont believe in public education shouldnt be on the local school board. Those who dont believe in banking principles need not serve on a banking board. Similarly, he said, those who do not accept basic public health principles should not serve on a public health board.

As we saw in the Southwest District Health boards recent decision to merely recommend face coverings, board members took no public testimony from public health officials, such as hospital CEOs and medical directors who had been making the rounds urging public officials to issue mask mandates. Board members, who themselves were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing, also apparently ignored submitted written testimony from St. Lukes officials who documented their alarm in the rapidly increasing number of new cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths. An angry gallery of public attendees heard none of that testimony, missing out on an opportunity to become educated in the local situation.

One cant help but think that if medical experts and people with good medical and scientific knowledge were on the board, the decision would have been different and less politicized. At the very least, medical experts would have used data and science to explain their reasoning.

Rather than have the bulk of boards governed by elected officials, with just one medical expert as a member, flip it around.

HEALTH DISTRICT ORDER PENALTIES

According to the public health district statute, It shall be unlawful for any person, association, or corporation, and the officers thereof to willfully violate, disobey, or disregard the provisions of the public health laws or the terms of any lawful notice, order, standard, rule, regulation, or ordinance issued pursuant thereto. In short, its illegal to violate a health districts order, such as a mask mandate.

Unfortunately, the only penalty listed in the statute is a misdemeanor. As we saw with the mask debate, it is unreasonable to charge someone with a misdemeanor for violating the mask order. Health districts should have an option of issuing a citation, like a parking ticket, for those who violate any health order.

REMOVING BOARD MEMBERS

One more change that Pate suggested is making it easier to remove someone from the board, an issue that people, including myself, started asking about when Purdys views were discovered. According to the law, a majority of all the county commissioners in the district would need to vote to remove the board member. As I pointed out before, given the rural nature of some of these districts, its more than likely other commissioners would have the same views as Purdy, meaning that removing her from the health board would be a tall order. The law could be changed to require a majority of the health board itself voting to remove a fellow board member.

The pandemic has shined a spotlight on the public health districts and elevated their importance, which is a good thing. But if Bedke and other legislators want them to play a bigger role in responding to health emergencies like the current coronavirus pandemic, they need to make some changes to the state law thats now going on 50 years old and is woefully out of date and inadequate.

When legislators reconvene in January and discuss changes they need to make because of the pandemic, fixing the public health district law should be near the top of the list.

Scott McIntosh is the opinion editor of the Idaho Statesman. You can email him at smcintosh@idahostatesman.com or call him at 208-377-6202. Follow him on Twitter @ScottMcIntosh12.

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Life has not been easy for actor Anshuman Jha since he lost his mother in January this year.Although, he took to reading the Vedas and cooking extensively during the lockdown, the actor found it hard to stay alone at home so much so that on June 30, he took a Vande Bharat flight to the USA to be with this girlfriend Sierra and got engaged.

A source says, Jha has been quiet about his personal life, and has been posting cryptic images with his partner for the past year. And the most recent read Gone Boy with an image of their hands with the rings. He met Sierra in Dharamshala last year when he went there to get Tibetan medication for his mother ailing from cancer. She is a Triathlon athlete and a food major at Duke University. She was in India from December to March to see his mother, and when he lost his mother, she was by his side.

The Mastram actor was in his PPE kit for 30 hours straight, says he didnt use any public loos nor did he eat anything other than dry fruits from home for the duration of the journey. Once he reached, he was in a self quarantine for two weeks in North Carolina. Later, Sierra and Jha ventured out for a trek to the mountains.

Talking about being engaged, he says, I am just grateful I could get here and be with her. The trip was an adventure, the JFK airport felt like a location of a sci-fi film  it was completely empty. The trip felt a little like a tapasya. If she ever asks me how much I love her, I will show her my photo in the PPE suit.

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Gladys Berejiklian has slammed Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's decision to close the border to all Sydneysiders with a series of barbed remarks.

Ms Palaszczuk announced on Wednesday morning that all people from Greater Sydney will be banned from entering the sunshine state from 1am on Saturday.

But the New South Wales premier fired back, saying the decision will hurt the 'smaller state' Queensland 'much more than it hurts NSW' during a Wednesday press conference.

She also boasted that NSW was in 'the strongest position in the nation' despite the state having 188 active coronavirus - while Queensland has just five.

When asked if she was disappointed in Ms Palaszczuk's decision, the NSW premier said: 'It would have been nice if she told me, but that's fine.'

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured on Wednesday) said Queensland's decision to close its border to Sydneysiders will hurt the 'smaller state' much 'more than it hurts NSW'

'It hurts the smaller states when they don't interact with NSW, it hurts us less if you talk about economy and that's a decision for her.'

Ms Berejiklian later clarified who were the 'smaller states', saying: 'It hurts Queensland or South Australia or WA much more than it hurts NSW.

'We are in the strongest position in the nation which we want to maintain, obviously.

'We're very much focused on NSW, it's obviously up to other jurisdictions on what decisions they take. The only challenge for NSW is limited freedom of movement for out residents.

'It's always finding that right balance of making sure that the virus is in check but then also providing sufficient freedoms for our residents.'

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) announced that all people from Greater Sydney will be banned from entering the sunshine state from 1am on Saturday

The NSW premier also highlighted that Queensland's new cases were not directly from Sydney.

'I note that the cases that they've had up there announced today are all from Victoria and the case from South Australia is from Victoria,' she said.

Queensland closed its border with Sydney after two teenagers with coronavirus lied on their border declaration forms and dodged quarantine by flying via Sydney.

The 19-year-old women, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 after travelling together, and were active in the community for eight days without isolating.

The 19-year-old women, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 after travelling together, were active in the Queensland community for eight days before isolating (pictured: Travellers waiting at baggage claim at Sydney domestic airport)

Ms Palaszczuk earlier said she was 'furious' at the teenagers for lying to authorities.

'I am absolutely furious that these two people have gone to Victoria, come back and given authorities misleading information'.

'There will be a thorough police investigation here but now we have to act as a community and any areas the chief health officer says need to be closed, will be closed.'

All Sydney residents will be banned from Saturday and Queensland residents returning will have to isolate in a hotel for 14 days at their own expense.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young called the pair 'reckless' and said she was 'very disappointed'.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young (pictured) on apologised to people who will now be inconvenienced after the new cases emerged

The teens travelled on flights VA 863 and VA 977. Queensland Health contact tracers are identifying close contacts from those flights.

Health Minister Steven Miles said there was a large amount of contact tracing that needed to be done with the community as well.

Authorities are now conducting a criminal investigation into whether the women lied on their border declaration form about where they had been before entering Queensland.

Queensland shut its borders to all people from Victoria on July 10 after the southern state's cases escalated.

Returning Queenslanders who have spent any time in Victoria in the 14 days before coming home must quarantine in a hotel at their own expense.
New Delhi, July 29 : Soon after his former girlfriend was named in an FIR by actor Sushant Singh Rajput's father, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar does not have any objection to a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the actor's death.

"He said he has no objection but wants justice done for Sushant and all the culprits to be caught," said the BJP leader about his talk with Nitish Kumar.

Swamy spoke to the Bihar CM, the state Rajput hailed from, over the phone. He praised the role of the Patna Police and the "free hand" being given by the Nitish Kumar government for a thorough investigation.

Swamy said on Wednesday that he will initiate steps for a CBI probe. Earlier he had asked an advocate to look into the circumstances of Sushant's death and to ascertain whether it merits a CBI probe.

On Tuesday, Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case took a dramatic turn after it emerged that his father K.K. Singh has filed an FIR at the Rajiv Nagar police station, accusing six people, including actress Rhea Chakraborty, of abetment to suicide.

Chakraborty has admitted to being the late actor's girlfriend in an open letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah while pleading for a CBI probe into the matter.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Many employees are anxious about the health risks of returning to the workplace. Photo: Getty

From the beginning of August, employers will be able to decide whether their staff can safely return to the office. In an attempt to boost the economy, workers could return to the workplace at the discretion of their companies, instead of working from home.

Many businesses have introduced stringent safety measures, including the wearing of face masks, fewer people in offices and keeping desks further apart. Despite this, more than two-fifths of UK workers are anxious about the prospect of returning to the workplace, according to a poll of 1,000 adults by YouGov for the CIPD.

Its not just the general health risks employees are worried about. Many people are concerned about their commute, the constant changes to their working environment and what their employers are doing to ensure their safety when they return.

But what are your rights if your employer hasnt done enough to protect you and your colleagues  and what should you do?

READ MORE: What to do if your contract allows flexible working, but your boss doesn't

Clearly, in the first instance discuss this with your employer  for example, your line manager  and ascertain why, says Lee Mills, director of health and safety at the employment law and HR experts Citation.

Ask to see the Coronavirus Risk Assessment, which they are required to undertake. If they havent got one, ask them to undertake one and then discuss the findings.

Employers have a duty to consult with their employees or their representatives on health and safety matters, he adds.

If your employer recognises trade unions, you should have appointed health and safety representatives, and where you do not recognise unions but the employer doesnt want to communicate with the workforce directly, you should have elected safety representatives, Mills says. Discuss the matter with them if you feel unable to discuss with your employer directly.

What should you do if you dont want to return to the workplace?

Story continues

If you dont feel comfortable going back to the office, your employer should consider your case individually and make an effort to understand why. For example, it might be because you have been shielding.

We would strongly advocate that you commence a discussion with your employer regarding why you do not wish to return and attempt to resolve any issues you have via this method, Mills says. Most reasonable employers will work with their employees to ensure they feel safe to return to work and are able to demonstrate they have complied with government guidance on making their workplaces Covid secure.

READ MORE: What to do if your industry has been affected in the long-run by COVID-19

Ultimately, the Employment Rights Act gives employees protection against being dismissed or treated detrimentally in circumstances where they have refused to attend work because they have a genuine reason to be concerned about their health.

However, we would always advise the best course of action is to discuss the situation with your employer to ensure they understand your concerns and to give them the opportunity to address this, Mills adds.

What should employers be doing to ensure people's safety in the workplace?

Employers should be doing several things to make sure workers are safe when they return to the workplace. Firstly, they should undertake a risk assessment and talk to staff about any concerns  and make sure they have all the information they need.

Make your workplace Covid secure and implement the control measures from the risk assessment. This concerns social distancing, hygiene and sanitiser and maybe even face coverings or masks, Mills says.

And make sure vulnerable workers are protected too. As an employer, you have a legal duty to protect workers from harm. Shielded workers are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus. They cannot return to workplaces before at least 31 July 2020 in Scotland, from 1 August 2020 in England and from 16 August 2020 in Wales when shielding is paused, Mills adds.

You should also make sure you have a procedure in place for managing employees who have or are suspected of having coronavirus.

READ MORE: How to be a great boss during a crisis

Other control measures you should have in place are: Good hand hygiene, social distancing, consideration of density of employees and the numbers you can safely bring back into the workplace, as well as keeping surfaces and shared equipment clean.

You may also want to make use of bubbles to keep people together to reduce cross contamination and using physical barriers like perspex screens. Where your employees wish to wear face coverings  which are not PPE  then you should support them, Mills says.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 20:58:52|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Crimes recorded in Hong Kong in the first half of 2020 increased by 27.9 percent year on year, attributable to violent incidents in the social unrest since last June, Hong Kong police said on Wednesday, warning that Hong Kong's stable law and order situation has been severely challenged by turmoil and social dissension.

A total of 32,345 crimes were recorded in Hong Kong in the first half of 2020, an increase of 7,050 cases or 27.9 percent compared with the same period of 2019, when Hong Kong's half-year crime statistics hit a record low since 1977, the police said in a press release.

There were 4,507 cases of violent crime in the first half of 2020, an increase of 537 cases or 13.5 percent year on year.

The police said the increase was attributable to crimes in the social unrest arising from the now-withdrawn ordinance amendments concerning fugitive transfers since last June. These crimes, including arson, criminal damage, offences against public order, possession of offensive weapons and possession of unlawful instrument, totaled a rise of 1,479 cases or 52.1 percent.

Among theses crimes, arson cases increased by 85.2 percent, offences against public order such as riots and unlawful assembly rose by 7.1 folds, and cases of possession of offensive weapons and possession of unlawful instrument increased by 53.1 percent and 5.3 folds respectively.

As the negative factors of the violent incidents in relation to the social unrest have not yet fully subsided, the disobedience to law among some members of public is growing, economy is worsening and community-wide mask wearing has enabled criminals to conceal their identities more easily, it is difficult to restore the law and order situation to the level before last June within a short period of time, the police said.

As of June 30, 2020, 9,216 persons were arrested in connection with incidents in the social unrest. Among them, 3,725, or 40.4 percent, were students.

According to the police, 1,972 persons have been prosecuted, and 653 of them have been prosecuted with riot related offences. Among them, 252 persons had to bear legal consequences, including 57 persons sentenced to imprisonment from two weeks to four years.

Since last June, protests have become increasingly violent. In November, a man was set into fire by rioters in Ma On Shan, and another man was killed by bricks hurled at his head by rioters in Sheung Shui, according to the police.

The situation further escalated when rioters "hijacked" the school campuses of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in the same month. In the riots, the number of petrol bombs hurled and level of violence used by the rioters were unprecedented, the police said.

Moreover, there are extremely violent groups using genuine firearms and explosives intended to kill police officers or force the government to accede to their so-called "demands," the police said, adding that they have arrested 83 persons in connection with 15 explosives and five genuine firearms cases, and 32 of them have been prosecuted.

In order to prevent, suppress and impose punishment on criminal acts which endanger national security, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has come into force starting from June 30, 2020.

With the establishment of the Nation Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force on July 1, 2020, the police will stringently enforce the law and conduct investigation to ensure effective implementation of the law in Hong Kong, the police said.

"Since June last year, Hong Kong has been tormented by turmoil and social dissension for over a year, and the stable law and order situation that this city used to maintain has been severely challenged," the police said, calling for joining hands to fight violence and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The police will continue to professionally discharge its duties to uphold the rule of law and maintain law and order as well as social stability," the police added. Enditem
Security experts from Kaspersky Lab reported that North Korea-linked hackers are attempting to spread a new ransomware strain known as VHD.

North Korean-linked Lazarus APT Group continues to be very active, the state-sponsored hackers are actively employing new ransomware, tracked as VHD, in attacks aimed at enterprises.

The activity of the Lazarus Group surged in 2014 and 2015, its members used mostly custom-tailored malware in their attacks. The group has been linked to several major cyber attacks, including the 2014 Sony Pictures hack, several SWIFT banking attacks since 2016, and the 2017 WannaCry ransomware infection.

Recently Kaspersky experts reported that Lazarus APT Group has used a new multi-platform malware framework, dubbed MATA, to target entities worldwide,

In a separate report, the researchers detailed VHD ransomware samples used by the group between March and May 2020. The samples have been deployed over the network of the target enterprises brute-forcing the SMB service on every discovered machine and using the MATA malware framework (aka Dacls).

Kaspersky researchers investigated two incidents where threat actors deployed the VHD ransomware, attackerss TTPs were aligned with Lazaruss ones.

According to Kaspersky, this ransomware implements the standard features of ransomware, experts noticed that it can also suspend processes that could prevent files from being encrypted (such as Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server).

The analysis of the attacks revealed that the VHD ransomware infection chain starting with the hackers gaining access to their victims network by exploiting vulnerable VPN gateways.

Then the attackers escalated their privileges on the compromised systems and installed a backdoor that is part of the MATA malware framework.

The attackers leverage the backdoor to control the Active Directory server and use it to deliver VHD ransomware to all systems in the target network within 10 hours using the help of a Python-based loader.

The data we have at our disposal tends to indicate that the VHD ransomware is not a commercial off-the-shelf product; and as far as we know, the Lazarus group is the sole owner of the MATA framework. Hence, we conclude that the VHD ransomware is also owned and operated by Lazarus, reads the report published by Kaspersky. Its obvious the group cannot match the efficiency of other cybercrime gangs with their hit-and-run approach to targeted ransomware.

Kaspersky Lab researchers also published the Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) in their report.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  hacking, ransomware)

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July 29, 2020 SONA highlights enhanced campaign against illegal drugs, terrorism, corruption and criminality; Bong Go expresses support to PRRD's push for reimposition of death penalty Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go has expressed his continued support to President Rodrigo Duterte as the latter repeated his stance on the reimposition of the death penalty for heinous crimes involving illegal drugs during the latter' State of the Nation Address held on July 27. "Buo ang aking suporta sa muling pagbanggit ni Pangulong Duterte na talakayin ang pagbalik ng death penalty para sa mga heinous crimes involving illegal drugs," Go said. "Mas palalakasin pa po natin ang kampanya laban sa iligal na droga at iba pang salot sa lipunan. As the President said, freedom from illegal drugs, terrorism, corruption and criminality is, in itself, a human right," Go reiterated. The President, in his fifth SONA, reiterated his desire for the swift passage of a law reviving the death penalty by lethal injection for crimes specified under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. "This law will not only help us deter criminality but also save our children from the dangers posed by illegal and dangerous drugs," the President added emphasizing that dealers and purveyors have continued their activities amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the country. The President also explained that the amount of illegal drugs seized in police operations have valued in millions of pesos and "speak volumes of the enormity and weight of the problem that we bear." Go has filed Senate Bill No. 207 last year, seeking to amend Republic Act 9346, which abolished the death penalty as punishment in the Philippines, by reimposing the capital punishment for heinous crimes involving illegal drugs and plunder. In the explanatory note of the bill, Go explained that "the proliferation of heinous crimes ignited the call for a tough and definitive stance against crimes that have plagued the security and development of the nation." The bill also emphasized that illegal and dangerous drugs have been a recurring cause of suffering for families and individuals in the country, and that there is no question that this societal problem can destroy the basic institution of the family. Meanwhile, Go also commended President Duterte for assuring the public that this administration will continue to fight corruption and hold accountable those who have taken advantage of the fear and confusion brought by the health crisis. "Tulad ng sabi ng Pangulo, panahon po ito para magmalasakit at magkaisa. Hindi po tayo papayag na may mga taong nanlalamang at nang-aabuso sa kapwa lalo na sa panahon na naghihirap ang ating mga kababayan," Go stressed. "Those who steal funds intended for the people in these trying times, those who make money from donations, those who sell overpriced medicines and medical supplies while the health sector is in crisis, makonsensya naman kayo. Darating ang panahon na mananagot kayo at mabubulok kayo sa kulungan o sa impiyerno," Go added. The Senator also commended the government's efforts in ensuring peace and stability in the region. He reiterated the President's stand that by pursuing an independent foreign policy, the Philippines is able to claim its rightful place in the community of sovereign states. Go echoed the President's appeal to the people during the SONA for cooperation amidst these trying times. The Senator emphasized the need to have faith in the government in order to achieve what is best for the country and the Filipino people. "Magtiwala lang po kayo at makipagtulungan sa gobyernong nagmamalasakit sa inyo palagi. Patuloy kaming magseserbisyo at uunahin po namin ang interes, kapakanan at buhay ninyo. Sama-sama po nating malalampasan ang mga pagsubok na ito sa hangaring mabigyan ng mas magandang kinabukasan ang bawat Pilipino," he ended.
APS Member/Author: Jennifer Richeson

For two days in early June, as America was erupting in sustained protests over the killing of a Black man, George Floyd, by police in Minneapolis, the most watched movie on Netflix was The Help. The 2011 filmwhich depicts Black servants working in affluent white households in 1960s Mississippi, and centers on a white female journalistwon acclaim in some quarters. But it has also been criticized as a sentimental and simplistic portrayal of racismand redemptionamid the cruelties of Jim Crow.

To ask what was going on herewhy people started watching The Help at a moment of deep racial traumais to risk tumbling down a rabbit hole. That the movie was newly available on Netflix does not explain everything. One reality that the Help phenomenon makes us recognize is the enduring power of mythology when it comes to American racism. The mythology takes many forms. Sometimes it involves a desperate grasping for affirmation. Sometimes it involves a gauzy nostalgia. Sometimes it involves a willful ignorance. All of these strains, and others, are woven into a larger and enduring narrativethe mythology of racial progress.

This is a uniquely American mythology. Since the nations founding, its prevailing cultural sensibility has been optimistic, future-oriented, sure of itself, and convinced of Americas inherent goodness. Despite our tragic racial history, Americans generally believe that the country has made and continues to make steady progress toward racial equality. Broad acceptance of this trajectory underlies the way our leaders talk. It also influences the way racism is treated in popular culture.

When we think about the nations racial history, we often envision a linear path, one that, admittedly, begins in a shameful period but moves unerringly in a single directiontoward equality. As if were riding a Whiggish escalator, the narrative of racial progress starts with slavery, ascends to the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, speeds past segregation and Jim Crow to the victories of the civil-rights movement, and then drops us off in 2008 for Barack Obamas election. Many people asserted at the time that America had become a postracial society, or was at least getting closemaybe one more short escalator ride away. This redemptive narrative not only smooths over the past but smooths over what is yet to come: It holds out the promise of an almost predestined, naturally occurring future that will be even more just and egalitarian.

Thinking this way wont make the future better.

The mythology of racial progress distorts our perceptions of reality; perhaps more significantly, it absolves us of responsibility for changing that reality. Progress is seen as natural and inevitableinescapable, like the laws of physics. Backsliding is unlikely. Vigilance is unnecessary.

It is obviously true that many of the conditions of life for Black Americans have gotten better over time. Material standards have in many ways improved. Some essential civil rights have advanced, though unevenly, episodically, and usually only following great and contentious effort. But many areas never saw much progress, or what progress was made has been halted or even reversed. The mythology of racial progress often rings hollow when it comes to, for instance, racial gaps in education. Or health outcomes. Or voting rights. Or criminal justice. Or personal wealth. History is not a ratchet that turns in one direction only. Martin Luther King Jr. famously asserted that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. And maybe it will, in the end. But in our actual lifetimes we see backward steps and tragic detours.

The protests that began in late May have focused on fundamental questions of police violence and civil rights. This sort of awakening offers great opportunitymore on that in a momentbut it is rare in our history, and challenges the nations prevailing psychology. My own research as a social psychologist focuses in part on racial wealth disparitiesparticularly, what people do and dont believe, and do and dont acknowledge about those disparities. Unless people understand the systemic forces that create and sustain racial inequality, we will never successfully address it. But perceptions, it turns out, are slippery.

For the past several years, I, along with my Yale colleague Michael W. Kraus and our students, have been examining perceptions of racial economic inequalityits extent and persistence, decade by decade. In a 2019 study, using a dozen specific moments between 1963 and 2016, we compared perceptions of racial wealth inequality over time with actual data on racial wealth inequality. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the respondents in our study significantly overestimated the wealth of Black families relative to that of white families. In 1963, the median Black family had about 5 percent as much wealth as the median white family. Respondents said close to 50 percent. For 2016, the respondents estimated Black wealth to be 90 percent that of whites. The correct answer for that year was about 10 percent.



Read the whole story: The Atlantic
President Donald Trump is painting a dystopian portrait of what Joe Biden's America might look like, asserting crime and chaos would ravage communities should the former vice president win the White House in November.

Left unsaid: A recent surge in violent crime in several American cities has happened on his watch.

Irony is way down the list of things that President Trump worries about, said Robert Spitzer, a political scientist at the State University of New York College at Cortland whose research focuses on gun politics and the American presidency.

He's turning to the old playbook - appeal to the fears of Americans and then associate those fears with the Democratic Party, specifically Joe Biden.

With echoes of Richard Nixon's law-and-order campaign in 1968, Trump is trying to energise his conservative base while also making an appeal to a small patch of undecided voters by posing the question: Which man will keep you safer?

By leaning hard on select scenes of violence, Trump is banking on that unrest continuing. But the protests could wane. Violent crime around the US has been on a downward trajectory for the better part of the last three decades.

Lanae Erickson, a senior vice president for social policy and politics at the centre-left think tank Third Way, said Trump's attempt to use the Nixon playbook and tap into anxieties about the crime is odd given that, unlike Nixon in 1968, Trump is already in the White House.

Trump is the incumbent, so if bad things are happening right now, they get blamed on him, Erickson said. I don't know how he can persuade voters that it's Joe Biden's fault.

Trump has tried to paint Biden as captive of his party's most liberal elements who have called to dramatically reshape policing in America.

His campaign has aired advertising in battleground states that shows a woman calling police for help as an intruder breaks into her home and getting a voice recording informing her that, because the police have been defunded, no one is available to take her call.

The president recently tweeted a warning to Suburban Housewives of America that Biden will destroy your neighbourhood and your American dream. No one will be SAFE in Joe Biden's America! Trump declared.

Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York have seen spikes in violent crime and homicides this year. And Trump has dispatched federal agents or announced plans to send agents to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Chicago, and Kansas City, Missouri, to try to stop the unrest. He's also sent federal agents to Portland, Oregon, to try to forcibly quell protests around the federal courthouse.

Trump has tried to argue that Biden, at least implicitly, would condone unchecked violence.

Last week, Trump said he'd like to flood Chicago, which has seen a 51% increase in homicides and a 47% increase in shootings compared to the same time last year, with 50,000 or 75,000 people and solve it like you wouldn't believe."

But Trump said he wouldn't do it because of a lack of cooperation from the city's leadership.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Trump, despite his tough talk, has shown little interest in addressing a central issue driving the violence in the city: About 60% of firearms recovered in crimes committed in Chicago were originally purchased outside Illinois.

At the centre of Trump's attempts to cast Biden as weak on crime is pushing the unfounded notion that Biden wants to defund the police.

In an interview with Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace, Trump incorrectly cited a charter between Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders that was signed as part of the Unity Task Force, an effort to find common ground between the more moderate Biden backers and Sanders' liberal supporters.

But the task force's recommendations for the Democratic platform does not mention defunding police. Trump was unable to show Wallace language in the task force document that said as much.

Still, Trump campaign spokesperson Hogan Gidley hammered on the point during a Monday call to update grassroots activists on strategy.

Peter Scharf, a criminologist at Louisiana State University School of Public Health who has advised the New Orleans Police Department's reform efforts, said Biden's stance on policing is complicated and one that Trump will look to further muddy.

Biden, as a senator, played a key role in writing the 1994 crime bill-- tough-on-crime legislation that critics say fuelled mass incarceration.

During the primary, fellow Democrats repeatedly criticised Biden over the bill. His criminal justice proposal reverses some key provisions of the crime bill. He has also apologised for supporting some policies in the 1990s that he now recognises were harmful, such as sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine.

While Biden does not support defunding police departments, the push in some left-leaning big cities to drastically overhaul police budgets could put him in a difficult position, Scharf said.

The majority of Seattle's nonpartisan City Council, for example, has publicly embraced calls to cut the city's 2021 police budget by half. That makes it crucial that Biden become more proactive in laying out his vision for the reinvention of the modern police force to prevent Trump's anti-police jabs from sticking, Scharf added.
Labour leader Alan Kelly has labelled new rules which would see those in receipt of Covid-19 payment lose their benefits for travelling abroad "disgraceful and discriminatory" against poor people.

Mr Kelly agreed with legal advice that the rule, which see pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) cut off if recipients travel abroad, is unlawful.

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A bill, which includes a clause people have to be genuinely looking for work to receive the payment, has been passed by the Dail and will seek Seanad approval to put it on a statuary footing.

Under the new rule, the payment is "not payable for any period spent outside of Ireland". The payment is also cut off for recipients, who have to reapply on return to Ireland.

"You will also not be paid for the 14 days that you are required to self-isolate when you return from abroad," the Government's website states.

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Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, said last night that if somebody is leaving the state for essential reason like a family bereavement or a sick relative they can contact the social welfare office, and their payment will not be stopped.

Labour leader Alan Kelly said the statutory instrument Minister Humphreys introduced still has no legal basis, however.

"The Minister used language last night, which is not definable in law, let's be very clear about what we're talking about here. Everything has to be definable in law.

"She said last night that a common sense approach would be taken, common sense is not definable in law. It has to be under the basis of regulations, and the bill that has passed by Dail Eireann and Seanad Eireann and signed in by the president."

The Tipperary TD said that if passed, the bill would discriminate against those who can not afford holidays.

"The whole issue about reasonable grounds for actually casting a net across ports and airports and effectively interrogating people as regards their social welfare status, given the changes that have been mishandled by the Minister," he said.

"This is a mess. The differential here is that what they're saying is that the people who are on PUP payments, who were working hard and paying their taxes, are being discriminated against on regards going on holidays.

"Obviously we prefer people not to be leaving the country, but to be Orwellian in nature and to say that for some people they can leave the country if they're rich enough and for others if they are poor or on the PUP payment, they can't, that is not the Ireland of 2020, that is disgraceful and discriminatory."

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Mr Kelly, who said that the solidarity shown during Covid-19 "went out the window last night, because of discriminatory changes brought in by this government", also criticised Simon Coveney for attempting to keep perks from his previous role as Tanaiste, not officially available to him now.

Mr Kelly raised a concern that a state car and garda driver has been retained by minister Coveney. These are parks, it emerged yesterday, which are not approved by the cabinet.

"I think the idea that the Tanaiste needs an aide de camp is a joke," Mr Kelly told Morning Ireland.

"I asked the question as to how this happened, and effectively what happened was the Secretary General of the government asked the Secretary General of the Department of Justice, who then rang the Garda Commissioner, who asked him would, on security grounds in inverted commas, the Minister of Foreign Affairs need a Garda car, and two drivers of the cost of over 200,000 on average a year.

"There is nothing in writing according to the response that I got. This is wrong. This is a million euros over five years, there is no reason for it and here's the big issue - in 2011 when Enda Kenny was take Taoiseach, he got rid of Garda cars and drivers."

Mr Kelly said that a government decision was made in 2011 to allow an Taoiseach, an Tanaiste and the Minister for Justice the protection "for obvious reasons".

The granting of the perk to Mr Coveney's new position, Minister for Foreign Affairs, was never since made, he said, and Taoiseach Micheal Martin was not informed of the decision for Mr Coveney to keep the car and drivers.

"The outgoing Tanaiste, now Minister for Foreign Affairs just wanted to keep his garda car and drivers. He wanted the perk, he didn't like the idea of losing it and he had to in some way ensure it was kept," he said.
Iran has launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a mock aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported.

It was the latest barrage in a drill that the previous day saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches.

Drone footage captured by Irans Revolutionary Guard showed two missiles blasting out from covered positions in what appeared to be a desert plateau in central Iran, with debris flying up in the air in their wake.

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The launches took place on Wednesday, said General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards aerospace division. He told state television it was first time the Guard had done this, though the paramilitary force is known to have vast underground bases hiding its ballistic missile arsenal.

Separately, drones targeted the bridge of the fake aircraft carrier, according to the state TV report. The broadcaster did not immediately air footage of the launches or the drone attack, nor did it identify the missiles used in the drill.

However, the drill clearly meant to send a message to the United States.

A semi-official news agency close to the Guard published a graphic overnight that photoshopped the image of an American carrier into the shape of a coffin with a set of crosshairs on it, with a caption quoting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledging to seek revenge for the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January.

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The drill  and the American response to it  underlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the US after a series of escalating incidents last year led to the January drone strike. Tehran responded to that strike by firing ballistic missiles that wounded dozens of American forces in Iraq.

While the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed both Iran and the US for months, there has been a growing confrontation as America argues to extend a years-long UN weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October. A recent incident over Syria involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane has also renewed tensions.

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage of the exercise called Great Prophet 14. Anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas.

State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said the Guard, a force answerable only to Khamenei, planned to fire long-range ballistic missiles as well during the drill.

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the US militarys Central Command in Qatar, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time.
Three Trenton teens will be charged with attempted murder and related firearms charges for shooting at police officers during an early Wednesday vehicle chase that went through two towns, the Mercer County Prosecutors Office alleged.

The pursuit ended in two collisions, injuring a total of six officers. Three remained hospitalized Wednesday evening, and one, Officer Kevin Starkey, is in critical condition, the office and Trenton police said.

Also injured in the crashes were the three suspects: Zaire Butler, 19, who suffered internal injuries and remains hospitalized in critical condition; Nazere Crews, 18, who broke his femur and also remains hospitalized; and a 16-year-old male who had a broken wrist, and was treated and released to police custody, the office said.

The teens are all city residents, and officers recovered three firearms, two in the suspects car and one on a street, apparently tossed during the pursuit.

The incident began with a tip to Trenton police about a social media post that showed a group of individuals with guns driving around Trentons West Ward looking for people to shoot, the prosecutors office said.

At that hour, what else could they have been doing? Other than to create mischief and harm to the residents of the city, Trenton Police Director Sheilah Coley said at an afternoon press event with Mayor Reed Gusciora.

There is no doubt, that without the quick actions of my officers, there would have been three weapons on the street, the director said.

The director and the mayor both said the officers heroic actions saved lives.

The weapons seized today are three less than can be used against our residents, Gusciora said. In the end, they saved lives by stopping indiscriminate shooting coming from the car (being chased).

And I cannot thank (the officers) enough for their service, the mayor said.

The aftermath of a Trenton police chase that injured several officers and the suspects, at the intersection of North Olden and North Clinton avenues in East Trenton on Wed. July 29, 2020.(Courtesy of Peterson's Breaking News of Trenton)

The prosecutors office ghave this account of the incident:

Following the social media post, Trenton police alerted their officers about it at about 2:25 a.m. A short time later, patrol officers Michael Gettler and Jeffery Pownall spotted a red 2003 Ford Focus and found it had been reported stolen.

The officers tried to pull it over on Parkside Avenue, but it fled and eventually into Ewing along North Olden Avenue, where, near the Home Depot, four shots were fired at Gettler and Pownalls patrol vehicle. One shot hit the vehicles light bar and bounced off the roof.

The chase went back into the city and into East Trenton. At the intersection of North Olden and North Clinton avenues, the Ford Focus crashed into a Trenton patrol vehicle containing officers Starkey and Brian Walker, who were headed to help.

The Ford than spun into a minivan that was traveling in the opposite direction.

Then, city officers Orlando Santiago and Andy Gomez approached the Ford and Santiago slipped on leaking fluids from the crash and hurt his head and cut his elbow, and Gomez suffered cuts to a hand from broken glass.

Those four officers, plus Gettler and Pownall, were taken to a city hospital for treatment.

In addition to Starkey, Walker, who also struck his head in the crash, and Santiago remained in the hospital. Gettler and Pownell were evaluated and released.

Investigators found a shell casing and two bullets near the Home Depot in Ewing, an FN PS90 submachine gun on Olden Avenue in Trenton, as well as an AR-15 rifle and a Glock 26 pistol in the wrecked Ford, the prosecutors office said.

Coley said city officers have recovered 104 firearms so far this year. Thats a lot of guns, she said. That just gives you an idea of the firepower that is on the streets at any given time.

The aftermath of a Trenton police chase that injured several officers and the suspects, at the intersection of North Olden and North Clinton avenues in East Trenton on Wed. July 29, 2020.(Courtesy of Peterson's Breaking News of Trenton)

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.

Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com.
07/29/2020

Photo (c) SeventyFour - Getty Images MyLife, a California company that sells subscriptions to a consumer background report service, has been charged with trying to trick consumers into purchasing an auto-renewing subscription to its service through the promotion of teaser background reports that allegedly included false claims.

According to a complaint filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), MyLife published reports online that claimed to include information about arrest, criminal, and sex offender records, even if a person didnt have these offenses on their record.

The lawsuit claims MyLife posted deceptive reports online in order to draw business from employers, landlords, and others by saying that a searched-for person may have a history of criminal offenses.

Deceptive sales tactics

The suit accuses MyLife of trying to dupe consumers into signing up for premium subscriptions that automatically renew by dangling the promise of information that may not actually have been on a persons record.

MyLife displayed the teaser reports when someone typed a persons name into a search bar at MyLife.com. If the person had no criminal, traffic, or sex offender records, the report typically suggested the person had such records, the FTC said in statement on its website.

The agency said MyLife also displayed prominent, large, clickable buttons that either invited the user to View [searched-for persons] Court, Arrest, or Criminal Records or invited them to View [searched-for persons] Sex Offender Records if exchange for paying for a subscription.

Inaccurate information

Additionally, the suit claims MyLife failed to take the steps required to ensure its background reports were accurate. The company and its founder and CEO Jeffrey Tinsley are accused of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act, using misleading billing practices, and violating the Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act.

MyLife also allegedly failed to explicitly state that it had a policy of not making refunds and of discouraging cancellations.

In a statement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Ethan P. Davis of the Department of Justices Civil Division, said the agency is committed to putting an end to deceptive sales practices like these.

Americans should be able to shop online and by phone with confidence that they are not being deceived about the services they are buying or the terms of sale, Davis said. The Department of Justice is committed to working with the FTC to protect consumers from deceptive sales practices and from so-called credit reports that may contain inaccurate information and be used for improper purposes.
The relation between and are tied with the blood-stained history of the 1971 Liberation War, and the neighbouring countries are tested friends, Minister Obaidul Quader has said.

Quader, the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said if relations with neighbouring countries become friendly and strong, it will be easier to make mutual progress and resolve unsettled bilateral issues,

He said this on Tuesday while interacting with the reporters after Indian High Commissioner to Riva Ganguly Das paid him a courtesy call at his secretariat office.

The minister extended his thanks to the High Commissioner for her cooperation in taking ahead of the road infrastructural development projects in Bangladesh.

During the meeting, they discussed the progress of the under-implementation projects in road infrastructural development and public transport in Bangladesh under the Indian Lines of Credit, he added.

Bangladesh and are now maintaining stronger, friendly, warm, and development-oriented relations than any previous time, added Quader, the general secretary of the ruling party of B'desh Awami League.

He said the relation between the two countries is advancing towards newer dimension.

--IANS

sumi/pgh/in

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi: The government has taken a major decision regarding Independence Day parade programme on August 15 amid COVID-19 pandemic. The decision pertains to the security of all VVIPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to sources, all officers of Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Delhi Police who will be part of the August 15 programme, along with their drivers, operators, cooks, bus driver parade trainers, besides others have been asked to quarantine.

All these officers and their staff associated with the parade will participate in the preparations related to the parade rehearsal and in the August 15 parade have been asked to directly go to their home. This order has been given verbally to all the Delhi Police staff, said the sources.

The key points of this significant decision are:



- Indian Army, Air Force, Navy and Delhi Police officers and their staff will remain under quarantine till August 15

- This decision has been taken to contain the spread of deadly coronavirus

- Because August 15 parade programme includes many VVIPs and VIPs in addition to the Prime Minister of the country

- During the Guard of Honour on the red carpet, the Prime Minister passes through parade commander and soldiers

- This decision has been taken to secure the Prime Minister, VVIPs, VIPs and other officers participating in the parade from COVID-19 epidemic

- Instructions have been issued for sanitization of every government vehicles, involved in the parade, to all units by the concerned agencies till August 15

Indian Army has prepared this preventive plan in view of the coronavirus pandemic, which would also deter people from visiting the Red Fort.
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MILAN  The month of July is showing improvements in all of Salvatore Ferragamos markets, but the closure of stores during the coronavirus pandemic hurt the companys top line in the first half of the year.

The Florence-based luxury group reported preliminary sales on Tuesday at the end of trading, which showed a 46.6 percent drop to 377 million euros in the first six months ended June 30. This compares with 705 million euros in the same period last year.

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Sales in the second quarter fell 60.1 percent, impacted by the pandemic, the lockdown of commercial activities and the lack of international traffic.

As of June 30, the company had 643 points of sales, including 389 directly operated stores and 254 third-party-operated stores in the wholesale and travel retail channels.

In the first half, the retail distribution channel reported a 41 percent drop to 260.6 million euros, representing 69.2 percent of the total. In the second quarter, retail revenues decreased 51.2 percent.

Sales in the wholesale channel tumbled 56.4 percent to 110.8 million euros, accounting for 29.4 percent of the total.

In the second quarter, wholesale revenues were down 75.7 percent, mainly penalized by the performance of the travel retail channel and of the fragrances division.

The Asia Pacific area continued to be the groups largest market in terms of revenues, decreasing by 39.9 percent to 166.7 million euros, accounting for 44.3 percent of the total. In the second quarter, sales in the area were down 35.3 percent at constant exchange rates, benefiting from the positive performance of the retail channel in China, which recorded growth of 11.6 percent at constant exchange rates.

In particular, as of July 25, the group had registered solid growth in directly operated stores in Mainland China, Korea and Japan compared with July last year.

Story continues

Europe showed a 51.7 percent decrease in revenues in the first half, which fell to 85.7 million euros, accounting for 22.8 percent of the total. Sales in the second quarter were down 71.9 percent at constant exchange rates, strongly penalized by store closures and the lack of tourists in the period.

These factors affected all regions. North America was down 54.4 percent to 69.7 million euros, representing 18.5 percent of the total in the first half, with the second quarter plummeting 81.1 percent.

The Japanese market registered a 37.4 percent decrease in revenues in the first half to 36.8 million euros, accounting for 9.8 percent of the total, with the second quarter reporting a 56.1 percent drop.

Revenues in Central and South America were down 54.6 percent to 17.4 million euros, accounting for 4.6 percent of the total. In the second quarter they dove 89.2 percent.

By product category, sales of shoes, a core business for Ferragamo, were down 46.4 percent to 159.5 million euros, accounting for 42.4 percent of the total.

Revenues of leather goods and handbags fell 43.6 percent to 158.5 million euros, representing 42.1 percent of the total.

Ready-to-wear was down 47.3 percent to 19 million euros, accounting for 5.1 percent of the total.

Fragrances registered a decrease of 66.3 percent to 14 million euros, representing 3.7 percent of the total, also impacted by the performance of the travel retail.

As reported in May, Michele Norsa has returned to Ferragamo, joining the board as director and executive deputy chairman. Ferruccio Ferragamo helms the company as chairman, but passed his executive proxies to Norsa, and Micaela le Divelec Lemmi remains chief executive officer. Norsa first joined Ferragamo in 2006 and helped it expand globally, publicly listing it in 2011 in his role as ceo, and exiting in 2016.

Ferragamo launched a new web site during the lockdown in Italy at the end of April, as part of the companys recent increased drive into technology and social media. The company unveiled a video during Milan Digital Fashion Week earlier this month about the values of the brand, and in July introduced the Augmented Store 360, a virtual tour of its boutiques, compatible with AR devices, and which allows consumers to buy online and visit the Ferragamo Museum in Florence, including an interactive tour led by personal guides.

Separately, earlier on Tuesday, organizers of the Venice Film Festival confirmed that the event will go on as scheduled in a physical format, running Sept. 2 to 12, and Luca Guadagninos feature-length documentary on founder Salvatore Ferragamo will be presented in the Out of Competition section.

Guadagninos documentary traces Ferragamos artistic journey, while also exploring the history of Italy and America, the latter the country where he first developed his business, creating shoes for the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. The film relates Ferragamos path, starting his career as an apprentice shoemaker in Naples and then becoming the owner of the Hollywood Boot Shop in California, to his return to Italy, founding his namesake company in Florence.

The film, said the Festivals artistic director Alberto Barbera, is fascinating, disruptive and perfectly accomplished.

We were overjoyed to learn that the film about my fathers life would be presented at the Venice Film Festival, said Ferruccio Ferragamo, Salvatores son. It is an honor for me and my entire family that a director of Luca Guadagninos caliber would take an interest in our family history, adapting it for the big screen.

Ferragamos autobiography inspired Guadagnino to develop the project starting in 2017, reaching out to the Ferragamo family. The director had access to the fashion brands archives, family anecdotes and interviews, including with the late Wanda Miletti, Salvatores wife, who died in October 2018.

For three years, Fondazione Salvatore Ferragamo and Museo Salvatore Ferragamo worked with the director and screenwriter Dana Thomas. Research was also based on the tape recordings of Salvatore Ferragamo reading aloud some of the chapters of his autobiography, which were restored for the occasion, and the radio interviews he gave in Australia. In a teaser, Martin Scorsese says that Ferragamo, born in 1898 in Bonito, in Italys Campania region, moved to Naples, which at the time in itself was another galaxy.

That has been my lifes work: striving to learn to make shoes that always fit and the refusal to put my name to any that do not fit, writes Ferragamo in the preface to his autobiography. Therefore please look behind the story of the small, barefoot, unlettered boy who became a famous shoemaker, and seek the pleasure you will obtain from walking well.

Guadagnino, whose movie Call Me By Your Name received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and one for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Timothee Chalamets interpretation, in 2012 founded the production company Frenesy Film specifically for taking on projects with major fashion brands, and he has directed or produced short films or commercials for, among others Fendi, Giorgio Armani, Ermenegildo Zegna, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sergio Rossi, Cartier, Pomellato and Valentino.
Ukrainian soldiers will respond to any serious attack on their positions in Donbas, Zelensky says.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine fully complies with the newly-agreed truce in Donbas, while control over its observance by Russia-led armed formations depends on the Russian Federation.

"It is very difficult to coordinate all this. We will do everything to maintain the truce. We see it today. Today we are fully implementing it, not 99.9%, but 100%. I am grateful to everyone who really implements this and is responsible. As for the other side, I am sure everything will depend on the Russian Federation, whether it will be able to control everything in the same way and, most importantly, whether it will be able to comply with the agreements that we had," he told journalists at a briefing after visiting Kyiv-based Okhmatdyt National Children's Specialized Hospital, an UNIAN correspondent reported.

Read alsoOSCE records 111 violations on first day of truce in Donbas

"As for a sustainable ceasefire, this is the first, and I would call it the main, point in the Minsk process. This is the main point not only during the Normandy Four meetings, it's just the main point if we want to end the war and have our territories and people back," the president said.

"Can we say that we have agreed on a ceasefire? Yes. Can we say that there are no single shots? No. They exist since the contact line is 410 kilometers long, and it is very difficult to control everything," Zelensky said.

The president also said the Ukrainian military are "very powerful, they are heroes."

"If there are any serious attacks, serious shots that go beyond what we agreed on, they will respond very powerfully. They know about it."

"We will see whether the other side really wants to end the war, which they are constantly talking about, we will feel it... and that's it," Zelensky 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 along the contact line from 00:01 on Monday, July 27.

The new ceasefire regime began to operate in Donbas at 00:01 Kyiv time on July 27.

On the first day of the newly-agreed truce, Russia's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine.
Member Benefits, a national leader in association benefits and private health exchanges, has announced its appointment as provider of a private health insurance marketplace for members of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).

Members of the AANA will be able to shop customized benefit plans for individuals and explore group health options for medical practices. The private marketplace from Member Benefits utilizes decision-support technology to help members select the plan best suited to their needs.

The AANA is excited to partner with Member Benefits to offer a variety of health coverage options to our nurse anesthetists, said Nathan Chamberlain, AANA Membership Operations Manager.

The AANA is in good company; Member Benefits serves several other medical-focused associations  including the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, American Medical Student Association, Florida Medical Association, Florida Chiropractic Association, and American Osteopathic Association.

Products on the marketplace will initially include:



Individual health insurance

Dental and vision insurance

Telehealth

Medicare supplemental insurance

Group health and employee benefits

These offerings will be available to AANA members, as well as their spouses, eligible dependents, and employees.

When we launch a new marketplace for an association, their members are often pleasantly surprised with the service model behind it. Its about more than just offering quality products. Our team of in-house benefits counselors have extensive experience working with the insurance needs of medical professionals, and provide an enhanced customer experience to each member, said Nicklaus Trefry, CEO of Member Benefits.

The program will launch in July 2020.

About Member Benefits

Member Benefits is an innovative insurance brokerage and third-party administrator that focuses on benefit programs and insurance marketplace platforms for member-based organizations. They specialize in the design, marketing, and administration of programs for employer groups, associations, affinity groups, franchises, and direct-to-consumer. The company has office locations in Jacksonville, FL and Austin, TX.

About the AANA

Founded in 1931, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is the professional association representing nearly 54,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists nationwide.

Contact Information:

Member Benefits, Inc.

Tom Charde, Director of Marketing

904-396-8626

memberbenefits.com
MELBOURNE - (Reuters) - Rio Tinto said on Wednesday it saw a sharp V-shaped recovery in China as stimulus spurred industrial activity, helping its first-half profit handily beat market expectations. Rio Tinto is the first of the major iron ore miners to report results from a first half marked by coronavirus-induced disruptions but also by high iron ore prices. "We believe that China has enjoyed a very steep V-shaped recovery," CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques said on a call. "Today we see it as that the demand for steel and iron ore in China is very, very strong and ...
Spa Fenit Community Council members Nora Landers, Dermot Crowley, John Foley, Peter Carmody and Michelle Burke are busy putting the finishing touches on this years Heritage Weekend at the Forge in Churchill. The annual event  which this year will involve extensive social distancing measures due to the Coronavirus  takes place on Saturday, August 15. Photo John Cleary

Spa Fenit Community Council will next month celebrate Heritage Weekend at the Forge in Churchill on Saturday August 15 and Sunday August 16 2020. To conform with Government and HSE guidelines, the programme of events will be restricted somewhat this year.

On Saturday August 15, organisers will have a Vintage Car Run, beginning at the Forge in Churchill at 7pm and visiting Ardfert and Ballyheigue before returning to Churchill.

At 12pm on Sunday August 16 it is the turn of the Vintage Tractors. A variety of makes and models will leave the Forge in Churchill and will travel around the parish returning again to the Forge about 2pm.

A novel introduction this year will be an assessment and valuation of antiques by a panel of experts. Organisers are inviting all who have antique jewellery, furniture, glass or paintings to bring them along for professional review. The panel of experts include Dr. Donal Cahill, Paudie Commane, Billy Nolan and Foley Restoration.

Professor Cahill was educated in UCD and Trinity College, Dublin. He studied the History of Art in the Sorbonne and Caen University. He has lectured in Switzerland and is currently lecturing in Amiens in France where he also works in an Art Museum.

Paudie Commane, Book Merchant, in Rock Street, Tralee specalises in rare, unique and oddball books. Books of local Kerry interest are his speciality. His shop was originally a hardware store and has been in the Commane family for over 60 years.

Billy Nolan is a well known family jeweller and has an award winning customer service team in Tralee. His family are trading in Kerry since 1853. Billy has two business in Tralee - Hilsers & Billy Nolan Jewellers which are run by his daughters Keira and Louise. Billy specialises in antique gold, diamonds, silverware, glass and coins.

Foley Restoration is a second generation Kerry based restoration company with over 30 years' experience in furniture restoration and French polishing. They operate from Lee Brook, Tralee, adjacent to the picturesque Ballyseedy Woods.

Also arranged is the annual dog show which is a great attraction each year and additionally, they will also showcase arts and crafts associated with the Heritage of the area.
Global airlines cut their coronavirus recovery forecast on Wednesday, saying it would take until 2024  a year longer than previously expected  for passenger traffic to return to pre-crisis levels.

In an update on the pandemics crippling effect on air travel, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) cited slow coronavirus containment in the United States and developing countries, and a weaker outlook for corporate travel.

Lingering travel barriers and new restrictions in some markets are also weighing on nearer-term prospects, IATA said, cutting its 2020 passenger numbers forecast to a 55 percent decline  sharper than the 46 percent drop predicted in April.

The second half of this year will see a slower recovery than wed hoped, IATA Chief Economist Brian Pearce said. June passenger numbers were down 86.5 percent year-on-year, the organisation said, after a 91 percent contraction in May.

A surprise move by the United Kingdom to quarantine arrivals from Spain has created a lot of uncertainty, Pearce said. That is clearly going to be an issue with the recovery.

Recovery prospects are weakened by the spread of COVID-19 in the US and developing countries, together representing 40 percent of global air travel, IATA said.

International travel is unlikely to rebound significantly without a reasonably priced testing regime that was deemed acceptable by governments, Association of Asia Pacific Airlines Director General Subhas Menon said. Depending on the country, tests can cost hundreds of dollars.

We need advice from public health experts on how to go about that, he told the Reuters news agency in an interview in Sydney on Wednesday. If it is cheap enough then maybe you can expect travellers to pay for it. At the moment the cost is quite intimidating.

Business travel grounded

Business travel may also face a sustained slump, threatening the profitability of long-haul airlines and routes as corporate clients rein in spending and make greater use of video-conferences that have become the norm during lockdowns.

It will remain to be seen whether we see a recovery to pre-crisis business travel patterns, Pearce said. Our concern is that we wont.

The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the aviation industry, with several carriers struggling to stay afloat.

Spirit Airlines, the seventh-largest US carrier, is preparing to inform unions on Friday that 20-30 percent of its workers may be furloughed in October, an internal memo shows, becoming the first low-cost US carrier to detail potential job cuts due to the pandemic.

Workers at risk of being furloughed include pilots and flight attendants, according to the memo seen by Reuters.

The company confirmed the memo was sent to employees on Tuesday but said it has no further comment.

Spirit is among the US airlines that received a government bailout to keep workers employed through September as they suffer a sharp downturn in demand due to virus-related lockdowns and travel curbs. Now, many are warning of furloughs once the stimulus package expires because demand has not yet recovered.
If we could grade Texas state leaders on their COVID-19 public policy measures, we would give them an F.

That is especially true of the Texas Education Agency, which needs to reconsider its recent policies on the reopening of public schools. Its paramount the TEA allows local school districts flexibility in bringing students back into the classroom. Instead of requiring a return to in-person teaching based on an arbitrary date, a much better approach would link returning students to campus with clear public health metrics.

TEAs sudden change of course this week and all too-often knee-jerk reactions in certain situations have done little to instill confidence in the agencys plans.

The spike in COVID-19 cases and related deaths since Texas reopened its economy indicate the devastating consequences of moving too fast and without proper regard to public health metrics. We cannot afford to force public schools to reopen their campuses prematurely, potentially endangering the lives of teachers, staff, parents and children. At the same time, we also recognize that some children need to be at school for reasons that go beyond education. Think meals, internet access, social and emotional support.

Moreover, not all Texas communities are being equally affected by the coronavirus, and that needs to be taken into consideration as the new school year begins.

For these reasons, Texas school administrators deserve flexibility to develop school-reopening plans that best suit the families in their districts based on local health department recommendations and community needs.

But thats no longer happening. School administrators who have been working diligently to develop plans for the gradual reopening of their campuses based on the COVID-19 cases in their region are now being threatened with a loss of state funding if they dont abide by a one-size-fits-all rule for the reopening of schools.

A nonbinding legal opinion issued Tuesday by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stating local health officials do not have the authority to shut down schools caught educators across the state by surprise and created mass confusion.

The TEA responded to Paxtons opinion by changing its guidance to districts, allowing for online-only classes only for the first eight weeks of school. After that, districts will have to provide the option of in-person learning, regardless of the amount of COVID-19 in a given community.

This leaves no room for a districts plan to gradually bring students onto campus in a way that prioritizes safety and need.

The letter and subsequent TEA action politicized the reopening of Texas public schools, making a challenging situation even more so, according to Brian Woods, superintendent of the Northside Independent School District.

Tying school reopening to an arbitrary timeline is foolish. Thats having hope as your strategy rather than a plan, Woods said during an online Express-News Editorial Board meeting Wednesday.

He added: We can make it work. Health and education can be balanced, but we need flexibility.

It is an opinion shared by San Antonio Independent School District Pedro Martinez and Edgewood ISD Superintendent Eduardo Hernandez, both of whom also participated in the meeting.

All three asked for patience and time to carry out their plans. The superintendents also urged more moderate voices to speak up and publicly voice their opinions about how, and when, to safely reopen schools.

We also need to know where Gov. Greg Abbott is on this. He has the authority to overrule local closure orders. Paxtons opinion is just that  an opinion. It is not legally binding.

New policies from TEA put school districts in an impossible situation. Go against a local health order or lose state funding?

If it comes to that choice, and we sure hope it wont, Woods said he would recommend his school board seek an injunction to bar the state from forcing the district to reopen schools if the COVID-19 numbers in the community remain high and officials believe student safety might be compromised.

We urge a consensus on this. It would be a shame to waste tax dollars when its common sense to allow districts to work with public health agencies to set clear metrics about how to safely reopen.
FNB has revealed its new Virtual Card offering, which will allow customers to create a digital card on its mobile app that they can use for online and physical payments.

The bank announced the new feature at an online launch event on 29 July, stating that it is currently in a pilot phase and would roll out to its customers over the next few months.

FNB Virtual Card will be available for all FNB clients  including credit card, Fusion, debit card, and business debit card customers, the company said.

Customers can create their FNB virtual card from within the FNB mobile app, providing them with a separate digital payment card that has its own card number, CVV, and expiration date.

This means the virtual card can be used for online shopping, subscription services, and more while allowing users to limit their exposure to fraud.

One of the unique features of the card is Dynamic CVV, a tool which changes the cards CVV number every hour.

This can be very useful for customers who are concerned with fraud being conducted on their credit cards, allowing them to individually ensure their online payments are secure.

The FNB virtual card details are available from within the FNB app, and FNB noted that the expiration date of the virtual card is significantly longer than its physical counterparts.

The expiry dates for virtual cards are much longer than physical cards, which allow customers to use that same card for longer periods than they currently can with their physical cards, FNB said.

Tap to Pay  Android vs iOS

FNB said that one of the best features of the FNB virtual card is that customers who use Android smartphones will never need to carry their physical card around again.

The customer never has the need to carry their physical card around if they are an Android user, FNB said.

FNB said the Tap to Pay feature of the FNB Android app supports its virtual card, which means that customers do not need to carry their physical card if they are making payments at an NFC-enabled POS terminal.

Scan to Pay, FNBs QR code payment platform, also supports FNBs Virtual Card and is compatible with the iOS version of the banks mobile app.

All 3 million FNB and RMB Private Bank App users can conveniently use Virtual Cards for QR code payments via Scan to Pay for a completely contactless digital experience at Point of Sale (POS), FNB said.

In addition, the 2.4 million Android App customers with a compatible Android device can also enable their Virtual Card for Tap to Pay on the App for contactless payments convenience.

Customers no longer need to rely on a physical card at merchants that have Tap to Pay functionality as they can either use an Android smart device, or an Apple device where the merchant accepts QR Code payments, the bank said.

FNB virtual cards also support wearable NFC payments.

Multiple cards, security, and eBucks

FNB will allow customers to create and link multiple Virtual Cards to their accounts, giving them far greater control over their exposure to fraud and other risks involved with digital payments.

FNB and RMB Private Bank customers are able to create and link their Virtual Cards to the transactional accounts they have with us, said FNB Retail Raj Makanjee.

Customers have the flexibility to create multiple Virtual Cards for each transactional account to better manage spend.

FNB Credit Card CEO Chris Labuschagne said the FNB Virtual Cards security and convenience make it a preferable transaction method for customers.

Consumers and businesses are adopting convenient ways to shop and pay; therefore, security becomes a critical factor, Labuschagne said.

One of the key security features on our Virtual Card is a dynamic Card Verification Value (CVV) security number that changes every hour to help customers minimise the risk of fraud when shopping online.

Customers will have the ability to temporarily block, cancel, or replace their virtual cards within the FNB app.

FNB noted that customers will continue to earn eBucks when they make payments with their virtual cards from within the mobile app.

Additionally, the Virtual Card can be uploaded and used on various online subscription platforms such as iTunes, Google Play Store, Netflix, Spotify and more, Labuschagne said.
Clinician-scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore's (NTU Singapore) Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) have demonstrated a way to improve the speed, handling time and cost of COVID-19 laboratory tests. The improved testing method yields results in 36 minutes -- a quarter of the time required by existing gold-standard tests.

Their new approach could enable the wider adoption of COVID-19 testing for diagnosis in academic or research laboratories, and allow for screening and research especially in countries and regions with limited laboratory capabilities. The test, which can be done with portable equipment, could also be deployed in the community as a screening tool.

Currently, the most sensitive method for testing for COVID-19 is through a laboratory technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in which a machine amplifies viral genetic material by copying it over and over again so any trace of the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be detected.

A big bottleneck in sample testing is RNA purification -- separating RNA from other components in the patient sample -- a laborious process that requires chemicals that are now in short supply worldwide. Its steps have to be performed by highly trained technical staff and can take a few hours. Currently, automated equipment for sample preparation costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, and requires specialised laboratory facilities.

The method developed by NTU LKCMedicine combines many of these steps and allows direct testing on the crude patient sample, cutting down the turnaround time from sample-to-result, and removing the need for RNA purification chemicals.

Details of the new approach were published in the scientific journal Genes in June.

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Mr Wee Soon Keong, a PhD candidate at NTU LKCMedicine and the first author of the paper, said: "While polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a venerable technology that has proven to be a workhorse for biological research, it has some drawbacks when used outside of the laboratory environment. The process is fiddly and time-consuming. Our rapid COVID-19 test involves a single-tube reaction that reduces hands-on time and biosafety risk for lab personnel, as well as the likelihood for carryover contamination during the processing of samples."

Aside from testing for COVID-19, the same method developed by the NTU LKCMedicine team can also be used to detect other viruses and bacteria, including the dengue virus, which is set to plague Singapore as the country braces itself for one of the worst dengue outbreaks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Leader of the research team, Associate Professor Eric Yap, who also heads the Microbial Genomics Laboratory, said: "We previously demonstrated that this method works for dengue virus as well. When used directly on a crude blood sample with dengue virus, the test yielded results in 28 minutes. As Singapore battles the dual outbreak of dengue and COVID-19, both with similar early symptoms, our test could help in differentiating between the two infectious diseases."

Professor James Best, Dean of NTU LKCMedicine, said: "As Singapore continues with proactive testing to detect, isolate, and contain the possible spread of the coronavirus, rapid portable screening tools like the one developed by Assoc Prof Yap and his team could come in handy at testing sites in the community, allowing for infected patients to be identified quickly, and swift action to be taken to prevent transmission."

From benchtop to portable testing

Typically, in PCR tests, the genetic material on a swab sample collected from a patient has to be extracted to remove any substances in the sample that prevent the PCR test from working. An example of an inhibitor in respiratory samples is mucin (a main component of mucus).

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The test designed by the NTU LKCMedicine team, which includes senior research fellow Dr Sivalingam Paramalingam Suppiah, uses the 'direct PCR' method, removing the need for RNA purification, a time-consuming and costly step. Instead, they added inhibitor-resistant enzymes and reagents targeting compounds that obstruct RNA amplification, such as mucin, a main component of mucus. These enzymes and reagents, which are commercially available, have high resistance to such compounds that otherwise inhibit PCR, rendering the test inaccurate.

The biochemical mix of crude sample and inhibitor-resistant enzymes and reagents is placed into a single tube, which is inserted into a laboratory thermocycler, a machine used to amplify genetic material in PCR. After 36 minutes, results reveal whether there is any trace of COVID-19 with confidence.

"By skipping the RNA extraction step with our direct-PCR method, we see cost savings on nucleic acid extraction kits, and avoid the problem of reagents in short supply when lab testing is ramped up and the demand increases globally," said Dr Sivalingam.

The team also tested this method on a portable thermocycler, which can be deployed in low-resource settings and endemic areas, pointing to the possibility of having this test done in community healthcare settings by frontline healthcare workers.

Assoc Prof Yap said: "We are now trying to deploy such direct-PCR methods, developed by ourselves and others, for routine diagnostics. We need to determine the actual utility and benefits in a real-world setting, and to understand if there are any trade-offs. When one bottleneck is removed, other challenges may emerge -- like ensuring quality control, or reducing manual errors."

The team is now looking to use this method for COVID-19 testing at the NTU Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory at LKCMedicine that Assoc Prof Yap heads.

"Our goal is to develop ultrafast and automated tests that yield results in minutes, and that can be performed by healthcare workers in the clinic with similar accuracy and sensitivity as in specialised laboratories. This will allow us to take PCR testing out of conventional laboratories nearer to the point-of-care, and into the low-resource settings that need them the most," he said.
Rep. Ko Min-jung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea attends a meeting of the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee at the National Assembly, Tuesday. Captured from Ko Min-jung's Facebook



By Do Je-hae



Rep. Ko Min-jung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has come under fire for a series of special lectures being organized by her office, as she plans to include her husband as one of the lecturers.



During a recent Facebook post, the first-term lawmaker announced that her office would hold a 10-part lecture series with speakers from various fields, with Ko planning to give a speech on Aug. 5 on the subject of "participatory politics."



The lecture series will take place at her office in Gwangjin-gu, the Seoul district she represents. The office is charging 200,000 won for the entire 10-part series.



It is not unusual for lawmakers to organize such events, but controversy emerged because of her choice to include her husband Cho Ki-young as one of the speakers. He is a poet and a homemaker.



Ko considered excluding her husband from the lectures after the negative media reports. "Besides being my husband, Cho is a poet. He was going to give a lecture on poetry and talk about the world from a poet's perspective," Ko said on Facebook, Monday. "But if this makes people feel uncomfortable, I will exclude him from the list of speakers."



The former presidential spokeswoman also said that Cho was also planning to share his story about parenting based on his experience at a work-from-home dad.



But her stance changed the next day after gathering opinions from her supporters on Facebook. "About 99 percent of commenters said they want the lecture to proceed as planned," Ko said.



Some people have criticized that inviting a spouse to lectures could be seen as extending privilege at a time when controversy has been rampant over special favors for family members of ranking officials, especially since there is a fee for the lectures.



Regarding the fee, Ko's office said they are unable to provide free lectures because it would violate the Election Law, so they decided to collect money that would simply cover the cost of running the events.


maxsattana/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Texas Public Policy Foundation Chief Economist Vance Ginn is facing backlash for a tweet he says was "taken out of context."

The think tank leader has since deleted the controversial post, but the Texas Tribune shared a screen shot with its readers. Referencing the revised count of total fatalities in Texas released by the Texas Department of State Health Services on Monday, Ginn listed points that "Mostly elderly & Hispanics are dying" and "very few kids die."
Fearful of a potential blitz of special education lawsuits this fall, the nations superintendents and school boards want Congress to grant them cover from some provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Special education advocates argue the push is a veiled attempt to seek waivers from the nations primary special education law, which is designed to ensure that students with disabilities are provided appropriate educational supports.

In a joint report issued this month by AASA, the School Superintendents Association; the National School Boards Association, and the Association of Educational Service Agencies, the groups document growing concern among school leaders about IDEA-related litigation as schools struggle to fulfill students individualized education programs during the pandemic.

While remote learning has disrupted education for all students, it has proved especially troublesome for students who receive special education services, such as speech, occupational, and physical therapy, that require close contact with teachers or therapists.

Some districts made the transition to online therapy during the nationwide school closures. But many have not.

Its a really tough spot to be in, said Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director for AASA. "[Schools] want to be providing these services, but there are physical and logistical challenges to meeting students needs right now.

Having liability protections would ensure that school districts that are doing everything possible to address learning loss and to serve students with disabilities appropriately are not facing frivolous lawsuits or lawsuits of any kind that they will have to individually fight in court because of whats going on now with the pandemic, Pudelski said.

Litigation on the Way?

More than four months have passed since schools began to shut down to curb the spread of coronavirus. Thus far, just a handful of federal lawsuits have been filed on behalf of students who receive special education services .

Anticipating the numbers will soon rise, the organizations behind the report wanted Congress to include the liability protections in the latest round of COVID-19 response legislation, but their request did not make the cut.

Lindsay Jones, the executive director of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, said the report and the related push for legislation was just another attempt to push for waivers that would let schools off the hook for their responsibility to educate all students.

That report is a wolf in sheeps clothing, Jones said during the Education Writers Associations National Seminar earlier this month. Theres not much evidence that these types of lawsuits are coming forward.

AASA pressed Congress and the U.S. Department of Education to approve waivers in the spring. The first coronavirus bill signed into law in late March allowed Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to recommend waivers, if she thought they were necessary. In the end, DeVos recommended only minor adjustments, stopping far short of approving sweeping reprieves from the law.

Meeting timelines for evaluating student needs, hosting IEP meetings with families who do not have reliable Internet access or providing one-on-one aides for students who need extra assistance can be tough to do during distance learning, Pudelski said.

Were not discriminating intentionally against children, Pudelski said of the AASA push for waivers. Were putting forth a documented good-faith effort to comply with IDEA. But we just cant, for example, provide a one-on-one aide for a student with autism during a pandemic, because we just cant do that in someones home. Its not safe for our school personnel.

Some districts have taken extreme measures to avoid liability for special education services during the pandemic. In Massachusetts, at least 11 districts violated state and federal law by asking parents to sign forms that shield schools from lawsuits in order to receive special education services, the Boston Globe reports .

Disability advocacy groups insist that waivers from the special education law are unnecessary even during the pandemic, and that allowing for exceptions would put students with disabilities at further risk of falling behind their educational goals.

There isnt a cascade of lawsuits, said Jones of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. We need a little bit of grace here. Families and districts need to work together.

Some school reopening plans are prioritizing the return of students with special education needs, including students with disabilities, to attempt to make up ground on learning loss for children who may have suffered most with distance learning brought on by COVID-19.

Related Reading

A Few Parents Have Sued Over Special Education During COVID-19. Will More Follow?

Serving Special Needs Students During COVID-19: A Rural Educators Story

How Will Schools Provide Special Education During the Coronavirus Crisis?

Image Credit: iStock/Getty
A sailor assigned to U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella in Italy died Sunday after being hit by a vehicle while crossing a road near the Sicilian city of Catania, the Navy said.

The circumstances surrounding the death of Seaman Arturo Rivera, 22, are under investigation, the Navy said Monday.

"We mourn the loss of one of our own in this tragic accident," hospital commander Capt. Denise Gechas said in a statement. "Hospitalman Arturo Rivera was an outstanding Sailor and will be greatly missed by his shipmates, co-workers, and leadership."

Rivera, who was from Long Beach, Calif., joined the Navy in October 2018. He had been assigned to USNH Sigonella since November, the Navy said.

Naval Air Station Sigonella is cooperating with Italian law enforcement authorities during the investigation, the service said.

Witnesses to the incident can contact the Catania Municipal Police or the Naval Criminal Investigation Service at +39-335-848-4145.
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Earlier this month we celebrated Independence Day. Its a day devoted to freedom. We light fireworks, a symbol of a battle we fought to overcome oppression, to secure liberty, and to maintain our dignity.

Freedom. Its such a beautiful word and I love talking about it. Here at the Los Angeles Dream Center, we hear time and time again of people experiencing freedom in miraculous ways. Freedom from addiction, freedom from abuse, freedom from homelessness.

Our current situation, in the grip of a pandemic, leads us to believe that some of our freedom is lost. And for some more than others.

Many that made progress before the virus came our way  climbing out of poverty, overcoming destructive lifestyles  are feeling defeated again. In the first three months of our COVID-19 relief efforts, starting back in March, Ive heard firsthand too many stories of our community losing jobs, loved ones, and even homes, and it broke my heart to see people ultimately, losing hope. This crisis has been taking peoples livelihoods, well-being, and security away; causing many to resort to life-threatening coping mechanisms such as drugs and alcohol, and forcing people out of their homes rendering them not just homeless, but hopeless.

This is not freedom. When youre free, you do not worry, you do not self-destruct, you do not have everything stripped from you. When youre free, you are optimistic and you have peace. You are a blessing and a beacon of light to those around you when youre free.

When you consider the inconveniences we all face because of our new reality, remember that for many, it has taken a harder and more painful toll. So many are paying a steeper price in this lockdown than Ive had to.

Dont forget about these people. Stepping up for them may look a little different this year, but it can be done.

At the Dream Center, we provide a place for real freedom, not just externally, but internally. We all would agree that a bed, shower, food, and clothing are basic essentials that every human being should have access to. But if you saw the relief of those who desperately come here  having been living in a van or under an overpass  running water and clean sheets is like winning the lottery to them. That was the case for Thania, a single mother who came to us seeking refuge.

Her mother was out of the picture by the time she was just three months old. She started down a slippery slope of heavy drinking and drug use by the time she was 18, and then ended up in an abusive relationship. Pregnant, and with the father of her child in jail just two days before her son was born, she still struggled with drug abuse. She lost her apartment and soon she and her son were sleeping in parks.

But now, after a couple of years of great mentorship and people cheering her on her journey to a new and better life, she tells us she finally feels free. And shes no longer just trying to survive. She dreams of owning her own home and business one day soon as well.

Freedom isnt simply about the freedom to do something, as were so accustomed to believing as Americans. Often, an even more valuable freedom is the freedom from something. As we reflect on the blessings we enjoy here in America, and the loss we feel when many of them are taken away for a time during this pandemic, do whatever you can to lend a helping hand to those whove lost the most over the past few months.

You could be the reason why someone like Thania gets a second chance at life. You could be the vessel for a broken and lost soul to find healing and purpose.

You could be a part of a very different type of freedom this year. Even while your freedom to do certain things has been put on pause, you can be part of someones story in their freedom from their past and their misfortune.

Freedom happens when people are given the assurance that their future is sustainable and full of promise. Each of us can be a voice and a vessel for our community to experience freedom, the kind that will be cherished and celebrated for a lifetime. We all have a right to freedom, but it is a choice of action to ensure that that right is given to the ones who need it the most.
(Newser)  Chief executives of Facebook, Google, Apple, and Amazon are set to testify remotely before Congress on Wednesday as part of a hearing focusing on the size and power of the world's leading tech companies, following a yearlong investigation by the House judiciarys antitrust subcommittee. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will argue "companies aren't bad just because they are big," and stress Facebook's role in boosting small companies through its history of acquisitions, per the Guardian. In prepared testimony, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos refers to himself as "a garage inventor" who's helped small sellers succeed on Amazon's third-party marketplacethough there are red flags there. He also appears to downplay Amazon's success amid the coronavirus pandemic but advises "we should scrutinize all large institutions," including Amazon.

story continues below

Apple's Tim Cook is likely to defend competition in the App Store, where Apple's own apps arguably have a leg up, and stress that the company controls just 15% of the global smartphone market, though that figure is around 42% in the US, per the New York Times. Google's Sundar Pichai will similarly claim the company "operates in highly competitive and dynamic global markets" and that its "continued success is not guaranteed," with users turning to Twitter, Pinterest, and other websites for information, per the Guardian. Underlying all this is the argument that regulation will weaken US companies, Dipayan Ghosh and Joshua A. Geltzer write at NBC News. What Congress should not forget is that these companies have "systematically exploited Americans' data and attention at the expense of individual consumers, public safety and the health of our democracy." (Read more tech companies stories.)
The chairman of the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee Wednesday told Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg that Facebook has grown too big to contain dangerous content.

Why it matters: Facebook has grappled with high-profile cases of dangerous misinformation, such as a recent video with debunked coronavirus information that got to 20 million views before Facebook took it down. Rep. David Cicilline is suggesting Facebook as currently constituted may be fundamentally incapable of responsible moderation.

What he's saying: Your platform is so big, even with the right policies in place, you cant contain deadly content," the Rhode Island Democrat said. "Frankly, I believe it strikes at the very heart of American democracy."

Cicilline pointed out that inflammatory and false articles often get a lot of engagement on Facebook. Keeping people on the Facebook platform is a key business strategy of the company and helps it serve more ads.

The other side: Zuckerberg responded that Facebook has a responsibility to limit the spread of harmful content and that there's no incentive for the platform to house that kind of content.




President Mnangagwa yesterday warned that the security forces will be vigilant and on high alert to deal with any attempts to destabilise the constitutionally-elected Government or create a public health disaster by mass breaching of the lockdown.





This comes as some opposition parties led by the violent MDC-Alliance, some churches and some self-described civil society groups have been burning the midnight oil to plan unrest and regime change under the veil of protesting against corruption.





Several oppoistion parties have already condemned the planned demonstrations and some within the strife-torn opposition have since jumped ship to expose a foreign hand that is sponsoring organisers of the planned demonstration.





Addressing the 342 Zanu-PF Politburo session yesterday, party First Secretary President Mnangagwa said the planned insurrection, which can be linked to past schemes to destabilise the nation, such as the January 2019 protests and the August 2018 post-election violence, will not be allowed to happen this time around.





He said with the country set to remember its sons and daughters who paid the ultimate price to free Zimbabwe and bring about the obtaining peace, Zanu PF is emboldened and inspired by the upcoming Heroes Day commemorations due in August and will defend the prevailing peace.





We will equally defend our independence and sovereignty to the letter and not betray the fallen heroes and heroines who paid the supreme sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today. I want to warn the organisers of this ill-fated demonstration that our security services will be vigilant and on high alert to appropriately respond to their shenanigans. I urge all patriotic and law abiding citizens to shun these malcontents and reject their divisive and ruinous plan he said.





He further said the Politburo meeting was being held against the backdrop of multiple threats to democracy, constitutionalism, rule of law, independence and nationhood from terrorist organisations that masquerade as opposition parties and activists.





It must never be in doubt that the objective of these rogue Zimbabweans acting in cahoots with foreign appendages, supporters, and financiers, is to stage an insurrection to overthrow our democratically elected Government.





Furthermore, President Mnangagwa said in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, their planned July 31 demonstration is a threat to the safety and security of the people and the peoples right to life.





So far Covid-19 cases in Zimbabwe are spiking with 2 817 positive cases and 40 deaths by Tuesday evening. To curb the spread of the global pandemic the country is presently observing a lockdown and restrictions that limit people movements.





Under the regulations to curb the spread of the pandemic, public gatherings of more than 50 people are outlawed, wearing a face mask is compulsory and a dusk to dawn curfew is being observed.





Notwithstanding the countrys opposition parties insatiable appetite for violence, the President commented the party leadership and respective departments for the visibility and clarity with which the party is articulating its policies and position.





He assured Zimbabweans that the Government will continue to act in the public best interest at all times.




Michigan motorists are being refunded nearly $95 million in car insurance premiums due to a drop in driving and crash claims during the coronavirus pandemic, regulators said.

The amount paid back varies by insurer. It typically was 15% to 20% for April, May and June, said Laura Hall, spokeswoman for the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services.

Director Anita Fox in late May and early July issued orders requiring insurers to file a plan to issue refunds, credits or premium waivers to their customers, or to explain why such a modification was not warranted.

Consumers and businesses should not be required to pay insurance premiums that do not reflect the changes they have made to day-to-day activities during the pandemic, she said in a statement.

The state also announced savings of $118,000 on workers compensation policies and at least $1.6 million on other types of property and casualty insurance amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Insurers were required to disclose to regulators a plan to inform customers of the refunds or credits. The state urged consumers with questions about their refunds or rate adjustments to contact their agent or insurance company.

State Farm plans to reduce statewide average rates by 12.7%, effective Sept. 7. Allstate told regulators it would make 15% payback payments to be applied to peoples next bill.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Personal Auto Michigan
Howard Merrick, the GOP chairman in Schuylkill County, at party headquarters in Pottsville. Schuylkill County is one of 58 Pennsylvania counties where Republicans gained in voter registration numbers over the last four years. Read more

Its not 2016 anymore.

President Donald Trump and Joe Biden arent competing for the same composition of voters who won Trump the state four years ago. And despite Trumps eroded political standing at the moment, at least in terms of which voters are joining which party, theres good news for the GOP: Registration shifts across the state show Republicans gaining voters at five times the rate of Democrats.

Since the 2016 primary election, Republicans have added about 165,000 net voters, while Democrats added only about 30,000. Democrats still maintain an 800,000-voter edge over Republicans. But thats down from 936,000 in 2016, when Trump still won the state by less than 1%.

Look, the president won our state by 44,000-plus votes in 2016, said Lawrence Tabas, chair of the Pennsylvania Republican Party. We have since picked up and narrowed the gap between us and the Democrats [by 135,000]. So we were already ahead 44,000, and look what weve picked up. I predict were going to narrow the gap further between now and November.

Of course, Trump is now an incumbent president politically hobbled by growing disapproval of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and protests against systemic racism. He is also facing an opponent in Biden who, polls show, is significantly less unpopular than Hillary Clinton was. So it remains to be seen how helpful any Republican tailwinds will be for Trump, who has plummeted in the polls nationally and in battleground states such as Pennsylvania.

The most recent shifts have both continued and amplified a long-running political realignment of the state that started years before Trump: Democrats continue to concentrate in a handful of populous counties, while Republicans are spread throughout less populous ones. That realignment has transformed politics across the state and framed the electoral landscape for the current battle between Trump and Biden.

Geographically, both parties now have near opposite bases. An Inquirer analysis of statewide voter registration data from the last four years shows Democrats are further consolidating support in the southeastern part of the state. While denser, more urban areas have been more Democratic for years, the shift in suburbs and even exurbs has led to greater concentration of Democratic strength.

Republicans are adding voters almost everywhere else in small- and midsize counties where registration gains add up.

Registration is only one metric. People register with parties for all sorts of reasons and do cross party lines on Election Day. Some of the Republican gains may reflect people who voted for Trump as Democrats now officially joining the GOP  not necessarily new Trump voters. And one in seven voters, or 14% of the electorate, is independent or third party.

But registration shifts also correlate with presidential voting. In the 2004 through 2016 elections, vote share for the two major parties nominees in Pennsylvanias 67 counties moved in the same direction as voter registrations did 88% of the time.

And people who register with a party are more engaged with that party, more likely to vote for its candidates further down the ballot, donate, and volunteer.

Republicans gain across Pennsylvania

Since 2016, 57 Pennsylvania counties  including every county with fewer than 100,000 voters  shifted more Republican. Only 10 became more Democratic.

That includes areas that were already Republican, Democratic areas that are less so today, and politically mixed areas that became more Republican.

For example, Elk, Carbon, Mercer, and Westmoreland Counties changed enough that Republicans now outnumber Democrats. GOP leaders attribute that to Democrats switching parties.

A lot of folks will vote one way but not change their registration, said Josh Kivett, a former political director for the Republican National Committee, now a national GOP consultant. When you go change your registration  thats a statement. Thats saying, I want to go vote with this party because they value and represent me.

As the Democratic Party became more liberal, Kivett said, it lost moderate voters in rural or exurban Pennsylvania.

 READ MORE: Joe Biden leads in a new Pennsylvania poll, but many are wary of secret Trump voters

One of the most dramatic examples of Republican gains is Westmoreland County. For decades, Westmoreland was a Democratic bastion, like many counties in Western Pennsylvania, made up of coal miners and factory workers. As industry left, allegiance to the Democratic Party once rooted in labor unions started to erode, said Scott Avolio, a former vice chair of the county GOP.

Westmoreland Republicans had started winning local elections before Trump, but his 2016 victory sealed the deal, Avolio said.

The perception was the unions and the Democratic Party is for the working people and Republicans are for the rich, Avolio said. But those jobs fell away and people began to be more Republican.

Avolio recalled getting shellacked himself when he ran for state Senate in 2004. Now the county is represented almost entirely by Republicans in Harrisburg.

Republican registration jumped by 10,200 voters over the last four years in Westmoreland County, while Democratic registration plummeted by 14,900.

State Rep. Jim Rigby experienced a similar shift in nearby Cambria County, where Democrats lost 7,200 voters in four years and Republicans gained 6,300. Rigby  a Republican in the former manufacturing hub of Johnstown  ran four times to unseat the incumbent Democrat in his district, finally winning in 2018. Now, in a district where Democrats still hold a slight voter-registration edge, he doesnt even have a challenger this November.

Our Democrats are pretty much in line with the majority of Republicans, Rigby said. Pro-life, Second Amendment. Hunting is big in this area, so those things were all there and people just got fed up and said, Im switching.

Rigby suspects that Republicans will continue to add voters. But hes unsure of what will happen in the presidential election, given that Biden is not nearly as unpopular as Clinton was in the region. Rigby isnt even sure whom hell vote for himself.

In my district, theres as many people that love him that hate him, and I wont take a side, Rigby said of Trump. I think if Donald Trump would just be a little more humble, he would probably win over a lot more people.

 READ MORE: An anti-Trump Republican group is courting soft Trump supporters in Pennsylvania with $1 million in ads

The majority of Republican growth comes from adding up small increases across the state. Since 2016, Schuylkill County, a GOP stronghold, grew Republican registrations by about 3,700 voters. Some of those are new voters Trump brought into politics, said the party chair there, Howard Merrick. And a lot are former Democrats, whose registrations decreased by 4,000.

The idea was that ... unionized workers would be more Democratic, Merrick said. In Schuylkill County, I dont believe that to be the case. Trump has resonated among the working class and the middle class here.

And its not just Republican counties seeing gains. Take Lackawanna, a longtime Democratic stronghold where Republicans are registering voters at a faster pace than Democrats. GOP chair Lance Stange said close to 1,000 Democrats switched parties so far this year. Of the 2,667 total voters added since November 2019, 72% are Republicans, he said.

Thats especially notable because Lackawanna County is home to Scranton  the early childhood home of Biden, who hopes to reclaim disenchanted Democrats there. Trump came within 3.5 points of winning Lackawanna County in 2016. Local elections, typically dominated by Democrats, have been much closer in the years since.

In the second-most Democratic county in ... the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, that shouldnt happen, Stange said. But its happening.

Democrats consolidate in Southeastern Pennsylvania

More than half of Pennsylvanias Democrats live in just six counties: deep-blue Philadelphia; Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh but also its Republican suburbs; and the Philadelphia suburbs of Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, and Chester Counties. Those six have an even greater share of Democrats today than four years ago.

Thats driven by the leftward march of the Philadelphia suburbs. And as the region has grown increasingly important for Democrats, it has also lost Republican voting power. Two decades ago, Philadelphia and its suburbs had about an equal share  one in three  of each partys statewide voters.

Today, about 41% of the states registered Democrats live in the area  compared with just 25% of Republicans.

In Delaware County, where Democrats swept local elections in 2019, close to 19,000 Democrats registered with the party in the last four years, as Republicans lost 12,000 voters.

Colleen Guiney, chair of the Delaware County Democrats, said voters joined as a rejection of Trumps candidacy in 2016 and his policies since then. Guiney said the local GOP completely embraced Trump, likely alienating some Republican voters.

They could see the Democratic Party had a different agenda, Guiney said.

State Sen. Sharif Street of Philadelphia, vice chair of the states Democratic Party, pointed to the success of progressive candidates as a hopeful sign.

A lot of that independent vote isnt what we used to see, which was independents as centrists, Street said. The Republican Party isnt really an option for them.

Street predicted that Republicans in suburban Philadelphia  voters who used to support such candidates as Tom Ridge and Arlen Specter  are fed up with Trump even if they havent left their party.

I think after this election were going to be talking about Biden Republicans the way we used to talk about Reagan Democrats, he said, recalling traditionally blue-collar Democrats who crossed over to support Ronald Reagan in the 1980s.

Democrats in the rest of the state are just trying to hang on.

State Rep. Frank Dermody, who represents parts of Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties, said Democrats know they need voters from his region. New Republicans, he said, might be having buyers remorse.

Your registered Republicans who dont necessarily agree with the way Trump has managed  not just the pandemic but issues of race and divisiveness and then this government or... his demeanor  I believe that Joe Biden can bring some of them back to the party, he said.

In Luzerne County, Republican registrations shot up in the last four years by 11,600 voters, while Democrats stayed about even.

 READ MORE: Trump and the RNC sued to tighten Pa. voting rules. Pennsylvania Democrats sued back.

Kathy Bozinski, chair of the Luzerne County Democrats, attributes the increase to Democrats  many of them older  switching parties. Her partys registration numbers didnt drop in tandem, though, because of an influx of new Democrats, many of them Black and Latino people moving into growing areas such as Hazleton.

To win in November, Democrats need to both turn out their base in the southeast and also bring out voters elsewhere in the state, Bozinski said. Those campaign pitches may sound different on doorsteps in West Philadelphia than they do in Westmoreland.

If you really do the math, at the end of the day, if Democrats statewide truly do come out and vote, then Im optimistic, Bozinski said. Even though were kind of breaking even here.
Spain reacted angrily on Tuesday to recommendations from Britain and Germany that their citizens avoid its islands and beaches because of an increase in coronavirus cases during what should be the height of the tourism season.

With advisories piling up on top of a quarantine order from Britain for returning travellers, Spain, which depends on summer visits by sun-seeking northern Europeans, is facing a major blow to any hopes of reviving its economy.

Tourism accounts for just over 12% of Spains GDP and nearly 13% of jobs. The country lost one million jobs between April and June, its biggest ever quarterly decline, and fears steeper losses as the summer season crashes.

Its very unfair because its not based on any sanitary criteria, Francina Armengol, the head of the key tourist Balearic region, told Cadena Ser radio of the travel advisories.

Britains decision had no logical explanation, Armengol said, adding that the archipelagos contagion rate was lower than that of the United Kingdom. The northern Spanish Aragon region said the no-travel advisories were discriminatory.

Their comments chimed with those of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who on Monday said it was a mistake for Britain to have considered Spains overall coronavirus rate rather than having a granular, regional approach.

On the streets of Madrid, the reaction was one of outrage.

It annoys me because its not as though they were especially better off than us, said Madrid resident Isabel Garcia, who works in marketing. Everyone is in a bad way, and the fact that they pick on Spain... It seems wrong.

But Britain stood firm, saying it would stick to the sudden quarantine announced on Saturday and its late Monday move to extend a travel advisory against travel in mainland Spain to the Canary and Balearic islands.

OUR JOB TO ACT SWIFTLY

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday Britain would take action to impose quarantines on other countries should Covid-19 infections rise.

Im afraid if we do see signs of a second wave in other countries, it is really our job, our duty, to act swiftly and decisively to stop travellers coming back from those places seeding the disease here in the UK, he told reporters.

The only glimmer of hope for Spain came from Britains junior transport minister Charlotte Vere, who said that while London would continue to make decisions on a country-wide basis, it was looking at setting quarantine rules for different regions in the future. She gave no time frame.

Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said Madrid was working on convincing London to soften its stance.

We are still talking to British authorities, explaining that the outbreaks in Spain are under control ... and making sure that the measures taken by Britain respond to epidemiological criteria and no other criteria that have nothing to do with Covid, Laya told reporters in Athens.

Britons make up the biggest group of foreign tourists in Spain, with some 18 million travelling there last year, just over a fifth of the total number of visitors. Some 11.2 million Germans visited Spain, making them the second-largest group.

Britains quarantine alone could cost Spanish tourism 10 billion euros ($11.73 billion) in lost revenue, Jorge Marichal, the head of tourism association CEHAT, told La Sexta television.

Spain has recorded 278,782 coronavirus cases and 28,434 deaths, but the infection rates, which have jumped since a nationwide lockdown ended in June, vary widely from region to region. Catalonia and Aragon have seen the highest increases in the past weeks.

Britain has, however, been the hardest-hit country in Europe. Some 300,111 people have tested positive for coronavirus and there have been 45,759 deaths.

Theyre pointing the finger at others when they have the same situation, Spaniard Mercedes Blanco said as she sat down to lunch with her daughter during a visit to Madrid.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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The first five Rafale fighter jets bought from France in a multi-billion-dollar deal landed in India on Wednesday, and the defence minister used their arrival to launch a veiled warning to neighbouring China over territorial tensions. A water-cannon guard of honour greeted the five jets when they landed at the Ambala air base in Haryana state. India has bought 36 Rafale fighters from France in a deal estimated to be worth $9.4 billion. All are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2021. An intense nationwide spotlight on the combat jets has been sharpened by a deadly border standoff with China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the jets with a tweet in Sanskrit: "There is no sacrifice like the national defence; there is no good deed like the national defence; there is no practice like national defence." Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the arrival of the fighter jets marked "the beginning of a new era in our military history". The jets will make the Indian Air Force "much stronger to deter any threat that may be posed on our country", he added in a series of tweets. "If it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity," Singh said. Singh did not directly name China, but media and observers said his comments were clearly aimed at the neighbouring giant. - 'Capacity booster' - Security was tight around Ambala air base for the jets' arrival, with local residents warned not to stand on their roofs to take photos or shoot video, local media reported. Indian and Chinese forces have been in a six-week-long standoff on their Himalayan border since a hand-to-hand battle in which 20 Indian troops were killed. China also suffered casualties in the showdown but has not given figures. The two sides blame each other for the clash in the Ladakh region and have since moved thousands of troops there while pursuing talks that they say aim to ease the tensions. India acknowledges it is behind China and other key nations in military firepower, and the purchase of the Rafale jets is one of many made in a bid to bolster its 1.4 million-strong army. New Delhi has also been eager to update its ageing fighter-jet force amid tensions with nuclear-armed neighbours China and Pakistan. Sameer Patil, an international security studies expert at the Gateway House think-tank, said the jets were a "much-needed capacity booster". "It will help India to deal with the heightened nature of the Chinese threat, as it becomes clear that the current territorial stand-off in Ladakh will stretch into the winter months." The purchase of the French jets marked a significant shift in India's traditional preference for Russian defence equipment. The main opposition Congress party had alleged corruption in the deal but the government strongly denied any misconduct and a top court said there was no evidence for an investigation. French firm Dassault is in competition to sell more of the jets to India, which has said it will need more than 150 additional combat aircraft for its navy and air force.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), left, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) don't really want employees to be safe at work. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)

If you were looking for evidence that Republicans in Congress have no sympathy for workers facing illness or worse from the COVID-19 pandemic, look past the party's proposal to cut unemployment benefits.

Instead, focus on the provision in its coronavirus relief bill that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) calls a must-have in any bill that passes: liability protection for employers whose employees get sick at work.

This proposal has received scant attention in coverage of the GOP plan. But it's more vicious than you could possibly imagine.

Ensuring that workers and consumers can hold companies accountable for their actions is critical to establishing a safe reopening of our economy.

Celine McNicholas and Margaret Poydock, EPI

The GOP proposal would erect almost insurmountable obstacles to lawsuits by workers who become infected with the coronavirus at their workplaces.

It would absolve employers of responsibility for taking any but the most minimal steps to make their workplaces safe. It would preempt tough state workplace safety laws (not that there are very many of them).

And while shutting the courthouse door to workers, it would allow employers to sue workers for demanding safer conditions.

This is the provision that McConnell has described as his "red line" in negotiations over the next coronavirus relief bill, meaning that he intends to demand that it be incorporated in anything passed on Capitol Hill and sent to President Trump for his signature. The provision would be retroactive to Dec. 1, 2019, and remain in effect at least until Oct. 1, 2024.

The GOP proposal would make workplaces immeasurably more hazardous for workers, and also for customers. That's because litigation  or the threat of litigation  is one of the bulwarks of workplace safety enforcement.

Without confidence that workplaces are safe, employees will be reluctant to come to work and customers reluctant to walk in the door.

Story continues

"Ensuring that workers and consumers can hold companies accountable for their actions is critical to establishing a safe reopening of our economy," Celine McNicholas and Margaret Poydock of the labor-associated Economic Policy Institute have observed.

The proposal would supersede such federal worker safeguards as the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, among others.

In plain English, the Republicans are proposing to eviscerate almost all workplace protections at the moment when the threat to workers' health may be at its highest in a century. Let's not overlook that federal enforcement of workplace safety is anything but strong to begin with. The maximum OSHA penalty is $13,494 per violation.

That's "insufficient to serve as a deterrent," McNicholas and Poydock say. "Companies merely factor these penalties into the cost of doing business."

In a surfeit of irony, or perhaps cynicism, the GOP titled its measure the "Safeguarding Americas Frontline Employees To Offer Work Opportunities Required to Kickstart the Economy Act," or the "SAFE TO WORK Act."

The measure, which was formally introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), states that it's aimed at "discouraging insubstantial lawsuits relating to COVID-19." It doesn't define "insubstantial," however.

The Republican proposal is more draconian than measures in some of the nine states that have given businesses immunity from lawsuits in the COVID-19 pandemic. It reflects a long-term conservative goal of absolving businesses from responsibility for conditions in their workplaces.

The campaign has been spearheaded by the Koch-backed American Legislative Exchange Council, which has been developing a model law on the subject for state legislatures.

Like the federal proposal, the state laws generally allow lawsuits only in cases of "gross negligence or willful misconduct" and require that plaintiffs show the defendant's fault by "by clear and convincing evidence."

That's a higher bar than the typical requirement of "preponderance" of the evidence, which has sometimes been described as a balance in which one side's case outweighs the other by even a smidgen.

Let's take a look at the particulars.

The bill would move all liability cases to federal court, which instantly would increase the costs for plaintiffs. But it also imposes huge obstacles to even filing a claim.

In their initial pleadings, plaintiffs would have to list "all places and persons" they had visited and all persons who visited their home during the 14 days before they suffered symptoms of COVID-19.

They would have to explain specifically why they believed that none of those persons or places were the cause of their infection. They would have to submit "proof" of the employer's "particular state of mind."

What requirements would employers have to meet to be immune from a lawsuit or from any enforcement action by a federal, state or local regulator? Not many.

They'd have to show that they had been "exploring options" to comply with federal employment law, or had determined that the risk of harm to public health or the health of employees could not be "reduced or eliminated by reasonably modifying policies, practices, or procedures."

In other words, an employer could exempt itself from federal labor law by examining its "options" or deciding that maintaining a safe workplace was just too darned hard to achieve. If a business issued or posted a written policy on limiting transmission of the coronavirus, that would be enough to achieve immunity from lawsuits.

"If a business printed out a [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guideline and called it a policy, voila, they get a presumption they made reasonable effort," observes Max Kennerly, a Philadelphia plaintiffs' attorney who examined the GOP measure in detail and posted his concerns on Twitter.

But the measure also says that a lack of a written policy can't be held against the business in court.

The measure incorporates another item on the GOP's wish list of litigation obstacles: a limitation on damages. It says that plaintiffs can only collect for actual damages unless they can show "willful misconduct" by the employer, and that even in that case punitive damages can't exceed actual damages.

This is a familiar stratagem aimed at making it uneconomic to bring so-called tort lawsuits. Plaintiffs' lawyers typically work on contingency arrangements  they shoulder the costs of a lawsuit with the expectation that they'll cover those costs, plus a profit, from a jury's punitive award if they win.

Limiting punitive awards means that in many cases there won't be enough money even to break even, much less earn a living. Ergo, tort lawyers will be loath to take COVID cases. For the GOP, this is mission accomplished.

The most obnoxious provision of the GOP proposal is one that shifts the liability in COVID cases from the employer to employee. This provision allows employers to sue employees or their representatives for bringing a claim for a COVID infection and offering to settle out of court.

Most specifically, the measure mentions "demand letters." These are communications to a prospective defendant setting forth the facts of the claim, evidence assembled by the plaintiff, a reckoning of the potential damages and a statement of how much the plaintiff would accept to make the case go away. Here's a sample letter published by the San Francisco law firm Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn.

These documents are often designed as an opening brief in a negotiation; because neither side in an injury case really wants to go to trial, they make sense. The GOP bill would make anyone offering to settle, either through a demand letter or otherwise, liable to be sued for damages if the case they're making is "meritless." That's another term that's undefined in the measure.

Unlike the limitation on damages elsewhere in the bill, by the way, the punitive damages that can be awarded to employers bringing these lawsuits aren't capped.

The measure also gives the attorney general the right to bring his own lawsuit in such cases. As a result, Kennerly observes, Atty. Gen. William Barr would get the right "to sue unions, labor activists, lawyers, doctors  everyone involved in coronavirus claims."

So let's not pretend that the Republicans have the welfare or health of working Americans at heart. They may talk about the virtues of work and the need to get workers back on the job for their own health and that of the economy.

The "SAFE AT WORK Act" proves with every line that they're lying. Democrats on Capitol Hill should draw their own red line against it, and not budge an inch.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson continued his contrarian stance on the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday night, defending a viral video of fringe doctors peddling COVID-19 falsehoods and claiming the group was only attacked because they criticized the sainted Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Hours after President Donald Trump doubled down on his support for the doctorsincluding eccentric pediatrician Dr. Stella Immanuel, who has previously said demon sperm causes gynecological ailmentsCarlson kicked off his primetime program by railing against social media platforms for cracking down on the videos disinformation.

The video, livestreamed by far-right digital outlet Breitbart on Monday, featured a press summit funded by right-wing political group Tea Party Patriots. Prior to being taken down by Facebook, the video racked up nearly 20 million views on Monday evening. Besides claiming controversial anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine could prevent and even cure coronavirus, Americas Frontline Doctors also said masks and social distancing were unnecessary to prevent the spread of the virus.

Claiming that theres an incentive for Democrats to have coronavirus cause more damage as it hurts Trump politically, the Fox News star tied the removal of the video to the 2020 presidential election, claiming it was only taken down because Trump retweeted it and that enraged Democrats.

Any scientific advancement that reduces the suffering of Americans in the election year is a threat to Joe Bidens campaign so they decided to pull the video off the internet, Carlson huffed.

After comparing social media companies to Chinese authorities, Carlson told his viewers that he works for one of the very few mass media companies not controlled by Google and Facebook and therefore would show them clips from the video.

Reiterating his belief that the video was only removed to help presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden win, Carlson aired comments from Immanuel excitedly declaring that the cure for COVID is hydroxychloroquine.

Story continues

Dr. Immanuels claim is harder for us to endorse, Carlson said. Is hydroxychloroquine part of the cure for the coronavirus? We dont know the answer. We do know that many front-line physicians around the world have prescribed hydroxychloroquine and continue to prescribe it.

Recent studies and trials, however, have shown that the anti-malaria drug is not effective in preventing or treating coronavirus. The Federal Drug Administration has also rescinded emergency use for the medication as a treatment, citing potential deadly side effects.

After saying the science is not settled on the drugFox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel would tell Carlson later in the program that hydroxychloroquine has shown little benefitthe Fox host claimed Immanuel was facing backlash because she criticized Fauci, the face of the White Houses coronavirus task force.

That clip enraged them. Because above all, you must never mock the sainted Anthony Fauci, Carlson said after airing Immanuels anti-Fauci remarks. Under no circumstances can you note that Dr. Fauci is, in fact, very often a hypocritical buffoon who refuses to admit what he clearly doesnt know.

If you say that out loud they will cancel you, he continued. Fauci is too useful to the Biden campaign, so until November, Faucis word must be law even if it doesnt make sense. Criticize Fauci and you will disappear from the internet.

Besides taking more gratuitous shots at Fauci, Carlson also took aim at this publication for reporting on Immanuels many bizarre claims, such as her beliefs that doctors use alien DNA in medications and that the government is overrun by reptilian aliens.

Googles countless toadies online did the cleanup work, the ugly stuff, Carlson groused. The Daily Beast attacked Dr. Immanuel for getting her medical degree in Africa and then suggested she believed in witchcraftbecause you know Africans do that, right?! Huh.

He went on to claim that while the Beast is fine with political correctness most of the time, this outlet was happy to help destroy Immanuel because it is an election season.

The Houston-based pediatrician and minister appeared unfazed, however, even publicly thanking this outlet for doing a "great job summarizing" her work.

Carlsons shot at The Daily Beast comes just a few weeks after this publication reported that Fox News staffers have become incensed over the racist rhetoric and white supremacist crap aired nightly on his show. And earlier this month, Carlson went on a pre-planned vacation days after his head writer resigned when he was outed as an outspoken racist.

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A Ho Chi Minh City street cart inspires a new understandingand personal takeon the versatile sandwich

In the past, when I thought of a Vietnamese banh mi, I expected a somewhat universally accepted definition, a traditional composition as specific as a classic cocktail: a French baguette with sliced deli-style pork sausage (cha lua), pate, a couple of veggie ingredients, and mayo.

A trip to Ho Chi Minh City cured me of that limited scope.

Late afternoon found me and my wife Tip peckish, strolling the streets of Saigon until we encountered a food cart at the corner of a busy street and an alley. A cordon of pedestrians and motorbike patrons blocked the view and piqued my interest.

At the center, a woman assembled baguette sandwiches with expert speed, wrapping them in paper and rubber bands and lining them up on an upper shelf until an order was complete. Then she slipped half a dozen or more of them into a plastic bag, exchanged them for cash thrust out over the heads of crowding customers, and returned to assembly as the prized payload sped off into traffic hanging from the handlebars of a Honda Scoopy.

She paused, out of meat, and her daughter hurried down the alley with an empty tray to where her grandmother sat before a smoky grill on the pavement, turning little meat patties over the glowing coals with a pair of chopsticks. Whats this then?

Grilling pork patties to order. (James Clark/NomadicNotes.com)

Bread in a Land of Rice

As it turns out, the term I mistook for a particular sandwich actually just translates as baked wheat, i.e., bread. In the late 19th century, French colonization brought baguettes to the region then known as French Indochina, and the Vietnamese adapted the long, crispy-crust loaves to their cuisine, swapping the chewiness and irregular air pockets of the original for a crumb that is airy and light.

These baguettes form the base of a variety of sandwiches, which are now often also referred to as banh mi, but have more specific names and styles. What Ive always thought of as the quintessential version is banh mi thit nguoi, made with cold cuts and pig liver pate, but banh mi can be filled with many different meats, such as chicken, beef, fish patties, pork floss, or sardines, as well as vegetarian options. Some ingredients are shredded, sliced, or chopped, and served stewed, grilled, or unheated. Banh mi trung op la is a fried egg sandwich typically eaten at breakfast; banh mi kep kem is a couple scoops of ice cream in a baguette.

What wed encounteredwe thinkwas banh mi xiu mai, a ground pork meatball sandwichthough most recipes we found online added jicama and an egg to those meatballs to soften them, and cooked them in a broth rather than on a smoky grill.

Banh Mi 37 Nguyen Trai is both the name and the address of the street corner parking spot of that food cart run by three generations of women. They serve fresh baguettes, cut open and filled with a layer of pork patties right off the grill, slices of cucumber, and a mix of pickled carrot and daikon called do chua. The sandwiches are finished with a mild sort of barbecue sauce (possibly based in Maggi seasoning sauce, a ubiquitous vegetable-based protein sauce that looks like soy sauce and varies in recipe based on regional tastes), a bit of cilantro, and crushed red chili peppers.

We jockeyed for a position to get a couple and immediately regretted not ordering four right away. The crust crackled and flaked between our teeth, and a melange of flavors followed: smoky, tender meat; chili heat balanced with cooling cucumbers; that tiny but unmistakable hint of cilantro; and the salty, tangy sauce mingling with the sweet-sour pickled do chua.

We observed, we dissected, and we devoured, and upon returning from our trip, this version of banh mi became a staple in our home kitchen.

Tips banh mi with Thai-style pork patties. (Kevin Revolinski)

Tips Banh Mi With Thai-Style Pork Patties

Rather than try to duplicate the superior original, it seemed only fitting that an edible amalgam of two cultures could take a touch from a third when we brought this dish home: Tip puts her Thai twist on the pork patties by adding thin-cut pieces of Makrut lime leaves and Thai fish sauce, which tends to be a bit saltier and bolder than its Vietnamese counterpart. She fries them in a cast-iron pan on the stovetop, so we get a bit of Maillard reaction, but we miss the smoke from the outdoor grill.

Vietnamese-style baguettes may be hard to come by, but cookbook author and cooking teacher Andrea Nguyen recommends a Mexican bolillo as a close substitute. We often use ready-bake baguettes, pulled from the freezer and ready in about 10 minutes.

Only the meat marination and the do chua require a bit of preparation in advance. Then, its build-your-own banh mi come mealtime.

Serves 4

For the Do Chua (Pickled Carrots and Daikon)

1 pound carrots

1 pound daikon

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

For the Pork Patties

1 pound ground pork, 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio (anything too lean may require a bit of oil, or a mix of egg and starch, as common in other meatball recipes)

2 teaspoons fish sauce (Squid Brand)

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Makrut lime leaves, cut into tiny strips (optional)

To Assemble

A fresh baguette

Mayo

Sriracha sauce and/or chili paste

Cucumber, cut into long, thin slices

Sliced jalapenos

Cilantro

The day before, prepare the do chua: Shred the carrot and daikon into strands 1/8 inch-thick and 23 inches long. You can shred them with a box grater or julienne them with a knife, but a mandoline makes short order of the work and doles out perfectly uniform pieces.

Add 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and massage the carrot and daikon pieces for a couple minutes. You will find they shrink a tiny bit as they release some of their juices, and become pliable but retain a light crunch. When they can be bent without breaking, rinse them, strain them, and put them in a sterilized jar large enough to hold all the ingredients.

In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture cool a bit, then pour it over the vegetables in the jar.

Seal and store the jar in the fridge. Its OK to eat soon after, but its best to wait a day. (Weve kept this in the fridge for at least a month, though the flavors may diminish over time. Dont be deterred by the smell you get when you first open the jarits the sulfur in the daikon. Still, you might want to turn the fan on.)

At least an hour in advance, make the pork patties: Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, playing with the sauces to make a flavor combination to your liking. Cover and let rest in the fridge for an hour or more, to let the flavors develop.

Form the meat into small patties by hand, or use a cookie-cutter, narrow glass, or other round edge to cut them uniformly. We make ours about 2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.

Fry the patties in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until nicely browned on the outside but thoroughly cooked in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Assemble the banh mi: Cut open the baguette lengthwise and add mayo and a line of Sriracha sauce (or other sauces) along the insides. Lay down the pork patties, and then top with cucumber slices, jalapeno slices, do chua, sprigs of cilantro, and perhaps some chili paste.

Leftovers keep nicely in the refrigerator, so you can eat this again in a couple of days by reheating the patties (or not!).

Kevin Revolinski is an avid traveler and the author of 15 books, including The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey and several outdoor and brewery guidebooks. He is based in Madison, Wis., and his website is TheMadTraveler.com
29.07.2020 LISTEN

Five suspects have surrendered themselves to arrest in connection with the lynching of a 90-year-old woman who was accused of being a witch at Kafaba in the Savanna Region.

Class91.3FMs Savanna regional correspondent, Rauf Zion, reported that the suspects are known members of a youth group of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality.

The arrests were made by a special team of personnel from Accra and handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Savanna Regional Police Command at Domongo.

The statements of the five suspects have been taken following their interrogation.

They are to be arraigned within the week.

Meanwhile, the chief of Kafaba, Kafabawura Yahaya Zakariah, has been granted bail after the arrest of the five suspects.

On Monday, 27 July 2020, President Nana Akufo-Addo, while touring the region, said the lynching has disfigured the face of our nation.

Mr Akufo-Addo said he hopes the quick response of the police will lead to the rapid administration of justice in this unfortunate matter.

In a statement, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council added its voice to those of other well-meaning Ghanaians in calling for serious investigations and arrest of all those involved in this heinous crime, which can best be described as very cruel and barbaric.

The Council emphasised: We must, at all cost, seek justice for this 90-year-old woman and all those who have suffered such atrocities in the past.

According to the Council, it is heart-breaking to note that in this modern-day and age, our society seems to be drifting into an era of lawlessness where some people can take the law into their own hands.

There is an urgent need to inject some discipline and sanity into our everyday behaviour as a society.

We must intensify our education of the public on what their rights as citizens are and what they can do or not do so as to make the society a safe and secure place to live in, it added.

The Council further indicated: There is also the need to consider whether it is not time to close down witch camps which are predominantly found in the Northern Regions and find ways and means of reintegrating inmates of such camps, who are mostly elderly women and sometimes their children and grandchildren, into the society.

The GPCC added that the lessons of such gruesome murders must be used to right the wrongs in our society. The elderly, weak and vulnerable must be targeted for the care and protection of our society.

---classfmonline
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Some 2,810 tourists from Azerbaijan visited Turkey in June 2020, which is 96.49 percent less compared to the same period in 2019, Trend reports on July 29 referring to Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The share of Azerbaijani citizens in the total number of foreigners visiting Turkey in June 2020 amounted to 1.31 percent.

From January through June 2020, 127,379 tourists from Azerbaijan visited Turkey, which is 63.77 percent less compared to the same period in 2019.

The share of Azerbaijani citizens in the total number of foreigners visiting Turkey in the reporting period amounted to 2.83 percent.

According to the ministry, in June 2020, 214,768 tourists visited Turkey, which is 95.96 percent less compared to June 2019.

In the first six months of this year, over 4.5 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 75.06 percent less than in the same period of 2019.

Some 901,723 citizens of Azerbaijan visited Turkey in 2019, which is 5.03 percent more compared to 2018.

The share of Azerbaijani citizens in the total number of foreigners visiting Turkey in 2019 amounted to 2 percent.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @rhafizoglu
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

Trend:

Azerbaijans Ambassador to Tajikistan Hasan Mammadzade held meeting with the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country Khusrav Noziri, a source in the Azerbaijani embassy told Trend.

During the meeting initiated by the embassy, the Tajik side was informed about the recent military provocations carried out by the Armenian armed forces units in Azerbaijans Tovuz district direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border to seize new positions. It was stressed that Armenia has committed the provocation in order to undermine the negotiation process on the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Noziri expressed the concern of the Tajik side over the growing tension on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, which led to losses on both sides.

The meeting participants also conducted exchange of opinions on preparatory work for the upcoming meeting of the Azerbaijan-Tajik Intergovernmental Commission, the current status and prospects of the bilateral relations in various fields.
Teachers Union Threatens Safety Strikes Over Schools Reopening Plan

The nations second largest teachers union is telling its members to go on safety strikes if their schools reopening plan doesnt meet the groups safety requirements.

Randi Weingarten, the president of the 1.7 million member-strong American Federation of Teachers (AFT), announced on Tuesday that the union has passed a resolution affirming support for any local chapter that decides to strike over reopening plans that are deemed unsafe.

During an online AFT convention, Weingarten blamed the Trump administration for pressuring schools to reopen amid the ongoing pandemic, saying it has left teachers and parents afraid and angry.

If authorities dont protect the safety and health of those we represent and those we servenothing is off the table, she said. Not advocacy or protests, negotiations, grievances or lawsuits, or, if necessary and authorized by a local union, as a last resort, safety strikes.

The AFT resolution calls on school districts to reopen only when the areas average daily community infection rate among those tested for COVID-19 is below 5 percent and the transmission rate is below 1 percent, a standard that could be difficult to meet. It also demands schools implement mandatory face covering for students and staff, 6-feet physical distancing, disinfection of facilities and buses, and special accommodations for teachers at greater risk of health problems if they contract COVID-19.

Weingarten also pledged to fight what the union considered unsafe and unsound plans through lawsuits and labor grievances. The AFTs Florida chapter filed a lawsuit last week against Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in an effort to block the states emergency order to reopen schools in August. DeSantis, in response, argued that he wanted to make sure families have the option if they decide in-person learning is best for their children.

The AFT resolution comes as the latest COVID-19 relief bill, proposed by the Senate Republicans, ties most of the relief fund to school reopening. A third of the $70 billion set aside for K-12 education would go to all public and private schools, regardless of their reopening plans in the fall. The remaining two-thirds, however, would be available specifically to help schools with the additional costs to reopen for in-person instruction.

Weingarten decried the proposed bill, blaming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for obstructing the plan proposed by House Democrats in May, which would allocate $100 billion for K-12 schools without limiting relief funds to those planning to offer in-person learning.

The AFT in March endorsed Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for the 2020 presidential race. Biden has also received endorsement of the National Education Association, the nations largest labor union.
Brandon polices armoured rescue vehicle was deployed on three days for firearm searches in its first six months, but also to approximately 28 birthday parades.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Brandon polices armoured rescue vehicle was deployed on three days for firearm searches in its first six months, but also to approximately 28 birthday parades.

The Sun filed freedom of information requests for each instance the vehicle was deployed since police acquired it in December 2019. Documents show that as of June 24, it was deployed on three days for five separate search warrants around the city.

In those searches, police seized a total of five rifles, one loaded shotgun, two airsoft rifles, one CO2 handgun, 100 rounds of ammunition, bear spray and approximately 0.6 kilograms of cocaine, according to city documents.

The first deployment was on Jan. 16 to the 300 block of 15th Street. The ARV was deployed again on March 18 to three locations: the 1000 block of 10th Street, to Meadowlark Trailer Court and to the 600 block of 16th Street. The third deployment was on March 20 to the 300 block of Maryland Avenue.

The BPS filed "numerous charges for firearm and drug-related offences" from those search warrants, according to the citys accessibility and privacy officer, Ian Richards.

Brandon police Chief Wayne Balcaen said it is difficult to predict how often it will be used in a year, but the use so far this year is about average. He said the deployments earlier this year were considered "high risk" as they involved guns.

"I think it went well, (the ARV) is also used to transport out tactical members to the scene, and its then there at the scene should things turn where we have to make use of it," Balcaen said.

"Our goal on any of these is to resolve any incident peacefully. When we get called out to this its because the situation has got to a point where we need to deploy special resources."

The vehicle  built specifically for BPS by Terradyne Armored Vehicles Inc. was purchased by the province for $400,000 through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund. It was first announced last summer, but delivered just before Christmas last year.

The tactical vehicle, which stands approximately nine and a half feet tall and carries up to 10 officers, is available to respond to high-risk incidents in Brandon and surrounding communities in southwestern Manitoba.

An interior view of Brandon Police Service's armoured rescue vehicle on display during the vehicle's unveiling last year. (File)

While the ARV was deployed on three days for search warrants, it was sent out much more frequently for birthday parades first responders put on in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the 156 childrens birthday parades put on by emergency services in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the armoured vehicle was deployed an estimated 28 times.

"Whether or not the vehicle was sent on parades was dependent on whether or not the ARV was at the BPS station, being used by members of the tactical team for training, vehicle familiarization, or other purposes," Richards said.

"The estimate of 28 parades involving the ARV was arrived at by the head of the tactical team asking members approximately how many parades they thought they had participated in using the ARV, and then totalling the estimates they provided."

Chris Schneider, a sociology professor at Brandon University who researches policing, said using the ARV in birthday parades is a way for police to normalize a military-style vehicle.

"Part of that is a way of conditioning the public to accept these vehicles," he said.

"When you can get kids to think that they are cool or neat and play around them, it starts early. Why do the police need a vehicle  that is specifically meant to be used in circumstances where there is an armed conflict or an armed conflict with police, and now its making an appearance in birthday parades? Theres a disjuncture there."

Balcaen said during the vehicles unveiling that it is not armed with any weapons and it meant strictly as a rescue vehicle. He said it is not used for militarization or in offensive manners.

Considering the number of deployments in the first six months, Schneider said the $400,000 the province spent on the vehicle may have been better spent on other police resources.

"When you take $400,000 and divide it by three, are we really getting our bang for our buck here? I think the money probably would have been better suited to maybe hiring two mental health crisis workers to go on calls  lots of calls to service are to people in mental health crisis," he said.

The need for the vehicle is still present, Balcaen said. The provinces decision to buy the vehicle followed a period where BPSs Emergency Response Team was sent out 14 times in 2018 and six times in 2019.

Brandon Police Service Chief Wayne Balcaen speaks during the unveiling of service's armoured response vehicle last year. (File)

"I liken this to any other piece of equipment," Balcaen said.

"I would rather have it available and not use it and make sure that its there to protect our police officers. Very similar to a fire apparatus, like a ladder truck or something like that, it might only be used a few times a year, but when we need it is its there to protect the citizens."

The RCMP recently used a similar tactical vehicle during an incident near Onanole earlier in July. Officers used it to breach the door of a house where a man was allegedly inside with guns. The man had a self-inflicted injury, but officers were able to provide first aid.

"Its cases like that that show the value of what it can be used for to assist people," Balcaen said.

Despite this, Schneider said armoured vehicles are still a "hard sell" to the public, especially given the recent protests over police brutality across Canada and in the United States.

"The public has not been happy, generally speaking, with the militarization of the police.  I find it puzzling, given that has been the conversation for six years publicly amongst communities that police services would continue along the path of appearing to become more militarized, and this armoured vehicle is certainly a symbol of that."

Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen was not available for an interview on Tuesday, but sent a statement about the armoured vehicle via email.

"The armoured rescue vehicle is a valuable asset to enhance public safety not only in the City of Brandon, but other communities in Westman and across southern Manitoba," Cullen wrote. "While it is housed with the Brandon Police Service, the vehicle is available for use by police services across western and southern Manitoba.

"Its critical to note this equipment is an additional tool to ensure the safety of the public and police officers. Our government is committed to enhancing public safety for all Manitobans, and we are also committed to doing our part to ensure officers can go home after work to their loved ones. Its also worth noting this equipment was purchased through Criminal Property Forfeiture and Federal Proceeds of Crime funds, not by Manitoba taxpayers."

While the vehicle is available to jurisdictions outside Brandon, the Sun is not aware of it having been deployed outside of Brandon.

The Winnipeg Police Service also has an ARV, which was purchased in 2015 for $342,800. According to the CBC, it was deployed 78 times in 2018, including for 34 tactical unit deployments and 21 warrant executions.

 dmay@brandonsun.com and cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_ and @ColinSlark
Pune: The beaming Omprakash Babar wants to pursue Computer Engineering and he is all excited after scoring 93.6% in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination as a profound deaf student. Babar secured 100 in Sanskrit and 98 in Mathematics.

The 15-year-old student of Samaratha Madhyamik School, Keshavnagar, Chinchwad, was born with a hearing deficiency. Anybody who cannot hear a sound below 90dB has profound deafness.

We discovered his inability to hear when he was three years old. I bought him a hearing aid when he turned four and began speech therapy at More hospital, which has NGO Cochlea Pune for Hearing and Speech centre, for two years, said Sonika Babar, Omprakashs mother.

Looking at his fast improvement, his mother enrolled him in a normal school, after his training in Swaranad in Kothurd where he was trained with speech therapy and other methods for almost a year.

He loves to read and study new things and is always with books, so much so that I have to push him out of the house to play or do something to relax his mind, said Sonika, who is also a special education teacher at Swaranad.

I want to become a computer engineer and loves Science and Maths. I would revise and solve papers every day in preparation for the SSC exams. I was confident of getting over 90 per cent and am very happy with my result, said Omprakash.
tech2 News Staff

NASA has already announced the new batch of astronauts that will be travelling to the International Space Station as part of SpaceX's Crew Dragon 2.

The astronauts are a mix of astronauts from NASA and the space agency's international partners. They include Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, who will also serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet will also be accompanying them.

The four Crew-2 astronauts have a mission duration of around six months and will be sharing the space station with three other astronauts who will be launched on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. There will be a total of seven members aboard which will be a drastic increase over the number of current occupants.

The space station has six sleeping quarters, two bathrooms, a gym, and a 360-degree view bay window and can accommodate around 10 members at one time. A minimum of three crew members have to be constantly present on the ISS to ensure it is working.

The Crew Dragon-2 mission is expected to launch with the selected astronauts in 2021. If all goes well, this will be the third time that SpaceX will be launching astronauts into space after the Demo-2 mission that launched on 30 May 2020, and the Crew-1 mission which is due to launch in September this year.

Currently, NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are on the ISS as part of the first experimental crew mission, Demo-2. They are set to return to Earth on 2 August.

All four Crew-2 astronauts are space veterans who have been to the ISS multiple times.

Have you heard the news? Our very own @Astro_Megan and @astro_kimbrough will be on the 2nd operational @SpaceX Crew Dragon flight! They will be joined by @Thom_astro of @esa, and @Aki_Hoshide of @JAXA_en. Follow them as they prepare for their upcoming mission pic.twitter.com/9QBGQ00WhF  NASA Astronauts (@NASA_Astronauts) July 28, 2020

Space missions will become a family affair with the launch of McArthur who is married to Demo-2 astronauts Behnken. She has gone to space twice but has made only one trip to the space station in 2004 and was part of the last Hubble telescope servicing mission in 2009 where she spent 12 days and 21 hours in space.

This will be Kimbroughs third trip to space and his second long-duration stay at the space station. He first launched aboard space shuttle Endeavour for a visit to the station in 2008 and again aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft for Expedition 49/50 in 2016. He has spent a total of 189 days in space and has performed six spacewalks.

Crew-2 will be Hoshide third spaceflight as he was part of Expeditions 32 and 33 and in 2012 he spent 124-days at the ISS. He was also part of the Japanese crew that in June 2008 installed the Kibo's Pressurized Module (PM) on the ISS. He has spent 140 days 17 hours 26 minutes in space.

ESA astronaut @thom_astro is the first European to be assigned to fly on a @SpaceX #CrewDragon to the @Space_Station. He will fly on its second crewed operational flight, Crew-2, scheduled for launch in early 2021, with a mission name #Alpha  https://t.co/9Sjq15ej4h #USCV2 pic.twitter.com/diC4h8YOoL  ESA (@esa) July 28, 2020

Pesquet is an ESA astronaut that has been to the ISS on two previous occasions as part of Expeditions 50/51 and Expedition 64/65. He was launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and has spent 196 days in space.
Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and moving in socially distanced groups have started arriving in Mecca for what may be the most scaled-down hajj in history.

Coronavirus restrictions mean just 1,000 visitors are being allowed into Islams holiest city for the annual event  compared with around 2.5 million people normally.

The limitations mean only Muslims already living in Saudi Arabia  the location of Mecca  and aged between 20 and 50 are being allowed to take part. The holy Kabah, the religions most sacred site, will be cordoned off over the full five days.

Authorities in the kingdom are desperate to prevent a further spike in Covid-19 cases: more than 270,000 people have already been infected in the country, making it one of the worst-hit places in the world.

There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but [downsizing] is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic, said Khalid bin Qarar al-Harbi, Saudi Arabias director of public security.

He added that all pilgrims would be required to wear masks and observe social distancing at all times during the series of religious rites that are completed as part of hajj.

They will be subject to temperature checks on arrival in Mecca, while state media has already shown health workers sanitising the luggage of visitors.

Rather than eating together with others from around the world, pilgrims will be expected to dine in small groups at their hotels. They are being asked to wear electronic wristbands so authorities can monitor their movements.

Pebbles which are usually picked up by pilgrims as part of the ritual  to symbolise the casting away of evil  have been sterilised and bagged up ahead of time by authorities.

The hajj  a pilgrimage which follows a route the Prophet Muhammad walked nearly 1,400 years ago  is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is an obligation for all able-bodied Muslims to complete at least once in their lifetime.
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Kim Kardashian looked downcast as she was spotted touching down in Los Angeles on Tuesday following a tense reunion with husband Kanye West.

The 39-year-old reality star was seen alone after her trip to see her embattled spouse in Cody, Wyoming, for crisis talks following the rapper's concerning Twitter rants and a bizarre presidential campaign rally where the rapper divulged personal information about the couple's relationship.

Kim was seen in white sweats as she exited her private jet with her hair tied up in a bun. She kept her head down and appeared to wipe her cheek as she got into a waiting SUV.

Home without her husband: Kim Kardashian arrived back in Los Angeles on Tuesday alone after marriage crisis talks with Kanye West in Wyoming

Flying visit: The 39-year-old KUWTK star looked downcast as she was seen alone after her trip to see her embattled spouse for crisis talks following the rapper's concerning Twitter rants and a bizarre presidential campaign rally

A source told Dailymail.com that Kim is back in LA to be with the kids while Kanye finishes up his latest album.

The TV star reunited with Kanye on Monday for the first time in weeks as the couple were pictured engaged in an emotional conversation where Kim was seen in tears and talking animatedly and shaking his fist.

The pair were seen having what appears to be crisis talks in his car after leaving a Wendy's fast-food restaurant in Wyoming where he owns a $14 million ranch.

It's been reported that Kim and her family are 'shielding the kids' from the drama surrounding Kanye's ongoing erratic behavior.

Kim is apparently trying to keep things as normal as possible for daughters North, seven, and Chicago, two-and-a-half, and sons Saint, four-and-a-half, and Psalm, 14-months.

'She is shielding the kids. All of her family is. They've circled around the kids and are insulating them from all of this,' a source told People. 'And everyone else has decided to create an atmosphere of normalcy around them.'

Low key look: Kim wore white sweats as she exited her private jet with her hair tied up in a bun

Crisis: The makeup mogul carried a large Birkin bag with her for the short trip. She left Kanye as he continues to work on his album

Emotions running high: She kept her head down and appeared to wipe her cheek as she got into a waiting SUV

'They don't need to see such a public meltdown,' the source went on.

Kim flew to Kanye's Cody, Wyoming compound on Monday to speak to him. Things appeared overwhelming for the star, who was seen crying during a conversation with West.

'She is very emotional about everything, and also exhausted,' a source told People magazine Monday. 'She feels very hurt by Kanye. She has tried to reach him multiple times and he just ignores her. It's all a bad situation.'

The insider added: 'She decided to fly to Cody to speak with him in person. She doesn't want to be ignored anymore.'

Meanwhile, a source told The Sun that Kim has told Kanye not to return to LA until he feels 'ready' because she 'knows he feels Wyoming calms him, and LA can be stressful,'

'Shes told him not to come back until he feels ready. In truth, I think she's trying to shelter their children from what's going on until he's better - shes super-protective of them. The children come first.

'She would never stop Kanye seeing his children but both parents want their kids to be unaffected by whats going on.

Marriage on the brink: On Monday the couple had a tense exchange in Kanye's car as they reunited after weeks apart

All by herself: An onlooker told Dailymail.com that Kim was the only one on the plane apart from the pilots and a flight attendant

'She is very emotional about everything, and also exhausted,' a source told People magazine Monday. 'She feels very hurt by Kanye. She has tried to reach him multiple times and he just ignores her. It's all a bad situation

Protective mom: It's been reported that Kim and her family are 'shielding the kids' from the drama surrounding Kanye's ongoing erratic behavior

'Of course shed love Kanye to return home and everything to go back to how it was before, but realistically thats not going to happen.'

On Sunday Kanye publicly said sorry to his wife via Twitter.

'I would like to apologize 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.'

People's source said he understands how much he hurt his wife, telling the magazine: 'He definitely understands that he upset Kim. He feels very bad about it. It's obvious that he still loves Kim.'

Last week, Kim took to Instagram following Kanye's controversial behavior, admitting that she was 'powerless' amid his meltdown, calling her husband 'brilliant but complicated'.

Too young to worry: Kim is reportedly trying to keep her four children away from the current drama surrounding dad Kanye West and the superstar pair's marriage

'Complicated and painful': Kim took to Instagram on Wednesday morning following West's late night Twitter meltdown, saying she feels 'powerless' amid his struggle with bi-polar disorder

The reality star said 'his words sometimes do not align with his intentions' after Kanye last night claimed he has been 'trying to get divorced' from Kim since she met his fellow rapper Meek Mill at a hotel.

Making her voice heard: Kim signed off the three page note with 'Kim Kardashian West'

Kanye said last Tuesday that Kim was 'out of line' to meet Meek Mill at a hotel in Los Angeles to talk about 'prison reform', and blasted her mother Kris Jenner as 'Kris Jong-Un' while accusing the pair of 'white supremacy.'

However, Kanye apologized to his wife in a tweet last week, amid reports that he went to hospital to be treated for anxiety.

The rapper tweeted: 'I would like to apologize 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 [sic] Kim I want to say I know I hurt you. Please forgive me. Thank you for always being there for me.'

His apology came after Kim gave a frank and honest statement about the situation to her fans, sharing three pages to her Instagram story last Wednesday saying: 'Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor.'

She told her 180 million followers: 'I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions. He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder.

'Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his intentions.'

Meanwhile, Kanye is still eager for his presidential bid to become a reality, after making another last-ditch attempt to get on another ballot in Missouri, TMZ reported on Monday.

Prior to his meltdown on Twitter, Kanye sparked concern during a rambling and chaotic speech at his first presidential rally at North Charleston's Exquis Event Center in South Carolina.

He shockingly revealed that he and his wife Kim had considered aborting their daughter North, who is now seven, before he got a 'message from God'.

His unscripted speech, which came two weeks after he announced his unlikely bid for president, is said to have left his wife and her family upset and alarmed.

During the event, the rapper appeared to acknowledge that his comments would be met with a negative reaction by his family. He explained that if his wife were to divorce him after making the comments, he would still be thankful that she had North.

'Even if my wife were to divorce me after this speech, she brought North into this world, when I did not want to,' he said.

Kanye has been open about his struggle with bipolar disorder and, in 2016, he spent time in hospital after a 'psychiatric emergency' that forced him to cancel 21 concert dates.

Kim has previously defended her husband's rants and said in a 2018 tweet that he was a 'free-thinker' and entitled to his own opinion. She also appeared to endorse her husband's presidential bid when he first announced it two weeks ago by retweeting his message with an emoji of a US flag.

During his rally speech, Kanye, who was dressed in a bullet-proof vest with 2020 shaved into his hair, shared that in 2013 Kim 'had the pills in her hand' to have an abortion before he was inspired by God to have the child.

'My girlfriend called me screaming, crying. I'm a rapper. And she said I'm pregnant. She was crying,' he said.

Kanye said he was weighing up what to do, when he received what he interpreted as a sign from God while he was working on his laptop in Paris.

Kanye appeared at a campaign rally in South Carolina on July 19 (pictured) in which he delivered a lengthy monologue which sparked concerns about his well-being

'My screen went black and white. And God said, if you f*** with my vision I f*** with yours,' he yelled. 'And I called my girlfriend and said we're going to have this child.

'Even if my wife were to divorce me after this speech, she brought North into this world, when I did not want to.'

The rapper went on to break down in tears as he shouted: 'She had the pills in her hand! I almost killed my daughter!'

Kanye also revealed that his father wanted to abort him but his mother Donda 'saved his life'.

'My mom saved my life. My dad wanted to abort me. My mom saved my life. There would have been no Kanye West because my dad was too busy,' he said.

Kanye spent much of the rally discussing abortion, and announced that he wanted women to be given money by the government for bearing children, to discourage abortion.

'Abortion should be legal but the option of maximum increase should be available,' he said.

'Everybody who has a baby gets a million dollars or something. No more Plan B - Plan A.'

He said sorry: However, Kanye apologized to his wife in a tweet last week, amid reports that he went to hospital to be treated for anxiety

Meanwhile, Kanye caused further drama during a Twitter rant when he brought up the fact that Kim had met with rapper Meek Mill back in 2018.

Kanye had claimed he'd been 'trying to get divorced' from Kim since she met Meek at LA's Waldorf Astoria hotel to discuss prison reform.

The 33-year-old rapper, real name Robert Rihmeek Williams, was pictured meeting Kim in a professional capacity, joined by philanthropist Clara Wu at a rooftop restaurant.

However, Meek was clear in his denial that nothing untoward happened between himself and Kim, writing earlier this week: 'Sh** is cappp cmon', which is slang. (Meek announced at the weekend that he has now split with his girlfriend Milan Harris.)

After the photo emerged, Meek took to his Twitter account last Thursday to tweet: 'Being around the wrong environment and wrong people will make you forget your worth! Stay focused.'

Kim earned glowing praise from Mill last year, when the rapper called her a 'friend' and hailed her for 'doing a lot of good work' on prison reform.

Meek and Kim both attended a Criminal Justice Reform Summit in Los Angeles in November 2018, but it was at the Jeremy Hotel rather than the Waldorf in Beverly Hills which Kanye appeared to be referring to.

Last Tuesday, in a string of now-deleted shocking tweets, Kanye claimed: 'I've been trying to get divorced since Kim met with Meek at the Warldolf for 'prison reform.'

He added: 'Meek is my man and was respectful That's my dog Kim was out of line I'm worth 5 billion dollars and more than that through Christ But ya'll ain't listen to MJ and now ya'll believe them???'
WAKEFIELD  Weve just released episode two of the new series of Ecotextile Talks behind the news broadcasts with our journalists John Mowbray, Simon Glover and Simon Ferrigno who give a round-up of the current situation on allegations of forced labour in the cotton growing region of Xinjiang, China.

Click Here to listen through your browser and/or select the mobile platform of your choice. You can listen to our latest podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Deezer and many other mobile platforms.



Weve recently reported on the allegations of further human rights violations of endemic Uighur populations in the Xinjiang cotton sector after first flagging up this issue back in September 2019.

Its estimated that Xinjiang supplies 22 per cent of the worlds cotton crop and its been claimed that much of this ends up in local supply chains where forced labour is prevalent.

This newscast asks how much of this crop finds its way into global textile and garment supply networks? Does this mean the clothing collections of most brands are therefore somehow tainted with Xinjiang cotton thats been picked or processed using forced labour? And maybe this situation is being weaponised by some politicians as part of the on-going trade war with China in the run-up to the US elections?

Meanwhile, why does the industry rely so much on sourcing raw cotton from this region anyway? After all, there are other alternatives elsewhere in the world.

Our journalists also discuss how textile standards such as the Better Cotton Initiative  which relies on the region of 20 per cent of its cotton  are looking to respond? The BCI suspended all licensees in the region back in March.

So, whats the way forward for the textile industry? Can it really stop sourcing from Xinjiang when it relies on this region for 20 per cent of a key raw material for clothing?

Ecotextile News cotton specialist correspondent Simon Ferrigno notes: If brands want to avoid forced labour in their supply chains, they need to source from regions where hired workers are paid decent pay with all the relevant worker protections  but boycotts are not the way forward, because its like a bubble, if you press it down in one region its been proven to pop up again in another.

Listen to our newscast here:
"Our core belief is that innovation and top-level customer service go hand-in-hand. Thats why were so excited about our new mobile app," noted Rich Richardson, General Manager at Hotel Eleo.

INTELITY, the provider of hospitalitys most comprehensive guest experience platform, has signed a deal with Hotel ELEO at the University of Florida to deliver contactless service to guests with a branded mobile app. The app will supply robust digital capabilities and another layer of safety for guests and staff at the new, upscale hotel in Gainesville, Florida.

With the new app, guests will have the ability to tailor service to their preferences before, during, and after their stay. The mobile capabilities allow travelers to find hotel and amenity information, make reservations, and more directly from their smartphone or tablet. Meanwhile, Hotel ELEO can use SMS and in-app messaging to connect with guests in real-time.

Guests of Hotel ELEO at the University of Florida have easy access to top-of-the line technology and comfort in their rooms, in the fitness studio, and in the meeting space, remarked Rich Richardson, General Manager at Hotel ELEO. Our new mobile app, which offers a secure and convenient way to check-in, unlock your room, and communicate with the hotel team, is right in line with our goal to provide state-of-the-heart hospitality.

As COVID-19 remains a significant challenge throughout the country, the contactless services provided by the new Hotel ELEO app will enable guests to check in before they even arrive and access their room with a secure digital key. During their stay, theyll have the option to request contactless services and touchless deliveries. The contactless services enabled by the new Hotel ELEO app provide a convenient, secure way for guests to check-in to the hotel, access their room through a digital key, and communicate with the front desk team.

Were extremely pleased that Hotel ELEO has signed on with us, said Robert Stevenson, INTELITY CEO. This is already a beautiful, tech-focused property led by a team that understands true southern hospitality. Giving guests a mobile-first experience will just further set them apart as a leader in luxury, safety, and excellent service.

The newly-opened Hotel ELEO combines minimalist contemporary design, delicious gastronomic experiences, and cutting-edge event spaces to create unforgettable stays for both business and leisure travelers. Now, itll further embrace future-forward hospitality technology with a custom INTELITY app, guest messaging, and digital capabilities. For more information on this partnership or the INTELITY platform, please visit http://www.intelity.com.

About INTELITY

INTELITY is the global provider of the most advanced hospitality technology platform for the hotel, casino, cruise, and luxury residential markets. INTELITY offers its customers comprehensive, fully integrated solutions to better connect and manage their guest experience and staff operations in a single platform. INTELITY has been named the Official Mobile and In-Room Technology Provider by the distinguished Forbes Travel Guide in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and is in use by major hotel groups, including Marriott, Fairmont, Four Seasons, and more. For more information or to view current job openings, please visit http://www.intelity.com.

About Hotel ELEO at the University of Florida

Hotel ELEO at the University of Florida, a 173-room luxury boutique hotel, is located in Gainesville, Florida. The hotel is home to Covey Kitchen + Cocktails, offers flexible meeting and event space, features top-of-the-line equipment in the fitness studio. The hotel is in walking distance to restaurants, galleries, theaters, stadiums on the University of Florida campus and UF Health, the University of Florida's academic health center. For more information visit HotelEleo.com or call 352-565-3536.
H ugh Jackman joked his Emmy nomination for HBOs Bad Education had left Ryan Reynolds devastated.

The Hollywood stars have famously been locked in a faux feud, which is said to have originated from their time working together on 2009 superhero film X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

They often trade barbs on social media. And Jackman returned to the row on Tuesday after he bagged an Emmy nomination for his role in HBO movie Bad Education.

Speaking to E! News Daily Pop, the Australian, 51, joked Reynolds wife Blake Lively had texted him with an update.

Lots of texts from everyone I know, nothing from Ryan, Jackman quipped.

Hugh Jackman movie roles: In pictures 1 /21 Hugh Jackman movie roles: In pictures The Greatest Showman (2017) The Greatest Showman (2017) 20th Century Fox X-Men (2000) X-Men (2000) 20th Century Fox Kate & Leopold (2001) Mirimax Van Helsing (2004) Van Helsing (2004) Universal Pictures The Prestige (2006) The Prestige (2006) Warner Bros. Scoop (2006) Scoop (2006) BBC Films Australia (2008) Australia (2008) 20th Century Fox X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) 20th Century Fox Les Miserables (2012) Les Miserables (2012) Universal Pictures Prisoners (2013) Prisoners (2013) Warner Bros X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) 20th Century Fox Chappie (2015) Sony Pictures Pan (2015) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc Eddie the Eagle (2015) 20th Century Fox Logan (2017) Twentieth Century Fox The Front Runner (2018) Sony Pictures Worldwide

But Blake Hang on, Im just reading it now. Hes devastated. He says hes not getting out of bed for three days. This is the greatest gift youve ever given me.'

Jackman added thats all I got from Blake and said he would be open to an apology from Reynolds.

Deadpool star Reynolds, 43, sent a video message to congratulate Jackman, jokingly suggesting he did not deserve his nomination.

Jackman responded by telling Reynolds: Youre looking a bit green.

Bad Education also stars Allison Janney and tells the true story of the largest public school embezzlement in US history.

TODO: define component type apester

Other Emmy nominees include Normal People star Paul Mescal and Jeremy Pope, who gave a showstopping performance in Ryan Murphy's Netflix.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge also made it onto the shortlists - though not for her work on Fleabag - while Reese Witherspoon missed out, despite starring in three blockbuster TV series released in the eligibility period.

Additional reporting by Press Association
A woman tried to smuggle M-16 firearm parts into Mexico by concealing them in her baggage and chest area, according to Homeland Security Investigations.

HSI Laredo special agents in Laredo received information from HSI Miami regarding a shipment of 20 M-16 lower parts kits full auto. The shipment was to be delivered to a store in the 1200 block of Matamoros Street in Laredo on July 17.

Special agents and task force officers set up surveillance during store business hours. At about 1:45 p.m. July 21, authorities observed a woman retrieve the package and head toward the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge. HSI would identify her as Maria Guadalupe Pina.

Before walking to the bridge, Pina went into a restroom of The Outlet Shoppes at Laredo. She stayed in the restroom for about 25 minutes before coming out without the package.

Special agents then went inside the restroom and collected from the trash an empty flat rate shipping box addressed to Pina. She then walked to the bridge where U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound inspections encountered her.

Pina allegedly gave a negative declaration for weapons, weapons parts, ammo and more than $10,000 in cash. A search of her baggage resulted in the discovery of weapons parts.

During a pat down of Pina, CBP officers discovered three more bags of M-16 lower parts kits full auto hidden within her chest area. A total of 20 individual bags containing M-16 lower parts kits full auto and 20 pistol grips were seized.

Pina allegedly agreed to a post-arrest interview with HSI special agents.

Pina admitted that she knew what she was crossing was illegal to cross into Mexico. Pina was going to be paid an unknown amount of money to cross the items. Pina believed the items were parts for guns, states the affidavit.

Pina further claimed that she has been paid previously for facilitating the crossing of tactical gear, according to court documents. Pina added that she did not have a license to export weapons parts, the affidavit states.

Pina was arrested and charged with export or attempt to export 20 M-16 lower parts kits full auto. She remains in federal custody under no bond. Pina has a detention hearing set for 10 a.m. Thursday in courtroom 2B before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga.
Londonderry's Bishops Gate Hotel has been named one of the best to visit in the UK.

The 2020 TripAdvisor Travellers Choice awards for hotels reveals the top rated hotels based on guest reviews.

For the fourth year in a row the Derry hotel has appeared on the prestigious list, this time ranking sixth in the Top 25 Hotels - United Kingdom and Channel Islands category.

"Just back from a truly wonderful overnight stay, the food and accommodation first class," one user wrote of their stay on the travel review site.

"We were unsure what to expect post lockdown but The Bishop's Gate have got it right. Safe but not clinical, we were made to feel very welcome, the staff are amazing, so helpful and friendly and the hotel as a result has a great vibe to it."

Opened in March 2016 by charity the Inner City Trust, the grade B1 listed Bishops Gate describes itself as "a Derry Landmark reborn" with 30 bedrooms, The Wig & Gown Champagne Bar & Restaurant and the Northern Counties Ballroom.



The former Northern Counties Building was previously a private members' club and base for the city's business and civic leaders, which once hosted the likes of Ulster Unionist leader Lord Carson as well as Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and Nobel-winning poet, WB Yeats.

Commenting on the accolade, which is judged by industry experts, Managing Director Ciaran ONeill from Bishops Gate Hotel said: "With over 40,000 hotel properties listed on TripAdvisor across the UK, to be named in the top ten again is simply phenomenal.

"This award will provide a real boost to the international image of the region and a boost to tourism. Derry is a confident, vibrant, forward looking city and district that provides the best of all worlds, offering city, coastal and countryside experiences."

He added: 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone in the hospitality sector. I am delighted to report that the month of July has allowed Bishops Gate Hotel to get back to business and to welcome those who are staycationing at home.

"We have embraced the challenges and we have worked tirelessly to ensure that we have a safe environment for our employees and guests, while still maintaining the Bishops Gate magic that we are renowned for.
Concepcion Malinek pleaded guilty helping immigrants from Guatemala unlawfully enter the United States and forcing them to stay in her Chicago suburb home until they paid their debt or risk being deported to their country

A suburban Chicago woman has pleaded guilty to helping several migrants from Guatemala come to the United States and entrapping them in her home until they paid off their debt to her.

Concepcion Malinek, 50, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of labor trafficking, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The Cicero, Illinois, woman admitted in a plea declaration that she assisted 10 Guatemalan immigrants with illegally entering the U.S. from 2009 to 2019, federal prosecutors said.

Malinek forced most of the immigrants to live in her basement, arranged for them to work at a factory and collected large portions of their paychecks.

She told them they couldn't leave until they paid their debt, and threatened to have them deported if they did not, prosecutors said.

Malinek originally told the immigrants she would charge about $5,000 to help them enter the U.S., but allegedly charged them anywhere from $18,000 to $42,000, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Federal authorities investigating a home in the Chicago suburb of Cicero found 19 adults and 14 children from Guatemala in March 2019

The FBI was tipped off and nabbed Malinek in March 2019. At the time, authorities found 33 people - including 14 children - living in her single-family home.

'Immigration knows how many people live in this home,' Malinek would tell the victims, court documents quoted one of the migrants saying.

'They know you are poor and I have all of the money.'

A Guatemalan man said Malinek was charging him $18,000 for allowing him to use her as the main reference on his immigration paperwork.

Despite allowing the mans 15-year-old daughter to live in the first floor of the home, he and the rest of migrants were stuck in the basement and his personal contact with his daughter was extremely limited.

A married man agreed to pay Malinek $37,000 in exchange for allowing his wife and the couples two children to live in the basement.

Malinek originally told the immigrants she would charge about $5,000 to help them enter the U.S., but allegedly charged them anywhere from $18,000 to $42,000

Though she pleaded guilty, she did not reach a plea agreement with prosecutors. She entered her plea during a hearing held by phone because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A federal judge in Chicago scheduled an October 20 sentencing date for Malinek, but indicated it could change. She faces a maximum 20-year prison term.

Robert Rascia, Malinek's attorney, has previously insisted that Malinek 'did not use any violence, physical force, or threats of violence or force to compel anyone to work for her, or to pay their outstanding debts to her, or to continue residing at her home.'

'Each of [Malineks] houseguests voluntarily agreed to enter into this arrangement and they voluntarily remained at her home without anyone preventing them from leaving,' Rascia wrote in a court filing earlier this year.
Asian airlines carried just 724,000 international passengers in June, a 98 per cent decline compared to the 31.8 million recorded in the same month last year. (ANI Photo)

Kuala Lumpur: Widespread travel restrictions almost completely suppressed international air travel in Asia during the second quarter of 2020, preliminary June traffic figures released on Tuesday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed.

Asian airlines carried just 724,000 international passengers in June, a 98 per cent decline compared to the 31.8 million recorded in the same month last year. After accounting for 93 per cent decline in available seat capacity, the average passenger load factor was 36.3 per cent for the month.

Air cargo demand in freight tonne-kilometre terms was 20.3 per cent lower year-on-year as demand for exports continued to falter on the back of economic weakness aggravated by disruptions to global supply chains.

Offered freight capacity fell by 27.2 per cent as most passenger aircraft were grounded, resulting in a 5.6 percentage point increase in the average international freight load factor to 64.9 per cent for the month.

"Overall, Asia Pacific airlines carried a total of 61 million international passengers during the first half of 2020, representing a 68 per cent fall compared to the same period last year," said AAPA Director General Subhas Menon.

"International travel demand evaporated in the second quarter. Most flights were only operating to repatriate people to their home countries. Meanwhile, air cargo demand declined by 16 per cent during the first half of the year, reflecting the general deterioration in consumer and business confidence."

Menon said the industry is in a perilous condition. International flights continue to be grounded by border closures and onerous quarantine requirements even when domestic lockdowns are being eased.

"Airlines in the Asia Pacific region are rapidly depleting cash reserves and incurring massive losses," said Menon.

"It is critical for governments to recognise the debilitating impact of current policies and work cooperatively to re-establish global connectivity while maintaining appropriate measures to safeguard public health in line with guidance published by the International Civil Aviation Organisation."
A third person has tested positive to COVID-19 in Queensland in the last 24 hours.

The woman, 22, is an employee of YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care in Springwood, south of Brisbane.

Both the school care service and the associated Chatswood Hills State School have been closed for cleaning.

Queensland Health said the case is linked to two 19-year-old women with coronavirus who are accused of lying on their border declaration forms and dodging quarantine to enter Queensland.

The pair, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 after travelling together, were active in the community for eight days before isolating.

A third person has tested positive to COVID-19 in Queensland in the past 24 hours. Pictured: A man delivers cleaning equipment to a screening clinic at the Parklands Christian College in Logan

Health authorities have urged anyone who visited 11 locations in Queensland to 'immediately self-quarantine and contact 13 HEALTH':

Flight VA863 from Melbourne to Sydney and flight VA977 from Sydney to Brisbane, 21 July

Parklands Christian College, Park Ridge, 22-23 July 2020 9.30am-6pm

Madtongsan IV Restaurant, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 7-9pm

Heeretea -Bubble Tea Shop, Sunnybank, 23 July 2020 9.25pm

YMCA Chatswood Hills Outside School Hours Care, Springwood, 23-24 July 2020 All

Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 24 July 2020 3.30-3.50pm

Thai Peak Restaurant, Springfield, 26 July 2020 6.30-9pm

Cowch Dessert Cocktail Bar, Southbank, 27 July 2020 All

PNut Street Noodles, Southbank, 27 July 2020 All

African Grocery Shop, Woodridge (Station Rd), 28 July 2020 All

Primary Medical and Dental Practice, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 12.25-12.30pm

Chatime Grand Plaza, Browns Plains, 28 July 2020 All

Shopping centres, restaurants, a school, and a church they visited will shut while authorities scramble to conduct contact tracing.

The case is connected to a state school in Springwood, south of Brisbane. Pictured: People line up to get COVID-19 tested at the Parklands Christian College in Logan, south of Brisbane

Scores of the women's contacts will be forced to isolate, and aged care facilities in the Metro South Health region will re-enter lock down as the state tries to avoid an outbreak.

It prompted Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to announce all Sydneysiders will be banned from entering the state from Saturday.

Queensland residents returning will have to isolate in a hotel for 14 days at their own expense.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young called the pair 'reckless' and said she was 'very disappointed'.

The teens travelled on flights VA 863 and VA 977. Queensland Health contact tracers are identifying close contacts from those flights.

Health Minister Steven Miles said there was a large amount of contact tracing that needed to be done with the community as well.

It prompted Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to announce all Sydneysiders will be banned from entering the state from Saturday

The 19-year-old women, who flew back from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21 after travelling together, were active in the community for eight days before isolating (pictured: Travellers waiting at baggage claim at Sydney domestic airport)

'These young women have gone about their business within the communities that they live in and so there will be a large amount of contact tracing to be done, largely within it the Logan and Springfield areas, including shopping malls, restaurants and a church.'

One of the women attended the Orion Springfield Central in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, on Sunday where she dined at the Peak Thai restaurant about 6.30pm.

There are now eight actives cases left in Queensland following three new cases on Wednesday.
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Industries, Inc. (NYSE: MLR) intends to release its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, after the close of the market. In conjunction with this release, the Company will host a conference call on the following day that will be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet:

Thursday, August 6, 2020

10:00 AM ET

9:00 AM CT

8:00 AM MT

7:00 AM PT

Listeners can access the conference call live over the Internet at:

https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1034/36351

Please allow 15 minutes prior to the call to visit the site to download and install any necessary audio software. After the call has taken place, its archived version may be accessed at this Web site.

Miller Industries is The World's Largest Manufacturer of Towing and Recovery Equipment, and markets its towing and recovery equipment under a number of well-recognized brands, including Century, Vulcan, Chevron, Holmes, Challenger, Champion, Jige, Boniface and Eagle.

SOURCE Miller Industries, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.millerind.com


The disbandment of political party vigilante groups holds the key to ensuring peaceful Election 2020, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive has said.



She therefore called on Ghanaians to support the move to disband all forms of vigilante groups, as the December 7, general election gathers pace, to sustain and consolidate the gains of the nations fledgling democracy.



Madam Owusu-Banahene made the call when she addressed the opening session of a two-day workshop, organised by the National Peace Council (NPC)in Sunyani.



The workshop, being attended by leadership of the various political parties, security services and civil society organisations is aimed at sensitizing participants on the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999).



It will further expose participants to the Roadmap and Code of Conduct, which are the outcomes of almost a years dialogue between the NPC, New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



Madam Owusu-Banahene observed that unscrupulous activities of existing political party vigilante groups threatened the prevailing national peace, social cohesion and stability.



It behooves on Ghanaians to join hands to disband such vigilante groups in the supreme interest of the nation, the Sunyani MCE emphasised.



She called on the teeming youth not to be lured into such groups, and allow politicians to use them as tools to create unnecessary misunderstanding and tensions that could trigger political violence in the electioneering and mar the beauty of Ghanas multi-party democracy.



Madam Owusu-Banahene lauded the NPCs commitment towards recognizing the need for the nation to sustain and deepened her prevailing peace and stability.



The Reverend Canon Martin Amankwaa, Secretary to the Bono Regional Peace Council, underlined the importance to identify and tackle challenges that confronted previous elections.



He observed that extreme political tensions had the potential to fuel election violence and disturb national peace, hence the need to sensitize the populace to the Act 2019 (Act 999).



Rev. Canon Amankwaa indicated that challenges and acts of violence that confronted the new voters registration exercise placed a clarion call on all Ghanaians to help disband all forms of vigilante groups in the country.



Earlier in a welcoming address, Alhaji Suallah Abdallah Quandah, the Bono Regional Executive Secretary of the NPC, expressed the hope that the political parties would appreciate the need to be decorous in the electioneering for a peaceful Election 2020.

Source: GNA









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Fu Haihong (right) and other soldiers stand ready to fight flooding on the embankment they protect in Yongxiu county of Jiujiang city, East China's Jiangxi province. [Photo/Xinhua]

For Fu Haihong, it seems to be his destiny to fight floods.

Twenty-two years ago, when Fu's mother was seven months pregnant with him, their home, along with the houses of many other families in Sipu village in East China's Jiangxi province, was inundated by floods.

It was PLA soldiers, sent to fight the floods in the region, who transported his mother to safety using a dinghy.

Fu was born after the floods receded. To help the boy remember the gratitude to his rescuers throughout his life, his parents named him "Haihong" - in Chinese "hai" means "sea" and "hong" means "flood".

That year, catastrophic floods across the country killed more than 3,000 people, and destroyed almost 5 million homes.

In 2016, 18-year-old Fu joined the People's Liberation Army. He was proud to find that the battalion he served in was the one honored as a "hero battalion" for fighting the 1998 floods.

"My parents often repeated to me the story of how the PLA soldiers saved my mother. And they encouraged me to help people in need after I grew up, just like the PLA soldiers did for us."

This year, as the strongest floods since 1998 rage in many areas along the Yangtze River, Asia's longest river, Fu and his comrades-in-arms were deployed to combat the floods on the frontline in Yongxiu county of Jiujiang city.

Their mission is to guarantee the safety of a 9-kilometer-long embankment called Guodongwei, a barrier that protects three nearby villages from flooding. The embankment also crosses the Beijing-Kowloon rail line, a national artery railway that connects Beijing and Hong Kong.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday summoned a senior diplomat from the Indian High Commission here to register its protest over the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC).

In a statement, the Foreign Office said that due to "indiscriminate and unprovoked firing" in the Rakhchikri Sector of the LoC on Tuesday, three civilians sustained serious injuries.

The Indian forces along "the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons," the statement alleged.

It claimed that 14 people have been killed and 138 others injured in 1,823 incidents of ceasefire violations this year.

The Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB, it added.
BRISBANE, Australia - The company that owns an Australian theme park where four people died on a river rapids ride will plead guilty to charges stemming from the 2016 tragedy, a lawyer said on Wednesday.

Two men and two women died in Dreamworld park on Queensland states Gold Coast when their raft flipped on the Thunder River Rapids ride.

Ardent Leisure Group has been charged under workplace safety laws with failing to comply with its health and safety duty and exposing individuals to a risk of serious injury or death.

But Dreamworld executives responsible for the parks safety avoided individual prosecution.

Ardents lawyer Bruce Hodgkinson told a Gold Coast court on Wednesday that the Sydney-based company, which also owns assets in the United States and New Zealand, will plead guilty to all three charges. Each charge carried a potential maximum fine of 1.5 million Australian dollars ($1.1 million).

A sentencing hearing will begin on Sept. 28.

A coroners report that was referred to prosecutors cited a systemic failure in safety at Dreamworld with frighteningly unsophisticated procedures and a failure to provide the training and supervision necessary to protect people from risk. It said no thorough engineering risk assessment had been done on the Thunder River Rapids ride in the 30 years it was open to the public.
New Delhi:

The finance and railways ministries are working on ways to cut logistics costs which make exports uncompetitive, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.

The Minister said that she has discussed the increasing logistics costs with the Finance Minister.

I have very clearly stated that logistics costs are increasing and therefore, we are becoming less competitive... We have definitely asked different authorities at different levels. We have asked the Railways and the Finance Ministers to look into this. They are working on it, she told PTI in an interview.

We do not want this kind of a cost which is not due to the inefficiency of the manufacturer, she added.

Worried over slow growth in exports, the Commerce Ministry has pitched to enhance the logistics competitiveness of exporters.

The department of commerce has suggested to the Railways Ministry that it needs to clearly distinguish between consignments for exports, imports and general, in terms of freight rates.

It was also suggested to the railways to work on ways to reduce the delivery time of consignments providing traders more predictability and reliability.

Indian exporters have time and again demanded drastic cuts in freight rates to enhance price competitiveness in the global markets as costs of exports is currently very high in India.

Citing an example, an industry expert said that the time taken for delivery of consignment through Railways from Tughlakabad in Delhi to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) is huge and needs to be reduced to about 36 hours.

In India, the container transport mainly happens through roads due to various reasons like high railway freight rates, unreliable scheduling of freight trains and poor last-mile connectivity.

The Commerce Ministry is also in consultations with the ports for timely handling of cargo.

Currently, traders have to spend a lot of time in off-loading and on-loading their consignments from ports, impacting the countrys trade.

FIEO Director General Ajay Sahai said that improvement in port infrastructure would help in reducing transaction costs and boost shipments.

A Commerce Ministry strategy paper released in 2010 had emphasised the need to invest billions in improving infrastructure to boost exports. It had asked the government to invest in modernising roads, ports, railways, airports, power and customs stations.

Between December 2014 and May 2016, exports fell for 18 straight months due to weak global demand and slide in oil prices.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Ghislaine Maxwell is receiving special treatment inside jail as other inmates were forced to clean and polish the floors before she arrived, they have claimed.

The 58-year-old British socialite - who used to rub shoulders with presidents and billionaires on board private jets - is also being given extra exercise time in the yard, her fellow inmates say.

Maxwell is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn - described by its former warden as one of America's most-troubled - ahead of her sex crimes trial, which is due to take place next year.

The case will pass a major milestone tomorrow when hundreds of pages of secret documents, including a 'extremely personal' deposition Maxwell gave in a lawsuit brought by Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts, are expected to be unsealed.

Inmates at the jail where Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured in a court sketch) is being held ahead of her trial say they were forced to clean and polish the floors ahead of her arrival

Maxwell is also being given an extra hour of recreation time each day in the prison yard (pictured, the prison), which is closed to the other prisoners so long as she is out there

One inmate at the jail said that, shortly before Maxwell's arrival earlier this month, the women were told to clean the usually-abandoned second floor.

'The only time we were allowed on the floor Ms. Maxwell has to herself is when they sent us to clean it and polish the floor for her,' the inmate told the New York Daily News on condition of anonymity.

'We had to polish it three times so it would be ready for her.'

The inmate added that Maxwell is being given three hours of recreation time per day, compared to their two hours, and is allowed the yard to herself - with other women locked inside while she is outside.

Lawyers with clients inside the jail say she also has 24-hour security outside her cell, and is regularly moved between cells so guards can check for contraband.

The extra precautions come after Epstein was found dead inside his Manhattan jail cell in August last year while awaiting trial for sex crimes.

He had recently been taken off suicide watch and guards had failed to check on his cell on the night he died.

An official autopsy concluded that he killed himself.

Last week, Judge Loretta Preska ruled that a tranche of documents, which could contain details incriminating others in Epstein's circle including Prince Andrew, could be unsealed.

Maxwell (left) is due to go on trial next year on sex crimes charges after allegedly acquiring young girls for paedophile Jeffrey Epstein (together right) to abuse

Maxwell's legal team had the order put on hold while they appealed, but on Tuesday the same judge ruled that five collection of documents should be made public as soon as possible.

The documents are now expected to be unsealed on Thursday, the New York Post reported.

All of the documents related to a seven-hour, 418-page deposition that Maxwell gave to investigators in 2015 when she was sued for defamation by Virginia Roberts, Epstein's primary accuser.

The documents are thought to contain 'nude, partially-nude, or otherwise sexualized images, videos, or other depictions of individuals.'

Maxwell's lawyers have also said they contain 'intrusive questions about her sex life'.

The case was eventually settled out of court, with Maxwell reportedly paying Roberts 'millions', and all documents relating to it were put under lock and key.

Roberts is also the woman who was photographed with Prince Andrew at Maxwell's London home, and who claims he had sex with her three times - including once while she was under age.

The prince has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Separately unearthed court documents alleged that Maxwell took snaps of topless young girls as a 'hobby' and kept them in a photo album at Epstein's mansion.

Hundreds of pages of sealed documents, including a 418-page deposition that Maxwell gave to investigators in a previous case, are also due to be unsealed Thursday

A witness also claimed Maxwell kept a collection of sex toys in a closet at the $22 million property in Palm Beach and detectives searching the home found a purple 'Jelly A**l Wand' and 'double ended' dildo.

Among the original documents which were unsealed in 2018 was the eye witness account of Epstein's former maintenance worker and butler, Juan Alessi.

Alessi told Roberts' lawyers in a sworn deposition that Maxwell had an album full of photos of young girls including some who were topless.

She had an album full of photographs of people, young girls,' he said in the 2016 deposition. 'And I remember that she had. Like a hobby... It was some girls were topless [sic], taking the sun.

Maxwell shared her alleged twisted hobby for nude 'art' with pedophile Epstein who had photos of naked girls and women - including Maxwell - plastered all over his mansion.

Alessi also claimed in his deposition that he discovered sex toys including a 'double-ended dildo' in the massage room of Epstein's Palm Beach mansion.

The 70-year-old, who worked for Epstein from 1990 to 2002, claimed that probably over 100 alleged massage therapists came to Epstein's Palm Beach home.
CHICAGO -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture is warning Americans not to plant unsolicited packages of seeds that appear to be arriving from China.

States stretching from Washington to Virginia have also told residents not to put the seeds in the ground, after they arrived in the mailboxes of people who did not order them. Officials said the seeds could grow invasive species that threaten crops or livestock.

The USDA said on Tuesday it was collecting the seeds and would test them to determine if they were a concern to agriculture or the environment. The agency is working with states and the Department of Homeland Securitys Customs and Border Protection to investigate the packages, according to a statement.

The USDA said it had no evidence the shipments are something other than a brushing scam, in which people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales.

The packages appear to be coming from China, according to the USDA. On Monday, the agency said it was aware that people across the country have received unsolicited packages of seed from China.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated this year to what experts say is their lowest level in decades over issues ranging from trade and technology to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday Chinas postal service strictly abides by restrictions on sending seeds.

Records on the packages appear to have been falsified, according to checks by Chinas postal service, which has asked for them to be sent to China for investigation, he said at a daily news briefing.

U.S. states, including Washington and Alabama, labeled the shipments as agricultural smuggling. Photos distributed by state agriculture departments show seeds of different sizes, shapes and colors in white or yellow envelopes.

State officials said some packages were labeled as jewelry and may have contained Chinese writing. They asked recipients to keep the seeds in sealed plastic bags until authorities collect them.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 18:32:18|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) should respect China's position and actions on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here on Wednesday.

The spokesperson made the remarks in response to media report that the EU issued a series of measures Tuesday against China's national security legislation for Hong Kong, including restrictions on the export of sensitive technology and equipment to Hong Kong.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a news briefing that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no foreign country or organization has the right to interfere with.

The relevant measures adopted by the EU violated the basic principle of non-interference in other countries' domestic affairs in international relations. China is firmly opposed to this and has lodged an official complaint with the EU, Wang said.

He said the formulation and implementation of the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR was to make up for the long-term legal loopholes in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong. It aims to improve the rule of law in Hong Kong, ensure the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems" on the track of the rule of law.

"It is fully consistent with the relevant provisions of the Chinese Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, and it is conducive to not only the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong but also safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of all foreign enterprises and personnel in Hong Kong," Wang said.

He said as the EU claimed to have interests and concerns in Hong Kong and hoped to see its prosperity and stability, it should work in this direction with practical actions, rather than unilaterally introducing the so-called countermeasures to affect Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

"We urge Europe to earnestly respect China's position and actions on national security issues in Hong Kong, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any way, do more to support the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and focus on maintaining the healthy development of China-EU relations," the spokesperson said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:03:53|Editor: huaxia

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KUWAIT CITY, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Wednesday reported 754 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 65,903 and the death toll to 444, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Currently, 8,992 patients are receiving treatment, including 125 in ICU, the statement added.

The ministry also announced the recovery of 786 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 56,467.

Kuwait started on July 28 the third phase plan of restoring normal life.

During the third phase, labor capacity will increase to no more than 50 percent and visits to social care homes will be allowed.

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
As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread globally, experts have pointed out that a second, and even a third wave of the disease are highly possible before a vaccine arrives. Robert Redfield, Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has warned that a second wave in winter could hit the U.S. harder than the current outbreak.



The pandemic has disrupted the global supply and value chains, plunging the world economy into recession. There is an increasing risk of the major economies abandoning open cooperation and slipping into isolation. Globalization faces a crisis.

Against this backdrop, the performance of China's economy shows economic recovery is possible. According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, China's GDP in the second quarter grew by 3.2 percent year on year, reversing a 6.8-percent decline in the first quarter.

After the 2008 financial crisis, major developed economies, such as the U.S., Europe and Japan, were in deep recession. China led the global recovery in the second quarter of 2009 and maintained medium-to-high speed growth, pulling the world economy out of recession.

With the world economy falling into recession once again under the economic impact of COVID-19, China, as the world's second largest economy, has continued to promote a higher level of opening up, becoming the main source of the recovery of the world economy once again. While the U.S. and a few other countries are engaged in unilateralism and protectionism, China has committed to expanding its opening up, stabilizing the industrial and supply chains, and promoting reform and development.



From 2017 to 2020, the items on the negative list, which is released by China's policymakers to specify the areas foreign investors are restricted from, have been narrowed from 93 to 33.

Since May, China has lifted the cap on the investment ratio of foreign institutions in joint ventures and broadened the access for foreign banks. On June 1, the government announced the plan to develop Hainan Province in the south into a free trade port, which will gradually establish a tax system compatible with high-level free trade ports, and implement the principles of zero tariff, low tax rates, simplified taxation and strong rule of law.

Reform and opening up promote and complement each other. China's new round of opening up is the only path to achieve quality development. It provides more opportunities for the rest of the world as well, injecting greater momentum into the world economy, and becoming a driver for globalization and inclusive development.

In recent years, the contribution of China's economy to the growth of the world economy has been over 30 percent, surpassing the total contributions by the U.S., the eurozone and Japan. It has been a major driver of the world economy's resurgence and growth.

China's opening up and development can make an important contribution to the global poverty alleviation effort. Poverty alleviation is one of the 17 goals in the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A UN report in 2019 indicated that the total number of people living in poverty increased from 784 million in 2015 to 821 million in 2018.

According to a study by the World Bank, the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China will lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty and 32 million people out of moderate poverty in the participating countries. The initiative will also increase trade in participating countries by 2.8-9.7 percent, global trade by 1.7-6.2 percent, and global revenue by 0.7-2.9 percent.

China's opening up and development will help improve the wellbeing of the people of all countries. Employment is the foundation of people's livelihood, and China's vast market can create a lot of job opportunities for the world.

A survey conducted by China Central Television and China International Publishing Group in 2017 found that of the 10,000 respondents worldwide, three out of 10 believed that they could get employment opportunities in Chinese companies. Over 100 state-owned Chinese enterprises have invested in 185 countries and regions around the world, generating 330,000 local jobs. The $18-billion investment in the Belt and Road Initiative alone has created over 160,000 jobs.

According to a World Bank estimate, China's foreign investment and imports and exports directly generate 15 million jobs in various countries every year.

Opening up and cooperation, inclusiveness and tolerance are in the interests of all. To cope with the global crisis and give momentum to globalization, it is especially important for major powers to coordinate and lead in building international consensus, enhancing mutual trust, maintaining regional peace and stability, and promoting multilateral cooperation.

In today's world, development issues are still at the root of the political and social problems that many countries face. To achieve sound and sustainable development and benefit mutually, countries need to open up and cooperate. Some countries are engaged in geopolitics at the cost of future development, politicizing economic issues and creating confrontations that are fragmenting the world into small groups. This confrontation is setting globalization back, delaying the resolution of urgent problems facing all, and hindering long-term development.

To achieve the collective goal of solving disputes with multilateralism and promoting globalization, more countries need to be cooperative, open and inclusive.

The author is president of the Center for China and Globalization.
Cambridge-educated Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a lecturer at Melbourne University, was detained at Tehran airport in September 2018 as she tried to leave following a conference, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

Tehran, July 28 (IANS) A British-Australian woman serving a 10-year sentence in Iran for espionage has been transferred to a notorious prison in the desert, according to Iranian human rights activists.

She has been in solitary confinement and on several hunger strikes, and was said to have been beaten for trying to comfort new prisoners by passing notes and writing to them on prison walls.

Now she has reportedly been moved to the notorious Qarchak prison.

The jail is sometimes used as punishment for Iranian political prisoners, according to the BBC report.

Conditions have been described by former inmates as abysmal.

In letters smuggled out of Tehran's Evin prison in January, the lecturer said she had "never been a spy" and feared for her mental health.

Moore-Gilbert said she had rejected an offer from Iran to become a spy.

--IANS

ksk/
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents in Texas discovered 37 undocumented immigrants locked inside a livestock trailer after they were abandoned by their smugglers.

CBP said the driver of a pick-up truck suddenly changed direction after noticing a checkpoint on State Highway 359, northwest of Bruni, on July 24.

The Border Patrol agents followed the vehicle after noticing the driver avoided the mandatory inspection. The driver went off the road and drove the pick-up truck through a fence into a ranch before running off with a passenger.

CBP agents in Texas found a livestock trailer with 37 undocumented immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras on July 24

CBP said the migrants were trapped inside the trailer and did not have the means to free themselves.

The group was treated by medics on the scene as a precaution by Border Patrol Agent Emergency Medical Technicians.

The apprehended individuals, including two children, were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The vehicle and trailer were seized by U.S. Border Patrol.

The traffickers had not been arrested as of Wednesday.

'Human smugglers continue to show brazen disregard for human life by using increasingly dangerous methods in their smuggling attempts,' CBP said in a statement.

The group was treated by medics on the scene as a precaution by Border Patrol Agent Emergency Medical Technicians

CBP made 259,147 apprehensions along the southwest border from October 2019 through the end of June.

Detentions of unaccompanied minor undocumented children, family units and single adults has risen steadily during the last three months.

CBP reported 32,512 apprehensions in June after registering 23,142 in May and 16,969 in April.
China decides to suspend HKSAR's extradition treaties with Canada, Australia, UK: FM

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/28 15:43:38

China on Tuesday announced the suspension of extradition treaties and agreements on mutual assistance for criminal matters between the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) and Canada, Australia and the UK in response to the three countries' interference in China's domestic affairs.

The three countries had unilaterally suspended their extradition treaties with HKSAR at an excuse of being concerned over the national security law for HKSAR.

The move was blatant interference in China's internal affairs and seriously violated international law and basic norms governing international relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at Tuesday's routine press conference.

China strongly opposes these moves. HKSAR had been offering legal assistance for criminal matters to Canada, Australia and the UK under the framework of the treaties and agreements, but these countries politicized the judicial cooperation and undermined the cooperation between HKSAR and these countries in this regard, Wang said.

The move deviated from the principle of judicial cooperation, safeguarding justice and the rule of law, and China strongly opposes it, Wang said.

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Many elderly actors question the Maharashtra govts ruling disallowing crew members above 65 years from working until the pandemic ends

After over four months of a complete lockdown, a partial easing has brought some relief in Mumbai. Quite like other industries, the film and TV industries too have resumed shooting from July 1.

However, as per the Maharashtra governments guidelines, no cast and crew member above the age of 65 years is allowed on the sets.

This is a blow to film workers above that age. It has triggered a fresh debate about the potential financial crisis many actors would face because of the ruling.

Kyun Bhai? Other states are happily allowing actors over 65 to shoot. So why shouldnt Maharashtra waive off this directive from the Home Ministry? (sic.), wrote Shabana Azmi, who has several projects lined up to shoot and some pending ones to complete.

Senior adults can make decisions

Several actors have called the rule absurd. Actor Kabir Bedi, 74, says point blank, I think its an individual choice; I guess senior adults can make the decisions by themselves. Young or old age is no factor if health permits and the choice to work should be an individuals rather than the states.

Actor Rakesh Bedi, who is 65, also calls the rule absurd. Since the lockdown, the government has come out with many illogical rules, and this is one of them. If an actor is fit, then nothing should stop him from working. The rule should be revoked. If a politician above 65 years is working, then an actor of that age or over should also be allowed to work. At least the actor will go and sit in his room after his shot, unlike politicians who go out into the public.

Another actress over 65 years of age, who condemned the directive, is 71-year-old actress and MP, Hema Malini. She has even written a letter to home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla requesting an amendment of the directive.

In the letter she requests that actors above 65 should be allowed on the set. Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) has approached the High Court against the Maharashtra governments guidelines stating that the ruling is detrimental to many people in the industry.

First, feed the family; then stay safe

Not allowing senior actors and crew on sets is concerning, for not every senior actor or unit member is well placed enough to battle these difficult times, and most of them need to work for financial reasons.

For instance, Badhaai Ho actress Surekha Sikri is a single-earning member in the family. The 75-year-old National-Award winning actress had suffered a stroke last year, from which she is currently recovering.

However, keeping up with bills that go up to `2 lakh per week and the salaries of six staff members including a full time nurse leaves her in a rather vulnerable position if she wouldnt be allowed back on sets because of a governmental directive.

The government makes the rules without considering anyone. They are imposing this rule on seasonal actors, articulates Surekha, agreeing with Rakesh Bedis opinion on the age. When politicians and bureaucrats who are above 65 are working, then why not actors?

Surekha further points out how the rule is preventing her from supporting her family. It is a violation of my right to work. I am disappointed. I am not asking for money but work and if I am getting the work, then the government should not stop me if I prove I am fit to work, she adds.

Another veteran actor, Govind Namdev, also points out that while the safety of a senior artist is important, bringing food to the table for the family is just as much too. Though it is for the safety of senior artistes, it is imperative that their kitchen be taken care of, says the Satya actor. Some artistes are bankrupt and facing serious problems in even feeding their family. They should be allowed to work if they are absolutely fit and have no physical issues.

Expert pointers

While actors continue to debate over the issue, pulmonologist and chest physician Dr Amit Gawande looks closer at the present COVID-19 situation and explains why it is not recommended for the people above the age of 65 years to go out to work.

Whatever your age is, the risk of getting the virus is the same but the severity is higher for those above 65 years. A healthy 65-year-old person may come out well after the treatment, but another person of the same age with some underlying health issues might not come back easily and it could get complicated for that person sometimes causing multiple-organ damage, which is a big problem, explains Dr Amit Gawande, suggesting that those above 65 years, especially males, should stay home as much as possible.

Adding to the above, the doctor explains people at this age have low immunity and yet can easily catch the virus from a perfectly healthy looking person.

Ideally, they should not go to work, but if still they want to continue, they need to take extra care and just like every medical professional working close to Covid-19 wards, they should also ensure to get themselves checked every 15 days, recommends the doctor.
New Delhi, July 29 : Amid the faceoff between the Rajasthan Governor and the Ashok Gehlot government over convening the special Assembly session, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said it could set a "dangerous precedent." Attacking Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra without naming him, the Congress treasurer said "it is perhaps for the first time in our history that we are seeing a Governor reluctant to convene the Assembly despite aid and advice of the elected Chief Minister." Patel cautioned that it may lead to a constitutional impasse and set a bad precedent in the democratic history of the country.

"If this dangerous precedent is allowed, what will happen if the Rashtrapati (President) refuses to summon Parliament despite the Union Cabinet recommending it?" said Patel in a statement.

Patel said if allowed it may create chaos and cautioned the Union government on the stand taken by the Rajasthan Governor.

The Congress has been insisting that the Governor has no discretion in the matter. Senior party leader P. Chidambaram said on Monday that the Governor has no "discretion" in the matter and the questions that the Governor had raised to stall the request were irrelevant and beyond his authority.

"Governor's current stand that the law gives him a 'discretion' to summon the assembly or not is a complete distortion of the law declared by the courts," asserted Chidambaram.

The Rajasthan Cabinet met on Tuesday and drafted its reply and sent the letter to the Governor for the third time requesting him to call the session on July 31. It is now waiting for Raj Bhavan's answer.

"The government said that the Governor cannot question it, yet we are answering his queries. As far as the 21 days' notice is concerned, 10 days have already passed, yet the Governor has not issued any date. If the Governor does not accept our proposal this time, then it will be clear that there is no Constitution governing the nation," Patel said.
A Jaipur-based lawyer filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in Rajasthan high court (HC) on Wednesday over the imbroglio regarding convening the assembly session by Governor Kalraj Mishra.

The PIL has not been listed for hearing yet.

The petition stated that the Council of Ministers had requested Governor Mishra thrice to convene the assembly session, but the plea was turned down on one pretext or the other.

As per the settled law by the Supreme Court (SC) in the matter of Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix versus Deputy Speaker case, it has been held by the apex courts Constitution Bench that the Governor is under obligation as provided in the Constitution of India to accept the advice of the Council of the Ministers, it said.

The petitioner further stated that it cannot be contended that the Governor has the freedom to determine when and under what circumstances he should exercise his discretionary powers without aid and advice of Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers that is enshrined in Article 163(2) of the Constitution.

The Governor is entitled to exercise discretionary powers under Article 163(1) of the Constitution., it added.

The petitioner has moved HC, seeking direction be given to Governor Mishra to convene the assembly session and Speaker CP Joshi be directed to follow the due procedure for legislative proceedings in a bid to end the prevailing constitutional deadlock.

Rajasthan has plunged into a political turmoil following an internal rebellion of 19 Congress lawmakers, headed by sacked deputy CM Sachin Pilot, against the Ashok Gehlot-led government, which started over two weeks ago.

The Raj Bhavan did not react to the PIL.

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H undred of NHS workers have marched on Downing Street to protest "coward" Boris Johnson and demand an immediate pay rise.

Health workers gathered for a huge Whitehall rally on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive.

One nurse even said she would invite the Prime Minister to join her on a shift if there was a second wave of coronavirus.

NHS staff are in the final year of a three-year deal and are due a pay rise next April, but unions want the Government to show its appreciation for NHS staff by bringing it forward to this year.

The Government did not commit to an early pay rise for all NHS staff last week when wage increases for 900,000 public sector workers were announced.

The Unite unions branch at Guys and St Thomas Hospital partnered with Keep Our NHS Public and Nurses United to hold Wednesday evenings march to protest against the Governments decision to put off the pay rise for NHS staff until April 2021.

NHS workers march on Downing Street - In pictures 1 /38 NHS workers march on Downing Street - In pictures AFP via Getty Images Health workers descended on Whitehall on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive. AFP via Getty Images Health workers descended on Whitehall on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive. AFP via Getty Images NHS staff hold their hands up to maintain correct social distancing as they prepare to march to Downing Street in central London AFP via Getty Images NHS staff hold up banners as they march to Downing street AFP via Getty Images Health workers descended on Whitehall on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive Getty Images NHS staff hold up banners as they march to Downing Street AFP via Getty Images NHS staff hold up banners as they march AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Health workers descended on Whitehall on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive. AFP via Getty Images Health workers descended on Whitehall on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive. AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Health workers descended on Whitehall on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive Getty Images Health workers descended on Whitehall on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive Getty Images Getty Images Health workers descended on Whitehall on Wednesday evening, carrying banners that said Clapping wont pay my bills and We helped you survive, now help us survive Getty Images Getty Images PA PA PA Getty Images NHS workers march from St Thomas' Hospital to Downing Street PA NHS workers march from St Thomas' Hospital to Downing Street PA NHS workers march from St Thomas' Hospital to Downing Street PA Participants include the members of Unite, Keep Our NHS Public and Nurses United. PA PA PA NHS workers march from St Thomas' Hospital to Downing Street, PA Shoes laid out to depict the number 540 in front of the gates of Downing Street to represent the number of fatalities of health and care workers in the UK believed to have died of Covid-19 PA

Rebecca Reid, a 27-year-old London-based nurse from Prestwick in Scotland, said there is desperation and anger among NHS staff as she accused Mr Johnson of having blood on his hands.

She said she would extend an invitation to the Prime Minister to join her on a shift in the event of a second spike of Covid-19, but added she did not think he would accept, saying: I think hes a coward.

Speaking outside Downing Street, she said: We worked through an unprecedented pandemic. There are things Im never going to forget about.

I think the general feeling is anger. Were angry. Weve been let down by our Government.

Hundred of NHS workers have marched on Downing Street to call out "coward" Boris Johnson and demand and immediate pay rise / AFP via Getty Images

As a profession, we looked after the Prime Minister himself. Hes seen how brilliant we can be. And this is the reward we get.

It feels like a slap. It feels like a kick in the teeth.

Ms Reid said nurses have had to turn to food banks, adding: Were getting called heroes. But I dont see Batman going to a food bank. Heroes still have to pay the bills.

The NHS has been running on the goodwill of people for far too long and we cant afford to do it any more.

Hundred of NHS workers have marched on Downing Street to call out "coward" Boris Johnson and demand and immediate pay rise / AFP via Getty Images

Ms Reid said it feels like Mr Johnson is paying nurses lip service and not putting his money where his mouth is.

She said she appreciated the general publics support in the Clap for Carers initiative on Thursday evenings during lockdown.

But having someone clap in Government who is saying one thing and doing another, it really upsets me, Ms Reid said, adding: He doesnt deserve to be clapping. He's got blood on his hands."

She said she was referring to issues surrounding personal protective equipment, with nurses making their own PPE and putting their lives at risk.

A nurse wears a face masks with the message "fair pay" / AFP via Getty Images

Ms Reid added: Our Government had a chance to fix that and plan for that. They didnt... we lost so many nurses.

Becoming emotional, Ms Reid added: I would invite him to come and join me on a shift in the second wave. Because its coming. Just because the pubs are open doesnt mean the pandemics gone anywhere.

Asked what she thinks Mr Johnson would make of a shift alongside her, she said: He wouldnt know what to do with himself.

Hundred of NHS workers have marched on Downing Street to call out "coward" Boris Johnson and demand and immediate pay rise / PA

I dont think hed come. I think hes a coward.

Another nurse, who asked to be referred to only as Sarah, was holding a banner which said Unlike Lady Gaga we dont live for the applause Boris, in a reference to one of the pop stars hits.

Asked what she would say to Mr Johnson if she had the chance, Sarah said she would tell him he has severely let us down, adding: Morale still needs to be kept up and hes kicked us in the teeth by leaving us out of this pay rise, all NHS workers, the cleaners, the porters, the nurses.

Sarah pointed out that the NHS saved Mr Johnsons life, adding: His actions speak louder than his words right now by leaving us out.

The march came as a survey by Unison suggested more than two-thirds (69 per cent) of people think all NHS employees should be awarded a rise this year.

The unions poll of more than 2,000 British adults found that two-thirds believed a wage increase should be significant, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The survey found that just one in 10 thinks health workers should wait until April for a rise.
Iran launched underground ballistic missiles at a mock U.S. Navy vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning, according to state TV, following a series of drills that had prompted two nearby U.S. military bases to go on heightened alert the previous day.

"Using new tactics and equipment, the IRGC Air Force demonstrated some of its extensive capabilities in the face of hypothetical enemy threats," Iranian state TV network IRIB wrote on its website.

"An important achievement of the IRGC's airspace at this stage of the exercise, the successful firing of ballistic missiles from the depths of the ground was completely camouflaged, which could pose serious challenges to the enemy intelligence agencies," the website wrote.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have been displaying their military capabilities in drills this week, as part of annual war games held in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which 30% of the world's seaborne oil is shipped. Regional television channels showed a mock-up U.S. aircraft carrier in the Strait, complete with model planes on its deck, being blown up by missiles.

Iranian forces have used fake American vessels before in their military exercises. In recent months, U.S. forces have accused Iranian fast-attack boats of conducting "harassing" approaches on U.S. warships. Tehran staunchly opposes any U.S. military presence in the Middle East.

The drills on Tuesday led two of the region's American military bases  Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar  to temporarily go on heightened alert, after which U.S. military officials called the exercises "reckless" and "irresponsible."

"The incident lasted for a matter of minutes, and an all clear was declared after the threat indicator had passed," U.S. Central Command said in a statement Tuesday quoted by Reuters.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, Commander Rebecca Rebarich, said that U.S. forces were "always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behavior by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways." But she added that "this exercise has not disrupted coalition operations in the area nor had any impacts to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters."

The demonstrations come amid high U.S.-Iran tensions and more than two years after the Donald Trump administration withdrew from the multilateral 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, subsequently reimposing severe sanctions on the country. The last two years have been marked by a series of confrontations, including acts of sabotage on international tankers in the Gulf that Washington blames on Iran but Tehran denies, and the U.S. killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.

Semiofficial news agency Tasnim published a tweet late Tuesday night with the graphic of the fake U.S. carrier in the sea but shaped as a coffin. "The Islamic Republic of Iran will never forget the assassination of Martyr Soleimani and will definitely strike back at the Americans," it read.

https://twitter.com/Tasnimnews_Fa/status/1288195449812287488

Trump tweeted in late April, "I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea."
Low cost carrier Wizz Air, which boasts bases across the former Yugoslavia, expects for travel restrictions and entry bans introduced by governments without much prior warning to have an impact on its business within the next five months. The carrier has been forced to temporarily suspend over a dozen routes from Skopje, Belgrade, Tuzla, Ohrid, Pristina and Podgorica due to travel restrictions imposed onto nationals from these markets by other European states. An upcoming period within the range of five months will feature a lot of uncertainty and the industry will have to learn how to be flexible in adapting to new route networks and adjusting capacity, Wizz Airs CEO, Jozsef Varadi, said.





Mr Varadi noted his airline has already embarked on a strategy to mitigate the effects of the ongoing pandemic. He cited the expansion of its Airbus A321 fleet in Belgrade, the establishment of its first Russian base in St Petersburg along with the restart of its Kiev base, the launch of fourteen new routes between Ukraine and Italy, the resumption of flights from markets such as Hungary and Macedonia, as well as its venture into the Middle East. In the coming period, Wizz Air plans to launch nine new routes from Belgrade, introduce its first year-round service to Croatia and commence new flights to Montenegro. We have been trimming capacity in our existing markets, but at the same time we have also created a new network of routes and operating bases, so we are opening six or seven new bases just as we speak, Mr Varadi said. The airline is now flying at 77% of its 2019 levels. The carrier noted that even with the coronavirus, it expected to grow its capacity by roughly 9% this year.





Commenting on Wizz Airs strategy, which has vastly differed from its competitors during the ongoing crisis, Mr Varadi noted, The very worst situation for us is when we dont operate. The moment we operate, we only operate on a cash contribution basis. You have to run your businesses for the long run and liquidity and cash are critical components of your business model. We all know that short haul flying is a commodity business and in a commodity business the lowest cost prevails, and now were the lowest cost producer so I think our competing position has just gotten better. He added, Ten years ago when the last economic crisis hit the world, we were simply not strong enough and not big enough to take advantage of the situation. This time around I think we have the scale. We have the financial capacity to actually benefit from this and be one of the winners in this situation.




Myanmar & COVID-19 Myanmar Health Minister Urges Renewed Vigilance to Prevent Second COVID-19 Wave

Commuters in downtown Yangon in May. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy

YANGONUnion Health Minister Dr. Myint Htwe called Wednesday for people in Myanmar to remain vigilant regarding health guidelines, as public participation is still the most important factor in containing COVID-19. He made the statement as many in the country have abandoned prevention and control measures, including factories and other workplaces but also local authorities.

Dr. Myint Htwe said that Myanmar was able to contain the spread of COVID-19 so far because of measures taken since early January as well as active public participation and cooperation in the fight against the disease.

However, he said that if the country lets its guard down before COVID-19 is eliminated, it could lead to a second wave of the disease, adding that many other countries have recently faced record-breaking spikes in daily COVID-19 cases.

He pointed to how people are now relaxed, no longer wear masks and have abandoned social distancing in crowded places as though they are inviting a second wave of the disease.

He also said that many factories and other workplaces in Yangon were found to be in violation of the Health Ministrys guidelines for preventing infections during recent checks.

We will force them to follow the guidelines together with the local authorities and the Labor, Immigration and Population Ministry, he added.

The minister also reminded local authorities to keep raising awareness of COVID-19 in public places at least three times per a day as they are now making less effort than before.

Whether we can continue to contain the disease is dependent on public participation and cooperation on preventative measures, he stressed.

Myanmar reported its first COVID-19 cases on March 23 and has since seen 350 cases with six deaths and more than 80 percent of the patients recovering.

As infections inside the country have declined since mid-May, the government has eased COVID-19 restrictions, lifting all stay-at-home restrictions and allowing local travel.

The government also started the first phase in the reopening of schools last week with high school students resuming classes. The government is considering a move to reopen closed cinemas with preventative guidelines in place. Bans on all visas and international flights, however, have yet lifted.

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In each of the last two weeks of March, she saw an average of 385 people come for food. The numbers then went down to under 300 a week. But the last week in July, the numbers went up again, to an average of 335 people.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Vietnam, accounting for 17.9 per cent and 19.9 per cent of total deaths caused by diseases in the country in 2010 and 2017 respectively.

Cancer screening at National Cancer Hospital.  VNA/VNS Photo Duong Ngoc

Only cardiovascular diseases kill more in the country annually.

The statistics were revealed in the report 'Cancer preparedness in Asia-Pacific: Progress towards universal cancer control' by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released early this month.

The report looks at different responses to cancer in Asia-Pacific and the essential elements needed to enhance preparedness in the region.

The 10 countries included in this study were chosen based on various factors including size, income-level diversity and progress made towards universal health coverage (UHC). They are Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea and Vietnam.

According to the report, Vietnam ranks second from bottom in cancer preparedness among the countries with an overall score of 44.5 out of 100, just above the Philippines whose score is 42.6.

The regional average score is 66.5 while Australia, South Korea and Malaysia lead the region with scores of 92.4, 83.4 and 80.3 respectively.

The report also pointed out that in middle-income countries, the cancer mortality rate ranges from 60 to 70 per cent. Meanwhile, the percentage in high-income countries is from 30 to 50 per cent.

According to the report, nearly 70 per cent of cancer patients in Vietnam die, a figure which raised public concern.

Director of the National Cancer Hospital, Assistant and Dr Le Van Quang told Suc khoe& oi song (Health & Life) newspaper that the EIUs report took data from 2018 when Vietnam reported 165,000 new cancer cases and 115,000 deaths caused by cancer. The number of deaths was not of new cancer cases but accumulated numbers from previous years.

Cancer mortality rate reported within one year can not be as exact as those collected in a period, for example, three or five years, he said.

To evaluate any country's ability in cancer treatment, it should be based on the time patients survive after they receive diagnosis and treatment, he said.

It is not true that 70 per cent of cancer patients in Vietnam died within a year of being diagnosed, he said.

The EIUs report said the mortality rate of cancer patients within a year in Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam is 29 per cent.

In Vietnam, the three most common cancers - lung cancer, liver cancer and stomach cancer  usually develop fast with malignant tumours and are difficult to treat.

Meanwhile, in Australia, the three most common cancers are breast, prostate and colorectum which usually develop slowly and can be treated well in Vietnam.

In South Korea, the three most common cancers are thyroid cancer, stomach cancer and colorectum cancer, Quang said, adding that Vietnam now can treat thyroid cancer well.

He emphasised that the types of cancer and causes of cancer affect the mortality rate differently in different countries.

How to reduce the burden?

Currently, Vietnam has similar equipment and medicine for cancer treatment as in other countries.

However, it still needed to improve and implement four major tasks in its cancer prevention and control plans, Quang said.

The four tasks are preventive measures, early screening, treatment and pain relief.

In Vietnam, the cancer prevention and control programme is part of the programme on non-communicable diseases prevention and control but funding for cancer is modest.

In addition, health insurance does not cover early cancer screening.

In the near future, if health insurance covers part of the cost for cancer screening, especially for high-risk groups, more people can access the screening, he said.

"The sooner the disease is detected, patients have more chance to be cleared from the disease and medical costs are also reduced," he said.

Quang also called on people to have regular health check-ups for timely detection and treatment. VNS

Cancer claims 115,000 lives in Vietnam a year Vietnam is one of the countries with a high proportion of cancer patients.

Liver cancer becomes most commonly acquired one in Vietnam The number of liver cancer patients surpassed lung cancer, ranking first in both newly-contracted liver cancer and mortality, each reaching more than 25,000 people in 2019.
The Ontario government spent $3.5 billion less than planned in the last fiscal year, the provinces fiscal watchdog said Tuesday.

In a new report, the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario compared the Progressive Conservative governments budget projections for 2019-2020, including changes made after the budget was tabled, with its actual spending.

While the government increased its spending plan by a net $2.6 billion late last year, it actually spent 2.2 per cent less than planned in the period ending March 31, the FAO said.

The watchdog said the most significant underspending was seen in interest on debt, which came in $1 billion under budget; health, which was $466 million under budget; and investments in public transit, which were $375 million under budget.

The FAO projects the province will see an interim deficit of $8.7 billion for 2019-2020, or $500 million less than what the government predicted in its latest fiscal update delivered in March.

The Tories tabled a one-year fiscal outlook earlier this year rather than a full budget, citing the COVID-19 pandemics uncertain future effects on the economy. A full budget is expected to be tabled by Nov. 15.

Critics accused Premier Doug Fords government of making cuts that undermined the provinces ability to respond to the public health crisis, a suggestion the government vehemently denied.

Even as a pandemic approached, Ford was stripping millions upon millions out of the budgets for critical health services, New Democrat Sandy Shaw said in a statement.

Liberal finance critic Mitzie Hunter said the savings came at the cost of public health and capital funding for education.

Scraping $3.5 billion in savings during a pandemic and recovery period is unconscionable, Hunter said in a statement.

Sebastian Skamski, spokesperson for the President of the Treasury Board, described the oppositions comments as a gross mischaracterization of facts.

The FAO report confirms that our government continued to make critical investments in vital front-line services that matter most to Ontarians, Skamski said in a statement, noting the governments COVID-19 response plan included $3.3 billion in additional health spending.

Through prudent and careful fiscal management, our government had the resources to effectively and swiftly respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

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CHICAGO  An Illinois woman accused of keeping 33 people from Guatemala in her basement pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal labor trafficking charge.

Concepcion Malinek, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of labor trafficking, punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Illinois said in a press release.

Malinek, who is a U.S. citizen from Guatemala, admitted that she assisted 10 immigrants with illegally entering the U.S. from 2009 to 2019, according to the attorney's office.

Once in the country, Malinek provided the immigrants with fraudulent IDs and arranged for them to live in her home in Cicero, Illinois, while they worked in nearby jobs. Malinek then threatened to contact U.S. immigration authorities if the immigrants wouldnt pay her a substantial portion of their earnings, the office said.

Global sex trade: 13 sex trafficking statistics that explain its reach

In March 2019, federal agents raided Malinek's home in Cicero and found 19 adults and 14 children residing there, according to the federal complaint.

Federal officials also discovered a ledger where Malinek kept track of the amount her victims owed. The ledger included the line "you are free to leave or stay after the debt has been paid," according to the complaint.

One victim told federal authorities that she was kept at the house with her husband and two children and that Malinek said she would lose her children if she told anyone what was happening inside the home, according to the complaint.

The victim said Malinek verbally abused them and set up a list of "rules" on the back of the door leading out of the basement, according to the complaint. One of the rules stated that the basement had to be clean before everyone left for work or the victims would have to pay a fine. Another rule stipulated that the victims would be assigned to cleaning the house in separate shifts.

Human sex and labor trafficking remains a persistent issue in the United States and around the world. In 2019, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported 11,500 human trafficking cases in the U.S., including more than 1,000 labor trafficking cases and hundreds of cases of both sex and labor trafficking. That year, Homeland Security launched more than 1,000 human trafficking investigations and assisted 428 victims.

Story continues

In recent years, most human trafficking cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline are in California, Texas and Florida. Illinois consistently ranks among the top states for human trafficking cases. In 2019, there were 267 human trafficking cases reported to the hotline.

As in the Cicero case, threatening workers with visas and unauthorized workers with arrest is a common means of keeping them in forced labor in the U.S., according to various studies.

If you believe you are a victim of labor trafficking, you are encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling 1-888-373-7888.

Follow Grace Hauck on Twitter at @grace_hauck.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Woman accused of keeping 33 Guatemalans in basement pleads guilty
The Korea Times and the Asia Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) will cohost their first essay contest on the theme: "Youth, Disarmament, and Peace in the Asia-Pacific Region." We invite Korean and international students (both graduate and undergraduate) to submit essays to the contest which aims to foster a new generation of young people committed to the examining nuclear issues.



Applicants should submit their essays in English in about 800-1,000 words, as well as personal information including name, major area of study, year-level, email and phone number. All submissions will be placed in the same judging pool.



The subject of the essay must be chosen from the following three topics:



Topic 1

An analysis of the erosion of international nuclear governance devices such as the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) among others, and prescriptions to revive them



Topic 2

The strategic nuclear rivalry between China and the U.S. as well as newly emerging patterns of a nuclear arms race in the Asia-Pacific region



Topic 3

The North Korea nuclear problem involving an analysis of the current stalemate in negotiations with the United States as well as prescriptions to resolve this



Deadline for submission: Oct. 31 (Saturday)

Where to submit: apln@apln.network with the subject line "APLN-KT Essay Contest_NAME"

Announcement of winners: November



Prizes

Winners of the contest will receive awards from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Korea Times president-publisher and the APLN chairman. They will receive a monetary prize and a certificate in addition to having their work published in the APLN and The Korea Times. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a sponsor of the event.








Many not-for-profits and charities will be feeling discomfort today with some of what has emerged about WE Charity in the House of Commons committee hearing into the controversial student volunteer grant program.

Those organizations are neither as large nor as bizarrely complex and they do not engage in the same activities, but revelations around questionable governance and accountability practices always risk painting the entire sector in a poor light.

All not-for-profits and charities face the possibility of a chill from donors and a reluctance by governments to engage their much-needed services as a result of the WE controversy.

This charity, as Canadians are quickly learning, has moved far from its grassroots beginning and is now an octopus-like entity of many arms.

The list rattled off in the finance committee on Tuesday includes: WE Charity, WE Charity Foundation, ME to WE Social Enterprise, ME to WE Foundation, WEllbeing Foundation, WE365LP, WE365GP Inc., WE365 Holdings Inc., Imagine 1 Day International.

This labyrinth, which includes for-profits, was necessary according to the co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger because of the unfortunate reality of the rules and structure the Canada Revenue Agency imposes on charities.

They have a point that charitable organizations are severely limited in what they can do but most charities that want to expand their activities into social or money-making enterprises do so by setting up not-for-profit companies, rather than for-profit entities. And charities that want to keep the confidence of their donors and the public are far more transparent and careful about how funds flow back and forth between their organizations than WE Charity and its for-profit arm ME to WE seems to have been.

In their testimony Tuesday, the Kielburgers admitted their model is far from perfect and they now see the need to streamline it to improve governance.

Its unfortunate that it has taken this crisis  one that seems to be putting their very existence into danger with multiple donors and partners jumping ship  for them to see that. It would also be doubly unfortunate if other charities or government partners in better thought out programs were to suffer because of this.

Indeed, theres nothing about this whole affair that isnt unfortunate. That includes the major lapses in judgment on the part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau, who are now the subject of ethics inquires and which put a halt to getting at least $500 million in pandemic relief funds out the door.

Before the committee began its work, we already knew this program to pay students up to $5,000 to volunteer was ill-conceived and deeply flawed on numerous fronts.

Now were left with more questions, including why the contract to deliver what the government announced as a $912-million program only details plans to spend $540 million. And given the testimony of the former chair of WE Charity Michelle Douglas why the government didnt see the red flags.

She testified that the board was not provided with the information it requested to back up hundreds of layoffs at WE when the pandemic began and was repeatedly denied access to the chief financial officer. The board also previously asked and was told that no payments were made to WE Day speakers.

But we know thats not quite the case. For at the core of this entire affair are the payments of some $280,000 made to Trudeaus mother Margaret and brother Alexandre over a few years by WE.

The Kielburgers, who testified after Douglas, explained those payments arent made for appearing on the WE Day stage but for the more time-consuming ancillary events that go with it to drum up donors, from breakfasts to cocktails.

An organization that splits hairs like this is one the government should have thought twice about. Its too cute by half and it wont impress Canadians.

Theres a lot of blame to pass around and hopefully the committee will help clarify where the different responsibilities lie. But the Keilburgers who say they just wanted to help Canadians didnt manage that in this case and, tragically, they may have undermined the ability of other charities to do so.
A person holds a smartphone with Tik Tok logo displayed in this picture illustration taken on Nov. 7, 2019. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Japan Lawmakers to Urge Government to Put Curbs on TikTok Use: NHK

TOKYOLawmakers from Japans ruling Liberal Democratic Party have decided to push for steps to restrict the use of Chinese-owned video app TikTok, concerned that user data may end up in the hands of the Chinese regime, public broadcaster NHK said.

A group of lawmakers led by former economy minister Akira Amari made the decision at a meeting on Tuesday and plans to submit a proposal to the government as early as September, NHK reported on Tuesday evening.

Amaris office didnt respond to a request for confirmation of the report.

TikTok, owned by Beijing ByteDance Technology Co., is facing scrutiny in the United States over concerns that China could force the company to turn over its user data. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said this month action was imminent to address national security risks posed by TikTok.

TikTok has said that it has never provided user data to China and that it would not do so if asked.

The app is also under scrutiny in Australia over potential risks to data privacy, while in India, it was banned in late June along with 58 other Chinese-origin apps considered a threat to national security.

By Kiyoshi Takenaka and Chang-ran Kim
Explorer Tullow Oil expects to report material impairments and exploration write-offs of between $1.4bn-$1.7bn (1.2bn-1.4bn) for the first half of the year.

This is as a result of lower near-term oil price forecasts, and a downward revision in the group's long-term oil price assumption, it said.

The group has revised down its long-term oil price assumption to $60 a barrel from $65 per barrel.

Revenue for the first half of this year is expected to be circa $700m, with a realised oil price of $52 a barrel, according to a trading update.

At June 30, net debt is expected to be circa $3bn and liquidity headroom and free cash are expected to be around $500m. Full yearfree cash flow is forecast to break even at the current forward curve, the group said.

Capital and decommissioning expenditure guidance for the year remains unchanged at around $300m.

Rahul Dhir, CEO of Tullow Oil, said he is confident Tullow can be turned into a competitive and successful business once again.

Despite the challenging external environment in the first half of the year, Tullow has performed well; delivering production in line with forecast, agreeing the sale of the Ugandan assets and re-shaping the group's structure and cost base, Mr Dhir said.

In the first half of this year the groups working interest production averaged 77,700 barrels of oil per day, which was in line with expectations.

The group will release its half year results on September 9.
Dropping a new bomb, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said Wednesday that party supremo H D Deve Gowda proposed senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge to become the chief minister when both parties entered into a coalition after the Assembly polls in 2018.

Their own leaders stopped him from becoming the CM, Kumaraswamy said, as part of the muckraking between the former allies.

Read: Rumblings of leadership change in Karnataka, state to get new CM?

Continuing his tirade against the Congress, Kumaraswmay in a series of tweets said the JD(S) was never interested in the coalition. It was the Congress that landed up at their doorsteps, he said. Even when we said we did not want it, the Congress asked me to become the chief minister. Later, it began pressuring the government with its back-seat driving," he said.

Earlier this week, Kumaraswamy said the Congress had no moral right to criticise the BJP for "horse trading" as the party itself was involved in buyout of MLAs several times in the past. Taking objection to this, the Congress questioned the JD(S) as to why it agreed to form a coalition with Congress in the first place.

In a meeting between JD(S) and Congress leaders following the fractured mandate of the 2018 Assembly polls, Gowda suggested Kharge's name for the top post. But owing to internal bickering in Congress, the opportunity was snatched from Kharge, Kumaraswamy claimed. "Let the Congress introspect on who these leaders are. It will get an answer," he said.

Kharge, who is now a Rajya Sabha member, missed the chance of becoming the chief minister in 2013 when the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) favoured Siddaramaiah while electing its leader. The then KPCC president G Parameshwara could not claim the post as he lost the election from Koratagere. Both the leaders belong to SC (Right). Ever since, the issue of making someone from the SC community as the CM has been contentious, especially for the Congress. So, raking up Kharges name is seen as Kumaraswamys attempt to hit the Congress where it hurts the most.

While the Congress has termed JD(S) as an irrelevant party, is anyone in Congress willing to answer in how many states their party is relevant and active? Kumaraswamy said.
Latest findings from third phase of ENCODE project shed new light on the vastly mysterious 98 percent of genome that doesn't include protein-coding genes

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine are among the contributors to a package of 10 studies, published July 29, 2020 in the journal Nature, describing the latest results from the ongoing Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project, a worldwide effort led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to understand how the human genome functions.

This third series of published papers includes descriptions of millions of candidate DNA "switches" from the human and mouse genomes that appear to regulate when and where genes are turned on, a new registry that assigns a portion of these DNA switches to useful biological categories and new visualization tools to assist in the use of ENCODE's large datasets.

To assess the potential functions of different DNA regions, ENCODE researchers studied biochemical processes that are typically associated with the switches that regulate genes. This biochemical approach is an efficient way to explore the entire genome rapidly and comprehensively. This method helps to locate regions in the DNA that are "candidate functional elements"-- DNA regions that researchers predict are functional elements based on these biochemical properties. They can then test candidates in further experiments to identify and characterize their functional roles in gene regulation.

"A key challenge in ENCODE is that different genes and functional regions are active in different cell types," said Elise Feingold, PhD, scientific advisor for strategic implementation in the Division of Genome Sciences at the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the NIH, and a lead on ENCODE for the institute. "This means that we need to test a large and diverse number of biological samples to work towards a catalog of candidate functional elements in the genome."

Research teams headed by Bing Ren, PhD, professor of cellular and molecular medicine, director of the Center for Epigenomics at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a member of the San Diego branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, and Gene Yeo, PhD, professor of cellular and molecular medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, each published a study in the latest issue of Nature.

Chromatin atlas

The laboratory mouse is widely used in biomedical research to model human biology and disease. One key advantage of the mouse is that researchers have access to stages of fetal development that are difficult or impossible to study in humans. In the study by Ren, with first author David Gorkin, PhD, and colleagues, scientists profiled the chromatin structure in 12 different tissues over multiple stages of development in the mouse, revealing information about the activity of underlying genes during an organism's development. They then used the maps to define more than 500,000 candidate transcriptional regulatory elements in the mouse genome, which serve to control when and where the more than 20,000 genes in the mouse genome are activated during fetal development.

Their results have two major implications for human disease research, said Ren.

"First, we found that genetic risk variants for a variety of human diseases are located in regions of the human genome that share evolutionary origins with the mapped mouse gene regulatory sequences, suggesting that these regions of the human genome may be functional in humans, and that some of the disease risk variants in them may be affecting fetal development.

"Second, our results provide important tools for researchers using mice to model human disease, helping them focus on specific tissues, developmental stages and regions of the genome that may be most relevant to their targeted disease."

RNA-binding proteins

In Yeo's study, with first author Eric L. Van Nostrand, PhD, and colleagues, researchers introduce a new set of regulatory elements embedded in human DNA that are recognized by RNA-binding proteins that interact with these elements only when they are transcribed into RNA. The study authors write that these RNA-binding proteins act as computers that read these RNA elements and act on their instructions to "process" RNA, such as trimming excess pieces (splicing) or adding "tails" to stabilize messages.

The work represents the most comprehensive dataset yet of RNA-binding protein-interactomes.

Yeo said the findings are significant because they reveal novel functions for many RNA-binding proteins and identify genetic elements that will serve as the foundation to decipher which human mutations cause misregulated or failed RNA "processing." The Yeo team has already leveraged the information to create principles of regulation by these proteins, highlighting the importance of RNA research that will aid new therapeutic arenas.

"I am astounded by the complexity of regulation by these RNA-binding proteins and I believe our new datasets will open the doors to every field of disease, genetics and molecular biology," Yeo said.

Of note: More than two dozen UC San Diego faculty or researchers with UC San Diego affiliations are listed among the co-authors of the 10 published papers in the latest ENCODE issue of Nature. Full contents of the journal can be found here.

Significant progress has been made in characterizing protein-coding genes, which comprise less than 2 percent of the human genome. Researchers know much less about the remaining 98 percent of the genome, including how much and which parts of it perform other functions. ENCODE was created to help fill in this knowledge gap.

The human body is composed of trillions of cells, with thousands of types of cells. While all these cells share a common set of DNA instructions, the diverse cell types, such as heart, lung and brain, carry out distinct functions by using the information encoded in DNA differently. The DNA regions that act as switches to turn genes on or off, or to tune the exact levels of gene activity, help drive the formation of distinct cell types in the body and govern their functioning in health and disease.

As a new feature, ENCODE 3 researchers created a resource detailing different kinds of DNA regions and their corresponding candidate functions. A web-based tool called SCREEN allows users to visualize the data supporting these interpretations.

The ENCODE Project began in 2003 and is an extensive collaborative research effort involving groups across the United States and around the world, comprising more than 500 scientists with diverse expertise. It has benefited from and built upon decades of research on gene regulation performed by independent researchers around the world.

ENCODE researchers have created a community resource, ensuring that the project's data is accessible to any researcher for their studies. These efforts in open science have resulted in more than 2,000 publications from non-ENCODE researchers who used data generated by the ENCODE Project.

"This demonstrates that the encyclopedia is widely used, which is what we had always aimed for," said Feingold. "Many of these publications are related to human disease, attesting to the resource's value for relating basic biological knowledge to health research."

###
(Natural News) The Black Coalition Against Policing is now demanding that Duke University abolish their campus police and cut all ties with local police. The fringe coalition believes policing is inherently rooted in white supremacy and cannot be reformed.

The fringe group is not alone. They are joined by over fifty other campus groups including the Asian American Alliance, the Black Law Students Association, the National Pan Hellenic Council and the Pre-Veterinary society. Over 1,000 students, alumni and community members have signed a petition demanding an end to campus security.

Taking it a step further, the fringe coalition demands that Duke cut all ties to law enforcement or any system of policing that uses prisons. The Black Coalition Against Policing forbids Duke from calling the Durham Police Department and demands that the university cut ties with private security contractors. They also want Duke to cut off any communication with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Policing is rooted in white supremacy and cannot be reformed, they wrote, calling on Duke to support a system that seeks to heal and rebuild our communities from generations of systemic violence.

Without campus law enforcement, women will have nowhere to turn to when sexually assaulted

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 11.2 percent of all students, graduate and undergraduate, experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation. Roughly 4.2 percent of students experience stalking. A shocking 23.1 percent of undergraduate women experience some form of sexual assault. Many cases go unreported because they fear their assailant; only 20 percent of female student victims, age 18-24, report to law enforcement.

Where will women turn if the Black Coalition Against Policing has convinced Duke to cut off any communication with law enforcement? Women who have been sexually assaulted will have no one to turn to, as their abuser goes free.

Duke University Police Department, do you even understand what youre up against?

Duke University Police Department Chief John Dailey told the student newspaper: The campus police has the same goal as othersa safe and just community that allows Duke University to provide education, research and healthcare that helps the world. Being open to listening, to understanding and to changing for the good of Duke is central to what we do.

Even though the Duke University Police Department wants to work with the extremist, racially-charged students, the Black Coalition Against Policing is not looking to be understood or to understand. They arent looking for police reforms. They want to ban ALL law enforcement from campus, to terminate policing altogether and brand it as a racist institution. They are motivated by race, calling law enforcement a white supremacist group. These left-wing anarchists want to do away with the rule of law and get whatever they want, with no accountability  setting the stage for rampant abuse of women, theft and mob rule.

In their letter to Duke, the Black Coalition Against Policing was clear about their racial intent and their desire to terminate law and order: Reformist policies often legitimize racist systems in the first place by asserting that the stems of the issue can be amended without addressing the root cause. Thus, we as a collective are not interested in reformist ideals.

Duke University Police Department, do you even understand what youre up against? (Must See: Yugoslavian woman issues warning to all Americans  unfolding events are following a scripted pattern of invoking hatred and violence to bring down America.)

Sources include:

TheCollegeFix.com

RAINN.org

NaturalNews.com

Docs.Google.com
Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a mock-up aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported Wednesday.

It was the latest barrage in a drill that the previous day saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches.

Drone footage captured by the Guard showed two missiles blasting out from covered positions in what appeared to be a desert plateau in central Iran, with debris flying up in the air in their wake.

The launches took place on Wednesday, said Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards aerospace division. He told state television it was first time the Guard had done this, though the paramilitary force is known to have vast underground bases hiding its ballistic missile arsenal.

Separately, drones targeted the bridge of the fake aircraft carrier, according to the state TV report. The broadcaster did not immediately air footage of the launches or the drone attack, nor did it identify the missiles used in the drill.

However, the drill clearly meant to send a message to the United States.

A semiofficial news agency close to the Guard published a graphic overnight that photoshopped the image of an American carrier into the shape of a casket with a set of crosshairs on it, with a caption quoting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledging to seek revenge for the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January.

The drill  and the American response to it  underlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the US after a series of escalating incidents last year led to the January drone strike. Tehran responded to that strike by firing ballistic missiles that wounded dozens of American forces in Iraq.

While the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed both Iran and the US for months, there has been a growing confrontation as America argues to extend a yearslong UN weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October. A recent incident over Syria involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane also has renewed tensions.

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired Tuesday from the exercise called Great Prophet 14. Anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas.

State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said the Guard, a force answerable only to Khamenei, planned to fire long-range ballistic missiles as well during the drill that continued Wednesday.

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the US militarys Central Command in Qatar, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time.

The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all clear was declared after the threat ... had passed, said US Army Maj. Beth Riordan, a Central Command spokeswoman.

Both bases are hundreds of kilometers (miles) away from where Iran put the replica aircraft carrier.

Al-Dhafra also is temporarily home to five French-built Rafale fighter jets on their way to India for that countrys air force.

Other footage from the exercise aired by Irans state television showed fast boats encircling the mock-up carrier, kicking up white waves in their wake. While Irans naval forces are dwarfed by the US Navy, its commanders practice so-called swarm tactics aimed at overwhelming the US carriers that pass through the strait on their way in and out of the Persian Gulf.

It wasnt immediately clear if all the footage was from Tuesday, as one overhead surveillance image that appeared to be shot by a drone bore Mondays date. The exercise had been expected as satellite photos released Monday showed the fake carrier being moved into place by a tugboat.

A black-and-white satellite photo taken Tuesday by Colorado-based firm Maxar Technologies showed damage to the replicas bow and several of its fake jet fighters.
Georgetown will not be welcoming students to campus this fall. File photo

Days after the mayor of Washington, D.C. declared a mandatory, two-week quarantine for those coming from places deemed coronavirus hot spots, Georgetown University and its McDonough School of Business announced that all fall 2020 classes will be held virtually. The business schools MBA program had been among those planning to use a hybrid teaching approach this fall as the U.S. continues to grapple with a coronavirus pandemic that has infected millions and killed more than 150,000 nationwide.

The announcement, made in a letter published Wednesday (July 29) by Georgetown President John DeGioia, came as cases of the virus have been accelerating, restricting travel and, he said, rendering the schools previous plans inoperable. The McDonough School will follow all university directives, a spokesperson tells Poets&Quants.

Over these past few weeks, we have been carefully monitoring the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our Fall plans, DeGioia writes. I write to share with you the difficult decision that, based on current pandemic and public health conditions, we will be amending our plans for the Fall. Courses for all undergraduate and graduate students will begin in virtual mode.

In a separate statement, McDonough Dean Paul Almeida added: The health and safety of our community continues to be our top priority, and we remain committed to caring for our students holistically, in the spirit of cura personalis, with a focus on their academics, advising, career preparation, and personal well-being. Our faculty and staff have prepared for multiple re-opening scenarios and will be ready to teach and advise our students this fall.

IN JUNE, SCHOOL ANNOUNCED PLAN FOR A FLEXIBLE HYBRID MODEL

Georgetown President John DeGioia. Georgetown photo

Coronavirus affects international students more than domestic U.S. ones, despite the prevalence of the virus in the United States. Foreign students have to travel, exponentially increasing the risk to their health  and thats if they dont encounter visa problems, which have become far more common for F-1 and other academic visa holders since 2016. Georgetown McDonough has a robust international student population that remains steady year-to-year; to cite a recent window of data, internationals made up about a third of the McDonough MBA class between 2017 and 2019. The schools total percentage of international students last year was 32.2%, greater than Whartons, Chicago Booths, or Northwestern Kelloggs.

Story continues

Ranked No. 24 in the U.S. by both Poets&Quants and U.S. News, Georgetown McDonoughs full-time MBA program has 275 members in the Class of 2021, among them 30% internationals from 32 separate countries. Eighty-four percent of the class has lived, worked, or studied abroad.

The McDonough School anticipated that the pandemic could worsen before it improved. In June, DeGioia wrote that the school would attempt to follow Hybrid-Flexible Academic Models, with a range of options from on-campus to fully virtual. The plan would be determined by relevant factors, including our ability to meet our public health responsibilities and the needs of our community, the school announced. We are preparing for multiple options depending upon the changing state of pandemic conditions in the District of Columbia and on our ability to fulfill our obligations for public health on the Georgetown campuses.

Almeida said that the new plan is to return to a hybrid format once permitted by health experts and local regulations, adding that I am proud of how our community has come together to care for one another, and Im confident that our faculty, staff, and students will continue to keep the spirit of our community alive throughout the fall and beyond.

A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION

Canceling all in-person classes and moving instruction entirely online  a decision that affects thousands of Georgetown undergraduate students, as well  was a very difficult decision, DeGioia writes, and one that I know will disappoint members of our community who have been eagerly anticipating a return to campus. In early July, we had announced our intention to bring approximately 2,000 undergraduate students, including the members of the first-year class, to our Main Campus. Today, we are revising this approach based on current pandemic conditions. We will not be able to bring to campus the members of the entering undergraduate class, the class of 2024, at this time.

We plan to introduce in-person course elements as soon as health conditions permit. We will continue to monitor pandemic and public health conditions to determine when it may be possible to resume in-person courses and other in-person, on-campus activities. Specific guidance regarding a transition from all-virtual mode will be shared by academic leaders.

Some activities, particularly biomedical and physical sciences research, will continue to take place on-campus according to our established plans, DeGioia writes.

Since the emergence of the pandemic in mid-January, we have been preparing, tracking, and responding to possible impacts on our community. In the months since, we have been forced to adjust, as the pandemic has spread. As we have encountered difficult moments and faced many challenging decisions, we have remained steadfast in our deep commitment to our academic mission and to the health and safety of our community. Members of our community have demonstrated extraordinary compassion and resilience over this time  supporting the health of one another, our communities, and our families. We are now confronting another challenging moment, as the pandemic accelerates across our country.

MBA classes at the McDonough School are scheduled to begin September 8 and conclude December 14. Read Georgetown President DeGioias letter here.

DONT MISS MEET GEORGETOWN McDONOUGHS MBA CLASS OF 2021 and GEORGETOWN TO LAUNCH NEW BUSINESS ANALYTICS DEGREE IN 2021

The post Coronavirus Forces Georgetown MBA Program To Start The Fall Fully Online appeared first on Poets&Quants.
Listeners to Bloom Energy's (NYSE:BE) second-quarter 2020 conference call heard principal co-founder and CEO K.R. Sridhar proclaim that his company has a "new financing partner" in NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE). But John Ketchum, president and CEO of NextEra Energy Resources -- the clean energy business under NextEra Energy -- later denied the statement from the Bloom executive was true.

Ketchum said that "Bloom Energy incorrectly asserted" that NextEra Energy Resources was a financing partner, and that it has "no such relationship" with Bloom. He clarified that the relationship is "limited to a recently acquired small fuel cell with an existing power purchase agreement on Long Island, New York." Ketchum continued that the purchase came on attractive terms, and that Bloom only provides operational and technical support to NextEra for this one system, and that it has no plans for any further business arrangements with Bloom Energy.

But Bloom Energy responded, and said that it is reaffirming its comments on the relationship with NextEra Energy Resources. The response explained that NextEra Energy Resources purchased a six megawatt fuel cell project from Bloom. It clarified that "Bloom uses the term 'financing partner' to refer to the purchaser of our fuel cells for use by an end consumer."

Bloom also disputed Ketchum's comment regarding any future relationship. It said, "NextEra contacted us recently to discuss future collaborations, which resulted in our two companies being actively engaged in discussions regarding several future projects."

Bloom concluded that the comments made on the conference call were "true and accurate in all respects."
When Kristy Hamilton was a middle schooler in the Spring Branch area Awty International School, she accidentally got kicked in the face with a track cleat. She was so inspired by her plastic surgeon Dr. Tue Dinh that she came back and shadowed him when she was in high school.

Hamilton, who graduated from Baylor Medical School  where Dinh was one of her professors  is now a plastic surgeon at the newly opened Houston location of the Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic surgery where she has been working since July 1.

Houston company acquired: Houston-based Drunk Elephant skin care sells for $845 million

We have the best doctors and surgeons in the Texas Medical Center, Hamilton said of her experience. Incredible trauma experience at Ben Taub taking care of the underserved, learning how to do complex reconstruction at the top cancer center in the country at MD Anderson and then doing high-level aesthetic and reconstructive surgery at St. Lukes and Methodist, it was a privilege to be joined by these people.

Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery has 16 locations in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio as well as the first location in Houston, where Hamilton works, which opened this past December and is located at 2132 Bissonnet St., Ste. 200.

Dr. Chuma Chike-Obi, who was the chief resident in plastic surgery at Baylor Medical School when Hamilton was a medical student, reached out to Hamilton about joining. The doctor, who Hamilton considers a mentor, already worked at the practice.

I felt very confident joining them because I trusted Dr. Chike-Obi and had heard great things about the group in general, Hamilton said. We were able to build this vision of a Houston office together, which is exactly what I wanted to do in practice for my patients.

Help for doctors: Federal paycheck protection loans helped Houston doctors pay rent, save for expenses

Hamilton is Westlakes first female plastic surgeon and the only one of the five current plastic surgeons who is female, although 26 of the groups total 32 dermatologists are female.

Its a very cool thing; most of the patients in aesthetics are women, so I feel like I get to relate to them at that level, Hamilton said. There are incredible male plastic surgeons and female plastic surgeons, but its nice for a woman to have the option to choose if theyre more comfortable with a particular gender, so its an exciting time to be a female plastic surgeon in this town.

Hamilton finds that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a great time to start a plastic surgery practice.

Patients want to feel better, she said. Theyre excited to come in and do a little update for themselves at this time, whether thats because of Zoom meetings and staring at your face or just because you have some down time now where you can have a three-day recovery.

Hamilton is excited to stay in Houston, where she grew up. She currently lives in Southside Place, down the street from where her parents live and where she grew up in West University, a short drive from the office as well as the Texas Medical Center.

To learn more about the Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery Houston location, go to https://www.westlakedermatology.com/dermatology-services-houston/

elliott.lapin@hearst.com
A 55-year-old building contractor used an iron rod to beat a mason to death in outer Delhis Narela on Monday night for objecting to his proposal to marry the victims 13-year-old relative, the police said.

The suspect, Arjun Singh, had approached the victim to help with his marriage idea after the childs father had outright rejected the proposal in the past, said a senior police officer investigating the crime.

Singh was arrested within hours of the crime, even as he was trying to find means to escape to Bihar.

Singh worked as a small-time building contractor in Narela and was constructing a private house in Sabauli Road neighbourhood for the past many months. His wife works in a factory in Narela and they have two children.

A few masons, including the victim, worked under him at the construction site. Singh and the workers had got to know each other and their family members well in these past months, said a senior police investigator who is not authorised to speak to the media.

Among the relatives of the masons Singh was acquainted to was the victims 13-year-old relative who lives with her parents in the same neighbourhood.

According to the victims family, a few days ago Singh had approached the girls father with his proposal to marry her, but Singh was scolded and asked to keep away from the child, said the officer.

On Monday night, Singh allegedly met the girls 48-year-old relative to seek his help in convincing the girls father. Singh also offered to help the victim and the girls family with money, but the victim reminded Singh of the age difference between him and the child and chided him for thinking about marrying a minor girl, said the investigator.

This led to an argument during which Singh allegedly manhandled the victim before his relatives arrived at the scene to intervene. Minutes later, Singh allegedly picked up an iron rod from the construction site and beat the victim to death.

While Singh fled the crime spot, the victims family told the police about their past confrontations with him.

We registered a murder case and began searching for the suspect. Since he belonged to Bihar, we deployed police teams on possible routes he could take, such as bus stands and railway stations. He was caught in the early hours of Tuesday, within hours of the murder, said the officer.
By shifting its focus on cultivation and effectively handholding farmers, the country can be among the top-five exporters of agro commodities, according to a report by the World Trade Centre.

The report comes at a time when the government has announced some reforms in the farm sector by allowing farmers to sell produce outside the regulated APMC markets, and relaxing the Essential Commodities Act, among others, which can help boost exports.

With an annual agro exports of $39 billion in 2019, the country is ranked eighth, after the EU ($181 billion), the US ($172 billion), Brazil ($93 billion), China ($83 billion), Canada ($69 billion), Indonesia ($46 billion) and Thailand ($44 billion), the WTC report said quoting the 2019 WTO data.

"Through focused intervention in capacity-building, we can enhance our agro exports to surpass Thailand and Indonesia, and become the fifth-largest exporter in the world," according to the report.

To attain this, as a first step, the study said, the government should re-orient the role of its extension centres  the 715 krishi vigyan kendras across the country  to handhold farmers in growing those varieties of crops that have demand in the global markets.

Many a time, Indian consignments are rejected because of the presence of pesticides above the prescribed maximum residual limits, the study noted and said "krishi vigyan kendras should guide farmers on prudential use of pesticides and other chemicals so that they conform to the global quality standards".

"Having attained self-sufficiency in agriculture, we need to re-orient our extension services system, which was developed in the days of the green revolution that focused on attaining self-sufficiency in farm production," the report said.

The report added that it is time we move towards growing quality food for the global markets rather than quantity.

One key focus area could be cultivating horticulture crops that conform to the quality, colour, shape and chemical contents acceptable in foreign countries or which are fit for further processing.

Despite being the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, India's share in global exports is under 1.8 percent. In spite of being the largest producer of papayas, lemons and limes, we meet hardly 3.2 percent of the world papaya demand, 0.5 percent for lemons and limes, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization.

In the past decade, India made remarkable progress in exports of niche items like capsicum chilly, castor oil, tobacco extracts and sweet biscuits, apart from basmati rice, meat and marine products.

"These success stories should be and can be replicated in other potential food items," the report concluded.
About half of Alabama K-12 students are expected to begin attending school in person in the next few weeks, state superintendent Eric Mackey said Tuesday, as individual school systems and individual families make difficult decisions about how to educate children in the COVID-19 pandemic.

But with few hard and fast rules set by the state or federal governments, decisions are being left to individual school systems whether to open classrooms and individual families on whether to send their children.

[See Alabama school reopening plans by district]

Theres no magic bullet and no way to guarantee that children who return to school wont catch the virus and spread it to those around them, but there are various recommendations about how to reduce that risk as much as possible.

AL.com reviewed the current sets of guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Alabama State Board of Education to compile this guide to making the difficult but important decisions for your family.

Face-to-face is important

Numerous groups from the AAP to the state board of education begin with the premise that in-person learning is the preferred option to remote or online learning.

The [American Academy of Pediatrics] strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school, the AAP says in its plan.

The question is how can schools offer in-person learning while minimizing risk?

Younger children at less risk

The scientific research around SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is still in its infancy, but both the CDC and AAP guidelines note that students in grades K-5 seem to be at less risk of both catching and spreading the disease than those in middle or high school.

Limited data about COVID-19 in children suggest that children are less likely to get COVID-19 than adults, and when they do get COVID-19, they generally have less serious illness than adults, according to the CDC Guidance.

While there are some cases of COVID-19 in children, and a small number of deaths, the CDC notes that Evidence from other countries suggest that most pediatric cases resulted from children becoming infected by a family member.

The American Academy of Pediatrics noted in its guidelines that while children and adolescents are major spreaders of the flu virus, so far there has not been much evidence of young children spreading the virus.

Although many questions remain, the preponderance of evidence indicates that children and adolescents are less likely to be symptomatic and less likely to have severe disease resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection, the AAP said. In addition, children may be less likely to become infected and to spread infection.

Thats one reason Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson recommended all middle and high schools offer remote learning only to start the year in Alabamas most populous county, while elementary schools can reopen if they can maintain physical distancing guidelines.

Physical distance between desks

For children, maintaining six feet of distance is best, but maintaining three feet of distance can make an impact.

While the CDC recommends six feet of distance whenever possible, the pediatricians group says three feet of distance can be almost as good, if the students are wearing masks.

In many school settings, 6 feet between students is not feasible without limiting the number of students, the AAP guidelines state. Evidence suggests that spacing as close as 3 feet may approach the benefits of 6 feet of space, particularly if students are wearing face coverings and are asymptomatic. Schools should weigh the benefits of strict adherence to a 6-feet spacing rule between students with the potential downside if remote learning is the only alternative.

No faculty lounge

All groups recommend that adults who work in schools maintain six feet of distance from each other and from students whenever possible, per the AAP.

Given what is known about transmission dynamics, adults and adult staff within schools should attempt to maintain a distance of six feet from other persons as much as possible, particularly around other adult staff, the group said. For all of the below settings [pre-K through high school], physical distancing by and among adults is strongly recommended, and meetings and curriculum planning should take place virtually if possible.

Parents shouldn't enter the building

The group also recommends that parents or guardians enter the school as little as possible.

Parents should, in general, be discouraged from entering the school building, the AAP group said. Physical barriers, such as plexiglass, should be considered in reception areas and employee workspaces where the environment does not accommodate physical distancing, and congregating in shared spaces, such as staff lounge areas, should be discouraged.

Small groups

One strategy for minimizing spread among students is  as much as possible  to cohort students, that is to try to keep the same groups of students together for multiple subjects and therefore reduce the total number of students who are in close contact with each other.

The AAP guidelines recommend the use of a block schedule  where students take longer, more intensive classes over the course of a month rather than several courses over a whole semester.

No mingling in the hall

The AAP also suggests schools eliminate the use of lockers or group lockers by cohort to limit the interactions of students in different groups.

The AAP also suggests school consider making hallways one-way, to move teachers from classroom to classroom while keeping the students in one room, and consider staggering the class times so that not all students are in the hallways at the same time.

That way, when a student tests positive, there will be fewer other students who had close contact with that student and may need to isolate.

If schools have a plan in place to do this, it may reduce the chance of an outbreak at that school.

Masks

Alabamas education guidance on reopening shifts the decision on requiring masks to the school systems, although Alabamas statewide mask mandate extends through August 31, and does apply to schools and colleges.

The AAP recommends that all secondary school students wear a mask when they cannot maintain six feet of distance from other people.

The group says elementary school students should wear face coverings when harms (eg, increasing hand-mouth/nose contact) do not outweigh benefits (potential COVID-19 risk reduction).

For Pre-K students, the pediatricians group says masking and physical distancing among the children may be difficult to achieve and recommends instead focusing on things like washing hands and spending time outdoors if possible.

In Pre-K, the relative impact of physical distancing among children is likely small based on current evidence and certainly difficult to implement, the group said. Therefore, Pre-K should focus on more effective risk mitigation strategies for this population. These include hand hygiene, infection prevention education for staff and families, adult physical distancing from one another, adults wearing face coverings, cohorting, and spending time outdoors.

Adults should wear masks whenever they are within six feet of other people.

Pre-existing conditions matter

Even among children, those with other serious health conditions may be at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and of having more severe complications if they do.

The CDC notes that (as of July 23) There are more COVID-19 cases reported among children with intellectual and developmental disabilities than those without.

People of any age, including children, with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, the agency said. Additionally, children who are medically complex, who have neurologic, genetic, metabolic conditions, or who have congenital heart disease might be at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, compared to other children.

Caution with sports, singing

Activities like exercise and singing are considered high-risk activities for spread because when people breathe heavily or project their voices, they naturally let out a lot of droplet particles that can carry the virus.

The AAP calls such activities cases of increased exhalation, and notes that when they do take place, these activities are likely safest outdoors and spread out.

Watch for symptoms

The CDC and AAP urge students and parents to be watchful for symptoms of COVID-19, especially fever, and to keep students home if they display possible signs of COVID, or if they know they have been exposed.

Schools should have a policy regarding symptom screening and what to do if a student or school staff member becomes sick with COVID-19 symptoms, the AAP said. Temperature checks and symptom screening are a frequent part of many reopening processes to identify symptomatic persons to exclude them from entering buildings and business establishments.

Be flexible

The AAP emphasizes the unknown in its guidelines and urges school systems to be flexible and willing to change if what they are doing is not working.

School policies must be flexible and nimble in responding to new information, and administrators must be willing to refine approaches when specific policies are not working, the group said.

Schools should have plans in place for what to do if cases spike in the area.

It is critically important to develop strategies that can be revised and adapted depending on the level of viral transmission in the school and throughout the community and done with close communication with state and/or local public health authorities and recognizing the differences between school districts, including urban, suburban, and rural districts, the group said.

For more information, see the individual guidance documents from the CDC, AAP, and Alabama State Board of Education. The CDC has also published a checklist of items for families to consider when deciding between in-person school and remote learning.
Getting your film into one of the major international festivals is always a big deal. But for Roderick MacKay, whose debut feature The Furnace is the only Australian film to have landed a berth at Venice in September, it's almost inexplicable.

"It is all a bit miraculous and topsy turvy and hard to wrap your head around," the Perth-based director, 33, said. "Most festivals have been cancelled this year, which means you have fewer chances to get into one as the market's more crowded than usual, so we're beyond over the moon that we're in Venice."

Hanif (Ahmed Malek), Woorak (Baykali Gnambarr) and camel train in a scene from Roderick MacKay's The Furnace. Credit:Southern Light Films

Of course, actually being in Venice is far from a done deal. MacKay and his team have been invited to attend, but as the festival is operating with a smaller than usual program and social distancing measures in place it's far from clear what that actually means. But whatever the particulars, it's bound to be a whole lot more complicated and expensive than it would have been pre-pandemic.

"First we need to get an exemption from the Australian federal government to leave the country," MacKay said. "Then, assuming we're allowed into Italy, we have to travel to Venice to self-isolate for two weeks."
The Court of Appeal has quashed the conviction of a Dublin man for taking part in a gang rape, after the defence received previously undisclosed information that the complainant had made other sexual allegations in the past.

The Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose the man's application to have his conviction overturned.

The now 25-year-old, who was jailed for four years in June 2017, is reserving his position in relation to compensation for a miscarriage of justice.

He had pleaded not guilty to raping the woman with two other men at a house in Dublin on a date in May 2014. She had gone there with them, after meeting them in a nightclub. It was alleged that when she asked them to stop the rape, she was told: It's your birthday surprise.

A jury found him guilty, following a four-day trial at the Central Criminal Court. A sentence of six years imprisonment was imposed. The final two years were suspended.

His barrister, Caroline Biggs SC, applied to the Court of Appeal to quash the conviction on Wednesday. She had first applied to the court in January to adduce fresh evidence, and her client was granted bail at that point, with the consent of the State.

Ms Biggs said that documentation had been received, which showed that the complainant had made allegations of a sexual nature previous to this case. This material had not been disclosed to the defence and could have had a material impact on the outcome, she said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented in court by Paul Green SC, acceded to the application and conceded that no retrial should be ordered.

Mr Justice Edwards, presiding with Justice Patrick McCarthy and Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh, quashed the conviction and made no further order.

Ms Biggs said that she was reserving her position in relation to Section 9 of the 1993 Criminal Procedure Act. This relates to compensation for a miscarriage of justice.

The trial had heard that the woman, who was in her 20s, was celebrating her birthday in a nightclub with friends. She had taken cocaine, alcohol and Ecstasy in the club when she met a man there.

They kissed and she agreed to go to a house with him. She got a taxi to the house with him and two other men, including the man in this case.

She had consensual sex with the first man in a bedroom, before two other men entered and began trying to have sex with her.

The man in this case admitted having sex with her.

He told gardai that when the woman came back to the house there was a conversation about a threesome. He said she told him it was OK for him to join in.

However, she said that it was not consensual.

Justice Isobel Kennedy said that the man, who had no previous convictions, acted out of character on the night.

She had noted the defence submissions that he was previously a peaceful, law-abiding, diligent young man who came from a decent, hard-working family.

The court heard that his family and current girlfriend had remained supportive. He had acted in loco parentis for his partner's children. He had an impressive work history and was not someone who abused alcohol, drugs or people.

Justice Kennedy had suspended the last two years of his sentence to allow for the very realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
The Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Yaw Domelevo, who is currently on 167-days leave had the shock of his life Tuesday when he learnt that the lock to his office has been changed.



Mr Domelevo said he went to the office Tuesday afternoon to pick up some documents but could not access his office because the locks had been changed.



According to him, he then enquired from the acting Auditor-General, Mr Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, who confirmed that the Audit Service Board Chairman, Professor Edward Dua Agyeman, had asked him to change the locks to protect documents.



Confirming the incident to Graphic Online, Mr Domelevo expressed reservation at the development, saying for something like that to happen, he should have been informed because he remained in active service and that was his office.



Mr Domelevos 167-days accumulated leave has been shrouded in a lot of controversies.



Presidential directive



The Presidency in a statement dated Monday, June 29, and signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, directed Mr Domelevo to take an accumulated annual leave of 123 days from July 1, 2020.



The letter asked Mr Domelevo to hand over all matters relating to his office to Mr Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, the Deputy Auditor-General, to act as Auditor-General, "until his return from his well-deserved leave."



The statement explained that the President's decision was based on sections 20 (1) and 31 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) which apply to all workers, including public office holders such as the Auditor-General.



Defiance



However, in a three-page letter dated July 3, 2020, and addressed to the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, Mr Domelevo asked the President Akufo-Addo to reconsider his directive for him to proceed on his accumulated leave.



According to him, although he was aware that his work was "embarrassing the government", the directive had "serious implications for the constitutional independence of the office of the Auditor-General."



Mr Domelevo noted that although he had since taken his accumulated leave days as directed, the action by the President was unconstitutional and not in the best interest of the office of the Auditor-General and for that matter the country.



A second letter dated July 3, 2020, and signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, said the Office of the President decided to increase the accumulated annual leave of the Auditor-General from the initial 123 to 167 working days to include his period of leave for the year 2020 other than the earlier directive which only calculated the accumulated leave days from 2017 to 2019.



CSOs react



In the mid of the back and forth a coalition of many civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) launched a nationwide campaign against the directive by President Akufo-Addo to Mr Domelevo to proceed on his accumulated leave.



In a campaign dubbed: "Bring Back Domelevo", the coalition, which comprises the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and over 400 members of the CSOs Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), called on the President to reverse the "proceed on leave" decision in the interest of accountability and democratic governance.



Domelevos leave directive cant be reversed  Presidency



However, in a response to the petition, the Office of the President said President Nana Akufo-Addo will not change his stance on the directive for the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo to proceed on leave.



The Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo in a response to a petition it received from some Ghanaians home and abroad said Nana Akufo-Addos position on the matter remains the same.



While acknowledging the reasons cited by the petitioners as the basis for their calling on the president to rescind the decision, the Office of the President said all the arguments had been considered before the decision to ask Mr Domelevo to proceed on leave was taken.



The President encourages people to be citizens and not spectators and therefore, your petition is welcome, and its contents have been duly noted. However, the position of the President as contained in the letter dated 3rd July 2020 from this Office to the Auditor-General remains the same. The arguments made in your petition were considered prior to the President taking the decision to request Mr. Daniel Domelevo to take his accumulated leave from 1st July 2020. Accordingly, the President is unable to grant the request in your petition, the letter noted.









Source: Graphic.com.gh









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LAS VEGAS, July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire -- ISW Holdings, Inc. (OTC: ISWH) ("ISW Holdings" or the "Company"), a global brand management holdings company, is thrilled to announce its finalization of the new Proceso S19 Pod5ive data center design, which is capable of powering 1MW of computing mining power. Bit5ive is targeting the first deployments beginning in August, with its initial pod delivery bound to the 100-MW renewable energy Bit5ive LLC ("Bit5ive") project in Pennsylvania.



"The S19 Pod5ive Data Center has been engineered from the ground up to deliver an industry leading Power Usage Effectiveness ("PUE") score of 1.025," stated Alonzo Pierce, president of ISW Holdings. "If you eliminate everything superfluous to maximum performance, optimize every remaining factor, and then integrate it into a renewable energy substrate to drive costs down to some of the lowest levels available anywhere in the world, this is what you get."

The Company formed a joint venture partnership with Bit5ive in May (the "JV") to build and deliver the single most elegant, powerful and efficient data center pods in the world. Geared primarily for the cryptocurrency mining industry, the Proceso S19 Pod5ive Data Center offers next-generation, dynamic self-management functionality, plug-and-play operation, virtually nonexistent maintenance needs, and an industry best-in-class 1.025 PUE.

Design features include:

Automated environment control with airflow pressure sensor and "smart" evaporator cooler.

Remote management capability.

Motion sensor security.

Proprietary miners monitoring and software system.

Efficient power configuration with no step-down transformer needed.

26 power distribution units with 27 outlets at 240v output; 280 x Bitmain S19 or Whatsminer M20/30.

All General Electric industrial equipment.

NEC-complaint with all UL-listed components, including the PDU.

Pre-wired power cords with individual lines drop in place.

Pre-configured static network with individual lines drop in place.

Easy to manage, allowing all miners to stay in DHCP.

Web-based proprietary management system with network, temperature map, power draw, including a full audit report for operations control.

Minimum cost of management with reusable merv 2-11 filter and standard evaporator media filter.

For more details and forward-looking statements, view the entire announcement: http://nnw.fm/ISWHoldingsS19Pod5iveAnnouncement

Management believes the cryptocurrency mining equipment market is now in the early stages of a new expansion cycle as product evolution and growing demand have eliminated existing supplies of prior-generation and secondary-market or resale equipment left over from the bitcoin bull market that topped in late 2017.

About ISW Holdings

ISW Holdings, Inc. (ISWH), based in Nevada, is a diversified portfolio company comprised of essential business lines that serve consumer product demands. Our expertise lies in strategic brand development, early growth facilitation, as well as brand identity through our proprietary procurement process. Together, with our partners, we seek to provide a structure that meets large scalability demands, as well as anticipated marketplace needs. We are able to meet these needs through a variety of strategic innovative processes. ISWH is creating and managing brands across a spectrum of disruptive industries. It maneuvers its proprietary companies through critical stages of market development, which includes conceptualization, go-to-market strategies, engineering, product integration, and distribution efficiency. The Company has also partnered with a well-known software development and consulting company, Bengala Technologies LLC, which is developing significant enhancements in the supply chain management space; and, the partnership has a vitally needed patent pending.

For more information, visit www.ISWHoldings.com .

Company Contact:

Investor Relations

info@ISWHoldings.com

Corporate Communications:

InvestorBrandNetwork

310.299.1717 Office

Editor@InvestorBrandNetwork.com

Photo available: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/360cbab4-b64e-469e-974d-9fb534ff7029

The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.
Rice noodles cooked with river snails, a signature street food of Liuzhou in south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is becoming an increasingly popular snack at home and abroad.

(Photo/Xinhua)

Known as luosifen in Chinese, the dish is usually sold from roadside stands in night markets in Guangxi.

The delicacy was listed as part of Liuzhous intangible cultural heritage in 2008 and became popular after being recommended in the hit food show A Bite of China in 2012. Since then, luosifen restaurants have developed rapidly across the country.

The specialty has gained greater popularity thanks to its prepackaged versions, which resembles instant noodles.

Data from e-commerce giant Taobao showed that 28.4 million packets of luosifen were sold on the platform last year, becoming the most popular snack on the online marketplace.

According to the commerce office in Liuzhou, the value of prepackaged luosifen reached about 5 billion yuan (over $700 million) in the first half of the year.

It was also one of the best-selling, ready-to-serve foods during the novel coronavirus epidemic in China.

The dish has seen its popularity soar further outside of China as customs statistics showed that a total of around 7.5 million yuan (about $1.1 million) worth of luosifen were exported from Liuzhou from January to June this year, eight times the total export value in 2019.

In addition to the traditional export markets, including the U.S., Australia and some European countries, shipments of the iconic dish have also been delivered to new markets such as Singapore and New Zealand.

On July 14, over 14,000 packets of prepackaged luosifen produced by Guangxi Luobawang Food Co., Ltd. were exported to Russia.

We almost exported our products to the U.S. each week this year, and a batch of 40,000 packets of luosifen sold out just three days after they were shipped in the country, said Chen Zihao, a member of the company.

The company is expected to export 350,000 packets of the sought after food in the first half of the year, 29 times of last years total, thanks to the rapid growth of the overseas market, Chen noted.

The company has also modified the recipes to cater to the taste of overseas foodies, Chen said, adding that it has received orders from countries including Japan, South Korea and Italy.

Liuzhou Customs has simplified procedures for companies to export luosifen, and more than 20 companies have been authorized to export the specialty.
The ongoing dispute between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over construction of new irrigation projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers in violation of the AP Reorganisation Act has reached the Centre for an amicable settlement.

Union minister for Jal Sakthi Gajendra Singh Shekawat has called for a meeting of the apex council on river water disputes between the two states on August 5.

The council, headed by the Union minister, comprises the two chief ministers  K Chandrasekhar Rao of Telangana and Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy of Andhra Pradesh.

A communication to this effect has reached the Telangana government on Wednesday.

Both the chief ministers will be attending the meeting through video conference to put forth their arguments on the projects taken up by their respective states. The Centre will suggest a way out to settle the disputes over water sharing, an official in the state irrigation department familiar with the development said.

The apex council was constituted as part of the AP Reorganisation Act in 2014 to sort out the inter-state disputes, since both the states, which were part of a combined Andhra Pradesh till June 2014, have common projects like Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar and Pulichintala on Krishna river.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government on Monday issued a notification inviting tenders for the construction of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project (RLIP), aimed at lifting 34,722 cusecs of water per day from Srisailam Reservoir on Krishna river from a depth of 800 feet.

The tenders worth Rs 3,278.18 crore were called for the construction of the project under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis within 30 months. The last date for filing of tenders is August 10 and the technical and commercial bids would be opened on August 12 and 13.

With the lowest bid taken as the benchmark, a reverse tendering process would be conducted on August 17 and the successful bidder would be finalised by August 19, the notification said.

However, the commencement of the RLIP would depend on the final judgment of the National Green Tribunal, which is hearing a petition filed by a Telangana activist G Srinivas, opposing the project stating that it was detrimental to the interests of Telangana. The NGT will take up the hearing on August 11.

The Telangana government, too, lodged a complaint with the Krishna River Management Board opposing the Andhra Pradesh governments decision to construct the RLIP and also expansion of the existing discharge capacity of Pothireddypadu head regulator constructed on Srisailam reservoir.

Both the projects, worth around Rs 7,000 crore, are aimed at drawing an additional quantity of six to eight tmc (thousand million cubic feet) of water per day from Krishna river, which the Telangana government described as illegal, unilateral and against the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.

The Andhra Pradesh government defended the same stating that the new schemes were well within the states rights. What is more, the AP government accused the Telangana government of constructing projects - like Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift scheme which was in violation of the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal.
New Delhi, July 29 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA), here on Wednesday, said it had arrested three people in connection with the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Bhima Mandavi in Chhattisgarh on April 9, 2019.

The arrested persons have been identified as Laxman Jaiswal, Ramesh Kumar Kashyap and Kumari Linge Tati -- all residents of the Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh.

The official said the agency found that Jaiswal, a grocery owner in Nakulnar, provided electric wires, explosives and other items for the IED blast carried out by CPI (Maoist) cadres.

Kashyap, ex-sarpanch of Kakadi village, and Kumari Linge Tati provided logistic support to the Maoists and were part of the conspiracy that led to the Mandavi's killing along with four security personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF).

The accused, produced before the NIA Special Court in Jagdalpur on Wednesday, have been remanded to 7-day police remand.

They were killed in an explosion near Shyamgiri village under the Kuakonda police station. The security personnel's arms and ammunitions were also looted by the Maoists.

A case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Subsequently, the NIA registered a case on May 17, 2019. It arrested Bhima Tati and Madka Ram Tati, both residents of Dantewada, on April 4.
Sure Ventures PLC - London-listed venture capital fund - Invested EUR1.5 million into Volograms Ltd, which is a reality capture and volumetric video company, which is a pain-out from Trinity College, Dublin.

Current stock price: 91.00 pence

Year-to-date change: down 15%

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Britain has signed a deal for up to 60 million doses of a possible COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, it said on Wednesday, its fourth such arrangement as the race to tame the pandemic heats up.

No vaccine has yet been approved for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus that has killed more than 659,000 people and unleashed economic havoc worldwide.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Sanofi and GSK confirmed in a statement that regulatory approval for their vaccine could be achieved by the first half of 2021 if clinical data was positive.

It is Sanofi and GSK's first deal to supply their experimental COVID-19 vaccine to a country, and British ministers have stressed the importance of securing supplies of a range of candidates early.

"The fact remains that there are no guarantees," said business minister Alok Sharma.

"It is important that we secure early access to a diverse range of promising vaccine candidates ... to increase our chances of finding one that works."

With more than 20 vaccines in human trials, the move will stir concerns that rich countries, including the United States and European Union members, are scooping doses in advance, potentially to the detriment of poorer nations.

Last week, Britain struck deals for 30 million doses of an experimental BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine, and a deal in principle for 60 million doses of Valneva's potential shot.

That followed a previously announced pact with AstraZeneca for 100 million doses of its potential vaccine, being developed in partnership with Oxford university.

The Sanofi/GSK vaccine combines Sanofi's S-protein COVID-19 antigen and GSK's pandemic adjuvant technology, and the first clinical trials are expected in September.

Adjuvants are efficacy boosters that play a vital role in many traditional vaccines. Sanofi and GSK's vaccine uses a different approach than either Oxford/AstraZeneca or Pfizer/Biontech vaccines.

Sanofi and GSK said talks with the European Union, Italy and France to supply their vaccine were ongoing.

The two firms hope to clinch a deal soon to provide 300 million doses to the EU, though two sources told Reuters that negotiations had stalled.

Britain decided against joining the EU's vaccine purchase scheme in order to strike its own deals.
Jane Ngoiri is a Kenyan reporter, journalist, and an occasional radio presenter. She is an employee in one of the leading media houses in Kenya  Nation Media Group  where's she's currently working as a Swahili journalist.

Image: facebook.com, @janengoiri

Source: Instagram

She previously worked at K24 as an English news anchor, which was long before she landed herself a job at the Nation Media Group.

Her fans commonly know her for the unique decent dressing and fun personality on air. Her short hairstyles also complete the picture of a fashionable figure to be emulated.

Jane Ngoiri profile summary

Name : Jane Ngoiri

: Jane Ngoiri Place of birth : Nairobi

: Nairobi Gender : Female

: Female Nationality : Kenyan

: Kenyan Ethnicity : African

: African Spouse : Abdillahi Hussein

: Abdillahi Hussein Children : Amir (son)

: Amir (son) Profession : Journalist, Reporter and radio presenter

: Journalist, Reporter and radio presenter Hair Colour : Black

: Black Eye Color: Brown

Jane Ngoiri early life

Jane Ngoiri was born and raised in Nairobi. She was raised in a humble background and always had an urge to share stories. Her real age or date of birth is unknown so far as she tends to keep her life private.

Jane Ngoiri's family

Details about her parents remain unknown due to the privacy of her family. Jane Ngoiri has a brother called Eric Nganga Ngada and a big sister called Mary Niven.

She also has a sister in law called Ann Wambui according to a picture she posted on her Facebook page during her big brothers wedding.

She also has a look-a-like by the name Maureen Mutu Sargiro. They are not blood-related, but when together, one can confuse them for identical twins.

READ ALSO: Some people are wedding material but bad at marriage - Lilian Muli

Jane Ngoiri's tribe

Jane Ngoiri was born to a Kikuyu dad and Taita mum. She is a Kenyan by nationality.

Education background

Jane Ngoiri attended Kongoni Primary School and later finished her primary studies joining Pangani Girls High School for her secondary education. She later joined Daystar University, where she studied a journalism course.

Professional career

Jane Ngoiri started working at K24 as an English news anchor. She later got a chance to anchor news in Kiswahili when she stood in for a colleague who was sick.

After some time at K24, in 2011, she moved to NTV, where she has been anchoring the Swahili news up to date. She and Nimrod Taabu were news anchor partners before he moved to Citizen TV.

She is mostly known for her investigative news coverage like the Sisters of Death and Nairobis Bum Enhancers, which went viral on social media. Her dream is to start her PR firm and mentor upcoming young journalists.

Hairstyle

Image: facebook.com, @janengoiri (modified by author)

Source: Instagram

Jane's signature hairstyle is always relaxed and beautiful. Photos shared on her Instagram page create an impression that she and her stylist have a lot of fun playing around with her hair. From her cool stylish designs to protective wigs, Jane Ngoiri is mostly referred to as the queen of short, permed hair.

Jane Ngoiri's husband

Though she maintains a very low profile about her personal life, she could not be able to hide her handsome husband, the father to her son during the annual Fathers Day celebrations. Her husband, Mr. Abdillahi Hussein, is a very cool, simple, and charming guy from Somali origin and descent.

Mr. Abdillahi Hussein is a gentleman as his wife has revealed oftentimes in different interviews. One of these interviews was by True Love Magazine. Jane Ngoiri considers her husband as the best she could ask for. In her interview with True Love Magazine, she revealed that her husband loves her and has accepted her as she is.

Image: facebook.com, @janengoiri (modified by author)

Source: Instagram

She considers her husband a companion who loves her greatly and respects her and supports her career growth. She even once joked about being married to an Al-Shabab in an interview on Churchill show.

The two have been able to keep their relationship out of the media. This is seen by the fact that it is rare to find Jane Ngoiri husband photos online, whether by himself or with his family.

Jane Ngoiri married Mr. Abdillahi Hussein and bore a son together called Amir. Though of different tribes and cultures, they understand and love each other. Jane Ngoiri's wedding was low key, and this was prompted by lots of strong criticism from outside forces, but it never made them lose each other interests.

Jane Ngoiri and husband have different lives, at least as far as profession is concerned. While Jane is a known news anchor in one of Kenyas leading television stations, her man is said to be a businessman.

Mr. Abdillahi Hussein is believed to be an owner of clothing line stores in Kenya. His business is evident in how his wife dresses, and that is why she stands out as unique and fashionable, a perfect combination to be emulated by all women.

Jane Ngoiri net worth

Although Jane Ngoiri is a well-known public figure, she is yet to declare her net worth. She lives in a good home, and she drives a good car, which shows she earns a good fortune from her career. Her salary varies from 350K to 400K a month plus other commission.

Jane Ngoiri is one of the great, most appreciated, and remarkable faces in the Nation Media Group house. She is a remarkable news anchor who is considered among the top Swahili news anchors of all time.

Jane Ngoiri is a good role model worth emulating. Her story shows that nothing is impossible when one stays humble and chases their passion and goals. Even though she may have been from humble beginnings, she worked hard to become a star in Kenya's media industry.

READ ALSO:

Grace Msalame blown away by warm messages over her pregnancy news: "Y'all made me cry today"

Mungu Mbele: Jane Ngoiri celebrates son's birthday with adorable photos

I can get it: Jane Ngoiri dances to CS Mutahi Kagwe's viral wordplay phrase

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The Beaumont City Council took a mulligan on Tuesday, overturning last weeks decision to allow municipal public venues such as the Event Centre and Julie Rogers Theatre to reopen after a coronavirus-related shutdown.

Councilman Randy Feldschau flipped sides in the debate, leading to a 4-3 vote to keep the facilities closed for the time being.

The vote followed nearly two hours of discussion and impassioned pleas from Dr. Qamar Arfeen of Beaumonts Diagnostic Group about the severity of the situation at local hospitals. He said he came to address the council because he was alarmed about the potential of having facilities reopen.

He later added that there is no single figure leading the medical response in Beaumont, and that members of the public may not feel its not their problem to speak out on at council meetings if they dont have a loved one infected with the virus.

Related: COVID surge facility nearly full, council votes to reopen city facilities

The three council members who voted to move forward reopening city facilities on or after Friday gave several reasons for standing by their original vote.

Among the points made by councilmen Taylor Neild, W.L. Pate Jr. and Mike Getz were:

The city made a promise to reopen at this time and couples who have booked the Event Centre for weddings or wedding receptions were counting on the city.

More Information Q&A The Enterprise offers some additional context on points raised during Tuesday's City Council meeting: Q: Why are grocery stores and churches are allowed to operate, but city facilities have not been reopened? A: During the statewide "stay-home, work-safe" order, grocery stores and houses of worship and other facilities deemed essential services were allowed to remain open. Even then, Gov. Greg Abbott encouraged churches to conduct services remotely or at least follow federal social-distancing guidelines. Abbott, who has taken away much of the emergency authority city and county officials have to close private businesses or gatherings, left control of government facilities in their hands. Q: Did Abbott say wedding venues and other similar facilities should open? A: Abbott's plan to reopen Texas allows wedding and reception venues to reopen at 50% capacity if they take minimum precautions. For example, employees and customers are required to wear a face covering any place they can't maintain social distancing. Q: Don't more people die from the flu each year? A: The flu has a vaccine and well-known treatment options, and it generally is more severe in the same types of people. Coronavirus has proven indiscriminate in the people it will infect and how bad that infection will become. Health-care providers also have much less knowledge on how to treat coronavirus versus the flu. Either way, from 2010 to 2017, an average of 14.91 per 100,000 people, or nearly 31 during an average 13-week flu season, die as a result of the flu or pneumonia in Jefferson County, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the past 13 weeks, 42 Jefferson County residents have died as a result of the coronavirus. A total of 62 have died since the pandemic began in March. See More Collapse

The city could have stricter monitoring and, therefore, safer venues than private ones currently open.

Experts know relatively little about coronavirus and, as a result, couldnt say for sure who may get infected and if theyll catch it while at an event in a city facility.

It is inconsistent and hypocritical that private event facilities, retail stores and churches remain open, but the citys venues still are closed.

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Feldschau last week voted with the three other council members to reopen facilities in just a few days. On Tuesday, he said he changed his mind because of comments from individuals in the health-care industry and the rise in the number of confirmed cases and deaths.

In the week since the earlier vote, he said, nine physicians and two other medical professionals reached out to him to ask for the councils help.

Feldschau joined with Mayor Becky Ames to put this item back on the agenda.

Arfeen emphasized the virus impact on medical facilities and on patients he has seen.

I have a family of eight who went on vacation, Arfeen told the council. Seven of them ended up in the ICU. One of them did not survive. Thats just a family vacationing together out of state. I just could not agree, with due respect, that we have a big gathering.

The doctor said local hospitals are so close to capacity that, if they averaged five new patients each day for five more days, they would not be able to take any more patients.

On Tuesday, the Beaumont Public Health Department confirmed 54 new cases of coronavirus and three additional deaths. These deaths, plus the first reported fatality in Port Neches, made it the deadliest day in Jefferson County thus far. They also brought the seven-day death count to 13 - a new weekly record.

Related: Dip in caseload suggests mask order paying off

In total, Jefferson County has reported at least 3,871 cases of coronavirus and 62 deaths.

Local hospitals continued to have patients in all 86 beds in Jefferson Countys intensive-care units. However, just 41 of those patients are at least suspected of being infected with the virus. Thats compared to 46 suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients on Monday.

Councilman Pate pointedly asked Feldschau to put forth a timeline or set a number of hospitalizations that will dictate when the council would revisit when to reopen its facilities.

Feldschau said he wasnt yet ready to commit to a set timeline.

I have no choice but to yield to the professionals and listen to them, he said.

When asked how changes in the number of people being tested for the virus could impact the number of people hospitalized, Arfeen said testing hasnt shown to cause more people to go to the hospital. If anything, its kept people out of the hospital longer than they ultimately should have been based on their condition.

A council member from the winning and losing sides both would have to agree to put the issue back on the councils agenda.

kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/KaitlinBain
HANOI Vietnam late on Wednesday confirmed four new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 450, with no deaths.

The new cases include one in Hanoi, who had recently returned from Danang, where the Southeast Asian country last week detected its first locally transmitted infections in more than three months, the Ministry of Health said.

The other three cases include one from the Central Highlands and two in Ho Chi Minh City.

In a rare rescue flight, Vietnam repatriated 140 construction workers infected with COVID-19 from Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday, a state medical official told Reuters. The workers will be treated at a hospital outside Hanoi, the official said.

Vietnams health ministry has not yet added the African cases to its coronavirus tally.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
Former Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the offence related to abuse of power at a trial on July 28.

Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives at the court on July 28 morning. A judge found him guilty on all seven counts. (Photo: Al Jazeera)

He was also fined 210 million RM (49.4 million USD).

High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali also sentenced Najib to 10 years in prison for breach of trust and another 10 years for money laundering.

However, he ordered that all the sentences run concurrently. This means Najib will only serve a total of 12 years in jail.

Earlier the same day, the High Court found Najib guilty of all seven charges related to the misappropriation of 42 million RM of SRC International funds.

The 1MDB was formed by Najib Razak in 2009 for socio-economic development. Malaysian and US investigators held that the fund caused a loss of about 4.5 billion USD in the 2009-2015 period, while about 1 billion USD was sent to Najibs personal bank accounts./.VNA
The rapper Malik B, a longtime member of the pioneering hip hop group The Roots, has died at age 47.

The band announced his death Wednesday on Instagram in a post featuring a photo of Malik with the The Roots' co-founders Black Thought and Questlove.

'It is with heavy hearts and tearful eyes that we regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved brother and long time Roots member Malik Abdul Basit,' said their post.

Saying goodbye: Malik B (left), an early member of the pioneering hip hop group The Roots, died Wednesday at age 47. The Roots shared a tribute to him on Instagram

'May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam, His loving brotherhood and his innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time.

'We ask that you please respect his family and extended family in our time of mourning such a great loss.'

The band didn't mention the rapper's cause of death in its announcement.

Malik's death was confirmed by his cousin Don Champion on Twitter.

'Mourning my beloved cousin today. He was so talented and had a huge heart. I still remember when he and The Roots were starting out. He'd give me and my dad their cassette tapes to listen to. I miss you already, Malik ,' he tweeted.

Remembrance: 'May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam, His loving brotherhood and his innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time,' The Roots said of Malik, who was an early member

Early start: Malik (full name: Malik Basit) joined the group shortly after drummer Questlove and fellow rapper Black Thought founded it in Philadelphia in the late '80s; shown in 2012

Influential verses: He rapped on the groups first four albums, including 1999's acclaimed Things Fall Apart, before departing during 2002's Phrenology. He delivered guest versus on two later albums; shown in 2012

Malik (full name: Malik Basit) hailed from Philadelphia and joined The Roots shortly after his fellow rapper Black Thought and the drummer Questlove founded the group in the late 1980s, and he was the only other permanent member besides the founders for the next few years.

After failing to attract much attention in Philadelphia, the band relocated to London, where they released their first album and built up an underground following thanks to extensive touring throughout Europe.

Malik was integral to The Roots' first four albums, including Organix (1993), Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995), Illadelph Halflife (1996) and the band's most acclaimed work, 1999's Things Fall Apart.

He departed the group during the recording of their 2002 album Phrenology, which featured a song called Water in which Black Thought rapped about their relationship in the band.

Talking back: Phrenology featured the song Water, in which Black Thought rapped about his relationship with Malik; Black Thought (center) with The Roots

Unexplained departure: Malik claimed he wasn't fired and hadn't quit the band in a 2015 interview, though The Roots never clarified how or why he left the group; shown in 2012

In a 2015 interview with Arena, Malik claimed that he was never fired from the group but also didn't quit, and members of The Roots didn't address the specifics of his departure.

Despite no longer being a full member, the rapper appeared on three tracks on 2006's Game Theory and two tracks on 2010's Rising Down.

Malik's solo career was less prolific than his work with The Roots, and he released the solo album Street Assault in 2005, followed by his Psychological EP in 2006.

His only other full-length effort was the 2015 collaborative album Unpredictable, made with the DJ and producer Mr. Green.
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's second most populous state of Victoria said on Wednesday the total daily coronavirus cases fell below 300 for the first time in more than a week.

The state reported nine deaths from the coronavirus over the last 24 hours with seven casualties linked to aged care facilities, Premier Daniel Andrews said in a media conference in Melbourne.

The southeast state saw a flare-up in infections over the last several weeks and authorities have sent an emergency medical team to aged care homes, which are at the centre of the outbreak.

Victoria reported 295 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, compared with 384 a day earlier.

(Reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
For some Catholic school families, the choice to return to classrooms came easily. As someone who works in the senior housing industry, Curt Schaller said he is very familiar with the risks associated with COVID-19, but his family believes it is best to send their two children back to school at St. Norbert in Northbrook in the fall.
You would be forgiven for thinking that competition in the mortgage market had gone by the wayside, like many things during the pandemic.

Banks are on their knees, and large numbers of their customers are in financial trouble.

Close to 62,500 households have availed of a mortgage payment break, with another 52,000 consumer loan breaks granted.

AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB face having to deal with more than 4bn of bad loan losses due to the Covid-19 crisis over the next three years, according to analysts at Goodbody Stockbrokers and Davy.

Lending has collapsed. Mortgage lending crashed to a seven-year low in May, as property transaction activity seized up.

Job losses and income hits for householders are to blame, with banks saying another factor is Central Bank mortgage rules and stricter general underwriting standards by a sector still scarred by the property market implosion.

These are the same reasons, they say, why we in Ireland are paying much higher mortgage rates than in other European countries.

The lack of lending has not been helped by the fact that all retail banks are blocking at least some mortgage drawdowns on previously approved loans for people on the Temporary Wage Support Scheme.

Lenders issued mortgages worth 9.5bn last year.

But Goodbody Stockbrokers economist Dermot O'Leary reckons home-loan lending will collapse by 40pc to 5.7bn this year.

Just 1,900 potential buyers were approved for a mortgage in May, a fall of 62pc on the same month last year.

Given all of this, the last thing that might have been expected was a new player, backed by a big European bank, entering the market.

And it has come at the same time one of our own lenders fired new salvos in a mortgage war that has seen little action in months.

The entry of Avant Money into the mortgage market here is the most significant move in years.

Avant Money is the new trading name for Avantcard. It has a large operation in Leitrim where it took over credit card operator MBNA.

Avant Money is owned by Spanish group Bankinter, which also has operations in Portugal and Luxembourg. Bankinter already has a substantial mortgage business in both Spain and Portugal. It has 93bn in assets.

The new player is set to severely disrupt the market here by offering fixed rates below 2pc, which would make it the cheapest in the State, according to mortgage broker Michael Dowling.

It is set to launch here in August and will have an initial focus on large towns and cities.

The entry of Spain's fifth-largest bank into this market will put the frighteners on the existing players.

As a new participant in the mortgage war, it will leave a lot of casualties. Lenders here have little choice now except to keep cutting rates.

Permanent TSB has just announced a range of reductions in the fixed and variable rates.

But its rates are still expensive compared with other lenders here.

When the mortgage rates of all lenders are compared with those in the rest of the eurozone, the average comes out about double that across the zone.

The new Spanish giant will be doing more than tilting at windmills.

Its presence here will mean life is going to get even more uncomfortable for Irish mortgage lenders.

What this means is that we can expect some serious cuts in mortgage rates in the coming months.
ALTON  Marquette Catholic High School plans to use a hybrid model of in-person and online learning when classes start Thursday, Aug. 20.

We believe it is important for our students mental well-being and academic development that we return to a normal school environment as soon as possible, while doing so in a safe way, said Gerard Fischer, president of the Marquette Board of Directors.

All Marquette students will rotate between in-person attendance and online learning, with only half of the student body physically present for school until such time as public health data indicates the school can transition to daily in-person attendance.

On an alphabetical basis, half of the students will be in school Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the first week and Tuesday and Thursday of the following week. The other half of the student body will be on the opposite schedule.

On days students are not physically at school, they will attend classes remotely.

We know Marquette students and their families have high expectations, said Fischer. Our recent graduating class sent students to some of the finest institutions of higher learning in the country, including the Naval Academy, the University of Chicago, Wellesley and many others. We expect nothing less from our current students and are prepared to ensure their success.

The school day will not be cut short, and instructional time will not be reduced, he said. Concurrent classrooms will be implemented, meaning faculty will be teaching students in-person and remotely at the same time. All students, whether in school or at-home, will receive the same instruction every day.

Marquette also will provide families with at-risk students or family members a remote only learning option, through which the student will participate in their classes from home for as long as the Hybrid Model is in place. All Marquette students receive Chromebooks and the school has invested heavily in technology infrastructure in recent years.

We are also installing cameras in each classroom and each teacher will have a lapel microphone, which we believe will provide a good experience for those participating remotely, said principal Michael Slaughter. We will continue to evaluate and improve the students experience as needed.

We are also prepared with cleaning and sanitation protocols which will follow there commendations of the Centers for Disease Control, Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education, he said. We will also implement physical distancing measures  including all faculty, staff and students wearing face masks, assigned entry points, and protocols for students with symptoms.

Marquette coed enrollment of 422 has been steady the past several years, with projections for this year to remain steady or increase.

We continue to receive applications on a daily basis, said Dave Bartosiak, Marquette CFO. If anything, we have more interest now because of the COVID situation, not less.

We received good feedback on how we handled online learning when the stay at home orders started in the spring, Bartosiak said. As a college prep school, parents and students are concerned about staying on track academically and trust they will be at Marquette.

Marquette plans to release additional information on Tuesday, Aug. 4. More details also are online at www.marquettecatholic.org.
Four retirees slumped and were hospitalised on Tuesday in Imo State during a protest to demand for five months arrears of their pension allegedly owed them by the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the incident happened at the protest scene around the Government House Roundabout in Owerri.

One of the retirees, who slumped, but was revived, Margret Onuoha, said she retired from the state civil service on Grade Level 14.

She claimed that her late husband, Eugene Onuoha, also a retiree, died in the struggle in 2016 and was never paid till date.

Onuoha said her heath condition had worsened in the last five months that she has not received her pension.

NAN reports that the protest, led by the state Chairman of Imo Pensioners Intervention Committee, Iyke Ohaneje, caused heavy traffic as the protesters blocked the popular Okigwe Road Roundabout.

The retirees displayed placards with inscriptions: We are not ghost retirees, Uzodimma is playing politics with our lives and Pay us our money now or face the wrath of God.

Ohaneje said the protest was about the third the pensioners had embarked upon and accused the state government of ignoring the plight of the retirees.

Government is owing us a total of 45 months pension arrears, but we are asking it to pay us five months arrears accumulated since March 2020, he said.

The chairman said they embarked on the protest because the state government had alleged that they were ghost pensioners.

Government has accused us of being ghost pensioners, but we have woken up from the grave to tell the government that we are not ghost retirees, he said.

Addressing the retirees, the state Commissioner of Police, Issac Akinmoyede, appealed to the protesters to maintain peace and channel their grievances to the appropriate quarter.

Akinmoyede also assured that he would communicate their message to Governor Hope Uzodinma for action.
Chandigarh:

Questioning the impact of demonetisation on terror funding, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said the findings of new Rs 2000 notes with slain terrorist in Kashmir has nailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "lies" on the move.

"The recovery of the new Rs 2000 notes from the body of the slain terrorist, killed in Bandipora on Monday, has completely nailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's lies on demonetisation," he said in a statement here as Congress party organised a state-wide protest on Wednesday to protest the Centre's demonetisation move.

Capt Amarinder, who has issued directions to all district and block presidents of the party to come out on the streets in protest against Modi's "irrational" demonetisation move, lashed out at the prime minister for allegedly putting the people of the country to extreme hardship on the pretext of putting an end to terror funding from across the border.

So how has demonetisation stopped terror funding, if terrorists are entering from across the border with new notes, which even the people of India are finding difficult to procure, he asked the prime minister.

Meanwhile, acting on the directive of Amarinder, Punjab Congress workers across all districts, led by the respective district presidents, launched protest demonstrations in the state on the issue of demonetisation.

Shouting anti-Modi and anti-demonetisation slogans against the move, which as per protesters had brought lakhs of people around the country to the brink of disaster and also claimed scores of lives, the Congress workers, also joined by MLAs and block presidents, went around various banks, especially the cooperative banks in the remote areas.

Protest marches were held in every district with the party workers and leaders going through the bazaars in each district, demanding immediate withdrawal of the irrational and absurd scheme, a party spokesman said.

The protesters reached out to people queued up outside banks for hours to get a mere pittance of their own savings out in order to survive for the next day or two.

At the cooperative banks, which have been barred by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from exchanging/accept old notes, they met farmers and villagers who have no access to other banks and are left with no cash to feed themselves and their families, PPCC general secretary Sandeep Sandhu said.

The Congress leaders assured the hapless people of all possible help to minimise their woes and said they would continue to provide assistance in filling out forms and through tea and water provision outside banks and ATMs as part of the partys nationwide programme to ease the problems of the common man suffering the impact of Modis ill-managed demonetisation policy.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
By Trend





Azerbaijans Ambassador to Tajikistan Hasan Mammadzade held meeting with the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country Khusrav Noziri, a source in the Azerbaijani embassy told Trend.

During the meeting initiated by the embassy, the Tajik side was informed about the recent military provocations carried out by the Armenian armed forces units in Azerbaijans Tovuz district direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border to seize new positions. It was stressed that Armenia has committed the provocation in order to undermine the negotiation process on the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Noziri expressed the concern of the Tajik side over the growing tension on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, which led to losses on both sides.

The meeting participants also conducted exchange of opinions on preparatory work for the upcoming meeting of the Azerbaijan-Tajik Intergovernmental Commission, the current status and prospects of the bilateral relations in various fields.




Chron.com is following the latest headlines on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the Houston area.

11:50 a.m.: AG Paxton issues statement on school closures mandate

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday released guidance on reopening schools during the pandemic that states local health authorities cannot issue sweeping orders closing schools in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Harris County and Houston-area health authorities on Friday ordered all public and non-religious private county schools to delay in-person instruction for the first eight weeks of the 2020-21 school year. The order requires all school-sponsored events to also not take place in-person and requires districts submit a written plan outlining health procedures for when in-person instruction can safely resume.

Paxton said in the statement that school officials, not health or city and county officials, should be the ones to decide when and how to open their campuses and said state law "does not allow health authorities to issue blanket quarantine orders."



Education of our children is an essential Texas value and there is no current statewide order prohibiting any school from opening, Paxton said. While local health authorities may possess some authority to close schools in limited circumstances, they may not issue blanket orders closing all schools on a purely preventative basis. That decision rightfully remains with school system leaders.

Read the full statement here.

9:30: The latest Houston, Texas numbers

Despite declining numbers in new cases, Texas reported more than 700 new COVID-19 deaths and is now at 5,809 deaths in total after the Texas Department of State Health Services made a significant change in its data reporting on Monday.

DSHS is now using death certificate data for its counts of COVID deaths, leading some Texas counties to have dramatically higher counts than others and some counties to have higher numbers than state figures.

Despite an apparent increase in deaths, the state is reporting decreases in new cases and the rolling average for new cases. From Sunday to Monday, Texas added 4,331 new cases and is now at 395,338 new cases total, marking the fifth straight day of decreasing new cases, according to a Houston Chronicle data analysis. The rolling average for new cases is now at 7,414.6, marking the eighth straight day in a row with a decrease in the rolling average. The positive test rate statewide also continues to drop and is now at 13.22 percent.

The Houston region added 1,571 new cases and is now at 94,438 cases total. Harris County saw an increase of 846 new cases and is at 66,195 cases total.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: So, how bad is COVID-19 in Houston? A guide to reading the data

Due to a transition in reporting to comply with new federal requirements, DSHS is still reporting incomplete COVID-19 hospitalization numbers. Only 82 percent of hospitals reported complete data to DSHS on Sunday, resulting in the appearance of a drop in hospitalizations. Considering this, the state reported 9,781 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 on Sunday.

NOTE: The numbers included in this report represent a one-day change in data from Sunday, July 26 through Monday, July 27. It is still unclear how many of the state's new cases can be attributed to jail inmates from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The Houston Chronicle's analysis of COVID-19 case data now includes probable and pending cases. This change is based on interviews with multiple public health officials and epidemiologists, as well as in line with CDC guidelines on reporting.

rebecca.hennes@chron.com
Seth Rogen and Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino are set to work together on a biopic about Hollywood hustler Scotty Bowers.

The 38-year-old actor and the feted filmmaker, 48, are doing a film that is based off of Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, a documentary directed by Matt Tyrnauer, Deadline reported on Wednesday.

Along with Evan Goldberg, the Vancouver, Canada-born star will pen the script, which is based off the life of Scotty Bowers.

The latest: Seth Rogen, 38, and Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino, 48, are set to work together on a biopic about Hollywood hustler Scotty Bowers. He was snapped in NYC earlier this year

Bowers was a World War II veteran who went on to be a bisexual hustler for gay Hollywood stars from the 1940s until the AIDS epidemic struck four decades later.

Bowers documented his life in the book Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars, detailing his time as a sex worker based out of a Los Angeles area gas station.

Bowers had a good reputation for not outing the stars who were his clientele amid an intolerant time.

The Tyrnauer doc debuted to strong reviews at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.

In focus: The feted filmmaker Guadagnino is doing a film that is based off of Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, a documentary directed by Matt Tyrnauer

Outspoken: Rogen made headlines after he said he was indoctrinated with 'huge amount of lies' about the conflict between Israel and Palestine in an appearance on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast earlier this week

Rogen is also linked to An American Pickle, an HBO Max film that debuts Thursday, August 6th about a man from the 1920s living in modern Brooklyn after he's preserved for a century in a vat of pickle brine.

Directed by Brandon Trost, is based on Simon Richs New Yorker novella and stars Seth as Herschel Greenbaum, a struggling laborer who immigrates to America in 1919 with dreams of building a better life for his beloved family.

One day, while working at his factory job, he falls into a vat of pickles and is brined for 100 years. The brine preserves him perfectly and when he emerges in present day Brooklyn, he finds that he hasnt aged a day. But when he seeks out his family, he is troubled to learn that his only surviving relative is his great grandson, Ben Greenbaum, also played by Rogen, a mild-mannered computer coder whom Herschel cant even begin to understand.

Rogen made headlines after he said he was indoctrinated with 'huge amount of lies' about the conflict between Israel and Palestine in an appearance on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast earlier this week.

'As a Jewish person I was fed a huge amount of lies about Israel my entire life,' Rogen told Maron. 'They never tell you that, "Oh, by the way, there were people there." They make it seem like it was just like sitting there, like the f***ing door's open - they forget to include the fact to every young Jewish person.'

Opinion: Rogen, who said he wouldn't ever reside in Israel, said he believes there's 'an antiquated thought process' in play with Israel in their conflict with Palestine

Rogen, who said he wouldn't ever reside in Israel, said he believes there's 'an antiquated thought process' in play with Israel in their conflict with Palestine.

'If it is for religious reasons, I don't agree with it, because I think religion is silly,' he said. 'If it is for truly the preservation of Jewish people, it makes no sense, because again, you don't keep something you're trying to preserve all in one place - especially when that place is proven to be pretty volatile, you know?'

On the podcast Rogen and Maron, who is also Jewish, talked about their experiences with anti-Semitism.

'I remember my dad frankly telling me, "People hate Jews. Just be aware of that. They just do,"' Rogen said. 'And it's honestly something that I am so glad was instilled in me from a young age.

'Because if it wasn't, I would constantly be shocked at how much motherf***ers hate Jews.'
Over the past 100 years, several groups have attempted to create a museum dedicated to Lebanons history.

Theyve been trying to start a museum since the 1900s, said Lebanon mayor Paul Aziz, who is leading the latest such effort. Theres been records, I think of 1920, theres one in the 50s, one in the 70s. This last one started in the 90s and ended five or six years ago.

This campaign, however, is different, Aziz said. In the past, groups focused their efforts on finding a home for the museum. In this round, the focus so far has been on building the collection and identifying key staff, such as curator Thonni Morikawa.

She brings experience as a manuscript curator and general collections curator and has worked with the state governments in both Nevada and California.

What Morikawa needs now is a place to work. Much of the groups collection is being stored at the Lebanon Public Library. But the space is small and there is no way that Morikawa can catalogue items in this space.

The biggest issue I have is that its all shoved into a tiny room, Morikawa said. Because of the limited space, it cannot be catalogued. If I were to be hit by a bus tomorrow, there are stories that would no longer be attached to those pieces. In the world of curation, thats called the provenance.

The Lebanon Museum Foundation is looking for a space where the collection can be safely stored and which will also provide Morikawa room to examine and document items.

We have a collection, we have a curator, weve got stuff and weve got no place to put it, Aziz said.

The ideal location would be in some sort of office setting, Aziz said. The foundation is seeking a location which offers:

A minimum of 800 to 2,000 square feet.

Easy entry doorways, preferably first floor or elevator accessible.

A securable area (or room to build it)  not located in a basement.

AC/Heat/Humidity Control if at all possible.

Inexpensive rent or free usage. There is a possible tax deduction for donating space to a non-profit organization.

The Lebanon Museum Foundation has already received about 10 display cases for future use, but there isnt an immediate need for a location which will allow for public viewing of the collection. The plan is for collections to be displayed online as they are created.

Among the highlights of the collection so far is a large assortment of vintage telephones and equipment, including a switchboard, which were used locally. The group has also received donations of World War I clothing which was worn by people such as Frank Graves, who played a key role in Lebanons history.

There is also a collection of items from the former Lebanon Middle School, including a shield which was used by its marching band.

Theres a few pieces in here that are pretty darn amazing, Aziz said.

The first goal is to get everything properly stored so these items are available to be viewed for generations to come.

They have suffered from humidity, temperature, and in some cases, light, Morikawa said.

Aziz said he is new to the world of museum curation. What he has learned is that once items are donated, it is a great responsibility to properly care for them.

People entrust us with this stuff, Aziz said. If we had a building, we could  get that thing going, get all the stuff put in the computer and we could start putting up displays.

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Wrexham hospice makes Welsh Government plea as they face the greatest challenge in our history

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Jul 29th, 2020

The chief executive of a Wrexham hospice has warned that it will be unable to continue providing its first-class patient services unless there is a fundamental change to the way it is funded.

Nightingale House Hospice on Chester Road is on course to lose 1.2m this year alone after the pandemic forced the closures of its charity shops and onsite Caffi Cwtch.

The hospice provides palliative care and costs over 3,400,000 a year to operate.

It was expected that the scheduled fundraising events would have contributed 250,000 in its 25th anniversary year towards the provision of patient services.

However these have been cancelled until December at the earliest, with no guarantee these will be able to go ahead if there is second wave or further lockdown restrictions in place.

An open letter penned by Steve Parry, chief executive of the hospice, said traditional fundraising avenues have been decimated since the start of the pandemic and that every effort has been made to generate fresh income streams.

Mr Parry said: Despite the amazing support we have received from the public since the COVID-19 pandemic began, our hospice will not be able to continue delivering first-class patient services unless there is a fundamental change to the way we are funded.

As a much-loved facility in the heart of Wrexham, we have never sat back and waited for handouts, that is not the way Nightingale House operates.

The continued generosity of the public and our best endeavours will not be enough to stop the hospice losing 1.2million this year, a large portion of that due to the closure of our 11 charity shops and two cafes.

Our charity shops have started to reopen, and social distancing measures are in place, but it will be some time before we generate enough income to match previous years.

The cafes are scheduled to do the same in early August, but reduced seating capacity will lead to a subsequent drop in profits.

He added: This vital income source has been taken away from us. Also, since the onset of the pandemic we are already seeing a reduction in the level of donations we receive from the public. Between April and June this year that figure is down 100,000 on the same period in 2019.

Much like tourism, fundraising is seasonal, so July and August would traditionally be peak times.

Autumn through to Spring  with the exception of the festive season  are traditionally very lean periods when people continue to be generous, but we feel the strain.

Nightingale House has successfully overcome many obstacles in the past but the severe financial pressure we are currently experiencing as a consequence of this pandemic provides us with the greatest challenge in our history.

Mr Parry has now called on the Welsh Government for additional support for hospices, stating that funding has not been forthcoming since an initial 200,000 boost in April.

He adds that Welsh hospices are far worse off than counterparts in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, making it even more difficult to be resilient to the challenges we are now facing.

When COVID-19 struck the UK, initial negotiations between our umbrella body Hospice UK and Westminster secured 200million for palliative care facilities, with 6.3m of that amount to be specifically committed to independent charitable hospices in Wales in order to enable the continued delivery of patient services until previous income streams could be restored, said Mr Parry.

We were awarded 200,000 for the month of April and were expecting to receive the same for May and June to help us through this crisis  a total of 600,000 over three months.

Since that first award, not a penny has been received by Nightingale House Hospice, and communication has broken down. We have heard nothing.

At a time when all sectors of our community are feeling extreme pressure, we ask the Welsh Government to recognise this and support us by releasing the additional funding we were promised at a time when we need it most.

Nobody predicted we would be hit by a global pandemic; the finger cannot be pointed at the Welsh or UK Governments for that.

But where there must be accountability is in the fact this hospice  and the sector in general  has been chronically underfunded for more than a decade in Wales.

He adds: Furthermore, with regard to the emergency funds released by Westminster to support independent charitable hospices the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive have confirmed they will be distributing their full allocation in their respective countries, no such confirmation has been made by the Welsh Government for independent charitable hospices in Wales. Why?

Investing this additional funding to the independent charitable hospices in Wales is needed now to provide the financial stability we require in order to plan for the delivery of future patient services.

Hospices in Wales will continue to comply with Welsh Government requirements for monitoring and providing a transparent account of activity and finances. Confirmation of funding allocations for May and June are already overdue and commitment is needed to confirm the support in future months until pre-COVID income streams can be restored.

We need parity with the rest of the UK if we are to continue to provide the best patient care to our community. Equality is vital, but most importantly in the coming weeks there must be discussions and assurances provided on how this essential sector can be supported through this crisis and preserved for the future.

Top picture: Steve Parry from Nightingale House Hospice
GAITHERSBURG, Md., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Automotive Aftermarket Market is accounted for $400.65 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $638.58 billion by 2027 growing at a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period.

Some of the key players profiled in the Automotive Aftermarket Market include 3M, Bridgestone Corporation, Continental AG, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Delphi Automotive PLC, Denso Corporation, Federal-Mogul Corporation, Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd, Magna International, Inc, Magneti Marelli S.p.A, Robert Bosch GmbH, Shandong Zhengnuo Group Co., Ltd, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Toyota Motor Corporation, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG (ZF TRW).

Technological advancements and standardizing architecture, increasing use of light vehicles, and advanced technology usage in auto parts fabrication are the major factors driving the growth of the market. However, counterfeiting of auto components and growing demand for electric vehicles are hampering the growth of the market.

Request for sample here: https://www.strategymrc.com/report/automotive-aftermarket-market/request-sample

The automotive aftermarket is the secondary market of the automotive industry. It is one of the vigorous, highly complex, and competitive markets that are generally concerned with retailing, manufacturing, remanufacturing, and distribution. Besides, the after-sales sector includes accessories, installation of all vehicle parts, equipment and chemicals after selling the products by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to the buyers. The automotive aftermarket is a diverse market that majorly deals with maintenance, repair, and post-sale services. Automotive aftermarket comprises the process of replacement of the part damaged due to accident or crash. There is a wide range of parts of different quality and prices for numerous different vehicle models. With the need for new and advanced vehicles, the demand for the automotive parts is growing.

Based on the vehicle type, the passenger cars segment is going to have a lucrative growth during the forecast period owing to the increasing demand for passenger cars. The automotive aftermarket plays a significant role in the passenger cars manufacturing and maintenance scheme as the passenger cars components need to be replaced on time to maintain the overall performance of the vehicle.

Access the complete report at: https://www.strategymrc.com/report/automotive-aftermarket-market

By geography, Europe is going to have a lucrative growth during the forecast period due to the high adoption rate of advanced technologies in the fabrication of auto parts. This, coupled with the increasing digitization of components sales, will ensure Europe retains its runner-up position in this market shortly.

Make an inquiry at: https://www.strategymrc.com/report/automotive-aftermarket-market

Types Covered:

Replacement Part

Accessories

Certifications Covered:

Genuine Parts

Certified Parts

Uncertified Parts

Steering Parts

Sales Outlets Covered:

Garages and Service Stations

Automobile Dealerships

Government

Commercial Fleet

Quick Lubes

Service Channels Covered:

Do It Yourself (DIY)

Do It For Me (DIFM)

Original Equipment (OE)

Distribution Channels Covered:

Retailers

Wholesale & Distribution (W&D)

Vehicle Types Covered:



Passenger Cars

Commercial Vehicles

Two-Wheelers

Materials Covered:

Metals & Alloys

Composites

Plastics

Products Covered:

Wear-and-Tear Parts

Crash-Relevant Parts

Diagnostic Products

End Users Covered:

Telematics

Independent Workshops

Fleet Management

Regions Covered:

North America

US



Canada



Mexico

Europe

Germany



France



Italy



UK



Spain



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

Japan



China



India



Australia



New Zealand



South Korea



Rest of Asia Pacific

South America

Argentina



Brazil



Chile



Rest of South America

Middle East & Africa

& Saudi Arabia



UAE



Qatar



South Africa



Rest of Middle East & Africa

What our report offers:

Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments

Market share analysis of the top industry players

Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years of all the mentioned segments, sub-segments, and the regional markets

Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/StratisticsMRC

Follow us on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stratistics-market-research-consulting-pvt-ltd?trk=mini-profile

About Stratistics MRC

We offer a wide spectrum of research and consulting services with in-depth knowledge of different industries. We are known for customized research services, consulting services, and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) services in the research world. We explore market trends and draw our insights with valid assessments and analytical views. We use advanced techniques and tools among the quantitative and qualitative methodologies to identify the market trends.

Our research reports and publications are routed to help our clients to design their business models and enhance their business growth in the competitive market scenario. We have a strong team with hand-picked consultants including project managers, implementers, industry experts, researchers, research evaluators and analysts with years of experience in delivering the complex projects.

Contact Info:

Name: James Lamb

Email: [email protected]

Organization: Stratistics Market Research Consulting Pvt Ltd

Phone: +1-301-202-5929

Website: https://www.strategymrc.com

SOURCE Stratistics Market Research Consulting Pvt Ltd

Related Links

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The warning came amid the resurgence of the virus in some foreign nations after the relaxation of lockdowns and reopening business activities, reports Xinhua news agency.

Jakarta, July 28 (IANS) Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday warned of a possible second wave of the COVID-19 transmission.

He called on the authorities to keep and step up precautionary strides in facing the threat.

"We must keep on alert over the possibility of the second wave and anticipating it," Jokowi told a limited cabinet meeting.

The warning came after the head of state conveyed the country's convincing economic growth prospect with an estimate of 5.4 per cent next year as predicted by the International Monetary Fund.

"I think this is a high growth projection, and should this be materialized, it suggests that our economy will accelerate at the fastest pace among the global economic expansion," he said.

Indonesia has recently eased restrictions applied to curb the virus spread along with the resumption of business activities and the reopening of tourist destinations under tight health protocols.

The spread of the COVID-19 virus in Indonesia has been afloat with daily cases reaching over 1,500, emboldened by the enlargement of red zones or high-risk areas, still the upbeat over the vaccine availability for usage early next year helped offset the concern, according to the COVID-19 Task Force.

The number of red zones reached to 53 this from 35 and the number of orange zones jumped to 185 from 169 a week earlier, the country's COVID-19 Task Force said on Monday.

Indonesia has so far reported a total of 100,303 COVID-19 cases, with 4,838 deaths.

--IANS

ksk/
Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) held a teleconference in Hanoi on July 28 to review its six-month performance and outline tasks for the remaining months of this year.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said despite COVID-19, the Vietnamese economy still posted a positive growth with exports and social welfare ensured. However, challenges remain ahead, requiring strenuous efforts and flexible and suitable measures to achieve the highest growth this year.

Head of the MPIs Department of National Economic Issues Do Thanh Trung attributed a 1.81 percent economic growth to the Governments effective and sound leadership as well as efforts by ministries, agencies and localities.

The business climate as well as national competitiveness have been improved, he said, adding that the Government also requested speeding up the disbursement of public capital to ensure projects progress.

Between now and the year-end, the MPI will work closely with ministries, agencies and localities to closely grasp the socio-economic performance, thus offering timely consultancy to the Government.

It will also devise the 2021-2025 mid-term public investment plan and decrees guiding the enforcement of the Law on Investment, the Business Law and the Law on Public-Private Partnership. At the same time, it will also improve the efficiency of the drafting of bills, draw more foreign investment and build a national strategy on foreign investment cooperation for the 2021-2030 period, he said.

Concluding the event, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung asked units to realise the public investment plan, step up public capital disbursement and prepare for the 2021-2025 economic development plan.

The MPI will improve its professional efficiency and continue simplifying procedures in support of businesses, with the aim of achieving the highest results this year, he said.
PHILADELPHIA Pennsylvanias governor and attorney general joined the growing number of calls Tuesday for Philadelphias NAACP president to resign after he posted an anti-Semitic meme to social media last week.

Philadelphias Jewish leaders also expressed outrage over the post and called for Rodney Muhammads resignation throughout the weekend. Several city leaders urged him to apologize, while others said it called his leadership into question during a time when the organizations mission is vital.

Muhammad said in a statement late Monday that he removed the post when he was told the images had previously been distributed by white supremacists.

I later learned that not only was the quote I used misattributed to the philosopher Francois Voltaire, but in fact, the quote and image had been used previously by white supremacists, he wrote. I immediately removed both the quote and the offensive images. It was never my intention to offend anyone or cause any hurt.

A voicemail for the national spokesman of the NAACP was full Tuesday when The Associated Press tried to contact the organization for comment. A number for Muhammad was not answered Tuesday.

The image posted to Facebook on Thursday included photos of Ice Cube, DeSean Jackson and Nick Cannon, all of whom have been criticized recently for posting or making anti-Semitic comments. Below their photos is an image of a yarmulke-wearing man, using his hand to crush a group of people. Its accompanied by the wrongly attributed quote.

The Jewish Federation of Philadelphia issued a statement Friday calling for the NAACP to remove Muhammad. The group issued a second statement Tuesday calling Muhammads reasoning unacceptable.

Mr. Muhammads statement regarding his anti-Semitic Facebook post is utterly insufficient. Given the chance to apologize for his actions, he declined to do so, the group wrote in the statement.

In messages on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon, both Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro called for Muhammads resignation. Shapiro said he had reached out to Muhammad before making his public statement.

His response to me was offensive and we are all still waiting for that apology, Shapiro posted to Twitter before calling for Muhammad to step down.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
More than 100 police agencies are withdrawing from agreements to send personnel to bolster security at next month's Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, in part because they're concerned about a recent directive ordering police in the city to stop using tear gas to control crowds.

A citizen oversight commission last week directed Milwaukee's police chief to publicly account for why the department used tear gas during protests in late May and early June after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and to change Milwaukee's police policies to ban the use of tear gas and pepper spray.

The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission said in its order that Police Chief Alfonso Morales could be fired if he fails to comply.

That order came amid intense scrutiny of police tactics at protests in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere.

Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales (center) said that more than 100 law enforcement agencies decided against coming to Milwaukee after a rule banning pepper spray

Since the Milwaukee order was issued, more than 100 law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin and across the country decided against coming to Milwaukee, Morales told WTMJ-TV on Tuesday.

They were concerned with restrictions placed on the police department, including not allowing tear gas or pepper spray, he said.

Morales did not say which agencies would not be coming or how many officers were still expected. The original plan was to have 1,000 officers on hand from outside agencies to assist with security.

Morales said utilizing the National Guard or enlisting federal assistance was under consideration.

The convention, scheduled for August 17 to 20 at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee, has been scaled down to a mostly virtual event, with only about 300 people expected to attend in-person.

Most of the speeches will be delivered online from other locations, though former Vice President Joe Biden has said he will be in Milwaukee to accept the nomination.

Former Vice President Joe Biden has said he will be in Milwaukee to accept the nomination, and police are preparing for potentially large protests

Despite the event's smaller scale, police are preparing for potentially large protests in and around the venue.

A spokeswoman for the convention did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday. The Milwaukee police oversight commission also did not return a message seeking comment.

Fond du Lac Police Chief William Lamb told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the agreements were collapsing, saying he expects other agencies in the state to also withdraw.

Lamb chairs the Wisconsin Police Executive Group, which is made up of police chiefs from cities with populations of more than 20,000 people.

Lamb sent a letter to Milwaukee police on July 6 outlining his organization's concerns about limiting the use of tear gas and pepper spray.

West Allis police first sent a letter to Morales with concerns in mid-June after Milwaukee's Common Council temporarily halted the purchase of those chemicals.

'Our concern is that in the event protests turn non-peaceful, such a policy would remove tools from officers that may otherwise be legal and justifiable to utilize in specific situations,' West Allis Deputy Chief Robert Fletcher told the Journal Sentinel in an email.

Waukesha's police chief said he was consulting with the city attorney's office on how to withdraw from the agreement, which had promised about two dozen Waukesha officers.

Not all police departments withdrew because of the tear gas order. The Madison Police Department notified Milwaukee early this month that 'an accelerating COVID-19 pandemic coupled with ongoing protests in Madison' had strained its resources, making it impossible to commit resources to the convention, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

Madison originally committed to providing 100 officers to Milwaukee for what was to have been a 10-day convention before it got shortened and postponed until August.
PITTSBURGH, PA  With no end in sight to the coronavirus outbreak, state officials have predicted that as many as 50 percent of Pennsylvania voters will cast their ballot by mail in November. It's a safer way to vote than going to public polling places.

But is Allegheny County prepared for that possibility?

County officials point to the success they had in the June 2 primary as evidence they can handle an onslaught of mail-in votes in November. But they acknowledge the number of votes expected to be cast in the battle between President Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden likely will be considerably greater than the number of votes cast in the primary.

"The state had estimated that we could potentially see 250,000 mail-in ballots for the November election, but we exceeded that number in June," said Dave Voye, manager of the county elections division. "We received 280,000-plus applications with over 218,000 returned. We could potentially see 500,000 applications in November."

Counting those votes as quickly as possible countywide and statewide is critical, as Pennsylvania is a crucial swing state that could help determine the election's outcome.

The Keystone State's 20 electoral votes are tied for fifth-most and Pennsylvania was one of three traditionally blue states that propelled Trump to victory in 2016. Trump, in fact, was the first Republican presidential candidate to win Pennsylvania since George H.W. Bush in 1988.

But Trump's margin of victory over Hillary Clinton was razor-thin. More than six million votes were cast in Pennsylvania and Trump won by 44,000 - or less than one percent. Even a

minuscule voter shift could tip the state to Biden.

Whether that will happen in November might not be immediately certain. Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar has acknowledged that come Nov. 3, America might not know who has been elected president.

Story continues

"It's the million-dollar question,"Boockvar recently told NPR .



It's also a question that Trump does not want answered via mail.

In June, Trump's re-election campaign, the Republican National Committee and several GOP Pennsylvania congressmen sued state and county elections officials. The lawsuit was filed against

against Boockvar and the boards of elections of the state's 67 counties.

Joining the Trump campaign and the RNC as plaintiffs in the case were Republican U.S. Reps. Glenn Thompson, Mike Kelly, John Joyce and Guy Reschenthaler.

The lawsuit contends that upending the election process and undermining ballot security is the single greatest threat to free and fair elections.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants have "sacrificed the sanctity of in-person voting at the altar of unmonitored mail-in voting," exponentially enhancing the threat that fraudulent or otherwise ineligible ballots will be cast and counted in the upcoming general election.

In Allegheny County, elections division manager Voye noted there were no substantial issues tallying votes in the primary.

"Allegheny County actually received national recognition for its handling and counting of mail-in ballots and election results," he said. "The mail-in ballots were completed in under 24 hours, approximately 2:30 a.m. on June 3, with the in-person ballots being completed later that afternoon."

Voye said the county ballot-counting process largely will remain the same in Novemeber unless changes are made by the state Legislature.

"There are discussions at the state about allowing us to open the envelopes for the mail-in ballots

and begin the counting earlier, although results would not be posted or available until after polls close on Election Day," he said. "How long it will take will depend on the number of ballots, the number of staff and any potential changes to the rules for beginning that count."

The count will be is done by county staff and temporary employees who are brought on for election season under the supervision of elections officials.

"As was done in the spring, we will run through all scenarios and make changes and adjustments to our processes as we identify issues or things that could be improved," Voye said.







This article originally appeared on the Pittsburgh Patch
The death has occurred of John WILSON

Broadfield View, Naas, Kildare / Dublin 12, Dublin



Formerly of Kilworth Road, Drimnagh and St. Patrick's Road, Greenhills. After a short illness in the tender care of the staff of the Maple Ward in Tallaght Hospital. Beloved husband of Breda and father of Elaine, Tanya, Stephen and Emma. Sadly missed by his loving wife and family, son-in-law Marc, daughter-in-law Julie, grandchildren Liam, Sean, Caoimhe, James, Olivia and Kate, brother Paddy, sisters Marie, Bernie and Rita, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

In accordance with government directives and in the interest of public health a private family funeral will take place. Those who would like to attend the funeral but cannot due to the current restrictions on gatherings are invited to leave a message on the condolence page below.

For those that wish to view John's Funeral Mass it will be streamed live on Thursday at 10 am via the webcam on the Naas Parish website at www.naasparish.ie

Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to the Tallaght University Hospital Foundation at https://www.tuhf.ie/pages/donate

The death has occurred of Gerard (Gerry) Kelly

Straffan, Kildare / Artane, Dublin



Kelly, Gerard (Gerry), The Glebe House, Straffan, Co.Kildare, formerly of Mask Drive, Artane, Dublin 5, July 24th 2020, suddenly at James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown. Deeply regretted by his loving son Conor, daughter Clodagh, brothers Brendan, Martin and Andrew, sisters Sheila, Teresa, Liz, Carmel, Maria, Bernie and Rita, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

Rest In Peace

In line with government advice regarding public gatherings, a funeral mass for family and close friends will take place. Reposing at Reilly's Funeral Home, Woods House, Clane, Co. Kildare on Tuesday from 6pm to 8pm. Removal on Wednesday at 10:30am to St.Brigid's Church, Straffan arriving for 11:00am Funeral Mass, followed by burial in Straffan cemetery.

Those who would like to attend the funeral but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave your personal message by selecting condolences below. Gerard's Funeral Mass can be viewed on Wednesday at 11am at www.celstra.ie.

The death has occurred of John Martin

Ard Mhuire, Rathangan, Kildare



Peacefully surrounded by his loving family at the Regional Hospital Tullamore. Deeply regretted by his loving wife Charlotte (Dotie), family Ronald, Glynis, Lucinda, John, Nigel and Mervyn, brother, sisters, grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours and friends.

Rest In Peace

Removal on Thursday arriving Church of the Assumption and St Patrick, Rathangan for Requiem Mass at 2pm. Interment afterwards in St Patrick's Cemetery, Rathangan. Due to the Covid 19 Directive Social Distancing will be in place in the Church and at the Cemetery.

You can leave your condolences on the Online Condolence Book below.

The family would like to thank you for your help and understanding at this sad and difficult time.

Donations, if desired, to The Respiratory Unit Peamount Hospital.

John's Requiem Mass will be streamed live on Rathangan Parish Facebook page and https://www.youtube.com/c/icatholicplayer

HOUSE STRICTLY PRIVATE PLEASE

The death has occurred of Catherine (Kaye) Kane (nee Duffy)

Heather Lane, Esker Hills, Portlaoise, Laois / Kilmeague, Kildare



Formerly of the Liberties, Dublin. Peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family. Sadly missed by her loving daughters Lisa, Anita and Amanda, sons Raymond, David and Stephen and their father Patrick, daughters-in-law Jane, Mel and Jane, sons-in-law Pete and Paul, grandchildren, great-grandchild Carter, sisters, brothers in law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and close friends.

May Kaye Rest In Peace

In line with Government advice regarding public gatherings, a private family funeral will take place. Kaye will be reposing for family and close friends at her daughter Lisa's home (Castlebawn, Kilmeague) on Tuesday with rosary at 7pm. Removal on Wednesday to The Church of The Holy Trinity, Allen, for 11am Requiem Mass. Burial afterwards in Allen Cemetery. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the condolence page.
There has been a turn in the lamb trade at factories this week, taking some of the shine off the prices.

Prices quoted by processors opened as much as 30 cents/kg less than last week, with 520-530 cents/kg plus the usual bonus payments for quality on offer.

Processors blame the price cut on slower demand for lamb on the continent, now that the Eid Al Adha Islamic festival is over, and increased competition in France from British exporters.

For the week ended July 18, 67,563 sheep were processed in Irish export plants, the largest throughput so far in 2020, as processors actively sourced lamb supplies ahead of Eid al-Adha.

Throughput for the same week in 2019 was 11% lower, at 7,303 head.

August is also the normal holiday season, but it is unclear as to how Covid-19 restrictions will affect that market factor.

For the year to date, the total factory throughput of sheep in Ireland is running at 6% higher than the corresponding period in 2019.

A total of 181,000 sheep from Northern Ireland were exported to the Republic for direct slaughter so far this year, up 6% on 2019.

Read More Veterinary advice for farmers: Ringworm can spread like wildfire in calves indoors

The flow of sheep from the North increased in the past few weeks, due to favourable factory prices in the south.

Average sheepmeat prices are running nearly 70c/kg ahead of 2019.

Entries at the marts on Monday were larger than in recent weeks, but the trade held steady.

There were 450 head on offer at Corrin Mart where butchers lambs sold for up to 78 over. There was a top price of 130 for a pen of eight weighing 52 kgs, while a pen of two weighing 54 kgs sold for 130, and nine weighing 53 kgs made 126.

Factory type lambs sold for up to 65 over.

There was a large sale of 700 head at Kilkenny Mart on Monday. The trade was steady overall. Butchers paid up to 75 over. A pen of 21 weighing 48 kg made 123.

A pen of ten weighing 53 kg sold for 121, and a pen of ten weighing 52 kg sold for 120.

Factory lambs made up to 71 over.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, July 29, 2020 18:41 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a4aea7 1 National school-reopening,COVID-19,coronavirus,Education-and-Culture-Ministry,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,online-learning Free

Dozens of cities and regencies in the country have violated regulations on reopening schools by neglecting the requisite health protocols or re-operating in areas with a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, the Education and Culture Ministry said on Tuesday.

Ministry secretary-general Ainun Naim revealed such violations had been found in 79 cities or regencies, which consist of 18 designated so-called green zones, 39 yellow zones, 20 orange zones and two red zones.

We understand that many people want to return to face-to-face learning in schools, but we also have to ensure that it is conducted carefully and in a controlled manner, Ainun said Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com. Please be patient and prioritize the health and safety of the education community.

The National COVID-19 task force has mapped the risk status of all regions in the country based on 15 criteria from the World Health Organization. The indicators, which include the number of new cases, suspects and fatalities, determine whether a region falls into the green, yellow, orange or red category.

Read also: Govt to allow schools outside green zones to reopen

Areas considered green, or with the lowest risk of coronavirus transmission, have been allowed to reopen schools, as long as strict health procedures, such wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing, are followed. Schools are also required to limit the number of students per classroom to 18, roughly 50 percent of the previous capacity.

Schools located in yellow, orange and red zones, meanwhile, are still prohibited from holding face-to-face classes  as regulated in a joint ministerial decree issued by the education and culture minister, the religious affairs minister, the home minister and the health minister.

Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim previously said that the number of students in green zones was roughly equivalent to 6 percent of all students in the country, meaning that the remaining 94 percent had to continue their education through online sessions.

A recent poll by Cyrus Network, however, suggested that the majority of Indonesians wanted the government to reopen schools and universities, despite the outbreak showing no signs of abating. The survey found that 80.2 percent of 1,230 respondents polled from July 16 to 20 were in favor or reopening schools, while 19.8 percent were opposed. (vny)
Chennai: The Madras High Court has been informed that Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit is awaiting the final report of the multi-disciplinary monitoring agency (MDMA), that is looking into the larger conspiracy behind the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination case. This is pertaining to the release of Rajiv Gandhi Assassination case convict Perarivalan who has been languishing in prison for nearly three decades.

Although Perarivalan was convicted under the grounds of having provided two 9-volt batteries which were used in the bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi, it has been established later that he merely procured the batteries without knowing about the conspiracy or what the batteries would be used for.

Following a Supreme Court ruling which enabled the state government to decide on his release, the recommendation to release Perarivalan was forwarded to the governor by the state government in September 2018. Recently, the court had observed that the governor cannot sit on the state governments recommendation for release for such a long period (nearly 22 months), also mentioning that the court would be forced to step-in.

The MDMA was appointed following the report of the Jain Commisison to probe the larger conspiracy in the case, involving persons of other countries. The submission that the governor was awaiting the MDMA report was made when the plea seeking parole for Perarivalan came up for hearing on Wednesday.

Perarivalans mother has applied for 90-day parole on the grounds that 50 inmates in Puzhal jail (where he is lodged) have tested COVID-19 positive and her son is vulnerable due to multiple ailments including blood pressure, urology, rheumatology related conditions. The bail plea also stated that Perarivalan required proper medical care and that his aged parents were living alone.

Hearing the bail plea, Justices Kirubakaran and Velumani highlighted the delay on the part of prison authorities in granting parole and noted that the decision should be made within a reasonable time frame. The bench also stated that the delay in clearing their requests for parole would only add to the woes of the convicts, requiring them to spend more money in approaching the court.

Given the genuine humanitarian and medical reasons, we are confident of securing parole on Monday for Perarivalan, said his advocate K.Sivakumar. The hearing has been adjourned and the government is required to file their response by July 31 and the next hearing is slated for August 3.

Earlier this week, Perarivalans lawyer had also approached the Mumbai High Court to seek details regarding the procedures followed by the Maharashtra Government in the early release of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt. Dutt and Perarivalan had been convicted under the same Arms Act.

It is notable that, despite the President having rejected Dutts clemency petition and his conviction under a law that falls under central governments jurisdiction, the Maharashtra government had used its legal powers, rights to grant permission for the actors early release.
New York added five more locations to its travel advisory requiring visitors to quarantine for 14 days upon entering the state.



Travelers from Illinois, Kentucky and Minnesota as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, will now be subject to the mandatory quarantine. The list, which is based upon a seven-day rolling average of positive coronavirus tests in excess of 10 percent, or if its number of positive cases exceeds 10 per 100,000 residents, now includes 34 states.

Travelers flying into New York airports from these areas with high rates of coronavirus infections will face the threat of a summons and $2,000 fine if they decline to fill out forms disclosing their travel plans.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Eldar Janashvili - Trend:

The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) held a foreign exchange auction with the participation of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), during which Azerbaijani banks acquired $63.1 million, Trend reports citing CBA.

According to CBA, demand from the banks at the auction increased by 5.2 percent or by $3.1 million compared to the previous auction.

Considering the number of days remaining before the next scheduled auction, as well as with the aim of ensuring uninterrupted currency trading by the banks, the demand of banks at the auction will be fully provided during weekends.

The first foreign exchange auction in a long time was held with the participation of SOFAZ on March 10, 2020, during which Azerbaijani banks acquired $323.2 million.

The CBA began to hold foreign exchange auctions through unilateral sale of foreign currency in competitive conditions since mid-January 2017.

In March 2020, it was decided to hold extraordinary foreign exchange auctions in connection with the increased demand of the population for foreign currency amid the failed OPEC+ deal, which entailed a sharp decline in oil prices.

(1 USD = 1.7 AZN on July 29)

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Follow the author on Twitter: @eldarjanashvili
Khadijat Omotosho has written to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, demanding an investigation into the death of her father, Kehinde Omotosho, who died in police custody.

Mr Omotosho, a trader in Gbagi market, Ibadan, Oyo State capital, died in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police on July 21.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how a police team stormed Mr Omotoshos neighbourhood around Agugu area at about midnight of July 16. He was arrested alongside some persons in the area by the operatives, who reportedly came for his nephew, Kabir. They arrested him instead.

Kabir was allegedly involved in a fight that led to the killing of an individual in the area.

Mr Omotosho was later remanded at the CID office at Iyaganku, for six days.

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 newspaper learnt that rather than give him medical treatment, the police authorities at Iyaganku tied him with ropes and made him lie face down all through the night.

However, the police spokesperson in the state claimed that Mr Omotosho died in the police clinic after a brief illness.

Meanwhile, Ms Omotosho is demanding an autopsy so the circumstances surrounding her dads death can be unravelled.

The Akin Fadeyi Foundation was the first to call attention, through its Flag IT programme, to the traders ordeal and death. The organisation has also continued to work to get justice for the family of the late businessman.

Petition

Ms Omotosho, the daughter of the departed trader, wrote to the police boss on Monday through her solicitors, Afe Babalola and Co.

In the petition seen by PREMIUM TIMES, she stated that her late father was an honest businessman and a responsible family man and a law-abiding citizen of this country.

Ms Omotosho added that she and six other children have been left without a father and breadwinner owing to the incident.

She questioned the arrest, detention and why they were denied access to the victim for more than five days.

Why were the deceased and Mr Jelili Rasak detained beyond the prescribed by the constitution? What is the cause of death of the deceased who prior to his unlawful arrest and detention did not suffer any obvious or underlying medical condition or ailment? she asked.

In view of this, we humbly request that you use your good office to set up an investigation into the allegations contained in this petition, particularly the circumstances surrounding the unlawful arrest, detention and eventual death of Mr Kehinde Omotosho in the custody of the officers of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Oyo State CID, the petitioner wrote.
The ritual holiday, marked by the traditional sacrifice of livestock, is jeopardised this year by the economic repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic and fears of a resurgent outbreak

Millions of Egyptians are bracing this year for an unprecedented Eid Al-Adha, one of the two major annual Islamic feasts.

The ritual holiday, marked by the traditional sacrifice of livestock, is jeopardised this year by the economic repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic and fears of a resurgent outbreak.

During Eid Al-Adha, which falls on 31 July this year, Muslims slaughter cows, sheep or goats for family meals and to donate to the poor. The ritual marks the Prophet Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismael, on God's command.

This year, the tradition of ritual sacrifice will likely be curtailed as the pandemic and its economic repercussions continue to lower demand.

Traders say that the market is seeing an unprecedented recession due to weakened purchasing power by consumers.

This seasons prices are slightly down from the last Eid Al-Adha, yet demand continues to diminish due to the effect of the pandemic.

Mohamed Wahba, head of the Butchers Division at the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), said in press statements that many citizens have delayed or chosen not to make purchases of sacrificial animals due to the virus.

He said that demand has decreased despite a drop in prices ranging from 7 to 10 percent this year.

For many, sacrificing a sheep or a cow may no longer be an option due to both harsh economic conditions and a fear of infection.

This season, prices range from EGP 55 to EGP 58 for one kilogram of live cattle, which weigh an average of 300 kgs, bringing the total price of the animal to between EGP 16,500 and EGP 17,400.

The prices of live sheep are estimated at EGP 3,000 to EGP 5,000, depending on the animals weight and type. This price does not include the slaughtering fees paid to butchers, which are estimated this season at EGP 400 for sheep and EGP 2,000 for calves.

Wahba believes that the low demand is causing fears over the future of the countrys livestock industry, especially if breeders are pushed to sell at even lower prices after Eid.

Egyptians mainly sacrifice cows, sheep or goats in groups, dividing payments to help overcome the dire financial conditions caused by IMF-backed austerity measures.

However, the risk of infection has aggravated worries over the tradition, which is also threatened by tough economic conditions arising from the virus toll on vital sectors in the country.

This has led many to resort to other options to practice the Islamic ritual while avoiding infection, including sacrifice vouchers, or sukuk, purchased from leading charity organisations in the country.

Through the sacrifice vouchers, charities are authorised to buy, slaughter and distribute sacrificed cattle to thousands of needy people.

The Egyptian Food Bank, the first to establish the sacrifice voucher in Egypt in 2006, has set the price of vouchers this year at EGP 3,300 and EGP 1,900 for local and imported calves from India and Brazil respectively.

The prices for local sacrifices are higher than the EGP 3,000 set last year, and imported vouchers are slightly down from EGP 1,950.

Charity organisations have given conflicting reports over whether demand for sacrifice vouchers has fluctuated this year.

Sources at the Egyptian Food Bank told Ahram Online that there is no increase in demand on vouchers due to the harsh economic conditions caused by the virus.

They say that those who purchase sacrifice vouchers generally do so to save time and avoid the hassle of slaughtering. This year, however, there are also concerns over infections potentially resulting from the crowding that takes place during the slaughtering process.

The charity organisation is relying on calves this season in their sacrifice program, which previously included other livestock including sheep, to ensure more meat is distributed and less food is wasted amid the pandemic crisis. They are targeting around 1 million families nationwide through partner organisations collaborating with the bank.

On the other hand, Mamdouh Shaaban, director-general of Orman Charity Association, told Ahram Online that there is an estimated 30 to 40 percent rise in demand for sacrifice vouchers this season compared to last year.

People are abstaining from slaughtering at home due to the pandemic, he said, adding that this years rise in demand for vouchers comes as more donors are keen to have their sacrifices delivered to the neediest amid the crisis.

Orman is offering local calf sacrifices this year at EGP 3,100, with imported animals ranging from EGP 1,950 to EGP 2,550 depending on size. They are targeting 750,000 families as beneficiaries nationwide.

Several Egyptians told Ahram Online that they have been relying on sacrifice vouchers in recent years to avoid the exhausting and troublesome slaughtering process.

This year, however, the program is seeing new donors due to the virus.

Mohamed El-Sayed, a pharmacist based in the Arabian Gulf, told Ahram Online that he has asked his sister to use sacrifice vouchers this season given the risk posed by the coronavirus.

We couldnt travel to our hometown this year due to the pandemic, so we preferred to resort to charity organisations to ensure that the sacrifices are met, he said, describing the process as cheaper and hassle-free.

He added, however, that he believes that sacrifice vouchers are no substitute for traditional sacrificing practices during Eid Al-Adha.

Others believe that the ritual should not be abandoned this year despite the pandemic.

Youssef Amr told Ahram Online that he prefers to observe the Eid Al-Adha traditions to ensure that they dont disappear over time.

I have personally thought of abandoning sacrifices this year due to the pandemic; however, I felt that I can still protect myself from infection and not abandon the ritual, Amr said, adding that the fears felt by many people are justifiable.

Amr is taking more precautions this year, saying he will oversee the sacrificing process while wearing a mask, using alcohol sprays, and maintaining social distance.

Since I was a child, we have been accustomed to delivering sacrifices to certain families every Eid. I cant keep them waiting this year, he said.

* 1 USD = EGP 15.97 according to the exchange rate of the Central Bank of Egypt on Wednesday.

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A 17-year-old who has been named valedictorian is the first Black female to achieve the honor in her high school's 159-year history.

Nina Mitchell graduated from DeKalb High School in DeKalb, Illinois, with a 4.549 GPA.

"I was very humbled and honored," Nina told "Good Morning America." "I am representing Black students and female students. They can look up to me and say, 'Wow. Nina did it, so I can do it.' That was really important for me."

Nina was president of the Honor Society and Key Club. She was also a founder of the Spanish Honor Society, a member of Spanish Club, was part of the principal's advisory board, a founding member of the peer mediation program, played volleyball and ran track.

PHOTO: Nina Mitchell, 17, graduated from DeKalb High School in DeKalb, Illinois, with a 4.549 GPA. (Darren Mitchell)

In her community, Nina was the first Black chair of Youth Engaged in Philanthropy, a legislature with the Illinois YMCA Youth and Government and a member of the Youth Advisory Council.

During her free time, Nina enjoys reading and playing Scrabble with her two brothers: Robert, 21, and Michael, 20.

Academic success runs in Nina's family. Robert graduated sixth in his class at DeKalb High School and Michael ranked seventh.

Nina's grandmother, Pearlene Carter, 75, was also a valedictorian representing Walker High School's class of 1959 in Coldwater, Mississippi.

PHOTO: Nina Mitchell, 17, graduated from DeKalb High School in DeKalb, Illinois, with a 4.549 GPA. Here she is seen in an undated photo with her parents, Darren and Melody Mitchell, and brothers Robert, 21 and Michael 20. (Darren Mitchell)

"I didn't get here alone," Nina said. "My parents always set me up for success, and my brothers inspire me to do better."

"My grandma has always been an inspiration for me, and a role model," she added. "She's a force to be reckoned with. She's always bragged about me to her friends and has made me feel so loved."

MORE: 91-year-old former teacher shares best advice for graduating seniors amid COVID-19

Nina's father, Darren Mitchell, said his daughter's goal was always to graduate at the top of her class.

"I know Nina has gotten a lot of attention for her academic achievement and leadership skills, but why I'm most proud of my daughter is she is a good person," Mitchell told "GMA."

Story continues

PHOTO: Nina Mitchell, 17, valedictorian of DeKalb High School in DeKalb, Illinois, stands with her grandmother, Pearlene Carter, 75, was also a valedictorian representing Walker High School's class of 1959 in Coldwater, Mississippi. (Darren Mitchell)

MORE: 15 medical students pose in front of slave quarters at plantation in powerful photo

"She treats people with kindness and respect," he added. "She has a wonderful heart and is just a great human being."

Nina was accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she will attend as a business major.

PHOTO: Nina Mitchell, 17, graduated from DeKalb High School in DeKalb, Illinois, with a 4.549 GPA. Nina was accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she will attend as a business major. (Darren Mitchell)

Nina hopes to become a lawyer.

Her advice to rising students is to put school first, get involved in your community and "never give up."

1st Black female valedictorian in school's 159-year history follows in grandma's footsteps originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Sydneysiders trying to escape the winter and travel to sunny Queensland have been left scrambling after the state announced a travel ban due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Tuesday the sunshine state's borders will close to all Sydney residents from Saturday, with just three days warning.

The 'furious' Queensland premier said no one from Sydney will be allowed into the state after two teenagers with coronavirus lied on their declaration forms to sneak back in after travelling to Melbourne via the harbour city.

Any Queensland residents returning will have to isolate in a hotel for 14 days at their own expense.

This has since thrown travel plans out of the window for Sydney residents, with many fearing they will lose thousands of dollars in flights and accommodation.

Daily Mail Australia takes a look at how the Queensland border closure will impact holidays - and how you can fight for your money back.

Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Tuesday the sunshine state's borders will close to all Sydney residents from Saturday (pictured, tourists holidaying in Cairns)

It is unclear how long the border will close between Sydney and Queensland (pictured passengers at Sydney Airport)

FLIGHTS

Holidaymakers are now racing to cancel or reschedule flights, in the hopes they don't lose hundreds of dollars already forked out for fares.

Qantas has announced that for any passengers flying before or on October 31, they can apply for a full credit to book any flight at a later date.

The credit can be used before December 31, 2022 but passengers will need to cover any additional fare increase or change fee.

For any Qantas flights booked after October 31, a credit will also be supplied but must be used within 12 months of the original booking date.

Qantas customers can also reschedule their flights for another date at no extra cost.

Jetstar has also said customers can change their flight dates - but no destination - for services booked between May 21 and August 31 for domestic travel between June 12 and October 31. No change fees will be applied.

Airlines such as Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin are offering passengers full flight credits to use if their travel plans are changed (pictured, a passenger at Sydney Airport)

Sydneysiders are now racing to cancel or reschedule their flights after Queensland shut its borders (pictured, a woman at Whitehaven Beach)

This means if a customer has a flight booked for Queensland's Hamilton Island, they can fly on a different date, but must still fly into the same airport.

For flights around other dates, Jetstar passengers will need to contact the airline and there is no guarantee of a free change.

A spokesperson for Virgin said the airline had changed its policies following the recent announcement.

Passengers who booked on or after April 21 for travel up to October 31 will be able to change their flights and destination at no extra charge.

'Customers with any changes to their flights will be contacted directly,' the spokesperson said.

Two girls walk along Surfers Paradise beach in the Gold Coast (pictured on April 7), with Sydneysiders now banned from visiting

ACCOMODATION

Sydneysiders who booked idyllic beachfront resorts and hotels are also now scratching their heads on whether or not they will receive a refund.

Airbnb announced that any customers who booked before March 14 will be able to receive full refunds or credits for check-ins until August 31.

But bookings made after this date will not be eligible for an automatic refund due to coronavirus restrictions, but guests may be able to receive some form of refund after speaking to their host directly.

Derek Nolan, Airbnb's Head of Public Policy for Australia said all hosts were strictly following government advice.

'Airbnb is extremely serious about supporting government and police efforts to combat COVID-19,' he said.

The majority of accommodation offered by airlines such as Qantas and Jetstar have free cancellation policies already in place.

Guests will need to contact the individual hotel provider if free cancellation is not an option.

Most major hotel chains have special coronavirus policies, which make it easier for guests to change reservations or cancel all together.

But many smaller hotels are unlikely to offer refunds unless it was specified at the time of booking.

Most major hotel chains have special coronavirus policies, which make it easier for guests to change reservations or cancel all together (pictured, couple snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef)

Airbnb announced that any customers who booked before March 14 will be able to receive full refunds or credits for check-ins until August 31 (pictured, Brisbane River)

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Tourists often make sure to buy some form of travel insurance in case their plans are suddenly brought to a stop.

But most big insurance companies have said they won't offer any support in the event of a global pandemic, but the price of the actual insurance may be refunded.

Allianz Insurance is offering customers who bought travel insurance on or after March 18 the option to cancel or receive a full refund - but eligible criteria applies.

Allianz customers who bought insurance before March 18 can also apply to have a portion of their premium refunded.

Those using NRMA insurance can expect a credit on their premium if their original departure date is after March 24.

CGU Insurance customers will be unable to get any money back if their holiday is cancelled on claims made after January 23.

The company said as COVID-19 was declared a widely known event on this date it is unable to cover any cancellations or changes.

However, customers may be eligible to have their insurance premium refunded or credited.

Sydney residents may have to put their holidays to Queensland on hold after the border closes on Saturday (pictured, a tourist in the Whitsundays)

Those who booked travel insurance may be able to have some of their premium refunded or credited however the cancellation of the trip will not be covered (pictured cars crossing Queensland border)

Queensland will ban Sydney residents from entering from Saturday and it is unclear when they will be allowed back in (pictured, Broadbeach on the Gold Coast)
Montgomery County Precinct 1 Judge Wayne Mack was recently recognized as Texas leading justice of the peace.

Mack was named the JP of the year by the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas, which bills itself as the largest organization of elected officials in Texas.

The honor is a culmination of years of work the 55-year-old Mack has devoted to the county. Yet he credits others for his successes since being elected six years ago to a position where he presides over cases dealing with Class C misdemeanor charges and small claims.

I have outstanding people that work with me everyday. I couldnt do all I do without the amazing staff I have, Mack said. This award is as much about them as it is about me. I get the recognition, but my staff is the one that gets the work.

Community involvement

On an especially busy day late last month, Mack was opening emails as he tuned into the JPCAs annual meeting via Zoom. Then a speaker referenced Montgomery County, perking Macks ears. As soon as the judge looked at the screen, it froze.

I never heard what they said because I had to log out and log back in and when I come back on the Zoom call, they said, Oh, hes there. Hes back. Congratulations, Judge, Mack said of the surprise announcement.

Mack said he has been involved in the JPCAs legislative committee that testifies in favor or against legislation in Austin.

In nominating him, staff highlighted his deep community involvement.

Mack has sat on about 15 nonprofit boards and fills an advisory role at Bonnies House, a substance abuse rehabilitative shelter in Conroe. He also heads up the countys 250 volunteer strong anti-suicide task force.

Its very exciting to see how our county responds to the needs in our community, he said.

Beginning in 1995 until his election to justice of the peace in 2014, Mack had been the countys first building services director. Under his management, building services was the first county department with a mission statement, Mack said.

He ran the department like a business, he added.

If you can count something, you can measure it. If you can measure it, then you can prove it, Mack said about the model he now applies to his justice of the peace court, for which he said he took a small pay cut upon assuming office.

Still, he shies away from taking all the credit.

Every position Ive held in the county, Ive had success because of the people I worked with, he said.

Work ethic and service

In explaining the values he holds dear as a public servant, Mack points to his upbringing near his grandfathers dairy farm in Wisconsin.

He remembers his mom, Connie, being involved in the community and the United Methodist Church, while his father, Leroy, overcame alcoholism and helped others do the same through Alcoholics Anonymous.

Not only did they instill the work ethic but they also instilled public service in me by living it, he said. They lived it in front of me. Its not something they talked about.

Mack moved to Montgomery County in September 1985 for an unpaid internship at a church. He started work in the county in January 1986, sweeping and mopping the floors of the Montgomery County Courthouse overnight.

He never looked down at his job. His fathers parting words to a Texas-bound Mack prophesied his ascent.

I dont care if youre just a janitor, be the best damn janitor there is and youll go places and God will open doors for you, Mack said his dad told him before either of them knew the judges first paying job in the county would be as a custodian.

Mack never asked for a raise or a promotion. His work did all the pitching for him, he insists. He was asked to be a foreman, then a supervisor, then assistant director of the department and then he was finally appointed the countys building services director.

For many years, Mack said he was often asked to seek public office. But he held off until the Precinct 1 justice of the peace position opened up. Having served about 15 years as a reserve deputy, he understood the seats value.

I knew from my law enforcement career that thats an elected position where you can make a difference every day, he said.

Above and beyond

A committee of six at the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association chose Mack as JP of the year. His nomination by staff was accompanied by letters of recommendation from U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady and state Rep. Will Metcalf.

Judge Mack is the very definition of a servant leader and demonstrates deep empathy and compassion for the citizens of Montgomery County, Brady wrote. Mack is also a true patriot and serves with steadfast determination and vision.

Metcalf was equally emphatic.

I have known Judge Mack personally for many years and have always had tremendous respect for him, Metcalf wrote. I know he will continue to go above and beyond in his role to serve the community and state he loves.

Both legislators praised Mack for implementing a volunteer chaplaincy program. When a loved one has died, the program allows for the bereaved to choose spiritual counseling from one of 80 representatives of varying faiths.

One aspect of Macks chaplaincy program has garnered some pushback, however. A national separation of church and state group is suing Mack for encouraging prayer in the courtroom by a chaplain. Mack insists the practice does no harm since people are welcomed to leave the room.

Mack values the part his position plays in how government serves the people and expresses humility in voters placing him there.

The highest honor any community can give somebody is public trust, he said. The judicial branch of government is peoples last protection from the executive and legislative branches of government, so I view my role there is to help people.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

twitter.com/jrgzztx
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: A total of 300 ASHA workers will hold a protest on Wednesday at Anand Rao Circle in Bengaluru at 11:30 am, while their counterparts in other districts will do the same in front of their respective deputy commissioners office.They met Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Deputy CM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan and Health Minister B Sriramulu on Tuesday, and while the ASHA workers said they got a positive response from all three, they want everything in writing. Without that, they said they will carry on with their protests. The ministers have asked for two-days time, after which they will hold a discussion with the frontline workers over a hike in wages.

Karnataka Rajya Samyuktha ASHA Karyakarte Sangha is affiliated to the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC). Hanumesh G, district secretary, AIUTUC, said, On July 20, Minister for Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar announced a wage hike for ASHA workers. However, how much and when this will happen was not mentioned.

K Somashekar Yadgiri, state president, AIUTUC, said, Rural healthcare has collapsed ever since ASHA workers went on strike. Many mothers and newborns died during labour without the help of ASHA workers, which is not being reported.He said the number of Covid cases in the state would be much higher if ASHA workers were on duty, as they have been instrumental in getting people tested, especially in rural areas. Only half the workers have received `3,000, they alleged.
A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled Ashley Judd can sue Harvey Weinstein for sexual harassment.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the actress should be allowed to pursue both parts of her lawsuit against Weinstein. A lower court judge had dismissed her sexual harassment allegations but left intact her claim of defamation.

Judd was one of the first people to publicly accuse Weinstein. She filed the lawsuit in 2018, alleging that in a meeting at a Beverly Hills hotel in late 1996 or early 1997, the producer tried to coerce her to watch him shower and give him a massage, then smeared her in Hollywood as a 'nightmare' to work with after she rejected him.

Shamed producer Weinstein, behind Oscar-winners Shakespeare in Love and Chicago, was jailed for 23 years in March after being convicted of rape. He is being held at the maximum security Wende Correctional Facility, Buffalo, New York.

Judd's attorneys had sued Weinstein under a California law that prohibits sexual harassment by people, other than employers, with professional power, including teachers and landlords.

The court agreed that the law could apply to situations like the one Judd faced, when she was dealing with Weinstein but not working for him. The case will likely go to trial early next year.

'Weinstein was uniquely situated to exercise coercive power or leverage over Judd, who was a young actor at the beginning of her career at the time of the alleged harassment,' U.S. District Judge Mary Murguia wrote in the opinion.

'Moreover, given Weinstein's highly influential and `unavoidable presence in the film industry, the relationship was one that would have been difficult to terminate `without tangible hardship to Judd, whose livelihood as an actor depended on being cast for roles.'

A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled Ashley Judd, pictured in 2018, can sue Harvey Weinstein for sexual harassment. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the actress should be allowed to pursue both parts of her lawsuit against Weinstein

Shamed producer Weinstein, behind Oscar-winners Shakespeare in Love and Chicago, was jailed for 23 years in March after being convicted of rape. He is being held at the maximum security Wende Correctional Facility, Buffalo, New York. He is pictured at his February trial

Judd's lawyers made it explicit when she filed the lawsuit that she was suing in part to broaden the use of the law to protect against predatory relationships in Hollywood, and praised the 9th Circuit decision Wednesday.

'This is an important victory not only for Ms. Judd but for all victims of sexual harassment in professional relationships,' Judd's attorney Theodore Boutrous Jr. said in a statement.

'The court correctly holds that California law forbids sexual harassment and retaliation by film producers and others in powerful positions, even outside the employment context, and we look forward to pursuing this claim against Mr Weinstein at trial.'

Harvey Weinstein and Ashley Judd pictured in 1997. Judd filed the lawsuit in 2018, alleging that in a meeting at a Beverly Hills hotel in late 1996 or early 1997, the producer tried to coerce her to watch him shower and give him a massage, then smeared her in Hollywood as a 'nightmare' to work with after she rejected him

An email seeking comment from Weinstein's attorney, Phyllis Kupferman, was not immediately returned. Kupferman said previously that Weinstein did not hurt Judd's career but promoted it, approving her for roles in two of his films.

The ruling comes two weeks after a judge in New York rejected a $19 million settlement between Weinstein and many of the women suing him for sexual misconduct. Judd was not involved in the proposed agreement.

The 52-year-old star of 'Kiss The Girls' and 'Double Jeopardy' was among the women who told their Weinstein stories to the New York Times and the New Yorker in 2017, making the #MeToo movement a global phenomenon.

Harvey Weinstein enters the courthouse on February 24, 2020 in New York City

She sued Weinstein the following year after director Peter Jackson said in an interview that Weinstein had warned him against working with Judd when he considered her for the 'Lord of the Rings' films.

The lawsuit had been on hold through the completion of Weinstein's criminal trial in New York, where the 68-year-old producer was convicted of rape and sexual assault against two women. He faces similar charges in Los Angeles.

Weinstein has repeatedly denied engaging in any non-consensual sexual activity.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is warning the Western Australian government could lose a legal challenge to the state's border restrictions as his ministers call for an end to "indiscriminate state border closures".

This is despite Premier Mark McGowan saying businessman Clive Palmer and the Liberals have "annoyed the hell out of him" for wanting to bring down the 'hard border' with the east.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Peter Braig

Mr Morrison said he would work with the WA government to prevent transmission of COVID-19 from outbreak areas.

"[My] fear is that if an all-or-nothing approach is taken to the broader question, then that will not serve the people of any state well," he said.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has denied his Government is unfairly targeting social welfare recipients, telling the Dail yesterday that cutting the income of those who travel abroad is "not punitive". Really?

If that is the case, why has the right to non-essential travel, which social welfare recipients have always enjoyed, been quietly removed?

Why is it that they are the only cohort of people on this island who face a financial penalty if they leave? And, if cutting someone's only source of income is not punitive, what word would Mr Martin prefer to use to describe it?

When musician Ciaran Cooney, whose industry has been decimated by Covid, was approached by gardai in Dublin airport in May, he handed over his identification without a second thought. He was travelling to Scotland for nine days to be reunited with his partner after 15 weeks.

He was not warned that if he was in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP), and got on the flight, he would lose his payment. He discovered that the following week when he was left penniless and forced to move in with his parents in order to survive. It took six weeks before the payment was restored.

At the time, the only advice about foreign travel was that it should be avoided and those who returned to the country should quarantine for two weeks. Speaking on RTE on Monday, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said those in receipt of social welfare were being penalised for travel abroad because "we're at a crucial stage in relation to dealing with this virus" and the "Irish people have sacrificed so much and nobody wants to see us go back".

Why is the Government so concerned about the foreign holidays of those on social welfare when plane loads of tourists from hotspots like Texas are arriving daily and mandatory quarantine has yet to be enforced? Are those on social welfare vectors for the disease while US tourists are not?

"The public health advice is very clear - do not travel abroad," said Humphreys. She was right about that. The public health advice is clear, but she failed to mention the Government has ignored it. Or maybe she missed the announcement about travel restrictions being removed from the 15 countries in the 'green list'.

Meanwhile, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar seemed to imply the penalty arose because those travelling were "not genuinely seeking work or not genuinely living in the country". Coincidentally, a requirement to be "genuinely seeking work" has now been added to the list of qualifying criteria on the Gov.ie website.

Up to then, it had been assumed that no such requirement existed - mainly because it was never mentioned before this week and also because most of those on the payment have temporarily lost their jobs because their places of work are closed and reopening on a phased basis. Should pub workers now be looking for work in advance of the August 10 reopening of their industry?

Back in April, at the height of this pandemic, Revenue relaxed a rule which states that high net worth non-residents who spend more than 183 days in the country become liable for tax. These millionaires and billionaires, who fly around the globe on private jets, didn't have to worry about facing a financial penalty for overstaying their welcome.

Meanwhile, those on PUP who lost their jobs to the virus, many of whom would have booked holidays before their world came crashing down, have been told they will be left with nothing if they opt to leave.

When it comes to the rich, restrictions are loosened. For the poor, restrictions are tightened. Similarly, those on jobseeker's benefit, who have always had an entitlement to travel abroad for two weeks each year and retain their benefits, have had that right stripped away.

On July 10, Humphreys published a regulation which stated travel was only permitted "in accordance with the general travel advisory in operation by the Department of Foreign Affairs".

However, since the department published the green list, this has changed. Not by ministerial order, but via a change on the Department of Social Protection's website which states "jobseeker's payments will not be made to anyone who travels abroad" - no matter how green their destination.

Not only is this arbitrary, it is illogical. Why ban travel for social welfare claimants to countries that have lower levels of Covid-19 than Ireland? Why publish the green list at all if travel to those countries is deemed so dangerous?

Most of us can understand that travel abroad is not advisable at the moment. It is the unfair application of this advice to different cohorts of people that is at issue.

For the majority, it is advisory. For social welfare claimants, it is mandatory.

At the very least, the Government could have made an effort to publicise the fact that those who travelled abroad were at risk of losing their income.

But they didn't even bother doing that.

At the start of this crisis, social cohesion was strong because people were treated fairly and there was a sense that we were all in it together.

The rapid expansion of the PUP to cover 600,000 people within a matter of weeks, was among the State's proudest achievements as it grappled with the virus in the early stages.

Now, the Government risks undermining that good work by senselessly targeting the very group it went to such efforts to protect. Those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

If it does, it will reap a whirlwind.

If the Government believes a travel ban is necessary to protect public health, then introduce one for everyone - rich and poor alike.

If not, it must stop discriminating against those in receipt of social welfare payments.
Adam Garber said he can still remember exactly where he was when he learned, for the first time, that someone he knew had committed suicide by firearm.

Garber, the executive director of CeaseFire PA, a nonprofit organization battling gun violence in Pennsylvania, said that, on the same day 16 years ago, he found out his next-door neighbor had taken his life with a gun, too, when Garber was a child.

But Garbers parents didnt want to tell him at the time.

Most gun-owning Americans think their firearms make them safer, said Beth Foringer of Moms Demand Action, who lives outside Pittsburgh. The reality is that access to a firearm increases the risks of suicide for all people in the household.

Garber and Foringer joined other advocates with the PA Safety Alliance at the State Capitol steps in Harrisburg on Wednesday and implored the state to adopt more restrictive gun measures to promote safer communities and address gun violence, which they see as a public health crisis.

The alliance includes concerned students and parents, health professionals, religious leaders, community organizations, and teachers. They argue the state needs to take a more proactive approach to respond to the 1,503 people they say die every year on average in Pennsylvania due to gun violence  more than half of which are suicides.

Pennsylvania also ranks fifth among U.S. states in the number of registered firearms with 271,427 guns, according to Statista.

Thoughts and prayers are no longer acceptable, said Lidhia Koovor of Berks County, who is the co-sponsor of the Pennsylvania chapter of March for Our Lives. We need action.

Speaking against a backdrop of signs filled with Xs  representing the 1,654 Pennsylvanians who lost their lives to guns in the past year alone  the advocates called for policy changes like licensure laws, which require a face-to-face contact between a purchaser and a gun licensing agency, and a transaction waiting period.

Rep. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin, who spoke at the event, said she has co-sponsored a bill that would require 72 hours for a gun sale to go through. She argued if an individual was attempting to purchase a gun in order to hurt themselves or others, the 72 hours in between could reduce impulsive or straw purchases and prompt the buyer to rethink and thus potentially save lives.

The people who should be protecting us have failed, so it is now our responsibility to make sure were the last generation who have experienced such loss. We will not stop until these massacres are no longer a normalcy, Koovor said.

Yet while the advocates assembled at the Capitol steps, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, was busy confirming this years Rally to Protect Your Right to Keep and Bear Arms will take place on Sept. 29 at the Capitol.

He said in a news release that one focus for the September rally will be House Bill 1747, which passed the House and is now in the Senate. The bill would repeal the ability for the governor to suspend or limit the sale of firearms and the right to open carry during a disaster emergency declaration.

Message to (Gov.) Tom Wolf: Your blatant, unconstitutional misbehavior in office and callous disregard for the most fundamental civil liberties of your fellow man give this years theme of Stand Your Ground Against Socialism even more substantive significance, Metcalfe said. Our right to arm and defend ourselves and our loved ones is non-negotiable, and you can expect us to vigilantly defend these inherent rights on the state Capitol steps on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Kim Stolfer, the co-founder of Firearms Owners Against Crime, said the PA Safety Alliance event is a shameful example of demagoguery and the policies they advocate would violate peoples civil liberties.

Our rights and our freedoms are not predicated on the actions of others, otherwise the whole concept of freedom is lost, he said. And if we dont understand that, were done as a society.

Rep. Kim, however, said it is precisely lawmakers and citizens from parts of the state that may not experience gun violence on a daily basis that need to step up.

I live in an urban district, she said. If my farmers across the state are dealing with a bug disease that Im not familiar with, Im going to be supportive because it affects that community. And if we are dealing with gun violence here, trust us that it hurts our families. Trust us that it hurts and its plaguing our communities. Help us pass gun safety reforms.

Koovor said the issue isnt a political one, and the shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 prompted her to engage with the issue of gun violence.

My peers are being killed because we care more about profit rather than the lives of America, she said. I will not stop fighting until the NRA is pushed out of our government and gun legislation is put through. This issue is not an issue of Democrat or Republican. Its an issue of the people.
Yahoo UK News Video

Rishi Sunak brought an abrupt end to an interview after he was asked if he fully supported Boris Johnson. (Watch the interview above). The Chancellor was giving an interview to Sky News over the future of the prime minister, who has been accused by his former chief adviser Dominic Cummings of lying to Parliament over allegations of lockdown-breaching parties in Downing Street. Johnson rejected the claim in an interview on Tuesday afternoon, insisting he did not know in advance about the event in May 2020, adding that "no one told him" it was against the rules. Asked whether he backed his boss, Sunak replied: Of course I do. The prime minister set out his understanding of this matter in parliament last week and Id refer you to his words. Sue Gray is conducting an inquiry into this matter and I fully support the prime ministers request for patience while that inquiry concludes. Sunak then refused to comment on whether Johnson should quit following Cummings bombshell allegations. Im not going to get into hypotheticals. The Ministerial Code is clear on these matters. Pressed on whether he supported the PM unequivocally, Sunak promptly stood up, took off his microphone abruptly and walked off while his adviser stood in front of the journalist. Sunak is the bookies favourite to replace Johnson and has tried to distance himself from the scandal in recent days. He told Yahoo News UK last week that he had not attended the garden party. And he was noticeably absent from the House of Commons last Wednesday during the prime minister's apology for the anger sparked by the revelations. The Ministerial Code states that ministers who lie to Parliament and do not correct the record should resign. If Johnson is found to have lied, his position would become untenable.
BEIRUT - An unforeseen summer surge of coronavirus cases in countries that had seemingly quelled their outbreaks is helping to drive the unrelenting growth of the global pandemic, undercutting predictions that a "second wave" would not occur until the fall.

Japan, Israel, Lebanon and Hong Kong are among dozens of places reporting record numbers of new cases in recent days, many weeks after they had crushed the curve of infections, reopened their economies and moved on.

And in some countries that had brought numbers down, notably in Europe, the reopening of borders, bars and nightclubs is being blamed for a small but noticeable increase in cases.

In Belgium and Spain, the number of daily infections has surpassed levels not seen since early May, prompting authorities to reimpose some recently lifted restrictions.

"I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday, referring to Europe, as he sought to justify reimposing quarantine measures on travelers from Spain. Britain also is seeing more cases.

The United States, Brazil and India are still fueling the bulk of the pandemic's growth, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the new cases reported globally over the past week. Many other countries, including in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, have not yet reached a peak in infections, officials at the World Health Organization say.

Most places experiencing new waves of coronavirus cases still lag far behind the United States, Brazil and some other parts of the world in per capita rates of infection. Japan, for instance, has only around 230 infections per 1 million people, compared with more than 13,000 infections per 1 million people in the United States.

But since the beginning of July, the number of new cases in Japan has climbed by more than 60%, a growth rate equivalent to the United States', alarming a country that had trumpeted the "Japanese model" for containing the virus.

"We now have got an epicenter developing within Japan. Unless we stop it with a full force as a nation, I worry that we might go the same way as New York or Milan," said Tatsuhiko Kodama, a professor at the University of Tokyo who is leading a research project on the virus.

In Australia and some other places such as Hong Kong and Israel, all of which had appeared to defeat the virus, infections are growing twice as quickly as in the United States, or even faster, suggesting there is no end in sight to the virus's spread. A million new infections are now being reported every four days worldwide, pushing the total to well over 16 million cases.

Infectious-disease specialists say that references to a "second wave" are not helpful, given that almost nowhere in the world has entirely banished the virus. Rather, they say, we can expect to see waves of growth and contraction as authorities relax and tighten containment measures.

The July resurgence in countries that had boasted of success has meanwhile confounded hopes that summer would bring some respite, at least to countries in the Northern Hemisphere that seemed to have managed their coronavirus outbreaks well.

Some of the countries where the case numbers are rising or raging are in the Southern Hemisphere, now experiencing midwinter, such as Brazil and Australia. But the new increases are also afflicting regions that had been bracing for a fall wave, predicted as people spend more time crowded together indoors and lower humidity facilitates the transmission of the virus, said Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College in London. His team published a paper last week on how colder conditions affect the transmission of the novel coronavirus and the severity of covid-19, the illness the virus causes.

A worrying question now, Spector said, is how much worse the coronavirus spread will become when winter does arrive in the Northern Hemisphere.

"Everyone was predicting that as summer came, the United States, for example, would be fine, that they could get cases low before the winter struck. That's not happening," he said. "It's a reasonable assumption that when winter comes, the frequency and doses of virus people are infected with will be greater and severity will increase again."

Overwhelmingly, governments and scientists attribute the resurgences to the relaxation of social distancing measures, the resumption of tourism and the reopening of nightclubs, bars and restaurants, where crowded conditions create optimal conditions for the coronavirus to spread.

"When people mix, the virus moves," said Mike Ryan, the executive director of the World Health Organization's emergency program, at a virtual news briefing Monday.

The good news, he said, is that many of the new outbreaks have been pinpointed, which helps the task of controlling them with isolation, testing and contact tracing. In Spain, outbreaks have been traced to migrant agricultural workers in the province of Aragon and to the reopening of nightclubs in Barcelona.

But they also underscore the challenge of maintaining the vigilance required to keep the virus in check for months on end, experts say.

"If we think of this pandemic as a fire, there are embers everywhere. You relax your vigilance and it takes off again," said W. Ian Lipkin, a professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

People are growing tired of the pandemic's impact on their lives, he said. "There's a lot of pent-up economic anxiety and social anxiety, and this is lasting longer than anticipated," Lipkin said.

In Japan, record numbers of infections over the past week have been blamed on Tokyo's hostess clubs. Yet the government and the public alike are resisting calls by health professionals for new restrictions that might further damage the economy.

Some countries are battling far greater economic problems than Japan and face even tougher choices about curtailing economic activity to control the virus. One of those is tiny Lebanon, which won plaudits for containing the coronavirus with a swift and strict lockdown early on but has seen its case count more than double in the past month - to 4,021 as of Wednesday, according to Health Ministry figures.

Lebanon also is confronting an economic collapse that began well before the pandemic and has accelerated despite the lifting of the restrictions in early June. The government on Tuesday reimposed a staggered lockdown that will shut down the country over the next two weekends and close the bars and nightclubs that had reopened, in some instances to huge crowds.

Firass Abiad, who heads the coronavirus response at Lebanon's biggest government hospital, the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, captured the country's dilemma in a tweet.

"As we stare into either a health or an economic abyss, or both, what options do we have?" he asked.

There may be places in the world where increased testing explains some of the jump in numbers, experts say. The Israeli government points to the higher number of tests now being conducted to explain a huge second wave of infections that has given the country one of the highest surges in cases in the world, said Nadav Eyal, a journalist with Israel's Reshet News.

But the greater availability of tests cannot explain the overall numbers, hospitalizations and deaths, Lipkin said. Cases are rising, he reiterated, because people are letting their guard down.

"We didn't think we would see people relax as much as they have," he said. "There's a whole series of things we should have anticipated, could have anticipated and accounted for. But the majority of these increases are of our own making."

- - -

Denyer reported from Tokyo and Eglash from Jerusalem.
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper outlined plans on Wednesday (29 July) to take thousands of US troops out of Germany by shifting some of the forces to Italy and Belgium, ending weeks of uncertainty over US troop withdrawal strategy in Europe, Euractiv reports.

The move was designed to strengthen NATO and deter Russia and would retool the US military for a new era of great power competition, Esper said, detailing a Pentagon plan that will cost billions of dollars and take years to complete.

In June, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to cut the number of US troops in Germany to 25,000, faulting Berlin for failing to meet the military alliances 2% GDP defence spending target and accusing it of taking advantage of America on trade.

Most troops are currently stationed at the Ramstein Air Base in southwestern Germany, the largest American military base outside the US.

According to the withdrawal plan, a total of 11,900 personnel will be withdrawn from Germany, reducing the contingent to about 24,000 troops in the country in a manner that will strengthen NATO, enhance the deterrence of Russia, and meet the other principles I set forth, Esper announced.

The Pentagon had already been carrying out a review of US forces globally before Trumps long-running dispute with Germany bubbled over.

Of the 11,900, nearly 5,600 will be repositioned within NATO countries, and approximately 6,400 will return to the US, though many of these or similar units will begin conducting rotational deployments back to Europe, Esper added.
The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board formed a 15-member-trust on Wednesday to look after the construction of a mosque on five acres of land allotted by the Supreme Court that paved the way for a Ram Temple in Ayodhya town in a landmark verdict last year.

Zufar Ahmed Faruqi, chairman the board  which was the main Muslim litigant in the title suit -- said the trust was named as Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation, which will ensure the development of the allocated land in Dhannipur village in Ayodhya, which the board accepted in February 2020.

The trust will ensure the construction of mosque and other facilities to facilitate the general public, read a statement issued by the board.

In November last year, the top court directed the Centre to set up a trust for the construction of a temple at the 2.77 acre disputed site in Ayodhya, and allot an alternative five-acre plot to the Sunni Central Waqf Board for building a new mosque. The verdict ended a decades-old dispute over the religious site, where the Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6. 1992.

The board statement stated that the trust would have 15 members. The boards Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was nominated as founder trustee. Chairman Faruqi was nominated as the chief trustee. The board also nominated Adnan Farukh Shah, Athar Hussain, Faez Aftab, Mohammed Junaid Siddiqui, Sheikh Sauduzzaman, Mohammed Rashid and Imran Ahmed as the other members.

The Trust will co-opt the remaining six trustees. The secretary of the Trust will also be its official spokesperson, said Faruqi.

The development came on a day state police sounded high alert in all districts with stern direction to intensify vigilance and bolster security during the foundation-laying ceremony of the Ram temple, scheduled to be held in Ayodhya on August 5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone around 12.15pm that day.

Police officials said senior officers of additional director general (ADG), inspector general (IG) and deputy IG (DIG) rank were deputed in nine sensitive districts sharing a border with Ayodhya and located on the India-Nepal porous border.

UP Director General of Police (DGP) Hitesh Chandra Awasthys order stated that police have to adopt zero-error policy to ensure no law-and-order problem, crime control and hassle-free VVIP programmes, following which senior officials were asked to supervise police preparations in some districts.

State police officials said a similar alert was sounded in all districts in view of upcoming festivals and Independence Day celebrations. They said all district police chiefs were asked to intensify vigilance at market places, bus stations, religious places and other crowded areas. They said the directions have also been issued to carry out regular checking drives to keep check on movement of suspicious people.

Meanwhile, in Ayodhya, with many raising objection over the limited number of people being invited for the bhumi pujan, Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust announced a plan to felicitate Kar Sevaks (Hindu devotees) at another grand function  Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Nirman Yajya  to be organised after the coronavirus pandemic is over.

For the bhumi pujan function, the trust has invited only 200 people, including Prime Minister Modi. Other invitees include Union ministers, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh office-bearers and industrialists.

Champat Rai, general secretary of the Trust, issued an appeal to Kar Sevaks to be patient and wait for the pandemic to get over. In the Ram Mandir movement, large number of kar sevaks had contributed. They all want to come to Ayodhya for the bhumi pujan. We also wanted the same but due to the Covid-19 pandemic this is not possible at present, said Rai adding, Bhumi pujan by the Prime Minister is necessary to start the construction work of Ram Mandir.

Assuring to invite kar sevaks and all devotees in the near future, Rai said: After the pandemic is over, the Trust will organise Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Nirman Yajya in which all Kar Sevaks and devotees of lord Ram will be invited. He also requested people not to come to Ayodhya and instead watch the live telecast of the ceremony on Doordarshan.
There is a general exclusion clause which carries the exemption of the insurer for any event that might cause the covered trip to be cancelled or abandoned, which the insured had knowledge





by Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratne

Writing from Montreal





The journey, not the arrival, matters

T.S. Elliott





It is hard to forget the plethora of flight cancellations around the world when the pandemic started spreading 6 months ago. This left many stranded in airports while others just could not embark on their trips which they had already paid for. Air carriers were helpless as they stood ready and able to fulfil their commitments, but countries had closed their borders. No one knew what to do or in what direction the onward march of the pandemic was taking and what devastation it would leave in its wake. Obviously, the virus had the capability of spreading both inside the aircraft as well as on the ground.









Some of the airlines which opted to cancel their flights when the pandemic broke out were British Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines, Air Asia, Air India, Cathay Pacific, IndiGo and Lufthansa.





In April 2020 The United States Department of Transportation issued an enforcement notice to airlines clarifying, in the context of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, that U.S. and foreign airlines remain obligated to provide a prompt refund to passengers for flights to, within, or from the United States when the carrier cancels the passengers scheduled flight or makes a significant schedule change and the passenger chooses not to accept the alternative offered by the carrier. The obligation of airlines to provide refunds, including the ticket price and any optional fee charged for services a passenger is unable to use, does not cease when the flight disruptions are outside of the carriers control (e.g., a result of government restrictions).





At this point most airlines were in a parlous state and all that the hapless carriers could do was to offer passengers future travel vouchers and options to convert to loyalty air miles. CTV news reported that one of the airlines which offered stranded passengers travel vouchers for future travel -West Jet - a Canadian airline announced ...airline tariffs do not always provide for cash refunds especially in cases beyond our control. WestJet believes refunding with travel credits is an appropriate and responsible approach in extraordinary circumstances such as the COVID-19 crisis.





Strictly speaking, in a legal context, the stand taken by West Jet is correct, albeit of little comfort to the passenger who was left with no cash refund. The contract of carriage legally obligates the carrier only to carry the passenger safely rom an agreed place to another agreed place as stipulated in the passenger ticket. Although there is no guarantee of scheduled times for such carriage, the obligation to carry remains unextinguished. In the case of package holidays they usually carry an implied obligation for the package operator to reimburse within 14 days.





Fast forward to 26 July 2020 when the United Kingdom Government, startled by the sudden spike of Covid-19 cases in Spain, recommended against all but essential travel to mainland Spain including the Canary and Balearic islands, which forced the cancellation of thousands of pre-booked and paid for holidays. This measure which applies to returning British holidaymakers, and with effect from 26 July onwards to those arriving in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland from any part of Spain, including the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, such as Mallorca and Ibiza. Under the quarantine rules, arrivals must self-isolate in their home or accommodation for 14 days. It is here that travel insurance should kick in as ultimate relief to the passenger.





In the context of the European Union, Regulation 261/2004 most cancelled flights will fall under EU flight delay rules (which still apply this year despite Brexit, and cover all flights leaving the UK or EU as well as flights to the UK/EU on a UK/EU airline). The Regulation entitles a passenger to either receive a refund for the flight that was cancelled or be carried on an alternative flight (airlines call this re-routing) to the passengers destination. The airline is exempt in extraordinary circumstances beyond its control including but not limited to unavoidable security risks; political instability; airport or airspace closure; adverse weather conditions; birds flying into the engine; and strikes.





In the United States, The Department of Transportation has a requirement that a passenger is entitled to a refund if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the passenger chooses not to travel. Furthermore, a passenger is entitled to a refund if the airline makes a significant schedule change and/or significantly delays a flight and the passenger chooses not to travel.





The Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations prescribe that airlines are required to pay passengers compensation for flight delays or cancellations that are in their control and not related to safety. Passengers are entitled to compensation based on the length of delay at arrival at their final destination.

Although such regulations are usually specific and unequivocally worded, receiving compensation often proves contentious and cumbersome. For this reason, many take the precaution of obtaining external travel insurance for flight cancellation or travel interruption.





This too might be tricky as most travel insurance policies would have an exclusion clause making the insurance policy void ab initio (initially void) or voidable in the face of a government advisory recommending that its citizens not travel to a particular destination. Leaving this aside, the travel insurance policy carries with it its own complications. Firstly, one must be aware that most, if not all travel insurance policies carry an exclusion clause exempting the insurer from liability for any event giving rise to a claim which is foreseen at the time of purchasing this insurance. This clause is not only ambivalent but also potentially contentious in the event of a claim under Covid-19, as in the unexpected but foreseeable measure taken on 26 July 2020 by the United Kingdom Government.





Often, there is a general exclusion clause which carries the exemption of the insurer for any event that might cause the covered trip to be cancelled or abandoned, which the insured had knowledge





of at the time of purchasing this insurance. This is extended to events related to travel warnings issued by Foreign Affairs of a country prior to the effective date of the policy that were or continue to be in effect for any country, region or city of destination on the trip as reflected in the travel itinerary.





There is also the proximate cause doctrine in insurance where the risk that is insured against must be causally related to the cause of the loss. However, courts have exercised some flexibility in interpreting this doctrine to mean that the risk insured against should not be the actual instrument of the loss. This doctrine applies subjectively, on a case by case basis, which Lord Dunedin in 1918 pronounced must be based on common sense. The burden of proving that the loss resulted from a proximate cause is on the insured. The insurer is not liable for loss caused by the wilful misconduct of the insured, on the principle that no person should profit from his own wrong.





On 31 January 2020 CNN said: According to Sandberg, although some plans will provide for cancellation due to a traveler quarantine, this only applies to plans purchased before the outbreak became a "known event," which was around January 21. However, there may be some level of trip cancellation protection available to those who happen to have purchased a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) optional upgrade.





Financially speaking, it might be worth in these times, not only to cover ones nose and mouth but ones backside as well.





Dr. Abeyratne was Head of International Relations and Insurance in an international airline before he joined the International Civil Aviation Organization which he served for 25 years. He is now an aviation consultant who also teaches aviation law and policy at McGill University.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Upstate Medical University began injecting people today with an experimental Covid-19 vaccine as part of a large study by the drug company Pfizer that will include 30,000 people in the U.S., Brazil, Argentina and Germany.

Upstate is one of 62 research centers nationwide participating in the study. It is looking for volunteers to participate in the study to evaluate the safety and performance of the potential vaccine.

Four people received the vaccine at Upstate this morning, said Dr. Tim Endy, the chair of microbiology and immunology at Upstate.

There are no approved vaccines to prevent Covid-19 which has been spreading worldwide since early this year.

Pfizer is developing its potential vaccine with BioNTech, a German company. There are many other companies racing to come out with a vaccine as the U.S. grapples with a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Moderna, a Massachusetts biotech company, also began a large clinical trial in the U.S. this week of another Covid-19 vaccine.

The federal government has agreed to pay $1.95 billion to buy 100 million doses of Pfizers vaccine by the end of this year if the study shows it is safe and effective. The deal was signed as part of Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administrations effort to accelerate development and production of vaccines and treatments to fight the novel coronavirus.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal governments top infectious disease expert, said Tuesday he is cautiously optimistic a viable Covid-19 vaccine may be available by this fall.

Pfizer said its potential vaccine emerged as a strong candidate based on assessments of its safety and immune response. The company said in a statement there were no serious adverse events among the 120 people who received the vaccine in an earlier study. It said mild to moderate side effects of the experimental vaccine included fever, fatigue and chills.

The study at Upstate will be randomized. That means some participants will receive a placebo and others, the potential vaccine. The majority of the study team wont know which individuals are receiving the placebo or the experimental vaccine.

To be eligible for the study, individuals must be in good health, between the ages of 18 to 85 and be able to make a two-year commitment to the study. Volunteers will be required to provide blood samples up to two years after receiving the vaccine/placebo. Individuals might be seen up to ten times during the two-year study period. The two-year time frame for the study is important to assess the safety and long-term immune response.

Upstate said individuals will be compensated for their participation and will not incur any expenses for participating in the study.

Individuals who have previously tested positive for Covid-19 are not eligible to participate. Blood tests can show if the vaccine triggers an immune response in participants that could fight off the virus.

During their first two study visits, participants will receive the study vaccine or placebo injection. Nasal swabs to test for Covid-19 will also be collected during these times. During the other study visits to follow, blood samples will be taken.

For seven days after receiving the placebo/study vaccine, participants will be required to keep a daily record of any specific reactions.

Individuals interested in participating in the study can call 315-464-9869 or email trials@upstate.edu for more information.

James T. Mulder covers health news. Have a news tip? Contact him at (315) 470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com
Pakistan resumes polio immunization drive amid COVID-19 threat A girl receives polio vaccine drops, during an anti-polio campaign, in a low-income neighborhood, in Karachi

By Syed Raza Hassan

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Wearing face masks and gloves, Pakistani vaccinators on Monday resumed an anti-polio drive that had been halted since March due to the coronavirus outbreak, seeking to reach at least 800,000 children in five days.

The disruption of the drive has raised fears of a spike in polio cases in Pakistan, which, along with neighbouring Afghanistan is just one of two countries in the world where the disease remains endemic, officials said.

According to official figures, 60 polio cases have been reported in 2020 thus far in Pakistan. Cases fell to eight in 2017 and 12 in 2018, but then spiked up to 147 in 2019, according to the World Health Organization.

The drive will target specific high-risk areas in all four provinces, Rana Muhammad Safdar, Pakistans top polio official told Reuters, adding that vaccinators have been fully equipped with protective gear to guard against the coronavirus to ensure field workers do not spread COVID-19.

Pakistan has thus far registered 265,082 cases of novel coronavirus infection and 5,599 deaths.

Azra Fazal Pechuho, health minister in the province of Sindh, told media that field staff had been given extensive training to ensure child safety.

Vaccinators have been instructed to minimize contact and ask parents to hold children for oral polio drops, the Emergency Operations Centre for Polio in Sindh province said in a statement.

UNICEF warned in April that disruptions in vaccination drives could create pathways to disastrous outbreaks in 2020 and beyond.

While the COVID-19 poses the greatest threat this year, vaccination drives in Pakistan have previously faced numerous challenges.

Last year, religious hard-liners in the northwestern city of Peshawar spread rumours of children falling sick due to the vaccine, triggering backlash in the conservative northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where most of Pakistan's polio cases have been detected.

Mobs burned a village health centre, blocked a highway and pelted cars with stones. Medical workers were harassed and threatened.

A woman vaccinator and two policemen escorting the polio team were also shot dead in separate incidents last year.

(Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; Editing by Peter Graff)
A $3.8-million federal grant to the University of Arizona's Dr. Chris Hulme will allow a UArizona College of Pharmacy-led team to continue to develop a drug to prevent or reverse this devastating neurodegenerative disorder.

TUCSON, Ariz.  A University of Arizona College of Pharmacy scientist has received $3.8 million in federal funding to continue research to develop medications to help prevent or reverse the progression of Alzheimers disease.

With no known cure, Alzheimers disease affects more than 5.5 million people in the United States. The number of people living with the disease, the most common cause of dementia beyond age 65, doubles every five years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimates indicate the disorder ranks third, behind heart disease and cancer, as a cause of death in older adults.

The NIA/NIH grant allows Dr. Hulme and his team of researchers at the UArizona Health Sciences to continue to develop a treatment to inhibit the activity of certain enzymes in Alzheimers patients. One such enzyme is DYRK1A (dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase-1A), which plays a critical role in the development of neurological pathways in the brain and central nervous system. The enzyme has become an attractive drug target for researchers due to increasing evidence suggesting its overactivity may cause alterations to the brain of Alzheimers patients.

To date, most Alzheimers treatments have focused on addressing only one disease symptom at a time, the most common being the appearance of amyloid plaques, proteins that accumulate in the spaces between nerve cells, which, in a healthy brain, normally are broken down and eliminated, Dr. Hulme said. However, our unique approach provides an opportunity to intervene in several areas simultaneously by inhibiting the activity of the DYRK1A enzyme.

Dr. Hulmes preliminary tests already have shown that blocking DYRK1A causes significant reductions in the decline of cognitive function and the development of the disease.

More than 150,000 Arizonans are living with Alzheimers disease, affecting individuals and families. Improving the health and happiness for our later years is a strategic priority for the University of Arizona, and we have a strong foundation for research for understanding Alzheimers disease, said UArizona President Robert C. Robbins, MD. Dr. Hulme and his team are helping address a critical health-care challenge for our community by conducting vital research to develop innovative pharmaceutical interventions to prevent and potentially reverse this devastating disease and I look forward to seeing the results of his critical work.

Dr. Hulme noted his team is not daunted by the challenge.

Our laboratory motto for this project is for the many and the few, he said. By 2050, estimates predict 45 million cases of Alzheimers disease worldwide, yet we are loath to forget about lower-incidence diseases that are equally devastating for patients and their family members, such as Down syndrome.

Dr. Hulmes preliminary studies have demonstrated the feasibility of this approach. With this funding, his team will seek to develop an orally delivered drug that potentially could both prevent and reverse the disease in advanced-stage Alzheimers patients.

UArizona Health Sciences long has been a research leader in diseases that affect the brain, as evidenced with establishment of the Center for Innovation in Brain Science in 2016, which solidified its commitment to seek cures for those who need them most.

Other investigators on this NIA grant include: Travis Dunckley, PhD, assistant research professor with the ASU-Banner Neurodegnerative Disease Research Center at the Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, and Bill Montfort, PhD, professor in the UArizona Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a member of the BIO5 Institute.

Research reported in this publication was supported by funding from the National Institute on Aging, a unit of the National Institutes of Health, under Award No. R01AG067926.

# # #

NOTE: Photos available at this link  https://arizona.box.com/s/ljrpobjjd15g3ynoxx95bc7klphi3oqg.

The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy is the premier pharmacy college in the Southwest, and one of the top in the nation, focused on drug discovery, toxicology, pharmaceutics, health outcomes and sciences, pharmaceutical education and research through interprofessional training and collaborative public/private partnerships. Preparing pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists in undergraduate, professional, graduate and post-doctoral programs, the college embraces an entrepreneurial spirit, providing tailored educational opportunities to broaden students' experiences. Established 72 years ago as the first health sciences college at UArizona, the college has a long history of improving science and health, both in Arizona and around the world. It is currently ranked No. 8 among the nations 143 colleges of pharmacy by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. For more information: pharmacy.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook YouTube ).

About the University of Arizona Health Sciences

The University of Arizona Health Sciences is the statewide leader in biomedical research and health professions training. UArizona Health Sciences includes the Colleges of Medicine (Tucson and Phoenix), Nursing, Pharmacy, and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, with main campus locations in Tucson and the Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. From these vantage points, Health Sciences reaches across the state of Arizona, the greater Southwest and around the world to provide next-generation education, research and outreach. A major economic engine, Health Sciences employs nearly 5,000 people, has approximately 4,000 students and 900 faculty members, and garners $200 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information: uahs.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram).
The first batch of 5 fighter aircraft are set to take off from Al Dhafra in UAE at around 11 am IST on Wednesday (July 29) and will land in Ambala at 2 pm to join 'Golden Arrows' Squadron of Indian Air Force (IAF). Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will be present at Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana to receive Rafale fighter jets.

The Rafale jets landed at UAE's Al Dhafra base after taking off from France on Monday (July 27). These fighter aircraft landed at Al Dhafra base as part of an overnight halt. Al Dhafra base is located about an hour from UAE's capital city Abu Dhabi.

Former IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa had resurrected the No.17 'Golden Arrows' Squadron at Haryana's Ambala airbase on September 10, 2019. The Golden Arrows Squadron has been put on Indian Air Force's active Order of Battle following the resurrection.

"It gives me immense pleasure to handover the Squadron insignia to Commanding Officer Designate Group Captain Harkirat Singh. The Golden Arrows has been an epitome of professional excellence and dedication. The association of Number 17 Squadron with Ambala has been from its very inception when it was formed here in 1951. It has come back to Ambala," the former IAF Chief had said on the ocassion. He had also inaugurated a Golden Arrows Squadron museum at the air base.

The 'Golden Arrows' was raised on October 1, 1951, at Ambala with the Harvard IIB trainer aircraft. Flight Lieutenant DL Springett was the first commnader of the Squadron.

By November 1955, the Squadron got its first jet fighter de Havilland Vampire. Later British Hawker Hunters were part of its fleet and in 1975 the Squadron converted to Russian MiG-21s. ACM Dhanoa had commanded the 'Golden Arrows' during the 1999 Kargil War as a Wing Commander. He also flew several sorties to rain bombs over the Pakistani intruders perched on the mountains as part of Operation 'Safed Sagar'.

The Squadron played an important role in Goa Liberation Campaign in December 1961 and was the reserve force during the India-Pakistan 1965 war. With the IAF retiring MiG-21 variants, the Golden Arrows was number plated (decommissioned) in 2006. But now the squadron will fly the 4++ Generation French Rafale combat aircraft.

It is to be noted that one squadron of Rafales will be based in Ambala to tackle Pakistan and one will be stationed at Hashimara in West Bengal to deal with China.

India signed a deal with France for 36 Rafale jets in early 2016. IAF Rafales will be armed with several state-of-art weapons including the beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air Meteor, short and medium-range air-to-air MICA and precision-guided air-to-ground SCALP missiles.
First batch of five jets arrive at Indian Air Force base as worlds biggest arms importer modernises its military.

The first batch of five French-made Rafale fighter jets has arrived at an Indian Air Force (IAF) base, Indian officials said, as the country seeks to modernise its military amid security challenges with Pakistan and China.

The planes landed at the airbase in Ambala in the northern state of Haryana amid tight security on Wednesday.

Police and soldiers closed roads leading to the base, banned photography and enforced restrictions on gatherings of more than four people, police officer Abhishek Jorwal said.

The birds have landed safely in Ambala, Indias Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted. If anyone should be worried about or critical about this new capability  it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity.

The jets  built by Dassault Aviation  were piloted by IAF officers as they took off from Merignac in southwest France on Monday.

The fighter jets are part of a $9.4bn deal signed with France in 2016. They are to be formally inducted in the IAF by mid-August.

The multibillion-dollar deal has been shadowed by corruption allegations levelled by the opposition Congress party, though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rejected the claims.

A handout picture released on Monday by Dassault Aviation shows the Rafale aircraft taking off from Merignac airbase in southern France [AFP]

Worlds biggest arms importer

India has become the worlds biggest arms importer as it modernises its military. Indias defence ministry on July 2 approved the purchase of 21 Russian MiG-29 and 12 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft costing $2.43bn to replace obsolete Soviet-era weapons.

The defence deals come amid heightened tensions along the disputed frontier with China in Ladakh, where New Delhi has sent reinforcements of fighter jets and military equipment after hand-to-hand combat between Indian and Chinese soldiers on June 15 left 20 Indians dead.

Indian and Chinese military officials and diplomats have held several rounds of talks aimed at reaching a solution, but the standoff has continued.

Indian troops regularly clash with Pakistani soldiers along their de facto frontier in disputed Kashmir, which is also claimed by Pakistan.

In 2016, five attackers and three Indian troops were killed in more than 14 hours of fighting in an attack on an Indian air force base in Pathankot in neighbouring Punjab state.

India blamed Pakistani fighters for the attack. Pakistan condemned the attack, calling it a terrorist incident.

Indias ties with neighbouring Pakistan hit a low since last August when India revoked the statehood and semi-autonomy of the portion of Kashmir it controls.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over control of the Himalayan region since Britain gave them independence from colonial rule in 1947.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/7/2020 (540 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Helping arts groups survive the COVID-19 pandemic has become the top priority for the Winnipeg Arts Council.

"Were just in a process of preparing our 2021 corporate plan and request to the city and we have one main goal, and that is sustaining the arts in Winnipeg for 2021," says Carol Phillips, who has been the Winnipeg Arts Councils executive director since 2006. "Thats the only thing that matters at this point. We are there to support the arts and sustain them at this time of crisis and help them get to the other side.

"They have to have a chance to get back on their feet, and thats what we want to help them do. The arts need every penny."

PHIL HOSSACK / FREE PRESS FILES The arts council will disburse $4.2 million in grants this year to individual artists and small community arts groups, as well as larger organizations such as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Theres a big problem, though. The city cut the arts councils budget by 10 per cent in its 2020 budget, and Phillips expects the new lower funding level to remain that way for the next three years. That means the arts council will disburse $4.2 million in grants this year to individual artists and small community arts groups, as well as larger organizations in the city, such as the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Opera, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

It also has no special fund for pandemic-related grants, unlike the Winnipeg Foundation, which on July 16 announced it will hand out $8.9 million in pandemic stabilization grants to 279 Winnipeg charities, including dozens of city arts groups.

"We were under-resourced as it is, and have been arguing that for many years, no matter who the governing authority might be. Nevertheless, were making the best of the situation," Phillips says.

We were underresourced as it is, and have been arguing that for many years, no matter who the governing authority might be. Nevertheless, were making the best of the situation.  Winnipeg Arts Councils executive director Carol Phillips

Another problem larger arts groups face is the way they saw audiences  and for some, large portions of their 2019-2020 seasons  vanish, owing to the onset of COVID-19. Not only do these companies rely on box-office receipts, the essence of the performing arts is to entertain, says Randy Joynt, the executive director of the Manitoba Arts Council.

"Wed seen some uncertainty for the first part of the pandemic for the arts community generally, and I think its true the arts were the first to put the brakes on," says Joynt, who took over the Manitoba Arts Councils top job in the summer of 2019. "How are we going to continue to bring people together and share art?

"The performing arts are in tough I would say because were still working out how were going to safely gather artists on stage, actors or dancers or musicians and then, of course, bringing people into enclosed spaces. Thats still a work in progress."

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "There have been so many wonderful artworks that have been created through the Public Art Program, but of course that has been slashed as well, so were in a maintenance mode," Carol Phillips says.

The Manitoba Arts Council, which will distribute about $11 million in grants on behalf of the province in 2020, has repurposed an old program, Connecting at a Distance, to help some of the provinces artists adapt to pandemic restrictions, Joynt says.

"This provided some funds for artists to continue to create but to present work in a safe manner, physically distancing," he says. "The creative spark never stops, so this was an opportunity for artists to continue that.

"Even larger groups are being innovative with the way theyre functioning. The folks that are organizing... theyre being incredibly responsive. Theyre making Plan A, Plan B and Plan C and then you have back-up plans to all those."

Arts groups have also been responding to the death of George Floyd, a Black man from Minneapolis who was killed in an confrontation with police officers, caused a surge of protests and rallies, including one on June 5 that took place at the steps of the Manitoba legislature as about 15,000 people showed their support for racial justice and equality. The involved officers have been charged in Floyds death.

MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "If we look at this moment of time, with COVID-19 and then the Black Lives Matter movement, I think this is going to be looked back on in history as a turning point," Randy Joynt says.

Artists around the world have heard and supported the demonstrations, and Manitobas arts groups must react, Joynt says.

"If we look at this moment of time, with COVID-19 and then the Black Lives Matter movement, I think this is going to be looked back on in history as a turning point," Joynt says. "Certainly at the Manitoba Arts Council, were talking about it and it really is a question of equity.

Who they are Randy Joynt: He took over the reins at the Manitoba Arts Council in the summer of 2019. He comes from a dance background. Joynt began as a youngster as part of a Ukrainian dancing troupe in Meacham, Sask., east of Saskatoon, before moving to Winnipeg to attend the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and the School of Contemporary Dancers. click to read more Randy Joynt: He took over the reins at the Manitoba Arts Council in the summer of 2019. He comes from a dance background. Joynt began as a youngster as part of a Ukrainian dancing troupe in Meacham, Sask., east of Saskatoon, before moving to Winnipeg to attend the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and the School of Contemporary Dancers. He went on to have a career in contemporary dance but learned about arts administration while forming a dance company, Trip Dance, with his partner, Karen Kuzak. That eventually led to an eight-year tenure heading Artspace in Winnipeg and working at a theatre society in Victoria, B.C., before joining the Manitoba Arts Council. The arts is ever-changing and ever-evolving, so its not a boring job, I can tell you that, he says. This was a dream job for me. Ive always been interested in arts policy and the behind-the-scenes, how arts contributes to society. Carol Phillips: She comes from a visual-art background and arrived in Winnipeg in 1985 to be the director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery. From 1992 to 2000, she was the vice-president and director for the Banff Centre for the Arts and in 2001 she returned to Winnipeg to head the Plug In Institute for Contemporary Art. She also oversaw the management of Canadas representation to the Venice Bienniale that year. She became the Winnipeg Arts Councils executive director in 2006. Close

The organization has concentrated on making sure its programs and funding are available to everybody, Joynt says. "We do some strong work on this already... but we know we have some more work here, so this is an area of focus for us right now."

Phillips echoes those concerns, adding the Winnipeg Arts Council tries to address diversity with its juries, which ultimately decide whether a grant application receives council funding, Phillips says.

"We have always practised inclusivity, diversity and equity," she says. "On those juries we always have representation of Indigenous, people of colour. We have to have discipline expertise and gender balance. We will fund an artist and work with an artist to be successful."

Since 2004, the Winnipeg Arts Council has also overseen public art in the city, including notable installations such as Bloody Saturday, in front of the Pantages Playhouse Theatre, which depicts a violent scene from the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, and most recently, several works placed along the Southwest Transitway line.

"If this pandemic has exposed anything, if you think back to the quarantine period, how did we get through that? We got through it with the arts, we really did."  Executive director of the Manitoba Arts Council Randy Joynt

The Public Art Program has also been hit by the citys cutbacks. Its budget was $500,000 in 2004 but that will be down to $125,000 in 2021, Phillips says.

"There have been so many wonderful artworks that have been created through the Public Art Program, but of course that has been slashed as well, so were in a maintenance mode," she says.

The future of arts, and funding in Manitoba and Winnipeg is unclear, but the pandemic showed how important art is to the world, Joynt says.

"If this pandemic has exposed anything, if you think back to the quarantine period, how did we get through that?" he asks. "We got through it with the arts, we really did. Online presentations or books or music. I think we all came out of that realizing the importance of the arts."

alan.small@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter:@AlanDSmall

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Restaurant Brands second quarter sales were materially impacted by Government-mandated trading restrictions implemented in response to the COVID-19 crisis. All stores in New Zealand were closed between 25 March and 28 April, and then only open for delivery and drive through until 14 May. Australian stores operated without dine-in for the quarter and 10 mall stores were closed for half of the quarter. Hawaiian stores operated without dine-in for the entire quarter.

Restaurant Brands total sales for the second quarter of the financial year (three months to 30 June 2020) were $183.3 million, a decrease of $22.6 million or 11.0% on the equivalent period last year primarily due to the full closure of the New Zealand stores for most of April.

Total year to date sales were $383.4 million, a decrease of 3.2% on the prior year; however on a same store basis (removing the impact of stores closed because of the COVID-19 crisis) all divisions recorded growth despite these disruptions.

Company store numbers were up by three on the equivalent period last year to 290.

New Zealand

Second quarter total sales for New Zealand were $76.6 million, a decrease of 28.8% on the equivalent period last year as a result of the Government-mandated full store closures during April.

However on a same store basis sales were up 3.0% for the quarter, despite nearly three weeks of delivery and drive through trading only, with KFC and Carls Jr. continuing to trade strongly once COVID- 19 restrictions were lifted.

Year to date sales for New Zealand were $174.6 million, a decrease of 15.7% in total; but up 2.7% on a same store basis.

Store numbers increased by two during the quarter to 150, with openings of a KFC in Christchurch CBD and a Taco Bell in Auckland CBD.





Australia

Second quarter sales for Australia were $A45.7 million ($NZ48.8 million), a decrease of 0.6% arising from the ongoing unavailability of instore dining due to local COVID-19 restrictions. On a same store basis sales were down 1.3% (local currency).

Year to date sales for Australia were $A94.4 million ($NZ99.1 million), an increase of 6.1% on a total basis due to new store openings late last year and up 0.3% on a same store basis (local currency).

Store numbers remained steady at 65 during the quarter.





United States

Second quarter sales in the United States were $US35.6 million ($NZ57.9 million). This was an increase of 8.0% on a total basis and 8.1% on a same store basis (local currency). A small downturn in Taco Bell sales arising from the ongoing unavailability of instore dining (due to local COVID-19 restrictions) was more than offset by strong Pizza Hut sales which benefitted from newly enhanced web order and delivery functions.

Year to date sales were $US68.7 million ($NZ109.7 million), an increase of 7.2% on a total basis and 8.0% on a same store basis (local currency).

Store numbers remained constant at 75 during the quarter.





Half Year Results

The company expects to release its half year trading results on 8 September 2020.





Source: Restaurant Brands New Zealand Limited

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Imphal, July 29 : A 36-year-old political activist has been charged with sedition for posting a photograph on Facebook which had a photo of the meeting between Union Home Minister and newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from Manipur, police said on Wednesday.

Erendro Leichombam, a co-convener of a Manipur-based political party -- People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), posted a photo on July 24 on his Facebook that showed newly elected Rajya Sabha member Leishemba Sanajaoba, bowing down before Union Home Minister Amit Shah with his hands folded, and captioned it "Minai Macha" in Meitei language that interprets to "servant's son".

Police sources said that an FIR was registered on Tuesday against Leichombam under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"The IPC sections included in the case are 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups and vilification), 124 A (sedition) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief)," the sources said adding that a probe is now underway.

The photo was taken when Sanajaoba, the titular king of Manipur turned a BJP leader, met Shah at the latter's residence in Delhi recently.

Sanajaoba was elected to the Rajya Sabha last month.

A police team went to Leichombam's residence at Thangmeiband, on the outskirts of Imphal, but he was not available at that time.

However, Leichombam on Tuesday night again posted in his Facebook: "I have been charged with sedition by the government for exercising my freedom of speech. To protect Kangleipak from forceful assimilation is a duty. Chief Minister (N. Biren Singh) was a 'puppet' of Hindutva colonialism. Sedition 124 (A) is a colonial law. I will continue to post in my Facebook." Kangleipak is the native name of erstwhile princely state of Manipur.

Leichombam unsuccessfully fought the Manipur assembly elections in 2017 after he co-founded the PRJA along with rights activist Irom Sharmila after she broke her 16-year long fast for the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Manipur.

A Harvard University graduate on economic policy, Leichombam was arrested in 2018 for posting a video on Facebook containing provocative speeches.

Police had then asked him to remove the video from the social media but he refused and was booked for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups.
A Filipino soldier stands with fishermen at a military camp in Jolo, Philippines, following their release from Abu Sayyaf militants, June 22, 2019.

Cash-strapped and under pressure from security forces, Abu Sayyaf is likely to pick up its piracy and kidnapping in coming months, security experts told a recent online forum.

Five Indonesians, including a minor, are being held by Abu Sayyaf, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said, but there have been no new kidnappings since January, according to authorities.

There will be more kidnappings, Sidney Jones, an expert on Islamic militancy in Indonesia, told an online discussion last week, adding that anyone, including Indonesian sailors, could be targeted.

Abu Sayyaf evolved from a terrorist group to become a criminal gang engaging in violence and banditry, according to Jones, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC). Its militants frequently target seafarers in the Sulu and Celebes seas near the borders of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, she said.

Ali Fauzi, a former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) member and executive director of the Circle of Peace Foundation, told BenarNews that Abu Sayyaf members resort to pirate attacks because they lack funds.

Their ancestors in the Sulu Kingdom were notorious for their piracy tradition, Ali said. They need money, not only for their struggle but to support poor people.

They are considered Robin Hoods. They and their community need each other  some kind of a symbiosis of mutualism. If they are pursued by the Philippine authorities, they can blend in with the people and the people will protect them, he said.

Judha Nugraha, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs director for protection of citizens overseas, said militants carried out 16 kidnappings targeting 54 Indonesians, including in Sabah waters, since 2016.

Many of the hostages were from Wakatobi, a regency in Southeast Sulawesi province, he said while urging authorities there to provide job opportunities to prevent citizens from exposure to pirate attacks overseas.

We cant forever rely on ransom payments. We need to address the root of the problem and focus on prevention efforts, Judha told participants in last weeks discussion.

Ali, whose foundation is dedicated to de-radicalizing former terrorism convicts and combatants, said more Indonesians have been kidnapped than have been reported.

History of kidnappings

IPAC researcher Deka Anwar explained that piracy and kidnappings have occurred since 2010 following an increase in coal exports from Indonesia to the Philippines, adding about 93 percent of the loads pass through Mindanao waters. The slow barges allow Abu Sayyaf militants to abduct sailors.

There was a lull in kidnappings between 2016 to 2017 following large-scale operations by the Philippine military against the militants and a series of money transfers from IS to Abu Sayyaf, Deka said.

Kidnappings resumed in Sulu in 2018. Indonesian crews have been targeted because ransom payments have been made for their release, bringing in large amounts of money for Abu Sayyaf, he said.

Ali, who acknowledged knowing Abu Sayyaf leaders, said negotiators must be skillful to secure the release of hostages without paying huge ransoms.

Malaysias Daily Express website reported earlier this month that the Philippine Coast Guard had warned of a possible kidnap-for-ransom attempts by Abu Sayyaf in Sabah and from boats in the Celebes Sea.

In addition, the Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) said it received information from the Philippine Coast Guard on July 2 that five members of Abu Sayyaf had been spotted on a speedboat.
(CNN)  President Donald Trump's return as the face of the COVID-19 response has deteriorated into a misinformation masterclass that explains why America is in such a mess.

In an extraordinary performance Tuesday, as the daily death toll again soared toward 1,000 and the number of Americans dead approached a tragic milestone of 150,000, Trump again foreswore the most basic requirements of national leadership in a crisis.

At a White House briefing that turned almost into a parody of his own mismanagement of the pandemic, he complained that the government's top infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, had better approval ratings than he did.

He painted a misleading picture of a viral surge still raging across Southern and Western states that is showing new signs of spreading deeper into the heartland, saying large portions of the country were "corona-free."

And he launched a stunning new pitch for hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug beloved by conservative media but that has not been shown in rigorous clinical trials to be an effective treatment for Covid-19.

Given the trail of sickness and death that has unfolded in recent months, it was bizarre though not surprising that the President would return to the controversy over hydroxychloroquine. On Monday night, he retweeted videos describing hydroxychloroquine as a "cure" that meant Americans didn't need to wear masks.

He could have used his soapbox to drum home his government's guidelines for state openings (which he again contradicted on Monday) or to make a strong case for mask wearing, which he belatedly adopted last week and to plead with young Americans to observe social distancing.

His negligence in this regard confounded hopes of Trump loyalists that his return to the briefing room after weeks in denial over the coronavirus could win back voters who are despairing over his handling of the pandemic.

But more important than mere political calculations is the evidence that Trump's obsessions left no doubt that he lacks a coordinated national strategy or knowledge of the leadership, empathy and inspiration required of a president as the US struggles with one of the world's worst coronavirus responses.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Trump's repeated falsehoods could undermine a serious national conversation needed when a vaccine is finally available.

"People listen to what a president says. And if a president repeatedly says things to you that are not true and then comes a time when they say, 'I have something that I think can cure you, but it could really hurt you,' you're not going to listen to the guy who's been lying to you," Biden said.

Trump goes off the rails

For the first few, scripted moments, Trump's briefing went fine. He made an exaggerated case for his leadership in the crisis, but had encouraging news that everyone could get behind: a $765 million government loan to Kodak Pharmaceuticals under the Defense Production Act to boost production of generic drugs so the US becomes less reliant on therapies from supply chains in places like China.

Characteristically, Trump, despite apparently trying hard to be upbeat, read out pre-written remarks with a slight air of distraction, pausing now and again to add off-the-cuff commentary of his own.

Often the President's claims were dubious -- including one that unrest in Portland, Oregon, which he has branded the work of "fascist" left-wing groups, is causing a spike in infections. But they weren't all outlandish, and from a political point of view, posing as a champion of vaccine development and listing steps taken to battle the virus was a plausible strategy.

But it was when Trump invited questions that the trouble started, and offered what is undoubtably a more authentic glimpse into the President's views and soul than the remarks crafted by aides.

Trump, who is now speaking to Fauci again, after weeks fixated upon the media profile of one of the most respected US public health experts, insisted they had a "very good" relationship. But he still appears to be jealous.

"He's got this high approval rating. So why don't I have a high approval rating ... with respect to the virus? We should have it very high," the President griped.

"So it sort of is curious," Trump said, "a man works for us, with us, very closely, Dr. Fauci and Dr. (Deborah) Birx also, very highly thought of -- and yet, they're highly thought of, but nobody likes me?"

"It can only be my personality, that's all," he said.

Trump did not appear to be speaking tongue-in-cheek and, even if he was, it was strange that he would be joking about his popularity at a time when nearly 150,000 Americans are dead from a virus he repeatedly said would not pose a problem.

Among a series of retweets on Monday night, Trump sent one out to his 84 million followers that described Fauci as a fraud. And Fauci's throwing out of a ceremonial first pitch at a Washington Nationals game appeared to prompt the President to announce an impromptu and now-aborted plan to do the same at a New York Yankees game next month.

The President may not realize it, but his fretting about his popularity while Fauci was delivering the latest of his grave science-based warnings about the virus Tuesday perfectly explains why more Americans trust the doctor.

Fauci, who Biden has said he would keep on and empower if he wins the election, said earlier that he had not misled the American people in any form, when asked by ABC News about the President's retweet.

"I'm just going to certainly continue doing my job," Fauci said on "Good Morning America." "I don't tweet ... I don't even read them, so I don't really want to go there."

A new warning from Birx

While Trump was sowing new controversy in the White House, the exhausting, dispiriting nature of the fight against Covid-19 was playing out across the country. There were some hopeful indications that intense outbreaks are cresting in the Sun Belt -- though still at elevated levels.

But another leading coronavirus task force member, Birx, had a daunting warning for what the administration terms red zone states, with more than 100 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people.

She expressed concern about rising cases and test positivity in Mississippi, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Oklahoma, Georgia, Idaho and Arkansas.

The next tier of states with lower levels of cases and positivity also need to take steps now to avoid becoming new hot spots, she said, warning about a first wave of infection among 20- to 30-year-olds.

"Remember, the majority of those are asymptomatic, so if you expect to see hospitalizations, by the time you see hospitalization your community spread is so widespread that you've flipped into a red state incredibly quickly," Birx said.

Given that such warnings are coming from his administration, a normal president might have been expected to repeatedly stress social distancing, masking and careful reopening. But Trump went off on his hydroxychloroquine tangent when prompted by a reporter.

"I think it's become very political. I happen to believe in it. I would take it -- as you know I took it for a 14-day period. I happen to think it works in the early stages. I know front-line medical people believe that too, some, many," the President said, then used his platform to almost market the drug without observing scientific protocols normally expected of a president.

"It's safe. It doesn't cause problems. I had no problem," Trump said, adding, "It didn't get me and it's not going to hopefully hurt anybody."

Several credible clinical studies have shown that neither hydroxychloroquine alone nor hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin appeared to affect the condition of coronavirus patients at the 15-day mark.

Additionally, unusual heart rhythms and elevated liver-enzyme levels have been detected in patients given the treatment, which Trump has in the past called a "game changer."

One study at Henry Ford Health System in Southeast Michigan found hydroxychloroquine increased hospitalized patients' chances of survival. However, researchers not involved with the study were critical, saying it did not match the rigor of previous assessments.

The plan for the President to boost his approval ratings with a "change of tone" at the podium further unraveled when he was asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins about his support for a doctor who was featured in one of the retweeted videos downplaying the use of masks and who once suggested aliens' DNA was used in medical treatments.

Trump cut short the briefing and walked off.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Trump undermines his pandemic response with more misinformation and self-obsession."
NORTON SHORES, MI  After months of planning and development, and some delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, a new food truck park has opened outside the Pointes Shopping Center in Norton Shores near the Muskegon County Airport.

Plane Watch Food Park opened to the public Friday, July 17, at 1100 E. Sternberg Road. Visitors are encouraged to buy their food and watch as planes soar overhead. The new parks hours run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

It is a project of AMG Development, which owns the Pointes Shopping Center, located off U.S. 31 and near the intersection of East Sternberg and Grand Haven roads. The park is designed to attract business to the area, especially local employees taking their lunch breaks, said Jeff Zaloga, sales director at AMG.

For a drive-thru, they could end up waiting for the better part of their lunch hour, Zaloga said. They could spend their time actually doing that, or they could get in and out of here without waiting for traffic.

The outdoor food court features tables and colorful canopies overhead for shade, plus games like Jenga and cornhole.

Eventually, Zaloga said, the projects owners anticipate setting up a stage for musical performances and permanent bathrooms. In the next few weeks, they will also install a sound system to pipe music through the area, with interruptions whenever a plane appears overhead.

Up to eight food trucks can be parked there at a time. On Tuesday, carnival-style trucks  selling pizza, fried dough, and ice cream  joined trucks selling tacos, burritos, seafood, burgers, shaved ice and freshly squeezed lemonade.

Kim Dufon and her daughter, Shauna, drove in from Grand Haven for the afternoon. They got pizza from Kates Pizza, tacos from Uncle Billys Taco Wagon and finished off with a bright blue shaved ice from Maui Waui Shaved Ice.

I love supporting local, Dufon said. She thought the concept was creative, and said she would return, especially if different trucks rotate through.

Thats part of the plan, Zaloga said. Some 70 prospective food vendors have been in touch with the company, and theyre working to bring in more specialty food options, rotating different vendors through depending on their needs. Some can be anchored for the full season  which runs through about October, Zaloga said  while others may be parked for limited-time stints.

Several of the stands on Tuesday are run by a carnival food company based in Florida. Working at one of those stands, Kates Pizza, Stephanie Daywalt said she would normally take the stand to different fun fairs this time of year. With the coronavirus pandemic canceling so many of those annual events, she said, the truck was likely going to stay in Norton Shores throughout the summer.

We have some busy days, some slower days, but its been great, Daywalt said. As long as we keep getting people coming in, I think were planning on being here for the rest of the summer.

Some of the trucks themselves opened just in time for the park. Maui Waui Shaved Ice is a week old, according to its owner, and the business plans to eventually expand to selling smoothies, milkshakes and ice cream in addition to colorful flavored ices.

Mike Crooks also opened his pirate-themed, seafood-focused truck, The Captains Wheel, last Friday. The Grand Rapids native spent ten years working in kitchens, including several in Muskegon County, before opening the truck last week, with a menu featuring unique items like the Surfturfurger (a patty mixing beef, chorizo and crab) and the Juandaconda (polish sausage on a bun, with chili and cheese).

Its been good, its been busy, Crooks said. Its really exciting.

Vendors interested in establishing a presence at the food park can apply through AMG by calling 231-799-4801. Rental fees include all utilities, which vendors can plug into directly at the park. Zaloga said they are also entertaining requests from standalone vendors who do not need plug-ins, like those using small portable grills or smokers.

The Pointes Shopping Center, purchased by AMG in 2018, is situated in a regional mall shopping corridor, and is home to restaurants, stores, offices and beauty and fitness businesses.

Zaloga said there had been some concern from restaurants in that strip  such as Egg Roll House, a Chinese restaurant, and the Rec Room, a health food joint  that food trucks would cause competition. But Zaloga said the park will attract newcomers to the property.

Those who want an outdoor experience can check out the food trucks, he said, while others might be drawn in by the colorful park before ultimately deciding they would prefer to sit comfortably in air conditioning.

Of course, those decisions are partly driven by the states restrictions on indoor dining, issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In that sense too, Zaloga said, the parks timing was lucky. They offer an outdoor eating option at a time when many restaurants are being forced to expand outdoor and takeout options anyways.

People feel safer outdoors than they do indoors, for good reason, Zaloga said. And its easier to social distance outdoors than it is inside.

Read more on MLive:

Young actors to debut socially distanced performances in Whitehall

Local Eats: Muskegons Rocket Pizza & Subs is a family affair

Michigan reports 669 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday, July 28
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
Re: Double murder life sentence

Canadas justice system is laughable. 65-year-old Dianna Mah-Jones and 68-year-old Richard Jones murdered by Rocky Rambo Wei Nam Kam. The convicted Kam murdered these people with a hatchet.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Laura Gerow said during her decision Tuesday that the victims were innocent and defenceless strangers to Kam who murdered them in their own home in a prolonged and vicious attack. Gerow ruled the request for consecutive sentences was not appropriate because it would have imposed an unduly long and harsh term. Unduly long and harsh, guess what lady murder is longer and much harsher. How many people does one have to kill to get more than one life sentence? Is there some formula Justices use, perhaps 5 or 10. Consecutive sentences should be the norm otherwise why stop with just one?

Gord Marshall, Kelowna
A doctor who went viral in a video shared by Donald Trump in his latest attempts to promote hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus has on more than one occasion promoted controversial medical theories and anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes.

Dr Stella Immanuel, a physician from Houston, Texas, appeared in a video on Facebook which was removed on Monday, insisting that the malaria drug is an effective treatment for the novel coronavirus, a claim that has not been proven.

Facebook is trying to remove any re-uploads of the video because it is sharing false information about cures and treatments for Covid-19, a spokesperson said. One version of the video had more than 17 million views before the platform managed to remove it.

Dr Immanuel was among a number of physicians named Americas Frontline Doctors making misleading claims about the virus at a news conference Monday in Washington.

The paediatrician and religious minister has emerged as a figurehead in light of her speech at the conference, with both Mr Trump and his oldest son singing her praises on social media.

However, a report by The Daily Beast delved into more of Dr Immanuels unconventional public appearances, revealing the doctors spiritual beliefs regarding demon sex, alien DNA in medicine, conspiracy theories, and anti-LGBTQ+ views.

In one video from 2013, the doctor attributes medical conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, and cysts to spirit husbands, demons that have sex with women while they sleep.

They are responsible for serious gynaecological problems, Dr Immanuel said. We call them all kinds of namesendometriosis, we call them molar pregnancies, we call them fibroids, we call them cysts, but most of them are evil deposits from the spirit husband.

She also offers guidance against these spirits in an article titled Deliverance from Spirit Wives and Spirit Husbands on her website, first reported by The Daily Beast.

According to the outlet, she also speaks of a conspiracy theory in which a witch attempts to use abortion, gay marriage, and childrens toys to destroy the world and claims that alien DNA is being used in medicine to treat humans.

Theyre using all kinds of DNA, even alien DNA, to treat people, she reportedly says in one sermon from 2015.

Dr Immanuel has also frequently used her platform to spread homophobic and anti-transgender views, protesting against the legalisation of gay marriage and abortion on her YouTube page.

How long are we going to allow the enemy to take over our beloved nation. How long are we going to allow the gay agenda, secular humanism, Illuminati and the demonic New World Order to destroy our homes, families and the social fiber of America, the caption of one video reads.

She has also previously suggested that the government is run in part by non-human reptilians in a 2015 sermon, according to The Daily Beast.

There are people that are ruling this nation that are not even human, Dr Immanuel reportedly said in a 2015 sermon.

Dr Immanuel has not yet replied to The Independents request for comment.

The doctor has more recently been propelled to online fame for her discussions of the coronavirus, claiming to have treated 350 people and counting for the virus.

In the video footage, the doctor says that you dont need masks, there is a cure.

Experts have in fact warned against the potentially severe side effects of taking the drug, which has been continually touted by Mr Trump, to treat the novel coronavirus. The Food and Drug Administration has also recently revoked emergency authorisation of its use.

Nonetheless, Mr Trump Jr retweeted the footage of Dr Immanuel which had tens of millions of views, calling one version of the video a must watch. Twitter later suspended his account for posting misleading and potentially harmful information about coronavirus.

The president also retweeted a post including the now-deleted video with a caption referring to Dr Immanuel as a fearless warrior for the truth.

The doctor has since angled for a meeting with the president following his apparent support of her message tweeting: Mr President Im in town and available. I will love to meet with you.

Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have been removing the hydroxychloroquine video when it has been posted, in line with policies intended to stop the spread of misinformation about coronavirus.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
Para-Medical School, July 27, 2020 (SPS)  The head of the Secretariat of Political Organization, of the Frente POLISARIO, Jatri Aduh, oversaw Monday the closing of Martyr Hmeti Nagih Summer University of Sahrawi Youth and Students, held July 22-27, under the theme  Sahrawi Students loyalty and commitment to the Martyrs .

At the beginning of his speech, Jatri Aduh expressed his pride and gratitude for the efforts exerted by the youth and students as well as partner institution that contributed in the success of the programme of the Summer University of Youth and Students for this year.

He has also stressed the importance of volunteerism and the initiative to engage in the military institution, which he described as primary guarantee for the return of the Saharawi people to its occupied country the by force, noting the importance of providing it with the educated elites in order to keep it ready for any eventuality.

He also praised the steadfastness and sacrifices of the youth and students in the occupied territories of Western Sahara and all Sahrawi people struggling under the oppression of Moroccan occupation. SPS

125/090/TRA
New Delhi: The results for the Uttarakhand Board of Secondary Education (UBSE) Board class 10th and 12th exam have been announced.

Follow the live updates on UBSE Uttarakhand Board Class 10 Matric, Class 12 Intermediate Result 2020 here:

# In case of any problem/query regarding result,students may contact at the following phone number and email id:

Telephone Number 05947-254275 or

Email Id secy-ubse-uk@nic.in

# A total of 113226 students passed the class 10 exams while 33907 failed. A total of 95679 students passed the class 12 exams while 23479 failed.

# Details about class 10 results

Gaurav Saklani of of Tehri Garhwal topped the class 10 exams securing 98.2 percentage. He scored 491 out of 500 marks. Jigyasa of Kashipur, U S nagar secured the second position getting 97.80 percent. She scored 489 out of 500 marks.

The Total Pass percentage was at 76.91 percent and girls outperformed boys. Girls pass percentage was at 82.65 percent and boys pass percentage was at 71.39 percent.

Details of UBSE Uttarakhand Board 10th, 12th Result 2020

# A total of 1,19,164 students appeared for the class 12 exams out of which 95,645 girls passed.

# Girls outshone boys in the class 12 board exams. The pass percentage of boys was 76.68 percent while 83.63 percent girls passed the class 12 exams. The total pass percentage stood at 80.26 percent.

# Jaspurs Beauty Watsal topped the class 12 exams by scoring 483 out of 500 marks, scoring 96.60 percent. Nainitals Yugal Joshi secured the second position, scoring 95.40 percent (477 marks). The third position was secured by Rahul Yadav, Sarthak Maithani, Depak Sati, Mukesh Upadhayay and Vaibhav Thapliyal, scoring 95 percent (475 marks).

# The total pass percentage was recorded at 80.26%

# The UBSE Class 10 and Class 12 results were announced at Uttarakhand Board of Secondary Education headquarters in Ramnagar.

# State education minister Arvind Pandey and chairman of Uttarakhand Board of Secondary Education RK Kunwar were present.

# The official announcement of the UK Board Results 2020 class 10th and class 12th have been made on the website of the Uttarakhand Board - ubse.uk.gov.in.

# Students can check their scorecards online by simply logging in at ubse.uk.gov.in. After logging in at the website, one needs to enter one's credentials and some more simple click to get one's scorecard online.

# To get result, the students need to click on the official website- ubse.uk.gov.in.

* Click on the download result link.

* Enter registration number, roll number.

* The results will appear on the screen.

* Download and take a print out for further reference.

# Students who appeared in class 10th and class 12th board exams 2020 of the Uttarakhand Board are advised to keep logging in at the given website for the latest update. They are also advised to keep their admit cards or hall tickets issued by the board to check their results.

# The ongoing board exams which was scheduled to conclude in March was postponed due to the coronavirus country wide lockdown. The pending papers were conducted from June 22 to 24.

# The pending exams were  major papers like Mathematics, Sanskrit for class 10, while subjects 12 it was Biology, Geography, Physics, Mathematics, Sociology were left.

# Students need to score at least 33 per cent marks in each subject to pass in the exam and obtain an aggregate score of 40 per cent. Last year, 74.57 per cent students cleared the class 10 examination, while, around 73 per cent cleared the class 12 examinations.

# Nearly 3 lakh students appeared for the UBSE Class 10 and 12 examinations this year. Out of the 3 lakh candidates who had appeared for the exams, around 1.5 lakh students for the High School or class 10 exam, while for the intermediate or class 12 exams as many as 1.35 lakh students appeared.
The Delhi high court on Wednesday directed the city police and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to ensure that no construction is carried out in Sanjay Van area, a protected forest area in south Delhi, without their permission.

A bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Prateek Jalan issued the direction while hearing a PIL initiated by the court on its own on July 8 after coming across videos and photos circulated by visitors and joggers on social media of what appeared to be the construction of new mazaars (mausoleums) near Mayur Pahadi, a spot inside the forest.

On the last date of hearing, the court had directed the police and the DDA to carry out an aerial drone survey drones and inform it about the number of mazaars in the park and since when they were in existence.

On Wednesday, the police in their affidavit filed through advocate Rahul Mehra, standing counsel of the Delhi government (criminal) and advocate Chaitanya Gosain, said there are 77 mazaars, which are old and no fresh construction of any mazaar was found there.

The police also said, Structures like a mandir (temple), kabristhan (graveyard), dargah and idgah have been there inside the Sanjay Van since a long time and no fresh construction or encroachment in the shape of any mazaar is going on or has come up in Sanjay Van in the recent past (especially during lockdown period).

But residents claim that construction has been going on inside the forest. Sandeep Bali, president of Mehrauli residents welfare association (RWA), said, A group of morning walkers shot the videos of the construction activities -- fresh earth was dug up and cement was being used. There have been encroachments within the forest in the past as well. The police on duty there were not allowing walkers to approach the Mayur Pahadi part of the forest.

We did a comprehensive survey using drones and did not find any encroachment. On the night of July 21, anti-social elements desecrated the old mazaars. The following day, police were informed about this after which they reconstructed the broken graves in order to avoid any communal tension, a senior DDA official, privy to the development but did not wish to be named, said.

When Hindustan Times visited the spot last Friday, and again on Tuesday, the site was found guarded by the local police. Although the cemented portions on some of the structures looked like an add-on to the old structure, there was no way to ascertain when these portions were added.

DDAs horticulture director and the in-charge of the forest Ashok Kumar said, On July 22, we had written to the deputy commissioner of police about the broken graves. They sent a team to look into the matter. The complaint copy has also been submitted to the high court, Kumar said.

The matter would be now heard on August 31.
The locally-assembled Mitsubishi L300 will soon be exported to our neighboring ASEAN counties, the leadership of the Japan-based automotive company said.

Such a move will make Mitsubishi the first automotive brand existing locally to export vehicles.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) Chief Executive Officer Takao Kato revealed the plan to export the workhorse, which is a product of the Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) in Laguna.

We are committed to further grow and expand the business of Mitsubishi Motors in the Philippines. We are in the process of finalizing our plans to export L300 to other ASEAN countries, which makes us the only automotive manufacture in the Philippine to export vehicles. We will work even harder to enhance MMPC plants competitiveness and quality, so that we can make L300 a trusted model in ASEAN, Kato said.

Such a revelation is a milestone for the local distributor itself, moreso after MMPC recently rolled out the 200,000th L300 from its production line.

MMPC L300 team

The production achievement serves as a testament to the success that MMPC enjoys in terms of L300 sales volume throughout the years. The said model has already delivered more than 190,000 units, thanks its dependable engine, durable quality and affordable price.

MMPC President Mutsuhiro Oshikiri expressed pride over the recent feat.

This achievement is a reflection of the resiliency of MMPC. Despite the current challenges that we are facing due to the COVID19 pandemic, we are still geared to provide the market with quality vehicles and support Filipino livelihood through serving transportation and business needs, he said.

Also, aligned with the Philippines governments effort to battle the spreading virus, MMPC has lent out several Mitsubishi L300 units to both local and national government for various outreach activities, he added.

Now operating for more than five decades, MMPCs years of operation can also be perceived as a testament to its resilience; that it can withstand the challenges hurled at it through the years.

Story continues

Aside from the L300, the 23-hectare plant of MMPC in Sta. Rosa, Laguna locally manufactures the Mirage and Mirage G4.

Photos from Mitsubishi Motors Philippines

Also read:

The Mitsubishi L300 is Officially Back!

Mitsubishi Delivers L300 Euro 4, Xpander to DBM, DOH

Cab-over-Truck Comparo: Kia K2500 Karga, Hyundai H100, Mitsubishi L300, Isuzu Traviz
Fans of 2005's cult adventure film The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl In 3-D are in for a treat.

On Tuesday, it was announced during a remote Collider Comic Con panel that director Robert Rodriguez is returning to the world of those superhero characters, with the recently completed We Can Be Heroes for Netflix.

What's more, the eponymous heroes, played back then by Twilight's Taylor Lautner as well as Taylor Dooley, will be parents in the new film, sharing a Sharkboy-Lavagirl offspring who's sure to have some interesting powers all her own.

On Tuesday: It was announced during a remote Comic Con panel that director Robert Rodriguez is returning to the world of The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl In 3-D (pictured) with new film We Can Be Heroes

The plot of the new movie centers around children of various superheroes who must join forces after alien invaders kidnap their parents, including Sharkboy and Lavagirl's daughter.

Rodriguez, 52, is known for helming From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City and Spy Kids, and he's listed as director, writer and cinematographer for this new project.

And while Dooley has confirmed she'll be returning to portray the adult Lavagirl, Lautner has yet to say whether he'll be back to play a grownup Sharkboy.

All grown up: In the new moview, the eponymous heroes  played back then by Twilight's Taylor Lautner as well as Taylor Dooley  will be parents to a young girl

Other notable players in the film are Priyanka Chopra, Christian Slater and Pedro Pascal  the latter of The Mandalorian fame.

According to Rodriguez, Pascal will be playing an 'Antonio Banderastype role,' which presumably means a character akin to the one Banderas played in his breakout 1995 hit Desperado, also directed by Rodriguez.

A concept to that of We Can Be Heroes has been mined in Disney's successful Descendants franchise, which explores the lives of the progeny of famous Disney heroes and villains.

Lavagirl in flight: And while Dooley has confirmed she'll be returning to portray the adult Lavagirl...

...there's no word yet on whether Lautner will be back to play a grownup Sharkboy

That franchise has spawned two sequels, most recently 2019's Descendants 3 co-starring the late Cameron Boyce.

Lavagirl and Sharkboy aren't the only iconic movie characters Rodriguez is slated to be revisiting.

According to the Texas-born director's IMDb page, he's also set to take on Machete Kills In Space, which looks to be a somewhat cheeky followup to the Danny Trejo-starring shoot-em-up from 2013.

We Can Be Heroes is listed as 'Completed' on its IMDb page, but there's no information yet on when it will release on the Netflix streaming platform.

Lavagirl and Sharkboy aren't the only movie characters Rodriguez is slated to be revisiting: He's also set to take on Machete Kills In Space starring Danny Trejo; seen in March 2019
An Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD, Minister for Education Norma Foley TD and Minister for Special Education and Inclusion Josepha Madigan TD today, Monday 27 July, announced the publication of Reopening Our Schools: The Roadmap for The Full Return to School, along with details of a financial package of over 375 million to support its implementation, following approval by Government.

The roadmap outlines a comprehensive range of measures being provided to support the full reopening of schools in time for the start of the new school year in late August.

The roadmap was developed following intensive engagement with stakeholders from the education sector, including teachers unions, representatives of principals and deputy principals, school management bodies, representatives of parents and post-primary students and support staff.

The roadmap and the funding package recognise the challenges faced by schools in ensuring the safe return of over one million students and approximately 100,000 staff in 4,000 schools in the context of COVID-19. It sets out clear plans and practical guidance on the measures schools will need to take to operate safely and minimise the risk of the introduction, or spread, of infection in schools.

The financial package approved by Government to support schools recognises that COVID-19 poses significant challenges with regard to staffing, particularly in regard to replacement of staff, substitution, supervision and the need for wellbeing supports.

The package of 376 million includes:

1. Plans for an additional 1,080 teaching posts at post-primary level at a cost of 53 million, to include the following measures:

120 guidance posts will be provided to support student wellbeing

An initial allocation of over 600 posts to be made available to post-primary schools

Remaining posts will be used to support those post-primary schools. experiencing particular difficulties to reopen fully and adhere to physical distancing and class sizes.

2. Additional funding, estimated at 84.7 million, so that schools can employ replacement teaching staff, SNA and administrative staff. This can occur where staff members who are identified in line with HSE guidance as at very high risk of Covid-19 are advised to cocoon.

3. Additional funding of 41.2 million, to provide primary schools with substitute staff. This will provide more certainty on the availability of substitutes for primary schools and cover substitutions that are not covered by existing schemes, as well as where staff members who display symptoms cannot come to work in the school, in line with public health advice.

4. An estimated additional cost of 40m to provide post-primary schools with additional supervision of students. This will be a key control measure to support schools to minimising interaction of students from different classes, in line with public health advice.

5. An additional 52 million for schools to put in place enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools. This is being provided on a per-pupil basis and is intended to allow an additional four to six hours cleaning per day in schools.

6. Provide all teaching principals at primary level with a minimum of one release day per week to relieve the administrative burden arising from the changes and the impacts of Covid-19 and a new measure to provide deputy principals with some release days, ranging from 5 days to 16 days depending on the school size, to support administrative principals.

7. A 75 million capital allocation to support schools to prepare their buildings and classrooms for reopening including an uplift for schools with SEN pupils.

8. 4.2 million to enable schools to employ an aide to implement the logistical changes needed in schools  moving furniture, changing classroom layouts, set up hand sanitising stations, signage etc.

9. 3.8m to provide release time for each school to have a lead worker representative, whose role is to support the school to manage the risk of COVID-19 infections.

The plan and its accompanying documentation provides schools with guidance on training, checklists for schools on preparing for reopening and guidance for operating the school safely in a Covid-context. It advises on areas across logistics, curriculum, teaching, managing school activities, supporting pupils with additional needs, administration and wellbeing.

Minister Foley said: This is a comprehensive plan that will support our schools to reopen for the new school year.

We have worked extremely hard to develop plans that not only provide certainty to schools as to what they need to do, but that are meaningful, practical, and realistic. These have been informed by the expertise and collaboration of the stakeholders, and truly take account of how schools operate on a day-to-day basis. I want to thank everyone involved for the huge commitment in bringing this vast amount of work together.

There is a strong emphasis in the roadmap on safety, and on practical arrangements, but also on ensuring the wellbeing of the students and of the entire staff community.

I am deeply conscious that children and young people have had their learning disrupted due to the global pandemic. So many of our teachers, our school staff and our parents and students went far beyond their normal roles to keep teaching and to provide learning experiences to students. It was an enormously challenging time.

Our schools now face another challenge, to support our students to return to and stay in school safely, to re-engage them and support them to settle in, and progress in their learning.

I know well the calibre of the teachers and the staff teams in the schools across the country. I am confident that the measures we have put in place will equip those teams with the additional knowledge, practical supports and resources that they will need to do that.

I have today written to all members of school staff and to parents, thanking them for the roles they are playing and will continue to play as we return at the end of August. We will continue to communicate with schools and through them with parents and students, as schools return, and keep a close eye to ensure that the supports are working as they should.

I am delighted we have been able to secure such a comprehensive package of support, which will ensure that at the end of August we will once again hear the joy and laughter of children and young people in our schools.

Roadmap emphasis on safety and wellbeing

The Department of Education has prepared a suite of support materials for schools, including guidance on curriculum, wellbeing of students, wellbeing of staff as well as protocols for minimising the risk of spread of infection in schools.

Online Return to Work training will be provided for all members of school staff, with separate components for teaching staff, SNAs, administrative and cleaning staff.

In addition to the guidance on supporting wellbeing in schools on returning, a suite of supports for school staff will also be provided to schools by the National Educational Psychological Service in conjunction with the Departments support services[1] and with the HSE and Tusla Education Support Service.

Measures supporting special schools and classes for children with special educational needs

The Department of Education is also making additional provision for special schools and special classes, in recognition of the particular challenges that these schools and classes will face dealing with children with complex medical and care needs.

Minister Madigan said: This plan provides great certainty on how schools will be able to operate to support students with special educational needs. Parents, teachers and SNAs can be assured that all appropriate measures will be taken to secure the safety and wellbeing of the children, while ensuring their education can continue.

We know that these pupils have been impacted greatly by not being in a regular routine of school, and that they will need particular support at the time of transition back to school.

I am pleased to have secured a dedicated suite of actions in the area of special education, recognising the additional needs and vulnerabilities that children face. There will be additional funds for Special Schools and mainstream schools with special classes to support them in re-opening fully. This includes making sure that all SNA absences are fully covered so that children with complex needs receive the support that they require. There will also be funding for enhanced cleaning and additional support staff in schools.

I am also particularly pleased that the government has supported the introduction of 1,200 guidance posts into our schools, to support the wellbeing of all students, particularly those with additional needs.

The expansion of the National Educational Psychological Service to include 17 new psychologist posts is another immensely positive step and will be of enormous benefit to students with additional needs.

Ive seen at first hand the benefits of the summer provision programme for students, and the students. This package is immensely practical, it has workable solutions that have been worked out by those who know the systems best, and will support schools to make that transition back for every child.

As Minister with responsibility for special education, I will continue to advocate for the needs of children and their families. I am very conscious of the needs of children at very high risk and will work with colleagues across the system to ensure that they can continue to make progress, though they may not be able to return to school in the same way as others.

The specific measures include:

The Minor Works Grant at primary and post-primary level will include enhanced rates for students in special classes and schools. This will support schools to undertake works that are needed to facilitate reopening.

Additional per capita funding being provided for pupils in special schools and special classes recognises the additional needs that these pupils have and the additional measures that schools may be required to take to support them.

Special schools will receive funding equivalent to 10 days, for the purposes of employing an aide to assist with the logistics for preparing for reopening.

Schools with special classes where there is a teaching principal will now receive a minimum of one release day per week. Those schools with administrative deputy principals will be provided with 16 release days to support the principal.

All special schools will benefit from the replacement of all absences of SNAs in school settings.

Enhanced COVID-19 rates are payable in respect of students attending special schools and special classes attached to mainstream schools to assist with the extra costs associated with the cleaning of classrooms in these settings.

Additional funding will be provided to cater for costs related to hand hygiene measures and PPE requirements.

The plan recognises that some children who have complex medical or special educational needs may not be able to return to school at the end of August because the relevant public health guidelines indicate they are at very high risk.

Schools will have discretion to manage and redistribute their teaching support resources in order to best meet the learning needs of these students.

Curriculum Guidance:

The Department has worked closely with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) on supporting schools in mediating the curriculum for the new school year and has produced a number of guidance documents to support schools at both primary and post-primary.

At primary level the purpose of the guidance documents is to ensure that pupils/students can settle back into school, that all of the school community can stay safe and well and pupils/students can pick up and progress their learning, experiencing as full and enjoyable a curriculum as possible. The guidance also outlines the learning approaches which schools should take and the need to allow for revisiting and revising of areas of the curriculum to reinforce and consolidate learning.

It is recognized that pupils with SEN will require particular support at the time of transition back to school including supporting their wellbeing, reducing potential anxiety and planning learning experiences that take account of the effect of school closures on their progress.

A number of document and supports have also been produced to support post primary school with specific focus on transition to post-primary, students facing assessment in 2021, Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) and Transition Year (TY).

Additional funding through the Hand Sanitiser and PPE Grant

The financial package does not include grants that will be provided to schools to fund any hand sanitiser and personal protective equipment as a public procurement process has not yet been finalised. When the procurement process is complete, and the drawdown framework is in place in early August, the additional funding to schools to obtain hand sanitiser and other PPE to support reopening and the 2020/21 school year will be advised directly to schools. Accompanying guidelines to schools on accessing the drawdown framework will also issue in early August.

School Transport

School Transport Scheme services operated by Bus Eireann on behalf of the Department will fully operate as normal, in line with public health advice, when schools re-open for the 2020/2021 school year.

In planning for normal resumption of school transport services consideration has been taken of the fact that school transport somewhat differs to public transport in that:

School transport services are controlled environments.

Each transport service carries the same children on a daily basis to their school of attendance.

It is a restricted group of transport users which will facilitate contact tracing if required.

Observing hygiene requirements will be a key priority and clear communication to all parents of children or to older students using school transport services will set out the following requirements for those travelling on school transport:

Not to use school transport if they are displaying symptoms.

To maintain physical distancing while waiting for transport.

To always sit in pre-assigned seating and next to a sibling or child from their class group (this should be the same child at all times).

To use hand sanitiser on boarding the bus.

To observe respiratory etiquette at all times while waiting for and on-board transport services.

To disembark the bus one by one in an orderly fashion; and

With the exception of those children who for medical or special educational needs reasons are not in a position to wear a facemask or face covering, all other students travelling on the post-primary scheme are required to wear facemasks while waiting for and on-board transport services.

Additional funding of 11.3 million has been provided as part of the package today to support hygiene, PPE and cleaning requirements.

Other items

The Department of Education has published a range of documents today as part of the overall suite, including Returning to School guidance on learning and school programmes for both primary and post-primary school leaders and teachers, a Circular on funding and staffing arrangements to apply in schools for the 2020/21 school year and specific guidance for schools in relation to Transition Year and Leaving Cert Applied programmes.

The Department is putting in place a dedicated team to support schools in applying the new arrangements in relation to Minor Works Grants, additional staffing, replacement staffing, and substitution.

A helpline number and email is being provided directly to school principals to address queries and to support schools in their planning for reopening.
Watch the moment Rafale fighter jets land at Ambala airbase in Haryana

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, July 29: Nearly 23 years after Sukhoi aircraft were imported, a fleet of five French-manufactured Rafale multi-role combat jets touched down in India, giving the country's air power a strategic edge over its adversaries in the neighbourhood.

Rafale: First batch of 5 Fighter Jets land at Ambala airbase after covering nearly 7,000 Km|OneIndia

The fighter jets earlier entered the Indian airspace at about 1.30 pm and were greeted by an Indian Navy warship, INS Kolkata, deployed in the western Arabian Sea.

The Rafales reached Ambala, their home base, at around 3.10 pm. They will officially be inducted into the Gloden Arrows No 17 squadron of the IAF.

The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux. The Rafales were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

In Pics: Five Rafale jets enters Indian airspace, flanked by 30 MKIs

"The Birds have landed safely in Ambala," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted. Singh said "the touch down of Rafale combat aircrafts in India marks the beginning of a new era in our Military History. These multirole aircrafts will revolutionise the capabilities of the IAF".

The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42. The fleet, comprising three single seater and two twin seater aircraft, are being inducted into the IAF as part of its Ambala-based No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

A government statement on Monday said 10 Rafale jets were delivered to India and that five of them are staying back in France for training missions. The delivery of all 36 aircraft will be completed on schedule by the end of 2021, it added. The Rafale jets, known for air-superiority and precision strikes, are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.

Watch Five Rafale jets entering Indian airspace

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, Scalp cruise missile and MICA weapons system will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets. The IAF is also procuring new generation medium-range modular air-to-ground weapon system Hammer to integrate with the Rafale jets. Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision-guided missile developed by French defence major Safran.

The missile was originally designed and manufactured for the French Air Force and Navy. Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

The Meteor is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official. Though the jets are being inducted into the IAF on Wednesday, there will be formal ceremony in mid-August to welcome them into the force. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top military brass of the country are expected to attend the event.

The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the UAE after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India. The jets were also refulled mid-air from a French tanker at a height of 30,000 feet, according to the Indian Embassy in France. The first Rafale jet was handed over to the IAF in October last year during a visit to France by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala airbase, the second one will based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

The Ambala base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF as the Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from it. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers.

Meet Hilal Ahmad Rather, India's first IAF officer to fly weaponised Rafale

The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets. India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by AK Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale. After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder). In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology. The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.
As the first batch of the Rafale fighter jets are set to arrive at the Ambala Air Force station in Haryana, netizens are finding it hard to contain their excitement. Twitter is flooded with excited reactions and among the posts is one shared by Amul. The dairy cooperative has dropped its signature cartoon sketch featuring the adorable Amul girl posing in front of the Rafale jet with a witty caption.

Posted on Amul coops official Twitter page, the cartoon sketch features the adorable Amul girl posing in front of a Rafale jet with a witty caption written on the image. The text on the photo reads, Jab We Jet.

Take a look at the sketch:

Posted a few hours ago, the cartoon sketch has already garnered over 8,700 likes and the numbers are increasing. While some praised the artist for such an on-point depiction of the Rafale jet, others found the creative cartoon perfect for this historic moment.

Heres how netizens reacted:

Oh !! Amul , you never fail to brighten our faces !!   Sanjay Gupta (@SanjayGupta28) July 29, 2020

Utterly butterly amul wah kya baat hai ji  Manoj Kapoor (@kapoormanoj77) July 29, 2020

Lovely !!

Salute your creativity, specially, when it is done in almost no time !!   Nation 1st  (@Nation_is1st) July 29, 2020

That rafale sketch looks awesome  hatts off to the artist!  Abhijith Acharya (@abhijith421) July 29, 2020

Gr8 work by the artist on the jet!!!  ArunobhB (@ArunobhB) July 29, 2020

The jets took off from France on Monday and had a single stop in the United Arab Emirates. They are covering a distance of 7,000 kilometres with air-to-air refueling.

What are your thoughts on this creative cartoon?
SEATTLE - Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos cited the e-commerce company's "customer obsession" Tuesday for fueling its business success as he attempts to counter congressional antitrust concerns a day ahead of a House hearing probing the power of tech giants.

As dominant as Amazon is - it accounted for 38.5% of U.S. e-commerce in June, according to Rakuten Intelligence - Bezos called the global retail market "strikingly large and extraordinarily competitive," in written testimony submitted Tuesday afternoon to the House subcommittee that called the hearing. To fend off antitrust concerns, which often focus on consumer harm, Bezos noted that 80% of Americans have a favorable impression of Amazon, according to "leading independent polls" that he did not identify.

"At Amazon, customer obsession has made us what we are, and allowed us to do ever greater things," Bezos wrote.

(Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

Bezos will swear an oath and appear at the hearing alongside Apple's Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai. Lawmakers are examining the clout of the tech behemoths that represent a nearly $5 trillion slice of the U.S. economy.

Other tech executives' testimony also surfaced Tuesday evening.

At the hearing, Zuckerberg plans to emphasize Facebook's value in connecting people and supporting businesses during the pandemic, and the fact that the social network competes with the companies at the hearing, according to testimony obtained by The Washington Post. He plans to note that when Facebook moved its headquarters to the campus of a former tech giant, Sun Microsystems, he kept the company's sign up front to remind employees to stay competitive because success can be fleeting.

He is expected to emphasize that Facebook's success has been grounded in American values of democratic expression and competition, and to contrast that with the approach taken by China as a rising tech power.

Pichai emphasized Google's popular Internet services as major benefits for consumers and small businesses in his testimony. The company's products such as search and maps are free for everyone, he noted, and the company invests billions of dollars in research and development every year. He pointed toward Amazon's Alexa and Twitter's newsfeed as competitors to search, one of the areas the committee is investigating.

Pichai repeated a familiar claim that Google and its competitors in online advertising help bring down costs for advertisers. Google is the dominant player in digital advertising, and critics have questioned the company's power because it controls both the advertising framework and many websites where ads appear.

"We also deliberately build platforms that support the innovation of others," he said, mentioning Google's Android operating system.

Bezos's written testimony anticipates that several of the topics lawmakers will probably grill him on during Wednesday's hearing. Rather than focus on online commerce, Bezos sought in his testimony to define the retail market more broadly, and in a manner that diffuses Amazon's clout. Amazon accounts for less than 1% of the $25 trillion global retail market, Bezos wrote, and less than 4% of retail in the United States. And while Amazon rarely talks about competitors, Bezos specifically cited Costco, Kroger, Target and Walmart, which he added is "a company more than twice Amazon's size."

A key area of focus for lawmakers is likely to be whether Amazon gives its own products unfair advantages over offerings from rivals on its digital marketplace, an allegation Bezos aimed to counter. The third-party sellers on Amazon account for about 60% of physical product sales on the site, and those sales are growing faster than Amazon's own retail sales, Bezos wrote.

The written testimony did not address the allegation that Amazon uses data collected from third-party merchants to launch its own competing products, an issue that lawmakers on the same subcommittee pressed an Amazon lawyer about a year ago.

Bezos began his written testimony with a folksy refrain on his upbringing and the emergence of Amazon. He started by writing about his mother's struggles giving birth to him when she was a 17-year-old high school student in Albuquerque, N.M. And he wrote about his decision to launch Amazon, an idea his boss at the time told him was "a better idea for somebody who didn't already have a good job." He worked in finance in New York at the time.

"When I'm 80 and reflecting back, I want to have minimized the number of regrets that I have in my life," Bezos wrote. "And most of our regrets are acts of omission - the things we didn't try, the paths untraveled."

The hearing Wednesday will be Bezos's first time testifying before Congress. In his written testimony, Bezos said, as he has previously, that he welcomes the inquiry.

"We should scrutinize all large institutions, whether they're companies, government agencies, or non-profits," Bezos wrote. "Our responsibility is to make sure we pass such scrutiny with flying colors."
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) said its consortium with French group EDF Renewables has achieved a major construction milestone at its 400MW utility-scale wind farm project in Saudi Arabia with the arrival of 20 wind turbines at Duba Port.

Dumat Al Jandal will be Saudi Arabias first wind farm and the largest in the Middle East when completed. Construction began last August and commercial operations are due to start in the first quarter of 2022.

Once fully operational, the wind farm will power up to 70,000 Saudi households, while displacing around 988,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, said the statement from Masdar.

The Renewable Energy Project Development Office of Saudi Arabias Ministry of Energy awarded the $500 million Dumat Al Jandal wind farm to the EDF Renewables-Masdar consortium in January 2019, following a competitive tender in which it had submitted the lowest bid of $21.3 per MW hour.

Vestas, a leading wind turbine company, is responsible for the projects engineering, procurement and construction contract, while TSK is handling the balance of plant and Al Babtain Contracting Company providing the substations and high-voltage solutions, it added.

The turbines comprising towers, blades and nacelles will be assembled at the Dumat Al Jandal site, located 900km north of Riyadh, in the Al Jouf region of Saudi Arabia, it stated.

A total of 99 Vestas V150-4.2MW wind turbines will be installed, with a hub height of 130 m and rotor diametre of 150 m, it added.

The tariff was further improved to $19.9/MWh at financial close, making Dumat Al Jandal the most cost-efficient wind project anywhere in the world.

The wind farm will supply electricity according to a 20-year power purchase agreement to the Saudi Power Procurement Company.

A subsidiary of the Saudi Electricity Company, SPPC is responsible for purchasing the entire production of the Dumat Al Jandal project.

"Dumat Al Jandal is our first wind energy project producing electricity at scale and as a key project under the King Salman Renewable Energy Initiative, it is playing a key role in diversifying Saudi Arabia's power mix sustainably," stated its CEO Osama bin Abdulwahab Khawandanah.

"The wind farm project reflects our strong partnership with the private sector and the commercial viability of wind energy, which is enabling us to establish a competitive renewable energy sector in the kingdom while reducing our carbon emissions in line with the Vision 2030," he added.

EDF Renewables International Executive VP Frederic Belloy said: "This key construction milestone, in the largest wind farm of Middle East, highlights the progress achieved in the delivery phase of the project by the consortium and its suppliers, thanks to the support of the kingdoms authorities and entities in charge of implementing the National Renewable Energy Programme."

Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said that the delivery of the first batch of wind turbines is a significant landmark in the development of the Dumat Al Jandal wind farm and the realisation of Saudi Arabias wider renewable energy programme, "to which we are fully committed with our partners."-TradeArabia News Service
H2O Innovation Announces the Appointment of Gregory Madden as Chief Strategic Officer

QUEBEC CITY, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSXV: HEO)  H2O Innovation Inc. (H2O Innovation or the Corporation) is proud to announce the appointment of Gregory Madden as Chief Strategic Officer (CSO).



Our vision is to continue to grow while maximizing customers retention, thus recurring revenues. To do so, the Corporations marketing focus, internally and externally, must evolve to present and deliver the full value of H2O Innovations customer-oriented solutions. As we intend to continue M&A activities, we must ensure that acquired companies are well integrated and that synergies are fully captured. The addition of Gregory Madden within the officer team, will enhance the integration of the companies and products acquired. His role, assisted with the other managers, will also enable to promote the different product offerings of each business line more widely known across the Corporation. By doing so, we will optimize the synergies between our different pillars and multiple business lines to generate more cross-selling and value for our shareholders, stated Frederic Dugre, President and CEO of H2O Innovation.

Gregorys engineering career in the water industry began more than 20 years ago. After earning his bachelors degree in chemical engineering from Colorado School of Mines, he got his start building water treatment systems for beverage plants. He evolved through various positions in the water industry, picking up his MBA from the University of Wisconsin along the way, and has developed a recognized expertise in both water chemistry and membrane technology. As part of the H2O Innovation team for over 10 years, Gregory has served in many positions in the organization, most recently serving as Vice President of Aftermarket Services since 2017.

As CSO, Gregory will also focus on integrating acquired companies like Genesys, which was added to the H2O Innovation Group in November of 2019. The combination of PWT and Genesys expands our network to over 100 specialty membrane chemical distributors in 70 countries. In addition, he will oversee projects like the ongoing rebranding of the H2O Innovations third business pillar, Operation and Maintenance.

Story continues

Gregory is a valuable contributor to the water treatment industry, including his multi-layered involvement with the American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA). His in-depth knowledge of H2O Innovation combined with his unique strategic insights and understanding of the industry gives him the breadth of skills to carry out the mandates that will be entrusted to him. Finally, by appointing an individual from the U.S. as our 4th corporate officer, we will complement our overall corporate representation from our main regional market, the United States, added Lisa Henthorne, Chair of the Board of Directors of H2O Innovation.

About H2O Innovation

H2O Innovation designs and provides state-of-the-art, custom-built and integrated water treatment solutions based on membrane filtration technology for municipal, industrial, energy and natural resources end-users. The Corporations activities rely on three pillars which are i) water & wastewater projects, and aftermarket services; ii) specialty products, including a complete line of specialty chemicals, consumables and specialized products for the water treatment industry; and iii) operation and maintenance services for water and wastewater treatment systems. For more information, visit www.h2oinnovation.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the NYSE Euronext Growth Paris accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source:

H2O Innovation Inc.

www.h2oinnovation.com



Contact:

Marc Blanchet

+1 418-688-0170

marc.blanchet@h2oinnovation.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3363b5c0-8ee1-4eb4-8cba-d7383bfffdba
By Laman Ismayilova

A documentary "The First Success of the Nobel brothers" will be screened in Germany.

The film was included in the competition program of the 5th Golden Tree International Documentary Festival, which takes place in Frankfurt.

Directed by Jalaladdin Gasimov, the film tells about Nobel brothers who gained most of their revenues when they were in Baku. They came to Baku to find walnut trees, but instead they saw Baku oil and established "The Nobel brothers" company.

The Nobel Brothers took an active roll in Azerbaijan's oil industry that started developing apace in the second half of the 19th century.

After detecting oil on Absheron peninsula, Robert Nobel invested his capital in the oil sector and set up drilling operations. He also bought a small kerosene factory and began refining oil.

The Nobel Brothers company officially began operating in 1879. Set up by Robert, Ludwig and Alfred Nobel, the company became the most authoritative and valuable oil company worldwide.

By the early 20th century, the Nobel Brothers Company had become the dominant oil company in Azerbaijan.

The company had capital equal to 30 million rubles and more than 13 plants (including 6 oil processing plants) from the period of 1914 to 1917. Their total oil production was 76 million pounds in 1916.

The Nobel Brothers were also strong humanitarians, donating funds to schools and ran a hospital.

Ludvig Nobel worked actively to improve working conditions in his factories. In 1885 he started a cooperative bank for the workers. Dining rooms, billiard rooms, libraries and conference rooms were also built for workers. Moreover, large park, created by brothers still exists in the "Black City".

Golden Tree International Documentary Festival aims to encourage greater global attention on documentary film and to promote quality films focusing on diverse civilizations and cultures from across the world.

The festival has become an important bridge for cultural content linking eastern and western documentary markets and is establishing itself as a valuable resource for distribution within China and development of content between China and the world.

The final night of the 5th Golden Tree International Documentary Festival is scheduled for August 25.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
South Korean tech major Samsung on Wednesday said it expects 10 per cent of India sales to be driven by its online store by the end of next year, as it brings in new programmes on its website to woo various segments of consumers. "For Samsung, the Online Store (Samsung.com) is a key focus area for growth and we are targeting 10 per cent of our overall business in mobiles and consumer electronics through this important channel, Samsung India Senior Vice President Asim Warsi said.

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Digital Editor
People who test positive for coronavirus are to be told to stay at home for ten days - up from the current seven-day self-isolation period, it was revealed today.

The change - which also applies to anyone who has symptoms - comes amid fears of a surge in infections in the coming weeks.

The move came after Boris Johnson admitted he was extremely concerned about the possibility of a second spike and claims that the UK could be a fortnight behind Europe, where cases are rising again.

The rolling average of daily cases has been rising since earlier this month, while there have been fresh restrictions in Oldham and localised outbreaks in Stone and Wrexham.

Leicester, the first place in the UK to have a mini-lockdown imposed, will have its shutdown reviewed today - two days earlier than expected.

The Governments Chief Scientific Advisor Sir Patrick Vallance warned No10 on Monday that Britain could be just two or three weeks behind Spains second wave trajectory, according to The Times.

And adopting a 10-day self-isolation period would be following World Health Organisation guidelines and bringing Britain into line with many countries around the world.

In other coronavirus developments:

Oldham has overtaken Leicester to have the second highest Covid-19 infection rate in England, official figures revealed. A decision on whether to extent Leicester's local lockdown will be made today;

Ministers signed a multi-million pound deal with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur for 60million doses of another potential Covid-19 vaccine;

Scientists have been given 4.3 million to investigate why black and Asian people are more likely to die from Covid-19;

Ten people have caught the coronavirus linked to a Staffordshire pub where 200 drinkers were crammed into beer garden 'like sardines'.

Patients who are confirmed to have Covid could be told to stay at home for 14 days under a change to the rules. Pictured: People queue up at a walk-in Covid-19 testing centre at Crown Street car park in Stone, Staffordshire after nearby Crown and Anchor pub saw outbreak of the disease

Boris Johnson, pictured on a visit to Nottingham, expressed fears over a second Covid-19 onslaught within weeks

Isolation rules have previously caused confusion as those confirmed to have the virus via a test have been told to isolate for seven days, whereas their close contacts faced 14 days. The disparity was due to the time taken to develop symptoms of the virus.

The Government has at times been accused of mixed messaging over the rules.

Patients who are confirmed to have Covid or who have a cough, fever or loss of sense of smell or taste are currently told to stay at home for seven days.

The increase brings the self-isolation period closer to the 14 days for those who are a close contact of a confirmed case or for people arriving back from a country under quarantine rules.

Belgium and Luxembourg could be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow and Croatia could also be at risk. Luxembourg has the highest incidence of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Europe

Fears of a resurgence of infections come as scientists at The University of Cambridge found that the reproduction rate of the virus is almost at one in large parts of the UK - nearing the crucial threshold above which growth is exponential.

The experts at the Cambridge MRC Biostatistics Unit linked the rise to an easing of lockdown, reported the Daily Telegraph.

Despite the warnings, Boris Johnson was urged not to panic over fears of a summer surge. Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said ministers should continue efforts to get the economy moving by urging more workers to return to the office. He said: The message from the Government is still really fearful, it needs to be much more nuanced.

They must say, Look, this is a disease that by-and-large affects those with co-morbidities. Protect the vulnerable but the rest of you should be getting back to work. Sir Iain added: We seem to have lost the ability to balance risk.

Meanwhile, health leaders said there were very high levels of concern about a fresh spike. Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, told the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus that non-Covid productivity in NHS trusts was currently at about 60 per cent.

He called for an Amazon-style way for health and care workers to order personal protective equipment where it arrives the next day. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the council of the British Medical Association, said another spike should not be seen as an inevitability and it was time to be more robust about mitigating the threat.

He also called for more concise public messaging over measures people can take to stop the spread of the virus.

If I look even at something as simple as our messages on social distancing were told that social distancing is still two metres, or one metre plus, he said.

Do you think any member of the public understands what one metre plus means? What does the plus mean? Many dont really understand this because its not clear and theyre not social distancing.

Britain's coronavirus cases rise 14% in a week as experts urge ministers not to panic and say the UK needs to 'learn to live' with the disease - while officials announce 83 more Covid-19 deaths

Covid-19 cases in Britain have risen again with the average number of infections jumping by 14 per cent in a week as scientists urged ministers not to panic and said the UK needs to 'learn to live' with the disease.

Department of Health chiefs announced another 763 people tested positive for the virus, taking the rolling seven-day average to 726. In comparison, the rate was 697 yesterday, 638 last Wednesday and has been on the up for a fortnight amid fears of a resurgence.

And the rate is 33 per cent higher than the four-month low of 546 recorded three weeks ago on July 8, just days after top experts warned of an inevitable spike prompted by the relaxation of strict lockdown rules.

Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, argued that the UK has never been free from infection and warned 'the number of cases measured today are not comparable to March'.

Business leaders reacted warily to the threat of tighter restrictions being introduced over the rise in cases, with top firms saying it is 'vital' crippled economies get the chance to recover this summer.

The most up to date figures show the number of new cases is rocketing upwards in Spain. It announced 6,361 new cases over the weekend, up from 4,581 the previous weekend. France announced 2,551 new coronavirus cases on Monday

OLDHAM OVERTAKES LEICESTER WITH THE SECOND HIGHEST COVID-19 INFECTION RATE Oldham has overtaken Leicester to have the second highest Covid-19 infection rate in England, official figures revealed. NHS statistics showed Oldham recorded 54.3 coronavirus cases for every 100,000 people between July 20 and 26. The weekly infection rate for the Greater Manchester town has risen by 191 per cent. In comparison, Leicester's outbreak has dropped slightly to 53.2. Only Blackburn with Darwen is currently being hit worse than Oldham, with the area recording 85.9 cases per 100,000 people in the past week. Local officials have pleaded with locals to abide by tough restrictions implemented yesterday, in a desperate bit to prevent a full-blown lockdown. Council bosses have now urged all of the borough's 235,000 residents to not let any visitors into their home for at least two weeks. It puts Oldham at odds with the rest of England, after lockdown rules were relaxed earlier this month to let people to stay overnight with loved ones. Everyone living in the Greater Manchester borough has also been asked to keep two metres apart from friends and family when seeing them outside. Current government advice for the rest of the nation recommends a one metre-plus rule  but people should keep two metres apart where possible. Katrina Stephens, the director of public health in Oldham, said the spike was not due to more testing but a 'genuine increase' in transmission, Manchester Evening News reported. The central and western districts have mostly been affected, and there are 'increasingly' cases in the younger population, particularly among 20 to 40-year-olds, Ms Stephens said at a media briefing yesterday. A significant proportion of recent cases involve multiple individuals testing positive within a household. Councillor Arooj Shah confirmed they had seen a rise in cases among Oldham's Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, which account for up to two thirds of overall new cases, New Post Leader reported. Around 20 per cent of Oldham's population are from Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage, compared to the 2.8 per cent average in England and Wales. Officials noted the new guidelines would be 'particularly tough' for the Muslim community who were preparing to celebrate Eid on Friday. Advertisement

Meanwhile, a further 83 more coronavirus deaths were recorded in Britain  taking the official number of victims to 45,961. But no fatalities were posted in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Around 66 people are succumbing to the illness each day, on average. But the fatality curve is no longer flattening as quickly as it was, with the rate having barely changed in the past 10 days. It can take patients several weeks to die, meaning any spike in deaths won't be immediately apparent in government figures.

Government statistics show the official size of the UK's outbreak now stands at 300,692.

But the actual size of the outbreak, which began to spiral out of control in March, is estimated to be in the millions, based on antibody testing data.

The deaths reported by the Department of Health cover those in all settings, including hospitals and care homes.

The data does not represent how many Covid-19 patients died within the last 24 hours  it is only how many fatalities have been reported and registered with the authorities.

And the figure does not always match updates provided by the home nations. Department of Health officials work off a different time cut-off, meaning daily updates from Scotland as well as Northern Ireland are always out of sync.

And the count announced by NHS England every afternoon  which only takes into account deaths in hospitals  does not match up with the DH figures because they work off a different recording system.

For instance, some deaths announced by NHS England bosses will have already been counted by the Department of Health, which records fatalities 'as soon as they are available'.

NHS England posted 14 deaths in hospitals across the country. These include victims who were both confirmed and suspected to have the virus, while the Department of Health only records lab-confirmed Covid-19 deaths.

Wales reported five deaths in all settings after two days of zero fatalities. The country has reported zero deaths on 13 days this month as the virus slowly fizzles out.

Department of Health figures showed almost 100,000 tests were either carried out or posted yesterday. The number includes antibody tests for frontline NHS and care workers.

The head of the British Medical Association, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, warned that the UK was not doing enough to prevent a second wave of the epidemic.

He demanded ministers lay out a coherent strategy for how they plan to prevent a Covid-19 resurgence from battering the UK in the winter, when other illnesses are rife and the NHS is vulnerable to being overwhelmed.

Dr Nagpaul told a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on coronavirus: 'At the moment we're not doing everything we should in trying to contain the virus.

'If I look even at something as simple as our messages on social distancing: we're told that social distancing is still two metres, or one metre plus.

'Do you think any member of the public understands what one metre plus means? What does the plus mean? Many don't really understand this because it's not clear and they're not social distancing.'

Dr Nagpaul slammed ministers for not enforcing mask-wearing, saying it risked sending the message they were optional.

He added: 'If you want to suppress a virus you don't just make an announcement and then leave people with free will whether to wear them... you then follow that up with a very systematic approach to make sure that happens.

'What I mean by suppressing is you take an attitude that says: we want to do absolutely everything to make sure the infection doesn't spread. That needs a much more robust approach.'

Oldham overtook Leicester to have the second highest Covid-19 infection rate in England, with 54.3 coronavirus cases recorded for every 100,000 people between July 20 and 26. In comparison, Leicester's outbreak has dropped slightly to 53.2. Only Blackburn with Darwen is currently being hit worse than Oldham, with the area recording 85.9 cases per 100,000 people in the past week

4MILLION FUNDING TO INVESTIGATE BAME AND COVID-19 LINK Scientists have been given 4.3million to investigate why black and Asian people are more likely to die from Covid-19. UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health Research have funded six new research projects which will examine the link between coronavirus and ethnicity. Emerging evidence suggests BAME (black and minority ethnic) people are nearly twice as likely to die of Covid-19 than those who are white, after taking into account the age of the individuals and other sociodemographic factors. The six projects are: One will explore the impact of Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, specifically on migrant and refugee groups.

Another will look for ways to create targeted, digital health messages with help from key voices within BAME communities.

The 2.1 million UK-Reach project, which received the largest proportion of the fund, will calculate the risk of contracting and dying from Covid-19 for ethnic minority healthcare workers.

One of the research projects will seek to determine the risk of infection and death from Covid-19 in individual ethnicity groups, combining more than 40million patient GP records in England to create one of the largest Covid-19 cohorts in the UK.

Another project will use data from the UK Biobank, which contains biomedical information of 500,000 individuals, to examine whether the increased risk of developing severe Covid-19 in minority ethnic groups can be explained by differences in health status, lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity, and environmental factors such as social inequality.

The final research project aims to help enable the designers of clinical trials to consider the factors that may reduce the inclusion of BAME participants, such as culture, or trial information and procedures. Advertisement

He warned: 'The point is that I'm not sure that sense of clear, single-minded determination to do everything we can is being done and that's what I mean by suppressing.

'To really take the attitude that yes, we can resume normal living  you can go out, you can do things, but make sure that we have very clear messages about what is expected of both the public and workers to stop the spread.

'There are measures that can be taken and at the moment I think I see too many examples of potential spread, just walking out into the High Street and peering through shop windows.

'If a hair dresser wears a visor without a mask, that's not going to suppress the virus. Has that message gone to all employers as to what needs to be done to stop the spread of the virus?

'If you look at the figures at the moment, the last ONS figures from last Friday, the weekly figures, the infection rate has increased.

'We're now seeing about 2,700 new cases a day compared to 2,500 the week before. And so I think now is the time we must be much more robust and rigorous about how we mitigate the spread.'

It comes after Boris Johnson warned there are 'signs of a second wave' of Covid-19 in Europe as the Prime Minister defended the UK's decision to reimpose quarantine rules on Spanish travel.

Leading experts insisted that ministers don't need to panic yet about rising coronavirus cases in Britain, after it was revealed that Boris Johnson fears a second wave could start within a fortnight.

A senior government source told the Mail the Prime Minister was 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up' both at home and across Europe. A spike in infections have been recorded in Spain, triggering a last-minute decision to place the holiday hotspot on the UK's travel quarantine list, Germany and France.

A Downing Street source said: 'The PM is extremely concerned by what he's seeing abroad and fears we could be seeing the same thing here in a fortnight.

'People have got to realise we are still in the middle of a pandemic. He wants to go further on opening things up and getting people back to work, but he knows it'll be his head on the block if things go wrong.'

But Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease specialist at the University of East Anglia, moved to reassure the nation and said: 'Give us a couple of weeks before we start panicking.'

He told MailOnline cases in the UK are drifting up but not escalating quickly and revealed it was possible 'we could last out August' without the need to adopt any blanket measures to prevent another crisis.

One scientist warned the spike 'was to be expected' because of lockdown being eased earlier this month, when millions of Britons flocked to pubs to celebrate 'Super Saturday' on July 4.

Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, said: 'The UK has never been free from infection, we have had 100s of cases per day every day since March. However, the number of cases measured are not comparable to March.

'The increase in cases was to be expected, as the lockdown eases, the opportunity for the virus to spread will increase.

'The government intervention that will make the most difference in keeping the lid on this flare up, is the isolation of positive cases.

British Medical Association chief says the Government is NOT doing enough to stop a second wave and is sending out 'mixed messages' about masks and social distancing The UK Government is not doing enough to stop a second wave of coronavirus, the head of the British Medical Association warned amid fears the virus is making a comeback. Dr Chaand Nagpaul told MPs that mixed messaging around key preventative measures including mask-wearing and social distancing was behind infections spiking by nearly 30 per cent last week. He demanded ministers lay out a coherent strategy for how they plan to prevent a Covid-19 resurgence from battering the UK in the winter, when other illnesses are rife and the NHS is vulnerable to being overwhelmed. Dr Nagpaul told a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on coronavirus: 'At the moment we're not doing everything we should in trying to contain the virus. 'If I look even at something as simple as our messages on social distancing: we're told that social distancing is still two metres, or one metre plus. 'Do you think any member of the public understands what one metre plus means? What does the plus mean? Many don't really understand this because it's not clear and they're not social distancing.' Dr Nagpaul slammed ministers for not enforcing mask-wearing, saying it risked sending the message they were optional. He added: 'If you want to suppress a virus you don't just make an announcement and then leave people with free will whether to wear them... you then follow that up with a very systematic approach to make sure that happens. 'What I mean by suppressing is you take an attitude that says: we want to do absolutely everything to make sure the infection doesn't spread. That needs a much more robust approach.' He warned: 'The point is that I'm not sure that sense of clear, single-minded determination to do everything we can is being done and that's what I mean by suppressing. 'To really take the attitude that yes, we can resume normal living  you can go out, you can do things, but make sure that we have very clear messages about what is expected of both the public and workers to stop the spread. 'There are measures that can be taken and at the moment I think I see too many examples of potential spread, just walking out into the High Street and peering through shop windows. 'If a hair dresser wears a visor without a mask, that's not going to suppress the virus. Has that message gone to all employers as to what needs to be done to stop the spread of the virus? 'If you look at the figures at the moment, the last ONS figures from last Friday, the weekly figures, the infection rate has increased. 'We're now seeing about 2,700 new cases a day compared to 2,500 the week before. And so I think now is the time we must be much more robust and rigorous about how we mitigate the spread.' Advertisement

'I remain concerned that not enough effort has been put into isolation measures. Its self-defeating to vilify young people who are infectious but otherwise well for not wanting to keep making disproportionately heavy financial and life sacrifices.'

He added: 'What I fear is that if we fail to check this flare up, we will head into the winter months with a high level of circulating virus.

'With the normal winter illnesses and greater indoor living, we could then see a return to exponential growth in Covid-19 cases that overwhelms the NHS and requires complete lockdown. Many scientists have consistently emphasised that we have only short time to get our systems ready to prevent this.'

Ministers have been warning of a potential second wave of the pandemic this winter but now fear it could come sooner. On a visit to Nottingham yesterday, Mr Johnson  who earlier this month played down the prospect of another national lockdown  said Britons must not drop their guard.

He added: 'The most important thing is for everybody in all communities to heed the advice, to follow the advice, not to be spreading it accidentally and get it right down and we'll be able to ease the restrictions across the country.

'But clearly we now face, I'm afraid, the threat of a second wave in other parts of Europe and we just have to be vigilant.'

But a video of a Staffordshire pub showing some 200 people crammed into a beer garden 'like sardines' in a clear breach of coronavirus rules suggests some Britons have, indeed, dropped their guard.

The market town is fighting a coronavirus outbreak linked to the local pub where at least ten people were infected.

Punters and staff who were at the Crown and Anchor in Stone between July 16 and 18 are now being told to urgently get swabs done, as well as anyone who has been in close contact with visitors to the pub.

A new testing centre has been set up 350 yards away at a car park, and people who were out in Stone on one of those nights who have since displayed symptoms despite not going to the pub should also now get a test.

Local resident Ayrron Robinson, who has lived opposite the pub in Stone for four years, filmed the clip from his window after becoming concerned about an apparent lack of social distancing.

He said: 'If we do have to go into local lockdown then the pub has a lot to answer for.'

Several places in England are under the careful watch of health officials who are trying to squash cases after a recent spike, including Leicester, Oadby and Wigston, Blackburn and Darwen, and Luton.

Oldham overtook Leicester to have the second highest Covid-19 infection rate in England, with 54.3 coronavirus cases recorded for every 100,000 people between July 20 and 26.

The weekly infection rate for the Greater Manchester town has risen by 191 per cent. In comparison, Leicester's outbreak has dropped slightly to 53.2.

Only Blackburn with Darwen is currently being hit worse than Oldham, with the area recording 85.9 cases per 100,000 people in the past week.

Local officials have pleaded with locals to abide by tough restrictions implemented yesterday, in a desperate bid to prevent a full-blown lockdown like that seen in Leicester currently.

Two thirds of new Covid-19 cases in Oldham are among Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, the council said, and a significant proportion of recent cases involve multiple individuals testing positive within a household.

It comes as scientists are given 4.3million to investigate why black and Asian people are more likely to die from Covid-19.

UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health Research have funded six new research projects which will examine the link between coronavirus and ethnicity.

Emerging evidence suggests BAME (black and minority ethnic) people are nearly twice as likely to die of Covid-19 than those who are white, after taking into account the age of the individuals and other sociodemographic factors.

Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England and head of the National Institute for Health Research, said: 'With evidence showing that people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are more severely affected by Covid-19, it is critical that we understand what factors are driving this risk to address them effectively.

'The diverse range of projects funded will help examine this association in detail, so that new treatments and approaches to care can be developed to target the ethnicities most at risk.

'This research will have embedded patient and public involvement with black, Asian and minority ethnic groups at all stages of the research.'

In other developments in the battle against Covid-19, a multi-million pound deal has been struck in the UK for 60million doses of another potential Covid-19 vaccine - the fourth so far.

Number 10's agreement with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur mean the UK has access to a total of 250million doses  enough to allow everyone in Britain to have four each, if they work.

Scientists have yet to trial GSK/Sanofi's vaccine on humans and studies to prove it works won't begin until September. Other contenders purchased by Number 10 have already shown signs of promise in tests.

The Government's deal with GSK/Sanofi allegedly costs 500million, The Sunday Times reported earlier this month, which will be paid in stages as the vaccine progresses through clinical trials.

It is not expected to reach phase 3 trials  the last phase of testing before it can be approved for use on humans  until December.

Europe had 50% 'excess mortality' at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak  with Spain seeing a 155% increase compared to Germany's 11%

Europe experienced a 50 per cent rise in excess mortality at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, according to data released by France's Insee statistics agency.

The figures show that over the course of one week, between March 30 and April 6, European countries saw more than 33,742 excess deaths.

Excess mortality is the number of deaths in a given period over and above what would normally be expected and is a measure widely used to estimate how many people died due to Covid-19.

Spain experienced the highest excess mortality in that week, with 155 per cent, after recording 12,545 excess deaths.

It was followed by Italy, Belgium and France during this period which was 'the peak of excess mortality... linked to the COVID-19 epidemic' in Europe, according to Insee.

Europe experienced a 50 per cent rise in excess mortality at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, according to data released by France's Insee statistics agency. Spain experienced the highest excess mortality, between March 30 and April 6, with 155 per cent

Germany, western Europe's most populated country, had a comparably much lower excess mortality rate across the same period.

The study did not mention data from Britain, which has Europe's highest coronavirus death toll, as it is no longer a member of the European Union.

But previous figures from the Office for National Statistics placed England and Wales among the worst effected countries across a similar period.

In previous years the number of deaths in Europe tend to decline from March onwards after the annual flu season.

But the Insee agency said that in 2020 the figure rose sharply based on data collected by EU agency Eurostat from 21 national jurisdictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Italy had a 67 per cent increase in excess mortality rate with the country recording 7,669 excess deaths over the set week. Pictured: Medical staff treating coronavirus patients in the intensive care unit at the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in Bergamo, Italy

Compared to data for the years 2016 to 2019, Spain had the highest excess mortality in that week, with 155 per cent, after recording 12,545 excess deaths.

This was followed by 91 per cent in Belgium with 1,908 excess deaths and 67 per cent in Italy where 7,669 excess deaths were recorded.

France was also amongst the worst hit with a 60 per cent increase in the excess mortality rate after reporting 7,327 additional deaths, said the Insee.

Germany had a comparably much lower excess mortality rate of just 11 per cent with 2,076 excess deaths across the same period.

The study did not mention data from Britain but figures previously released by the ONS showed that in England and Wales there were 6,082 excess deaths across a similar time period - 59 per cent above average.

Spain had the highest excess mortality in that week, with 155 per cent, after recording 12,545 excess deaths. Pictured: Temporary hospital for Covid-19 patients located at the Ifema convention and exhibition centre in Madrid, Spain, following the peak of the pandemic

The overall excess mortality rate for Europe was 48 per cent following 33,742 excess deaths.

The upward trend in excess mortality rates decreased progressively across Europe and all but disappeared by the beginning of May.

Over a longer period, from March 2 to April 26, the Insee said more than 80 per cent of the excess mortality jointly registered in 21 European countries was from Spain, Italy, Belgium and France.

As a whole, more men than women died, the data showed, and these were mostly people aged 70 and older.

It noted a series of marked differences in excess mortality between countries and even between regions within countries.

These were likely due to differences in population age and density, access to healthcare, the timing and method of lifting confinement measures, and the ability to work from home, according to the Insee, though it could not say which factors played the biggest role.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 29, 2020) - Royal Road Minerals (TSXV: RYR) ("RRM" or the "Company") today announces that it has filed amended certificates of the qualified person pursuant to Part 8 of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI43-101") in connection with the technical reports (the "Technical Reports") prepared for the Company by Luna Recursos Naturales and Mr. Nigel Chapman, B.Sc. HONS, M.AIG, dated and filed by the Company on June 5, 2020 and titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Luna Roja Property Northeastern Nicaragua", "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Caribe Property Northeastern Nicaragua", "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Guintar-Niverengo Margaritas Property, Antioquia, Central Colombia", and "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Formalisation Properties, Narino, Western Colombia".

This filing is being made at the request of the Ontario Securities Commission staff in connection with a review being conducted in connection with the filing of a short form prospectus by the Company. The amended certificates state that Mr. Chapman was not independent of the Company, applying the test set out in Section 1.5 of NI43-101 and that Mr. Chapman had prior involvement with the properties that are the subject of the Technical Reports while he served as a contractor and employee of the Company during the period from March 2019 to January 31, 2020.

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.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Timothy Coughlin

President and Chief Executive Officer

USA-Canada toll free 1800 6389205

+44 (0)1534 887166

+44 (0)7797 742800

info@royalroadminerals.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/60739
In this Nov. 3, 2014, file photo, Diego Valencia processes Oregon ballots at Multnomah County election headquarters in Portland, Ore. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is touting a new report that found nearly 78,000 Oregonians who are 16 and 17 were pre-registered to vote under the state's automatic voter registration law. The law, which is seen as a national model for voter participation, automatically signs Oregonians up to vote when they get a driver's license. Read more

Governor Tom Wolf and Republicans who control the state legislature had no idea that brokering a deal almost a year ago to substantially expand mail-in voting would be so important. There was absolutely no way to know at the time that COVID-19 would hit.

Because of the pandemic, Pennsylvania voters aggressively sought out the option to vote by mail this past spring primary, casting almost 1.5 million mail-in and absentee ballots in the primary. Voting in person will hopefully remain a safe and secure option in November, but it is likely that an even larger number of voters will use a mail-in ballot. Stated simply, mail voting was a reform that arrived right on time.

We should build on this success by seeking out other voting reforms that ought to be embraced in the age of the coronavirus.

 READ MORE: Radicalizing the vote: 10 ideas that just might save democracy | Opinion

A perfect example is Automatic Voter Registration. Its a policy option that can increase the efficiency of our voter registration administration and has the potential to benefit public health efforts at the same time.

Here is how Automatic Voter Registration (often called AVR) works: Eligible Pennsylvania residents would automatically be registered to vote whenever they interact with a state government agency. For example, let us say that someone fills out a form to get their fishing license and submits it to the Fish and Boat Commission. The person getting their fishing license is then automatically registered to vote if they are eligible based on the information provided. Automatic Voter Registration creates a lot of government efficiencies, so has been growing in popularity around the country. Adopters include a bipartisan group of state and local governments.

There are 19 states that currently implement some form of AVR statewide, including Georgia, Michigan, Alaska, and West Virginia. AVR is popular because it is a secure and simple way for people to register to vote. The savings and efficiencies are obvious, but the positive public health consequences might be less visible.

 READ MORE: Presidential elections usually inspire a big jump in voter registration. Not in Pa. this year.

To begin, Automatic Voter Registration decreases the amount of interaction that the public has to have with government in order to register to vote. That means fewer people visiting county offices to drop off voter registration forms. That means fewer physical interactions and opportunities to spread COVID-19. Ultimately, this easy reform builds social distancing into the voter registration process. It reduces the need for the public to interact in person with government employees. This is a really simple thing that we can do to reduce the spread.

Automatic voter registration also significantly decreases the need for voter registration campaigns in the fall. Civic organizations often go door-to-door to make sure that people are registered in every community. Political participation is important, so these activities are vital to continue even during an emergency. Obviously, going door-to-door is not ideal during a pandemic. Making the voter registration process more efficient makes these types of campaigns less necessary. People will already be registered to vote, so there is no need for big registration drives. This has the potential to help slow the spread of the virus.

 READ MORE: Trump and the RNC sued to tighten Pa. voting rules. Pennsylvania Democrats just sued back.

Resources are going to be scarce in the coming few years due to a possible recession, especially when it comes to state government. We need to throw every dollar we have at combating the virus and the devastating economic impact. That is why the biggest benefit of implementing Automatic Voter Registration is the savings created by its efficiencies. We can spend those savings on public health efforts to combat the coronavirus, including the many efforts that have to be undertaken to ensure that our polling places are safe and healthy places for people to participate in our democracy.

Now is the time for Pennsylvania to adopt Automatic Voter Registration for every agency in state government. It will improve efficiency, save money, and help in the battle against the coronavirus.

Wade Albert is an attorney in Philadelphia who advises political candidates on election law compliance. He is the immediate past president of the Center City Residents Association, a neighborhood-based organization that promotes civic engagement including voter registration.
The Supreme Court has struck out an injunction application seeking to stop Mr Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu from acting as Auditor-General.



A seven-member panel of the court struck out the application filed by Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, a lawyer based in the USA, who is in court challenging President Nana Akufo-Addos directive for Mr Dominic Domelevo, the substantive Auditor-General, to proceed on leave.



The interlocutory injunction application was struck out after lawyer for the plaintiff, Mr Eric Alifu , withdrew it.



That was after the court ruled that the Acting Auditor -General and the substantive Auditor -General whose names were listed as defendants to the suit were not proper parties.



According to the court, the suit is challenging the constitutionality of the action of the President and therefore the only defendant must be the Attorney-General .



The seven-member panel was presided over by Justice Jones Doste with Justices Paul Baffoe -Bonnie , Yaw Appau , Samuel K Marful Sau, Nene Amegatcher and Lovelace Avril Johnson as members.



With the injunction struck out, the apex court will now proceed to hear the substantive case.



Suit



Professor Asare is in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the President directive for Mr Domelevo to proceed on leave.



It is his case that the directive by the President is inconsistent with Article 187 of the 1992 Constitution.



According to the plaintiff, except for the compulsory retirement age of 60 years, the tenure of the Auditor-General cannot be disturbed by a Presidential directive.













Source: Graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Revenue Commissioners will not oppose an application to the High Court to approve a survival scheme for regional airline CityJet.

During a brief hearing before the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Michael Quinn heard that Revenue has obtained clarification from the airline's court-appointed examiner on what it regards as important issues.

The examiner, Kieran Wallace of KPMG, is recommending the scheme, which has the support of the majority of the airline's creditors, be approved.

The hearing of the application to have the scheme formally approved by the High Court is fixed for later this week.

If the scheme is approved by the court, the arrangement with creditors will allow the business to survive as a going concern.

The judge welcomed the clarification regarding the Revenue's position.

Last April, the airline sought the protection of the courts, claiming it was insolvent owing to financial difficulties which were exacerbated after its fleet of more than 30 aircraft was grounded owing to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The impact of the pandemic interrupted a planned merger with another airline and a proposed private restructure of the company, it claimed.

It has debts of 500m and, at the time of entering the examinership process, had a net deficit of liabilities over assets on a going concern basis of 186m.
The Bay Area topped 50,000 coronavirus cases Tuesday, an ignominious milestone in a seemingly interminable year loaded with misfortune, heartache and numbing restrictions on peoples movements that are likely to continue for some time.

The Bay Areas nine counties together recorded 50,230 cases in the midst of a statewide surge in infections. The number of fatalities caused by COVID-19 in the Bay Area stood at 784 on Tuesday.

In an attempt to halt the crisis, Contra Costa on Tuesday became the third Bay Area county to implement fines for violating coronavirus health orders, including not wearing a mask. The county supervisors passed an urgency ordinance fining individuals up to $500 and businesses $1,000 for repeatedly violating the rules. Napa and Marin counties this month enacted similar fines of up to $5,000 and $10,000, respectively, for businesses.

The state also ordered bars closed and and banned indoor dining and other activities this month, putting a stop to the economys long-awaited reopening, which had begun in June.

On Tuesday, California reported 473,522 cases and 8,722 deaths since the pandemic began in January. The state has averaged 91 COVID-19 deaths a day so far this month, compared with 64 a day in June.

Stephen Lam/Special to The Chronicle

Dr. Mark Ghaly, Californias secretary of Health and Human Services, said during a video conference Tuesday that Black and Latino people have had higher rates of infection and deaths than other groups, and that the case rate is generally climbing among Latinos. Although cases are falling among Black people, he said, the death rate in that group remains high.

In May, African Americans made up 6.4% of Californias coronavirus cases. That has fallen to 4.3%, while the death rate is more than double that: 8.5%.

Latinos made up 47% of the states reported infections in May. As of Tuesday, Latinos accounted for 56% of cases and 46% of deaths from COVID-19.

What were looking for is a reduction in those trends, said Ghaly, who also announced that the state will begin reporting LGBTQ coronavirus data, similar to what it does for race and gender.

The high rate of infection in the Latino community has been of major concern in the Bay Area, particularly in San Francisco, where Latinos make up 15% of the population but account for 50% of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Latinos are hit especially hard in the pandemic because many work in essential jobs where it can be difficult to practice social distancing. And because much of the work is low-wage, many in the community may live in crowded situations that can make it harder to stay healthy during the pandemic.

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

COVID-19 has highlighted in stark ways the preexisting racial and ethnic socioeconomic and health disparities that exist in California and the United States as a whole, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, chief of infectious diseases in the Department of Pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine. These disparities must first be recognized and documented. Solutions will not always be simple, but access to care and economic support may be a good start.

In an effort to expand testing among Latinos, UCSF is setting up a free pop-up testing site at the 24th Street Mission BART Station in San Francisco, within a largely Latino area of the city. Priority will be given to workers in the neighborhood, commuters and BART employees during the three-week program, which will be open Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, Bay Area hospitalizations for COVID-19 rose 22% in the last two weeks, to 771, according to state data released Tuesday.

The number of patients hospitalized in San Francisco reached an all-time high of 101.

In Alameda County, 198 people were hospitalized, including 10 sent to the hospital Tuesday.

As Bay Area cases topped 50,000, San Mateo County stood out with 5,198 people infected  including 79 new cases Tuesday. Thats significant because the Peninsula county is the only one in the Bay Area not on the states watch list, which is based on rising coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

Californias spike in cases  averaging 8,477 new cases a day this month, compared to 4,007 a day in June  prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to issue new orders on July 13 outlawing indoor operations of barbershops and salons, gyms, malls and places of worship for counties on the watch list. San Mateo will join the other counties if it fails to meet key metrics outlined by Newsom for at least three consecutive days.

Now Playing: Frances Moore and other volunteers gather at Jasper P. Driver Plaza each Tuesday to distribute food and resources to their unhoused and otherwise vulnerable neighbors. Video: Caron Creighton

As of Tuesday, 36 of Californias 58 counties were on the watch list.

Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis said the reason was simple that her county decided to join those that will cite and fine people who fail to follow the rules.

Were trying to get COVID under control and we need people to put on their masks, she said.

There is hope, however, as the pace of infection appears to have slowed in many places over the past week.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Overall, the rate of rise is starting to decrease and, in some parts of California, flatten, Ghaly said.

Marin County, which has struggled with a rash of cases at San Quentin State Prison, has seen COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations drop.

Dr. Lisa Santora, the deputy public health officer in Marin, said the number of hospitalizations is down, and she expects to see a continued reduction in new cases countywide.

Were seeing hospitalizations flatten, Santora said. We saw increased activity in early June through some demonstrations and personal gatherings. Im hopeful, as residents have seen these increases in rates (as a result of) attendance at family and large gatherings, they reconsider that.

But health care officials say California is a long way from being out of the woods.

The California Department of Public Health said the rate of positive tests in California  considered a key indicator of community spread  was 7.5% over the past 14 days and is trending upward. The goal is to drop the positive test rate to 5% or lower. The high was 49.8% in April.

Some of the increase in positive tests could be the result of more testing, health officials said. Thats why state officials use the 14-day average to determine how much the coronavirus is spreading.

California recently passed New York in the number of cases per state. Californias seven-day average of new cases is 9,397 a day, Ghaly said. Thats a 2.3% increase compared with the previous week. The seven-day average for deaths is 108 a day, almost a 19% increase over the previous week.

Ghaly said the Central Valley has been hit harder than any other place in California, with most counties there reporting rising case numbers and hospitalizations.

We see some of the highest rates of test positivity in the Central Valley, he said, adding that the state will focus intensely on that region over the next six weeks, working with counties and local agencies to increase testing and provide more resources, particularly for the Latino community.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Catherine Ho and Aidin Vaziri contributed to this report.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
The imam Mahmoud Dicko, a key figure in the opposition coalition, wants both President Keita and his prime minister, Boubou Cisse, to step down (AFP Photo/MICHELE CATTANI)

Bamako (AFP) - Mali's opposition on Wednesday reiterated calls for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign, again spurning a compromise floated by West African leaders seeking to resolve a weeks-old political crisis.

Using the acronym by which the president is known, prominent opposition leader Choguel Maiga told a news conference that "the only watchword remains the resignation of IBK".

He said a "second phase of civil disobedience" would occur three days after the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, which the faithful will celebrate this week.

Mahmoud Dicko, a Saudi-trained imam who is considered the figurehead of the opposition June 5 Movement, also told reporters that he had asked Prime Minister Boubou Cisse to step down.

The announcements mark an entrenchment for the movement, which has not budged from urging Keita's resignation despite several high-profile efforts to mediate the political impasse.

The loose alliance of opposition groups and religious leaders has since last month has been channelling deep anger in Mali over a dire economy, perceived corruption and a brutal jihadist conflict.

Already on Tuesday they dismissed a plan to break the impasse with Keita, which the 15-nation regional bloc ECOWAS had put forward the previous day.

West African leaders had suggested forming a new unity government to resolve an election dispute that has sparked outrage.

By Monday evening, Keita had already appointed a stripped-down government with the intention to recruit opposition members.

Cisse also visited Dicko on Tuesday evening to invite him to bring his June 5 Movement into a unity government, at which point the imam asked him to step down.

"Mali is not a submissive or resigned people," Dicko said on Wednesday. "The Malian nation must be restored by Malians for Malians and for Malians."

-'Not going to resign'-

Keita, in power since 2013, has come under increasing pressure to resolve Mali's brutal eight-year-old jihadist revolt, and kickstart the slumping economy.

Story continues

But much of the Sahel nation's current tension was sparked in April, when the Constitutional Court tossed out 30 results from long-delayed parliamentary elections -- a move that benefited Keita's party.

Protests ratcheted up into a crisis on July 10 when an anti-Keita rally organised by the June 5 Movement turned violent.

Eleven people died in clashes with security forces over several days, marking the bloodiest political unrest the former French colony has seen in years.

But the June 5 Movement has continued to insist on Keita's departure, despite two ECOWAS mediation missions which suggested a new unity government, and a resolution to the election quarrel.

ECOWAS leaders confirmed that plan via video link on Monday -- sticking by Keita -- and backed a new vote for the 30 disputed seats in the election.

But 29 of the 30 MPs whose election victories are in question refused to step down on Wednesday.

"We've come together and we're not going to resign. Our constitution is being violated by the ECOWAS declaration," opposition MP Gougnon Coulibaly told reporters.

- Storm clouds -

Wednesday's rejection marks at least the fourth time that Mali's opposition has rebuffed efforts at compromise, raising the spectre of further unrest.

The standoff with Keita has alarmed Mali's international allies and neighbours, who are keen to avoid the country sliding into chaos.

Far from the capital, much of the vast West African state lies outside government control and is overrun by jihadists and ethnic militias.

Mali has been struggling to quell a Islamist revolt that first emerged in the country in 2012, then spread to the centre, and to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thousands of civilians and soldiers have died in the conflict to date, and hundreds of thousands have had to flee their homes.
David Schwimmer says the Friends reunion is 'definitely' happening.

The 53-year-old actor opened up about the plans for the HBO Max special during an interview with Today's Hoda Kotb and Nick Mohammed.

Schwimmer seemed surprised that Hoda even asked, telling the AM host: 'There is definitely going to be a Friends reunion.

Green light: David Schwimmer says the Friends reunion is 'definitely' happening

Plans are already in motion according to David, who said: 'We have a lot of the creative aspects of the show [worked out.]'

'It's unscripted but there are going to be some surprise funny bits,' he dished.

But there are still details to work out, namely how to keep everyone safe from the pandemic during production.

'The real question is when,' David said. 'We're still trying to figure that out because we want to do it when it's safe for everyone.'

Minor set back: The show planned to start shooting in August but the pandemic has meant final plans are still up in the air

Yesterday's news: Schwimmer seemed surprised that host Hoda Kotb even asked, as the special has been confirmed for some time

But he made it clear that all of the original cast was on board, telling the AM show: 'It's not a question.'

When it's time to shoot Schwimmer will be joined by Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Leblanc and Matthew Perry as well as creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane.

Rumors have been swirling around the project since The Hollywood Reporter revealed that a reunion special with HBO Max was happening.

Laughs around: 'It's unscripted but there are going to be some surprise funny bits,' he dished

A true reunion: When it's time to shoot Schwimmer will be joined by Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow (bottom right corner), Matt Leblanc and Matthew Perry as well as creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane

According to previous reports from The Mirror, the show was set to start shooting in August.

'There are going to be very strict guidelines and that includes no live audiences,' one source told the outlet.

They added that, 'all of the cast will be tested for Covid-19, and asked to quarantine in isolation after theyve had the tests.'

The special - which the Mirror says will 'be a mix of interviews and sketches' - will be back on the original series Stage 24 of the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:22:10|Editor: huaxia

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WINDHOEK, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Namibia has approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a 4.5 billion Namibian dollars (273 million U.S. dollars) emergency loan to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Finance Ministry confirmed Wednesday.

According to the Finance Ministry spokesperson Tonateni Shidhudhu, Namibia submitted the application to the IMF through the Rapid Financing Instrument to address the impact of COVID-19 last week.

"We submitted an application to the IMF last week. We will assess the terms and conditions to see if they are favourable to Namibia. We hope we get what we asked for," Shidhudhu said.

The recent surge in novel coronavirus cases in Namibia has forced the country to for the first time since joining in 1990 turn to the IMF for assistance.

Namibia has so far recorded 1,986 coronavirus cases and 9 deaths. Enditem
Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Republican from Texas, tested positive for coronavirus right after previously refusing to wear a mask. Gohmert's test came before he was supposed to board Air Force One with President Donald Trump as Trump travels to West Texas.

Gohmert, 66, tweeted out a statement after his diagnosis became public, saying he had tested positive for COVID-19 in both a rapid test and nasal swab test at the White House earlier today.

Gohmert used a widely-condemned phrase when referring to the virus in his video statement. "I'm asymptomatic, I don't have any of the symptoms listed as part of COVID-19, but apparently I have the Wuhan virus," he said.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Harris County ZIP codes with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases

Gohmert also pushed back against reports saying that he was admonished for not wearing a mask during Tuesday's judiciary hearings where Attorney General William Barr testified for nearly six hours.

"Look, I've worn a mask more the last week or two than I have in the whole last four months," Gohmert said. "I was wearing my mask at the judiciary hearing."

"But it is interesting, and I don't know about everybody, but when I have a mask on, I'm moving it to make it comfortable and I can't help but wonder if that puts some germs in the mask," Gohmert continued. "Anyway, who knows."

Gohmert has reportedly been walking around the Capitol without a mask, telling CNN he was being tested regularly for COVID-19 and did not feel the need to wear one.

"I don't have the coronavirus, turns out as of yesterday I've never had it. But if I get it, you'll never see me without a mask," Gohmert told CNN last month.

After he tested positive, Gohmert reportedly returned to Capitol Hill to inform his staff "in person" that he had contracted coronavirus, ABC News reporter Katherine Faulders tweeted. Faulders said on Twitter that Gohmert was wearing a mask when he spoke to his staff.

Gohmert says he will isolate for 10 days after his diagnosis.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Equipment Leasing Software Market Research Report by Equipment Type (Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing & Warehouse Tools, Medical & Biotechnology, and Office Furniture, IT Hardware & Software), by Deployment (On-Cloud and On-Premise), by End User - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05940573/?utm_source=PRN



The Global Equipment Leasing Software Market is expected to grow from USD 545.88 Million in 2019 to USD 1,198.97 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.01%.



Market Segmentation & Coverage:

This research report categorizes the Equipment Leasing Software to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:



"The Office Furniture, IT Hardware & Software is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Equipment Type, the Equipment Leasing Software Market studied across Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing & Warehouse Tools, Medical & Biotechnology, Office Furniture, IT Hardware & Software, and Transportation. The Transportation commanded the largest size in the Equipment Leasing Software Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Office Furniture, IT Hardware & Software is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



"The On-Cloud is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Deployment, the Equipment Leasing Software Market studied across On-Cloud and On-Premise. The On-Cloud commanded the largest size in the Equipment Leasing Software Market in 2019, and it is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



"The SMEs is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on End User, the Equipment Leasing Software Market studied across Large Enterprises and SMEs. The Large Enterprises commanded the largest size in the Equipment Leasing Software Market in 2019. On the other hand, the SMEs is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



"The Asia-Pacific is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Geography, the Equipment Leasing Software Market studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region surveyed across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. The Americas commanded the largest size in the Equipment Leasing Software Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



Company Usability Profiles:

The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Equipment Leasing Software Market including Accurate Leasing Ltd, Asset Panda, Constellation Financing Systems, International Decision Systems Group, NETSOL Technologies, Odessa Technologies Inc., Q2 Software, Inc., Soft4Leasing, Sopra Steria Group SA, and WHITE CLARKE GROUP LIMITED.



FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Equipment Leasing Software Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.



Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth.



Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:

COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Equipment Leasing Software Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Equipment Leasing Software Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Equipment Leasing Software Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Equipment Leasing Software Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Equipment Leasing Software Market?

6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Equipment Leasing Software Market?



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05940573/?utm_source=PRN



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.



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Minister of Health Paulette Lenert met up with the Minister of Health of the German federal state of Saarland, Monika Bachmann, on Tuesday.

The two ministers discussed the current Covid-19 situation in the border region between Luxembourg and Germany.

Since 14 July, Luxembourg has been classified as an "at-risk country" in Germany. This means for instance that residents from Luxembourg need a negative Covid-19 test in order to enter Saarland without having to go into quarantine.

Bachmann stressed that she intends to stand up for the Luxembourgish-German friendship especially in the current situation, and that it is important to have a continuous dialogue in order to reassess the situation regularly.

A joint pandemic plan, which is intended to apply transnationally, is expected to be available towards the end of the year.
Bhubaneswar, July 29 : The Odisha government has released as many as 16,639 undertrial prisoners (UTPs) and 150 convicts from various jails across the state due to the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, said an official on Wednesday.

The prisoners have been released between March 20 and July 28 as part of decongestion measures of jails following the recommendation of a high-power committee.

As per the direction of the Supreme Court and decision of the high-power committee of the state, th prisoners have been released by court orders, said a statement from the Directorate of Prisons and Correctional Services.

"As directed by High-Powered Committee, the Undertrial Review Committees of 30 districts having District Judges, District Magistrates, Superintendents of police, Secretary DLSA & Jail superintendents as members had taken conscious decisions on merit for ensuring decongestion of jails," the statement said.

This apart, a total of 1,202 prisoners have been shifted from overcrowded jails to less crowded jails so far.
LAS VEGAS, NEW MEXICO  A second suspect in the shooting death of a Las Vegas, New Mexico, teenager earlier this month was arrested Tuesday following a five-hour standoff with a New Mexico State Police Tactical Team.

Roger A. Tait-Gomez, 28, was arrested at his mothers residence in Las Vegas while police were executing a search warrant at the home, according to a news release. He is charged with first degree murder, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, two counts of aggravated battery and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Tait-Gomez is the second suspect arrested in the July 6 shooting that left 16-year-old Adelina Tafoya of Las Vegas dead and two other teenagers with gunshot wounds.

On July 24, State Police arrested 30-year-old Nico Barela. He is facing the same charges as Tait-Gomez, plus an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a felon.

State Police responded to a report of a shooting at about 11:44 p.m. July 6 on N.M. 518 near the entrance to Storrie Lake State Park. Three people were found to have suffered gunshot wounds and were transported to Alta Vista Regional Hospital in Las Vegas. Tafoya did not survive her injuries while the other victims, a 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy, were treated by medical personnel.

The Las Vegas Optic on Tuesday reported that the teenagers were shot at because they were mistaken for rival drug dealers.
A new Mount Maunganui dramedy series is launching its pilot online tonight at 7pm.

Produced by Barefoot Film, Chloe and the  series features Tauranga actors, was written by Tauranga screenwriter Alyssa Stringfellow, and features a soundtrack from local band L.A.B. who are currently storming the NZ music scene.

With funding through the Creative Communities Scheme, the pilot, which is also being screened by SunLive, stars screenwriter Alyssa as Chloe, a woman who just cant seem to sort out her life. She is joined by some well-known faces including Survivor Nicaragua runner up Tom Paterson, and Luci Hare from the television series Mean Mums and Auckward Love.

The trailer for the pilot was released on Wednesday July 22, a week ahead of tonights pilot.

Weve had a huge outpouring of love and support, says Alyssa. And weve had a few donations as well.

The public is encouraged to share tonights pilot, titled Chloe and the Crash Test across social media, direct from the Chloe and the website.

To get more funding we have to prove that we have a concept that people really want to see, says Alyssa. People wanting to see and share it is exactly how we establish that for our proposals going forward.

The trailer last week had over 4,000 views in under 24 hours.

That was completely unexpected, says Alyssa. It was really exciting.

Alyssa says that Chloe and the was based on some of the accidental fails shes had in her own life.

The creation of the pilot demonstrates the wealth of skill and talent that resides in the film sector in the Bay of Plenty and what can be achieved with strong collaboration, says Creative Bay of Plenty Funding & Project Advisor Annie Hill.

The episodes, all written by Alyssa, each has its own title, based on Chloe and the  with the pilot aptly named Chloe and the Crash Test, with the descriptive line accidental revenge never felt so confusing giving some indication about what is to come in the rest of the series.

Im really excited to see the culmination of all of our hard work come to life and to be seen by hopefully the masses, says Alyssa.

The pilot was filmed with help from Film Bay of Plenty, with the cast and crew of 47 people made up of local talent. The pilot was shot over three days with the support of Priority One, Tauranga City Council, Tauranga Airport and the Millenium Hotel in Rotorua.

Filming was completed in the week before NZ went into lockdown. The post production work continued on since then, culminating in the launch of the trailer last week, and the pilot itself tonight.

This is a really fantastic project that Film Bay of Plenty has been supporting the development of for the last 18 months, says Film Bay of Plenty manager Anton Steel, who also directed the pilot.

Now that the pilot has been filmed, funding will be sought to continue filming the remainder of the series.

We would really love it to see it come to fruition and provide jobs and income for the film community in Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty region, says Anton.

The series also provides an opportunity to develop a training ground for fresh new talent and cement the region as a highly sought after destination for film production companies, says Annie.

The New Zealand film industry has a significant competitive advantage internationally during these times. With some countries experiencing many months in lockdown, content is at a premium and the skills of the screen sector are in high demand.

We are one of the first countries in the world to come out of lockdown and into physical filming, which is driving international investment, creating high value jobs and positioning us as a creative and innovative country on the world stage, says Annie.

The film community has been growing rapidly in Tauranga over the last two to three years with directors, producers, stunt people, actors and filmmakers relocating to the Bay.

Alyssa has acted in Shortland Street, Home and Away and Rescue Special Ops before writing and starring in Chloe And The Crash Test. Originally from Australia, she is now based in Mount Maunganui with her partner and focusing largely on her career.

I am beyond grateful to everyone who has given their time for free on our project and so grateful to everyone that watches it, says Alyssa.

The production team are asking for funding to make the whole eight-episode series, and welcome any donations via the website www.chloeandthe.com .

Thank you in advance for your support, says Alyssa.

The pilot has been concurrently launched tonight on the website www.chloeandthe.com, on Instagram  www.instagram.com/chloeandthe and on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ChloeAndThe
More than two months after House Democrats proposed a $3 trillion HEROES Act coronavirus relief package to supplement the existing CARES Act passed in March, Senate Republicans countered this week with an outline for their $1 trillion HEALS Act. The latter emphasizes money for schools; liability protections for businesses; a second round of one-off stimulus checks for individuals and households; reduced unemployment benefits in favor of return-to-work incentives; and guidance for another iteration of the Paycheck Protection Program, among other items. The HEROES Act, meanwhile, stressed a continuation of existing unemployment subsidies, enhanced individual stimulus payments and greater allocations toward state and local governments and healthcare workers, to name a few of its core tenets.

The questions are myriad, particularly whether a compromise can be carved out and enacted before the Senate takes its mid-summer recess starting August 8. But beyond that unknown, there are uncertainties about the practical execution of any final legislation, not to mention whether it will effectively target and ultimately provide its intended unburdening to a wide enough swath of American employers and workers.

To help scythe our way through the regulatory weeds, we spoke with Peter Isberg, vice president of government affairs for payroll- and HR-service provider ADP. We will continue to update you on the progress of federal relief efforts as the situation evolves.

Related: Republicans Unveil Their $1 Trillion Stimulus Proposal. Here's What's in It

Between now and August 7, how, do you think this is all going to shake out in terms of effective and meaningful stimulus relief for the average American?

That's a very big question. We'll see what is eventually adopted. We're paying a lot of attention to the Paycheck Protection Program  the second round  because there were almost five million businesses that got a significant help early in the pandemic with PPP loans. And many businesses haven't been able to wrap that up and say, "Let's go ahead and document that I spent the money in accordance with the rules and therefore this is forgiven." The system isn't going to open for the forgiveness applications until at least August 10. A lot of them have a loan that has been received and spent and documented and is ready for forgiveness, and then you have another round coming, which is good news. You would be able to spend money on improvements to the work site for instance, or employee safety, personal protective gear, that kind of thing.

I'll switch gears then and talk about the employee retention tax credit, which will help employers get back to work. Previously, the CARES Act established our employee retention tax credit, which was essentially 50 percent of wages up to $10,000 for qualifying businesses that could demonstrate a reduction in revenues associated with the COVID situation. So you could either take an employee retention tax credit or get a PPP loan. A huge percentage of businesses took the loan route and therefore couldn't take the employee retention tax credit. That may be relaxed in this HEALS Act. It's going to get a lot more attention than it did with the CARES Act.

Will encouraging individuals to go back to work by reducing unemployment benefits have the intended effect if the economy is still opening slowly?

It varies dramatically by industry. If a business can't open at all, then what's helpful is to have a wage supplement. And that's exactly what they're debating today: What's the wage-replacement rate that makes sense? And a systems question is: Can we target that at an employee level so that we know don't give a broad $600 to everyone?

It took long enough to get the systems to adapt to the uniform expectation in the last relief package, so how would states possibly account for that kind of individual variance?

There's a system that states use to administer unemployment benefits, and that involves employers sending a report to every state unemployment insurance agency once a quarter, detailing the wages paid to each worker. But there's a huge lag. So the states won't have that wage information for wages paid in April, May or June until late August. The fear would be that if they're trying to customize the individual person's wage amounts, they've got a five-month lag.

Going back to PPP, what can be done in this latest package to assuage people who felt it didn't seem fair that the Omni Hotels of the world, who might've had alternative sources of capital, were able to access millions in loans?

I understand that there are provisions that would help to target the second-round loans more specifically and make clear that businesses that have access to public capital markets and things like that aren't eligible for these loans. And there's a number of points in there that clarify that certain trade associations and the like are eligible, so there are some new tweaks in the HEALS Act that we need to assess and understand.

Is there an item that's likeliest to bridge the divide between the HEROES and HEALS acts and make it through with bipartisan support?

I'd love to know that answer myself. I think we generally expect additional tax credits for employers and incentives to rehire and reopen and pay an employee. The PPP loans will certainly be there. There will be some debate about: Rather than the $600 [unemployment] supplement, what makes sense? What can they do down the road?

What group still hasn't had their needs fully addressed by either proposed legislation?

It's always difficult to address the gig economy. There are very different terms depending on your frame of reference, but there's an increasingly large percentage of the workforce that's not quite in the workforce as we know it. There's [been] an effort to extend some benefits, such as unemployment insurance to gig economy workers, and it's just tough to make that work within the systems that we have. So I think that's going to be something that they're going to struggle with, and it's going to be an interesting evolution to see. How do we extend benefits and government support to people who aren't employed in the traditional sense, but [who are] no less deserving than anybody else? That will be something to watch.

Related: House Democrats Share Details of $3 Trillion Heroes Act

Is there an essential bit of advice for someone who's either trying to keep a small business open right now or stay employed, in terms of staying on top of all these legislative developments and not being left out?

Businesses and even employees need to pay close attention to state and local announcements on opening and to what extent you can be working or keeping your businesses open. That's all very local still and very sensitive. But otherwise, I would point to the fact that Congress almost certainly will enact further supports and supplements that will be helpful to employees, the unemployed and businesses that want to stay stay afloat. And know that it's going to be tough to plan. "When can I start to see that money?" is always a tough thing. Some of this, like the employee retention tax credits  at least in the HEALS Act  would be retroactive to the beginning of the quarter, so a business could do a little bit of planning. And they should understand they're going to recover those funds by reducing their payroll tax deposits going forward. It might be helpful to just become familiar with the mechanics of: If this does pass, how do I use it?

Related:

Want to Start a Side Hustle Investing in Real Estate? Here's How to Start with $500.

Collateral Damage Of Anti-China Sentiments: the Indian Startup Ecosystem

Emergence of Indian Local Grocers



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Rio Tinto Chief Executive J-S Jacques said "We have been agile and adapted our way of working, to deliver another resilient performance while navigating the new and ongoing challenges of dealing with COVID-19. Despite the challenging backdrop, we generated underlying EBITDA of $9.6 billion, with a margin of 47%, driven by our strong and stable operations, with all of our assets continuing to operate throughout the first half. As a result, we have declared an interim dividend of $2.5 billion, equivalent to 155 US cents per share, and have reconfirmed our 2020 production guidance across all commodities.

"Our world-class portfolio of high-quality assets and our strong balance sheet consistently serve us well in all market conditions and particularly in turbulent times. This, together with our disciplined capital allocation, underpins our ability to sustain production, increase our investment in the business, pay taxes and royalties to governments and continue delivering superior returns to shareholders."

Six months ended 30 June 2020 2019 Change Net cash generated from operating activities (US$ millions) 5,628 6,389 (12)% Capital expenditure1 (US$ millions) 2,693 2,391 13% Free cash flow2 (US$ millions) 2,809 3,879 (28)% Underlying EBITDA2 (US$ millions) 9,640 10,250 (6)% Underlying earnings2 (US$ millions) 4,750 4,932 (4)% Net earnings (US$ millions) 3,316 4,130 (20)% Underlying earnings2 per share (US cents) 293.7 301.5 (3)% Ordinary dividend per share (US cents) 155.0 151.0 3% Return on capital employed (ROCE)2 21 % 23% At 30 June

2020 At 31 Dec

2019 Net debt2 (US$ millions) (4,826) (3,651)

Sustained improvement in safety performance, with the all injury frequency rate declining to 0.37 (0.42 in 2019), a reduction in the severity rate and fewer process safety incidents.

We remain committed to our relationship with communities, following the Juukan Gorge events in the Pilbara. We are engaging extensively with Traditional Owners, including the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people, and indigenous leaders in the Pilbara and across Australia. A board-led review of our heritage management processes is underway. We will make our submission to the Inquiry by the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia by 31 July.

$5.6 billion operating cash flow was 12% lower than 2019 first half, mainly due to lower prices and the effect of timing differences. In June 2020 we made a final payment of $1.0 billion in Australian income tax with respect to 2019 profits.

$2.8 billion free cash flow 2 was 28% lower than 2019 first half, reflecting the lower operating cash flow and a 13% rise in capital expenditure to $2.7 billion due to an increase in development capital.

was 28% lower than 2019 first half, reflecting the lower operating cash flow and a 13% rise in capital expenditure to $2.7 billion due to an increase in development capital. $9.6 billion underlying EBITDA 2 was 6% lower than 2019 first half, primarily due to lower prices for aluminium and copper. Iron ore prices were stable, reflected in our underlying EBITDA margin 2 of 47%.

was 6% lower than 2019 first half, primarily due to lower prices for aluminium and copper. Iron ore prices were stable, reflected in our underlying EBITDA margin of 47%. $4.8 billion underlying earnings 2 was 4% lower than 2019 first half. Taking exclusions into account, net earnings of $3.3 billion mainly reflected $1.0 billion 3 of impairments, of four aluminium smelters and the Diavik diamond mine, and exchange rate movements.

was 4% lower than 2019 first half. Taking exclusions into account, net earnings of $3.3 billion mainly reflected $1.0 billion of impairments, of four aluminium smelters and the Diavik diamond mine, and exchange rate movements. Maintained strength in our balance sheet with $4.8 billion of net debt 2 , an increase of $1.2 billion, which mainly reflects $3.8 billion of cash returns paid to shareholders in 2020 first half, partly offset by the free cash flow of $2.8 billion.

, an increase of $1.2 billion, which mainly reflects $3.8 billion of cash returns paid to shareholders in 2020 first half, partly offset by the free cash flow of $2.8 billion. $2.5 billion interim ordinary dividend declared today, with interim pay-out ratio at 53% of first half underlying earnings, equivalent to 155 US cents per share, 3% higher than 2019 first half.

The financial results are prepared in accordance with IFRS and are unaudited.

The full Rio Tinto 2020 interim results announcement is available here

Footnotes

1. Capital expenditure is presented gross, before taking into account any cash received from disposals of property, plant and equipment (PP&E).

2. This financial performance indicator is a non-GAAP alternative performance measure ("APM"). It is used internally by management to assess the performance of the business and is therefore considered relevant to readers of this document. It is presented here to give more clarity around the underlying business performance of the Group's operations. APMs are reconciled to directly comparable IFRS financial measures on pages 61 to 66.

3. Refer to page 40 for pre-tax analysis of impairment charge.

LEI: 213800YOEO5OQ72G2R82

Classification: 1.2 Half year financial reports and audit reports

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Rio Tinto's Group Company Secretary.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200728006096/en/

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Category: General
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 19:21:41|Editor: huaxia

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People walk in the Hennessy Road in south China's Hong Kong, July 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) should respect China's position and actions on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here on Wednesday.

The spokesperson made the remarks in response to media report that the EU issued a series of measures Tuesday against China's national security legislation for Hong Kong, including restrictions on the export of sensitive technology and equipment to Hong Kong.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a news briefing that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no foreign country or organization has the right to interfere with.

The relevant measures adopted by the EU violated the basic principle of non-interference in other countries' domestic affairs in international relations. China is firmly opposed to this and has lodged an official complaint with the EU, Wang said.

He said the formulation and implementation of the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR was to make up for the long-term legal loopholes in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong. It aims to improve the rule of law in Hong Kong, ensure the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems" on the track of the rule of law.

Aerial photo taken on July 16, 2020 shows the Wan Chai of south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

"It is fully consistent with the relevant provisions of the Chinese Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, and it is conducive to not only the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong but also safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of all foreign enterprises and personnel in Hong Kong," Wang said.

He said as the EU claimed to have interests and concerns in Hong Kong and hoped to see its prosperity and stability, it should work in this direction with practical actions, rather than unilaterally introducing the so-called countermeasures to affect Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

"We urge Europe to earnestly respect China's position and actions on national security issues in Hong Kong, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any way, do more to support the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and focus on maintaining the healthy development of China-EU relations," the spokesperson said. 
But state and federal officials issued contrasting interpretations of their own agreement. Wolf said there was no guarantee that federal officers would leave Portland, as the governor had said. Instead, the forces that had been at the front lines of the demonstrations would remain in the city, on standby, until Trump officials were satisfied with the effectiveness of the state and local response.
Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: Hoy, que enfrentamos uno de los mas grandes desafios, debemos tener presente que nunca nada fue facil para nosotros, ni para nadie. La construccion de un pais solido, justo y desarrollado requiere de un esfuerzo entre instituciones y ciudadanos. pic.twitter.com/jtLV0K9SXc
GENEVA, Switzerland and RADNOR, Pa., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG (SIX:RLF, OTC:RLFTF) "Relief" and its U.S. partner, NeuroRx, Inc. today announced that FDA has granted NeuroRx an Expanded Access Protocol for treatment of Respiratory Failure in COVID-19 with RLF-100 (aviptadil), a synthetic form of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide. Details may be seen on www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT04453839. The protocol makes treatment available to patients who have exhausted approved therapies and are not eligible for the current phase 2/3 trial of RLF-100 because of other medical conditions and specifically makes the treatment available to pregnant women. Although the drug remains under investigation, rapid recovery from respiratory failure in COVID-19 has been seen in patients treated under FDA Emergency Use authorization.1

"By granting this Expanded Access protocol, FDA has made a potentially lifesaving drug immediately available to critically ill patients who have no other available treatment," said Dr. Jonathan C. Javitt, MD, MPH, NeuroRx's CEO. "We thank the FDA's pulmonary division for its rapid and proactive implementation of the Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program and we aspire to demonstrate broad safety and efficacy for RLF-100 in our ongoing clinical trial."

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19 attacks the body by entering the small population of Alveolar Type II cells in the lung, almost like hitting the needle in the haystack.2 Without Type II cells, the lung cannot transmit oxygen, which why the coronavirus causes acute respiratory failure. 50 years of scientific research demonstrates that VIP binds specifically to the Type II cell and protects that cell against cytokines (inflammatory molecules) and a wide array of toxic and infectious injuries."3

The expanded access protocol may be viewed on www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT04453839. Physicians who wish to enroll their patients in the protocol must submit the protocol to their local investigational review board and file FDA form 1572 with NeuroRx, Inc. Further information may be obtained from [email protected].

About RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG

The Relief group of companies focus primarily on clinical-stage projects based on molecules of natural origin (peptides and proteins) with a history of clinical testing and use in human patients or a strong scientific rational. Currently, Relief is concentrating its efforts on developing new treatments for respiratory disease indications.

Relief Therapeutics holds orphan drug designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union for the use of VIP to treat ARDS, pulmonary hypertension, and sarcoidosis. Relief Therapeutics also holds a U.S. patent4 for RLF-100 and proprietary manufacturing processes for its synthesis.

RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol RLF.

About NeuroRx, Inc.

NeuroRx draws upon more than 100 years of collective drug development experience and is led by former senior executives of Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca, PPD. In addition to its work on RLF-100, NeuroRx has been awarded Breakthrough Therapy Designation and a Special Protocol Agreement to develop NRX-101 for the treatment of suicidal bipolar depression and is currently in Phase 3 trials. Its Board of Directors and Advisors includes Hon. Sherry Glied, former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services; Mr. Chaim Hurvitz, former President of the Teva International Group, Lt. General HR McMaster, the 23rd National Security Advisor, Wayne Pines, former Associate Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Judge Abraham Sofaer, and Daniel Troy, former Chief Counsel, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Disclaimer: This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG, NeuroRx, Inc. and their businesses. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG and/or NeuroRx, Inc. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CORPORATE CONTACTS

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1Youssef JG, Rapid Clinical Recovery from Critical COVID-19 with Respiratory Failure in a Lung Transplant Patient Treated with Intravenous Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide doi: 10.20944/preprints202007.0178.v1

2Mason R. Pathogenesis of COVID-19 from a Cell Biologic Perspective. Eur Respir J. April 9 Epub ahead of print. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7144II60/

3 https://www.authorea.com/users/321659/articles/472151-vasoactive-intestinal-peptide-treats-respiratory-failure-in-covid-19-by-rescuing-the-alveolar-type-ii-cell

4US 8,178,489 Formulation for Aviptadil

SOURCE NeuroRx, Inc; Relief Therapeutics Holding AG
Two months after the Harris County Jail corralled a COVID-19 outbreak that sickened more than 1,000 inmates and killed two, Sheriffs Office officials said they face a new threat: arrestees who already have the virus when they are processed into the downtown facility.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said the increase in COVID-positive inmates is further reason to lower the jail population by releasing more inmates awaiting trial for nonviolent felony offenses. A district court judge in April blocked an attempt by Hidalgo to order some releases.

Harris County has the fourth-largest COVID cluster in the country, meaning more COVID cases can be connected to our jail facility than almost anywhere else in the nation, Ellis said at Tuesdays Commissioners Court meeting. Our sheriff has been working hard to keep people safe at the jail, but its almost impossible to do it at a distance, and quarantine all the people.

After the jail staff was able to lower the number of actively ill inmates from 186 in April to 22 in late June, the figure has risen steadily to 90, a sheriffs office spokesman said. Three are hospitalized. Since the pandemic arrived in March, 1,526 inmates and 492 jail staff have tested positive.

Dr. Ericka Brown, whom the sheriffs office hired to monitor the spread of COVID in the jail, said staff are able to quarantine all infected inmates, who are tested upon arrival.

Around 15 percent of our population is testing positive, and I believe its a little bit higher than the county in general, Brown said.

The seven-day test positivity rate in the Houston area was 25 percent in mid-July, but has since declined to 17 percent, according to the Texas Medical Center.

Gavin Yamey, associate director for policy at Duke Universitys Global Health Institute, told court members that jails, with congregate spaces that are challenging to keep sanitary, poor ventilation and limited access to medical care, are tinder boxes for outbreaks.

He cited research linking 16 percent of Illinois COVID cases to an outbreak at Chicagos Cook County Jail and said a renewed jail outbreak could fuel Harris County cases if more jail inmates are not released.

We have to shut the valve off. Its a pressure cooker, Yamey said. Protecting incarcerated people in jails and prisons, we actually end up making all of safer.

Elaine Borakove, a researcher at the Justice Management Institute, said New York City and Chicago officials decreased their jail populations during the pandemic by 25 and 30 percent, respectively. Harris County, however, was only able to decrease that figure by 17 percent, to 7,360, between mid-March and mid-April. That figure has since climbed again over 8,000.

Since a landmark bail reform settlement last summer allowed 85 percent of misdemeanor defendants to be released before trial, almost all of the current inmates are felony arrestees.

Borakove said with jury trials on hold due to the pandemic, the county backlog in felony cases ballooned to around 41,000.

We dont feel like success is likely to happen, in terms of significantly reducing the county case backlog, which of course will impact the jail population, Borakove said.

Hidalgo in March tried to lower the jails headcount by ordering the release of those charged with certain nonviolent crimes, including illegal drug sales, health care fraud, retail theft and forgery. It excluded anyone with a temporary restraining order, three or more drunk-driving infractions or a conviction for burglary of a habitation.

State District Judge Herb Ritchie, who supervises the felony jurists, voided the order after only a few inmates walked free. Ritchie said only criminal judges have authority over cases before them, including decisions around whether to grant pretrial release.

Tom Eberly, program director of the Justice Management Institute, said the district judges deserve credit for allowing several dozen inmates to be released through an order of their own, instead of Hidalgos more expansive plan.

Hidalgo, who has been particularly passionate about this issue, pushed back.

If there were like 50 nonviolent crimes that we were proposing, that had like three or four, Hidalgo said. Lets be real here. This takes courage. And when you give people cover and dont expect them to use their courage, then youre less likely to incentivize that courage.

zach.despart@chron.com
Workers at a major meat plant in Melbournes west have returned to work after earlier refusing to start a shift over concerns about a large number of coronavirus cases linked with the plant.

About 45 workers had met at JBS in Brooklyn before 5am on Tuesday and resolved not to start work but after talks with management and some changes to work practices they agreed to return later in the day.

The JBS site has been linked to a major COVID-19 cluster Credit:Joe Armao

The JBS site has been linked to a major outbreak of COVID-19, a cluster of 76 cases.

It is one of a number of outbreaks in the Victorian meat industry, including 99 cases at Somerville Retail Services in Tottenham, 89 cases at Bertocchi Smallgoods in Thomastown and 50 cases linked to the Australian Lamb Company in Colac.
New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritius counterpart Pravind Jugnauth will on Thursday jointly inaugurate the new Supreme Court built in Port Louis with Indian grant assistance, reflecting New Delhis sharpened focus on its neighbourhood first policy.

The Supreme Court building is one of five projects implemented under a $353-million special economic package extended by India in 2016. The structure is the first India-assisted infrastructure project in the capital of Mauritius.

India also announced the implementation of nine high impact community development projects (HICDP) in the Maldives on Tuesday. Indian envoy Sunjay Sudhir handed over a symbolic cheque to mark the implementation of projects worth $5.6 million during a ceremony at the foreign ministry in Male, which was attended by foreign minister Abdulla Shahid and members of Parliament.

New Delhi has taken several steps in recent days to revive economic activity amid the Covid-19 crisis and to shore up relations with key neighbours amid the border standoff with China.

On Monday, India handed over 10 railway locomotives to Bangladesh. Over the weekend, India announced a $400-million currency swap facility under the SAARC framework for Sri Lanka. Another $400 million was provided through an extended currency swap arrangement to the Maldives and India will soon announce another substantial financial assistance package to help post-Covid-19 economic recovery.

The inauguration of the new Supreme Court building in Port Louis will be done via video conference in the presence of senior members of the judiciary of Mauritius and other dignitaries.

The building was completed within schedule and below the expected cost, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. The building, spread over more than 4700 sq m with 10 floors and a built-up area of 25,000 sq m, has green features and high energy efficiency. It will house all divisions and offices of the Supreme Court.

In October 2019, Modi and Jugnauth inaugurated the first phase of the Metro Express project and a new 100-bed ENT hospital in Mauritius, also built under the special economic package. Construction of 12 km of the metro line was completed till last September, and work on a 14-km line in the second phase is underway.

The successful and timely completion of India-assisted high quality infrastructure projects in Mauritius shall also create greater opportunities for Indian companies in Mauritius and in the region, the statement said.

India and the Maldives signed a MoU on HICDPs during the visit of late former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in March 2019. A grant of $5.6 million was announced for these projects and there was another cash grant of $7 million for small projects.

These projects, chosen by the Maldives, are meant to have a high level of community impact and participation in areas such as income generation, healthcare, education and sustainable development.

The HICDPs include three fish processing plants in Addu city, the Addu Tourism Zone and a bottled water plant in Hoarafushi, which are being steered by local authorities. Contracts for building the fish processing plants were awarded on July 22 and contracts for five eco-tourism projects are expected to be awarded soon.

Sudhir said Indias strategy for development cooperation with the Maldives includes big projects under a $800-million line of credit and a large number of smaller grant projects. He noted these projects are transparent and demand-driven, with full ownership for the Maldives government.

Former ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, distinguished fellow for foreign policy studies at Gateway House, said the standoff with China had clearly triggered a policy reappraisal by South Block.

India remains committed to its neighbourhood first policy, which has led to many successes. South Asia is of immense importance to Indias national interests and it has to keep pursuing these goals, he said.

Recent developments pertaining to Iran and Nepal underline the need to pursue the neighbourhood first policy with greater commitment and perhaps greater generosity. We can expect more such initiatives, perhaps even for Myanmar, he added.

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The positive impact of the Centre's deicison to abrogate Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, is showing in the region as security situation has improved in Kashmir valley since the historic decision on August 5, 2019.

According to a report by Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the incidences of violence has reduced significantly in Kashmir valley after August 5 and security forces have achieved major success against terrorists. The report noted that terror-related activities have reduced by around 36% in the valley after the abrogation of Article 370.

In 2019, 188 terror-related incidences were recorded in Kashmir valley from January 1 till July 15, while in 2020 the number has reduced to 120. The MHA report mentioned that 126 terrorists were killed in Kashmir during the same period in 2019 while 136 terrorists were eliminated during the same time period in 2020. In 2019, 51 grenade attacks took place in Kashmir from January 1 till July 15, while in 2020 the number was just 21.

In 2019, 75 security personnel and 23 civilians were killed in Kashmir valley from January 1 till July 15, while 35 jawans and 22 civilians were killed in the same time period in 2020.

The number of IED attacks have also reduced significantly after the abrogation of Article 370 as only 1 IED attack took place in Kashmir from January 1 till July 15 in 2020. The number of IED attacks during the same period in 2019 were six.

A total of 110 local terrorists have been killed in Kashmir in 2020 so far, including over 50 from Hizbul Mujahideen and around 20 each from Laskhar-e-taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. At least 14 terrorists from ISJK and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind were also killed by security forces during the same period.

Some wanted terrorists like Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo, Lashkar commander Haider, Jaish commander Kari Yasir and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind Burhan Koka have been killed by security forces in 2020. The security forces have busted 22 terror hideouts till July 15 and have recovered 190 weapons including several AK 47 rifle.

Not only this, there has been a 40% decrease of involvement of local youth in terrorist organizations as only 67 youths of Kashmir valley were brainwashed and made to pick up guns against India.

At the same time, famous Kashmiri separatist group Hurriyat Conference also suffered a blow this year when its leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani distanced himself from the Hurriyat Conference
Mumbai, Indias financial capital and its most populous city, has been under constant limelight during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a city half its size and approximately one-third the population, has slowly emerged as the new major hotspot in Maharashtra, and India.

Pune, located 150 kms south-east of Mumbai, reported 3,196 cases on July 26 - the highest number for any city in India on the day. The city recorded more than 3,000 cases continuously for 5 days between the July 22 to July 26.

SURGE IN CASES AND POSITIVITY RATE

Pune saw a sudden increase in the number of daily cases from the end of June. The city's cases have risen by more than three times in July itself and its growth multiple is second only to Bengaluru during this time-frame.

One of the reasons for the reported rise in cases has been the increased testing in the city. However, with increased testing, the Positivity Rate normally registers a dip which has not been the case with Pune. The Positivity Rate has gone up from 16.04% (on July 1) to 22.10% (on July 27).

A major factor contributing to the high return of positive tests in the city could be its strategy of conducting more focused and determined testing including a large percentage of high-risk contacts.

MORE CASES THAN MUMBAI FOR 2 WEEKS

Pune has now recorded more daily cases than Mumbai for a successive 14-day period. The gap has also been steadily increasing.

Punes Positivity Rate (PR) has gone up in July. Its Weekly PR on July 27 was as high as 25.67%, which signals that between July 21 and 27, one in every 4 people tested in Pune were positive. The corresponding percentage for Mumbai is 18.26%.

MORTALITY RATE STILL LOW

Where Pune has done well is in controlling the number of Covid-19 deaths. With 1,838 fatalities, its Mortality Rate (MR) of 2.35% is less than half of Mumbais (5.57%) and has come down significantly from 3.36% on July 1  this is not surprising as with ramped up testing the Mortality Rate usually sees a dip.

However, it is still slightly higher than the national average of 2.25% and the number of weekly Covid-19 deaths have risen from 149 for week ending July 6 to 238 (July 13) to 274 (July 20) to 437 (July 27). This would be a concern to Pune which is home to a large elderly and retired population.

LOCKDOWN  HIGH POSITIVITY RATE BUT LOW MORTALITY

Pune went in for a strict 10-day lockdown between July 14 to July 23. With more testing, it recorded 26,358 cases during this period and even though the Positivity Rate did come down from an alarming high of 34% during the previous 10 days (July 4-13), it was still high at 22.63%.

Apart from strategic testing, over-crowding on roads and at shops after the announcement of the severe lockdown; resulted in the infection-spread not coming down even with a lockdown.

There were 301 deaths reported between July 4 and July 13. Although the number of deceased went up to 465, the Mortality Rate came down to 1.76% during the lockdown, compared to 2.04% earlier.

As the cases rise, the administration in Pune has taken a number of steps to ramp up the infrastructure and health facilities. The city will have three jumbo Covid care facilities with a total capacity of 2,400 beds by the end of August.

The first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Maharashtra was reported on March 9 in Pune when a couple returning from Dubai tested positive. With the city emerging as the new major hotspot, the pandemic has come a full circle to haunt Pune.
Early voting for the November 3 election has been extended.

Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation on Monday that extends the early voting period by almost a week.

Early voting by personal appearance will now start on Oct. 13 and en Oct. 30.

The proclamation also expands the period in which marked mail-in ballots may be delivered in person to the early voting clerks office, allowing such delivery prior to as well as on Election Day, the news release states.

Abbott stated in the news release that he hopes to provide Texans with more flexibility to cast ballots.
On Thursday, July 30, at 12:30, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a press conference entitled "Kyiv Local Organizations of Political Parties," "Ukrainian Galician Party," "Power of the People," "Democratic Alliance," "Civil Movement Khvylia (Wave)" and "Civic Position" have decided to coordinate their efforts in the elections to the city council of Kyiv and the mayor of Kyiv." Participants include Head of Kyiv city organization of the People political party Yevhen Lebedev; member of the Council of Kyiv city organization of the political party "Civil Position" Oleksiy Hrytsenko; Deputy Head of the Political Party "Civil Movement "Khvylia" Natalia Novak; Head of Kyiv City Organization of the Political Party "Democratic Alliance" Olha Hvozdyk; Deputy Head of Kyiv City Organization of the Political Party "Ukrainian Galician Party" Illia Kononov (8/5a Reitarska Street). The press conference will be broadcast on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot. Additional information by phone: (067) 127 8975.
The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea suspects a mysterious Australian plane that crash-landed 30km outside the nation's capital was being used for drug trafficking.

The Cessna 420C twin-engine aircraft activated its emergency locator transmitter on Sunday evening over the village of Papa Lealea, northwest of Port Moresby, when it's believed to have gone down.

Flight tracking websites revealed the plane left the Mareeba airport in Far North Queensland but was not cleared to enter the South Pacific country's airspace.

PNG authorities suspect a mysterious Australian Cessna 420C twin-engine aircraft (pictured) that crashed near the nation's capital was being used to traffic drugs

The plane activated its emergency locator transmitter on Sunday evening over the village of Papa Lealea, northwest of Port Moresby, when it's believed to have gone down

When a team from the Accident Investigation Commission arrived on the scene Monday, they noticed a make-shift runway had been created in bush land where the smoldering aircraft was found.

However, there was no sign of the pilot or plane's cargo.

The country's leader James Marape is now demanding Australian law enforcement based in Port Moresby, assist PNG investigators.

'The flight is suspicious and that is why I am asking the Australian Federal Police to assist local authorities to ascertain who owns the plane, who flew the plane and what the cargo was,' Marape said.

Although early information is sketchy, PNG police have indicated the strong possibility the mysterious plane was used for drug trafficking.

A furious Mr Marape sent out a stark warning to Australians that may be involved in smuggling drugs to the tropical nation.

The country's leader James Marape (pictured) is now demanding Australian law enforcement based in Port Moresby, assist PNG investigators to solve the mystery

'We are not a banana republic where anyone can pick up a plane and just come into the country unannounced!' he said.

'There is no room for those who think they could peddle drugs in PNG.'

The plane's registration holder is a PNG company named RAVENPOL NO. 69.

But in another bizarre twist, the sole director and shareholder of the firm, Geoffrey Paul Bull, was murdered in Port Moresby last year, the ABC reported.

The aircraft's registered operator is Alice Springs-based aviation business AVLEASE.

But the company's director Ian Scheyer said he has no idea why the plane is listed as belonging to AVLEASE.

'I can put my hand on my heart and say we've never operated it,' he said.

Mr Scheyer is now seeking an explanation from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Samantha Hamer, 26, and Kerida O'Reilly, 33, were arrested Monday in Madison after turning themselves in to authorities: Dane County Sheriff's Office

Two women have turned themselves in to police after allegedly assaulting a Wisconsin state representative at a protest on 23 June.

Samantha Hamer, 26, and Kerida OReilly, 33, were arrested Monday in Madison after turning themselves in to authorities.

State senator Tim Carpenter was on his way to his office at the state capitol around midnight on 23 June when he stopped to film the ongoing protest.

There were 200 to 300 protesters in the streets, and the pair of women broke off from the larger group and approached the lawmaker.

The women yelled at him to stop filming and began grabbing at his phone.

Hey youre not recording, one of the women yelled as she grabbed at Mr Carpenters phone.

Earlier in the night, protesters demanded that the media leave the scene and told people not to record the events of the evening.

The state senator told them to leave, but the women continue to grab at his phone. As he tried to wrestle his phone free, one of the women allegedly punched him after another demanded he delete his footage.

Mr Carpenter said he fell to the ground and a group of people proceeded to beat him. His phone and glasses were taken but were later returned.

A member of the press at the scene who saw the attack corroborated Mr Carpenters account to the police.

Eventually, Mr Carpenter was able to explain that he was an ally, and made his way to the capitols lawn and laid down. Paramedics treated him at the scene and he declined at that time to go to the hospital.

Later that night, Mr Carpenter went to the hospital to be treated for pain in his head, neck, ribs and arms.

Police released photos of the women in an attempt to find them and arrest them for the assault. After the women were identified, they turned themselves in to police.

Both women were charged with substantial battery party to criminal act and robbery with use of force.

Read more

Police cleared protesters forcefully for Trump photo op, officer says
DETROIT  Detroit is an exception when it comes to violent riots following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minnesota police officer in May.

Peaceful protests against police brutality that morphed into violence and looting in some areas swept through American cities in response to Floyds death in late May and early June, sparking renewed national enthusiasm for the Black Lives Matter campaign and leading to calls to Defund the Police.

The lack of violent riots in the city over the past few months can be attributed the police departments mentality not to retreat, and support of that from city leadership and the community, said Detroit Police Chief James Craig during an appearance on Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight on Tuesday, July 28.

Watch the latest video at foxnews.com

Unlike in other cities across the United States, Detroit businesses have not been looted or destroyed during riots.

We dont retreat here in Detroit, Craig said. Were just not going to do it.  We werent giving up ground to the radicals. We just didnt do it.

Detroiters arent tolerating violence in their city either, and the community at large is in support of the departments efforts, he said.

RELATED: Police-involved shooting leads to protest, teargas in Detroit

When you talk about whats different here, we have a city that has stood together, Craig said. Our mayor stands with this police chief, stands with this police department. We are not going to tolerate this uptick in violence. Thats key. Thats real key.

Detroit protests

The first Detroit protest on May 29 - four days after Floyds death - drew 1,500 people and started peacefully, until about 9:45 p.m., when protesters and police in riot gear began facing off near the Renaissance Center, with some throwing rocks and bottles toward the officers. Police responded by charging toward the protesters, with punches thrown and gas canisters fired.

RELATED: Michigan police brutality protests have cooled, but Detroits recent flare-up points to fragile calm

Thirty of of the more than 40 demonstrators arrested that night lived outside the city, Craig said at the time.

On May 30, about 500 people marched in the streets before confronting 100 Detroit police officers in riot gear at police headquarters on 1301 3rd Ave. Chants of Hands Up, Dont Shoot segued into flipping off the officers. It wasnt until a handful of protesters starting tossing fireworks and small bricks, as Craig put it at the time, that officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowd.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan set an 8 p.m. curfew on Monday, June 1. The third night of protests proceeded that night, and despite downtown Detroit being quiet and unscathed, teargas was deployed to disperse protesters resistant of the curfew.

Collaboration between city government, police and community leaders calmed the opposing sides ahead of a potential confrontation June 2.

Tensions eased even more the next night on June 3, as Craig ordered for his officers to not enforce the curfew against peaceful demonstrations.

I feel like, theyre peaceful, no officers are being attacked, we just want to make sure theyre safe, the officers stay safe, no damage to property, Craig said after 8 p.m. on June 3 had come and gone without incident. Curfews are discretionary. If violence started, I could stop it now... They want their voices heard and we support that.

Police made more than 200 arrests for disorderly conduct or curfew violations between May 29 and June 2, according to figures released by Craig. The chief blamed many of the arrests on people from outside of Detroit.

Protest organizers met with Duggan, Craig and city officials to talk police reform on June 9. Detroit Will Breathe listed demands ranging from defunding and demilitarizing the citys police, ending the use of facial recognition software, dropping charges and citations levied against protesters and prosecuting and firing officers with police brutality complaints levied against them.

On June 28, Detroit police officers driving a squad car through protesters during an ugly confrontation June 28. Police said they were trying to escape an attack by protesters.

By June 29, none of Detroit Will Breathes demands had been met.

READ MORE:

Child dead, 1-year-old twin injured in alleged abuse; mother, boyfriend arrested

City managers purchase of $195K in gift cards as coronavirus relief under review

Wednesday, July 29: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
OAKLAND, Calif., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente hospitals are among the best in the nation for delivering high-quality care, according to the U.S. News & World Report's 2020-21 Best Hospitals rankings.

The 31st annual study analyzes 26 specialties, procedures, and common conditions to assess hospital performance. According to the report:



32 Kaiser Permanente hospitals are "high performing" for one or more measures. High performers are based on evaluation of more than 4,500 medical centers and designate the top 10th percentile of hospitals nationwide.

24 Kaiser Permanente hospitals are "high performing" for congestive heart failure treatment.

20 Kaiser Permanente hospitals are "high performing" for knee and/or hip replacement surgeries.

15 hospitals are "high performing" for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

Kaiser Permanente's Anaheim and Irvine medical centers rank 19th nationwide for pulmonology and lung surgery.

and medical centers rank 19th nationwide for pulmonology and lung surgery. Overall, Kaiser Permanente has one or more hospitals that are nationally ranked or "high performing" for 6 specialties: neurology and neurosurgery; pulmonology and lung surgery; gastroenterology and GI surgery; orthopedics; nephrology; and geriatrics.

"This recognition reflects the dedication and expertise of our physicians and care teams," said Phil Madvig, MD, interim chief medical officer at Kaiser Permanente. "Our commitment to quality, safety, and excellence defines our clinical care and it continues throughout the COVID-19 pandemic."

Eleven Kaiser Permanente hospitals in California are ranked among the best in the state for overall care: Anaheim, Baldwin Park, Fontana, Irvine, Los Angeles, Ontario, Roseville, San Diego, San Diego Zion, San Francisco, and Santa Clara. Additionally, Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center in Oregon is among the state's top 10.

"We're proud that U.S. News & World Report places us within the top tier of hospitals nationwide," said Nancy Gin, MD, executive vice president and chief quality officer for The Permanente Federation, the national umbrella organization for the more than 23,000 physicians who provide care to Kaiser Permanente's more than 12.4 million members. "During this critical time in health care, our experienced and highly skilled front-line staff, nurses, and physicians are committed to ensuring that our patients receive the quality care they deserve to get healthy and stay healthy."

In its hospital analysis, U.S. News & World Report uses publicly available data such as volume, mortality rates, infection rates, staffing levels, and patient satisfaction rates, among others. For more information and complete rankings, visit U.S. News & World Report.

About Kaiser Permanente

For 75 years, Kaiser Permanente has been committed to shaping the future of health and health care  and helping our members, patients, and communities experience more healthy years. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Since July 21, 1945, Kaiser Permanente's mission has been to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.4 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.

Contact:

Marc Brown

510-407-2592

[email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente

Related Links

http://www.kaiserpermanente.org


New Delhi: At a time when France has just delivered five state-of-the-art Rafale fighter aircraft to India, French President Emmanuel Macron has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing Frances solidarity with India at this difficult time, government sources confirmed on Tuesday.

Sources said France has also sent medical equipment to India to help it battle the coronavirus pandemic, including 50 Osiris 3 ventilators, 70 Yuwell 830 ventilators with BIPAP mode, 50,000 serological tests (IgM/IgG Duo test kits by Biosensor) and 50,000 nose and throat swabs.

India has seen a surge in coronavirus cases and a recent military tensions on the borders with China, which led to the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers last month.

Government sources termed the supply of French medical equipment at the same time as delivery of the Rafale fighters as a happy coincidence, emphasising that "France is an important strategic partner for India.

"France has now provided medical equipment and expertise to India for our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and it is a happy coincidence that this equipment has arrived at the same time as the Rafale jets are supposed to land. The ventilators and test kits are being received by the Indian Red Cross Society and ICMR, respectively," government sources said.

India also said that in the recent past, it has at short notice also provided certain life-saving drugs to France in their time of need to help them deal with the pandemic.

France has been one of the western European countries worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Olivia de Havilland, who passed away in Paris at 104 this week, is best known for her role as the genteel Melanie Hamilton in the 1939 Gone with the Wind. In reality, Olivia de Havilland was anything but a pushover, on and off the screen.

Before Gone with the Wind, she cavorted with Errol Flynn in The Charge of the Light Brigade and The Adventures of Robin Hood. At the time, studio bosses locked down stars in seven-year contracts, and Olivia de Havilland was the first to push back in force.

When she demanded more challenging roles, Warner Brothers suspended her for six months, then claimed that the suspension automatically extended her contract. In 1943, de Havilland risked her career by filing a lawsuit, and her victory shook the studio system to its foundations.

Olivia de Havilland was a liberal Democrat, and in 1944 she joined Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, and other stars in a radio broadcast for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. After World War II, de Havilland networked with other stars in the Hollywood Independent Citizens Committee for the Arts, Sciences and Professions, but this group had a problem.

Like many Hollywood guilds and unions of the time, HICCASP was controlled by the Communist Party, a force in the studios since the 1930s. De Havilland was given a speech written by Dalton Trumbo, a dutiful Communist screenwriter who joined the Party during the Nazi-Soviet Pact.

Olivia de Havilland tossed Trumbo's pro-Soviet speech and had screenwriter Ernest Pascal write another. That surprised fellow HICCASP member Ronald Reagan, who thought de Havilland was one of the communists. She thought the same about him, but they duly teamed up on a letter rejecting communism and championing American free enterprise.

Communist Party straw boss John Howard Lawson promptly exploded and smeared the dissenters in typical style. Reagan and his allies duly resigned from HICCASP, one of many Communist Party front groups. Despite her off-screen victories, Olivia de Havilland is still best known for Gone with the Wind.

Her African-American co-star Hattie McDaniel won the best supporting actress award for 1939. De Havilland went on to bag best actress Oscars for the 1946 To Each His Own and The Heiress in 1949. She also turned in memorable performances in The Snake Pit (1948) and The Light in the Piazza in 1962.

Olivia de Havilland's victory over the studio bosses would make a great movie, but fans should not look for it any time soon. On the other hand, an industry that fancies itself "progressive" did not hesitate to whitewash a loathsome screen Stalinist in the 2015 Trumbo, with Bryan Cranston. Even so, the tough anti-communist de Havilland is likely to prevail in popular memory.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, way back in 1916, Olivia de Havilland outlived the major stars of her time, including her sister, actress Joan Fontaine, who died at 96 in 2013. Olivia de Havilland outlived Ronald Reagan, who passed away at 93 in 2004, and she outlived the great Kirk Douglas, who died at 103 in February.

Whatever one thinks of Olivia de Havilland's screen career, and the movies in which she appeared, that's a triumph of sheer staying power.

Lloyd Billingsley is a policy fellow at the Independent Institute. He is also the author of Hollywood Party: How Communism Seduced the American Film Industry in the 1930s and 1940s (Prima Publishing, 1998)
Technavio has been monitoring the contrast injectors market and it is poised to grow by USD 613.47 mn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 6% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005632/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Contrast Injectors Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Bayer AG, Bracco Spa, General Electric Co., Guerbet, MEDTRON AG, Nemoto Kyorindo Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Anke High-tech Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Seacrown Electromechanical Co. Ltd., Sino Medical-Device Technology Co. Ltd., and ulrich GmbH Co. KG. are some of the major market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Increasing focus on R&D has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Contrast Injectors Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Contrast Injectors Market is segmented as below:

Product Consumables Contrast Injectors

Geographic Landscape Asia Europe North America ROW



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40845

Contrast Injectors Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our contrast injectors market report covers the following areas:

Contrast Injectors Market size

Contrast Injectors Market trends

Contrast Injectors Market industry analysis

This study identifies the increasing prevalence of diseases and related risk factors as one of the prime reasons driving the contrast injectors market growth during the next few years.

Contrast Injectors Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the contrast injectors market, including some of the vendors such as Bayer AG, Bracco Spa, General Electric Co., Guerbet, MEDTRON AG, Nemoto Kyorindo Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Anke High-tech Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Seacrown Electromechanical Co. Ltd., Sino Medical-Device Technology Co. Ltd., and ulrich GmbH Co. KG. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the contrast injectors market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Contrast Injectors Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist contrast injectors market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the contrast injectors market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the contrast injectors market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of contrast injectors market vendors

Table Of Contents :

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

2.1 Preface

2.2 Preface

2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

Value chain analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market Outlook

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

Market segmentation by product

Comparison by product

Consumables Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Contrast injectors Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by product

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Asia Market size and forecast 2019-2024

ROW Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Technological advances and new product launches

High growth potential in emerging countries

Increasing R&D focus on contrast injectors

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Bayer AG

Bracco Spa

General Electric Co.

Guerbet

MEDTRON AG

Nemoto Kyorindo Co. Ltd.

Shenzhen Anke High-tech Co. Ltd.

Shenzhen Seacrown Electromechanical Co. Ltd.

Sino Medical-Device Technology Co. Ltd.

ulrich GmbH Co. KG

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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The U.S.-Taliban deal signed Feb. 29 was touted as the best hope for peace in Afghanistan after decades of war. While the U.S. and NATO have already begun reducing their troop strength, the second phase of the deal  which calls for talks between the Taliban and the Kabul political leadership  has been delayed. Much of the delays have been as a result of Kabuls reluctance to free several hundred of the Taliban prisoners identified for release as part of the agreement.
Philadelphia Police Department officers gather after SWAT members fired tear gas from an armored truck in an apparent effort to clear a crowd of people breaking into the Foot Locker at 52nd and Chestnut Streets in West Philadelphia on Sunday, May 31, 2020. The Philadelphia Police Foundation's donations last year included money for SWAT equipment. Read more

As protesters in Philly and nationwide call to defund the police, some have turned their attention to a little-known source of department funding: police foundations. The Philadelphia Police Foundation has received support from mega-employers including universities  though Temple and the University of Pennsylvania recently cut ties. Critics of such foundations say they are an opaque financial funnel to broken departments, while defenders say foundations offer needed support for strained public safety budgets.

To explore this debate, The Inquirer asked members of Philly Power Research and the secretary/treasurer of the Norristown Police Foundation: Should police departments have access to this kind of nonprofit funding?

No: Foundations lack transparency and contribute to a broken policing system.

By Molly Gott and Brittany Alston

The recent nationwide uprising following the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor has clear demands: defund the police and invest in Black communities. Activists in cities including Los Angeles, New York, and here in Philadelphia have called on local elected officials to cut police departments massive public budgets and invest in the education, health, and safety of Black people.

Every year, foundations contribute hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars to police departments across the country. In Philadelphia, the local police foundation  whose donors include Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, and Wawa  contributed $500,000 to the department last year, which helped the PPD purchase new SWAT equipment, drones, and anti-bias training.

Using private foundations to fund police is deeply problematic and dangerous. To start, there is almost no transparency or public oversight over police foundations, which do not have to disclose donors, or how they spend their money. In fact, when activists started pressuring corporate donors to police foundations, many police foundations removed the identities of their board members and donors. They have also refused to share lists of donors with journalists, including The Inquirer.

Because there is little oversight over these foundations, they create a loophole whereby police departments can purchase equipment like militarized weaponry and surveillance technology with no opportunities for public input. In Los Angeles, for example, this loophole was used to purchase controversial surveillance software from Palantir with the help of a $200,000 donation from Target  all without public input. The public, especially Black and brown communities targeted by militarized policing and surveillance, deserve a say in how resources are allocated to police.

These backdoor donations also raise serious concerns over conflicts of interests, since some police foundations donors and board members  Motorola Solutions and DynTek Inc., for example  also bid for contracts with police departments. The foundations create an environment in which CEOs have special access to police leadership, and therefore special influence over policing priorities.

Police foundations further reinforce a system of reform that has completely failed to address the root causes of racist police violence. Anti-bias training, diversity initiatives, and community programming  the types of initiatives police foundations often fund  do not prevent police officers from murdering Black people. A 2016 study found implicit bias training had no lasting impact after a few days. Minneapolis had instituted many police reform best practices, but Derek Chauvin was still kept on the police force despite 17 misconduct complaints, and still brutally murdered George Floyd. Over and over again, we see policing does not translate into increased public safety.

Over and over again, we see policing does not translate into increased public safety. Molly Gott and Brittany Alston

Nonetheless, police foundations continue to dump money into an already inflated system. Philadelphia will spend $727 million from its operating budget on the PPD in the upcoming fiscal year, making it the nations fourth top-funded police force. But Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, and former Aramark CEO Joseph Neubauer seem to believe the PPD needs even more money. If activists succeed in trimming public police budgets, police foundations are poised to step in with their donations to play a more outsized funding role  again, with little to no accountability.

An integral part of the fight to make Black and brown communities safe and able to thrive is reducing the number of police on the street by defunding the police. This means addressing both the public and private money behind them.

Molly Gott is the director of strategic initiatives at the Public Accountability Initiative. Brittany Alston is a senior research analyst at the Action Center on Race and the Economy. They are both members of Philly Power Research.

Yes: Police foundations are a vital resource to police departments and the communities they serve.

By Rich Clowser

Police foundations are more important than ever amid public outcry for reform and defunding of police agencies. Regardless of agency size, police foundations can provide much-needed support for police departments and the communities they serve  and improve the relationship between the two.

Police department fiscal budgets do not always support the goals and objectives of that department. The benefits of having a police foundation range from supplementing a departments limited fiscal budget by providing additional training or resources for officers, or supporting the community through donations to local nonprofits or service programs. The Norristown Police Foundation, for example, has given to Expressive Paths of Norristown and Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center as part of their annual campaigns.

When you think of a police departments budget, what comes to mind? Salaries and equipment, typically consuming the largest portion of a budget, are the obvious needs to maintain operations and the safety of a community. But what about additional training, or the wellness of the dedicated officers of a police department? Is there a line item for that? If there is, is it enough? Is it a focus of the department?

A police foundation can focus on these important, often overlooked areas that provide for the needs of the agency to best serve its community. Capt. Rich Clowser

Depending on police department leadership and policing strategy, along with the governing body of that agency, it may not be a priority or even feasible to provide much-needed training programs or programs that promote officer wellness. A police foundation can focus on these important, often overlooked areas that provide for the needs of the agency to best serve its community.

Community policing involves more than just policing a neighborhood. It is also about having positive interactions and building trust with community members. Working together toward the common goal of what residents want for their community is essential. Where in a police department fiscal budget is the funding to facilitate events promoting continued positive community engagements? Again: that funding may or may not exist. Police foundations provide not only the financial support but also facilitate the request for in-kind donations of items or goods and help break the ice or provide some common ground to get conversations started.

Larger corporations are more willing to provide donations in the form of monetary support, goods, or services to nonprofits for tax purposes. The Norristown Police Foundation has been fortunate that our local businesses and community leaders continue to support our efforts to engage with the Norristown community. Events such as Coffee with a Cop, Water Ice with a Cop, and our Teen and Police Service (TAPS) Academy continue through the foundations efforts. Our efforts should also be transparent to everyone, especially those willing to make a donation. For this reason, our nonprofit is required to file annual IRS forms and Pennsylvania Public Disclosure Forms based on our fund-raising activities.

 READ MORE: Philly police spent nearly $18 million in overtime during protests, according to preliminary data

Police foundations support police and the communities they serve where the fiscal budget does not. If you believe in your police agency, the majority of which are filled with hardworking, caring professionals, then you can look to foundations as a way to support them. You can also ask this question of your local police agency: Are they serving the community in a way that is building relationships and garnering support for a safer community? If so, help them continue their efforts.

Events and programs that aid departments with community engagement efforts may be skipped in official budgets. These programs, alongside the support of police foundations to keep them running, are vital to strengthening community and police relations.

Capt. Rich Clowser is the deputy chief of police of the Norristown Police Department and the secretary/treasurer of the Norristown Police Foundation.
How do we define defund, and who decides where and to whom the defunded dollars go?

Current events surrounding the killings of George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Breonna Taylor and others who have suffered police brutality have sparked outcries to defund the police. A clear definition hasnt been articulated, although calls for an end to systemic racism, police brutality and qualified immunity are tied to the cause. Can government employ budget shifts and call it reform?

Citizens do not want to eliminate law enforcement. We do want to ensure that qualified immunity, which allows public officials to violate an individuals constitutional rights without accountability, is not a catch-all for criminal behavior that results in police brutality.

As a society, we want to be protected from violence, domestic and otherwise. We want to ensure safekeeping of our property. But passing a counterfeit $20 bill, sleeping off too much to drink in a Wendys parking lot or lying in your bed, in your own home, shouldnt result in death at the hands of those who have taken an oath to protect and serve. Often, for African American men and women, death has ensued. The defund the police mantra was created in response to this reality.

There are police officers who work to build positive relationships in the communities they serve. They are honorable men and women. Unfortunately, the attention placed on those who have not upheld their oaths has left little time to show appreciation for those who do.

Recently, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City determined that the call to defund the police required a shift of approximately $1 billion from the Police Department to youth services. De Blasios budget assumes police brutality is a youth services problem and not a law enforcement problem.

If Mayor Ron Nirenberg took a similar action, Id say that shifting funds from our police budget to youth programming is a first step, maybe, but not a definitive stand against injustice. A budget shift does not ensure reform.

Ive worked in neighborhood revitalization for the past 10 years and witnessed many of the issues youth in impoverished neighborhoods face. Ive participated in events, such as the grand opening of the Phillis Wheatley Park on the citys East Side. Children from nearby schools came to play  and just be kids. Art in the park included their handprints cast in clay.

In San Antonio, community organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the YMCA and the YWCA provide year-round educational, health and wellness, leadership and arts activities in the neighborhood. Smaller local, youth-serving organizations offer comparable services. These organizations depend on grants and donations to operate, which can be unpredictable. The receipt of diverted funding would be beneficial; however, positive development as a youth does not guarantee a friendly encounter with police as an adult.

Some would argue that additional funding for youth leads to better-adjusted adults, who are less likely to find themselves at odds with the police. I am not saying that youth programs shouldnt receive additional funding. I am saying a feel-good fix shouldnt be substituted for determining and addressing the core issue. If there is a direct connection between the two contingencies, why havent youth services always been prioritized? Bolstering youth programming, which is a noncontroversial example among a variety of reallocation options, shouldnt be confused with the dismantling of an unjust system.

The connection between youth services and systemic racism places the burden for fundamental change on the next generation, and not 400 years of systemic racism. While opportunities should exist for youth to thrive, this doesnt translate to the justice citizens have called for. Youth services should be funded, but dont call it the definitive end of systemic racism. In fact, any shift that doesnt include overall reform is ineffective. Instead, give some attention to laws and policies that disproportionately discriminate against people of color.

Arrie B. Porter is a graduate student in the English, creative writing and social justice program at Our Lady of the Lake University.
The death of 61-year-old grandmother, Christine McCluskey, at the hands of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is a criminal act.

Christine, from Dundee, Scotland, was an extremely ill and vulnerable woman who died weighing just 3 stone (42 pounds). Millions were shocked when they saw her emaciated body in national newspapers and on social media.

Photos of Christine were published only just over a year after images of the skeletal body of another DWP victim, Stephen Smith, was released. Smith, who lived in Liverpool, died in April 2019, aged 64. He perished in an emaciated state, weighing just 6 stone (84 pounds).

Christine McCluskey weighed just just 42 pounds when she died months after her DWP assessment (credit Michelle McCluskey)

Another to die under similar tragic circumstances was Errol Graham. Graham weighed just 4-1/2 stone (63 pounds) when his body was found by bailiffs on June 20, 2018, after they had broken down his front door to evict him for rent arrears. He had starved to death, with two tins of fish with a 2013 use-by-date, the only food items in his kitchen.

Following an assessment just months before she died, Christine was found not to have met the criterion to qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). PIP is a benefit that can be claimed by those with an illness, disability, or mental health condition. She had been assessed for PIP by the Independent Assessment Service (IAS), formerly known as Atos.

At the time of her assessment in May 2018, Christine was suffering from a catalogue of illnesses, some of which were serious lifelong health conditions that she would not be expected to recover from. She had Crohns disease, leaving her having to use a colostomy bag, and suffered with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), osteoporosis and arthritis.

Christine was also housebound, and because of the Crohns disease had to use a feeding tube 16 hours a day. She suffered from a painful fistula that leaked through her abdominal wall and she was severely malnourished, weighing just 5 stone 5 lbs., and was being investigated for a worrying cough. She perished three months later in August 2018, having lost almost half her bodyweight.

Christine had previously attended a medical appeal tribunal in 1986 and had been assessed as 80 percent disabled. But her health declined further following a stroke in 2005.

Her daughter, Michelle, said IAS concluded her sick mother was able to walk the 200 metres deemed to be enough to be declared fit, on the basis she hobbled from the sofa to the door to let them in. The assessors said Christine could get into the bath without help, despite official forms saying they werent able to assess her ability to get into the bath because she was so frail, explained Michelle. I cant get my head around how someone could assess my mother as anything but very sick. You only had to look at her to see that.

Stephen Smith (credit: Liverpool Echo)

These callous decisions were made despite Christine having been previously awarded PIP, paid at 117.85 a week, based on a prior assessment that she qualified for the benefit. Christine had previously been awarded the mobility component of PIP, allowing her to access the use of a car, because it is accepted that she was largely immobile due to her health condition.

Following her final PIP assessment, the DWP took away the benefit and Christine lost the car, leaving her struggling to get about and taking away the little independence she may have had.

It was only weeks later Christine was diagnosed with terminal cancer, but she was not able to claim PIP under the special rules because she could not show when she would likely die. The special rules are part of the PIP claiming process allowing someone who has an illness that is potentially terminal to be able to claimwithout going through the process of waiting to face a PIP assessment.

The PIP special rules claim recognises that when someone is diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening illness, they are more likely to be in a state of shock, unable to think about or deal with claiming benefits. The process involves making a PIP claim and then submitting at the same time a form, DS1500, which is usually signed by a health professional, confirming the likelihood that the person in question is unlikely to live beyond a period of six months. In Christines case, she was unable to demonstrate that she would die within six months.

Critics of this area of benefits law argue this should be reviewed, as it is always very difficult and often impossible for a health care professional to estimate the date when someone with a terminal illness may die. Marie Curie, a charity providing end of life care and support to people with a terminal illness, is campaigning for changes to the law, demanding that all terminally ill people get fast, easy access to benefits.

Errol Graham

Attempting to save face, the DWP announced a year ago that there would be a review into how people with a terminal illness access benefits. The Motor Neurone Association and Marie Curie are demanding a deadline for the reviews publication and an end to the immense and unnecessary distress and hardship suffered by thousands of people facing death. But the official barbarity continues. It is estimated that 10 people a day have died without receiving financial support.

This is continuing despite a landmark High Court case in Northern Ireland earlier this month. Judge Mr Justice McAlinden ruled that the different treatment of terminally ill people, who do not meet the six-month life expectancy criterion, is discriminatory. The case was brought against Stormonts Department for Communities and the Secretary for State and Pensions. The judge ruled that Lorraine Cox, 40, had suffered a breach of her human rights and granted her leave for a judicial review.

Lorraine, a mother of three from Derrylin, County Fermanagh, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2018 at the age of 37. MND is a progressive neurological illness with no cure, and at the time, she was told that she should expect to live between two to five years.

The judge said he could find nothing to justify or explain why individuals who have a terminal illness but are not expected to die within six months, and those with a terminal diagnosis who are reasonably expected to die within six months but who survive beyond that six month period, are treated differently.

Government figures published in 2019 revealed that 9,320 complaints had been received about the medical assessment for PIP in the year to February 2019, a rise of 6,000 percent in three years. In 2019, Ministry of Justice data showed that appeals for both PIP and Employment Support Allowance (sickness benefit), had a success rate at appeal of 75 percent, indicating that most assessments were wrong.

Michelle took the case to tribunal five months after Christines death and a judge reversed the decision, with the PIP payments her mother was owed backdated. This was too little too late, said Michelle, and the money should have been used to make her mothers final days a little easier.

The terrible fate of Christine McCluskey, Stephen Smith, Errol Graham, and many others are not the result of errors or flawed processes within the benefits system that require review, as charities often claim. The system is designed to be cruel and inhumane.

The benefits system has evolved from its post-war ethos as a safety net, however limited, to one based on punishing the sick and disabled and aimed primarily at coercing the unemployed and school-leavers into low paid work, or ending their benefits. This has been overseen by successive Tory and Labour governments over the last three decades.

The most vulnerable and ill people are entitled to the best care and support available and the income required to live out their lives in comfort. This requires a mass movement of the working class, demanding the scrapping of the entire punitive set-up that is sadistically ending the lives of desperately ill people. It can only be established under a workers government, based on a socialist programme.
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A Love Affair With The Starfighter

by Roger Seroo

How it startedwell, it was more by accident. During my childhood, I lived in a low-flying area and saw many aircraft flying close overhead; it was commonplace here during in the 1970s. Airfields like Laarbruch, Bruggen, Volkel and De Peel were very active back then, and often routed their aircraft nearby, or even over my home.

My childhood was already filled with curiosity about aircraft, but when I visited Schiphol, the Netherlands primary international airport near Amsterdam, all hell broke loose in my mind. Aviation became an all-consuming passion, and I started to collect photographs and newspaper clippings of all aircraft. I wanted to go back to Schiphol, but it was far from home, so my mom and dad suggested we go to De Peel Air Base instead. Unfortunately, on the day we visited, there were no flying activities taking place at De Peel whatsoever. But my dad didnt give up. He looked at the map, and found that Volkel Air Base wasnt too much further away, so off we went and the first plane I saw up close was an F-104 Starfighter!

F-104s were common in Holland back then, as the F-16 hadnt yet arrived in service with the Dutch Air Force. I got out of our family car and that coincided with the Starfighter starting her engine run up! I quickly ran back in the car again, as I was startled, and having never seen such a thing up close before, my young mind thought the aircraft was about to explode! There was no internet back then, so everything I knew about aircraft came from books or magazines. Shaken, but nosey, I gained a little courage and moved to where I could begin taking my first real look at this smokey, needle-like beast! It was love at first sight, so-to-speak! I soon started taking my first photographs of these Stars, placing one eye of my binoculars in front of the simple camera I held in a crude telephoto arrangement. I shot my first pictures! I also brought a tape recorder to the airbase a few times to capture that beautiful, unique sound of the F-104! I loved replaying that tape at home  over and over  and full volume too. I regularly saw neighbors and visitors checking the skies from their windows to see what was flying!

Then came September 20th, 1980; a really warm day. As De Peel airbase was just 10 kilometers away, we went to experience my first Dutch Air Force OpenDay! I could finally see my beloved Starfighters from up close! While they flew some individual demonstrations over the course of the event, the finale to the day involved a mass formation of 20 Starfighters flying overhead! Manwhat a sight that was! Sadly, I didnt take any pictures, but my mind is still alive with that magnificent memory

From that very moment I was already definitively in love with the Starfighter! In those days, I was already saying, If I ever get a chance to fly in a Starfighter, that would be AMAZING!!! But how the hell would I know that this dream would come true 30 years later The Dutch Air Force retired the last of their Starfighters just four years after that OpenDay, but I was destined to visit Starfighters wherever I could from that moment on! I traveled all over Europe, and even the United States, to visit F-104s. I also started to collect anything to do with F-104s: patches, movies, spoons and parts of the plane itself, like cockpit instruments and an ejection seat. (which I could later install in my own F-104, but we will come to that later!)

My dedication to Starfighters remains to this day! I just love going somewhere to snap photos of F-104s, preferably those examples I havent see before, as I am a real number-cruncher for these things!

I found out about the International F-104 Society and fast became a major contributor to both the organization and its magazine since its founding in 1991. Presently, I serve as one of two moderators on the societys internet discussion forum.

The Italian Air Force was the last military air arm to fly the F-104 operationally, so of course I visited Italy regularly over the course of 15 years for that purpose alone! Every holiday was spent in Italy to hear/feel and smell Ef-one-oh-fours!!!

Together with a good friend who had a similar obsession, or disease as we joke, for the Starfighter, I would brainstorm about ways we might buy an F-104 in Italy or Germany. We did find some in Rome, but they were way over our budget, sadly. And most of these examples had had their main landing gear legs cut as well. However, we were very lucky, as I knew a guy who got museum rights. Thanks to him, we were able to bid on VEBEG in Germany for the first Fokker-built F-104! She wore the Luftwaffe markings 23+27 and while our hopes of winning the bid were very dim, we buoyed our spirits by saying Hey, who knows!

A few weeks later I got a telephone call with the news that We got it!!! Holy moly!  Now what? Where are we gonna put that thing?!! We hadnt thought that far yet, as the dream had felt so inconceivable up to that point. Many people, of course, had their negative comments at the ready, haranguing us with, What you guys gonna do with a Jet?, or You dont have experience at all!

But enthusiasm and love for the F-104 would prove quite the opposite! Fortunately my friend Ton van der Zeeuw had an easy going demeanor and arranged a place for the F-104 inside a museum near Eindhoven, which also housed some WWII stuff. On Friday the 13th of December, 2002 (not a bad Friday the 13th after all!) we got our F-104, and transported her to Best (near Eindhoven) at the museum known as Bevrijdende Vleugels (Wings of Liberation).

Then came the journey for parts to restore our beast. We visited scrap yards and some airbases where a few old 104s were hiding away in a corner. From different bases, we got the most wanted missing parts to complete our bird. We did most of the work at the museum in Best out in the open. After a few years, I had completed the cockpit rebuild and she more and more resembled an active aircraft! However, after a disagreement with the museums CEO, Id had enough of it. He wanted to get us out of there, and said so in plain sight! A few hours later he regretted what hed said and withdrew his words. But the damage was done. Id had all I could take and said, If you want us to get out of here, FINE we go!!! Perhaps that was pure blah blah blah from me with a pokerface, but what the heck! I went to the airfield close to my home, the former RAF Germany air station at Laarbruch, which was still an active airfield, but now in civilian hands. I told them about my situation and showed them a picture of our F-104! Their mouths fell open and they said Hell yeah!!! You can come anytime with this beauty!!! Even cooler, they allowed us to pick a shelter at our own choosing! So, now I had to convince my friend in moving of our beloved F-104. He didnt take long to agree, as he was still unsettled by the argument with the CEO at the Wings of Liberation Museum, telling me, Well, I guess youre right, enough is enough!

So in December 2004, exactly two years after our arrival in Best, we moved our baby to our new home at the former RAF Laarbruch, which is now known as Niederrhein/Weeze airport. Here we made our new base in an old RAF hardened air shelter and our bird was finally standing inside! Id put so much work into this bird, during any weather, and any temperature  blood, sweat and tears for our Iron Tricycle! Even now I feel proud of what we achieved with this, the first Fokker-built F-104  we returned this aircraft from a worn out hulk into her former glory. To be honest, I was a real lunatic about our F-104. After each excursion trip came to visit the shelter with our F-104 inside, she was always full of grubby fingerprints! I just hated that  and I couldnt stop myself from immediately wiping the marks away with a dry cloth, to keep the shiny look on my F-104! The plane looked so good that she often got booked for advertising or photography sessions, and even a video for some hip-hop artists!

Furthermore, it really felt like we were living in an authentic air base atmosphere. In May 2005, we attended our first air show at Niederrhein/Weeze airport. Our F-104 was a real eye-catcher and oh man, how proud we were of our bird!

In late March 2005, we finally got some neighbors. A Dutchman and a Belgian guy managed to buy a former Belgian Air Force F-104, this being FX52, and I agreed to help them! It was a lot of work as FX52 was a definitively corroded ghost; a sad reminder of her longterm storage in the salty sea air at Koksijde, on the Belgian coast. As anyone who works on aircraft knows, salt and aluminum are a killer combo, and this plane had been slowly eaten alive by the weather. This Tiger project lasted for three years and was in the final stages by mid-2008, exactly 30 years after this F-104 flew in the exact same livery we repainted her. This was an all-over tiger stripe livery, as this aircraft had taken part in one of the annual Tiger Meets. These were legendary gatherings where where military aircraft whose squadrons bore a tiger emblem would send a representative airframe wildly painted in a tiger-themed livery. These aircraft were magnificent! Man, although not my plane, I am proud to have been a part of this project to return this F-104 into her Tiger Meet markings! I spent many many hours at the airbase restoring both F-104s  from 06.00h until 01.00h the following night was almost like a normal working day at the airfield. In april 2008, even more F-104s arrived at the airbase, but I just helped take care of these aircraft and rarely helped the owner in restoring those birds.

My hobby has taken me far, and besides just my friends, people in the US saw my involvement in the F-104 too. Because of my activities concerning the Starfighter  of arranging things, fixing things, writing small articles and working so much on 104s, my nickname soon became Mr.Starfighter! It felt very heartwarming to receive a nickname like that! Besides a few jealous looks by some, all of my 104-adventures were very positive and I received many thumbs up in feedback!

And so it was that one day I had a telephone call from Starfighters-Inc. in Florida who operate a small fleet of F-104s, and they invited me to take a flight in one of their aircraft! For a moment, I couldnt believe what Id just heard! ME??? To fly in a one-oh-four?? This is what I had always dreamt about! Of course I agreed, and for the next months I could barely sleep, because of the thought that my long-held dream might come true. For homework, I studied all of the F-104 Check-lists and emergency procedures. Also, that Kicker-drill I had to know. Due to contacts with one of the squadrons at Volkel airbase, they refurbished my HGU-55 flying helmet; it was like new again after their attentions! After some medical checkups, I was ready to go!

So towards the end of 2007, I was flying with KLM from Schiphol, with my flight gear, to Washington, DC. But when I arrived in DC, I got a telephone call; one I really didnt want to receive! My Starfighter-flight was cancelled! Incredulous, I said, This cant be, Im just here! I thought it was a bad joke, but then I heard that they were very sorry, it was true. There was a problem with the ejection seats, and we were not allowed to fly I saw my dream falling apart, and after just 2 days in America, I went home again in great sadness.

But at the beginning of 2008, another telephone call came from the States Do I still want to fly in the Starfighter? OF COURSE I DO  but what guarantee do I have that it will happen this time? Well, not for the full 100%, but three planes had to be flown home to the Cape (Cape Canaveral) in Florida from NAS Oceana in Virginia  where they were scheduled to be. So in September 2008, I again flew to the States with my flight gear packed  and some strange looks from the customs officers asking me, What do you have in your bags?

But the long-awaited day came when I got strapped in to my favorite airplane. I had sat in one sooo many times, and practiced all the procedures until I could dream my way through it in my own F-104 cockpit in our shelter back at Niederrhein/Weeze airport. Now it was for real! I connected my spurs into the C-2 ejection seat, connected the oxygen and checked the white blinker on the oxygen panel. All belts are connected and an unreal feeling starts to sweep over me. The hose from the air-starter is plugged in between the main landing gear of the CF-104D, our aircraft that day, and pilot Rick Svetkoff circles his index finger in a request to the ground crew for them to begin feeding the much needed, high-pressure air to spin up the J79 engine. The plane comes alive. Clocks give their specific messages, the gyros are humming, and the plane begins to vibrate. My adrenaline starts to pump up! All three CF-104s are ready for take off, and because we were flying in a two-seat CF-104D dual, the internal fuel capacity is much less than the single-seaters so we went up first! After two howling engine run-ups, we slip into afterburner. It was like a giant hand shoving your backside  pushing us down the runway! Man what a feeling! We lifted off, and I immediately felt at home inside this one-oh-four! Along the way, I shot some air-to-air pictures of these beauties flying beside me and I felt like a god as two of my dreams had come true at once! I wondered how steady this aircraft was in the air  well, it was like a train on a railroad track! We pulled some Gs, and all of a sudden the camera became VERY heavy. This was a really strange feeling for an untrained pilot like me, but I didnt get sick one bit! Then Rick calls me over the intercom saying, Hey Rog, do you have your hands on the throttle and stick? I replied, No, of course not! He replied, Well, do it!! He then asks, Do you have it? I replied, Yes, I have! Then he pulls up both his hands, saying, Well Rog, you have it! You are now flying an F-104! I cant describe the feeling I had back then, but all I can say is that its the best thing you can do with your pants on!

I flew her for about 10 or 12 minutes before giving the 1-0-4 back to Rick. Because of some nearby thunderstorms, we had to fly around them, and our flight time was not the planned 45 minutes, but rather 1 hour and 9 minutes! My first flight-hour in the 104 was now a fact! We made a nice Echelon left formation above Cape Canaveral and flew into the circuit around the base. While we were turning onto final, some really big birds, perhaps Pelicans, rushed past the canopy and I briefly thought, Whoa, what if we have to use the ejection seat now? But everything went just fine, and with just 400 pounds of fuel to spare, we landed our CF-104D on the big runway at Cape Canaveral, and without drag chute too, as the runway was more than long enough for us to slow down  it did, after all, have to cater to the Space Shuttle! We parked our Zippers in front of a gate and shut down our engines. We opened the canopies, unbuckled from our seats, and reached for each others hands. Rick asked me, Did you have a nice time up there? What a questionIt was fantastic!!! I was about 3 to 4 kilograms lighter than I was when I left NAS Oceana too! I had sweated like an ox! Also, breathing 100% oxygen makes you feel very clearheaded! A small mini-van drove up to us, and one of the head guys from the NASA station came to welcome me, as I was apparently the second Dutchman ever to land at the Cape! The first one was the Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels in Space Shuttle Challenger during November, 1985 I was the second Dutchie, but came to the Cape in my spacecraft, the Starfighter!!! I spent the week as part of the staff at NASA, as Starfighters have some test work for the organization. Many times I said to myself: I wish my mom could see me, because she had died suddenly at the RIAT airshow at RAF Fairford in July, 1991. She always told me to do what you love to do. So I kept my promise, I guessMaybe on a cloud somewhere she was smiling at me during my flight, my dream for 30 years, had come true for me! My hobby-circle was round! There was not much else to do. Im proud what Ive achieved so far!!

After that wonderful adventure, a short time later I started a totally different life, as I now had a family to take care of and there was simply no time for working at my first love, the one-oh-four, any more! So I had to sell it. It was my own choice and nobody pushed me to do it, but it felt like selling my child, which in fact she really had been for me! Blood, sweat and tears I gave for that tricycle. I sold her to a car-dealer, and he in turn sold her to someone near the Stuttgart in Germany. Sure, I miss her every day, but I feel very, very grateful that I got this far inside the 104-community, for just a hobby. What I had always wanted since childhood was to: Work on an F-104  CHECK!; Own an F-104  CHECK!; and, top of the cake, Fly in an F-104  DOUBLE CHECK!!!! For me, the Starfighter is a part of my life, and every chance that I get to see one, I feel exited! Every now and then I will go to her, my first love, caress her smooth lines, then walk around her, checking every little detail and think back to the old timesLife can be good!

Roger Kicker Seroo

Many thanks to Roger Seroo for this terrific story. Its not often that someone gets to live their dream, but he certainly proved its possible for an ordinary person, through determination, and a little luck, can fulfill life-long ambitions! Bravo for all he has done to preserve the F-104!
WASHINGTON  Members of Congress and the Trump administration differed on where the buck stops for veterans nursing facilities during a committee hearing Wednesday on Capitol Hill, but most agreed the coronavirus emerged as a teachable moment of the most costly magnitude.

The disease has claimed the lives of at least 40,000 in nursing homes across the nation, including 76 at the Soldiers Home in Holyoke.

Wednesdays hearing of the Subcommittee on Health of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans Affairs featured high-ranking government officials and experts in the field.

Among five witnesses invited to testify was retired Soldiers Home Superintendent Paul Barabani. Barabanis testimony was introduced by U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, also chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The Soldiers Home has become a tragic example of the potential impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes. The virus killed and sickened dozens of patients and staff members over 11 weeks beginning in late March. State officials said Tuesday the virus had resurfaced in one patient previously considered clinically recovered.

In 2016, Mr. Barabani resigned his position because he felt the state was not addressing critical needs at the home, like inadequate staffing and crucial physical renovations, Neal told committee members.

The committee hearing was titled: Whos in Charge? Examining Oversight of State Veterans Homes during the COVID-19 Pandemic, echoing committee Chairwoman and U.S. Rep. Julia Brownleys first question of a top U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs official.

First question goes to Dr. Boyd, Brownley said, referring to Dr. Teresa D. Boyd, assistant deputy under secretary for health for clinical operations. Where does the buck stop with regards to responsibility for quality of care for our nations veterans?

Truly, the operational aspect of that is in the lap of the state, Boyd responded.

Brownley, a California Democrat, later disputed that position during the hearing, which lasted more than two hours and intermittently was hobbled by technical problems.

Where does the buck stop? The buck, in terms of inspection and oversight, stops with the VA, she said. We need to be sure were doing what we need to do.

Barabani, now among the leaders of the grassroots network called Holyoke Soldiers Home Coalition, said during five minutes of testimony he felt state and federal officials may have saved lives  had they listened.

I needed the VAs help to influence the states decision makers ... to provide funds for proper staffing levels, and the renovation of the home; to ensure safe, quality veteran care, Barabani said. I often ask myself: What if they had listened, and funded to my requests for additional staff ... and the creation of individual rooms in the renovation project? How many of these deaths could have been prevented? If they had listened.

The Soldiers Home falls into a unique category as veterans homes go, in that it does not accept Medicare or Medicaid funding and, thus, is subject to fewer inspections.

Gov. Charlie Baker earlier this year commissioned an independent report by a former federal prosecutor who concluded the homes leaders  including ousted Superintendent Bennett Walsh  were woefully unprepared for the outbreak and made baffling decisions. Following the reports findings, Baker proposed a number of state reforms including more frequent inspections.

Though not a member of the committee, U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Mass., called into the meeting and asked a series of questions about funding, oversight and the impact of the deaths of families and fellow veterans.

The families were so impacted they werent there at the time of the deaths, Barabani said. Some of the wives saw their husbands for the first time in weeks when they unzipped the body bags.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 22:02:40|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Wednesday said it faces a critical funding shortfall to meet the needs of refugees in Ethiopia.

The UNHCR said it received only 72.2 million U.S. dollars out of the total 385.1 million dollars required to meet the basic nutritional, education, health and accommodation needs of refugees in Ethiopia.

As of June 30, 2020, the UNHCR registered 766,563 refugees and asylum-seekers in Ethiopia, most of whom are housed in refugee camps in six regional states, it said in a monthly fact sheet.

Ethiopia now hosts the second largest refugee population in Africa, after Uganda.

Refugees in Ethiopia primarily come from Eritrea, South Sudan, Somalia and Sudan, according to Ethiopian government figures.

Conflict and drought in neighboring countries continues to force people to seek refuge in Ethiopia, which has a long tradition of hosting refugees.

Ethiopia has also in recent years hosted an increasing number of refugees fleeing conflicts in Yemen and Syria. Enditem
AKRON, Ohio  A teen male was wounded in the leg Monday in a shooting in the Summit Lake neighborhood, according to police.

Officers called to the area of Princeton and West Long streets just before 6 p.m. found the wounded teen, whose exact age was not released. Witnesses tell police the teen appeared to be involved in a scuffle with another male when shots were fired.

A vehicle sped away after the shooting, witnesses tell police. Several shell casings were recovered. The wounded teen was taken to Akron Childrens Hospital for a non-life-threatening wound.

Police are searching for a male suspect, 20-25 years old, 5-foot-11, with medium-length hair.

Anyone with information can call detectives at 330-375-2490 or the Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS. Individuals can send tips by texting TIPSCO to 274637. Callers can remain anonymous.

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Cleveland woman beaten to death in Buckeye-Woodhill home, police say
Parliament has given the green light to government's request for GHS11.8 billion in supplementary estimates for the 2020 financial year.

Before the approval, the Minority raised questions of accountability over the use of the resources in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu in the House on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, said, Mr Speaker, we heard about Agenda 111. The President himself said Agenda 88. So who should we believe? And this is not the first time. The President did well commissioning the Eastern Regional Hospital but to the credit of the NDC. The Upper West, Central, Brong Ahafo regional hospitals were all infrastructure undertaken by the previous NDC government.

In response to the concerns, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, outlined the areas of expenditure for the funds approved by Parliament for the management of COVID-19.

Mr. Speaker, please allow me to restate what the GHS11.8 billion supplementary estimate which includes an amount of GHS1.84 billion that Parliament approved in March 2020 for emergency COVID related expenditures was requested for. GHS1.84 billion [will be used] for the implementation of the COVID-19 preparedness plan to be implemented by the Ministry of Health, the plan to focus on expanding laboratories to increase the network of functional laboratories for COVID-19 testing for improved database management and coordination, creating isolation centres in all regions and districts, revitalizing the systems for tracking case confirmation and management among others, GHS600 million to mobilise the construction for the Agenda 111 district hospitals, GHS1.204 million for CAP 1 program which includes the GHS600 million support for small businesses, relief for water during the first three months, support for frontline workers, etc.

---
Rep. Louis Gohmert, a Texas Republican who was slated to travel with President Donald Trump to the Lone Star State Wednesday, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Gohmert regularly refuses to wear a mask.

Politico broke the story and reported Wednesday morning that Gohmert tested positive at the White House during pre-screening for the trip. He then informed staffers, in person, at the Rayburn House Office Building that he had the virus, Playbook said.

Later, during a television appearance, Gohmert suggested that briefly wearing a mask might have contributed to him contracting the virus.

'I can't help but wonder if by keeping a mask on and keeping it in place if I might have put some germs, some of the virus onto the mask and breathed it in,' Gohmert said. 'I don't know. I got it. We'll see what happens from here.'

'But the reports of my demise are premature,' the Texas lawmaker added.

Rep. Louis Gohmert, who is regularly seen on Capitol Hill not wearing a mask, tested positive for the coronavirus, Politico first reported. Gohmert's case was found because he was being screened at the White House so he could travel to Texas with President Trump Wednesdsay

C-SPAN's cameras captured Rep. Louis Gohmert, sans mask, Tuesday on Capitol Hill outside the hearing room where lawmakers quizzed Attorney General Bill Barr for five hours. Now Barr will have to be tested for the coronavirus too

President Donald Trump is captured boarding Air Force One to Texas Wednesday. Gohmert was supposed to accompany Trump to the state but tested positive for coronavirus at the White House during pre-screening

Attorney General Bill Barr will get tested for COVID-19 after coming in close contact with Rep. Louis Gohmert during Tuesday's House Judiciary Committee hearing, which both men attended

The White House tests individuals who will interact with the president by taking a sample using a nasal swab and then running it through an Abbott Laboratories point-of-care test, which can deliver results in less than 15 minutes.

The Texas Republican told CNN last month that he wasn't wearing a mask because he's tested regularly for COVID-19.

'But I keep being tested and I don't have it. So I'm not afraid of you,' Gohmert told the reporter, who had mentioned to the Texas lawmaker that asymptomatic people could be carrying the coronavirus.

Gohmert also told the network that if he did contact the virus he would mask-up.

'I don't have the coronavirus, turns out as of yesterday I've never had it. But if I get it, you'll never see me without a mask,' he said.

A Gohmert staffer wrote into the Politico Playbook newsletter after the news broke sharing with reporters that Gohmert 'requires full staff to be in the office, including three interns, so that "we could be an example to American on how to open up safely."'

The aide also suggested to journalists, 'When probing the office, you might want to ask how often were people berated for wearing masks.'

Now that he's tested positive Gohmert will be advised to quarantine for at least 14 days and won't be able to return to Capitol Hill until he's tested negative for the virus twice.

Other lawmakers who have tested positive for the virus include GOP Sen. Rand Paul and Republican Reps. Mario Diaz Balart of Florida, Neal Dunn of Florida, Morgan Griffith of Virginia, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania and Tom Rice of South Carolina.

Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams also tested positive in March.

At work, Republicans have been more mask-averse, with Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler chiding his GOP colleagues for taking off their masks during Tuesday's fraught hearing featuring Attorney General Bill Barr, which Gohmert attended.

Reuters reported Wednesday that Barr will be tested for COVID-19, as he testified before the Judiciary Committee for five hours and thus came in contact with Gohmert.

Nadler told one GOP lawmaker that sipping coffee wasn't an excuse to have his mask off while in the committee room.

'It is not permissible,' Nadler said, smacking his gavel.

His comments weren't directed at Gohmert during that time.

Nadler sent some back-handed well wishes to Gohmert on Wednesday.

'I want to wish @RepLouisGohmert a full & speedy recovery. When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. Ive regularly instructed all Members to wear their masks and hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues,' Nadler tweeted.

Gohmert was, however, seen outside the committee room sans mask Tuesday.

'Gohmert ought to quarantine himself right now,' remarked Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Democrats' No. 2. 'He came into the room without a mask on ... Totally irresponsible behavior,' Hoyer told C-SPAN.

Hoyer also said leadership should reconsider testing members of Congress.

Initially, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell didn't accept offers to utilize rapid testing techologies because of the nationwide COVID-19 testing shortage.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, a former Republican member of Congress, told reporters on the Hill Wednesday that he had spoken to Gohmert.

'He's doing well. He's asymptomatic. I think he's concerned like everybody else would be, but he's doing fine.'

Meadows also said that Gohmert is in quarantine.

'Oh yeah, yeah,' the chief of staff said.

Rep. Kay Granger, another Texas Republican, announced Wednesday afternoon that she would quarantine, after sitting next to Gohmert on a flight Sunday.

Trump is off to Texas for the day to raise funds for his re-election campaign and tour an oil rig.

It's customary for the president to invite political allies from where he's traveling to take Air Force One along with him to a state.
Building the post-pandemic church: Actions of the Jesus Church (part 3)

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Editor's Note: This article is the third in a series on the post-pandemic church. Read "Building the post-pandemic church: Out of ashes (part 1)" here. Read "Building the post-pandemic church: Providential plagues (part 2)" here.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a jagged fissure in time. One side represents things as they were while the other the way they will be, might be, or must be considering the altered post-pandemic institutional, social, and cultural topography.

Organizations of all types are questing for their post-pandemic identity and function. Church leaders rattling with all the other institutional chiefs have an edge. Jesus said He is the foundation  the sturdy, immovable rock  on which the authentic church rests. Christ Jesus is the Great Constancy, the One who is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

Institutions will quiver and fall, but the living Church will not because it is the body of this same, changeless Christ.

The post-pandemic church must be the Jesus Church.

If the New Testament Church is the body of Christ, then it ought to do what Jesus Christ did in His incarnate body.

As we noted previously, a study of the Gospels reveals five major categories of the incarnate works of the Lord:

1. Jesus worshiped

Jesus tells the woman at the well that an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers (John 4:23 NASB). In that statement Jesus reveals that true worship engages the subjective (spirit) and objective (truth) facets of the human being. There is to be a balance in worship between emotion and mind.

God the Father is to be the focus of worship, yet it is to encompass the whole Trinity. Humanity is designed with a hunger for transcendence. When people squelch this sense, they try to make the immanent transcendent  the core of idolatry. True worship will restore the sense of the Fathers transcendent majesty while also praising the Son and Holy Spirit.

2. Jesus interceded

Jesus awakened early to give focused attention to interceding. The hour of prayer should not be a legalism demanding that everyone get up before dawn. The crucial issue is that a church set apart specific times for corporate intercession and encourage its people to pursue a lifestyle of personal prayer.

God revealed to Solomon in the Old Testament that, My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place (2 Chronicles 7:15). The Old Testament Temple is gone, but the intercessory assignment is not. Jesus shows this when, as He cleanses the Jerusalem Temple, He cries out, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you are making it a robbers den (Matthew 21:43).

No church can truly be a Jesus Church if there is no focus on intercessory prayer for individuals and the societies they inhabit beyond church walls.

3. Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus faced and overcame Satans temptations. Then, on the authority and strength of that victory, the Lord began to preach and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17).

The juxtaposition between the temptation and Kingdom proclamation is important. The struggle in the wilderness was about authority and power: Would Satan define Jesuss incarnate ministry, or would Jesus stay committed to the Fathers plan? Jesus settled that question in His refusal of the tempters challenges.

Evangelism may focus on warning people about hell and judgment, but the Gospel of the Kingdom is about Christs Lordship in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18)

4. Jesus made disciples of those He reached

Jesuss aim in developing disciples was to help people learn how practically to work out (their) salvation with fear and trembling, as Paul wrote in Philippians 2:12. The Jesus Church is an O2 organism. That is, it links orthodoxy with orthopraxy, resulting in wholeness of ministry.

Disciple-making leads to spiritual maturity and authentic ministry, rather than doctrinally unsound practices (Ephesians 4:14-15).

Jesus Himself showed that evangelizing is not complete unless it leads to disciple-making (Matthew 28:18-20). Therefore, the Jesus Church prioritizes discipleship development.

5. Jesus served the human need around Him in the name of the Father

Rather than perceiving of Himself as a dominating ruler, isolated mystic, or religious celebrity, Jesus walked among suffering people in the suffering servant mantle described in Isaiah. In His work, He labeled Himself the Shepherd of the sheep, even willing to lay down His life for the flock.

The church that seeks to be an institution of earthly power is not the Jesus Church. A religious body may have dominating jurisdiction in a theocratic civil sphere, but it is not the Jesus Church.

The Jesus Church will engage with the political sphere by speaking prophetically in and to the political life of its society, as well as influencing policy in a biblical direction. However, the Jesus Church will also focus on the pastoral role of ministry to those sickened and wounded by the toxic culture (Matthew 25:31-46).

As we stand on this side of the pandemic gash in time and history, we must be careful where we set our gaze. Rather than merely looking across the chasm and lamenting over what was there in the recent past, we must look even further back in time. It is important to see and learn all we can about the New Testament Jesus Church that permeated the Roman Empire with transformative effect within three centuries through the proclamation and ministry of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

That is the post-pandemic church we should build, not the old structures whose toppled walls now surround us.

How, practically, do we build the Jesus Church? Thats the question we discuss in Part 4.
TipRanks

Lets talk about quality stocks. Of course, this is the direction that every investor wants to go; but the question is, how to recognize them? Do we go all-in on the big-value, big-name giants? Or do we dig a little deeper, and find the high-end nuggets that are hiding in the sandheap? Weighing in from investment bank Morgan Stanley, chief investment officer Lisa Shalett recommends the latter. She recommends investors to look for beaten-down stocks, equities that have lost value recently  but t
The jets flew out from the Merignac air base in the French port city of Bordeaux and after covering a distance of nearly 7,000 km landed at Al Dhafra air base in the United Arab Emirates on Monday night.

New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will receive five Rafale jets that will land at the Ambala air base on Wednesday for induction.

The fleet comprises three single seater- and two twin seater- aircraft. They will be inducted into the Indian Air Force as part of its No 17 Squadron, also known as the Golden Arrows at Ambala air base.

The Air Force has stated that the pilots, ground crew and the fighter will be operationally ready as the jets reach India.

Rafale would be a game changer in the current scenario when India is facing border tension with China in Eastern Ladakh. It is being stated that it will increase India's air power manifold.

Rafale is a 4.5 generation aircraft and has the latest weapons, superior sensors and fully integrated architecture.

Senior Indian Air Force officers state that China's premier fighter jet Chengdu J-20A is no match to Rafale capabilities which has been seen in Afghanistan, Libya and Syria.

China claims that its J-20 is a 5th generation fighter aircraft, however, it has a 3rd generation engine, said a senior IAF officer questioning stealth capabilities of the aircraft.

China is now going to buy Russian Su35 to match Rafale.

The officer also said that Rafale is an omni-role aircraft which means it can carry out at least four missions in one sortie. However, China J-20 cannot carry out multiple missions in one go.

Further, the Rafale fighter aircrafts will have HAMMER missiles. It will also be armed with beyond visual range missiles like Meteor, SCALP and MICA, increasing their ability to take on incoming targets from a distance.

The meteor missile in Rafale makes it far more potent than the J-20. The officer also explained that the Rafale engine is better in terms of reliability, longevity and maintainability.

The officer further pointed out that Rafale can lift loads up to 1.5 times its weight, which means it can carry weapons and fuel of far greater capacity than the J-20.

In Western Theatre Command, Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force has deployed 157 fighters and 20 GJ-1/WD-1K precision strike UAVs.

India has deployed 270 fighter aircrafts and 68 ground attack aircrafts.

--IANS

sk/in
Ontario students should return to school full-time in smaller classes, with elementary students spaced one metre apart and high schoolers separated two metres, says a group of experts providing advice to the provincial government on how to safely restart in the fall.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce is expected to announce the provinces plans on Thursday, drawing heavily from the report by experts at Sick Kids, Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Holland Bloorview rehab hospital and some educators and parents, among others.

Smaller class sizes should be a priority strategy as it will aid in physical distancing and reduce potential spread of COVID-19, their report says.

While they note that other systems have implemented caps of 10 to 15 children, there is limited evidence on which to base a pre-specified class size. Decisions should take into account the available classroom space in addition to the number of exposures that would occur should a student or staff test positive.

While they dont recommend face masks for younger children, they say teens should wear them when physical distancing isnt possible.

The report, released Wednesday, updates one from earlier this month that proved controversial among parents and educators, who felt their voices needed to be heard and that more stringent protocols were needed.

However, the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, the countrys largest teachers union, blasted the new recommendations, saying all students should have to wear masks.

If a region has declared masks mandatory for indoor spaces, then we expect masks to be mandatory in elementary schools in that region regardless of age, president Sam Hammond said. The risks are too high. We need to keep students and educators safe and we certainly dont want schools contributing to a second wave of the pandemic.

Hammond also said the one-metre distancing is extremely concerning. Smaller classes that allow for two-metre physical distancing must be part of school reopening plans.

However, Dr. Charles Hui of Ottawas CHEO told reporters that while two metres is optimal, the transmission at one metre is not significantly different for younger kids.

Several other provinces have announced they too will fully open schools in September, including British Columbia, which released its plans on Wednesday for kids to return five days a week, with cohorts or groupings of kids and $46 million for cleaning and personal protective equipment (though masks are not mandatory).

Nova Scotia, which is also reopening with full-time classes, is asking teens to wear face masks when in the hallways between classes and on buses.

The Sick Kids report said that of the experts involved, there was some division over the issues of elementary children wearing face masks.

The different physical distancing suggestions were also based on research suggesting that children do not transmit COVID at the same rates as teens and adults.

The report says local authorities should be involved in any decision on masking, but that anyone who wants to wear one should be allowed.

It also recommends: hand hygiene/sanitizing when entering and exiting classrooms, before and after lunch, staggered breaks/lunch times or eating lunch in classrooms/outdoors, outdoor lessons where possible, more frequent cleaning, improved ventilation in schools, and self-screening before entering the building.

Our recommendation from an overall health perspective is that children and youth return to a daily school model with risk mitigation strategies in place, the report says, emphasizing that childrens mental health and development have been negatively impacted by the shutdown, which saw learning move online after the March Break.

Educators must be consulted to provide input on each model from a learning impact lens. It is important to acknowledge that there is not one specific measure that will prevent infections from occurring in schools, but rather a bundle of infection prevention and control measures.

While it warns that there may be an increase in cases of COVID-19 and other seasonal respiratory viral infections with similar symptoms upon the resumption of school, the report says appropriate measures should be proactively put in place to mitigate the effects of such an increase.

The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association has also said it would like face masks to be mandatory for staff and students.

Lecce has said additional resources will be put in place for boards COVID-related costs, on top of funding already pledged to address mental health issues, technology and cleaning needs.

Alexandra Adamo, a spokesperson for Lecce, said we have greatly appreciated the guidance, expertise and advice of medical experts, the Hospital for Sick Children as well as teachers and families.

We will continue to ensure the health and safety of all Ontario students and education staff remain our top priority.

NDP education critic Marit Stiles said the government continues to send confusing messages to school boards with just weeks left before schools open.

If we dont see a fully costed, fully funded plan (on Thursday) for the return to school, with many more smaller classes  I think its going to be a disappointment for parents across the province. The clock is really ticking now.

She said her greatest fear is that they are going to download all the responsibility and all of the accountability to school boards.

On Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford said with reopening schools, people dont know what exactly is going to happen. Is everyone nervous? Are parents? Sure theyre nervous, Im nervous, everyones nervous when youre dealing with kids.

He said its going to be a tough challenge. But well get through it, well work together.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29)  The Department of Trade and Industry intends to reopen more businesses in a limited capacity by August 1 amid the still rising COVID-19 cases in the country.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez revealed on Tuesday they will recommend to the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) the gradual reopening of testing centers, gyms, and computer shops in areas under general community quarantine.

Also other businesses that Lopez will recommend for a gradual reopening in GCQ areas are personal grooming (hair, nail, skincare except for full body massage) and aesthetic services and pet grooming shops.

All of these establishments are currently listed under Category 4, which are prohibited to open.

Lopez added the DTIs recommendation calls for these establishments to operate in a 30 percent capacity, upgrading them to Category 3.

The Trade Secretary shared they want to partially open computer shops for educational reasons.

These places can be used for online learning because we are looking into alternative learning mechanics. This is an option that makes Internet connection accessible, said Lopez, noting the departments response to the governments promotion of alternative learning methods amid the prohibition of traditional face-to-face sessions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lopez also said that in their proposal to reopen testing or review centers, only a maximum of 10 seats will be allowed inside the room. Other minimum health standards that will be observed in these tutorial centers are required wearing of face mask inside the room, more than one-meter distance between chairs, and frequent sanitation of rooms.
U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu ordered to close

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 08:33, July 28, 2020

BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- At 10 a.m. on Monday, as required by China, the U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu was closed. Relevant Chinese authorities then entered through the front entrance and took over the premises, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on its website.

On July 24, the ministry informed the U.S. Embassy in China of its decision to withdraw its consent for the operation of the consulate, a "legitimate and necessary response" to an earlier U.S. unilateral provocation of demanding that China close its Consulate General in Houston.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin later on Monday dismissed media reports saying the U.S. closure of the consulate aimed to crack down on theft of commercial secrets, engagement in illegal activities and even espionage over a long period, and served to deter staff working at other Chinese consulates from similar activities, quoting interviews with high-ranking U.S. officials.

"The U.S. remarks are groundless accusations, and are purely slander and defamation," Wang told a daily press briefing when responding to a query about his comments on the relevant reports.

As the first consulate general set up by China after the establishment of diplomatic ties, China's Houston consulate has been committed to promoting mutual understanding among various communities and cooperation in various sectors between the two countries, which has won recognition from various communities in the south of the United States, Wang said.

Wang quoted local U.S. media saying that as China is the second-largest trading partner of the Houston region, the latter has benefited a lot from the consulate, which has served as a bridge linking the region to China in terms of tourism, trade and cultural exchanges.

He also quoted relevant local U.S. officials who have expressed their shock at the U.S. decision to shut down China's consulate, as well as their hope to see a peaceful settlement of disputes and the consulate's resumption of operations.

For some time, a few anti-China U.S. politicians, driven by attempts to contain China and motives of seeking personal gains, have been fabricating smearing remarks against China repeatedly and scaling up provocative measures, the spokesperson said, citing unwarranted restrictions by the U.S. side on Chinese media's normal news reporting, oppression of Chinese enterprises under the abused concept of national security, as well as wanton interrogation, harassment and even detention of Chinese overseas students.

"The true purposes of these U.S. politicians are abundantly clear, which is to purposefully undermine China-U.S. relations and turn back the wheels of history," said Wang.

He pointed out the above-mentioned abominable acts have increasingly met with criticism from rational people with a sense of justice, citing a joint statement recently issued at a conference attended by experts and scholars from 48 countries. The statement reminded people of the threat to world peace posed by the U.S. government's increasingly ferocious remarks and acts against China, and expressed support for the two countries to build ties based on dialogue and commit themselves to global unity.

"The current situation in China-U.S. relations is not what China desires to see, and the U.S. side is responsible for all of this," said the spokesperson, once again urging the U.S. side to immediately retract its wrong decisions and create the necessary conditions for bringing the bilateral relationship back on track.

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General Motors lost $806 million and burned through billions of dollars of cash in the second quarter in what is expected to be the worst three months of the year for the auto industry as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered factories and devastated sales.

GM's results released Wednesday reflected a 34% drop in U.S. vehicle sales, which the company attributed to a drop in demand "due to the COVID-19 pandemic and tight dealer inventories caused by the production shutdown in the first and second quarters."

GM's loss is a sharp contrast to the $2.42 billion profit it made during the same three months last year. Revenue during the three months ended June 30 slid to $16.78 billion, a more than 53% drop from $36.1 billion during the same time last year.

However, the loss isn't as bad as Wall Street feared, although a share-price gain during the premarket reversed course in early trading to a slight dip from Tuesday's close. The stock closed Wednesday down 1.7%.

On an adjusted basis, the company lost 50 cents a share while analysts expected the automaker to lose $1.77 a share.

CFRA Research senior equity analyst Garrett Nelson maintained a "sell" opinion on GM. He said vehicle sales won't return to pre-pandemic levels "anytime soon" and a "new model pipeline as relatively unexciting compared to peers."

GM CEO and Chairman Mary Barra described the quarter as "one of the most challenging" in the company's history. She told investors during a call Wednesday that the company is positioned for "continued recovery" for the remainder of the year and beyond.

GM CFO Dhivya Suryadevara told analysts that GM could make $4 billion to $5 billion in adjusted earnings before interest and taxes as long as economic conditions remain favorable without supplier or production disruptions.

"Our Q2 results were significantly impacted by the pandemic, but we're demonstrating how well we can perform through a challenging time," she said Wednesday during an earnings call with analysts.
(Newser)  A federal appeals court has confirmed what actresses have been saying since the dawn of the movie industrythere is an "inherent power imbalance" in the relationship between performers and producers. The ruling allows Ashley Judd to proceed with her sexual harassment case against Harvey Weinstein, which a lower court rejected on a technicality last year, reports Bloomberg. Judd says that to escape Weinstein's advances in a Beverly Hills hotel room in the 1990s, she promised he could "touch her' if she won an Oscar in one of his movies. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that while Judd wasn't technically Weinstein's employee at the time, the producer-actor relationship has a similar imbalance to other relationships, including teacher-student, covered by sexual harassment laws at the time.

story continues below

"By virtue of his professional position and influence as a top producer in Hollywood, Weinstein was uniquely situated to exercise coercive power or leverage over Judd, who was a young actor at the beginning of her career," wrote Judge Mary H. Murguia for the three-judge panel, per Variety. Judd filed the lawsuit in 2018 after Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson disclosed that Weinstein had told him Judd was a "nightmare" to work with. She says Weinstein "torpedoed" her career as payback for rejecting his advances. Judd's attorney, Theodore J. Boutrous, tells Deadline that the ruling is "an important victory not only for Ms. Judd but for all victims of sexual harassment in professional relationships." After Judd's lawsuit was filed, California's sexual harassment law was amended to clearly state that it covers producers and actors. (Read more Ashley Judd stories.)
HUDSONVILLE, MI -- The body of a woman, who was killed by blunt force trauma and strangulation more than 50 years ago, has been exhumed from a cemetery in Ottawa County.

A team of investigators will next examine the remains of a 1967 slaying victim with the hope to solve the cold case through DNA testing.

About 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, the body was exhumed from a cement burial vault at the Blendon Township Cemetery near Hudsonville. Officials with the medical examiners office, forensic anthropologists, Ottawa County Sheriffs Department and Michigan State police were on site during the process.

While the exhumation went fairly quickly, it may take several months to a year before the body is identified, according to Ottawa County Sheriffs Capt. Mark Bennett.

As an investigation, theres a level of excitement that you can further the case ... but its a long process and its a learning experience for us, Bennett said at the cemetery.

After exhumation, which was made possible through community partnerships and business donations, the forensic experts began taking DNA samples. The process may take several hours, after which the samples and possibly the remains will be transported to a laboratory at Michigan State University for analysis, according to authorities.

On Oct. 20, 1967, hunters discovered the body of a partially nude, Black female near 52nd Avenue and Fillmore Street in Blendon Township. The autopsy revealed she died of blunt force trauma to the head and manual strangulation.

The female is believed to have been between 16 and 22 years old, 57 and between 90-100 pounds. Her death was ruled a homicide; however, the case grew cold as police could not find information to identify the victim.

In June 2020, detectives obtained an order of disinterment from the 58th District Court so modern technology could be used to identify the victim.

According to Bennett, there is a high likelihood that enough DNA will be extracted to further the investigation. Police will then use genealogy to search for known family members of the victim.

Theres no guarantee, but we have to give it a try, Bennett said. We have the resources and the partners are willing to help us ... its a community effort to try to get some closure here.

While the cemetery has offered reburial services, the family would be consulted so that their wishes for the remains would be honored when the time comes. The victim was buried in an unmarked grave but investigators are hopeful they can provide a name for the future headstone, Bennett said.

Anyone with information that may be useful to the investigation is asked to contact Silent Observer at 1-877-88-SILENT or mosotips.com.

More on MLive:

YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids lays off 1,021 part-time employees

Are masks bad for your health?, plus 8 other coronavirus myths and truths

Kalamazoo teacher unions demand schools remain online only, warn of looming disaster
Corporations should be proactive when dealing with social change, says the president of Brock University.

Gervan Fearon, president and vice-chancellor of the St. Catharines university, is using this weeks edition of the free Business Breathers webinar series to discuss what role corporations should play as society navigates the Black Lives Matter movement.

In periods of significant social change, such as what we are seeing in the U.S. and across the globe with the Black Lives Matter movement, it is important for business leaders to consider the influence of societal changes and the role corporations can play through their corporate social responsibility strategy to foster broader societal values, such as civil rights, equity, diversity and inclusion, said Fearon.

The series is facilitated by the Goodman School of Businesses Goodman Group. Topics of discussion focus on leadership, management and innovation, as well as the financial and social justice topics.

Wednesdays event will be broadcast online starting at 11 a.m. The event is open to the public, but people interested in joining should register online.

Fearon said the goal of the webinar is to have people redefine what corporations and corporate leaders can do to make a meaningful role in community development in building inclusive society.

We not only need to look at our shareholder but we also need to look at our stakeholders to ensure that were responsive to their concerns, he said.

Fearon pointed to Brocks strategic plan to demonstrate its commitment to addressing inequities and systemic barriers that are affecting racialized students, educators and administrators.

The second pillar of the plan states Brock will attempt to foster a culture of inclusivity, accessibility, reconciliation and decolonization.

Brock has undertaken specific actions to complement the plans second pillar.

Weve hired the vice-provost, Indigenous, established a human rights and equity office, established an independent ombudsperson office, established an advisory council to the president, he said. Recently, we established a scholarship to recruit racialized students for graduate programs. It is a multi-year program that allocated around $1 million in funding.

The best way to move forward with the racialized community is through dialogue, Fearon said

Corporations should engage with the Indigenous community and engage with the Black community to ensure organizations arent missing or ignoring their perspective in decision making. Similarly, our boards should include individuals from a diverse group of the population to make sure our decision making represents Canada as a whole. Not just Canada today but the Canada we want to live in tomorrow.
This newspaper was happy to see the governor this week extend early voting by six days for fall elections. We would have preferred longer; however, given practical considerations articulated by Williamson County Elections Administrator Chris Davis in an interview with Texas Tribune, further extension might present logistical complications involving vulnerable and skeptical poll workers keeping early voting sites manned and operating.

Yes, the Texas Supreme Court did rule that lack of immunity to the novel coronavirus is by itself no legal rationale for seeking to vote by mail, a decision that presumably will apply to the general election. However, the high court also ruled that when a voter requests a mail-in ballot because of a disability, the state has no business pressing that voter about his or her disability. Thats enough that some Texans with underlying health conditions may be able to vote by mail with little fear of being legally challenged.

Our foremost recommendation at this critical juncture, before schools reopen, increasing the prospect of another round of infections setting in shortly before the start of flu season to further complicate everything: Gov. Abbott should get out in front of potential problems and require face coverings of all who enter polling places. This is, after all, a pandemic. Its not a drill. And the virus is not likely to simply disappear, no matter how much we might wish. Its high time more of us shared in the sacrifice. To quote a local election worker hospitalized with COVID-19 this month after selflessly manning a polling place for runoff elections where a significant number of voters reportedly neglected to wear face coverings: Generally speaking, I think everybody ought to wear masks  and those who dont are fools and dont care about their fellow man. Roger that.
CHICAGO, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Helicopters Market by Point Of Sale (OEM, Aftermarket), OEM Type (Light, Medium, Heavy), OEM Application (Military, Civil & Commercial), OEM Number of Engine, OEM Component & System, Aftermarket by Component & System, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Helicopters Market size is projected to grow from USD 21.3 billion in 2020 to USD 36.9 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 11.7% from 2020 to 2025. Increased demand for military helicopters is a significant growth driver for the helicopters market. Increased demand for light weight and emergency medical services (EMS) helicopters are other drivers for the market.

Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=253467785

The helicopter market includes major players Airbus Helicopters SAS (France), Bell Helicopters (US), The Boeing Company (US) and Leonardo S.p.A. (Italy). These players have spread their business across various countries includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and South America. COVID-19 has impacted their businesses as well. Industry experts believe that COVID-19 could affect helicopter production and services by 710% globally in 2020.

By type, the light (<3.1 tons) civil & commercial segment is projected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period.

More than 50% of the global civil & commercial helicopter deliveries in 2018 were light helicopters, mainly due to their operational efficiency and easy maneuverability, which are essential for civil & commercial applications such as transport, civil utility, and offshore, among others. High demand for civil & commercial applications such as short distance air transport and a rise in the number of offshore rigs have also fueled the demand for light helicopters.

By application, civil & commercial transport helicopters are expected to lead the market for helicopters during the forecast period.

The transport helicopters segment is projected to lead the application market during the forecast period due to the increasing demand for helicopters as a mode of inter- and intra-city transport. The vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities of helicopters, along with the lower space requirements for helipads as compared to airports, are the main factors fueling this demand. Travel by helicopter also saves time as compared to other modes of transport, which is another factor contributing to the demand for light and medium transport helicopters.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Helicopters Market"

534  Tables

59  Figures

468  Pages

Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=253467785

North America is expected to lead the helicopters OEM market during the forecast period.

North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the helicopters in 2020. The US was the highest military spender in 2019, with a large chunk of the investment focused on the procurement of various military helicopters. The US is a lucrative market for helicopter OEMs in the North American region as the government is investing increasingly to enhance the quality and effectiveness of helicopters and their systems. For instance, in September 2018, Boeing (US) won a USD 2.4 billion helicopter contract from the US Air Force for the procurement of 84 Boeing MH-139 helicopters.

Along with this, the demand for civil & commercial helicopters is continually increasing. Civil usage of helicopters for transport and emergency services has also generated a demand for helicopters for civil applications in the US. As per the University of Chicago Aeromedical Network, in 2018, approximately 900 helicopters undertook 300,000 flights as air ambulances.

North America also has a presence of major helicopter manufacturers Companies such as Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (US), Boeing (US), and Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), among others.

Related Reports:

Avionics Market by End User (OEM, Aftermarket), System (FMS, CNS, Health Monitoring, Electrical & Emergency and Software), Platform (Commercial, Military, Business Jets & General Aviation, Helicopters), and Region - Global Forecast to 2024

Urban Air Mobility Market by Component (Infrastructure (Charging Stations, Vertiports, Traffic Management), Platform (Air Taxi, Personal Air Vehicle, Cargo Air Vehicle, Air Ambulance)), Operation, Range, and Region - Global Forecast to 2030

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 11:50:02|Editor: huaxia

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by Raul Menchaca

HAVANA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has outlined a clear course for China's economic recovery in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, a Cuban expert on China said Tuesday.

Eduardo Regalado, a researcher at the Center for International Policy in Havana, spoke with Xinhua about Xi's recent speech to a symposium with entrepreneurs on July 21.

"Xi's address is very timely and necessary for the times China is living through, in addition to which, it establishes guidelines that are consistent with the country's previous development policies," said Regalado.

The speech, the expert highlighted, outlined specific macroeconomic policies to stimulate development in the aftermath of the pandemic's disruptive impact on the economy.

"That is why Xi is calling for staying on top of the trends and demand in the international market," Regalado said.

He also highlighted Xi's emphasis on exploiting the potential of the domestic market, "which is very large and has increasing purchasing power ... to reactivate the economic machinery."

China's leadership is leading this process of reviving the economy, in contrast to other countries with neoliberal policies, where government involvement is practically nonexistent, Regalado noted.

"It is a process that helps to lessen the negative impacts and promote the necessary conditions, such as the financing that is essential for the business sector to revive itself," said Regalado, who has been studying China for more than two decades.

The economy in the first quarter took an extraordinary hit, but after the effective control of the epidemic, China's economic potential has become more evident, he said.

"China is the only country that achieved 3.2-percent growth in gross domestic product in the second quarter, and it did so due to its economic potential and domestic market," said Regalado.

"China's recovery has been in the form of a 'V' (rapid growth after an abrupt decline) and it is the first country to grow after the pandemic and at a faster rate, despite the impact of the disease and the trade measures applied by the United States," said the expert.

China is well positioned for recovery given its resources and financial reserves, technological potential, human capital, state intervention and economic planning, he said, adding this is good news for Latin America.

"For Latin America, and Cuba in particular, the opportunities that this recovery presents are very encouraging," said Regalado. Enditem
Motorola is speculated to be working on a new Android foldable device that could be called the Motorola Razr 2020. The company unveiled its first Android foldable device last year with a flexible OLED display which was priced at Rs 1,24,999 in India. However, despite an exorbitant price the smartphone had too many takers, which had pushed Motorola to come up with the next-generation model of the smartphone. At least that's what the new renders of the Motorola Razr 2020 reveal!

Noted tipster Evan Blass has leaked the renders of Motorola Razr 2020 online. The tipster claims that the upcoming premium device by Motorola is known by the codename "Odyssey" but it could actually be the next-generation model of the Motorola Razr. The upcoming smartphone is tipped to come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC, which has support for 5G.

In the are renders, the Motorola Razr can be seen in a silver mercury color. The smartphone features a clamshell design similar to its predecessor and a secondary screen on the rear of the device. The first generation Moto Razr, despite the hype and exorbitant price, had inferior specifications as compared to Samsung's foldable device at a similar price point. This was one of the reasons why the smartphone geeks were not too excited about the Moto Razr. However a lot of improvements are in the offing, Motorola is eyeing to offer enhanced specs with the second generation model.

As per previous leaks, the Motorola Razr 2020 is speculated to feature a 6.2-inch Flex View P-OLED flexible screen. The smartphone is also tipped to feature a secondary 2.7-inch Quick View G-OLED display, this can also be spotted in the latest renders. In terms of camera, Motorola is all geared up to offer improved camera specs as compared to its previous model. The smartphone is tipped to come with a 48-megapixel primary camera and a 20-megapixel camera for selfies. The first generation Moto Razr featured a 16-megapixel primary camera at the rear and a 5-megapixel camera for selfies

The Moto Razr 2020 is speculated to arrive with Snapdragon 765 Soc paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage, which is a massive upgrade over the first-gen model as it came with a Snapdragon 710 chipset paired to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. In terms of battery, the second generation Moto Razr is expected to house a 2845mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging, which is also a minor upgrade over the Moto Razr 5G's 2510mAh battery with support for 15W fast charging. The phone is expected to arrive somewhere in 2021.
The nightly protests in Portland, which began in late May as a response to the police killing of George Floyd, have become the backdrop for a conflict between federal officials and local leaders. Barr and other federal officials have drawn attention to vandalism and other reckless behavior on the part of the protesters, while city officials have said that federal agents dispatched to the district court in downtown Portland have exceeded their authority and harmed peaceful protesters.
Prince Joachim of Denmark will not suffer any long-term effects after undergoing surgery for a blood clot in his brain, the royal palace has reported.

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 was said to be stable, while his wife Princess Marie, 44, remains by his hospital bedside, according to a Royal Court statement.

Lene Balleby, a spokeswoman for the royal household, said in an official statement yesterday: 'The blood clot in the brain was due to a sudden dissection of an artery, and the hospital's medical team assesses that the risk of recurrence is very small when the artery has healed.'

Prince Joachim of Denmark (pictured in August 2018) underwent emergency brain surgery following a blood clot on Friday but is not expected to suffer any lasting physical injuries, the Danish palace has confirmed

It added: 'It is the doctors' assessment that Prince Joachim will not have any physical effects or other injuries as a result of the blood clot.

'Prince Joachim is expected to be moved out of the intensive care unit as soon as possible but will continue to be hospitalised for some time to come.

'It is still the hope of the royal family that the media will comply with the desire for peace and respect for privacy.'

Just two days prior, 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.

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 previous 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 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.'

On Wednesday, the prince had marked his son Prince Felix's 18th birthday, alongside the teenager's mother and his ex-wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.

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

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

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 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.

Prince Joachim and Princess Marie (pictured in September 2019) have two children together Prince Henrik, 11, and Princess Athena, eight

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.
ST. JOHNS, Mich. - Owners of a Michigan bed and breakfast have removed a Norwegian flag outside of their business after being accused of promoting racism from people who think that it is a Confederate flag.

Kjersten and Greg Offenecker, owners of The Nordic Pineapple, hung the flag opposite of the American flag after they moved into the Civil War-era mansion in 2018, the Lansing State Journal reported. They took both flags down last week.

The red flag, with a blue cross superimposed on a white cross, is a nod to Kjersten Offenbeckers grandfather, who was born in Norway. The Norwegian flag has the same colours as the Confederate flag, but the patterns and symbols are different. The Confederate flag is red with a blue X containing white stars.

The couple said they never would have thought anyone would mistake the Norwegian flag for something else.

I dont see it because I grew up with the Norwegian Flag, Kjersten Offenbecker said. To me, they are two distinct flags.

Several community members have urged the couple to put the Norwegian flag back up, but the Offenbeckers say they wont until they can figure out a way to make sure it is not mistaken for the the Confederate flag.

The couple wrote in a July 20 post on The Nordic Pineapples Facebook page: We love being members of the St Johns community and are heartbroken to have had to make this decision. Given the current cultural climate and the idea that people are judging us based on the misconception of the national Norwegian flag vs. the Confederate flag, this is what is best for our family and our Inn.

The couple, who has two Black children, said they are have done their best to help their children navigate racism in America and the aftermath of George Floyds death in Minneapolis.

Floyd died after an officer pressed his knew into Floyds neck for nearly eight minutes. The death of Floyd sparked protests worldwide against racial injustice and police brutality.

Its more than this one instance for Black people, Kjersten Offenbecker said. Its not just this one person. This was the straw that broke the proverbial back.
When Timothy Snyder published On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century in 2007, Donald Trump was still a Hillary Clinton fan who hosted The Celebrity Apprentice. Snyder's book, however, has become an unexpected staple of 2020 bestseller lists, even briefly hitting the No. 2 spot on Amazon over the weekend  and illustrating how book sales can reflect back at us the jitters of a nervous country.

It certainly isn't unheard of for older books to creep back up on the bestseller list from time to time: The 1965 sci-fi epic Dune, for example, hit the top spot on the Washington Post mass market paperback list earlier this year after stills from the forthcoming movie adaptation were released. In other instances, books that help explain an unfolding situation might surge on the bestseller list, the way anti-racist literature  like 2018's White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism  has boomed following the murder of George Floyd.

Books like On Tyranny reappearing on the bestseller list present an interesting case, though, because they are neither tied to a specific event nor are being used as obvious education tools. Rather, purchases seem to be driven by an attempt to justify to ourselves that we're right to be feeling scared.

Though the book hit No. 2 on Amazon following Snyder's appearance on Rachel Maddow's show on Friday to talk about the disturbing situation in Portland, On Tyranny had been hovering on various lists throughout the spring and summer (you could find it on the Los Angeles Times list as far back as March). As CNN media critic Brian Stelter put it in his newsletter, Reliable Sources, the renewed interest in the book seems to directly reflect "fear on the left" that our democracy is slipping into authoritarianism. A similar skittish impulse was also likely the driver behind why George Orwell's dystopian classic, 1984, returned to the bestseller list shortly after Trump's inauguration.

Admittedly, there are too many variables for the bestseller list to be a perfect measure of the wider political climate. Still, political nervousness cuts both ways: As Stelter points out, "there's fear on the right, too, as symbolized by the No. 8 book on Amazon's list: Ben Shapiro's How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps."

More stories from theweek.com

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California Pizza Kitchen files for bankruptcy

New prosecutor says no charges for ex-officer who shot Michael Brown


Domestic benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ended on a negative note on Wednesday, erasing yesterday's gains on the back of weak global equities. Sensex closed 421 points lower at 38,071 and Nifty lost 97 points to 11,202. In the previous session, Sensex closed 588 points higher at 38,492 and Nifty rose 168 points to 11,300.

On the sectoral front, the trend was mixed today. Gains in pharma, PSU Banks, metal and FMCG were capped by losses in IT, auto and financial stocks. Infosys, HCL Tech, Nestle India, M&M, Reliance Industries and Tech Mahindra were among the laggards today, while IndusInd Bank, followed by UltraTech Cement, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, L&T and ICICI Bank were among gainers.

Pharma shares rose today on news that US President Donald Trump plans to reduce the prices of drugs in the US, which are the highest in the world. This would allow individuals to import prescription medications directly. NSE Pharma closed 3% higher today, with Dr. Reddy's gaining 6%, Torrent Pharma 4% and 3% rise in Divi Labs and Alkem stock prices.

Domestic equity market indices fell further today on weak Q1 earnings performance by index majors.

Domestic investors were also keeping an eye on the PM Modi's meeting with Heads of Banks and NBFCs today. Moreover, European shares also reversed the trend and turned negative, following weak global cues.

Global equities reversed the trend and fell on the back of an impasse in US economic revival package negotiations. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he did not support everything in a $1 trillion Senate Republican coronavirus relief proposal, but indicated that talks were continuing. Markets were also trading mixed on Wednesday, ahead of the FOMC outcome scheduled to end today. Rising coronavirus cases and ongoing tensions between the US and China also weighed on the sentiment.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services said," Global markets were generally undecided ahead of the US Fed Reserve meeting and mixed earnings reports in addition to rising virus cases forcing economies to reconsider restrictions to contain the spread. Stock specific action was also visible, post-earnings results, and this trend is expected to continue."

Meanwhile, share price of RIL fell after eight consecutive days of gain. RIL share lost 4.89% intra day to Rs 2,071 against previous close of Rs 2,177 on BSE. Later, the stock closed 3.75% or Rs 81.60 lower at Rs 2,095. RIL stock fell after the conglomerate issued a clarification to BSE with respect to a report that it may buy Future Group's retail biz for Rs 27,000 crore. The firm said, "We are unable to comment on media speculation and rumors and it would also be inappropriate on our part to do so."Ajit Mishra, VP - Research, Religare Broking said, "Besides, the existence of a critical hurdle around 11,350 zones in Nifty added to the pressure. Markets will react to the outcome of Fed meet in early trade on Thursday i.e. July 30. The scheduled derivatives expiry combined with earnings would keep the participants on their toes."

Commenting on Nifty's near term outlook, Rohit Singre, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities said," Index is in V shape recovery. If we look at a weekly chart, going forward 11k mark became good support holding above 11k mark index can see current momentum to continue towards immediate hurdle zone of 11300-11400 zone ".

On the currency front, Indian rupee ended stronger at 74.79 per dollar against the earlier close of 74.83 per dollar. The local currency was trading in a narrow range at the interbank forex market, ahead of the outcome of the US Federal Reserve's policy today.

Traders said investors also remained concerned over the rising coronavirus cases in the country. In India, domestic coronavirus cases saw a record jump to 15.3 lakh by Wednesday morning, with total deaths standing at 0.34 lakh. Worldwide, there were 168 lakh confirmed cases and 6.63 lakh deaths from the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

Share Market Highlights: Sensex ends 421 points lower, Nifty at 11,202; pharma shares outperform
Turkish Military Sees Opportunity in Vulnerable and War-Torn Places

By Namo Abdulla July 28, 2020

A Turkish government decision earlier this month to turn back Istanbul's historic Hagia Sophia into a mosque after more than 80 years as a museum has renewed debate over the direction of the Muslim country, with some experts saying President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, through his expansionist policies at home and abroad, is attempting to revive a new Ottoman Empire.

Built in 567, the third and current Hagia Sophia was a major Christian church until a 15th-century sultan converted it into a mosque. In 1935, the secular founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, turned the Byzantine edifice into a museum for all to visit.

Despite global condemnation, Hagia Sophia held its first prayer service Friday. Wearing a religious head covering, Erdogan participated in the service by reciting verses from the Quran. He later called converting the site into a mosque his great achievement and "the rebirth of our nation."

"Erdogan sees himself as the caliph of the Muslim world," David Phillips, director of the Peace-Building and Rights Program at Columbia University, told VOA.

Outside Turkey, the Islamist-leaning leader is pursuing an expansionist policy, Phillips said.

"Under the pretense of fighting terrorism, he has aggressed against Kurds in Syria and Iraq, and used his military to expand Turkey's influence in Libya," he said.

From ravaged Syria to the landlocked Kurdish region in northern Iraq, from oil-rich Qatar to the impoverished nations of east and west Africa, from the Balkans to a practically balkanized Libya, observers have noticed a rise in Turkish military interventions unlike anything seen since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago. Many of them wonder if Erdogan is trying to make good on his openly stated ambition to expand his country's global military footprint.

"I would say Erdogan has a 'mini' empire," Soner Cagaptay, author of the recently published book, Erdogan's Empire: Turkey and the Politics of the Middle East, told VOA.

"It's not the empire he thought he would have because it's definitely not a Middle Eastern empire, nor is it an empire that has the backing of the West," Cagaptay said.

In most cases, Turkish troops are welcomed guests of governments facing serious domestic or foreign threats. But in some instances, the Turks have gone in to pursue their own objectives regardless of host governments' objections, according to analysts.

The military expansion, often followed by investment opportunities for Turkish firms, have irritated U.S. allies in Europe and the Arab world alike even as Washington appears as a more neutral observer, analysts said.

Syria and Iraq

Rights groups accuse Turkey and its proxies of gross human rights violations in both Syria and Iraq.

Turkey, however, denies allegations that its forces have carried out crimes against civilians. It says its ongoing military operations inside both Iraq and Syria are acts of self-defense against the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Syria-based People's Protection Units (YPG).

"There is the PKK/YPG terror which we've also been suffering from," Gulnur Aybet, a senior adviser to Erdogan, told VOA at an Atlantic Council webinar last week.

While Washington has urged Ankara not to attack the YPG, an effective U.S. partner against the Islamic State terror group, it has been sympathetic to the Turkish war against the PKK, which has been designated a terror group by Turkey, the U.S. and EU.

Both Iraqi and Syrian governments have condemned the Turkish interventions, viewing them as violations of their sovereignty. Regardless of the objection, Turkey says it has no plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq and Syria anytime soon.

Addressing the Turkish presence in Syria last week, Erdogan said, "We will continue to stay in this country until our thousand-year neighbor and brother, the Syrian people, reach freedom, peace and security."

In northern Iraq, Turkish companies are massively invested in oil, banking and construction sectors.

Open to Africa

In Africa, Erdogan initiated the current Open to Africa Policy in 2005, when Turkey began strengthening military and economic ties with many countries on the continent.

In 2017, when Somalia was being attacked by terror group al-Shabab, an al-Qaida offshoot, Turkey established its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu, where it started training Somali soldiers.

Turkish involvement in Africa goes beyond the armed sector. Turkey has opened dozens of embassies in Africa. It now has 42 embassies, a significant increase since 2003, when it had 12.

In 2018, Turkish trade volume with the continent reached more than $23 billion, up from nearly $5 billion in 2003.

By extending influence to Africa, however, Turkey appears to have triggered the Arab world's long-held suspicions.

"A century of Arab nationalist rhetoric has depicted the Ottoman Empire as an oppressive imperial power," Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey coordinator at the Washington-based Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED), told VOA.

"Today, when Erdogan constantly invokes Ottoman history while pursuing policies that threaten the interests of Arab leaders, it makes sense that they would appeal to this memory," Tahiroglu said.

Turkey-Arab conflict

In 2015, Turkey established a military base in Qatar, the first such base in the Middle East since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The move came a year after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt had withdrawn their ambassadors from Qatar.

In 2017, when the Persian Gulf diplomatic spat deepened into an outright economic blockade by Saudi Arabia and several of its allies against Qatar, Turkey sent more troops to Qatar to discourage any possible military attack on its ally.

Nothing, however, appears to have drawn the ire of Arab nations more than Turkey's recent move to send troops to oil-rich Libya.

Turkish troops in recent months have turned the tide of the Libyan war in favor of the Government of National Accord (GNA) against the forces of warlord Khalifa Haftar, who are supported by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Egypt's parliament last week authorized the deployment of troops to Libya against GNA, prompting the U.N. to warn of a "huge risk" of regional war.

"In Libya, there are multiple objectives for Turkey," Cagaptay, the Turkish author, said.

"Turkey is trying to make sure that the Ankara-friendly government is not ousted in Tripoli, the capital, because Turkey is after collecting [former Libyan President Moammar] Gadhafi-era debts that total billions of dollars, and Turkey also wants to be part of Libya's reconstruction," he told VOA.

The growing animosity between Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi also has to do with ideological differences, Cagaptay said.

"Erdogan is the political Islamist who locked up secularist generals. Sissi is the secularist general who locked up political Islamists," he said, citing the conflict between the two leaders over the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the wider Arab region.

VOA's Ezel Sahinkaya contributed to this report from Washington.

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The French government is to continue furlough measures in the tourism sector, which has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday the UN's world tourism body said Covid-19 fears had cost the global sector 320 billion dollars (273 billion euros) in the first five months of 2020.

Companies working in the hotel, restaurant, travel and events sectors, among others, have been benefiting from the government measures since May.

They had been set to end in September, but on Wednesday the government announced plans to continue the system of temporary unemployment  whereby the state pays companies to keep their staff on the payroll while not working through to December.

It's clear that tourism professionals need long-term support, secretary of state for tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne told France Info radio.

For some it will be a lost year. We'll see how things are in September, but in principle, we will continue to furlough until December.

France's tourism sector generates nearly eight percent of the country's economic output and employs some two million people.

In May, the government rolled out an 18 billion euro rescue plan which included state-backed loans, caps on social charges and deferred tax payments.

Companies working in the sector had already received "close to nine billion euros in government-guaranteed loans", Lemoyne said.

Economic catastrophe

Tourism industry representatives want the government to go further.

We will have to prolong financial support for our profession," Jean-Virgile Crance, head of a group representing hotel chains (GNC), told AFP. "If not, lots of hotels will close. It will be an economic catastrophe for the tourism sector.

Crance had been pushing for the measures to continue at least until April 2021.

With Umih (the main hotel federation), we estimate that more than 20 percent of hotels could go under by the end of the year if the economic situation continues, he added.

Global tourism crisis

The French government's undertaking followed a UN announcement that the coronavirus crisis has cost the global tourism sector 273 billion euros in lost revenue during the first five months of 2020.

Losses between January and May are "more than three times the loss during the Global Financial Crisis of 2009", the Madrid-based United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said in a statement.

International tourist arrivals fell by 300 million  or 56 percent  in that period as lockdown restrictions to control the spread of Covid-19 came into effect.

"This latest data makes clear the importance of restarting tourism as soon as it is safe to do so. The dramatic fall in international tourism places many millions of livelihoods at risk" said the body's secretary general, Zurab Pololikashvili.

While tourism is slowly returning in some destinations, UNWTO warned the sector still faces serious risks, such as a resurgence of the virus that could trigger new lockdowns, more travel restrictions and border closures.

The United States and China, both major sources of international tourists, are still "at standstill" it added.

The UN body forecast in May that international tourist arrivals could plunge by 60 to 80 percent in 2020 owing to the coronavirus.

International tourism arrivals rose by four percent in 2019 to 1.5 billion, with France the world's most visited country, followed by Spain and the United States.

While European visitors have partly made up for the loss of visitors from the Americas and Asia, most of France's hospitality businesses and cultural sites are still suffering, with visits to the Louvre museum down 60 percent.
Indias wild tiger population has shown record growth, with the country proving to be the one of the safest habitats for the big cat, accounting for 70 percent of all tigers across the world, environmental officials said on International Tiger Day.

The healthy upswing in their native habitats takes India's tiger population to 2,967 in reserves across the country. In 2014, that figure was around 1,600.

Global Tiger Day is observed on 29 July every year to raise awareness about the declining population of the great cats and making efforts to conserve them.

The increase in India's tiger population can be attributed to the launch of a conservation programme called Project Tiger almost 50 years ago.

'Soft power'

There were nine tiger reserves when Project Tiger started in 1973. Now, India has 50 tiger reserves," says Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar at the release of the tiger census report. "Seventy percent of the worlds tigers are in India and the conservation effort has been a huge success.

"At the international level, we have a lot of soft powers, but one soft power is that the country has animals. India has 30,000 elephants 3,000 one-horned rhinos and more than 500 lions."

According to the report, tigers were observed to be increasing at a rate of 6 percent annually in India from 2006 to 2018.

The report also evaluates the status of habitat corridors that connect major tiger populations while highlighting vulnerable areas that require conservation.

The massive tiger census is conducted every four years with forest officials and scientists trekking across half a million square kilometres. The latest survey used 26,000 camera traps that took almost 350,000 images across known tiger habitats.

Several states including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka, have shown a considerable surge in their tiger numbers.

Conservation efforts pay off

Animal density in many of these forest areas is high and surplus tigers sometimes venture outside for food, bringing them into conflict with people who live nearby.

Story continues

Conservationists warn that unless India expands tiger reserves, such conflicts will increase.

The numbers are encouraging and we must be proud of our tiger assets. But the way forward is to protect our natural habitats as poaching is still a threat, S.Nallamuthu, wildlife cinematographer, told RFI.

In 1900 more than 100,000 tigers roamed the planet, but by 2010 the figure had fallen to a record low of 3,200, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

The decline prompted India and 12 other countries with tiger populations to sign an agreement to double their numbers by 2022.

The day was established in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, Russia, as a move to spread awareness about the decrease in wild tiger numbers to promote tiger conservation work. It brought together some 500 representatives of the 13 Tiger Range States.

Across the world there are currently 13 tiger range countries - India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The 30% drop in Yes Banks advances from June last year should be a warning. If a large chunk of the financial system tries to deleverage, Indias post-Covid recovery will be very sluggish. Will desperate authorities try to square the circle by bailing in depositors? The Finance Ministry has denied any plan to reintroduce a bill that had proposed forcibly converting deposits into equity. A strong public backlash killed that move. But as analysts such as Moneylife websites Sucheta Dalal have noted, a separate new law, seeking to create a resolution authority for dealing with financial failure, might give it the power to cancel or modify any liability, perhaps even large, uninsured deposits.
A new SAP Concur commissioned study has revealed that 88 percent of the workforce in India prefer to have the flexibility of working from home. In addition to this, 69 percent of Indian employees believe their productivity has increased while working remotely  highest in the APAC region as compared to countries like Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. These figures show positive signs of large scale acceptance of the upcoming new normal in the country at a time when COVID-19 pandemic has forced the companies to implement remote working almost overnight.

According to the study, merely 11 percent of Indian organisations have embraced end-to-end digital finance and administrative processes. These manual processes take up significant employee time that can otherwise be used for productive work. Across India, 36 percent of mid-large sized companies are still using manual processes for submitting business expenses.

The survey, entitled Finance in the New World of Work, aims to inform business, finance, and HR decision makers of the economic cost of poor finance and administrative processes and systems in the region. It also identifies the gaps in organisations expense management, business travel, and remote work processes.

Asia Insight, which conducted the survey, used International Labour Organization (ILO) statistics on output per worker and the number of information workers, and the studys results, to calculate and derive that saving just 10 percent of the time spent on filing and approving claims would translate to US$2.25 billion of potential GDP revenue gain for India each year, assuming all the lost hours are diverted to productive work. Mid to large-sized organisations could save tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars over the same period.

Elaborating on the insights from the study, Mankiran Chowhan, Managing Director  Indian Subcontinent, SAP Concur, said, 2020 is proving to be a turning point for companies in terms of managing employee experience and productivity. While employees working remotely are being supported digitally in many areas, there still exists a major gap in digital adoption for crucial yet often overlooked finance and administrative processes. Owing to this, employees have to devote significant time for menial tasks that could otherwise be used for productive, business value-added work. Bringing in digital transformation for expense claims or invoice processing can have a huge multiplier effect on business and cost control and at the same time provide the operational agility needed for business continuity.

Finance Transformation is Lagging

Many Indian firms still run manual finance and administrative processes resulting in inefficiencies that lead to productivity losses.

Indian employees spent an average of 6.1 hours per month filing expense claims  more than half of a typical workday. Managers had it worse  they spent an additional 7.3 hours reviewing and approving expense claims with the total time adding up to an astonishing 13.4 hours a month.

As many as 36 percent of respondents submit expenses manually by filling out a form and enclosing physical receipts. Such a manual process is tedious, error prone, and incongruous with the digital lifestyles employees are leading today.

Beyond the inefficiency costs, the study also found that current expense management systems support for modern payment methods is inadequate. More than a third (39%) of respondents said they want their expense management software to integrate with external apps to enable added functionality like reimbursement of payments made through super apps (umbrella apps containing other apps).

Gearing Up the Workforce for Remote Work

Remote work will be the default mode of work for many organisations in the foreseeable future.

Embracing this change, 88 percent of employees in India have expressed their preference to have the flexibility of remote working.

69 percent of Indian employees believe their productivity has increased while working from home, considerably higher than their other APAC counterparts with overall average of 60 percent.

While 76 percent employees in India said their organisations provide subsidies or completely pay for mobile plan, broadband internet and IT peripherals (greater than the APAC average of around 68 percent),

22 percent employees in India want their organisations to pay for all expenses needed for a productive working environment at home (also highest amongst all countries in APAC against a consolidated average of just 15 percent).

Survey respondents want their employers to enable easy remote claims and travel management, improve collaboration, and provide better IT equipment and services.

Room for Improvement in Business Travel

Once the current pandemic situation begins to normalise, business travel will slowly pick up pace. Corporate travel systems that enable staff to book flights and accommodations digitally and via mobile, perhaps even on their usual personal travel booking platforms and apps, would certainly help in keeping the employees pleased. However, for many organisations, business travel management is piecemeal and disjointed, leaving 27 percent of employees less than satisfied with the time and effort incurred. In addition to this, 57 percent of Indian respondents expect their companies to improve on the ability to personalise all elements of business travel, while 52 percent want to spend less time in the entire process of booking in addition to access to real time alerts.

Recommendations for Transforming Finance Operations

79 percent of Indian employees strongly link their overall finance and administrative experience and their overall satisfaction of working for their organisations. This suggests that if businesses want to retain their talent, they need to improve their finance and administrative processes. This is also an opportunity for organisations to embrace remote work for better business outcomes. Here are three recommendations for businesses:

Align Systems and Tools to Optimally Support Remote Work-Organisations must make their infrastructure and processes conducive for remote work. This includes digitising paper receipts,allowing vendors to invoice organisations directly for their employees purchases, and deploying experience management tools for better collaboration. Companies should also review their expense policies to ensure staff are properly reimbursed for items or services used to facilitate remote work. Digital applications that are mobile-friendly and offer great user experience will also help in enhancing the overall employee experience. Automate Expense and Business Travel Management-Automation takes repetitive, manual aspects out of routine finance and administrative tasks, saving employees time so they can focus on meaningful work. It also saves time for the finance team by eliminating paperwork and detecting erroneous or fraudulent claims. Just as importantly, automated solutions provide visibility and control, and facilitate compliance. Make Business Travel More Streamlined and Personalised-Travel managers should revamp their travel management systems by:

Enhancing controls: Reviewing their travel policy to better control costs; moving to digital receipts; and aligning their expense and travel policies

Reviewing their travel policy to better control costs; moving to digital receipts; and aligning their expense and travel policies Improving visibility: Integrating their travel and expense systems to facilitate data flow; considering app-based bookings that still stay within corporate policy; and improving budget and spend reporting

Integrating their travel and expense systems to facilitate data flow; considering app-based bookings that still stay within corporate policy; and improving budget and spend reporting Bolstering duty of care readiness: Ensuring they know travellers locations at all times and be in a position to render assistance

Adoption of the above recommendations will lead to an efficient, agile, and innovative finance organisation capable of delivering exceptional employee experience, which can better support the business in delivering value to customers, helping it become more resilient for the new era.
By Trend

The Turkish news press newspaper, being published in Australia in English, based on an appeal to the federal parliament by the Association of Azerbaijanis in Australia (AAA), operating in Sydney, published an article about the plans of Armenians to resume the activities of the ASALA terrorist organization, Trend reports.

In an article titled "ASALA is coming back!" contains detailed information on the aggression and acts of vandalism of Armenians living in several countries of the world against Azerbaijanis also living in these countries in connection with the military provocation committed by the Armenian armed forces on July 12-16 on the border of Azerbaijan in the direction of the Tovuz district.

The article said that the photos circulated on the internet, which show how representatives of Armenian youth in T-shirts with the inscription ASALA ("Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia") are participating in the rally in Los Angeles, are of great concern.

"Over 3,000 Armenians, breaking through the police cordon, attacked 50 Azerbaijanis. As a result of this attack, six seriously injured people, including Azerbaijani women, were hospitalized. Similar crimes were committed in other European cities. The Los Angeles police are currently investigating the attack on Azerbaijanis as an ethnic hate crime," said the article.

The article focuses on the fact that after July 12, numerous videos about the attack of Armenians on peaceful Azerbaijani demonstrators in many European cities appeared on the internet, which clearly show how the Armenians persecuted and injured Azerbaijanis.

The publication also provides information about the ASALA organization, known for terrorist acts committed in various countries.

The article focuses on the fact that the US CIA report for 1984 entitled "The Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia: continuing international threat" contains detailed information about the crimes committed by this organization. It is emphasized that in the 1980s, terrorist attacks were committed against Turkish diplomats in Sydney and Melbourne. Despite the fact that ASALA claimed responsibility for these crimes, no one was arrested.

"Members of the Turkish and Azerbaijani communities well remember these events today as well, call on the government structures of the country, the local population, MPs to be vigilant, to prevent the Armenian terror.

The article also contains demands to end the aggressive policy of Armenia against Azerbaijan, a policy that serves to create the so-called. "great Armenia" at the expense of the territories of neighboring states. Restoring peace in the region and in the world is possible only as a result of the end of the occupation policy by Armenia, the article says.

Photos confirming the vandalism of the Armenians were also included in the article.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The second hotel is the Holguin Costa Verde Hotel, which will be rebranded as the ASTON Costa Verde Beach Resort. This resort is located in the Holguin region of Cuba on its northeastern coast and comprises 749 rooms, 4 pools, 9 restaurants and 7 bars offering a great selection of a la carte, buffet, beachside and poolside dining options.

Both hotels are due to open on 1st December 2020 and will join Archipelago's growing portfolio in Cuba, which includes the GRAND ASTON Cayo Las Brujas Beach Resort & Spa and two upcoming hotels, GRAND ASTON Varadero Beach Resort and GRAND ASTON La Habana Hotel, both currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2021.

"We are delighted to be given the opportunity by Grupo de Turismo Gaviota S.A. to introduce our very successful ASTON brand to Havana and Holguin, particularly at such landmark hotels. Since its opening, GRAND ASTON Cayo Las Brujas has consistently ranked as the No.1 hotel in its region for guest satisfaction and quality audits. This operational excellence is now more important than ever and will continue to be post Covid-19, as guests will expect and demand higher standards of hygiene and safety practices from hotels. Cuba is best positioned to alleviate these concerns, as it is recognized as one of the safest destinations in the world, has an excellent healthcare system and is taking a holistic approach as a nation to ensure its tourism offerings meet new standards and expectations", commented Gerard Byrne, Managing Director, Archipelago Overseas.

According to Archipelago's President & CEO, John Flood "We will continue to invest in the resources needed to ensure that the hotels we manage and operate in Cuba perform above and beyond our guest's expectations. There is no doubt that in the post pandemic travel context, Cuba will stand out as one of the world's leading destinations for safe, healthy and environmentally friendly travel".

About Archipelago International

Archipelago International is one of the most trusted names in Asian hospitality, operating over 150 hotels with a further 50+ currently under development across Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the Middle East. With 20,000 rooms in more than 60 destinations, the Group's brands include GRAND ASTON, ASTON, Collection by ASTON, The Alana, Huxley, Kamuela, Harper, Quest, NEO and favehotels.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1221115/Aston_Panorama_Hotel_Havana_Cuba.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1221114/Aston_Costa_Verde_Beach_Resort_Holguin_Cuba.jpg

SOURCE Archipelago International
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Bharti Airtel will report its Q1 FY21 numbers on July 29 in which the company is expected to show a decline in wireless revenue, ARPU, subscriber base and adjusted PAT.

Brokerage firm Emkay Global Financial Services said in a note that Bharti Airtel's India wireless revenue and ARPU may fall 4 percent and 5 percent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), respectively, on account of lower recharges, lack of international roaming revenue and subscriber loss of 70 lakh.

However, despite revenue decline in the wireless segment, EBITDA margins are likely to be stable on account of lower SG&A costs, Emkay said.

Subscriber additions are projected to moderate due to the lower sale of cell phones in the quarter, while data subscribers shall rise marginally.

Data volume will swell 12 percent QoQ on account of increased usage during the lockdown, while minutes on network is expected to stay flat QoQ, Emkay said.

Home broadband shall see increased traction driven by data demand.

The Africa business is projected to record EBITDA growth after a sequential decline in the previous quarter, partially aided by lower opex and rupee depreciation.

Emkay's estimates show Airtel's net sales may rise 15 percent year-on-year (YoY) for Q1 FY21. However, sequentially it will not be much changed at 0.5 percent higher.

The company's EBITDA may rise 23.8 percent YoY but only 0.5 percent QoQ, while EBITDA margin may rise 307 bps YoY but it will be lower by 1 bps QoQ, Emkay said.

Bharti Airtel may report a 0.7 percent QoQ or 15.3 percent YoY growth in net sales at Rs 23,900.6 crore for Q1FY21, said brokerage firm Kotak Institutional Equities.

The company's EBITDA may rise 1.4 percent QoQ or 25 percent YoY while EBITDA margin may improve 29 bps QoQ or 337 bps YoY, Kotak said.

Adjusted PAT, however, is likely to plunge 70.6 percent QoQ or 90.1 percent YoY, said Kotak.

As per the estimates of Kotak, Bharti Airtel may report a 1.3 percent QoQ decline, but 17.6 percent YoY growth, in India wireless revenues.

Due to COVID disruption and Bharti's stringent subscriber policy, Kotak expects the company's reported subscribers will be lower by 45 lakh QoQ. The brokerage is building a marginal decline in ARPU.

For the Africa business, Kotak expects Bharti Airtel to report a 3 percent QoQ or 20.7 percent YoY growth on a reported basis.

"Among the other businesses, we expect a 5 percent QoQ growth in revenues for the home broadband, a 2 percent QoQ growth for the enterprise business and a 12 percent QoQ growth in the DTH business," Kotak said.

Brokerage firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services also expects a mild rise in the company's Q1 revenue but a steep fall in adjusted PAT.

As per Motilal Oswal, Bharti Airtel's Q1FY21 revenue can inch up 12.9 percent YoY but adjusted PAT may see a steep 90 percent fall YoY.

Motilal expects the company's ARPU to remain flat while there may be a 9-10 percent subscriber growth in the home broadband business.

Besides, the brokerage expects a subscriber churn of 10 percent, along with nearly 75 percent QoQ lower 4G off-take due to COVID-19.

The estimates of Motilal Oswal show a 35 percent revenue impact on India wireless business due to validity extension and SIM consolidation.

The above report is compiled from information available on public platforms. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Malaysia's former PM Najib Razak gets 12-year jail in 1MDB case

Malaysias former prime minister, Najib Razak, was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to 12 years in jail on Tuesday, in the first trial over a multi-billion-dollar scandal at 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the state fund.

High court judge Mohamad Nazlan Mohamad Ghazali sentenced Najib to 12 years and a fine of 210 million ringgit ($49 million) for abuse of power, in a money scam that stretched to the Gulf states and Hollywood.

Najib, 67, also received 10 years in jail on each of three charges of criminal breach of trust and three charges of money laundering for illegally receiving nearly $10 million from SRC International, a former unit of the state fund.

The judge ordered the jail terms to run concurrently.

The guilty verdict for Najib caps dramatic turn in fortunes in a case widely seen as a test of the nations resolve to stamp out corruption and which could have major political implications.

Najib has faced allegations of misappropriation of state funds for over five years during his rule, but the criminal charges came only after his election defeat in 2018 when his successor Mahathir Mohamad reopened investigations.

Najib had pleaded not guilty but Judge Mohamad Nazlan said, After considering all evidence in this trial, I find that the prosecution has successfully proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The judge allowed a request by Najibs lawyers to delay the jail sentence and the fine, but asked Najib to post additional bail and report to a police station twice a month.

Najib said he would appeal the verdict in Malaysias Federal Court. The verdict could potentially be partially or fully overturned, though that could take years.

The nearly $10 million in the SRC case is believed to be only a fraction of the funds Najib is alleged to have misappropriated from 1MDB.

Prosecutors say more than $1 billion of 1MDB funds made its way into Najibs personal accounts, over which he faces a total of 42 criminal charges.

US and Malaysian authorities say $4.5 billion is believed to have been stolen from 1MDB, a fund Najib founded to promote economic development, and used by his associates to buy art, a superyacht and fund the `Wolf of Wall Street movie.

Prosecutors have also said $27 million was used to buy a pink diamond necklace for Najibs wife, Rosmah Mansor, and some of the money was used to fund Najibs election campaigns.

Najibs lawyers had said he was misled by Malaysian financier Jho Low and other 1MDB officials into believing that the funds banked in his accounts were donated by the Saudi royal family. Low has denied wrongdoing.

Judge Mohamad Nazlan said it was far-fetched to believe Najib could have been misled by Low and asked why he never questioned Lows claim that the money was a donation.

During the trial, Najib told the court he never demanded or planned for the 42 million ringgit in his account. There has been no evidence or witnesses to say so, he said.

Politicians and others who had raised concerns about 1MDB years ago welcomed the verdict. Najibs party, which returned to power in February as part of an alliance led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, on Tuesday said the government respected the verdict and was committed to the rule of law.

But, there is a danger of the guilty verdict prompting Najibs supporters to withdraw support for the government, which has a razor-thin majority.

Najib can remain a lawmaker but will be disqualified if his conviction stands after all legal avenues have been exhausted.
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Ministers don't need to panic yet about rising coronavirus cases in Britain, leading experts insisted today after it was revealed that Boris Johnson fears a second wave could start within a fortnight.

A senior government source told the Mail the Prime Minister was 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up' both at home and across Europe, with a spike in infections across Spain triggering a last-minute decision to place the holiday hotspot on the UK's travel quarantine list.

But Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease specialist at the University of East Anglia, moved to reassure the nation today and said: 'Give us a couple of weeks before we start panicking.' He told MailOnline cases in the UK are drifting up but not escalating quickly and revealed it was possible 'we could last out August' without the need to adopt any blanket measures to prevent another crisis.

One scientist warned the spike 'was to be expected' because of lockdown being eased earlier this month, when millions of Britons flocked to pubs to celebrate 'Super Saturday' and enjoy their first taste of freedom in 15 weeks. Another claimed Britain knew the virus had not been eliminated and 'that we were to learn to live with it'.

Business leaders have today reacted warily to the prospect of tighter restrictions being introduced over the rise in cases, with top firms saying it is 'vital' economies crippled by coronavirus-controlling policies begin the process of recovery this summer ahead of an expected resurgence later this year.

Amid fears the UK is on track for the worst recession in 300 years with the virus already having caused thousands of job losses, the Confederation of British Industry  which represents almost 200,000 companies  warned that firms 'can be knocked down once but not twice' and today said 'health and the economy go hand in hand'.

But one Tory MP today insisted the government's strategy wasn't about eradicating the virus and is instead about keeping the economy afloat, saying ministers 'want people to travel and go back to work'. However, the head of the British Medical Association warned Number 10 is not doing enough to stop a second wave.

Although the number of UK cases is relatively low, rises were recorded each day last week for the first time since the darkest days of the crisis back in April. The seven-day rolling average stands at 726  33 per cent up on the four-month low of 546 three weeks ago. Britain today also recorded 83 more deaths.

Ministers have been warning of a potential second wave of the pandemic this winter but now fear it could come sooner. On a visit to Nottingham yesterday, Mr Johnson  who earlier this month played down the prospect of another national lockdown  said Britons must not drop their guard.

He added: 'The most important thing is for everybody in all communities to heed the advice, to follow the advice, not to be spreading it accidentally and get it right down and we'll be able to ease the restrictions across the country.

'But clearly we now face, I'm afraid, the threat of a second wave in other parts of Europe and we just have to be vigilant.'

It comes after a leading virologist warned Germany  where infections have almost doubled week-on-week  will not be able to avoid a second lockdown if it is hit by a second wave. For comparison, Sweden, which bucked the global trend and opted against draconian measures, is seeing a 'very positive' downward trend in cases.

In other coronavirus developments today:

Ministers warned there is 'no silver bullet' to save summer holidays abroad amid claims Belgium, Luxembourg and Croatia could soon be added to the UK's travel quarantine list;

Number 10 signed a deal with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur for 60million doses of a fourth experimental Covid-19 vaccine  even though it has yet to be trialled on humans;

Care homes were 'thrown to the wolves' during the pandemic and the governments actions were 'at times negligent', MPs claimed in a scathing report;

The cost of Number 10's furlough scheme passed 30billion this week  but will not stop unemployment rising above ten per cent, a leading thinktank warned;

Britain's beauty spots are being inundated with campervans and campsites filled to bursting, provoking angry locals to call for action to stop the 'tidal wave' of holidaymakers destroying their areas;

Oldham has become the latest place to introduce tighter coronavirus restrictions after overtaking Leicester to be the second worst-hit area of England with an almost 200 per cent surge in cases over the past week;

Ten people have caught coronavirus at a 17th century pub in a market town where up to 200 drinkers were filmed crammed into a beer garden 'like sardines'.

A senior government source told the Mail the Prime Minister (pictured today jogging on a public footpath with his dog Dilyn near Chequers) was 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up', both at home and across Europe

BRITAIN'S CASES RISE 14% IN A WEEK - AND OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE 83 MORE DEATHS Britain's coronavirus cases have risen 14 per cent in a week  but experts have urged ministers not to panic and say the UK needs to 'learn to live' with the disease. Department of Health chiefs reported an additional 763 cases, taking the total to 300,692. The 581 cases reported yesterday were almost a staggering 30 per cent up on the week before, raising concerns the UK is heading towards a significant spike in cases. Boris Johnson fears a second wave could start within a fortnight, according to a senior government source who told the Mail the Prime Minister was 'extremely concerned' by outbreaks 'bubbling up' both at home and across Europe. But ministers are being told by leading scientists not to panic yet, with one scientist saying the spike 'was to be expected' because of lockdown being eased earlier this month, when millions of Britons flocked to pubs to celebrate 'Super Saturday' and enjoy their first taste of freedom in 15 weeks. Meanwhile a further 83 more coronavirus deaths were recorded in Britain  taking the official number of victims to 45,961  with no fatalities in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Around 66 people are succumbing to the illness each day, on average, a slow decline from the almost 1,000 during the peak of the pandemic. Advertisement

Mr Johnson is said to have been spooked by the resurgence of the virus in parts of the US and Europe following the easing of lockdown.

Cases in Spain doubled last week while the Belgian government warned of a second 'complete lockdown' unless outbreaks come under control.

The head of Germany's public health agency yesterday said he was 'very concerned' by rising infection levels.

A Downing Street source said: 'The PM is extremely concerned by what he's seeing abroad and fears we could be seeing the same thing here in a fortnight.

'People have got to realise we are still in the middle of a pandemic. He wants to go further on opening things up and getting people back to work, but he knows it'll be his head on the block if things go wrong.'

It comes after a World Health Organization official last night said any spikes in cases are not signs of a second wave and revealed the pandemic is just unfolding into 'one big wave'.

Margaret Harris, of the UN agency, said: 'The best thing is to flatten it and turn it into just something lapping at your feet.'

Professor Linda Bauld, a public health expert at the University of Edinburgh, told The Guardian: 'Second wave isnt a term that we would use [in epidemiology] at the current time, as the virus hasn't gone away.

'Its in our population, it has spread to 188 countries so far, and what we are seeing now is essentially localised spikes or a localised return of a large number of cases.'

Discussing the resurgence of the virus in the UK, Professor Hunter told MailOnline: 'I don't care what you want to call it, there's no real proper definition that is universally accepted of what is and what isn't a second wave.

'But the reality is case numbers are increasing across multiple European countries again. One of the big things we're seeing at the minute is that, when you look at the UK, most areas are still free of infection.

BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG AND CROATIA 'SET TO BE ADDED TO UK TRAVEL QUARANTINE LIST' Ministers today warned there is 'no silver bullet' to save summer holidays abroad amid claims that Belgium, Luxembourg and Croatia could soon be added to the UK's travel quarantine list. The UK Government announced on Saturday that it was banning all non-essential travel to Spain, with travellers returning to the UK having to self-isolate for 14 days. That decision sparked a diplomatic row with Madrid but Mr Johnson insisted the UK had to reserve the right to impose restrictions in order to prevent a domestic spike in cases. Now it is thought that Belgium and Luxembourg could be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow. Meanwhile, ministers are said to be closely monitoring the situation in Croatia but a crackdown on that country is not expected to be imminent, according to The Times. The travel industry is urging the Government to slash the 14 day quarantine period in order to make foreign travel amid such uncertainty more feasible, with the boss of Heathrow Airport suggesting testing at the border could be the answer. But Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden today poured cold water on the plan as he said there is not currently a 'viable alternative to the 14 day quarantine'. Advertisement

'And most of the increase is in a relatively small proportion of areas within the UK. That seems to be the case within Spain, and probably other countries.'

When asked how to deal with any up-tick in infections, he added: 'You can be really, really good at spotting local increases and apply local lockdowns, or you can reimpose national restrictions that we've recently relaxed.

'At the moment, although it's drifting up, it's not going up that quickly [so] maybe we could last out August  but then really hard decisions need to be taken in September or October.

'If it increases like it has in Spain, then hard decisions will need to be taken very soon.' He added he was hopeful, but not confident, that the current whack-a-mole style strategy of fighting local flare-ups is sufficient.

Professor Jose Vazquez-Boland, chair of infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'What we are facing is a comeback of community transmission after removing the lockdown measures.

'We have to be clear that the efficacy of lockdowns is only temporary. There will be a resurgence of new cases every time social restriction measures are lifted as long as the virus remains in circulation.

'What is important to consider is that we will most likely have to deal with new peaks of incidence unless SARS-CoV-2 is eradicated. These peaks may become shallower if previously exposed people become immune, but whether this happens is unclear at this point.'

Professor James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, said: 'The UK has never been free from infection, we have had 100s of cases per day every day since March.

The number of people claiming employment benefits soared by a record 856,500 to 2.1million in the first month of the coronavirus lockdown  despite the furlough scheme keeping millions formally in work.

Matthew Fell, the Confederation of British Industrys chief UK policy director, told MailOnline today: 'Many firms are reopening gradually and safely after a long period of hibernation.

'Throughout the pandemic, business has been clear that health and the economy go hand in hand.

Belgium and Luxembourg could be removed from the safe travel list as early as tomorrow and Croatia could also be at risk. Luxembourg has the highest incidence of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Europe

GERMANY WON'T BE ABLE TO AVOID ANOTHER LOCKDOWN WHEN SECOND WAVE HITS, EXPERT WARNS Germany will not be able to avoid a second lockdown if it is hit by a second wave of coronavirus cases, a leading virologist has warned. Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit said 'drastic measures' would be back on the table if Germany's health system is overwhelmed by virus cases - a nightmare scenario which Germany has so far avoided. Fears of a second wave are mounting in Germany after an increase of 4,127 new cases in the last week, up from 2,385 two weeks ago. Experts are worried because the virus is spreading across the country and is not confined to a handful of local clusters, with the R rate now regularly above 1.0. Schmidt-Chanasit, of the University of Hamburg, told ARD last night that 'the situation is still manageable', but warned that it could 'very quickly get out of control'. Germany has suffered four daily jumps of 600 or more coronavirus cases in the last six days, after previously seeing none since the end of June Advertisement

'The increase in cases was to be expected, as the lockdown eases, the opportunity for the virus to spread will increase.

'The government intervention that will make the most difference in keeping the lid on this flare up, is the isolation of positive cases.

'I remain concerned that not enough effort has been put into isolation measures. Its self-defeating to vilify young people who are infectious but otherwise well for not wanting to keep making disproportionately heavy financial and life sacrifices.'

He added: 'The testing and tracking will all be for nothing if infectious people do not isolate. Without effective isolation, all we will have a more detailed view of an unfolding tragedy. A lockdown is just a blunt method of isolation.

'We all still have a role to play, isolate if we are sick or test positive, wash our hands regularly, socially distance and wear a mask indoors.

'What I fear is that if we fail to check this flare up, we will head into the winter months with a high level of circulating virus.

'With the normal winter illnesses and greater indoor living, we could then see a return to exponential growth in Covid-19 cases that overwhelms the NHS and requires complete lockdown. Many scientists have consistently emphasised that we have only short time to get our systems ready to prevent this.'

Dr Gail Carson, head of international group of scientists that investigate severe acute respiratory diseases, such as Covid-19, added: 'We knew that SARS-CoV2 had not been eliminated and that we were to learn to live with it using a package of measures including social distancing, contact tracing, hand hygiene and cloth mask wearing, possibly even localised versions of lockdown.

'The mention of 'waves' usually refers to influenza epidemics and a seasonality when it peaks in the cooler, winter months. This is not flu, it is SARS-CoV-2 and we are still learning about how best to manage it.'

Apocalyptic predictions from the Bank of England and others have already revealed the UK is on track for the worst recession in 300 years, when the Great Frost swept Europe, because of the lockdown.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned it will be pain 'the likes of which we have not seen', while the respected IFS think-tank described the impending meltdown as a 'mega-recession' or the 'recession to end all recessions'.

Boris Johnson pictured on a visit to Nottingham yesterday where he expressed fears over a second Covid-19 onslaught

OLDHAM OVERTAKES LEICESTER TO BECOME SECOND WORST-HIT AREA IN ENGLAND - SO WHERE ARE THE CURRENT HOTSPOTS? Oldham has become the latest place to introduce tighter coronavirus restrictions after overtaking Leicester to be the second worst-hit area of England with an almost 200 per cent surge in cases over the past week. Official NHS statistics show 128 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the Greater Manchester town in the seven days up to July 26. This equates to a rate of 54.3 cases per 100,000 people. In comparison, the rate in Leicester  which remains the only place in the UK to have been hit by a local lockdown  is 53.2. Blackburn with Darwen is the current hotspot, with a rate of 85.9. Oldham council bosses yesterday urged all of the borough's 235,000 residents to not let any visitors into their home for at least two weeks, in a desperate bid to 'prevent a strict local lockdown being put in place'. It puts Oldham at odds with the rest of England, after lockdown rules were finally relaxed earlier this month to let people to stay overnight with loved ones, after months of not being allowed in other homes. So, which areas currently have the highest infection rates? Blackburn with Darwen Oldham Leicester Bradford Trafford Rochdale Sandwell Calderdale Manchester Kirklees 85.9 - up 6% 54.3 - up 191% 53.2 - down 27% 45.1 - up 6% 36.8 - up 235% 32.7 - down 31% 30.9 - up 33% 28.6 - up 22% 22.1 - up 55% 19.8 - down 29% Source: NHS. Data relates to cases recorded between July 20 and 26, the most recent figures available Advertisement

'Firms are committing to playing their full part in minimising the risks of a further spike and to following government guidance to ensure their workplaces are Covid-secure.

'Operating safely is the best way to getting the economy back on its feet while protecting jobs and livelihoods.'

Mr Johnson two weeks ago played down the prospect of a second national coronavirus lockdown, saying he did not want to use it any more than Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent.

He said the authorities were getting better at identifying and isolating local outbreaks, although it was important that the power to order national action was held in reserve.

Whitehall sources yesterday confirmed that Mr Johnson's caution showed itself in the controversial decision to extend the travel ban on Spain to the country's Balearic and Canary islands, where case numbers are lower.

The decision has sparked a diplomatic clash with Spain, with the nation's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez describing the restrictions on travel to the country as an 'error' and saying tourists in most regions would be safer than they are in the UK.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab are both said to have opposed the move to extend the travel ban to the Spanish islands, only to be overruled by the Prime Minister on Monday.

Ministers decided to reimpose quarantine restrictions on Spain after it emerged 10 Britons had returned from the country with coronavirus and Professor Chris Whitty said 'doing nothing isn't an option', it was revealed yesterday.

It comes as ministers today warned there is 'no silver bullet' to save summer holidays abroad amid claims that Belgium and Luxembourg could soon be added to the UK's travel quarantine list.

Meanwhile, ministers are said to be closely monitoring the situation in Croatia but a crackdown on that country is not expected to be imminent, according to The Times.

A Whitehall source said: 'The PM was determined to make sure we have a clear and consistent message on Spain, regardless of the situation in individual regions.

'That's fair enough, but you can see why Spain is upset because it treats the whole country as if it was as bad as the worst region.'

The government source  who wasn't named  added: 'If other countries did that to us they would be judging the whole country on the situation in Leicester.'

Figures released yesterday showed the rolling seven-day average of cases has continued to rise throughout the month, from 546 cases on July 5 to 697 on July 25  an increase of 28 per cent.

Sunseekers and families flock to the beach at Lyme Regis in Dorset today to soak up the scorching hot weather. Temperatures of up to 33C (91F) are expected in London and South East England later this week

GOVERNMENT SIGNS 500MILLION DEAL WITH GSK AND SANOFI FOR 60MILLION DOSES OF FOURTH COVID-19 VACCINE Ministers have today signed a deal with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur for 60million doses of another potential Covid-19 vaccine. Number 10 has now secured four different types of unproven coronavirus jabs, giving the UK access to a total of 250million doses  enough to give everyone in Britain four each, if they work. Scientists have yet to trial GSK/Sanofi's vaccine on humans, and studies to prove it works won't begin until September. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the vaccine  rumoured to cost 500million  could be given to high-risk Britons as early as the first half of next year, if trials show it works. Britain last month began shoring up stocks of experimental jabs all over the world in its spread-betting approach in the hope that at least one of them will pay off. Advertisement

Downing Street last night acknowledged that the PM was concerned about the situation abroad but played down the idea there was an imminent risk of an upsurge in the UK.

There are no immediate plans to reimpose restrictions on a nationwide basis. A No 10 source said: 'We have not seen a sharp uptick yet, but we are concerned.

'We don't want to experience what some other countries are experiencing and it would be remiss of us if we were not looking at steps to prevent that.

'That means we need to make sure we are not importing cases from abroad. But it also means people need to be vigilant here and maintain the social distancing.

'The virus has not migrated for the summer and we have always said we will put the handbrake back on if we need to.'

Professor Whitty is thought to be concerned about the risk of the virus being 'seeded' by holidaymakers returning from abroad, particularly as many people who get the virus display no symptoms.

He is also monitoring a dozen or so boroughs which have been placed on a 'watch-list' due to high or fast-rising infection rates, including Peterborough, Northampton, Luton, Leicester, Rochdale and Bradford.

Oldham has become the latest place to introduce tighter coronavirus restrictions after overtaking Leicester to be the second worst-hit area of England with an almost 200 per cent surge in cases over the past week.

Official NHS statistics show 128 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the Greater Manchester town in the seven days up to July 26. This equates to a rate of 54.3 cases per 100,000 people.

In comparison, the rate in Leicester  which remains the only place in the UK to have been hit by a local lockdown  is 53.2. Blackburn with Darwen is the current hotspot, with a rate of 85.9.

The most up to date figures show the number of new cases is rocketing upwards in Spain. It announced 6,361 new cases over the weekend, up from 4,581 the previous weekend. France announced 2,551 new coronavirus cases on Monday

SWEDEN IS SEEING A 'VERY POSITIVE' DROP IN CASES Sweden's three-day average of new coronavirus cases has gradually fallen in recent weeks, with the number of seriously sick patients now said to be 'close to zero' Sweden is seeing a 'very positive' downward trend in coronavirus cases after its much-debated decision not to go into lockdown, its top epidemiologist says. Anders Tegnell said the number of seriously sick patients was 'close to zero' with the curve of new virus cases also bending downwards. Tegnell is also continuing to play down the effectiveness of face masks - saying there is 'no point' wearing them on public transport. Sweden recorded only 1,716 new cases last week, down from 9,094 just a month earlier, and deaths have also been on the decline. 'The curves go down, and the curves over the seriously ill begin to be very close to zero. As a whole, it is very positive,' Tegnell said. Advertisement

Oldham council bosses yesterday urged all of the borough's 235,000 residents to not let any visitors into their home for at least two weeks, in a desperate bid to 'prevent a strict local lockdown being put in place'.

It puts Oldham at odds with the rest of England, after lockdown rules were finally relaxed earlier this month to let people to stay overnight with loved ones, after months of not being allowed in other homes.

Everyone living in the Greater Manchester borough has also been asked to keep two metres apart from friends and family when seeing them outside. Current government advice for the rest of the nation recommends a one metre-plus rule  but people should keep two metres apart where possible.

It comes after the Royal Bank of Scotland last week told more than 50,000 staff to work from home until next year and considered the possibility of a second wave when making the decision, reported the Times.

The NatWest owner, which is one of the UKs biggest employers, informed staff in a memo that they could work from home until 2021.

Next boss Simon Wolfson said: 'There is still much that remains uncertain and our central scenario cannot be accorded the same degree of confidence that our guidance would normally receive at this time of year.

'The duration of social distancing rules, post-lockdown consumer behaviour, earnings, unemployment, and, most importantly, whether there will be a second wave lockdown, all remain unknowable.'

Josh Hardie, deputy director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said last month: Any plan for returning to work must ensure employees are safe. Businesses have made monumental efforts to protect their workforce. But concern about infection is still high.

'Low demand and footfall on many high streets are leaving firms struggling, driving up unemployment. Business know the return to offices must not risk an infection spike. Firms can be knocked down once, not twice.'

Dozens of firms, including London-based construction company Bouygues UK, have changed how they operate in case of another spike.

Rob Bradley, its chief executive, told Construction News: Weve now prepared ourselves for working in a Covid environment, whereas back in March we hadnt. Nobody had heard of social distancing; nobody had heard of furloughing.

People queue up at a walk-in Covid-19 testing centre which has been set up at the Crown Street car park in Stone today

People wearing masks walk past the Crown and Anchor in the Staffordshire town today following a spike in coronavirus cases

TEN PEOPLE GET COVID IN OUTBREAK IN PUB WHERE 200 DRINKERS CRAMMED INTO BEER GARDEN 'LIKE SARDINES' Ten people have caught coronavirus at a pub in a market town where up to 200 drinkers were filmed crammed into a beer garden 'like sardines'. Punters and staff who were at the Crown and Anchor in Stone, Staffordshire, between July 16 and 18 are now being told to urgently get swabs done, as well as anyone who has been in close contact with visitors to the pub. A new centre has been set up 350 yards away at the Crown Street car park, and people who were out in Stone on one of those nights who have since displayed symptoms despite not going to the pub should also now get a test. One customer at the pub - which has now shut due to overcrowding - who tested positive is also said to have held a private gathering, causing a further spread. There were 43 new cases in Staffordshire in the week to Sunday. It comes after local resident Ayrron Robinson filmed a shocking video of people packed into the beer garden earlier this month, saying: 'If we do have to go into local lockdown then the pub has a lot to answer for.' Advertisement

Weve invested heavily in planning to work in a Covid environment, which is why we were able to start our sites up again. [If there is] a second wave, Im happy that, as a business, weve gone to the right level to protect our people and our workers on our sites.

'What I cant mandate for is if the government says, were going to block the roads, going to shut down London or stop public transport.'

'Clearly if that kind of thing happens, I cant do anything about it, but in so far as we can control the health and safety on our construction sites and our offices [] in a second wave, I think weve mitigated the risks significantly.'

A Ryanair spokesman said: 'It is impossible to predict how long the Covid-19 pandemic will persist, and a second wave of Covid-19 cases across Europe in late autumn is our biggest fear right now.

'Hopefully EU governments, by implementing effective track and tracing systems, and EU citizens by complying with recommended face masks, rigorous hand hygiene and other measures, will avoid the need for further lockdowns or restrictions on intra-EU flights.

'It is vital that European economies begin the process of recovery this summer to minimise the damage arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and this recovery can only be led by intra-EU air travel which is the engine of EU growth and economic activity.'

Ministers were told today that Britains businesses need more support amid fears a second wave of coronavirus could start within a fortnight.

Gaps for workers in support schemes, protection for workers and bad corporate behaviour during the crisis have all been highlighted by a Commons committee.

There are fears over how long it could take for sectors such as hospitality and aviation to recover, especially given a second wave of the pandemic could now be on the way.

In a letter to Business Secretary Alok Sharma, Westminster's Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee set out a range of areas for the Government to address.

Chair of the committee Labour MP Darren Jones said the Government should now look again at its approach to providing sectoral support during the course of the pandemic.
READERS will be delighted to hear that Geraldine ONeills 15th book - The Nightingales in Mersey Square is now available in local bookshops and online at Amazon.co.uk in hardback, paperback and on Kindle.

Whilst every one of her books tell a different story, the big difference this time is that Geraldine is writing under the pen-name of Lilly Robbins. The reason for this change is that she has moved into a slightly different genre as her book is set during WW2 in Stockport in Manchester.

Geraldine reassures us that apart from the setting, there is no huge difference in her writing style and that the reviews from her regular readers state that it is one of her best books to date! And, as always, Geraldine champions County Offaly in her book, as one of the main characters is a nurse from Tullamore. Once again the Faithful County is put uniquely on the world literary map, introducing it to readers all over the globe.

Geraldine tells us that during her recent research for her book, set during the second war, she discovered how Stockport had hosted the Guernsey Evacuee families, and the idea for 'The Nightingales in Mersey Square' was then born.

She explains that she became drawn into the Guernsey Islanders dramatic story, shocked at how they were given so little warning about the Nazi invasion, and how they had to suddenly say goodbye to their children, not knowing if they would ever see them again. As it turned out, it would be five years before they were reunited, and for the first two years there was no contact allowed and the families did not know if their loved ones were dead or alive.

Geraldine describes how the pupils and their teachers left the Island in the early hours of the morning, along with children under five who were accompanied by their mothers. Some of the families had little time to gather their belongings together before they found themselves on boats which were used for carrying cattle and coal, and the journey under the cover of darkness was difficult and frightening.

When they arrived in England, the families and schoolchildren were then dispersed to various parts of the UK. Twelve hundred eventually arrived by train in Stockport Town, which is famous for its mills and hat factories. There were no trains in Guernsey, so it was the first time many of the children had seen what they described as these huge, metal monsters with steam coming out of them, and they were terrified to board them.

The story describes how they were welcomed to safety in Stockport Town Hall, where groups from the various churches and local community were there to greet them, and help them in any way they could. The main characters - trainee nurses Clare and Gaye - immediately volunteer to help the evacuees settle in Stockport town, alongside their new, privileged friend, Diana, who works in the local parachute factory.

When things get tough, the friendship forged during an air raid in the Plaza Cinema will be the glue that holds three young women together during the turbulent years of the Second World War.

There are two storylines running through the book, Geraldine explains. One uses historical fact to tell the story of the many Guernsey families whose lives were saved by the welcoming, supportive people of Stockport. The other, personal one, focusses on Clare, Gaye and Diana, who are each struggling with their own different paths in life, yet still banded together by their rock-solid friendship.

As with all her books, Geraldine spent a lot of time studying the war details and the culture of the local people who came from many different backgrounds, classes and religions. She was heartened to see how the Stockport people pulled together for the greater good, helping each other during a time when fear and tragedy was a daily norm. Stockport is also a special place for Geraldine as it is town where her husband, Mike Brosnahan, was born and grew up in, and where the family happily lived for seven years, before moving to Ireland. Geraldine also taught in a local school in Stockport, and found her love for writing there when she joined a local Writers Group.

During her meticulous research, Geraldine visited and studied Stockports famous Air Raid Shelter Tunnels which is now a fantastic museum. Hidden deep underground, they were at one time the largest civilian air raid shelters in the country and were built to hold up to 3,850. It is hard to imagine that all those people would crush in together underground, but everyone did as instructed (as we all did during the recent lockdown) and it just became an everyday occurrence.

As with all of Geraldines novels, it is filled with a mixture of great characters who experience love and joy, fun and laughter mixed with war-time separation, loss and tragedy.

The Nightingales of Mersey Square has received high praise in reviews from fans on Amazon etc., already, and in newspaper articles. A recent Northern England newspaper review had this to say  Romance fans are going to fall in love with this heart-warming saga from Lilly Robbins (Geraldine ONeill) who has woven the fascinating wartime history of her husbands home town into a story brimming with drama and passion.

Fans of Geraldines books will certainly not be disappointed with this debut novel published under her pseudonym, Lilly Robbins!
Srinagar, July 29 : One army porter was killed as Pakistan resorted to ceasefire violation along the LoC in the Uri sector of North Kashmir on Wednesday. The army gave a befitting response, officials said.

"Pakistan started an unprovoked ceasefire violation in the afternoon along the LoC in the Uri sector, Baramulla, by firing mortars and other weapons. One army porter, who got injured in ceasefire violation, succumbed to injuries. Befitting response was given," the army said.

The latest ceasefire violation comes just a day after Pakistan resorted to firing along the LoC in the Macchal and Gugaldhar sectors in the Kupwara district of North Kashmir.

There has been a spurt in ceasefire violations in the Kupwara district and to the south of Pir Panchal in the Rajouri and Poonch areas. In the past, Pakistan has been giving cover fire to infiltrators by resorting to ceasefire violations.
You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa at this link, or on your favorite app including Alexa, Apple, Google, Spotify and Stitcher. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Subscribe/follow and rate the podcast via your favorite app.

Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | July 29, 2020

The Philadelphia School District makes plans for all-virtual learning through the beginning of November. Meanwhile, police crack down on aggressive driving. Pittsburgh pre-teen doesnt make the next round of Americas Got Talent, but plans to release a new song anyway. Bat populations to receive much needed help thanks to Pennsylvania government agencies.

Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa, a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Julia Hatmaker. Today in Pa is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories in the state.

Todays episode refers to the following articles:

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Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday permitted family members of poet Varavara Rao to meet him at Mumbais Nanavati Hospital, where the 81-year-old is undergoing treatment for COVID-19.

A bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and VG Bisht granted permission adding the meeting would be subject to hospital protocol on granting access to relatives of COVID-19 victims. The HC granted permission after Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, counsel for National Investigation Agency (NIA), told the court that the agency had no objection to Rao's family being permitted to meet him, or to his family being informed of his health condition, subject to hospital protocols.

Rao had filed a plea earlier this month through his lawyer Sudeep Pasbola seeking bail. Advocate Pasbola also urged the court to let the poet meet his family saying the latter was almost on his deathbed.

On Tuesday, both the state government and the NIA told high court they had no objection to Raos family seeing him, or to them receiving an update on his health condition. The bench accepted their submission and said, In view of the statement made by the learned Additional Solicitor General, family members of the petitioner are permitted to visit the petitioner who is admitted in Nanavati Super Specialty Hospital, however, subject to hospital protocol and in accordance with government norms in respect to COVID-19 patients.

Earlier during the day, the court directed Nanavati Hospital to submit a report in court on Rao's health condition and the nature of medical treatment being provided to him.

The court had said once it went through the hospital's report, it will decide on the plea filed by Rao's family seeking a copy of such report. It directed hospital authorities to submit the report on Rao's health and treatment within three days from the time that they receive communication on the court's order. High court is likely to hear the matter further on August 7 this year.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, in Washington, on May 20, 2020. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)

Pelosi on Rep. Gohmert Testing Positive for COVID-19: Im so Sorry

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Wednesday said she is so sorry after Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) had tested positive for COVID-19.

But Im also sorry my members, who are concerned because he has been showing up at meetings without a mask and making a thing of it, she said in an interview. Hopefully now he will look after his health, and others,' she added.

Gohmert, meanwhile, confirmed he contracted the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus.

In a video released Wednesday, the congressman said that he went to the White House administered a quick test, and it tested positive for COVID-19. But they give false positives sometimes, he said, adding that he received a swab test that came back positive as well.

Republican Representative of Texas Louie Gohmert uses a face covering during the US House Natural Resources Committee hearing on The US Park Police Attack on Peaceful Protesters at Lafayette Square, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on June 29, 2020. (Michael Reynolds / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Im asymptomatic and I dont have of the symptoms that are listed, but apparently I have the Wuhan virus, Gohmert said, referring to Wuhan, China, where the virus first originated late last year.

Gohmert said he was wearing a mask at a House Judiciary Committee with Attorney General William Barr.

In a Twitter post, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Nadler (D-N.Y.) wrote, I want to wish @replouiegohmert a full & speedy recovery. When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. Ive regularly instructed all members to wear their masks and hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues.

Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec told news outlets that Barr will be tested for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
EVART -- The Evart Police Department has announced the cancellation of the 2020 National Night Out event.

"The National Night Out organization is urging participating police departments to delay the event, normally held the first Tuesday in August, until the first Tuesday in October. Knowing the unpredictability of Michigan weather in October, we have regrettably decided to cancel the event for 2020," a post on the police department Facebook page read.
Lineage Construction LLC, formerly LSL Construction Services, Inc., is happy to announce the recent completion of a project for the Cedric Salon. We are happy to bring a new elegance to this established salon, comments Marissa Liebhaber, President of Lineage Construction, The new space truly matches the quality of services from this highly respected artist. About the Project Lineage was hired to complete a 1,000 square foot build-out for the 
Kavanaugh has tried unsuccessfully to avert politically sensitive decisions, CNN says

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh urged the court to avoid ruling on at least two cases, saying that it should avoid politically sensitive issues, according to a new report.

Kavanaugh sent a series of private memos this spring advocating avoiding decisions in major disputes over abortion and Democratic subpoenas for President Donald Trump's financial records, multiple sources familiar with the workings of the court told CNN.

In the end, the court did hear both cases. One of the cases involved restrictions on abortion clinics in Louisiana, which the court ruled on and struck down in a 5-4 split, with Chief Justice John Roberts siding with the liberals.

The other involved attempts by Democrats in Congress to subpoena President Donald Trump's tax returns, an effort that the court rejected 7-2.

Kavanaugh (back right) is seen with the other justices. The revelation suggests that he hopes to avoid overt partisan controversy while sticking by his conservative principles

The revelation follows Kavanaugh's contentious confirmation hearings in 2018, and suggests that he hopes to avoid overt partisan controversy while sticking by his conservative principles.

According to CNN, Kavanaugh in mid-March began sending memos urging that the abortion case, June Medical Services LLC v. Russo, be remanded to the circuit court.

The case considered whether a Louisiana law, requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at an area hospital, was an unconstitutional restriction on abortion.

The circuit court had upheld the law, meaning that it would stand if the Supreme Court had declined to take up the case as Kavanaugh suggested.

In memos to colleagues, Kavanaugh questioned whether the trial judge had sufficient evidence to declare that the requirement would force abortion clinics to close, according to CNN.

Instead, the Supreme Court did hear the case, and Roberts, a George W. Bush appointee, sided with with the liberals in a 5-4 decision to strike down the Louisiana law as unconstitutional.

Kavanaugh signed on to the dissent of conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, but also issued his own solo dissent arguing a lack of evidence that would support the challengers' claims.

The second case, known as Trump v Mazars began after the US House had directed subpoenas at Trump's accountants Mazars USA and two of his banks, Capital One and Deutsche Bank.

According to CNN, Kavanaugh in a private teleconference between the justices argued that the House attempt to subpoena Trump's tax returns might be a political question left for the branches of government to resolve themselves, rather than the court, according to CNN

According to CNN, Kavanaugh in a private teleconference between the justices raised a theory known as the 'political question' doctrine, which holds that certain disputes are more properly worked out between the political branches rather than by judges.

Had the court declined to take up the case, it could have been damaging for Trump, because it would effectively rule that House subpoenas, in this case of banks and accountants, were effectively out of the reach of court oversight.

Sources told CNN that the political impact on Trump did not enter into the justices' discussion.

In their filings, the parties to the case said the high court had the authority, indeed responsibility, to decide the case.

Kavanaugh's idea in the end also failed to sway the other justices, and Kavanaugh backed away from it, sources said.

The court did take up the case, and Kavanaugh eventually signed on to Roberts' opinion for a seven-justice majority, which said Trump could be forced to turn over the financial records if the House could justify its request.
The Democrats certainly took to heart their orders from headquarters, decreed from on high, probably by Pelosi or perhaps AOC, the leader of the dominant far-left faction, on how to conduct themselves at the judiciary hearing held Tuesday. Once Barr had delivered his opening statement, the Democrats began their calculated offensive, verbally assaulting, accusing, and trying to shame the A.G. Clearly, they were instructed to attack and not let Barr answer a single question. Their incivility was on display.

Each one of them hurled accusatory questions at him and then refused to let him answer. As he calmly tried to reply, they rudely interrupted him. Each of the Democrats on the committee behaved so abominably, so rudely, it was hard to watch. Not one of them showed a bit of respect, yet when it comes to principles, morality, and public service, not one of them is qualified to shine Bill Barr's shoes.

One can only wonder at how such a despicable group of people were elected to public office. They shamed themselves and the august body that the House once was once upon a time. Today they were the villains of Animal Farm.

Jerrold Nadler has long been one of the most thoroughly disreputable members of the House as well as one of the dumbest and thus one of the most annoying. He thought A.G. Barr needed a history lesson on the Department of Justice! He then began insulting President Trump and Barr, uttering one lie after another, assuming as the left always does that those viewing this ugly display of self-serving attacks on one individual were falling for their repugnant scheme.

Nadler is a thug with no more sense than the mobs rioting in the streets. Let us hope and pray that the American people have enough sense to see this hearing for what it was: a wholesale attack on one man, often for things over which he had no influence. He was accused of all manner of crimes, including the spread of COVID, and was barely allowed a word in his own defense.

At one point, Nadler appeared to nod off:

Everyone knows by now that the Democrats have for months been defending the violent mobs terrorizing citizens in numerous leftist-run cities. Proud members of fascist Antifa and Marxist Black Lives Matter, many of them likely paid by Soros-owned operatives, were emboldened under Obama and have mistakenly taken that administration's acceptance of their vandalizing behavior as carte blanche today. These thugs have destroyed thousands of small businesses in the cities they have destroyed. Hundreds of police officers have been wounded, three federal officers blinded by lasers.

Not one Democrat has spoken out against all this violence. That was most likely an order from above as well. Instead, they refer to what has gone on as "peaceful protests." They have been everything but peaceful, but the Dems are convinced we will not believe our lying eyes. They seem to be under the misguided presumption that the more lawlessness they encourage and tolerate, the more people will want to vote for the hapless Joe Biden. It apparently has not occurred to them that most Americans, those who do not commit criminal acts, revere their local police and first responders. They teach their children to respect and admire law enforcement personnel.

Defunding them, as the Democrats want to do, is the dumbest idea to come out of that camp in decades. The "activists" who are rioting have demands: defund and abolish the police; release all prisoners and abolish all prisons; forgive all student loans, rents, and mortgages, etc. It is hardly a surprise that crime is escalating in all these cities. The Democrats and the activists are fatally misjudging the law-abiding citizens of this country if they think all this will see Biden elected.

A.G. Barr was besieged with accusations on every issue from gun control, perceived "systematic" racism as Cedric Richmond put it, COVID and hydroxychloroquine (Barr is not a doctor), the use of pepper spray versus tear gas (pepper spray is available for purchase by anyone, tear gas is a controlled substance available only to law enforcement). The Democrats who assailed Barr on this point refused to acknowledge there is a difference.

Barr got in one good reply after being reminded that several religious organizations had decried the use of force against violent goons at Lafayette Square. He asked, "Was that before or after they put out the fire?" The "protesters" had set St. James Church on fire, but the left still insists they were peaceful. They were also throwing bricks, frozen water bottles, explosives, etc. at the police.

This destructive and sometimes murderous violence has spread from Minneapolis to Seattle and Portland, Chicago, N.Y., Los Angeles, Denver, and Austin. In all cases the cities and usually the states are led by Democrats, have been led by Democrats for decades. Still, no Democrat will speak out against the barbarity. They refuse to even acknowledge the extent of the damage done and continue to lie about it. These are the people who want to run the country.

This particular committee is overloaded with intellectual lightweights: Zoe Lofgren, Sheila Jackson Lee ("Where is the flag planted on Mars."), Hank Johnson of "Guam may tip over" infamy, Jamie Raskin, David Cicilline, "fried chicken" Steve Cohen, Pramila Jayapal, another America-hating import. This bunch always embarrasses themselves but several others fell to the lowest common denominator status: Sylvia Garcia, Debbie Powell, and Veronica Escobar.

Every one of them embarrassed themselves. They wanted to spew their hateful nonsense and were not interested at all in Barr's response. They cut him off at every turn. Not one of these Democrats exhibited an ounce of class, grace or politesse. Not one. This entire posse of mindless democrats were like lemmings following the rest of the left over the cliff.

Now every person who was watching knows without a doubt that the Democrat party is shot through with vicious anti-law enforcement types who believe that the savagery they are encouraging will see Biden elected in November. They now know for certain that the left is a mean-spirited, hate-filled enemy of the American people. All but the radical die-hard America haters have lost faith in the Democrat party for it has become a fossilized institution of anti-Americanism.

In the sea of largely cowardly Republican congresspeople, we must be eternally thankful for men like Jim Jordan. The video he showed that demonstrated the glaring difference between the truth and the Democrat false narrative of "peaceful protesters" said it all. The leftists in Congress and in the media regularly, compulsively lie about what has been happening in the streets of Seattle, Portland and the other cities that are under siege by mobs of destructive thugs. The Democrats, like the mainstream media, have yet to accept the results of the 2016 election and still mean to see it undone one way or another.

In their escalating hysteria at Trump's many successes, they have self-destructed in a most horrific way. "When you're dealing with frauds and liars, listen more to what they don't say than what they do." (DaShanne Stokes) The Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have shamed that body. That they will not condemn the vicious, violent anarchy in the streets that is occurring with their approval is telling. They are now officially the enemy of the American people. These Democrats are capable of tyranny and have proven they are willing to lie to achieve it.
A mother of three, Oluwayemisi Ajakaye, on Wednesday sought dissolution of her 12-year-old marriage to husband, Segun, at a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, on grounds that he calls (and) compares her to a pig.

In her testimony in court, she said: he also calls me a goat and a prostitute. He beats me and I have evidence of the injuries he has inflicted on me.

He accuses me falsely of infidelity. For many years now, Segun never allowed me a moments rest. He accuses me of sleeping with my siblings, neighbours in the market and even our Pastor.

She alleged that her husband calls her mother on phone, threatening to kill her in their presence.

However, the respondent was neither present nor represented in court to defend the allegations levelled against him.

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The bailiff informed the arbitrators that her husband, Segun, was duly served hearing notices on three separate occasions.

Ademola Odunade, the President of the Court, led two other arbitrators; Suleiman Apanpa and Rafiu Raji, to grant the petitioners prayers.

Mr Odunade awarded custody of the three children to the petitioner and ordered her husband to pay a monthly allowance of N15,000 for the childrens upkeep.

(NAN)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 13:56:19|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A Pakistani soldier has been killed in firing across the Afghan border, the Pakistani military said on Wednesday.

An army statement said that terrorists carried out a firing raid from the Afghan side of the bilateral border on a security forces' post in Bajaur district, a tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

A soldier was killed in the firing, the statement from the army's Inter-Services Public Relations said.

Pakistani security officials have long been saying that militants have crossed border into Afghanistan as a result of major operations in the country's tribal regions.

The Pakistani militants routinely attack the border posts from the Afghan side.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have a nearly 2,600-km border, mostly porous. Pakistan is fencing the border with Afghanistan to block the movement of the militants. Enditem
A 20-year-old North Syracuse man was arrested Monday and was accused of driving while impaired and fleeing New York State troopers, according to a state police.

Alessandro M. Lisi was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, unlawful fleeing a police officer, reckless driving and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, police said.

Troopers tried to stop a 2016 Jeep Cherokee being driven by Lisi on County Route 30 in Williamstown for failing to stop at a stop sign, according to police.

Lisi did not stop the Jeep and drove at a high rate of speed on County Route 30 until turning the Jeep onto Kasoag Lake Drive, police said.

He lost control of the car, which veered off the road and hit a Dead End sign, according to police.

Lisi then drove the car across a yard at 603 County Route 30, left the car at the Kasoag Lake Bar and Grills boat launch and ran, police said.

He was later arrested.

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.
A $26 million conference centre outside Ipswich has warned it could close because of the federal government's proposed $9.3 billion Inland Rail project.

The Queensland leg is worth $6.7 billion, because three "billion-dollar plus" tunnels are required.

The Ivory's Rock Conference and Events Centre near Ipswich.

The proposed route would also require the clearing of 851 hectares of koala habitat between Toowoomba and Acacia Ridge.

The Ivorys Rock Convention and Events Centre has generated $163 million in revenue for the south-east Queensland economy since 1992, it says in its submission to a Senate inquiry into the proposed freight line.
NORRISTOWN  A Philadelphia woman has been sent to jail for conspiring with a man in the delivery of heroin to detectives during undercover drug buys in Upper Merion.

Mercedes Jones, 32, of the 4100 block of Greeby Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 111/2 to 23 months in the county jail after she pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver heroin in connection with incidents that occurred in June 2017 on the parking lot of the King of Prussia Mall.

Judge Wendy G. Rothstein also ordered Jones to complete two years probation following parole, meaning Jones will be under court supervision for about four years. Rothstein ordered Jones to report to the jail on July 29 to begin serving the sentence.

Jones is eligible for the jails work release program during her period of incarceration.

James K. Jones, 37, also of the Greeby Street address, previously pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to deliver heroin, conspiracy and endangering the welfare of a child and is awaiting sentencing in connection with the same incidents, according to court records.

Court papers do not indicate the exact nature of the relationship between Mercedes and James Jones. However, James Jones, when talking with undercover detectives during the investigation, referred to Mercedes as his girl, according to a criminal complaint.

Court papers also indicated that a child, estimated to be about 4 years old, was in the back seat of a vehicle occupied by James and Mercedes Jones during some of the drug transactions.

The investigation began on June 21, 2017, when an undercover county detective met James Jones on the parking lot of the mall at 9:38 a.m. at which time James Jones sold the detective seven bundles of heroin in exchange for $500, according to a criminal complaint. Each bundle contained 13 smaller bags of heroin, authorities alleged.

The undercover detective arranged to meet James Jones again on the mall parking lot on June 29 to purchase 10 bundles of heroin for $700, according to an arrest affidavit. At 9:30 a.m. James Jones directed the detective to walk to a parked gold-colored Buick vehicle and said that his girl was in the car and she would be supplying him with the heroin, according to the criminal complaint. Detectives alleged Mercedes Jones handed the drugs to the detective.

(The detective) also noticed a young child approximately 4 years old in the rear seat of the Buick, authorities wrote in the arrest affidavit.

During a third drug transaction on July 7, 2017, on the mall parking lot, the undercover detective arranged to meet James Jones to trade 100 Percocet pills and $100 for 20 bundles of heroin, according to the arrest affidavit. The detective entered a Buick vehicle operated by James Jones to complete the drug transaction.

(The detective) observed Mercedes Jones in the rear passenger seat behind James Jones who was the driver, authorities wrote in the arrest affidavit, adding the same child observed during the June 29 drug transaction was in a car seat behind the passenger seat.

When James Jones handed the undercover detective the 20 bundles of heroin in exchange for the prescription pills, other detectives moved in and took James and Mercedes Jones into custody, according to the criminal complaint.

Detectives alleged that when they searched the Greeby Street home where James and Mercedes Jones resided they seized nearly 200 bags of heroin.
Residents at the Skellig Star Direct Provision Centre in Cahersiveen are on an 'indefinite' hunger strike over what they view as 'inhumane' conditions at the centre.

The group want the centre to be shut down immediately and for the group to be moved to new accommodation.

In an interview outside the centre on Tuesday morning, at the beginning of the hunger strike, one of the residents, who gave her name as Precious, cited some of the residents' concerns.

Among them are claims that water is being rationed at the centre, which is currently subjected to a boil-water notice in place for the town of Cahersiveen.

Residents say they were only receiving one litre of water a day until they complained and this was then increased to two.

They said that a further 12 litres of boiled water are available in the common area to all residents but it is not enough.

The Department of Justice stated that "at no time are residents without access to safe drinking water" though they conceded that it had run out on one occasion, which was rectified as soon as it was possible to do so. The local community delivered water to the residents in recent days. They are supporting the asylum seekers in their protest and took to the streets on Tuesday to echo the demands of the asylum seekers.

Chairperson of the Cahesiveen Community and Business Alliance Jack Fitzpatrick sympathised with the asylum seekers' situation.

Forty-one asylum seekers live at the centre including seven children. Concerns have also been raised about the lack of play facilities for children at the centre. A number of protests have taken place on the streets of Cahersiveen calling for the centre to be closed amid claims it is not fit for purpose. The centre was opened in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to move asylum seekers from other locations including Dublin, and it has been controversial since it opened its doors.

Up to 25 people at the direct-provision centre were diagnosed with COVID-19 following an outbreak of the virus at the hotel.

Former Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, apologised for how the centre was opened.

Cllr Norma Moriarty pleaded with the new Government to "listen to the asylum seekers". The hotel, she said, is not 'fit for purpose' and that the residents concerns and the concerns of the community must be listed to.

The Department of Justice had not responded to queries at the time of going to print.
The global aerospace insurance market is expected to grow by USD 58.70 million as per Technavio. This marks a significant market slow down compared to the 2019 growth estimates due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020. However, steady growth is expected to continue throughout the forecast period.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005313/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Aerospace Insurance Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

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Read the 120-page report with TOC on "Aerospace Insurance Market Analysis Report by End-user (Service providers, Airport operators, and Others), Geography (Europe, North America, APAC, South America, and MEA), and the Segment Forecasts, 2020-2024".

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The market is driven by the expansion and construction of new airports. In addition, the increase in air passenger traffic is anticipated to boost the growth of the aerospace insurance market.

Over the years, the aviation industry has witnessed a significant surge in passenger traffic. To avoid congestion in the existing airports and to cater to the growing passenger traffic, several countries especially in fast-growing regions of APAC, the Middle East, and Africa are significantly investing in the modernization and development of new airports. For instance, in January 2020, the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, India announced an investment of USD 1.7 billion for the infrastructural expansion of the airport. Many such investments in the expansion of airports are fueling the growth of the global aerospace insurance market.

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Major Five Aerospace Insurance Companies:

Allianz Group

Allianz Group operates its business through segments such as Property-Casualty, Life or Health, Asset Management, and Corporate and Other. The company offers customized policies covering all types of physical damage and liability for aerospace risks. It covers the entire spectrum of aerospace industry risk from niche suppliers to international Fortune 500 enterprises.

American International Group Inc.

American International Group Inc. operates its business through segments such as General Insurance, Life and Retirement, Other Operations, and Legacy Portfolio. The company offers support and customized insurance policies for airlines and unmanned aircraft.

Aon Plc

Aon Plc operates its business through segments such as Commercial Risk Solutions, Reinsurance Solutions, Retirement Solutions, Health Solutions, and Data and Analytic Services. The company offers aerospace insurance policies.

Arthur J. Gallagher Co.

Arthur J. Gallagher Co. operates its business through segments such as Brokerage, Risk Management, and Corporate. The company provides aviation and aerospace insurance coverage and risk solutions.

AXA Group

AXA Group operates its business through segments such as France, Europe, Asia, AXA XL, US, International, and Transversal and Central Holdings. The company provides insurance coverage to aviation industry, offering hull damage and third party liability to product liability.

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Aerospace Insurance Market End-user Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2024)

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Related Reports on Industrials Include:

Global Marine Insurance Market Global marine insurance market by product (cargo, hull, offshore energy, and marine liability) and geography (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America, and South America).

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Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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A female protester was dragged into an unmarked minivan by plainclothes police officers during another night of unrest in New York City.

Footage of the incident - which occurred Tuesday evening in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighborhood - was recorded by a fellow activist and posted to Instagram, where it quickly went viral.

The video shows the woman being pulled by three cops towards an open door of a silver Kia as she tries to resist.

A crowd of loud protesters can be seen watching on and shouting profanities at the officers, before one man attempts to intervene and help the woman break free.

Get back! Get back!' one of the cops shouts at the crowd of agitators as the woman falls to the ground.

She is then pulled up from the pavement and forced into the vehicle before it speeds away.

A female protester was dragged into an unmarked minivan by plainclothes police officers during another night of unrest in New York City. A mob of activists surrounded the vehicle during the incident on Tuesday evening

Several NYPD officers on bicycles quickly cycled onto the scene in order to provide added protection for the plainclothes cops.

The bike police were seen surrounding the car in order to keep the mob of activists away.

Meanwhile, footage from a different angle was also shared to Twitter by another protester who wrote: 'NYC is taking after Portland - a trans femme protestor was pulled into an unmarked van at the Abolition Park protest - this was at 2nd Ave and 25th Street'.

A third activist also shared footage and wrote: 'An unmarked van just snatched up a protester on 25th & 2nd and NYPD started attacking us!!!!'

Other activists took to Twitter to share footage of the officers whisking the suspect away

Dozens of social media users responded to the clip claiming it appeared the female protester had been 'abducted' and 'kidnapped'.

However, a law enforcement source told The New York Post late Tuesday that she is 'a suspect in the destruction of police cameras during five separate criminal incidents'.

The NYPD also wrote on Twitter that the officers were hit with rocks and water bottles as they attempted to detain the suspect.

They did not reveal whether she has yet been released from custody, or whether she has been charged with any offenses.

Several NYPD officer on bicycles were seen surrounding the car in order to keep the mob of activists away

For the past two months, protesters have been marching daily in New York City calling for an end to systemic racism and the defunding of the NYPD.

Large-scale demonstrations resulted in the nation's largest police department being stripped of $1 billion in funding last month.

At times, the protests have turned destructive, with activists physically clashing with cops and setting fire to their squad cars.

The New York City Police Benevolent Society also took to Twitter Tuesday night, blasting activists for trying to start physical clashes with officers trying to arrest the female demonstrator.

'Another night, another riot. More 'peaceful' protesters assaulting cops, throwing rocks and bottles. More politicians hurling hate at cops for daring to arrest a wanted criminal. They have surrendered our streets,' the Association wrote.

The New York City Police Benevolent Society also took to Twitter Tuesday night, blasting activists for trying to start physical clashes with officers trying to arrest the female demonstrator

On Monday, the NYPD revealed that more than 300 police cars have been damaged by rioters since the end of May.

The department says the damage totals more than $1 million.

On Saturday night, police cars were torched during violent altercations in Lower Manhattan.

Meanwhile, violent crime across the city has spiked dramatically since protests began.

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 percent year-on-year, while robberies rose 118 percent.

Ongoing civil unrest in other cities - including Portland, Oregon - prompted President Trump to deploy federal agents in order to protect property.

The Commander-in-chief also planned to send a 'surge' of federal forces into Chicago, which - like New York - has seen a dramatic uptick in shootings and murders.
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Linkedin Ahmed Eljechtimi (Reuters) Rabat, Morocco  Wed, July 29, 2020 09:07 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a18f78 2 Entertainment morocco,rap-music,rapper,Women,music,Khtek,Houda-Abouz Free

In a rap scene dominated my men, women's voices are starting to make waves in Morocco.

Houda Abouz, a 24-year-old who majors in film studies at a university in the northern city of Tetouan, has long been fascinated by hip-hop, and, encouraged by friends, she picked up a mic and began to perform.

In January she appeared in "Hors Serie", a song in which she performed alongside three big male rap stars in Morocco, Elgrande Toto, Don Bigg and Draganov.

The video has been viewed around 16 million times on YouTube - a reflection of the popularity the genre enjoys across the north African kingdom - and its success encouraged Abouz to go it alone.

She followed up in February with her debut single "KickOff", in which she rails against a society she says does not offer women equal opportunities.

"I am a self-made artist and I write my own lyrics, speaking my mind," she told Reuters in an interview in the capital Rabat.

"Rap is my passion and my defence mechanism in a patriarchal society," added Abouz, who goes by the name "Khtek", meaning "your sister".

Her lyrics, delivered in Moroccan Arabic dialect with phrases of French or English thrown in, are sometimes explicit.

Read also: Long snubbed, women of rap break old molds and claim their due

"Bad ass, I survived war, drugs, craziness and love," she sings in KickOff. "Many things did not work out because we are ladies in the country of the d*ck."

In recent months, the country's rap scene has became embroiled in politics after a rapper, Gnawi, was sentenced to a year in prison for insulting the police in a video.

Abouz is not alone. another Moroccan female hip-hop star, like Manal, had a hit song "Slay" that was viewed 44 million times on YouTube.

Abouz, who describes herself as a feminist and supporter of LGBT rights, said she was influenced by the pro-democracy protests that shook Morocco in 2011 during the "Arab spring".

However, she said her music did not serve a political agenda but gave "a taste of the street and of the deep Morocco".

Men's prevalence in the world of rap reflected Morocco's conservative society, she said, but her work tries to seize back the narrative for women.

"I write better than you, though you think I'm just a girl," she sings in "KickOff".
Taylor Wimpey has warned that some customers waiting to move into one of its new homes could face delayed completion dates this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Many homes due to be completed in the final quarter of this year are now likely to be ready by the first few months of next year, the company said.

The housebuilder which had to temporarily shut all its construction sites in March, expects completion levels to fall by 40 per cent this year than in 2019 and revealed it slumped to a 40million loss in the six months to 28 June. A year ago, the company enjoyed a 300million profit.

Lower expectations: Taylor Wimpey expects completions to be 40% lower this year

Average selling prices on private completions increased by 2 per cent to 307,000 over the period, up from 301,000 a year ago, Taylor Wimpey said.

In its first half, around half of Taylor Wimpey's customers purchased a home via the Help to Buy Scheme, and 77 per cent of customers were first time buyers.

Taylor Wimpey completed 2,771 homes in its first half, against 6,541 properties at the same point a year ago.

Due to social distancing measures, the group's construction sites are only operating at 80 per cent of their production capacity.

The housing market has been recovering steadily since grinding to a halt in March due to the national lockdown.

Developers are also hopeful that Chancellor Rishi Sunak's stamp duty exemption for purchases up to 500,000, will give the market a much-needed boost.

On Tuesday, it was reported that the Government is considering extending the deadline to access the Help to Buy scheme beyond the current deadline at the end of this year.

Support: Taylor Wimpey boss Pete Redfern said that he would 'support something along the line' of the reports suggesting Help to Buy could be extended

Taylor Wimpey boss Pete Redfern said that he would 'support something along the line' of the reports.

He told the Press Association: 'I'd support something like that in the short term, to ensure that the sales where completion has been impacted can still continue as planned.

'But I do think we don't have to rush into big changes for the longer term as I think we still have to see how the market continues to react this year.'

In May, housing minister Robert Jenrick announced that housebuilders could apply to work until 9pm at night in residential areas to get sites competed.

But, the pandemic and shutdowns have taken their toll on the sector, with Taylor Wimpey admitting today that the pandemic had had a 'significant' impact on its production activity and bottom line.

Looking ahead, Taylor Wimpey said: 'Whilst there remains a high degree of uncertainty in the short term from both the impact of COVID-19, particularly on employment, as well as the UK's exit from the European Union, demand has remained robust and our customers have continued to want to progress their home purchases.

'Despite the uncertainty, mortgage finance has continued to be available and we welcome the positive lending signals from the banks. The decrease in the Bank of England base rate to a new historic low in March continues to support affordability.'

FTSE 100-listed Taylor Wimpey's share price fell over 7 per cent earlier today and is currently down 5.3 per cent or 7.05p to 125.90p.

A year ago the share price stood at around the 174p mark, but in February this year, before lockdown hit, was closer to 233p.

On the dividend front, Taylor Wimpey said it expects to start paying its ordinary dividends again in 2021. It added: 'We will review the special dividend in 2021 for payment in 2022.'

Taylor Wimpey said it will use the cash it recently raised via its shareholders to continue purchasing more land across its operating sites.

The company said: 'The average cost of land as a proportion of average selling price within the short term owned landbank remains low at 14.8 per cent.

'The estimated average selling price in the short term owned landbank in H1 2020 was 288k.

Discount: Taylor Wimpey is currently offering NHS and care workers a 5% discount on its homes

Since lockdown, Taylor Wimpey has started offering NHS and care workers a 5 per cent discount on homes reserved this year and due to be completed this year or in 2021. The group said this initiative had been 'well received' with 1,206 homes reserved under the scheme by the week ending 26 July.

In the first nine weeks after reopening its sales sites, Taylor Wimpey said it had seen its sales rate improve slightly, adding that there had been a 206 per cent rise in appointments booked and a 50 per cent increase in visits to its website year-on-year.

Chief executive Pete Redfern said: 'I am pleased with Taylor Wimpey's performance during a very challenging time and am proud of the resilience, principled approach and agility that our teams have shown.

'Our performance for the first half of 2020 has been impacted by the closing of our sites and sales centres but we have now reopened all sites successfully and safely and have returned to a sustainable level of sales and build.

'Looking ahead, balance sheet strength, a long order book and our high-quality and growing landbank gives us confidence in our ability to navigate the challenges and emerge stronger from the pandemic.

'While uncertainties remain, we are confident in the underlying fundamentals of the housing market.'

Taylor Wimpey in Spain

As well as operating in the UK, Taylor Wimpey also operates in Spain.

Today, the housebuilder said that completion levels in Spain had taken a hit as a result of shutdowns and travel restrictions. 'This has impacted our international customer base, with new reservations mainly comprising Spanish nationals and existing residents in Spain purchasing holiday homes', it said.

Taylor Wimpey added: 'We completed 58 homes in the first half of 2020 (first half 2019: 109) at an average selling price of 407k (first half 2019: 434k), with prices reflecting mix impacts.'

Reflecting lower completion rates, the company's Spanish arm posted an operating profit of 3.5million for its first half, against 8.1million at the same time last year.

On Monday, the UK Foreign Office extended its travel advice for Spain, now telling people to avoid non-essential journeys to the Canary and Balearic Islands, as well as mainland Spain.
Seth Rogen has given an extensive interview in which he discussed his Jewish heritage, along with his views on Israel and antisemitism.

The Hollywood actor  who spent much of his childhood at Jewish schools and Jewish camp in Vancouver  told Marc Marons popular WTF podcast that he was fed a huge amount of lies about Israel.

He referenced how young Jews are misled to believe that the state of Israel was created without displacing thousands of Palestinians.

To me it just seems an antiquated thought process, he said. If it is for religious reasons, I dont agree with it, because I think religion is silly. If it is for truly the preservation of Jewish people, it makes no sense, because again, you dont keep something youre trying to preserve all in one place  especially when that place is proven to be pretty volatile, you know?

He continued: As a Jewish person I was fed a huge amount of lies about Israel my entire life. They never tell you that  oh by the way, there were people there. They make it seem like it was just like sitting there, like the f***ing doors open!... They forget to include the fact to every young Jewish person.

Maron admitted he was frightened to talk about it for fear of backlash.

The pair also discussed antisemitism, with Rogen recalling his father telling him: People hate Jews. Just be aware of that.

Its honestly something that I am so glad was instilled in me from a young age, because if it wasnt, I would constantly be shocked at how much motherf***ers hate Jews, he said.

It is pervasive and it is prevalent and it is to many Jewish people so confounding that they dont assume its true.

The 38-year-old noted that people obviously hate people who do not look like them and wondered if people also have a weird fear of [those] who look like them but do not believe the same thing they do fundamentally.

Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

You can listen to the full episode of Rogens appearance on WTF here.

Rogens new film, An American Pickle, follows the story of Herschel Greenbaum, a struggling Jewish labourer who moves to America in 1920 hoping to build a better life for his family.

Working at a factory, Herschel falls into a vat of pickles and is perfectly preserved for 100 years, until he emerges in present-day Brooklyn and discovers that his only surviving relative is his great-grandson.

An American Pickle premieres on HBO Max on 6 August.
Federal officers deploy tear gas and crowd control munitions at demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Tuesday, July 28, 2020, in Portland, Ore.

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

A senior White House official told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the Trump administration is in talks to begin withdrawing federal agents from Portland.

The office of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, did not immediately confirm the story.

The alleged talks come a day after it was reported that the administration was considering sending more federal agents to Oregon.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Trump administration is in discussions with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown about reducing the federal presence in Portland, a senior White House official told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

The administration is making the offer as part of a deal, the AP reported: it will remove federal agents if local Democratic leaders do more to quash protests.

Neither Brown nor Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler have confirmed the report. Both have criticized the federal presence, arguing it has only exacerbated social unrest.

The reported offer comes a day after the news that the Trump administration was actually considering the deployment of an additional 100 federal agents to Oregon.

It also comes 48 hours after some of those agents indiscriminately fired tear gas and less-lethal munitions at protesters in Portland, wounding a local journalist, Trip Jennings.

On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Oregon asked a federal court to hold federal agents in contempt for violating a restraining order barring attacks on journalists and legal observers.

"This administration claims to be defending the federal courthouse, but won't obey the orders coming out of it. What purpose are these agents actually serving then?" Kelly Simon, interim legal director of the ACLU of Oregon, said in a statement.

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
This article is part of the Free Speech Project , a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech.

On Wednesday, the CEOs of four of the worlds largest tech companiesAmazons Jeff Bezos, Apples Tim Cook, Googles Sundar Pichai, and Facebooks Mark Zuckerbergappeared via videoconference before the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, ostensibly to answer questions about whether they have used monopolistic powers to squash competition. Coming after a yearlong investigation, it was an unprecedented opportunity for lawmakers to delve into the practices that have allowed these tech giants to corner dominant portions of their respective markets. Yet Republicans on the antitrust subcommittee didnt appear to be especially concerned about antitrust. Instead they generally focused on their unproven grievances that major tech platforms are biased against conservatives.

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It was obvious from the very beginning that Republicans werent going to pay much heed to the topic of the hearing, Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 6: Examining the Dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. Ranking member Jim Sensenbrenner, the first Republican to speak during the hearing, initially extolled the history of antitrust law, but soon charged that reports that dissenting views, often conservative views, are targeted or censored is seriously troubling. Rep. Jim Jordan, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, which includes the antitrust subcommittee, didnt even mention the hearings topic in his opening statement, beginning his remarks by stating, Ill just cut to the chase: Big Tech is out to get conservatives. Thats not a hunch, thats not a suspicion, thats a fact.

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Conservatives have long grumbled about what they perceive as a concerted attempt by online platforms to silence them. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee even held an entire hearing on the subject last year. While it is true that tech employees do often have liberal leanings, there is little to suggest that these companies products, algorithms, and policies are designed to tilt the political scales. If anything, digital platforms are biased toward emotional and sensational content that will get the most clicks and drive ad dollars. And Republicans suspicion would seem to elide the fact that conservative figures and publications dominate the rankings for the most-engaged pages on Facebook.

Despite the lack of substantive evidence that there is actually an anti-conservative cabal controlling Silicon Valley, Republican lawmakers were intent on using their limited time to present lawmakers with questionable and often nonsensical examples of censorship.

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Republican Florida Rep. Greg Steube, for example, took the flimsy tack of citing anecdotal examples from his personal life. Steube first claimed that he had tried to do a Google search for the far-right, conspiracy-happy publication Gateway Pundit and did not see it among the top results. He also said that he wasnt able to access the website when he typed in the URL, for unspecified reasons. He then reported that he was able to access the website from Google search within the last two weeks, and implied that the company had changed its algorithmworth billions of dollarsin anticipation of the hearing. Steube then recalled an incident in which a supporter (who he later said was his father) did not receive one of his campaign emails because it had ended up in Gmails spam folder, seemingly accusing Google of designing an anti-conservative spam filter. Democratic Florida Rep. Val Demings, who was up next to conduct questioning, quickly pointed out that her campaign emails have also ended up in spam folders, as well.

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Later in the hearing, Sensenbrenner said to Zuckerberg, Let me ask a specific of you: It was reported that Donald Trump Jr. got taken down for a period of time because he put something up on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine, before launching into a lecture on the importance of allowing for debate around the debunked coronavirus cure. Zuckerberg replied, Congressman, first, to be clear, I think what you might be referring to happened on Twitter. So, its hard for me to speak to that.

Rep. Sensenbrenner asks about Donald Trump, Jr's account being taken down: "Why did that happen?"



Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg: "Congressman, first to be clear, I think what you might be referring to happened on Twitter. So, it's hard for me to speak to that." pic.twitter.com/fQoZPykf2f  CSPAN (@cspan) July 29, 2020

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Some Republicans did press the CEOs on the topic at hand. Colorado Rep. Ken Buck confronted Bezos about reports that Amazon had been using third-party sellers proprietary data to launch its own competing products. On the other hand, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz took the opportunity to question Pichais embrace of American values. By focusing so much time on weak examples of supposed conservative censorship, Republican lawmakers on the subcommittee have essentially prevented themselves from conducting oversight on a wide array of tech-related issues that are in dire need of addressing. (The hearing was still ongoing as of this writing.)

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The overall tenor of the Republican members priorities came into sharpest focus when Jordan was instructed to wear his mask when he was interrupting another representatives time. He yelled, You want to talk about maskswhy would the deputy secretary of treasury unmask Michael Flynns name?

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"Put your mask on!"



Shouting breaks out among members of the House subcommittee during tech hearing, after Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon suggests Rep. Jim Jordan is pushing "fringe conspiracy theories" https://t.co/83sKht0bRx pic.twitter.com/E6fEZKT6tO  CBS News (@CBSNews) July 29, 2020

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday launched a military drill closed to Al Dhafra in UAE and Al Udeid in Qatar. The two bases in the Middle East, housing US troops and French troops, went on high alert when three Iranian missiles dropped in the waters near the bases.

According to a Fox News reporter, "Two bases in Middle East housing U.S. troops and aircraft went on high alert when 3 Iranian missiles splashed down in waters near the bases".

Two bases in Middle East housing U.S. troops and aircraft went on high alert when 3 Iranian missiles splashed down in waters near the bases Tues. as part of Iran's military exercises: official Missiles landed "close enough" to Al Dhafra in UAE and Al Udeid in Qatar for concern - Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) July 28, 2020

Incidentally, India's five Rafale jets were parked at the Al Dhafra airbase at that time. The Rafales began their journey from the Merignac airbase in the French port city of Bordeaux on Monday. They will be inducted into the Indian Air Force's No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'. The five Rafale fighter aircraft are expected to take off from UAE at around 11 am IST and reach Ambala by 2 pm on Wednesday.

BBC reported that the US Navy has condemned the "irresponsible and reckless behaviour by Iran", labelling it an attempt "to intimidate and coerce". It mentioned that troops in Al Dhafra base in the UAE were asked to stay in bunkers as a result of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) drill and missile tests.

#US Navy slams #Iran's manoeuvre in Persian Gulf calling it 'irresponsible and reckless' There were reports last night that troops in Al Dafra AFB, UAE, were asked to stay in bunkers, due to #IRGC's drill and missile tests. - Nafiseh Kohnavard (@nafisehkBBC) July 28, 2020

The drills, named Prophet Mohammed 14th, were broadcast on state television. Footage showed a helicopter firing a missile at the replica, complete with 16 fake fighter jets on board. Iranian troops also fired anti-aircraft batteries as a drone target near the port city of Bandar Abbas. The replica resembles the Nimitz-class carriers that the US Navy routinely sails into the Persian Gulf from the Strait of Hormuz.

Commander Rebecca Rebarich, spokeswoman for the US Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, said that the US military was "always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behaviour by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways".

There have been periodic confrontations in the Gulf in recent years between the Guards and the US military, which has accused the Guards navy of sending fast-attack boats to harass US warships as they pass the Strait of Hormuz.

Tensions have spiked between Iran and the United States since 2018 when US President Donald Trump withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with six powers. Trump also reimposed sanctions that have sharply lowered Tehran's oil exports.

The Guards in April said Tehran would destroy US warships if Iran's security is threatened in the Gulf.

Also read: Coronavirus pandemic 'one big wave', not dependent on seasons: WHO

Also read: Coronavirus effect: Global air passenger traffic will not return to normal until 2024, says IATA
Taoiseach Micheal Martin will discuss the different travel restrictions between Northern Ireland and the Republic at this weeks meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council.

The council, one of the bodies set up under the Belfast Agreement, will meet in Dublin on Friday for the first time since 2016.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has accused Mr Martin of maintaining a passive stance in highlighting the need for an all-island approach when it comes to health.

She said: We do it for animal health, why do we not do it for human health?

Can I say to you, Taoiseach, that is your opportunity to bring your critique of the Northern position in terms of international travel and to debate that with your colleagues.

Sinn Fein will support you in that. We need a single island system of protection as that is the only way we can get ahead of this virus.

Mr Martin said the Republic of Ireland has stricter travel restrictions in place, with people advised to only visit an approved list of 15 countries, while Northern Ireland allows 58.

He said while the issue of travel restrictions will be discussed, there are challenges when it comes to adopting an all island approach.

We do have to have a reality check in terms of what is possible and what is not possible and we need to be honest with people, he said.

I think I have to make the point because we have had a much stricter guidance in the Republic with regard to travel  stricter in terms of what is going on in the North at the moment.

I think it important to recognise the dangers travel can present in terms of creating spikes on the island of Ireland. We have to work towards a joint approach in relation to that.

Elsewhere, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett, whose party has representatives on both sides of the border, said a united Ireland will not be possible due to the different health services.

Why would anyone from the North want to be part of a united Ireland when we have a dysfunctional, two-tier health service, he said.

They wont do it. We need a national public health service.

Mr Boyd Barrett also called on the Taoiseach to separate Church and State.

He added: Why on earth would people in the North join the State when 90% of our schools are controlled by the Catholic Church?

Mr Martin said the Government has set up a Shared Island unit which will work towards a consensus on a shared island, but has ruled out a poll on a united Ireland.

He said he took Mr Boyd Barretts point in relation to the health service and added that one of the elements of the Shared Island unit will be to see how the two jurisdictions can use each others health services.

Mr Martin said Brexit will also feature highly on the meetings agenda.

He said: Were having the meeting for the first time in three-and-a-half years and I hope it will help us to create a structure that will help us deal with the undoubted difficulties that Brexit has brought about.

We do need to navigate and manage the island in a post-Brexit situation.
Big traffic delays have been reported on the old Dublin Road in Portlaoise as work by Gas Networks Ireland to upgrade the town's gas supply network takes place.

Traffic was reportedly backed up from the Kilminchy roundabout back to the Killeshin Hotel today (Wednesday, July 29).

A stop-go system is in place to facilitate the work.

Work commenced on Thursday, July 23 on the old Dublin road on the stretch east of the Kilminchy Roundabout.

The company says the work will be carried out on the R445 to Kilminchy roundabout for two weeks between 8am and 6pm.

Gas Networks Ireland, which has 9,000 customers in Laois, has apologised for any inconvenience caused during this work.

Gas Networks Ireland explained what the work was and the reason for doing it to the Leinster Express.

"Gas Networks Ireland has recently commenced maintenance works in Portlaoise to reinforce over 4km of gas mains. These improvements will ensure that the gas infrastructure is future-proofed and robust enough to help facilitate the anticipated economic growth in the area, as well as ensuring that County Laois 9,000 existing gas customers will continue to have adequate gas pressure in their homes and businesses," said the company.
A man who tried to murder a teenager at a popular Dublin hiking spot has had the six-year suspended part of his sentence activated after a series of violent incidents while in prison on other charges.

Mr Justice Michael White said that a psychiatric report on Micheal Corbett (30) showed that he is at risk of future violence and added: "It is a situation that will confront society again when Mr Corbett is released."

The court has previously heard that Corbett has assaulted other prisoners in Mountjoy Prison, including attacking one with a hot kettle.

The judge had originally imposed a nine-year sentence with six years suspended for the attempted murder of the 17-year-old on June 27, 2016 at the Hellfire Club on Montpelier Hill in Dublin. The victim, who is not named because he was a minor at the time, suffered a four-inch stab wound to the chest and Corbett struck another teenager on the head with a piece of timber. Corbett pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

Today at the Central Criminal Court Mr Justice White activated the six-year suspended portion of the sentence meaning Corbett will serve a total of nine years starting from June 27, 2016 when he first went into custody in relation to the attempted murder.

Mr Justice White said he had been given a comprehensive psychiatric report which detailed Corbett's substance abuse while in custody and his history of violence towards his carers and fellow inmates.

The judge said he was particularly concerned that the report stated Corbett is at risk of not adhering to treatment for his psychotic illness when he is released. While Mr Justice White said he didn't want to use prison "as a repository for people with serious psychiatric or psychotic problems," the risks in this case were such that he had to take a "very serious view of the behaviour of Mr Corbett."

The judge said he had hoped to use the suspended sentence to manage Corbett's psychosis in a way that would be beneficial to him and to society. But, he said, that is no longer possible and he has "no choice but to activate the sentence of nine years for the attempted murder."

Following the assault at the Hellfire Club Corbett, a father of one with a previous address in Raheny, became an in-patient at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH). While there he attacked nurse Declan Curtin on October 6, 2016. Staff were escorting Corbett to an exercise period when he asked to use the toilet.

When Mr Curtin went in after him Corbett used a sock to try to strangle the nurse. Judge Melanie Greally at the Circuit Court imposed a five-year sentence on Corbett and suspended the final two-and-a-half years for 15 years on strict conditions. These conditions include that he remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for the entire 15-year period and that he live at an address agreed with the gardai and Probation Service.

In July 2018, Corbett was released from the attempted murder sentence, having served less than three years but he remained in custody for the assault on the nurse.

He was due for release on that charge next month but at a previous hearing counsel for the State Mr Fergal Foley BL detailed the acts of violence carried out by Corbett while in custody and asked for a psychiatric report to be furnished to the court.
- Fred Matiang'i condemned chaos that rocked Nairobi county assembly in which police officers assaulted a female MCA

- The CS said the government deployed many police officers to man the assembly premises when other Kenyans may require their services

- The CS said at least 14 guns had been confiscated from some officials at the county assembly

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has condemned chaos that broke out at the Nairobi city county assembly in which police officers wer caught brutalising an MCA.

The CS said he would present the matter to the National Security Advisory Committee to see how best they could man the county assembly once and for all.

READ ALSO: Meru woman accused of teaming up with ex-husband to kill her new found lover

Matiang'i said he would engage the National Security Advisory Committee on how to deal with the armament of county staff. Photo: Bebeto Ogutu/TUKO.co.ke.

Source: Original

READ ALSO: COVID-19: 544 more test positive, Kenya's tally jumps to 19,125

Speaking at the launch of a book by the former inspector general of police Joseph Boinnet, now Tourism chief administrative secretary, Matiang'i ordered all the county staff to surrender their firearms.

The CS said at least 14 guns had been confiscated from some officials at the county assembly saying there was no need to deploy police officers to the premise.

READ ALSO: Kisumu: 5 men in court for stealing billboard, footbridge

READ ALSO: Homa Bay nurse who gave birth in ICU recovers from COVID-19

"The government cannot continue using a large contingency of police officers to man the county assembly when other Nairobi residents need their services too. I have ordered police to disarm all around the county assembly, enough is enough, we cannot continue this way, do you want us to station a contingent of GSU officers outside the county assembly, we cannot do that," he said.

At the same time, the CS also strongly castigated members of the public for taking law into their own hands and some times metting injustice on the police officers.

This came a day after city ward representative Patricia Mutheu Musyimi was physically assaulted by the police on Tuesday, July 28.

At least four law enforcers at one point descended on her with kicks and blows while one was behind her mercilessly clobbering her with a club.

It was not clear why the officers manhandled the Mlango Kubwa MCA who maintained she did not provoke them.

The politician has since engaged lawyer Cliff Ombeta to take up the matter with a view of suing her alleged tormentors.

Ombeta confirmed his client was admitted to a city hospital after suffering grievous bodily injuries.

"They must be removed from the police service immediately and arrested and charged for the assault that has caused grievous harm to our client without any provocation at all, stated Ombeta.

The officers had gone to restore order after a scuffle erupted at City Hall following wrangles pitting MCAs allied to governor Mike Sonko against those allied to Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

In the melee that ensued on Tuesday, the two warring camps locked horns at the chambers forcing police officers to intervene and neutralise them.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

I did not sacrifice Ayeiya, family wants 21 million as compensation - Wakimani of Churchill Show -TUKO TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
NEW HAVEN - Christopher Calhoun was sentenced Wednesday without his participation in the courtroom to serve 45 years in prison for killing Isaiah Gantt at the Church Street South housing project in 2011.

Calhouns attorney, Tara Knight, strenuously objected to the hearing going forward after she learned that state Judicial Branch marshals would not be allowed to bring Calhoun to New Haven Superior Court from prison because of the Judicial Branchs coronavirus concerns.

The event marked the first sentencing in a slaying case in that courthouse since the virus led to stringent restrictions on court proceedings in March. The confusion and disagreements surrounding the sentencing reflected concerns about the new procedures.

Calhoun was found guilty on a murder charge in February.

Calhoun was given the option of participating via a camera feed from prison, where he has been incarcerated since being arrested in July 2018. But he refused to do so, saying it was his right to be in the courtroom for his sentencing.

Calhouns father, James Calhoun, who waited in a corridor outside the courtroom for more than an hour while Knight and prosecutors conferred with Superior Court Judge Jon M. Alander, said the rest of the family didnt appear because they had been told the sentencing was canceled.

James Calhoun said when he spoke with his son about the video camera option, He said, No, Im not doing that. He wanted to be here and he wanted his family to be here.

I dont want him to be sentenced and nobodys around, James Calhoun said. Theyve got to postpone it. He wants the support of his family.

But when Knight made this argument during the opening minutes of the hearing, Alander said: Through the video he could fully participate. He could see and hear everything that occurred and he could communicate to the court.

But Knight said, My client wishes to be present in court. He has not waived his right to be here. He had no idea he wouldnt be transported to court today. I learned about it only because his father called me.

Knight said she had been unable to communicate with Calhoun and was being denied the ability to confer with him at the sentencing, which meant she could not properly represent him. Hes completely in the dark as to what is happening. I object to going forward, she said.

Knight also told Alander that Calhoun had intended to read a statement at the hearing.

But Senior Assistant States Attorney Seth Garbarsky told Alander that Calhoun had in fact waived his right to participate. Im told he wont come out of his cell, Garbarsky said.

Alander said, Normally, Id grant a continuance. But the members of the victims family are here to be heard. Also, this sentencing has been delayed many months because of COVID-19. I dont want to delay it further.

Alander said prisoners arent being transported in order to limit the threat of COVID, particularly in prison.

Knight then moved for a new trial, stating the jurys verdict in February came despite a lack of forensic evidence and the use of prosecution witnesses who wanted to get something in exchange for testifying.

But Garbarsky noted the 12 jurors had found the witnesses to be credible. Assistant States Attorney Reid Durham said the testimony was corroborated by evidence such as cellphone records and the autopsy report.

Alander agreed with the prosecutors and denied Knights motion.

Durham called the shooting of Gantt, 23, on April 20, 2011 a cold-blooded murder rooted in greed. The defendant was operating a drug business and the victim was selling drugs in the same area.

Durham said that after the two men argued over their turf, Calhoun shot him in cowardly fashion in the back, then fired twice more into his body. He left Mr. Gantt dead on the ground.

Several members of Gantts family read statements in court or had them read aloud by Victim Services Advocate Christie Ciancola. Gantts son, King Gantt, said: Im sad because I dont remember anything about him because I was only one-and-a-half when he was murdered. He is just gone and there is nothing I can do about it no matter how much I cry or wish for him to be here.

The victims brother, Ezra Gantt, said, My brother had a good heart. He would give the shirt off his back for someone.

He said Calhoun deserved the maximum punishment (the sentencing range was 25 to 60 years). You do the crime, you must do the time. So pack your bags and get ready for a long field trip, because you earned it.

Alander said that while pondering the appropriate sentence he took into consideration the fact Calhoun was just 19 at the time of the murder. But he added that the defendant intentionally and heartlessly took the life of another human being.

Alander said Gantts death did not have to happen and it should not have happened. The life of a young man was violently taken for no good reason.

Contact Randall Beach at randall.beach@hearstmediact.com
Muslim pilgrims socially distanced and wore marks during a markedly different hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia today.

The hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. The Islamic faith mandates Muslims who are physically and financially capable of doing so perform the journey at least once in their lives. The occasion involves circling the Kaaba, which is Islams holiest site and which Muslims around the world face when they pray.

This years hajj was complicated by the coronavirus pandemic. Last month, Saudi Arabias Ministry of Hajj announced that a very limited number of people would participate this year. Attendees had to be under 65 years of age, test negative for the coronavirus and socially distance. Pilgrims are usually selected from all over the world, but this years participants were people already present in Saudi Arabia of various nationalities.

Pictures of the hajj today from Saudi Arabia's Center for Government Communication show that pilgrims wore medical masks and stood several feet apart in formations marked by colored lines.

Hajj usually brings more than 2 million people to Mecca. Saudi authorities said only a few thousand would attend this year. The Center for Government Communication pictures appear to show roughly this number of people.

Governments around the Middle East have had to grapple with the risk of coronavirus transmission during religious events since the beginning of the pandemic. Some countries are now instituting restrictions for the Eid al-Adha holiday that is set to begin at the end of this month.
By the time Christine McConnell reached the main-level kitchen, a shaking dog and cat clutched underneath her arms, the six-inch burning embers were already within feet of her, spewing out from the back balcony and into the living room.

The house was tumbling.

Minutes earlier, McConnell, 53, awoke to screeching yells on the street.

It was her seventh of eight nights pet-sitting at a three-storey Edenrock Drive townhome where her daughter, Brianne, lived with her boyfriend, Ryan. The young couple had gone to New Brunswick a week prior to attend a funeral.

I thought it was a domestic incident on the street, so I laid in bed, McConnell said. But it got worse and I thought something was really wrong.

Something was wrong.

Outside, dozens watched in horror as a raging blaze tore through a small, tight-knit Winona community.

McConnell was oblivious until a next-door neighbour, who saw the fire begin, pounded on her door.

She looked out the window and saw black smoke.

I got out just before the fire trucks got there, she said. Within 10 minutes, all 11 houses were fully engulfed. I have never seen anything like it in my life  ever.

McConnell, in a frantic hurry, grabbed her daughters dog and cat just before leaving.

The cat slipped from her grip and jumped beyond reach into the house. A third pet, another cat, slept in the basement.

It was too late to go back for either of them.

I couldnt do it. I tried, said McConnell, tearing up over a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon.

Ive been through a lot in my life, but this  Its literally petrifying. I sat there watching my daughters house go up in flames, and there was nothing I could do.

Brianne and Ryans home were one of 11 townhouses completely destroyed in a dead-of-night fire early Monday that left millions of dollars worth of damage in its path.

More than 60 firefighters responded to Edenrock, just north of Winona Road and Barton Street, shortly after 2:40 a.m. for a well-involved structure fire at a three-storey townhome.

Crews would remain there for 24 hours to douse a fire so persistent that one neighbour likened it to being out of a movie.

Manny Garcia, supervisor with Ontarios Office of the Fire Marshal, said the exterior blaze started at 49 Edenrock, an end-unit of a block of nine townhomes.

Prevailing winds carried the fire through the roof line of the home and over to the adjacent row of units. It bounced from one roof to the next before collapsing into individual homes and ripping through drywall.

At least nine of the homes have been reduced to near rubble. Around 40 to 80 people have been displaced.

Garcia estimated the damage to be in the range of $5 million to $7 million.

We could have lost a number of people, Garcia said, noting there were no injuries in the fire. I cant say enough about the first responders.

On Tuesday, forensic engineers could be seen at the rear of 49 Edenrock searching for an ignition source to the ghastly blaze. Garcia said the origin has been determined to be accidental in nature, but wouldnt offer specifics.

In between the engineers were tenants of the affected units. They rummaged through the rubble of what they once called home in hopes of salvaging any belongings.

One of those was Brianne, who alongside Ryan  already grieving the loss of his father  drove some 14 hours from New Brunswick after hearing the news of the fire about 8 a.m. on Monday.

The couple were met with a home thats front-face brick had turned charcoal black and siding hung by a thread.

Theres nothing left, said Brianne, 28. The memories. We put a lot of memories in making that home our own, and theyre gone now.

But in tragedy, there too is resilience.

A vast relief effort co-ordinated by community members has left Brianne and her neighbours floored.

At least five GoFundMe campaigns  two general and three individual  have garnered thousands in monetary support.

Moxies, Turtle Jacks, Subway, Kelseys and Metro, all based in Winona, have offered relief by way of free meals and delivery. Pet Valu has even offered to take care of pets immediate needs.

At the face of it is Shelley Baker-Gracie, a local realtor who has established a task force of community members dedicated to identifying victims and compiling a wish list of supplies to donate.

One anonymous company actually went to the hotel where the victims were staying with boxes full of toiletries, said Baker-Gracie, adding donations have ranged from clothing and furniture to food and toys.

The next step in the relief effort is to find furnished housing for victims.

Baker-Gracie said the show of support, however steadfast and remarkable, is synonymous with Winonas values as a small, family-style community.

People arent doing this for the recognition. Theyre doing this because of the sense of community Winona carries, she said. People care, and they really want to be there for these families.
This photograph of model Helena Christensen by a rock-bound pool in a plunging one-piece from her own swimwear range may well have given you both holiday and swim-suit envy.

For many of us, exotic trips abroad are out of reach this year  but at least you can buy a bathing suit fit for an A-list vacation. Many celebrities, such as actresses Liz Hurley, 55 and Kate Hudson, 41, and Victorias Secret model Candice Swanepoel, 31, have launched their own swimwear ranges.

Perhaps they are aware that we ordinary mortals, who spend far less time on the beach than they do, find picking a suit that not only fits but flatters nearly impossible.

Jess Greaves, 26, who wears a UK size 14, gives her verdict on a selection of celebrity swimwear designs, after Helena Christensen, 51, (pictured) shared a snap wearing a piece from her own range

But can a civilian really pull off a celebrity beach look? Or do the stars design their swimwear without giving a thought to the curves and bumps we tend to worry about?

Helenas line, with designer Camilla Staerk, contains the sort of sexy costumes most women her age would leave firmly on the hanger. And thats before you look at the eye-watering price tags of up to 400.

But perhaps theres more to each suit  in terms of clever cuts and hidden support  than meets the eye.

She may be a supermodel, but at 51 surely Helena has learned a bit about what looks good on a womans body.

We asked model Jess Greaves to take the plunge and try the starry swimsuits out. Jess, 26, is a size 14 with a 36DD bust. So, would she say they have enough stretch to cover her modesty and sufficient structure to keep everything in place?

STICK TO POOLSIDE

Elizabeth Hurley Beach, Olympia one-piece (171, elizabethhurley.com)

Jess said Liz Hurley's one-piece (pictured) is fantastic for posing by the pool as it really flatters the fuller figure

LOOKS: This glam 1950s style will make you feel like Marilyn Monroe. The ruched material works with the body, hiding lumps and bumps. All that ruching is very thick, so its probably not designed for swimming, but its perfect for when youre lounging by the pool. The dark blue suits any skin tone, too.8/10

SUPPORT: Built-in cups mean theres no danger of anything going adrift. Theres great elasticity as its made from 19 per cent spandex, which means it flatters lots of body types. It comes with a thin halter strap which offers just enough support, but you can unclip this if you prefer. 10/10

COVERAGE: The pretty sweetheart neckline is great if you want to look alluring without displaying too much cleavage. The bottom half is also well-shaped  a little more generous than the other styles here  so its great if youre feeling wary of showing off your bum. 10/10

MODELS VERDICT: This is fantastic for posing by the pool in. It will really flatter the fuller, more mature figure.

SPORTY SUPPORT

Fabletics by Kate Hudson, Dash top and Bajan bottoms (35 each, fabletics.co.uk)

Jess said Kate Hudson's design (pictured) has an eye-catching back, but would make for an uneven tan

LOOKS: The criss-cross effect on the back is eye-catching, but would make for a very uneven tan. Fashion-wise, actress Kate Hudson is best known for her sportswear, so its no surprise that these are more functional than sexy. 7/10

SUPPORT: With 22 per cent spandex, it stretches where it needs to. You could dive into the pool without a worry. 9/10

COVERAGE: The top has removable pads for extra chest coverage  no nipples on show. You could wear high-waisted bottoms for more coverage instead.7/10

MODELS VERDICT: Its a great all-rounder: sporty with excellent support.

TAKES CONFIDENCE

Staerk and Christensen, The Wave Body (381, staerkandchristensen.com)

Jess said Staerk and Christensen's design (pictured) showcases everything and although it's perfect for a honeymoon, it won't keep your boobs or tummy in check

LOOKS: This is the suit style Helena posed in by the pool. Beware, it showcases everything! The wave effect on the chest is sexy, and the double straps are a detail thats taken from wedding gowns. 10/10

SUPPORT: It has three layers for opacity  luckily, as its white  and tummy control. The chest slit has a hard ridge to keep boobs hidden. The back is very low, but wide straps lift your cleavage. 7/10

COVERAGE: You must be confident to wear this, as it wont hide wobbly bits. 6/10

MODELS VERDICT: Its perfect for a honeymoon, but it wont keep your boobs or tummy in check.

SEXY & FLATTERING

Tropic of C by Candice Swanepoel, Scorpio in black texture (123, tropicofc.com)

Jess said Tropic of C by Candice Swanepoel (pictured) looks skimpy, but is stunning on

LOOKS: This 12-14  the largest size from model Candice  looks skimpy, but is stunning on. A square neck flatters the bust, and the racer back is sexy. 9/10

SUPPORT: It keeps boobs in place, thanks to a clever cut and the fact its made of 10 per cent spandex. Wide straps add support. 9/10

COVERAGE: This could have you grabbing the nearest sarong  but wearing less material actually flatters a larger bum. 6/10

MODELS VERDICT: Its surprisingly forgiving and very sexy.

BUDGET BEAUTY

Emma Willis for Next, one-shoulder swimsuit (32, next.co.uk)

Jess revealed Emma Willis for Next (pictured) is eye-catching but it won't help you to hide any wobbly bits

LOOKS: The red is eye-popping, and the asymmetric style from presenter Emma Willis is bang on trend and shows off shoulders well. It feels a bit thin but still punches above its price point. 8/10

SUPPORT: Tie the ribbon over your shoulder to get a comfortable fit. Theres a thin rubber strip around the edge of the top to help it stay put. While the cups are padded, women with larger boobs should be wary of swimming in this one. 5/10

COVERAGE: The cut is unforgiving. 4/10

MODELS VERDICT: Its eye-catching but it certainly wont help you hide any wobbly bits.

Jewellery worn throughout: necklace, 65 and shell charm, 25; earrings, 69; and necklace (worn as bracelet), 65, astridandmiyu.com

Panama straw hat, 59, beverleyedmondsonmillinery.co.uk
Bola Tinubu, the Jagaban of Borgu, must not be abandoned by President Buhari and his cronies, if Nigeria will remain one by 2023. Bola Tinubu, the erstwhile governor of Lagos State is also the godfather of Lagos politics, having installed three governors in succession-Raji Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and Sanwo Olu.

Tinubu was among the three governors who refused to do the biddings of Ex-President Obasanjo when the fear of the Ota farmer amongst governors was the beginning of wisdom-Dariye, Alameseigha, Fayose, Ngige had tales to tell after collusion with the Obasanjo locomotive.

Tinubu was the godfather of Lagos who deployed high propaganda machinery to deliver Buhari from the most vicious arsenal of media henchmen assembled by Goodluck Jonathan and unleashed against him in 2014 including Femi Fani Kayode, Olisa Metuh, Reno Omokri and Nnamdi Kanu among others. Buhari was labelled a Boko Haram sponsor, Jihadist, Terrorist, Child Rapist whose aim is to Islamize Nigeria on the order of Uthman Dan Fodio.

All manners of lies were peddled against the Buhari bid for presidency, and some of us who supported the ex-general were alarmed at the levels of evil report propagated by the opposition upon Buharis head.

Many of the strangers licking the presidential soup pot and embezzling our collective wealth under different shades of political appointments may not appreciate what persons like Bola Tinubu put in to make the ouster of Jonathan possible.

I can name many of us who supported Buharis ascendancy to the throne, including journalists, columnists, bloggers, activists and writers from all walks of life, tribe and religion, who joined hands in educating Nigerians that the tag of 'Buhari the Jihadists' is propagandist mischief, and got international sympathy for him. I have no regret supporting Buhari because the financial profligacy under Jonathan if it had continued, would have hoisted another Argentine Economic Crisis on Nigeria.

Boko Haram was throwing bombs inside Abuja, UN building was bombed, Force Headquarters was bombed, Emab Plaza was bombed, Nyanya park has not recovered from the deadly attack till two years ago when the place was opened up for activities.

I remember that a contingent of soldiers were stationed permanently at Goshen headquarter annex of Living Faith Church in Auta Balefi, near Abuja where the popular Bishop Abioye is the overseer, to prevent terrorist attacks on the facilities. Therefore, I have no regret supporting Buhari, but those feasting on the new national cake should not make the mistake of Jonathan era.

Jonathan first mistake after defeating Buhari at the polls in 2011 was to drag Tinubu to the Code of Conduct Tribunal on the guise that he has a foreign account. The details of how Tinubu escaped conviction from the CCB are not the subject of this piece. Tinubu abandoned Nuhu Ribadu, Presidential candidate of Action Congress, in a last minute alliance with Jonathan. In a write up in 2011 titled How ACN Sold Ribadu To President Goodluck, I revealed that

The ACN leadership in response to the pact, refused to campaign for Ribadu Presidency. They refused to mobilize both funds and supporters for the Ribadu project while their counterpart PDP was campaigning for President Goodluck. The sweeping of the South West votes by the PDP was the result of the negligence. President Goodluck garnered 2,718,417 votes while ACN got 1,369,943 and CPC 321,609. The South West votes were the true reflection of how a party sacrificed its presidential candidate on the altar of expediency. This action secured the ACN a rigging free election for the rest of the South West . The PDP used the recent electoral malfeasance in Kogi and Adamawa States to remind the ACN that the gentlemans agreement and trade by barter entered during the presidential election is over and the ruling party will not condone any encroachment on their political birthright.

I continued further that,

The ACN has not been particularly receptive to politicians of northern extraction . The former Vice President under Atiku Abubakar ran to the ACN in the hey days of his battles with Obasanjo and by the time he was tossed around by the party leadership he had no option than to return back to the PDP on another failed presidential project, this time around swallowed by incumbent President Goodluck. Nuhu Ribadu could not have become President under the circumstances but if the ACN had campaigned for him as expected, including release of logistics, including the never ending security votes, the ACN would have got at least 5 million votes around the country while the PDP vote would have reduced, occasioning a run off. Secondly, the PDP would not have been able to get the mandatory 25% votes in 2/3 states of the federation. A run off would have ensued and the ACN could negotiate a major role in government in exchange for their votes.

Jonathan suffered for the attempt to use, dump and imprison Bola Tinubu, and the Jagaban has no business supporting Jonathans second term bid, when the first support earned a CCB probe.

Buharis men had hit Tinubu earlier. They schemed him out of things, a year after Buharis ascendancy to Aso Rock throne, and pacified him again, a year to the 2019 controversial election. Buharis men are about to dump Tinubu again and I forsee danger.

After my writeup titled Presidency 2023: As Tinubu Swallows Orji Kalu, Okorocha, Akpabio, El-Rufai.an APC stalwart boasted that they will soon swallow Tinubu, and give him the Orji Uzor Kalu treatment. When the plot to remove Oshiomhole failed I wrote another titled Presidency 2023: Tinubu Swallows Fayemi, Amechi and Enemies of Oshiomhole  and the same chieftain boasted that they will give him an upper court. I was specifically told that soon Gaidom will be the National Chairman of APC. Though I didnt doubt this power broker, I wondered how a Deputy National Secretary will become National Chairman, jumping all the lines of succession. When Oshiomhole was removed, I understood better.

I want to advise President Buhari, Mamman Daura , Sabiu Tunde Yusuf, Ibrahim Gambari, Boss Mustapha, Baba Gana Kingibe , and all the cabals in Aso Rock that Tinubu is as dangerous as Tompolo of Niger Delta fame. I warned Buhari and his men in private and public, with write up titled Why Tompolo Must not be Arrested and another one titled Tompolo Boys Defy Buhari , vow to Set Nigeria Ablaze. I revealed emphatically what will happen if the Tompolo manhunt continues. I stated that:

The dilemma is that if Tompolo surrenders, humiliation untold will accompany him. Ibori may be better than him. If Tompolo fights back, the nation will burn but Gbaramutu Kingdom will be another case of human rights violations in the hands of security agencies. If Tompolo capitulates, the Niger Delta struggle will be buried because this man has enough influence to marshal out formidable forces more than the rest of the groups.

Tompolo have vowed to fight back. From what I gathered, has put his people on red alert in such a manner that if anything untoward happens to him, hell will be let loose on oil installations in such a manner that soldiers will be taken by surprise. To the best of my knowledge, he is ready to wreck more havoc, and is not ready to be humiliated like Nnamdi Kanu

Government ignored my calls , and the blasting of oil pipelines, shortage of oil revenue and the hardships it brought on Nigerians, before Vice President Osinbajos ingenious and diplomatic intervention salvaged the situation, is the result of ignoring a warning that has all the insinuations of a security report.

I want to warn again that Tinubu can wreck Nigeria. He has worked hard for a united Nigeria and knows where to wreck it. Tinubu can wreck APC and make way for an Atiku presidency in PDP to be a reality. Tinubu can support IPOB and make the breakup of Nigeria a fluidic exercise. I know what I am saying and will not repeat it again.

Tinubu has not run out of options yet. Moreover, I dont believe in somebody being used and dumped. I have never used and dumped anyone and I can never support such. Buhari must not allow himself to be used to fight other peoples proxy wars.

President Buhari should maintain his neutrality in the Tinubu fight with cabals within the north, dissents within his own Yoruba camp, and agitations for overdue Igbo Presidency. The Tinubu affair should be handled carefully, Let him not be abandoned by Buhari, let other contenders and interests for the 2023 presidency be equally accommodated within the context of emerging realities without necessarily making a mockery of Tinubu else the entity called All Progressive Congress is headed for explosion.

Obinna Akukwe, columnist, [email protected] , @obinnaakukwe
By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijans and South Caucasus only satellite operator Azercosmos OJSC has signed a cooperate agreement with Prime African Media Systems company, the companys press service reported on July 28.

Under the cooperation agreement, Prime African Media Systems will broadcast ATN in the West African region, using the bandwidth of the Azerspace-2 satellite, and in the African region, especially in populated areas without a cable network.

Azercosmos Commercial Director Mark Guthrie noted that with the infrastructure capabilities of Prime African Media Systems, Azercosmos will provide innovative satellite solutions for hard-to-reach geographic locations in the African region.

In turn, Prime African Media Systems Technical Director Victor Khan stated that the work with Azercosmos is a great opportunity for the company to educate people and provide any kind of communication through online platforms in African region.

It should be noted that, Prime African Media Systems works in telecommunications and provides satellite solutions and teleport services.

Earlier Azercosmos OJSC signed a cooperation agreement with Space Engineering, a provider of telecommunications and Internet services in the African region. As part of this partnership, Mwangaza TV and radio channels will be broadcast via Azerspace-1 satellite by means of Space Engineering provider.

Formerly, Azercosmos OJSC signed a cooperation agreement with TheAngle, a company providing satellite network service in the United Arab Emirates. According to the agreement, the parties will jointly provide reliable communication services in the regions of the Middle East and Europe.

Azercosmos reported that it ended 2019 with a net profit of $2.13 million. In addition, the company exported services (satellite telecommunications and optical satellite services) worth $19.1 million to 26 countries in the period between January and May in 2020.

According 2019 results, Azercosmos ranks first among state and non-state exporters in terms of exports in the service sector.

Established in 2010, Azercosmos OJSC is the first and only satellite operator in the South Caucasus, which provides high-quality satellite services for telecommunications and geographic intelligence.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
BENTON HARBOR, Mich., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) today announced that its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets (Scopes 1 & 2) have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)  the leading independent assessor of emissions targets  and are consistent with reductions required to keep global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius. The approval highlights Whirlpool Corporation's ongoing commitment to delivering on its environmental goals and meeting or exceeding the levels required by the Paris Agreement.

"Our science-based emissions targets are an important part of our journey to deliver on our sustainability goals," said Marc Bitzer, chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation. "Environmental sustainability is core to our culture, and as the world continues to work together to manage the challenges of COVID-19, it is more important than ever to protect our planet and take care of the communities where we live and work. We are in constant pursuit of doing more and are committed to meeting and exceeding the aggressive environmental goals we have set for ourselves."

In 2019, Whirlpool Corporation achieved its lowest levels of absolute plant emissions (Scopes 1 & 2) in over a decade and is on track to meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in its plants by 50 percent in 2030 versus a 2016 baseline. Since 2016, Whirlpool has reduced its absolute plant emissions by 18 percent through significant investments in efficiency and renewable energy, which the company will continue in the coming years. In addition to its independent efforts, Whirlpool continues to collaborate with leading organizations to deliver emission reduction solutions, such as its use of Honeywell's Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA) into its environmentally responsible and energy-efficient insulation used in U.S.-made refrigerators and freezers.

"Our success in sustainability is due in large part to the innovative ideas that are generated by our employees. As a company, we have made considerable progress on our sustainability efforts, but we know there is more to be done, and we continue to push ourselves internally to deliver on even more aggressive goals and build increased resiliency in our business," said Ron Voglewede, Whirlpool Corporation's director of global sustainability. "These emission reduction targets, along with our ongoing sustainability commitments, are leading us on a path to carbon neutrality."

For more information about Whirlpool Corporation's sustainability commitments, including its 2019 sustainability report, please visit this link.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the leading major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $20 billion in annual sales, 77,000 employees and 59 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2019. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at whirlpoolcorp.com.

About SBTi

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies' targets.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation

Related Links

http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com


In a world plagued by pandemic, Vietnam seemed like a miracle. As months went by without a single recorded coronavirus death, or even a confirmed case of local transmission, residents began leaving their face masks at home.

Noodle shops resounded with the clack of chopsticks and sipped broth. Schools opened. And lured by good deals, Vietnamese tourists began taking vacations again, crowding the coastal city of Danang, with its golden beaches and plentiful seafood.

But over the weekend, Vietnam, which had gone about 100 days without a single confirmed case of local transmission, announced that the virus was lurking in the country after all  and it was spreading.

First, a 57-year-old man from Danang tested positive for the virus and is now on life support. Then clusters quickly emerged in five hospitals. By Wednesday, the virus had spread north to Hanoi, the capital, south to Ho Chi Minh City and afflicted two provinces in central Vietnam, as well as the remote Central Highlands.
2020 has been bleak for most of us, but for bon vivants its been an unexpected blessing, as Hollywood actress Jessica Chastain has shown this week.

The Pandemic has turned us all into homebodies  pubs and clubs are closed; social distancing means you cant have big parties or gather in large groups; and working from home means we dont have much time to relax anyway. But enjoying a drink or two in the comfort of your own home? Thats another story.

A recent report by the Australian National University has come to a conclusion no doubt youve arrived at yourself: Australians are drinking more during lockdown. Maybe its because alcohol is a disinfectant (but dont go drinking hand sanitiser, you mongrel). Perhaps its because the stress of lockdown has got us reaching for the bottle.

Regardless, many around Australia and the world (cue: this video of New Yorkers sipping cocktails as protests rage in the background) have taken advantage of The Bat Kiss to scrub up on their home cocktail-making skills  celebrities included.

Enter: American actress and producer Jessica Chastain, who shared a hilarious video of her making cocktails at home, serving up Teremana tequila and lime to her house guests on a glorious Californian summers day last Friday 24th  highly appropriate, seeing as the 24th of July was National Tequila Day.

With Australia in the grips of winter and facing a second round of lockdowns, were pretty envious of Chastains party. Rounds of fine tequila while relaxing in the pool? Its not exactly traditional (wed argue drinking tequila anywhere other than a dodgy dive bar defies convention) but damn  sounds fun.

Teremana is a brand of small-batch tequila founded by action star Dwayne The Rock Johnson thats fast become a favourite of tequila aficionados. The Rock was clearly pleased to see Chastain share an unofficial endorsement for his new business venture, reposting her video with a friendly caption.

Big Teremana toast  and big bear hug to my buddy and spirit animal Jessica Chastain. Next Chastain summer groove, Im crashing this party and bringing my pick up truck, french toast and wildly inappropriate jokes Cheers, yall 

Were not sure how much mixology is required to make Chastains quarantinis, but we wouldnt turn down a sip. As we mentioned, shes also giving fellow actor Stanley Tucci a run for his money, who courted controversy earlier this year sharing his sacrilegious Negroni recipe on social media.

Salud, Jess.

Read Next
Sushant Singh Rajput's family has gone public with their suspicions on the actor's alleged suicide case by filing an FIR against Rhea Chakraborty. Sushant's father has alleged Rhea and a few other people, which includes her family members, of fraud, cheating, confinement, and blackmail.

But Sushant's family had sensed danger to the actor's life back in February itself. Sushant's father's lawyer, Vikas Singh claims that the family had informed Mumbai Police of a threat to Sushant's life, four months before he died by suicide.

Senior advocate Singh was quoted as saying, "We had told Bandra Police on February 25 that Sushant is not in a good company and please have a look at him so that no harm happens to him. And that was the time when he was in complete control of Rhea Chakraborty." But no action was taken by Mumbai Police.

"Mumbai Police was investigating the matter in different direction. They were going behind people who are not directly linked with the case. They were not trying to investigate Rhea Chakravorty and that's why we had to approach Bihar Police to lodge an FIR," he said, speaking to India Today.

ALSO READ: Sushant's Father's Lawyer Reveals The Reason Behind The Delay In Filing FIR With Patna Police

The advocate had also said that the Mumbai Police were forcing Sushant's family to give names of big production houses in the Hindi film industry, and get them involved.

Rhea, her brother Showik, her parents, Sushant's manager Shruti Modi, and one more person have been named in the FIR filed by Sushant's father. They have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal code including 306 (abetment to suicide), 342 (wrongful confinement), 380 (theft), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 506 (criminal intimidation), 120 (criminal conspiracy) - and also charged them under the Mental Health Care Act.

ALSO READ: Rhea Chakraborty Files Petition Seeking Investigation In Sushant's Case To Be Transferred To Mumbai

Worried about your mental well-being or of someone you know? Help is just a call away. Reach out to the nearest mental health specialist at COOJ Mental Health Foundation (COOJ)- 0832-2252525, Parivarthan- +91 7676 602 602, Connecting Trust- +91 992 200 1122/+91-992 200 4305 or Sahai- 080-25497777/ SAHAIHELPLINE@GMAIL.COM
In a major newspaper interview that became available on Monday, his first since cataclysmic constitutional changes were carried out in respect of J&K by the Narendra Modi government on August 5 last year, former J&K chief minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah has spoken of several key matters among them the possible re-working of his partys autonomy platform, and his justified dismay (he called it betrayal) at the countrys

Opposition parties for backing the Modi governments move to not just end J&Ks erstwhile autonomy but also for breaking up the former state into two Union Territories.

On both counts, it would appear that the NC leader has reflected deeply. Even so, we invite him to take heart from the fact that many entities and constituencies in the country, including important sections of the political class even if they are not currently substantial in parliamentary number terms, have an appreciation of the events of August 5 last that are not dissimilar to his own.

This is not unimportant as a fact unto itself. Since Mr Abdullah expresses the resolve to carry on a fight against the unconstitutional events politically, democratically and legally, he will find he will not be short of allies, especially on the political and intellectual side.

With the RSS-BJP cohorts renewing the catchy and populist slogan of the so-called full integration of J&K with the rest of India, their battle cry of 70 years has found a wider communal echo than when they were not in power.

Many smaller regional parties (though by no means all, as DMK and Trinamul Congress have shown) found this hard to resist on account of perceived electoral compulsions.

The much-weakened Congress, still BJPs principal opponent, had a small group of waverers (and they appear to be playing a pro-BJP hand from within), but the partys working committee has taken a healthy stand. Mr Abdullah would be wise to factor all of this in.

Clearly, at the present juncture, it would seem that mainstream parties in Kashmir might find the going tough after New Delhis failure to keep its side of the deal on Article 370 and 35-A, and its dishonouring of solemn commitments produced by the Constituent Assembly.

It is good Mr Abdullah is conscious of this. But the ebb and flow of life have a habit of throwing up surprises.

Even as mainstream parties in Kashmir seemed to be facing an existential crisis, their principal ideological opponent, the religious right strongly backed by Pakistan, has also been pushed on the back foot by the mysterious developments that have hit the camp led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Although there may be a certain sentiment in Kashmir (to which Mr Abdullah alludes), this is theoretically beyond the India-Pakistan binary. Politicians live in the real world.

The best thing that Mr Abdullahs party can do to safeguard Kashmirs interests and its own is to eschew insularity and seek to make common cause in the electoral arena with all who question the majoritarian basis advanced by the current dispensation in Delhi.
The convention, scheduled for Aug. 17-Aug. 20 at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee, has been scaled down to a mostly virtual event, with only about 300 people expected to attend in-person. Most of the speeches will be delivered online from other locations, though former Vice President Joe Biden has said he will be in Milwaukee to accept the nomination. Despite the event's smaller scale, police are preparing for potentially large protests in and around the venue.
The Yeouido financial district in Seoul, left; and Singapore's Downtown Core / gettyimagesbank



By Park Jae-hyuk



Singapore has been picked as the city best-prepared to take over Hong Kong's position as Asia's premier financial center, overshadowing Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Taipei, according to an informal Korea Times survey of its online readers.



Seoul was not regarded as a particularly attractive destination for global financial firms, although the government has been working toward achieving its goal of becoming a financial hub for almost two decades.



The Korea Times started conducting this survey July 21 via Facebook, after the Asian cities began to woo financial firms leaving Hong Kong, a location that is losing its appeal as a financial center now that the Chinese government has increased its influence over the city.



The online readers were asked about their chosen location and the reason for their decision, as well as Seoul's weaknesses as a potential financial center. The Korea Times gave participants prior notice that their thoughts and names could be included in this article.



The majority of the respondents answered Seoul lacks the advantages that Singapore has  fluent English speakers, consistent government policies and strong national security  issues that most foreign businesses here have complained about.



"Koreans' reluctance to work with foreigners, their inability to speak in English, constantly changing policies and Seoul's location will make it difficult for Korea," Promise Silasesq said. "I give it to Singapore."



The respondents picked "language barrier" as the biggest factor that makes Seoul less attractive than Singapore, saying it has hindered foreigners trying to conduct business here.



"Most Koreans don't speak English well and won't even dare to learn," Christian Mae Delos Reyes said. "I think it is one of the weaknesses of the country."



Edmund Tan slammed Korea for still being unable to assist someone new to the country without the presence of a bilingual local to help with something as simple as opening a bank account, let alone highly complex banking transactions.



This opinion was shared by Wendii Lam, who said: "Banks are so far behind. They can't even manage foreign resident accounts with ease in terms of knowledge and language."



There were also complaints about government policies that are regarded as uncertain and somewhat "discriminatory" against foreign residents.



"Korea's unstable policies and frequent changes push foreigners to think twice before choosing Korea," Aaron Kimyagarov said. "So the best option is Singapore."



Kamrul Hasan noted Korean policies often differ for foreign citizens and Korean nationals, unlike Singapore which has accepted multiculturalism.



Muhammad Nauman Kakakhail agreed with this opinion, saying, "There are quite different policies in terms of health, education and incentives for the Korean national and foreigners. Such differences may be an obstacle to attracting investors."



The North Korea risk was another key factor that made the respondents avoid voting for Seoul.



"Seoul is technically still at war," Zhi Wei Lim said.



Although most respondents did not believe North Korea to be a grave threat, they still said national security would be a major concern for investors worldwide. Some of them also voiced concerns about Seoul's worsening relationship with Tokyo over historical conflicts, which could affect its economic performance.



Pro Shant Chauhan mentioned overcrowding as one reason Seoul and Tokyo would be unable to defeat Singapore in the race to become the next leading financial hub in Asia.


Nostalgic Bubble O'Bill fans have been left fuming after discovering the iconic gumball noses are missing from Streets new range of ice cream tubs.

The Australian brand caused a stir on social media after announcing the 90s classic ice cream stick now comes in one-litre 'scoopable' tubs for just $8.

But eagle-eyed shoppers quickly pointed out the famous gumball nose had been replaced with bubblegum-flavoured candy pieces.

'Without the gum, it's just an O'Bill,' a woman said, while one added: 'What's the point then? It's basically just a Rainbow Paddle Pop.'

'It doesn't even come with the nose. So disappointed,' another customer said.

In response to the public outrage, Streets has announced an amusing solution.

Nostalgic Bubble O'Bill fans have been left fuming after noticing the iconic gumball nose was missing from Streets new range of ice cream tubs

Iconic Bubble O'Bill ice cream sticks are famously known for its gumball nose

Fans will be able to get their hands on a vintage-style Bubble O'Bill lolly bag filled with gumballs.

'The people of Australia have spoken, and we listened,' Samantha Jarmul, Streets brand manager, said.

'We know Bubble O'Bill's nose is an iconic part of his identity, which is why we are giving fans the opportunity to win his nose to enjoy with the brand new tubs.'

But the gumballs will be a rare find - as the brand confirmed just 20 lucky winners will be able to get their hands on the 'wildest gumballs in the west' bags.

For a chance to be one of the 20 winners, fans can head over to the Bubble O'Bill Facebook page and share their favourite Bubble O'Bill memory. The best entries will land select cowgirl and cowboys with their very own gumball stash.

However, Streets has announced fans will be able to get their hands on a vintage-style Bubble O'Bill lolly bag filled with gumballs

But the gumballs will be a rare find - as the brand confirmed just 20 lucky winners will be able to get their hands on the 'wildest gumballs in the west' bags

Following the launch of the ice cream, many were shocked to discover the beloved Bubble O'Bill tubs didn't include the iconic gumballs.

'No bubble gum does not make it a Bubble O'Bill,' one said, while another woman questioned: 'You cannot possibly call it "Bubble O'Bill" when there's no nose.'

But some admitted they were never a fan of the gumball, with one saying: 'The tubs work for me... I've always hated the nose.'

Two weeks ago, the brand revealed three of the country's most iconic ice cream sticks have been transformed into one-litre tubs featuring Rainbow Paddle Pop, Golden Gaytime flavours and Bubble O'Bill.

Rainbow Paddle Pop is an 'all-time Aussie favourite' with caramel flavoured, colourful swirls while Golden Gaytime is made from toffee and vanilla mixed with crispy biscuit.

The new tub range is available in IGA supermarkets and Woolworths stores across the country now, and Coles from mid-August for $8 each.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Takeout containers and cleaning supplies are necessary expenditures for any restaurant.

But add in personal protective equipment and the heightened demand for cleaning supplies and to-go containers necessary due to the coronavirus pandemic and restaurants are starting to feel the pinch.

This time last year, Joeys Italian Restaurant would spend a few hundred dollars a week on such supplies. Now theyre spending up to $1,400 a week, said Rick DeCuffa, general manager of his brothers eponymous restaurant thats been open near Carrier Circle in DeWitt since 1982.

Joey's Italian Restaurant at 6594 Thompson Road near Carrier Circle.

The plastic microwavable takeout containers that Joeys and many other restaurants use are pricier than your run-of-the-mill styrofoam container and theyre using a whole lot more of them.

Last year, the restaurant did just 4% of its business as takeout. Now, its 60%.

Our paper supply rep loves us, DeCuffa said.

Restaurant dining rooms in Central New York were allowed to reopen on June 12. Restaurant owners who have since allowed diners to return to their restaurants said theyve installed hand sanitizer stations, switched over to disposable paper menus and pledged to frequently sanitize all surfaces in the restaurant.

But as the demand for hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies goes up, so does the price.

Bill Lynn, owner of Skaneateles Skoops and Johnny Angels Heavenly Burgers in Skaneateles, said he used to be able to get five gallons of liquid hand sanitizer for $40. Now, five quarts costs him $70  a 600% increase.

Due to price increases, as well as heightened demand for takeout, hes spending more than $2,000 a week in to-go containers  around double what he spent before.

Cody Dedischew, chef/owner of Defi Cuisine Corp. in downtown Syracuse, said he was spending $280 for a case of 100 to-go containers before he stopped serving takeout. He has since moved to in-house dining only, but still faces increased costs from having to buy more cleaning supplies. The staff sanitize the restaurant between the two nightly dinner services and all plates, glasses and silverware are run through the dishwasher twice after use.

We dont want to take any chances, Dedischew said.

Sona Barletta is slated to reopen her diner, Carls Kountry Kitchen, on Thursday after being closed since mid-March. A box of 50 disposable masks runs around $30 to $35, Barletta said. She expects to use three boxes a week. Thats around $400 a month in masks alone.

Barletta attended a PPE giveaway earlier this month at Drivers Village in Cicero. The giveaway, held by CenterState CEO and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, provides PPE kits for small businesses that include hand sanitizer, protective masks, guideline posters, and tips for preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

Every little bit helps, she said.

She also estimates shell spend about $100 a month in hand sanitizer. The demand is so high that she cant even find a wall-mounted hand sanitizer dispenser to install at the diner.

Barletta and other restaurant owners have installed hard plastic or plexiglass barriers at counters, host stations, registers and other areas in a restaurant where people may gather. Barletta installed removable barriers between the seats at the diner counter. They cost around $1,000.

Everything is a guessing game, she said.

Jacob Pucci writes on food, restaurants and all things gastronomic across Central New York. Contact him by email at jpucci@syracuse.com.
About the Lincoln Project  those irrelevant people we cant stop talking about  a few thoughts.

First  before we even really get started  we should dismiss the contemptible smear that something foul is afoot because there is money to be made in the 2020 campaign. Political consultants get paid for their work, as do journalists, radio hosts, cable-news commentators, the people who print up signs and bumper-stickers, etc. I dont work for free. I do not know very many critics of the Lincoln Project who work for free, either.

That being said . . .

My friend (and boss) Rich Lowry, who wrote a good book about Abraham Lincoln, objects to the appropriation of Lincolns name. But I think this choice gets right to the point: What is the Republican Party, and what does it wish to be: the Party of Lincoln, as it sometimes likes to call itself; or the Party of Donald Trump, Roger Stone, Fox News, deep state kookery, etc.? It is going to have to pick one, because it cannot be both of those things at the same time. It is no more absurd for Rick Wilson et al. to appropriate the legacy of Abraham Lincoln  and its certainly less consequential and less repugnant  than it is for the contemporary Republican Party to do so.

In fact, this would be a fine time to have a debate about Lincoln and the Republican Partys admirable patrimony  and whether contemporary Republicans deserve to be associated with it or even desire to be.

Our friend Steve Stampley (who wrote a very nice review of The Smallest Minority for which I am grateful) insists that the Lincoln Project is a grift, a pretty serious charge coming from a former Hill staffer and campaign manager. Not only a grift, he insists, but the most brazen election-season grift in recent memory. (Is 2016 within recent memory?) This charge is based in part on the fact that the Lincoln Project raises money mostly from Democrats, which is not surprising for an organization that is, at the moment, trying to defeat an incumbent Republican president and several of his Republican allies.

Story continues

The politicians for whom Stampley worked earlier in his career have taken in a good deal of money from people associated with Google, Comcast, Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, etc.  are we to understand this as somehow discrediting, that Senator Roger Wicker and others are only shield-bearers for their secret corporate overlords? I do not think that. It costs money to run a political campaign, and campaigns rarely say No to money without a compelling reason.

Stampley complains that the Lincoln Project has done business with, among others, Fran Katz Watson, a lifelong Democratic operative who previously worked as the national finance director for the Democratic National Committee, and that it has a long list of left-wing clients  by which Stampley means the Democrats House and Senate committees. I suppose the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee is left-wing in the sense of being not right-wing, but the DSCC is not exactly the Comintern. If this makes the Lincoln Project a left-wing stalking horse, then there is no possible bipartisan coalition that would not be open to the same line of criticism. It is perfectly fine to be suspicious of such bipartisan coalitions, though it is a little weird to do so in defense of Donald Trump, who became a Republican about eleven minutes before he was sworn in as president. But the Lincoln Project makes no secret of its being a bipartisan effort. That is kind of the point.

Stampley also criticizes the Lincoln Project for doing business with former servants of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, and Terry McAuliffe, writing: If a group of unemployed strategists were looking to shape a persuasive center-right critique of Trump and his allies, these are not the talents theyd turn to. If, on the other hand, the aim was to open up anti-Trump wallets on the left, they couldnt pick a better team.

But to write this is only to state the obvious and uncontested as though it were controversial. The Lincoln Project does not propose to shape a persuasive center-right critique of Trump and his allies  which is a job for, among others, National Review  but instead proposes to defeat them in elections, which is a different kind of undertaking. (The Right would benefit from better separation of journalism and politicking.) In the the Lincoln Projects much-remarked-upon New York Times jeremiad, its authors say as much, in the plainest language: Rather than acting from ideological preference, they wrote, they intend to set aside their many policy differences with national Democrats and to undertake a project dedicated to defeating President Trump and Trumpism at the ballot box.

The Lincoln Project has not been suddenly exposed making common cause with Democrats  making common cause with Democrats in opposition to Trump and Trumpism is its raison detre. Maybe some conservative critics do not think that is a good or worthy undertaking, but those who are engaging with the Lincoln Project have an intellectual obligation to address the actual argument being advanced; i.e., that Donald Trump and his administration represent a special kind of awful that requires bipartisan repudiation. Agree or disagree, that is the question raised by the Lincoln Project. The fact that the Lincoln Project sometimes airs ads on Morning Joe is entirely beside the point.

What is most worrisome to me is not that Republicans do not by and large agree with the Lincoln Projects critique but that they are incapable of taking it seriously. They dismiss it as being of interest only to four self-aggrandizing politicos, but there is a great deal of evidence that this is simply not the case. Biden currently leads Trump in the polls in Texas, and Republicans are in danger of losing their Senate majority. This is not because the nation is disappointed in the performance of John Cornyn. The issue is Trump. Pretending that the issue is Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, awful as they are, wont do.

Rich Lowry is lamentably correct in noting that the Lincoln Project has embraced the coarsened political culture to which Donald Trump has contributed more than his share. The stupidity, pettiness, and lowness of the Lincoln Projects advertisements remind me of an observation about the totalitarian systems of the 20th century: that the power of Adolf Hitler and his kind could best be judged by the fact that they forced their enemies to imitate them. The fundamentally Trumpist aesthetic and Twitter-troll rhetorical style of the Lincoln Project is the most predictable development of the political year: Trump and the Lincoln Project are products of precisely the same beef-witted social-media culture. It would be better if Trumps opponents were less Trumpish. But both in the case of Trump and in the case of his critics, style ought really to be a concern secondary to that of substance.

What do Republicans want? What do they believe? What do they cherish? They should be careful how they answer.

Personally, I cannot wait for Election Day, if only to find out whether the backers of the Lincoln Project and those who sympathize with them are irrelevant, as Trump and his allies like to say, or whether that estimate will change right around the time Fox News calls Pennsylvania.

More from National Review
The Federal Government has said President Buhari will not resign from office over alleged cases of corruption in Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund(NSITF), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Last week, the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria Uche Secondus, called on President Buhari to resign over the numerous corruption cases in many of the government agencies as well as the high level of insecurity in many parts of the country. Secondus said the ongoing corruption investigations of the NDDC, MIC, NEDC, NSITF, EFCC, and other government agencies, are pointers to the fact that the country under President Buharis watch, is on ventilator gasping for breath.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja today Tuesday, July 28, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the call for President Buharis resignation was infantile.

Dismissing claims that the anti-corruption war of the Buhari administration was waning, Lai Mohammed dared anyone with a contrary opinion to try the government and see what will happen.
FORMER Taoiseach Leo Varadkar intervened to see if Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney could keep the use of a State car and garda driver.

He asked Department of the Taoiseach Secretary General Martin Fraser to contact his Department of Justice counterpart Aidan O'Driscoll on the matter.

It has also emerged Justice Minister Helen McEntee was side stepped by senior civil servants involved in securing the State car for Mr Coveney.

The Government this afternoon confirmed Mr Varadkars intervention.

Read More

It comes after Taoiseach Micheal Martin came under pressure from Labour leader Alan Kelly in the Dail for the second day in a row on how Mr Coveney got the use of the car at a cost of around 200,000-a-year to taxpayers.

State cars and Garda drivers were limited to the President, Taoiseach, Tanaiste, Justice Minister and certain senior justice officials back in 2011.

Foreign Affairs ministers were not included.

Mr Martin told the Dail today that communications on Mr Coveney getting the State car happened before I became Taoiseach.

But he also said the communication between the secretaries general of the Departments of the Taoiseach and Justice happened on June 28, the day after he took office.

A government spokesperson told Independent.ie: The call from the Secretary General in the Taoiseachs Department to the Secretary general in the Department of Justice was made at the request of the previous Taoiseach.

She could not say when Mr Varadkar made the request for Mr Fraser to contact the Department of Justice.

Mr Varadkars spokesman did not immediately respond to queries this afternoon.

The Irish Independent reported today that Mr Fraser contacted Mr ODriscoll by phone to inquire whether it was appropriate on security grounds for Mr Coveney to retain the security service he received as Tanaiste.

Mr ODriscoll in turn phoned An Garda Siochana to see whether there was a case for the Fine Gael deputy leader to hold on to his State car and driver, which costs the taxpayer around 200,000 a year.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris deemed it appropriate for Mr Coveney to retain his State car and Garda driver.

Independent.ie can also reveal that Mr ODriscoll did not inform Ms McEntee before he contacted on An Garda Siochana about security arrangements for Mr Coveney.

It is unclear why Mr ODriscoll did not alert the newly appointed minister of his intention to contact Garda Headquarters.

However, the Commissioner Mr Harris did contact Ms McEntee to say he made a decision on Mr Coveneys arrangement but did not say what decision he had taken.

A spokesman for the minister said: The minister did not discuss this issue with the secretary general.

The Commissioner informed the minister after a decision had been made, although he did not inform her of the nature of that decision.

Labour Party leader Alan Kelly said the new revelations around Mr Coveneys car raised serious questions about how the Government was being run.

How can a Taoiseach who is outgoing make a decision for an incoming Taoiseach and direct the secretary general of the Taoiseachs Department to call the secretary general of the Department of Justice  it makes no sense at all, Mr Kelly said.

Mr Kelly also questioned who was in the charge of the Department of Justice if Ms McEntee was not being informed of significant State security matters. What else she is not going to be told about and is this how she is going to conduct her department with civil servants taking decision without informing the minister, he added.
A disease-modeling system like that used by the National Weather Service to predict storms is needed, said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Right now, the country has surveillance for seasonal flu but no national map tracking all disease outbreaks. As Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, a former C.D.C. director, recently pointed out, states are not even required to track the same data.

Several experts said they assumed that millions of Americans who have been left without health insurance or forced to line up at food banks would vote for politicians favoring universal health care, paid sick leave, greater income equality and other changes.

But given the countrys deep political divisions, no researcher was certain what the outcome of the coming election would be.

Dr. Redbird said her polling of Americans showed little faith in institutions across the board  were not seeing an increase in trust in science or an appetite for universal health care or workers equity.

The Trump administration did little to earn trust. More than six months into the worst health crisis in a century, Mr. Trump only last week urged Americans to wear masks and canceled the Republican convention in Florida, the kind of high-risk indoor event that states have been banning since mid-March.

It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better, Mr. Trump said at the first of the resurrected coronavirus task force briefings earlier this month, which included no scientists or health officials. The briefings were discontinued in April amid his rosy predications that the epidemic would soon be over.

Mr. Trump has ignored, contradicted or disparaged his scientific advisers, repeatedly saying that the virus simply would go away, touting unproven drugs like hydroxychloroquine even after they were shown to be ineffective and sometimes dangerous, and suggesting that disinfectants or lethal ultraviolet light might be used inside the body.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:59:51|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The East Africa region is facing an unprecedented triple food security threat caused by the combined effects of recent severe floods, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the upsurge of desert locusts, the United Nation Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said.

The FAO, in a joint position statement issued together with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) on late Tuesday, stressed that "urgent action is required to prevent a major food crisis in Eastern Africa."

It emphasized that there is an increased risk of below-average rains during the upcoming October to December season, which could further threaten food security and livelihoods across the region.

According to FAO, even before these current challenges, Eastern Africa was considered among the most food insecure regions of the world, with nearly 28 million people in food insecurity crisis in 2019, or 20 percent of the total severely food insecure population across the world.

It also stressed that an estimated 9 million children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition, including 2 million facing severe acute malnutrition.

The IGAD region is also one of the world's leading sources and hosts of internally displaced persons and refugees and asylum seekers who, due to limited livelihood opportunities and degraded coping mechanisms, are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition, according to the FAO.

The UNHCR estimates that the region currently hosts about 8 million internally displaced persons and 4 million refugees and asylum seekers.

"In this context of already high levels of food insecurity, the current triple threat facing vulnerable populations across Eastern Africa is expected to drive significant food security deteriorations in the absence of urgent action that protects lives and livelihoods, strengthens food systems, builds resilience across all vulnerable communities, and improves early warning systems and preparedness," the statement read.

Between March and May 2020, heavy rainfall across the region resulted in widespread flooding and landslides across Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda. According to IGAD, some 2.4 million people were affected, including 700,000 who were displaced and over 500 who were killed.

This is in addition to previous flooding between October and December 2019, which affected 3.4 million people across the region, according to FAO.

Forecasts of above-average rainfall between June and September 2020, particularly across western Ethiopia, eastern South Sudan, Sudan, western Kenya, northern and central Uganda increases the risk of additional flooding during the next several months.

Favorable weather and vegetation conditions across the Eastern African region in late 2019 to mid-2020 contributed to the worst desert locust upsurge in over 25 years, affecting all IGAD countries with varying levels of destruction to crops and pastureland.

Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia are of the highest concern, with FAO indicating that up to 2.5 million people are becoming severely food insecure as a direct consequence of desert locust in the IGAD region.

Following the first COVID-19 cases in the region in early 2020, governments imposed certain measures which, though necessary, have had food security and nutrition implications. As of July 22, the IGAD region has seen over 47,000 COVID-19 cases.

"The resulting economic slowdown has led to significant declines in income levels for many vulnerable urban and rural cropping and pastoralist populations, compromising their access to food due to reduced purchasing power," it was noted.

The FAO and its partners also stressed that COVID-19-inflicted movement restrictions and border lockdowns are also disrupting food logistics and supply chains, which in turn has reduced food availability and increased post-harvest losses in parts of the region.

"Restrictions are impacting the movement and supply of agricultural inputs, including labor, fertilizers, pesticides and equipment, thus posing serious challenges to food production," the joint statement read.

As of July 22, 2020, the additional humanitarian requirements, on top of government resources, for food security, nutrition and livelihood support are 3.4 billion U.S. dollars for seven IGAD member states that are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

"These requirements are just 33 percent funded, leaving a funding gap of 2.3 billion U.S. dollars, as per country-level humanitarian response plan, flash appeals, inter-sectoral COVID-19 response plans, and the global COVID-19 humanitarian response plan," according to the joint statement.

"This requires urgent attention considering that many governments will likely face significant difficulties responding to this large-scale crisis on their own," it added. Enditem
Law enforcement officers detained two suspects of involvement in a series of explosions in Kyiv on July 17: one of the detainees was previously convicted of premeditated murder with an explosive device, prosecutor of the capital Oleh Kiper said.

On Wednesday, during a briefing in Kyiv, answering a question about the identities of those detained in involvement in the explosions, the prosecutor said: "of 60 and 61 birth years. One of them was previously convicted ... for premeditated murder with an explosive device."

Speaking about the motives for committing the crime, Kiper noted that this was a selfish motive, since money was extorted. "We see this as a financial motive here," he added.

As reported, on July 17 evening, as a result of an explosion of an unknown object in a litter bin near the Shuliavska metro station in Kyiv, four people were injured, and one of them was hospitalized, the press service of the National Police reported.

The injured 22-year-old student was hospitalized from the scene with multiple shrapnel injuries to his legs. Another three victims addressed doctors on their own.

The Investigation Department of the Shevchenko Police Department opened criminal proceedings under Part 4 of Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (hooliganism).
The attention of the Human Rights Defenders (HURIDE), Ebonyi State chapter, Nigeria has been drawn to the crisis rocking Obegueji village in Agbaja community, Izzi LGA of Ebonyi State for more than one year now. So far, one life has been lost, over 30 houses burnt down, livestock and farm produce looted with over 100 persons including women and children forced into exile and still being hunted to be killed.

How it all began

Following an alleged "quit notice" by a PDP stalwart from Agbaja community to members of other political parties in Agbaja community, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, supporters in Obeagueji village allegedly mounted some roadblocks on the eve of the 2019 governorship election in Ebonyi State and later had a fatal clash with APC supporters during which one Mr Moses Nwamini of PDP ( alleged to be Ebonyi State House of Assembly speakers loyalist) was shot dead. Following the death of Mr Nwamini, the PDP supporters in Agbaja blacklisted all APC members in the village and launched a full-scale manhunt on them. Some of them were caught, maimed and dumped in the police; some voluntarily ran to the police for refuge while others fled the village for fear of the unknown. Some of the arrested APC leaders, as HURIDE learnt, are being tried for murder and consequently remanded in Correctional Centres.

Few months later, the PDP supporters allegedly invaded the homes of the blacklisted APC leaders, chased away their wives and children while confiscating and looting all their belongings including yam barns, rice storages, livestock, farmlands, motorcycles, etc. All the

looted food items were shared among PDP members in the community while the rest of the items were auctioned also among the domineering villagers.

A few months again after all the lootings, sharing and auctioning, the PDP supporters again allegedly invaded the individual homes of the blacklisted APC leaders in the village. This time, they razed all the buildings in all the compounds; afterwards allocated the victims compounds and farmlands among themselves and promptly cultivated on those the homes and farmlands of these people whose offence was that they belonged to the All Peoples Congress, APC!

The affected APC leaders and their families include:

1. Mr Livinus Ovuoba - five wives, 18 children.

2. Mr Samuel Ovuoba - One wife, 6 children.

3. Mr Patrick Mbam - Two wives, 9 children.

4. Mr Chijioke Ovuoba - One wife, 6 children.

5. Mr Anthony Nwonumaru - Two wives, 13 children.

6. Mr Anthony Uguru - Three wives, 17 children.

7. Mr Andrew Ofoke - Two wives, 10 children.

8. Mr Eji Nwibo - Two wives, 11 children.



Comrade Sampson Nweke (Chairman, Human Rights Defenders, HURIDE, Ebonyi State)

All these women and children have been on a forced exile for over one year now because of the governorship election squabbles of 2019 and the State Government which is the key beneficiary of the crisis has apparently done nothing to save and protect these endangered citizens from possible extermination. Since the police and the court are already taking enough actions towards unravelling the true killers of Mr Moses Nwamini, why are the PDP supporters still taking laws into their hands? Why render these women and children homeless and destroying all their means of livelihood? Their husbands and fathers are already in the custody of law enforcement agencies; why still hunt them to be killed wherever they are sighted for a crime they may know nothing about? What are the sins of these children and their mothers that they have to suffer this long in different refugee camps for more than a year now? Those are the pains of HURIDE. The most annoying part of this is that this tumultuous Agbaja community is the hometown of this cream of notable Izzi personalities?

1. HRH Emmanuel Nwojiji

2. Chief Edward Nkwegu (EDON)

3. Hon Francis Nwifuru- Present EBHA Speaker

4. Chief Augustin Nwankwegu- Former EBHA Speaker

5. Chief Elias Mbam

6. Ambassador Alex Nwofe

7. Prince Maurice Mbam, and more.

All these stakeholders here including the chairman of Izzi forum, HRH Eze Oketa have been reached by HURIDE in collaboration with HRCRC either on phone call or by physical contact, just in efforts to restore peace in their land. However, there is yet a no clear and definitive conviction that they are readily disposed for peace in that area. Each of them would play to the gallery, pointing accusing fingers towards the speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr. Francis Nwifuru, as the major force fanning the embers of the protracted discord in that part of Izzi land and all efforts to reach him like others were all rebuffed.

Therefore, the Human Rights Defenders (HURIDE) in collaboration with HRCRC and other sister organisations in Ebonyi State and beyond is reiterating her avowed determination to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that peace returns in Agbaja community for the sake of the exiled innocent children and their mothers. On this note, the group is passionately urging the Ebonyi State governor, Engr. David Umahi, to kindly wade into this matter as a father of all. He should please prevail on Hon Francis Nwifuru (Speaker, Ebonyi State Legislature, in whose village this fire is raging. Let the governor in all honesty prevail on Nwifuru and watch him step into this matter as an unbiased leader of all. Speaker Nwifuru has all it takes to quell this raging crisis in his hometown to avert further loss of lives because Izzi lives matter.

Finally to the Ebonyi state police Command led by CP Philip Sule Maku, your efforts so far in this direction is eminently commendable. HURIDE is however urging that more be done to completely tame the rampaging youths of the village and to bring to justice all those behind the killing of Mr Moses Nwamini as well as those arsonists who destroyed houses and looted the belongings of others. HURIDE totally condemns the recent attack on the police team on investigation to the boiling Obeagueji village by same village miscreants. Obuegueji villagers cannot be law unto themselves. They must be brought to submit their actions, passions and all to the rule of law.

TOGETHER...We Can Restore Peace in Izzi Land, reinstate and protect the exiled men, women and children of Obuegueji village in Agbaja Community of Ebonyi State and advance peace in the entire Ebonyi State.

Sam Oko Nweke- HURIDE (08039584065)

George Etemasor- HRCRC (08101808128)


ProMIS' shareholders show overwhelming support for all resolutions

TORONTO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (the "Corporation") (TSX: PMN; OTCQB: ARFXF), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of antibody therapeutics targeting toxic oligomers implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the voting results of the Corporation's annual meeting of shareholders held on July 29, 2020 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (the "Meeting").



The Corporation is pleased to announce that all resolutions announced in the Management Proxy Circular and placed before the Meeting were overwhelmingly approved by the shareholders. The total number of common shares represented by shareholders present by proxy at the meeting was 100,033,305, representing 35.52% of the Corporation's outstanding common shares.

"This year's Annual Meeting marks the fifth anniversary of ProMIS Neurosciences," stated Eugene Williams, ProMIS Executive Chairman. "On behalf of the Board of Directors and the ProMIS management team I would like to sincerely thank our shareholders for their on-going support. We look forward to continued progress applying our unique technology platform to the development of disease-modifying antibody therapies, diagnostics and potential vaccines for Alzheimer's disease as well as the development of highly accurate assays for detection of antibodies against the virus causing COVID-19."

In particular, the following are the voting results for the 100,033,305 common shares that were voted in person or by proxy at the Meeting.

The following directors were elected, with each nominee receiving more than 75% of the votes cast:

DIRECTOR FOR WITHHELD Elliot Goldstein, M.D. 61,733,785 3,154,725 Eugene Williams 61,763,185 3,125,325 Neil Cashman, M.D. 62,080,085 2,808,425 Anthony Giovinazzo, C.Dir., A.C.C. 53,891,035 10,997,475 Richard J. Gregory, PH.D. 59,280,435 5,608,075 Patrick D. Kirwin 59,432,185 5,456,325 Johannes Roth 51,696,185 13,192,325 William Wyman 51,390,435 13,498,075

PricewaterhouseCoopers, Chartered Accountants, were appointed auditor of the Company and the Board was authorized to fix the auditor's remuneration. Shares voted in person and by proxies received represented 99,330,415 votes FOR and 702,890 votes WITHHELD.

About ProMIS Neurosciences

ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. is a development stage biotechnology company whose unique core technology is the ability to rationally predict the site and shape (conformation) of novel targets known as Disease Specific Epitopes (DSEs) on the molecular surface of proteins. In neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, ALS and Parkinson's disease, the DSEs are misfolded regions on toxic forms of otherwise normal proteins. In the infectious disease setting, these DSEs represent peptide antigens that can be used as an essential component to create accurate and sensitive serological assays to detect the presence of antibodies that arise in response to a specific infection, such as COVID-19. ProMIS proprietary peptide antigens can also be used to create potential therapeutic antibodies, as well as serve as the basis for development of vaccines. ProMIS is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ProMIS is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PMN, and on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol ARFXF.

The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This information release contains certain forward-looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Shanti Skiffington

shanti.skiffington@gmail.com

Tel. 617 921-0808

For Investor Relations please contact:

Alpine Equity Advisors

Nicholas Rigopulos, President

nick@alpineequityadv.com

Tel. 617 901-0785
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case has taken a new turn after late actor's father KK Singh lodged an FIR against Rhea Chakraborty and her family for cheating, exploiting and abetment to suicide. Actor's girlfriend met her lawyers last night and is most likely to apply for anticipatory bail today.

She will be filing for anticipatory bail today after discussing the case with her advocate Satish Manshinde. According to sources, "her lawyers have prepared the draft and the documents have been signed by Rhea last night. They may move to sessions court today."

Satish Maneshinde is a popular criminal lawyer, who recently was appointed as the special public prosecutor (SPP) in the Palghar lynching case. He was also Sanjay Dutt's lawyer in the 1990 Mumbai bomb blast case and has been Salman Khan's lawyer as well.

Sushant Singh Rajput's father lodged the FIR in Patna's Rajiv Nagar police station under IPC Sections 341, 342, 380, 406, 420 and 306. A four-member police team has been constituted to probe the case which flew to Mumbai to carry out an investigation along with the Mumbai Police.

Bihar police quizzed a few people associated closely with Sushant. The cops reached Rhea's residence to question her but she was not at home. She couldn't be contacted on phone as well.

To probe Rhea further, Bihar police will most likely issue a notice soon. According to sources, cops are also looking into finding the person on whose name Sushant was using the SIM card.

Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020. The Mumbai police have questioned around 37 people so far in connection with the actor. However, Sushant Singh Rajput's fans have been pressing for a CBI inquiry into the case to ensure a fair probe.
Iconic Milk Bottle at Boston Children's Museum We are thrilled that the iconic Milk Bottle will be getting a much-needed facelift. It has been a meeting place and beloved landmark outside Boston Childrens Museum for 43 years. We are grateful that HP Hood is our partner and greatly value our long-term relationship with them.

Boston Children's Museum announces that the iconic Milk Bottle will undergo a major renovation to its facade and infrastructure with the support of HP Hood.

The Milk Bottle was built in 1934 by Arthur Gagner of Taunton, Mass., to dispense the homemade ice cream he produced. Standing 40 feet tall and weighing in at 15,000 lbs., the Milk Bottle was one of Americas first fast-food drive-in restaurants and an authentic example of the Coney Island style of architecture. If real, it could hold 58,620 gallons of milk.

We are thrilled that the iconic Milk Bottle will be getting a much-needed facelift. It has been a meeting place and beloved landmark outside Boston Childrens Museum for 43 years, said Carole Charnow, President & CEO. We are grateful that HP Hood is our partner and greatly value our long-term relationship with them.

The Milk Bottle stood as a landmark on Route 44 in Taunton until it was abandoned in 1967. It was left in disrepair for years until Hood purchased the deteriorating structure, rescuing it from oblivion. Hood had the Bottle refurbished and donated it to Boston Childrens Museum. In 1977 the Milk Bottle was placed aboard a barge for its Great Bottle Sail through Boston Harbor to the Museum Wharf, now Childrens Wharf at 308 Congress Street, where it serves as a destination landmark delighting millions of people from around the world and the city of Boston.

Hood is proud of our longstanding partnership with Boston Childrens Museum and look forward to the restoration of the iconic Milk Bottle, said Lynne Bohan, Vice President of Communications at HP Hood.

In fall 2006, the bottle was "uncapped"its original top half was sliced off and preservedso that its base could be moved slightly and rebuilt on the new Milk Bottle Plaza. A renovated bottle was put back in place and officially re-dedicated by Boston Mayor Menino on April 20, 2007, thirty years to the day after it was moved to Children's Wharf.

South Coast Improvement Company is the general contractor renovating the Milk Bottle which should be completed in approximately 120 days.

About Boston Children's Museum

Boston Childrens Museum engages children and families in joyful discovery experiences that instill an appreciation of our world, develop foundational skills, and spark a lifelong love of learning. More information about Boston Childrens Museum can be found at BostonChildrensMuseum.org. Become a fan of the Museum on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the Portland Police Bureau, challenging its livestreaming of protests.

The ACLU contends the bureaus practice of filming and broadcasting protesters violates state law that prohibits police from collecting or maintaining information about the political, religious or social views, associations or activities of people who are not suspected of criminal activity.

The police livestream zooms in on individual faces, making protesters vulnerable to face surveillance technology, the civil rights agency contends.

The livestream has been one of dozens of livestreams of nightly demonstrations in Portland. The Police Bureau put a link to its livestream on its Twitter feed three times this month.

Unlawful police surveillance threatens our First Amendment rights, said Jann Carson, interim executive director of the ACLU of Oregon. The Portland Police Bureau has no constitutional reason to train its video cameras on demonstrators  or to broadcast those images publicly on the internet, where federal agents and others can analyze them.

City Attorney Tracy Reeve said she couldnt comment on the pending litigation.

Federal officers who have been stationed in an incident command center in the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse have been monitoring livestream footage shared on social media of the demonstrations. Portland police and federal officers have made arrests after reviewing video footage to identify people accused of committing violence or property damage.

The ACLU of Oregon filed its lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court, the latest legal action stemming from the nightly demonstrations and officers use of force.

The suit also is on behalf of an unidentified protester who was caught on the police streaming footage while demonstrating outside the police union office in North Portland on July 13, according to the suit.

Many of the other protesters whose likenesses and voices have appeared on PPBs videos also want not to be recorded. Several have shouted as much at PPBs cameraperson; others have shone bright lights at its camera in attempts to obscure the cameras view of the crowds; still others have used squeakers to obscure PPBs audio recording, the suit said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
New Delhi :

The government has asked automobile manufacturers to provide a digital identity tag in all new vehicles, including cars, to enable electronic payment at all toll plazas and ensure seamless movement at check posts.

Moving towards a cashless digital economy was one of the objectives behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise announcement earlier this month to ban old 500 and 1000 rupee notes, sweeping away 86 per cent of the total currency in circulation.

In a nation where a majority of consumers still deal in cash, the government is pushing for electronic transactions to improve transparency and weed out black money.

"So, as far as toll plazas are concerned, the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways is advising vehicle manufacturers that in all new vehicles, the manufacturers must provide Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) facility," Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das told reporters .

He said the provision of Electronics Product Code Global Incorporated (EPCG)-compliant RFID facility in all new vehicles will ensure payment of toll digitally and also avoid the waiting time and the vehicles will move seamlessly without having to wait at check posts.

"This will improve the functioning of the toll plaza, digital payments," Das said.

In view of the crunch in availability of lower denomination and new currency following the demonetisation move, the government has exempted all national highways from payment of toll till November 24 (rpt) November 24.

RFID tag will ensure that the electronic toll collection system will ensure that when the vehicle passes the toll tax booths, they can pass without stopping at the toll booths. The toll amount is deducted from the RFID card.

Those tags could be recharged for future use.

Das further said all government offices have been asked to use only digital payment methods for making payments to stakeholders, contractors and employees.

"Government organisations, PSUs and other government authorities have been advised to use only digital payment methods such as internet banking, unified payment interface, cards, Aadhar-enabled payment systems to make payments to all stakeholders and their employees," he added.

Also, an option for payment through cards, digital banking, unified payment interface (UPI) and Aadhar-enabled payments will be provided at the point of disbursing of payment to various private agencies, contractors and private parties.

"In other words, the option of digital payments to private parties will be mandatorily provided. It will be an option that will be provided and instead of issuing a check or a demand draft, you can make payment through online transactions.

"All these measures are meant to promote digital penetration. It will help farmers in current Rabi season to ensure normal Rabi crops on the back of a good monsoon," he added.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
China under President Xi Jinping has become more aggressive and bullish, former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday, asserting that such a behavior is unlikely to last long. Indian-American Haley, in an interview to Fox News, said the Chinese were quiet and strategic during her tenure at the UN. They moved and made sure that they were trying to get positions in certain areas, and trying to get things done behind closed doors, she said.

"Then once President Xi kind of named himself king, they got very aggressive. They got very bullish. They started to kind of point their fingers in countries' faces saying, you'd better vote with us. They started to be very aggressive at the UN in wanting positions and wanting to have leadership roles. And they started talking down to everyone," Haley alleged.

With their Belt and Road initiative, the Chinese started really trying to buy up these infrastructures or partnering with smaller countries on infrastructure projects, she said. "But yet they go in, they wouldn't assimilate with the countries. The countries didn't like their attitude when they were coming in. Now we look at it, it's getting more aggressive in tone," said Haley, who resigned as UN ambassador in 2018 after nearly two years in the post.

"But this can't last. You know, any country that is not letting its people be free, there will be a time when the people rebel. So right now they're continuing to push, they're continuing to put pressure on Hong Kong, as we've seen. We're starting to see the pressure go to Taiwan, the South China Sea, in India. All of this is them playing kind of a king of the mountain scenario," Haley said.

She said the US needs to "let them know we're on to them, we need to actually follow through on the intellectual property measures that were in that trade deal that we had and hold them accountable". "We need to make sure we continue to let them know we're building up our military so that they know not to mess with us. We need to make sure that our American companies understand that when you do business in China, you are required to work with the Chinese military. That is a national security threat to America. And we really need to have those conversations with those Americans," Haley said in response to a question.

Supporting President Donald Trump's decision to close the Chinese consulate in Houston, Haley alleged that these consulates have been "spy centres" for a long time. "I mean there's no question that they had some illegal activity going on in those consulates. So I was thrilled to see them close down the one in Houston, which was known to be kind of the epicentre of where all of this was going on. And I think, you know, when you have Chinese officials being hidden at consulates, it goes to show you're doing something wrong," she said.

"This is where we really have to crack down on the spying. Whether it's the intellectual property, whether it's the theft that they're trying to do with our research with the vaccine and with what's going on with the coronavirus, we have to really start cracking down. I was glad to see them do that," Haley said.

Also read: US Fed announces extension in lending facilities until end of the year
The Bangladesh wing of ISIS on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack on the Pallabi Police Station in Dhaka that injured five people including four police personnel. According to news agency IANS, a bomb exploded at around 6 am when officer-in-charge of the police station was interrogating three terrorists.

The explosion occurred from the weight machine, IANS reported quoting police officials. The officer-in-charge (Investigation) of the police station and three other cops were injured in the blast, it added.

The police had recovered the weight machine and bomb from three persons in the morning. Additional Police Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan, Krishna Pada Roy had said, "An explosion occurred inside the police station when the bomb disposal unit was working, leaving four cops and a boy injured." He added, "August has always been an alarming month for us, as bombings in August 1975 and 2004, have rocked the country earlier."

A criminal gang based in Mirpur is active, who can carry out these terrorist activities, a police official said. Naldanga police station OC Nazrul Islam said, "A team has recovered a bomb-like object from Kalshi graveyard earlier in the morning. They brought it to the police station. We informed a bomb disposal unit to neutralise it. However, it exploded before the unit could reach the police station."

Two of the injured police officials were shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and one at the National Eye Institute. Two others were given first aid.

On July 27, Zee News had reported quoting intelligence agencies that the Bangladesh ISIS or the neo-JMB is likely to announce its new wing 'Bengal Ulayat' and would target government establishments.

The police headquarters has received intel inputs that this new wing of ISIS could target police establishments, government establishments and foreign missions or embassies in the country ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha scheduled to be held on August 1, 2020.

Acting on the intel, several units like the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), Anti-Terrorism Unit and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was put on highest alert.

A senior official of the Intelligence Unit said, We have received inputs that they could be planning to carry out subversive activities while announcing their new unit. We have alerted all our units including our special units and are taking all precautionary measures.

However, the Telegram channels affiliated to Bangla ISIS, like Al Mursalat, At Tamkin which shares messages or new announcements of wings have remained inactive since March this year. While these Telegram channels share messages like coming soon and other video messages have not had any new posts for four months.
JACKSON, Wis., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wisconsin Pharmacal Company, the official licensee of the Coleman brand of personal insect repellents, recently introduced its new Coleman Tick Protection Insect Repellent. The new EPA-registered personal insect repellent includes CDC-recommended 25% DEET to repel ticks that may carry Lyme disease, repelling ticks with an unscented powder dry spray for up to 8 hours.

The CDC considers Lyme disease to be the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Around 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported annually to the CDC by state health departments and the District of Columbia.

In addition to having tick repelling properties, Coleman Tick Protection also repels mosquitoes that may carry Zika and West Nile virus, as well as repelling chiggers, biting flies, no-see-ums, and fleas.

"Ticks are most active during the summer months and can live in our own backyard. The 25% DEET Tick Protection offers long-lasting protection that dries quickly and feels light on your skin." said Andrew J. Wundrock, Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing. "The uncompromising quality of our Coleman Insect Repellents continues with this brand extension and will deliver on the promise of outdoor insect protection for our customers."

Wisconsin Pharmacal has been a trusted leader in protecting outdoor enthusiasts from ticks and mosquitoes with its full line of premium personal insect repellents. For more details about Coleman personal insect repellents, area repellents, and citronella candles visit ColemanRepellents.com. For more information about Wisconsin Pharmacal Company - visit Pharmacalway.com or call 1-800-635-3696.

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Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) speak after a Democratic presidential candidate in Houston, Texas, on Sept. 12, 2019. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Politico Reports Biden Chose Harris as Running Mate, Says It Was an Error

Politico on Tuesday reported that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden chose Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as his running mate, a report the news outlet said was published in error.

In a piece about Bidens prospective vice presidential nominee, Politico said Biden chose Kamala Harris to become his running mate for the 2020 election on Aug. 1.

In his announcement, Biden called Harris a worthy opponent and a worthy running mate, alluding to the pairs rivalry during the earlier stages of the Democratic primary. She will bring her experience as a prosecutor, household name recognition, and skill as a debater to the ticket, the outlet reported.

Biden has never used the quote that was included.

A Politico spokesman told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement: Our standard practice is to use lorem ipsum as placeholder text, which in this instance obviously did not happen. We regret the error and any confusion that it caused.

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) before the second night of the second presidential Democratic candidates debate in Detroit, Mich., on July 31, 2019. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

Politico did not address where the quote attributed to Biden was from.

In the updated article, there is an editors note that states: An earlier version of this graphic mistakenly reported that Biden had made his VP selection. We regret the mistake.

Mark Bednar, spokesman for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), appeared to first notice the article.

Huh? Politico labeled Sen. Kamala Harris as Bidens running mate that he chose on August 1 (4 days from now), he wrote on Twitter.

Biden campaign spokesman TJ Ducklo said in a social media statement about Politicos report: Folks, this is not real. As the vice president said earlier today, he looks forward to making his announcement in August.

Biden told reporters in Delaware on Tuesday that hes going to choose his running mate in the first week in August.

The notes of Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden reference Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), among other things as he speaks at a campaign event at the William Hicks Anderson Community Center in Wilmington, Del., on July 28, 2020. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo)

Im going to try to figure out how to trick you all so I can meet with them in person. You got crews outside my house, he said.

Biden held notes that included references to Harris.

Under her name, the notes said: Do not hold grudges, Campaigned with me & Jill, Talented, Great help to campaign, and Great respect for her.

Besides Harris, others being considered include Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and former national security adviser Susan Rice.
Nguyen Huu Tin, former member of the standing board of the Party Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and former Vice Chairman of the city Peoples Committee, at a court. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  The Secretariat of the Party Central Committee has decided to expel three officials from the Party due to their serious violations of Party regulations and State laws.

The decision was made at a meeting of the Secretariat in Hanoi on July 28 under the chair of Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong.

The three expelled Party members included Nguyen Huu Tin, former member of the standing board of the Party Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and former Vice Chairman of the city Peoples Committee.

The second one was Dao Anh Kiet, former member of the Party Committee of HCM City and former Director of the citys Department of Natural Resources and Environment, who is serving an imprisonment term for violating regulations on management and use of State assets, causing loss and wastefulness.

The third one was Nguyen Van Dieu, member of the standing board of the Party Committee of Thai Binh province and head of the provincial Party Committees Commission for Internal Affairs. He has seriously violated the Party regulations on things that Party members are banned from doing and on Party members responsibility of setting examples for others. He also violated the Law on Road Traffic and Law on Prevention and Control of Harms of Liquor and Beer, causing severe consequences, and facing criminal charges.

The Secretariat also decided to give a reprimand to Lieutenant General Duong Duc Hoa, former member of the Party Central Committee, former Vice Secretary of the Party Committee and former Commander of Military Zone 2 over his serious violation of the principle of centralized democracy, the working regulation of Military Zone 2 and legal regulations on management and use of defence land.
The first day of school with in-class instruction for two Boerne ISD schools in Bexar County have been changed following an announcement by the Texas Education Agency that public school districts risk losing state funding if they shut campuses solely in response to closure orders issued by local health officials about the coronavirus.

Watch Live: San Antonio superintendents discuss reopening schools

Fair Oaks Ranch and Van Raub elementary schools will now join the district's other schools in Kendall County in opening on Aug. 12 for students whose families have chosen in-person learning five days a week  more than 60 percent at each school. Pursuant to a San Antonio Metro Health order, those schools had been scheduled to teach fully online until Labor Day.

The TEA announcement came hours after Attorney General Ken Paxton released a letter  which is not legally binding  in which he opined that state law does not allow local health authorities to order the closure of schools as a preemptive measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Thank you to Attorney General Ken Paxton for having confidence in BISD and school districts across Texas to execute our Back to School plans, the district said in a letter to families. Thank you, as well, to Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, along with our State and Local Elected Officials for offering guidance during this process.

Boerne ISD said it would work with local health directors to track coronavirus cases, conduct contact tracing and develop metrics for closing individual campuses when necessary, the letter said.

Boernes decision to break away from Metro Healths order drew criticism from Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

On ExpressNews.com: Reversing course, TEA wont fund schools closed solely due to Bexar County coronavirus health orders

Theyre doing that because they dont have trouble up in Boerne, but weve got trouble here and these schools are in Bexar County, not in Boerne, Wolff said, tapping his finger on a table for emphasis during the daily coronavirus briefing. We should be able to have them comply like the rest of em.

Nirenberg said the coronavirus crisis that has filled San Antonio hospitals affects Boerne residents just the same.
Black and Hispanic pregnant women in Philadelphia are five times as likely as white and Asian women to have been exposed to the novel coronavirus, according to a new study led by Scott Hensley, PhD, an associate professor of Microbiology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Karen Marie Puopolo, MD, PhD, an associate professor of Pediatrics and neonatologist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The study was published today in Science Immunology.

"Pregnant women are fairly representative of community exposure, and these data provide more evidence, on top of what we already know with COVID-19, that health and socio-economic equity are inextricably linked," Hensley said, "Hopefully, this will help lead to policies that address these inequities."

The research team measured levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to estimate rates of exposure to the novel coronavirus in pregnant women cared for at two Philadelphia hospitals. They found that, overall, 6.2 percent of these women possessed antibodies to the virus, but with significant variation across racial and ethnic groups -- 9.7 percent in Black women, 10.4 percent in Hispanic/Latina women, 2.0 percent in White/Non-Hispanic women, and 0.9 percent in Asian women.

Researchers said these data can inform clinical practice and care for pregnant women during the coronavirus pandemic, and be used to better understand the prevalence of the virus in the community, and how socio-economic factors and inequities may affect its spread.

"Identifying the disparity in virus exposure will ideally help lead to the discovery of what is causing these differences, including factors rooted in systemic racism, and inform public health measures aimed at preventing further infections," Puopolo said.

As of June 2020 -- the time period encompassed in this study -- there were 23,160 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city of Philadelphia, which has a population size of nearly 1.6 million people. This suggests an infection rate of approximately 1.4 percent, which is more than 4 times lower than the estimates based on the research team's serological data.

Researchers analyzed 1,293 women who gave birth between April and June at Pennsylvania Hospital and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, which combined represent 50 percent of live births during that time in Philadelphia. The research team's serological test utilized a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain antigen and a modified ELISA protocol. Researchers used samples stored at the Penn Medicine Biobank collected from 834 people prior to the pandemic and 31 people who recovered from known Covid-19 infections to test the efficacy of their antibody test. The researchers also tested samples from 140 pregnant women collected before the pandemic. Based on these data, the overall false positive rate is ~1.0 percent in the serological assay used for this study.

The researchers caution that the clinical meaning of the detected antibody remains unknown. Additionally, estimates of virus prevalence need to be interpreted carefully until studies directly comparing pregnant women and the general population are completed.

Additional authors from Penn and CHOP include Dustin D. Flannery, Sigrid Gouma, Miren B. Dhudasia, Sagori Mukhopadhyay, Madeline R. Pfeifer, Emily C. Woodford, Jeffrey S. Gerber, Claudia P. Arevalo, Marcus J. Bolton, Madison E. Weirick, Eileen C. Goodwin, Elizabeth M. Anderson, Allison R. Greenplate, Justin Kim, Nicholas Han, Ajinkya Pattekar, Jeanette Dougherty, Oliva Kuthuru, Divij Mathew, Amy E. Baxter, Laura A. Vella, JoEllen Weaver, Anurag Verma, Rita Leite, Jeffrey S. Morris, Daniel J. Rader, Michal A. Elovitz, and E. John Wherry.

This work was supported by institutional funds from the University of Pennsylvania (AI082630) and National Institutes of Health grants (UL1TR001878). The study was also generously supported by Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Philadelphia 76ers star player Joel Embiid, and co-managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer. E.J.W. is supported by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, which supports the cancer immunology program at Penn.
US Postal Service Makes Deal With Treasury for $10 Billion Loan

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and the Department of Treasury reached a deal this week that gives the service a loan of up to $10 billion, but only if its needed.

The loan comes through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2.2 trillion stimulus bill signed by President Donald Trump in late March to provide relief amid harsh restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The act enabled USPS, an agency operated by the federal government, to borrow up to $10 billion, from the Treasury, but only if the service determines that, due to the COVID-19 emergency, it will not be able to fund operating expenses without borrowing money.

The loan, therefore, is only available if the USPS needs it.

While the USPS is able to fund its operating expenses without additional borrowing at this time, we are pleased to have reached an agreement on the material terms and conditions of a loan, should the need arise, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

Mnuchin said he would keep working with new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to fulfill Trumps goal of establishing a sustainable business model under which USPS can continue to provide necessary mail service for all Americans, without shifting costs to taxpayers.

The USPS Board of Governors unanimously approved the agreement in principle. The parties plan to formally memorialize the agreement over the coming weeks.

DeJoy in a separate statement said the loan would delay the approaching liquidity crisis.

The Postal Service, however, remains on an unsustainable path and we will continue to focus on improving operational efficiency and pursuing other reforms in order to put the Postal Service on a trajectory for long-term financial stability, he added.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks with reporters about the virus relief package negotiations, at the White House in Washington on July 23, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

The sprawling service, which has more than 630,000 employees and delivers nearly half of the worlds mail, has struggled for years to be solvent. It has received regular injections of funding from the federal government.

Then-Postmaster General Megan Brennan warned Congress in April that USPS revenue could decline by some $13 billion because of the lockdowns implemented across the United States to try to curb the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19. She said the USPS would run out of money by September.

But revenue actually rose by $330 million during the pandemic, undercutting the warnings.

Even with a slight improvement in its financial position, the USPS needs to be redesigned, according to a recent report (pdf) from the Government Accountability Office.

The services current business model is not financially sustainable due to declining mail volumes, increased compensation and benefits costs, and increased unfunded liabilities and debt, according to the report.

Trump has pushed USPS to charge higher prices, particularly to Amazon and other Internet-based companies.
Rupsha Roy, a sixteen-year-old Class X student from Kolkata, is taking her first-term school examination from home. Considering the online proctoring methods used by higher education institutions across India, many would assume Roys school would adopt similar invigilation methods to monitor the students. That, however, wasnt quite the case.

Roy wrote the examination with the book right in front of her. She said that her school did not issue any guidelines on writing the exams online.

We had to log in on a portal and had been given a user id and password to write the examination. My friends openly used their mobile phones to search for answers. What is the use of giving exams like this, asked Roy.

Her mother, Anuradha Roy, agreed. When Anuradha and a few other parents sent an email to the school principal wanting to understand the rationale behind these exams, the school said that online proctoring systems cost several lakhs and so the management decided against it.

For a school, setting up a basic online exam platform could cost between Rs 30,000-70,000 per year if third-party services are availed. Completely online proctored tests with artificial intelligence (AI) assistance could cost between Rs 5-10 lakh on an average. The higher the number of students, the lower the cost for the conducting authority, since the candidate pays for the examination.

Also Read: Schools, parents fight over fee payment issue

Why are parents concerned?

Parents, especially of students in Classes IX-XII, are worried that the learning curve of the candidate will be hampered if online examinations are not monitored by the school authorities remotely.

Chennai-based education consultant Meenakshi Raman is of the view that video-based live oral assessments should be held.

If students can give examinations looking at answers from their mobile phones, the real impact of giving examinations will not be felt. For students in Class X and XII it is crucial. Else, how will the candidates be marked in internal assessments, she asked.

The fee issue has already created a rift between school managements and parents across India. Moneycontrol had reported on how several Gujarat schools have now even stopped online classes since the State government had asked these institutions to not collect any fees till physical classes resume.

On July 27, the schools in Gujarat resumed classes after multiple requests from parents.

Who bears the cost?

Now, when parents are facing challenges even paying regular school fees due to online classes, the worry is over how they will agree to paying an additional sum for an online proctored test.

Sanjana Ramrakhiani, principal of a Pune-based private school, is of the view that schools cannot be made to bear all costs.

Exams are conducted for the benefit of students. If advanced technology is to be used, how can school managements be expected to pay for this? Parents will have to pitch in, she added.

Also Read: How does online proctoring work?

However, Meerut-based businessman Shravan Gupta disagrees. He is of the view that since schools already collect multiple charges on an annual basis, including administrative costs, a caution deposit and examination fees, these should be used to pay for technology.

Why should parents keep funding schools all the time? These institutions already keep collecting high fees even when no classes are being held. My 12-year-old son has some two to three online classes conducted by his school every week. I have paid annual fees of Rs 2.5 lakh already. Why cant they use that money for these proctored exams, he added.

Why should parents keep funding schools all the time? These institutions already keep collecting high fees even when no classes are being held. My 12-year-old son has some two to three online classes conducted by his school every week. I have paid annual fees of Rs 2.5 lakh already. Why cant they use that money for these proctored exams, he added.

With an estimated 1.5 million schools across India in rural and urban areas, it is unlikely that online proctored examinations will be preferred by everyone. In rural areas, low internet connectivity would mean that online proctored tests done live would face disruptions. Further, the high costs may be unaffordable.

Right now, clarity is awaited from the Human Resource Development Ministry on mid-term assessment models for Classes X and XII. For the rest of the classes, open-book tests will continue till physical classes resume.
Eastar Jet's office in Seoul / Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye



Eastar Jet is struggling to draw up countermeasures to avoid bankruptcy, after Jeju Air put a stop to its planned acquisition of the low-cost carrier (LCC). The new measures could include filing for court receivership and searching for new investors in addition to asking for help from the provincial government, industry officials said Wednesday.



The troubled budget carrier, which was set up by Rep. Lee Sang-jik of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, in October 2007, is desperate to save itself as its bankruptcy would result in around 1,600 employees losing their jobs.



Jeju Air, the nation's largest LCC, gave up on its acquisition of Eastar Jet, July 23, due mainly to growing uncertainties in the aviation industry caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.



Many expect Eastar Jet to go bankrupt following Jeju Air's decision to back out of its share purchase agreement signed with Eastar Holdings, as the air carrier has already fallen into a state of capital impairment.



But Eastar Jet founder Lee said he will mobilize every possible means to save the company.



"What is important for now is reviving the company and finding good investors," he said during a meeting with reporters at the North Jeolla Provincial Assembly, Wednesday. "Although I have not participated in managing the company, I will do what I can as its founder and recommend to the management of the company the optimal ways it could be saved."



Industry officials said the company is expected to file for court receivership to reduce the amount of its liabilities and then move to find new buyers.



The company is also reportedly considering asking North Jeolla Province for help.



In a bid to hold Jeju Air responsible for the cancellation of the acquisition deal, Eastar Jet is also moving to take the firm to court.



"We will take legal action against Jeju Air," Lee said. "We hope the truth will come out in court."



Lee added Eastar Jet CEO Choi Jong-gu plans to announce measures to save the company next week at the earliest.



Meanwhile, the pilot union of Eastar Jet has decided to file a complaint against Rep. Lee, claiming that his son and daughter acquired stocks in the budget carrier through illegitimate measures, the union said Wednesday.


Abrupt changes to coronavirus quarantine policies in Europe will have a "rollercoaster effect" on airlines and the wider economic recovery, according to the chief executive officer of the low cost carrier Wizz Air.

The U.K. government surprised many British tourists over the weekend by announcing a sudden change to its quarantine policy. Those arriving in England from Spain from Sunday onward will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

The U.K. argued that a recent increase in the number of Covid-19 infections in Spain had prompted the decision. The Spanish government condemned the change in policy arguing that the country was safe to tourists despite some regional outbreaks.

"We used to be debating the recovery of the pandemic is 'V' shape or 'U' shape I think we should expect a rollercoaster effect," Jozsef Varadi, CEO of Wizz Air, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Wednesday.

"Spain will improve again but some other markets might come under scrutiny," he added, explaining that airlines will simply have to cope with the uncertainty.

Investors have expressed some concerns this week over the growing number of Covid-19 cases in different regions within Europe. Alongside Spain, Luxembourg, Romania and Bulgaria are some of the European nations seeing a spike in cases.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this week that "amongst some of our European friends, I am afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic."

The U.K. is second only to Russia for the highest number of reported coronavirus cases in Europe.
- Mansur Mohamed Surur has been on the radar of many security agencies both international and local

- The man was wanted in connection to a series of crimes including money laundering, illegal trade in ivory and drug trafficking

- Surur was among 47 Kenyans who were stranded in Yemen and was arrested at Mombasa airport on Wednesday, July 29

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have arrested a suspected criminal wanted by the United States of America over his involvement in ivory trade and drug trafficking.

Mansur Mohamed Surur aka Mansour, 60, was arrested at Moi International Airport Mombasa on Wednesday, July 29, after he landed from Yemen on board a chartered aircraft.

READ ALSO: Benjamin Mkapa: Thousands of maskless Tanzanians gathered at Uhuru Stadium to bid ex-president goodbye

Mansur Mohamed Surur, aka Mansour was arrested over his involvement in illegal trade. Photo: The Citizen

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: City Hall chaos: Confusion as reinstated clerk issues notice suspending Speaker Elachi

In a report by Daily Nation, Surur was among 47 Kenyans who were stranded in Yemen and was arrested shortly after alighting from a chartered Skyward Express flight on Wednesday morning.

He is said to have been on the radar of many agencies over his involvement in trafficking of drugs and participating in the illegal trade of rhino horns and elephant ivory.

"Today morning at 01.00 hrs...holder of passport number A2283881 and Kenyan ID card no.0069184 who had been flagged as wanted in the US for ivory related offences was arrested at the arrival terminals at Moi International Airport...He was subsequently handed over to Interpol Nairobi for further action," read a police report.

Surur was accused of having been involved in illegal poaching of more than 35 rhinos and more than 100 elephants for their tusks and horns valued at more than KSh 700 million.

READ ALSO: Magazeti ya Jumatano, Julai 29: Ripoti kinzani kutoka Tanzania kuhusu ndege ya Kenya kugeuzwa

According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Surur and Abdi Hussein Ahmed aka Abu Khadi were wanted fugitives.

Surur and two others had previously been charged with money laundering as well as participating in a conspiracy to distribute more than 10 kilogrammes of heroin.

He was reported to be a member of a well connected international crime syndicate based in Uganda engaged in large-scale trafficking and smuggling of rhino horns and elephant ivory.

Surur is accused of having killed over 100 elephants for their tusks. Photo: African Geographic

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: NMS boss General Badi gives owners of city buildings 60 days to repaint them

Between December 2012 and May 2019, Surur and Ahmed and two others conspired to transport, distribute, sell and smuggle at least about 190 kilogrammes of rhino horn and at least 10 tonnes of elephant ivory.

The items were taken from wildlife in African countries including Uganda, DR Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal and Tanzania.

They are said to have concealed the animal body parts in African artworks such as statues before exporting and selling them in the United States and countries in Southeast Asia.

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Source: TUKO.co.ke
SEATTLE, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyze Labs, Inc. has closed 15 million in financing led by Norwest Venture Partners, with participation from American Family Ventures, Marcy Venture Partners and Amino Capital.

The $15M fund will be used to continue building the smart home for mass adoption by further improving the IoT infrastructure and AI in current product offerings, and by expanding into new product categories.

Wyze was founded in 2017 and has built a reputation for making high-quality smart home devices at a fraction of the price of competitors.

"We resonate with their innovative and adaptive culture and vision to make smart home accessible to everyone," said Larry Marcus, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Marcy Venture Partners.

In just 3 years, Wyze has brought several products to market including Wyze Cam, Wyze Cam Pan, Wyze Sense, Wyze Bulb, Wyze Plug, Wyze Lock, Wyze Band, Wyze Scale, and most recently Wyze began accepting preorders for the Wyze Cam Outdoor.

With this investment, Wyze will soon add several new products to the Wyze ecosystem, including a thermostat and a video doorbell.

"Being friends with customers is at the heart of everything we do. This new fund will allow us to continue on our mission to make smart home technology accessible to all by building features and new products recommended by our users," said Yun Zhang, Co-Founder and CEO of Wyze.

The funding is in addition to the previous seed funding investment from iSeed ventures, and Series A Investment from Norwest Venture Partners.

"Since we last invested, Wyze has released several game-changing devices and gone from upstart to leader in smart home technology. They've tapped into a level of customer love that's extremely rare and strongly correlated with long-term success," said Parker Barrile, Partner at Norwest Venture Partners. "We're thrilled with the company's progress and excited to deepen our partnership with Yun and his team."

About Wyze Labs, Inc.

Based in Seattle, WA, Wyze Labs was born out of the belief that quality smart home technology should be accessible to everyone. The company partners with innovators and best-in-class manufacturers who share its mission and values: to create high-quality products that are easy to use and have the features customers care about at a fraction of the price. For more information, visit www.wyze.com .

About Norwest Venture Partners

Norwest is a premier multi-stage investment firm managing more than $7.5 billion in capital. Since our inception, we have invested in more than 600 companies and partner with over 140 active companies across our venture and growth equity portfolio. The firm invests in early to late stage companies across a wide range of sectors with a focus on consumer, enterprise, and healthcare. We offer a deep network of connections, operating experience, and a wide range of impactful services to help CEOs and founders scale their businesses. Norwest has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, with subsidiaries in India and Israel. For more information, please visit www.nvp.com . Follow Norwest on Twitter @NorwestVP .

About American Family Ventures

American Family Ventures is a $200 million early-stage (seed to series B investments) thematic focused fund that invests in startups poised to shape the future of insurance. AFV was launched in 2012 and has had many successful exits, most notably Ring, which sold to Amazon in 2018.

About Marcy Venture Partners (MVP)

MVP was Co-Founded by JAY-Z, Jay Brown and Larry Marcus. The firm has a passion for investing in game-changing consumer businesses and brands that resonate with culture. The firm is based in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

About AMINO Capital

AMINO Capital is a data-driven venture firm based in Palo Alto focused on seed to growth-stage investments in big data and data-driven technologies. To date, Amino has funded over 160 companies, including 21 successful exits, 7 unicorns, and over 17 startups with valuations above $100 million. Amino's portfolio includes Assemblage (acquired by Cisco), Orbeus (acquired by Amazon), Ozlo (acquired by Facebook), GrokStyle(acquired by Facebook), Chime Bank, HeadSpin, AIFI.io , Vicarious, Webflow, Weee and Grail.

About iSeed Ventures

iSeed Ventures is a Silicon Valley venture capital fund that invests in early stage companies. The firm partners with entrepreneurs looking to make a decisive mark in the consumer, healthcare and IoT markets. iSeed is a hands-on investor and often is the first and only investor in the genesis of the company.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Wyze Labs, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.wyze.com


CPM leader Sitaram Yechury alleged that none of the suggestions sent by academicians were included in the new National Education Policy cleared by the Union cabinet

The new National Education Policy (NEP), which was approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, evoked mixed reactions from academicians as well as political leaders. While some welcomed the move, saying that it will make education more holistic, others argued that it would pave the way for privatisation.

The NEP brings about sweeping reforms in the education sector including reduction of curriculum to core concepts, replacement of 10+2 structure of school curricula with a 5+3+3+4 structure and medium of instruction up to Class 5 in mother tongue or regional language.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the NEP is a long due and much-awaited reform in the education sector which will transform millions of lives in the times to come.

In a series of tweets, he said the New Education Policy is based on the pillars of "access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability".

NEP 2020 has provisions to set up a Gender Inclusion Fund and also Special Education Zones. These will specially focus on making education more inclusive. NEP 2020 would improve the education infrastructure and opportunities for persons with disabilities.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 29, 2020

Referring to the consultation process before the policy was brought before the Union Cabinet, the prime minister said framing of NEP 2020 will be remembered as a shining example of participative governance.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) VC M Jagadesh Kumar said the Cabinet nod to the NEP was a positive step forward.

"NEP is the outcome of an extensive, highly participatory and inclusive consultation process. NEP aims at meeting the existing challenges in education and build the foundation of India''s promising future.We look forward to its implementation," he told PTI.

However, the claims of the process being consultative were contested by some, including the CPI (M), which termed the NEP as a "unilateral drive to destroy Indian education", alleging that the Parliament has been completely bypassed in the process of forming the policy.

"The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly denounces the Union Cabinet decision to unilaterally impose a New Education Policy and rename the Ministry of Human Resource Development," the CPI(M) said in a statement.

"Education is in the Concurrent List in our Constitution. It is a gross violation by the Central Government to impose a New Education Policy unilaterally bypassing all the objections and opposition recorded by various state governments," it said, while demanding a "thorough discussion" in the Parliament before the implementation of the policy.

"This unilateral drive is to destroy the Indian education system with a policy that seeks greater centralisation, communalisation and commercialisation of Indian education. The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly protests against this move by the BJP Central government," it added.

Union Home minister Amit Shah, however, said that India was in dire need of "such a futuristic policy" and said that it will contribute to the overall development of children across the country.

Objective of National Education Policy 2020 is to bring in a huge transformational change in the Indian Education system through holistic and multidisciplinary approaches.

Focus on different aspects will lead to the overall development of the children across the country. #NEP2020  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 29, 2020

BJP president JP Nadda said that the much-awaited reforms and regulatory framework cater to the needs of a "New India".

"Formulated after wide consultations, NEP 2020 ensures early child care and education, equity to all learners and a robust teacher recruitment apart from fostering quality research," he said.

Formed HRD minister Smriti Irani also hailed the move as transformative.

Grateful to PM @narendramodi Ji & Cabinet for approving National Education Policy 2020 - a transformative restructuring of Education in India encompassing every stage of learning from early education to higher education with greater emphasis on technology & digitisation. #NEP2020  Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 29, 2020

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the decision, stating that it would boost the education sector. He also said that the emphasis on education in the mother tongue would enhance critical thinking abilities among children.

The policy emphasizes mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction until Grade 5 which is certainly a welcome move. This is crucial for children to develop critical thinking & literacy skills leading to better academic performance. (2/2)  N Chandrababu Naidu #StayHomeSaveLives (@ncbn) July 29, 2020

The move was also welcomed by the Confederation of Industries, which said that it was glad to note that its recommendations had been accepted by the government.

"CII looks forward to working closely with the Ministry of Education on various action points which were discussed at the CII Education Summit and which have become part of a new system with the approval of the NEP today," it said.

A panel led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Kasturirangan had submitted the draft of the new education policy to Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal when he took charge last year.

The draft was then put in public domain to seek feedback from various stakeholders and over two lakh suggestions were received by the HRD Ministry about the same.

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, however, alleged that none of the suggestions sent by academicians had been taken into consideration.

The draft of New Education Policy was put out in the public domain seeking suggestions from all stakeholders, mainly the academia, the teaching community and the students. In addition, many intellectuals had also sent in their observations. None of these have been considered. https://t.co/xEyQlZyWvi  Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) July 29, 2020

CPM affiliated Students Federation of India (SFI) also raised objections to the NEP.

First they came with UGC guidelines, now without any consideration and discussion they are implementing highly problematic National Education policy. Let's get United and raise our voice. #RejectNEP pic.twitter.com/BbTYWI7nEF  SFI (@SFI_CEC) July 29, 2020

The All India Students Association (AISA) also accused the Centre on not taking into consideration issues raised by stakeholders and said that the agenda of privatisation was being pursued by the government.

The pandemic crisis turned into opportunity to push for privatisation in education! Behind the veil of inclusion, there is nothing but provisions for exclusion! AISA rejects the anti education draft & demands it be immediately withdrawn!#NewEducationPolicy pic.twitter.com/niZ71ugrFr  AISA (@AISA_tweets) July 29, 2020

Delhi University's Academics for Action and Development (AAD), a teachers' body, called the NEP a policy of "tall ends with little means''.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said that the party would comment after studying the new policy, but indicated that the party was expecting a "roadmap" for the implementation of the reforms listed.

"National Education policy after so many years of wait is welcome step. But as I have said earlier, an education policy cannot be a compilation of all wishful thinking about education. It's important to say 'what we'll do' but it's more important to tell 'how we'll do that'," Sisodia tweeted on Wednesday.

Other provisions of the NEP include extension of the Right to Education (RTE) Act to to pre-primary and secondary levels, a single regulator for higher education institutions, multiple entry and exit options in degree courses, discontinuation of MPhil programmes.

Under the NEP, Sanskrit will be will be offered at all levels of school and higher education.

Former Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh, who also reviewed the draft document in an official capacity, said the policy lays down the road map pretty nicely. "The policy has a good vision for school education, which is the foundation for higher education," he said.

"They have talked about experiential learning which is so useful. Unless you improve school education, you cannot improve higher education. The concept of transciplinarity, hands on experience, breaking down of barriers between subjects and connecting them to society are some of the key points in the policy. This is the best chance of universities to create curricula around the challenges of society," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.

Jamia Millia Islamia vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar also lauded the NEO, calling it"groundbreaking". Higher education in India will now be holistic and multi-disciplinary with a shared focus on Science, Arts and Humanities, PTI quoted her as saying.

"A single regulator for all higher educational institutions is a great idea as it will bring coherence of approach and purpose. It will realise the vision of education in India," she added.

However, Delhi University professor Naveen Gaur said that the policy has just "jazzier things" to say.

"Even though it says that the Higher Education Commission of India will be a single regulator, it will have four verticals, which means that one vertical will be responsible for policy formulation and another for funding which is dangerous," he said.

He also termed as dangerous the entry of foreign universities in India, without any regulations, which he said the policy enabled. The professor argued that the policy will take away the autonomy of institutions rather than making them more autonomous.

Jamia Teachers' Association secretary Majid Jamil questioned the timing of the policy changes.

"At a time when there is coronavirus pandemic, what was the need to hurry? The policy talks about online learning and virtual labs but there is no substitute to face-to-face learning. It also talks about four-year undergraduate programme, something which was implemented in Delhi University, but was met with opposition and was subsequently withdrawn. We do not agree with it," Jamil added.

With inputs from agencies
Actor Ankita Lokhande, former girlfriend of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, on Wednesday put out a cryptic post. Truth wins, she wrote on Instagram. The post comes hours after Sushant Singh Rajputs family filed an FIR against Rhea Chakraborty and a few others. Sushants family, who live in Patna, have accused her of abetment to suicide, alleging that she cheated him financially and mentally harassed him.

From the time of Sushants death, Ankita has been guarded about her posts. She has used symbolism to express her thoughts, rather than write them directly in words. Take a look - on the day, Sushants last film Dil Bechara released online, sharing a motion poster she wrote: #pavitrarishta to #dilbechara One last time !!! While TV serial Pavitra Rishta was the first time when Sushant hit the limelight, Dil Bechara was his swansong.

Just six days back, she posted a picture from the prayer corner of her home with images of Lord Ganesha, Jesus Christ and Mother Mary and lit diya, she wrote: HOPE,PRAYERS AND STRENGTH !!! Keep smiling. wherever you are.

On July 14, one month from Sushants death, she had again posted a picture of a lit diya and had simply written: Child of God.

On Tuesday, Sushants father Krishna Kumar Singh (74), who had maintained a stoic silence over the tragic death of his 34-year-old son on June 14, filed the FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to abetment of suicide and fraud, inspector general of police (IGP), Patna zone, Sanjay Singh told PTI.

The IGP said a four-member team has left for Mumbai to investigate the charges levelled by the complainant. After Sushants death, Rhea had requested union home minister Amit Shah to initiate a CBI probe in the actors death. I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step, she wrote.

Mumbai Police is already probing the alleged suicide case, and has questioned several Bollywood bigwigs including filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Rhea has also recorded her statement.

The case has been lodged under various sections of IPC including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

In his complaint, Sushants father has also sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the machinations of Rhea and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.

Singh has accused Rhea, a budding TV and film actor, of having befriended Sushant in May, 2019 with a clear intent to use his good contacts for the advancement of her own career. He has also alleged that the actor was aided by her family members, including parents, since they all were looking to purloin the assets of my son worth crores of rupees and started interfering in all aspects of his life.

Singh wanted a police investigation to ascertain where the Rs 15 crore deposited in a bank account, held by Sushant, was transferred. The complaint said Rhea and her family convinced Sushant to leave his own residence and stay at a resort in the vicinity of Mumbai claiming his house was haunted, reported PTI.

Singh has alleged that Rhea got Sushant treated by some conniving doctors for mental illness while keeping his family in the dark. He also alleged that on June 6, less than a week before Sushant was found hanging from the ceiling of his Bandra house, Rhea came to his place and decamped with many of his belongings, including cash, his laptop, ATM card and other important documents.

Also read: Rhea Chakraborty threatened to frame Sushant Singh Rajput, used his credit cards, says his father in FIR

At one point of time, my son decided to give up films, settle down in Coorg and pursue farming. He was blackmailed by Rhea who threatened him that she would make his medical history public and let the world know that he was mentally unstable, putting his career in jeopardy, he alleged in the FIR. He also claimed that Rhea created distance between Sushant and his family.

The actor, aged 34, was found dead at his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14. Several political leaders and film personalities have demanded a CBI probe into his death.

Sushants suspected death by suicide has also triggered a debate on alleged nepotism and favouritism in the Hindi film industry. It is alleged that the actor was ostracised in the film industry.

(With PTI inputs)

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Philip at the Captain General's Parade, his final individual public engagement, at Buckingham Palace in London in 2017. (PA Images)

Prince Philip is to make a rare public appearance as he carries out an engagement despite being retired.

The Duke of Edinburgh will take part in a ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday when he hands over his role of Colonel-in-Chief of the The Rifles, passing it on to Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

As Camilla and the duke are in different places, the ceremony will take place across two homes, starting in Windsor and then transferring to Highgrove House, where she is now living having moved back from Scotland.

The duke, 99, will arrive to the sound of four buglers, and the Assistant Colonel Commandant, Major General Tom Copinger-Symes, will salute him to thank him for 67 years of service The Rifles, and their forming and antecedent Regiments.

The Rifles has only existed in its current form since 2007, but Philip was Colonel-in-Chief of successive Regiments which now make up The Rifles, a role he took up in 1953.

The Duchess of Cornwall, 73, took on the role of Royal Colonel of The Rifles in 2007.

Read more: Arise Sir Tom: Captain Tom Moore knighted by Queen in private ceremony

Following the salute on Wednesday, the buglers will play the No More Parades call, which marks Philips final ceremony.

As that happens, the ceremony will transfer to Highgrove House, the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall in Tetbury, Gloucestershire.

There, the duchess will be welcomed by four buglers, and by The Rifles Colonel Commandant, General Sir Patrick Sanders.

She will meet the buglers and a small party from 4th Battalion The Rifles, and then have an audience with Gen Sanders.

Camilla will continue to be the Royal Colonel as well as Colonel-in-Chief.

Read more: Prince Philip thanks scientists working on COVID-19 vaccine

Philip was able to attend his granddaughter's wedding. (Benjamin Wheeler/PA Wire)

Since retiring in 2017, Philip has spent most of his time living on the Sandringham Estate, the royals private home in Norfolk.

Story continues

He has continued to be represented at events by others, but rarely carries out his own duties now. He issued a rare statement during the coronavirus pandemic to thank scientists working on a vaccine.

He was also able to attend the wedding of his granddaughter, Princess Beatrice, to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi which took place in Windsor on Friday.

One of his engagements since his retirement involved The Rifles, as he met former commandant General Sir Nicholas Carter and new commandant General Sanders in June last year, at Windsor Castle.

The Rifles currently has battalions on deployment in Afghanistan, the Middle East, Estonia, Cyprus and working on the UKs COVID-19 response.
Most of the hulking sandstone boulders - called sarsens - that make up the United Kingdom's famous Stonehenge monument appear to share a common origin 25 kilometers away in West Woods, Wiltshire, according to an analysis of the stones' chemical composition. The findings support the theory that the stones were brought to Stonehenge at around the same time, contradicting a previous suggestion that one large sarsen, the Heel Stone, originated in the immediate vicinity of the monument and was erected earlier than the others. The results may also help scientists identify the route the monument's ancient builders would have taken to transport the enormous rocks to their celebrated resting site. "Until recently we did not know it was possible to provenance a stone like sarsen," says David Nash, the lead author of the study. "It has been really exciting to use 21st century science to understand the Neolithic past and answer a question that archaeologists have been debating for centuries." Since technology for determining the origins of the enormous sarsens, which tower at up to 30 feet tall, weigh as much as 25 tons, and make up most of Stonehenge, did not exist until recently, most research has revolved around the monument's smaller "bluestones" - various types of rock that clearly were not gathered locally. To learn where the behemoth boulders came from, Nash and colleagues used portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (PXRF) to initially characterize their chemical composition, then analyzed the data statistically to determine their degree of chemical variability. Next, the researchers performed inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ICP-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) of samples from a core previously drilled through one sarsen stone and a range of sarsen boulders from across southern Britain. After comparing these signatures, Nash et al. were able to point to West Woods as the sarsens' earliest home. The reason the monument's builders selected this site remains a mystery, although the researchers suggest the size and quality of West Woods' stones, and the ease with which the builders could access them, may have factored into the decision.

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In an interview on Sunday, he said that the agreement entails the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in a 14-month timetable.

Kabul, July 27 (IANS) Taliban deputy leader Mullah Baradar said the Doha agreement with US has been "positive so far", but if Washington does not pullout troops on schedule, the militant group "will make the necessary decisions".

"The results of implementation of the Doha agreement with the US have been positive so far. In the first stage, the US announced it has evacuated five military bases, and the number of American troops has been reduced to 8,600, as this process continues.

"However, if the foreign forces do not leave Afghanistan on schedule, the Islamic Emirate will make the necessary decisions," TOLO News quoted Baradar as saying in the interview.

He underlined that there was no hidden agreement between the group and the US.

He also urged the Kabul government to release the Taliban prisoners to pave the way for intra-Afghan talks.

"The release of all 5,000 Taliban prisoners is the precondition for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations," he stated.

Under the US-Taliban peace deal, the Taliban demanded the release of 5,000 inmates, and the Afghan government has so far released 4,245.

In exchange, the Taliban has released over 860 government hostages, out of 1,000 total mentioned in agreement.

--IANS

ksk/
(TNS)  After troubling signs this year that the COVID-19 pandemic had sharply cut into new voter registrations, stepped-up efforts by Black voter-mobilization groups have begun to show success.In early June, citing protests as a driving inspiration, HeadCount, a national voter-mobilization nonprofit group that stages registration drives at concerts and other events, collaborated with the Black Voters Matter Fund, music industry leaders and grass-roots organizations to launch March on Ballot Boxes (M.O.B.B.). The initiative  its name drawn from a 1965 speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  seeks to educate and empower Black voters to show up at the polls in November and is particularly focused on swing states."People I've been trying to work with for years through HeadCount are coming out of the woodwork," said Mollie Farrell, HeadCount's director of artistic relations. "The time is now."M.O.B.B. is part of a constellation of voter-mobilization initiatives that have popped up nationwide to tap into the energy unleashed by the protest movement after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.Among other efforts, LeBron James launched his group More Than a Vote; more than a dozen Black celebrities including Beyonce and Solange Knowles joined Mothers of the Movement in demanding stronger election support in a letter to Congress; and the Atlanta Hawks partnered with Fulton County in Georgia to construct the largest polling station in the state.Collectively, they've had an impact. According to data gathered by TargetSmart, a Democratic firm that tracks potential voters, registration surged in several states in the days after protests began. California is among the states that have seen a surge in registrations by young people and voters of color, the firm's numbers show.Through United We Vote, HeadCount's initiative, the organization provided voter registration tools  text messaging and QR codes, which protesters could print and display on their signs. By scanning the code with a smartphone, protesters could immediately register to vote."It was our rapid response to the protests," Farrell said. "We all came together for an organization-wide brainstorm and tried to figure out what tools we could provide, and how to package them in a way that was going to bring in added results to the protests beyond value-signaling issues."In June, in the weeks after Floyd's death, HeadCount and its affiliates registered 14,898 new voters. Four years ago, the organization registered only 1,204 new voters in the same month.Among other efforts to mobilize Black voters, M.O.B.B. aims to bring a sense of celebration to polling stations and registration events. At the June 23 primary election at the Kentucky Expo Center, where residents waited in hours-long lines in Jefferson County's only polling station, M.O.B.B. provided food and coffee trucks. The event, funded by pop star Ariana Grande, has since been replicated in other cities.On July 16, HeadCount joined with Atlantic Records, the first major label to partner with the organization, to launch ATL Votes, a digital voter registration campaign focused on mobilizing and encouraging young voters.Since its inception in 2004, HeadCount says that it has registered 600,000 new voters through various events. But this year, the push for voter registration is particularly crucial because the pandemic has disrupted or obliterated many traditional voter registration efforts.HeadCount and other groups are seeking to take advantage of a historic surge in activism."The current uprisings  the flooding of the streets with protesters at the level at which it's been sustained  are the largest we've seen since the 1960s," said Alaina Morgan, an African diaspora historian at the University of Southern California.Even before George Floyd's killing, voting rights activists ramped up their efforts to counter voter suppression tactics, such as flawed voter-roll purges, criminalizing of voter registration drives and voter ID requirements that disproportionately affect Black voters.While the recent surge in voter registration numbers is promising, Farrell stresses there is a slate of immediate work to be done. In a normal election year, HeadCount would be setting up voter registration stations at concerts and music industry events, gearing up for National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22, which Farrell said has been the organization's biggest registration day of the year since 2012.But this year, with pandemic restrictions, waiting until the fall will be too late."There's a lot of concern that if you wait, the systems are going to be overloaded," she said. "Right now is crunch time."
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Kim Kardashian West arrived at the studio is Los Angeles on Tuesday, after flying back from Wyoming earlier this week, where she held marriage crisis talks with her troubled husband Kanye West.

The 39-year-old reality star was dressed down in white sweatpants with her tied back in a bun as she exited her vehicle in LA, where she was believed to be overseeing a photoshoot for her SKIMS line.

The sighting comes amid claims Kim feels 'trapped in her marriage' to Kanye, 43, who suffers from bipolar disorder, and has previously urged him to quit his controversial bid for presidency.

Back to work: Kim Kardashian arrives at LA studio for a SKIMS photoshoot on Wednesday after flying back from Wyoming amid ongoing drama with husband Kanye West

Kim 'doesn't know what to do' following his erratic outbursts at his political campaign rally and Twitter meltdown, according to a new report by PEOPLE Magazine.

'Kim feels trapped,' source tells the publication. 'She loves Kanye and she thinks of him as the love of her life. But she doesn't know what to do.'

The source adds: 'She knows that it's not healthy for her to be around him now, and it's honestly not healthy for the kids. He needs to get his stuff together before he can be any sort of partner or father.'

Kim's six-year marriage to Kanye has been put under more strain than ever this month, after he claimed at his first presidential campaign rally that they considered aborting their first child, North, and then later accused Kim of having an affair with rapper Meel Mill.

The show must go on: Kim, 39, arrived at what appeared to be a photoshoot for her SKIMS line

Though Kanye has since publicly apologized for his behavior and outbursts, it seems that Kim is still in limbo and her next steps in the marriage.

A separate report from PEOPLE claims that Kim tried to persuade Kanye against his controversial presidency bid.

'Kim urged Kanye to not move forward with running for president, but he won't listen,' their other source claims.

Meanwhile a Wednesday report from UsWeekly claims the couple were spending 'weeks apart' even before their drama, which saw Kim jet into Wyoming this week where they had a blazing row near a Wendy's restaurant.

'Kanye has been in Wyoming for the last year. Kim goes about once every five weeks and brings the kids,' a source claims to the outlet.

Crisis talks: Kim Kardashian West reunited with her husband Kanye West on Monday, after flying into Wyoming where she was pictured sobbing during an intense conversation with the troubled rapper

Work: A model is seen wearing Kim's SKIMS range outside a studio, where the reality star flocked to after arriving back in LA

Model behavior: A model was seen wearing Kim's range suggesting the reality star is throwing herself back into work mode

'When together, things are fine between them but they havent been spending time together because he moved his life completely to Wyoming and thats not where their life is, their family is, their kids are in school or the larger family is.'

A source told Dailymail.com that Kim is back in LA to be with the kids while Kanye finishes up his latest album.

Kim flew to Kanye's Cody, Wyoming compound on Monday to speak to him. Things appeared overwhelming for the star, who was seen crying during a conversation with West.

'She is very emotional about everything, and also exhausted,' a source told People magazine Monday. 'She feels very hurt by Kanye. She has tried to reach him multiple times and he just ignores her. It's all a bad situation.'

Crisis talks: Kim held tense talks with Kanye in Cody, Wyoming earlier this week

The insider added: 'She decided to fly to Cody to speak with him in person. She doesn't want to be ignored anymore.'

On Sunday Kanye publicly said sorry to his wife via Twitter.

'I would like to apologize 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.'

Kanye appeared at a campaign rally in South Carolina on July 19 (pictured) in which he delivered a lengthy monologue which sparked concerns about his well-being

He said sorry: However, Kanye apologized to his wife in a tweet last week, amid reports that he went to hospital to be treated for anxiety

Last week, Kim took to Instagram following Kanye's controversial behavior, admitting that she was 'powerless' amid his meltdown, calling her husband 'brilliant but complicated'.

The reality star said 'his words sometimes do not align with his intentions' after Kanye last night claimed he has been 'trying to get divorced' from Kim since she met his fellow rapper Meek Mill at a hotel.

Kanye said last Tuesday that Kim was 'out of line' to meet Meek Mill at a hotel in Los Angeles to talk about 'prison reform', and blasted her mother Kris Jenner as 'Kris Jong-Un' while accusing the pair of 'white supremacy.'

Too young to worry: Kim is reportedly trying to keep her four children away from the current drama surrounding dad Kanye West and the superstar pair's marriage

'Complicated and painful': Kim took to Instagram last Wednesday morning following West's late night Twitter meltdown, saying she feels 'powerless' amid his struggle with bi-polar disorder

However, Kanye apologized to his wife in a tweet last week, amid reports that he went to hospital to be treated for anxiety.

The rapper tweeted: 'I would like to apologize 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 [sic] Kim I want to say I know I hurt you. Please forgive me. Thank you for always being there for me.'

His apology came after Kim gave a frank and honest statement about the situation to her fans, sharing three pages to her Instagram story last Wednesday saying: 'Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor.'

She told her 180 million followers: 'I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions.'

'He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder.

'Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his intentions.'
(CNN)  Maurice "Reese" Schonfeld, who helped launch the cable news era as the first president of CNN, has died. He was 88.

His widow Pat O'Gorman and daughter Juliette Reverand confirmed his death. "He loved CNN," O'Gorman said. "He was very proud of it. It was a good time for him."

Schonfeld, a brash newsman from Newark, New Jersey, teamed up with Ted Turner in 1979 to create CNN, which launched on June 1, 1980. "Reese laid the entire foundation for CNN," said Lisa Napoli, author of a recent book about the network's founding. "It was Ted's money but entirely Reese's vision."

Schonfeld hired anchors such as Bernard Shaw, Kathleen Sullivan, Lou Dobbs, and Mary Alice Williams. He created shows like "Crossfire." And he oversaw the construction of the network in Atlanta.

The newsroom was designed to be "totally open," Schonfeld said in a retrospective interview. "We wanted everything to hang out. We wanted to show every person doing every job. We wanted to show every mistake, everything raw. We wanted the people to live in our newsroom."

Schonfeld supervised the less glamorous parts of building a new network, too, like selecting technical gear and signing leases for CNN bureaus and building a human resources operation. He worked alongside his wife, O'Gorman, who managed various units in Atlanta. He likened her to a "den mother" for the network.

One of Schonfeld's successors, Tom Johnson, said in a statement on Tuesday, "there might not be a CNN today if Ted Turner had not recruited Reese Schonfeld as its founding president."

"He was a brilliant, very creative executive," Johnson said. "Along with Burt Reinhardt, Sam Zelman, Bill MacPhail, Ted Kavanau, Jim Kitchell, and other founding staffers, Reese defied conventional wisdom to launch the world's first 24-hour news channel."

Schonfeld and Turner butted heads over programming decisions -- like Schonfeld's plan to remove prime time host Sandi Freeman -- and Schonfeld's reputation for overspending at a time when CNN was challenged financially.

Turner fired him in 1982 and Reinhardt became president of CNN, followed by Johnson in 1990.

"I was honored to inherit so much of what Reese and the original team built," Johnson said. "Well done, Reese. Your record of achievement will live on in the textbooks of media history."

In the mid-1980s Schonfeld launched News 12, a 24-hour local news channel on Long Island in New York. "Long Island was a terrific place because it had no television stations of its own, and we owned that island as far as news came," Schonfeld said in an interview with C-SPAN.

Local cable news channels soon proliferated in metro areas across the country.

In the early 1990s Schonfeld co-founded The Food Network. He had a hand in numerous other ventures as a media merger adviser, writer, and consultant.

"There are few out there like Mr. Schonfeld, a blend of newsman and showman, money man and mandarin," a New York Observer reporter wrote in 2001, when Schonfeld released an autobiography, "Me and Ted Against the World."

Schonfeld was driven by a fighting spirit -- whether battling the broadcast networks while trying to get CNN off the ground, or criticizing CNN for decades after he was fired.

Reflecting on his formative years in Newark, "the shadow of New York," he told C-SPAN, "you're always an underdog when you come from Newark 'cause you look over at the other side of the river, and that--those are the big guys."

Napoli, author of the book "Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News," said Schonfeld was "dazzled by news" from a young age, beginning with his first job in the newsreel business.

"Reese dreamt about accelerating the speed with which it travelled," Napoli said. "He also wanted to bust the entrenched triopoly of the networks, who had a stranglehold on broadcast news."

Schonfeld was on the outside, running an independent news company modeled after The Associated Press. That's how he met Turner, who had the deep pockets to buy satellites, videotape machines and portable cameras. The two men wanted to bust the entrenched network system.

"He knew cable and I knew news," Schonfeld once said, "and it was a perfect combination."

And the rest isn't just history, it's still happening live on cable every minute of every day.

CNN's Richard Roth contributed reporting.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response of all the states and union territories on a PIL seeking directions to them and the Centre to provide benefits of the various food security and poverty alleviation schemes to persons with disabilities (PWD). A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notices to all the states and union territories (UTs) seeking their stand on the plea after they were also impleaded as parties in the petition by an NGO.

The high court listed the matter for further hearing on August 13. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, represented by central government standing counsel Monika Arora, filed its response to the PIL and has contended that the National Food Security Act (NFSA) is neither a poverty alleviation nor a development scheme.

It has said that unlike the targeted Public Distribution System (PDS), which was based on poverty levels, NFSA uniformly covers 67 per cent of the total population in the country. NFSA not only covers the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) but also the below poverty line and a certain portion of the above poverty line category.

"All the beneficiaries are provided foodgrains at the same issue price. The NFSA has been therefore delinked from the poverty estimates," the ministry has stated in its affidavit. The ministry has also stated that disability as an eligibility criteria already exists in the AAY guidelines and majority of the states and UTs have included it for identification of beneficiaries and priority households under NFSA.

"Notwithstanding this, the central government has further issued directions to all state governments on July 24 to ensure coverage of all disabled persons. This was reiterated over video conference with the states on July 24, 2020," the affidavit said. It also said that 5 Kg foodgrains per month for two months i.e. May and June 2020 was provided to about 8 crore migrant labour, who are not covered under NFSA or state scheme PDS cards, at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore and the validity of the scheme has been extended till August 31.

Therefore, "disabled persons can be covered under this scheme" and they can avail its benefits for the months of July and August without a ration card, the ministry has said. The bench, on the last date of hearing on July 22, had remarked that PWD have been excluded from welfare schemes "from time immemorial".

"Fact that persons with disabilities get marginalised from every scheme does not require a debate," it had said. The observations by the bench came while hearing the NGO''s PIL seeking directions to the Centre to ensure that states and Union Territories provide benefits of welfare schemes, like Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Kalyan Yojana, to PWD also during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NGO, National Federation of Blind, represented by senior advocate Santosh Kumar Rungta, has contended that PWDs are neglected when reliefs under various food security measures are implemented as most of them do not have ration cards. The central government had earlier told the court that ration cards are required under NFSA to provide foodgrain to over 80 crore people and compartmentalising them under various categories, including disabled, makes it difficult to identify the priority households.

The Centre had also claimed that it is the responsibility of the states and UTs to identify priority households. The NGO has contended that under the PWD Act of 1995, a 3 per cent reservation was provided for all disabled persons in poverty alleviation schemes and this was increased to 5 per cent under the RPWD Act of 2016.

Therefore, the government should ensure that at least 5 per cent of the beneficiaries for foodgrain under the schemes like, Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Kalyan Yojana, are PWD, it said. It has also said that most of the PWDs are in institutions as they are neglected by their families and such institutions do not provide an address proof to their inmates and therefore, they are unable to get ration cards.

The NGO has said that under the NFSA, the Centre has to ensure states and UTs identify the PWD who are eligible for foodgrains under the various schemes and to provide the same to them. The petition has sought a direction to the Centre to "consider the cases of persons with disabilities and visually impaired persons even without ration cards on the basis of their disability certificates and/ or Unique Disability ID (UDID) for getting benefit under National Food Security Act" and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Kalyan Yojana.

Besides that, it has also sought that foodgrains be provided free of cost to poor PWD as was done for migrant labourers and others during the present pandemic.
India has accepted a China-dictated disengagement model: The creation of buffer zones while withdrawing from its own territory and forfeiting legitimate rights of patrolling





by Ashok K Mehta





Twelve weeks after the intrusions in Ladakh, Lt Gen YK Joshi, in charge of managing the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, said, We shall continue all efforts to restore the status quo ante along the LAC, confirming the doubts expressed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about a positive outcome on disengagement. After three rounds of dialogue of the working mechanism (fourth round is due on Friday) and four rounds of talks between the military commanders (next round is expected this week), the disengagement and de-escalation process (DDP) remains stalled with a disadvantaged disengagement at Galwan  LAC shifted one km on the Indian side  and partial disengagement at Hotsprings, Gogra region and Finger 4. The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is stubbornly resisting disengagement at Depsang, where it has intruded 18 km on the Indian side of the LAC.













At most places, the PLA has done a Doklam: Dug down and constructed fortifications. The Chinese have unilaterally altered status quo by shifting the LAC further west, attempting to surpass their 1960 claim line and cushioning the G-219 strategic highway from Kashgar to Lhasa through the Aksai Chin. The ball has been in Indias court since April 19, when intelligence reports about PLA intrusions were ignored. By default, India has accepted a China-dictated DDP model: The creation of buffer zones while India has been withdrawing from its own territory and forfeiting legitimate rights of patrolling. A July 22 Stratfor report by Sim Tack notes that 26 new Chinese encampments, 22 new support bases and two new helipads have mushroomed behind the intrusion points on the Chinese side of the LAC.





In its negotiating strategy, India has put the cart before the horse: Allowing military commanders to determine the DDP whereas a high-level political engagement should have established the parameters for withdrawal, factoring in lessons from earlier intrusions, especially front-loading restoration of status quo ante, followed by the Chinese golden rule of those who advance first must withdraw first and mutual and equal security. Instead, India accepted buffer zones and attendant restrictions, which could transform LAC into LoC, given in order to match the PLAs deployment of four to five combined arms brigades, India had to post three additional divisions ahead of its main defences to block the intrusion points.





Interestingly, while India has stressed on complete disengagement along the LAC and full restoration of peace and tranquility for the smooth and overall development of bilateral relations, China has consistently avoided using the LAC (instead uses border areas) and is focussing on complete withdrawal from friction points. Restoration of status quo has been replaced with complete disengagement and full restoration of peace and tranquility. Even the blind should see this.





Till date, the Government has not clarified the actual ground situation, except Gen Joshis comforting but embarrassing statement about the reinstatement of status quo. Compounding the problem is the Government peddling a fake narrative that the PLA has not encroached across the LAC during the Galwan clash. According to Lt Gen SL Narasimhan from the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), Indian soldiers may have crossed the Chinese side of the LAC in the melee.





Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh can keep delivering veiled threats of giving a befitting reply when the intention is clearly to de-escalate. Under the muscular Modi Government, two sets of responses have evolved against the adversarys depredations  a Balakot airstrike against Pakistan and a banners-battle of containment against China.





Emboldened by Indias familiar weakness to meet coercion with counter-coercion, China has begun bullying Bhutan. Though Thimphu has maintained silence over Ladakh, it has rejected Chinese claims to territory in eastern Bhutan. Until now, Bhutan has been guided by India on its 24 rounds of border talks with China. But if India fails to vacate Chinese aggression, Bhutan may slip out of its control and treaty obligations in its own national interest. Popular sentiment in Bhutan is not to mess with China. K5  King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, unlike K4 (Jigme Singye Wangchuck, his father) may not have put all his eggs in Indias basket.





Indias military options are circumscribed by the three Nos: No escalation, no shooting, no war despite threats of a befitting reply. As always, China is the satisfied power after having annexed approximately 60 sq km of the territory. It has already imposed heavy costs on India by sucking in three additional divisions towards the LAC. New Delhi must contain and push back intrusions through dialogue, secure the strategic highway to Daulat Beg Oldie, seize Galwan heights and defend airfield at DBO.





An infantry brigade backed by T90 tanks and light and heavy artillery has reportedly ring-fenced DBO. Indian forces are currently deployed 50 to 60 km ahead of its main defences in the high mountainous terrain defending Leh. Any future conflict will be in the 15,000 feet high plains area from Galwan to Depsang.





This is the first time that 30,000 troops might have to weather it out in a harsh winter, in hostile habitat. Previously, there were not more than 2,000-3,000 troops near the LAC, that, too, mainly ITBP. Further, there have been no joint exercises between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Army along the LAC due to restrictions of border protocols.





Indias best bet is leveraging its partnership with the US against China  Washington is in an unprecedented Cold War with Beijing  both militarily and economically. Defence Secretary Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have supported India in its resistance to Chinese bullying and aggression. Maritime solidarity has been demonstrated through Malabar Naval exercises, feelers have been thrown about upgrading the QUAD in the Indo-Pacific region and the building of a coalition of democracies to contain China.





But Indias Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar, is loud-thinking: About incongruence of non-alignment, the need to make choices and taking risks. Still, a reset in India-China relations must wait till the outcome of DDP and restoration of status quo. Till then, India holding out the threats to decouple from China economically will neither be easy nor bereft of cost, so intricately entwined are the two economies and supply chains. Although New Delhi will wait for Beijing to undo the intrusions, some preliminary punitive steps have been taken and signals for more have been sent out.





Punditry about Chinas motives in shedding fig leaf of hide your strength; bide your time abounds: Varying from aggression being the diversionary strategy for mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic to realising Chinese President Xi Jinpings Chinese dream of reasserting suzerainty issues that are not India-specific but part of reclaiming the territory lost through historical injustices and unequal treaties. Putting the genie back into the bottle will not be easy for China. Equally, an altered status quo along the LAC will be unacceptable to India. As Rajnath Singh said in Leh on July 17: India will respond with force to attempts to hurt Indias self-esteem.





(The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander IPKF South, Sri Lanka and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff.)
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has been advised to go into isolation at his official residence Raj Bhavan in Chennai, after three more staff at the premises tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19. Of the 38 persons tested, the results of three returned positive, said a statement. The persons who tested positive are being treated at a hospital.

The statement also added that the Governor was fit and healthy, based on the regular health checkup that was conducted on Tuesday. This comes barely a week after 84 staff at the Tamil Nadu Governors official residence had tested positive for Covid-19. A statement issued last Thursday, stated that the Governor Banwarilal Purohit and senior staff were safe and had not come in contact with the personnel who had tested positive. Of the 147 tests conducted last week, 84 had returned positive, said the statement.

Last week, after the first cluster of cases emerged, the whole area of Raj Bhavan including the offices had been disinfected and sanitized by Corporation health authorities.

Over the last two weeks Tamil Nadu has been seeing a consistent spike in Corona virus cases. On Tuesday, the state had recorded 6972 cases. As per the health department bulletin issued on Tuesday, the state has seen a total of 2,23,688 Covid-19 cases, which include 1,66,956 recoveries. There are 57,073 active cases in the state.

However, in recent weeks capital city Chennai has seen a marked dip in cases. When compared to June, the daily cases have nearly come down by half. Chennai recorded 1107 new cases on Tuesday, thus taking the active cases to 12852. So far, the capital city alone has seen 96438 cases.

The Raj Bhavan website mentions that, as a preventive measure Raj Bhavan tours for the tourists stands cancelled till 31st July 2020. However, the premises has been closed for tourists since the first phase of the pan-India lockdown began in late March.
AMMAN, Jordan Jordanian anti-riot police clashed with protesting teachers in the capital Amman on Wednesday, with several demonstrators being beaten with clubs and arrested.

Hundreds of protesters headed toward the prime ministers office were met by hundreds of riot police who pushed the crowd back as they chanted peaceful, peaceful, and called for the prime ministers resignation.

Clad with clubs, police beat some of the protesters, several of whom fell to the ground after the clash. Dozens were arrested, according to an Associated Press video journalist at the scene.

The journalist, Omar Akour, was also beaten on the head with a club, despite telling police he was a journalist, a declaration that was ignored. Akour fell to the ground after being struck, where another policeman kicked him. Police smashed his cellphone, destroying the footage he filmed of the clashes.

Police had blocked off the area leading to the prime ministers office and authorities had warned before the protest that any gatherings of over 20 people, in violation of coronavirus restrictions, would draw a stern response.

The protesters turned out to oppose the arrest of 13 members of their syndicate. The arrests came after Ammans deputy attorney general suspended the members of the Jordan Teachers Association council from service and ordered the closure of the syndicate and its branches for two years over criminal and corruption charges.

The members were arrested after threatening to stage protests over a salary dispute.

The Jordanian government had agreed to increase teachers salaries by 50% after a month-long strike in September of last year. But after restrictions related to the coronavirus outbreak hit the economy, the government postponed the salary hikes, drawing scorn from the teachers. They accused the government of failing to honor the agreement.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
The global wave of anti-racism protests sparked by the US police killing of George Floyd has barely touched North Africa, despite everyday discrimination in a region with a long slave-trading history. Black citizens in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, as well as migrants from sub-Saharan Africa who come to work, study or try to reach Europe, say they suffer endemic day-to-day racism. "Floyd's death awakened the anger and rage dormant within us," said Fabrice, an undocumented Cameroonian in his 40s who lives in Algiers, adding that it twisted "the knife in the wound". But the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, most observers agree, has not triggered a major debate on racism or police violence against black Africans within the Maghreb region itself. Only Tunis saw a small demonstration in early June of around 200 locals and foreigners, at the call of the association Mnemty. The protest was "a message for African Americans from Mother Africa to say 'We are with you'," said its leader, Saadia Mosbah, a dark-skinned Tunisian. In both Morocco and Algeria, however, the BLM movement has generated only a few messages of solidarity online -- not enough to challenge a long-standing culture of silence about race. Most often the racism is verbal, but "sometimes words hurt more than being hit," said Aisha, a woman from Niger who also lives in Algiers. She said black people often endure slurs such as "kahlouche", black in Arabic, or "Mamadou", a common name in West Africa. In the worst cases, they are called "Ebola and now COVID", she said. Her seven-year-old son refused to go back to school, Aisha said, after classmates told him "you don't belong here". - 'Permanent struggle' - "We have to wage a permanent struggle against these verbal abuses," said Algerian sociologist Mohamed Saib Musette. "Some Algerians forget that they themselves are Africans." Interracial marriages are rare in North Africa, he said, and "very few TV stars, civil servants or political leaders are dark-skinned". Over the years there have been occasional campaigns that echo the goals of the BLM movement. In Morocco, a coalition of associations in 2014 launched an anti-racism campaign in support of sub-Saharan migrants with the message "Massmiytich Azzi!", literally, "Don't call me a black man". After a string of attacks in Tunisia, including a violent assault against an Ivorian woman, Mnemty successfully lobbied parliament into adopting a law against hate speech in October 2018. And the Algerian parliament followed suit in April 2020, reflecting, according to Musette, the fact that the reality of racism "is there and must be fought". Musette said the priority must be to "decondition" children and teach them to avoid derogatory terms for black North Africans, such as "abid" or "oussif", which literally means "slave". Slavery was first formally abolished in the region by Tunisia in 1846. French-colonised Algeria partially followed suit two years later, while Morocco under French mandate only did so in 1922. Though not representative of the wider region, modern-day slave markets have been reported in war-torn Libya, where desperate migrants suffer horrific abuse at the hands of human traffickers. - 'No future' - In the absence of official data, non-government groups estimate there are more than 200,000 African foreigners in Algeria, and tens of thousands in both Morocco and Tunisia. Having often arrived in convoys or caravans through the desert, they typically end up working in the informal sector, as cleaners or construction workers, no matter what qualifications they earned in their home countries. Although they frequently complain of police harassment and violence, and of wider xenophobia, many are more preoccupied with basic survival -- made harder because they lack legal papers and now because of the pandemic lockdowns. Algeria and Tunisia bar foreign Africans from obtaining residency papers unless they are students. Only Morocco has exceptionally granted residency rights to some 50,000 people, mostly from West Africa, since 2014. "Without papers, you can't claim your rights," said Fabrice, who speaks several languages, holds a law degree and has worked for non-government groups and done odd jobs in Algeria. He has been unable to settle legally since he left Cameroon 20 years ago to, as he said, "avoid living under a dictatorship". Now he has "no other wish but to leave" for Europe, to join his wife and two children who made the crossing two years ago on a makeshift boat from neighbouring Tunisia. "Twenty years is a lifetime," he said. "Here there's no future." ism-hme-amb-agr/cnp/fz/kaf
VANCOUVER, BC, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomd Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: ZOMD) (https://www.zoomd.com) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Zoomd Ltd. (collectively, "Zoomd" or the "Company"), the marketing tech (MarTech) user-acquisition and engagement platform, announces that it has retained Lytham Partners, LLC ("Lytham Partners") to lead an investor relations and shareholder communication program.

For more than 20 years, Lytham Partners has been one of the industry's leading investor relations firms, having created one of the largest and most diverse networks of institutional investors, while creating a framework of best practices in all aspects of corporate and shareholder communications.

Amit Bohensky, Chairman and Co-Founder of Zoomd, commented, "We have made significant progress since becoming a publicly traded company in September 2019. Our proprietary and differentiated business model continues to resonate among our new and existing customers, as we provide strong returns on investment on their advertising dollars. The United States is by far our largest customer geography as we are now working and collaborating with some of the largest ecommerce companies and publishers in the country. Given our recent progress, we believe the timing is appropriate to expand our awareness within the U.S. investment community. We look forward to working with the team at Lytham Partners, which has a strong understanding of the AdTech space, to further assist us in these efforts."

Ben Shamsian, Vice President of Lytham Partners, said, "Given Zoomd's robust customer and publisher profile, we believe the U.S. investment community will be interested to learn more about their unique value proposition and opportunities ahead to create value for shareholders. We look forward to introducing the Company to our platform of investors, while installing best practices within their communications program at all levels to keep shareholders apprised of the developments taking place at the Company."

In connection with the engagement, Lytham Partners will be compensated USD $7,500 per month. The engagement is for six months and renews automatically, with either party being able to terminate it upon a thirty day notice to the other party.

In addition, Zoomd has retained Plexus Cybermedia Inc. ("Plexus Media") to lead its strategy for raising awareness amongst retail investors and online investing and trading communities. Plexus Media is a data-driven investor marketing firm enabling access to millions of potential retail investors and day traders through digital and social media.

ABOUT ZOOMD:

Zoomd (TSXV: ZOMD), founded in 2012 and began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in September 2019, offers a site search engine to publishers, and a mobile app user-acquisition platform, integrated with a majority of global digital media, to advertisers. The platform unifies more than 600 media sources into one unified dashboard. Offering advertisers a user acquisition control center for managing all new customer acquisition campaigns using a single platform. By unifying all these media sources onto a single platform, Zoomd saves advertisers significant resources that would otherwise be spent consolidating data sources, thereby maximizing data collection and data insights while minimizing the resources spent on the exercise. Further, Zoomd is a performance-based platform that allows advertisers to advertise to the relevant target audiences using a key performance indicator-algorithm that is focused on achieving the advertisers' goals and targets.

Operating a wide-reaching dashboard is a key feature of Zoomd's technology, providing a unified platform that delivers several advantages for digital publishers and advertisers. The platform manages all user acquisition (UA) actions under a single user-friendly control-center management dashboard, offering campaign managers one screen and one invoice for all their UA activity. Zoomd also provides a site-search solution for publishers based on advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP), coupled with artificial intelligence (AI). These services have generated more than 500-million data points daily for publishers and advertisers.

ABOUT LYTHAM PARTNERS

For more than 20 years, Lytham Partners has been one of the leading investor relations firms in the United States, having created one of the industry's largest and most diverse networks of institutional investors, while creating a framework of best practices in all aspects of corporate and shareholder communications. In addition to their relationships with many of the industry's most respected institutional investors, Lytham Partners has spent the past two decades creating an integrated platform that allows its clients far reaching exposure to investors in a consistent and in-depth format. This platform is matched with a communications and positioning approach that is streamlined throughout press releases, conference calls, investor presentations, corporate profiles, and websites. For more information visit our website at www.lythampartners.com.

ABOUT PLEXUS MEDIA

Plexus Media is a data-driven investor marketing firm enabling new digital ways to share an investment story and attract potential retail investors. Plexus Media has been at the forefront of the investor marketing industry since 2016 and has served companies in the sectors such as finance, technology, cannabis, and mining.

Plexus programs and proprietary marketing technology help pre-IPO and publicly-listed companies syndicate their investment story to multiple channels and generate media coverage and investor awareness. For additional information and updates, visit www.plexus.media or connect with us on social.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1039696/Zoomd_Logo.jpg

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Company Media Contacts

Amit Bohensky

Chairman

Zoomd

[email protected]

Website: www.zoomd.com

SOURCE Zoomd Technologies Ltd.
(Natural News) I have long suspected Chief Justice John Roberts of being involved in activities in which his vote was compromised and favored the loberal position. In this article only 2 examples will be set forth, but there are many.

(Article by Dave Hodges republished from TheCommonSenseShow.com)

Lets not forget that Roberts allowed Obama the unconstitutional right to make Obamacare mandatory. The thinly veiled liberal ruling was excused away by Justice Roberts who described Obamacare as merely a tax. Well, Justice Roberts is at it again. The reprehensible Roberts joined the liberal four Democrats on the Supreme Court that has now regulated church gatherings in Nevada. Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley brought the suit against the Nevada Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak claiming preferential treatment under the COVID-19 rules. The point of contention consists of the Nevada Governor allowing gaming casinos to operate at 50% capacity, but limiting church services to 50 people.

On Twitter, Senator Ted Cruz accused Roberts of abandoning his oath, and suggested that the church set up Craps Tables in the meeting halls. On this issue I agree with Senator Cruz.

We see the same bias in California in which Governor Newsom has shut down restaurants, bars, gyms and any public gatherings including churches. Yet, the casino operations remain intact. We are seeing this all over the country. Why are the Casinos being granted immunity? Does COVID-19 take a holiday at the Casino and just like BLM and Antifa riots, COVID cannot be transmitted which further advances the argument that most of the lockdowns are unneeded and unnecessary and have ulterior political motives.

What is it about the Casinos that grants them such unconstitutional exemptions?

Justice Roberts deciding vote on allowing a 14th Amendment violation to remain in place which allows Casinos operational exemption from Governors health orders, while failing to uphold equal treatment for churches. In trying to make sense of out of the once-labeled conservative justice, one fact comes to the forefront Casinos are a hotbed for child-sex-trafficking and churches are not. Please consider the following from the Las Vegas Advisor:

 Sex trafficking has become a particularly pervasive problem in Las Vegas  The Nevada Attorney General has sharpened the focus of his office on combating human trafficking in the state, with particular attention being paid to Las Vegas  The state of Nevada is particularly concerned about sex trafficking involving minors  The Clark County Department of Family Services admits that it lacks complete data on the number of victims of sex trafficking in Las Vegas. Indeed, the agency only started attempting to keep track of statistics regarding the number of victims of sex trafficking in Las Vegas in 2017, according to in-depth reporting by the Las Vegas Sun

Human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces, including in and connected to casinos.

The Highly Suspicious Scalia Murder

Back to the Individual mandate with regard to Obamacare, please consider the following excerpt from Forbes Magazine describing how the conservative judges, namely Kennedy and Scalia, attempted to bring Roberts back into the fold.

Follow Avik on Twitter at @avik. UPDATE 1: Crawford is out with a more detailed report. Kennedy was relentless in trying to bring Roberts back aboard the conservative life-raft: Chief Justice John Roberts initially sided with the Supreme Courts four conservative justices to strike down the heart of President Obamas health care reform law, the Affordable Care Act, but later changed his position and formed an alliance with liberals to uphold the bulk of the law, according to two sources with specific knowledge of the deliberations. Roberts then withstood a month-long, desperate campaign to bring him back to his original position, the sources said. Ironically, Justice Anthony Kennedy  believed by many conservatives to be the justice most likely to defect and vote for the law  led the effort to try to bring Roberts back to the fold. He was relentless, one source said of Kennedys efforts. He was very engaged in this. But this time, Roberts held firm. And so the conservatives handed him their own message which, as one justice put it, essentially translated into, Youre on your own. The Forbes investigation also found that Kennedy and Scalia wrote the bulk of the conservative dissent, and that dissent was not originally written as a majority opinion. Its that the conservative Justices held Roberts opinion in such contempt that they did not want to dignify it with a response Forbes also mentioned the prominent role that Justice Scalia played in attempting to reign in Roberts on this obvious miscarriage of justice. And what happened to Scalia? He was lured to Texas and was subsequently murdered, or should I say Scalias body found on a Texas farm known for its child-sex trafficking activities. Whats not known was if Scalia was murdered elsewhere and then And lets not forget that Scalia was found with a pillow case over his face and then this devout Catholic was cremated with no autopsy performed in violation of Texas law. Subsequently, the Obama administration never ordered an investigation into the very suspicious death of a senior level official in the government. This behavior was inexcusable and wreaks of coverup.

I was told, at the time, that Scalia had threatened to expose Roberts pedophilia activities during the height of the Obamacare controversy and Roberts was severely compromised. Before completing this allegation. Please consider what I had previously stated about the murder of Scalia as it wreaked of a sloppy coverup.

An Investigation Should Be Held on the Death of Any Senior Government Official- It Only Makes Sense A senior government official, a Supreme Court Justice, is dead. And how is it being treated? The body and subsequent investigation into the death of Justice Scalia has been handled with all the professionalism of putting a rabid dog to sleep. Despite being found by John Poindexter, dead on his bed, with a pillow over his head, there will no investigation. A Judge Who Thinks They Are Really a Doctor Under these circumstances, how could an autopsy not be performed on a senior government official? And to add insult to injury, Scalias body was moved to Sunset Funeral Homes and was promptly cremated. But the body was not cremated until Judge Guevara determined that Scalia died of heart attack. Did I say Judge Guevara, or Dr. Guevera. And Guevera, a judge, determined that Scalia died as a result of a heart attack, with an autopsy, and a doctor present, or an RN in attendance Originally, Scalia did meet up with his would-be hunting companions. When found by Poindexter, Scalia was still in his daytime clothes from the night before. Shouldnt Supreme Court Justices have bodyguards? Against All of His Personal Beliefs, Scalia Was Cremated One of the most amazing facts surrounding this mystery death is that Scalias body was cremated before an autopsy could be performed. Cremated? Wasnt Scalia a Catholic? The last time I heard, Catholics do not sanction cremations. Oh yes, you can be cremated if you are Catholic, but it is extremely frowned upon. The regulations against cremation is one of the strongest within the Catholic Church, even if the prohibitions are left over biases from the past..However, criminals with something to hide frequently burn the body after the commission of a crime. This fact, alone, should have triggered a major murder investigation. Where is Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, when she is needed the most? Did Obama send flowers to the widow yet? Charred bodies yield no autopsy clues.

Many will say that I have a lot of smoke, but no fire. Please allow me to turn up the heat:

Should there be an investigation?

Read more at: TheCommonSenseShow.com
In a surprising twist in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, his father has lodged a police complaint against his rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and six others, including her family members, accusing them of abetting the actor's suicide.

Krishna Kumar Singh (74), a resident of Rajiv Nagar locality, Patna, had been maintaining a stoic silence over the tragic death of his 34-year-old son on June 14.

An FIR was lodged on the basis of the bereaved father's complaint on July 25 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to abetment of suicide and fraud, Inspector General of Police, Patna Zone, Sanjay Singh told PTI.

The IGP said a four-member team has left for Mumbai to investigate the charges levelled by the complainant.

After Rajput's death, Chakraborty had requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Twitter seeking a CBI probe.

"I request you with folded hands to initiate a CBI enquiry. I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step," she wrote.

Mumbai police are already probing the alleged suicide case, and has questioned several Bollywood bigwigs including filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Rhea Chakraborty has also recorded her statement.

The case has been lodged under various sections of IPC including 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

In his complaint, Rajput's father has also sought to invoke the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, alleging that the "machinations" of Chakraborty and her family members had caused his son to crack up, despite a successful career in films, and ultimately drove him to suicide.

Singh has accused Chakraborty, a budding TV and film actress, of having befriended Rajput in May, 2019 with a clear intent to use his good contacts for the advancement of her own career.

He has also alleged that the actress was aided by her family members, including parents, since they all were looking to purloin the assets of my son worth crores of rupees and started interfering in all aspects of his life.

Singh wanted a police investigation to ascertain where the Rs 15 crore deposited in a bank account held by Rajput was transferred.

The complaint said Chakraborty and her family convinced Rajput to leave his own residence and stay at a resort in the vicinity of Mumbai claiming his house was "haunted.

Singh has alleged that Chakraborty got Rajput treated by some "conniving" doctors for mental illness while keeping his family in the dark.

He also alleged that on June 6, less than a week before Rajput was found dead inside his Bandra house, Chakraborty came to his place and decamped with many of his belongings, including cash, his laptop, ATM card and other important documents.

At one point of time, my son decided to give up films, settle down in Coorg and pursue farming. He was blackmailed by Chakraborty who threatened him that she would make his medical history public and let the world know that he was mentally unstable, putting his career in jeopardy, he alleged in the FIR.

He also claimed that Chakraborty created "distance" between Rajput and his family.

The actor, aged 34, was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14.

Several political leaders and film personalities have demanded a CBI probe into his death.

Rajput's suspected death by suicide has also triggered a debate on alleged nepotism and favouritism in the Hindi film industry. Several top production houses had allegedly boycotted the Patna-born actor, causing him distress and compelling him to end his life.
InsurTech NY has announced that it will be accepting applications for its growth-stage InsurTech accelerator.

The application window will be open from July 21 to August 17, and applications will be accepted through the InsurTech NY website. The program will focus on growth-stage startups that have existing customers and range in funding stage between Seed and Series B. It will be open to InsurTechs around the world.

The InsurTech NY accelerator will focus on the critical moment in time for startups when they are crossing the chasm, said InsurTech NY Managing Director David Gritz in a press release. Many InsurTechs are able to build a product and get their initial customers; however, the true test is how to scale their business. Our program is about helping InsurTechs to get to scale.

The accelerator will focus on what it sees as three areas necessary for InsurTechs to scale: market traction, talent acquisition and raising funds. The program will provide access to insurance carriers and brokers looking to deploy new technologies and provide financial backing to digital managing general agencies (MGAs).

The New York ecosystem has all the requisite infrastructure to lead the next wave of digital transformation in insurance, said Transverse Insurance CEO Erik Matson in the release. We look forward to working with the accelerator to support the next crop of digital MGAs and transformative InsurTech solutions.

The program will feature more than 15 carriers and broker members including Arch Capital, Flagship Insurance, Greenlight Re, Nassau, Nationwide, Lincoln Financial Group, Gallagher, Newton Insurance, Swiss Re, Transverse, Sompo and Pacific Life. The October cohort will run virtually for twelve days over a six-week period.

Source: InsurTech NY

Topics InsurTech Tech New York Insurance Wholesale
A Delaware man has been accused of setting multiple fires inside a church sanctuary.

The Delaware State Fire Marshals office arrested Thomas Loftis III in connection with the blaze that erupted at Reach Church, news outlets reported.

He was captured just hours after the office released images that showed the suspect and a car they believed he used during the alleged arson, The Delaware News Journal reported.

No one was injured during the blaze but the fire caused approximately $250,000 in damages.

Loftis is being charged with arson, burglary and criminal mischief. It is not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.

Rev. Chuck L. Betters previously said Reach church was planning to reopen for in-person services in August.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Arson
The crackdown in Aubervilliers comes amid rising pressure for the authorities to tackle irregular immigration.

French police have dismantled a migrant campsite in Aubervilliers, northeast of Paris, amid rising pressure for the government to demonstrate a tough stance on irregular immigration.

The local prefecture said on Twitter that more than 1,000 single men and 250 people in families had been removed in the operation on Wednesday.

Newspaper Le Parisien reported that many of the migrants and refugees were of Afghan, Ethiopian, Sudanese or Chadian nationality.

They were being brought to temporary shelters in gyms in the Paris region and would be tested for COVID-19 there as a precaution, the newspaper reported.

A prominent advocate for refugees criticised authorities.

It is always useful to bring people to shelter. But this repetition since 2015 is absurd and unworthy, Pierre Henry, director-general of the charity France Terre dAsile, said on Twitter.

Many refugees and migrants have moved to Paris since the closure of a huge migrant camp in Calais in 2016.

Authorities have repeatedly dismantled unauthorised campsites only for them to pop up again elsewhere within months, with police clearing a makeshift shelter that had emerged again in Calais this month.

Many of the migrants and refugees have fled to France from North Africa, the Middle East and Asia, escaping countries blighted by wars and poverty.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Madrid  Wed, July 29, 2020 12:35 540 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a26b1c 2 News coronavirus,COVID-19,tourism,travel,United-Nations Free

The coronavirus crisis cost the global tourism sector $320 billion in lost revenue during the first five months of 2020, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people, the UN said Tuesday.

The amount of revenue lost between January and May is "more than three times the loss during the Global Financial Crisis of 2009," the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization said in a statement.

International tourist arrivals fell by 300 million during the period, or 56 percent, as lockdown restrictions to control the spread of COVID-19 hammered the travel sector, it added.

"This latest data makes clear the importance of restarting tourism as soon as it is safe to do so. The dramatic fall in international tourism places many millions of livelihoods at risk," the body's secretary general, Zurab Pololikashvili, said.

Read also: In Bali, hundreds rally without masks to protest rapid, swab test requirement

While tourism is slowly returning in some destinations, the UN body warned the sector faced serious "downside risks" such as a resurgence of the virus that could trigger new lockdowns, travel restrictions and border shutdowns in "most destinations".

The United States and China, both major sources of international tourists, are still "at standstill" it added.

The UN body forecast in May that international tourist arrivals could plunge by 60 to 80 percent in 2020 owing to the coronavirus.

International tourism arrivals rose by four percent in 2019 to 1.5 billion, with France the world's most visited country, followed by Spain and the United States.

The last time international tourist arrivals posted an annual decline was in 2009 when the global economic crisis led to a four percent drop.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29



By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Both the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan (CCIT) should jointly, encourage, promote and facilitate economic cooperation among their respective business communities to the mutual interests of both sides, as well as encourage the exchange of trade delegations, experts and economic discussion and support the follow up of such visits, Ho Meng Kit, Chief Executive Officer of SBF told Trend.

The memorandum of understanding between the two sides should help develop the relations even further, he said.

Ho Meng Kit pointed out that knowledge exchange, with a flow of reciprocal economic information and data, is also one of the main features in the memorandum in which SBF and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan should seek to achieve.

The intention of this memorandum of understanding is to establish a practical framework for developing stronger business relations between the two parties, and to set forth the cooperation procedures that can enhance the implementation of reciprocal economic benefits.



In addition, the CEO noted that this memorandum of understanding will benefit both Turkmenistan and Singapore businesses, paving the way for SBF to collaborate with CCIT, and vice versa..

Furthermore, he said that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, both SBF and CCIT have been unable to finalize plans to collaborate further.

Generally, talking about business environment in Turkmenistan, the SBF noted that Turkmenistan represents one of the three key markets in Central Asia, together with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Coupled with a large agriculture base, Turkmenistan possesses great potential, and offers many business opportunities for overseas investors, he said.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
Sammy Gyamfi

29.07.2020 LISTEN

We join other Ghanaians in wondering whether the vituperative utterances from Sammy Gyamfi in recent times were authorized by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) or even elders of the party if the latter have not become dormant anyway.

Not hearing the flagbearer distancing himself from the threats to the military and police the way his boy did adds to our befuddlement.

The Gordian knot was unknotted a few days ago when Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah of Brazil infamy joined the fray as he endorsed the reprehensible words of Sammy Gyamfi. He spoke about the Olive Green uniform although not directly mentioning the colour of the fatigue as belonging to the state. It was as if Ghanaians do not know that soldiers and cops are serving the state, their uniforms provided from taxpayers' contribution.

Both Elvis and Sammy have maintained a sustained fire on the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police, with their fire control orders, of course, coming from the former President's command desk.

Now that the conclusion is that both are doing the flagbearer's bidding, we can state that the objective of the NDC is to have the military and police politicized.

We shall deal with soldiers and police officers who do the bidding of the President is how they put it in unison.

Soldiers and police officers are required to work for the state and since the President and Commander-in-Chief is responsible for maintaining law and order through the military and the police, we cannot fathom where the security agencies have erred.

If stopping Togolese and other non-Ghanaians from partaking in our electoral process as they did under an NDC government is what has incensed the political grouping so be it.

Our Armed Forces and Police are professionals who would not kowtow to empty threats of corrupt persons like Elvis whose Brazil baggage would forever remain a smelly entry in his CV.

Desperation has done a lot of things in the ranks of the NDC, this latest imbecility being the latest entry. Only persons suffering a cognitive ailment would threaten a country's military and police with a purge in the unlikely event of their party winning the forthcoming polls. Bunkum!

Pressing such a self-destruct button in this manner speaks volumes about the state of degeneration the NDC finds itself in.

Is Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah and Sammy Gyamfi duo saying that when NDC thugs descend on registration centres to disrupt the exercise police officers and soldiers should fold their arms and look elsewhere?

Elvis has no moral right to warn soldiers and police officers to stop his thugs from behaving as though there is no law in this country. Those at the helm are even charitable otherwise this guy should be languishing in jail by now after he was caught pants down in the Brazil 2014 scandal but left off the hook by his own people.

As regards Sammy Gyamfi, his boyish exuberance is born out of excitement about his office. When maturity dawns on him, he would regret the imbecility he continues to spew on the political plane even as NDC elders watch as though they are under a spell unable to call him to order.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

By Fidan Babayeva - Trend:

The export of products from Singapore to Azerbaijan increased by 3.8 percent and amounted to $14 million in the first five months of 2020, Trend reports on July 6 referring to the statistical bulletin of the State Customs Committee (SCC) of Azerbaijan.

Over the reporting period, the share of Singapore in the total volume of Azerbaijans import grew from 0.23 percent to 0.34 percent of the total volume.

In total, foreign trade operations between Azerbaijan and Singapore made up $14.1 million, which is $145,000 less compared to the same period in 2019.

From January through May 2020, the volume of exports of Azerbaijani products to Singapore dropped from $770,000 to $100,000 year-on-year.

The balance of foreign trade between the two countries for the reporting period was negative and amounted to -$13.9 million.

The total foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan amounted to $11.1 billion in the reporting period, having shown a 22.9-percent drop over the year. The balance of foreign trade turnover increased by 0.9 percent on an annualized basis and remained positive, having surpassed $2.8 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Fidan_Babaeva
The grant will be used to procure thermal scanners and essential commodities to strengthen India's COVID-19 response, said the funding agency

New Delhi: Multilateral funding agency ADB on Wednesday said it has approved $3 million (about Rs 22 crore) grant to India from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund to further support the government's emergency response to COVID-19 pandemic.

The grant, which is financed by the Japanese government, will be used to procure thermal scanners and essential commodities to strengthen the India's COVID-19 response, Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a statement.

"The new grant complements ADB's ongoing support to the Government of India in strengthening its COVID-19 response. This support will enhance disease surveillance and help in early detection, contact tracing, and treatment. This will be further supplemented by other public health measures," it said.

On 28 April, ADB approved $1.5 billion COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) programme to support India in its immediate pandemic response efforts, including disease containment and prevention, as well as social protection measures for the poor and economically vulnerable, particularly women and disadvantaged groups.

The CARES programme is funded through the COVID-19 pandemic response option (CPRO) under ADBs Counter-cyclical Support Facility.

CPRO was established as part of ADB's $ 20 billion expanded assistance for developing member countries pandemic response, which was announced on 13 April.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has founded a group to inspect the pork market which saw prices at high levels since the end of 2019 despite the Governments effort to increase supply to make up for the drops caused by African swine fever.

Pork products on shelves. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has founded a group to inspect the pork market to figure out problems that caused failures in cooling domestic pork prices.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Industry and Trade would coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Finance and the National Steering Committee for Combating Smuggling, Commercial Fraud and Counterfeit Goods to carry out inspections on all stages of the pork value chain, from production to distribution and from wholesale to retail sales.

The foundation of the inspection group was in response to the Prime Ministers directive about evaluating the pork market to figure out problems or violations at different stages and to cut intermediary stages which pushed up pork prices as well as to develop an efficient distribution system.

As planned, the inspection group would work with pig husbandry enterprises which held large market shares, organisations and individuals participating in the distribution and supply of breeding pigs and live pigs to figure out whether they complied with the established regulations on competition and trade. Speculation, if found, would be tackled.

Live pork prices were around VND90,000 (US$3.8) per kilogramme. Pork prices have remained at high levels since the end of 2019 despite the Governments effort to increase supply through imports and promoting reproduction.

Since mid-June, the agriculture ministry allowed the import of pigs from Thailand in an effort to cool off domestic pork prices. VNS

High pork prices in Vietnam blamed on suppliers who control the market While government officials attribute the high pork price to the low supply caused by the African swine fever (ASF), experts say they can see signs of oligopoly.
A Russian oil baron is suing his tycoon ex-wife in London over millions of pounds of jewellery and art - in a court war started by their daughter.

Nataliya Golubovich dragged her oil-king father Alexey Golubovich to court earlier this year, accusing him of smuggling statues out of her London home in suitcases and refusing to give it back.

Nataliya says the artworks, valued at around 4 million, were presents from her mother Olga Mirimskaya, but her father - who is reportedly worth 308m - claims his ex had no right to give them away because they were his at the time.

And he has now been granted the right to sue his ex-wife in England over ownership of the art, as well as his ex's 10m collection of fabulous jewellery acquired during their marriage.

Nataliya Golubovich, pictured left, dragged her oil-king father Alexey Golubovich, pictured right, to court earlier this year, accusing him of smuggling statues out of her London home in suitcases and refusing to give it back

Mr Golubovich says that, if he is not entitled to keep all the art, it should be bundled up with his ex-wife's jewellery and split equally between the former couple.

He had been the main Oriental art enthusiast in the family and was 'the sole source of funds' used to buy both the art and his ex-wife's jewellery collection, he says.

Mr Golubovich and Ms Mirimskaya were married for more than 20 years, had three children and enjoyed a fortune worth hundreds of millions, before they separated in 2009.

He made his fortune in oil and now runs an asset management group, while Ms Mirimskaya, a businesswoman, at one point controlled assets worth $200m, according to court documents.

During their marriage, they acquired Ms Mirimskaya's fabulous collection of jewellery, as well as a showcase of over 300 pieces of valuable Buddhist art, which was mostly kept at their 10m home on the banks of the Thames, in Hammersmith.

The pair went through a hotly-contested divorce in the Russian courts in 2012, but are now back before judges - this time in England - in the fight over the art and jewellery.

The battle started earlier this year when Nataliya launched a court claim against her father, saying he had wrongfully made off with hundreds of pieces of art from the Hammersmith mansion.

Nataliya, 26, claims the art belonged to her mother, who then 'gifted' it to her, and that her father had no right to remove the collection and refuse to return it.

Her mother bought most of the art 'with her own money' at auctions and from showrooms around the world between 2004 and 2010 to furnish and decorate their London riverside home, she says.

However, Nataliya claims that within a year of her parents' divorce, her father began removing the art, initially telling her he was taking the pieces to be restored or borrowing them to show in a museum or private gallery.

Nataliya says the artworks, valued at around 4 million, were presents from her mother Olga Mirimskaya, pictured, but her father -claims his ex had no right to give them away as they were his at the time

She claims that later Mr Golubovich took the items 'in greater volume', bringing empty suitcases with him to fill with statues and other items - a claim he denies.

Last year, Ms Mirimskaya made out a legal deed formally 'gifting' the collection to her daughter, and subsequently Nataliya sued her dad for the return of the art.

But claiming sole ownership of the art, Mr Golubovich points to a 'deed of settlement' made between the former couple to deal with property outside of Russia after their divorce in 2013.

Under the terms of that deed, the art would be his but Ms Mirimskaya would get the jewellery collection, which he says is worth 'three times as much' as the art.

'Buddhist art was a particular interest and personal hobby of Mr Golubovich,' his barrister Robert D'Cruz told Judge Stephen Lloyd during a hearing at the High Court in London.

'His plan initially was to create a museum at the mansion at Bolshaya Polyanka, Moscow, where Mr Golubovich's office was also located between 1998 and 2012, to display this art and these antiques.

'The purchase of the collection was funded, either directly or indirectly, by Mr Golubovich,' he added, claiming that Mr Golubovich had transferred assets worth $200m to Ms Mirimskaya during their marriage.

'Over the course of their marriage, they also acquired a large collection of valuable jewellery. This jewellery was purchased using the same sources of family funds as were used to purchase the collection. Mr Golubovich was the sole source of these funds.

'The combined purchase price of the deed of settlement jewellery...was $13,248,700.

'At the time, Ms Mirimskaya had no business interests of her own or independent wealth. All the family's funds stemmed from the business interests of Mr Golubovich,' he told the court.

Mr D'Cruz said the post-divorce agreement had been made to split the couple's assets which were not in Russia at the time that they divorced. Most of the art had been in Mr Golubovich's study in Hammersmith, he said.

Nataliya, in her claim against her dad, claims the settlement deed is a forgery and that the art collection, said to be worth 'in excess of 4.1million', is now hers.

But Mr Golubovich says his ex did agree to the settlement, which was 'generous' to her in that it allowed her to keep the jewellery in return for 'artwork of substantially lower value.'

And even if the settlement is found to be invalid, Mr Golubovich says he is entitled to demand that the art and jewellery are instead split equally between them as though the couple were now divorcing.

The Moscow family court had ordered a 50-50 split of all marital assets in Russia at the time of the divorce in 2012, and that should happen again to be fair to both, he said.

'If the deed of settlement is found not to be valid, Mr Golubovich asks the court to divide the [art] collection and the deed of settlement jewellery as matrimonial,' Mr D'Cruz said.

During their marriage, the now-divorced couple acquired a fabulous collection of jewellery, as well as a showcase of over 300 pieces of valuable Buddhist art, which was mostly kept at their 10m home on the banks of the Thames, in Hammersmith

The barrister asked Judge Lloyd to grant Mr Golubovich permission to sue his ex in England's High Court, given that the property in dispute is mostly in this country.

'England must clearly and distinctly be the proper place for bringing the additional claim,' he told the judge.

Granting him permission, Judge Lloyd said: 'I'm entirely satisfied you satisfy the requirements for the reasons you set out in the skeleton argument. There is a serious issue to be tried and there is a good arguable case.

'It is clear that Ms Mirimskaya is a proper and necessary party and it seems clear that in the circumstances England is the proper forum, as the proceedings were commenced here by Mr Golubovich concerning assets which were in the jurisdiction, and the English court is already seized of the matter.'

The case will return to court at a later date.
The Court of Appeal has quashed the conviction of a Dublin man accused of taking part in a gang rape after the defence received previously undisclosed information that the complainant had made other sexual allegations in the past.

The Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose the man's application to have his conviction overturned.

The now 25-year-old, who was jailed for four years in June 2017, is reserving his position in relation to compensation for a miscarriage of justice.

He had pleaded not guilty to raping the woman with two other men at a house in Dublin on a date in May 2014. She had gone there with them, after meeting them in a nightclub.

It was alleged that when she asked them to stop the rape, she was told: It's your birthday surprise.

A jury found him guilty, following a four-day trial at the Central Criminal Court. A sentence of six years imprisonment was imposed. The final two years were suspended.

His barrister, Caroline Biggs SC, today applied to the Court of Appeal to quash the conviction. She had first applied to the court in January to adduce fresh evidence, and her client was granted bail at that point, with the consent of the State.

Ms Biggs said that documentation had been received, which showed that the complainant had made allegations of a sexual nature previous to this case. This material had not been disclosed to the defence and could have had a material impact on the outcome, she said.

Read More Appeal extends sentence review date for teenager who tried to murder woman he met on dating app

The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented in court by Paul Green SC, acceded to the application and conceded that no retrial should be ordered.

Mr Justice Edwards, presiding with Justice Patrick McCarthy and Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh, quashed the conviction and made no further order.

Ms Biggs said that she was reserving her position in relation to Section 9 of the 1993 Criminal Procedure Act. This relates to compensation for a miscarriage of justice.

The trial had heard that the woman, who was in her 20s, was celebrating her birthday in a nightclub with friends. She had taken cocaine, alcohol and ecstasy in the club when she met a man there.

They kissed and she agreed to go to a house with him. She got a taxi to the house with him and two other men, including the man in this case.

She had consensual sex with the first man in a bedroom before two other men entered and began trying to have sex with her.

The man, in this case, admitted having sex with her.

He told gardai that when the woman came back to the house there was a conversation about a threesome. He said she told him it was OK for him to join in.

However, she said that it was not consensual.

Justice Isobel Kennedy said that the man, who had no previous convictions, acted out of character on the night.

She had noted the defence submissions that he was previously a peaceful, law-abiding, diligent young man who came from a decent, hard-working family.

The court heard that his family and current girlfriend had remained supportive. He had acted in loco parentis for his partner's children.

He had an impressive work history and was not someone who abused alcohol, drugs or people.

Justice Kennedy had suspended the last two years of his sentence to allow for the very realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
Parliament is demanding a minimum academic qualification by political parties for parliamentary candidates as it laments low quality of MPs.

The House wants political parties to set minimum academic qualification requirements for members who want to enter parliament on their tickets.

The proposal follows concerns of lack of quality lawmakers in the countrys parliament.

Speaking at a Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs forum on assessment of the committee system, ranking member for Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Inusah Fuseini argued the free for all system being practiced by political parties in the country is populating the chamber with MPs of poor qualities.

Minister for parliamentary affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu blamed the framers of the 1992 constitution for the development.

According to him, basic academic qualification was a criterion for entering parliament until the Constitution jettisoned it.

If you have a general qualification to be in parliament, you should be versatile such that if you are posted anywhere u can perform, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu said.

---starrfmonline
A Melbourne council has filled the bowls at four skate parks with sand and bark after rebels continued to use them despite lockdown closures.

Bayside Council, 16km south of Melbourne, filled the bowls at Donald MacDonald Reserve in Beaumaris, Peterson Reserve in Highett Road, Elsternwick Park and Royal Avenue Reserve in Sandringham on Wednesday.

The council revealed they took the extreme measure to stop people from breaking Victoria's Stage 3 restrictions after skaters continued to use the facilities.

Bayside Council, 16km from Melbourne, filled the bowls at Donald MacDonald Reserve in Beaumaris, Peterson Reserve in Highett Road, Elsternwick Park and Royal Avenue Reserve in Sandringham on Wednesday

The council revealed it was to stop people from breaking Victoria Government Stage 3 restrictions after skaters continued to use the facilities

'Unfortunately skateboarders are continuing to visit and congregate in contravention of these restrictions and Victoria Police have requested Council's immediate action,' a statement from the council read.

Images showed council workers in high visibility shirts using a dump truck to empty the debris into the bowl.

The workers then used brooms to push the bark and sand around the bowl to distribute it evenly.

All of the workers were wearing masks, in accordance with coronavirus rules in place in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire.

Orange barricades were also used to stop people from using the ramps at the skate parks.

The move was made at the request of Victoria Police after concerns were raised about people using the skate park despite restrictions.

Skate parks in Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire were closed when the areas entered into lockdown for the second time on July 8.

The statement said: 'While we acknowledge the importance of physical exercise during the COVID-19 lock down, our first priority is the health and safety of our community.

'The material will be removed once restrictions ease, in accordance with Victorian Government guidelines.'
WASHINGTON  Attorney General William Barr was tested for coronavirus Wednesday after coming into contact with Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert, who tested positive earlier in the day.

Barr had contact with Gohmert on Tuesday when the attorney general visited Capitol Hill to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. The Justice Department has so far declined to answer questions about Barr's results.

Gohmert received his test results at the White House shortly before he was scheduled to fly to Texas with President Donald Trump. The news of Gohmert's positive test was first reported by Politico. Gohmert later released a video message about it.

GOHMERT MESSAGE

Gohmert appears to be the 11th member of Congress to test positive, a list that had thus far included nine members of the House and one senator, Kentucky's Rand Paul.

Gohmert's diagnosis is likely to spark concerns about infection among his colleagues in Congress. Gohmert is in Washington this week, where he has been working in his office and has attended at least one congressional hearing.

Gohmert wore a mask and maintained social distance at the hearing, but at other times in recent days he has been spotted without a mask and in close contact with people.

Upon learning of Gohmert's diagnosis, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters, "I'm so sorry for him. But I'm also sorry my members are concerned because he has been showing up at meetings without a mask and making a thing of it. Hopefully now he will look after his health, and others."

The White House declined CNBC's request for comment on the reports.

Gohmert previously said he would not wear a mask unless he tested positive, despite the fact that most lawmakers wear them when they're around other people. "I don't have the coronavirus, turns out as of yesterday I've never had it. But if I get it, you'll never see me without a mask," Gohmert told CNN in late June.

Gohmert has also previously touted a powder he said "killed" coronavirus, but he was quickly contradicted by health experts, who said no such powder exists.

Speaking to a local Texas TV station in April of this year, Gohmert said the powder was being mixed with water and "used in Germany as a mist. Health care workers go through a misting tent going into the hospital and it kills the coronavirus completely dead."

"Not only right then, but any time in the next 14 days that the virus touches anything that's been sprayed, it is killed," Gohmert added.

But when the fact-checking site PolitiFact asked the German Hospital Association about Gohmert's claim, a spokesman told the site, "What your congressman said is absolute nonsense. There are no such tents and there's no powder or magical cure."

UPDATE 4:48 p.m . -- This story has been updated to reflect that Barr was tested on Wednesday.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

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Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low near -5F. Winds light and variable.
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According to the recently-published report by Persistence Market Research, the global market for gene expression analysis will reflect a steady growth during the forecast period, 2017-2022. By the end of 2022, the global gene expression analysis market is predicted to surpass US $ 4,500 Mn valuation, reflecting a robust CAGR in terms of revenues.

The study throws a light on various factors influence the dynamics of global gene expression analysis market, and offers insightful projections, the highlights of which are mentioned below.

Get Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17995

Company Profile

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

General Electric Company

Illumina, Inc.

Luminex Corporation

Oxford Gene Technology IP

PerkinElmer, Inc

QIAGEN NV

Roche Holding AG

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc

Get To Know Methodology of Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/17995

Gene Expression Analysis Market: Regional Forecast

Through 2022, North America is anticipated to hold a leading position in the global market for gene expression analysis. Most of the companies operating in the expansion of global gene expression analysis market are based in the US.

Moreover, North American research institutes contributing to the field of functional genomics continue to support the development of new drugs derived from gene expression analysis studies. Drug discovery is a key application of gene expression analysis, and the US healthcare markets are observed as lucrative grounds for players in the global gene expression analysis market.

North Americas gene expression analysis market is pegged to be reach a billion dollar valuation by the end of 2017. The report projects that throughout the forecast period, the gene expression analysis market in North America will reflect a robust CAGR, wherein the US market will be observed as the largest contributor to this growth.

Europe is also expected to reflect impressive growth as the gene expression analysis market in this region is poised to create an incremental opportunity of over US$ 200 Mn between 2017 and 2022.

The gene expression analysis market in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region is anticipated to record fastest growth. To the contrary, Japans gene expression analysis market is expected to reflect lowest CAGR during the forecast period.

Access Full Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/17995

Widespread Adoption of Northern Blotting Technology

On the basis of technology, the report projects that northern blotting will be at the forefront of adoption, and will reflect highest share on global revenues of gene expression analysis market. DNA microarrays and PCR techniques are also projected to gain traction as preferred technologies used for synthesizing functional gene products through gene expression analysis.

Advancements in RNA-sequencing, 2-D gel electrophoresis, western blotting, immunoassays, ChIP, mass spectrometry and other technologies are also expected to influence the future prospects of global gene expression analysis market.

The report further projects that gene expression analysis will find higher traction in drug discovery & development applications. Towards the end of the forecast period, application of gene expression analysis in drug discovery & development is anticipated to procure over US $ 1,200 Mn in global revenues.

Concurrently, the demand for gene expression analysis products with low- to mid-plex capacity will also witness considerable uptake during the forecast period. The report also anticipates that sales of products - kits & reagents - will reflect a sizeable share on the value of global gene expression analysis market throughout the forecast period.

By the end of 2022, kits & reagents will register over one-third share on the global market revenues for gene expression analysis.
Evolving quantum processes backwards on a quantum computer to damage information in the simulated past causes little change when returned to the 'present'

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., July 28 2020--Using a quantum computer to simulate time travel, researchers have demonstrated that, in the quantum realm, there is no "butterfly effect." In the research, information--qubits, or quantum bits--"time travel" into the simulated past. One of them is then strongly damaged, like stepping on a butterfly, metaphorically speaking. Surprisingly, when all qubits return to the "present," they appear largely unaltered, as if reality is self-healing.

"On a quantum computer, there is no problem simulating opposite-in-time evolution, or simulating running a process backwards into the past," said Nikolai Sinitsyn, a theoretical physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and coauthor of the paper with Bin Yan, a post doc in the Center for Nonlinear Studies, also at Los Alamos. "So we can actually see what happens with a complex quantum world if we travel back in time, add small damage, and return. We found that our world survives, which means there's no butterfly effect in quantum mechanics."

In Ray Bradbury's 1952 science fiction story, "A Sound of Thunder," a character used a time machine to travel to the deep past, where he stepped on a butterfly. Upon returning to the present time, he found a different world. This story is often credited with coining the term "butterfly effect," which refers to the extremely high sensitivity of a complex, dynamic system to its initial conditions. In such a system, early, small factors go on to strongly influence the evolution of the entire system.

Instead, Yan and Sinitsyn found that simulating a return to the past to cause small local damage in a quantum system leads to only small, insignificant local damage in the present.

This effect has potential applications in information-hiding hardware and testing quantum information devices. Information can be hidden by a computer by converting the initial state into a strongly entangled one.

"We found that even if an intruder performs state-damaging measurements on the strongly entangled state, we still can easily recover the useful information because this damage is not magnified by a decoding process," Yan said. "This justifies talks about creating quantum hardware that will be used to hide information."

This new finding could also be used to test whether a quantum processor is, in fact, working by quantum principles. Since the newfound no-butterfly effect is purely quantum, if a processor runs Yan and Sinitsyn's system and shows this effect, then it must be a quantum processor.

To test the butterfly effect in quantum systems, Yan and Sinitsyn used theory and simulations with the IBM-Q quantum processor to show how a circuit could evolve a complex system by applying quantum gates, with forwards and backwards cause and effect.

Presto, a quantum time-machine simulator.

In the team's experiment, Alice, a favorite stand-in agent used for quantum thought experiments, prepares one of her qubits in the present time and runs it backwards through the quantum computer. In the deep past, an intruder - Bob, another favorite stand-in - meaures Alice's qubit. This action disturbs the qubit and destroys all its quantum correlations with the rest of the world. Next, the system is run forward to the present time.

According to Ray Bradbury, Bob's small damage to the state and all those correlations in the past should be quickly magnified during the complex forward-in-time evolution. Hence, Alice should be unable to recover her information at the end.

But that's not what happened. Yan and Sinitsyn found that most of the presently local information was hidden in the deep past in the form of essentially quantum correlations that could not be damaged by minor tampering. They showed that the information returns to Alice's qubit without much damage despite Bob's interference. Counterintuitively, for deeper travels to the past and for bigger "worlds," Alice's final information returns to her even less damaged.

"We found that the notion of chaos in classical physics and in quantum mechanics must be understood differently," Sinitsyn said.

###

Paper: Bin Yan and Nikolai A. Sinitsyn. Recovery of Damaged Information and the Out-of-Time-Ordered Correlators, Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 040605 (2020); available online at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.040605. Authors: Bin Yan and Nikolai Sinitsyn.

Funding: This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science.

About Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is managed by Triad, a public service oriented, national security science organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle), the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), and the Regents of the University of California (UC) for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.

LA-UR-20-25353
"Coveo and commercetools share common beliefs around the flexible cloud software architecture required for Ecommerce, and the need to leverage data and AI to deliver personal and intelligent buyer experiences" - Louis Tetu, Coveo CEO

Coveo, the industry leader in search and intelligence SaaS solutions, today announced that its cloud-native platform will be available in the commercetools Integration Marketplace. The strategic agreement provides access to powerful, personalized experiences with flexible architecture for todays search and merchandising needs.

From consumer brands to B2B manufacturers, from retailers to wholesalers, all have had to become more nimble to keep up with shopper and buyer expectations. Unfortunately, global Ecommerce companies who jumped on the web a decade or more ago have been stuck with a code-heavy infrastructure that lacks flexibility. Those companies still encumbered with aging legacy application suites have been seeking ways to evolve their Ecommerce capabilities. As companies migrate gradually from single vendor stacks to modular architectures, Coveo provides the intelligence layer that enables those organizations to deliver modern Ecommerce search, product recommendations, and personalization with powerful relevant content driving increased average order value and brand loyalty.

To free the market from legacy Ecommerce architecture, commercetools invented a headless, API-first, multi-tenant SaaS commerce platform that is cloud-native and uses flexible microservices. The commercetools platform integrates seamlessly with Coveo to deliver the intelligent commerce experiences buyers are demanding.

The combination of the Coveo Experience Intelligence Platform and commercetools elegant shopping features leverages modern API and microservices architectures to deliver relevant, contextual experiences powered by data that meet the expectations of modern Ecommerce buyers. Powerful search re-orders products based on real-time customer data, delivers relevant content and integrates with any source of customer data. The flexible commerce platform combined with personalization results in brands being able to respond to customer needs and maximize conversion and order value to drive profitability.

When designing an experience for your end customer that represents your brand, the last thing you want is to be restricted by technology, explains Brian McGlynn, Vice President Ecommerce for Coveo. By partnering with commercetools, were offering a fast path to accelerated customer value to companies who have historically been restricted to legacy technology. The Coveo Intelligent Experience Platform is pre-integrated, meaning you can unlock your customer data and increase order value and conversion from day one.

"Coveo and commercetools share common beliefs around the flexible cloud software architecture required for Ecommerce, and the need to leverage data and AI to deliver personal and intelligent buyer experiences," says Louis Tetu, Coveo CEO. "We provide the intelligence layer that works in tandem with commercetools, to deliver the best-in-class personal Ecommerce experiences that buyers expect. This is a novel alternative for enterprises who need to compete with the most modern Ecommerce and personalization functionality across all channels. Once you begin to provide personalized experiences at scale, your customers are more likely to convert, at higher values, and keep coming back."

Coveo helps us provide greater value to our customers by unifying content and commerce, to present more compelling merchandising and offers, says Dirk Weckerlei, VP Global Partner Management commercetools. Companies we deal with seek to connect all their customer touchpoints, and take advantage of interaction data throughout the shopping experience. An adaptive architecture is essential for them to start that journey. Coveo allows our customers to connect to all these touchpoints and leverage both catalog data and user data to create a highly personalized buyer experience. At commercetools, weve been offering the Enterprise space massively increased flexibility, and were excited to combine our products together to take Ecommerce to the next level.

ABOUT COVEO

Coveo enables enterprises to thrive in the experience economy, by delivering unique experiences that are unified across all channels, relevant to the buyer and valuable to organizations. The Coveo Experience Intelligence Platform uses AI, intelligent search and recommendation technologies to personalize millions of digital experiences for customers, partners, and employees, for many of the worlds most admired digital experience leaders. Coveo delivers solutions for Ecommerce, Service and the Workforce built on the Coveo Search and Experience Intelligence Platform, with Coveo-accredited partners, and through Alliances with Salesforce, ServiceNow, Sitecore and more.

More information at coveo.com.

ABOUT COMMERCETOOLS

commercetools is the worlds leading platform for next-generation B2C and B2B commerce. To break the market out of being restrained by legacy suites, commercetools invented a headless, API-first, multi-tenant SaaS commerce platform that is cloud-native and uses flexible microservices. Using modern development building blocks in a true cloud platform provided by commercetools, customers can deliver the best commerce experiences across every touchpoint on a large scale.

commercetools has offices across the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific, with headquarters in Germany. Since its founding in 2006, commercetools software has been implemented by Fortune 500 companies across industries, from retail to manufacturing and from telecommunications to fashion.

More information at commercetools.com.
The National Education Policy has been cleared by the Modi cabinet and the announcement will be made at 4pm on Wednesday, by HRD Minister Ramesh Nishank and I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) has been renamed as the Ministry of Education. The announcement will be made later today.

A panel led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Kasturirangan had submitted the draft of the new NEP to Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' when he took charge last year.

The draft was then put in public domain to seek feedback from various stakeholders and over two lakh suggestions were received by the HRD Ministry about the same.

"The policy draft has been approved. The Ministry has been renamed as Education Ministry," a senior HRD Ministry official said. A new education policy was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto ahead of the 2014 general election.

The drafting experts also took into account the report of a panel headed by former cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian and formed by the HRD Ministry when it was being headed by Union Minister Smriti Irani.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May had deliberated on the reforms required in the education sector, including the National Education Policy (NEP). Special emphasis was given on the use of technology in the education sector and enhancing learning and adapting by the use of technology such as online classes, education portal and class-wise broadcast on dedicated education channels.

According to the HRD Ministry, the National Education Policy was framed in 1986 and modified in 1992. More than three decades have passed since the previous policy was formulated.

Keeping in mind the changes, a new education policy is needed. It was decided to usher in education reforms to create a vibrant knowledge society by ensuring higher quality education to all, this making India a "global knowledge super power', a government statement had said.
The 44-year-old tenor, famous for his skill at high-flying, difficult Rossini roles, has been named Artistic Advisor. One of his first projects is to help develop a new opera with jazz musicians Esperanza Spalding and Wayne Shorter thats expected to premiere in 2019. One of his big goals is to show young people in Philadelphia that opera is cool. Peter Dobrin does a Q&A with Brownlee about his plans  which, not to worry, include continuing to sing.
Kerry greyhound racing received a major blow following an Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) decision to axe three race meetings at Kingdom Greyhound Stadium, reducing its schedule from 16 to 13 meetings a month.

The fixtures will now be relocated to tracks in Cork and Limerick.

The move is being criticised by owners and trainers who say they were not given prior notification of the decision, saying it is unfair to Kingdom Greyhound Stadium given its popularity and reputation as a major fundraising venue.

In its statement, the IGB said high demand from dog pools throughout Ireland made it necessary for fixtures to be amended to keep racing schedules and to accommodate current demand, which was exacerbated by a three-month suspension in racing due to COVID-19. Greyhound owner and trainer Paul O'Connor is Chairperson of the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium Advisory Council, and he said IGB's move will impact around 33 percent of the commercial viability and productivity of Kingdom Greyhound Stadium, and he accused the IGB of centralising greyhound racing by taking fixtures out of Kerry and relocating them in the cities.

"This is going to have a massive impact on the town of Tralee. It works out at about 180 dogs less a month that will be racing; that equates to around 100 people or more that go to Tralee in any given month that is being taken away from the track," Paul said. Mr O'Connor described Kingdom Greyhound Stadium as a 'flagship track' for promoting live SIS racing around the globe, adding the fixture losses will reduce an owner's chances of showcasing dogs for sale.

He added the move would not benefit the welfare of greyhounds in the long-term.

"If these greyhounds aren't being run on Friday and Saturday nights, and these fundraisers are not being held, what is going to happen to the greyhounds that don't run?" he said.

"A greyhound in training needs to be run every seven to 10 days to stay healthy. You can't tell a greyhound you're racing this week and not the next. If it no longer becomes a viable industry, what happens to these dogs?

"The track is a huge benefit to tourism and any facility for tourism is a great thing. This is set to happen in the next two weeks. They are cutting marquee nights. We have sought a lot of political representation, and we're hoping the IGB will reverse this decision.

"It's a decision that impacts Kerry on many levels. We don't need this to happen in the current climate and all that our economy is struggling with," Mr O'Connor said.

The IGB said it is 'very constrained' from a financial perspective due to loss of commercial revenues and ongoing restrictions in capacity due to COVID-19 requirements, but it had retained prize-money for ordinary race meetings at pre-COVID levels.

Lastly, IGB added that it is conscious that a reduction in race schedules in Tralee will cause 'some concern locally', but the decision is being made to sustain activity throughout the industry at what is a very difficult period.
Detective and crime dramas may sometimes drag at an early part of the show, but JTBC ensures viewers will get hooked with their latest, "The Good Detective."

On its eighth episode's broadcast on July 28, the drama recorded its highest rating with 5.1% nationwide and 6.3% in the metropolitan area. It maintained its No. 1 position in Seoul, according to Nielsen Korea.

Since its premiere, the show remained in its 4% and above ratings from its Monday-Tuesday lineup series.

Spoiler alert!

"The Good Detective" tells the story of a prisoner who got embroiled in the death of a college student and a police officer. He was a powerless man living with his only daughter, who suffers from epileptic seizures.

Detective Kang Do Chang, played by Son Hyun Joo, was the officer who arrested the Lee Dae Chul. Due to politics and connections, Dae Chul was charged with murder and sent to prison with the death penalty as guilty.

After five years, detective Oh Ji Hyuk, played by Jang Seung Ho, was transferred to the station and helped Do Chang correct the mistakes of the improper investigation he did with the other perpetrators.

Dae Chul's only daughter, Eun Hye, begged Do Chang to save his father since she believed his father's confession that he is innocent.

Detective Ji Hyuk found concrete evidence that would lead Oh Jung Tae (played by Oh Jung Se), a wealthy businessman, to be the murderer of the college student. With Jung Tae's connection and wealth, he was able to persuade the Ministry of Justice to turn the case around.

The latest episode showed that Dae Chul got a retrial for his death penalty case. Do Chang and his criminal unit team tried their best to prove that he is innocent.

But it did not work as planned. One witness was sent abroad, and the others were asked to make their statements in court, pointing Dae Chul as the killer.

At the end of the episode, Dae Chul accepted to have murdered one police officer who harassed him five years ago. This turns the defendant and his team into losing their case.

The prosecutor insisted that Dae Chul was still a criminal, and though he did not kill the college student, he is responsible for one life that was lost.

The President and the court approved the death penalty. Dae Chul died the next day as what the jury decided on his case.

Do Chang and Ji Hyuk felt miserable and devastated for not being able to save Dae Chul.

The second half of the drama is expected to unearth more revelations who the real culprit is, the person who killed Jin Soo. Will Oh Jung Tae (Oh Jung Se) be out of the picture since the police know that he is the last person with Jin Soo the night she died?

Watch "The Good Detective" every Monday and Tuesday night.
Mama Bear has been found! Stolen teddy bear with recording of mother's last message returned to owner

After a four-day disappearance that caught the attention of locals, celebrities and international media craving a happy ending, a teddy bear with a dying mother's final message to her daughter has been safely returned to its owner.

Mara Soriano said two strangers found the stolen, plush toy, which contains an audio recording her mother made before she died of cancer last year, and brought it back to her late Tuesday.

The custom Build-A-Bear, which she named Mama Bear, was in "perfect condition" aside from missing its signature square glasses.

"She's home," said a beaming Soriano, 28.

"I didn't think she would come back, but she did."

Soriano squeezed the bear's paw, heard the sound of her mother's voice and cried.

"Mama Bear's home," she said.

WATCH | Mara Soriano plays the audio recording of her mother's voice after getting her bear back:

An email from a stranger

Soriano said she was devastated when the bear was stolen while she was moving apartments in Vancouver's West End last Friday.

After days of searching and pleading in the media for the bear's return, Soriano said she received an email from a man on Tuesday who said he had some information about it

"Of course, I jumped on it, because it was a lead," she said.

"I called [CBC News reporter] Deborah Goble because she was the person who broke the story, and I couldn't have done this without her, so I wanted her to be there, too. Plus, she's a grown-up, and I wanted to make sure everybody was safe.

"They brought the bear over to CBC, which was a safe meeting place ... and we did it."

Thousands of people on social media shared a photo of the bear after it disappeared, hoping it could be found. Vancouver-born actor Ryan Reynolds offered a $5,000 reward on Twitter, "no questions asked," to the person who returned the toy. TV host George Stroumboulopoulos, another Canadian, said he would match the amount.

Story continues

Soriano said she gave the men who returned the bear an undisclosed amount of her own money "as collateral," hoping the full reward would come through.

Bear theft on video

Soriano lost the bear as she and her fiance were unloading their U-Haul van at her new apartment in Vancouver's West End on Friday. A friend had called to say he'd been hit by a van while biking over to help with the move, and Soriano immediately set down her bag  with the bear inside  to go and help.

Frazzled, she forgot to tell her fiance where she'd left the bag. It was gone within minutes.

Security footage from the building showed a man walking up to the black bag, picking it up and walking away.

Soriano said the men who returned the bear told her they found it in Vancouver's Strathcona Park. She said the men don't want to be identified publicly, and she isn't concerned with an explanation.

"They liberated her," Soriano said of the bear.

Mara Soriano

Bear is 'the last memory' of mother's voice

Soriano said her mother, Marilyn Soriano, recorded the bear's message for her shortly before going into a hospice. She died in June 2019 at the age of 53.

"At hospice, her voice was different. Much softer. Not the mom I grew up with," she said. "That bear is the last memory I have of her speaking in her normal voice.

"She said that she loved me and she was proud of me and that she'll always be with me."

Soriano, who was born in the Philippines and moved to Vancouver from Toronto five years ago, said the bear also reminds her of home.

"The bear has a message in it in Filipino. It says, 'I love you.'"
In a tweet, the Indian Air Force described the arrival of the Rafale jets with the words 'Golden Arrows reach home!'

The arrival of the first batch of five Rafale jets at Ambala air force station on Wednesday afternoon was met with jubilation by ministers in the Union Cabinet and a few BJP leaders. However, Twitterati had mixed reactions, with some welcoming the arrival of the Dassault fighter jets while others treading more cautiously.

The Indian Air Force described the arrival of the Rafale jets with the words "'Golden Arrows reach home!"

'Golden Arrows' reach home! Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and AOC-in-C WAC Air Marshal B Suresh welcomed the first five IAF Rafales which landed at Air Force Station Ambala earlier today. #IndianAirForce #Rafales@DefenceMinIndia @rajnathsingh pic.twitter.com/P4MDi0FWUs  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) July 29, 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a Sanskrit verse which broadly translates to, "There is no greater virtue, no greater resolve, no greater sacrifice than the defence of the country."

Defence minister Rajnath Singh, while thanking Modi and the French government for completing the deal, also took indirectly took aim at former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who had alleged corruption in the deal.

He said, "The Rafale jets were purchased when they fully met the operational requirements of the IAF. The baseless allegations against this procurement have already been answered and settled."

Rahul, on his part, congratulated the Indian Air Force for receiving the Rafale jets, but continued to question the Union government over the deal. He said, "Congratulations to IAF for Rafale. Meanwhile, can GOI answer: 1) Why each aircraft costs 1670 Crores instead of 526 Crores? 2) Why 36 aircraft were bought instead of 126? 3) Why was bankrupt Anil given a 30,000 Crores contract instead of HAL?"

Meanwhile, on Twitter, several users recalled the contribution of former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who signed the deal with his French counterpart to procure 36 Rafale jets.

Several handles also mocked the coverage of the whole event. Prominent among them was Ajai Shukla, defence expert and retired Colonel of the Indian Army. He tweeted, "At some stage, hopefully, we are going to stop this wall-to-wall coverage of every step taken by the Rafales!"

The jubilation around the arrival of 5 Rafales seems to overlook that:

1. They are arriving 9 months late.

2. They have no India Specific Enhancements, for which we paid 1.7 billion. Those will be fitted only after 2022.

3. The IAF is down to just 29 squadrons.#RafaleIndia  Ajai Shukla (@ajaishukla) July 29, 2020

Two events on the same day: - Planes we bought from another country arrive in India

- Education Ministry announces new education policy Guess which one is getting more breathless coverage from the media?  Meghnad  Rafale  (@Memeghnad) July 29, 2020

About the Rafale fighter jets

The first Rafale jet was handed over to the IAF in October last year during a visit to France by Singh.

While the first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at Ambala air base, the second one will be based at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

The Ambala base is considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF as the Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from it.

The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

With inputs from PTI
Ambitious targets to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians by lifting school attendance, employment rates and university enrolments while dramatically lowering the number of children in out-of-home care and behind bars will be unveiled on Thursday.

A new national agreement on Closing the Gap, which sets 16 new national socio-economic targets to track progress, will put community-controlled Indigenous organisations at the centre of efforts to redress inequality between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the broader community.

Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt said the new agreement represented a "quantum shift" from a decade of failings. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The plan will commit federal, state and local governments and a coalition of 50 peak Indigenous organisations to a significant reduction in suicides as well as a pledge to reduce the Indigenous adult incarceration rate by at least 15 per cent among adults and at least 30 per cent among juveniles by 2031. It will also aim to dramatically reduce the number of Indigenous children in out-of-home care in the next decade.

After more than 10 years of failings in many of the key targets, new independent and state-based reporting of results will be put in place. This will include the Productivity Commission undertaking an independent three-yearly review on progress, complemented by an independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led review.
Li Shengwu, the nephew of Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. (PHOTO: Reuters)

SINGAPORE  The High Court found Li Shengwu guilty of scandalising contempt of court and fined him $15,000 on Wednesday (29 June).

Li has to pay the fine within two weeks of the judgement and will have to serve one week in jail if he doesnt make the payment.

Justice Kannan Ramesh said in a court hearing  Li was absent  that he was satisfied that the elements of the charge were proven by the Attorney-Generals Chambers; that Li intended to publish a Facebook post in 2017, the post held the real risk of undermining public confidence in administration of justice and it did not constitute fair criticism.

In July 2017, Li, 34, stated in a Facebook post that Singapore had a pliant court system and that the Singapore Government was "very litigious, prompting the AGC to take him to court over possible contempt of court. The comments were made in relation to an ongoing family feud between PM Lee and his siblings over the late first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's house at 38 Oxley Road.

While noting that Li, who is the nephew of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, had declined to participate in proceedings, the judge referred to Lis second affidavit which he filed on 24 September last year, as his defence.

He noted that Li did not dispute publishing the Facebook post in question on 15 July 2017. While Li had set the post to be viewable by friends only, Li should have known that the post could have been shared beyond this circle, said the judge.

He had posted twice before in relation to the Oxley Road dispute and evidence showed that the post was widely seen, followed and covered by the media, the judge pointed out. It was foreseeable that his post about the Oxley Road dispute could have attracted interest comparable to the previous posts, Justice Ramesh said. The judge noted that Lis position as the nephew of PM Lee and the grandson of late MM Lee would have made his post more significant in the eyes of the public.

The judge also found that Lis post did not constitute fair criticism, as his allegation that Singapore had a pliant court system was without basis. The articles that Li had referred to offered no justification, and the fact that Li had amended his post and clarified what he meant speaks to there being no substance to the allegation, noted Justice Ramesh.

Story continues

While Li had argued that his use of the words a pliant court system referred to the development of Singapores unique jurisprudence on defamation, Justice Ramesh said he had difficulty accepting the argument, which he found contrived. The interpretation suggested by Li was not apparent with the post and not consistent with the meaning of the word pliant  which was an adjective for things that may be subservient and readily influenced towards a particular course.

Said Justice Ramesh, I find that the post, objectively viewed, impugns the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. It conveys the assertion that the judiciary decides legal proceedings brought by leaders of the government in their favour not by reason of the merits, but because it is compliant and subservient to the government.

The judge imposed a jail term of one week in lieu of the fine, in line with case precedents.

The contempt of court hearing against Li, whose father Lee Hsien Yang is PM Lees younger brother, over the Facebook post was heard on 2 June  also with Li absent. No lawyer represented him for either hearing, with the prosecution on Monday telling the court that Li had been notified of proceedings by email.

Li was also ordered to pay $8,500 in costs and $8,070 for disbursements.

AGC sought deterrent fine

The Attorney-Generals Chambers (AGC) had sought a $15,000 fine for Li, a Singaporean and an assistant professor of economics at Harvard University.

The AGC said that its proposed fine took into account the nature and gravity of Mr Lis contemptuous allegation, the widespread republication of his statement, and his clear lack of remorse and reprehensible conduct in these proceedings.

It added that a substantial fine was necessary to deter Li and like-minded offenders from making similar baseless allegations impugning the independence of the Singapore Judiciary.

In response to the judgement, Li wrote publicly on his Facebook, I disagree with the judgement, and worry that it will reinforce the PAP's tendency to suppress ordinary political speech. In response to three words in a private Facebook post, the government has wasted three years of civil servants time.

Sharing a photo of a gift from his Yeye, the late Lee, Li added, As I was arranging my bookshelf the other day, I came across a gift from my childhood... Those were better times, before my uncle bullied his siblings and tore the family apart.

When Li was first notified by the AGC of the nature of his post, Li did not apologise or delete the post. He instead amended the post to remove the offending words and clarify what he meant. However, the amended post was only viewable by friends. He stated in a public post that he did not attack the judiciary and clarified his position.

In his affidavit, Li argued that he did not give an apology and undertaking demanded by the AGC as it would have meant he unconditionally accepted that he was in contempt of court.

Li then applied to set aside the court order that granted the AGC permission to serve papers on him in the US, but had his application dismissed by the High Court in March 2018. Li appealed against the decision in the Court of Appeal, but this too was dismissed on 1 April last year.

On 22 January this year, Li posted on his Facebook that he would no longer participate in contempt of court proceedings against him, saying that he would not dignify the AGC's conduct by my participation. He also discharged his lawyer Abraham Vergis.

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AGC seeks $15,000 fine for Li Shengwu over private Facebook post, Li absent from court
Wilder, Helene, - 93, of Wilmington, NC, Helene Priscilla Wilder, known to her family and friends as "Helene" passed away on July 4, 2020 at the age of 93. She was born to the late Sarah A. Clarke and James Jones, Sr. on June 23, 1927 in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is predeceased by her siblings, Evelyn Harris, Marie McClutchen, James Jones, Jr., William Jones, Henry Jones and Richard Jones. After her graduation from Atlantic City High School, Helene moved to New York and worked at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as a keypunch operator and bookkeeper. It was in New York that she met her first husband George Ray. Thereafter, she moved to Philadelphia and was employed at WCAU News Radio (now known as CBS) where she worked in the I.B.M. Department manually inputting data and performing all accounting functions. At night, Helene worked as a bar maid at jazz clubs like Blue Note and Bill & Lou's. She fell in love again and married Maurice Wilder and they made their home in Philadelphia. After living in various cities in Pennsylvania and New York, Helene returned home to Atlantic City. She loved to stay busy and active so she took a job at Resorts as a pit clerk and slot attendant and when that wasn't moving, she got on the bus, literally, as a spotter for Greyhound. Her last equally interesting job was at the Atlantic City Police Department where she worked in the Criminal Intake Unit performing administrative duties until her retirement in 1989. Helene was a wanderlust and social butterfly. She loved to travel, meet new people and experience new adventures. Her passport was always full. She visited numerous places including Paris, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Canada, Australia, Alaska, the Grand Canyon, Panama, London, the Caribbean and North Africa where she rode an elephant and giraffe. She also enjoyed having friends and family visit her in Atlantic City, walking the boardwalk, shopping trips and playing Bingo. In spite of her age and health, she volunteered in Mayor Jim Whelan's office for years working the polls and performing outreach. She wasn't into television but she did enjoy watching Family Feud with Steve Harvey while doing her word puzzles. Every week she looked forward to dressing up for her trips to the Rosen Center where she could mingle with other seniors. She was very kind and generous treating all her cousins, nieces and nephews as her own. She will be dearly missed. Graveside services will take place at a later date. Written condolences can be sent to the family through the funeral home website at www.padgettfuneralhomes.com.
A man in his 20s has been arrested after a man in his 50s was stabbed to death in North London last night.

Police were called to City Slots arcade on Camden High Street shortly after 10pm yesterday after receiving reports about the stabbing.

It was the 72nd murder of the year in London so far - and the 15th in July.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Officers attended along with London Ambulance Service and found a man, aged in his 50s, suffering serious injuries.

Forensics teams comb the crimescene for clues on Wednesday morning in Camden

Police officers joined forensic teams at the scene to piece together clues from the stabbing

'Despite efforts of emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed. A post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.

'One man, aged in his 20s, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody.'

Witness Joshua Lyons, 19, said staff at the casino held the suspect until police arrived.

A man was stabbed to death last night at the City Slots arcade on Camden High Street

Mr Lyons, 19, said staff at the arcade held the suspect until the police arrived at the scene

Police confirmed they arrested a man at the scene who was taken into custody for questioning

Officers are appealing for any witnesses to come forward with information on the attack

LONDON MURDERS 2020 Where the 72 murders across the capital this year have happened William Algar, 53, Jan-03, Barnes

Takieddine Boudhane, 30, Jan-03, Finsbury Park

Krasimir Kartikov, 60, Jan-13, Croydon

Harinder Kumar, 22, Jan-19, Seven Kings

Narinder Singh, 26, Jan-19, Seven Kings

Baljit Singh, 34, Jan-19, Seven Kings

Tahereh Pirali-Dashti, 40, Jan-20, Barnet

Beverley Denahy, 61, Jan-22, Chingford

Unnamed man, 60s, Jan-24, Clapton

Louis Johnson, 16, Jan-27, Croydon

Eraj Seifi, 46, Jan-29, Queens Park

Unnamed man, 33, Feb-12, North Finchley

James Dowdell, 54, Feb-17, Chelsea

Sundeep Ghuman, 36, Feb-18, Thamesmead

Lennox Nigel Alcendor, 42, Feb-21, Cricklewood

Li-Qing Wang, 35, Feb-25, Waltham Forest

Tyler Roye, 24, Feb-26, Croydon

Archie Beston, 19, Feb-29, Kingston

Asante Campbell, 24, Feb-29, Hendon

David Siirak, 27, Mar-01, Hillingdon

Shanur Ahmed, 16, Mar-03, Newham

Ricardo Fuller, 24, Mar-07, Ilford

Vanita Nowell, 68, Mar-08, Southwark

Damani Mauge, 17, Mar-08, Croydon

Cameron Murfitt, 18, Mar-15, Greenwich

Tracey Kidd, 57, Mar-17, Hackney

Shadika Mohsin Patel, 40, Mar-19, Newham

Abdullahi Mahmoud, 29, Mar-19, Enfield

Stefan Melnyk, 54, Mar-22, Acton

Kelly Stewart, 41, Mar-26, Barking

Tomas Macionis, 35, Mar-31, Walthamstow

Sonia Teresa Burton Calvi, 56, Apr-01, Stockwell

Edgar Aguilera Daza, 59, Apr-01, Stockwell

Maryan Ismail, 57, Apr-06, Edmonton

Ralph Gibson, 42, Apr-15, Putney

Denise Michelle Keane-Barnett-Simmons, 26, Apr-16, Brent

Mark Baker, 62, Apr-19, Walthamstow

Jay John, 27, Apr-25, Hackney

Baljit Singh, 37, Apr-25, Hayes

Pavinya Nithiyakumar, 1, Apr-26, Ilford

Nigish Nithiyakumar, 3, Apr-26, Ilford

David Gomoh, 24, Apr-26, Newham

Anthony Rooks, 79, May-04, Holloway

Yonas Haile, 32, May-05, Hammersmith

Francois Kablan, 19, May-13, Southwark

Jemal Ebrahim, 23, May-13, Haringey

Chad Gordon, 27, May-18, Haringey

Oluwamayowa Adeymi, 21, Jun-05, Hackney

Nicole Smallman, 27, Jun-07, Wembley

Bibaa Henry, 46, Jun-07, Wembley

Alexander Kareem, 20, Jun-08, Shepherd's Bush

Unnamed woman, 50s, Jun-10, Lewisham

Mihai Gae, 48, Jun-13, Hornsey

Kyle Kelson, 25, Jun-19, North Cheam

Wayne Hoskyns, 41, Jun-19, Bexley

Steve Morrison, 30, Jun-23, Epping

Sayagi Sivanantham, 5, Jun-30, Mitcham

Imani Allaway-Muir, 22, Jul-04, Islington

Khloemae Loy, 23, Jul-05, Greenwich

Donnell Rhule, 18, Jul-08, Dulwich

Muhammed Samir Uddin, 19, Jul-10, Poplar

Jahreau Shepherd, 30, Jul-11, Kennington

Dean Edwards, 43, Jul-12, Penge

Ahmed Yasin-Ali, 18, Jul-15, Maida Vale

Billy McCullagh, 27, Jul-16, Harlesden

Peter Petrou, 37, Jul-16, Kilburn

Skender Ismaili, 30, Jul-17, Enfield

Glenroy Joseph, 60, Jul-20, Ealing

Elias Biad, 5m, Jul-22, Wembley

Stella Frew, 38, Jul-24, Sutton

Frank Bulbrook, 34, Jul-24, Chislehurst

Unnamed man, 50s, Jul-28, Camden



Police said an investigation is underway to determine the 'full circumstances' of the incident, with officers from the Met's Specialist Crime North looking into what happened.

Police cordoned off a section of Camden High Street around the crime scene so forensic experts could secure evidence from the area.

Anyone who witnessed last night's stabbing is asked to call 101 citing reference 7949/28Jul, or contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
(Natural News) Big Tech, Big Pharma and Big Media are now actively colluding to silence all doctors, websites, videos and online content that explains why hydroxychloroquine can save lives and end the coronavirus pandemic in mere weeks.

Over the last few days, Big Tech and Big Media conspired to censor all videos of Americas Frontline Doctors who revealed how hydroxychloroquine is saving thousands of lives in Emergency Rooms across America (and can even be used as a preventive medication).

The video presentation by the doctors has been deleted everywhere across Big Tech platforms in a desperate effort to make sure Americans dont learn that we dont have to keep suffering and dying while waiting for a vaccine that might be a failure anyway.

Yet the evil tech giants and media publishers have decided that Americans are not allowed to watch this video of doctors offering lifesaving, proven information that can end this pandemic. Instead, Google, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and even Vimeo would rather see Americans suffer and die so that a vaccine narrative can be aggressively pushed that enriches Big Pharma.

In other words, Big Tech is now complicit in the mass murder of Americans in order to protect the profit interests of Big Pharma.

This is where we are now in America: A criminal conspiracy of powerful corporations is now blacklisting critical knowledge for human health. They are doing it on purpose. They know people will die because of their actions, and they dont care.

This. This is where we are in the story right now. Fake and 100% fraudulent anti-HCQ studies are A-OK with Youtube but a bevy of MD's speaking from their professional experience is not. Lives don't matter. *sigh* https://t.co/u4v8TMTQhb  PeakProsperity.com  Fed goes Brrrrrrr (@chrismartenson) July 28, 2020

Just to confirm what Martenson is tweeting above, YouTube is happy to continue hosting videos promoting a science study that has long been retracted and exposed as a complete fraud, but YouTube wont allow legitimate doctors with firsthand experience to talk about what they see working to save lives in the ER.

All medical and health speech will now be 100% controlled by Google, Facebook and Twitter, all evil corporations that no nothing about health or nutrition

Even in a world where were told its always a good idea to get a second opinion on anything related to health and medicine, Big Tech has now decided they will dictate what opinions are allowed to be expressed online.

This means that for every disease from this day forward, Big Tech will dictate the allowable opinion about treatments for that disease even though tech giants obviously do not have a monopoly on facts, nor any special competency in the realm of human medicine.

Heres the video Big Tech doesnt want you to see. Theyve gone out of their way to remove it everywhere because it dismantled the entire narrative thats pushing vaccine mandates in America:

Heres the link where you can find the video on Brighteon:

Brighteon.com/3571f9ae-ec43-4254-8a56-1a931c250888

Note: Facebook and Twitter have banned the entire platform of Brighteon.com in order to stop people from sharing videos like this. They not only ban individual videos, they ban entire platforms.

And heres a follow-up video where these doctors speak out against the outrageous censorship that has been unleashed against them by Big Tech and Big Media:

Brighteon.com/5e29d8f0-d0de-4318-b37b-2d4cec87b9ea

Big Tech, Big Pharma and Big Media are now enemy combatants waging a WAR against humanity

Ive been warning humanity about the evils of Big Pharma for over a decade, and I was among the first to be 100% censored and blacklisted by Big Tech as I warned what was coming. Now, even doctors across America are waking up to exactly what I was warning about: If you dont have the correct opinion that Big Tech says is the only allowable truth, you will be censored and de-platformed.

You will also be smeared on Wikipedia and relentlessly attacked by left-wing media.

This means that for every debate, every disease and every event that takes place in our world from this day forward, there is only one allowable point of view that can be expressed, and its the point of view thats chosen by the insane, authoritarian lunatics who run Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Vimeo, LinkedIn and other radical extremist tech giants.

Today we declare that all employees who work for Big Tech, Big Pharma or Big Media are, in fact, enemy combatants, terrorists and malicious bad faith actors who are engaged in a criminal conspiracy to mass murder millions of human beings.

Every person who works for Google is complicit in mass murder. Every fake news journalist who pushes propaganda for CNN is a treasonous criminal working against the interests of humanity. Every person who works for Big Pharma to push unsafe vaccines on billions of people is, in reality, working to destroy human lives and cause suffering and mass death, even if they have to see millions of people killed in the process of raking in their obscene profits.

Its time we just said it straight out: There is a war being waged against humanity, and that war is being funded by at least 269 corporations such as Google, Netflix, Nike, Apple and Amazon. The goal is to achieve the mass slaughter of billions of human beings, whether through abortions, deadly vaccines, engineered famine or the deliberately provocation of social chaos and civil war.

We now live in a world where the gatekeepers of news and online information are actively, maliciously, deliberately suppressing medical information that could save millions of lives. This makes these corporations enemies against humanity and a clear and present danger to the future of human civilization on our planet.

See my recent interview with Del Bigtree here, as we expose the pure evil and malicious nature of Big Tech and its anti-human agenda:

If humanity is to survive, Big Tech, Big Pharma and Big Media must be defeated and dismantled

If humanity is to survive, these evil corporate giants must be defeated and dismantled. We have now reached the point where the very future of human civilization is at risk of being obliterated by these evil corporate monsters who are conspiring to destroy our economies, our freedoms and our lives.

They dont plan to end the lockdowns  ever!  because they are rolling out a global depopulation scheme to mass murder 90% of the human beings living today.

Humanity must rise up and defeat that corporate demons, or we will be destroyed by them.

How do we achieve the defeat and dismantling of these evil corporations that now represent an existential threat to humanity? For starters, we must demand that our political leaders take them down for their violations of anti-trust laws and civil rights legislation.

Today, President Trump tweeted that its time for him to take decisive action against Big Tech:

If Congress doesnt bring fairness to Big Tech, which they should have done years ago, I will do it myself with Executive Orders. In Washington, it has been ALL TALK and NO ACTION for years, and the people of our Country are sick and tired of it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2020

However, executive orders wont be enough. Its now clear that because Big Tech is at war with humanity, they will never voluntarily comply with any laws or rules that limit their power to control all online speech.

Thats why Trump needs to unleash the military against Big Tech by first declaring Big Tech to be engaged in an illegal insurrection against the United States of America, then dispatching military police to arrest all the corporate leaders and seize control of these treasonous corporations.

Trump must order to U.S. State Department to seize the domain names of all the tech giants: Google.com, Apple.com, Twitter.com, YouTube.com, Facebook.com, Vimeo.com and others. He must shut them down both online and offline, while the DOJ prosecutes the CEOs for treason.

The continued existence of Google, Facebook and other tech giants is flatly incompatible with free society. These evil corporations have proven they operate with zero respect for human rights, the rule of law or any sense of speech fairness. They operate with malicious contempt for U.S. laws and the United States Constitution. They abuse and exploit their power to rig elections, interfere with the First Amendment and silence their political opponents.

Now, theyre even silencing doctors because they dont agree with their second opinion.

This has gone too far. Big Tech must be stopped.

And if Congress wont act to dismantle Big Tech, We the People must defend ourselves against their acts of war against us.

The day is coming when We the People will have to dismantle the tech giants or be enslaved by techno-tyranny

The People must occupy and dismantle the tech giants. They must disconnect every fiber optic line that feeds the Big Tech beast, and they must converge on Big Tech office buildings across the country and peacefully dismantle them, server by server, brick by brick, until this unprecedented evil has been banished from our world.

The demon of techno-tyranny must be defeated, or none of us will ever be free again.

Many in Congress are finally starting to fight back, but its probably too late. Republicans sat around for four years doing nothing, unable to comprehend how the internet works and therefore having no clue what was being engineered against America. As Breitbart.com is now reporting:

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and a host of other House conservatives introduced legislation on Wednesday that would block big tech giants from censoring lawful political speech on the Internet. Reps. Doug Collins (R-GA), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Steve King (R-IA), Jim Banks (R-IN), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Ted Yoho (R-FL), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Ron Wright (R-TX), and Gosar introduced the Stop the Censorship Act of 2020, which would revoke big tech companies Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act legal immunity if the tech platform were to remove lawful speech on their platform.

But its already too late. Google already rigged the 2018 mid-term elections, allowing Democrats to seize the House, so no legislation against Big Tech is currently possible.

Thats why any real solution must come from the Presidents declaration of an open insurrection by Big Tech, followed by military action to take down every last corporation thats actively waging war against America and humanity.

We are far beyond the point of a political solution here. Now, Google and other evil tech giants must be forced to stop their war against humanity.

They will not stop voluntarily. And they will ignore all laws. They are not acting in good faith, and they believe they are already more powerful than any government in the world.

Lets see how they do against artillery if Trump finally invokes the 3D world layer for this conflict. Send in the tanks. Anything less will be pointless.

And for those of you who say the government should never exercise such power against corporations, ask yourself this question: What about the far more dangerous power over all speech thats now being exploited by the corporations themselves? Bad ideas (like communism) are more dangerous than bullets, which is why Google and the tech tyrants want total control over all ideas, speech, videos, memes and content. Thats a far greater threat to your liberty than any government action, especially if the entire point of the governments action is to restore a level playing field for online speech.

The greatest threat to your liberty today is not Big Government, its Big Tech and the fake news media.
More than 650,000 Egyptian students took the high school final exams nationwide from 21 June till 21 July amid heightened precautionary measures to rein in the spread of the coronavirus

Corrections of this years high school (Thanaweya Amma) exams have officially concluded, and the final results will be announced on 6 August, head of the high school exams department and Deputy Education Minister Reda Hegazy said on Tuesday.

Hegazy said that this years general pass rate in high school exams has surpassed last years rate of 78 percent.

More than 650,000 Egyptian students took the high school final exams nationwide from 21 June till 21 July amid heightened precautionary measures to rein in the spread of the coronavirus.

Thanaweya Amma exams were postponed for two weeks over the coronavirus outbreak.

The Egyptian Doctors Syndicate, as well as many parents, had called for postponing the exams until the country saw a reduction in the virus infection rate. Others called for replacing the exams with an online research system adopted for other school grades.

The education minister, however, insisted that the major exams could not be postponed further, asserting that authorities were taking necessary precautions and offering students the option to delay the exams to the next school year.

Every year, more than 600,000 Thanaweya Amma students must take highly competitive exams in a number of subjects at the end of their final year of high school.

The grades determine what universities and faculties students may attend.

Egypt had suspended school and university classes since March as part of sweeping anti-coronavirus measures, and introduced a new research paper system as an alternative to the final exams in most other school grades.

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A police force has been ridiculed for releasing CCTV images of suspects wanted for a racist attack on a 15-year-old boy with their faces blurred out to protect their identities.

Derbyshire Police are hunting two males and two females after a teenager was chased by the gang in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, and thrown to the ground before being kicked and punched.

Police issued CCTV images of the suspects following the attack on June 29 but deliberately blurred their faces with white blobs.

Two of the suspects, pictured, captured on CCTV with their faces deliberately blurred by Derbyshire Police with white blobs following the attack on June 29

The alert, posted on Facebook, was mocked by users who suggested that the appeal 'looks like any other day in JD Sports'.

One social media user said: 'How ridiculous... does anyone recognise them...how can we if we cant see them!!

'Aren't we meant to look after the victim not the criminals!'

Another wrote: 'Grow a pair Derbyshire Constabulary if you're going to use FB use it properly otherwise this looks like any other day in JD Sports.'

A third posted: 'Are you being serious??? If they are old enough to commit crime, they are old enough to face the consequences of being identifiable in an appeal. Grow a spine Derbyshire Constabulary.

'Pampering to the pansy society that protects criminals more than victims.'

Two of the suspects in the blurred images. Police are hunting two males and two females after a teenager was chased and attacked by the gang in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire

The social media post released by Derbyshire Police, who have since claimed the images had to be 'anonymised due to their age'

The force defended the decision to blur the faces of the suspects, claiming the images had to be 'anonymised due to their age'.

A police spokesperson said: 'A 15-year-old boy was chased from the Co-op to the Morrisons where he was thrown to the ground, kicked and punched to head and body and racially abused between 9.30pm and 10pm on Monday 29 June.

'Officers want to speak to the people pictured in relation to the offence.

'The images have been anonymised due to the age of those pictured, however, their clothing is distinctive and is likely to be recognised by anyone who knows them.

'If you recognise the people pictured, or you witnessed the incident, then please contact Derbyshire Police.'
The West Bengal government on Wednesday asked the Centre to suspend all flight operations in the state on days of complete lockdown in August due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to Civil Aviation Secretary PS Kharola, state Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay asked for a halt of flight operations on--August 5, August 8, August 16-17, August 23-24 and August 31.

The letter also added that there will be no complete lockdown on August 2 and August 9. The official letter stated, "I am now directed to inform you that on August 2, and 9, 2020 there shall be no complete lockdown in West Bengal. and, as such, there will now be complete lockdown only on the following days: 1) 05-08-20, 2) 08-08-20, 3) 16-08-20, 4) 17-08-20, 5) 23-08-20, 6) 24-08-20, and 7) 31-08-20. The request for stopping all flight operations on these days in West Bengal is reiterated."

The normal life across West Bengal was crippled on Wednesday amid the 24-hour complete lockdown, the third within a week, which saw over 4,500 people being arrested for breaching anti-COVID-19 guidelines. Officials said a total of 4,664 people were arrested from across the state, including 1,094 in Kolkata alone, for violating the anti-COVID guidelines and precautions aimed at breaking the transmission chain of the surging infection.

Wednesday's lockdown is the part of state government's plan to implement two lockdowns every week and similar exercises were carried out in the state on July 23 and 25. The government had earlier admitted community transmission of COVID-19 in the state.

All public transports, government and private offices, banks and other commercial establishments, barring those dealing with essential services, remained closed on Wednesday. Medicine shops and health establishments were open as they were kept outside the purview of the complete lockdown. Petrol pumps too were allowed to function.

Flight operations at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here were suspended following a request by the state government to the civil aviation ministry. Long-distance trains too were rescheduled due to the lockdown.

Police patrolled all major traffic intersections in the metropolis to keep a check on people venturing out of their homes without any valid reason. Special police teams were seen patrolling various parts of the city, particularly in containment zones. In several places, police were seen even punishing the lockdown violators by making them do squat, while barricades were put up in various parts of the state.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutes have remained closed in the state since late March when the first phase of the nation-wide lockdown started. Around 1,094 people were arrested in the city on Wednesday for defying the total lockdown imposed to check the spread of coronavirus, a senior official of Kolkata Police said. "Across West Bengal, around 3,570 people were arrested. We have lodged 135 FIRs, and 19 vehicles have been seized," a senior official of West Bengal police said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Tuesday said the decision on biweekly total lockdown till August end was taken after consulting experts to check the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the state. Total lockdown will be in place on August 5, 8, 16, 17, 23, 24 and 31, she had said.

The toll due to the contagion in West Bengal rose to 1,490 on Wednesday as 41 more people succumbed to the disease, as per a state health department bulletin. A total of 2,294 new cases pushed the state's tally to 65,258, it added.
The Congress on Wednesday welcomed the arrival of Rafale fighter jets in India, but questioned the delay and their high cost.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked why each Rafale jet was purchased by the government at a cost of Rs 1,670 crore while the erstwhile Congress-led dispensation struck a deal for Rs 526 crore, and why the offset contract was given to a "bankrupt" private firm instead of the public-sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

"Congratulations to IAF for Rafale. Meanwhile, can Government of India (GOI) answer: Why each aircraft costs Rs 1670 Crores instead of Rs 526 Crores? Why 36 aircraft were bought instead of 126? Why was bankrupt Anil (Ambani's firm) given a Rs 30,000 Crores contract instead of HAL," he asked on Twitter.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said every nationalist should question why the Rafale aircraft are 'Made in France' and not in India and why was their arrival delayed by five years.

"We welcome Rafale in India. Congratulations to the brave fighters of the Air Force. Every nationalist should ask why each Rafale was purchased for Rs 1670 crore instead of Rs 526 crore. Why only 36 Rafales instead of 126 are being purchased. Why are they 'Made in France' and not 'Made in India'. Why is there a delay of five years," Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi.

India on Wednesday received its first batch of new combat-proven fighter aircraft in two decades with the arrival of five Rafale jets, giving the country's air power a strategic edge in the midst of a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh and frayed ties with Pakistan.

The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base at around 3:10 PM after covering a distance of 7,000 km from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux.
New Delhi: With just an hour left for the announcement of the Uttarakhand Board 10th Matric, 12th Intermediate results, students waiting it will heave a sigh of relief shortly. The results for the Uttarakhand Board of Secondary Education (UBSE) Board class 10th and 12th exam will be announced on Wednesday (July 29) at 11 am.

The official announcement of the UK Board Results 2020 class 10th and class 12th will be made on the website of the Uttarakhand Board - ubse.uk.gov.in. Once the Uttarakhand UK Board Results 2020 for class 10th and class 12th are announced, students can check their scorecards online by simply logging in at ubse.uk.gov.in. After logging in at the website, one needs to enter one's credentials and some more simple click to get one's scorecard online.

Students who appeared in class 10th and class 12th board exams 2020 of the Uttarakhand Board are advised to keep logging in at the given website for the latest update. They are also advised to keep their admit cards or hall tickets issued by the board to check their results.

To get result, the students need to click on the official website- ubse.uk.gov.in.

* Click on the download result link.

* Enter registration number, roll number.

* The results will appear on the screen.

* Download and take a print out for further reference.

The ongoing board exams which was scheduled to conclude in March was postponed due to the coronavirus country wide lockdown. The pending papers were conducted from June 22 to 24.

The pending exams were  major papers like Mathematics, Sanskrit for class 10, while subjects 12 it was Biology, Geography, Physics, Mathematics, Sociology were left.

Students need to score at least 33 per cent marks in each subject to pass in the exam and obtain an aggregate score of 40 per cent. Last year, 74.57 per cent students cleared the class 10 examination, while, around 73 per cent cleared the class 12 examinations.

Nearly 3 lakh students appeared for the UBSE Class 10 and 12 examinations this year. Out of the 3 lakh candidates who had appeared for the exams, around 1.5 lakh students for the High School or class 10 exam, while for the intermediate or class 12 exams as many as 1.35 lakh students appeared.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29

Trend:

The cases of coronavirus infection have not been recently registered in Azerbaijans Goygol district, which is one of the districts of the country in which the tough quarantine regime has been in effect since July 5, Araz Hajiyev, a member of the group enlightening the population about coronavirus, told AzTV channel, Trend reports on July 29.

"Some 50 such groups and 20 mobile police posts have been created to control the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the district, the member of the mobile group added. Mostly, SMS permissions to leave the house and wearing of face masks is observed."
Tiberis returns to Rome river bank for summer 2020.

Tiberis, Rome's artificial beach on the banks of the river Tiber, has reopened this weekend, announced the mayor Virginia Raggi.

This is the third summer that Rome will host the riverside space which is equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas and showering facilities.

The beach also has a volleyball court and is open for free from 09.00 to 19.30 every day except Monday.

Located under Ponte Marconi, Tiberis was created in 2018 on reclaimed marshland between the S. Paolo and Marconi districts south of the city centre.

Seen as a 'pet project' of Mayor Raggi, Tiberis is free to visitors and in the first two editions it stayed open until October.

Tiberis is not the first man-made beach on the Tiber: in 2005 former mayor Walter Veltroni launched the Tevere Village beach under Castel S. Angelo, between Ponte S. Angelo and Ponte Umberto I.

Photo: TGCom24
DALLAS, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Employer Direct Healthcare is excited to announce its recent partnership with AFGlobal Corporation. On January 1, 2020, AFGlobal began offering Employer Direct Healthcare's SurgeryPlus benefit, a supplemental benefit providing surgical concierge services with a focus on quality care, lower costs, and a better member experience.

The members participating in AFGlobal's health plan will have access to the SurgeryPlus benefit's full-service healthcare concierge for over 1,400 non-emergent procedures. When they choose to utilize the SurgeryPlus benefit, members will be paired with their own dedicated Care Advocate. Their Care Advocate will assist them with everything from their selection of a surgeon, to scheduling appointments, transferring medical records, and even arranging travel, removing the stress and confusion often associated with planning for medical care.

As an added benefit, when participants elect to use a participating surgeon through the SurgeryPlus benefit, AFGlobal will waive their out-of-pocket financial responsibility.

John Zutter, CEO of Employer Direct Healthcare, commented, "Our partnership with AFGlobal was formed earlier this year to help their employees, along with their families, access top-quality healthcare at fair prices. The current COVID-19 crisis has made this directive more critical than ever, and we are excited to continue to build on our strong momentum, driving savings and superior outcomes for our members."

About Employer Direct Healthcare and the SurgeryPlus Benefit

Employer Direct Healthcare is an innovative healthcare services business providing high-quality and cost-efficient solutions for self-funded employers and their members. The company's core product, the SurgeryPlus benefit, provides full-service surgical concierge services to covered members, managing the entire process on their behalf. The SurgeryPlus benefit helps members identify quality providers at lower costs, helping employers and their plan participants dramatically reduce surgical costs while providing satisfying outcomes for members. Employer Direct Healthcare is majority owned by Dundon Capital Partners, LLC, a Dallas-based private investment firm, founded by Tom Dundon.

Contact for Employer Direct Healthcare:

855-200-2099

SOURCE Employer Direct Healthcare

Related Links

http://www.edhc.com


The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed long-standing challenges that many health care workers have faced while caring for Ontarios most vulnerable seniors. As a result, the government is looking now at ways to better support workers in the long-term care system, including the advice of an external Staffing Study Advisory Group.

It is clear these issues are not new, and the long-term care system needs additional support to address the staffing pressures that continue to impact resident care. However, it is also clear that no part of the health system operates in a silo, and consideration of the full impact of the health human resources needs of the system must be taken into account.

A system-wide lens must be used if we truly want to improve care for all seniors. The province must recognize that Ontarios long-term care workforce is interconnected to its home care workforce. A great percentage of our front-line health care workers  including nurses, therapists and personal support workers  are qualified to work in both sectors. Because of this, staff in both the long-term care and home care sectors must be supported by the government in the same ways. If not, the consequences for the stability of care for our seniors could be dire.

We recently saw Quebec give a significant pay raise to long-term care workers, but not home care workers. This poorly planned decision resulted in a mass exodus of home care staff from the sector. As a result of ignoring the home care system, Quebecs actions left their seniors without access to the home care they need to stay stable in their homes.

Ontarios home care system delivers more care to seniors than any other part of the health care system, which is why publicly funded home care workers must be supported in the same way as long-term care workers. With the right tools, our home care system could do even more to support seniors at home as well as continue to reduce the number of non-essential visits to hospitals that can overwhelm our health system, particularly during a pandemic.

We know that home care workers in Ontario are already paid considerably less than those in long-term care. This situation must be corrected, not made worse. To stabilize the entire health system, home care workers must be paid at parity with those in long-term care. Workers in both sectors deserve a raise for the critical support they provide to our seniors.

Ontarios seniors are relying on the government to protect them. Safe, reliable, and compassionate home care from well-trained and well-paid staff is key to improving overall care for seniors.

Our province has a chance to get it right, and it is imperative that we do so for the future of the entire health care system.
Express News Service

BENGALURU: While it did appear that Tipu Sultan was not the only target of the exercise to slice off parts of the school syllabus on Monday, a member of the ruling party claimed that the move was deliberate, and a controversial person should not be projected as a hero to children.Anwar Manipaddy of the BJP said that regardless of whether the syllabus revision had to do with Covid or not, it was good that the lesson on Tipu Sultan was dropped. He was a controversial person who had harmed the people of the Karnataka and Kerala, Manipaddy said. He went on to say that the lesson was not truncated, but removed on purpose because he (Tipu) was a controversial man.

The Opposition has been extremely critical about the governments move to revise the syllabus. KPCC president D K Shivakumar said the BJP wants to make its personal agenda a historical agenda, and this is unacceptable, and will be taken up seriously. You cant change history, whether we celebrate Tipu Jayanti or not is a different issue, he said.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson and Supreme Court advocate Brijesh Kalappa said the Congress will protest and look at legal remedies. Although the government had to chop the syallabi of many subjects, it chose specific subjects that are inconvenient to the BJP, which wants to provide children unwholesome education and create a highly bigoted mindset, he said.

JDS national spokesperson Tanveer Ahmed termed it a diversionary tactic of the BJP because CM Yediyurappa has failed to deal with the Covid crisis, and has not yet resolved the flood problem. Congress MLA Priyank Kharge called it a systematic eradication of intellectual capital. Managing Director of Karnataka Text Book Society Madegowda said that the move was temporary. They are neither removed from the textbooks nor the syllabus. The schedule is only for this year, he said.

Prefabricated agenda: Archbishop

While the chapters on Christianity and Islam, and teachings of Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed have been dropped, with claims that these religious figures and their teachings figure in Class 9, Bengaluru diocese Archbishop Peter Machado told the media, The lesson was moved from Class 6 to Class 9. When you go to Class 9, it says the lesson was done in Class 6. This looks like a prefabricated agenda to not show the contribution, greatness and tenets of Islam and Christianity. Children at this age absorb these things, and are the best ambassadors of communal harmony, he said,.
 Flash

China has always strictly implemented international laws including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and never expanded its claims of sovereignty, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing in response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's slandering over the South China Sea issue.

China's South China Sea policy remains unchanged, and has been consistent and stable, Wang said, adding that China has always insisted on resolving territorial and maritime rights disputes with neighboring countries through negotiation in accordance with international law and historical facts.

"We have always abided by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and we are willing to work with ASEAN countries to push forward consultations on the Code of Conduct to reach a code of conduct common to China and ASEAN countries at an early date," the spokesperson said.

The United States is not a party concerned to the South China Sea issue, nor a party to UNCLOS, Wang said, noting that it has blatantly violated its commitment not to hold a stand on the issue of South China Sea sovereignty, and deliberately drove a wedge between China and ASEAN countries.

Regional countries and all peace-loving people will not allow a few U.S. politicians to muddy the waters in the South China Sea, Wang added.
By Laman Ismayilova

World Humanultural Drive (WHD) has awarded Azerbaijani designer with prestigious award.

Famous designer, creator of a number of business projects Sabina Zulalova won "Covid 100 Star" in Technology and Innovation nomination, Sputnik Azerbaijan reported.

The award was presented to 100 representatives of 35 countries who contributed to fight against coronavirus.

The designer presented several projects at once. One of them is the masks she created with multi-colored prints.

Zulalova also organized a startup for 3D scanning of cultural heritage objects - Gara Garayev Museum, the Maiden Tower and the Beylar Mosque.

She plans to continue working in this direction, designing more 3D travel sights of Azerbaijan. The designer also organized virtual tours to the country.

World Humanultural Drive (WHD) is a charity based in London. Its founder is Abdul Basit Syed. Zulalova met a representative of the organization in 2019 at the international congress in Berlin, where she represented Azerbaijan.

Since then, the designer has been keeping in touch with representatives of this organization through social networks.

The main goal of the project is to express gratitude to the volunteers who helped people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHD awarding ceremony is scheduled for September 2.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Anger at caste discrimination flares after a group of men in Agra prevents the womans cremation on communal land.

The body of a Dalit (formerly referred to as untouchables) woman was taken off a funeral pyre in India by a group of men belonging to more privileged castes who said she could not be cremated on communal land, police said on Tuesday, a case that prompted angry calls for an end to caste discrimination.

The funeral was being held in northern Uttar Pradesh states Agra district last week when about 200 men stopped the cremation, saying the site was not meant for villagers from less privileged castes, police and the womans husband said.

My family and I begged them to let us perform the last rites but no one listened to us. The police were also called, but nothing was done, said Rahul Bajaniya, the womans husband.

We had to take the body to a different cremation ground, which is about four kilometres [2.5 miles] away, and perform the last rites there, he told Reuters news agency from Kakarpura village, which lies close to the iconic Taj Mahal.

Bajaniya said caste discrimination in the village was so entrenched that people from the more privileged castes even object to us when we fetch water from the [community] hand-pump.

An online video showing men removing firewood from the pyre as a body lay on the ground had been viewed nearly 200,000 times.

#Casteism Upper Caste deny cremation of a dalit woman in Raibha village #Agra. Body of the woman was removed from the pyre & cremated at a different place. Police probing the matter.#DalitLivesMatter

pic.twitter.com/FOdOGHi2hR  The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) July 23, 2020

The incident sparked anger on social media, with politicians and campaigners demanding justice for the womans family.

Kumari Mayawati, a Dalit political leader in Uttar Pradesh, described the case as most shameful and most condemnable in a tweet.

In this casteist and most disgusting incident, a high-level inquiry should be done by the government and the culprits should be given harshest punishment so that such an incident is not repeated in the state, she said.

BS Veer Kumar, the local deputy police superintendent, said his team could not take any action unless the womans family filed an official complaint.

The family has raised their demand for a separate cremation ground, and that is being looked into, he said.

Bajaniya said he had decided not to file a police complaint because he wanted to live peacefully in the village where he was often given part-time jobs by the residents who belonged to more privileged castes.

India banned discrimination based on caste in 1955. But centuries-old biases against Dalits, who fall out of the caste system, and Hindus from less privileged castes persist, making it harder for them to access education, jobs and homes.

A growing population and rising pressure on land to build homes, highways and industry is triggering conflicts, with Indians from less-privileged castes often facing eviction, particularly in rural areas where discrimination is strongest, campaigners say.

Their traditional burial and cremation grounds are also targeted, with Dalits sometimes forced to keep relatives bodies for days until they can find a place to bury or cremate them.

More than half of the people belonging to Indias less-privileged castes are landless, according to census data. Several states have laws aimed at giving land to Dalits, but few have produced results, according to Dalit activists and leaders.

SR Darapuri, a Dalit rights activist based in Uttar Pradeshs state capital, Lucknow, demanded that the government do more to meet the needs of poor minorities.

This is not a new case or a new thing as it keeps on happening in India, he said.

The only solution to end this caste discrimination is making separate community centres in every village for lower-caste people where they can go and talk about their problems and requirements.
Karnataka Congress party and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy exchanged barbs on social media a day after the former CM hit out at the national party saying it was synonymous with horse-trading.

The Karnataka Congresss official Twitter handle attacked Kumaraswamy for his remarks on the Rajasthan crisis saying Have you become so innocent that you don t know the difference between a partys MLAs voluntarily joining another party and them being pressurized using constitutional bodies under operation Kamala?

Operation Kamala refers to an alleged BJP plan under which opposition party MLAs were lured to join the party.

The remarks came a day after Kumaraswamy commenting on the Rajasthan crisis where the Congress has accused the BJP of trying to topple its government, said that his erstwhile partner was the progenitor of horse-trading and it had tried to break the JD(S) in the past.

The Karnataka Congress also went onto attack Kumaraswamy asking When you formed a coalition with us and sat on the CMs chair using our support, was Congresss morals alright? When you dont have power you have suddenly remembered all of this. When the state is facing difficulties, a party which is both invisible and irrelevant, what moral right do you have to comment on us.

Kumaraswamy too hit back with a series of ten tweets. Hinting at Siddaramiah, he accused senior leaders of Congress unable to respond directly to him were using the partys handle to fire at him. Asserting that it was Congress that came to him desperately seeking an alliance, he said he accepted it only to work for the welfare of farmers.

You have accused me of being invisible and irrelevant. In how many states of the country is Congress visible and relevant? There is only a fine line in the so-called voluntary joining of MLAs to Congress and Operation Kamala. Congress sadly has fallen to such a low level. This is the reason for the current pathetic condition of Congress, he said in one of his tweets.
The coronavirus pandemic brought unprecedented uncertainty and stress. But even amid the turmoil and the new pressures of work-from-home and home-schooling, millions of people were able to keep calm and carry on with the demands of the moment.

Research forthcoming in the Journal of Applied Psychology shows that the human sense of normalcy is capable of bouncing back a lot faster than we might think.

"Our psychological immune system is so effective that even though we have an ongoing, persisting stressor, we start to fix ourselves almost immediately," says management professor Trevor Foulk at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, who authored the research with colleagues from the University of Southern California, Singapore Management University and the University of Florida.

"When a big stressor happens, it knocks us out of our pattern. We feel like we don't have control and we're just not like our normal selves," says Foulk. "We have always tended to think that we'll only get our sense of normalcy back when the stressor goes away." Not true, according to Foulk's latest research.

The study, "Getting Back to the 'New Normal': Autonomy Restoration During a Global Pandemic," shows that psychological recovery can take place even while a person is still in the throes of a stressful experience. That's significant; previous research has suggested that recovery processes start only after stressors abate and can take months or even years to unfold.

In the latest study, researchers surveyed 122 employees several times each day for two weeks to explore how they experienced the pandemic. The study began on March 16, 2020, just as stay-at-home orders and school closures went into effect across U.S. cities and states. It was just days after the World Health Organization's March 11 declaration that COVID-19 had reached pandemic status. The timing meant that researchers had a unique opportunity to study the very early days of the crisis.

The researchers focused on two manifestations of normalcy - specifically powerlessness and authenticity. They found that on the first day of the study, just as the crisis was beginning, employees initially felt very powerless and inauthentic.

"But, over the course of even just those two weeks, normalcy started to return," he says. "People felt less powerless and more authentic - even while their subjective stress levels were rising."

It's an important finding, as it suggests that humans can establish a new normal even while feeling stressed and worried.

Foulk says this shows employees were adjusting to their new situations and the disruptions associated with the crisis and establishing a new way of feeling normal. "The pace at which people felt normal again is remarkable, and highlights how resilient we can be in the face of unprecedented challenges."

The effect was more pronounced for more neurotic individuals - people who tend to be more nervous, anxious, depressed, self-conscious and vulnerable. Those employees had a more extreme initial reaction to the stress, but then recovered at a faster rate. The researchers say this is likely because employees high in neuroticism are better psychologically equipped to navigate stress so they can bounce back from it quicker.

Overall, Foulk says, all employees start to feel normal much faster than most would expect.

"Contrary to a lot of the doom and gloom we're hearing, our work offers a little bit of a ray of hope - that our psychological immune system starts working a lot faster than we think, and that we can start to feel 'normal' even while all of this is going on."

###
The chiefs of four of the biggest tech companies in the world -- Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google -- faced lawmakers Wednesday for a hearing on digital competition that could have cataclysmic impact on an industry largely unhindered by regulators.

The grilling of tech titans Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai (the companies' respective CEOs), was done by the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee as part of its ongoing, yearlong investigation into competition in the digital market.

The approximately 5-hour hearing's line of questioning was sharply divided down party lines. GOP congress members mostly took the CEOs to task for what most of them perceived as an effort to silence conservative voices online. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla. accused Google's CEO of supressing conservative sites because he could not Google a right-leaning article he was searcing for and because he no longer received email after he was elected to Congress.

Rep. Jim Jordan accused Google of "helping" Hilary Clinton in 2016 and demanded that each CEO make a commitment "to not help Joe Biden" in 2020.

Meanwhile most Democrat members of the commitee pummeled the CEOs with questions about monopolizing their markets, concerns over data privacy and other antitrust issues.

PHOTO: The logos of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google are seen in a combination photo from Reuters files. (Reuters, File)

Here is a rundown on the hearing. All times Eastern.

6:16 p.m: Did Amazon use pandemic to sell more of its own products?, congresswoman asks Bezos

Rep. Mary Scanlon says, when the pandemic hit, "Amazon said it was going to delay shipment of nonessential products." She accused the e-commerce giant of applying that policy selectively and asked why "Amazon devices like Fire TV, Echo speakers and Ring doorbells" were deemed essential during the pandemic.

"There was no playbook for this; demand went through the roof," Bezos responded. "Our goal was to limit to essential supplies but I am sure we did not do that perfectly," he said.

Story continues

6:05 p.m.: Jim Jordan asks tech CEOs about 'cancel culture'

Rep. Jim Jordan said the "cancel culture mob is dangerous." He went on to ask each CEO what their thoughts were on "cancel culture,."

Tim Cook: "I think it's good for people to hear different people, different points of view."

Zuckerberg: "I believe strongly in free expression. I'm very worried about some forces in this country that I see pushing against free expression.

Bezos: "I am concerned in general about that." Bezosa called social media a "destruction machine."

5:56: Democrat congressman calls out GOP peers on their line of questioning, doesn't understand 'the whining'

Taking a brief respite from questioning the tech CEOs, Rep. Raskin, D-Md., took some of his Republican colleagues to task for their questions during the hearing. "Top performing links/posts on Facebook ... are right-wing sites," Raskin said. "If Facebook is trying to repress conservative speecs they are doing a terrible job. I don't understand the whining." Raskin said the recent removal by Twitter of Trump's tweets was about spreading false information about public health and that he didn't understand his colleagues' line of questioning.

5:15 p.m.: Cook questioned over App Store

Rep. Lucy Kay McBath, D-Ga. came out swinging at Cook over Apple's App Store, asking him directly if Apple has "the power to exclude apps from the App Store."

"If you look at the history of this, congresswoman, weve increased the number of apps from 500 to 1.7 million so there is a very wide gate for the App Store," Cook responded. "And there is fierce competition for developers and we want every app we can on the platform."

McBath countered by saying, "Apple can exclude apps from the App Store in fact it has."

She cited a 2016 incident when Apple introduced its own ScreenTime app, and simultaneously removed other parental control apps that monitored children's screen time.

Cook said the other apps were removed for privacy concerns, but McBath noted that they came right back to the store approximately six months later after multiple complaints and were asked to make almost no changes to their privacy settings.

"The timing of the removal seems very coincidental," McBath said.

5:00 p.m.: Rep. Scanlon questions Pichai over YouTube

Rep. Scanlon pushed Pichai over Google's acquisition of YouTube, which Pichai said was before his time and he could not offer an explanation for why the company paid "30 times its original bid."

"Google is now by far the top online site where Americans watch videos including childrens videos and as Im sure you're aware federal law prevents companies from collecting data on children under 13," Scanlon said. Yet last year, she added, the FTC found Google spent years knowingly collecting data on children under 13 on YouTube.

Pichai said that as a parent, they take these concerns "very seriously" and have invested heavily to make sure they are following all regulations.

"Im more concerned that youre investing rigorously in luring in advertisers like toymakers Mattel and Hasbro by telling them that Youtube is the No. 1 website regularly visited by kids, that sounds like you are targeting the kids, targeting advertisers to bring them on board," she said.

Pichai said he wasn't familiar with the reports she was referencing, but that his office would follow up with hers.

4:00 p.m.: Rep. Nadler presses Facebook and Google over journalism dominance

"The news and journalism industry in this country are in economic free fall," Nadler said. "Tens of thousands of journalists have been laid off in recent years."

The reason journalism is in free fall is because Google and Facebook now capture the vast majority of digital ad revenue," he added. "Although news publishers produce valuable content, it is Google and Facebook that increasingly profit off their content."

Nadler brought up an incident when Facebook reported high and quickly growing rates of video viewership, and "based on these metrics, news publishers fired hundreds of journalists choosing to boost their video." It was later revealed that Facebook inflated these numbers.

Zuckerberg said he did not know the numbers were inflated, "and we regret that mistake."

"I certainly know how important it that the metrics we report are accurate," he added.

Nadler asked Zuckerberg what he would say to the journalists who have "lost their jobs because of Facebook's deception."

"I disagree with that characterization," the tech CEO said.

Nadler concluded by calling it a "very dangerous situation."

3:50 p.m.: 'We have adapted features,' Zuckerberg replies when asked about copying competitors

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-W.A., accused the social media CEO of "copying other apps that could prevent our competitors from gaining other footholds," citing what she said was a plan disclosed by Facebook executives as per a Wall Street Journal report.

She said that Facebook threatened the Snapchat CEO that it was building a clone of the Snapchat app. Jayapal asked point blank: "Do you copy your competitors?"

Zuckerberg answered, "We have adapted features" but said that he did not agree with the premise that they copied competitors.

3:30 p.m.: Rep. Cicilline calls Amazon's dealing with third-party sellers 'fundamentally anti-competitive'

Rep. Cicilline took aim at Amazon's marketplace and allegations from a Wall Street Journal report that the company rips off products from third-party sellers.

Cicilline also noted that "Amazon controls as much as 75% of all online marketplace sales," asking Bezos, "Isnt it true that small businesses have no real option but to rely on Amazon to connect with customers and make online sales?"

Bezos argued that "I believe there are a lot of options," but "Amazon is the best one."

Cicilline then pressed Bezos as to whether Amazon refers to third-party sellers as "internal competitors."

"In some ways we are competing, and theyre also competing with each other," Bezos said.

The congressman said that during their yearlong investigation, "We have heard so many heartbreaking stories of small businesses who sunk significant time and resources into building a business and selling on amazon only to have amazon poach their best items and drive them out of business."

"Isnt it an inherent conflict of interest for Amazon to produce and sell products on its platform that compete directly with third-party sellers particularly [when] you, Amazon, set the rules of the game?" he added.

Bezos argued that it is best for the customers, and "consumers are the ones ultimately making the decision." He said they have a policy against using "individual seller data to compete with our private label products" and they are looking into whether that is being upheld as a result of the Wall Street Journal article.

Cicilline concluded by saying their evidence shows "Amazon is only interested in exploiting its monopoly power over the commerce market place to further expand and protect this power."

"This investigation makes clear that Amazons dual role as a platform operator and competing seller on that platform is fundamentally anti-competitive and Congress must take action," he said.

3:15 p.m.: Rep. Jordan demands Google not help Joe Biden in 2020

In a fiery tirade, Rep. Jordan accused Google of trying to "help Clinton" in 2016 and asked the company's CEO to not help Joe Biden in 2020.

"According to your multicultural marketing executive" the company "tried to help Clinton, Jordan said, and asked for assurance that Google "would not try and help Joe Biden in 2020."

Pinchai told Jordan "you have my commitment" that Google will act in a non-partisan manner.

The exchange took a heated turn with Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-P.A., said Id like to redirect your attention to antitrust laws rather than fringe conspiracy theories.

Jordan was then admonished by other members of the committee for running over his allotted time and refusing to put back on his mask at one point after his questioning.

3:04 p.m.: Congressman presses Pichai over why he could not find a conservative article via Google

In a bizarre exchange gaining traction online, Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla. asked Pinchai why he was unable to Google to find a conservative article he had wanted to read and instead had to type the website's address.

Steube also mentioned that since he was elected to Congress, his emails have been going into his spam folder. He asked Pinchai if there was some effort to silence conservative voices, a common theme among questioning by Republicans during the hearing.

Pinchai said that Google approaches its work in a "non-partisan way" and that "on our platform there are more conservative voices than ever before. He also told Steube he would have to look into this specific issue to see what had happened when he tried to Google his article and asked that Pichai follow up with his office.

2:15 p.m.: Zuckerberg questioned over Facebook's acquisition of Instagram

Zuckerberg faced tough questioning from Nadler over Facebook's acquisition of Instagram in 2012, which Nadler says was part of Facebook's attempt to suppress competition.

"I've always been clear that we viewed Instagram both as a competitor and as a compliment to our services," Zuckerberg said.

Nadler questioned Zuckerberg on reports that he previously viewed Instagram as a "threat" to Facebook prior to the acquisition, and that he purchased Instagram to neutralize a competitor.

"I've been clear that Instagram was a competitor in the space of mobile photo sharing, there were a lot of others at the time," he said. "It was a subset of the overall space of connecting that we exist in and by having them join us they certainly went from being a competitor in the space of being a mobile camera to an app that we could help grow."

Nadler pressed Zuckerberg as to why Instagram should not be broken off into a separate company if it was acquired to suppress a threat of competition. Zuckerberg argued that the FTC reviewed the documents and voted not to challenge the acquisition at the time.

"With hindsight it probably looks obvious that Instagram would reach the scale it has today, but at the time it was far from obvious," Zuckerberg said, saying there was no guarantee Instagram would succeed.

Nadler concludes by doubling down, saying Facebook "saw Instagram as a threat that could potentially siphon business away from Facebook, so rather than compete with it Facebook bought it."

"This is exactly the type of anticompetitive acquisition that the antitrust laws were designed to prevent," "This should never have happened in the first place ... and it cannot happen again."

2:05 p.m.: Zuckerberg pressed over hydroxychloroquine incident on Twitter

Jim Sensenbrenner, R-W.I., used his time to question Zuckerberg over separate controversy, involving Twitter, Donald Trump Jr. and hydroxychloroquine. While Twitter's CEO was not present at the hearing, Zuckerberg defended his competitor's action and said social media companies should not be the "arbiters of truth."

"It was reported that Donald Trump Jr. got taken down for a period of time because he put something up -- the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine," Sensenbrenner said. "Now, I wouldn't take it myself, but there still is a debate on whether it is effective either in treating or preventing COVID-19 and I think that this is a legitimate matter of discussion, and it would be up to a patient and their doctor to determine whether hydroxychloroquine was the correct medication, you know, given the circumstances."

Zuckerberg noted that, "I think what you might be referring to happened on Twitter, so it's hard for me to speak to that, but I can talk to our policies about this."

We do prohibit content that will lead to imminent risk of harm, and stating that there's a proven cure for COVID, when there is in fact none, might encourage someone to go take something that could have some adverse effects so we do take that down, Zuckerberg said.

Sensenbrenner argued that "wouldnt that be up to somebody else, you know, to say okay what somebody posted on this really isn't true and here's what the facts are. Rather than having Twitter or Facebook take it down?"

Zuckerberg said he agreed with Sensenbrenner that, "we do not want to become the arbiters of truth. I think that that would be a bad position for us to be in and not, not what we should be doing."

Finally, Zuckerberg argued, however that if something could cause harm they think it should be taken down.

"But on specific claims, if someone is going to go out and say that, that hydroxychloroquine has proven to cure COVID when in fact it has not been proven to cure COVID and that that statement could lead people to take a drug, that in some cases, some of the data suggests that might be harmful to people, we think that we should take that down," he said. "That could cause imminent risk of harm."

1:55 p.m.: Zuckerberg says 'we compete hard'

PHOTO: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law on 'Online Platforms and Market Power' on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on July 29, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

"The tech industry is an American success story," Zuckerberg said in his opening remarks. "Our industry is one of the ways that America shares its values with the world and one of its greatest economic and cultural exports."

He says Facebook has helped many small businesses stay afloat amid the COVID-19 crisis.

"Our services are about connection and our business model is advertising, we face intense competition in both," he said, adding that for every dollar spent on advertising in the U.S., "less than 10 cents is spent with us."

"New companies are created all the time all over the world and history shows that if we don't keep innovating someone will replace every company here today. That change can often happen faster than you expect," Zuckerberg said. "We compete hard. We compete fairly. We try to be the best. That's what I was taught matters in this country. And when we succeed, it's because we deliver great experiences that people love."

Ultimately, Zuckerberg said he doesn't believe "private companies should be making so many decisions about these issues by themselves" and argued for new regulation for the internet.

1:50 p.m.: Tim Cook says Apple faces fierce competition

PHOTO: Apple CEO Tim Cook testifies before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law on 'Online Platforms and Market Power' in the Rayburn House office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on July 29, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

In his prepared remarks, Cook described Apple's origin and said the company's success "is only possible in this country."

He also argued that the "smartphone market is fiercely competitive, and companies like Samsung, LG, Huawei and Google have built very successful smartphone businesses offering different approaches."

Cook said Apple does not have a dominant market share in any market where "we do business," including iPhone or "any product" category.

He also defended the App Store, saying for a vast majority of apps on the App Store, developers keep 100% of the money they make.

He also said that they have never raised the commission or added a single fee to the App Store since it debuted more than a decade ago.

Cook concluded by saying that he supports competition as a great virtue that promotes innovation.

"I'm here today because scrutiny is reasonable and appropriate. We approach this process with respect and humility, but we make no concession on the facts," Cook said. "If Apple is the gatekeeper, what we've done is open the gate wider. We want to get every app we can on the store, not keep them off."

1:45: Pichai defends Google Ads, and says other tools have helped small business

PHOTO: Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law on 'Online Platforms and Market Power' in Washington, DC on July 29, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Pichai defended how Google Ads and other tools have helped small businesses in his opening statement.

"Online has been a lifeline for so many businesses, especially during the global pandemic," Pichai said in his prepared remarks. "Nearly one-third of small business owners say that without digital tools they would have had to close all or part of their business during COVID."

Pichai also noted Google's massive investments in research and development. He added that competition drives their innovation.

"New competitors emerge every day and today users have more access to information than ever before," he said. "Competition drives us to innovate and it also leads to better products, lower choices and more choice for everyone."

He concluded that they are committed to working with lawmakers to "protect consumers, maintain America's competitive technological edge in the world, and ensure that every American has access to the incredible opportunities that technology creates."

1:40 p.m.: Bezos delivers opening remarks, says Amazon 'should be scrutinized'

PHOTO: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos testifies before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law on 'Online Platforms and Market Power' in the Rayburn House office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on July 29, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Bezos delivered his prepared remarks, which were released ahead of time by Amazon.

Bezos described Amazon's early days and its rise to success. He also defends the company's place in the e-commerce world and its impact on the economy.

He said there are 1.7 million small and medium-sized businesses around the world selling in Amazon's stores, and more than 200,000 entrepreneurs worldwide surpassed $100,000 in sales in Amazon stores in 2019.

According to his estimates, third-party businesses selling in Amazon's stores have created over 2.2 million new jobs around the world.

MORE: House Republicans call on Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to join hearing with Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google chiefs

Bezos said he "walked away from a steady job on Wall Street into a Seattle garage" to found Amazon, fully "understanding that it might not work."

"It feels like just yesterday I was driving the packages to the post office myself dreaming that one day we might afford a forklift. Customer obsession has driven our success, and I take it as an article of faith the customers notice when you do the right thing," Bezos added. "You earn trust slowly over time by doing hard things well, delivering on time, offering everyday low prices, making promises and keeping them."

Finally, the CEO expressed confidence in his business, saying, "I believe Amazon should be scrutinized."

"We should scrutinize all large institutions, whether they're companies, government agencies, or nonprofits," Bezos said. "Our responsibility is to make sure we pass such scrutiny with flying colors."

1:35 p.m.: Bezos, Cook, Zuckerberg and Pichai are sworn-in virtually

PHOTO: Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, and Tim Cook are sworn-in before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on July 29, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Via a WebEx video software, the four big tech CEOs virtually swore-in for their testimonies. Then, Bezos kicked off with his remarks.

1:30 p.m.: Jordan says 'Big tech is out to get conservatives'

"I'll just cut to the chase, big tech is out to get conservatives," Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in his opening remarks. "That's not a suspicion, that's not a hunch, that's a fact."

Jordan cited a litany of what he considered as examples from over the years, ranging from Google not promoting and Facebook "suppressing" conservative views.

"We love the fact that these are American companies," he added. "What's not great is censoring conservatives and trying to win elections, and if it doesn't end, there has to be consequences."

1:20 p.m.: Nadler slams 'concentration of power'

"Today it is effectively impossible to use the internet without using in one way or another the service of these four companies," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said in his opening remarks.

"I have long believed with Thomas Jefferson and Louis Brandeis that concentration of power in any form, especially concentration of economic or political power is dangerous to a democratic society," he added.

Nadler said their concentration of power is why these companies, and the existing U.S. antitrust laws, must be further scrutinized.

1:10 p.m.: Cicillin kicks off hearing with opening remarks

Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline, D-R.I., kicked off the hearing with opening remarks, saying the "purpose of today's hearing is to examine the dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google."

"Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, these corporations already stood out as titans in our economy, in the wake of COVID-19, however they're likely to emerge stronger and more powerful than ever before," he added.

"As American families shift more of their work shopping and communication online, these giants stand to profit. Locally owned business, meanwhile, Mom and Pop stores on Main Street face an economic crisis unlike any in recent history," Cicilline said. "As hard as it is to believe it is possible that our economy will emerge form this crisis even more concentrated and consolidated than before."

He argued that the dominance of the four tech giants is thus hurting the U.S. economy as a whole.

12:25 p.m.: Hearing delayed slightly as room is being cleaned

The highly anticipated hearing, which was scheduled to start at noon, is off to a delayed start Wednesday as the room is being cleaned.

Wednesday's hearing is taking place in the same room where Attorney General William Barr testified for five hours Tuesday. Tuesday's hearing was attended by Congressman Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican who has tested positive for the coronavirus, a source told ABC News Wednesday.

Despite the delay, a few masked-up lawmakers have already taken their positions on the dais including Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La.

12:07 p.m.: Trump calls for action from Congress on Twitter ahead of the hearing

President Donald Trump shared some thoughts via Twitter ahead of the hearing, writing, "If Congress doesn't bring fairness to Big Tech, which they should have done years ago, I will do it myself with Executive Orders."

He continued: "In Washington, it has been ALL TALK and NO ACTION for years, and the people of our Country are sick and tired of it!"

If Congress doesn't bring fairness to Big Tech, which they should have done years ago, I will do it myself with Executive Orders. In Washington, it has been ALL TALK and NO ACTION for years, and the people of our Country are sick and tired of it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2020

5 a.m.: CEOs release their opening remarks, here is what is expected today

Lawmakers have said Wednesday's hearing will be a part of the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee's ongoing, year-long investigation into competition in the digital market.

"Given the central role these corporations play in the lives of the American people, it is critical that their CEOs are forthcoming," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline, D-R.I., said in a joint statement earlier this month announcing the hearing.

"As we have said from the start, their testimony is essential for us to complete this investigation," the statement added.

MORE: NAACP president calls Facebook a 'threat to democracy,' says ad boycott isn't dying down soon

The subcommittee has been investigating the industry dominance of a small number of digital platforms and the "adequacy of existing antitrust laws and enforcement" since last June, Nadler and Cicilline said.

Notably, this will be the first time Amazon's CEO Bezos -- the richest man in the world according to Forbes' realtime data on billionaires -- will be in the hot seat testifying before Congress. Amazon has also been at the fore of the subcommittee's investigation. Lawmakers are expected to ask about, among other things, reports that Amazon used sensitive business information from third-party sellers on its platforms, according to a statement.

Apple's App Store has also been the subject of antitrust scrutiny, and last month officials in the European Union officially launched an investigation on whether the distribution of apps on its store potentially violate EU competition rules.

PHOTO: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais Evan Vu/AP)

MORE: Maxine Waters, AOC slam Zuckerberg during Libra testimony for ads that give 'license to lie'

Facebook's power and reach has been the subject of multiple past congressional hearings, and many of the key points raised in the past will likely come up again especially as the 2020 presidential election nears and the social media giant has pledged it won't make the same mistakes it did in 2016.

PHOTO: In this file photograph taken on Sept. 28, 2017, shows a smartphone being operated in front of GAFA logos (acronym for Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon web giants) as background in Hede-Bazouges, western France. (Damien Meyer/AFP via Getty Images, File)

Google's dominance in the online advertising world is also expected to come up, amid mounting media reports that a Department of Justice antitrust suit against Google over its ad businesses could be forthcoming.

The hearing, which will be livestreamed, is scheduled to start at noon and the guests are expected to appear virtually as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Congress grills tech CEOs in wide-ranging hearing on monopoly, political bias, China and more originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Gin makers have warned the Government it has just days to stop Donald Trump hitting their exports with crippling tariffs.

The group of 230 distillers said it would see a major fall in sales across the Atlantic and put 6,500 jobs at risk.

The US President is threatening to slap a 25 per cent levy on gin, vodka and blended whisky from next month amid a trade war with the EU.

It follows the introduction of the same levy on single malt Scotch whisky last October.

A group of 230 British distillers warned the Government it has just days to stop Donald Trump hitting their exports with crippling tariffs, which they say could put 6,500 jobs at risk

The UK Spirits Alliance is demanding International Trade Secretary Liz Truss takes urgent action to avert the tariffs ahead of a review by the US Trade Representative on August 12.

In a joint letter, they urged Miss Truss to follow the lead of countries such as France that have won exemptions from US tariffs for champagne.

It said: 'We can't afford for the Government to lose what is the first test of Global Britain, which is what will happen if the United States applies tariffs to our world-renowned products in less than 20 days.

'The tariffs imposed on Scotch whisky since last October have already cost the UK more than 200million. The risk to a growing industry, which supports vital areas like hospitality and tourism, is incalculable. Time is short for the Government to ensure the damage isn't increased to an iconic British industry.'

Britain exports 1.5billion worth of spirits to America every year.

The drinks firms said they have been collateral damage in a trade dispute between the US and EU over plane makers Boeing and Airbus.

US President Donald Trump is threatening to slap a 25 per cent levy on gin, vodka and blended whisky from next month, amid a trade war with the EU

Tory MP Alicia Kearns, whose Rutland and Melton constituency is home to Brentingby Gin, said: 'Our iconic national spirits industry supports thousands of jobs across the UK and generates billions for the economy.

'We cannot underestimate the impact of the US imposing further harmful tariffs as the industry tries to recover.'

Liam Manton, founder of Didsbury Gin in Manchester who helped organise the letter, said: 'Now is the time for our Government to stand by an industry which generates significant revenues for the public purse and also promotes brand Britain across the globe.'

A Department for International Trade spokesman said trade negotiators had made it clear to America that resorting to tariffs was 'in nobody's interests'.

They added: 'We're determined to protect British interests and we have raised the issue at the highest levels of the US administration.'
Tom Holland is the newest actor to play Spider-Man and the youngest following behind Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield. In addition to his films, Hollands Spiderman has also made appearances in other MCU movies and made his debut in Captain America: Civil War.

He is also a relatively new actor in Hollywood and has only acted in a handful of live-action movies. So fans may not know that much about him yet, but Her Campus can help. It has listed 15 things fans need to know about Tom Holland. One of the cutest facts included in the article is Hollands favorite part of being Spider-Man.

Who is Tom Holland?

Tom Holland | Getty Images

Holland is a 24-year-old British actor. He was born in London, England, and is the oldest child in his family. His father, Dominic Holland, is a stand-up comedian and author, and his mother is a professional photographer.

According to Insider, Holland was initially interested in dancing and took a few lessons as a child. However, he started acting at the age of 12. His first significant role was playing the lead in Billy Elliot the Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London.

He also attended the BRIT school, which is a school dedicated to performing arts and technology. Holland has acted in a few movies and voiced characters in animated films.

Tom Hollands Spider-Man comes to life

RELATED: Marvel Star Tom Holland Made an Under-the-Radar MCU Spider-Man Cameo Before His Debut Film

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Holland said he was always a huge fan of Spider-Man. He told them: I reckon I had 30 Spider-Man costumes over the years since I was a little baby. I had Spider-Man bed sheets.

When he found out about the reboot, he begged his agents to set up an audition. The audition process was complicated, and Holland compared it to The Hunger Games, and it took five and a half months. He had to audition in Ireland, Canada, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. He was also able to show off his flipping skills during one audition with the directors and Chris Evans, who portrays Captain America. Holland also mentioned he found out he got the part while scrolling through Instagram.

Holland is not the first actor to portray Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. There was Andrew Garfield, who had two movies before him, and Toby Maguire with three films.

Each of these actors had their portrayal of the character. Holland mentioned that, while he didnt consult with Maguire or Garfield, he did re-watch their films and gather inspiration from them. Hollands Spider-Man is the youngest of the three, and his movies focus on how a kid would react.

In the interview, Holland said:  every fight scene we have is designed in a way thats almost child-friendly, so he never actually punches anyone. Its all done kind of by accident. I think the biggest difference is his youth and innocence.

These films also differ from the others in that this Spider-Man is a part of the Avengers. He interacts with other superheroes, like Tony Stark/Iron Man.

Tom Hollands favorite part of playing Spider-Man

friendly reminder that tom holland goes out of his way to visit childrens hospitals in his spider-man suit, just to put smiles on their faces. pic.twitter.com/qImWauEmyg  stewrt  51 (@tomstdatt) March 25, 2020

Holland has said that the best part of portraying Spider-Man is visiting children in the hospital in character.

He has visited with children at the Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, Egleston Childrens Hospital in Atlanta, and the New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley in upstate New York. During his time at the hospitals, Holland performed some flips and showed some kids how his Spidey tech worked.
On August 1 at 9:32 a.m., the shadows in Rosslyns Dark Star Park  cast by concrete spheres and metal poles  will align with tracks that have been laid on the ground, as they do every year on this date. This year, they will draw a crowd uniquely attuned to the vision of Nancy Holt, the land artist who designed the park, installed in 1984. Holt, who died in 2014, once said that the alignment, which commemorates the day on which William Henry Ross purchased the land that would become Rosslyn, integrates historical time with cyclical, universal time. But for Holt, this was merely a steppingstone to a more elusive kind of time: one that, were she alive, she might recognize in these days of lockdown.
NDC running mate Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang last Monday night bemoaned what in her opinion is a situation where protective institutions in the country are being turned into agents of intimidation.

Speaking when she was formally presented as a running mate of former President John Mahama on the ticket of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), she left nobody in doubt how she is going to engage innuendos in her campaign.

In the face of the troubles Ghana is encountering, some people are behaving as if the best antidote to all of these is to flex muscles, turn aspects of our protective institutions into agents of intimidation, she said.

Voters Registration

In a subtle reference to the challenge mechanisms at the registration centres, she said some people had arrogated to themselves the right to alienate people who have always lived on this part of our continent long before some did, and who have served our country with distinction.

It was a clever way of taking exception to the efforts taken not to allow non-Ghanaians to register in the ongoing exercise and to present the mechanism as if it is tendentious.

She spoke about artificial borders as if countries in the West African sub-region and even the African continent allow non-citizens to partake in their respective electoral process.

Together, we can strategize to solve long-standing problems of needless and unproductive discrimination, and thrive as valued citizens, she fired, adding I want you, all of us in whatever demographic category to know, that I will carry your voices forwardTogether, we can make it happen.

She presented a negative picture of the registration which, according to her, is fraught with violence, brute force, blood-letting and sheer breakdown of law and order in an otherwise straightforward act of registering to vote, asking, How did we descend into this situation? to which question she answered thus when there appears to be selective justice; when some offenders are not even placed on the hook but are hailed and promoted for being nasty and violent, the logical outcome is what we see.

She again fired that this situation of people dying, being harassed, because they have decided to register to vote, is not a story we can tell any child in the future, especially when the curriculum is hinged on tolerance.

She wished she could sit with her compatriots in the market, your shop, on the farms and at the beaches, by the roadside, and in the institutions, and think and plan together, argue and laugh at each other but for Covid-19.

Women Politics

The NDC running mate paid tribute to women of Ghana saying women have always played pivotal roles in the advancement of our country. When duty called, our women too, responded. We all have in mind great heroines who, by their actions, shattered the concept that women alone must be restricted by ceilings and limitations.

Covid-19

Her combativeness reared its head once when she took a swipe at what she said is the poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic when she said the partisan nature of our politics today makes it difficult to even ask the most basic questions about the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic without triggering a political brawl. This is unhelpful.

She then painted a gloomy picture of a growing number of cases and deaths arising from the pandemic of COVID-19, with their attendant fears and uncertainties instructively leaving out the wonderful recovery rate vis-a-vis the active cases.

Cynical Reaction

After the programme, Sekou Nkrumah, son of Ghana's first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, reacted cynically that suggested the NDC is wasting its time as far as the December general election is concerned.

He tweeted that as for Prof Jane, I seriously don't understand why an academic like her would sink into the dirty politics of Mahama and his cronies. Ghanaians are not fools, no amount of lies or propaganda can make them change their minds just four years after voting Mahama out! (sic).

---Daily Guide
Many shoppers and workers say the retailers reluctance to police their customers mask wearing ultimately renders the new rules toothless and will perpetuate the spread of the coronavirus. And workers find themselves thrust onto the front line of a cultural and political war over masks that can lead to ugly confrontations and, at times, violence. Last weekend, two episodes stood out: In one, a video of an altercation involving two shoppers in Walmart wearing masks with a Nazi swastika went viral, while a man was arrested after an incident in a Walmart in Palm Beach County, Fla., in which he pulled a gun on another shopper who had asked him to put on his mask.

Adding to the tension at his store, Mr. Vanderpool said that hes noticed more customers coming in with guns, including Glocks and other handguns, sometimes tucked into their waistbands. North Carolina is among states that allow people to carry firearms openly.

Walmart enacted a rule last year asking customers not to bring firearms into its stores, after nearly two dozen people were shot and killed in one of its locations in El Paso. In a stance echoed by its mask policy, the company said managers of stores in states that have open-carry laws are instructed to ask customers to leave their gun in their car. But they do not obstruct the person from shopping in the store, even if they bring their gun. Walmart said there had not been a recent increase in shoppers bringing guns into stores across the country during the pandemic.

Mr. Vanderpool said Walmart should hire security guards to enforce the mask rule and protect employees from contracting the virus. They should be able to say if you dont have a mask you cannot come into our store, said Mr. Vanderpool, who is enrolled at Brown University in the fall.

In a statement, Walmart said, we are pleased that the vast majority of the 150 million customers who visit us each week are wearing masks.
The family of slain Spc. Vanessa Guillen will meet with President Donald Trump on Thursday before he is expected to voice his support of a bill in Guillens name, her familys attorney said.

The familys visit to Washington, D.C. will also be marked by a march from the U.S. Capitol to the White House. The 20-year-old Houston native was killed in April at the U.S. Army post in Fort Hood, sparking national criticism of sexual assault and harassment in the military.

That movement led to the #IAmVanessaGuillen bill, which would allow active duty service members to file sexual harassment and assault claims to a third-party agency, instead of to their chain-of-command, attorney Natalie Khawam said.

We will not accept anything less than justice for Vanessa, she said. When someone volunteers to serve our country, they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect by their fellow service members. This bill will help us provide the protection and respect to others that was denied to Vanessa.

Authorities said fellow soldier Aaron Robinson bludgeoned Guillen to death, then disposed of her with the help of his girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar. After months of family members cries for answers as to what happened to Guillen, who they believe had been sexually harassed at Fort Hood, her remains were found June 30 near the Leon River in Bell County.

Robinson died by suicide as officials moved in to arrest him. Aguilar faces federal charges of tampering with evidence.

The D.C. trip will begin Thursday with an 8:30 a.m. news conference at the National Mall, followed by a 10 a.m. march to the White House.

Khawam and the Guillens will meet with Trump at noon, and he is expected to discuss his support of the bill in a following news conference, according to Khawam.
William SlaweelRyam Romaine Wins Event #28: $1,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 6-Max ($110,673)

July 29, 2020

On Tuesday night, the 2020 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #28: $1,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 6-Max attracted 425 players who rebought 100 times. The 525-entry field resulted in a $498,750 prize pool, and after 12 hours of play, it was Connecticut's William SlaweelRyam Romaine coming out on top for $110,672.62 and his first gold bracelet

It was a bit of redemption for Romaine, who earlier in the series finished runner-up to Michael miguelfiesta Lech in Event #13: $1,500 High Roller Freezeout, which was good for $110,979. Romaine went on to notch four smaller cashes before getting his hands on a gold bracelet here two weeks later.

It wasnt the first time Romaine hit it big on WSOP.com; in fact, his lone gold ring came back in March 2019 when he won the WSOP Circuit WSOP.com $525 Main Event for $92,400. In the live realm, Romaine has $234,614 in tournament earnings including a career-best $142,215 for finishing 61st in last years WSOP Main Event.

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2020 WSOP Online Event #28 Final Table Results

Place Player Prize 1 William SlaweelRyam Romaine $110,673 2 Mark victb Ioli $68,478 3 Vasu kheescoopy Amarapu $45,287 4 Stephen Chippingggup Tyson $30,474 5 Kyle Ksparks740 Sparks $21,047 6 Gabriel NJ_FittyFish Ramos $14,813

After two-time bracelet winner Anthony heheh Zinno bubbled in 81st place, the march to the final table began in earnest. Among those to fall short but earn a payday were Brian tsarrast Rast (69th - $1,596), Eric circleball Baldwin (59th - $1,695.75), Ryan im.sorry Torgersen (38th - $2,144.62), Erica huckcheevers Lindgren (30th - $2,992.50), Ryan protential Laplante (22nd - $3,690.75), ESPN commentator Norman normanchad Chad (13th - $4,638.37), three-time bracelet winner Upeshka gomezhamburg De Silva (9th - $7,880.25), and final table bubble boy Ralph sosana Perry (7th - $10,673.25).

Vasu kheescoopy Amarapu began the final table as the big stack but with the blinds up there the chips were flying. Gabriel NJ_FittyFish Ramos was the first to go after calling off a short stack with queen-ten-ten-nine and failing to get there against the ace-king-king-three of Romaine.

Kyle Ksparks740 Sparks got his stack all in preflop against two players, which was whittled down to one on the run. Stephen Chippingggup Tyson had the nut low and a medium pair while Sparks had bottom pair. The latter failed to improve on the river and exited in fifth place.

During four-handed play, Tyson got it in on the turn with the high while Romaine had the low. The latter rivered a straight to scoop, and just like that Tyson was gone in fourth place.

Amarapu, who had qualified via a $100 satellite, got his stack in with both low and high draws against Romaines top pair, which ultimately held when a king completed the board on the river. That allowed Romaine to take 4.7 million into heads-up play against the 3.1 of Mark victb Ioli.

It didnt take long for Romaine to whittle down his opponent, eventually leaving Ioli with crumbs after betting him off on the river. It was all over the very next hand.

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2020 Online WSOP Bracelet Winners

The next tournament on the schedule  Event #29: $2,000 NLH Deepstack  will take place at 3 p.m. PDT on Wednesday. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will once again be reporting all the action, so be sure to tune in then to see who captures the next 2020 WSOP bracelet!

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Sharelines William SlaweelRyam Romaine Wins Event #28: $1,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 6-Max ($110,673)
Two of France's most iconic sites, the Mont Ventoux in the province region and the Bay of Somme in northern France have been classified as regional parks and a nature reserve, as part of efforts to safeguard the country's biodiversity.

One site is renowned for its lush vineyards, lavender hills and steep climb, while the other is cited for its rich fauna and flora, that includes an important seal colony.

The Mont Ventoux and Bay of Somme will now add a new attraction to their list, after the government on Monday designated them as regional parks and a nature reserve.

The move was announced at the end of an environmental defence council of top ministers and is part of government plans to implement the recommendations of a citizens' climate lobby.

'Enormous satisfaction'

While, the raft of measures that includes banning heated terraces, failed to impress some environmental groups, other observers gave a nod to plans to recognise the two tourist sites as protected areas.

"For our network, it is an enormous satisfaction," Michael Weber, head of the Regional Natural Parks of France told French website France Info.

"I think about all those who fought tirelessly to ensure that their territory is recognised and is classified as a regional natural park," he said.

For Weber, "it is not just about creating parks for the sake of it", the objective is to move towards "this transition that everyone is expecting".
<! Fani-Kayode and Dogara >

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode says he is convinced that the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara is under a Luciferean spell to have gone back to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Dogara recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and returned to the APC where he was two years ago.

Reacting to the development, Fani-Kayode said: I am convinced that the former Speaker has been put under a Luciferean spell and is the victim of some form of demonic ritual, voodoo and witchcraft.

I expect nothing less from the APC because that is their stock in trade. They are a party whose leaders are well versed in the black arts, the occult and sorcery.

He said Dogara was not just a leader in the PDP but that he was also Speaker of the House, saying that when he left the APC and joined the PDP he was welcomed with joy and open arms and enjoyed immense goodwill in the party and always exhibited the traits of a kind-hearted, soft-spoken and warm gentleman.

He is also a very good Christian. Given all this I cannot understand how such a good man can leave the light of the PDP and willingly enter into the darkness of the APC. It is utterly unbelievable and totally inexplicable.

This is especially so given the fact that I happen to know that my dear friend and brother Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state treated him with so much respect, warmth, generosity and kindness, he said.

Fani-Kayode said his prayer was that God delivered Yakubu and cause him to retrace his steps and come to his senses, as it was never too late to return to the light and I believe that one day he will. This is because nothing good can come from the darkness of satan and those that bask in it and that worship and serve him.

He said nothing wholesome could ever come out of the APC because it is a party of heartless and merciless thugs, cultists, fraudsters, rogues and gangsters and it is a gathering of desperate and relentless vampires and power-seekers that trade in blood and that thrive in subterfuge, evil and all manner of skulduggery.

The APC is the darkness that seeks the darkness. It is poison. It is utterly and completely evil and has been nothing but a plague on our nation.

Yakubu is far too good to be part of what is essentially a bloodsucking coven of warlocks and witches and I have no doubt that his great, gallant and noble Sayyawa people, whom I am very close to and who I know well, will never follow him there.

He urged him to remember that there is no fellowship between light and darkness and that he is a child of light and a son of the Living God.

I implore him to get deliverance, retrace his steps and leave the camp of the Egyptians and Philistines before it is too late and before they use, dump, rubbish and destroy him. I urge him to return to God and to the ranks of the God-fearing, the righteous and the faithful and to be the man that the Lord has destined him to be, he said.

Related
On paper, four candidates are competing to replace retiring state Rep. Richard DeBolt. But one of them says he doesnt want the job even though his name is on the Aug. 4 primary election ballot.

Kurtis Engle, an independent from Centralia, said my real motive for running is not winning. Rather, its to bring attention to his complaints about the Lewis County bus system and to run against candidate Peter Abbarno.

The other candidates, Democrat Timothy Zahn and Republicans Abbarno and Brian Lange, are all vying to bring a collaborative approach to the Legislature.

Zahn, a youthful but articulate newcomer to politics, said he is running to bridge the partisan divide and bring lasting progress to 20th Legislative District, which represents most of Lewis County and Castle Rock, Kalama and Woodland in Cowlitz County. He has endorsements from the Thurston County Democrats, Cowlitz County Democrats and Lewis County Democrats, among others.

Lange said he prefers to not look at problems as Republican or Democratic, but going to the other side of the aisle and finding common ground.

Abbarno is the clear favorite of Republican officials, having won endorsement of DeBolt, a longtime Chehalis Republican; Republican state Senator John Braun; and Republican state representatives Ed Orcutt and Jim Walsh, among others. He is currently on the Centralia City Council, which is why Engle is running against him. Engle said that Abbarno has not addressed his complaints about the bus system.

Abbarno said he wants to revive the art of communicating and collaborating, which is really dying on the vine.

People are going to their corners, digging their heels in and are unwilling to talk through issues, Abbarno said, who presents himself as a moderate conservative who can reach across partisan divides.

I am not afraid to talk about issues that are traditionally not Republican and finding common ground where we can find common ground. Its surprising how many folks I talk to who havent voted Republican or havent supported conservative values understand the issues when we sit down and actually communicate as peers, he said.

And while he said he knew that would be more difficult to do in Olympia, you have to start somewhere and Ive been able to do it here for many years.

Lange, a lobbyist for a motorcycle rights group, presented broader ideas, and said he would bring to the role a voice for the working class and his years of experience working with legislators.

Thats what the process needs, it needs someone with experience actually building coalitions to get bills done and moving, he said.

Zahns passion is lifting and supporting rural voices with his plans to keep farmers on their land, make Centralia College a four-year school and get better internet access to rural areas, he said.

I have a lot of unique ideas and I have a different approach to politics than a lot of people. These are unprecedented times going to need to change things up a bit if we want to go forward and recover, Zahn said.

He said while he does not have prior political experience, he thinks that could be a plus.

I think that in the Legislature we need a mixture of experience and outside influence. We need new people coming in to bring new ideas and energy and enthusiasm and we need the experienced people to mediate that. ... I may not have the experience, but I have the education and I have local knowledge, Zahn said.

Of the four candidates, Lange and Engle filed with the Public Disclosure Committee as mini-filers, meaning they dont intent to spend more than $5,000 in their campaigns.

Abbarno leads the fundraising, with $44,500 in contributions as of July 27. His campaign had spent $19,500. The majority of his donors are individuals, according to the PDC, followed by businesses and political action committees.

Zahn has raised $1,400 from individual donations and local democratic committees. He has spent nearly $600.

To handle the looming state budget deficit, Abbarno and Lange both said cuts are in order, but said they disagreed with Gov. Jay Inslees 15% across-the-board reduction in state spending.

We should most certainly take care of the most vulnerable in our community and look at programs which are investments and which are expenditures, which are necessary and which are not, Abbarno said. I wouldnt use a chainsaw. I would use a scalpel.

Lange said he would prefer to reduce top-heavy administrative positions by using a three- to five-year wage and promotion freeze and then reducing or eliminating underutilized or obsolete programs. He was not specific.

Breaking from his fellow candidates, Zahn said he preferred a temporary 1% wealth tax on people with more than $10 million in assets to address the states projected $8.8 billion budget shortfall through 2023. He acknowledged that cuts might also be necessary, but said the wealth tax is our best bet to balance the budget. State spending was set at $53.3 billion for 2019-21.

It does not adversely affect any of Washingtons most vulnerable citizens, Zahn said of the wealth tax proposal. I think its the fairest way to ensure all our programs can be maintained for the citizens who need it most.

On recent calls to defund the police, Abbarno, Zahn and Lange all said they do not think defunding is the answer. All three said they supported more training and education for officers.

Zahn called to expand law enforcement but also diversify it to include mental health support units and other avenues of aid, so we dont have a one-size-fits-all police force.

And Lange said the law enforcement budget should be increased to allow for better training and equipment, but said it should also be easier to fire officers.

Abbarno said police have too much on their plates and they need not only more training, but the roles they fill in communities should also be re-examined.

We have to do a better job in addressing the issues in our community like poverty, mental illness, drug addiction and how we deal with them, Abbarno said.

Abbarno and Zahn both agree that the McCleary fix to school funding has not been fair and needs to be changed. Zahn said he would like to end school reliance on levy funding, but did not suggest how. Abbarno said the disparity between poor property districts and rich property districts has actually grown.

Lange originally told TDN he thought the funding model was satisfactory, at the July 16 League of Women Voters forum he also said it needed to be adjusted.

To create more jobs, Zahn said internet infrastructure and educational opportunities need to be improved. He suggested adding four-year degrees to Centralia College and a new agriculture school.

Abbarno also said education and infrastructure were key, but pointed to early education and making sure roads, sewer lines and other public works can handle increased business.

I think that one of the real tragedies, especially in impoverished areas, is investment in 0-5 education. Early education, early intervention has proven to set a student forward for success, he said. Investment in early education is something we wont see the return on for 10 years, but its going to be a great investment.

And Lange said community should get more control to come up with plans to bring in new jobs.

Overall, the candidates said they want to improve their communities and thought the open house position was the way to do so.

Everyone should be able to have the opportunity to succeed to grow and have a successful and happy life and I want to make sure everyone in Washington has that opportunity, Zahn said.

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WASHINGTON - One by one, they passed through the grand Capitol Rotunda to pay respects to the civil rights icon.

It was a solemn display of unity as congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle offered praise for longtime Georgia Rep. John Lewis. There was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called Lewis the conscience of the Congress; and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who praised him as a model of courage. Vice-President Mike Pence and former Vice-President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, came as well.

But missing was a man whose absence spoke volumes: President Donald Trump.

No, I wont be going, Trump told reporters when asked whether he planned to pay his respects to Lewis, the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Rotunda. Lewis body was later moved to the steps on the Capitols east side for a public viewing.

Trumps absence was another break in convention for a president who has broken so many norms, and one that underscored his separation from much of Washington society, along with his dismal relationship with Democrats on Capitol Hill  especially members of colour.

Trump had long harboured resentments toward Lewis.

A spokeswoman for Lewis, who died of pancreatic cancer, brushed off any talk of politics when asked whether the Lewis family had any communication with the White House about whether Trump should attend, calling it irrelevant.

I would say that this is not a political event, said Brenda Jones, the congressmans longtime spokeswoman. Its our time to pay respect to a man who did a great deal for this country. And thats all we want it to be.

Jones added that people can pay their respect in a lot of different ways. ... He has that right. Let him to do what he wants to do. And Im sure that John Lewis would be supportive of it.

The White House did not respond to questions about why the president did not attend. But Trumps off-the-cuff declaration Monday afternoon that he wouldnt go caught some White House aides off guard, according to two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose private conversations.

While the chances of Trump going were always slim, there had been preliminary conversations in the West Wing about Trump potentially making a visit on Tuesday. Trump had previously expressed a reluctance to publicly mourn Lewis because he remained angry about the congressmans past criticisms.

While the presidents lingering grudge played a role, White House officials also are leery of sending Trump places he isnt wanted and werent sure what kind of reception he would have received.

Pence, who had a personal relationship with Lewis, was seen as a safer choice. Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, like Pence a former House member, and other Cabinet members also attended.

Trump had an antagonistic relationship with Lewis. After Trumps election, Lewis called him an illegitimate president because of Russias efforts to help him win, and the congressman boycotted Trumps 2017 inauguration as a result. Trump countered by blasting Lewis Atlanta majority-Black district as falling apart and directed him to finally focus on the burning and crime infested inner-cities of the U.S.

In December of that year, Lewis refused to speak at the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum because Trump would be there. Lewis also endorsed Biden and urged young Black voters to rally behind the former vice-president.

While Trump did acknowledge Lewis death on Twitter, it took him 14 hours to do so and his message felt more perfunctory than heartfelt, especially in contrast with his effusive tribute to television personality Regis Philbin, who died last week.

Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family, Trump wrote.

But for many, Trumps absence wasnt missed.

I think its better if he doesnt attend, said Phillip Estes, 53, an urban planner from Washington, D.C., who was among the hundreds who gathered to pay their respects to Lewis on Tuesday.

He would probably just make it all about himself, Estes said.

Jay Stegall, 33, an American University graduate student originally from Lewis Atlanta district, echoed those sentiments as he stood with his two young sisters and his 4-year-old daughter.

It wouldnt have been authentic, Stegall said. It would just have been another photo op for him. He definitely wouldnt have understood the meaning of the moment.

Born to sharecroppers during Jim Crow segregation, Lewis was beaten by Alabama state troopers during the civil rights movement, spoke ahead of Kings I Have a Dream speech at the 1963 March on Washington and was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 2011 by the nations first Black president.

___

Associated Press writer Ashraf Khalil contributed to this report.
A picture from inside a Zimbabwean hospital shows the wrapped-up dead bodies of seven babies on a shelf after they were stillborn Monday night - the same day nurses were on strike to demand better access to PPE.

The haunting image, which was taken inside Harare Central Hospital, shows bundles of green cloth wrapped over each of the seven deceased infants.

The situation was originally revealed by Dr Peter Magombeyi, a clinician at the hospital, who posted the picture on Twitter.

He accompanied the photograph with the records from the day, showing the deaths of the seven babies.

Nurses across Zimbabwe are currently on strike to demand better access to PPE as they tackle the coronavirus.

The strikes have overwhelmed the country's maternity wards and staff are struggling to keep up with the amount of expectant mothers, the BBC reported.

Pictured: A heartbreaking image shows seven dead babies, each wrapped in green cloth, at Harare Central Hospital on Monday night

A total of eight babies were delivered by Caesarean section on Monday night but seven of those were stillborn, two doctors with direct knowledge of the situation at the hospital, told the BBC.

One of the doctors said staff operated too late and the situation could have been prevented with earlier intervention.

'There was very, very late intervention,' said the doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Two of the mothers had ruptured uteruses and needed early operations.'

He added the few staff available did not perform the surgery in time 'so the babies died, stuck in their mothers' pelvises.'

Expectant mothers are being funnelled into Harare Hospital after many of the capital's smaller clinics were affected or shut due to the strikes.

'This is repeated every day and all we can do is watch them die,' a second doctor told the BBC. 'This is torture for the families, and for the junior doctors.'

Both doctors said the skeleton staff lack drugs and blood supplies to fight birth complications and to safely deliver the infants.

As nurses strike, a stripped-back workforce - made up of 'senior matrons who cannot go on strike' and junior doctors - are swamped with the sheer volume of cases.

Pictured: Of the eight babies delivered by Caesarean section on Monday night at Harare Central Hospital, only one survived

'Doctors are trying, but they're very tired. And junior doctors are not experienced in terms of identifying complications [during pregnancy],' the first doctor said.

In a statement, Zimbabwe's Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said: 'Our women are suffering and we believe that all stakeholders, the government, medical practitioners, civil society and individuals must act to save the voiceless mothers and babies.'

In a leaked government response to strike threats from senior doctors, ministers said they realised the situation could cause 'poor outcomes' but urged staff to 'reconsider'.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa fired Health Minister Obadiah Moyo at the start of this month after he was charged with criminal abuse of office over PPE supplies corruption.

He allegedly awarded a 47million contract to a company who inflated their prices before selling equipment to the government.
Leftists who live in safe and affluent suburbs are trying to justify their support for the anarchy in the heart of some of America's Democrat-run cities. Many of them have found profound psychic relief in a post from a young Portland woman named Valarie Smith. I found her post enlightening, too, but not for the same reasons. It's worth working through her soothing essay to expose the amalgam of dishonesty, ignorance, and irrationality.

Valarie Smith's Facebook post is here. It purports to be a thoughtful, even-handed, peace-oriented look at Portland's nightly violence extravaganza. It's not. Still, the post has been shared over 2,000 times.

Because the post is long, in each of the following paragraphs, I first summarize Smith's point and then put my comments in parentheses.

"What the protestors want":

A $50-million cut in the police budget, with the money saved going to the black community. (This is something that should be put to a citizens' vote rather than be decided through violent extortion.)

Free all jailed protesters. (If you do the crime, you still don't do the time.)

Get the federal government out of Portland. (Fine, I guess, if Portland says no to every penny of federal money it gets.)

Kick Mayor Ted Wheeler out of office. (Appeasement level: Fail.)

A proposed police oversight committee to take on the "militarized" force. (Again, a community decision.)

"Peaceful vs. nonviolent":

1. The protesters are committing "minor infractions," which is the difference between "peaceful" versus "nonviolent." (A video at the end of this post shows these Orwellian "minor infractions.")

2. The protesters commit these "minor infractions" to highlight the police officers' violent responses. (The media works with Antifa on this propaganda point.)

3. It's the federal presence that causes violence. (This is belied by the timeline from acting Homeland Security secretary Chad Wolf.)

4. The protesters operate on the theory that, if police are going to teargas them even if they're peaceful, then why shouldn't they be nonviolent? (That assumes that the police initiate violence, rather than the protesters starting things by nightly storming the federal building.)

5. The suffragettes used property destruction to get their needs met. (Wrong twice: [a] The suffragettes resorted to violence because they had no vote. These protesters can all make their needs known through the ballot. [b] The lethal weapons used on the police  see here and here  puts the lie to the claim that it's only "property destruction.")

"What is the appropriate response":

1. The police forces ought to be de-escalating in the face of provocations such as firecrackers thrown at buildings. (Two points: [a] the feds did the ultimate de-escalation for six weeks when they hoped Portland police could handle the problem and [b] firecrackers don't just go "boom." They can ignite a building and injure a person.)

2. Targeted arrests. (This assumes that, amid a black-clad, masked mob, police can find the offender.)

3. Tear-gassing protesters during a "PANDEMIC" is a "literal war crime[.]" (Again, this accepts the lie that the protesters are just making a little noise and doing a little property damage.)

"Compare this to Malheur" (the Bundy standoff):

1. The Bundy takeover at Malheur Nature Reserve in 2016 didn't see tear gas and mass arrests. (A few responsive points here: [a] the Malheur standoff was on Obama's watch, and Trump is no Obama; [b] local law enforcement immediately sent for the feds before any violence happened; [c] when the feds arrived, the Bundy crew was already in place, so there was no triggering damage to persons and property; [d] the Malheur affair took place in isolation, not in the heart of a city; [e] the Bundys were not destroying property; [f] the absence of any violence allowed the federal agents to wait out the occupiers and peacefully arrest them; and [g] LaVoy Finicum, who tried to avoid arrest, was killed. Other than that, yes, they were comparable because both situations involve citizens believing that the law doesn't apply to them.)

"My conclusions":

1. The author is rightly worried that "violence only begets violence." (She insists, though, that the only thing the protesters are doing is committing "property destruction," without acknowledging the lasers, Molotov cocktails, rockets, toxic substances, fire, and various projectiles aimed at law enforcement officers.)

2. This is the only way to "right the wrongs of 400 years." (In other words, this is what American education and the New York Times have wrought: ill educated youngsters who believe that America was conceived in sin and must be destroyed. They have no understanding of humankind's journey from savage to civilized, the history of world slavery, the Enlightenment, the Great Awakening, the Civil War, or anything else. All they see is a call to arms and the need to destroy. It's sad and terribly dangerous in equal parts.)

By the way, just so you understand that what's going on is not mere property damage, here's the video that the House Judiciary Committee prepared and the Democrats cut off before it finished:

Image: YouTube screen grab.
DUBLIN, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Healthcare CMO Market: Size and Forecasts with Impact Analysis of Covid-19 (2020-2024)" report has been added.

The global healthcare CMO market has recorded continuous growth over the past few years and is expected to follow the same trend in the coming years. The main driving factors for this growth are a rise in the global pharmaceutical industry, increased need for outsourcing, increased approvals and outsourcing of NMEs, innovations and increased regulatory pressure on quality. Yet there are some challenges, which the healthcare CMO industry faces, such as the fragmented nature of the market, less preference for the outsourcing of profitable and biological drugs by big pharmaceutical companies.

This report provides a detailed analysis of the global healthcare CMO market with the impact of Covid-19 and market sizing. The analysis includes market size in terms of value, and market share by segments. A comprehensive segment analysis has also been provided in the report with historical and forecasted values.

The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and would be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall healthcare CMO market has also been forecasted for the period 2020-2024, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.

The market is highly fragmented. According to estimates, there are up to 1,000 companies currently active in the market. The players are either pure play service providers or pharmaceutical companies who are willing to make optimum use of their spare manufacturing and development capacities. Company profiling of major players of healthcare CMO industry such as Catalent Pharma Solution, Recipharm, Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. and Boehringher Ingelheim has been done in the report. This segment of the report provides business overview, financial overview, and business strategies adopted by the respective companies.

Company Coverage

Catalent Pharma Solution

Recipharm

Auribindo Pharma Ltd.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

2.1 Contract Manufacturing: An Overview

2.1.1 Healthcare CMOs

2.1.2 Healthcare CMOs Market Segments

2.1.3 Pharmaceutical CMOs

2.1.4 Medical CMOs

2.2 Pharmaceutical Outsourcing: An Overview

2.2.1 Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Market Segments

2.3 Pharmaceutical CMOs v/s CDMOs

3. Global Market Analysis

3.1 Global Healthcare CMO Market Analysis

3.1.1 Global Healthcare CMO Market by Value

3.1.2 Global Healthcare CMO Market by Segments (Medical Devices CMO and Pharmaceutical CMO)

3.2 Global Healthcare CMO Market: Segment Analysis

3.2.1 Global Medical Device CMO Market by Value

3.2.2 Global Pharmaceutical CMO Market by Value

3.3 Global Pharmaceutical CMO Market Analysis

3.3.1 Global Pharmaceutical CMO Market by Segments (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient, Finished Dosage Formulation and Packaging)

3.4 Global Pharmaceutical CMO Market: Segment Analysis

3.4.1 Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient CMO Market by Value

3.5 Global Healthcare CMO Market Regional Analysis

3.5.1 Global Healthcare CMO Market by Region (Asia Pacific and Rest of the World)

4. Regional Analysis

4.1 Asia Pacific Healthcare CMO Market Analysis

4.1.1 Asia Pacific Healthcare CMO Market by Value

5. Impact of Covid-19

5.1 Global Pharmaceutical CDMO Market Analysis

5.1.1 Global Pharmaceutical CDMO Market by Value

5.2 Surge in Contracts to CDMOs

5.3 Supply Chain Issues amidst Surge in Demand for CDMOs

5.4 Preparedness in the Event of Supply Chain Disruption

6. Competitive Landscape

6.1 Global Healthcare CMO Market Players Financial Comparison

7. Company Profiles





For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mkzl9j

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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The recent wave of anti-racist protests has resurfaced demands for civilian accountability boards to address police violence, reparations for decades and centuries of racist oppression, and truth and reconciliation processes to acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices. Such demands are calling not only for racial justice, but for transitional justice, a set of measures implemented to address massive human rights abuses. However, racial justice advocates also demand other measures that are crucial to racial transition, yet currently unrecognized by the field of transitional justiceincluding affirmative action.

My research shows how affirmative action is central to the United States transition from white supremacy. Affirmative action emerged during the 1960s as an attempt to undo the legacies of racial subordination. In a 1965 speech that paved the way for affirmative action, President Lyndon B. Johnson recognized that you do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race, and then say, You are free to compete with all the others, and still justly believe that you have been completely fair.

Affirmative action against racial inequality

Despite several decades of legal challenges, affirmative action has survived as a transitional practice. Since the 1970s, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down government programs that take race into account, even if it is to help Black and other racialized people. Despite this approach, the Courts affirmative action decisions have allowed the indirect use of race, recognizing its role in achieving a society free of race-based discrimination.

In 2003, Grutter v. Bollinger allowed affirmative action to continue because the Supreme Court believed that a transition from the nations past was incomplete. Justice OConnor pointed to the unique experience of being a racial minority in a society, like our own, in which race unfortunately still matters. As she explained: By virtue of our Nations struggle with racial inequality, [minority] students are both likely to have experiences of particular importance to the Law Schools mission, and less likely to be admitted in meaningful numbers on criteria that ignore those experiences.

In last years ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, District Judge Allison D. Burroughs concluded that retaining affirmative action is necessary for moving the United States toward a society in which affirmative action is no longer needed. The rich diversity at Harvard and other colleges and universities and the benefits that flow from that diversity will foster the tolerance, acceptance and understanding, Burroughs wrote, that will ultimately make race conscious admissions obsolete.

A central measure for more than 50 years

Because affirmative action is one of the few race-sensitive policies to have survived legal scrutiny, it occupies a central place in American transitional discourse. Understandings of the racial past out of which the nation is emerging, the racial future it ought to pursue, and the transition pathway between them are forged in debates over affirmative action. Therefore, those looking to implement traditional transitional justice measures in the United States must first understand the countrys leading transitional measure over the past half-centuryaffirmative action.

While affirmative action cannotand was never meant toaccomplish all the work that a transition to racial equality requires, it remains crucial. A 1966 report of the White House Conference on Civil Rights endorsed affirmative action as essential and urgent to generate more and better jobs for Negroes, assure access to existing jobs by Negro men and women, and to eliminate discrimination in employment and occupational advancement. However, far from being a discrete remedy, affirmative action was one of nine proposed reforms relating to the promotion of economic security and welfare for Black people, in addition to reforms relating to education, housing, and the administration of justice, which were covered separately. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose words are sometimes invoked to challenge race-based affirmative action, supported both racial quotas and a war on poverty. Understanding affirmative action as part of a larger transition project thus aligns with aims of the Civil Rights Movement and reflects current needs.

As transitional justice practitioners and researchers turn their attention to the United States, they should recognize that affirmative action specifically addresses inequalities in order to surmount the past, even if it is not yet widely recognized as a transitional justice measure. The transitional functions of affirmative action include integrating historically segregated spaces, increasing political power for marginalized groups, breaking down racial stereotypes, and promoting cross-racial understanding and harmony. Even if affirmative action by itself is not enough to alleviate socioeconomic inequalities, it somewhat uniquely brings attention to this dimension of transition.

A mean to dismantle systems of oppression

At the same time, transitional justice actors are well-placed to point out the risk of overreliance on (and overburdening of) affirmative action as a means to achieve racial equality. Affirmative action is sometimes expected to solve racial injustice when it is only one part, albeit a vital part, of the racial transition project. Affirmative actions limitations should be overcome by understanding it in relation to, and employing it in tandem with, other transitional justice measures.

Todays racial justice movements demand reparations for past and continuing harms to black people; investment in healthcare, housing, and education for Black people; economic justice for Black people; and a political system in which Black people can exercise their political power, among other changes. These demands highlight how overlapping systems of oppression hold back Black people in the United Statessystems that cannot be dismantled without affirmative action, or through affirmative action alone.

There is a larger lesson here for researchers and practitioners of transitional justice. In focusing on a limited set of measures such as truth commissions and criminal prosecutions, transitional justice actors have sometimes given the impression that these measures constitute the complete range of responses available to transitional societies. It is time to add affirmative action to the transitional justice toolkit and to pay closer attention to the other means through which societal transitions occur.
When doctors in a flood-ravaged Indian state urgently sought plasma of a particular blood type for a COVID-19 patient this month, health officials sent a boat for a marooned donor who had recovered from the disease weeks ago.

With coronavirus cases surging in Assam and critical medicines running low, local authorities are rolling out the red carpet for now-cured patients - all for their blood plasma believed to be rich in virus antibody, although research on its efficacy has not been conclusive.

Assam says that symptomatic patients who donate plasma four weeks after recovery will get preference in government jobs and housing. For example, a donor may get extra marks if he or she is tied in any test or interview for a job.

It is also offering to cover travel and other expenses for donors from outside the state, and has been making its frontline workers scour the state - sometimes wading through flood waters - to bring willing participants to plasma donation centres.

The success of the overall effort is crucial for Assam, one of India's poorest states that is short of remdesivir and tocilizumab to treat severe COVID-19 patients. Delhi and Odisha states are also courting plasma donors as India's total infections have leaped to 1.4 million with nearly 33,000 deaths.

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

"Recently, we wanted O-group plasma for a patient, a doctor," Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told Reuters in an interview.

"When we learned that a person was willing to donate, people went to his house by boat, brought him to the hospital and got the donation done."

He declined to identify the donor but said the recipient was doing well.

Plasma from a previously infected person can be used to treat up to two moderately ill patients, Sarma said. Without timely treatment, such patients' condition can potentially worsen, further straining the limited pool for medicines.

"We have seen that if you give plasma between moderate and critical stage, the results are very, very good," he said.

GREY MARKET

Assam, where floods have so far killed around 100 people and affected roughly 3 million, is predicting coronavirus infections will peak in mid-September. It has so far reported more than 32,000 cases with 79 deaths.

Its push for plasma comes as India, the world's biggest suppliers of generic drugs, scrambles to end a local shortage of remdesivir and tocilizumab.

Although US drugmaker Gilead Sciences Inc has authorised six companies operating in India to make and sell generic versions of remdesivir, only three of them have so far been able to start making supplies available.

Sarma said that until recently, Assam was receiving only 12-16 remdesivir vials a day, compared with a demand for at least 100. But the situation eased when Assam got 400 vials from a local company some days ago, he said.

"Still, people are not doing enough production and obviously a grey market has emerged as a result," Sarma said.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
Doha-based Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is eying a $1.5 billion (Rs 11,200 crore) stake in JioFiber assets.

The sovereign fund is in advance talks with Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) to invest the amount in an infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) called Jio Digital Fiber Pvt Ltd that holds the company's fibre-optic assets.

The InvIT currently takes care of a 7 lakh kilometres countrywide fibre network and plans to broaden it further to 1.1 million kilometres.

Also Read: RIL won't dilute its holding in Jio Platforms below 64.44%

After raising over $20 billion via stake sales in its digital assets unit, Jio Platforms Ltd, RIL is now looking to monetise its fibre assets (held by Jio Digital Fiber Pvt Ltd).

"Fibre network business monetisation falls exactly in line with RIL's original plan to make Jio become an asset-light digital services company and save significantly on costs as the group is gearing up to offer affordable 5G services. It has an immense revenue generation potential," a source told the Mint, adding that QIA may invest $1.5-2 billion in RIL's fibre business.

Reliance has hired Citigroup Global Markets, ICICI Securities Ltd, and Moelis and Co. for the proposed deal with QIA.

Also Read: RIL AGM 2020 Highlights: Mukesh Ambani announces Google-Jio deal, mega 5G plan for India

Last year, a consortium led by Canada's Brookfield Asset Management invested Rs 25,215 crore in an InvIT holding RIL's telecom tower assets.

RIL's telecom subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm had in March 2019 demerged its fibre and tower businesses into Jio Digital Fibre Pvt. Ltd and Reliance Jio Infratel Pvt. Ltd.
A heroic rescue caught on camera shows a man pulling a driver from a burning car in St. Louis, Missouri.

Antonio Morgan rushed out of his car to help save Kielen Robinson when he saw the 23-year-old inside the fiery car, KMOV reports.

I am pulling. Hes not coming. I saw his seat belt. The smoke was right there in my face. I unhooked his seat belt and pulled him out, Morgan told the news outlet.

Those flames started right after the smoke. It was hot, he added. The bust went boom. You heard something blow, something under the hood.

Another man helped Morgan by using a fire extinguisher to put out some of the flames as he pulled Robinson from the car.

That last pull I was out of energy, he said. I was rushing. My adrenaline was rushing."

Morgan's son had recorded the video of the rescue.

Kim Johnson, Robinson's mother, received a call about what happened and saw the video shortly after.

When I saw the video I just broke out in tears. So many emotions," Johnson told KMOV.

She was able to meet Morgan later that day to express her gratitude.

If he would not have been persistent and stuck on that, my son would be dead right now and I would be planning a funeral, she said. "My guardian angel saved my baby. This man, hallelujah, thank you, Jesus."

Robinson's family says he is recovering. They are excited to introduce him to Morgan, someone they now consider family.

If it was not for this man being persistent, going back and forth to the car and not giving up, my nephew would not be here today, Christy Johnson said. He is definitely part of our family now.
Demand has been weaker than Irish airline Aer Lingus expected five or six weeks ago amid continued coronavirus restrictions and opposition to international travel in Ireland, Chief Executive Sean Doyle said on Monday.

While most of the neighboring United Kingdom is allowing travel to around 50 countries, Ireland has just 15 on its approved list and is demanding travelers from countries including Britain, Spain and the United States to quarantine.

The government also continues to advise residents against all non-essential travel, even to approved destinations.

"If we look at the wider demand, it is not recovering the way we would have hoped maybe five or six weeks ago .... The narrative around travel has been negative in the period," said Doyle, whose airline is part of International Airlines Group that also includes British Airways.

Ireland's success in attracting multinational foreign direct investment, which Doyle said was around five times higher than the European average, could be damaged.

"We have built our economic model on being open for business, on being a global economy. I do think that we are taking that for granted at the minute and not understanding the consequences for that sector... if we don't enable connectivity," said Doyle, who was speaking at an Irish parliamentary committee.

His comments came as global airlines cut their coronavirus recovery forecast on Tuesday, saying it would take until 2024 - a year longer than previously expected - for passenger traffic to return to pre-crisis levels. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Wednesdays sanctions imposed by the US Treasury and the US State Department seek to deprive Assad government of funds.

The United States on Wednesday imposed fresh sanctions aimed at depriving the Syrian government of funds and warned that Washington would blacklist anyone doing business with President Bashar al-Assads government until he supports a negotiated end to the countrys nearly decade-long war.

The US Treasury blacklisted one person and nine entities, while the US State Department sanctioned four individuals.

Among the 14 blacklisted were al-Assads son, Hafez, a Syrian businessman, as well as nine entities a senior US official accused of helping to fund the Syrian governments campaign of terror, as well as the Syrian Arab Armys first division unit, among others.

The steady drumbeat of designations on persons and entities that support the Assad regime will continue until the regime and its associates cease obstructing a peaceful political resolution of the conflict as called for by the United Nations Security Council, a senior US official told reporters.

The sanctions, imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act and other measures, come as the Syrian leader grapples with a deepening economic crisis after more than nine years of war and a deepening economic crisis next door in Lebanon.

While corrupt businessmen with ties to Assad invest in luxury real estate made possible by forced displacement of innocent civilians, they also worsen the oppression of the Syrian people, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a statement.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted: Today we continue our campaign of sanctions designed to force Bashar al-Assad and his regime to cease their brutal war against the Syrian people and implement the political solution called for by UNSCR 2254. This is the only credible path to the peace the Syrian people deserve.

Today we continue our campaign of sanctions designed to force Bashar al-Assad and his regime to cease their brutal war against the Syrian people and implement the political solution called for by UNSCR 2254. This is the only credible path to the peace the Syrian people deserve.  Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 29, 2020

Wednesdays actions marks the second round of sanctions imposed by Washington under the Caesar Act, which aims to deter bad actors who continue to aid and finance the Assad regimes atrocities against the Syrian people while simply enriching themselves.

Already, US and European Union sanctions have frozen the assets of the Syrian state and hundreds of companies and individuals. Washington has banned American exports to and investment in Syria, as well as transactions involving oil and hydrocarbon products.

The new sanctions cover many more sectors, and they can freeze assets of anyone dealing with Syria, regardless of nationality. The measure also targets those dealing with entities from Russia and Iran, al-Assads main backers.

Syrian authorities blame Western sanctions for widespread hardship among ordinary residents, where the currency collapse has led to soaring prices and people struggling to afford food and basic supplies.
Rodney King arrives at the EsoWon bookstore to sign copies of his new book, "The Riot Within: My Journey From Rebellion to Redemption," 20 years after the verdict due to his beating led to infamous riots, in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 30, 2012. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Camera That Recorded Rodney King Beating Up for Auction

The Sony video camera used to capture the March 3, 1991, beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles is set to be auctioned on July 30, with bidding starting at $225,000.

The camera, a Sony Video8 Handycam, is accompanied by a notarized letter of authenticity from George Holliday, the man who captured the grainy footage from his apartment balcony in Lake View Terrace, California, according to auctioneer Nate D. Sanders.

On the night of the incident, Holliday recorded King being beaten repeatedly by multiple police officers, four of whom were later charged with excessive force and acquitted by a jury of all charges on April 29, 1992leading to the deadliest, most destructive riots in L.A. history. The uprising killed 63 people and caused an estimated $1 billion in property damage.

The camera includes all of its original accessories, but has been rendered unusable and does not include the actual footage of the beating.

Auction Manager Laura Kirk told The Epoch Times that the original footage is still in the possession or custody of the FBI.

Mr. Holliday didnt get the video camera back from the FBI until a few years ago, Kirk said.

The Sony camcorder used by George Holliday to capture the beating of Rodney King is up for auction. (Courtesy of Nate D. Sanders Auctions)

Holliday, then a 31-year-old plumbing salesman, captured video of the brutal beating during the arrest of 25-year-old King for drunk driving following a high-speed chase. King died by drowning in 2012.

Holliday initially approached the Los Angeles Police Department with the video he captured, but when the LAPD wasnt interested, he brought the tape to local television station KTLA.

The auctions catalog calls the results of the televised, unedited video a firestorm that laid the groundwork for the anti-police brutality movements such as Black Lives Matter that are so relevant today.

The catalog calls the footage the first viral video that shined a light on police misconduct and ushered in the modern era of citizen journalism. Holliday became a trailblazer overnight.

I just think Mr. Holliday thought it was a good time for him personally to sell the camera, Kirk said.

The camera is available for online bidding until 5 p.m. on July 30though if there are multiple bidders, the closing time will be extended until only the highest bid remains for 30 minutes, the website states. Interested buyers can either place the bid through Sanders website or call in directly.
AUSTIN, Texas, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Central Texas Pain Center, one of the fastest growing interventional pain practices in Texas, is pleased to announce the opening of its newest location in Bee Cave, TX.

Dr. Daniel Frederick, the Medical Director of Central Texas Pain Center, explained, "Central Texas Pain Center is focused on providing high quality, conveniently located interventional pain care to our patients in Texas. We believe that Bee Cave is undergoing rapid growth and we want to provide our patients with care that is easily accessible to where they live and work. As a result, we have multiple clinics in Austin. Our Bee Cave Clinic will be led by Dr. Derrick Wansom, who will be focusing on providing patient care along I-71 from Bee Cave to Bastrop."

Dr. Wansom encourages patient participation in the development of their plan of care and tailors customized multi-modal approaches to their pain. He combines minimally invasive interventions, targeted medical therapies, behavioral and functional therapy, and integrative care to meet each patient's individual needs. He feels that the most gratifying aspect of pain management is facilitating functional restoration and a return to an active, fulfilling lifestyle. In his free time, Dr. Wansom enjoys wrenching on cars, listening to a diverse spectrum of music, traveling, and cooking.

Central Texas Pain Center's newest clinic in Bee Cave is located at 15801 W. Hwy 71, Bldg 1, Suite 200, Bee Cave, TX 78738. Those who want more information or wish to make an appointment can visit www.PSADocs.com or call 855.876.7246.

About Central Texas Pain Center

Central Texas Pain Center is an interventional pain management group practice committed to treating patients suffering from any type of acute or chronic pain. Their expert physicians develop treatment plans from a host of multidisciplinary approaches. Individualized treatment programs are designed to improve patients' quality of life, allowing them to return to normal daily functions.

About Pain Specialists of America:

Pain Specialists of America is a practice management company that provides management services in Texas to 19 interventional pain clinics, 2 ambulatory surgery centers, two urine toxicology labs, and a compounding pharmacy. At their managed practices, Central Texas Pain Center and Pain Specialists of Austin, you'll find visionary healthcare leaders who are focused on excellent patient-centric care. Many of their physician leaders have been trained at the nation's most prestigious medical centers in the country like Harvard Medical School and the Cleveland Clinic. Pain Specialists of America works with its practice affiliates to assist in their development of best practices and the latest interventional treatments while helping them to focus on providing exceptional patient care.

Visit Pain Specialists of America at www.psadocs.com and connect with us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PainSpecialistsofAmerica

Contact:

Amber Holthofer

VP of Sales & Marketing

[email protected]

SOURCE Pain Specialists of America

Related Links

https://www.psadocs.com


Nursing and healthcare programmes are much sought after and completing them offers promising careers in Canada

Bow Valley College in Canada, is a publicly funded College that has announced a pathway programme with Chandigarh based Chitkara University, in the faculty of healthcare for students.

Chitkara students who have graduated from any stream of healthcare programmes can now transfer to the Health & Human Services Management (HHSM) one-year post-diploma certificate at Bow Valley College through Chitkara University.

Eligible candidates will be offered a letter of acceptance from Bow Valley College in Canada. The students will apply for their study permit and go through four weeks of orientation programmeing at Chitkara University, before coming to Canada.

Nursing and healthcare programmes are much sought after and completing them offers promising careers in Canada. Amid uncertain circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this pathway ensures that students can continue to achieve their international study goals during this time.

The first cohort under the HHSM post-diploma certificate arrangement is expected to start in January 2021, based on the easing of travel and other restrictions in Canada. An innovative healthcare programme, HHSM combines elements of business study and managing the Canadian Health system to prepare students for management positions in the Canadian healthcare sector.

Students who will graduate from Bow Valley College will be eligible to apply for a post-graduate work permit in Canada or even pursue other diploma programmes from Bow Valley College or a degree with a public university pathway partner
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) speaks during the DC March for Jobs in Upper Senate Park near Capitol Hill in Washington, on July 15, 2013. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Alabama Lawmaker Calls on State Leaders to Close Down Beijing-Run Confucius Institutes

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) has sent a letter to Alabama state government officials, calling on them to push for the closure of Beijing-funded Confucius Institutes (CI) in the state.

Alabama leaders should use every possible tool at their disposal to close Communist Chinese-funded Confucius Institutes at both Troy and Alabama A&M, Brooks stated in a July 28 press release from his office.

He added: These so-called institutes are nothing more than Communist Chinese propaganda units. The Communist Chinese Party cannot be allowed to gain influence over Americas education system or undermine American national security.

His letter was addressed to the governor and lieutenant governor of Alabama, Kay Ivey and Will Ainsworth, as well as leaders of the state legislature, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh and House Speaker Mac McCutcheon.

More than 100 Confucius Institutes have opened at U.S. universities since 2004. Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University inaugurated its CI in 2015, while Troy Universitys CI was established in 2007.

In February 2019, U.S. Senate investigators found that Beijing provided more than $158 million to U.S. schools in order for them to run these institutes.

According to the National Association of Scholars, an education advocacy group, there are a total of 75 Confucius Institutes in the United States as of June 30, while 45 CIs have closed or are in the process of closing.

The China-funded education programs have come under scrutiny in recent years for spreading Beijing propaganda, stifling free speech, and being a possible hub of espionage.

In a June 2014 report, Washington-based nonprofit the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), warned of the threats posed by CIs on U.S. academic freedom.

Most agreements establishing Confucius Institutes feature nondisclosure clauses and unacceptable concessions to the political aims and practices of the government of China, AAUP wrote.

The group added: North American universities permit Confucius Institutes to advance a state agenda in the recruitment and control of academic staff, in the choice of curriculum, and in the restriction of debate.

At a congressional hearing in July 2019, Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), stated that CIs offer a platform to disseminate Chinese government or Chinese Communist Party propaganda, to encourage censorship, to restrict academic freedom.

Chinese officials themselves have publicly admitted Beijings ulterior motives behind the CIs.

Li Changchun, formerly in charge of propaganda on the Politburo Standing Committee, the Chinese Communist Partys top decision-making body, stated in 2009 that CIs were an important part of Chinas overseas propaganda setup, according to Brooks letter.

Brooks is not the only one calling on Alabama universities to close down the Chinese programs.

In May, the College Republican Federation of Alabama issued a press release, encouraging every university, including those institutions within Alabama, to reconsider their partnership with the Chinese government and their Confucius Institutes initiative.

On July 27, Alabama State Representative Tommy Hanes unveiled a new bill that would ban CIs from Alabama public colleges, according to local news website Yellowhammer.

This bill would prohibit public institutions of higher education from providing support for, funding for, or use of its campus facilities for the operation of cultural institutes, such as Confucius Institutes, that are affiliated with, funded by, or supported by the government of China, according to the bill text.

College campuses are bastions of free speech and academic freedom, principles that communism explicitly seeks to destroy, Hanes said in a statement.

He concluded: We must make clear that the Chinese government will have no safe harbor to promote the evils of communism in the State of Alabama.
RoK-invested ITM Semiconductor Vietnam in the Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park, Bac Ninh province (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Vietnam attracted 3.15 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) and capital for share purchases in July, representing a rise of 79.8 percent against the same period last year and 76.2 percent against June, reported the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Of the figure, 1.02 billion USD was registered to be poured into 202 new projects, up 2.8 percent and 19.1 percent over June and the same period last year, respectively.

Ninety-three existing projects increased their registered capital by a total of 992 million USD, more than two times higher than the same month of 2019. Foreign investors spent nearly 1.13 billion USD to buy stakes at 334 projects, 2.8 times higher than July 2019.

In the first seven months of 2020, Vietnam attracted a total sum of 18.82 billion USD, equivalent to 93.1 percent of the same period last year.

A sum of 10.12 billion USD was disbursed in the seven-month period, equivalent to 95.9 percent of last years amount.

There were 1,620 new FDI projects in the period with a total registered capital of 9.46 billion USD, 4 billion USD of which was registered to flow into the Bac Lieu LNG power plan. Average registered capital per project was 5.8 million USD compared to 4.3 million USD in last years same period.

About 619 projects had their registered capital increased in the period by more than 4.7 billion USD altogether, up 37.7 percent.

However, capital for share purchases dropped by around 50 percent to 4.64 billion USD.

According to the Foreign Investment Agency, FDI flowed into 18 sectors in January-July, led by the manufacturing and processing industry with total registered capital of more than 8.96 billion USD. Power production and distribution ranked second with a total registered capital of 3.95 billion USD.

Vietnam saw the FDI inflow coming from 104 countries and territories from the beginning of this year. Singapore was the largest investor in the period which registered to pour 6.44 billion USD in Vietnam, followed by the Republic of Korea with 2.8 billion USD, and China with 1.7 billion USD. In terms of new projects, the Republic of Korea ranked first with 421 projects, China came second with 237 projects and Japan came third with 175 projects.

Foreign players invested in 59 out of the countrys 63 provinces and cities in the January-July period, with Bac Lieu province being the top destination thanks to the 4-billion-USD LNG power project. Hanoi ranked second with 2.82 billion USD registered FDI and HCM City third with 2.4 billion USD.

By the end of July, there were 32,391 valid FDI projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of 380.6 billion USD, 221.8 billion USD was disbursed.

The agency said that the COVID-19 pandemic was weighing on FDI attraction in the period but also created significant opportunities for Vietnam to capture the capital flow spurred by the global shift of value chains, given the countrys improved investment climate and infrastructure system.

The recent European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnams Business Climate Index survey found that European business leaders were positive about the countrys business and investment environment with around half predicting that Vietnams macro-economic climate would stabilise and improve in the next quarter.

According to Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), fifteen out of 30 Japanese firms chose Vietnam as the destination for production expansion within the Japanese governments programme to support Japanese firms to diversify their value chains in foreign countries.

Vietnam set the target of attracting 35-36 billion USD in FDI this year.

The country attracted 38.02 billion in FDI last year, up 7.2 percent against 2018 with 20.38 billion USD disbursed.
Western Australias protective measures against the spread of coronavirus must be able to be sustainable for a few years, a public health expert has told a hearing into Clive Palmers legal challenge to bring down the states hard border.

Giving evidence on Wednesday during the billionaire's action against the state government, infectious disease expert Peter Collignon said WAs biggest risk of COVID-19 reinfection was through a breach in hotel quarantine, rather than an interstate traveller.

Professor Collignon gave evidence on behalf of the Commonwealth, which supports Mr Palmers legal action for WA to lift its blanket ban on all other Australian jurisdictions.

He said returned travellers were the "biggest risk of leakage into your community", and noted about 2 per cent of Australians returning home from overseas had COVID-19.
SPRINGFIELD  The owners of the Eastfield Mall, which has proposed to open a retail marijuana and cultivation business at the former Macys Store on Boston Road, said Tuesday that they have new partners in the venture.

Diem Cannabis, based in Oregon, and Old Post Road Development Corp., based in Agawam, were chosen by the mall to work on the plans for marijuana cultivation and retail, said Chuck Breidenbach, representative of Mountain Development Corp., the mall owners.

Brian G. Shea, president and sole officer of Old Post Road Development, said in a recent letter to the city that approval of the plans would generate an investment of up to $50 million and hundreds of jobs.

The proposal continues to call for a retail store on the first floor and a marijuana cultivation business on the second floor.

In December, the City Council changed the existing zoning ordinance to add marijuana cultivation to the list of approved uses at the former Macys site. Any marijuana proposal, however, will need approval from the mayor, council and state Cannabis Control Commission.

Shea, an Agawam lawyer, said in a letter to the citys Procurement Office that his company looks forward to discussing its proposal as soon as possible and we are anxious to get started.

Granting Diem a community host agreement immediately would bring a substantial new investment opportunity into Springfield business of Fifty Million Dollars over the next five years, establish hundreds of jobs and create a revenue stream to the city, Shea wrote.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and the City Council have approved three other retail marijuana businesses in Springfield, and no cultivation businesses thus far. None of the retail sites have opened yet, pending approval by the state Cannabis Control Commission.

Sarno has not yet revealed when additional marijuana businesses might be considered.

The City Council Economic Development Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday at 5 p.m., by remote, to discuss the status of marijuana cultivation plans and efforts in Springfield.

The Eastfield Mall ownership was previously working with Cannaworld/Cannamundo Inc.

A number of the same partners continue to be involved in Old Post, Breidenbach said. They felt a need to regroup and after being introduced to Diem decided to jointly to proceed. Diem will be the license holder for any and all licenses used in the building.

Eastfield Mall has announced plans to redevelop the 87-acre site as Eastfield Commons, a $200 million, open-air, mixed use complex with retail, housing and other uses.
Leah Remini renewed her criticisms of Tom Cruise this week after saluting Thandie Newton for speaking out about her 'nightmare' working with him on Mission: Impossible 2.

The 50-year-old King Of Queens star claimed that Cruise had 'manipulated his image' in order to help the Church of Scientology, according to Us Weekly.

The actress said that the 58-year-old Jack Reacher star hope to help Scientology convert the vast majority of the world's population to his religion.

Having her say: Leah Remini, 50, spoke out about Tom Cruise and claimed he had 'manipulated his image' in order to serve the Church of Scientology in a statement to US Weekly this week; shown in 2019

'I think its time for people to start waking up to the real facts here. Tom has for years manipulated his image to be the good guy,' Remini said in a statement.

'Although I believe there was a time when Tom was a decent and kindhearted person, he has morphed himself into David Miscavige [leader of Scientology] and is completely dedicated to Scientologys mission to "clear" planet Earth  which means making 80 percent of the worlds population into Scientologists.'

In a podcast from earlier this month, Remini praised Thandie Newton's statements about her difficult time working with a 'really stressed' Cruise.

'That takes huge balls to do what she did, and if more people speak out in that way, and be brave enough to do so, I think we might get somewhere,' Leah said on her Scientology: Fair Game podcast.

Strong claim: 'I think its time for people to start waking up to the real facts here. Tom has for years manipulated his image to be the good guy,' Remini said

Changed: 'Although I believe there was a time when Tom was a decent and kindhearted person, he has morphed himself into David Miscavige [leader of Scientology],' she said, claiming he wanted to help convert 80 percent of the world to Scientology;

'Tom has gotten away with being this "nice guy," because that's what Scientology policy says  to create good PR in the world and make those "good actions" known. But if you actually look at his actions, they're not consistent.'

The Kevin Can Wait actress said she was once reprimanded for questioning why Cruise was the 'poster child' for Scientology, claiming that though he was 'considered a messiah in Scientology,' Tom is not 'this super-nice guy' in real life.

Newton played a professional thief recruited by Cruise's character Ethan Hunt, who was enlisted to spy on her ex, a terrorist threatening to unleash a deadly bioweapon.

Stressful: In an anecdote about filming a Mission: Impossible 2 scene in Spain, Thandie Newton admitted: 'I was so scared of Tom. He was a very dominant individual. He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot'; shown in 2013

Speaking up: The Kevin Can Wait actress said she was once reprimanded for questioning why Cruise was the 'poster child' for Scientology; pictured in September 2019

In an anecdote about filming a scene in Spain, the Westworld actress boldly admitted: 'I was so scared of Tom. He was a very dominant individual. He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot.'

Thandie detailed how they struggled with filming a scene in Spain, in which they battled to get the perfect take of the  as she described  poorly-written scene. She explained: 'So this scene was happening, and Tom was not happy with what I was doing because I had the s**ttiest lines, and he gets so frustrated'.

After Tom tried to align and improve the scene by getting them each to switch roles to practice, Thandie confessed the method made her suffer more.

She went on: 'It just pushed me further into a place of terror and insecurity. It was a real shame. And bless him. And I really do mean bless him, because he was trying his damnedest... He wasn't horrible. It was just  he was really stressed'.

Hard time: Newton described Cruise as being 'really stressed' during the difficult production

Though she's now an active critic of Scientology, Leah was raised in the church as a child.

She left in 2013 and has since been vocal with her criticisms of the organization.

From 20162019, she starred in Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath, which sought to expose 'shocking stories of abuse, heartbreak and harassment experienced by those who have left the church and spoken publicly about their experiences,' according to A&E.

Last year, the actress threatened to take legal action over fears that that she was being followed and surveilled by the church.
France will continue to take a tough line on defending the rights of French fishermen in Brexit talks but a deal with the United Kingdom is still possible, France's new European affairs minister Clement Beaune said on Wednesday.

"We will not accept a deal at any price," he told France Inter radio in his first public comments on Brexit since his appointment on Sunday. "Better no deal at all than a bad deal," he said while adding that a deal was nevertheless the best outcome for all concerned.

Britain and the European Union clashed last week over the chances of securing a free trade agreement, with Brussels deeming it "unlikely" but London holding out hope one could be reached in September.

France is one of the coastal states that has pushed hardest for EU fishermen to keep the right to fish in British waters after a transition period ends at the end of this year.

Before becoming Europe minister, Beaune served as President Emmanuel Macron's Europe adviser. A self-described anglophile, he has advised Macron on Brexit negotiations since the 2016 referendum.

He said France would be "intransigent" on fishing, and will not be "intimidated" by Britain in the negotiation "game."

"Let's not kid ourselves, if there is no deal, it will be a difficult issue," he added. "We'll have to organize a response for sectors like fisheries. Support our fishermen financially. We're not there yet." (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
The widening rift between the worlds two largest economies  the United States and China  has had analysts and market observers using the phrase Cold War to describe how far the two global superpowers could go in their increasingly heated dispute. A new Iron Curtain could mean attempts to decouple the intertwined economic and trade relations between the biggest economies in the world, Reuters market analyst John Kemp argues.

Such decoupling, however, will take decades and may not be even possible, considering the intertwined global supply chains, including in the energy markets. Despite the isolationist policies of the Trump Administration and the trade war with China, the energy trade is globalized, and China plays a huge role in energy flows, including its purchases of U.S. crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

China is a superpower in the energy markets, and it is the worlds largest crude oil importer. However, Beijings growing dependence on imports of oil and natural gas has prompted its policymakers to emphasize strategies to boost energy security by incentivizing domestic oil and gas and coal production and seeking alliances abroad to ensure its energy needs.

Cold War 2.0 or not, China is set to continue influencing the global energy flows.

The Cold War narrative has recently intensified, especially after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a speech last week, If we bend the knee now, our childrens children may be at the mercy of the Chinese Communist Party, whose actions are the primary challenge today in the free world.

So we cant face this challenge alone. The United Nations, NATO, the G7 countries, the G20, our combined economic, diplomatic, and military power is surely enough to meet this challenge if we direct it clearly and with great courage, Secretary Pompeo said.

Maybe its time for a new grouping of like-minded nations, a new alliance of democracies, he added.

Chinas Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin commented on Secretary Pompeos words, saying: His baseless, fact-distorting speech is full of ideological prejudice and a Cold-War mindset, a mosaic of China-related political lies recently fabricated by senior US politicians. China expresses indignation and firm opposition to it.

Related: The 400% Tesla Rally Was Only The Beginning Of The EV Boom



The reciprocal closures of consulates in Houston and Chengdu, China, last week also stoked tensions and added fuel to the Cold War speculation.

According to Dan Coats, who served as director of national intelligence from 2017 to 2019, the deteriorating U.S.-China political and economic relations cannot be seen as a repeat of the U.S.-Soviet Union Cold War because there are too many differences in the global relations thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

It is worth recalling that the Soviet Union was not our major trading partner, was not a major holder of our debt and was not tightly interconnected in the supply chains critical to our (and the worlds) economy, Coats, a former U.S. senator from Indiana, wrote in an opinion piece in The Washington Post.

The U.S. must address its issues with China, but in a coherent manner with a long-term vision - a Cold War mentality would only exacerbate disputes, Coats wrote.

Nearly spontaneous and seemingly unconnected irritations such as closing a consulate, imposing sanctions on a few officials, tweaking tariffs or sanctioning individual companies merely provoke countermeasures that will inhibit real management of this immense and complicated problem, he said.

Because of Chinas importance in global trade and supply chains  including its immense role in energy trade and flows  a new division of the world into democracy-vs-communism camps wouldnt help global energy markets.

Cold War 2.0 or not, China and its energy demand and choices are shaping the energy markets and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future, Philippe Benoit, an Adjunct Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy, and Kevin Tu, a Non-Resident Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy, said in a new report by the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.

China is a kind of hybrid superpower, exhibiting traits of both developing and developed economies, the authors say, noting that rising Chinese energy imports will also raise its influence on energy trade and suppliers.

What happens with Chinas energy demand will ripple through the energy world and across the global landscape generally, Benoit and Tu said.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
WE Charity co-founders Craig Kielburger (L) and Marc Kielburger speak during We Day in Toronto on Oct. 2, 2014. (The Canadian Press/Hannah Yoon)

Bang for the Buck: WE Scandal Puts Focus on Charities

Although the WE Charity scandal has the potential to threaten the reputation of charities in general, experts say that despite negative headlines about the affair, many resources exist for people to give confidently.

Charitable donations have been falling. One in five people filing taxes in Canada reported charitable donations in 2017. These donations, totalling $9.7 billion, amounted to only 0.54 percent of total Canadian income and represented part of a downward trend since 2006, when that figure was 0.78 percent, according to the Fraser Institute.

Kate Bahen, managing director of Charity Intelligence Canada, hopes the scandal wont discourage giving even more. She tells The Epoch Times that all of the charities her organization has done a deep dive impact analysis on provide a good bang for the buck.

There are a lot of really good charities out there. And I think the WE scandal and it being in the news for so long, one of the concerns that I have is that people are going to think all charities are like this. And they wont understand the contextthat not every charity is going to be like WE.

After the federal government awarded WE Charity a contract potentially worth over $43 million to manage a new $921 million federal program, it came to light that the organization had paid Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus mother, brother, and wife for dozens of speaking engagements and employs one of Finance Minister Bill Morneaus daughters. WE was awarded the contract without a bidding process.

Most of the payments to Trudeaus family came from the ME to WE social enterprise, which is the WE organizations for-profit arm.

New details emerge almost daily. On July 27, The Globe and Mail reported that the contract was signed on June 23 but came into effect on May 5. The contract called for the federal government to pay WE Charity $30 million by July 2. WE pulled out of the contract on July 3.

Charity Intelligence Canada has done reports on 780 charities, studying their impact and use of finances. Bahen says many aspects of WEs governance and structure raise questions.

The contract was with this brand new WE Charity Foundation, she explains. It has three directors who all work for WE [Charity]. It had no assets, and WE said that was to limit their downside risk, because I guess if you wanted to sue the party for a contract you could, but there wouldnt be any money there.

The list of known WE entities includes WE Charity (U.S.), WE Charity (U.K.), ME to WE Foundation (U.S.), ME to WE Foundation of Canada, WE Charity Foundation, Wellbeing Foundation (Canada), Wellbeing Foundation America Inc. (U.S.), We365 LP, We365 Holdings Inc., We365 GP Inc., and Imagine 1 Day International Organization.

Canadaland reports that in 2018 and 2019 WE Charity was found to be in breach of its bank covenants for loans. Even so, more than 7 percent of its funds those years flowed to the private corporation ME to WE Social Enterprises Inc., owned by WE founders Marc and Craig Kielburger through their controlling interest in a holding company.

Charities are not like this. This is an extraordinary circumstance because its all business and corporations and private businesses. This doesnt normally ever happen, Bahen says.

Importance of Charity Sector

Lori Turnbull, director at the School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University in Halifax, says charities do what governments cannot.

There are significant parts of our social fabric and our social network that are carried by, provided by the charity sector that governments actually arent doing. That work is important for a lot of people in our society, that that work is being done by someone, says Turnbull.

Theres a cost to doing work, whether its charitable work or not, but everybody wants to think that if theyre making a donation to charity that its going to the right place, its going to someone who needs it.

She says watchdog groups like Charity Intelligence help donors make better choices.

Theres a need to have an independent observation of that as opposed to the government trying to hold charities to account for things. And especially to the extent that they [charities] do some advocacy, I think it makes some sense to make an independent assessment, Turnbull says.

That can help a lot, especially if the charities themselves really buy into it and they strive toward a good rating.

According to Bahen, 77 percent of users of CharityIntelligence.ca said the organization helped them give with greater confidence. These donors say they gave 34 percent more as a result.

Bahen says shes glad that current donors are giving themselves the permission to ask questions, take their time, and do a better job.

If charity begins at home, so does accountability, she adds.

I always believe you start looking at yourself first. Did you know your giving? Did you do your due diligence on the money you gave? One always hopes and trusts that governments that hand out billions of dollars to charities are doing their due diligence, but I think we start by looking at ourselves and looking at our own giving.
(Newser)  At Tuesday's coronavirus briefing, President Trump addressed the issue of his own popularity. "Nobody likes me," the president complained when a reporter asked why Dr. Anthony Fauci had been absent from recent briefings. "Hes got a very good approval rating, and I like that. Its good," Trump said, per the Hill. "Because, remember, hes working for this administration. Hes working with us." Fauci has "got this high approval rating, so why dont I have a high approval rating ... with respect to the virus?" asked Trump, who has recently shared multiple tweets attacking Fauci's credibility. "It can only be my personality," he said. "Thats all."

story continues below

Trump abruptly ended the briefing after CNN's Kaitlan Collins asked him about a video he retweeted that ended up being removed by Twitter as coronavirus misinformation. He said he didn't know why Facebook and Twitter had pulled the video, in which a doctor argued that hydroxychloroquine is a coronavirus "cure" so effective that it eliminates the need to wear masks, the Guardian reports. "Ive read a lot about hydroxy," Trump said before ending the briefing. He described the doctor as "very impressive" and an "important voice," though Collins pointed out that the same doctor made videos claiming that "doctors make medicine using DNA from aliens." US coronavirus deaths neared 150,000 Tuesday, with states including Florida and Oregon reporting record one-day death totals (Read more President Trump stories.)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 29, 2020) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that mobilization will commence shortly for its 2020 Summer diamond drilling program at its flagship 35,705 hectare Moore Uranium Project, located approximately 15 kilometres east of Denison Mine's Wheeler River project and near regional infrastructure on the southeast side of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The Company is planning to carry out 2,500 metres of drilling in seven to nine diamond drill holes to follow up on the recent success of the Winter drill program completed earlier this year (see results in News Release dated June 23, 2020). This fully funded and permitted drill program will test both unconformity and basement-hosted targets along the high grade Maverick structural corridor. Of particular interest are potential underlying basement feeder zones to the unconformity-hosted high grade uranium present along the Maverick corridor.



Moore Uranium Project Claims Map:

http://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/MooreLakeRegionalTenure.jpg

Jordan Trimble, President and CEO of Skyharbour Resources, states: "We are excited to get the next phase of drilling started at our flagship Moore uranium project which will serve as an important near-term catalyst for the company. The high grade uranium mineralization discovered during previous drill programs illustrates the strong discovery potential at Moore and recent geophysics and geological modeling have yielded new high priority drill targets that have seen limited historical drilling. Furthermore, Skyharbour's partner companies Orano Canada Inc. and Azincourt Energy have been advancing our Preston and East Preston projects respectively with summer programs commencing shortly. The uranium market has recently shown notable signs of recovery with increasing uranium prices and improving sentiment, and this recovery appears to be accelerating amid recent news and several sector developments including mine closures and production curtailment."

Summer 2020 Dill Program at the Moore Uranium Project:

Given the success of Skyharbour's drilling at the Moore Project over the last several years, the Company will be commencing a 2,500 metre Summer diamond drilling program. Drill targets will include both unconformity and basement-hosted mineralization targets along the Maverick structural corridor. The Company specifically plans to expand the high grade mineralization recently discovered at the Maverick East Zone and to test the Viper target area along strike, with a focus on basement-hosted mineralization. Only 2.5 km of the total 4.7 km long Maverick structural corridor has been systematically drill tested, leaving robust discovery potential along strike, both at the unconformity, as well as at depth in the underlying basement rocks which have seen limited drill testing to date.

Moore Uranium Project Regional Drill Targets Map:

http://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/Moore-Lake-Property-Wide.jpg

Maverick East Target:

At Maverick East, recent drilling by Skyharbour intersected significant clay alteration and localized high grade uranium mineralization extending from the unconformity into the basement rocks. Three holes were drilled in the northeastern portion of the known Maverick East trend during the Winter 2020 drill program and successfully intersected uranium mineralization. Hole ML20-04 drilled 50 metres northeast of the previously defined Maverick East Zone, doubled the known strike length of the Maverick East Zone, and intersected 0.38% U 3 O 8 over 4.5 metres starting at 273.9 metres (including 1.43% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 metres). Hole ML20-05 was drilled in the core of the Maverick East Zone, identifying both unconformity-hosted mineralization (0.23% U 3 O 8 over 9.5 metres) starting at 272.5 metres, and basement-hosted mineralization (0.13% U 3 O 8 over 2.5 metres) at 287.5 metres depth. A third hole, ML20-06 drilled between ML20-04 and the previously defined Maverick East Zone, intersected four mineralized zones within a 30 metre downhole section down dip of the Maverick fault system.

Moore Uranium Project Main and East Maverick Zones Drilling Map:

http://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/Maverick-Detail-Map.jpg

The focus for future drilling in this area will be on the down dip and along strike extensions of the Maverick East target. Past drilling has confirmed the presence of uranium mineralization over broad intervals in excess of 80 metres strike length in both the sandstone and basement rocks. It appears that the mineralization is plunging in a northeasterly direction and tends to be basement dominated to the northeast. One of the other highlights of the Maverick East Zone is hole ML-202, which returned 1.79% U 3 O 8 over 11.5 metres, including 4.17% U 3 O 8 over 4.5 metres and 9.12% U 3 O 8 over 1.4 metres.

Maverick Structural Corridor - Northeast Extension Targets:

Drilling to the northeast of the Maverick and Maverick East mineralized zones will be within the remaining 2.2 km of the Maverick Structural Corridor, including the Viper target area approximately 1.5 kilometres along strike to the northeast. A large proportion of this trend has been tested by a series of broadly spaced drill holes and fences with significant untested gaps. Virtually all of the holes exhibited extensive sandstone and basement alteration and geochemical enrichment similar to that found within the Maverick and Maverick East Zones. Narrow intercepts of uranium mineralization were identified in numerous locations along this portion of the Maverick corridor. Many of these mineralized intercepts occur at the unconformity, but in a few key areas significant strongly altered basement structures within prospective graphitic and metasedimentary units were the host for this mineralization, with only limited drilling of the basement rocks at depth completed.

At the Viper Zone, historical drilling encountered basement-hosted mineralization in hole ML-161 which returned 1.0 metre of 0.083% U 3 O 8 and was accompanied by significant pathfinder element enrichment, clay alteration and structural disruption approximately 100 metres below the unconformity. Two follow-up holes, ML17-08 and ML20-02 drilled by Skyharbour also encountered significant clay alteration and structural disruption in the basement with localized silicification and pathfinder element enrichment. In addition to the drilling results, a previously conducted UAV-MAGTM survey indicates a prominent magnetic low associated with this target. The mineralization in hole ML-161 has never been followed-up along strike, and thus represents a high-priority target for further drilling.

Moore Uranium Project Overview:

In June 2016, Skyharbour secured an option to acquire Denison Mine's Moore Uranium Project on the southeastern side of the Athabasca Basin, in northern Saskatchewan. The project consists of 12 contiguous claims totaling 35,705 hectares located 42 kilometres northeast of the Key Lake mill, approximately 15 kilometres east of Denison's Wheeler River project, and 39 kilometres south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Unconformity style uranium mineralization was discovered on the Moore Project at the Maverick Zone in May 2000. Historical drill results include 4.03% eU 3 O 8 over 10 metres including 20% eU 3 O 8 over 1.4 metres, In 2017, Skyharbour announced drill results of 6.0% U 3 O 8 over 5.9 metres including 20.8% U 3 O 8 over 1.5 metres at a vertical depth of 265 metres. In addition to the Maverick Zone, the project hosts other mineralized targets with strong discovery potential which the Company plans to test with future drill programs. The project is easily accessible by air and in winter via ice roads which simplifies logistics and lowers costs.

Moore Lake Uranium Project Geophysics Map:

http://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/MooreLake-Basic-geo-revamp.jpg

Qualified Person:

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Richard Kusmirski, P.Geo., M.Sc., Skyharbour's Head Technical Advisor and a Director, as well as a Qualified Person.

About Skyharbour Resources Ltd.:

Skyharbour holds an extensive portfolio of uranium and thorium exploration projects in Canada's Athabasca Basin and is well positioned to benefit from improving uranium market fundamentals with six drill-ready projects. Skyharbour has acquired from Denison Mines, a large strategic shareholder of the Company, a 100% interest in the Moore Uranium Project which is located 15 kilometres east of Denison's Wheeler River project and 39 kilometres south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Moore is an advanced stage uranium exploration property with high grade uranium mineralization at the Maverick Zone with drill results returning up to 6.0% U 3 O 8 over 5.9 metres including 20.8% U 3 O 8 over 1.5 metres at a vertical depth of 265 metres. Skyharbour has signed option agreements with Orano Canada Inc. and Azincourt Energy whereby Orano and Azincourt can earn in up to 70% of the Preston Project through a combined $9,800,000 in total exploration expenditures, as well as $1,700,000 in total cash payments and Azincourt shares. Preston is a large, geologically prospective property proximal to Fission Uranium's Triple R deposit as well as NexGen Energy's Arrow deposit. The Company also owns a 100% interest in the Falcon Point Uranium Project on the eastern perimeter of the Basin which contains a NI 43-101 inferred resource totaling 7.0 million pounds of U 3 O 8 at 0.03% and 5.3 million pounds of ThO 2 at 0.023%. The Company's 100% owned Mann Lake Uranium project on the east side of the Basin is strategically located adjacent to the Mann Lake Joint Venture operated by Cameco, where high-grade uranium mineralization was recently discovered. Skyharbour's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions.

Skyharbour's Uranium Project Map in the Athabasca Basin:

http://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/SYH-Athabasca-Map.pdf

To find out more about Skyharbour Resources Ltd..

SKYHARBOUR RESOURCES LTD.

"Jordan Trimble"



Jordan Trimble

President and CEO

For further information contact myself or:

Simon Dyakowski

Corporate Development and Communications

Skyharbour Resources Ltd.

Telephone: 604-687-3376

Toll Free: 800-567-8181

Facsimile: 604-687-3119

Email: info@skyharbourltd.com

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.
1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up.

2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed.

3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms.

4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually.

5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings.

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SAO PAULO, July 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian steelmaker Companhia Siderurgica Nacional said on Wednesday it expects to meet its iron ore sales forecast issued at the beginning of the year, despite the economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Discussing second-quarter results, executives said they expect to raise steel prices by up to 10% in coming months. Shares rose almost 7% on Wednesday. (Reporting by Alberto Alerigi Editing by Chris Reese)
During todays Congressional hearing into potential antitrust violations by the United States four largest tech companies, representatives described systemic problems with Apples App Store and, by extension, Googles Play Store. Speaking directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, members of the House Judiciary Committee shared stories about the App Store in particular blocking potential competitors, taking a 30 percent revenue cut from developers and essentially operating as a monopoly for over a decade.

All of these features also describe Steam, the PC gaming hub founded by Valve thats worth an estimated $4 billion. In fact, Steam may be the reason Apple and Google launched their marketplaces with a revenue-sharing model that takes 30 percent of an apps earnings, a rate that many developers argue is unnecessarily high.

Steam went live in 2003, five years before the debut of the App Store. It was Valves attempt to streamline the update process for its own games -- notably Counter-Strike -- with a pipeline for software fixes built directly into the client. Valve made Steam mandatory with the release of Half-Life 2 in 2004, and in 2005 the service began hosting a significant number of third-party games. By 2007, Steam had more than 13 million registered accounts and 150 games; in 2019, it had 1 billion accounts on record and tens of thousands of games. No other PC hub could compete, and few tried.

The 70/30 revenue split has been part of Steams business model from the beginning. Neither Google nor Apple referenced Steam when they opened their respective app stores in 2008, but they both launched with the same revenue-sharing model, to little criticism.

That rate is still the standard on Steam (and Apple, and Google) today.

Only recently has Steams revenue-sharing model come under public scrutiny, and only because a new, actual competitor finally entered the market. The Epic Games Store went live in December 2018, and it has billions of dollars at its back, thanks to cash from Fortnite, the Unreal Engine and investors including Tencent Games. It launched with a bold promise for developers: a revenue split of 88/12.

The Epic Games Store scooped up a handful of exclusives, keeping these titles off of Steam, sometimes forever and sometimes for a limited window. In classic monopoly fashion, Valve didnt respond.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney openly challenged Valve to commit to a higher revenue rate for developers, saying, If Steam committed to a permanent 88 percent revenue share for all developers and publishers without major strings attached, Epic would hastily organize a retreat from exclusives (while honoring our partner commitments) and consider putting our own games on Steam."

Valve didnt respond.

This is SO COMPETITIVE that Apple has kept it's 30% cut the same for a decade. So so competitive.  DHH (@dhh) July 29, 2020

Today, Apple CEO Tim Cook answered questions about the App Stores treatment of content that could potentially compete with Apples own services, and whether it handles all apps the same. Developers including Spotify have filed unfair competition complaints against Apple. Basecamp CTO and co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson recently made his issues with Apple public after his email app, Hey, was rejected on the App Store for circumventing its built-in services for in-app purchases. After a few flip-flops from Apple, Hey is live on the App Store with no IAP and no 30 percent cut.

We treat every developer the same, Cook said during todays hearing.

In response, Hansson tweeted, I think this has to take the top cake for a lie so far?

Answering a question about Apples revenue-sharing model, Cook said, We have never increased commissions in the store since the first day it operated in 2008. Theres a competition for developers just like theres a competition for customers. He then listed the App Stores competitors as Xbox, PlayStation, Windows and Android.

Lol, Hansson responded via Twitter. Yeah, we should have written HEY for PlayStation. That was our mistake.

This week, Sweeney also called out Apple and Google for having an absolute monopoly on app stores. Much like Hey on the App Store, Epic attempted to avoid Googles ecosystem -- and its revenue split -- entirely when it made the Android version of Fortnite available outside of the Play Store at launch. However, many players found the workaround difficult to use and Epic launched Fortnite through Google earlier this year.

Sweeney plans to eventually launch the Epic Games Store on Google Play and the App Store, but so far, thats been impossible.

They [Apple] are preventing an entire category of businesses and applications from being engulfed in their ecosystem by virtue of excluding competitors from each aspect of their business that theyre protecting, Sweeney told CNBC last week.

Scott Miller is the founder of Duke Nukem studio 3D Realms and a longtime advocate of independent developers. He officially entered the video game industry in 1987, back when Sweeney and Valve founder Gabe Newell were also starting their own careers in the industry.

I used to have a higher opinion of Gabe, Miller told Engadget last month. But the fact that he's not adjusting the rates in favor of developers is disappointing because he's got a developer background too. And Valve is a development company. Why isn't he more pro-developer in the position he's at and at least cut it down to 20 percent?

Valve operates in secrecy, and its earned a reputation as a too-cool company that does what it wants, on its own timeline. With this strategy, its garnered a horde of diehard fans. This, even though Valve hasnt released a new game in a majority of its highly regarded, ridiculously popular franchises in a decade. Even though its refused to communicate with developers clamoring for more reasonable revenue agreements. Even though it has a habit of abandoning some of its most long-standing communities.

Valve hasnt responded to Epics ultimatums because Steam, like the App Store, is secure. Its big enough, with a rabid enough fanbase, to ignore the needs of developers, players or economic competition.
Second quarter revenue of $339M, earnings per share of $0.00





Rapid cost containment leads to exceptional decremental margin management at 15%





Liquidity position strengthens sequentially, repaid previous advances on revolver





Second quarter backlog of approximately $750 million gives visibility into the second half of 2020





Anticipate positive free cash flow in 2020, remain committed to dividend

LAFAYETTE, Ind., July 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wabash National Corporation (NYSE: WNC), the innovation leader of engineered solutions for the transportation, logistics and distribution industries, today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.

Net sales for the second quarter 2020 were $339.2 million as operations were able to maintain productivity levels in the face of unprecedented business and operating conditions brought on by COVID-19. Additionally, customer pick-ups of new equipment improved following disruption seen during the first quarter in the lead-up to COVID-19-related shutdowns. Operating income was $6.0 million during the quarter as rapid implementation of cost control measures limited decremental margins to 15 percent. Earnings per share was $0.00 for the second quarter.

Total Company backlog as of June 30, 2020 was approximately $750 million compared to backlog of approximately $1.0 billion ending March 2020 as normal seasonal trends indicate an expected sequential softening in backlog during the second quarter.

The second quarter was the most uniquely challenging time I've experienced in my career. Balancing continued operations to support our customers during a global pandemic while implementing meaningful short-term cost control measures as well as longer-term initiatives to optimize our organizational structure took a remarkable level of dedication from every level of our organization, and I'd like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of our people, said Brent Yeagy, president and chief executive officer. "To limit decremental margins to fifteen percent during the second quarter reflects the dedication of our people as well as the long-term improvements we've made to our business portfolio and within our operating system. The cost reductions we've made allow us to control expense in the short-term while preserving the business' ability to quickly accelerate when market conditions invariably improve."

Liquidity as of the end of the second quarter was $304 million with cash of $136 million and a fully untapped revolving credit line of $168 million following the second quarter repayment of a proactive drawdown of the revolver during the first quarter. Overall liquidity increased by $27 million sequentially as positive cash flow from operations was supplemented by a release of working capital. The Company's nearest debt maturity, amounting to $135 million, is in March of 2022. Additionally, the Company's debt carries no financial covenants.

"Our backlog combined with second quarter shipments shows that orders continued to flow at a moderate pace during the second quarter, which normally sees sales outpace new orders. We continue to be pleased with the state of our order book and the visibility it provides for the second half of the year," continued Yeagy. "Our goal for 2020 remains positive free cash flow generation and our second quarter results serve to strengthen our expectations of achieving that target. We aim to demonstrate how our free cash flow profile has improved from previous cycles by maintaining our dividend through this challenging time and continuing to deploy capital in the best interest of our long-term shareowners."

Business Segment Highlights

The table below is a summary of select segment operating and financial results prior to the elimination of intersegment sales for the second quarter of 2020 and 2019. A complete disclosure of the results by individual segment is included in the tables following this release.

Commercial Trailer Products Diversified Products Final Mile Products Three Months Ended June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019 (dollars in thousands) New trailers shipped 8,000 14,250 400 750   Net sales $ 232,254 $ 400,864 $ 63,951 $ 97,026 $ 50,832 $ 134,817 Gross profit $ 22,392 $ 46,906 $ 10,761 $ 20,123 $ 1,963 $ 21,289 Gross profit margin 9.6 % 11.7 % 16.8 % 20.7 % 3.9 % 15.8 % Income (loss) from operations $ 18,599 $ 39,918 $ 2,242 $ 8,911 $ (6,569 ) $ 9,221 Income (loss) from operations margin 8.0 % 10.0 % 3.5 % 9.2 % (12.9 %) 6.8 %

Commercial Trailer Products net sales for the second quarter were $232.3 million, a decrease of 42.1 percent as compared to the prior year quarter as a result of a reduction in market demand. Operating income was $18.6 million or 8.0% of sales during the quarter.

Diversified Products net sales for the second quarter were $64.0 million, a decrease of 34.1 percent as compared to the prior year as a result of lower market demand. Operating income was $2.2 million or 3.5 percent of sales during the quarter.

Final Mile Products net sales for the second quarter totaled $50.8 million, a decrease of 62.3 percent, as compared to the prior year, due to softer market demand. Operating loss was $6.6 million during the quarter as a result of weaker volume leverage over fixed costs.

Non-GAAP Measures

In addition to disclosing financial results calculated in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the financial information included in this release contains non-GAAP financial measures, including operating EBITDA, adjusted operating income (loss), adjusted net (loss) income and adjusted earnings per share. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures and results calculated in accordance with GAAP, including net (loss) income, and reconciliations to GAAP financial statements should be carefully evaluated.

Operating EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, impairment and other, net, and other non-operating income and expense. Management believes providing operating EBITDA is useful for investors to understand the Companys performance and results of operations period to period with the exclusion of the items identified above. Management believes the presentation of operating EBITDA, when combined with the GAAP presentations of operating income (loss) and net (loss) income, is beneficial to an investors understanding of the Companys operating performance. A reconciliation of operating EBITDA to net (loss) income is included in the tables following this release.

Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities minus capital expenditures. Management believes providing free cash flow is useful for investors to understand the Companys performance and results of cash generation period to period with the exclusion of the item identified above. Management believes the presentation of free cash flow, when combined with the GAAP presentations of cash provided by operating activities, is beneficial to an investors understanding of the Companys operating performance. A reconciliation of free cash flow to cash provided by operating activities is included in the appendix to this release.

Adjusted operating income (loss), a non-GAAP financial measure, excludes certain costs, expenses, other charges, gains or income that are included in the determination of operating income (loss) under U.S. GAAP, but that management would not consider important in evaluating the quality of the Companys operating results as they are not indicative of the Companys core operating results or may obscure trends useful in evaluating the Companys continuing activities. Accordingly, the Company presents adjusted operating income (loss) excluding these Special Items to help investors evaluate our operating performance and trends in our business consistent with how management evaluates such performance and trends. Further, the Company presents adjusted operating income (loss) to provide investors with a better understanding of the Companys view of our results as compared to prior periods. A reconciliation of adjusted operating income (loss) to operating income (loss), the most comparable GAAP financial measure, is included in the tables following this press release.

Adjusted net (loss) income and adjusted earnings per basic (2020) or diluted (2019) share, each reflect adjustments for non-cash impairment and other, net, and the related tax effects of these adjustments. Management believes providing adjusted measures and excluding certain items facilitates comparisons to the Companys prior year periods and, when combined with the GAAP presentation of net (loss) income and basic (2020) and diluted (2019) net (loss) income per share, is beneficial to an investors understanding of the Companys performance. A reconciliation of each of adjusted net (loss) income and adjusted earnings per basic or diluted share to net (loss) income and net (loss) income per basic or diluted share is included in the tables following this release.

Second Quarter 2020 Conference Call

Wabash National will discuss its results during its quarterly investor conference call on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, beginning at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The call and an accompanying slide presentation will be accessible on the "Investors" section of the Companys website www.wabashnational.com. The conference call will also be accessible by dialing (844) 778-4139, conference ID 5580198. A replay of the call will be available on the site shortly after the conclusion of the presentation.

About Wabash National Corporation

Headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana, Wabash National Corporation (NYSE: WNC) is a diversified industrial manufacturer and a leading producer of semi-trailers, truck bodies and liquid transportation systems. Established in 1985, the Company manufactures a diverse range of products including: dry freight and refrigerated trailers, platform trailers, bulk tank trailers, dry and refrigerated truck bodies, truck-mounted tanks, intermodal equipment, structural composite panels and products, trailer aerodynamic solutions, and specialty food grade and pharmaceutical equipment. Its innovative products are sold under the following brand names: Wabash National, Beall, Benson, Brenner Tank, Bulk Tank International, DuraPlate, Extract Technology, Supreme, Transcraft, Walker Engineered Products, and Walker Transport. Learn more at www.wabashnational.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements convey the Companys current expectations or forecasts of future events. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, all statements regarding the Companys outlook for trailer and truck body shipments, backlog, expectations regarding demand levels for trailers, truck bodies, non-trailer equipment and our other diversified product offerings, pricing, profitability and earnings, cash flow and liquidity, opportunity to capture higher margin sales, new product innovations, our growth and diversification strategies, our expectations for improved financial performance during the course of the year and our expectations with regards to capital allocation. These and the Companys other forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. Without limitation, these risks and uncertainties include a continued or prolonged shutdown or reduction of our operations, substantially reduced customer orders or sales volumes and supply disruptions due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the continued integration of Supreme into the Companys business, adverse reactions to the transaction by customers, suppliers or strategic partners, uncertain economic conditions including the possibility that customer demand may not meet our expectations, increased competition, reliance on certain customers and corporate partnerships, risks of customer pick-up delays, shortages and costs of raw materials including the impact of tariffs or other international trade developments, risks in implementing and sustaining improvements in the Companys manufacturing operations and cost containment, dependence on industry trends and timing, supplier constraints, labor costs and availability, customer acceptance of and reactions to pricing changes and costs of indebtedness. Readers should review and consider the various disclosures made by the Company in this press release and in the Companys reports to its stockholders and periodic reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q.

Media Contact:

Dana Stelsel

Director, Corporate Communications

(765) 771-5766

dana.stelsel@wabashnational.com



Investor Relations:

Ryan Reed

Director, Investor Relations

(765) 490-5664

ryan.reed@wabashnational.com







WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited - dollars in thousands)

June 30,

2020 December 31,

2019 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 135,993 $ 140,516 Accounts receivable, net 123,952 172,737 Inventories 201,068 186,914 Prepaid expenses and other 41,836 41,222 Total current assets 502,849 541,389 Property, plant, and equipment, net 218,637 221,346 Goodwill 204,418 311,026 Intangible assets, net 178,836 189,898 Other assets 37,525 40,932 Total assets $ 1,142,265 $ 1,304,591 Liabilities and Stockholders Equity Current liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt $  $  Current portion of finance lease obligations 337 327 Accounts payable 124,747 134,821 Other accrued liabilities 107,030 124,230 Total current liabilities 232,114 259,378 Long-term debt 455,800 455,386 Finance lease obligations 206 378 Deferred income taxes 35,179 37,576 Other non-current liabilities 25,749 30,885 Total liabilities 749,048 783,603 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders equity: Common stock 200,000,000 shares authorized, $0.01 par value, 52,906,115 and 53,473,620 shares outstanding, respectively 753 750 Additional paid-in capital 639,330 638,917 Retained earnings 106,656 221,841 Accumulated other comprehensive losses (6,915 ) (3,978 ) Treasury stock at cost, 22,500,750 and 21,640,109 common shares, respectively (346,607 ) (336,542 ) Total stockholders' equity 393,217 520,988 Total liabilities and stockholders equity $ 1,142,265 $ 1,304,591





WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited - dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net sales $ 339,153 $ 626,053 $ 726,227 $ 1,159,227 Cost of sales 304,832 538,403 655,163 1,002,887 Gross profit 34,321 87,650 71,064 156,340 General and administrative expenses 19,633 26,509 45,825 56,649 Selling expenses 4,886 8,494 12,884 16,717 Amortization of intangible assets 5,493 5,109 10,988 10,238 Impairment and other, net (1,690 )  105,424  Income (loss) from operations 5,999 47,538 (104,057 ) 72,736 Other income (expense): Interest expense (5,882 ) (7,020 ) (12,154 ) (14,110 ) Other, net 285 1,081 405 912 Other expense, net (5,597 ) (5,939 ) (11,749 ) (13,198 ) Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit) 402 41,599 (115,806 ) 59,538 Income tax expense (benefit) 548 10,639 (9,013 ) 13,798 Net (loss) income $ (146 ) $ 30,960 $ (106,793 ) $ 45,740 Net (loss) income per share: Basic $ 0.00 $ 0.56 $ (2.01 ) $ 0.83 Diluted $ 0.00 $ 0.56 $ (2.01 ) $ 0.82 Weighted average common shares outstanding (in thousands): Basic 52,874 55,197 53,015 55,233 Diluted 52,874 55,668 53,015 55,719 Dividends declared per share $ 0.08 $ 0.08 $ 0.160 $ 0.160





WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited - dollars in thousands)

Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 2019 Cash flows from operating activities Net (loss) income $ (106,793 ) $ 45,740 Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities Depreciation 11,657 10,957 Amortization of intangibles 10,988 10,238 Net (gain) loss on sale of property, plant and equipment (1,690 ) 481 Loss on debt extinguishment  53 Deferred income taxes (2,648 ) (2,214 ) Stock-based compensation 416 5,377 Impairment 107,114  Non-cash interest expense 535 523 Accounts receivable 48,785 10,886 Inventories (14,154 ) (80,163 ) Prepaid expenses and other (8,195 ) (325 ) Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (22,126 ) 58,210 Other, net (1,235 ) 1,210 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 22,654 $ 60,973 Cash flows from investing activities Capital expenditures (10,921 ) (14,995 ) Proceeds from the sale of property, plant, and equipment 2,725 38 Net cash used in investing activities $ (8,196 ) $ (14,957 ) Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from exercise of stock options  55 Dividends paid (8,742 ) (9,061 ) Borrowings under revolving credit facilities 45,449 288 Payments under revolving credit facilities (45,449 ) (288 ) Principal payments under finance lease obligations (162 ) (152 ) Principal payments under term loan credit facility  (15,470 ) Debt issuance costs paid (12 ) (71 ) Stock repurchase (10,065 ) (13,852 ) Net cash used in financing activities $ (18,981 ) $ (38,551 ) Cash and cash equivalents: Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ (4,523 ) $ 7,465 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period 140,516 132,690 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 135,993 $ 140,155





WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION

SEGMENTS AND RELATED INFORMATION

(Unaudited - dollars in thousands)

Three Months Ended June 30, Commercial

Trailer Products Diversified

Products Final Mile

Products Corporate and

Eliminations Consolidated 2020 New trailers shipped 8,000 400   8,400 Used trailers shipped 185 35   220 New Trailers $ 218,753 $ 28,176 $  $  $ 246,929 Used Trailers 2,273 1,323   3,596 Components, parts and service 9,571 22,166 2,453 (7,884 ) 26,306 Equipment and other 1,657 12,286 48,379  62,322 Total net external sales $ 232,254 $ 63,951 $ 50,832 $ (7,884 ) $ 339,153 Gross profit $ 22,392 $ 10,761 $ 1,963 $ (795 ) $ 34,321 Income (loss) from operations $ 18,599 $ 2,242 $ (6,569 ) $ (8,273 ) $ 5,999 2019 New trailers shipped 14,250 750   15,000 Used trailers shipped  25   25 New Trailers $ 385,842 $ 49,325 $  $  $ 435,167 Used Trailers 13 739   752 Components, parts and service 10,622 29,007 4,447 (6,575 ) 37,501 Equipment and other 4,387 17,955 130,370 (79 ) 152,633 Total net external sales $ 400,864 $ 97,026 $ 134,817 $ (6,654 ) $ 626,053 Gross profit $ 46,906 $ 20,123 $ 21,289 $ (668 ) $ 87,650 Income (loss) from operations $ 39,918 $ 8,911 $ 9,221 $ (10,512 ) $ 47,538





Six Months Ended June 30, Commercial

Trailer Products Diversified

Products Final Mile

Products Corporate and

Eliminations Consolidated 2020 New trailers shipped 16,525 1,050   17,575 Used trailers shipped 220 70   290 New Trailers $ 456,654 $ 71,488 $  $  $ 528,142 Used Trailers 2,591 2,533   5,124 Components, parts and service 18,843 48,248 6,175 (14,984 ) 58,282 Equipment and other 5,141 24,640 104,927 (29 ) 134,679 Total net external sales $ 483,229 $ 146,909 $ 111,102 $ (15,013 ) $ 726,227 Gross profit $ 46,235 $ 25,902 $ 1,719 $ (2,792 ) $ 71,064 Income (loss) from operations $ 34,470 $ (3,828 ) $ (114,610 ) $ (20,089 ) $ (104,057 ) 2019 New trailers shipped 26,650 1,450   28,100 Used trailers shipped 50 50   100 New Trailers $ 711,661 $ 95,124 $  $  $ 806,785 Used Trailers 150 1,326   1,476 Components, parts and service 20,955 64,891 7,863 (14,495 ) 79,214 Equipment and other 9,143 35,333 227,803 (527 ) 271,752 Total net external sales $ 741,909 $ 196,674 $ 235,666 $ (15,022 ) $ 1,159,227 Gross profit $ 82,846 $ 40,222 $ 34,813 $ (1,541 ) $ 156,340 Income (loss) from operations $ 66,239 $ 16,955 $ 11,090 $ (21,548 ) $ 72,736





WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION

SEGMENT AND COMPANY FINANCIAL INFORMATION

(Unaudited - dollars in thousands)

Three Months Ended

June 30, Six Months Ended

June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Commercial Trailer Products Income from operations $ 18,599 $ 39,918 $ 34,470 $ 66,239 Adjustments: Impairment   377  Adjusted operating income $ 18,599 $ 39,918 $ 34,847 $ 66,239 Diversified Products Income (loss) from operations 2,242 8,911 (3,828 ) 16,955 Adjustments: Impairment   10,971  Adjusted operating income 2,242 8,911 7,143 16,955 Final Mile Products (Loss) income from operations (6,569 ) 9,221 (114,610 ) 11,090 Adjustments: Impairment   95,766  Adjusted operating (loss) income (6,569 ) 9,221 (18,844 ) 11,090 Corporate Loss from operations (8,273 ) (10,512 ) (20,089 ) (21,548 ) Consolidated Income (loss) from operations 5,999 47,538 (104,057 ) 72,736 Adjustments: Impairment   107,114  Adjusted operating income $ 5,999 $ 47,538 $ 3,057 $ 72,736





WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES TO

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

(Unaudited - dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

Operating EBITDA1: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net (loss) income $ (146 ) $ 30,960 $ (106,793 ) $ 45,740 Income tax expense (benefit) 548 10,639 (9,013 ) 13,798 Interest expense 5,882 7,020 12,154 14,110 Depreciation and amortization 11,526 10,646 22,645 21,195 Stock-based compensation 1,333 2,791 416 5,377 Impairment and other, net (1,690 )  105,424  Other, net (285 ) (1,081 ) (405 ) (912 ) Operating EBITDA $ 17,168 $ 60,975 $ 24,428 $ 99,308





Adjusted Net (Loss) Income2: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Net (loss) income $ (146 ) $ 30,960 $ (106,793 ) $ 45,740 Adjustments: Impairment   107,114  Tax effect of aforementioned items   (2,786 )  Adjusted net (loss) income $ (146 ) $ 30,960 $ (2,465 ) $ 45,740





Adjusted Basic (2020) and Diluted (2019) Earnings Per Share2: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 2019 2020 2019 Basic (2020) and diluted (2019) earnings per share $ 0.00 $ 0.56 $ (2.01 ) $ 0.82 Adjustments: Impairment   2.01  Tax effect of aforementioned items   (0.05 )  Adjusted basic (2020) and diluted (2019) earnings per share $ 0.00 $ 0.56 $ (0.05 ) $ 0.82 Weighted average basic (2020) and diluted (2019) shares outstanding (in thousands) 52,874 55,668 53,015 55,719

1 Operating EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, impairment and other, net, and other non-operating income and expense.

2 Adjusted net (loss) income and adjusted basic (2020) and diluted (2019) earnings per share reflect adjustments for non-cash impairment and the related tax effects of these adjustments.





WABASH NATIONAL CORPORATION

RECONCILIATION OF FREE CASH FLOW

(Unaudited - dollars in thousands)

Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 2019 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 22,654 $ 60,973 Capital expenditures (10,921 ) (14,995 ) Free cash flow1 $ 11,733 $ 45,978
A wave of street protests against corruption have swept Bulgaria in recent days, with demonstrators piling pressure on veteran premier Boyko Borisov to resign over his perceived links with oligarchs. Thousands of Bulgarians gathered for a sixth consecutive evening to chant "Resign!" outside the government headquarters in Sofia on Tuesday, the latest in some of the largest protests the country has seen in years. The gatherings have attracted up to 10,000 people and have drawn support from across the political spectrum, as well as from those with no affiliation. Several high-profile recent incidents involving the country's powerful oligarchs have brought anger to boiling point in a country where politics and big business are inextricably linked. Thirteen years on from accession to the European Union, Bulgaria remains the bloc's most corrupt member, according to Transparency International's corruption perception index. Adding to demonstrators' frustrations is the seemingly immovable Borisov, who has dominated politics since first being elected prime minister in 2009. He has resigned twice before in the face of street pressure, in 2013 and 2016, only to return to office in early elections. "I was part of the demonstrations that brought down Borisov's first government," electrician Plamen Stamov, 37, told AFP at a rally this week. "Seven years have passed since then, nothing has changed." - 'A mafia junta' - "If you listen to Borisov and the media, all is done for the best, in the best of worlds," said 34-year-old mother of two Elena Radulova. "But there's no end to scandals and we are still the poorest country in the EU." Borisov's administration has been beset by various corruption allegations but two incidents last week lit the fuse of the protests. The first affair centred on Ahmed Dogan, the former leader of a party representing Bulgaria's Turkish minority and a powerful Borisov backer. Last Wednesday right-wing opposition leader Hristo Ivanov used a boat to attempt to access a nominally public section of coast near Dogan's Black Sea villa to point out that the beach had been sealed off. Security agents paid for by the state, whose protection Dogan has enjoyed despite no longer being an MP, jostled with the boat's crew and pushed it back out to sea. The entire fracas was broadcast live on social media and sparked outrage against the authorities' perceived favouritism towards men like Dogan. Second came the raid last Thursday by heavily armed police and prosecutors on the offices of two of the closest aides of President Rumen Radev, who has been a trenchant critic of Borisov's government and is backed by the main opposition Socialists. Accusations have also emerged from another oligarch, powerful ex-lottery tycoon Vasil Bozhkov. Having seemingly enjoyed official protection for decades, earlier this year Bozhkov was indicted on 18 counts including murder and leading an organised criminal group. From his new home in Dubai, Bozhkov has alleged he previously paid millions of euros in bribes to Borisov and his finance minister and brands the government "a mafia junta". - Turf war - For the moment Borisov, a former firefighter and bodyguard, is toughing out the storm. His current term runs until early 2021 and polls before the protests started gave him a 10-point lead over the severely weakened Socialists. But analysts say that the perceived partiality of Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev has become a lightning rod for protestors and could seriously damage Borisov. Geshev's resignation has become a key protest demand. "Borisov is now politically threatened by the mess made by the chief prosecutor," political commentator Nikolay Mihaylov told BNR public radio, a reference to acts such as the raid on Radev's aides. Crucially, the United States -- seen as a key foreign ally of Borisov's government -- defended Bulgarians' right to protest in a statement Sunday. "We support the Bulgarian people as you peacefully advocate for increased faith in your democratic system and promote the rule of law in Bulgaria. No one is above the law," it read. According to Professor Ulf Brunnbauer, director of Germany's Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies "the problem that the government is close to oligarchs is not new". Tensions have boiled over partially thanks to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its "economic crisis and psychological stress", Brunnbauer told AFP. For political analyst Ognyan Minchev, the protests are born out of revulsion at "mafia interests which control the country behind the scenes" and for which the government is perceived as a mere pawn.
That release could not be found.
Four Alabama corrections officer were indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday for allegedly using excessive force against a prisoner who ran out of his cell in a state prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sgt. Keith Finch and State Corrections Officers Jordan Thomas and Kevin Blaylock were indicted on charges or deprivation of rights under color of law in connection with the alleged excessive force while Thomas and Sgt. Orlanda Walker were charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly trying to cover up the incident.

Two corrections officers at Bibb Correctional Facility subdued the prisoner to the ground, and while curled up in the fetal position, was surrounded by multiple officers, DOJ said.

Finch, Thomas and Blaylock allegedly kicked the unnamed prisoner and hit him multiple times with their batons. The prisoner was injured from the use of force, DOJ said.

Thomas and Walker, his supervisor, allegedly obstructed justice by filing false reports that claimed the force stopped once the prisoner was on the ground.

If convicted, Finch, Thomas and Blaylock face up to 10 years in prison on the civil rights charges. Thomas and Walker face up to 20 years in prison on the obstruction charges. The four officers also face up to three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine.

The indictments against the officers comes days after the DOJ released a report showing there was reasonable causethat excessive force against prisoners in Alabamas prison system likely violates the inmates constitutional rights. DOJ began investigating the state prison system in 2016.
With commercial airplane sales gutted by the coronavirus pandemic, Boeing Co. will further cut production of the 787 it builds in South Carolina and Washington state and will study whether to eliminate one of the two production lines.

By the end of next year, the company will be making just six Dreamliners per month at the plants, down from a peak of 14.

Previously, the planemaker said it would cut production to 10 per month and later to seven by 2022.

Right now, the 787 is made in Everett, Wash. and North Charleston. That's poised to possibly change, CEO David Calhoun said Wednesday, when Boeing reported a wider-than-expected loss for the second quarter.

"With this lower rate profile, we will also need to evaluate the most efficient way to produce the 787, including studying the feasibility of consolidating production in one location," Calhoun wrote in a letter to employees. "We will share more with you following our study."

Boeing's latest earnings report, as expected, reflected COVID-19's crippling effects on the aerospace sector and losses associated with the continued grounding of the 737 Max after two deadly crashes.

The company reported a $2.4 billion loss for the April-June period. Revenue tumbled 25 percent to $11.8 billion compared to the same quarter last year, more than financial analysts projected.

"This pressure on our commercial customers means they are delaying jet purchases, slowing deliveries, deferring elective maintenance, retiring older aircraft and reducing spending  all of which affects our business and, ultimately, our bottom line," Calhoun wrote Wednesday.

Boeing delivered 20 planes during the quarter, compared to 90 during the same period last year. Because of the dearth of deliveries, completed aircraft are piling up at Boeing facilities, including the plant off International Boulevard in North Charleston, where well more than a dozen Dreamliners were parked outside this month.

While Calhoun maintained confidence about an eventual recovery, he still anticipates it will take years for travelers to return to the skies en masse. Despite some "encouraging signs," he predicts it will be about three years before passenger counts return to 2019 levels.

Boeing also is cutting output of its other commercial jetliners, including the still-grounded 737 Max along with the 777 and the 777X.

Calhoun said the additional rate reductions will force the company to "further assess" how many workers it needs. This comes after Boeing said during its first quarter earnings report that it would shed 10 percent of its roughly 160,000 jobs worldwide.

A large share of those layoffs were initiated in May when 6,770 U.S. workers, including an undisclosed number at Boeing South Carolina, were told their jobs had been cut. Smaller rounds followed, with the "latest wave" of workforce reductions starting Wednesday, according to Calhoun's letter.

Boeing has not broken down the layoff figures by location, but its North Charleston business could be shrinking by about 1,000 workers based on a previous estimate that jobs within the commercial airplanes and services divisions would be reduced by 15 percent.

At the beginning of the year, Boeing South Carolina had almost 7,000 workers, making it Charleston County's largest private-sector employer.

Calhoun said during a conference call Wednesday that the company does not have a "predisposed notion of what's going to happen" as it studies whether to merge the two 787 lines into one.

Boeing selected North Charleston for its East Coast Dreamliner assembly plant and delivery center in October 2009. The campus at Charleston International Airport builds all three versions of the twin-engine widebody, including the newest and largest 787-10 or "Dash 10."

The Everett site has production lines for several widebody models  747, 767, 777 and the 787  and completes final assembly of two of the three Dreamliner versions.

Despite the downturn, the company expects to return to making 10 or more 787 jets each month, though the timing will depend on how quickly the air-travel market recovers.

Calhoun insisted Boeing isn't favoring one Dreamliner manufacturing site over the other, but some industry analysts and observers seemed more certain of what the conclusion of the study will be.

"Good bye Everett," Scott Hamilton, an aerospace analyst and editor of Leeham News and Comment, wrote on Twitter. He pointed specifically to the "Dash 10" model, which accounts for much of the Dreamliner backlog and is built exclusively in North Charleston, as one reason the South Carolina site would remain open.

Another factor in the Palmetto State's favor is cost, said Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at Teal Group in Fairfax, Va.

The North Charleston campus not only makes all three 787 models, but it also supplies fuselage sections for all of the versions, including the planes that are assembled near Seattle.

Aboulafia also pointed to one of South Carolina's initial selling points to Boeing: a low union participation rate.

Despite attempts by the International Association of Machinists to organize Boeing South Carolina employees  including an unresolved effort to represent flight-line workers  the North Charleston workforce is union-free.

Still, keeping the Everett plant running would have some advantages. For example, it would be easier for Boeing to make any major changes or upgrades to the 787 in the Puget Sound area, the longtime home of its engineering nerve center.

The company might also want to hold onto the West Coast line for when demand for commercial airplanes comes back, Aboulafia said.

But he also warned of a "genuine risk" that Boeing will be forced to reduce production rates again.

"Right now, it's all about cutting costs," he said.
Meghan Markle has agreed to pay 67,000 in legal costs after losing the first round of her battle against the Mail on Sunday's publisher.

The duchess is suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the newspaper and MailOnline, over an article published in February 2019 which reproduced parts of a handwritten letter she sent to her father.

But in May, the High Court's Mr Justice Warby struck out parts of the Meghan's claim, including allegations of 'deliberately stirring up' issues between her and her father.

A written submission from July 22 has since shown that the duchess has agreed to pay in full the publisher's costs for the strike-out hearing of 67,888.

The hefty bill was revealed as the court heard Meghan believes naming the five female friends who briefed People magazine about her and a letter sent to her father Thomas would be an 'unacceptable price to pay' for pursuing a claim against Associated Newspapers.

The Duchess of Sussex has applied for an order to keep secret the identities of the women, all 'young mothers', at a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Today a skeleton argument presented to the court by Meghan's legal team said: 'To disclose their identities to the public at this stage is an unacceptable price to pay for the right to pursue her claim for invasion of privacy'.

Meghan Markle (pictured with Prince Harry in October 2018) have asked for a High Court order to stop anyone from naming her five female friends who briefed People magazine

But in an embarrassing moment during the application Meghan's QC Justin Rushbrooke accidentally said the surname of one of the five friends the Duchess of Sussex is seeking to keep anonymous.

Judge Mr Justice Warby, who is expected to rule on the matter in August, immediately directed that the individual's name was not to be reported.

The five women were named as the sources of a People Magazine article in 2019 in legal papers submitted by Meghan to the court earlier this month, although their identities were not made public.

The People article lies at the heart of her privacy and copyright case against the Mail on Sunday because it was the first time the existence of a letter the Duchess had written to her father Thomas was revealed.

In response Antony White, QC for Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, told the court that the principle of open justice in Britain means the five friends should be named. Mr White also said Meghan was apparently 'pleased ... with her friends' intervention' in speaking to People magazine, apart from the reference to the letter she wrote to her estranged father.

Who are Meghan's five friends who briefed People magazine? The five friends, described as 'young mothers', have never been named. What little information there is came from People magazine, who referred to them as 'Meghan's inner circle'. The first was 'a longtime friend' of Meghan, the second was referred to as 'a former co-star', the third 'a friend from LA', the fourth is described as 'a onetime colleague' with the fifth described as 'a close confidante'. Earlier this month Meghan gave away that the friends were all women in her witness statement related to today's order application. Revealing they all had children she said: 'Each of these women is a private citizen, young mother, and each has a basic right to privacy'. Advertisement

He said: 'There is no proper evidential basis (for the application). There is no evidence at all from four of the five friends and the evidence from the fifth (Friend B) has been shown to be unsatisfactory.'

Mr White said: 'There is no risk of reprisal in this case.' The barrister added: 'The information they disclosed to People was information about the claimant, but is not said by her to be private or information that she seeks to protect.'

The Mail On Sunday claims that revelations in People and the misleading impression it gave of the letter gave Thomas Markle the right to publish more of the handwritten note in the newspaper to defend himself after their relationship became hopelessly estranged in the wake of Meghan's marriage to Harry in May 2018.

But Meghan insists that she had no idea any of her friends had spoken to People magazine until after the fact.

All five of the women face the prospect of being hauled to the High Court in London next year to testify in the explosive privacy trial. They could be asked to confirm on oath whether the Duchess had no prior knowledge that they were going to speak to People.

Neither Meghan nor Harry attended the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London today.

ANL's lawyers are resisting the application to keep the identities of Meghan's friends secret, claiming the duchess's friends brought the letter into the public domain when it was referred to for the first time in the People interview.

In written submissions, Antony White QC, acting for ANL, said: 'The friends are important potential witnesses on a key issue.

'Reporting these matters without referring to names would be a heavy curtailment of the media's and the defendant's entitlement to report this case and the public's right to know about it.

'No friend's oral evidence could be fully and properly reported because full reporting might identify her, especially as there has already been media speculation as to their identities.'

Mr White also said the present order sought by the duchess's lawyers would leave Meghan entitled to disclose the identities to anyone - including the media - who could publish it, while ANL's titles would remain barred from doing so.

Meghan's barrister Justin Rushbrooke QC said Meghan's five friends were entitled to 'a very high level of super-charged right of confidentiality' and confidential journalistic sources.

He claimed 'there is ample evidence before the court' to support his client's application to maintain the anonymity of her five friends.

He said: 'We say at least four of the five sources have no real role at all on the issue raised by the defendant's defence regarding the interview with People magazine in the US.'

Thomas Markle spoke to the Mail on Sunday and shared the letter from his daughter after the friends spoke to People magazine to 'defend himself' - the evidence of the group of five women is at the centre of the High Court battle

He added that one of the five, known only as Friend B, had provided a witness statement to the court in support of the application.

Mr Rushbrooke said Friend B was 'the best possible person' to provide evidence as 'she is the one who actually orchestrated the interviews'.

He told the court: 'These were confidential sources who gave the interviews on condition of anonymity.'

He also said: 'The defendant, in its own coverage - going right back to the first article... that gave rise to this entire litigation - they themselves describe the interviews as anonymous.

'When they regaled their readers with a long and sensational article online within hours of the document being served upon them, they themselves described the interviews as anonymous and the names of the five friends as being put into a confidential court document. But, within hours, we find a volte face.'

The five friends had decided to 'help' by giving interviews anonymously to People magazine, which has 35million readers worldwide. Meghan insists she knew nothing about it

Mr Rushbrooke QC then told the court that MailOnline published an article on July 1, the day after the confidential schedule containing her five friends' names was served on MailOnline's publisher Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).

Mr Rushbrooke said the article was published just before 5pm, adding: 'If they got it at midnight, journalists were no doubt poring over it with glee in the morning.'

He said it was a 'massively long article which in its own sub-headline records, we say, accurately that ... 'Meghan has now identified the five friends, who spoke anonymously, naming them in confidential papers'.

Mr Rushbrooke said MailOnline published another article on Meghan's application shortly after the first one.

He said: 'Let there be no doubt about it, these two publications are what set off the chain reaction of other publicity given by other organs to the response. It could not possibly be suggested otherwise.'

Mr Rushbrooke added: 'It was the defendant and only the defendant because only the defendant had the document which started the wildfire.'

He continued: 'Other litigants do not make commercial fodder out of the other side's pleadings, but since this one does and since this one has asserted in correspondence that this very document is properly reportable by the media - although they graciously said they won't publish it until the outcome of today's hearing - that is precisely why we say an order ... is necessary'.

Mr Justice Warby said he will give his decision on the duchess's application in writing at a later date.

He said he was 'not going to make any predictions' as to when that would be, but that he would deliver his ruling as soon as he can.

In People's bombshell February 2019 interview, the five women, who were described by the magazine as 'a special sisterhood', lavished praise on Meghan.

Judge Mr Justice Warby (left) will decide whether the names of Meghan Markle's five 'young mother friends' who briefed People magazine will be made public. Meghan's QC Justin Rushbrooke accidentally said the surname of one of the five friends the Duchess of Sussex is seeking to keep anonymous in the High Court today

One of them  identified in court papers by Meghan as 'Friend A'  told the world about the letter she had posted to her father in October 2018.

Thomas Markle said he spoke to Mail on Sunday afterwards - and shared the note - to 'defend himself' against an inaccurate portrayal of him in People.

Meghan named her five friends to the High Court in a confidential schedule which was kept secret. In a public document she named them as Friends A to E. They cannot be named

She identified Friend A as the one who had told People that the letter had said: 'Dad, I'm so heartbroken. I love you. I have one father. Please stop victimising me through the media so we can repair our relationship.'

Meghan claimed this was an 'unfortunately inaccurate' portrayal of her letter, stressing numerous times that she had known nothing of her closest friends' decision to go public.

She disclosed a list of those she had discussed the 'private' letter with in the papers lodged with the High Court - two of her friends, Prince Harry, her mother Doria Ragland, the press team at Kensington Palace (KP), and her solicitor.

Her lawyers told the High Court she had told 'some of her friends' about the fact she had sent a letter, adding that she had also 'discussed the contents of the letter with her husband, her mother, Friends A and C, the KP Communications Team and her solicitor'.

Meghan insisted more than a dozen times in last week's legal document that she had no prior knowledge of her friends' interview with People.

She added that she was so uninvolved in 'the process of the People article' that she only found out about it on the day it was published'.

Meghan Markle says naming her five 'young mother friends' who briefed People magazine for an article about her father is an 'unacceptable price to pay' in her claim against the Mail

Duchess of Sussex has asked the High Court to keep names of friends secret

Group briefed People in US about her and contents of letter sent to her father

Thomas Markle spoke to Mail on Sunday and shared the note to 'defend himself'

Associated Newspapers says not naming women defies principle of open justice

Judge Mr Justice Warby to rule whether women can be named early in August

Meghan Markle believes naming the five female friends who briefed People magazine about her and a letter sent to her father Thomas would be an 'unacceptable price to pay' for pursuing a claim against the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, the High Court heard today.

The Duchess of Sussex has applied for an order to keep secret the identities of the women, all 'young mothers', at a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Today a skeleton argument presented to the court by Meghan's legal team said: 'To disclose their identities to the public at this stage is an unacceptable price to pay for the right to pursue her claim for invasion of privacy'.

But in an embarrassing moment during the application Meghan's QC Justin Rushbrooke accidentally said the surname of one of the five friends the Duchess of Sussex is seeking to keep anonymous.

Judge Mr Justice Warby, who is expected to rule on the matter before August 8, immediately directed that the individual's name was not to be reported.

The five women were named as the sources of a People Magazine article in 2019 in legal papers submitted by Meghan to the court earlier this month, although their identities were not made public.

The People article lies at the heart of her privacy and copyright case against the Mail on Sunday because it was the first time the existence of a letter the Duchess had written to her father Thomas was revealed.

In response Antony White, QC for Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, told the court that the principle of open justice in Britain means the five friends should be named. Mr White also said Meghan was apparently 'pleased ... with her friends' intervention' in speaking to People magazine, apart from the reference to the letter she wrote to her estranged father.

Meghan Markle (pictured with Prince Harry in October 2018) have asked for a High Court order to stop anyone from naming her five female friends who briefed People magazine

He said: 'There is no proper evidential basis (for the application). There is no evidence at all from four of the five friends and the evidence from the fifth (Friend B) has been shown to be unsatisfactory.'

Who are Meghan's five friends who briefed People magazine? The five friends, described as 'young mothers', have never been named. What little information there is came from People magazine, who referred to them as 'Meghan's inner circle'. The first was 'a longtime friend' of Meghan, the second was referred to as 'a former co-star', the third 'a friend from LA', the fourth is described as 'a onetime colleague' with the fifth described as 'a close confidante'. Earlier this month Meghan gave away that the friends were all women in her witness statement related to today's order application. Revealing they all had children she said: 'Each of these women is a private citizen, young mother, and each has a basic right to privacy'. Advertisement

Mr White said: 'There is no risk of reprisal in this case.' The barrister added: 'The information they disclosed to People was information about the claimant, but is not said by her to be private or information that she seeks to protect.'

The Mail On Sunday claims that revelations in People and the misleading impression it gave of the letter gave Thomas Markle the right to publish more of the handwritten note in the newspaper to defend himself after their relationship became hopelessly estranged in the wake of Meghan's marriage to Harry in May 2018.

But Meghan insists that she had no idea any of her friends had spoken to People magazine until after the fact.

All five of the women face the prospect of being hauled to the High Court in London next year to testify in the explosive privacy trial. They could be asked to confirm on oath whether the Duchess had no prior knowledge that they were going to speak to People.

Neither Meghan nor Harry attended the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London today.

ANL's lawyers are resisting the application to keep the identities of Meghan's friends secret, claiming the duchess's friends brought the letter into the public domain when it was referred to for the first time in the People interview.

In written submissions, Antony White QC, acting for ANL, said: 'The friends are important potential witnesses on a key issue.

'Reporting these matters without referring to names would be a heavy curtailment of the media's and the defendant's entitlement to report this case and the public's right to know about it.

'No friend's oral evidence could be fully and properly reported because full reporting might identify her, especially as there has already been media speculation as to their identities.'

Mr White also said the present order sought by the duchess's lawyers would leave Meghan entitled to disclose the identities to anyone - including the media - who could publish it, while ANL's titles would remain barred from doing so.

Meghan's barrister Justin Rushbrooke QC said Meghan's five friends were entitled to 'a very high level of super-charged right of confidentiality' and confidential journalistic sources.

He claimed 'there is ample evidence before the court' to support his client's application to maintain the anonymity of her five friends.

He said: 'We say at least four of the five sources have no real role at all on the issue raised by the defendant's defence regarding the interview with People magazine in the US.'

Thomas Markle spoke to the Mail on Sunday and shared the letter from his daughter after the friends spoke to People magazine to 'defend himself' - the evidence of the group of five women is at the centre of the High Court battle

He added that one of the five, known only as Friend B, had provided a witness statement to the court in support of the application.

Mr Rushbrooke said Friend B was 'the best possible person' to provide evidence as 'she is the one who actually orchestrated the interviews'.

He told the court: 'These were confidential sources who gave the interviews on condition of anonymity.'

He also said: 'The defendant, in its own coverage - going right back to the first article... that gave rise to this entire litigation - they themselves describe the interviews as anonymous.

'When they regaled their readers with a long and sensational article online within hours of the document being served upon them, they themselves described the interviews as anonymous and the names of the five friends as being put into a confidential court document. But, within hours, we find a volte face.'

Mr Rushbrooke QC then told the court that MailOnline published an article on July 1, the day after the confidential schedule containing her five friends' names was served on MailOnline's publisher Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).

Mr Rushbrooke said the article was published just before 5pm, adding: 'If they got it at midnight, journalists were no doubt poring over it with glee in the morning.'

He said it was a 'massively long article which in its own sub-headline records, we say, accurately that ... 'Meghan has now identified the five friends, who spoke anonymously, naming them in confidential papers'.

Mr Rushbrooke said MailOnline published another article on Meghan's application shortly after the first one.

He said: 'Let there be no doubt about it, these two publications are what set off the chain reaction of other publicity given by other organs to the response. It could not possibly be suggested otherwise.'

Mr Rushbrooke added: 'It was the defendant and only the defendant because only the defendant had the document which started the wildfire.'

He continued: 'Other litigants do not make commercial fodder out of the other side's pleadings, but since this one does and since this one has asserted in correspondence that this very document is properly reportable by the media - although they graciously said they won't publish it until the outcome of today's hearing - that is precisely why we say an order ... is necessary'.

Mr Justice Warby said he will give his decision on the duchess's application in writing at a later date.

He said he was 'not going to make any predictions' as to when that would be, but that he would deliver his ruling as soon as he can.

In People's bombshell February 2019 interview, the five women, who were described by the magazine as 'a special sisterhood', lavished praise on Meghan.

One of them  identified in court papers by Meghan as 'Friend A'  told the world about the letter she had posted to her father in October 2018.

Thomas Markle said he spoke to Mail on Sunday afterwards - and shared the note - to 'defend himself' against an inaccurate portrayal of him in People.

Meghan named her five friends to the High Court in a confidential schedule which was kept secret. In a public document she named them as Friends A to E. They cannot be named

She identified Friend A as the one who had told People that the letter had said: 'Dad, I'm so heartbroken. I love you. I have one father. Please stop victimising me through the media so we can repair our relationship.'

Meghan claimed this was an 'unfortunately inaccurate' portrayal of her letter, stressing numerous times that she had known nothing of her closest friends' decision to go public.

She disclosed a list of those she had discussed the 'private' letter with in the papers lodged with the High Court - two of her friends, Prince Harry, her mother Doria Ragland, the press team at Kensington Palace (KP), and her solicitor.

Her lawyers told the High Court she had told 'some of her friends' about the fact she had sent a letter, adding that she had also 'discussed the contents of the letter with her husband, her mother, Friends A and C, the KP Communications Team and her solicitor'.

Meghan insisted more than a dozen times in last week's legal document that she had no prior knowledge of her friends' interview with People.

She added that she was so uninvolved in 'the process of the People article' that she only found out about it on the day it was published'.
Warren County invested more than $1 million in local tax dollars to set up a COVID-19 testing site at Warren Tech, running through April and May and reopening for a few days last month.

As of Tuesday, the county and its municipalities have yet to receive any federal relief, either directly from the CARES Act passed in March or from a pot of more than $2 billion awarded to New Jersey.

Thats according to more than a dozen county and local officials who gathered Tuesday outside the county courthouse in Belvidere to vent their frustration with Gov. Phil Murphy over what they see as discretionary aid being withheld.

"In all my years of politics and public life I've never seen such outrageous arrogance coming from Trenton," said six-term Freeholder Richard Gardner, who is director of the three-person board. "Governor, it's not your money, it's federal dollars. Send it our way. It's just basic respect.

"I don't want to say it smells like politics but ladies and gentlemen, it sure does smell like politics. There's no reason for this."

The demonstration came hours after Murphy announced $15 million in CARES Act money for grants to small businesses. The governor says thats in addition to $100 million the New Jersey Economic Development Authority is administering through programs for COVID-19-impacted businesses.

Neither the governors office nor the NJEDA commented on the call for help in Warren County following the early afternoon news conference.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Tuesday asserted that Warren County, like other counties in his 5th Congressional District, has seen money from the CARES Act. Warren County communities in the NJ-05 District, Gottheimer said, received an estimated $216 million -- averaging to $3,200 per resident -- from sources like the stimulus checks and Paycheck Protection Program.

From early on, North Jersey was in the eye of the COVID-19 storm  with both a health crisis and an economic crisis. ... Through our calculations, based on the latest data we have, and averages coming to Jersey residents, we are estimating that New Jerseys Fifth District alone has received $3 billion to date from the CARES Act  averaging out to $4,021 per Fifth District resident, Gottheimer, a Democrat, said in a news release. The CARES Act has benefited families in every single town  all 79 in my district  and its benefited every single county in my district  hundreds of millions of dollars to each  heading to Sussex, Warren, Passaic and Bergen counties.

Tuesdays gathering in Belvidere followed an NJ Spotlight report last week that said New Jersey had spent less than 10% of nearly $2.4 billion received under the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund that was part of the CARES Act.

Warren County, along with Sussex, Morris and nine other counties that didnt qualify for direct federal aid through the CARES Act were promised some of the $250 million in reimbursement of coronavirus-related expenses, New Jerseys Republican 24th Legislative District Sen. Steve Oroho and Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths said in a statement read aloud Tuesday. Months have gone by, and not a penny of that money has been received. In the meantime, the more than $2 billion in federal relief remains unspent.

Speakers and members of the public who assembled at the courthouse held signs asking, Wheres the aid? as they pleaded with the Democratic governor. Taking part from the 23rd Legislative District were Assemblyman Erik Peterson and Michael Doherty, also Republicans.

"We're suffering out here, Gov. Murphy, and we have small businesses that are being killed," Doherty said. "People spend their entire life, their entire fortune, they place it all on the line, their families are involved in these small businesses, and here we have a governor who's just totally tone-deaf."

Doherty said hes heard conjecture Murphy is squirreling away some of the money to put toward the state budget or a future borrowing. That money should be going toward local and county governments, nonprofits and small businesses to help with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, he argued.

Knowlton Township Mayor Adele Starrs joins fellow elected officials Tuesday, July 28, 2020, on the portico of the Warren County Courthouse in Belvidere, to call on New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to release local aid from federal CARES Act money awarded to the state.Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

Knowlton Township Mayor Adele Starrs read off hundreds of millions of dollars awarded to other counties. In an April cry for federal assistance, Freeholder James Kern III said that Warren, Sussex, Hunterdon and Salem counties all were ineligible for direct CARES Act assistance because they have fewer than 500,000 residents, no cities with populations of more than 50,000 and no principal cities, which is a Census formula designation.

Kern noted the entire bipartisan congressional delegation for New Jersey asked Murphy on April 10 to release federal funding statewide. We are at the end of July, Kern noted.

"Today we are demanding that Gov. Murphy immediately release all the monies from the federal CARES Act," he said.

Also stepping to the microphone, after removing face coverings most wore when they weren't speaking Tuesday, were Freeholder Jason Sarnoski, Phillipsburg Mayor Todd Tersigni, Hardwick Township Mayor Kevin Duffy and Washington Mayor David Higgins, the last of whom noted Murphy didn't balk at the donation of hand sanitizer from BASF in the borough.

This is not an issue for the governor to decide, We need this money because were going to patch roads, we need this money because of administrative expenses, Starrs said. We need this money because it is a healthcare issue. Warren County used that money for the healthcare purposes of its residents and deserves to be reimbursed for it.

Anyone looking at what is going on in the country today can probably see that we are in for a long ride, she continued. Warren County needs that money, it deserves that money. Gov. Murphy, it is the right thing to do. Do your job.

Editors note: This article has been updated to include CARES Act money that has come into Warren County according to estimates from U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat whose 5th Congressional District in New Jersey covers Warren County communities. This money is separate from discretionary aid awarded to the state that county elected officials on Tuesday demanded a share of, to assist county and municipal governments during the pandemic.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
Before White House-style daily televised briefings begin in Downing Street from October, officials on Wednesday released an advert seeking to appoint a spokesperson with a strong grasp of foreign and domestic issues to appear on behalf of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Johnson and other ministers held daily televised briefings from Downing Street on coronavirus until June 23, which were widely watched as people hunkered down in homes during the lockdown. Its connect prompted Johnson to consider White House-style daily briefings.

According to former journalist Johnson, the popularity of the coronavirus briefings showed that the public wanted more direct engagement with decision-makers. He would not appear every day, but would be popping up from time to time.

The advert says the new spokesperson expected to draw a six-figure salary will have the unique opportunity to work at the centre of government, and communicate with the nation on behalf of the Prime Minister(and) become a trusted political adviser to the Prime Minister.

You will represent the government and the Prime Minister to an audience of millions on a daily basis, across the main broadcast channels and social media, and have the chance to influence and shape public opinion. You will speak directly to the public on the issues they care most about, it informs prospective candidates.

The role involves regularly giving on-the-record televised briefings and providing trusted media advice to Johnson and his political team. The candidates are told that working in the Prime Ministers communications team involves working under pressure and to immovable deadlines.

The demands of the post are high and it will appeal to an experienced and confident media operator who would enjoy working on camera and with senior ministers, political advisers, officials and journalists; who would relish the challenge and pace of televised briefing; and who has a strong grasp of foreign and domestic policy issues, the advert says.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 13:02:59|Editor: huaxia

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by Edna Alcantara

MEXICO CITY, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Drivers and users of Chinese ride-hailing giant DiDi Chuxing have added safety measures to make their rides more secure in Mexico, with new features to be rolled out this month.

The new features include the ability to make an audio recording of the trip at the touch of a button, and an automated alert system that is triggered by unusual activity, such as a prolonged stop or overly extended trip.

"We are offering drivers and passengers the best protection available on the market," DiDi's director of operations for North Mexico, Richard Farr, told Xinhua.

"And we will continue to develop tools and functions that allow us to continue providing the highest safety standards, in coordination with the authorities," Farr said.

The features, already available in China, are being adapted to the needs of each city DiDi operates in around the globe.

In Mexico, Didi will make them first available in the cities of Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla and Chihuahua, before putting them into practice nationwide in the following weeks.

By pressing a button on the app, a rider or driver will be able to record the trip. The audio "will be automatically sent to a protected and confidential database to serve as a form of support in the resolution of incidents," said Farr.

When the app detects unusual activity in the progress of the trip, the system will send an alert to the driver and the user, asking if everything is alright or if they require assistance. Regardless of the reply, if the trip continues to show unusual progress, DiDi's security team will be automatically alerted.

"On the one hand, we want these functions to help prevent incidents on each trip, and on the other, to serve as a tool for resolving incidents and clarifying reports," said Farr.

With these safety features, and the health and hygiene measures in place to prevent the transmission of the novel coronavirus, "we can affirm that we are offering drivers and passengers the best protection available on the market," stressed Farr.

The company has specialized engineers in Mexico, Brazil, China as well as in U.S. Silicon Valley who use big data analysis, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to create innovative solutions "to protect drivers and passengers on each trip," he added.

Didi Chuxing, China's leading ride-hailing app, arrived in Mexico in 2018 and now operates in 33 cities around the country, offering a range of services including food delivery and taxi service. Enditem
I would not say that being a teachers union leader is a job most people would want to have at this moment, said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, the largest local teachers union in the country.

Pressure from Californias politically powerful teachers unions helped push Gov. Gavin Newsom to announce guidelines this month that will require many of the states districts, covering more than 80 percent of its population, to start school remotely, opening classrooms only once new infections and hospitalizations decline sufficiently in a region.

Los Angeles, the nations second-largest school district, had already made the decision to start the year online because of soaring infections. Now the union and administrators are engaged in long negotiating sessions via Zoom, with one of the stickiest points of contention being how many hours per day teachers should be required to teach live via video.

Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of the United Teachers Los Angeles union, said she understood the benefits  she watched her own son engage with teachers online during the spring shutdown  but she argued that a full school day over video would not be feasible for either students or teachers (although some private schools have embraced it).

Youre not going to see people engaged, she said. Kids will turn off to that.

The unions priorities, Ms. Myart-Cruz said, include ensuring that remote mental health counseling is available to students, and that teachers are reimbursed for work-from-home expenses such as upgrading their internet connections.

In the Sacramento City Unified School District, a history of mistrust between the union and administration has led to a series of repeated breakdowns in talks during the pandemic.

The district will open in a remote-only mode on Sept. 3, and has proposed that lessons delivered live over video or audio should be recorded for families to access at times that are convenient for them. But the union has objected, arguing that recording lessons could be a violation of privacy for educators, students and families because their likenesses could be posted and viewed without their explicit permission.
STEPANAKERT, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan received today Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The meeting was also attended by Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh Samvel Babayan.

A broad range of issues relating to the cooperation of the two Armenian states in the security field were discussed. The officials also exchanged views on the ongoing regional developments.

The President of Artsakh highlighted the importance of close and coordinated cooperation between the respective structures of Stepanakert and Yerevan, which, according to him, will contribute to effectively resisting all the emerging challenges.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepperdata , the leader in Analytics Stack Performance (ASP), today announced the release of its inaugural "Big Data Performance Report" for 2020. The report was compiled after reviewing comprehensive data on the applications contained in the company's largest enterprise customer clusters, representing nearly 400 petabytes of data on 5000 nodes. This equates to 4.5 million applications running in a 30-day timeframe. The report provides insights into the enormous compute waste that occurs with big data applications in the cloud.

Pepperdata research shows how IT operations teams are dealing with this challenge. The new "Big Data Performance Report" reveals that, within enterprise data applications that are not optimized by solutions that allow for observability and continuous tuning, there exists enormous wasteand tremendous potential to optimize and reduce that waste.

The shift to cloud computing is solidly underway. As Statista reports , "in 2020, the public cloud services market is expected to reach around $266.4 billion U.S. dollars in size, and by 2022 market revenue is forecast to exceed $350 billion U.S. dollars." However, as the cloud expands, so does cloud wastage. As more complex big data applications migrate, the likelihood of resource misallocation rises. This is why, as Gartner reports , "through 2024, nearly all legacy applications migrated to public cloud infrastructure as a service (IaaS) will require optimization to become more cost-effective." Without this optimization, the data highlights there will be overspend.

"When we analyzed the data, we were amazed to see how much underutilization and other wasted resources there wereunnecessarily driving costs up," said Joel Stewart, VP, Customer Success, Pepperdata. "The failure to optimize means companies are leaving a tremendous amount of money on the tablefunds that could be reinvested in the business or drop straight to the bottom line. Unfortunately, many companies just don't have the visibility they need to recapture the waste and increase utilization."

The research from Pepperdata sheds further light on the nature of cloud wastage. For instance:

Spark clusters and jobs are dominating spend across clusters. This is where the highest amount of net wastage was found.

When it comes to wastage, failures are important. Job failures cause serious performance degradation, and consume significant computational resources. In an unoptimized dataset, Pepperdata sees a wide range of failure rates across clusters. Some clusters will fail above 10%, and Spark applications tend to fail more often than MapReduce.

Prior to implementing Spark optimization: Across clusters, within a typical week, the median rate of maximum memory utilization is a mere 42.3%. The underutilization here represents two states: not enough jobs running to fully utilize the cluster resources or the jobs are wasting resources.

Prior to implementing cloud optimization: Comparing jobs used and wasted, the average wastage across 40 large clusters is 60+%. This wastage takes an interesting form; typically, with 95% of jobs, there is little wastage. Major wastage is usually found in 5% to 10% of total jobs.

This is why optimization is inherently such a needle-in-a-haystack challenge, and why machine learning can be such a help. Studies show that ML-powered statistical models predict task failures with a precision up to 97.4%, and a recall up to 96.2%. Applied to Hadoop, the percentage of failed jobs is reduced by up to 45%, with an overhead of less than five minutes.

Cloud optimization delivers big savings. According to Google , even low effort cloud optimization efforts can net a business as much as 10% savings per service within two weeks. Cloud services that are fully optimized and running on extended periods (over six weeks) can save more than 20%.

The research showed:

With the visibility afforded by real cloud optimization, three quarters of customer clusters immediately win back task hours.

Most enterprises are able to increase task hours by a minimum of 14%. Some enterprises are able to increase task hours by as much as 52%.

25% of users are able to save a minimum of $400,000 per year. At the higher end, the most successful users are able to save a projected $7.9 million for the year.

To cut the waste out of IT operations processes and achieve true cloud optimization, enterprises need visibility and continuous tuning. This requires machine learning and a unified analytics stack performance platform. Such a setup equips IT operations teams with the cloud tools they need to keep their infrastructure running optimally, while minimizing spend.

View the full Pepperdata Big Data Performance Report .

About Pepperdata

Pepperdata products provide observability and continuous tuning for the big data analytics stack. The Pepperdata solution provides full-stack visibility for troubleshooting, debugging and planning. The solution continuously tunes the stack for optimal performance, both on-premises and in the cloud. This helps IT maintain business continuity, ensuring that applications and workloads meet SLAs, and track resource usage and spend for clear accountability. Unlike solutions that require manual, time-consuming application-by-application tuning, Pepperdata automatically scales system resources while providing a detailed and correlated understanding of each application using hundreds of real-time application and infrastructure metrics. Companies like Expedia, NBCUniversal and Royal Bank of Canada depend on Pepperdata to deliver big data success. For more information, visit www.pepperdata.com .

Media Contact: Escalate PR for Pepperdata | Email: [email protected] | Phone: 617-312-5942

SOURCE Pepperdata

Related Links

https://www.pepperdata.com/


Long-range ballistic missiles used in Prophet Mohammad 14 drills

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 28, IRNA -- Spokesman for Prophet Mohammad 14 drills Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan said ballistic and cruise missile defense operations have been conducted and some surprising weapons and equipment like long-range ballistic missiles were used during the military exercise.

Nilforoushan said the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has conducted the drills in line with promoting combat readiness.

The operational phase of the drills started in Hormuzgan, west of Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.

The IRGC navy and aerospace forces took part in the drills simultaneously on the ground, at the sea, and in the air.

He noted that the drills were also aimed at safeguarding air and sea lines, continuing supports, and readiness for every scenario.

9376**2050

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A damning report into a Government policy advising hospitals to discharge patients into care homes without Covid-19 testing underlines how the social care sector here was "left to fend for itself", an MLA has said.

Colin McGrath, a SDLP MLA who sits on the health committee, made the comment after a Commons report branded the policy "reckless" and "appalling".

Published today, the report by the cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) insisted the discharging of around 25,000 patients in England to free up beds was an example of the Government's "slow, inconsistent and at times negligent" approach to social care.

Hospitals in England were asked on March 17 to discharge patients, but patients did not require a coronavirus test prior to discharge until April 15.

The Executive's role in how care homes were protected during the pandemic has also been the subject of controversy, including the similar discharging of care home residents from hospital without having been tested for coronavirus.

Dr Michael McBride, the Chief Medical Officer, admitted in May the response could have been handled differently, adding that lessons would be learned.

When asked if it was a mistake to discharge Covid-positive hospital patients into care homes, the CMO acknowledged there was a policy to free up hospital beds ahead of the surge.

Mr McGrath told the Belfast Telegraph last night the report also highlights how the response was also flawed here as well.

"Our care home sector was left to fend for itself - if only for a period at the beginning of the outbreak," he said.

"This pandemic was new to us all.

"But we must take the learning of the past, implement it into our future practice and do all we can to minimise the threat to care homes going forward."

The South Down representative called on the Department of Health to examine practices to ensure vulnerable older people and care home staff are given more protection to "minimise any further future spread of coronavirus should a second wave arrive".

Mr McGrath's plea comes as yesterday a rolling programme of Covid-19 testing in our care homes, starting on August 3, was announced by Health Minister Robin Swann.

This will involve regular testing for all residents and staff in homes which do not have a confirmed outbreak of the virus.

Staff will be tested fortnightly and all residents on a monthly basis.

Testing continues to be prioritised for care homes with an outbreak.

"With the threat from Covid-19 still present, we must continue to do all we can to support care homes. That means protecting residents and staff," said Mr Swann.

"I want to again pay tribute to care home staff for all the work they have done during this pandemic."
The Ahafo Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) condemned what it calls unwarranted attacks and brutalization on its members and some ordinary citizens in the Asunafo South Constituency in the Ahafo region.

According to a press statement signed by the Apraku Lartey, the Regional Communication Officer on July 29, 2020, alledged that these attacks are from the men brought into the of the governing New Patriotic Party Parliamentary Candidate for the Asunafo South, Kobby Amoah Mensah.

The NDC further adds that these attacks are done in communities within the constituency known to be strongholds of the NDC to suppress votes of the party.

Right from the beginning of the voter registration exercise, the NPP Parliamentary Candidate of the Asunafo South, Kobby Amoah Mensah, has unleashed violence on the good people of the Asunafo South Constituency, without any provocation whatsoever. Most of these criminal acts have been reported to the Police but to date, no concrete actions have been taken.

The latest of these attacks which occurred yesterday commenced from a community called, Dantano where the thugs arrived in a Toyota Hilux Pick-up with no registration number, belonging to the NPP PC and started beating innocent citizens who had come to centre to register. The only crime of these people who suffered serious beatings at the hands of the NPP thugs is that they are northerners who have settled in the area for ages and were waiting in queue to be registered.

The party has thus called on the security agencies in the region to act before the issue escalates beyond control. Below is the full statement from NDC

Press Release

NDC CONDEMNS THE UNWARRANTED ATTACKS AND BRUTALIZATIONS ON INNOCENT CITIZENS BY NPP THUGS IN WEIJAKROM IN THE ASUNAFO SOUTH

Wednesday, 29th July 2020

The NDC is totally appalled by the persistent violence being meted to our supporters and other innocent Ghanaians by NPP thugs in communities which are our known strongholds in the Asunafo South Constituency.

These acts of violence which are targeted at NDC supporters in the area are orchestrated to suppress NDC votes in the Asunafo South Constituency. It's very disgusting how the NPP and it functionaries seem to find violence as their only tool in their attempt to disenfranchise eligible citizens of this country and rig the upcoming elections.

The facts of the matter are as follows:

Right from the beginning of the voter registration exercise, the NPP Parliamentary Candidate of the Asunafo South, Kobby Amoah Mensah, has unleashed violence on the good people of the Asunafo South Constituency, without any provocation whatsoever. Most of these criminal acts have been reported to the Police but till date, no concrete actions have been taken.

The latest of these attacks which occurred yesterday commenced from a community called, Dantano where the thugs arrived in a Toyata Hillux Pick-up with no registration number, belonging to the NPP PC and started beating innocent citizens who had come to center to register. The only crime of these people who suffered serious beatings at the hands of the NPP thugs is that, they are northerners who have settled in the area for ages and were waiting in queue to be registered.

It took the military's intervention, to restore calm, whereupon, three of these NPP hoodlums were arrested and handed over to Goaso police for further action. Unsurprisingly and as has been the stock in trade of the NPP/Akufo Addo government, these thugs were immediately released upon instructions from above and left off the hook to go continue their brutalities and criminal acts.

Emboldened by this, the NPP thugs proceeded to Kamirekrom, OppongKrom, DurowaKrom, Metopenso, and Tadiesso, all of which are known NDC strongholds, to brutalize NDC supporters and other innocent citizens.

Unfortunately, these acts of violence escalated to uncontainable levels yesterday at WEIJAKROM, where a gang of NPP thugs led led by the NPP's Constituency Vice Chairman started firing gunshots sporadically at people who were around the registration center in the community. These were people suspected to be northerners, hence not qualified to register in the community in the NPP's view. Some of the people who were under attack managed to escape into nearby bushes, whereupon the NPP bandits burnt some 4 motorbikes belonging to the them. (Pictorial evidence are hereby attached)

Soon after this incident, some men on four motorbikes unknowingly arrived at the center to register. Again these thugs, upon seeing them started firing at the them. This infuriated the people and united them to resist the unwarranted and criminal attacks of the NPP thugs. Upon seeing the people massed up in self defense, the NPP bandits took to their heels, leaving their Nissan pick up behind. In retaliation, the people who have had enough of the brutalities of these NPP hooligans burnt the vehicle belonging to the NPP PC, which was being used by the thugs.

It is worth noting, that this incident happened in the full glare of the police officer who was stationed at the registration center but could obviously not help the matter due to the sophisticated arms these wicked NPP bandits were wielding.

The NDC condemns in no uncertain terms, the unwarranted attacks on our members and other innocent citizens in the Asunafo south constituency by NPP bandits. We have noted with grave concerns how the police, and our law enforcing agencies have watched on for NPP thugs to misbehave and terrorize innocent civilians in the area. We call on the Police to as a matter of urgency, arrest the NPP thugs behind these violent attacks and prosecute them to serve as a detriment to their likes, failing which, our people will be left with no other option than to defend their lives.

We also call on Nananom, the Clergy, Imams and all well-meaning Ghanaians to condemn these barbaric acts of violence being meted out to innocent Ghanaians under the lawless Akufo Addo-government.

We all owe it a duty to God and country to jealously protect the peace and stability of this country before, during and after the 2020 general elections.

Thank you

.signed..

Hon.Apraku Lartey

Regional Communication Officer, Ahafo.

---citinewsroom
One of the pilots of the first batch of five Rafale fighter jets which touched down in Ambala on Wednesday, belongs to Gurugram in Haryana.

Rohit Kataria, a native of Basai village in Gurugram, flew one of the jets from France to India.

His grandfather Narayan Singh said that it was an emotional moment for him and the entire family, when Rohit Kataria was selected as one of the Rafale pilots.

"We had waited for this historic moment when such advanced fighter jets appeared in the air around Ambala airbase and landed there. It was a moment of pride for us," Singh said.

Rohit studied in the Army school in Karnal before joining the National Defence Academy. He was later commissioned as a flight lieutenant in the Indian Air Force.

On April 10, 2015, an Indo-French joint statement for the acquisition of 36 Rafale jets in flyaway condition through an inter-governmental agreement was issued.

A controversy erupted when the first deal for 126 jets was cancelled by the current NDA government and a deal for 36 jets in flyaway condition was finalized with the French government.

The opposition parties had smelt a scam in the deal and it became a poll issue in the 2019 general elections.

Rafale has the capacity to carry atomic warheads and defence experts believe that the technology used in manufacturing this jet is much better than the F16 jets owned by neighbouring Pakistan and the Chinese J 20 fighter jets.
By Akbar Mammadov

President Aliyev arrived visited Ismayilli region on July 29 where he inaugurated a number of projects.

First, the president familiarized himself with the project of reconstruction of part of the Baku-Shamakhi-Muganli-Ismayilli-Gabala highway.

Later, he attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the DOST Evi Creative, Exhibition and Sales Center under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population in Ismayilli.

Sahil Babayev, the Minister of Social Protection of Population and Labour, informed the president about the centre.

It was noted that the vast majority of the region's population works in agriculture, which is traditional for the region, as well as in carpet making, weaving, coppersmithing, kalagai manufacture and manufacturing fields of other ancient crafts.

At the same time, the unemployed and job seekers in the region are involved in active employment programs.

Furthermore, it was also pointed out that over the past three years, 260 people in Ismayilli were involved in the self-employment program and created small family businesses at the expense of goods and materials provided under the program. This year, another 126 families in the region are working to establish small farms under this program.

The "DOST Evi" will play an important role in providing employment.

The president also inaugurated the Mughanli-Ismayilli (30 km) -Tazakand-Aghbulag-Goshakand highway (8 km) that was put into operation after reconstruction.

During the inauguration of the Tazakand-Aghbulag-Goshakand highway, Aliyev was informed that the 8-kilometre road, built at an investment cost of 3.8 million manats, connects three settlements with a population of 2,800 people. All the necessary infrastructure has been built along the road.

Thus, the construction of this road will create favourable conditions for the population living in these villages to facilitate their commute home, as well as the timely delivery of agricultural products to markets and other outlets.

The construction project of the Gushenja-Zogallig highway was also presented to the president.

It was noted that 2.9 million manats had been allocated for the construction of this road connecting two settlements with a population of 3,000 people, according to the Presidential Order dated June 25, 2019, and the construction work has been completed. Thus, the seven-kilometer road has greatly facilitated access between settlements and the district centre.

Aliyev was also informed about the state of construction of rural roads in the country.

During the same visit, President Aliyev inaugurated a modular hospital in Ismayilli for patients with COVID-19.

It was noted that, as in other modular hospitals, this facility has all the conditions for the reception and treatment of infected patients infected with moderate symptoms of coronavirus.

Moreover, the president was informed that relevant improvements are being made here by providing additional equipment for the reception of patients with severe symptoms.

Consisting of three buildings, 100 wards and 200 beds, the hospital complex was equipped with a centralized Oxygen Generator System, as well as a ventilation system.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
BERLIN (AP)  Europe's tourism revival is running into turbulence only weeks after countries reopened their borders, with rising infections in Spain and other nations causing increasing concern among health authorities over people bringing the coronavirus home from their summer vacations.

European countries started opening up to each other's tourists in mid-June, but recent events have shown that the new freedom to travel is subject to setbacks. Over the weekend, Britain imposed a 14-day quarantine on travelers arriving from Spain, Norway ordered a 10-day quarantine for people returning from the entire Iberian peninsula, and France urged its citizens not to visit Spain's Catalonia region.

In Austria, the lakeside resort town of St. Wolfgang shortened bar opening hours after an outbreak was detected on Friday. By Monday, 53 people had tested positive, including many people working in the tourism industry.

In Germany, officials decided last week to set up testing stations at airports to encourage people arriving from a long list of countries deemed high-risk  including popular destinations such as Turkey  to get tested. They will also allow people to get tested elsewhere for free within three days of arrival.

Bavaria's governor, Markus Soeder, said he is worried about travelers returning from vacation. Referring to the Austrian ski resort that was an early European hot spot in March, he said: My worry is not that there will be one big Ischgl, but that there will be many mini-Ischgls."

Later Monday, Health Minister Jens Spahn said he had decided to make obligatory the testing of returning vacationers from risky areas, and that the new regulations should come into effect within the next week, the dpa news agency reported.

We need to prevent travelers from infecting others without it being detected and starting new infection chains, he said.

New infections in Germany have been creeping higher from a low level.

Story continues

The tourism industry employs 2.6 million people in Spain and generates 12% of the countrys economic activity.

Juan Molas, the head of a national association of tourism companies, Mesa del Turismo, said Spains tourism sector has on average lost 5 billion euros ($5.8 billion) a week since March.

Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said the Spanish government is trying to persuade Britain to exempt the Balearic Islands, which have a low infection rate, from the quarantine rule.

Were living alongside the virus. That doesnt mean we cant travel. We can, if we are careful, Maroto said.

The Catalonia and Aragon regions have Spain's most worrying virus clusters, prompting authorities to tighten restrictions in Barcelona, in a rural area around Lleida and in Zaragoza that were relaxed only a month ago.

Catalonia is facing the 10 most decisive days of this summer, regional leader Quim Torra said, warning that it is in everyone's hands to prevent a critical situation from worsening.

Elsewhere in Europe, authorities in Belgium said COVID-19 cases are growing at an alarming rate amid a surge of infections in Antwerp. Greek authorities said they are likely to extend the mandatory use of masks at churches and shopping malls.

And in North Africa, Morocco banned most travel to and from some major cities  including Tangier, Casablanca and Marrakech, usually a popular tourist destination  to stem a small spike in cases.

In the Asia-Pacific region, many countries are still essentially banning foreign travelers or, if they do allow them to enter, requiring them to submit to tests and strict quarantine. That includes Australia, where the premier of Victoria state, Daniel Andrews, said the biggest driver in the region's outbreak is people continuing to go to work after showing symptoms.

The crossing of borders was linked to other outbreaks in Asia. South Korea said 16 of the 25 new cases it confirmed Monday were tied to people arriving from abroad. Over the past few days, the country reported dozens of cases among crew members of a Russia-flagged cargo ship and hundreds of South Korean construction workers airlifted from Iraq.

A tally by Johns Hopkins University shows about 16.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide and around 650,000 deaths. The actual numbers are thought to be much higher because of limits on testing and the many minor cases that have gone unreported.

The World Health Organization said the pandemic continues to accelerate, with a doubling of cases over the past six weeks.

The U.N. health agency's emergencies chief, Dr. Michael Ryan, stressed the need to keep pressure on the virus.

"Every single country where pressure has been lifted on the virus, where virus is still at community level, theres been a jump back in cases, he said.

___

Kurtenbach reported from Mito, Japan. Barry Hatton in Lisbon and Associated Press reporters from around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
CARY, N.C., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, Fast Company has named SAS as a Best Workplace for Innovators. The analytics leader was also recognized with the Innovative Team of the Year award for having a team whose creativity and passion drove a major company breakthrough  an honor only shared with nine other companies from the best workplace list. With founders who have been deemed visionaries for their work in analytics and pioneers in their commitment to workplace culture, innovation has been an integral part of SAS' identity for more than 40 years.

Out of nearly 900 award applications, SAS stood out as one of the companies that successfully fosters a culture of innovation and encourages employees from top to bottom to discover, explore, and invent.

The Fast Company's Best Workplace for Innovators list reviewed an organization's investments, initiatives, programs and diversity efforts and how they play a part in bringing forth new products and innovative opportunities. Out of nearly 900 applications, SAS stood out as one of the companies that successfully fosters a culture of innovation and encourages employees from top to bottom to discover, explore, and invent. From SAS' visionary products and cloud partnerships to internal corporate social innovation initiatives designed for employee participation including leadership development opportunities and Data for Good projects, SAS' investments result in inspired and motivated teams that in turn create technology used by organizations to transform data into intelligence.

SAS is also especially proud to recognize the efforts of a team of high-performing and well-respected software developers who won the Innovative Team of the Year recognition. This group is responsible for helping to spark a company transformation to increase operational efficiency and foster greater collaboration in R&D and across the organization. The resulting faster timelines ensure continued customer satisfaction while meeting the evolving demands for cutting-edge analytics.

"Our technology and our culture are built on innovation so we can continue to help organizations transform and do more with AI and analytics. We provide an environment that encourages and values the creation of new approaches to existing challenges," said SAS CEO Jim Goodnight. "Recognition by Fast Company for not one but two innovation honors validates our companywide commitment to our innovative culture and is a testament to our talented, creative employees."

SAS' continued dedication to an innovative culture is clear through R&D reinvestment of 25%  roughly twice the rate of large technology companies  which is evident through the ever-growing use of SAS Analytics to help tackle a wide range of real-world problems. In addition to being named a Best Employer for Diversity, SAS' award-winning workplace culture is recognized not only as an incubator for innovation in product, but also as an innovative approach to work/life integration.

"As much of the world recovers from health, economic, and social crises, we need innovation more than ever," said Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief at Fast Company. "This new list of the Best Workplaces for Innovators celebrates organizations that have fostered innovative thinking by investing in technology, research and development, and their employees."

Learn more about SAS' commitment to innovation.

About SAS

SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative software and services, SAS empowers and inspires customers around the world to transform data into intelligence. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries.  indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright  2020 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contact:

Kris Balic

[email protected]

919-531-0624

sas.com/news

SOURCE SAS

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The Bombay high court (HC) has directed the Central government to file an affidavit in reply to a petition filed by Rohin Modi, the son of diamond trader Nirav Modi, a prime accused in Rs.13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, challenging the confiscation of the properties purportedly belonging to a trust named after him.

On June 8, the special court for trying offenders under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, had ordered the confiscation of Nirav Modis movable and immovable properties that are estimated to be worth about Rs 1,396 crore.

The order was passed in accordance with section 12 of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2019, on an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing money-laundering aspects of the multi-crore fraud at the state-run PNB.

The special court had in December 2019 declared Nirav Modi a fugitive economic offender as contemplated under the 2019 Act.

The properties ordered to be confiscated include bank balances in India and the United Kingdom (UK), residential and commercial properties in India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the UK, allegedly purchased by the diamond trader from the proceeds of the crime.

Rohin Modi moved HC contending that the confiscated properties also include properties owned by Rohin Trust. He has challenged confiscation of the trust properties primarily on the ground of breach of principles of natural justice, which implied that the order was passed by the special court behind his back, without making him party and without issuing him notice.

The petition came up for hearing on Tuesday before a two-member HC division bench, comprising Justices RD Dhanuka and VG Bisht, who directed the Central government to reply to the petition in one week.

The court has fixed August 7, as the next date of hearing.

On January 31, 2018, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an offence under various sections of the Prevention of the Corruption Act, 1988, and the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Nirav Modi and several others, including two officers of the PNB.

According to the complaint lodged by PNB, between February and May 2017, Nirav Modi and his partnership firms namely, M/s Diamond R US, M/s Solar Exports and M/s Stellar Diamond, got fraudulently issued 150 Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) from Brady House branch of PNB in south Mumbai and duped the public sector bank to the tune of $1015.35 million, whihc is equivalent to around Rs.6498.20 crore.

A similar offence is registered against Nirav Modis maternal uncle Mehul Choksi for duping PNB of crores of rupees by using the same modus operandi and fleeing to Antigua in the Carribbean islands.
Dominica was 2019's fastest growing economy in the Latin America and Caribbean region. The country is already showing signs of economic recovery from COVID-19.

With a nearly one billion EC$ budget for 2020-2021, Dominica will invest EC$427.2 million in the public sector.

This includes five priority areas: housing (27.5%); digital economy (16.5%); environment, rural modernisation and indigenous Kalinago upliftment (14.5%); healthcare (10.1%); and blue and green economy, agriculture, and food security (8.7%).

From October, Dominica will set aside half a million EC$ every month for weather emergencies, from the Citizenship by Investment Programme and its development partners.

LONDON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, presented the country's budget for the 2020/21 fiscal year. Themed "The Road to Dynamic Dominica  Fostering Economic Resilience", Dominica's budget for July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, is worth a total EC$967.9 million, of which EC$150 million are grants. PM Skerrit thanked Dominica's friends and development partners, noting that the economy is already showing signs of recovery post-COVID-19, as the island "had the third lowest incidence" worldwide.

The greatest public expenditure Dominica will incur in the next 12 months is for Housing and Urban Development, estimated at EC$117.4 million. The government will build another 450 homes using funds from its successful Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. This is part of the wider Housing Revolution project, entirely sponsored by CBI, which aims to build 5,000 hurricane-proof homes for displaced communities.

"Over 450 homes will also be built across the island, with proceeds from the Citizenship by Investment Programme," PM Skerrit said. "These significant investments, while providing homes to those in need, will not only contribute to changing the landscape of our housing sector, but also create many opportunities for jobs and the provision of other services. The Government for example, has taken a firm decision that all kitchen cabinets and closets, shall be manufactured by local furniture makers."

Besides funding from the CBI Programme for housing, Dominica secured EC$25 million from the World Bank and an EC$10.6-million grant from the European Union. "I would like to once again place on record the gratitude of the Government and people of Dominica to the European Union, for this grant," PM Skerrit added.

Geographically prone to hurricanes, the 72,000-population island had suffered a 310% blow to its GDP after 2015's Storm Erika and 2017's Hurricane Maria. However, Dominica made a remarkable recovery and, in 2019, became the fastest growing economy in Latin America and the Caribbean. It relied heavily on funding from its CBI Programme to "build back better", determined to become "the world's first climate-resilient nation".

As a financial safety net in the event of weather emergencies, PM Skerrit said in his budget address that Dominica created the Vulnerability, Risk and Resilience Fund. From October this year, the government will replenish the fund by EC$500,000 every month with proceeds from its Citizenship by Investment Programme and other sources, such as its development partners.

The government projects its total recurrent revenue to amount to EC$695.3 million, while recurrent expenditure is worth EC$606.5 million. Dominica will invest EC$427.2 million in the public sector, prioritising five major areas: housing (27.5%); digital economy (16.5%); environment, rural modernisation and indigenous Kalinago upliftment (14.5%); healthcare (10.1%); and blue and green economy, agriculture and food security (8.7%).

"I wish to thank the many countries, partners, agencies, friends, who have stood with us, particularly through our darkest hours, and who have continued to provide assistance to us, and who have agreed to walk with us on this journey to become resilient," PM Skerrit said in his closing remarks.

Before COVID-19, the IMF had forecasted Dominica to grow by 5.5% in 2020  2.1% above the average in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union. Now, Dominica expects an overall deficit of 7.9% of GDP for 2020/21, but predicts a recovery to a 1.7% surplus in 2022/23.

While COVID-19 inflicted a 33.4% decrease in projected total revue in the final quarter, its tax revenue only fell by 1.5% compared to estimates, and experienced a rebound in June. "The Government is encouraged by the visible signs of economic recovery," PM Skerrit noted.

Despite the global economic slowdown, the government expects total revenue to exceed last year's by 27.7%, provided there are no more external shocks. "I am happy to report [] that barring any further disasters, or external shocks, total revenue is expected to improve gradually during this fiscal year, and exceed the revenue for Fiscal Year 2019/20, by 27.7 percent."

The Prime Minister expects CBI revenue to return to normal. Dominica remains the best country for citizenship by investment, according to the past three issues of the CBI Index, published by the Financial Times' PWM magazine. After passing a series of due diligence checks, foreign individuals and their families can obtain Dominica's valuable citizenship in exchange for an investment into the country's economy. This can be in the form of a contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund worth at least US$100,000, or a minimum investment of US$200,000 in one of the seven luxury hotels approved for CBI. While the fund option sponsors virtually all aspects of life in Dominica, the real estate arm helps the Nature Isle of the Caribbean establish an emerging ecotourism sector, balancing nature preservation with luxury amenities.

Contact: [email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners

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ALBANY  The state Committee on Open Government issued an opinion this week advising that unfounded or unadjudicated complaints against police officers could be withheld from the public if releasing them would be an invasion of privacy.

In a July 27 letter to Syracuse officials, the committee's Executive Director Shoshanah Bewlay wrote that last month's repeal of state law 50-a, which for decades barred the release of almost all police disciplinary records, did not grant unfettered access to those documents. The repeal ostensibly made the records eligible for release under the state Freedom of Information Law, but Bewlay noted that the law still holds that agencies must weigh whether disclosure of unfounded complaints and records would be an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy and may withhold that information accordingly.

Bewlay, who took over the committee in January, said COPI has fielded a number of requests for opinions since the repeal of 50-a, named after the section in Civil Rights Law that shielded police and other public safety employee records from release.

Before the repeal, government and police agencies did not have to consider privacy concerns because records were completely exempt, she said.

Now that the Legislature has removed the blanket exemption, the analysis reverts to the standard FOIL analysis, Bewlay said. Now police records are treated the same way as the record of any other government employee.

The advisory opinion is not a determination of whether or not the records in a particular instance should be released, and how this will be handled going forward is playing out in the courts, she noted.

Because there is no judicial precedent or legislative direction, the law does not require law enforcement agencies to disclose unfounded complaints where such agency determines that disclosure of the complaint would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, but also does not require an agency to withhold such a record, Bewlay concluded in the opinion.

The opinion comes days after a federal judge sided with New York Citys police unions, who demanded a temporary restraining order be placed on the public release of records covering unsubstantiated complaints. Bewlay's opinion mentioned that ruling.

In issuing the temporary restraining order, the judge also barred the New York chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union from publicly releasing records it had already obtained in the wake of last months repeal, finding that the organization had somehow been acting in concert with city government.

The NYCLU said it obtained officer misconduct complaints from the city's Civilian Complaint Review Board through FOIL. The NYCLU said it received the records before the unions lawsuit was filed and was not a party to it.

The federal court has no authority to bar us from making it public, and we will contest this unprecedented order as quickly as possible, said Christopher Dunn, the organizations legal director, after the ruling. With the repeal of section 50-a, the public is entitled to have access to complete information about police misconduct, and we have an absolute right to share with the public the information we have.

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

Government transparency and criminal justice reform advocates say disclosing this disputed information is necessary because the vast majority of police complaints go unadjudicated or are declared to be "unfounded"  a term that does not necessarily denote innocence, just the inability to prove guilt.

More for you Cuomo signs sweeping police reforms into law

For example, the Times Union reported this week that a Cohoes police officer will retire in August without facing formal discipline after allegedly lying to State Police about an incident last month at his summer home in Essex County in which he fired his department-issued pistol in an apparent attempt to scare off a multiracial group of young people. Officer Sean T. McKown initially claimed in a 911 call that one of the youths had fired a gun at him  a claim he later admitted was false, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Although officials say McKowns conduct was investigated, State Police did not file charges and the investigation was closed.

Democratic state Assemblyman John McDonald said unfounded or unsubstantiated complaints were never intended to be released based on his understanding and support for repealing 50-a. He has advocated for the release of validated complaints for years, he said.

On the other hand, to open up a free-for-all where an unvalidated or unsubstantiated complaint could be released ... I think that opens up a tool of abuse, McDonald said. That gets away from what we passed. Everybody  irrespective of their role in society  are innocent until proven otherwise, and I think we would all want to be treated that way.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.
The Delhi High Court Wednesday was informed by the Delhi Police that 84 foreigners connected to Tablighi Jamaat, who participated in the religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz event in the national capital during the COVID-19 lockdown and are struck in Kolkata, will not be arrested if they cooperate in the investigation.

The police told the high court that it was ready to send its officials to West Bengal for the purpose of investigation as the foreigners were not able to travel to Delhi due to lockdown in Kolkata.

In view of the submissions made by the police, Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani said "accordingly, let investigation pursuant to notices be carried-out against the petitioners (foreigners) in Kolkata, in accordance with law".

The high court also directed the Delhi government and police to update it regarding the investigation and proceedings on the next date of hearing, August 24.

The high court was hearing four petitions by the 84 foreign nationals seeking quashing of FIR registered on March 31 under various provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act, Foreigners Act and Indian Penal Code by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police. While three petitions were heard on Tuesday, the fourth one came up for hearing on Wednesday.

In the petitions, filed through advocate Musharraf Ali Khan, they have also sought quashing of the Look-Out Circulars (LoC) opened against them by the Bureau of Immigration. The foreigners further sought to quash the notices issued to them by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Branch under the CrPC.

The foreign nationals belong to various countries, including the United States of America, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh. Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain, representing the Delhi government and police, submitted that these foreigners have not joined the investigation despite notices having been duly served upon them.

Mehra said since the investigation is not complete, no charge sheet has been filed against any of these foreign nationals as yet. He contended that if the petitioners co-operate in the investigation and furnish requisite information which warrants closure of cases against them, the authorities may not proceed against them at all.

Responding to this, Khan submitted that the foreigners were ready and willing to cooperate in the investigation. However, as they all are presently in Kolkata, which is under lockdown, they will not be able to travel to Delhi, he said.

To this, Mehra took instructions from Investigating Officer Satish Kumar and submitted that Delhi Police will send its officers to Kolkata for the purpose of investigation and confirmed that they will not require custodial interrogation of the foreigners and will not arrest them, if they cooperate in the probe. Delhi Police has filed 53 charge sheets in district courts here in respect of 955 other foreign nationals belonging to 35 countries.

908 foreigners were allowed by the trial court to be deported to their native countries after they admitted their guilt and pleaded for lenient punishments under the provisions of plea bargaining. They were allowed to walk free on payment of varying fines and pleading guilty for minor offences related to the COVID-19 lockdown violations. 47 foreigners have claimed trial.

After being exposed to a large gathering in March amid the COVID-19 or coronavirus lockdown many members of Tablighi Jamaat from Markaz Hazrat Nizamuddin were taken out by the authorities and lodged in different quarantine centres in Delhi.

Some of them were sent to the centres a few days later after being detained from various mosques. In April, COVID-19 cases in Delhi spiked after hundreds of many Tablighi Jamaat members, who had attended a large congregation in Nizamuddin, tested positive.

The other members were directly taken to quarantine centres to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Chinese and US agribusinesses have been forced to idle some operations in Argentina because of new cases of the virus.

Crop giant Argentina has reported its first cases of the coronavirus at port terminals that ship soybean products to the world in a fresh blow to the global commodities trade already disrupted by the pandemic.

Chinas Cofco International and U.S. agribusiness firm Bunge Ltd. were both forced to idle port terminals and soybean crush plants north of Rosario on the Parana River, Argentinas hub for shipments of soy meal for livestock feed and soy oil for cooking and biofuel. Local shipper Vicentin SAIC also had its operations disrupted after employees tested positive.

The confirmation of cases in Argentinas key export industry is a kick in the teeth for President Alberto Fernandez, who put in place a strict lockdown in March and has only just started to soften it in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area even as the virus curve refuses to flatten.

We are expecting that at some point well start to get cases, said Ernesto Torres, a spokesman for an oilseed-crush union that represents 7,000 workers at plants and ports outside the northern-Rosario hub, where there havent yet been infections. Its inevitable.

Cofco has halted work at an oilseed crushing plant and port facility after 12 workers tested positive for Covid-19. Bunge stopped operations on Saturday at a similar facility nearby after one employee tested positive. A Vicentin bottling plant in the vicinity is also temporarily out-of-action after reporting a case.

Argentina is the top exporter of soybean products. For now, traders arent too concerned about disruptions as the number of cases is small, Argentine farmers arent selling and Covid-19 has hurt demand for products like soybean oil, widely used by restaurants. That could change if the shutdowns are prolonged.

Tight Market

If the Covid-19 thing doesnt cut into demand to offset it, then the products will be tighter worldwide, said Bevan Everett, a risk management consultant and grains market analyst at brokerage StoneX.

Cofcos Timbues plant could be shut for a week and the company is redirecting cargoes to its Puerto General San Martin terminal and facilities run by other companies, according to a company spokesman. Cofco doesnt expect big delays in delivering to buyers.

After stopping operations at its Puerto General San Martin facility, Bunge is also sending trucks to its other terminals, a spokeswoman said. Vicentin will shut one shift at its Renopack bottling plant for 10 days, but hopes to have the other shift up and running by Wednesday, according to a spokesman.

Employees who had close contact with the infected person were isolated and tested and the results were negative, Bunge said in an emailed statement, adding that the company has strictly followed all health and safety protocols determined by authorities.

Glencore JV

Farming, oilseed crushing and crop exports were exempted from the lockdown. But there were still disruptions as powerful union bosses and town mayors moved to ensure their members and constituents would be as safe as possible.

A worker at Renova SA, a partnership between Vicentin and the agriculture unit of Switzerland-based Glencore Plc, tested positive earlier in the year but was quickly isolated and no more cases have been reported at Renovas two plants in the same area north of Rosario, Vicentins spokesman said.

Sixty workers from plant-port facilities around Rosario are currently in self-isolation, said Gustavo Idigoras, head of Argentinas crop export and crush group Ciara-Cec, whose members include the global agribusiness giants. Companies are beefing up protocols with the virus spreading in nearby communities, Idigoras said.

Rosario is in Santa Fe province, whose government has also taken more stringent measures because of a recent spike in cases.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 19:58:46|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's economy slumped 9 percent year on year in the second quarter of this year as the COVID-19 epidemic dampened business activities and the impact of social unrest lingered.

The performance fell short of market expectations but still improved slightly from a record-high 9.1-percent drop in the first quarter, according to advance estimates of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Wednesday.

In a statement, a government spokesman said that the "overall economic conditions remained very weak."

Private consumption posted the steepest ever decline as consumer sentiments were severely disrupted by the threat of COVID-19 and social distancing measures. Investment also tumbled amid the austere business environment and a highly uncertain economic outlook.

But there were still signs of stabilization as the epidemic was once largely under control in May and June and the recovery of the mainland economy helped offset the external headwinds facing Hong Kong's goods exports, the spokesman said.

The gross domestic product (GDP) fell marginally by 0.1 percent during the April-June period on a quarter-to-quarter comparison, he added.

Analyzed by major GDP components, private consumption fell 14.5 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, deteriorating further from the 10.6-percent decline in the first quarter. Government consumption went up 9.6 percent year on year in the second quarter, up from 8.8 percent in the first quarter.

Gross fixed capital formation dropped 20.6 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, sharper than the decrease of 15.8 percent in the first quarter.

Goods exports edged down 2.1 percent from a year earlier in the second quarter, narrowing from the 9.7-percent drop in the first quarter, while exports of services fell significantly by 46.6 percent.

Looking ahead, the spokesman said a challenging external environment will likely constrain Hong Kong's exports in the near term and the recent surge in COVID-19 cases locally has also clouded the economic outlook.

But he stressed that the economy will hopefully recover gradually in the rest of the year once the epidemic is contained again and the external environment improves.

Given the grave economic situation, the HKSAR government has rolled out unprecedented relief measures worth nearly 290 billion Hong Kong dollars (37.4 billion U.S. dollars) to help safeguard jobs, support enterprises and relieve people's financial burdens.

The revised figures on GDP and detailed statistics for the second quarter and GDP forecast for 2020 will be released on August 14. Enditem
WICHITA, Kan., July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fast-casual restaurant concept, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, announced today that it will offer a $1 discount on frozen custard treat purchases at locations nationwide in honor of National Frozen Custard Day on Saturday, Aug. 8. For the fifth year in a row, Freddy's will support the Kids In Need Foundation, an organization that provides teachers and students in under-resourced schools with the supplies they need to succeed. Through its annual promotion, the brand has donated $75,000 to the foundation since 2016.

"We know the upcoming school year will look different across the country as guidelines are still being determined to ensure the safety of students, teachers, faculty, and staff," said Corey Gordon, CEO of Kids In Need Foundation. "Whether students are learning in a traditional classroom or from their homes, they need supplies to continue their education. We are grateful to Freddy's for raising awareness and support for the needs of under-resourced teachers and students nationwide."

Scott Redler, Co-founder & COO for Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers added, "Freddy's and our guests look forward to this initiative every year, and given the current health crisis, we wanted to make sure we could uphold the tradition of supporting the amazing teachers and students in our communities in a safe way. With the many safety measures we've implemented, we're confident that our guests can still feel safe stopping by to enjoy a treat while supporting a great cause."

Frozen custard is an integral part of the Freddy's menu and one of the most beloved signature items. Known for being smoother and richer than ice cream due to a time-tested churning process that minimizes ice crystals and excess air, Freddy's frozen custard is made using only America's finest dairy ingredients. It is churned throughout the day, every day in each restaurant to produce the high-quality, fresh custard treat that made Freddy's famous in 32 states.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers plans to open more than 30 restaurants nationwide throughout 2020. Franchise opportunities remain in areas across the U.S., including the Northeast, Upper Midwest, California, and large metro areas such as Pittsburgh and many of its surrounding markets. For more information about development opportunities, contact Markus Scholler, Senior Vice President of Franchise Development, at 316-719-7850, or visit www.freddysusa.com/franchising.

About Freddy's

Co-founded in 2002 by Scott Redler and Bill, Randy and Freddy Simon, Freddy's opened its first location in Wichita, Kansas, offering a unique combination of cooked-to-order steakburgers seasoned with Freddy's Famous Steakburger & Fry Seasoning, Vienna Beef hot dogs, shoestring fries paired with Freddy's Famous Fry Sauce and frozen custard that is freshly churned throughout the day. Today, Freddy's has grown to nearly 400 locations that serve 32 states across the nation from California to Pennsylvania, Virginia, down the East Coast states to Florida and three international locations in Dubai. Freddy's has been named No. 1 on Forbes Best Franchises to Buy, QSR Magazine's 2019 Best Franchise Deals, Entrepreneur's 2020 Franchise 500 top 100, Franchise Times magazine's 2020 Fast & Serious top 40 and many other nationwide and local industry awards. For more on Freddy's, visit the Newsroom and follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram for the latest news.

About the Kids In Need Foundation

The Kids In Need Foundation provides the support and tools needed for teachers to teach and learners to learn as a quality education is the best gateway to opportunity, and students cannot achieve their full potential without it. With a focus on supporting schools most in need nationwide, Kids In Need Foundation believes that every child in America should have equal opportunity and access to a quality education. Founded in 1995, Kids In Need Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization, has distributed $1 billion in school supplies since its inception. For more information, visit KINF.org, and join us on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram: @KidsInNeed.

Lucy Kaneb | Account Coordinator

[email protected]

954.893.9150

SOURCE Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Related Links

http://www.freddysusa.com


The former official said it was notable that Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.), the committees ranking Democrat, came out early against Tatas nomination, something he does not typically do. The White House, not the Pentagon, is driving Tatas nomination, and it is unclear whether McConnell will require Republican senators to make walk-the-plank votes over Tata, the former official said.
In last weeks column, I gave a summary on what Malaysias Covid-19 driven Prihatin 6-month automatic loan moratorium is all about, when its going to end unless something new gets announced, and how we can all manage the situation after the moratorium period ends, including discussing with our banks with regards to R&R.

Having previously advised the Malaysian government on economic and financial (and youth/digital) matters, Id like to share my views on what should be done by a combination of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), the Ministry of Finance (MoF), and the banks, after the loan moratorium period ends on 30 September 2020.

Dont let the moratorium end on 30 September without a solution

Assuming no further announcements are made, the Prihatin 6-month loan moratorium will officially end on 30 September 2020. This is basically a hard landing with no other solution than to discuss with your bank on Rescheduling & Restructuring (R&R) if you need further assistance. I dont think this should be the way forward to handle the delicate situation were in  both for consumers and the banking industry.

The obvious damage that has been widely reported in the news will be a potential spike in loan defaults from October onwards. Consumers and SMEs who have not fully recovered from the various MCOs (and the global Covid-19 crisis) will still struggle to continue surviving financially with those commitments ramping back up. Bankruptcies for individuals, insolvencies for SMEs, and increasing impairment losses for banks will set alarm bells ringing across the nation, resulting in a devastating ripple effect to the Malaysian economy.

Currently, the response given by most leaders and industry players is if you are struggling, speak to your bank to do R&R of your loans. This means a case-by-case R&R plan that will be a mix of three possible outcomes: tenure extension, consolidation, and personal moratorium.

On the face of it, this sounds like a useful solution for those who still need help, but there are a couple of key reasons why this will be a huge challenge to execute.

Firstly, the sheer number of R&R exercises that will need to be conducted will result in tremendous process delays with the banking industry. This should be straight forward: even if just 1 million borrowers needed to do R&R post-moratorium, thats 1 million discussions or negotiations to be conducted. Imagine 1 million face-to-face meetings or calls between borrower and banker  it is just not practical without an automated solution. That said, an automated solution will still need to be customised to each situation/borrower if the post-moratorium options are targeted to those who need it the most (and thus, will not be easily customisable).

Besides that, we will also see differences in treatment among banks. We saw this with the initial moratorium guidance, where banks were told to apply their own methodologies when it comes to interest and tenure, and the subsequent difficulties there (where customers were frustrated with differing treatment) and eventually resulting in the blanket no accrued interest announcement by the Finance Minister on Hire Purchases.

Given whats at stake, the current speak to your bank advice is simply not good enough.

An extension to the automatic loan moratorium isnt the answer, either

To be clear, I think all borrowers should have the ability to extend the 6-month moratorium period to December or even next year if they need it. In fact I did suggest it last week as a technique which Malaysians can use within the R&R process (all useful techniques without an AKPK-style impacting of your credit standing) assuming the automatic 6 month moratorium does not extend past 30 September.

BUT I dont think it is wise to just (simply) extend the current Prihatin-announced automatic opt-in moratorium mechanism, for both customers and the banking industry.

For starters, the automatic opt-in mechanics resulted in a take-up rate of 88% according to a poll by AKPK, which was way higher than what it probably needed to have been. Many opt-out (like this moratorium) vs opt-in studies have been conducted over the world across industries with consistent outcomes (90:10 results vs 10:90 results with the opposite opting), telling us that while there would have been some people that really needed the moratorium, many Malaysians who didnt actually need the moratorium took it anyway.

To put it in better perspective, a study done by BNM in 2018 on the resilience of Malaysian households against financial shocks revealed that only 11.7% of households will be underwater should there be a decline in household incomes of 10% for the year (for reference, household incomes declined 8.7% during the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997).

What should be more worrying is that continued automatic deferments may result in the wrong kind of debt habits being built up by consumers who dont need it. A study found that habits may be formed in as little as 66 days (just over two months), so imagine a loan which you have already deferred for six months and having the option to defer it even further (with the small inconvenience of accruing interest) even if you dont need it.

Finally, theres the question of liquidity in the banking system. Its a bit technical, but essentially if 90% of us are not resuming our installment payments, there may not be enough money going back into the banking system to give new loans to customers. Of course, this is a worst case scenario and BNM has already stated there is enough liquidity in the onshore banking system, but a second blanket moratorium will raise this concern.

While its never happened in the banking industry before, weve seen a similar issue with PTPTN, which struggled to recoup the loans given to tertiary students and resulted in stricter terms for new loan applications  and meant that fewer young Malaysians were able to afford tertiary education.

If the last two paragraphs sound overly dramatic to you, lets take a look at what our Finance Minister revealed in a recent Parliamentary reading: The banking sector is estimated to suffer the Malaysian Financial Reporting Standards (MFRS) losses of RM1.06 billion for every month the moratorium is in place. In total, the loss will be about RM6.4 billion, equivalent to the reduced capacity for banks to provide new loans to borrowers, he said (emphasis mine). Note the second part of the final sentence  this isnt a worst-case scenario, but one that is already happening.

What is the most viable solution, post-moratorium?

So, on one hand, not everyone has been impacted so heavily that they need an automatic moratorium (definitely not ~90% of borrowers who took it up), but on the other hand, leaving those who need it to have a R&R discussion with the banks will be bad for consumers (inconsistency between banks and general confusion) and banks (processing of individual restructuring in the hundreds of thousands or millions). What should the industry do?

My personal opinion: the best compromise would be a 3-month Pre-Arranged Opt-in Moratorium for those 3 product lines (Home loans, Personal Loans and Hire Purchases). So, if you need the moratorium, there is one ready for you already pre-arranged and therefore no need for discussion with your bank, BUT you have to opt-in (rather than it be automatic).

There are multiple benefits to this option which I believe works best for both borrowers and banks. For instance, this pre-arranged setup with fixed terms means there is no need to discuss with your bank, saving plenty of time and valuable resources (plus the added benefit of social distancing!) Either BNM or MoF can give a directive to the banks, similar to the one done in April-September 2020.

By making the arrangement opt-in and not opt-out (i.e. not automatic opt in), borrowers simply need to fill up a form (online or offline depending on the banks) to inform the bank. Fortunately, most banks would already have a similar form ready from the May 2020 Hire Purchase situation (it wasnt used after the intervention of the Finance Minister).

Next, a three-month period is short enough to be less damaging to the banking industry, while still being long enough to offer an additional reprieve for borrowers. Plus, the situation can always be reviewed at the end of each deferment if another pre-arranged extension is required.

Finally, the previous arrangement of accrued but not compounded interest was confusing for many borrowers. It also encouraged those who did not need the moratorium to pick it up anyway (since it made sense to do so). In order not to build uncontrolled debt habits among borrowers, introducing accrued and compounded interest to the new moratorium extension is an appropriate compromise that borrowers may have to bear in exchange for more time. The low OPR environment in the foreseeable future will also make this more palatable for borrowers.

Overall, I believe that a short-term pre-arranged opt-in moratorium offers the best balance in terms of fairness to consumers and risk exposure to banks, while still maintaining the positive trajectory of the economys recovery.

The Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, is expected to make an announcement regarding the loan moratorium on 29 July at 3pm.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Loyal to a fault. Ive heard that criticism of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson dozens of times during his nearly 15 years in office. Usually, its in lament of Jacksons blindness to the shortcomings of some department head. And often, its cited as the only plausible explanation for the survival of a handful of city officials who seem to do little more than punch a clock at City Hall.

But Jacksons loyalty through the years to one official in particular has been especially mystifying. And now it seems that loyalty might have jeopardized the citys progress on the path toward reforming Clevelands beleaguered police department.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin is suing the Green mayor of Colombes, Patrick Chaimovitch, for having raised the historical links between the collaborationist Vichy regime and the French police. This outrageous decision, demanded by far-right police unions, tramples underfoot historical truth and basic democratic rights, including freedom of expression. It virtually outlaws historically-informed criticism of the police and of fascism in France.

On July 19, commemorating the anniversary of Vichy polices Vel dHiv round-up of 13,000 Jews in Paris in 1942, Chaimovitch denounced far-right and anti-immigrant politics in Europe. He said: French police and gendarmes who obeyed orders from their superiors to set into motion the Vel dHiv round-up, as well as further round-ups of Jews elsewhere later, are the ancestors of those who, today, with the same zeal, hunt down migrants, undocumented workers, those denied their human rights, living beings trying to survive in want.

Speaking on this round-up, which initiated the mass deportations of over 75,000 Jews from France to death camps in Germany and Poland, Chaimovitch stressed its contemporary significance: I am convinced that the driving forces that allowed the Vel dHiv round-up to occur 78 years ago are still at work in our contemporary societies, in France and beyond.

The mayor of this Paris-area municipality also criticized Frances 2005 law criminalizing assistance to undocumented refugees: Colombes, at the request of the national state, will greet 60 of them in the coming days. Our municipality will bring them all possible assistance in line with indications we will receive from the city. We should recall that the Parliament recently turned solidarity into a crime, though without using those words.

Far-right police unions and the Macron government both bitterly attacked Chaimovitch, claiming he simply equated the Vichy police with the police forces of the current regime. On Sunday, Interior Minister Darmanin wrote on Twitter: If it is confirmed that these scandalous and intolerable comments about the police and gendarmerie of the Republic were made, I will sue the mayor of Colombes for comparing the security forces to the Vichy police.

The Alliance-Police union, which is close to the neo-fascist party of Marine Le Pen, denounced Chaimovitch: Shame on you, Mayor Chaimovitch, for having made such appalling remarks. The union said it was satisfied with the position of the Interior Minister, who is considering a lawsuit against the scandalous and undignified comments of this elected official.

The Synergy-Officers Union declared on Twitter: We are deeply disgusted by hearing the remarks of this official. These people mix up everything and compare that which cannot be compared to justify their crimes. For shame, it insults the memory of the Vel dHiv.

Finally, on Monday night, Darmanin wrote on Twitter: Today, I filed suit with the state prosecutor in Nanterre against the mayor of Colombes for publicly insulting the national police and the national gendarmerie.

This reactionary campaign against Chaimovitch is based on provocations and lies. The mayor did not claim that the current police forces are exactly the same as those of the Nazi-collaborationist regime that ruled France during World War II. Rather, he pointed to the historical continuity between the Vichy regimes paramilitary units and Frances post-war security forces, in order to stress the growing danger of dictatorship today.

Undeniable historical facts support Chaimovitchs statements. The Vichy polices Special Brigades, also attached to the General Intelligence (RG) agency, largely directed repression of the communist resistance and of the Jews. After the war, many of these brigades members rejoined the police or the RG domestic intelligence agency. However, ten of their leaders, including the anti-Semitic and anti-Communist torturer Fernand David, were shot for treason at the Liberation.

The Vichy regimes Mobile Reserve Groups (GMR), paramilitary units counting 20,000 men who helped Nazi SS units repress armed uprisings in France, were re-branded after the war as the Republican Security Companies (CRS). The CRS have since been tasked with repressing workers protests. Their Vichyite origins inspired the famous slogan CRS-SS during the deadly repression of the 19471948 French miners strikes, a slogan still used today.

Affluent and complacent petty-bourgeois like the ex-1968 student leader Alain Krivine of the New Anti-capitalist Party (NPA) try to divide the police between ex-fascists and real democrats. After the NPAs foundation in 2009, Krivine criticized Maurice Papon but hailed Maurice Grimaud, who led police repression in Paris during the May 1968 general strike, as a good guy and left-wing democrat. Basing themselves on this extremely shaky division, cops, bankers and the bourgeois press salute the police and express outrage any time there is serious discussion of Vichy.

In fact, Chaimovitch is correct to warn that the same conditions that drove the emergence of fascism in the 20th century are still at work today. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and expanding social misery from the greatest economic crisis since the 1930s, and amid growing US war threats against China, the financial aristocracy in France and across Europe is legitimizing far-right politics and building police-state regimes.

It is not Chaimovitch but Macron who raised the actuality of Vichy, appealing to the far right as he launched the CRS against the yellow vests in 2018 by claiming that Petain was a great soldier. What followed is a matter of record. The largest wave of police repression in mainland France since Vichy led to more than 10,000 arrests, 4,000 protesters wounded, dozens of eyes lost, and the death of an elderly woman shot by a tear gas canister. Macron then gave a medal to CRS officer Bruno Felix, who commanded the unit that fired the canister that killed Zineb Redouane.

Chaimovitchs warning is appropriate due not only to the French but also the international situation. The European Union (EU), which has built a network of nightmarish detention camps for tens of thousands of migrants in the decade since NATO launched wars in Libya and Syria, is legitimizing everywhere the fascist heritage of European capitalism. Chancellor Angela Merkels government in Germany is protecting the right-wing extremist professor Jorg Baberowski who proclaimed that Hitler was not vicious.

Above all, the drive towards military dictatorship in the United States has become ever more overt since the pandemic began. The police murder of George Floyd and the social anger provoked by official mismanagement of the pandemic triggered an unprecedented wave of protests across the entire country and internationally. Trump reacted by demanding the dispatch of federal armed forces against the American people and by authorizing paramilitary forces to terrorize, assault and kidnap protesters.

Under these conditions, the French state is now attempting to effectively outlaw the expression of historically-informed, left-wing opposition to police dictatorship and fascism.

It is critical today to uncompromisingly defend historical truth and oppose police-state authoritarianism. It appears Chaimovitchwhose party is deeply linked to parties of the police state apparatus like the big-business Socialist Partyis backpedaling in response to the reactionary threats of Darmanin and the police unions. Shortly before Darmanin announced the lawsuit against him, Chaimovitch published a press release hailing the police.

He wrote, Of course, for me there is no possible comparison between the police and gendarmerie of a democratic state on the one part, and the police and gendarmerie of Petains regime. I regret that my comments may have caused confusion.  I would like to recall my support for policemen and gendarmes who carry the heavy democratic responsibility to ensure security under extremely difficult conditions.

There is no airtight barrier, however, separating a democratic capitalist state from a fascist state. It must be recalled that it was the French National Assembly that, on July 10, 1940, voted to give dictatorial powers to Petain.

The Parti de legalite socialiste (PES), the French section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), campaigned among workers for an active boycott of the second round of the 2017 presidential elections between Macron and Le Pen.

It rejected arguments that Macron was more democratic than Le Pen. The PES warned that the decisive question was the struggle to arm the working class politically for an independent struggle against the authoritarian policy that the winner, whether Macron or Le Pen, would inevitably carry out after the election. Macrons evolution, starting with his Republican salute to Le Pen and her voters on election night, has vindicated the assessment of the PES.

For these reasons, the PES calls for opposition to the attempts by Macron and Darmanin, by attacking Chaimovitch, to protect the police state and create a reactionary political climate in which all reference to workers struggles against fascism is treated as thought crime.
Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday (July 28) slammed the Congress for its its nationwide "Save Democracy" campaign against the BJP, saying that the "Congress is another name for horse trading".

Launching a direct attack on its erstwhile ally, Kumaraswamy said that the Congress is an expert in creating division in political parties and purchasing MLAs. The JD(S) leader asserted that the term horse trading in politics came into the picture only because of the Congress.

"Congress has launched a nation-wide Save Democracy, campaign against the BJP which is buying MLAs to topple democratically elected governments. What has Congress done it? Haven't they lured all BSP MLAs who supported the Congress to form the government in Rajasthan? Is this not a buyout?" Kumaraswamy asked.

"If you are dividing like minded party MLAs supporting (you) through deceit, who would support you? Are these mistakes not visible to you?" the former Karnataka CM asked in a media statement.

It is to be noted that all six BSP in Rajasthan had joined he Congress in September 2019.

Kumaraswamy stressed that the Congress should also remember that it had divided the JD(S) also in the past.

"Haven't they made attempts to divide? Is it not a fact that for the sake of one Rajya Sabha seat, the Congress government in Karnataka purchased eight JD(S) MLAs? Is this democracy? Both parties (Congress and BJP) are criminals in purchase matters," he noted.

It may be recalled that eight JD(S) MLAs had supported the Congress candidate and not the official candidate of the party during Rajya Sabha election in 2016.

"When SM Krishna was the CM (of Karnataka), didn't the Congress buy our MLAs? Didn't the Congress conspire to form a government after the 2018 Assembly polls by buying our MLAs? Does Congress have the moral courage to answer these questions?" Mr Kumaraswamy asked.

Kumaraswamy claimed that these "anti-democratic farces" are being enacted because the anti-defection law is not effective in the country. "Let there be a debate on this. Let democracy survive," he said.
The alcoholic beverages market in US is expected to grow by USD 64.01 billion as per Technavio. This marks a significant market growth compared to the 2019 growth estimates due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020. Healthy growth is expected to continue throughout the forecast period, and the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 5%.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005350/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Alcoholic Beverages Market in US 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Request challenges and opportunities that influence COVID-19 pandemic Request free sample pages of the alcoholic beverages market in US

Read the 120-page report with TOC on "Alcoholic Beverages Market in US Analysis Report by Product (Beer, Spirits, and Wine), Distribution Channel (Off-trade and On-trade), and the Segment Forecasts, 2020-2024".

https://www.technavio.com/report/alcoholic-beverages-market-in-us-industry-analysis

The market is driven by new product launches. In addition, the increasing number of M&As are anticipated to boost the growth of the alcoholic beverages market in the US.

Successful product launches are crucial in increasing the revenue flow of the company and expanding the customer base. Hence, players in the market are focusing on launching new and improved products to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals. For instance, in June 2018 BOM BOM Brands launched a new alcoholic beverage under the brand name, Fully Baked in the US. The product is a blend of chocolate chip cookie and brownie flavors with premium Caribbean rum and hemp milk. Similarly, in June 2018, Quaker City Mercantile and Diageo jointly launched a new line of alcohol drinks under the brand name, Quaker City Shrubs. The new product is available in grapefruit, blackberry, and apple flavors. Many such product launches are fueling the growth of the alcoholic beverages market in US.

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Major Five Alcoholic Beverages Companies in US :

Anheuser Busch InBev SA/NV

Anheuser Busch InBev SA/NV operates its business through segments such as North America, Latin America West, Latin America North, Latin America South, EMEA, APAC, and Global Export and holding companies. The company offers beer under numerous brands including Brahma, Aguila, Budweiser, Corona, Kirin, and others.

Bacardi Ltd.

Bacardi Ltd. operates its business through segments such as BACARDI Rum, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch Whisky, and Others. The company offers spirits and wine products under many well-known brands such as Bombay Sapphire, Dewar, Bacardi, Martini Vermouth, Eristoff, Grey Goose, Aberfedly, and Cazadores.

Beam Suntory Inc.

Beam Suntory Inc. operates its business through segments such as Whiskey, Tequila, and Others. The company offers spirit products under numerous brands including Jim Beam, Hibiki whisky, Vox vodka, and others.

Brown-Forman Corp.

Brown-Forman Corp. operates its business through a unified operating segment. The company offers products such as whiskey, scotch, tequila, vodka, wine, and gin.

Carlsberg Breweries AS

Carlsberg Breweries AS operates its business through segments such as Western Europe, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Not allocated. The company offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic products under international and local brands.

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Global Alcoholic Drinks Market Global alcohol drinks market by type (beer, wine, spirits, RTD pre-mixes, and cider) and geographic landscape (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America, and South America).

Global Low-Alcohol Beer Market Global low-alcohol beer market by distribution channel (offline and online) and geography (Europe, APAC, North America, MEA, and South America).

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Nissan has sought to distance itself from Ghosn and his legal troubles. But his sudden departure two decades after he was sent by French alliance partner Renault to lead a spectacular turnaround at Nissan has caused confusion. Ghosn helped cement ties between the automakers and was a key part of Nissans overall image.
Voters seen at a US polling booth in 2013.

David McNew/Getty Images

Russia is creating fake news articles about the COVID-19 pandemic and aiming them at Americans, US officials told The Associated Press (AP).

They said that Russia's secretive GRU military intelligence unit runs three websites that have produced 150 articles about the pandemic, many critical of the US response.

The websites  InfoRos.ru, Infobrics.org, and OneWorld.press  have also stirred up anti-US sentiment and attacked Democratic candidate Joe Biden, the AP said.

The disclosure adds to fears that there could be a repeat of 2016, when Russia tried to damage Donald Trump's rival Hillary Clinton with a disinformation and hacking campaign.

Wednesday marks 97 days until the 2020 presidential election.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Russian government is creating and proliferating English-language articles that spread misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, and aiming them at Americans, US officials told The Associated Press (AP).

Two officials from the secretive GRU military intelligence unit are running three websites which have together published 150 articles about the pandemic, the officials said.

A number of the articles ridiculed the US response to the outbreak, as well as criticized presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and groundless allegations of corruption against him.

Some also exacerbated tensions between the US and China over the origins of the coronavirus, as well as domestic tensions over the Black Lives Matter movement.

Related video: What coronavirus stress is doing to your brain and body

The websites are InfoRos.ru, Infobrics.org, and OneWorld.press. Among the headlines that the US officials deemed suspicious were:

"Russia's Counter COVID-19 Aid to America Advances Case for Detente"

"Ukrainian Trap for Biden"

"Beijing Believes COVID-19 is a Biological Weapon"

"Chaos in the Blue Cities"

The disclosure is significant given that Wednesday marks 97 days until the 2020 presidential election.

Story continues

Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on July 27, 2020.

Alexei Nikolsky\TASS via Getty Images

In the runup to the 2016 presidential election, a Russian government disinformation project used social media bots, fake articles, and Facebook adverts to attack Donald Trump's rival Hillary Clinton.

Russian assets also hacked the websites of the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee and tried to set up meetings with the Trump campaign to discuss secret information that would damage Clinton's chances.

A subsequent investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller found that Russia launched a "sweeping and systematic" attempt to influence US voters.

In recent months, evidence has emerged once again that shows Russia's propaganda machine is using disinformation to try and influence US politics.

Donald Trump accepts the Republican nomination for President on the last night of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 21, 2016.

Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

On February 13, US intelligence officials told Congress that Russia was already meddling in the 2020 campaign by trying to drum up support for Trump, according to CNN and The New York Times.

And last Friday, William Evanina, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, said that "using a range of efforts, including internet trolls and other proxies," Russia "continues to spread disinformation in the US that is designed to undermine confidence in our democratic process."

The news of the websites is troubling, but the US officials said it wasn't clear if the websites were specifically trying to influence the November election, the AP said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The central government has relaxed norms for its employees who were either on leave or on an official tour and could not join office due to non-availability of public transport during the coronavirus lockdown, according to a Personnel Ministry order.

The move comes in the wake of the government receiving several references and queries from the employees who proceeded on leave with necessary permission, but could not report for duty due to travel restrictions. The Personnel Ministry has issued an order to all central government departments mentioning clarifications to the queries on ...
Hasina, who's also the chairperson of ECNEC, highlighted the various measures taken by her government in the last 11 years for agricultural development of the country.

Delivering her introductory speech at the weekly meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) through a video conference from her official residence here, Hasina said: "We have to serve food to the people to save them from food crisis."

She said that 20 million farmers have been provided with cards for agricultural inputs, while 10 million farmers have started banking after opening their accounts with just 10 Bangladeshi taka.

"We've been providing all sorts of cooperation to the farmers by reducing the price of fertiliser and distributing quality seeds and other agricultural inputs to ensure food security," she said.

Urging all those concerned to keep up the pace of growth in agriculture in the country, the Prime Minister said that Bangladesh has achieved growth in agriculture even amid the coronavirus pandemic.

She asked all to ensure food security besides making efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Hasina said that the price of fertiliser has been cut multiple times ever since the Awami League government came to power after the Begum Khaleda Zia Regime.

"The price of fertiliser was 90 taka per kg during the Khaleda Zia-led BNP regime before 2007. But we reduced the price gradually. From 90 taka, it came down to 22 taka per kg, then to 15/16 taka and now the farmers are getting fertiliser at just 12 taka a kg," she said.

"Though the coronavirus outbreak has pushed us back to some extent, we will have to maintain the growth that we achieved in the agriculture sector amid the pandemic to ensure that our people don't suffer from food crisis," she said.

Planning Minister M.A. Mannan was present at the PM's residence during the video conference, while other ECNEC members connected from the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

Hasina, who's also the President of the ruling Awami League, urged the leaders and activists of the party's associate organisations, including its student wing and labour wing, to help the farmers in harvesting Boro paddy.

"It's our duty to stand by the people. All other problems can be solved if we can make sure that there is food for the people," she said.

Hasina reiterated that her government is working tirelessly to achieve the sustainable development goals despite the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic on the country's economy.

"We have incorporated 17 SDGs in our eighth five-year plan. We must be able to achieve the goals," Hasina said.

--IANS

sumi/arm


ALTON  The executive director of Alton Main Street has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct for placing a note on an Alton business for being a bigot.

Sara McGibany, executive director of Alton Main Street since December 2006, posted on her Facebook page Monday that she has pleaded guilty to the charge. She added, however, that accusations she sprayed painted the side of Ketchums Corner Kream ice cream building at 33 Elm St., Alton are not true.

The charge is connected to a June 2 demonstration outside the ice cream store at the corner of Alby and Elm streets. People gathered on the Alton lot to protest racial injustice a few days after the death of George Floyd while being subdued by Minneapolis police. Four police officers have been charged in connection to Floyds death,

In her Facebook post, McGibany said she wrote the defamatory words on a piece of paper and taped it to the ice cream building. She called the incident good trouble, using the frequent words of the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis who depicted his brushes with the law in that manner.

McGibany said she was not arrested but did receive a notice in the mail about the misdemeanor charge. She said she self-reported what she had done before she was charged.

My sentence is 35 hours of community service, which I will happily serve with a social justice non-profit, she said in her post.

My actions are sure to cause some people to support me less and others to support me more, and I accept any consequences 100%, McGibany posted. Im not mad at ya if you are of the opinion that this wasnt the right thing to do. Everyone is at a different place with what actions they feel are appropriate and, at this point in my life, I am willing to take some risks to enact change and send the message that bigotry wont be tolerated in our community.

Kerri Jackson, the listed owner of the store, could not be reached for comment. Derek Ketchum, who also has been named as an owner, was not listed on the misdemeanor charging document and he could not be reached for comment.

A note on Ketchums Corner Kream website says the store was closed for good in late May for the safety of its employees.

McGibanys charge became public last week. She has been placed on court supervision. In her post, she said she has the full support of her board, which has issued a statement supporting diversity and racial tolerance.
A new leak has confirmed that the Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus will be mighty expensive tablets, although still slightly cheaper than the iPad Pro series. Samsung's latest premium tablets have appeared on the Google Play Console ahead of their release too following the publication of more renders by Evan Blass.

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

Yet more details about the Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus have been revealed ahead of their expected launch on August 5. Firstly, Evan Blass has published more marketing renders of both devices, including one that shows the pair side by side. The renders confirm the positioning of the tablet's card slot, along with its volume and power buttons. They also show how much emphasis will place on the tablet's pen capabilities for presentations, drawing and note-taking.

Blass has also presented a render that appears to showcase the Tab S7 for use with Project xCloud, Microsoft's Xbox game streaming service. The Galaxy Note 20 and Note Ultra are rumoured to be the first smartphones to support Project xCloud, so it should come as no surprise to see Microsoft and Samsung's partnership extend to the Tab S7 series too. The render also shows what looks like an Xbox edition of the Power A MOGA XP5-A Plus Bluetooth controller. Power A already partners with Microsoft, for reference.

Sale off - Buy Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 now on Amazon
Trenbe's website / Screen captured from Trenbe's official website





By Kim Jae-heun







The coronavirus pandemic has had both negative and positive effects on many businesses here.







In coronavirus pandemic has affected many businesses here both negatively and positively. In the fashion industry, market-leading Samsung C&T, LF and Shinsegae International have all failed to avoid a drop in sales.







As a result, Samsung will close 150 stores of its signature brand Beanpole by next February and LF will shut down 30 shops of its outdoor-clothing label Lafuma.







Online fashion startups, however, are thriving and some have successfully attracted huge venture capital investments in approval of their promising outlook.







Domestic fashion startup Must It drew a 15 billion won ($12.45 million) Series A investment on July 21, bringing a surprise to the industry. It is unusual for fashion companies that have been operating for less than three years to attract more than 10 billion won in funding.







The large investment in Must It shows high expectations for online luxury goods platforms.







Through this case, the fashion startup's corporate value rose to 100 billion won in the market.







Its gross merchandise value reached 150 billion won last year and in the first half of this year it has already exceeded 100 billion won.







On July 15, another luxury goods platform Trenbe received an 11 billion won Series B investment. Trenbe uses artificial intelligence to find the cheapest prices for luxury items around the world.







Last year, it attracted investments worth 7 billion won in recognition of its high-tech searching system and fast-growing sales.







Trenbe now receives 2.5 million users monthly and has 1.5 million luxury products available online.







Recently, it held online exhibitions in collaboration with global fashion houses Louis Vuitton and Celine  selling items that are not available in existing domestic markets.







Brandi, a mobile fashion application service, also secured 21 billion won from the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund this year. Established in 2016, Brandi has been offering a fast delivery service based on its advanced logistics system, which helped it to record over 300 billion won of accumulated gross merchandise value.







Brandi brings various items to its online platform from social media markets, online shopping malls and fashion brand stores.







However, its biggest strength lies in the fulfillment service that adopted information technology to form a distribution supply chain based in Dongdaemun, a large commercial district in Seoul with shopping centers for wholesale and retail goods.







Over 390,000 people use the mobile application on a monthly basis and it has attracted 35 billion won in investments.







The success of Musinsa, one of the largest fashion retailers here, inspired huge investments in domestic online fashion platforms.







Last year, U.S. venture capital firm Sequoia Capital invested 200 billion won into Musinsa, which helped the fashion retailer to become a unicorn startup with a corporate value of 1 trillion won. This led many venture firms to search for the next Musinsa.







Startup Alliance Korea said there are 47 firms in the fashion and beauty sector here that received 1 billion won in funds and 15 firms that received over 10 billion won.


New Delhi, Jul 29 (UNI) The Union Cabinet on Wednesday finally approved the much-awaited New Education Policy (NEP), official sources said.

The policy was approved in the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at which Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' was also present.

Significantly, the exercise of overhauling and formulating a new education policy started when Ms Smriti Irani was the HRD minister in the previous Modi government. It has been nearly six years in the making before being finalised and getting the approval of the Modi Cabinet.

Earlier, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi formulated a new education policy during his tenure. Meanwhile, in view of the changes in the education sector in the country, the Government formulated a new education policy so that digital education and innovation can be included in the changed circumstances, especially in view of the change in technology.

UNI SD ADG 1531
Low is accused of being the mastermind behind the theft of billions that were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB.

A fugitive financier being hunted by Malaysian authorities for his role in the countrys multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal is hiding in the Chinese territory of Macau, Malaysian police said.

Low Taek Jho, commonly known as Jho Low, is accused of being the mastermind behind the theft of billions that were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB.

The money was used to buy everything from a yacht to art in a fraud case that allegedly also involved former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

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Najib, who founded 1MDB, was on Tuesday sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined almost $50m on corruption charges relating to the scandal, which contributed to the downfall of his government in 2018.

Malaysian police chief Abdul Hamid Bador said Low was in the semi-autonomous Chinese casino hub of Macau, but speculation about his whereabouts has previously placed him in various countries from the United Arab Emirates to mainland China.

He is there with all the filthy money, Abdul Hamid told the AFP news agency in a text message.

Asked why he had chosen to reveal Lows location now, the police chief said allegations had been made that officers were purposely slowing down on the effort to bring him to justice.





China, however, denied protecting Low on Wednesday, rejecting the accusations as groundless and unacceptable, before adding that police had investigated all possible leads but were unable to trace Low.

The position of the Chinese government on combating crime is consistent and clear-cut, the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur said in a statement. China does not, and will never, shelter foreign criminals.

A spokesman for Low previously said Low had been offered asylum in an unidentified country.

In 2018, Macau authorities said they received a request from the Malaysian government concerning Low but gave no further details.

Charged in Malaysia and the US over the 1MDB scandal, Low has been accused by Najibs lawyers of being the mastermind behind the scam and tricking the former prime minister.

Najib is still to face the conclusion of a second trial that began in August 2019 centred on allegations he illicitly obtained more than $500m.
From left to right: Product Support Committee Executive Board Members; Gery Mras, Dr. Rick Gomez, Joe Spruill, Paul Haslam, Pushpa Merchant, Ed Floretta There is no one in the industry more deserving of this honor than Paul, said Hernan Olivas, president and chief executive officer for ONEIL.

Paul Haslam, Principal S1000D & S-Series IPS Specifications Expert for ONeil & Associates (ONEIL), earned international recognition as a recipient of the Aerospace Industries Associations (AIA) prestigious Leonard Ross Memorial Award for Achievement. The award is given to an individual who has exhibited individual excellence, outstanding performance, and long-term achievement in product support on behalf of the aerospace and defense industry.

Haslam, involved in the production and continuance of the S1000D specification since 1999, has worked to improve the entire suite of S-Series ILS specifications for U.S. and international adoption. This award recognizes his commitment, extensive knowledge, and focused strategy to bring aerospace specifications into alignment.

There is no one in the industry more deserving of this honor than Paul, said Hernan Olivas, president and chief executive officer for ONEIL. He has worked tirelessly for nearly 16 years to coordinate, educate and liaison with senior staff of the U.S. armed services for the widespread adoption of specifications, and his work has created countless positive economic, technical and engineering outcomes. We are proud to call him one of our own and celebrate this significant achievement alongside him.

Due to COVID-19, AIA was unable to present the award in person. But Haslam received a personalized plaque and his name was inscribed on the Len Ross trophy alongside names of other recipients who came before him.

Paul puts his whole heart into his work, demonstrating the ideals Len Ross celebrated when he envisioned this award, said Joe Spruill, CAPT, SC, USN (Ret.), of Lockheed Martin, and Chair of the Aerospace Industries Association Product Support Committee. His shepherding of the Integrated Product Support Standards has truly resulted in improved and more affordable sustainment for the warfighter.

In 1989, Leonard Ross, former vice chairman of the AIA Product Support Committee, established the exceptional service award as a peer recognition of long-term achievements for past and present members of the committee. Upon his passing, the award was renamed to honor him.

About ONeil & Associates, Inc.

ONeil & Associates, Inc. (ONEIL) is an employee-owned company that develops technical publications, training and related materials for manufacturers to help them show their customers how to operate, maintain and repair their products. In addition to providing services for developing these materials, ONEIL offers related technology solutions for creating, managing and delivering their clients technical information. ONEIL serves clients in the commercial, aerospace and government markets with offerings like Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs), Web-Based Environments, Intrusive Diagnostic Systems, e-Learning, training, Content Management Systems and traditional paper manuals.

For more information about ONEIL products and services, visit http://www.oneil.com

About Aerospace Industries Association

For over 100 years, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) has served as an advocate, resource, and convener to shape policy, shed light on the industrys impact, and lay the groundwork for its future. CEO-level officers from across our more than 300 member companies guide these efforts, strengthening the industrys ability to effectively support Americas national security and economy. Together, we advocate for effective federal investments; accelerated deployment of innovative technologies; policies that enhance our global competitiveness; and empower a capable and diverse 21st century workforce. For more information, visit http://www.aia-aerospace.org.
This summer has seen policies and economic forecasts move in see-saw fashion, as state economies opened up, restrictions were lifted  and then the dreaded second wave of COVID-19 showed signs of appearing, prompting new lockdowns in California and a mask mandate in Texas.

Investment bank Goldman Sachs, which had been forecasting a gangbusters growth rate of 33% in Q3, now sees the economy beginning to slow. The firm is guiding toward 25% growth in third quarter, and a July-August pause in consumer services.

Still, according to Goldmans chief economist Jan Hatzius, The recent declines are minor compared to the collapse in activity in March and April, but they clearly indicate a break from the steady upward trend since mid-April.

Even though the bank, and its strategists, are turning more cautious on the markets as we head into late summer, they are also pointing out stocks to buy. Its a contradiction, but squared by the stock analysts approach. They are now taking a more selective look at the markets, to find the less-visible opportunities hidden behind the pandemic

Weve used the TipRanks database to pull up the details on three stocks that Goldman Sachs recommends. These stocks all offer over 30% upside potential in a difficult investing climate. Lets see what else brought them to the analysts attention.

Albertsons Companies (ACI)

Americas second largest grocery chain, Albertsons, went public this past June. The chains management saw opportunity in the pandemic chaos  with more people cooking at home, a grocery chain basing its brand on fresh meat and seafood would have a chance to build on changing consumer habits. The grocery chain is profitable, with revenues of $62 billion in fiscal year 2019 and net income of $466 million.

Goldmans Kate McShane, a 5-star expert on retail stocks, is bullish on groceries. In a recent note, she writes, [We] note eating at home trends continue to hold up well, with food growth above where it was pre-pandemic and grocery app downloads still above average. We believe that demand will remain higher than average for the longer term driven by a more value conscious consumer and possibly due to behavioral changes of eating out.

Story continues

Regarding ACI, McShane notes Our framework focuses on operating income dollar growth, market share gains, defensiveness, execution, SSS sales growth, and EPS growth in the context of valuation. ACI scores the highest on all these measures versus SFM and KR. Further, ACI scores only slightly lower than high quality names such as WMT, COST and ORLY, further underscoring our Buy rating.

Along with her Buy rating, McShane sets a $22 price target on ACI that implies an upside of 45%. (To watch McShanes track record, click here)

Overall, Wall Street agrees with the Goldman Sachs stance on Albertsons. The stock has 16 reviews, including 13 Buys and just 3 Holds. Shares are trading for $15.20, while the $19.64 average price target suggests a one-year upside of 29%. (See ACI stock analysis on TipRanks)

Kimco Realty (KIM)

From groceries, we move to Kimco Realty, a real estate investment trust that focuses on shopping centers. The companys portfolio includes 422 properties, with more than 70 million square feet of leasable space.

The collapse in retail activity during 1H20 hurt Kimcos share price, but not the company earnings. KIM fell 56% in March, and has recovered only slightly. The stock is still down 40% from pre-crash levels. At the same time, earnings have been steady and stable. Q1 EPS came in at 37 cents, beating the 36-cent forecast  and matching the previous two quarters. Revenues, at $289.7 million, were in-line with the forecast and the year-ago numbers.

The May earnings helped support Kimco, but the company got a stronger shot in the arm last month. At the end of June, Kimco announced that it has realized over $71 million from an investment in a major grocery chain that anchors many of the companys retail properties. The investment  which has totaled $207 million since 2006  has brought the REIT at total of $569 million over the years. And the grocery company that has brought Kimco these gains? Albertsons.

Covering this stock for Goldman Sachs, analyst Caitlin Burrows noted, "As of June 30, 2020, the company had collected 66%, 65%, and 72% of pro-rata ABR for April, May, and June 2020, respectively. This is slightly higher than our prior estimate of 2Q collections, of 66%. In 2Q20, the company expects to increase its allowance for doubtful accounts receivable (AR) by $45-$55 million (consisting of $35.5-$40.5 million of allowance against AR and $9.5-$14.5 million against straight line rent receivables). We acknowledge this reserve reflects KIMs approach to accounting, but will likely vary by REIT in the near-term due to each companys own assumptions and accounting practices."

To this end, Burrows rates KIM a Buy, along with a $15 price target. This figure implies a strong upside of 38% for shares. (To watch Burrows track record, click here)

Wall Street is naturally wary of a major retail property owner right now, so the analyst consensus, a Hold, is sharp contrast to Burrows upbeat outlook. The consensus rating is based on 3 Buys, 10 Holds, and 1 Sell given in recent weeks. KIM shares have an average price target of $12.96, suggesting  despite the caution  a 15% upside potential in the coming year. (See KIM stock analysis on TipRanks)

Citrix Systems (CTXS)

From groceries, we move to tech. Citrix is a software company, offering SaaS and cloud systems for desktop virtualization, security, and networking. The companys shares have been rising steadily through the pandemic period, as its products are a fine fit for the mass move toward remote work. CTXS is up 17% since February, strongly outpacing the broader markets.

Earnings in Q1 were strong, growing sequentially from Q4 and beating the analyst forecasts. Q2 was disappointing, however, with EPS sliding from $1.46 to 99 cents  although it was still well above the estimates. Q2 revenues, at $799 million, were also above the forecast, and up 6.8% year-over-year.

With a presence in over 100 countries, a customer base more than 10,000 strong, and annual revenues exceeding $3 billion, along with digital products well suited to todays work environment, Citrix stands in an enviable position.

Heather Bellini, Goldmans 5-star analysts, notes this when she writes, We continue to view Citrix as well positioned to capitalize on long-term secular growth tailwinds, including workforce mobility and security, within its digital workspaces business. We believe the debate going forward will likely center on the durability of recent strength following work from home initiatives enacted post COVID-19

Bellinis bullish outlook and Buy rating on the stock come with a $189 price target, indicating her confidence in 36% growth for the year ahead. (To watch Bellinis track record, click here)

Overall, the analyst consensus here is a Moderate Buy, based on 11 reviews, including 5 each Buys and Holds, along with 1 Sell. The average price target, $166.57, suggests room for 16% growth from the current trading price of $139.35. (See Citrix stock analysis on TipRanks)

To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.
Several staff members at a Logan private school are in isolation after 19-year-old cleaner tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the Queensland Premier to blast her and her travelling companion's "negligent" behaviour.

The cleaner and her friend, both 19-year-old women, returned to Brisbane last week from Melbourne, via Sydney, and allegedly failed to tell Queensland border authorities they had been in a declared COVID hotspot.

The two 19-year-olds travelled together and returned from Melbourne via Sydney on July 21, Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the focus would now be on making sure anyone who might have come into contact with the pair went into quarantine and got tested.
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - July 29, 2020) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today released the agenda for the Tuesday, Aug. 4 meeting of its Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee, which will be hosted via video conference.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the importance of access to capital for small businesses across the country, and the Committee recently met to develop solutions that can support their short- and long-term capital needs. The Commission responded to the Committee's feedback with temporary emergency relief to expedite the offering process for smaller, established companies.

In light of the challenges that minority communities face accessing capital, as well as recent events highlighting racial injustice, the Committee will focus the Aug. 4 agenda on how capital markets are serving underrepresented founders, including minorities and women. During the meeting the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation will share statistics and trends in capital raising across demographic groups, and then the Committee will listen to and learn from founders and investors as they share their perspectives on capital formation. Feedback from the speakers will help shape the remainder of the meeting, which will include a discussion by Committee members of best practices and potential regulatory solutions to enable a more inclusive capital formation ecosystem.

The meeting will take place from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. ET and will be webcast on SEC.gov. The webcast will be archived on the Committee's webpage for later viewing.

The Committee was established to provide the Commission with advice and recommendations on Commission rules, regulations, and policy matters relating to small businesses, from privately-held emerging companies to smaller public companies. The Committee has recently informed the Commission on a number of pertinent rulemaking and policy priorities, providing valued marketplace feedback into the regulatory process. Additional information on the Committee, including its members, is available on the Committee's webpage.
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Merin's husband, charged with first-degree murder, was transferred to a hospital for having a self-inflicted knife wound

Washington: An Indian nurse has been killed outside a hospital in the US after she was stabbed multiple times and struck by a vehicle, in what police in South Florida are calling an incident of domestic dispute.

Merin Joy, 26, who is from Kerala, was stabbed multiple times while leaving Coral Springs hospital on Tuesday.

Coral Springs Police Deputy Chief Brad McKeone said the woman was leaving Broward Health Coral Springs, where she worked, when the man pulled up behind her and ended up attacking her.

Joy was stabbed "multiple times" and then "struck by the vehicle as the suspect fled from the scene," McKeone was quoted as saying by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Although she was feet away from an emergency room, Joy was rushed to the nearest trauma hospital in Pompano Beach where "she died a short time later", the Florida-based daily reported.

Witnesses described the suspect's car and police found Philip Mathew, 34, of Wixon, Michigan. Police said Mathew had a self-inflicted knife wound and was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Police believe the stabbing was part of a domestic dispute between Joy and the suspect Mathew. Mathew is being charged with first-degree murder, the Florida-based Local 10 News reported.

"The incident is believed to be part of a domestic dispute that was ongoing between the suspect and the victim. Mathew was located in Coral Springs at an area hotel where he sustained a self-inflicted knife wound and was transported to an area hospital for treatment," Coral Springs Police said in a statement.

"He was taken into custody within a few hours of the initial 911 call and is being charged with First Degree Murder. Currently, there is no additional threat to the area residents or patients of Broward Health Coral Springs," it said.

McKeone said he did not immediately know if the couple was married. "We are heartbroken over the loss of Merin. She was part of our family, and there are no words to describe our emotions. We offer our most sincere condolences to her family," said Jared Smith, the CEO of Broward Health Coral Springs. Jennifer Smith, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said Joy had worked there for about two years.

Joy's friends said Monday's overnight shift night was supposed to be her last day at the Coral Springs hospital because she had given notice and was relocating out of town to start "a new life elsewhere."

A hospital friend, who declined to be identified, said Joy was moving to Tampa to escape her relationship.

The friend said they watched the black car drive over her body on the ground "like she was a speed bump" and her blood stained the parking lot until it was washed away.
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Yeah, Joseph McCarthy was the leader of the fight against Communist infiltration. Before things eventually fell apart for him, with the Senate censuring him till his political career sputtered out, he was a committee leader and guided the entire national discourse. He was also an addict. He drank a quart of liquor a day, so when the Senate was in session in the afternoon, his speeches were the ravings of a drunk uncle. Less well-known, he was addicted to morphine. Some sources describe this as an addiction to heroin, but there isn't a huge difference between the two, so pick whichever you like more.

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This secret vice was discovered by a friend of McCarthy's, Harry J. Anslinger. Anslinger led the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (the 1950s predecessor to the DEA), so he might have felt some responsibility to arrest McCarthy for breaking the law, but he felt an even greater responsibility to cover this truth up. If the Soviets found out, they could use it to blackmail him and control the Senate. Or if the public found out, McCarthy's entire reputation would be forever destroyed, and in fact, the whole government would be disgraced.

Martin Falbisoner A scandal? In Washington? The nation would never recover.

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So Anslinger arranged for McCarthy to receive a steady supply of morphine so that he could shoot up as discreetly as possible. Anslinger had the drugs delivered from a Capitol Hill pharmacy and paid for it with Federal Bureau of Narcotics money. To really understand the irony here, you've got to read up more on Anslinger, who pretty much founded the War on Drugs. He reserved particular hate for marijuana (for racist reasons), but he hated morphine addicts too yet made an exception for McCarthy. And so McCarthy's legacy was preserved ... his legacy for being a paranoid nut. "McCarthyism" is not a compliment. Similarly, Rep. Samuel Dickstein is remembered, even today; whenever someone acts selfish and cruel, we say they're being "dickish."
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has claimed the ownership of the 46 properties seized from its former chairman, Ngozi Olejeme, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 46 properties, including houses and parcels of land, are located in states like Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Abuja.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo had, on July 1, granted the ex-parte application by the EFCC for temporary forfeiture of the identified property.

Justice Taiwo directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national daily to enable anyone who is interested in the affected property to show cause, within 14 days, why the asset should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

When the case came up before Justice Taiwo, the management of the NSITF, through its Counsel, Okereke Ezechi, appeared before the court to claim ownership of the property.

Mr Ezechi, who filed a motion to that respect, urged the court to pass the property to NSITF should they be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

He said that NSITF was the principal victim of the alleged crimes purportedly committed by Olejeme, who served as the chairman of the agencys management board between 2009 to 2015.

The lawyer stated that the property suspected to have been acquired by Ms Olejeme, through proceeds of crime, were allegedly acquired with funds stolen from NSITF.

Mr Ezechi, in a supporting affidavit, claimed that N62 billon was received during Ms Olejemes tenure, but was allegedly diverted through phoney contracts.

NSITF received N62 billion as grants and mandatory contributions from the Federal Government and the private sector employers for the implementation of the employees compensation scheme designed to provide fair and adequate compensation to employees who are victims of workplace or work related injuries.

Within the tenure of Ngozi Olejeme as the Chairperson of the Management Board of the NSITF, several contracts/consultancy services were not executed, but heavily paid for.

Some of the contractors/consultants, who were awarded contracts and consultancy services running into billions of naira and never executed them, but fully pad by the NSITF under strict instructions from Ngozi Olejeme, are Excellent Solicitors & Consultants, who was paid over N1 billion under the guise of consultancy services which was never executed; Fountain Legal Services and Fountain Media Consults was paid N5,984,056,110.00; Hybrid Investment Advisors Ltd, etc.

During the tenure of Ngozi Olejeme as Chairperson of the Management Board of the NSITF, over N60 billion was transferred out of the account of the NSITF with instruction and authorisation by Ngozi Olejeme under the guise of payment for contracts and consultancy services purportedly executed in total breach of procurement requirements.

The NSITF, since after the tenure of Ngozi Olejeme and following the monumental withdrawals from its account of monies amounting to several billions of naira, has been grappling with the difficulty of fully implementing the employees compensation scheme due to paucity of funds occasioned by the fraudulent misappropriation of funds contributed by the Federal Government and private employers for the scheme.

It is so bad that the management board of the NSITF had to go borrowing funds to meet up with its statutory obligation of payment of fair and adequate compensation to employees who are victims of workplace or work related hazard and payment of salary to staff.

The property listed by the applicant in this suit for an order of forfeiture were acquired by Ngozi Olejeme during the period she served as chairperson of the management board of the NSITF and the monies that she used in acquiring the said property were funds belonging to the NSITF, the affidavit read in part.

It alleged that all legitimate entitlements or benefits of Ms Olejeme for the period she served as chairman of the management board of the agency could not have purchased her all the property listed in the suit. (NAN)
US, Australia seek new military cooperation in face of China

WORLD: The United States and Australia said yesterday (July 28) they will expand military cooperation as tensions soar with China, presenting a common front between the allies.

Chinesemarinemilitarynatural-resourcesland

By AFP

Wednesday 29 July 2020, 12:20PM

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listens while Australias Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks during a press conference. Photo: AFP

Going ahead in Washington with annual talks despite the coronavirus pandemic, Australias foreign and defense ministers offered clear, if more mildly stated, support for a hawkish shift on China by President Donald Trumps administration.

The United States knows the threats that you and the rest of the free world face. And the United States stands with you in our unbreakable alliance, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Australian ministers during a joint news conference.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper hailed the participation of five Australian warships last week in exercises with a US carrier strike group and a Japanese destroyer in the Philippine Sea.

These exercises not only bolster interoperability, but also send a clear signal to Beijing that we will fly, we will sail and we will operate wherever international law allows and defend the rights of our allies and partners to do the same, Esper said.

Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds said the two countries will build ties across a slew of defense areas including hypersonic, electronic and space-based warfare.

The cooperation will strengthen our shared ability to contribute to regional security and to deter malign behavior in our region, she said.

In a joint statement, the ministers said they discussed expanding operations in the northern Australian city of Darwin, where US Marines have been rotating in since 2012 under an initiative of former president Barack Obama.

The United States will establish a military fuel reserve in Darwin and the allies will consider exercises there with like-minded countries - a likely reference to Japan and India.

In one step that had been too far, Australia last year said it would not serve as a base for US intermediate-range missiles - widely seen as a way to target China.

Esper, asked if Australia had warmed to the missiles, said the allies had a full suite of capabilities and strategies we intend to roll out together in the years ahead.

Pompeo has championed a hard line on China, questioning the half-century US policy of engagement and urging an alliance to confront a Frankenstein Beijing.

Despite Australias reliance on trade with China, Prime Minister Scott Morrisons right-leaning government has largely backed the United States.

Australia has seconded its longtime allys calls for an international investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and joined Pompeo in rejecting Beijings sweeping claims in the South China Sea.

Pompeo hailed Morrison for refusing to bow to Beijings wishes after China retaliated by discouraging travel and trade with Australia and was accused of waging cyberattacks against government sites.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne, however, acknowledged that the two nations dont agree on everything and stressed the importance of multilateral institutions, after Trump bolted from the World Health Organization.

As the ministers met, Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi - in a phone call with his counterpart from another US ally, France - accused Washington of reckless provocation of confrontation.

China as well as Trumps domestic critics accuse the US president, who is trailing in polls ahead of November elections, of seizing on China to divert from criticism of his own handling of the pandemic in the United States, which has suffered the highest death toll of any country.

But Trumps presumptive Democratic rival Joe Biden has also vowed a tough approach on China amid wide criticism of the Asian power on issues from trade to its incarceration of Uighur Muslims to its clampdown in semi-autonomous Hong Kong.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore, a close US ally that maintains cordial relations with China, said the US relationship with Beijing historically always gets entangled in US presidential elections but stabilizes afterward.

Im not sure whether it will happen this time because I feel its quite different, Lee told the Atlantic Council in Washington.

The degree of animus and, sad to say, bipartisan consensus on treating China as a threat is quite extraordinary and I fear that it may carry over past the election and, if it does, I think that bodes ill for the world.
Scientists think the coronavirus came from a horseshoe bat, so named for the horseshoe-shaped "leaves" on its nose. This horseshoe bat was captured in 2019 in the country of Georgia. Read more

While the exact origin of the coronavirus remains murky, scientists have been racing to determine how it jumped from animals to humans so they can prevent another pandemic.

The next one could just be a matter of time, a study published this week suggests.

The authors said a virus with similar ability to infect humans may already be out there, carried by a type of bats known for having horseshoe-shaped leafs on their noses.

Scientists made that prediction after constructing a family tree of the coronavirus  tracing its ancestry by comparing its genetic code with that of other coronaviruses found in bats, humans, and a scaly animal called the pangolin.

The lineage of the virus that causes COVID-19 appears to have branched off from its closest viral relatives about 40 to 70 years ago, the authors wrote in Nature Microbiology. And other viruses in the same branch of the family likely share a similar ability to latch onto cells in human airways, said Maciej F. Boni, a Pennsylvania State University biologist and lead study author.

Its very likely there are lots of other lineages that nobody knows about, because nobody has sampled, that are circulating quietly in bats, he said. Potentially all of them could have this ability to infect human cells.

 READ MORE: Why bats carry coronaviruses but don't get sick

Tracing the family trees of viruses is a challenge, as the microbes mutate and swap sections of their genomes in ways that make it difficult to tell what happened when.

Coronaviruses, in particular, are prone to this type of recombination, in part because a bat can carry several types at once. A virus inside a bat can easily pick up bits of genetic code from other viruses infecting the same animal  say, grabbing the instructions for latching onto human cells from one source, while picking up the code to penetrate cell membranes from another.

Yet by using a battery of statistical techniques, the scientists identified three genetic regions in the coronavirus that appeared to have remained intact for decades. They identified the same three regions in another coronavirus that came from a bat found in Yunnan, a province in southern China near Laos.

That virus cannot infect humans but is otherwise highly similar to the one causing the pandemic, which was first identified in human patients in the city of Wuhan. The two viruses seem to have branched apart in the family tree sometime in the 1960s, and almost certainly have undiscovered cousins with the potential to infect humans, said Boni, who collaborated with scientists in Europe and China.

The research represents a valuable advance in tracing the origin of the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, said Alina Chan, a molecular biologist at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Mass., who was not involved in the study.

Theyve narrowed it down, she said.

A good way to hunt for cousins of these two coronaviruses would be to take samples from bats along the hundreds of miles separating Yunnan and Wuhan, said Boni, a member of Penn States Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics. That could guide strategies to prevent such viruses from jumping from bat to humans in the future, perhaps by identifying live animal markets where better hygiene measures could be implemented.

The coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 was originally thought to have jumped from animal to human at such a market in Wuhan, but Chinese officials later discounted that possibility, as some of the first patients had no apparent connection to that market. Scientists have since speculated that the fateful transmission occurred at some other market. U.S. intelligence officials have suggested that it may have been accidentally released at a research lab, but virologists in academia are generally skeptical of that theory.

By itself, the presence of similar coronaviruses in bats would not mean another pandemic is imminent, said Kevin Olival, vice president for research at EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit that works with scientists worldwide to protect people and animals from infectious disease.

The size and range of the relevant bat population and the behavior of humans also are part of the equation.

To calculate the risk, youve got to put all those pieces together, he said.

Among the countries where the nonprofit has worked with local scientists to sample bat populations is China, though U.S. funding for that collaboration was put on hold by the Trump administration, with officials citing the virus-released-from-a-Chinese-lab theory. More than 70 Nobel laureates denounced the move.

What is not in dispute is that viruses have been jumping from animals to humans for centuries, and that it will happen again.

And coronaviruses carried by bats are a prime suspect.

Similar predictions have been made before  such as in 2013, when a Science magazine article was headlined Bats May Be Carrying the Next SARS Pandemic.

Sure enough, as the world now knows too well, that came true.
'The finance ministry and public sector banks have tried to keep the names of wilful defaulters secret.'

'Secrecy and concealing information are inbred among banks and even the RBI,' observes Debashis Basu, editor, www.moneylife.in.

IMAGE: The State Bank of India building in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo

Vivek Velankar, president of the Pune-based Sajag Nagrik Manch, wanted to know the amount that State Bank of India had written off over the years as bad loans. He filed a query under the Right to Information Act. The bank refused to part with the information on laughably absurd grounds that collating the information would be a waste of resources.

The write-offs, like advances and deposit figures, should be available at a click of the mouse. But SBI, a government-controlled entity, wants to keep even basic information well-hidden from the public.

Mr Velankar then tried another tack. As he told Moneylife, 'Being a shareholder of SBI, I asked for this information... and the bank shared it.'

On July 14, Moneylife wrote an exclusive article (external link), based on the startling data that SBI gave him: During the eight years from FY13 to FY20, SBI has 'technically/prudentially written off' a massive Rs 1.23 trillion, but managed to recover only 7 per cent or Rs 8,969 crore in this period.

The question is, did SBI give him the relevant figures?

After our article was published, a banking insider pointed out to me page number 65 of SBI's 2020 annual report. That page contains a table under the section 'Stressed Asset Management', which includes two rows.

One is cash 'recoveries/upgradations' and the other is 'write-offs'. Comparing the figures of that table with what SBI shared with Mr Velankar will surprise you. The figures are widely divergent.

For example in FY19, SBI's write-off figure given to Mr Velankar was Rs 27,225 crore whereas the figure in the annual report is Rs 58,905 crores.

Recoveries were Rs 815 crore, SBI told Mr Velankar, while the figure for 'cash recoveries and upgradation' was Rs 31,512 crore in the annual report.

I am not suggesting that SBI deliberately gave different figures under the same head to Mr Velankar and in its annual report. But the divergence is too huge and invites suspicion; I certainly wouldn't be surprised if there are differences that are not easily accounted for.

The former banker who alerted me is not at all surprised. "There is inadequate and incorrect information and total lack of transparency in all aspects of banking operations, not just SBI."

"Basically, loan write-offs, bad loans, ineffective supervision, privatisation of PSBs, and customers' difficulties are all symptoms of the problems associated with the policy, structure, systems, and processes involved with Indian banking. But things don't improve because we confuse the symptoms for the disease (problems)," he said.

Unfortunately, secrecy and concealing information are inbred among banks and even the Reserve Bank of India.

They conflate confidentiality of individual accounts and aggregate data that can neither be confidential nor difficult to share in these days of computerised and inter-linked operations.

After all, it took many years and dogged fights by Shailesh Gandhi, former central information commissioner, and RTI warriors like Girish Mittal and Subhash Chandra Agrawal, who went right up to the Supreme Court to force the RBI to release the central bank's inspection reports of banks when there is no reason why these reports (at least one-year-old ones) cannot be voluntarily uploaded on the RBI Web site.

For those who had not followed this dogged fight, the RBI had for years refused to share bank inspection reports on grounds that it held them in a fiduciary capacity, and activists fought all the way to the Supreme Court.

The court ruled way back in 2015 that the banking regulator could not withhold information citing 'fiduciary relations'.

But the RBI, under then governors Raghuram Rajan and Urjit Patel, steadfastly defied the order, and even issued a new disclosure policy that restrained citizens from inspecting, supervising, and scrutinising reports of banks and other financial institutions.

The activists had to go back to the apex court. Finally in May last year, the court warned the RBI: 'Though we could have taken a serious view of RBI continuing to violate the directions issued by this Court, we give them a last opportunity to withdraw the disclosure policy...'

The RBI appeared to fall in line and released a few heavily redacted reports, but has started stalling them again.

In another example of unnecessary secrecy, the finance ministry and public sector banks have tried to keep the names of wilful defaulters secret, which incidentally the bank unions have released.

The authorities have used definitional ambiguity to call the massive bad loan provisions technical write-offs, because one would know the actual write-off only after all recovery effort is over.

But, as SBI admitted to Mr Velankar, it has recovered precious little, proving that technical write-off is the actual write-off.

From the ministry to the regulator to the banks, we need to build a culture of collating accurate information and sharing it transparently.

Unless we do that, there will not be informed debate and only a patchwork of solutions, marred by vested interests.

In a recent speech, the RBI governor talked about 'off-site surveillance, smell the distress, if any... initiate pre-emptive actions... use of market intelligence inputs'.

This is a radical move, but market intelligence is a two-way street.

The RBI will get a lot by first sharing a lot.
A controversial influencer dubbed the 'poster child for what not to do in a pandemic' received $350,000 in coronavirus relief funds for her relaunched fashion line.

Arielle Charnas, 33, has 1.3 million Instagram followers, runs a brand which is valued at $45 million and is believed herself to be worth around $2.5 million

Yet it was reported that she took advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for her brand Something Navy.

PPP loans are forgivable loans of public money to help smaller businesses to continue to pay their employees throughout the coronavirus crisis, which has seen unemployment reach record levels.

Page Six reports that Charnes got a loan of $150,000 to $350,000 through JPMorgan and Chase on April 13, 10 days after the loan program launched.

Charnas relaunched her fashion brand - Something Navy - on July 13, and grossed $1 million in just 30 minutes, according to the influencer and the brand's CEO Matt Scanlan.

'The velocity and speed of sales totally broke our back end,' Scanlan said on the Glossy Podcast.

Arielle Charnas, pictured, has 1.3 million Instagram followers, runs a brand valued at $45 million and is believed herself to be worth around $2.5 million. Despite this, she reportedly applied for a PPP loan of $150,000 to $350,000 through JPMorgan and Chase on April 13

The loan was made to Something Navy, registered to her home in New York City. She said that she retained 25 employees in her application.

Before the re-launch, the brand sold exclusively on Nordstrom, but it now sells directly to consumers, and harnesses Charnas' influencer presence to market its products.

The re-launch was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Something Navy is now operating after a $10 million funding round, which valued the business at roughly $45 million.

Hong Kong billionaire Silas Chou, along with Box Group, M3 Ventures, Silas Capital, Third Kind Venture Capital and Rent the Runway co-founder Jennifer Fleiss are all investors in the brand.

In March, she drew public outrage when she used her connections to get a coronavirus test - when many found it near-impossible to obtain one.

Charnas revealed that she had called in a favor from a doctor friend to get a COVID-19 test  despite shortages across the country.

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was set up to help small businesses keep their employees on the payroll. The loan was made to Charnas' brand - Something Navy - registered to her home in New York City. She said that she retained 25 employees in her application

The test came back positive. In the following days Charnas, her two children and their nanny traveled to her mansion in the Hamptons, where she posted pictures of herself outside next to a pool, writing 'Fresh air' in one of the captions.

After facing criticism online, while still posting videos and images of herself out and about in public, the influencer took to her Instagram account to issue an apology.

She also shared her horror and upset over the backlash she and her family have faced, revealing they have even 'received death threats'

In a series of Instagram Stories videos believed to have been taken at the Hamptons home, the influencer tearfully apologizing to her 'community' for any upset caused.

'I just wanted to come on here and say, I'm sorry. I never in a million years wanted to hurt anyone, and we're not bad people,' she said, breaking down in tears as she spoke.

'I'm sorry for anyone that I've offended or hurt over the last couple of weeks. We're just trying to navigate through this difficult time as I'm sure so many people are, and I'm just sorry that I let down my community in any way.'

Speaking out: Influencer Arielle Charnas posted a tearful apology video on Instagram after being slammed for 'cutting the line' to get a COVID-19 test then refusing to self-isolate

She then went on to reveal the toll that the backlash has taken on her family, opening up about the threats that they have received in the wake of the controversy.

'Right now I'm just trying to focus on my family because we've been receiving horrible threats,' she said. 'I just felt it was time for me to share my truth, which I did, and it's now out

'I've made every effort to do the right thing throughout this process and I just hope that you all can see that despite the mistakes that I've made.

'I'm thinking of you all and I hope everyone stays safe and healthy.'

She then addressed the bitter backlash over her admittance that her children's nanny had also contracted the virus while working with the family, insisting that she and her husband had not been 'recommended childcare guidelines to help them figure out how to care for their girls.'

What happened to isolation? Arielle traveled to a rental home in the Hamptons during the coronavirus crisis, despite testing positive for COVID-19

Charnas added that their nanny was given the option to return home, but said she chose to quarantine with the Charnas' rather than risk 'potentially infecting others'  insisting that the childcare provider is 'part of the family' and would have been paid whether or not she had stayed on working.

The emotional apologies came just days after a Twitter user called Sophie Ross documented the many controversial decisions that the influencer had made over in a viral thread on the social media site.

In her tweets, Sophie documented how Charnas fanned the flames of online fury by traveling with her entire family to a rental home in the Hamptons, completely ignoring calls for a 14-day self-quarantine after she tested positive in the midst of the crisis in New York.
MARLBOROUGH, MA  The number of active coronavirus cases in Marlborough rose to a July high of 30 on Monday, a level not seen since around late June.

Active cases dropped to 10 on July 16, a low not seen since late April. But active cases have been steadily rising, reaching 22 on July 22 and 24 on July 24. Active cases peaked in Marlborough at about 269 in mid-May.

Marlborough began the month with 19 active cases and 988 total cases. The total number of cases reached 1,027 on Monday. One positive sign: Marlborough has not seen any new COVID-19 deaths since the week of July 6. The total stood at 65 on Monday.

Cases across Massachusetts are also ticking up. On Monday, the statewide seven-day average positive test rate grew to 1.9 percent. The state began July with a 2 percent positive test rate, which dropped to about 1.7 percent by the middle of the month. Massachusetts Medical Society President David Rosman has suggested the state revert to phase 2 of the reopening plan due to the rise in cases.

Meanwhile, Marlborough is one of 16 communities in Massachusetts chosen to receive free testing paid for by the state. Residents can get a free coronavirus test at the following locations:

Jaworek Elementary School, 444 Hosmer St. Call (774) 232-2659 to set up an appointment

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wednesday 4 to 7 p.m.

Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

AFC Urgent Care, 38 Boston Post Road. To make an appointment, visit the AFC Urgent Care website.



Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Marlborough Hospital, 157 Union St. Call 508-486-5809 or visit the Marlborough Hospital website for information.



Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon

This article originally appeared on the Marlborough Patch
The carnage being inflicted on workers jobs continued when New Zealands largest retail chain, The Warehouse, announced on July 19 up to 1,080 sackings. It followed the recent decision by the global conglomerate Rio Tinto to mothball Southlands Tiwai Point aluminium smelter next August, at a cost of 2,600 jobs within the region.

In the wake of COVID-19, the number of jobs fell by a record 37,000 or 1.7 percent in April alone, according to Statistics NZ in June. It was the biggest monthly fall in percentage terms in 20 years since the measurement was established. There are now 208,577 people on either Jobseeker Support or a COVID-19 payment. More than 63,000 have signed up since March 20.

Job cuts by major businesses thus far include: 4,000 at Air NZ, 1,000 at Fletcher Building, 910 at Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, 900 at Sky City casino and 1,100 temporary and contractor jobs at the Auckland Council, led by Labour Party figures. Unemployment is forecast to hit 10 percent this year.

Like other corporates, The Warehouse is using the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn to accelerate a pro-business restructuring involving the elimination of jobs and destruction of working conditions.

Staff at The Warehouses 92 stores were called into meetings on July 19 to be told of the companys restructuring process, cynically titled Project Agile. Chief executive Nick Grayston claimed the restructure was made necessary by consumers changing spending patterns, including the rise of on-line shopping and different on-site hours.

From August 31 staff hours will be reduced across the board while job cuts will hit 782 workers, plus another 137 through store closures. There will also be cuts at the companys head office. The Warehouse confirmed six store closures on top of three already under way, accounting for the projected 1,080 job losses, 9 percent of the companys total workforce.

The closures involve the Noel Leeming Henderson Clearance Centre, and stores in Birkenhead, Tokoroa, Papanui and The Palms in Christchurch. Stores in Dunedin, Whangaparaoa, Johnsonville and Warehouse Stationery in Te Awamutu will also now be shut down.

The announcement comes after The Warehouse took $NZ67.7 million from the Labour governments wage subsidy scheme, paid out following the March COVID-19 lockdown. The cumulative $12.3 billion in handouts, falsely promoted as a means of saving jobs, have not stopped businesses slashing wages and sacking workers. SkyCitys subsidies reached $31 million after it was granted a $9.4m top-up last week, despite already having sacked 900 workers.

The Warehouse had also imposed wage cuts on some staff. At the end of April, those earning more than $60,000 were told to take a 10 percent salary cut and those earning more than $100,000 a cut of 20 percent. The cuts were subsequently repaid because sales during the reduced Level 2 COVID-19 restrictions were higher than expected.

The brazenness of The Warehouses money-grab forced Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who is facing an election in September, to cynically declare she was angry after the company first foreshadowed the closures last month. Ardern told Radio NZ that The Warehouse had promoted itself as being in the community and for the community. She contrasted the company with small-business owners trying to keep their staff and stay afloat by running down their reserves.

The Warehouse founder Stephen Tindall regularly postures as a socially conscious businessman and philanthropist. He was among an international group of 83 millionaires who, fearing the growth of anti-capitalist sentiment, recently called on governments to tax them more to counter the economic blow of COVID-19.

The company has grown into a billion-dollar enterprise by exploiting the social crisis confronting working people at home and abroad. In 1982, Tindall set up his first Red Sheds in working class suburbs, selling large volumes of cheap imported items from low-wage countries. The operation grew exponentially, benefitting from decades of attacks on the social conditions of working people, including its own employees, buttressed by the wholesale deregulation of business.

Many workers will be devastated by the recent announcements. One Hamilton worker told Stuff she broke down crying when she heard her hours will be cut. I will be losing between eight and 10 hours a week. It doesnt seem like much, but thats more than $250 a week after tax, she said. Thats a huge chunk of money to lose when youre on a sole income.

Single mother Anna Grey told Radio NZ she was being made redundant after more than 10 years working at the Birkenhead store. To be honest, its going to be really hard, she said. I can tell you now I will be really struggling Everybody else is losing their jobs, and theres nothing there.

Far from launching a struggle to defend jobs and conditions, FIRST Union, which represents about 2,000 Warehouse workers, is playing a central role facilitating the companys onslaught. General secretary Dennis Maga told the media that the union had received advance information about the new model in confidence, but withheld it from workers while engaging in consultation with management behind closed doors.

Maga said union delegates had brought ideas to the table and generally felt the discussions were meaningful. The company, he complained, then went ahead and did everything theyd already decided.

The unions crocodile tears flowed. Maga declared: Members are expressing their frustrations. They would like to know and understand what this process is all about. They need to understand if they will keep their jobs after the consultation. He fraudulently claimed the union will continue to engage with The Warehouse executives and challenge the business model as it is imposed around the country.

This dishonest and bankrupt perspective yet again exposes the unions for what they are: corporatised entities that function as an industrial police force of governments and big business. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis the unions applauded the Ardern governments billion dollar bailouts while pushing for worksites and schools to remain open regardless of health risks.

FIRST Union has a long history of enforcing closures and mass sackings. Following nearly 200 redundancies in 2013 at Summit Wool Spinners in Oamaru, for example, the union boasted it was expert now in looking after people after these events. We coordinate with WINZ [social welfare], with local mayors, MPs  to try and get things in place for those workers. That is, the union provided its services to ensure that layoffs went ahead smoothly.

The fight against this assault on jobs and working conditions cannot be carried out through the trade unions. To protect jobs and living standards, workers need to build their own independent organisations: rank-and-file committees, to link up workers in different industries and internationally. Such struggles must be guided by the fight for a workers government that will implement socialist policies, including the nationalisation of major industries under democratic control.

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The Ministry of Civil Aviation recently announced that it has established bilateral air bubbles with countries including the US, France, and Germany. Following the same, the Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that Air India will operate International flights from July 22 to August 31. The routes include 30 flights a week to the US (New York, Chicago, Washington, New Jersey, and San Francisco), 4 flights a week to Germany (Frankfurt) and 3 flights a week to France (Paris).

Establishment of similar air corridors between India and countries including Canada, the UK, other European and Gulf countries are underway as well. Passengers who wish to travel to the aforementioned countries can refer to the quick guide below to familiarise with the regulations.

What is an air bubble?

An air bubble is essentially a temporary arrangement between two countries to restart commercial flight services at a time when regular international flights are suspended due to COVID-19. Under the arrangement, airlines from both countries are allowed to operate.

Which International Airlines are Flying Right Now?

Under the new arrangements, airlines including Air India, United Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa will operate to and fro from their respective countries.

How Many Flight Will Operate?

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Indias national airline carrier Air India will operate approximately 222 flights to destinations including the US, France and Germany between July 22 and August 31.

Similarly, Air France is operating 28 flights from July 18 to August 1 while the United Airlines is operating 18 flights between Delhi and US till July end.

Is Tourist Visa Applicable for Flights Under the Air Corridor?

The aforementioned flights are only open to stranded Indian citizens, OCI card holders & diplomats. Domestic passengers and Indian nationals on valid tourist visas cannot fly to these countries.

Who Can Fly to the US from India?

Passengers wo wish to travel to US-bound international flight from India must either be US citizens, diplomats, permanent residents, OCI cardholders, or Indian nationals with US visa of at least one-month validity.

Also Watch:

Who all can Fly to France and Germany from India?

French and German citizens, stranded EU citizens, permanent residents, OCI cardholders who are stranded in neighbouring countries will have to obtain permission to exit through India.

Seamen of foreign nationalities and Indian seamen can travel with permission from the Ministry of Shipping.

Also, Indian nationals with visas of at least one-month validity other than tourist visas can travel.

It is to be noted that the special arrangements have been aimed to repatriate stranded Indians, foreigners, green card holders, permanent legal residents, and those on employment and education visas with a minimum of one month's validity. It is advisable to check the restrictions in your destination country before booking the tickets.
Authorities tightened security and imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station in Haryana on July 28 ahead of the arrival of five Rafale jets from France, banning shooting of videos and photography. The Ambala district administration also prohibited people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the air base, an official said.

Deputy Commissioner Ashok Sharma said in an order that Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in the villages adjoining the air base, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora. The jets took off from France on July 27 and will arrive at the Air Force station on July 29, after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates. The fleet comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft, according to an IAF official.

The Ambala deputy commissioner said shooting of videos or taking photographs of the boundary wall of the air base and its adjoining areas will remain strictly prohibited during the imposition of the prohibitory orders. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said Ambala police have taken the necessary measures. The BJP leader and six-term MLA from Ambala Cantt said the people of Ambala are very enthusiastic and thousands would have come out on the streets to welcome the fighter jets before the touch down had there not been a pandemic.

BJP's Ambala City MLA Aseem Goyal urged to people to light candles in their homes between 7-7.30 pm on July 29 to welcome the Rafale jets. Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France for 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities.

The first squadron of the Rafale jets will be stationed at the Ambala air base. The five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into the IAF on July 29, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later. No 17 Squadron, the "Golden Arrows", has been resurrected at the Ambala base to operate the Rafale aircraft. The resurrection ceremony in September 2019 was presided over by then Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa, who had commanded the 17 Squadron during the Kargil conflict in 1999.

The IAF has undertaken major infrastructure upgrades at the Ambala base for the deployment of the first Rafale squadron. Built in 1948, the air base is located on the east side of Ambala in Haryana and is used for military and government flights. The air base has two squadrons of the Jaguar combat aircraft and one squadron of the MIG-21 Bison. Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh was the first commander of the base.

Also read: Iran holds military drill near UAE airbase where Indian Rafales are on halt
To fix this, our hospital and others hacked the system, just the way mutual aid groups around America have been doing, and worked with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to share the scarce supply equitably and logically. But we still had to make tough choices: The limited supply meant not all of our qualifying patients could get the drug.

This problem persists today. In our decentralized, profit-driven system, hospitals generally operate independently of one another, which encourages them to think first of their own bottom lines and needs. Hospitals in former hot spots are worried about giving up their federally allocated supplies, for fear that they will not get any back when cases again spike in their region.

Its also unclear if were legally allowed to share our supply, and if we would get it returned without cost. We dont know how much remdesivir to request in anticipation of a second wave, or whether such a request would further deplete the limited supply that should be available to those who urgently need it now.

But the problem isnt insoluble. The Department of Health and Human Services can build a transparent system that ensures remdesivir quickly gets to where it does the greatest good  and can be redistributed, making sure that hospitals that share now wont be harmed down the line for doing so. Having more available doses would also help with logistics, because hospitals needs are not fully predictable.

Beyond the distribution problem, we are facing a supply problems as well. Gilead Sciences, which holds the key patents on remdesivir, announced last month that it had only about 500,000 treatment courses through September  for the entire world. The company has sold almost all of it to the United States, and other countries are already experiencing serious shortages.
Toppr, one of the largest online learning startups in India, has secured $46 million in a new financing round as it looks to scale its platform, including a new product.

Dubai-headquartered investment firm Foundation Holdings led the Mumbai-based seven-year-old startups Series D round. Kaizen Private Equity, an existing investor, also participated in the new round, which brings Topprs to-date raise to over $92 million.

Toppr operates four products and services that are aimed at K-12 students. The Learning app, Toppr's marquee service, offers students live classes and sessions to clear doubts, pre-recorded lessons and tests.

Topprs catalog covers 17 subjects and prepares students for five dozen competitive exams, explained Toppr founder and chief executive Zishaan Hayath in an interview with TechCrunch.

A portion of Topprs library is available to students at no charge on the Learning app, but full access requires a membership. The subscription starts at 1,000 Indian rupee ($13.35) and goes as high as 3,000 Indian rupee ($40).

The startup launched Codr, a product aimed at helping all school-age children learn computer programming, last month. A Codr session costs about $9.35. Toppr also maintains a free problem solving app that enables a student to take a picture of a question and get its solution instantly, explained Hayath.

In background, the app uses character recognition and machine learning to sift through a large bank of problems Toppr has amassed over the years to determine solutions.

Toppr's Learning app has amassed over 13 million users, more than 150,000 of whom are paying subscribers, he said. In recent months, the startup has also worked on a new product called School OS, which enables a school to digitize their learning experience. Through School OS, a teacher can assign and collect homework digitally, and students can attend live classes.

Zishaan Hayath, the founder and chief executive of Toppr, a Mumbai-headquartered edtech startup (Photo: Toppr)

Story continues

"They can also attend classes from previous years, or of grades ahead of them. Our schooling system is built in a way that keeps you locked in the current year's curriculum. On digital, one of the benefits is that you don't have to follow such rules. So for instance, if a student in tenth grade needs to brush up some concept from grade nine, they can do so at any moment," said Hayath.

More than 40 schools have deployed School OS for their 60,000 students, he said. The startup plans to have 300,000 students enrolled to School OS in the next few months.

"Toppr has emerged as the highest traffic destination for K-12 learning and hosts over 1 million sessions every day. Topprs community of 50,000+ educators from across the country has contributed to over 35 lakh learning pieces, including questions, solutions, concepts, games and videos for the students. Our investment in Toppr also reflects our commitment to empowering great teachers via the new School OS. The new School OS already has 55,000+ learners on it, said Aakash Sachdev, managing director of Foundation Holdings, in a statement.

Sachdev has joined Toppr's board as part of the new financing round. Foundation Holdings said it will work with Toppr to make the startup "IPO ready" in the coming years and publicly list on Nasdaq or any other international stock exchange.

Hayath said the startup will continue to focus on scaling its various products and services, and also invest a little on marketing -- an aspect he said Toppr has never spent any penny on.

Another relatively new area for Toppr is exploring merger and acquisition deals. Hayath said the startup has so far resisted the idea of acquiring a team or firm to grow inorganically, but is open to scouting deals for a right fit.

Toppr's fundraising announcement today comes as edtech startups in India witness a significant surge in their user bases at a time when firms in other industries are finding it difficult to steer through the coronavirus pandemic.

Byju's, India's most valuable edtech startup, raised about $23 million from Mary Meeker's Bond last month. Unacademy, another learning platform in India, acquired a smaller firm, PrepLadder, for about $50 million earlier this month. And two weeks ago, Vedantu said it had secured $100 million in a fresh financing round.
Help.org, a trusted online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones, has announced the Best Rehab Facilities in Minneapolis, Minnesota for 2020. The informational guide recognizes the top 6 rehab facilities based on cost, treatment options, location, accompanying services and more.

According to recent studies, drug overdose is the leading cause of death among people under age 50. In Minneapolis, deaths related to opioid abuse increased significantly from 2011 to 2015. Substance abuse among adolescents is also escalating in Minneapolis with 55 percent of high school students reported using alcohol, 38 percent reported using marijuana, 8 percent reported using prescription drugs without a valid prescription, and 2 percent reported using heroin. With the growing need for accessible and high-quality rehab programs, Help.org has developed a unique ranking process to help connect individuals with treatment providers that meet their needs.

The Help.org research team analyzed thousands of facilities across the country and then identified the most cost-effective and highest rated programs in larger cities like Minneapolis. Each facility was evaluated based on rehabilitation services, treatment approaches, cost, special programs for unique demographics and ancillary services. The website also provides information about drug use and side effects as well as educational articles. For a detailed listing of the Best Rehab Facilities in Minneapolis, Minnesota please visit https://www.help.org/drug-and-alcohol-rehab-centers-in-minneapolis-mn/

2020 Best Rehab Facilities in Minneapolis, Minnesota (in alphabetical order)

Central Minnesota Mental Health Center

308 12th Avenue South

Buffalo, MN 55313

763-682-4400

Central Minnesota Mental Health Center

407 Washington Street

Monticello, MN 55362

763-295-4001

Elite Recovery

1145 Grand Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55105

612-719-4137

Judy Retterath Withdrawal Management Center

3409 East Medicine Lake Boulevard

Plymouth, MN 55441

763-559-1402

My Home, Inc.

651 University Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55104

651-659-0359

Senior Recovery Program

235 Roselawn Avenue East

Saint Paul, MN 55117

651-773-0473

ABOUT HELP.ORG

Help.org is an online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones. The website provides the latest research through scientifically proven methods, community recovery resources as well as information about local financial assistance. Help.orgs team of researchers, activists and writers work together with addiction counselors and other professionals to offer useful and accurate resources to help individuals seeking recovery. To learn more, visit https://www.help.org/.
CALGARY - The Petroleum Services Association of Canada is cutting its 2020 Canadian drilling forecast for a third time as the industry remains mired in a slump expected to extend well into the second half of the year.

The association says it now expects just 2,800 wells will be drilled in Canada this year, down from a nearly 50-year low of 3,100 in its revised forecast in April.

The new forecast for 2020 is 43 per cent lower than the 4,900 wells drilled in 2019.

PSAC interim CEO Elizabeth Aquin says a slow economic recovery, low commodity prices and high debt levels in the industry are preventing a quick recovery from the lows of earlier this year amid an economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She says a North American crude oil supply surplus means producers have little incentive to explore for and develop new wells.

Last week, Calgary-based Precision Drilling Corp. reported more layoffs and parked drilling rigs as revenue, led by lower activity in its Canadian and U.S. operations, fell by 47 per cent in the second quarter compared to the same period of last year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:PD)

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Iran's Revolutionary Guards claim to have launched ballistic missiles from 'the depths of the Earth' today during the last day of military exercises near sensitive Gulf waters.

The launches come a day after the Guards struck a mock-up of a US aircraft carrier with volleys of missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for a fifth of world oil output.

State television broadcast aerial footage of the latest daylight exercises in the desert showing bursts of flames, smoke and then dust before what appeared to be four projectiles climbing into the sky.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on its Sepahnews website that it was 'the first time in the world' that such an exercise had been carried out.

The statement did not elaborate on the claim or provide any of the missiles' specifications.

More rockets are fired as part of the annual naval war games by Iran, which opposes the presence of US and other Western navies in the Gulf

Iranian revolutionary guard chief Hossein Salami looks on as missiles are fired during the war training exercises in and around the Strait of Hormuz

It hailed 'the successful launch of ballistic missiles from the depths of the Earth in a completely camouflaged way' as an 'important achievement that could pose serious challenges to enemy intelligence organisations'.

The Guards said bombs were also released from Sukhoi Su-22 fighter-bombers to target predetermined positions on Bani Farur Island in Iran's territorial waters.

'These launches were carried out without the platform and usual equipment,' IRGC aerospace chief Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said on state television.

The exercises - dubbed 'Prophet Mohammed 14th' - began on Tuesday and come at a time of high tension between Tehran and Washington.

Drone footage captured by Iran's Revolutionary Guard showed two missiles blasting out from covered positions in what appeared to be a desert plateau in central Iran, with debris flying up in the air in their wake

The launch of the underground missiles was described as 'the first time in the world' that such an exercise had been carried out by the The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

The US military has responded by putting troops in the region on heightened alert and said Tehran's missile launches were irresponsible.

There have been periodic confrontations in the Gulf in recent years between the Guards and the US military, which has accused the Guards' navy of sending fast-attack boats to harass U.S. warships as they pass the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran, which opposes the presence of US and other Western navies in the Gulf, holds annual naval war games in phases in the strategic waterway, the conduit for some 30 per cent of all crude and other oil liquids traded by sea.

Yesterday satellite images showed the mock-up aircraft carrier being towed by a tugboat to the strait from the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.

A speedboat launching a missile during the last day of Iranian military exercises near sensitive Gulf waters in the Strait of Hormuz. The training exercise has heightened tension between the US and Iran

An image grab from footage obtained from Iranian State TV on July 28, reportedly showing an Iranian mockup imitating a US aircraft carrier being encircled by speedboats during a military exercise near the Strait of Hormuz, above and below

Iran's Revolutionary Guards blasted a mock-up of a US aircraft carrier with missiles on July 28 during military exercises in sensitive Gulf waters, state television said

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired Tuesday from the exercise called 'Great Prophet 14'

Footage of a broadcast on state television showed the Guards' air and naval forces readying for an attack off the country's southwest coast.

Speedboats skimmed across the water in formation before ground forces fired cannons and a missile was launched from a helicopter.

The mock-up of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier came into view with rows of dummy fighter jets on either side of its landing strip.

The television then cut to rockets being fired out to sea from the backs of trucks, before showing damage to the hull of the mock-up aircraft carrier.

Another missile fired from a helicopter left a trail of smoke before appearing to smash into the side of the fake warship.

An Iranian mockup imitating a US aircraft carrier being hit during a military exercise near the Strait of Hormuz, pictured above and below

Speedboats are seen racing towards a mockup aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz

The small boats then circled the mockup aircraft carrier during the exercise conducted by Iran

Armed forces were then seen rappelling onto the deck of the vessel, before around a dozen speedboats circle around it.

'What was shown today in these exercises, at the level of aerospace and naval forces, was all offensive,' Guards commander Major General Hossein Salami told state television.

The war games come only days after Tehran accused US fighter jets of harassing an Iranian commercial airliner in the skies over Syria.

At least four passengers on board the Mahan Air plane were injured in Thursday's incident, after the pilot took emergency action to avoid the warplanes.

The drill, in a waterway through which 20% of all traded oil passes, underlines the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the U.S. after last summer saw a series of incidents targeting oil tankers in the region.

The drill, in a waterway through which 20% of all traded oil passes, underlines the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the U.S.

Other footage showed fast boats encircling the mock-up, kicking up white waves in their wake

An aerial view of the Revolutionary Guard's speedboats circling the replica aircraft carrier in a military exercise reported on by Iranian state television

In January, a U.S. drone strike killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad and Tehran responded by firing ballistic missiles targeting American forces in Iraq.

While the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed both Iran and the U.S. for months, there have been increasing signs of a confrontation as America argues to extend a years-long U.N. weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October. A recent incident over Syria involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane also has renewed tensions.

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired Tuesday from the exercise called 'Great Prophet 14.' Other footage showed fast boats encircling the mock-up, kicking up white waves in their wake.

Iranian troops also fired anti-aircraft batteries at a drone target in the exercise from a location that state television described as being near the port city of Bandar Abbas. Troops also fired missiles launched from trucks on land and fast boats at sea, as well as shoulder-fired missiles.

The Guard will use 'long-range ballistic missiles with the ability to hit far-reaching aggressor floating targets' during the drill, said Abbas Nilforoushan, the Guard's deputy commander for operations, according to Guard website sepahnews.com.

Troops also fired missiles launched from trucks on land and fast boats at sea, as well as shoulder-fired missiles (pictured above)

Iranian troops also fired anti-aircraft batteries at a drone target in the exercise from a location that state television described as being near the port city of Bandar Abbas

A missile is fired by Iran's Revolutionary Guard during a training exercise. It was fired by the paramilitary soldiers from a helicopter

That suggests the drill could see a repeat of what happened in 2015, when the Guard mock-sunk a replica.

It wasn't immediately clear if all the footage was from Tuesday, as one overhead surveillance image that appeared to be shot by a drone bore Monday's date.

The replica resembles the Nimitz-class carriers that the U.S. Navy routinely sails into the Persian Gulf from the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the waterway.

The USS Nimitz, the namesake of the class, just entered Mideast waters late last week from the Indian Ocean, likely to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Sea.

A mockup aircraft carrier is seen damaged from above in the Strait of Hormuz during a live-fire drill by Iran's Revolutionary Guard

The refurbished mockup aircraft carrier is seen towed by a tugboat near Bandar Abbas, a day before it was used in a military drill in the Strait of Hormuz

The mockup aircraft carrier built by Iran is seen at Bandar Abbas, Iran, on February 15 before being put to sea

It remains unclear when or if the Nimitz will pass through the Strait of Hormuz or not during its time in the Mideast.

The USS Abraham Lincoln, deployed last year as tensions initially spiked, spent months in the Arabian Sea before heading through the strait. The Eisenhower came through the strait early last week.

The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, a spokeswoman said on Monday the Navy remains 'confident in our naval forces' ability to defend themselves against any maritime threat' after satellite photos showed the fake carrier being moved into place.

'We cannot speak to what Iran hopes to gain by building this mockup, or what tactical value they would hope to gain by using such a mock-up in a training or exercise scenario,' Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich told The Associated Press then. 'We do not seek conflict, but remain ready to defend U.S. forces and interests from maritime threats in the region.'
Australias former trade commissioner in China believes Australian business leaders must speak out against the deteriorating relationship between the two countries and that keeping a low profile is no longer an option.

Accusing the Australia China Business Council, the Business Council of Australia and the Australia-China CEO Roundtable of being silenced, Michael Clifton said the business community must do more to highlight Chinas contribution to the economy and deserved better than to be dismissed as a greedy, self-interested pro-Beijing lobby.

Mr Clifton spent six years as head of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission in China until 2017 and now leads the China Matters think tank. His comments are likely to spark a backlash from government figures concerned about the rise of China and its influence over business.

Testing times: Prime Minister Scott Morrison and China's President Xi Jinping. Credit:

Australias relationship with China has plunged to its lowest level since diplomatic relations were established in the 1970s. The coronavirus has acted as a catalyst for multiple disputes between Beijing and Washington, Canberra and London over Chinas territorial ambitions in the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and the future of its 5G provider Huawei.
WASHINGTON The United States on Wednesday imposed fresh sanctions aimed at depriving the Syrian government of funds, and warned that Washington would blacklist anyone doing business with President Bashar al-Assads government until he supports a negotiated end to the countrys nearly decade-long war.

The sanctions, imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act and other measures, come as the Syrian leader grapples with a deepening economic crisis after a decade of war.

Among the 14 blacklisted Wednesday were Assads son, Hafez, the Syrian Arab Armys First Division unit, and an individual and nine entities a senior U.S. official accused of helping to fund the Syrian leaderships campaign of terror" by supporting the governments construction of luxury real estate properties, sometimes on the land of displaced civilians.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement warned that Syria would face new tranches of crippling sanctions" unless Assad and his government took irreversible steps toward ending the countrys war as called for by the U.N. Security Council.

It is time for Assads needless, brutal war to end. This, above all, is what our sanctions campaign is meant to bring about," Pompeo said.

A senior U.S. official, speaking to reporters, also cautioned investors in the Middle East, including Gulf nations, that the United States would not hesitate to blacklist those who help the Syrian government steal land from displaced civilians to profit and support" Assads government.

Wednesdays action marks the second round of sanctions imposed by Washington under the Caesar Act, which aims to deter bad actors who continue to aid and finance the Assad regimes atrocities against the Syrian people while simply enriching themselves."

Already, U.S. and European Union sanctions have frozen the assets of the Syrian state and hundreds of companies and individuals. Washington has banned American exports to and investment in Syria, as well as transactions involving oil and hydrocarbon products.

The new sanctions cover many more sectors, and they can freeze assets of anyone dealing with Syria, regardless of nationality. The measure also targets those dealing with entities from Russia and Iran, Assads main backers.

Syrian authorities blame Western sanctions for widespread hardship among ordinary residents, where a collapse of the currency has led to soaring prices and people struggling to afford food and basic supplies.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft told a Security Council meeting on Syria on Wednesday that Washingtons sanctions on Syria are not intended to harm the countrys people and do not target humanitarian assistance.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
According to CNBC Make It, a smaller branch of CNBC dedicated to money and finance, both the University of Houston and Rice University rank in the top 50 schools that will pay off the most in 2020.

COLLEGE STUDENTS & COVID: University of Houston creates emergency fund for students affected by coronavirus crisis

CNBC Make It drafted a list of 50 colleges and universities across the country where you will receive the best bang for their buck with their "50 Colleges that Pay Off the Most" list. The list highlight 25 private schools and 25 public schools across the country that provide students with the highest average salaries for their tuition dollars.

The numbers CNBC used were achieved through the help of Tuition Tracker, The Hechinger Reporter and PayScale's College Salary Report. CNBC came to these conclusions by dividing the average net cost of a school for the average American student being sure to take tuition, fees, books, supplies and scholarships into account. They identified the net cost of each college for the typical American student, and then subtracted scholarships and grants.

The ranking didn't include schools like West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy because they're tuition free. CNBC went further into detail about their methodology in coming up with the list, as there were a multitude of factors included.

Stanford University appears first on the list, with Harvard following directly behind them for private colleges and universities.

Houston's very own Rice University and the University of Houston both make appearances on the list. The list, broken down between public and private schools, shows Rice University ranked at No. 16 for private schools, and University of Houston is shown at No. 7 for public schools.

Rice University maintained the same position on the list since last year, and University of Houston was a new addition.
Every two years, Massachusetts lawmakers race against the clock to pass a pile of bills by 11:59 p.m. July 31, the end of the two-year legislative session.

Some of proposals make it to the governors desk and get signed, some dont. After the clock hits midnight, many lawmakers shift gears to defend their seats or campaign for allies ahead of primary elections in early September.

The coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench in that timeline. The House approved an order to continue to meet for formal sessions past Friday after House Speaker Robert DeLeo announced lawmakers would debate an order to would suspend the rules to extend sessions.

Assistant Majority Leader Joseph Wagner said Wednesday that lawmakers have several unresolved policy issues with days before the end of the month, including education and public health initiatives related to COVID-19.

There are a number of pending matters across areas of policy, major policy issues, that require our attention, and we will certainly endeavor to deal with as much of that as we can prior to the current deadline of July 31, the Chicopee Democrat said during formal session.

In a statement, DeLeo introduced the order a couple of hours earlier saying the Legislature needs to stay in session to finish its work and respond to challenges emerging during the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 represents a threat to the health, safety and economic well-being of all the citizens of the Commonwealth, the Winthrop Democrat said. An insidious virus that has disrupted every aspect of our lives, it does not abide deadlines and it will require our constant vigilance well past July 31st.

Today, the #MAHouse voted to extend our formal session to ensure that all of the bills our constituents, advocates, and colleagues have worked so hard on during the 191st Legislative Session have the opportunity to cross the finish line. #mapoli https://t.co/CnJeikLiNb  Smitty Pignatelli (@repsmitty) July 29, 2020

The Legislatures Joint Rule 12A, referenced in the order, states that all formal business in the second year of a session be concluded not later than the last day of July of that calendar year. Each branch would need a two-thirds vote to suspend the rule.

The Senate did not take up the order Wednesday, focusing on its own version of an economic development bill.

Both DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka had discussed the possibility of formal sessions running beyond the end of the month because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Theres no reason why we cant get most of this done by July 31, but if we need to work through these extraordinary circumstances and work past July 31, we will, she told the State House News Service last week.

On Wednesday, Spilka issued a statement saying, The Senate is pleased that the House has agreed with us to extend the session to complete vital legislation and stand ready to act as required by the COVID-19 crisis.

Spilka said she still wants to see the police reform bill passed by the end of the week, adding the session extension does not affect the urgency of enacting the Reform, Shift + Build Act.

DeLeo acknowledged the tradition of ending formal sessions on July 21 in an election year, but said the state is facing an unprecedented public health crisis that has devastated the economy. As of Tuesday, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 8,331 people in Massachusetts. More than 108,000 thousand have tested positive in the state since the pandemic began, according to the state Department of Public Health.

On Tuesday, state health officials reported another 178 COVID-19 cases, much lower than the states peak in mid-April but still a sign of the virus presence in the state.

No one can predict what might happen over the next 5 weeks, much less the next 5 months, DeLeo said. While we are cautiously optimistic that we will maintain the gains we have made here in the commonwealth since the spring, we must remain prepared to address critical issues related to the health, safety and economic well-being of the commonwealth when and if they arise over the next 5 months.

Paul Craney, spokesman for the fiscally conservative Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, said the House order would give DeLeo a blank check, letting lawmakers put off votes on any proposed tax increase until after election season.

Hopefully, the Senate will put forward an approach that is not an open ended invitation to tax increases and other legislative mischief, with no end date in sight, Craney said in a statement.

With two days to the end of formal session, lawmakers have major bills pending on economic development, police reform, health care and the fiscal 2021 budget. Legislative leaders already indicated they would be back in the fall to debate a full year budget after fast-tracking an interim budget that covers the states base costs through October.

Lawmakers are also debating sports betting legalization as part of an economic development bill the House passed this week. An unlikely alliance including MGM, Red Sox, DraftKings, FanDuel and others have pushed for sports betting to be legalized one way or another.

If the Legislature agrees to extend formal sessions, the new timeline could take the wind out of the sports betting campaigns sails.

Some sports betting proponents say lawmakers need to spend more time drafting a proposal that includes a wider pool of potential operators.

Restaurant and bar owners who want to be cleared for sports wagering, operating under Fair Play Massachusetts, say the House and Senate bills currently leave them out. Ryan McCollum, spokesman for the group, said pushing the bill to the fall might give lawmakers more time to discuss what a legal sports betting market should look like in Massachusetts.

Whenever youre introducing a new industry, you do not want to leave out folks who should be incorporated, such as small local businesses, and you dont want to necessarily make monopolies, said Ryan McCollum, spokesman for Fair Play Massachusetts.

The organization represents a group of restaurant owners and bar owners who want in on the sports betting market. The Houses economic development bill does not include language that would make those business owners eligible for a sports wagering license.

Its not just about leaving them out, McCollum said. It can hurt them.

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When Pizza Hut opened its first Australian restaurant at Belfield in Sydney's south-west in 1970 it was a sit-down, dine-in family affair.

The original menu featured small pizzas for one or two people which ranged in price from $1.05 for a mozzarella cheese topping to $1.60 for a supreme.

Larger pizzas could be bought for between $1.70 and $2.70, salads were 35 cents, soft drinks 15 cents and adults could buy four draught beers for a buck.

It would be 10 years before the now famous fluffy-centred pan base was developed and five more before Pizza Hut introduced home delivery to hungry Australians.

This year the company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its arrival and will open its ovens to give away 50,000 free pizzas - 10,000 a day for all of next week.

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Pizza Hut is celebrating 50 years of operation in Australia by giving away 50,000 pizzas. The chain has undergone a revitalisation and is now the fastest growing brand in the quick service restaurant and pizza markets

When Pizza Hut opened its first Australian restaurant at Belfield in Sydney's south-west in 1970 it was an entirely sit-down, dine-in affair. The original store is pictured in 1978. There are now 265 Pizza Hut restaurants in Australia, operating in every state and territory

Actor Diarmid Heidenreich, who has played Dougie the pizza delivery boy in TV commercials on and off since 1993, is pictured this week in the chain's store at Waterloo in Sydney's inner city

While most of the iconic slanted roofs that symbolised Pizza Hut for decades are long gone, its all-you-can-eat buffets and red and white checked tablecloths still hold a place in the dining memories of millions of customers.

For several generations Pizza Hut's salad and dessert bars were a place families came together to mark birthdays and other special occasions.

Its booths were the scene of countless first dates, end-of-season sporting team gatherings, and cheap meals before or after watching a film.

While Pizza Hut no longer has the local market dominance it once did it has recently gone through a rejuvenation and is firmly back in the minds of pizza-loving Australians.

Pizza Hut Australia chief executive officer Phil Reed, who revitalised the chain when he was boss in the Philippines, is credited with doing the same here.

'Being candid, myself and the management team that I have, we've been working very, very hard to really revitalise the brand,' Mr Reed said. 'And we've been very, very successful in doing so.

The original menu featured small pizzas for one or two people which ranged in price from $1.05 for a mozzarella cheese topping to $1.60 for a supreme. Salads were 35 cents, soft drinks 15 cents and adults could buy four draught beers for a dollar

Pizza Hut Australia chief executive officer Phil Reed, who revitalised the chain when he was boss in the Philippines, is credited with doing the same here. Mr Reed is pictured

'That's based upon our plan to really put the love back into Pizza Hut, to put the heart back into the Hut and move this brand forward again.'

Mr Reed said Pizza Hut had been the fastest growing brand in the quick service restaurant and pizza markets for the past two quarters.

'I think it's just continuing to build and I think realistically many people have not enjoyed a great pizza from Pizza Hut for a fair few years.

Pizza Hut in Australia 1970: Pizza Hut launched in Australia with the opening of the first red-roofed restaurant in Belfield. 1980: 'Original Pan' base launched. 1985: Home delivery begins. 1993: Dougie the pizza delivery boy makes his first appearance on TV. 1995: 'Stuffed Crust' is introduced. 2017: Thirteen million Pizza Hut pizzas are consumed. 2018: WingStreet sub-brand launched with three types of chicken wings. 2019: Full vegan range launched from vegan pizzas to a vegan Cornettos 2020: Newest Pizza Hut restaurant opened in July in Parramatta, NSW Advertisement

'I think people have tried us again and they've gone, wow, it's fast, it's good value, it's great quality food, why not?'

Each day next week the Pizza Hut website and social media channels will be dedicated to celebrating key cultural moments in each decade since the 1970s.

The 50,000 free pizzas will come with a 'warm hug' from the company, which wants to thank Australians for their support over the past 50 years, including through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pizza Hut recognises the brand evokes a sense of nostalgia but it continues to modernise its operations and runs 265 restaurants in all states and territories.

Its latest restaurant opened at Parramatta earlier this month.

'There's been a huge amount of change compared with 50 years ago,' Mr Reed said.

'This was a business that was based very much around family moments in a store.

'Chatting with my colleagues, some of the senior members of my team are reminiscing about moments they went on their first date at a Pizza Hut.

'They're talking about moments with their family and dad would be there with a beer, knocking one back, and they're really enjoying themselves.'

There are now only 12 of the 'red roof' restaurants left across the country and more than 50 per cent of the company's business is home delivery.

'I think what's happened over time, just like many aspects of life, technology's come in,' Mr Reed said. 'But also we're all experiencing very, very busy lifestyles and delivery now is a very, very easy solution.

'I have to say now, many many customers - millions on a yearly basis - don't see a Pizza Hut.

Diarmid Heidenreich is pictured as Dougie the pizza delivery boy in one of the three dozen TV commercials he filmed for the restaurant chain. The character was hugely popular with audiences

'The store is actually on their mobile phone and they're ordering on the phone and within 20, 25 minutes, there's the food. Fantastic.'

In a nod to its past, the company has brought back actor Diarmid Heidenreich, who played Dougie the pizza delivery boy in a series of television commercials which began in 1993.

Heidenreich's cheeky character became the face of the business and has recently been used to promote Pizza Hut's contact-less delivery pick-up service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The actor was delighted to be back with the brand that made him a household face more than a quarter of a century ago.

'I jumped at the chance to be able to share it with my children and I've really enjoyed it,' he said. 'For me, Pizza Hut was about family.'

Mr Reed said Pizza Hut wanted Heidenreich to be a part of its 50th anniversary celebrations because so many Australians had fond memories of the old ads.

'He's someone that we've used recently to I suppose reach back into those good times,' he said. 'At Pizza Hut we want to share good times.'

Pizza Hut Australia by the numbers It takes less than 30 seconds to prepare and seven minutes to bake a Super Supreme pizza. Most popular side dish is garlic bread. Least favourite topping is anchovies Pizza Hut's top five pizzas are: BBQ Meatlovers, Super Supreme, Pepperoni Lovers, Hawaiian and Cheese Lovers. Pizza Hut went through 392.4 tonnes of pineapple in 2019, up from 237.6 tonnes the previous year. The chain ordered an average 40 tonnes of cheese per week last year. The most popular time for ordering Pizza Hut is 6pm-8pm on Friday, followed by 6pm-7pm on Tuesday (due to two-for-one deal that day). 'Original Pan', introduced in 1980, is the most popular pizza base. Pizza Hut sells just under 50,000 pizzas from 20 tonnes of dough on Fridays. Most popular side dish is garlic bread. Least favourite topping is anchovies. It takes less than 30 seconds to prepare and seven minutes to bake a Super Supreme pizza. Advertisement

Mr Reed said Pizza Hut was now in a strong position and continued to grow.

'Generally across the market it's all really strong now,' he said. 'We brought in some experts to retrain every single one of our franchisees in terms of the quality of the food and the speed of delivery, really to give customers what they want.

'We had one of the busiest ever trading days in our history a couple of weeks ago. Lots of people are trying Pizza Hut again.'

Mr Reed believed a pizza tasted better if its maker loved what he or she was doing.

'Restaurants are about people and restaurants are about heart,' he said. 'We've got this little quote at Pizza Hut, "For the love of pizza".

'And if someone is preparing a pizza and they're really focused, if they've got a smile on their face, the pizza will be better.'

Pizza Hut's top five pizzas are: BBQ Meatlovers, Super Supreme, (pictured) Pepperoni Lovers, Hawaiian and Cheese Lovers. Pepperoni Lovers sold particularly well during the week but Super Supreme was the clear weekend winner

The free pizzas will come with the country's five favourite toppings: Super Supreme, Pepperoni Lovers, BBQ Meat Lovers, Cheese Lovers and Hawaiian.

Pizza buyers go for different toppings depending on the hour and the day. Families tend to buy more pizzas on Saturdays and Sundays.

Pepperoni Lovers sold particularly well during the week but Super Supreme was the clear weekend winner. Pizza Hut now also has a large vegan range.

Mr Reed, who regularly tastes potential new toppings, was happy to weigh into the debate about the culinary worth of the Hawaiian pizza.

'I'm cool with it,' he said. 'I'm absolutely fine with pineapple on pizza. I have to say I'm even more controversial because I do like anchovy.'

Mr Reed was less sure how COVID-19 would change the fast food industry.

'I think realistically it's too early to tell,' he said. 'I think it's going to affect different aspects of the industry in different ways.

There are now only 12 of the old Pizza Hut restaurants with their distinctive slanted roofs and trapezoidal windows. The outlet at Warrawong in Wollongong, south of Sydney, is pictured

Pizza Hut was once famed for its all-you-can-eat buffet style menu. Rising rents and labour costs, as well as changing dining habits, made such deals no longer economically viable. The Pizza Hut at Canterbury in Sydney's south-west is pictured in 1978

'Digital without doubt is going to be more important - ensuring that you've got websites that are running fast and accurately but equally that those delivery riders are following social distancing and delivering with that contact-less protocol.'

'If anything, with COVID I think it does change the rules and I think those moments when people can get together will be cherished again.'

As for delivery by drone, that was a long way off, if it happened at all.

'We've got a guy on our team who's already done that,' Mr Reed said. 'I'm not suggesting we're going to do that but we've got the capability to do it.

'I think realistically we're a long way from moving in that direction.'

Mr Reed said while Pizza Hut would continue to look forward and embrace technology there was a place in its future for the past.

He hoped the distinctive red roofs would never completely disappear from the Australian restaurant landscape.

'Without doubt they're iconic,' Mr Reed said. 'I think on one hand it's a shame that there aren't as many.

'But times have changed, rent's very high and labour's high and just from a business perspective we've moved into this new area.

Pizza Hut launched its WingStreet sub-brand (pictured) in 2018 featuring three types of wings and sauces including chipotle, peri-peri, honey mustard and hickory and brown sugar

How two young American brothers took pizza restaurants to the world Sixty years ago, two Wichita State University students, brothers Dan and Frank Carney, opened a pizza restaurant serving what at the time was a little-known food. With only $600 to invest, the brothers named their restaurant 'Pizza Hut' due to the modest premises they were occupying and opened their doors to a sceptical Kansas citizenry. Ten years later, Pizza Hut had expanded to 310 restaurants. That number had ballooned past 1000 by 1972 and four years later there were more than 2000 stores, including 100 international outlets in England, Japan and Australia. Pizza Hut International is the biggest pizza chain in the world with more than 16,000 restaurants in more than 130 countries. Pizza Hut is owned by parent company Yum! Brands, Inc. Yum is a Fortune 500 corporation in the quick service restaurant industry which develops, operates, franchises and licenses a number of brands. Yum has an enterprise value of US$37.1 billion. Revenue for Yum in 2017 was US$5.88 billion and US$6.4 billion in 2016. Yum operates more than 44,000 restaurants and has more than 1.5million employees worldwide. Advertisement

'I would love in time to be in a situation as the brand gets stronger that if we can roll out more restaurant experiences like that we'd love to do it.'

Mr Reed could see a time when customers returned to dining out for pizzas, the way they do for Chinese, Thai or Indian food.

'I think there's the opportunity to bring that really indulgent exciting fun gourmet pizza experience back again,' he said.

All-you-can-eat buffets, which were available at the 12 remaining 'red roof' restaurants before the coronavirus pandemic, could even make a wider return.

'Let's be frank,' Mr Reed said. 'Why all-you-can-eat doesn't exist anymore is it wasn't economical because of rents and labour.

'But if that dynamic changes, well, you never know. It would be cool, wouldn't it?'

Other dining experiences from Pizza Hut's long history are less likely to make a return.

Pizza Hut had an anchovy pizza on the menu in 1970. 'So far I've been unable to persuade the guys to bring it back,' Mr Reed said.

To secure a free pizza, visit this Pizza Hut site and claim one of 10,000 coupons released between 4pm and 6pm from Monday to Friday next week.

For more information on Pizza Hut Australia's 50th anniversary, visit www.pizzahut.com.au.
Welcome back to Texas, President Trump.

We wish you the best on your visit Wednesday to Midland, the one-time home of former Presidents George H.W. and George W. Bush, both West Texas wildcatters in their younger days.

What better place for your first oil rig tour than the legendary Permian Basin, which has been producing oil, gas and jobs for the state and nations economy for almost 100 years?

The White House says you will use the stop at Double Eagle Energy to highlight how your administration has helped the United States achieve energy dominance by cutting regulations, simplifying permitting and encouraging private investment in energy infrastructure.

Members of the industry, along with other supporters from the Midland-Odessa area, are expected to join you earlier in the day at a fundraising luncheon for the Republican Party and your re-election campaign to show their appreciation.

There is no reason to think that your 16th presidential visit to the state wont be well-received by those on your itinerary. But there are a growing number of Texans you wont encounter who are struggling to survive through the coronavirus pandemic, the economic collapse and the weight of keeping food on the table and a roof over their heads.

Things have only gotten worse since you last visited in June.

No one is as resilient as Texans when it comes to dealing with disasters and coping with a booming economy that suddenly goes bust but we have suffered from unwise and inconsistent leadership.

Instead, we got cheerleading on reopening businesses, slow testing results and a feckless contact-tracing program.

It was a dismal failure. How do we know?

When you visited Dallas back on June 11, Texas was leading the stampede to reopen for business, spurred on by Gov. Greg Abbotts aggressive plans and your administrations false assurances that the outbreaks were under control.

At the time, the United States had reported a little more than 2 million confirmed cases and almost 114,000 deaths. Texas was reporting about 85,000 cases and 2,000 deaths. Seven weeks later, as Air Force One descends on the Lone Star State, the United States has more than 4 million cases. America is closing in on 150,000 dead  nearly the population of Midland.

Texas alone has almost 400,000 confirmed cases and nearly 6,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

Abbott finally began to reverse course in early July by closing bars and issuing a mandatory face mask order, which came just two weeks before you, Mr. President, at long-last deigned to wear a face-covering in public and half-heartedly recommend that others do the same.

You cant take Texas for granted this time. We know you dont put much stock in independent polls, Mr. President, but a consensus is growing that Texans are losing confidence that you are the person to lead the nation out of the canyon that you and your administration have helped dig.

A Morning Consult poll released Monday night shows presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden leading 47-45 in Texas less than 100 days from the Nov. 3 election. An average of five recent polls shows the race as a dead heat in a reliably Republican state that you won by just 9 points in 2016.

The signs are pointing to a level of disenchantment in the state that cant be addressed by a photo-op on an oil rig. The hashtag #TrumpKillsTexas began trending on Tuesday just ahead of the presidential visit.

One important thing you could do on your visit, Mr. President, is to make an unequivocal commitment to improved testing, social-distancing and getting your followers in the Republican Party to give up their rebellion to Gov. Abbotts face-mask order. We are almost certain you wont, but that would be a good start to something resembling leadership.

Energy policy is important to Texans but so are lives and livelihoods. We cant drill, baby, drill if were dead, baby dead.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil prices moved higher on Wednesday after official data showed a much larger than expected decline in U.S. crude inventories in the week ended July 24. However, gains were just modest for crude oil futures as worries about energy demand outlook persisted due to continued surge in new coronavirus cases across the world. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for September ended up $0.23 or about 0.6% at $41.27 a barrel. Brent crude futures moved up $0.45 to $43.67 a barrel. According to the data released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) this morning, crude oil inventories in the U.S. declined by as much as 10.6 million barrels last week, after rising by 4.9 million barrels a week earlier. Late on Tuesday, the American Petroleum Institute released a report that said oil inventories declined 6.83 million barrels last week, almost twice the expected drop. The EIA report showed gasoline inventories were up 700,000 barrels last week, compared with 1.8 million-barrel draw in the previous week. Meanwhile, distillate fuels invntory increased by half a million barrels, compared with a 1.1 million barrels increase a week earlier. In coronavirus news, several U.S. states in the South and West reported their biggest one-day increase in coronavirus deaths Tuesday, fueling a bitter debate over the reopening of schools in the coming weeks. Mainland China has reported 101 new cases of the novel coronavirus - the highest number in more than three and a half months. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam warned that the city was on the brink of a large-scale outbreak and tightened lockdown measures. Japan topped 1,000 Covid-19 cases for first time as Osaka and Aichi set daily records. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Five Rafale aircrafts out of the 36 ordered by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from France will arrive at their Harayanas Ambala base on Wednesday.

The new aircraft will notably magnify the offensive ability of the Indian Air Force, which had long planned to update its fighter jet force. Defence experts have stated that the bringing in of the Rafale jets will be a game changer for the nation in terms of regional politics of South Asia.

France has accelerated the consignments of Rafale to India and five jets are arriving in Ambala in place of four that were initially planned to be delivered in the first lot.

Heres how the Rafale aircraft will add to Indian Air Forces strength:

1) Categorised as a 4.5 generation aircraft for its radar-evading stealth profile, is significant for IAF because most of the aircraft in its fleet, which includes the Mirage 2000 and the Su-30 MkI, are classified as either third or fourth-generation aircrafts.

2) It is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to ply from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The makers describe it as a fully versatile aircraft which can execute every combat aviation missions to get air supremacy and air defence, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

3) The first Rafale built for India bears the tail number RB-01, the initials of IAF Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. The ir Force chief had played a crucial part in the signing of Indias biggest-ever defence deal worth approximately Rs 60,000 crore.

4) India had ordered 36 Rafale aircrafts from France in a deal worth about Rs 60,000 crore in 2016. Of the 36 Rafale, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will possess almost all the features of the fighter jets.

5) The Rafale fighter jets will be a pivotal amplification to Indias Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft fleet.

6) Rafale have been especially made for the IAF. India-specific enhancements include helmet-mounted sight, radar warning receivers, flight data recorders with enough storage for 10 hours of data, infrared search and track systems, jammers, cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases and towed decoys to lure incoming missiles away.

7) The aircraft will be the first imported fighter jet to be taken into the IAF in 22 years after the Russian Sukhoi-30 fighters in June 1997.

8) The Rafales will be a part of the IAFs No 17 Squadron, which is also known as the Golden Arrows. The first squadron of the aircraft will be stationed at Ambala air force station, regarded as one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at West Bengals Hasimara base.

9) The Indian Air Force spent around Rs 400 crore to set up infrastructure such as shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

10) After Egypt, France and Qatar, India will be the fourth nation to fly the Rafale.

11) Rafale cannot be compared with the J-20, a fifth-generation aircraft of China. The J-20 is soon set to be inducted in large numbers into the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force of China after it was successfully made.

12) The first 18 fighter jets, which includes the four in the first batch, were to be delivered to the IAF by February 2021, with the rest expected by April-May 2022, as per the original delivery plan.

Also Read: PM Modi can talk about my father, but what about Rafale?, asks Rahul Gandhi
Saudi Arabia has imprisoned a Yemeni blogger over a social media video that called for LGBT rights, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.

Mohamad al-Bokari, 29, was arrested in April after he uploaded a video that included him talking about same-sex relationships, the New York-based rights group said. In the video, which Saudi authorities claimed violated public order and morals, Bokari said, Everyone has rights and should be able to practice them freely, including gay people.

He was charged with violating public morality and imitating women. Last week, a Saudi court sentenced the activist to deportation after 10 months in prison and a fine of 10,000 Saudi riyals ($2,700). Bokari has 30 days to appeal.

A source in contact with Bokari said he has no access to a lawyer at the al-Malaz prison in the capital, Riyadh. According to Human Rights Watchs source, Bokari, who suffers from a heart condition, has been subjected to physical and psychological duress while in pretrial detention.

During his arrest, police reportedly kicked and slapped him in an effort to force him to confess that he is gay.

Saudi Arabias relentless policing of free expression reveals the hypocrisy of a government that has promised to carry out reforms, said Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. Saudi authorities should do the right thing and immediately release the young man, who was only expressing his opinion.

Saudi Arabia remains a dangerous place for LGBT individuals. Although the conservative Muslim country has no explicit laws covering sexual orientation or gender identity, judges turn to Islamic law to prescribe punishments for homosexual sex and other immoral acts.

After receiving death threats from armed groups, Bokari fled to Saudi Arabia from Yemen, which is embroiled in a civil war between a Saudi-led military coalition and the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. Bokari has since been living in Riyadh as an undocumented migrant, and Human Rights Watch warned his deportation to Yemen would again put his life at risk.
Washington  President Trump lashed out at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute and Fox News on Sunday after the presidential foundation requested his campaign and the Republican National Committee stop using former President Ronald Reagan's likeness to fundraise.

"So the Washington Post is running the Reagan Foundation, and RINO Paul Ryan is on the Board of Fox, which has been terrible," Mr. Trump tweeted. "We will win anyway, even with the phony @FoxNews suppression polls (which have been seriously wrong for 5 years)!"

So the Washington Post is running the Reagan Foundation, and RINO Paul Ryan is on the Board of Fox, which has been terrible. We will win anyway, even with the phony @FoxNews suppression polls (which have been seriously wrong for 5 years)! https://t.co/fOi3AROxuz

July 26, 2020

The chairman of the Reagan Foundation's board of trustees, Frederick Ryan, also serves as publisher and CEO of the Washington Post, and Paul Ryan, the former speaker of the House, is a board member of the Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News. On Friday, Fox News released a poll showing Mr. Trump trailing Biden in Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

Related video: Biden leads Trump in polls 99 days out from election

Mr. Trump also appeared to be responding to news the Reagan Foundation called the Republican National Committee last week after a fundraising email from the joint fundraising committee of the Trump campaign and RNC offered commemorative coin sets to donors, which featured one coin engraved with Reagan's image and a second with Mr. Trump's image, according to the Washington Post. The Reagan Foundation asked the RNC to stop sales of the coins.

RNC communications director Michael Ahrens said in a statement Reagan's "likeness is used by thousands of Republicans each year."

"Given that the Reagan Foundation just recently hosted the Trump family to raise money for its organization and has not objected to us using President Reagan's likeness before, their objection came as a surprise," he said. "Even though we believe our use of the image was appropriate, we will stop emailing this fundraising solicitation as a courtesy."

Story continues

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said on Twitter the GOP "has used President Reagan's image for decades."

"But since the Reagan Foundation is suddenly opposed to it, are they going to return the money @DonaldTrumpJr and @kimguilfoyle raised for them just 8 months ago?" she said. "By the way, I am sure it is just a coincidence that the head of the Reagan Foundation, Fred Ryan, is also the Publisher & CEO of The Washington Post, which wrote the hit piece on us for daring to use an image of one of our Party's most prominent Presidents."

McDaniel called the "weaponization" of the Reagan Foundation to attack Mr. Trump and the GOP "disgraceful."

The Reagan Foundation has hosted members of the Trump family and other Trump administration officials before. In November, Donald Trump Jr. appeared at the California-based Reagan Presidential Library for a lecture on his new book, and in 2017, Ivanka Trump, a senior adviser at the White House, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin discussed tax reform at the presidential library.

A summer song: Jimmy Buffett

Is the United States "hitting bottom"?

Invasion! Asian giant hornets have arrived
A man eats a takeaway meal on a chair placed outside a restaurant in the Kowloon-side Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong in the early morning of July 29, 2020, as new social distancing measures come into effect which include restaurants only being allowed to serve takeaway meals, to combat a new wave of coronavirus infections.

Hong Kong is on the cusp of a large-scale coronavirus outbreak that may overload its health-care facilities and cost lives, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Wednesday as new social distancing measures took effect.

In a prerecorded video address late Tuesday, Lam said there has been an "upsurge" in local infections, and there are "many with yet unknown sources." Confirmed cases in Hong Kong soared in July, with a new daily high of 145 reported this week.

Also on Tuesday, authorities said they were investigating 106 new cases, bringing the total number to at least 2,884.

"We are on the verge of a large-scale community outbreak, which may lead to a collapse of our hospital system and cost lives, especially of the elderly," the chief executive said.
US President, Donald Trump, on Tuesday addressed a press briefing hinting at a potential dispensation of aid, including other medical facilities, to other countries when US succeeds in creating a Covid-19 vaccine; Moderna's vaccine commences phase three trial in bid to provide substantial positive results.

US President Donald Trump during a press briefing said the United States may provide a vaccine for the novel coronavirus to other countries when it is ready.

When we have that vaccine it will be discharged and taken care of, Trump told reporters on Tuesday. It will be a very rapid process all over the country and perhaps well be supplying a lot of the vaccine to other parts of the world like we do with ventilators and other things that we all of a sudden have become very good at making.

The Trump administration aims to have a vaccine available by the end of the year or early 2021.

On Monday, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said that US scientists have begun the phase three trial of the potential vaccine developed by the biotechnology company Moderna.

Also read: Tibetan-govt-in-exile lashes out at China, joins US in accusing China of intellectual property theft

Also read: Amid global boycott calls, China forges cooperation with Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan

The NIH plans to conduct the trial at multiple US clinical research sites with participation of approximately 30,000 adult volunteers who are not infected with the novel coronavirus.

The United States has reported more than 4.3 million cases and more than 149,000 virus-related deaths as of Tuesday afternoon, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University.

Also read: First US Presidential debate to be held on September 29

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Ukraine expects a reduction in air service by three times by the end of the year compared to last year, Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Vladyslav Kryklii has said.

The projected volume of air traffic at the end of the year is 30-35% of the volume of passenger traffic compared to last year, Kryklii said in a comment to journalists in Poltava region on Tuesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He also noted that air carriers are trying to stimulate and draw the attention of citizens with low prices. We see that tickets for both domestic and international flights are sold at rather competitive democratic prices, the minister said.

He added that foreign companies are returning to Ukraine after the restoration of international flights. None of the airlines has yet reported about the complete cessation of flights from Ukraine, but the number and frequency of their flights are very low.

In addition, answering Ukrinform's question regarding support for airports, Kryklii noted that the state-owned airports of Ukraine, Boryspil and Lviv, received loans, which allow them to provide liquidity, pay salaries and operate until the end of the year.

Adaptive quarantine is in force in Ukraine until August 31. That is, restrictive measures can be relaxed or intensified depending on the epidemic situation in each region.

Scheduled international flights were resumed on June 15 after a months-long break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Domestic air traffic was resumed on June 5.

ish
(CNN)  Japanese fighter pilot Lt. Col. Takamichi Shirota says his country is under increasing pressure from the air. Analysts say it's a pressure faced by few other nations.

More than twice a day, Japanese fighter pilots hear a siren blare, bolt up from their ready-room seats, run to their jets, and scream aloft, ready to intercept a potentially unidentified incursion into Japanese airspace.

It happened to Japan's Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) 947 times in the last fiscal year ending in March. The culprit in most of those cases, warplanes from China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

And Shirota says the number of potential incursions is growing.

"The number of scrambles against airspace violations has been increasing rapidly over the past decade -- especially in the southwest air zone," said Shirota in an exclusive interview with CNN. "About 70% of the scrambles done by Japan's SDF annually are conducted in this area."

That southwest area includes the Senkaku Islands  known as the Diaoyu Islands in China  a rocky, uninhabited group of islands under Japanese administration but claimed by China as its territory.

It also includes Okinawa, home to the United States Air Force's Kadena Air Base, which touts itself as the "Keystone of the Pacific" and is a key US installation for flights over the contested waters of the South China Sea.

Japan's Defense Ministry in March released a map showing the flight routes of Chinese and Russian aircraft that Japan's fighter pilots rose to intercept. The Chinese flight routes are shown in red. Their density makes the East China Sea, the part of the Pacific Ocean between China and Japan's southern islands, look like a sea of red.

The Chinese flights don't violate international law. Of the 675 times Japan's fighters scrambled after Chinese planes in the last fiscal year, not once did the Chinese aircraft fly within the internationally recognized 12-mile territorial limit, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry.

And even then, China says the presence of its forces within the Senkakus/Diaoyu island chain is within its sovereign rights.

"Diaoyu island and the affiliated islands are China's inherent territory, China is resolute in safeguarding our territorial sovereignty," Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, said in June.

"The normal flight of Chinese military aircraft conforms to international law and international practice and does not pose a threat to any country," China's Foreign Ministry said in a faxed response to CNN Wednesday.

Still, Japan says Chinese planes often intrude into its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which can vary in size depending upon location.

The US Federal Aviation Administration defines an ADIZ as "a designated area of airspace over land or water within which a country requires the immediate and positive identification, location, and air traffic control of aircraft in the interest of the country's national security."

Shirota, the 40-year-old commander of the JASDF 204th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Naha Air Base on Okinawa, has his pilots on alert 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to do just that.

"The Air Self Defense Force is the one and only entity able to protect Japan's territory and airspace," he says.

And though there have been no shooting incidents with the Chinese planes, it's always a tense job, Shirota says.

"We wait on guard on the ground all the time in tension," the Japanese pilot says. "The same said while we are in the sky. We keep the motivation high all the time.

"Because we never know what we will face once we go up in the sky. We might see them (Chinese aircraft) leaving, or we might face off," he says.

The readiness of the Japanese pilots is remarkable when you consider their burden. No Western air force comes close to Japan in the number of times their fighter jets scramble against potentially hostile aircraft.

The air forces of the 27 European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) combined flew fewer than half the intercepts last year than Japan did.

"I can tell you that over the 12 months period of 2019, NATO jets took to the skies approximately 430 times to intercept or visually identify unidentified aircraft that flew either in, close to, or towards NATO airspace," Lt. Col. Michael Wawrzyniak, chief public affairs officer for Allied Air Command in Germany, told CNN.

Across the Atlantic, US and Canadian fighters under command of NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, has averaged just seven intercepts a year of Russian aircraft since 2007, said Capt. Cameron Hillier, a spokesperson for NORAD and the US Northern Command in Colorado. Some years, US and Canadian fighter jets haven't had to scramble at all.

Japan has seen no such respite. Using the same 2007 time frame as NORAD, even in its slowest year, 2009, Japan scrambled its fighter jets more than 200 times.

Analyst Peter Layton, a former Royal Australian Air Force pilot now with the Griffith Asia Institute, believes the pressure China puts on Japan by air is part of a larger plan.

"I think China wants to keep the JASDF off-balance and reactive, wear out its aircraft and air crew, gain training and keep the pressure up daily on who owns the disputed islands," Layton told CNN.

In a commentary last year written for The Interpreter blog from Australia's Lowy Institute, Layton detailed just how far the Chinese flights stretch the JASDF, and how China has the resources to push Japan to limits it may not be able to reach.

"The JASDF's fleet of some 215 F-15J aircraft bears the brunt of scramble tasking," he wrote.

"Since 2016, the JASDF have often launched four aircraft for each scramble.

"These daily scrambles are gradually wearing the F-15J fleet out. The concern is that China has some six times more fighters then the JASDF, and could further ramp up intrusions whenever it considers appropriate. The in-service life of Japan's F-15J fleet is now almost a decision that lies with China," Layton said.

Layton told CNN that Tokyo cannot back down, however.

"The Japanese believe they need to respond every time as to do otherwise might be interpreted as being less committed to territorial ownership," he said.

And Japan is stepping up its responses to possible Chinese threats.

A Defense Ministry official said Japanese fighters are now scrambling as soon as Chinese planes take off from their mainland bases in range of the Senkakus. They had previously waited until Chinese planes headed toward Japanese airspace.

In its 2020 Defense White Paper published this month, Tokyo noted Beijing's pressure around the Senkakus.

"China has relentlessly continued unilateral attempts to change the status quo by coercion in the sea area around the Senkaku Islands, leading to a grave matter of concern," it said.

"The Chinese Navy and Air Force have in recent years expanded and intensified their activities in the surrounding sea areas and airspace of Japan, and there are cases involving the one-sided escalation of activities," the White Paper said.

The document notes what Japan is doing to meet the challenge, with new fighter jets, like the stealth F-3, in the planning stages. Japan has also begun receiving US-designed F-35 stealth fighters, considered as good as, or better than anything China can put up at the moment.

But the F-3 is years away from the assembly line and the F-35s won't come in the kind of numbers that can put much of a dent in China's advantage there.

So the burden will fall to Shirota and his fellow aviators.

"Japan is surrounded by the sea. So the invasion comes from either the ocean or the sky. If the invasion comes from the air, it will happen all very fast," he says.

"Securing the air defense is directly linked to protect Japan, the lives and assets of the Japanese people," Shirota says. "I am full-heartedly serving my duty as an Air Self Defense Force officer with strong will to protect Japan."

This story was first published on CNN.com "Japan's air force faces a 'relentless' burden, imposed by China"
Iran Conducts Military Exercise With Mock U.S. Aircraft Carrier In Persian Gulf

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda July 28, 2020

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has fired a missile from a helicopter targeting a mock U.S. aircraft carrier during military exercises in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, local media reported.

Footage of the drills broadcast on state television on July 28 showed the missile fired from a helicopter leaving a trail of smoke before appearing to smash into the side of the fake warship.

Other footage from the exercise dubbed Payambar-e Azam 14 (The Great Prophet) showed speedboats encircling the replica, commandos rappelling onto the deck of the vessel, and scuba forces underwater.

Antiaircraft batteries were seen firing from a location that the report described as being near the port city of Bandar Abbas.

Land-based trucks also launched missiles and troops used shoulder-fired missiles.

The U.S. Navy condemned the "irresponsible and reckless behavior by Iran," calling it an attempt "to intimidate and coerce."

The military exercise comes a day after satellite images provided by U.S.-based space technology firm Maxar Technologies showed Iran placed the replica of a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran, which opposes the presence of U.S. and Western navies in the Gulf, frequently holds naval war games in the strategic strait, through which 20 percent of all traded oil passes.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been on the rise since 2018, when the United States withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed crippling sanctions that have battered the Iranian economy.

In addition, IRGC and U.S. forces have had several incidents with Washington accusing the Iranians of harassing American warships as they pass the waterway.

The U.S. Navy 5th Fleet, which is based in the Gulf state of Bahrain, said it was "aware of the Iranian exercise involving attacking a mock-up of a vessel similar to a motionless aircraft carrier."

The U.S. Navy "conducts defensive exercises with our partners promoting maritime security in support of freedom of navigation; whereas, Iran conducts offensive exercises, attempting to intimidate and coerce," spokeswoman Commander Rebecca Rebarich said in a statement.

"While we are always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behavior by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways, this exercise has not disrupted coalition operations in the area nor had any impacts to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters," the statement said.

The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier entered Middle Eastern waters last week and is expected to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Sea. It remained unclear whether the Nimitz will pass through the Strait of Hormuz during its time in the region.

With reporting by AFP and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-launches -exercises-near-key-waterway-for -oil-transport/30753081.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Washington

President Donald Trump devolved into self-pity during a White House coronavirus briefing Tuesday, lamenting that his approval ratings were lower than those of two top government medical experts.

Just over a week after he began a rebooted effort, driven by rising infection rates and sinking poll numbers, to talk about the virus in terms more in line with medical consensus, Trump was again making unfounded claims and defending discredited medical experts.

Noting that Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, and Dr. Deborah L. Birx, his administration's top coronavirus coordinator, have high approval ratings even as his own have sagged, Trump added: "And yet, they're highly thought of  but nobody likes me."

"It can only be my personality," he concluded.

When the president restarted his coronavirus briefings last week after shutting them down in April, he largely hewed to a script, urging Americans to wear masks and practice social distancing.

But on Tuesday, he resumed his freelancing and wandering into politically and medically problematic alleyways. When reporters pressed him on a viral video he had retweeted Monday night that included doctors falsely claiming that hydroxychloroquine was a "cure" for the virus and that masks were unnecessary, Trump responded: "They're very respected doctors. There was a woman who was spectacular in her statements about it, and she's had tremendous success with it.''

When a reporter noted that the physician who spoke of "a cure," Dr. Stella Immanuel of Houston, also "made videos saying that doctors make medicine using DNA from aliens," Trump responded, "I know nothing about her," and abruptly ended the briefing moments later.

Fauci is among several top medical experts, as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to say repeatedly that hydroxychloroquine has no proven effect against the coronavirus. The Food and Drug Administration last month revoked an authorization it had issued for emergency use of hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus patients, saying it acted "based on recent results from a large, randomized clinical trial in hospitalized patients that found these medicines showed no benefit for decreasing the likelihood of death or speeding recovery."

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

While advisers have pressed Trump to more fully acknowledge the severity of the virus' spread, he again offered a dissonantly upbeat assessment.

Trump declared "large portions of our country" to be "corona-free," even though no region in the United States is actually free of the virus. While he noted concern over high case levels in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida, he said: "That's starting to head down in the right direction. And I think you'll see it rapidly head down very soon."

However, a new federal report found that the number of states with outbreaks serious enough to place them in the "red zone" has grown to 21. It called for more restrictions on social activity. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 14, 2015. (John Moore/Getty Images)

ICE Agents Have Seized Over $7 Million in COVID-19 Fraud Proceeds, Made 53 Arrests

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Tuesday that in the first 100 days of its new operation launched in response to a spike in criminal activity since the CCP virus outbreak, its agents have seized more than 900 shipments and at least $7 million in illicit proceeds.

Launched in April, Operation Stolen Promise set out to protect the homeland from the increasing and evolving threat posed by COVID-19-related fraud and criminal activity, the agency said in a news release.

As of Tuesday, ICEs homeland security investigations unit had opened 570 probes nationwide and made 53 arrests, the agency said. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents also seized $2.2 million in illicit proceeds obtained through COVID-19 fraud linked to the CARES Act.

During Operation Stolen Promises first 100 days, HSI seized more than $2M from CARES Act loan and stimulus program fraud. Learn more at https://t.co/PwoI9TBj8b pic.twitter.com/boiwoSpsoy  ICE (@ICEgov) July 29, 2020

Although there are no approved treatments for COVID-19, that isnt stopping fraudsters from illegally trying to sell these products and other counterfeit or prohibited medical supplies and testing kits to U.S. consumers, HSI Acting Executive Associate Director Alysa Erichs said in a statement.

Erichs said fraud related to the CARES Act has doubled since June.

We are encouraging everyone to be extra cautious, especially when going online, and know the red flags, to prevent being a victim of fraud, she added.

Among those arrested include a Washington state doctor who authorities say fraudulently sought over $3 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, and a Canadian man who attempted to smuggle non-approved COVID-19 test kits, made in China, into the United States.

ICE said its homeland security investigations unit has found that the latest trend by cyber criminals involves offering preorders for vaccines or medicines that cure the CCP virus.

On Tuesday, Utah resident Gordon Pedersen, 60, was indicted for posing as a medical doctor to sell a baseless treatment for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Pederson and his companiesMy Doctor Suggests LLC and GP Silver LLCfraudulently marketed silver products as a cure for COVID-19, according to U.S. Attorney for Utah John Huber, who filed a civil complaint against the 60-year-old in April.

The misrepresentations include claims that having silver in the bloodstream will usher any coronavirus out of the body and that it has been proven that alkaline structured silver will destroy all forms of viruses, [and] it will protect people from the coronavirus, the statement from Hubers office said.

By early July, Americans reported losing more than $77 million to COVID-19-related fraud, according to an analysis by the Federal Trade Commission. Travel and vacations, online shopping, and fake text messages, are among the top fraud complaints, the commission found.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
By PTI

AMBALA: The first batch of five Rafale jets are scheduled to land at the Ambala airbase here on Wednesday afternoon with police tightening the security around the air force station.

The squadron of Rafale jets will be stationed at the Ambala airbase in Haryana.

The jets took off from the Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday and will arrive here after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates.

The fleet of five jets comprises three single-seater and two twin-seater aircraft.

Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders near the Ambala Air Force Station, banning shooting of videos and photography.

The Ambala district administration has also prohibited people from flying private drones within the three-km radius of the airbase, officials said earlier.

Section 144, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in the villages adjoining the airbase, including Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, Garnala and Panjkhora.

Ambala deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said shooting of videos or taking photographs of the boundary wall of the airbase and its adjoining areas will remain strictly prohibited during the imposition of the prohibitory orders.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Police has set up several check barricades and police officers were seen patrolling residential localities near the airbase, making announcements over loudspeakers warning people not to stand on the rooftop of their houses to click pictures or shoot videos.

Violators would face punishment as per the law, they warned.

At many places here, hoardings have been erected to welcome the arrival of the fighter jets with some of these mentioning that their induction will further boost IAF's capabilities.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said the people of Ambala are very enthusiastic about the arrival of the jets.

"This is a very proud and a historic moment for us that the Rafale jets will be stationed in Ambala Cantonment area. Rafales are IAF's 'Sikandar', which will significantly boost our combat capabilities," he said.

He said had there not been the threat of coronavirus pandemic, thousands would have gathered in the streets to welcome the jets.

Nearly four years ago, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59,000-crore deal to boost the IAF's combat capabilities.

The five Rafales are scheduled to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, though a formal induction ceremony would be held later.

The jets will be inducted into the IAF as part of its No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons.

European missile maker MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

Of the 36 jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers.

The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

The IAF has undertaken major infrastructure upgrades at the Ambala base for the deployment of the first Rafale squadron.

Built in 1948, the airbase is located on the east side of Ambala and is used for military and government flights.

The airbase has two squadrons of the Jaguar combat aircraft and one squadron of the MIG-21 'Bison'.

Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh was the first commander of the base.

The Mirage fighters that were used for the airstrike in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 after the Pulwama terror attack had taken off from here.
WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's most divisive nominee for a senior Pentagon post to date is expected to face a contentious Senate nomination hearing on Thursday, with Democratic lawmakers likely to grill him over remarks they deem Islamophobic.

Anthony Tata, a retired Army brigadier general and ardent defender of Trump on Fox News, would hold the most senior policy position in the Pentagon if confirmed.

Tata has falsely portrayed former President Barack Obama as a Muslim and accused him of being a "terrorist leader" working to benefit Iran, according to now-deleted Twitter posts seen by Reuters.

The White House said it stands by Tata's nomination to fill the position of undersecretary of defense for policy.

"Anthony Tata is a distinguished public servant whose career has provided him with planning, policy, and operational experience both at home and abroad," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement.

Tata did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his deleted Twitter posts.

Tata has extensive U.S. military knowledge after serving for nearly three decades, including in a senior role in Afghanistan. However, current and former U.S. defense officials say he has little knowledge of Asia, at a time when Defense Secretary Mark Esper is trying to focus on competition with China.

Tata will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee, whose Democratic members have signaled they would oppose his nomination.

Democratric Senator Elizabeth Warren called Tata "by far Trump's most unqualified & ill-suited senior defense nominee  a high bar." She said in a statement that "an Islamophobic conspiracy theorist who called President Obama a 'terrorist leader' should not be #3 at the Pentagon."

While Republican support for Tata is unclear, the Republican chair of the committee, Senator Jim Inhofe, decided to move forward with a confirmation hearing. Republican Senator Kevin Cramer has said he plans to oppose Tata's nomination unless the Pentagon makes changes to an unrelated policy issue. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali, additional reporting by Alexandra Alper; Editing by Tom Brown)




A HARARE man wants the High Court to stop the erection of the statue of Zimbabwes late heroine, Mbuya Nehanda, in the capital, arguing the government had bypassed traditional rites by not engaging her family.





Felix Elijah Shamuyarira, who claims to be a maternal relative of Mbuya Charwe, the spirit medium of Mbuya Nehanda, said in court papers the government was making a grave mistake by going ahead with the statue before a cleansing ceremony is conducted in the dirty city of Harare.





He said the city had to be cleansed of the spirits of a lot of innocent lives that have been lost in recent years. Work on erecting the statue started in Harare this month and is expected to be completed in two months.





Shamuyarira cited Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe, his Local Government counterpart July Moyo, National Archives of Zimbabwe director Ivan Murambiwa, National Museums and Monuments director Godfrey Mahachi and National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda as respondents in the court case.





Shamuyarira wants Kazembe, Moyo, Murambiwa and Mahachi interdicted from erecting the statue of Mbuya Charwe, also known as Nyakasikana, the spirit medium of Mbuya Nehanda, at the intersection of Julius Nyerere Way and Samora Machel Avenue.





He said the project must be declared unlawful in the absence of a consent document signed by her four blood family members, two representatives of the spirit medium of Mbuya Nehanda, chiefs Chiweshe and Hwata and two other individuals.

Shamuyarira questioned why chiefs Hwata and Chiweshe were not engaged or informed about the statue yet they were responsible for preserving the traditions of the areas they govern where Charwe originated from.





He said since independence in 1980, the government did not bother to meet with or appreciate Charwes family for the work she had done as a spirit medium during the liberation struggle.





Shamuyarira said a meeting was called on July 3 in Mazowe where representatives of Charwes maternal and paternal families agreed that the government had made a mistake by not engaging them, adding it adds more injury to a broken heart.





The family members and Chief Hwata, together with their spirit mediums maintain that the government of Zimbabwe and its leadership made a grave mistake in announcing their mission to the world without first engaging them on such important, national and historical matters that directly affect them, Shamuyarira said.





The erection of the statue is of great importance as it is clearly apparent that Charwe did not die a natural death as she was murdered by the colonial regime of the settler British colonialists.





As a matter of fact, the Hwata people have since independence remained secretive as the execution of Charwe traumatises them to this present day, hence the need of a healing process for them at national level. According a special day in our calendar to be declared a national holiday and in her name as already directed and pleaded to our authorities with due respect, remains necessary, Shamuyarira argued.




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Linkedin Hyonhee Shin (Reuters) Seoul, South Korea  Wed, July 29, 2020 16:30 539 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066a43912 2 World South-Korea,North-Korea,inter-Korean,bilateral-relation,diplomacy,bilateral-ties Free

South Korean President Moon Jae-in's new point men on North Korea face a daunting challenge: they must engineer a breakthrough in strained ties amid public scrutiny of their history with Pyongyang, which once landed them in prison.

Moon this week appointed Park Jie-won as director of the National Intelligence Agency (NIS) and Lee In-young as the unification minister, seeking to cement progress with North Korea as a major legacy in his final two years in office.

The two men, both longtime lawmakers, are key advocates of Moon's drive for inter-Korean rapprochement, but their political pasts rekindled the controversies and debates that have shaped Seoul's relations with Pyongyang.

Both of them have a dramatic history with North Korea.

A former businessman, Park was sentenced to three years in prison for helping the late President Kim Dae-jung arrange for Hyundai, which was operating North Korea businesses, to send $450 million to Pyongyang.

Hyundai said the money was for business rights, but the court ruled the payment was to facilitate the inter-Korean summit in 2000 with leader Kim Jong Il, and came through the NIS.

Park served about eight months in prison before he was pardoned.

Park, 78, said at his confirmation hearing on Monday that the payment was "inappropriate" and that he complied with the court ruling, but the verdict was wrong because the money was wired by Hyundai without his knowledge.

Opposition lawmakers said Park's appointment could send the wrong message to Pyongyang and Washington. Moon is trying to restart inter-Korean economic projects even as nuclear negotiations have stagnated.

The NIS could play a catalytic role in behind-the-scenes negotiations with the North, but the agency's opaque structure has triggered calls for overhaul. Many former directors and senior officials have been imprisoned for illegal political meddling.

"I don't believe the government would seek illicit financial transactions for another summit, but there would be greater temptations to resort to an abnormal approach in finding a breakthrough with North Korea," said Cho Tae-yong, an opposition lawmaker who was formerly a deputy national security adviser and nuclear negotiator.

Park vowed to transparently carry out policy and steer clear of illegal activity.

"I would help bring a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations and respond with reform that cleans up the dark side of the NIS' history," he told Moon during an appointment ceremony on Wednesday.

Lee, 56, was a prominent democracy campaigner who led a student activist group in the 1980s seen by some as revering North Korea's founding father Kim Il Sung and his "juche," or self-reliance, ideology.

He was sentenced to one and a half years in prison in 1988 on charges of possessing North Korean propaganda materials and hosting protests that might cause "social unrest," but was pardoned six months later.

"When I was young, our primary cause was to accomplish unification, because dictators exploited the national division to persecute us democracy activists," Lee told Reuters in 2018. "Some people called us North followers but that's not true, though we might have a warmer heart than others toward the North and greater patience to achieve peace."

During his confirmation hearing on Friday, Lee faced off with lawmaker Thae Yong-ho, a North Korean defector, who questioned whether Lee still harbored belief in the juche philosophy, prompting angry denials.

Some human-rights activists also criticized Lee for defending the Unification Ministry's controversial decision to revoke the licenses of defector groups that send anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets to the North.
In Turkmenistan, due to the preventive measures that have been introduced in the country since July 13, citizens are recommended to take restrictions on traditional mass events during the Gurban bayramy holiday, Trend reports citing Turkmenportal.

Also on these days, due to the increased content of harmful dust particles in the air, it is necessary to use medical masks, keep a safe distance of 2 meters and, limiting mass events, celebrate the holiday at home.

Gurban bayramy is considered a sacred holiday in the Turkmen people, which embodies the beautiful moments of spiritual purity and unity. "Let's not forget that celebrating Gurban bayramy among our families is the key to protecting our health", - the state news Agency of Turkmenistan urges.
As India received the first batch of five Rafale jets on Wednesday, the name of Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather has been making headlines. Rather played a crucial role in the quick delivery of the fighter planes. Haling from South Kashmir's Anantnag district, Rather became the first pilot to see off the first batch of fighter jets that took off from France on Monday and arrived at Ambala Air Force station at 2 pm on Wednesday.

Air Commodore Rather, a recipient of Vayu Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal for devotion to duty, is currently India's Air Attache to France. He has also been associated with the weaponisation of the Rafale fighter jets for acclimatisation to Indian requirements.

Born in middle-class family in South Kashmir, Hilal studied in Sainik School in Nagrota town of Jammu district and graduated from Defence Services Staff College. Hilal has won Sword of Honour in NDA. Hilal has won Sword of Honour in NDA.Also Read: Rafale in India Live Updates: First batch of 5 Rafale jets land at Ambala air base after 7,000 km ride

He was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on 17 December 1988, and became Flight Lieutenant in 1993, Wing Commander in 2004, Group Captain in 2016 and Air Commodore in 2019. He has more than 3,000 hours of accident free flying on MiG-21s, Mirage-2000 and Kiran aircraft.

He is a Fighter Combat Leader and a qualified Flying Instructor and also commanded a Mirage-2000 Squadron and a front-line Air Force Base. He graduated from the Air War College in USA with academic distinction.Also Read: Watch Rafale landing in Ambala live streaming at India Today, Aaj Tak

The arrival of the Rafale fighter aircraft will further boost IAF's combat capabilities in which the Air Commodore Rather is said to have played a instrumental role. The arrival of Rafale jets comes amid escalating border tension between India and China along the Line of Actual Control. Although China claims air superiority over India, the induction of Rafale fighter aircraft into the Indian Air Force could give India much-needed confidence to take on China's J20 5th generation aircraft.

The first squadron of the fighter jets will be stationed at the Ambala Air Force Station, as it is one of the most strategically located bases of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Meanwhile, the second squadron of Rafale will be deployed at Hasimara base in West Bengal. The Rafales will be inducted into the Indian Air Force's No 17 Squadron, also known as the 'Golden Arrows'.

By Chitranjan Kumar
Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Department of State following the 30th AUSMIN in Washington on July 28, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool via Reuters)

Australia and US Discuss the Problem of Chinese Regimes Ambitions

The malign activity of the Chinese regime not just in the Indo-Pacific, but around the world, was the focus of bilateral talks between Australia and the United States in Washington on July 28.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper hosted Australias Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and Minister for Defense Linda Reynolds in Washington for the 30th Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN 2020).

Both countries promised to ramp up joint military efforts in the Indo-Pacific region to counter the longer-term challenges of Chinas ambitions.

Speaking to the press, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on July 28 said that America was lucky to count Australia as a close partner in this challenge, and said the two nations had an unbreakable alliance.

Pompeo commended Australia for standing up for democratic values and the rule of law, despite intense, continued, coercive pressure from the Chinese Communist Party, which he called unacceptable.

In a statement, Payne said both countries expressed deep concern over Chinas campaign of repression of Uyghurs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang, including mass detentions, forced labor, pervasive surveillance, restrictions on freedom of religion, and reports of forced abortions and involuntary birth control.

Indo-Pacific Security

The talks between Australia and the United States were dominated by the alliances response to Chinas aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.

Payne said she and her counterparts agreed it was essential that the alliance remains well-positioned to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the longer-term economic and security challenges posed by the Chinese regime that have emerged, not just in the past six months but in recent years.

Both countries agreed to strengthen defence cooperation, including force posture in the Indo-Pacific.

Pompeo noted recently that it was not just Australias burden alone to stand up for democratic values.

The United States knows the threats that you (Australia) and the rest of the free world face. And the United States stands with you in our unbreakable alliance, said Pompeo on July 28.

The rules-based global order is a constant, Payne said. We reiterated our commitment to holding states to account when they breach international norms and laws, as we have done and will continue to do so in relation to Chinas erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.

Australias defence minister, Linda Reynolds, said Australia and the United States were both experiencing a profound change in the geopolitical framework that underpins our security but also our prosperity. So now more than ever, we must put a premium on ensuring the alliance continues to serve both our nations interests.

Reynolds announced that a commercially operated military fuel reserve is to be established in Darwin, funded by the United States.

She said: Today, we reaffirmed the importance of working with partners to strengthen sovereignty and also resilience to coercion. Our alliance is in great shape, but we cannot ever take it for granted.

Caden Pearson Follow Caden Pearson is a reporter based in Australia, with a background in screenwriting and documentary. Contact him at caden.pearson@epochtimes.com.au
Andhra CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in a meeting with State Level Bankers Committee on Wednesday has decided to increase the quantum of agricultural loans and overall loans, determined to implement the policy of zero interest loans for farmers and marginalised communities in a big relief amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to increase the quantum of agriculture loans by 11.9 percent and the increase in overall loans was pegged at 9.78 percent as compared to the previous year.

The target for agriculture loans for 2020-21 was placed at 1, 28, 660 crores which is more than the half of the total loan outlay of Rs 2,51,600 crores at the meeting in which the Chief Minister has explained about the welfare schemes the State has been implementing.

The Chief Minister said the government is determined to implement the zero interest loans to farmers on time and asked the bankers to submit the details. We have cleared the dues of the previous government. The zero rate interest due by farmers for this year will also be paid. The government is going ahead with setting up of godowns, grading and storage facilities along with food processing units which needs the bankers support.

Also read: Rafales land in India: Rajnath Singh calls it beginning of a new era

Also read: Rajasthan crisis: Governor rejects proposal to convene assembly, Ashok Gehlot heads Raj Bhawan

In the coming two months of August and September YSR Cheyutha and YSR Asara schemes will be launched benefiting over one crore women. YSR Cheyutha provides Rs 18,750 per annum each to SC, ST, BC, Minorities women in the age group of 45 to 60 for a period of four years while YSR Asara would benefit 90 lakh women self help groups. The State spends Rs 11,000 crore annually on these two schemes aimed at providing self reliance, the Chief Minister said adding that the two schemes will bring a change in the rural economy.

The targets fixed for various sectors include, Rs 39,600 crores for MSMEs which is a ten percent hike over previous year, Rs 1,900 crore for education loans, Rs 9,710 cores for housing, Rs 410 crores for social infrastructure, Rs 454 crore for Renewable Energy, Rs 3,400 crores from mechanisation in agriculture sector. The priority sector gets Rs 1.88 lakh crores which is a hike of 10.88 per cent as compared to the previous year.

The bankers said that they have reached 99.42 percent target for 2019-20 by providing Rs 2,27,882 crores loans and in agriculture they have reached 99.13 percent target by giving 1,13,997 crores as loan against the target of Rs 1,15,000 crores.

Our government is giving priority to farmers, women and healthcare, Deputy Chief Minister Dharmana Krishna Das said while the officials have sought the bankers help for irrigation sector.

Besides the Deputy Chief Minister, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, other senior officials and representatives of various banks attended the meeting. RBI Regional Director Subrato Das participated in the video conference from Hyderabad along with Union Bank of India Executive Director Dinesh Kumar Garg. SLBC Convenor and Bank of India Field General Manager V Brahmananda Reddy and NABARD CGM Sudhir Kumar were among those who participated in the meeting.

Also read: Provide bed to Covid-19 patient in 30 minutes or collectors and joint collectors will be responsible: Andhra CM

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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was criticized this week by an online news service for flaunting a collection of million-dollar watches in a display of vast personal wealth in one of Southeast Asias poorest countries.



One of these, a Patek Philippe watch distinguished by white gold engravings and a blue leather strap, is valued at $1.2 million, Vice World News said in a July 28 report, noting that the long-ruling prime ministers official salary is only about $2,500 a month.



Hun Sens love for multi-million dollar luxury watches is just obscene in a country where per capita GDP is just $1,500 a year, said Edinburgh Napier University lecturer Andrew MacGregor, quoted in Vice World News.



Reports criticizing Hun Sens choice of watches is driven only by envy, said Cambodian government spokesman Sok Ey San, speaking to RFAs Khmer Service on July 29.



The point here is that it was legally purchased. It was not trafficked or bought with black money, Sok Ey San said, referring to the watch highlighted in the Vice World News story.



I have heard that he did not even buy his watch. It was a gift from a tycoon, the spokesman said, adding that tycoons can easily afford gifts valued at from one to two million dollars.



I dont think it is too much, he said.



Expensive watches had also been presented to Hun Sen by foreign dignitaries during state visits, Sok Eysan said, while urging reporters not to write further stories focused on the issue.



A small, corrupt elite



Luxury watch scandals, often sparked by photographs of leaders wearing pricey timepieces that then set off internet sleuthing campaigns, have dogged politicians in China, Thailand, and Russia in recent years.



As prime minister, [Hun Sen] has presided over a kleptocratic system of state looting that has involved the forced and violent eviction of Cambodians to free up land for tycoon-dominated industries like logging, mining, and agribusiness, the environmental and human rights watchdog Global Witness said in a July 20, 2018 report.



The resulting impoverishment of ordinary Cambodians has [made] a small, corrupt elite vastly wealthy, Global Witness said.



An ongoing investigative series by RFA examining the overseas real estate holdings of Cambodias ruling elite has turned up properties worth $30 million. In 2016 alone, at least $1.8 billion was laundered out of Cambodia, according to an analysis by U.S. think tank Global Financial Integrity.



Cambodia ranked 162 out of 198 countries, close to the bottom, in Transparency Internationals 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index.



Reported and translated by RFAs Khmer Service. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Ink & Roses has been named public relations agency of record for Medicine Mamas Apothecary, which currently encompasses two brands, Sweet Bee Magic and Vmagic. The agency will lead earned media outreach and content creation to drive brand and product awareness, manage influencer relations, and spearhead future product launches. Sweet BeeMagic is a pure, natural, organic skincare brand, and Vmagic is a feminine care brand that offers products that are 100 percent natural. As a radiation oncologist, I was interested in a firm that understood beauty, wellness and medicine to help us communicate how our products can heal compromised skin and address the most sensitive areas of a womans body, said Medicine Mamas Apothecary CEO Dr. Clare Bertucio.

Agency Ten22 has added web-based revenue cycle software company Vispa to its healthcare IT customer roster. The agency will be leading media relations, public relations, press releases, articles and blog services for the company. Agency Ten22 has already secured media placements for Vispa with trade outlets including HealthLeaders, HFMA and HIMSS Healthcare IT News. Vispa, which helps hospitals and health systems boost revenue, features a quick implementation and moment-by-moment metrics that give insights into staff performance.

rbb Communications has been named North American agency of record for Neste, a Finland-based company that produces renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. The agency, which has been working with the company since January, will focus on establishing it as an industry leader dedicated to cultivating a healthier planet. Neste, which says its products are aimed at reducing climate emissions, has ambitious targets to invest and grow in North America. Neste US communications manager Theodore Rolfvondenbaumen said that rbbs strong track record of masterfully produced and meaningful thought-leadership campaigns, was a key factor in its selection.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 04:18:35|Editor: huaxia

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ROME, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Italy will extend its coronavirus state of emergency until Oct. 15, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced in the Italian Senate Tuesday.

The current state of emergency is set to expire on Friday.

"Although the curve of the contagion and the impact [of the coronavirus] on the national health service has reduced significantly, something that encourages us, the data tell us that the virus continues to circulate in our country," Conte said.

The state of emergency gives government officials temporary power to act quickly to tamp down new coronavirus outbreaks and allocate funding, all through the use of emergency decrees. It also includes specific travel restrictions, and requirements for social distancing and mask-wearing.

Conte said the extension will assure that the government can "remain on guard and ready to intervene quickly if the situation worsens."

But the extension of the state of emergency does not necessarily mean the specific rules of the current state of emergency will be extended. The terms for the new period will be negotiated by members of the Council of Ministers.

Italy was the first European country hit hard by the coronavirus. Though infection rates and the death toll have improved dramatically in recent weeks, Italy has suffered more than 35,000 deaths, while official figures show nearly 250,000 people have been infected by the outbreak, with nearly 200,000 of them recovered. Enditem
With President Donald Trump at the helm, Russias Vladimir Putin must feel victorious. Trumps actions have put Putins dream of destroying American democracy within his grasp.

Here are just three of Trumps recent stabs into the heart of American democracy.

The New York Times reported, President Trump plans to deploy federal law enforcement to Chicago and threatened  to send agents to other major cities  all controlled by Democrats.

Hes already sent unidentified law enforcement forces in battle garb into Portland, creating havoc, arresting innocent bystanders and tear-gassing the mayor. Is this prologue to Trump occupying Democratic cities to suppress the vote?

Close to 150,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. Numerous epidemiologists and authorities have asserted that, to control the pandemic and save lives, America needs a national, scientifically-based, coherent policy. Trump seems to oppose this. Hes made clear that states are on their own. The result: Conflicting, strategies, resulting in thousands of unnecessary deaths. Hes even failed to require the wearing of masks in public. The consequence: Unnecessary deaths.

Experts have also pleaded for greater, more frequent coronavirus testing. But, as the Baltimore Sun put it in a headline, Trump pushes to cut funding for COVID-19 testing and CDC. How much faith can Americans have in a democracy that lets its people die unnecessarily?

These, and many of Trumps other actions, such as firing four Inspector Generals for investigating or finding wrongdoing, must make Putin gleeful as he sees our democracy crumble day to day.

Thus, the job of Americans who value democracy is clear. Vote to stop Trump and all Republicans who support him. And if possible, donate to politicians whose actions and policies support democracy. Democracy has no time to lose.

Howard Margolis, Voorhees Township

Dont let an LNG dock bloom in Gibbstown

Regarding the article Toxic algae blooms pop up at Spruce Run Reservoir and 10 other N.J. lakes on nj.com:

Heat-wave records, high bacteria levels in lakes, rising sea levels and severe weather events can all be symptoms of climate change.

Yet, fossil fuels that contribute to this problem continue to be extracted as our politicians continue to approve infrastructure to prolong their use.

An example is the liquified natural gas (LNG) export facility planned for the Delaware River at Gibbstown. Not only could this facility increase global warming, its activities could be dangerous to residents of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The operators, Delaware River Partners, plan to transport fracked LNG by rail and/or truck from Wyalusing, Pa., to the terminal, a distance of over 150 highway miles. It could mean hundreds of trucks and up to 100 rail cars a day carrying LNG. The trucks would use such thoroughfares as Interstate 295, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Commodore Barry Bridge. Rail cars would cross the river over the Delair rail bridge, and proceed south through many towns including Woodbury and Paulsboro.

Many people say we need jobs, but we dont need jobs that promote the use of fossil fuels over renewable energy. The use of fossil fuels needs to be stopped now. My 3rd Legislative District state Senate and Assembly representatives have told me, The health and safety of New Jersey residents remains the Legislatures top priority.

Now is their chance to prove that.

James Stewart, National Park

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

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Chinese company surprised many when it announced project to convert coal into polyester yarn.

What to do with Chinas abundant stock of coal? Chemical giant Hengli plans to make clothes out of it.

It may sound like something from ancient alchemy, but the privately-owned Chinese company surprised industry watchers in June when it said it was getting into mining with a $20bn project to convert coal into polyester yarn, used in clothes, packaging and plastic bottles.

The announcement was intriguing. Coal is not a typical raw material for polyester and Henglis plan will be the worlds first of its kind in the China-dominated coal-to-chemical sector, where investment so far has totalled $85bn according to the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation.

It also comes after Hengli borrowed heavily to set itself up as an oil refiner, using crude to make polyester.

The shift into coal, a major source of smog and climate-warming greenhouse gases, is at odds with a global push to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and will exact a heavy environmental price, according to industry analysts.

But the project, which Hengli aims to have up and running by the end of 2025 in Shaanxi province, fits into Beijings enduring commitment to coal and will add Hengli to a roster of Chinese companies, including coal miner Shenhua Group and oil refiner Sinopec, that have moved into the coal-to-chemicals business.

By picking Hengli, the countrys largest polyester producer with extensive reaches to the consumer textile market, it will help Shaanxi province efficiently develop its rich coal resource and grow the local economy, said Zhu Fang, senior researcher at the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, which represents more than 400 oil and chemical firms.

Hengli, as a Chinese company and one of the worlds largest polyester yarn producers, also stands a better chance of getting regulatory approvals for its plan, according to analysts.

Officials from Yulin  the city in Shaanxi province where Hengli plans to base its coal-to-polyester operations  approached the company first with the idea of setting up a plant there, according to company spokesman Li Feng, and it took about 10 months for Hengli and the city to reach a deal.

An official inter-provincial alliance between economically lagging Shaanxi and coastal Jiangsu, Chinas second-wealthiest province where Hengli has its headquarters, may also help it gain regulatory support, as the project will generate jobs and boost local revenue, according to a Beijing-based executive from a rival company.

Li, Henglis spokesman, declined to comment on the likelihood of regulatory approvals and said the project was about diversification from oil, full integration and economies of scale, not politics.

With technological advances in the large-scale coal-to-chemical plants, the cost of building and operating such a facility will become more and more competitive, he said.

Global rivals Dow Chemicals, Saudi Basic Industries (SABIC) and Total faced lengthy regulatory processes when they planned similar ventures in China. Dow and Total ultimately abandoned their plans amid a range of challenges from financial and environmental cost to the competition from cheaper shale gas-based projects in the United States.

SABIC, one of the worlds largest petrochemicals groups, said the company has yet to make any further announcement after signing a preliminary deal with Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group in 2016 to build a coal-to-olefin complex.

Environmental impact

Established in 1994 as a small weaving factory, Hengli has transformed into one of the worlds largest polyester yarn producers, feeding off Chinas demand as the worlds largest textile consumer.

Hengli had annual revenues of $80bn last year, according to the company. Its founders, group chairman Chen Jianhua and his wife Fan Hongwei, who heads its listed unit Hengli Petrochemical, were ranked 16th in Forbes magazines annual China rich list.

The company took on 70 percent debt to fund its 56.4 billion yuan refinery complex, leaving it with an eye-watering debt to asset ratio of 78 percent compared with Sinopecs 50 percent, according to company figures.

Hengli will finance 30 percent of the Yulin investment from its own funds and the rest from Chinese banks, said Li.

Henglis plans involve converting 20 million tonnes of coal into 9 million tonnes of fine chemicals and polyester a year, and the company told Reuters it had tapped China Tianchen Engineering Corp and Sinopecs Luoyang Engineering to conduct pre-feasibility studies.

Tianchen did not respond to a request for comment. A Luoyang Engineering representative said the company was at an early stage of cooperation with Hengli and declined further comment.

While turning coal into industrial chemicals has been widely applied in China, producing aromatics  feedstocks for polyester  is a relatively novel process which is not commercialized yet.

(Hengli) is likely to be the first time on such a scale, said Salmon Lee, principal analyst with Wood Mackenzie.

Coal-based chemical plants typically emit three times more carbon dioxide and wastewater for each unit of production, compared with oil-based chemical plants, and require oil at $45-$50 a barrel to break even, said industry experts.

The scale of the Yulin project also means it could consume 60 million tonnes of freshwater every year, said a second Beijing-based industry executive. That would roughly be enough to supply all of Singapores six million people for five weeks, according to Reuters calculations based on Singapores official water usage data.

An economic planning official from Shaanxi said the provincial government supported investments that promoted the efficient use of coal, but it was too early to comment on the environmental impact of the proposed project.

The province, as well as Yulin, will urge Hengli to strictly follow the state regulations over environmental impact and energy conservation, said the official, who declined to be named.

Henglis Li said the plants emissions and water use would depend on the final design of the plant.

So far, we do not foresee any hurdles in winning the emission quotas and water resource [from the local government], he said, adding the company will invest in wastewater treatment to maximise the amount of water they can recycle.
An international team of researchers, including experts from the University of Manchester and the Open University, surveyed 2,000 people in Britain and the US, looking at whether personal attributes, work and living practices might influence transmission of the virus.

People taller than 6ft have more than double the chance of testing positive with Covid-19, a new survey suggests.

An international team of researchers, including experts from the University of Manchester and the Open University, surveyed 2,000 people in Britain and the US, looking at whether personal attributes, work and living practices might influence transmission of the virus.

The team found that taller people were at higher risk, which the scientists said suggested that the virus was transmitting through the air, as height would not make a difference if people were contracting the diseases exclusively via droplets.

Aerosols can accumulate in poorly ventilated areas and are carried by air currents.

Droplets, however, are bigger than aerosols and are thought to travel relatively short distances and drop quickly from the air.

The results suggest downward droplet transmission is not the only transmission mechanism and aerosol transmission is possible.

Prof Evan Kontopantelis, from the University of Manchester, said: "We expected taller men to be more protected when in reality they were not.

"The findings indicate that aerosol transmission is extremely likely and not only that, taller men have a higher risk in the UK, possibly because of their behaviour - 'I am tall and it has crossed my mind that I would be protected if I keep my head high if others sneeze beneath me' - but it seems these particles go up in the air and linger there for a long time, so everyone needs to protect themselves."

The study showed that the baseline risk for anyone testing positive for coronavirus in the study was between five and 10pc. But being more than 6ft tall doubled the risk.

The survey found that using a shared kitchen or accommodation - a proxy for deprivation - was also a significant factor in both the US and UK but especially in the US, where the odds were 3.5 times as high. In Britain, they were 1.7 times higher.

And the study also found that people with natural science degrees in the UK were slightly less likely to contract the disease.

Although the paper is yet to be peer reviewed, the authors say that it might help people take greater precautions and help to refine shielding guidance.

Meanwhile, China is fighting its most aggressive new outbreak of coronavirus in Xinjiang, a region where up to three million people are believed to have been detained in internment camps.

The national health commission announced 57 new cases in the western region yesterday, bringing the total to 235 since the first infection in mid-July.

Officials did not say how the initial infection was contracted but state media said the strain was similar to one found in Beijing that resulted in a cluster outbreak earlier this summer.

Until now, Xinjiang was largely unaffected - linked to tight surveillance and security already in place to control the sometimes restive region, home to Uighurs, Kazakhs and other primarily Muslim ethnic groups of Turkic origin.

But fears are rising that the outbreak could get out of control if it reaches the secretive internment camps, where people are crammed into cells and subjected to torture and political indoctrination.

Dolkun Isa, head of the World Uighur Congress, said: "It will be a humanitarian disaster if the virus spreads in the camps if it has not happened already." China claims the camps rehabilitate potential terrorists.

A separate cluster outbreak has sprung up in north-east China, around a seafood processing plant in the port city of Dalian.

Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
The attitude toward the LGBTQ community is one of the taboos of Israeli-Arab society. Thus, when it becomes public, storms erupt. This time, the storm threatens the unity of the Arab Joint List that includes four parties representing Arab society in Israel. The LGBTQ controversy is harsh, fundamental and ideological.

Traditional, conservative Arab society finds it difficult to tolerate those with different sexual orientations, which sometime is seen as "a stain" on the family, the clan or even the entire village. In August 2019, two brothers from the Arab village of Tamra tried to kill their 16-year-old brother who fled to an LGBTQ youth shelter in Tel Aviv. According to the indictment, after it was discovered that their brother was homosexual and was having an affair with a man, the brothers hit and stabbed him and threatened to kill him  all in the presence of the mother.

Another example of this kind of treatment is the drowning of Arab-Israeli dancer Ayman Safiah from the village of Kafr Yasif about two months ago. The local sheikh refused to conduct the traditional Muslim burial ceremony and to allow the funeral procession to pass by the mosque, arguing that Safiah was an infidel.

The issue came up again in recent weeks when Julia Zaher, owner of the Al Arz Tahini company, decided to donate to the telephone hotline that supports the Arab LGBTQ community. When this became known, several Arab supermarket chains decided to boycott the company, causing rage on the Arab social media networks. Many criticized the supermarkets, but just as many supported them. When the story got more publicity, a reverse campaign was initiated to support Al Arz Tahini. Numerous human rights groups  such as the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Physicians for Human Rights - Israel, and LGBTQ organizations  called on the public to buy Zahers tahini.

One of the only Arab Knesset members to take Zahers side was Aida Touma-Sliman of the Joint List, who talked to Zaher and tweeted, The courageous stance of the company sends a clear message to the public: that LGBT rights are human rights. The boycott on Al Arz Tahini is an attempt to shut peoples mouths and intimidate Julia and her company. I call on everyone to go out and buy Al Arz Tahini and defy the boycott.

But Touma-Sliman was a minority voice within Arab politics. And so, much criticism was leveled in the Israeli media on Joint List Chairman Ayman Odeh from the socialist Hadash faction. Muhammad Zoabi, a prominent Arab-Israeli gay rights activist, wrote an article published on the Hebrew-language Ynet news site in which he called on Odeh to choose which side you are on: Are you with those who try to silence us and return us to the closet? Or the side of those who want to take our society forward? Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Odeh stammers when people try to talk to him about the LGBT community. Whenever he is asked by the media for his stance on the issue, he tries to evade the topic or limit himself to vague statements about 'democracy and equality for all.'

After the tweet, Zoabis family announced that they renounced him.

But evidently, Odeh internalized the criticism and in the next skirmish, he took the side of the LGBTQ community. The latter incident was in the Knesset during the July 22 preliminary vote on a bill presented by Chairman of the left-wing Meretz party Nitzan Horowitz  himself a homosexual  to prohibit conversion therapy in Israel.

The conversion therapy refers to treatments by traditional rabbis, educators and religious figures to allegedly return young boys and girls who show signs of same-sex affinity to the straight and narrow path. Since the proposal came from the opposition, and the ruling coalition contains the ultra-Orthodox parties, it was expected that the proposal would be defeated. However, ministers and Knesset members from the Likud, Labor and Blue and White parties  including Amir Ohana and Itzik Shmueli, members of the gay community  voted in favor and the bill passed its first/preliminary reading.

The votes in the Joint List on this bill banning conversion therapy were split: Odeh, Touma-Sliman and Ofer Kasif voted in favor of the proposal as did all four members of the Islamic party. Odeh supported the bill since it sanctions first and foremost psychologists offering such treatments. Still, apart from these three, the rest of the Arab legislators chose not to take part in the voting process.

Odehs support for the bill stirred up harsh criticism against him in the official Arab press and also on social media. He was criticized by religious leaders mainly for allegedly betraying Muslim-Arab values.

Knesset member Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Islamic faction, told Al-Monitor that Odeh created a rift with the Arab public that elected him. This traditional, religious public demands that he limits himself to dealing with the burning issues of Arab society, and not deal with this one especially sensitive topic. Odehs vote and the vote of the others was not preceded by a discussion or even announcement to the members of the Joint List or the general Arab public, and that is the exact opposite of transparency. Odeh publicly accused Arab society of hypocrisy, and that is unacceptable. Especially when he does not explain his new insights. Odeh, and all of us, were elected because of having a certain agenda and thats why people are frustrated and angry at him.

Abbas added that there is increasing pressure on himself and on the Islamic faction to leave the Arab Joint List. The Joint List must rethink its path if it wants to toe the line with most of the Arab public. If not, they have to make clear statements regarding their position, and then we will decide where to go from there. The alliance between the Joint List parties is not written in stone. However, there are many many other issues that are critical to Arab society, and we will examine these before we come to a decision.

Odeh did not agree to answer questions  a departure from his usual style. His office directed us to interviews he had given to the media in Arabic. In these interviews, he tried to explain that he responded to the distress of some members of the public, and that he voted according to his own conscience.

Odeh and Abbas both want to drop this sensitive, loaded topic in favor of more burning problems in the Arab-Israeli world. They know that they must address the issue of violence and murder in Arab society that is breaking negative records, and the coronavirus-induced economic crisis that is negatively affecting Israels Arab public even more than the Jewish one.
CALGARY, Alberta, July 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (Gran Tierra) (NYSE American:GTE) (TSX:GTE) (LSE:GTE), announces that the Company will release its 2020 second quarter financial and operating results on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, after market close. A conference call to discuss the 2020 second quarter results will be held at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (9:00 a.m. Mountain Time) the following day, Wednesday August 5, 2020. Details of the conference call are as follows:



Date: Wednesday August 5, 2020 Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (9:00 a.m. Mountain Time) North America: +1-844-348-3792 (Toll-Free) United Kingdom: +44 (0)80 0028 8438 International: +1-614-999-9309

Interested parties may also access the live webcast on the investor relations page of Gran Tierras website at www.grantierra.com. An archive of the webcast will be available on Gran Tierras website until August 12, 2020. In addition, an audio replay of the conference call will be available following the call until August 12, 2020. To access the replay, dial toll-free 1-855-859-2056 (North America), or 1-404-537-3406 (outside of Canada and USA), conference ID: 3622149.

About Gran Tierra Energy Inc.

Gran Tierra Energy Inc. is an international oil and gas exploration and production company, headquartered in Calgary, Canada, incorporated in the United States, trading on the NYSE American (GTE), the Toronto Stock Exchange (GTE) and the London Stock Exchange (GTE), and operating in South America. Gran Tierra holds interests in producing and prospective properties in Colombia and prospective properties in Ecuador. Gran Tierra has a strategy that focuses on establishing a portfolio of producing properties, plus production enhancement and exploration opportunities to provide a base for future growth.

Gran Tierra's Securities and Exchange Commission filings are available on the Securities and Exchange Commission website at http://www.sec.gov, and Gran Tierras reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators are available on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com .

Contact Information

For investor and media inquiries please contact:

Gary Guidry, President & Chief Executive Officer

Ryan Ellson, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Rodger Trimble, Vice President, Investor Relations

Tel: +1-403-265-3221
Goas flesh trade rackets appear to be immune to the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, if the recent raids conducted by the state police are any pointer to the thriving illicit trade that appears to flourish because of the economic hardships triggered by the pandemic.

Goa Police has conducted three raids in eight days  between July 20 and 28 -- to bust flesh trade rackets and mushrooming human trafficking networks.

Four women commercial sex workers were rescued and five pimps were arrested during these raids.

Organisations working for the rehabilitation of sex workers have warned that the Covid-19-triggered economic downturn would push more victims into the sordid trade.

We have been tracking around 300 women, who were rescued in Goa and sent back to their respective native places. These were women, who were rehabilitated and had started a new life as sales girls in shopping malls or similar kinds of jobs. However, many of them became unemployed because of the pandemic and a majority of them have said that they have been approached by the traffickers, who are keen to lure them back into the trade, said Arun Pandey, director of Anyay Rahit Zindagi, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that exclusively works for the rehabilitation of sex-trafficking victims.

Some enter the trade because of an acute fund crunch and mounting debts. Besides, the pandemic hasnt deterred customers, who are willing to pay for sex, Pandey added.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic hasnt ebbed the sex trade much like two decades ago, when the world was in the grip of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outbreak.

Goa Police is cracking the whip against the errant human traffickers.

We have zero tolerance for human trafficking in any form. We take strict legal action in any instance pertaining to trafficking. The law does not make any distinction on the basis of tourism or otherwise, said Shobit Saksena, spokesperson, Goa Police.

The authorities have conducted three separate raids against human trafficking over the past eight days.

On Tuesday, a joint raid was conducted by the crime branch and the women police station in Calangute, where a victim (33), a resident of Assagao, a village in Bardez, was rescued and a pimp, Nandini Pawar (26), a native of Jalana in Maharashtra, was arrested for running a prostitution racket,

On July 26, another pimp, Anita Karapurkar (30), was apprehended and two women were rescued from a hotel at Mapusa, North Goa.

While on July 24, three pimps -- Deepak Kumar (25) and Anil Kumar (42) from Uttar Pradesh and Dinesh Sakes (41) from Maharashtra --- were arrested and a commercial sex worker was rescued.

A concerted effort needs to be launched to crack down on the customers, who create a demand for the illicit sex trade. The demand fuels the traffickers to lure the unsuspecting victims in the trade. Such is the demand that traffickers are willing to arrange flight tickets for commercial sex workers and even prepared to wait it out for them to undergo mandatory quarantine protocols, Pandey said.

Its a social trend that comes to the fore, especially during natural calamities such as droughts and famines. The Covid-19 outbreak is no exception because the contagion has battered the economy beyond imagination pushing many to enter sex trade to make both ends meet, he added.
T he FTSE 100 edged higher on Wednesday as investors held out for more stimulus from the US Congress and the Federal Reserve, shrugging off a bleak quarterly showing by Barclays, Smith and Nephew and Taylor Wimpey.

Kicking off the quarterly earnings season for UK banks, Barclays set aside a higher than expected 1.6 billion to cover a possible rise in loan losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its shares fell 3.4%.

But a 9.1% jump for Next helped lift the blue-chip FTSE 100.

Next reported a smaller-than-feared slump in second quarter sales.

The corporate stories are making things a bit more interesting for individual companies, but most people are sitting on their hands and waiting to see what happens in relation to the U.S. stimulus package and the Federal Reserves meeting tonight, said David Madden, analyst at CMC Markets.

The Fed is expected to sound reassuringly accommodative at its policy review later in the day, but investors have turned wary over political wrangling between US Democrats and Republicans over a coronavirus relief plan.

Michael Hewson at CMC Markets said: "With the Fed extending its emergency lending programs until the end of the year yesterday, in a sign that they are extremely concerned about how the US economy is doing.

"The FOMC is also likely to have concerns that the recent recovery seen in the US economy may well be starting to falter in the face of a surge in coronavirus cases, not only across the sunbelt states of the US, but across the country more broadly.

"Weve already heard mutterings around a concern that a lack of inflation, as well as widespread business defaults could hamper any economic rebound in the weeks and months ahead.

"A willingness to be more relaxed about its long-term goals regarding its inflation guidance could be the type of monetary policy change which would send an even stronger signal that rates were likely to remain lower for longer, especially since politicians in Washington continue to bicker about the size of any next stimulus package."

Medical products maker Smith+Nephew tumbled 4.2% as it posted a lower-than-expected first-half profit, while homebuilder Taylor Wimpey shed 7.7% on saying it expected to complete around 40% fewer homes in 2020.

Lloyds of London insurer Lancashire fell 4.6% to the bottom of the FTSE 250 after posting a loss for the first half of the year.

But sentiment remained cautious after a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in Xinjiang in China, Hong Kong, and Australia, as well as spikes in Spain and Belgium, along with other localised outbreaks across Europe has put into question further lockdown relaxation measures.

The uncertainty around the globe has caused investors to head for gold, hitting $2000 for the first time this week.
Gabriel Escarrer, the CEO of Melia Hotels International and president of the Exceltur alliance for tourism excellence, believes that there was a lack of "high-level diplomatic proactivity" by Spain in preventing the UK's quarantine decision. In Escarrer's opinion, the decision was "disproportionate" and taken for "political reasons and not epidemiological".

On Tuesday, Escarrer said that communications stressing the high levels of safety that Spain offers tourists need to be intensified. He referred to coronavirus data in the Balearics, Canaries, Andalusia and Valencia which are much lower than in the UK. The absence of an epidemiological basis "leads us to believe that the hasty decision of the British government was due to other reasons, probably political".

Escarrer joined in the criticism of Fernando Simon, the director of the Centre for the Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies, who thanked Belgium and the UK for discouraging travel to Spain, as this would reduce the risk of importing Covid cases. "It is simply unacceptable for the government's scientific spokesperson to be making these statements, which go against all the efforts to maintain jobs. One would have expected him to have provided scientific arguments against the unjust and damaging decision of the British government."

In the case of Melia, Escarrer explained that the UK quarantine may "compel" the company to suspend the reopening of hotels in destinations where UK tourism is particularly strong, such as Benidorm and the Balearics. This will result in revenue losses for destinations which have "already suffered greatly".

He did not think that the UK government's decision will have a "snowball effect" on other markets in the EU, "where we believe there is a spirit of collaboration and solidarity".
MARINE  Democratic Madison County Board chairman candidate Bob Daiber has announced he will not seek re-election as Marine Township supervisor, a post he has held since 2001.

As I leave this position, the Marine Township assets, finances, and infrastructure are all in excellent condition, said Daiber. I am proud of the fiscal responsibility demonstrated during my tenure as well as the improvements we have made over the last twenty years.

Daiber indicated that he was making this announcement now so residents who may be interested in serving as Township Supervisor have the time to make the decision if they wish to seek the office.

Candidates seeking the position should realize that there is more to the job than just being the township administrator, road district treasurer, and financial officer, said Daiber. In a rural township, you also manage the general assistance and emergency assistance funds for residents in need of help, facilitate the senior center, perform the janitorial services, and coordinate the schedule of events. Being a rural township supervisor is true community service.

Although holding multiple offices can create potential conflicts of interest, Daiber said the Illinois Attorney Generals compatibility of office guidelines show no conflict of interest in holding the position of County Board chairman and township supervisor. Daiber also indicated that he decided not to seek another term to avoid any skepticism that there would be a conflict in him serving in both positions.

He also talked about clarifying a false rumor about his compensation as supervisor.

I receive no pension or health insurance benefits as Marine Township Supervisor, he said. I have only received an annual salary and I was the only Marine Township official not to receive an increase in compensation for the past four years.

Daiber served as Madison County Regional Superintendent of Schools for 12 years, and decided not to seek reelection in 2018. Instead, he was one of six Democratic candidates for Illinois governor, losing to now-Gov. JB Pritzker.

In July 2019 Daiber announced he was seeking the County Board chairmans seat, now held by Republican Kurt Prenzler. Daiber has announced receiving several endorsements from union groups.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Harvesting System Market Research Report by Technology (Light Energy Harvesting, RF Energy Harvesting, Thermal Energy Harvesting, and Vibration Energy Harvesting), by Component (Power Management Integrated Circuit, Storage System, and Transducer), by Application - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05940554/?utm_source=PRN





The Global Energy Harvesting System Market is expected to grow from USD 312.85 Million in 2019 to USD 615.94 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.95%.



Market Segmentation & Coverage:

This research report categorizes the Energy Harvesting System to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:



"The Vibration Energy Harvesting is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Technology, the Energy Harvesting System Market studied across Light Energy Harvesting, RF Energy Harvesting, Thermal Energy Harvesting, and Vibration Energy Harvesting. The Light Energy Harvesting commanded the largest size in the Energy Harvesting System Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Vibration Energy Harvesting is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



"The Power Management Integrated Circuit is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Component, the Energy Harvesting System Market studied across Power Management Integrated Circuit, Storage System, and Transducer. The Transducer commanded the largest size in the Energy Harvesting System Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Power Management Integrated Circuit is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



Based on Application, the Energy Harvesting System Market studied across Building & Home Automation, Consumer Electronics, Industrial, and Transportation.



"The Asia-Pacific is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"



Based on Geography, the Energy Harvesting System Market studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region surveyed across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. The Americas commanded the largest size in the Energy Harvesting System Market in 2019. On the other hand, the Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



Company Usability Profiles:

The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Energy Harvesting System Market including ABB Limited, Cymbet Corporation, EnOcean GmbH, Fujitsu Limited, G24 Innovations, General Electric, Honeywell International Inc., Infinite Power Solutions, Microchip Technology Inc., Microgen Systems, Powercast Corporation, Qorvo Inc, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, STMicroelectronics NV, and Texas Instruments Incorporated.



FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Energy Harvesting System Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.



Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth.



Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:

COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Energy Harvesting System Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Energy Harvesting System Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Energy Harvesting System Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Energy Harvesting System Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Energy Harvesting System Market?

6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Energy Harvesting System Market?



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05940554/?utm_source=PRN



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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.



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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 23:38:31|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation regulator said on Wednesday it had finished the inspection of the country's Boeing 737 jets affected by a recent emergency directive issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerning engine risks.

The FAA's emergency airworthiness directive, issued on July 23, ordered inspections of the engine bleed air 5th-stage check valves on Boeing 737NG (models 737-600, -700, -800, -900) and 737CL (models 737-300, -400, -500) aircraft.

Corrosion of these valves during airplane storage could result in a dual-engine power loss without the ability to restart, according to the FAA directive. The grounded Boeing 737 Max was not included in the ordered inspection, it said.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said it issued its own emergency airworthiness directive on July 24, ordering domestic airlines to check the valves on Boeing 737NG and 737CL aircraft that have been parked for more than six days and operated no more than 10 flight cycles.

Of all the 1,397 737NG and 737CL Boeing airplanes in China, 73 were found to require inspections, the CAAC said. By 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 70 of them had been deemed safe and had resumed operations, it added.

The remaining three jets will have their check valves replaced before their next flight, the CAAC said. Enditem
FILE PHOTO: Logo of Mondelez International is seen in Opfikon

(Reuters) - Mondelez International Inc <MDLZ.O> on Tuesday raised its quarterly dividend by 11%, after strong demand for its snacks and chocolates in North America offset sales declines in all of the Oreo maker's other businesses.

With U.S. and Canadian consumers reluctant or unable to visit restaurants due to COVID-19, sales have surged across the North American packaged food industry.

However, several of Mondelez's most crucial growth markets - including Brazil, India and Southeast Asia - were hit hard by the pandemic during the second quarter as severe lockdowns closed traditional stores. About two-thirds of Mondelez's revenue comes from markets outside of North America.

Mondelez, which in April withdrew its full-year outlook, said it still would not provide a forecast due to uncertainty caused by the novel coronavirus. The company did say, however, that it expects currency fluctuations to hurt full-year revenue growth by about 3%, and adjusted EPS by 5 cents.

The company, which also makes Cadbury chocolate and Chips Ahoy cookies, increased its quarterly cash dividend to $0.315 per share of Class A common stock.

Deerfield, Illinois-based Mondelez's net revenues rose 17.3% in North America to $2.03 billion. Overall revenue fell to $5.91 billion from $6.06 billion, but came in just above market estimates of $5.90 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Excluding certain items, Mondelez earned 63 cents per share in the quarter ended June 30, above analysts' estimate of 56 cents. Shares of the company were flat in extended trading.

(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam in Bengaluru and Richa Naidu in Chicago; Editing by Maju Samuel and Richard Pullin)
The two airports serving Tokyo have started conducting coronavirus antigen tests for international arrivals that produce results in about an hour, helping them roughly double testing capacity.

Haneda and Narita airports have relied solely on polymerase chain reaction genetic diagnostic tests to screen for the virus. The PCR test can take up to two days for results.

Not only do the antigen tests produce shorter wait times, samples can be taken from saliva as opposed to the invasive nasal swabs. Japan's health ministry, which instituted the new testing scheme, anticipates that the airports' screening capacity will improve.

"With the expansion of arrivals of international travelers, we will bring Haneda's testing capacity to 3,800 a day from 2,000 tests," said Health Minister Katsunobu Kato, who conducted an inspection tour of the airport Wednesday.

Narita will switch to mostly antigen tests in August. Kansai Airport near Osaka also will adopt antigen tests, raising the daily capacity at the three airports to 10,000 tests in September.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-29 13:00:25|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the opening ceremony of the fifth annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) via video link, in Beijing, capital of China, July 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

by Naim-Ul-Karim

DHAKA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping to develop the infrastructure of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) member states worldwide is "in the right direction," said Mashiur Rahmanan, an economic adviser to the Bangladeshi prime minister.

Rahman commended Xi's speech made Tuesday via video link at the opening ceremony of the fifth annual meeting of the multilateral development bank, as the Beijing-based development bank is keen to support more member states in mobilizing fast financing for their infrastructure projects.

The Chinese leader called for making the AIIB a new platform that promotes development for all its members and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi called for efforts to make the AIIB a new type of multilateral development bank that promotes development across the world, a new type of development platform progressing with the times, a new type of high-performance institution for international cooperation and a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation.

A span is installed on pillars of Bangladesh's largest Padma Bridge in Munshiganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, June 10, 2020, by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co, Ltd (MBEC). (Str/Xinhua)

"President Xi's speech at AIIB annual meeting ... strike the right note of inspiration," said Rahman.

Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was among the countries which encouraged the setting up of the AIIB and is a founding member, he said.

"It (Bangladesh) will benefit immensely from AIIB's operation," Rahman noted, adding that several crucial Bangladeshi projects have already been implemented with AIIB funding.

Noting that developing countries are facing a shortage of infrastructures, the adviser said that regional trades will also pick up to a large extent if infrastructure problems can be resolved through the AIIB in the near future.

The AIIB, proposed by Xi in late 2013, was officially launched in January 2016.

From the 57 founding members to today's membership of 102 spanning the six continents of Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Oceania, the AIIB has grown from strength to strength and provided nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars in infrastructure investment to its members. 
A Hong Kong property tycoon is making a bid to build a new city for 50,000 Hong Kong residents in Ireland to help them escape China's new security law.

Ivan Ko has pitched his plans to Ireland officials in light of Hong Kong's controversial new legislation which has left many residents considering emigration.

The national security law has created new offences which could see Hong Kong residents sent to mainland China for trial.

Ko is considering six locations between Dublin and Belfast to build the new city, which he has dubbed 'Nextpolis'. Above, one potential stretch of land Ko is considering lies between Drogheda and Dundalk, pictured above

The move prompted London to offer a pathway to citizenship or residency to up to three million Hong Kongers looking to leave the region, starting in January 2021.

The change in immigration rules would allow anyone with a British Oversees Passport and their immediate family members in the region to move to the UK to work and study for five years.

After that, they would be eligible to apply for settled status and citizenship.

Ko, who founded the investment company Victoria Harbour Group (VHG), is considering six locations between Dublin and Belfast to build the new city, which he has dubbed 'Nextpolis'.

While the Republic of Ireland is not part of the UK, the tycoon believes it would make a good location for the charter city due to its low population density and opportunities in the financial sector after Brexit.

Ireland has also hosted special economic zones in the past including the Shannon Free Zone.

One area he is eyeing up is a stretch of land between Drogheda and Dundalk, close to the border with Northern Ireland.

In his original plans, Ko had envisioned the city as a sprawling metropolis housing 50,000 Hong Kongers, stretching over 500 sq km and replicating the Hong Kong autonomous model, The Times reported last week.

However he has since had to scale back his plans after discussions with Ireland officials.

Under the latest draft, the city stretches for 50 sq km. The idea of autonomy was also scrapped over concerns the Hong Kongers would be seen as 'segregated' from the rest of the population.

Ivan Ko (pictured) has pitched his plans to Ireland officials in light of Hong Kong's controversial new security law which has left many citizens considering immigrating to the UK

Speaking to The Guardian, Ko said: 'We found out that replicating the Hong Kong model was not suitable, as if we were imposing something, and that people would be seen as segregated from the rest of the population.

'So we changed to another model.'

The tycoon explained: 'We like Ireland.

'Corporate taxes are very low. You have a very strong manufacturing and biomedical companies. Major tech giants have European headquarters there.

'Overall we think Ireland is very good.'

Ko's plan envisions the Hong Kong settlers to have access to several universities, three airports and fast broadband.

He added that the city would benefit 'both sides' as the new arrivals would 'integrate with local businesses'.

Covid-19 restrictions permitting, Ko said he plans to lead a delegation this year to inspect the potential sites and discuss the idea with local residents.

Ko, who has decades of experience in property development, said he is also considering other countries for his 'international charter city', although he wouldn't disclose which ones.

Ko's plans come as China yesterday announced the suspension of Hong Kong's extradition treaties with Canada, Australia and Britain in a tit-for-tat move following similar decisions by those countries over the security law.

Beijing's spokesperson also urged New Zealand to correct its 'mistakes' immediately after Wellington on Tuesday stood up to Beijing and suspended its extradition agreement with the Asian financial hub.

China has accused the countries of interfering in its internal affairs and defended the security law as crucial for Hong Kong following a wave of pro-democracy protests marred by violence

Western nations have angered Beijing with their responses to the law imposed on Hong Kong, which they see as an erosion of the civil liberties and human rights the city has enjoyed since its handover from Britain in 1997.

The United States has decided to rescind Hong Kong's special trading privileges.

Washington has also signalled that it was preparing to do the same with its Hong Kong extradition treaty as its 'Five Eyes' intelligence partners.

China has accused the countries of interfering in its internal affairs and defended the security law as crucial to restore order in Hong Kong following a wave of pro-democracy protests marred by violence.
Downer EDI Limited (Downer) announced today that its Asset Services business had recently been awarded a number of contracts in the power generation, oil and gas, and industrial sectors with a combined value of approximately $324 million.

In the power generation market, Downer has been awarded multiple contracts including:

 a four-year contract with Delta Electricity to deliver major and minor outages and supplementary labour for the Vales Point power station on the NSW central coast;

 a contract for the installation of a refurbished Hitachi 500MW stator for the Loy Yang B Power Station in Victoria for LYB Operations & Maintenance Pty Ltd; and

 a contract with Stanwell Corporation for inspections and rewinds of six 350 MW generator rotors for its Stanwell and Tarong power stations in Queensland.

In the oil and gas market, Downer has been awarded:

 a three-year framework agreement with Santos for the provision of multi-discipline works across existing upstream operational sites. Services include structural, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation, provided across various site locations; and

 a one-year extension to an existing maintenance contract with the operator of the Darwin Liquified Natural Gas facility in Darwin.

In the industrials market, Downer has been awarded:

 a two-year contract with BHP for the delivery of sustaining capital projects across their Western Australian iron ore sites. The services cover sustaining capital projects in mechanical, electrical and rail; and

 a site services contract with Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy and Fertilisers group for the provision of

electrical maintenance and shutdowns over the Western Australian and Northern Territory operations.

The Chief Executive Officer of Downer, Grant Fenn, said the contract wins demonstrate Downers position as an industry leader in the delivery of major maintenance and specialist services to customers in the resources, energy and industrial sectors.

Through our Asset Services business, Downer has an excellent track record of delivering installation, maintenance and shutdown services to our customers across Australia, Mr Fenn said.

These new and extended contracts are a strong endorsement of our capability as an asset management partner of choice and demonstrates the strength of our ongoing, long-term relationships with our customers.

Source: Downer EDI Limited

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A former Portland police officer whose beating of a man led to the citys largest police brutality jury verdict now faces a sexual harassment lawsuit from a colleague at the bureau where he continued to work as a civilian investigator.

Robert Bruders had resigned from the Police Bureau in 2016, two years after a jury awarded more than $500,000 to a man who Bruders repeatedly punched in the face. But he was rehired immediately as a non-sworn employee to do background checks on new police recruits.

A co-worker in the bureaus Personnel Division on Tuesday sued the city, claiming Bruders stalked her in the office and outside of work for three years.

Bruders also repeatedly offered to show her and others in the personnel office a video of him punching the man who took him to court, the suit says. Bruders further vowed that hed be back on the street in uniform as soon as he could pass the bureaus psychological exam, according to the suit.

The colleague, identified by her initials P.L., alleges the Police Bureau was negligent in failing to properly supervise or hold Bruders accountable for his behavior.

She is seeking $500,000 in damages.

Its a story of how you cant get rid of a bad officer,' said attorney Greg Kafoury, who filed the suit in Multnomah County Circuit Court with his son Jason Kafoury. It shows the macho culture of the police department, low levels of concern for women and veneration of the tough guys and how they could do no wrong.

Bruders declined comment on the allegations.

The woman who filed the suit reported Bruders staring and stalking her and cornering her alone in a kitchen area and photocopy room. She said Bruders created a hostile and intimidating work environment that forced her to change her work habits at police headquarters in downtown Portland.

In one instance, Bruders leaned back in his chair, looked P.L. up and down and told her, You just say the word and its on, according to her lawyers.

After telling her supervisors about the unwanted contact, P.L. filed a formal complaint against Bruders with her sergeant on Jan. 2, 2018.

By mid-August 2018, Bruders boss, then a lieutenant in the Police Bureaus Personnel Division, upheld one of five allegations against Bruders, finding he made inappropriate and unprofessional remarks about his co-workers appearance and his presence disrupted the workplace.

The lieutenant suggested a debriefing with Bruders before returning him to work in the same office near the woman, according to bureau records.

The Police Bureau found no basis to move him out of the Personnel Division based on these complaints, but took steps to reduce interactions between Bruders and the woman, according to Lt. Tina Jones, bureau spokeswoman. Jones declined to identify what the steps were.

The woman requested that Bruders be transferred out of the division, but instead a human resources representative suggested P.L. develop a safety plan, telling her the city had nowhere else to move Bruders, the suit says.

That same human resources official, Rebecca McKechnie, advised P.L. that Bruders makes me uncomfortable too, according to the suit.

To avoid contact with Bruders, P.L. would come into work after hours and on weekends, enter the building through a different door and eat lunch in a different part of the building, according to her suit.

The supervising and management employees of PPB were aware that Bruders was creating and subjecting plaintiff to a severe and pervasive sexually hostile work environment, yet PPB did nothing to prevent this, Jason Kafoury wrote in the suit.

In late 2019, the bureau investigated P.L. based on a complaint arising from Bruders friend and co-worker, another man in the office.

P.L. admitted she had made inappropriate comments to the friend and apologized. Earlier this year, allegations that she had made isolated references to men not assisting with heavy lifting in setting up a police testing room and references to the year another man may have been born, were upheld. She received command counseling, the lowest form of discipline, after a separate internal affairs inquiry.

Last month, P.L. got word she would be one of the background investigators to be laid off on Aug. 5 due to budget cuts, though she may be able to return on a temporary basis. She contends retaliation in the suit, noting that two other investigators with less seniority and experience were retained.

Bruders also is set to be laid off Aug. 5 due to budget cuts, the bureau said. Hes currently assigned to the Emergency Coordination Center run by the citys Bureau of Emergency Management.

In 2014, a Multnomah County jury awarded $562,000 to Jason Cox after Portland police knocked him face-down to the ground and repeatedly pummeled and zapped him with a Taser on June 28, 2011. Bruders struck Cox in the face multiple times with a closed fist once Cox was already down, a surveillance video showed.

Cox, who was 37 at the time, testified that he thought he was going to be beaten to death when police took him into custody in a Southeast Portland parking lot on suspicion of drunken driving.

A Portland Fire & Rescue paramedic at the scene noted that officers were strangely tight-lipped around him and wrote in a report that they were very reluctant to give any info how (patient) was injured.

Before the case went to trial, Cox had filed a complaint against the officers with the Independent Police Review, the city intake office for complaints against Portland police. The matter was referred to the bureaus Internal Affairs Division, which did a preliminary inquiry, reviewed the video and determined that Bruders punches were within policy and the law.

In 2014, a Multnomah County jury awarded $562,000 to Jason Cox after Portland police knocked him face-down to the ground and repeatedly pummeled and zapped him with a Taser on June 28, 2011. Bruders struck Cox in the face multiple times with a closed fist once Cox was already down, a surveillance video showed.

Chris Davis, internal affairs lieutenant at the time and now the bureaus deputy chief, wrote that Bruders and other officers present noted that Cox looked as if he was going to resist arrest by furrowing his brow " and assuming a fighting stance.' Officers didnt know if he had a weapon once he was taken to the ground because his right hand was under his body and they hadnt searched him, Davis wrote.

Bruders explained that a fellow officers Taser didnt succeed in getting Cox to comply and using pepper spray would impact the other officers present so he found that striking Cox in the face with a closed fist was the most appropriate alternative. Davis found Bruders decision reasonable,' considering all the circumstances and declined to call for a more in-depth inquiry, Davis wrote in a memo to the district attorney in October 2011. Independent Police Review closed the case.

At first, Jones said the Police Bureau never did a follow-up internal investigation into Bruders assault of Cox after the trial verdict. According to Jones, the bureau spokeswoman, Bruder couldnt be re-investigated because it would have constituted double jeopardy' -- examining his conduct again absent new information.

Jason Kafoury called the bureaus reasoning ridiculous. Its not a criminal case, he said. This would be an administrative review.

But later, Jones said she had inaccurate information and said that the Bureau had indeed done a follow-up internal inquiry but didnt share the outcome.

If our justice system worked as intended, Bruders would never have returned to duty after the video of him and his coworkers assaulting Mr. Cox came to light, Kafoury said.

The PPBs internal investigation and the Independent Police Reviews decision show at best a profound disconnect from reality and at worst an outright coverup of police brutality, he said. They allowed Bruders to continue working for the PPB and enabled him in his harassment of P.L.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
By Catherine Belton LONDON (Reuters) - When Russian President Vladimir Putin was preparing for last month's nationwide vote on potentially extending his rule until 2036, he let the veil slip on part of the calculation behind the constitutional change. 'If this doesn't happen, then in about two years  and I know this from personal experience  the normal rhythm of work of many parts of government will be replaced by a search for a possible successor,' Putin said in an interview with state TV channel Rossiya. 'We must be working, not looking for successors.' The Kremlin won the vote, declaring it a triumph.

By Catherine Belton

LONDON (Reuters) - When Russian President Vladimir Putin was preparing for last month's nationwide vote on potentially extending his rule until 2036, he let the veil slip on part of the calculation behind the constitutional change.

"If this doesn't happen, then in about two years  and I know this from personal experience  the normal rhythm of work of many parts of government will be replaced by a search for a possible successor," Putin said in an interview with state TV channel Rossiya. "We must be working, not looking for successors."

The Kremlin won the vote, declaring it a triumph. The constitution now will allow Putin to return to power for another two six-year terms. Independent monitor Golos, however, reported unprecedented vote fraud, and political opponents say the elaborate maneuvering over the ballot has weakened Putin's legitimacy. Public discontent over Putin's rule has begun to spill into the open in Russia's Far East, where tens of thousands have marched in protest for the past three weekends.

Beyond Putin's own comments to state TV, the Kremlin isn't explaining its calculus about the constitutional change. But a first-hand account by a former insider of how the Kremlin tried to manage the handover of power in 2008, when Putin first faced a constitutional limit on his presidency, provides a glimpse into the under-the-carpet power struggles of Moscow's ruling elite and some of the issues the Russian leader must grapple with.

Since at least 2006, former Kremlin adviser Sergei Pugachev told Reuters, Putin has been grappling with the question of succession. Once known as the Kremlin's banker, Pugachev played a key role in Putin's rise 20 years ago. His business interests spanned military shipyards, coal and construction, and he sat as a senator in parliament's upper chamber. Today he is in deep conflict with his former allies, accused by Russian authorities of bankrupting the bank he co-founded, a charge Pugachev denies. He left Russia, ending up in Britain and then France, where he currently lives, after London's High Court in 2014 ordered his assets frozen at Russia's request.

Now, Pugachev has spoken for the first time about Putin's decision-making in the run-up to 2008. He told how the president was often hostage to the will of his inner circle of former KGB men and associates from his hometown of St Petersburg.

The question of handing over power has always been the "biggest headache" of Putin's rule, Pugachev told Reuters. For Putin, the succession "was always a serious, personal stress. He never intended to hand over control of the country to anyone." Putin saw himself running Russia behind the scenes as the father of the nation, said Pugachev, but finding a successor who would go along with this plan "was always a big problem."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment about Pugachev's account of events.

In 2007, Pugachev was still a consummate Kremlin insider, close to many of the powerful men around Putin, the so-called siloviki, mostly drawn from Russia's security services. He says he was in the room when several key decisions were made. Photos and other documentary materials reviewed by Reuters show Pugachev held a position near the pinnacle of Kremlin power right up to 2008, and support some elements of his account.

The photos show Pugachev's teenage sons hanging out with Putin's daughters at his dacha. Other pictures show Pugachev dining at his dacha in 2005 with the leading security men around Putin. These included Nikolai Patrushev, then the head of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, successor to the KGB; and Igor Sechin, one of Putin's KGB allies from St Petersburg, who at the time of the photo was deputy head of the Kremlin administration.

A LOOMING DEADLINE

The first time Putin considered changing laws to prolong his rule was in the second term of his presidency, Pugachev said.

By the summer of 2007, Sergei Ivanov, Putin's first deputy prime minister and the youngest ever general in Russia's foreign intelligence service, was widely considered the frontrunner to become president the following year, ahead of another Putin ally, Dmitry Medvedev. The constitution dictated that Putin should step down in 2008 upon expiry of his second consecutive term.

Members of Putin's inner circle feared that if Ivanov got the top job, he would cut them out of power. They began briefing Putin against Ivanov, said Pugachev. "They began telling Putin that Ivanov is very dangerous. He is very aggressive. He will take power and then you will never be able to get rid of him. They were collecting all kinds of kompromat (compromising information) on Ivanov. Almost everyone was against him."

Kremlin spokesperson Peskov said Ivanov, now the president's special representative for nature, ecology and transport, would not be able to comment. Reuters couldn't reach him directly.

Pugachev too had fallen out with Ivanov, after failing to win a major shipbuilding contract in 2006, when Ivanov was the defence minister. That Ivanov seemed to be a loner only boosted him in Putin's eyes, according to Pugachev. It meant Ivanov "couldn't coordinate with anyone against Putin."

Behind the scenes, another option to extend Putin's hold on power was also under consideration. Pugachev said that, at Putin's request, Pugachev directed a group of lawyers headed by a co-author of the Russian constitution, Sergei Shakhrai, to look into ways Putin could run for a third term. The lawyers proposed enabling Putin to run again through a two-thirds majority vote in parliament. Putin had consistently opposed changing the constitution but, said Pugachev, he wanted "a second option just in case." Shakhrai declined to comment.

Ivanov's candidacy ended in August 2007, according to Pugachev. Putin had just announced the restoration of long-haul military flights capable of reaching American shores for the first time in 15 years, a move hailed by Russian newspapers as a demonstration of Moscow's restored military might.

Six days after Putin's triumphant announcement, Ivanov said in a television interview the flights did not signify a return to the Cold War. By appearing to speak for the Kremlin, he had overstepped the mark.

"Sechin brought a tape of Ivanov's interview to Putin," Pugachev said, describing a meeting between Pugachev, Putin and Sechin. Sechin, according to Pugachev, told the president: "'Look, Vladimir Vladimirovich, you launched the bombers which have not flown for 15 years, since before the Soviet collapse. And Sergei Ivanov, who is no one  he isn't even the president yet, he isn't even the successor yet  he has already claimed [the project] as his own."

"Sechin played on his ego," Pugachev continued. "Putin has a thing about going down in history. This was his story, and Ivanov entered his territory. It was an important psychological moment."

A spokesman for Sechin declined to comment. Kremlin spokesman Peskov said he could not comment since he was not present.

Putin wanted a successor who would be president in name only and ready to make way at any moment, Pugachev said. After this incident, added Pugachev, the door was closed to Ivanov.

But time had run out to amend the rules so that Putin could run for a third term. The presidential election was to be announced by the end of 2007, with the vote itself in March 2008. By law, any legal change allowing Putin to remain in power had to happen at least six months prior to an election being called. Putin "slept through" the opportunity for a third term, Pugachev said.

Instead, in September 2007, Putin announced he was appointing as prime minister Viktor Zubkov, a little-known former state farm director who at the time was head of Russia's anti-money laundering watchdog. The 66-year-old Zubkov was suddenly in the frame to succeed Putin.

Pugachev said Putin was weighing making Zubkov president for one year, after which Zubkov could say he had fallen ill, and Putin could return. "I discussed this with him personally. With Putin and with Zubkov," Pugachev said. But Putin rejected the idea. "He told me it wouldn't look very good."

Reuters couldn't reach Zubkov. Kremlin spokesman Peskov declined to comment on the matter.

Finally, on December 10, just as the election was about to be declared, Putin announced Dmitry Medvedev, a St Petersburg lawyer who'd long worked in Putin's shadow, was his favoured candidate to take over as president. Pugachev said Putin's circle believed that Medvedev, who'd served as Kremlin chief of staff and most recently alongside Ivanov as a first deputy prime minister, would be the most malleable successor and, importantly, the most willing to make way for Putin should Putin decide to return to the presidency. Similar views of the Putin-Medvedev partnership were widely reported in Russia at the time.

A TIME OF CONFUSION

For the next four years of Medvedev's presidency, it was as if there were one and a half presidents, Pugachev said. While Putin served as prime minister to Medvedev's president, many within Russia's elite were confused about who had the final say.

"First people ran to Medvedev, and then they ran to Putin. People didn't understand. If you did something Putin gave you the go ahead to do, the next day Medvedev could reproach you," Pugachev said, citing the example of one Russian state bank boss who, when arranging financing, first sought Putin's approval and then went to Medvedev for his. "For people it's unacceptable when there are two presidents, or one and a half. It's very important for them to understand who the Tsar is."

Putin might have been happy to allow Medvedev to serve as president for a second term, but Putin's inner circle could not contemplate the prospect, Pugachev said, because they feared losing their hold over the economy. A "vicious war" broke out between factions as Medvedev, in anticipation of running for a second term, began positioning his allies to take over greater chunks of the economy, including Gazprom and Rosneft, the state energy giants long run by Putin's closest cohort, including Sechin.

The U.S. administration's open courtship of Medvedev over Putin further exacerbated the rift.

Medvedev's hopes for a second term were quashed at the very last minute, said Pugachev. By now, Pugachev had already fled Russia, but he said he continued to have in-depth conversations with one of Medvedev's closest allies about what was happening.

According to this account, Medvedev was in the Kremlin putting the finishing touches to his anticipated announcement that he would run for a second term, to be delivered the next day, Sept. 24, 2011, at the annual congress of the ruling United Russia party. In the small hours of the morning, Putin's security men quietly swapped out the most loyal members of Medvedev's presidential guard.

The switching of the guards was a threatening sign, according to Pugachev. He recounted that soon afterwards Putin arrived at Medvedev's Kremlin office and the two men had a friendly chat. Later, Putin announced he was seeking the presidency for himself. "In the end it didn't really matter how much pressure Putin's security men put on Medvedev [to stand aside]. In the end it was a question of personal contact between Putin and Medvedev," said Pugachev.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov said he could not comment on the veracity of Pugachev's account. He said he only heard of Putin's plans to return as president when it was publicly announced at the United Russia congress. "I worked alongside Putin. But he did not share his plans," Peskov said.

Medvedev could not be reached for comment.

A political consultant who'd previously worked for Medvedev, Gleb Pavlovsky, said at the time that it looked like Medvedev had stepped down under pressure. He pointed out that only three months earlier, in an interview with the Financial Times, Medvedev had made clear he would seek a second term as president.

But while the 2008-2012 experiment with Medvedev's presidency had revealed to Putin's circle the risks of a handover of power, Pugachev said he believes Putin might still be considering standing aside again. The recent constitutional vote may give Putin time to resolve a succession plan behind the scenes, without the pressure of the clock ticking on his final term, Pugachev said.

A sign that Putin may be keeping his options open, Pugachev said, is that a little-noticed change formalises into the constitution a law granting former presidents immunity from prosecution.

If Putin were to pick a successor, it would be imperative this person be a member of his trusted inner circle, Pugachev said. "Putin can't stand outsiders. It's either his people or no one. It could be his driver or his bodyguard. The successor has to be his."

(reporting by Catherine Belton; edited by Janet McBride)

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CALGARY - The Petroleum Services Association of Canada is cutting its 2020 Canadian drilling forecast for a third time as the industry remains mired in a slump expected to extend well into the second half of the year.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/7/2020 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A pumpjack works at a well head on an oil and gas installation near Cremona, Alta., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. The Petroleum Services Association of Canada is cutting its 2020 Canadian drilling forecast for a third time as the industry remains mired in a slump expected to extend well into the second half of the year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - The Petroleum Services Association of Canada is cutting its 2020 Canadian drilling forecast for a third time as the industry remains mired in a slump expected to extend well into the second half of the year.

The association says it now expects just 2,800 wells will be drilled in Canada this year, down from a nearly 50-year low of 3,100 in its revised forecast in April.

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The new forecast for 2020 is 43 per cent lower than the 4,900 wells drilled in 2019.

PSAC interim CEO Elizabeth Aquin says a slow economic recovery, low commodity prices and high debt levels in the industry are preventing a quick recovery from the lows of earlier this year amid an economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She says a North American crude oil supply surplus means producers have little incentive to explore for and develop new wells.

Last week, Calgary-based Precision Drilling Corp. reported more layoffs and parked drilling rigs as revenue, led by lower activity in its Canadian and U.S. operations, fell by 47 per cent in the second quarter compared to the same period of last year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2020.

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